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The ARRL Letter September 17, 2020
- Storms Generate Busy Times for ARES and the Hurricane Watch Net
- ARRL to Seek Changes in FCC Draft Decision on Amateur 9-Centimeter Band
- ARRL Podcasts Schedule
- Analysis Determines We Are in Solar Cycle 25
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- International Telecommunication Union Releases 2020 ITU Radio Regulations
- Announcements
- Ham Radio Exams are Not Going Away in Brazil After All
- In Brief...
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Storms Generate Busy Times for ARES and the Hurricane Watch Net
---------------------------------------------------------------
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activated on Sunday, September 13, on both
14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz as Hurricane Paulette was predicted to make
landfall on Bermuda the next day as a Category 2 storm. That tour melded
into an extended activation in anticipation of Hurricane Sally, which came
ashore on the Gulf coast in Alabama on September 16. The slow-moving storm,
which diminished to a tropical storm not long after landing, at mid-week was
causing "catastrophic and life-threatening flooding" over portions of the
Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama.
The HWN stood down at mid-week after 71 hours of continuous operation. HWN
Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said it seem long activations such as these
are happening all too often. "I suppose Mother Nature hasn't been getting
the attention she desires," Graves quipped.
Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Karl Martin, K4HBN, reported
on September 17 that Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) teams in his
Section were standing down. "We had a total of 4 counties affected by
Sally," he said. "The hardest hit was Escambia county, located at the
Alabama/Florida border. The Atlantic is still very busy, but I hope the rest
of the season is quiet."
ARES teams went on alert in other Sections in the region.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Tuesday that two
60-meter channels had been made available for interoperability between US
government stations and US amateur radio stations involved in emergency
communications related to the wildland firefighting response in California,
Oregon, and Washington, as well as to Hurricane Sally. The interoperability
channels will remain active until the need for them no longer exists:
Channel 1 -- primary voice traffic 5332 kHz channel center, 5330.5 kHz
USB voice
Channel 2 -- digital traffic 5348 kHz channel center, 5346.5 kHz USB
with 1.5 kHz offset to center of digital waveform
Frequencies may be modified or added to by FEMA Region 10 for their area or
operations due to existing 5 MHz/60-meter interoperability plans for their
region.
Amateur radio is secondary on the 5 MHz band and must yield to operational
traffic related to wildland firefighting and hurricane response. Although
the intended use for these channels is interoperability between federal
government stations and licensed US amateur radio stations, federal
government stations are primary users and amateurs are secondary users.
The FCC has granted ARRL's request for a temporary waiver to permit amateur
data transmissions at a higher symbol rate than currently permitted by
section 97.307(f) of the FCC amateur service rules. The FCC acted to
facilitate hurricane and wildfire relief communications within the US and
its territories.
ARRL sought the waiver for amateur radio licensees directly involved with
hurricane and wildfire relief via HF using PACTOR 4 modems for communication
within the US and its territories, relative to several impending hurricane
situations and wildfires in the western US. ARRL's petition noted that
Section 97.307(f) of the amateur rules prevents the use of PACTOR 4, a data
protocol that permits relatively high-speed data transmission. ARRL also
noted that past FCC temporary waivers have allowed this protocol during
similar events. The waiver is limited to 60 days.
The Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) is following FEMA's lead on the
interoperability channel designations for the wildfire and hurricane
response. Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, says he has
alerted all MARS members of the FEMA channel designations and MARS members
are prepared to support response efforts as needed.
WX4NHC at the NHC also activated on Sunday in advance of Paulette,
monitoring and gathering reports from the HWN on 14.325 and 7.268 MHz and
via the VoIP-WX Net on EchoLink WXtalk 7203 Conference and IRLP 9219.
The Caribbean Basin has more in store during this hurricane season. "We are
now keeping a close eye on Hurricane Teddy," Graves said, noting that
Bermuda could be affected by another hurricane by late Sunday night or early
Monday morning. "Also, we are keeping a close eye on a system that seems to
be getting better organized in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico."
The next named storm will be Wilfred, and after that storms will be
designated using the Greek alphabet, starting with Alpha. "If we reach
Alpha, it will be the second time in history to use that name," Graves
pointed out. "The first was in 2005."
ARRL to Seek Changes in FCC Draft Decision on Amateur 9-Centimeter Band
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ARRL efforts are under way to preserve amateur radio access to the 3.3 - 3.5
GHz (9-centimeter) band. In an 80+ page draft Report and Order and Further
Notice of Proposed Rulelmaking (R&O) in WT Docket 19-348, the FCC announced
its intention to delete the 3.3 - 3.5 GHz amateur secondary allocation,
subject to a phased withdrawal tied to its licensing of new primary users.
According to the FCC, the 3.450 - 3.550 GHz spectrum will be put up for
auction as early as December 2021. Incumbent users will be permitted to
continue operating in the band until licensing to commercial interests --
presumably 5G -- begins. That's estimated to be about 3 months after the
spectrum auction concludes, or around mid-2022. No alternative spectrum was
proposed to replace the 9-centimeter spectrum for amateur radio operations.
In an associated Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC said it
seeks comment "on whether it is in the public interest to sunset amateur use
in the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band in two separate phases," -- first above 3.4 GHz,
and later below 3.4 GHz.
"We find that removing the existing secondary non-federal allocations from
the 3.3 - 3.55 GHz band and clearing these non-federal operations from the
band is in the public interest, and therefore, we adopt this proposal," the
draft R&O says. "Because the [Department of Defense and the National
Telecommunications and Information Agency] agree that commercial users
operating pursuant to flexible use licenses can be accommodated in the 3.45
- 3.55 GHz band at full power, and given continued interest in the 3.3 -
3.45 GHz band for future sharing for flexible-use licenses, we find that
retaining the secondary non-federal allocations across this spectrum would
hinder the Commission's ability to offer flexible-use licensing in the
future and would undermine the intensive and efficient use of valuable
mid-band spectrum."
"Further, to prevent adjacent-channel issues and to preserve the possibility
of additional clearing for flexible use licensing below 3.45 GHz, we find
that sunsetting the secondary amateur allocation from the entire 3.3 -- 3.5
GHz portion of the band is in the public interest," the FCC said.
Last February, ARRL filed comments opposing the FCC's proposal to delete the
3.3 - 3.5 GHz secondary amateur allocation, pointing to amateur radio's long
history of successful coexistence with primary users of the band.
The absolute deadline to submit additional comments on the draft R&O and
Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking via the Electronic Comment Filing
System (ECFS) or to contact FCC staff on this issue is Wednesday, September
23 -- 7 days before the full Commission's consideration of the draft for
final adoption -- in order to comply with FCC "Sunshine Rules."
In August, the White House and the Department of Defense announced plans to
allow for commercial 5G systems to operate in the 3.45 - 3.55 GHz band
throughout almost all of the contiguous US. The plan would leave radio
amateurs to "individually determine appropriate alternate spectrum from
existing available spectrum allocations."
The 3.45 - 3.55 GHz segment would be teed up for a spectrum auction that's
expected to commence by the end of 2021. This would mean amateurs would have
to cease all operations at 3.45 GHz and above by the middle of 2022 at the
earliest, based on an FCC estimate.
The 3.3 - 3.45 GHz segment is not immediately available for reallocation and
auction, because more work is needed to accommodate the Department of
Defense. Under the rules as proposed, amateur operations will be permitted
to continue in this spectrum until sometime in the future, when FCC
rulemakings establish new rules and conduct a spectrum auction and
commercial licensing.
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
----------------------
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 9) features a
discussion on how to tune HF signals and use transceiver tools to enhance
reception. 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 16) features a chat
about the 222 MHz band, with QST's "The World Above 50 MHz" columnist Jon
Jones, N0JK. Also, Steve Ford, WB8IMY, offers some tips on shopping for
coaxial cable.
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.
Analysis Determines We Are in Solar Cycle 25
--------------------------------------------
It's now official. The solar minimum between Solar Cycles 24 and 25 -- the
period when the sun is least active -- occurred in December 2019, when the
13-month smoothed sunspot number fell to 1.8. This is according to the Solar
Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, co-chaired by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA). We are now in Solar Cycle 25, with peak sunspot
activity expected in 2025, the panel said. The panel expressed high
confidence that Solar Cycle 25 will break the trend of weakening solar
activity seen over the past four cycles.
"We predict the decline in solar cycle amplitude, seen from Cycles 21
through 24, has come to an end," said Lisa Upton, panel co-chair and solar
physicist with Space Systems Research Corporation. "There is no indication
we are approaching a Maunder-type minimum in solar activity."
At 11 years, Solar Cycle 24 was of average length and had the
fourth-smallest intensity since regular record-keeping began in 1755, with
what is considered Solar Cycle 1. It was also the weakest cycle in a
century. At solar maximum in April 2014, sunspots peaked at 114 for the
cycle, well below the 179 average.
Solar Cycle 24's progression was unusual. The sun's northern hemisphere led
the sunspot cycle, peaking more than 2 years ahead of the southern
hemisphere sunspot peak. This resulted in fewer sunspots at solar maximum
than if the two hemispheres were in phase.
For the past 8 months, activity on the sun has steadily increased,
indicating that we have transitioned to Solar Cycle 25, forecast to be a
fairly weak cycle -- about the same as Solar Cycle 24. Solar Cycle 25 is
expected to peak in July 2025, with a predicted 115 sunspots.
"How quickly solar activity rises is an indicator on how strong the solar
cycle will be," said Doug Biesecker, the NOAA-NASA panel co-chair and a
solar physicist at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). "Although
we've seen a steady increase in sunspot activity this year, it is slow."
"While we are not predicting a particularly active Solar Cycle 25, violent
eruptions from the sun can occur at any time," Biesecker added.
Before Solar Cycle 25 peaks in 2024, NOAA is slated to launch a new
spacecraft dedicated to operational space weather forecasting. The Space
Weather Follow-On L-1 observatory (SWFO-L1) will be equipped with
instruments that sample the solar wind, provide imagery of coronal mass
ejections, and monitor other extreme activity from the sun in finer detail
than before. NOAA's next Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite
(GOES-U) is also scheduled to launch in 2024. GOES-U will carry three solar
monitoring instruments, including the first compact coronagraph, which will
help detect coronal mass ejections. Enhanced observations of the sun from
these satellites will help improve space weather forecasting.
The K7RA Solar Update
---------------------
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: As detailed elsewhere in this edition of
The ARRL Letter (see Analysis Determines We Are in Solar Cycle 25), this
week's big news was that scientists have pinned down the Solar Cycle 24
minimum to December 2019 -- and the start of Solar Cycle 25.
The reason behind the delay in announcing this is the nature of moving
averages, which, in this case, is a smoothed sunspot number derived from
arithmetical averaging of sunspot numbers over 1 year -- i.e., half the
numbers before December, and half after December -- to derive a mid-point
average.
Recent news stories, such as this article from SpaceRef, give predictions
for the next cycle.
Over the September 10 - 16 reporting week, the average daily solar flux was
69.2 -- no significant difference from the previous week. Average daily
planetary A index was 5.3, up from 4.4 the previous week. Average daily
mid-latitude A index went from 4.9 to 5.4.
Predicted solar flux for the next 45 days (September 17 - October 31)
remains 70, the same as reported in recent bulletins.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on September 17 - 22; 8, 10, 15, 10, 25,
15, and 10 on September 23 - 29; 5 on September 30 - October 14; 8 on
October 15 - 16; 5 on October 17 - 19; then, as earlier, 8, 10, 15, 10, 25,
15, and 10 on October 20 - 26,and back to 5 on October 27 - 31.
Sunspot numbers for September 10 - 16 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, and 0, for a
mean of 0. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 69.3, 68.7, 69.3, 69.8, 68.9, 68.8,
and 69.5, with a mean of 69.2. Estimated planetary A indices were 2, 3, 5,
6, 11, 7, and 3, with a mean of 5.3. Middle latitude A index was 2, 2, 6, 7,
10, 8, and 3 with a mean of 5.4.
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. For customizable propagation
charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
------------------------
September 19 -- QRP Afield (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 -- Wisconsin Parks on the Air (Phone)
September 19 -- Feld Hell Sprint
September 19 -- VHF FOC QSO Party (CW)
September 19 - 20 -- Collegiate QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- ARRL 10 GHz and Up Contest (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest
September 19 - 20 -- Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW)
September 19 - 20 -- All Africa International DX Contest (CW, phone,
digital)
September 19 - 20 -- Iowa QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- New Jersey QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- New Hampshire QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
September 19 - 20 -- Washington State Salmon Run (CW, phone, digital)
September 20 -- North American Sprint, RTTY
September 20 -- BARTG Sprint 75 (Digital)
September 20 - 21 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
September 21 -- 144 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)
September 23 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
September 24 -- RSGB 80-Meter Autumn Series, Data
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting
on amateur radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your
ARRL member profile email preferences.
International Telecommunication Union Releases 2020 ITU Radio Regulations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has published the 2020 ITU
Radio Regulations -- the international treaty governing the global use of RF
spectrum and satellite orbits. The publication contains the complete texts
of the Radio Regulations adopted during World Radiocommunication Conference
2019 (WRC-19), held last year in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Available in all
six of ITU's official languages, the 2020 ITU Radio Regulations are in
effect for all signatory parties on January 1, 2021. Electronic versions are
free, and the "traditional four-volume boxed set," as well as a multilingual
DVD, will be available for purchase in the coming weeks, the ITU said.
"The publication of the Radio Regulations is the culmination of the hard
work and intense deliberations that took place during WRC-19," said ITU
Secretary-General Houlin Zhao. "Efficient and economical use of the
naturally limited radio-frequency spectrum is key to ensuring we bring the
benefits of connectivity and digital transformation to people everywhere.
The ITU Radio Regulations are a vital vehicle for this endeavor."
The ITU said that, when it comes to allocating radio frequencies, including
sharing and harmonizing their use for different purposes, the Radio
Regulations are the ultimate tool. "They ensure the use of the RF spectrum
is rational, equitable, efficient, and economical, all while aiming to
prevent harmful interference between different radio services," the ITU said.
The Radio Regulations govern 40 radiocommunication services, and are
designed to protect existing radio services while enabling the introduction
of new and enhanced services.
Announcements
-------------
CQ World Wide Contest Director John Dorr, K1AR, has announced some rule
changes effective with this fall's contests. Multi-Single, Multi-Two, and
Multi-Multi will be the standard entry category names; amplifiers will be
included in the 500-meter diameter circle of the station location, and logs
must be uploaded online.
The Fox Mike Hotel Portable Operations Challenge on October 3 - 4
permits operation as a portable station from backyard, garden, or patio,
using portable equipment.
The FCC has announced that the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club VEC has
joined the list of authorized Club Station Call Sign Administrators (CSCSAs).
Radio Amateurs of Canada has announced that it will hold its Annual
General Meeting (AGM) on Sunday, September 20. It will be a virtual event.
The Collegiate QSO Party this weekend provides bonus points for alumni
working their alma maters, or an alumnus/alumna working other alumni.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, rules have been relaxed to allow a campus
radio station to be operated remotely by college club members, some entry
classes have been changed, and scoring has been modified.
Weatheradio Canada has announced that it's considering shutting down 48
of its 230 VHF weather information transmitters across the country -- about
20% of the network. The Canadian government says most of the sites are in
urban areas with ample access to other sources of weather information. --
Thanks to The SWLing Post
Ham Radio Exams are Not Going Away in Brazil After All
------------------------------------------------------
Amateur radio examinations are not being eliminated in Brazil. A notice that
the country's telecommunications regulator ANATEL released recently was
intended to prompt discussion and elicit comment on the idea, but it
prompted confusion too. On September 10, ANATEL responded to a letter from
Brazil's national amateur radio society, LABRE, that expressed concern
regarding the proposal to scrap amateur radio exams. ANATEL told LABRE that
no such change is in the works, although the regulator did say that some
rules and regulations will be revised and modernized in due course.
"With respect to the merit presented in the correspondence, this will be
analyzed and considered by the technical team of this agency [i.e., ANATEL]
in the finalization of the regulatory impact analysis report and the
respective regulatory proposal, if any," ANATEL told LABRE.
Henrique Gravina, PU3IKE, contacted ARRL to offer his take on the confusion.
He said many people have complained to ANATEL over the years about amateur
exams. When ANATEL considers that a particular issue raised represents a
problem area, it selects a complaint to use as a starting point for
discussion. This is akin to a Petition for Rulemaking (PRM) that the FCC
might "put on notice" to invite comment after a suggested change in the rules.
"Portuguese is a difficult language, even for natives, and it gets worse
when we speak and write in legal terms and in bureaucratic processes that
are very complicated," Gravina allowed. "Hams who are not law students or
lawyers read the [proposal] and did not understand what was happening."
LABRE has said it was satisfied with ANATEL's response and will continue to
collaborate with the agency to help modernize the regulatory framework that
governs amateur radio in Brazil. ANATEL said it's considering extending the
deadline for public comment on the group of proposals that included the
suggestion to eliminate ham radio exams.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes have already come about in the
form of online exams for two license classes -- A and C. Brazil retains a 5
WPM Morse code requirement for the class B license, and that has not been
made available online. Applicants must have 1 year of experience as a class
B licensee to sit for the class A exam. The Morse code exam can only be
taken at an ANATEL agency office, available in most Brazilian states. --
Thanks to Henrique Gravina, PU3IKE
In Brief...
-----------
The ARRL Board of Directors has named James W. Brown, K9YC, as the recipient
of the 2019 ARRL Technical Service Award. The Board cited Brown's frequent
contributions to -- and presentations at -- amateur radio forums at
conventions including Dayton Hamvention©, Pacificon, and the International
DX and Contesting Convention in Visalia, California. Brown, of Santa Cruz,
California, has also collaborated with the ARRL Lab, contributed to various
ARRL publications, including The ARRL Handbook, The ARRL Antenna Book, and
others, and shared his technical and educational expertise in the fields of
audio engineering, RFI, and other aspects of electronics and engineering. He
shares his knowledge and expertise with the amateur radio community via his
informational website. The Board said, "Brown continues to provide his
expertise as a means of 'giving back' to the amateur community, in the
spirit of the amateurs that worked with him when he was first licensed at
the age of 13."
Former Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Administrator
Craig Fugate, KK4INZ, recently encouraged the use of mesh networking. He
said mesh networking can empower volunteers during natural disasters, such
as hurricanes and wildfires. Fugate was the keynote speaker for the
International Wireless Communications Expo's (IWCE) virtual event. "By
building these types of networks, you can put people back into communication
and put people to work where they're needed," he said. He encouraged public
safety agencies to work with local amateur radio groups and commercial
providers to create solutions that can build these mesh networks when the
main network goes down. -- Thanks to The ARES Letter
Past New England Division Director Bill Burden, WB1BRE, of Strafford,
Vermont, died on July 29. An ARRL Life Member, he was 84. Burden served as
ARRL New England Division Director from 1992 to 1996. Prior to that, he was
New England Division Vice Director (1991 - 1992) and New Hampshire Section
Manager (1985 - 1991). He served as the emergency management director for
the Town of Strafford. A graduate of Lowell Tech with a degree in electrical
engineering, Burden worked for Lockheed-Sanders, retiring in 1991.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
------------------------------------------------------
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.
November 14 - 15 -- Central Division Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana
November 21 -- Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama
December 11 - 12 -- Florida State Convention, Plant City, Florida
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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