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N9PMO > LETTER 08.05.15 15:43l 541 Lines 24502 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
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Sent: 150508/1339Z 14360@N9PMO.#SEWI.WI.USA.NOAM BPQK1.4.63
ARRL Wants FCC to "Do More Than Talk the Talk" in Millimeter Band
Proceeding
Amateur Radio Continues to Provide Reliable Post-Quake Communication
in Nepal
Amateur Radio Repeater from US Clears Customs in Nepal
ARRL Receives NPSTC Hertz Award
ARISS "Ham Video" Ground Station Tests Under Way
ARRL Now Offering Personalized ARRL Begali Paddle
Remotely Controlling VY1JA Station in Yukon Territory a Win-Win
Nominations Due by May 22 for 2015 Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver
Antenna Award
ARRL Rookie Roundup SSB a Big Success
In Brief...
The K7RA Solar Update
Getting It Right!
Just Ahead in Radiosport
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
ARRL Wants FCC to "Do More Than Talk the Talk" in Millimeter Band
Proceeding
The ARRL has challenged the FCC to "do more than talk the talk" with
respect to an FCC proceeding now under way to accommodate vehicular
radar applications on spectrum in 76-81 GHz range. In reply comments
filed on April 20, the League rebutted assertions from some
commenters, and contended that Amateur Radio and short-range vehicular
radar, as proposed by Bosch LLC, are compatible at 77-81 GHz.
"ARRL is comfortable with and has embraced this conclusion," the
League said in its reply comments. In light of a "thoroughly vetted
and adopted" International Telecommunication Union (ITU) study already
on record, the League said the FCC cannot go along with the
suggestions of some industry commenters to exclude Amateur Radio from
the 77-81 GHz segment.
"To do so based only upon an assertion of 'potential interference
conflicts' in the absence of any evidence of such in the record of
this proceeding or prior related proceedings, would be an abdication
of critical analysis indicative of a lack of reasoned decision
making," the ARRL told the Commission. Bosch, which worked with the
ARRL in advance of its petition, has "tellingly disassociated itself"
from other industry commenters who, the League said, "cite no actual
evidence" that typical Amateur Radio usage in the 77-81 GHz band would
be incompatible with short-range vehicular radar in that frequency
range.
As it did in its earlier comments in the proceeding, the League
stressed that the ITU study "definitively establishes the
compatibility of automotive radar and Amateur Radio" in the spectrum
at issue.
"Bosch's pre-petition work with ARRL, the ITU study, and the comments
in this proceeding filed by Bosch, ARRL and some individual radio
amateurs active in the band establish that Amateur Radio is in no way
incompatible with automotive radar at 77-81 GHz," the ARRL said.
"It remains ARRL's position," the League contended, "that there should
be no change in the Amateur Radio domestic primary allocation at
77.5-78 GHz, or in the secondary Amateur allocation at 77-77.5 GHz or
78-81 GHz in order to accommodate automotive radar systems at 77-81
GHz." The ARRL also said no changes were necessary in the Amateur
Service Part 97 rules to accommodate such compatible sharing. "ARRL
reiterates that such is precisely the position of the United States in
anticipation of consideration of WRC-15 agenda item 1.18 later this
year," the reply comments said.
The ARRL pointed out that the FCC, through Chairman Tom Wheeler, had
challenged incumbent millimeter wave users "to approach new uses of
and sharing arrangements...with an open mind."
"ARRL and Bosch have walked the walk that Wheeler challenged
millimeter wave incumbents to walk, the League said. "The Commission
must refrain from suppressing Amateur Radio in the 77-81 GHz band if
it is truly committed to its stated millimeter wave policy beyond
merely talking the talk." Read more.
Amateur Radio Continues to Provide Reliable Post-Quake Communication
in Nepal
Amateur Radio has continued to provide reliable communication in the
aftermath of the devastating April 25 7.8 magnitude earthquake that
struck an area in and around the capital of Kathmandu. The disaster
has so far claimed more than 7300 lives, and aftershocks, on the order
of magnitude 4, continued this week.
Amateur Radio's role, now winding down, has been to provide
communication for responders working in more remote regions as well as
to help in locating missing people. It also has served to convey
information about casualties. Jayu Bhide, VU2JAU, the Amateur Radio
Society of India (ARSI) National Coordinator for Disaster
Communication, said this week that rescue teams moved into highly
devastated areas such as Pokhara and Sindupalchowk, where their work
was hampered by rain and blocked roads. "Teams are unable to reach the
remotest villages," he said on May 5. "The roads are cut off, and no
communication is possible." The rain has since let up.
While Nepal's cell telephone infrastructure has been functional, the
batteries in most mobile telephones have discharged. On his own
initiative, Bhide was able to secure funds from the Lions Club in
Gwalior, where he lives, to buy 500 mobile chargers. "These will be
shipped to Nepal soon," he said.
No Nepali stations were on the air for all of May 4, Bhide reported.
"Everyone was waiting to get some updates, but no one was there," he
said. Satish Kharel, 9N1AA, who has been prominent among the hams in
Nepal involved with the earthquake response, and Bhide now are
maintaining contact every 2 hours.
Nepal has only about 2 dozen Amateur Radio licensees, according to
Nepali authorities last week arranged for hams from other countries to
obtain 9N3-prefix call signs to assist in the earthquake relief
effort, and several hams from India are in Nepal.
Amateur Radio Repeater from US Clears Customs in Nepal
Thanks to the efforts of the Computer Association of Nepal-USA
(CAN-USA), a repeater that the group had donated to Tribhuvan
University in Nepal was released from customs on May 5 and now is at
the university in the care of Sanjeeb Panday, 9N1SP. CAN-USA Disaster
Preparedness Committee Chair Suresh Ojha, W6KTM, said his organization
"sought and received help from the US State Department, the US Embassy
in Nepal, and Nepal's Ministry of Information and Communication."
"We were especially thrilled that the Minister of Information and
Communication, the Honorable Minendra Rijal, personally contacted
9N1SP and offered his help on the matter," Ojha told ARRL. "The very
next day the equipment was released from customs. We believe that the
collective input from all interested parties had a cumulative effect
on the overall process."
In 2013, anticipating the possibility of an earthquake disaster,
CAN-USA -- also known as the Global Nepali Professional Network (GNPN)
-- funded and installed the only Amateur Radio repeater currently in
service in Nepal and donated a transmitter that was recently used to
transmit slow-scan TV images of earthquake-ravaged areas to a Military
Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) operator in Afghanistan. Ojha said his
organization is "thrilled to have another repeater in the nation."
On May 1, CAN-USA -- under its "Radio Mala" project banner -- called
on the Amateur Radio community to urge the government of Nepal to
release additional ham radio equipment being held up in customs, so
that it could be used to support the earthquake relief and recovery
effort.
Nepal's only Amateur Radio repeater is located here in the National
Society for Earthquake Technology headquarters in Kathmandu.
CAN-USA said that as Nepal responds to the devastating 7.8 magnitude
earthquake, Amateur Radio has been playing "a key role in the recovery
effort." Radio Mala had decried "bureaucratic misunderstanding" in
Nepal that, it said, was keeping needed Amateur Radio equipment out of
the hands of responders.
ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, said the League
has been working closely with amateurs in Nepal to identify equipment
needed for the relief effort and was preparing to ship equipment from
its Ham Aid inventory. "We're still not able to send anything," Corey
said this week, citing transportation and bureaucratic challenges.
The "Ham Radio Mala" Facebook page includes more information on
Amateur Radio's role in the current earthquake relief and recovery
effort.
Ad
ARRL Receives NPSTC Hertz Award
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) has
presented the ARRL with its Heinrich Hertz Award for "exceptional
devotion to the activities of NPSTC and unwavering support of the
public safety communications community." ARRL Emergency Preparedness
Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, accepted the award on the League's behalf on
May 6 at the NPSTC meeting in Washington, DC. The award's namesake,
Heinrich Hertz, was among the early wireless pioneers, and his name
now is the scientific unit for cycles per second. The Hertz Award is
not an annual award, but "only awarded when exceptional performance
warrants it," NPSTC Chairman Ralph A. Haller, N4RH, pointed out in
notifying the League of the honor.
"ARRL has supported NPSTC meetings for the past several years by
shipping and helping coordinate the technical equipment used to
support our meetings and events," Haller said. "As an active voting
[NPSTC] member, ARRL has provided engaged representatives who work
hard to keep the work of NPTSC moving forward. ARRL is a valued member
of the NPSTC Governing Board and represents the leadership represented
by the Hertz award."
ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U (left), accepts
the Heinrich Hertz Award on behalf of the League from NPSTC Chairman
Ralph Haller, N4RH. [Courtesy of NPSTC]
ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, credited Amateur Radio volunteers.
"This award was earned by the thousands of ARRL volunteers whose
devotion to service makes our country and our communities better,
safer places to live," she said.
Haller said the League's achievements and advocacy on behalf of public
safety communications professionals "are numerous and important and
have helped change the face of public safety communications."
"You provide a true service through the time your organization devotes
to furthering the cause of public safety telecommunications through
unwavering commitment and expertise," Haller concluded.
ARISS "Ham Video" Ground Station Tests Under Way
The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) "Ham
Video" digital transmitter has been conducting tests since May 1 in
order to check reception of the signal by a network of ground stations
in Europe. ARISS-EU Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, said the test
transmissions will continue for as long as ISS on board operations
permit. Ham TV has been sending a blank transmission signal, since the
camera has not been powered on.
"The networked European ground stations are receiving excellent
signals on 2395 MHz," Bertels told ARRL. "The European network of
ground stations is nearly complete. Six ground stations span the
continent in an 'X' formation." Bertels said that on each pass, the
signal is analyzed with Tutioune software, developed by Jean Pierre
Courjaud F6DZP.
Bertels said that fourg slowly rebuilt as a primarily remotely operable
station," Allen told ARRL. "For the foreseeable future, VY1JA
operation is going to be handled mainly by guest operators." Some
health issues have kept Allen from being able to operate during
contests, so he's outsourcing the task.
A VY1JA remote control screen shot, captured during one of the
experimental equipment configurations. [Courtesy of Gerry Hull, W1VE]
The project group includes Gerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RM, a former ARRL
staffer who is handling the technical end; Hal Offutt, W1NN, the
manager of operations, and Andy McLellan, VE9DX, the digital modes
leader. Although the enterprise is a work in progress at this point,
W1NN did operate VY1JA in February for the 2015 ARRL International DX
CW -- while he was in Tokyo!
The biggest problem Offutt encountered during that trial run was
unacceptable latency. "A severe delay made running very challenging,"
he said in a post to the 3830 contest scores website. He said that by
the time he stopped transmitting, responding stations were already
well into their call signs, making multiple repeats necessary.
"Hopefully in time and with some work, the delay can be overcome or at
least shortened, and this remote arrangement will be a lot easier to
use in the future," he said.
Work to make that happen more smoothly is ongoing. "Right now, I'm
working daily with Jay," said Hull, who has been calling on friends to
donate antennas, equipment, and technical expertise. "There is great
potential at the station. My plan of attack on the technical side is
to get a method of remote operation working that is a no-cost solution
for the remote op."
Allen will take requests for individual skeds. All VY1JA logs are
automatically sent to LoTW and ClubLog, as well as to VY1JA's QSL
managers.
"I want other operators who can do it much better than I can to
operate, while I do the maintenance and building," Allen said. "I have
great people on board to help. The Amateur Radio community has done a
lot to help me, and making my station available in this manner is my
way of returning those favors." Read more.
Nominations Due by May 22 for 2015 Philip J. McGan Memorial Silver
Antenna Award
The deadline to submit nominations for the 2015 Philip J. McGan
Memorial Silver Antenna Award is May 22. The award recognizes
volunteer excellence in Amateur Radio public relations. It honors the
memory of Phil McGan, WA2MBQ, who was the first chairman of the ARRL
Public Relations Committee. The McGan Award recognizes volunteer
efforts to promote Amateur Radio to the non-amateur community.
Philip J. McGan, WA2MBQ, SK.
Each year ARRL public information coordinators, public information
officers and other public relations volunteers strive to keep Amateur
Radio visible in their communities by publicizing special events,
writing media releases, creating media for radio and television, and
maintaining good relations with local media -- among many other
valuable activities.
If you know someone who has achieved public relations success on
behalf of Amateur Radio, consider nominating that individual for the
McGan Award. The award will recognize a radio amateur who has
demonstrated success in Amateur Radio public relations and who best
exemplifies the volunteer spirit of Phil McGan.
The ARRL Public Relations Committee will determine a winner, if any,
from submitted material, subject to approval by the ARRL Board of
Directors.
The nominee must be a full ARRL member in good standing, may not be
compensated for any public relations work involving Amateur Radio, and
may not be a current ARRL officer, Director, Vice Director or paid
staff member, or a member of the current selection committee. Anyone
may make a nomination.
Nominations must be on an official entry form. Nominations must be
received at ARRL Headquarters by the close of business on May 22,
2015. Mail nominations and any supporting documentation to Philip J.
McGan Memorial Silver Antenna Award, PR Department, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111.
The ARRL Public Relations Committee will review all nominations and
forward its recommendation to the Programs and Services Committee of
the ARRL Board of Directors, which will make a final determination at
its July meeting.
For more information, contact ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager
Sean Kutzko, KX9X.
ARRL Rookie Roundup SSB a Big Success
ARRL Contest Branch Manager, Matt Wilhelm, W1MSW, reports that the
April SSB Rookie Roundup was a big success! The results and soapbox
have been posted.
"We received a record number of entries," said Wilhelm, who tallied
180 entries -- 149 of them from Rookies and 31 from non-Rookies.
"Thank you to all the Rookies who participated, the Elmers who were
there to mentor, and the non-Rookies who gave out contacts during the
event."
These rookies took part in the 2013 edition of the ARRL Rookie Roundup
from W6YX, the Stanford University club station.
Wilhelm noted that some logs received represented multioperator
entries, so 173 rookie operators participated in all.
ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager (and former Contest Branch
Manager) Sean Kutzko, KX9X, contacted Rookies from ARRL Headquarters
station W1HQ, while Wilhelm operated from home.
"What a fun time, contacting Rookies during Rookie Roundup," he said
afterward. "Everyone sounded great and did an excellent job handling
the exchange."
Electronic certificates will go out to participants in the near
future. Wilhelm said he's already looking forward to the ARRL Rookie
Roundup RTTY in August.
In Brief...
This Mother's Day, Support ARRL by Shopping at AmazonSmile: Mother's
Day is Sunday, May 10. If you're looking for the perfect gift, we
invite you to shop at AmazonSmile and choose American Radio Relay
League Inc (ARRL) as your charity of choice. AmazonSmile is the same
Amazon you already know, with the same products, prices and service.
With every purchase you make at AmazonSmile, Amazon will make a
contribution to ARRL. This helps the League to extend its reach in
public service, advocacy, education, and membership. Give Mom
something great, while supporting ARRL and Amateur Radio with your
eligible purchase today!
US Islands Awards Program "One-Day Getaway" Set for Saturday, May 9:
More than 70 islands are expected to be active Saturday, May 9, for
the US Islands Awards Program (USI) One-Day Getaway event. Individuals
and teams will take to the airwaves on May 9 between 0000 and 2359 UTC
from islands in lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, and along the coast.
Some coastal islands are also eligible for credit in the RSGB Islands
on the Air (IOTA) program. For more information, visit the US Islands
Awards Program website. Also, read the article "The US Islands Awards
Program" by Sean Kutzko, KX9X (seen in the photo operating from New
Hampshire's Eastman Pond Island), in the May issue of QST. Follow the
event on Twitter this weekend using the hash tag #USIslands.
Whistler Recalls Jump&Go Portable Jumpstart and Power Supply Units Due
to Fire Hazard: The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has
announced that Whistler is recalling its "Jump&Go" Portable Jumpstart
and Power Supply units, due to a potential fire hazard. Some
ARES/RACES participants use these units as a handy, portable 12 V
source. The recall involves more than 10,000 of the pocket-sized
devices, manufactured in China. According to the CPSC, the unit's
lithium battery can overheat, causing it to melt and catch fire. The
recall involves 12 V Jump&Go Portable Jumpstart and Power Supply units
with model numbers starting with WJS-3000. Recalled units have date
codes in YYYY/WW format from 201404 through 201439. Read more. --
Thanks to Mike Morris, WA6ILQ
New 2 Meter Transatlantic Propagation Beacon On the Air from Ireland:
A new 2 meter beacon that automatically listens for and logs responses
is on the air from County Cork in Ireland. Operated on behalf of the
Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS) by Tony Baldwin, EI8JK,
EI2DKH/b transmits JT65B on 144.488 MHz with a CW identification on
every even minute. The station listens for responses on 144.155 MHz on
every odd minute. Any call signs received are posted daily. The
beacon's power output is 75 W to an array of 5 element Yagis at 60
meters above mean sea level and beaming due west from Sheeps Head in
IO51dn. During major meteor showers, the beacon will switch to FSK441
mode. -- Thanks to the IRTS
RTTY Contesters Invited to Take Part in Survey: Ed Muns, W0YK, Don
Hill, AA5AU, and Larry Gauthier, K8UT, have invited everyone to take
part in a brief survey on RTTY contesting. The deadline to participate
is 2359 UTC on Saturday, May 9. There are 23 easy-to-answer
multiple-choice questions, and it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes.
Questions expand on surveys done in 2007 and 2010, to track how
preferences have evolved. Results will be presented at the Dayton RTTY
Forum and on the RTTY Contesting website.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspot numbers over the past 2
weeks began at 110 on April 23 and ended at 110 on May 6. In between,
the sunspot number was just 13 on May 1, but the weekly averages were
nearly the same, at 60.7 during the first week, and 60.9 for the
second.
Geomagnetic indices were high on May 6: 23 for the planetary A index,
and 21 for the mid-latitude A index.
The reported mid-latitude A index on May 5 was an approximation,
reported at 11, because the A index calculation is made up of eight
3-hour K index readings in 24 hours, and only the readings at the end
of the UTC day were available. A similar situation occurred with the
high-latitude college A index from Fairbanks, Alaska: No K index data
from 1500 UTC May 4 through 1500 UTC May 5.
The latest prediction from NOAA/USAF shows improving conditions over
the next week, with solar flux at 145 on May 7, 150 on May 8-10, 155
on May 11, 150 on May 12-14, 140 on May 15-16, 125 on May 17-18, 120
on May 19, 115 on May 20-23, 110 on May 24-26, then up to 140 on June
8-9.
Predicted planetary A index is 12 on May 7, 5 on May 8-10, then 10 and
15 on May 11-12, 20 on May 13-14, then 12, 8 and 12 on May 15-17, and
20, 12, and 8 on May 18-20, 5 on May 21-25, 8 on May 26, 10 on May
27-28, 8 on May 29, and 5 on May 30 through June 7.
Download my archive of these forecasts, updated daily, for flux values
and Ap index (click the "Download this File" button; files are Excel
spreadsheets).
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 reports from readers and an updated
forecast, plus the update to our three month moving averages of
sunspot numbers. Send me your reports and observations. -- Tad Cook,
K7RA
Getting It Right!
In "AMSAT: Amateur Radio Payload Could Share Space on Geosynchronous
Satellite," which appeared in The ARRL Letter for April 30, we should
have said that, from the standpoint of a satellite user, there is
little practical difference between geosynchronous and geostationary
orbits. Both orbital modes maintain the satellite's footprint with
respect to Earth's surface, so the satellite would be accessible 24/7
from within that footprint, with some variation. Some consider
"geostationary" and "geosynchronous" to be synonyms.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
May 9 -- FISTS Spring Sprint
May 9-10 -- Armed Forces Day Crossband Comms Test
May 9-10 -- CQ-M International DX Contest (SSB, CW)
May 9-10 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon
May 9-10 -- Portuguese Navy Day (SSB, CW)
May 9-10 -- Nevada Mustang Roundup (SSB, CW, Digital)
May 9-10 -- 50 MHz Spring Sprint (Phone, CW, Digital)
May 9-10 -- Alessandro Volta RTTY DX Contest
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events
May 15-17 -- Dayton Hamvention®, Dayton, Ohio
June 5-7 -- Northwestern Division Convention (SeaPac), Seaside, Oregon
June 6 -- Georgia State Convention, Marietta, Georgia
June 12-13 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Irving, Texas
June 13 -- Tennessee State Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee
July 4 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania
July 10-11 -- Northern Florida Section Convention, Milton, Florida
July 13-16 -- Mobile Amateur Radio Awards Club Convention, The
Villages, Florida
July 17-19 -- Montana State Convention, East Glacier, Montana
July 23-26 -- Central States VHF Society Conference, Westminster,
Colorado
July 24-25 -- Oklahoma Section Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
July 31-August 2 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Bryce Canyon,
Utah
August 1 -- Great Lakes Division Convention, Columbus, Ohio
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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