Text 11327, 692 rader
Skriven 2017-04-28 17:58:03 av Sean Dennis (1:18/200)
Ärende: The ARRL Letter for April 27, 2017
==========================================
********************************************
            The  ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************

April 27, 2017

Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME <ww1me@arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- Inaugural AM Rally a Hit! Participants Log Nearly 1,500 Contacts
- Armed Forces Day Crossband Communications Test Set for Saturday, May
13
- The Doctor Will See You Now!
- US Fish and Wildlife Service Seeks Comments on Baker Island
DXpedition Compatibility
- Puerto Rico Radio Amateurs Take Part in 2017 Caribbean Tsunami
Exercise
- Upcoming Army MARS Communication Exercises Highlighted at Regional
Conference
- WRTC 2018 Plans Call for Greater Participation by Young Contesters
- ISS Commander Peggy Whitson, ex-KC5ZTD, Sets New US Record for Time
in Space
- Ohio Columnist Alerts Locals to Upcoming Ham "Invasion"
- In Brief...
- Getting It Right!
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

==> INAUGURAL AM RALLY A HIT! PARTICIPANTS LOG NEARLY 1,500 CONTACTS  

The numbers <http://amfone.net/Amforum/index.php?topic=42770.0> are in,
and the first AM Rally <http://www.amrally.com>, April 1-3, was a huge
success, with nearly 1,500 contacts reported on the 72 logs submitted.
Unique call signs logged numbered 664. Event co-organizer Clark
Burgard, N1BCG, feels the actual number of contacts was quite a bit
larger, because not all participants submitted logs, although logs
continue to trickle in past the entry deadline. Burgard said he's been
hearing a lot of newcomers on AM lately, and he believes the AM Rally
is a factor.

   "Perhaps the most endearing moments were an exchange between an op
who got his General and an IC-7300 just in time for the event, and a
report from an old timer, who said that he'd 'dusted off my DX-100 and
got her ready a week early for the Rally. First time back on AM since
1969,'" Burgard recounted. "This was just a sample of the positive
spirit shared that weekend."

Burgard said that several AM "tall ships" anchored throughout the bands
greeted newcomers and helped all to make some easy contacts.

The top stations in terms of total contacts were W1AW at ARRL
Headquarters in Connecticut; and Steve Cloutier, WA1QIX, and Stephen
Harris, KB1VWC, both in Massachusetts. W1AW and Cloutier -- an AM Rally
co-organizer with Burgard and others -- are ineligible to receive
certificates, however.

   W1AW logged 178 contacts in 29 states, while WA1QIX made 138
contacts in 26 states, and KB1VWC snagged 132 contacts in 28 states.
Rounding out the top five were inveterate AMer Paul Courson, WA3VJB, in
Maryland, with 121 contacts in 28 states, and John Bogath, N2BE, in New
Jersey, with 57 contacts in 29 states. Some of the stations submitting
logs worked just a single contact.

"Considering the solar flare, which wiped out the lower bands for a
significant portion of the event, it was an amazing turnout," Cloutier
told ARRL. "For the future, it would be better to have the event in
February -- better propagation and less static, and a good thing to
cure cabin fever."

The View from W1AW

W1AW operator and ARRL Assistant Lab Manager Bob Allison, WB1GCM,
offered his observations about working the AM Rally from the Maxim
Memorial Station.

Throughout the weekend, the AM windows were very busy with radio
amateurs operating AM mode using vintage vacuum-tube and solid-state
equipment. Transmitters heard ranged from World War II-era BC-610s to
Johnson Desk Kilowatts and other heavy metal, such as converted AM
broadcast transmitters and solid-state homebrew units using Class E
modulation. Plenty of name-brand transceivers were on the air, and many
operators were excited to use AM for the first time. The on-air
atmosphere was relaxed and cordial, with operators sharing their ham
radio experiences and equipment used.

In the past couple of years, many manufacturers of Amateur Radio
transceivers have made their equipment sound good and talk well on AM,
without having to make complicated adjustments. That's great!

W1AW was active on 80, 40, 20, and 15 meters, making 177 contacts.
Equipment consisted of a K7DYY Super Senior 80/40-meter transmitter,
with external speech compressor and equalizer, a Collins 75S-1
receiver, and a dipole antenna suspended above ARRL Headquarters. A
Johnson Valiant transmitter and National NC-303 receiver were also put
on the air for a few contacts.

ARRL thanks AM Rally organizers Clark Burgard, N1BCG; Brian Kress,
KB3WFV, and Steve Cloutier, WA1QIX.

Burgard praised W1AW and WA1QIX for their significant contributions to
the successful event and participants for their dedication. "I'm sure
there are stories of hardened determination and profound sacrifice that
weekend!" he added.

Harris topped the field in Category A, vacuum-tube commercial AM
amateur equipment (KW1, 32V3, DX-100, etc.). Only a few stations
entered in Class B -- homebrew largely vacuum-tube transmitter, and Rex
Greenwell, K0KP, in Minnesota, was the top scorer. W1AW was number 1 in
Category C -- commercially built solid-state transmitter, although the
top station eligible for a certificate in that class was David
Hockaday, WB4IUY, in North Carolina.

   Just two stations entered in Category D -- homebrew solid-state
transmitter: WA1QIX and KC9HFR, in Wisconsin. Ditto for Class E --
hybrid (solid state plus tubes) commercially built transmitter, with
WB2JCC in New York, and KM3D in Pennsylvania making a handful of
contacts between them. No one entered in Category F -- hybrid (solid
state + tubes) home-built transmitter. Only three stations turned in
logs in Category G -- converted AM broadcast transmitter, with WA3VJB
topping the field, followed by KC8ZUL in Ohio, and K0SF in Minnesota.
In Category H -- military transmitting equipment -- were five stations,
topped by W6SAI, the Bill Orr Legacy Radio Club in Alabama. There were
eight entries in Category I -- software-based (SDR), with KP2XX at
number 1.

Three special event stations -- N1A, W1G, and W2A -- were active during
the AM Rally.

Some 44% of contacts were made on 75 meters, with 40 meters a close
second at 40%, and 20 meters at 13%. Less than 2% of participants
reported making contacts on 160 or 15 meters, and none were reported on
10 meters, likely due to poor HF conditions that weekend. Fewer than 1%
made contacts on 6 meters.

Burgard said he hopes the AM Rally will turn into an annual event with
even greater participation, now that it's left so many positive
experiences in its wake. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/inaugural-am-rally-a-hit-participants-log-nearly-1-50
0-contacts>.

==> ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND COMMUNICATIONS TEST SET FOR SATURDAY,  
MAY 13

US Army, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard stations will participate in
the annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Communications Test
<http://www.usarmymars.org/home/announcements> on Saturday, May 13.
This annual HF communication interoperability event, sponsored by the
Department of Defense since 1934, challenges Amateur Radio operators to
contact military stations across the US.

The event marks the 66th annual Armed Forces Day (AFD), officially on
May 20. The AFD Crossband Military-Amateur Radio event takes place a
week earlier in order to avoid schedule conflicts with those attending
Hamvention.

Radio amateurs will transmit on Amateur Radio frequencies and listen on
military frequencies, while military stations will transmit on military
frequencies and listen on Amateur Radio frequencies. The annual event
tests two-way communication between radio amateurs and military
stations (authorized under 97.111 of the Amateur Service rules). It
features traditional military-to-amateur crossband SSB voice, CW,
practice using legacy interoperability waveforms, and the opportunity
for participating hams to utilize more modern military modes, such as
MIL-STD Serial PSK and Automatic Link Establishment (ALE). Military
stations and Amateur Radio stations are authorized to communicate
directly on certain 60-meter interoperability channels -- 5,330.5,
5346.5, and 5,371.5 kHz.

Select stations will transmit the Armed Forces Day message using
Military Standard mode M188-110A. Amateur Radio operators may download
software <http://www.n2ckh.com/MARS_ALE_FORUM/MSDMT.html> to receive
the broadcast.

Shortwave listeners are welcome to participate. Complete details
<http://www.usarmymars.org/home/announcements>, including stations,
times, and operating modes are on the US Army MARS website. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/armed-forces-day-crossband-military-amateur-radio-com
munications-test-is-may-13>.

==> THE DOCTOR WILL SEE YOU NOW!  

"End-Fed Antennas" is the topic of the latest episode of the "ARRL The
Doctor is In <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>" podcast. Listen...and learn!

Sponsored by DX Engineering <http://www.dxengineering.com/>, "ARRL The
Doctor is In" is an informative discussion of all things technical.
Listen on your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever
you like!

Every 2 weeks, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also e-mail your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes
<https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/arrl-the-doctor-is-in/id1096749595?mt=2>,
or by using your iPhone or iPad podcast app (just search for "ARRL The
Doctor is In").  You can also listen online at Blubrry
<https://www.blubrry.com/arrl_the_doctor_is_in/>, or at Stitcher
<https://www.stitcher.com/> (free registration required, or browse the site
as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android
devices.  If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our
beginner's guide <http://www.arrl.org/doctor>.

==> US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE SEEKS COMMENTS ON BAKER ISLAND  
DXPEDITION COMPATIBILITY

The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) appears open to a DXpedition to
Baker Island in the Pacific, which has not been activated for 15 years.
Baker and Howland Islands (KH1) is the fourth most-wanted DXCC entity,
according to the Club Log DXCC Most Wanted List. On April 24, the FWS
released a Draft Compatibility Determination for Amateur Radio
Operation
<https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Region_1/NWRS/Zone_1/Pacific_Reefs_Complex/B
aker_island/Sections/News/News_Items/CD_Baker%20Island%20NWR_Amateur%20Radio_42
417.pdf>
for public review and comment. The comment period ends on May 8. Public
access to the Baker Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is managed
through a special use permit (SUP). Baker and Howland Islands are part
of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument (PRIMNM
<https://www.fws.gov/refuge/pacific_remote_islands_marine_national_monument/>),
created by former President George W. Bush under the authority of the
Antiquities Act of 1906. The monument was expanded by President Barack
Obama.

"Amateur Radio operation is an existing use at Baker Island NWR;
however, it is not a common use," the FWS said in opening the Draft
Compatibility Determination for comment. "The Service last permitted an
Amateur Radio operator group to access Baker Island NWR in April 2002.
The SUP authorizing this use will include stipulations, conditions, and
restrictions to ensure compatibility and mitigate for potential
anticipated impacts to refuge resources."

Comments may be submitted via e-mail <laura_beauregard@fws.gov> to
Monument Superintendent Laura Beauregard. Include "Baker Amateur Radio
Comments" in the subject line.

The FWS allowed that while Amateur Radio is not a wildlife-dependent
public use, it does offer "some value as a source of public information
about wildlife resources and to bring public attention to the Refuge,"
the FWS said. Baker Island is 1,830 nautical miles southwest of
Honolulu -- an 8-day voyage.

Visitors to Baker Island would be accompanied by an FWS representative,
who would approve the landing zone. The FWS would also have to approve
QSL cards to ensure that they include "an informative or educational
statement about the Refuge." The FWS called QSLs "a valuable outreach
tool."

"By allowing Amateur Radio operators to visit the PRIMNM refuges, the
refuges benefit through the ability of staff to visit remote island
sites to monitor wildlife populations and habitats, detect invasive
species introductions, and perform management actions that would
otherwise require the Service to charter a vessel," the FWS, said,
pointing out the mutual advantage to the Service of accompanying a
DXpedition to the island.

The 2002 K1B Baker Island DXpedition logged 96,000 contacts. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/us-fish-and-wildlife-service-seeks-comments-on-baker-
island-dxpedition-compatibility>.
-- Thanks to The Daily DX <http://www.dailydx.com>, FWS

==> PUERTO RICO RADIO AMATEURS TAKE PART IN 2017 CARIBBEAN TSUNAMI  
EXERCISE

Radio amateurs in Puerto Rico took part in the Caribe Wave
<https://www.weather.gov/ctwp/caribewave17> tsunami exercise on March
21, during Tsunami Preparedness Week for Puerto Rico and the Virgin
Islands. Caribe Wave is the annual tsunami exercise of the UNESCO
Tsunami and Other Coastal Hazards Warning System for the Caribbean and
Adjacent Regions (CARIBE-EWS
<http://iocaribe.ioc-unesco.org/icgcaribeews>). Its major objective is
for countries, emergency managers, and communities at risk to test,
validate, and update their tsunami response plans. This year's scenario
was an earthquake, with an epicenter at the east of the island of
Antigua, generating a tsunami incident for the entire Caribbean.
Exercise information can be found on the Tsunami Zone
<http://www.tsunamizone.org> website.

"Tsunami occurrences are relatively infrequent in Puerto Rico and the
Virgin Islands. The most significant historical events happened in 1867
and 1918," a NOAA/NWS report said. "However, the Puerto Rico Trench and
other seismic zones in the Caribbean region are all capable of
generating tsunamis." NOAA said vulnerability in the region is very
high, due to greater population density and tourist activity along the
coast.

In Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, Caribe Wave is conducted in
coordination with the Puerto Rico Seismic Network (Red S¡smica de
Puerto Rico), UNESCO, NOAA, and the Puerto Rico Emergency Management
Agency (PREMA-AEMEAD).

Historically, Amateur Radio has been an important part of this exercise
at an island-wide level with various island radio groups participating
on an array of VHF/UHF and HF frequencies.

The exercise commenced with an Emergency Alert System (EAS) activation
on broadcast media on the island, announcing the drill scenario. Sirens
were tested in all of Puerto Rico's coastal communities.

Amateur Radio's role was to gather reports on how residents heard or
learned of the EAS Alert, and if any heard the sirens. A report summary
was delivered to PREMA officials during a post-exercise meeting with
Puerto Rico Section Emergency Coordinator Juan Sepulveda, KP3CR, and
ARRL Puerto Rico Section Manager Oscar Resto, KP4RF.

PREMA Executive Director Abner G¢mez Cortés hailed the Caribe Wave 2017
exercise as a success during a visit to a school near the coast, which
was practicing evacuation measures. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/puerto-rico-radio-amateurs-take-part-in-2017-caribbea
n-tsunami-exercise>.
-- Thanks to Angel Santana, WP3GW, Puerto Rico Section Public
Information Coordinator and Assistant Section Manager

==> UPCOMING ARMY MARS COMMUNICATION EXERCISES HIGHLIGHTED AT REGIONAL  
CONFERENCE

US Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, reviewed the
upcoming calendar of communication exercises planned for the remainder
of 2017, when he spoke via video link to attendees at the Army MARS
Region 3 Conference April 6-8 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Hosting the
event was Pennsylvania Army MARS, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania
Emergency Management Agency (PEMA).

Addressing the first day of the gathering, English highlighted MARS
participation in two NORTHCOM-sponsored exercises that are taking place
this week -- one in Lake Delton, Wisconsin, supporting the Wisconsin
Army National Guard and Office of Emergency Management, and the other
in New York and New Jersey called "Gotham Shield."

"Gotham Shield includes MARS members interfacing with Amateur Radio
operators as well as with National Guard stations," English told ARRL.
"One key event of this exercise is to tie -- via HF radio -- the
Commander of NORTHCOM in Colorado Springs and the National Guard Bureau
in Washington, DC, with the exercise occurring in New York City.

Attending the event were Army and Air Force MARS members from Region 3,
which includes Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West
Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

English said he also briefly discussed the quarterly Department of
Defense exercises planned for May, August, and October. "The October
exercise will again focus on interoperating with the amateur community
and high-power broadcasts on 60 meters, as well as a on a higher
daytime operating frequency," he said.

English answered more than a dozen questions from Region 3 members,
covering topics ranging from membership recognition and training to
MARS policy.

   Army MARS Pennsylvania State Director Travis Best, W3TMB, who opened
the Region 3 conference, said the relationship of trust between PEMA
and Pennsylvania MARS operators has allowed MARS to establish a
state-of-the-art Amateur Radio station, in cooperation with the
Auxiliary Communication Services in the PEMA Commonwealth Response
Coordination Center.

"As MARS nears 100 years of service to the country, the jam-packed
conference showcased the dramatic evolution of resources available to
support today's volunteer MARS operators to meet the mission of
providing contingency and emergency communications for the Department
of Defense and federal and civil authorities," said Chon Gann, K3DHS,
the Army MARS Region 3 public affairs officer.

==> WRTC 2018 PLANS CALL FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION BY YOUNG CONTESTERS  

The 8th World Radiosport Team Championship, WRTC 2018
<http://www.wrtc2018.de/> in Germany next July, will offer seats on
three teams for contesters who are 25 or younger at the time of the
event. Prospective participants need only to apply. The international
event July 12-16, 2018, will feature 42 competing teams. This will mark
Germany's first time hosting WRTC, which takes place in conjunction
with the IARU HF Championship
<http://www.arrl.org/iaru-hf-championship> event, July 15-16, 2018. The
IARU contest provides a framework for the WRTC; the rules for each
event differ. Contester Sandy Raeker, DL1QQ, who handles WRTC 2018 US
fundraising, spoke <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ifkv7vxVI>
recently with Tim Duffy, K3LR, for a DX Engineering video.

"I think we're making good progress," Raeker said. She noted that WRTC
2014 in New England had one youth team. "We decided to have three youth
teams this time, because it's so important to involve more young people
in this great contesting hobby," she said.

Managing preparations for WRTC 2018 is a 12-member organizing
committee, headed by Chris Janssen, DL1MGB. Raeker said the sites, all
in the relatively flat Jessen-Wittenberg region south of Berlin in the
former East Germany, have yet to be evaluated, but added that
organizers aim to offer comparable operating sites for all WRTC 2018
participants.

 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9ifkv7vxVI>	WRTC 2018 has wrapped
up its qualification process, drafted official rules
<http://wrtc2018.de/images/PDF/wrtc2018_CompetitionRules_20161105.pdf>
for the competition, selected 160 possible station sites, picked and
tested antennas and antenna-related gear, completed an initial round of
testing, and signed several major sponsorship contracts. In March, WRTC
2018 began accepting applications for referees.

Raeker said some 39% of contributions for WRTC 2018 to date have come
from the US, with 56% from Germany. US supporters may donate to WRTC
2018 via the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF
<http://wwrof.org/>) website. Read more
<http://www.arrl.org/news/wrtc-2018-plans-call-for-greater-participation-by-you
ng-contesters>.

==> ISS COMMANDER PEGGY WHITSON, EX-KC5ZTD, SETS NEW US RECORD FOR TIME  
IN SPACE

Current International Space Station (ISS) Commander Peggy Whitson
<https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/peggy-a-whitson>,
ex-KC5ZTD, this week broke the record for cumulative time spent in
space by a US astronaut. President Donald Trump -- with daughter Ivanka
Trump and astronaut Kate Rubins, KG5FYJ, joining him in the Oval Office
-- called Whitson on April 24 to congratulate her on her
accomplishment. With Whitson for the call on board the ISS was
astronaut Jack Fischer, KG5FYH, who arrived on April 20 for his first
mission aboard ISS.

   "Peggy is a phenomenal role model for young women, and all
Americans, who are exploring or participating in STEM education
programs and careers," President Trump said. "When I signed the INSPIRE
Women Act in February, I did so to ensure more women have access to
STEM education and careers, and to ensure America continues to benefit
from the contributions of trailblazers like Peggy."

Whitson tweeted back, "Thank you, Mr. President, for the great
opportunity to highlight the research we are doing up here aboard the
space station and beyond!"

Last November, Whitson, 57, launched to the ISS on her current mission,
with 377 days in space already under her belt, and broke the 534
cumulative-day record in space held by Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ. Whitson
became the first woman to command the space station in 2008, and on
April 9, she became the first woman to command it twice. She also holds
the record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut.

"This is an inspirational record Peggy is setting today, and she would
be the first to tell you this is a record that's absolutely made to be
broken as we advance our knowledge and existence as both Americans and
humans," said NASA acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot.

This is Whitson's third long-duration stay on board the space station,
and her mission was recently extended for another 3 months. Instead of
returning to Earth in June as originally planned, Whitson will remain
on the ISS until September, returning home with Fischer and Russian
cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI.

Whitson first served aboard the ISS in 2002 as part of the Expedition 5
crew, was the Expedition 16 commander some 5 years later, and has
conducted numerous Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) contacts with students on Earth. Whitson has since let her
Amateur Radio license lapse. -- Thanks to NASA

==> OHIO COLUMNIST ALERTS LOCALS TO UPCOMING HAM "INVASION"  

Fairborn Daily Herald columnist Bill Taylor, N8YGS, is giving readers
in the Fairborn, Ohio area a heads up regarding the thousands of radio
amateurs soon to be descending upon Xenia, Ohio for Hamventionr --
being held there for the first time, May 19-21, at the Greene County
Fairgrounds and Expo Center.

   "It seems to me that folks hereabouts should be forewarned that in a
few weeks we will be subjected to what might be called an 'invasion,'"
Taylor wrote
<http://fairborndailyherald.com/opinion/16775/heads-up-an-invasion-is-coming>.
"Oh, it won't be by zombies, aliens from outer space, or locusts --
nope, it's going to be by very friendly 'hams,' known more formally as
'Amateur Radio operators.'"

A member of ARRL and of the Hamvention-sponsoring Dayton Amateur Radio
Association (DARA), Taylor pointed out that past Hamvention attendance
has been in the 25,000 range. "As for attendance this year, that's a
bit of a question because of the change in venue," Taylor wrote, "but
we can still expect thousands of folks visiting our county, many for
the first time."

Taylor told ARRL that he's planning "at least a couple more columns
about Hamvention and Amateur Radio, including one next week." He said
his editor is "very supportive" of Hamvention and plans to devote as
many column inches as possible to the event.

==> IN BRIEF...  

Spratly Islands DXpedition Postponed: An international Amateur Radio
team has postponed its DXpedition to the Spratly Islands, planned for
December 2017. The DXpedition, which will take place from Layang Layang
Island (Swallow Reef -- AS-051) under Malaysian call sign 9M0W, now
will be on the air March 10-20, 2018. Operation will be on 160 through
6 meters, CW, SSB, and digital modes. Layang Layang Island is
approximately 15 acres, which includes "reclaimed" land. While the
Royal Malaysian Navy maintains a presence on the reef, ownership -- as
with all of the Spratlys -- is disputed. It is also claimed by the
People's Republic of China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

Motorola Solutions Expands Patent Infringement Complaints against
Hytera: Motorola Solutions
<https://www.motorolasolutions.com/en_us.html> on March 29 announced
<https://newsroom.motorolasolutions.com/news/motorola-solutions-files-patent-in
fringement-complaint-with-us-international-trade-commission-against-hytera-comm
unications.htm>
that it had filed patent infringement complaints with the Regional
Court of Düsseldorf, Germany, against Hytera Communications
<http://www.hytera.com/> of Shenzhen, China, and Hytera Mobilfunk of
Bad Münder, Germany. The legal action in Germany came on the heels of
complaints
<http://newsroom.motorolasolutions.com/presskits/motorola-solutions-intellectua
l-property.htm.>
the company filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of
Illinois, alleging that Hytera's digital mobile radio (DMR) products
employ techniques and systems that infringe on Motorola Solutions'
patents and trade secrets. Already known for its Land Mobile Radio
Service products, Hytera entered the Amateur Radio DMR market last
year. The Regional Court complaints assert that Hytera's two-way
wireless communication devices that utilize "pseudo-trunking"
functionality infringe on a Motorola Solutions' patent. Motorola also
has filed a patent infringement complaint against Hytera with the US
International Trade Commission.

==> GETTING IT RIGHT!  

The article "RARSfest Hosts 2017 ARRL Roanoke Division Convention" in
the April 20 edition of The ARRL Letter contained an underestimated
attendance figure. RARSfest Chairman Ian Hewitt, N0IAN, said 1,673
tickets were sold for the event.

==> THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE  

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Each of the average solar and
geomagnetic indices rose during the April 20-26 reporting week,
compared to the previous 7 days. The average daily sunspot number rose
from 8.6 to 35.7, and the solar flux rose from 76.5 to 81.4. The
average daily planetary A index went from 8 to 26.4, and the average
daily mid-latitude A index rose from 6.3 to 18.4.

The day with the most geomagnetic activity was April 22, when the
planetary A index was 54. On the same date, Alaska's College A index
(near Fairbanks) was 86.

The predicted planetary A index is 10, 8, 5, and 8 on April 27-30; 14,
10, 8, and 10 on May 1-4; 15 on May 5-6; 8 on May 7-8; 5 on May 9-14; 8
and 15 on May 15-16, and then into a more active period at 30, 25, 45,
50, and 30 on May 17-21. Then 20 on May 22-24; 15, 8, 5, and 20 on May
25-28; 10 on May 29-31; 15 on June 1-2; 8 on June 3-4, and 5 on June
5-9.

Predicted solar flux values are 80 on April 27; 81 on April 28-29; 80
on April 30 and May 1; 79 on May 2-3; 78 on May 4; 75 on May 5-14; 80
on May 15-18; 85 on May 19-24; 80 on May 25-28, and 75 on May 29-June
10.

Sunspot numbers for April 20 through 26, 2017 were 26, 39, 29, 43, 41,
36, and 36, with a mean of 35.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 80.7,
82.2, 83.6, 82.5, 80.2, 81.3, and 79.6, with a mean of 81.4. Estimated
planetary A indices were 30, 19, 54, 41, 20, 12, and 9, with a mean of
26.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 20, 11, 37, 24, 19, 10, and
8, with a mean of 18.4.

Send <k7ra@arrl.net> me your reports and observations.

==> JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT  

- April 29 -- Feld Hell Sprint

- April 29-30 -- 10-10 International Spring Contest (Digital)

- April 29-30 -- Helvetia Contest (CW, phone, digital)

- April 29-30 -- Florida QSO Party (CW, phone)

- May 1 -- AGCW QRP/QRP Party

- May 1 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (SSB)

- May 2 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)

- May 3 -- 432 MHz Spring Sprint (Any mode)

- May 3-4 -- MIE 33 Contest (CW, phone)

- May 4 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)

See the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar>
for more information. For in-depth reporting on Amateur Radio
contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update
<http://www.arrl.org/contest-update-issues> via your ARRL member
profile e-mail preferences.

==> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS  

- April 29 -- Louisiana Section Convention
<http://www.twincityhams.org/hamfest.html>, West Monroe, Louisiana

- May 4-6 -- Military Radio Collector's Group Convention
<http://www.mrcgwest.org/>, San Luis Obispo, California

- May 7 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.k3dn.org/>, Bristol, Pennsylvania

- May 13 -- Iowa Section Convention <http://www.3900club.com/>, Boone,
Iowa

- May 19-21 -- Ohio State Convention (Dayton Hamvention
<http://www.hamvention.org/>), Xenia, Ohio

- May 27-28 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention
<http://www.wyominghamcon.org/>, Cody, Wyoming

- June 2-4 -- Northwestern Division Convention
<http://www.seapac.org/>, Seaside, Oregon

- June 3 -- Georgia Section Convention <http://atlantahamfest.com/>,
Marietta, Georgia

- June 4 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention
<http://www.breezeshooters.org/>, Prospect, Pennsylvania

- June 9-10 -- West Gulf Division Convention <http://www.hamcom.org/>,
Irving, Texas

- June 16-18 -- Utah State Convention
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/utah-state-convention-1>, Garden City,
Utah

- June 17 -- Tennessee State Convention <http://www.w4bbb.org/>,
Knoxville, Tennessee

Find conventions and hamfests in your area
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests>.

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

.

- Join or Renew Today! <http://www.arrl.org/join> ARRL membership
includes QST <http://www.arrl.org/qst>, Amateur Radio's most popular
and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month.

- Listen to ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>,
available every Friday.

Subscribe to...

- NCJ -- National Contest Journal <http://www.ncjweb.com/>. Published
bimonthly, features articles by top contesters, letters, hints,
statistics, scores, NA Sprint, and QSO Parties.

- QEX <http://www.arrl.org/qex> -- A Forum for Communications
Experimenters <http://www.arrl.org/qex>. Published bi-monthly, features
technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of
interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...

- Subscribe
<http://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#%21/edit-info-email_subscription
s>
to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency
communications news), the ARRL Contest Update (bi-weekly contest
newsletter), Division and Section news alerts -- and much more!

Find ARRL on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org/>! Follow us
on Twitter <https://twitter.com/> and Instagram
<https://www.instagram.com/>!
We want to hear from you! Tell us
<http://www.arrl.org/arrl-letter-feedback> what you think of The ARRL
Letter.

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 48 times each year. ARRL
members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member
Data Page as described at http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/.

 Copyright (c) 2017 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated.
Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is
permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution.
All other purposes require written permission.

 <http://www.arrl.org/>

73 DE KD5COL,
Sean
--- MultiMail/Linux
 * Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)