[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for June 19, 2014

Thu Jun 19 16:41:09 EDT 2014

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The ARRL Letter

June 19, 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=2014-06-19&t=t>

  * Centennial Convention Friday/Saturday Forums Feature Notable
    Speakers, Intriguing Topics <#toc01>
  * Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW, Named as ARRL Contest Branch Manager <#toc02>
  * New ARRL Technician Instructor E-Manual Now Available for Download
    <#toc03>
  * FCC Substantially Reduces Radio Amateur's Fine for CB Violation <#toc04>
  * ARRL Field Day 2014 is at Hand, and /Everyone/ is Invited! <#toc05>
  * W1AW Centennial Operations Are Now in Alaska and Montana <#toc06>
  * Friedrichshafen Hosts 39th Annual International "Ham Radio"
    Exhibition <#toc07>
  * Dr David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, Receives Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, Memorial
    Award <#toc08>
  * Astronaut's Initial ARISS Contact Will Be with Two Schools in
    Different Countries <#toc09>
  * Amateur Radio Role on Space Station Featured at ISS Research and
    Development Conference <#toc10>
  * Swiss 60 Meter Beacon Now on the Air <#toc11>
  * Past Wyoming Section Manager Robert W. Williams, N7LKH, SK <#toc12>
  * A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL <#toc13>
  * In Brief... <#toc14>
  * The K7RA Solar Update <#toc15>
  * Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc16>
  * Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
    <#toc17>

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Logbook of The World, Some ARRL Web Services Going Dark Overnight June 
20-21:*Because of network maintenance, the ARRL Logbook of The World 
(LoTW <http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>), the ARRL Centennial 
QSO Party <https://centennial-qso-party.arrl.org/index.php>site, the 
ARRL Store, and the *@arrl.org* e-mail system will be down overnight 
Friday to Saturday, June 20-21 (Saturday, June 21, from 0000 until 1000 
UTC). All incoming e-mails to @arrl.org addresses will be queued for 
later delivery. E-mail to *@arrl.net* Forwarding Service addresses will 
not be affected. We apologize for any inconvenience.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Centennial Convention Friday/Saturday Forums Feature Notable Speakers, 
Intriguing Topics

Amateur Radio's history, public service role, satellite programs, 
utilization of computer and digital technology, and even its relationship

The Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford will host the ARRL 
National Centennial Convention July 17-19.

to the Common Core education standards are on the forum menu Friday and 
Saturday at the ARRL National Centennial Convention 
<http://arrl2014.org/>. With such ham radio star power as Riley 
Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, Martti Laine, OH2BH, Carole Perry, WB2MGP, Gordon 
West, WB6NOA, and Joe Taylor, K1JT, on the forum schedule 
<http://www.arrl.org/convention-forums-and-presenters>, there's 
something to pique everyone's interest. The Convention, the highlight of 
the ARRL's 100th anniversary celebration, takes place July 17-19 at the 
Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. The forum schedule includes 3 
dozen presentations each day between 9 AM and 3 PM, including youth 
forums and other activities.

Among the Friday forums, Chris Codella, W2PA, will talk about the role

Centennial Banquet keynote speaker FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ.

of hams in "The Great War" and, later, on how we got our bands, while 
noted DXer Martti Laine, OH2BH, will relate his 50 years of Amateur 
Radio history. Alma Ripley will discuss "Amateur Radio and the Common 
Core Standards." A wide array of technical topics, ranging from HF 
digital operation and electronics kit building to

PIC programming, digital voice, and the LINUX operating system, is 
offered as well. Tower law and safety will be featured at other forums. 
Representatives from AMSAT, WX4NHC, and the NCVEC will be on hand to 
talk about their programs.

The Centennial banquet's keynote speaker Friday evening will be FEMA 
Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ. An ARRL Wouff Hong ceremony will 
follow later in the evening.

Helping to kick things off on Saturday, former FCC Special Counsel Riley 
Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, will discuss "What We Owe the Amateur 
<http://arrl2014.org>Service." The Saturday schedule also features more 
youth-oriented programs, including a scavenger hunt, plus a "peek behind 
the curtain" of propagation forecasting, an introduction to antenna 
modeling, using the Raspberry Pi computer in ham radio projects, radio 
frequency interference, "lightweight" DXpeditioning, repurposing surplus 
commercial radios, and operating on 160 meters. "Gazing into the Future 
-- DXing with Weak Signals and Beyond" will be the focus of a 
presentation by Nobel Laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT. Taylor is also 
Saturday's noontime speaker.

The hard part is deciding which forums to attend. The easy part is being 
on hand at the ARRL Centennial National Convention. There is still time 
to register <http://arrl2014.org/>!

Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW, Named as ARRL Contest Branch Manager

Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW, of Williamsburg, Massachusetts, will be the new 
ARRL Contest Branch Manager. He will start work at ARRL Headquarters on 
July 3. An active contester and a member of the Yankee Clipper Contest 
Club and the Hampden County Amateur

Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW, will become ARRL Contest Branch Manager on July 3.

Radio Association, Wilhelm has been licensed since 2009 and holds an 
Amateur Extra class ticket. He became hooked on contesting after the 
first ARRL Rookie Roundup <http://www.arrl.org/rookie-roundup> in April 
2010. His expertise -- and contest scores -- have been rising ever since.

"I cannot tell you how happy I am to be the next ARRL Contest Branch 
Manager," Wilhelm said. "I'll be working hard to provide the 
high-quality support that contest participants have come to expect from 
the Contest Branch."

A native of Dallas, Texas, Wilhelm has an IT background in help desk 
operations and network security systems management. When not making 
contest contacts, Wilhelm enjoys mountain biking, home projects, and 
spending time with his family -- his wife, Elizabeth, and his 2-year-old 
daughter Ruby.

New ARRL Technician Instructor E-Manual Now Available for Download

The sixth edition of the /ARRL Technician Instructor Manual 
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-technician-instructor-manual>/ -- an 
electronic publication -- now is available for free download by ARRL 
registered instructors 
<http://www.arrl.org/license-instructor-registration>. This latest 
edition of /The/ /ARRL Instructor's Manual/ offers a course syllabus 
that addresses all of the topics covered by the FCC question pool that 
becomes effective on July 1 for the Technician license exam. The 
syllabus follows the topic presentation sequence in the ARRL student 
study guide, /The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual/ (3rd ed) 
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Ham-Radio-License-Manual-3rd-Edition/>.

The /Instructor Manual/ is available in four sections for online 
download, and it includes /PowerPoint/ modules to enhance classroom 
presentation. The /Teacher's Guide to Amateur Radio Instruction/ by Pete 
Kemp, KZ1Z, is incorporated within the /Instructor Manual/ as well. 
Users may download each section, each lesson, or each /PowerPoint/ 
module as needed.

Updated and edited by Ward Silver, N0AX, the new /Instructor Manual/ has 
been condensed into 18 lesson modules and includes additional 
suggestions for demonstrations and instructional activities. Silver is 
the author of all three ARRL license manuals and the Q&A study guides.

/The/ /ARRL Ham Radio License Manual/ for students is organized to 
explain some basic concepts of radio science and electronics at an 
introductory level, providing sufficient background for students to gain 
a fundamental understanding of radio technology. It moves from 
foundation concepts to specific details that build upon those foundations.

The student and instructor materials are intended for an in-depth class 
series running about 20 hours in all. Topics may be selected for 
classroom discussion and lessons abbreviated and adapted to meet time 
constraints.

Resources for License Instruction 
<http://www.arrl.org/resources-for-license-instruction> also are 
available on the ARRL website.

FCC Substantially Reduces Radio Amateur's Fine for CB Violation

The FCC has significantly reduced the fine it imposed earlier this year 
on an Oklahoma Amateur Extra class radio amateur licensee for operating 
his Citizens Band radio to interfere with other CBers' transmissions. 
Orloff Haines, KF5IXX, had been facing a $12,000 fine. In a June 17 
/Forfeiture Order/ 
<https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-14-822A1.pdf>, the 
Commission dropped Haines's liability to $1750.

"Mr. Haines does not deny that he intentionally interfered with other CB 
communications," the FCC said in the /Forfeiture Order/. "Instead, Mr. 
Haines requests reduction or cancellation of the forfeiture proposed by 
the Enforcement Bureau because he cannot afford to pay it. Although we 
do not cancel the fine, we reduce the monetary penalty based on Mr. 
Haines's documented inability to pay."

In May 2013 an FCC agent tracked the source of a continuous carrier on 
CB channel 19 (27.1850 MHz) to Haines's home in Enid, Oklahoma. Haines 
was not at home, but his wife showed the agent her husband's CB station, 
which was transmitting on channel 19. Haines's wife told the FCC agent 
that her husband's radio was continuously transmitting on channel 19, 
because other CB operators in the area had been harassing her, the FCC 
reported in its March 21 /Notice of Apparent L/iability (/NAL/ 
<http://www.fcc.gov/document/12k-nal-issued-orloff-haines-intentional-interference>). 
The FCC said the carrier was interfering with CB communication within an 
approximately 2 mile radius.

Prior to May 2013, Haines had received two written warnings from the 
Dallas FCC office, advising him of the consequences of intentionally 
interfering with other CB communications. The FCC had added $5000 to 
Haines's initial $7000 fine, because of what it called his "deliberate 
disregard for the Commission's requirements and authority" by ignoring 
the earlier warnings.

In its /Forfeiture Order/, the FCC pointed out that it has rejected 
inability-to-pay claims in past cases of "repeated or otherwise 
egregious violations," and it warned Haines that similar violations in 
the future "may result in significantly higher forfeitures that may not 
be reduced" due to his financial circumstances.

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-06-19&p=0>
ARRL Field Day 2014 is at Hand, and /Everyone/ is Invited!

If you have not already made plans to get on the air for ARRL Field Day 
2014 <http://www.arrl.org/field-day>, /tick-tock, tick-tock/. It's just 
days away, but it's not too late to participate. Field Day 2014 is 
Saturday and Sunday, June 28 and 29. Field Day is the year's most 
popular operating event, and more than 35,000 radio amateurs will be 
setting up stations -- sometimes multiple stations -- in the field, at 
campsites, in public parks, and even on their decks or in their 
backyards to get in on the fun. Think of it as the first weekend of 
Amateur Radio's summer. Last year, more than 2500 stations submitted 
entries.

Field Day is primarily a group activity, though, and if you're not yet 
on the roster to operate from your club's Field Day site, volunteer now! 
If you don't belong to a club or don't know if there's a Field Day 
operation setting up in your area, check the Field Day Locator 
<http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator> to find one. Clubs welcome new 
operators, especially if they are willing to take the graveyard 
(overnight) shift or other less-desirable time slots or if they bring 
some special talent or expertise to the picnic table -- top-notch CW 
proficiency, satellite expertise, or antenna skills.

Part of the 2013 W1TU Field Day operation. ARRL Field Day in June 28-29. 
[Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]

If you'd rather just stay at home, you can operate your own station as 
is, and work stations in the field, or you can set up to operate from an 
emergency power source, such as a generator, batteries, or solar panels, 
and work everyone else. Field Day got its start in the 1930s as an 
emergency communication exercise, and that tradition continues today. 
Some stations will be on the air from emergency operations centers.

The object is simple: To work as many stations as possible on any and 
all Amateur Radio bands -- excluding 60, 30, 17, and 12 meters -- and to 
learn to operate in less-than-optimal conditions. The camaraderie is 
special, and there's a place for operators at all skill levels -- from 
newbies and even prospective licensees to grizzled veterans.

Find /your/ place at Field Day 2014, and enjoy Amateur Radio to the max!

W1AW Centennial Operations Are Now in Alaska and Montana

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 Alaska and Montana. They will relocate at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, 
June 25 (the evening of June 24 in US time zones), to Illinois (W1AW/9) 
and Maryland (W1AW/3). 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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friedrichshafen Hosts 39th Annual International "Ham Radio" Exhibition

What some consider Europe's answer to Dayton Hamvention®, the 39th 
International "Ham Radio" exhibition, gets underway June 27 in 
Friedrichshafen, on the shores of Lake Constance in southern Germany. 
Thousands of radio amateurs and electronics enthusiasts will converge on 
the Messe Friedrichshafen convention center and surrounding fairgrounds 
for the event. Some 200 exhibitors and organizations from more than 2 
dozen countries, including the ARRL, will be represented in the exhibit 
hall. The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC) has chosen "Creative 
Amateur Radio -- Build It Yourself" as the theme for this year's show.

"Building things yourself has played an important role in Amateur Radio 
for a long time," said DARC spokesman Axel Voigt, DO1ELL. "Building your 
own equipment has been part of Amateur Radio since the beginning. [T]he 
pioneers of Amateur Radio experimented, built their own equipment, 
optimized it, and laid the foundations upon which Amateur Radio operates 
today."

The ARRL team will be on hand to greet international visitors and to 
network with representatives of other national ham radio societies.

"We're looking forward to bringing the ARRL Centennial celebration to 
our members in Europe," said ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R.

The League will offer DXCC card checking at its booth -- a service very 
popular within the international ham radio community. Others on the 
seven-person ARRL team include ARRL International

Ham Radio always draws a large and enthusiastic crowd to Friedrichshafen.

Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows, K0QB, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, 
ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, and Assistant 
Member and Volunteer Programs Department Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ.

In its role as International Secretariat for the International Amateur 
Radio Union (IARU <http://www.iaru.org>), the ARRL will host a meeting 
area for IARU officials and friends at the convention. IARU President 
Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, will head the IARU delegation, which will 
include Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, IARU Secretary Rod 
Stafford, W6ROD, and IARU International Representative Hans Zimmermann, 
F5VKP/HB9AQS

*"Sister Event"*

In line with the show's theme, Ham Radio for the first time will share 
space June 28-29 with Maker World <http://www.maker-world.de/>, as a 
"sister event." The pairing could boost overall attendance, which 
typically runs between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors.

"The event will show off a wide range of individually designed products 
and ideas for hobbyists and tinkerers," a Ham Radio news release said. 
"These range from things like 3D printing to case 'modding,' when the 
appearance of a computer case is [visually] improved or changed, on up 
to 'upcycling,' in which everyday items which have outlived their useful 
lives are transformed for a new purpose."

Among other activities at Ham Radio, an Amateur Radio transmitter hunt 
will be held near the fairgrounds, and a balloon mission and a drift 
buoy project will be launched, both carrying payloads to collect data 
from the air and water. A ham radio youth camp will offer 100 young 
people an opportunity to experience the Ham Radio show up close.

The DARC will hold its 65th Lake Constance Conference during the weekend 
of Ham Radio. The Continent's biggest ham radio show will wrap up on 
June 29.

Dr David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, Receives Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, Memorial Award

Former IARU Vice President Dr David Wardlaw, VK3ADW, received the 
Michael J. Owen, VK3KI, Memorial Award during a recent reception at 
Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) headquarters. Wardlaw, the second 
of the two inaugural recipients of the honor, was recognized for his 
contributions to the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU 
<http://www.iaru.org/>). Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM, received the Michael 
J. Owen Award last month.

IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, who presented the award,

IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA (left) with Owen Award recipient 
Dr David Wardlaw, VK3ADW. [Photo courtesy of Jim Linton, VK3PC]

called Wardlaw "an effective representative of both Amateur Radio and 
the Australian administration at the ITU."

Owen, who served as the IARU Region 3 chairman and WIA president, died 
in 2012. With Owen, Wardlaw was part of Australia's delegation to World 
Administrative radio Conference 1979 (WARC-79), in which Amateur Radio 
gained access to 30, 17, and 12 meters. In the 1980s and 1990s Wardlaw 
served as an IARU Region 3 director before becoming Vice President. 
Ironically, it was Wardlaw who, years earlier, got a young Michael Owen 
interested in ham radio.

The IARU Administrative Council unanimously chose Nietyksza and Wardlaw 
last fall as joint recipients of the Owen Award./-- Thanks to Jim 
Linton, VK3PC /

Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-06-19&p=1>
Astronaut's Initial ARISS Contact Will Be with Two Schools in Different 
Countries

European Space Agency Astronaut Alexander Gerst, KF5ONO, will answer 
questions from groups of students in two different countries on June 20, 
when he picks up the NA1SS microphone for the first time as part of the 
Expedition 40/41 ISS crew increment. He came aboard the ISS in late May.

One group of youngsters will be at Focus Camp in Candriai, Italy, while

ESA Astronaut Alexander Gerst, KF5ONO. [ESA photo]

the second will be at the Euro Space Center 
<http://www.eurospacecenter.be/esc/> in Belgium. The students in Italy 
will ask the odd-numbered questions, while the students in Belgium will 
pose the evens.

The Amateur Radio contact with the International Space Station will be 
conducted via ARISS telebridge station IK1SLD, in northern Italy. Audio 
to and from both event sites and IK1SLD will be handled via ground-based 
telecommunication facilities. Signals from the ISS will be audible over 
Europe on 145.800 MHz FM.

The event will be broadcast on EchoLink AMSAT (node 101 377) and JK1ZRW 
(node 277 208) conference servers, as well as on IRLP Discovery 
Reflector 9010.

Focus Camp is a summertime science camp aimed at children aged 8 to 13. 
At the Euro Space Center, some 150 youngsters from all over Europe 
taking part in Mission X, an international education project that 
encourages children to take part in a challenge, adopting a life style 
reflecting astronaut training. /-- ARISS/

Amateur Radio Role on Space Station Featured at ISS Research and 
Development Conference

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS 
<http://www.ariss.org>) got some visibility this week at the third 
annual ISS Research and Development Conference. The conference, 
organized by American Astronautical Society 
<http://www.astronautical.org/> (AAS) in cooperation with the Center for 
the Advancement of Science in Space and NASA, wrapped up June 19 in Chicago.

ARISS International Chairman and AMSAT Vice President for Human 
Spaceflight Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, was the lead presenter for a program 
compiled by members of the ARISS US team -- which included ARISS 
International Secretary and ARRL Delegate Rosalie White, K1STO, ARRL 
Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, and E. Mike McCardel, 
KC8YLD, of AMSAT. The presentation, "ARISS -- Inspiring and Educating 
Youth through Direct Connections with the ISS Crew," focused on ARISS 
and its role in education.

ARISS is the first and longest continuously running educational outreach 
program involving the International Space Station. The first ARISS 
school contact took place in late 2000, and nearly 900 such Amateur 
Radio contacts have taken place since then.

Preparation for the ARISS experience motivates both students and 
teachers to further their educations. Educators involved in an ARISS 
event can learn about electronics and wireless technology through the 
hands-on training provided in an ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless 
Technology 
<http://www.arrl.org/teachers-institute-on-wireless-technology> session 
-- several are held each year. In similar fashion, youngsters preparing 
for a contact with an ISS crew member may learn about radio waves, space 
technology, science experiments

ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. [File photo, courtesy 
of Rosalie White, K1STO]

on board the ISS, geography, and the space environment. Some 15,000 
students are touched directly by an ARISS contact each year, and many 
more become aware the program and its benefits either directly or via 
news media coverage resulting from an event.

The ARISS presentation at this week's AAS conference provided some 
historical background on the ARISS program, described the international 
volunteer team responsible for making program a success, and presented 
an overview of the process for schools to apply for an ARISS school 
contact. It also explained how the ARISS team partnered with NASA 
Education Office's Teaching from Space 
<http://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/teachingfromspace/home/#.U58GDLGiWCQ> 
program to engage schools and students. It also described some of the 
educational outcomes from ARISS, including data and feedback from 
schools, students, and organizations.

In addition to inspiring an interest in science, technology, 
engineering, and math (STEM) curricula and careers, ARISS offers an 
opportunity for Amateur Radio experimentation and for evaluating new 
technologies. Read more 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-role-on-space-station-featured-at-iss-research-and-development-conference>. 
/-- Thanks to The American Astronautical Society via AMSAT News Service/

Swiss 60 Meter Beacon Now on the Air

Although radio amateurs in Switzerland do not yet have access to the 60 
meter band, the Sursee Amateur Radio Club has received authorization to 
operate an experimental beacon 
<http://www.hb9aw.ch/bake-5000khz/was-ist-eine-bake> in grid square 
JN47be under the call sign HB9AW. The 5291 kHz beacon, which went live 
on June 1, is primarily to study 60 meter propagation within Switzerland.

The new beacon will transmit HB9AW in CW at 10 W, followed by five 
dashes, with the power lowered with each dash. The first dash will be at 
10 W, the second at 5 W, the third at 1 W, the fourth at 100 mW, and the 
fifth at 10 mW (all power levels in ERP). The beacon will transmit every 
5 minutes, starting at the top of the hour.

The antenna is a half-wave NVIS-type dipole with its feed point 0.12 λ 
above ground and its ends slightly lower. A reflector is set beneath the 
dipole. "We deliberately chose this high-angle radiating antenna to 
study propagation conditions in Switzerland," the club said on its 
website, adding, "Conditions for DX contacts are for now only of 
secondary interest."

Past Wyoming Section Manager Robert W. Williams, N7LKH, SK

Past Wyoming SM Bob Williams, N7LKH (ex-WB6ZAK), of Wapiti, Wyoming, 
died June 8 following a lengthy illness. He was 89. Williams served as 
Wyoming's Section Manager from April 1997 until March 2003, when he 
decided not to seek another term.

He was one of the longest-licensed -- if not /the/ longest-licensed -- 
radio amateurs in Wyoming.

According to ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Vice Director Dwayne Allen, 
WY7FD, Williams designed the guidance system for the Titan missile, 
which became the guidance system for the Apollo/Saturn rockets.

Survivors include his wife Mary, KF7MC.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
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A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL

Continuing our look at ham radio in the early 1950s, we see that /QST/ 
reported regularly on states that offered call sign license plates for 
motor vehicles. Just a handful of states offered call sign plates at 
first, but the idea gained momentum as more and more states joined in. 
Ham clubs -- or groups of ham clubs -- would lobby their state 
legislators to introduce bills requesting a new law. One notable example 
was Mississippi, where an /eight-member/ Amateur Radio club lobbied 
successfully, leading to a new state law allowing Amateur Radio call 
sign tags!

With the help and advice of the ARRL, governments at the federal, state, 
and local levels started looking at ham radio's role in Civil Defense. 
The idea was to get a CD organization in place /before/ an emergency, 
rather than waiting until afterward (as happened in World War II). By 
this time, the value of hams in providing emergency communication had 
been demonstrated to and appreciated by government agencies all over, so 
the ARRL's role was to get things operating smoothly while in the 
planning stages, rather than having to make a "hard sell."

Going mobile in the 1950s was not for the faint of heart, as can be seen 
in this 1952 ARRL /Handbook/ photo. Note the crystal poking out from the 
transmitter below the dashboard.

The 1950s were, of course, the time of the "Cold War" and the threat of 
all-out nuclear war. Seattle, Washington, was the scene of a massive 
"A-Bomb Test," to test all aspects of emergency preparedness, should a 
nuclear device hit the city, and the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps -- as 
ARES was known in those days -- was a major asset during the test. On a 
related note, /QST/ carried several articles on radiological monitoring 
during the early 1950s.

Following World War II, the number of private automobiles in the country 
increased by leaps and bounds, as vehicle production shifted from 
military to civilian needs, and as the populace became more affluent and 
more mobile. In 1938, about 1.7 million American cars were built; in 
1953, more than 6 million. As a result, /QST/ published many articles on 
mobile receiving converters, mobile transmitters (single-band and 
bandswitching), and mobile antennas -- particularly multiband antennas.

Other areas that received attention in /QST/ included VHF topics, the 
Military Affiliate (now "Auxiliary") Radio System (MARS), huge rotary 
arrays for 10 meters, antennas for VHF/UHF, RTTY, HF receivers and 
transmitters, and electronic keyers.

The ugly face of zoning restrictions first appeared in the 1950s. The 
ARRL got involved in helping hams wage legal battles against overly 
restrictive community limits on antenna and tower heights -- or, in some 
cases, complete prohibitions of antennas. These cases were reported in 
/QST/ as they developed. Happily, the radio amateurs always won complete 
or partial victories in the court cases, thereby setting precedents for 
future battles of a similar nature. /-- Al Brogdon, W1AB/

In Brief...

*Dayton Hamvention Attendance Up Slightly:* Dayton Hamvention® has 
announced on its website that 24,873 people turned out for Hamvention 
2014. That was up slightly from 2013, when 24,542 attended the annual, 
3-day international gathering. Hamvention 2014 was a Regional ARRL 
National Centennial Event. Charles Kaiser, KD8JZR, was the 2014 general 
chairman. The Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA 
<http://www.w8bi.org/>) has sponsored Hamvention since 1952. Originally 
called the Southwestern Ohio Ham-vention, the inaugural event, held in 
March in downtown Dayton, attracted 600 attendees -- twice as many as 
had been predicted. Hamvention attendance peaked at 33,669 in 1993.
*JARL Has a New President:* The Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL 
<http://www.jarl.org/English/0-2.htm>) has elected a new president. He 
is Toshihiko Yamanouchi, JA7AIW. Elected as vice presidents at the 
JARL's annual assembly on June 15 were Kimio Maegawa, JA9BOH, and 
Yoshinori Takao, JG1KTC. Hiroyoshi Tamama, JA1SLS, will serve as 
Executive Director and IARU liaison. The JARL will be among the 
exhibitors at the ARRL National Centennial Convention 
<http://arrl2014.org/>, July 17-19, in Hartford, Connecticut. /-- Thanks 
to JARL International Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP/

*ITU /Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services/ Available:* 
The 2014 International Telecommunication Union (ITU 
<http://www.itu.int/>) /Handbook on Amateur and Amateur-Satellite 
Services/ is now available for download 
<http://www.uba.be/sites/default/files/uploads/downloads/R-HDB-52-2014-OAS-MSW-E.pdf> 
as a PDF file, courtesy of the Belgian Amateur Radio Society (UBA). The 
/Handbook/, produced by the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau (ITU-R), 
provides general information about the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite 
services, including Amateur Radio allocations and band plans, extracts 
of /Radio Regulations/, and ITU-R questions, recommendations and other 
texts relevant to the Amateur Service.

*W1AW/0 QSYs /Waaaay/ Up to Earn VUCC on the Microwaves* While W1AW was 
in Minnesota as part of the ARRL Centennial QSO Party 
<http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party>, members of the Northern 
Lights Radio Society (NLRS <http://www.nlrs.org/>) provided W1AW/0 with 
VHF/UHF Century Club (VUCC) on four microwave bands -- 3.4, 5.7, 10, and 
24 GHz. A station must work five grid squares to earn VUCC on the bands 
3.4 GHz and higher. On June 13 Glen Overby, KC0IYT, operated W1AW/0 from 
EN25xb near Howard Lake, Minnesota, and worked WA2VOI/0, W0AUS (W0ZQ 
op), and N0KP in five grid squares to cap the award requirements. Of the 
four bands, 24 GHz was the most challenging, because signals start to 
become affected by the amount of moisture in the atmosphere.

*Delaware ARES Team Receives State Council Award:* Sussex County, 
Delaware, ARES has received an Outstanding Service Award from the 
Delaware Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education (DACCTE). 
Sussex County SEC and Delaware SM-elect Bill Duveneck, KB3KYH (right in 
photo) headed a delegation to Dover on June 11 to receive the award from 
DACCTE Chairman Samuel Lathem. The award goes to businesses, 
individuals, and organizations that provide exemplary service and 
contributions to the field of Career and Technical Education and the 
citizens of Delaware. Recipients are nominated by leaders from business, 
industry, and education, and are honored for the significant and 
positive contributions they have made. Nominating Sussex ARES was Joseph 
Booth, a community leader and staff member of Sussex Technical High 
School, in recognition of the group's continued support of the school's 
Amateur Radio club, K3STR, and student mentorship. The award also 
recognized the role that ARES played in arranging the donation of a 
fully equipped communications van to the school./-- Thanks to Herb 
Quick, KF3BT/

*Summer Solstice on June 21 Inspires UK Special Event Station:* Special 
event station GB1JSS 
<http://amsat-uk.org/2014/06/11/gb1jss-summer-solstice/> will be active 
on HF, VHF, and Amateur Radio satellites during the summer solstice on 
Saturday, June 21 -- the longest annual period of daylight in the 
Northern Hemisphere. On that day there will 16 hours, 38 minutes, 19 
seconds of daylight. Members of the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society 
(CARS) will operate from grid square JO01FQ. GB1JSS will be on the air 
on 40 through 10 meters plus 2 meters, on SSB, CW, PSK31 and RTTY. The 
day coincides with the first half of the 50 MHz Trophy Contest, so there 
may be some 6 meter activity. Wind permitting, G3SUY hopes to deploy a 
kite supported antenna to use on 160 meters.

*BAOFENG Rebrands to Pofung:* Chinese radio manufacturer BAOFENG is 
rebranding its products under the "Pofung" label in international 
markets. The company said BAOFENG -- a literal Pinyin translation of the 
company's Chinese character name -- "may be difficult for a hobbyist 
across the ocean to pronounce." The company said the new name, Pofung, 
is easier to pronounce and more customer-friendly, while maintaining the 
brand's phonetic symbolism. Products for the domestic market in China 
will retain their current brand name and identity, and the company's web 
domain, *www.baofengradio.com*, will remain unchanged. /-- Thanks to 
/Amateur Radio Newsline,/Baofeng/

*Special Spanish Prefixes to Mark Change of Monarch:* To mark the 
passing of the passing of the crown June 18 from King Juan Carlos, 
EA0JC, to his son, Felipe VI, Spanish Amateur Radio operators may use 
special prefixes between June 18 and September 18. EA stations may use 
the AM0# prefix, EB operators may use the AN0# prefix, and EC hams may 
use the AO0# prefix during the 3-month period. For example EA9CD would 
be AM09CD, EB7DX would operate as AN07DX, and EC1KR would be AO01CR. -- 
Thanks to /The Daily DX/

*North Carolina Governor Proclaims July "Amateur Radio Recognition and 
Appreciation Month:"* North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory (photo) has 
proclaimed July as "Amateur Radio Recognition and Appreciation Month." 
Among other things, the governor recognized the ARRL's Centennial this 
year./-- Thanks to Woody Woodward, K3VSA/

------------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update

The daily sunspot number rose dramatically during this reporting period, 
when it increased to 276 on June 13, but 2 days later it was back below 
100. The resulting weekly average for June 12-18 (141) was actually down 
2.3 points from the previous 7 days. The average daily solar flux was 
down 11.7 points to 134.7.

Predicted solar flux has been weakening lately, and near-term flux 
values are predicted at 110 on June 19, 105 for June 20-22, 100 for June 
23-24, back to 105 for June 25-26, 120 for June 27 through July 6, 115 
for July 7-12, and peaking at 130 for July 13-19.

ARRL Field Day <http://www.arrl.org/field-day> is June 28-29, when the 
predicted flux value is 120. This is the highest predicted flux value 
for those 2 days since May 25, when it was also 120.

Predicted planetary A index is 8 on June 19, 5 for June 20-21, 8 on June 
22, 5 for June 23 through July 10, 8 on July 11, 5 on July 12, and 10, 
8, 8, and 5 for July 13-16, respectively.

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.

Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me /your/ reports and observations!

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport

  *

    June 19 -- CWops Monthly Mini-CWT Tests

  *

    June 19 -- NAQCC Milliwatt Sprint (CW)

  *

    June 21 -- Kids Day <http://www.arrl.org/kids-day>

  *

    June 21 -- Feld-Hell Field Day Sprint

  *

    June 21-22 -- All-Asian DX Contest (CW)

  *

    June 21-22 -- SMIRK QSO Party (SSB, CW)

  *

    June 21-22 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon

  *

    June 21-22 -- IARU 50 MHz Contest (SSB, CW)

  *

    June 21-22 -- Stew Perry Warmup Contest (CW)

  *

    June 22 -- WAB 50 MHz Phone

  *

    June 23 -- Run For the Bacon (CW)

  *

    June 26-30 -- SARL Top Band QSO Party (SSB, CW)

  *

    June 28 -- His Majesty King of Spain Contest (SSB)

  *

    June 28-29 -- ARRL Field Day <http://www.arrl.org/field-day> (SSB,
    CW, digital)

  *

    June 28-30 -- Marconi Memorial HF Contest (CW)

Visit the Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for 
details.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events

  *

    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

  *

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