[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for November 6, 2014
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Fri Nov 7 05:52:32 EST 2014
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
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The ARRL Letter
November 6, 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=2014-11-06&t=t>
* ARRL Asks FCC to Continue Issuing Hard Copy Licenses to Those Who
Want Them <#toc01>
* ARISS: Your Students Could Be Among the Next to Speak with the Space
Station Crew via Ham Radio <#toc02>
* Kansas Radio Amateur is ARRL McGan Silver Antenna Award Winner <#toc03>
* ARRL Introduces Kindle Edition of /Ham Radio License Manual/ <#toc04>
* W1AW Centennial Operations Shift to Rhode Island and Mississippi;
American Samoa Operation Continues <#toc05>
* Put On Your Radio Voice! The ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB is Just
Ahead <#toc06>
* IARU Region 1 Approves Youth Working Group, Budget <#toc07>
* New DX Summit Website Now Beta Testing, Will Debut Formally by
December 1 <#toc08>
* American Legion Amateur Radio Club Plans On-Air Tribute to Veterans
<#toc09>
* Tromelin Island DXpedition, FT4TA, Drawing a Crowd <#toc10>
* South African 5 MHz Research Project Sees Unexpected Results <#toc11>
* Dominica Now Permits 60 Meter Operation <#toc12>
* The ITU Elects a New Secretary-General <#toc13>
* Kentucky Historical Society Honors Former ARRL Director <#toc14>
* International Amateur Radio-Scouter Shelly Weil, K2BS, SK <#toc15>
* A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL <#toc16>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc17>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc18>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc19>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Website Will Be Unavailable on November 7 Starting at 2100 UTC
The ARRL website is scheduled to be offline on Friday, November 7,
starting at 2100 UTC. The length of the outage could run for several
hours and possibly into Saturday, November 8. The ARRL IT Department
will be performing maintenance and testing in the process of switching
the site to a new server.
A "Down for Maintenance" message will appear for the duration of the
outage whenever someone attempts to access www.arrl.org
<http://www.arrl.org>. All e-mail functionality will remain online --
/only/ the website will be down for testing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Asks FCC to Continue Issuing Hard Copy Licenses to Those Who Want Them
In comments <http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=60000978934>
filed November 5, the ARRL has recommended that the FCC continue to
provide paper license documents to Amateur Radio licensees who want
them. The League's remarks were in response to an FCC /Public Notice/
<http://www.fcc.gov/document/wtb-announces-access-electronic-authorizations-seeks-comment>
(in WT Docket 14-161) that proposed to cease the routine issuance of
hard-copy license documents to all Wireless Service licensees, including
radio amateurs. While having a paper license document from the FCC to
post on the wall of the ham shack has been a tradition, the Commission
for several years has considered the "official" Amateur Radio license to
be the virtual document residing in its Universal Licensing System (ULS)
database.
"The FCC is willing to continue to mail paper licenses to those who
request them," ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, has explained.
"However, they are making available to licensees -- starting right now
-- the actual license to print via the FCC ULS, and it is allowing hams
now to opt out of receiving paper licenses from the FCC directly." (See
ULS menu below.)
Under the FCC-proposed process, once a license application is granted,
the ULS will generate an official electronic license but will no longer
mail a hard copy license unless notified that the licensee wishes to
receive an official paper license document. Until new procedures are
final, however, the Commission will continue to print and mail official
paper licenses, unless notified to stop.
"Should the Commission proceed with the /Notice/ proposals," the League
said in its comments, "it is ARRL's strong recommendation that the
Commission give serious consideration to continuing a default provision
for sending an initial paper license document to new licensees in the
Amateur Radio Service, along with detailed, simple instructions for how
to make the elections set forth in the notice relative to future
modified or renewed licenses."
The ARRL pointed out that not everyone has easy access to, or is
comfortable using, the ULS and that Amateur Radio licensees may
occasionally need an official license document -- for example, when
applying for a license upgrade at a VEC exam session or for vehicle call
sign license plates.
"If there is not a license printed on distinctive license stock by the
Commission, authentication issues arise and the possibility of
electronic alteration of a license document is created," the League.
The ARRL also suggested that requiring individuals to go online in order
to obtain a license document may prove to be a roadblock to some applicants.
"It is not acceptable to erect barriers to entry for anyone to obtain an
Amateur Radio license or to modify a license," the League commented.
"ARRL is concerned that there should be, especially for newcomers, an
easy, intuitive path to make the election for license delivery method
that does not involve ULS access at the outset."
*A portion of the menu on the left-hand side of the ULS license record
page. "Set Paper Authorization Preferences" lets the licensee opt to
receive a paper license or not. "Download Electronic Authorizations"
allows the licensee to download a PDF copy of the license.*
The /Notice/ also has proposed, alternatively, that the FCC send the
official electronic license via e-mail upon grant of an application, if
the applicant has provided a valid e-mail address on the application
form. Licensees not wanting to provide an e-mail address could obtain an
official electronic license document directly from the ULS. The /Notice/
further proposes that licensees could notify the Commission that they
wish to receive or continue receiving official authorizations on paper.
The ULS License Manager online system now includes a setting that allows
licensees to notify the FCC that they want to receive official licenses
on paper. Licensees could change the default setting online, so that
once an application has been granted, the FCC would mail an official
paper license.
The deadline to file comments is November 10.
ARISS: Your Students Could Be Among the Next to Speak with the Space
Station Crew via Ham Radio
December 15 is the deadline for schools and educational institutions and
organizations -- formal and informal -- to submit proposals to host an
Amateur Radio contact with a member of the International Space Station
crew. The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
<http://www.ariss.org/>) program recently announced
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ARISS/ARISS%20Proposal%20Window%20Announcement-Oct-2014.pdf>
the opening of the application
<http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact> window. ARISS is
especially interested in arranging contact events that will draw large
numbers of participants and integrate the radio contact into a
well-developed educational plan. Schools and educational organizations
may apply individually or with other institutions or organizations.
ARISS anticipates that the ham radio contacts between students and the
space station will take place between May 1 and December 31, 2015.
"ARISS provides an exciting outreach opportunity for the ham radio
community to connect with local schools," ARRL Educational Services
Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, said. "A scheduled ARISS contact is a
voice-only communication via Amateur Radio between the ISS crew and
classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts allow education audiences to
learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to work and live in space."
By and large, at least one member of an ISS crew complement is licensed,
and NASA makes Amateur Radio licensing available to ISS-bound
astronauts. Contacts have a question-and-answer format and typically run
up to 10 minutes. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the
contact schedule. Educational organizations are encouraged to partner
with a local Amateur Radio club or group to handle the technical aspects
of the contact. Given the nature of human spaceflight and the complexity
of scheduling activities aboard the ISS, organizations must demonstrate
flexibility to accommodate changes in contact dates and times.
ISS crew members have taken part in scheduled Amateur Radio contacts
with students on Earth since December 2000.
Amateur Radio organizations around the world; NASA; and space agencies
in Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe sponsor these educational
opportunities by providing the equipment and operational support to
enable direct communication between crew on the ISS and students around
the world via Amateur Radio.
The ARRL website has more information <http://www.arrl.org/ARISS> about
the program, including details
<http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact> on expectations,
audience, proposal guidelines and application form, as well as the dates
and times of informational sessions. Contact <mailto:ariss at arrl.org>
ARISS with any questions or for additional information.
Kansas Radio Amateur is ARRL McGan Silver Antenna Award Winner
Brian Short, KC0BS, of Olathe, Kansas, is the recipient of the 2014
Philip J. McGan Silver Antenna Award
<http://www.arrl.org/phil-mcgan-award>. The award recognizes outstanding
public relations efforts in promoting Amateur Radio to the non-ham
community. Short, an ARRL Life Member, appeared on Kansas City Public
Media's "Up To Date" interview program on KCUR-FM in November 2013. The
show, "Exploring Ham Radio in a Digital World
<http://kcur.org/post/exploring-ham-radio-digital-world>," highlighted
Amateur Radio's value to the community and how individuals can get
involved. An Amateur Radio instructor, he was the recipient of the 2009
Herb Brier Instructor of the Year Award.
"Brian has done an outstanding job of using both traditional and social
media to bring the message of Amateur Radio to the public," said ARRL
Midwest Division Director Cliff Ahrens, K0CA. "He is very deserving of
this recognition."
*McGan Award Winner Brian Short, KC0BS.*
The product of an Amateur Radio family, Short has been licensed since
1987, when he was 18. He is an ARRL Midwest Division Assistant Director,
serves as Johnson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
Emergency Coordinator, and is a SKYWARN <http://www.skywarn.org> weather
spotter. He is also president and frequency coordinator of the Kansas
Amateur Repeater Council and president of the NEKSUN/K0HAM group. He has
been a Public Information Officer in the Kansas City area.
The ARRL Public Relations Committee recommended Short for the award, and
the ARRL Board of Directors affirmed the committee's choice. As this
year's McGan Award winner, Short will receive a plaque. The award's
namesake, journalist Philip J. McGan, WA2MBQ (SK), served as the first
chairman of the ARRL's Public Relations Committee.
ARRL Introduces Kindle Edition of /Ham Radio License Manual/
The ARRL has introduced a digital edition of /The ARRL Ham Radio License
Manual/
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual-3rd-Edition/>
(3rd edition), its most popular introduction to Amateur Radio. The
e-book includes everything a newcomer needs in order to prepare for the
Amateur Radio license exam. The digital edition
<http://amzn.com/B00OZ12X14>**is available in the Kindle format from
Amazon <http://www.amazon.com/>, which has long identified the print
edition as a best seller.
"As the leading publisher of Amateur Radio licensing and training
materials, ARRL is expanding beyond traditionally printed books to meet
the increasing demand from readers who prefer digital publications and
online content," ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, said.
"Finding the next generation of radio amateurs requires meeting
prospective hams where they are reading and consuming content."
ARRL offers Kindle editions of its question-and-answer study guides,
ARRL's Tech Q&A <http://amzn.com/1625950179>, ARRL's General Q&A
<http://amzn.com/087259808X>, and ARRL's Extra Q&A
<http://amzn.com/087259470X>. ARRL license manuals are also available
directly from ARRL
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Licensing-Education-and-Training/> and many
other ARRL publication dealers
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-publication-dealers>.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-11-06&p=0>
W1AW Centennial Operations Shift to Rhode Island and Mississippi;
American Samoa Operation Continues
The ARRL Centennial W1AW
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/On%20the%20Air/W1AW_2014_sked.pdf>
portable operations taking place throughout 2014 from each of the 50
states are now in Kansas (W1AW/0) and Washington (W1AW/7). They will
transition at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, November 12 (the evening of
November 11 in US time zones), to Mississippi (W1AW/5) and Rhode Island
(W1AW/1). W1AW/KH8 operations from American Samoa will continue until
November 12. So far during 2014, W1AW has visited each of the 50 states
for at least 1 week, and by year's end W1AW will have been on the air
from every state at least twice.
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. Participants must work W1AW/1 in
Connecticut.) A W1AW WAS certificate and plaque will be available.
An ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board
<https://centennial-qp.arrl.org> shows participants 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Find ARRL on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org>. Follow us on
Twitter <http://twitter.com/arrl>!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Put On Your Radio Voice! The ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB is Just Ahead
Operators in the US and Canada will exercise their vocal cords (or their
digital voice memories) November 15-17 to compete in the 2014 ARRL
November Sweepstakes <http://www.arrl.org/sweepstakes> SSB event. The
action gets underway at 2100 UTC Saturday and runs through 0259 UTC
Monday (Sunday evening in continental US time zones). Many operators
hope to get a "Clean Sweep" by working stations in all 83 ARRL and Radio
Amateurs of Canada (RAC) sections
<http://www.arrl.org/section-abbreviations>.
"A humongous station is not required to have a lot of fun in the
Sweepstakes -- modest antennas and 100 W will do just fine," SS regular
and ARRL Contributing Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, commented in the
November 5 edition
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues?issue=2014-11-05> of /The
ARRL Contest Update/ newsletter. "Since only one contact per station is
needed and not one per band, you can stay on your best band and work
stations that tune by. Give the other bands a try, too, and you will
probably be surprised at how well you do."
The exchange goes like this: Call sign of the station worked,
consecutive serial number, starting with 001, a precedence -- a letter
that indicates your operating category; see the rules), your call sign,
a check -- the last two numerals of the year you were first licensed,
and the two-letter abbreviation of your ARRL or RAC section
<http://www.arrl.org/section-abbreviations> (SEC).
Many stations will use phonetics for clarity, since logging accuracy is
paramount in any contest. For example, if W8EXK -- a Class A station in
West Virginia -- works W1MSW as his 15th contact, it would sound
something like this: "/W1MSW, number 15, alpha, from whiskey eight echo
x-ray kilowatt, check six-three, West Virginia/." The log entry would
look something like this: *W1MSW 015 A W8EXK 63 WV*. All popular logging
programs include a template for ARRL November Sweepstakes.
The 2014 ARRL November Sweepstakes Operating Guide
<http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Contest%20Operating%20Guides/2014/2014_ARRL_November_SS_Package.pdf>
contains a collection of Sweepstakes information and links to help both
newbies and old timers to understand the rules, operating techniques,
and log-submission guidelines. Be sure to read the rules
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-rules> for all ARRL contests too.
Logs are due 15 days after the event is over. CW Sweepstakes submissions
must be received by 0300 UTC Tuesday, November 18, 2014. SSB logs are
due by 0300 UTC on Tuesday, December 2, 2014. ARRL still accepts paper
logs, but electronic Cabrillo logs submitted via e-mail
<mailto:sscw at arrl.org> are preferable. Send paper logs to: ARRL November
Sweepstakes, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. WA7BNM's online Cabrillo
converter <http://www.b4h.net/cabforms/> lets the operator manually
enter hand-logged data to create a Cabrillo file. Submitting logs
electronically enhances the quality of the log-checking process and
permits more rapid publication of results.
Icom is the Principal Awards Sponsor for ARRL November Sweepstakes
events. For more information about ARRL November Sweepstakes, contact
<mailto:w1msw at arrl.org> ARRL Contest Branch Manager Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW.
IARU Region 1 Approves Youth Working Group, Budget
International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU R1
<http://iaru-r1.org/>) has established a Youth Working Group and
appointed Region 1 Youth Coordinator Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, as Youth
Working Group Chair for the next 3 years. The action came as delegates
from IARU Region 1 countries (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and
Northern Asia) met September 21-26 in Bulgaria for the 23rd IARU Region
1 General Conference. The minutes
<http://rsgb.org/main/files/2013/05/VA14_IARU-R1_Conference-Plenary-minutes.pdf>
of the Final Plenary are now available.
*IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group Chair Lisa Leenders, PA2LS.*
The Youth Working Group will organize and coordinate Youngsters On The
Air (YOTA <http://www.ham-yota.com/>) program activities, including an
annual special event. IARU Region 1 delegates also allocated 3-year
budgets of $26,000 for youth projects and $2080 for the Youth Working
Group. Leenders, who's 24, has been licensed since the age of 13. During
December, stations in several Region 1 countries will be active with
YOTA-suffix call signs.
In other actions, delegates appointed a Region 1 Amateur Radio
Observation Service Coordinator to establish independent AROS operations
in about a half-dozen member societies "to commence the monitoring of
DXpeditions for malicious QRM" and to work to identify "any patterns and
possible sources of jamming." Mark Jones, G0MGX, was appointed as the
AROS Coordinator. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/iaru-region-1-approves-youth-working-group-budget>.
New DX Summit Website Now Beta Testing, Will Debut Formally by December 1
The DX Summit <http://www.dxsummit.fi> website will soon have a fresh
new face and a more modern user interface. The well-known and popular
portal for getting DX spots via the Internet, operated by Radio Arcala
OH8X in Finland, will become "My DX Summit" -- MDXS for short -- when it
formally goes live for the Amateur Radio community by December 1. Right
now, though, hundreds of volunteers are beta testing the new website and
offering suggestions and changes in advance of the changeover from the
current site to the new one.
"We ended up having 700 testers and early check-ins," Radio Arcala's
Martti Laine, OH2BH, told ARRL this week. "Their input was very
valuable, and we will implement those urgent ones immediately and
process those many new ideas for continuing development work."
Laine said that since "no major challenges" have been encountered and
the system is holding up well, Radio Arcala may make the site live
sooner than anticipated.
My DX Summit will display spots in HTML format as they are posted, so
users will not have to wait for a new set of spots to reload every 60
*Martti Laine, OH2BH [Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]*
seconds. The page has a clean and modern look and feel, and users can
select filters in a check-off type menu. For example, users who don't
want to see any VHF spots can check a box, or they can check which VHF
bands they do wish to receive spots for. Receiving only CW, SSB, or
digital mode spots is just a matter of clicking the appropriate boxes in
the filter menu. Selected filters are listed on the top of the display.
In short, the new site will let users customize the cluster postings to
their particular preferences.
Laine said the current DX Summit site is serving some 143,000 unique
users each month. "With all these new features, we plan to double the
number," he told ARRL. "What is amazing on our portal is that each user
is spending an average of 55 minutes on the system. We will soon compete
with their TV-watching time!"//Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/new-dx-summit-website-seeking-beta-testers-will-debut-formally-by-december-1>.
/-- Thanks to Martti Laine, OH2BH/
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-11-06&p=1>
American Legion Amateur Radio Club Plans On-Air Tribute to Veterans
Amateur Radio operators who are members of the American Legion will
honor the military services and their fellow veterans in a special
on-the-air tribute on Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 11. Members of The
American Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC
<http://www.legion.org/hamradio>) will be on the air as W9L from 1400
until 2100 UTC, from American Legion national headquarters in
Indianapolis. Radio amateurs who contact the station or shortwave
listeners who monitor it are eligible to receive an attractive
full-color commemorative certificate.
"Veterans Day is more than just a holiday. It is a time for all
Americans to recognize the honorable nature of military service and the
men and women who have sacrificed so much in defending our nation
through the years," said TALARC President Marty Justis, W9WMJ. "This
special event operation serves to underscore the importance of Veterans
Day via the Amateur Radio community, to salute the men and women who
have served our country honorably in uniform, and to recognize the
contributions of so many military personnel."
Justis also cited the contributions of MARS (Military Auxiliary Radio
System) members, who arranged phone-patches that allowed soldiers in war
zones, at sea, and in other overseas locations to speak directly with
their families back home, especially in the pre-Internet era of the
Korean and Vietnam wars.
While the Internet has changed things, Justis said, Amateur Radio still
assists communities in many other ways, primarily in the event of
emergencies and disasters. "Many of The American Legion Amateur Radio
Club's 2000 members are committed to emergency preparedness as well as
promoting the hobby, art and science of Amateur Radio to young and old
alike," he said.
Special event station W9L will be on 20 meters SSB, 14.275 MHz ±5 kHz,
IRLP Node 4816, or in Central Indiana to 146.46 MHz simplex or the
145.17 MHz repeater in Hamilton County.To receive a certificate send a 9
× 12 self-addressed, stamped-envelop to The American Legion Amateur
Radio Club, 700 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Tromelin Island DXpedition, FT4TA, Drawing a Crowd
Pileups on the HF band are "still big and wide," according to the FT4TA
DXpedition <http://www.tromelin2014.com/en/> team on Tromelin Island in
the Indian Ocean. Operators say they're doing their best to find "the
best balance between rate and bandwidth usage" and that the sprawling
and, many would say, unruly pileups are a result of the "thousands still
calling." Over the November 1-2 weekend, DXers and ARRL November
Sweepstakes CW participants competed for elbow room on the bands.
"We know many of you still need Tromelin for an all-time new one. So,
narrowing pileups too much would not be good for you," a team update
said this week. "Also, there is no band open where we can stay 'all day
long.'" Operators have conceded that working the US or Oceania is not
easy unless European stations stand by -- "and this is something quite
difficult to achieve."
The FT4TA DXpedition has said its operation is a chance to get Tromelin
Island off the Top 10 most-wanted lists. Right now, it's number 8
(mixed) on the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List
<http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php>. Operators at FT4TA report a lot
of "unique" call signs in their log. "Keep your fingers crossed --
you'll make it!" they added.
The DXpedition reports excellent propagation with several bands open at
the same time for Japan, Europe, and North America. "We are trying to
give the same chances to everyone," the team said, urging those
attempting to snag FT4TA to respect their on-air instructions regarding
which areas of the world they're focusing on. "Operators at FT4TA won't
get you if they are not calling your area," they said.
"We have been able to enjoy some short openings with the West Coast on
[long path]," they said. "We will keep our efforts on low bands and try
again to be on 160, 80, and 40 at our sunset," although 75 meter SSB
operation was not in the team's plan "and we are not sure to try again
as conditions on this band are not the best for SSB."
The six-station operation has "found a good rhythm, working radio until
falling asleep on the keyboard; eat, sleep, radio, repeat. Everyone is
tired but over-motivated to satisfy the entire community."
The FT4TA DXpedition has been uploading its logs to Logbook of The World
(LoTW <http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>). FT4TA operation will
continue until November 10 (UTC). The DXpedition is the recipient of an
ARRL Colvin Award <http://www.arrl.org/colvin-award-grants> grant.
South African 5 MHz Research Project Sees Unexpected Results
A 5 MHz propagation research project in South Africa has encountered
some unexpected results regarding near-vertical incidence skywave (NVIS)
propagation on that band. The project is a joint venture between the
South African Radio League (SARL <http://www.sarl.org.za/Default.asp>)
and the Kempton Park Amateur Radio Technical Society, where one 5 MHz
beacon has been installed. An interesting, but tentative, finding was
inconsistent NVIS propagation test results. NVIS takes advantage of
skywave propagation for short-distance communication, especially on the
lower end of the HF spectrum. An /EE Publishers/ article
<http://www.ee.co.za/article/5-mhz-propagation-research-project-shows-unexpected-results.html>
described the preliminary test results.
"Comparing a communications path between two amateur stations, ZS6KN and
ZS6KTS (distance of 51 km), it is interesting to note that in June 2014
there was a good communications path from just after [0500] till
approximately 1630, after which the signals disappeared," the article
recounted, noting that the pattern for July was the same, but signals
were considerably stronger than during August and September.
The experimenters also observed that the band opens earlier and closes
later heading into summer (winter in the Northern Hemisphere), "which
indicates variations in the ionization of the D layer of the ionosphere
as the sun rises earlier and sets later," the article said, noting,
however, that not enough data have been collected to draw any meaningful
conclusions.
The project uses several automated beacons using /WSPR/ (Weak Signal
Propagation Reporter), which was developed by Joe Taylor, K1JT.
The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has
awarded two licenses to the SARL to carry out 5 MHz propagation research
in advance of World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15
<http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-R/conferences/wrc/2015/Pages/default.aspx>).
Conference agenda item 1.4 would grant radio amateurs a secondary
allocation within the band 5250 to 5450 kHz. Several countries,
including the US, have allocated discrete channels to the Amateur
Service on a secondary basis.
Dominica Now Permits 60 Meter Operation
Dominica (J7) is among the latest countries to allocate spectrum in the
vicinity of 5 MHz to Amateur Radio. The Dominica National
Telecommunications Regulator, NTRC, has granted hams on the Caribbean
island the ability to operate on five 3 kHz-wide channels on the 60
meter band. Dial frequencies are 5330.5, 5346.5, 5355.5, 5371.5, and
5403.5 kHz at 50 W PEP on SSB only.
The channels are only available to General and Advanced licensees in the
Commonwealth of Dominica. With the exception of 5355.5, the channels are
the same as those available to hams in the US. -- /Thanks to Dominica NTRC/
The ITU Elects a New Secretary-General
At the 19th International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Plenipotentiary
Conference in Busan, South Korea, member states
*ITU Secretary-General Designate Houlin Zhao.*
confirmed candidates for the organization's five elected posts, as well
as the 12 members of the Radio Regulations Board and the 48 Members of
ITU Council, the administrative body that governs the ITU in between
quadrennial plenipotentiary conferences.
Houlin Zhao of China succeeded in his bid to become the next
Secretary-General of the ITU, after serving for 8 years as Deputy
Secretary-General. He will succeed Dr Hamadoun Touré, HB9EHT, on January
1, 2015.
Malcolm Johnson of the United Kingdom was elected as the ITU's new
Deputy Secretary-General. François Rancy of France was confirmed for a
second term as the Director of ITU's Radiocommunication Bureau. /--
Thanks to IARU Region 1 News/
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Kentucky Historical Society Honors Former ARRL Director
Former ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Gary Johnston, KI4LA, has been
named as the recipient of the Kentucky Historical Society's 2014 Award
of Distinction. Johnston chaired the ARRL Board of Directors Historical
Committee during his tenure, which included stints as both a Vice
Director and Director. Johnston is president of the Board of Trustees of
the Behringer-Crawford Museum (BCM <http://www.bcmuseum.org/>) in
Covington, Kentucky, which also received a History Award. According
*Gary Johnston, KI4LA.*
to an article <http://cin.ci/1wxbjPW> in the /Cincinnati Enquirer/, the
Award of Distinction goes to a volunteer, board member, or member of an
organization who has made a significant contribution to state and local
history during his or her career.
"Since joining BCM's board of trustees in 2003, Johnston has had a
significant impact on the museum and the communities it serves," the
article said. "During thousands of volunteer hours, he redesigned and
upgraded the museum's computer systems, chaired the committee that
revamped its organizational structure, and helped secure more than $2.3
million in funding to complete the museum's major expansion which opened
in 2007."
Johnston also was credited with applying his technical and creative
talents to enhance and promote the museum's exhibits and events. He
currently chairs the museum's Capital Improvements Committee and has
raised more than a quarter-million dollars for additional museum
improvements. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/kentucky-historical-society-honors-former-arrl-director>.
International Amateur Radio-Scouter Shelly Weil, K2BS, SK
Sheldon "Shelly" Weil, K2BS (ex-W2GQN), of Delray Beach, Florida, died
October 29, following complications resulting from serious injuries
sustained in a fall. He was 81. Weil, an ARRL member, was legendary
within Scouting's Amateur Radio community, and regularly attended
National and World Jamborees, helping to staff the Amateur Radio station
and sharing his affection for ham radio with the Scouts on hand.
*Shelly Weil, K2BS.*
"Shelly made an unforgettable impression on me at the 1973 Jamboree
East," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. "I may have had the title of
KJ3BSA station manager, but it was Shelly's experience and remarkable
scavenging ability that was the essential ingredient to the success of
the ham radio tent."
ARRL staff member and Scout leader Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, recalled how
Weil would arrive at K2BSA during Scout Jamborees with a transceiver and
amplifier in tow. "He would get on the air and make many contacts with
his friends and acquaintances around the world, giving many Scouts an
opportunity to get on the air," Wolfgang said.
A Brooklyn, New York, native, Weil graduated from Brooklyn College with
a degree in psychology. He was an Eagle Scout who subsequently was
recognized with other Scouting honors and awards. He once served as
chairman of the National Jewish Committee on Scouting
<http://www.jewishscouting.org/>. Weil also served the Anti-Defamation
League as a regional board member.
During a World Scout Jamboree in Japan several years ago, Weil took part
in the rescue effort after a typhoon that occurred during the event. In
those pre-Internet days, Weil was able to use Amateur Radio to let
parents back home know that their youngsters were okay.
The family has invited memorial contributions to the Anti-Defamation
League <http://www.adl.org> or to Friends of Israel Scouts
<http://www.israelscouts.org>. -- Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/international-amateur-radio-scouter-shelly-weil-k2bs-sk>.
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
VHF/UHF scanners had become very common by the 1990s, and many local and
state governments enacted laws making their use illegal. At the same
time, several manufacturers of amateur VHF/UHF equipment started
including scanners in their amateur transceivers, which provided
reception outside the ham bands. This put some hams between a rock and a
hard place.
In the late 1980s, the ARRL launched an effort to have the FCC clarify
its rules regarding scanners. Finally, on August 20, 1993, FCC published
a /Memorandum and Order/ to settle the issue. The /Order/ stated that
hams have a federal right to own and operate their equipment, which
preempts state and local radio laws. Furthermore, the FCC's decision
supported, at length, the very essence of the purpose of the Amateur
Service. Once again, the League represented our interests and preserved
our place in radio.
One of the Nobel Prizes awarded in 1993 went to Joe Taylor, K1JT, and
Russell Hulse, ex-WB2LAV, for their discovery of binary pulsars and
their investigation of the gravitational fields exerted by those
ultra-dense stars. Joe credited his interest in Amateur Radio while
still a teenager as leading to his chosen field of physics and to his
Nobel Prize.
By 1995, the FCC had implemented electronic filing of license
applications, greatly reducing the time lapse between passing a license
exam and getting the license. The new system often reduced the waiting
period to as little as 2 weeks.
By the 1990s, digital signal processing (DSP) was coming into use in the
form of both homebrewed and factory-made devices. "DSP -- An Intuitive
Approach," by W9GR, in the February 1996 issue of /QST/ explained how
DSP works and urged hams to give it a try./-- Al Brogdon, W1AB/
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Solar activity softened a
bit this week. From October 30 through November 5, the average daily
sunspot number was 95.7 -- down 24.2 points from the previous 7 days.
Average daily solar flux declined from 198 to 127.9.
The latest forecast has solar flux at 135 on November 6-7, then 130,
135, and 140 on November 8-10, 145 on November 11-12, then 150, 160, and
170 on November 13-15. Solar flux will jump to 180 on November 16-17,
190 on November 18, and peak at 200 on November 19-20, before dropping
below 100 after November 30 and reaching a low of 80 on December 5. Flux
values then rise to 180 on December 16-17.
The predicted Planetary A Index is 8, 10, 8, 12, and 10 on November
6-10, then 8 on November 11-13, jumping to 12 on November 14-15, then
22, 15, and 10 on November 16-18, then 8 on November 19-21, and 12 on
November 22-24.
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 Friday's bulletin, look for an updated forecast and an update of our
3-month moving average of sunspot numbers. Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net>
me /your/ reports and observations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
November 7 -- NS Weekly RTTY Sprint
*
November 7 -- NS Weekly CW Sprint
*
November 8-9 -- Worked All Europe DX Contest
*
*November 8-9 -- **ARRL EME Contest <http://www.arrl.org/eme-contest>*
*
November 8-9 -- 10-10 Fall Digital QSO Party
*
November 8-9 -- Japan International DX Contest
*
November 8-9 -- OK-OM DX Contest
*
November 8-9 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
*
November 8-9 -- Kentucky QSO Party
*
November 8-10 -- CQ WE (Western Electric)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
more information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
*
November 8 -- Alabama State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/alabama-state-convention-montgomery-hamfest-2014>,
Montgomery, Alabama
*
November 15-16 -- Indiana State Convention
<http://www.fortwaynehamfest.com/hfmain.htm>, Fort Wayne, Indiana
*
December 12-13 -- West Central Florida Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/west-central-florida-section-convention-tampa-bay-hamfest-4>,
Plant City, Florida
*
January 4 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/new-york-city-long-island-section-convention-ham-radio-university-2015>,
Bethpage, New York
*
January 10 -- TECHFEST <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/techfest-2015>,
Lawrenceville, Georgia
*
January 23-24 -- Mississippi State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/mississippi-state-convention-capital-city-hamfest-2>,
Jackson, Mississippi
*
January 23-25 -- Puerto Rico State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/puerto-rico-state-convention-2>,
Hatillo, Puerto Rico
*
February 7 -- South Carolina State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-carolina-state-convention-charleston-hamfest>,
North Charleston, South Carolina
*
February 7 -- Virginia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/virginia-state-convention-richmond-frostfest-1>,
Richmond, Virginia
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
****
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