From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon Feb 1 20:57:20 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 1 Feb 2016 20:57:20 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] A Message from Jeff In-Reply-To: <20160201211902.927622014734@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160201211902.927622014734@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56B00D00.4040506@bellsouth.net> Greetings to all, We?re off to a busy start to 2016 in the SFL Section. In addition to club and ARES meetings, I attended the annual Festivus club picnic sponsored by the North Broward RC and the SE FL Traffic Net and the Southern Florida Section Convention at the Southwest Florida Hamfest sponsored by the Ft. Myers ARC A great time was had by all at these events. My thanks to all these clubs for their dedication and hard work. Later this month, the ARRL National Convention held at the Orlando Hamcation will take place on Feb.12-14. Many ARRL officials will be on hand to meet you including new ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR and CEO Dave Sumner, K1ZZ from HQ. The ARRL Expo will greet you as you enter the hamfest featuring representatives from many ARRL membership services. Looking forward to seeing many of you at Hamcation this year. National Parks on the Air is off to a great start in our section. As 5 NPS units are in SFL, we have been visited by groups from around the state. To get in on the fun, see the article below for more info on NPOTA. Mark your calendars for the upcoming Palm Beach County Free Flea on March 12th and the Stuart Hamfest on March 19th. More info here next month or visit http://www.palmbeachradiofest.com/ and http://www.stuarthamfest.com Kudos to Hendry County EC Frank Harris, WA4PAM and his staff for all their hard work in reactivating ARES activity in the county. Regular nets, ARES meetings and public service communications have been established under Frank?s leadership. Check out our social media presence on the web: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sflarrl Twitter: https://twitter.com/arrl_SFL Website: http://sflarrl.org/ Thanks to Bill, N4BKT and Barry, KB1PA for establishing and maintaining these site for our section. Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, SK A beloved member of the extended ARRL family has passed on. Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, of Dunedin, Florida, died on January 31. She would have turned 87 this week. An ARRL Life Member, Gauzens served as the Southeastern Division Vice Director for more than 20 years. The ARRL Board of Directors elected her as an Honorary Vice President in 2002. She may be best known in the wider Amateur Radio community for having co-founded the Miami Tropical Hamboree and chairing it for 45 years. Past ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, said that when she became a Vice Director in 1990, Gauzens was there for her as the ?go-to? person for newcomers to learn the ropes. ?When I was preparing the supporting materials for her nomination as ARRL Honorary Vice President, I learned about her role with Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center,? Craigie said. ?She was a leader, she had a sense of humor, and she was kind. She contributed to Amateur Radio and her community. I am so glad that I could visit with her again at Orlando, so her face remains fresh in my memory. She was physically frail of course, but her mind was as sharp as ever, and she left me laughing.? Craigie expressed her condolences to Gauzens? family. Gauzens received a W4EHW/National Hurricane Center Award of Appreciation in 2003 during the annual Amateur Radio Hurricane Conference. That same year, she was honored for her 50 years of ARRL membership. Gauzens was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), a life member of the Dade Radio Club of Miami, and a participant in the Florida Phone Traffic Net. She also belonged to the A-1 Operators Club. In 2001, the she was the recipient of the Citizens? Ham Mobile-Marine Patrol (CHAMP) Award, presented to an Amateur Radio operator for an exemplary act of service to the community during the preceding year, or to an amateur who has demonstrated years of distinguished service to both Amateur Radio and the community. She was an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. In 2002, Kenwood honored Gauzens with its ?Top Gun Award.? In 2012 Gauzens was inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, recognized as ?an active proponent of improved Amateur Radio public relations? and as the principal on-site organizer ? on behalf of the ARRL as the host IARU Member Society ? of the 1976 IARU Region 2 conference in Miami Beach. ?Love Amateur Radio and all those I have met in the fraternity,? Gauzens said in her QRZ.com profile. Gauzens? late husband Carl was W4DTJ, a call sign now held by her granddaughter, Stephanie. Her son Alan is WA4ATF. Arrangements are pending. Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, Will Succeed David Sumner, K1ZZ as ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, of West Palm Beach, Florida, will succeed David Sumner, K1ZZ, as the chief executive officer of ARRL, effective April 18. In that role, he will oversee all activities at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Meeting in a special webinar session on January 25, all 15 ARRL Directors voted to elect Gallagher as CEO and Secretary, positions that Sumner will relinquish on April 18. Gallagher will join the ARRL staff as CEO-Elect on February 29, and a transition period will follow. ?I am excited by the prospects of ARRL?s Second Century, but I am equally mindful of Dave Sumner?s enormous 4-decade contribution to our organization and of the extraordinary contributions he has made to advancing the art and science of Amateur Radio, to growing our ranks, and to expanding the sheer enjoyment of ham radio around the world,? Gallagher said. Gallagher said he is looking forward to attending the ARRL 2016 National Convention, hosted by the Orlando HamCation, February 12-14. Licensed in Pennsylvania in 1966 as WA3GRF (and later N4GRF in North Carolina), Gallagher is a member of the West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Group. He describes himself as ?an incurable HF DXer and inveterate tinkerer? and credits his first visit to the Franklin Institute?s Amateur Radio station W3TKQ in 1963 for inspiring his interest in ham radio. Amateur Radio led to an early career in broadcasting. He was a cameraman and technician with WGBH-TV in Boston, the CBS Television Network, and Metromedia?s WIP Radio in Philadelphia. He joins ARRL following 3 decades as an international investment banker and financial services executive. His career has included senior leadership positions with JP Morgan Chase & Co and CIBC Oppenheimer & Co in New York, and with Wachovia Capital Markets in Charlotte, North Carolina. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and as CEO of the Secondary School Admission Test Board in Princeton, New Jersey. Gallagher has served on boards, both public and non-profit, including two NYSE companies, the NPR affiliate in Charlotte, the Executive Board of The PENN Fund at the University of Pennsylvania, and The International Center of Photography. Gallagher graduated magna cum laude with a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and he holds an MBA from The Wharton School. He is a graduate of The Lawrenceville School, where he held the Nicholas Noyes scholarship. In addition to ham radio, Gallagher enjoys saltwater fishing and sailing which, he confesses, is sometimes just an excuse to operate maritime mobile. At his Florida home along the Intracoastal Waterway, Gallagher has maintained a fairly low Amateur Radio profile, with a wire antenna that, he says, works well into Europe and Latin America. He also has a 40 meter Windom. ?I would like to work Asia when I get a better HF antenna solution,? he said. Gallagher has both modern and vintage stations as well as a high-speed multimedia (HSMM) digital repeater. Gallagher and his wife Lindy Allyn divide their time between West Palm Beach, Florida, and Manhattan. They have three sons. He plans to return to Connecticut; he'd lived previously for 13 years in New Canaan. National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) Event Gets Off to a Strong Start! The year-long ARRL?s National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) event got off to a strong start, with considerable activity reported on the HF bands and even some on the SO-50 satellite over the first weekend of the new year. Throughout 2016, Amateur Radio will be helping the National Park Service (NPS) to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Hams will activate NPS units, promote the Park Service, and showcase Amateur Radio to the public. During the first three days of NPOTA, ?Activators? were on the air from 78 of the 483 NPOTA Units ? about 16 percent of the total. ?Pileups were pretty strong all weekend long,? said ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X. ?At least two units ? Weir Farm National Historic Site in Connecticut (NS76), and Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site in Arkansas (NS45) ? were activated via the SO50 FM satellite.? The program has two participation tracks ? Chasers and Activators. Chasers will simply attempt to make contact with operators in as many of the NPS units as possible. Activators will attempt to activate as many of the units as possible. NPOTA participants may serve in both roles. Chaser and Activator totals will be tracked via an online NPOTA Leader Board based on LoTW data. ?We?ve received an official welcome from the NPS superintendent of the North Country National Scenic Trail and the Executive Director of the North Country Trail Association,? Kutzko reported. The trail runs from New York to North Dakota. ?We appreciate your enthusiasm and engagement as we celebrate this 100th anniversary of the National Park Service,? wrote Mark Weaver, the Scenic Trail superintendent, and Bruce Matthews, executive director of the North Country Trail Association. ?While operating from the North Country National Scenic Trail, we encourage all radio amateurs to participate in the NCTAs ?Hike 100 Challenge,? to hike 100 miles on the trail this year; to get out, enjoy the fresh air, get some exercise, and take a moment to appreciate one of America?s great scenic and recreational resources.? Kutzko said 400 new NPOTA Facebook group members have signed on since New Year?s Eve. ?The Facebook group is the central location for all things NPOTA,? he said, ?with lots of people exchanging ideas, tips, spots, and success stories. We?re also using it as the place to keep everybody updated on administrative issues.? #ARRL_NPOTA, #NPS100 and #HamRadioInParks remain the common Twitter feeds. ?This NPOTA event looks to make the Centennial QSO Party look like a quiet night with poor band conditions,? Jeff Otterson, N1KDO, commented on the NPOTA Facebook page. Jeff DeKonty, AB3WM, reported that he operated over the opening weekend as N3P from both First State National Historical Park in Delaware (HP12) and Valley Forge National Historical Park in Pennsylvania (HP46). In an interview with Christian Cudnik, K0STH, on the ?100 Watts and a Wire? podcast, Dekonty said portable operations for NPOTA were within reach of most hams. ?I think about DXpeditions, and heading down to small islands north of Antarctica. That all sounds very interesting, but it?s not terribly achievable [for me],? he said. ?NPOTA was something I could do just in a few hours on a weekend, and it really didn?t take that much of an investment. And it was also a great learning opportunity. It was my first time having to work a pileup like that, and it was really intense and fun!? Subcommittee Chair, H.R. 1301 Sponsor Testify on Behalf of Amateur Radio Parity Act ?We just simply add the same standard that has been used successfully in municipal areas to other areas,? he concluded. HR 1301 would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use restrictions, such as deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions. The bill has attracted 116 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. An identical US Senate measure, S. 1685, has attracted 3 cosponsors. It cleared the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last November. More information about the legislation is on the ARRL Amateur Radio Parity Act web page. Foundation for Amateur Radio Invites Scholarship Applications The Foundation for Amateur Radio Inc (FAR) invites applications for the 2016-2017 academic year for the 46 scholarships it administers. All applicants must hold a valid Amateur Radio license and be enrolled or accepted for enrollment at an accredited university, college or technical school. Applicants attending school outside the US must provide a brochure describing the school. Students do not apply for specific scholarships; each application will be considered for all of the scholarships for which the applicant is qualified. In order to be considered for the Chichester and QCWA scholarships, applicants must obtain the appropriate recommendations. Applications must be submitted by April 15, although applicants may edit their applications until May 7. Data entered onto the application goes directly into an Applicants attending school outside the US must provide a brochure describing the school. Students do not apply for specific scholarships; each application will be considered for all of the scholarships for which the applicant is qualified. In order to be considered for the Chichester and QCWA scholarships, applicants must obtain the appropriate recommendations. Applications must be submitted by April 15, although applicants may edit their applications until May 7. Data entered onto the application goes directly into an encrypted, password-protected PDF file available only to the review committee. No part of the application is stored online. Contact FAR for more information. SEC Report for December from Larry, W4LWZ Total number of ARES members: 346 Change since last month (+, -, same): +8 Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 8 Number of ARES nets active: 11 Number of nets with NTS liaison: 3 Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: KB1PA, AD4RZ, W9GPI, K1UQE, N4ZIQ, N4LEM, WW4RX, WA4PAM Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 26 Person hours: 238 Number of public service events this month: 1 Person hours: 26 Number of emergency operations this month: 0 Person Hours: 0 Total number of ARES operations this month: 27 Total Person hours: 264 STM Report for December from Mike, KM2V SAR - December 2015 CALL TOTAL WA4BAM 159 KE4CB 061 W9GPI 003 K9GZT 010 KK4KAH 005 K4KFF 044 KA3PYO 005 KR4ST 012 KD8SYP 022 NT4TS 005 KM2V 129 W4ZE 010 PSHR - December 2015 Callsign Total WA4BAM 110 KE4CB 130 KM2V 130 NETS - December 2015 NET ABB. QNI QTC QND SESS MGR All Florida CW Traffic Net QFN 229 60 364 29 WA4BAM Florida Medium Speed Net FMSN 186 47 421 31 AG4RJ/AB4XK Southeast Florida Traffic Net SEFTN 547 73 886 31 KM2V Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 375 44 1635 27 KE4CB/N9WS Silent Keys- It is with deep regret that we report the passing of the following SFL members: Walter E. ? Walt ? Peace, WD4IUD of Palm Springs. Walt was a long time member of the West Palm Beach ARC, a past President and manager of the club?s ? Sailfish Net ? on 10 meters. Walt was also a member of the Palm Beach Chapter of QCWA. I am saddened by the passing of a dear friend; Evelyn, W4WYR. I worked with Evelyn thru ARRL and Hamboree for over 30 years. Her leadership in the South Florida amateur radio community as well as her friendship to all will be dearly missed. Our sincerest condolences go out to son Alan and the entire Gauzens family. 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 with ham radio. Vy 73, Jeff, WA4AW -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southern Florida Section Section Manager: Jeff Beals, WA4AW wa4aw at arrl.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe from messages, go to: http://p1k.arrl.org/oo/6486eefd98a2af4ea0d5a89bc70fbffc From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Feb 2 16:13:16 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 2 Feb 2016 16:13:16 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ARLX001 Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR (SK) In-Reply-To: <20160202175645.028B72022DDF@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160202175645.028B72022DDF@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56B11BEC.4080906@bellsouth.net> Evelyn was a long time friend and strong supporter of the SFDXA. RIP Evelyn. Bill W2CQ SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX001 ARLX001 Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR (SK) ZCZC AX01 QST de W1AW Special Bulletin 1 ARLX001 >From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT February 2, 2016 To all radio amateurs SB SPCL ARL ARLX001 ARLX001 Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR (SK) A beloved member of the extended ARRL family has passed on. Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, of Dunedin, Florida, died on January 31. She would have turned 87 this week. An ARRL Life Member, Gauzens served as the Southeastern Division Vice Director for more than 20 years. The ARRL Board of Directors elected her as an Honorary Vice President in 2002. She may be best known in the wider Amateur Radio community for having co-founded the Miami Tropical Hamboree and chairing it for 45 years. Past ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, said that when she became a Vice Director in 1990, Gauzens was there for her as the "go-to" person for newcomers to learn the ropes. "When I was preparing the supporting materials for her nomination as ARRL Honorary Vice President, I learned about her role with Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center," Craigie said. "She was a leader, she had a sense of humor, and she was kind. She contributed to Amateur Radio and her community. I am so glad that I could visit with her again at Orlando, so her face remains fresh in my memory. She was physically frail of course, but her mind was as sharp as ever, and she left me laughing." Craigie expressed her condolences to Gauzens' family. Gauzens received a W4EHW/National Hurricane Center Award of Appreciation in 2003 during the annual Amateur Radio Hurricane Conference. That same year, she was honored for her 50 years of ARRL membership. Gauzens was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), a life member of the Dade Radio Club of Miami, and a participant in the Florida Phone Traffic Net. She also belonged to the A-1 Operators Club. In 2001, the she was the recipient of the Citizens' Ham Mobile-Marine Patrol (CHAMP) Award, presented to an Amateur Radio operator for an exemplary act of service to the community during the preceding year, or to an amateur who has demonstrated years of distinguished service to both Amateur Radio and the community. She was an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. In 2002, Kenwood honored Gauzens with its "Top Gun Award." In 2012 Gauzens was inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, recognized as "an active proponent of improved Amateur Radio public relations" and as the principal on-site organizer - on behalf of the ARRL as the host IARU Member Society - of the 1976 IARU Region 2 conference in Miami Beach. "Love Amateur Radio and all those I have met in the fraternity," Gauzens said in her QRZ.com profile. Gauzens' late husband Carl was W4DTJ, a call sign now held by her granddaughter, Stephanie. Her son Alan is WA4ATF. Arrangements are pending. NNNN /EX From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Feb 3 12:28:20 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 3 Feb 2016 12:28:20 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] 2016 ARRL National Convention In-Reply-To: <20160203030331.0DB972014735@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160203030331.0DB972014735@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56B238B4.8070309@bellsouth.net> January was an exceedingly busy month for Vice Director Mike Lee, AA6ML, and me between the January Board Meeting (I'll work to get a summary out in the next week or two) and the Puerto Rico State Convention this past weekend. I'll also get a summary of the Convention out shortly, including a description of their brilliant Iron Ham Competition. This is the most unique ARRL Convention held and you should really try to make it next year if you can! If you haven't decided whether you are going to go to the Orlando HamCation this year, it is a year that can't be missed. In conjunction with the 70th anniversary of HamCation, the ARRL has designated it as the 2016 National Convention. This means that the ARRL will have a radically larger presence than any other HamCation you have attended, including a similar set up to the ARRL Expo at Dayton. There will be more vendors than you have seen before. Full info about the League's activities at HamCation are available at: http://www.arrl.org/arrl-expo Full info about HamCation is available at: http://www.hamcation.com/ Special Activities: Friday 6PM: Orlando Contest Dinner sponsored by the Florida Contest Group. There are a few seats still available. Tickets are $25 per person ($26 by PayPal). Full info is available at: http://www.floridacontestgroup.org/docs/2016orlandodinner.pdf Friday 11PM: Wouff Hong Ceremony (read about the Wouff Hong at: http://www.arrl.org/ham-radio-history). There is no cost to attend the Wouff Hong Ceremony, but you must be currently licensed and a member of the League. Full details, including location and signing up (reservation required) are at: http://wouffhong.eventbrite.com Saturday 6:30PM: ARRL Banquet. Retiring ARRL CEO Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, is the keynote speaker and this will be a most memorable dinner. Full details, including a link for buying tickets to attend, are available at: http://www.arrl.org/shop/Banquet-Reservation-2016-ARRL-National-Convention/ There are APRS beacons for HamCation, the ARRL Banquet, and the Wouff Hong. The Contest Dinner site should be added shortly. See: http://aprs.fi/#!addr=orlando%2C%20fl for a map. We look forward to seeing you there! 73 de Doug K4AC and Mike AA6ML -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southeastern Division Director: Doug Rehman, K4AC k4ac at arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Feb 4 14:36:34 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 4 Feb 2016 14:36:34 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Arrangements for Honorary VP Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR In-Reply-To: <20160204165519.AB37C2015305@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160204165519.AB37C2015305@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56B3A842.3050408@bellsouth.net> Visitation: Monday, February 8th, 5 - 9 pm with Rosary recitation at 8 pm Van Orsdel Coral Gables Chapel and Family Funeral Home 4600 SW 8th St. Coral Gables, FL 33134 (305) 446-4412 Funeral: Tuesday, February 9th, 10 am St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church 2987 W Flagler St. Miami, FL 33135 Interment and graveside prayer immediately following funeral Woodlawn North Cemetery 3260 SW 8th St. Miami, FL 33135 -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southeastern Division Director: Doug Rehman, K4AC k4ac at arrl.org -------------------------------------------------------------------- From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Feb 5 07:43:21 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 5 Feb 2016 07:43:21 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for February 4, 2016 In-Reply-To: <20160204230001.C83122148015@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160204230001.C83122148015@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56B498E9.9080902@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-02-04 The ARRL Letter February 4, 2016 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * ARRL Announces Partnership with RFinder -- The Worldwide Repeater Directory <#toc01> * US House Cosponsor List for Amateur Radio Parity Act Grows <#toc02> * Join the Fun at the 2016 ARRL National Convention in Orlando! <#toc03> * ARRL Board Adopts New Strategic Plan <#toc04> * ARRL 2016 Field Day Packet Now Available, New Bonus Point Categories Announced <#toc05> * *National Parks on the Air Update* <#toc06> * Satellite Package Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads Released into Orbit from ISS <#toc07> * Students in Nepal Enjoy that Country's First Ham Contact with the ISS <#toc08> * ARES Volunteers Help to Distribute Water in Ohio Community with Lead-Tainted Water <#toc09> * Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, SK <#toc10> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc13> ARRL Announces Partnership with RFinder -- The Worldwide Repeater Directory ARRL has established an agreement with RFinder , the creator of a web and app-based directory of Amateur Radio repeaters worldwide, for RFinder to be the League's preferred online resource of repeater frequencies. *RFinder, the official online repeater directory of ARRL.* RFinder is a steadily growing worldwide repeater directory with over 50,000 repeater listings in over 170 countries. An annual $9.99 subscription to RFinder provides access to repeater data through its collection of apps for Android and Apple devices, and from nearly any web browser. With one subscription, users have access to repeater data worldwide from computing devices on /Windows/, Mac, Linux, Android, Apple iOS, and popular GPS systems. A growing list of third-party memory programming applications support radio programming. RFinder provides integrated support for /EchoLink/ on Android and iPhone, allowing users a one-click connection to repeaters worldwide from the directory. "The RFinder team is honored to be ARRL's partner, providing the very latest online repeater information and directory technology for radio amateurs in the United States," said Bob Greenberg, W2CYK, creator of RFinder -- The Worldwide Repeater Directory. "We look forward to working with ARRL to make RFinder even better for US hams." ARRL will receive a portion of each annual subscription to RFinder. US radio amateurs who subscribe to RFinder will have online access to its entire worldwide directory while supporting ARRL. ARRL will discontinue its own products that had supported digital listings of repeater data, including the /TravelPlus for Repeaters/? software and its own apps. ARRL is working with RFinder on a plan to migrate existing ARRL app users to RFinder, in order to support remaining subscription terms. *An RFinder screen shot.* "Rest assured that the printed /ARRL Repeater Directory/, updated and published each year, will continue to be produced," said ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. Inderbitzen explained that the /Repeater Directory/, available in pocket-sized and spiral-bound desktop editions, is especially popular with new radio amateurs, mobile and portable operators, and public service volunteers who rely on the printed copies when they are offline and on the go. ARRL's source of repeater data for /The ARRL Repeater Directory/ is voluntarily contributed information from repeater owners and frequency coordinators in the US and Canada. RFinder, on the other hand, assembles its data from worldwide sources, including repeater owners, national and regional coordinating bodies, and carefully reviewed crowd-sourced contributions. RFinder uses dynamic data, allowing users to access listings that regularly reflect new, updated, revised, and deleted information. RFinder will have an exhibit at the upcoming Orlando HamCation ^? , this year's ARRL National Convention , February 12-14, at the Central Florida Fair and Expo Park in Orlando, Florida. "We are excited and proud to announce our partnership during the ARRL National Convention!" Greenberg said. ARRL is the most recent national Amateur Radio society to establish a partnership with RFinder. RFinder is the official repeater directory of Radio Amateurs Canada, the Radio Society of Great Britain, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (Germany), and others. Subscribe to RFinder by visiting http://subscribe.rfinder.net from your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or from your Android smartphone or tablet. Those without an Apple or Android device can subscribe using the link at the bottom of http://subscribe.rfinder.net/. US House Cosponsor List for Amateur Radio Parity Act Grows The list of cosponsors for the US House version of the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2015 (H.R. 1301) continues to grow. The addition of Rep Stevan Pearce, KG5KIQ (R-NM), and Rep Beto O'Rourke (D-TX) as cosponsors on February 1 raises the total to 120 from both sides of the aisle. Pearce and O'Rourke are among four cosponsors to sign on to the bill since the start of the year. The other two are Reps Robert Brady (D-PA) and Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), who became cosponsors on January 12 and 13, respectively. One of a small handful of hams in the US House, Pearce got his ham ticket in November, after reaching out to then-Rocky Mountain Division Director (now Second Vice President) Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, and New Mexico Section Manager Ed James, KA8JMW, to find out more about ham radio. He joins his House colleagues Reps Daniel Benishek, KB8TOW (R-MI), and Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), who chairs the House Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. During a January 12 hearing on H.R. 1301, Walden called the Amateur Radio Parity Act "a commonsense bill" and urged his colleagues to support it. Brady, Kaptur, Pearce, and O'Rourke may have heeded his advice. A League-led effort to encourage members to urge their lawmakers to become cosponsors of the House and Senate measures continues. League representatives will be at the 2016 ARRL National Convention February 12-14 in Orlando, Florida, hosted by the Orlando HamCation , to assist members in writing their members of Congress. H.R. 1301 would direct the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use restrictions, such as deed covenants, conditions, and restrictions. An identical US Senate measure, S. 1685, has attracted three cosponsors. It cleared the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation last November. More information about the legislation is on the ARRL Amateur Radio Parity Act web page. Join the Fun at the 2016 ARRL National Convention in Orlando! The 2016 ARRL National Convention is February 12-14 at Orlando HamCation ^? .This year marks the 70th anniversary of HamCation, one of the largest annual hamfests in the US. Chairman Peter Meijers, AI4KM, reports that advance ticket sales have been very brisk, and the largest commercial building at the fairgrounds -- which will be filled with ham radio manufacturers, equipment dealers, and other exhibitors -- sold out early this year. The ARRL National Convention team will include more than 60 members, including ARRL staff, officials, and Field Organization volunteers. Representatives supporting the Amateur Radio Parity Act will be on hand to help attendees generate letters to the Senate and House. An exhibit promoting the year-long National Parks on the Air event has been organized to answer questions about being a national park Activator or Chaser in 2016. A complete ARRL National Convention program guide is available for download . Ad ARRL Board Adopts New Strategic Plan The ARRL Board of Directors has adopted an updated Strategic Plan that defines the League's vision and guides its direction over the next 5 years. ARRL COO Harold Kramer, WJ1B, a member of the Strategic Planning Working Group, said the revised plan represents more than 8 months of work on the part of the group's seven members. Now-Honorary ARRL Vice President Jim Fenstermaker, K9JF, chaired the panel, which met some 2 dozen times, mostly via webinar. Kramer said input to the Strategic Plan was considerable and comprehensive. *The ARRL Board of Directors adopted a new Strategic Plan when it met for its Annual Meeting in mid-January. [Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]* "It will let the members know what to expect from their association," he said. Kramer stressed that the updated plan "was not developed in a vacuum" but includes survey input from ARRL members, the Board of Directors, the Field Organization, advertisers, Headquarters staff, and similar strategic plans. "We really tried to take into account what all of these different constituencies thought were the main issues, concerns, and direction of the League for the future," he added. When it adopted the Strategic Plan at its Annual Meeting in mid-January, the Board said in its resolution, "Further, the ARRL Board recognizes the Strategic Plan presented is the beginning of a more formal process for the ARRL and requires establishing priorities, resources, monitoring, review and modification and/or addition of goals, initiatives, and tactics supporting the Strategic Plan as future conditions and the environment change." Kramer said the Strategic Plan's mission statement -- To advance the art, science, and enjoyment of Amateur Radio -- describes "what we are supposed to do as an association," while its vision statement spells out "what we want to be." The meat of the plan is its six strategic goals, each of which includes a list of initiatives to further differentiate those goals. The goals are: * Grow Amateur Radio worldwide. * Increase the vitality of Amateur Radio. * Keep Amateur Radio accessible to all. * Advance Amateur Radio science and technology. * Organize and train volunteers to serve their communities by providing public service and emergency communications. * Practice good governance and organizational management. "Tactics will be developed to define what must be done to support the goals and initiatives, as well as to prioritize activities and programs for development," Fenstermaker explained. "ARRL management is responsible for implementing and managing the process with the Board of Directors' oversight." As the Strategic Plan states in its Preamble, "This plan is a starting point to assure that ARRL continues its leading role in the Amateur Radio community." ARRL 2016 Field Day Packet Now Available, New Bonus Point Categories Announced It's not too early to be thinking about Field Day 2016 and planning your club's strategy for a bigger score and greater participation than last year. Field Day is June 25-26 -- always the 4th full weekend in June -- and the 2016 ARRL Field Day Packet now is available to download as a PDF file. This year's Field Day introduces two new ways to score bonus points -- Social Media and Safety Officer. *Rule 7.3.16 Social Media* offers 100 bonus points for promoting your Field Day activation to the general public via an active, recognized, and utilized social media platform, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. This bonus is available to bona fide Amateur Radio clubs and Field Day groups that welcome visitors to their operations. These bonus points are not available to /individual/ participants, and club websites do not qualify as social media for this bonus. The bonus points are available to all Field Day entry classes meeting the criteria. *Rule 7.3.17 Safety Officer* offers 100 bonus points by designating someone to serve as a Safety Officer for groups setting up Class A stations. This person must verify that all safety concerns on the Safety Check List -- found in the ARRL Field Day Packet -- have been adequately met. This is an /active/ bonus. Simply designating someone as Safety Officer does not automatically earn the bonus points. In order to claim this bonus, participants must include a statement verifying the completion of the Safety Check List in the supporting documentation sent to ARRL Headquarters. Last year, 2720 stations submitted ARRL Field Day entries. Nearly 1.3 million contacts were logged during FD 2015 -- an increase of just over 1 percent. Nearly 35,400 individuals took part in Field Day last year. The 2016 ARRL Field Day logo makes a connection to the League's year-long National Parks on the Air (NPOTA ) operating event. NPOTA celebrates the centennial of the National Park Service (NPS ). The design's featured hiking boot footprint anticipates that many 2016 Field Day groups and individual operators may want to combine FD and NPOTA, setting up at national parks, historic sites, or at any of the hundreds of official National Park Service units throughout the US. Pick your park , get the okay from park officials, get out and get on the air, and leave /nothing but footprints/! Follow Field Day on Facebook and Twitter (hashtag *#ARRLFD*). Share /your/ plans, tips, and tricks for a successful Field Day! For more information about Field Day 2016, contact ARRL Headquarters. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *National Parks on the Air Update* Statistics from the first month of National Parks on the Air (NPOTA ) prove that the event is a big hit nationwide! In January, 243 of the 483 eligible NPOTA units had at least one activation, with 606 total qualified activations. More than 72,100 NPOTA contacts were uploaded to Logbook of The World (LoTW ) in January. The top three most-activated units are all trails: The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, TR01 (15); the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail, TR23 (10); and the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, TR11 (9). The top three units attracting the greatest number of contacts were the Santa Fe National Historic Trail, TR11 (1977); Hot Springs National Park, NP30 (1781), and Cape Cod National Seashore, SS03 (1563). With an expected uptick in activity as the weather gets warmer across the country, 1 million NPOTA QSOs are not out of the realm of possibility. For the week of February 4-10, 28 different NPOTA units are scheduled to be activated, including the Fort Pulaski National Monument in Georgia. See the NPOTA Activations Calendar for the complete listings. Details about these and other activations coming up can be found on the NPOTA Activations calendar. Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook . Follow NPOTA on Twitter (*@ARRL_NPOTA*). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ad Satellite Package Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads Released into Orbit from ISS A package of two satellites carrying Amateur Radio payloads has been deployed into orbit from the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a collaborative Texas A&M and University of Texas at Austin research effort. Built by Texas A&M students, AggieSat4 (AGS4) will release UT's Bevo-2 CubeSat in about a month, once it is far enough away from the ISS. Both schools received support from NASA's Johnson Spaceflight Center (JSC) for the design, construction, testing, and launch phases. *AggieSat4 (AGS4), with Earth in the background, as it's deployed from the International Space Station. [NASA image]* The goal of the overarching LONESTAR (Low Earth Orbiting Navigation Experiment for Spacecraft Testing Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking) program is for the two satellites to individually rendezvous with each other and perform docking and undocking maneuvers. "The overall objective is to find ways for small spacecraft to join together autonomously in space," Helen Reed, KD7GPX, professor of aerospace engineering and director of the AggieSat Lab at Texas A&M told NASA. "We need simple systems that will allow rendezvous and docking with little to no help from a human, which will become especially important as we venture farther out into space. Applications could include in-space assembly or reconfiguration of larger structures or systems as well as servicing and repair." *Students insert the Bevo-2 CubeSat into the AggieSat4 package. [Texas A&M photo by Dexter Becklund]* The AggieSat team received its first beacon signal from the satellite at its Texas A&M Riverside Campus ground station. The AggieSat4 team is asking any Amateur Radio operators receiving the beacon signal to send any data to the AGS4 team. AggieSat4 will transmit 9.6 kbps FSK telemetry and 153.6 kbps FSK on 436.250 MHz. Once it's placed into its own orbit, Bevo-2 will transmit on 437.325 on CW and 38.4 kbps FSK. Both satellites were launched to the ISS during a December resupply mission. Astronauts Tim Peake, KG5BVI, and Scott Kelly handled preparations to deploy the sizable LONESTAR 2 mission satellite package. Read more . Students in Nepal Enjoy that Country's First Ham Contact with the ISS Students at an elite school in the Himalayan nation of Nepal enjoyed that country's first Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) contact, when they spoke via ham radio with ISS crew member and UK Astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, on January 20. Youngsters attending Brihaspati VidhyaSadan School (BVS) in Kathmandu interviewed Peake about life onboard the space station. Through his Principia Mission , Peake is dedicating part of his scheduled time in space to educational activities for youngsters on Earth. The approximately 8 minute contact was carried out via a "telebridge" with Tony Hutchison, VK5ZAI, in Australia, where the ISS pass was favorable for a contact. Two-way audio was relayed via landline to Nepal. *Youngsters attending Brihaspati VidhyaSadan School in Kathmandu interviewed Peake about life on board the space station.* "Follow your dreams," Peake told the youngsters. "You need to find out what you are passionate about and what you are enjoying." Leading up to the event, the school had organized a week-long program and exhibition related to space travel and technology, including Amateur Radio. The Nepal Amateur Radio Operators' Society supported the exhibition. The school is home to the Free and Open Source Research Lab and Ham facility. "This was truly and international event," said Hutchison, pointing out that individuals involved in making the ARISS contact happen were spread around the globe, including Australia, Japan, Sweden, and the US. Pravin Joshi, 9N1KK, at the school was among the contact mentors. Peake answered 17 of the students' questions.//Read more /-- Thanks to ARISS and to AMSAT News Service/ ARES Volunteers Help to Distribute Water in Ohio Community with Lead-Tainted Water Flint, Michigan, is not the only community with water problems due to high lead content. During the week of January 18, some 8100 water customers in Sebring, Ohio, were notified that they, too, had problems with high lead content in their drinking water. On January 22, both the Ohio and Mahoning County emergency management agencies began giving out bottled water in Sebring. Mahoning County ARES Emergency Coordinator Wes Boyd, W8IZC, activated ARES to assist. *Mahoning County HS/EMA Director Dennis O'Hara (left) and Regional Red Cross Director Karen Conklin discuss the task of distributing water in Sebring, Ohio.* "Response on the workday was low, but a handful of ARES volunteers were able to respond," said Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL. Boyd said, "EMA and Red Cross were overjoyed that radio operators came to work not needing a radio." ARES volunteers joined others in moving and distributing pallets of bottled water, and another call went for weekend duty. ARES members from neighboring counties volunteered. All told, the volunteers moved more than 166 pallets of water in 6 days. "This is a perfect example of being ready to serve in whatever capacity we can, in order to help our communities. Sometimes it doesn't involve only operating a radio," Broadway said. Ad Long-Time ARRL Vice Director, Honorary Vice President Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, SK A beloved member of the extended ARRL family has passed on. Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, of Dunedin, Florida, died on January 31. She would have turned 87 this week. An ARRL Life Member, Gauzens served as the Southeastern Division Vice Director for more than 20 years. The ARRL Board of Directors elected her as an Honorary Vice President in 2002. She may be best known in the wider Amateur Radio community for having co-founded and chaired the Miami Tropical Hamboree for 45 years. Past ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, said that when she became a Vice Director in 1990, Gauzens was there for her as the "go-to" person to teach newcomers the ropes. *ARRL Honorary Vice President and Past ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR.* "When I was preparing the supporting materials for her nomination as ARRL Honorary Vice President, I learned about her role with Amateur Radio at the National Hurricane Center," Craigie said. "She was a leader, she had a sense of humor, and she was kind. She contributed to Amateur Radio and her community. I am so glad that I could visit with her again at Orlando, so her face remains fresh in my memory. She was physically frail, of course, but her mind was as sharp as ever, and she left me laughing." Craigie expressed her condolences to Gauzens' family. Gauzens received a W4EHW/National Hurricane Center Award of Appreciation in 2003 during the annual Amateur Radio Hurricane Conference. That same year, she was honored for her 50 years of ARRL membership. Gauzens was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA), a life member of the Dade Radio Club of Miami, and a participant in the Florida Phone Traffic Net. She also belonged to the A-1 Operators Club. *Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR, in 2003, receiving **the W4EHW/National Hurricane Center Award of Appreciation, with W4EHW (now WX4NHC) Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, K4AG (left), and Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. "Evelyn was always a dedicated and passionate promoter of ham radio and public service,***"* Ripoll said. ***"*The hams at the National Hurricane Center WX4NHC and all of South Florida will greatly miss her."* In 2001, the she was the recipient of the Citizens' Ham Mobile-Marine Patrol (CHAMP) Award, presented to an Amateur Radio operator for an exemplary act of service to the community during the preceding year, or to an amateur who has demonstrated years of distinguished service to both Amateur Radio and the community. She was an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. In 2002, Kenwood honored Gauzens with its "Top Gun Award." In 2012 Gauzens was inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, recognized as "an active proponent of improved Amateur Radio public relations" and as the principal on-site organizer -- on behalf of the ARRL as the host IARU Member Society -- of the 1976 IARU Region 2 conference in Miami Beach. "Love Amateur Radio and all those I have met in the fraternity," Gauzens said in her QRZ.com profile. Gauzens' late husband Carl was W4DTJ, a call sign now held by her granddaughter, Stephanie. Her son Alan is WA4ATF. The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the January 28 through February 3 reporting week, both sunspot and solar flux averages were down a negligible amount, and geomagnetic numbers were down substantially, compared to the previous 7 days. Average daily sunspot numbers declined from 57.3 to 50.6, while average daily solar flux values dipped from 106 to 105.4. Average daily planetary A index softened from 11.6 to 7.3, while the mid-latitude A index (measured in Fredericksburg, Virginia) went from 7.6 to 5.6. The latest predicted solar flux is 120 on February 4-5; 115 on February 6; 110 on February 7-10; 105 on February 8-20; 100 on February 21-March 2; 95 on March 3; 90 on March 4-5, and 95 on March 6-8. Predicted mid-latitude A index is 8 on February 4; 5 on February 5-6; then 8, 18, 12, and 8 on February 7-10; 5 on February 11-16; 10, 15, 12, and 10 on February 17-20; 5 on February 21-27; 8 on February 28-29; 15 and 8 on March 1-2, and 5 on March 3-5. Sunspot numbers for January 28 through February 3 were 64, 49, 30, 39, 42, 52, and 78, with a mean of 50.6. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 109.9, 106.9, 105.1, 101.2, 100.2, 102.1, and 112.1, with a mean of 105.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 6, 3, 3, 10, 9, 6, and 14, with a mean of 7.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 5, 3, 3, 8, 6, 4, and 10, with a mean of 5.6. In Friday's bulletin look for an update of our 3-month moving average of sunspot numbers, which shows a steady and gradual decrease in the current sunspot cycle. Send me your reports and observations. . . . . . . . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * February 5-7 -- YLRL YL-OM Contest (CW, phone, digital) * February 6 -- Triathlon DX Contest (CW, phone, digital) * February 6 -- FYBO Winter QRP Sprint (CW, phone, digital) * February 6 -- Minnesota QSO Party (CW, phone, digital) * February 6 -- AGCW Straight Key Party (CW) * February 6 -- FISTS Winter Slow Speed Sprint (CW) * February 6-7 -- Vermont QSO Party (CW, phone, digital) * February 6-7 -- 10-10 International Winter Contest (SSB) * February 6-7 -- F9AA Cup (CW) * February 6-7 -- Black Sea Cup International (CW, SSB) * February 6-7 -- British Columbia QSO Party (CW, phone, digital) * February 6-7 -- Mexico RTTY International Contest * *February 7 -- **North American Sprint* *(CW)* * *February 8-12 -- **ARRL School Club Roundup* *(CW, phone, digital)* * February 10 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW) * February 10 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship (Digital) See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to /The ARRL Contest Update/ via your ARRL member profile e-mail preferences. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * February 6 -- South Carolina State Convention , N. Charleston, South Carolina * February 6 -- Virginia State Convention (Frostfest), Richmond, Virginia * *February 12-14 -- **ARRL National Convention* *, Orlando, Florida* * February 13 -- Georgia ARES Convention , Forsyth, Georgia * February 19-20 -- Southwestern Division Convention , Yuma, Arizona * February 20 -- Arkansas State Convention , Hoxie, Arkansas * February 27 -- WCF Section Technical Conference , Tampa, Florida * February 27 -- New Mexico TechFest , Albuquerque, New Mexico * February 27 -- Vermont State Convention , S. Burlington, Vermont * March 4-5 -- Alabama Section Convention , Birmingham, Alabama * March 11-12 -- Louisiana State Convention , Rayne, Louisiana * March 18-19 -- South Texas Section Convention , Rosenburg, Texas * March 19 -- West Texas Section Convention , Midland, Texas * March 19 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference , Redmond, Washington * March 25-26 -- Maine State Convention , Lewiston, Maine * April 2 -- Delta Division Convention , Fort Smith, Arkansas * April 2 -- North Carolina Section Convention , Raleigh, North Carolina * April 8-9 -- Oklahoma State Convention , Claremore, Oklahoma * April 9-10 -- Communications Academy , Seattle, Washington * April 15-17 -- International DX Convention , Visalia, California * April 15-17 -- VHF Super Conference , Sterling, Virginia * April 16 -- Delaware State Convention , Georgetown, Delaware * April 22-24 -- Idaho State Convention , Boise, Idaho * April 23 -- Aurora '16 Conference , White Bear Lake, Minnesota * April 23 -- Nebraska State Convention , Lincoln, Nebraska * April 29-May 1 -- Nevada State Convention , Las Vegas, Nevada Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 times each year. ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/. Copyright ? 2016 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Feb 10 07:22:46 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill Marx) Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 07:22:46 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Winter 2016 Classic Exchange CW References: Message-ID: <975D7F9F-FC61-4578-A91D-9B4EEEE054D5@bellsouth.net> > > The PHONE CX will run from 1400 UTC February 14 to 0800 UTC February 15, 2016. > (9 AM Eastern Time on Sunday to 3 AM Eastern Time Monday) > > AND > > From 1400 UTC February 16 to 0800 UTC February 17, 2016 > (9 AM Eastern Time on Tuesday to 3 AM Eastern Time Wednesday) > > Call: "CQ Classic Exchange" > > Suggested Frequencies -- plus/minus QRM > Listen up and down 5 to 10 Kc for crystal controlled stations > . . . . . > BAND 160 80 40 20 15 10 6 2 > AM 1.890 mc. 3.860 mc. 7.270 mc. 14.280 mc. 21.400 mc. 29.000 mc. 50.300 mc. 144.300 mc. > SSB 1.920 mc. 3.840 mc 7.250 mc. 14.260 mc. 21.380 mc 28.600 mc. 50.125 mc 144.200 mc. > > See you all Sunday and Tuesday! > > Full details at: www.classicexchange.org > > Questions? email me! > > 73, Howie WB2AWQ/7 WB2AWQ at arrl.net From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Feb 11 07:45:40 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2016 07:45:40 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for February 11, 2016 In-Reply-To: <20160211110029.590E820145EC@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160211110029.590E820145EC@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56BC8274.8060407@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2016-02-11 The ARRL Contest Update February 11, 2016 Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG /Contest Update/ Archive Contest Calendar ARRL Home Page Ad IN THIS ISSUE * New HF Operators: ARRL School Club Roundup, CQ WPX RTTY, ARRL DX, and more <#NewHF> * Bulletins: No Contest University at the International DX Convention in April, CQ WW Contest seeks new Director <#Bulletins> * Contest Summary <#ContestSummary> * News: Police use AM Radio to Bust Grow Operations, DX Engineering's 572B Tubes, and more <#News> * Website of the week: http://danariely.com <#WebsiteOfTheWeek> * Word to the Wise: Flooded Cable <#Word> * Sights and Sounds: Tower Climbing, the Quiet Zone, and more <#Sights> * Operating Tip: Use Challenges to Develop Skills and Operators <#OperatingTip> * Technical Topics and Information: USB Isolators that didn't work out so well, and more <#Tech> * Conversation: Impedance Mismatch <#Conversation> * Contests in Detail <#Contests> * Log Due Dates <#LogsDue> NEW HF OPERATORS -- THINGS TO DO A reminder from last time: The ARRL School Club Roundup started February 8, and runs through February 12. The weekend of February 13, the CQ WPX RTTY contest will be dominant. This contest is fun because call sign prefixes are the multipliers. A nice way to verify that everything is ready to go in your station is to participate in the NCCC RTTY Sprint on Thursday evening (US time zones). The weekend of February 20, the ARRL International DX Contest, CW figures prominently. If you are a contester and a DX chaser, this will be the place to be that weekend. BULLETINS The International DX Convention in Visalia, CA will *NOT* feature a Contest University this year . There */will/* be a one-hour Contest Forum, chaired by Ward, N0AX, on Saturday, April 16. The CQ WW Contest is looking for a new Director . Randy, K5ZD, who has been exemplary in this role since 2012, is actively seeking a replacement, as his career demands have increased. The contesting community has benefited from Randy's leadership as the contest's log scoring capabilities and integrity of the results have improved. Thank you, Randy! Randy has posted a description of the role, and qualifications of potential new Directors, on the CQWW Blog . BUSTED QSOs Last month, I mentioned the "Carolina Weekend" and a BBQ prize drawing. Marty Young, W4MY, writes: "Please note that to be eligible for the drawing contestants must submit a log to BOTH NC and SC QSO parties occurring on consecutive days, SCQP on Feb 27 and NCQP on Feb 28." CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information for all contests follows the Conversation section *February 11* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *February 12* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC Sprint Ladder *February 13* * CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest * SARL Field Day Contest * Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint, CW * SKCC Weekend Sprintathon * Dutch PACC Contest * OMISS QSO Party * FISTS Winter Unlimited Sprint * RSGB 1st 1.8 MHz Contest *February 14* * KCJ Topband Contest * PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint * Balkan HF Contest * Classic Exchange, Phone * Maine 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge *February 16* * Classic Exchange, Phone *February 17* * QRP Fox Hunt * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test * AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening *February 18* * CWops Mini-CWT Test * RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW *February 19* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC Sprint Ladder *February 20* * *ARRL International DX Contest, CW* * SARL Youth Day Sprint * Russian PSK WW Contest * Feld Hell Sprint * AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party *February 22* * CQC Winter QSO Sprint * Run for the Bacon QRP Contest *February 24* * SKCC Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test * UKEICC 80m Contest NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST RFI from hydroponic growing lights has markedly increased over the past few years. Now police are using that RFI to detect and bust illegal marijuana growing operations . (K4KYV via RFI reflector) DX Engineering is now sourcing 572B power tubes: "572B tubes are found in several new Ameritron Amplifiers, including the celebrated AL-572 and the AL-811HD. They are also common in a wide range of vintage RF amplifiers. Used in pairs, DX Engineering 572B tubes are capable of generating up to 600 watts of RF transmit power; quads will produce 1,200 watts" Tom, N4TL, has assembled a checklist of NPOTA codes (PDF) to assist in the National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) operating event that is running all year. In sprints , one has to keep things moving. This could be a good desk solution . (Ward, N0AX) High-tech headsets and coordinated clocks sound like something we'd use in a multiop, but they are just part of the overall technology the NFL uses for football games . One unfamiliar name mentioned in the article, Vokkero (the article references a slightly different spelling), makes headsets which may have a contesting application. There's some sort of glitch that's causing many find-my-phone applications to point to one geographical location. Unfortunately, the address belongs to someone's home , and the people living there have become accustomed to visits at all hours of people, including law enforcement personnel, seeking the missing cell phones. One company thinks that reaching this generation's engineers may require different communication techniques than those used in the past. While the article is not revelatory, keeping some of these tips in mind may improve your club's communication with younger members. Royal Bank of Scotland is "crowdsourcing" the choice of the historic figure to be printed on Scotland's ?10 note. Voting closed on February 7, however one of the candidates was James Maxwell (Facebook link). (James, AJ3K via N0AX) Tektronix turned 70 years old last week, and also did some remodeling on its logo. The 2014 WRTC event required 65 portable generators (including backups) to power the stations. The contest sponsors chose the Honda EU2000is , which were found to be RFI free on 40 meters -10 meters, and only a small amount of noise on 80 meters. (Dennis, N6KI) Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn will be visible to the South-Southwest in clear US skies through late February. [Photo credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech] If you get up early this month, you may be able to simultaneously see Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky. *Website of the Week* - http://danariely.com Dan Ariely is a behavioral economist, and the author of /Predictably Irrational/, and /The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty/ . His research interests include the motivations and psychology behind cheating, including how it can be discouraged. In 2012, he wrote an article for the Wall Street Journal entitled /Why We Lie/ . The article discussed his research findings of why people cheat, and how cheating can be discouraged. One simple deterrent: providing a moral reminder to not cheat before an opportunity to cheat is presented. This can be as simple as asking participants to provide a signed statement along the lines of, "I promise that the information I am providing is true" before the information is elicited, rather than after. Perhaps we'll see logging programs providing the option to display a dismissable dialog box with a similar message before generating and submitting contest log files. WORD TO THE WISE-- *Flooded Cable* When running conductors under ground, they can be subjected to damage from water intrusion, rodents, gardening, or even just the weather. Flooded cable has a gel or liquid that discourages the intrusion of water by displacing it and the gnawing of rodents by being unpleasant tasting. Ad SIGHTS AND SOUNDS Mike, VE3GFN, active Toronto contester and author of the Little Pistol Page in the National Contest Journal, performing maintenance work on the 6M Yagi on his 40-foot tower. Also visible is a Cushcraft A4S tribander. [Photo courtesy of Richard Synergy] Ever wiser! Mike, VE3FGN shares some wisdom about tower work: "At 75, I've taken to ensuring I have a babysitter around when I climb. I've also expanded the climbing harness system I use, so that I'm always tied to the tower, even when climbing up or down (well, almost always!). It does slow down the climbing process, however!" David, WA1OUI, sends a link to a video detailing the human implications of living in the National Radio Quiet Zone . "It's about the thousands of square miles around the National Radio Telescope in West Virginia [Including parts of Virginia and Maryland /-- Ed/.] that must be radio emission free, and what that does to the inhabitants: no cell, microwave, Wi-Fi, ham radio or anything!" OPERATING TIP ** New multiop team Landon, AF5OD, and Darron, KG5ABL, sweating it out during the Roundup. [Photo courtesy of Joel, W5ZN] *Use Challenges and Teams to Develop Multi-op Skills* Joel, W5ZN, used a challenge and reward to develop new operator skills in his local radio club: "The Rookie Roundup has proven to be an excellent modern day replacement for the Novice Roundup of years past. The format and activity is excellent, but the entries have been single op! This year in the Rookie Roundup -- CW in December I challenged my local club to learn CW and the reward would be the opportunity to operate from my station. Two "Rookies" took the challenge and chose to operate as a multiop, assisting each other with the effort finishing with an outstanding score and pride of accomplishment. So, here is my challenge to all of you multiops, or multiop-capable stations: Get some Rookies to your station for a multiop Rookie Roundup effort!" TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION "After having issues with USB ports in radios and computers getting damaged by voltage surges, I bought some USB Optoisolators. Unfortunately, in their unshielded, plastic cases, they generate radiate excessive noise at RF frequencies in my environment." -- Steve, N2IC Here's an interesting party trick (well, it depends on the party): Generating electricity from cardboard, pencil, and teflon tape ! It generates enough energy to power an LCD display. Rusts on the surface of non-exotic iron materials can be removed with a little salt and electrolysis . (Ward, N0AX) Steel bluing and browning also provide some protection against conventional rusting. Here's a DIY smartphone mount . Scale it up or down for your device. (Ward, N0AX) Ad CONVERSATION Impedance Mismatch For a number of years, a group of non-ham friends and I have gone on an annual ski trip. Usually, we look for reasonable snow and inexpensive accommodations about one month before an agreed upon week, alternating between US locations and Europe locations since some members live in the UK. This year, we planned two months ahead, finding a place in the area of Val Gardena , Italy.For the first time ever for this group, I would bring along some ham gear, a portable antenna (SteppIR CrankIR) and radio (Elecraft KX3), renting skis instead bringing my decade-old pair of Salomons. I planned to use the radio in the early evenings, and on any day that we didn't ski. Checking out the ARRL web page for guidance on requirements for operation in CEPT countries, one thing I needed was an original copy of my amateur license.That's easier now that the "originals" can be printed at will from the FCC site . Check. Another item required was proof of citizenship. My passport satisfied this requirement. The last document required was a "DA 11-221 ," which is the FCC's public notice about the requirements of operating under CEPT.I loaded the PDF from the ARRL website onto my phone. Figuring out my callsign prefix during the trip required some work. I found IW5EDI's page on operating in Italy to be very helpful, and between Google maps and a call area map of Italy I was able to determine that I'd be IN3/N9ADG. As the trip grew closer, I thought about how to pack everything.I settled on putting the CrankIR, coax, ski clothing, and one ski boot in checked luggage (one free on British Airways), the other boot, ski helmet, and regular clothing in a roll-on, the KX3 and associated cables in my laptop's backpack, to be stowed under seat. Everything fit well, I even had room for a Tokyo High Power HL-50b 50 W amplifier and switching power supply in the checked luggage. My thermal underwear worked as packing material. The checked luggage weighed 49.9 lbs, just under the limit of 50. The trip from Seattle to the Italy was hassle free. The KX3 went through security screening inside my backpack. My checked luggage didn't have the usual friendly notice of inspection from TSA.Nobody asked to see any documents or asked about the extra gear. The people I ski with have worked in various roles in the technology industry, and are acquainted with the concept of ham radio, though only one of our group had actually seen what was involved. As I unpacked, I received some good-natured ribbing about nerdiness. Imagine "breaker breaker one nine good buddy" spoken with a British accent.I took everything out of the suitcases and backpack...and there it sat. For the first 3 days, in the early evening during the time I'd thought I'd be operating, our group would be reliving our day's adventure, planning the next, or catching up on life's happenings, discussing the issues of the day, and it just didn't seem appropriate to put on headphones and be on the radio, a solitary activity. On the fourth evening, I finally set up the CrankIR, enlisting the help of a college friend in the assembly, and lashed it to a wooden bench just outside our chalet.Running the coax in through the window, I realized that I forgot a coax jumper between the radio and the amp. 10-15 W would have to do (the higher power level was possible with beta KX3 firmware). Turning on the radio 90 minutes after sunset, I was faced with S8-S9 noise on 40 meters.Not very encouraging. The noise attracted onlookers as I tried to find signals on the band. Tuning up above 7.020, I heard "CQ TEST" being called by a handful of loud stations. Perfect! What contest was this? Doesn't matter! The exchange was RST and serial number.The onlookers were intrigued. "What's he saying?" Oops, missed the call. "You can understand that?" I worked an IU9 and a UA6, called a couple of other stations who didn't hear me... then turned it all off and rejoined the group. There's a time and place, and this was neither. Three nights later, I packed it all away without having turned it on again. Coming back to the US, security screening at Heathrow airport was much more interested in the gear, and they could tell they had an enthusiast on their hands. They only needed about 20 minutes of explanation. That's all for this time, don't forget to send your contest-update-worthy tips and techniques to contest-update at arrl.org 73, Brian N9ADG CONTESTS *11 Feb - 24 Feb 2016* An expanded, downloadable version of /QST/'s Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's website for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. *HF CONTESTS* CWops Mini-CWT Test , Feb 11, 0300z to Feb 11, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: February 13. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Feb 12, 0145z to Feb 12, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 14. QRP Fox Hunt , Feb 12, 0200z to Feb 12, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: February 13. NCCC Sprint Ladder , Feb 12, 0230z to Feb 12, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 14. CQ WW RTTY WPX Contest , Feb 13, 0000z to Feb 14, 2359z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: February 19. SARL Field Day Contest , Feb 13, 1000z to Feb 14, 1000z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS(T) + Number of transmitters + Category (see rules) + Province (or "DX"); Logs due: February 21. Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint, CW , Feb 13, 1100z to Feb 13, 1300z; CW; Bands: 40, 20m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: February 20. KCJ Topband Contest , Feb 14, 1200z to Feb 15, 1200z; CW; Bands: 160m Only; JA: RST + Prefecture/District Code, non-JA: RST + Continent Code (AF,AS,EU,NA,OC,SA); Logs due: March 14. SKCC Weekend Sprintathon , Feb 13, 1200z to Feb 15, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: February 21. Dutch PACC Contest , Feb 13, 1200z to Feb 14, 1200z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; PA: RS(T) + province, non-PA: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: March 15. OMISS QSO Party , Feb 13, 1500z to Feb 14, 1500z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS + (state/province/DX) + (OMISS No. if member); Logs due: March 1. New Hampshire QSO Party , MOVED TO SEPTEMBER. See last issue. FISTS Winter Unlimited Sprint , Feb 13, 1700z to Feb 13, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + FISTS No., non-FISTS: RST + (state/province/country) + first name + power; Logs due: March 14. RSGB 1st 1.8 MHz Contest , Feb 13, 1900z to Feb 13, 2300z; CW, SSB; Bands: 160m Only; UK: RST + Serial No. + District Code, non-UK: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: March 2. PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint , Feb 14, 0000z to Feb 14, 2359z; PSK31; Bands: 160, 80, 40m; Name + (OM/YL) + (state/province/country); Logs due: February 28. Balkan HF Contest , Feb 14, 1200z to Feb 14, 1800z; CW, SSB; Bands: 80, 40m; RS(T) + QSO No.; Logs due: February 21. Classic Exchange, Phone , Feb 14, 1400z to Feb 15, 0800z, Feb 16, 1400z to Feb 17, 0800z; AM, SSB, FM; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6, 2m*; Name + RS + (state/province/country) + rcvr/xmtr manuf/model; Logs due: November 30. QRP Fox Hunt , Feb 17, 0200z to Feb 17, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: February 18. Phone Fray , Feb 17, 0230z to Feb 17, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: February 19. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Feb 17, 1300z to Feb 17, 1400z, Feb 17, 1900z to Feb 17, 2000z, Feb 18, 0300z to Feb 18, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: February 20. AGCW Semi-Automatic Key Evening , Feb 17, 1900z to Feb 17, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No. + "/" + 2-digit year first used a bug; Logs due: March 15. RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW , Feb 18, 2000z to Feb 18, 2130z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: February 25. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Feb 19, 0145z to Feb 19, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 21. QRP Fox Hunt , Feb 19, 0200z to Feb 19, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: February 20. NCCC Sprint Ladder , Feb 19, 0230z to Feb 19, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 21. *ARRL International DX Contest, CW* *, Feb 20, 0000z to Feb 22, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; W/VE: RST + (state/province), non-W/VE: RST + power; Logs due: March 22. * SARL Youth Day Sprint , Feb 20, 0800z to Feb 20, 1000z; SSB; Bands: 40m Only; RS + age; Logs due: February 27. Russian PSK WW Contest , Feb 20, 1200z to Feb 21, 1159z; BPSK31, BPSK63, BPSK125; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RU: RST + 2-letter oblast, non-RU: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: February 26. Feld Hell Sprint , Feb 20, 2000z to Feb 20, 2159z; Feld Hell; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; (see rules); Logs due: February 27. AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party , Feb 20, 2300z to Feb 21, 2300z; AM; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: March 22. CQC Winter QSO Sprint , Feb 22, 0100z to Feb 22, 0259z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; Member: RST + (state/province/country) + name + CQC member no., non-Member: RST + (state/province/country) + name + power; Logs due: March 23. Run for the Bacon QRP Contest , Feb 22, 0200z to Feb 22, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + (Member No./power); Logs due: February 28. SKCC Sprint , Feb 24, 0000z to Feb 24, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./power); Logs due: February 26. QRP Fox Hunt , Feb 24, 0200z to Feb 24, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: February 25. Phone Fray , Feb 24, 0230z to Feb 24, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: February 12. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Feb 24, 1300z to Feb 24, 1400z, Feb 24, 1900z to Feb 24, 2000z, Feb 25, 0300z to Feb 25, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: February 27. UKEICC 80m Contest , Feb 24, 2000z to Feb 24, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; 4-Character grid square; Logs due: February 24. *VHF+ CONTESTS* Maine 2 Meter FM Simplex Challenge , Feb 14, 1700z to Feb 14, 2100z; FM; Bands: 2m; Name + City/Town + Power; Logs due: 0359 UTC, February 29. Also see SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, NCCC Sprint Ladder in HF section. Ad *LOG DUE DATES* *11 Feb - 24 Feb 2016* *February 11, 2016* * QRP Fox Hunt *February 12, 2016* * Phone Fray *February 13, 2016* * WAB 1.8 MHz Phone * QRP Fox Hunt * CWops Mini-CWT Test *February 14, 2016* * NCCC Sprint Ladder * AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest * NCCC RTTY Sprint * North American Sprint, CW * UBA DX Contest, SSB * NAQCC CW Sprint *February 15, 2016* * REF Contest, CW *February 17, 2016* * Black Sea Cup International * RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data *February 18, 2016* * NRAU 10m Activity Contest *February 20, 2016* * Asia-Pacific Spring Sprint, CW *February 22, 2016* * 10-10 Int. Winter Contest, SSB ARRL Information Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. 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. Subscribe to /NCJ/ - the National Contest Journal . Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to /QEX/ - A Forum for Communications Experimenters . Published bimonthly, 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 ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! /ARRL offers a wide array of / /products/ // to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- /support programs not funded by member dues!/ Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission at arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar . Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Contest Update is published every other Wednesday (26 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/contests/update/. Copyright ? 2016 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Feb 11 07:53:21 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 11 Feb 2016 07:53:21 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Tom N4TL - NPTOA Codes Message-ID: <56BC8441.908@bellsouth.net> From The ARRL Contest Update: "Tom, N4TL, has assembled a checklist of NPOTA codes (PDF) to assist in the National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) operating event that is running all year." Tom is a Former Member of the SFDXA and good friend to many in the club... Bill W2CQ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Feb 16 12:02:59 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 16 Feb 2016 12:02:59 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Morse On Mars? Message-ID: <56C35643.50304@bellsouth.net> From the CWops List: - Bill W2CQ Found this link on eham. It's literally out of this world. http://www.techinsider.io/curiosity-rover-wheels-hidden-secret-morse-code-2016-2 Gary, NA6O From wa4aw at juno.com Sat Feb 20 12:32:21 2016 From: wa4aw at juno.com (wa4aw) Date: Sat, 20 Feb 2016 17:32:21 GMT Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] QCWA Chapter 111 LUNCHEON MEETING February 23rd Message-ID: <20160220.123221.18254.0@webmail12.vgs.untd.com> QCWA Palm Beach Chapter # 111 Hello and Happy 2016 ! 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 February 23rd. Hope you can join us for fellowship, rag chews & information. I encourage everyone who has not been to the Golden Corral to call for info on either the Palms West repeater 147.045 or the AREC repeater on 146.670. Both repeaters have a 110.9 PL. Everyone is welcome to join us. We meet in the private dining room in the back of the restaurant. QCWA Chapter 111 webpage link: www.qcwa.org/chapter111.htm Chapter YahooGroup website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qcwa111 47, Jeff WA4AW, Secretary QCWAQuarter Century Wireless AssociationJeff Beals, WA4AWNational Director &QCWA Historian QCWA Palm Beach Chapter 111Secretary-TreasurerPO Box 1584Loxahatchee, FL 33470-1584561-252-6707 wa4aw at qcwa.org www.qcwa.org ____________________________________________________________ Heavy rains mean flooding Anywhere it rains it can flood. Learn your risk. Get flood insurance. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/56c8a3558dd272355390ast01vuc From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Feb 24 08:10:46 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2016 08:10:46 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] North American CW Weekend Message-ID: <56CDABD6.8060900@bellsouth.net> North American CW Weekend 3-5 June 2016 Fairview Park Marriott Falls Church, Virginia The 2016 CW Weekend will take place June 3-5 at the Fairview Park Marriott in Falls Church, Virginia. This is open to all hams or others with an interest in CW or Morse code communication - FOC, CWOPS, SKCC, the Morse Operators Society, and FISTS. It is predominantly a social event and provides a great opportunity to connect with old friends, make new ones, and enjoy those eyeball QSOs with folks you have worked on the bands for years. As in years past, we'll kick off with an informal pizza dinner on Friday evening, followed by a brunch on Saturday morning hosted by Jim N3JT and Nina KE4PSV at their home in McLean. Dinner will follow that evening at Clyde's in Tyson's Corners. There will be a hospitality suite with refreshments at the hotel on Friday and Saturday evenings. Sunday morning, many attendees meet informally at the hotel restaurant for breakfast before heading home or on to other activities. It is likely that Frank, W3LPL, will make a tour of his world class contest station available Sunday afternoon if there is interest. Early June is a nice time of year to visit the Washington, DC area, and the schedule allows plenty of time for sightseeing, shopping, and socializing, or visiting with family and friends. A block of rooms has been set aside at the Fairview Park Marriott at a special rate of $ 99. You may reserve by calling the hotel at 800-228-9290 (be certain to mention you are with the "North American CW Weekend party). Reservations may also be made online at marriott.com/wasfp. The special booking code for our group is "NACNACA." The special rate is available from June 3d through June 6th. There will be a modest registration fee of $ 15 per person or $ 25 per couple to cover refreshments and the hospitality suite, payable by check to Don W4ZYT [1517 W. Little Neck Rd, Virginia Beach, VA 23452-4717]. Further information is available from Don, W4ZYT (w4zyt.don at gmail.com) and will be posted on the FOC and CWOPS web sites.. We really do look forward to seeing lots of CW folks at this gathering. Talk it up, mark it down, and come! From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Feb 24 08:28:43 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2016 08:28:43 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for February 24, 2016 In-Reply-To: <20160224110023.C4FCE200A5AE@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160224110023.C4FCE200A5AE@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56CDB00B.80109@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2016-02-24 The ARRL Contest Update February 24, 2016 Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG /Contest Update/ Archive Contest Calendar ARRL Home Page Ad IN THIS ISSUE * New HF Operators: Check your Microphone Gain and Compression and more <#NewHF> * Bulletins: The real Idaho QSO Party URL, WWROF Webinar <#Bulletins> * Contest Summary <#ContestSummary> * News lead item: Proposed FCC Wi-Fi Rule Cited as Reason for Firmware Lockdown, and more <#News> * Website of the week: The National Hearing Test <#WebsiteOfTheWeek> * Word to the Wise: Gin Pole <#Word> * Sights and Sounds: TO2A FD Style, GTA Tower Climbing Raccoon, and more <#Sights> * Results <#Results> * Operating Tip: Logging Cut Numbers <#OperatingTip> * Technical Topics and Information: Hard Drawn Copper Wire, Raspberry Pi Camera, and more <#Tech> * Conversation: Known Unknowns <#Conversation> * Contests in Detail <#LogsDue> * Log Due Dates <#LogsDue> NEW HF OPERATORS -- THINGS TO DO The ARRL DX Phone contest is coming up the weekend of March 5. The conditions for the CW contest (just completed) were pretty darned good, and there will be plenty of DX stations to work. Beforehand, how about checking your microphone and compression levels of your transmit audio, to ensure that it's accomplishing your goals? If you've changed headsets or microphones, if you've changed your shack's acoustics, if you are using higher power than previously, even if you've changed your power supply for your rig, you may need to adjust the microphone gain levels and amount of compression that you're using, to ensure minimum distortion and maximum effectiveness. Some rig manufacturers supply detailed instructions on how to adjust their equipment, while others leave you to fend for yourself. Jim Brown, K9YC, has written an article for the March-April 2016 issue of /NCJ/ entitled, "Clean, Punchy, Competitive Contest Audio Without Splatter," which pretty much sums up everything that you should hope to achieve. Additionally, AB4OJ/VA7OJ has a web page on the general procedure to adjust for more "talk power" if you have a minimum of test equipment -- a power meter and receiver. February 27, the NAQP RTTY contest, will be a good bet for lots of contest activity; also don't forget that the South Carolina and North Carolina QSO Parties are on consecutive days that weekend. BULLETINS Idaho QSO Party Participants: The "Contest Corral -- March 2016" in the March issue of /QST/ contains an incorrect Sponsors Website listing for the Idaho QSO Party. The correct listing is http://idahoarrl.info/qsoparty/rules.htm. "High Performance RX Antennas for a Small Lot" by Jose "JC" Carlos, N4IS, will be the topic of a webinar sponsored by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation . "JC will look at basic concepts of RX antennas and share his experiences with low band RX antennas on a small lot, including the Waller Flag." Date/Time: March 3, 9 PM EST (March 4 - 0200 UTC). Registration is required. (Ken, K4ZW) CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information for all contests follows the "Conversation" section *February 25* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *February 26* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC Sprint Ladder * CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB *February 27* * REF Contest, SSB * UBA DX Contest, CW * South Carolina QSO Party * *North American QSO Party, RTTY * *February 28* * High Speed Club CW Contest * SARL Digital Contest * North Carolina QSO Party *March 1* * AGCW YL-CW Party *March 2* * QRP Fox Hunt * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test * UKEICC 80m Contest *March 3* * CWops Mini-CWT Test * NRAU 10m Activity Contest * *March 4* * NCCC RTTY Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC Sprint *March 5* * *ARRL International DX Contest, SSB * * Wake-Up! QRP Sprint * Open Ukraine RTTY Championship *March 6* * Open Ukraine RTTY Championship * UBA Spring Contest, CW * DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest * SARL Hamnet 40m Simulated Emergency Contest *March 7* * RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data *March 8* * ARS Spartan Sprint *March 9* * QRP Fox Hunt * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test * AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST Here's a fun and perhaps apocryphal story from some years ago of a surplus 6H6 being used for a critical system on a naval destroyer . You may recall that in August, 2015, the FCC proposed a rule that would compel manufacturers of Wi-Fi hardware to "demonstrate that the device contains security features to prevent the loading of software that would allow the radio to operate in violation of the Commission's rules." There are a number of Amateur Radio projects like HSMM-Mesh that take advantage of off-the-shelf Wi-Fi hardware in combination with project-specific firmware loaded on that hardware. At the time of the proposed ruling, there was speculation that the ruling could lead to manufacturers disallowing independent firmware usage so that they would satisfy the rules, resulting in a chilling effect for any projects that used independent firmware. The FCC later clarified what it meant , due to a large amount of feedback. Recently, TP-Link, a hardware vendor for Wi-Fi networking gear, started preventing the installation of non-standard firmware on some of its devices, stating it is due to the "FCC Regulations." That they are preventing upgrades is factual, however attributing the actual reason to /proposed /FCC regulations may just be convenient. There's not enough information to know for sure yet. Some hardware vendors are conflicted about the usage of third-party firmware for their products, as on the one hand it has the potential to sell more hardware and make products more mainstream, while on the other hand, it can relieve artificial firmware limitations intended to compel purchase of more expensive products. For more information on the evolving situation, try LibrePlanet.org , check out the Slashdot discussion , and see the website http://www.SaveWifi.org (and associated Save Wi-Fi 2 GoFundMe ). The N3FJP logging program is growing an API (Application Programming Interface)! Starting in February 2016, functionality that will enable other programs to "talk" to the N3FJP logging program will start to be incorporated in the software. Initial functionality includes the ability to get/set text entry fields, get/set the frequency, band, mode, log a contact, check for dupes, and more. See the N3JFP website for more information. Russian scientists are combining memristors to fashion neural networks , realizing what has been described as a "Perceptron" by Marvin Minsky. Memristors are relatively new, but it's their use in "neuromorphic networks" that is novel. While a single-layer perceptron has been constructed, future multi-layer perceptrons would find application in machine learning and machine vision. A typical member of the "Maker" movement has a lot of the same characteristics of a typical Amateur Radio experimenter and builder -- including willingness to build their own equipment and projects using what's on hand, or using what can be gleaned from re-purposing other technology. Now, some makers are discovering ham radio . *Website of the Week* - - https://www.nationalhearingtest.org The National Hearing Test is a scientifically validated means of testing for hearing loss via telephone. Partially funded by the NIH, described in the /Washington Post/ , on /NPR/ , and via the National Hearing Test web site, you can use the results to determine whether or not it may be prudent to follow up with an audiologist. The testing fee is $5, however if you are an AARP member, you may be able to perform the test for free. The test itself uses spoken numbers combined with varying amounts of noise -- something phone operators should be familiar with. WORD TO THE WISE-- Gin Pole It's a device that is temporarily installed on a tower to lift tower sections, masts, antennas, and other items. It typically consists of a pulley atop a hollow pole. At the opposite end of the pole from the pulley is a clamp or other device that allows attachment to the tower. A rope or cable goes from the load, over the pulley, and through the pole. K7NV provides a nice diagram of gin pole use on his website . Ad SIGHTS AND SOUNDS TO2A in the CQWW SSB 2015. Field Day style operation with two-element Quad at 8 meters high, dipoles on 40 meters and 80 meters at 9 meters high, inverted L on 160 meters. [Photo courtesy of Rich, N6KT] Rich, N6KT, inside the tent at TO2A. [Photo courtesy of Rich, N6KT] Rich, N6KT, was TO2A in last fall's CQWW SSB 2015 Contest: "Many thanks to FY5SE and FY5YR for their great assistance!" For the ARRL DX SSB, he's heading to HK1NA. A raccoon climbed nearly 700 feet up a Toronto tower , and then back down. Unassisted. Social media has made the critter famous. Perhaps she can be trained as a tower work assistant? NASA has made a time-lapse movie of 1 year's observations from its Solar Dynamics Observatory . Flares, ejections, its all here; each frame represents 2 hours in the life of the sun. If you have the capability to display it, you can also download a 4K version (3840 x 2160 at 29.97 frames per second). (Dennis, N6KI) Don, N4KC, writes: "The movie /Frequency/, which, as you may recall, featured Amateur Radio very prominently, is now being turned into a television series . I wonder if this means we can add "decade" stickers to our DXCC certificates when we work DX from the past and future! Or participate in the ARRL DX Contest in, say, 1974..." RESULTS AND RECORDS Dawn Hanner, N7VWH, was one of the operators at K7RI for the 2015 WAE RTTY Contest. [Photo courtesy of Curt, WR5J] Worked All Europe DX Contest (WAEDC) results are available for all modes. This could also be a fine time to check out recent contest result postings at 3830scores.com . OPERATING TIP Convert those Cut Numbers In the recent ARRL International DX Contest, some CW operators were sending cut numbers, which are shorter letter abbreviations for numbers. For example, for a power level of 99 watts, "NN" could be sent. For 100, "1TT", or even "ATT". Before submitting your log, it's prudent to convert these to the numeric equivalent. If a cut number is entered for the zone, your logging progam may not even accept it. Ad TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION Hard-drawn copper wire has traditionally been used for some electrical transmission line and antennas, where its greater tensile strength allows less sag. It can be difficult to work with, and can be hard to find, though at least one source has it in both stranded and solid. For long spans with minimal sag, copper-coated steel may be a better choice. Using a Raspberry Pi computer and some switchable filters, it's possible to build a camera that allows one to view images captured using polarized light (PDF). Polarized sunglasses can help you see fish through the glare reflecting from water; using variations on this theme, it's possible to use this device to detect man-made materials, chemical plumes, etc. The author of the paper is N2QG. Building antennas for higher frequencies may require bending aluminum rod. A tool that you can build yourself may be helpful for consistent bends . Foamed Copper may be a better heat conductor than solid , as it has greater surface area for heat exchange. (Ward, N0AX) Careful with those network-enabled devices! Make sure you know what you're putting on the Internet . Old-CPU nostalgia: One company has realized a pin-signal-level replacement for an 8088 using an relatively inexpensive FPGA . Of course, other CPUs and even whole computers have been re-implemented using FPGAs : 6502:Apple II FPGA, generic 6502 , or even a PDP-11 . Here are some techniques tempered with humor that you can use to get soldered components off that PC board, provided by one of the principals at Elecraft. Could you use a Bluetooth switch with your computer? It turns out that under-$3 button hardware can link to your computer, emulating a keypress . These could be handy for some uses in the shack. CONVERSATION Known Unknowns A couple of weeks ago, I was chatting with a colleague about what it would take to enable remote operation of our home stations so that we can use them from anywhere. The conversation eventually turned to the nitty-gritty details of how we could access our ham gear through our home network firewalls. My colleague mentioned that he worked with someone that thought you "didn't have to worry about using firewalls, because what is someone going to do anyway?" Being involved in the computer industry, I was taken aback; I didn't have an immediate answer to this, so alien was this opinion to me. I couldn't say nothing. All I could muster at the time was. "I think that's a really bad idea, there are all sorts of threats you are not aware of," while thinking, "don't exchange any USB storage devices with THAT guy. Remember to not open any of his e-mail attachments, either." What would have been a more comprehensive response? First, the answer to, "what is a bad guy going to do, anyway?" The smug but accurate answer is, "anything they can." It's not just the good guys that read about how the NSA exploits networks ; the bad guys do too, and they write automated tools to do their work. Initially, their army of script-driven robot attackers look for network devices that are vulnerable to gain a toehold. There are plenty of devices that are potentially vulnerable; there's even a search engine that will help find them by the message they use to self-identify. Some network routers, firewalls, and cable modems , have vulnerabilities. Exploits and vulnerabilities are even bought and sold among the black hats. All it takes is one device that's vulnerable, and some unwanted software is running on that device making it capable of launching attacks on all of the other devices on your network. Compromised computers will be scanned for financial information; keystroke capture software may be installed so everything that's typed gets sent somewhere for later analysis; new root certificates may get installed, which will allow further nefarious software to be installed when you browse the web. You could suddenly be be locked out of all of your files, including your electronic logbook, or be sending spam e-mail to all of your ham friends in your address book. You could become an electronic pariah. The bad guys could also get access to whatever devices are running your ham gear, but they'd likely prefer your bank accounts and your identity information. Even if there are laws in place to protect you financially from identity theft, it is a long and arduous process to put your financial and virtual self back together. Security is all about cost-benefit trade-offs -- you want to be as costly and difficult a target as possible for a potential hacker. Understand and implement security practices that apply to your situation . In general, protect yourself however you can. Use strong passwords. Change default passwords. Keep your software and hardware up to date. Scan for viruses and other malware. Back up your data. Use a firewall, and don't open any more ports in your firewall than necessary. See you in the NAQP RTTY? 73, Brian N9ADG PS. Send your contest-related pictures, links, humor, press releases, and comments to contest-update at arrl.org . Ad CONTESTS *25 Feb - 9 Mar* An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's website for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. *HF CONTESTS* CWops Mini-CWT Test , Feb 24, 1300z to Feb 24, 1400z, Feb 24, 1900z to Feb 24, 2000z, Feb 25, 0300z to Feb 25, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: February 27. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Feb 26, 0145z to Feb 26, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 28. QRP Fox Hunt , Feb 26, 0200z to Feb 26, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: February 27. NCCC Sprint Ladder , Feb 26, 0230z to Feb 26, 0300z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: February 28. CQ 160-Meter Contest, SSB , Feb 26, 2200z to Feb 28, 2200z; SSB; Bands: 160m Only; W/VE: RS + (state/province), DX: RS + CQ Zone; Logs due: March 4. REF Contest, SSB , Feb 27, 0600z to Feb 28, 1800z; SSB; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; French: RS + Department/Prefix, non-French: RS + Serial No.; Logs due: March 15. UBA DX Contest, CW , Feb 27, 1300z to Feb 28, 1300z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; ON: RST + Serial No. + province, non-ON: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: March 15. South Carolina QSO Party , Feb 27, 1400z to Feb 28, 0059z; CW, Digital, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; SC: RS(T) + County, non-SC: RS(T) + (state/province/"DX"); Logs due: March 29. *North American QSO Party, RTTY , Feb 27, 1800z to Feb 28, 0559z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: March 6. * High Speed Club CW Contest , Feb 28, 0900z to Feb 28, 1100z, Feb 28, 1500z to Feb 28, 1700z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Members: RST + HSC No., non-Members: RST + "NM"; Logs due: March 20. SARL Digital Contest , Feb 28, 1300z to Feb 28, 1600z; PSK, RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; RST + QSO No.; Logs due: March 6. North Carolina QSO Party , Feb 28, 1500z to Feb 29, 0059z; CW, Phone, Digital; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6, 2m*; NC: County, non-NC: (state/province/country); Logs due: March 21. AGCW YL-CW Party , Mar 1, 1900z to Mar 1, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; YL: RST + Serial No. + "/YL/" + name, OM: RST + Serial No. + "/" + name; Logs due: March 31. QRP Fox Hunt , Mar 2, 0200z to Mar 2, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: March 3. Phone Fray , Mar 2, 0230z to Mar 2, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: March 4. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Mar 2, 1300z to Mar 2, 1400z, Mar 2, 1900z to Mar 2, 2000z, Mar 3, 0300z to Mar 3, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: March 4. UKEICC 80m Contest , Mar 2, 2000z to Mar 2, 2100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; 4-Character grid square; Logs due: March 2. NRAU 10m Activity Contest , Mar 3, 1800z to Mar 3, 1900z (CW), Mar 3, 1900z to Mar 3, 2000z (SSB), Mar 3, 2000z to Mar 3, 2100z (FM), Mar 3, 2100z to Mar 3, 2200z (Dig); CW, SSB, FM, Digital; Bands: 10m Only; RS(T) + 6-character grid square; Logs due: March 17. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Mar 4, 0145z to Mar 4, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: March 6. QRP Fox Hunt , Mar 4, 0200z to Mar 4, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: March 5. NCCC Sprint , Mar 4, 0230z to Mar 4, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: March 6. *ARRL International DX Contest, SSB , Mar 5, 0000z to Mar 7, 0000z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; W/VE: RS + (state/province), non-W/VE: RS + power; Logs due: April 5. * Wake-Up! QRP Sprint , Mar 5, 0600z to Mar 5, 0629z, Mar 5, 0630z to Mar 5, 0659z, Mar 5, 0700z to Mar 5, 0729z, Mar 5, 0730z to Mar 5, 0800z; CW; Bands: 40, 20m; RST + Serial No. + suffix of previous QSO ("QRP" for 1st QSO); Logs due: March 12. Open Ukraine RTTY Championship , Mar 5, 1800z to Mar 5, 2059z (Low Band), Mar 5, 2100z to Mar 5, 2359z (Low Band), Mar 6, 0800z to Mar 6, 1059z (High Band), Mar 6, 1100z to Mar 6, 1359z (High Band); RTTY; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; 2-letter regional abbrev. (state/province/canton, etc.) + Serial No.(restart serial no. for high band); Logs due: March 21. UBA Spring Contest, CW , Mar 6, 0700z to Mar 6, 1100z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; ON: RST + Serial No. + UBA Section, non-ON: RST + Serial No.; Logs due: March 20. DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest , Mar 6, 1100z to Mar 6, 1700z; RTTY, Amtor, Clover, PSK31, Pactor; Bands: 10m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: March 21. SARL Hamnet 40m Simulated Emerg Contest , Mar 6, 1200z to Mar 6, 1400z; SSB; Bands: 40m Only; Class A: RS + Serial No. (starting with 201), Class B: RS + Serial No. (starting with 401), Class C: RS + Serial No. (starting with 601), Class D: RS + Serial No. (starting with 801), Non-participants: RS + Serial No. (starting with 001); Logs due: March 13. RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data , Mar 7, 2000z to Mar 7, 2130z; RTTY, PSK; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: March 14. ARS Spartan Sprint , Mar 8, 0200z to Mar 8, 0400z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Power; Logs due: March 10. QRP Fox Hunt , Mar 9, 0200z to Mar 9, 0330z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: March 11. Phone Fray , Mar 9, 0230z to Mar 9, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: March 11. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Mar 9, 1300z to Mar 9, 1400z, Mar 9, 1900z to Mar 9, 2000z, Mar 10, 0300z to Mar 10, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: March 12. AWA John Rollins Memorial DX Contest , Mar 9, 2300z to Mar 10, 2300z, Mar 12, 2300z to Mar 13, 2300z; CW; Bands: 40, 20m; RST + Eqpt Type + Eqpt Year; Logs due: April 10. *VHF+ CONTESTS* See NCCC Sprint Ladder, North Carolina and South Carolina QSO Parties, above. LOG DUE DATES *25 Feb - 9 Mar 2016 * *February 25, 2016* * QRP Fox Hunt * RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW *February 26, 2016* * Phone Fray * Russian PSK WW Contest * SKCC Sprint *February 27, 2016* * ARRL School Club Roundup * Feld Hell Sprint * SARL Youth Day Sprint * QRP Fox Hunt * CWops Mini-CWT Test *February 28, 2016* * NCCC Sprint Ladder * NCCC RTTY Sprint * AGCW Straight Key Party * PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint * Run for the Bacon QRP Contest *February 29, 2016* * Triathlon DX Contest *March 1, 2016* * Winter Field Day * OMISS QSO Party *March 2, 2016* * ARRL January VHF Contest *March 4, 2016* * YL-ISSB QSO Party, CW/SSB *March 6, 2016* * YLRL YL-OM Contest *March 7, 2016* * British Columbia QSO Party * FISTS Winter Slow Speed Sprint * FYBO Winter QRP Sprint * Vermont QSO Party *March 8, 2016* * F9AA Cup, CW ARRL Information Click here to advertise in this newsletter, space subject to availability. 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. Subscribe to /NCJ/ -- the National Contest Journal . Published bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. Subscribe to /QEX/ -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters . Published bimonthly, 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 ARRL Letter (weekly digest of news and information), the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications news), Division and Section news -- and much more! /ARRL offers a wide array of / /products/ // to enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Visit the site often for new publications, specials and sales. Donate to the fund of your choice -- /support programs not funded by member dues!/ Reprint permission can be obtained by sending email to permission at arrl.org with a description of the material and the reprint publication. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ARRL Contest Update wishes to acknowledge information from WA7BNM's Contest Calendar and SM3CER's Contest Calendar . Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Contest Update is published every other Wednesday (26 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/contests/update/. Copyright ? 2016 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Feb 25 18:32:49 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 25 Feb 2016 18:32:49 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for February 25, 2016 In-Reply-To: <20160225222751.2F16D202CE72@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20160225222751.2F16D202CE72@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <56CF8F21.8040808@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-02-25 The ARRL Letter February 25, 2016 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * FCC Invites Comments on ARRL Petition That Seeks 80/75 Meter Adjustments <#toc01> * Ballots Counted, Results Announced in Three ARRL Section Manager Contests <#toc02> * ARRL to Offer ARES Forms Training Webinar <#toc03> * ARES Team Leverages Radio Services, Local Media, Internet in Missouri Flood Watch <#toc04> * FCC Seeks Comments on Petition to Grant Lifetime Amateur Radio Licenses <#toc05> * *National Parks on the Air Update* <#toc06> * AMSAT Seeks Volunteers to Support Phase 4 "Five and Dime" Ground Terminal Effort <#toc07> * Satellite DXCC Nearly 20 Years in the Making <#toc08> * Article Profiles First African-American Radio Amateur, Rufus Turner, W3LF <#toc09> * Hurricane Watch Net, Maritime Mobile Service Network Stalwart David Lefavour, W7GOX, SK <#toc10> * In Brief... <#toc11> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc12> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc13> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events <#toc14> FCC Invites Comments on ARRL Petition That Seeks 80/75 Meter Adjustments The FCC has put the ARRL's January /Petition for Rule Making/ (RM 11759 ) on public notice and invited interested parties to comment on what the League has called "minimal but necessary changes" to 80 and 75 meters. The ARRL petitioned the FCC to fix a "shortfall in available RTTY/data spectrum" that the Commission created when it reapportioned 80 and 75 meters 10 years ago. The League's petition asked the FCC to shift the boundary between the 80 meter RTTY/data subband and the 75 meter phone/image subband from 3600 kHz to 3650 kHz. The proposed change received strong support from ARRL members, and the ARRL Board of Directors adopted it as policy at its July 2015 meeting. At that time the Board also agreed to seek RTTY and data privileges for Novice and Technician licensees within their current 15 meter CW subband, and to do the same on 80 meters, depending on the outcome of the 80/75 meter subband revision. The petition asks the FCC to make the following changes to the Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules, with respect to 80/75 meters: * Modify the RTTY/data subband, so that it extends from 3500 kHz to 3650 kHz. * Modify the phone/image subband, so that it extends from 3650 kHz to 4000 kHz. * Make 3600-3650 kHz available for General and Advanced Class licensees, as was the case prior to 2006. * Make 3600-3650 kHz available to Novice and Technician licensees for telegraphy -- consistent with existing rules permitting Novices and Technicians to operate CW in the 80, 40, and 15 meter General and Advanced RTTY/data subbands. * Modify the rules governing automatically controlled digital stations (ACDS), to shift the ACDS segment from 3585-3600 kHz to 3600-3615 kHz, consistent with the IARU Region 1 and 2 band plans. According to the ARRL, the FCC /Report and Order/ in Docket 04-140 released in 2006 departed substantially and without justification from the rules proposed in the FCC's so-called "Omnibus" /Notice of Proposed Rule Making/ (/NPRM/), with respect to 75 and 80 meters. Among other actions, the resulting changes expanded voice privileges on additional frequencies in various bands, including 75 meters. The FCC shifted the phone/image subband from 3750-4000 kHz to 3600-4000 kHz, trimming the 80 meter RTTY/data subband from 3500-3750 kHz to 3500-3600 kHz and substantially changing "the entire dynamic of this band," the League said. Although the Omnibus /R&O/ had indicated that incumbent licensees would not lose any operating privileges, some clearly did, the ARRL has pointed out. The most substantial adverse effect of the "unexpected and vast expansion" of the 75 meter phone/image subband, the League said, was the elimination of access to 3620-3635 kHz by ACDS. Read more . Ballots Counted, Results Announced in Three ARRL Section Manager Contests The ARRL Pacific, San Diego, and Louisiana Sections will get new Section Managers, and five incumbent SMs will begin new terms in their respective sections on April 1. The results of three contested elections in the winter election cycle were announced February 23, after ballots were tallied at ARRL Headquarters. * In the Pacific Section, Joe Speroni, AH0A, received 228 votes, to 103 for Kimberly Fendt, WH6KIM. Speroni has been the Pacific Section's Affiliated Club Coordinator and maintains a variety of Amateur Radio-related interests. Outgoing Pacific Section Manager Bob Schneider, AH6J, decided not to run for another term after serving for the past 10 years, in addition to stints from 1992 to 1996 and from 2002 to 2004. * In the San Diego Section, Dave Kaltenborn, N8KBC, outpolled Patrick Bunsold, WA6MHZ, 350 to 219 votes. Kaltenborn brings more than 25 years of experience as a radio amateur to the top post in San Diego Field Organization. He has been Assistant Section Manager, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator, and a District and local Emergency Coordinator. Outgoing Section Manager Steve Early, AD6VI, decided not to run for another term after serving for the past 8 years. * In the Louisiana Section, Scott Wren, KD5DFL, will succeed Jim Molan, KD5IGG, as Section Manager on April 1. Wren was the only nominee for the new term when Molan announced that he would not run for the position again after serving for one term. Wren has served as Section Emergency Coordinator for the past 2 years, and as an Assistant District Emergency Coordinator or Emergency Coordinator since 2005. * In Virginia, incumbent Section Manager Joe Palsa, K3WRY, received 870 votes, while Anthony Harbour, KG4YXP, garnered 512 votes. Palsa was appointed as Virginia's SM 1 year ago, to complete the remaining term of then-Section Manager Carl Clements, W4CAC, who had stepped down. Now elected in his own right, Palsa will continue as Section Manager for the next 2 years. Four incumbent ARRL Section Managers faced no opposition and have been declared elected for new terms beginning on April 1: Pete Cecere, N2YJZ, Eastern New York; Joe Ames, W3JY, Eastern Pennsylvania; Karl Bowman, W4CHX, North Carolina, and Chris Stallkamp, W0ADZ, South Dakota. ARRL to Offer ARES Forms Training Webinar On Tuesday March 1, ARRL Headquarters staff will offer a free training webinar on three critical Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) report forms. This webinar is intended for Emergency Coordinators, District Emergency Coordinators, Section Emergency Coordinators, Assistant ECs at all three levels, and Section Managers. The training will cover these forms:. * FSD-157 -- Public Service Activity Report * FSD-212 -- EC/DEC Monthly Report * FSD-96 -- SEC Monthly Report Topics covered will include how to fill out the forms, who should complete the forms, where the information goes, how the information gets used, and why good reporting is critical. The future of ARES reporting will be discussed. The webinar will begin at 8 PM ET (0100 UTC) and last about 1 hour. Conducting the webinar will be ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U; ARRL Field Services Supervisor Steve Ewald, WV1X, and ARRL Emergency Preparedness Assistant Ken Bailey, K1FUG. Attendees may register online. For more information, contact Mike Corey , KI1U. Ad ARES Team Leverages Radio Services, Local Media, Internet in Missouri Flood Watch Members of Ste Genevieve County ARES in Missouri pulled together a variety of resources to pitch in when the Mississippi River threatened to crest at a record level in late December. Ste Genevieve County Emergency Coordinator Norm Gallup, KD0HHM, reached out to the county's emergency manager to offer the ARES group's assistance, *AEC Jody Odem, NR9A, at the command post, explains the ARES team's activities to a local TV reporter. At the left is ARES team member Howard Dohack, W0JET.* and the ARES team was tasked with patrolling the north levee. Gallup was familiar with the system of levees and earthen dams that keep the river from overflowing its banks. With only a handful of radio amateurs at hand, AEC Jody Odem, NR9A, said the ARES team soon realized it would have to expand its pool of volunteers to non-amateurs who would be willing to patrol the levee. He suggested providing Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) VHF radios to support unlicensed levee walkers, supplementing ham radio and the Ste Genevieve County Amateur Radio Club repeater. *The Levee Watch Command Post at the Ste Genevieve Public Works Department office.* The ARES team set up shop at the Ste Genevieve Public Works Department, which overlooks the Mississippi. A county-provided, trailer-mounted crank-up tower was pressed into service to mount antennas. Gallup's "go kit" was packed with a broad complement of radio gear. To obtain Internet service, Odem used a modified wireless router that could function as a repeater to borrow a wireless signal from a local residential care facility. As the patrols got under way, MURS radios were issued to all levee walkers, with one also going to the local police department to monitor the ARES team's traffic. The command post also monitored local law enforcement as well as county fire and EMS repeaters. Ste Genevieve County Emergency Coordinator Norm Gallup, KD0HHM, calling in an "area of concern" from the levee. While all this was going on, Odem's wife Ana, N0ANA, took to Facebook, e-mail, text message, and telephone to secure additional volunteers. Fortuitously, a ham, Don Pritchard, W6ZPC, is the news director and an on-air personality for the local radio station, and he was able to put out the word via that medium. "As the operation progressed, volunteers came out of the woodwork to walk the levee," Jody Odem said. Throughout the operation, a total of 37 volunteers walked 4-hour shifts on the levee, looking for "areas of concern," which were called in and plotted on a map using Google Earth. Many volunteers returned to walk multiple shifts, Jody Odem said, and even with temperatures dipping into the 20s at night, no one complained. None of the areas of concern that levee walkers spotted turned out to be significant, as the Mississippi River reached its second-highest level at Chester, Illinois, since records have been kept. The ARES team officially stood down on January 4. Read more . FCC Seeks Comments on Petition to Grant Lifetime Amateur Radio Licenses The FCC is seeking comments on a /Petition for Rule Making/ (RM 11760 ) that asks the FCC to grant lifetime Amateur Radio licenses. Mark F. Krotz, N7MK, of Mesa, Arizona, filed his request with the FCC last November. He wants the FCC to revise ? 97.25 of its rules to indicate that Amateur Radio licenses are granted for the holder's lifetime, instead of for the current 10-year term. Krotz noted that the General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL) already is issued on a lifetime basis, and he maintained that not having to renew licenses would lighten the FCC's workload. "It would be mutually beneficial for the FCC and Amateur Radio operators to update Part 97 to grant operator licenses for lifetime," Krotz said in his filing. "The FCC would benefit by reducing administrative costs." In 2014, the FCC granted lifetime credit for examination elements 3 and 4, but applicants seeking relicensing under that provision still must pass examination element 2. Individuals may submit comments via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). *National Parks on the Air Update* Since the creation of the Manhattan Project National Historic Site by the National Park Service (NPS) in mid-November 2015, activating one of the three sites comprising this unit has been impossible, in large part because gaining access to active Department of Energy sites is exceptionally difficult. The only site of the three with any hope of regular public access is Oak Ridge, Tennessee. On February 24, NPOTA administrators decided that any location within the boundaries of the Oak Ridge Reservation, as outlined on the NPS Manhattan Project website, will count for NPOTA credit. Activators must be sure not to transmit from private property without prior approval. There are 35 activations on the NPOTA Activations Calendar between February 25 and March 2, including Petroglyph National Monument in New Mexico, and Moore's Creek National Battlefield in North Carolina -- as part of the 240th anniversary celebration of the Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge during the Revolutionary War. Details about these and other upcoming activations can be found on the NPOTA Activations calendar. Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook . Follow NPOTA on Twitter (*@ARRL_NPOTA*). Ad AMSAT Seeks Volunteers to Support Phase 4 "Five and Dime" Ground Terminal Effort Established less than 1 year ago, AMSAT's all-volunteer Phase 4 Ground Terminal team has made significant strides in developing an ensemble of solutions to support the so-called "Five and Dime" (5 GHz and 10 GHz) strategy AMSAT has embraced for microwave satellite projects. Prompting the effort is the planned launch of a geosynchronous military satellite in the 2018 time frame, which could play host to an Amateur Radio payload operating on the two microwave bands. The overarching project, which also includes a complementary Phase 4 Space team, is exploring new territory and innovative solutions, and it's seeking volunteers from among the technically savvy within the Amateur Radio community. *Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, heads the Phase 4 Ground team.* "We're going to make it as awesome as possible," Ground Station team lead Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, told ARRL. The project not only would support the Phase 4B geosynchronous launch, but provide solutions for the Phase 3E high-Earth orbit satellite, and receiver support for AMSAT's entry into the NASA Cube Quest Challenge, which would go to the moon. Thompson said the compelling technical reason for using 5 GHz and 10 GHz is the ability to use high-bandwidth modes on those bands. In addition, "the 5 and 10 GHz bands are popular elsewhere, and other projects are embracing this band complement," she noted. Another advantage would be to raise Amateur Radio's profile on the two bands and perhaps "shake things up" there for terrestrial use. "The 5 and 10 GHz bands are a compromise that's working really, really well," Thompson said. The US Air Force will control the geosynchronous satellite. Virginia Tech, Millennium Space Systems (MSS ), FEMA, various clubs. as well as AMSAT and ARRL are partners in, or are supporting, the project. A formal memorandum of understanding is pending. *Cognitive Radios* *Tinkering with a DVB-S2X signal in the laboratory.* "We're currently exploring the Amateur Radio implementation of a very advanced and exciting open standard called DVB-S2X for the downlink," Thompson explained, noting it offers a variety of modulation and coding. Earth stations will use their individual radios, transmitting a digital signal -- probably something called Offset QPSK (O-PSK) -- directly to the satellite, with each getting its own channel in a frequency division, multiple access (FDMA) scheme. "This is an elegant way to design an efficient and advanced communication system and allows technical volunteers to experiment with the basics of cognitive radio -- radio that can sense the environment and adapt to take full advantage of the capabilities the hardware offers," she said. *Groundsats and a "Big Honking SDR"* Phase 4 radios will be designed to work not just with the impending geosynchronous satellite but through terrestrial microwave "Groundsats," which, Thompson said, "are essentially satellite simulators that let you test and use the radio terrestrially." Phase 4 radio designs also could be configured to use modulation schemes that are better able to deal with terrestrial multipath. *Ground Team member Paul Williamson, KB5MU, with a HackRF One SDR board, being evaluated for use as a Phase 4 Ground radio.* Amateur Radio Access Points (ARAPs) -- essentially signal aggregators -- would allow legacy radios, FM handheld transceivers, or emergency traffic providers to use the satellite from any point where an ARAP can be deployed, packaging the input for uplink to the satellite. Hams within ARAP range would be able to use the Five and Dime terrestrial network just as if they were operating through a satellite. "The Groundsat, which is doing the same job as the satellite payload, has a big honking SDR on it," Thompson said. Groundsat equipment has arrived and is in use in San Diego, North Texas, and at Virginia Tech, and Groundsat development is under way at those sites. A fourth site would be at Morgan State University in Maryland. *Doing It on the Cheap* The name "Five and Dime" also reflects the project's economics. AMSAT Board Member and Virginia Tech Research Professor Bob McGwier, N4HY, recently explained on the AMSAT-BB that the Ground Team's work is "an effort to design an inexpensive ground terminal for amateurs that would cost tens of thousands of dollars commercially, for as much under $1000 as we can get it." To volunteer for the Phase 4 Ground Team, provide your contact information on AMSAT's Engineering Team contact form . Read more . Satellite DXCC Nearly 20 Years in the Making It took nearly 20 years, but AMSAT Vice President of Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, finally qualified for Satellite DXCC. Glasbrenner submitted the requisite number of QSLs for checking at the Orlando HamCation February 12-14, and ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, verified KO4MA's achievement. "It's been a long process getting to satellite DXCC," said Glasbrenner, who got into satellite operating around 1993, and was only on RS-12 (Mode K) for a long time. "This was the Russian satellite payload that used 15 meters up, and 10 meters down." Glasbrenner's activity stagnated for a long time during and after his college years, but in 1999 he got involved in working the LEO satellites, such as UO-14, AO-27, FO-20, FO-29, and AO-10 "when it was still semi-usable," he added. *ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, and AMSAT Vice President of Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, at the Orlando HamCation.* "When AO-40 was launched into a high-Earth orbit, I dove into Mode U/S with gusto," Glasbrenner recounted. During the 3 years that AO-40 was active, he spent many late nights and early mornings looking for the next new one. "Eventually I was using a 3-foot solid dish with preamp and downconverter for the Mode S downlink, and this is when some of my most exciting contacts came." Highlights included working VU2MKP at a few degrees of elevation to the east, right after the satellite came up, and working KH2GR in the other direction. When AO-40 went silent, Glasbrenner said he was about a dozen short of DXCC, and he realized that he'd have to be proactive to finish up with just LEO satellites. Many of his new ones came from operators who went the extra mile to operate from places like the Caribbean and Greenland. Glasbrenner said the absence of operational HEO satellites "makes satellite DXCC nearly impossible for newer operators." Bernhard Dobler, DJ5MN, has been at the top of the DXCC Satellite standings since 2000, and has 274 entities confirmed. Read more . Article Profiles First African-American Radio Amateur, Rufus Turner, W3LF The computer hardware/software/do-it-yourself blog /Hackaday/ has profiled Rufus Turner, W3LF (ex-K6AI) -- believed to be the first African-American radio amateur and one of the more fascinating personalities in US history. Born on December 25, 1907, in Houston, Texas, Turner "became fascinated by crystal diodes and published his first article about radio when he was 17," according to /Hackaday/. He went on to build what /Hackaday/ described as "then the world's smallest radio set" in 1925, while still a teenager. *Rufus Turner, W3LF.* In the day when radio amateurs still were allowed to broadcast, W3LF became the first radio station licensed to an African-American. He broadcast with a 15 W in Washington, DC, and operated another radio station for his church. Working with Sylvania in the 1940s, Turner helped to develop the 1N34A germanium diode. And in 1949, he wrote "Build a Transistor" for Hugo Gernsback's /Radio-Electronics/ magazine (May 1949 issue , p 38) -- at a time when transistors (aka "crystal triodes") not only were cutting edge but not commercially available. His meticulously described project involved the sacrifice of two 1N34A diodes. In January 1950, his article, "A Crystal Receiver with Transistor Amplifier" appeared in /Radio and Television News/, along with plans for a three-transistor radio. This was in the days before such things had begun to appear on the market. While he had attended Armstrong Tech in Washington, DC, and he became a licensed professional engineer, he veered into the non-technical sphere of academe later in his life, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in English, and in 1960 -- at age 52 -- becoming an English professor. Read more . /-- Thanks to Hackaday, Southgate Amateur Radio News, Radio-Electronics/ Ad Hurricane Watch Net, Maritime Mobile Service Network Stalwart David Lefavour, W7GOX, SK A veteran of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN ) and the Maritime Mobile Service Network (MMSN ), Capt David Lefavour, W7GOX, of Los Lunas, New Mexico, died on February 8. He was 82. Lefavour served for more than 28 years in the US Navy as a fighter pilot and later worked in law enforcement. An ARRL member, he was a member of the HWN for more than 20 years, serving as the net manager from 2006 until 2009 and receiving manager emeritus status in 2013. He also was a net controller for a similar tenure for the MMSN. "Dave was one of few I've met who had a very calming and reassuring voice during any emergency situation," HWN Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said. Lefavour will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ In Brief... *February 27-28 Maintenance to Interrupt ARRL Website Services:* The ARRL Information Technology Department will conduct overnight maintenance on its network during the February 27-28 weekend, and some or all website systems and services will be temporarily unavailable. The work will start at 0100 UTC on February 28 (the evening of Saturday, February 27, in US time zones) and be completed by 1100 UTC on Sunday, February 28. The ARRL website will remain up, but online processing of membership applications and renewals and the ARRL Store will not be available. E-mail also will be unavailable, but all messages will be queued for later delivery. We apologize for any inconvenience. *"Ham Radio Now" Hosting 2015 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Video Presentations:* Full-length video of all major presentations at the 2015 ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) is now online, courtesy of "Ham Radio Now ." This includes the 16 individual talks on subjects ranging from making a /WSPR/ transmitter from a Raspberry Pi to advances in HF receiver testing to building your own networked satellite ground station. Each talk runs about 45 minutes. The DCC Sunday "Deep Dive" -- 4 hours on a single topic --covered 3D modeling for Amateur Radio. Saturday night banquet speaker ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, posed the question: "Ham Radio... Now What?" DCC videos are grouped in a YouTube Playlist . *Idaho QSO Party Listing in /QST/ "Contest Calendar" Contains Incorrect Website URL:* The March "Contest Calendar" listing for the Idaho QSO Party contains an incorrect URL for the sponsor's website. The correct URL is http://idahoarrl.info/qsoparty/rules.htm. The Idaho QSO Party takes place March 12-13, 2016. . . . . . . . The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the 7 days of our reporting week (February 18-24), average daily sunspot numbers declined from 56.7 to 37.9. Average daily solar flux was down from 107.8 to 93.9, but geomagnetic indicators were also down (generally a good thing), with the average planetary A index decreasing from 17.7 to 10.1 and the average mid-latitude A index declining from 12.6 to 7.3. The latest prediction from the US Air Force has solar flux at 85 on February 25-26; 80 on February 27-28; 85 on February 29; 90 on March 1-2; 105 on March 3; 115 on March 4-7; 110 on March 8-9; 105 on March 10-13; 100 on March 14-15; 95 on March 16-19; 100 and 105 on March 20-21, and 110 on March 22-23. Solar flux then peaks at 115 on March 29 through April 3. Predicted planetary A index is 8 on February 25-29; 12 on March 1; 8 on March 2-4; 5, 15, 10, and 8 on March 5-8; 5 on March 9-10; then 8, 5, and 12 on March 11-13; 30 on March 14-16; 15 and 8 on March 17-18, and 5 on March 19-21. Sunspot numbers for February 18 through 24 were 35, 42, 46, 47, 29, 27, and 39, with a mean of 37.9. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 94.9, 94, 100, 95.6, 93.7, 91, and 87.9, with a mean of 93.9. Estimated planetary A indices were 29, 15, 6, 4, 4, 6, and 7, with a mean of 10.1. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 20, 10, 5, 3, 3, 5, and 5, with a mean of 12.6. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * February 26-28 -- CQ 160 Meter Contest (SSB) * February 27-28 -- REF Contest (SSB) * February 27-28 -- UBA DX Contest (CW) * February 27-28 -- South Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital) * February 27-28 -- North American QSO Party (RTTY) * February 28 -- High Speed Club CW Contest * February 28 -- SARL Digital Contest * February 28-29 -- North Carolina QSO Party (CW, phone, digital) * March 1 -- AGCW YL-CW Party (CW) * March 2 -- UKEICC 80 Meter Contest (SSB) See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to /The ARRL Contest Update/ via your ARRL member profile e-mail preferences. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events * February 27 -- WCF Section Technical Conference , Tampa, Florida * February 27 -- New Mexico TechFest , Albuquerque, New Mexico * February 27 -- Vermont State Convention , S. Burlington, Vermont * March 4-5 -- Alabama Section Convention , Birmingham, Alabama * March 11-12 -- Louisiana State Convention , Rayne, Louisiana * March 18-19 -- South Texas Section Convention , Rosenburg, Texas * March 19 -- West Texas Section Convention , Midland, Texas * March 19 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference , Redmond, Washington * March 25-26 -- Maine State Convention , Lewiston, Maine * April 2 -- Delta Division Convention , Fort Smith, Arkansas * April 2 -- North Carolina Section Convention , Raleigh, North Carolina * April 8-9 -- Oklahoma State Convention , Claremore, Oklahoma * April 9-10 -- Communications Academy , Seattle, Washington * April 15-17 -- International DX Convention , Visalia, California * April 15-17 -- VHF Super Conference , Sterling, Virginia * April 16 -- Delaware State Convention , Georgetown, Delaware * April 22-24 -- Idaho State Convention , Boise, Idaho * April 23 -- Aurora '16 Conference , White Bear Lake, Minnesota * April 23 -- Nebraska State Convention , Lincoln, Nebraska * April 29-May 1 -- Nevada State Convention , Las Vegas, Nevada Find conventions and hamfests in your area . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *ARRL *-- *Your One-Stop Resource for * *Amateur Radio News and Information* . . . * Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes /QST/ , Amateur Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month. * Listen to /ARRL Audio News/ , available every Friday. Subscribe to... * /NCJ / /-- National Contest Journal/ . Published bi-monthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO Parties. * /QEX/ *//*/-- A Forum for Communications Experimenters/ . Published bi-monthly, features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals. Free of charge to ARRL members... * Subscribe to the /ARES E-Letter/ (monthly public service and emergency communications news), the /ARRL Contest Update/(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more! Find ARRL on Facebook ! Follow us on Twitter ! Ad Ad Ad Ad Ad ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 times each year. ARRL members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/. Copyright ? 2016 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun Feb 28 13:41:24 2016 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sun, 28 Feb 2016 13:41:24 -0500 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Interesting Information Message-ID: <56D33F54.8090003@bellsouth.net> I have heard from two sources, of The Hamboree being held year first week in February 2017, next year. Along with everyone else, I look forward to hearing more about it. Bill W2CQ