From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Oct 4 14:09:04 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 4 Oct 2019 14:09:04 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Package Security Enhancements Begin This Month In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8289811f-c952-02ea-de09-80ee0084379b@bellsouth.net> From Tony N2MFT: *Package Security Enhancements Begin This Month* USPS collection box WASHINGTON ? The United States Postal Service is increasing the safety and security of its collection box procedures through a modification of the long-standing Aviation Mail Security Rule, which was established in August 1996 and called for all packages weighing 16 ounces to be presented in person to a postal clerk or a letter carrier. The action was taken to enhance security measures and to protect the public, postal employees and postal contractors who transport the U.S. Mail. In 2007, the weight allowance was decreased to 13-ounces or more for all anonymous mail. Since then, packages and other mail pieces weighing 13 ounces or more, bearing only stamps as postage must only be presented to a postal employee at a retail counter. This month?s update to the rule will enhance the existing safety program by prohibiting packages with stamps as postage that are more than one-half inch thick and/or weigh more than 10 ounces from anonymously being entered into the mail stream through collection boxes or Post Office mail slots. Packages and all other mail pieces of this type will now need to be taken to a retail counter.? This change is effective Oct. 1, 2019. *How to mail a package* Consumers who opt to use postage stamps to mail packages, or other items, weighing more than 10 ounces and/or more than one-half inch thick must conduct their transactions at a Post Office retail counter. Consumers can also take advantage of Postal Service self-service kiosks to purchase postage labels and drop those packages into the package slots, not mail slots, at a Post Office. If a restricted package or mail piece is found in a collection box, mail chute or lobby mail slot after Oct. 1 it will be returned to the sender with a Customer Return Label attached explaining the restrictions and reason for return. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2019/1001-package-security-enhancements-begin-this-month.htm From bmarx at bellsouth.net Thu Oct 10 16:03:08 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Thu, 10 Oct 2019 16:03:08 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] For Sale: Icom PS-15 regulated power supply In-Reply-To: <5729d0b7-83e9-fdfd-82e1-f41bb1ba8203@bellsouth.net> References: <5729d0b7-83e9-fdfd-82e1-f41bb1ba8203@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <962f9888-b2f7-1b49-79d6-26aab648aff8@bellsouth.net> For Sale:? Icom PS-15 power supply. It was used with both my 745 and 751. With original box and manual. It is cabled to those, and other Icom radios. Turn on the power supply and the rig also powers on. $85 in Fort Lauderdale or I'll meet you somewhere. Bill W2CQ "The *Icom PS-15* regulated power supply delivers 13.8 VDC at 20 amps (50% duty cycle). It employs 4 transistors and 7 diodes. The rear panel , has a hard-wired, high amperage cable with the Icom standard Molex plug plus a fuse jack (for supplied 10 amp fuse). 120 VAC input. 7.1 x 4.4 x 11.5 inches 18.1 lbs." From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Oct 23 15:07:49 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 23 Oct 2019 15:07:49 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] FCC Turns Down Petition to Amend Amateur Radio Identification Rules Message-ID: <4e7980b0-a075-799e-6f3c-ecd42e091fda@bellsouth.net> FCC Turns Down Petition to Amend Amateur Radio Identification Rules 10/23/2019 The FCC has denied a /Petition for Rule Making/?to amend Part 97 station identification rules to better accommodate and simplify station identification during emergency nets, drills, or activations. ARRL member Robert A. Dukish, KK8DX, of Canfield, Ohio,?had sought a change to Section 97.119(a) of the rules to allow a single point of transmission for station ID on those occasions. He proposed permitting a net control station or other designated participant to announce the call signs of every station taking part in the net or exercise, when tactical call signs often are in use, at 10-minute intervals, using automatic CW identification. In turning down Dukish?s petition, Scot Stone, the Deputy Chief of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau?s Mobility Division, said commenters overwhelmingly opposed the proposal. ?They argue that the current rule strikes the appropriate balance between the need to identify the source of transmissions and ease of communication,? Stone wrote. ?Commenters state that, in their years of experience with amateur emergency communications, the station identification requirement has not proven to be a burden or obstacle, and that the current procedure actually contributes to efficient operations by providing a clear indication that a communication has ended and the channel is available.? Stone said some commenters asserted that Dukish?s proposed procedure would be unworkable and cause confusion, while others characterized his proposal as a solution in search of a problem. ?The purpose of the station identification requirement is to make the source of transmissions clearly known to those receiving those transmissions,? Stone wrote. ?Separating the call sign from each transmission would defeat this purpose.? Moreover, he said there?s no evidence that the current station ID requirements have hindered Amateur Radio emergency communications. Dukish had filed his petition in December 2018, and the FCC invited comments on it in February 2019. http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-turns-down-petition-to-amend-amateur-radio-identification-rules From bmarx at bellsouth.net Fri Oct 25 15:31:46 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:31:46 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Dah Dit Dah Dit... In-Reply-To: <8407ee5e-c7d0-e7a1-bce9-52415893b061@bellsouth.net> References: <8407ee5e-c7d0-e7a1-bce9-52415893b061@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teaxWYRH9A4 From bmarx at bellsouth.net Mon Oct 28 12:23:15 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:23:15 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Skywave - Fun sounds for hams... Message-ID: <95922bc2-a186-6fc5-4679-e3216a3868af@bellsouth.net> https://dataobscura.bandcamp.com/album/skywave *DataObscura* We are an ambient-electronic music label created in 2002. Here you can find all of our releases in high quality digital format, arranged by release dataobscura.com From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Oct 30 08:22:49 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 08:22:49 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] Neat website for DXers...NG3K References: Message-ID: *_Great website with good information for DXers and a wide range of resources - NG3K_* https://www.ng3k.com/index.html *_Advanced DX Operations - Upcoming DXPeditions _*https://www.ng3k.com/Misc/adxo.html From bmarx at bellsouth.net Wed Oct 30 08:40:10 2019 From: bmarx at bellsouth.net (Bill) Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 08:40:10 -0400 Subject: [QCWA Everglades Chapter #69] ARRL Creates New Online Groups for Members to Communicate with Leadership References: <98e5f6a2-9fba-db85-15e4-4a83bc704b25.ref@bellsouth.net> Message-ID: <98e5f6a2-9fba-db85-15e4-4a83bc704b25@bellsouth.net> ARRL Creates New Online Groups for Members to Communicate with Leadership 10/22/2019 ARRL?s Committee on Communication with ARRL Members has opened new online forums where all radio amateurs ? ARRL members and non-members alike ? can discuss issues and topics in two-way conversation with ARRL leadership. The new groups are aimed at enhancing communication among ARRL leadership, staff, members, and prospective members, in a manner that enables timely updates and collegial discussion. This project was based on the success over the past several years of the ARRL-LoTW (Logbook of The World) Group in responding to Amateur Radio operators? questions and generating discussion on ways to improve that program. ?The LoTW initiative has clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of online Groups as a means of achieving the desired interaction,? ARRL said in announcing the new groups. ARRL has added three online groups: * *ARRL-Contesting *? moderated by ARRL Contest Advisory Committee Chairman Dennis Egan, W1UE. * *ARRL-Awards* ? moderated by ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ. * *ARRL-IARU* ? moderated by IARU Secretary Dave Sumner, K1ZZ. The existing *ARRL-LOTW* group, which has about 4,750 members, remains hosted by Groups.io but has moved. Everyone who subscribes to an ARRL Group is also automatically subscribed to the ?ARRL Groups? group. This administrative feature will allow ARRL to convey routine announcements relevant to subscribers of all ARRL groups. ARRL IT Manager Michael Keane, K1MK, worked with Groups.io to set up the new groups. Since these new groups are hosted on a Groups.io platform, those wishing to subscribe must use a Groups.io username and password, if they have one, or create a Groups.io account if they don?t. In the months ahead, the Committee envisions creating more online groups to support two-way communication focusing on areas of additional interest to radio amateurs, including ARRL activities, services, initiatives, and policies. ARRL currently hosts members-only online forums that include Awards and Contesting. While these forums will continue to operate, participants will be encouraged to post new threads in the appropriate new groups. Participants will be expected to adhere to some basic ground rules: * All questions are welcome, no matter how many times they have already been asked and answered, or how obvious the answers might be in the documentation. * Neither personal attacks nor foul language will be tolerated. Violators will immediately be placed on ?moderated? status, meaning their subsequent posts will require Moderator approval until the Moderator's trust has been regained. * Individuals posting are reminded that these forums are open to everyone, including prospective hams and operators who are not ARRL members but may be thinking about joining. Civility and courtesy are expected, even when you may take issue with a post or thread topic. The Committee on Communication with Members believes that providing more opportunities for two-way discussion between ARRL leadership and the broader Amateur Radio community will assist the organization in truly serving the needs of this community. http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-creates-new-online-groups-for-members-to-communicate-with-leadership