[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for September 18, 2014
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Thu Sep 18 17:23:41 EDT 2014
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
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The ARRL Letter
September 18, 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=2014-09-18&t=t>
* ARRL Simulated Emergency Test Scheduled for October 4-5 Weekend <#toc01>
* High-Value ARRL "Red Badgers" Will Be Out in Force on September 21
<#toc02>
* W1AW Centennial Operations Now in North Carolina, Connecticut. New
Mexico, Idaho in the Bullpen <#toc03>
* New $21.40 Vanity Call Sign Fee Now in Effect <#toc04>
* IARU Region 1 General Conference, IARU Administrative Council to
Meet in Bulgaria <#toc05>
* Amateur Radio Society of India Wants Less-Burdensome Amateur Radio
Licensing Rules <#toc06>
* Rare Eritrea (E3) on the Air for Short Time <#toc07>
* Moon-Bound Ham Radio Payload Will Transmit Earthly Messages from
Space <#toc08>
* Qatari /Es'hail 2/ Satellite will Include AMSAT-DL Phase 4 Amateur
Radio Transponders <#toc09>
* AMSAT-NA Announces Board of Directors Election Results <#toc10>
* Colorado ARES Team Wins an Honorable Mention in Citizen Corps Awards
<#toc11>
* "Last Man Standing" Special Event Set for September 28 <#toc12>
* No Easy Answers for RadioShack's Slow, Downward Slide <#toc13>
* A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL <#toc14>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc15>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc16>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc17>
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Website Unavailable on September 19 Starting at 2000 UTC
The ARRL website is scheduled to be offline on Friday, September 19,
starting at 2000 UTC. The length of the outage could run for several
hours and possibly into Saturday, September 20. The ARRL IT Department
will be performing maintenance in the process of testing and, if
feasible, 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*.
All e-mail functionality will remain online -- only the website will be
down for testing.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Simulated Emergency Test Scheduled for October 4-5 Weekend
The national ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET
<http://www.arrl.org/chapter-2-simulated-emergency-test-set>) is slated
for the October 4-5 weekend, although the window for local and regional
exercises is September 1 through November 30 each year. All groups
conduct their events over the course of 48 hours. The SET is a
nationwide exercise in disaster response and emergency
Coweta County, Georgia, Emergency Coordinator Randy Mercer, WN4TLP,
operates as net control station from his home in Newnan during the Metro
Atlanta District ARES 2013 SET. [Randy Mercer, WN4TLP, photo]
communication, administered by ARRL emergency coordinators and net
managers, in which volunteers respond to a mock emergency or disaster,
such as an earthquake or hurricane. Members of the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES <http://www.arrl.org/ares>), the Radio Amateur
Civil Emergency Service (RACES
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Amateur_Civil_Emergency_Service>),
the National Traffic System (NTS <http://www.arrl.org/nts>), SKYWARN
<http://skywarn.org/>, the ARRL Field Organization, and other groups
work together to plan and develop simulated emergency and disaster
scenarios, in consultation with the various served agencies that rely on
radio amateurs during emergencies.
The SET offers volunteer public service communicators the opportunity to
focus on their capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses while interacting
with NTS nets. It also provides a public demonstration -- to served
agencies such as the Red Cross, state and local emergency managers, and
the news media -- of the value that Amateur Radio provides. The SET
helps radio amateurs gain communication experience using standard
procedures and a variety of modes, under simulated disaster-response
conditions. Participating groups earn points toward an overall SET
score, adding a competitive component to the activity. Results are
listed in /QST/ (see pages 71-73 of the July issue of /QST/ for the 2013
SET results). Visit the ARRL Public Service/Field Services
<http://www.arrl.org/public-service-field-services-forms> page and click
on "SET Score Card" for an explanation of how points are earned.
Many ARES groups across the country will be participating, and all ARES
members are invited to support the national SET and their local ARES
group's activity.
//
During this year's SET, participating ARES/NTS members can earn SET
bonus points by participating in the ARRL Centennial QSO Party
<http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party>. During the October 4-5 SET
weekend, ARES and NTS field members and appointees are encouraged to get
on the air and call "CQ Centennial." The exchange is signal report,
name, location, and your designator. There will be a special bonus for
groups that include Centennial QSO Party participation. Each station
making at least 5 contacts is worth an additional 3 points toward your
group's SET score. Those taking part in a SET on another weekend may
participate on the national SET weekend and count it later (or submit an
amended SET report form).
See page 78 in the July issue of /QST/, and page 75 in the September
issue of /QST/ for more information on the SET. /-- Thanks to the ARES
E-Letter/
High-Value ARRL "Red Badgers" Will Be Out in Force on September 21
The next ARRL "Red Badges on the Air" activity is just days away. On
Sunday, September 21 UTC (starting the evening of Saturday, September
20, in US time zones), holders of red ARRL name/call sign badges will be
on the air /en masse/, offering a chance to boost your ARRL Centennial
QSO Party <http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party> total. ARRL
officers, elected officials such as Director or Section Manager, as well
as Headquarters staffers and volunteers, and other members of the ARRL
family will take to the
Working the holder of this red badge, ARRL Midwest Division Director
Cliff Ahrens, is worth 225 points per mode contact. [Rick Lindquist,
WW1ME, photo]
air in numbers. Contacts with red badge wearers are worth as much as 300
points <http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party#Table> per contact for
working ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. ARRL Membership and Volunteer
Programs Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, said he expects many of the 200 or
so Red Badgers will be on the air on September 21, along with other ARRL
appointees, VEs, and members.
"The first Red Badge Day was a huge success but left many operators
wanting more. Nine months into ARRL's Centennial year, the Centennial
QSO Party and W1AW activations already have proven to be the largest and
most active special events in the history of Amateur Radio, with more
than 20,000 participants on the air from all continents."
The event is considered an activity day, /not/ a contest, and operation
is permitted on /all/ bands. Participants can call "CQ ARRL Centennial
QSO Party" on phone or "CQ CENT" on CW or digital modes. While the focus
is to encourage ARRL red badge holders to hand out Centennial QSO Party
points, all activity is welcome, regardless of point value.
ARRL members are worth at least one point in the Centennial QSO Party.
Participants get credit for each band/mode contact, regardless of point
value. ARRL Centennial QSO Party participants can use the leader board
<https://centennial-qp.arrl.org> to determine how many points they have
accumulated. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/high-value-arrl-red-badgers-will-hand-out-centennial-qso-party-points-on-september-21>.
W1AW Centennial Operations Now in North Carolina, Connecticut. New
Mexico, Idaho in the Bullpen
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 North Carolina (W1AW/4) and Connecticut (W1AW/1). W1AW
operations will transition starting at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, September
24 (the evening of September 23 in US time zones), to New Mexico
(W1AW/5) and Idaho (W1AW/7). W1AW has visited each of the 50 states for
at least 1 week so far during 2014. By year's end W1AW will have been on
the air from every state at least twice, as well as from most US
territories.
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.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-09-18&p=0>
New $21.40 Vanity Call Sign Fee Now in Effect
The new Amateur Service vanity call sign regulatory fee of $21.40 became
effective on September 11. The FCC released a /Report and Order and
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/ (/R&O/
<http://www.arrl.org/attachments/view/News/76322>) on August 29, in
which it recalculated the fee to $21.40 for the 10-year license term.
The $5.30 increase represents the largest vanity fee hike in many years.
In the past, new vanity fees did not become effective until 30 days
after their publication in /The Federal Register/
<https://www.federalregister.gov/>, which occurred on September 11.
The FCC reported there were 11,500 "payment units" in FY 2014, and that
the vanity program generated an estimated $230,230 in FY 2013 revenue.
The Commission estimated that it would collect nearly $246,100 in FY
2014 vanity call sign fees.
The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable when applying for a new
vanity call sign or when renewing any vanity call sign designated as
"HV" in the FCC's ULS database.
As of October 1, 2013, the Commission no longer accepts checks --
including cashier's checks -- for the payment of regulatory fees. All
payments must now be made by online ACH payment, online credit card, or
via wire transfer. Any other form of payment will be rejected and
returned to the applicant.
IARU Region 1 General Conference, IARU Administrative Council to Meet in
Bulgaria
Representatives of the countries comprising IARU Region 1
<http://www.iaru-r1.org/> (Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Northern
Asia) will gather this month for the Region 1 General Conference
<http://iarur1con2014.bfra.bg/>. The Bulgarian Federation of Radio
Amateurs, (BFRA <http://www.bfra.org>) will host the meeting September
21-26 in Albena on the Black Sea Coast. Regional general conferences are
held every 3 years.
"At General Conferences IARU Region 1 makes major decisions on the
future of Amateur Radio and determines the way ahead with
administrative, operational, technical, and financial matters," Region 1
Chairman Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, explained. Conference delegates
will elect the Executive Committee as well as working group chairmen,
and coordinators.
General Conference participants will tackle a plethora of papers on a
wide variety of Amateur Radio topics -- from administrative to
operational and technical.
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB <http://rsgb.org/>) will raise
the issue of malicious QRM, especially in the wake of intentional
interference to well-publicized DXpeditions that have attracted huge
pileups. "It is now time for all Region 1 Member Societies to treat
malicious QRM as a major and urgent priority and to take positive action
against this form of anarchy that threatens the future of Amateur
Radio," the RSGB said in
IARU Region 1 Chairman Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T.
its paper, "Malicious QRM -- Time for Action." Among other approaches,
the RSGB will recommend that member societies use their media outlets to
"highlight the self-regulatory ethos of Amateur Radio, to condemn the
actions of the malicious QRMers, and to publicize where direct action
has been taken." The RSGB also will recommend that Region 1 appoint an
Amateur Radio Observation Service (AROS) network.
The topic of transnational Amateur Radio remote-controlled operation
also will come up for discussion. A recommendation from the Irish Radio
Transmitters Society (IRTS <http://www.irts.ie>) would mandate the
incoming Executive Committee to set up a working group of individuals
experienced in radio regulatory affairs "to examine the question of
transnational remote-controlled operation and to establish under what
conditions such operation might be regulated."
IARU Region 1 Youth Coordinator Lisa Leenders, PA2LS.
IARU Region 1 Youth Coordinator Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, has submitted a
proposal to form a Region 1 Youth Working Group, which would be
responsible for Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) activities in addition to
promoting Amateur Radio youth activities within the region. Leenders
will recommend that IARU Region 1 become the "main funder" of a
week-long YOTA summer camp, where youngsters take part in Amateur Radio
activities.
Other presentations that delegates to the IARU Region 1 General
Conference will hear include a presentation on CW operating procedure by
the Icelandic Radio Amateurs (IRA <http://www.ira.is>) -- Iceland's IARU
member-society.
The IARU Administrative Council will meet September 27-28, following the
Region 1 General Conference.
Amateur Radio Society of India Wants Less-Burdensome Amateur Radio
Licensing Rules
The Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI <http://www.arsi.info/>) --
India's International Amateur Radio Union (IARU <http://www.iaru.org>)
member-society -- is continuing an effort to make it easier to obtain an
Amateur Radio license in that country, where excessive red tape is an
accepted reality when dealing with government agencies. The latest
attempt came in an August 19 letter from ARSI President Gopal Madhavan,
VU2GMN, to Ravi Shankar Prasad, who heads the Ministry of Communications
and Information Technology.
"In India we are hampered by some very archaic rules, which were
possibly formulated during the British [colonial] times, when everything
was done to restrict radio licenses being given to Indians," Madhavan
wrote. "The most restrictive and time-consuming aspect is the 'security
clearance' that is being done before a license is granted," he
continued. "In most cases, this takes months or even years, and often
the paperwork is totally lost in transit between the various agencies."
Such "inordinate delays" in receiving a license after passing the
examination can cause applicants to simply lose interest, said Madhavan,
who is also IARU Region 3 chairman. "[G]enuine aspirants to Amateur
Radio are denied licenses for months, year, and sometimes forever, as
the papers are lost," he said.
In his letter, Madhavan took pains to spell out Amateur Radio's public
service role in past disasters and emergencies, such as the Indian Ocean
tsunami, the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the Latur and
Gujarat earthquakes. Amateur Radio also contributes in terms of
technical training, experimentation, and communication, he said.
ARSI President Gopal Madhavan, VU2GMN, during a 2011 visit to ARRL
Headquarters.
The Department of Telecommunications within Prasad's ministry issues
Amateur Radio licenses. The Indian government has suggested that ham
radio technology may fall into hands of terrorists and has begun
requiring a security clearance. Madhavan pointed out that the security
clearance requirement is not listed in India's Amateur Radio
regulations, and he called it "totally irrelevant" at a time when many
other means of communication are available.
"Every country has serious concerns about security, but they have not
found it necessary to vet aspirants to Amateur Radio as is done /only/
in India," he wrote. In most countries, he noted, applicants can obtain
a license within a week of passing the required exam and paying any
necessary fees.
Madhavan requested Prasad's "intervention and coordination" with the
Ministry of Home Affairs to help ease the process of issuing a new
amateur license and to grow India's Amateur Radio population, which
currently stands at some 17,000 in a country of more than 1.2 billion
people. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-society-of-india-wants-less-burdensome-amateur-radio-licensing-rules>.
Rare Eritrea (E3) on the Air for Short Time
Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT, is on the air until September 22 from Eritrea as
E30FB, at present running 100 W to a vertical antenna on 20 and 15
meters, SSB. Eritrea now stands at number 17 (mixed) on ClubLog's DXCC
Most Wanted List <http://www.clublog.org/mostwanted.php> (number 10 on
CW, number 22 on SSB). Eritrea has not been activated since 2001.
This is not a DXpedition. Miyazawa is in Eritrea as part of an official
Japanese delegation. He plans to operate as his schedule permits.
Additional gear has arrived, but he is still missing the shipment
containing an amplifier. He does not have Internet access, and logs will
be uploaded when he returns to Japan.
Once a part of Ethiopia, Eritrea is a small country on the Horn of
Africa that is home to some 6.2 million people. /-- Thanks to Jay Oka,
JA1TRC/
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-09-18&p=1>
Moon-Bound Ham Radio Payload Will Transmit Earthly Messages from Space
The Amateur Radio payload on the lunar-orbiting 4M-LXS spacecraft is set
to carry up to 2500 brief digital messages into space for retransmission
via JT65B mode on 145.990 MHz. China recently announced
<http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2014-08/10/c_133546027.htm>
plans to launch the orbiter carrying the 14 kg battery-powered payload,
developed by LUXspace <http://www.luxspace.lu/> in Luxembourg. The
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU <http://www.iaru.org>) is a
partner in the experiment. Getting a message into space required
registering and uploading one via the 4M website. A "73 de W1AW" message
was among those uploaded before the message collection site closed on
September 17. While the window was open, the site gathered messages of
up to 13 characters -- the maximum for JT65 transmissions -- to transmit
"from the moon," the 4M Manfred Memorial Moon Mission website said.
A model of the LUXspace 4M spacecraft superimposed above the lunar
surface. [LUXspace image]
Signals from the Amateur Radio payload can be decoded using the free
/WSJT/ <http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/> software by Joe
Taylor, K1JT. The Manfred Memorial Moon Mission memorializes
<http://moon.luxspace.lu/memorial/> Manfred Fuchs, the late founder and
chairman of LUXspace parent company OHB of Bremen. He died in April. The
4M mission is expected to launch sometime after 1800 UTC on October 23.
According to LUXspace, the 4M spacecraft will transmit continuously on
145.980 MHz (± 2.9 kHz) at 1.5 W into a simple quarter-wave monopole
antenna. "This will give S/N comparable to EME signals at Earth's
surface," LUXspace said. "The transmission is based on a 1-minute
sequence and a 5-minute cycle. The transmission will start 4670 seconds
(77.8 minutes) after launch."
The 4M mission was detailed during a presentation
<https://cloud.luxspace.lu/public.php?service=files&t=542e4e0b2750e938e5309f02b77582fc>
the EME 2014 conference held recently in France. A paper
<https://cloud.luxspace.lu/public.php?service=files&t=82c6c3c3b7d9e851323d9e0e865d99dc>,
"4M Mission: A Lunar Flyby Experiment" also is available. During the
lunar flyby, the spacecraft will be about nearly 248,000 miles from
Earth and between 7440 and 14,480 miles from the Moon. The spacecraft
will be part of the last stage of the lunar mission. The planned
trajectory calls for a lunar flyby and return to Earth, with a 90
percent chance that the spacecraft will re-enter Earth's atmosphere.
LUXspace has provided a tracking tool
<http://moon.luxspace.lu/tracking/> on its website. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/moon-bound-ham-radio-payload-will-transmit-your-message-from-space-but-hurry>.
/-- Thanks to LUXspace, AMSAT-UK/
Qatari /Es'hail 2/ Satellite will Include AMSAT-DL Phase 4 Amateur Radio
Transponders
Gunter's Space Page <http://space.skyrocket.de/> has reported
<http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/eshail-2.htm> that the /Es'hail 2/
communications satellite will carry analog and digital Amateur Radio
transponders. The new satellite, which will be operated by Es'hailSat,
the Qatar Satellite Company, will be in a geostationary orbit,
positioned at the 26° East "hotspot" position for TV broadcasting to the
Middle East and North Africa. Launch is planned for late 2016.
/Es'hail 2/ will provide the first Amateur Radio geostationary
communication capability linking Brazil and India. It will carry two
AMSAT-DL-designed Phase 4 Amateur Radio transponders, consisting of a
250 kHz linear analog transponder and an experimental digital modulation
transponder with an 8 MHz bandwidth. Uplinks will be in the 2.400-2.450
GHz range, with downlinks in the 10.450-10.500 GHz Amateur-Satellite
Service allocation. Both transponders will be equipped with antennas
capable of providing full coverage over about one-third of Earth's surface.
The Qatar Amateur Radio Society and Qatar Satellite Company are
cooperating on the Amateur Radio project. AMSAT-DL is providing
technical support. /-- Thanks to Gunter's Space Page via AMSAT News Service/
AMSAT-NA Announces Board of Directors Election Results
AMSAT-NA has announced the results of its recent Board of Directors
election. Tom Clark, K3IO; JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM; and Lou McFadin,
W5DID, were elected to serve 2-year terms.
Jerry Buxton, N0JY, will serve the remaining year on the term of the
late Tony Monteiro, AA2TX.
The First Alternate is Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, and the Second Alternate
is Frank Griffin, K4FEG. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amsat-na-announces-board-of-directors-election-results-1>.
Colorado ARES Team Wins an Honorable Mention in Citizen Corps Awards
The Boulder County (Colorado) ARES team (BCARES
<http://bouldercountyares.org/>) received an honorable mention in the
Citizen Corps 2014 Individual and Community Preparedness Awards. The
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA <http://www.fema.gov>)
announced <http://www.ready.gov/citizen-corps/citizen-corps-awards> its
list of nationwide award recipients on September 3.
Ueli Hauser, KB9TTI/HB9TTI, on the roof of the Boulder Amateur Radio
Club's station, located at the airport. ATV cameras and transmitters
provided emergency managers with flood images. [Ueli Hauser, KB9TTI, photo]
BCARES was cited under the Technical Innovation category for its use of
Amateur TV and APRS and for its Mountain Emergency Radio Network
<http://bouldercountyares.org/mountain-emergency-radio-network-mern/>**(MERN)
project during its response to the 2013 flooding
<http://www.arrl.org/news/amateur-radio-provides-critical-communication-in-colorado-flooding-response>
in the Boulder area. MERN was created in conjunction with BCARES, the
Inter-Mountain Alliance (IMA), and the Boulder County Office of
Emergency Management. The goal of the system is to facilitate community
emergency preparedness and insure uninterrupted communication between
and within six mountain communities in Western Boulder County, county
emergency services, and their resources prior to and during an emergency
via an Amateur Radio network.
FEMA is planning an award presentation. /-- Thanks to ARRL Colorado
Section Manager Jack Ciaccia, WM0G/
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2014-09-18&p=2>
"Last Man Standing" Special Event Set for September 28
A Hollywood-style Amateur Radio special event is set for later this
month from the so-called "Seinfeld Stage" on the CBS Studio Center lot
in Studio City, California. The K6H "Hollywood Hamnado" special event
station will be on HF and D-STAR on September 28, from 1400 until 2200
UTC. Hosts for the event will be Amateur Radio crew members of the ABC
television series "Last Man Standing." On the show, actor Tim Allen
plays Mike Baxter, KA0XTT. The show's producer is John Amodeo, NN6JA
The Southern California-based PAPA Repeater System, in association with
the Broadcast Employees Amateur Radio Society (BEARS) and Disney
Emergency Amateur Radio Service (DEARS) are sponsoring the special event.
Operation will take place on 10, 20, and 40 meters on HF and D-STAR
reflector 12A. Rob Antonacci, AA6RA, said K6H is planning to run three
SSB stations, operating on or around 28.420, 14.250, and 7.260 MHz. The
PAPA <http://WWW.PAPASYS.com> website, the W5KUB <http://w5kub.com/>
chat room, and the Mike Baxter KA0XTT Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/KA0XTT> page will provide up-to-the-minute
updates.
K6H also will use the Disney Amateur Radio Interconnect to link the
WB6AJE repeater in Los Angeles to Disney/ABC-sponsored repeaters in
Manhattan-Bristol, Connecticut; Washington, DC, and Orlando, Florida.
Various IRLP and EchoLink nodes will be available. Those contacting K6H
will receive a limited-edition QSL card.
Tom Medlin, W5KUB <http://w5kub.com/>, will be on Stage 9 to interview
the participants and report on the special event activity. The PAPA
<http://WWW.PAPASYS.com> website will stream video directly from the
operating stations. So far, 26 members of the "Last Man Standing" crew
have been inspired by the show's Amateur Radio component to get
licensed. /-- Thanks to //Rob Antonacci/
<mailto:sideshowbob0374 at yahoo.com>/, AA6RA/
No Easy Answers for RadioShack's Slow, Downward Slide
Back in the day, RadioShack <http://www.radioshack.com> employees would
answer the phone by saying, "You've got questions, we've got answers."
But RadioShack now seems stumped, and the "B" word is looming ever
larger as the retailer -- once the go-to place for electronic components
and, at one point, even some Amateur Radio gear and shortwave receivers
-- casts about for a white knight. Last March, in the wake of a
substantial drop in holiday sales and a big fourth-quarter loss, the
Fort Worth, Texas-based RadioShack announced plans to close 1100 of its
outlets, leaving the chain with 4000 stores, including more than 900
dealer franchises. The company's second-quarter 2014 report has been
deemed "dismal" by investment advisors.
According to CNNMoney
<http://money.cnn.com/2014/09/11/investing/radioshack/>, though, the
retailer has been able to shutter only 200 of those shops -- because it
costs a lot of money even to close locations, and RadioShack has none to
spare. It's already bleeding cash -- some $149 million just this year
--in its struggle to board up unprofitable locations and keep its head
above the rising waters, and, as CNNMoney reported, credit rating agency
Moody's expects the company's bank account to run dry within another 12
months. One Wall Street analyst already has warned of impending
bankruptcy, and Forbes.com reported
<http://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2014/09/11/in-quest-for-more-capital-radioshack-warns-of-bankruptcy/>
last week that the retailer itself has confirmed the likelihood of a
Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing, if it cannot find a buyer or
restructure its debt.
RadioShack CEO Joseph Magnacca said in a statement on September 11 that
while the company was making progress in its turn-around efforts, "we
are actively exploring options for overhauling our balance sheet and are
in advanced discussions with a number of parties."
A filing the retailer submitted to the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) this week was far more blunt. In short, it said that if
RadioShack cannot sell the firm, partner with another company, or
restructure its debt, "we may not have enough cash and working capital
to fund our operations beyond the very near term, which raises
substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern." And
if Plan A does not work out, the retailer told the SEC, "we would likely
be required to liquidate under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code." Read
more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/no-easy-answers-for-radioshack-s-slow-downward-slide>.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
In March 1980, Mount St Helens spectacularly exploded. Before the
explosion, radio amateurs had been assisting with communication among a
number of sites where ongoing measurements were being taken, because
scientists had concluded that the mountain was nearing the point of
eruption. The hams continued to work after the volcano's several
eruptions, with both emergency communications and a continuation of
their previous support work. Sadly, two of those hams lost their lives
during the disaster -- W6TQF and KA7AMF.
By the 1980s, some towns and neighborhoods had begun to impose very
restrictive rules about antennas and towers -- rules that would prohibit
effective amateur antennas. Many of these cases were fought through the
legal system successfully by the affected hams. As with so many issues
that involve many hams all over the country, ARRL joined the fight,
providing legal assistance through the League's general counsel and
volunteer counselors who were also hams.
Mount St Helens erupted in March 1980. [Robert Krimmel/USGS photo]
The ARRL introduced a new periodical in December 1981 -- /QEX/. Its
purposes were (1) to publish articles that documented advanced technical
work in areas that were not of wide general interest, and (2) to act as
a catalyst for technical development in the Amateur Radio and
Amateur-Satellite Services.
On May 21, 1981, at the request of the ARRL, the FCC restored 160 meters
to exclusive Amateur Radio use. Before this, the FCC rules included an
array of restrictions on 160 meter operation, to protect the LORAN
(Long-Range Aid to Navigation) system. Now, hams could run a full
kilowatt on 160, day and night, anywhere in the country!
In the 1980s, packet radio and packet repeaters -- digipeaters -- came
into being. Numerous /QST/ articles detailed this mode of operation,
helping interested hams to get up and running on packet.
In 1982, cable TV systems expanded across the US, bringing with them the
potential for CATVI -- cable TVI. Some cable channels were on 2 meter
amateur frequencies, and because many poorly installed and maintained
cable systems "leaked" TV signals, causing interference on the 2 meter
band. Of course, if signals could leak out, other signals could leak in,
and hams sometimes caused interference when their signals got into the
cable TV system. Cable companies often blamed the problem on hams,
rather than take the blame for their poor equipment and maintenance. In
the meantime, the FCC was in a fiscal crisis, because of budget
cutbacks. Although it was willing to enforce the regulations and bring
the cable companies in line, it was unable to fund that enforcement
effort. This problem continued for some time before it was corrected.
During the 1980s, the SKYWARN system was established and became
affiliated with the National Weather Service, so hams could report
dangerous weather events that they saw. To this day, SKYWARN members
have proven extremely valuable for monitoring weather conditions and
providing "ground truth" reports to the NWS. Much SKYWARN communication
occurs via 2 meter repeaters.
Harry Dannals, W2HD, had been ARRL President for 10 years when he
decided to step down in 1982. At the same time, ARRL Secretary and
General Manager Richard Baldwin, W1RU, retired. At their first 1982
meeting, the ARRL Board of Directors elected Vic Clark, W4KFC, as the
League's new president, and David Sumner, K1ZZ, as the new Secretary and
General Manager.
On the afternoon of January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 took off
from Washington National Airport. But the Boeing 737 slowly settled
toward Earth, clipping the 14th Street Bridge (I-395) and destroying
seven cars that were on it, before crash landing in the ice-covered
Potomac River. The area's ARES operators and nets sprang into immediate
action and provided much-needed communication support among the various
governmental agencies that had responded./-- Al Brogdon, W1AB/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, On September 11 and 12 two powerful coronal
mass ejections (CMEs) hit Earth, producing a G3-class geomagnetic storm.
The result was a planetary A index of 44 on September 12, and during the
final 3 hours of the day (UTC), the planetary K index reached a very
lofty 7!
Overall solar activity is down, with the average daily sunspot number
declining from 152 to 124.9 in the September 11-17 period. Average daily
solar flux dropped from 155.8 to 139.8.
Predicted flux values have declined as well. As an example, the daily
45-day forecast for solar flux on September 21 was 120 on August 6-10,
125 on August 11-17, 135 on August 18 through September 7, 150 on
September 8-12, 130 on September 13, 120 on September 14-15, and 115 on
every day since.
Predicted solar flux is 125 on September 18-19, 120 on September 20, 115
on September 21-22, 110 on September 23-25, 115 on September 26, 120 on
September 27-28, 130 on September 29, 135 on September 30 and October 1,
140 on October 2, 145 on October 3-5, and 150 on October 6-7.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on September 18-25, 15 on September
26-27, 12 on September 28-29, 10 on September 30, 5 on October 1-2, 8 on
October 3-4, 5 on October 5, and 10 on October 6-7.
The autumnal equinox occurs on September 23 at 0229 UTC, Monday evening
in North America. The equinox portends improved worldwide communication
on the HF bands. As an example, modeling propagation using /W6ELprop/
and a modest solar flux of 120, 20 meter signals between California and
Japan on the equinox run about 6 dB hotter in the early evening on the
West Coast than they would have a month earlier.
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 reports from readers, including a report of
aurora seen in Arizona.
Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me /your/ reports and observations.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
September 18 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)
*
September 20 -- Feld-Hell Hell on Wheels Sprint
*
September 20 -- Pirate QSO Party
*
*September 20-21 -- ARRL 10 GHz Cumulative Contest*
*
September 20-21 -- Red Badges on the Air
*
September 20-21 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW)
*
September 20-21 -- South Carolina QSO Party
*
September 20-21 -- Washington State Salmon Run
*
September 21 -- BARTG Sprint 75
*
September 21-23 -- Classic Exchange (CW)
*
September 22 -- 144 MHz Fall VHF Sprint
*
September 24 -- SKCC Straight Key Sprint
*
September 27 -- Texas QSO Party
*
September 27-28 -- CQ WW RTTY Contest
*
September 27-28 -- Maine QSO Party
*
September 28 -- Peanut Power Sprint
*
September 30 -- 222 MHz Fall VHF Sprint
See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
more information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
*
September 19-20 -- W9DXCC Convention <http://www.w9dxcc.com/>,
Schaumburg, Illinois
*
September 26-27 -- W4DXCC/SEDCO Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/w4dxcc-convention-sedco>, Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee
*
September 26-28 -- Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/mid-atlantic-states-vhf-conference-1>,
Bensalem, Pennsylvania
*
September 27 -- North Dakota State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/north-dakota-state-convention-rrra-hamfest>,
West Fargo, North Dakota
*
September 27 -- Washington State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/washington-state-convention-spokane-hamfest-1>,
Spokane Valley, Washington
*
October 4 -- Delaware State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/delaware-state-convention-delmarva-radio-electronics-expo-1>,
Georgetown, Delaware
*
October 5 -- Iowa Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/iowa-section-convention-southeast-iowa-hamfest>,
West Liberty, Iowa
*
October 10-11 -- Florida State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/florida-state-convention-melbourne-hamfest-3>,
Melbourne, Florida
*
*October 10-12 -- **Pacific Division Convention*
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/pacific-division-convention-pacificon-2014-regional-arrl-centennial-event>*(Pacificon),
Regional ARRL Centennial Event, Santa Clara, California*
*
October 11 -- Iowa State Convention
<http://facebook.com/groups/591123127614974/> (Sioux City Ham
Convention), Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
*
October 11 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Conference
<http://www.pnwvhfs.org/conference/2014/announcement.html>, Seaside,
Oregon
*
October 12 -- Connecticut State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/connecticut-state-convention-nutmeg-hamfest-2>,
Meriden, Connecticut
*
October 18 -- Arkansas State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arkansas-state-convention-barc-hamfest-2014>,
Batesville, Arkansas
*
October 18 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/wisconsin-ares-races-conference>,
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
*
October 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/oklahoma-section-convention-texoma-hamarama>,
Ardmore, Oklahoma
*
November 1 -- TechFest 2014
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/techfest-2014>, Lakewood, Colorado
*
November 1-2 -- Georgia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/georgia-state-convention-stone-mountain-hamfest-1>,
Lawrenceville, Georgia
*
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
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*
****
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