[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for February 5, 2015
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Thu Feb 5 16:05:02 EST 2015
Preview
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The ARRL Letter
February 5, 2015
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <mailto:ww1me at arrl.org>
ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>
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* Participation in ARRL Centennial On-the-Air Events Exceeds All
Expectations <#toc01>
* Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, Selected as 2014 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical
Writing Award Winner <#toc02>
* ARISS Selects 15 Possible ISS Amateur Radio Contact Hosts for 2015
Events <#toc03>
* K1N Navassa Island DXpedition Dominates HF Bands <#toc04>
* RadioShack's Long, Slow Downward Slide Nears the End <#toc05>
* Amateur Radio Payloads Share Ride into Space with Soil Moisture
Monitoring Satellite <#toc06>
* Ham Among Devil's Brigade Members to Receive Medal <#toc07>
* Past ARRL Dakota Division Director Howard Mark, K3HM, SK <#toc08>
* Nevada Section Manager Gary Grant, K7VY, SK <#toc09>
* Long-time ARRL Kansas Section Manager Robert M. "Bob" Summers,
K0BXF, SK <#toc10>
* In Brief... <#toc11>
* Getting It Right... <#toc12>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc13>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc14>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
<#toc15>
Participation in ARRL Centennial On-the-Air Events Exceeds All Expectations
Attendance at the ARRL's on-the-air Centennial celebration in 2014 was
through the roof! Approximately 3.5 million contacts were recorded for
W1AW portable operations and the Centennial Points Challenge during the
Centennial QSO Party <http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party> last year.
"The Centennial QSO Party was a huge success, and participation was way
greater than anyone anticipated it would be when we were in the planning
stages," said Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, Assistant Manager, Field Services and
Radiosport Department. As a result, the window for operators to apply
and pay fees for awards
<http://www.arrl.org/centennial-qso-party#Awards> they earned in the
Centennial QSO Party is not expected to open until mid-March.
Fusaro said that while award certificates have been printed, the task of
checking and double-checking the electronic logs and resolving any
anomalies has put an unexpected burden on staff resources.
To compete in the Centennial Points Challenge, logs must have been
submitted through Logbook of The World (LoTW
<http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>). The system will
automatically look for points-qualifying QSOs from submitted logs and
apply them to each participant's Centennial QSO Points total. ARRL
Headquarters has been recalculating all submitted scores to come up with
final tallies.
"Recalculating will allow operators to earn points for contacts they
made with stations that were not yet in the database when the logs went
into LoTW," Fusaro explained. "Accuracy in fulfilling awards is
important, and we need to get this right the first time. It's been a
very time and staff-intensive process, researching busted call signs and
running down claimed contacts and mode discrepancies for operators."
Enhancements to LoTW -- which served as the repository for Centennial
QSO Party contacts -- also contributed to the delay. And a few operators
logged on paper; those logs were keyed into the system manually.
The deadline to submit logs for 2014 via LoTW was January 22, but
participants may apply for Centennial awards indefinitely, once the
application process is up and running. Operators do not have to use LoTW
to apply for Points Challenge certificates or W1AW WAS awards.
Qualifying for the Top Level Award requires 15,000 points. The Level 3
Award requires 7500 points, while the Level 2 and Level 1 awards require
3000 and 1000 points, respectively. Point totals will be printed on
certificates.
QSL cards for W1AW portable and W100AW operations are not yet back from
the printer. "We did not plan to have as many W1AW/p operators, which
contributed to the bonanza of Centennial QSO Party contacts," Fusaro
said. US stations that worked W1AW/p and W100AW during the Centennial
may use the Centennial QSO Party web page to request QSL cards via the
domestic Incoming QSL Service <http://www.arrl.org/incoming-qsl-service>.
Fusaro explained that this is a one-time only use of the QSL Bureau for
this purpose, and those who want to receive cards via the Bureau should
ensure that their accounts are sufficiently funded, because cards will
not be held. Cards destined for stations outside the US will be sent via
the QSL Bureau. Participants may also request cards directly, providing
one SASE for up to six cards per envelope.
W1AW/p and W100AW will not confirm every contact with traditional paper
QSL cards, but will verify QSOs for each mode and on most bands on a
single card for each weekly operation.
Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, Selected as 2014 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing
Award Winner
Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, of North Pole, Alaska, has been named as the winner
of the Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award for 2014. Nichols was
recognized for his article "Using Your Grid Dip Meter Oscillator
<http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/arrl/qst_201402/index.php#/42>," which
appeared in the February 2014 issue of /QST/. The Orr Award is bestowed
each year to the /QST/ author who writes an outstanding article or
series on new or existing technologies or on methods or means of amateur
communication. Articles must be written
*Eric Nichols, KL7AJ, at home in North Pole, Alaska.*
in an easy-to-understand style worthy of the Bill Orr "stamp of
approval," and they should encourage interest and expand the knowledge
and understanding of amateurs who may lack a strong technical background.
"Eric's article was chosen, because it did an outstanding job of
explaining how to use a device -- the grid dip oscillator -- that has
been somewhat forgotten by many amateurs," said Steve Ford, WB8IMY,
/QST/ Editor in Chief and ARRL Publications Manager. "Eric did an
excellent job of explaining why this device is still useful and how to
put it to use."
Licensed in 1972 as WN6TEE in California, Nichols is a former broadcast
engineer who now works at Eielson Air Force Base. He has written many
articles for various Amateur Radio publications over the past 30 years
and describes himself as "a fanatic homebrewer and CW freak." Nichols
also works as a consultant to the High Power Auroral Stimulation (HIPAS)
Observatory, operated by UCLA, and at the High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program (HAARP) facility. He is the author of /Radio Science
for the Radio Amateur/ (available
<http://www.arrl.org/shop/Radio-Science-for-the-Radio-Amateur> from
ARRL), /Plasma Dreams/, and /The Opus of Amateur Radio Knowledge and Lore/.
"It's certainly an honor to receive the William Orr Technical Writing
Award!" Nichols said. "Thanks for your vote of confidence!"
The /QST/ editorial staff serves as the selection panel and recommends
the winner from a review of the year's /QST/ articles to the ARRL
Foundation Board for final approval at its Annual Meeting. The award
comprises an engraved plaque and $250, to be presented at an ARRL
convention.
Established in 1973 by the ARRL, the ARRL Foundation
<http://www.arrl.org/the-arrl-foundation> is a separate IRS 501(c)(3)
organization that administers programs to support the Amateur Radio
community. The Foundation is funded entirely through the generosity of
radio amateurs and friends. ARRL Foundation programs for Amateur Radio
award scholarships for higher education, grants for Amateur Radio
projects, and special Amateur Radio program grants for The Victor C.
Clark Youth Incentive Program and The Jesse A. Bieberman Meritorious
Membership Program.
ARISS Selects 15 Possible ISS Amateur Radio Contact Hosts for 2015 Events
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS
<http://www.ariss.org>) has selected 15 semifinalists to host ham radio
contacts with ISS crew members during 2015. ARISS anticipates that NASA
will provide 12 scheduling opportunities for US hosts between May and
December. The 15 semifinalists, representing schools and educational
organizations as well as one event, now must submit acceptable equipment
plans that demonstrate their ability to carry out the Amateur Radio
event. Once the ARISS technical team approves an equipment plan, ARISS
will attempt to schedule schools or organizations as their availability
and flexibility match up with the opportunities offered by NASA. ARISS
does not expect to be able to schedule all 15 schools on the list of
semifinalists.
"This is a significant step in ARISS's continuing effort to engage young
people in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math activities and
raise their awareness of human spaceflight," an ARISS media release
said. "ARISS was encouraged by the high level of interest in the
education community, evidenced by the significant number of submitted
proposals and the quality of the submissions."
The 15 finalists are Bay View Elementary School, Burlington, Washington;
Corpus Christi Catholic School, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Daggett
Montessori School K-8, Fort Worth, Texas; Dearborn Public Schools,
Dearborn, Michigan; Grady High School Robotics Team, Atlanta, Georgia;
Kopernik Observatory & Science Center, Vestal, New York; Maconaquah
School Corporation, Bunker Hill, Indiana; Moon Day/Frontiers of Flight
Museum, Dallas, Texas; New Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, New
Mexico; Pima County 4H/Vail Vaqueros 4-H Club, Tucson, Arizona; Space
Jam 9, Rantoul, Illinois; Ste Genevieve du Bois Catholic Elementary
School, Warson Woods, Missouri; Tulsa Community College-NE Campus,
Tulsa, Oklahoma; United Space School, Seabrook, Texas, and West Michigan
Aviation Academy, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
/2016 ARISS Contact Proposal Window Opens February 15/
The next US ARISS contact proposal window will be open between February
15 and April 15. ARISS is seeking formal and informal educational
institutions and organizations, individually or working together, to
host an Amateur Radio contact with an ISS crew member between January 1
and June 30, 2016. Crew scheduling and ISS orbits determine the exact
contact dates.
ARISS is looking for organizations that have the potential to draw large
numbers of participants and can integrate the contact into a
well-developed educational plan.
*Students at Mill Springs Academy in Alpharetta, Georgia, queue up in
September 2013 to speak via Amateur Radio with astronaut Chris Cassidy,
KF5KDR, onboard the ISS. *
FM voice contacts with ISS crew members last about 10 minutes -- the
typical length of an orbital pass -- and allow students and educators to
interact with the astronauts in a question-and-answer format. ARISS
contacts afford an opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts and
cosmonauts what it is like to live and work in space and about ISS
research. Students will also have an opportunity to learn about
satellite communication, wireless technology, and radio science.
Because of the nature of human spaceflight and scheduling complexity,
schools and organizations must demonstrate flexibility to accommodate
changes in contact dates and times.
Amateur Radio organizations around the world, NASA, and space agencies
in Russia, Canada, Japan, and Europe sponsor this educational
opportunity by providing the equipment and operational support to enable
communication between ISS crew and students around the world via Amateur
Radio.
In the US, ARISS is managed by the ARRL and AMSAT, in partnership with
NASA. Details <http://www.arrl.org/hosting-an-ariss-contact> on
expectations, audience, proposal guidelines, and proposal form, and
dates and times of information sessions are on the ARRL website. E-mail
ARISS <mailto:ariss at arrl.org> with any questions.
K1N Navassa Island DXpedition Dominates HF Bands
The antennas are up, the gear deployed, and all 15 operators are on site
and in their chairs. The K1N Navassa Island <http://navassadx.com/>
operation, which came up on 40 and 80 meter CW in the middle of the
Super Bowl on February 2, is now a full-blown DXpedition, with stations
on the air on as many bands and modes as the team can muster. K1N hopes
to remain on the air until February 12. As might be expected with a
major DXpedition to the #2 (all modes) most-wanted
*This pileup for K1N extended some 15 kHz or more up the band. The blue
represents the overall pileup, while the green shows the stations
calling at the time the photo was taken. The red vertical line indicates
K1N's transmit frequency.
*
DXCC entity, the pileups have been spectacular. While there has been
some undesirable behavior and poor operating practice -- such as not
paying attention to the operator's instructions -- things have gone
fairly smoothly. For many US operators, it's been a matter of "so close,
yet so far away," as they plea to be heard from within the din.
"It has been /very windy/ and very hot...and very dirty," team member
Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, said in a post this week. "We have heavy rains
every evening, collected for washing, as we all feel very grubby."
Johnson said inclement weather plagued and delayed deployment, and
daytime temperatures have been in the 110° to 120° range. Upon arrival
the team reported seeing "rats as large as cats, scorpions, and black
widow spiders."
Initial log uploads to ClubLog <http://www.clublog.org/logsearch.php>
have been completed, and the log page on the K1N website
<http://69.89.25.185/%7Etrexsoft/t-rexsoftware.com/k1n/log.htm>
activated. The first uploads contain more than 22,000 contacts.
*The old Navassa Island Iighthouse is serving as a convenient antenna
support structure.*
Johnson said that everyone is in good spirits and healthy. "We have been
very pleased with pileup cooperation when working the difficult
JA/Asia/Oceania windows," he added. "We can hear a din of pileup
activity, and, at times, difficult-to-pull-out individual calls on these
long hauls."
The K1N RTTY operator has asked callers not to include any information
beyond a signal report when working the DXpedition on that mode.
Including anything more can slow down their QSO rate.
Team member Bob Allphin, K4UEE, said deliberate QRM was "at expected
levels," and he encouraged operators to fill out a Deliberate QRM (DQRM)
report to help isolate the locations of offenders. "There's a DQRM
<http://69.89.25.185/%7Etrexsoft/t-rexsoftware.com/k1n/dqrm.htm> button
on every page of our website," he said. "In addition, you can go
directly to www.dqrmreport.com <http://www.dqrmreport.com> and file there."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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RadioShack's Long, Slow Downward Slide Nears the End
The end is near for RadioShack <http://www.radioshack.com/>. It seems
inevitable that the once seemingly ubiquitous electronics and cell phone
retailer will liquidate its assets, after which RadioShack would cease
to exist. A number of legal steps would have to come first, including a
bankruptcy filing. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) de-listed
RadioShack on February 2, after the company failed to maintain a
required minimum value. BloombergBusiness has reported
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-02/radioshack-is-said-to-discuss-liquidation-as-part-of-sprint-deal>
that behind-the-scenes talks are under way to sell approximately half of
RadioShack's owned-and-operated stores to Sprint and shutter the
remaining outlets, although other scenarios involving other entities are
possible.
The nearly century-old Fort Worth, Texas, based retailer -- once a go-to
shop for electronic components and, at one point, even Amateur Radio and
shortwave receivers -- has lost 90 percent of its value over the past
year, despite efforts to refinance and modernize its stores. Before
being de-listed on February 2, RadioShack's stock was selling for just
24 cents a share.
The hedge fund Standard General LP loaned the retailer $535 million last
fall and would be the lead bidder in a bankruptcy filing and
debtor-in-possession financing, BloombergBusiness said.
RadioShack once offered entry-level short-wave receivers, Citizens Band
gear, a wide array of discrete components -- including transistors,
resistors, and capacitors -- and, for a time, a fairly popular 2 meter
hand-held transceiver and two different models of 10 meter single-band
transceivers, although it failed in its effort to develop and market a
VHF/UHF hand-held radio. Over the years, RadioShack has offered fewer
discrete components in its brick-and-mortar stores, moving that stock
and other products to its online outlet, as it shifted its marketing
focus to cell phones, consumer electronics, and various battery-operated
gadgets.
A year ago, after a dismal holiday showing, RadioShack announced plans
to close 1100 stores, including 900 company-owned outlets. Due to the
high costs involved with closing the stores, liquidating merchandise,
lease penalties, and severances, however, the company has been able to
shut down fewer than 200 outlets. RadioShack was reported to have about
$60 million in cash heading into the 2014 holiday season.
RadioShack has made no comment on the reports.
Amateur Radio Payloads Share Ride into Space with Soil Moisture
Monitoring Satellite
Four NASA Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNA-X
<http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/ELaNa-X-Factsheet-508%281%29.pdf>)
CubeSats carrying Amateur Radio payloads launched successfully January
31 from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. The primary
*A Delta 2 launcher lifts of on January 31 from Vandenberg AFB carrying
the SMAP satellite and four CubeSats with Amateur Radio payloads into
space. [NASA photo by Bob Ingalls]*
payload for the Delta II launcher was the Soil Moisture Active Passive
(SMAP <http://smap.jpl.nasa.gov/observatory/specifications/>) satellite.
The SMAP on-board radar will share Amateur Radio spectrum at 1.26 GHz.
Amateur Radio is secondary on the 23 centimeter band, which covers 1240
to 1300 MHz.
"This is a good example of a compatible sharing partner," ARRL CEO David
Sumner, K1ZZ, observed. "Any interference to amateur communication in
the band will be brief as the satellite passes overhead."
SMAP and the four CubeSats all deployed successfully. The research
CubeSats, launched on behalf of universities, will downlink their
telemetry on the 70 centimeter band. The CubeSats and their downlink
frequencies (modes) are:
Firebird II FU3
437.405 MHz (19k2 FSK)
Firebird I FU4
437.230 MHz (19k2 FSK)
GRIFEX <http://exploration.engin.umich.edu/blog/>
437.485 MHz (9k6 FSK)
ExoCube (CP-10) <http://polysat.calpoly.edu/launched-missions/cp10-exocube/>
437.270 MHz (9k6 FSK)
The GRIFEX satellite is a University of Michigan project, in cooperation
with JPL, while ExoCube (CP-10) is a space weather satellite developed
by the California Polytechnic State University-San Luis
*The ExoCube (CP10) CubeSat. [University of California-San Luis Obispo
photo]*
Obispo and the University of Wisconsin in partnership with NASA, and
sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The FIREBIRD
<https://directory.eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/f/firebird>
program is a collaborative CubeSat space weather mission of two CubeSats
designed and developed by Montana State University, the University of
New Hampshire, The Aerospace Corporation, and Los Alamos National
Laboratories -- the FIREBIRD consortium. The FIREBIRD mission is also
funded by the NSF.
SMAP carries a "synthetic aperture radar." The L band (1.26 GHz) radar
is designed to measure backscatter off the Earth's surface. The amount
of backscatter returned to the radar changes with the amount of moisture
in the soil. RF pulses at this frequency are less affected by weather or
by a moderate vegetation cover. The satellite is approximately 425 miles
up in a near-polar, sun-synchronous orbit. SMAP also includes a
radiometer operating at 1.41 GHz to measure naturally occurring RF
energy given off by Earth's surface.
Ham Among Devil's Brigade Members to Receive Medal
A 90-year-old California radio amateur -- Stan McEtchin, WB6KDZ, of
Paradise -- was among the surviving members of the First Special
Operations Force (FSSF), known as "The Devil's Brigade," to receive the
Congressional Gold Medal on February 3. The medal recognizes the unit's
extraordinary heroism and service during World War II.
*Stan McEtchin, WB6KDZ, is interviewed by KHSL ActionNewsNow. [KHSL
ActionNewsNow video image]*
"We used to go behind the lines at night and sit out there, and we could
hear the Germans talking," McEtchin told
<http://www.paradisepost.com/general-news/20130730/paradise-vets-wwii-group-honored-with-congressional-gold-medal>
/The Paradise Post/. "Our guy would write it down, so we would find out
where their guns were and that kind of thing."
Montana US Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus worked for 5 years to
honor the unit. "The Devil's Brigade represented the very best of our
Greatest Generation that defeated tyranny around the world," Tester
said. "The Medal is the highest honor Congress can bestow, and yet,
while a small token of this nation's gratitude, it is an everlasting
reminder of the sacrifices these men made for all of us." Remarked
Baucus, "Without these brave volunteers, there would be no Special
Forces today."
Based at Fort Harrison in Helena, Montana, the Devil's Brigade was a
top-secret combat unit comprising 1800 volunteers from 49 states, the
District of Columbia, Canada, and Australia. Their training was the
first of its kind, specializing in high alpine combat, covert amphibious
landings, parachuting, mountain climbing, among other tactics. By the
time the war ended, the Force had suffered 2314 casualties, equating to
an astounding 134 percent of its original combat strength. It had
captured more than 30,000 prisoners, won five US campaign stars and
eight Canadian battle honors. The Force never failed a mission.
"The people in this group were not ordinary people," McEtchin told /The
Paradise Post/. "That is the kind of people that they were, they would
just succeed at everything they did."
*Not ordinary people: Some members of "The Devil's Brigade" take a break
near Anzio, Italy, in 1943. [US Army Archive photo]*
The unit was instrumental in the liberation of Rome, surprising and
defeating massive German artillery units located on treacherous mountain
peaks and rocky islands, and in freeing communities in southern France
and Italy despite bitter resistance and extreme conditions. The Force
also engaged in large-scale raids against the infamous German Hermann
Goering First Panzer Paratroop Division. The unit paved the way for the
nation's modern elite Special Forces, of such highly trained units as
the Green Berets and the Navy SEALs. About 75 members of The Devil's
Brigade are believed to be still alive.
The Congressional Gold Medal is the nation's highest award for
distinguished achievement. Past recipients have included members of the
Tuskegee Airmen
<http://www.arrl.org/news/tuskegee-airman-and-congressional-gold-medal-recipient-george-mitchell-k6ze-sk>,
Gen. Douglas MacArthur, and Jimmy Doolittle's Tokyo Raiders. The
Canadian government recognized members of the Force in 2012.//The
presentation ceremony at Expedition Hall in Washington, DC, was
televised on C-SPAN and remains available on the C-SPAN
<http://www.c-span.org/> website. Also visit "Suicide Missions: The
Black Devils <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRbnuJJGmOU>" on YouTube.
McEtchin also recalled his World War II experiences in an interview
<http://www.actionnewsnow.com/news/90-year-old-paradise-vet-heading-to-dc-feb-3rd-for-congressional-gold-medal/>
on KHSL's ActionNewsNow. /-- Thanks to the Golden Empire Amateur Radio
Society (//GEARS/ <http://www.gearsw6rhc.org>/) /Radiator/, media
accounts///
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Past ARRL Dakota Division Director Howard Mark, K3HM, SK
Past ARRL Dakota Division Director Howard Mark, K3HM (ex-W0OZC), of
Burnsville, Minnesota, died on January 24. He was 81. An ARRL member,
Mark was licensed in 1957. He was appointed as ARRL Dakota Vice Director
in 1982 to fill a vacancy. He served in that post until 1986, when he
succeeded Tod Olson, K0TO, as Director after Olson was elected as ARRL
International Affairs Vice President. Mark stepped down as Director in
1993, when he moved out of the Division to Las Vegas, Nevada.
Howard Mark, K3HM.
"Howard had been failing the last week or two, and his passing still
comes with great sorrow to everyone," said Mike Sigelman, K0BUD, a good
friend. "Howard Mark was a highly intelligent person who set a fine
example of a great husband and family man and one very devoted to his
friends and to our hobby! I know he will be missed by all of us."
During his 17 years in Las Vegas, Mark was an active member of the Las
Vegas Radio Amateur Club (LVRAC) and held various club leadership roles.
Within the club he became known as "The Voice of Summerlin," after the
community where he lived. Mark served as the club's net control operator
for many years, and he regularly organized LVRAC's participation in such
public service activities as the Las Vegas Marathon, the Baker to Vegas
Challenge Cup Relay, and the American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure.
Survivors include his wife, Margi. The family will hold a private
memorial observance.
Nevada Section Manager Gary Grant, K7VY, SK
ARRL Nevada Section Manager Gary Grant, K7VY, of Reno, died February 1,
after a period of ill health. He was 78. Grant was a native of Glendale,
California, and was licensed in 1956.
During his more than 50 years of ARRL membership, Grant served in
several Field Organization positions, including Official Observer and OO
Coordinator, Volunteer Examiner, and Assistant Section Manager. Grant
was appointed Section Manager last year to complete the remaining term
of SM Joe Giraudo, N7JEH, who stepped down because of increased business
travel and who recommended Grant to succeed him. That term ends June 30.
*Gary Grant, K7VY. [Gino Calestini, KB7POU, video image]*
Grant had enjoyed an extensive career in broadcast engineering and
previously worked for Collins Radio in Iowa and California. In 1962, he
began work as a TV engineer for KCRL and KRNV in Reno, a job he
continued for 30 years before taking a position with the University of
Nevada-Reno. He retired from UNR in 2000, after 23 years of service.
Grant also once owned Sierra Electronics, a two-way radio company.
Grant had a reputation as a consummate Elmer. A new licensee, Gino
Calestini, KG7POU, said Grant was his Elmer. "Gary helped me in so many
ways," Calestini said, "I had this dream burning inside me to become a
ham and to help others. [Gary] handed me his card and he never stopped
being there for me." Calestini started his Amateur Radio Club
<http://amateurradioclub.net/> website and did his first live video
interview <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FG9s-2LrLk> with Grant
during the Reno hamfest last September, posting it on YouTube. Calestini
said Grant was "the definition of Elmer" who "deserves to be honored in
so many ways."
In addition to the ARRL, Grant was a member of the Quarter Century
Wireless Association and the University of Nevada-Reno Radio Pack.
Survivors include his wife, Elizabeth, and their two children.
The position of Nevada Section Manager will be filled by appointment.
/-- Thanks to John Bigley, K7UR/
Long-time ARRL Kansas Section Manager Robert M. "Bob" Summers, K0BXF, SK
Former ARRL Kansas Section Manager Bob Summers, K0BXF, of Kansas City,
Kansas, died on January 10. He was 86. Summers served as the Kansas
Section Manager for more than 30 years -- from
*Bob Summers, K0BXF.*
1965 until 1996. He subsequently served as the Kansas Section Emergency
Coordinator from 2003 to 2012, and he held Field Organization
appointments as an Official Relay Station and Official Bulletin Station.
A surveyor, Summers was the city street inspector for Kansas City,
Kansas, during his working years. In addition to his ARRL activities,
Summers volunteered as a Boy Scouts of America leader and with the
American Red Cross.
Summers also was involved in the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS)
program, enjoyed HF mobile operation and CW. In addition to the ARRL and
the QCWA, Summers was a member of the Jayhawk Amateur Radio Society.
Survivors include his wife, and a son and daughter.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Brief...
*School Club Roundup is February 9-13!* A reminder: The "Winter/Spring
Term" School Club Roundup <http://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup> gets
under way on Monday, February 9, at 1300 UTC, and continues through
Friday, February 13, at 2359 UTC. Stations may operate no more than 6
hours in any 24 hour period (up to a maximum of 24 hours). The
twice-yearly event is an opportunity for school club stations -- from
elementary school to college -- to get on the air for a friendly radio
activity. Non-school clubs and individuals are encouraged to participate
too. In the photo Deavana takes part in the 2012 School Club Roundup
from KF5CRF, the Viking Radio Club, at Eisenhower Middle School in
Lawton, Oklahoma.
*EP6T Team Hopes DXpedition will Boost Ham Radio in Iran*: Some 68,000
contacts later, the EP6T DXpedition operators are back home after
dealing with "extremely difficult circumstances" on Kish Island in Iran.
The sponsoring Rockall DX Group <http://www.rockall.be/> in Belgium said
it achieved its goal of promoting Amateur Radio in Iran and opening the
door for future operations from the rare DXCC entity by local amateurs
and DXpeditions. A top government telecommunications official has
assured the group that his agency will continue to support Amateur Radio
in Iran by creating license exams and establishing new clubs. The
Rockall DX Group provided an Amateur Radio training guide to Iran, which
is being translated into Farsi. QSL cards and a DXpedition video are in
process. /-- Thanks to /The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com>
*Hurricane Watch Net Stalwart Bob Botik, K5SIV, SK*: Hurricane Watch Net
(HWN <http://www.hwn.org>) veteran Bob Botik, K5SIV, of Austin, Texas,
died January 31, after a period of ill health. "Those who knew Bob
remember his commanding presence on air from his station in Austin, as
it was unique," said HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV. "His voice was
both calming and reassuring to anyone caught in an emergency situation."
Botik was among the key players in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in
1998, which hit Honduras. "He was there to assist bush pilots in getting
to and from their destinations," Graves recounted. Botik also was active
with the Maritime Mobile Service Net and was involved with several
at-sea rescues.
*AMSAT-NA 2015 Space Symposium and Annual Meeting Set for October in
Dayton:* The 2015 AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting will take
place October 16-18, at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Dayton, Ohio. The
Space Symposium will include presentations on amateur satellite
operating techniques and news from the amateur satellite world. The
AMSAT-NA Board of Directors will convene, and the meeting will be open
to AMSAT members. Additional information <http://www.amsat.org> will be
announced as it becomes available. /-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service /
*Deadline for Boston Marathon Ham Volunteers is February 10*: Volunteer
registration is open until February 10 for radio amateurs seeking to
volunteer during the Boston Marathon
<http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon.aspx> on Monday, April 20, and
the Boston Athletic Association 5K (BAA 5K
<http://www.baa.org/races/5k.aspx>) race that occurs April 18. The early
deadline is due both to the scale of the events and to security
concerns. Last year, more than 300 radio amateurs participated in Boston
Marathon support. Volunteers for both races should first register
<http://www.baa.org/races/boston-marathon/event-information/volunteer-information/volunteer-registration.aspx>
on the BAA website. Once you have a confirmation number, register and/or
log into the Marathon Amateur Radio Communications (Minuteman Repeater
Association) website and complete the registration form
<http://mmra.org/marc/access.html> to get a specific assignment. For
more information contact BAA Public Service Coordinator Brett Smith
<mailto:ab1rl at brettcsmith.org>, AB1RL.
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Getting It Right...
Several subscribers have reported that occasional photographs appearing
in /The ARRL Letter/ have displayed incorrectly oriented. Others -- most
often Gmail users -- have reported that headlines appear in the same
typeface as the articles, making it difficult to tell where articles
begin. These issues are related to the software used to view /The ARRL
Letter/. It appears that some software recognizes that a photo has been
rotated or that headlines are formatted in large red typeface, and some
does not, but other factors may be in play, and we are looking into this
problem further. The edition of /The ARRL Letter/ that appears on the
ARRL website should display photos and headlines correctly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update
Solar activity rose over the past week, with average daily sunspot
numbers rising from 89.1 to 139 in the 7 days ending February 4.
Average daily solar flux rose from 136.8 to 151.1. This is the second
week in a row in which we saw higher sunspot numbers and solar flux than
in the previous 7 days.
Twice over the past week the daily solar flux numbers had to be adjusted
downward, due to overloading of the receiver at Penticton, the Canadian
observatory which provides those readings. On January 29 the reading was
171.8. This was revised downward to an estimated 165, and again on
February 4, when 154.4 was lowered to 145.
A new sunspot appeared on January 29, two more showed up on February 2,
and another one on February 4. The average daily sunspot number for
January was 101.3.
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.
For Friday's bulletin, expect an updated forecast for the near term and
reports from readers, plus an updated moving average of daily sunspot
numbers. Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me /your/ reports and observations.
/-- Tad Cook, K7RA/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
February 6 -- NS Weekly Sprint (CW)
*
February 6 -- YL-OM Contest (SSB, CW, Digital)
*
February 6-8 -- Triathlon DX Contest (SSB, CW, Digital)
*
February 7 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
*
February 7 -- FYBO Winter QRP Field Day (SSB, CW)
*
February 7 -- Minnesota QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
*
February 7 -- Straight Key Party
*
February 7-8 -- Vermont QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
*
February 7-8 -- YLISSB QSO Party
*
February 7-8 -- Ten-Ten Winter Phone QSO Party
*
February 7-8 -- Black Sea Cup International (SSB, CW)
*
February 7-8 -- British Columbia QSO Party (SSB, CW, Digital)
*
February 7-8 -- XE International RTTY Contest
*
February 7-8 -- AM QSO Party
*
*February 8 -- **North American Sprint (CW)* <http://ncjweb.com>
*
February 8-9 -- Classic Exchange (Phone)
*
February 8 -- Milwaukee FM Simplex Contest
*
*February 9-13 -- **School Club Roundup*
<http://www.arrl.org/school-club-roundup>*(SSB, FM, CW)*
*
February 11 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
more information.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
*
February 7 -- Virginia State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/virginia-state-convention-richmond-frostfest-1>,
Richmond, Virginia
*
February 7 -- South Carolina State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/south-carolina-state-convention-charleston-hamfest>,
North Charleston, South Carolina
*
February 13-15 -- Southeastern Division Convention
<http://hamcation.com/>, Orlando, Florida
*
February 20-21 -- Arizona Section Convention
<http://www.yumahamfest.org/>, Yuma, Arizona
*
February 28 -- New Mexico Techfest Convention
<http://www.rmham.org/wordpress/new-mexico-techfest>, Albuquerque,
New Mexico
*
February 28 -- Vermont State Convention
<http://www.ranv.org/hamcon.html>, S Burlington, Vermont
*
March 7 -- Santa Clara Valley Section Convention
<http://www.radiofest.org/>, Del Rey Oaks, California
*
March 13-14 -- North Carolina Section Convention
<http://www.charlottehamfest.org/>, Concord, North Carolina
*
March 14 -- West Texas Section Convention
<http://hamfest.w5qgg.org/>, Midland, Texas
*
March 20-21 -- Louisiana State Convention <http://w5ddl.org/>,
Rayne, Louisiana
*
March 21 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference
<http://www.microhams.com/mhdc>, Redmond, Washington
*
March 21 -- Nebraska State Convention <http://lincolnhamfest.org/>,
Lincoln, Nebraska
*
March 21 -- Southern Florida Section Convention
<http://www.stuarthamfest.com/>, Stuart, Florida
*
March 28 -- Texas State Convention <http://www.houstonhamfest.org/>,
Rosenberg, Texas
*
April 4 -- West Central Florida Technical Conference
<http://www.arrlwcf.org/>, Sebring, Florida
*
April 4 -- North Carolina State Convention
<http://www.rars.org/rarsfest>, Raleigh, North Carolina
*
April 11-12 -- Communications Academy <http://www.commacademy.org/>,
Seattle, Washington
*
April 17-19 -- International DX Convention
<http://dxconvention.com/>, Visalia, California
*
April 25 -- Aurora Conference <http://www.nlrs.org/>, White Bear
Lake, Minnesota
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.*
*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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