The ARRL Letter
May 2, 2019

* ARRL Reply Comments Stress Need to Update Technician Privileges
in a Digital World
* World Scout Jamboree Gearing Up for Significant Amateur Radio
Presence
* Science and Technology: An Ultra-Small Transmitter for VLF?
* So Now What? Podcast
* ARRL's Free Exam Review for Ham Radio Updated
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* HamSCI, Ham Radio 2.0 to Combine Efforts at Dayton Hamvention
2019
* Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Set for May 11
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Reply Comments Stress Need to Update Technician Privileges in a
Digital World

In reply comments to the FCC (comments on comments already filed) on
its Petition for Rule Making (RM-11828), ARRL has stressed that
updating HF privileges for the entry-level Technician license "is the
sole subject and intent" of the petition. ARRL filed its reply
comments on April 29, urging the FCC to disregard comments irrelevant
to its petition and maintaining that Technician privileges must be
relevant within the context of today's technological environment.

"[T]he increasingly rapid pace of change in communications
technologies, coupled with the national need for self-training in
science, technology, engineering, and math" necessitate the rule
changes requested, ARRL asserted. "ARRL made its request because of
the gap between today's digital technologies and the privileges
accorded the current entry-level Technician license." ARRL
characterized its proposal to update the rules as "balanced and
modest."

"If adopted, there would be no change to the operating privileges for
all license classes other than those of the Technician class," ARRL
said. In 2018, ARRL asked the FCC to expand HF privileges for
Technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40,
and 15 meters, plus RTTY and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, and
15 meters. The FCC invited comments on the proposal in April.

ARRL pointed out that some comments filed on its petition address
subjects related to other open proceedings rather than expanding
Technician privileges, citing comments cross-filed in such
proceedings as WT Docket 16-239, RM-11708, RM-11759, and RM-11831.
"Those filings should be considered in the proceedings that they
address, rather than here," ARRL said.

ARRL said some opposition appears based on fears of increased
interference potential due to additional digital operation by
Technicians. "It is improbable that all, or even a majority, of
Technician licensees suddenly would develop a passion for the same
digital technology," ARRL said. "Our hope and expectation is that
many will engage with digital modes on the high-frequency spectrum at
issue, but it is unrealistic to suggest that every Technician
licensee blessed with new privileges would suddenly appear on the
same band."

The comments note the development of very efficient digital modes,
such as FT8, which occupies just 90 Hz of spectrum per signal. "The
experience with FT8 clearly demonstrates the attraction of the
digital modes and the spectrum efficiencies that can be achieved,"
ARRL said. "This is why opening up limited digital opportunities to
new radio amateurs so clearly would serve the broad public interest
as well as the specific purposes of Amateur Radio in experimentation
and innovation, as enumerated in the governing FCC rules."

ARRL further said that comments regarding disagreement on the
definition of encryption for masking the content of certain digital
transmissions are also "out of place in this proceeding" and "should
not delay initiation of a proceeding" proposing to update Technician
privileges.

"Technology has changed dramatically in the Amateur Radio domain, and
ARRL believes the requested Technician license enhancement would
foster the regulatory goals for the Amateur Service and continue to
increase amateurs' historical experimentation and service in a
meaningful way," ARRL concluded.

+++
World Scout Jamboree Gearing Up for Significant Amateur Radio
Presence

Amateur Radio will be a part of this summer's 24th World Scout
Jamboree in West Virginia, the first World Jamboree held in North
America since 1983. The Jamboree has chosen the theme "Unlock a New
World." Thousands of Scouts and Scout leaders from some 200 countries
are expected to attend. The Jamboree's Amateur Radio Exhibit will use
the call sign NA1WJ -- North America's 1st World Jamboree. It will be
on the air during the event, July 22 until August 2, at the Summit
Bechtel Reserve, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US. Amateur Radio
testing is expected to begin as early as July 14. Operating
frequencies will be posted in real time via Facebook and Twitter or
via an NA1WJ email group.

"The goals of the Amateur Radio station at the World Scout Jamboree
are to introduce Amateur Radio to Scouts and Scout leaders through
hands-on participation in two-way communication with other stations
across the globe. This activity will also serve as the Amateur Radio
voice of the Jamboree," the World Scout Jamboree Amateur Radio
Exhibit Operational Vision document states. Other facets of Amateur
Radio at the Jamboree will include Amateur Radio direction finding
(ARDF), Amateur Radio satellite contacts, and a scheduled Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with an ISS
crew member.

"We also expect to launch one or two balloons with Amateur Radio
payloads and track them as they cross the Atlantic," the vision
document continues.

Organizers are encouraging radio amateurs around the globe to get on
the air during the World Jamboree to help NA1WJ demonstrate Amateur
Radio for Jamboree visitors.

The 2019 World Scout Jamboree operation at the Summit Bechtel Scout
Reserve will take advantage of lessons learned by the K2BSA Amateur
Radio operation during the 2013 and 2017 USA National Jamborees. It
will also take advantage of the existing infrastructure, which
includes three VHF/UHF repeaters installed by Icom America, as well
as the utility poles for installing antennas. K2BSA ham gear stored
in West Virginia includes antennas, rotators, and cables.

Evening operation from NA1WJ will involve at least two operators
using the buddy system. VHF/UHF repeaters will offer full coverage of
the Jamboree area via handheld transceivers, facilitating networking
as well as emergency communication. The exhibit will include an
Amateur Radio station with the special event call sign W8J.

The demonstration station will include multiple operating positions
offering a variety of modes. These include six stations with 100 W HF
transceivers, computer logging software, and large screen computer
displays; two VHF/UHF stations for demonstrations and repeater
monitoring, and two satellite communication systems. The antenna farm
will include two HF directional antennas, three HF dipoles, three HF
vertical antennas, VHF/UHF verticals and satellite antennas with
azimuth and elevation control, a trailer-based crank-up tower, a
five-band Yagi, a 40-meter rotatable dipole, and a 6-meter Yagi.

Each station will be able to accommodate four participants at a time,
plus one control operator. The goal is to give each participant up to
about 10 minutes of operating time.

The K2BSA Amateur Radio Association will host a "Radio Scouting"
booth at Dayton Hamvention^^A(R) (Booth 2205 in Building 2).

Science and Technology: An Ultra-Small Transmitter for VLF?

A study, "A high Q piezoelectric resonator as a portable VLF
transmitter," by Stanford University SLAC National Accelerator
Laboratory researcher Mark A. Kemp et al., in the April 12, 2019,
edition of Nature Communications describes using a small rod of
lithium niobate and taking advantage of the material's piezoelectric
properties to convert an imposed voltage to a mechanical effect,
which in turn radiates an electromagnetic current.

The National Accelerator Lab describes the research in an article,
"SLAC develops novel compact antenna for communicating where radios
fail," which said a new type of pocket-sized devices "could be used
in portable transmitters for rescue missions and other challenging
applications demanding high mobility" where conventional radios don't
work, such as under water, through the ground, and over very long
distances through air. "The device emits VLF radiation with
wavelengths of tens to hundreds of miles. These waves travel long
distances beyond the horizon and can penetrate environments that
would block radio waves with shorter wavelengths."

"Our device is also hundreds of times more efficient and can transmit
data faster than previous devices of comparable size," Kemp, the
project's principal investigator. "Its performance pushes the limits
of what's technologically possible and puts portable VLF
applications, like sending short text messages in challenging
situations, within reach."

A new compact VLF transmitter,
developed and tested at SLAC,
consists of a 4-inch-long
piezoelectric crystal (clear rod at
center) that generates VLF
radiation. [Photo courtesy of Dawn
Harmer/SLAC National Accelerator
Laboratory]

The paper by Kemp et al. points to the fact that large size and high
loss render conventional transmitter techniques inadequate. "We show
that a strain-based, piezoelectric transmitter can overcome many of
the fundamental limitations of conventional electrically small
antennas (ESA)," the paper's abstract reads. "These transmitters can
resonate in a very small footprint while exhibiting low losses."

Taking a deeper dive: "Traditionally, a disadvantage of passive
high-Q antennas was low bandwidth. Utilizing piezoelectricity as the
radiating element allows us to dynamically shift the transmitter
resonant frequency. Therefore, high total Q (low loss) no longer
constrains the system bandwidth. These are our fundamental
advancements: Achieving an exceptionally high system Q with no
external impedance matching network and an effective fractional
bandwidth beyond the passive Bode-Fano limit. Although demonstrated
at VLF, this concept straightforwardly scales to other frequency
bands."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

So Now What? Podcast

"Finding the Right Club for You" is the focus of the new (May 2)
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.

ARRL's Free Exam Review for Ham Radio Updated

ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio^ƒ*› has been updated in advance of the
release of the ninth edition of The ARRL General Class License Manual
for Ham Radio. ARRL Exam Review is a free online resource for use
with current editions of ARRL License Manuals. The service can be
accessed via a web browser, and uses the official examination
question pools to construct chapter-by-chapter reviews. Upon
completing study, Exam Review helps the license candidate take
practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that he
or she will encounter on exam day. Practice tests can be taken over
and over, scored in complete privacy, or even printed with an answer
key. Exam Review includes quick feedback about the questions missed.

The update to Exam Review and the new edition General Class License
Manual coincides with a new General Class question pool released
earlier this year by the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner
Coordinators (NCVEC). The new 2019 - 2023 General Class question pool
becomes effective on July 1, 2019 for examinations in the Amateur
Radio Service. The 2015 - 2019 General Class pool remains in effect
for exams given until June 30, 2019. ARRL Exam Review provides access
to both the current and new General Class questions. (Read more.)
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: No sunspots were visible over the
April 25 - May 1 reporting week, and so the average daily sunspot
number dropped to zero after sitting at 8.1 during the previous 7
days. Average daily solar flux declined from 70.6 to 67.5.
Geomagnetic indicators were quiet, with average planetary A index at
5.9, up from 4.7 in the previous week.

Predicted solar flux is 68 and 70 on May 2 - 3; 72 on May 4 - 5; 74
on May 6 - 9; 78 on May 10 - 16; 76, 72, and 70 on May 17 - 19; 69 on
May 20 - 21; 68 on May 22; 67 on May 23 - June 2; 70 and 75 on June 3
- 4; 78 on June 5 - 12; 76, 72, and 70 on June 13 - 15.

Predicted planetary A index is 15 and 10 on May 2 - 3; 5 on May 4 -
9; 8 on May 10; 5 on May 11 - 19; 8 on May 20; 5 on May 21 - 26; 10,
14, 12, 8, and 5 on May 27 - 31; 10, 12, and 14 on June 1 - 3; 8 on
June 4 - 6, and 5 on June 7 - 15.

The New Yorker recently ran an article about aurora borealis tourism.

Sunspot numbers for April 25 - May 1, 2019 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and
0, with a mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 67.5, 67.2, 66.9,
67.9, 66.9, 68.5, and 67.6, with a mean of 67.5. Estimated planetary
A indices were 5, 4, 6, 5, 5, 5, and 11, with a mean of 5.9. Middle
latitude A index was 4, 2, 5, 4, 6, 4, and 8, with a mean of 4.7.

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
* May 3 - 4 -- MIE 33 Contest (CW, phone)
* May 4 -- FISTS Spring Slow Speed Sprint (CW)
* May 4 - 5 -- New England QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* May 4 - 5 -- 7th Call Area QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* May 4 - 5 -- Indiana QSO Party (CW, phone)
* May 4 -5 -- Delaware QSO Party (CW, phone)
* May 4 - 5 -- 10-10 International Spring Contest, CW
* May 4 - 5 -- SBMS 2.3 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone)
* May 4 -- Microwave Spring Sprint (CW, phone)
* May 4 - 5 -- ARI International DX Contest (CW, phone)
* May 4 - 5 -- Araucaria World Wide VHF Contest (CW, phone)
* May 7 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)

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.
HamSCI, Ham Radio 2.0 to Combine Efforts at Dayton Hamvention 2019

Thanks to support from the Yasme Foundation, the citizen science
organization HamSCI and Ham Radio 2.0 will share space and combine
efforts at Dayton Hamvention^A(R) 2019, which is also the 2019 ARRL
National Convention. Their displays will be in Building 4 (Volta),
which is between the food trucks and the flea market.

The Ham Radio 2.0 area will serve to host a series of "booth talks"
both by HamSCI presenters and presenters with a "2-point-0"
perspective on operating and technology that looks to the future of
ham radio. Presentations begin at 10 AM on Friday and continue
through 3 PM on Saturday.

+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
|Friday, 10 AM |HR 2.0|Moonbounce Via the MIT |Marty Sullaway, |
| | |Remote Linked EME Station|NN1C |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Friday, 11 AM |HamSCI|New Directions in |Bill Engelke, |
| | |Sporadic-E Research |AB4EJ, University |
| | | |of Alabama |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Friday, Noon |HR 2.0|Contesting with FT4: |John Pescatore, |
| | |Issues and Opportunities |K3TN |
| | |Going Forward | |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Friday, 1 PM |HamSCI|The Third Source of F2 |Carl Luetzelschwab,|
| | |Region Variability |K9LA |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Friday, 2 PM |HR 2.0|How Real-Time Scoreboards|Victor Androsov, |
| | |Change Contesting |VA2WA |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Friday, 3 PM |HamSCI|RBN & WSPRNet Response to|Nathaniel Frissell,|
| | |September 2017 Solar |W2NAF, NJ Institute|
| | |Flares and Storms |of Technology |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, 10 |HR 2.0|Balloon Pico Races |Bill Brown, WB8ELK |
|AM | | | |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, 11 |HamSCI|To Be Announced | |
|AM | | | |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, Noon|HR 2.0|Youth Contesting Program |Jocelyn Brault, |
| | |in North America |KD8VRX, and Bryant |
| | | |Rascoll, KG5HVO |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, 1 PM|HamSCI|Propagation on 630 and |Carl Luetzelschwab,|
| | |2200 Meters |K9LA |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, 2 PM|HR 2.0|SOTA and New Methods of |Paula Uscian, K9IR |
| | |Portable Operating | |
|--------------+------+-------------------------+-------------------|
|Saturday, 3 PM|HamSCI|HF Satellite Observations|Gareth Perry, NJ |
| | |of Field Day |Institute of |
| | | |Technology |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+

In addition to the presentations, the Ham Radio 2.0 area will be home
to a mini-booth staffed by members of the Young Amateurs Radio Club
(YARC) and the Young Contesters Program (YCP) that is associated with
the European Youngsters On The Air (YOTA) program. It's an
opportunity to get acquainted with radio amateurs doing interesting
things in interesting places.

HamSCI also will offer the HamSCI Forum Saturday, 9:15 - 10:30 AM
(Forum Room 4).

Full details are on the HamSCI website.

Annual Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Set for May 11

The Army Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) will host the
traditional military/Amateur Radio communication tests to mark the
68th annual Armed Forces Day (AFD) on Saturday, May 11. The event is
open to all radio amateurs. Armed Forces Day is May 18, but the AFD
Crossband Military-Amateur Radio event traditionally takes place 1
week earlier in order to avoid conflicting with Dayton
Hamvention^A(R). Complete information, including military stations,
modes, and frequencies, is available on the US Army MARS website.

"For more than 50 years, military and amateur stations have taken
part in this event, which is only an exercise scenario, designed to
include hobbyist and government radio operators alike," the event
announcement said. "The AFD Crossband Test is a unique opportunity to
test two-way communications between military communicators and radio
stations in the Amateur Radio Service, as authorized in 47 CFR
97.111. These tests provide opportunities and challenges for radio
operators to demonstrate individual technical skills in a
tightly-controlled exercise scenario that does not impact any public
or private communications."

During the event, military stations in various locations will
transmit on selected military frequencies and announce the specific
ham frequencies they are monitoring.

Military stations expected to be on the air for the event include
those in Arizona, Japan, Hawaii, Okinawa, Washington, DC (and
elsewhere in the contiguous states), the USS Midway, the USS
Yorktown, the USS Iowa, LST-325, the US Naval Academy in Annapolis,
and the Newport Naval Radio Station Museum in Rhode Island. The
MARSCOMM and MARSRADIO nationwide networks will have multiple
stations on the air across the continental US.

An AFD message will be transmitted utilizing the Military Standard
(MIL-STD) serial PSK waveform (M110) followed by MIL-STD Wide Shift
FSK (850 Hz RTTY), as described in MIL-STD 188-110A/B. Technical
information is available. The AFD message will also be sent in CW and
RTTY, as indicated on the full schedule. Anyone wanting a QSL should
complete the request form on the MARS website.
In Brief...

School Club Roundup (SCR) certificates are now available for the
February 2019 event as well as for any future SCRs. Download these
via the Certificate menu item on the ARRL Contests Portal. Top
US/Canada performers included the Russell Elementary Amateur Radio
Club (KM4RE) in the Elementary/Primary category; Schofield Middle
School Ham Radio Club (N4SMS) in Middle/Intermediate/Junior High
category; LASA High School Amateur Radio Club (K5LBJ) in the Senior
High category, and Purdue University (W9YB) in the College/University
category. Complete results are on the School Club Roundup Results
page.

+++

Some 50 students in Gujarat, India, on April 12 were introduced to
Amateur Radio, satellites, and Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS). Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, gave a brief talk on
Amateur Radio, the ISS, ham satellites, astronauts, and the April
ARISS SSTV event. During a visible pass of the ISS, Vagadia, using a
three-element Yagi, handheld transceiver, and a recording device, was
able to record two SSTV images. "It was an exciting experience for
all, sighting the ISS, and at the same time getting signals from it,"
Vagadia commented afterward. "[It] felt like having a handshake with
the ISS crew!" Decoded images were shared with all students as
souvenirs.

+++

AMSAT Academy will take place on Thursday, May 16, the day before
Dayton Hamvention^A(R). AMSAT says this is a unique opportunity for
both beginners and advanced satellite operators to learn about
Amateur Radio in space and working the FM, linear transponder, and
digital satellites now in orbit. AMSAT Academy will take place on
Thursday, May 16, 9 AM until 5 PM, at the Dayton Amateur Radio
Association (DARA) clubhouse, 6619 Bellefontaine Road, in Dayton,
Ohio. The $85 registration fee includes a full day of instruction
taught by some of the most-accomplished AMSAT operators; a digital
copy of Getting Started with Amateur Satellites (2019 ed.); 1 year of
AMSAT Basic membership; pizza buffet lunch, and an invitation to the
Thursday night AMSAT get together at Ticket Pub & Eatery in Fairborn.
Registration closes on May 10 and will not be available at the door.
No refunds or cancellations. Register at the AMSAT Store.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* May 5 -- Eastern Pennsylvania Section Convention, Bristol,
Pennsylvania
* May 17 - 19 -- Dayton Hamvention -- ARRL National Convention,
Xenia, Ohio
* May 31 - June 1 -- Arizona State Convention, Prescott, Arizona
* May 31 - June 2 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside,
Oregon
* June 1 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
* June 1 - 2 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
Pennsylvania
* June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano,
Texas
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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communications professionals.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
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Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
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purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

On 2019 May 03 09:42:28, you wrote to All:

A new compact VLF transmitter,
developed and tested at SLAC,
consists of a 4-inch-long
piezoelectric crystal (clear rod at
center) that generates VLF
radiation. [Photo courtesy of Dawn
Harmer/SLAC National Accelerator
Laboratory]

you may want to cut out pictures and their captions... that or place a link for
the pics... i stripped them when i was doing them because they don't realy make
any sense in our text-only environment...

)\/(ark

Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it wrong...
... If you can't learn to do it well, learn to enjoy doing it badly.
---
* Origin: (1:3634/12.73)

Hello mark,

03 May 19 12:48 at you wrote to me:

you may want to cut out pictures and their captions... that or place a link for the pics... i stripped them when i was doing them because
they don't realy make any sense in our text-only environment...

I'll have to figure out how to do that since the pictures all have alt tags as per spec.

Later,
Sean

... If wishes were horses beggars might ride. - John Ray
--- GoldED+/LNX 1.1.5-b20180707
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

In a message on 05-03-19 mark lewis said to Sean Dennis:

Hello Mark,

On 2019 May 03 09:42:28, you wrote to All:

A new compact VLF transmitter,
developed and tested at SLAC,
consists of a 4-inch-long
piezoelectric crystal (clear rod at
center) that generates VLF
radiation. [Photo courtesy of Dawn
Harmer/SLAC National Accelerator
Laboratory]

you may want to cut out pictures and their captions... that or place
a link for the pics... i stripped them when i was doing them because
they don't realy make any sense in our text-only environment...

That's no problem since it's still easy to read, or if one wants to edit
it before printing out the bulletin.


Have a nice day,

Holger

.. Let's all raise a toast to the ghost we love the most.
-- MR/2 2.30


--- PCBoard (R) v15.22 (OS/2) 2
* Origin: Coming to you from the Sunny Aland Islands. (2:20/228)

The ARRL Letter
May 9, 2019

* Mobile Event App will Help Dayton Hamvention Visitors to Navigate
the Show
* Dayton Hamvention to Provide Information Radio Station on 1620 AM
* High-Altitude Celebration at SAQ
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* ARRL Field Day Site Locator is Live, Promotional Material and FD
Gear Now Available
* May 14 FT4 Mock Contest Session Canceled, New WSJT-X Beta Version
Pending
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Spectrum: FCC Adopts Order on Use of Bands above 24 GHz for
Next-Gen Wireless
* Hams Help Trace "Mystery" Signal Disrupting Keyless Entry Devices
in Ohio
* Former ARRL Headquarters Staffer Ellen White, W1YL, is Krenkel
Medalist
* DX Voice from Mount Athos Monk Apollo, SV2ASP, SK
* "Put Howard to Work" Event Canceled
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Mobile Event App will Help Dayton Hamvention Visitors to Navigate the
Show

Dayton Hamvention^A(R) 2019, host of the ARRL National Convention,
will mark the debut of a free mobile event app to help attendees
navigate the extensive Hamvention program, activities, and exhibits
using their smartphones or tablets. Hamvention is May 17 - 19 at the
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio.

A collaborative effort between ARRL and Dayton Hamvention, the app
was developed by TripBuilder Media^ƒ*›. ARRL Convention and Event
Coordinator Eric Casey, KC2ERC, has been readying the app, with
content contributions from Dayton Hamvention Committee members, and
he has introduced it in a new ARRL YouTube video.

"Our goal is to have all of the printed program content mirrored in
the app, organized so that you can schedule the forums you're
planning to attend, and find the exhibitors you want to visit," Casey
said. In addition to including exhibits and forums, the app will
highlight schedules and details for affiliated events, such as
dinners and other special gatherings, and a feature to allow
attendees to follow the hourly prize drawings from wherever they are.

"Use the app so you don't miss a winning ticket!" Casey suggested.
The Dayton Hamvention Prize Committee will populate the app as
winners are drawn.

Attendees are also encouraged to tap on the "MyProfile" icon to
optionally include their name and call sign, email address, and any
other information they'd like to share with other attendees. "One of
the neat features of this app is connecting with other Dayton
Hamvention guests who choose to share their contact info," says
Casey. "The icon labeled 'Scan Badge' will allow users to scan a QR
Code displayed on a second device using the 'MyBadge' icon --
instantly connecting your shared contact information with another
ham. After all, Dayton Hamvention and the ARRL National Convention is
where you meet with other members and friends from this great big
world of Amateur Radio."

[IMG]The free 2019 Dayton Hamvention event app is available for both
Apple and Android smart devices. A web-browser version is also
available, which is optimized for nearly any browser or other mobile
device type. Visit your app store to download the Apple and Android
versions (search "Hamvention") or find links on the ARRL National
Convention web page. If you are reading this article on a mobile
device, click here to be automatically redirected to the appropriate
app store to download the app, or to be redirected to the web browser
version. Email with any questions about the app.

+++
Dayton Hamvention to Provide Information Radio Station on 1620 AM

Dayton Hamvention^A(R) again will provide an Information Radio
Station at 1620 kHz on the AM band to help ease the trip for inbound
attendees. Hamvention will host ARRL's 2019 National Convention.

The low-power station will offer traffic, weather, parking, and event
information to motorists as they approach Xenia, which is bracing to
handle an influx of nearly 30,000 visitors -- roughly doubling the
city's population for the weekend.

Due to the web of two-lane roads that serves the Greene County
Fairgrounds and Expo Center, a sophisticated shuttle-bus operation
will be in place to alleviate traffic congestion. The 1620 AM signal
will blanket Xenia and be audible in surrounding Greene and
Montgomery counties, directing approaching attendees to special
parking facilities.

The service is being provided to Dayton Hamvention by Information
Station Specialists of Zeeland, Michigan, which this year will
utilize a newly designed, high-efficiency/high-capacity antenna. The
transmitter and antenna system will be on display during Dayton
Hamvention at Booth 6503.
High-Altitude Celebration at SAQ

On May 1, the Day of Industrial Culture in Europe sponsored "WORK it
OUT," during which workers all over the continent displayed their
skills in choreographed dance. The occasion involved thousands of
dancers in a "massive Pan-European dance event" at 1500 UTC.
Participants included a dozen women and men at SAQ in Sweden -- the
VLF Alexanderson alternator transmitter and UNESCO World Heritage
Site -- all apparently unafraid of heights.

[IMG]Video, likely shot by a drone and posted on YouTube, shows
appropriately equipped workers arrayed across the T-bar support of
one of SAQ's tall antenna support towers, dancing to "WORK it OUT," a
techno-style theme based largely on Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." They
joined other worker groups -- displaying various levels of dancing
prowess -- who took part in the May Day event at 41 industrial
monuments in 12 European countries.

SAQ maintains a 1920s-vintage electromechanical radio transmitter
once used for transatlantic telecommunication in that pre-high-power
transmitting tube era. The nearly century-old Alexanderson Alternator
at SAQ transmits on CW at 17.2 kHz on special occasions from
Grimeton, Sweden. Read more about SAQ in the July 2019 issue of QST.

The Doctor Will See You Now!

"It's About Time!" is the topic of the new (May 9) episode of the
ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.
ARRL Field Day Site Locator is Live, Promotional Material and FD Gear
Now Available

Amateur Radio's most popular operating event, ARRL Field Day is June
22 - 23. See the May issue of QST, page 85, for the official Field
Day announcement. The complete 2019 ARRL Field Day packet is online.

The Field Day site locator is now up and running, and by mid-week,
475 sites already were in the database. To find a Field Day site near
you, enter your town and state in the "Location or Call Sign" box at
the upper left. Listings also are available by state or Canadian
province. To add a site, visit the Add Field Day Station page.
Information on promoting Field Day is available. Also, visit the
Field Day social media page for information on promoting your Field
Day operation via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and
YouTube.

The ARRL Public Relations Committee will host a series of live
video/audio conference calls every Thursday starting on May 9 to help
ARRL PIOs with their Field Day publicity efforts. Field Day public
service announcements (PSAs) are set to be posted to the ARRL Field
Day web page this week.

Official FD 2019 Gear!

Official Field Day gear and supplies available from ARRL including
pocket T-shirts, hats, pins, patches, stickers, and coffee mugs are a
great way to acknowledge -- and commemorate -- your participation in
this most popular on-the-air operating event in Amateur Radio.

Encourage club members, family, friends, and prospective hams to take
part using ARRL Field Day with recruitment posters and attractive
"Get on the Air" (GOTA) pins for those newcomers.

ARRL's new Radio Communications vinyl banner is perfect for showing
off Amateur Radio at ARRL Field Day, any public exhibit or
recruitment display. It's good for indoor and outdoor use and
reusable for years to come.

Clubs are encouraged to order early. Place a group order and pay just
$12.50 shipping for all orders over $50 (while supplies last). Get
your 2019 ARRL Field Day supplies from the ARRL online store or by
calling (888) 277-5289 in the US, Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to
5 PM Eastern Time. Outside the US, call (860) 594-0355.

The complete 2019 ARRL Field Day packet is online. ARRL encourages
participants to register their Field Day operations using the FD Site
Locator.
May 14 FT4 Mock Contest Session Canceled, New WSJT-X Beta Version
Pending

A second hour-long FT4 "practice contest" set for May 14 UTC has been
cancelled, following the success of an initial mock contest held on
May 9 UTC (the evening of Wednesday, May 8, in continental US time
zones). The event followed ARRL RTTY Roundup rules, with everyone
working everyone. WSJT-X program suite developer Joe Taylor, K1JT,
was among those jumping into the fray. He called the exercise "very
useful" and has drawn some preliminary conclusions as to how the FT4
protocol functions in a contest setting.

"FT4 works well, but -- as implemented WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc5 -- it has
some rough spots and performance issues," Taylor said in a post to
the Yahoo WSJT Meteor Scatter and Weak Signal Group. "Many of these
have been fixed already during this beta-testing period, and more
improvements are still to come."

Taylor said a second mock contest session using the current -rc5
"release candidate" (beta version) would not be helpful, and it's not
convenient for the developers to build and distribute -rc6 in time
for a session early next week, a few days before the Dayton
Hamvention. "Instead, we are aiming now to release WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc6
about 2 weeks later -- probably in the last week of May or the first
week of June," Taylor said. "Another mock contest practice session
will be scheduled soon after that release." The current -rc5 beta
version will expire automatically on June 7.

Post observations and comments to the Yahoo WSJT Group reflector or
to the WSJT Development Group Mailing List. Read more.

The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We saw zero sunspots April 21 - May
2, but on May 3 sunspots returned. The average daily sunspot number
rose to 16.1 this week, and the average daily solar flux increased as
well, from 67.5 to 73.5. Both the average middle latitude and
planetary A index this week were 6.6, and last week those numbers
were 4.7 and 5.9, respectively.

Predicted solar flux is 75 on May 9 - 11; 73 on May 12 - 15; 74 and
76 on May 16 - 17; 72 on May 18 - 20; 68 on May 21 - 22; 67 on May 23
- 26; 69, 68, 69, 70, and 72 on May 27 - 31; 75 on June 1; 76 on June
2 - 13; 72 on June 14 - 16; 68 on June 17 - 18, and 67 on June 19 -
22.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on May 9 - 10; 14 and 12 on May 11 -
12; 5 on May 13 - 19; 8 on May 20; 5 on May 21 - 27; 10, 12, 8, and
10 on May 28 - 31; 5, 12, and 14 on June 1 - 3; 8 on June 4 - 6; 5 on
June 7 - 15; 8 on June 16, and 5 on June 17 - 22.

Sunspot numbers for May 2 - 8 were 0, 11, 12, 14, 25, 27, and 24,
with a mean of 16.1. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.2, 69.8, 72.3,
73.5, 76, 78.7, and 75.3, with a mean of 73.5. Estimated planetary A
indices were 12, 7, 10, 4, 5, 5, and 3, with a mean of 6.6. Middle
latitude A index was 13, 8, 9, 4, 5, 5, and 2, with a mean of 6.6.

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 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
* May 11 -- FISTS Spring Unlimited Sprint (CW)
* May 11 - 12 -- CQ - M International DX Contest (CW, phone)
* May 11 - 12 -- VOLTA WW RTTY Contest
* May 11 - 12 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
* May 11 - 12 -- Arkansas QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* May 11 - 12 -- 50 MHz Spring Sprint (CW, phone)
* May 12 -- WAB 7 MHz Phone/CW
* May 13 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
* May 13 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (SSB)
* May 16 -- NAQCC CW Sprint

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.
Spectrum: FCC Adopts Order on Use of Bands above 24 GHz for Next-Gen
Wireless

The FCC on April 12 adopted a Report and Order (GN Docket 14-177)
aimed at making available millimeter wave (mmW) spectrum at or above
24 GHz for fifth-generation (5G) wireless, Internet of Things, and
other advanced spectrum-based services, including satellite broadband
services. The FCC first adopted rules to allow Fixed-Satellite
Service (FSS) Earth stations to be individually licensed to transmit
in the 50.4 - 51.4 GHz band using criteria identical to those
applicable in the 24.75 - 25.25 GHz band.

"This action will allow FSS operators to provide faster, more
advanced services to their customers," the FCC said in announcing the
action.

The Commission also established a coordination process to accommodate
the military's potential need for additional sites in the upper 37
GHz band (37.6 - 38.6 GHz band) in limited circumstances, while
protecting the interests of non-federal licensees in this band.

"The[se] steps are an integral step toward the auction of the Upper
37 GHz, 39 GHz, and 47 GHz spectrum bands slated to begin later this
year," the FCC said.

Hams Help Trace "Mystery" Signal Disrupting Keyless Entry Devices in
Ohio

A recent article in The New York Times reported that many garage door
openers and keyless vehicle entry fobs in an Ohio town near Cleveland
mysteriously stopped working. While the article invoked The X-Files
and hinted initially that a NASA research center might be involved,
the cause was not so much mystifying as arcane.

"Garage door repair people, local ham radio enthusiasts, and other
volunteer investigators descended on the neighborhood with various
meters," the May 4 article by Heather Murphy recounted. "Everyone
agreed that something powerful was interfering with the radio
frequency that many fobs rely on, but no one could identify the
source."

More than a dozen residents reported intermittent issues getting
their key fobs and garage door openers to operate, and most lived
within a few blocks of each other. At one point, the local power
utility started shutting off power to areas where the strongest RF
signal was detected, but the signal persisted. Dan Dalessandro,
WB8ZQH, a TV repairer, was among several hams who investigated. He
initially picked up "little blips" on a signal detector, but finally,
on one block and at a particular house, the signal was quite loud.

"The source of the problem was a homebrew, battery-operated device
designed by a local resident to alert him if someone was upstairs
when he was working in his basement," the Times reported. "It did so
by turning off a light." The inventor, not identified for privacy
concerns, had no malicious intent nor any no inkling that his device
was wreaking havoc on the neighborhood until a North Olmstead City
Council member and a volunteer knocked on his door. The device
operated on 315 MHz, the frequency many keyless-entry devices use
under FCC Part 15 rules. The device's battery was removed, the signal
stopped, and all who were involved breathed sighs of relief.
Former ARRL Headquarters Staffer Ellen White, W1YL, is Krenkel
Medalist

ARRL Headquarters staff alumna and Life Member Ellen White, W1YL, has
been awarded the Russian E.T. Krenkel Medal, a prestigious award
granted to individuals and organizations for outstanding global
contributions to Amateur Radio.

First licensed in 1946, White had already learned Morse code in high
school, and even today, she only rarely operates any other mode. She
served for more than 25 years (1952 - 1978) on the Headquarters
staff, at one point heading up ARRL contesting activities. She
retired as Deputy Communications Manager and became QST "How's DX?"
editor. On her own time, she recorded QST on tape for the vision
impaired through the US Library of Congress talking book program.

Ellen White, W1YL [Photo courtesy of
MABUHAY DXstitch]

Her husband Bob White, W1CW (SK), was ARRL DXCC manager. Their son
Jim White, K4OJ (SK), also once served on the ARRL HQ staff and was
president of the Florida Contest Group, which now holds his call
sign.

For several years now, Ellen White has been operating via the W7RN
remote contest station in Nevada to stay active on CW as W1YL/7,
usually on 40 meters at around 1000 UTC. She is on the roster of the
A-1 Operators Club and has served as a West Central Florida Assistant
Section Manager. The article "A Conversation with Ellen White, W1YL,"
by Rosalie White, K1STO (no relation), appeared in the May/June 2015
edition of NCJ.

"It has been quite a ride and one I could not have made without ham
radio," White told ARRL. "I am proud and delighted to be a chosen
recipient of 'The Krenkel.""

QST was awarded a Krenkel Medal in 2018.

The award's namesake, Ernst Teodorovich Krenkel, was a radio amateur
who, over the years, used the call signs RAEM, U3AA, and UA3AA.
Krenkel's image appears on postage stamps from the USSR and Russia,
and he authored a biography entitled My Callsign is RAEM. Read more.
-- Thanks to George Wagner, K5KG
DX Voice from Mount Athos Monk Apollo, SV2ASP, SK

Mount Athos' best-known radio amateur, Monk Apollo, SV2ASP, died on
May 5 after complications resulting from cancer. He was 64. Monk
Apollo was essentially the lone DX voice from Mount Athos, the 20th
most-wanted DXCC entity, where he operated from his Orthodox
Monastery of Docheiariou. Born into a large family in western Greece,
he became a monk in 1973, eventually joining the ascetic monastery on
Mount Athos in 1980.

When the need for reliable communication from the monastery surfaced
in the 1980s, Monk Apollo followed a recommendation to become a radio
amateur, which he did in 1988. He had to wait for permission from the
Holy Council to operate, however, before he was able to get on the
air for the first time in 1990. He celebrated his 10th anniversary on
the air with the special call sign SY2A.

Monk Iakovos, SV2RSG, who lives at Koutloumousiou Holy Monastery on
Mount Athos, was licensed in 2015 and has been active on the air. He
is a member of DX Plus Hellenic Radio Amateur Team.

Peter Vekinis, KH6VP, has visited Mount Athos a few times recently to
help Monk Iakovos, and an article on his experiences there will
appear in an upcoming issue of QST. Read more.

"Put Howard to Work" Event Canceled

In late April, ARRL had announced that ARRL CEO Howard Michel,
WB2ITX, would be on the air at W1AW on Monday, May 13, giving ARRL
members a chance to chat with the CEO and get to know him better as a
ham. An issue was raised, however, that this event may be a potential
FCC rule violation.

The particular rule is AS:97.113: "A station is also not allowed to
transmit communication in which the station licensee or control
operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf
of an employer." Given that ARRL is Michel's employer and that an
effort was made to publicize an event at which members of the
organization could chat with the CEO, such an event could be
perceived as a benefit to the organization. So, out of an abundance
of caution and to avoid any potential violation of FCC rules, or even
the appearance of a violation, Michel decided to cancel plans for the
"Put Howard to Work" event.

"I've operated W1AW before and will continue to do so in the future,"
Michel said. "I hope to meet many of you on the air, but only as part
of my regular ham radio activities and not as part of an
ARRL-promoted event."

The "Put Howard to Work!" event was conceived by the ICQ Amateur/Ham
Radio Podcast, on which Michel was a guest on March 31. "We are
disappointed, of course, at this turn of events, but fully understand
and endorse ARRL's decision," said ICQ Podcast Presenter Frank
Howell, K4FMH.
In Brief...

Support ARRL when shopping for Mother's Day. Mother's Day is Sunday,
May 12. If you're looking for the perfect gift, shop at AmazonSmile
and choose American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL) as your charity
of choice. With every purchase you make at AmazonSmile, Amazon will
make a contribution to ARRL. This helps the League to extend its
reach in public service, advocacy, education, technology, and
membership. Make Mom smile, and get her something special this year
while supporting Amateur Radio and ARRL. Help to support ARRL all
year long: Bookmark ARRL's link and support Amateur Radio and ARRL
every time you shop online.

+++

National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting will expand its
hours during Dayton Hamvention^A(R). The museum, located at the site
of the former Voice of America Bethany Relay Station in West Chester,
Ohio (between Dayton and Cincinnati, off the I-75 Tylersville Road
exit), will be open Thursday and Friday, May 16 and 17, 4 - 9 PM;
Saturday, May 18, ^ 1 - 9 PM, and Sunday, May 19, 1 - 5 PM during
Dayton Hamvention 2019 weekend. The WC8VOA station also will be open.
The museum includes a comprehensive collection of Drake Amateur Radio
gear. More information is on the VOA Museum website.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* May 17 - 19 -- Dayton Hamvention -- ARRL National Convention,
Xenia, Ohio
* May 31 - June 1 -- Arizona State Convention, Prescott, Arizona
* May 31 - June 2 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside,
Oregon
* June 1 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
* June 1 - 2 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
Pennsylvania
* June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano,
Texas
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

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* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
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* Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.

Subscribe to...
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bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects,
columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and
communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...
* Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and
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-- and much more!
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
May 16, 2019

* ARRL Invites Applications for Volunteer Monitor Positions
* FCC is Not Reinstating a Vanity Call Sign Fee
* Radio Amateurs to Demonstrate Emergency Messaging Capabilities
for Red Cross, FEMA
* FCC Chairman Proposes Call Blocking By Default to Combat
Robocalls
* So Now What? Podcast
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Arizona Homeowners Association and Hams Agree on Outdoor Antenna
Guidelines
* First Ham Satellite -- OSCAR 1 -- will Join AMSAT's 50th
Anniversary Celebration at Dayton
* ITU Working Party 5A1 Completes Draft New Report on WRC-19 Agenda
Item 1.1
* Dayton Hamvention and ARISS Working Together Again this Year
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right!
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Invites Applications for Volunteer Monitor Positions

ARRL is now accepting applications from individuals interested in
becoming part of the new Volunteer Monitor program, a joint
undertaking of the FCC and ARRL. The program seeks volunteers who --
working under the direction of ARRL -- will monitor and survey the
Amateur Radio bands both to detect improper activity and to recognize
exemplary on-the-air behavior.

Prospective Volunteer Monitors must be ARRL members. They will
undergo a training and certification program administered by ARRL,
and will be vetted by ARRL through at least one oral interview and a
preliminary evaluation by ARRL staff. Such requirements will continue
for Volunteer Monitors once they are selected.

Volunteer Monitors will serve 3-year terms at the pleasure of ARRL,
and ARRL will reserve the right to terminate the participation of any
Volunteer Monitor for any reason.

Volunteer Monitors must be able to utilize state-of-the-art receiving
equipment and to access no-cost remote receive sites, if requested.
Applicants must possess strong writing and communication skills and
an understanding of the importance of thorough documentation. They
must have basic word processing and data entry skills and be able to
send such information, including recordings, to ARRL electronically.

Applicants must have no history of warning letters or other
enforcement-related action from the FCC, must hold a Technician or
higher class license, and must have been licensed for at least 3
years.

Applicants should send applications to volunteer-monitor@arrl.org for
processing.

In February, Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, was named to oversee the
development and implementation phases of the Volunteer Monitor
program, which will replace the Official Observer (OO) program.
Hollingsworth once handled Amateur Radio enforcement for the FCC.

+++
FCC is Not Reinstating a Vanity Call Sign Fee

An erroneous report this week suggested that the FCC planned to again
impose an Amateur Radio vanity call sign application (regulatory) fee
of $70 for the 10-year term. This incorrect conclusion resulted from
an incomplete reading of the May 7 FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(NPRM) in the matter of the assessment and collection of regulatory
fees for fiscal year 2019.

Although the Schedule of Regulatory Fees does show a $7 annual fee
for Amateur Radio vanity call signs, a boldface heading in that
section of the NPRM states, "REGULATORY FEES. This section is no
longer in effect as it has been amended by RAY BAUM'S Act of 2018..."
Section 9(e)(2) of RAY BAUM'S Act gives the Commission discretion to
exempt a party from paying regulatory fees when the FCC determines
that the cost of collection exceeds the amount collected. A new
section 9(e)(1) incorporated the Amateur Radio vanity fee exemption
from FCC rules into the statute.

The NPRM makes clear in several other places that regulatory fees no
longer apply to Amateur Radio licenses. The FCC eliminated the
regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call signs in 2015.

+++

Radio Amateurs to Demonstrate Emergency Messaging Capabilities for
Red Cross, FEMA

Just days ahead of the 2019 hurricane season, dozens of hams along
the US East Coast will demonstrate Amateur Radio's ability to deliver
messages without commercial power, infrastructure, or permanently
established stations for officials of the American Red Cross and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Thursday, May 23,
event will take place in coordination with ARRL, during a joint
meeting with Red Cross and FEMA officials in Baltimore. The
demonstration will be a mock response to a simulated disaster
scenario -- a major hurricane with mass casualties striking the east
coast. Amateur Radio operators at portable stations from New England
to the Carolinas will deliver messages to W1AW, which will then
coordinate and deliver the information to officials attending the
joint FEMA-Red Cross meeting in Baltimore.

Messaging will be handled using digital modes, which can allow for
the transmission of images as well as text, as a showcase for the
full range of modern Amateur Radio technology. The American Red Cross
will also have a NexGen Emergency Response Vehicle parked at W1AW in
Connecticut as part of the training exercise, which will take place
from 1330 to 1530 UTC.

ARRL and its members have a long history of working with emergency
response agencies, such as the American Red Cross and FEMA, to
provide or support communication in times of disaster for served
agencies and partners. A principal served agency, the Red Cross
shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of
disasters.

+++
FCC Chairman Proposes Call Blocking By Default to Combat Robocalls

FCC Chair Ajit Pai is proposing action to help consumers block
unwanted robocalls. He has circulated a declaratory ruling that, if
adopted, would allow phone companies to block unwanted calls to their
customers by default. In addition, companies could allow consumers to
block calls not on their own contacts lists. A draft Further Notice
of Proposed Rulemaking would propose a safe harbor for providers that
implement network-wide blocking of calls that fail caller
authentication under the SHAKEN/STIR framework, once it is
implemented.

FCC Chair Ajit Pai.

"Allowing call blocking by default could be a big benefit for
consumers who are sick and tired of robocalls," Pai said. "By making
it clear that such call blocking is allowed, the FCC will give voice
service providers the legal certainty they need to block unwanted
calls from the outset." Pai encouraged carriers to start providing
these services free of charge and by default to current and future
customers.

According to an FCC news release, many voice providers have held off
developing and deploying call-blocking tools by default because of
uncertainty about whether these tools are legal. "Allowing default
call blocking by voice providers could significantly increase
development and consumer adoption of such tools," the FCC said. "This
blocking could be based on analytics and consumer 'white lists.'
Similar analytics are currently used by third-party developers in
call-blocking apps." The FCC said consumer white lists could be based
on a customer's own contacts list.

Pai also proposed seeking public comment on how caller ID
authentication standards, known as SHAKEN/STIR, can inform call
blocking. He has demanded that carriers adopt these standards to
combat malicious spoofing. This system of signing calls as legitimate
as they pass through the phone networks may be useful for
call-blocking tools, the FCC said.

The May 15 action would mark the first by the FCC to directly combat
robocalls that spoof legitimate, in-service numbers. This follows
adoption of new rules in 2017, which allowed blocking of calls before
they reach consumers when they are highly likely to be illegitimate.
"These calls might appear to come from nonexistent area codes or from
numbers on the Do Not Originate list that do not make outbound calls
-- like the FCC's own consumer help line, which was added to the list
following scam calls that spoofed the agency's 888-CALL-FCC number,"
the Commission said.

The FCC will consider these measures at its June 6 open meeting.

So Now What? Podcast

Due to the ARRL National Convention at Dayton Hamvention^(R)
beginning on Thursday, May 16, there will be no new episode this week
of the So Now What? podcast for Amateur Radio newcomers. At
Hamvention, the podcast team will doing some special guest interviews
for an upcoming episode of the podcast. In addition, keep an eye on
ARRL's social media feeds -- Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and
Twitter -- for photos and video from Hamvention.

If you're a newly licensed Amateur Radio operator, chances are you
have lots of questions. The biweekly So Now What? podcast has
answers, offering 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.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspot activity continues, and
this reporting week, the average daily sunspot number rose from 16.1
to 22.7, while average daily solar flux went from 73.5 to 75.7. The
two sunspot groups that appeared on May 3 and May 6 are fading fast
and rotating off the visible solar disc. Two geomagnetically active
days occurred on May 11 and 14, when the planetary A index reached 25
and 36.

Predicted solar flux is 72 on May 16 - 18; 70 on May 19; 68 on May 20
- 22; 67 on May 23 - 29; 70, 72, 74, and 76 on May 30 - June 2; 77 on
June 3 - 11; 75 on June 12; 72 on June 13 - 14; 70 on June 15; 69 on
June 16 - 17; 68 on June 18; 67 on June 19 - 25, and 70, 72, 74, and
76 on June 26 - 29.

Predicted planetary A index is 28, 20, and 8 on May 16 - 18; 5 on May
19 - 27; 10, 12, 8, and 10 on May 28 - 31; 5 on June 1 - 15; 8 on
June 16; 5 on June 17 - 23; 10, 12, 8, and 10 on June 24 - 27, and 5
on June 28 - 29.

On May 10, Jeff, N8II, in West Virginia reported a sporadic-E opening
on 10 meters. Also on May 10, Jon, N0JK, reported 6-meter sporadic-E
openings from Kansas.

Sunspot numbers for May 9 - 15 were 25, 24, 26, 24, 23, 24, and 13,
with a mean of 22.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 76.2, 76.3, 78, 76,
74.7, 74.4, and 74, with a mean of 75.7. Estimated planetary A
indices were 7, 7, 25, 4, 6, 36, and 6, with a mean of 13. Middle
latitude A index was 8, 7, 19, 5, 5, 23, and 8, with a mean of 10.7.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service web page, 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
* May 17 - 19 -- Portuguese Navy Day Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* May 18 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* May 18 -- UN DX Contest (DX, phone)
* May 18 - 19 -- NZART Sangster Shield Contest (CW)
* May 18 - 19 -- His Majesty the King of Spain Contest, CW
* May 18 - 19 -- EU PSK DX Contest
* May 18 - 19 -- Aegean RTTY Contest
* May 18 - 19 -- Baltic Contest (CW, phone)
* May 20 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
* May 22 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* May 22 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Digital)

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.
Arizona Homeowners Association and Hams Agree on Outdoor Antenna
Guidelines

The Board of Directors of an antenna-restricted community in Arizona
voted overwhelmingly in April to allow radio amateurs to erect
certain outdoor antennas on their properties. Some 75 hams live in
the 10,000-home Sun City Grand, a self-contained residential
community for older adults in Surprise, Arizona. An article in the
Grand Ham Newsletter by Gordon Bousman, NW7D, called it "a big win"
and said the Sun City Grand community homeowners association (HOA) is
believed to be the largest in the US to permit Amateur Radio
antennas. The HOA board includes one radio amateur. The new antenna
guidelines went into effect on May 9.

"The road to success took nearly a year of meetings, negotiations,
and occasional setbacks driven by a team of dedicated amateurs who
were persistent in reaching our goals," Bousman said in his article.
"While our initial discussion points focused on the possibility of
passage of the [Amateur Radio] Parity Act, we later shifted our focus
to the value that Amateur Radio operators can bring to the community
in the event of an emergency or crisis."

Bousman told ARRL the group "somewhat" modeled its antenna proposal
after that of the Sun City Texas Ham Radio group in Georgetown,
Texas, which permitted outdoor antennas several years ago.

Gordon Bousman, NW7D.

The types of antennas permitted are modest. The list includes
flagpole antennas that do not exceed 16 feet, verticals that do not
rise more than 5 feet above the peak of a home, and wire antennas no
higher than 5 feet above the roof peak. No traps in wire antennas are
allowed and towers of any type remain prohibited.

"[These] antennas should provide amateurs very adequate capabilities
to work long distances on the HF bands and to be able to adequately
communicate across our community on the VHF/UHF bands -- as well as
being able to reach most repeaters in the Phoenix area valley,
including several emergency repeaters," the newsletter article
stated.

Radio amateurs will need to apply to the HOA's Architectural Review
Committee Standards Office to obtain approval and may only erect two
outdoor antennas.

Bousman said more than a dozen antenna applications were submitted in
the first week and other hams are working on designs. Read more.

First Ham Satellite -- OSCAR 1 -- will Join AMSAT's 50th Anniversary
Celebration at Dayton

A working prototype of OSCAR 1, Amateur Radio's first satellite, will
be on display at AMSAT's Dayton Hamvention^(R) booth. AMSAT's exhibit
will be in Building 1 (Maxim Hall) at the Greene County Fairgrounds
and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. OSCAR 1 (Orbiting Satellite Carrying
Amateur Radio) was launched into orbit in 1961, at the dawn of the
Space Age. Built by a group of California-based radio amateurs for
about $60, OSCAR 1 was the first nongovernmental satellite. It
transmitted a simple "HI" in CW for nearly 20 days and was heard in
28 different countries. W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q,
recently had to troubleshoot a problem with ARRL's OSCAR 1 in
preparation for its Dayton appearance in a special "OSCAR Park"
display commemorating AMSAT's 50th anniversary. He said it was a
"rather humbling" experience.

"Apparently, OSCAR 1 was not transmitting properly," Carcia said.
"So, I took it back into the shop, changed the power cable, and
checked the transmitter. I had to tweak it just a bit." Carcia said
the satellite now functions.

Only three OSCAR 1 satellites were made. One was launched into orbit,
of course, while the Smithsonian Institution houses the other.
"Assuming it doesn't get bounced around too much en route, it will be
transmitting a chirpy 'HI' on 145.224 MHz," Carcia said. "The load is
a 50 W resistor, so you can copy it about 50 feet or so away from the
source."

AMSAT will present Amateur Radio satellite operation demonstrations
outside the main entrance of Maxim Hall, 8 AM - 4:30 PM, on all three
days of Hamvention. "AMSAT will be demonstrating actual contacts with
the operational amateur satellites," AMSAT said in its weekly AMSAT
News Service newsletter. "We especially want to invite youth to make
a contact via an amateur satellite. All are invited to observe,
participate, and ask questions."

AMSAT will hold its forum in Room 2 on Saturday, May 18, starting at
12:10 PM EDT. AMSAT Vice President of User Services Robert Bankston,
KE4AL, will moderate the session.
ITU Working Party 5A1 Completes Draft New Report on WRC-19 Agenda
Item 1.1

Working Group 1 of ITU-R Working Party 5A completed work on the
sharing and compatibility studies required for World
Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) Agenda Item 1.1 during
the meeting of WP 5A that concluded on May 9. The report, which began
as a nine-page document in 2016, grew to 158 pages developed from 60
input contributions over a 3-year period. Working Group 5A1,
responsible for amateur matters, is chaired by Dale Hughes, VK1DSH.

Agenda item 1.1 calls on the ITU to study Amateur Service spectrum
needs in Region 1 in the 50 - 54 MHz band, taking into account the
results of sharing studies between the Amateur Service and other
services using the band to ensure protection of these services.

The report describes work undertaken to prepare for Agenda Item 1.1
of WRC-19 and the associated Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM),
which addressed the technical background for WRC. National
administrations will use the Draft New Report and the CPM Report to
prepare proposals for WRC-19 later this year. Region 1 Regional
Telecommunications Organizations (RTOs) will hold preparatory
meetings this summer to develop common multi-country proposals.
WRC-19 will only consider proposals actually offered by
administrations or RTOs.

No impact on Amateur Radio allocations in Regions 2 and 3 is
anticipated. WRC-19 takes place October 28 - November 22 in Sharm
el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Dayton Hamvention and ARISS Working Together Again this Year

Dayton Hamvention^(R) will support the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) program this year by including
the first-ever ARISS Forum, on Friday, May 17, from 1:15 - 2:15 PM in
Room 3. Speakers will present current and future lifelong learning
activities for hams and students via ARISS SSTV, APRS, voice
repeaters, radio experiments, and robots.

Attendees will also learn about the next-gen on-orbit hardware
systems, updates on school activities, the ARISS initiative to fly
ham radio on the human spaceflight lunar Gateway, how to maximize
hams' opportunities to make ARISS connections and listen to the ISS
crew in home stations, and meet special guests.

Hamvention will boost ARISS by once again featuring a special
ticket-drawing right before the Sunday bonus prize drawing. The
winner will receive an ARISS Challenge Coin display. A challenge coin
is the premium received by donors who give $100 or more to ARISS. The
ARISS exhibit in Building 1 will display equipment that will replace
and upgrade the ham station gear now on board. Hamvention visitors
donating $10 will receive a new ARISS lapel pin and a chance to win
an ARISS Challenge Coin, with the winning ticket to be drawn at the
ARISS booth on Sunday morning. Online donations are also invited.
In Brief...

An Amateur Radio weather warning alerted residents of an Ohio town to
a possible tornado. A handful of Ohio SKYWARN weather spotters on
April 14 forwarded reports to National Weather Service (NWS)
Cleveland of a possible tornado near Shelby. As a result, NWS
Cleveland was able to issue a tornado warning before the storm struck
the town. No lives were lost, but six were injured. The tornado was
rated as an EF-2 storm, but it was on the ground for 17 miles and
covered a swath of 1/2 mile. Immediately after receiving word of the
strike, coordinating through the county emergency management agency
(EMA), District Emergency Coordinator Danny Baily, W8DLB, and others
headed immediately to Shelby, where they met with law enforcement.
Because all of District 6 was activated, it was decided to activate
two counties to the north and three counties to the south of
Richland. DMR Ohio Talk Group 3139 was used to coordinate resources.
While no telecommunications were knocked out of service, hams were
assigned to walk the perimeter to keep an eye open for any problems.
-- Thanks to Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL,
in DELARA News

+++

The ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) has reissued a
call for papers for its 2019 event. Technical papers are invited for
presentation at the Conference, set for September 20 - 22 at the
Marriott Detroit Metro Airport Hotel. Papers will also be published
in the Conference Proceedings. Authors do not need to attend the
conference to have their papers included in the Proceedings. The
submission deadline is August 5. Submit papers via email or mail to
Maty Weinberg, KB1EIB, ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111.
Papers will be published exactly as submitted, and authors will
retain all rights.

+++

The 2019 GNU Radio Conference (GRCon19), September 16 - 20 in
Huntsville, Alabama, is seeking papers and presentations. Submissions
are due by July 1. The GNU Radio Conference highlights the
substantial and remarkable progress of the world's premier
open-source digital signal processing framework for software-defined
radios. In addition to presenting GNU Radio's theoretical and
practical presence in academia, industry, the military, and among
radio amateurs and hobbyists, GNU Radio Conference 2019 will have a
special focus on the 50th anniversary of NASA's Apollo 11 mission,
which landed the first humans on the moon -- hence, the selection of
"The Rocket City," home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, as
the venue. Papers for inclusion in the Technical Proceedings are
welcome, but submitters do not need to submit papers to the
Proceedings in order to present at GRCon19. For more information,
visit the GRCon19 website.

+++

Amateur Radio Roundtable will Livestream 50 Hours of Dayton
Hamvention^(R). Amateur Radio Roundtable and host Tom Medlin, W5KUB,
will be back at Dayton Hamvention to livestream the activity and
action before, during, and after the May 17 - 19 event. Amateur Radio
Roundtable's show coverage will go live on Thursday, May 16, and
continue through the weekend. "This is a big event and we have
viewers in about 150 countries," Medlin said. "Astronaut Doug
Wheelock, KF5BOC, will join us again for the 7th year as cohost. Join
in the live chat room." More information is on the W5KUB Facebook
group.

+++

Selected Sessions of the 2019 Contest University (CTU) will be
Livestreamed, Compliments of Icom America. Streaming on the CTU
website will begin on May 16 at 1200 UTC. Topics include Radiosport
Contesting with Integrity; 2BSIQ & SO3R: Riding the Edge of Human
Capabilities, and No-Compromise Remote Contesting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Getting It Right!

In "High-Altitude Celebration at SAQ," which appeared in the May 9
edition of The ARRL Letter, we identified the wrong "B" composer.
Ludwig van Beethoven composed "Ode to Joy."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* May 17 - 19 -- Dayton Hamvention -- ARRL National Convention,
Xenia, Ohio
* May 31 - June 1 -- Arizona State Convention, Prescott, Arizona
* May 31 - June 2 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside,
Oregon
* June 1 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
* June 1 - 2 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
Pennsylvania
* June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano,
Texas
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
May 23, 2019

* Dayton Hamvention Attracts a Happy Crowd
* Springtime Section Manager Election Results Announced
* Magnetic Loop Antenna Designs Multiply
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* FCC Re-Charters Technological Advisory Council for New Term
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* June Event in Europe to Assess Activity, Ability to Share
Spectrum on 6 Meters
* CQ Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter will not publish on Thursday, May 30, and there will
be no edition of ARRL Audio News on Friday, May 31. The ARRL Letter
will return on June 6.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Dayton Hamvention Attracts a Happy Crowd

Dayton Hamvention^(R), hosting the 2019 ARRL National Convention,
chalked up its third year at its new venue, the Greene County
Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. Amateur Radio's largest
annual gathering took place May 17 - 19. Hamvention officials have
not yet released a 2019 attendance figure, but last year's show drew
28,417 -- the third largest attendance ever. For many hams,
Hamvention offers an opportunity each spring to renew old
acquaintances and make new ones, and for manufacturers to debut their
latest and greatest gear.

"These were some of the biggest crowds I've seen since Dayton
Hamvention relocated to Xenia," ARRL Product Development Manager Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R, said.

Hamvention visitors enjoyed largely comfortable weather, with some
drizzle on opening day. By all accounts, the crowd was animated and
amiable. This year marked the first that Hamvention offered free
Sunday admission.

ARRL President Rick
Roderick, K5UR.

"Dayton Hamvention 2019 was a fantastic event and was a great setting
for the ARRL National Convention," said ARRL President Rick Roderick,
K5UR. "Thank you to everyone for stopping by the ARRL exhibit area to
visit with ARRL officials, staff, and volunteers. It's always a
pleasure to be able to have a face-to-face QSO with everyone. Isn't
ham radio great? The greatest hobby in the world!"

A free ARRL/Dayton Hamvention mobile event app helped visitors
navigate the landscape of exhibitors and forums. Attendees also used
the app to follow the hourly prize drawings, connect with other
visitors, and view maps of the sprawling fairgrounds. The new app got
a positive reception.

Members of the Nashua (New
Hampshire) Area Radio Society
received the Dayton
Hamvention^(R) Club of the
Year Award. At ARRL's
invitation, NARS hosted an
interactive exhibit to serve
as a model for other clubs to
emulate. (L - R) Scott
Andersen, NE1RD; Jamey
Finchum, AC1DC; Fred Kemmerer,
AB1OC; Brian McCaffrey, W1BP;
Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB; Dave
Merchant, K1DLM; Abby Finchum,
AB1BY, and Charlie Dunn,
W1CBD. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R,
photo]

The Nashua (New Hampshire) Area Radio Society (NARS) -- the 2019
Dayton Hamvention Club of the Year -- led the "ARRL Spotlight on
Radio Clubs and Mentoring" forum. NARS members described the ways the
club builds and maintains a strong and active membership through its
website, licensing classes, and programs that fit members' schedules.
The success rate for licensing classes is 93%, and the club retains
70% of active members. Instructors from the ARRL Education &
Technology Program shared resources available for introducing radio
science and wireless technology.

In step with the shared ARRL Convention-Hamvention theme, "Mentoring
the Next Generation," the 2019 Youth Forum moderated by Carole Perry,
WB2MGP, drew attendees of all ages.

ARRL CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX,
addresses the ARRL Member Forum.
[Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]

It was standing room only at Saturday's ARRL Member Forum, which
featured a panel of ARRL Board members with ARRL Great Lakes Division
Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK, moderating. Pacific Division Director
Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, who chairs the Legislative Advocacy Committee,
addressed the Board's decision to hit the pause button on the Amateur
Radio Parity Act. He said the Board intends to renew efforts to get a
bill passed and will craft a new strategy to make that happen.

Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH,
discusses the new Volunteer
Monitor Program. [Allison
McLellan photo]

President Roderick and CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX, stressed the need
to attract more Technician licensees into ARRL. Roderick challenged
forum attendees to make sure their clubs are welcoming newcomers and
helping them to get active and engaged as radio amateurs. At Michel's
"Engaging Today's Radio Amateur" presentation, audience members
expressed support for the new directions Michel is taking ARRL in
terms of delivering more value to members.

The Youngsters on the Air (YOTA)
delegation (L - R); Florian
Zwingl, OE3FTA; Larissa
Rentmeister (SWL); Markus
Grosser, DL8GM; Phillip Springer,
DK6SP. YOTA is a project of IARU
Region 1. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R,
photo]

Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, headed up a Sunday forum on ARRL's new
Volunteer Monitor Program. Hollingsworth explained how the program
evolved out of an FCC request. Hollingsworth explained that he polled
FCC District Directors to see which areas of the US needed the most
attention. He said that's where most Volunteer Monitors will be
deployed.

ARRL's Public Service Communications Panel Discussion drew a large
crowd of Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members and other
active volunteers.

Dayton Hamvention Radio
Amateur of the Year
Nathaniel Frissell,
W2NAF (left), with Joe
Taylor, K1JT, of WSJT-X
renown. [Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R,
photo]

Audience members expressed constructive concerns over the new ARES
Plan and with reinforcing Amateur Radio recognition nationwide.

"ARRL's big team included 118 members supporting exhibits,
activities, and presentations to help all radio amateurs become more
active, involved, and engaged," Inderbitzen said. "Together we helped
represent the very best of our Amateur Radio Service and ARRL."

At a Thursday Donors' Reception, President Roderick presented the
National Convention recognition award to Hamvention Chairman Jack
Gerbs, WB8SCT, and Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) President
(and past Hamvention General Chair) Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ.

+++
Springtime Section Manager Election Results Announced

In the only contested Section Manager election this spring, ARRL
members in Utah have re-elected Mel Parkes, NM7P, as Section Manager
for a new 2-year term of office that starts on July 1. Parkes, of
Layton, received 481 votes; his opponent, Pat Malan, N7PAT, of South
Jordan, received 233 votes. Parkes has served as Section Manager
since 1999. Ballots were counted and verified at ARRL Headquarters on
May 21.

Elsewhere, John Gotthardt, K1UAF, of Wolfeboro, will become Section
Manager of New Hampshire on July 1. He was the only nominee for the
post after New Hampshire Section Manager Pete Stohrer, K1PJS, of
Concord, decided not to run for a new term after serving since 2013.
Gotthardt is currently the Section Traffic Manager and also serves as
Net Manager and Official Relay Station.

Steve Ostrove, K2SO, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, will become the
Northern New Jersey Section Manager once again in July. Ostrove
previously served as Section Manager from 2016 until 2017. Northern
New Jersey SM Rob Roschewsk, KA2PBT, decided not to run for a new
term after serving for the past 2 years.

Several incumbent Section Managers faced no opposition and were
declared re-elected to new terms starting on July 1: Marty Pittinger,
KB3MXM (Maryland-DC); John Bigley, N7UR (Nevada); Bob Beaudet, W1YRC
(Rhode Island); Dan Pruitt, AE6SX (San Joaquin Valley), and Dale
Durham, W5WI (West Texas).

+++

Magnetic Loop Antenna Designs Multiply

Magnetic loops have become popular as effective and compact antennas
for traveling and stealth applications. An HF magnetic loop design by
John Chappell, W3HX, was an honorable mention in the 2018 QST Antenna
Design Competition. Chappell's mag loop offers coverage on 80 - 20
meters, and he runs FT8 at 50 W. See his article on page 39 of the
June 2019 issue of QST.

The magnetic loop for 40 and 20
meters designed by Richard Robbins,
WA8RR. [Photo courtesy of DELARA
News]

Richard Robbins, WA8RR, wanted to build one of his own for 40 and 20
meters, and he described his efforts in a recent edition of his
club's newsletter, DELARA News. An online calculator helped him come
up with the basics, and he decided on a 10-foot circumference loop
constructed from half-inch copper pipe that would handle 100 W. His
prototype, constructed from a piece of pipe "hand bent into an
approximate circle," a Dayton Hamvention flea market capacitor, and a
coax drive loop, would tune the two bands -- although, as expected,
tuning was very sensitive and affected by body capacitance.

He worked up a reduction drive and remote motorized tuning, and was
able to make several FT8 contacts, using his antenna analyzer to tune
the loop. "The tuning would shift as I was transmitting," Robbins
recounted. "This is a result of a very high circulating current and
heating of the separate components." Encouraged, he went for a
higher-end design constructed around a 5 - 500 pf vacuum variable
capacitor, the project's most expensive component (these go for $150
or more on eBay). "It is big and heavy," Robbins said. He had a metal
fabricator bend a new piece of thin-wall copper tubing into a more
aesthetically pleasing circle.

"To drive the capacitor, I obtained a stepper motor and driver, an
Arduino controller board, and a four-channel remote," Robbins
explained. "I used some sample programs to develop the code that
would move the capacitor at different speeds depending on how long
the remote was pressed. I added markings on the capacitor, so I could
quickly move to different bands." -- Thanks to DELARA News
The Doctor Will See You Now!

"Do Dipoles Have to be Straight?" is the topic of the current (May 9)
episode of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.

FCC Re-Charters Technological Advisory Council for New Term

The FCC has re-chartered its Technological Advisory Council (TAC) for
a 2-year term. Comprised of a diverse group of leading technology
experts, the TAC provides technical expertise to the FCC to identify
important areas of innovation and develop informed technology
policies.

Greg Lapin, N9GL, will continue to represent ARRL on the TAC.

"The TAC will consider and advise the Commission on a variety of
topics such as the deployment of 5G technology, the evolution of
broadband networks and devices and their implications, the spectrum
needs of unmanned aircraft systems, new developments in antenna
technology, and the applications of artificial intelligence to
telecommunications networks," the FCC said in announcing the
re-charter.

Dennis Roberson, Executive Chairman of entigenlogicTM, chairs the
Council. Michael Ha, Deputy Chief of the FCC Policy and Rules
Division, is the Designated Federal Officer.

The TAC will next meet on June 21. The public is welcome. The FCC
Public Notice includes the names of all TAC members, some of whom are
radio amateurs. -- FCC Public Notice
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: May 18 was the last day we saw
sunspot activity, after more than 2 weeks with sunspots visible
daily. The average daily sunspot number declined to 5.3 this week
from 22.7 the previous week. Average daily solar flux declined from
75.7 to 69.8. Geomagnetic conditions were quieter, with the average
daily planetary A index declining from 13 to 5.

Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 68 on May 23 - 27; 70
on May 28 - 30; 72 on May 31; 74 on June 1; 76 on June 2 - 10; 74 on
June 11; 72 on June 12 - 13; 70 on June 14 - 15; 69 on June 16 - 17;
68 on June 18; 67 on June 19 - 25; 70, 72, and 74 on June 26 - 28,
and 76 on June 29 - July 6.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on May 23 - 24; 8 on May 25; 5 on
May 26 - 27; 10; 8; 8 and 10 on May 28 - 31; 5 on June 1 - 15; 8 on
June 16 - 18; 5 on June 19 - 23; 10, 12, 8, and 10 on June 24 - 27,
and 5 on June 28 - July 6.

On May 20, Markus Hansen, VE7CA, wrote to say he's been hearing many
10-meter beacons from California, and one from Utah.

Sunspot numbers for May 16 - 22 were 13, 13, 11, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with
a mean of 5.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 73.6, 72.1, 70.6, 68,
68.7, 68, and 67.3, with a mean of 69.8. Estimated planetary A index
was8, 5, 5, 3, 6, 4, and 4, with a mean of 5. The mid-latitude A
index was 9, 7, 8, 3, 7, 4, and 5, 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 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
* May 25 - 26 -- CQ World Wide WPX Contest, CW
* May 30 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, CW
* June 1 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW)
* June 1 - 2 -- SEANET Contest (CW, phone)
* June 1 - 2 -- 10-10 International Open Season PSK Contest
* June 1 - 2 -- DigiFest
* June 1 - 2 -- UKSMG Summer Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* June 1 - 2 -- Kentucky QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* June 1 - 2 -- IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW)
* June 1 - 2 -- Dutch Kingdom Contest (CW, phone)
* June 1 - 2 -- RSGB National Field Day (CW)
* June 2 -- PVRC Reunion (CW, phone)
* June 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* June 6 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* June 6 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)

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.
June Event in Europe to Assess Activity, Ability to Share Spectrum on
6 Meters

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has thrown its support
behind an upcoming operating event on 6 meters aimed at assessing
activity on 6 meters and the ability of Amateur Radio to share
spectrum with government users on the band. The worldwide Amateur
Radio community is invited to participate in the Czech-sponsored
Pohotovostn¡ (readiness) Test -- or "P-Test" -- which will take place
on June 13. Agenda Item 1.1 for World Radiocommunication Conference
2019 (WRC-19) will consider an Amateur Service allocation in the 50 -
54 MHz band in Region 1 (Europe, Africa, Asiatic Russia), taking into
account studies looking into sharing between the Amateur Service and
the mobile, fixed, radiolocation, and broadcasting services, "in
order to ensure protection of these services."

The Czech Republic's telecommunications regulator CTO is
investigating if theoretical study results match real life. The June
test follows an initial trial that took place in late February in the
Czech Republic. One objective was to verify that military and Amateur
Radio stations could coexist on the band. The second test will take
place when enhanced propagation is more likely. During the event,
other 50 MHz band users will operate their own communication systems,
and the IARU has cautioned radio amateurs not to interfere with their
activities.

"The purpose of this event is to show regulators that amateurs and
military stations can coexist without causing harmful interference to
each other," said an IARU Region 1 news article by Hans Blondeel
Timmerman, PB2T.

The June 13 event will take place in two activity periods: The first
will run from 0730 until 0900 UTC, and the second will take place
from 1100 to 1230 UTC. Participating stations will call "CQ P
(Contest)" and exchange signal reports, a sequential serial number, a
six-character grid locator, and a geographical location.

Maximum power output will be 25 W PEP, the maximum power under Czech
Amateur Radio Service regulations. Stations outside of the Czech
Republic are requested to use the same output power to enable
comparisons with the February test. The use of spotting networks is
permitted. Submit logs no later than 1230 UTC on June 15.

"We would like to involve amateur stations experimenting with
wideband modes in this test," the IARU news article said. This could
include reduced-bandwidth digital television or other wide-band
emissions. Such stations would participate in the second activity
period. Read more.

CQ Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees

CQ Magazine over the weekend announced the 2019 inductees to its
Amateur Radio, DX, and Contest halls of fame.

The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame added 5 new members for 2019,
making a total of 326 inductees since its establishment in 2001. The
CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors radio amateurs who have made
significant contributions "to Amateur Radio, to their professional
careers or to some other aspect of life on our planet." The 2019
inductees are:

John Attaway, Sr., K4IIF (SK); Dave Bernstein, AA6YQ; Doreen
Bogdan-Martin, KD2JTX; Predescu Florin Cristian, YO0CNU, and Ellen
White, W1YL.

CQ inducted two new members to its CQ DX Hall of Fame, which honors
those DXers who not only excel in personal performance, but also give
back to the hobby in outstanding ways. CQ DX Editor Bob Schenck,
N2OO, presented Hall of Fame plaques at an induction ceremony held at
the annual Dayton DX dinner on May 17.

The 2019 inductees to the CQ DX Hall of Fame are: Joe Taylor, K1JT,
and Silvano Borsa, I2YSB, and the Italian DXpedition Team.

The CQ DX Hall of Fame was established in 1967 to recognize those
amateurs who have made major contributions to DXing and
DXpeditioning. This weekend marked the 54th ^ annual induction.

CQ magazine inducted three new members into the CQ Contest Hall of
Fame, which honors contesters who stand out in their own contesting
performance while also contributing greatly to the avocation as a
whole. CQ Contesting Editor David Siddall, K3ZJ, presented Hall of
Fame plaques at an induction ceremony held at the annual Dayton
Contest Dinner on May 18.

The 2019 inductees to the CQ Contest Hall of Fame are: Bruce Horn,
WA7BNM, and Dean Straw, N6BV, and Kresimir "Chris" Kovarik, 9A5K
(SK).

The CQ Contest Hall of Fame was established in 1986 to recognize
those amateurs who have made major contributions to the art of radio
contesting. This year's inductions bring the total number of members
of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame to 74. Read more.
In Brief...

Educator, author, and contester Fred Cady, KE7X, of Bozeman, Montana,
died on May 16. An ARRL Life Member, he turned 77 earlier this month.
Cady was a professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering
at Montana State University. He coauthored The Successful Ham Radio
Operator's Handbook with Vic DiCiccio, VE3YT. He also wrote several
manuals on how to use Elecraft equipment. First licensed in 1959,
Cady earned a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of
Canterbury in New Zealand, and was a senior member of the Institute
of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He taught for more
than 40 years and published five textbooks on microcomputers. An avid
CW contester, Cady was a member of the world record-holding Team
Vertical contest group. "Fred was my very dear friend and an
important mentor for me," DiCiccio said. "Working with him to write
The Successful Ham book was a joy. He helped so many people as a
professor, author of his books, and in his role as a volunteer
fireman, fire chief, and deputy chief. He will be deeply missed."

+++

Radio Amateurs in India recently provided post-disaster
communication. According to a May 12 article in The Hindu newspaper,
after Cyclone Fani struck eastern India on May 3, two teams of
Amateur Radio operators from Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal came to
the rescue. The town of Puri in the state of Odisha remained cut off
for 2 days, and VHF communication systems used by police had very
limited range. The Odisha state control room was not able to
establish regular communication with district headquarters,
"resulting in utter confusion in relief and rescue operations," the
newspaper said. Emergency managers now are looking into how and why
post-disaster communication failed for the first time since 1999. In
the wake of Cyclone Fani, ham radio provided the primary mode of
communication for the first several hours.

+++

IARU Member-Societies have ratified leadership nominations and will
consider new members International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
member-societies on May 3 completed voting to ratify the nominations
of IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, and Vice President Ole
Garpestad, LA2RR, to new terms. With 57 affirmative votes required
for ratification, Ellam received 75 votes, and Garpestad received 74
votes. Applications for IARU membership have been received via IARU
Region 1 from the Saudi Amateur Radio Society (SARS) and the
Seychelles Amateur Radio Association (SARA). As of January 2019,
there were 66 members out of a total of 479 licensed radio amateurs
in Saudi Arabia. SARA has six members, two of whom are licensed. It
is believed that there are four licensed amateurs in Seychelles.
Voting will close on October 9.

+++

The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has announced a Cricket
World Cup Amateur Radio Marathon, from May 30 until July 14. The
Cricket World Cup will take place in England and Wales. UK and
international call signs will be active on nine HF bands on SSB, CW,
and digital modes. Award certificates will be offered based on the
number of contacts made with the special UK and international
stations. Sponsors are inviting other countries to take part and to
activate special call signs with the suffix "19CWC" or similar. A
total of 31 special call signs will be on the air in the UK, with
GB19CWC representing the 2019 Cricket World Cup Headquarters in
England. Listen for other "GB19" prefix call signs. Teams will field
special event stations as well. Details, including the rules for
awards and a list of international call signs, are on the RSGB
website. Follow your progress on the Ham Log website. Email for more
information on the marathon. -- Thanks to Nick Totterdell, G4FAL

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* May 31 - June 1 -- Arizona State Convention, Prescott, Arizona
* May 31 - June 2 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside,
Oregon
* June 1 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
* June 1 - 2 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
Pennsylvania
* June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano,
Texas
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

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----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
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their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
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--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
June 6, 2019

* Emergency Messaging Demonstration for Red Cross, FEMA is a
Success
* Ohio ARES Activates in Wake of Tornadoes that Badly Damaged Hara
Arena
* Hurricane Michael Investigation Digs into Factors that Hindered
Wireless Services Recovery
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* New FT4 Beta Release "Leaps and Bounds" Better than Earlier
Iterations
* China Set to Launch New Amateur Satellite with "Sail Ball"
Stabilization
* Mexican Amateur Radio Volunteers Provide Communication in
Wildfire Response
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* AMSAT, ARISS Veteran Keith D. Pugh, W5IU, SK
* Yasme Foundation Designates Supporting Grant, Excellence Award
Recipients
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Emergency Messaging Demonstration for Red Cross, FEMA is a Success

On May 23, with Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) officials monitoring, dozens of radio amateurs along the US
east coast demonstrated Amateur Radio's ability to deliver messages
without commercial power, infrastructure, or permanently established
stations. The event took place in coordination with ARRL, as a mock
response to a simulated disaster scenario -- a major hurricane with
mass casualties. During the event, radio amateurs at portable
stations from New England to the Carolinas delivered message traffic
to W1AW, which coordinated and delivered the information to officials
attending a joint Red Cross-FEMA meeting in Baltimore.

W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia,
NJ1Q (front), and ARRL Emergency
Preparedness Assistant Manager Ken
Bailey, K1FUG, working the mics
while Red Cross volunteer Rosty
Slabicky, W2ROS, looks on. [Michelle
Patnode, W3MVP, photo]

"About a dozen stations participated in the demonstration, including
operators in Maine, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, northern
New Jersey, western Pennsylvania, Delaware, and South Carolina," ARRL
Communications Manager Dave Isgur, N1RSN, said. "Red Cross officials
were on-site at W1AW and at the receiving station in Baltimore. At
both sites, they indicated that were impressed with Amateur Radio's
ability to deliver messages digitally so that could be displayed on a
computer screen and in a format that matched the format for messages
that the Red Cross uses." Isgur said ABC, CBS, and Fox TV affiliates
sent reporting teams to W1AW.

A few stations, including W1AW and stations in Baltimore, generated
local media coverage of their participation, much of it tied into the
notion of "Amateur Radio operators and the partner agencies they
serve are getting ready for the 2018 hurricane season," which begins
on June 1 and continues through November 30.

W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, said the exercise went well
overall. "Conditions were a bit tepid at best, but we were able to
establish voice contact first, and then proceed with the digital
traffic (MT63-1KS) during the roll call," Carcia said. "Digital
signals were good. I needed just one retransmit. We used fldigi with
flmsg. This made life so much easier."

+++
Ohio ARES Activates in Wake of Tornadoes that Badly Damaged Hara
Arena

Hara Arena, in Trotwood, Ohio, which served as the home for Dayton
Hamvention^(R) for more than 6 decades, was among the structures
extensively damaged when tornadoes swept through the Dayton area on
Memorial Day. WHIO-TV drone video showed that the roof and side of
the structure had been blown off in several places by the EF3
(severe-scale damage) event. Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan
Broadway, N8BHL, said ARES counties and districts activated after
nearly 40 tornado warnings were issued across the state. He said Ohio
ARES was in the process of announcing a partnership with the Ohio
Emergency Management Agency Watch Desk, in which some 2,000 Ohio
radio amateurs will feed situation awareness to the state.

"Our plan was to use the Ohio DMR statewide talk group along with our
normal HF 80-meter voice and digital nets -- depending on storm
noise," Broadway said. "We got to launch that system under pressure
[on] Memorial Day." Broadway said information received from radio
amateurs during the all-night effort was fed directly into the
state's WebEOC software to help the Watch Desk determine the need to
assist county EMA directors requests for aid. The Ohio AuxComm's
W8SGT was on the air continuously, receiving reports from county ARES
groups, he added.

The severe weather struck after dark, causing widespread damage in
and around Dayton and elsewhere in the Miami Valley. Multiple
injuries and one fatality have been reported. It appears that at
least two tornadoes were responsible for most of the devastation,
which was called "catastrophic." The NWS office in Wilmington, Ohio,
estimated that at one point, storms and tornadoes left some 5 million
people without electrical power.

Snow plows were repurposed to remove debris from Interstate Route 75,
and the American Red Cross set up shelters to accommodate displaced
residents.

"First-tier communications remained solid in most of the affected
areas," Broadway recounted, "but amateur operators were able to
provide situational awareness that enhanced the response." Most ARES
activities in Ohio wrapped up on May 29.

WHIO-TV reported on June 5 that structural engineers were still
assessing the damage at Hara Arena, but Michael Heitz, the Kentucky
developer who now owns the building and the surrounding 120 acres,
has expressed confidence that the main arena can be saved, although
an attached section will have to be demolished.

+++

Hurricane Michael Investigation Digs into Factors that Hindered
Wireless Services Recovery

On May 9, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
released a report on its investigation into communications providers'
preparation for and response to Hurricane Michael last October. An
array of Amateur Radio public service assets was active as Hurricane
Michael made landfall near Mexico Beach on the Florida Panhandle,
boasting devastating 155 MPH winds. The storm was the first Category
4 or stronger hurricane to hit the Florida Panhandle since 1992.

The FCC investigation found that three key factors -- insufficiently
resilient backhaul connectivity, inadequate reciprocal roaming
arrangements, and a lack of coordination between wireless service
providers, power crews, and municipalities -- were the predominant
causes behind what the FCC called "the unacceptably slow restoration
of wireless service in the Florida Panhandle" in the storm's wake.
According to the FCC, its investigation even found that recovery
efforts themselves often led to communication outages.

"There were numerous cases in which a wireless provider had restored
service to customers only to have that service brought down as
third-party crews damaged communications assets while clearing trash
or restoring power lines and utility poles," the FCC recounted in a
news release.

To improve recovery efforts from future storms, the report
recommended, among other things, that wireless providers use diverse
backhaul options, such as microwave links and satellite links in
hurricane-prone areas, and that communication providers participate
in training to improve coordination of restoration efforts.

The Hurricane Michael Report is available at on the FCC website. --
FCC News Release

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The Doctor Will See You Now!

"Stringing Up Wire Antennas" is the topic of the new (June 6) episode
of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.

New FT4 Beta Release "Leaps and Bounds" Better than Earlier
Iterations

The WSJT-X Development Group released yet another new beta version of
the FT4 protocol this week, and WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc7 is now available for
testing. Developers point out that the FT4 included in this "release
candidate 7" version is not compatible with any previous releases. A
short mock contest session to wring out the contesting features of
FT4 took place on June 4.

"Thanks to all who participated in yesterday's FT4 mock-contest
practice session -- and especially to those who provided useful
feedback. It is much appreciated!" said developer Joe Taylor, K1JT.
"Everyone likes the 7.5-second T/R sequences, which provide operators
with significantly more human interaction time than in previous
revisions of FT4. Users also appreciated the sensitivity improvements
and a larger range of acceptable time offsets (DT)." DT represents
the combined clock difference for the transmitting and receiving
computers, he explained.

Based on data compiled by Steve Franke, K9AN, Taylor said that it
appears developers have the WSJT-X timing behavior under good control
on all supported platforms, and the range of measured signal-to-noise
values extended down to -21 dB.

"I operated for about 3 hours using 100 W and a dipole," Taylor
recounted. "I copied transmissions from 263 unique call signs and
made 143 QSOs in 29 states, 5 Canadian provinces, and 15 DXCCs."

Taylor said the developers anticipate addressing all remaining issues
they're aware of. "I believe we are on a good path toward a General
Availability (GA) release of WSJT-X 2.1.0 by mid-July," he said.

Steve Franke, K9AN, of the WSJT-X Development
Group spent most of his time observing during
the mock contest on June 4, decoding some 25,300
FT4 transmissions. This chart represents
signal-to-noise ratios reported.

"This new version of FT4 is leaps and bounds better than before,"
said Mike Black, W9MDB, in a June 4 post to the Yahoo WSJT Meteor
Scatter and Weak Signal Group. "I worked almost everybody I could see
without any repeats. Seems like we have a winner here."

Changes, improvements, and bug fixes that have been made since WSJT-X
2.1.0-rc5 include:
* T/R sequence length increased from 6.0 to 7.5 seconds.
* Signal bandwidth decreased from 90 Hz to 80 Hz.
* Improved sensitivity: Threshold S/N is now -17.5 dB.

Release candidate WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc7 will be available for beta-testing
through July 21, and it will permanently cease to function after that
date. It will not be usable during the ARRL June VHF Contest or
during ARRL Field Day. Taylor advised using WSJT-X 2.0.1 and FT8 for
these events.

Downloadable installation packages for WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc7 under
Windows, Linux, and macOS are available on the WSJT-X web page.
China Set to Launch New Amateur Satellite with "Sail Ball"
Stabilization

Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) has announced the impending
launch of the CAS-7B satellite, also designated as BP-1B, a
short-lived spacecraft that will carry an Amateur Radio payload. An
unusual feature of the spacecraft is its "sail ball" passive
stabilization system. The 1.5 U CubeSat is attached to a
500-millimeter flexible film ball -- or sail -- that will offer
passive "pneumatic resistance" stabilization, the announcement said.
CAS-7B is expected to remain in orbit for up to 1 month.

The spacecraft will carry an Amateur Radio transponder and
educational mission. CAMSAT is working with the Beijing Institute of
Technology (BIT), a top aerospace school, which is providing launch
support. BIT faculty and students are participating in the
development and testing of the satellite, and, with CAMSAT's help,
the university has established an Amateur Radio club (BI1LG). CAMSAT
said many students are now members, "learning Amateur Radio satellite
communication and [experiencing] endless fun."

The VHF and UHF antennas are quarter-wave monopoles. CAS-7B will
transmit a CW telemetry beacon on 435.715 MHz. The V/U FM voice
transponder downlink will be 435.690 MHz, and the transponder uplink
will be 145.900 MHz (16 kHz passband).

CAS-7B during testing. [CAMSAT
photo]

The 3-kilogram satellite will have an apogee of 300 kilometers.

"Because of the orbital apogee and the size and mass of the
satellite, the orbital life is expected to be only 1 week, up to a
maximum of 1 month, which will also provide an opportunity for hams
to track and monitor satellite entering the atmosphere," CAMSAT said
in announcing the new satellite, scheduled for launch late this
month.

"The launch will use a new launch vehicle from a small commercial
rocket company," CAMSAT explained. "This is the first launch of this
launch vehicle, and there is a large possibility of failure; if the
launch fails, we will have another launch later this year." -- Thanks
to Alan Kung, BA1DU/CAMSAT

Mexican Amateur Radio Volunteers Provide Communication in Wildfire
Response

Mexican radio amateurs provided communication support in late May
from a fire scene in a remote area to civil protection authorities in
Monterrey, Mexico. Two-member teams of volunteers were flown in via
helicopter since May 20, the first day of radio support, when the
fire had already been burning for a couple of days. The fire in
Pajonal -- about 20 kilometers south of Monterrey -- covered more
than 200 acres in rough terrain. Temperatures topped 100 øF.

Fueled by hot and dry conditions, Mexico's 2019 fire season has been
intense, leading to poor air quality. By mid-May, more than 100
wildfires were active in 17 Mexican states.

Teams had been using Winlink but added the weak-signal software Vara
HF, after Jos‚ Alberto Nieto, EA5HVK, provided a Vara license on
short notice. Tom Whiteside, N5TW, in Georgetown, Texas, supported
the effort from across the border, aiming his 40- and 20-meter arrays
in the direction of the fire in Nuevo Leon. Alfonso Tamez, XE2O,
president of Mexico's IARU member-society Federaci¢n Mexicana de
Radioexperimentadores (FMRE), was been among the volunteers.

In addition to HF digital traffic, the volunteer teams took advantage
of VHF repeaters. HF antennas consisted of a 40-meter dipole for 40
and a steerable portable dipole. A generator is providing electrical
power.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: According to Spaceweather.com, as
of June 5 there have been no sunspots for 17 days in a row. Average
daily solar flux went to 69.5 for the May 30 - June 5 reporting week
from 67.4 in the previous 7 days. The average daily planetary A index
declined from 7.3 to 5.6, while the mid-latitude A index dipped from
8.1 to 5.

Last week I suggested that sunspots should return soon, based on the
predicted solar flux, but those projections have softened. On June 5
the 45-day predicted solar flux was 70 on June 6 - 13; 72 on June 14
- 16; 71 on June 17; 70 on June 18 - 29; 71 on June 30; 72 on July 1
- 13; 71 on July 14, and 70 on July 15 - 20.

Predicted planetary A index is 5, 8, 10, and 8 on June 6 - 9; 5 on
June 10 - 22; 8, 10, 12, and 8 on June 23 - 26; 5 on June 27 - 29; 8
on June 30 - July 2; 5 on July 3 - 4; 8 on July 5 - 6; 5 on July 7 -
19, and 8 on July 20.

Spaceweather.com reported on June 5 that Northern Hemisphere radars
were "pinging with activity" from a strong daytime meteor shower.

In Friday's bulletin, read about recent openings on 10 and 6 meters.

Sunspot numbers for May - June 5, 2019 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0,
with a mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 68.7, 68.7, 69.7,
69.9, 69.8, 70, and 69.8, with a mean of 69.5. Estimated planetary A
indices were 8, 5, 4, 4, 5, 8, and 5, with a mean of 5.6. Middle
latitude A index was 8, 5, 3, 4, 4, 7, and 4, with a mean of 5.

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

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.
* June 7 -- HA3NS Sprint Memorial Contest (CW)
* June 8 -- Asia-Pacific Sprint, SSB
* June 8 - 9 DRCG WW RTTY Contest
* June 8 - 9 -- VK Shires Contest (CW, phone)
* June 8 - 9 -- Portugal Day Contest (CW, phone)
* June 8 - 9 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
* June 8 - 9 -- GACW WWSA CW DX Contest
* June 8 - 9 -- REF DDFM 6-Meter Contest (CW, phone)
* June 8 - 10 -- ARRL June VHF Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* June 9 -- All Cookie Crumble QRP Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* June 10 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
* June 10 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Digital)
* June 12 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)

-----------------------------------------------------------------

AMSAT, ARISS Veteran Keith D. Pugh, W5IU, SK

AMSAT and ARISS engineering veteran, Keith Pugh, W5IU, of Fort Worth,
Texas, died on May 24. An ARRL Life Member, he was 80.

Born and raised in Dodge City, Kansas, Pugh was licensed in 1953.
Amateur Radio strongly influenced his decision to pursue a career in
electrical engineering, and he earned a Bachelor of Science in
electrical engineering at Kansas State University in 1961. He moved
to Texas to work for Convair (later General Dynamics and Lockheed
Martin), and, after upgrading to an Amateur Extra-class license, he
became W5IU. Pugh retired from Lockheed Martin in 2004 after a career
in RADAR and Navigation Systems Engineering.

At Dayton Hamvention^(R), Pugh
volunteered in the AMSAT Booth for
many years and frequently headed up
the Dayton Hamvention Satellite
Demonstration Station.

In the early 1980s, he became interested in ham radio satellites,
making contacts on AO-08 and AO-10. He went on to become an AMSAT
Area Coordinator and, later served as AMSAT Vice President for
Operations.

Pugh jump-started his passion for Amateur Radio on human spaceflight
missions in 1991, when the Soviet space station Mir was in orbit.
Pugh joined the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station
(ARISS) team in 2004, where he has provided support as an operations
leader, mentoring numerous schools and ARISS contact organizations
and attending ARISS International meetings.

ARISS ARRL Representative Rosalie White, K1STO, said Pugh made a
difference in his role as an ARISS Technical Mentor for many schools.
"ARISS contacts are always exciting and sometimes produce tense
moments," White said. "He touched hundreds of thousands of youth
along with all ages of people who had curiosity about ham radio,
space, and satellites."
Yasme Foundation Designates Supporting Grant, Excellence Award
Recipients

The Board of Directors of The Yasme Foundation has awarded $5,000
each to the Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR) and ARRL scholarship
programs for 2019, and $5,000 in general support to World Radiosport
Team Championship 2022 (WRTC 2022) in Italy and a second grant to
sponsor the so-called "Widow's Ball" during WRTC 2022.

The Yasme Foundation Board also announced recipients of the Yasme
Excellence Award. They are:
* Angel Vazquez, WP3R, for his work in disaster relief, and as an
outstanding ambassador for Amateur Radio.
* Nikola Percin, 9A5W, for his outstanding work in advancing
Amateur Radio in Croatia and the surrounding region. He is a
cofounder of 9A1A. Percin initiated efforts to recruit young
amateurs and established youth programs in coordination with
local universities.

The Yasme Excellence Award recognizes individuals and groups who,
through their own service, creativity, effort, and dedication, have
made significant contributions to Amateur Radio. These may be in
recognition of technical, operating, or organizational achievement,
as all three are necessary for the growth of Amateur Radio. The Yasme
Excellence Award is in the form of a cash grant and an individually
engraved crystal globe.
In Brief...

The next Kids Day is Saturday, June 15. That's the day to get
youngsters on the air to share in the joy and fun that Amateur Radio
has to offer. Kids Day gets under way 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. Look for activity
on these frequencies: 10 meters: 28.350 - 28.400 MHz; 12 meters:
24.960 - 24.980 MHz; 15 meters: 21.360 - 21.400 MHz; 17 meters:
18.140 - 18.145 MHz; 20 meters: 14.270 - 14.300 MHz; 40 meters: 7.270
- 7.290 MHz, and 80 meters: 3.740 - 3.940 MHz. Repeater contacts are
okay with permission of the repeater owner. As with any on-the-air
activity that includes unlicensed individuals, control operators must
observe third-party traffic restrictions when making DX contacts.
Additional details are on the ARRL website.

+++

LoTW is now accepting FT4 contacts. The latest TQSL update
(Config.xml version 11.8), released on May 22, includes FT4 as a
submode of MFSK. It also adds AISAT-1 and PO-101 in the satellite
category. As of June 5, more 1 billion contact records have been
entered into the system, resulting in 201,492,514 contact
confirmations. LoTW has 118,729 users worldwide.

+++

Adafruit Industries Founder Limor Fried, AC2SN, was one of two 2019
Women in Open Source Award winners. Sponsored by open-source solution
provider Red Hat, the awards honor women who make important
contributions to open-source projects and communities, or those
making innovative use of open-source methodology. Nominations for
this year's awards were accepted for two categories: "Academic" for
those currently enrolled in a college or university, and "Community"
for those working on or volunteering with projects related to open
source. A panel of judges determined finalists based on nomination
criteria, and the public voted to determine the award winners. Fried
was recognized in the community category. She is the founder and lead
engineer at Adafruit Industries, an open-source hardware company
designed to provide a place for people to learn about and purchase
open tools, equipment, and electronics online.

+++

Tom Roscoe, K8CX, has posted 361 photos in his Ham Gallery of various
Dayton Hamvention^(R) 2019 events. Hamvention 2019 hosted the ARRL
National Convention. This is Roscoe's 23rd year of documenting the
event, bringing the total to 6,053 Hamvention photos, including this
one of ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall, K3ZJ. Search the entire
photo database by entering a call sign. Roscoe also invites photos
via email, but at least one ham not already listed on his page must
be in the photo, and all hams shown must be identified by call sign.
He also accepts Dayton Hamvention photos from past years that meet
the same requirements, as well as any "interesting stories or fun
moments" from Dayton Hamvention 2019 or forum reviews for his blog.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano,
Texas
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 6 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty
Convention, Normal, Illinois
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

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* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
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distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
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--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
June 13, 2019

* Paul Bourque, N1SFE, Joins ARRL Headquarters Staff as Contest
Program Manager
* Rick Murphy, K1MU, to Receive ARRL President's Award
* Tuning Electrically Short Antennas for Field Operation
* So Now What? Podcast
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* QRZ Institutes Password Security, Seller Verification Programs
* WSJT-X Developer Posts Observations on Using FT8 in June VHF
Contest
* Wireless Power Transmission Prompts Discussion in ITU-R Study
Group
* Proposed WRC-23 Agenda Items Causing Concern
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Paul Bourque, N1SFE, Joins ARRL Headquarters Staff as Contest Program
Manager

Paul Bourque, N1SFE, of Middletown, Connecticut, has joined the ARRL
Headquarters staff as Contest Program Manager. He succeeds Bart
Jahnke, W9JJ, who recently was promoted to the post of ARRL
Radiosport and Field Services Manager. Licensed since 1994, Bourque's
interest in radio began when, as a youngster, he listened for distant
AM stations, and he later developed a career involving various
aspects of broadcasting.

"Originally, I wanted to be a DJ, but I ended up being drawn to the
technical/engineering side of the radio business," Bourque said. His
journey into Amateur Radio started during his time as the host of an
overnight free-form rock music show at WWUH Radio at the University
of Hartford, and the station's general manager, John Ramsey, W1JNR,
pushed him to get his license.

Because being an Amateur Radio operator had opened several
professional doors for him, Bourque said, "The opportunity to give
back to this hobby as Contest Program Manager really appealed to me."

Bourque, who grew up in Newington, remarked that working at ARRL
Headquarters "is like coming home." In his early years as a radio
amateur, he was more of a casual contester, and it "was about making
contacts," he conceded. Today, though, he has become passionate about
getting people active and on the air. As Contest Program Manager,
Bourque wants to find ways to get newer hams into contesting, and to
dispel the idea that you need tons of equipment to participate.

Bourque's other interests include cooking, astronomy, photography,
and meteorology.
Rick Murphy, K1MU, to Receive ARRL President's Award

At its May 20 meeting in Dayton, Ohio, the ARRL Executive Committee,
acting on behalf of the Board of Directors, conferred the prestigious
ARRL President's Award on Rick Murphy, K1MU, one of the unsung heroes
of Logbook of The World (LoTW). The President's Award recognizes
individuals showing long-term dedication in support of ARRL programs.
Murphy was credited for his work to upgrade and improve the LoTW TQSL
software to help users more easily and successfully use LoTW. Murphy
was cited for single-handedly rewriting TQSL to make it accessible to
those with limited vision, to display information in languages other
than English (more than 10 so far), and for providing consistent
online support to users.

"Rick is richly deserving of this honor for his efforts to make the
TQSL application and Logbook of The World more accessible to all
users," said ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR. "Rick Murphy
embodies the spirit of unselfish volunteerism that represents the
best of Amateur Radio."

An information security professional, Murphy, who lives in Annandale,
Virginia, is coauthor (with Rickland D. Hollar) of the book
Enterprise Web Services Security. He's a volunteer Incoming QSL
Bureau card sorter for the 3rd call district and a past president of
the National Capital DX Association.

The President's Award plaque bears the likeness of ARRL's cofounder
and first president Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW.

Tuning Electrically Short Antennas for Field Operation

An article,"Tuning Electrically Short Antennas for Field Operation,"
by two well-known amateurs, appeared in Microwave Journal. Authored
by QEX Editor Kai Siwiak, KE4PT, and award-winning researcher Ulrich
Rohde, N1UL, the article points out that both Amateur Radio and
military applications exist for 20 W battery-powered radios equipped
with whip antennas. "In general, the whip antenna [that] makes the
radio portable is not optimized for signal propagation: A whip
antenna has no ground return or proper counterpoise," the article
notes. "While some users drag a wire of up to 8 meters behind, this
is not an ideal solution."

Rohde's al fresco test stand
for short HF antennas.
[Photo courtesy of Ulrich
Rohde, N1UL]

As the article explains, electrically short antennas -- typically 0.1
I¯ or shorter -- look like a capacitor, with a typical capacitance of
25 pF per meter of length. "At 2 MHz, where the wavelength is 150
meters, an inductor of 84 I¬H is required for resonance," the article
says. But just getting a good VSWR is not all there is to it.

Rohde told ARRL that loading coil placement in a short vertical
antenna is critical, and "the greater the elevation of the coil, the
better the radiation. He said that "center loading" -- he considers
the "best compromise" to be more on the order of two-thirds' loading
-- can dramatically affect both the antenna's transmitting and
receiving performance, as opposed to base loading, as found with
popular so-called screwdriver antennas. Radials of some sort also are
essential.

As the article points out, "With center loading, both the radiation
resistance and integrated surface are larger, which are better for
radiation." Inductors are the lossy components of an antenna tuner,
while capacitors "are infinitely better." The authors conclude that,
for optimal operation, antenna radials should be 0.25 I¯, with one
sufficient for tuning, and up to four producing a symmetrical
azimuth. "Connecting the HF radio ground to a large metallic object
is a good choice," the article said.

Ulrich told ARRL that optimizing an antenna in the manner the article
describes will produce "significantly better" signal reception,
although a short antenna will also have a narrower bandwidth. The
objective should not be to get a good VSWR but to keep in mind that
there's a difference between resonance and radiation.

"These requirements for optimum antenna performance make HF manpack
radios somewhat complicated and unattractive," the authors concede.
"Nonetheless, the well matched and radiating antenna provides the
most success, and some of these highly portable radios provide vital
communications in disaster areas -- recently in Puerto Rico and South
Florida."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

So Now What? Podcast

"Highlights from Hamvention" is the focus of the new (June 13)
episode of the So Now What? podcast for Amateur Radio newcomers. It
will feature segments from Tony Milluzzi, KD8RTT, and Andy Milluzzi,
KK4LWR, of The Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative (CARI); Teachers
Institute instructor Tommy Gober, N5DUX, who was at the ARRL Lifelong
Learning booth this year; Jet Jurgensmeyer, KE0UWZ, of Last Man
Standing, and Space Weather Woman Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW. Two aspiring
hams -- Sarah Byrne, who works in emergency management, and Valencia
Simpson, who has assisted ARRL at Dayton Hamvention^A(R) for the past
5 years -- also will be guests.

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.

The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The long string of days with no
sunspots continues, with spots last observed nearly a month ago, on
May 18. Predicted solar flux for the next 45 days is 70 on June 13 -
20, and 68 on June 21 through July 27.

The predicted planetary A index is 12 and 8 on June 13 - 14; 5 on
June 15 - 23; 8, 12, and 8 on June 24 - 26; 5 on June 27 - July 5;
10, 8, 10, and 8 on July 6 - 9; 5 on July 10 - 20; 8, 10, and 8 on
July 21 - 23, and 5 on July 24 - 27.

Scott Avery, WA6LIE, wrote to report his experiences during the ARRL
June VHF Contest last weekend. "During the day, expecting sporadic E,
we were influenced by a lot of meteor scatter caused by the Beta
Taurids, a daytime event that is not advertised, as it is not seen
and only radio astronomers and hams would be interested," he said. "I
spent a lot of time on 6 meters, FT8 mode [and a] little SSB/CW, and
the same with 2 meters. I was bombarded with pings [of] CQ TEST, and
that station was gone. This happened for most of the daylight hours
with [few contacts]." Avery said an opening to Japan yielded a few
contacts. A Sunday multi-hop sporadic E opening to the east coast
also occurred, he said.

Sunspot numbers for June 6 - 12 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 68.9, 68.9, 68.4, 68.4, 68.9,
69.7, and 69.5, with a mean of 69. Estimated planetary A indices were
3, 4, 18, 6, 3, 3, and 4, with a mean of 5.9. Middle latitude A index
was 4, 6, 14, 8, 4, 3, and 5, with a mean of 6.3.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out 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
* June 15 -- ARRL Kids Day (Phone)
* June 15 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* June 15 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
* June 15 - 16 -- SMIRK Contest (CW, phone)
* June 15 - 16 -- All Asian DX Contest, CW
* June 15 - 16 -- Ukrainian DX Classic RTTY Contest
* June 15 - 16 -- ARR BPSK63 Contest
* June 15 - 16 -- IARU Region 1 50 MHz Contest (CW, phone)
* June 15 - 16 -- Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
* June 15 - 16 -- West Virginia QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* June 16 -- WAB 50 MHz Phone Contest
* June 17 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
* June 19 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Championship, CW
* June 20 -- NAQCC CW Sprint

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.

QRZ Institutes Password Security, Seller Verification Programs

In an effort to combat fraudsters and password phishers, the popular
QRZ Amateur Radio website is offering the option of establishing
two-factor authentication (2FA) for its registered users. The site's
founder and president, Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, explains that 2FA secures a
user's password on the site.

"With 2FA, your actual password becomes nearly moot, and revealing it
to a crook has no detrimental effect," Lloyd told ARRL. "With 2FA,
you need the one-time code, and that's the only thing that will work.
It's a solid technology that is rapidly gaining in popularity."

Lloyd said that when a user logs into the site with 2FA, the
validation for the session is stored in the user's browser as an
encrypted cookie that can live for up to 30 days. He said QRZ.com
staffers have been using 2FA successfully for a couple of years now.
A video has been posted that demonstrates how to get started with 2FA
without using a cell phone to receive codes.

Although 2FA will not become a requirement in order to log onto
QRZ.com, a separate seller verification system has been instituted
for anyone marketing ham gear via the Swapmeet forum. As of July 1,
only those enrolled in the Verified User program will be able to list
in that forum. Users may opt out of the Verified User program for the
rest of the site.

"While verification is available to anyone on QRZ, it is required
only in the Swapmeet section," Lloyd told ARRL. "Lately, there has
been as many as a scam per day in the Swapmeet, and sometimes a
popular radio model will be sold several times before it comes to our
attention. One false listing can net any number of victims before
it's discovered."

QRZ Founder and President Fred
Lloyd, AA7BQ.

Lloyd explained that these fake listings are being placed using the
accounts of users who have been tricked into giving out their log-in
passwords though elaborate phishing schemes. "There is virtually
nothing that QRZ can do to prevent phishing attacks, as a great many
users never even know that they've been hacked," Lloyd allowed.
"Scammers find it relatively easy to trick the users into supplying
their actual passwords."

Setting up two-factor authentication is the first step to becoming a
QRZ.com Verified User. Information on becoming a Verified User is
available to those registered on the site via their Account page,
accessible from the QRZ main page. Once they've secured their
accounts with 2FA, members will have to submit photographic
identification to QRZ in order to complete the Verified User process.
Read more.
WSJT-X Developer Posts Observations on Using FT8 in June VHF Contest

WSJT-X developer Joe Taylor, K1JT, has tentatively concluded that
there are good reasons to use both FT4 and FT8 in ARRL VHF contests.
The latest beta version of FT4 was not available for the event, but
Taylor noted that FT4 will be available for future contests

(the current -rc7 beta version will not be usable during ARRL Field
Day either). Taylor, who was active in the VHF event over the past
weekend, made the remark in a post to the Packrats reflector. Taylor
reported making 433 contacts (21 dupes) in 152 grids, all, by and
large, on FT8.

"Most of the time there was enough sporadic E and tropo-scatter to
keep things busy using FT8," Taylor observed. "In this event, meteor
scatter using MSK144 was not, score-wise, time efficient."

Taylor said he operated from home only on 6 meters and only on
digital, "mainly to see how FT8 plays in a June VHF Contest." He
operated for 21 of the contest's 33 hours and left his receiver
running on 50.313 MHz when not in the shack.

Joe Taylor, K1JT.
[Bob Inderbitzen,
NQ1R, photo]

"During the contest period, I decoded 45,375 transmissions from
others in the 4 kHz window starting at 50.313 MHz," Taylor recounted.
"That's an average of about 11 decodes per 15-second receive cycle."

Taylor said he seldom, if ever, found that a single 3 or 4 kHz window
was "too crowded" with activity. "There were nearly always some open
spots, even with nearly everyone in the first 2.7 kHz of the window,"
he said.

Taylor also speculated as to how the twice-as-fast FT4 might have
fared, being 4 dB less sensitive than FT8 and having an 80 Hz
bandwidth instead of FT8's 50 Hz bandwidth.

"My guess is that something like 80 - 85% of my QSOs could have been
completed using FT4, most of them in half the time than it took in
FT8," Taylor said.

Wireless Power Transmission Prompts Discussion in ITU-R Study Group

The emerging wireless power transmission (WPT) technology and
associated applications came under closer scrutiny during the
May/June meeting of International Telecommunication Union
Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Study Group 1 and its Working
Parties. Participants wrapped up 7 days of sessions in Geneva on June
7, with International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1)
President Don Beattie, G3BJ, representing the IARU. The primary
concern over WPT centers on its interference potential.

"Work was advanced on reports on WPT at 100 - 148.5 kHz for low-power
charging of portable devices, for WPT for electric vehicles (WPT-EV)
at around 20, 60, and 85 kHz, and for 'beam' WPT for remote
charging," IARU Region 1 reported. "All of these technologies have
the potential for harmful interference to radiocommunication services
if not carefully managed, particularly the harmonics of the WPT
systems."

The IARU has submitted formal studies on the impact of WPT on the
Amateur Service, and these have been incorporated into a single
completed report and will inform a new recommendation being developed
on WPT emissions.

IARU says it's advocating "proper emission limits" to protect radio
services and is working with other spectrum users and administrations
that share its concerns.

IARU Region 1
President Don
Beattie, G3BJ.

The ITU meetings discussed emerging proposals for WPT-EV emission
limits from the International Special Committee on Radio Interference
(CISPR), where there is a level of concern that these limits fall
short of providing the necessary protection to radiocommunication
services. Founded in 1934, CISPR sets standards for controlling
electromagnetic interference in electrical and electronic devices and
equipment.

The issue of WPT-EV is World Radiocommunication Conference 2019
(WRC-19) Agenda Item 9.1.6. In a WPT status report at the IARU Region
1 Interim Meeting in Vienna in late April, Beattie said the Amateur
Service is "highly susceptible to any increase in the background
noise level," such as that WPT might generate.

He said frequencies being planned for WPT are 19 - 21 kHz for high
power; 55 - 65 kHz and 79 - 90 kHz for medium power, and 100 - 148.5
kHz for lower power -- but still up to 2.4 kW.

"WPT is generally high duty cycle, located in residential areas, and
its harmonics are likely to be spread across a band of frequencies,
in some cases the whole of the HF spectrum," Beattie said in his
presentation to the Vienna interim meeting. Read more.
Proposed WRC-23 Agenda Items Causing Concern

Two proposals under discussion in Europe as possible World
Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23) agenda items "could
impact important Amateur Radio frequencies," IARU reported this week.
Included is a proposal from France to consider the 144 - 146 MHz band
as a primary allocation to the Aeronautical Mobile service, as part
of a broader consideration of spectrum allocated to that service.
IARU also cautioned the amateur community against overreacting to the
news.

France will submit a paper containing a proposal for an agenda item
for "new non-safety Aeronautical Mobile applications" at the June 17
- 21 Conference Preparatory Group meeting of the European Conference
of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) in Prague.
The 144 - 146 MHz segment is a primary global Amateur and Amateur
Satellite allocation. IARU said it "views with grave concern any
proposal to include this band in the proposed study" and pledged to
"energetically" promote this viewpoint in the appropriate forums "to
seek to obtain assurances that the spectrum will remain a primary
allocation for the amateur services."

Another proposal has been raised to study the 23-centimeter amateur
allocation, 1240 - 1300 MHz, following reports of interference to the
Galileo navigation system -- Europe's GPS system. IARU said it's
aware of "a handful of cases" of reported interference to the Galileo
E6 signal on 1278.750 MHz. According to IARU, joint studies have been
carried out to assess the vulnerability of the system and, based on
these, it considers the proposal to initiate an Agenda item for
WRC-23 premature.

IARU asked its member-societies to "refrain at this time from making
speculative public comments about the situation until further
progress has been made in regulatory discussions," and said it's
ready to discuss the issue with other non-IARU societies.

One European Amateur Radio organization already has called for radio
amateurs to "occupy" 2 meters on June 15 for 1 hour in protest of the
French proposal.
In Brief...

Support ARRL as you shop Amazon Smile for Father's Day, Sunday, June
16. If you're looking for the perfect gift, we invite you to shop at
AmazonSmile and choose American Radio Relay League Inc. (ARRL) as
your charity of choice. With every purchase you make at AmazonSmile,
Amazon will make a contribution to ARRL. This helps the League to
extend its reach in public service, advocacy, education, technology,
and membership. Amazon has a large variety of gifts that are perfect
for Father's Day, including electronics, clothing, ham radio
equipment, and more. Make Dad's day! Get him something extra special
this year while supporting his favorite hobby. Bookmark ARRL's link
and support Amateur Radio and ARRL every time you shop online.

AMSAT President and ARRL Life Member Joe Spier, K6WAO, has been
awarded Russia's E.T. Krenkel Medal. The prestigious honor is
bestowed on individuals and organizations for outstanding global
contributions to Amateur Radio. Spier has also served AMSAT as
Executive Vice President, and Vice President, Educational Relations.
The award's namesake, Ernst Teodorovich Krenkel, was a radio amateur
who, over the years, used the call signs RAEM, U3AA, and UA3AA. Spier
became AMSAT President in 2017. He's a supporter of Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) and of scientific, technical,
engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Spier also is a Life
Member of the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA). ARRL
Headquarters staff alumna and Life Member Ellen White, W1YL, was
awarded the Krenkel medal in May. -- Thanks to AMSAT
Getting It Right

The story, "Emergency Messaging Demonstration for Red Cross, FEMA is
a Success, in the June 6 edition of The ARRL Letter omitted Virginia
from the list of states where radio amateurs participated in the
exercise.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 6 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty
Convention, Normal, Illinois
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

.
* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
mailbox each month.
* Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.

Subscribe to...
* NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features
articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores,
NA Sprint, and QSO parties.
* QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published
bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects,
columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and
communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...
* Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and
emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update
(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts
-- and much more!
* Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
June 20, 2019

* ARRL Executive Committee Establishes Hoc Committee on
Communications
* ARRL Files Interim Report with FCC in "Symbol Rate" Proceeding
* LightSail 2 Set to Launch on June 22
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* ARRL, IARU Contingents to Attend HAM RADIO 2019 in Germany
* Radio Amateur to Lose License as Part of Enforcement Case
Settlement
* Pennsylvania Radio Amateur Dies in Tower Installation Mishap
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Historic 2-Meter Transatlantic Contact Reported
* ARRL ARDF Coordinator Steps Down, New Coordinator Named
* Morse Code is Still a Hit
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Internet Access to some ARRL Systems May Be Disrupted on June 23

Maintenance work on Sunday, June 23, may disrupt internet access to
ARRL Headquarters systems -- including VPN connections and Logbook of
The World. The main website should remain online during this outage,
which could last for up to 6 hours on June 23, which will start at
approximately midnight EDT (0400 UTC on June 24). All services will
automatically resume as soon as connectivity is restored. Email
should not be affected. Any orders placed via the ARRL Store during
the outage will be queued for handling after connectivity returns. We
apologize for any inconvenience.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL Executive Committee Establishes Hoc Committee on
Communications

Meeting right after Dayton Hamvention^(R) at the University of Dayton
on May 20, the ARRL Board's Executive Committee (EC) adopted a motion
to establish an Hoc Committee on Communications with ARRL Members.
The panel would review ARRL communications with members and members'
perceptions to "consider areas needing enhancement," and it would
"propose concrete changes in communication processes and methods by
which improvements may be accomplished," according to the resolution.
ARRL Vice President Greg Widin, K0GW, will chair the committee.

In his remarks to the EC, President Rick Roderick, K5UR, said he's
been receiving positive feedback from members. He also reported
receiving numerous questions regarding the Amateur Radio Parity Act.
He stressed that ARRL needs to assure members that it has not given
up on the initiative, which was put on hold earlier this year. At the
same meeting, ARRL Pacific Division Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT,
updated the EC on efforts to reassess the Amateur Radio Parity Act.
He said the Board's Legislative Committee is working on a plan of
action to go before the full Board at its July meeting.

President Roderick, who chaired the EC meeting, said he remains
concerned that Technician licensees, who make up more than half of
the US Amateur Radio population, only comprise some 16% of ARRL
members.

The EC referred to the Administration and Finance (A&F) Committee for
its consideration of a suggested graduated ARRL Life Membership dues
reduction after an individual has reached a certain age. The EC asked
the A&F Committee for recommendations to the full Board in January
2020.

The Executive Committee expressed its thanks and extended its
compliments to the ARRL staff and volunteers for "their outstanding
work at the just-completed National Convention as part of Dayton
Hamvention 2019."

The minutes of the May 20 Executive Committee meeting have been
posted on the ARRL website.
ARRL Files Interim Report with FCC in "Symbol Rate" Proceeding

ARRL has filed an interim report with the FCC in order to report on
its efforts to find common ground regarding issues surrounding the
"symbol" or "baud" rate proceeding, FCC Docket WT 16-239 (the FCC has
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in WT 16-239, which stemmed
from ARRL's rulemaking petition RM-11708). ARRL highlighted that the
public benefits from the FCC's "fairly flexible" regulation of
Amateur Radio, citing innovative developments in digital technology,
including WSJT-X.

Noting that more than 1,400 comments in total have been filed in this
and on a related rulemaking petition (RM-11831), ARRL pointed out
that, as in other Commission-regulated areas, adapting current
regulations to rapidly evolving technology presents challenges that
may require adjustments to, or clarifications of, the governing
regulations. Making such adjustments can be a challenge to ensure
that valid regulatory purposes continue to be served without
hindering technological change and innovation in the process.

While a June 11 meeting organized by ARRL had to be reset to
accommodate the invited parties, ARRL has re-affirmed its commitment
to protecting the interests of all amateurs. ARRL said it will
continue to pursue its efforts to address and reconcile differing
opinions expressed in the two matters now pending before the FCC.

LightSail 2 Set to Launch on June 22

The Planetary Society's citizen-funded LightSail 2 solar-propelled
spacecraft is set to launch on June 22 on board a SpaceX Falcon
Heavy. It will attempt the first controlled solar sail flight in
Earth orbit. LightSail 1 successfully completed its test flight
mission in 2015. LightSail^(R) is aimed at testing "solar sailing"
technology for CubeSats, which comprise many Amateur Radio
satellites. According to the Planetary Society, solar sailing uses
reflective sails to harness the momentum of sunlight for propulsion.
"One disadvantage to CubeSats is that they typically lack propulsion,
which limits their range of applications," The Planetary Society
says. "LightSail will demonstrate the viability of using solar
sailing for CubeSats."

Scientific collaboration between The Planetary Society and Russia led
to the creation of Cosmos 1, a solar sail spacecraft launched aboard
a repurposed ICBM. But test flights in 2001 and 2005 failed due to
problems with the launch vehicle. The first successful solar sail was
launched by Japan in 2010, when the IKAROS spacecraft was deployed
from a Venus-bound space probe. NASA has looked into using solar
sails to de-orbit CubeSats with atmospheric drag, and its Nanosail-D2
mission in 2010 was successful. The Planetary Society's LightSail
program was initiated a year earlier. It aimed to construct a CubeSat
similar to Nanosail-D that would demonstrate true solar sailing.
LightSail 1 snagged a slot aboard an Atlas V launch in 2015, but the
target orbit was not high enough for solar sailing thrust to overcome
atmospheric drag. The Planetary Society accepted the free ride anyway
and successfully tested the spacecraft's sail deployment mechanism.

LightSail 2 will be enclosed within Prox-1, a Georgia Tech
student-built spacecraft the size of a small washing machine. Prox-1
will detach from the Falcon Heavy into a circular 720-kilometer
orbit. A week later, it will deploy LightSail 2.
The Doctor Will See You Now!

The Doctor opens the Listener Mailbag in the new (June 20) episode of
the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.

ARRL, IARU Contingents to Attend HAM RADIO 2019 in Germany

Delegations from ARRL and the International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU) will attend HAM RADIO 2019, the popular international Amateur
Radio exhibition in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Each year, a contingent
from ARRL attends HAM RADIO, greeting its non-US members and
networking with other national radio societies. Billed as Europe's
biggest Amateur Radio convention, HAM RADIO 2019 takes place June 21
- 23 on the shores of Lake Constance.

ARRL representatives will include ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR;
International Affairs Vice President Jay Bellows, K0QB, and ARRL
staff members CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX; Product Development Manager
Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, and Regulatory Information Manager Dan
Henderson, N1ND.

Attending on behalf of the IARU are President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA;
Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, and past IARU Secretary and ARRL
President (1995 - 2000) Rod Stafford, W6ROD.

This year's event marks the 44th HAM RADIO exhibition and the 70th
Lake Constance Convention of Radio Amateurs, sponsored by Germany's
IARU member-society, the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC). The
convention theme this year is "Amateur Radio on Tour."

DARC Press Spokesperson Stephanie Heine, DO7PR, points out, "Radio
amateurs know no bounds and are on land and water as well as in the
air with their mobile 'ham radio shacks.' They like having the option
of being reachable all over the world on their expeditions and
getting to know new friends."

Some 180 exhibitors and associations from 32 countries are expected
to attend. In 2018, the event drew 15,460 visitors from 63 countries.
Radio Amateur to Lose License as Part of Enforcement Case Settlement

New Jersey radio amateur David S. Larsen, Sr., WS2L, of Highland
Park, will surrender his Amateur Extra-class license and pay a $7,500
civil penalty as part of a Consent Decree with the FCC to settle an
enforcement action. An FCC Enforcement Bureau Order released June 18
said Larsen violated the Communications Act of 1934 and Part 90 rules
by operating on frequencies licensed to the Borough of Highland Park
for public safety communication.

As part of the settlement, Larsen admitted to making the unauthorized
transmissions, and he agreed not to engage in unauthorized use of a
radio station, and to surrender radios in his possession capable of
transmitting on the town's public safety frequencies. If the
Commission finds that Larsen makes unauthorized radio transmissions
or otherwise violates the terms of the Consent Decree, he'll be
subject to an additional $32,500 civil penalty. The agreement
stipulates that Larsen may not apply for a new Amateur Radio license
for 3 years.

The case stems from a May 2018 complaint of unauthorized
transmissions on the Highland Park municipal radio system. FCC agents
followed up with several visits to the town.

"Based on information provided by the complainant and direct
observations by the Bureau's agents, the unauthorized transmissions
consisted of brief, pre-recorded sounds (such as the sad trombone
sound)," the FCC said in the Consent Decree. The FCC said individuals
the agents interviewed identified Larsen -- a former rescue squad
volunteer -- as the person who was likely responsible.

Responding to an FCC Letter of Inquiry, Larsen subsequently contacted
the Enforcement Bureau and related that the unauthorized
transmissions had ceased. Last fall, Larsen, responded to the inquiry
through counsel to deny making the unauthorized transmissions. A
short time later, the unauthorized transmissions resumed, and the FCC
restarted its investigation, attempting to trace the source of the
transmissions. Last March, agents used direction-finding equipment at
a fixed location near the complainant's residence, while other agents
conducted mobile direction finding of Larsen's vehicle in transit.

"The four agents observed Mr. Larsen pull over to the side of the
road on the way to his home," the Consent Decree recounts. "The four
Bureau agents observed (a) that during the brief stop, Mr. Larsen
remained in his vehicle, (b) while stopped, a brief transmission
consisting of the sad trombone sound emanated from the direction of
Mr. Larsen's vehicle on a frequency licensed for use by the Highland
Park Radio System, and (c) following the transmission of the sad
trombone sound, Mr. Larsen resumed his drive to his residence."

The FCC said agents returned in April to observe Larsen repeat the
earlier behavior, including a similar transmission emanating from Mr.
Larsen's vehicle, according to the Decree.

Pennsylvania Radio Amateur Dies in Tower Installation Mishap

Well-known northeastern Pennsylvania radio amateur Leland L. "Lee"
Parsons III, N3LPJ, lost his life on June 14 during a ham tower
installation project when a tower section he was working on collapsed
off State Route 2069 in Gibson Township. Authorities said Parsons,
62, was apparently attempting to attach a guy wire to the bottom
tower section when it went over. An ARRL member, Parsons was the
president of the Susquehanna County Amateur Radio Club.

[WNEP TV16 video]

The online Wireless Estimator called the incident "a stark reminder
of the dangers present this weekend during Field Day." The article
cited a 2009 Field Day tower collapse that claimed the life of
57-year-old Larry Prelog, KE4PM -- an experienced climber -- while he
was installing an antenna. In that incident, two legs at the base of
the tower buckled.

The Wireless Estimator article also recalled the death of the
Reverend Paul Bittner, W0AIH, 84, a well-known radio amateur,
contester, and Field Day participant, who lost his life last October
when he fell from one of the towers at his extensive antenna farm in
Wisconsin.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The quiet sun continues, with yet
another week of zero sunspots. As of mid-week, that makes 32 days
with no sunspot activity. So far this year, 62% of the days have been
spotless, much the same as last year's 61%. The average daily solar
flux over the past week was 67.1, down from 69 a week ago, and 69.5 2
weeks ago.

Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 67 on June 20 - 27; 69
on June 28 - July 4; 68 on July 5 - 6; 69 on July 7 - 9; 68 on July
10 - 11; 67 and 66 on July 12 - 13; 67 on July 14 - 20; 68 on July 21
- 24; 69 on July 25 - 31; 68 on August 1 - 2, and 69 on August 3.

Predicted planetary A index is 12, 10, 8, 5, 8, 12, and 8 on June 20
- 26; 5 on June 27 - July 5; 8 on July 6; 5 on July 7 - 9; 8 on July
10 - 11; 5 and 8 on July 12 - 13; 12 on July 14 - 17; 10, 8, 5, 8,
12, and 8 on July 18 - 23; 5 on July 24 - August 1, then 8 and 5 on
August 2 - 3.

Sunspot numbers for June 13 through 19, 2019 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0,
and 0, with a mean of 0. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 67.5, 68, 66.7,
65.9, 66.3, 67, and 68, with a mean of 69. Estimated planetary A
indices were 10, 8, 4, 4, 3, 4, and 4, with a mean of 5.9. Middle
latitude A index was 12, 13, 6, 6, 5, 3, and 4, with a mean of 6.3.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out 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
* June 22 - 23 -- ARRL Field Day (CW, phone, digital)
* June 22 - 23 -- Ukrainian DX DIGI Contest
* June 22 - 23 -- His Majesty King of Spain Contest, SSB
* June 24 - 25 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
* June 26 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* June 27 -- 3.5 RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, SSB

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.
Historic 2-Meter Transatlantic Contact Reported

D41CV on Cape Verde Islands and FG8OJ in Guadeloupe spanned the
Atlantic Ocean on 2 meters for the first time on June 16, according
to reports. The distance was 3,867 kilometers (2,397.5 miles). The
historic contact was made on 144.174 MHz using FT8 mode.

"The mode of propagation was most likely marine ducting, with the
signal traveling in a layer near the ocean surface," said John
Desmond, EI7GL, who was among those posting information on the
contact. Mark De Munck, EA8FF, was at the helm of D41CV, the
Monteverde Contest Team club station, off the coast of Africa. He
used the beacon antenna at the station, as the so-called "Pinocchio
Yagi" was down for repair. Bert Demarcq, FG8OJ, was on the other end
of the contact.

"Now that this historic contact has been made, more 144 MHz contacts
across this part of the Atlantic are sure to follow," Desmond said.

The initial contact does not qualify for the Brendan Trophies and
Brendan Shields awards, because they require a valid contact to be
made between Europe and the Americas on 2 meters. The distance
covered, however, was greater than the distance between Ireland and
Newfoundland.

"We continue to write a part of the history and to push barriers
further away," a post on the D4C VHF & Up Facebook page said.
ARRL ARDF Coordinator Steps Down, New Coordinator Named

ARRL Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) Coordinator Joe Moell,
K0OV, is stepping down after more than 20 years on the job. Since he
became ARRL ARDF Coordinator in February 1998, Moell said the sport
of on-foot transmitter hunting under international rules has grown
steadily in participation and popularity. Since 2001, beginners and
experts alike have gathered each year for the USA Championships of
ARDF.

ARRL ARDF Coordinator
Joe Moell, K0OV.

ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, has appointed Jerry Boyd, WB8WFK,
of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as the new ARRL ARDF Coordinator,
effective on July 1. Boyd has been involved in ARDF for many years
and has been a frequent medal winner at USA's championships. He
headed the team of organizers for the 2002, 2005, and 2011 USA and
IARU Region 2 ARDF Championships, held in his hometown. He was on
Team USA for the 2004, 2006, and 2010 ARDF World Championships. Boyd
also holds an appointment as ARRL Official Observer Coordinator for
the New Mexico Section.

The ARRL ARDF Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the selection
of Team USA members for the World ARDF Championships

Incoming ARRL ARDF
Coordinator Jerry
Boyd, WB8WFK.

in even-numbered years, selecting the location and organizers of the
annual USA ARDF Championships, and working with coordinators and
working groups of other nations and IARU regions to schedule
activities and develop rule updates, among other activities.

As Boyd prepares to take the reins, President Roderick has expressed
gratitude for all Moell has done for the advancement of ARDF. Moell
will continue posting radio-orienteering event news and photos on his
Homing In website and participating with other southern California
ARDF enthusiasts. He expressed his appreciation for the efforts of
all who have worked to make ARDF practices and competitions available
to aspiring champions. "ARDF has moved from a novelty into the
mainstream of Amateur Radio," he said. "It is recognized as an ideal
way to interest young people in our hobby and to get them started.
Please keep up the good work." Read more.
Morse Code is Still a Hit

The music lyrics website Genius came up with an ingenious way of
determining if other sites -- specifically Google -- had been lifting
song lyrics directly from its site and reposting them without
permission. According to the Wall Street Journal, starting in 2016,
Genius strategically placed both straight and curly apostrophes in
their rendering of a song's lyrics. When converted into Morse code,
the rigged punctuation spells out the words "red handed." Genius
claims it's uncovered more than 100 instances where Google used
Genius's own lyrics in Google search results.

"Over the last two years, we've shown Google irrefutable evidence
again and again that they are displaying lyrics copied from Genius,"
Genius's chief strategy officer Ben Gross told the Wall Street
Journal. "We noticed that Google's lyrics matched our lyrics down to
the character."

The Wall Street Journal corroborated the accusations by matching the
results of three songs randomly chosen from the list of 100
instances. Google denied the allegations through its partnership with
LyricFind, which provides the search engine with lyrics through a
deal with music publishers. "We do not source lyrics from Genius,"
LyricFind Chief Executive Darryl Ballantyne said. -- Thanks to
Rolling Stone and other media reports
In Brief...

ARRL has produced a downloadable video, What is Amateur Radio?, to
use at club meetings and public events. This could be an attractive
addition for visitors to your ARRL Field Day site this weekend. The
video runs just under 3 minutes. A PowerPoint version is also
available.

Paul Stiles, KF7SOJ, will become ARRL Montana Section Manager on
October 1. Stiles, of Billings, was the only candidate after
nominations for the position were re-solicited this spring, and will
serve an 18-month term. He will take over the position following
George Forsyth, AA7GS, of Great Falls, who decided not to run for a
new term after serving since 2013. There are no contested seats in
the summer SM election cycle. These incumbent Section Managers had no
opposition and were declared re-elected to start new terms on October
1: Jack Ciaccia, WM0G (Colorado); Jack Tiley, AD7FO (Eastern
Washington); David Benoist, AG4ZR (Georgia); Diana Feinberg, AI6DF
(Los Angeles); Carol Milazzo, KP4MD (Sacramento Valley); Bill
Hillendahl, KH6GJV (San Francisco); Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW (South
Texas); Dan Ringer, K8WV (West Virginia), and Monte Simpson, AF7PQ
(Western Washington).

AMSAT has announced Field Day on the Satellites. June 22 - 23 is ARRL
Field Day weekend, and each year AMSAT promotes its own concurrent
event, focused on operation via the amateur satellites. ARRL Field
Day offers bonus points for making a contact via satellite. The AMSAT
Field Day 2019 event is open to all radio amateurs, and the AMSAT
Field Day exchange is the same as that for ARRL Field Day. To reduce
congestion, participants are limited to one contact per FM satellite,
including the ISS. Complete rules for AMSAT Field Day are on the
AMSAT website.

Ham Radio Newscast Producer Hap Holly, KC9RP, and The RAIN Report
have retired. Holly has been producing the The RAIN Report (Radio
Amateur Information Network) newscast every week for 30 years, and
the farewell edition is now available. "The archives will remain
online for those who want to download and/or broadcast them," Holly
told ARRL. "My thought is to expand the archive from RAIN Reports
that have never been archived." A ham since 1969, Holly was a
prolific reporter of Dayton Hamvention^(R) news and forum accounts
over the years, and in 2002, was named Hamvention's 2002 Amateur of
the Year. He produced The RAIN Report from his home studio/ham shack
in suburban Chicago.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 6 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty
Convention, Normal, Illinois
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

.
* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
mailbox each month.
* Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.

Subscribe to...
* NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features
articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores,
NA Sprint, and QSO parties.
* QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published
bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects,
columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and
communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...
* Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and
emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update
(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts
-- and much more!
* Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
June 27, 2019

* ARRL Field Day 2019 is a Hit, Entries Due by July 23
* Petition for Rulemaking Asks FCC to Create a New 8-Meter Amateur
Band
* New Device Creates Electricity from Snowfall
* So Now What? Podcast
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* LightSail 2 Launches, Will Transmit CW Beacon
* HAM RADIO 2019 Reports 14,300 Attended from 50 Countries
* Over-the-Horizon Radars Continue to Plague Amateur Bands
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL Headquarters will close on July 4 and 5 for Independence Day.

The ARRL Letter will not be published on July 4, and ARRL Audio News
will not be produced on July 5. ARRL Headquarters will re-open on
Monday, July 8, at 8 AM EDT. We wish everyone an enjoyable and safe
holiday weekend.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL Field Day 2019 is a Hit, Entries Due by July 23

ARRL Field Day isn't over until participants take that final step of
submitting their entries. By Thursday at 1800 UTC, nearly 1,400 had
done so. The preferred method of submitting a Field Day entry is via
the 2019 Field Day Entry Form on the ARRL website. This app,
developed and supplied by Bruce Horn, WA7BNM, asks for the call sign
used (as well as the GOTA station call sign, if applicable), entry
class, number of participants, list of operators, power source and
multiplier, claimed bonus points, contact totals by band and mode,
and GOTA station operators and contact totals. It also allows the
attachment of supporting information for bonuses. In addition, all
entries require a list of stations contacted by band and mode (a dupe
sheet). A Cabrillo file is also acceptable. Log files or summary
sheets alone sent to ARRL do not constitute a valid Field Day entry.
To confirm that your web entry has been received, visit the Field Day
logs received page. If the entry indicates "Pending documents,"
upload the missing items for maximum scoring. Entries must be
postmarked or submitted by Tuesday, July 23, 2019. Late entries
cannot be accepted.

Field Day is typically a club activity, and by the time the fourth
weekend in June had arrived, nearly 1,600 groups had registered their
locations.

The NB6GC crew
operated from the deck
of the USS Hornet.

The South Jersey Radio Association's (SJRA) K2AA operated in the 7A
category. "This was a great effort by the SJRA members and guest
operators, especially at the low point in the sunspot cycle and what
seemed like not very good conditions," Bob Beyer, KE2D, reported on
3830scores.com. "Our digital station was the new star this year,
contributing 232 QSOs -- a considerable improvement over other
years."

W3AO, the well-known call sign of the National Press Radio Club in
Maryland, had an unofficial contact count of 10,000 in the 14 A
category. "Propagation on 15 and especially 10 meters was somewhat
sub par, same for 6 meters," said Frank Donovan, W3LPL. "FT8 has
fundamentally changed the digital landscape; there was very limited
RTTY and PSK31 activity. There was also very limited CW and SSB
activity on 6 meters."

Rob Collins, W8HAP, tweaks the
antenna tuning at the Ellsworth
(Maine) Amateur Radio Association's
W1TU Field Day site. [Rick
Lindquist, WW1ME, photo]

One operator who posted to the ARRL Field Day 2019 Facebook page was
among those pointing out that propagation was difficult; while he was
able to hear stations on the other side of the country and in the
Caribbean, they could not hear him. He also reported high atmospheric
noise. Nonetheless, others reported openings on 6, 10, and 15 meters,
where good propagation has been sparse in recent months.

Wade Harris, KF5IF, was part of the crew at the USS Batfish WW2SUB
Field Day in Oklahoma. "Everyone seemed to have a good time, but it
was a less-than-wonderful Field Day event, mainly due to storms that
caused noisy band conditions and severe lightning and high winds that
caused everyone to disconnect and drop the antennas to stay safe," he
said on the ARRL Field Day 2019 Facebook page. Less than a month ago,
extreme flooding at the museum floated the World War II submarine
downriver, after mooring lines broke.

Donald Purnhagen, K4ILG, in Florida said his 10-year-old daughter,
Donalyn, caught the bug operating the GOTA station at the Platinum
Coast Amateur Radio Society Field Day site (W4MLB). "After some quick
instructions, she was answering CQs, exchanging information, and
logging contacts," he reported on the ARRL Field Day soapbox page.
Her dad said Donalyn was eager to return the next day and logged a
total of some 40 contacts. "I am pretty sure that she will be ready
to take her Technician exam by the time our hamfest rolls around in
October," he added.

Michelle Gangi, AC2SQ, who was among the Community Amateur Radio Club
(K2SRV) operators in New York, asked in jest if bonus points were
available for having a wedding take place in the midst of a Field Day
setup. "Apparently, the lighthouse we're set up at double booked,"
she posted on the ARRL Field Day 2019 Facebook page. "We respectfully
shut down our stations for the ceremony."

Brenda Plummer, KD9GDX, narrated a video tour of the Fort Wayne Radio
Club's Field Day operation in Indiana.
Petition for Rulemaking Asks FCC to Create a New 8-Meter Amateur Band

The FCC has put on public notice for comment a Petition for
Rulemaking (RM-11843) that seeks the creation of a new 8-meter
Amateur Radio allocation on a secondary basis. The Petition suggests
the new band could be centered on an industrial-scientific-medical
(ISM) segment somewhere between 40.51 and 40.70 MHz. The spectrum
between 40 and 41 MHz is currently allocated to the Federal
Government and, as such, within the purview of the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). ARRL member
Michelle Bradley, KU3N, of Maryland, filed the Petition in May on
behalf of REC Networks, which she founded and described in the
Petition as "a leading advocate for a citizen's access to spectrum,"
including Amateur Radio spectrum.

"REC feels that the time is right for the Commission to open a Notice
of Inquiry and eventually a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, and in
cooperation with the NTIA, this new band opportunity can be realized
to spark the next generation of 'makers' in the fields of science,
technology, education, and math (STEM), especially women and girls,"
Bradley told the FCC in the Petition. "The more opportunities we give
to make things, the more opportunities we have to build a pool of
experts in STEM, right here at home."

The Petition said the objective of a new band would be "an effort to
foster experimentation into the propagation characteristics of this
band midway between the 10- and 6-meter bands." An allocation in the
8-meter band is available to radio amateurs in Ireland, where the
Irish Radio Transmitters Society has developed a band plan for 40 -
41 MHz.

"REC perceives this spectrum can be used for weak signal
experimentation and eventually general amateur use, especially along
transatlantic paths using CW, SSB, digital modes such as FT8 and
digital voice," the Petition said. "As no radios are mass-produced
for this band at this time, this opens up new opportunities for
'makers' to construct transmitters, receivers, and antenna systems
that can be used in this spectrum."

REC anticipates "very low" usage of the new band, "with peak usage
around sporadic-E episodes, operating events such as ARRL Field Day,
and VHF contests, as well as during the peak of sunspot cycles,"
Bradley told the Commission. "[W]e feel that the sharing of 40 MHz
can be accomplished in a manner that serves the needs of the Amateur
Radio Service while meeting the organizational missions of Federal
Government agencies that utilize this spectrum."

Interested parties may file short comments on RM-11843 via the FCC's
Electronic Comment Filing Service (Express).

New Device Creates Electricity from Snowfall

UCLA reports that researchers and colleagues there have designed a
new device that creates electricity from falling and fallen snow. The
first-of-its-kind device is inexpensive, small, thin, and flexible
like a sheet of plastic.

"The device can work in remote areas, because it provides its own
power and does not need batteries," said senior author Richard Kaner.
"It's a very clever device -- a weather station that can tell you how
much snow is falling, the direction the snow is falling, and the
direction and speed of the wind."

The researchers call it a snow-based triboelectric nanogenerator,
which generates charge through static electricity and produces energy
from the exchange of electrons.

Findings about the device are published in the journal Nano Energy.

"Static electricity occurs from the interaction of one material that
captures electrons and another that gives up electrons," said Kaner.
"You separate the charges and create electricity out of essentially
nothing."

Snow is positively charged and gives up electrons. Silicone -- a
synthetic rubber-like material composed of silicon and oxygen atoms,
combined with carbon, hydrogen and other elements -- is negatively
charged. When falling snow contacts the surface of silicone, that
produces a charge that the device captures, creating electricity.

Hiking shoe with device attached.
[Abdelsalam Ahmed for UCLA, photo]

"While snow likes to give up electrons, the performance of the device
depends on the efficiency of the other material at extracting these
electrons," said co-author Maher El-Kady, a UCLA assistant researcher
of chemistry and biochemistry. "After testing a large number of
materials including aluminum foils and Teflon, we found that silicone
produces more charge than any other material."

About 30 percent of the Earth's surface is covered by snow each
winter, during which time solar panels often fail to operate, El-Kady
noted. The accumulation of snow reduces the amount of sunlight that
reaches the solar array, limiting the panels' power output. The new
device could be integrated into solar panels to provide a continuous
power supply when it snows, he said.
So Now What? Podcast

"Available Operating Modes to Us New Hams" is the focus of the new
(June 27) 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.

The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: A new sunspot group emerged on June
24, but don't count on it persisting much longer. It emerged already
far along the western limb, and it's about to rotate off the visible
solar disc.

The average daily sunspot number increased from 0 to 6.7 over the
June 20 - 26 reporting week, while average daily solar flux increased
from 67.1 to 67.4.

The average daily planetary A index decreased from 5.3 to 5, and the
average daily middle latitude A index decreased from 7 to 5.7.

Predicted solar flux is 68 on June 27 - July 6; 69 on July 7 - 9; 68
on July 10 - 11; 67 on July 12 - 27; 68 on July 28; 69 on July 29 -
31; 68 on August 1 - 2; 69 on August 3 - 5; 68 on August 6 - 7, and
67 on August 8 - 10.

Predicted planetary A index is 8 on June 27; 5 on June 28 - 30; 8 on
July 1; 5 on July 2 - 5; 8 on July 6; 5 on July 7 - 9; 8 on July 10 -
11; 5 on July 12 - 20; 8, 12, and 10 on July 21 - 23; 5 on July 24 -
August 1; 8 on August 2; 5 on August 3 - 5; 8 on August 6 - 7, and 5
on August 8 - 10.

Sunspot numbers for June 20 - 26 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 24, 12, and 11,
with a mean of 6.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 67.7, 66.5, 66.4,
67.2, 67.9, 67.9, and 68, with a mean of 67.4. Estimated planetary A
indices were 7, 6, 4, 3, 5, 4, and 6, with a mean of 5. Middle
latitude A index was 8, 8, 5, 4, 5, 5, and 5, with a mean of 5.7.

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
* June 29 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* June 29 -- Battle of Carabobo International Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
* June 29 -- UFT QRP Contest (CW)
* July 1 -- RAC Canada Day Contest (CW, phone)
* July 1 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, CW
* July 1 - 7 -- 10-10 International Spirit of 76 QSO Party (CW,
phone, digital)
* July 1 - 7 -- IQRP Quarterly Marathon (CW, phone, digital)
* July 2 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* July 4 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* July 4 -- SKCC Sprint Europe CW
* July 6 -- FISTS Summer Slow Speed Sprint (CW)
* July 6 -- Venezuelan Independence Day Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
* July 6 - 7 -- DL-DX RTTY Contest
* July 6 - 7 -- Marconi Memorial HF Contest (CW)
* July 6 - 7 -- Original QRP Contest (CW)
* July 6 - 7 -- PODXS 070 Club 40-Meter Firecracker Sprint
(Digital)
* July 10 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, SSB

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.

LightSail 2 Launches, Will Transmit CW Beacon

The Planetary Society's LightSail 2 CubeSat, launched on June 25,
will transmit Morse code from space on 437.025 MHz, within the
Amateur Radio 70-centimeter band. LightSail is a citizen-funded
project to send a small spacecraft, propelled solely by sunlight,
into Earth's orbit. The innovative satellite is due to be deployed on
July 2 from Prox-1, a Georgia Tech student-built spacecraft. Once
deployed, LightSail 2 will automatically transmit a beacon packet
every few seconds, which can be decoded into 238 lines of text
telemetry describing the spacecraft's health and status, including
everything from battery status to solar sail deployment motor state.

LightSail 2 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carried by
the SpaceX triple-booster Falcon Heavy rocket. The launcher also
carried aloft two dozen US Air Force spacecraft.

"During its ride to orbit, LightSail 2 was tucked safely inside its
Prox-1 carrier spacecraft," The Planetary Society said post-launch.
"The Falcon Heavy upper stage's payload stack released Prox-1 about
an hour and 20 minutes after liftoff, at an altitude of roughly 720
kilometers (446 miles). Prox-1 will house LightSail 2 for one week,
allowing time for other vehicles released into the same orbit to
drift apart so each can be identified individually."

LightSail 2 team members will soon converge at Cal Poly San Luis
Obispo in California, where the spacecraft's mission control is
located. Once LightSail 2 is released from Prox-1, the team will
spend several days checking out its systems before commanding its
dual-sided solar panels to deploy. Following that, the spacecraft's
solar sails will be deployed in approximately 2 weeks.

Two US Naval Academy student-built satellites carrying Amateur Radio
payloads were on the launch. BRICSat-2 (call sign USNAP1) will
function as a 1.2/9.6 kB APRS digipeater on 145.825 MHz. Telemetry
will be transmitted on 437.975 MHz. PSAT-2 also will operate on
145.825 MHz with APRS to voice and DTMF to voice/APRS, and it will
carry a 28.120 MHz up/435.350 MHz down PSK31 transponder. An SSTV
camera will transmit on the same downlink. -- Thanks to The Planetary
Society, Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, and AMSAT News Service
HAM RADIO 2019 Reports 14,300 Attended from 50 Countries

While thousands were enjoying ARRL Field Day over the June 21 - 23
weekend, some 14,300 visitors from more than 50 countries arrived on
the shores of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen, Germany, for HAM
RADIO 2019. Show officials said this 44th event attracted about 400
more visitors this year. The previously reported 2018 attendance of
15,460 included radio amateurs, invited Scouts, and attendees at the
concurrent and co-located Maker Faire, which did not take place at
this year's show. This year's show boasted 184 exhibitors and
associations from 32 countries.

A young operator at the HAM RADIO
youth "Ham Camp" station DA0HC.
[Messe Friedrichshafen, photo]

ARRL fielded a contingent of representatives to HAM RADIO 2019,
headed by President Rick Roderick, K5UR.

"The ARRL booth was busy," reported ARRL Product Development Manager
Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. "Many international attendees joined ARRL or
renewed their memberships. It was nice to meet so many radio amateurs
from around the globe." Inderbitzen said he was struck by the large
number of younger attendees.

"Many of these young radio amateurs and prospective hams attended Ham
Camp," Inderbitzen said. "A large contingent representing Youngsters
on the Air (YOTA), an initiative of IARU Region 1, helped promote the
2019 YOTA summer camp, August 11 - 17 in Bulgaria. During HAM RADIO,
young hams carried the YOTA flag to each of the stands organized by
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-societies, gathering
crowds to cheer on the young hams."

HAM RADIO 2020 will take place June 26 - 28.

Over-the-Horizon Radars Continue to Plague Amateur Bands

The International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 Monitoring System
(IARUMS) reports a "new kind" of over-the-horizon (OTH) radar on 20
meters. The intruding signal, appearing to emanate from the Far East,
was monitored during May on 14.140 - 14.150 MHz. Another Chinese
wideband OTH radar has been showing up on 15 meters, with a signal
160 kHz wide. An Iranian radar has appeared on 10 meters, centered on
28.860 MHz, and is audible in Europe during sporadic-E

A spectrograph of the "new kind" of
over-the-horizon radar on 20 meters.
[Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, image]

conditions. The signal is about 46 kHz wide. The Russian OTH radar
"Konteyner," centered on 14.127 MHz, continues to be observed, with a
12 kHz wide signal.

The so-called "Foghorn" OTH radar from China, first heard in 2017,
and other OTH radars were spotted on several 20-meter frequencies.
The Foghorn is a burst radar that has been heard on other bands, with
the signal often jumping. The signal is frequency modulation on pulse
(FMOP) with 66.66 sweeps-per-second bursts.

From the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that emerged
following the breakup of the Soviet Union, taxi traffic continues to
appear on 10 meters, using FM. IARUMS said pirates in the Far East
have been "abusing" 20 meters, transmitting on 14.000 MHz, using USB.
IARUMS monitors also logged several fish net (driftnet) buoys between
28.000 and 28.500 MHz, transmitting a carrier followed by a CW
identification. Codan selective callings (selcalls) believed to be in
Oceania have been heard between 7.108 and 7.150 MHz.
In Brief...

A "Grand Solar Minimum" may be approaching. A juried research paper
in Nature, "Oscillations of the baseline of solar magnetic field and
solar irradiance on a millennial timescale," suggests that a "grand
solar minimum" -- similar to the legendary "Maunder Minimum" -- is
approaching, starting as early as next year and lasting for three
solar cycles. That would be bad news for HF enthusiasts already
struggling with marginal conditions. As the paper's abstract
explains, "Recently discovered long-term oscillations of the solar
background magnetic field associated with double dynamo waves
generated in inner and outer layers of the Sun indicate that the
solar activity is heading in the next three decades (2019 - 2055) to
a modern grand minimum similar to Maunder one." As propagation buff
and contester Frank Donovan, W3LPL, observed, "It's very uncertain if
this forecast is correct, but, as usual, the forecasts of the next
solar cycle are all over the map. Let's hope these scientists are
wrong."

The January 2019 VHF Contest results showed FT8 played a major role.
The results article has been posted, and article author James Duffey,
KK6MC, says the digital modes -- FT8 in particular -- played a major
role in the January contest, increasing the logs submitted
significantly. "Despite conditions, a surprising 918 logs were
submitted, by far the most in this century!" Duffey said in his
contest write-up. "While the total number of QSOs reported in 2019
did not differ significantly from 2018 (61,532 in 2019, as opposed to
59,587 in 2018), the number of submitted logs was up. Apparently, the
FT8 operators are more inclined to submit logs than the casual
operator on SSB and CW." Duffey went on to point out that nearly half
of contacts made in the 2019 event occurred on 6 meters, and 60% of
those were made on one or more of the digital modes.

The annual "Alexanderson Day" transmission from SAQ in Grimeton,
Sweden, will take place on June 30. The Alexanderson alternator will
transmit on 17.2 kHz on the following schedule: Startup/tuning at
0830 UTC, and message transmission at 0900 UTC; startup/tuning at
1130 UTC, and message transmission at 1200 UTC. Both events will be
livestreamed on YouTube. SAQ has introduced an online SAQ reception
report form for listeners to report reception of any SAQ
transmissions. This replaces the former email route. Amateur Radio
station SK6SAQ will be active on Alexanderson Day on or about 7.035
MHz and 14.035 MHz on CW, and 3.755 MHz on SSB. QSL via the SM QSL
Bureau. Two stations will be on the air most of the time. An article
discussing Alexanderson Day, called "The Legacy of Radio at Grimeton
Station, SAQ," appears on page 66 of the July 2019 issue of QST.

The Yasme Foundation Board of Directors has made a supporting grant
to Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN). AREDN extended the
early work of the Broadband Ham Net mesh developers by developing
firmware and related user software for more modern and efficient
consumer routers. Based in San Diego, California, the AREDN
development team has produced code for the Ubiquiti 2, 3, and 5 GHz
routers and has recently added firmware to convert lower-priced
consumer equipment from other manufacturers for amateur mesh network
use. Yasme's grant will go toward the purchase of test equipment to
aid AREDN's development efforts.
Getting It Right

In recent editions of The ARRL Letter, the dates for the Society of
Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention in Normal, Illinois, were
incorrect. The event will take place August 24.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

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The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
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--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
July 11, 2019

* ARRL Announces "Happy 150!" Hiram Percy Maxim Birthday
Celebration
* Window Closes on July 15 for Volunteer Monitor Program
Applications
* FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 Changes Recreational Drone Flying
Requirements
* So Now What? Podcast
* Shop AmazonSmile on Prime Day and Support ARRL
* IARU President Offers Assurances Regarding French 144 - 146 MHz
Allocation Proposal
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* W1AW, NU1AW to be Headquarters Multipliers for the IARU HF
Championship
* Historic Amateur Radio Contact via Moon-Orbiting Satellite
Reported
* ARISS-International Delegates Meet in Montreal
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Announces "Happy 150!" Hiram Percy Maxim Birthday Celebration

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of ARRL's first
president and cofounder Hiram Percy Maxim (HPM), W1AW, born on
September 2, 1869. ARRL will hold an operating event to celebrate
HPM's legacy, getting under way at 0000 UTC on August 31, and
continuing until 2359 UTC on September 8. The event is open to all
radio amateurs.

The goal is straightforward: Contact as many participating stations
as possible. W1AW and all ARRL members will append "/150" to their
call signs during this event (DX operators who are ARRL members may
identify as <call sign>/150, if permitted by their country of
license.) Participating stations will exchange signal report and
ARRL/RAC Section. DX stations will send signal report and "DX." Those
taking part may use all Amateur Radio bands, excluding 60, 30, 17,
and 12 meters.

Permitted modes: CW, phone (any voice modes), and digital. Submit
Cabrillo log or ADI files. ARRL will calculate all final scores based
on participants' uploads to the ARRL event web app (link not yet
active).

The 84 available multipliers only count once. These include the 83
ARRL/RAC Sections (RAC Sections include the Canadian Northern
Territories, encompassing VE8, VY1, and VY0) and DX. The W1AW
operating schedule during this period may be adjusted as necessary to
accommodate on-air celebration operating activities. Contacts with
W1AW/150 will earn 3 points each. Contacts with any ARRL member will
earn 2 points each. These stations will also identify as <call
sign>/150. Contacts with nonmembers will earn 1 point each.

Participants can earn 150 bonus points by:
* Contacting W1AW/150 on each band and mode.
* Uploading entries (ARRL members only).
* Using social media to publicize this event and/or participation
before, during, and/or after the event.
* Operating with 5 W PEP output or less throughout the event.
* Making at least 20 contacts while operating portable.
* Completing at least 150 contacts.

Online certificates will be awarded, and are available via download
only. Updates and results will be publicized.

There are no power or operator categories. Participating ARRL members
who use Logbook of The World (LoTW) are encouraged to create a
separate LoTW certificate for uploading <call sign>/150 contacts.
Members then should upload logs for this event using their /150
certificates. Submissions must be via the online web app. No email or
paper submissions will be accepted.
Window Closes on July 15 for Volunteer Monitor Program Applications

Monday, July 15, will be the last day that applications for the new
Volunteer Monitor Program will be accepted. Some 250 applications
have been submitted to fill approximately 150 Volunteer Monitor (VM)
positions in the program, which is succeeding the Official Observer
(OO) program. Retired FCC special counsel and former Atlantic
Division Vice Director Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, is overseeing
ARRL's role in the development and implementation of the program, and
he has been interviewing all applicants. Those not selected as VMs
will be placed in a reserve pool. Current OOs have been invited to
apply for appointments.

Approved by the ARRL Board of Directors at its July 2018 meeting, the
new Volunteer Monitor Program represents a formal agreement between
the FCC and ARRL in which volunteers trained and vetted by ARRL will
monitor the airwaves and collect evidence that can be used to correct
misconduct, as well as to recognize exemplary on-air operation. ARRL
will refer incidents of flagrant violations to the FCC for action, in
accordance with FCC guidelines, and the FCC will give priority to
enforcement cases developed by the Volunteer Monitor Program. The FCC
proposed the program following the closures of several FCC regional
offices and a reduction in field staff.

ARRL and the FCC have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that
establishes the Volunteer Monitor Program as a replacement for the
Official Observers.

The first Volunteer Monitors could be in place and ready to begin
their duties by this fall.

FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 Changes Recreational Drone Flying
Requirements

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 includes changes to recreational
drone flying in the US. Radio amateurs have used drones to inspect
antenna systems and terrain and to carry support lines aloft, as well
as for other purposes. The FAA considers those who fly their drones
for fun as recreational users. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018
describes how, when, and where owners may fly drones for recreational
purposes. These broad guidelines should apply to most Amateur Radio
users of drones.
* [IMG]Register as a "modeler." A registrant must be at least 13
years old and a US citizen or legal permanent resident.
* Label your model aircraft with your registration number.
* Fly only for recreational purposes.
* Follow the safety guidelines of a community-based organization
(see below).
* Fly your drone at or below 400 feet when in uncontrolled or Class
G airspace, and do not fly it in airspace where flight is
prohibited.
* Keep your drone within your line of sight or within the
line-of-sight of a visual observer who is co-located and in
direct communication with the operator.
* Never fly near other aircraft, especially near airports.
* Never fly over groups of people, public events, or stadiums full
of people.
* Never fly near emergencies such as any type of accident response,
law enforcement activities, firefighting, or hurricane recovery
efforts.
* Never fly under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Recreational flyers who intentionally violate any of these safety
requirements and/or operate in a careless and reckless manner could
be liable for criminal and/or civil penalties. Read the Authorization
for limited recreational operations as described in Section 44809
(PDF). All limited recreational operations should be conducted in
accordance with this authorization.

For more information, read Advisory Circular 91-57B.

The FAA is upgrading the online system, known as LAANC (the Low
Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability), so that
recreational operations can get automated airspace authorizations to
fly in controlled airspace.

The new law also will require that drone operators pass an online
aeronautical knowledge and safety test and carry proof of test
passage. The FAA is developing the test in consultation with
stakeholders. Recreational flyers would have to pass the test, which
could be administered electronically. The FAA will provide additional
guidance and will notify when the test is available. The FAA also
will issue guidance for how it will recognize community-based
organizations.

More detailed information about the FAA's plan to fully implement the
requirements of Section 349 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 is
available in the Federal Register.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

So Now What? Podcast

"Fan Questions" will be the focus of the new (July 11) 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.

Shop AmazonSmile on Prime Day and Support ARRL

Amazon Prime Day is almost here! Deals start at 3 AM ET on Monday,
July 15, and continue through Tuesday, July 16. Prime Day is one of
the biggest shopping days of the year.

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members, we invite you to shop at AmazonSmile, choosing the ARRL as
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Support the Amateur Radio Service and ARRL with your eligible
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AmazonSmile and log in to your Amazon account.
IARU President Offers Assurances Regarding French 144 - 146 MHz
Allocation Proposal

International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) President Tim Ellam,
VE6SH/G4HUA, said his organization empathizes with the concerns of
radio amateurs worldwide regarding a French proposal to allocate 144
- 146 MHz to the Aeronautical Service on a primary basis, essentially
sharing it with Amateur Radio. The band is currently allocated to
Amateur Radio on a primary basis around the world. Ellam this week
offered assurances that the IARU is on top of the matter, which is
still a regional issue, and is already working to keep the band in
the hands of radio amateurs. While the issue could end up on the
agenda of World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23), a lot
would have to happen first.

"There is a lot of misinformation circulating as to what the proposal
is seeking and how IARU is responding to it," Ellam told ARRL. "While
the proposal is a concern, petitions and the like, while well
intended, are going to have very limited value and, in fact, may harm
the steps being taken in the regulatory environment."

The French proposal, submitted last month to a pre-WRC-19 European
Conference of Telecommunications and Postal Administrations (CEPT)
meeting, included 144 - 146 MHz within a range of frequencies to be
studied for future airborne, non-safety applications in the
Aeronautical Service. Germany opposed the move, and IARU "objected
strongly," Ellam said. "Nonetheless, the proposal was carried forward
to the next meeting of the CEPT Conference Preparatory Group in late
August." IARU anticipates that other countries attending the August
meeting will oppose the inclusion of 144 - 146 MHz as a frequency
range to be considered for the WRC-23 agenda, Ellam said.

IARU President Tim
Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA

Since the June meeting, IARU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, and the Middle
East) has asked its member-societies to contact their national
administrations (i.e., governments) to explain the importance of the
144 - 146 MHz primary allocation, Ellam recounted. "IARU is also
taking other actions to make its views known to those involved in the
proposal," he said.

"If accepted as a WRC-23 Agenda Item, this proposal would require 4
years of studies by administrations," Ellam stressed. "Considering
the challenges of sharing spectrum with aeronautical systems, it
seems inevitable that the conclusion of such studies would be that
sharing with a widely used part of the amateur spectrum presents too
many problems to be viable."

Ellam encouraged individual radio amateurs who want to help to become
members of their IARU member-society. "If anything," Ellam concluded,
"this recent news should serve as a timely reminder that defense of
the amateur spectrum does not just happen. Your member-societies and
the IARU constantly work at defending the amateur allocations." Read
more.

The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: As was the case in the previous
reporting week, the current week had only 1 day, July 13, on which
sunspots made a brief appearance; both were new spots from Cycle 25,
according to their magnetic signatures.

The average daily solar flux declined marginally from 67.5 to 67.1.

Predicted solar flux for the next 45 days is 68 on July 11 - 18, and
67 on July 19 - August 24.

Predicted planetary A index is 8 on July 1; 5 on July 12-27; 8 on
July 28; 5 on July 29 - August 4; 12, 15, and 12 on August 5 - 7; 5
on August 8 - 23, and 8 on August 24.

Here's an interesting article on space weather from The Conversation:
"Solar weather has real, material effects on Earth."

Space Weather Woman Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, has posted a new video.

Sunspot numbers for July 4 - 10 were 0, 0, 0, 12, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 1.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 67.8, 67.5, 66.5, 67.3,
66.5, 66.8, and 67.6, with a mean of 67.1. Estimated planetary A
indices were 5, 5, 3, 5, 9, 17, and 15, with a mean of 8.4. Middle
latitude A index was 8, 6, 5, 5, 7, 16, and 13, with a mean of 8.6.

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 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
* July 13 -- FISTS Summer Unlimited Sprint (CW)
* July 13 - 14 -- IARU HF Championship (CW, phone)
* July 13 - 14 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
* July 15 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)

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.

W1AW, NU1AW to be Headquarters Multipliers for the IARU HF
Championship

During the IARU HF Championship contest July 13 - 14, the ARRL HQ
station will be W1AW/7, on the air from Nevada with Tom Taormina,
K5RC, as control operator. IARU Secretariat Club station NU1AW will
be on the air from KC1XX in New Hampshire and K1TTT in Massachusetts
and counts as the IARU HQ station.

Both single and multioperator stations may operate the entire 24-hour
period, and stations may operate on phone, on CW, or on both modes.
IARU member-society HQ stations send signal report and official IARU
member-society abbreviation (e.g., ARRL).

Members of the IARU Administrative Council and the three IARU
regional Executive Committees send "AC," "R1," "R2," and "R3," as
appropriate. All other stations send signal report and ITU zone.
Historic Amateur Radio Contact via Moon-Orbiting Satellite Reported

A contact between radio amateurs in Germany and China took place on
July 1 via the moon-orbiting LO-94 satellite, DSLWP-B, launched in
May 2018. The two-way exchange between Reinhard Kuehn, DK5LA, in
Sorup, Germany, and Harbin Institute of Technology club station
BY2HIT (operated by Wei Mingchuan, BG2BHC), in Harbin, China,
occurred between 0551 and 0728 UTC, according to reports. The
GMSK-to-JT4G repeater onboard DSLWP-B was used to make the contact,
the first ever via a lunar-orbiting repeater.

"Using the GMSK-to-JT4G repeater is not easy, in terms of the signal
power needed for the uplink," commented radio amateur and engineer
Daniel Est‚vez, EA4GPZ, whose blog includes images of the lunar
surface downloaded via DSLWP-B. "There were plans to make a QSO
between BY2HIT and Reinhard since many months ago, but previous
attempts didn't work out. My congratulations to the people at both
sides of the QSO, who have achieved it a month before DSLWP-B crashes
against the lunar surface."

As Est‚vez explained it, the GMSK-to-JT4G repeater works by sending
commands to the satellite that embed a 13-character message, using
the same frequency and a similar protocol to the one that commands
the camera and other satellite functions. He said sending a message
in this fashion takes a little longer than 1 minute.

An open telecommand protocol allows radio amateurs to take and
download images, and DSLWP-B transmitted images of the moon and Earth
during this week's solar eclipse. DSLWP-B was launched as a secondary
payload with the Quequiao relay satellite as part of the Chang'e 4
mission to the far side of the moon.

DSLWP stands for "Discovering the Sky at Longest Wavelengths
Pathfinder," and was designed to test low-frequency radio astronomy
and space-based interferometry. The repeater uplink is on 2 meters
and the downlink is on 70 centimeters.
ARISS-International Delegates Meet in Montreal

Representatives of nine nations were on hand as Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) held its 2019 "face-to-face"
meeting of international delegates at the Canadian Space Agency in
Montreal, June 26 - 28. ARISS-Canada was the host for the gathering.
A high point of the conference came when JVC Kenwood Software Manager
Shin Aota, JL1IBD, presented two Kenwood TM-D710GA transceivers to
ARISS-Russia delegate Sergey Samburov, RV3DR. One of the TM-D710GA
radios will replace aging Amateur Radio equipment currently in use on
the International Space Station, while the other will remain on Earth
as a spare for training cosmonauts. For more than a year, these
radios have undergone rigorous NASA qualification testing followed by
final software configuration and verification.

"With today's transfer of the radios to ARISS-Russia, we are one step
closer to an enhanced Amateur Radio system on board the ISS,
supporting various operations such as SSTV, voice communication,
APRS, and a variety of experiments," ARISS-International said in
announcing the presentation. The ARISS Hardware Team met on June 25.

JVC Kenwood's Shin Aota, JL1IBD
(left), hands a new Kenwood
TM-D710GA transceiver to
ARISS-Russia's Sergey Samburov,
RV3DR. [Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, photo]

Other topics included ARISS' future participation in NASA's Deep
Space Gateway (DSG) program. ARISS is the only noncommercial entity
whose ideas are under study by the program. The ARISS plan focuses on
Amateur Radio communication, including optical communication
channels, as well as equipment development, team cooperation,
education, and public outreach.

Those attending the conference included Radio Amateurs of Canada
(RAC) President and ARISS-Canada Delegate for RAC Glenn MacDonell,
VE3XRA; AMSAT-NA President Joe Spier, K6WAO, and AMSAT-Italia
President Emanuele D'Andria, I0ELE. ARRL Southeastern Division
Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, attended in his role as chair of the
ARRL Board's new ARISS Committee. Rosalie White, K1STO, represented
ARRL as an ARISS-US delegate and handled the duties of
ARISS-International Secretary. The other ARISS-US delegate was Dave
Taylor, W8AAS. Read more. -- Thanks to Dave Jordan, AA4KN, ARISS
Public Relations, and Rosalie White, K1STO
In Brief...

Applications for the 2020 ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program will be
accepted between September 1 and December 31, 2019. All applicants
must be FCC-licensed radio amateurs, and many scholarships have other
specific requirements, such as intended area of study, residence
within a particular ARRL Division, Section or state, and license
class. Applicants should review the scholarships and check off the
ones for which they are eligible. If you complete an online
application, you must also email a PDF of academic transcripts from
your most-recently completed school year by January 13, 2020.
Applications not accompanied by transcripts will not be considered.
The ARRL Foundation Scholarship Committee will review all applicants
for eligibility and award decisions. Scholarship recipients will be
notified in May 2020 via USPS mail and email. For more information,
visit the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Program page.

Starting with the August issue, QST will list the recipients of W1AW
Code Proficiency certificates. Key manufacturer Vibroplex is now
sponsoring the certificates, which have been redesigned. The Code
Proficiency program has been an ARRL staple for decades. Participants
who copy a W1AW qualifying run and submit 1 minute of legible solid
copy and the $10 certificate fee can qualify. Send submissions to
W1AW Qualifying Run, 225 Main St., Newington, CT USA 06111. These are
checked directly against the official W1AW text, and those
demonstrating solid copy will receive an initial Code Proficiency
certificate. Endorsement stickers, which cost $7.50, are issued for
speeds up to 40 WPM. The W1AW Code Proficiency Program is open to
hams and non-hams alike. Those seeking to attain a Code Proficiency
certificate can listen to W1AW daily code practice sessions, in which
the text is taken directly from QST, as announced before each
practice run.

A final call has been issued to solicit technical papers for
presentation at the ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference
(DCC). The event is set for September 20 - 22 at the Marriott Detroit
Metro Airport Hotel. Papers will also be published in the Conference
Proceedings. Authors do not need to attend the conference to have
their papers included in the Proceedings. The submission deadline is
August 5. Submit papers via email or mail to Maty Weinberg, KB1EIB,
ARRL, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111. Papers will be published
exactly as submitted, and authors will retain all rights.

Cathryn Mitchell, M0IBG, the academic director of the University of
Bath Doctoral College in the UK, has received the 2019 Edward
Appleton Medal and Prize. She was recognized for her pioneering
research in tomography and data assimilation that revealed a
completely new perspective on the ionosphere in response to extreme
space weather. "Mitchell innovated a completely new Earth observation
technique by adapting medical tomography to image the Earth's
ionosphere, thus revealing the dynamics of the near-Earth space
environment," an announcement on the Institute of Physics (IOP)
website explained. "Her use of Global Positioning System satellite
signals as a source for space weather tomography, through a new
time-dependent mathematical inversion algorithm, has given us the
first global-scale view of the ionosphere in response to space
weather storms." The award's namesake, Edward Appleton, won the 1947
Nobel Prize in Physics for his 1924 work that proved the existence of
the ionosphere. Radio amateurs participated in listening tests during
the early 1920s that provided data regarding how radio signals
propagate. Read more.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

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--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
July 18, 2019

* No Consensus Reached for FCC on "Symbol Rate" Issues
* HWN and National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC Activate for Tropical
Storm Barry
* Centenarian Radio Amateur's Efforts Helped Pave the Way to the
Moon
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* Major WSJT-X Upgrade Boosts FT4 into "a Finished Protocol for HF
Contesting"
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* New Summer EURAO Party to Premier FT4
* World Wide Radio Operators Foundation Announces Global Digital DX
Contest
* Dayton Hamvention 2019 Attendance Approaches All-Time Peak
* IARU Represents Amateur Radio at CEPT Meetings
* 2018 Leonard Award for Outstanding Video Journalism Presented
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
No Consensus Reached for FCC on "Symbol Rate" Issues

ARRL-initiated efforts for rival parties to reach consensus on issues
raised in the so-called "Symbol Rate" proceeding have ended. In
April, the FCC granted ARRL's request for a 90-day hold in the
proceeding, FCC Docket WT 16-239, to provide an opportunity for ARRL
to lead an effort to determine whether consensus could be reached on
some or all of the issues that commenters raised in the FCC's
proceeding. The FCC already has issued a Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking in WT 16-239, which stemmed from ARRL's rulemaking
petition RM-11708.

Discussions were since widened to include issues raised in another
Petition for Rule Making, RM-11831, filed by Ron Kolarik, K0IDT, that
seeks, "to ensure Amateur Radio digital modes remain openly decodable
and available for monitoring" by the FCC and by other third parties,
including other radio amateurs. His petition also aims to limit
Automatically Controlled Digital Stations (ACDS) to identified
subbands on HF, to reduce interference. Last month, ARRL filed an
interim report with the FCC summarizing its efforts to bring all
sides to the table, and on June 28, ARRL requested an additional
60-day pause to pursue promising talks.

"In seeking the delay, it was the ARRL's intent to facilitate
discussions between the opposing parties in an effort to explore the
possibility of an agreed resolution that would better protect users
of the Amateur Radio spectrum from interference and would permit all
members of the Amateur Radio service to continue to contribute to the
advancement of the radio art," ARRL Washington Counsel David Siddall,
K3ZJ, said, summarizing the situation in a July 15 letter to the FCC.
"The end purpose, if a binding agreement between the opposing parties
could not be reached, was to provide the strongest possible basis for
the ARRL to file its recommendations on a fair and equitable
resolution of the issues."

Siddall said that despite difficulties "partially attributable to the
passions of the respective parties," ARRL was able to schedule
meetings with both sides and, eventually, facilitate joint
discussions among the respective parties.

Siddall said in his letter, "At the beginning of our meetings there
emerged consensus on the issues to be discussed. By the end, the
parties had reached consensus on some of the issues, but not all.
Despite our best efforts, some of the parties did not agree to submit
to the Commission any of the recommendations on which there had been
an apparent consensus, having negotiated with an 'all or nothing'
approach."

Despite the disappointing conclusion, Siddall expressed confidence
that a better understanding of issues and positions of the various
interests exists among all of the parties who participated in the
in-person meetings and teleconferences, and that this will have an
overall positive effect upon the outcome of the proceeding. Read
more.
HWN and National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC Activate for Tropical
Storm Barry

Responding to then-Tropical Storm Barry, the Hurricane Watch Net
(HWN) and WX4NHC -- the Amateur Radio station at the National
Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami -- activated on July 12. The HWN's
primary frequency is 14.325 MHz with 7.268 MHz as a secondary
channel, depending upon propagation. This time, the HWN fired up on
both bands.

Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, noted that the HWN would be
available to provide back-up communication to official agencies in
the affected area and would collect and report "significant damage
assessment data" to FEMA officials at the National Hurricane Center.

The HWN works in concert with WX4NHC at the NHC to help forecasters
get a better sense of ground-level meteorological data such as wind
speed, barometric pressure, and rainfall.

Forecasters predicted that Barry would develop into a Category 1
hurricane before making landfall, and the storm lived up to those
expectations. Dangerous storm surge, heavy rainfall, and high wind
conditions were expected across the north-central Gulf Coast.

The major fear was that heavy rainfall could generate additional
flooding in the region. NHC forecasters said Barry was expected to
produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 20 inches over
south-central and southeast Louisiana, as well as over southwest
Mississippi, with isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches. The actual
rainfall was somewhat less but still significant.

WX4NHC volunteers Susie Blank, WX2L
(left), and Alan Wolfe, WB4L
(right), with WX4NHC Coordinator
John McHugh, K4AG, at the Hurricane
Barry activation. [Julio Ripoll,
WD4R, photo]

The HWN officially secured operations for Hurricane Barry on July 13,
after the storm made landfall on the Louisiana coast. Graves said the
activation for Barry "proved to be a good training platform for our
newest members" and an opportunity to test new systems.

WX4NHC remained active for 2 days, gathering surface reports from
stations located in the affected areas for use by forecasters. "We
received many reports about the flooding, downed trees, road
closures, and power outages," said WX4NHC Assistant Coordinator Julio
Ripoll, WD4R. He expressed gratitude for the support of the Hurricane
Watch Net and the EchoLink VoIP Hurricane Net (WX_TALK).

"Remember, the season is still young, so please, don't drop your
guard," Graves advised

Centenarian Radio Amateur's Efforts Helped Pave the Way to the Moon

The Nashville Tennessean newspaper recently featured the story of a
104-year-old ARRL member who contributed to NASA's effort to put the
first humans on the moon 50 years ago this month. Cary Nettles,
W5SRR, of Columbia, Tennessee -- who calls himself the nation's
oldest rocket scientist still alive -- was a NASA project manager and
research engineer on rocket propulsion systems in the 1950s and
1960s.

While working on the Centaur second-stage rocket program, Nettles
determined that the rocket engine failures NASA was experiencing were
a result of misdirected exhaust destroying the vehicles' engines.
Nettles told the Tennessean he came up with an "exhaust pipe" that
solved the problem. In May 1966, an Atlas-Centaur launcher propelled
the first Surveyor lander toward the moon. That year, NASA awarded
Nettles and colleague Ed Jonash with its Distinguished Service Medal
for "their superhuman effort in turning the troubled rocket into a
reliable upper stage," according to a 2004 NASA publication, "Taming
Liquid Hydrogen -- The Centaur Upper Stage Rocket 1958 - 2002."

On July 16, 1969, a Saturn V rocket with a liquid hydrogen-fueled
second stage carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and
Michael Collins to their rendezvous with the moon. Nettles retired
from NASA the following year.

Nettles got his Amateur Radio license in 1945 and remains active on
40 meters as well as on VHF and UHF repeaters. He is a member of the
Maury Amateur Radio Club. In addition to sustaining his interest in
ham radio over the decades, Nettles is an enthusiast of "large-scale"
steam trains, which he works on in his basement. Look for him
Tuesdays at 1400 UTC on 7.215 MHz on the Steam Railroad Net.

In 2015, the year he turned 100, the ARRL Tennessee Section presented
Nettles with its Elder Statesman Award.
The Doctor Will See You Now!

"Antenna Polarization" is the topic of the new (July 18) episode of
the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.

Major WSJT-X Upgrade Boosts FT4 into "a Finished Protocol for HF
Contesting"

The WSJT Development Group has announced the "general availability"
release of WSJT-X version 2.1.0. This major upgrade formally
introduces FT4 as "a finished protocol for HF contesting." Users have
been advised to discontinue using any "release candidate" (beta)
versions of the software that WSJT-X version 2.1.0 supplants. The
latest edition of the popular digital software suite also includes
improvements and bug fixes in several areas, including FT8. The list
includes:
* FT8 waveform generated with GMSK and fully backward compatible
* User options for waterfall and spectrum display
* Contest logging
* Rig control
* User interface

The WSJT-X Development Group is providing a separate WSJT-X version
2.1.0 installation package for 64-bit Windows that offers significant
improvements in decoding speed.

A detailed list of program changes since WSJT-X version 2.0.1 is
included in the cumulative release notes. Upgrading from earlier
versions of WSJT-X should be seamless, with no need to uninstall a
previous version or to move any files.

Installation packages for Windows, Linux, and Macintosh are
available.

Visit the FT8/FT4/JT9: WSJT 2-Way Narrow Modes for Amateur Radio
Facebook page for additional information. Read more.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Very low solar activity continues;
there were no sunspots. Over the past week, average daily solar flux
changed insignificantly, from 67.1 to 67. Average daily planetary A
index changed from 8.4 to 5.9, while mid-latitude A index changed
from 8.6 to 6.7. Conditions remain quiet. Predicted solar flux is 68
for July 18 - 24, and 67 for July 25 - August 31.

The predicted planetary A index is 5 on July 18 - 22; 8 on July 23; 5
on July 24 - 27; 8 on July 28; 5 on July 29 - August 3; 8, 15, 15,
and 8 on August 4 - 7; 5 on August 8 - 10; 10, 12, and 8 on August 11
- 13; 5 on August 14 - 23; 8 on August 24; 5 on August 25 - 30, and 8
on August 31.

On July 17, Spaceweather.com reported a coronal hole spewing a stream
of solar wind, with arrival expected to cause minor geomagnetic upset
in the July 19 - 20 time frame. Spaceweather also reported that, so
far this calendar year, 64% of all days were without sunspots. Last
year the total percentage of spotless days was 61%, 28% in 2017, 9%
in 2016, and nearly 0% in 2011 - 2015.

N4SO in Alabama reported some success on July 13 running FT8 with 15
W while testing a new antenna. He contacted stations in Texas,
California, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Guatemala.

On July 12, KD4SR reported contacting Puerto Rico, Haiti, Hawaii,
Brazil, and Canada from central Florida on 6 meters, running FT8 and
100 W to modest antennas.

Sunspot numbers for July 11 - 17 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 67.1, 66.8, 66, 67.2, 67.1,
67.2, and 67.8, with a mean of 67. Estimated planetary A indices were
8, 5, 6, 5, 7, 4, and 6, with a mean of 5.9. Middle latitude A index
was 9, 5, 6, 6, 8, 5, and 8, with a mean of 6.7.

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
* July 20 -- NAQCC CW Sprint
* July 20 -- Russian Radio Team Championship (CW, phone)
* July 20 -- Trans-Tasman Low-Bands Challenge (CW, phone, digital)
* July 20 -- Feld Hell Sprint
* July 20 -- SA Sprint Contest (CW, phone)
* July 20 - 21 -- North American QSO Party, RTTY
* July 20 - 21 -- CQ Worldwide VHF Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* July 21 -- RSGB Low Power Contest (CW)
* July 21 -- CQC Great Colorado Gold Rush (CW)
* July 22 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
* July 24 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* July 25 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (Digital)

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.
New Summer EURAO Party to Premier FT4

The motto of the new European Radio Amateurs' Organization (EURAO)
Summer Party is "Premiering FT4." This is not a contest but an
on-the-air radio gathering with some suggested guidelines. The event
is set for July 27 - 28 UTC.

A new "general availability" release of WSJT-X that includes the
latest FT4 protocol for HF contesting was released on July 15 as part
of WSJT-X 2.1.0. FT4 is designed to be suitable for contesting in a
manner similar to RTTY. Recommended frequencies for FT4 are 3.595,
7.090, 10.140, 14.140, 18.104, 21.140, 24.919, 28.180, 50.318, and
144.170 MHz.

Exchanges are limited to what FT4 can accommodate, such as call sign,
grid square, and signal report. For statistical purposes, EURAO is
asking participants to submit logs in ADIF format, with your call
sign as the file name. No results will be published, only statistical
information.

World Wide Radio Operators Foundation Announces Global Digital DX
Contest

The World Wide Radio Operators Foundation (WWROF), in collaboration
with the Slovenia Contest Club (SCC), has announced the World Wide
Digi DX Contest (WW Digi), which it hopes will become an annual
event. The inaugural running of the 24-hour contest will take place
on August 31 - September 1. The new contest aims to tap into the
enthusiasm being generated by the new digital modes pioneered by Joe
Taylor, K1JT, and the WSJT-X Development Group. Participants will use
FT4 and FT8 on 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. The WW Digi will
utilize a distance-based scoring system, with participants earning
points based on the distance between grid square centers of the two
stations in a given contact.

"This will encourage operators to seek out long-distance, weak-signal
contacts that highlight the technical advantages of the new digital
modes," WWROF's announcement said.

To encourage activity across all bands, each new two-character grid
field contacted on each band will be a multiplier. The final score
will the product of total contact points and grid field (i.e., the
initial two letters) contacts. Single-operator and multioperator
entries are invited to take part.

"The contest has been designed to enable making contacts utilizing
standard WSJT-X software behavior, making it easy for non-contesters
to participate," the announcement said. "At the same time, the
contest supports some new techniques that will encourage operating
innovation, such as permitting stations to work up to three 'QSO
streams' on a band at one time. Robotic operation is specifically
prohibited in order to keep the human element as part of the game."

Plaques will be awarded to top scorers. Read more.
Dayton Hamvention 2019 Attendance Approaches All-Time Peak

The Hamvention Executive Team announced July 15 that attendance at
Dayton Hamvention^(R) 2019 was 32,472, the second-largest ever. This
marks the highest attendance recorded since Hamvention moved from
Hara Arena to the Greene County Fairgrounds and Exposition Center in
Xenia, Ohio. This year's attendance also approached an all-time
Hamvention high. Attendance at the show peaked in 1993, while
Hamvention was still being held at Hara Arena, at 33,669, before the
1996 change in date from April to May. Last year, Hamvention welcomed
28,417 visitors in its second year in Xenia. Attendance in 2016 for
the show's final year at Hara was 25,364. Hamvention hosted the ARRL
2019 National Convention, and both embraced the theme of "Mentoring
the Next Generation."

"Our early indications were that 2019 would be a big year, and it
lived up to our expectations," Hamvention General Chair Jack Gerbs,
WB8SCT, said. "Our more than 700 volunteers worked hard to ensure
that we presented a great show for our visitors. It wouldn't have
been possible without them. I also want to thank all our vendors and
visitors and hope they will all be back next year."

Hamvention officials suggested that a small factor behind the
increased attendance might have been the free admission on Sunday, an
effort to allow local non-hams to experience Hamvention. Free Sunday
admission is expected to be continued next year.

The world's largest Amateur Radio exposition, Dayton Hamvention is
sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) every third
full weekend in May. Hamvention 2020 will take place on May 15, 16,
and 17. Read more.
IARU Represents Amateur Radio at CEPT Meetings

International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU R1) reports that a
further meeting to address the topic of Wireless Power Transmission
(WPT) took place earlier this month. A subgroup of the European
Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT)
Committee SE24, charged with work on a report on generic WPT devices,
met in Copenhagen, Denmark in early July. IARU Region 1 President Don
Beattie, G3BJ, provided input on projections of harmful emissions
from WPT systems -- both generic and WPT for electric vehicles --
operating at existing harmonic emission limits.

IARU also reported on tests carried out on small WPT devices, and a
full report is to be considered at the next meeting in September.
IARU continues to argue for tighter emission limits on harmonics and
other spurious emissions from WPT systems, which have the potential
to cause sustained harmful interference to incumbent radio services.

IARU also was represented at a recent meeting in Switzerland of the
CEPT Project Team D. This was the last of the CEPT project team
meetings preparing European Common Proposals (ECP) for a number of
agenda items for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19)
this fall in Egypt.

WRC-19 agenda item 1.1, which addresses the possibility of a
"harmonized" Region 1 allocation at 50 MHz, was the key issue to be
resolved. The project team agreed on the text of an ECP for WRC-19,
which, if adopted by the delegates, would see an entry in the
International Table of Allocations for Region 1 and allocate 50 - 52
MHz to Amateur Radio on a secondary basis.

In addition, the team agreed upon the addition of a footnote to the
International Table to permit individual CEPT countries to introduce
a national primary allocation in the 50.0 - 50.5 MHz subband.

IARU will attend the final meeting of CEPT's Conference Preparatory
Group (CPG) in late August and finalize CEPT's input to WRC-19. That
meeting will consider a proposal by France to allocate 144 - 146 MHz
to the Aeronautical Service on a primary basis.
2018 Leonard Award for Outstanding Video Journalism Presented

ARRL Hudson Division Director Ria Jairam, N2RJ, and Vice Director
Bill Hudzik, W2UDT, recently presented the ARRL 2018 Leonard Award
for Outstanding Video Journalism to NJTV public television
correspondent Andrew Schmertz. The presentation took place in at NJTV
in Newark, New Jersey.

2018 Leonard Award for Outstanding
Video Journalism recipient Andrew
Schmertz of NJTV is flanked by
Hudson Division Director Ria
Jairam, N2RJ (left), and Vice
Director Bill Hudzik, W2UDT.

Schmertz was recognized for his story that featured interviews with
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Assistant Research
Professor Nathan Frissell, W2NAF, co-founder of HamSCI and the Solar
Eclipse QSO Party, as well as numerous faculty members, members of
the NJIT Amateur Radio station K2MFF, and attendees at a February
2018 HamSCI conference at NJIT that Frissell spearheaded. The
conference focused on the significance of measuring the effects of
solar activity on radio communication. Through HamSCI, Frissell was
instrumental in enlisting the global Amateur Radio community to gauge
the effects of the August 2017 solar eclipse on propagation.

The ARRL Board of Directors conferred the Leonard Award on Schmertz
upon recommendation of the ARRL Public Relations Committee, which
oversees the Leonard Awards for Outstanding Journalism in print,
audio, and video. The award's namesake is the late CBS News President
Bill Leonard, W2SKE.
In Brief...

The ARRL Board of Directors will meet July 19 - 20 in Windsor,
Connecticut, for its second meeting of 2019. According to the agenda,
the Board will hear reports from officers and committees as well as
from some Headquarters staff managers. Representatives of the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and Radio Amateurs of Canada
(RAC) are expected to attend as guests of the Board.

Language in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization
Act of 2018 will exclude all but a small number of Amateur Radio
towers from marking requirements. Thanks to action taken in 2017 and
2018 by ARRL, the bill's original language was amended to the extent
that amateur towers, as well as residential towers used for
over-the-air TV reception, were effectively exempted from marking
requirements. The topic was addressed at the annual "Ham Radio and
the Law" forum at the Dayton Hamvention^(R) this past May. Some key
points from that presentation: (1) Towers covered by the rules are
structures at least 50 feet tall that support an antenna and are
located in a rural area or on farmland or immediately adjacent to
such land. (2) According to the Act, the term "covered tower" does
not include any structure that is adjacent to a house, barn, or other
building, and "is within the curtilage of a farmstead or adjacent to
another building or visible structure." ARRL Regulatory Information
Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, explains that, while a few Amateur Radio
towers will fall under the Act's marking requirements and will have
to be registered, towers in residential yards or within farmland are
specifically exempted. More information is on the ARRL website.

AMSAT has issued a first call for papers for its anniversary
symposium this fall. The 50th anniversary AMSAT Annual Meeting and
Space Symposium will be held October 18 - 20 at The Hilton Arlington,
950 North Stafford Street, Arlington, Virginia. Proposals for papers,
symposium presentations, and poster presentations are invited on any
topic of interest to the Amateur Satellite community. AMSAT request a
working title for presentations, with final presentations submitted
by September 23 for inclusion in the printed proceedings. Send
abstracts and papers to Dan Schultz, N8FGV. -- Thanks to AMSAT

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 6 - 8 -- New England Division Convention, Boxborough,
Massachusetts
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
July 25, 2019

* ARRL Field Day 2019 Attracts Nearly 3,100 Entries
* ARES Responds to Early July Earthquakes and Aftershocks in
Southern California
* Millions of AMPRNet Internet Addresses Sold to Fund Grants and
Scholarships
* So Now What? Podcast
* ARRL's 2018 Annual Report is Now Available
* Amateur Radio Being Showcased at 2019 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin
* IEEE Symposium Exhibit Displays the Breadth of Amateur Radio
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Scouts Attending World Scout Jamboree Set to Talk with Space
Station via Ham Radio
* Some European Telecoms Regulators Keeping an Open Mind on French
2-Meter Proposal
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Field Day 2019 Attracts Nearly 3,100 Entries

The 30-day deadline to submit ARRL Field Day entries via app upload
and (timely postmarked) USPS mail is now past, and the ARRL Contest
Branch reports 3,070 entries have been logged into the system. Last
year saw 2,903 entries. ARRL Radiosport and Field Services Manager
Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, said the total does not include entries postmarked
by July 23 and still in transit. A number of entries still show a
status of "PENDING." These include 280 incomplete entries that are
missing the required list of call signs by band/mode (also known as a
"Dupe Sheet"), or a Cabrillo file.

"This requirement is to ensure that claimed contact totals do not
include duplicate contacts on the same band and mode," Jahnke said.
"These entries, if not complete, may end up as check logs in the
final listings."

An additional 191 entries are missing something other than Dupe
Sheets. "These entries are complete," Jahnke explained. "Their scores
at present are not benefitting from certain bonuses, for which
documentation is still outstanding," he said. "Confirmation for
entries submitted online using the web app include a link to update
your entry.

A young visitor to the Boulder
Amateur Radio Club's W0DK Field
Day site in Colorado makes his
first contact on ham radio.
This 3A operation was beset by
rain and cool to chilly
temperatures.

If ARRL generated the entry from paper, or if you are unable to
update your entry, submit pending documentation via email, and the
Contest Branch will update your entry, assuming that
documentation/photos confirm the bonus points claimed."

Updates are permitted until August 23. After that, all entries as of
that moment will be considered final. Results will appear in the
December 2019 issue of QST. Jahnke encouraged groups to separately
submit photos with captions for possible inclusion in QST.
Individuals should be identified by names and call signs, and any
subject younger than 18 years old will require a signed publication
release. Photos should have a minimum resolution of 250 kB.
ARES Responds to Early July Earthquakes and Aftershocks in Southern
California

On the morning of July 4, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked the
California High Desert, with its epicenter near Trona in the Searles
Valley, not far from Ridgecrest, population roughly 29,000.

ARES volunteer Jerry Brooks, KK6PA, activated the Eastern Kern County
ARES Net, and, as members assessed their own situations and were able
to participate, activity grew on the Eastern Kern County ARES
Emergency Net. Others filled in as Net Control Stations a the
activation progressed.

The Logistics Chief with the Ridgecrest Emergency Operations Center
(EOC), Robert Oberfeld, contacted Eastern Kern County ARES to ask
that a radio operator be assigned to the Ridgecrest Police Department
mobile communications van at the EOC. Eastern Kern County ARES was
able to relay information from mobile operators to the EOC regarding
roadway conditions in the area, as several main highways -- including
Highway 178, the only route between Ridgecrest and Trona -- had been
rendered impassable. CalTrans was alerted, and repair crews had the
route opened for limited traffic within a short time.

As the aftershocks lessened and the extent of the damage by the first
temblor had been assessed, the EOC requested that ARES stand down but
remain on standby.

A US Geological Survey map displays
the swath of earthquakes and
aftershocks around Independence Day
in California.

The next day, Friday, July 5, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck in
the early evening. This was followed over the next 2 hours nearly 2
dozen aftershocks, ranging in magnitude from 4.5 to 5.5.

When Eastern Kern County ARES activated again, significantly more
damage had occurred, with the result that fewer operators were
immediately available. More subsequently came on board to provide
their observations to the EOC. In all, 57 operators were active at
various times on the emergency net, providing status and updates.
Eastern Kern County ARES stood down from active status at 9 PM on
Sunday.

"The ensuing days have brought thousands of aftershocks of generally
small magnitude, but the threat of larger aftershocks remains, so
Eastern Kern County ARES remains on stand by for now," said Dennis
Kidder, W6DQ. Aftershocks are expected to continue for a long time,
he said. Read more. -- Thanks to Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, Eastern Kern
County ARES

Millions of AMPRNet Internet Addresses Sold to Fund Grants and
Scholarships

The proceeds from this month's sale of some 4 million unused
consecutive AMPRNetƒ*› internet addresses will fund operations of the
nonprofit Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC). This will
establish a program of grants and scholarships in support of
communications and networking research -- with a strong emphasis on
Amateur Radio, an ARDC news release said. ARDC manages AMPRNet. While
the sale fetched "several million dollars," ARDC said that its Board
of Directors had agreed to keep the exact figure confidential for
now, "to avoid adversely influencing others buying and selling
addresses."

The addresses sold came out of a block of some 16 million internet
addresses obtained nearly 40 years ago and "devoted exclusively to
Amateur Radio" for TCP/IP ham radio networking. Ownership of the
addresses passed to an informal group of hams that included Phil
Karn, KA9Q; Wally Lindstruth, WA6JPR (SK), and later, Brian Kantor,
WB6CYT. Karn and Kantor remain on the ARDC Board.

In its statement, ARDC said the sale decision was unanimous and that
proceeds would be invested, in the hope that they will become "a
perpetual endowment from which each year we will award grants and
scholarships to qualified recipients who will use the funds to
advance the state of the communications arts."

ARDC said it intends to grant funds "across all reaches of the
educational, research, and development spectrum," with awards going
toward the support of qualified IRS 501(c)(3) organizations.

No grants or scholarships have been granted as yet. ARDC said it is
forming a committee to screen future candidate organizations.
So Now What? Podcast

"Tips on Using Coax Cable" will be the focus of the new (July 25)
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.

ARRL's 2018 Annual Report is Now Available

ARRL has announced the release of its 2018 Annual Report to members.
In his message to members, ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, said
"new generation" hams engage with Amateur Radio in a very different
way than hams of his generation.

"Through extensive research, we've learned that they come to Amateur
Radio hoping to learn how to use it in aid of their communities, and
for enhancing the fun they're already having while camping, hiking,
or doing other outdoor activities," President Roderick said. "We've
also learned that they've been discouraged by the difficulty of
finding information and help that would allow them to get involved."
He said ARRL has turned its attention toward those hams over the past
year, and he directed readers to read about ARRL's new Lifelong
Learning Department, which, he said, "will create learning materials
for Amateur Radio enthusiasts at all levels of knowledge -- but
especially for the beginners."

"I'm excited about the new ways in which the organization is
preparing to fulfill its mission to advance the art, science, and
enjoyment of Amateur Radio," President Roderick concluded. "I hope
you are, too."

In his message, Chief Executive Officer Howard Michel, WB2ITX, said
ARRL is at a crossroads, "and we need to look seriously at what we
are and what we do. For ARRL to remain relevant to Amateur Radio, it
must evolve. That evolution, while swift, can't be haphazard."

"We are about relationships and information. We are about creating,
curating, and disseminating information about Amateur Radio," Michel
said.

Members may download and read ARRL's 2018 Annual Report on the ARRL
website. Set Adobe Reader to its two-page viewing mode to better view
the larger layout. Read more.
Amateur Radio Being Showcased at 2019 EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin

ARRL member-volunteers are part of the excitement at the 2019
International Experimental Aircraft Association annual AirVenture
show, which wraps up on July 29 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. This year
marks the 50th anniversary of EAA AirVenture, which drew more than
600,000 visitors and 10,000 aircraft last year. The ARRL exhibit
highlights radio communications, encouraging pilots and aviation
enthusiasts to discover the many facets of Amateur Radio and to
expand their interest in technology. ARRL Product Development Manager
Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, organized the booth (#2152 in Hangar B) and
all-volunteer team.

"This is a great opportunity to show off Amateur Radio at such a
large-scale event," Inderbitzen said. "There's a kinship among the
aviation and Amateur Radio communities. In addition to introducing
newcomers to ham radio, we met over 600 ham-pilots at last year's
AirVenture." (See "Growing Amateur Radio, One Pilot at a Time,"
January 2019, QST, pp. 77 - 80.)

Icom America and EAA Warbirds of America have organized special event
station W9W, which will be on the air all week from AirVenture.
[IMG]Look for W9W on 40 through 10 meters and on VHF and UHF. The
station will be set up against the backdrop of the display of
historic and vintage ex-military aircraft.

Members of the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club (FCARC) are operating
W9ZL from the nearby Pioneer Airport. The station is located within
KidVenture, which is filled with activities for children and youth
attending AirVenture. (See the ARRL Special Events database for
further details about W9ZL and W9W.)

Tying in with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, EAA
AirVenture will host Apollo 11 crew member Michael Collins on Friday,
July 26, as the event's featured guest.

IEEE Symposium Exhibit Displays the Breadth of Amateur Radio

Amateur Radio received excellent exposure during the IEEE
International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation July 7 - 12 in
Atlanta, Georgia. Some 1,400 delegates from 23 countries attended,
and many visited ARRL's exhibit to learn more about Amateur Radio.
Three active Amateur Radio stations were available via remote
internet connections.

"I wanted the booth to be inviting and get people's attention," said
Wes Lamboley, W3WL, of the North Fulton Amateur Radio League, who
headed up the team of booth volunteers. "The main objective was to
engage people and find out what their interests were and then make
them aware of aspects of ham radio that may be of interest." That
included Amateur Radio in space activities, including the Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program and ham
radio satellites.

Visitors to the ARRL exhibit
included (left to right) Ray Bailey,
N4GYN; Jim Kaufman, W4IU -- a recent
QST author; Eric Eveleigh, KN4VRW;
ARRL Georgia Section Manger David
Benoist, AG4ZR, and Chuck Catledge,
AE4CW.

Lamboley estimated that up to 400 attendees visited the ARRL exhibit,
and all received an "Ask Me About Amateur Radio" pin designed by Ward
Silver, N0AX.

"As this Symposium was about antennas, propagation and radio science,
the most interest on the part of non-hams seemed to be the frequency
allocations we have," Lamboley observed. "It seemed that over 50% of
the attendees were working in the 10 to 100 GHz range and engaged in
many experimental/research endeavors in that range. This is being
driven by 5G. There was much interest in Arduinos as well."

Several attendees sat for Amateur Radio examinations offered at the
conference.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: On Monday, July 22, a new sunspot
appeared, but just for 1 day, and the magnetic signature showed it to
be from the current Solar Cycle 24.

Average daily solar flux increased insignificantly, from 67 to 67.3.
Predicted solar flux is 67 for July 25 through September 7.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on July 25; 8 on July 26 - 27; 5 on
July 28 - August 3; 8, 15, 15, and 8 on August 4 - 7; 5 on August 8 -
18; 8 on August 19 - 20; 5 on August 21; 8 on August 22 - 24; 5 on
August 25 - 30; 8, 15, 15, and 8 on August 31 - September 3, and 5 on
September 4 - 7.

An article in EurekAlert, "'Terminators' on the Sun trigger plasma
tsunamis and the start of new solar cycles," discusses the end of the
current cycle and beginning of the new one.

A European Space Agency (ESA) article discusses the Solar Wind
Composition Experiment during the Apollo 11 mission.

Sunspot numbers for July 18 - 24 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 11, 0, and 0, with
a mean of 1.6. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 67, 66.7, 67, 67.7, 67.3,
67.4, and 67.8, with a mean of 67.3. Estimated planetary A indices
were 3, 4, 3, 8, 8, 6, and 5, with a mean of 5.3. Middle latitude A
index was 4, 3, 5, 9, 11, 7, and 5, with a mean of 6.3.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out 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
* July 27 - 28 -- RSGB IOTA Contest (CW, phone)
* July 28 -- ARS Flight of the Bumblebees (CW)
* July 29 - 30 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
* August 1 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
* August 1 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)

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

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Scouts Attending World Scout Jamboree Set to Talk with Space Station
via Ham Radio

Thousands of Scouts from some 160 countries attending the 24th World
Scout Jamboree this summer in West Virginia will have the chance to
witness an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
contact. The World Scout Jamboree opened on Monday, July 22. If all
goes according to schedule, a group of 10 Scouts at Jamboree, chosen
from among those who signed up for the opportunity, will gather at
the World Scout Jamboree's NA1WJ to pose questions to astronaut Drew
Morgan, KI5AAA, at the helm of OR4ISS on the ISS. The contact is set
to take place on Saturday, July 27, at 1827 UTC. Morgan is an
assistant scoutmaster. The contact will be enabled via a "telebridge"
between NA1SS and ON4ISS at AMSAT-Belgium. The event will be streamed
live via Facebook.

In its proposal for the ARISS contact, Jamboree officials said they
wanted the ARISS contact to serve as "the pinnacle experience during
the World Jamboree," demonstrating to the more than 50,000 Scouts
attending that "technology is a fascinating vocation as well as
avocation and is a suitable area of pursuit within their Scouting
program as well as at home when selecting an educational path for
their lives and careers."

The Jamboree offers demonstrations of Amateur Radio on HF, VHF, UHF,
and multiple satellite contacts. The Jamboree also will offer Amateur
Radio direction finding (ARDF) -- hidden-transmitter hunts
(foxhunting) -- on 80 meters and 2 meters. More than 3,000 Scouts are
expected to take part in the Amateur Radio demonstrations over the 11
days of the Jamboree, Scout officials said.
Some European Telecoms Regulators Keeping an Open Mind on French
2-Meter Proposal

At least two European telecommunications regulators appear inclined
to give serious consideration to a French proposal to allocate 146 -
148 MHz to the Aeronautical Mobile Service on a primary basis. Some
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 member-societies
have written their governments' regulators, expressing opposition to
the proposal, aired at a June CEPT meeting. The matter remains a
regional issue at this stage but could become an agenda item for
World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 (WRC-23).

In response to a letter from Switzerland's IARU member-society USKA
to telecommunications regulator BAKOM, the agency's head of frequency
planning assured USKA that this was not a matter of depriving radio
amateurs of primary use, but said "so-called co-primary" usage of 144
- 146 MHz by both services could be examined.

"We don't see how the Amateur Radio Service...and the Aeronautical
Service could co-exist without operating restrictions," USKA said in
a report that asks, "Is the 2 Meter Band Threatened?" The article's
author, Bernard Wehrli, HB9ALH, advised radio amateurs to keep using
2 meters and to avoid taking on the issue individually.

Meanwhile the Netherlands IARU member-society VERON reports what it
called a "disappointing response" from national regulator Agentschap
Telecom to a call from Dutch radio amateurs that 144 - 146 MHz be
protected. According to VERON, an initial Agentschap Telecom response
indicated that the French proposal "fits in with Dutch frequency
policy" that encourages joint and shared use of spectrum. VERON said
Agentschap Telecom has indicated that it's necessary to take a good
look at actual use of the segment and to have insight into
compatibility.

"VERON shares the opinion that this proposal has no viability," the
organization asserts, pointing to remarks from IARU President Tim
Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, that said the proposal to share 144 - 146 MHz
would require 4 years of studies and reach the same conclusion.

Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) President Dave Wilson, M0OBW,
also wrote to the UK's telecoms regulator Ofcom, strongly expressing
the RSGB's concerns. Wilson said RSGB "views the French proposal as
lacking a proper understanding of the implications of sharing an
aeronautical application with weak-signal terrestrial and space
communications services."

Ellam told ARRL this week that, at this point, he's not concerned
that some telecommunications regulators are giving serious
consideration to the French proposal. "I think this is just part of
the ongoing discussions," he said. Read more.
In Brief...

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has accepted the
European Radio Amateurs' Organization (EURAO) as a sector member.
EURAO joins the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in
representing the Amateur Service at ITU conferences. IARU President
Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA, said his organization welcomes EURAO to ITU
membership and hopes to work closely with its representatives in ITU
Study Groups and Working Parties to protect Amateur and
Amateur-Satellite spectrum. "IARU believes that a strong degree of
cooperation between our two organizations into the future will be in
the best interests of the Amateur Service and is committed to working
to make that happen," Ellam said. IARU has participated in ITU
conferences since 1927 and has been an ITU sector member since 1932,
playing an active role in the work of the ITU Radiocommunication and
Development sectors.

Online registration is now available for Microwave Update 2019.
Sponsored by the North Texas Microwave Society, the event will take
place October 3 - 5 at the Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center in
Lewisville (Dallas), Texas. Microwave Update is the year's premier
microwave conference and an ideal place to meet fellow microwave
enthusiasts to share ideas and techniques. Tom McDermott, N5EG, will
lead a Thursday, October 3, workshop on GNU Radio. Friday, October 4,
will feature antenna-gain measuring and phase noise analysis. The
Saturday banquet speaker will be Rex Moncur, VK7MO, who activated
more than 100 grid squares on 10 GHz Earth-Moon-Earth in both
Australia and New Zealand. Kent Britain, WA5VJB, will coordinate the
publishing of the proceedings by the ARRL, and additional papers are
invited. Submit articles by September 3.

ARRL's Logbook of The World has been updated to embrace FT4 contacts
for the Digital Worked All States award. This follows the WSJT-X
Development Group's July "general availability" release of WSJT-X
2.1.0. No other endorsements are under consideration at this time.
LoTW users are currently able to upload all FT4 contacts they have
made. While the FT4 Digital WAS Award Endorsement functions are now
active, award processing and fulfilment remain pending the
availability of the new endorsement sticker. Watch ARRL News for this
and other updates.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
* July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 6 - 8 -- New England Division Convention, Boxborough,
Massachusetts
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

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* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
August 1, 2019

* Free Hiram Percy Maxim 150th Birthday Event Logging Software Now
Available
* One Dead, One Injured in New Hampshire Ham Radio Tower Mishap
* DXpedition Team Donates Part of QSL Fees to Galapagos Conservancy
* The Doctor Will See You Now!
* ARISS Next-Generation Radio System Completes Critical Flight
Certification Tests
* Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, is 2019 Newsline Young Ham of the Year
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* AMSAT President Asks Members to Help Keep Amateur Radio in Space
* IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Seeks Student
CubeSat RF Hardware Proposals
* Cass Award Winners Announced
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Free Hiram Percy Maxim 150th Birthday Event Logging Software Now
Available

Scott Davis, N3FJP, perhaps best known for the ARRL Field Day
software that bears his call sign, has developed a free logging
program for ARRL's Happy 150! Hiram Percy Maxim Birthday Celebration
on-the-air event that gets under way on August 31 and runs for 9
days. Davis calls his software Hiram Percy Maxim Contest Log 1.0.
Maxim, 1AW, who cofounded ARRL, was born on September 2, 1869.

"I've never created a program for a non-recurring event before,
because the coding time required is too large," Davis said in a post
to the N3FJP software user group. "I've made this exception because
this is a really nice, simple rule set with the very popular field
day-style exchange that has the added bonus in schedule flexibility
of running for 9 days. The Hiram Percy Maxim celebration sure looks
like a well-designed event that will be a lot of fun for us all."

The Happy 150! event will begin at 0000 UTC on August 31 and continue
until 2359 UTC on September 8. It is open to all radio amateurs. The
goal is straightforward: Contact as many participating stations as
possible. W1AW and all ARRL members will append "/150" to their call
signs during this event (DX operators who are ARRL members may
operate as <call sign>/150, if permitted by their country of
license.) Participating stations will exchange a signal report and
ARRL/RAC Section. DX stations will send a signal report and "DX." All
Amateur Radio bands except 60, 30, 17, and 12 meters are available.
Permitted modes are CW, any voice mode, and digital.

Davis said Hiram Percy Maxim Contest Log 1.0 is full featured and
"very easy and intuitive to use."

"If the Hiram Percy Maxim celebration is received as strongly as it
appears, my hope is that ARRL will decide to make this an annual
event," Davis allowed. "After all, birthdays come once a year, and we
now have the infrastructure to continue."
One Dead, One Injured in New Hampshire Ham Radio Tower Mishap

A tower dismantling turned tragic on Saturday, July 27, in Deerfield,
New Hampshire, when two radio amateurs working some 40 feet up on the
tower were carried to the ground when the structure collapsed. Joseph
Areyzaga, K1JGA, 52, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, did not survive
injuries sustained in the fall, while the tower's owner, Michael
Rancourt, K1EEE, 65, was seriously injured and remains

Joseph Areyzaga, K1JGA.

hospitalized. Rancourt was taking down the tower in preparation for
selling his house, and the pair had nearly completed their work. They
were tied into the tower and went down with it as it collapsed.

The tower, a tilt-over model said to be 40 to 50 feet, had been
bolted to prevent it from tilting as it was being dismantled.

A law enforcement source said a number of people were at the site for
a social gathering as the tower was being taken down, and they
witnessed the tragedy.

No official determination has been made regarding the cause of the
structural failure, but a radio amateur who visited the scene
afterward observed that two of the tower's three legs were clearly
compromised and split cleanly and the third leg bent, just above the
fully intact tilt base.

The New Hampshire Amateur Radio tower-related fatality is the second
such deadly incident in a little more than 6 weeks. In mid-June, a
Pennsylvania radio amateur died when the tower he was installing
collapsed as he was attempting to attach a guy line to the
structure's bottom section.

DXpedition Team Donates Part of QSL Fees to Galapagos Conservancy

From February 28 until March 6, the HD8M Amateur Radio team operated
from the side of Cerro Crocker, a volcano high above the city of
Bellavista on Santa Cruz Island in the Galapagos. The HD8M team
consisted of Jim Millner, WB2REM, a retired psychologist, and Bill
Mims, W2WCM, a retired airline pilot. The purpose of the operation
was to bring attention to the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos
Islands through their Amateur Radio activity. As a part of the
confirmation process, the team exchanged QSL cards from which a
dollar or more would be donated to Galapagos Conservancy.

Bill Mims, W2WCM (left), and Jim
Millner, WB2REM, at HD8M. [Photo
courtesy of Jim Millner, WB2REM]

"We used ClubLog's Online QSL Request System (OQRS), bureau requests
associated with ClubLog, and SASEs for QSLing," Millner explained.
"When stations used OQRS and requested a direct QSL Card, they were
charged a $4 fee. We mentioned in the OQRS system that of every $4
received, were going to donate $1 to the Galapagos Conservancy. As it
turned out, however, we donated all extra money to the Conservancy."

At the time, the HD8M team was the only Amateur Radio operation in
the Galapagos Islands, making it a rare entity, so they found
themselves in high demand. In just 6 days of operation, they
contacted more than 8,000 stations in 140 DXCC entities as well as in
all 50 US states.

Millner and Mims operated two stations equipped with Icom IC-7300s
and band-pass filters, operating on SSB, CW, and FT8, and using all
wire antennas. HD8M took part in the ARRL International DX Phone and,
despite poor conditions on the equator, they were able to make more
than 600 contacts. "FT8 was a particularly a good mode despite the
conditions," Millner said, noting that the location at 1,500 feet
elevation on the side of a volcano gave the pair "an amazing view" of
the ocean and outlying islands. "The wildlife was abundant with many
colorful birds and land iguanas, as well as huge Galapagos tortoises
that roamed around the 10-acre property.

In addition, they added a fundraising component to their outreach and
on their website, where donations were made directly to Galapagos
Conservancy. As a result of HD8M's unique approach to fundraising,
they were able to donate $2,285 to the Galapagos Conservancy in
April. In September 2017, the HD8M team operated from Isabela Island,
and amassed $1,200 in donations to the Conservancy. -- This is an
expanded version of a story that appeared in Galapagos News
spring/summer 2019 issue and appears by permission.
The Doctor Will See You Now!

"Noise Blankers and Noise Reduction" is the topic of the new (August
1) episode of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!

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, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and
the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of
technical topics. You can also email your questions to
doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor may answer them in a future podcast.

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.

ARISS Next-Generation Radio System Completes Critical Flight
Certification Tests

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
next-generation Interoperable Radio System (IORS) successfully
completed a battery of stress tests, required as part of the final
certification of the hardware for launch to and operation on the
International Space Station (ISS). The IORS consists of a JVC Kenwood
D710GA transceiver and the AMSAT-developed Multi-Voltage Power Supply
(MVPS). In early July, the equipment successfully completed a series
of electromagnetic interference/electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
tests to ensure that the ARISS hardware will not interfere with ISS
systems or other payloads.

The IORS also successfully passed power quality and acoustics
testing, which verified that the ARISS IORS will not introduce
harmful signals back into the ISS power system and is quiet enough to
meet ISS acoustic requirements. ARISS Hardware Team members Lou
McFadin, W5DID, and Kerry Banke, N6IZW, were at NASA's Johnson Space
Center to support the 2-week battery of tests in concert with the
NASA test and certification team.

The ARISS MVPS, which is part
of the ARISS Interoperable
Radio System.

"Since the IORS is being qualified to operate on 120 V dc, 28 V dc,
and Russian 28 V dc, as well as transmit on VHF or UHF, a lot of test
combinations were required to cover all cases," Banke said. "Each
input voltage type was also tested at low, medium, and high line
voltage. Moreover, additional permutations were required to test the
IORS under no load, medium load, and full load at each voltage level.
So it should not be surprising why the tests took 2 weeks to
complete."

Successful completion of these tests represents a key milestone in
preparing the IORS for launch. ARISS says it now can begin final
assembly of the flight units and prepare for their safety
certification before launch. ARISS is working toward launch-ready
status by year's end.
Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, is 2019 Newsline Young Ham of the Year

Fifteen-year-old ARRL member Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, of Normal,
Illinois, has been selected as the 2019 Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year (YHOTY). His
parents are Hari Rebba, VU2SPZ, and Shailaja Panyam. A rising
sophomore at the Normal Community High School, Dhruv is a member of
the Central Illinois Radio Club. He has been licensed since 2013,
after a visit to Dayton Hamvention^(R) with his dad sparked his
interest in Amateur Radio.

Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX, operates PJ2Y
from Curacao Island during the 2018
Dave Kalter Youth DX Adventure.
[Photo courtesy of KC9ZJX]

After getting his license, Dhruv became involved in ARRL Field Day
and public service events with the Central Illinois Radio Club,
including the We Care Twin Cities Half Marathon and the Hop on for
Hope Bike Ride/Walk. Dhruv says he found a way to combine his
interest in space and engineering with his new hobby, joining AMSAT
and pursuing his dream of a school contact with an astronaut aboard
the International Space Station.

In October 2017, he served as lead control operator for an Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with
students at his school, Chiddix Junior High, who spoke to astronaut
Joe Acaba, KE5DAR. On July 27 of this year, Dhruv helped to
facilitate another ARISS contact with Scouts attending the World
Scout Jamboree in West Virginia.

ARISS presentations at Dayton and Huntsville, Dhruv's selection as an
ARISS mentor, and networking with those putting together the ARISS
contact for the World Scout Jamboree led to his involvement in the
July 27 contact.

In 2018, Dhruv was selected to take part in the Dave Kalter Memorial
Youth DX Adventure. He traveled to Curacao last summer, where the
PJ2Y team logged a record 6,262 contacts with 135 entities. His
favorite mode is SSB.

Dhruv has earned many accolades for his Amateur Radio pursuits,
including the Young Ham Lends a Hand Award at the 2019 Dayton
Hamvention Youth Forum; a Presidential Award from AMSAT, and the
Radio Club of America Young Achiever Award. He also has traveled to
India to promote Amateur Radio awareness.

The Young Ham of the Year was established in 1986 by Amateur Radio
Newsline cofounder Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF (SK), in 1986. Dhruv will
receive the 2019 YHOTY award during the Huntsville Hamfest on August
17. Read more. -- Thanks to Amateur Radio Newsline

The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: No sunspots were observed over the
past week, and solar flux remains flat, with average daily values
declining from 67.3 to 67. The average daily planetary A index edged
down slightly, from 5.3 to 5, and the middle latitude A index dipped
from 6.3 to 5.9. Predicted solar flux for the August 1 - September 14
is 67 -- every day.

Predicted planetary A index is10, 8, 5, and 5 on August 1 - 4; 8, 16,
12, and 8 on August 5 - 8; 5 on August 9 - 16; 8 on August 17 - 18; 5
on August 19 - 26; 8, 16, 8, 5, 8, 22, and 16 on August 27 -
September 2; 5 on September 3 - 12, and 8 on September 13 - 14.

George, N2CG, in Saddle Brook, New Jersey, wrote to report that on
July 28, 6 meters opened to northern Europe -- mainly Finland -- with
very good FT8 signals for more than an hour. "This was my very first
time working Finland on 6 meters, and shortly after my QSO with
OH3SR, he verified our QSO on LoTW!" he wrote.

Sunspot numbers for July 25 - 31, 2019 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0,
with a mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 68.2, 67.6, 66.7,
67.1, 66.1, 66.2, and 66.9, with a mean of 67. Estimated planetary A
indices were 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 8, and 8 with a mean of 5. Middle
latitude A index was 3, 4, 4, 7, 5, 8, and 10, with a mean of 5.9.

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
* August 3 - 4 -- 10-10 International Summer Contest, SSB
* August 3 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)
* August 3 -- WAB 144 MHz Low Power Phone
* August 3 - 4 -- North American QSO Party, CW
* August 3 - 4 --ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest
* August 4 -- SARL HF Phone Contest
* August 4 - 6 -- G3ZQS Memorial Straight Key Contest
* August 6 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)

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.

AMSAT President Asks Members to Help Keep Amateur Radio in Space

"It takes considerable volunteer effort and real dollars to keep
Amateur Radio in Spac," AMSAT President Joe Spier, K6WAO, has
reminded the organization's members in a message that included an
invitation to the organization's 50th anniversary Space Symposium and
Annual Meeting in October. In addition, Spier put out a call for
"important assistance" in the areas of User Services and Engineering
(prospective volunteers may contact Spier via email).

"AMSAT has several fundraising needs," Spier said, noting that
contributions to AMSAT are tax deductible to the extent permitted by
IRS rules. "The daily operation of AMSAT is accomplished by donations
to the General Fund. The other main department needs are the fund for
GOLF 3U CubeSats design/construction and Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS)."

AMSAT-NA President Joe
Spier, K6WAO.

Spier pointed to the 2018 successes of AO-92 (Fox-1D) and the launch
of AO-95 (Fox-1Cliff). "AMSAT partnered with Spaceflight Inc. by
contracting and paying for these launches," Spier noted. "Fundraising
for Fox-series satellites has not yet recouped this expenditure, so
donations are still being accepted." AMSAT expects to launch of
RadFxSat-2 (Fox-1E), in partnership with Vanderbilt University, by
the end of summer. AMSAT is also partnering with several universities
to fly the same linear transponder on their CubeSats.

AMSAT has been selected for two CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI)
opportunities for GOLF-TEE and GOLF-1. "GOLF's 3U spaceframe is being
designed with versatility to add mission-specific radios, power
supplies, and experiments," Spier noted. "A series of GOLF CubeSats
will provide better coverage, and a greater footprint will allow more
coverage by fewer satellites."

One-time or recurring donations to AMSAT and ARISS are welcome. Read
more.
IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society Seeks Student CubeSat RF
Hardware Proposals

The IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTT-S) has
announced the MTT-Sat Challenge for groups of students developing RF
hardware for CubeSat applications. The MTT-Sat Challenge is a
worldwide competition for teams of undergraduate and graduate
students to design and build RF hardware for small satellites. The
most promising designs will undergo space environmental qualification
testing and could be incorporated into an actual CubeSat.

"The main goal of the MTT-Sat Challenge is to advance space RF and
microwave education, inspire students to pursue science and
engineering education and careers, and prepare tomorrow's leaders
with the interdisciplinary teamwork skills, which are necessary for
success," the society said in announcing the competition. The MTT-Sat
Challenge is intended to run over 4 academic years (starting in June
2019) and is divided into several phases spanning overall technology
readiness levels. Proposals may be submitted for every phase.

At this time, the IEEE MTT-Sat Challenge is calling for ideas that
could come from among the following fields: Transceivers based on
commercial of the shelf (COTS) components; antenna systems and arrays
for CubeSats; ground terminals for low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites;
radiation-hardened electronics based on COTS components;
inter-satellite communication; electromagnetic sensors for CubeSats,
and novel RF technologies for space applications.

Detailed information is available on the MTT-Sat Challenge. The
submission deadline is October 2, 2019, 0900 UTC (October 1, 11 PM
HST). Those planning to submit proposals should send a brief letter
of interest by August 31.
Cass Award Winners Announced

Janusz Wegryzn, SP9FIH,
receives the
Single-Operator Cass
Award plaque from his
sister, Elzbieta.

Janusz Wegrzyn, SP9FIH, has been named the winner of the 2018
Single-Operator Cass Award for the second year in a row. While active
from Sint Eustatius Island as PJ5/SP9FIH in March 2018, Wegryzn
contacted 8,257 unique stations during the 14 days of his one-person
DXpedition.

The 3C0W Annobon Island DXpedition team was the recipient of the
first Unlimited Cass Award for its effort in

Vilnis Vosekalns, YL2KF
(left), presents the
Unlimited Cass Award
plaque to YL2KL, YL2GM,
and YL1ZF during the
Latvian Amateur Radio
League's summer
gathering.

logging as many DXers as possible. During March 2018, Girts Budis,
YL2KL; Yuris Petersons, YL2GM, and Kaspars Uztics, YL1ZF, contacted
18,812 unique call signs on the DXpedition.

Sponsored by Club Log, DXLab, and the Northern California DX Club,
the annual Cass Awards encourage DXpedition operating excellence by
recognizing DXpeditions that contact the greatest number of unique
call signs. Running leaderboards for the 2019 Cass Single-Operator
and Unlimited awards are available on the Club Log website.

These awards honor the wisdom and spirit of Cass Cassidy, WA6AUD
(SK), whose weekly stories in the West Coast DX Bulletin, published
from 1968 to 1979, engaged a generation of DXers.
In Brief...

Ham radio volunteers assisted in the search for a missing teen this
week. Many radio amateurs were among the fire and police department
personnel, search-and-rescue teams, and citizen volunteers who took
part in the July 29 search in Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania, for a
13-year-old youth with autism who was missing from his home. Hams
served as leads for volunteer search teams, and ham radio provided
solid communication with searchers. "We started the operation [at]
about 1300 UTC, and he was located about 1900 UTC, safe," said Ralph
Brandt, K3HQI. "Ham radio played a significant part in this." Brandt
and Yvonne Roberts, AC3CM, handled communications during the search.
Brandt said that about 25 of the radio amateurs taking part had been
students in his Technician licensing classes. "It gives a good
feeling when it works," said Brandt, who is the Affiliated Club
Coordinator in the ARRL Eastern Pennsylvania Section.

The spherical Chinese CAS-7B (BP-1B) Amateur Radio satellite carrying
an FM transponder launched on July 25 at 0500 UTC. Signals from both
the FM transponder and the telemetry beacon have been received.
CAS-7B (BP-1B) was developed by the Chinese Amateur Satellite Group
(CAMSAT) in cooperation with the Beijing Institute of Technology
(BIT), and AMSAT has designated the satellite as Bit-Progress OSCAR
102 (BO-102). CAMSAT completed the project planning, design, build,
and testing, and manages the satellite's on-orbit operation. BIT
provided the satellite environmental testing, launch support, and
financial support. Many students from BIT were involved with the
project, learning about satellite technology and Amateur Radio.CAS-7B
is expected to have a lifetime of about a month before reentry. The
satellite was launched on Hyperbola-1 from Jiuquan into a 300
kilometer, 42.7ø inclination orbit. The CW telemetry beacon transmits
on 435.715 MHz; the V/U FM transponder downlink is 435.690 MHz (16
kHz passband), and the V/U FM transponder uplink is 145.900 MHz.
Further information is available from Alan Kung, BA1DU, at CAMSAT.

ARRL is seeking a Development Manager for full-time employment at
ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. The Development Manager
is responsible for the development and implementation of strategic
plans to maximize funding from donors for the organization through
creative and effective campaign management and relationship building.
This individual holding this position is responsible for developing
and managing fundraising campaigns, building strong and successful
relationships, maintaining communication with donors, and
collaborating with and supervising staff to effectively execute
fundraising efforts, in addition to managing individual and corporate
gifts. To apply, or for more information, see the complete opening
announcement on the ARRL Employment Opportunities web page.

The FCC is seeking to hire an electronics engineer for a full-time,
permanent position at the Commission's Enforcement Bureau, Office of
Field Director in Columbia, Maryland. The incumbent resolves RF
interference, educates users, enforces regulations, and investigates
all services for violations. This individual serves as a point of
contact for FCC licensees in matters of fixed and mobile radio
direction-finding and interference resolution, and initiates Official
Notices of Violation, Warnings, Notices of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture, and other orders to radio operators and licensees. A
Security Clearance is required. Apply by August 26. See the job
opening announcement for details.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* August 2 - 3 -- Austin Summerfest, Austin, Texas
* August 3 - 4 -- Cedar Valley ARC Hamfest/Midwest STEM Techfest,
Central City, Iowa
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 6 - 8 -- New England Division Convention, Boxborough,
Massachusetts
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

.
* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
mailbox each month.
* Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.

Subscribe to...
* NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features
articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores,
NA Sprint, and QSO parties.
* QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published
bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects,
columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and
communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...
* Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and
emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update
(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts
-- and much more!
* Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

The ARRL Letter
August 8, 2019

* Cape Cod ARES and SKYWARN Provide Support in Rare Cape Cod
Tornado Event
* Arizona ARES Volunteers Support Communication during Arizona
Wildland Fire
* ARRL Member Had Role in Promising RF Treatment Device for
Alzheimer's
* So Now What? Podcast
* AMSAT and ARISS Designing Amateur Radio System for Lunar Gateway
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Global Institutions Support Amateur Radio Communication and
Experimentation
* Centenarian Mentor and Multiple Award Recipient "Fritz" Nitsch,
W4NTO, SK
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right!
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Cape Cod ARES and SKYWARN Provide Support in Rare Cape Cod Tornado
Event

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, ARES, and SKYWARN Amateur Radio volunteers
were promptly pressed into action as a storm system on July 23
produced severe thunderstorms that spawned three tornadoes over the
Cape. Hurricane-force wind also resulted in significant tree and
utility wire damage across Cape Cod. Some pockets of wind damage also
occurred in the northwest corner of Martha's Vineyard.

Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotters were the first to provide critical
ground truth information. Under the direction of Cape Cod District
Emergency Coordinator Frank O'Laughlin, WQ1O, and Eastern
Massachusetts SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY, a SKYWARN net ran for several
hours on a Barnstable VHF repeater, receiving numerous damage
reports.

Amateur Radio operations shifted to an ARES net supporting
communication between a shelter at the Dennis-Yarmouth School and the
Barnstable County Emergency Operations Center, which serves as the
Multiagency Coordination Center (MACC).

"Dozens of reports of trees and wires down and some structural damage
reports were received during the SKYWARN net, and Amateur Radio
operators supported initial damage assessment in the hardest hit
areas and provided photos and videos that were shared via social
media and other outlets," Macedo said. "This provided critical
situational awareness and disaster information to the National
Weather Service (NWS), state emergency management, and local media
outlets, and helped to diagnose the areas for NWS meteorologists to
survey to determine whether a tornado or straight-line wind damage
occurred."

ARES support for the Dennis-Yarmouth shelter as well as Amateur Radio
operations at the Barnstable County MACC continued around the clock,
with six radio amateurs engaged in shelter and EOC communications
over the course of about 2 days. The severe weather knocked out power
for some 53,000 customers on Cape Cod, and it took utilities several
days to repair the damage and restore service.

"Traffic that was handled focused on the logistics of taking care of
people who stayed in the shelter until power restoration efforts were
near completion," O'Laughlin explained.

A NWS-Norton survey team consisting of several meteorologists
surveyed the damage and confirmed three tornadoes on Cape Cod in
addition to destructive straight-line winds. Since tornado records
have been kept, starting in 1950, only three tornadoes have been
recorded on Cape Cod up until last year. -- Thanks to Rob Macedo,
KD1CY
Arizona ARES Volunteers Support Communication during Arizona Wildland
Fire

Members of the Coconino County Amateur Radio Club (CARC) in Arizona
activated on July 21 as winds accelerated the Museum Fire beyond 50
acres, triggering the activation of the county's Emergency Operations
Center (EOC). Members of the club, many of them ARES volunteers,
staffed the EOC.

Smoke from the Museum
Fire is in the distance
as CARC members complete
a temporary radio setup
for more effective
communication. [Ken Held,
KF7DUR, photo]

"The club has a great working relationship with Coconino County,"
said CARC's Public Information Officer Dan Shearer, N7YIQ. "CARC's
ARES component has a dedicated position in the EOC structure and has
assisted on many incidents over the last few years, providing
communications to field personnel when cell and radio coverage is
limited or nonexistent."

Shearer said Amateur Radio equipment and antennas are stored at the
EOC, and CARC members have been trained to set it up and have
everything operational within an hour of activation.

The fire, of undetermined origin, soon grew larger than 500 acres and
became a top fire-fighting priority. A Type 1 incident management
team took over management of the fire-fighting effort late on July
22, and more than 12 Hotshot crews (teams highly trained in all
aspects of fire management), fire engines, water tenders, and
aircraft were engaged in suppressing the blaze. Residents in some
neighborhoods were ordered to evacuate, although no homes and
structures were lost. There were fears that the fire might overrun
communications sites on Mount Elden, which include public service,
private, and Amateur Radio repeaters.

"The loss of one or both of these complexes would have been
catastrophic," Shearer said. CARC members were prepared for the risk
and quickly assembled spare equipment, including extra radios and
repeaters.

A very large air tanker
completing its run
dropping retardant on the
radio complexes atop Mount
Elden. [CB Johnson, NQ9C,
photo]

Air tankers dropped many loads of fire retardant around the repeater
sites, and the exceptional work of the fire crews prevented the fire
from running up the slopes to the complexes, Shearer said.

A midweek change in the weather with substantial rain gave
firefighters a chance to keep the blaze from crossing a fire line
they constructed. ARES resources were released on July 26 and placed
on standby as the fire risk was substantially reduced.

Shearer said there is now a risk of flash flooding across the
burned-over areas from the region's summer rainy period, and the City
of Flagstaff and Coconino County are providing sandbags.

"CARC personnel provided well over 250 hours in support of the Museum
Fire in direct support of the joint EOC," Shearer said, adding that
the EOC team and Arizona Governor Doug Ducey expressed their
appreciation when the governor visited the fire operations.

The Museum Fire grew to nearly 2,000 acres before it was brought
under control.

ARRL Member Had Role in Promising RF Treatment Device for Alzheimer's

ARRL member Eric Knight, KB1EHE, played a role in the development of
an RF-based Alzheimer's disease treatment that now shows great
promise. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
following a months-long FDA clinical trial of the treatment protocol
concluded that memory decline in most patients "appeared to have been
reversed to cognitive levels equivalent to 12 months earlier" after 2
months of treatment. The clinical trial concluded last December 31
and focused on the initial efficacy of what NeuroEM Therapeutics,
Inc. -- the company developing the device -- calls "transcranial
electromagnetic treatment" (TEMT), using a noninvasive head-worn
device called the MemorEMƒ*›.

An unidentified clinical trial
participant wearing the MemorEM
cap. [Photo courtesy of NeuroEM
Therapeutics]

"Results from the trial demonstrate that TEMT was safe in all eight
participating patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease, and
enhanced cognitive performance in seven of them, as measured by
standard cognition scales," said a news release from NeuroEM
Therapeutics. Seven of the eight clinical trial patients agreed to
take part in a 4-month extension study, based on the findings and the
positive feedback from all participants.

"This pioneering study suggests that TEMT may be an entirely new
therapeutic intervention against Alzheimer's disease," said NeuroEM
CEO Dr. Gary Arendash. "Our bioengineering technology may be
succeeding where drug therapy against this devastating disease has
thus far failed. TEMT appears to be affecting the Alzheimer's disease
process through several actions directly inside neurons (brain
cells), which is where we believe the disease process needs to be
stopped and hopefully reversed." Arendash has explained that TEMT in
the 900 MHz range breaks down the small protein aggregates (amyloid
oligomers) in brain cells that are thought to initiate Alzheimer's
development.

Eric Knight, KB1EHE

Knight, of Unionville, Connecticut, is the president of Remarkable
Technolgies. He has no medical background, but several years ago, he
learned of experiments that Arendash had carried out on mice
specially bred to have Alzheimer's disease, in which the mice were
exposed to low levels of RF for therapeutic purposes. The effects
were dramatic, sometimes even reversing the disease's effects.
Borrowing some concepts from earlier experiments with small rockets
and avionics, Knight set about developing -- and later patenting -- a
wearable device that could deliver requisite low levels of RF to a
human head. NeuroEM was also developing a device, which it patented
as well, and NeuroEM has filed multiple patents since then, Knight
explained to ARRL. NeuroEM has an exclusive license to Knight's
patent, and his contribution is now part of the overall mix of
applied technology.

"As an inventor and entrepreneur, all you can hope for is to have a
positive impact on society, and this is about as important as it
gets," Knight told ARRL. Read more.
So Now What? Podcast

"SATERN'S involvement in the hurricane season using Amateur Radio"
will be the focus of the new (August 8) 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.

AMSAT and ARISS Designing Amateur Radio System for Lunar Gateway

Details are still being fleshed out, but AMSAT and ARISS are working
on the design of an Amateur Radio system for NASA's Lunar Gateway. As
NASA explains, the Gateway "will be a small spaceship in orbit around
the moon that will provide access to more of the lunar surface than
ever before with living quarters for astronauts, a lab for science
and research, ports for visiting spacecraft, and more." For NASA, the
Lunar Gateway is "a spaceport for human and robotic exploration to
the moon and beyond." For radio amateurs, the Lunar Gateway will
represent the next step in moving ham radio away from low-Earth orbit
and into deep space. Under the current timeline, initial sections of
the Gateway are scheduled to launch in 2022, with the Gateway in
lunar orbit by 2026.

"To make this happen, we are leveraging the work and expertise of the
worldwide AMSAT organizations and the international ARISS community,"
ARISS-International Chair and AMSAT Vice President for Human
Spaceflight Programs Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said. "We have an
international team working on this and are meeting twice a month to
mature the concept." The ARISS concept was presented to NASA in May
and got positive feedback, and was favorably received a few weeks
later at the ARISS-International meeting in Montreal from the
Canadian Space Agency's Gateway Program Manager.

"The Amateur Radio Exploration (AREx) team has done some really good
work," Bauer continued. "The challenge for amateurs will be on the
order of a 30 dB signal path loss as compared to LEO."

The Lunar Gateway will serve as a solar-powered communication hub,
science lab, short-term habitation module, and a holding area for
rovers and other robots that may be bound for the moon or for other
planets. NASA is leading the project in collaboration with commercial
and international partners, including all of the International Space
Station partners.

"We need to develop a block diagram of a system and subsystems and
find team members who want to work on each," Bauer said when the
ARISS-International team met in Montreal. "We must set up
requirements and interface documentation. We need to solidify the
frequencies to use, working with the International Space Frequency
Coordination Group."

ARISS ARRL Representative Rosalie White, K1STO, said that ARISS is
working to spread the word about the new initiative. She also hopes
the new project may inspire the generosity of the Amateur Radio
community. Read more.
The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: A new sunspot group from Cycle 24
appeared only briefly, August 7 - 8. Sunspot numbers on Monday and
Tuesday were 11 and 12. The average daily solar flux shifted slightly
from last week, from 67 to 67.2. The average planetary A index, an
aggregate geomagnetic indicator, more than doubled, from 5 to 10.3,
due to solar wind that raised the planetary A index to 35 on Monday.
Alaska's high-latitude college A index reached 61 on Monday and 24 on
Tuesday.

Predicted solar flux is 68 on August 8 - 12, and 67 on August 13 -
September 21.

Predicted planetary A index is 5 on August 8 - 9; 6 and 8 on August
10 - 11; 5 on August 12 - 16; 8 on August 17 - 18; 5 on August 19 -
25; 8 on August 26 - 28; 5 on August 29 - 30; 12, 25, 25, 16, and 8
on August 31 - September 4; 5, 8, and 8 on September 5 - 7; 5 on
September 8 - 12; 8 on September 13 - 14, and 5 on September 15 - 22.

Sunspot numbers for August 1 - 7 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 12, 11, and 0, with
a mean of 3.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 66.8, 66.9, 65.7, 66.9,
68.1, 68.1, and 68, with a mean of 67.2. Estimated planetary A
indices were 8, 4, 3, 4, 35, 12, and 6 with a mean of 10.3. The
middle latitude A index was 8, 4, 4, 6, 20, 10, and 6, with a mean of
8.3.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out 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
* August 10 -- QRP ARCI European Sprint (CW)
* August 10 - 11 -- WAE DX Contest, CW
* August 10 - 11 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
* August 10 - 11 -- Maryland-DC QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
* August 12 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
* August 12 - 14 -- MMMonVHF/DUBUS 144 MHz Meteorscatter Sprint
(CW, phone, digital)
* August 14 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)

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.
Global Institutions Support Amateur Radio Communication and
Experimentation

Former ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, has contributed to the latest
edition of ITU News Magazine -- published by the International
Telecommunication Union. The issue is devoted to "terrestrial
wireless communications," which includes the Amateur Radio and
Amateur Satellite services. Sumner's article, "Self-training,
intercommunication and technical investigations: the amateur service
in the 21st Century," discusses Amateur Radio within the context of a
global network of experimenters and communicators who, in Sumner's
words, "expand the body of human knowledge and technical skills that
are essential to development and offer a resource that can literally
save lives when natural disasters disrupt normal communications
channels."

"Amateur licensees are grateful that ITU member-states continue to
recognize the benefits of providing direct access to the radio
spectrum to qualified individuals," said Sumner, who now serves as
secretary of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), an ITU
sector member.

Sumner points out that access to frequency bands "spaced throughout
the radio spectrum" is critical to Amateur Radio's future. He notes
that the initial pattern of ham allocations dates back to 1927 and
the International Radiotelegraph Conference. Allocations have been
expanded at subsequent conferences, most recently at World
Radiocomunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15), when ham radio obtained a
tiny secondary band near 5.3 MHz. (An earlier WRC was responsible for
the Amateur Service's two lowest-frequency allocations, 135.7 - 137.8
kHz and 472 - 479 kHz.) The 1979 World Administrative Radio
Conference (WARC) extended terrestrial allocations above 40 GHz to
include amateur allocations.

"If a future World Radiocommunication Conference extends allocations
above 275 GHz, adequate provisions for amateur experimentation should
be made," Sumner observed.

The first item on the agenda for WRC-19, which takes place this fall
in Egypt, calls on delegates to consider an allocation at 50 MHz to
the Amateur Service in ITU Region 1 (Europe, Africa, and the Middle
East) that aligns with existing allocations in Regions 2 and 3.

IARU Secretary David
Sumner, K1ZZ

Sumner notes that ITU "plays an essential role" in keeping the
spectrum clear of unwanted interference and emissions, an effort he
said is "especially vital to the Amateur Service, which uses
sensitive receivers to compensate for practical and regulatory
limitations on antennas and transmitter power levels."

Sumner also pointed to the role radio amateurs can play in developing
and refining communication protocols, including digital techniques,
to improve weak-signal performance. He noted that Joseph Taylor, K1JT
-- a codeveloper of such digital modes as FT8, FT4, and JT65 --
received an ITU Gold Medal in recognition of his outstanding
contributions to radiocommunication.

As Sumner explained, the IARU -- a federation of more than 140
member-societies --represents the interests of radio amateurs around
the world before ITU. IARU's contribution to the work of ITU began in
1932 with its admission to participate in the work of the
International Radiocommmunicaiton Consultative Committee (CCIR). IARU
is a member of the ITU Radiocommunication and Development sectors.

"The IARU is proud to be an active member of the ITU community,"
Sumner said.

Centenarian Mentor and Multiple Award Recipient "Fritz" Nitsch,
W4NTO, SK

ARRL Life Member and honoree Reynold L. "Fritz" Nitsch, W4NTO, of
Spartanburg, South Carolina, died on August 5 following a brief
illness. He turned 100 on July 21. Nitsch was the first recipient of
the ARRL Board of Directors' Centurion Award in recognition of his
centenarian status and of his almost half-century of continuous
activity in the ARRL Field Organization as an Official Observer, an
Official Emergency Station, and an Official Relay Station. Nitsch
received the ARRL George Hart Distinguished Service Award in 2012,
and was an earlier recipient of the Roanoke Division Service Award
(the Vic Clark, W4KFC, Award) for his contributions to the public
through Amateur Radio.

A decorated World War II veteran, Nitsch served as a radio station
engineer for about a decade after the war before going to work for
the Federal Aviation Administration, where he remained until
retirement.

He was a charter member of the Spartanburg Amateur Radio Club,
founded in 1952. Affectionately known as the "Godfather of Hams in
Spartanburg County," Nitsch was known to have tutored and mentored
many radio amateurs in the region. Nitsch had taught Morse code while
in the Army and was an avid CW operator.

Other awards and recognitions he received over the years include the
Clara Barton Award for Meritorious Volunteer Service, recognizing his
more than 30 years of service to the local American Red Cross chapter
assisting in disaster responses.
In Brief...

An APRS Amateur Radio balloon, call sign NA1WJ-5, launched from the
recent World Scout Jamboree, has floated across the Atlantic. The
Scouting Magazine blog reports: "You can reach practically any corner
of the globe via Amateur Radio. That's the message K2BSA wanted to
show Scouts at the World Scout Jamboree. Those in the Amateur Radio
association launched four Mylar balloons from the Summit Bechtel
Reserve in West Virginia, in hopes that one would catch the jet
stream and end up on the other side of the world. One did." Each
balloon, approximately 3 feet in diameter, was equipped with GPS, a
ham radio transmitter, and solar panels. The balloon payload could
relay weather, movement, and location information. Each helium-filled
balloon was capable of attaining an altitude of between 28,000 and
32,000 feet -- nearly as high as most commercial planes fly.

A new web tool can tell how active you have been over the past 12
months. Plug your call sign into this website to review your station
activity. This tool from DJ1YFK uses the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN)
data to generate an activity report (a "heat map") showing the
activity for any call sign. -- The ARRL Contest Update

The 9th YOTA Summer Camp Gets Under Way on August 11.Up to 80 young
radio amateurs, primarily from IARU Region 1 but including
participants from other parts of the world, will gather in Bulgaria
for the 9th annual Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) Summer Camp. Special
call sign LZ19YOTA will be on the air during the weeklong event,
hosted by the Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs (BFRA). The
event offers an opportunity for the participants to foster
international friendships and goodwill and learn new Amateur Radio
skills. The main theme will be "train the trainer" (TTT).
Participants will be working on the future of Amateur Radio and be
involved in workshops to gain skills to start similar ham radio youth
events when they get back home. "We are aiming to create a snowball
effect," the YOTA announcement said. "There will be more and more
YOTA events all over the world. This also allows other youngsters and
newcomers to enjoy Amateur Radio." Activities will include kit
building and an opportunity to visit the surrounding region,
including the ACOM amplifier factory. QSL LZ19YOTA via the bureau to
LZ1BJ.
Getting It Right!

Regarding the article, "One Dead, One Injured in New Hampshire Ham
Radio Tower Mishap," which appeared in the August 1 edition of The
ARRL Letter, Audra Wilder, KD3K, the niece of the Michael Rancourt,
K1EEE, the owner of the collapsed tower who was seriously injured in
the mishap, wishes to amend some aspects of our report. According to
Wilder, (1) Rancourt had already sold his house; (2) the tower
involved was a 40-footer and not a tilt-over design; (3) the
gathering at the house was a work party, with four people on the
ground and two on the tower, and Rancourt's wife looking on; (4) when
Wilder was visiting Rancourt's for Field Day, no visible wear on the
tower was obvious, and (5) Rancourt had climbed the tower 24 hours
prior to its collapse.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
* August 8 - 10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Ogden, Utah
* August 9 - 11 -- Pacific Northwest DX Convention, Everett,
Washington
* August 17 - 18 -- Huntsville Hamfest, Alabama State Convention,
Huntsville, Alabama
* August 24 -- Society of Midwest Contesters Specialty Convention,
Normal, Illinois
* August 23 - 25 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia
* September 6 - 7 -- Arkansas State Convention, Mena, Arkansas
* September 6 - 7 -- Wyoming State Convention, Gillette, Wyoming
* September 6 - 8 -- New England Division Convention, Boxborough,
Massachusetts
* September 7 -- Virginia Section Convention, Virginia Beach,
Virginia
* September 13 - 14 -- W9DXCC 2019, St. Charles, Illinois
* 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, 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 - 20 -- Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon,
California

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.

.

.
* Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, Amateur
Radio's most popular and informative journal, delivered to your
mailbox each month.
* Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.

Subscribe to...
* NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features
articles by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores,
NA Sprint, and QSO parties.
* QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published
bimonthly, features technical articles, construction projects,
columns, and other items of interest to radio amateurs and
communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members...
* Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and
emergency communications news), the ARRL Contest Update
(bi-weekly contest newsletter), Division and Section news alerts
-- and much more!
* Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
----------------------------------------------------------------------

The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members
and registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing
their profile.

Copyright (c) 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other
purposes require written permission.



--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

--- MBSE BBS v1.0.7.12 (GNU/Linux-x86_64)
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)

I guess this was to be sent via on the air digital modes instead. <G>

Daryl, WX4QZ

===
þ OLX 1.53 þ Change is good; especially when it relates to underwear.
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (1:19/33)

Hello Daryl.

17 Aug 19 10:40, you wrote to me:

I guess this was to be sent via on the air digital modes instead.

No, I lost my DSL for three days because lightning hit the lines. The script runs whether or not there's an Internet connection.

73,
Sean KD5COL

--- GoldED/2 3.0.1
* Origin: Outpost BBS * bbs.outpostbbs.net:2304 (1:18/200)

Hello Daryl.

Hi, Sean...

I guess this was to be sent via on the air digital modes instead.

No, I lost my DSL for three days because lightning hit the lines. The scrip SD>runs whether or not there's an Internet connection.

Well, I didn't think you were using invisible ink in the message (hi
hi).

Daryl, WX4QZ

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þ OLX 1.53 þ Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints.
--- SBBSecho 3.08-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (1:19/33)