[Letter-List] The ARRL Letter for August 26, 2010

Thu Aug 26 18:43:55 EDT 2010

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            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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August 26, 2010

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

- + Public Service: Pakistani Amateurs Team Up to Provide
Communications, Relief Support for Flood Victims
- ARRL Web Site: Using the "Your Favorites" Feature and Retrieving
Forgotten Passwords
- + ARRL Elections: Summer Section Manager Election Results
- + The Doctor Is IN: SWR
- + ARRL VEC Volunteer Examiner Session Participation Web Page Returns
- + Solar Update
- + On the Air: ARRL EME Contest Coming September 4-5
- This Week on the Radio

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

==> + PUBLIC SERVICE: PAKISTANI AMATEURS TEAM UP TO PROVIDE
COMMUNICATIONS, RELIEF SUPPORT FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

   According to the Pakistan Amateur Radio Society (PARS) -- that
country's IARU Member-Society -- radio amateurs in Pakistan have teamed
up with the Islamabad Jeep Club and Pakistan Academy of Family
Physicians to provide relief activities in those areas of Pakistan
devastated by floods. The groups will supply food, tents and medical
support to the northern flood affected areas of Nowshera, Charsadda and
central Sargodha districts.

   "The cellular services are down and so is the landline," the PARS
Web site reports. "Last week, the joint team carried out a survey in
the north and the center of the country, and to its dismay, the
situation isn't promising. Restoration of cellular services and
landlines could take months."

On August 21, hams reached the town of Dharkhanawala, looking to set up
communications, but had to turn back because the equipment had not
arrived; however, teams were able to distribute food in Dharkhanawala
and Chauki Darab. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/pakistani-amateurs-team-up-to-provide-communications-relief-support-for-flood-victims>.

==> ARRL WEB SITE: USING THE "YOUR FAVORITES" FEATURE AND RETRIEVING
FORGOTTEN PASSWORDS

By ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA

Since we introduced the new ARRL Web site this past April, we have
received inquiries on how to retrieve forgotten passwords, as well as
how to use the "Favorites" function -- a "bookmark" feature -- on the
new site.

   Have you forgotten your password? You can easily retrieve it by
clicking on the "Forgot Password?
<http://www.arrl.org/forgot-password>" link, located directly under the
log-in box at the top of the page (see photo
<http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/ForgotPassword.JPG>). You can
either request to receive a temporary password via e-mail (you must use
the e-mail you originally used to register for the previous ARRL Web
site), or you may retrieve a temporary password immediately by
providing your user name (for hams, this is usually your call sign) and
your ARRL member ID number (you can find this on your QST mailing
label). You must also provide either your call sign or your last name.
Click here <http://www.arrl.org/forgot-password> to receive a temporary
password. First time Web users can get an online user name and password
by clicking in the "Register" link, located next to the "Forgot
Password?" link.

   Once you have successfully logged in to the Web site, you will see a
drop-down box that says "Your Favorites" right underneath your name
(see photo <http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/YourFavorites.JPG>).
Now navigate to any page on the ARRL Web site. Would you like to find
it in just one step the next time you need it? The "Your Favorites"
feature will do just that! When you are on the desired page, just click
on the "Your Favorites" drop-down

   menu, click "Add to Favorites" then click the "Go" button. Now you
have stored that Web page as one of your favorites; each time you wish
to go to that page, you can just access it through the "Your Favorites"
drop-down menu (see photo
<http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/YourFaveSignIn.JPG>).

If you have any questions or concerns about the new ARRL Web site,
please direct them to Katie Glass, our Digital Content Manager. You can
send them via e-mail <kglass at arrl.org> or call Katie directly at (860)
594-0250.

==> + ARRL ELECTIONS: SUMMER SECTION MANAGER ELECTION RESULTS

   Southern Florida and Oklahoma will have new Section Managers
starting in October, and the incumbent Section Manager of Ohio was
re-elected in the summer Section Manager election cycle that concluded
on Tuesday, August 24; election ballots were counted August 24 at ARRL
Headquarters. Terms for new Section Managers will begin on October 1,
2010. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/summer-section-manager-election-results>.

==> + THE DOCTOR IS IN: SWR

Bil Paul, KD6JUI, of Dixon, California, wrote to the ARRL's Doctor,
noting that he noticed when he was tuning for optimal background noise
while in receive mode, it came close to -- but didn't match -- the dial
positions for minimal SWR while transmitting. He asked which of the two
antenna tuner dial settings would result in the most transmitted energy
while in transmit mode. He also wants to know if minimal SWR always
indicates the most transmitted energy going to the antenna system.

Here's what the Doctor had to say:

In answer to the first question, by setting the antenna tuner to an SWR
of 1:1, you have transformed the impedance at the bottom of your
antenna feed line to 50 ohms, just what your transceiver is designed to
deliver its rated power into. If your receiver input impedance were
exactly 50 ohms, then that setting would likely also be the position
that would yield maximum receiver noise. As it happens, there is no
such guarantee that the input impedance of the receiver will be exactly
50 ohms. Although it should be pretty close, a slight change may yield
a stronger signal into the receiver.

   Regarding the second question, the transceiver is rated to provide
its design output power into 50 ohms, usually within a specified SWR
range. As was pointed out by Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, in a QST article last
year ["Keeping Current with Antenna Performance," Feb 2009, pages
34-36], an SWR of 1:1 does not generally result in the maximum power
output. By building a transmission line current meter, such as
described by Eric, or later by Paul Danzer, N1II ["A Simple Transformer
to Measure Your Antenna Current," Sep 2009, page 35], you can actually
tune the antenna tuner to get the highest output. This corresponds to
the maximum current into the antenna, which may occur at some setting
different from either of the above.

Be careful, though: If you exceed the maximum rated SWR, the resulting
voltages or currents in the final amplifier or output filter of the
transceiver will exceed design specs and damage may result. The likely
small increase in transmitted power is likely neither worth the trouble
nor the risk, in my opinion.

Thanks Doctor! Do you have a question or a problem? Send your questions
via e-mail <doctor at arrl.org> or to The Doctor, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111 (no phone calls, please). Look for "The Doctor Is
IN" every month in QST <http://www.arrl.org/qst>, the official journal
of the ARRL.

==> SUPPORT ARRL: ARRL ENCOURAGES MONTHLY GIVING

   The ARRL Development Office is dedicated to raising funds for those
programs not funded entirely by member dues. Whether your interest is
focused on protecting Amateur Radio operating frequencies, expanding
ARRL's national initiative promoting science and math education, or
securing the future of the W1AW, The Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial
Station, your financial support is vital.

"Now it's easier than ever to make a commitment to ARRL," said ARRL
Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. "By contributing as
little as $10, $20 or $100 per month, you can be part of a strong
financial forecast for those programs that are at the heart of our
service." More and more ARRL members are taking advantage of this
option to contribute to the Diamond Club, the Spectrum Defense Fund,
the Education & Technology Fund and the W1AW Endowment Fund. Read more
here <http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-encourages-monthly-giving>.

==> + ARRL VEC VOLUNTEER EXAMINER SESSION PARTICIPATION WEB PAGE
RETURNS

   If you're an ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE
<http://www.arrl.org/become-an-arrl-ve>) who is interested in seeing
how many ARRL exam sessions you've taken part in, you can find the
answer on the VE Session counts <http://www.arrl.org/ve-session-counts>
Web page. On this page, you'll be able to access a list that shows the
total number of exam sessions that each ARRL VE has conducted. The
listings are listed first by state and then in alpha-numeric call sign
order (call area number, then suffix letters). The state where an
individual VE record is located is based on the VE's official address
on file with the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. Only currently
accredited ARRL VEs will be displayed on the Web page. ARRL VEC Manager
Maria Somma, AB1FM, said she is "thrilled" that the enhanced page now
includes the VEs name, as well as the call sign and session
participation total: "Incorporating the name field in the lists added a
higher level of authentication when determining a VE's accreditation
status and participation. We applaud the volunteers whose dedication
and service make the VE program successful. Your hard work and
contribution of countless hours of your time helps ensure the future of
Amateur Radio. Your efforts matter and we thank you. Our VEs should be
very proud of their accomplishments."

==> + SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad "Shadows stalled against the pitiless scope of the Sun
<http://poems.com/poem.php?date=14818>" Cook, K7RA, reports: This week
saw three days -- August 21-23 -- with no sunspots, and the average
daily sunspot numbers for the week -- August 19-25 -- declined more
than 28 points to 8, compared to the previous week. The average daily
solar flux was down five points to 75.3. The last period of three days
or more of no sunspots ended on May 20, 2010, around 100 days ago.
Sunspot group 1100 disappeared on August 21, only to return August 25.
In this case, the sunspot group didn't transit the non Earth-facing
side of the Sun, but it just faded from view, returning just as it is
about to rotate off of the Sun's western limb. Sunspot group 1101
appeared on August 24, and on August 25, it had grown to three times
its initial size. Daily sunspot numbers for August 24-25 were 11 and
23. Remember: the sunspot number is not the same as the number of
sunspots. The smallest non-0 sunspot number is 11. Each spot gets 10
points for being a sunspot group and one point for containing one
sunspot. The sunspot number of 23 on August 25 represents two sunspot
groups, at 10 points each, one containing one sunspot (1 point) and the
other containing two sunspots (2 points). On August 25, it appears that
a new smaller sunspot may be emerging between the eastern horizon and
sunspot group 1101. A stiff solar wind from a coronal hole increased
geomagnetic activity. The planetary A index for August 21-25 was 3, 4,
7, 18 and 20. Thursday's projection shows this decreasing, with the
planetary A index on August 26-28 at 15, 10 and 8, followed by a quiet
reading of 5 for the next three weeks. Solar flux for the same period
is expected to be 75 for August 26-31, then 76 and 80 for September
1-2, and 85 on September 3-5. Several weeks from now is the fall
equinox, which is a good time for HF propagation. The autumnal equinox
will be at 0309 UTC on September 23, 2010. Look for more information on
the ARRL Web site on Friday, August 27. For more information concerning
radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service
Propagation page <http://www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals>. This
week's "Tad Cookism" is brought to you by Melissa Green's  August
<http://poems.com/poem.php?date=14818>.

==> + ON THE AIR: ARRL EME CONTEST COMING SEPTEMBER 4-5

The 2.3 GHz+ version of the ARRL EME Contest
<http://www.arrl.org/eme-contest> will be 0000 UTC September 4 through
2359 UTC September 5. The objective is to work as many stations in as
many different 2 degrees × 1 degree grid squares as possible via the
Earth-Moon-Earth path on any authorized amateur frequency above 2.3
GHz. Two other EME contests are scheduled for October: the 50-1296 MHz
version will be October 2-3 and October 30-31. See the ARRL Contests
page <http://www.arrl.org/contests> for more information.

==> + SILENT KEY: ORNITHOLOGIST ARLO RAIM, KB9LLF (SK)

   Arlo Raim, KB9LLF, of Danville, Illinois, was killed by a southbound
Canadian National freight train on the morning of Friday, August 20. He
was 67. Raim had been in Pratt's Wayne Woods Forest Preserve -- part of
the Forest Preserve District of DuPage (Illinois) County -- to monitor
the effect of increased train traffic on cardinals. "He was one of, if
not the best, bird tracker in the world," said Dr Mike Ward,
Coordinator of the Critical Trends Assessment Program at the Illinois
Natural History Survey and one of Raim's supervisors. "He used radio
telemetry to track animals as varied as peregrine falcons, coyotes,
turtles and northern cardinals." According to Ward, Raim's most
noteworthy research may have been the 2002 tracking that showed crows
changed roosts every two days, a discovery that shed light on why West
Nile virus is able to spread so rapidly. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/ornithologist-arlo-raim-kb9llf-sk>.

==> THIS WEEK ON THE RADIO

This week:

- August 27 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- August 28-29 -- Hawaii QSO Party; Kansas QSO Party; Ohio QSO Party;
YO DX HF Contest; SCC RTTY Championship
- September 1 -- QRP Fox Hunt

Next week:

-  September 4 -- Russian RTTY WW Contest; Wake-Up! QRP Sprint; AGCW
Straight Key Party
-  September 4-5 -- ARRL EME Contest <http://www.arrl.org/eme-contest>;
All Asian DX Contest (Phone); Colorado QSO Party; Brazil Independence
Day BPSK31 CDX Contest
-  September 5 -- WAB 144 MHz QRP Contest (Phone)
-  September 5-6 -- Tennessee QSO Party
-  September 6-7 -- Michigan QRP Labor Day CW Sprint
-  September 7 -- ARS Spartan Sprint
-  September 8 -- QRP Fox Hunt
-  September 8-9 -- CWops Mini-CW Test

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/The-ARRL-Contest-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 Events Station Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/special-events>.

==> UPCOMING EVENTS

- August 27-29 -- ARRL New England Division Convention
<http://www.boxboro.org/>, Boxboro, Massachusetts
- September 17-19 -- ARRL Southwestern Division Convention
<http://www.sandarc.net/Convention2010/index.html>, San Diego,
California
- October 15-17 -- ARRL Pacific Division Convention
<http://www.pacificon.org/>, San Ramon, California

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