Subj : The Weekly ARRL Letter
To : All
From : Sean Dennis
Date : Fri Jul 31 2020 09:05 am
The ARRL Letter
July 30, 2020
* ARRL Board Meets in Remote Session
* Traffic-Handling Webinar Launches Ham Radio Learning Series
* Propagation as a Matter of Life or Death
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* Hurricane Watch Net Activates for Hurricane Hanna
* FCC Fines HobbyKing Nearly $3 Million for Marketing Unauthorized
Drone Transmitters
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Nomination Signatures Sent via Email or Mail May Be Submitted for
ARRL Offices
* Announcements
* AMSAT Partners with University of Maine WiSe-Net Lab to Develop
State's First CubeSat
* In Brief...
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL Board Meets in Remote Session
Due to travel and gathering restrictions in place because of the
coronavirus pandemic, the ARRL Board of Directors met on Friday, July
17, in a remote session, using the Zoom videoconferencing platform.
During this session, the Board took the following actions:
* Accepted the final recommendations of the Band Planning Committee.
Committee chair and ARRL First Vice President Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF,
introduced the motion to adopt the plan. An earlier draft of the
plan was introduced at the Board's in-person January meeting. After
the January Board meeting, the Committee received and considered
hundreds of comments from interested amateurs. The final band plan
can be viewed on the ARRL website.
* Voted, in anticipation of hiring a new Emergency Management
Director, to modify the charter of the search committee to study
and, if appropriate, prepare a report on the implementation of a
new Standing Committee of the Board to emphasize emergency
communications and provide advice to the CEO in these matters. The
report is expected to be delivered to the Board by November 24.
* Created a Standing Order that gives the Programs and Services
Committee authority to approve, by vote, proposed rule changes for
contests and awards.
* Accepted the financial reports from the Chief Financial Officer and
Treasurer on the finances and investment portfolio of the
organization.
* Modified the composition of the ARRL Legal Defense and Assistance
Committee and the guidelines for what activities will be funded by
ARRL.
* Amended ARRL By-Law #18 to conform with changes made at the January
Board meeting regarding the election period for Division elections.
* Approved the recipients of several awards, including the Hiram
Percy Maxim Memorial Award.
* Acknowledged the efforts of ARRL Headquarters staff in dealing with
and maintaining operations during the pandemic.
* Discussed personnel matters in a Committee of the Whole.
The meeting ended with the Board recessing until a future,
as-yet-undetermined date, when the meeting will be concluded. That is
expected to be in 4 to 5 weeks, depending on circumstances and the
ability to arrange a suitable meeting site. Minutes will be released
once the meeting is concluded.
Traffic-Handling Webinar Launches Ham Radio Learning Series
A live presentation from ARRL North Texas Section Traffic Manager Aaron
Hulett, K8AMH, inaugurated the new ARRL Learning Network on Tuesday,
July 28. The webinar series features 30-minute presentations from
experienced members covering a variety of amateur radio topics and
interests. Hulett's webinar, "Relay Stations and the Art of Traffic
Handling," introduced techniques and skills practiced by radio amateurs
like himself who relay messages during emergencies, disasters, and
other incidents that interrupt conventional telecommunications,
including the internet. Through an overview of the ARRL National
Traffic System, Hulett shared examples of preparing a radiogram and
resources for finding traffic nets and other volunteers.
"Aaron hit a home run," said Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, ARRL Product
Development Manager and moderator for Hulett's webinar. "His
presentation was the perfect balance of knowledge-sharing and
enthusiasm that will surely motivate other members to try their hand at
traffic handling." A recording of the webinar is available for members
to view.
The webinars are hosted using GoToWebinar. Members are invited to ask
questions during each webinar, and a 15-minute Q&A period follows each
presentation for those who can participate longer. A running list of
upcoming live presentations is available below and on the ARRL Learning
Network web page. Prospective attendees may register on that same page.
ARRL members must first log into the ARRL website.
Inderbitzen encourages other members to be considered for future ARRL
Learning Network webinars by inviting them to complete a Call for
Speakers form. "It's all about members helping members. What better way
to grow greater participation in amateur radio!"
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Schedule of Upcoming Webinars
Fun with Digital Signal Modes FT4 and FT8
Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Thursday, July 30, 2020, 12:30 PM PDT / 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
HF Wire Antennas
George Cooley, NG7A, ARRL Life Member
Thursday, August 6, 2020, 12:30 PM PDT / 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
Introduction to Digital FM Modes
Korey Chandler, Sr., WA5RR
Tuesday, August 11, 2020, 5 PM PDT / 8 PM EDT (0000 UTC on Wednesday,
August 12)
Introduction to Computer Logging
Steven Lott Smith, KG5VK
Thursday, August 13, 2020, 12:30 PM PDT / 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
Capture the Magic of 6 Meters
Jim Wilson, K5ND
Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT (1700 UTC)
The Sport of Finding Hidden Transmitters on Foot
Robert Frey, WA6EZV, ARRL Amateur Radio Direction Finding Committee
Thursday, August 20, 2020, 12:30 PM PDT / 3:30 PM EDT (1930 UTC)
Propagation as a Matter of Life or Death
On May 25, 1928, the airship Dirigible Italia crashed on pack ice
northeast of the Svalbard Islands on the return leg of a trip to survey
the North Pole with 16 passengers and crew on board. At impact, one
person was killed, and the cabin carrying nine people separated from
the hydrogen-filled airframe. Six crew members on the dirigible
structure were never seen again, after the airship again became
airborne. The survivors on the icepack turned to their 5 W wireless
set, a one-tube Hartley oscillator, to put out a call for help, but it
was only after 9 days of trying that they were able to get the
attention of a radio amateur 1,900 kilometers (1,178 miles) away.
The recently published article, "The Shipwreck of the Airship
Dirigibile Italia in the 1928 Polar Venture: A Retrospective Analysis
of the Ionospheric and Geomagnetic Conditions," provides the gripping
historical context and tries to explain why it was so difficult to
establish communication for a rescue. Drawing from sources of
geophysical data collected at the time, and using modern theories of
propagation -- including some directly derived from amateur radio
observations -- the authors present data including sunspot count,
magnetic flux, and F2 layer height, and take the reader through an
analysis of the sky-wave and ground-wave paths.
Ultimately, the authors suggest, ground-wave path losses likely
exceeded 100 dB, leaving only skywave as a potential link. In the first
few days after the crash, the ionospheric path was impossible at the
frequencies being used -- 9.1 and 9.4 MHz -- due to disturbed
conditions. It was only after conditions had settled that communication
became possible, and it only became reliable when a lower frequency was
chosen.
Even after communication was established, 15 rescuers were lost in the
search and recovery operations, including Roald Amundsen, Norway's
famed polar explorer. Finally, on July 12, 1928, 48 days after the
initial crash, a Russian icebreaker was able to reach and rescue the
survivors. -- Thanks to The ARRL Contest Update
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 7) features tips
for soldering a PL-259 connector onto the end of a coaxial cable, and
information on beginner courses for hams who want to serve their
communities during disasters and other incidents. 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 13), available
on Thursday, July 30, will feature discussions about Hellschreiber,
wireless charging on the fly, and an interview with Paul Denisowski,
KO4LZ, about the state of amateur Automatic Link Establishment (ALE).
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.
Hurricane Watch Net Activates for Hurricane Hanna
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activated on July 25 for Hurricane Hanna,
the first hurricane of the Atlantic hurricane season. When the net
activated, the storm was poised to make landfall along the Gulf of
Mexico as a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 75 MPH.
After it came ashore on the Texas coast, extensive property damage was
reported in the Rio Grande Valley, the brunt of it south of Corpus
Christi, which experienced storm-surge flooding and tropical storm
winds. Areas to the south saw sustained hurricane-force winds.
"The year 2020 has been a strange year in every way, and the weather is
no different," HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said last weekend.
"Just a few hours ago, it looked as though we would be activating for
Hurricane Gonzalo. Well, that storm had other ideas. The same can be
said for what had been Tropical Storm Hanna in the Gulf of Mexico. All
along, it looked as though this storm would make landfall as a tropical
storm."
The net activated on 14.325 MHz -- its primary net frequency -- and
operated simultaneously on 7.268 MHz. The HWN remained active for
several hours, working in cooperation with WX4NHC at National Hurricane
Center (NHC).
HWN volunteers gather observed ground-truth weather data from the
affected area. "We are also available to provide backup communication
to official agencies such as emergency operations centers, Red Cross
officials, and storm shelters in the affected area," Graves added. In
addition, the HWN collects and reports significant damage and storm
surge data to forecasters and FEMA officials stationed at the National
Hurricane Center.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, WX4NHC operators worked from their homes.
FCC Fines HobbyKing Nearly $3 Million for Marketing Unauthorized Drone
Transmitters
The FCC has issued a Forfeiture Order (FO) calling for HobbyKing to pay
a fine of $2,861,128 for marketing drone transmitters that do not
comply with FCC rules. An FCC Enforcement Bureau investigation stemmed
in part from a 2017 ARRL complaint that HobbyKing was selling drone
transmitters that operated on amateur and non-amateur frequencies, in
some instances marketing them as amateur radio equipment. The fine
affirms the monetary penalty sought in a June 2018 FCC Notice of
Apparent Liability (NAL).
The FCC said its investigation found that dozens of devices marketed by
the company transmitted in unauthorized radio frequency bands and, in
some cases, operated at excessive power levels. "Such unlawful
transmissions could interfere with key government and public safety
services, like aviation systems," the FCC said. The ARRL EMC Committee
and Lab also determined that potential interference to the secondary
(transponder) air traffic control radar system on 1030 - 1090 MHz could
occur.
"We have fully considered HobbyKing's response to the NAL, which does
not contest any facts and includes only a variety of legal arguments,
none of which we find persuasive," the FCC said in the FO. "We
therefore adopt the $2,861,128 forfeiture penalty proposed in the NAL."
The FCC pointed out in the FO that it has previously made clear that
"[d]evices used in the Amateur Radio Service do not require
authorization prior to being imported into the United States, but
devices for other services, including the CB service, require
Commission approval." The FCC investigation found that 65 models of
devices marketed by HobbyKing should have had FCC certification.
Responding to the NAL, HobbyKing claimed to have ceased marketing the
65 models the FCC identified, but promised only to make "best efforts"
not to market other noncompliant RF devices. Read more.
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Sunspots finally have returned!
Currently, two sunspots are visible, both from new Solar Cycle 25. The
daily sunspot number was 11 on July 21 - 27 and is currently 22. We've
noticed an improvement in propagation recently, due to seasonal
sporadic-E activity.
Average daily sunspot numbers rose from 3.1 to 14.1 this week, and
average daily solar flux changed from 69.1 to 71.1.
Total sunspot area covered 80 millionths of the solar disc on July 21,
120 millionths on July 22 -- 26, and the coverage on the following 3
days was 70, 50, and 85.
Geomagnetic indicators were a bit more active, with average daily
planetary A index rising from 3.9 to 6.7, while average daily
mid-latitude indicators rose from 4.3 to 8.7.
Predicted solar flux is 72 on July 30 - August 6; 68 on August 7 -- 22;
69 on August 23 -- 28, and 68 on August 29 - September 7.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on July 30 - August 23; 8 on August 24
-- 25, and 5 on August 26 - September 7.
Sunspot numbers for July 23 - 29 were 11, 11, 11, 11, 11, 22, and 22,
with a mean of 14.1. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.3, 69.5, 70.4,
71.4, 71.4, 71.8, and 72.6, with a mean of 71.1. Estimated planetary A
indices were 4, 11, 15, 3, 4, 5, and 5, with a mean of 6.7. Middle
latitude A index was 4, 13, 27, 3, 5, 5, and 4, with a mean of 8.7.
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. For customizable
propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
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Just Ahead in Radiosport
* August 1 -- European HF Championship (CW, phone)
* August 1 - 2 -- North American QSO Party (CW)
* August 1 - 2 -- ARRL 222 MHz and Up Distance Contest (CW, phone)
* August 1 - 2 -- 10-10 International Summer Contest, SSB
* August 2 -- SARL HF Phone Contest
* August 4 -- Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest
* August 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
* August 5 -- VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest
* August 6 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone)
* August 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.
Nomination Signatures Sent via Email or Mail May Be Submitted for ARRL
Offices
The ARRL Ethics & Elections Committee has announced that it will be
acceptable in pending and future ARRL Director/Vice Director and
Section Manager elections to submit nomination signatures that have
been sent via email or mail, under these guidelines:
* Petition copies must be made from the original form supplied by
ARRL.
* Forms must be exactly the same on both sides (i.e, autobiographical
information should appear exactly the same on all copies).
* All forms/copies must be submitted at the same time.
Candidates may use any available electronic signature platform such as
DocuSign, HelloSign, or signed PDF. While existing "by mail"
procedures/policies continue in place, electronic signature platforms
offer an alternative electronic option to submit a Section Manager
nominating petition.
The packet that is sent to ARRL Headquarters must be complete. Multiple
file or emails for a single petition will not be accepted.
A valid Section Manager nominating petition must contain the signatures
of five or more full ARRL members residing in the Section concerned.
ARRL advises having a few more than five signatures on each petition.
SM nominating petitions may be made by facsimile or electronic
transmission of images, provided that, upon request by the Field
Services Manager, the original documents are received by the manager
within 7 days of the request.
For a valid Director/Vice Director nomination, the original copy of a
nominating petition form, as provided by the Secretary, must name a
full member of the Division as a candidate and be signed by 10 or more
full members. The form must be filed with the Secretary no later than
noon Eastern Time on the third Friday of August of that year. The
submission may be made by facsimile or electronic transmission of
images, provided that, upon request by the Secretary, the original
documents are received by the Secretary within 7 days of the request.
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Announcements
* Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the ARRL/TAPR
Digital Communications Conference (DCC), September 11 - 13. Due to
the coronavirus pandemic, this year's conference will be held
online. Papers will be published in the Conference Proceedings;
authors do not need to participate. Submit papers by August 15 via
email to Maty Weinberg, KB1EIB.
* The Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) has introduced what it's calling
"RBN Map Data," an open-source world map of spots with each trace
color-coded by band. RBN Developer Pete Smith, N4ZR, says the map
feature may be offline from time to time as developers continue to
work on it, and he'd like to hear from users. -- Thanks to The
Daily DX
* AMSAT-UK has announced the OSCAR Satellite QSO Party, aimed at
encouraging radio amateurs around the world to get on the air and
make contacts via satellite during summer in the Northern
Hemisphere. While points are given per contact, AMSAT-UK says the
OSCAR Satellite QSO Party is not a contest. The event starts at
0000 UTC on August 1 and continues until 2359 UTC on September 22.
-- Thanks to AMSAT News Service
* W5KUB's high-altitude balloon went down around July 21 between
Greenland and Norway after 72 days aloft and more than three trips
around Earth. "It got stuck in the Arctic for several weeks, making
loops," Tom Medlin, W5KUB, said. "We are getting ready to launch
W5KUB-21, an SBS-13 balloon with lithium polymer (LiPo) battery.
Testing on ground is showing that we are getting 24-hour tracking.
We hope to launch that in the next week or two."
* A 3-day forecast of the planetary Kp index -- updated every 3 hours
-- is now available from the Helmholtz-Centre Potsdam GFZ German
Research Centre for Geosciences. The planetary Kp index is a proxy
measurement of the energy input from the solar wind to Earth. --
Thanks to Frank Donovan, W3LPL
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AMSAT Partners with University of Maine WiSe-Net Lab to Develop State's
First CubeSat
The University of Maine Wireless Sensing Laboratory (WiSe-Net Lab) and
AMSAT have signed an agreement to collaborate on building and operating
MESAT1, Maine's first small satellite. Carrying an amateur radio
payload in addition to science payloads, MESAT1 is set to launch
sometime in the next 3 years under NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative
(CSLI), which provides opportunities for nanosatellite science and
technology payloads built by universities, schools, and nonprofits to
ride-share on space launches. AMSAT President Clayton Coleman, W5PFG,
celebrated the announcement.
"This is a great day for AMSAT and UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab," Coleman
said. "This partnership is a true win-win for both education and the
amateur radio community. The collaborative effort under AMSAT's
engineering and operations teams has once again succeeded to bring
another opportunity to AMSAT."
MESAT1 will be one of 18 small research satellites selected by NASA to
carry auxiliary payloads into space between 2021 and 2023. The CubeSat
is being developed in partnership with the University of Maine (UMaine)
and the University of Southern Maine (USM), along with a trio of K - 12
schools. UMaine graduate students and USM undergraduates will
collaborate on CubeSat design, development, integration, and testing.
Established in 2005, UMaine's WiSe-Net Lab is involved in aerospace and
space research. The lab was founded by Ali Abedi, KB1VJV, Assistant
Vice President for Research and Director of the Center for
Undergraduate Research at the university's main campus in Orono. Lab
researchers have developed the first wireless sensor network for NASA's
lunar habitation project and launched wireless leak detection to the
International Space Station.
The MESAT1 initiative will enable K - 12 students and teachers in Maine
to access space data for educational and research purposes and
encourage students to pursue STEM (science, technology, engineering,
and math) careers. MESAT1 was awarded $300,000 from NASA. The project
also received $150,000 in NASA Maine Space Grant Consortium funding for
graduate student research. Folding in additional funding from UMaine
and USM to support undergraduate student research brings the total
funding to $522,000 over 3 years.
AMSAT will provide a linear transponder module (LTM) along with
integration and operational support for MESAT1. AMSAT's LTM
incorporates a VHF/UHF telemetry beacon, command receiver, and linear
transponder. It will be available for worldwide amateur radio use once
the satellite is commissioned. -- Thanks to AMSAT and the University of
Maine
In Brief...
The ARRL Foundation has awarded a grant to the University of Alabama in
Huntsville. The grant of $510 went to the school's Center for
Cybersecurity Research and Education. The grant will be used to get
university students licensed, and then integrate amateur radio
communication protocols into extant models used for cybersecurity
testing for industrial system controls. Analysis will be done on how
well these protocols operate in this setting, their security, and their
feasibility for use in real-world industrial situations. An independent
IRS 501(c)(3) entity, the ARRL Foundation administers programs to
support the amateur radio community, including scholarships for higher
education, award grants for amateur radio projects, and special amateur
radio program grants for The Victor C. Clark Youth Incentive Program
and The Jesse A. Bieberman Meritorious Membership Program.
Ham radio assisted a pedestrian in distress in the ARRL Maryland-DC
Section. A Baltimore radio amateur has an alert member of the Anne
Arundel Radio Club (AARC) in Maryland to thank for responding to his
call for help on July 22. The man, who has not been identified,
apparently became overcome by the heat while out for a walk. Not
feeling well and with his cell phone dead, he reached for his handheld,
which he fortunately had taken with him, and put out a call on the
W3VPR 147.075 MHz repeater. An AARC member, who was operating mobile at
the time, responded promptly, gathering the pertinent information to
relay to a 911 operator. Within minutes, the Baltimore man was
receiving treatment and was able to report that everything was okay a
short time later. W3VPR repeater transmissions are linked to a
"Broadcastify" feed, so that hams out of local range or away from their
radios can still monitor the repeater online. -- Thanks to Maryland-DC
Section Manager Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to complicate amateur radio license
testing. ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) VE Jim Rinehart,
K9RU, reported having to break a July 11 test session at the Salvation
Army EDS Center in Indianapolis into two 90-miniute segments in order
to meet COVID-19 guidelines, requiring the additional step of having to
notify applicants as to which test session they belonged. For the split
session, one member of the testing team checked applicants'
temperatures, while three VEs signed them in, checked their paperwork
and calculators, and collected the exam session fee. "We have a packet
for each applicant with the test and answer sheet prepared, and we go
over it with them," Rinehart told ARRL VEC. "To minimize the handling
of paperwork, we have the applicant turn in the answer sheet to the VE
graders and throw away the exam booklets." Rinehart said exam session
tables are disinfected between test sessions. Face masks and social
distancing are required.
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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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* August 21 - 23 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West
Virginia (now a free, Zoom-based online event)
* October 3 -- Kentucky State Convention, Bowling Green, Kentucky
* Nov 6 - 8 -- New England Division Convention, Marlborough,
Massachusetts
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* Origin: Outpost
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