Text 15809, 527 rader
Skriven 2021-08-20 09:05:20 av Sean Dennis (1:18/200.0)
Ärende: The Weekly ARRL Letter
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The ARRL Letter
August 19, 2021
* Hurricane Watch Net Scratches Reactivation as Grace Makes Landfall
* Radio Club of Haiti President Reports Significant Structural Damage
from Earthquake
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* FCC Application Fees Unlikely to Go into Effect Until 2022
* ARRL Learning Network
* IARUMS Intruder Watch Reports "Burst Signal" from China
* Amateur Radio in the News
* Announcements
* SAQ Reports "an Incredible Number" of Listeners for July 4
Transmissions
* Sailing Vessel with Ham Radio History Marks 100 Years
* In Brief...
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Hurricane Watch Net Scratches Reactivation as Grace Makes Landfall
After activating on Wednesday, August 18, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN)
scrapped plans to reactivate the next morning as Hurricane Grace made a
pre-sunrise landfall on the Yucatan Peninsula, bringing strong winds
and heavy rain, before moving out over the Gulf of Mexico.
The HWN announced plans to activate Wednesday, August 18, and Friday,
August 20, after Tropical Storm Grace attained Category 1 hurricane
status. Air Force Reserve and NOAA hurricane hunter aircraft determined
that Grace became a hurricane just west of Grand Cayman Island.
"We still expect Grace to make another landfall late Friday evening or
early Saturday morning," HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said.
"Looking ahead to the final landfall, unless something drastically
changes, we will plan to activate Friday afternoon [at 2100 UTC on
14.325 MHz]," Graves said. After moving over the southwestern Gulf of
Mexico early Friday, Grace is expected to make its second landfall
somewhere between T£xpam and Veracruz, Mexico, just before sunrise on
Saturday.
"This storm could make as many as three landfalls," Graves noted, if
Grace hits the island of Cozumel before reaching the mainland of
Mexico. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the Yucatan Peninsula from
Cancun to Punta Herrero, including Cozumel.
"Observed, ground-truth" weather data from amateur radio volunteers in
affected areas can aid forecasters at the National Hurricane Center.
The National Hurricane Center was predicting that Hurricane Grace would
follow a west to northwest to westward motion for the next several
days. Some additional strengthening was expected before the storm's
center reached the eastern Yucatan Peninsula before weakening over
land. Grace was expected to regain strength as it moves over the
southwestern Gulf of Mexico on Friday. Hurricane-force winds extend
outward up to 25 miles from the storm's center, and
tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 115 miles.
This is a developing news story. It will be updated on the ARRL website
as new information becomes available.
Radio Club of Haiti President Reports Significant Structural Damage
from Earthquake
Radio Club of Haiti President Jean-Robert Gaillard, HH2JR, was among
those reporting significant structural damage in the wake of a
magnitude 7.2 earthquake on August 14 near Les Cayes. A request has
been posted to keep these primary International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU) Region 2 emergency frequencies clear: 3750 kHz, 7150 kHz, and
14,330 kHz. At this time, it is not known if amateur radio volunteers
have had a role in the recovery effort.
The 1229 UTC quake occurred some 20 miles east-northeast of Les Cayes
and 7 miles northeast of Saint-Louis-du-Sud on the end of Hispaniola
that's closest to Cuba. The quake was about 80 miles west of Haiti's
capital, Port au Prince.
"We will stay alert," said IARU Region 2 Emergency Coordinator Carlos
Alberto Santamar¡a Gonz lez, CO2JC. There's been no word of any amateur
radio role in the recovery.
Haiti also found itself in the direct path of then-Tropical Depression
Grace, which dumped heavy rain spreading westward across southern
Haiti, with a threat of flash flooding and mudslides in Hispaniola to
continue through Tuesday.
Bill Hoops, K3WJH, an ARRL member in Pennsylvania who is with Southern
Baptist Disaster Relief, reported that the US Coast Guard is flying
injured people to hospitals that are open. Some radio amateurs
volunteer with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, which has been working
through red tape to gain permission to assist in Haiti. Hoops said he
continues patiently monitoring HF in Pennsylvania but had not been
hearing anything from Haiti.
The US has sent a search-and-rescue team to Haiti to help locate
victims. The island nation of 11 million, which shares Hispaniola with
the Dominican Republic, has yet to fully recover from a disastrous
earthquake in 2010 that devastated much of Port au Prince.
Patience already was wearing thin when the quake hit, with Haitians
struggling with the coronavirus, gang violence, grinding poverty, and
the July 7 assassination of President Jovenel Mo‹se. Media report that
upward of 1,900 have been killed in western Haiti, and thousands more
have been injured. Survivors sought shelter in tents, while
search-and-rescue teams continue to dig through rubble for survivors
and additional victims. Medical care and even basic supplies have been
reported scarce in the quake zone, and some injured survivors have been
airlifted to Port au Prince.
Seismologists say the quake occurred 6 or 7 miles below ground and was
felt as far away as Jamaica, some 200 miles distant.
This is a developing news story. It will be updated on the ARRL website
as new information becomes available.
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 20) features a
discussion with Oliver Dully, K6OLI, who describes how amateurs use the
Winlink network for various public service applications. He also
discusses the equipment and software necessary to access Winlink.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 40) describes how NASA is
using rockets to study Very Low Frequencies. It also discusses a new
Universal Serial Bus standard that allows higher voltages and currents.
Topping things off is a chat with Dr. Dan Fay, KG5VBY, about QMesh, an
innovative way to send digital voice communications using inexpensive
LoRa transceivers.
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.
FCC Application Fees Unlikely to Go into Effect Until 2022
The previously announced schedule of FCC amateur radio application fees
likely will not go into effect before 2022. FCC staff confirmed during
a recent virtual meeting with Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs)
that the agency is still working on the necessary changes to the
Universal Licensing System (ULS) software and other processes and
procedures that must be in place before it starts collecting fees from
amateur applicants. Earlier this year, the FCC said it would not start
collecting fees from amateur applicants before this summer. The new
estimate is that the fees won't go into effect until early next year.
Once it's effective, a $35 application fee will apply to new,
modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and
vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
ministrative update applications, such as those to change a
licensee's name, mailing, or email address, will be exempt from fees.
ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams
will not face the burden of collecting the $35 fee.
"Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new and upgrade applicants
will pay the exam session fee to the VE team as usual, but they'll pay
the $35 application fee directly to the FCC using the FCC Pay Fees
system," she explained. When the FCC receives the examination
information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment
instructions to each successful candidate, who then will have 10 days
from the date of the email to pay.
After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application,
examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their
official license. The link will be good for 30 days. Licensees also
will be able to view, download, and print official license copies by
logging into their FCC ULS account. The FCC no longer provides printed
licenses.
Licensees can log into the ULS with their 10-digit FRN (FCC
Registration Number) and password at any time to view and manage their
license and application, print their license, and update anything in
their FCC license record, including adding an email address.
Read an expanded version of this story.
ARRL Learning Network
Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,
check on upcoming webinars, and to view previously recorded sessions.
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.
Introduction to DMR and Digital Voice by Tim Deagan, KJ8U / Thursday,
September 9, 2021 @ 3:30 pm EDT (1930 UTC)
An introductory overview of Digital Voice (DV) technologies for ham
radio. Focus on DMR with notes on System Fusion, D-STAR, etc.
Description of DV architecture, components, and the interesting
opportunities, as well as challenges, it presents amateur radio
operators.
Working the Pileup, presented by Ron Delpiere-Smith, KD9IPO / Tuesday,
October 5, 2021 @ 1:00 pm EDT (1700 UTC)
Ron Delpiere-Smith, KD9IPO, Vice President of the Chicago Suburban
Radio Association and an ARRL Assistant Section Manager in Illinois,
will offer an enlightening discussion on working a pileup from both
sides of the contact. Whether your interest lies in Field Day,
contesting, special events, or rare DX, this is a must-see
presentation. Ron will discuss search-and-pounce and running
techniques, when to use them, and some tips on working them to your
advantage.
The ARRL Learning Network schedule is subject to change.
IARUMS Intruder Watch Reports "Burst Signal" from China
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 Monitoring System
(IARUMS) reports that in addition to the already well-known intruders,
some new or rarely heard signals have been spotted, including a burst
signal from an over-the-horizon radar (OTH-R) in China. The IARUMS July
newsletter reported that this signal -- in 3.8-second bursts -- was
encountered repeatedly on different 40-meter frequencies as well as on
20 meters.
NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military systems were more
active in various amateur bands using a variety of modes, such as
MIL188-110A, LINK 11 CLEW and SLEW, STANAG 4285, STANAG 4481-FSK, and
MIL188-14A ALE.
FSK-ARQ and PSK-ARQ emissions with typical 600 baud, 600 Hz, or even
1200 Hz, have been conspicuous for some time. These are known as DPRK
600 and 1200, respectively, and are attributed to North Korea.
For many days, a LINK 11 CLEW station was active on 7159.0 kHz in DSB
mode (double sideband, 6 kHz wide), at times causing heavy
interference.
Predominant over-the-horizon radars monitored included the Russian
Contayner, as well as the British PLUTO system from Cyprus, generating
annoying interference. On 14301.9 kHz, an orthogonal frequency division
multiplexing (OFDM) 60 signal could be found occasionally.
Some broadcasters interfere regularly. Radio France Internationale on
7205 kHz splatters down to 7186 kHz, 2100 - 2200 UTC. The Voice of
Broad Masses is regularly found on 7140 and 7180 kHz. China Radio
International is often found on 14000 kHz, and Sound of Hope from
Taiwan is sometimes audible if conditions permit, but the signal is
often jammed.
Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.
* California Man Gets Alarming Call from Friend on Ham Radio -- and
Jumps into Action to Save His Life, People magazine, August 16,
2021
* How A Group Of Dedicated Volunteers Are Keeping California's
Wildfires At Bay, NPR, July 16, 2021
* Amateur Radio Club keeps USS Kidd legacy alive with Morse code
transmissions, The vocate (Louisiana), July 9, 2021
Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
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Announcements
* The Intrepid-DX Group has announced its second annual Youth Essay
Contest. The prize is an Icom IC-7300. The contest aims to gather
views and suggestions of young people involved in amateur radio.
The Intrepid-DX Group Facebook page has details.
* The Asheville Radio Museum in Asheville, North Carolina, which
houses a ham and vintage radio collection, marks its 20th
anniversary this summer. The museum will host a public celebration
from 12 until 3 PM on Saturday, September 11. For details, visit
the club's anniversary page.
* Radio Amateurs from the Amateurs Radio Algeriens (ARA) assisted in
the government's response to forest fires in Ouacif (Tizi-Ouzou),
where 65 people lost their lives. Communication networks in place
were having trouble conveying emergency needs between the mobile
station at Ouacif and the crisis unit in Tamda, via the ARA HQ
station. The ARA volunteers completed their work on August 13.
* Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service Founding Director Mark
Sheppard, N7LYE, of Seattle, Washington, died in May. Sheppard
founded the Seattle Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) in 1993
to organize ham radio operators in assisting the City's Office of
Emergency Management during emergencies. In 2000, Sheppard
organized Comm Academy, a 2-day conference offering training for
hams involved in emergency communications that drew up to 500
attendees. In 2021, he took Comm Academy online.
* Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont ordered flags flown at half-staff
to commemorate Colin McFadden, KB1YYG, a 26-year-old Bristol
firefighter and EMT. McFadden died on August 10 after becoming ill
while battling a fire, fire officials said. McFadden was an ARRL
member and the vice president of the ARRL-affiliated Bristol Radio
Club. Club President Dan Wall, W1ZFG, called McFadden "a very
committed volunteer."
SAQ Reports "an Incredible Number" of Listeners for July 4
Transmissions
The Alexander Grimeton Friendship Association reports "an incredible
number" of listener reports -- 524 in all -- for its July 4
Alexanderson Day transmissions from SAQ, the Alexanderson alternator
very-low-
frequency (VLF) station in Sweden. SAQ transmits on 17.2 kHz.
"We are overwhelmed by all the fantastic feedback we have received,
from all of you around the world, in listener's reports and on our
YouTube channel," the association said.
"The weather on Alexanderson Day was sunny, with temperatures around 25
øC. Some approaching thunderstorms could be seen on the horizon," the
report said. "For the first time since the pandemic started, we were
able to have a limited, seated audience in the transmitter hall --
fantastic! The Alexander Grimeton Friendship Association managed to
carry out two successful transmissions to the world from the old
Alexanderson alternator SAQ."
The first transmission was initiated at 0830 UTC, with the startup and
tuning of the Alexanderson alternator. The message was sent out a
half-hour later, and the transmission event was livestreamed via
YouTube. A second transmission was made at 1200 UTC.
Amateur station SK6SAQ, which operates from the SAQ site, was on the
air for Alexanderson Day. "On Alexanderson Day, HF conditions were not
optimal, but the radio amateurs reached 169 QSOs with 21 countries,
mostly in Europe and a few from the US," the report continued. "Two
stations were in operation, with both SSB and CW."
The Alexanderson alternator is an electro-mechanical radio transmitter
that dates to the 1920s.
Jay Rusgrove, W1VD, in Burlington, Connecticut, was among the US
listeners who submitted a report. "The first transmission was a washout
due to high QRN," he recounted. "The second transmission had somewhat
lower QRN levels. Reception was not as good as some years' summer
transmissions, which turn out to be unexpectedly good."
Rusgrove posted a brief audio file from the second transmission tune-up
and message transmission. (Listen closely for the clean CW signal
beneath the noise.)
Sailing Vessel with Ham Radio History Marks 100 Years
The schooner Bowdoin is a century old this year. Now owned by the Maine
Maritime Academy (MMA) as a training vessel, the ham radio history of
the 88-foot (LOA) Bowdoin is often neglected. Constructed in Maine
specifically for Arctic exploration, the vessel relied on amateur radio
for communication during explorer Donald B. MacMillan's Arctic
Expedition of 1923 and on the MacMillan-McDonald-Byrd Expedition of
1925 -- thanks in part to ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW. The
venerable vessel, the official vessel of the State of Maine and the
flagship of Maine Maritime Academy's Vessel Operations and Technology
Program, recently underwent a complete hull restoration and refitting
and has done a little touring to mark its centenary. Its home port is
Castine, Maine.
The longwave transmitters MacMillan used on his earlier missions had
proved "unable to penetrate the screen of the aurora borealis," ARRL
historian Michael Marinaro, WN1M, explained in his article, "Polar
Exploration," in the June 2014 issue of QST. In 1923, MacMillan turned
to ARRL for help in outfitting his next expedition with better wireless
gear. Marinaro recounted, "It was enthusiastically provided." Maxim and
the ARRL Board recruited Donald H. Mix, 1TS, of Bristol, Connecticut,
to accompany the crew as its radio operator.
M.B. West, an ARRL Board member, designed the gear, which was then
built by amateurs at his firm, Zenith Electronics. The transmitter
operated on the medium-wave bands of 185, 220, and 300 meters, running
100 W to a pair of Western Electric "G" tubes. Earlier exploratory
missions had used gear that operated on longwave frequencies. The
shipboard station on board the Bowdoin was given the call sign WNP --
Wireless North Pole.
"WNP transmitted weekly 500-word press releases and listings of
stations worked and heard," Marinaro said. "Once received by amateur
stations, these reports were delivered to local affiliated newspapers
of the North American Newspaper Alliance; from there, they were
distributed syndicate-wide by telegraph."
MacMillan's subsequent attempt at the North Pole centered around
wireless. The objectives supported by the Navy and the National
Geographic Society were to determine the full capabilities of radio
north of the auroral belt and to explore the northern reaches by air.
The outstanding accomplishment of the 1925 expedition was in the sphere
of radio. Utilizing shortwaves, the expedition was in consistent
contact with the outside world throughout the journey, to the delight
of the amateurs who were able to work them. The phenomenal success
proved to the Navy that shortwaves were definitely superior to the
longwaves and ultra longwaves that fleets had been using.
In Brief...
The president of OMIK Amateur Radio Association, Cliff Peoples, KE8QR,
of Clayton, Ohio, died on August 5. An ARRL member, he was 81. Peoples
got licensed in 1969 after returning from service in Vietnam. He served
4 years in the US Navy and more than 18 years in the US Air Force,
where he was a master sergeant. Peoples held a degree in avionics
systems (aircraft electronics) and taught electronic engineering and
robotic design at the high school and college levels before retiring in
2006. Peoples' family has requested memorial donations to the OMIK
Scholarship Fund.
Roland "Rol" Anders, K3RA, has announced the starting date for this
year's free Technician licensing class. Sessions will be held online
via Zoom. Classes start on Thursday, September 9, and run for seven
sessions. Anders has been holding these popular classes from the
National Electronics Museum for many years. He chairs the National
Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) Question Pool
Committee. Anders has been following up his Technician exam class
sessions with classes for prospective General-class and Amateur
Extra-class licensees. Classes, which are available worldwide, have
been recorded for later viewing. Contact Anders via email. -- Thanks to
The Daily DX
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Weak solar activity persists, but
with just one spotless day in the current August 12 - 18 reporting week
-- Friday, August 13. Last week, we reported 4 days with no sunspots
over the previous 7 days. The average daily sunspot number increased
from 9.9 last week to 17.7 this week. Solar flux was the same, with the
average inching from 73.7 to 73.8.
Geomagnetic indicators were also stable. Average planetary A index was
6.1, compared to 6.3 last week. Average middle latitude A index moved
from 7.6 to 7.
Predicted solar flux is 75 on August 19 - 20; 73 on August 21 - 23; 72
on August 24 - 26; 73 on August 27 - 29; 74 on August 30 - September 1;
73 on September 2 - 11; 74 on September 12; 73 on September 13 - 17; 72
on September 18, and 73 on September 19 - 25.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on August 19 - 20; 8, 8, 12, 14, 12,
and 8 on August 21 - 26; 5 on August 27 - September 1; 8 and 12 on
September 2 - 3; 5 on September 4 - 10; 8 on September 11 - 13; 5 on
September 14 - 18; 8, 12, and 8 on September 19 - 21, and 5 on
September 22 - 28.
On August 14, Spaceweather.com reported no sunspots and that, so far in
2021, there have been 56 days with no spots. "That might sound like a
lot, but it is in fact a sharp reduction from hundreds of spotless days
observed in 2019 and 2020. Despite today's blank sun, solar activity is
intensifying compared to previous years," Spaceweather.com observed.
Sunspot numbers for August 12 - 18 were 11, 0, 47, 23, 14, 13, and 16,
with a mean of 17.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 73.6, 72.9, 72.6,
74.6, 74.4, 73.1, and 75.3, with a mean of 73.8. Estimated planetary A
indices were 4, 6, 5, 10, 7, 5, and 6, with a mean of 6.1. Middle
latitude A index was 6, 9, 4, 13, 8, 7, and 6, with a mean of 7.6.
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
* August 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* August 21 - 22 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* August 21 - 22 -- North American QSO Party, SSB
* August 22 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup, RTTY
* August 21 - 22 -- Russian District Award Contest (CW, phone)
* August 21 - 22 -- Keyman's Club of Japan Contest
* August 21 - 22 -- SARTG World Wide RTTY Contest
* August 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
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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 21 - 22 -- ARRL Southeastern Division Convention (Huntsville
Hamfest), Huntsville, Alabama
* August 28 -- ARRL West Virginia State Convention (online)
* 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 10 - 12 -- ARRL New England Division Convention
(Northeast HamXposition), Marlborough, Massachusetts
* September 12 -- ARRL Southern New Jersey Section Convention and
Hamfest, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
* September 25 -- ARRL Dakota Division Convention (RRRA Hamfest),
West Fargo, North Dakota
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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