[SFDXA] A Message from Jeff

[Bill]

Greetings to all,


Hope you are enjoying our cooler temperatures here in SFL. A little too
cool for our neighbors up north, however. Record frigid temps, snow,
sleet and freezing rain necessitated the callout of various ARES groups
in their affected areas. As has been mentioned before, ARES members need
to train and be prepared to deal with any situation that comes our way.
Those of you who are not ARES members, please consider joining your
local group as there is a place for all regardless of your time
commitment, experience and ability to deploy.

Look forward to seeing you at these SFL activities during the month of
March:

03/14/2015 | Palm Beach County Hamfest
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
Type: ARRL Hamfest
Sponsor: Palms West Amateur Radio Club
Website: http://www.palmbeachradiofest.com/
  

03/21/2015 | Southern Florida Section Convention (Stuart Hamfest -
Martin County)
Location: Stuart, FL
Type: ARRL Convention
Sponsor: Martin County Amateur Radio Association
Website: http://www.stuarthamfest.com


3/28/15     Boca Raton ARA Clubhouse Open House
                     10875 W Atlantic Ave.,  Delray Beach @ 10 AM
Website:     WWW.BRARA.ORG




Near as I could tell, everyone had a grand time at the Orlando
Hamcation last month. The hamfest hosted the ARRL Southeastern Division
Convention as well. Our Section was well represented and I had the
opportunity to chat with many of you at the ARRL booth, the forums and
the flea markets. Kudos to the Orlando ARC and their hamfest committee
for another great show !

During the Orlando Hamcation,  Florida Section leadership officials
took the opportunity to meet and discuss ARES mutual aid as well as
other issues with the Amateur Radio leaders from the Florida Division
of Emergency Management. NFL SM Steve Szabo,  WB4OMM, SFL SM Jeff
Beals,  WA4AW,
WCF SM Darrell Davis, KT4WX, SFL SEC Larry Zimmer, W4LWZ  and WCF SEC
Ben Henley, KI4IGX  met with Florida Division of Emergency
Management Communications Branch Director Phil Royce,
KE4PWE and ESF 2 Communicator Bob Little KK4OAI. This was a very
productive meeting and all agreed to continue to meet on a regular
basis.

  Those of you from Palm Beach County may recognize the name of Phil
Royce, who lived in West Palm Beach for many years and was very active
with the clubs and ARES. Congratulations to Phil in his new position
with the Florida DEM.


Congratulations to the members of the Indian River ARC, serving central
Brevard County, who are celebrating 60 years of ARRL affiliation this
month. An official presentation will occur at an upcoming meeting of
the club.

Please let me know about any events that your club or ARES group are
sponsoring such as picnics, free fleas, operating events, etc. as they
can be added to this newsletter to better keep the members of SFL
informed of your activity.




Nominations Sought for 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the
Year Award

Amateur Radio Newsline is seeking nominations for its 2015 Young Ham of
the Year (YOTY) Award. To be considered, a nominee must have used
Amateur Radio in some way that has benefited his or her community or
encouraged technological development directly or indirectly related to
communications.
Nominees must be no older than 19 and reside in the United States,
Canada, or Puerto Rico. The individual must also hold a currently valid
US or Canadian Amateur Radio license.
Candidates considered for the Young Ham of the Year Award will be
judged on their overall accomplishments and contributions —
especially in terms of public service activities or experimentation in
the areas of science, technology, or electronic communication — that
may be of an outstanding nature. The decision of the judging committee
is final.

The deadline to submit an application is May 30, 2015. An application
form also is available by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to
2015 Young Ham of the Year Award, c/o Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197
Robin Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91350. Basic information on required
documentation and how to file are included on the nominating form.

Presentation of the 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year
Award will take place at the Huntsville Hamfest, August 15-16, in
Huntsville Alabama. — Thanks to Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF/Amateur Radio
Newsline


ARRL Seeks Member Input on Draft HF Band Plan Proposals

The ARRL is asking members to comment by April 19 on possible changes
to the League’s HF Band Plans suggested by the HF Band Planning
Committee. The survey is part of the committee’s efforts to tweak the
band plans for the RTTY/data/CW portions of 80 through 10 meters —
excepting 60 meters. The committee developed its suggested revisions to
the voluntary band plans after reviewing some 400 member comments in
response to a March 2014 solicitation that sought suggestions for using
the spectrum more efficiently so that data modes may coexist
compatibly.

“The committee concluded that most of the concerns voiced by members
could be addressed by modest adjustments to the existing band plans,
and mainly by confining data modes with bandwidths greater than 500 Hz
to the FCC-designated segments for automatically controlled digital
stations (ACDS) and to parts of the RTTY/data subbands above those
segments,” ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ said. His article detailing
the committee’s suggestions will appear in the April edition of QST.

The proposed changes differentiate among ACDS, narrow RTTY/data modes
having a bandwidth no greater than 500 Hz, and wider data modes having
a bandwidth up to 2700 Hz.
Band by Band Draft Recommendations
The committee suggests several modifications to the 80 meter band plan.
FCC action in 2006 reduced the 80 meter RTTY/data subband to 100 kHz and
limited access to the 3600-3700 kHz segment to Amateur Extra class
licensees. “Unless and until the FCC Rules are modified, changes in
the band plan for 3500-3600 kHz will not improve the situation,”
Sumner said.
The HF Band Planning Committee recommends that the League petition the
FCC to move the boundary between the 80 meter RTTY/data band and the 75
meter phone/image band from 3600 to 3650 kHz and restoring that segment
to General and Advanced class licensees. Members are asked to comment
on this proposal, as well as on whether or not the ARRL should petition
the FCC for these other changes:

•	Shift the ACDS band segment from 3585-3600 to 3600-3615 kHz,
consistent with the
IARU Region 1 and 2 band plans.
•	Extend the current Novice/Technician CW segment of 3525-3600 kHz to
3650 kHz.
•	Add 80 meter RTTY/data privileges for Novices and Technicians.

On 40 meters, the committee concluded that it would be unrealistic to
try to bring the ARRL band plan into alignment with the rest of the
world, particularly with Regions 1 and 3 where operating patterns
developed when the entire band, including phone, was just 100 kHz wide
and is still only 200 kHz. While 7040 kHz is a recognized RTTY/data DX
frequency in the band plan, the best place for other RTTY/data activity
in the US is above 7070 kHz.
The committee proposes aligning the band plan with the “Considerate
Operator’s Frequency Guide,” with wide data modes — outside of
ACDS — at 7115-7125 kHz. The “Guide” shows 7070-7125 kHz for
RTTY/data, while the ARRL band plan shows 7080-7125 kHz. The FCC
mandates that ACDS be confined to the 7100-7105 kHz segment.

On 30 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data modes to
10.140-10.150 MHz, separated from other RTTY/data at 10.130-10.140
MHz.
On 20 meters, the committee recommends using the 1 kHz IARU/NCDXF
beacon network frequency (14.0995-14.1005 MHz) as a line in the sand
between wide ACDS in the 14.1005-14.112 MHz segment, and narrow ACDS in
the 14.095-14.0995 MHz segment.
The committee recommends 14.070-14.095 MHz for RTTY and narrowband
data, noting that so-called “weak-signal” data modes often are used
between 14.070 and 14.078 MHz.

On 17 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data modes to the
FCC-mandated ACDS segment of 18.105-18.110 MHz, separated from narrow
RTTY/data at 18.100-18.105 MHz. FCC rules do not permit RTTY/data above
18.110 MHz, limiting options for this band.
On 15 meters, the committee recommends that 21.070-21.090 MHz for
narrow RTTY/data modes, the FCC-mandated ACDS segment of 21.090-21.100
MHz for both narrow and wide automatically controlled data station
activity, and above 21.100 MHz for any additional wide data activity.
The ARRL Board also wants members to comment on the desirability of
adding RTTY/data privileges for Novices and Technicians in their
existing 15 meter segment, where they’re now limited to CW.

On 12 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data to the
FCC-mandated ACDS segment, 24.925-24.930 MHz, separated from narrow
RTTY/data operation at 24.920-24.925 MHz. FCC rules do not permit
RTTY/data operation above 24.930 MHz, limiting options for this band.
On 10 meters, the committee recommends that wide data be confined to
the FCC-mandated ACDS segment, 28.120-28.189 MHz, separated from narrow
RTTY/data modes at 28.070-28.120 MHz.

How to Comment

The League has set up a web page to record members’ preferences and
comments. Those wishing to offer more detailed comments may e-mail
ARRL. The comment deadline is April 19. The HF Band Planning Committee
will deliver its final report at the ARRL Board of Directors’ July
meeting.



FCC “Paperless” Amateur Radio License Policy Now in Effect

Starting today, February 17, the FCC no longer routinely issues paper
license documents to Amateur Radio applicants and licensees. The
Commission maintains that the official Amateur Radio license
authorization is the electronic record that exists in its Universal
Licensing System (ULS), although the FCC had routinely continued to
print and mail hard copy licenses until this week.
In mid-December, the FCC adopted final procedures to provide access to
official electronic authorizations, as it had proposed in WT Docket
14-161 as part of its “process reform” initiatives. Under the new
procedures, licensees will access their current official authorization
(“Active” status only) via the ULS License Manager. The FCC will
continue to provide paper license documents to all licensees who notify
the Commission that they prefer to receive one. Licensees will also be
able to print out an official authorization — as well as an
unofficial “reference copy” — from the ULS License Manager.

“We find this electronic process will improve efficiency by
simplifying access to official authorizations in ULS, shortening the
time period between grant of an application and access to the official
authorization, and reducing regulatory costs,” the FCC Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) said. According to the WTB, the new
procedures will save at least $304,000 a year, including staff
expenses.
  The ULS License Manager now permits licensees to change the default
setting so that the Bureau will print and mail a license document.



ARRL Field Day 2015 Field Day Packet Now Online

The complete 2015 ARRL Field Day packet is now online. There are no
rule changes for 2015. Field Day 2015 takes place June 27-28.
“Following a successful Centennial QSO Party with on-the-air activity
at an all-time high, we are very excited for this year’s event and
hope that individuals and clubs will carry their enthusiasm over to
Field Day,” said ARRL Contest Branch Manager Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW.
ARRL Field Day is the most popular on-the-air event held annually in
the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend of June, more than 35,000
radio amateurs gather with their clubs, groups or simply with friends
to operate from remote locations.
Participants are encouraged to register their Field Day operations
using the FD Site Locator. Field Day gear will be available by March
1.
If you have questions about Field Day, e-mail, or call 860-594-0232.



SEC Report for January from Larry, W4LWZ


Total number of ARES members: 298

Change since last month (+, -, same): +2

Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 10

Number of ARES nets active: 8

Number of nets with NTS liaison: 6

  DECs/ECs reporting:  9

Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 46

Person hours: 339.85

Number of public service events this month: 4

Person hours: 93

Number of emergency operations this month: 0

Person Hours: 0

Total number of ARES operations this month: 50

Total Person hours: 432.85





STM Report for January from Mike, KM2V


SAR - JANUARY 2015 CALL TOTAL

WA4BAM 138  W9GPI 009  K9GZT 009  KK4KAH 009  K4KFF 038  W4LWZ 010
KA3PYO 004  KD8SYP 025  NT4TS 009  KM2V 039  W4ZE 022

PSHR - JANUARY 2015 Callsign Total

WA4BAM 100  KE4CB 160  KM2V 123

NETS - JANUARY 2015 NET ABB. QNI QTC QND SESS MGR

All Florida CW Traffic Net QFN 364 91 544 31 WA4BAM
Florida Medium Speed Net FMSN 272 70 553 31 AG4RJ/AB4XK
Southeast Florida Traffic Net SEFTN 748 50 1160 31 KM2V
Southwest Florida Traffic Net SWFTN 485 105 1425 31 KE4CB/N9WS
Broward County Emer Prep Net BCEPN 36 4 86 4 K2MOL
Jupiter-Tequesta Repeater Group W4JUP 20 0 80 8 K4VMS
Jupiter Farms CERT JFCERT 16 0 40 4 AG4BV
Palm Beach District ARES North PBDAN 32 0 100 8 KB2BX



Silent Keys- It is with deep regret that we report the passing of the
following SFL members:

Stanley R. “Stan” Cyrway, KG4UBG of Margate.  Stan was a member of
the Gold Coast ARA and a member of their ARRL VE team and a regular at
the weekly Saturday club breakfast.

Cletus W. Pirtle, Sr., KG4KYD of Royal Palm Beach. Cletus was an active
member of the Wellington RC.



Well, I guess that’s about it for now. My thanks for all that you do
for Amateur Radio. Get on the air, Elmer a new ham, support your local
club and ARES group but most of all, have fun with ham radio.

Vy 73,

Jeff, WA4AW

--------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL Southern Florida Section
Section Manager: Jeff Beals, WA4AW
wa4aw at arrl.org