Text 15791, 550 rader
Skriven 2021-07-02 09:05:20 av Sean Dennis (1:18/200.0)
Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter
July 1, 2021
* FCC Reaffirms Nearly $3 Million Fine for Marketing Unauthorized
Drone Transmitters
* New Section Managers Appointed in Orange and Eastern Washington
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* WISA Woodsat Successfully Completes Stratospheric Test Flight
* Russian Woodpecker Antenna Array Now a Cultural Heritage Site
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* Youth on the Air Camp 2021 to be On the Air and Streaming Selected
Events Online
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Amateur Radio in the News
* Announcements
* In Brief...
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
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ARRL Headquarters will be closed on Monday, July 5, for the
Independence Day holiday. There will be no W1AW bulletin or code
practice transmissions. ARRL HQ will reopen on Tuesday, July 6, at 8 AM
EDT. Have a safe and enjoyable holiday!
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FCC Reaffirms Nearly $3 Million Fine for Marketing Unauthorized Drone
Transmitters
In a Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) released June 17, the FCC
denied a Petition for Reconsideration filed by HobbyKing of a
$2,861,128 fine for marketing noncompliant RF equipment and for failing
to respond to FCC orders in its investigation of the company's
practices. In the same step, the FCC enforced its equipment marketing
rules. The fine resulted from an FCC investigation initiated by ARRL's
January 2017 complaint that the HobbyKing equipment was "blatantly
illegal at multiple levels."
A representative of the ARRL Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee
(ECC) stated, "The Forfeiture Order is the final chapter of a story
that started with a report to the ARRL Board by the EMC Committee in
2017, as a result of the discovery that aerial drone TV transmitting
equipment was being imported and marketed without proper FCC
authorization under FCC Part 15 rules."
The Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee was credited in the
complaint with calling attention to the issue and prompting ARRL's
action.
As spelled out in ARRL's 2017 complaint, the ARRL Laboratory had
documented that the operating frequencies of these drone TV
transmitters near the 1.3 GHz amateur band were dip-switch selectable
for frequencies internationally assigned for use by Aeronautical
Navigation, GPS, GLONASS L1, ATC Mode "S," as well as to both the
interrogation and reply frequencies used for Air Traffic Control
Air-Route Surveillance "transponder" radar systems.
ARRL's complaint noted that given the channel configuration, these
units would not have a legitimate amateur radio use, and that the
marketing was directed at drone enthusiasts and not to licensed radio
amateurs. "ARRL Laboratory tests did prove that only one of the seven
available channels was within the 1.3 GHz amateur band," the ECC
representative said.
"This is another example of ARRL not only affirmatively acting to
protect our members' interests, but also acting to protect the safety
and security of vital services and the general public," the ECC
representative said.
HobbyKing had denied that it was marketing its drone transmitters to US
customers, but as the ARRL January 2017 complaint pointed out, ARRL
Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, was able to purchase two drone
transmitters from HobbyKing for testing in the ARRL Lab. "The FCC noted
that amateur radio equipment used to telecommand model craft are
limited to 1 W (1,000 mW), but three transmitters included in the FCC
investigation operated at significantly higher power levels of 1,500 mW
and 2,000 mW," ARRL said.
HobbyKing had told the FCC that it had no notice of the Commission's
authorization requirements; that the Fifth Amendment relieved HobbyKing
of its duty to respond; that the forfeiture amount was inappropriate
because its parent company, Indubitably, Inc., lacked the ability to
pay to the Forfeiture Order; and that the Commission was time-barred
from taking action against ABC Fulfillment Services LLC because it was
not part of HobbyKing's business.
"Upon review of HobbyKing's Petition for Reconsideration and the entire
record, we find no basis for reconsideration because the petition fails
to present new information warranting reconsideration," the FCC said in
the MO&O.
HobbyKing is the trade name of two US-based companies that include ABC
Fulfillment Services LLC and Indubitably, Inc. Read an expanded
version.
New Section Managers Appointed in Orange and Eastern Washington
Carl Gardenias, WU6D, of Perris, California, is retiring as ARRL Orange
Section Manager (SM) after serving in the position since 2003. His term
of office had expired at the end of March, but he agreed to continue
serving as SM until a successor was chosen.
A re-solicitation for Section Manager nominations in the Orange Section
was issued this past spring. The only nominee responding by the June 4
deadline was Bob Turner, W6RHK, also of Perris, California. Turner's
elected 2-year term of office does not officially begin until October
1, and Gardenias has said he wished to step down as Section Manager at
the end of June.
In accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the ARRL Field
Organization, ARRL Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, has
appointed Turner to start his term of office as the Orange Section
Manager earlier than scheduled, with the appointment effective July 1.
Walters made his decision after consulting with ARRL Southwestern
Division Director Dick Norton, N6AA, and Gardenias. Turner has been the
Section Emergency Coordinator for the past 10 years.
ARRL Eastern Washington Section Manager Jack Tiley, AD7FO, will be
stepping down early from his term of office that concludes on September
30, 2021. Tiley, of Spokane Valley, has been Section Manager for 2 and
a half years.
Jo Whitney, KA7LJQ, was the only nominee when the June 4 nomination
deadline arrived, and she was declared elected. Whitney was initially
scheduled to start her term of office on October 1, but because Tiley
is stepping down before the end of his term, Walters -- after
consulting with ARRL Northwestern Division Director Mike Ritz, W7VO --
has appointed Whitney to start her term of office on July 1
Whitney, of Yakima, has been an ARRL Emergency Coordinator since 2003,
and she served as a District Emergency Coordinator in 2018 and 2019.
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
Check out the May episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 17)
features a discussion with Ward Silver, N0AX, about the importance of
station grounding.
The latest episode of Eclectic Tech (Episode 37) features a discussion
about the mysterious Schumann Resonances and a chat with Grant Connell,
WD6CNF, about an interesting Morse sending and receiving application he
has created for Windows.
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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WISA Woodsat Successfully Completes Stratospheric Test Flight
The world's first wooden CubeSat successfully completed a test flight
into the stratosphere earlier this month. WISA Woodsat is constructed
using birch plywood panels in a 1U configuration measuring 10
centimeters squared. Nine small solar cells will power the satellite,
which will orbit at an altitude of 500 - 550 kilometers. The novel
spacecraft will carry several amateur radio experiments, as well as
photo downlinking, including selfies. A goal of the project is to
determine how well wood products will perform in space.
During the recent test, a functional model of the WISA Woodsat climbed
19 miles into the sky tethered to a weather balloon. The satellite's
camera captured a selfie video of the balloon bursting. A parachute
deployed to take the nanosatellite back to Earth, where it was
recovered intact, lodged in a spruce tree.
The test satellite and a duplicate "spare" version, were manufactured
at UPM Plywood's Savonlinna, Finland, factory. The company sells its
construction-grade panels under the WISA trademark. The panels were
thermo-vacuum dried and processed on a CNC machining center.
The wooden satellite is based on a basic, versatile CubeSat format,
Kitsat, which is designed with educational use in mind.
As the sponsor quipped, "WISA Woodsat will go where no wood has gone
before. With a mission to gather data on the behavior and durability of
plywood over an extended period in the harsh temperatures, vacuum, and
radiation of space in order to assess the
The WISA Woodsat balloon bursts as
the satellite reaches its maximum
altitude. The image was taken using
the spacecraft's selfie stick.
use of wood materials in space structures."
Once in orbit, Woodsat will be able to extend its selfie stick to
capture photographs of the wooden box as it hurtles through space at
40,000 kilometers per hour (24,800 miles per hour). This will allow the
mission leaders to monitor the impact of the environment on the
plywood.
The satellite would downlink its telemetry and images from two cameras
using amateur radio frequencies. In addition to testing plywood, the
satellite will demonstrate accessible radio amateur satellite
communication; host several secondary technology experiments; validate
the Kitsat platform in orbit, and popularize space technology.
Russian Woodpecker Antenna Array Now a Cultural Heritage Site
The massive Duga-1 antenna array that transmitted the obnoxious and
infuriating "Russian Woodpecker" HF signal from the 1970s until the
late 1980s is now a cultural heritage site. The array, located near
Chernobyl in Ukraine, was part of an over-the-horizon radar (OTH-R)
system designed to detect and offer early warning of incoming ballistic
missiles from the US. A complementary receiver site was located some 40
miles away. While the system was operating, its broad rat-a-tat signal,
typically at a 10 Hz rate, caused severe interference in the amateur
bands. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster and the end of the
Cold War preceded the end of the system and the interference it caused.
NATO military intelligence discovered and photographed the structure,
which it dubbed "Steel Yard."
Nearly 2,300 feet long and more than 450 feet tall, the steel beams of
the radar array are in the Chernobyl exclusion zone tower above the
surrounding forest. Seen from a distance, it appears to be a massive
wall or the start of a cage. As Vice recently reported, the Association
of Chernobyl Tour Operators was the first to announce that Ukraine had
made Duga-1 a protected heritage site. The Russian Interfax news
service later reported the official designation.
"Our heritage is not only the area around the power plant but also the
buildings located on its territory," Oleksandr Tkachenko, Ukraine's
Minister of Culture and Information Policy, said in a Telegram thread
about the announcement. "So now we are working on identifying other
A Duga array seen from a distance.
[Ingmar Runge photo]
objects that should be part of the list of monuments. Our goal is to
prevent destruction when possible."
The Soviet Union deployed two similar OTH-R installations -- known and
Duga-1 and Duga-2 -- the one near Chernobyl and another in eastern
Siberia. Transmitter power levels were rumored to be in the 10-megawatt
EIRP range.
Duga-1 was the focus of a 2015 documentary, The Russian Woodpecker, by
Chad Gracia. The film includes interviews with Duga Commander Vladimir
Musiets and others involved in building and operating the OTH-R system.
The production was a 2015 Sundance Film Festival winner in the
documentary category. In recent years, the Duga-1 radar has also played
a role in other films, as well as in various video games and novels.
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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.
Designing Coiled Coax "Ugly" Baluns -- John Portune, W6NBC / Thursday,
July 8, 2021 @ 8 pm EDT (0000 UTC on Friday July 9)
Coiled coax baluns are familiar, but not many hams know how to design
them for maximum efficiency. The many designs available online can be
confusing, so this presentation will help you learn the following: (1)
The main function of a balun; (2) Calculating, and not guessing, at the
amount of coax needed; (3) Self-resonance and frequency limitations.
The presenter is the February 2021 QST Cover Plaque Award winner for
his article "Create Your Own 1:1 Coax Choke Balun." Sponsored by
PreppComm.
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Learning with High-Altitude Balloons -- Jack McElroy, KM4ZIA, and
Audrey McElroy, KM4BUN / Thursday, July 22, 2021 @ 3:30 pm EDT (2030
UTC)
Jack McElroy, KM4ZIA, and Audrey McElroy, KM4BUN, talk about their
experiences with high-altitude balloons, explain how others can get
involved in high-altitude balloons, and discuss launching it
successfully. Their discussion will include how high-altitude balloons
are a great way to involve more youth in ham radio and how they can be
a fantastic learning experience for students.
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.
Youth on the Air Camp 2021 to be On the Air and Streaming Selected
Events Online
The first Youth on the Air (YOTA) camp for young radio amateurs in
North, Central, and South America begins on July 11 in West Chester,
Ohio. Among other activities, campers will be operating special event
station W8Y from both the National Voice of America Museum of
Broadcasting in West Chester Township and from the camp hotel. The camp
will run until July 16.
"We are at 23 campers," said Camp Director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. "We are
very excited to finally bring this program to the Americas. Our young
people are bringing an incredible lineup of hands-on sessions for their
peers. We hope this pilot gives us the information we need to replicate
this camp over multiple locations for years to come. We also hope this
brings a more robust community of young hams into amateur radio."
The long-awaited summer camp for up to 30 hams aged 15 through 25 had
been set to take place in June 2020, but it had to be rescheduled until
summer 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic concerns. The camp for young
hams in the Americas took its cue from the summer Youngsters on the Air
camps held for the past few years in various IARU Region 1 countries.
W8Y will be on the air as campers complete projects, between sessions,
and during free time. Dedicated operating times on HF will be Monday,
July 12, 0100 - 0330 UTC; Tuesday, July 13, 0000 - 0330 UTC and 1800 -
2130 UTC. Dedicated satellite station operating times will be Thursday,
July 15, 1400 - 1700 UTC, and Friday, July 16, 1500 - 1700 UTC.
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact is
currently set for either Wednesday, July 14, at 1503 UTC, or
KM4BUN operates as K8O
during YOTA Month 2020.
Thursday, July 15, at 1416 UTC. It will be streamed live on the Youth
on the Air YouTube channel. The camp opening observance on Sunday, July
11, 2100 - 2230 UTC, will feature keynote speaker Tim Duffy, K3LR. The
hour-long closing ceremony on Friday, July 16, will get under way at
1700 UTC. The YouTube channel will also feature a daily video
highlighting the activities of the previous day.
ARRL and The Yasme Foundation donated project kits for the campers. X
Tronics provided temperature-controlled soldering stations. The
brochure on the Youth on the Air website includes more details about
the camp. For additional information, contact Camp Director Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG.
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The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar activity is strong. Average
daily sunspot number rose from 14 to 34.7, and average daily solar flux
increased from 79.3 to 86.9. Both figures represent a dramatic increase
in solar activity.
Planetary A index went from 5.3 to 6.1, while average daily middle
latitude A index held steady at 6.1.
Predicted solar flux is 94 on July 1 - 7; 90 on July 8; 85 on July 9 -
11; 82 on July 12 - 14; 80 on July 15 - 18; 82 on July 19; 85 on July
20 - 24; 88 on July 25; 90 on July 26 - 28; 92 on July 29 - August 1;
90 on August 2, and 85 on August 3 - 7.
Predicted planetary A index is 12, 8, 12, 8, and 10 on July 1 - 5; 5 on
July 6 - 8; 8 on July 9 - 10; 5, 15, and 12 on July 11 - 13; 5 on July
14 - 20; 8 on July 21; 5 on July 22 - 26; 10 on July 27; 5 on July 28 -
30; 12 on July 31; 5 on August 1 - 4, and 8 on August 5 - 6.
W9NY reported on June 28:
"The propagation on 20 meters between my Dune Acres, Indiana, station
and much of Europe and Asiatic Russia beginning last night at 11 PM and
continuing for about 2 hours was absolutely amazing. It reminded me of
10 meters at the peak of prior sunspot cycles. And today there was a
fair amount of activity on 10 and 6 meters." More details in the Friday
K7RA Solar Update.
Sunspot numbers for June 24 - 30 were 11, 25, 16, 32, 50, 56, and 53,
with a mean of 34.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 80.6, 83.4, 82.4, 87,
88.6, 92.5, and 94.1, with a mean of 86.9. Estimated planetary A
indices were 5, 7, 4, 4, 4, 5, and 14, with a mean of 6.1. Middle
latitude A index was 6, 8, 5, 4, 4, 5, and 11, with a mean of 6.1.
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.
Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.
* Amateur Radio Club holds two-day event at USS Kidd / The vocate
(Louisiana) June 27, 2021
* Amateur radio operators key during Hugo, host field day to practice
skills / News 19 - WLTX (South Carolina) June 27, 2021
* Ham operators prepare for hurricane season with field day / Clay
Today (Florida) June 23, 2021
* Searching For a 'Fox' in Jackson Park / Times-News (North Carolina)
June 22, 2021
* Ham Radio Operators Provide Vital Information When Storms Disrupt
Communications / Spectrum News Channel 13 (Florida) June 22, 2021
Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
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Announcements
* The Canadian American Net (CANAM) aims to unite hams in the Eastern
US and Canada. Some 40 amateurs from Canada and the US typically
check in for each session, and the net accommodates CW and SSB. The
Canadian-American Net operates 7 days a week on 7.153 MHz, with
check-in starting at 1300 UTC.
* The next meeting of the ARRL Board of Directors' Executive
Committee meeting is July 7 at 11 AM EDT. The ARRL Board of
Directors will meet July 16 - 17 for its second meeting of the
year. The agenda for the full Board meeting is available on the
ARRL website.
* Radio amateurs in Australia soon will be able to obtain and use 2 *
1 call signs. Regulator ACMA (Australian Communications and Media
Authority) will release a bulletin concerning implementation plans.
* Novice stations in the Netherlands (PD-prefix licensees) may now
operate with 100 W, instead of 25 W, on 40, 20, and 10 meters. They
also have access to the entire 40- and 20-meter bands. In addition,
the Netherlands no longer imposes a minimum age to get a Novice or
Full License in the Netherlands.
* EZ Hang has changed ownership. The new proprietor is Chris Fox,
NI4L, Antennas & Electronics LLC, 3861 Mount Olive Church Rd,
Moravian Falls, NC 28654. (828) 855-8869.
* International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 has announced the
release of an HF band plan and annex incorporating changes agreed
at the General Conference in October.
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In Brief...
Field Day entries are arriving fast and furious. Three days into the
Field Day entry submission period (June 30), entries already have
topped 3,000. ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, says
201 of these are three-or-more-operator club entries (Class A); 385 are
one- or two-person club or group entries (Class B); 33 are mobile
entries (Class C), and 34 entered as EOC stations (Class F). "2,414
entrants operated from home stations -- 1,831 as Class D (commercial
power) and 583 as Class E (emergency power)," Bourque said. "Last year,
there were 10,213 total entrants -- 611 as Class A; 1,086 as Class B;
134 Class C; 6,318 Class D; 1,980 Class E, and 84 Class F. In 2019,
before the pandemic, there were 3,113 total entries." -- Thanks to ARRL
Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE
The third QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo will take place August 14 - 15,
with presentations available on demand for 30 days. Sponsors promise "a
flawless experience" that will expose visitors to new ideas, equipment,
and practical techniques via the vFairs platform used successfully in
the first QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo in August 2020. Some 80 speakers
have been lined up to offer expert knowledge and information for
amateurs at all experience levels. A live roundtable video will allow
attendees to interact with each other and with exhibitors. ARRL is a
QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo partner. Registration is now under way, and
full registration "early bird" tickets are $10. Full registration
includes access to the entire Expo, including presentations and the
30-day on-demand period. Free registration includes access to
exhibitors, prizes, general lounge, and lobbies. Those who registered
for the March Expo already have a free registration for the August
Expo.
Moonbounce enthusiast Steve McDonald, VE7SL, wanted to determine a
back-to-basics equipment complement for making 2-meter EME contacts. He
came up with a nine-element Yagi, a 120 W amplifier, and an antenna
position-control system that offered azimuthal rotation but not
elevation. The time available to make EME contacts was less than if
he'd had elevation control. His blog recounts his experience with
single-Yagi moonbounce. His advice, "If you haven't given single-Yagi
EME a try, I would encourage you to test it out, as you might be
surprised at your results." The next ARRL EME Contest weekend is
October 23 - 24, 2021.
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Just Ahead in Radiosport
* July 2 -- NCCC RTTY Sprint
* July 2 -- NCCC Sprint (CW)
* July 3 - 4 -- DL-DX RTTY Contest
* July 3 - 4 -- Marconi Memorial HF Contest (CW)
* July 3 - 4 -- Original QRP Contest (CW)
* July 3 - 4 -- PODXS 070 Club 40-Meter Firecracker Sprint (digital)
* July 5 -- K1USN Slow Speed Test (CW, maximum 20 WPM)
* July 5 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW)
* July 6 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
* July 6 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* July 6 -- RTTYops Weeksprint
* July 7 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test
* July 7 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
* July 7 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)
* July 8 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test (CW)
* July 8 -- RTTYops Weeksprint
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Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Many conventions and hamfests have been canceled or postponed due to
the coronavirus pandemic. Check the calendar of canceled events on the
ARRL website.
* 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
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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