From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 2 18:02:09 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2015 18:02:09 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] A Message from Jeff - WA4AW In-Reply-To: <20150602205650.DD14520BC712@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150602205650.DD14520BC712@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <556E27E1.7070001@bellsouth.net> Greetings to all, We had a great time at the Dayton Hamvention held on May 15-17. Ran into a good number of SFL members partaking in the weekend festivities. The WX mostly cooperated with a minimum amount of rain and moderate temperatures. The ARRL Expo, where Gold Coast DEC Charlie, WB2SSN and myself were assisting at the Public Service booth, had huge crowds visiting the various exhibits and the ARRL Store. If you have never been to Dayton, you are missing one of the premier events in Amateur Radio. I know that I?m beginning to sound like a broken record, however, we cannot lose our momentum with going forward with our support of the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015-HR 1301. If you have not already done so, please contact your Congressperson. Write a letter of support, forward it to ARRL for distribution and make an appointment to visit with them. Ask them to support HR 1301 and to co-sponsor the bill. I cannot over emphasize how important it is for everyone to sign on with this effort. For more info, please visit http://www.arrl.org/hr-1301 Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015: 55 Cosponsors ? and Climbing The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 ? also known as H.R.1301 ? has attracted 55 cosponsors as of May 12. The bill, introduced earlier this year in the US House of Representatives by Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL), would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land use restrictions. This weekend?s Dayton Hamvention will offer an opportunity for ARRL to speak with individual radio amateurs and encourage them to seek their House member?s support. ARRL Regulatory Information and Legislative Action Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, said those stopping by his booth at ARRL EXPO, in about a minute, can have a letter addressed to their representative and personalized with their contact information, printed and ready to sign. ?The ARRL will collect these signed letters and have them hand-delivered to the various Congressional offices by our DC legislative action team,? Henderson explained. ?This easy-to-use process has succeeded at several major hamfests already this year and helped generate several hundred letters.? The latest lawmakers to sign aboard H.R. 1301 include Representatives Pete Olson of Texas, Ed Perlmutter of Colorado, John Shimkus of Illinois, Dr Brad Wenstrup of Ohio, and Roger Williams of Texas. Henderson said that the typically high number of attendees at Dayton Hamvention presents an excellent opportunity for Amateur Radio operators to get involved in the HR 1301 grassroots legislative effort. Henderson said the League is also working on securing an original sponsor and co-sponsor for a companion Amateur Radio Parity Act bill in the US Senate. He encouraged all who may not be attending Hamvention to visit the ARRL?s HR 1301 page, where they can download a letter that can be personalized for your member of Congress. ?Once you have printed and signed the letter, send it to ARRL Grassroots Letter program, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111,? Henderson said. ?Once received these will be sorted and sent to the ARRL DC team for hand delivery on Capitol Hill.? ?We have gotten off to a good start on H.R. 1301, but we have a long way to go,? Henderson said. ?We need every ARRL member to get involved with this important fight.? June 1st marks the beginning of the Atlantic Hurricane season. WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center conducted their annual station test on May 30th. This should signal to all of us to prepare for what might come our way this season. As the Florida DEM often reminds us, ?Get A Plan? And sign up with your local ARES group to assist in providing the needed communications support for our communities. June events in the SFL Section: June 2nd- Palm Beach County Commission proclaims ?Amateur Radio Week? in Palm Beach County, June 24-30, 2015. At the meeting to receive the proclamation were PBC ARES DEC Charlie Benn, WB2SNN, PBC ARES Training Coordinator Barry Porter, KB1PA, PBC LGL Rick Byrnes, KJ4ZHO and Palms West ARC President John Samuels, K2CIB. June 13th- ARRL EC-001, Introduction to EmComm course and exam to be conducted at the American Red Cross chapter house, 1250 Northpoint Pkwy., West Palm Beach from 9AM-5PM. For more info and to register, contact PBC ARES Training Coordinator Barry Porter, KB1PA at BarryP13 at mac.com June 21st- Kids Day Kids Day is designed to give on-the-air experience to youngsters and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children. For more info, pse visit http://www.arrl.org/kids-day June 27th & 28th- ARRL Field Day- Field Day is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June, more than 35,000 radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends to operate from remote locations. Many clubs around the section will be participating. Find the club nearest to you with the Field Day Station Locator- www.arrl.org/field-day-locator I will be on my annual SFL Field Day Tour during the weekend and will be using the FD Locator to plan my visits, so pse list your club event on the locator map. For more info on Field Day, pse visit http://www.arrl.org/field-day Updated Amateur Radio Emergency Service Manual Now Online The latest edition (March 2015) of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service? (ARES) Manual now is online. This edition includes various Incident Command System (ICS) forms for ARES use, clarifies the role of the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), contains an improved chapter on ARES training, and includes all current ARRL memoranda of understanding/agreement. ARES consists of Amateur Radio licensees who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communication duty in the public service, when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur, regardless of ARRL membership, is eligible to apply for ARES membership. FCC Eliminates Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Regulatory Fee The FCC is eliminating the regulatory fee to apply for an Amateur Radio vanity call sign. The change will not go into effect, however, until required congressional notice has been given. This will take at least 90 days. As the Commission explained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Report and Order, and Order (MD Docket 14-92 and others), released May 21, it's a matter of simple economics. "The Commission spends more resources on processing the regulatory fees and issuing refunds than the amount of the regulatory fee payment," the FCC said. "As our costs now exceed the regulatory fee, we are eliminating this regulatory fee category. The current vanity call sign regulatory fee is $21.40, the highest in several years. The FCC reported there were 11,500 "payment units" in FY 2014 and estimated that it would collect nearly $246,100. In its 2014 Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding the assessment and collection of regulatory fees for FY 2014, the FCC had sought comment on eliminating several smaller regulatory fee categories, such as those for vanity call signs and GMRS. It concluded in the subsequent Report and Order (R&O) last summer, however, that it did not have "adequate support to determine whether the cost of recovery and burden on small entities outweighed the collected revenue or whether eliminating the fee would adversely affect the licensing process." The FCC said it has since had an opportunity to obtain and analyze support concerning the collection of the regulatory fees for Amateur Vanity and GMRS, which the FCC said comprise, on average, more than 20,000 licenses that are newly obtained or renewed, every 10 and 5 years, respectively. "The Commission often receives multiple applications for the same vanity call sign, but only one applicant can be issued that call sign," the FCC explained. "In such cases, the Commission issues refunds for all the remaining applicants. In addition to staff and computer time to process payments and issue refunds, there is an additional expense to issue checks for the applicants who cannot be refunded electronically." The Commission said that after it provides the required congressional notification, Amateur Radio vanity program applicants "will no longer be financially burdened with such payments, and the Commission will no longer incur these administrative costs that exceed the fee payments. The revenue that the Commission would otherwise collect from these regulatory fee categories will be proportionally assessed on other wireless fee categories." The FCC said it would not issue refunds to licensees who paid the regulatory fee prior to its official elimination. ARRL to Change Administrator for Insurance Plans Effective May 26, 2015, the ARRL will be changing the program administrator for its sponsored Equipment and Club Liability insurance plans. Beginning on that date, all program administration including policy application, issuance and claims administration will be handled by Risk Strategies, a privately held, national insurance brokerage firm. The ARRL programs will be administered from their offices in Chicago, Illinois. This move is being made based on the results of numerous comments from the ARRL membership relative to the former administrator, Hays Affinity Group which is based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The transaction, unlike previous changes, will involve a transfer of the total program business from Hays Affinity to Risk Strategies. Participants in the programs will retain their current insurance policies and the details of the coverage and the cost of coverage will remain unchanged, as will the insurance company, Hanover Insurance Company. An e-mail will be sent to all the current participants in the programs describing the changes and what, if anything, they need to do to access their on-line information. The web address for the programs will be the same, www.arrlinsurance.com, but will take on a new look with improved functionality. The 800 numbers will also remain unchanged for contacting the new administrator. There will be a short delay in bringing up the new site once the programs have been transferred and we appreciate your patience while Risk Strategies makes the programs operational. As a leading US insurance broker, Risk Strategies offers sophisticated risk management advice and insurance placement for property & casualty and employee benefits risks. Risk Strategies serves middle market commercial companies, non-profits, public entities, and individuals, and has access to all major insurance markets. Ranked in the top 30 insurance brokers in the country, the company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. April EmComm report from SEC Larry, W4LWZ Total number of ARES members: 382 Change since last month (+, -, same): -11 Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 12 Number of ARES nets active: 11 Number of nets with NTS liaison: 5 Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 72 Person hours: 364 Number of public service events this month: 2 Person hours: 17 Number of emergency operations this month: 3 Person Hours: 92 Total number of ARES operations this month: 77 Total Person hours: 473 Comments: We held a section wide EC meeting on April 25,2015 at the Palm Beach County EOC. We had 12 county ECs attend and it was a good opportunity for me to meet all these people and for them to meet me. We covered a lot of ground including the importance of monthly EC reports, county amateur radio emergency plans, and Florida State requirements for emergency amateur operators. April Traffic report from STM Mike, KM2V SAR - CALL TOTAL WA4BAM 237 KE4CB 057 KA4FZI 015 K9GZT 007 KK4KAH 005 K4KFF 074 KA3PYO 005 KR4ST 012 NT4TS 005 KM2V 038 PSHR - Callsign Total WA4BAM 135 KA4FZI 086 KE4CB 160 KM2V 13 NETS-NET ABB. QNI QTC QND SESS MGR All Florida CW Traffic Net QFN 303 94 409 30 WA4BAM Florida Medium Speed Net FMSN 262 98 554 30 AG4RJ/AB4XK Southeast Florida Traffic Net SEFTN 584 65 952 30 KM2V Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 465 15 1425 26 KE4CB/N9WS Broward County Emer Prep Net BCEPN 39 5 104 5 K2MOL Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group W4JUP 36 0 260 10 K4VMS Jupiter Farms CERT JFCERT 12 0 45 4 AG4BV Silent Keys- It is with deep regret that we report the passing of the following SFL members: Robert P. ?Bob? Broderick,Jr., WE4B of Ft. Lauderdale. Bob was a long-time President of the Palmetto ARC and an ARRL OO and VE. Dennis M. Hamilton, W4FSI of Okeechobee. Dennis was a former EC and RO in Palm Beach County and active with clubs in Palm Beach and Okeechobee. Well, I guess that?s about it for now. My thanks for all that you do for Amateur Radio. Get on the air, Elmer a new ham, support your local club and ARES group but most of all, have fun. Vy 73, Jeff, WA4AW -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southern Florida Section Section Manager: Jeff Beals, WA4AW wa4aw at arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 4 20:13:53 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2015 20:13:53 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 4, 2015 In-Reply-To: <20150604213624.E97F2202232C@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150604213624.E97F2202232C@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <5570E9C1.2010603@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-06-04 The ARRL Letter June 4, 2015 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * Texas, Oklahoma Ham Volunteers Stand Down Following Spate of Severe Weather <#toc01> * WX4NHC Reports It's Ready for Hurricane Season <#toc02> * Radio Call Saves SOTA Climber Following Fall <#toc03> * It's Alive! /LightSail/ Spacecraft Restored After Being Silenced by Software Issue <#toc04> * Delayed Return of Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, Set for June 11 <#toc05> * British Astronaut to Share His ISS Experience with Students via Amateur Radio <#toc06> * Sarah Brightman Spaceflight Postponed <#toc07> * Nayif-1 CubeSat to Have FUNcube Transponder <#toc08> * Another Australian Balloon with a Ham Radio Payload Circumnavigates Earth <#toc09> * In Brief... <#toc10> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc13> Texas, Oklahoma Ham Volunteers Stand Down Following Spate of Severe Weather Severe storms and flooding in Texas and Oklahoma that extended beyond the Memorial Day holiday weekend kept ARES and SKYWARN volunteers busy or on alert through the rest of May, which now is being crowned as the wettest month on record in both states. Texas received more than 8.8 inches of rainfall during May, while Oklahoma got a whopping 14.4 inches. Wichita Falls, Texas, saw 17 inches of rain *Flooding on the North Canadian River below the Lake Overholser Dam in Oklahoma City. [Chase Rhoades video] * during May, while Oklahoma City got nearly 19.5 inches. The resulting flooding and property damage -- with some severe wind incidents thrown in -- caused numerous ARES callouts and SKYWARN net activations. In Oklahoma, Section Emergency Coordinator Mark Conklin, N7XYO, said Amateur Radio volunteers provided communication for several American Red Cross damage assessment teams in the wake of flooding in Comanche County and elsewhere. "ARES-OK volunteers in action this month have provided 436 hours of service," Conklin reported on May 31. "Teams were deployed to the Bridge Creek community and Comanche and Leflore counties. In addition, Conklin added, nearly every storm complex that rolled through Oklahoma spawned numerous SKYWARN nets with volunteers providing "many hours of service." ARES teams in his state stood down on June 2. *Flooding at Barton Springs Pool in Austin, Texas. [Chris Ivester video] * South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator Frank Aguilar, N5SSH, said all districts in his Section had stood down by June 1. "Weather events are over, and the forecast does not show rain for the next week or two, which means search and rescue and clean-up will be the main focus," he said. A summary of activity showed that ARES volunteers assisted in local emergency operations centers and the Red Cross. In addition, he noted, SKYWARN nets were called up in vulnerable counties, and other ARES teams remained on standby in case they were needed. ARRL South Texas Section Manager Lee Cooper, W5LHC, called the spate of heavy rainfall, tornadoes, and flooding over some two-thirds of his state "pretty much unprecedented" for the region. "The main event is over," Cooper said this week. "We are looking at a approximately 10-day period of dry sunny weather in South Texas and do not anticipate any additional activations." This spring's torrential rains stood in stark contrast to the severe drought the region had experienced over the past few years. May's heavy rains have been linked to a burgeoning El Ni?o in the Pacific. While fair weather returned to the region this week, forecasters fear the now rain-saturated ground could make things worse during the hurricane season, which began on June 1. WX4NHC Reports It's Ready for Hurricane Season WX4NHC , the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, reports that it has stood the test and is ready for the 2015 Hurricane Season, which began on June 1 and will continue through November. WX4NHC conducted its Annual Station Test on May 30, at the end of Hurricane Preparedness Week. This marked the 35th year of volunteer public service by the WX4NHC Group at the NHC. WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, said the station was tested on many frequencies and modes, including digital modes, and that all radio equipment and antennas performed well. "The WX4NHC test event is also good practice for Amateur Radio operators worldwide, but especially in hurricane prone areas, to test their station's ability to contact WX4NHC, should they need to during a hurricane," Ripoll said. "It was also a good opportunity for NWS Office staff to become aware of the unique capabilities of Amateur Radio during severe weather and disaster communications, when conventional communication modes fail." NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has forecast that the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season will likely be below normal, but, it added, "that's no reason to believe coastal areas will have it easy." For the 2015 hurricane season, NOAA has predicted a 70 percent likelihood of anywhere from six to 11 named storms (winds of 39 MPH or higher), of which three to six could become hurricanes (winds of 74 MPH or higher). That forecast included up to two "major hurricanes" (Category 3, 4, or 5) with winds of 111 MPH or greater. "A below-normal season doesn't mean we're off the hook," NOAA Administrator Kathryn Sullivan said. "As we've seen before, below-normal seasons can still produce catastrophic impacts to communities." Ripoll said WX4NHC logged contacts during the test with some emergency communication notables. These included FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, on EchoLink and on the Florida UHF SARnet , plus a 20 meter contact with FEMA Chief Technical Officer Ted Okada, K4HNL. WX4NHC also worked ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, and Hurricane Watch Net (HWN ) Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV. "Mike, Bobby, Craig, and Ted all understand very well how Amateur Radio can help their communities during and after severe weather and other natural disasters," Ripoll said. "We expressed our thanks to all of them for their strong support of the Amateur Radio volunteers and WX4NHC." Ripoll also expressed appreciation to SKYWARN volunteers. "You may never know, but your efforts may someday save someone's life," he added. *WX4NHC during the 2015 Station Test: (L-R) Julio Ripoll, WD4R; Lloyd Kurtzman, N4LJK; Jan Lederman, K9JCL, and John McHugh, K4AG.* During the 8-hour test, contacts were made and surface reports received from many stations throughout the US and Canada, as well as in the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, Ripoll said. He noted that more than 40 D-STAR/D-RATS surface weather reports were received at WX4NHC. John Davis, WB4QDX, coordinated the D-Star/D-RATS net and reporting, Ripoll said. "We are excited of the potential that D-STAR/D-RATS modes can produce hurricane surface reports in a similar format that is used at WX4NHC," he said. "These reports may someday fill a very important gap in surface data during a hurricane that we could not receive on other modes." WX4NHC also took part in the Florida State Hurricane Exercise on the UHF SARnet , making contacts throughout Florida and with stations in emergency operations centers. SARnet currently has 25 UHF repeaters connected statewide, including one on the NHC campus. Radio Call Saves SOTA Climber Following Fall A Littleton, Colorado, radio amateur and mountaineer was happy to have his handheld transceiver along on May 17 after he slipped and fell from an icy ledge in Berthoud Pass while snowshoeing. Summits On The Air (SOTA ) enthusiast Brad Byland, WA6MM, said he's been climbing and mountaineering for many years now and never before came this close to what he called "a possible life-ending disaster." "I'm doing fine," Byland told ARRL. "I didn't get hurt...only bad wind and sunburn on my face! My daughter says my geeky hobby -- ham radio -- saved me from my dangerous hobby -- climbing and mountaineering!" Byland said that while this was his first climb in the Berthoud Pass area, he was never "lost," as some media accounts reported. He had prepared to climb Mount Flora -- which would have been his 29th SOTA peak -- by studying maps and others' trip reports, plus he had his iPhone with GPS, a compass, and his radio along. "[T]hings went smoothly until about 12,700 feet," Byland said, at which point, with visibility deteriorating, he decided to turn back. "It wasn't long before I was in a total whiteout," he recounted . "The ground is white, the air around me is white, and I had no perception of direction and elevation. My iPhone GPS was of no use, as I couldn't read the display. I pulled out my compass for navigation." Byland said he knew the basic heading he should follow along the ridge, and he proceeded. "A short time later I had a strange feeling I was floating in air. I didn't realize I was falling until I landed on my back on a snow-filled ledge about 20 feet below a cornice," Byland continued. "I was quite surprised and amazed that I suffered no injuries." But he was essentially "stuck," and, while his snowshoes remained on, he was unable to climb back up, due to the overhanging nature of the cornice. "I needed to wait for better conditions," he concluded. "After about an hour I decided to make a call for help, as I knew it would take time for a rescue party to mobilize and find me. Spending the night would probably not end well, and I might have had to take on significant risk to attempt a self-rescue." Byland said he'd programmed his radio to a few local mountain repeaters, he was able to quickly contact another ham, "and the rest of the story unfolded with my eventual rescue." *Brad Byland, WA6MM, took a selfie while awaiting rescue on an icy ledge.* While well equipped for his situation, he remained on the ledge for 4 or 5 hours. "I was in good spirits," he said, "and I can't tell you enough about how comforting it is to have another person on the radio keeping me informed of the rescue process. I didn't feel so alone on that ledge." Byland thanked the Alpine and Grand County Search and Rescue members who got him off the ledge. "Words alone cannot express my feelings of gratitude for the work you do and the countless hours you invest in this service," he said. "My donations to both SAR groups are forthcoming." He also expressed his gratitude to the hams who picked up his distress call and quickly notified authorities. "The outcome would have certainly been different without their help," he said. "I particularly want to thank Alpine SAR ham radio operator Mike, KC0CNT, who spent countless hours with me exchanging vital information during the rescue operation." In retrospect, Byland said, he should have taken another route or hunkered down and waited for better visibility before descending. Ad It's Alive! /LightSail/ Spacecraft Restored After Being Silenced by Software Issue After going silent for a few days, The Planetary Society 's /LightSail/? spacecraft has resumed transmitting. A suspected software glitch had caused the satellite to stop sending telemetry back to Earth on the 70 centimeter Amateur Radio band. The communication issue now out of the way, the /LightSail/ team will soon determine when to attempt deployment of the spacecraft's Mylar? solar sails. "Our /LightSail/ called home! It's alive!" The Planetary Society's CEO Bill Nye (The Science Guy) said in a statement on the organization's website. "Our /LightSail/ spacecraft has rebooted itself, just as our engineers predicted. Everyone is delighted. We were ready for three more weeks of anxiety." According to Nye's statement, the /LightSail/ team has coded a software patch and has it ready to upload. "After we are confident in the data packets regarding our orbit, we will make decisions about uploading the patch and deploying our sails -- and we'll make those decisions very soon," Nye said. "This has been a rollercoaster for us down here on Earth, all the while our capable little spacecraft has been on orbit going about its business." In a lengthy May 26 blog post , the Planetary Society's Jason Davis said the /LightSail/ mission had "paused, while engineers wait out a suspected software glitch that has silenced the solar sailing *Planetary Society CEO Bill Nye. [BD Engler photo]* spacecraft." Following its successful May 20 launch, /LightSail/ sent about 140 data packets back to Earth, Davis said. Over the Memorial Day weekend, however, the spacecraft's automated telemetry went silent. Telemetry data are sent on 437.435 MHz (AX.25, 9600 bps FSK). Davis said a lot of radio amateurs have been helping to track /LightSail/ and sent in data packets. According to Davis, the /LightSail/ team believes that "a vulnerability" that controls the primary avionics board was the problem. As he explained, the CubeSat's onboard /Linux/-based flight software writes beacon packets to a spreadsheet file -- beacon.csv -- which, when it reaches a certain size, can cause the flight system to crash. A patch was devised to address the problem in later software revisions, but /LightSail/'s software did not include the update, and before the fix could be uploaded, the satellite went silent. Delayed Return of Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, Set for June 11 Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, now on an International Space Station duty tour that was extended by about a month, will return to Earth on June 11. Cristoforetti has conducted several Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) school contacts during her ISS stay. In early May, NASA and its international partners postponed the return of Cristoforetti, astronaut Terry Virts, and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, following the failure in late April of the Russian robotic /Progress 59/ cargo spacecraft to reach the ISS. The /Progress/ went out of control, eventually burning up in Earth's atmosphere. *Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF. [NASA photo by Robert Markowitz]* "NASA and its international partners agreed to set a new schedule for spacecraft traffic to and from the International Space Station," NASA said in a May 12 media release. "Looks like it's not time to get my spacesuit ready yet...what a present!" Cristoforetti reacted, after the delay was announced. She arrived on the ISS in November. Cristoforetti's departure from the ISS will leave only Russian cosmonauts to support the ARISS program until late July, when Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS; Oleg Kononenko, RN3DX, and Kimiya Yui arrive at the ISS as part of a scheduled crew rotation. Before flights were reshuffled, they had been scheduled to arrive in May. All three are set to return December 22. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, RN3BF, and Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, arrived on station in March as part of the Expedition 43/44 crew increment. Kelly and Kornienko will remain on the ISS for 1 year. Padalka also will return to Earth in December. The next Russian cargo craft, Progress 60, will launch in early July to deliver several tons of food, fuel, and supplies. The space station has sufficient supplies to support crews until the fall. A private SpaceX robotic /Dragon/ capsule is still slated to blast off on its next resupply mission on June 19, but the timing of that flight is now under review, NASA officials said. British Astronaut to Share His ISS Experience with Students via Amateur Radio The UK's first European Space Agency astronaut, Tim Peake, KG5BVI, plans to share his "Principia " mission space adventure with students on Earth via Amateur Radio. He's invited youngsters in his country to contact him while he's onboard the International Space Station (ISS) later this year. Peake is scheduled to head to the ISS in November for a 6-month duty tour. Nearly a year in development, the *Astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, will use Amateur Radio to share his "Principia" space mission with youngsters on Earth.* program represents a collaboration of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) program, the UK Space Agency (UKSA ), the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB ), the European Space Education Research Office in the UK (ESERO-UK ), and the European Space Agency (ESA ) to raise awareness in Space, Amateur Radio, and STEM subjects. "I hope to share as much of my mission as possible and am delighted that I will be able to talk to UK students when the ISS flies over Britain, thanks to the Amateur Radio equipment on board the International Space Station and the ARISS program," Peake said. The RSGB lead for ARISS and ARISS operations in the UK, Ciaran Morgan, M0XTD, said, "ARISS...is delighted to help UK students connect with Tim whilst he is in space, using only Amateur Radio equipment on the ISS and in schools, to help inspire our future generations of scientists, technicians, engineers, and mathematicians." Schools throughout the UK have been solicited to host one of the limited number of contacts. The events will include space workshops, where students can explore space and space-related technologies, and analyze data from satellites in orbit. Students taking part in the contact events would have to obtain a full UK Amateur Radio license in order to operate the radio gear, and one lucky student at each of the schools selected will be responsible for making contact with the ISS. An RSGB team and the ARISS UK operations team will work with the chosen schools to prepare them for this exceptional opportunity during the mission of the first British ESA astronaut. *During his training, Astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, gets familiar with the Ericcson hand-held transceiver he'll use on board the ISS. * Selected schools/organizations will host a direct ham radio link-up with the ISS during a 2-day, space-related STEM workshop. ARISS-UK will provide and set up all necessary radio equipment, including low-Earth orbit satellite tracking antennas and radios, to establish a direct radio link with the space station while the ISS is over the UK so that students can ask Peake about his life and work on board the ISS. The program also plans to promote many aspects of Amateur Radio, including the Amateur-Satellite service, obtaining data from orbiting spacecraft (FUNcube and the Fox satellites), the latest equipment on the ISS, and, if operational, the "Ham Video" digital amateur television (DATV) system. Peake will use the GB1SS call sign when in contact with UK-based schools. The British Amateur Television Club will stream the contacts live on the web. Read more . /-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via the RSGB and AMSAT-UK/ Ad Sarah Brightman Spaceflight Postponed Singer Sarah Brightman has announced that she is postponing plans to go into space as a paying guest aboard the International Space Station. She was set to launch on the September /Soyuz/ TMA-18M mission with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ, and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Volkov, RU3DIS. There had been some speculation that Brightman might use Amateur Radio during her ISS stay; she apparently would be eligible to do so using the GB1SS call sign. *Sarah Brightman undergoes medical testing in preparation for her now-delayed visit to the ISS.* The British soprano is reported to have paid $52 million to be a "spaceflight participant" for 10 days. Brightman said she was putting her spaceflight on hold for personal and family reasons, and she has postponed her cosmonaut training and flight plans. "Since 2012, Sarah has shared her story of a lifelong dream to fly to space," said Eric Anderson, co-founder and chairman of Space Adventures Ltd, which arranged the flight. "We've seen firsthand her dedication to every aspect of her spaceflight training and to date [she] has passed all of her training and medical tests. We applaud her determination and we'll continue to support her as she pursues a future spaceflight opportunity." Nayif-1 CubeSat to Have FUNcube Transponder AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL have announced that a FUNcube communication package has been selected as a major payload for the Nayif-1 CubeSat mission. FUNcube-1 (AO-73) carries an inverting U/V SSB/CW transponder. The Nayif-1 mission, tentatively set to launch toward the end of 2015, is intended to provide students in the United Arab Emirates with a tool to design and test systems in space. The CubeSat is being developed by the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST ) in partnership with American University of Sharjah (AUS ). It is expected that this payload will provide a large amount of valuable environmental data from space together with a new, enhanced, UHF to VHF linear transponder. The AMSAT team will work closely with the Emirati students in collaboration with support partner Innovative Solutions In Space BV from the Netherlands to develop the new system. AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL announced the news on April 25, during the Dutch "Interessedag Amateursatellieten " (Amateur Satellite Interest Day) event in Apeldoorn. More details, including frequencies and planned operating schedules, will be made available as soon as possible. /-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via AMSAT-UK/ // Another Australian Balloon with a Ham Radio Payload Circumnavigates Earth The circumnavigation of another party-type foil balloon from Australia has demonstrated that having one circle the Southern Hemisphere is no fluke. Andy Nguyen, VK3YT, launched his PS-46 balloon, which carried an Amateur Radio payload, on May 25. The balloon completed the trip on June 4. Nguyen's earlier PS-41 balloon was the first such balloon to circle Earth. "This time it was in the right position -- before arriving in Western Australia -- for the jet stream to push it over land," Nguyen said. The helium balloons in this series carried a solar-powered 25 mW transmitter which sent /WSPR/, /JT9/, and sometimes /Olivia/ signals on 30 and 20 meters, enabling their tracking and the gathering of reports on altitude, speed, direction, and battery condition. The PS-46 balloon completed its journey around the globe in slightly more than 12 days. /- Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC/ Ad In Brief... *HEX-BEAM**? Manufacturer Traffie Technologies Shutting Down* Traffie Technologies, the Massachusetts-based family business that has pioneered and manufactured the HEX-BEAM line of rotatable wire beams, is closing its doors. "This is to inform everyone that we are closing down production of the HEX-BEAM?," an announcement on the HEX-BEAM website said. The company's principal, Mike Traffie, N1HXA, has indicated that he is open to having someone else take over the business.//The small firm came into being in 1992, and HEX-BEAM antennas have been developed for 40 meters through 2 meters in various monoband and multiband versions. The company's latest product is the HX5Bi, which covers 10, 12, 15, 17, and 20 meters. *Past Mississippi Section Manager Richard L. Redd, SK* Former ARRL Mississippi Section Manager Richard Redd, KA5WRX, of Jackson, died on May 10. He was 75. Redd served as Mississippi SM from 1991 to 1995. Redd was the retired CEO and chairman of the board of Redd Pest Control. Services were May 14 in Madison. Survivors include his wife, Joyce, and several children. *SATERN to Mark The Salvation Army Anniversary in Early July: *The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN ) will mark the 150th anniversary of The Salvation Army with a Salvation Army 150th Anniversary QSO Party, Wednesday, July 1, through Sunday, July 5. All are welcome to take part. Operators who make contact with a SATERN station are eligible for a special event QSL card. The QSO party is being sponsored by a partnership between The Salvation Army National Headquarters, the Alabama-Louisiana-Mississippi Division of The Salvation Army, and the Jackson (Mississippi) Amateur Radio Club. *W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention Set for Late September:* The Southeast's largest ham radio event, the W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention will take place September 25-26 in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (home of Dollywood). Sponsored by The SouthEastern DX and Contesting Organization (SEDCO), the event features presentations on DXing and contesting topics and, of course, prize drawings. Ham radio equipment manufacturers and dealers will be on hand to demonstrate new products and answer equipment questions. A banquet rounds out the day. This year's convention will offer a daylong "Ham Radio Boot Camp" to Elmer newcomers on station and antenna construction, operating, DXing, and contesting. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: From May 28 through June 3, average daily sunspot numbers dropped from 56.1 the previous week to 34.3. Average daily solar flux barely changed from 97.6 to 97.8 over the same period. But, both numbers have begun showing an upward trend. Predicted solar flux is 110 on June 4-5; 115 on June 6; 120 on June 7-11; 115 on June 12-13; 110 on June 14; 100 on June 15-16; 95 on June 17-22; 90 on June 23-25; 95 on June 26-28, 100 on June 29, and then peaking at 120 on July 7-8. Predicted planetary A index is 5 on June 4-5; 8 on June 6; 12 on June 7-8; then 30, 10, 8, 5, 8, 15; and 12 on June 9-15; 5 on June 16 through July 3, and then 10, 25, 20, and 12 on July 4-7. On May 28 the daily sunspot number was 11, the lowest non-zero sunspot number, meaning that just one sunspot was visible. There are no sunspot numbers between 1 and 10, because each sunspot group represents a value of 10, with a value of 1 for each sunspot in the group. The last time the daily sunspot number was 11 was July 16, 2014, and the sunspot number dropped to zero the next day. This was just a few months after the peak of Cycle 24, which I reckon to be around February and March 2014, using our 3-month moving average. Prior to that we'd have to look back to January 14-15, 2011, to find the sunspot number at 11 on both days. This was on the ascendant side of Cycle 24. In Friday's bulletin, look for reports from readers, an updated forecast, and an update on our 3-month moving average of sunspot numbers. Send me /your/ reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 5 -- NCCC RTTY Sprint * June 5 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder (CW) * June 6 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW) * June 6-7 -- 10-10 Int'l Open Season PSK Contest * June 6-7 -- DigiFest * June 6-7 -- VK Shires Contest (CW, SSB) * June 6-7 -- SEANET Contest (CW) * June 6-7 -- UKSMG Summer Contest * June 6-7 -- RSGB National Field Day (CW) * June 6-7 -- IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW) * June 6-7 -- Alabama QSO Party * June 10 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW) * June 10 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW) * June 10 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (CW) * *June 13-15 -- **ARRL June VHF Contest* See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * June 5-7 -- Northwestern Division Convention (SeaPac), Seaside, Oregon * June 6 -- Georgia State Convention , Marietta, Georgia * June 12-13 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Irving, Texas * June 13 -- Tennessee State Convention , Knoxville, Tennessee * July 4 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania * July 10-11 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 13-16 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club Convention , The Villages, Florida * July 17-19 -- Montana State Convention , East Glacier, Montana * July 23-26 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Westminster, Colorado * July 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 31-August 2 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention , Bryce Canyon, Utah * August 1 -- Great Lakes Division Convention , Columbus, Ohio * August 7-8 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 7-9 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 7-9 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Everett, Washington * August 15-16 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 16 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas * August 21-23 -- New England Division Convention , Boxborough, Massachusetts * August 22 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 30 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention , New Kensington, Pennsylvania Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/ (bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 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/. Copyright ? 2015 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 9 16:51:04 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 09 Jun 2015 16:51:04 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?W4DXCC_is_a_DX_and_Contes?= =?utf-8?q?t_Convention_held_in_Pigeon_Forge=2C_TN_and_it=E2=80=99s_our_11?= =?utf-8?q?th_year=2E?= Message-ID: <557751B8.7040609@bellsouth.net> /Hello Club Officials/ /My name is Dave Anderson, K4SV and I lead the W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention and I need your help to let your club members know about the upcoming 11th annual W4DXCC Convention. W4DXCC is a convention similar to W9DXCC, W0DXCC and Visalia DX convention. Below is a short note to copy and paste. I would like to have you distribute it in your club news letter, email or website./ /Thank You in Advance!/ *** *W4DXCC is a DX and Contest Convention held in Pigeon Forge, TN and it?s our 11th year. If you?re a DXer, Contester or just an active ham you should attend this year.* The attendees enjoy the fellowship of other hams and share their experiences. They meet old friends and make new ones. Once you attend you will be back every year. Representatives from Top equipment manufacturers will be on hand to demo new equipment and answer your questions One on One. This will be the most informative and relaxed DX and Contest convention you have ever attended, not to mention the many great prize drawings. *Ham Radio Bootcamp* This year convention attendees can attend a day long *Ham Radio Bootcamp* training session on Friday. Experienced hams teach new and old hams about building shacks and antennas, learn how to operate better while DXing and Contesting. There is something for every ham. *It?s Time to make your reservations* 1) Call the Mainstay convention hotel at 865-428-8350 to book your room and be sure to ASK for SEDCO special rates 2) Call Rosie KA4S at 865-898-2279 for Convention and Banquet tickets. For More Details Visit us at - www.W4DXCC.com From n8pr at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 9 18:20:49 2015 From: n8pr at bellsouth.net (Pete Rimmel N8PR) Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2015 18:20:49 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] =?utf-8?q?W4DXCC_is_a_DX_and_Contes?= =?utf-8?q?t_Convention_held_in_Pigeon_Forge=2C_TN_and_it=E2=80=99s?= =?utf-8?q?_our_11th_year=2E?= In-Reply-To: <557751B8.7040609@bellsouth.net> References: <557751B8.7040609@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: I have a 2 Queen bed mini-suite booked for the 23-26th. If anyone wants to come up and share the cost for 2-3 days or all 4 with me. let me know. 73, PeteR MN8PR -----Original Message----- From: Bill Sent: Tuesday, June 09, 2015 4:51 PM To: SFDXA at mailman.qth.net ; QCWA Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] W4DXCC is a DX and Contest Convention held in Pigeon Forge, TN and it?s our 11th year. /Hello Club Officials/ /My name is Dave Anderson, K4SV and I lead the W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention and I need your help to let your club members know about the upcoming 11th annual W4DXCC Convention. W4DXCC is a convention similar to W9DXCC, W0DXCC and Visalia DX convention. Below is a short note to copy and paste. I would like to have you distribute it in your club news letter, email or website./ /Thank You in Advance!/ *** *W4DXCC is a DX and Contest Convention held in Pigeon Forge, TN and it?s our 11th year. If you?re a DXer, Contester or just an active ham you should attend this year.* The attendees enjoy the fellowship of other hams and share their experiences. They meet old friends and make new ones. Once you attend you will be back every year. Representatives from Top equipment manufacturers will be on hand to demo new equipment and answer your questions One on One. This will be the most informative and relaxed DX and Contest convention you have ever attended, not to mention the many great prize drawings. *Ham Radio Bootcamp* This year convention attendees can attend a day long *Ham Radio Bootcamp* training session on Friday. Experienced hams teach new and old hams about building shacks and antennas, learn how to operate better while DXing and Contesting. There is something for every ham. *It?s Time to make your reservations* 1) Call the Mainstay convention hotel at 865-428-8350 to book your room and be sure to ASK for SEDCO special rates 2) Call Rosie KA4S at 865-898-2279 for Convention and Banquet tickets. For More Details Visit us at - www.W4DXCC.com ______________________________________________________________ QCWA69 mailing list SubScribe UNSubscribe or Info: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa69 Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm Post: mailto:QCWA69 at mailman.qth.net This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 9 19:17:54 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 09 Jun 2015 19:17:54 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Large Plasma Tubes Confirmed to Exist Above The Earth's Atmosphere Message-ID: <55777422.8050902@bellsouth.net> An interesting discovery to amateur radio because a relatively low frequency telescope (80-300 mhz) was used. I wonder what if any connection there may be to propagation phenomena like Sporadic E on 6 and 2 meters. Here is one link to the story; watch the video, also on YouTube. http://io9.com/large-plasma-tubes-co...ths-1708434105 Congrats to those Down Under; it would be even cooler if the presenting YL, Cleo Loi, was a VK ham, but she's probably too busy being an extraterrestrial SWL! 73 de John - W?PV _From QRZ:_ http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?482300-Large-Plasma-Tubes-Confirmed-to-Exist-Above-The-Earth-s-Atmosphere From n8pr1 at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 9 20:25:26 2015 From: n8pr1 at bellsouth.net (Pete Rimmel N8PR) Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2015 20:25:26 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] W4DXCC is a DX and Contest Convention In-Reply-To: References: <557751B8.7040609@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <12A8A0D7FF244FB9BADE3BA19DEABAC3@PeteRGateway> More info on the mini-suite: 2 Queen Beds, No Smoking Suite; Sofabed - 2Persons ; Kitchen Facilities, Microwave, Free Hi Speed Internet, Iron&Ironing Board, Voice Mail, Cable/Satellite TV, Multiple Phone Lines, In-Room Coffee Maker, Refrigerator, In-Room Air Conditioning, Free Wireless High Speed Internet Access, Free Local Calls -----Original Message----- Subject: Re: W4DXCC is a DX and Contest Convention held in Pigeon Forge, TN and it?s our 11th year. I have a 2 Queen bed mini-suite booked for the 23-26th. If anyone wants to come up and share the cost for 2-3 days or all 4 with me. let me know. 73, PeteR N8PR From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Jun 10 17:43:27 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:43:27 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Things for sale... In-Reply-To: <5578923D.4050307@ckradio.net> References: <5578923D.4050307@ckradio.net> Message-ID: <5578AF7F.4040404@bellsouth.net> I have a few things for sale: A Kenwood TS-850S HF Transceiver $700 A Kenwood TL-922 Linear Amplifier 1500W with new tubes $1000 A top of the line antenna tuner NYE Viking MBVA handle 3kW $350 73 Chris 954 298 2666 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 12 10:07:41 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 12 Jun 2015 10:07:41 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 11, 2015 In-Reply-To: <20150611220439.DBDA32168DE4@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150611220439.DBDA32168DE4@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <557AE7AD.7080600@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-06-11 The ARRL Letter June 11, 2015 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * Letters to Members of Congress Offer Biggest Boost to Amateur Radio Parity Act <#toc01> * ARRL Representatives Talk Field Day Publicity on "Ham Radio Now" Webcast <#toc02> * Texas Meteorological Evaluation Towers Bill Won't Apply to Amateur Towers <#toc03> * New York Ham Inaugurates "Collegiate Ham Radio Operators" Facebook Group <#toc04> * Keysight Technologies Donates Spectrum Analysis Software to ARRL Lab <#toc05> * /The / /ARRL Extra Class License Manual/ Now Available on Kindle <#toc06> * Kids Day is Sunday, June 21! <#toc07> * US Naval Academy CubeSats Get OSCAR Numbers <#toc08> * Hall of Fame Contester, USC Patron Gordon Marshall, W6RR, SK <#toc09> * In Brief... <#toc10> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc13> Letters to Members of Congress Offer Biggest Boost to Amateur Radio Parity Act ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, has told Section Mangers that, while promotion and positive publicity about the Amateur Radio Parity Act (H.R. 1301) are always helpful, the most useful action radio amateurs can take is to contact their members of Congress, urging them to sign on as cosponsors. As of June 9, 72 members of the US House in both parties were listed as cosponsors of the proposed legislation, which would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use restrictions. Craigie told the SMs that the grassroots campaign supporting H.R. 1301 needs more letters. "We have been told quite bluntly by some congressional offices that they want letters from constituents -- that they will be interested in what the ARRL has to say only if they know that voters care about this issue," Craigie said in urging Section Managers to rally the troops. "Why should the congressman care, they ask, if the voters don't? There are tens of thousands of ARRL members who have not written yet. You can do a lot to persuade them to write, because they know you." Craigie cited the case of US Rep John Carney of Delaware, who signed on as an H.R. 1301 cosponsor this week. Delaware Section Manager Bill Duveneck, KB3KYH, told her that ARRL members have been appealing to the state's lone Member of Congress to support the bill. "Late last month, ARRL representatives visited Congressman Carney's Washington office and delivered a stack of approximately 50 constituent letters," Craigie recounted. "That, in addition to the in-state contacts, got the congressman's attention, and he agreed to cosponsor." Craigie pointed out that the 50 letters were all the more impressive in the case of tiny Delaware, where there are fewer than 500 ARRL members. "Do the math!" she said. "If we could get a similar percentage of ARRL members in additional districts to write their members of Congress, the bill's progress would accelerate. Local in-district contacts plus concentrated letter-writing efforts add up to co-sponsorship. Here's to Delaware and all the other districts whose ARRL members are getting the job done for H.R. 1301." Members are encouraged to contact their member of Congress by writing personalized, signed letters on paper, based on the sample letter, available on the ARRL H.R. 1301 web page. Letters should go to ARRL Headquarters for hand delivery to the appropriate House members. Send letters to ARRL, ATTN H.R. 1301 Grassroots Campaign, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111. Sending these letters via ARRL allows Headquarters staff to keep track of how many communications are going to which congressional districts. But more important, Craigie pointed out, when letters are delivered to the Hill in person, there's an opportunity to speak with congressional staffers. "The stack of letters is proof that voters care about the bill," she said. "We have to convince the staff people, so they'll advise the Member of Congress to cosponsor. That's how it works on Capitol Hill." Craigie further urged Section Managers to mention the bill when they speak at conventions and club meetings. Craigie also encouraged members whose US House member already has signed on to H.R. 1301 as a cosponsor to call, write, or e-mail a message of appreciation. "Good manners, good strategy," she said. The League is working on having a US Senate version of H.R. 1301 introduced. The latest House members to sign on as H.R. 1301 cosponsors include Bill Flores (TX), Patrick McHenry (NC), Ann Kuster (NH), John Carney (DE), Marsha Blackburn (TN), and Matt Aalmon, (AZ). ARRL Representatives Talk Field Day Publicity on "Ham Radio Now" Webcast ARRL Field Day , coming up the on weekend of June 27-28, often offers an ideal occasion for hams to meet members of the media or the public and to describe the event specifically and Amateur Radio in general. ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, and ARRL Public Relations Committee Chair Katie Allen, WY7YL, this week joined "Ham Radio Now" host Gary Pearce, *Appearing on "Ham Radio Now" (L-R), ARRL Public Relations Committee Chair Katie Allen, WY7YL; ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, and "Ham Radio Now" host Gary Pearce, KN4AQ.* KN4AQ, to share some views and advice on the topic "What Field Day is REALLY About" and how to convey this to FD visitors and reporters. All three agreed on one big point: Stress that 95 percent of what radio amateurs do is /fun/. "Share your excitement," Allen advised. All also agreed that club members attempting to tell what's happening at their Field Day site need to avoid ham radio jargon. "Be less 'hammy' about it," Allen suggested. "Nobody's going to know what 40 meters is," Kutzko rejoined, while conceding that it can be hard for hams to avoid using terms such as "fist," "worked," and "QSO" when talking with anyone not familiar with Amateur Radio. Pearce recommended fine-tuning "an elevator pitch" to explain the hobby to non-hams. The program edition also critiques some specific ham radio publicity efforts and media encounters. The June 10 "Ham Radio Now" (HRN No 208 ) webcast is available on YouTube. Texas Meteorological Evaluation Towers Bill Won't Apply to Amateur Towers A relatively obscure piece of Texas legislation with potential ham radio implications may serve as a model for other states considering similar laws. The beauty of the bill, SB 505 , concerning "Painting and Marking Requirements for Certain Towers" -- colloquially called "the crop duster bill" -- is that it never mentions Amateur Radio. That did not happen by accident. Initial impetus for such legislation was a 2013 National Transportation Safety Board recommendation that states enact laws requiring that meteorological evaluation towers (METs) be marked and registered. The recommendation came in the wake of fatal crop dusting aircraft collisions with METs, often erected on short notice in agricultural areas. *A properly marked meteorological evaluation tower. [Photo courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln]* "The West Gulf Division legislative team did an excellent job of working with the sponsor of the bill to minimize its effect on Amateur Radio," West Gulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV, said. He gave the credit to West Gulf Vice Director John Stratton, N5AUS. Woolweaver said that over the years, the Division's legislative experts have managed to stop or have modified several bills considered objectionable to ham radio. They also have worked to have language placed into statutes that prevents Amateur Radio gear from being conflated with "mobile communication devices." Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW, who works for the Texas Department of Transportation, was involved in developing a fiscal impact note on the legislation. "It was driven by national and state crop duster associations at the behest of their members to mark the meteorology or weather towers located mostly in wind turbine fields," Gilbert explained in summing up the issue. "The dusters seemed not to be able to see the towers. The duster folks had tried to work with the FAA, but since the towers are [lower than] 200 feet and not located normally near airports, the FCC declined to regulate further." States then were urged to pick up the ball. Gilbert said some state laws focused specifically on METs, others did not, and the initial language in the Texas bill was too broad. At Woolweaver's direction, Vice Director Stratton contacted the sponsors and pointed this out. According to Gilbert, the original language "swept up just about any tower or pole that was under 200 feet tall" and not used for cell telephone purposes or that did not fit into any of the exclusion definitions. But it did not exclude Personal Mobile Radio Service (PMRS) towers either. "This was significant, since most Amateur Radio repeater systems are located on Part 90 Public Safety or commercial towers," he said. Including these towers could impact Amateur Radio repeater sites by placing the cost of compliance on a tower's owner or by including an Amateur Radio tower under the statute's broad definition. In the end, rather than specifically excluding Amateur Radio, the bill was reworded directly -- and by definition -- to include only METs, providing a /de facto/ exclusion for ham, and public safety/commercial towers. By squarely addressing the issue at hand without apparent unintended consequences, the Texas bill could serve as an example for other states in developing their own MET legislation. Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill into law in May. It amends ? 21.071 of the Texas Transportation Code and becomes effective on September 1. Ad New York Ham Inaugurates "Collegiate Ham Radio Operators" Facebook Group A young ARRL member from New York has begun a "Collegiate Ham Radio Operators " Facebook group. Sam Rose, KC2LRC, who lives in the Syracuse area, said the group is aimed at "college ham radio club members everywhere" who would like to share and collaborate on college ham radio activities. The group is open to anyone interested in college ham radio clubs -- from members and alumni to faculty and even prospective college ham radio club members. Among the group's fans is ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, who lives in the college community of Blacksburg, Virginia -- the home of Virginia Tech (K4KDJ). "I am encouraged to see college Amateur Radio organizations that are lively and interested in communicating with each other," Craigie said. "It builds the future of Amateur Radio and may help their career opportunity networking also." *Sam Rose, KC2LRC.* Rose was the 2008 recipient of the Dr James L. Lawson Memorial Scholarship, managed by the ARRL Foundation . He is a graduate of Clarkson University and was active in Clarkson University's Amateur Radio Club (K2CC), including a 2-year stint as its president. Earlier this year, Rose organized the Collegiate Dinner during the week of Dayton Hamvention on behalf of the Clarkson University ARC (he has posted a YouTube video of the 2015 Dayton Hamvention experience), and he said the Dayton gathering inspired the Collegiate Ham Radio Operators group. "This group is something we decided to start at the Collegiate Dinner at Hamvention, where students, faculty, and alumni from Virginia Tech, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Michigan State, Texas A&M, Kansas State, Clarkson, and a few other schools attended," Rose told ARRL. "We intend it as an online 'watering hole' of sorts, for clubs across the world to post the goings-on of collegiate ham radio, and, through this, exchange ideas for projects, activities, and recruitment of members." Read more . Keysight Technologies Donates Spectrum Analysis Software to ARRL Lab Keysight Technologies (formerly Agilent) has donated software that will augment the feature set of the ARRL Laboratory's MXA-9020A spectrum analyzer. The donation includes /89600 VSA/ vector signal analysis software. According to ARRL Lab Senior Test Engineer Bob Allison, WB1GCM, /89600 VSA/ gives the MXA-9020A the ability to measure the parameters of digital signals. Keysight also contributed its/BenchVue/ software, which can control the instrument and capture data and images without requiring programming. "With the help of Keysight and ARRL Laboratory technical advisors, the ARRL Laboratory will be able to develop test methods to better quantify the performance of digital Amateur Radio transceivers," Allison said. *Keysight /89600 VSA/ screen shot on the Lab's Keysight MXA-9020A spectrum analyzer, displaying the parameters of a QPSK signal.* Under the direction of Keysight Vice President Bob Witte, K0NR, application engineers Ken Voelker, K0KV, and Tom Holmes, N8ZM, delivered the /89600 VSA/ software to ARRL Laboratory Manager, Ed Hare, W1RFI, and Allison at the close of the 2015 Dayton Hamvention^? . The donated software includes provisions to assess additional modes of operation, including the ability to analyze I/Q signals and to measure noise figure, pulse signals, and phase noise. "Each new mode was demonstrated by Ken and Tom during a 2-day training session, using the Lab's MXA-9020A," Allison said. In addition, Brian Wood, W0DZ, showed how the free /BenchVue/ software, which facilitates the simultaneous display of multiple measurements, can eliminate the need for custom programming. "/BenchVue/ is /Windows/-based and easy to learn," said Allison. "The software will enable the ARRL Laboratory to perform measurements and capture data and images without having to manually set up the analyzer for each measurement." Allison expressed gratitude to Voelker, Holmes, and Wood "for the excellent training on behalf of Keysight Technologies." Visit the Keysight website for more information on the MXA-9020A, /89600 VSA/ software and /BenchVue/. "The Lab is grateful to Keysight for this significant donation, which provides us with previously unavailable capabilities to analyze the characteristics of digital signals, said Hare. /The //ARRL Extra Class License Manual/ Now Available on Kindle The ARRL has just released a digital edition **of /The ARRL Extra Class License Manual /in Kindle format, in addition to the print manual. The Kindle edition from**Amazon completes the suite of ARRL license manuals available in e-book format. As the leading publisher of Amateur Radio licensing and training materials, ARRL is expanding beyond traditional printed books to meet the increasing demand from readers who prefer digital publications. The ARRL also offers Kindle editions of**/The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual/ , /The ARRL General Class License Manual /**and its question-and-answer study guides,**/ARRL's Tech Q&A/ , /ARRL's General Q&A/ , and**/ARRL's Extra Q&A/ . /The ARRL Extra Class License Manual /is also available in _softcover _ (ARRL Item No 5170, retail $29.95) from the ARRL Store or from your ARRL Publication Dealer , or call 860-594-0355 (toll free in the US, 888-277-5289) to order. Ad Kids Day is Sunday, June 21! Kids Day is Sunday, June 21! (Don't be fooled -- the /incorrect/ date appears in the "ARRL Amateur Radio Calendar.") Sponsored by the ARRL and The Boring (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, Kids Day is a fantastic way to introduce young people to the magic of Amateur Radio by getting them on the air! This time, Kids Day just happens to share the same date as Father's Day. Participating with your child or grandchild would be a fabulous way to celebrate the special bond between generations. But no matter if you're a mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, family friend, or neighbor, Kids Day is a great opportunity to open the doors of your station and let the youngsters take the "Big Chair." Let them find stations they hear or work on a map, color in a map of states worked, or help them to build something. *Epiphany Ellis with coach Carl, KH7BB, during the January 2014 Kids Day at KH6LC.* Kids Day takes place in January and June of each year, offering an opportunity for veteran hams to promote Amateur Radio to our youth. "For youngsters, their positive ham radio experience may foster an interest in getting licensed one day; they represent the future of Amateur Radio," said ARRL Contest Branch Manager Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW. "For veteran radio amateurs, this is an ideal chance to share your station and affection for Amateur Radio with the next generation." To attract attention, call "CQ Kids Day." The suggested exchange is name, age, location, and favorite color. There is /no/ limit on operating time, and stations may work each other more than once if the operator has changed. Repeater contacts (with permission of the repeater's sponsor) are okay too, and satellite contacts may provide a /real/ thrill. All participants are encouraged to post stories and photos to the Kids Day Soapbox page and are eligible to receive a colorful certificate . You can download the free certificate, customized with the youngsters' names, after filling out the Kids Day Survey found on the same page as the certificate generator. Alternatively, you can send a 9 ? 12 SASE to Kids Day Certificate Request, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Note that while the June 2015 Kids Day is on a Sunday, the event will return to Saturday in June 2016. *Kids Day 2015 Details* /Date:/ Sunday, June 21, 1800-2359 UTC. Operate as much or as little as you like. /Suggested exchange:/ Call "CQ Kids Day." Exchange name, age, location, and favorite color. It's okay to work the same station again, if an operator has changed. /Suggested frequencies:/ 28.350 to 28.400 MHz; 24.960 to 24.980 MHz; 21.360 to 21.400 MHz; 18.140 to 18.145 MHz; 14.270 to 14.300 MHz; 7.270 to 7.290 MHz, and 3.740 to 3.940 MHz, as well 2 meter repeaters (with the permission of the repeater's sponsor). Control operators: Observe third-party rules when making contacts with stations outside the US. US Naval Academy CubeSats Get OSCAR Numbers AMSAT has announced that two US Naval Academy-sponsored CubeSats have been assigned OSCAR numbers. BRICsat now will be known as NO-83, and PSAT has been designated as NO-84. OSCAR Number Administrator Bill Tynan, W3XO, made the assignments in response to a request from Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, at the Naval Academy. "From everything I can determine, these satellites meet all of the requirements for OSCAR designations," Tynan told Bruninga. "Therefore, by the authority vested in me by the AMSAT-NA President, I hereby confer the designation Naval Academy OSCAR 83 on BRICsat and Naval Academy OSCAR 84 on PSAT. I, and the entire amateur satellite community, hope for successful missions for both NO-83 and NO-84 and congratulate you and the rest of the Naval Academy team who designed, built and tested these two OSCAR spacecraft." The two satellites were among several that were launched on May 20 from Cape Canaveral. PSAT (NO-84) is a student satellite project, named in honor of USNA alumnus Bradford Parkinson of GPS fame. Its payloads include an APRS transponder for relaying remote telemetry, sensor, and user data from remote users and Amateur Radio environmental experiments or other data sources back to Amateur Radio experimenters via a global network of Internet-linked ground stations. PSAT's digipeating capabilities are essentially the same as PCSat (NO-44) and the Amateur Radio packet system on the International Space Station. PSAT is on 145.825 MHz (1200 baud APRS), and BRICsat is on 437.975 (1200/9600 baud AX.25). BRICsat-P (NO-83) -- the Ballistic Reinforced Communication Satellite -- is a low-cost 1.5 U CubeSat built in the US Naval Academy Satellite Lab in collaboration with George Washington University. It was designed to demonstrate on-orbit operation of a micro-cathode arc thruster (?CAT) electric propulsion system and carries an Amateur communication payload. PSAT and BRICsat also carry 300 mW Brno University PSK31 transponders -- 28.120 MHz up/435.350 MHz (FM) down. The PSK31 transponder, PSAT's primary mission, permits dozens of simultaneous users to operate full duplex and maintain a continuous group dialogue throughout a pass. Hall of Fame Contester, USC Patron Gordon Marshall, W6RR, SK Gordon Marshall, W6RR (ex-W6ITA), of Pasadena, California, died on June 2. He was 95. An entrepreneur and a top contester of a bygone era, Marshall was an ARRL Life Member. He also was a trustee and generous patron of the University of Southern California, from which he graduated in 1946 with a degree in accounting. Marshall grew up in South Pasadena, got his ham ticket in the 1930s, and, during World War II, was a B-24 bomber pilot. In 2004 at USC, Marshall spoke about how his involvement in Amateur Radio led to his successful career in the electronics business. His Marshall Electronics, founded in 1953, went on to become one of the top five distributors of electronics components in the US. *Gordon Marshall, W6RR. [Photo courtesy of USC]* According to the /Los Angeles Times/, Marshall was one of the longest-serving trustees in USC's history. He joined the board in 1968, and served as its chairman and secretary as well as in other capacities. In 1996, Marshall donated $35 million to USC's business school, which was renamed The Gordon S. Marshall School of Business. He also served as a lecturer at the school, and in 2005 the USC Alumni Association presented him with its highest honor, the Asa V. Call Alumni Achievement Award. Marshall was inducted into the CQ Contesting Hall of Fame in 1996, and his Washington neighbor, Rush Drake, W7RM (SK), accepted the award on his behalf. Marshall was Drake's neighbor during the summer in the Seattle area, and, when Drake dismantled his W7RM superstation in the 1970s and moved south, Marshall acquired the adjoining Foul Weather Bluff tract. "I spent many hours at his place on Foul Weather Bluff, Washington, working on the clearing of land and construction of 200-foot AB-105 towers overlooking Puget Sound," said Chip Margelli, K7JA, who knew both Drake and Marshall. "Gordon had a great view to the north, and the Europeans on 20 meters brought many a smile to his face over the years." Marshall was a charter member of the Southern California DX Club. Read more . Ad In Brief... *W9DXCC DX Convention and Banquet Set for September:* The 63rd annual W9DXCC DX Convention and Banquet will take place September 11-12 in Schaumburg, Illinois. That's a week earlier than usual, because of hotel availability. Sponsored by the Northern Illinois DX Association (NIDXA ), the event is an ARRL-approved operating specialty convention. One new addition this year is a Contest University (CTU ) program that will join the DX University (DXU ) on Friday. Saturday will feature a full program of speakers, exhibits, QSL card checking, a CW pileup contest, and door prizes. Retired FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, will be the banquet keynote speaker. Visit the W9DXCC website to register. Early registration ends August 1, and banquet orders are due by September 4. For more information, contact John McCormick, N0FCD *. * *Free /Morse Mouse/ App an Educational Tool for Newcomers:* Chelmsford, England, radio amateur Charlie, M0PZT, has released /Morse Mouse/ , an free app he developed to demonstrate Morse code to young people in the form of a game. He said the program, which runs in/Windows/, is aimed at aiding in the teaching of Morse code to youngsters -- and the young at heart. In the game, the player has 5 to 10 seconds to type the letter being sent in Morse. The program offers three "lives" to guess correctly, and the letter is sent again if the player is incorrect. with a repeat sending of the character if guessed incorrectly. The object is to get the mouse closer to the cheese, which happens with each correct response. If the player is wrong, the mouse moves away from the cheese. The quicker the player is at correctly identifying what has been send, the higher the final score. While he makes a crib sheet available, "that's not to say that those comfortable with 15-20 WPM speeds won't get some fun out of this," he said. /Morse Mouse/ debuted in March as part of British Science Week. It certainly unleashed visitors' competitive streaks, with people trying to better their scores," he said, adding that some visitors expressed surprise that Morse code is still used. *Veteran National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Volunteer Joe Schmidt, W4NKJ:* Joe Schmidt, W4NKJ, died March 24, following an injury and complications during surgery. In the 1980s Schmidt was one of the first Amateur Radio volunteers at W4EHW, which later became WX4NHC. "His dedication to our mission at NHC as well as volunteerism with the March of Dimes are examples of a true gentleman and a humanitarian," said NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. "He was also an incredible salesman, convincing over 30 manufacturers to donate radio equipment and antennas to WX4NHC, much of which is still in use today." Schmidt served as volunteer coordinator at the NHC. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar activity strengthened during the past week. Average daily sunspot numbers increased from 34.3 to 112.4, and average daily solar flux rose from 97.8 to 131.4. We can only guess at the middle latitude A index for June 10-11, due to some sort of outage that deprives us of K index data over a 27-hour period. The outage began sometime after 1200 UTC on June 9 and ended sometime before 1800 UTC on June 10. June 8 was the day with the greatest geomagnetic upset, when the planetary A index rose to 33. Predicted planetary A index for the near term is 8, 20, and 14 on June 11-13, then 15, 10, and 8 on June 14-16, then 5 on June 17 through July 3. We'll then see another active period for July 4-9, when the predicted A index is 8, 20, 28, 20, 10, and 8. At 0202 UTC on June 10 the Australian Space Forecast Centre predicted increased geomagnetic activity on June 12, due to a coronal mass ejection. The Centre issued a second warning at 0336 UTC, predicting a glancing blow at Earth early in the UTC day on June 12. Predicted solar flux for the near term is 135 on June 11-13, then 130, 125, 120, and 115 on June 14-17, 120 on June 18-26, 115 on June 27, and 120 for June 28-29. The forecast then shows solar flux rising to 145 for July 5-7. In Friday's bulletin look for reports from readers, and an updated forecast. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 12 -- NCCC RTTY Sprint * June 12 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder (CW) * June 12 -- HA3NS Sprint Memorial Contest (CW) * June 13 -- Asia-Pacific Sprint (SSB) * June 13-14 -- DRCG WW RTTY Contest * June 13-14 -- Portugal Day Contest (CW, SSB) * June 13-14 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW) * June 13-14 -- GACW WWSA CW DX Contest * June 13-14 -- QRP ARCI QRP Shootout (CW, SSB) * June 13-14 -- REF DDFM 6 Meter Contest * *June 13-15 -- **ARRL June VHF Contest* * June 17-18 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test * June 18 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (SSB) See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * June 12-13 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Irving, Texas * June 13 -- Tennessee State Convention , Knoxville, Tennessee * July 4 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania * July 10-11 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 13-16 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club Convention , The Villages, Florida * July 17-19 -- Montana State Convention , East Glacier, Montana * July 23-26 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Westminster, Colorado * July 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 31-August 2 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention , Bryce Canyon, Utah * August 1 -- Great Lakes Division Convention , Columbus, Ohio * August 7-8 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 7-9 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 7-9 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Everett, Washington * August 15-16 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 16 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas * August 21-23 -- New England Division Convention , Boxborough, Massachusetts * August 22 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 30 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention , New Kensington, Pennsylvania Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/ (bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 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/. Copyright ? 2015 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Jun 17 08:02:54 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2015 08:02:54 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] You Are Invited to The 2015 CW Open! September 5, 2015 Message-ID: <558161EE.4090103@bellsouth.net> A unique short spurt contest and a great way to improve your code speed in a hurry. - Bill W2CQ CWops #928 _You Are Invited to The 2015 CW Open! September 5, 2015_ A competitive international event with winning rates over 100 QSO's/hour....every hour! Unique multipliers enhance strategy and scoring for all operators in all regions of the world. The CW Open consists of three separate 4-hour fast-paced CW contests with log checking. * September 5: 0000-0359Z; 1200-1559Z; 2000-2359Z * Participate in 1, 2 or all 3 sessions * 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters Each session is scored separately; several chances to win * Awards for each session, each ITU Region * Awards for combined session scores Comprehensive logging software support (see http://www.cwops.org/cwopen.html http://www.cwops.org/cwopen.html) * Exchange is sequential Serial Number and Name (e.g. 4 Alex), starting at 1 for each session * One (1) point per QSO, work stations once per band, per session * For each session, each different call sign is a multiplier the first time it is worked on any band * Each session is logged separately and begins with 0 points and 0 multipliers Awards (Thank You ICOM America for the Beautiful Awards!) * Trophy, high score, each session, each ITU Region (9 trophies) * Plaque, high score, each of HP, LP and QRP, each session, each ITU Region (27 plaques) * Trophy, high combined score (all sessions), each ITU Region (3 trophies) Categories * HP = Legal power above 100 watts * LP = 100 watts or less * QRP = 5 watts or less * Single Operators Only * Team Competition: No geographical limitations (http://www.cwops.org/cwopen.html http://www.cwops.org/cwopen.html) * Packet, Skimmer, and Reverse Beacon Network systems are allowed! * Rules at www.cwops.org/cwopen.html http://www.cwops.org/cwopen.html Any questions or help finding a team, please email NW2K at arrl.net mailto:NW2K at arrl.net Thanks and see you on September 5! 73, Dean, NW2K Contest Manager www.CWops.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 18 21:50:08 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:50:08 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 18, 2015 In-Reply-To: <20150618221745.AD559200A5A9@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150618221745.AD559200A5A9@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <55837550.5030505@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-06-18 The ARRL Letter June 18, 2015 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * FCC Chairman, Lawmakers Agree to Scale Back Field Office Shutdowns <#toc01> * Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, Sets New Record for Woman in Space <#toc02> * /W1AW Portable Operations/ Booklet Now Available <#toc03> * /Amateur Radio Newsline/ Co-Founder, Editor Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, SK <#toc04> * West Virginia Section Manager Charles Hardy, WV8CH, SK <#toc05> * Ed James, KA8JMW, Appointed as New Mexico Section Manager <#toc06> * Oklahoma Amateur Radio Clubs Join Forces to Support Cycling Event <#toc07> * Colorado Radio Amateur Aids in Search <#toc08> * Medium-Wave Experimenters to Transmit Field Day Greetings <#toc09> * Colorado to Host USA Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships in August <#toc10> * In Brief... <#toc11> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc12> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc13> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc14> FCC Chairman, Lawmakers Agree to Scale Back Field Office Shutdowns Leaders of the US House Energy and Commerce Committee have reached agreement with FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler to amend the Commission's plans -- announced in March -- to close a number of FCC field offices. Under the revised plan, the FCC will keep 15 of its 24 field offices open. According to a Committee media release, the plan would "ensure better rapid response capabilities for the West, provide a mechanism for escalating interference complaints, improve enforcement of the FCC's rules against pirate radio operators, and prevent the Commission from transferring field office jobs to FCC Headquarters." The FCC had been under pressure from lawmakers and others to step back from its plan to shutter the field offices. "We found a good solution that makes sense. These changes will keep field offices open in strategic locations and help ensure that the commission can fulfill its responsibilities to the public and public safety communities," said Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, W7EQI. "This agreement strikes a balance between the important work of FCC field agents and streamlining field operations to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars. Positive outcomes often result from collaborative work. This agreement represents just such an effort." As a result of the announced agreement, a June 11 hearing of Walden's subcommittee to address the proposed closings was cancelled. ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, was among those prepared to testify at the session. The closure plans were revealed earlier this year via an apparently leaked internal FCC Enforcement Bureau (EB) memorandum that indicated the Bureau planned to ask the full Commission to cut two-thirds of its field offices and eliminate nearly one-half of its field agents. At the same time, the Bureau would develop a so-called "Tiger Team" of field agents as a flexible strike force it could deploy as needed. *Greg Walden, W7EQI, chairs the House Communications and Technology Subcommittee* After the League learned of the field office closure plans, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, expressed dismay at the proposals, coming, he said, "at a time when the Field staff is facing ever-increasing challenges." Sumner also had expressed concern "that there is already no sense of urgency in the FCC's enforcement activities targeting spectrum polluters, such as utilities with noisy power lines, or the few violators in our own ranks." The League has been working behind the scenes at the FCC and on Capitol Hill to make a case that more enforcement leads to better compliance in all services. Under the proposals, initiated last fall, the field office geographic footprint would have been reduced from 24 sites to 8 sites, with the EB set to "pre-position" equipment in several other strategic locations. Offices already slated to remain open are New York City; Columbia, Maryland -- the site of the Bureau's HF Direction-Finding Center; Chicago; Atlanta; Miami; Dallas; Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The other offices the FCC plans to keep open have not yet been announced. Read more . Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, Sets New Record for Woman in Space European Space Agency Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, who returned to Earth June 11 with her crewmates -- NASA Astronaut Terry Virts, and Russian Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov -- has set a new record for the longest single space mission by a woman. Cristoforetti's duty tour on the International Space Station was extended by about a month, following the failure in late April of the Russian robotic /Progress 59/ cargo spacecraft to reach the ISS. The /Progress/ went out of control, eventually burning up in Earth's atmosphere. "Early start into Day 200 in #space ," Cristoforetti tweeted before boarding the /Soyuz/ vehicle for the trip home. "It's been an amazing journey, thx for coming along! Now time to go home to Earth." *Record-setter: ESA Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, IZ0UDF, sips espresso on board the International Space Station. [NASA photo]* While in space, Cristoforetti, 38, conducted several Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) school contacts. She was to have returned to Earth in early May. Cristoforetti, from Italy, set the record on June 6, when she surpassed the previous record of 194 days, 18 hours, 2 minutes, logged by NASA astronaut Suni Williams, KD5PLB, during her time aboard the International Space Station in 2007. Cristoforetti's new record will come up just short of 200 hours, counting her flight back to Earth. Cristoforetti, Shkaplerov, and Virts took off late last November from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Her departure from the ISS will leave Russian cosmonauts to support the ARISS program until late July, when Kjell Lindgren, KO5MOS; Oleg Kononenko, RN3DX, and Kimiya Yui arrive at the ISS as part of a scheduled crew rotation. Before flights were reshuffled, they had been scheduled to arrive in May. All three are set to return December 22. NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, RN3BF, and Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, arrived on the station in March as part of the Expedition 43/44 crew increment. Kelly and Kornienko will remain on the ISS for 1 year. Padalka also will return to Earth in December. The next Russian cargo craft, /Progress 60/, will launch in early July to deliver several tons of food, fuel, and supplies. The space station has sufficient supplies to support crews until the fall. /W1AW Portable Operations/ Booklet Now Available ///The W1AW Portable Operations/ commemorative booklet, which chronicles the central activity of the year-long ARRL Centennial QSO Party, is now available. The Centennial celebration may be over, but the memories can live on with this keepsake publication, which features 40 pages of stats, stories, and photos from the hams who put W1AW/p on the air, bringing enjoyment to many thousands of hams. /The W1AW Portable Operations/ is available from the ARRL Store (ARRL Item No 0383; $9.95 retail), or call 860-594-0355 (toll-free in the US, 888-277-5289). E-mail ARRL Publication Sales for more information. Ad /Amateur Radio Newsline/ Co-Founder, Editor Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, SK A well-known voice in the Amateur Radio news media has gone silent. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, of Santa Clarita, California, died June 11 following a period of ill health. He was 73. Pasternak was co-founder (with Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP) of /Amateur Radio Newsline?/ (formerly /The/ /Westlink Report/) ham radio news webcast and a frequent presence at Amateur Radio conventions. Pasternak served as /Newsline/'s managing editor and as an occasional newscaster. ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, became acquainted with Pasternak at the Albuquerque hamfest, and in 1997 was named /Newsline/'s "Young Ham of the Year" (YHOTY). *Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF.* "An incredible man, ham, and one of Amateur Radio's too-few giants, who woke up every day to make the hobby better for everyone, especially its legacy -- youth," Mileshosky said of Pasternak. "I've enjoyed the energy he put into keeping hams informed via /Newsline/ and have been honored to give back to his /Newsline/ Young Ham of the Year Award program, since being asked by him to sit on its judging panel well over a decade ago." A Brooklyn, New York, native, Pasternak became a radio amateur in 1959 as WA2HVK. "I love the hands-on approach to ham radio and built my very first transmitter using parts salvaged from an old Dumont television set," Pasternak recounted in an online biography . He eventually made his career in television engineering and production, retiring from KTTV in Los Angeles in 2012. Pasternak was the spark plug behind the all-volunteer /Amateur Radio Newsline/ bulletin -- which was relayed on repeaters around the US and elsewhere -- as well as the creator and administrator of the annual Young Ham of the Year Award. He was the author of three books and served as a writer/producer on several educational films and videos, including the award-winning "Amateur Radio Today." In earlier years, he wrote the "Looking West" column for /73 Amateur Radio Today Magazine/ and the "VHF, FM, and Repeater" column for /WorldRadio/. */Ham Radio Now/ devotes its **latest episode* *to reflections on Bill Pasternak's life (Click on image to view)*. Pasternak was the only person ever chosen to receive both the Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement (1981) and Radio Amateur of the Year (1989) awards. Survivors include his wife of 43 years, Sharon, KD6EPW. ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, remarked, "Some would say that you measure an individual by the amount of wealth they've acquired. I would say that the true measure of value of an individual is by the amount lives they've touched. If that is the case, then Bill died a very wealthy man." The future of the /Amateur Radio Newsline/ broadcast, out of production since its May 22 edition, has not been determined. /Ham Radio Now/ producer Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, has devoted his latest webcast episode to reflections on Pasternak's life from six people who knew him well. Read more . West Virginia Section Manager Charles Hardy, WV8CH, SK ARRL West Virginia Section Manager Charles L. "Charlie" Hardy, WV8CH (ex-KD8MOA), of Fayetteville, died June 14, apparently as the *Charles Hardy, WV8CH.* result of an accidental electrocution while he was working on an antenna at his home. He was 50 and had been a radio amateur since 2008. Hardy became West Virginia SM in October 2013, and he was the only candidate to continue in that position for another 2-year term. He was very active in the National Traffic System (NTS) 8th Region Net and had served as West Virginia Section Traffic Manager since 2012, a post he continued to hold when he became SM. He also was an ARRL Official Observer and had served since 2009 as a District Emergency Coordinator for District 7. Hardy was the President of the Plateau Amateur Radio Association (PARA ) and of the Summit Repeater Association. Survivors include his wife, Jane, WV8JH. A successor to Hardy as West Virginia SM will be appointed. Ed James, KA8JMW, Appointed as New Mexico Section Manager A new Section Manager has been appointed in New Mexico. Ed James, KA8JMW, of Albuquerque, was named on June 11 to succeed Bill Kauffman, W5YEJ, who has resigned citing increased family responsibilities. Kauffman had served as New Mexico's SM since 2012, and was the Section Emergency Coordinator for many years prior to that. James will complete the remainder of the current term, which continues through the end of the year. *ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Ed James, KA8JMW.* ARRL Field Services and Radiosport Department Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, made the appointment after consulting with Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, and Vice Director Dwayne Allen, WY7FD. A ham for 35 years, James has served as an Assistant Section Manager of New Mexico since 2012, and currently serves as an Assistant Director in the Rocky Mountain Division. He recently concluded a 30-year electrical engineering career at Sandia National Laboratories. James comes from a ham radio family. His late father was WD8MMG. His wife Carol is N5ZYP, and all five of the couple's daughters hold ham tickets and are ARRL members. Field Day is among his passions. "Most weekends I can be found operating from somewhere in the mountains of New Mexico," James said in his QRZ.com biography. "I love operating from the field." Petitions to nominate candidates to serve as New Mexico Section Manager for the next 2-year term should be submitted to ARRL Headquarters by September. Ad Oklahoma Amateur Radio Clubs Join Forces to Support Cycling Event Two Oklahoma Amateur Radio clubs got together during the June 13-14 weekend to support communication for the Saint Francis Tulsa Tough cycling event. Some 1400 riders registered for the road events. More than 20 volunteers from the Tulsa Amateur Radio Club (TARC ) and the Tulsa Repeater Organization (TRO ) carried out radio operations to support logistics and rider safety over the 2-day competition. Marking its 10th anniversary this year, the Tulsa Tough serves, in part, as a public health-awareness campaign of Saint Francis Hospital. Road events range up to 110 miles in a loop circuit that begins in the center of Tulsa and covers four counties in two different rides. Among other things, hams help to recover riders who are unable to complete the course. At the command post, net control operators use ham radio to coordinate support activities ensuring rider safety. Serving as the backbone for radio operations was TARC's large, regionally linked UHF system. Complementing that was TRO's VHF system, with remote receivers to serve the logistics net of operators stationed at rest stops along the route. These operators monitor and report on rider status and supplies and relay any medical information from the on-scene nurse. TRO also provided a smaller, linked UHF system, on the second day of the event to cover areas at points most distant from Tulsa, in eastern Osage County. *Live streaming video of a Tulsa Tough event via Icedot.org.* In the months leading up to the event, Tulsa County ARES Assistant Emergency Coordinator and TARC President Bart Pickens, N5TWB, served as the primary Amateur Radio interface with event organizers. This included recruiting volunteers, establishing an operations plan, and arranging for radio equipment and antennas to outfit vehicles. The Safety and SAG recovery ham operators responded to the usual reports of mechanical and tire troubles, supplying tubes that could put riders back on the road, or transporting them to rest stops, where further mechanical assistance was available. The worst injury reported was a broken wrist, but many riders suffered the effects of Oklahoma's heat and humidity. The ham radio volunteers also kept an eye on a developing weather event affecting the end of the ride with heavy rain, lightning, and wind. Read more . /-- Thanks to Bart Pickens, N5TWB, and Oklahoma SEC Mark Conklin, N7XYO/ Colorado Radio Amateur Aids in Search Colorado Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteer Neal Tew, KD0MBL, responded on June 11 to a call from a search-and-rescue team that needed a radio operator. Colorado ARES R5D1 Emergency Coordinator Amanda Alden, K1DDN, said she got a call on her local UHF repeater from Dave Dickens, KE0AEG, and Pat Caulfield, KE0AEE, from Fremont County Search and Rescue. *Neal Tew, KD0MBL (right), with Fremont County SAR members Pat Caulfield, KE0AEE (left, pointing), and Dave Walker.* *[Photo courtesy of Amanda Alden, K1DDN]* "SAR was conducting a search for a possible body in the Arkansas River," Alden said. "They were short-handed and wondering if any ARES personnel could operate their radios during the search." She stressed that the volunteer would not be operating on Amateur Radio frequencies, just operating the search and rescue team's radios. "The Arkansas River is a very popular river to raft, with over 150,000 rafters a year," Alden told ARRL. "The Colorado snow runoff has just begun and the river is running at its highest and fastest of the year." So, Alden called Tew, whom she referred to as "the best operator I knew outside of my district," and he was available and agreed to help. He was assigned to the Incident Command Post and handled and logged all traffic on the state digital radio network for about 4 hours. "He did a fantastic job and made ARES shine for our first time working with Fremont SAR," Alden said. Tew worked the mission from about 0930-1330. Caulfield said Tew was a quick study and was up and running within 15 minutes. Alden said that searchers were unable to locate anything, and the search was eventually called off due to high water. Medium-Wave Experimenters to Transmit Field Day Greetings Once again this year, a group of medium-wave experimental licensees will transmit greetings on 630 meters during the ARRL Field Day weekend, June 27-28. While the 472 to 479 kHz band is not yet available for Amateur Radio use, John Langridge, KB5NJD, said he'd like to continue promoting awareness of the proposed ham band. In April, the FCC proposed a new 630 meter Amateur Service MW allocation at 472 to 479 kHz, and it allocated a new LF band, 135.7 to 137.8 kHz -- both on a secondary basis. Langridge this year is hoping that some LF experimenters will also take part in the exercise. No Amateur Radio operation will be permitted in either band until the FCC establishes specific operating rules. Some of the stations involved in the Field Day activity, including Langridge, are associated with the ARRL 600 Meter Experimental Group (WD2XSH). ARRL 600 Meter Experiment (WD2XSH) Coordinator Fritz Raab, W1FR, said that while the FCC's April /Report and Order, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/ is a step in the right direction, it could be some time before hams have a 630 meter ham band in the US. "With that in mind," he told ARRL this week, "we plan to renew the WD2XSH license and continue operations much as we have been, until such time as the 630 meter band becomes a reality." Langridge said last year he got about 60 reports on his own transmissions from Texas. "It seems the longer we do this, the more legs that grow on it, and participation has really increased," he said. The point is to make active, relevant signals available to existing Field Day stations that might have a large pool of operators, many still having no idea that anything is going on below the broadcast band." Langridge said Field Day stations could try using an HF transceiver capable of covering the 472-479 kHz range to listen for participating stations. He stressed that stations can use "whatever antennas that they have on site -- a dipole, a tribander, a vertical, whatever -- as the impedance mismatch may help improve the signal-to-noise ratio enough for effective copy." Langridge said that in 2014 he received an /Argo/ screen shot of his CW signal from Utah. "Reporting is important, since we all like to know who is listening and how we are doing," he said. Stations hearing any of the MW (or possible LW) Field Day "greeters" may report their reception online. Read more . Ad Colorado to Host USA Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships in August Registration is open for the 15th USA and 8th IARU Region 2 Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) championships, August 27-30, in Elbert, Colorado. The event will take place at the Peaceful Valley Scout Ranch, a 3300-acre site at 7000 feet elevation, about 40 miles southeast of Denver. An optional ARDF "training camp" will take place on Monday through Wednesday, August 24-26, just prior to the competition, with separate morning and afternoon sessions planned for each day. Participants may attend as many sessions as they wish. Training sessions will concentrate on how to take reliable bearings, interpret reflected signals, and determine likely transmitter locations, as well as on course strategies, route choices, and other essentials for success. The championship competition begins on Thursday, August 27 with foxoring -- a combination of RDF and classic orienteering on 80 meters, in which participants navigate to marked locations on their maps where very low power transmitters can be found nearby. A 10-transmitter short-course sprint competition on 80 meters takes place the next day. The classic full-course 2 meter main event gets under way on Saturday morning, with five transmitters in a very large forest. The banquet and awards presentation follows that evening. A similar full-course 80 meter main event takes place Sunday morning; an awards presentation follows. The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU ) sets ARDF championship rules . Participants are divided into 11 age/gender categories . In classic ARDF championships, competitors start in small groups made up of different categories. Working independently, they navigate through the course -- a distance of between 4 and 10 kilometers -- seeking hidden transmitters. They plot their direction-finding bearings on provided orienteering maps that show terrain features, elevation contours, and vegetation type. The USA ARDF Championships are open to anyone of any age who can safely navigate the woods alone; a ham radio license is not required. Participants compete as individuals and bring their own direction-finding gear to the events. More information is on the Event Information Page . All entering the ranch must be registered. For additional information on ARDF, visit the Homing In website. /-- Thanks to ARRL Amateur Radio Direction Finding Coordinator //Joe Moell, K0OV/ In Brief... *NCDXF Makes Major Grant to 2016 Juan de Nova Island DXpedition* The Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF ) has donated $25,000 to the Juan de Nova Island (FT4/J) DXpedition , planned for March 2016. Located off the eastern coast of Mozambique, Juan de Nova is among the Top 10 most-wanted DXCC entities. "Without major financial support from NCDXF, DXpeditions like this to challenging or rare locations would not be possible," NCDXF Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, said in announcing the grant. "Juan de Nova is a very small and very environmentally fragile area. There are strict limitations to the number of visitors and the time allowable on the island. The team's antenna plans, pilot feedback plans, and enthusiasm should make this entity available to many DXers." Johnson said donations from Amateur Radio clubs make such DXpeditions possible. /-- Thanks to NCDXF Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ / // *HamGallery Dayton 2015 Photo Gallery is Now Available:* Tom Roscoe, K8CX, reports that the Dayton 2015 Photo Gallery has been posted on his HamGallery website. Tom's Dayton photo galleries date back to 1997 and contain nearly 4500 photos. You can access these annual photo databases from the HamGallery homepage, and you can search within individual annual photo galleries. *Sheldon Shallon, W6EL, SK:* ARRL has learned that Sheldon "Shel" Shallon, W6EL, of Los Angeles died on April 11. He was 89. Shallon developed the /W6ELprop/ radio propagation software (originally /miniProp/) that has remained popular with radio amateurs for decades and is still available. An ARRL Charter Life Member, Shallon had reached the top run of the DXCC Honor Roll. Shallon was a Hughes Aircraft scientist in the early days of space exploration. According to various sources, Shallon managed to hide a US flag in his company's /Surveyor 1/ unmanned lunar lander. The secret was not revealed until after the mission was successful. Survivors include his wife, Sylvia./-- Thanks to Steve Lawrence, WB6RSE/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Depending on which measure we choose, solar activity weakened a little or increased slightly over the past week. The June 11-17 average daily sunspot number declined from 112.4 over the previous 7 days to 99.9, while average daily solar flux rose from 131.4 to 135.9 over the same period. The current outlook from NOAA and USAF has solar flux at 135 on June 18; 130 on June 19-21; 125 on June 22; 120 on June 23-24; then 115, 90, and 95 on June 25-27; 100 on June 28-29; then 110, 115, and 120 on June 30-July 2; 125 on July 3-4; 120 on July 5-6; 125 on July 7, and 130 on July 8-10. Flux values then dip below 100 for July 19-24, and rise above 100 after July 26. All of this looks pretty weak when compared to Cycles 21-23, but is normal for Cycle 24, which peaked in April and May of 2013 and again -- about 40 points -- higher in February and March of 2014. This is based on a 3-month moving average of Boulder sunspot numbers. For a straight monthly average, we see a May 2013 peak of 125.6 and a February 2014 peak of 174.6. Since then, numbers have steadily declined, with the weekly sunspot number average for the last 7 weeks at 60.9, 146.9, 92.1, 56.1, 34.3, 112.4, and 99.9. Predicted planetary A index is 12 on June 18; 5 on June 19-July 4; then 25, 15, 12, 10, and 5 on July 5-9, and 8, 15, 12, and 8 on July 10-13. After this, planetary A index drops to 5, where it will remain until early August, when it is predicted to rise to 25, indicating a geomagnetic storm. But early August seems a long way off. At 0933 UTC on June 18, SpaceWeatherLive.com issued a proton storm alert, saying a small, S1-class proton storm was in progress. Indeed, looking at their Electron Proton and Alpha Monitor (EPAM) display at 1000 UTC, we see a rise in activity beginning after 0400 UTC and continuing. In Friday's bulletin, look for reports from readers and an updated forecast. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 19 -- NCCC RTTY Sprint * June 19 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder (CW) * June 20 -- Feld Hell Sprint * June 20 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW) * June 20-21 -- All Asian DX Contest (CW) * June 20-21 -- Ukrainian DX Classic RTTY Contest * June 20-21 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW) * June 20-21 -- West Virginia QSO Party (CW, SSB, digital) * June 21 -- WAB 50 MHz Phone * June 21 -- Kids Day * June 22 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW) * June 24 -- SKCC Sprint (CW) * June 24-25 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * July 4 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania * July 10-11 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 13-16 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club Convention , The Villages, Florida * July 17-19 -- Montana State Convention , East Glacier, Montana * July 23-26 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Westminster, Colorado * July 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 31-August 2 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention , Bryce Canyon, Utah * August 1 -- Great Lakes Division Convention , Columbus, Ohio * August 7-8 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 7-9 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 7-9 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Everett, Washington * August 15-16 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 16 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas * August 21-23 -- New England Division Convention , Boxborough, Massachusetts * August 22 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 30 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention , New Kensington, Pennsylvania * September 5-6 -- Roanoke Division Convention , Shelby, North Carolina * September 11-12 -- W9DXCC , Schaumburg, Illinois * September 11-13 -- Southwestern Division Convention , Torrance, California * September 12 -- Virginia Section Convention , Virginia Beach, Virginia * September 26 -- Washington State Convention , Spokane Valley, Washington Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/ (bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 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/. Copyright ? 2015 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 19 07:50:03 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 07:50:03 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Wonderful Old Military CW training video... Message-ID: <558401EB.90703@bellsouth.net> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsDk5_bktFo From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 19 08:19:22 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 08:19:22 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Amateur Radio Week in Florida - June 21-27, 2015 In-Reply-To: <1118951687.1756358.1434712956560.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com> References: <1118951687.1756358.1434712956560.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <558408CA.3070500@bellsouth.net> From Elliot KB2TZ: Amateur Radio Week in Florida.pdf From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 19 17:50:13 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2015 17:50:13 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Incoming CME could spark solstice auroras In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <55848E95.6070601@bellsouth.net> Space Weather News for June 19, 2015 http://spaceweather.com SOLSTICE AURORA WATCH: On June 18th, the sun produced its biggest flare in nearly two months. The M3-class explosion caused a brief low-frequency radio blackout over North America and hurled a CME into space. A glancing blow from the CME is likely on June 21st , possibly sparking a geomagnetic storm and solstice auroras. Check http://spaceweather.com for updates. SUNSET PLANETS: When sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are having a lovely conjunction in the sunset sky. Photos @ http://spaceweathergallery.com From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon Jun 22 08:00:23 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2015 08:00:23 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Geomagnetic Storm Warning: June 22-23 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5587F8D7.7010902@bellsouth.net> Space Weather News for June 22, 2015 http://spaceweather.com GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: A CME is heading directly for Earth, and it is expected to sweep up one or more lesser CMEs before it reaches our planet on June 22nd. The combined impact is likely to spark polar geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates. From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon Jun 22 16:33:34 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2015 16:33:34 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ARLX009 2015 W1AW Field Day Bulletin Schedule In-Reply-To: <20150622190521.CF9C52077376@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150622190521.CF9C52077376@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <5588711E.8050105@bellsouth.net> SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX009 ARLX009 2015 W1AW Field Day Bulletin Schedule ZCZC AX09 QST de W1AW Special Bulletin 9 ARLX009 >From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT June 22, 2015 To all radio amateurs SB SPCL ARL ARLX009 ARLX009 2015 W1AW Field Day Bulletin Schedule Day Mode Pacific Mountain Central Eastern UTC FRIDAY CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000 (Sat) Digital 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100 Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145 CW 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 0300 SATURDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000 (Sun) Digital 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100 Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145 SUNDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 Digital 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1600 K6KPH Field Day Bulletin Schedule SATURDAY CW 7:30 AM 8:30 AM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 1403 CW 5:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM 8:30 PM 0030 (Sun) Digital 6:30 PM 7:30 PM 8:30 PM 9:30 PM 0130 SUNDAY CW 7:30 AM 8:30 AM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 1430 Digital 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 11:30 AM 12:30 AM 1630 W1AW will operate on its regularly published frequencies. CW frequencies are 1.8025, 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, 21.0675, 28.0675 and 147.555 MHz. Digital frequencies are 3.5975, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095 and 147.555 MHz. Phone frequencies are 1.855, 3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160, 21.390, 28.590 and 147.555 MHz. W1AW will transmit the Field Day bulletin using 45.45-baud Baudot, PSK31 in BPSK mode and MFSK16. The W1AW EchoLink conference server W1AWBDCT will also carry the W1AW Field Day bulletin in real-time during the transmissions. The Maritime Radio Historical Society station K6KPH will transmit the W1AW Field Day 2015 bulletin for the benefit of West Coast stations on 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975 and 21.0675 MHz using CW. K6KPH will transmit the Field Day bulletin using Baudot, FEC AMTOR, BPSK31 and MFSK16 on 7.095 and 14.095 MHz. The K6KPH schedule is accurate as of June 22, 2015. Any additional transmissions or changes in the schedule will be posted on the web at, http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2015/2015%20w1aw%20sked.pdf . NNNN /EX From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 23 14:14:48 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 23 Jun 2015 14:14:48 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Solar storm References: <8A2E1CC1-75AE-49B5-9694-33DA49030043@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <072C7188-A108-4E07-85AF-14F2B3069E9A@bellsouth.net> > A huge solar storm has smashed into Earth, which could be dangerous and beautiful @drudgereportapp > http://tiny.iavian.net/5nsy > From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Jun 24 09:05:13 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2015 09:05:13 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] QST Magazine Product Reviews - Key Measurements Summary - HF-Transceivers or Receivers Message-ID: <558AAB09.50903@bellsouth.net> From a Yahoo Group: 41 HF-Transceivers or Receivers Product Reviews, published in QST Magazine between 2006 and 2015. -Bill W2CQ "...Overview of the ARRL QST Magazine Product Reviews July 2015 on my website: http://www.remeeus.eu/hamradio/pa1hr/productreview.htm Many thanks and 73! Hans. Vriendelijke groeten, Hans Remeeus (PA1HR/OE3JRC) http://www.remeeus.eu http://www.hansremeeus.nl Communication is about people, the rest is technology." From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 25 18:48:22 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2015 18:48:22 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 25, 2015 In-Reply-To: <20150625220843.C8E61200CA56@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20150625220843.C8E61200CA56@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <558C8536.9020503@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-06-25 The ARRL Letter June 25, 2015 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * League Continues Efforts to Secure Senate Sponsorship for Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 <#toc01> * States, Counties, Communities Recognize the Value of Amateur Radio <#toc02> * New World Distance Records Set on 2.3 and 3.4 GHz Ham Bands <#toc03> * OJ0B on Market Reef Logs Hundreds of 2 Meter Moonbounce, Meteor Scatter Contacts <#toc04> * ARRL 2015 Hurricane Season Webinar Set for July 20 <#toc05> * ARRL Offering 20 Percent Off on Select Antenna Publications <#toc06> * Ohio ARES "NVIS Antenna Day" Concludes: The Truth is Up There <#toc07> * EO-80 (QB50p2) FM Transponder Testing is Successful <#toc08> * AMSAT-NA Announces 2015 Board of Directors Candidates <#toc09> * ARRL NTS Confers Special Service Awards <#toc10> * In Brief... <#toc11> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc12> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc13> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc14> League Continues Efforts to Secure Senate Sponsorship for Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 ARRL representatives are continuing efforts on Capitol Hill to secure sponsorship for a Senate companion bill to the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 -- H.R. 1301 . ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, is optimistic that Amateur Radio Parity Act legislation will be active in both the US House and Senate this summer. The proposed legislation, which has bipartisan support, would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use restrictions. "Progress has been made on a US Senate version of the bill," Henderson said this week. "We've had some very positive feedback on the Senate side, and we believe a companion bill will be submitted there soon." Henderson stressed that when a companion US Senate bill is "dropped" -- submitted, in congressional parlance -- it will have a completely different number than the current House bill, H.R. 1301. Once that happens, ARRL members will be urged to contact their two US senators to encourage them to cosponsor the Senate bill. Until then, he stressed, League members should refrain from contacting any US Senators, because the only active bill is the one in the US House -- H.R. 1301. "You can't ask US Senators to cosponsor a bill in the US House," Henderson said, "and you can't ask US House members to cosponsor a bill in the US Senate." Henderson has been sorting through letters from ARRL members for hand-delivery to Capitol Hill. He advised that letter writers must include their name and address on their correspondence, because members of Congress are interested in voters. He said letters that are not signed, that don't include the constituent's address, or that are directed to the wrong Member of Congress cannot be used. Henderson has spent a lot of his time recently meeting with congressional staffers and occasional US House members, in an effort to gain additional cosponsors for the bill. As of June 25, there were 79 cosponsors of H.R. 1301, and Henderson said he anticipates a few more House members will sign onto the bill soon. The latest cosponsors of H.R. 1301 are Rep David Rouzer (NC) and Rep Janice Hahn (CA). *ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND.* "The bill is being well received," Henderson said, "and we anticipate a mark-up session in the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet after the August recess, and following that, hearings will be scheduled." US Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI, chairs the subcommittee that will consider the bill. Henderson said the Congress's upcoming August recess would be a good time to meet with lawmakers while they are in their home states and districts. He suggested contacting a House member's local constituent office to arrange a visit. "It is not too early," he added. "Perhaps you could convince the member of Congress to visit your club meeting." He also recommended that those interested in following the trajectory of H.R. 1301 should sign up to receive the ARRL's free /Legislative Update Newsletter /. ARRL members are encouraged to contact their member of Congress by writing personalized, signed letters on paper, based on the sample letter available on the ARRL HR 1301 web page. Letters should include the constituent's address. Send letters to ARRL Headquarters for hand delivery to the appropriate House members to: ARRL, ATTN HR 1301 Grassroots Campaign, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111. States, Counties, Communities Recognize the Value of Amateur Radio Several US states, counties, and communities have taken the opportunity to formally recognize the value of Amateur Radio and the occasion of ARRL Field Day . *Connecticut* Gov Dannel Malloy has proclaimed June 22-28 as Amateur Radio Week. His proclamation noted that the ARRL is headquartered in Connecticut and has been "promoting and advancing the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio" for more than 100 years. Gov Malloy cited Amateur Radio's public service contributions as well as its role in providing "a bridge between peoples, societies, and countries."** *This fanciful "Podunk Hollow Radio Club" Field Day depiction by Gil Gildersleeve graced the June 1956 cover of /QST/. * *Florida* Gov Rick Scott has proclaimed June 21-27 as Amateur Radio Week in his state. Scott cited Amateur Radio as a "critical communication link in the event of a disaster," noting the services that Amateur Radio Emergency Service volunteers provide in Florida's three ARRL sections. Gov Scott also expressed appreciation for SKYWARN volunteers, many of them radio amateurs, who serve as weather spotters to assist the National Weather Service. *Indiana* Gov Mike Pence has declared June 22-28 as Amateur Radio Week in his state. Indiana Section Public Information Coordinator Joe March, KJ9M, said Field Day-oriented public service announcements are airing on radio stations throughout the Hoosier State. Efforts have been under way in Indiana to disseminate media releases on Field Day. *Iowa* Gov Terry Branstad has proclaimed June 22-28 as Amateur Radio Field Week. He cited Amateur Radio's contributions in times of emergency and natural disaster, and its role in moving forward radio communication and the science of electronics. His proclamation also noted the role of many radio amateurs as volunteer weather spotters. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is the home of Rockwell Collins Radio Company, where employees will take part in a "Take Your Radio to Work Day" on June 26, with tours of the company's two Amateur Radio club stations, N0CXX and W0CXX. *Kansas* Gov Sam Brownback has recognized June 27-28 as Kansas Amateur Radio Field Day and encouraged all with an interest in Amateur Radio to visit a Field Day site. The governor's proclamation cited the role of Field Day in emergency preparedness. *New Hampshire* Gov Maggie Hassan proclaimed June as Amateur Radio Month. She cited Amateur Radio's role in serving as "a bridge between peoples, societies, and countries by creating friendships and the sharing of ideas" as well as its value in public service during emergencies and public events. She encouraged New Hampshire citizens to recognize Field Day weekend as a "demonstration of the radio amateur's skills and readiness to provide self-supporting communications without further infrastructure required." ** (*L-R) Oklahoma Section Public Information Coordinator Michael Dean, K5MFD; Oklahoma Gov Mary Fallin; Oklahoma Section Manager Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, and Oklahoma Assistant Section Manager Thomas Webb, WA9AFM.* *Oklahoma* Gov Mary Fallin has proclaimed the week of June 21 as Amateur Radio Week and urged all Oklahomans "to pay tribute to the Amateur Radio operators of our state." Fallin's proclamation cites ham radio's "significant role in the development of worldwide radio communication as well as its public service contribution. It notes that Field Day "promotes the honing of radio amateurs' emergency preparedness skills." Speaking with ARRL Oklahoma Section Manager Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, Gov Fallin cited recent severe weather that Oklahoma has experienced in recent months, including tornadoes and flooding. *Washington* Gov Jay Inslee has proclaimed the week of June 21 as Amateur Radio Week. He cited Amateur Radio's contributions to the public in times of emergencies and disasters. "Amateur Radio operators deserve our recognition and a salute for hundreds of jobs well done," the proclamation said. *Wisconsin* Gov Scott Walker has proclaimed June 27-28 as Amateur Radio Week. Gov Walker recognized Amateur Radio's public service role and Field Day as "a 24-hour emergency preparedness exercise and demonstration" of skill and readiness to provide "self-supporting communication." The Butts County, Georgia, Board of Commissioners has declared June 22-28 as Amateur Radio Week in the county. Crossville, Tennessee, Mayor James Mayberry has proclaimed the week of June 22-28 as Ham Radio Week, in advance of Field Day. In Idaho, the Kamiah City Council has proclaimed the week of June 22-28 as Amateur Radio Week. The Council also waived the fee for use of the city park for the Three Rivers Amateur Radio Club's Field Day operation. Local broadcasters are airing Amateur Radio promotional announcements. New World Distance Records Set on 2.3 and 3.4 GHz Ham Bands Two California radio amateurs -- one of them in Hawaii -- have set new world distance records on the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz microwave amateur bands. Wayne Overbeck, N6NB, operating from a radio-equipped rental car on the Big Island of Hawaii, worked Gregory Campbell, W6IT, operating from Overbeck's own fixed station near Orange, California, on both bands -- a distance of more than 4024 km (2495 miles). The contacts blew away records that had stood for more than 20 years, and more than doubled the previous distance records for a two-way voice (SSB) contact at those frequencies, Overbeck said, adding that most previous microwave distance records have been set using CW. "Ours was the first-ever SSB contact between Hawaii and the mainland on 2304," Overbeck noted. He said Chip Angle, N6CA, and KH6HME (SK) made the first transpacific SSB contact on 3.4 GHz in the 1990s. The record-setting contacts occurred on June 19 (June 18 in Hawaii) on 2.3 GHz at 0257 UTC and at on 3.4 GHz at 0300 UTC. W6IT was in grid square DM13cs, while N6NB/KH6 was in BK29hq. According to the database of distance records maintained by Al Ward, W5LUA, the old records were 3982 km, set on by N6CA and KH6ME on July 14, 1994, on 2.3 GHz (CW) and on July 28, 1991, on 3.4 GHz (SSB). *N6NB's rover-type station at 8000 feet elevation on Mauna Loa, with Mauna Kea, the Big Island's other 13,000 foot mountain, in the background. [Photo courtesy of Wayne Overbeck, N6NB]* Overbeck flew to Hawaii carrying gear for all bands from 144 MHz through 10 GHz "in two large suitcases, plus a roll-aboard and a backpack" -- weighing about 150 pounds in all. In Hawaii, he rented a small SUV and built a rover-style station that included a rotating roof platform, constructed using parts obtained from a home improvement store. Overbeck said that when a tropospheric duct formed that could convey signals thousands of miles across the Pacific, he drove around the slopes of Mauna Loa -- 13,000 feet up --and selected several promising sites for long-haul DX, "not necessarily the highest possible sites," he added. "By Thursday, June 18, the duct seemed to be peaking," he said. W6IT activated N6NB's fixed station and quickly worked N6NB/KH6 on six bands, including 2304 and 3456 MHz for world records. Overbeck said he also heard W6IT on 902 MHz and 5.7 GHz, but local, non-amateur interference in California -- likely from Part 15 Wi-Fi devices -- prevented W6IT from hearing N6NB/KH6 on those bands. A video of the record-setting 2304 GHz contact between N6NB/KH6 and W6IT (recorded from the Hawaii end of the circuit) is online. Ad OJ0B on Market Reef Logs Hundreds of 2 Meter Moonbounce, Meteor Scatter Contacts The recent Market Reef OJ0B expedition resulted in 462 contacts via 2 meter Earth-Moon-Earth (EME) and meteor scatter activity with stations on all continents. The activity this month was a somewhat belated 50th anniversary celebration of the historic first 2 meter EME contact in 1964. More than 50 hams from the US and Canada were among those that worked OJ0B on 2 meter EME. The OJ0B activity shut down on June 15 after making more than 8200 contacts on all bands and modes. Project leaders dedicated the activity to VHF pioneer Lenna Suominen, OH1NL (SK), who had experimented with EME in the 1960s and made the first-ever 2 meter EME contact, as well as the first transatlantic (Europe-US) on any band above 50 MHz, with Bill Conkel, W6DNG, in 1964. OJ0B used JT65B mode, developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT. Former ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, was one of the lucky US stations to work OJ0B, and Harrison served as one of the pilots for the activity. All contacts have been uploaded to ClubLog and OQRS. Suominen, an early VHF pioneer, was deeply involved in the science of VHF communication and strongly believed that 2 meter EME contacts *Next to the Market Reef EME array: (L-R) OH6ZZ, OH2BH, OH8MSM, OH6KZP, OH2TA, and OH2GEK. [Photo courtesy of Martti Laine, OH2BH]* -- dismissed by experts as being out of reach for radio amateurs -- were indeed possible. His 2 meter EME contact with W6DNG in California proved the skeptics wrong, scoring more than one VHF "first." Market Reef (JP90nh) is located between Finland and Sweden. The Finnish Lighthouse Society has been restoring the Market Reef Lighthouse there, which is now fully automated. Dedicated quarters on the reef are available for Amateur Radio operation, with power from generators and solar arrays/. -- Thanks to Martti Laine, OH2BH, and Jarmo Jaakola, OH2BN/ ARRL 2015 Hurricane Season Webinar Set for July 20 The ARRL will host a 2015 Hurricane Season webinar Monday, July 20, getting under way at 8 PM EDT (July 21, 0000 UTC). The approximately 90-minute session will address the role of Amateur Radio during the 2015 Hurricane Season. Anyone interested in hurricane preparedness and response is invited to attend this online presentation. Topics will include a meteorological overview of the upcoming season; Amateur Radio station WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center: Who We Are and What We Do; ARRL Media and Public Relations; the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN ); the VoIP Hurricane Net , and ARRL coordination and interface. The program will include presentations by representatives of the National Hurricane Center and WX4NHC, the VoIP Hurricane Net, the HWN, the Canadian Hurricane Centre , and the ARRL . Webinar registration is open to all, but should be of particular interest to radio amateurs in hurricane-prone areas. The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session. Register online. -- /Thanks to Mike Corey, KI1U, ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager/ ARRL Offering 20 Percent Off on Select Antenna Publications Summertime is antenna time! To celebrate, ARRL is rolling back prices on some of the hottest antenna publications in Amateur Radio. Save 20 percent on select ARRL antenna-themed publications when you order online through July 31, 2015. No coupon code is necessary to receive the savings, and discounted titles may be combined with one coupon code offer. For a complete list of discounted publications, visit ARRL's "Antenna Books Price Rollback" page online. ARRL publications are available from the ARRL Store or from your ARRL Publication Dealer , or call 860-594-0355 (toll-free in the US, 888-277-5289) to order. E-mail ARRL Publication Sales for more information.**** Ad Ohio ARES "NVIS Antenna Day" Concludes: The Truth is Up There Ohio ARES NVIS Antenna Day on April 25 attracted participation from some 100 Buckeye State stations in an effort to determine which configurations of near-vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) antenna offer the best results. ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL, said that while the results of the unscientific test were inconclusive, some configurations /did/ seem superior to others. *Delaware County ARES tried a number of different configurations, several of them using the ubiquitous military mast sections for support: (L-R) Larry Mittman, N9AUG; Emergency Coordinator Donn Rooks, K8AOK; Dave LeMay, WB2CWJ; Dale Bauer, W8KTQ, and Joe Penzera, N8DRZ.* "The goal was simple: Try different antennas, see which worked," Broadway explained. "Each station was responsible for providing accurate signal reports, so performance could be evaluated. Results would be tallied and digested in hopes of creating a short list of winners that ARES teams could keep in their toolboxes." Most operation was Field Day-style on 40 meters. "This was not a contest," Broadway pointed out, "so, groups gathered not only to test antennas, but to cook out and enjoy each other's company." He said one group had so much fun making contacts with their first dipole that they abandoned any further antenna work and just had fun. Groups most frequently deployed simple dipoles. End-fed and longwires were popular too, as well as a handful of loops. A half-dozen antennas were based on the military AS-2259 design -- crossed inverted Vs with about 10 feet of elevation in the middle. Other designs included antennas erected above ponds, inverted Ls, and even a Moxon aimed straight up. "For our operation, there just wasn't that much difference between the more specialized NVIS designs and any good antenna," Broadway concluded. The longwire was among those at the bottom of the list, with signal reports uniformly 2 or 3 S-units below other choices, according to Broadway. "But contacts /were/ made, and communication took place," he added. "It's a very portable antenna, too." *The Shelby County ARES team fielded a 2259 military-type antenna that worked very well. The center mast was inexpensive conduit, about 12 feet tall, with each of the four legs anchored within a parking lot -- typical of what might be set up in an emergency.* Determining the "best" antenna turned out to be harder. Dipoles -- flattops or inverted Vs -- installed at lower heights in keeping with NVIS concepts, provided reasonable reports, but erecting them at a low height didn't seem to make much difference. If any antenna topped the list, it was those fashioned after the AS-2259 configuration. "These all performed very satisfactorily for their owners, and were uniformly given good signal reports," Broadway said. "They weren't 40 dB above the competition, but they were solid." While the NVIS antenna experiment had inconclusive results, "we did prove that our hobby can be a lot of fun, even for the old heads, when we get back to some basics -- experimenting, equipment and team building, and trying our stuff out," Broadway said. Concluded Jefferson County participant Gregory Day, N8GD, "After 34 years, ham radio is still fun!" Ohio ARES is planning an even bigger NVIS event next April, and will extend an invitation to neighboring ARRL sections to join in. EO-80 (QB50p2) FM Transponder Testing is Successful AMSAT-Francophone has reported successful testing of the FM transponder on EO-80 (QB50p2 ). Two 2U CubeSats, QB50p1 and QB50p2, launched in June of 2014 into a polar orbit at an altitude of approximately 420 miles. QB50p2 is equipped with a secondary FM transponder payload developed by AMSAT-F. On June 16, the primary ground control station in the Netherlands activated the transponder on QB50p2 for one orbit. AMSAT-F reports that CW telemetry was received at the ?cole Polytechnique near Paris, and the FM transponder, with an output of 1.5 W, was activated, with strong signals heard on Earth. Although the transponder was turned off at the end of that single orbit, it is anticipated that it will be activated permanently within a few weeks, possibly at the 500 mW or 1 W level. EO-80 frequencies: 145.880 MHz, 1200 bps BPSK or CW telemetry; FM transponder, 435.080 MHz (210.7 Hz tone) uplink; 145.840 MHz downlink (also 9600 bps FSK data). QB50p1 (EO-79), also known as FUNcube-3, is equipped with a linear transponder for SSB and CW. Initial testing was successfully completed in April, and its transponder should also be enabled full-time in a few weeks./-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via Gerard Auvray, F6FAO, and AMSAT-UK/ AMSAT-NA Announces 2015 Board of Directors Candidates AMSAT-NA has announced the slate of candidates for the 2015 Board of Directors election. The candidates are Barry Baines, WD4ASW; Jerry Buxton, N0JY; Steve Coy, K8UD; Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA; Mark Hammond, N8MH; EMike McCardel, KC8YLD; Bob McGwier, N4HY, and Bruce Paige, KK5DO. This year AMSAT-NA members will elect four voting members of the Board of Directors. These seats will go to the four candidates who receive the highest number of votes received. Two alternates will be chosen, based on the next highest number of votes received. Ballots will be mailed to the AMSAT-NA members by July 15, 2015. Completed ballots must be received at the AMSAT office by September 15, 2015, in order to be counted. Ballots sent to AMSAT members living outside North America will go by air mail. If you have not received your ballot package within a reasonable period, contact AMSAT. AMSAT urges members to review the candidate statements that will accompany the ballot and to vote. Members may choose up to four candidates. /-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service/ Ad ARRL NTS Confers Special Service Awards The National Traffic System (NTS ) conferred its prestigious Special Service Award upon two radio amateurs at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention^? in May. The Special Service Award recognizes volunteers for outstanding, selfless, and lengthy service to the National Traffic System. The Pacific, Central, and Eastern Area NTS committees determine award recipients. Award winners receive the Special Service Award Plaque. Jim Wades, WB8SIW, the editor of /QNI -- An NTS Newsletter/ , announced the award winners at Dayton. Honored were: Kenneth W. Jacobs, KD6PGI, Hood River, Oregon, for technical supervision and migration support of the NTS Digital Network BPQ32 Modernization Project. The BPQ32 migration provides the NTS with a modern, multimode, packet-switching environment capable of seamless integration with all AX.25 and IP-based networks. According to the announcement, Jacobs "donated countless hours consulting to NTS on BPQ32 migration strategy, environment installation, operator support, and implementation of custom NTS functionality in collaboration with developer John Wiseman, G8BPQ." Joseph F. Tracey, KB3LNM, Finksburg, Maryland, for his development and rollout of the /NTSD Parser/ application, intended for use by ARES and other radio operators originating messages to format ARRL Radiograms for submission into the NTS Digital network via /Winlink 2000/. The software will generate appropriate message headers and footers, based on address information in each message, and place the messages in output files, sorted by precedence. An NTS Winlink Target Station receives the messages and delivers them via RF paths, typically within 1 hour. Founded in 1949 by ARRL Communications Manager George Hart, W1NJM (SK), the National Traffic System, more than 2000 traffic handlers strong, operates more than 100 organized nets. In Brief... *Work at ARRL Headquarters!* ARRL has an opening for a receptionist at League Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. The individual in this position is responsible for handling incoming telephone calls and messages; greeting and attending to visitors, members, and customers; overseeing the operation and presentation of the lobby greeting area; data entry, and handling other clerical duties as needed. Applicants should have a high school diploma or GED, and be proficient in /Microsoft Office for Windows/ software, especially /Word/ and /Outlook/. An experienced radio amateur is preferred, and foreign language proficiency is a plus. The complete Job Description and application information are on the ARRL website. *Amateur Radio Added to Maritime Incident Response Team:* The Tri-State Maritime Safety Association (TMSA ) serving New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania, has added Amateur Radio to its Marine Incident Response Team (MIRT). TMSA is teaming up with Audubon-Barrington (NJ) OEM Radio Club for Amateur Radio support. The radio amateurs will use the TMSA MIRT bus, which features five dispatch consoles, incident command area, and meeting area. Amateur Radio operators not only will operate and maintain the vehicle for MIRT but will have the chance to use it at Field Day and other public events. It will make its Field Day debut at the club's Field Day site at the Woodland School in Barrington, New Jersey. -- /Thanks to Rick Tighe, N2PHI, Camden County ARES PIO, via QRZ.com / *Amateur Radio Volunteers to Support Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta:* Amateur Radio Volunteers will again support communication during the Peachtree Road Race, an Atlanta 4th of July tradition for 46 years. More than 50 hams from throughout the Atlanta area will provide radio communication before and during the race to aid with organization and logistics. They will be stationed at the start and finish areas and along the race route, providing the primary communication network for race organizers and officials and supplementing the public safety networks. The Atlanta Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) unit will provide a command post net control station. The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, in Seattle, reports: This was a very active week for solar flares and aurora. On Monday and Tuesday, the planetary A index was 55 and 76, indicating a geomagnetic storm. It turns out that the magnetometer at Fredericksburg, Virginia, was knocked out on 5 of the 7 days, so the mid-latitude A index we are reporting for June 18-21 and June 24 are approximations -- or actually wild guesses -- based on magnetometers that /were/ working. Average daily sunspot numbers dropped from 99.9 during the week of June 11-17 to 71.6 a week later. Average daily solar flux decline from 135.9 to 130.8. Average daily planetary A index rose from 12.1 to 24.4. As Field Day looms, the current outlook from NOAA/USAF has solar flux at 100 on June 25-27; 105 on June 28-July 1; 115 on July 2, 125 on July 3-4; 120 on July 5-6; 125 on July 7-10, and 130 on July 11-20. Predicted planetary A index is 25 and 8 on June 25-26, 5 on June 27 through July 4, then 25, 15 and 12 on July 5-7, then 10, 5 and 8 on July 8-10, 18, 12 and 8 on July 11-13, 5 on July 14-17, 8 on July 18-19, and 5 on July 20-31. In Friday's bulletin look for reports from readers and an updated forecast. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * Jun 26 -- NCCC RTTY Sprint * June 26 -- NCCC Sprint * *June 27-28 -- **ARRL Field Day* * June 27-28 -- His Majesty the King of Spain Contest (SSB) * June 27-28 -- Ukrainian DX DIGI Contest * Jun 28 -- 10-10 Int'l Spirit of 76 QSO Party (CW, SSB, digital) * July 1 -- Canada Day Contest (CW) * July 1-2 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * July 4 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention , Harrisburg, Pennsylvania * July 10-11 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 13-16 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club Convention , The Villages, Florida * July 17-19 -- Montana State Convention , East Glacier, Montana * July 23-26 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Westminster, Colorado * July 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 31-August 2 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention , Bryce Canyon, Utah * August 1 -- Great Lakes Division Convention , Columbus, Ohio * August 7-8 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 7-9 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 7-9 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Everett, Washington * August 15-16 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 16 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas * August 21-23 -- New England Division Convention , Boxborough, Massachusetts * August 22 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 30 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention , New Kensington, Pennsylvania * September 5-6 -- Roanoke Division Convention , Shelby, North Carolina * September 11-12 -- W9DXCC , Schaumburg, Illinois * September 11-13 -- Southwestern Division Convention , Torrance, California * September 12 -- Virginia Section Convention , Virginia Beach, Virginia * September 26 -- Washington State Convention , Spokane Valley, Washington Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/ (bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 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/. Copyright ? 2015 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 26 14:09:02 2015 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2015 14:09:02 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Propagation de K7RA In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <558D953E.6010001@bellsouth.net> SB PROP @ ARL $ARLP026 ARLP026 Propagation de K7RA ZCZC AP26 QST de W1AW Propagation Forecast Bulletin 26 ARLP026 >From Tad Cook, K7RA Seattle, WA June 26, 2015 To all radio amateurs SB PROP ARL ARLP026 ARLP026 Propagation de K7RA This was a very active week for solar flares and aurora.On Monday andTuesdaythe planetary A index was 55 and 76, indicating a geomagnetic storm. The planetary A index was high again on Thursday, June 25 at 33, and the high latitude college A index was 42. It turns out that the magnetometer at Fredericksburg, Virginia was knocked out on five of the seven days, so the mid-latitude A index we are reporting for June 18-21 and June 24 are approximations, or actually wild guesses based on other readings from magnetometers that were working. Average daily sunspot numbers dropped from 99.9 during the week of June 11-17 to 71.6 a week later. Average daily solar flux declined from 135.9 to 130.8. Average daily planetary A index rose from 12.1 to 24.4. The current outlook from NOAA/USAF has solar flux at 100 on June 26-27, 105 on June 28, 110 on June 29, 115 on June 30, 120 on July 1, 125 on July 2-4, 120 on July 5-6, 125 on July 7-10, 130 on July 11-20, 125 onJuly 21-22and 130 onJuly 23-24. Predicted planetary A index is 15 and 45 onJune 26-27, then 60, 18 and 8 onJune 28-30, 5 onJuly 1-4, then 25, 15 and 12 onJuly 5-7, then 10, 5 and 8 onJuly 8-10, 18, 12 and 8 onJuly 11-13, 5 on July 14-17, 8 onJuly 18-19, 5 onJuly 20-31, then 25, 15, 12 and 10 on August 1-4. Petr Kolman, OK1MGW believes the geomagnetic field will be quiet to active onJune 26-27, mostly quietJune 28-30, quietJuly 1-2, quiet to unsettledJuly 3, active to disturbedJuly 4, quiet to active July 5, quiet to unsettledJuly 6-8, mostly quietJuly 9-10, quiet to activeJuly 11-12, quiet to unsettledJuly 13-14, mostly quiet July 15-17, quiet to unsettledJuly 18, and quiet to active July 19-22. Rich Zwirko, K1HTV reported on June 21: "Here in the Mid-Atlantic at the K1HTV Amissville, VA QTH, the Magic Band came alive just before 1600Z on Father's Day, June 21. The first of 13 countries that I worked were all from a southerly direction. NP3CW was first in the log, followed by Yuri, UT1FG/MM in EL59 off the Cuban coast, CO3JA, 6Y5WJ, YV4NN and XE2CQ in DM12 northwestern Mexico. "From 1650Z to 1750Z I worked 17 stations in W6 and W7 land. During that same hour, stations from GA and FL to as far west as NM and XE2 were working into HA, S5, YT, IS0, 9A and DL, but all I heard to the east during that hour was F2DX calling XE2X. "It wasn't until 1845Z that I heard European DX here. In the next 65 minutes I worked I0JX, IK5MEJ, IZ5BRW and IK5PWJ, HA8CE, ON7BG, OK1DO, G4DBL, S59A, HA8FK, PA2M and ON4IQ. That was it for DX to the east for the day. "Local late afternoon to early evening produced many more double hop QSOs to the West Coast, 15 stations in AZ, 15 in CA, 3 in NM and 1 in NV. "It was a memorable Father's Day." Jon Jones, N0JK wrote: "I worked Father's Day, but got off a little early at 2100Z and worked WU1ITU on 6 meters before going home. "Sundayevening I worked 6Y5WJ from home for a 'new one' on 6 so all in all not a bad day. "I have a shoe box full of 6 meter JA cards." Rich Zwirko, K1HTV wrote again: "After the excellent double hop 6 meter Es earlier in the June 22 UTC day, the 6 meter and 2 meter bands came alive with aurora propagation around 1940Z. After making a few 6 meter AU QSOs from my FM18ap Virginia QTH to W1 and W2 land I switched to 144 MHz at 1945Z. I quickly worked K9CT in IL (EN50), W9EWZ in WI (EN52), WB8AIZ in MI (EN82) on 2 meters as well as a couple of closer stations before the buzz mode switched off. On June 23, 6 meters was alive with Es propagation when I got on around 0100Z. I worked dozens of stations in the Midwestern States via Es until around 0340Z, when the aurora returned. It only lasted for about 30 minutes. I worked a few VE3s on 6 meters before switching to 2 meters to work stations in Maine, PA and Ohio. "Later that same UTC day (June 23) the 6 meter band was alive with single and double hop E-skip propagation. From 2130Z until the end of the UTC day, I worked what seemed to be an endless stream of over 120 stations, with over three dozen from W6 and W7 land. Shortly after 0000Z on June 24, while watching theDXMAPS.COM web site, it indicated that a patch of ionization, with an MUF in excess of 150 MHz, was well positioned for possible 2M propagation. It appeared to favor an area to the southwest of my FM18 VA QTH around 1000 to 1100 miles away. At 0006Z, W5VQ in EM13 (TX) answered my 2 meter SSB CQ. At 0028Z I called and worked K7XC in EM12, also in Texas, on CW, then again a few minutes later on SSB. Both Texas stations were around 1100 miles away. At 0028Z I was called on SSB by N5NET in EM26 in Oklahoma. I also heard but didn't work Sam, K5SW in EM25. About 15 minutes later the same patch apparently was responsible for a QSO between W0LD operating temporarily in FM05or (NC) and K5PHF in DM61ts (TX), a distance of 1550 miles. "The evening produced a number of ionized patches in the center of the country and others farther west, making for many hours of exciting VHF propagation." Elwood Downey, WB0OEW wrote to Ken Tapping of the Penticton observatory in British Columbia (the source of 10.7 cm solar flux data) onJune 28, and Cc'd us: "Hello Ken, Do you expect today's spike in solar flux will be calibrated downward or will it stand?" What Elwood refers to is when there is an unusually high solar flux reading, the NOAA Space Weather Forecast Center will report it as a lower value. I always assumed this was because the 10.7 cm receivers in Penticton were overloaded, but as Ken says, whether to change the value or not depends on what the data will be used for. Ken responded: "I know that in the distant past there were attempts to 'de-burst' flux values. However, it is not possible to do this with any accuracy at all. For example, at first sight it should be easy just to draw a line under the spike and use that value. However, in almost all cases the baseline is elevated by heating and some accelerated electrons beforehand and by heating and residual accelerated electrons afterwards. In some cases the baseline elevation lasts hours. In addition, with the on and off-source telescope motions that are an essential part of every measurement, it is even harder to separate what is going on. "In addition, those who are using the fluxes for antenna calibration should have exactly what is measured. Some proxy applications need the whole flux too. So in the end the 'correction' process is application dependent, so our policy has been for some decades, tell the user what value we got, with no messing." The reading Elwood referenced is the localnoonreading in Penticton on June 22, 2015. The three readings that day, at 1700 UTC, 2000 UTC and 2300 UTC were 130.1, 246.9 and 127.2. Checkingftp://ftp.swpc.noaa.gov/pub/indices/DSD.txtwe see that NOAA reduced that to 135. The Australian Space Forecast Centre issued this warning at 0210 UTC June 26: "The CME from region 2371 M7.9 flare is expected to arrive mid to late in the UT day on27Jun. "INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED DUE TO CORONAL MASS EJECTION FROM27-29 JUNE 2015. "GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST27 Jun: Minor Storm28 Jun: Active to Minor Storm29 Jun: Unsettled with Active periods." ARRL Field Day is this weekend. I hope conditions remain calm! If you would like to make a comment or have a tip for our readers, email the author at,k7ra at arrl.net . For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical Information Service web page at http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin, see http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere. An archive of past propagation bulletins is at http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation. More good information and tutorials on propagation are athttp://k9la.us/. Archives of the NOAA/USAF daily 45 day forecast for solar flux and planetary A index are in downloadable spreadsheet format at http://bit.ly/1IBXtnGandhttp://bit.ly/1KQGbRm. Click on "Download this file" to download the archive and ignore the security warning about file format. Pop-up blockers may suppress download. I've had better luck with Firefox than IE. Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve overseas locations are athttp://arrl.org/propagation. Instructions for starting or ending email distribution of ARRL bulletins are athttp://arrl.org/bulletins. Sunspot numbers for June 18 through 24 were 82, 74, 89, 79, 77, 61, and 39, with a mean of 71.6. 10.7 cm flux was 150.8, 137.3, 135.4, 131.7, 135, 116.1, and 109.5, with a mean of 130.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 5, 3, 8, 55, 76, and 17, with a mean of 24.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 4, 2, 7, 57, 47, and 15, with a mean of 19.7. NNNN From wa4aw at juno.com Mon Jun 29 05:54:25 2015 From: wa4aw at juno.com (wa4aw) Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2015 09:54:25 GMT Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] QCWA Chapter 111 LUNCHEON MEETING May 26th Message-ID: <20150629.055425.26896.1@webmail03.vgs.untd.com> QCWA Palm Beach Chapter # 111 Hello, This is friendly reminder that our Palm Beach Chapter meeting is the last Tuesday of each month. We will be meeting at the Golden Corral Buffet, 10100 Fox Trail Rd., on the service road behind the SW corner of Okeechobee Blvd. and State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach at 11:30 AM. This month our meeting date is June 30th. Hope you can join us for fellowship, rag chews & information. Our QCWA General Manager Tom, AJ4XM, will be with us to discuss the latest happenings from HQ. I encourage everyone who has not been to the Golden Corral to call for info on either the Palms West repeater 147.045 or the AREC repeater on 146.670. Both repeaters have a 110.9 PL. Everyone is welcome to join us. We meet in the private dining room in the back of the restaurant. QCWA Chapter 111 webpage link: www.qcwa.org/chapter111.htm Chapter YahooGroup website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qcwa111 47, Jeff WA4AW, Secretary QCWAQuarter Century Wireless AssociationJeff Beals, WA4AWNational Director &QCWA Historian QCWA Palm Beach Chapter 111Secretary-TreasurerPO Box 1584Loxahatchee, FL 33470-1584561-252-6707 wa4aw at qcwa.org www.qcwa.org ____________________________________________________________ Buffett???s Warning for YOU 4 in 5 Americans aren???t taking his shocking advice. 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