Text 15587, 523 rader
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Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter
December 19, 2019
* ARRL Reshapes Podcast Offerings for 2020
* FCC Formally opts Proposals to Remove Amateur 3 GHz Band, Invites
Comments
* FCC Proposes Largest-Ever Fine for Unlicensed Broadcasting
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* AztechSat-1 CubeSat to Demonstrate Intra-Satellite Communication
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Volunteers Celebrate 98th Anniversary of ARRL Transatlantic Tests
at W1AW
* NTIA Spectrum Manager Stephen Veader, N4DXS, SK
* Bar Code Lead Developer George Laurer, K4HZE, SK
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right!
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
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To Our Readers: This is the final edition of The ARRL Letter for 2019.
The newsletter will be on a holiday hiatus until January 9, 2020. ARRL
Audio News will be on break until January 10, 2020. ARRL Headquarters
will be closed on December 25 and on January 1, and there will be no
W1AW bulletin or code practice transmissions on those days. A reminder
that Straight Key Night (SKN) is January 1, 2020 (UTC) -- starting on
New Year's Eve in North American time zones. We wish everyone a safe
and enjoyable holiday season.
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ARRL Reshapes Podcast Offerings for 2020
In conjunction with the launch of its new On the Air magazine, which is
aimed at those just beginning their journey in amateur radio, ARRL is
reconfiguring its podcast lineup.
Heading up the new schedule will be a free companion podcast to the
bimonthly On the Air magazine. The monthly On the Air podcast will take
a deeper look into select features and projects from the magazine. Each
month, host and On the Air Editorial Director Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY,
will offer additional resources, techniques, and hints to help
less-experienced radio amateurs to get the most from the magazine's
content.
In addition to the podcast, ARRL Product Development Manager Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R, will curate a free On the Air blog featuring content
from the communicators and makers who are the driving force of amateur
radio today. The blog will highlight opportunities and activities
available to new licensees. The On the Air blog is intended as an entry
point into the world of amateur radio for those seeking original voices
and perspectives. Readers will be invited to take part in the
conversation by sharing their stories and experiences.
ARRL's current So Now What? podcast will cease production in January,
as the full complement of On the Air content is rolled out. The catalog
of So Now What? episodes is available for listening or downloading.
In addition, The Doctor is In podcast, which has served
more-experienced amateurs since 2016, will conclude its 4-year run with
its December 19 episode. Eclectic Tech, a new biweekly podcast designed
to appeal to experienced amateurs, will launch in February.
Hosted by QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, Eclectic Tech will highlight
technical topics involving amateur and non-amateur technology, offer
brief interviews with individuals involved in projects of interest to
amateurs, and include practical information of immediate benefit to
today's hams.
The Doctor is In co-host Joel Hallas, W1ZR, is selecting some of his
favorite podcast episodes for re-broadcast in the interim between the
end of production for The Doctor is In and the debut of Eclectic Tech.
The complete The Doctor is In archive is available on the ARRL website.
Hallas will continue to answer questions about amateur radio in QST's
"The Doctor is In" column.
The ARRL Audio News podcast will continue to provide a weekly summary
of news and activities within the amateur radio community.
FCC Formally opts Proposals to Remove Amateur 3 GHz Band, Invites
Comments
The FCC's plan to remove "existing non-federal secondary radiolocation
and amateur allocations" in the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band and relocate
incumbent non-federal operations already has begun drawing fire. The
Commission formally adopted the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in
WT Docket 19-348 on December 12 and invited comments on appropriate
"transition mechanisms" to make the spectrum available for mobile and
fixed wireless broadband use. ARRL plans to oppose the move. The
amateur 9-centimeter allocation is 3.3 - 3.5 GHz.
"By proposing to delete the existing non-federal secondary allocations
from the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band, we are taking an important initial step
towards satisfying Congress's directives and making as much as 250
megahertz of spectrum potentially available for advanced wireless
services, including 5G," the FCC said in the Introduction to its NPRM.
Some comments arrived before formal adoption of the NPRM, which was
circulated ahead of the December meeting. Kevin Milner, KD0MA, the
secretary/treasurer of the Ski Country Amateur Radio Club in Colorado,
argued that the club's equipment cannot be re-channeled below 3.4 GHz,
and the club is seeking relocation costs. Devin Ulibarri, W7ND, told
the FCC that amateur networks in the current band cannot move easily
into other amateur allocations because there is no readily available
commercial equipment to support the bandwidth, the FCC said in a
footnote.
Currently, the entire 3.1 - 3.55 GHz band is allocated for both federal
and non-federal radiolocation services, with non-federal users
operating on a secondary basis to federal radiolocation services.
With respect to amateur operations, the FCC invited comments on whether
sufficient amateur spectrum exists in other bands that can support the
operations currently conducted at 3.3 - 3.5 GHz. The 3.40 - 3.41 GHz
segment is earmarked for amateur satellite communication. The FCC said
if non-federal licensees are relocated to the 3.1 - 3.3 GHz band, it
proposes to have them continue to operate on a secondary basis to
federal operations, consistent with current band allocations.
Also at its December 12 meeting, the FCC considered another NPRM in WT
Docket 19-138 that would "take a fresh and comprehensive look" at the
rules for the 5.9 GHz band and propose, among other things, to make the
lower 45 MHz of the band available for unlicensed operations and to
permit "cellular vehicle-to-everything" (C-V2X) operations in the upper
20 MHz of the band. The FCC is not proposing to delete or otherwise
amend the 5-centimeter amateur 5.650 - 5.925 GHz allocation, which
would continue as secondary. The NPRM, if approved, would address the
top 75 MHz of that amateur secondary band. Although no changes are
proposed to the amateur allocation, an anticipated increase in primary
use could restrict secondary amateur use.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) has offered its voice
in challenging the FCC proposals on both 9 and 5 centimeters, saying
their adoption would "eliminate our use of the most-effective resource
hams have to build its networks."
"The AREDN Project is able to leverage low-cost commercial devices
solely because they are designed to operate on adjacent allocations,"
AREDN said on its website. "Moving to other allocations would be
difficult if not impossible without a complete redesign, manufacture,
purchase, and installation of new custom amateur hardware and
software...raising the price out of reach for the typical ham."
FCC Proposes Largest-Ever Fine for Unlicensed Broadcasting
The FCC has proposed fining an alleged pirate broadcaster in the
Boston, Massachusetts area more than $450,000. According to the FCC,
Gerlens Cesar, who operated Radio TeleBoston, used three separate
transmitters for his broadcasting enterprise, resulting in three
separate violations of the law.
"The Commission proposed imposing the statutory maximum forfeiture
amount for each of these three apparent violations," the FCC said in a
Notice of Apparent Liability (NAL) released on December 12. Under the
Communications Act, it is illegal to transmit above certain low-power
levels, defined within FCC Part 15 rules, without an FCC license.
"Such pirate radio broadcasting can interfere with licensed
communications including public safety transmissions," the FCC said.
The FCC said Cesar apparently simulcasts Radio TeleBoston on three
unauthorized transmitters on two different frequencies. "His operation
thus had the potential to cause interference in various locations in
and around Boston and at different channels on the FM dial," the FCC
said. "As a result of the scale of this operation, its potential
impacts, and its continuous nature, the Commission proposed the maximum
penalty for all three transmitters."
The FCC reported receiving complaints from Boston-area residents of an
illegal station operating at both 90.1 and 92.1 MHz. One complaint
identified Cesar as the operator of Radio TeleBoston. The FCC said it
had issued multiple warnings. -- FCC Media Release
The Doctor Will See You Now!
The Doctor will open the mailbag for the last time in the final
(December 19) episode of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. "Best of
The Doctor is In" episodes will be released every other week until a
new podcast, Electic Tech," debuts in February.
Sponsored by DX Engineering, 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 since 2016, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford,
WB8IMY, and the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, have discussed a
broad range of technical topics and answered listeners' questions.
Enjoy ARRL The Doctor is In on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or
iPad podcast app (just search for ARRL The Doctor is In). You can also
listen online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (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.
AztechSat-1 CubeSat to Demonstrate Intra-Satellite Communication
The AztechSat-1 CubeSat, which traveled to the International Space
Station (ISS) earlier this month on the 19th Space-X Commercial
Resupply Services (CRS-19) mission for NASA, will listen for emergency
messages in the 439 MHz range and retransmit them for amateur radio
operators to copy on its 437.300 MHz downlink using the Winlink
protocol, once the CubeSat has been placed into orbit. The satellite is
a project of Mexico's Universidad Popular Aut¢noma del Estado de Puebla
(UPAEP). Aztechsat-1 is set for deployment from the ISS in late
January.
"The primary objective of the project is to establish communication
with the commercial GlobalStar satellites in order to improve data
transmission to Earth," a UPAEP news release said. AztechSat-1 will
create a saturation map of 435 - 438 MHz by listening for the whole
orbit and returning captured data to the ground station on the 437.300
MHz amateur radio downlink (9k6 GMSK or FSK) plus a 1600 MHz GlobalStar
link. Emergency messages received via Globalstar to the AztechSat-1
ground station will be shared on the project's website.
A certificate will be available for amateur stations receiving the
emergency message(s) and reporting these for confirmation by the
AztechSat-1 team.
Details are on the AztechSat-1 website and on the IARU Amateur Radio
Satellite Communication page.
The project is part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, which offers
universities, high schools, and nonprofit organizations the opportunity
to fly small satellites. "Innovative technology partnerships keep down
the cost, providing students a way to obtain hands-on experience
developing flight hardware," a NASA report said.
NASA explained, "The investigation demonstrates communication within a
satellite network in low-Earth orbit. Such intra-satellite
communication could reduce the need for ground stations, lowering the
cost and increasing the number of data downloads possible for satellite
applications."
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: It's been 36 consecutive days with no
sunspots. Geomagnetic conditions were quiet until a minor solar wind
stream hit on December 18, driving the planetary A index to 13 from the
low single digits earlier in the week.
The average planetary A index for December 12 - 18 rose to 4.6, from
3.7 over the previous 7 days, while mid-latitude A index increased from
1.9 to 4. Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 70. The
predicted planetary A index is 10, 8, and 8 on December 19 - 21; 5 on
December 22 - January 4; 8 on January 5; 5 on January 6 - 8; 8 on
January 9 - 10; 5 on January 11 - 13; 12 on January 14; 10 on January
15 - 17; 5 on January 18 - 31, and 8 on February 1.
Because of weak solar activity, the ARRL 10 Meter Contest last weekend
was rather slow. QST's "The World Above 50 MHz" editor Jon Jones, N0JK,
in Kansas said he encountered a strong opening to Argentina and Chile
on Sunday. He said the propagation mechanism appeared to be sporadic E.
More details in the weekly bulletin on December 20.
Sunspot numbers for December 12 - 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with
a mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.5, 68.9, 70.3, 71, 70,
70.5, and 70.2, with a mean of 70.2. Estimated planetary A indices were
4, 4, 3, 5, 1, 2, and 13, with a mean of 4.6. Middle latitude A index
was 3, 3, 2, 5, 1, 2, and 12, with a mean of 4.
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
* December 20 -- AGB-Party Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* December 20 -- Russian 160-Meter Contest (CW, phone)
* December 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* December 21 -- OK DX RTTY Contest
* December 21 - 22 -- Padang DX Contest (Phone)
* December 21 - 22 -- Gedebage CW Contest
* December 21 - 22 -- Croatian CW Contest
* December 22 -- RAEM Contest (CW)
* December 22 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW
* December 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* December 26 -- DARC Christmas Contest (CW, phone)
* December 28 -- RAC Winter Contest (CW, phone)
* December 28 - 29 -- 1.8 Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
* December 28 - 29 -- Original QRP Contest (CW)
* December 30 - 31 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
* December 31 -- Bogor Old and New Contest (Phone)
* January 1 -- Straight Key Night
* January 1 -- AGB New Year Snowball Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* January 1 -- SARTG New Year RTTY Contest
* January 1 -- AGCW Happy New Year Contest (CW)
* January 1 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
* January 1 -- QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint (CW)
* January 1 -- 3.5 UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (Phone)
* January 2 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* January 2 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
* January 4 -- ARRL Kids Day (Phone)
* January 4 -- PODXS 070 Club PSKFest (Digital)
* January 4 -- RSGB AFS Contest, CW
* January 4 - 5 -- WW PMC Contest (CW, phone)
* January 4 - 5 -- ARRL RTTY Roundup
* January 4 - 5 -- EUCW 160-Meter Contest (CW)
* January 6 - 12 -- All IQRP Quarterly Marathon (CW, phone, digital)
* January 7 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* January 8 - 12 -- AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest
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.
Volunteers Celebrate 98th Anniversary of ARRL Transatlantic Tests at
W1AW
A group of radio amateurs gathered on December 11 at W1AW to mark the
98th anniversary of the successful ARRL Transatlantic Tests. On
December 11, 1921, a message transmitted by a group of Radio Club of
America members at 1BCG in Greenwich, Connecticut, was copied by Paul
Godley, 2ZE, in Scotland. Reporting on the accomplishment, ARRL
Secretary Kenneth B. Warner, 1EH, declared "Excelsior!" Clark Burgard,
N1BCG -- who lives in Greenwich and styles his call sign as "n1BCG" to
honor the original 1BCG -- was among those on hand at the Maxim
Memorial Station.
Those pitching in to take part in
the day-long anniversary celebration
included (L-R) Michael Pfaeffle,
K3FEF; Lisa Kress; Brian Kress,
KB3WFV; Bob Allison, WB1GCM; Blaine
Morin, N1GTU, and Clark Burgard,
N1BCG. Not shown are Chris Codella,
W2PA; Glenn Cooper, W2BK, and Greg
Fiozzo, KD2HRD.
"We completed a successful special event yesterday at W1AW
commemorating the 98th anniversary of the Transatlantic Tests," Burgard
recounted. "This was particularly important historically to amateur
radio as it was originally organized by ARRL in 1921 to determine if
low-power amateur radio stations using shortwave frequencies could
actually be heard in Europe. Until then, it was thought impossible."
Burgard pointed out that the 1921 event changed radio history, was
covered in three issues of QST, and opened the door to the first
two-way transatlantic tests a couple of years later. The 1921
transatlantic success marked the beginning of what would become routine
communication between US radio amateurs and those in other parts of the
world -- literally the birth of DX.
NTIA Spectrum Manager Stephen Veader, N4DXS, SK
Stephen Veader, N4DXS, of Dale City, Virginia, a major
behind-the-scenes player in the effort that led to creation of amateur
radio's 60-meter band in the US, died on November 5. An ARRL Life
Member, he was 67.
As a spectrum manager for the National Telecommunications and
Information ministration (NTIA), Veader was deeply involved on the
behalf of NTIA in the effort to secure a new amateur band at 5 MHz.
According to Ross Merlin, WA2WDT, when it became clear that a proposal
for a 15 kHz band would not be approved, Veader was instrumental in
fashioning the compromise that led to the authorization of the five
discrete secondary channels radio amateurs have today, and other
countries copied that template for their 5 MHz amateur allocations.
Today, these spot frequencies serve as "interoperability channels" for
federal and amateur stations to share in emergencies and exercises.
Veader was active within the SHARES HF radio community as the
representative for NTIA. A native of Boston, Veader was a US Air Force
veteran. During his years at NTIA, he also provided regulatory guidance
on the use of SHARES for federal and non-federal radio users.
"Steve was a good friend to SHARES and to amateur radio," Merlin said.
Veader was also an avid RTTY enthusiast and was active in many contests
throughout the year. A service was held on November 15. -- Thanks to
Ross Merlin, WA2WDT
Bar Code Lead Developer George Laurer, K4HZE, SK
The lead developer of the bar code system that became the
now-ubiquitous Universal Product Code (UPC), George Laurer, K4HZE, of
Wendell, North Carolina, died on December 5. He was 94. While an
electrical engineer with IBM in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park
in the early 1970s, Laurer led the effort to develop the bar code
system. The UPC, composed of 30 unique black bars and a 12-digit
number, allows retailers to identify products and prices as they are
scanned. It was used for the first time in a retail setting in 1974.
Laurer also later patented one of the first handheld UPC scanners,
according to his obituary. As The Washington Post reported, "The
bar-code concept had originated in the 1940s, when N. Joseph Woodland
designed a bull's eye-shaped system of concentric circles, inspired by
the dots and dashes of Morse code." Woodland became a colleague of
Laurer's at IBM, and Laurer considered him "the father of the
supermarket scanning system."
A native of New York, Laurer served in the US Army during World War II
after being drafted while he was still a junior in high school. He
graduated from the University of Maryland in 1951 and spent 3 decades
working for IBM. Accounts describe Laurer as an inveterate tinkerer,
even up to his final years.
IBM never patented the bar code system, but made it publicly available
in order to sell the associated hardware.
In Brief...
Kids Day is Saturday, January 4 The first Saturday in January is Kids
Day -- the time to get youngsters on the air to share in the joy and
fun that amateur radio can provide. Kids Day gets under way on
Saturday, January 4, at 1800 UTC and concludes at 2359 UTC. Sponsored
by the Boring (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, this event has a simple
exchange, suitable for younger operators: First name, age, location,
and favorite color. After that, the contact can be as long or as short
as each participant prefers. Kids Day is the perfect opportunity to
open your shack door and invite kids over to see what amateur radio has
to offer. Details are on the ARRL website.
ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager to Keynote Ham Radio University 2020 in
January ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager Kris Bickell, K1BIC, will be the
keynote speaker at Ham Radio University 2020 (HRU 2020). The annual
event, now in its 21st year, will take place on Saturday, January 4, in
the Hillwood Commons Student Center at Long Island University-Post, 720
Northern Blvd., Brookville, New York. HRU 2020 is billed as, "A day of
education to share ideas, experiences, knowledge, and fellowship among
amateur radio operators." Doors open at 7:30 AM. A Newcomer's Meeting
and HRU Orientation, geared toward first-time visitors, gets under way
at 8:30 AM. Thirty forums are on the schedule, with topics such as
typical HF antennas, ham radio logging programs, satellite operation,
and more. Hands-on workshops will cover such topics as cables and
connectors and electronic test equipment. mission is free, although a
$5 donation is suggested. Special event station W2HRU will be on the
air. Amateur radio license examinations will be given starting at 1:30
PM. Food and refreshments will be available.
SAQ, Sweden's Alexanderson Alternator, Announces Scheduled Christmas
Eve Transmission SAQ, the call sign of the 1920s vintage Alexanderson
transmitter in Grimeton, Sweden, is set to be on the air for its annual
Christmas Eve transmission. SAQ transmits CW with up to 200 kW on 17.2
kHz. Tune-up is scheduled to begin at around 0730 UTC, with the holiday
message transmitted at 0800 UTC. SAQ will livestream the event. SAQ has
introduced a new reception report form for listeners and has asked
listeners not to send SAQ reception reports via email. The SK6SAQ
amateur radio station will be active on 7.035 kHz and 14.035 MHz CW or
3.755 MHz SSB, with two stations on the air most of the time. Given its
age, the Alexanderson alternator does not always function as intended.
The transmitter experienced a failure during its scheduled UN Day
transmission on October 24.
FCC Invites Comments on Digital AM Broadcasting Proposal The FCC has
invited comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), that would
allow AM broadcasters to transmit an all-digital signal using the HD
Radio in-band on-channel (IBOC) mode, known as MA3.1. "We tentatively
conclude that a voluntary transition to all-digital broadcasting has
the potential to benefit AM stations and provide improved AM service to
the listening public," the FCC said. "We seek comments on proposed
operating standards for all-digital stations and the impact of such
operations on existing analog stations and listeners." The proceeding
was initiated by a March 2019 Petition for Rulemaking (Petition) filed
by Bryan Broadcasting Corporation. "This proceeding continues the
Commission's efforts to improve and update the AM radio service to
provide a better listening experience for consumers and enhanced
service offerings, as part of our continuing effort to revitalize AM
broadcasting," the FCC said in the introduction to the NPRM. Comments
are due 60 days after the NPRM appears in The Federal Register.
Getting It Right!
In the article, "Collegiate QSO Party 2018 and 2019 Plaque Recipients
Announced," the 2018 second-place alumni low-power winner was
incorrect. The winner was Frank J. Maynard, NF8M.
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Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* January 4 -- New York City-Long Island Section Convention,
Brookville, New York
* January 17 - 18 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill,
Texas
* January 19 - 25 -- Quartzfest, Quartzsite, Arizona
* January 24 - 26 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto
Rico
* January 25 -- ARRL Midwest Conference, Collinsville, Illinois
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
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