[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for March 14, 2013

Thu Mar 14 19:14:17 EDT 2013

Preview

If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2013-03-14

The ARRL Letter

March 14, 2013
Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA <mailto:k1sfa at arrl.org>
ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/> 	
	/ARRL Letter/ Archive <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/> 	
	Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=t>

  * *+* Solar Cycle 24 May Have "Double Peaks," Says NASA Solar
    Physicist <#toc01>
  * *+* /Amateur Radio in the Classroom/: DARA to Provide Financial
    Support for Advanced Teachers Institute Session <#toc02>
  * *+* Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, Takes APRS Underground <#toc03>
  * *+* /Amateur Radio in Space/: Astronauts Return to Earth from ISS;
    Watch Live on NASA TV <#toc04>
  * Two New Books for Your Amateur Radio Library <#toc05>
  * *+* W1AW Announces 2013 Spring Operating Schedule <#toc06>
  * *+* ARRL, Microsoft Resolve E-mail Blockage <#toc07>
  * Solar Update <#toc08>
  * *+* US Postal Service Introduces Global Forever Stamp <#toc09>
  * British Ham Receives 2012 Cass Award <#toc10>

*+ Available on /ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>/.*

/There will be no /ARRL Audio News/on Thursday, March 21. /The ARRL 
Letter/will be distributed on its regular schedule that day. The /ARRL 
Audio News/will return March 28./

*+* Solar Cycle 24 May Have "Double Peaks," Says NASA Solar Physicist
<http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/doublepeak.jpg>

This NASA image compares Solar Cycle 14 (shown in white) with our 
current cycle, Solar Cycle 24 (shown in blue and red). Dean Pesnell of 
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is predicting that Solar Cycle 24 
will have a "double peak," just as Solar Cycle 14 did in the first 
decade of the 20th century. Pesnell predicts that Solar Cycle 24 will 
peak twice -- once in late 2013 and again in 2015. View a larger image 
here <http://www.arrl.org/images/view/News/doublepeak.jpg>.

According to NASA, the current solar cycle -- Solar Cycle 24 -- should 
hit its "solar max" sometime in this year, but so far, solar activity 
has been relatively low. According to an article by NASA's Dr Tony 
Phillips, this period of quiet has led some observers to wonder if 
forecasters missed the mark. But solar physicist Dean Pesnell of NASA's 
Goddard Space Flight Center has a different explanation: "This /is/ 
solar maximum. But it looks different from what we expected because it 
is double peaked." Pesnell noted similarities between the current cycle 
and Solar Cycle 14, which happened between February 1902 and August 1913 
and experienced a double peak. If the two cycles are in fact twins, he 
said that "it would mean one peak in late 2013 and another in 2015."Read 
more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/solar-cycle-24-may-have-double-peaks-says-nasa-solar-physicist>. 

*+* /Amateur Radio in the Classroom/: DARA to Provide Financial Support 
for Advanced Teachers Institute Session

At the end of each basic session of the Teachers Institute on Wireless 
Technology (TI-1), participants build and program a Boe-Bot -- a rolling 
robot with a BASIC Stamp 2 microcontroller brain.

The ARRL is preparing to present the 2013 sessions of its popular 
Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology this summer. For the fourth 
year in a row, the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) will provide 
financial support for the advanced session of the Teachers Institute 
(TI-2). The TI-2 session -- /Remote Sensing and Data Gathering/ -- will 
be held July 22-25 at DARA's new classroom facility at their clubhouse 
in Dayton, Ohio. In addition, there will be two basic Teachers Institute 
sessions (TI-1) this summer: One at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, 
Connecticut (July 8-11) and one at Parallax, Inc in Rocklin, California 
(July 15-18). Read more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/dara-to-provide-financial-support-for-advanced-teachers-institute-session>.

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-03-14&p=0>
*+* Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, Takes APRS Underground

APRS developer Bob Bruninga, WB4APR -- an APRS-compatible handheld 
transceiver in hand and digipeter box in front of him -- at one of the 
entrances to Mammoth Cave.

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, led a group of radio amateurs earlier this month 
to Mammoth Cave -- the world's longest known cave system -- at Mammoth 
Cave National Park in Kentucky to test how the Automatic Packet 
Reporting System (APRS) can be used as a means to extend radio 
communications underground. "When used underground, VHF and UHF radios 
can only work within a few hundred feet of each other and only when in 
the line of sight of another radio," Bruninga explained. "This makes 
routine use of these radios of little value when underground; however, 
when APRS radios act as packet digipeaters, these few hundreds of feet 
can be extended by an order of magnitude." Bruninga, a senior research 
engineer at the US Naval Academy, developed APRS as a global, on-air 
protocol for supporting handheld position reporting and text messaging 
via VHF radio. Read more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/bob-bruninga-wb4apr-takes-aprs-underground>.

*+* /Amateur Radio in Space/: Astronauts Return to Earth from ISS; Watch 
Live on NASA TV

Expedition 34 aboard the ISS comes to a close on March 14: Front row, 
from left: NASA astronaut and Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford, 
KF5GPP, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut and Expedition 35 Commander 
Chris Hadfield, VA3OOG/KC5RNJ. Back row, from left: Russian cosmonauts 
Oleg Novitskiy, Evgeny Tarelkin, Roman Romanenko and NASA astronaut Tom 
Marshburn, KE5HOC.

After spending 143 days in space, Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford, 
KF5GPP, Russian Soyuz Commander Oleg Novitskiy and Russian Flight 
Engineer Evgeny Tarelkin (both of the Russian Federal Space Agency) will 
begin their voyage home to Earth on Thursday, March 14, marking the end 
of Expedition 34 on board the International Space Station (ISS). The 
trio will undock their Soyuz spacecraft at 8:30 PM EDT (0030 UTC on 
Friday, March 15) for the flight home. They are scheduled to arrive in 
Arkalyk, Kazakhstan almost four hours later at 11:57 PM EDT (0357 UTC on 
Friday, March 15). NASA will televise the farewell ceremony, as well as 
the undocking of the Soyuz craft, its launch and its landing in 
Kazakhstan live on NASA TV. Read more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/astronauts-return-to-earth-from-iss-next-week-watch-live-on-nasa-tv>.

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-03-14&p=1>
Two New Books for Your Amateur Radio Library

The ARRL has released two new books: /Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-for-Arduino-and-PICAXE/>/ edited by 
Leigh L. Klotz Jr, WA5ZNU, and /Radio Science for the Radio Amateur 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Radio-Science-for-the-Radio-Amateur/>/ by Eric 
Nichols, KL7AJ.

*/Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE/*

Microcontroller technology has exploded in popularity among ham radio 
operators. The new generation of single-board microcontrollers is easier 
than ever to use, bringing together hardware and software for project 
building that radio amateurs can easily dive into. With inexpensive 
microcontroller platforms -- such as the popular open-source Arduino 
board -- readily available parts, components and accessory boards, you 
can create beacon transmitters, keyers, antenna position control, RTTY 
and digital mode decoders, waterfall displays and more.

Editor Leigh L. Klotz Jr, WA5ZNU, has assembled this first edition of 
/Ham Radio for Arduino and PICAXE/ to help introduce radio amateurs to 
the fun and rewards of experimenting with microcontrollers. Klotz and 
other contributors have designed projects that will enhance your ham 
radio station and operating capabilities, or you can use these projects 
as a launch pad for creating your own projects.

*/Radio Science for the Radio Amateur/ *

In /Radio Science for the Radio Amateur/, Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, explores 
and explains the often profound differences between science and 
technology, dispelling the notion that we know all there is to know 
about radio. Using a fresh, playful approach, Nichols guides readers 
through some of the most fascinating "nooks and crannies" of the radio 
universe. Along the way, you'll find out how solving long-standing 
mysteries of radio -- of which there are still many -- doesn't require 
expensive hardware, but merely a scientific mindset and attention to detail.

These new publications are available from your ARRL Dealer 
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-publication-dealers> or the ARRL Store 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-for-Arduino-and-PICAXE/>. /Ham Radio 
for Arduino and PICAXE 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-for-Arduino-and-PICAXE/>/ (ARRL 
Order No. 3244), ISBN 978-0-87259-324-4, $34.95 retail, special ARRL 
Member Price $29.95, plus shipping; /Radio Science for the Radio Amateur 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Radio-Science-for-the-Radio-Amateur/>/ (ARRL 
Order No. 3381), ISBN 978-0-87259-338-1, $27.95 retail, special ARRL 
Member Price $24.95, plus shipping.

*+* W1AW Announces 2013 Spring Operating Schedule

With the switch from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time this past 
weekend, W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, has updated the W1AW 
operating schedule to reflect the change. Your local standard times have 
not changed, but the UTC times they reference have. Read more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/w1aw-announces-2013-spring-operating-schedule>.

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2013-03-14&p=2>
*+* ARRL, Microsoft Resolve E-mail Blockage

After more than 20,000 ARRL members had their *arrl.netand 
arrl.orge-mails blocked by Microsoft 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/more-than-20-000-b-arrl-net-b-b-arrl-org-b-e-mail-addresses-blocked-by-microsoft>*, 
the issue has been resolved. According to ARRL Information Technology 
Manager Michael Keane, K1MK, Microsoft told the ARRL that the mail 
blockage from ARRL servers to Microsoft domains (including *msn.com*, 
*hotmail.com*, *live.com* and *outlook.com*) was mitigated as of Sunday, 
March 10.

Solar Update

The Sun, as seen on Thursday, March 14, 2013 from NASA's SOHO Extreme 
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope 
<http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime/realtime-update.html>. 
This MDI <http://soi.stanford.edu/> (Michelson Doppler Imager) image was 
taken in the continuum near the Ni I 6768 Angstrom line. The most 
prominent features are the sunspots. This is very much how the Sun looks 
in the visible range of the spectrum.

Tad Cook, K7RA, reports: Solar indicators were mixed this week, with the 
average daily sunspot number down 8.4 points to 84.9, while the average 
daily solar flux rose 5.9 points to 118.5. Geomagnetic indices were much 
quieter, with the average planetary A index down 4.7 points to 4.4 and 
the average mid-latitude A index down 5 points to 3.9. The predicted 
solar flux for March 14-15 is 120, then 115 on March 16-17, 110 on March 
18-20, 105 on March 21, 95 on March 22-24, 100 on March 25-26, 105 on 
March 27, 110 on March 28-31, 115 on April 1-3, and then peaking around 
120 on April 4-11. The predicted planetary A index on March 14-16 is 8, 
20 and 12, indicating more geomagnetic activity similar to March 1-2. 
The predicted planetary A index is 5 on March 17-20, 8 on March 21, 5 on 
March 22-27, 18 and 10 on March 28-29, and back down to 5 on March 
30-April 16. Look for more on the ARRL website on Friday, March 15. For 
more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical 
Information Service Propagation page 
<http://www.arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals>.

*+* US Postal Service Introduces Global Forever Stamp

In addition to an increase 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/postage-rates-to-rise-this-month> in postal 
rates in January 2013, the US Postal Service introduced a new Global 
Forever First-Class Mail International stamp 
<http://about.usps.com/news/national-releases/2013/pr13_011.htm>. Priced 
at $1.10 each and offered in a pane of 20, the /new///stamp offers a 
single price for any First-Class Mail International 1-ounce letter to 
any country in the world, as well as 2-ounce letters to Canada. The 
stamp is available online <http://www.usps.com/stamps>, at post offices 
in the US or by calling 1-800-782-6724.-- /Thanks to ARRL Oklahoma 
Section Manager Kevin O'Dell, N0IRW, for the information/.

British Ham Receives 2012 Cass Award

Rob Chipperfield, M0VFC/ZD9UW (left) receives the 2012 Single Operator 
Cass Award from Michael Wells, G7VJR.

Rob Chipperfield, M0VFC/ZD9UW, of Cambridge, England, received the 2012 
Single-Operator Cass Award. The Cass Award <http://www.cassaward.com/> 
-- a monetary award of $1000 -- is offered as an incentive to encourage 
DXpedition operating excellence, and to encourage DXpeditions to 
maximize the number of different DXers worked. Chipperfield received the 
award for working 3362 unique stations over his four-day DXpedition to 
Tristan da Cunha in October 2012. In order to qualify for the award 
<http://www.cassaward.com/#rules>, he had to use radio transmitting and 
receiving equipment that he brought to Tristan da Cunha, as well as 
antennas that he either brought to Tristan da Cunha or that he 
constructed from local materials. The Cass Award is named in honor of 
Hugh "Cass" Cassidy, WA6AUD (SK), who published the /West Coast DX 
Bulletin/ from 1968-1979.

This Week in Radiosport

/This week:/

  * March 15 -- NCCC Sprint
  * March 16 -- Feld Hell Sprint; AGCW VHF/UHF Contest
  * March 16-17 -- Virginia QSO Party; Russian DX Contest
  * March 16-18 -- BARTG HF RTTY Contest
  * March 17 -- North American Sprint (SSB)
  * March 18 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest
  * March 21 -- NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint

/Next week:/

  * March 22 -- NCCC Sprint
  * March 24 -- UBA Spring Contest (SSB)
  * March 27 -- SKCC Sprint
  * March 27 28 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test

All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest Branch 
page <http://www.arrl.org/contests>, the ARRL Contest Update 
<http://www.arrl.org/The-ARRL-Contest-Update> and the WA7BNM Contest 
Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more 
information. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out 
the ARRL Special Event Stations web page 
<http://www.arrl.org/special-event-stations>.

Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

  * March 16 -- ARRL Nebraska State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/nebraska-state-convention-2>, Lincoln,
    Nebraska; ARRL West Texas State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-texas-section-convention-58th-annual-st-patrick-s-day-hamfest>,
    Midland, Texas
  * March 23 -- ARRL South Texas State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-texas-section-convention-greater-houston-hamfest-3>,
    Rosenberg, Texas
  * March 29-30 -- ARRL Maine State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/maine-state-convention-3>, Lewiston, Maine
  * March 30 -- ARRL North Carolina State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-carolina-state-convention-raleigh-hamfest-2>,
    Raleigh, North Carolina
  * April 13-14 -- Communications Academy
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/communications-academy-2013>, Seattle,
    Washington
  * April 19-20 -- Southeastern VHF Society Conference
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/svhfs-conference>, Cocoa Beach, Florida
  * April 19-21 -- International DX Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/international-dx-convention-2>,
    Visalia, California
  * April 20 -- ARRL Louisiana State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/louisiana-state-convention-northeast-louisiana-regional-ham-radiofest>,
    Monroe, Louisiana
  * April 26-28 -- ARRL Idaho State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/idaho-state-convention-3>, Boise, Idaho
  * May 4 -- ARRL South Carolina Section Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-carolina-section-convention-upstate-hamfest-1>,
    Spartanburg, South Carolina
  * May 17-19 -- Dayton Hamvention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/dayton-hamvention-4>, Trotwood, Ohio
  * June 1 -- ARRL Georgia State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/georgia-state-convention-atlanta-hamfest-1>,
    Marietta, Georgia
  * May 31-June 2 -- ARRL Northwestern Division Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/northwestern-division-convention-seapac-4>,
    Seaside, Oregon
  * June 7-8 -- ARRL West Gulf Division Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-gulf-division-convention-35th-anniversary-ham-com>,
    Plano, Texas
  * June 8 -- ARRL Delta Division Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/delta-division-convention-2>, Rogers,
    Arkansas; ARRL Tennessee State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/tennessee-state-convention-knoxville-hamfest-electronics-convention>,
    Knoxville, Tennessee
  * June 28-30 -- ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/rocky-mountain-division-convention-hamcon-colorado-2013>,
    Estes Park, Colorado
  * July 6 -- ARRL Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/eastern-pennsylvania-section-convention-firecracker-hamfest-electronics-expo>,
    Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
  * July 25-27 -- Central States VHF Society Conference
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/central-states-vhf-society-2013-conference>,
    Elk Grove Village, Illinois
  * August 2-3 -- ARRL Texas State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/texas-state-convention-austin-summerfest-2013>,
    Austin, Texas
  * August 2-4 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/pacific-northwest-dx-convention-2>,
    Spokane Valley, Washington
  * August 17 -- ARRL West Virginia State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-virginia-state-convention-3>,
    Weston, West Virginia
  * August 17-18 -- ARRL Alabama State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/alabama-state-convention-huntsville-hamfest-1>,
    Huntsville, Alabama
  * August 18 -- ARRL Kansas State Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/kansas-state-convention-3>, Salina, Kansas
  * August 25 -- ARRL Western Pennsylvania Section Convention
    <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/western-pennsylvania-section-convention-3>,
    New Kensington, Pennsylvania

To find a convention or hamfest near you, click here 
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

*ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information *

Join or Renew Today! <http://www.arrl.org/join> ARRL membership includes 
/QST <http://www.arrl.org/qst>/, Amateur Radio's most popular and 
informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month.

Subscribe to /NCJ - the National Contest Journal 
<http://www.arrl.org/ncj>/. Published bi-monthly, features articles by 
top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO 
Parties.

Subscribe to /QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters 
<http://www.arrl.org/qex>/. 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 
<http://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#%21/edit-info-email_subscriptions> 
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 us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org>. Follow us on 
Twitter <http://twitter.com/arrl>.

ARRL offers a wide array of products <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-store> to 
enhance your enjoyment of Amateur Radio.

Donate <https://www.arrl.org/arrl-donation-form> to the fund of your 
choice -- support programs not funded by member dues!

/Click here <mailto:ads at arrl.org> to advertise in this newsletter 
(subject to space availability)./

	Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=r&p=0>
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=r&p=1>
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=r&p=2>
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=r&p=3>
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&i=2013-03-14&t=r&p=4>
------------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members 
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing 
their profile 
<http://www.arrl.org/Users/edit#%21/edit-info-email_subscriptions>.

www.arrl.org <http://www.arrl.org/>