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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 AMPRNetā?¢ 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. 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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