[Letter-List] The ARRL Letter for February 11, 2010

Thu Feb 11 16:50:56 EST 2010

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            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
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February 11, 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

-  On-the-Air : Get Ready for the ARRL DX CW Contest
-  Eye on Awards : The IARU Region 2 Award
- Hints and Kinks: Unistrut Antenna Support
- Legislative Happenings: More Cosponsors On Board for HR 2160
- ITU News:  ITU Digitizes Historical Archives
- Silent Key: Herbert "Pete" Hoover III, W6ZH (SK)
- Silent Key: Chris Walters, N0HVK, Killed in Connecticut Explosion
- Solar Update
- This Week on the Radio

==>  ON-THE-AIR : GET READY FOR THE ARRL DX CW CONTEST

   The weekend of February 20-21 will be a busy one for CW operators as
the 2010 ARRL DX CW Contest takes center stage. First started in 1929
as the ARRL International Relay Party, the ARRL DX CW contest lays
claim to the longest running contest in Amateur Radio. Stations from
all around the world -- from Australia to Zimbabwe -- should be active
for this great event that takes place on 160-10 meters (contest QSOs
are not permitted on 60, 30, 17 or 12 meters). Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2010/02/09/11334/?nc=1>.

==>  ARRL FIELD DAY : 2010 FIELD DAY PACKETS NOW AVAILABLE

   It's that time of year again -- time to start gearing up for ARRL
Field Day, June 26-27, 2010! ARRL's flagship operating event -- always
held the fourth full weekend in June -- brings together new and
experienced hams for 24 hours of operating fun. Field Day packets are
now available for download
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/fd-2010-packet.pdf> and include the
complete rules (including changes for 2010), as well as other reference
items such as forms, ARRL Section abbreviation list, entry submission
instructions, a Frequently Asked Questions section, guidelines for
getting bonus points, instructions for GOTA stations, a kit to
publicize your event with the local press and more.

==>  EYE ON AWARDS : THE IARU REGION 2 AWARD

   In October 2009, IARU <http://www.iaru.org/> Region 2
<http://www.iaru-r2.org/wp-content/uploads/r2-award.pdf> announced a
new award -- the IARU Region 2 Award
<http://www.iaru-r2.org/wp-content/uploads/r2-award.pdf#pdf> --
available to amateurs and shortwave listeners who submit confirmed QSLs
with 20 Region 2 countries or entities. To be considered for the award,
contacts must have been made after April 16, 1964 -- the date when IARU
Region 2 was founded. Read more here
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2010/02/11/11335/?nc=1>.

==> HINTS AND KINKS: UNISTRUT ANTENNA SUPPORT

This idea comes to us from Louis Kobet, WB3DZD, of Camas, Washington.

When considering a center support for the installation of an inverted V
antenna I decided on the following requirements: a strong material,
easy assembly, corrosion resistant and with tilt-over capability. The
initial design was to use several 10-12 foot sections of antenna mast
or 2 inch galvanized pipe coupled together. Due to the cost of antenna
mast and galvanized pipe being more than anticipated, an alternative,
10 foot sections of 1-5/8 inch Unistrut channel was selected.

 Figure 1: The PVC pipe and hoist pulley device mounted to the top of
the Unistrut for hoisting the antenna.	  Unistrut is a ham's
Tinkertoy. It is available in 13/16, 1 1/4 and 1-5/8 inch widths, 10
and 20 foot lengths and in 12, 14 and 16 gauge sizes. It is made with
dipped surface protective treatments from electro-deposition acrylic
green to "hot dipped" galvanized coatings and multiple channel designs
(including telescoping sections). A vast selection of brackets and
fasteners is available and it is continuously slotted for easy guying.
The design and choices for project use are limited only by the
creativity of the user.

The tilt over base support consisted of a treated 4Ã—4 inch landscape
post anchored in concrete. (The wooden post was moisture sealed at the
top using the dipped coating used for hand tools and along the length
with several coats of wood sealer.) The Unistrut mast pivot point on
the support base was a 3 inch lag bolt about 50 inches above ground. In
retrospect, a section of Unistrut could have been set in the concrete
as the antenna base support.

The Unistrut mast preparation consisted of black paint (except for
areas where the sections were bolted together) and the addition of a
hoisting pulley mounted at the end of a 2 foot PVC pipe (see Figure 1).
One problem encountered was in bolting the Unistrut together. Bolting
back-to-back against the base of the "U" was not possible because I
couldn't get a socket on the bolt head inside the Unistrut channel. To
get around this the Unistrut was bolted with the open "U" ends face to
face. Square Unistrut channel would have eliminated this issue. The
three Unistrut sections were bolted together with about a 12 inch
overlap.

   An antenna hoisting line was fed through the pulley and mast section
carried to the base support for mounting. After attaching the mast to
the pivot point it was tilted up into position, plumbed and secured in
place with three additional lag bolts.

The V antenna was spread out, transmission cable attached and hoisted
to the top of the mast. The ends of the V antenna were attached to a 12
foot landscape treated 4Ã—4 that was secured to the property fence.

Do you have an idea or a simple project that has improved your
operating? Maybe you've taken something commonly found around the home
and developed a ham radio use for it? Why not share your hints with
fellow hams in "Hints and Kinks," a monthly column in QST. If we
publish your hint in QST, you will receive $20. Send your hints via
e-mail <h&k at arrl.org> or to ARRL Headquarters, Attn: "Hints and Kinks,"
225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111. Please include your name, call
sign, complete mailing address, daytime telephone number and e-mail
address.

==> LEGISLATIVE HAPPENINGS: MORE COSPONSORS ON BOARD FOR HR 2160

 <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/12/10818>   Last month,
another Congressional Representative -- Jo Bonner (R-AL-1) -- pledged
his support for HR 2160
<http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2160ih.txt.pdf>,
The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009,
bringing the total number of cosponsors to 34, including original
sponsor Sheila Jackson-Lee
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/04/30/10792/?nc=1> (D-TX-18). HR
2160 is also sponsored by W. Todd Akin (R-MO-2), Michael Arcuri
(D-NY-24), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD-6), John Boozman (R-AR-3), Madeleine
Bordallo (D-Guam), Andre Carson (D-IN-7), Geoff Davis (R-KY-4), Bob
Filner (D-CA-51), Scott Garrett (R-NJ-5), Bart Gordon (D-TN-6), Brett
Guthrie (R-KY-02), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY-22), Michael Honda (D-CA-15),
Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH-15), Tom Latham (R-IA-4), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-16),
Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-9), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI-11), Charlie
Melancon (D-LA-3), Candice Miller (R-MI-10), Dennis Moore (D-KS-3),
John Olver (D-MA-1), Bill Posey (R-FL-15), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA-46),
Bennie Thompson (D-MS-2), Michael Turner (R-OH-3), Peter Welch (D-VT),
David Wu (D-OR-1), C.W. Bill Young (R-FL-10) and Don Young (R-AK).
Click here <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/12/10818> for
information on how to encourage your Congressional Representative to
sponsor HR 2160.

==>  PIO NEWS : THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF CONTACT! NOW ONLINE

 <http://www.arrl.org/pio/contact/>   The ARRL is committed to public
relations and has built a national PR program designed to represent
Amateur Radio to government, the media and the public. The Newington
Headquarters' national effort is supported -- and greatly enhanced --
by ARRL public information appointees and other interested volunteers
who work to promote Amateur Radio on the local level. One of the tools
to help these volunteers is CONTACT
<http://www.arrl.org/pio/contact/2010/02/>, the monthly online
newsletter designed to be a resource for ARRL Public Information
Coordinators (PIC <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/pic.html>),
Public Information Officers (PIO
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/pio.html>) and anyone with an
interest in Amateur Radio public or media relations activities. Each
issue contains helpful articles and tips to help spread the good word
about Amateur Radio.

The February issue of CONTACT was released earlier this week and is
full of information that you can use. With Field Day approaching, how
are you going to publicize your club's participation in the largest
operating event in the world? Find out what some hams will be doing
combine Field Day with other events happening in their communities.
Speaking of Field Day, find out how your club can earn 500 bonus
points. Learn how a club in New Zealand got people who had no
electronics experience excited about Amateur Radio. There's more
information in the February issue of CONTACT. You can read it -- as
well as other materials prepared specifically to promote Amateur Radio
-- on the PIO Web page <http://www.arrl.org/pio/>.

==> NEW ARRL WEB SITE COMING SOON

   After more than two years of planning, designing and writing, we
here at the ARRL are eagerly anticipating the launch of the new ARRL
Web site. We've been able to make the online experience easier for our
members -- from the online store, to registering for a class, to
finding a club -- plus we've created a new, enhanced member profile
with many more options available. We've made improvements with you in
mind, making sure that we've created the easiest, most enjoyable online
experience possible. The new Web site will be available at the end of
February.

==> ITU NEWS:  ITU DIGITIZES HISTORICAL ARCHIVES

   The International Telecommunication Union (ITU
<http://www.itu.int/>) announced
<http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2010/CM02.html> on February
11 that they have launched the History of ITU portal
<http://www.itu.int/history>. This program -- the digitizing of the
ITU's archive of historical documents -- aims to improve access to
information on the ITU and chart its evolution since its establishment
in 1865, while ensuring the long-term preservation of historic
documents. The archives will be freely accessible. ITU's Historical
Documents Digitization Program is an ongoing project to catalogue and
scan key ITU documents and outcomes of major conferences and make them
available on the web. Optical character recognition (OCR
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_character_recognition>) allows
the documents to be fully searchable. Documents generated from ITU
Plenipotentiary Conferences -- as well as from early radio, telegraph
and telephone conferences -- are now available on the portal. The
portal provides background information, key data and links to the
documents and other materials for each conference. The digitization
program will continue to make available documents of historic
significance, including those related to Radiocommunication Conferences
since 1903.

==> SILENT KEY: HERBERT "PETE" HOOVER III, W6ZH (SK)

   Herbert "Pete" Hoover III, W6ZH (ex-W6APW) -- the grandson of
Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States, and the son of
former IARU and ARRL President Herbert Hoover Jr, W6ZH (SK) -- passed
away
<http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=herbert-hoover-pete&pid=139549574>
February 4, 2010. He was 82. A resident of San Marino, California,
Hoover was active in ARRL activities, serving as a Director of the ARRL
Foundation <http://www.arrlf.org/> in 1976 and as a member of the ARRL
Long Range Planning Committee from 1978-1981. In the 1970s, Hoover,
along with EIMAC's Bill Eitel, W6UF (SK), established a matching fund
to encourage contributions to the amateur satellite program. Hoover
served as Vice President and Trustee of the Pasadena (California) Radio
Club and was also a member and former President of the Southern
California DX Club. In 1978, he was elected to the National Red Cross
(later the American Red Cross) Board of Governors. A memorial service
is being planned. Donations may be made to Doheney Eye Institute, 1490
San Pablo St, Los Angeles, CA 90033; Hoover Institution, 434 Galvez
Mall, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-6010; Herbert Hoover
Presidential Library Association, 302 Parkside Dr, West Branch, IA
52358 or the House Ear Institute, 2100 W 3rd St, Los Angeles, CA 90057.

==> SILENT KEY: CHRIS WALTERS, N0HVK, KILLED IN CONNECTICUT EXPLOSION

   Chris Walters, N0HVK, of Florissant, Missouri, was killed in an
explosion
<http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/Widow-Mourns-Husband-Killed-in-Plant-Blast-83855942.html>
on Sunday, February 7. He was 48. Walters -- who was employed as a
safety manager for an electrical subcontractor at the Kleen Energy
Plant in Middletown, Connecticut -- was one of five men killed in the
explosion; at least a dozen were injured. The accident received
national news coverage. According to officials, the plant was in the
process of doing a "blow down" -- clearing the natural gas lines --
when the explosion occurred, but investigators are still determining
the cause of the explosion. According to his wife, Fran, Walters was
unemployed in Missouri and had been in Connecticut for two months
working a temporary job. While in Connecticut, Walters found time to
enjoy Amateur Radio activities. He was a member of the Shore Point
Amateur Radio Club (SPARC <http://sparc.us/sparc.htm>), volunteering
for community events and fundraisers with the club; he was also part of
SPARC's first ARRL Field Day. Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell
requested that flags fly at half-staff on February 10 in honor and
memory of the five men who perished in the explosion. -- Some
information provided by WVIT and SPARC

==> SOLAR UPDATE

   Tad "Light breaks where no Sun shines
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/light-breaks-where-no-sun-shines/>"
Cook, K7RA, reports: The increasing sunspot activity continues, and
images from NASA's STEREO mission <http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/> show a
string of active regions in the Sun's northern hemisphere -- both
visible and over the horizon on the far side. The high sunspot number
for the week was 71 on February 8; the average for the week was 43.3.
We haven't reported a weekly average that high since the week of March
27-April 4 in 2008 when it was 43.6. The daily sunspot number hasn't
been as high as 71 since May 28, 2006 when it was 78. The earlier
reading that reached that level or more was 105 on April 6, 2006. On
February 8 -- when the daily sunspot number was 71 -- the total area
covered by sunspot activity was 460 millionths of a solar hemisphere.
That number hasn't been as high since the same earlier week in 2008
that had a high sunspot number average. The dates were March 26-27 when
the area of sunspots was 520 and 510. Look for more information on the
ARRL Web site on Friday, February 12. 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 Dylan Thomas' Light Breaks Where
No Sun Shines
<http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/light-breaks-where-no-sun-shines/>.

==> THIS WEEK ON THE RADIO

This week, the NCCC Sprint Ladder is February 12. The YLRL YL-OM
Contest is February 12-14 and the FISTS Winter Sprint is February 13.
On February 13-14, be sure to check out the CQWW RTTY WPX Contest, the
KCJ Topband Contest, the Louisiana QSO Party and the OMISS QSO Party.
The North American Sprint (SSB) and the SKCC Weekend Sprint are both
February 14. The Classic Exchange (Phone) is February 15 and the AGCW
Semi-Automatic Key Evening is February 17. Next week, the ARRL
International DX Contest (CW)
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2010/intldx.html> is February
20-21. There is another NCCC Sprint Ladder on February 19. The Feld
Hell Sprint is February 20, the Run for the Bacon QRP Contest is
February 22 and the SKCC Sprint is February 24. 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 CONTINUING EDUCATION COURSE REGISTRATION

   Registration remains open through Sunday, February 21, 2010, for
these online course sessions <http://www.arrl.org/cep/student/>
beginning on Friday, March 5, 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
members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member
Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/.

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