Subj : The Weekly ARRL Letter
To : All
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Fri May 22 2020 09:05 am
The ARRL Letter
May 21, 2020
* Amateur Radio Gearing Up for Predicted "Above Average" Atlantic
Hurricane Season
* Director, Vice Director Nominations Invited in Five ARRL Divisions
* Planning Your ARRL Field Day 2020 Operation
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* ARRL Invites Applications for Awards and Programs Assistant
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* ARISS Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio Concept
Proving Successful
* Federal Judge Okays Retrieval of Titanic Marconi Wireless Equipment
* Announcements
* Venerable AO-7 Satellite Continues to Deliver
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
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COVID-19 Impact & News
Find the latest news and information on the impact of the coronavirus
pandemic to ARRL members and our global amateur radio community.
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Amateur Radio Gearing Up for Predicted "Above Average" Atlantic
Hurricane Season
Long-range forecasts for the 2020 Atlantic Basin hurricane season,
which begins on June 1 and extends until November 30, anticipate
above-normal activity. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) 2020 outlook
calls for a season about 140% more active than average, with four
Category 3 to Category 5 hurricanes. The 2019 season saw three major
hurricanes (out of six).
"The above-average prediction is largely due to the hot Atlantic and
Caribbean waters and lack of a substantial El NiA�o in the Pacific,"
the NHC explained, noting that the combination of a busy hurricane
season and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could create a nightmare
scenario for affected areas. FEMA and local emergency management
agencies are already issuing COVID-19 guidelines for hurricane
shelters, which include face masks and social distancing.
The NHC Annual Station Test -- to check readiness of amateur radio
stations and operators -- takes place on Saturday, May 30, 1300 - 2100
UTC. The NHC's WX4NHC will be on the air, marking its 40th year of
public service at the NHC. Julio Ripoll, WD4R, the Assistant Amateur
Radio Coordinator at the NHC, said the event offers an opportunity for
radio amateurs worldwide to exercise the sorts of communications
available during severe weather. "We will be making brief contacts on
many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather
data -- sunny, rain, temperature, etc.) with any station in any
location," Ripoll said.
Operation will be on HF, VHF, UHF, APRS, and Winlink. WX4NHC will
center its activity on the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) frequencies of
14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation, but will operate
elsewhere as conditions dictate. WX4NHC will also operate on the VoIP
Hurricane Net from 2000 until 2100 UTC.
Dr. Philip J. Klotzbach et al of the Colorado State University (CSU)
Department of Atmospheric Science cite a variety of factors that led
them to conclude this hurricane season could get serious. Pointing to
the "somewhat above normal" tropical Atlantic sea-surface temperatures,
the scientists estimate "about eight hurricanes," four of them major,
during the 2020 season.
"I must say, I'm not liking what I'm seeing," reacted Hurricane Watch
Net Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, pointing to additional extended
forecasts posted by Tropical Storm Risk (TSR), the University of
Arizona, and North Carolina State University. The TSR forecast calls
for three major hurricanes, while the University of Arizona and North
Carolina State predict between three and five major hurricanes.
"Since 2014, the Hurricane Watch Net has been very busy," Graves told
ARRL. "We've had 20 net activations for 19 hurricanes and one tropical
storm. Since 2015, we've worked nine major land-falling hurricanes,
including four land-falling Category 5 storms."
Graves pointed out that the past six hurricane seasons not only were
busy and historic but very deadly, and he's hoping the 2020 hurricane
season will not turn in a repeat performance.
Director, Vice Director Nominations Invited in Five ARRL Divisions
Nominations are being invited in five ARRL Divisions for the volunteer
positions of Director and Vice Director, for 3-year terms that start
January 1, 2021. Affected Divisions are Atlantic, Dakota, Delta, Great
Lakes, and Midwest. A nominee must be at least 21 years old, hold a
valid amateur radio license, and have been a full ARRL member for a
continuous term of at least 4 years immediately preceding nomination.
Nominees will be asked to provide information concerning employment,
ownership, investment interests, and other financial arrangements to
ensure compliance with the Conflict of Interest Policy spelled out in
the ARRL Articles of Association and Bylaws.
The incumbent Directors and Vice Directors in the affected Divisions
are:
* Atlantic: Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM; Vice Director Bob
Famiglio, K3RF
* Dakota: Director Matt Holden, K0BBC; Vice Director Lynn Nelson,
W0ND
* Delta: Director David Norris, K5UZ; Vice Director Ed Hudgens,
WB4RHQ
* Great Lakes: Director Dale Williams, WA8EFK; Vice Director Thomas
Delaney, W8WTD
* Midwest: Director Rod Blocksome, K0DAS; Vice Director Art
Zygielbaum, K0AIZ
Prospective candidates or those planning to nominate an individual
should obtain an official nominating petition form, available to any
full member living in an affected Division. Send a written request to
ARRL to
[email protected], by noon EDT on August 14, 2020. Using only the
official form, a candidate must obtain the signatures of at least 10
full members of the Division and provide information required to
determine eligibility. Petitions must reach the ARRL Secretary by noon
EDT on Friday, August 21, 2020. The Secretary will notify each
candidate of the name and call sign of other candidates for the same
office. Candidates will have until Friday, September 4, to submit a
300-word statement and a photo for distribution with the election
ballots.
If only one eligible candidate is nominated for an office, he or she
will be declared elected by the Ethics and Elections Committee.
Balloting in Divisions where more than one candidate qualifies to stand
for election as Director or Vice Director will take place this fall,
with ballots counted on November 20. The formal "Call for Nominations
for ARRL Director and Vice Director" appears on page 69 of the July
2020 issue of QST.
Planning Your ARRL Field Day 2020 Operation
For most of us, ARRL Field Day 2020 is going to look quite different
than it has in past years. Considering the impact of social distancing
due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many radio clubs and large groups will
not be gathering in their usual Field Day locations this year. Here are
some tips and suggestions to help participate in amateur radio's
largest annual on-air event under these unusual circumstances.
Don't Forget 6 Meters
Field Day is a non-adjudicated operating event and not a "full speed
ahead" contest. It is also not just an HF event. All amateur radio
bands above 50 MHz may be used during the event too.
This includes 6 meters, which often offers significant propagation
enhancements around the time of Field Day weekend. The band is
available to amateurs holding a Technician-class license or higher. If
you have an HF/VHF/UHF multi-mode transceiver, try making SSB, CW, or
digital contacts on 6 meters. Even a simple vertical or dipole will
allow you to experience the "magic band."
Activities for Techs
One suggestion for clubs to consider in order to increase participation
among their Technician-class members is to schedule specific times when
these club members will monitor designated VHF and UHF simplex
frequencies for Field Day activity. (Avoid published national FM
simplex calling frequencies; repeaters are prohibited for Field Day
contacts.) This way, members having equipment capable of VHF/UHF-only
operation may be able to participate from home or a vehicle. Clubs can
choose a list of frequencies and schedule times in advance.
On HF, Technician-class licensees have CW privileges on 80, 40, and 15
meters, as well as RTTY/data and SSB phone privileges on 10 meters. If
you aren't a CW operator, try calling CQ on 10-meter SSB in the late
afternoon and early evening on Saturday to see if conditions are
favorable for long-distance communications. Try experimenting with a
simple wire antenna for 10 meters. You might discover that the band can
offer plenty of unexpected propagation.
Set Up for Digital Modes
You might want to explore using FT4/FT8 (or other) digital modes on 10
meters, 6 meters, or even on VHF/UHF. These modes offer an opportunity
to make weak-signal contacts when band conditions often do not support
voice communication. There have been reports of some great 6-meter
openings in recent weeks, and these are likely to occur more frequently
as summer approaches.
Setup is relatively straightforward. You'll need a computer and a
digital interface to connect the radio to the computer, and you'll need
to download one of the digital mode software packages, such as the free
WSJT-X suite, which incorporates FT8 and FT4. Software should support
the ARRL Field Day exchange (WSJT-X version 2.0 or later, for example).
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ARRL Field Day rules place a premium on "developing skills to meet the
challenges of emergency preparedness as well as to acquaint the general
public with the capabilities of amateur radio." Field Day 2020 is June
27 - 28.
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The Excitement of Ham Satellites
Another area to explore is satellite operation. Many hams have had
success making contacts via the FM satellites with just a VHF/UHF
handheld radio and a small handheld directional antenna. You'll need a
multi-mode VHF/UHF transceiver for the linear (SSB and CW) satellites.
To determine when a satellite will be making a pass over your location,
visit AMSAT's Online Satellite Pass Prediction page.
An Opportunity for Learning
ARRL Field Day 2020 may be the year you decide to participate solo, or
with other members of your household. You may want to focus on
expanding your knowledge base and experiment with new modes or bands
that you never thought of using before. If you're a mentor to a newer
ham, Field Day can be an opportunity to share some of your knowledge
with them, as well as for you to expand your own operating horizons.
This might be the year to leave your Field Day comfort zone and try
something new!
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ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 5) focuses on the
various types of modulation and tips on go-kits. The On the Air podcast
is a monthly companion to On the Air magazine, ARRL's magazine for
beginner-to-intermediate ham radio operators.
The latest episode of the Eclectic Tech podcast (Episode 8) includes a
discussion of 10-meter FM and an interview with Pascal Villeneuve,
VA2PV, about "hotspots" for DMR, D-STAR, and Yaesu System Fusion.
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.
ARRL Invites Applications for Awards and Programs Assistant
ARRL is inviting applications to fill the position of Awards and
Programs Assistant at ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. This
is a full-time, non-exempt opening in the Radiosport and Field Services
Department. The pay range is from $16.08 to 19.30 per hour.
The Awards and Programs Assistant will help with all Radiosport and
Field Services Department activities, with an initial priority on
Logbook of The World (LoTW) support. Other duties may involve
supporting DXCC and other awards programs, W1AW station operations, and
contest program and field service support. This individual would also
handle special projects that may be assigned and represent ARRL in
public forums worldwide.
The successful candidate will possess a well-rounded knowledge of
amateur radio, an Amateur Extra-class license, and 2 years of operating
experience; the ability to quickly understand and explain software
functionality, and proficiency in keyboarding and data entry. This
individual should have attained DXCC, regularly submit contest logs to
sponsors, use LoTW, and be able to resolve issues efficiently.
A bachelor's degree is preferred. The ideal candidate will have
excellent interpersonal, telephone, and listening skills and be
proficient in public presentations. Some overnight travel may be
required.
To apply, submit a cover letter and resume via mail, email, or fax to
ARRL, c/o Monique Levesque, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 (fax
860-594 -0298). For complete position information, visit ARRL
Employment Opportunities and scroll down to "Awards and Programs
Assistant."
ARRL is an equal opportunity employer.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Still no sunspots to report.
Spaceweather.com reported on May 20 that the current stretch of days
with no sunspots has now reached 18, and with that, the 2020 percentage
of days with no sunspots has risen to 77% -- equal to 2019. Until May
15, that statistic stood at 76%.
Average daily solar flux for the week rose to 69 from last week's
average of 68.5. The average planetary A index declined from 4.1 to
3.7, while the average mid-latitude A index shifted from 4.7 to 4.
Predicted solar flux for the next 45 days is 70 -- every day from May
21 through July 4. Predicted planetary A index is 5 on May 21 - June
14; 8 on June 15 - 16, and 5 on June 17 - July 4.
In this Friday's bulletin, look for multiple reports heralding the
start of E-skip season.
Sunspot numbers for May 14 - 20 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 67.6, 67.8, 69.4, 69.6, 70.2,
68.7, and 69.6, with a mean of 69. Estimated planetary A indices were
3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5, and 3, with a mean of 3.7. Middle latitude A index
was 3, 4, 4, 3, 5, 6, and 3, with a mean of 4.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out K9LA's Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. Monthly charts offer
propagation projections between the US and a dozen DX locations.
Share your reports and observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
* May 23 - 24 -- Baltic Contest (CW, phone)
* May 25 -- QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint (CW)
* May 25 - 26 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
* May 27 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
* May 28 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (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.
ARISS Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio Concept Proving
Successful
Judging by the outcome of two tests so far, the new Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) Multipoint Telebridge Contact
via Amateur Radio concept appears to be a winner. ARISS completed the
second test of the new-style radio contact, called Multipoint
Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio, on May 15, when Airdrie Space
Science Club members in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada, interviewed
International Space Station Commander Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, via ham
radio.
"What makes this contact a little different from the usual ARISS
contact is [that] everyone involved will be speaking from their homes
in Canada, as we all shelter in place," said the contact moderator,
John Kludt, K4SQC, in introducing the event. The multipoint telebridge
concept was developed to make it possible for students -- now at home
and engaged in distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic -- to
take part in scheduled ARISS contacts. An ARISS telebridge ground
station operated by John Sygo, ZS6JON, near Johannesburg, South Africa,
made direct contact with NA1SS onboard the ISS, which was passing
overhead. Sygo then patched two-way audio into the telebridge network
for distribution to each student's home by telephone.
ISS Commander
Chris Cassidy,
KF5KDR. [NASA,
photo]
Each student then took turns asking questions of Cassidy, and their
families, faculty members, and the public could also listen from home.
One of the participants, Lucas, wanted to know how the COVID-19
pandemic has affected life aboard the space station.
"The pandemic has affected us because it's affected our families,"
Cassidy responded. "Our daily life here on the space station is largely
the same, with or without the pandemic."
The initial multipoint telebridge contact earlier this month, while
successful, suffered from some issues on the space station that were
unrelated to the new multipoint system. During the more-than 11-minute
contact on May 15, some of the students got to ask more than one
question.
Prior to the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the
Canadian students had engaged in lessons about space and radio
communication, such as launching balloons carrying ham radio payloads
and building model rockets to launch. -- Thanks to ARISS
Federal Judge Okays Retrieval of Titanic Marconi Wireless Equipment
A US federal judge in Virginia has given permission to retrieve the
ill-fated RMS Titanic's Marconi wireless gear, which transmitted
distress calls from the sinking ocean liner during its maiden voyage.
Judge Rebecca Beach Smith of the US District Court in Norfolk ruled
that the radio gear is historically and culturally important and could
soon be lost within the rapidly decaying wreck. The Titanic sank in
1912 some 370 miles off the coast of Newfoundland after striking an
iceberg.
"The Marconi device has significant historical, educational,
scientific, and cultural value as the device used to make distress
calls while the Titanic was sinking," Judge Smith wrote in her ruling.
She said the company would be permitted "minimally to cut into the
wreck" to access the radio room.
David Concannon, a lawyer for R.M.S Titanic Inc., which the court has
recognized as the steward of the vessel's artifacts, said the company
would try to avoid cutting into the ship, noting that the radio room
may be reachable via a skylight that was already open. More legal
wrangling may lie ahead. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
ministration (NOAA) contends that the retrieval expedition is still
prohibited under US law and under an international agreement between
the US and the UK.
R.M.S Titanic has said the radio transmitter could unlock some of the
secrets about a missed warning message and distress calls sent from the
ship.
"It tells an important story," Concannon said. "It tells of the heroism
of the operators that saved the lives of 705 people. They worked until
water was lapping at their feet."
A recreation of the Titanic
Radio Room.
In an April court filing, NOAA argued against the salvage effort,
saying that any benefit to be realized from cutting into the vessel to
recover the Marconi equipment would not be "worth the cost to the
resource and not in the public interest."
RMS Titanic sought permission to carry out what it called a "surgical
removal and retrieval" of the Marconi radio equipment. As might be
expected, the deteriorating Marconi equipment is in poor shape after
more than a century under water. The undersea retrieval would mark the
first time an artifact was collected from within the Titanic, which
many believe should remain undisturbed as the final resting place of
some 1,500 victims of the maritime disaster. The wreck sits on the
ocean floor some 2 1/2 miles beneath the surface, and remained
undiscovered until 1985. R.M.S. Titanic said it plans to use a manned
submarine to reach the wreck and then deploy a remotely controlled sub
to retrieve the radio equipment.
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Announcements
* The ARRL Headquarters staff will be enjoying a holiday on Memorial
Day, Monday, May 26.
* The W9DXCC DX Convention has been canceled for 2020, due to the
coronavirus pandemic. The Northern Illinois DX Association sponsors
the annual event, and plans are already under way to book
accommodations for the 2021 convention.
* CQ has announced the 2020 inductees to its three halls of fame. The
magazine named three new members to its Contest Hall of Fame, seven
new members to its Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, and two new members
to its DX Hall of Fame. Read more.
* Icom has announced that it will start shipping its new IC-705
all-mode portable HF/VHF/UHF transceiver for the Japan domestic
market starting in mid-June. IC-705 shipments for international
markets will depend on equipment certifications in each region.
* The Southwest Ohio DX Association (SWODXA) has named the February
2020 Cocos Island TI9A DXpedition as "DXpedition of the Year."
* Marking the pending start of hurricane season and the 15th
anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Larry Morgan, AG5Z, has organized
the Gulf Coast Hurricane Special Event 2020, May 27 - 29. Special
event stations for the five states most often impacted by Gulf
Coast hurricanes will operate on 3.862, 7.240, 14.255, and 21.300
MHz.
* Dustin Thomas, N8RMA, is polling radio amateurs around the world
for his fourth annual State of the Hobby Survey.
* The West Bengal Radio Club in Kolkata, India, is using the special
call sign AU2AC for emergency communication during Cyclone Amphan,
which struck the West Bengal coast this week.
* On April 29, EI4GNB in Ireland completed an FT8 contact with LY2YR
on 40.220 MHz, marking the first contact between any two countries
on the 8-meter band. More information is on the EI7GL blog.
* The OK-90 campaign commemorating the 90th anniversary of amateur
radio in Czechoslovakia continues through the end of May. The event
recognizes the issuance of the first amateur radio licenses in
Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic and Slovakia). Unsanctioned
ham radio experiments took place in the early 20th century, but
amateur radio did not become official until 1930, when the first
exams were given. -- Thanks to ARRL Member Jan � varc, OK1UU
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Venerable AO-7 Satellite Continues to Deliver
The nearly 46-year-old AO-7 amateur satellite made a remarkable contact
possible on May 4 between Diego Feil, LW2DAF, in Buenos Aires,
Argentina (GF05rk), and Tom Ambrose, ZS1TA, in Cape Town, South Africa
(JF95fx). The contact spanned 4,329 miles across the South Atlantic,
with both stations aiming at only 2 or 3 degrees above the horizon.
Both stations had been watching orbital predictions for several weeks,
and the times they could "see" AO-7 at the same time occurred only
occasionally. Electrical noise, particularly in Cape Town, had hampered
earlier efforts, but on the morning of May 4, noise levels were low,
and a perfect contact was possible with a full exchange of call signs
and reports.
In 2016, Dave Swanson, KG5CCI, in Arkansas, and Eduardo Erlemann,
PY2RN, in Brazil, achieved a distance milestone on AO-7, completing a
scheduled contact that covered a calculated distance of just over 4,979
miles, which Swanson at the time said was "way beyond the theoretical
range of AO-7" and a feat that "the math said shouldn't be possible."
-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
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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.
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* July 16 - 19 - Montana State Convention, Essex, Montana
* July 24 - 25 - Oklahoma State Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Find conventions and hamfests in your area
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--- SendMsg/2
--- Squish/386 v1.11
* Origin: Outpost BBS * Limestone, TN, USA (1:18/200)
