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Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter
September 19, 2019
* ARRL Renews Request for FCC to Replace Symbol Rate with Bandwidth
Limit
* Hoc Legislative vocacy Committee to Meet with Lawmakers
* A Radio on Your Belt -- 1930s Style
* So Now What? Podcast
* Amateur Radio Digital Communications Announces Grant to ARISS
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Festival of Frequency Measurement Set to Honor WWV Centennial
* Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club Assisting in Restoring Fire-Damaged
Repeaters
* Well-Known Yukon Ham J Allen, VY1JA, is Stepping Away from Amateur
Radio
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Renews Request for FCC to Replace Symbol Rate with Bandwidth Limit
In ex parte comments filed on September 17 in WT Docket 16-239, ARRL
renewed its request that the FCC delete symbol rate limits below 29.7
MHz for data transmissions in the Amateur Service rules. As it did in
its initial filing, ARRL asked the FCC to couple the removal of the
symbol rate limits with the adoption of a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit. In
response to ARRL's 2013 ARRL Petition for Rulemaking (RM-11708), the
FCC proposed deleting the symbol rate limits but declined to replace
them with the 2.8 kHz bandwidth that ARRL wanted.
"This proceeding addresses an update to the Commission's rules that is
needed because a limitation in the rules unintentionally is inhibiting
US amateurs from employing the latest improvements to some of the
digital modes," ARRL said in its remarks. "Data signals commonly used
for daily communications as well as in disaster situations have
bandwidths in the range of 2.5 kHz and must co-exist with other modes
that use bandwidths as narrow as 50 Hz."
ARRL said the 1980s-era symbol rate limits today inhibit the use of
some efficient data modes. Repealing the symbol rate limit, ARRL
contended, would "allow shortened transmission times for the same
amount of data without increasing the bandwidth occupied by the signal.
Other Amateurs would benefit by the resulting reduction in potential
interference."
Other Issues
ARRL's remarks also addressed issues raised by other parties.
"Discussion by commenters in this proceeding delve into subjects well
beyond its scope," ARRL said, noting that it had attempted to broker
consensus among "some of the most active commenters" with an eye toward
exploring possible areas of agreement for the FCC's consideration. ARRL
noted that the parties to the ARRL-arranged talks declined to forward
to the FCC "joint recommendations on which conditional agreement had
been reached."
One of those issues involves Automatically Controlled Digital Stations
(ACDS). Commenters' concerns focused on interference that could occur
with a move away from symbol-rate criteria. ACDS with signals wider
than 500 Hz below 29.7 MHz are confined to specific subbands. ARRL
recommended that the FCC consider rules changes that would have all
ACDS stations and digital stations with bandwidths greater than 500 Hz
share identified subbands.
ARRL said if additional signals are added to the ACDS subbands, as
recommended, that it would strongly support expanding the HF ACDS
subbands. But, the League added, "changing the subband boundaries
requires study and careful consideration of trade-offs, because any
changes will affect multiple user interests." ARRL referred subband
reformulation issues to its HF Band Planning Committee for study and
recommendations.
Some commenters also raised the issue of obscure and encrypted
messages. ARRL pointed out in its ex parte remarks that it remains
opposed to encryption in the amateur bands, but disagreed "with
commenters who argue that the digital modes being used by radio
amateurs around the world are per se 'obscured' or 'encrypted.'" Read
more.
Hoc Legislative vocacy Committee to Meet with Lawmakers
ARRL's Hoc Legislative visory Committee will meet with several
members of Congress later this month in Washington to introduce new
Committee members, reacquaint the lawmakers with Amateur Radio's
most-pressing issues, seek their input on the best ways to achieve
ARRL's objectives in Congress, and request their continuing support.
Committee members have completed a comprehensive analysis of Amateur
Radio Parity Act deficiencies for dissemination to Amateur Radio's
backers on The Hill. The panel now is following up on this process with
the meetings later this month.
The Committee has contracted with The Keelen Group to provide advice
and recommendations regarding ARRL's legislative relationships. Keelen
Group advisors also will aid in organizing and guiding the meetings
between ARRL representatives and key congressional allies in support of
Amateur Radio initiatives.
On June 12, the Legislative visory Committee held the first of a
series of meetings in DC with ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall,
K3ZJ, The Keelen Group, and a small contingent of radio amateurs
associated with various governmental and nongovernmental partners to
solicit their perspectives and assistance in charting a future course
of action. Pacific Division Director and Committee Chair Jim Tiemstra,
K6JAT, described these individuals a "critical allies in ARRL's efforts
to achieve its legislative objectives."
The process of analyzing and clarifying ARRL's aims began when the
Committee was reconstituted with new members at the ARRL Board of
Directors' January meeting. The Board had determined a need to "review,
reexamine, and reappraise the ARRL's regulatory and legislative policy
with regard to private land-use restrictions," with the aim of
renewing, continuing, and strengthening ARRL's effort to achieve relief
from such restrictions.
"There seems to be no countervailing policy that could justify
arbitrary conditions, covenants and restrictions," Tiemstra said.
"Indeed, public policy should clearly favor the needs of the Amateur
Radio operator."
Amateur Radio's role in public service and emergency communication will
be the Committee's strongest argument in seeking relief from private
land-use restrictions that limit amateurs' ability to operate
effectively.
The Committee will analyze the outcomes of this month's meetings and
draft a report with recommendations for the ARRL Executive Committee to
review and consider at its October 12 meeting. The full Board is
expected to take up the issue at its January 2020 meeting.
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A Radio on Your Belt -- 1930s Style
Since the advent of wireless technology, efforts have aimed at
condensing the size of the necessary equipment to permit ease of
transport, mobile installation, and radios that could be hand carried,
slipped into a pocket or -- in this case -- carried on the belt. Hugo
Gernsback's Radio-Craft for December 1936 included the article, "How to
Make the World's Smallest 3-Tube Radio Set" by Arthur Miller (likely
not the playwright). It details how a clever radio crafter could
construct a set worn on a belt around the waist and -- in this case --
with the antenna worn on the head in the manner of an old-time banker's
eyeshade. The individual wearing such equipment today likely would not
only have to endure considerable pointing and laughing but would raise
the alert level at any airport TSA checkpoint.
Vacuum tubes of the day were not too sensitive, required separate
voltage sources for filament and plate, and were pretty hard on
batteries. The filaments for the three tubes came from "a liquid
unspillable storage cell" (i.e., rechargeable) to supply the necessary
2 V. The article says this battery should last from 7 to 10 hours and
came "with an oiled silk bag and fits in the hip pocket." This was the
sort of futuristic innovation that Gernsback typically featured in his
publications, and the entire December 1936 issue of Radio-Craft is
worth perusing.
"When using this 'Belt-Radio' the wearer is quite unmindful that the
latest news or dance music is coming from an ultra-midget receiver
which is actually being worn on the belt!" the article exults. "And it
takes only a minute to put the whole equipment on -- and less to take
it off!"
According to Miller's article, building the three-tube set was easy.
"The loop aerial is wound on a cardboard disc 13 ins. in dia," it
explains. "Litz wire is used and 22 turns are interlaced around the 9
ribs." No mention of gauging hat size.
The article concedes just to "one disadvantage" in having to wear the
antenna on one's head. "The 4-ft. cable connecting it with the receiver
acts as a capacity and restricts the tuning range of the set," it
explains.
The set tuned the AM broadcast band, and with the antenna on the head,
directionality was less of an issue. While it might look silly to us
now, project ideas such as this helped advance the radio art toward the
technology we use and enjoy today.
So Now What? Podcast
"Demystifying the Language of Morse Code" is the focus of the new
(September 19) episode of the So Now What? podcast for Amateur Radio
newcomers.
If you're a newly licensed Amateur Radio operator, chances are you have
lots of questions. This biweekly podcast has answers! So Now What?
offers insights from those who've been just where you are now. New
episodes will be posted every other Thursday, alternating new-episode
weeks with the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast.
So Now What? is sponsored by LDG Electronics, a family owned and
operated business with laboratories in southern Maryland that offers a
wide array of antenna tuners and other Amateur Radio products.
ARRL Communications Content Producer Michelle Patnode, W3MVP, and ARRL
Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, co-host the podcast. Presented as a
lively conversation, with Patnode representing newer hams and Carcia
the veteran operators, the podcast will explore questions that newer
hams may have and the issues that keep participants from staying active
in the hobby. Some episodes will feature guests to answer questions on
specific topic areas.
Listeners can find So Now What? on Apple iTunes, Blubrry, Stitcher
(free registration required, or browse the site as a guest) and through
the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android devices. Episodes
will be archived on the ARRL website.
Amateur Radio Digital Communications Announces Grant to ARISS
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has announced what's being
called "a very generous grant" to Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) to help fund its next-generation Interoperable
Radio System (IORS) and associated infrastructure improvements and
enhancements. ARISS said the IORS will replace the aging amateur
stations on the ISS to ensure the continuation of its primary program
that lets students speak to ISS crew members via Amateur Radio. ARDC
said it believes ARISS helps to engage students with Amateur Radio and
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in general "by
providing exciting capabilities that don't exist" on cell phones or the
internet. A dollar figure was not made public.
"This was fantastic news!" said ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer,
KA3HDO, who expressed appreciation for ARDC's generosity. Bauer said
the ARDC gift would go a long way toward covering the considerable cost
of making the IORS a reality.
ARISS said its next-generation IORS will "enable new, exciting
capabilities for hams, students, and the general public." It also plans
additional enhancements, which would include:
* New Amateur Radio communication and experimentation capabilities,
including an enhanced voice repeater and updated digital packet
radio
* APRS capability
* Two-way slow-scan television (SSTV) in both the US and Russian ISS
segments
* HamTV-2
* A new multi-voltage power supply that will support present and
future Amateur Radio capabilities and enable wireless
experimentation
The ARISS International team has already begun planning for an Amateur
Radio role for NASA's Lunar Gateway initiative. Some ARDC board members
have expressed an interest in ARISS's future plans involving the Lunar
Gateway program, ARISS said.
The donation to ARISS is the first since ARDC announced its grant
program earlier this summer. ARISS invites contributions via its
website. Read more.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: No sunspots again this week, and as
of Wednesday, we've seen 15 spotless days in a row. This is the solar
minimum. The current Cycle 24 is expected to end by year's end.
The average daily solar flux dipped from 69.4 to 68.1, while average
daily planetary A index declined slightly from 8.9 to 8.3, while the
average daily mid-latitude A index rose from 7.7 to 8.
Predicted solar flux is 68 on September 19 - 26; 69 on September 27 -
October 6; 70 on October 7; 68 on October 8 - 19, and 69 on October 20
- November 2.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on September 19 - 21; 8 on September
22 - 23; 5 on September 24 - 26; 35, 45, 20, and 10 on September 27 -
30; 8, 10, and 8 on October 1 - 3; 5, 5, and 12 on October 4 - 6; 5 on
October 7 - 9; 8, 5, and 8 on October 10 - 12; 5, 8, and 10 on October
13 - 15; 5 on October 16 - 19; 8, 5, and 5 on October 20 - 22; 8, 25,
30, and 18 on October 23 - 26; 8, 5, and 8 on October 27 - 29; 5 on
October 30 - November 1, and 12 on November 2.
Sunspot numbers for September 12 - 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0,
with a mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.4, 68.3, 68.6, 67.7,
68.7, 67.5, and 66.3, with a mean of 68.1. Estimated planetary A
indices were 7, 8, 6, 8, 11, 9, and 9, with a mean of 8.3. Middle
latitude A index was 7, 8, 7, 8, 10, 8, and 8, with a mean of 8.
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 K9LA's Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. Monthly charts offer
propagation projections between the US and a dozen DX locations.
Share your reports and observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
* September 20 -- AGB NEMIGA Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* September 21 -- QRP Afield (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
* September 21 - 22 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- All Collegiate QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest
* September 21 - 22 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest, CW
* September 21 - 22 -- All Africa International DX Contest (CW,
phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- All Iowa QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- New Jersey QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- New Hampshire QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* September 21 - 22 -- Washington State Salmon Run (CW, phone,
digital)
* September 22 - 25 -- Classic Exchange, Phone
* September 23 -- 144 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
* September 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* September 25 -- UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (CW)
* September 26 -- RSGB 80-Meter Autumn Series, Data
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth
reporting on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest
Update via your ARRL member profile email preferences.
Festival of Frequency Measurement Set to Honor WWV Centennial
HamSCI and the Case Amateur Radio Club of Case Western Reserve
University (W8EDU) will sponsor a "Festival of Frequency Measurement"
on the day of WWV's centennial, October 1, from 0000 to 2359 UTC
(starting on Monday evening, September 30, in the Americas). The event
invites radio amateurs, shortwave listeners, and others capable of
making high-quality frequency measurements on HF to participate and
publish their data to the HamSCI community on the Zenodo open-data
sharing site.
"Changes in ionospheric electron density caused by space weather and
diurnal solar changes are known to cause Doppler shifts on HF ray
paths," the event announcement says. "HamSCI's first attempt at a
measurement of these Doppler shifts was during the August 2017 total
solar eclipse. We plan a careful measurement during the 2024 eclipse."
Some of the questions the research event is hoping to answer include
how WWV's 5 MHz propagation path varies over a given calendar day, and
how various measurement techniques for understanding the path
variations compare. The objectives are to measure Doppler shifts caused
by the effect of space weather on the ionosphere, and to use a
specified measurement protocol available to Amateur Radio operators and
other citizen-scientists. The experiment will use August 1, 2019 (UTC)
as a control date.
"The recordings in this experiment are expected to show formations of
the D-layer at stations' local sunrise and other daily events of the
ionosphere," the announcement said. "Space weather varies day to day
and some features may be prominent. We'll see what we get!"
Full information is on the Festival of Frequency Measurement website.
Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club Assisting in Restoring Fire-Damaged
Repeaters
The Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club (MDARC) Disaster Recovery Program
for the 2018 Carr and Camp Fires has made a $1,000 grant to the
California Amateur Radio Linking Association (CARLA) toward the cost of
rebuilding one of its destroyed sites. The CARLA network of repeaters
provides coverage across California and western Nevada to provide
reliable communication during significant local, regional, and
wide-area incidents.
"We are extremely pleased and honored to have been the recipient of
MDARC's generosity through this initiative," said Tom Naso, N6MVT, one
of the founders of CARLA. "Our loss of CARLA system 25 in the Redding
area was a huge hit for us. Not only was it a high-level repeater site
that covered a lot of territory, but it was also a north-south relay
site that connected our primary Bay Area hub to our Shasta Area hub, so
it was a big deal on many levels when it went down that fateful day."
Naso said CARLA, based in the Bay Area, has systems throughout
California and parts of Nevada. The MDARC grant will make "a
considerable dent in the outlay of cash in procuring new equipment to
replace what burned," he said. "We don't have insurance on the
equipment because of how many sites we have. It just becomes cost
prohibitive."
The MDARC Board of Directors has established a fund to assist
organizations that have suffered ham system losses as a result of the
Carr and Camp Fires, and it continues to seek additional clubs with
fire-damaged systems that may require financial aid to rebuild. MDARC
recognizes that many of these repeater systems are in critical areas
that otherwise have very little Amateur Radio or cellular coverage and
are vital in providing important disaster traffic. Contact the club for
more information. -- Thanks to ARRL East Bay Section Manager Jim
Siemons, W6LK, and Tom Naso, N6MVT
Well-Known Yukon Ham J Allen, VY1JA, is Stepping Away from Amateur
Radio
Well-known Canadian radio amateur J Allen, VY1JA, of Whitehorse, Yukon
Territory, has announced that he's retiring from ham radio, citing
long-term health issues and hearing loss. The familiar VY1JA call sign
also has been retired. Allen will begin dismantling his station and
antennas as early as this weekend. His last contact was with KA4UPI on
September 14. He has uploaded his logs to Logbook of The World (LoTW)
and sent copies to his QSL managers.
"After approximately 30 years of operation and over 110,000 contacts,
the station VY1JA has gone QRT for operator health reasons effective
2019-09-14," Allen said on his QRZ.com profile. "All gear and antennas
are for sale."
For years, VY1JA was an eagerly sought-after multiplier in the ARRL
November Sweepstakes and other events, as well as a needed zone in DX
contests. In recent years, as Allen has begun to step away from regular
on-the-air appearances, his station has been operated remotely as
VY1AAA by a team of Canadian-licensed operators located in the US.
Allen said VY1AAA operation would cease on September 22.
Gerry Hull, W1VE/VE1RM, who has coordinated VY1AAA operations, told
ARRL that he's been searching over the past 6 months for another
Northern Territories station that would be willing to host remote
operation.
"The VY1AAA team is greatly saddened by this turn of events," Hull
said. "Hams around the world will surely miss J and the VY1AAA team on
the bands. J has been an incredible friend and mentor. Now it is time
for us to help him off the air." Hull said that over the past 4 years,
the remotely operated station has logged more than 35,000 contacts, and
QSL requests will continue to be honored. He invited inquiries via
email.
Allen thanked Hull for "his tireless efforts to keep YT/NT/VY1 on the
air throughout the years of his operation and direction of remote
operations." Read more.
In Brief...
Until October 1, WWV and WWVH are broadcasting a US Department of
Defense message to mark the centennial of WWV and to announce the
WW0WWV special event. The message will air at 10 minutes past the hour
from September 28 until October 2 from the WWV transmitter site near
Fort Collins, Colorado. Kevin Utter, N7GES, a member of the WW0WWV
Centennial Committee, recorded the audio track for the announcement.
Utter has been an integral part of the Committee and is a highly
respected member of the Northern Colorado Amateur Radio community. --
Thanks to Paul English, WD8DBY
A CubeSat with an FM-to-Codec-2 transponder has been launched. The
Taurus-1 (Jinniuzuo-1) CubeSat carrying an Amateur Radio FM-to-Codec-2
transponder was launched on September 12 from China's Taiyuan Satellite
Launch Center. The CubeSat was developed by Aerospace System
Engineering Research Institute of Shanghai for youth education and
Amateur Radio. The transponder is similar to that used on the
LilacSat-1 (LO-90) CubeSat and can use the same software, once
frequencies are changed, receiving FM with 67 Hz CTCSS on 145.820 MHz
and retransmitting it as Codec-2 9,600 bps BPSK digital voice on
436.760 MHz. The telemetry downlink is 435.840 MHz. In addition to the
transponder, the satellite also carries a drag sail. For more
information on the transponder type, see "Digital Voice on Amateur
Satellites: Experiences with LilacSat-OSCAR 90," which appeared in the
January/February edition of The AMSAT Journal. -- Thanks to AMSAT News
Service
North Korea is said to be testing digital broadcasting on 80 meters.
Radio World reports that the People's Democratic Republic of Korea
(North Korea) has resumed testing digital radio broadcasting on the
80-meter amateur band after a 2-year absence. North Korea is
transmitting with the Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM) protocol. The latest
transmissions on 3.560 MHz began in mid-August. "It appears unclear at
this time, however, whether the current series of transmissions will
soon end or be the start of a regular service," Radio World said.
"According to radio enthusiasts in the region, the signal has been
clear and very audible." Radio World says Voice of Korea, the North
Korean international broadcasting service, has conducted DRM trials off
and on since 2012.
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Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* September 21 - 22 -- New Mexico State Convention, Albuquerque, New
Mexico
* September 27 - 28 -- Central Division Convention, Milwaukee,
Wisconsin
* September 28 -- Dakota Division Convention, West Fargo, North
Dakota
* September 28 -- Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley,
Washington
* October 6 -- Iowa State Convention, West Liberty, Iowa
* October 11 - 12 -- PNWVHFS Conference and Meeting, Issaquah,
Washington
* October 11 - 12 -- Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida
* October 13 -- Connecticut State Convention, Meriden, Connecticut
* October 18 - 19 -- Delta Division Convention, East Ridge, Tennessee
* October 18 - 20 -- Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon,
California
* October 19 -- 21st Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference, Wisconsin
Rapids, Wisconsin
* October 26 -- South Carolina Section Convention, Conway, South
Carolina
* November 2 - 3 -- Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
* November 16 -- Indiana Section Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
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