From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 1 08:34:47 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Fri, 01 May 2015 08:34:47 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] TV interview of Radio Ham in Nepal
Message-ID: <554372E7.2090906@bellsouth.net>
**From ARRL:
TV interview of Radio Ham in Nepal**
*(Interview starts at about 1:45)*
The ARRL report the Facebook repost of an interview with radio amateur
*Satish Kharel 9N1AA* in Nepal has drawn a huge response
The Weather Channel?s ?AMHQ? program featured an interview with
Kathmandu Amateur Radio operator Satish Kharel, 9N1AA. ARRL has reposted
the interview on its Facebook page, with the permission of The Weather
Channel. In the interview segment, Kharel talked about ham radio?s role
in the earthquake recovery effort now under way in Nepal.
More than 5000 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the
earthquake and subsequent aftershocks, and many others remain missing.
ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager *Sean Kutzko, KX9X*, said the
video has reached some 102,000 Facebook users and been shared more than
700 times in less than 6 hours. ?We?ve never had such a positive
response to a social media post? Kutzko said. ?Sharing this video on
your Facebook page is a golden opportunity to help spread awareness of
Amateur Radio to the general public.?
Watch and share the interview at
https://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org/vi...3000082652408/
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 1 08:51:42 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Fri, 01 May 2015 08:51:42 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for April 30, 2015
In-Reply-To: <20150430213015.318C920964D3@bmail.arrl.org>
References: <20150430213015.318C920964D3@bmail.arrl.org>
Message-ID: <554376DE.5090802@bellsouth.net>
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-04-30
The ARRL Letter
April 30, 2015
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME
ARRL Home Page
/ARRL Letter/ Archive
Audio News
Ad
* FCC Proposes to Permit Amateur Access to 2200 and 630 Meters <#toc01>
* Nepal Grants Operating Permission, Call Signs to Visiting Hams, as
Earthquake Recovery Continues <#toc02>
* Jacob Nunez-Kearny, KF7DSY, is 2015 Goldfarb Scholarship Recipient
<#toc03>
* House Committee Asks FCC for Documents Related to Proposed Field
Office Closures <#toc04>
* Boston Marathon Amateur Radio Support Adjusts to a "New Normal" <#toc05>
* AMSAT: Amateur Radio Payload Could Share Space on Geosynchronous
Satellite <#toc06>
* Dayton Hamvention^? Youth Forum to Offer Chance to Meet Astronaut
<#toc07>
* New Section Manager Appointed in North Texas <#toc08>
* Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband Communications Test to Offer New
Modes <#toc09>
* The Sinking of the /Lusitania/ : A Ham Radio Connection? <#toc10>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc13>
FCC Proposes to Permit Amateur Access to 2200 and 630 Meters
Amateur Radio is poised to gain access to two new bands! The FCC has
allocated a new LF band, 135.7 to 137.8 kHz, to the Amateur Service on a
secondary basis. Allocation of the 2.1 kHz segment, known as 2200
meters, was in accordance with the /Final Acts /of the 2007 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07). The Commission also has proposed
a new secondary 630 meter MF allocation at 472 to 479 kHz to Amateur
Radio, implementing decisions made at WRC-12. No Amateur Radio operation
will be permitted in either band until the FCC determines, on the basis
of comments, the specific Part 97 rules it must frame to permit
operation in the new bands. Amateur Radio would share both allocations
with unlicensed Part 15 power line carrier (PLC) systems operated by
utilities to control the power grid, as well as with other users. In
addition, the FCC has raised the secondary Amateur Service allocation at
1900 to 2000 kHz to primary, while providing for continued use by
currently unlicensed commercial fishing vessels of radio buoys on the
"open sea."
The allocation changes, associated proposed rules, and suggested topics
for comment are contained in a 257-page FCC /Report and Order, Order,
and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/
addressing three dockets -- ET-12-338, ET-15-99, and IB-06-123 -- which
affect various radio services in addition to the Amateur Service. The
FCC released the document on April 27.
With respect to the new LF sliver band at 135.7-137.8 kHz, the FCC
concluded that Amateur Radio and PLC systems can coexist there. "Since
the Commission last considered this issue, amateurs have successfully
operated in the band under experimental licenses without reported PLC
interference," the FCC said. In 2003, the FCC turned down an ARRL
proposal to create a 135.7-137.8 kHz Amateur Radio allocation, after
utilities raised fears of a clash between Amateur Radio and PLC systems
operating below the AM broadcast band. This time, the FCC said, "It is
clear that we will have to establish appropriate requirements for
amateur use of the band, if we are to ensure compatibility with PLC
systems." WRC-07 set a maximum effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP)
limit of 1 W, which is what the FCC is proposing.
The FCC said it "explicitly" rejects the suggestion that it choose one
use of the spectrum over the other. "Our objective is to allocate
spectrum on a secondary basis to amateur stations in a
manner...compatible with existing PLC systems," the FCC said. "However,
we also expect to permit amateur operators to make use of the allocation
in a manner that is less burdensome and more productive than they are
currently afforded under the experimental authorization process."
The Commission said that if it concludes, after considering the record,
that Amateur Radio and PLC systems cannot coexist, it would "defer the
adoption of service rules, and amateur users will have to continue to
use the experimental licensing process to operate in the band."
With respect to the proposed 630 meter allocation, the FCC has proposed
limiting amateur stations in the US to a maximum 5 W EIRP. The ARRL
submitted a /Petition for Rule Making/ in 2012, asking the FCC to
allocate 472-479 kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis and to
amend the Part 97 rules to provide for its use. Several countries,
including Canada, already have access to the band. The ARRL has pointed
out that during its extensive course of experimentation
in the spectrum around 500 kHz, no interference
reports have been received.
*Rudy Severns, N6LF, in Oregon, is a member of the WD2XSH ARRL 600 Meter
Experimental Group .*
The FCC said that the "cornerstone" of the technical rules it's
proposing for both bands is "physical separation between amateur
stations and the transmission lines" carrying PLC signals. "Such a
separation, in conjunction with limits on the amateur stations'
transmitted EIRP and antenna heights, will enable PLC systems and
amateur stations to coexist in these bands," the FCC asserted. "In
addition, we propose to limit amateur stations to operations at fixed
locations only, to ensure that this separation distance can be
maintained reliably."
The FCC said it wants to hear from both PLC system users and radio
amateurs regarding technical requirements it would have to put into
place to permit both users to operate comfortably and without
compromising the PLC systems. The Commission suggested that other
requirements might include limits on antenna heights, transmitter power
limits, and operating privilege limits based on license class or mode.
The ARRL will file comments in the proceeding.
The FCC will accept comments for 60 days following publication of the
/Report and Order, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rule Making/ in the
/Federal Register./ Reply comments would be due 30 days after the
comment deadline.
Nepal Grants Operating Permission, Call Signs to Visiting Hams, as
Earthquake Recovery Continues
In the wake of the devastating April 25 earthquake, hams in Nepal,
already in limited supply, have been turning out to help in the ongoing
recovery. The Nepalese government also is reported to be cutting some of
the red tape that has prevented hams from outside the country from
operating within Nepal. Several hams from India are among those who have
arrived in Nepal to help facilitate communication. Word earlier this
week via Amateur Radio Society of India President Gopal Madhavan,
VU2GMN, was that visiting hams would not be permitted to operate in
Nepal, unless they were part of a government team. On the other hand,
getting needed Amateur Radio equipment into Nepal remains problematic.
"ARRL is working closely with amateurs in Nepal to identify equipment
needed for the relief effort," said ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager
Mike Corey, KI1U. "We are preparing a shipment from the Ham Aid
inventory, but like other NGOs, we are
facing transportation challenges. We hope to have transportation
arrangements in place soon." Unconfirmed reports said another group was
having problems getting a repeater into Nepal.
While parts of the telecommunication infrastructure remain in operation,
power is out. Ham radio remains a reliable link at this stage of the
recovery effort. A major focus of rescue teams has been attempting to
locate the missing, as well as to recover quake victims buried beneath
debris. More than 5000 people are now reported dead as a result of the
earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. The disaster also has stranded
many people, as roads were cut off by landslides and damage. Rain, heavy
at times, has hampered rescue and recovery work.
"In spite of the conditions, ham radio operation is in progress, and the
Nepal government has started issuing licenses to visiting hams, with 9N7
prefixes," said Jayu Bhide, VU2JAU. Bhide, who is the Amateur Radio
Society of India's National Coordinator for Disaster Communication, said
these stations have been asked to help provide communication to more of
the devastated region. Ham radio groups are being asked to spread out in
terms of operating frequencies as well. Bhide said a lot of the Amateur
Radio traffic has consisted of health-and-welfare inquiries.
Mike Kalter, W8CI, told ARRL that he relayed an urgent request from the
family of a woman traveling between Nepal and Tibet with a tour group.
He passed along the information via ham radio to Mohan Suri, VU2MYH, in
Nepal, who supplied the information to authorities. Within a few days,
the woman being sought reported back through Jerry Long, KJ4YAP, that
groups were going through the streets of Kathmandu, announcing names of
individuals being sought, and she heard her name called out. The woman
and her tour group were subsequently helicoptered out of Nepal.
*Jayu Bhide, VU2JAU, has been active on HF nets aiding the Nepal
earthquake relief and recovery effort.
*
At least two groups of hams from Gujarat, India, were planning to travel
to Nepal and set up stations "at critical places," Bhide said, adding
that he, Ananda Majumdar, VU2AGJ, and Sandip Baruah, VU2MUE, were
planning to set up HF and VHF stations at Gorakhpur, on the India-Nepal
border.
Amateur Radio HF nets have been one link between Nepal and the outside
world, as Internet service continues to be spotty. Nepalese hams also
are active locally on VHF/UHF.
Bhide said residents in the affected areas were finding it difficult to
contact family members, as their cell phones have discharged, and no
charging facility is available. He and some of the radio amateurs active
on the relief and recovery nets contacted agencies in Nepal to provide
small solar charging units.
The earthquake -- said to be the worst in Nepal in 80 years -- hit an
area between the capital city of Kathmandu and the city of Pokhara.
Jacob Nunez-Kearny, KF7DSY, is 2015 Goldfarb Scholarship Recipient
The ARRL Foundation Board of
Directors has named Jacob Nunez-Kearny, KF7DSY, of Mesa, Arizona, as the
recipient of the 2015 William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship
. A senior at Desert Ridge
High School in Mesa, he plans to attend Purdue University in the fall
and pursue a career in aerospace engineering. Based on qualifications,
need, and other academic funding sources, the award can be $10,000 or
greater. The Goldfarb Scholarship is awarded to an active Amateur Radio
licensee who intends to pursue a bachelor's degree in a
business-related, computer, medical, nursing, or engineering field.
*Jacob Nunez-Kearny, KF7DSY.*
"I am really happy and honored to have received this scholarship," Jacob
told ARRL. "This scholarship means that I have the opportunity to attend
college with the knowledge that the community of hams believes in me. I
imagine that all hams, especially ones young enough to qualify for this
scholarship, are incredibly resourceful and intelligent, and so to be
chosen out among them for this scholarship is a great honor."
Jacob expressed his gratitude to his grandfather, Steve Kearny, KW7N,
for introducing him to Amateur Radio. "If it weren't for him I wouldn't
have become a part of this great community and hobby," he said. On his
scholarship application, he said that Amateur Radio has piqued his
interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).
"Through Amateur Radio I was able to turn theoretical learning into
physical results," he said. "The time I spent solving equations and
making schematics turned into a contact with a person hundreds of miles
away."
In an effort to get a leg up on his career choice, Jacob has been
involved in a senior year engineering design program, Project Lead the
Way , and he earned
three college credits through the Rochester Institute of Technology. The
senior project, accomplished as a team, must address a real-world
problem. Jacob came up with this year's -- a 30-foot portable "stealth"
telescoping mast -- undertaken at his grandfather's suggestion; Jacob
lives in an antenna-restricted community.
The William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship is the result of a generous
endowment from William Goldfarb, N2ITP (SK). Before his death in 1997,
Goldfarb set up a scholarship endowment of close to $1 million in memory
of his parents, Albert and Dorothy Goldfarb. It is awarded to one high
school senior each year. Read more
.
Ad
House Committee Asks FCC for Documents Related to Proposed Field Office
Closures
The US House Committee on Energy and Commerce has given the Federal
Communications Commission a May 7 deadline to produce documents related
to FCC Enforcement Bureau proposals to close two-thirds of its field
offices and eliminate nearly one-half of its staff of field agents. In
an April 23 letter, Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) told FCC
Chairman Tom Wheeler that his panel wants the Commission to provide all
documents relating to the proposed closures.
"[Y]our proposal to shutter 16 of the Commission's 24 field offices
raises significant challenges and concerns," Upton said. "The Commission
has represented to Congress and the American people that it will
'preserve the integrity of public safety communications infrastructure
by taking action on 99 percent of complaints of interference to public
safety communications within 1 day,' yet your proposal to reduce the
geographic footprint of the Commission appears to ignore the impact this
might have on the Commission's public interest goal." Upton said the
Commission has offered little information to support its proposals.
"Indeed, our concerns have only been heightened by the Commission's
failure to provide all the information requested by the Committee," he
wrote.
The field office and personnel layoff proposals were outlined in a March
10 internal memorandum from Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc and
FCC Managing Director Jon Wilkins to EB field staff. The memo, obtained
by ARRL and others, cited the need to take "a fresh look" at the
Bureau's 20-year-old operating model in light of technology changes and
tighter budgets.
*FCC Managing Director Jon Wilkins testified on March 4 before the
Subcommittee on Communications and Technology.*
During March hearings of the Subcommittee on Communications and
Technology -- chaired by Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR) -- on the FCC's
FY 2015 budget request, Committee members sought more information from
Wilkins and Wheeler on the basis of the proposals to close field
offices. Upton said that his Committee has, to date, received just the
two-page March 10 memorandum and a 35-page /PowerPoint/ presentation
that purports to outline the consultants' report.
ARRL leadership met with Enforcement Bureau staff and with Capitol Hill
lawmakers in March to express its own concerns about the proposals in
light of seemingly lax enforcement of the Amateur Service rules. ARRL
CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, also addressed the FCC's field office closure
proposals in his "It Seems to Us" editorial
in the
May 2015 issue of /QST./ "Given everything that's on [the Enforcement
Bureau's] plate -- of which Amateur Radio is just a small part --
reducing the number of field agents from 63 to 33 and the number of
field offices from 24 to 8 hardly sounds like progress," Sumner wrote.
Read more
.
Boston Marathon Amateur Radio Support Adjusts to a "New Normal"
More than 250 Amateur Radio communication volunteers participated on
Patriots Day (April 20) in the 119th running of the Boston Marathon
, sponsored by the Boston
Athletic Association (BAA). This event was the second since the bombings
that tragically marred the 2013 race. Amateur Radio volunteers have
supported Boston Marathon communication for decades. Starting with the
2015 event, a Communications Committee the BAA formed last year
established a "new normal" for marathon support by integrating Amateur
Radio, public safety, and commercial radio providers into a single team.
In step with the BAA's mandate to "review the entire communications
program," the seven-member Amateur Radio management team raised the
level of training to a professional caliber and developed better
documentation for volunteers. Tight coordination with the BAA as both
leader and "client" of the Amateur Radio communication support "led to
further advancement in overall effectiveness as evidenced by a very
successful outcome despite difficult weather," the Amateur Radio team
said in a media release.
"Development of detailed communications plans for each race segment was
at the heart of the Committee's work," the Amateur Radio team said. "We
expect this arrangement to continue, along with an increasing emphasis
upon further training and standards, all intended to enhance the work of
Amateur Radio public service, and to raise confidence in our
capabilities to integrate with other organizations as effective team
players."
Cool, damp weather made the volunteers' role more difficult, but
carrying out communication tasks according to the 2015 plan went
smoothly. "Many Boston Marathon race officials favorably commented on
the advancement in communications provided by Amateur Radio and other
entities both in the planning stage and on event day," the Amateur Radio
team said.
"Through all the meetings, conference calls, and documents produced, I
would say we all fulfilled what we set out to accomplish and more," said
Chris Troyanos, Medical Coordinator for the Boston Marathon. "From the
public safety side to all involved with the BAA, our communications
program set new heights of excellence." Organizers from the Red Cross
also expressed satisfaction with 2015 Boston Marathon communications.
*Jeff Pinterparson, W5UVO, and Mark Richards, K1MGY, helped to staff the
Start Network Control Operations Center at the Boston Marathon.*
Event logistics were coordinated more tightly. Added to Amateur Radio's
tasks this year was reporting of hourly medical statistics from each of
the 26 medical field units, and a new medical re-supply system, both
relying on Amateur Radio communication. The cooler weather meant fewer
heat-related medical emergencies, but from mile 12 onward, many runners
suffered chills and had to stop at medical stations to warm up before
moving on.
Efforts were organized in segments that included start, course,
transportation, and finish. A back-up medical dispatch communication
plan, included in the public safety matrix, was among the many
operational plans in place. Amateur Radio volunteers shadowed key race
officials at the start and finish line, augmenting commercial radio
services. They also staffed medical and hydration stations along the
course; vans that travelled the course transported runners unable to
complete the race to the finish line. Read more
.
/-- Thanks to Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Mark Richards, K1MGY, and the Boston
Marathon Amateur Radio team/
AMSAT: Amateur Radio Payload Could Share Space on Geosynchronous Satellite
There is big news on the Amateur Radio satellite front. AMSAT-NA
has announced that, if all goes according to
plan, an Amateur Radio payload will go into space on a geosynchronous
satellite that's planned for launch in 2017. As opposed to the more
typical low Earth orbit, a geosynchronous orbit would permit an
Earthbound ham at a given point within the satellite's footprint to
access the satellite at approximately the same time each day. According
to AMSAT Vice President-Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, the
satellite's potential footprint would extend over the US from the
Mid-Pacific to Africa. AMSAT said it has accepted the opportunity to be
a "hosted payload" on a spacecraft that Millennium Space Systems (MSS
) of El Segundo, California, is under
contract to design, launch, and operate for the US government. Past
AMSAT Director and former Vice President-Engineering Bob McGwier, N4HY,
said the Amateur Radio payload must be delivered for testing and
integration by the spring of 2016.
"It is an ambitious schedule, and all involved will have to gain and
maintain a serious level of commitment," said McGwier, the Director of
Research at Virginia Tech's Hume Center for National Security and
Technology. The AMSAT announcement on April 25 followed an April 13
meeting at MSS to discuss the project.
According to AMSAT, the transponder is expected to support a wide range
of voice, digital, and experimental advanced communications
technologies. A decision is expected soon regarding the specification of
the microwave uplink and downlink bands.
The AMSAT Board of Directors has signed on to the project, and AMSAT
expects to be involved in developing both the ground station and the RF
payload. It will also serve as the Amateur Radio payload operator, once
the satellite has been launched. Read more
.
/-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via Bob McGwier, N4HY, and others/
Ad
Dayton Hamvention^? Youth Forum to Offer Chance to Meet Astronaut
Young radio amateurs attending the Youth Forum at Dayton Hamvention on
May 16 will have a chance to meet NASA astronaut and ham Mike Fincke,
KE5AIT -- one of the more "radio-active" International Space Station
crew members during his time in space. The Saturday morning
*Retired NASA Astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AIT.*
Youth Forum, organized by Carole Perry, WB2MGP, will include a variety
of presentations from eight young hams, whom Perry called "role models
for other radio amateurs and prospective young hams -- each sharing
inspiring stories, having fun, and being creative in ham radio
activities." One of the door prizes for young hams attending the forum
will be a drawing for an ARRL-hosted luncheon with Astronaut Mike
Fincke, KE5AIT. Fincke operated the Amateur Radio equipment on the
International Space Station while he was part of the Expedition 9 and 18
crews.
"Eight lucky students in elementary school, high school, or enrolled as
a college undergraduate may participate in the drawing for lunch with
the astronaut," said ARRL Educational Services Manager Debra Johnson,
K1DMJ. "These students must already have their Amateur Radio license.
What better way to inspire our youth to pursue more education and career
paths in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math
than by engaging with an astronaut-ham!"
Fincke will talk with the students about his career, space travel, and
research on the ISS. The luncheon will immediately follow the Youth
Forum Saturday morning. Youth Forum presenters will include:
* Tyler Hammond, KD8UAY, of Dresden, Ohio (age 13): "Contesting for
Elementary Students"
* Abbigail Wilson, KF5BEW (age 18), and Kendra Wilson, KF5FYS (age
16), of Lafayette, Louisiana: "Youth and the Future of Ham Radio"
* Sam Case, KG7HBY (age 11), of Sparks, Nevada: "The Friday Night QSO
Party"
* Jesse Shulins, KB1YNK (age 17), of Andover, Massachusetts:
"Pneumatic Mast Systems for the Radio Amateur"
* Faith Hannah Lea, WA4BBC (age 10), and Zechariah Lea, WX4TVJ (age
12), of Chesapeake, Virginia: "Experiences in Antenna Selection,
Construction, and Use for VHF Applications"
* Cameron Thurston, N8CAM (age 16), of Saint Helen, Michigan:
"Contesting with N3FJP Software"
Perry has moderated the Youth Forum and instructor's workshops at
Hamvention^? for many years. She is a popular keynote speaker and
seminar leader at numerous teacher and radio conventions across the
country. Read more
.
New Section Manager Appointed in North Texas
The ARRL North Texas Section will soon have a new Section Manager. Nancy
McCain, K5NLM, of Fort Worth, will take over the
*North Texas SM-Designate Nancy McCain K5NLM.*
position on May 1, succeeding incumbent SM Chris Brewer, N5GMJ, who
resigned due to increased work and family commitments. ARRL Field
Services and Radiosport Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, made the appointment
in consultation with Brewer, who recommended McCain for the post, and
ARRL West Gulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV. Brewer, of
Saginaw, has served as the North Texas Section Manager since April 30, 2013.
McCain, who is presently a North Texas Assistant Section Manager, has
been active in ARES, RACES, and in Army and Navy MARS. She is a retired
emergency management specialist. She will complete the current term of
office as North Texas Section Manager, which runs until March 31, 2017.
Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband Communications Test to Offer New Modes
The annual Armed Forces Day Crossband
Communications Test
set for Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10, will offer Amateur Radio
operators a chance to try their hand at using more modern military
communications modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK. Also new this year is
the inclusion of a crossband Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) test.
The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard cosponsor the
joint military/Amateur Radio event, which this year marks the 65th Armed
Forces Day and the 90th anniversary of the Military Auxiliary Radio
System (MARS). Armed Forces Day 2015 falls on May 16, but the crossband
test is held on the earlier weekend to accommodate those visiting Dayton
Hamvention May 15-17.
The annual event is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication
between Amateur Radio and military stations. It features the traditional
military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, MT63, and AMTOR FEC, plus
MIL-STD Serial PSK and ALE, both new this year.
Those interested in trying the MIL-STD Serial PSK mode can download the
free /MS-DMT/ software.
A complete list
of participating military stations, operating modes, and times of
operation is on the US Army MARS website, as well as on its Facebook
page. Read more
.
Ad
The Sinking of the /Lusitania/: A Ham Radio Connection?
Several Amateur Radio special event stations will be on the air in early
May to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Cunard
Line's RMS /Lusitania/ -- at one time the world's largest ship -- off
the coast of Ireland. As one of the events precipitating US entry into
World War I, the sinking of the /Lusitania/ by Germany on May 7, 1915,
claimed some 1200 lives, although another 800 or so of those aboard
survived.
RMS /Lusitania/.
GB100MFA will operate during the
entire month of May from the UK, with members of the Radio Officers
Association at the helm from the lightship /Planet/ in Liverpool,
/Lusitania/'s home port and its ultimate destination on its voyage from
New York. EI100MFA will be
on the air from Ireland May 3-10. MFA was the ship's call sign.
Other announced operations include KC9HYY/LUS100
, operating May 1-9 from Wisconsin; N2L,
operating May 1-15 by the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club (GSBARC
) from Long Island, New York, and WW1USA
, operating May 9-10 from the
National World War I Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, by the Santa Fe
Trail Amateur Radio Club.
According to wireless history accounts, it was a radio amateur, Charles
Apgar, 2MN, of Westfield, New Jersey, who finally figured out the
significance of the odd buzz-like transmissions he'd heard emanating
evenings from German Telefunken station WSL in Sayville, Long Island. As
recounted by the
late Phil Petersen, W2DME, Apgar not only was curious, but suspicious.
"Apgar had a very advanced sensitive Armstrong regenerative receiver
that he modified to make off-the-air recordings on a cylinder recorder,"
Petersen wrote. "Suspecting that WSL was transmitting secret
intelligence at very high speed, Apgar further modified his audio
recorder to greatly reduce the speed on playback. As he suspected, the
'buzz' was actually secret Morse code sent at very high speed." Apgar
turned his recordings of WSL's transmissions over to the US Secret
Service, which seized the station in July 1915.
WSL officials "were charged with sending illegal secret messages
regarding allied and neutral shipping," Petersen recounted. "It was also
believed that the German submarines obtained secret information that led
to the sinking of the passenger ship /Lusitania/. After the government
seized the station, sinkings by U-boats greatly decreased." Read more
.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: There were no new sunspots over the
April 23-29 reporting period, although the previous 7 days saw new
sunspots every day -- and April 21 had /two/ new ones. Solar flux and
daily sunspot numbers declined. The average daily sunspot number dropped
from 120.9 to 60.7, and average daily solar flux went from 150.4 to 119.8.
Predicted solar flux for April 30 through May 1 is 95, 100 on May 2-3,
105, and 110 on May 4-5, 115 on May 6-7, 135 on May 8-9, 130, and 125 on
May 10-11, 130 on May 12-14, then 125, 130, and 125 on May 15-17, 120 on
May 18-19, and 115 on May 20-23. Flux values are forecast to drop to 110
for May 27-29, then rise to 135 for June 3-5.
Predicted planetary A index is 10 on April 30 through May 1, 8 on May 2,
5 on May 3-11, 25 on May 12, 20 on May 13-14, then 12, 8, 12, 20, 12,
and 8 on May 15-20, and 5 on May 21-25.
Download my archive of these forecasts, updated daily, for flux values
and Ap index
(click the "Download this File" button; files are /Excel/ spreadsheets).
This weekly "Solar Update" in /The ARRL Letter/ is a preview of the
"Propagation Bulletin" issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an
archive of past
propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.
Look for reports from readers in Friday's bulletin. Send
me /your/ reports and observations. -- /Tad Cook,
K7RA/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
May 1 -- NS Weekly RTTY Sprint
*
May 2 -- Microwave Spring Sprint (Phone, CW, Digital)
*
May 2-3 -- New England QSO Party**
*
May 2-3 -- Delaware QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- 7th Area QSO Party**
*
May 2-3 -- Indiana QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- Radio Club of America QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- 2 GHz and Up World Wide Contest (Phone, CW, Digital)
*
May 2-3 -- Worldwide EME Contest (Phone, CW)
*
May 2-3 -- Ten-Ten Spring CW Contest
*
May 2-3 -- ARI International DX Contest (Phone, CW, Digital)**
*
May 4 -- OK1WC Memorial Contest (SSB, CW)
*
May 5 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
*
May 6 -- CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
*
May 1-2 -- West Coast Military Collectors Group Convention
, San Luis Obispo, California
*
May 1-3 -- Nevada State Convention
, Verdi, Nevada
*
May 2 -- South Carolina Section Convention
,
Spartanburg, South Carolina
*
May 15-17 -- Dayton Hamvention^? ,
Dayton, Ohio
*
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
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.
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available every Friday.
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. Published bi-monthly, features articles by
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features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and
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professionals.
Free of charge to ARRL members...
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Copyright ? 2015 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved
www.arrl.org
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 1 15:34:47 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Fri, 01 May 2015 15:34:47 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Upcoming Events
Message-ID: <5543D557.30706@bellsouth.net>
*
May 1 -- NS Weekly RTTY Sprint
*
May 2 -- Microwave Spring Sprint (Phone, CW, Digital)
*
May 2-3 -- New England QSO Party**
*
May 2-3 -- Delaware QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- 7th Area QSO Party**
*
May 2-3 -- Indiana QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- Radio Club of America QSO Party
*
May 2-3 -- 2 GHz and Up World Wide Contest (Phone, CW, Digital)
*
May 2-3 -- Worldwide EME Contest (Phone, CW)
*
May 2-3 -- Ten-Ten Spring CW Contest
*
May 2-3 -- ARI International DX Contest (Phone, CW, Digital)**
*
May 4 -- OK1WC Memorial Contest (SSB, CW)
*
May 5 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
*
May 6 -- CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
*
May 1-2 -- West Coast Military Collectors Group Convention
, San Luis Obispo, California
*
May 1-3 -- Nevada State Convention
, Verdi, Nevada
*
May 2 -- South Carolina Section Convention
,
Spartanburg, South Carolina
*
May 15-17 -- Dayton Hamvention^? ,
Dayton, Ohio
*
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
Find conventions and hamfests in your area .
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 3 12:47:40 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Sun, 03 May 2015 12:47:40 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] South Florida DX Association Meeting
is this Wednesday May 6th at 7:33 PM
In-Reply-To: <55465039.2070607@bellsouth.net>
References: <55465039.2070607@bellsouth.net>
Message-ID: <5546512C.4030406@bellsouth.net>
South Florida DX Association Meeting is next Wednesday May 6th 2015
at 7:33 PM
We have a Fun and Informative Meeting planned so please Join us.
The 2014 SFDXA DX Hog of the Year will be awarded to one deserving DXer.
We are very fortunate to have Julio Ripoll WD4R, Co-Founder and First
Coordinator for Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center be our
feature speaker for the Meeting. Julio has been a Member of SFDXA and
friend to the club for many years. Most of you know Julio's History and
background with the Miami Hurricane Center. It is very timely for him to
be here with us just before the 2015 Hurricane Season gets underway.
He has much new information to share with us on his activities and the
activities of ham radio at the Hurricane Center.
From QRZ:
Public Service: Co-Founder and First Coordinator for Amateur Radio at
the National Hurricane Center. Volunteer operator since 1980. WX4NHC
Asst. Coordinator. www.wx4nhc.org
Coordinator & Founder of UM Haiti Hams, HH2/WX4NHC; the largest and
longest sustained international deployment of Ham Radio and MARS
operators to provide emergency communications after the major earthquake
in support of the University of Miami/Project Medishare Field Hospital
in Port-Au-Prince Haiti from Feb to March of 2010.
www.wx4nhc.org/wx4nhc-haiti.html
The SFDXA Meeting is held at the Florida Medical Center on Oakland Park
Blvd and the Fl Turnpike. There is no exit on the Turnpike at Oakland
Park, So come west from I-95 on Oakland Park Blvd. past 441 to the
Hospital, about 4 traffic lights west after 441 on the left before the
Turnpike Bridge. Come through the front door and tell the Guard you are
there for the Radio Club Meeting. For those using a GPS the hospital
address is Florida Medical Center,5000 Oakland Park Blvd.
Join us at 6:00 to 6:45, and have dinner in the cafeteria for a $7.00
Donation to the Club. Remember, only one entr?e.
Walk across the hall with your tray to the auditorium and meet friends,
and discuss and brag about your activities, new contacts, recent QSLs
you've received and and any other rag chewing.
Formal Meeting begins at 7:33 PM. Come and being a friend. Everyone is
Welcome.
Bill W2CQ
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 3 13:01:09 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Sun, 03 May 2015 13:01:09 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] South Florida DX Association Meeting
is this Wednesday May 6th at 7:33 PM
In-Reply-To: <5546512C.4030406@bellsouth.net>
References: <55465039.2070607@bellsouth.net> <5546512C.4030406@bellsouth.net>
Message-ID: <55465455.2010006@bellsouth.net>
Oops...I almost forgot to add that Kai KE4PT who is pictured on the May
QST Cover, will bring the gear you see on the cover and show us how it
all works together. All except the Ham Sandwich that is...
Bill W2CQ
On 5/3/2015 12:47 PM, Bill wrote:
> South Florida DX Association Meeting is next Wednesday May 6th 2015
> at 7:33 PM
>
> We have a Fun and Informative Meeting planned so please Join us.
>
> The 2014 SFDXA DX Hog of the Year will be awarded to one deserving DXer.
>
> We are very fortunate to have Julio Ripoll WD4R, Co-Founder and First
> Coordinator for Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center be our
> feature speaker for the Meeting. Julio has been a Member of SFDXA and
> friend to the club for many years. Most of you know Julio's History and
> background with the Miami Hurricane Center. It is very timely for him to
> be here with us just before the 2015 Hurricane Season gets underway.
>
> He has much new information to share with us on his activities and the
> activities of ham radio at the Hurricane Center.
>
> From QRZ:
> Public Service: Co-Founder and First Coordinator for Amateur Radio at
> the National Hurricane Center. Volunteer operator since 1980. WX4NHC
> Asst. Coordinator. www.wx4nhc.org
>
> Coordinator & Founder of UM Haiti Hams, HH2/WX4NHC; the largest and
> longest sustained international deployment of Ham Radio and MARS
> operators to provide emergency communications after the major earthquake
> in support of the University of Miami/Project Medishare Field Hospital
> in Port-Au-Prince Haiti from Feb to March of 2010.
> www.wx4nhc.org/wx4nhc-haiti.html
>
>
> The SFDXA Meeting is held at the Florida Medical Center on Oakland Park
> Blvd and the Fl Turnpike. There is no exit on the Turnpike at Oakland
> Park, So come west from I-95 on Oakland Park Blvd. past 441 to the
> Hospital, about 4 traffic lights west after 441 on the left before the
> Turnpike Bridge. Come through the front door and tell the Guard you are
> there for the Radio Club Meeting. For those using a GPS the hospital
> address is Florida Medical Center,5000 Oakland Park Blvd.
>
> Join us at 6:00 to 6:45, and have dinner in the cafeteria for a $7.00
> Donation to the Club. Remember, only one entr?e.
>
> Walk across the hall with your tray to the auditorium and meet friends,
> and discuss and brag about your activities, new contacts, recent QSLs
> you've received and and any other rag chewing.
>
> Formal Meeting begins at 7:33 PM. Come and being a friend. Everyone is
> Welcome.
>
> Bill W2CQ
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun May 3 20:34:33 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Sun, 3 May 2015 20:34:33 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] South Florida DX Association Meeting
is this Wednesday May 6th at 7:33 PM
In-Reply-To: <55465455.2010006@bellsouth.net>
References: <55465039.2070607@bellsouth.net> <5546512C.4030406@bellsouth.net>
<55465455.2010006@bellsouth.net>
Message-ID: <8C367BAC-A5A9-4C8E-B5DD-64A6A0085A02@bellsouth.net>
Ok one more Oops.
The Hog was awarded last meeting. Bill
>>
>> South Florida DX Association Meeting is next Wednesday May 6th 2015
>> at 7:33 PM
>>
>> We have a Fun and Informative Meeting planned so please Join us.
>>
>> We are very fortunate to have Julio Ripoll WD4R, Co-Founder and First
>> Coordinator for Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center be our
>> feature speaker for the Meeting. Julio has been a Member of SFDXA and
>> friend to the club for many years. Most of you know Julio's History and
>> background with the Miami Hurricane Center. It is very timely for him to
>> be here with us just before the 2015 Hurricane Season gets underway.
>>
>> He has much new information to share with us on his activities and the
>> activities of ham radio at the Hurricane Center.
>>
Kai KE4PT who is pictured on the May QST Cover, will bring the gear you see on the cover and show us how it all works together. All except the Ham Sandwich that is...
>> From QRZ:
>> Public Service: Co-Founder and First Coordinator for Amateur Radio at
>> the National Hurricane Center. Volunteer operator since 1980. WX4NHC
>> Asst. Coordinator. www.wx4nhc.org
>>
>> Coordinator & Founder of UM Haiti Hams, HH2/WX4NHC; the largest and
>> longest sustained international deployment of Ham Radio and MARS
>> operators to provide emergency communications after the major earthquake
>> in support of the University of Miami/Project Medishare Field Hospital
>> in Port-Au-Prince Haiti from Feb to March of 2010.
>> www.wx4nhc.org/wx4nhc-haiti.html
>>
>>
>> The SFDXA Meeting is held at the Florida Medical Center on Oakland Park
>> Blvd and the Fl Turnpike. There is no exit on the Turnpike at Oakland
>> Park, So come west from I-95 on Oakland Park Blvd. past 441 to the
>> Hospital, about 4 traffic lights west after 441 on the left before the
>> Turnpike Bridge. Come through the front door and tell the Guard you are
>> there for the Radio Club Meeting. For those using a GPS the hospital
>> address is Florida Medical Center,5000 Oakland Park Blvd.
>>
>> Join us at 6:00 to 6:45, and have dinner in the cafeteria for a $7.00
>> Donation to the Club. Remember, only one entr?e.
>>
>> Walk across the hall with your tray to the auditorium and meet friends,
>> and discuss and brag about your activities, new contacts, recent QSLs
>> you've received and and any other rag chewing.
>>
>> Formal Meeting begins at 7:33 PM. Come and being a friend. Everyone is
>> Welcome.
>>
>> Bill W2CQ
>
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon May 4 17:46:05 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Mon, 04 May 2015 17:46:05 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] A Message from Jeff
In-Reply-To: <20150504151252.7F7202168961@bmail.arrl.org>
References: <20150504151252.7F7202168961@bmail.arrl.org>
Message-ID: <5547E89D.50700@bellsouth.net>
Greetings to all,
During April, I visited with members of the Palm Beach Packet Group at
their dinner meeting at Sonny?s BBQ in Clewiston, the AREC Repeater
Group, where I presented the club with their certificate of ARRL
affiliation and the Gold Coast Amateur Radio Association.
At the Broward County EOC, members of both Broward and Palm Beach
County ARES participated in the ?Hurricane Chuck? exercise. The
exercise was designed to test communications between each of the
municipalities in Broward County and the EOC.
On April 25th, SFL ARES leadership officials and Cabinet members
traveled to West Palm Beach for our annual leadership conference at the
Palm Beach County EOC. Led by SEC Larry Zimmer, W4LWZ and yours truly,
participants had the opportunity to network with their peers and come
away with the latest info to assist with their respective
responsibilities. My thanks to all SFL Field Organization volunteers
for their dedication to the Section and our members.
After serving the Section as our Affiliated Club Coordinator (ACC) for
the past 5 years, Steve Lowman, N4SGL stepped down due to increasing
work commitments. Steve did a great job for us as ACC and he will
continue as Treasure Coast DEC and St. Lucie County EC. Thanks, Steve
I will be acting ACC until the position can be filled and will be
accepting applications for ACC from members of the Section. For more
info on the ACC appointment, please visit
http://www.arrl.org/affiliated-club-coordinator
May events in SFL:
05/15-17, 2015 Dayton Hamvention
HARA Arena, Trotwood, Ohio
Info- www.hamvention.com
Look for me in the ARRL Expo at the Public Service booth.
05/21, 2015 PBC Hurricane Expo 5-9 PM
Lake Worth Golf Club, 17th Ave. No., Lake Worth
Info: Sandy Wolf, WB2MBV wb2mbv at arrl.net
05/23/2015 | JFK Bunker on Peanut Island FL479S
May 23-May 24, 1300Z-1600Z, N4J, Palm Beach, FL. Jupiter Lighthouse
Radio Group. 21.285 14.285 7.185. QSL. JLRG c/o Andrea Kola, AJ4PW,
16183 127th Dr, Jupiter, FL 33478-65. We will be headed to the island
on Friday, May 22rd. The Special Event station will activate 05/23 at
9am EDT and run through 5/24 until about noon EDT. Operating
Frequencies: Phone: (+/-) 3.830, 7.185, 14.285, 18.130, 21.285, 28.400
PSK31: 3.582.70, 7.037.70, 10.142.70, 14.072.70, 18.102.70, 21.072.70,
28.122.70.www.jlrg.org/USIsland_FL479S.shtml
Check out our new and improved SFL Section website at www.sflarrl.org
My thanks to SFL Web Designer, Bill Laakkonen, N4BKT and Webmaster
Barry Porter, KB1PA for their dedication and efforts to improve and
update our Section website. On the Section page, you will find club and
ARES info. For changes and additions to that info, contact Barry at
kb1pa at arrl.net
If your club or ARES group publishes a newsletter, please add me to
your mailing list. This info will keep me better informed on Section
activities.
ARRL, US House Members Coming Through to Support H.R. 1301
Many ARRL members have answered the call to urge their US House member
to co-sponsor The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 ? H.R. 1301 ?
helping to raise the list of co-sponsors to 39. But ARRL Regulatory
Affairs Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, said the campaign continues, and
more voices are needed to join the chorus.
?We have had a good initial response from our members in support of
our grassroots efforts, but we have a long way to go,? Henderson
said. ?Our Washington team has met with dozens of members of Congress
and congressional staffers over the past month.?
Henderson said the ARRL has forwarded another 426 letters from ARRL
members to Washington for delivery to House members representing 132
Congressional districts in 34 states. ?These letters are a key piece
in the puzzle of pushing HR 1301 forward,? he said. ?We encourage
all ARRL members to get actively involved.?
If approved by Congress and signed by the president, The Amateur Radio
Parity Act of 2015 would direct the FCC to extend to private land use
agreements its PRB-1 policy rules requiring reasonable accommodation of
Amateur Service communications. Those private agreements are better
known as deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions, or CC&Rs. At
present, PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and
ordinances. The FCC has been reluctant to extend the same legal
protections to private land-use agreements without direction from
Congress.
Henderson advised members, as they work with members of Congress to
encourage their support of the legislation to thank them their time.
?Do it in writing or in an e-mail,? he said, ?and if they do
become a co-sponsor, make a special effort to thank them for their
support. Henderson said such courtesies will leave a lasting impression
with lawmakers and their staff members. ?The more positive interaction
we have between the Amateur Radio community and our elected
representatives, the better our chances in attaining the results we
desire,? he said.
A regularly updated H.R. 1301 page on the ARRL website includes key
?talking points? and other information for Amateur Radio
delegations or individuals to use when approaching US House members for
their support.
US Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) introduced H.R. 1301 on March 4 with 12
original co-sponsors from both sides of the aisle. The bill has been
referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Rep Greg Walden,
W7EQI (R-OR), chairs that panel?s Communications and Technology
Subcommittee, which will consider the measure. Efforts are under way to
have a companion bill introduced in the US Senate.
The most recent H.R. 1301 co-sponsors include US Representatives Mark
Amodei (R-NV), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chris Gibson (R-NY), Bob Goodlatte
(R-VA), Richard Hanna (R-NY), Thomas Rooney (R-FL), Bruce Westerman
(R-AR), and Jared Huffman (D-CA).
ARRL Field Day is June 27-28, 2015
http://www.arrl.org/field-day
ARRL 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.
?
Field Day Locator http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator
Looking for a Field Day site near you? Want to promote your club's
Field Day efforts? Use the Field Day Locator to do both!
Field Day is part educational event, part operating event, part public
relations event ? and ALL about FUN!
FCC Proposes to Permit Amateur Access to 2200 and 630 Meters
Amateur Radio is poised to gain access to two new bands! The FCC has
allocated a new LF band, 135.7 to 137.8 kHz, to the Amateur Service on
a secondary basis. Allocation of the 2.1 kHz segment, known as 2200
meters, was in accordance with the Final Acts of the 2007 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-07). The Commission also has
proposed a new secondary 630 meter MF allocation at 472 to 479 kHz to
Amateur Radio, implementing decisions made at WRC-12. No Amateur Radio
operation will be permitted in either band until the FCC determines, on
the basis of comments, the specific Part 97 rules it must frame to
permit operation in the new bands. Amateur Radio would share both
allocations with unlicensed Part 15 power line carrier (PLC) systems
operated by utilities to control the power grid, as well as with other
users. In addition, the FCC has raised the secondary Amateur Service
allocation at 1900 to 2000 kHz to primary, while providing for
continued use by currently unlicensed commercial fishing vessels of
radio buoys on the ?open sea.?
The allocation changes, associated proposed rules, and suggested topics
for comment are contained in a 257-page FCC Report and Order, Order, and
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addressing three dockets ? ET-12-338,
ET-15-99, and IB-06-123 ? which affect various radio services in
addition to the Amateur Service. The FCC released the document on April
27.
With respect to the new LF sliver band at 135-7-137.8 kHz, the FCC
concluded that Amateur Radio and PLC systems can coexist there.
?Since the Commission last considered this issue, amateurs have
successfully operated in the band under experimental licenses without
reported PLC interference,? the FCC said. ?We are also encouraged
by the fact that numerous fixed radionavigation beacons, which operate
at much higher powers, share spectrum with PLC systems without reported
interference.?
In 2003 the FCC turned down an ARRL proposal to create a 135.7-137.8
kHz Amateur Radio allocation, after utilities raised fears of a clash
between Amateur Radio and PLC systems operating below the AM broadcast
band. This time, the FCC said, ?It is clear that we will have to
establish appropriate requirements for amateur use of the band, if we
are to ensure compatibility with PLC systems.? WRC-07 set a maximum
effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) limit of 1 W, which is what
the FCC is proposing.
The FCC said it ?explicitly? rejects the suggestion that it choose
one use of the spectrum over the other. ?Our objective is to allocate
spectrum on a secondary basis to amateur stations in a
manner?compatible with existing PLC systems,? the FCC said.
?However, we also expect to permit amateur operators to make use of
the allocation in a manner that is less burdensome and more productive
than they are currently afforded under the experimental authorization
process.?
The Commission said that if it concludes, after considering the record,
that Amateur Radio and PLC systems cannot coexist, it would ?defer the
adoption of service rules, and amateur users will have to continue to
use the experimental licensing process to operate in the band.?
With respect to the proposed 630 meter allocation, the FCC has proposed
limiting amateur stations in the US to a maximum 5 W EIRP. In the US,
435-495 kHz is allocated to the Maritime Mobile Service on a primary
basis for federal and non-federal use, and to the aeronautical
radionavigation service on a secondary basis for federal use.
The ARRL submitted a Petition for Rule Making in 2012 asking the FCC to
allocate 472-479 kHz to the Amateur Service on a secondary basis and to
amend the Part 97 rules to provide for its use. Several countries,
including Canada, already have access to the band. The ARRL has pointed
out that during its extensive course of experimentation in the spectrum
around 500 kHz, no interference reports have been received.
The FCC said that the ?cornerstone? of the technical rules it?s
proposing for both bands is ?physical separation between amateur
stations and the transmission lines? carrying PLC signals. ?Such a
separation, in conjunction with limits on the amateur stations?
transmitted EIRP and antenna heights, will enable PLC systems and
amateur stations to coexist in these bands,? the FCC asserted. ?In
addition, we propose to limit amateur stations to operations at fixed
locations only, to ensure that this separation distance can be
maintained reliably.?
The FCC said it wants to hear from both PLC system users and radio
amateurs regarding technical requirements it would have to put into
place to permit both users to operate comfortably and without
compromising the PLC systems. The Commission suggested that other
requirements might include limits on antenna heights, transmitter power
limits, and operating privilege limits based on license class or mode.
The ARRL will file comments in the proceeding.
The FCC will accept comments for 60 days following publication of the
Report and Order, Order, and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the
Federal Register. Reply comments would be due 30 days after the comment
deadline.
SEC Report for March from Larry, W4LWZ
Total number of ARES members: 268
Change since last month (+, -, same): -3
Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 6
Number of ARES nets active: 5
Number of nets with NTS liaison: 3
Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 29
Person hours: 264
Number of public service events this month: 4
Person hours: 147
Number of emergency operations this month: 0
Person Hours: 0
Total number of ARES operations this month: 33
Total Person hours: 411
Traffic Report for March from STM Mike, KM2V
SAR - March 2015
CALL TOTAL
WA4BAM 185
KE4CB 053
K9GZT 006
KK4KAH 010
K4KFF 046
KA3PYO 006
KR4ST 020
KD8SYP 032
NT4TS 003
KM2V 073
PSHR - March 2015
Callsign Total
WA4BAM 100
KE4CB 160
KM2V 130
NETS - March 2015
NET ABB. QNI QTC QND SESS MGR
All Florida CW Traffic Net QFN 334 101 464 31 WA4BAM
Florida Medium Speed Net FMSN 266 89 549 31 AG4RJ/AB4XK
Southeast Florida Traffic Net SEFTN 658 90 1073 31 KM2V
Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 485 105 1425 27 KE4CB/N9WS
Broward County Emer Prep Net BCEPN 24 0 72 4 K2MOL
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group W4JUP 19 0 235 10 K4VMS
Jupiter Farms CERT JFCERT 12 0 40 4 AG4BV
Palm Beach District ARES Central PBDAC 50 8 148 4 AC4FC
Palm Beach District ARES North PBDAN KB2BX
Silent Keys- It is with deep regret that we report the passing of the
following SFL members:
Charles G. ?Charlie? Davis, N4BBZ of Sanford, ME. Charlie was one
of the founding members of the Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group in the
early 80s.
Raymond L. ?Ray? Pearson, KJ4OMK of Stuart. Ray was an active
member of the Martin County Amateur Radio Association.
Lee J. Pennington, K4LJP of West Palm Beach. Lee was very active with
clubs in both Palm Beach and Martin counties. He was a fixture at most
Florida hamfest flea markets over the years. Lee was very generous with
his time and knowledge assisting his fellow amateurs. Services for Lee
were held at Aycock Funeral Home in Jupiter this past Sunday.
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 Wed May 6 08:56:26 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Wed, 06 May 2015 08:56:26 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband
Communications Test to Offer New Modes
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <554A0F7A.4090602@bellsouth.net>
From Tony N2MFT:
Armed Forces Day 2015 Crossband Communications Test to Offer New Modes
**04/29/2015
The annual*Armed Forces Day* *Crossband
Communications Test*
set
for Saturday and Sunday, May 9-10, will offer Amateur Radio operators a
chance to try their hand at using more modern military communications
modes, such as MIL-STD Serial PSK. Also new this year is the inclusion
of a crossband Automatic Link Establishment (ALE) test.The Army, Air
Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard cosponsor the joint
military/Amateur Radio event which this year marks the 65th Armed Forces
Day and the 90th anniversary of the Military Auxiliary Radio System
(MARS). Armed Forces Day 2015 falls on May 16, but the crossband test is
held on the earlier weekend to accommodate those visiting Dayton
Hamvention May 15-17.
The annual event is a unique opportunity to test two-way communication
between Amateur Radio and military stations. It features the traditional
military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW, MT63, and AMTOR FEC, plus
MIL-STD Serial PSK and ALE, both new this year.
This annual event gives Amateur Radio operators and shortwave listeners
(SWLs) an opportunity to demonstrate their technical skills, and to
receive recognition from the appropriate military radio station. QSL
cards will be provided to all stations that make contact with the
military stations.
Hams may use ALE Individual Call selective calling to connect with a
military station, for voice communication. Amateur stations with ALE
capability can contact a military station directly on specific
half-duplex crossband channels. Military stations will scan and receive
certain Amateur HFLINK ALE frequencies, and transmit on the
corresponding military ALE frequency. Military stations will also
transmit ALE station identification (soundings) on each military
frequency at 30 to 90 minute intervals.
Those interested in trying the MIL-STD Serial PSK mode can download the
free*/MS-DMT/* software.
A*complete list*
of
participating military stations, operating modes, and times of operation
is on the US Army MARS website and on its*Facebook*
page.
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 6 15:40:32 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Wed, 06 May 2015 15:40:32 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for May 6,
2015
In-Reply-To: <20150506095802.CDB4B2077493@bmail.arrl.org>
References: <20150506095802.CDB4B2077493@bmail.arrl.org>
Message-ID: <554A6E30.9030604@bellsouth.net>
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2015-05-06
The ARRL Contest Update
May 6, 2015
Editor: Ward Silver, N?AX
/Contest Update/ Archive
Contest Calendar
ARRL Home Page
Ad
IN THIS ISSUE
* Join the Luna-See - Worldwide EME Contest <#Contests>
* E-skip Season Starts - 50 MHz Sprint Sprint <#Contests>
* Hey, There's a New Guy! <#News>
* RTTY Survey - Get It While It's Hot <#Newsweek>
* Contest Doin's at Dayton <#Sights>
* Sweepstakes Phone - Who's on the Braggin' Wagon? <#Results>
* RF Power - Highly Non-Trivial <#Tech>
* Disturbed Propagation <#Techweek>
* A Triangle of Respect <#Conversation>
NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO
Do you ever wonder what happens just outside our ham bands? The annual
Armed Forces Communications Test gives you an opportunity to find out!
Listen outside the bands for military stations calling CQ, announcing a
listening frequency somewhere in our bands. You'll get a nice QSL in the
mail if you make contact! Get your radio set for "split
" operation and check that VFO A/B
indicator before making a transmission - maybe it's just me but
accidentally QRMing a station with the call letters WAR doesn't seem
like such a terrific idea...
BULLETINS
Disaster relief operations are ongoing in earthquake-stricken Nepal with
frequencies published on a daily basis through various websites. Please
avoid these frequencies and remember that you may be heard in Nepal even
though you cannot hear their low power transmitters. Charly 9N7UD/HS?ZCW
reports from Bangkok that "real and vital traffic is definitely on-going."
BUSTED QSOS
It's nice to finish this gig with reporting a golden issue last time!
CONTEST SUMMARY
Complete information <#Contests> for all contests follows the
Conversation <#Conversation> section
*May 9-10*
* CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests (May 6)
* Alessandro Volta RTTY DX Contest
* Armed Forces Comm'ns Test
* CQ-M International DX Contest
* Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
* Portuguese Navy Day
* Nevada Mustang Roundup
* FISTS Spring Sprint--CW
* 50 MHz Spring Sprint
*May 16-17*
* Worldwide EME Contest
* Portuguese Navy Day--Digital
* His Majesty King of Spain Contest--CW
* Feld-Hell Hamvention Sprint
* Worked All Britain - 7 MHz Phone
* Run For the Bacon--CW
NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST
The rumors are, in fact, true, the white smoke is rising above W1AW, and
the /Contest Update/ has a new editor! Please put your hands together
and welcome Brian Moran N9ADG who will take the reins with the very next
issue. I'll let him introduce himself but rest assured he's a smart,
active ham with great sense of humor - you'll enjoy his take on things!
From my perspective, it's been a great ride since that first tentative
issue in 2002 and I have greatly appreciated the respect shown by the
readers in allowing me to present my biweekly basket of shiny things
collected from around cyberspace and elsewhere. Your next assignment?
Keep supporting the /Update/ and go sign up your club members - they'll
thank you for it!
Jim K7WA operated portable for 7QP from Jefferson County. "I took the
7:55 am ferry to Kingston and drove west across the Hood Canal floating
bridge to Shine Beach, a small day-use state park. I had a great view
across the water to the east and south - and perfect weather. I watched
the clam diggers while operating from my car, and couldn't help but get
out for a couple of walks during the course of the day." Not a bad view
from the shack, eh? (Photo by K7WA)
The Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference will
be held on the weekend of October 2-4 at the Holiday
Inn-Bensalem-Philadelphia in Bensalem, PA The tentative schedule
includes hospitality suites, a big flea market, conference
presentations, and a banquet buffet with door prizes. (Thanks, Rick K1DS)
The W9DXCC DX Convention and Banquet will be held
September 11-12 in Schaumburg, Illinois. One new addition this year is a
Contest University program that will join the DX University on Friday.
One more - if you've a mind to visit the British Isles this fall, the
RSGB Convention is October 9-11, as well. (Thanks, Daily DX
)
If any readers are skilled in working with installation mechanics of
Windows software, the ARRL has a small project for a volunteer. Please
contact Steve Ford WB8IMY if you're interested.
It's only a few weeks until Dayton and the ever popular Saturday night
KCDXC CW Pile Up Competition. Chuck NO5W, author of the ever-popular
horse-race display software, suggests, "In case you're feeling a little
rusty and think a warm-up using past competitions would be helpful,
point your browser to (his) PileUpNet Practice page
." You'll need to download a player application
and some practice tapes. Got that pencil sharpened up?
ARRL RTTY Roundup writeup author, Jeff WK6I
, notes a need for both photos and plaque
sponsors. "If you have any words and/or pictures about your Roundup
effort, station, etc. please send them along ASAP. If you sent them in
January I won't mind if you send them again. We also have an absolute
dearth of sponsors for plaques, including many of the major top honors.
There are also plenty of opportunities for your regional clubs to
sponsor Division-level plaques in any or all of these categories.
Currently only the Pacific and Roanoke Divisions have any sponsored
plaques. A plaque sponsorship costs only $60. Contact ARRL Contest
Branch Manager, Matt W1MSW , if you can help!"
Speaking of plaques, Doug K1DG writes "A
number of plaques for the WPX SSB contest have become available for
sponsorship, effective with this year's recent contest. Plaques may be
sponsored by individuals, clubs, and may be dedicated as a Memorial. If
you (or your club) are interested in supporting the contest by
sponsoring one or more of these awards, please contact me directly."
Doug also reminds us that the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation
handles the tax-deductible donations for these plaques.
Does this look familiar? Things haven't changed very much in the 87
years since this cartoon was published! (Thanks, Dennis N6KI)
When Mike K8CN saw the headline on this story
,
he said "Uh-huh, now I understand why I have zero recollection of a
contest once it's done! The study poses a dilemma: should I log with
pencil and enjoy total recall of a contest, or keep using the keyboard
for better accuracy and remember nary a thing that transpired?"
If you enjoy state QSO parties, you might want to join the QSO Party
Connection on Yahoo!
Groups. One more resource for the contesting amateur. (Thanks, Dave WN4AFP)
Do you ever wonder why if you give some people an inch (cm), they'll
take a mile (km)? Could be that there is enough wiggle room in the rules
to encourage wiggling as described in this discussion of ethical
transgressions
.
(Thanks, Tom K1KI)
Here's a book which encapsulates what characteristics can make a hobby
so interesting and all-consuming. Know any hobbies like that? "Do Not
Sell At Any Price: The Wild, Obsessive Hunt for the World's Rarest 78
RPM Records " by Amanda Petrusich is
highly recommended by someone you'll get to know over the next few
months, Brian N9ADG.
Do you know someone who is not a Public Relations professional but who
has done good work in publicizing Amateur Radio to the public? If so,
why not nominate them for the Phil McGan Award
? The deadline for nominations is
May 22.
*Website of the Week* - Ed W?YK, Don AA5AU, and Larry K8UT invite
everyone to take a quick survey on RTTY contesting
. There are 23
multiple-choice questions which are easy to answer in less than five
minutes. The questions expand on the surveys done in 2007 and 2010, so
we can see how our preferences have evolved. The survey will close at
2359 UTC on Saturday, May 9^th so you have a couple of days yet. Results
will be presented at the Dayton RTTY Forum and on the RTTY Contesting
website .
WORD TO THE WISE
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that
counts can be counted." Albert Einstein
The bonus word is "Bio-SCP" meaning your personal memory of who is and
who isn't active. The ops at the top have worked hard to develop their
very own callbook over many years - you should, too! (Thanks, Zoli HA1AG)
Ad
SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
Tim Duffy, K3LR, has put together a short video
detailing Contest University 2015 and other contesting activities coming
next week at the 2015 Dayton Hamvention. See you there! (Thanks, Ken K4ZW)
It can be difficult for a ham, used to all things RF, to explain the
electromagnetic spectrum to non-hams or during a licensing class. NASA
prepared this 30-minute "Tour of the Electromagnetic Spectrum
" video accomplishing
exactly that! This would make a good club or meeting video, as well.
(Thanks, Steve WB8IMY)
It doesn't take a major antenna system to have some fun in the VHF
Spring Sprints. Tree N6TR put together this quad loop for the recent
sprint on 222 MHz. (Photo by N6TR)
Kirk K4RO stumbled on this crazy and amazing collection
of through-hole and
vintage electronic parts, much of it hand-harvested. "I've seen some
serious parts collections, but this one takes the cake!"
From the fabled archives comes a PDF slide show, "When Giants Walked
the Earth
," by
Doug KR2Q and presented some years ago at the Dayton Contest Forum. It's
a big file but it's way cool for radiosport historians and those of us
who just like to look at big antenna farms! (Thanks, Dan K7SS)
/QSO Today/ by Eric 4Z1UG always features interesting conversations
about ham radio with his guests, including the recent Episode 38
with Tim, K3LR. You may be
familiar with the station and the call sign, how about the man behind
the big scores? (Thanks, Randy K5ZD)
This is the ultimate in "dead bug construction
" - heck, I can't even see
the pins the wires are getting soldered to! (Thanks, Rich KZ9K)
Your daily dose of musical geography
awaits. I'm sure the
reference to "Spanish Sahara" was supposed to be obscure but we know
where it was, don't we? (Thanks, Ellen KD?PES)
RESULTS AND RECORDS
The full results for ARRL Sweepstakes Phone
have been published,
including the expanded line scores and all of the LCRs. Thanks to Steve
N2IC for another meaty writeup. Next to lift off the launch pad will be
the full results of the ARRL 160 Meter and ARRL 10 Meter contests.
Results for the 2014 CQ WW CW DX Contest
are now available from the
online database on the CQ WW website. Lots of "DQs" were made this year
and they're not talking about ice-cream cones. How many people
participated? 7,657 logs were submitted with 5,848,165 QSOs from 213
different countries with 39,696 unique calls. Not bad for a mode
invented before the Civil War! (Thanks, CQ WW Director, Randy K5ZD)
The 2014 Ohio QSO Party results are now available
on the OhQP website. Thanks to all who participated and submitted logs,
says, Jim K8MR.
The first week of the current NS Sprint Ladder
had a big turnout of over 40
stations, producing rates of 125/hr for top stations. Ready for some
weeknight fun? And the NS RTTY Sprint precedes the CW event, as well.
(Thanks, Bill N6ZFO)
OPERATING TIP
"Fail as many times as it takes, and be strategic about what you learn."
Bre Pettis, co-founder of Makerbot Industries
Ad
TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION
Measuring RF power/signal strength accurately is a non-trivial
undertaking. Mike N8MSA strongly recommends this Keysight (nee Agilent
nee Hewlett-Packard) tutorial
or this
older, more detailed treatment
.
Both cover the complexity caused by different modulation types,
bandwidths, onset rise-time and numerous other factors.
A sky full of CubeSats? There will be if Planet Labs
gets
enough funding to fulfill its dream of taking one full-Earth snapshot
every day! (Thanks, John WV8H)
Wouldn't this look great on /your/ kid's sports uniform? Why not pass
the hat at the next club meeting and sponsor a boy's or girl's sports
team - it's fun, interesting, and a good way to get ham radio back into
the conversation. (Photo by KL7RA)
Every time we turn around there is a new technique to do something in
your own lab which previously required special machines and techniques.
Here's an /EE Times /story
about alternative
ways to do your own PCB fabrication.
Repurposing champ, Charlie N?TT found a great method of cable control.
"I use plastic guttering from the local home center for use as a
wiring/cable tray. I homebrewed some brackets to attach it to the back
of my desk then cut access holes I wanted with a hole saw/drill."
Transparent aluminum
?
Unfortunately, it's not electrically conductive or the whole issue of
antenna restrictions would have been rendered moot! "What antenna?"
Brian N9ADG found a one-dollar add-on clip to fix that RJ-45 connector
with the broken-off tab that allows your
microphone to fall out of the rig and under the passenger seat where you
can't reach it and have to pull all the way over to the shoulder to get
it and then you can't merge back on to the highway and wind up late!
Wait, what was I talking about?
*Technical Websites of the Week* - Glenn W?GJ spotted this article about
disturbances in the upper atmosphere
resulting from the recent earthquake in Nepal. Does this imply a
mechanism for short-term propagation caused by quakes? On the Sun,
nano-flares
can stir things up and add heat to the corona - like it needs to be any
hotter - resulting in changes in our upper atmosphere, too. Elsewhere,
the /Daily Mail/ takes the pulse of Ol' Sol with an article
about two-year cycles inside the Sun driving big solar storms. Big
cycles, little cycles - as long as they make sunspots, who cares?
CONVERSATION
A Triangle of Respect
Having kicked around this radiosport contesting game for a long time, I
have witnessed a lot of technological twists and turns toppling
dearly-held assumptions and expectations. Techniques once thought
crucial (Anybody remember how important it was to be able to hold a
pencil and send code at the same time?) or extraordinary (sending and
writing with different hands, for example) are completely unknown today.
Hotly debated rules such as having to remove duplicate contacts from our
paper logs or risk a penalty have been reversed and we are encouraged to
log and report dupes! More change comes with every new contest season.
You think you have antenna separation issues? Try a full-bore mobile
multi-multi? There are four antennas on that vehicle, home to the K4OJ
M/M entry in the recent Florida QSO Party. (Photo by NX4N)
Yet underlying all of this turmoil must be something common, something
fundamental, which keeps contesting and the radiosport community vibrant
and moving more or less in the same direction. So many different people
and so many different techniques and so many different circumstances!
Yet, in the finest traditions of Amateur Radio, we self-organize to
conduct our competitions and celebrate our results year after year even
in the face of relentless innovation and invention. What is that bedrock
on which radiosport rests?
Back when I was an impressionable high school student, our award-winning
principal, Dr. Al Burr, managed to steer to success an institution
composed of hundreds and hundreds of students, faculty of all
backgrounds and interests, and an administrative staff charged with
keeping the whole thing on the rails.
Each year, during the first week of school, we got what was popularly
referred to as "The Triangle Talk" during an all-hands-on-deck,
school-wide assembly in which Dr. Burr covered what made West tick, and
tick it did. Instead of a manual of do-and-don'ts, we had a SINGLE sheet
of paper on which was written six principles of interaction for a
triangle of students, teachers, and administration: All parties were
expected to share and balance privileges, freedoms, and
responsibilities; know the difference between desires and rights; take
ownership of change; and above all, conduct our affairs in an atmosphere
of mutual respect and dignity.
What Dr. Burr knew well (and what we were discovering as students) was
that without respect, it didn't matter how many rules, regulations,
processes, procedures, and penalties were applied. As he wrote me
recently, the handbook approach results in an atmosphere of "Make rule,
watch, catch, report, penalize. This paradigm pits two groups (teachers
and administrators) against the other group (students). I believe that
under those conditions it is impossible to ever establish a oneness of
purpose."
Here's what the K4OJ-mobile looked like from the kibitzer's gallery in
the back-back seat. CQ FQP! (Photo by NX4N)
In short, without respect you had nothing. And so it is in our
radiosport community. Our triangle is a little different because we are
all students, teachers, and administrators. Sometimes all at once! Thus,
our triangle is one of respect:
/*Respect for others */- paraphrasing the Golden Rule, "Operate as you
would have others operate." Do not take unfair advantage on or off the
air. Understand that every right you claim comes with the responsibility
to use that right wisely and so that all benefit from your actions.
/*Respect for the game*/ - you hear that phrase all the time from
professional athletes, especially the ones being honored by their peers.
Ask yourself, "Does my conduct on the air make radiosport better? Do I
encourage others to participate in a positive way? Have I done my part
to support and advance radiosport for the community?"
/*Respect for ourselves*/ - it doesn't matter if you feel anonymous in
front of your radio. You know if you cheated, whether you were caught or
not. You know if you behaved well and reasonably. First and foremost,
you have to earn respect from the person looking back at you in the
bathroom mirror every morning. An entire encyclopedia of rules can't
change that or do it for you.
Oneness of purpose - I like that phrase, don't you? Sometimes I say it
as "knowing where the Good Arrow points" and I'm sure each reader has
his or her own way of similar thinking. Our continued enjoyment of
radiosport and Amateur Radio by their very nature depend on cooperation
and, deeper, on the respect we all have for each other as amateurs
sharing our special privilege and ability to experience the world in
ways mysterious and unknown to others. I work on my triangle every day
and I hope you do, too.
73, Ward N?AX
Ad
CONTESTS
*May 6 through May 19*
An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format
is available. Check the sponsor's
Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other
instructions.
*HF CONTESTS*
CWOps Weekly Mini-CWT Tests--CW, from May 6, 1300Z - See website.
Multiple time periods. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Weekly on Wednesday, 28 to
38 kHz above band edge. Exchange: Name, member number or S/P/C. Logs
due: 2 days._Rules _
Alessandro Volta RTTY DX Contest--Digital, from May 9, 1200Z to May 10,
1200Z. Bands (MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, serial, CQ zone. Logs due:
May 31._Rules _
Armed Forces Comm'ns Test--Phone,Digital, from May 9, 1200Z to May 10,
2400Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. See website for specific station schedules.
Exchange: RS(T). Logs due: no logs._Rules _
CQ-M International DX Contest--Phone,CW, from May 9, 1200Z to May 10,
1200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RS(T) and serial. Logs due: 30
days._Rules _
Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from May 9, 1200Z to May 10,
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if
member. Logs due: 5 days._Rules _
Portuguese Navy Day--Phone,CW, from May 9, 1500Z to May 10, 1500Z. Bands
(MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T), serial, CQ zone. Logs due: 20
days._Rules _
Nevada Mustang Roundup--Phone,CW,Digital, from May 9, 1700Z to May 10,
1700Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C or NV county.
Logs due: Jun 15._Rules _
FISTS Spring Sprint--CW, from May 9, 1700Z to May 9, 2100Z. Bands (MHz):
3.5-28. Exchange: RS(T), S/P/C, name, FISTS nr or power. Logs due: 30
days._Rules _
50 MHz Spring Sprint--Phone,CW,Digital, from May 9, 2300Z to May 10,
0300Z. Bands (MHz): 50. Exchange: Grid square (6-char preferred). Logs
due: 14 days._Rules _
Worldwide EME Contest--Phone,CW, from May 16, 0000Z to May 17, 2400Z.
Bands (MHz): 10G+. Exchange: TMO/RS(T) and "R". Logs due: Jun 15._Rules
_
Portuguese Navy Day--Digital, from May 16, 0800Z to May 16, 1500Z. Bands
(MHz): 3.5-28. Exchange: RST, serial, CQ zone. Logs due: 20 days._Rules
_
His Majesty King of Spain Contest--CW, from May 16, 1200Z to May 17,
1200Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Exchange: RST and serial or EA province.
Logs due: 15 days._Rules _
Feld-Hell Hamvention Sprint--Digital, from May 16, 1600Z - See website.
Multiple time periods. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28. Monthly on 3rd Saturday.
Exchange: RST, S/P/C, Feld-Hell member nr. Logs due: 7 days._Rules
_
Worked All Britain - 7 MHz Phone--Phone, from May 17, 1000Z to May 17,
1400Z. Bands (MHz): 7. Exchange: RS, serial, and WAB nr or DXCC entity.
Logs due: 21 days._Rules _
Run For the Bacon--CW, from May 18, 0200Z to May 18, 0400Z. Bands (MHz):
1.8-28. Monthly on 3rd Sunday night (local). Exchange: RST, S/P/C,
Flying Pig nr or power._Rules _
*VHF+ CONTESTS*
50 MHz Spring Sprint--Phone,CW,Digital, from May 9, 2300Z to May 10,
0300Z. Bands (MHz): 50. Exchange: Grid square (6-char preferred). Logs
due: 14 days._Rules _
Worldwide EME Contest--Phone,CW, from May 16, 0000Z to May 17, 2400Z.
Bands (MHz): 10G+. Exchange: TMO/RS(T) and "R". Logs due: Jun 15._Rules
_
Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon--CW, from May 9, 1200Z to May 10,
2359Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RST, QTH, name, member nr if
member. Logs due: 5 days._Rules _
Nevada Mustang Roundup--Phone,CW,Digital, from May 9, 1700Z to May 10,
1700Z. Bands (MHz): 1.8-28, 50. Exchange: RS(T) and S/P/C or NV county.
Logs due: Jun 15._Rules _
LOG DUE DATES
*May 6 through May 19*
* May 6, 2015 Low Power Spring Sprint
* May 7, 2015 ARS Spartan Sprint
* May 8, 2015 ARI International DX Contest
* May 9, 2015 CWops Mini-CWT Test
* May 10, 2015 NCCC RTTY Sprint
* May 10, 2015 NCCC Sprint Ladder
* May 10, 2015 SP DX RTTY Contest
* May 11, 2015 JIDX CW Contest
* May 11, 2015 10-10 Int. Spring Contest, Digital
* May 11, 2015 Helvetia Contest
* May 11, 2015 RSGB 80m Club Championship, SSB
* May 12, 2015 Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest
* May 13, 2015 432 MHz Spring Sprint
* May 15, 2015 Georgia QSO Party
* May 15, 2015 North Dakota QSO Party
* May 15, 2015 Nebraska QSO Party
* May 16, 2015 Microwave Spring Sprint
* May 16, 2015 TARA Skirmish Digital Prefix Contest
* May 17, 2015 7th Call Area QSO Party
* May 17, 2015 SKCC Weekend Sprintathon
* May 18, 2015 Michigan QSO Party
* May 18, 2015 10-10 Int. Spring Contest, CW
* May 19, 2015 CQ Manchester Mineira DX Contest
* May 19, 2015 EA-QRP CW Contest
* May 19, 2015 Ontario QSO Party
ARRL Information
Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space
subject to availability.
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*Join or Renew Today!* **
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. Published bimonthly, features articles by top
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. Published bimonthly, features technical
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's
Contest Calendar and SM3CER's
Contest Calendar .
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From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 7 08:20:12 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Thu, 07 May 2015 08:20:12 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] SFDXA May 6th 2015 Meeting
Message-ID: <554B587C.7090006@bellsouth.net>
The SFDXA Meeting was held last night to a large crowd. 35+ Members and
Guests in attendance.
Don N4TZH opened the meeting at 7:33 PM. He awarded the Davie Cooper
Radio Club and the Broward Amateur Radio club 2 new ARRL Repeater
directories. (Don W3AZD was given one, but he only uses one Repeater so
he gave it back - I think he is crystal controlled). Those clubs will
operate Field Day this year with the GOTA Station using the SFDXA Club
Call Sign under the watchful eyes of N8PR Trustee. They will be using
W4AB for the ARRL FD Contest.
Two New Members were elected into the Club as Full Members W4RQ and
N4MEO.( I hope I have those calls correct).
Julio Ripoll, WD4R from the Amateur Section of the National Hurricane
Center WX4NHC. Julio updated us on all the Hams do at the Hurricane
Center and how essential it is to the well being of this Country. He
showed slides and shared interesting stories as they celebrate 35 years
of successful communications. Accompanying him was John K4AG. The Miami
Hurricane Center is always looking for volunteers contact Julio WD4R.
John K4AG, WX4NHC QRZ page or http://w4ehw.fiu.edu/.
Jeff Beals WA4AW Our Section Manager Awarded KAI KE4PT with a Plaque
from the ARRL.
Kai KE4PT brought along his GO Bag he had in New Zealand, that is shown
on the cover of the May 2015 QST. (complete with Ham Sandwich)
I explained the unlikely series of events that had WA8CTC as the SFDXA,
with WK8X as trustee(actually another club). All is straightened out and
we are the holder of that callsign and will decide shortly on it's future.
Pete N8PR, updated the club on the HF Tower work with very a Special
Thank You to those who participated in the tough task in the Florida sun.
Don N4TZH closed the meeting at 8:35 PM
Bill Marx W2CQ
From n8pr at bellsouth.net Fri May 8 11:57:13 2015
From: n8pr at bellsouth.net (Pete Rimmel N8PR)
Date: Fri, 8 May 2015 11:57:13 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] FINAL Sales at Tiger Direct - 80% off
what is left !
Message-ID: <5EA6312073A54D45B1F68A21B58C739F@PeteRGateway>
I got a blurb today from Tiger Direct, which is selling all its stores except the one on Flagler in Miami (locally)
Wander by and see if you need anything that is left...
They are saying 80% off for the LAST 2 DAYS!!! I guess that means they will be closed on Sunday and after...
Might find a deal you can?t resist.
73, PeteR N8PR
BTW I have no affiliation with TD or its stores.
From wil9926 at bellsouth.net Fri May 8 14:34:17 2015
From: wil9926 at bellsouth.net (Randy Shirley)
Date: Fri, 8 May 2015 14:34:17 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] [SFDXA] FINAL Sales at Tiger
Direct - 80% off what is left !
In-Reply-To: <5EA6312073A54D45B1F68A21B58C739F@PeteRGateway>
References: <5EA6312073A54D45B1F68A21B58C739F@PeteRGateway>
Message-ID: <803A95E9436B40E987E6E7B5096FFF31@HPPC>
The store on Federal in Fort Lauderdale is already closed! ;-(
Dropped by today to see f there were any deals after I saw the email..
Oh well...
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Rimmel N8PR
Sent: Friday, May 08, 2015 11:57 AM
To: aSFDXA ; QCWA
Subject: [SFDXA] FINAL Sales at Tiger Direct - 80% off what is left !
I got a blurb today from Tiger Direct, which is selling all its stores
except the one on Flagler in Miami (locally)
Wander by and see if you need anything that is left...
They are saying 80% off for the LAST 2 DAYS!!! I guess that means they will
be closed on Sunday and after...
Might find a deal you can?t resist.
73, PeteR N8PR
BTW I have no affiliation with TD or its stores.
______________________________________________________________
South Florida DX Assoc. "SINCE 1974"
SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
To UNSUBSCRIBE/EDIT: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon May 11 09:00:53 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Mon, 11 May 2015 09:00:53 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] [Elecraft] W6SFM Bug Roundup Event
begins NEXT WEEKEND!
Message-ID: <5550A805.5060302@bellsouth.net>
This is a general announcement to remind those interested that the W6SFM
Samuel F Morse Amateur Radio Club will be holding its Semi Annual Bug
Roundup event NEXT SATURDAY!, May
16th starting from 1400 UTC though Sunday 1400 UTC. This 24-hour event is
not a contest; rather it is a time dedicated to celebrating our CW and Bug
key heritage. Participants are encouraged to get on the air and simply make
enjoyable, conversational CW QSOs using a Bug style key as the sending
instrument.
For more information including Rules and where to optionally send your
logs, or other event related pictures and emails after the event, please
visit our Bug Roundup web page located at:
http://www.w6sfm.com/Bug_Roundup.html Be sure to mark this event on your
calendar, we hope to hear you on the air this coming Saturday! 73
W6SFM
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 14 14:55:44 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 14:55:44 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] US Navy-Marine Corps MARS Program to
End
References:
Message-ID: <003B40FC-1570-4612-BE10-8A03F5C0175B@bellsouth.net>
>
>
>
> US Navy-Marine Corps MARS Program to End
>
> TAGS: Air Force MARS, amateur radio operators, announcement, army mars, Emergency Management Agencies, federal emergency management, homeland security, MARS branches, Navy-Marine Corps MARS,transition plan
> 05/13/2015
> [UPDATED 2015-05-14 1219 UTC] The US Department of Defense (DoD) is phasing out the US Navy-Marine Corps Military Auxiliary Radio System(MARS) program. Its operational mission will transition to the other MARS service branches by the end of September. The head of the US Navy-Marine Corps MARS program in Williamsburg, Virginia, made the announcement. The Navy-Marine Corps MARS program also supports the US Coast Guard as well as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the US Department of Homeland Security, and local emergency management agencies. A US Department of Defense-sponsored program, MARS branches are separately managed by their respective military service branches. MARS volunteers are Amateur Radio operators who provide auxiliary or emergency communications to local, national, and international emergency and safety organizations, as an adjunct to normal communications.
>
> ?Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic (NCTAMS LANT) intends to work with US Army MARS and US Air Force MARS in transitioning the Navy-Marine Corps MARS (NAVMARCORMARS) program by 30 Sep 2015,? the announcement said. ?The intent of the transition is to best align the program to support national mission requirements.? Chris Jensen of NCTAMS LANT told ARRL that the Navy no longer has any service specific requirements for Navy-Marine Corps MARS and is working within DoD to transition the program into Army and Air Force MARS. ?We will continue to publish updates as this transition progresses,? he said.
>
> The announcement encouraged current Navy-Marine Corps MARS members and clubs to submit applications to the US Army MARS or US Air Force MARS programs as soon as possible.
>
> ?The US Navy greatly appreciates the thousands of MARS volunteers, past and present, who have been integral to the success of MARS,? the announcement concluded.
>
> One individual who is very familiar with the MARS program said the change was not unexpected and came to a head as the US Strategic Command embraced Army MARS as the lead branch for contingency communication and Air Force MARS began partnering with the US Army program on the operations side.
>
> ?The Army and Air Force MARS branches have an obvious role in providing contingency communications for the 50 states,? said the individual, who preferred not to be cited by name. ?Members are everywhere ?on the ground,? and experience in Afghanistan and Iraq has proven the tactical usefulness of HF on land. There was no similar role for the landlocked membership of Navy-Marine Corps MARS.?
>
> He said the MARS program can use all the volunteers it can attract and hopes the Navy-Marine Corp MARS volunteers will join one of the other MARS branches.
>
> Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, echoed those sentiments. "Navy leadership will continue to stay engaged with the MARS services to support the DoD quarterly exercises and other training missions and requirements as they are identified," English said. "Both Army and Air Force leadership is committed to making the transition process from the Navy MARS program as smooth as possible. Navy volunteers in good standing will transition as full members; they will not have to start over."
>
> "We understand this will be an emotional time for Navy members to decide if they want to continue supporting the MARS program," English added. "We value the service they contributed to the Navy and invite them to continue to serve in either the Army of Air Force MARS programs."
>
>
> http://www.arrl.org/news/us-navy-marine-corps-mars-program-to-end
From wa4aw at juno.com Sat May 23 13:01:02 2015
From: wa4aw at juno.com (wa4aw)
Date: Sat, 23 May 2015 17:01:02 GMT
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] QCWA Chapter 111 LUNCHEON MEETING May
26th
Message-ID: <20150523.130102.2509.0@webmail04.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 May 26th. Hope you can join us for fellowship, rag chews & information. This month we will having our "Show & Tell" session. Bring an interesting artifact or item to display and talk about with the group. Our QCWA General Manager Tom, AJ4XM, will be with us to discuss QCWA activities at the recent Dayton Hamvention. 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 73, 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
____________________________________________________________
Old School Yearbook Pics
View Class Yearbooks Online Free. Search by School & Year. Look Now!
http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/5560b2c07e2fb32c041edst01vuc
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon May 25 09:47:14 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Mon, 25 May 2015 09:47:14 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] FCC Eliminates Amateur Radio Vanity
Call Sign Regulatory Fee
Message-ID: <3E85375F-E73D-43E1-81DF-B80B9EEBE0B8@bellsouth.net>
FCC Eliminates Amateur Radio Vanity Call Sign Regulatory Fee
05/22/2015
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.
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 27 08:10:10 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Wed, 27 May 2015 08:10:10 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Attention: Recent Scsm
Message-ID:
If something looks too good to be true it probably is. I've recently seen several of these high end radios on various list for strangely low prices. A couple of different callsigns are used. Bill W2CQ
ATTENTION: Scammer using KC6WIR callsign.
Just want to inform about scammer that is using callsign KC6WIR operating under name Mr. Ray, e-mailkc6wir at yahoo.com . He is trying to sell Icom Pro III or other amateur radios on different websites (http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com...7573126.html); and forums (http://forums.flexradio.com/Topic6542-40-1.aspx). Asking to wire money via Western Union and promising to send the equipment using fake website www.betaexpress.uk that is allegedly operating all over the world. I have tried to buy this Icom Pro III for $ 1300 and fell for the scam. If interested - can give more details in private e-mail.
73's!
Borys, UY5TG
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed May 27 08:28:13 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Wed, 27 May 2015 08:28:13 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Attention: Recent Scsm
In-Reply-To:
References:
Message-ID: <167B3831-1D9E-4064-8AC8-77CB78B62BFF@bellsouth.net>
On two different lists I've seen a For Sale Post of a Kenwood 990, a Yaesu 9000 and Icom 7800 for half of what the going rate is. So be careful. All three radios were in the same post.
Bill W2CQ
Sent from my iPhone
> On May 27, 2015, at 8:10 AM, Bill wrote:
>
> If something looks too good to be true it probably is. I've recently seen several of these high end radios on various list for strangely low prices. A couple of different callsigns are used. Bill W2CQ
> ATTENTION: Scammer using KC6WIR callsign.
>
> Just want to inform about scammer that is using callsign KC6WIR operating under name Mr. Ray, e-mailkc6wir at yahoo.com . He is trying to sell Icom Pro III or other amateur radios on different websites (http://elecraft.365791.n2.nabble.com...7573126.html); and forums (http://forums.flexradio.com/Topic6542-40-1.aspx). Asking to wire money via Western Union and promising to send the equipment using fake website www.betaexpress.uk that is allegedly operating all over the world. I have tried to buy this Icom Pro III for $ 1300 and fell for the scam. If interested - can give more details in private e-mail.
>
> 73's!
> Borys, UY5TG
>
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu May 28 23:20:52 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Thu, 28 May 2015 23:20:52 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] WX4NHC CBS4 Hurricane Special - 7pm
Saturday May 30th 2015
References: <36EB2506D21544E4A39E3FF44D427FD1@JRArchitect>
Message-ID: <76E506EC-513C-4EFB-A6A2-430617915C30@bellsouth.net>
> CBS Miami channel 4 (Comcast 433) will have a Hurricane Special program on Saturday May 30 at 7pm.
> CBS Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer interviewed me at the National Hurricane Center about our Amateur Radio Station WX4NHC and how we provide emergency communications from NHC during hurricanes when other conventional modes of communications go out.
> This is my 35th year of volunteering at NHC and I am very proud of the work our team of volunteer Ham Radio Operators have done to help save lives.
> 73 (Best Regards) , Julio WD4R/WX4NHC
> -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
> Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
> WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
> www.wx4nhc.org
> Celebrating 35 years at the
> National Hurricane Center
> www.nhc.noaa.gov
> -.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri May 29 10:52:10 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Fri, 29 May 2015 10:52:10 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for May 28, 2015
In-Reply-To: <20150528210626.2A54D2014E6C@bmail.arrl.org>
References: <20150528210626.2A54D2014E6C@bmail.arrl.org>
Message-ID: <55687D1A.9030309@bellsouth.net>
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2015-05-28
The ARRL Letter
May 28, 2015
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME
ARRL Home Page
/ARRL Letter/ Archive
Audio News
Ad
* FCC Eliminating Vanity Call Sign Fee <#toc01>
* Amateur Radio Volunteers Muster for "Unprecedented" Weather Event
<#toc02>
* Nepal Now Has a Second Repeater in Operation <#toc03>
* China Set to Launch Several Amateur Radio Satellites This Summer
<#toc04>
* ARRL Recognizing "Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award" Winners
with Certificate <#toc05>
* Got Grids? June VHF Contest is Just Ahead <#toc06>
* /QST/ Centennial Photo Contest Entry Window Open Until August 1 <#toc07>
* Fourteen US Schools/Groups on List to Host Ham Contacts with Space
Station <#toc08>
* USNA APRS/PSK31 CubeSats Up and Running <#toc09>
* Nick Lance, KC5KBO, SK -- Prepared Astronauts to Become Radio
Amateurs <#toc10>
* In Brief... <#toc11>
* Getting It Right! <#toc12>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc13>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc14>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc15>
FCC Eliminating Vanity Call Sign Fee
The FCC is dropping 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 elimination.
Amateur Radio Volunteers Muster for "Unprecedented" Weather Event
When extremely heavy rainfall hit Texas and Oklahoma over the Memorial
Day holiday weekend, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and SKYWARN
volunteers scrambled to assist local emergency operations centers and
National Weather Service (NWS) offices. Severe weather has continued
into this week.
"This has probably been the most significant weather event to hit
Texas," ARRL South Texas Section Manager Lee Cooper, W5LHC, said. "We
have had major tropical storms and hurricane events, but the widespread
combination of heavy rains, tornadoes, and flooding all at same time and
covering two-thirds of the state is pretty much unprecedented for us."
*A May 27 /GOES/ satellite image showing the concentration of water
vapor over the flood-affected region. [NOAA image]*
Oklahoma Section Emergency Coordinator Mark Conklin, N7XYO, said
communication systems in his state have, for the most part, remained
unaffected by the flooding. "[There have been] no deployments or
activations by any ARES-OK groups," Conklin told ARRL. "All of the
American Red Cross shelters are able to communicate via cell phone or
normal land lines."
Conklin said that ARES members in Leflore, Cherokee, Okmulgee, Tulsa,
and several other Oklahoma counties have been busy on SKYWARN nets.
"Members that also support local emergency management agencies have been
busy passing information about storm damage and area flooding," he added.
The fierce, torrential rainstorms were in stark contrast to the severe
drought the region had experienced in recent years. The floods they
generated over the weekend struck with what Texas Gov Greg Abbott called
"tsunami-type power." The extreme flooding stranded hundreds and has
resulted in several deaths. Abbott has declared a state of emergency in
Texas and designated some three dozen counties as disaster areas.
The NWS-Houston Office posted a rare "flash flood emergency" warning, as
the rainfall inundated highways, washing away or stranding countless
vehicles. On May 24, the NWS confirmed than an EF1 tornado had touched
down briefly in southwest Houston. At the peak of the rainfall on May
25, Houston was reported to have received nearly 1 foot of rain in less
than 24 hours, comparable to the rainfall that might accompany a
tropical storm or hurricane.
Earlier in the holiday weekend, nearly the entire state of Texas was
under a flash flood watch on May 23. In Wimberly, Texas, a woman called
her sister to report that her family's house was "floating down the
river." The home's occupants are listed as missing. According to media
accounts, water levels in Wimberly rose nearly 40 feet in a matter of
hours. Read more
.
Nepal Now Has a Second Repeater in Operation
A VHF repeater that had been held up in customs in Nepal during the
response to the April 25 magnitude 7.8 earthquake has been installed at
Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu. The new system will be put to use
during the current earthquake recovery effort and will be available for
any future emergencies. Initially disrupted by a magnitude 7.3
aftershock earlier this month, the installation was completed on May 20.
It is Nepal's first VHF repeater (145.81 in/145.21 out with 100 Hz
tone). The country's only other repeater is a dual-band (VHF/UHF)
machine. Ojha said the repeater, installed by Sanjeeb Panday, 9N1SP, and
his students at Tribhuvan University, has been tested successfully from
multiple locations in Nepal's capital city.
Sanjeeb Panday, 9N1SP, helps to install Nepal's new repeater at
Tribhuvan University.
"Even though they had to struggle through a challenging customs process,
even though they were interrupted in their efforts by the second massive
quake, they persevered and got the repeater functional during a time of
a great humanitarian crisis," Suresh Ojha, W6KTM, the Computer
Association of Nepal-USA (CAN-USA )/Radio Mala
Disaster Preparedness Committee chairman told ARRL. "The Nepali people
now have two repeaters to service Kathmandu, both of them donated by
CAN-USA."
The first repeater was installed a couple of years ago at the National
Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) headquarters in Kathmandu. That
repeater has been in regular use since the April 25 earthquake, Ojha
said, "so the addition of this new repeater will provide much needed
additional capacity as recovery efforts continue." Read more
.
Ad
China Set to Launch Several Amateur Radio Satellites This Summer
CAMSAT has announced that the CAS-3 amateur satellite system is nearing
completion, and six Chinese amateur satellites will be launched in mid-July.
"All six satellites are equipped with substantially the same Amateur
Radio payloads, a U/V mode linear transponder, a CW telemetry beacon,
and an AX.25 19.2k/9.6k baud GMSK telemetry downlink," the CAMSAT
announcement said. CAMSAT said that each Amateur Radio complement has
the same technical characteristics, but will operate on different 70
centimeter uplink and 2 meter downlink frequencies.
CAMSAT said it has worked closely with DFH Satellite Co Ltd, a Chinese
government aerospace contractor, to complete the project. "All the
satellites are currently conducting final testing and inspection,"
CAMSAT added. Four of the satellites are described as "microsatellites,"
while three are listed as CubeSats.
CAMSAT said a Long March-6 rocket will carry the satellites into orbit.
The launch will take place at Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. CAS-3A
will have sun-synchronous orbits of about 450 km, while the other
satellites have sun-synchronous orbits of about 530 km.
A depiction of the CAS-3A satellite. [Courtesy of CAMSAT]
"The launch will carry total of 20 satellites," CAMSAT said. "Three
other satellites named as CAS-3G, CAS-3H, and CAS-3I, involved in
Amateur Radio from other agencies of China, will share the same launch."
CAMSAT said it was assisting the Chinese government with frequency
allocation and coordination and would announce additional details.
Meanwhile, AMSAT News Service has reported via Mineo Wakita
, JE9PEL, that
Beijing will be launching other satellites carrying Amateur Radio
payloads in July. According to AMSAT-UK, the CAS-2A1 and CAS-2A2
satellites will be combined into a binary star system for Amateur Radio
communication and education. "There will be a radio link between the two
satellites when the satellites are in suitable positions in their
orbits, so that Amateur Radio communication coverage can be extended,"
AMSAT-UK reported on its website. Read more
.
/-- Thanks to CAMSAT, AMSAT News Service, Mineo Wakita, JE9PEL, and
AMSAT-UK/
ARRL Recognizing "Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award" Winners with
Certificate
The League now awards its "Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award"
certificate to recognize active Scouting leaders who make significant
contributions to providing Scouts with a memorable and valuable Amateur
Radio experience. Several of the awards already have been presented.
Last year, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) included the ARRL award
within its family of 19 Community Organization Award partners. Uniformed
Scouters who have been recognized for their service to Scouting youth in
the community may wear the BSA square knot insignia.
The Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award was officially established
through a resolution that the ARRL Board adopted at its 2013 Annual
Meeting. It builds on the long relationship between the BSA and ARRL
that began with the development of the Wireless Merit Badge in 1918 --
now the Radio Merit Badge. This relationship was formally recognized
through a 2011 /Memorandum of Understanding/
(view a video of the signing). The
League's award recognizes radio amateurs who, as registered Scouting
leaders, make a significant contribution to give Scouts a memorable
experience with Amateur Radio.
Nominations
for the
Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award are made through the appropriate
ARRL Section Manager, and should be sent to Steve Ewald, WV1X
, at ARRL headquarters. Read more
.
Got Grids? June VHF Contest is Just Ahead
Summer is nearly here, and that means it's time for the ARRL June VHF
contest, June 13-15! Participants in the US and Canada (and their
possessions) work stations in as many different 2 ? 1? Maidenhead grid
squares as possible, using the bands
above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and Canada may only work stations
in the US and Canada (and their possessions). Stations in KH0-9, KL7,
KP1-KP5, CY9, and CY0 count as W/VE stations and may be worked by DX
stations for contest credit.
The June VHF Contest occurs at the start of the summer sporadic E
season, and intense openings on 6 meters and even 2 meters are possible.
It's a whole new world of propagation possibilities that also include
tropospheric ducting, aurora, and even meteor scatter and moonbounce.
With many HF transceivers on the market equipped for 6 meters and
sometimes for other VHF/UHF bands, getting on the air for this event is
easier than ever.
*For the 2014 ARRL June VHF Contest, Bruce Kripton, KG6IYN, set up this
Single Operator, three-band station on Los Pinos Mountain in grid DM12.
He won 1^st place in the ARRL Southwest Division in his category. [Bruce
Kripton, KG6IYN photo]*
Several entry categories are available, including portable -- for those
who enjoy operating low power from a portable power source and using
portable antennas, and rover -- for mobile operators who enjoy traveling
from one grid square to another to hand out contacts. There's even an
FM-only category (50, 144, 222, and 446 MHz at power of 100 W or less).
In January 2015, the ARRL Board approved some rule modifications for
General Rules For ARRL Contests Above 50 MHz
, and
these changes become effective with the 2015 June VHF contest.
Assistance is now allowed for /all/ entry categories. This includes the
use of assistance to announce your availability for contacts (ie,
self-spotting.) The new rules allowing assistance eliminate the need for
the Single Operator Unlimited categories, and these have been removed. A
FAQ on the June VHF web page may help
answer your questions about the recent rule changes.
The ARRL June VHF Contest begins at 1800
UTC on Saturday, June 13, and continues through 0259 UTC on Monday, June
15. Read more
.
Ad
/QST/ Centennial Photo Contest Entry Window Open Until August 1
The window to submit photos for the /QST/ Centennial Photo Contest
closes on August 1. The competition is part of the 100th anniversary of
/QST/, the ARRL's membership journal. The first issue of /QST/ was
published in December 1915.
Until August 1, 2015, ARRL members can submit photos for consideration
as possible 2015 /QST/ covers. In addition to having their photos grace
/QST/ covers, each winner will receive $250.
*Contest Rules*
*
Images must be submitted by e-mail to upfront at arrl.org
. Only
one image can be submitted per e-mail message. You can submit
multiple images during the contest period, but you can win only once.
*
Images must be in JPG or TIF format at high resolution (but not to
exceed 5 MB).
*
ZIP files and links to file-download sites will be rejected by the
Headquarters e-mail system.
*
Each e-mail should describe the scenes shown, including names and
call signs of any individuals shown.
*
Images must not include any text overlays, such as date or time stamps.
*
Each submission e-mail must include the name and call sign of the
photographer. Photographers must be ARRL members.
*
If a photo includes anyone under the age of 18, you must submit
proof (in writing, such as an e-mail) that the minor's parents have
granted permission for the image to be published.
*
Photographers retain all copyrights. However, by submitting the
image to the ARRL, the photographer grants the ARRL non-exclusive
rights to the use of the image for any lawful purpose in any media
now existing or yet to be invented. This applies to both winning and
non-winning images.
The /QST/ Editorial Staff will select the winning images.
Fourteen US Schools/Groups on List to Host Ham Contacts with Space Station
Fourteen of the schools and organizations that submitted proposals to
host Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
) contacts are moving into the final stage of the
selection process. Schools or organizations ultimately selected would
host scheduled Amateur Radio contacts with an ISS crew member during the
first half of 2016.
"This is a significant step in ARISS's continuing effort to engage young
people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities
and raise their awareness of space exploration, space communications,
and related areas of study and career possibilities," said ARRL
Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ.
AMSAT and ARRL -- the ARISS US managing partners -- announced the
semifinalists on May 28. They now must complete acceptable equipment
plans that demonstrate their ability to execute the ham radio contacts.
Once the ARISS technical team approves an equipment plan, ARISS and NASA
will work with the school or organization to schedule a contact, based
on the host's availability and flexibility to take advantage of the
available opportunities.
The schools and organizations are:
*
All Saints STEAM Academy, Middletown, Rhode Island
*
Atlanta Science Festival, Atlanta, Georgia
*
Booker T. Washington Senior High, Miami, Florida
*
Christ the King School, Rutland, Vermont
*
Cradle of Aviation Museum and Education Center, Garden City, New York
*
Frederick W. Hartnett Middle School, Blackstone, Massachusetts
*
National Soaring Museum, Elmira, New York
*
National Urban Alliance for Effective Education, Syosset, New York
*
North Dakota Space Grant Consortium, Grand Forks, North Dakota
*
Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
*
STEM Trajectory Initiative with Albuquerque Public Schools,
Albuquerque New Mexico
*
Stephen F. Austin Elementary School, Jones Creek, Texas
*
University of Alabama in Huntsville Space Hardware Club, Huntsville,
Alabama
*
Walter Jackson Elementary, Decatur, Alabama
No school or organization in North Dakota, Rhode Island, or Vermont has
ever hosted an ARISS contact. Read more
.
USNA APRS/PSK31 CubeSats Up and Running
The APRS/PSK31-equipped US Naval Academy satellites appear to be
operating, with one exception, following their May 20 launch. Included
in the launch was a pair of 1.5U CubeSats -- the PSAT APRS/PSK31
satellite and BRICsat, a propulsion/PSK31 satellite -- as well as a 3U
CubeSat, USS Langley (Unix Space Server Langley), and The Planetary
Society 's LightSail-1.
PSAT, a USNA student project named in honor of USNA alum Bradford
Parkinson, of GPS fame, contains 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.
Brno University transponders on PSAT and
BRICsat support multi-user PSK31 text messaging (28.120 MHz
uplink/435.350 MHz FM downlink). The BRICsat and PSAT PSK31 transponders
operate on the same frequency, although one has PSK telemetry on 315 Hz,
the other on 375 Hz.
Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, said the PSAT telemetry on 145.825 MHz (1200 baud
AX.25) is working okay, and the APRS downlink page
has been capturing PSAT telemetry.
Bruninga said BRICsat's telemetry has been heard, but has been cycling
off, due to low power. He said the BRICsat PSK31 downlink has been
copied too, but only barely. "BRICsat seems to have some kind of
problem," he told ARRL. The USS Langley spacecraft has not been heard
yet, he said.
The LightSail-1 packet 9600 baud (FSK) AX.25 downlink is on 437.435 MHz.
The Planetary Society's Jason Davis
is asking radio
amateurs to e-mail him any data they
collect from LightSail, including any screenshots.
Bruninga has invited APRS radio amateurs to tune into the packet
downlinks and to upload IGate packets into the global APRS-IS system and
also to try out the "exciting, new full-duplex PSK31 way of multi-user
communication." He notes that the UHF downlink signal is only 300 mW,
and a beam antenna would be required to hear the signal. Bruninga
advised that those transmitting to the satellites use nothing more than
a dipole or quarter-wave vertical, and no more than 25 W output power.
Read more
.
Ad
Nick Lance, KC5KBO, SK -- Prepared Astronauts to Become Radio Amateurs
Nick Lance Jr, KC5KBO, of Houston, Texas, died May 24. He was 65. A
retired NASA engineer and an ARRL member, Lance was a veteran member of
the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
) team, and one of his roles was to prepare the
astronauts to pass their Amateur Radio license exams. Lance was named
ARRL Professional Educator of the Year in 2003. ARISS International
Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, called Lance "a smart, caring,
considerate, and helpful person" who loved Amateur Radio. Bauer said he
would miss Lance's quick wit and sense of humor.
Nick Lance, KC5KBO.
"As the primary Amateur Radio license trainer for the ISS astronauts,
Nick played an integral role in encouraging and training countless
astronauts -- US, Canada, Japan, and Europe -- to pursue their Amateur
Radio licenses and become active on ARISS," said Bauer. "He inspired and
trained dozens of NASA aerospace education specialists -- who talk to
schoolteachers nationwide -- to get their ham tickets. He also taught a
'Hamster' course to middle schoolers, inspiring them to pursue careers
in technology through Amateur Radio and ARISS activities."
Lance grew up in New Jersey and held mechanical engineering degrees from
the Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Houston. He
began his career as a co-op student at NASA's Johnson Space Center in
1968. He went on to become part of the Apollo Program, which landed the
first humans on the moon, and was involved in all of the manned
spaceflight programs since Apollo. He retired in August 2009.
Although he became interested in Amateur Radio as a youngster, it wasn't
until his 8-year-old daughter Erica said she'd like to study for a ham
radio license that he got his ticket. Father and daughter passed their
license exams together in 1994, becoming KC5KBO and KC5KBP,
respectively. A couple of years later, his son Nick, now KC5SWM, earned
his license at age 7; his wife Renee, now KC5VMA, followed that same year.
Lance was a member of the JSC Amateur Radio Club and past president of
the Clear Lake Amateur Radio Club (CLARC). He also taught licensing
classes to the public and to intermediate school students, licensing
about 30 or 40 students per year. Read more
.
In Brief...
*ARRL Insurance Plan Administrator Changes:* The ARRL-sponsored
equipment and club liability insurance plans have a new administrator as
of May 26. All program administration, including policy application,
issuance and claims administration, is now being handled by Risk
Strategies , a privately held, national
insurance brokerage. The ARRL programs will be administered from the
Risk Strategies office in Chicago, Illinois. This move was based on the
results of numerous comments from ARRL members relative to the former
administrator, Hays Affinity Group. Plan participants 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. All current participants in the programs will
receive an e-mail describing the changes and what, if anything, they
need to do to access their online information. The web address for the
programs will be the same, www.arrlinsurance.com
, but the site will take on a new look
with improved functionality. The toll-free numbers to contact the new
administrator also remain unchanged. 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.
*Hurricane Watch Net Sets On-Air Anniversary Celebration: *The Hurricane
Watch Net (HWN ) will hold a 2-day, on-air special
event on June 13-14 to celebrate its 50th anniversary. HWN members will
be using the call sign WX5HWN, operating on 14.325 MHz but with stations
active on or near 7.268 MHz as well. "Our net control stations located
around the continental US, eastern Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, and
Honduras will all use WX5HWN as we pass the virtual baton from member to
member," explained HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV. This will mark
HWN's first on-air activity using WX5HWN. Electronic certificates are
available by request (by June 30) for valid
contacts. Visit the HWN website for more
information. /-- Thanks to HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV/
//
*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.
*Hams Invited to Test APRS on Duchifat-1 CubeSat*: The Herzliya Science
Center is inviting
stations with the ability to send compressed APRS packets to take part
in testing the Duchifat-1
**CubeSat, launched
almost 1 year ago by high school students in Israel. The satellite will
collect packets worldwide and downlink them from time to time over the
Herzliya Science Center's ground station. Participants must register
in advance to have
their packets identified on the map. Received packets will be displayed
on a map on the Science Center's website, and QSL cards will be sent via
the bureau. The uplink is 435.220 MHz, the downlink is 145.980 MHz. The
satellite's call sign is 4X4HSL.
Getting It Right!
*FlexRadio's Gerald Youngblood, K5SDR, with the Maestro*.
Our apologies to FlexRadio for including the incorrect manufacturer in
the caption of a photo of FlexRadio's new Maestro console, which
appeared in the May 21 edition of /The ARRL Letter/.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: This week the average daily sunspot
number dropped 36 points to 56.1, and average daily solar flux was down
25.7 points to 97.6. Geomagnetic numbers indicated more stability than
during the previous week (May 14-20), with the average daily planetary A
index declining from 10 to 4.4, and the mid-latitude A index down from
9.7 to 5.
The latest forecast from NOAA/USAF has solar flux at 95 for May 28-29;
100, 120, and 130 for May 30-June 1; 140 for June 2-3; 125 for June 4-5;
120 on June 6; 115 for June 7-10; 110 and 105 for June 11-12; 100 for
June 13-14; 95 on June 15; 90 for June 16-17; 95 for June 18-20; 100 for
June 21-23, and 95, 90, 105, and 110 for June 24-27. Flux values then
peak at only 125 for July 1-2.
The planetary A index is predicted at 8, 12, and 8 for May 28-30, then 5
for May 31-June 6; 10, 25, and 20 for June 7-9; 12, 8, and 5 for June
10-12; then 8, 15, and 12 for June 13-15, and 5 for June 16-23.
In Friday's bulletin look for reports from readers and an updated forecast.
Send me your reports and observations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
May 30-31 -- CQ World Wide WPX Contest (CW)
*
May 31 -- QRP ARCI Hoot Owl Sprint (CW)
*
June 1 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (Digital)
*
June 2 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
*
June 3-4 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test
*
June 4 -- NRAU 10 Meter Activity Contest (CW, SSB, Digital)
*
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 13-15 -- **ARRL June VHF Contest*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 May 29 12:02:35 2015
From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill)
Date: Fri, 29 May 2015 12:02:35 -0400
Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] FREE 1KW AM TRANSMITTER
In-Reply-To: <69515636.552856.1432904005032.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
References: <69515636.552856.1432904005032.JavaMail.yahoo@mail.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <55688D9B.1060708@bellsouth.net>
From the Collins List:
Forwarding this, 73 John John S. Wyatt, W2VTV
Deputy Bureau Chief Middlesex County RACES
DEC Middlesex County ARES
Cell 732-927-0411
PLEASE FORWARD TO ANY OTHER CLUBS YOU MAY KNOW AND HAVE THEM SEND THIS MESSAGE OUT TO THEIR MEMBERS ASAP
TNX AND 73 ---AA2ZJ, GERRY MILLER, aa2zj at juno.com
732-283-2795
Know anybody who might like a 160 Mtr transmitter?
If so, e-mail me. I'll contact the engineer who has it.
I have a Rockwell/Collins 828C-1 One kilowatt AM transmitter (AKA: The
"Power
Pebble") on 1310 kHz free to a good home. This is the last 1 kw that they
built and is PDM (no modulation transformer). It is the little brother to
the
5 kilowatt "Power Rock" (hence its nickname). The transmitter was carefully
disconnected, was working when removed from service about 6 years ago
according to the former engineer (though he says the feedback ladder needed
some fixing) and has been kept in a dust free air conditioned environment.
All manuals, tubes and spare parts come with the unit.
Must be picked up in Camden, NJ!
Interested? Contact me off list. This has to be out by mid June, so time is
of the essence!