[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for June 5, 2014
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Thu Jun 5 15:38:25 EDT 2014
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
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The ARRL Letter
June 5, 2014
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <mailto:ww1me 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=2014-06-05&t=t>
* Radio Amateurs Are Principal Players in Effort to Resurrect
36-Year-Old NASA Spacecraft <#toc01>
* Ham Radio Helps Get Medical Attention for Mobile Operator in
Distress <#toc02>
* ARRL Vice Director Agrees to Conditions to Resolve
Conflict-of-Interest Situation <#toc03>
* Southern Florida Gets New Section Manager <#toc04>
* FCC Releases Warning Notices to Several Radio Amateurs <#toc05>
* The ARRL June VHF Contest is June 14-16! <#toc06>
* Hundreds of Clubs Register their FD 2014 Sites on the ARRL Field Day
Locator! <#toc07>
* "We Are Ready!" 2014 WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test a Success <#toc08>
* ARRL Foundation Awards 79 Scholarships in 2014 <#toc09>
* Centennial Operations Now in Alabama, Louisiana to Shift States on
June 11 (UTC) <#toc10>
* D-Day Special Event Stations to be Active <#toc11>
* Huntsville to Host GAREC 2014 <#toc12>
* King Juan Carlos of Spain, EA0JC, to Step Down <#toc13>
* IARU Region 3 Directors to Attend Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Meeting
<#toc14>
* Honor Roll DXer, Assistant ARRL Director H.O. Townsend, K5CX, SK
<#toc15>
* A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL <#toc16>
* In Brief... <#toc17>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc18>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc19>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc20>
Radio Amateurs Are Principal Players in Effort to Resurrect 36-Year-Old
NASA Spacecraft
Not even an earthquake kept the ISEE-3 Reboot Project
<http://www.rockethub.com/42228> from contacting the 36-year-old
International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 spacecraft -- later repurposed,
redirected, and renamed the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) -- on
May 29 from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The ISEE-3 Reboot
Project is a private crowd-funded group of engineers, programmers, and
scientists -- including several radio amateurs -- that is trying to fire
the old spacecraft's engines to redirect its path. And that has to
happen by June 17, according to Dennis Wingo, KD4ETA, one of the team
members and the CEO of California-based Skycorp Incorporated
<http://www.skycorpinc.com/Skycorp/Home.html>. Wingo has not ruled out
the possibility that ICE could crash into the moon, but just commanding
one of the spacecraft's transponders on 2.042 GHz by radio marked a
major milestone.
"[W]e have successfully contacted the bird!" Wingo enthused in a June 1
project update. Wingo was at Arecibo Observatory on May 29 when a
magnitude 5.8 earthquake rattled the region. Wingo said he and his
colleagues were in a safe area when the earthquake occurred.
Surviving the earthquake experience aside, Wingo said, the "first
miracle" was to command the spacecraft. The second task was to interpret
data received back from the spacecraft. The group is hoping to place
ISSE-3/ICE into a gravitationally stable spot some 930,000 miles from
Earth -- essentially its original orbit -- where it could again study
the effects of solar weather on Earth's magnetosphere (the project's
slogan is "Make me do science again!"). But, it has a lot of work to do
before that is possible. The group has obtained NASA's approval to
communicate with the satellite.
"One of the major problems that we have...is to update the range to the
spacecraft, so that its position, velocity, and trajectory into the
Earth-Moon system can be properly plotted," Wingo said. If the team can
fire the spacecraft's thrusters this month, ISSE-3/ICE will fly by the
moon at an altitude of some 50 km on August 10.
Newer digital signal processing (DSP) techniques have made it possible
to develop and apply software solutions to address problems that would
have required extensive hardware a decade earlier. The project has
purchased DSP peripherals from Ettus Research, founded by Matt Ettus,
N2MJI, to implement modulator and demodulator programs.
More information and updates are available on the ISEE-3 Reboot Project
<http://www.facebook.com/ISEE3Reboot> Facebook page and the ISEE3
Returns Community <https://www.facebook.com/ISEE3returns> Facebook page.
The project also has a ISEE-3 Reboot Project
<https://plus.google.com/u/0/110871408384252629393/posts> Google+ page.
Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/radio-amateurs-are-key-players-in-effort-to-maneuver-36-year-old-nasa-spacecraft>.
Ham Radio Helps Get Medical Attention for Mobile Operator in Distress
In this era of nearly ubiquitous cell phones, Amateur Radio still offers
a way to summon help in an emergency. Ron Smith, N1PXX, of Marshfield,
Massachusetts, is living proof. Over Memorial Day weekend, on May 24,
Smith, who's in his 60s, broke in on a conversation on the N1ZIZ 146.685
MHz repeater in Plymouth to say he was having a medical problem.
"Ron had pulled over on the highway and was having a tough time talking
on his radio," said ARRL member John Williams, KB1EVY, the president of
the Genesis Amateur Radio Society <http://www.genesisars.org/>
President, which owns the N1ZIZ repeater. The Genesis ARS is an ARRL
Special Service Club.
One of the two stations that had been on the repeater, ARRL member Kevin
O'Donnell, K1KOD, acknowledged Smith's call and asked for his cell phone
number. With some difficulty -- and with assistance from the second
station, David Blackford, KB1QJX, who was visiting the Cape Cod area
from Connecticut -- O'Donnell was able to call Smith and establish that
he needed prompt medical attention.
O'Donnell cleared the repeater and requested priority for a medical
emergency. "Using both the radio and the cell, Kevin kept talking with
Ron. He called 911, [and] gave Ron's location to the State Police,"
Williams said. O'Donnell let Smith know that an ambulance and police
were en route. Smith reported that he saw the police pass by, but the
cruiser did not stop
ARRL Life Member Dave Ring, N1EA, joined the conversation at this point,
and assisted K1KOD. "N1EA was instrumental in making calls to the State
police, who got back to Kevin that they had picked up Ron and were
heading for South Shore Hospital," Williams recounted. Once Smith was on
his way to the hospital, O'Donnell secured the brief emergency net.
Williams said that in addition to the Massachusetts State Police, the
call brought mutual aid from the Pembroke and Marshfield police
departments and ambulance.
"Ron is still in the hospital and doing okay," Williams said later. "I
talk with him once a day. He is so grateful for what was done for him! I
would like to say, 'a job well done' by Kevin, K1KOD; David, N1EA, and
Dave, KB1QJX." Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/ham-radio-helps-get-medical-attention-for-mobile-operator-in-distress>.
/-- Thanks to John Williams, KB1EVY, and ARRL Eastern Massachusetts SM
Phil Temples, K9HI/
ARRL Vice Director Agrees to Conditions to Resolve Conflict-of-Interest
Situation
ARRL Rocky Mountain Vice Director Dwayne Allen, WY7FD, has agreed to
stipulations spelled out by the ARRL Board of Directors to address a
conflict-of-interest situation arising from the employment of his wife,
Katie Allen, WY7KRA, by CQ Communications Inc. Emphasizing that there
had been no allegations of impropriety on the part of either Dwayne or
Katie Allen, the ARRL Ethics & Elections Committee determined on April
24 that Katie Allen's March 28 appointment as Sales and Marketing
Manager for CQ Communications Inc created a conflict of interest for her
husband that would disqualify him from continuing to serve as a Vice
Director. Katie Allen is the former ARRL Membership Manager and a past
volunteer member of the ARRL Public Relations Committee.
On April 25, written requests were made by more than five directors to
have the board review the Ethics & Elections Committee's decision.
ARRL Rocky Mountain Vice Director Dwayne Allen, WY7FD.
Informal discussion among directors and volunteer officers culminated in
a May 22 meeting
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/About%20ARRL/Board%20Meetings/2014_May_22_ARRL_Board_Special_Meeting_Minutes.pdf>
by teleconference of the full ARRL Board. A majority of board members
concurred that a "potential conflict of interest exists under current
ARRL By-Laws resulting from the familial relationship" between Dwayne
and Katie Allen. With some dissent, the board approved the motion of
ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, to manage the
potential conflict of interest by calling upon Dwayne Allen to agree to
certain stipulations. The agreement allows him to remain in office while
isolating him from any ARRL matters that would conflict with his wife's
professional activities.
Under the agreement, to which Dwayne Allen must adhere as long as his
wife is employed by CQ Communications, Allen "will diligently recuse
himself" from portions of any Board, Committee, or other ARRL meeting --
including any discussion or votes -- that pertain to ARRL advertising
and marketing matters as well as to the ARRL Financial Plan as it
relates to advertising and marketing matters. Allen also must recuse
himself from "any other discussion or vote where a conflict of interest
might arise" and abide by ARRL non-disclosure requirements.
According to the resolution, the board "may revisit the issue of a
conflict of interest" involving Dwayne Allen, if the Ethics & Elections
Committee feels he has failed to comply with the terms of board resolution.
The Ethics & Elections Committee's April 24 action marked the first
application of a conflict of interest policy, adopted by the Board in
July 2006 and contained in Bylaw 45, to a situation involving an elected
ARRL official already in office.
Southern Florida Gets New Section Manager
Jeff Beals, WA4AW, of Loxahatchee, has assumed the office of Southern
Florida Section Manager, following the resignation of SM David Fowler,
K4DLF, of West Palm Beach. The change was effective on June 1. Fowler
announced plans to step down at the end of May, due to recently
increased work responsibilities. He had been at the helm in Southern
Florida since October 1, 2010.
Beals will complete the current term of office, which runs through
September 30. SM vacancies between elections are filled by
New Southern Florida SM Jeff Beals, WA4AW.
appointment, and Fowler recommended that Beals succeed him. ARRL
Membership and Volunteer Programs Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, consulted
with Southeastern Division Director Doug Rehman, K4AC, before making the
appointment.
An ARRL Life Member, Beals has been licensed since the early 1960s. He
has served as an Assistant Section Manager, a District Emergency
Coordinator, and a Public Information Officer in the Southern Florida
Section. He was the ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director from 2009
until 2011.
A solicitation is underway for nominations for the next 2-year term of
office for the Southern Florida Section Manager's position. Nominations
are due at ARRL Headquarters by Friday, June 6, at 4 PM Eastern Time.
Further details
<http://www.arrl.org/section-terms-nomination-information> are on the
ARRL website.*
*
FCC Releases Warning Notices to Several Radio Amateurs
The FCC Enforcement Bureau has made public
<http://transition.fcc.gov/eb/AmateurActions/Welcome.html> several
warning notices issued over the past few months to radio amateurs. A
couple of the letters from Special Counsel Laura Smith involved alleged
infractions on 20 meters. On April 15, the FCC wrote Larry S. King,
KI8NGS, of Owosso, Michigan, regarding failure to properly follow
station identification rules on March 21. Smith told King that he was
monitored by staffers at the FCC High Frequency Direction Finding Center
(HFDFC) "operating your Amateur Radio on 14.313 MHz for 20 minutes
without identifying in a timely manner." Smith said the HFDFC used
direction-finding equipment to confirm that the transmissions were
coming from his location. She said the Center recorded the transmissions.
"This incident constitutes a failure to properly transmit your assigned
call sign, in violation of the Commission's rules," Smith wrote. "Your
operation as described is contrary to the basis and purpose of the
Amateur Radio Service, as set out in Section 97.1 and is a violation of
Section 97.11(a) of the Commission's rules."
On March 31, Smith sent a warning notice to Daniel G.Churovich, N9RSY,
of Ripley, Tennessee.
"On Friday, March 28, 2014, you were heard by staff at the Commission's
High Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) Center communicating repeatedly
on 14.313 MHz with an individual who you identify only as 'cowboy,'"
Smith wrote. "This individual failed to provide his call sign during
your conversation, a fact that you were aware of as you repeatedly
demanded that he provide his name, call sign, and location. Despite
being aware of the rule violation on the part of this other individual,
you continued communicating with him for an extended period of time."
Smith told Churovich that the incident constituted "unauthorized
transmissions" in violation of Commission rules that permit radio
amateur to engage in two-way communications with "other stations in the
Amateur Service."
"There is no evidence that the individual with whom you were
communicating with on March 28 was an Amateur Radio operator, as he
failed to provide his call sign as required by Commission rules," Smith
pointed out.
Smith also wrote Amateur Radio licensees in Tennessee, Michigan, and
Wisconsin on March 31, alleging they all had failed to comply with
formal written requests not to use local repeater systems. Smith advised
four licensees that the FCC expected them to "abide by the request of
the trustee and/or control operator that you stay off [the repeater] --
and any other similar requests to cease operations on any other
repeaters by any other repeater licensees, control operators or
trustees." Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-releases-warning-notices-to-several-radio-amateurs>.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-06-05&p=0>
The ARRL June VHF Contest is June 14-16!
One of the most popular VHF/UHF events on the contest calendar is the
ARRL June VHF Contes <http://www.arrl.org/june-vhf>t, which gets
underway at 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 14, and continues until 0259 UTC
on Monday, June 16. The object for participants in the US and Canada
(and their possessions) is to work stations in as many different 2° x 1°
Maidenhead grid squares <http://www.arrl.org/grid-squares> as possible,
using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and
Canada (and their
WA9PIC took to the high ground to operate in the 2013 June VHF Contest.
possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and
Canada. Stations in KH0-9, Alaska, KP1-KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE
stations and may be worked by DX stations for contest credit.
You don't need a big station or an elaborate antenna farm to enjoy
operating in the June VHF Contest, and you don't have to be a contesting
"pro" either. Just get on the air and see what you can work. Six meters
-- the so-called "Magic Band" -- often yields surprising openings to
various parts of the US and Canada and beyond. DX contacts are even
possible on 6 meters.
<http://arrl2014.org>The June VHF Contest occurs at the start of the
summer sporadic E season, and intense openings on 6 meters and even 2
meters are possible. It's a whole new world of propagation possibilities
that also include tropospheric ducting, aurora, and even meteor scatter
and moonbounce.
There are several entry categories, including portable -- for those who
enjoy operating low power from a portable power source and using
portable antennas -- and rover, for mobile operators who enjoy traveling
from one grid square to another to hand out contacts. There's even an
FM-only category (50 144, 222, and 446 MHz at a power of 100 W or less).
Even with a modest station, it's possible to work hundreds of miles on
the VHF bands during a good opening. You can find plans
<http://www.arrl.org/antennas> for simple VHF antennas at the Technical
Information Service area of the ARRL website, as well as in the
"Antennas" chapter of the /ARRL Handbook/
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2013-Hardcover-Edition/> or in
the "VHF and UHF Antenna Systems" chapter of the /ARRL Antenna Book/
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Antenna-Book-22nd-Edition/>. Direct any
questions via e-mail <mailto:contest at arrl.org> to the ARRL Contest Branch.
Hundreds of Clubs Register their FD 2014 Sites on the ARRL Field Day
Locator!
ARRL Field Day 2014 is just ahead -- June 28-29. Let the world know
about /your/ ARRL Field Day Operation via the ARRL Field Day Locator
<http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator>. It's easy to use. The web page
is intended to show only */public/* Field Day sites that members of the
public and media can visit. So far, some 800 clubs have registered their
Field Day information. Registration is optional, but it is a good way to
help generate interest in a group's participation. If you're planning to
operate from a private and/or residential location, do /not/ add your
site to the map.
The 2014 Field Day packet <http://www.arrl.org/field-day> is available
on the ARRL website. A Spanish
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2014/2014_Rules_Spanish.pdf>
version of the Field Day rules is available too.
Last year, the League received more than 2500 Field Day entries,
representing participation by more than 36,000 radio amateurs who
completed in excess of 1.2 million individual contacts on CW, phone, and
digital modes. For more information about Field Day 2014, e-mail
<mailto:fdinfo at arrl.org> ARRL Headquarters or call (860) 594-0236.
"We Are Ready!" 2014 WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test a Success
The National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC <http://www.wx4nhc.org/> May 31
annual on-the-air Station Test
<http://www.arrl.org/news/wx4nhc-national-hurricane-center-annual-station-test-set-for-may-31>
was a success, according to WX4NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator
Julio Ripoll, WD4R. WX4NHC conducts the event each year in preparation
for hurricane season, which began June 1 and continues through November.
"We had the best annual Station Test that I can remember," Ripoll said
this week. "Hopefully we will not have to activate for a hurricane this
Julio Henriquez, AD4Z,was among the operators at WX4NHC for the 2014
Station Test. [Courtesy of Julio Ripoll, WD4R]
season, but it is good to know that our equipment worked well, in case
the need arises. We are ready, not just for us in sunny South Florida,
but for everyone along the US East Coast and in the Caribbean. Thank you
for your support."
WX4NHC made 308 contacts during 9 hours of operation, with contacts
ranging from local VHF/UHF stations in South Florida and the Florida
Keys to as far away as Guam. Surface reports were received from 25
states as well as from several countries, including Bermuda, Canada,
Cuba, Curacao, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico,
Puerto Rico, and Venezuela, Ripoll said. WX4NHC even spoke with FEMA
Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, via EchoLink <http://www.echolink.org/>.
Ripoll said it helped that one of the WX4NHC operators was Dominican
Republic native Julio Henriquez, AD4Z, an internationally
The National Hurricane Center in Miami is home to WX4NHC. [Couortesy of
Julio Ripoll, WD4R]
recognized DXer and contester. Henriquez will compete in the World
Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC-2014 <http://www.wrtc2014.org/>) next
month in New England.
WX4NHC was tested on various bands and modes. The Center also checked
out its Winlink <http://www.winlink.org/>, EchoLink, IRLP
<http://www.irlp.net/>, and APRS <http://www.aprs.org/> capabilities,
among other communication systems. All radio equipment and antennas
performed well, and WX4NHC logged "the most contacts made during this
event in memory," Ripoll said, despite poor HF propagation and the fact
that WX4NHC also was testing equipment, training operators on new modes,
and "tweaking" its computer software.
Ripoll expressed appreciation to SKYWARN <http://www.skywarn.org/>
volunteers and to ARRL Emergency Preparations Manager Mike Corey KI1U,
for supporting the annual exercise. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/we-are-ready-2014-wx4nhc-on-the-air-station-test-a-success>.
ARRL Foundation Awards 79 Scholarships in 2014
The ARRL Foundation <http://www.arrl.org/the-arrl-foundation> Board of
Directors has announced the scholarship recipients
<http://www.arrl.org/annual-scholarship-winners> for 2014. Each year,
the Foundation's Directors have the honor and privilege of selecting
Amateur Radio operators who will receive monetary assistance to further
their undergraduate or graduate education. For 2014, the Foundation
awarded 79 annual scholarships through 58 funds to young Amateur Radio
operators, valued at $106,250.
In addition, the Foundation Board selected
<http://www.arrl.org/news/padraig-lysandrou-kc9uus-is-goldfarb-scholarship-winner>
17-year-old Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS, of Bloomington, Indiana, as the
2014 recipient of the William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship
<http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions>. Goldfarb Memorial
Scholarship awards vary based on the college or university the recipient
attends, other awards received, and other financial factors. Lysandrou
is the 12th Goldfarb Scholarship recipient.
The application period for ARRL Foundation Scholarships opens October 1
each year and closes on January 31 at midnight the following year, with
awards announced in May. Descriptions of all the available scholarships
and selection criteria <http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-descriptions>,
as well as application instructions and forms
<http://www.arrl.org/scholarship-application> are on the ARRL Foundation
web pages.
Centennial Operations Now in Alabama, Louisiana to Shift States on June
11 (UTC)
The ARRL Centennial W1AW WAS
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/On%20the%20Air/W1AW_2014_sked.pdf>
operations taking place throughout 2014 from each of the 50 states are
now in Alabama and Louisiana. They will relocate on Wednesday, June 11
(Tuesday, June 10 in US time zones) to Arkansas (W1AW/5) and Minnesota
(W1AW/0). During 2014 W1AW will be on the air from every state (at least
twice) and most US territories, and it will be easy to work all states
solely by contacting W1AW portable operations. Some schedule changes
have been made, and the W1AW WAS list has been updated to reflect these.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ARRL, the ARRL Centennial QSO
Party <http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party> kicked off January 1
for a year-long operating event in which participants can accumulate
points and win awards. The event is open to all, although only ARRL
members and appointees, elected officials, HQ staff and W1AW are worth
ARRL Centennial QSO Party points
<http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party#Table>.
Working W1AW/x from each state is worth 5 points per mode/contact, even
when working the same state during its second week of activity.
To earn the "Worked all States with W1AW Award," work W1AW operating
portable from all 50 states. (Working W1AW or W100AW in Connecticut does
/not/ count for Connecticut, however. For award credit, participants
must work W1AW/1 in Connecticut.) A W1AW WAS certificate and plaque will
be available.
The ARRL has posted an ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board
<https://centennial-qp.arrl.org> that participants can use to determine
how many points they have accumulated in the Centennial QSO Party and in
the W1AW WAS operations. Log in using your Logbook of The World (LoTW
<http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>) user name and password, and
your position will appear at the top of the leader boards. Results are
updated daily, based on contacts entered into LoTW.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-06-05&p=1>
D-Day Special Event Stations to be Active
Several special event stations will be on the air to commemorate the
70th anniversary of D-Day -- the Allied invasion of the Normandy Coast
of France in World War II -- on June 6, 2014 (this list is not
comprehensive).
In France, TM70JUN <http://www.qrz.com/db/TM70JUN> will be on the air
from June 6 until June 20. Modes will be SSB, CW, PSK, RTTY, and JT65 on
HF and 6 meters.
Special event station TM70BMC <http://qrz.com/db/TM70BMC> will operate
from Mont Canisy June 5-8.
TM70DD will be active from June 5 until June 19.
The TM70UTAH <http://f5rjm.jimdo.com/tm70utah/> operation on HF and VHF,
SSB, CW, and digital modes is underway and will conclude June 12.
W9D
<http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?436919-Special-Event-Station-W9D-Commemorating-the-70th-Anniversary-of-D-Day-%28June-6-8%29>
will be active on SSB, CW, and AM on HF through 6 meters June 6-8 from
the First Division War Museum in Winfield, Illinois.
The Riverway Amateur Radio Society will sponsor special event station
GB70DDL <http://www.qrz.com/db/GB70DDL> from June 1 until June 28 from
the Sea Cadet headquarters in Stafford, England.
VC3JUNO from Canada will be on the air from June 6 until July 31 to
commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day; "Juno" was the code name for
the beach where Canadian forces landed.
F/PA70DDAY will be from the "Nan Green Sector" of Juno Beach in
Normandy. This operation is already underway and scheduled to conclude
June 9. Operation will be on 80, 40, and 20 meters, SSB.
F/ON6JUN/p will take place June 4-8 from Ranville in Normandy.
On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of
heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the Normandy
beaches. The attack was a major turning point in the war. More than 5000
ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the invasion, in which more than
9000 Allied soldiers were killed or wounded.
Huntsville to Host GAREC 2014
The 2014 Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference
(GAREC-2014 <http://www.w4ozk.com/GAREC14.htm>) will take place Thursday
and Friday, August 14-15, in conjunction with the Huntsville Hamfest
<http://www.hamfest.org/> in Alabama. The Huntsville Hamfest, August
16-17 at the Von Braun Convention Center, is the Southeastern Division
Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/southeastern-division-convention-huntsville-hamfest-regional-arrl-centennial-event>
and a Regional ARRL Centennial Event.
The GAREC conference will focus on the application of advanced
technologies in emergency communication. All public service-minded
Amateurs Radio operators and emergency communication professionals are
welcome. This will mark the second time a GAREC Conference has been held
in the US.
The conference agenda and programs are still under development.
The first Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference in
2005 was organized on the initiative of Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, and held
in Tampere, Finland. Following the success of that event and increased
interest in international and regional cooperation on emergency
communication, GAREC <http://www.iaru.org/garec.html> conferences have
become established annual events. For each conference, an organizing
committee works with a local host, and International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU <http://www.iaru.org/>) representatives participate in the event.
Register <http://www.arrl.org/garec-2014> for GAREC 2014 on the ARRL
website. Contact Greg Sarratt <mailto:gsarratt at arrl.org>, W4OZK, for
additional information. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/huntsville-to-host-garec-2014>.
King Juan Carlos of Spain, EA0JC, to Step Down
King of Spain Juan Carlos de Borbón, EA0JC, announced June 2 that he
will abdicate his throne after 39 years in favor of his son, Crown
Prince Felipe. The king turned 76 in January.
Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman, is the father of two
daughters. He's married to Letizia Ortiz, a former TV news anchor. In
addition to Spanish, he is fluent in English, French, and Catalan and
studied in Canada for a year.
He holds a degree in law and has earned a master's in international
relations from Georgetown University.
King Juan Carlos ascended the throne upon the death of dictator
Francisco Franco in 1975, winning the respect of his subjects by guiding
the country into an era of democratic rule.
IARU Region 3 Directors to Attend Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Meeting
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU <http://www.iaru.org>) Region 3
<http://www.iaru.org/region-3.html> directors plan to attend the third
meeting <http://www.aptsec.org/2014-APG15-3> of the Asia-Pacific
Telecommunity (APT <http://www.aptsec.org/>) Conference Preparatory
Group for World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15
<http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/conferences/wrc/2015/Pages/default.aspx>),
June 9-13 in Brisbane, Australia. APT will organize the meeting, which
is being hosted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority
<http://www.acma.gov.au/> and supported by the Australian Department of
Communications <http://www.communications.gov.au/>.
Among other things, attendees will consider the results of International
Telecommunication Union-Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R
<http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/Pages/default.aspx>) study groups and
develop preliminary APT views on WRC-15 agenda items, based on member
input. It is one of a series of regional gatherings at which the IARU is
seeking support for an allocation at 5 MHz (WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.4 will
consider a possible new secondary Amateur Radio allocation within the
band 5250-5450 kHz, in accordance with WRC-12 Resolution 649. (Five 60
meter channels are available in the US, Canada, and other countries.)
"The IARU is able to input an Amateur Radio view on matters being
discussed and decided," said Jim Linton, VK3PC, who chairs the IARU
Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee. Read more./-- Thanks to Jim
Linton, VK3PC/
Honor Roll DXer, Assistant ARRL Director H.O. Townsend, K5CX, SK
ARRL Life Member Howard O. "H.O." Townsend, K5CX (ex-WA5MLT), of Naples,
Texas, died on May 30. He was 69. Townsend was a retired software
designer and a US Army veteran.
H.O. Townsend, K5CX.
An Honor Roll DXer, West Gulf Division Assistant Director, and past
Section Emergency Coordinator, Townsend participated in the W1AW/5
Centennial QSO Party operation from Texas (12 meters SSB).
ARRL West Gulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV, said
Townsend's obituary
<http://www.batescoopersloanfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=2545160&fh_id=13960>
fails to capture Townsend's importance as an advisor to him and to past
West Gulf directors. "He was active in several clubs and continually
promoted Amateur Radio," Woolweaver said. "He leaves a big hole in the
Amateur Radio community."
The family has requested memorial donations to the ARRL Education and
Technology Fund (ETP
<http://www.arrl.org/education-and-technology-fund>), 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111-1494.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
A VHF-and-above ham license had been discussed and debated for years.
When the FCC changed the Amateur Radio license structure on July 1,
1951, it established the Technician class license. It required passing a
Morse code test of 5 WPM; the written exam was the same as the General
class test.
The purpose of the Technician license was to allow electronics-minded
people to get on the air easily to experiment on 220 MHz and higher
frequencies, at a time when major advances were taking place on those
amateur bands. As it turned out, the number of experimenters in the
Technician ranks was fairly small; most Technician licensees wanted to
be communicators. The FCC responded to this fact by progressively
granting additional operating privileges to Techs.
In 1955, Technicians got privileges on 6 meters; in 1959, they obtained
ARRL Life Member Jim Pickett, K5LAD, got his Technician ticket not long
after his Novice, holding both licenses simultaneously. The FCC
cancelled his Tech license after he upgraded to General. Some Novices
who had trouble passing the 13 WPM Morse test got Technician licenses to
"hold" their call signs beyond the 1-year Novice term. [From K5LAD - 50+
Years of Ham Radio Memories]
privileges on 145 to 147 MHz; in 1972, 145 to 148 MHz; in 1978, /all/
privileges above 50 MHz, and in 1987, a small subband for 10 meter SSB.
In 2000, Technicians who had passed a 5 WPM code test were allowed to
operate CW on the Novice segments of 80, 40, and 15 meters, and to use
all modes on 10 meters.
Experimentation and advances in the state of the Amateur Radio art on
VHF-and-above remained, for the most part, the domain of higher-class
licensees, although a fair percentage of Technicians contributed too.
As communicators, Technician licensees have proven to be a great asset
to Amateur Radio during disasters and emergencies, for which the VHF/UHF
bands have become primary. The proliferation of mobile stations on VHF
and above also has played an important role in providing public service
and emergency communication support.
As the FCC intended, both Technician and Novice licensees spurred the
growth of Amateur Radio in the US. In 1950 there were about 90,000 hams;
by 1956, there were more than 140,000; by 1963, more than 250,000, and
today there are some 723,000 licensees.
Joe Speroni, AH0A, has compiled ham radio licensing statistics
<http://www.dxzone.com/cgi-bin/dir/jump2.cgi?ID=13872%20> from June 1997
to the present. /-- Al Brogdon, W1AB/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Brief...
*Chinese Publishing Representatives Visit ARRL Headquarters:*
Representatives of China's Posts and Telecommunications Press (PT Press
<http://www.ptpress.com.cn/english/INDEX.HTM>) visited ARRL Headquarters
on May 30 to present an award honoring the ARRL's involvement in
publishing Amateur Radio books in China. PT Press publishes more than
20,000 titles as well as 13 magazines. In partnership with the ARRL, PT
Press has translated and published several League titles, such as the
current edition of /The Antenna Book/, /The ARRL //Handbook/, and
/Getting Started in Amateur Radio/.
*First Call for 2014 AMSAT Space Symposium Papers:* AMSAT-NA
<http://www.amsat.org/> has issued its first call for papers for the
2014 AMSAT Symposium and General Meeting
<http://www.amsat.org/?page_id=1555>, set for the weekend of October
10-12 in Baltimore, Maryland. Proposals for papers, symposium
presentations and poster presentations are invited on any topic of
interest to the Amateur Satellite community. AMSAT requests a tentative
presentation title no later than August 1, and final papers and
presentations must be submitted by September 15 for inclusion in the
printed proceedings. Send <mailto:n8fgv at amsat.org> abstracts and papers
to Dan Schultz, N8FGV./-- AMSAT News Service via 2014 Baltimore
Symposium Committee/
*Hams Invited to Submit Papers for Digital Communications Conference:*
Radio amateurs are invited to submit technical papers for presentation
at the 33rd annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC
<http://www.tapr.org/dcc>), set for September 5-7 in Austin, Texas.
These papers will also be published in the /Conference Proceedings/ (you
do not need to attend the conference to have your paper included in the
/Proceedings/). The submission deadline is July 15. Send or e-mail
papers to Maty Weinberg <mailto:maty at arrl.org>, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111. If you must e-mail ZIP files, add "ZIP FILE
ATTACHED" to the subject line. More conference information
<http://www.tapr.org/dcc> is on the TAPR website, or call (972) 671-8277.
*Nevada Governor Declares June as "Nevada Amateur Radio Month:"* Nevada
Governor Brian Sandoval has declared June "Nevada Amateur Radio Month."
In a May 12 gubernatorial proclamation, Sandoval noted Nevada's
sesquicentennial and the ARRL centennial this year and cited the public
service participation of Nevada's nearly 7000 radio amateurs. "Silver
State hams demonstrate their creative, technological, and emergency
operational prowess in public view all across Nevada during the annual
Field Day," the governor added.
*DX-World, Northern California DX Club Announce New Partnership:*
DX-World.net has announced a new partnership with Northern California DX
Club <http://www.ncdxc.org/>. NCDXC has agreed to sponsor and donate all
future DX World -- DXpedition of the Year trophies. The DX World --
DXpedition of the Year survey takes place every December and is
considered the most comprehensive and prestigious global poll of its
kind to determine teams worthy of the title. /-- DX-World.net via MM0NDX/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Boy, has solar activity declined this
week, and the near-term outlook has dimmed as well.
Average daily sunspot numbers for May 29 through June 4 dropped from
103.3 (for the previous 7 days) to just 60.1. Average daily solar flux
declined from 110.3 to 104.1. Last week the predicted solar flux for
Field Day weekend was 108 and 110, and on June 2 that changed to 95 and 110.
Predicted solar flux for the near term is 105 on June 5-7, 110 for June
8, 115 for June 9-10, 110 for June 11-12, 120 for June 13-15, 115 for
June 16-17, 110 for June 18-20, 105 for June 21-23, then dipping to 95
for June 26-28 before peaking at 120 for July 6-12.
Predicted planetary A index is 8, 5, 8, 10 and 8 for June 5-9, 5 for
June 10-17, 8 for June 18-19, 5 for June 20-24, 8 for June 25-26, 5 on
June 27, 8 on June 28, 5 on June 29, and 8 on June 30.
This weekly "Solar Update" in /The ARRL Letter/ is a preview of the
"Propagation Bulletin" issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an
archive <http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation> of past
propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.
In tomorrow's bulletin look for an updated forecast and reports from
readers, including a dramatic recording of unusual backscatter on 10
meters made by Eric Guzman, NP3A, during the WPX CW Contest.
Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me /your/ reports and observations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
June 6 -- NS Weekly Sprint
*
June 7 -- LZ Open 20 Meter Contest (CW)
*
June 7-8 -- Ten-Ten Open Season (Digi)
*
June 7-8 -- Digifest
*
June 7-8 -- SEANET Contest (SSB, CW)
*
June 7-8 -- UKSMG Sporadic E Contest
*
June 7-8 -- IARU Region I Field Day (CW)
*
June 7-8 -- Alabama QSO Party
*
June 11 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)
*
June 14 -- Asia-Pacific Sprint (SSB)
*
June 14-15 -- DRCG Long Distance Contest (Digital)
*
June 14-15 -- Australian Shires Contest (SSB, CW)
*
June 14-15 -- Portugal Day (SSB, CW)
*
June 14-15 -- GACW WWSA CW DX Contest
*
June 14-15 -- QRP ARCI QRP Shootout (SSB, CW)
*
June 14-15 -- REF DDFM Six Meter Contest
*
June 14-15 -- West Virginia QSO Party
*
June 14-16 -- ARRL June VHF Contest
*
June 21 -- Kids Day
*
June 28-29 -- ARRL Field Day
Visit the Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
details.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
*
June 6-8 -- Northwestern Division Convention
<http://www.seapac.org/> (SeaPac)-- *Regional ARRL Centennial
Event*, Seaside, Oregon
*
June 7 -- Georgia Section Convention
<http://www.atlantahamfest.org/> (Atlanta Hamfest), Marietta, Georgia
*
June 13-14 -- Ham-Com <http://www.hamcom.org>-- *Regional ARRL
Centennial Event*, Plano, Texas
*
June 14 -- Western Pennsylvania ARES Emcomm Conference
<http://wpaares.org/>, Johnstown, Pennsylvania
*
June 14 -- Tennessee State Convention <http://www.w4bbb.org/>
(Knoxville Hamfest), Knoxville, Tennessee
*
June 27-29 -- HAM RADIO International Exhibition for Radio Amateurs
<http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/ham-en/>, Friedrichshafen,
Germany
*
July 5 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.w3uu.org>, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
*
July 9-12 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards National Convention
<http://marac.org/2014registration.pdf>, Visalia, California
*
*July 17-19 --****ARRL National Centennial Convention*
<http://arrl2014.org>*, Hartford, Connecticut*
*
July 18-19 -- Arizona State Convention <http://www.arca-az.org>,
Williams, Arizona
*
July 18-20 -- Montana State Convention <http://www.gwhamfest.org/>,
East Glacier, Montana
*
July 24-27 -- Central States VHF Society Conference
<http://www.csvhfs.org/2014conference/>, Austin, Texas
*
July 25-26 -- Oklahoma State Convention <http://www.hamholiday.org>,
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
*
August 1-2 --Texas State Convention
<http://www.austinsummerfest.org/>, Austin, Texas
*
August 7-9 -- Young Ladies Radio League Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/ylrl-2014-convention>, Vancouver,
Washington
*
August 8-10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/rocky-mountain-division-convention-duke-city-hamfest>,
Albuquerque, New Mexico
*
August 16-17 -- Southeastern Division Convention,
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/southeastern-division-convention-huntsville-hamfest-regional-arrl-centennial-event>
*Regional ARRL Centennial Event*, Huntsville, Alabama
*
August 17 -- Kansas State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/kansas-state-convention-4>, Salina, Kansas
*
August 23 -- West Virginia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-virginia-state-convention-4>,
Weston, West Virginia
*
August 23-24 -- JARL Ham Fair
<https://www.jarl.org/English/4_Library/A-4-6_ham-fair/ham-fair.htm>, Tokyo,
Japan
*
August 24 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/western-pennsylvania-section-convention-4>,
New Kensington, Pennsylvania
*
August 30-31 -- North Carolina State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-carolina-state-convention-shelby-hamfest>
(Shelby Hamfest), Shelby, North Carolina
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
****
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