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N9PMO > LETTER 31.10.14 01:57l 708 Lines 31697 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
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Hawaii ARES Volunteers Finalize Plans for Possible Lava Flow
Activation
Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads Among Those Lost in Launch
Explosion
Indian Radio Amateurs Continue Communication Support Following Cyclone
Colorado EOSS-202 Balloon Flight Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads
"Awesome"
Bidding in Ninth Annual ARRL On-Line Auction Ends on Thursday, October
30
ARISS Encourages Schools to Apply Now for Space Station Ham Radio
Contact Opportunities
W1AW Centennial Operations Set Sights on Washington and Kansas, Plus
American Samoa
4M Moon Orbiter Completes Lunar Flyby
KP1-5 Project Gets Permission to Activate Navassa Island (KP1) in
January 2015
Indonesia's New Leaders are Radio Amateurs
NCDXC Donates Radio, Accessories to 3B9FR
Special Event Call Sign VI6ANZAC Will Mark 100th Anniversary of ANZAC
Former ARRL Staff Member Mary Lau, N1VH, SK
Mirage, KLM Co-Founder Kenneth E. Holladay, K6HCP, SK
Bill Orr Award Recipient Harry R. "Bob" Schroeder, N2HX, SK
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
The K7RA Solar Update
Getting It Right!
Just Ahead in Radiosport
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
Hawaii ARES Volunteers Finalize Plans for Possible Lava Flow
Activation
ARRL Pacific Section Manager Bob Schneider, AH6J, said this week that
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers on the Big Island of
Hawaii are ready to activate, if needed, in response to the Puna lava
flow.
"It's basically on the edges of the populated part of town [of
Pahoa]," Schneider said on October 30. "At this point, it's 'get ready
and see what happens.'"
The Puna lava flow (center) approaching Pahoa on October 29. [Hawaii
Volcano Observatory photo]
Like the 1958 horror movie "The Blob" -- indescribable,
indestructible, and nothing can stop it! -- by late in the week, the
lava flow was threatening to consume dozens of homes in Pahoa and cut
across the town's main highway. The lava claimed its first structure
-- a shed -- on October 28. Schneider said the flow oozed across a
cemetery this week too. The lava originated from new "vents" in the
Earth as a result of the Mt Kilauea volcano, which began erupting more
than 30 years ago. After grinding to a halt nearly a month ago, the
lava flow recently resumed its slow and devastating crawl toward
populated areas. Now the National Guard has been called out, and some
20 families have been ordered to evacuate. Hawaii's Civil Defense has
been fully deployed.
Lava flows are nothing new to Hawaiians; Schneider and others call
them "a slow-motion disaster." In September ARRL deployed Ham Aid kits
to Hawaii for a possible lava flow response then. As it turned out,
ARES members there needed the gear for Hurricane Ana first, since the
lava flow had abated by the time the equipment got to Hawaii.
Schneider told ARRL Headquarters this week that District Emergency
Coordinators were establishing area-specific ARES standard operating
procedures in the event of an activation. "[East Hawaii DEC Kim Fendt,
WH6HIM] has put together a volunteer shelter-response team," Schneider
said. "They all realize that this may involve multiple shifts for a
considerable time."
Hawaii County Puna Makai District Councilor Greggor Ilagan reported
that the flow was advancing at a rate of up to 17 yards per hour. At
2000 degrees Fahrenheit, the lava incinerates nearly everything in its
path, generating smoke and leaving flames behind. Residents downwind
with smoke sensitivity or respiratory problems were being advised to
"take necessary precautions" and to remain indoors.
Lava pushed through a fence marking a property boundary early on
October 28. [USGS/Hawaii Volcano Observatory photo]
According to Schneider, conventional telecommunication systems are
"solid" for now, and there is no critical need for an ARES activation,
although, he conceded, that could change once the lava crosses the
road. "Power to the area is still holding," he reported. Schneider
told the ARRL that the power company attempted to protect some tall
wooden utility poles by surrounding them with rocks and dirt, but the
lava simply consumed the poles from the bottom, making them appearing
to sink into the ground.
"We did have a brief power outage [October 28], and the emergency net
came up right away," Schneider recounted. "From what we could tell it
was mostly on the east side of the island."
Schneider said schools in Pahoa have been closed, and a shelter
location has been established, but, he explained, due to the
"slow-motion" aspect, residents have had time to deliberate their
evacuation plans. The lava flow has affected Election Day plans for
some 2000 voters. Those who normally vote at the Pahoa Community
Center now will cast their ballots at the Hawaiian Paradise Community
Center.
"FEMA is offering a course on how to handle the psychological effects
of this thing," Schneider added. "[A] lot of people are having trouble
dealing with it."
Satellites Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads Among Those Lost in Launch
Explosion
The RACE and GOMX-2 CubeSats, both carrying Amateur Radio payloads,
were among more than 2 dozen satellites lost after an unmanned Orbital
Space Sciences (OSC) Antares 130 vehicle exploded spectacularly
shortly after launch at 2222 UTC on Tuesday, October 28, from the
Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport at Wallops Island on Virginia's
Eastern Shore. The Antares is a new medium-class launch vehicle
developed by OSC. The rocket exploded about 6 seconds after launch,
sending a huge ball of fire hurtling toward the ground and igniting a
massive fire at the NASA launch site.
The Antares 130 launcher exploded within seconds of its launch. [NASA
TV video]
"While NASA is disappointed that Orbital Sciences' third contracted
resupply mission to the International Space Station was not successful
today, we will continue to move forward toward the next attempt once
we fully understand today's mishap," said William Gerstenmaier,
Associate Administrator of NASA's Human Exploration and Operations
Directorate. "The crew of the International Space Station is in no
danger of running out of food or other critical supplies." Indeed, a
smaller resupply mission, launched from Russia, reached the ISS the
next day.
The Radiometer Atmospheric Cubesat Experiment (RACE) CubeSat was a
joint project of The Texas Spacecraft Laboratory (TSL) at the
University of Texas-Austin and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Built by a 30-student team, it carried a 183 GHz radiometer, a new
science instrument designed by JPL. The spacecraft was equipped to
transmit using GMSK at 38.4 k and CW telemetry on a downlink frequency
of 437.525MHz.
TSL's Glenn Lightsey, KE5DDG, a UT engineering professor, oversaw the
student project that worked hand-in-hand with NASA staff in creating a
satellite that aimed to measure water vapor in Earth's atmosphere.
"It's unfortunate, but it is also part of the aerospace industry,"
Lightsey told the Texas Statesman newspaper. "The nature of building
space vehicles is that it is not a 100 percent reliable process.
Getting into space is really the hardest part."
The 2U GOMX-2 CubeSat was intended to test a de-orbit system designed
by Aalborg University in Denmark. Karl Klaus Laursen, OZ2KK, is listed
as the "responsible operator" on International Amateur Radio Union
frequency coordination documents. The Amateur Radio payload proposed
using a 9.6 k MSK data downlink on 437.250 MHz. Also on board was an
optical communications experiment from the National University of
Singapore. The mission also aimed to flight qualify a new high-speed
UHF transceiver and SDR receiver built by an Aalborg University team.
The Antares 130 resupply mission was carrying some 5000 pounds of
cargo to the International Space Station. The Antares 130 also was
carrying the Flock-1d array of 26 satellites as well as Arkyd-3 and
Cygnus CRS-3. RACE, GOMX-2, and the other satellites were to be
launched into orbit from the ISS later.
Indian Radio Amateurs Continue Communication Support Following Cyclone
More than 2 weeks after Cyclone (hurricane) Hud Hud hit
Vishakhapattanam and surrounding communities on India's Bay of Bengal,
radio amateurs are continuing to provide communication support to
authorities and residents. In the storm's immediate aftermath, all
communication with Vishakhapattanam -- known as "Vizag" -- and the
wider region was via Amateur Radio. With electric power knocked out,
no mobile or landline telephone service was available, but Amateur
Radio Society of India (ARSI) National Coordinator for Disaster
Communication Jayu Bhide, VU2JAU, said the Amateur Radio emergency
communication network ran smoothly. Bhide told ARRL that it will take
some time before things are back to normal in the stricken region.
NIAR volunteers Tom Jose, VU3TMO, and Yamini Sadineni, VU2YAM, both of
Hyderabad, operated from a police station in Vizag. Sadineni was among
the international visitors to the ARRL National Centennial Convention
in Hartford this past June. Jose, at 15, is one of India's youngest
active radio amateurs. His parents, his brother, and his grandfather
all are hams.
"The debris is getting cleared [and] rehabilitation is in progress,"
he reported over the weekend. A half-dozen radio amateurs from Odissa
have been assisting both authorities and the public with
communication. Bhide said a few stations working under the National
Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR) banner set up to assist with police
and other administrative communication needs.
"The landline telephones are under repair, and part of [the system]
has started working," Bhide said. "Mobile towers also are under repair
and will be in working condition soon." He said authorities have been
working hard to make drinking water available to the public.
Fifteen-year-old Tom Jose, VU3TMO, was among the NIAR volunteers.
According to an article in The Hindu, Tom was stationed at the
Vishakhapattanam police station, receiving message traffic from other
radio amateurs in the cyclone-affected areas and passing it on to the
administration for relief measures.
At week's end, radio amateurs in West Bengal and Hyderabad were on
alert as Cyclone Nilofar approached Gujarat. -- Thanks to Jayu Bhide,
VU2JAU, and Jim Linton, VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster
Communications Committee
Colorado EOSS-202 Balloon Flight Carrying Amateur Radio Payloads
"Awesome"
An Edge of Space Sciences (EOSS) balloon flight, launched on October
25 by students from Colorado and New Mexico, and carrying three ham
radio payloads into near-space surpassed its planned altitude. The
mission, designated EOSS-202, took off under a clear sky from Deer
Trail, Colorado. The Douglas County, Colorado, STEM School and STEM
Academy and Spartan Amateur Radio Club, AB0BX, sponsored and
coordinated the balloon flight.
The EOSS-202 mission balloon just after launch, trailing its payload
string.
"It was awesome," said Paul Veal, N0AH, a Rocky Mountain Division
Assistant Director and AB0X trustee. "It was simply the best weather
any of us could have hoped for. According to EOSS, our flight reached
one of the highest altitudes they've had in years -- nearly 104,000
feet!"
Veal said a large number of young students participated "with great
enthusiasm throughout the morning cold at sunrise throughout the heat
of the day." Several of the more than 2 dozen students taking part in
the project are radio amateurs.
The "AB0BX Spartan Space Sciences" mission carried seven
student-designed payloads aloft. All payloads were retrieved after the
balloon burst, at first tumbling and then descending gently to Earth
borne by a parachute. Video from the ground was able to capture the
balloon's burst as it attained its maximum altitude. The onboard ham
radio payloads served to track the balloon during flight and recovery
and also transmitted telemetry during the mission.
Veal said the only major snafu involved the onboard Go-Pro cameras,
which were equipped with 8 GB cards. "We really needed 32 GB [cards],
so we got awesome pictures but only up to around 80,000 feet," he
explained.
Volunteers prepare AB0BX Spartan Space Sciences mission payloads on
launch day.
Veal said a parent-led chase team convoy was able to see with the
naked eye the sun's light reflecting from the balloon when it was more
than 84,000 feet up. "This included several parents and students who
tagged along in 13 vehicles -- around 50 of us altogether." The
balloon traveled more than 70 miles, 19 more than predicted.
"The farming-ranching community in and around the recovery area near
Cope, Colorado, gladly helped us to recover the balloon on private
land," Veal said. "All payloads were recovered with no serious
damage."
"Data from the various experiments, along with photos and videos from
EOSS and spectators, will be collected in the next few weeks," said
Veal. "I am hoping that the school can create a student team to
formulate a digital book to count toward credit." As a result of the
balloon project, he said, several project-based lesson plans for
grades 6 through 12 can be formulated along STEM standards.
Bidding in Ninth Annual ARRL On-Line Auction Ends on Thursday, October
30
Bidding in the ninth annual ARRL On-Line Auction concludes on
Thursday, October 30 (October 31 UTC). Bid closing times are staggered
beginning at 0230 UTC and finishing at 0307 UTC on October 31. More
than 230 items are on the block, including 24 pieces of gear that were
the subject of QST "Product Review" articles. One-of-a-kind items
include a hardcover 2014 Centennial edition of The ARRL Handbook,
imprinted with "Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW," and a hardcover edition of
the 2014 Centennial Handbook bearing serial number 100. Other unique
items include an autographed script from the "Last Man Standing" TV
show, starring Tim Allen, who plays a radio amateur on the show and
now is licensed for real.
Primo items include Kenwood's top-tier TS-990 transceiver, the
recently reviewed Hilberling PT-8000A transceiver, and the TEN-TEC
Argonaut VI HF QRP transceiver.
Proceeds from the On-Line Auction benefit ARRL educational programs,
including activities aimed at licensing new hams, strengthening
Amateur Radio's emergency service training, offering continuing
technical and operating education, and creating instructional
materials.
Check items in which you have an interest, as bidding end times for
each item are staggered.
Previous ARRL On-Line Auction participants may log into the auction
site using the password they've already established. Check your ARRL
user profile to ensure that all address and credit card information
remains the same. Those who are not registered and have not yet place
a bid must first register in order to participate.
ARISS Encourages Schools to Apply Now for Space Station Ham Radio
Contact Opportunities
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program
has announced that the application window is open for proposals from
formal and informal educational institutions and organizations to host
an Amateur Radio contact with an ISS crew member. The deadline to
submit proposals is December 15. Educational entities may apply
individually or in concert with other institutions or organizations.
ARISS anticipates that ham radio contacts with the space station will
take place between May 1 and December 31, 2015.
"Crew scheduling and ISS orbits will determine the exact contact
dates," the ARISS announcement explained. "To maximize these radio
contact opportunities, ARISS is looking for organizations that will
draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a
well-developed education plan."
Since December 2000, crew members aboard the Interna updated daily, based on contacts
entered into LoTW.
4M Moon Orbiter Completes Lunar Flyby
The recently launched 4M (Manfred Memorial Moon Mission) Amateur Radio
payload completed its loop around the moon on October 28 between 0030
and 0215 UTC. Among the 13-character onboard messages posted prior to
launch was a encomium for Manfred Fuchs, to whom LUXspace dedicated
the mission. Fuchs was the founder of LUXspace parent OHB. Roland
Zurmely, PY4ZBZ, the first station to receive the 4M signal, was also
the first to piece together the 158 JT65B 13-character messages
comprising dedication, which described Fuchs as playing "an
outstanding role in the European space industry over the last
decades." Fuchs died earlier this year at the age of 75.
The LUXspace 4M payload superimposed over an image of the lunar
surface. [LUXspace graphic]
The 4M payload downlink is on 2 meters (145.980 ąDoppler shift),
transmitting continuously at a power of 1.5 W into a quarter-wave
monopole. For its first 12 hours, the 4M payload was powered by
rechargeable batteries. It then switched automatically to
non-rechargeable high-energy density cells. Even as the spacecraft is
on its return trajectory, receiving the signal requires a high-gain
antenna. Stations in the Southern Hemisphere have the best chance of
hearing the 4M payload. Radio amateurs have been encouraged to receive
and report the spacecraft's signals. As of October 29, the spacecraft
was some 255,000 miles from Earth. A 4M tracking calculator and
payload blog also are available.
A Chinese Long March 3C/G2 rocket carried the 4M lunar flyby
experiment into space at 1759 UTC on October 23 as a private payload
on China's Chang'e-5-T1 mission. Chang'e-5-T1 represents the third
phase of China's lunar exploration program, aimed at validating
technologies for a future lunar sample return probe. If successful,
this mission would mark the first successful re-entry of a Chinese
space vehicle into Earth's atmosphere.
"Here at LUXspace, we are really thankful and grateful to all in the
radio amateur community who definitely [are] major actor[s] in the
success of this mission," Ghislain Ruy, LX2RG, of LUXspace, said this
week. -- Thanks to AMSAT-UK via AMSAT News Service
KP1-5 Project Gets Permission to Activate Navassa Island (KP1) in
January 2015
The KP1-5 Project has received word from the US Fish & Wildlife
Service (USFWS) that it may activate Navassa Island (KP1) in January
2015. The DXpedition, using the call sign K1N, will be a maximum of 14
days, and exact dates will be determined by USFWS mission requirements
and weather windows.
"Our experienced team of 15 is complete and is ready for the
challenge," said an October 22 KP1-5 Project news release from
President Bob Allphin, K4UEE, and Vice President Glenn Johnson, W0GJ.
"The weeks ahead will be extremely busy as the team has less than 90
days before the DXpedition comes on the air."
As the announcement explained, January is the month of minimum bird
nesting activity, and the USFWS had asked that the operation be
completed during that month. Weather is unpredictable in January,
however, and because Navassa is surrounded by cliffs, a safe landing
by boat would be difficult or impossible.
An aerial view of the east coast of Navassa Island. [USGS photo]
"For safety reasons and in order to maximize our time on the island
and on the air, a helicopter operation is planned," the team's news
release said. "Navassa is over 100 miles (160 km) from the nearest
helicopter staging point, and as many as 10 round trips will be
required at the beginning and end of the operation. Obviously, this
means that there will be a significant cost for activating this No 1
ranked DXCC entity."
The KP1-5 Project said it will be working with USFWS over the next few
weeks to firm up details. The KP1-5 Project team has committed to fund
50 percent of the DXpedition's tab. "We are hopeful the DX community
at large will fund the remainder," The announcement concluded.
INDEXA has announced that it will provide substantial financial
support for the Navassa Island KP1-5 Project DXpedition. More than
half of the DXpedition team members are INDEXA officers, directors,
and members.
In other pending-DXpedition news, landing permission has been granted
by the Norwegian Polar Institute for a DXpedition on Bouvet (3Y/B).
Landing permission covers the period from mid-January to mid-April
2016.
Indonesia's New Leaders are Radio Amateurs
Indonesia's new national leaders are both Amateur Radio licensees.
Indonesia's new president Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, YD2JKW.
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, YD2JKW, holds a General class license.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla, YC8HYK, is an Advanced class licensee.
Elected in July, Jokowi, 53, and Kalla, 72, were inaugurated on
October 20 in Jakarta. Indonesia is the world's third-largest
democracy, with a population of approximately 250 million. Secretary
of State John Kerry represented the US at the inauguration and met
with the new president afterward.
Jokowi previously served as Governor of Jakarta and as Mayor of
Surakarta.
Ad
NCDXC Donates Radio, Accessories to 3B9FR
The Northern California DX Club (NCDXC) has donated a radio and
accessories to Robert Felicite, 3B9FR, to keep his Rodriguez Island
station on the air. According to Rusty Epps, W6OAT, Felicite had been
seeking help to get his current transceiver repaired, and Epps raised
the topic at the club's September meeting. Members were eager to help.
Ross Forbes, K6GFJ, offered to donate an entire station that he was
not using to help 3B9FR get back on the air. Kip Edwards, W6SZN, and
Rich Stempien, W6RS, made sure the transceiver was in good operating
condition before shipping it off to Rodriguez Island. The NCDXC sent
an Icom IC-756PROIII transceiver, Icom SP-23 speaker and SM-20 desk
mic, and a hand mic, as well as a MicroHAM microKEYER interface and a
Heil Pro-Set Plus! Headset -- along with all documentation and cables.
The donation will enable 3B9FR to be active on 160 through 6 meters,
CW, SSB, RTTY, and FM, as long as he has the requisite antennas. --
Thanks to The Daily DX via Ross Forbes, K6GFJ
Special Event Call Sign VI6ANZAC Will Mark 100th Anniversary of ANZAC
Special event station VI6ANZAC will be on the air for 24 hours,
starting
The ANZAC National Centre in Albany, Western Australia.
at 1600 UTC on October 31, from Albany, Western Australia. The
operation will commemorate the centennial of the departure from Albany
of the first ship convoy transporting Australian and New Zealand
troops, later known as ANZAC -- Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
-- to the World War I battlefront in Europe.
The operation, being carried out by the Southern Electronics Group
VK6SR, will be on 160-10 meters, with operation primarily on SSB. CW
and digital mode operatpport team that produced
the "Leap into Amateur Radio" brochure aimed at elementary schoolers.
She also contributed technical assistance in the preparation of the
Active Club Primer. She edited the "At the Foundation" column for QST
while she was the Foundation secretary.
"Mary loved radio, was a hard worker, creative at finding solutions,
would bull-dog things she believed in, was quite enthusiastic about
learning new things, empathetic to anyone who came to her, super
organized, happy to be at ARRL Headquarters, and was overall a 'glass
is half full' type of person," said former ARRL Field and Educational
Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO.
A native of Los Angeles, Mary also spent some time in the Pacific
Northwest, where she became licensed as N7IAL. She met her husband
Zack, W1VT, at ARRL Headquarters, and she enjoyed many fun operating
activities over the years. Read more.
Mirage, KLM Co-Founder Kenneth E. Holladay, K6HCP, SK
The co-founder of Mirage Communications and KLM, Ken Holladay, K6HCP,
of Gilroy, California, died October 14 after an extended illness. He
was 75. Holladay and Everett Gracey, WA6CBA (SK) co-founded
Ken Holladay, K6HCP.
Mirage Communications, now a part of MFJ. He was also the "K" in KLM
Electronics, Inc, which he co-founded with Leeland "Mel" Farrer,
K6KBE, and Mike Staal, K6MYC.
A radio amateur from his high school days and an ARRL Life Member,
Holladay was a California native and attended San Jose Junior College.
He wrote several articles in the 1960s and 1970s for Ham Radio
magazine and for QST. He and his wife Jacqui published Electro Buyers
Guide. He was an active builder and experimenter on the VHF and UHF
bands and was an early participant in EME activity on 50 MHz and 1296
MHz. Read more.
Bill Orr Award Recipient Harry R. "Bob" Schroeder, N2HX, SK
Bob Schroeder, N2HX, of Ewing Township, New Jersey, died October 22
after a brief illness. He was 62 and had recently retired from the New
Jersey State Police. Orr was the recipient of the 2009 ARRL Bill
Bob Schroeder, N2HX.
Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award. He was cited for his article
"Electromagnetic Pulse and Its Implications for EmComm," which
appeared in the November 2009 issue of QST.
Schroeder served as the New Jersey State Police Office of Emergency
Management RACES officer for many years, and is credited with having
fully integrated Amateur Radio into New Jersey OEM response plans. An
ARRL and IEEE member, Schroeder was president of the Delaware Valley
Radio Association and served as its repeater director. His technical
column "Balanced Lines" had appeared in the DVRA newsletter since
1998. Schroeder received his degree in Electrical Engineering from
what is now the College of New Jersey in 1976 and was a member of the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for more than
20 years. -- Thanks to Gary Wilson, K2GW
Ad
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
A photo story in "Up Front in QST" in January 1993 noted that
President George H.W. Bush had made an official visit to Springfield,
New Jersey, to meet with local and state officials. One of those
officials was Jeff, WB2DCJ, who coaxed the President into greeting
some locals on 2 meters. "Hey, how are you guys doing?" Bush said on
the radio. "Nice to talk with you."
That same issue of QST noted that DXCC credit was now being given for
contacts with three new entities -- Croatia, Slovenia, and
Bosnia-Hercegovina -- that emerged from the breakup of the former
Yugoslavia.
By 1993, as the number of licensed amateurs increased, so did the
number of intentional violations of FCC rules.The Commission responded
by getting tough and levying severe fines on intentional wrongdoers,
and in some cases taking offenders to court.
The July 1993 issue of QST published the tale of K3KMO's 10,500 mile
motorcycle trip from Maryland to Alaska and back, all the while
operating HF CW in motion. CW contacts with hams all over the world
helped while away the long hours driving along the road.
In the 1970s, the FCC banned amateur communications for business
purposes. The vague wording of those rules became interpreted in a
progressively stringent manner over the years, however, curtailing the
use of Amateur Radio to support even meritorious public service
activities. In July 1993, the FCC changed its rules to allow hams to
provide communication for worthwhile public service activities. The
final rules were adopted almost verbatim from the suggestion made by
ARRL.
The 10th anniversary of Amateur Radio as part of NASA space shuttle
missions was observed in 1993, with five shuttle crews requesting that
ham radio be part of the payload that year. -- Al Brogdon, W1AB
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: Strong solar activity
continued this week, with average daily sunspot numbers rising 36
points to 119.9 and average daily solar flux up 24 points to 198.
If you are recording solar flux and sunspot data, the DRAO site in
Penticton has its archive (text) (HTML) of solar flux data now
current, and it's updated three times per day. You can also download
an update of the data file for Scott Craig's solar data plotting
utility. You can update the data file weekly using this bulletin.
The current prediction has daily solar flux at 145 on October 30, 135
on October 31 through November 2, 130 on November 3-4, 120 on November
5-6, 165 and 160 on November 7-8, 165 on November 9-10, 175 on
November 11-12, then peaking at 200 on November 19-20, and reaching a
low of 110 on December 12.
The predicted planetary A index is 12 on October 30, 8 on October 31
through November 4, 12 on November 5, 8 on November 6-7, 5 on November
8-9, 8 on November 10-11, then 5 and 8 on November 12-13, 12 on
November 14-15, then 22, 15 and 10 on November 16-18, and 8 on
November 19-21.
Conditions should be good this weekend for ARRL November Sweepstakes
CW. This is the weekend that Daylight Saving Time ends, but UTC is
consistent, so you don't get another hour of contesting when the
clocks "fall back" by 60 minutes on Sunday at 2 AM local time.
If you are not a diehard contester, you might still enjoy handing out
contacts to the bleary-eyed, hungry hordes in final hours of the event
-- especially if you happen to live in a rare or semi-rare ARRL/RAC
section.
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 Friday's bulletin look for an updated forecast and reports from
readers. Send me your reports and observations.
Getting It Right!
A story, "Actor Tim Allen Gets His Ham Ticket for Real," in the
October 2, 2014, edition of The ARRL Letter contained incorrect
information about one of the show's characters. It print
November 7 -- NS Weekly CW Sprint
November 8-9 -- Worked All Europe DX Contest
November 8-9 -- ARRL EME Contest
November 8-9 -- 10-10 Fall Digital QSO Party
November 8-9 -- Japan International DX Contest
November 8-9 -- OK-OM DX Contest
November 8-9 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
November 8-9 -- Kentucky QSO Party
November 8-10 -- CQ WE (Western Electric)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
October 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention, Ardmore, Oklahoma
November 1 -- TechFest 2014, Lakewood, Colorado
November 1-2 -- Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
November 8 -- Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama
November 15-16 -- Indiana State Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana
December 12-13 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,
Florida
January 4 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage,
New York
January 10 -- TECHFEST, Lawrenceville, Georgia
January 23-24 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
January 23-25 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
February 7 -- South Carolina State Convention, North Charleston, South
Carolina
February 7 -- Virginia State Convention, Richmond, Virginia
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