Subj : The Weekly ARRL Letter
To : All
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Fri May 08 2020 09:05 am
The ARRL Letter
May 7, 2020
* FCC Providing Flexibility to Volunteer Examiners in Developing
Remote Testing Methods
* Socially Distanced In-Person Exam Sessions Held in US and Norway
* NASA CubeSat Array to Study Causes of Giant Solar Particle Storms
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* May/June Issue of ARRL's On the Air Magazine Now Available
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* IARU Region 2 Online Emergency Communication Workshops Under Way
* Russian DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) Amateur Radio Satellite Transponder Now
Active
* Announcements
* Top Band Stalwart Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ, SK
* In Brief...
* Getting It Right!
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
FCC Providing Flexibility to Volunteer Examiners in Developing Remote
Testing Methods
In response to questions from the amateur radio community, the FCC has
clarified that nothing in its rules prohibits remote amateur radio
testing, and no prior approval is needed to conduct remote exam
sessions.
"The Commission provides flexibility to volunteer examiners and
coordinators who wish to develop remote testing methods or to increase
remote testing programs already in place," the FCC said in an April 30
news release. "We recognize that some volunteer examiner coordinators
may not have the immediate capacity for widespread remote testing. We
expect those volunteer examiner coordinators with limited remote
testing capacity to work closely with those requesting such testing to
prioritize any available remote testing slots."
In a tweet the next day, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai called the announcement
"Good news for aspiring amateur radio operators."
The FCC opened the door to remotely administered examinations in a June
5, 2014, FCC Report and Order, noting that, since the VE system was
established, "remote testing methods have been developed, including
audio and video links, either hard-wired to a site or available through
internet or satellite technologies, which would allow a VE team to
observe an examinee from afar." The FCC ruled that allowing VEs and
VECs the option of administering examinations remotely was warranted.
The FCC declined to incorporate any specific requirements or conditions
for remote testing into the rules, and made it clear that VECs and VEs
were not required to offer remote testing.
ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said
she's gratified to see that the FCC appreciates the need for remote
testing. "Many of our VEs and VE teams have been employing remotely
proctored exam sessions with both video and in-person components, and
following social-distancing protocols, where necessary," she said.
"Some ARRL VE teams have shown great promise in administering exams
remotely." Somma also said that as states begin to lift restrictions,
the possibility exists to restart in-person amateur radio exam
opportunities.
"We urge our VE teams to keep up to date so they can make informed
decisions based on local community guidelines, as each community is
unique," she said. "Our volunteers should use their best judgement when
deciding whether or not to begin conducting in-person exam sessions. It
is important to us that you feel confident when choosing your course of
action, because the health and safety of our VEs and the examinees is
the top priority. VE teams that choose to conduct in-person sessions
should restart consistent with local restrictions and guidelines."
To find amateur radio license exam sessions in your area, visit the
ARRL website. Candidates should verify with their VE teams that the
exam session is being held and if any special procedures are required
to attend.
Socially Distanced In-Person Exam Sessions Held in US and Norway
With some states starting to relax restrictions on events and
activities, the Grant County, Oregon, Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES^(R)) held an in-person exam session on April 26 in the town of
John Day that adhered to social distancing recommendations.
The open-air exam session in Grant
County, Oregon. [Courtesy of Steve
Fletcher, K7AA]
Exam organizers held the gathering to within Oregon's 10-person limit
for gatherings, keeping everyone 6 feet apart and requiring all
participants to wear face masks. The exam session was held outdoors
under a car port.
"We had an exceptionally successful test session with candidates
passing exams at every amateur radio level," said Ed Ellesson, AF7YX,
the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Liaison for the Grant County Amateur Radio
Club. Grant County Emergency Coordinator Steve Fletcher, K7AA, noted
that many clubs had canceled their planned sessions due to the
coronavirus pandemic. "Grant County decided to approach the problem by
obeying all the restrictions but still holding the exam," he said. "As
a result, we had people come here from all over the state."
In Oklahoma, the Mid-Del Amateur Radio Club, W5MWC, administered an
open-air exam session on April 25 that held to social distancing
guidelines. Over the course of the 3-hour session, 16 candidates
tested, and all were successful. One candidate passed all three exam
elements to come away with his Amateur Extra-class license.
Another open-air amateur exam session took place recently in Norway.
The LA3F radio amateur club, south of Oslo, had just completed its
annual course for prospective radio amateurs, and three candidates were
ready to take their exam when Norway began shutting down activities and
gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Three candidates sit for their
amateur radio exams in chilly
spring weather in Norway.
Not to be deterred, International Amateur Radio Union Vice President
Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, arranged with Norwegian regulatory authorities to
hold an outdoor exam session compatible with social distancing and
other safety guidelines in place. Garpestad met with the three
candidates in the forest outside a local scout cottage, and, with
candidates seated at tables at least 5 meters (about 16 feet) apart, he
administered the exam. With the temperature at around 10 �C (about 50
�F), everyone dressed warmly. Garpestad reported that all three
candidates passed, and LA5EUA, LB8QI, and LB8RI were welcomed to the
world of amateur radio. -- Thanks to Steve Fletcher, K7AA, and Don
Beattie, G3BJ, via IARU Region 1
NASA CubeSat Array to Study Causes of Giant Solar Particle Storms
A new NASA mission making use of a half-dozen CubeSats will study how
the sun generates and releases giant space weather storms -- known as
solar particle storms -- into planetary space.
"Not only will such information improve understanding of how our solar
system works, but it ultimately can help protect astronauts traveling
to the moon and Mars by providing better information on how the sun's
radiation affects the space environment they must travel through," NASA
said of the new Sun Radio Interferometer Space Experiment
NASA's SunRISE mission will study
what drives solar particle storms.
[NASA, image]
(SunRISE) project. The mission will involve an array of six CubeSats
operating as one very large radio telescope. NASA has awarded $62.6
million to design, build, and launch SunRISE as early as mid-2023.
NASA chose SunRISE in August 2017 as one of two Mission of Opportunity
proposals to conduct an 11-month mission concept study. In February
2019, the agency approved a continued formulation study of the mission
for an additional year. SunRISE is led by Justin Kasper at the
University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and managed by NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.
"We are so pleased to add a new mission to our fleet of spacecraft that
help us better understand the sun, as well as how our star influences
the space environment between planets," said Nicola Fox, director of
NASA's Heliophysics Division. "The more we know about how the Sun
erupts with space weather events, the more we can mitigate their
effects on spacecraft and astronauts."
The six solar-powered CubeSats will simultaneously observe radio images
of low-frequency emissions (0.1 - 25 MHz) from solar activity and share
them via NASA's Deep Space Network. The constellation of CubeSats would
fly within 6 miles of each other. The CubeSats will create 3D maps to
pinpoint where giant particle bursts originate on the Sun and how they
evolve as they expand outward into space. This, in turn, will help
determine what initiates and accelerates these giant jets of radiation.
The six individual spacecraft will also work together to map -- for the
first time -- the pattern of magnetic field lines reaching from the sun
out into interplanetary space.
NASA's Missions of Opportunity pair new, relatively inexpensive
missions with previously approved host launches.
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 4) focuses on how
to create a family emergency communications plan and includes an
interview with Dino Papas, KL0S, about attaching coaxial connectors
with crimping tools.
The latest episode of the Eclectic Tech podcast (Episode 7) debuts
Thursday, with a discussion of HF aeronautical radio, the NCDXF beacon
system, SpaceX's new Starlink satellites, and "Folding@home," a system
that uses distributed computing to search for a COVID-19 cure (among
other things).
The On the Air and Eclectic Tech podcasts are sponsored by Icom. Both
podcasts are available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android) as well
as on Blubrry -- On the Air | Eclectic Tech.
May/June Issue of ARRL's On the Air Magazine Now Available
The May/June digital edition of ARRL's On the Air magazine is now
available. Read it and other ARRL digital publications by browsing to
the ARRL Magazines page. In this issue:
* Tips for better repeater operating
* Understanding modulation
* Go-kit basics
* Building a portable antenna mount
* Shopping for a mobile radio
...and much more!
You can also read the issue on your Apple, Android, or Kindle device by
using the ARRL Magazines app.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We haven't seen a sunspot since
Thursday, April 30, when the daily sunspot number was 35 -- a
relatively high sunspot number. In fact, the daily sunspot number has
not been that high since March 21, 2019, when it hit 49. Prior to that,
we'd need to look back to June 22, 2018, when the daily sunspot number
was 41. This, and the fact that last week's sunspots showed new Solar
Cycle 25 polarity, gives me reason for optimism. I expect solar
activity to increase, and with it HF propagation.
The average daily sunspot number for last week was 5, down from 8.7 the
previous 7 days. The average daily solar flux rose from 69.2 to 69.5.
The average daily planetary A index declined from 5.6 to 5.1, and
average middle latitude A index slipped from 5.1 to 5.
Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 70 from May 7 until June
20. The predicted planetary A index is 5 on May 7 - 11; 8 on May 12; 5
on May 13 - 17; 10 and 8 on May 18 - 19; 5 on May 20 - 23; 8 on May 24
- 27; 5 on May 28 - 30; 8, 10, and 8 on May 31 - June 2; 5 on June 3 -
13; 10 and 8 on June 14 - 15, and 5 on June 16 - 20.
So, there you have it: A nice steady solar flux above the 60s for the
next month and a half, and stable geomagnetic conditions too.
In this week's bulletin, expect a report from Jon Jones, N0JK,
concerning his 6-meter MSK144 mode contacts during the recent meteor
shower.
Sunspot numbers for April 30 through May 6 were 35, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and
0, for a mean of 5. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.8, 70.2, 69.2,
68.7, 69.3, 69.3, and 69.8, with a mean of 69.5. Estimated planetary A
indices were 2, 6, 5, 5, 6, 6, and 6, with a mean of 5.1. Middle
latitude A index was 1, 5, 3, 5, 8, 7, and 6, 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
* May 9 - 10 -- SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest
* May 9 - 10 -- CQ-M International DX Contest (CW, phone)
* May 9 - 10 -- VOLTA WW RTTY Contest
* May 9 - 10 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)
* May 9 - 10 -- Arkansas QSO Party (CW, phone)
* May 9 - 10 -- FISTS Spring Unlimited Sprint (CW)
* May 9 - 10 -- 50 MHz Spring Sprint (CW, phone)
* May 10 -- WAB 7 MHz Phone/CW
* May 11 -- 4 States QRP Group Second Sunday Sprint (CW, phone)
* May 13 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, Data
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth
reporting on amateur radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest
Update via your ARRL member profile email preferences.
IARU Region 2 Online Emergency Communication Workshops Under Way
International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU R2) virtual emergency
communication workshops got under way on April 29, when the first of
the programs in English and Spanish, "What is Winlink and its
Importance during Emergency Communications," was presented in Spanish.
Workshop presenter Alfonso Tamez, XE2O, of the Mexican Federation of
Radio Amateurs, offered insights into the usefulness and application of
WinLink during emergencies, based on his ample experience, offering
participants an understanding of the importance of having such a tool
available during an emergency.
Signups for the workshops have been brisk, with more than 180
participants from at least 18 IARU Region 2 countries registered. A
question-and-answer session followed the formal April 29 presentation,
conducted using the Zoom web-conferencing platform as well as through
IARU Region 2's YouTube Workshops channel. The workshops are free of
charge.
Workshop participants expressed their satisfaction as well as a desire
to continue with more workshops as soon as possible. An
English-language presentation of the same workshop took place on May 6.
Signing up for future workshops must be done online and not via email.
The IARU-R2 Executive Committee appointed Augusto Gabaldoni, OA4DOH, as
workshops coordinator to set up processes for the initial group of
workshop sessions and to develop and manage ongoing workshops for radio
amateurs in IARU-R2.
Here is the schedule for the remaining workshops:
* Wednesday, May 13, 2300 UTC (tentative): EmCom -- Winlink 101 in
English, targeting US and Canadian radio amateurs. Instructors are
Mike Burton, N6KZB, and Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT.
* Wednesday, May 20, 2300 UTC (tentative): Satellite Communications
101 in Spanish, aimed at radio amateurs in Latin America and the
Caribbean. Instructors are Matias Graino, LU9CBL, and Guillermo
Guerra, XQ3SA.
* Wednesday, May 27, 2300 UTC (tentative): Satellite Communications
101 in English, targeting radio amateurs in the US, Canada, and the
Caribbean. Instructor will be announced.
Contact Gabaldoni with requests for future workshop topics, volunteer
speakers, or other comments or suggestions.
Russian DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) Amateur Radio Satellite Transponder Now
Active
The amateur radio linear transponder (SSB/CW) on the Russian DOSAAF-85
(RS-44) has been activated. Dmitry Pashkov, R4UAB, explains that RS-85
is a small scientific satellite built by specialists at Information
Satellite Systems and students at Siberian State Aerospace University
(SibSAU). The satellite's name commemorates the 85th anniversary of the
Voluntary Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy
(DOSAAF), the organization responsible for the military training of
Soviet youth.
This is the third satellite created by the specialists of ISS-Reshetnev
and is based on the Yubileyniy platform, which features a hexagonal
prism structure with body-mounted solar cells. It was launched into
orbit last December 26 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome and is in an
elliptical orbit with a perigee of 1,175 kilometers (729 miles), an
apogee of 1,511 kilometers (937 miles), and an inclination of 82.5�.
Transmitter power is 5 W, and the beacon is on 435.605 MHz (identifying
as RS-44).
The transponder is inverting, with uplink centered at 145.965 MHz �30
kHz, and downlink centered at 435.640 MHz �30 kHz. Logbook of The World
(LoTW) accepts DOSAAF-85 contacts under "RS-44."
Announcements
* Ham-Com Cancels 2020 Show Ham-Com will not take place in 2020, due
to the COVID-19 pandemic. Payments made to Ham-Com for the 2020
event for general admission, vendor booths, and flea market tables
will be rolled to the 2021 event.
* AMSAT-NA has opened a new membership portal. In addition, a
full-color PDF version of the March/April 2020 The AMSAT Journal is
now available to all, because AMSAT's Headquarters office is closed
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and The AMSAT Journal was not printed
and mailed. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service
* An update of the popular MMSSTV slow-scan television (SSTV)
software is now available. Eugenio Fern�ndez, EA1ADA, has given the
revamped MMSSTV program the nickname of YONIQ. It is available in
English and Spanish. The software offers several improvements.
Download YONIQ by clicking on the link "Descarga de MMSSTV 1.13
YONIQ" on the Grupo Radio Galena website.
Top Band Stalwart Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ, SK
A fixture on 160 meters, Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ, of Christiansted,
Virgin Islands, died on April 29. An ARRL member, he was 84. Licensed
in 1954 as W0VXO, Schoenbohm became KV4FZ after relocating to the US
Virgin Islands to further his career as a sales representative for
broadcast equipment manufacturers on the international market,
primarily in Latin America.
A regular participant in 160-meter contests, Schoenbohm -- especially
during his early years in the Virgin Islands -- provided many DXers
with a new DXCC entity, as that band opened up to routine operation in
the wake of government restrictions to protect the LORAN navigation
system in that region of the spectrum. Schoenbohm was among the first
top-band operators to earn DXCC on 160 meters, and his signal
frequently served as a beacon from the Caribbean during contests. He
was also active in emergency communications and earned praise for his
efforts during hurricane disasters affecting the Virgin Islands,
receiving a Governor's Medal in 1990 for supporting communication after
Hurricane Hugo.
Schoenbohm ran afoul of the FCC in 1994, when the Commission designated
his license renewal application for a hearing following a 1992 felony
conviction on federal fraud charges. The FCC subsequently denied his
renewal in 1998, the US Appeals Court upheld the decision in 2000, and
the US Supreme Court declined to hear the case later that same year. He
applied for a new license in 2001, and an FCC ministrative Law Judge
cleared the way for Schoenbohm's return to ham radio.
Schoenbohm was active in Republican Party politics, representing the US
Virgin Islands at the Republican National Convention from 1980 until
2012, and serving as a member of the Platform Committee in 2008 and
2012.
He retired following a 30-year career working for the government of the
US Virgin Islands.
In Brief...
The FCC has adopted a new official seal. The redesigned seal is the
product of an agency-wide contest that solicited proposals from
employees and contractors. The winning design was selected by a vote of
the agency's employees and contractors. The revised design incorporates
several elements: communications technologies currently transforming
our world; four stars on the outer seal border, drawing from the legacy
of the predecessor Federal Radio Commission seal; 18 stars on the
shield, recognizing the current number of bureaus and offices, and the
eagle and shield, identifying the FCC as a federal government agency.
The FCC will incorporate the new seal on official stationery, business
cards, publications, and other materials, including on its website and
throughout its new Headquarters. Official use of the new seal will
begin following completion of the agency's move to its new
Headquarters. The date of the move is up in the air, delayed due to
COVID-19. -- FCC news release
AMSAT is soliciting candidate nominations for the 2020 Board of
Directors Election set for later this year. Successful candidates will
fill the seats of three incumbent Directors whose 2-year terms expire
in 2020: Tom Clark, K3IO; Mark Hammond, N8MH, and Bruce Paige, KK5DO.
AMSAT members may further elect up to two Alternate Directors for
1-year terms. Valid Director nominations must be in writing and require
either one "member-society" or five current individual members in good
standing to nominate an AMSAT member. Send written nominations -- in
electronic form, including email, or electronic image of a paper
document -- including the nominee's name, call sign, and contact
information, as well as the nominators' names, call signs, and contact
information, to AMSAT Secretary Brennan Price, N4QX, 300 Locust St. SE,
Unit E, Vienna, VA 22180-4869, with a copy to AMSAT Manager Martha
Saragovitz. Fax transmissions cannot be accepted, because the AMSAT
office is closed. Petitions must be received no later than June 15.
Several special event stations are on the air to mark 75 years since
the end of World War II. In the UK, GB4VVV ("V for victory"), and G0SFJ
will operate through May 11. Listen for GB75VET through May 28. The
Guernsey Amateur Radio Society is operating GU75LIB May 6 - 12 to mark
the liberation of Guernsey in World War II. The RSGB Contest Club will
field special call signs GB1945PE, GB1945PJ, and GB75PEACE through May
and again during August 1 - 31 to mark victory in Europe and Japan.
From Norway, LI8MAI celebrates the end of World War II in Europe on May
8, 1945. Operation will continue through the end of May. From Israel,
4Z75V and 4X75V will be on the air until May 10. From Serbia, listen
for YT5DP until May 31. Many Russian stations will use special prefix
RP75 until May 9. The letter P stands for "pobeda," which means
"victory." This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of special
event stations marking the end of World War II. -- Thanks to The Daily
DX
The Virginia Tech camera on AO-92 has taken stunning photos of Earth.
With additional passes planned, the Virginia Tech camera onboard AO-92
(Fox-1D) has been activated on at least two passes over North America.
Several photos were taken, captured by amateur stations running
FoxTelem, and uploaded to the AMSAT website. All of the photos taken by
AO-92 can be viewed on the AMSAT website at the link. The Virginia Tech
camera remains active for 45 minutes after being enabled by a ground
station. Stations in the US, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Central and
South America are encouraged to set their stations up to receive and
upload high-speed telemetry in FoxTelem. -- Thanks to AMSAT News
Service via AMSAT Vice President-Operations Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA
Well-Known VHF/UHF/Microwave enthusiast and mentor Dick Knadle, K2RIW,
of Dix Hills, New York, has died. An ARRL Life Member, he was 80.
Knadle was revered as a technical resource and mentor for the
VHF/UHF/microwave community and was the 2010 ARRL Technical Achievement
Award winner. His antenna and amplifier designs were widely copied.
Knadle was a member of the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club
(LIMARC) for nearly 40 years. He held a bachelor's degree in electrical
engineering for RF communications from Pratt Institute and was Senior
Staff Engineer at Airborne Instrument Labs from 1964 to 2000. For many
years, he served as the net control station for the Tech Net on the
LIMARC repeaters.
Getting It Right!
The number of participants was not correctly stated in the news article
"Frequency Measuring Test Results Posted," in the April 30 edition of
The ARRL Letter. The article should have reflected that 140 individuals
took part, and 98 of them submitted readings for both the 80- and
40-meter frequencies to better than 1 ppm.
Note: Many conventions and hamfests have been canceled or postponed due
to the coronavirus pandemic. Check the calendar of canceled events on
the ARRL website.
* May 9 -- MicroHAMS Digital Conference 2020 (Virtual Event)
* June 20 -- Tennessee State Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee
* July 4 - Pennsylvania State Convention, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
* July 16 -19 - Montana State Convention, Essex, Montana
* July 24 - 25 - Oklahoma State Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
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