| |
CX2SA > LETTER 20.12.19 12:53l 523 Lines 26052 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
BID : ARRL3751
Read: GUEST
Subj: ARRL3751 ARRL Letter
Path: IZ3LSV<IQ5KG<I0OJJ<GB7CIP<CX2SA
Sent: 191220/1036Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:21108 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:ARRL3751
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : LETTER@ARRL
The ARRL Letter December 19, 2019
- ARRL Reshapes Podcast Offerings for 2020
- FCC Formally Adopts Proposals to Remove Amateur 3 GHz Band, Invites Comments
- FCC Proposes Largest-Ever Fine for Unlicensed Broadcasting
- The Doctor Will See You Now!
- AztechSat-1 CubeSat to Demonstrate Intra-Satellite Communication
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Volunteers Celebrate 98th Anniversary of ARRL Transatlantic Tests at W1AW
- NTIA Spectrum Manager Stephen Veader, N4DXS, SK
- Bar Code Lead Developer George Laurer, K4HZE, SK
- In Brief...
- Getting It Right!
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
To Our Readers: This is the final edition of The ARRL Letter for 2019. The
newsletter will be on a holiday hiatus until January 9, 2020. ARRL Audio
News will be on break until January 10, 2020. ARRL Headquarters will be
closed on December 25 and on January 1, and there will be no W1AW bulletin
or code practice transmissions on those days. A reminder that Straight Key
Night (SKN) is January 1, 2020 (UTC) -- starting on New Year's Eve in North
American time zones. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
ARRL Reshapes Podcast Offerings for 2020
----------------------------------------
In conjunction with the launch of its new On the Air magazine, which is
aimed at those just beginning their journey in amateur radio, ARRL is
reconfiguring its podcast lineup.
Heading up the new schedule will be a free companion podcast to the
bimonthly On the Air magazine. The monthly On the Air podcast will take a
deeper look into select features and projects from the magazine. Each month,
host and On the Air Editorial Director Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, will offer
additional resources, techniques, and hints to help less-experienced radio
amateurs to get the most from the magazine's content.
In addition to the podcast, ARRL Product Development Manager Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R, will curate a free On the Air blog featuring content from
the communicators and makers who are the driving force of amateur radio
today. The blog will highlight opportunities and activities available to new
licensees. The On the Air blog is intended as an entry point into the world
of amateur radio for those seeking original voices and perspectives. Readers
will be invited to take part in the conversation by sharing their stories
and experiences.
ARRL's current So Now What? podcast will cease production in January, as the
full complement of On the Air content is rolled out. The catalog of So Now
What? episodes is available for listening or downloading.
In addition, The Doctor is In podcast, which has served more-experienced
amateurs since 2016, will conclude its 4-year run with its December 19
episode. Eclectic Tech, a new biweekly podcast designed to appeal to
experienced amateurs, will launch in February.
Hosted by QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, Eclectic Tech will highlight
technical topics involving amateur and non-amateur technology, offer brief
interviews with individuals involved in projects of interest to amateurs,
and include practical information of immediate benefit to today's hams.
The Doctor is In co-host Joel Hallas, W1ZR, is selecting some of his
favorite podcast episodes for re-broadcast in the interim between the end of
production for The Doctor is In and the debut of Eclectic Tech. The complete
The Doctor is In archive is available on the ARRL website. Hallas will
continue to answer questions about amateur radio in QST's "The Doctor is In"
column.
The ARRL Audio News podcast will continue to provide a weekly summary of
news and activities within the amateur radio community.
FCC Formally Adopts Proposals to Remove Amateur 3 GHz Band, Invites Comments
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FCC's plan to remove "existing non-federal secondary radiolocation and
amateur allocations" in the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band and relocate incumbent
non-federal operations already has begun drawing fire. The Commission
formally adopted the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WT Docket
19-348 on December 12 and invited comments on appropriate "transition
mechanisms" to make the spectrum available for mobile and fixed wireless
broadband use. ARRL plans to oppose the move. The amateur 9-centimeter
allocation is 3.3 - 3.5 GHz.
"By proposing to delete the existing non-federal secondary allocations from
the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band, we are taking an important initial step towards
satisfying Congress's directives and making as much as 250 megahertz of
spectrum potentially available for advanced wireless services, including
5G," the FCC said in the Introduction to its NPRM.
Some comments arrived before formal adoption of the NPRM, which was
circulated ahead of the December meeting. Kevin Milner, KD0MA, the
secretary/treasurer of the Ski Country Amateur Radio Club in Colorado,
argued that the club's equipment cannot be re-channeled below 3.4 GHz, and
the club is seeking relocation costs. Devin Ulibarri, W7ND, told the FCC
that amateur networks in the current band cannot move easily into other
amateur allocations because there is no readily available commercial
equipment to support the bandwidth, the FCC said in a footnote.
Currently, the entire 3.1 - 3.55 GHz band is allocated for both federal and
non-federal radiolocation services, with non-federal users operating on a
secondary basis to federal radiolocation services.
With respect to amateur operations, the FCC invited comments on whether
sufficient amateur spectrum exists in other bands that can support the
operations currently conducted at 3.3 - 3.5 GHz. The 3.40 - 3.41 GHz segment
is earmarked for amateur satellite communication. The FCC said if
non-federal licensees are relocated to the 3.1 - 3.3 GHz band, it proposes
to have them continue to operate on a secondary basis to federal operations,
consistent with current band allocations.
Also at its December 12 meeting, the FCC considered another NPRM in WT
Docket 19-138 that would "take a fresh and comprehensive look" at the rules
for the 5.9 GHz band and propose, among other things, to make the lower 45
MHz of the band available for unlicensed operations and to permit "cellular
vehicle-to-everything" (C-V2X) operations in the upper 20 MHz of the band.
The FCC is not proposing to delete or otherwise amend the 5-centimeter
amateur 5.650 - 5.925 GHz allocation, which would continue as secondary. The
NPRM, if approved, would address the top 75 MHz of that amateur secondary
band. Although no changes are proposed to the amateur allocation, an
anticipated increase in primary use could restrict secondary amateur use.
The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network (AREDN) has offered its voice in
challenging the FCC proposals on both 9 and 5 centimeters, saying their
adoption would "eliminate our use of the most-effective resource hams have
to build its networks."
"The AREDN Project is able to leverage low-cost commercial devices solely
because they are designed to operate on adjacent allocations," AREDN said on
its website. "Moving to other allocations would be difficult if not
impossible without a complete redesign, manufacture, purchase, and
installation of new custom amateur hardware and software...raising the price
out of reach for the typical ham."
FCC Proposes Largest-Ever Fine for Unlicensed Broadcasting
----------------------------------------------------------
The FCC has proposed fining an alleged pirate broadcaster in the Boston,
Massachusetts area more than $450,000. According to the FCC, Gerlens Cesar,
who operated Radio TeleBoston, used three separate transmitters for his
broadcasting enterprise, resulting in three separate violations of the law.
"The Commission proposed imposing the statutory maximum forfeiture amount
for each of these three apparent violations," the FCC said in a Notice of
Apparent Liability (NAL) released on December 12. Under the Communications
Act, it is illegal to transmit above certain low-power levels, defined
within FCC Part 15 rules, without an FCC license.
"Such pirate radio broadcasting can interfere with licensed communications
including public safety transmissions," the FCC said. The FCC said Cesar
apparently simulcasts Radio TeleBoston on three unauthorized transmitters on
two different frequencies. "His operation thus had the potential to cause
interference in various locations in and around Boston and at different
channels on the FM dial," the FCC said. "As a result of the scale of this
operation, its potential impacts, and its continuous nature, the Commission
proposed the maximum penalty for all three transmitters."
The FCC reported receiving complaints from Boston-area residents of an
illegal station operating at both 90.1 and 92.1 MHz. One complaint
identified Cesar as the operator of Radio TeleBoston. The FCC said it had
issued multiple warnings. -- FCC Media Release
The Doctor Will See You Now!
----------------------------
The Doctor will open the mailbag for the last time in the final (December
19) episode of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. "Best of The Doctor is In"
episodes will be released every other week until a new podcast, Electic
Tech," debuts in February.
Sponsored by DX Engineering, ARRL The Doctor is In is an informative
discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or
smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like!
Every 2 weeks since 2016, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY,
and the Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, have discussed a broad range of
technical topics and answered listeners' questions.
Enjoy ARRL The Doctor is In on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or iPad
podcast app (just search for ARRL The Doctor is In). You can also listen
online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the
site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or
Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our
beginner's guide.
AztechSat-1 CubeSat to Demonstrate Intra-Satellite Communication
----------------------------------------------------------------
The AztechSat-1 CubeSat, which traveled to the International Space Station
(ISS) earlier this month on the 19th Space-X Commercial Resupply Services
(CRS-19) mission for NASA, will listen for emergency messages in the 439 MHz
range and retransmit them for amateur radio operators to copy on its 437.300
MHz downlink using the Winlink protocol, once the CubeSat has been placed
into orbit. The satellite is a project of Mexico's Universidad Popular
AutĒnoma del Estado de Puebla (UPAEP). Aztechsat-1 is set for deployment
from the ISS in late January.
"The primary objective of the project is to establish communication with the
commercial GlobalStar satellites in order to improve data transmission to
Earth," a UPAEP news release said. AztechSat-1 will create a saturation map
of 435 - 438 MHz by listening for the whole orbit and returning captured
data to the ground station on the 437.300 MHz amateur radio downlink (9k6
GMSK or FSK) plus a 1600 MHz GlobalStar link. Emergency messages received
via Globalstar to the AztechSat-1 ground station will be shared on the
project's website.
A certificate will be available for amateur stations receiving the emergency
message(s) and reporting these for confirmation by the AztechSat-1 team.
Details are on the AztechSat-1 website and on the IARU Amateur Radio
Satellite Communication page.
The project is part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative, which offers
universities, high schools, and nonprofit organizations the opportunity to
fly small satellites. "Innovative technology partnerships keep down the
cost, providing students a way to obtain hands-on experience developing
flight hardware," a NASA report said.
NASA explained, "The investigation demonstrates communication within a
satellite network in low-Earth orbit. Such intra-satellite communication
could reduce the need for ground stations, lowering the cost and increasing
the number of data downloads possible for satellite applications."
The K7RA Solar Update
---------------------
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: It's been 36 consecutive days with no
sunspots. Geomagnetic conditions were quiet until a minor solar wind stream
hit on December 18, driving the planetary A index to 13 from the low single
digits earlier in the week.
The average planetary A index for December 12 - 18 rose to 4.6, from 3.7
over the previous 7 days, while mid-latitude A index increased from 1.9 to
4. Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 70. The predicted planetary
A index is 10, 8, and 8 on December 19 - 21; 5 on December 22 - January 4; 8
on January 5; 5 on January 6 - 8; 8 on January 9 - 10; 5 on January 11 - 13;
12 on January 14; 10 on January 15 - 17; 5 on January 18 - 31, and 8 on
February 1.
Because of weak solar activity, the ARRL 10 Meter Contest last weekend was
rather slow. QST's "The World Above 50 MHz" editor Jon Jones, N0JK, in
Kansas said he encountered a strong opening to Argentina and Chile on
Sunday. He said the propagation mechanism appeared to be sporadic E. More
details in the weekly bulletin on December 20.
Sunspot numbers for December 12 - 18 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 70.5, 68.9, 70.3, 71, 70, 70.5, and
70.2, with a mean of 70.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 4, 4, 3, 5, 1,
2, and 13, with a mean of 4.6. Middle latitude A index was 3, 3, 2, 5, 1, 2,
and 12, 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
------------------------
December 20 -- AGB-Party Contest (CW, phone, digital)
December 20 -- Russian 160-Meter Contest (CW, phone)
December 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint
December 21 -- OK DX RTTY Contest
December 21 - 22 -- Padang DX Contest (Phone)
December 21 - 22 -- Gedebage CW Contest
December 21 - 22 -- Croatian CW Contest
December 22 -- RAEM Contest (CW)
December 22 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup, CW
December 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
December 26 -- DARC Christmas Contest (CW, phone)
December 28 -- RAC Winter Contest (CW, phone)
December 28 - 29 -- 1.8 Stew Perry Topband Challenge (CW)
December 28 - 29 -- Original QRP Contest (CW)
December 30 - 31 -- QCX Challenge (CW)
December 31 -- Bogor Old and New Contest (Phone)
January 1 -- Straight Key Night
January 1 -- AGB New Year Snowball Contest (CW, phone, digital)
January 1 -- SARTG New Year RTTY Contest
January 1 -- AGCW Happy New Year Contest (CW)
January 1 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)
January 1 -- QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint (CW)
January 1 -- 3.5 UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (Phone)
January 2 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
January 2 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
January 4 -- ARRL Kids Day (Phone)
January 4 -- PODXS 070 Club PSKFest (Digital)
January 4 -- RSGB AFS Contest, CW
January 4 - 5 -- WW PMC Contest (CW, phone)
January 4 - 5 -- ARRL RTTY Roundup
January 4 - 5 -- EUCW 160-Meter Contest (CW)
January 6 - 12 -- All IQRP Quarterly Marathon (CW, phone, digital)
January 7 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
January 8 - 12 -- AWA Linc Cundall Memorial CW Contest
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.
Volunteers Celebrate 98th Anniversary of ARRL Transatlantic Tests at W1AW
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
A group of radio amateurs gathered on December 11 at W1AW to mark the 98th
anniversary of the successful ARRL Transatlantic Tests. On December 11,
1921, a message transmitted by a group of Radio Club of America members at
1BCG in Greenwich, Connecticut, was copied by Paul Godley, 2ZE, in Scotland.
Reporting on the accomplishment, ARRL Secretary Kenneth B. Warner, 1EH,
declared "Excelsior!" Clark Burgard, N1BCG -- who lives in Greenwich and
styles his call sign as "n1BCG" to honor the original 1BCG -- was among
those on hand at the Maxim Memorial Station.
"We completed a successful special event yesterday at W1AW commemorating the
98th anniversary of the Transatlantic Tests," Burgard recounted. "This was
particularly important historically to amateur radio as it was originally
organized by ARRL in 1921 to determine if low-power amateur radio stations
using shortwave frequencies could actually be heard in Europe. Until then,
it was thought impossible."
Burgard pointed out that the 1921 event changed radio history, was covered
in three issues of QST, and opened the door to the first two-way
transatlantic tests a couple of years later. The 1921 transatlantic success
marked the beginning of what would become routine communication between US
radio amateurs and those in other parts of the world -- literally the birth
of DX.
NTIA Spectrum Manager Stephen Veader, N4DXS, SK
-----------------------------------------------
Stephen Veader, N4DXS, of Dale City, Virginia, a major behind-the-scenes
player in the effort that led to creation of amateur radio's 60-meter band
in the US, died on November 5. An ARRL Life Member, he was 67.
As a spectrum manager for the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA), Veader was deeply involved on the behalf of NTIA in
the effort to secure a new amateur band at 5 MHz. According to Ross Merlin,
WA2WDT, when it became clear that a proposal for a 15 kHz band would not be
approved, Veader was instrumental in fashioning the compromise that led to
the authorization of the five discrete secondary channels radio amateurs
have today, and other countries copied that template for their 5 MHz amateur
allocations. Today, these spot frequencies serve as "interoperability
channels" for federal and amateur stations to share in emergencies and
exercises.
Veader was active within the SHARES HF radio community as the representative
for NTIA. A native of Boston, Veader was a US Air Force veteran. During his
years at NTIA, he also provided regulatory guidance on the use of SHARES for
federal and non-federal radio users.
"Steve was a good friend to SHARES and to amateur radio," Merlin said.
Veader was also an avid RTTY enthusiast and was active in many contests
throughout the year. A service was held on November 15. -- Thanks to Ross
Merlin, WA2WDT
Bar Code Lead Developer George Laurer, K4HZE, SK
------------------------------------------------
The lead developer of the bar code system that became the now-ubiquitous
Universal Product Code (UPC), George Laurer, K4HZE, of Wendell, North
Carolina, died on December 5. He was 94. While an electrical engineer with
IBM in North Carolina's Research Triangle Park in the early 1970s, Laurer
led the effort to develop the bar code system. The UPC, composed of 30
unique black bars and a 12-digit number, allows retailers to identify
products and prices as they are scanned. It was used for the first time in a
retail setting in 1974.
Laurer also later patented one of the first handheld UPC scanners, according
to his obituary. As The Washington Post reported, "The bar-code concept had
originated in the 1940s, when N. Joseph Woodland designed a bull's
eye-shaped system of concentric circles, inspired by the dots and dashes of
Morse code." Woodland became a colleague of Laurer's at IBM, and Laurer
considered him "the father of the supermarket scanning system."
A native of New York, Laurer served in the US Army during World War II after
being drafted while he was still a junior in high school. He graduated from
the University of Maryland in 1951 and spent 3 decades working for IBM.
Accounts describe Laurer as an inveterate tinkerer, even up to his final
years.
IBM never patented the bar code system, but made it publicly available in
order to sell the associated hardware.
In Brief...
-----------
Kids Day is Saturday, January 4 The first Saturday in January is Kids Day --
the time to get youngsters on the air to share in the joy and fun that
amateur radio can provide. Kids Day gets under way on Saturday, January 4,
at 1800 UTC and concludes at 2359 UTC. Sponsored by the Boring (Oregon)
Amateur Radio Club, this event has a simple exchange, suitable for younger
operators: First name, age, location, and favorite color. After that, the
contact can be as long or as short as each participant prefers. Kids Day is
the perfect opportunity to open your shack door and invite kids over to see
what amateur radio has to offer. Details are on the ARRL website.
ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager to Keynote Ham Radio University 2020 in
January ARRL Lifelong Learning Manager Kris Bickell, K1BIC, will be the
keynote speaker at Ham Radio University 2020 (HRU 2020). The annual event,
now in its 21st year, will take place on Saturday, January 4, in the
Hillwood Commons Student Center at Long Island University-Post, 720 Northern
Blvd., Brookville, New York. HRU 2020 is billed as, "A day of education to
share ideas, experiences, knowledge, and fellowship among amateur radio
operators." Doors open at 7:30 AM. A Newcomer's Meeting and HRU Orientation,
geared toward first-time visitors, gets under way at 8:30 AM. Thirty forums
are on the schedule, with topics such as typical HF antennas, ham radio
logging programs, satellite operation, and more. Hands-on workshops will
cover such topics as cables and connectors and electronic test equipment.
Admission is free, although a $5 donation is suggested. Special event
station W2HRU will be on the air. Amateur radio license examinations will be
given starting at 1:30 PM. Food and refreshments will be available.
SAQ, Sweden's Alexanderson Alternator, Announces Scheduled Christmas Eve
Transmission SAQ, the call sign of the 1920s vintage Alexanderson
transmitter in Grimeton, Sweden, is set to be on the air for its annual
Christmas Eve transmission. SAQ transmits CW with up to 200 kW on 17.2 kHz.
Tune-up is scheduled to begin at around 0730 UTC, with the holiday message
transmitted at 0800 UTC. SAQ will livestream the event. SAQ has introduced a
new reception report form for listeners and has asked listeners not to send
SAQ reception reports via email. The SK6SAQ amateur radio station will be
active on 7.035 kHz and 14.035 MHz CW or 3.755 MHz SSB, with two stations on
the air most of the time. Given its age, the Alexanderson alternator does
not always function as intended. The transmitter experienced a failure
during its scheduled UN Day transmission on October 24.
FCC Invites Comments on Digital AM Broadcasting Proposal The FCC has invited
comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), that would allow AM
broadcasters to transmit an all-digital signal using the HD Radio in-band
on-channel (IBOC) mode, known as MA3.1. "We tentatively conclude that a
voluntary transition to all-digital broadcasting has the potential to
benefit AM stations and provide improved AM service to the listening
public," the FCC said. "We seek comments on proposed operating standards for
all-digital stations and the impact of such operations on existing analog
stations and listeners." The proceeding was initiated by a March 2019
Petition for Rulemaking (Petition) filed by Bryan Broadcasting Corporation.
"This proceeding continues the Commission's efforts to improve and update
the AM radio service to provide a better listening experience for consumers
and enhanced service offerings, as part of our continuing effort to
revitalize AM broadcasting," the FCC said in the introduction to the NPRM.
Comments are due 60 days after the NPRM appears in The Federal Register.
Getting It Right!
-----------------
In the article, "Collegiate QSO Party 2018 and 2019 Plaque Recipients
Announced," the 2018 second-place alumni low-power winner was incorrect. The
winner was Frank J. Maynard, NF8M.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
------------------------------------------------------
January 4 -- New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville,
New York
January 17 - 18 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas
January 19 - 25 -- Quartzfest, Quartzsite, Arizona
January 24 - 26 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
January 25 -- ARRL Midwest Conference, Collinsville, Illinois
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for
Amateur Radio News and Information.
Join or Renew Today! ARRL membership includes QST, amateur radio's most
popular and informative journal, delivered to your mailbox each month.
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday.
Subscribe to...
NCJ -- National Contest Journal. Published bimonthly, features articles
by top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint, and QSO
parties.
QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters. Published bimonthly,
features technical articles, construction projects, columns, and other items
of interest to radio amateurs and communications professionals.
Free of charge to ARRL members...
Subscribe to the ARES E-Letter (monthly public service and emergency
communications news), the ARRL Contest Update (biweekly contest newsletter),
Division and Section news alerts -- and much more!
Find ARRL on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter and Instagram!
The ARRL Letter is published Thursdays, 50 times each year. ARRL members and
registered guests may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their
profile.
Copyright ļ 2019 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated. Use and
distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is permitted for
non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution. All other purposes
require written permission.
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
