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ARRL Renews Request for FCC to Replace Symbol Rate with Bandwidth Limit
Hoc Legislative vocacy Committee to Meet with Lawmakers
A Radio on Your Belt -- 1930s Style
So Now What? Podcast
Amateur Radio Digital Communications Announces Grant to ARISS
The K7RA Solar Update
Just Ahead in Radiosport
Festival of Frequency Measurement Set to Honor WWV Centennial
Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club Assisting in Restoring Fire-Damaged
Repeaters
Well-Known Yukon Ham J Allen, VY1JA, is Stepping Away from Amateur Radio
In Brief...
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Renews Request for FCC to Replace Symbol Rate with Bandwidth Limit
In ex parte comments filed on September 17 in WT Docket 16-239, ARRL renewed
its request that the FCC delete symbol rate limits below 29.7 MHz for data
transmissions in the Amateur Service rules. As it did in its initial filing,
ARRL asked the FCC to couple the removal of the symbol rate limits with the
adoption of a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit. In response to ARRL's 2013 ARRL
Petition for Rulemaking (RM-11708), the FCC proposed deleting the symbol
rate limits but declined to replace them with the 2.8 kHz bandwidth that
ARRL wanted.
"This proceeding addresses an update to the Commission's rules that is
needed because a limitation in the rules unintentionally is inhibiting US
amateurs from employing the latest improvements to some of the digital
modes," ARRL said in its remarks. "Data signals commonly used for daily
communications as well as in disaster situations have bandwidths in the
range of 2.5 kHz and must co-exist with other modes that use bandwidths as
narrow as 50 Hz."
ARRL said the 1980s-era symbol rate limits today inhibit the use of some
efficient data modes. Repealing the symbol rate limit, ARRL contended, would
"allow shortened transmission times for the same amount of data without
increasing the bandwidth occupied by the signal. Other Amateurs would
benefit by the resulting reduction in potential interference."
Other Issues
ARRL's remarks also addressed issues raised by other parties. "Discussion by
commenters in this proceeding delve into subjects well beyond its scope,"
ARRL said, noting that it had attempted to broker consensus among "some of
the most active commenters" with an eye toward exploring possible areas of
agreement for the FCC's consideration. ARRL noted that the parties to the
ARRL-arranged talks declined to forward to the FCC "joint recommendations on
which conditional agreement had been reached."
One of those issues involves Automatically Controlled Digital Stations
(ACDS). Commenters' concerns focused on interference that could occur with a
move away from symbol-rate criteria. ACDS with signals wider than 500 Hz
below 29.7 MHz are confined to specific subbands. ARRL recommended that the
FCC consider rules changes that would have all ACDS stations and digital
stations with bandwidths greater than 500 Hz share identified subbands.
ARRL said if additional signals are added to the ACDS subbands, as
recommended, that it would strongly support expanding the HF ACDS subbands.
But, the League added, "changing the subband boundaries requires study and
careful consideration of trade-offs, because any changes will affect
multiple user interests." ARRL referred subband reformulation issues to its
HF Band Planning Committee for study and recommendations.
Some commenters also raised the issue of obscure and encrypted messages.
ARRL pointed out in its ex parte remarks that it remains opposed to
encryption in the amateur bands, but disagreed "with commenters who argue
that the digital modes being used by radio amateurs around the world are per
se 'obscured' or 'encrypted.'" Read more.
Hoc Legislative vocacy Committee to Meet with Lawmakers
ARRL's Hoc Legislative visory Committee will meet with several members of
Congress later this month in Washington to introduce new Committee members,
reacquaint the lawmakers with Amateur Radio's most-pressing issues, seek
their input on the best ways to achieve ARRL's objectives in Congress, and
request their continuing support. Committee members have completed a
comprehensive analysis of Amateur Radio Parity Act deficiencies for
dissemination to Amateur Radio's backers on The Hill. The panel now is
following up on this process with the meetings later this month.
The Committee has contracted with The Keelen Group to provide advice and
recommendations regarding ARRL's legislative relationships. Keelen Group
advisors also will aid in organizing and guiding the meetings between ARRL
representatives and key congressional allies in support of Amateur Radio
initiatives.
On June 12, the Legislative visory Committee held the first of a series of
meetings in DC with ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall, K3ZJ, The Keelen
Group, and a small contingent of radio amateurs associated with various
governmental and nongovernmental partners to solicit their perspectives and
assistance in charting a future course of action. Pacific Division Director
and Committee Chair Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, described these individuals a
"critical allies in ARRL's efforts to achieve its legislative objectives."
The process of analyzing and clarifying ARRL's aims began when the Committee
was reconstituted with new members at the ARRL Board of Directors' January
meeting. The Board had determined a need to "review, reexamine, and
reappraise the ARRL's regulatory and legislative policy with regard to
private land-use restrictions," with the aim of renewing, continuing, and
strengthening ARRL's effort to achieve relief from such restrictions.
"There seems to be no countervailing policy that could justify arbitrary
conditions, covenants and restrictions," Tiemstra said. "Indeed, public
policy should clearly favor the needs of the Amateur Radio operator."
Amateur Radio's role in public service and emergency communication will be
the Committee's strongest argument in seeking relief from private land-use
restrictions that limit amateurs' ability to operate effectively.
The Committee will analyze the outcomes of this month's meetings and draft a
report with recommendations for the ARRL Executive Committee to review and
consider at its October 12 meeting. The full Board is expected to take up
the issue at its January 2020 meeting.
A Radio on Your Belt -- 1930s Style
Since the advent of wireless technology, efforts have aimed at condensing
the size of the necessary equipment to permit ease of transport, mobile
installation, and radios that could be hand carried, slipped into a pocket
or -- in this case -- carried on the belt. Hugo Gernsback's Radio-Craft for
December 1936 included the article, "How to Make the World's Smallest 3-Tube
Radio Set" by Arthur Miller (likely not the playwright). It details how a
clever radio crafter could construct a set worn on a belt around the waist
and -- in this case -- with the antenna worn on the head in the manner of an
old-time banker's eyeshade. The individual wearing such equipment today
likely would not only have to endure considerable pointing and laughing but
would raise the alert level at any airport TSA checkpoint.
Vacuum tubes of the day were not too sensitive, required separate voltage
sources for filament and plate, and were pretty hard on batteries. The
filaments for the three tubes came from "a liquid unspillable storage cell"
(i.e., rechargeable) to supply the necessary 2 V. The article says this
battery should last from 7 to 10 hours and came "with an oiled silk bag and
fits in the hip pocket." This was the sort of futuristic innovation that
Gernsback typically featured in his publications, and the entire December
1936 issue of Radio-Craft is worth perusing.
"When using this 'Belt-Radio' the wearer is quite unmindful that the latest
news or dance music is coming from an ultra-midget receiver which is
actually being worn on the belt!" the article exults. "And it takes only a
minute to put the whole equipment on -- and less to take it off!"
According to Miller's article, building the three-tube set was easy. "The
loop aerial is wound on a cardboard disc 13 ins. in dia," it explains. "Litz
wire is used and 22 turns are interlaced around the 9 ribs." No mention of
gauging hat size.
The article concedes just to "one disadvantage" in having to wear the
antenna on one's head. "The 4-ft. cable connecting it with the receiver acts
as a capacity and restricts the tuning range of the set," it explains.
The set tuned the AM broadcast band, and with the antenna on the head,
directionality was less of an issue. While it might look silly to us now,
project ideas such as this helped advance the radio art toward the
technology we use and enjoy today.
So Now What? Podcast
"Demystifying the Language of Morse Code" is the focus of the new (September
19) episode of the So Now What? podcast for Amateur Radio newcomers.
If you're a newly licensed Amateur Radio operator, chances are you have lots
of questions. This biweekly podcast has answers! So Now What? offers
insights from those who've been just where you are now. New episodes will be
posted every other Thursday, alternating new-episode weeks with the ARRL The
Doctor is In podcast.
So Now What? is sponsored by LDG Electronics, a family owned and operated
business with laboratories in southern Maryland that offers a wide array of
antenna tuners and other Amateur Radio products.
ARRL Communications Content Producer Michelle Patnode, W3MVP, and ARRL
Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, co-host the podcast. Presented as a lively
conversation, with Patnode representing newer hams and Carcia the veteran
operators, the podcast will explore questions that newer hams may have and
the issues that keep participants from staying active in the hobby. Some
episodes will feature guests to answer questions on specific topic areas.
Listeners can find So Now What? on Apple iTunes, Blubrry, Stitcher (free
registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through the free
Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. Episodes will be archived
on the ARRL website.
Amateur Radio Digital Communications Announces Grant to ARISS
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has announced what's being
called "a very generous grant" to Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS) to help fund its next-generation Interoperable Radio System
(IORS) and associated infrastructure improvements and enhancements. ARISS
said the IORS will replace the aging amateur stations on the ISS to ensure
the continuation of its primary program that lets students speak to ISS crew
members via Amateur Radio. ARDC said it believes ARISS helps to engage
students with Amateur Radio and science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) in general "by providing exciting capabilities that don't
exist" on cell phones or the internet. A dollar figure was not made public.
"This was fantastic news!" said ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer,
KA3HDO, who expressed appreciation for ARDC's generosity. Bauer said the
ARDC gift would go a long way toward covering the considerable cost of
making the IORS a reality.
ARISS said its next-generation IORS will "enable new, exciting capabilities
for hams, students, and the general public." It also plans additional
enhancements, which would include:
New Amateur Radio communication and experimentation capabilities, including
an enhanced voice repeater and updated digital packet radio
APRS capability
Two-way slow-scan television (SSTV) in both the US and Russian ISS segments
HamTV-2
A new multi-voltage power supply that will support present and future
Amateur Radio capabilities and enable wireless experimentation
The ARISS International team has already begun planning for an Amateur Radio
role for NASA's Lunar Gateway initiative. Some ARDC board members have
expressed an interest in ARISS's future plans involving the Lunar Gateway
program, ARISS said.
The donation to ARISS is the first since ARDC announced its grant program
earlier this summer. ARISS invites contributions via its website. Read more.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: No sunspots again this week, and as of
Wednesday, we've seen 15 spotless days in a row. This is the solar minimum.
The current Cycle 24 is expected to end by year's end.
The average daily solar flux dipped from 69.4 to 68.1, while average daily
planetary A index declined slightly from 8.9 to 8.3, while the average daily
mid-latitude A index rose from 7.7 to 8.
Predicted solar flux is 68 on September 19 - 26; 69 on September 27 -
October 6; 70 on October 7; 68 on October 8 - 19, and 69 on October 20 -
November 2.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on September 19 - 21; 8 on September 22 -
23; 5 on September 24 - 26; 35, 45, 20, and 10 on September 27 - 30; 8, 10,
and 8 on October 1 - 3; 5, 5, and 12 on October 4 - 6; 5 on October 7 - 9;
8, 5, and 8 on October 10 - 12; 5, 8, and 10 on October 13 - 15; 5 on
October 16 - 19; 8, 5, and 5 on October 20 - 22; 8, 25, 30, and 18 on
October 23 - 26; 8, 5, and 8 on October 27 - 29; 5 on October 30 - November
1, and 12 on November 2.
Sunspot numbers for September 12 - 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.4, 68.3, 68.6, 67.7, 68.7, 67.5,
and 66.3, with a mean of 68.1. Estimated planetary A indices were 7, 8, 6,
8, 11, 9, and 9, with a mean of 8.3. Middle latitude A index was 7, 8, 7, 8,
10, 8, and 8, with a mean of 8.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For
more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean," and check out K9LA's
Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. Monthly charts offer
propagation projections between the US and a dozen DX locations.
Share your reports and observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
September 20 -- AGB NEMIGA Contest (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
September 21 -- QRP Afield (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
September 21 - 22 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- All Collegiate QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest
September 21 - 22 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest, CW
September 21 - 22 -- All Africa International DX Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
September 21 - 22 -- All Iowa QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- New Jersey QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- New Hampshire QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 21 - 22 -- Washington State Salmon Run (CW, phone, digital)
September 22 - 25 -- Classic Exchange, Phone
September 23 -- 144 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
September 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
September 25 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (CW)
September 26 -- RSGB 80-Meter Autumn Series, Data
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 email preferences.
Festival of Frequency Measurement Set to Honor WWV Centennial
HamSCI and the Case Amateur Radio Club of Case Western Reserve University
(W8EDU) will sponsor a "Festival of Frequency Measurement" on the day of
WWV's centennial, October 1, from 0000 to 2359 UTC (starting on Monday
evening, September 30, in the Americas). The event invites radio amateurs,
shortwave listeners, and others capable of making high-quality frequency
measurements on HF to participate and publish their data to the HamSCI
community on the Zenodo open-data sharing site.
"Changes in ionospheric electron density caused by space weather and diurnal
solar changes are known to cause Doppler shifts on HF ray paths," the event
announcement says. "HamSCI's first attempt at a measurement of these Doppler
shifts was during the August 2017 total solar eclipse. We plan a careful
measurement during the 2024 eclipse."
Some of the questions the research event is hoping to answer include how
WWV's 5 MHz propagation path varies over a given calendar day, and how
various measurement techniques for understanding the path variations
compare. The objectives are to measure Doppler shifts caused by the effect
of space weather on the ionosphere, and to use a specified measurement
protocol available to Amateur Radio operators and other citizen-scientists.
The experiment will use August 1, 2019 (UTC) as a control date.
"The recordings in this experiment are expected to show formations of the
D-layer at stations' local sunrise and other daily events of the
ionosphere," the announcement said. "Space weather varies day to day and
some features may be prominent. We'll see what we get!"
Full information is on the Festival of Frequency Measurement website.
Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club Assisting in Restoring Fire-Damaged
Repeaters
The Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC) Disaster Recovery Program for
the 2018 Carr and Camp Fires has made a $1,000 grant to the California
Amateur Radio Linking Association (CARLA) toward the cost of rebuilding one
of its destroyed sites. The CARLA network of repeaters provides coverage
across California and western Nevada to provide reliable communication
during significant local, regional, and wide-area incidents.
"We are extremely pleased and honored to have been the recipient of MDARC's
generosity through this initiative," said Tom Naso, N6MVT, one of the
founders of CARLA. "Our loss of CARLA system 25 in the Redding area was a
huge hit for us. Not only was it a high-level repeater site that covered a
lot of territory, but it was also a north-south relay site that connected
our primary Bay Area hub to our Shasta Area hub, so it was a big deal on
many levels when it went down that fateful day."
Naso said CARLA, based in the Bay Area, has systems throughout California
and parts of Nevada. The MDARC grant will make "a considerable dent in the
outlay of cash in procuring new equipment to replace what burned," he said.
"We don't have insurance on the equipment because of how many sites we have.
It just becomes cost prohibitive."
The MDARC Board of Directors has established a fund to assist organizations
that have suffered ham system losses as a result of the Carr and Camp Fires,
and it continues to seek additional clubs with fire-damaged systems that may
require financial aid to rebuild. MDARC recognizes that many of these
repeater systems are in critical areas that otherwise have very little
Amateur Radio or cellular coverage and are vital in providing important
disaster traffic. Contact the club for more information. -- Thanks to ARRL
East Bay Section Manager Jim Siemons, W6LK, and Tom Naso, N6MVT
Well-Known Yukon Ham J Allen, VY1JA, is Stepping Away from Amateur Radio
Well-known Canadian radio amateur J Allen, VY1JA, of Whitehorse, Yukon
Territory, has announced that he's retiring from ham radio, citing long-term
health issues and hearing loss. The familiar VY1JA call sign also has been
retired. Allen will begin dismantling his station and antennas as early as
this weekend. His last contact was with KA4UPI on September 14. He has
uploaded his logs to Logbook of The World (LoTW) and sent copies to his QSL
managers.
"After approximately 30 years of operation and over 110,000 contacts, the
station VY1JA has gone QRT for operator health reasons effective
2019-09-14," Allen said on his QRZ.com profile. "All gear and antennas are
for sale."
For years, VY1JA was an eagerly sought-after multiplier in the ARRL November
Sweepstakes and other events, as well as a needed zone in DX contests. In
recent years, as Allen has begun to step away from regular on-the-air
appearances, his station has been operated remotely as VY1AAA by a team of
Canadian-licensed operators located in the US. Allen said VY1AAA operation
would cease on September 22.
Gerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RM, who has coordinated VY1AAA operations, told ARRL
that he's been searching over the past 6 months for another Northern
Territories station that would be willing to host remote operation.
"The VY1AAA team is greatly saddened by this turn of events," Hull said.
"Hams around the world will surely miss J and the VY1AAA team on the bands.
J has been an incredible friend and mentor. Now it is time for us to help
him off the air." Hull said that over the past 4 years, the remotely
operated station has logged more than 35,000 contacts, and QSL requests will
continue to be honored. He invited inquiries via email.
Allen thanked Hull for "his tireless efforts to keep YT/NT/VY1 on the air
throughout the years of his operation and direction of remote operations."
Read more.
In Brief...
Until October 1, WWV and WWVH are broadcasting a US Department of Defense
message to mark the centennial of WWV and to announce the WW0WWV special
event. The message will air at 10 minutes past the hour from September 28
until October 2 from the WWV transmitter site near Fort Collins, Colorado.
Kevin Utter, N7GES, a member of the WW0WWV Centennial Committee, recorded
the audio track for the announcement. Utter has been an integral part of the
Committee and is a highly respected member of the Northern Colorado Amateur
Radio community. -- Thanks to Paul English, WD8DBY
A CubeSat with an FM-to-Codec-2 transponder has been launched. The Taurus-1
(Jinniuzuo-1) CubeSat carrying an Amateur Radio FM-to-Codec-2 transponder
was launched on September 12 from China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center.
The CubeSat was developed by Aerospace System Engineering Research Institute
of Shanghai for youth education and Amateur Radio. The transponder is
similar to that used on the LilacSat-1 (LO-90) CubeSat and can use the same
software, once frequencies are changed, receiving FM with 67 Hz CTCSS on
145.820 MHz and retransmitting it as Codec-2 9,600 bps BPSK digital voice on
436.760 MHz. The telemetry downlink is 435.840 MHz. In addition to the
transponder, the satellite also carries a drag sail. For more information on
the transponder type, see "Digital Voice on Amateur Satellites: Experiences
with LilacSat-OSCAR 90," which appeared in the January/February edition of
The AMSAT Journal. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service
North Korea is said to be testing digital broadcasting on 80 meters. Radio
World reports that the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea)
has resumed testing digital radio broadcasting on the 80-meter amateur band
after a 2-year absence. North Korea is transmitting with the Digital Radio
Mondiale (DRM) protocol. The latest transmissions on 3.560 MHz began in
mid-August. "It appears unclear at this time, however, whether the current
series of transmissions will soon end or be the start of a regular service,"
Radio World said. "According to radio enthusiasts in the region, the signal
has been clear and very audible." Radio World says Voice of Korea, the North
Korean international broadcasting service, has conducted DRM trials off and
on since 2012.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
September 21 - 22 -- New Mexico State Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico
September 27 - 28 -- Central Division Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
September 28 -- Dakota Division Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota
September 28 -- Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley, Washington
October 6 -- Iowa State Convention, West Liberty, Iowa
October 11 - 12 -- PNWVHFS Conference and Meeting, Issaquah, Washington
October 11 - 12 -- Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida
October 13 -- Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut
October 18 - 19 -- Delta Division Convention, East Ridge, Tennessee
October 18 - 20 -- Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California
October 19 -- 21st Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference, Wisconsin Rapids,
Wisconsin
October 26 -- South Carolina Section Convention, Conway, South Carolina
November 2 - 3 -- Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
November 16 -- Indiana Section Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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