[SFDXA] The ARRL Letter for October 6, 2016
Bill
bmarx at bellsouth.net
Fri Oct 7 10:31:12 EDT 2016
Preview
If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-10-06
The ARRL Letter
October 6, 2016
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=2016-10-06&t=t>
* Statewide ARES Activation Declared in Florida for Hurricane Matthew
<#toc01>
* ARRL Gauging Impact of Revised California Distracted Driving Law
<#toc02>
* ARRL to be Represented at IARU Region 2 Conference, Emergency
Communications Workshop <#toc03>
* The Doctor Will See You Now! <#toc04>
* National Parks on the Air Update <#toc05>
* LoTW Password Checking Change Causes Problems for Some Users <#toc06>
* Sarratt and Tiritilli Declared Elected in ARRL Southeastern Division
<#toc07>
* Interim Section Manager Appointed in Eastern Pennsylvania <#toc08>
* "Overview of Army and Air Force MARS" Webinar Set for October 25
<#toc09>
* New England Forum to Demystify Tax-Exempt Status for Ham Radio Clubs
<#toc10>
* AO-7 Still Going Strong after Almost 42 Years in Space <#toc11>
* Shore Station KPH Call Sign to Return to the Airwaves on October 8
<#toc12>
* The K7RA Solar Update <#toc13>
* Just Ahead in Radiosport <#toc14>
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions <#toc15>
Statewide ARES Activation Declared in Florida for Hurricane Matthew
The entire State of Florida was placed under an Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) Level 1 -- or full -- activation on October 6, as
Hurricane Matthew headed for landfall in the US. The category 4 storm
has already caused more than 100 deaths, most of them in Haiti, as it
moved northward through the Caribbean. The Northern Florida ARES Net was
called up on 3950 or 7252 kHz -- depending upon propagation -- and will
remain operational for the duration of the threat.
"This net is for /life safety communications/," ARRL Northern Florida
Section Manager Steve Szabo, WB4OMM, stressed. "This net is /not/ for
collecting weather data, idle conversations, or 'chit chat.'" The
Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARnet <http://www.sarnetfl.com/>) also
has been activated for statewide use for life safety communications,
continuing until terminated. SARnet is a network of linked UHF repeaters
serving Florida.
"Hurricane Matthew relentlessly pounding the Bahamas...potentially
disastrous impacts for Florida," is how the National Hurricane Center
(NHC <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/>) in Miami characterized the storm,
which, at 1800 UTC, was about 65 miles south-southeast of Nassau, the
Bahamas, and 125 miles east-southeast of West Palm Beach, Florida.
Matthew has maximum sustained winds of 140 MPH and is moving northwest
at 14 MPH.
The NHC has predicted that Hurricane Matthew is expected to first reach
hurricane warning areas in Florida by late today and will spread
northward within the warning area through Friday. Tropical storm
conditions are first expected in Florida within the next several hours.
Hurricane conditions are possible in the hurricane watch area in
northeast Georgia and South Carolina by early Saturday, with tropical
storm conditions possible on Friday night.
More than 3,000 Florida residents already had evacuated to shelters by
October 6, according to FEMA <https://www.fema.gov/>. Florida Gov Rick
Scott said residents should prepare for a direct hit on the state. "This
is serious," he said. "Don't take a chance."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more information on hurricane preparedness, visit
<https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes>the Ready.gov website or read
<http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340160_Hurricane.pdf>the
American Red Cross "Hurricane Safety Checklist."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ARRL Headquarters Emergency Response Team met on October 5. "We will
be placing W1AW into emergency standby starting Friday morning, October
7, following the 8 AM ET bulletin," said ARRL Emergency Preparedness
Manager Mike Corey, KI1U. "We will have W1AW staffed and ready to go on
the air through late Friday night and on Saturday morning through
evening. Saturday evening we will reassess the need to keep W1AW staffed
over the weekend." Corey said that W1AW would monitor the Hurricane
Watch Net (HWN <http://www.hwn.org>), the SATERN <http://www.satern.org>
Net, and the VoIP Hurricane Net <http://www.voipwx.net/>. ARRL has been
in touch with Field Organization volunteers in the US Virgin Islands and
along the US Eastern Seaboard and will respond as needed.
<http://hwn.org/data/nhcat4.html>
*The projected track of Hurricane Matthew as of 1200 UTC on October 6.
Click the image for expanded and updated storm graphics. [NOAA graphic]*
Hurricane Matthew information updates will be posted to the ARRL website
<http://www.arrl.org>.
National SATERN Liaison Bill Feist, WB8BZH, reported on October 5 that
Haiti was hit hard by Hurricane Matthew, and Jean-Robert Gaillard,
HH2JR, in Port au Prince told SATERN that southern Haiti was "in bad
shape." SATERN will remain active at a DELTA II (extended monitoring)
status on 14.265 MHz at least through Friday, October 7.
Cuban radio amateurs were reported active in the eastern provinces of
that island nation, with operation on 2, 40, and 80 meters. IARU Region
2, Area C Emergency Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, reported that HF
radio equipment was dispersed throughout eastern Cuba in advance of the
storm.
Poor propagation has hampered emergency communication on HF bands.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
All radio amateurs are asked to avoid transmitting on or near any
emergency net frequencies
<http://www.arrl.org/news/frequencies-in-use-in-conjunction-with-hurricane-matthew-response>.
In addition, stations should not check into any emergency or weather
information net unless they have something to contribute.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Hurricane Watch Net has been active all week on 14.325 and 7.268
MHz, gathering real-time "ground truth" weather data and storm-related
information from affected areas. The net relays the information it
compiles to forecasters via WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center.
The VoIP Hurricane Net <http://www.voipwx.net/> is supporting the NHC on
the WX-Talk Conference, Node #7203 on /Echolink/ and IRLP Reflector
9219. IRLP Reflector 9553 is the backup. (Due to the limited number of
routes to the /Echolink/ node for mobile devices, monitor WX-Talk on a
desktop computer if possible.)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has announced it may use
several 60 meter frequencies for interoperability with other authorized
stations, federal government stations, and Amateur Radio stations during
the Hurricane Matthew response. It is requested that all stations stay
clear of these frequencies unless they have emergency traffic relative
to Hurricane Matthew. The Amateur Radio Service has secondary status on
60 meters.
The suppressed-carrier frequencies (dial frequencies) are 5330.5 kHz,
5346.5 kHz, 5357.0 kHz, 5371.5 kHz, and 5403.5 kHz (USB).
FEMA Region 4 in Atlanta (Southeastern US) will be using the Amateur
Radio call sign KF4EMA to allow FEMA-licensed amateurs to provide
situational awareness on various Amateur Radio nets within Region 4
relative to the Hurricane Matthew response. /-- Thanks to Mike Corey,
KI1U, Bill Feist, WB8BZH, National SATERN Liaison, and Dave Adsit,
KG4BIR, FEMA Spectrum Manager/
ARRL Gauging Impact of Revised California Distracted Driving Law
California has upped its game in cracking down on distracted driving,
and radio amateurs there are concerned that a recent revision to the
state's Motor Vehicle Code could affect Amateur Radio mobile operation.
The old law, which included an Amateur Radio exemption, already
prohibited motorists from using electronic wireless communication
devices to write, send, or read a text-based communication while in
motion, unless the device was configured for voice-operated and
hands-free operation. The revised law does not exempt Amateur Radio.
Assembly Bill 1785
<http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1785>,
signed into law on September 26 by Governor Jerry Brown, prohibits a
motorist from driving "while holding and operating" a handheld wireless
telephone or a wireless electronic communication device, as defined by
the code. But it authorizes a driver to operate such devices mounted on
a vehicle's windshield like a GPS or on the dashboard or center console
"in a manner that does not hinder the driver's view of the road," if the
driver can activate or deactivate a feature or function "with the motion
of a single swipe or tap of the finger."
The language defining devices covered by the law does not accurately
specify what activity is prohibited, leaving its application subject to
misinterpretation by individual law enforcement officers, but it does
not specifically proscribe use of mobile Amateur Radio equipment for
voice communication. The list of covered devices includes, but is not
limited to, "a broadband personal communication device, a specialized
mobile radio device, a handheld device or laptop computer with mobile
data access, a pager, or a two-way messaging device." A first offense
would incur a $20 base fine and $50 for subsequent offenses.
Initial wording of the legislation was not considered to be a threat to
Amateur Radio operation, but the measure's language changed
substantially as it worked its way through the California General Assembly.
ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, said there are two principal
ways to protect Amateur Radio in this type of legislation. "One is by
sufficiently narrowly defining prohibited activity so as to exclude
Amateur Radio," he said. "The other is to create specific exemptions
where the definitions are confusing. This new statute is an example of
bad legislative draftsmanship. It creates a motor vehicle law with
citations issued for certain activity that includes the words 'but is
not limited to' in the language defining the violation."
In addition to scrutinizing the language of the revision, ARRL will be
consulting with Field Organization officials in California to determine
its next steps.
ARRL to be Represented at IARU Region 2 Conference, Emergency
Communications Workshop
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, will head a contingent of League
representatives at the 19th International Amateur Radio Union Region 2
(IARU-R2 <http://www.iaru.org/region-2.html>) General Assembly in Viña
del Mar, Chile. The conference, hosted by the Radio Club of Chile, gets
under way on October 10 and continues through October 14. An emergency
communications workshop will be held on October 11 in conjunction with
the IARU event. Attending on behalf of ARRL, in addition to President
Roderick, will be Technical Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA;
ARRL Second Vice President Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, and Emergency
Communications Manager Mike Corey, KI1U. ARRL International Affairs Vice
President Jay Bellows, K0QB, also will attend in his role as IARU Region
2 Area B Director.
The IARU Region 2 Band Plan <http://www.iaru-r2.org/band-plan/> and
other Amateur Radio spectrum issues will be on the agenda at this
month's meeting. The ARRL and other IARU member societies in the
Americas sought comments and suggestions earlier this year from their
respective Amateur Radio communities regarding the Region 2 HF Band
Plan. At its July meeting, the ARRL Board of Directors adopted
recommendations of the ARRL HF Band Planning Committee, for ARRL to
present at the conference for possible inclusion in the Region 2 band
plan. These include:
* Changing references to the 660-meter band to 630 meters, to more
accurately describe the wavelength of the spectrum actually
allocated for Amateur Radio use.
* Updating the 160-meter band plan to acknowledge AM operations
commonly encountered within the band.
* Adding an exception to the band plan to specify that, in the event a
60-meter Amateur Radio allocation is added to the band plan, upper
sideband (USB) is permissible.
Mexico's IARU member society FMRE <http://www.fmre.org.mx/> plans to ask
the Region 2 General Assembly to request that CITEL
<https://www.citel.oas.org/> and the International Telecommunication
Union (ITU <http://www.itu.int/>) assist FMRE in its efforts to convince
the Mexican government to allow foreign amateurs to operate in Mexico.
Conference delegates also will elect IARU Region 2 officers and directors.
At the Emergency Communications Workshop on October 11, IARU Region 2
emergency coordinators and other national-level Amateur Radio emergency
communications experts will gather to share information and discuss how
to increase the capacity for amateurs in Region 2 to respond to
large-scale, multinational communication emergencies. The conference
also will offer an opportunity for national-level Amateur Radio
emergency communications leaders to network and increase the level of
cooperation and collaboration within Region 2.
Special event station XR2IARU will be on the air from the Hotel
O'Higgins, the conference venue.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2016-10-06&p=0>
The Doctor Will See You Now!
"Bits vs. Baud" is the topic of the latest (October 6) episode of the
"ARRL The Doctor is In <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>" podcast.
Listen...and learn!
Sponsored by DX Engineering <http://www.dxengineering.com/>, "ARRL The
Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical.
Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever
you like!
Every 2 weeks, your host, /QST/ Editor in Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor at arrl.org
<mailto:doctor at arrl.org>, and the Doctor may answer them in a future
podcast.
Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/arrl-the-doctor-is-in/id1096749595?mt=2>,
or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The
Doctor is In"). You can also listen online at Blubrry
<https://www.blubrry.com/arrl_the_doctor_is_in/>, or at Stitcher
<https://www.stitcher.com/> (free registration required, or browse the
site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or
Android devices.
If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's
guide <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>. Just ahead on October 20, "HF Mobile
Antennas."
National Parks on the Air Update
ARRL's National Parks on the Air (NPOTA <https://npota.arrl.org/>)
program remains on track to break 800,000 contacts from eligible NPS
units before the end of the year! Some 1,200 Activators have made just
over 700,000 contacts from nearly 460 of the 489 NPOTA units. With just
under 3 months to go, there is still time for you to get in on the NPOTA
hunt or to plan your own activation! The NPOTA <https://npota.arrl.org/>
page on the ARRL website has all the information you need to get started.
There are 30 activations scheduled between October 6 and 12, including
the Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site in Arizona and the first
activation of Coral Reef National Monument in the US Virgin Islands.
Details <https://npota.arrl.org/nps-events.php> about these and other
upcoming activations can be found on the NPOTA Activations calendar.
Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook
<https://www.facebook.com/groups/NPOTA/>. Follow NPOTA on Twitter
<http://www.twitter.com/> (@ARRL_NPOTA).
LoTW Password Checking Change Causes Problems for Some Users
An upgrade to the password checking mechanism that authenticates Logbook
of The World (LoTW <http://www.arrl.org/logbook-of-the-world>) users has
caused log-in problems for some clients. Under the system in place prior
to approximately 2300 UTC on September 19, the LoTW log-in system
ignored the case of any characters in a password when checking for a
match, storing them all as lowercase. The new system is case-sensitive,
however. While passwords once were randomly generated, the ARRL IT staff
recently implemented a new LoTW password mechanism that lets users
choose their own passwords. Under this new system, when users first log
in, their passwords are encrypted.
Some users attempting to log in with mixed-case passwords were rejected,
however, because the system had stored their passwords as all lowercase.
A subsequent modification allows the system to accept a user's
mixed-case password and changes the stored password to the user's
mixed-case specification. The issue also can present problems for
applications, such as logging programs, that employ a user's credentials
to access a LoTW account.
Users who encounter trouble logging in to LoTW are being asked to enter
their passwords in all lowercase. If that doesn't work, contact
<mailto:lotw-help at arrl.org> the LoTW Help Desk or explore other methods
<https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/Getting%20Help> available for LoTW.
Any LoTW users who logged in before this modification was made -- at
around 2300 UTC on September 19 -- had their passwords stored in
lowercase, no matter which case they used in entering them. These
passwords now must be entered as lowercase. Users who have changed to a
new password with mixed-case letters must continue to enter their
passwords in mixed-case letters.
ARRL apologizes for underestimating the extent of the problems that
would be caused by the lack of password case-sensitivity in the previous
LoTW authentication mechanism.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2016-10-06&p=1>
Sarratt and Tiritilli Declared Elected in ARRL Southeastern Division
Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, has been declared elected as Director of the ARRL
Southeastern Division, to take office at noon Eastern Time on January 1,
2017.
Joe Tiritilli, N4ZUW, is also declared elected as Vice Director in the
Southeastern Division. He has been appointed by ARRL President Rick
Roderick, K5UR, to fill the vacant Southeastern Vice Director chair,
effective immediately.
Interim Section Manager Appointed in Eastern Pennsylvania
Bob Wiseman, WB3W, of Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, has been appointed as
the Interim Section Manager for the ARRL Eastern Pennsylvania Section.
He is fulfilling the current term of office that was declared vacant by
the ARRL Executive Committee of the ARRL Board of Directors this past
June. Wiseman's interim appointment continues through March 31, 2018.
According to the Rules and Regulations of the ARRL Field Organization,
when a vacancy occurs between Section Manager elections, the position
shall be filled by appointment by the ARRL Field Services and Radiosport
Manager in consultation with the respective ARRL Division Director. In
this case, Dave Patton, NN1N, Field Services and Radiosport Manager,
consulted with Tom Abernethy, W3TOM, Atlantic Division Director, before
making the appointment, which is effective October 5.
Wiseman brings to the helm of the Eastern Pennsylvania Section his past
experience as Section Emergency Coordinator, District Emergency
Coordinator, and Official Emergency Station.
"Overview of Army and Air Force MARS" Webinar Set for October 25
Registration
<https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4300481724544982273> is open
for the webinar "Overview of Army and Air Force MARS," October 25 at 8
PM ET (0000 UTC on October 26).
US Air Force MARS Chief Dave Stapchuk, KD9DXM, will discuss the history
of the Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) program and membership
requirements for Amateur Radio operators. He also will highlight the
Joint MARS Phone Patch network, which provides daily support to US armed
forces. The phone patch network facilitates not only morale/welfare
phone patches, but routinely handles mission-related radio calls and
occasionally assists US air crews with in-flight emergency phone patches
when air traffic control cannot be reached.
US Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, will discuss the
quarterly US Department of Defense (DOD) contingency communication
exercises, which promote interoperability between the Amateur Radio
community and the DOD. English will also discuss initiatives for
promoting the use of 60 meters between Amateur Radio and the federal
government, as well as the types of information MARS operators will
request from the Amateur Radio community during the upcoming quarterly
DOD communications exercise (COMEX), October 30-November 1.
Registrants will receive a confirming e-mail that contains information
about joining the webinar.
Ad <http://www.arrl.org/nladclick.php?n=al&t=i&i=2016-10-06&p=2>
New England Forum to Demystify Tax-Exempt Status for Ham Radio Clubs
Most radio clubs are set up as non-profit corporations, but this does
not mean that they are tax exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code. Some changes that took place in
2014 simplified the process for smaller organizations with less than
$50,000 in annual gross revenues and reduced the amount of red tape.
At the New England Amateur Radio Festival (NEAR-Fest
<http://www.near-fest.com/>) Friday and Saturday, October 14-15, in
Deerfield, New Hampshire, Certified Public Accountant Lynn Baxter,
W0LTB, will explain how clubs and non-profits can attain 501(c)(3)
status under the new rules and how to file a simple online annual report
to maintain that status.
This means that, under some circumstances, Amateur Radio clubs would be
able to accept donations and issue receipts for tax purposes, as well as
enjoy other benefits. The forum will take place on Friday, October 14,
at 3 PM. Clubs are invited to send one representative, as seating is
limited.
"This special forum is being presented by NEAR-Fest as a service to the
Amateur Radio community," said Mike Crestohl, W1RC. "NEAR-Fest
anticipates a high response rate to this special presentation. Clubs are
advised to send their treasurer. Seating will be first come, first
served." Crestohl asks those planning to attend to e-mail him
<mailto:w1rc at near-fest.com> and let him know. /-- Thanks to Mike
Crestohl, W1RC /
AO-7 Still Going Strong after Almost 42 Years in Space
In a little more than a month, the venerable AO-7
<http://ww2.amsat.org/?page_id=1031> Amateur Radio satellite will mark
42 years in space. AMSAT says AO-7, the oldest ham radio satellite still
in operation, is now switching between Mode A and Mode B on a daily
basis, after coming up in Mode A on September 30.
"That suggests that the satellite is now in constant sunlight and
receiving enough power from the solar cells for the 24-hour timer to
stay on throughout its entire orbit," AMSAT-NA Secretary Paul Stoetzer,
N8HM, said. "Expect daily mode switches between Mode A and Mode B to
occur for the next 3 months or so. As AO-7's orbit precesses and the
periods of constant sunlight become fewer and fewer, there will be less
of an opportunity to use Mode A on a yearly basis, so enjoy it while it
lasts!"
In Mode A, earthbound amateurs transmit on 2 meters and receive on 10
meters. Stoetzer said the type of 10-meter antenna isn't fussy. "Try
whatever you can," he said. When continuously illuminated, AO-7's mode
will alternate between Modes A and B (70 centimeters up/2 meters down)
every 24 hours.
November 15 will mark 42 years since AO-7 was launched into space from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. AO-7 was the second so-called
"Phase 2" Amateur Radio satellite that AMSAT-NA constructed and launched
into low-Earth orbit. It remained in operation until a short circuit
occurred in a battery in 1981. More than 20 years later, however, AO-7
unexpectedly returned to life, its 2-meter beacon showing up on 145.9775
MHz. Satellite experts speculate that AO-7's resurrection occurred when
the short circuit in the battery opened up for some reason, allowing the
solar cells to power the spacecraft. When the satellite goes into
eclipse, it powers down.
Last February Dave Swanson, KG5CCI, of Arkansas achieved a distance
milestone
<http://www.arrl.org/news/arkansas-vhfer-claims-mathematically-impossible-ao-7-mode-b-distance-record>
on AO-7 using Mode B to work Eduardo Erlemann, PY2RN (GG66lw), in Brazil
-- a path of 8030.895 kilometers. /-- Thanks to AMSAT-NA, AMSAT News
Service/
Shore Station KPH Call Sign to Return to the Airwaves on October 8
Nearly 20 years after shore station KPH in California went dark, that
call sign will be back on the air on Saturday, October 8, for a
commemorative transmission, opening its doors to the public for the
occasion. KPH will be operating from its original home on its original
frequencies using its original transmitters, receivers, and antennas,
"and even some of the original operators!" said Richard "RD" Dillman,
W6AWO, of the Maritime Radio Historical Society (MRHS
<http://www.radiomarine.org>). Dillman explains that KPH began as
station "PH" in San Francisco's Palace Hotel in 1905.
*Richard "RD" Dillman, W6AWO, at KPH.*
"It moved to several locations after the earthquake, ending up in Marin
County north of San Francisco," Dillman said. "[KPH] continued to
provide radiogram service to ships at sea until June 30, 1997, when the
license was sold to a competitor. With the license went the iconic call
KPH."
Dillman said the MRHS began restoring the station in 1999 and obtained
another commercial call sign, KSM, continuing to operate the KPH
facility on KSM frequencies to provide service to ships. "But, of
course, we wanted to get back the KPH call and the KPH frequencies, so
the station would be exactly as it was when they closed the doors in
1997," Dillman told ARRL. That became a reality a few months ago, when
the MRHS concluded an agreement with the current KPH licensee to add the
Bolinas and Point Reyes sites to the license. That gave the MRHS
authority to once again use the KPH call sign and frequencies.
*Steve Hawes adjusts a vacuum variable in the final tank circuit of a
PW15 transmitter.*
"The crack MRHS Transmitter Department has shifted all the KSM
transmitters back to their original KPH frequencies, retuned the
antennas, tested the keying, and advise that all will be in order for
the resumption of KPH service," Dillman said. Doors will open at the RCA
receive site in the Point Reyes National Seashore at 1900 UTC. It's
hoped that Ray Smith -- the operator who signed KPH Bolinas/Point Reyes
off the air in June of 1997 -- will do the honors. KPH will then pick up
the thread and resume operations, just as it did for so many decades.
Dillman said KPH will provide the same services coast stations always
have -- radiograms to and from ships, high seas weather, and news of
interest to the maritime community.
Amateur Radio station K6KPH will be in operation too, listening for
calls on 3550, 7050, 14.050, 18.097.5, and 21.050 kHz. K6KPH uses the
original KPH transmitters (throttled back to 1.5 kW), antennas, and
receivers.
"When we began our project we would never have believed this day would
come," Dillman said. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/shore-station-kph-call-sign-to-return-to-the-airwaves-on-october-8>.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the September 29 through October
5 reporting week, the average daily sunspot number declined 9 points to
20.7, and average daily solar flux increased from 81.4 to 86.7, relative
to the previous 7 days. Average daily planetary A index increased from
19.7 to 21.4, and average mid-latitude A index increased from 12.3 to 15.1.
Think /that/ was bad? At the University of Alaska's magnetometer, which
supplies us with the College A Index, the number <http://bit.ly/2dNZSEu>
rose to 73 on September 29, with the average for the week at 35.9.
Predicted solar flux from the October 5 forecast shows 99 and 100 on
October 6-7; 102 on October 8-12; 90 on October 13-14; 95 on October
15-18; 90 on October 19-21; 85 on October 22-26; 80 On October 27-31; 85
on November 1-2; 90 on November 3-10, and 95 on October 11-14.
Predicted planetary A index is 6, 5, 5, 6 on October 6-9; 5 on October
10-14; 8, 10, 20, and 8 on October 15-18; 5 on October 19-22; 20 on
October 23; 35 on October 24-26; 20, 15, 15, 12, 15, and 10 on October
27-November 1; 5 on November 2-10, and 10, 20, and 8 on November 11-14.
Sunspot numbers for September 29 through October 5 were 17, 12, 0, 13,
32, 33, and 38, with a mean of 29.7. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 82.7,
80.6, 81, 82.3, 87.8, 93.1, and 99.3, with a mean of 81.4. Estimated
planetary A indices were 39, 21, 19, 18, 14, 26, and 13, with a mean of
19.7. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 22, 15, 14, 15, 12, 18, and
10, with a mean of 12.3.
Send <mailto:k7ra at arrl.net> me your reports and observations.
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Just Ahead in Radiosport
*
October 8 -- FISTS Fall Unlimited Sprint (CW)
*
October 8 -- Microwave Fall Sprint (CW, phone)
*
October 8-9 -- Makrothen RTTY Contest
*
October 8-9 -- Oceania DX Contest (CW)
*
October 8-9 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest (SSB)
*
October 8-9 -- QRP ARCI Fall QSO Party (CW)
*
October 8-9 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
*
October 8-9 -- Pennsylvania QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
*
October 8-9 -- Arizona QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
*
October 8-9 -- PODXS070 160 Meter Great Pumpkin Sprint (Digital)
*
October 9 -- North American SSB Sprint
*
October 9 -- UBA ON Contest (CW)
*
October 10 -- 10-10 International 10-10 Day Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
*
October 12 -- NAQCC CW Sprint
* October 12 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Sprint (CW)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar> for
more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio contesting,
subscribe to /The ARRL Contest Update/
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues> via your ARRL member profile
e-mail preferences.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
*
October 7-8 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Conference
<http://pnwvhfs.org/>, Bend, Oregon
*
October 13-15 -- Microwave Update Conference
<http://www.microwaveupdate.org/>, St Louis, Missouri
*
October 14-16 -- Pacific Division Convention
<http://www.pacificon.org/>, San Ramon, California
*
October 16 -- Connecticut State Convention
<http://nutmeghamfest.com/>, Meriden, Connecticut
*
October 21-22 -- Arizona State Convention <http://copahams.org/>,
Maricopa, Arizona
*
October 21-22 -- Florida State Convention <http://pcars.org/>,
Melbourne, Florida
*
October 22 -- Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference
<http://www.wi-aresraces.org/>, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
*
November 5 -- TechFest Convention <http://na0tc.org/>, Lakewood,
Colorado
*
November 5-6 -- Georgia State Convention
<http://www.stonemountainhamfest.com/>, Lawrenceville, Georgia
*
November 12-13 -- Indiana State Convention
<http://www.fortwaynehamfest.com/>, Fort Wayne, Indiana
*
November 19 -- Alabama State Convention
<http://www.w4ap.org/news/Hamfest.htm>, Montgomery, Alabama
* December 9-10 -- West Central Florida Section Convention
<http://www.tampabayhamfest.org/>, Plant City, Florida
Find conventions and hamfests in your area <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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