[CVRC] The ARRL Letter for November 14, 2013

Thu Nov 14 16:56:01 EST 2013

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            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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November 14, 2013

Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <ww1me at arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- Public Service: Philippine Amateur Radio Volunteers Fill
Communication Gap
- Public Service: MARS Operators Complete "Exemplary" Simulated
Disaster Response Exercise
- On the Air: ARRL November Sweepstakes Marks 80 Years -- Redux!
- On the Air: Rare, Brief 6 Meter F2 Opening Makes for Plentiful DX
- Your League: Nominations Due December 31 for 2013 ARRL International
Humanitarian Award
- Your League: HPM's "Old Betsy" is Returned to Operating Order
- Ham Radio in Space: Two Hams, One Olympic Torch Return Home from ISS
- Ham Radio in the Media: TV Show Featuring Fictional Ham Sparks Crop
of Real Hams
- DX: South Sudan Z81X Operators Encourage DX University's "Best
Practices"
- DX: Third 2013 Myanmar Operation Set
- DX: Illinois Congressman Chats with K9W Team on Wake Island
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

==> PUBLIC SERVICE: PHILIPPINE AMATEUR RADIO VOLUNTEERS FILL
COMMUNICATION GAP

   In the devastating aftermath of what some weather experts are
calling the most severe typhoon (hurricane) ever, Philippine Amateur
Radio volunteers are providing communication support for governmental
and relief agencies as rescue and recovery operations are underway. In
many cases, ham radio is the only communication available, as Typhoon
Haiyan ("Yolanda" in the Philippines) took out the telecommunication
infrastructure as well as electrical power over a wide area.

"No words to describe what my beloved Philippines is going through,"
Thelma Pascua, DU1IVT, posted to her Facebook page.

ARRL President Praises Ham Radio Efforts in Typhoon's Wake

Writing on behalf of the ARRL and US radio amateurs, ARRL President Kay
Craigie, N3KN has expressed "sincere condolences to the people of the
Philippines, especially our fellow amateurs, on the destruction and
suffering" caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

"We praise the efforts of your HERO organization in assisting the
relief and recovery effort," Craigie said in a letter to Philippine
Amateur Radio Association President Eduardo Valdez, DU1EV. "Our
thoughts and hopes are with you during this disaster."

   Hardest hit was the city of Tacloban, the capital of Leyte province.
The death toll still has not been determined, but at least 2500 lost
their lives, and 600,000 or more were left homeless -- some largely
without food and water -- awaiting the arrival of outside assistance.
Ramon Anquilan, DU1UGZ, of the Philippine Amateur Radio Association
(PARA <http://www.para.org.ph/>), said that amid the chaos, Ham
Emergency Radio Operations (HERO) stations on HF and VHF have been
aiding authorities and residents throughout the archipelago.

He reported that some of the pressure has been lifted, now that some
cellular telephone and Internet service has been restored in Tacloban.
The HERO station there has been handling health-and-welfare inquiries.
Ironically a curfew imposed to maintain law and order has prevented the
station from staying on the air after dark.

"It appears that the NTC [National Telecommunications Commission] had
an emergency meeting and decided to provide hams in the area with
mobile rigs and hand-held portables," he said. "The NTC's awareness of
the importance of Amateur Radio is maturing, and there are talks of our
clubs training and maintaining stations NTC regional offices."

Anquilan said national and emergency response agencies have relocated
the command post to the Tacloban Grandstand, while the HERO District 5
Radio Amateur Network (RADNET <http://dx5ran.weebly.com/contacts.html>)
station, using the call sign DU5AOK, remains on the second floor of
city hall in Tacloban -- with security, food, and logistics problems
now cropping up.

   "We are urgently requesting assistance to sustain the DU5AOK station
and ensure operations in the other hard-struck areas are established --
Samar, Panay, Cebu, Biliran, and the tourist area of Palawan," he said.
The local government has been maintaining the emergency generator
powering the station. Anquilan specifically mentioned a need for
field-deployable systems, power generators, antenna systems, food or
ration packs, and tents for the operators.

Anquilan said the NTC has employed the HERO network to handle several
messages. He said the Red Cross used the Tacloban HERO station to track
a relief vehicle to verify the welfare of its volunteers, who had been
stopped and ransacked by storm victims impatient for aid to arrive.

As a matter of policy, the Tacloban station and others in the disaster
areas were accepting only outbound traffic as priority messages,
Anquilan explained. These include health-and-welfare traffic, messages
from institutions and government agencies to Manila, and urgent
requests for specific assistance or relief. He estimated that HERO
operations will remain active for at least another week.

"As the primary telecom services are restored, there will be less
reliance on the Amateur Radio service in Tacloban," Anquilan said.
"This will mean a more difficult period, because the remote areas not
reached yet by government and other agencies will now demand
communication links." He predicted that ham radio assets will be spread
thinly, resulting in gaps.

   Elsewhere, the Cebuano Amateur Radio League (CARL) has established
an HF station in Bantayan, at the northern tip of Cebu. The
municipality was the hardest hit in Cebu, with an estimated 90 percent
of structures leveled by the storm. The Chocolate Hills Amateur Radio
League (CHARL <http://charl.dx7bc.org/>) club station DX7BC and members
are standing by to monitor and relay messages between Tacloban and the
principal receiving stations.

Stations scattered throughout the Philippine archipelago are receiving
outgoing traffic from Tacloban and the other affected areas. Additional
operators are on standby to relay traffic as necessary.

   Anquilan said the news media have begun noticing ham radio but fail
to understand the important role the HERO network has been playing in
the wake of the disaster. "Although there's some very brief TV
exposure, they are yet to adequately report on the voluntary service it
provides, and the emergency communications to the agencies and
community in times of disaster," he said.

Milt Camp, K6OYX/DU2OYX -- founder of Los Médicos Voladores
<http://www.flyingdocs.org/> (The Flying Doctors) -- lives in the
Philippines (Baguio City in Luzon) and has been assisting with
emergency communication. He reported that ham radio volunteers there
are using HF to handle outbound traffic on 14.277 MHz.

"We had a lot of wind even in this area 400 kilometers north of the
typhoon," he reported. "I did take down my antenna for the [worst] of
the wind but put back as soon as I could." He said a net on 7.095 MHz
"has been on 24/7" since the typhoon.

Camp said he believed the international net on 14.277 MHz was being
used to contact families in areas hit by the typhoon. "We do have
medical people from this area going to the damaged area starting this
weekend," he added.

ITU Deploys Satellite Communications

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU
<http://www.arrl.org/itu>) announced
<http://www.itu.int/net/pressoffice/press_releases/2013/55.aspx#.UoOKMeLjWP8>
this week that it had deployed satellite communication equipment to the
Philippines to help re-establish "communications vital for search and
rescue" in areas severely affected by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). Amateur
Radio volunteers throughout the Philippine archipelago have been a
primary communication link since the storm struck November 8, and their
efforts continue.

   "ITU is prepared to help the government and people of the
Philippines in every way possible in their hour of need, and to deal
with the colossal tragedy that has overwhelmed the country with
unimaginable loss of life and property," ITU Secretary-General Dr
Hamadoun I. Touré, HB9EHT, said.

Noting that it "could be weeks or months" before the telecommunication
infrastructure is back in order, the ITU -- a specialized UN agency --
said it hoped the equipment would help in assessing the widespread
damage and loss of life as well as "enable much-needed support for
search-and-rescue services as well as the need for families to
re-establish contacts."

The equipment can be charged from automotive batteries and has solar
panels for back-up power, the ITU said. The ITU also has sent
communication experts to the Philippines to train first responders in
the use of the equipment during search-and-rescue operations and for
logistical support. -- Thanks to Jim Linton VK3PC, Carl Croci, NI6Z,
Milt Camp, DU2OYX, and the ITU

==> PUBLIC SERVICE: MARS OPERATORS COMPLETE "EXEMPLARY" SIMULATED
DISASTER RESPONSE EXERCISE

Radio amateurs in the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS
<http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/>) concluded an unprecedented 48-hour
marathon exercise November 5 that linked the continental US, Hawaii,
Japan, Europe, and Canada during a simulated breakdown of normal
communication systems, including the Internet. For the first time in a
nationwide test, W1AW <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw> staffers activated the
Maxim Memorial Station Army MARS station AAN1ARL at ARRL Headquarters
to facilitate input from the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
(RACES) community.

   "Well done by all," messaged Army MARS Chief Stephen Klinefelter,
when the test was concluded. The exercise involved the transmission of
hundreds of encrypted messages via HF radio. The traffic carried
"situational awareness" information needed by a joint Department of
Defense entity responsible for responding to a national crisis
situation. Many operators, net control and relay station members in
particular, put in long hours maintaining the seamless connection.

Joining Army MARS in providing backup communication for the US
Department of Defense entity were members of the Navy-Marine Corps and
Air Force MARS branches. Elements of the National Guard, FEMA, the
Transportation Security Administration, and selected state authorities
also participated.

During the final day of the exercise, MARS members also acted on a
real-world request from DoD to be prepared to monitor International
Amateur Radio Union (IARU <http://www.iaru.org>) emergency frequencies
as Typhoon Haiyan appeared poised to develop into a category 5 storm
and strike the Philippines.

MARS members were given strict time limits for providing the requested
information in order to receive credit for completing their message
handling. These statistics will be used to evaluate how quickly and
efficiently the multi-branched network might be able to handle
information requests and responses under conditions mirroring an actual
catastrophe. Poor propagation, particularly in the overnight hours,
added a realistic touch.

A formal after-action report from Army MARS Program Officer Paul
English, WD8DBY, and Operations Chief David McGinnis, K7UXO, in still
in the works, but Klinefelter saluted the overall performance.

"You have just completed the most complex and longest MARS
communications exercise in recent history," he said. "I want to thank
each of you for participating and devoting long hours to make this
exercise a success. The dedicated efforts to maintain effective
nationwide contingency communications support demonstrated by all
participants were exemplary."

   Discussions between ARRL Headquarters staff, US Army MARS Region 1
leadership, and English preceded the exercise. Eastern Massachusetts
was chosen for the first test of full-scale collaboration between ARES
and MARS, and Tim Wortley, KQ1Y, the MARS state director for Southern
New England, worked out the details with Eastern Massachusetts Section
Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY. Wortley said he received more
than a half-dozen responses to inquiries he'd put into the system.
Other tactical voice messages on amateur VHF repeaters were forwarded
to MARS circuits. The ARES test was separate from the activation of the
MARS station at W1AW.

==> ON THE AIR: ARRL NOVEMBER SWEEPSTAKES MARKS 80 YEARS -- REDUX!

This weekend, the 2013 ARRL November Sweepstakes
<http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes> phone event will dominate the bands,
continuing the 80th running of the oldest domestic ham radio contest.
Sweepstakes -- also known as "Sweeps" and "SS" -- debuted in 1930, but
ham radio was suspended during World War II. The action gets underway
at 2100 UTC Saturday and runs through 0259 UTC Monday. The 2013 ARRL
November Sweepstakes Operating Guide
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Contest-Operating-Guides/2013/2013-ARRL-SS-OpGuide.pdf>
provides details. An ARRL November Sweepstakes webinar
<http://wwrof.org/category/webinar-archive/> by ARRL Contest Branch
Manager Mike DeChristopher, N1TA, has been posted to the World Wide
Radio Operators Foundation website.

   An eHam article, "An Enticement for Contest Newbies
<http://www.eham.net/articles/31081>" by Sweepstakes Manager Larry
Hammel, K5OT; Ward Silver, N0AX, and Mike Gilmer, N2MG, helps explain
the intricacies of SS and offers valuable tips to newcomers. The
somewhat lengthy SS exchange, which participants must copy accurately
to earn points, reflects the event's origins as a traffic-handling
exercise and borrows some radiogram vocabulary. It consists of a
consecutive serial number (leading zeroes are not required); a
"precedence" -- a letter representing your entry category, eg "A" for
single ops running 100 W; your call sign; a "check" consisting of the
last two numerals of the year in which you were first licensed, and
your ARRL or Radio Amateurs of Canada Section. Participants work each
station once for contact points, and the score multiplier is the number
of ARRL/RAC sections worked (83 total).

As noted
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-november-sweepstakes-marks-80-years> in
advance of the CW weekend, the number 80 comes into play for
participants in this weekend's contest who want to enhance the fun and
the challenge by setting some individual achievement goals this year --
for example, for working 80 contacts per mode, scoring 80,000 points
(total), running 80 W, and even for working all ARRL sections traversed
by Interstate 80 and all sections on 80° W longitude. SS operators also
can earn recognition for working all of the ARRL Sections in place in
1930 -- there were 68 back then, as opposed to 83 today. New this year
are an 80 years T shirt and "Clean Sweep" coffee mug, as well as
participation pins and a special certificate. Operators 80 years old or
older and all participating clubs will get special recognition. Details
<http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes> are on the ARRL November Sweepstakes
web page.

==> ON THE AIR: RARE, BRIEF 6 METER F2 OPENING MAKES FOR PLENTIFUL DX

Six meter operators were treated November 9 to an F2 opening from
approximately 1500 until 1630 UTC. "These have been very rare in Solar
Cycle 24," said QST "The World Above 50 MHz" Editor Jon Jones, N0JK. He
described the opening as "mostly single-hop F2" from the East Coast,
Midwest, Gulf Coast, and to the West Coast to Central America, Northern
South America and Caribbean.

Jones said the geomagnetic field was active, with a K of 4, due to what
Spaceweather.com <http://www.spaceweather.com/> called "a gusty stream
of solar wind buffeting Earth's magnetic field, sparking auroras around
both of our planet's poles." Jones said he was "late to the show"
because he'd worked the night before. He didn't get into the fray until
1550 UTC after he saw all the 6 meter spots showing up.

"I turned on the radio, and FM5AN, P43A, PJ4NX, etc were all blasting
in loud here in eastern Kansas," he said. "I worked FM5AN and P43A from
home using a M2 loop in the attic. Jean, P43A said I was S-9. Nothing
new or rare, but any F2 on 6 meters in solar cycle 24 is a treat."

==> YOUR LEAGUE: NOMINATIONS DUE DECEMBER 31 FOR 2013 ARRL
INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AWARD

Nominations are due December 31 for the 2013 ARRL International
Humanitarian Award
<http://www.arrl.org/international-humanitarian-award>. This award is
conferred upon a radio amateur or amateurs who demonstrate devotion to
human welfare, peace and international understanding through Amateur
Radio. The League established the annual prize to recognize Amateur
Radio operators who have used ham radio to provide extraordinary
service to others in times of crisis or disaster.

A committee appointed by the League president is now accepting
nominations from Amateur Radio, governmental or other organizations
that have benefited from extraordinary service rendered by an Amateur
Radio operator or group. Amateur Radio is one of the few
telecommunication services that allow people throughout the world from
all walks of life to meet and talk with each other, thereby spreading
goodwill across political boundaries.

   The ARRL International Humanitarian Award recognizes Amateur Radio's
unique role in international communication and the assistance amateurs
regularly provide to people in need. Nominations should include a
summary of the nominee's actions that qualify the individual (or
individuals) for this award, plus verifying statements from at least
two people having first-hand knowledge of the events warranting the
nomination. These statements may be from an official of a group (for
example, the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, a local or state
emergency management official) that benefited from the nominee's
particular Amateur Radio contribution. Nominations should include the
names and addresses of all references.

All nominations and supporting materials for the 2013 ARRL
International Humanitarian Award must be submitted in writing in
English to ARRL International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111 USA. The winner of the ARRL International
Humanitarian Award receives an engraved plaque and a profile in QST and
other ARRL venues.

==> YOUR LEAGUE: HPM'S "OLD BETSY" IS RETURNED TO OPERATING ORDER

   Back in the day -- prior to 1989, to be more specific -- ARRL tours
were treated to a demonstration of League Co-Founder Hiram Percy
Maxim's rotary spark-gap transmitter, "Old Betsy." The vintage
transmitter, on display in the lobby of the Maxim Memorial Station
W1AW, sustained some damage, however, and she has remained silent for
nearly 24 years. Until now.

"It's always been my intention to get Old Betsy working again," W1AW
Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, explained. "Seeing that next year is
our Centennial, I made her functionality one of my priorities."

For Amateur Radio newcomers, a spark-gap transmitter is pretty much as
it sounds. A very high voltage is applied to two electrodes sufficient
to cause the electrons to bridge -- or spark across -- the gap between
them. Various circuits, and the antenna, are used to tune this broad-

   spectrum energy -- essentially a radio signal (think power line
noise or interference from a vacuum cleaner) -- to a particular radio
wavelength. An improvement on this basic concept was the rotary
spark-gap transmitter, where a motor rapidly turns a number of
electrodes (Old Betsy has four) past stationary electrodes. This helps
to generate a semblance of a "note" on the Morse transmissions in that
era before receivers had circuitry to make CW sound as it does today.
Old Betsy is considered a non-synchronous rotary spark gap, Carcia
points out, and the belt-driven rotor spins at approximately 2500 RPM.
The rotating and stationary electrodes are housed within a handcrafted
wooden box with an open top.

   In the olden days of Amateur Radio -- the 1920s -- Maxim, known as
"HPM," had Old Betsy installed in the basement of his Hartford,
Connecticut, home and keyed it from his operating position on the first
floor above. A spark-gap transmitter can generate a lot of noise --
both ambient and throughout the radio spectrum -- so keeping "Old
Betsy" and the operator on separate floors made good sense. The
transmitter is equipped with an RF ammeter to measure the RF current
flowing into the antenna, although one is no longer connected.

Carcia says Betsy once again is ready for prime time. "I've repaired
Old Betsy -- and placed a protective polycarbonate shield around her as
well," he says. "Old Betsy is now functional." But it will only be run
without an antenna. The FCC banned spark transmitters in the 1930s.
Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/hpm-s-old-betsy-is-made-new-to-wow-the-crowds>.

==> HAM RADIO IN SPACE: TWO HAMS, ONE OLYMPIC TORCH RETURN HOME FROM
ISS

Two astronauts and a cosmonaut returned safely to Earth from
International Space Station November 11. The Expedition 37 crew of
European Space Agency Astronaut Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP; Russian ISS
Crew Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and NASA astronaut Karen
Nyberg landed in a Soyuz spacecraft in the Kazakhstan steppe, returning
in the same spacecraft that took them to the ISS last May.

   They carried with them the Olympic torch that went into space
recently with the Expedition 38 crew. Richard Mastracchio, KC5ZTE,
Russia's Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT, and Japan's Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA,
arrived at the International Space Station November 7, carrying the
torch, which will be used to light the Olympic flame in Sochi, Russia,
for the 2014 Winter Games.

Parmitano spent five months on the ISS for his "Volare" ("I will fly")
mission, under a bilateral agreement with Italy's space agency and
NASA. While in space, he proved to be an enthusiastic and passionate
radio amateur and handled several Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) school contacts.

"When all questions prepared by the students could not be answered
during the scheduled pass, Luca used to come back whenever possible to
continue the space talk on the following orbit," reported ARISS-Europe
Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF. Parmitano ranks fourth in terms of the
number of ARISS school contacts performed during a single expedition.
As IR0ISS, Parmitano also made more than 230 random contacts with hams
on Earth. -- Thanks to Gaston Bertels, ON4WF

==> HAM RADIO IN THE MEDIA: TV SHOW FEATURING FICTIONAL HAM SPARKS CROP
OF REAL HAMS

   Fans of the ABC Television show "Last Man Standing
<http://abc.go.com/shows/last-man-standing>" may be aware that its main
character, "Mike Baxter" -- played by Tim Allen -- is supposed to be a
radio amateur, KA0XTT. While it may come as no surprise that the
sitcom's producer is a ham -- John Amodeo, NN6JA -- several radio
amateurs also are on the production crew, and their number just
increased, with help from the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group
(GLAARG <http://glaarg.org/>) VEC. The show's "Thanksgiving" episode,
which airs Friday, November 22 (8 PM ET), will feature a scene with
"Baxter" in his basement ham shack. Amodeo said that for the first time
in the series, Baxter will briefly talk on the radio. In response,
viewers will hear a pileup created by using the voices of hundreds of
real hams, sent in to the production company.

In the scene, the Mike Baxter character appears with his grandson
"Boyd," played by Flynn Morrison. The episode was shot in mid-October.
According to Amodeo, Mike heads to his basement ham shack to escape a
houseful of guests waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to be served. This
episode of the show is only the second to include ham radio as a story
element and the first in which Tim Allen's character is shown operating
his ham station.

   At an exam session on November 9, the "Last Man Standing" crew added
eight new Technician class hams to its crew as well as its first
General upgrade. GLAARG volunteer examiners Norm Goodkin, K6YXH; Naomi
Goodkin, WB6OHW, and Rob Antonacci, AA6RA, administered the test
session. Including the additional new hams, the show's
behind-the-scenes crew complement now boasts 14 Technician, one
General, and two Amateur Extra class operators.

In "Last Man Standing," Allen's character Mike, a pickup-driving
sporting goods marketing manager, must spend more time in his
female-dominated household after his wife gets a promotion at work. The
couple's three daughters are not prepared for the shift to his stricter
parenting style.

==> DX: SOUTH SUDAN Z81X OPERATORS ENCOURAGE DX UNIVERSITY'S "BEST
PRACTICES"

   The multinational group activating Z81X from South Sudan November
15-28 will emphasize 160 and 80 meters. It also is urging DXers to be
on their best behavior in the anticipated pileups. The DXpedition
period includes the CQ World Wide DX <http://www.cqww.com/> CW contest,
when Z81X will have as many as three single-band stations active; there
will be a non-contest, low-band SSB focus during the contest weekend as
well. The Z81X team departed November 13 and was scheduled to team up
with Z81B and Z81D to set up their low-band antennas and start a series
of workshops for the government of South Sudan.

"At least one station should be operational by late Friday evening,"
the team announced this week. "Their selected low-band operating
frequencies are 1826.5 KHz and 3523 KHz." The Z81X expedition will not
announce its operating frequencies on other bands in advance and
advises checking Internet spotting networks.

   The Z81X operators also will know if you've been bad or good. They
will be looking for conduct that is consistent -- or inconsistent --
with the DX University <http://www.dxuniversity.com/> "Best Practices
for Courteous and Efficient DXing
<http://www.dxuniversity.com/showpage.php?id=25&title=Best_Practices_for_Courteous_and_Efficient_DXing>."
The DXpedition ops plan to record many segments of the operation in
stereo -- with Z81X on one channel and the DX pileup on the other --
then upload selections to the DX University website to illustrate
certain points.

Hosted by the South Sudan Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications
<http://www.motps.goss.org/>, the group, led by IARU Region 1
<http://www.iaru-r1.org/>President Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, also
will conduct a series of workshops, with support by the Yasme
Foundation <http://www.yasme.org/>, aimed at establishing a sound
Amateur Radio spectrum management and regulatory regime for the
Republic of South Sudan. Other operators will include Dietmar, DL3DXX;
Wayne, N7NG; Olli, OH0XX; Martti, OH2BH; Pertti, OH2PM; Veijo, OH6KN,
and Tevfik, TA1HZ (the team doctor), plus Massimo, Z81B (IZ0EGB), and
Diya, Z81D (YI1DZ).

Plans call for three generator-powered stations with amplifiers,
low-band verticals and Beverage antennas; two sites may be used. Z81X
team members will use their QRZ.com <http://www.qrz.com/db/Z81X> page
to provide updates and to recognize supporters. Team updates also will
appear on the DX University website.

   Toward the end of the Z81X effort, the operators will try a modern
twist on an old method to work as many of the "more-deserving, but
DX-challenged" DXers as possible. Details will be announced.

Z81X Project Goodwill South Sudan is organized jointly by Radio Arcala
<http://www.dxsummit.fi/>, DX University
<http://www.dxuniversity.com/>, IARU Region 1, and Rock City
Investments Co; the equipment sponsor is Yaesu <http://www.yaesu.com/>.

The group welcomes support from individuals, clubs and foundations.
Visit <http://www.qrz.com/db/Z81X> the Z81X QRZ.com page. QSL via
OH0XX. The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved the Z81X operation earlier this
year for DXCC <http://www.arrl.org/rules> credit. -- Thanks to Jarmo
Jaakola, OH2BN

==> DX: THIRD 2013 MYANMAR OPERATION SET

Zorro, JH1AJT, and others will be on air from Myanmar (formerly known
as Burma) from November 15 until November 26. The proposed call sign is
XZ1J. According to The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com>, this will be
the third and final run for 2013 from Myanmar. Plans call for setting
up and running up to four stations 24/7 on 160 through 10 meters, CW,
SSB and RTTY. -- The Daily DX; Jay Oka, JA1TRC

==> DX: ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN CHATS WITH K9W TEAM ON WAKE ISLAND

   US Representative Brad Schneider <http://schneider.house.gov/>
(IL-10) isn't even a ham, but he got to work one of the most popular
DXpeditions now on the air. The congressman spoke with K9W
<http://www.wake2013.org/> op Jerry Rosalius, WB9Z, on Wake Island from
the Northbrook station of Wally Klinger, W9BEA -- a member of the
Northern Illinois DX Association <http://www.nidxa.org/>. The two met
about a week ago in Schneider's office, where Klinger had gone to
express concerns regarding access to certain US islands to carry out
DXpeditions.

The Wake Island team ran into difficulties
<http://www.arrl.org/news/wake-island-k9w-dxpedition-attempting-to-reschedule>
when the partial US government shutdown occurred just as the K9W team
was supposed to fly on a US Air Force aircraft to Wake. Klinger invited
the first-term congressman to visit his station to speak with the radio
amateurs at

   K9W. According to Klinger, Schneider "is aware of the issues that we
have getting on US incorporated territories such as Navassa, Johnston,
etc."

After Klinger made contact with K9W on 15 meters, Schneider took the
mic and spoke with Rosalius "just like a pro," Klinger said. Afterward,
Klinger displayed his QSL card collection, pointing out how the number
of DXpeditions from US island territories such as Wake had dropped
significantly over the past several years. As the congressman departed,
Klinger gave him several recent copies of QST that highlighted DXing,
Field Day and public service work.

The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved the 2013 operation of K9W -- Wake
Island -- for DX Century Club credit. -- The Daily DX
<http://www.dailydx.com/>

==> THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad "Seasons in the Sunspots" Cook, K7RA, reports from Seattle,
Washington: Solar activity remains relatively robust. Average daily
sunspot numbers over the past week declined from 131.7 to 126.1, fewer
than six points. A few "off days," November 9-11 contributed to the
decline, but sunspot activity during the week otherwise was strong,
beginning at 159 and 160 on November 7-8.

Solar flux was up nearly 11 points, rising from an average of 146 on
October 31-November 6 to 156.9 in the recent period, November 7-13.

The latest prediction shows solar flux at 170 and 165 on November
14-15, 160 on November 16-20, 150 on November 21-22, 145, 140 and 135
on November 23-25, 130 on November 26-27, 135 on November 28, 140 on
November 29-30, 135 on December 1-3, 130 on December 4, and 135 on
December 5-6.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on November 14-15, 10 on November
16-17, 5 on November 18 through December 3, 8 on December 4, and 5 on
December 5.

In Friday's bulletin expect an updated forecast for the phone weekend
of the ARRL November Sweepstakes <http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes>,
plus comments from readers.

==> JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- Nov 14 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint, CW

- Nov 16 -- Feld-Hell Turkey Shoot Sprint

- Nov 16-17 -- ARRL EME Contest

- Nov 16-17 -- LZ DX Contest, SSB+CW

- Nov 16-17 -- All Austria 160 Meter Contest, CW

- Nov 16-17 -- RSGB Second 1.8 MHz Contest, CW

- Nov 16-18 -- ARRL November Sweepstakes, SSB

- Nov 17 -- Homebrew and Oldtime Contest, CW

- Nov 18 -- Run For The Bacon, CW

- Nov 21 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint, CW

- Nov 23-24 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest, CW

- Nov 27 -- SKCC Straight Key Sprint

- Nov 28 -- Top Band Sprint, CW+SSB

- Nov 30 -- Full Day of Hell

==> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS

- November 16-17 -- Indiana State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/indiana-state-convention-fort-wayne-hamfest-and-computer-expo-1>,
Fort Wayne, Indiana

- December 6-7 -- West Central Florida Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-central-florida-section-convention-tampa-bay-hamfest-3>,
Plant City, Florida

- January 5 -- NYC/LI Section Convention
<http://hamradiouniversity.org/>, Bethpage, New York

- January 17-18 -- North Texas Section Convention
<http://www.cowtownhamfest.org/>, Fort Worth, Texas

- January 19-26 - Quartzfest Convention <http://www.quartzfest.org/>,
Quartzsite, Arizona

- January 24-25 -- Mississippi State Convention
<http://hamfest.msham.org/>, Jackson, Mississippi

- January 25-26 -- Puerto Rico State Convention
<http://www.arrlpr.org/>, Hatillo, Puerto Rico

- January 31-February 1 -- Southern Florida Section Convention
<http://hamboree.org/>, Miami, Florida

- Feb 7-9 -- Northern Florida Section Convention
<http://www.hamcation.com/> (Orlando HamCation®), Orlando, Florida

- Feb 14-15 -- Arizona Section Convention
<http://www.yumahamfest.org/>, Yuma, Arizona

Find conventions and hamfests in your area
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

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