From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 1 18:46:34 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 1 Jun 2017 18:46:34 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 1, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170601223626.F3BDD2010847@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170601223626.F3BDD2010847@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2017-06-01 The ARRL Letter June 1, 2017 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * Buildout of Nationwide First Responder Broadband Network Could Drive Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Changes <#toc01> * Amateur Radio Provides Communication Link Following Sri Lanka Flooding <#toc02> * The Doctor Will See You Now! <#toc03> * Support ARRL and Earn 10,000 Bonus Points <#toc04> * FCC Issues Amateur Radio Licensee a /Notice of Violation/ for Pirate Broadcasting <#toc05> * FCC Issues /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ in Public Safety Interference Complaint <#toc06> * Another Successful WX4NHC Annual Station Test in Advance of Hurricane Season <#toc07> * QB-50 Constellation Satellites Deployed from International Space Station <#toc08> * Our Sun's 11-Year Magnetic Cycle Destined to Disappear <#toc09> * Ham Radio Aviator Set to Depart on Round-the-World Flight <#toc10> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc11> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc12> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions <#toc13> Buildout of Nationwide First Responder Broadband Network Could Drive Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Changes The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet ) -- a nationwide wireless broadband network for first responders -- could change the complexion of how the Amateur Radio Emergency Service^? (ARES^? ) functions to support communication for responders during disasters and emergencies. As an independent authority within the US Department of Commerce's National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA ), FirstNet's mission is to build out, deploy, and operate an interoperable nationwide broadband network dedicated to first responders. Ralph Haller, N4RH, the chairman of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC ), told ARRL that the advent of FirstNet "will likely be as significant as when public safety first began using radio." "The nationwide network will be hardened, so that it will be more likely that many of today's public safety systems remain operational in emergencies," Haller said, pointing out that Amateur Radio should not expect to have access to FirstNet. He cautioned, "The endurance of Amateur Radio systems in disasters has been a big selling point in the past for incorporating amateur operators in emergency plans, but perhaps not so much in the future."/ / NPSTC is a federation of organizations that work toward improving public safety communication and interoperability, and ARRL has a seat on NPSTC's Governing Board. Haller predicted that Amateur Radio's role in emergencies will not disappear. "There is no substitute for eyes and ears on the ground in an emergency," he said, adding that radio amateurs "can and should continue to play an important part" in supporting emergency communication. "Amateur operators can continue to provide valuable information to emergency operations centers in the recovery phase of disasters," he said. "Whether that intelligence gathering is reporting on storm clouds, power outages, or road closures, amateurs can help provide critical, real-time information about conditions over a vast area. While first responders are treating the injured or protecting life and property, the amateur community can concentrate on assessing the overall picture." *Ralph Haller, N4RH, the chairman of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council.* On March 30, FirstNet and the Commerce Department announced a 25-year partnership with AT&T as the primary contractor to make FirstNet a reality. "The ability to communicate seamlessly across jurisdictions is critical for law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services (EMS) when securing large events or responding to emergencies and disasters," a Commerce Department news release said. "In those instances, networks can become overloaded and inaccessible, limiting responders' use of vital communication technologies, such as smartphones and applications dedicated to public safety services." Public safety agencies already use commercial wireless networks, such as AT&T and Verizon, to supplement their own radio systems and networks, although such communication is not point to point. FirstNet is initially targeted primarily to provide video and data, with mission-critical voice communication at least a decade away. EMS is likely to become a heavy user of the network, which will employ voice command functions a la Siri or Alexa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Be sure the public safety organizations never forget how valuable the amateurs are!"/-- NPSTC Chairman Ralph Haller, N4RH/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Inevitably there will be coverage gaps, and the development of "deployables" is critical. These devices can expand the network to areas it doesn't cover but where it may be needed for a specific incident. Deployables could include satellites -- Inmarsat is a member of the AT&T team. Network security and encryption is a high priority. The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) now uses encryption on its data nets. While images in the form of digital Amateur Radio television (DATV) and a plethora of digital modes are available to ARES, FirstNet could nudge ARES to more quickly adopt a similar approach. A new generation of radio amateurs steeped in data, image, and video technology is likely to drive ARES to think beyond analog. Haller advised that the Amateur Radio community should continue to work closely with public safety organizations at all levels to assure that they remain a part of emergency plans. "The hype about broadband should not result in amateurs inadvertently being swept under the rug," Haller stressed. "Be sure the public safety organizations never forget how valuable the amateurs are!" FirstNet will use spectrum at 700 MHz -- no immediate threat to Amateur Radio allocations, although there is no guarantee that this won't change as the network approaches the shift to 5th generation (5G) technology. Amateur Radio has access to significant spectrum above 700 MHz. The expectation is that within a couple of years, a nationwide "core" network will be ready to roll out, and the first public safety users will be on board. Some regional networks have been set up for proof-of-concept purposes and to work out wrinkles. /-- Thanks to Mike Corey, KI1U, and Ralph Haller, N4RH/ Amateur Radio Provides Communication Link Following Sri Lanka Flooding Members of the Radio Society of Sri Lanka (RSSL ) responded to an urgent call for help in the wake of torrential monsoon rainfall in southwestern Sri Lanka on May 28 that caused flooding and landslides. The Road Development Authority (RDA) contacted RSSL President Jaliya Lokeshwara, 4S7JL, seeking communication help from radio amateurs. The RSSL reports that emergency communication was needed to link remote Kalawana, one of the worst hit areas, and Ratnapura. All communication had failed due to heavy flooding, landslides, and damage to the telecommunications infrastructure. The RDA declared roads were impassable. Only air rescue by the Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters was possible, and the lack of communication support made that task even more difficult. A plan was quickly put into place to airlift four radio amateurs from the capital, Colombo, to both affected locations to form a communications link. Jaliya Lokeshwara, 4S7JL, and Nadika Hapuarachchi, 4S6NCH, were the first ready to go. A second team consisted of Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK, and Dimuthu Wickramasinghe, 4S7DZ. *Radio amateurs get ready to roll out en route to flood-stricken areas in Sri Lanka. [Photo courtesy of RSSL]* "We knew we could do it. We were self-sufficient and willing to rough it out," Goonetilleke said. "It was a hard task, but within 30 minutes of landing, the high frequency link was established." They used 40 and 75 meters, as well as 2 meters. He said they spent 2 days coordinating rescue flights, the movement of patients from Kalawana hospital to Ratnapura, and food drops. The emergency link remained in place until mobile phone service was restored and roadways cleared. "We are happy we could win the day for simple high-frequency radio," Goonetilleke said. The disaster recovery continues. Nearly 180 people died, and thousands were displaced by the weather disaster. /-- Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee, with Jayant S. Bhide, VU2JAU, National Coordinator for Disaster Communication in India (ARSI), and Victor Goonetilleke, 4S7VK/ Ad The Doctor Will See You Now! "Flea Market Tips" is the topic of the current episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In " podcast. Listen...and learn! Sponsored by DX Engineering , "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like! Every 2 weeks, your host, /QST/ Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor at arrl.org , and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast. Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes , or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry , or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's guide . Just ahead: "The Mystery of Sporadic E Propagation." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Support ARRL and Earn 10,000 Bonus Points You get more with the ARRL Visa Signature^? Card. For starters, spend just $2,000 in the first 90 days and you'll earn 10,000 BONUS POINTS^1 -- plus you'll enjoy a long list of great everyday benefits, including: * No annual fee (subject to creditworthiness) * One reward point for every $1 spent in eligible net purchases^2 * Merchant upgrades, special offers, savings, and more In addition, part of every card purchase will */be donated automatically to ARRL/*. So you can make a difference with every purchase, every day. Don't wait. Special offer ends on June 30, 2017. Apply today ! There are two different ARRL Visa Cards: the ARRL Visa Signature Card and the ARRL Select Rewards Visa Card. You will first be considered for the Signature Card. If you do not qualify for the Signature Card, you will be considered for the Select Rewards Card. These cards have different terms, as set forth here . The Select Rewards Card may not offer the same Signature benefits. We may change APRs, fees, and other Account terms in the future based on your experience with U.S. Bank National Association and its affiliates as provided under the Cardmember Agreement and applicable law. Account must be open and in good standing to earn bonus points. Upon approval, refer to your Rewards Program Rules for more information. ^1 To earn the bonus points, you must spend $2,000 on eligible net purchases within 90 days of account open date. Subject to credit approval. Please wait 6-8 weeks for account to be credited. ^2 Net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns. ? 2017 U.S. Bank National Association Ad FCC Issues Amateur Radio Licensee a /Notice of Violation/ for Pirate Broadcasting The FCC Enforcement Bureau has sent a California Amateur Radio licensee a /Notice of Violation/ (/NoV /) alleging that he engaged in unlicensed -- or "pirate" -- radio broadcasting -- on the FM band. The /NoV/ to Lyle E. Hilden, KD6LUL, of Vista, was released on May 26. Depending on Hilden's responses, the /NoV/ could be a precursor to a /Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture/ (fine). According to the FCC's Los Angeles Office, the Enforcement Bureau in March received a complaint of an apparently unlicensed FM broadcasting station on 93.7 MHz in Vista. The /NoV/ does not indicate the origin of the complaint, but these sometimes come from legitimate broadcasters in the listening area. The /NoV/ also does not recount the nature of the alleged pirate broadcasts nor indicate how long they had continued. The following month, FCC agents monitored the apparent unlicensed signal 93.7 MHz and used direction-finding techniques "to positively locate" its source as Hilden's residence. "Field strength measurements revealed that the signal transmitted by the station greatly exceeded 250 ?V per meter at 3 meters -- the maximum permitted on 93.7 [under Part 15 rules] without a Broadcast license," the FCC said in the /NoV///. Agents inspected Hilden's station and pointed out in the /NoV/ that his Amateur Radio license does not entitle him to transmit on the FM broadcast band. The FCC called on Hilden to provide additional information in writing within 20 days of the /NoV/, fully explaining any violations and providing "all relevant surrounding facts and circumstances." Hilden also must spell out and provide a timeline for the actions he has taken to correct any violations and preclude their recurrence. FCC Issues /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ in Public Safety Interference Complaint The FCC has issued a /Notice of Unlicensed Operation/ (/NUO/ ) to a Texas man for causing interference to a VHF public safety communications system in Dallas County. The FCC Enforcement Bureau issued the /Notice/ to Bradley C. Pike of Dallas on May 17.** On April 3, agents from the FCC's Dallas Enforcement Bureau Office responded to a complaint from Dallas County Consolidated Services regarding interference to their VHF public safety communications system. Agents confirmed by direction-finding techniques that VHF emissions coming from Pike's residence were causing the interference. Pike surrendered a radio signal jammer after admitting to agents that he had used the device, the FCC said. The Communications Act not only prohibits intentional interference, but the manufacture, importation, marketing, sale, or operation of devices designed to jam or disrupt wireless communications deliberately. Pike could face a substantial fine, seizure of radio equipment, and criminal sanctions, including imprisonment, the FCC said. Pike was given 30 days to respond to the /Notice/. Ad Another Successful WX4NHC Annual Station Test in Advance of Hurricane Season Over the holiday weekend, WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center (NHC ) in Miami logged nearly 200 contacts throughout the US, Canada, the Caribbean, and even Europe, during its annual station test, conducted ahead of the 2017 hurricane season, which begins on June 1 and continues through November 30. The annual exercise on May 27 served to check out Amateur Radio Station equipment, antennas, and computer systems. "We had a very successful WX4NHC Radio Station Test," said Assistant WX4NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R. "All of our radio and computer equipment and new main HF dipole antenna worked well. We feel that our equipment will perform well if needed during this hurricane season." WX4NHC was on the air for about 8 hours, Ripoll said, and utilized all communication modes available at the station on HF, VHF, and UHF, including EchoLink, IRLP, DMR, D-STAR, D-RATS, and digital HF messaging via Winlink. WX4NHC also tested the Florida statewide SARNet, which links more than 26 VHF/UHF repeaters and emergency operating centers. "Our UHF repeater on the Florida International University campus is part of SARNet, sponsored by the State of Florida Department of Transportation. Several stations throughout Florida, including the EOC in the state capital of Tallahassee went into the WX4NHC log. >From the Canadian Hurricane Center in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, reported that it was 50? F (and 93? F in Miami at the time). Robichaud expressed appreciation for the cooperation between the Canadian and US hurricane centers and WX4NHC during the storm season, Ripoll said. Rob Macedo, KD1CY, served as net control station for the VoIP Hurricane Net from WA1EMA at the Acushnet, Massachusetts, Emergency Management Agency. The Assistant Director of the Acushnet EMA, Ed Caron, KA1RSY, "also took time to make a contact and send his cool regards," Ripoll said. *Alan Wolfe, WB4L, and Susan Blank, WX2L, operate at WX4NHC during the 2017 station test. [Photo courtesy of Julio Ripoll, WD4R]* WX4NHC also contacted the Lafayette, Louisians EOC, the Slidell National Weather Service Office, the San Juan, Puerto Rico EOC, and stations in Germany and in Israel. "Many of our contacts were with individual Amateur Radio operators who volunteer as SKYWARN spotters for their local NWS offices and also participate in the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on HF during hurricanes," Ripoll said. "One of them -- Debbie Gray, WX9VOR, from Aurora, Illinois -- was very active relaying surface reports during Hurricane Matthew last year." Ripoll thanked all who participated in the annual test. "We hope our services are not needed during this hurricane season," he added, "but if needed, we are ready to provide NHC backup communications and ready to receive those important surface reports from stations inside the hurricane. Your surface report or your relay can make a big difference." Read more . QB-50 Constellation Satellites Deployed from International Space Station More than 2 dozen QB50 constellation CubeSats have been deployed from the International Space Station (ISS), including three carrying Amateur Radio transponders. Built by student groups from 23 countries, the "string-of-pearls" QB50 constellation aims to study the lower thermosphere 200-380 kilometers above Earth. The satellites were launched to the ISS in March aboard an Atlas V rocket. In all 28 QB50 2U and 3U CubeSats were released into orbit between May 16 and May 25. These included LilacSat-1 (ON02CN), which includes an Amateur Radio VHF/UHF FM to Codec2-BPSK digital voice transponder, APRS digipeater, and a camera; X-CubeSat (ON01FR) and SpaceCube (ON05FR). LilacSat-1 now is operational. Its transponder's FM uplink is 145.985 MHz (67 Hz CTCSS tone); the Codec2 9600 bps BPSK downlink is 436.510 MHz. The uplink frequency for both X-CubeSat and SpaceCube is 145.860 MHz (210.7 Hz CTCSS tone). Downlinks are 437.020 MHz for X-CubeSat and 436.880 MHz for SpaceCube. LilacSat-1 was developed at the Harbin Institute of Technology. Its primary payload is an ion and neutral particle mass spectrometer, developed by the University of London, to measure the mass and distribution of charged and neutral atoms. Shortly after its deployment, LilacSat-1 took a picture of the ISS solar panels, and the image was received by students on 70 centimeters, using 9,600 bps BPSK. Eight other QB50 CubeSats will be placed into orbit from India onboard Polar Satellite Launch Vehicles (PSLVs). No launch campaign has been announced for another four QB50 CubeSats. All of the QB50 CubeSats have downlinks between 435.8 and 438 MHz, and reports from radio amateurs are welcome. In 2014, two precursor QB50 CubeSats were launched -- QB50p1 (EO-79/FunCube-3) and QB50p2 (EO-80). Both carried Amateur Radio transponders. Ad Our Sun's 11-Year Magnetic Cycle Destined to Disappear The Sun's 11-year magnetic cycle appears to be ending, but that won't happen anytime soon. In a paper submitted on May 26 to the journal /Solar Physics/, two solar scientists are reinterpreting earlier evidence to hypothesize that the Sun's rotation rate and magnetic field are in a transitional phase that could lead to lengthening solar cycles, with the cycle ultimately disappearing altogether between 800 million and 2.4 billion years from now. Travis S. Metcalfe and Jennifer van Saders propose the scenario in their paper "Magnetic Evolution and the Disappearance of Sun-like Activity Cycles." "After decades of effort, the solar activity cycle is exceptionally well characterized, but it remains poorly understood," the authors say in the paper's abstract. "Pioneering work at the Mount Wilson Observatory demonstrated that other Sun-like stars also show regular activity cycles and suggested two possible relationships between the rotation rate and the length of the cycle. Neither of these relationships correctly describe the properties of the Sun, a peculiarity that demands explanation." The authors cite stellar evidence for the shutdown of "magnetic braking" in stars similar to our Sun. "The new picture of rotational and magnetic evolution provides a framework for understanding some observational features of stellar activity cycles that have until now been mysterious," they said. *Solar researcher Travis Metcalfe.* Metcalfe explained their observations through a recent Forbes magazine article . "Our previous discoveries identified an unexpected transition in the rotation and magnetism of middle-aged stars," Metcalfe is quoted in the article, "The Sun's Magnetic Dynamo Is Weakening" by Bruce Dorminey. "We now have direct evidence that the stellar dynamo -- the mechanism inside stars that sustains their magnetic fields -- actually shuts down during this transition." In their paper, the authors said that future observations with the Las Cumbres Observatory global telescope network "promise to probe the onset and duration of the magnetic transition that drives the evolution and eventual disappearance of Sun-like activity cycles." *Jennifer van Saders at a Carnegie Observatories seminar earlier this year.* A 2016 paper Travis co-authored -- "Stellar Evidence that the Solar Dynamo May Be in Transition," published in /The Astrophysical Journal Letters/, concluded, "The Sun still exhibits a dipole component to its global field, particularly near magnetic minimum, but the solar analogs also suggest a gradual concentration of the field into smaller spatial scales, leading to weakened magnetic braking," Metcalfe is listed on the paper as being associated with the Space Science Institute and the White Dwarf Research Corp, both in Boulder, Colorado. Van Saders is listed as being associated with the Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science in Pasadena, California, and the Department of Astrophysical Sciences at Princeton University in New Jersey. Ham Radio Aviator Set to Depart on Round-the-World Flight Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN, took off from Miami, Florida, on June 1 on a solo, round-the-world flight to commemorate Amelia Earhart's attempt to circumnavigate the globe 80 years ago. "Airborne!," he posted to his Facebook page , once aloft. "En route to St Thomas!" Lloyd will be on the air from /Spirit/, his single-engine Mooney 231 aircraft, during the course of his journey, expected to take 2 months. He will follow Earhart's historic route to fly around the globe at the equator, starting in Miami, skirting the Caribbean islands, then passing along the coast of South America before heading across the Atlantic. "I am driven by the spirit of historic flights," Lloyd said before leaving his Texas airstrip for Miami. "It is important to remember the aviation pioneers like Amelia Earhart and their contributions to aviation. Their bold actions made today's air travel possible for all of us." In late May, severe weather on the Atlantic route and aircraft equipment problems forced Lloyd to call off his New York-to-Paris speed flight. "There was only a short window of time that the flight could have happened, and the window has now closed," a May 22 announcement said. Lloyd will be on the air using HF SSB on or about 14,210.0 kHz, 14,346.0 kHz, 18,117.5 kHz, or 7,130.0 kHz. On board, he has a Mobat Micom-3 transceiver, which puts out about 125 W. His antenna is under the fuselage. He also will utilize ALE (automatic link establishment) on the Amateur Radio HFLINK frequencies. *Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN, during a test flight over Texas earlier this year. [Josh Flowers, photo] * "The flight route has some very long legs, so I will have plenty of opportunities during June and July to talk with ham operators while flying over the world's oceans," said Lloyd, 62, who has been licensed since 1976 but has been flying since 1968. To give his 1979 Mooney aircraft additional range, he modified it to carry 150 gallons more fuel. He's also equipped it with modern navigation equipment, long-range radio, and satellite communication gear. Because the flight involves some risk, special safety gear is part of his equipment ensemble. In addition to being a pilot, Lloyd is a flight instructor and educator. He lives near San Antonio. His commemorative flight is co-sponsored by The Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum, a non-profit in Texas, and by individual contributions. The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The average daily sunspot number for the reporting week of May 25-31 dropped from 31.7 to 15.6, compared to the previous 7 days. There were no sunspots on May 30, but on May 31 sunspot region 2661 appeared, and the sunspot number was 11, which is the lowest non-zero sunspot number possible, due to the arcane method for counting sunspots. The average daily solar flux increased from 74.1 to 77.2. The average planetary A index increased from 11 to 13.3, and the average mid-latitude A index went from 11.7 to 10.6. Predicted solar flux is 75, 76, and 77 on June 1-3; 78 on June 4-6; 75 on June 7-10; 78 on June 11; 80 on June 12-21; 75 on June 22-23; 72, 78, and 72 on June 24-26; 70 on June 27-July 5; 75 on July 6-7; 78 on July 8, and 80 on July 9-15. Predicted planetary A index is 5, 10, 14, 8, and 6 on June 1-5; 5 on June 6-9; 10 and 12 on June 10-11; 8 on June 12-13; 10, 12, 25, and 10 on June 14-17; 8 on June 18-19; 5 on June 20-24; 12 on June 25; 5 on June 26-July 6; 10 and 12 on July 7-8; 8 on July 9-10, and 10, 12, 25, 10, and 8 on July 11-15. Looking ahead: The latest forecast for ARRL Field Day weekend, June 24-25, has solar flux on June 23-25 at 75, 72, and 78, and predicted planetary A index at 5, 5, and 12. On Sunday during the CQ World Wide WPX CW contest, a large geomagnetic disturbance occurred. Planetary A index was 51, and the High-Latitude College A index (Fairbanks, Alaska) was 84. I received two reports of enhanced 10-meter propagation on Sunday. N6GP in California sent a link to a video . Sunspot numbers for May 25-31 were 19, 22, 21, 20, 16, 0, and 11, with a mean of 15.6. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 76.1, 80.2, 81.9, 78.8, 75.8, 73.7, and 74.1, with a mean of 77.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 3, 14, 51, 10, 7, and 4, with a mean of 13.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 4, 3, 14, 32, 10, 6, and 5, with a mean of 10.6. In Friday's bulletin, look for an updated forecast, reports from readers, and more on the May 28 disturbance and enhancement. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 3 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint * June 3-4 -- PVRC Reunion (CW, phone) * June 3-4 -- 10-10 International Open Season PSK Contest * June 3-4 -- DigiFest * June 3-4 -- SEANET Contest (CW, phone) * June 3-4 -- UKSMG Summer Contest (CW, phone, digital) * June 3-4 -- IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW) * June 3-4 -- Dutch Kingdom Contest (CW, phone) * June 3-4 -- RSGB National Field Day (CW) * June 3-4 -- Alabama QSO Party (CW, phone) * June 5 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Digital) * June 6 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW) 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 * June 2-4 -- Northwestern Division Convention , Seaside, Oregon * June 3 -- Georgia Section Convention , Marietta, Georgia * June 4 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention , Prospect, Pennsylvania * June 9-10 -- West Gulf Division Convention , Irving, Texas * June 16-18 -- Utah State Convention , Garden City, Utah * June 17 -- Tennessee State Convention , Knoxville, Tennessee * Jul 7-8 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 14-16 -- Montana State Convention , Essex, Montana * July 21-22 -- Oklahoma State Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Spokane, Washington * Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 12 -- Delta Division Convention , Shreveport, Louisiana * August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 20 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas 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 bimonthly, 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 and Instagram ! We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of /The ARRL Letter/. Ad Ad 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 ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 8 07:43:20 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2017 07:43:20 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Fwd: BIDDING ENDS TONIGHT! -- Ham, Antique & European Radios In-Reply-To: <1128134431879.1101544755308.1837353908.0.240705JL.2002@scheduler.constantcontact.com> References: <1128134431879.1101544755308.1837353908.0.240705JL.2002@scheduler.constantcontact.com> Message-ID: <74321798-cdab-13c0-d7a8-9d946dca158d@bellsouth.net> Massive number of older radios in auction. More Swan's in one spot than I have ever seen. You will need to register to view the auction. I cut and pasted the text and also sending the original html. I have no idea what it will look like on your end hi. Bill W2CQ *Ham, Antique, European Radios* *and More!* *BIDDING ENDS TONIGHT!* * * *Bidding begins to END @ 7PM CDT* *Don't Miss Out* *Click HERE to View, Register & Bid* * * *Collins 75A-4 Receiver, s/n 066 * * * *Colin B. Kennedy 281 Receiver, ca 1920's* * * *Nationwide Shipping!* *_________________________________* Consignments Wanted. We can assist you with the online sale of your amateur or antique radio, vintage audio or test equipment. Whether it be one item, an estate or entire collection. Out of state? No problem. Please contact our office at 816-455-5520 to discuss your options. Check out and "Like" our *Facebook* page *HERE *. *________________________________* (You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailings or registered for one of our auctions at some point in the past. If you'd like to be removed from this list, simply click on the "SafeUnsubscribe" link below.) Online Only Having trouble viewing this email? Click here Schulman Auction & Realty, LLC David S. Schulman Auctioneer/Real Estate Broker *Quick Links...* Our Website National Auctioneers Association National Association of Realtors Join Our Mailing List! *Contact* (816) 455-5520 *Missouri* (913) 568-3767 *Kansas* (816) 533-7100 *FAX* *via email:* sold at schulmanauction.com *Ham, Antique, European Radios* *and More!* *BIDDING ENDS TONIGHT!* * * *Bidding begins to END @ 7PM CDT* *Don't Miss Out* *Click HERE to View, Register & Bid* * * *Collins 75A-4 Receiver, s/n 066 * * * *Colin B. Kennedy 281 Receiver, ca 1920's* * * *Nationwide Shipping!* *_________________________________* Consignments Wanted. We can assist you with the online sale of your amateur or antique radio, vintage audio or test equipment. Whether it be one item, an estate or entire collection. Out of state? No problem. Please contact our office at 816-455-5520 to discuss your options. Check out and "Like" our *Facebook* page *HERE *. *________________________________* (You are receiving this email because you signed up for our mailings or registered for one of our auctions at some point in the past. If you'd like to be removed from this list, simply click on the "SafeUnsubscribe" link below.) Schulman Auction & Realty, LLC,5608 N. Oaktree Lane, Kansas City, MO 64118 SafeUnsubscribe? bmarx at bellsouth.net Forward email | Update Profile | About our service provider Sent by david at schulmanauction.com in collaboration with Constant Contact Try it free today From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 8 12:10:23 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2017 12:10:23 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] How Much Rain Did You Get? Message-ID: For everyone guessing about how much rain they received, here is a place to check your area and history of rainfall. At least as close as there is an official measuring system in place. https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KFLL/2017/6/8/DailyHistory.html?req_city=Fort+Lauderdale&req_state=FL&req_statename=Florida&reqdb.zip=33301&reqdb.magic=1&reqdb.wmo=99999 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 8 19:01:57 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 8 Jun 2017 19:01:57 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 8, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170608213255.60127201083F@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170608213255.60127201083F@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <3e13ad3e-9a7b-da8a-f7ca-0b3f24d1983b@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2017-06-08 The ARRL Letter June 8, 2017 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * Hamvention Improvements Already in the Works for 2018! <#toc01> * Consent Decree, Forfeiture Terminate FCC Interference Investigation <#toc02> * Canada C3 Sesquicentennial Voyage May be Tracked via /WSPR/ Beacon <#toc03> * FCC and OSHA Release Communications Tower Best Practices Guide <#toc04> * The Doctor Will See You Now! <#toc05> * The ARRL June VHF Contest is Almost Here! <#toc06> * New Jersey Radio Amateur Receives International Astronomical League's Gold Certification <#toc07> * Jordan's First CubeSat Set for Early 2018 Launch <#toc08> * Additional Countries Gain Bands at 5 MHz <#toc09> * SAQ Transmission on Alexanderson Day Cancelled <#toc10> * Centenarian ARRL Member Claiming Oldest Active Radio Amateur Crown <#toc11> * In Brief... <#toc12> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc13> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc14> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions <#toc15> Hamvention Improvements Already in the Works for 2018! Even before Hamvention^? 2017 had wound down at its new Xenia, Ohio, location, plans were on the drawing board to enhance next year's show. Hamvention 2017 "went reasonably well," spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, allowed, but he acknowledged that there are still a "lot of things to work on" for 2018. Kalter, who lives in Xenia, made the remarks in a video interview with DX Engineering's Tim Duffy, K3LR, in the wake of the May 19-21 show, which is sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA ). *Tim Duffy, K3LR (left), speaks with Hamvention's Mike Kalter, W8CI. [Photo courtesy of DX Engineering]* Kalter told Duffy that the staff of the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center on its own initiative met with him, Hamvention General Chair Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, and others to say they were already formulating plans for improvements. The food and forum venues at the new location got high marks, Kalter told Duffy, but the flea market suffered badly from the effects of heavy rainfall. "It rained hard, and it rained a lot," Kalter recounted, adding that the flea market area was not as well drained as organizers had expected. "What exactly we're going to do at this point, I don't know," he conceded. "We felt bad about that." *Heavy rain during Hamvention made parts of the flea market area rather muddy. [Photo courtesy of DX Engineering]* The exhibitor tents were another issue, with crowded quarters, wind-blown rain getting into booth spaces, and a lack of lighting. Kalter told Duffy that DARA didn't get the tents it wanted, and that more and better tents are high on the list for next year. DARA also has asked the Greene County Commission to purchase another building for the site, and the Commission will be installing air handlers in buildings for 2018. On-site parking improvements also are in the works, after a massive traffic jam on opening day. "Traffic on Friday morning was pretty rough, for those that got caught in that, but we worked with the officials...and they fixed it overnight," Kalter said. "We know that we are stewards of a very important event [for Amateur Radio]," Kalter told Duffy. Hamvention "is not just DARA's show," and exhibitors and organizers alike are buying into the concept of "our Hamvention" and contributing to an effort to improve the event. Kalter called Hamvention "a pillar" that helps to keep Amateur Radio alive and "growing and functioning at a much higher level" than anywhere else. "We're out in front of it," Kalter assured, "and I want to thank all of our volunteers," referring to the 657 individuals who made Hamvention 2017 happen. "Most of what I heard was very positive." In a separate interview with /HamRadioNow/ 's Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, Kalter said that while he could offer no firm numbers, attendance was "the biggest I've seen at any Hamvention I've ever been to. It was absolutely wall to wall, from one end to the other." Consent Decree, Forfeiture Terminate FCC Interference Investigation The FCC has again used a consent decree to resolve an enforcement matter. The FCC Enforcement Bureau recently concluded a radio interference investigation with "a negotiated settlement" and a $90,000 civil penalty. The case against AFX Inc. involved the marketing of unauthorized RF devices that interfered with AM/FM radio reception. After the company's NLL Series LED lighting fixtures were reported to be causing interference to broadcast radio reception last year, the Enforcement Bureau's Spectrum Enforcement Division issued a /Letter of Inquiry/ (/LOI/) to AFX directing it to submit a sworn written response regarding its marketing and sale of the fixtures, considered unintentional radiators under FCC rules. According to the FCC, evidence revealed that the suspect lighting fixtures had not been tested and authorized under FCC rules prior to marketing, and that AFX continued to market them during an approximately 5-month period after receipt of the /LOI/. "[W]e find that the public interest would be served by adopting the Consent Decree and terminating the referenced investigation regarding AFX's marketing of unauthorized radio frequency devices, and compliance with Section 302(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended and Sections 2.803(b)(2), 15.107(a), and 15.109(a) of the Commission's rules (Rules)," the FCC said. Canada C3 Sesquicentennial Voyage May be Tracked via /WSPR/ Beacon An Amateur Radio /WSPR/ (/Weak Signal Propagation Reporter/) //beacon has been installed and activated onboard the /Canada C3 / vessel. The ship departed Toronto, Ontario, on June 1 on a 150-day expedition to Victoria, British Columbia, via the Northwest Passage as part of the Canadian Sesquicentennial celebration. Sponsors are calling it an "epic journey to celebrate Canada and connect Canadians." According to Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), Canada C3 organizers permitted a group of enthusiasts under the leadership of Barrie Crampton, VE3BSB, to install the /WSPR/ beacon on the C3 vessel. *The /Canada C3/ departed Toronto on June 1. It's trackable via the WSPR network. * "This provides a unique opportunity to track the vessel on its 150-day sailing voyage around the Canadian coast -- the longest coastline in the world," an RAC bulletin said. The WSPR beacon identifies as CG3EXP (this page also includes /WSPR/ Amateur Radio frequencies). A live tracking link , generated by QRP Labs, the supplier of the tracking hardware, has been activated, hosted by Jeff Milne, VE3EFF. It generates a series of dots -- one for each Maidenhead grid square the vessel traverses. Stopping at a different location every day, /Canada C3/ will visit 50 coastal communities, 36 indigenous communities, 13 national parks, and 20 migratory bird sanctuaries. The /WSPR/ project is part of the science experiments and research to be carried out during the voyage. "Many of the locations to be visited by /Canada C3/ lie in areas where radio communication is difficult," RAC said. //Visit the RAC website for additional information . Ad FCC and OSHA Release Communications Tower Best Practices Guide The FCC and OSHA have announced the release of a free publication, Communications Tower Best Practices Guide . While aimed more at those who tend commercial communication towers, the guide offers information applicable to the Amateur Radio community and contractors working on Amateur Radio antenna support structures. The FCC said the guide was a result of two tower safety workshops. "Recognizing the risks that tower employees face, OSHA and the FCC held a workshop on communication tower employee safety on October 14, 2014," the new guide explains. "During this workshop, industry stakeholders, along with employee safety advocates and the families of communication tower employees who had been killed on the job, gathered to discuss issues affecting the safety of communication tower employees." A second workshop followed in February 2016, during which a panel of industry stakeholders and advocates discussed best practices that could reduce injuries and fatalities among tower workers. "This document is a collection of the best practices gathered from those workshops and from the discussions that continued beyond those events," the guide says. Among other points, the guide emphasizes that all tower workers need "to have and use proper safety equipment at all times," and that, "no work should be done if proper safety equipment is unavailable or if the safety equipment available is not functioning properly." The guide also notes an increasing use of drones for tower inspection. "This technology has the potential to reduce unnecessary climbing and can avoid putting [tower workers] at risk," the guide points out. "Every tower climber death is preventable," stressed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai. The Doctor Will See You Now! "The Mystery of Sporadic E" is the topic of the new (June 8) episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In " podcast. Listen...and learn! Sponsored by DX Engineering , "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like! Every 2 weeks, your host, /QST/ Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor at arrl.org , and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast. Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes , or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry , or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's guide . The ARRL June VHF Contest is Almost Here! One of the premier VHF/UHF events on the contest calendar -- the ARRL June VHF Contest -- gets under way at 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 10, and continues until 0259 UTC on Monday, June 12. Whether you are new to VHF or new to contesting altogether, the ARRL June VHF Contest offers /all/ licensees a chance to explore what they can do on our VHF and UHF bands. The object for participants in the US and Canada (and possessions) is to work stations in as many different 2? ? 1? Maidenhead grid squares as possible, using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and Canada (and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and Canada. Stations in KH0-9, KL7, KP1-KP5, CY9, and CY0 count as W/VE stations and may be worked by DX stations for contest credit. *In the January 2017 ARRL VHF Contest, KM4KMU operated from Reddish Knob on the Virginia/West Virginia border, FM only, on four bands. * June is a favorable month for 6-meter band openings, and the contest occurs at the start of the summer sporadic E season, offering intense openings on 6 and even 2 meters. Propagation opportunities also can include tropospheric ducting, aurora, and moonbounce or meteor scatter. K1JT's /WSJT-X /software suite now includes a new mode for scatter communications -- /MSK144/. It offers 15-second sequencing and improvement in signal decoding for meteor scatter work, and many VHF operators are talking about using it on 6 and 2 meters during this event. Newcomers to VHF contesting may want to try one of these categories: * Single Operator, Portable: For those who enjoy operating low power from a portable power source and using portable antennas. * Rover: For mobile operators who enjoy traveling from one grid square to another to hand out contacts. * Single Operator, FM-only: A category for the 50-, 144-, 222-, and 440-MHz bands running 100 W or less. * Single Operator, Three-Band: Restricted to 50, 144, and 432 MHz (power limits apply). Pick a band or mode, and have fun in the June VHF Contest! Got a question? Contact the ARRL Contest Branch. Ad New Jersey Radio Amateur Receives International Astronomical League's Gold Certification Blair Hearth, KD2EPA, of Oceanport, New Jersey, has joined the select group of individuals who have received Gold certification in the Radio Astronomy Observation program of the International Astronomical League for making at least 10 galactic observations. Hearth, who *Blair Hearth, KD2EPA.* already had qualified for Silver certification, used the InfoAge Science History Museum's TLM-18 dish for a few of his observations, but most were accomplished by using Amateur Radio equipment to scan the void. A member of the Garden State Amateur Radio Association and the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers, Hearth was the recipient of the ARRL Hudson Division Technical Achievement Award in 2015 for his work in radio astronomy and RFI. As Hearth explains on his QRZ.com profile: "I use a low-frequency receiver to collect data that indicates sudden ionospheric disturbances. My venerable *The TLM-18 dish at InfoAge.* Kenwood R-600 receiver is dedicated to receiving Jovian radiation at 20.1 MHz. I also monitor and count meteors via radio reflection using a NooElec 2 dongle, SDR#, and /HDRFFT /software. I attempt observations of extra-solar radio objects in the 408 MHz 'band' using GNU Radio, an excellent LNA, and a DB8 bow-tie antenna." Hearth said he uses the TLM-18 60-foot dish for research into "the velocity of the sun with respect to the Local Standard of Rest." He also will take part in data-gathering during the August solar eclipse. Hearth will deliver a presentation, "How to Use Ham Radio Gear to Do Radio Astronomy," at the International Astronomical League's 2018 international meeting. He enjoys QRP operating and has a WSPR beacon on 20 meters. Jordan's First CubeSat Set for Early 2018 Launch Jordan's first CubeSat -- JY1SAT -- will be launched next February, according to a news report . The spacecraft's name recalls the famous Amateur Radio call sign of Jordan's late King Hussein. JY1SAT will carry a FUNcube 435/145 MHz SSB/CW Amateur Radio inverting transponder and a Slow-Scan Digital Video (SSDV) system to transmit stored images. /The Jordan Times/ recently reported that a team of 16 university students has been constructing the 1U CubeSat, supervised by a group of experts and academics through weekly meetings at the Royal Jordanian Radio Amateurs Society (RJRAS). RJRAS members Nart Tahamouqa, JY5IB, and Rafiq Farmawi, JY4CI, serve as advisers to the project. The JY1SAT team includes 24-year-old Zeid Kawar, whose 2-month internship at NASA's Ames Research Center inspired his interest in developing his country's first nanosatellite. The student team will develop and operate a special ground station (JY6JY). JY1SAT will transmit stored images reflecting Jordan's historical and cultural heritage, which will be selected in advance of the launch through a national competition. JY1SAT applied to the IARU on May 15 to coordinate a telemetry downlink on 145.840 MHz and transponder downlink passband of 145.855-145.875 MHz, with an inverting uplink passband of 435.100-435.120 MHz. A SpaceX flight will carry JY1SAT into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. --/Thanks to AMSAT-UK/, The Jordan Times, AMSAT News Service Additional Countries Gain Bands at 5 MHz Radio amateurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among the latest to gain access to a 60-meter band. The allocation is 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz at a maximum power of 15 W EIRP. Malta also has opened a 60-meter band for its Amateur Radio licensees. The island's telecoms regulator, the Malta Communications Authority, published an updated National Frequency Plan in April that includes the WRC-15 secondary Amateur Radio allocation of 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz at a maximum power of 15 W EIRP. Panama came on board with the same allocation in December. The Netherlands telecoms regulator Agentschap Telecom (AT) has added a 60-meter band of 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz to its frequency plan for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. Eligible licensees may run up to 25 W EIRP. Radio Amateurs in Poland will soon have access to 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz with 15 W EIRP. Mexico's telecommunications regulator IFT has approved Amateur Radio use of 5,351.5-5366.5 kHz at up to 20 W EIRP. Iceland's telecommunication authority PTA has extended /experimental/ license privileges for radio amateurs in the 5 MHz band until December 31, 2017. The privileges are for 5,260-5,410 kHz, with 100 W EIRP, CW, USB, PSK31, and other digital modes. Currently 25 licensees in Iceland have experimental licenses to operate on 60 meters. In Hungary, the HG7BHB beacon on 5,352.5 kHz has been shut down. Established in 2015 by Hungary's IARU member society MRASZ, the beacon went out of order in February. A substantial increase in activity near its frequency and the lack of a suitable alternative frequency led to the decision to switch it off altogether. Meanwhile, Steve K?lcsey, HA0DU, has reported that temporary Amateur Radio licenses permitting 5 MHz operation in Hungary have expired, and there has been no 60-meter operation since May 1./-- Thanks to the /5 MHz Newsletter/via Paul Gaskell, G4MWO, /Southgate Amateur Radio News Ad SAQ Transmission on Alexanderson Day Cancelled There will be no Alexanderson Day over-the-air VLF transmission on Sunday, July 2, from SAQ, the Alexanderson alternator station in Sweden. SAQ periodically schedules transmissions with the nearly century-old electromechanical behemoth, which operates on 17.2 kHz from the World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station. SAQ said the event was cancelled due to ongoing maintenance work at the site. The station will still observe Alexanderson Day with activities that include two startups of the Alexanderson alternator and a "local" transmission. These events will be streamed via YouTube. The site will be open to visitors. Dating from the 1900s, the Alexanderson alternator -- essentially a massive ac generator run at extremely high speed and connected to an extensive antenna system -- could generate 200 kW of very low frequency RF. The unit at SAQ typically is operated at less than half that power level. Once providing reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a museum piece and only put on the air on special occasions. The unit at SAQ was built in the 1920s. Centenarian ARRL Member Claiming Oldest Active Radio Amateur Crown A 105-year-old ARRL member, Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP, of White Rock, South Carolina, is claiming the title of "World's Oldest Operating Ham." No official record of such milestones exists, but ARRL is not aware of any radio amateurs senior to Kayhart, and he is now quite likely the oldest active ham, at least in the US. Early this year, Charlie Hellman, W2RP, died at 106; he also may have been the longest licensed. Hellman outlived the former "oldest US ham," Harry Wolf, W6NKT, by 8 days. Wolf was a couple of weeks shy of turning 108. Kayhart now lives at The Heritage at Lowman Home. *105-year-old Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP, on the air from the W4DFG club station of the Dutch Fork Amateur Radio Group.* "I have had to get help getting set up after moving here from Tennessee," he said in his QRZ.com profile . "Two local clubs, Dutch Fork Amateur Radio Group and Columbia Amateur Radio Club, have been there to help. It has been slow going. They tell me I may be the oldest operating ham." Kayhart is active on 80 meters, as well as other bands. Born in 1911, Kayhart was first licensed in 1937 as W2LFE in New Jersey. He then was W9GNQ before becoming W4KKP. Kayhart's interest in Amateur Radio began in the early 1920s, when he built a crystal radio. After modifying the inductor, he began hearing hams on AM. Read more . In Brief... *New Washington Distracted Driving Law Includes Amateur Radio Exception: *The State of Washington has a new distracted driving law aimed at discouraging the use of certain personal electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle. Governor Jay Inslee signed SSB 5289 into law on May 16, declaring its implementation an emergency, which means the new law becomes effective on August 16. In defining a "personal electronic device," the pending law excludes two-way radio, Citizens Band radio, or Amateur Radio equipment. The law defines a "personal electronic device" as "any portable electronic 16 device that is capable of wireless communication or electronic data retrieval and is not manufactured primarily for hands-free use in a motor vehicle. 'Personal electronic device' includes, but is not limited to, a cell phone, tablet, laptop, two-way messaging device, or electronic game." Their use while driving would be a secondary violation. /-- Thanks to ARRL Western Washington Section Manager Monte Simpson, AF7PQ/ ** *Oleg Novitskiy (left) and Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, ensconced in the Soyuz vehicle prior to departure. [NASA photo]* *Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, and Oleg Novitskiy Return to Earth after 6 Months in Space:* European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, and cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy returned to Earth on June 2 after a 6-month duty tour on the International Space Station (ISS). It took the pair more than 3 hours to descend to Earth in a /Soyuz/ MS-03 transporter. During his time on the ISS, Pesquet participated in several Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) school contacts. "It's been a fantastic adventure and amazing ride. We got a lot of work done up here," Pesquet tweeted just prior to his departure. The two space travelers landed without incident in the steppes of Kazakhstan. The departure of Pesquet and Novitskiy leaves three crew members on board the ISS -- Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI; Peggy Whitson, ex-KC5ZTD, and Jack Fischer, K2FSH. The Expedition 52/53 crew increment of Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA; Randy Bresnik, and Sergey Ryazanskiy will head to the ISS in July. *Register Now for the 2017 Central States VHF Society Conference:* Registration is now open for the 2017 Central States VHF Society (CSVHFS ) Conference , which is expected to attract VHF/UHF/microwave operators from across the US, Canada, and elsewhere to sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico (DM65) on July 27-30 at the Sheraton Airport Hotel. Lodging information , including the special conference hotel rate and reservation deadline, are on the convention website. An up-close-and-personal tour of the iconic NRAO Very Large Array (VLA) near Magdalena, New Mexico, has been arranged for Thursday, July 27. The deadline to submit papers for publication in the /Proceedings/, or to propose a presentation for this year's conference, is Monday, June 12. CSVHFS continues its tradition of highlighting experimentation, research, design, and construction within the VHF/UHF/microwave community, and information, contact information, and guidance for all interested in providing papers or posters also is on the conference website. You do /not/ need to attend or present at the conference for your paper to be published. *W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention Registration Now Open:* Registration now is open for the 2017 W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention , the Southeast's largest and most popular DX and contesting event, September 22-23, at the MainStay Suites in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The event will feature presenters speaking on DX and contesting, equipment manufacturers -- on hand to demonstrate new products and answer questions face to face, and a banquet. This year's convention will continue the Ham Radio Bootcamp to mentor newcomers and experienced hams alike on station and antenna construction, operating, digital modes, DXing, and contesting. The convention website has full details. /-- Thanks to Dave Anderson, K4SV/ *Amateur Radio Volunteers Sought to Assist with Silicon Valley Tour de Cure Communications:* Amateur Radio rest stop and SAG volunteers are being sought to assist with communications during the Silicon Valley Tour de Cure on Sunday, June 11 (approximately 9 AM until 4 PM PDT), sponsored by the American Diabetes Association. This is a walk/run/cycling event, and all race legs begin and end at the Hewlett-Packard campus in Palo Alto. Fred "Fast Freddie" Rodriguez, four-time National Road Race Champion, will be the Celebrity Pro-Rider at the event. Amateur Radio volunteers will need a VHF/UHF mobile capable of at least 25 W, and a gain antenna. Rest stop volunteers can use a beam antenna and battery. Handheld transceivers will not be sufficient. Contact Fred Townsend , AE6QL, to volunteer and for additional details. Ad The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The average daily sunspot number rose this week from 15.6 to 19.3, largely due to the fact that there was one zero-sunspot day last week, and none this week. The average daily A index -- planetary and mid-latitude -- were both 5.6 this week. Last week they were 13.3 and 10.6, respectively. The predicted solar flux is 72 on June 8-10; 75 on June 11-13; 72 on June 14; 78 on June 15-26; 80 on June 27-July 1; 78 on July 2-8; 80 on July 9, and 78 on July 10-22. The planetary A index is predicted at 5 on June 8-11; 8 on June 12-13; 5, 12, 25, and 10 on June 14-17; 8 on June 18-19; 5 on June 20-July 10; 10, 12, 25, and 10 on July 11-14; 8 on July 15-16, and 5 on July 17-22. Field Day weekend, June 24-25, shows a changed prediction for June 23-25 with a solar flux at 78, and planetary A index of 5 on all 3 days, an improvement from last week's forecast, which projected a higher geomagnetic (A index) forecast and lower solar flux. Bruce Smith, AC4G, of Taft, Tennessee wrote: "Just wanted to inform your readers that on 7 June at approximately 2100 Z, I heard PA2M (Netherlands) calling CQ into my area EM65, southern Tennessee. I went down to 50.081, called CQ (CW), and began working many European stations on 6. When the band finally faded after about 2 hours, I ended up making QSOs with 18 European stations such as PA, G, GM, GD." Boy Scouts of America Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) Coordinator Jim Wilson, K5ND, of Grapevine, Texas, wrote to say he's observed daily openings into Europe on 6 meters but has had no luck working anyone. "But this afternoon was able to work into Japan for the first time ever, running 100 W, JT65, into a Moxon antenna at 25 feet." He has posted a narrative on his experience. Jim also maintains a blog . Sunspot numbers for June 1 through 7, 2017 were 18, 19, 22, 23, 22, 18, and 13, with a mean of 19.3. The 10.7-cenitmeter flux was 75.7, 78.2, 77.9, 77.7, 79.4, 75.4, and 75.5 with a mean of 77.1. Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 5, 9, 3, 5, 5, and 5, with a mean of 5.6. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 6, 6, 9, 3, 5, 5, and 5, with a mean of 5.6. Send me your reports and observations! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 9 -- HA3NS Sprint Memorial Contest (CW) * June 10 -- Asia-Pacific Sprint (SSB) * June 10-11 -- DRCG WW RTTY Contest * June 10-11 -- VK Shires Contest (CW, phone) * June 10-11 -- Portugal Day Contest (CW, phone) * June 10-11 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW) * June 10-11 -- GACW WWSA CW DX Contest * June 10-11 -- REF DDFM 6-Meter Contest (CW, phone) * *June 10-12 -- **ARRL June VHF Contest* *(CW, phone, digital)* * June 11 -- Cookie Crumble QRP Contest (CW, phone, digital) * June 12 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone) * June 14 -- NAQCC CW Sprint * June 14 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW) 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 * June 9-10 -- West Gulf Division Convention , Irving, Texas * June 16-18 -- Utah State Convention , Garden City, Utah * June 17 -- Tennessee State Convention , Knoxville, Tennessee * Jul 7-8 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 14-16 -- Montana State Convention , Essex, Montana * July 21-22 -- Oklahoma State Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Spokane, Washington * Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 12 -- Delta Division Convention , Shreveport, Louisiana * August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 20 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas 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 bimonthly, 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 and Instagram ! We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of /The ARRL Letter/. Ad Ad 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 ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Tue Jun 13 17:00:18 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Tue, 13 Jun 2017 17:00:18 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ICONIC RADIOSHACK MEMORABILIA AUCTION Message-ID: https://ubidestates.hibid.com/catalog/103245/radioshack-auction--1/ Bidding Open Online-Only Auction *UBid Estate & Auction Services LLC * RadioShack 900 Terminal Rd Ft. Worth, TX 76106 Date(s) 5/30/2017 - 7/3/2017 Through July 3rd starting at 7pm CDT ICONIC RADIOSHACK MEMORABILIA AUCTION From humble beginnings in Boston in 1921, over the past 95 years RadioShack established itself as a globally recognized leader and the go to retailer for consumer electronics. RadioShack has always been known as the place for answers to the American public's technology and electronics questions. "You've got questions, we've got answers." Over the years, RadioShack introduced consumers to exciting and affordable gadgets and electronics that have become household items. As we cleaned out our historic archives in Fort Worth, Texas, we uncovered a cache of iconic memorabilia in 12 huge safes, including: unused original TRS-80 Microcomputers, Realistic Transistor Radios, Tandy computer software games, original brick cell phones and so much more. We all remember coming into RadioShack whether it was for the battery-of-the-month, new walkie-talkies, or to check out the newest RC toy cars. Now we reintroduce many of those nostalgic items and more with our rolling online memorabilia auction. From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 15 15:01:51 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2017 15:01:51 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] More Fast Wind Brings Chance for Aurora: Solar Storm Forecast 06-15-17 Message-ID: <6c6848a0-71f6-4732-26d1-53f0ebaf49aa@bellsouth.net> TamithaSkov https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYC6hzifWu0&feature=em-uploademail From bmarx at bellsouth.net Sun Jun 18 08:55:26 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Sun, 18 Jun 2017 08:55:26 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Wow! Hamvention 2017 Attendance: 29, 296 - QRZ Message-ID: <3a5ed307-2fc0-4964-6a5b-119f8715b82c@bellsouth.net> A Message from Hamvention General Chairman Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ 29,296 Attendees at Dayton Hamvention? 2017 It took a while to collect all the information but the numbers are in and it has been a most successful year. This is quite an increase over last year?s attendance. We knew this would be a big year but this was even beyond our expectations. The challenge was great to reinvent Hamvention? at a new venue, The Greene County Expo Center and Fairgrounds in a very short time period. From all the emails, letters, and calls I have received over the last few weeks, we have accomplished it successfully. Thanks to all who provided constructive criticism, each idea is being evaluated. Please thank all our 657 volunteers from around the world for their over the top dedication to make Hamvention the success you wanted it to be. We all recognize the traffic, rain, mud and parking issues, but part of those issues were corrected even before show weekend was over. Other issues are being worked on already for next year?s show. We are working with Greene County, Xenia Township, City of Xenia officials and the Greene County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center Advisory Board. We can?t control the rain but we promise there will not be some of the other issues next year. There may even be some new surprises in store for you. We have three extra months and a successful plan to start with. We thank all who came to the show this first year in Greene County and hope to see you again next year. For those that thought they would wait and see how we did, sorry you missed the show but look forward to seeing you next year. Our rough edges will be smoothed out for you by then. Thank You, and Hope to see all next year at our New Home, Ron Cramer Hamvention? General Chair http://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/wow-hamvention-2017-attendance-29-296.570638/ From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 22 15:38:01 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 15:38:01 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] SFL Field Day EXTRA ! In-Reply-To: <20170622175838.014192010822@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170622175838.014192010822@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <7ce473c5-1e21-a88f-7562-eba3042e3b94@bellsouth.net> Hi Everyone, The big event is just a couple of days away. Over 25 clubs and groups will be setting up to participate in Amateur Radio's most popular operating activity. Operations begin at 2PM Saturday thru 2PM on Sunday. Jeff and Barry will once again take the SFL Field Day Tour around the Section. We will visit our West Coast counties first and travel back to cover our East Coast counties. Our itinerary is based on the listings on the Field Day Locator. If your group is not listed there and you would like us to visit, just let me know. Governor Rick Scott has proclaimed the week of June 19-25, 2017 as Amateur Radio Week in the State of Florida. In addition, the following locat government entities have issued their own proclamations for Amateur Radio Week: Indian River County Palm Beach County City of Belle Glade City of Boca Raton City of Boynton Beach City of Delray Beach Town of Davie Town of Mangonia Park Village of North Palm Beach City of Palm Beach Gardens Village of Wellington City of West Palm Beach Bonus points can be claimed for many things your group will be doing anyway. They are listed in the FD Rules on the ARRL website. Sometimes overlooked are coping the W1AW FD message. The W1AW schedule is listed below: ARLX005 2017 W1AW Field Day Bulletin Schedule Day Mode Pacific Mountain Central Eastern UTC FRIDAY CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000 (Sat) Digital 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100 Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145 CW 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 10:00 PM 11:00 PM 0300 SATURDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 CW 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 0000 (Sun) Digital 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 9:00 PM 0100 Phone 6:45 PM 7:45 PM 8:45 PM 9:45 PM 0145 SUNDAY CW 7:00 AM 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 1400 Phone 8:00 AM 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 1500 Digital 9:00 AM 10:00 AM 11:00 AM 12:00 PM 1600 Another is sending a FD message to the Section Manager (me) via RF during the 24 hour FD period.This can be thru a traffic net or a digital mode, however, it must be via an RF link, no regular emails allowed. Appointing a FD Safety Officer is not only good procedure, it's also worth bonus points. One of things he/she will advise you is to stay hydrated during the heat of the day. Be sure to drink plenty of water. Well, that's about it for now. Have fun and be safe and we hope to visit with you and your group during the FD Tour. Vy 73, Jeff WA4AW -------------------------------------------------------------------- ARRL Southern Florida Section Section Manager: Jeff Beals, WA4AW wa4aw at arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Jun 22 19:15:00 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 22 Jun 2017 19:15:00 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Letter for June 22, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170622222309.9CB272010854@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170622222309.9CB272010854@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: <26dc453a-f951-6943-f09a-e83caaa50978@bellsouth.net> Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2017-06-22 The ARRL Letter June 22, 2017 Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME ARRL Home Page /ARRL Letter/ Archive Audio News Ad * Hamvention Reports Second-Largest Attendance Ever for 2017 Show <#toc01> * More State and Local Governments Honor Amateur Radio in Advance of Field Day 2017 <#toc02> * W1AW Announces Field Day Bulletin Schedule <#toc03> * The Doctor Will See You Now! <#toc04> * President to Name Jessica Rosenworcel for New FCC Term <#toc05> * China Launches Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Transponders <#toc06> * Thirteen US Schools/Groups Move Closer to Hosting ARISS Contacts <#toc07> * US Fish and Wildlife Service Okays Baker Island DXpeditions, with Strict Conditions <#toc08> * INSPIRE-2 Ground Controllers Turn to Amateur Radio to Rescue Stalled Satellite <#toc09> * Hundreds of Stations Report Hearing /WSPR/ Signal from Canada C3 Expedition <#toc10> * In Brief... <#toc11> * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc12> * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc13> * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions <#toc14> Hamvention Reports Second-Largest Attendance Ever for 2017 Show The tally is in, and Hamvention^? 2017, at its new venue in Xenia, Ohio, attracted 29,296 attendees, official spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, told ARRL. That is the second-largest attendance in the history of the event. Hamvention attendance peaked in 1993 at 33,669, before the 1996 change in date from April to May, when the show was still being held at Hara Arena. Attendance in 2016 for the show's final year at Hara was 25,364. Hamvention relocated to the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center this year, after Hara Arena closed last summer. Hamvention General Chair Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, called 2017 "a most successful year." "We knew this would be a big year, but this was even beyond our expectations," Cramer said. "The challenge was great to reinvent Hamvention at a new venue in a very short time period. From all the e-mails, letters, and calls I have received over the last few weeks, we have accomplished it successfully." Cramer expressed appreciation for all constructive criticisms and said each idea is being evaluated. Held May 19-21, Hamvention 2017 has received largely positive reviews, despite traffic problems on opening day and heavy rain during the weekend. "We all recognize the traffic, rain, mud, and parking issues, but part of those issues were corrected even before show weekend was over," Cramer said. "Other issues are being worked on already for next year's show." He and Kalter said the Hamvention Committee has joined Greene County, municipal officials, and the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center Advisory Board in addressing improvements for 2018. Kalter and Cramer also thanked the 657 volunteers who put in long hours to make Hamvention 2017 a reality. The Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) sponsors Hamvention. "We can't control the rain, but we promise there will not be some of the other issues next year," Cramer said. "There may even be some new surprises in store," he added, pointing out that Hamvention has 3 more months to plan for the 2018 event than it did for this year's. Read more . More State and Local Governments Honor Amateur Radio in Advance of Field Day 2017 Additional state and local governments have taken the opportunity to honor Amateur Radio in the form of various proclamations, as ARRL Field Day approaches. These proclamations arrived too late for inclusion in last week's edition of /The ARRL Letter/. * In Indiana, Governor Eric Holcomb has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio Week. He cited Field Day's function as an emergency preparedness exercise and recognized Amateur Radio's role in emergency response and communication support for public events. * The Board of Supervisors of Ventura County, California, has proclaimed June as Amateur Radio Month in recognition of Field Day. "Amateur Radio operators are committed to the values of community service, continuous training, staying current with advances in technology, providing mentorship to new operators, and never charging for their services," the proclamation said. It cited Field Day as "a 24-hour exercise that simulates field operations under emergency conditions." * The borough of Audubon, New Jersey, has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio Week in the Camden County community. The proclamation notes that radio amateurs work with federal, state, and borough community services to provide communication support during times of natural disasters, severe weather, and other emergencies, as well as for public events. It specifically points to Amateur Radio support during Hurricane Sandy and other weather-related events that affected New Jersey. * In Pennsylvania, Governor Tom Wolf, has proclaimed June as Amateur Radio Month. "Amateur Radio is both a hobby and service to the community," Wolf wrote in his proclamation. "I applaud all the men and women who graciously volunteer their time and talents to benefit their communities." * Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson has proclaimed June 18-25 as Amateur Radio Week. His proclamation cited the role that "dedicated Amateur Radio operators" play in providing emergency communication support, particularly in times of severe weather. He also cited Amateur Radio's volunteer support to "charitable causes and public service events." * In Wyoming, Governor Matthew Mead has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio week, citing ham volunteers' role in providing communication support and in the SKYWARN program. "Wyoming radio amateurs continue to improve their communication skills by operating in the 24-hour emergency simulation known as 'Field Day' on June 24-25," the proclamation said. * The city of Wichita, Kansas, has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio Week. Wichita Amateur Radio Club President Marc Hammann, K0VFW, accepted a proclamation from the Mayor Jeff Longwell and the City Council on June 20. The proclamation cites the role of radio amateurs in providing emergency and public service communication, promoting STEM educational initiatives, and the SKYWARN program. * The city of Goose Creek, South Carolina, Mayor Michael Heitzler has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio Week there. The proclamation calls Amateur Radio a valuable tool during emergencies, such as hurricanes. "Amateur Radio has once again proved its undisputed relevance in the modern world," the proclamation states. "Amateur Radio has continued to provide a bridge between peoples, societies, and countries by creating friendships and the sharing of ideas." * The village of Skokie, Illinois, has proclaimed June 19-25 as Amateur Radio Week. The proclamation signed by Mayor George Van Dusen, cites Amateur Radio's communication support role in emergency response and public events and its participation in the SKYWARN program. Field Day is Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25. The Field Day Locator will display the locations of Field Day sites that are open to the public and news media. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ad W1AW Announces Field Day Bulletin Schedule Maxim Memorial Station W1AW at ARRL Headquarters has announced its Field Day 2017 bulletin schedule . The Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS ) station K6KPH will transmit the W1AW Field Day 2017 bulletin for the benefit of west coast stations. W1AW will operate on its regularly published frequencies. CW: 1.8025, 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, 21.0675, 28.0675, and 147.555 MHz. Digital: 3.5975, 7.095, 14.095, 18.1025, 21.095, 28.095, and 147.555 MHz. Phone: 1.855, 3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160, 21.390, 28.590, and 147.555 MHz. W1AW will transmit the Field Day bulletin using 45.45-baud Baudot (RTTY), PSK31 in BPSK mode, and MFSK16, in that order. The W1AW EchoLink conference server W1AWBDCT will also carry the W1AW Field Day bulletin in real time during the transmissions. K6KPH will transmit on CW on these frequencies: 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975, and 21.0675 MHz. K6KPH will transmit using RTTY, BPSK31, and MFSK16, in that order, on 7.095 and 14.095 MHz. The K6KPH schedule is accurate as of June 19, 2017. Additional transmissions or schedule changes will be posted . ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Doctor Will See You Now! "Generators" is the topic of the new (June 22) episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In " podcast. Listen...and learn! Sponsored by DX Engineering , "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like! Every 2 weeks, your host, /QST/ Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor at arrl.org , and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast. Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes , or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry , or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's guide . Ad President to Name Jessica Rosenworcel for New FCC Term In a low-key announcement on June 13, President Donald Trump indicated that he plans to nominate former FCC Commission member Jessica Rosenworcel to fill the open Democratic slot on the FCC. Rosenworcel served on the Commission from 2012 to 2016, leaving at the end of last year after the US Senate was unable to extend her term before time ran out on that session of Congress. Rosenworcel has been a vocal supporter of net neutrality and supported rules drafted by then-FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler that would treat internet providers more like utilities. The FCC's new Republican Chairman, Ajit Pai, has reversed course on that initiative. "I congratulate Jessica Rosenworcel on the announcement that President Trump will nominate her to serve another term on the Federal Communications Commission," Pai said in a prepared statement. "She has a distinguished record of public service, including the 4 1/2 years we worked together at this agency, and I look forward to working with her once again to advance the public interest." Rosenworcel also has advocated for FCC initiatives that seek to close what she calls "the homework gap" stemming from disparities in the availability of broadband service, especially in rural communities, which can hamper the ability of students in those areas to use the internet for school assignments. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer formally recommended Rosenworcel's appointment to the open FCC slot. The lone Democratic member on a now three-member FCC is Mignon Clyburn. The other Republican member is Michael O'Rielly. President Trump is expected to announce a Republican candidate to the FCC, to return the Commission to its full five-member complement. Read more . China Launches Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Transponders CAMSAT has announced that two Amateur Radio payloads piggybacked on the optical remote-sensing microsatellites OVS-1A and OVS-1B were launched on June 15 from China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The primary launch mission is a hard X-ray modulation telescope satellite. The Amateur Radio payloads are designated CAS-4A and CAS-4B. CAS-4A (call sign BJ1SK) carries an inverting U/V linear transponder, with a CW telemetry beacon at 145.888 MHz and 4.8 kb GMSK telemetry at 145.835 MHz. The transponder uplink is 435.220 MHz; the downlink is 145.870 MHz. CAS-4B (call sign: BJ1SL) carries an essentially identical inverting U/V linear transponder, with a CW telemetry beacon at 145.910 MHz and GMSK telemetry at 145.890 MHz. The transponder uplink is 435.280 MHz; the downlink is 145.925 MHz. "The frequencies of transponders are center frequencies, and uplinks/downlinks are both 20 kHz wide," CAMSAT's Alan Kung, BA1DU, explained. "The transponders are linear and good for SSB/CW operation." Both CAS-4A and CAS-4B are equipped with quarter-wave monopole antennas for VHF and UHF./-- Thanks to Alan Kung, BA1DU/CAMSAT/ Ad Thirteen US Schools/Groups Move Closer to Hosting ARISS Contacts Thirteen schools and organizations have moved into the second phase of the selection process to host the earthbound end of an Amateur Radio contact with an International Space Station (ISS) crew member. Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS ) is in the process of selecting schools and groups to host ARISS school/group contacts during the first half of 2018. The 13 prospective hosts will now submit ground station equipment plans. These must demonstrate the ability of the school or organization to execute the ham radio contact. Once final equipment plans are approved by the ARISS technical team, finalists will be placed on the schedule according to their availability and flexibility to match the scheduling opportunities that NASA makes available. A primary goal of the ARISS program is to engage young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities, and to raise their awareness of space exploration, Amateur Radio, communications, and related career possibilities. The schools and organizations are: * Bellefonte Area Middle School, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania * Central Islip Union Free School District, Central Islip, New York * Central Magnet Math & Science Elementary School, Batesville,Arkansas * Freeport Public Schools, Freeport, New York * Indian Trails Middle School, Winter Springs, Florida * Mill Springs Academy, Alpharetta, Georgia * Moore Square GT/AIG Magnet School, Raleigh, North Carolina * Mooreland Heights Elementary, Knoxville, Tennessee * Museum of Science & Technology with Danforth Middle School, Syracuse, New York * Parkside Middle School, San Bruno, California * Pinson Valley High School, Pinson, Alabama * Salado Intermediate School, Salado, Texas * Students for the Exploration & Development of Space, College Station, Texas ARISS is a cooperative venture of AMSAT, ARRL, and NASA in the US, and other international space agencies and Amateur Radio organizations around the world. Read more . US Fish and Wildlife Service Okays Baker Island DXpeditions, with Strict Conditions The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS ) has agreed that a DXpedition to Baker and Howland Islands (KH1) -- the fourth most-wanted DXCC entity -- would be an acceptable use, but has detailed strict conditions under which it would issue a special use permit (SUP). The FWS recently completed a compatibility determination for Amateur Radio operation on Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge, and two dozen comments showed "strong support" for Amateur Radio operation on the ecologically sensitive island refuge, the FWS said. Baker Island is 1,830 nautical miles southwest of Honolulu -- an 8-day voyage. "While...not a wildlife-dependent public use according to National Wildlife Refuge Administration Act of 1966, as amended, Amateur Radio operation is a use that assists in the management of the resources indirectly," the FWS said in its Compatibility Determination , released on June 8. "By allowing Amateur Radio operators to visit the PRIMNM [Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument] refuges, the refuges benefit through the ability of staff to visit remote island sites to monitor wildlife populations, habitats, detect invasive species introductions, and perform management actions that would otherwise require the Service to charter a vessel." Citing an estimated cost of at least $250,000 to charter a vessel with a 14-day layover, the FWS noted that "most of the remote island refuges within the PRIMNM are rarely visited due to budget constraints." Baker and Howland Islands are part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM ), created by former President George W. Bush under the authority of the Antiquities Act of 1906. The monument was expanded by President Barack Obama. The Compatibility Determination mandated 18 stipulations for Amateur Radio DXpeditions visiting the refuge. A DXpedition to the refuge could last up to 14 days, with only 12 days of radio operation. *The last DXpedition to Baker Island took place in April and May of 2002.* "Complete avoidance of seabird colonies will minimize nest disturbance and prevent burrow nest cave-ins," the FWS said in its Compatibility Determination. "Activities on Baker Island will always attract the land crabs that inhabit this location. All efforts must be taken to avoid inadvertently feeding or entrapping these animals." The FWS would also have to approve QSL cards to ensure that they include "an informative or educational statement about the refuge." Read more /-- Thanks to /The Daily DX /, FWS/ Ad INSPIRE-2 Ground Controllers Turn to Amateur Radio to Rescue Stalled Satellite Amateur Radio came to the rescue of the INSPIRE-2 CubeSat, built by the University of Sydney in collaboration with the Australian National University, and the University of New South Wales. According to the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), the CubeSat is designed to "explore the lower thermosphere, for re-entry research and in-orbit demonstration of technologies and miniaturized sensors" and is part of the QB-50 constellation of research CubeSats. Its operational frequency was coordinated by IARU to be in the satellite segment of the 70-centimeter Amateur Radio band. After its deployment from the International Space Station (ISS) in late May, INSPIRE-2 showed no signs of life. The engineering group on the ground tested various scenarios on the INSPIRE-2 engineering model, concluding that the spacecraft's battery had depleted due to the CubeSat's extended stay on board the ISS prior to orbit. The ground controllers theorized that the satellite was trapped in an endless loop, but was still listening while trying to deploy its antenna, making reception of signals from Earth difficult. The ground team devised a set of commands that, if received, would instruct the satellite to wait until its battery was charged before attempting to deploy its antenna. UNSW and ANU ground stations transmitted the recovery command without success, however, eventually deciding that more power was needed to overcome the lack of receiver sensitivity caused by the still-stowed antenna. PI9CAM at the CAMRAS Foundation Dwingeloo Astronomic Observatory in Leiden, the Netherlands, responded to a call to the moonbounce community and offered to transmit a high-power signal using a 25-meter dish that's normally used for radio astronomy but also for EME. Success of the approach was confirmed on June 11, and Dimitrios Tsifakis, VK1SV, who is part of the ANU team, was subsequently able to send commands to the satellite from the ANU Earth station for the first time. The satellite had come back to life! WIA called it, "a wonderful example of successful collaboration between radio amateurs and the academic community." /-- Thanks to WIA News./ Read more . Hundreds of Stations Report Hearing /WSPR/ Signal from Canada C3 Expedition Hundreds of Amateur Radio stations have reported receiving the /WSPR/ signal being transmitted by CG3EXP on 20, 30, and 40 meters from the Canada C3 expedition to track the vessel /Polar Prince/ as it transits Canada from east to west via the Northwest Passage in 150 days to celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary. This marks the first time that /WSPR/ has been used to track a vessel. The expedition, which started on June 1, will continue until October 28, ending in Victoria, British Columbia. It's currently on the third of 15 planned legs of its journey, en route from Baie-Comeau, Quebec, to Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The 220-foot-long /Polar Prince/, a former Canadian Coast Guard vessel, is a research icebreaker. *The /Polar Prince/.* CG3EXP has been transmitting on 20, 30, and 40 meters at 20-minute intervals since leaving Toronto on June 1. The CG3EXP WSPR HF end-fed antenna, on the ship's port side, slopes up to the mid mast at 62? -- some 46 feet of insulated wire, approximately 0.5 ? on 30 meters. A live tracking link , generated by QRP Labs, the supplier of the transmitting hardware, is being hosted by Jeff Milne, VE3EFF. Stations with an HF receiver and the free /WSPR/ //application can receive the CG3EXP signals directly from the ship on 40, 30, or 20 meters, and the location can be gated to the internet and tracked on WSPRnet . The project is seeking radio amateurs who are in close radio proximity to the route to receive the CG3EXP signal using the /WSPR/ application on their existing equipment and uploading the data to the internet. This can be entirely automated via the /WSPR/ application. For more information, contact Barrie Crampton, VE3BSB./-- Thanks to Radio Amateurs of Canada/ In Brief... *FCC Chairman to Appoint New Enforcement Bureau Chief: *FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he intends to appoint Rosemary C. Harold to serve as chief of the Enforcement Bureau. Michael Carowitz, who has been serving as acting bureau chief, will become the Bureau's deputy chief. Harold is an attorney with experience within the FCC agency and in private practice; she's also a former journalist. "This agency has a critical role to play in enforcing the law to protect consumers and support competition in the communications marketplace," Pai said. "Our Enforcement Bureau has been getting back on track in recent months, and I am confident in Rosemary's ability to continue this progress." Pai also praised Carowitz's work as acting chief. "Michael's steady hand at the helm of this important Bureau has helped us stay on task in protecting consumers and enforcing the law," Pai said. The Enforcement Bureau is charged with enforcing the Communications Act, FCC rules, and various licensing terms and conditions. It also investigates instances of possible unlawful conduct involving the regulated RF spectrum. *13 Colonies Special Event Returns July 1-7:* The ninth annual "13 Colonies Special Event" will take place July 1-7, with activity starting at 1300 UTC on July 1 and continuing until 0400 on July 7 (the evening of July 6 in US time zones). Participating stations try to contact all 13 Colony Stations plus two Bonus Stations -- a clean sweep, a la ARRL November Sweepstakes. Stations in each of the original 13 colonies will be on the air using 1 ? 2 special event call signs. The bonus stations will be WM3PEN in Philadelphia and GB13COL in Durham, England. Call signs and their respective states are K2A, New York; K2B, Virginia; K2C, Rhode Island; K2D, Connecticut; K2E, Delaware; K2F, Maryland; K2G, Georgia; K2H, Massachusetts; K2I, New Jersey; K2J, North Carolina; K2K, New Hampshire; K2L, South Carolina, and K2M, Pennsylvania. Additional information is on the 13 Colonies website. *Ulrich Rohde, N1UL, Wins Prestigious W.G. Cady Award:* Well-known scientist and radio amateur Ulrich Rohde, N1UL, is the recipient of the 2017 W.G. Cady Award , "for pioneering research, development, and commercialization of signal-generating and processing devices for commercial and scientific applications." Sponsored by the IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control (UFFC) Society, the Cady Award recognizes outstanding contributions related to the fields of piezoelectric or other classical frequency control, synthesis, and measurement; and resonant sensor devices. Recipients are selected by the IFCS/EFTF Joint Program Committee. The K7RA Solar Update Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Average daily sunspot numbers rose over the June 15-21 reporting week, from 4.9 to 29.4. The previous week saw 4 days with no sunspots, and this week there were no zero-sunspot days, hence the dramatic increase in the average. Average daily solar flux nudged from 74.4 to 74.6 The average daily planetary A index went from 7.3 to 9.4, and the mid-latitude A index from 6.9 to 8.1. Predicted solar flux is 75 on June 22-28; 74 on June 29-July 4; 75 on July 5-7; 77 on July 8-9; 74 on July 10-14; 75 on July 15-17; 74, 72, and 74 on July 18-20; 70 on July 21-23; 74 on July 24-31, and 75 on August 1-3. Predicted planetary A index is 8 on June 22; 12 on Jun 23-24; 10 and 8 on June 25-26; 5 on June 27-July 12; 20 and 12 on July 13-14; 10 on July 15-16; 5 on July 17-18; 8 on July 19; 12 on July 20-21; 10 and 8 on July 22-23, and 5 on July 24-August 5. Conditions for ARRL Field Day this weekend should be good. The planetary A index had been predicted at 5, but the current weekend projection is for 12 and 10; certainly workable. Predicted solar flux is 75 for both days. Sunspot numbers for June 15-21 were 28, 28, 28, 27, 26, 34, and 35, with a mean of 29.4. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 77.4, 73.5, 74.8, 74.9, 73.6, 74.4, and 73.7, with a mean of 74.6. Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 25, 15, 10, 5, 3, and 4, with a mean of 9.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 5, 18, 12, 9, 7, 3, and 3, with a mean of 8.1. Send me your reports and observations. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Just Ahead in Radiosport * June 24 -- UFT QRP Contest (CW) * *June 24-25 -- **ARRL Field Day **(Phone, CW, digital)* * June 24-25 -- Battle of Carabobo International Contest (CW, phone) * June 24-25 -- His Majesty the King of Spain Contest (SSB) * June 24-25 -- Ukrainian DX DIGI Contest (Digital) * June 28 -- SKCC Sprint (CW) 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 * Jul 7-8 -- Northern Florida Section Convention , Milton, Florida * July 14-16 -- Montana State Convention , Essex, Montana * July 21-22 -- Oklahoma State Convention , Oklahoma City, Oklahoma * July 27-30 -- Central States VHF Society Conference , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 4-5 -- South Texas Section Convention , Austin, Texas * August 4-6 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention , Spokane, Washington * Aug 11-13 -- New Mexico State Convention , Albuquerque, New Mexico * August 12 -- Delta Division Convention , Shreveport, Louisiana * August 18-20 -- West Virginia State Convention , Weston, West Virginia * August 19-20 -- Alabama State Convention , Huntsville, Alabama * August 20 -- Kansas State Convention , Salina, Kansas * September 1-3 -- North Carolina State Convention , Shelby, North Carolina * September 8-10 -- New England Division Convention , Boxboro, Massachusetts * September 9 -- Virginia Section Convention , Virginia Beach, Virginia * September 10 -- New Jersey State Convention , Mullica Hill, New Jersey * September 15-16 -- W9DXCC Convention , Schaumburg, Illinois * September 15-17 -- Southwestern Division Convention , Torrance, California * September 23 -- Iowa State Convention , Sergeant Bluff, Iowa * September 23 -- Washington State Convention , Spokane Valley, Washington * September 30 -- North Dakota State Convention , West Fargo, North Dakota 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 bimonthly, 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 and Instagram ! We want to hear from you! Tell us what you think of /The ARRL Letter/. Ad Ad 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 ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission. www.arrl.org From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Jun 23 14:38:18 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2017 14:38:18 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ARRL to Sponsor 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Webinar In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <55b20042-cd94-674b-d623-903365339570@bellsouth.net> ARRL to Sponsor 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Webinar 06/22/2017 The ARRL will sponsor a 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season Webinar on Monday, July 17, at 8 PM ET (0000 UTC on Tuesday, July 18). The approximately 90-minute session will address the role of Amateur Radio during the 2017 Hurricane Season. Anyone interested in hurricane preparedness and response is invited to take part in this online presentation. Topics will include a meteorological overview of the current season from the *Canadian Hurricane Centre* ; Amateur Radio station *WX4NHC* at the National Hurricane Center: Who We Are and What We Do; ARRL Media and Public Relations; the Hurricane Watch Net (*HWN* ); the *VoIP Hurricane Net* , Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (*SATERN* ) and ARRL coordination and interface. *Webinar registration * is free and open to all, but this session should be of particular interest to radio amateurs in hurricane-prone areas. The webinar will conclude with a question-and-answer session. For more information, *contact* ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U. http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-to-sponsor-2017-atlantic-hurricane-season-webinar From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Jun 28 09:10:48 2017 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 28 Jun 2017 09:10:48 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] The ARRL Contest Update for June 28, 2017 In-Reply-To: <20170628095842.566E7201472D@bmail.arrl.org> References: <20170628095842.566E7201472D@bmail.arrl.org> Message-ID: Preview If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at: http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/?issue=2017-06-28 The ARRL Contest Update June 28, 2017 Editor: Brian Moran, N9ADG /Contest Update/ Archive Contest Calendar ARRL Home Page Ad IN THIS ISSUE * New HF Operators: RAC Canada Day Contest <#_270045902044051-NewHF> * Contest Summary <#_270045902044051-ContestSummary> * News: IARU Headquarters Stations, Mid-states VHF/UHF Conference, Drones, and more <#_270045902044051-News> * Word to the Wise: Non-Ionizing Radiation <#_270045902044051-Word> * Sights and Sounds: Space Weather Woman Interview, Contest University Presentations, and more <#_270045902044051-Sights> * Results: Field Day Social Media Tags, TBDC Preliminary Results, ARRL DX Line Scores <#_270045902044051-Results> * Operating Tip: Logging All of the Contact Information <#_270045902044051-OperatingTip> * Technical Topics and Information: Legacy Serial Interfaces, SDRs for Meteor Scatter, Sound Diffusers <#_270045902044051-Tech> * Conversation: Commencement <#_270045902044051-Conversation> * Contests <#_270045902044051-LogsDue> * Log Due Dates <#_270045902044051-LogsDue> NEW HF OPERATORS - THINGS TO DO With the RAC Canada Day Contest coming up July 1, look for a lot of activity from our northern neighbor. Phone and CW are both allowed, and remember that Canada Amateurs have different frequency allocations on some bands for phone - you're going to have to pay special attention to the frequency before you respond to a Phone CQ. Some VEs may be using special prefixes for their calls, in celebration of Canada's 150th birthday. CONTEST SUMMARY Complete information <#_270045902044051-Contests> for all contests follows the Conversation <#_270045902044051-Conversation> section *28 Jun - 10 Jul 2017* *June 28* * SKCC Sprint * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test *June 29* * CWops Mini-CWT Test *June 30* * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint *July 1* * RAC Canada Day Contest * FISTS Summer Slow Speed Sprint * Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest * DL-DX RTTY Contest * Marconi Memorial HF Contest * Original QRP Contest * PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint *July 2* * DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest *July 3* * 10-10 Int. Spirit of 76 QSO Party * IQRP Quarterly Marathon * RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW *July 4* * ARS Spartan Sprint *July 5* * Phone Fray * CWops Mini-CWT Test *July 6* * CWops Mini-CWT Test * NRAU 10m Activity Contest *July 7* * QRP Fox Hunt * NCCC RTTY Sprint * NCCC Sprint *July 8* * FISTS Summer Unlimited Sprint * IARU HF World Championship * SKCC Weekend Sprintathon *July 9* * QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint *July 10* * CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush Ad NEWS, PRESS RELEASES, AND GENERAL INTEREST The IARU HF Contest will take place on July 8 and 9. Many country headquarter stations will be active, and Bob, N6TV, and Joe, OZ0J, have compiled the initial list for N1MM, Writelog, and Win-Test logging programs (zip file). If you have updates for the list, please send them to Joe . The Marconi Memorial HF CW Contest is July 1, 2017 at 1400 UTC to July 2, 1359 UTC. The contest "commemorates the second century of Radio and its father: Guglielmo Marconi." This picture, taken at the Marconi site on Cape Cod, depicts the umbrella-like antenna that was used for trans-Atlantic traffic. The towers were constructed of 3" by 12" lumber, and were 210 feet high. The possibility of a computer mouse running out of power in the middle of a computer game is enough to hinder adoption of wireless mice. Logitech has developed a charging mouse pad to alleviate that particular concern. It's only 2 millimeters thick, and uses electromagnetic resonance as the method of power transfer. The pad is said to be initially compatible with two Logitech mice models, and is set for release in August. (Dennis, N6KI) Home Depot sells some 2m/440 dual band antennas and other antenna accessories... through their website. According to their website, orders can be picked up with no shipping costs if they're delivered to your local Home Depot, or shipped with a minimum order of $45. (via LVRAC ) The Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference is scheduled for October 6-8, 2017, in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and includes a number of sessions related to VHF/UHF contesting, including automation and rover operation. See the conference website for more information. Flying a drone to inspect your tower and antennas could eliminate the need for a climb. For non-commercial uses, a drone operator generally does not need to be licensed, but using a drone for the business of tower inspections does require operator licensing. Here's an article that details what one person did to become licensed as a commercial drone operator, and how they're using a drone for commercial broadcast tower inspections. Drone aircraft used by hobbyists require registration, but that may change in the future as a result of a court case decided in May, 2017 . The FAA's website still states a requirement for drone registration, and according to an article by model aircraft enthusiasts , the FAA may be considering an appeal. There may be more Amateur Radio operators in Cuba soon. According to an IARU Region 2 news article , the Communications Ministry and Federaci?n de Radioaficionados de Cuba (FRC) has called for examinations to be held on July 22. The examinations are held twice a year, where applicants must demonstrate competence in theory and practice. Cuba has over ten thousand licensed Amateur Radio operators. Reservations at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton, Ohio for the 2018 Contest University can be made starting June 27, 2017. Use group code NTH. WORD TO THE WISE *Non-ionizing Radiation* Electromagnetic radiation that does not have sufficient energy to displace electrons from their atoms. Radio Frequency (RF) radiation is non-ionizing. SIGHTS AND SOUNDS If you're traveling to a different country for a contest, make sure you know what kind of power that you'll be using, and that your equipment is compatible with voltage and phase. This type of "surface mount switchboard" is found in Australia. Dr. Tamitha Skov was interviewed by Tim, K3LR , during the 2017 Contest University. The interview covers her career path that led to her current status as the "Space Weather Woman." Presentations and videos from the 2017 Contest University , held in Dayton, Ohio, are now available. The presentation entitled "Bouvet Island 2018" given by Nodir, EY8MM, at the 2017 Topband Dinner is available on the Topband Dinner website. (Tim, K3LR, via Topband Reflector) W0W was active in the Missouri QSO Party, and their video documents the multi-station setup , including antennas, operators, network, logging software setup. Operators included KE0HXL, N0SSC, K0KEV, WX5CW, WT2P and N0KTK. They were set up on the junction of three county lines. In this YouTube video, R4WBF can be seen working a bunch of stations in the CW WPX contest at a CW speed of something over 40 words per minute. As contest videos go, this one would be pretty standard, except that then you realize that R4WBF is just 9 years old. (Ward, N0AX) Ad RESULTS AND RECORDS The Point Loma Amateur Radio Club's well appointed trailer kept (foreground) Bob, AI6KU, and frequent Contest Update contributor (background) Dennis, N6KI, busy on Phone as N6N during Field Day. [Photo courtesy of Jim, AI6KM] Many stations announced and documented their ARRL Field Day operations using the Twitter hashtag #ARRLFD. The WRTC 2018 folks were testing the various German station locations and equipment during Field Day weekend, too. Looking at some of the preliminary reports, conditions were better than 2016, and for some big stations it was a excellent, perhaps record, year for contacts. Check out this media coverage from the /Baltimore Sun/ . WQ6X described operating in the All-Asian CW Contest in a recent blog entry . It captures the essence of operating in a contest where working U.S. stations is not the primary focus. Line scores for the 2017 ARRL DX CW and Phone Contests are now available on the ARRL website . With the Summer Stew Perry Top Band Distance Challenge just completed a week ago, preliminary scores can be found on the Stew website . Logs are still being accepted until July 3 at tbdc at contesting.com . OPERATING TIP *Logging ALL of the **C**ontact **I**nformation* It's good practice to log all pertinent information with your contacts, and ensure that information is also included when uploading to LOTW. Many HF operators collect counties, while VHF/UHF operators are interested in grid squares. When uploading logged contacts to LOTW, please make sure that this information is included with each contact, or make sure that your LOTW information includes your grid and county and that it's accurate for each contact. If you've already uploaded contacts to LOTW with incorrect information, you can correct it and upload those contacts again. See this document on fixing logs uploaded to LOTW . TECHNICAL TOPICS AND INFORMATION Older digital gear like RTTY demodulators can still be useful in certain situations, but it's getting harder to find computers that still include serial interfaces. Most laptops haven't had RS-232 serial interfaces for a number of years. USB to serial adapters are one option. Another is using an ESP8266 board to make a serial port available over your Wi-Fi network , so you can TELNET to your device. If you have an old terminal or computer you'd like to use to connect to the Internet, here's a solution that emulates a Hayes-compatible modem to connect via TELNET. The RTL-SDR website has published a spate of projects that have potential applicability for contesters. One project shows how to integrate data collected from aircraft beacon broadcasts (ADSB) so that it can be queried through an Amazon Echo device . As source code is provided, it's a stepping stone to being able to retrieve packet spot information by voice command. Meteor scatter mode users may appreciate another article detailing the detection of signal reflections using the waterfall of an SDR display. A new design for sound-diffusing panels like those used in performance spaces or studios, could achieve the same effect with just a fraction of the material. North Carolina State University did the research, which could ultimately result in sound diffusing panels being used in more applications than before. (Dennis, N6KI) Some new research on the Sun's coronal mass ejections (CMEs) indicates that they are cloud-like structures, subject to amorphous behavior. Previous models indicated CMEs were more bubble-like in their behavior. The new thinking means that it may be more difficult to model or predict CME influences such as the solar wind, and therefore harder to model threats to Earth. Ad CONVERSATION *Commencement* It's that time of year - school graduation. The contesting community has Contest University , Contest Academy, and number of contesting seminars as an adjunct to other events like hamfests and conventions, devoted to teaching aspects of the hobby. Imagine borrowing another aspect from learning institutions -- The Commencement speech: "Good afternoon, ladies and gentleman. You may not know me personally, but like all of you, in a contest my qualifications are my callsign, and my exchange. Our peers include everyman: farmer, technician, homemaker, captain of industry, King. I'm flattered to have been asked to address our group at this occasion of you having completed this phase of instruction in radio contesting. I say this phase, because after we have all learned in these sessions from the titans of our hobby, we realize that mastering our hobby is a never-ending quest. My task today is to point out some things that go beyond technique and practice. If you'll indulge me, I hope to inspire you to consider some issues that face our future. That we are gathered in this room, inspired to practice what some would judge an anachronistic and quaint art, is testament to your enthusiasm and passion. However, looking around you, consider who is not here, who is under-represented in our ranks. Our numbers will only increase and remain strong if we encourage younger people and those that do not look like the majority of those in this room to share our interest. You've met a number of people during your recent studies. Take advantage of those connections you've made, and consider honoring your instructors by becoming an instructor or mentor yourself. Our pursuit can always benefit from more Elmers. Every generation of contesters has faced the challenge of competing against those that bend or outright break the rules, and ours is no different. What is different today is the ability to gather evidence of undesirable behavior in time to confront cheaters. Our resolution against cheaters should be accurate, firm, and fair. Where there is genuine ignorance, we should educate. Where there is willful intent to cheat, we should take appropriate action to disqualify offenders and require demonstration of reform before allowing them to compete again. While you've learned techniques in your sessions that have been refined over time, remember that radio contesting is an evolving sport, and has evolved greatly from what it was just a few years ago. If an explanation given for a technique includes the phrase "We do it that way because it's always been done like that" then that technique should not be a 'best practice'. After you leave here, and when you contest, keep in mind how you can address some of these issues. Consider bringing some of your new knowledge back to your radio club, and sharing it with other members. Inspire others to try contesting by communicating your enthusiasm. Follow your own particular path in contesting by trying new modes, new categories, or new techniques. You don't have to like everything, but be continue to try new things, and keep learning. To have a chance at that top 10 box, you're going to have to work hard and enter a lot of contests. Be mindful of your manners, and be a grown up on the radio. Don't be tempted to trade your integrity and reputation for a hollow and temporary "victory" by cheating. Congratulations to this 2017 Class of Contesters. Get on the air, shake things up, invent or improve something, have fun, and see you in the contest." That's all for this time. Remember to send contesting related stories, book reviews, tips, techniques, press releases, errata, schematics, club information, pictures, stories, blog links, and predictions to contest-update at arrl.org 73, Brian N9ADG CONTESTS *28 Jun - 10 Jul 2017* An expanded, downloadable version of QST's Contest Corral in PDF format is available. Check the sponsor's Web site for information on operating time restrictions and other instructions. *HF CONTESTS* SKCC Sprint , Jun 28, 0000z to Jun 28, 0200z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./power); Logs due: June 30. Phone Fray , Jun 28, 0230z to Jun 28, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: June 30. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Jun 28, 1300z to Jun 28, 1400z, Jun 28, 1900z to Jun 28, 2000z, Jun 29, 0300z to Jun 29, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: July 1. QRP Fox Hunt , Jun 30, 0100z to Jun 30, 0230z; CW; Bands: 20m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: July 1. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Jun 30, 0145z to Jun 30, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: July 2. NCCC Sprint , Jun 30, 0230z to Jun 30, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: July 2. RAC Canada Day Contest , Jul 1, 0000z to Jul 1, 2359z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6, 2m*; VE: RS(T) + province/territory, non-VE: RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: July 31. FISTS Summer Slow Speed Sprint , Jul 1, 0000z to Jul 1, 0400z; 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: July 31. Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest , Jul 1, 0000z to Jul 1, 2359z; CW, SSB, PSK; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RS(T) + Serial No.; Logs due: July 16. DL-DX RTTY Contest , Jul 1, 1100z to Jul 2, 1059z; RTTY; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + QSO No.; Logs due: July 9. Marconi Memorial HF Contest , Jul 1, 1400z to Jul 2, 1400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 16. Original QRP Contest , Jul 1, 1500z to Jul 2, 1500z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20m; RST + Serial No. + "/" + Power category; Logs due: July 31. PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint , Jul 1, 2000z to Jul 2, 2000z; PSK31; Bands: 40m Only; RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: July 9. DARC 10-Meter Digital Contest , Jul 2, 1100z to Jul 2, 1700z; RTTY, Amtor, Clover, PSK31, Pactor; Bands: 10m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 16. 10-10 Int. Spirit of 76 QSO Party , Jul 3, 0001z to Jul 10, 0000z; CW, SSB, PSK31, RTTY, FM, AM; Bands: 10m Only; 10-10 Member: Name + 10-10 number + (state/province/country), Non-Member: Name + 0 + (state/province/country); Logs due: July 24. IQRP Quarterly Marathon , Jul 3, 0800z to Jul 9, 2000z; CW, SSB, Digital; Bands: All; RS(T); Logs due: July 23. RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW , Jul 3, 1900z to Jul 3, 2030z; CW; Bands: 80m Only; RST + Serial No.; Logs due: July 4. ARS Spartan Sprint , Jul 4, 0100z to Jul 4, 0300z; CW; Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + Power; Logs due: July 6. Phone Fray , Jul 5, 0230z to Jul 5, 0300z; SSB; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15m; NA: Name + (state/province/country), non-NA: Name; Logs due: June 23. CWops Mini-CWT Test , Jul 5, 1300z to Jul 5, 1400z, Jul 5, 1900z to Jul 5, 2000z, Jul 6, 0300z to Jul 6, 0400z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; Member: Name + Member No., non-Member: Name + (state/province/country); Logs due: June 24. NRAU 10m Activity Contest , Jul 6, 1700z to Jul 6, 1800z (CW), Jul 6, 1800z to Jul 6, 1900z (SSB), Jul 6, 1900z to Jul 6, 2000z (FM), Jul 6, 2000z to Jul 6, 2100z (Dig); CW, SSB, FM, Digital; Bands: 10m Only; RS(T) + 6-character grid square; Logs due: July 20. QRP Fox Hunt , Jul 7, 0100z to Jul 7, 0230z; CW; Bands: 20m Only; RST + (state/province/country) + name + power output; Logs due: July 8. NCCC RTTY Sprint , Jul 7, 0145z to Jul 7, 0215z; RTTY; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 25. NCCC Sprint , Jul 7, 0230z to Jul 7, 0300z; CW; Bands: (see rules); Serial No. + Name + QTH; Logs due: June 25. FISTS Summer Unlimited Sprint , Jul 8, 0000z to Jul 8, 0400z; 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: August 7. IARU HF World Championship , Jul 8, 1200z to Jul 9, 1200z; CW, Phone; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; IARU HQ: RS(T) + IARU Society, Non-HQ: RS(T) + ITU Zone No.; Logs due: August 8. SKCC Weekend Sprintathon , Jul 8, 1200z to Jul 10, 0000z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, *6m*; RST + (state/province/country) + Name + (SKCC No./"NONE"); Logs due: July 16. CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush , Jul 10, 2000z to Jul 10, 2159z; CW; Bands: 20m Only; RST + (state/province/country); Logs due: August 8. QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint , Jul 9, 2000z to Jul 9, 2359z; CW; Bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, 10m; RST + (state/province/country) + (ARCI no./power); Logs due: July 23. *VHF+ CONTESTS* See RAC Canada Day Contest and SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, above. LOG DUE DATES 28 Jun - 10 Jul *June 30, 2017* * MARAC County Hunters Contest * 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint *July 1, 2017* * UKSMG Summer Contest * VK Shires Contest *July 2, 2017* * IARU Region 1 50 MHz Contest *July 3, 2017* * Alabama QSO Party * Stew Perry Topband Challenge * AGCW VHF/UHF Contest * Ukrainian DX Classic RTTY Contest *July 4, 2017* * SEANET Contest *July 5, 2017* * West Virginia QSO Party *July 9, 2017* * WAB 50 MHz Phone *July 10, 2017* * His Maj. King of Spain 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. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 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 ? 2017 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes require written permission. www.arrl.org