[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1302 July 26th, 2002
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ham-news-admin at mailman.qth.net
Sat Jul 27 11:14:15 EDT 2002
Amateur Radio Newsline 1302 July 26th, 2002
The following is a Q-S-T. A giant solar flare causes problems on the
High Frequency bands and a popular ARRL Director calls it quits. These
stories are first on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1302 coming
your way right now.
**
PROPAGATION: X CLASS SOLAR FLARE CLOSES HF BANDS
If you have been wondering where all the signals you normally hear on
the High Frequency bands have gone, we have the answer. A large flare
on the Sun effectively closed them down. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don
Wilbanks tells us about the solar eruption and what it could mean for
ham radio:
--
Solar flares come in all sizes, and the Astro Alert service says the
latest ones are some of the largest. The E-newsletter says that the
sunspot complex believed to be responsible for a July 21st X Class flare
rotated fully into Earth's view on July 22nd. It announced its arrival
by spawning a second and spectacularly powerful X Class 4.8 level
eruption.
Solar Alert says that this latest flaring region has the potential to
produce substantial effects on Earth over the next two weeks and we
could see more than we have in the last 10 years. It all depends on
whether or not the sunspot complex continues to pump out activity at the
same rate that it is presumed to have produced over the last several
days.
For radio hobbyists it means that there could be very little to hear on
the bands from 1.8 to 30 MHz for a while. And, depending on the level
of atmospheric ionization that takes place, it also could bring some
unexpected long distance communications to 6 meters and above. If you
have weak signal gear for the world above 50 MHz, keep and ear on
frequencies like 50.110 and 50.125 MHz and be prepared to hear -- and to
work -- the unexpected.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA, in New
Orleans.
--
More on this story is in the Solar Alert URL at
http://www.spacew.com/astroalert.html. (WDX6AA)
**
HAM RADIO POLITICS: ARRL BOARD MEETS IN CONNECTICUT
The American Radio Relay League has held its 2nd meeting of 2002. It
took place July 19th to the 20th in Windsor, Connecticut. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Cathy Anno, KB0FDU, has the details:
--
Perhaps the biggest news came as the Board Meeting was getting ready to
begin. Thats when the American Radio Relay League was named to receive
a $181,900 homeland security grant from the U-S government to train
Amateur Radio operators in emergency communication. The A-R-R-L was
among several dozen nonprofit organizations designated to receive upward
of $10.3 million in federal money to boost homeland defense volunteer
programs. The grant, from the Corporation for National and Community
Service Special Volunteer program, will provide free ARRL Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications Course training to 5200 volunteers nationwide,
starting in 2003.
According to the ARRL South-Eastern Division E-letter, one issue that
garnered a lot of conversation was the plan to remove the Section News
columns in QST to the ARRL web-site. This proposal was presented last
January but a decision was deferred for six months. Now the Leagues
Directors, by a 9-6 vote, decided to approve the change.
Starting with the January 2003 issue of QST, columns from the 71
Section Managers will be moved to the web-site. ARRL staff will make
provisions for those without web access, to have access to their own
Section Managers column. The Board also voted to move the contest line
scores out of QST and post them on the web as well.
ARRL's Development Director Mary Hobart, N1MMH, presented a new creative
method of increasing member awareness. Soon, ARRL members will be asked
to participate in a premium membership program. Various levels of
membership will be created, like Diamond Club and Maxim Society. The
higher level of participation the better the premium benefit received.
Details on this program will be announced soon.
The board named Sherri Brower, W4STB, Vero Beach, Florida, as winner of
the McGan Memorial Silver Antennas Award for Public Relations. Bower,
who becomes Section Manager of South Florida on October 1st, was cited
for her long-term commitment and dedication to present all aspects of
amateur radio to the public. ARRL South Eastern Division Director Frank
Butler, W4RH, will present the award to Bower at the Melbourne Hamfest
in Melbourne Florida on September 14.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Cathy Anno, KB0FDU.
--
For full coverage of the ARRL Board meeting take your web browser over
to www.arrl.org. (ARRL S.E. Division E-Letter)
**
HAM RADIO POLITICS: WB8BGY RESIGNS AS GREAT LAKES ARRL DIRECTOR
And a big surprise happened Saturday July 20th during the ARRL Board of
Directors meeting on. That's where Great Lakes Division Director George
Race, WB8BGY, of Albion, Michigan, unexpectedly tendered his
resignation. Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU reports:
--
George Race, WB8BGY, who is 66, has served on the ARRL Board of
Directors for 12 years. Prior to that, he held numerous other field
organization positions including several terms as Michigan Section
Manager. Race is legendary within the ARRL field organization for his
travels around the Great Lakes Division. Each year he has spenr btween
45,000 to 50,000 on the road on the League's behalf and has literally
worn out three cars in the process.
Race admits that a Board vote to move ''Section News'' from QST magazine
to the World Wide Web did play a small part in his decision to resign,
it was not the primary factor. Rather it was time. Time to devote to
his wife and family. WB8BGY sayd that there is life beyond the League.
Accolades for Race were quick in coming. One of the first was from ARRL
President Emiritus George Wilson, W4OYI. He told Amateur Radio Newsline
that George Race devoted decades to furthering the cause of both ham
radio and the League. Wilson called Race a tireless worker on behalf of
the hobby adding that he definately will be missed.
Reporting from the ARRL's Great Lakes Division, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU.
--
By normal succession of officers, Great Lakes Vice Director Gary
Johnston, KI4LA, was declared the new director. ARRL President Jim
Haynie, W5JBP, has appointed Michigan Section Manager Dick Mondro,
W8FQT, to be the new Great Lakes Vice Director. A successor to Mondro
as Michigan Section Manager is expected to be named soon. (Adapted from
ARRL Bulletin, W4OYI)
**
RADIO LAW: CQ SAYS YES TO NEW HAM BANDS
The publisher of several hobby radio magazines is urging the FCC to
proceed in the creation of several new ham bands. However, it is voicing
significant concern that the regulatory agency appears to be placing the
interests of unlicensed services on a par with, if not ahead of, those
of licensed services. Amateur Radio Newsline's David Black, KB4KCH,
tellks us who filed and why:
--
Most magazine publishers traditionally stay out ham radio politics. But
the people who publish CQ Amateur Radio, CQ VHF and Popular
Communications
magazines are making an exception this time.
The publishers have filed comments with the FCC strongly supporting
proposals that would create two new amateur bands and elevate a current
amateur allocation from secondary to primary status.
CQ wants the FCC to adopt a proposal to create a "splinter band" at
135.7 to 137.8 kHz -- this would give amateur radio its first allocation
above 200 meters in nearly a century. The company proposes opening the
band to all amateurs with General Class or higher licenses, not imposing
mode restrictions and making technical requirements flexible enough to
encourage a wide range of experimentation.
CQ is also pushing for creation of a new ham band at 60 meters from
5.250 to 5.400 Mhz. The proposal suggests that full amateur power be
permitted; that there be no sub-banding, either by mode or by license
class; and that the band be open to all amateurs with HF privileges.
That would include CW privileges for hams holding Novice Class licenses
or Technician licenses with code credit.
Finally, CQ voices strong support for the FCC's proposal to make the
Amateur Service primary on 2400 to 2402 MHz. The publishers say they're
very concerned about one Commission request in its Notice of Proposed
Rule Making. That requests solicits comments on the change in status
that might affect non-licensed users of this band, such as cordless
telephones and wireless computer networks.
CQ wants the Commission to reaffirm its long-standing policy that the
interests of licensed operators and services are primary on any
frequencies shared by licensed and non-licensed users.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im David Black, KB4KCH.
--
CQ's comments were filed electronically and may be viewed in full on the
FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System website at
www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html by selecting "Search for Filed Comments,"
then typing in "02-98" under "Proceeding" on the search page, scrolling
through comment summaries until the CQ comments are reached. (CQ)
**
RADIO LAW: COMMISSION REQUIRES RADAR DETECTORS TO COMPLY WITH
EMISSION LIMITS
The FCC has imposed new emission limits and certification requirements
on radar detectors. This, to prevent them from causing interference to
very small aperture satellite terminals that operate with downlink
frequencies in the 11.7 to 12.2 GHz band. Tests at the Commission's
Laboratory have shown that some radar detectors emit radio signals in
the downlink band far in excess of the limits that apply to other
unintentional radiators. As a result of the new standards, radar
detectors sold in the United States will have to meet the new and more
stringent limits. The complete document is at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-224518A1.doc (CGC
Communicator)
**
RADIO LAW: VOTE ON NEW FCC COMMISSIONER EXPECTED
Ending months of political bickering over judicial nominations, a senate
panel approved a longtime aide to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle for
a seat on the Federal Communications Commission. The nomination of
Jonathan S. Adelstein, who has worked for the Democratic leader since
1995, will go to the full Senate for a vote.
Approval is expected, with several Republican senators saying they would
vote for the South Dakota native. The FCC panel has five commissioners,
who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Only
three can be from the same political party. (Congressional Review)
**
ENFORCEMENT: WISCONSIN HAM ASKED ABOUT CB SALES
The FCC has asked a Wisconsin ham to explain his connection to a website
that purportedly offers for sale C-B equipment not certified by the
agency. The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth explains:
--
Hollingsworth: "We opened an inquirey regarding the marketing of non
certified radio equipment including non certified CB transceivers and HF
linear amplifiers by Roper Electronics. Roper Electronics has a web
page entitled tomah.com, and we are inquiring into the relationship
between Roper Electronics and Randi Owen, N9UOM, of Tomah Wisconsin."
--
Specifically, Owen was asked to fully describe his relationship, if any,
with Roper Electronics. Also, if it turns out that he owns or is
affiliated with Roper, he was requested to furnish the FCC a listing of
all models of HF transceivers and amplifiers domestically sold and/or
offered for sale by Roper since January 1st of this year. That list
must include the FCC certification number for each model.
The letter of inquiry went out to Owen on June 18th. Hollingsworth says
that a reply to that inquiry is do in right now. (FCC, RAIN)
**
HAM SCHOLARSHIPS: FAR SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The Foundation For amateur Radio has announced this year's winners for
the fifty-seven scholarships which it administers. The names of the
recipients for the individual awards appear on a list at several
websites including the ARRL. For more information, write FAR
Scholarships, PO Box 831, Riverdale, Maryland, 20783. The announcement
for the year 2003 awards availability will be made early next year.
(FAR)
**
UPCOMING EVENTS: PACKARD AUTOMOBILE CELEBRATION
On the special events calendar, the Warren Ohio Amateur Radio
Association will be operating special events station W8P to commemorate
the annual Packard automobile celebration and car show. The Warren
group will operate on the 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands. QSL's go to
the Warren Amateur Radio Association, Post Office Box 809, Warren Ohio.
The Zipcode there is 44482 (Via Internet Posting)
**
UPCOMING EVENTS: OH-KY-IN HAMFEST
Still in Ohio, but over in Cincinnati, the OH-KY-IN Amateur Radio
Society will be holding its annual hamfest on July 27th. The venue is
the Diamond Oaks Career Development Campus and this event features
seminars, hidden transmitter hunts and a giant flea market. More
information on this one is on the web at www dot ohkyin dot org. And in
case you are wondering what OH-KY-IN stands for - its Ohio, Kentucky and
Indiana - the three states that provide most of the attendees to this
annual event. (Via E-Mail)
**
UPCOMING EVENTS: NATIONAL BABY FOOD FESTIVAL
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