[Letter-List] The ARRL Letter for December 17, 2009

Thu Dec 17 13:46:06 EST 2009

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            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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December 17, 2009

Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA <k1sfa 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

- + Advocacy: Amateur Radio Bill Passes Senate, Moves to the House
- + Public Service: Hams Help Out with Sea Rescue
- + Amateur Radio in Space: First Chinese Amateur Radio Satellite Now
in Space
- + Amateur Radio in Space: Students and Teachers Invited to "Fly a
File" on ARISSat-1
- + ARRL Publications: Check Out the January/February 2010 NCJ
- +  ARRL Publications:  QEX : The January/February 2010 Issue
- + Now You Know!: Santa's a Ham!
- ARRL Staff Vacancy
- Solar Update
- This Week on the Radio
- + ARRL Headquarters Closed for Christmas, New Year's Holidays

+ Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

==> + ADVOCACY: AMATEUR RADIO BILL PASSES SENATE, MOVES TO THE HOUSE

   On Monday, December 14, S 1755 -- The Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 -- passed the Senate by
unanimous consent; the bill now goes to the House of Representatives
for consideration. Sponsored by Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), and
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), S 1755, if passed, would direct the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to undertake a study on emergency
communications. S 1755 points out that "There is a strong Federal
interest in the effective performance of Amateur Radio Service
stations, and that performance must be given -- (A) support at all
levels of government; and (B) protection against unreasonable
regulation and impediments to the provision of the valuable
communications provided by such stations." Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/15/11247/?nc=1>.

==> + PUBLIC SERVICE: HAMS HELP OUT WITH SEA RESCUE

   When Dave Nicholson, N2AWE, was stranded at sea earlier this month
off the Bermuda Triangle, he had no fuel and his 47 foot sailboat had
sustained severe damage in a storm. When they learned of his
predicament, hams with the Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) helped to
coordinate with the US Coast Guard to bring fuel and a tow boat to
guide Nicholson safely to port. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/16/11254/?nc=1>.

==> THE 2009 ARRL SPECTRUM DEFENSE CAMPAIGN NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT

   Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, reports that the ARRL
has raised more than $221,000 toward the goal $310,000 for the 2009
Spectrum Defense Fund <http://www.arrl.org/defense>. "The messages I
receive from the ARRL members and hams who contribute to this much
needed fund are heartening," she said, "expressing appreciation for all
the work ARRL does for the Amateur Radio community to protect our
frequencies. And we can all be proud of the successes that have come
from the work of ARRL leadership -- the Board and staff here at HQ. But
there is always more to do." Hobart said that year after year, ARRL
members tell her that the League's representation of radio operators --
both in Washington and on the international stage -- is one of, if not
the most important activities that the ARRL does. "The cost of that
representation at meetings in Washington, at ITU gatherings and working
party meetings to prepare for world telecommunications conferences is
the key to the continued success of our defense efforts," she said.
"Spectrum Defense is one of those areas that is not covered completely
by member dues. So we ask ARRL members to do what they can to help
cover those expenses." Amateurs wishing to make a contribution may do
so easily online <http://www.arrl.org/defense>, via postal mail or by
calling the ARRL Development Office at 860-594-0397.

==> + AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE: FIRST CHINESE AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE NOW
IN SPACE

   AMSAT China (CAMSAT <http://www.camsat.cn/>) reports that at around
0230 UTC on December 15, China launched its first Amateur Radio
satellite -- named XW-1
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/satellites/satInfo.php?satID=116&retURL=satellites/futures.php>
-- into space. The microsatellite -- a secondary payload aboard the
CZ-4C rocket launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center -- was
launched into a Sun-synchronous orbit with an apogee of approximately
1200 kilometers. XW-1 successfully reached orbit at 0253 UTC. Members
of the XW-1 launch team reported they received a beacon from the
satellite shortly after the satellite deployed. In the first few days,
the XW-1 team will work on the satellite's FM and store-forward
transponder mode and its linear transponder mode. Once those tests are
complete, they will upload a new flight program to set up the payload
schedule. The satellite's communications payload includes a beacon and
three crossband transponders operating in FM, SSB/CW and digital modes.
Uplink and downlink frequencies can be found on the CAMSAT Web site
<http://www.camsat.cn/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=67>.
For the latest Keplerian elements for XW-1 and other satellites, check
out the W1AW Keplerian Bulletins <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/kep/>.

==> + AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE: STUDENTS AND TEACHERS INVITED TO "FLY A
FILE" ON ARISSAT-1

   On February 3, 2006, cosmonaut Valery Ivanovich Tokarev
hand-launched the Amateur Radio satellite SuitSat-1 from the
International Space Station during an extra vehicular activity (EVA),
NASA's term for a spacewalk. A discarded Russian ORLAN spacesuit,
SuitSat-1 was equipped with an Amateur Radio transmitter that
transmitted telemetry and greetings from youngsters to the youth of the
world in several languages. In 2010, an Amateur Radio satellite --
ARISSat-1 -- will once again be hand-launched from the ISS. Like its
predecessor, ARISSat-1 will transmit messages recorded by students, and
teachers and students are invited to "fly a file" aboard this Amateur
Radio satellite. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/15/11251/?nc=1>.

==> + ARRL PUBLICATIONS: CHECK OUT THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 NCJ

   The January/February issue of NCJ, The National Contest Journal, is
filled with the latest news from the contesting world. Whether you are
new to contesting or are a seasoned pro -- or somewhere in the middle
-- you will find something in NCJ just for you. In addition to all of
the exciting articles in this issue, there are all the regular columns
and features you expect from NCJ: "Workshop Chronicles," by Don Daso,
K4ZA; "Contest Tips, Tricks & Techniques," by Gary Sutcliffe, W9XT;
"VHF Contesting," by Jon Jones, N0JK; "RTTY Contesting," by Don Hill,
AA5AU; "Propagation," by Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA; "Contesting on a
Budget," by Ralph Bellas, K9ZO, and "Contesting 101," by Kirk
Pickering, K4RO. NCJ is published six times a year by the ARRL; it is
edited by Al Dewey, K0AD. NCJ is what every contester needs in their
shack -- subscribe today <http://www.arrl.org/ncj/>! Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/16/11252/?nc=1>.

==> +  ARRL PUBLICATIONS:  QEX : THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2010 ISSUE

   The January/February issue of QEX is coming soon, and it is full of
theoretical and practical technical articles that you won't want to
miss. Would you like to write for QEX? It pays $50/printed page. Get
more information and an Author's Guide <http://www.arrl.org/qex/>. If
you prefer postal mail, send a business-size self-addressed, stamped
envelope to QEX Author's Guide, c/o Maty Weinberg, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111-1494. QEX is edited by Larry Wolfgang, WR1B
<lwolfgang at arrl.org>, and is published bimonthly. The subscription rate
(6 issues) for ARRL members in the US is $24. For First Class US
delivery, it's $37; in Canada and internationally by airmail it's $31.
Nonmembers add $12 to these rates. Subscribe to QEX
<http://www.arrl.org/qex> today. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/12/17/11253/?nc=1>.

==> + NOW YOU KNOW!: SANTA'S A HAM!

By ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA

For 37 years, Mickey Hicks, WO6T, played Santa Claus to hundreds of
children. These children never sat on Santa's lap to tell him that they
had been good boys and girls and what they wanted for Christmas. They
did it in a much more simple way -- they picked up a microphone and
told Santa on the air. Each year, Hicks, a ham for almost 50 years and
a long-time Amateur Radio instructor, would get on the air for 10 days
each December as W6S (Whiskers-6-Santa). Unfortunately, Hicks became a
Silent Key earlier this year.

   Hicks said that the first year he operated as W6S was a hit with the
operators -- and their children. Most children, he noted, are a bit
apprehensive of talking over the radio, let alone to Santa. One of the
most challenging parts of operating was when he heard a parent say
"This one is shy and won't talk." That was never a problem for Hicks --
after a few warm-up questions, such as "Can you say hello to Rudolph?"
-- he said he could strike up a conversation that lasted a few minutes.
He had even heard back from parents that they weren't able to get the
microphone away from the kids afterward!

Back in 2001, Hicks told the ARRL
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/12/21/3/?nc=1> that his Santa's
Workshop was a great ham radio recruiting tool. One of his most
memorable experiences was when a young girl he'd once spoken with on
the air as Santa came by with her ham ticket in hand to thank him in
person for getting her interested in Amateur Radio. "I had tears in my
eyes, of course," he said. One of the most enjoyable moments of Hicks'
Santa career occurred when he was speaking with a young child and
realized he had spoken with their parents and grandparents when they
were youngsters!

Mark Slater, WI6J, was Hicks' QSL manager. With the blessing of Hicks'
wife, son and daughter-in-law, Slater will carry on the W6S tradition
for 2010 and beyond. "Mickey's shoes are so much bigger than I could
ever hope to fill," he told the ARRL, "but I know Mickey would have
wanted Santa to keep getting on the air and speaking with the
children." Slater said you can find him most evenings, as well as the
weekend of December 19-20, on 14.270 MHz, Santa's favorite frequency.
Santa is a ham -- now you know!

==> ARRL STAFF VACANCY

A vacancy has developed in the position of ARRL Emergency Preparedness
and Response Manager. Applications for this position will be solicited
before the end of the year with the objective of filling the position
early in 2010. Because this is the last scheduled ARRL Letter of 2009,
if you or someone you know may be qualified for and interested in the
position, please watch for the posting on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/jobs/>.

==> SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad "A friend to man, to whom thou say'st, 'Beauty is truth, truth
beauty' <http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/odeonagrecianurn.html>"
Cook, K7RA, reports: Yet another new sunspot group -- number 1035 --
emerged this week, seemingly on top of group 1034, which has been
visible since December 9. This sunspot group is quite active, and we
may see a rise in geomagnetic activity on Sunday, December 20 with a
predicted planetary A index of 15. Look for more information in the
Solar Update, available on the ARRL Web site on Friday, December 18.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL
Technical Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>. This week's "Tad
Cookism" brought to you by John Keats' Ode on a Grecian Urn
<http://englishhistory.net/keats/poetry/odeonagrecianurn.html>.

==> THIS WEEK ON THE RADIO

This week, the Russian 160 Meter Contest is December 18. The OK DX RTTY
Contest is December 19. The Croatian CW Contest is December 19-20 and
the Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party is December 19-January 3. The
ARCI Holiday Spirits Homebrew Sprint is December 20, the Run for the
Bacon QRP Contest is December 21 and the SKCC Sprint is December 23.
Next week, check out the South Dakota QSO Party and the Stew Perry
Topband Challenge -- both are on December 26-27. All dates, unless
otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contest Update
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL
Special Event Station Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html>.

==> + ARRL HEADQUARTERS CLOSED FOR CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAYS

   ARRL Headquarters will be closed Friday, December 25, 2009 and
Friday, January 1, 2010 in observance of Christmas and New Year's Day.
There will be no W1AW bulletins <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/> or code
practice transmissions <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw.html#w1awsked> those
days. There will be no ARRL Letter <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>or ARRL Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>on Thursday, December 24 and 31.
We wish everyone a safe and joyful holiday season and a prosperous
2010.

==> ARRL CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE REGISTRATION

   Registration remains open through Sunday, December 27, 2009, for
these online course sessions <http://www.arrl.org/cep/student/>
beginning on Friday, January 8, 2010: Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference;
Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course;
Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics. To learn
more, visit the CEP Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cep/student> or contact the Continuing Education
Program Coordinator <cce at arrl.org>.

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL
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