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N9PMO > LETTER 09.08.14 02:34l 752 Lines 35290 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
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ARRL Board Lauds "Unforgettable Milestone," Formalizes LoTW Policy
ARRL Board Names Award Winners, Honorees
Early Efforts on Behalf of "The Amateur Radio Parity Act" H.R. 4969
Bearing Fruit
W1AW Centennial Operations Relocate on August 13 (UTC)
AMSAT Announces Fox-1C Launch Opportunity and Fund Drive
Maritime Mobile Service Network Aids in Separate Land-Based
Emergencies
SKYWARN Volunteers Muster as Severe Weather, Tornado Hit Southern
New England
California Hams Activate to Support Shelter Communications Following
Wildfire
ARRL DXCC and Awards Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, Recuperating
Following Accident
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest Weekends Are Just Around the Corner!
ARRL RTTY Rookie Roundup Not Just for Newbies
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
In Brief
The K7RA Solar Update
Just Ahead in Radiosport
Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
ARRL Board Lauds "Unforgettable Milestone," Formalizes LoTW Policy
The ARRL Board of Directors dealt with a variety of matters when it
met in Hartford, Connecticut, on July 21 and 22. ARRL President Kay
ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, presided at the July 2014 Board
meeting. [Harold Kramer, WJ1B, photo]
Craigie, N3KN, chaired the session. Reflecting the afterglow of the
ARRL National Centennial Convention that concluded a couple of days
earlier, the Board commended and thanked the ARRL staff and
Convention volunteers for "their devotion and service, contributing
to a truly memorable celebration of this unforgettable milestone in
the life of the ARRL." The resolution took note of the "countless"
hours staffers spent, in addition to their routine responsibilities,
preparing for and running the convention. The Board also cited the
essential role of "many dedicated volunteers" before, during and
after the convention.
Emergency Communications
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, and ARRL President Kay
Craigie, N3KN, sign the Memorandum of Agreement. [Rick Lindquist,
WW1ME,
Citing the inspiring Convention Banquet speech by Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, the
Board resolved to reaffirm its "commitment and desire to further
improve and enhance Amateur Radio's participation and standing in
emergency communications for the benefit of the nation's emergency
response agencies and the American public." During the convention,
the ARRL and FEMA signed a Memorandum of Agreement that, the
resolution said, would "strengthen FEMA's partnership with ARRL and
build upon our work to expand emergency communications capabilities
and the use of Amateur Radio in emergency management."
Logbook of The World
The Board adopted an updated policy for the League's popular Logbook
of The World (LoTW) service. The new statement largely formalizes
long-standing and existing policies and procedures. To maintain
LoTW's security, the policy states that in the event a call sign
certificate is shown to have been compromised, "all contacts
submitted with that call sign certificate will be removed from LoTW,
all confirmations generated by those contacts will be invalidated,
and all award credit generated by those confirmations will be
revoked." LoTW users who allow their certificates to be compromised
or who "knowingly exploit" compromised certificates may lose the
privilege of using LoTW and participating in ARRL awards programs.
"The integrity of LoTW must support the prestige of those awards
that depend on it, such as DXCC," the policy states. "The goals of
'ease of enrollment' and 'ease of use' must be balanced against the
requirement of maintaining an extremely high level of integrity."
The policy calls on ARRL's Information Technology Department "to
keep the processing queue as short as possible," but added that
speedy processing is secondary to LoTW's primary goal of
authenticating contacts and that LoTW "is not guaranteed to be a
24/7 application."
ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT
(left), and ARRL Southeastern Division Director Doug Rehman, K4AC,
at the July Board meeting. [Harold Kramer, WJ1B, photo]
The policy says that while fees currently are only required when
contact credits are redeemed toward supported awards, "Premium
services may be developed for LoTW which would require user fees."
Also related to operating awards, the Board agreed to modify some
DXCC Rules to clarify the appointment procedure and eligibility of
DXCC card checkers.
Referred to Committee
The Programs and Services Committee (P&SC) is to closely examine the
issue of remotely controlled stations, noting that these "pose both
opportunities and challenges." The P&SC would "consider the possible
advantages, disadvantages, and any potential ethical issues as they
relate strictly to the DXCC program" and report its findings by the
Board's January 2015 Annual Meeting.
The Executive Committee is to study the possibility of seeking
limited RTTY/data privileges for Technician licensees on 80, 40, and
15 meters.
Other Business
In other business, the ARRL Board of Directors:
voted, without offering specifics, to support "a significant
increase in the resources directed to generating new amateurs, with
particular emphasis on increasing diversity." The ARRL staff was
directed to propose a course of action to meet that goal.
voted to have ARRL staff work with the Programs & Services Committee
to design and implement a web-based reporting system to gather
information on activities performed by Field Organization
volunteers. Read more.
ARRL Board Names Award Winners, Honorees
The Board named award winners and honorees during its July 21-22
meeting in Hartford, Connecticut.
The 2014 Hiram Percy Maxim Award -- the League's top youth honor --
went to Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS, of Bloomington, Indiana. The
recipient of a Goldfarb Scholarship, Lysandrou (left) was cited for
his demonstrated passion for HF DXing, his high school Amateur Radio
club activity, his service as Indiana Assistant Section Manager for
Youth Activities, and for actively sharing his love of Amateur Radio
by being a presenter Dayton Hamvention and elsewhere. Lysandrou was
the recipient of May 2013 QST Cover Plaque Award for his article "A
Crazy Idea: DXpedition to Cyprus."
The 2014 ARRL Technical Innovation Award went to Warren C. Pratt,
NR0V, of Santa Cruz, California. He was cited for his research
leading to the development of PureSignal, "an adaptive baseband
pre-distortion algorithm used to improve the linearity of amplifiers
and reduce intermodulation distortion products emitted by
software-defined transmitters."
The joint recipients of the 2014 Herb S. Brier Instructor of the
Year Award were Brad Amacker, N5MZ, of Petal, Mississippi, and Bill
Finnegan, NR8I, of Marion, Ohio. Amacker has taught at 16 Amateur
Radio license instruction classes that resulted in some 100 students
becoming Amateur Radio licensees, and he's been active in mentoring
new licensees. Finnegan, who has taught 21 Amateur Radio license
instruction classes in the past decade resulting in 60 new ham radio
licensees, was cited for "his patience with students, especially
those struggling with comprehension of more difficult radio theory."
The joint recipients of the 2013 Doug DeMaw, W1FB, Technical
Excellence Award were Kai Siwiak, KE4PT, of Coral Springs, Florida,
and Bruce Pontius, N0ADL, of Scottsdale, Arizona. Both were credited
with "distinguished lifelong Amateur Radio careers, both on the air
and in test and measurement respects." They were specifically cited
for their December 2013 QST article, "How Much 'Punch' Can You Get
from Different Modes?" The article characterized and quantified the
typical performance of various analog and digital modes to shed
light on their performance and limitations.
The Board elected Bruce J. Frahm, K0BJ, an Honorary Vice President.
Frahm served a total of 20 years as Midwest Division Vice Director,
Director, and ARRL Second Vice President.
The Board granted the title of "ARRL Receptionist Emerita" to Penny
Harts, N1NAG (left), who retired on July 31 following 46 years of
service at ARRL Headquarters -- the longest tenure of any current
Headquarters staff member. The Board's resolution recounted that
after joining the staff in 1968, "Penny quickly established herself
as the friendly voice and face of the ARRL to countless callers and
visitors to Newington." She also earned her Amateur Radio license --
eventually upgrading to Amateur Extra class -- became active in
local radio club affairs, and served as an ARRL Volunteer Examiner
at more than 100 exam sessions. She "capped her career by providing
invaluable assistance at the ARRL National Centennial Convention,"
the Board said, and, over the years, has been "an inspiring friend
to her colleagues" as well as to volunteers and Board members.
The Board extended its very best wishes to ARRL Chief Development
Officer Mary M. Hobart, K1MMH, who also retired on July 31, after 13
years of "outstanding service, above and beyond the call to the
members of the ARRL, present and future." Among her other
accomplishments, Hobart was credited with developing the Second
Century Campaign. Read more.
Early Efforts on Behalf of "The Amateur Radio Parity Act" H.R. 4969
Bearing Fruit
Initial efforts to secure additional co-sponsors for "The Amateur
Radio Parity Act of 2014" -- H.R. 4969 -- are starting to produce
results. As of August 5, 17 co-sponsors had signed onto the bill,
which was introduced in the US House of Representatives with
bipartisan support in late June. Additional co-sponsors are
anticipated. H.R. 4969 would call on the FCC to apply the
"reasonable accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal
pre-emption policy to private land-use restrictions regarding
antennas. The bill's primary sponsor is Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).
It received initial co-sponsorship from Rep Joe Courtney (D-CT), who
attended the ARRL National Centennial Convention on July 19 to
discuss the measure with visitors and League officials.
"With Congress on break for August, we are encouraging our members
to meet with their representatives while [lawmakers] are home on
break in their districts, and urge their support for H.R. 4969,"
said ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. "We're
very pleased with the initial response, but the more noise we make,
the better our chances." He emphasized that a successful outcome
requires as many co-sponsors as possible, and that's where ARRL
members come into play in their role as voters and constituents.
The League's H.R. 4969 page contains information and guidance for
clubs and individuals promoting efforts to gain co-sponsors for the
measure by contacting their members of Congress. The web page
includes a sample letter to a member of Congress and a list of
"talking points." For in-person visits, the League recommends
organizing small teams of knowledgeable, articulate radio amateurs
to approach lawmakers one to one to plead their case.
The limited PRB-1 pre-emption currently applies only to state and
municipal land-use ordinances. The FCC has indicated its reluctance
to provide the same legal protections from private land-use
agreements -- often called covenants, conditions, and restrictions
or CC&Rs -- without direction from Congress.
US Representative Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR) chairs the House
subcommittee that will consider H.R. 4969.
H.R. 4969 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce
Committee. Rep Greg Walden, W7EQI (R-OR), chairs that panel's
Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which will consider the
measure. The League had approached Walden, who helped to engineer
the bill.
Henderson said that in response to the "Get Behind H.R. 4969" effort
at the Centennial Convention and last month's edition of the
Legislative Update Newsletter, more than 2000 individuals drafted
letters to their congressional representatives, urging them to
co-sponsor the bill. He asked League members to e-mail or mail
letters directed to their US House of Representatives member to ARRL
Headquarters for forwarding. E-mails will be printed beforehand, he
noted. Henderson explained that this approach speeds delivery, since
individual pieces of mail to members of Congress are scanned for
threats. Henderson said he's already received another 200 or so
letters to forward to House members.
Send letters to H.R. 4969 Letter Campaign, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111. If e-mailing, include "H.R. 4969" in your
subject line. All correspondence must be signed and include the
constituent's mailing address. Read more.
W1AW Centennial Operations Relocate on August 13 (UTC)
The ARRL Centennial W1AW WAS operations taking place throughout 2014
from each of the 50 states are now in Vermont (W1AW/1) and New
Jersey (W1AW/2). They will relocate at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, August
13 (the evening of August 12 in US time zones), to Oklahoma
(W1AW/5). Only one state will be active during the week of August
13-19.
During 2014 W1AW will be on the air from every state (at least
twice) and most US territories, and it will be easy to work all
states solely by contacting W1AW portable operations.
The ARRL Centennial QSO Party kicked off January 1 for a year-long
operating event in which participants can accumulate points and win
awards. The event is open to all, although only ARRL members and
appointees, elected officials, HQ staff and W1AW are worth ARRL
Centennial QSO Party points.
Working W1AW/x from each state is worth 5 points per mode/contact,
even when working the same state during its second week of activity.
To earn the "Worked all States with W1AW Award," work W1AW operating
portable from all 50 states. (Working W1AW or W100AW in Connecticut
does not count for Connecticut, however. For award credit,
participants must work W1AW/1 in Connecticut.) A W1AW WAS
certificate and plaque will be available.
The ARRL has posted an ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board that
participants can use to determine how many points they have
accumulated in the Centennial QSO Party and in the W1AW WAS
operations. Log in using your Logbook of The World (LoTW) user name
and password, and your position will appear at the top of the leader
boards. Results are updated daily, based on contacts entered into
LoTW.
Ad
AMSAT Announces Fox-1C Launch Opportunity and Fund Drive
AMSAT-NA has announced a third-quarter 2015 launch opportunity for
its Fox-1C CubeSat and has kicked off a fund drive to cover the
costs of putting the Amateur Radio satellite into space. AMSAT
reports that it has teamed with Spaceflight Inc for integration and
launch services utilizing Spaceflight's SHERPA system to put Fox-1C
into a sun-synchronous orbit. Spaceflight describes SHERPA as an
"in-space tug, which is dedicated to hosting and deploying small and
secondary payloads." Fox-1C is the third of four Fox-1 series
satellites under development. Fox-1A and RadFXsat/Fox-1B will launch
without cost to AMSAT through NASA's Educational Launch of
Nanosatellites (ELaNa) program.
The Phase 1 Fox satellites are 1-Unit CubeSats, each including an
analog FM repeater that will permit simple ground stations using a
hand-held transceiver and antenna to make contacts through the
satellite. The Phase 1 CubeSats also offer high-speed digital mode
data communication capability. AMSAT said it plans to release
further details on the Fox-1C satellite and the 2015 launch as they
become available.
AMSAT has set a fund-raising goal of $125,000 to cover the cost of
the launch contract and additional Fox-1C construction and testing
materials. Read more. -- AMSAT News Service, AMSAT website
Maritime Mobile Service Network Aids in Separate Land-Based
Emergencies
While best known for its efforts to aid voyagers on the high seas,
the Maritime Mobile Service Network (MMSN) occasionally helps out in
land-based emergencies too. That was the case recently when MMSN net
control stations received distress calls regarding motor vehicle
incidents in Nevada and Texas. On July 24, MMSN Net Control Station
Ken Porter, AC0ML, was notified by HF mobile operator George Molnar,
KF2T, that he had witnessed a tractor-trailer mishap on Nevada
Highway 318. The rig had apparently skidded and landed on its side
in a canyon, precluding the use of cell phone or Amateur Radio
VHF/UHF systems.
"Truckers' CBs didn't reach anyone outside the canyon. Only ham
radio worked!" Molnar said later.
Porter placed the net in emergency status, pinned down details on
the wreck, and notified authorities. Nevada Highway Patrol troopers
were dispatched to the scene. There were no injuries, but the
highway was completely blocked in both directions, and some of the
tractor-trailer's perishable cargo ended up scattered on the
roadway.
A call to the Maritime Mobile Service Network on 20 meters brought
help after this tractor-trailer driver lost control of his rig on
Nevada Highway 318. [George Molnar, KF2T, photo]
Porter, the NCS, later said that he was "quite surprised" to get a
call regarding a land-based emergency but also understood why this
might happen, given that the Net's availability on 14.300 MHz daily
from 1600 to 0200 UTC, and the fact that many hams are aware of its
existence.
Several weeks earlier, on June 18, MMSN NCS Donald Plunkett, VA6FH,
was called by a trucker-ham who reported a serious motor vehicle
accident involving a truck and a car outside of Stockton, Texas. The
station calling in requested that the net contact the Texas
Department of Public Safety, since he was outside of cell phone and
VHF/UHF repeater range. Emergency units were sent to the scene. Read
more. -- Thanks to Hurricane Watch Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV
SKYWARN Volunteers Muster as Severe Weather, Tornado Hit Southern
New England
When severe weather erupted in Southern New England on July 27 and
28, SKYWARN volunteers went on alert to help forecasters track
conditions and, afterward, to assist authorities with assessing
damage. A super-cell storm system organized over northern Norfolk
County, Massachusetts, on the morning of July 28 and raced through
portions of northeastern Massachusetts, causing wind damage in
sections of Needham, SKYWARN Coordinator and ARRL Eastern
Massachusetts Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo,
KD1CY, reported.
"The storm was tracked using the SKYWARN self-activation protocol,"
he said. The system subsequently generated an EF-2 tornado, which
swept through Revere, Massachusetts, leaving a swath of significant
damage in its wake. "Within 15 or 20 minutes of the storm's passage,
the Amateur Radio SKYWARN network received reports of many trees and
wires down and structural damage in Revere," Macedo said. "Other
pockets of straight-line wind damage and flash flooding occurred
elsewhere in Southern New England, rounding out a 2-day stretch of
severe weather in the region."
SKYWARN Spotters Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, and Marek Kozubal, KB1NCG,
worked with National Weather Service-Taunton Warning Coordination
Meteorologist Glenn Field, KB1GHX, local first responders, and
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency personnel in surveying the
damage. All are associated with WX1BOX, the Amateur Radio Station at
NWS-Taunton.
Some of the damage resulting from a July 28 tornado in Revere,
Massachusetts. [Marek Kozubal, KB1NCG, photo]
According to the NWS-Taunton office, the tornado, with winds
estimated at between 100 and 120 MPH, affected both Chelsea and
Revere, but most of the damage was in Revere. The NWS said the
tornado traveled 2 miles, leaving a path some 3/8-mile wide. The
Weather Channel said the tornado affected a 3-square mile
residential area of Revere, damaging more than 60 homes and business
and leaving upward of 3000 residences without power. A temporary
shelter was opened to handle those displaced by the storm. In
addition, significant flash flooding affected the Boston Metro West
region, with rainfall of up to 3.5 inches recorded in less than an
hour.
Macedo said another round of severe weather occurred later in the
day on July 28, affecting northwestern and north-central
Massachusetts through southern New Hampshire, with additional severe
thunderstorms taking place across north-central Connecticut. "These
severe thunderstorms caused pockets of flash flooding and
straight-line wind damage," Macedo's report said. July 28's severe
weather events followed an 8-hour severe weather episode that had
affected parts of Western and Central New England the previous day.
Read more.
California Hams Activate to Support Shelter Communications Following
Wildfire
Amateur Radio volunteers in California's Tuolumne County assisted
local emergency managers and the American Red Cross by supporting
communication at a shelter in Groveland, set up in the wake of the
El Portal Fire in Yosemite National Park. The National Park Service
reported that the fire got its start in the community of El Portal
on July 26, and evacuations were ordered for Foresta and Old El
Portal, area campgrounds emptied, and roads closed.
Tuolumne County ARES Emergency Coordinator Carl Croci, NI6Z,
reported that several radio amateurs responded. A UHF and VHF
repeater were cross-banded to cover the necessary expanse between
Fresno, site of the Red Cross Headquarters, and the shelter site in
Groveland.
Radio amateurs were able to stand down the following day after a 20
hour communications emergency. Eight pieces of traffic were handled.
-- Thanks to Carl Croci, NI6Z, and Fresno County ARES EC/RACES Radio
Officer Glen Caine, N6HEW
Ad
ARRL DXCC and Awards Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, Recuperating
Following Accident
ARRL DXCC and Awards Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, was seriously injured
in a single-car accident on the afternoon of Thursday, July 3.
ARRL DXCC and Awards Manager Bill Moore, NC1L.
Moore suffered a broken neck and other injuries and is paralyzed
from the chest down. He is stable and recuperating in a Newington
rehabilitation facility. There is no timetable for his return to
work at ARRL Headquarters.
DXCC and awards questions that would normally be handled by Moore
should be sent to one of the e-mail addresses listed on the DXCC
Contacts web page.
Cards and get-well wishes are appreciated, and should be sent to
Bill Moore, NC1L, 92 Reservoir Rd, Newington, CT 06111.
ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest Weekends Are Just Around the Corner!
Experimentation, building, and contesting all come together on the
weekends of August 16-17 and September 20-21, when radio amateurs
can competitively explore the microwave portion of the radio
spectrum during the 2014 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest. The contest
period on both weekends runs from 6 AM local time on Saturday until
midnight local time on Sunday.
Larry, KG6EG, operates during the 2012 ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest.
The exchange is your six-character Maidenhead Locator or "Grid
Square," (eg, FN64co). Participants earn points based on the
distance of each contact. Operating from several locations during
the event not only is allowed, it's encouraged. Many stations will
run just a few hundred milliwatts, using parabolic dishes to
maximize gain. Along with line-of-sight contacts -- often made from
mountaintops -- stations may make use of tropospheric and rainfall
scatter or bounce signals off large objects, such as buildings or
mountains.
A list of resources with more information is available. Complete
rules and entry forms are on the ARRL website.
All logs must be e-mailed or postmarked no later than 2359 UTC on
Tuesday, October 21, 2014. Send paper logs to ARRL 10 GHz and Up
Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111.
ARRL RTTY Rookie Roundup Not Just for Newbies
The ARRL Rookie Roundup returns to RTTY Sunday, August 17, 1800 UTC
through 2359 UTC. This event provides a unique opportunity for new
operators (licensed 3 years or fewer) to gain RTTY contesting
skills. Rookie Roundup events take place three times a year: SSB in
April, RTTY in August, and CW in December.
During the contest Rookies can work anyone, while veteran operators
only work Rookies. Experienced hams are also encouraged to host
Rookies at their stations and to provide guidance during the
contest. Single-Operator Rookie entrants can form teams, but teams
must register beforehand. A multioperator category is also available
for stations hosting more than one Rookie operator.
Rookies call "CQ RR" (CQ Rookie Roundup), while veteran ops call "CQ
R" (CQ Rookies). Exchange the call sign of the station you're
working, your call sign, your first name, the two-digit number of
the year first you were licensed, and your state, Canadian province,
Mexican call area, or DX.
RTTY Rookie Roundup participants can log the contest using either
the paper forms provided on the Rookie Roundup web page or by using
the real-time In The Log website. Once the contest is over and
you've calculated your score, complete the Rookie Roundup Online
Score Submission Form to submit your score; no logs are necessary.
Entrants must fill out this form to enter, and all entries are due
within 72 hours (3 days) of the end of the contest.
For more information, contact ARRL Contest Branch Manager Matt
Wilhelm, W1MSW.
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
The FCC made numerous rules changes during the 1970s -- some major,
and many minor. The Commission had to work hard to keep up with
rapidly advancing technology as well as with call sign matters.
Major changes included relaxed logging requirements, which had
always been stringent. The first rules governing repeaters were
released. Novices were allowed to use VFOs, not just crystal
control. The 2 meter sub-band for Technicians was expanded, allowing
operation between 145 and 148 MHz. Phone allocations on the HF bands
were widened.
In 1973, the FCC reduced to 1 year the time you had to have been
licensed before applying for the Amateur Extra class license. As
repeaters became more popular and more common, the FCC started
issuing WR-prefix call signs for repeater stations (these were
phased out in the 1980s). In 1976 and 1977, the FCC, in steps, began
allowing Amateur Extras to apply for specific 1 × 2 call signs. The
first Extras allowed to apply were those licensed the longest. This
system preceded the current vanity call sign system and was purely a
bonus for hams who had reached the top rung of the licensing ladder.
In 1977 the FCC dropped the mobile and portable operation ID
requirements and further expanded Technician privileges on 2 meters
to permit operation from 144.5 to 148 MHz. Technicians also gained
privileges on the Novice sub-bands. Novices were allowed to run up
to 250 W, and even higher-class licensees were limited to that power
while operating in the Novice segments. As the ham radio population
grew, the pool of available call signs became shallow, and the FCC
started issuing 2 × 2 call signs (beginning with W) to Amateur Extra
licensees.
A typical 2 meter repeater in the 1970s often employed surplus
commercial repeater equipment. This one uses GE Prog Line
transmitter and receiver decks. Those curious metal cylinders are
vacuum tube shields. [The Radio Amateur's Handbook, 55th ed, 1978]
In 1978, Novice licenses became renewable, with a 5-year term. The
FCC eliminated the Conditional license; those licensees became
Generals. Technician licensees gained all amateur privileges above
50 MHz. Because so many CB operators were using linear amplifiers to
"enhance" their 5 W signals, the FCC outlawed commercially
manufactured amplifiers that could operate between 24 and 35 MHz.
The FCC also dropped the requirement to obtain a new call
district-appropriate call sign when moving from one district to
another.
During the late 1970s, the FCC had to work hard to keep up with ham
radio!
Next week, we'll look at what happened to Amateur Radio on the
technical front during the 1970s. -- Al Brogdon, W1AB
In Brief
W100AW/4 August Activation Set from Huntsville Hamfest: The North
Alabama DX Club will activate W100AW/4 from the Huntsville Hamfest
-- the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention and a Regional ARRL
Centennial Event. Plans call for two stations running CW and SSB.
Operations will begin at approximately 1800 UTC on Friday, August
15, and conclude at 2000 UTC on Sunday, August 17. -- Thanks to Mark
Brown, N4BCD
Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, Receives Brendan Medal: Microwave veteran
Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, of Forest, Virginia, has been awarded the
first triennial Brendan Medal by the Irish Radio Transmitters
Society (IRTS) for his contribution to the promotion of propagation
studies on the transatlantic 2 meter path. Justin designed and built
a high-power 2 meter beacon on Apple Orchard Mountain in Bedford
County, Virginia, beamed toward Europe. The Brendan Awards are
designed to encourage experimentation with two-way transatlantic
communication by radio amateurs on 2 meters. IRTS President Séamus
McCague, EI8BP, presented the award to Justin during the ARRL
National Centennial Convention July 17-19 in Hartford, Connecticut.
Justin was the recipient of the 2013 ARRL Technical Innovation
Award, and he holds VUCC #1 for most of the microwave bands from 47
GHz up. -- Thanks to Geep Howell, WA4RTS
Radio Amateurs Are Among 2014 Radio Club of America Award Winners:
The Radio Club of America, RCA has announced its 2014 award winners.
The list includes several Amateur Radio licensees. The Barry
Goldwater Award: Norman "Doug" Grant, K1DG; The Jerry B. Minter
Award: Albert D. Helfrick, K2BLA; The President's Award: John
Facella, K9FJ; The Edgar F. Johnson Pioneer Citation: John S.
Belrose, VE2CV/VE3CVV, and The Young Achiever Award: Rohan Agrawal,
KJ6LXV. These individuals and the other 2014 award winners will be
honored at the Radio Club of America annual banquet on November 22
at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.
France Permits Third-Party Communication During ARISS Contacts:
Telecommunications authorities in France now permit third-party
communication with the International Space Station. This will allow
unlicensed youngsters to speak directly with ISS crew members during
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) educational
contacts instead of through a licensed control operator. ARISS-EU
Chair Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, reported that French State Secretary
for Digital Affairs Axelle Lemaire recently authorized the direct
participation, under the supervision of a licensed operator.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: We saw a rise in solar
activity over the past week, with average daily sunspot number
increasing from 107.7 to 136.7. Average daily solar flux went from
125 for the previous 7 days to 149.6 for the current period, July 31
through August 6.
Predicted solar flux is 135 on August 7, 130 on August 8, 125 for
August 9-10, then 120, 110 and 105 for August 11-13, respectively,
110 for August 14-16, 100 for August 17-19, 105 for August 20-21,
110 on August 22, 115 on August 23, 120 for August 24-26, 125 for
August 27-28, 120 for August 29-30, and jumping to 150 on August 31
through September 3.
Predicted planetary A index is 8 for August 7-8, 5 for August 9-21,
8 for August 22-23, 5 for August 24-27, and 8 for August 28-29.
Last week's bulletin reported computer network issues at Canada's
Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory in Penticton, British
Columbia. The Observatory came back online and caught up with some
backlogged data, but it's now offline again. Judging by a government
announcement, the problems apparently resulted from a cyber attack
(thanks to Elwood Downey, WB0OEW, for the news tip).
This weekly "Solar Update" in The ARRL Letter is a preview of the
"Propagation Bulletin" issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and
an archive of past propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.
In this Friday's bulletin look for an updated forecast. We also hope
to relay some reports from readers. Send me your reports and
observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
August 9-10 -- Worked All Europe (CW)
August 9 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
August 9-10 -- Maryland-DC QSO Party
August 9 -- Fall VHF Sprint - 50 MHz
August 9 -- NJQRP Skeeter Hunt (SSB, CW)
August 13-14 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)
August 16-17 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest
August 16-17 -- SARTG WW RTTY Contest
August 16-17 -- 70 centimeter Digital EME Championship
August 16-17 -- Russian District Award Contest (SSB, CW)
August 16-17 -- Keymen's Club of Japan Contest (CW)
August 16-17 -- North American QSO Party (SSB)
August 16-17 -- Feld-Hell Gridloc Sprint
August 16 -- Dominicavision Convention, Regional ARRL
Centennial Event, Huntsville, Alabama
August 17 -- Kansas State Convention, Salina, Kansas
August 23 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West Virginia
August 23-24 -- JARL Ham Fair, Tokyo, Japan
August 24 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, New
Kensington, Pennsylvania
August 30-31 -- North Carolina State Convention, (Shelby Hamfest),
Shelby, North Carolina
September 5-7 -- ARRL-TAPR Digital Communications Conference,
Austin, Texas
September 6 -- Kentucky State Convention, Shepherdsville, Kentucky
September 6 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach, Virginia
September 12-14 -- Southwestern Division Convention, San Diego,
California
September 19-20 -- W9DXCC Convention, Schaumburg, Illinois
September 26-27 -- W4DXCC/SEDCO, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
September 26-28 -- Mid-Atlantic States VHF Conference, Bensalem,
Pennsylvania
September 27 -- North Dakota State Convention, West Fargo, North
Dakota
September 27 -- Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley,
Washington
October 4 -- Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware
October 5 -- Iowa Section Convention, West Liberty, Iowa
October 10-11 -- Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida
October 10-12 -- Pacific Division Convention (Pacificon), Regional
ARRL Centennial Event, Huntsville, Alabama Santa Clara, California
October 11 -- Pacific Northwest VHF Conference, Seaside, Oregon
October 12 -- Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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