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Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter
July 29, 2021
* MARS HF Net Participants Aid in Response to Fatal Maritime Disaster
* FCC to Re-Establish Technological visory Council, Solicits
Membership Nominations
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* QSO Today Offering Platform Preview
* More Slow-Scan TV Transmissions from RS0ISS Scheduled
* ITU-R Working Party Considers Preliminary Studies on 23-Centimeter
Band
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* 8-Meter Experimental Station on the Air from the US
* Announcements
* Amateur Radio in the News
* Amateur Radio Activities to be a Part of Missouri's State
Bicentennial Celebration
* In Brief...
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
MARS HF Net Participants Aid in Response to Fatal Maritime Disaster
On July 6, an evening Army Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) HF
practice net in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region 2
(New York and New Jersey) was interrupted by several "mayday" distress
calls on the channel, which is shared with the maritime service. Net
control station Ron Tomo, KE2UK, immediately halted training and
attempted (without success) to establish radio communication with the
station in distress. Tomo then directed two other net members who heard
the distress call -- John Hoover, K2XU, and Wayne Gearing, K2WG -- to
attempt to establish communication and offer assistance.
While the other net members were attempting to contact the vessel by
radio, Tomo contacted the US Coast Guard (USCG) station at Jones Beach
Island in New York, which alerted the USCG Sector Command at Long
Island Sound to join the MARS operators on frequency. MARS operators
remained on frequency to assist the USCG in listening for the distress
call.
Several hours later, the fishing vessel Falling Star was identified as
missing with 15 individuals on board, all from Honduras. Ten days
later, the USCG confirmed that 10 of the passengers survived in a skiff
and were rescued by a passing commercial oil tanker -- the MTM
Surviving crew members from the
Falling Star spent 10 days in a
skiff.
Amsterdam -- which spotted their small craft. Tragically, the skipper
of the Falling Star died 1 day before the survivors were found, and was
buried at sea.
The vessel was en route from Jamaica to Guatemala when it was reported
to have rolled over without warning on July 6, just before midnight.
MARS volunteers alerted the USCG to the vessel in distress several
hours before the Falling Star was identified and confirmed as missing.
While 10 of those aboard Falling Star were rescued, five others didn't
make it home after this tragic event.
The Jamaica Defence Force (JFD) Coast Guard collaborated with
counterparts from the US, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Cuba, and the
Cayman Islands in the search for the vessel.
FCC to Re-Establish Technological visory Council, Solicits Membership
Nominations
The FCC is seeking nominations for a chairperson and members of the
Technological visory Council (TAC). In a July 21 Public Notice, the
Commission announced that it intends to re-establish the TAC for 2
years by August 20, 2021. It's anticipated that the renewed panel could
hold its first meeting in October.
The TAC provides technical advice to the FCC and makes recommendations
on the issues and questions presented to it. The panel typically has
several radio amateurs among its members. Greg Lapin, N9GL, has
represented ARRL on the TAC.
Among other issues, FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel will ask
the TAC to start looking beyond 5G and conceptualize 6G. In addition,
she'll ask the TAC to study advanced spectrum-sharing techniques,
implementation of artificial intelligence, and machine learning to
improve the utilization and administration of spectrum and other
emerging technologies.
All organizational or individual members appointed to the Council or
its working groups are subject to an ethics review by the Commission's
Office of General Counsel. Council members receive no compensation for
their service. Nominations for membership must be submitted to the FCC
by August 20.
Procedures for submitting nominations are spelled out in the Public
Notice, which includes details on membership qualifications and
obligations.
The FCC said it's particularly interested in receiving nominations and
expressions of interest from individuals and organizations in these
sectors:
* Communications service providers and organizations representing
communications service providers.
* Manufacturers of communications equipment and organizations
representing manufacturers of communications equipment.
* Providers of internet applications or cloud-based services.
* Scientists and engineers from academia or independent consultants
who are recognized experts in their field.
* Qualified representatives of other stakeholders and interested
parties with relevant expertise.
"Members will be selected to balance the expertise and viewpoints that
are necessary to effectively address the issues to be considered by the
Council," the FCC said.
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ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 19) features a
discussion with ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager Kris Bickell, K1BIC,
about the launch of the new ARRL Learning Center.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 39) begins with a chat
about "rediscovering" receive audio filters. This is followed by a
conversation with Bryant Julstrom, KC0ZNG, about his ac dummy load that
appeared in "Hints & Hacks" in the July issue of QST.
The On the Air and Eclectic Tech podcasts are sponsored by Icom. Both
podcasts are available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android), as well
as on Blubrry -- On the Air | Eclectic Tech.
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QSO Today Offering Platform Preview
The next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, on August 14 - 15, is offering a
platform preview of the show. From 1500 UTC on August 1 through 2400
UTC on August 3, 2021, anyone can preview the expo platform at no
charge. The fully functioning preview will allow prospective
participants to gain comfort with the platform layout and navigation,
including the virtual lobby, auditorium, exhibit hall, and meeting
lounges.
In addition, five speaker presentations from the last expo will be
available, as well as a small exhibit area featuring fully functional
booths from FlexRadio and QSO Today.
Early-bird tickets for the third QSO Today Expo are $10 until August 8
and $12.50 after that. Register on the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo
website.
ARRL is a QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo partner.
More Slow-Scan TV Transmissions from RS0ISS Scheduled
Friday and Saturday, August 6 - 7, Russian cosmonauts on board the
International Space Station (ISS) will transmit slow-scan television
(SSTV) images from the station on 145.800 MHz FM. They will use
An SSTV image received in June 2021
by Cherciu Neculai, YO4ESB.
SSTV mode PD-120.
The transmissions are part of the Moscow Aviation Institute SSTV
experiment (MAI-75) and will be sent via RS0ISS, the ham station in the
Russian Zvezda (Service) module using a Kenwood TM-D710 transceiver.
The announced schedule is August 6, 1050 - 1910 UTC; August 7, 0950 -
1555 UTC. Dates and times are subject to change. For stations in the
ISS footprint, the RS0ISS signal should be easy to copy on a handheld
transceiver and a quarter-wave whip. Use 25 kHz channel spacing, if
available.
Free ISS software is available to download. Pass predictions are
available from AMSAT. Representative images from prior ISS SSTV events
are available in the ARISS SSTV Gallery.
ITU-R Working Party Considers Preliminary Studies on 23-Centimeter Band
WRC-2 preparatory work for Agenda Item 9.1b continued July 5 - 13 in
ITU-R Working Party 4C (WP4C), with a focus on coexistence between the
23-centimeter amateur allocation (1240 - 1300 MHz) and
satellite-navigation systems. IARU member representatives from
Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Japan, Norway, the UK, and the US
participated in the meeting and delivered additional information on
amateur activities in this key microwave band.
This Agenda Item is relevant to ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, the
Middle East, and northern Asia), where one channel of the Galileo GPS
system in the Radio Navigation Satellite Services (RNSS) received
interference from amateur radio.
Preliminary studies from France were based on the ongoing CEPT
(European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications ministrations)
effort to provide initial estimates of separation distances required
between Galileo receivers and a sample of amateur emissions. The
European Commission Galileo team provided a set of observations
pertaining to an RNSS interference event in northern Italy.
"The IARU is working to ensure the amateur services are realistically
represented in the studies as they move forward," said Barry Lewis,
G4SJH, of the IARU. "It remains vital that national amateur communities
present their views on the importance of this band to their national
regulators in a consolidated and consistent manner. The work will
continue throughout the year and beyond both in ITU-R and in the
regional telecommunications organizations, and the IARU is committed to
ensure every group hears the amateur position on this important
microwave band."
More information is on the IARU page. -- Thanks to the IARU and Barry
Lewis, G4SJH
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ARRL Learning Network Webinars
Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,
check on upcoming webinars, and to view previously recorded sessions.
Introduction to DMR and Digital Voice -- Tim Deagan, KJ8U / Thursday,
September 9, 2021 at 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
An introductory overview of digital voice (DV) technologies for ham
radio. This presentation will focus on DMR with notes on System Fusion,
D-STAR, and more. Included will be a description of DV architecture and
components, and the interesting opportunities and challenges that DV
presents.
ARRL members may register for upcoming presentations and view
previously recorded Learning Network webinars. ARRL-affiliated radio
clubs may also use the recordings as presentations for club meetings,
mentoring new and current hams, and discussing amateur radio topics.
The ARRL Learning Network schedule is subject to change.
8-Meter Experimental Station on the Air from the US
WL2XUP is an FCC Part 5 Experimental station operated by Lin Holcomb,
NI4Y, in Georgia. It's licensed to operate with up to 400 W effective
radiated power (ERP) between 40.660 MHz to 40.700 MHz.
John Desmond, EI7GL, reports that as of mid-July, WL2XUP was
intermittently transmitting on Weak-Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR)
on 40.662 MHz (1500 Hz) for 2 minutes out of every 10, with an output
power of 20 W ERP into an omnidirectional antenna. For FT8 check-ins
and tests, an ERP of 100 W may be used. The band is affected by several
propagation modes, including tropospheric ducting, sporadic E,
transequatorial propagation (TEP), and F2 propagation. As Desmond
notes, the 40 MHz band will open a lot earlier than 50 MHz and could be
a useful resource for stations monitoring the transatlantic path.
A 2019 Petition for Rulemaking (RM-11843) asked the FCC to create a new
8-meter amateur radio allocation on a secondary basis. The Petition
suggests the new band could be centered on an
industrial-scientific-medical (ISM) segment somewhere between 40.51 and
40.70 MHz. The spectrum between 40 and 41 MHz is currently allocated to
the federal government and, as such, within the purview of the National
Telecommunications and Information ministration (NTIA).
ARRL member Michelle Bradley, KU3N, of Maryland, filed the petition on
behalf of REC Networks, which she founded and described in the Petition
as "a leading advocate for a citizen's access to spectrum," including
amateur radio spectrum.
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Announcements
* Prominent Summits on the Air (SOTA) activator Tom Read, M1EYP, has
begun a gig as a musician on board the cruise ship Spirit of
venture. He's taken a small transceiver and a compact loop
antenna and, with the skipper's enthusiastic approval, will be on
the air until mid-November from the vicinity of the UK and Ireland,
the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the riatic, and the Canary Islands
on 40 - 10 meters, CW, SSB, and FT4/FT8.
* The third annual World Wide Digi DX Contest is set for August 28 -
29. See the website for details. -- Thanks to Ed Muns, W0YK
* The Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Board of Directors has
announced the appointments of Scott Williams, VK3KJ, as WIA's new
President, and Lee Moyle, VK3GK, continuing as Vice President. The
Board thanked outgoing President Greg Kelly, VK2GPK, for his
commitment and contributions to the WIA; he will continue to serve
as a WIA board member.
* A voice on morning radio for generations of Vermonters, Ernie
Farrar, W1EF, died on July 7. He was 78. Farrar, of St. Albans
City, Vermont, began his radio career in his hometown in the 1960s,
before jumping to WVMT in Burlington in 1967, where he remained
until 2018. Farrar's other career was in boxing, as the longtime
director of the Vermont Golden Gloves Tournament. He was a member
of the Vermont Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. -- Thanks
to New England Radio Watch
* Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT, has been named to the GADX Hall of Fame,
which recognizes radio amateurs "who have made major contributions
to the ham radio community at large, mainly for DX and contesting."
* A cofounder of the ARRL RTTY Roundup, Hal Blegen, K7IRA, died on
July 27. He was 77. Blegen created the RRU with Jay Townsend, WS7I.
He was described as "a force to be reckoned with in RTTY contests
back in the day."
Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.
* Sigel woman recalls working amateur radio work during 1996 flood /
The Courier Express (Pennsylvania) July 22, 2021
* Young ham lends a hand / Hermiston Herald (Oregon) July 20, 2021
* Nonprofit Spotlight: Houma-Thibodaux amateur radio group plays key
role after storms / Houma Today (Louisiana) July 19, 2021
* How A Group Of Dedicated Volunteers Are Keeping California's
Wildfires At Bay / NPR (California) July 16, 2021
Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
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Amateur Radio Activities to be a Part of Missouri's State Bicentennial
Celebration
The Missouri First Capitol State Historic Site in St. Charles will host
an amateur radio event on August 10, in association with this year's
celebration of the Missouri State Bicentennial. The original capitol
building on the west bank of the Missouri River served as the state's
capitol from 1821 to 1826. The site is part of the St. Charles Historic
District in the city's Riverfront neighborhood and is adjacent to
Frontier Park, from which Lewis and Clark launched their Corps of
Discovery Expedition in August 1803.
Members of the St. Charles Amateur Radio Club (SCARC) will use the
special event call sign K0B at the site of the First Capitol on August
10. The First Capitol site also qualifies for the Parks on the Air
program (POTA) with the identifier K-3349. ditional POTA-style
activations from both the First Capitol site and from the adjacent
Frontier Park are listed as "possible" on other dates, depending on
weather and operator availability.
K0B will be active on SSB, CW, and FT8 on 80 - 6 meters, as well as on
2-meter FM. K0B will also be active from the annual SCARC hamfest and
flea market in O'Fallon on August 8 and from SCARC member stations at
various times on August 7 - 15. An operating schedule will be posted on
the SCARC Facebook page.
Contacts will be uploaded to Logbook of The World (LoTW). A paper QSL
and a downloadable PDF certificate will be available.
Members of the Mid-MO Amateur Radio Club will use the special event
call sign W0M August 7 - 10, and other Missouri clubs may also be
active to commemorate the bicentennial.
The Missouri QSO Party on July 31 - August 1 will also feature special
call signs and the activation of rare counties. Typically, the event is
held in April.
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In Brief...
[IMG]The Daily DX Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, has offered a
suggestion for calling DX while using FT8. He advises that FT8 users
avoid the "Generated Std Msgs (TX 1)" field when attempting to call DX
on FT8. "You can turn it off by double clicking on it," he said. "When
the band opens up, serious DXers want to get in and get out as quickly
as possible. We don't know how long the opening will last, [and] the DX
station does not care about your grid locator. You want to get your
call sign and report to the DX station as quickly as possible, so you
don't miss the opening. When you are calling a DX station, set the FT8
software to go to message 2 (e.g., TZ4AM KZ3ZZZ -14). Then you want to
get the "RR73." That is all you need for a valid contact. During
contests where the grid locator is needed, by all means, send it."
A Michigan club is considering establishing a common email address for
members lacking internet access. Big Rapids Area Amateur Radio Club
(BRA-ARC) in Michigan is hoping to establish a common email address so
that members lacking a valid email address may receive messages. The
impetus for this was the recent FCC requirement that all licensees have
an email address on file. "One of our members is in a nursing home,
and...we are her family," said the club's secretary, Bruce Werner,
WB8TVD. "One of our board members suggested club-sponsored personal
email, which is forwarded, similar to what is offered by ARRL." Werner
said the club is planning to work out something to accommodate members
who have no, or limited, internet access. As ARRL VEC Manager Maria
Somma, AB1FM, notes, the FCC simply requires a valid and current email
address where the licensee can receive electronic correspondence. She
told Werner, "The good news is that it doesn't matter whose email
address is used, as long as the FCC can reach the licensee." The box
would be periodically checked by a club officer, who would contact the
member personally.
Swiss radio amateurs are facing a fee to use the QO-100 Satellite. In
what might be a first, Switzerland's telecommunications regulator OFCOM
is charging the equivalent of $76.25 to issue special permits to radio
amateurs to use the QO-100 (Es'hail-2) amateur satellite transponders.
According to a post on the website for the USKA -- Switzerland's IARU
member-society -- the regulator wishes to protect license-exempt users
in the 2.4 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band, and
OFCOM reserves the right to withdraw the special permit if problems
arise. The special permit entitles the holder to use a transmitter with
a maximum output of 100 W PEP for a satellite uplink in the 2400 - 2410
MHz band. As part of their application, radio amateurs must provide
coordinates, antenna gain in dBi, antenna height above ground, antenna
direction, and a telephone number where the radio amateur can be
reached while operating, in addition to the usual name and call sign
information.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar activity slowed this week. The
average daily sunspot number declined from 48.9 last week to 33.9 this
week (July 22 - 28). Wednesday, July 28, saw no sunspots at all.
Average daily solar flux went from 81.3 to 83.
Geomagnetic indicators held steady, with average daily planetary A
index at 6.4 both last week and this week. Average daily middle
latitude A index went from 6.4 last week to 6.3 this week.
Predicted solar flux is 80 on July 29; 78 on July 30 - 31; 76 on August
1; 74 on August 2 - 3; 75 on August 4 - 12; 78, 80, 82, and 85 on
August 13 - 16; 90 on August 17 - 18; 85 on August 19 - 20; 80 on
August 21, and 82 on August 22 - 28.
Predicted planetary A index is 12, 8, 10, and 8 on July 29 - August 1;
5 on August 2 - 9; 12 and 10 on August 10 - 11; 5 on August 12 - 15; 10
and 8 on August 16 - 17; 5 on August 18 - 23; 12, 12, and 8 on August
24 - 26, and 5 on August 27 - September 6.
KC0V reported a big 2-meter sporadic-E opening this week from DN70 in
LaPorte, Colorado, to stations across the midwest, 2216 - 2235 UTC.
Sunspot numbers for July 22 - 28 were 77, 46, 35, 24, 25, 25, and 0,
with a mean of 33.1. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 89, 87.4 83.9, 81.6,
80.8, 79.6, and 78.8, with a mean of 83. Estimated planetary A indices
were 11, 4, 4, 3, 4, 6, and 13, with a mean of 6.4. Middle latitude A
index was 9, 3, 5, 5, 3, 6, and 13, with a mean of 6.3.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out this Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable
propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
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Just Ahead in Radiosport
* July 31 - August 1 -- Russian World Wide MultiMode Contest (CW,
phone, digital)
* July 31 - August 1 -- Missouri QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* August 1 -- SARL HF Phone Contest
* August 2 -- K1USN Slow Speed Test (CW, maximum 20 WPM)
* August 3 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
* August 3 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* August 3 -- RTTYops Weeksprint
* August 4 -- Phone Weekly Test -- Fray
* August 4 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test
* August 4 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
* August 4 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)
* August 5 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)
* August 5 -- RTTYops Weeksprint
* August 5 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* August 5 -- EACW Meeting (CW)
* August 5 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Some conventions and hamfests may have been canceled or postponed due
to the coronavirus pandemic. Check the calendar of canceled events on
the ARRL website.
* August 7 -- ARRL Iowa State Convention (Cedar Valley ARC Techfest),
Central City, Iowa
* August 14 - 15 -- QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo (online)
* August 21 - 22 -- ARRL Southeastern Division Convention (Huntsville
Hamfest), Huntsville, Alabama
* September 10 - 12 -- ARRL New England Division Convention
(Northeast HamXposition), Marlborough, Massachusetts
* September 25 -- ARRL Dakota Division Convention (RRRA Hamfest),
West Fargo, North Dakota
* August 27 - 29 -- ARRL West Virginia State Convention, Sutton, West
Virginia
* September 3 - 5 -- ARRL North Carolina Section Convention (Shelby
Hamfest), Shelby, North Carolina
* September 10 - 11 -- ARRL Illinois Section Convention (2021 W9DXCC
Convention), Naperville, Illinois
* September 12 -- ARRL Southern New Jersey Section Convention and
Hamfest, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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