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N9PMO > LETTER 16.12.16 22:27l 658 Lines 29885 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
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Sent: 161216/2119Z 8754@N9PMO.#SEWI.WI.USA.NOAM BPQ6.0.13
Amateur Radio Parity Act Bill Unable to Overcome Florida Senator's
Objections
IARU Continues Preparations for World Radiocommunication Conference
2019
The Doctor Will See You Now!
National Parks on the Air Update
Commemorative Special Event Reenacts 1921 Amateur Radio Transatlantic
Reception
Support ARRL and Earn an Extra 5,000 Points
Radio Amateurs Assist in Wake of Indonesian Earthquake
ARISS Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Plans for Future of Amateur Radio
in Human Spaceflight
Middle School Students' "TubeSat" Set for ISS Deployment; Other
Launches Pending
Mexico Not Yet Extending Operating Permission to Non-Mexican Radio
Amateurs
Getting It Right!
In Brief...
The K7RA Solar Update
Just Ahead in Radiosport
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Amateur Radio Parity Act Bill Unable to Overcome Florida Senator's
Objections
The Amateur Radio Parity Act, H.R. 1301, suffered an unbefitting
demise on December 9 as the 114th Congress drew to a close. After
passing the House of Representatives on a unanimous vote earlier this
fall, the bill stalled in the Senate due to the intervention of only
one member, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL). The measure would have directed
the FCC to extend its rules relating to reasonable accommodation of
Amateur Service communications to private land-use restrictions, such
as covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) imposed by
homeowners associations.
"[During 2016] Nelson received thousands of e-mails, letters, and
phone calls from concerned constituents asking for his support of H.R.
1301. Numerous meetings were held with his senior staff in an effort
to move the legislation forward," ARRL said in a news release.
"Negotiations, which led to an agreement with the Community
Associations Institute (CAI), the national association of homeowner's
associations and publicly supported by CAI and ARRL, were brushed
aside by Sen. Nelson as irrelevant."
In a final meeting with Nelson's staff as the 114th Congress neared
adjournment, it became clear that no matter what was said or done, the
Senator would oppose the bill and refuse to allow it to move forward.
Because the measure had not been put on the floor schedule, the only
way it could have passed the Senate would have been through a process
called "unanimous consent." A Senate member may request unanimous
consent on the floor to set aside rules and expedite proceedings. If
any single Senator objects, though, the request is rejected.
The unhappy ending followed nearly 2 years of intense effort on the
part of ARRL and thousands of its members, who contacted their
Congressional representatives to urge their support of the measure on
Capitol Hill. The ARRL Board of Directors is expected to discuss the
future of the initiative at its January meeting.
IARU Continues Preparations for World Radiocommunication Conference
2019
Work already is under way by the International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU) to address agenda items of interest to Amateur Radio during the
run-up to the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). The
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) convenes WRCs every 3 or 4
years; the last WRC was in 2015. The IARU's prime focus is spectrum
privileges -- gaining or retaining spectrum for the Amateur Radio
services and spectrum protection -- making sure that amateur spectrum
remains available for use and free from serious man-made interference.
The IARU works within international standards organizations and with
regional telecommunication organizations to accomplish its goals.
In the past month, IARU representatives have attended the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications ministrations (CEPT)
Electronic Communications Committee (ECC), CEPT's policy-making body.
IARU was also present at ITU Working Parties under Study Group 5
(SG5), which studies matters related to terrestrial radiocommunication
services, including the Amateur Service. Working Party 5A met November
7-17, preparing for WRC-19 with a focus that includes the Amateur
Radio Services. Among other things, the panel:
Completed revisions to Recommendation ITU-R M.1732 dealing with
parameters to be used in sharing studies regarding the compatibility
of Amateur Service operations with other radio services, mainly in the
50-54 MHz band.
Continued work on sharing and compatibility studies required for
WRC-19 Agenda Item 1.1, which addresses an Amateur Radio allocation at
50-54 MHz in ITU Region 1, in common with what already is available in
Regions 2 and 3. Sharing studies consider criteria under which
spectrum can be shared among different radio services.
dressed other WRC-19 agenda items that could impact the Amateur
Service.
Updated the WP5A web document, "Guide to the use of ITU-R texts
relating to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services."
IARU will continue to be active in ITU and regional telecommunication
organizations as preparations go forward for WRC-19. In the coming
weeks, IARU plans to participate in CEPT's Conference Preparatory
Group for WRC-19 and in its Project Team meetings. Read more.
The Doctor Will See You Now!
"Antenna System Troubleshooting." is the topic of the latest (December
1) episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast. Listen...and learn!
Sponsored by DX Engineering, "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@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.
Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone
or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can
also listen online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (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.
National Parks on the Air Update
The ARRL National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) program is on the verge of
making history. With less than 2 weeks to go until the program
concludes on December 31, NPOTA Activators have made more than 995,000
contacts from National Park Service units this year, and it appears
certain that the count will top 1 million before year's end.
National Parks on the Air has proven to be one of the most successful
and popular on-air activities ARRL has ever created. Tens of thousands
of radio amateurs made at least one contact with an NPOTA Activator in
2016, and nearly 1,400 Activators went out and transmitted from a
park. One million contacts from portable operations -- many of them
using under 100 W and simple wire antennas -- is an amazing feat.
Congratulations to every NPOTA Activator who hit the trail this year
and helped NPOTA to reach its goal!
But the fun isn't over yet! More than 30 NPOTA activations are
scheduled through the end of 2016, including Fort Scott National
Historic Site in Kansas, and the Amistad National Recreation Area in
Texas. NPOTA Activators have promised a burst of activity all across
the country in the final week, especially all day on Saturday,
December 31. Work as many NPOTA stations as you can!
Details about these and other upcoming activations can be found on the
NPOTA Activations calendar. Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on
Facebook. Follow NPOTA on Twitter (@ARRL_NPOTA).
Commemorative Special Event Reenacts 1921 Amateur Radio Transatlantic
Reception
Radio amateurs in the US and in Scotland have reenacted the first
successful transatlantic reception of a shortwave Amateur Radio signal
nearly a century earlier. Special event station N1BCG in Greenwich,
Connecticut, and GB2ZE in Ardrossan, Scotland, completed contacts on
SSB and on CW during the December 11 event. ARRL, the Radio Society of
Great Britain (RSGB), and the Radio Club of America (RCA) partnered to
support the activity, organized by ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, and
Clark Burgard, N1BCG, who loaned his history-rich call sign for the
occasion.
Clark Burgard, N1BCG, was one of the organizers of the special event.
[Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]
On December 11, 1921, in Ardrossan, Scotland, reception of a radio
signal transmitted from an RCA test station -- located in a small
shack on the Greenwich, Connecticut, property of Minton Cronkhite,
1BCG -- helped to usher in the age of global communication. In
Scotland, American Paul Godley, 2ZE, clearly heard the signal using a
receiver of his own design.
"These events are fun, because they're timely and cause us to focus on
the history and on the people who made history," Gallagher said. "We
were very pleased with the tenor of it and with the media coverage,
and we were happy to make the connection with GB2ZE, although we would
have preferred to have made it on 160 meters, where it would have been
closer to the frequency used in 1921." The 1921 transatlantic test, on
CW, was conducted on a wavelength of 230 to 235 meters (about 1.3
MHz). The ARRL transatlantic tests proved the value of the shorter
wavelengths, which had long been considered worthless for
long-distance communication.
Radio Club of America Board Member Mike Clarson, WV2ZOW (left), and
ARRL Field Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, operate the N1BCG
special event. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]
Burgard spoke on 20-meter SSB with GB2ZE, operated by Jason O'Neill,
GM7VSB, in Ardrossan. A bit later, ARRL Field Services Manager Dave
Patton, NN1N, chatted with GB2ZE on CW. "After working GB2ZE on 20
meters, I was reminded of how much of a challenge the RCA ops had
using 200 meters," Patton said. "Hearing signals in Europe from across
the Atlantic had to be a tremendous thrill for Godley and the others
listening."
The first message sent by Burgard from Greenwich to Ardrossan on
Sunday morning repeated the original 1921 text. Patton retransmitted
the message 30 minutes later on CW.
Describing the special event as "a rewarding experience," Patton said
the entire team worked together to build a Field Day-style station in
wintry weather. The complement of equipment included what he called "a
few fully armed vintage AM stations," as well as modern gear. Among
the older pieces was a 1950s-era transmitter owned by rocker Joe
Walsh, WB6ACU, of the Eagles.
Bruce Godley Littlefield and his sister Janice Taylor are
grandchildren of Paul Godley, 2ZE, who was at the Ardrossan, Scotland,
receiving station in 1921.
The antennas were simple dipoles.
With about a dozen operators active, the special event logged nearly
525 contacts, more than 100 of them on AM, through conditions that
were only fair.
To highlight the historical nature of the occasion, Godley's
grandchildren Bruce Godley Littlefield and his sister, Janice Taylor,
visited, and Littlefield brought his grandfather's complete log books
of the experiment, as well as numerous photos and letters from ARRL.
"We enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect the Godley history with that
of ARRL and the Radio Club of America," Littlefield said afterward.
Read more.
Support ARRL and Earn an Extra 5,000 Points
Apply for the ARRL Visa Signature® Card and, upon approval, enjoy a
long list of great everyday benefits. Plus now, as a special gift,
you'll also earn an additional 5,000 Bonus Points (subject to credit
approval) on your account after you make your first purchase.
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One reward point for every eligible net $1 spent in purchases
Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, unrestricted
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Merchant upgrades, special offers, savings, and more.
Radio Amateurs Assist in Wake of Indonesian Earthquake
Radio amateurs provided emergency communication support during the
response to a December 7 magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh
Province. The death toll was reported at 100, with nearly 300 injured.
The IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee's Dani Hidayat,
YB2TJV, reported that it took 2 hours for the ham radio group from the
Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization (ORARI), Aceh Region, to reach
the earthquake zone.
A team led by Abdullah Ali, YB6AA, and Ismul Huda, YB6AG, and others
supported emergency communications in the field at Pidie Jaya. Zainal
Abidin, YC6FZ, was injured when his house collapsed, but his family
was said to be safe; Huda took Abidin to the Banda Aceh Hospital for
treatment. YB2TJV reported that 40 meters and 2 meters were used for
emergency traffic. The quake flattened houses and buildings, caused
infrastructure damage, and left large cracks in roads in the
worst-affected districts of Pidie Jaya and Pidie.
Search-and-rescue teams checked the rubble of hundreds of structures,
and displaced residents took shelter in a makeshift refugee camp. --
Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC, chairman, IARU Region 3 Disaster
Communications Committee
ARISS Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Plans for Future of Amateur Radio
in Human Spaceflight
ARISS-International delegates celebrated 20 years of Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) when they met November 15-18
at the International Space Center Conference Facility in Houston,
Texas, to continue planning for the years ahead. More than 50
delegates and guests from Russia, Japan, Italy, Germany, the UK, and
North America took part, and teleconferencing let individuals unable
to attend in person to join the proceedings. An international group
interested in installing and operating an Amateur Radio station on the
ISS first met in November 1996 at Johnson Space Center, and ARISS was
born as a result of that gathering.
"The international partners celebrated the dedication and
contributions of volunteers who have sustained it over the challenges
of the past 20 years," said ARRL Education Services Manager Debra
Johnson, K1DMJ, who attended on behalf of ARRL. "It was clear that the
vision to make the excitement of space exploration accessible to
students and the challenge of participating in space activities
through Amateur Radio is still very much alive." Rosalie White, K1STO,
also represented ARRL at the gathering.
Hardware sessions discussed finalizing designs for the Kenwood
TM-D710GA dual-band radio and interoperable radio system, which
includes a new power supply. Participants also heard a review of
educational outcomes. Ronny Risinger, KC5EES, a government teacher at
Language Arts and Sciences Academy in Austin, Texas, discussed
classroom integration of ham radio and student outcomes. Delegates
also saw a demonstration of a standardized HamTV ground receiver
constructed by Ciaran Morgan, M0XTD.
More than 50 delegates from ARISS-participating countries attended the
November ARISS-International meeting. [Dave Jordan, AA4KN, photo]
"A vision of Amateur Radio in space exploration beyond the ISS was
also discussed and action taken to develop a position statement about
the program's intention to be involved in future journeys into space,"
Johnson recounted. "This position statement will be used as a basis
for discussions with key industry leaders involved in projects in
development for the next journeys to the Moon and to Mars."
Contributions to ARISS are welcome via the ARISS website (click on the
"Donate to the ARISS Annual Fund" button) or via the AMSAT website
(click on the "ARISS Donate" button). Read more. -- Thanks to ARISS
via AMSAT News Service for some information
Middle School Students' "TubeSat" Set for ISS Deployment; Other
Launches Pending
The cargo ship carrying the Tancredo-1 "TubeSat" -- so called because
of its cylindrical form factor -- launched on schedule from Japan on
December 9. Built by 10- to 14-year-old middle schoolers in Brazil,
Tancredo-1 carries an Amateur Radio payload. Tancredo-1 went into
space inside the TuPOD TubeSat deployer, which is expected to be
ejected into space from the ISS on December 19 by the JEM Small
Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD). It will, in turn, eject
Tancredo-1 into orbit on December 21. Once in space, Tancredo-1 should
start transmitting telemetry.
The Tancredo-1 TubeSat.
Tancredo-1 is the first satellite of the UbatubaSat Project, a STEM
initiative at Tancredo Neves Public School in Ubatuba, São Paulo,
Brazil. The project is supported by the Brazilian Institute for Space
Research and the Brazilian Space Agency. Tancredo-1 will initially
have the same orbit as the ISS. The UbatubaSat project team and
AMSAT-BR has asked for reception reports. Tancredo-1 will transmit on
437.200 MHz using 1,200 bps AFSK AX.25. Submit reports via e-mail.
According to information filed with the IARU Satellite Coordinator,
Tancredo-1 has an onboard voice recorder that will transmit a message
chosen through a competition among students from schools in Ubatuba.
Young students learn about satellite assembly in the Brazilian
Institute for Space Research lab.
The December 9 launch also carried Turkey's UBAKUSAT CubeSat. Equipped
with a 145/435 MHz (V/U) SSB/CW Amateur Radio transponder and a CW
beacon, UBAKUSAT will be deployed from the ISS next year. The
satellite is being developed by Istanbul Technical University's Space
Systems Design and Test Lab (SSDTL) along with the Turkish Amateur
Satellite Technologies Organization (TAMSAT) and other entities,
including the Ministry of Transportation, Communication and Maritime,
in collaboration with the Japanese government.
On December 26, the China Center for Aerospace Science and
Technology's BY70-1 satellite is expected to launch from Jiuquan
Satellite Launch Center into a 530-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit.
The 3-axis stabilized 2U CubeSat will carry a Mode V/U FM transponder,
with an uplink on 145.920 MHz, and a downlink on 436.200 MHz
China's CAMSAT is reported to be working closely with a Beijing
government aerospace contractor to build two microsatellites with
Amateur Radio linear transponders -- CAS-4A and CAS-4B. Each
spacecraft will carry a 70-centimeter/2-meter (U/V) 100 mW SSB/CW
linear transponder, a 2-meter CW 50 mW telemetry beacon, and an AX.25
4.8 kbps GMSK 100 mW telemetry downlink. The transponders will have
the same technical characteristics, but will employ different
frequencies for their 70-centimeter uplinks and 2-meter downlinks.
Launch is anticipated in late March. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service,
IARU
Mexico Not Yet Extending Operating Permission to Non-Mexican Radio
Amateurs
Broad changes in Mexico's radiocommunication regulatory environment 2
years ago continue to hinder Amateur Radio licensing there and still
do not provide reciprocal permission for non-Mexican radio amateurs to
operate south of the border. Mexico's International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU) member society, the Federation of Mexican Radio Amateurs
(FMRE), has been working with the new regulator, the Federal
Telecommunications Institute (IFT) to craft more Amateur
Radio-friendly licensing procedures and regulations, and there has
been a little positive movement. The new regulatory regime considers
the radio spectrum as an exploitable resource, and all former Amateur
Radio regulations have been deemed null and void.
FMRE's new president, Alfonso "Poncho" Tamez, XE2O, is spearheading
the society's negotiations with the IFT. At FMRE's National Convention
in September, IFT Commissioner riana Labardini announced to loud
cheers that her agency will get Amateur Radio licensing going again,
after a 2-year delay. FMRE has estimated that of the 3,500 existing
Mexican Amateur Radio licenses in place before the new law went into
effect, more than 1,000 have expired and their renewal was put on hold
until the IFT works out procedural details. She said the IFT expects
to process more than 800 applications by year's end, with another
batch of more than 1,400 to follow. An initial license will cost about
$30 US. The status of Amateur Radio clubs has also been put in limbo
by the new regulatory regime.
A revised IFT draft of Amateur Radio licensing procedures included
specific provisions to grant Amateur Radio operating permission and to
make licensing requirements more consistent with the nature of the
Amateur Radio service. But significant gaps still exist. At this
point, it is not even necessary to take an examination to obtain an
Amateur Radio license -- called a "concession" -- in Mexico.
While the IFT has not yet determined what to do about foreign radio
amateurs wishing to operate in Mexico, the agency has received 45
petitions to do so and is considering how it can issue permits; a
foreigner cannot obtain a license under the new law, but may be given
permission to operate as XE#/<home call sign>. Further, no regulations
are in place regarding power output, license classes, licensing zones,
interference, and other regulatory aspects. Read more.
Getting It Right!
A photo caption in December 8 edition of The ARRL Letter incorrectly
identified the radio amateur holding the Worked All States certificate
he earned during the 2015 ARRL 10 Meter Contest. The op is Milt
Withers, AD5XD, of Richardson, Texas. Our apologies!
In Brief...
ARRL Rookie Roundup CW is Sunday, December 18: The 2016 CW Rookie
Roundup is right around the corner on Sunday, December 18. Rookies can
take up their Morse keys (or keyboards) and "pound some brass" in
pursuit of Rookies and Non-rookies alike. Rookies -- anyone licensed
for 3 years or less -- get on the air and call "CQ RR," so other
participants can find them. Grizzled CW veterans call "CQ R" (CQ
Rookies). Veteran operators are encouraged to invite new hams to use
their stations and give CW a try, or to invite several newbies over
and have a multiop. This is also great practice for Straight Key Night
on New Year's Eve, so limber up those sending skills and help to
introduce the joys of CW to a new generation of hams! This also an
excellent opportunity to try out contesting in an event designed for
newcomers. Rookie entrants are encouraged to read "HF Contesting -
Good Practices, Interpretations, and Suggestions." To register teams
or submit scores, visit the ARRL Rookie Roundup Contests web page.
Next Kids Day is Saturday, January 7: The first Saturday in January is
Kids Day -- the time to get youngsters on the air to share in the joy
and fun that Amateur Radio can provide. Kids Day gets under way on
Saturday, January 7, at 1800 UTC and concludes at 2359 UTC. Sponsored
by the Boring (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, this event has a simple
exchange, suitable for younger operators: First name, age, location,
and favorite color. After that, the contact can be as long or as short
as each participant prefers. Kids Day is the perfect opportunity to
open your shack door and invite kids over to see what Amateur Radio
has to offer. Details are on the ARRL website.
60 Meter News from Europe and Elsewhere: The 60 Meter DX Group reports
that Swedish Post and Telecom is issuing temporary (6-month)
"experimental" licenses for access to 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz, replacing
four channels, 5,310, 5,320, 5,380, and 5,390 kHz. There is a fee. The
WRC-15 recommendations regarding 5 MHz have not yet been implemented,
but that may happen by January 2018, when the next national band plan
is released. In the interim, apparently anyone, even non-hams, can
apply for an experimental license. Sweden's experimental band permits
15 W EIRP. In Denmark, radio amateurs now have "VFO access" to
5,250-5,450 kHz, all modes, at a maximum power of 1 kW at the antenna
feed point. In Finland, radio amateurs gained access on December 9 to
5,351.5 to 5,366.5 kHz, with 15 W EIRP. Previously only club stations
could obtain special permission to use seven 5-MHz channels with a
maximum power of 50 W on USB. Valid special club licenses will
continue in effect until the end of the license term. Switzerland's
USKA has announced that 5,351.5 to 5,366.5 kHz will become available
on January 1, 2017, with 15 W EIRP. From Dominica, Walter Aebi,
HB9WTA, is active until February 2017 as J79WTA. Luxembourg, Latvia,
Belarus, and Andorra recently announced Amateur Radio access -- or
revisions to amateur access -- to 60 meters. -- Thanks to The Daily DX
and the 5 MHz Newsletter
Dave Kalter Youth DX venture Offering Complete Ham Station to Essay
Contest Winner: The Dave Kalter Youth DX venture (YDXA) has announced
an exciting essay competition for young radio amateurs. Due to the
generosity of the 2016 raffle winner Paul Ewing, N6PSE, and the
co-founders of the YDXA, the winner of the essay contest will receive
a complete Amateur Radio station. The prize includes an Alinco SR8T
HF, a 12 V, 30 A power supply (Jetstream or equivalent), vertical
antenna (Jetstream JTV680 or equivalent), and 100 feet of coax feed
line fitted with PL-259 connectors. Eligibility is limited to
Technician class or higher US licensees 12 to 18 years old, residing
in the 48 contiguous US states. Entrants are to submit an essay of up
to 500 words describing their involvement in, personal future plans
for, and importance of Amateur Radio. All entries must be postmarked
(or system dated, in the case of e-mail entries) by December 23, 2016.
The winner will be announced no later than January 31, 2017. Entrants
should adhere to all contest rules.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Average daily solar indices over the
past week were lower than the previous 7 days, with the average daily
sunspot number declining from 40.9 to 13, and the average daily solar
flux dropping by 10 points from 82.2 to 72.2.
Geomagnetic indicators were higher, with the average daily planetary A
index rising from 4.9 to 13.3, and the mid-latitude A index from 3.4
to 9.
Predicted solar flux is 70 on December 15-17; 75 on December 18-20; 80
and 86 on December 21-22; 88 on December 23-27; 86 on December 28-29;
88 on December 30-January 1; 86 on January 2-3; 84 and 82 on January
4-5; 80 on January 6-7; 73 on January 8-9; 75 on January 10-14; 82 on
January 15-16; 86 on January 17-18; 88 on January 19-23, and 86 on
January 24-25.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on December 15-16; 8 on December
17-18; 15 on December 19-20; 25, 30, 12, 10, and 8 on December 21-25;
5 on December 26-January 1; 8, 10, 20, and 22 on January 2-5; 16 on
January 6-7; 8 on January 8; 5 on January 9-12; 8 on January 13-14;
12, 16, 22, and 30 on January 15-18; 12, 10, and 8 on January 19-21,
and 5 for the remainder of the 45-day forecast.
Sunspot numbers for December 8 through 14 were 14, 12, 0, 13, 13, 14,
and 25, with a mean of 13. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 74.8, 72.9,
72.2, 71.4, 70.8, 71.2, and 72.4, with a mean of 72.2. Estimated
planetary A indices were 23, 25, 16, 15, 6, 4, and 4, with a mean of
13.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 14, 18, 11, 11, 5, 2, and
2, with a mean of 9.
Send me your reports or observations, especially from the ARRL 10
Meter Contest.
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Just Ahead in Radiosport
December 16 -- AGB-Party Contest (CW, phone)
December 16-17 -- Russian 160-Meter Contest (CW, phone)
December 17 -- Feld Hell Sprint
December 17 -- OK DX RTTY Contest
December 17 -- RAC Winter Contest (CW, phone)
December 17-18 -- Croatian CW Contest
December 17-18 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
December 18 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW)
December 19 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
December 22 -- NAQCC CW Sprint
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth
reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest
Update via your ARRL member profile e-mail preferences.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
January 8 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage,
New York
January 14 -- TechFest 2017 Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
January 20-21 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas
January 21 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia
January 22-28 -- QuartzFest Convention, Quartzsite, Arizona
January 27-28 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
January 27-29 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
February 3-4 -- Southern Florida Section Convention, Ft. Lauderdale,
Florida
February 4 -- South Carolina State Convention, North Charleston, South
Carolina
February 4 -- Virginia State Convention, Richmond, Virginia
February 10-12 -- Southeastern Division Convention (HamCation),
Orlando, Florida
February 17-18 -- Arizona Section Convention, Yuma, Arizona
February 18 -- Arkansas Section Convention, Hoxie, Arkansas
February 25 -- West Central Florida Section Technical Conference,
Sarasota, Florida
February 25 -- 2017 New Mexico Tech Fest, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.
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