QRZ Forums - Amateur Radio News
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Posted: 16 Jul 2014 03:01 PM PDT
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...S&goto=newpost
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The ARRL Letter, July 17, 2014
Posted: 16 Jul 2014 02:36 PM PDT
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...4&goto=newpost
The ARRL Letter
July 17, 2014
Rick Lindquist, WW1ME, Editor
[Note: Clicking on the story links below will take you to the news article
as it appears in The ARRL Letter on the ARRL website.]
Centennial Convention Will Be an Event to Remember, ARRL President SaysARRL
President Issues Call to Action to Gain Support for HR.4969, the Amateur
Radio Parity Act!ARRL Board of Directors to Meet July 21-22 in HartfordIt's
Official: N6MJ and KL9A Take WRTC-2014 Gold, Slovak and German Teams Win
Silver and BronzeHAARP Closing Delayed, But Facility Being Dismantled
PiecemealAttendance at Friedrichshafen "Ham Radio" 2014 Tops Last
Year'sW1AW Centennial Operations Head to South CarolinaNew Ham Radio
Regulations in Place in Thailand, Germany Gets 4 Meters BrieflyICE
Spacecraft Recovery Effort Appears at an ImpasseAstronauts Andy Thomas,
VK5MIR, and Dave Leestma, N5QWC, Retire from NASAA Century of Amateur Radio
and the ARRLJust Ahead in RadiosportUpcoming ARRL Section, State and
Division Conventions and Events
NOTE: Because of the ARRL Centennial Convention, this week's edition of The
ARRL Letter was distributed earlier than usual and does not include The
K7RA Solar Update (the propagation bulletin will be posted as usual on
Friday, July 18). There will be no ARRL Audio News on Friday, July 18.
Centennial Convention Will Be an Event to Remember, ARRL President Says
ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, is eagerly anticipating the ARRL National
Centennial Convention this week, but with a sense of history, awe, and
honor. The Convention gets underway Thursday, July 17, at the Connecticut
Convention Center in Hartford. Craigie said this week that to be President
when the ARRL celebrates its centennial "is an extraordinary good fortune
that I am sincerely grateful for."
"Imagine standing at one end of a row of 15 people," Craigie said. "Now
imagine that on the other end of the row is Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW. Being
the inheritor of 'The Old Man's' legacy is enough to daunt anybody who
doesn't need ego-reduction surgery, even before you factor in the other 13
presidents -- all of them outstanding radio amateurs."
Among those attending the Convention will be all but one of the living past
Presidents of the ARRL. They are Harry Dannals, W2HD (1972-1982); Larry
Price, W4RA (1984-1992); Rod Stafford, W6ROD (1995-1999), and Joel
Harrison, W5ZN (2006-2010). "I spoke with Jim Haynie, W5JBP, who regrets
that he can't attend but sends his very best regards," Craigie recounted.
Haynie served as ARRL President from 2000 until 2005.
Craigie will host a Presidents Breakfast on Saturday morning. "In addition,
we will welcome Richard Crouch, N6RC, grandson of the third ARRL President,
George Bailey W1KH/W2KH," she announced. Bailey served as the League's
president from 1940 until 1952. Crouch, an ARRL Life Member, is from
Campbell, California. "I am honored to be in the company of these people,"
she added.
The Convention features a full schedule of Thursday Training Track classes
and Friday and Saturday forums. Craigie said she believes that League
co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim would be "delighted" to see these on the
Centennial Convention program. "Coming from a family of inventors, he was
devoted to cutting-edge technology of the early 20th century, not only in
radio but also other areas such as in cinema and automobiles," she
said. "Technology has advanced so much in the years following his lifetime
that he wouldn't know what most of our presenters are talking about, but
he'd figure out that we are moving confidently straight ahead into the
future."
That would please not only HPM but "the other visionary radio amateurs who
began the history we're honoring this weekend," Craigie speculated. "He
would also see that the ARRL is still the relentless advocate for Amateur
Radio that it was in his day. I think that would put the biggest smile of
all on the face of the original W1AW.
ARRL Chief Operating Officer and Convention Co-Chair Harold Kramer, WJ1B,
will preside at the official Centennial Convention opening ceremony at 8:30
AM on Friday, in the Pre-Function Area in from of the ARRL Centennial
Ballroom on Level 6. Kramer and President Craigie will welcome the
anticipated 500 to 1000 attendees. CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, Convention
Co-Chair and ARRL New England Division Vice Director Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF,
Convention Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, and ARRL New England Division
Director Tom Frenaye, K1KI, also will be present.
Introducing the Centennial Terrace
A special donor reception on Thursday, July 17, will precede the unveiling
of the new Centennial Terrace at ARRL Headquarters. The invitation-only
event gets underway at 6 PM. ARRL Development Director Mary Hobart, K1MMH,
will serve as master of ceremonies.
"The Terrace includes three vertical granite pillars that bear the names of
the campaign committee and donors who contributed or pledged at least
$10,000 to the ARRL Second Century Campaign," Hobart explained. "The
Terrace also has six granite benches, a bronze Second Century Campaign
medallion, and more than 75 inscribed bricks placed by donors to the
campaign."
Hobart said the Centennial Terrace will expand the physical space in front
of the ARRL Headquarters building that also includes the Diamond Terrace.
"It is a pleasure to recognize the generosity of radio amateurs who honor
their call signs and those of others who have had a significant impact on
Amateur Radio," Hobart said.
ARRL Second Century Campaign Chairman David Brandenburg, K5QR, President
Craigie, and CEO Sumner are expected to make brief remarks at the reception.
Amateur Radio History on Display
A fresh display of vintage Amateur Radio equipment and artifacts will greet
Convention visitors who also take the opportunity to tour ARRL Headquarters
and the Maxim Memorial Station W1AW in nearby Newington. The ARRL Board of
Directors' Historical Committee is responsible for the exhibit, "The
Progression of Amateur Radio History and Technology." Bob Allison, WB1GCM,
of the ARRL Laboratory and Mike Marinaro, WN1M, are the exhibit curators.
The display concept is to illustrate the progress of Amateur Radio
technology from the inception of radio to the present. The exhibit will use
equipment items that are typical of each era to highlight some major
milestones in that historical arc.
The exhibits in the ARRL lobby will be arranged in chronological order,
displaying the development of Amateur radio in 11 stages. Some key pieces
on display include a 1907 spark transmitter/crystal detector set, a Collins
4A crystal controlled transmitter from 1935, a Russian-made BC-348
receiver, a Cosmophone 35 SSB transceiver from 1959, a TEN-TEC Century 22
solid state CW transceiver from 1983, and a modern -- and working --
software defined transceiver. Guides will answer questions and provide
additional information on each item displayed. The ARRL Laboratory, one of
the stops on the ARRL Headquarters Tour, includes additional items of
historical interest, as part of the Lab's permanent exhibit, "The Evolution
of Amateur Radio Equipment"
Breakfast, Luncheon, Hors d'Oeuvres, and Banquet
An estimated 750 visitors will attend the opening-day luncheon in the
Convention Center Ballroom -- the ARRL Centennial Ballroom on Level 6. It
gets underway at noon, with ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Director Brian
Mileshosky, N5ZGT, serving as master of ceremonies. ARRL First Vice
President Rick Roderick, K5UR, will be the keynote speaker.
An International Guest Welcome Reception will begin at 5 PM (continuing
until 7 PM) at the Convention Center Pre-Function Space on Level 6. Some
700 are expected at the event to socialize and enjoy hors d'oeuvres and
beverages. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, will be the master of ceremonies.
Speakers will include ARRL international Affairs Vice President Jay
Bellows, K0QB, and IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH.
Some 800 diners are expected at the Centennial Banquet, Friday, 6:30 until
9:30 PM. ARRL Centennial Convention Steering Committee Chair and Hudson
Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, will be the master of ceremonies.
The keynote speaker will be FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ. Other
speakers and presentations will follow the banquet.
President Craigie will be at the head of the table as well as the keynote
speaker for the Presidents Breakfast on Saturday, 7:30 until 9 AM, in the
Centennial Ballroom on Level 6. ARRL Second Vice President Jim
Fenstermaker, K9JF, will be the master of ceremonies. Craigie will
introduce and honor the past presidents of the ARRL.
ARRL President Issues Call to Action to Gain Support for HR.4969, the
Amateur Radio Parity Act!
In a video, ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, has issued an urgent call to
action to all radio amateurs to get behind a grassroots campaign to promote
co-sponsorship of HR.4969, "The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014." HR.4969
would require the FCC to extend PRB-1 coverage to restrictive covenants. It
was introduced in the US House with bipartisan support on June 25 at the
request of the ARRL, which worked with House staffers to draft the
legislation. The measure would require the FCC to apply the "reasonable
accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal pre-emption policy to
private land-use restrictions regarding antennas. The bill's primary
sponsor is Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL). It had initial co-sponsorship from
Rep Joe Courtney (D-CT).
President Craigie also exhorted all radio amateurs regarding support for
HR.4969 in remarks appearing in the The ARRL Legislative Update Newsletter.
Craigie stressed in the Newsletter that the legislation stands to benefit
not just today's radio amateurs but those in the future.
"Chances are, those Americans of the future will grow up in communities
having private land use restrictions," she said "That is the way the
country is going, and it is very bad for Amateur Radio. How can Amateur
Radio thrive, if more and more Americans cannot have reasonable antennas at
home? You and I have to stand for the Amateurs of the second century."
If the measure passes the 113th Congress, it would require the FCC to amend
the Part 97 Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1 coverage to include
homeowners' association regulations and deed restrictions, often referred
to as "covenants, conditions, and restrictions" (CC&Rs). At present, PRB-1
only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances.
An HR.4969 page now is open on the ARRL website. It contains information
and resources for clubs and individuals wishing to support efforts to gain
co-sponsors for the measure by contacting their members of Congress.
ARRL Board of Directors to Meet July 21-22 in Hartford
The ARRL Board of Directors will meet Monday and Tuesday, July 21-22, in
Hartford, Connecticut, The slightly altered scheduling of the July meeting
takes advantage of the fact that most Board members will already be in town
for the ARRL National Centennial Convention July 17-19.
International guests at the gathering will include IARU Vice President Ole
Garpestad, LA2RR, and Radio Amateurs of Canada President Geoff Bawden,
VE4BAW.
The Board will hear reports from ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, and from
other League officers. This will be the final Board meeting that ARRL Chief
Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, will attend in her official
capacity. Hobart has announced her retirement, effective July 31. She has
served the League for 13 years and was behind the creation of The Diamond
Club, The Diamond Terrace, The Maxim Society, and the Second Century
Campaign, among other initiatives.
"During Hurricane Katrina, she virtually single handedly created the Ham
Aid Program that provides new gear to amateurs who have lost their
equipment in disasters," ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B,
said in the August issue of QST. "Because of her efforts and those of her
staff, she has raised millions of dollars for the ARRL and, ultimately, for
the benefit of Amateur Radio."
Kramer pointed out that Hobart also was one of the founders of the
successful Teachers Institutes for Wireless Technology. Funded by voluntary
contributions, the annual summer workshops help to better acquaint
classroom teachers and educators with wireless technology and the science
behind it.
At its meeting, the Board will receive reports from ARRL officers as well
as committee and coordinator reports. The agenda also calls for proposals
for amendments to the Articles of Association and Bylaws.
Individual ARRL Directors will also have an opportunity to speak and to
submit motions.
Board committees will be meeting on Sunday, July 20, and that the full
Board will consider their recommendations over the course of its meeting.
It's Official: N6MJ and KL9A Take WRTC-2014 Gold, Slovak and German Teams
Win Silver and Bronze
After considerable deliberation over which team placed third in the 2014
World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC-2014), it's now official. At the
awards ceremony July 14 concluding the international Amateur Radio
contesting competition, the US team of Dan Craig, N6MJ, and Chris Hurlbut,
KL9A, operating as K1A, took home the gold for their winning team effort.
There was little suspense about the top spot; Craig and Hurlbut had led the
international pack of 59 competing teams literally from the start. Craig,
33, of Rancho Cucamonga, California, comes from a ham radio family and got
his license when he was just 8 years old. He had competed in the last three
WRTCs, finishing fourth in 2002, second in 2006 (with N2NL), and third in
2010 with KL9A. Hurlbut, 31, of Bozeman, Montana, became a ham when he was
10 and began contesting 4 years later.
Walking away with the silver was the Slovak team of Rastislav Hrnko, OM3BH,
and Jozef Lang, OM3GI, who operated as W1L. Hrnko, 46, got into ham radio
when he was about 10. He took part in WRTC-2000 and WRTC-2010. Lang, who's
54, was licensed at 15. He also competed at WRTC-2000 and WRTC-2010. Both
have been active members of the OM8A contest team.
Determining who landed in third place was not so simple, but in the final
analysis, the W1P team of Manfred Wolf, DJ5MW, and Stefan von Baltz,
DL1IAO, won the bronze medal. The duo had ranked fifth in the "raw,
unchecked claimed scores."
Wolf, 42, was competing at his second WRTC. He took part in WRTC-2000 in
Slovenia. Von Baltz, 38, was a competitor at WRTC-96 and WRTC-2000.They
edged out fourth-place finishers Kevin Stockton, N5DX, and Steve London,
N2IC, who operated as W1Z.
Chief Judge David Sumner, K1ZZ, who was master of ceremonies for the awards
presentations, said there was "a lot of pressure" on the judges to get it
right, and they had to carefully scrutinize the logs of those placing the
third, fourth, and fifth in the claimed scores.
"Because the skills of the operators were so high, the judges had a very,
very difficult time resolving the position for number 3," Sumner told the
gathering. "We went to extraordinary lengths, given the time that we had
available, checking logs. As a matter of fact, had we not checked to the
depth that we did, the error rate at W1P would actually have been a bit
lower."
"In the end," Sumner said, "there were 8000 points separating number 4 from
number 3. That's six-tenths of a multiplier."
Wolf and von Baltz edged out fourth-place finishers Kevin Stockton, N5DX,
and Steve London, N2IC, who operated as W1Z.
Sumner said this week that given the high skill level of the operators and
the equivalent locations of the stations, it was "inevitable that some
scores would differ by less than the precision that log-checking can
achieve." He said the judging team had a database of 3400 IARU HF
Championship participants' logs and was able to cross-check 60 percent of
the contacts.
"The difference in the final scores of W1P and W1Z is very small and the
N5DX/N2IC result is every bit as exceptional as that of the bronze medal
recipients, but in the end, one number was ever so slightly larger than the
other," he said.
WRTC-2014 has posted the final results on its website. Video of the closing
ceremony also is available. Read more.
HAARP Closing Delayed, But Facility Being Dismantled Piecemeal
The US Air Force has given the High Frequency Active Auroral Research
Program (HAARP) facility in Gakona, Alaska, a death row reprieve of sorts.
The Secretary of the Air Force told Alaska Sen Lisa Murkowski July 2 that
it is "willing to slow the closure process and defer irreversible
dismantling of the transmitter site" until May 2015. Those pushing for
HAARP to remain open as a scientific research facility include several
radio amateurs. HAARP proponents claim, however, that despite the delay,
the Air Force has been picking the plant apart piece by piece, and that
critical research instruments already have been taken off site.
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Professor Chris Fallen, KL3WX, who has
conducted research at HAARP, told ARRL that it was his "unofficial
understanding" that the Air Force has already rendered HAARP reversibly
inoperable through the removal or relocation of critical diagnostic
instruments, instrument shelters, office furniture, and even tubes for the
multiple transmitters. HAARP's transmitters are capable of generating more
than 3 gigawatts of RF in the HF spectrum, which its 180 antennas can
direct upward to the ionosphere.
Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James told Murkowski that the Air
Force "will proceed with removal of government property not essential to
operations and will seek to reduce maintenance costs through additional
storage of equipment and winterization; however, we will retain critical
hardware to maximize the potential to reactivate the site, should it be
transferred to another federal government agency or a private entity next
year."
In May Murkowski raised questions in Congress about the impending HAARP
closure, and she took some credit for the shutdown delay. Murkowski had
questioned why the Pentagon was planning to demolish HAARP, "asking whether
it was fiscally sound to destroy an approximately $300 million facility
when it costs less than one percent of that amount to operate it each
year," a news release from her office said. She said she supports handing
control of HAARP over to the University of Alaska or another research
entity to "keep the world-class facility open and running."
"The [news release] states that the Air Force is in the process of
removing 'non-critical' equipment, which essentially means anything not
bolted to the floor such as generators, amplifiers, antennae, and control
systems," Fallen asserted. "While I would consider the diagnostic
instruments as 'critical' to an ionosphere modification observatory, this
apparently is not a universal interpretation." He said HAARP's diagnostic
instruments, including the riometer and ionosonde, have not been available
since June 2013 and are in immediate danger of being removed. Hams in
Alaska have used data from both instruments in conducting their own
ionospheric investigations.
UAF has been engaged in discussions with the Air Force with an eye toward
taking over HAARP, although it's not clear that these have gained any
serious traction. Read more.
Attendance at Friedrichshafen "Ham Radio" 2014 Tops Last Year's
Attendance at Germany's annual international "Ham Radio" exhibition on June
27-29 -- the Continent's biggest Amateur Radio event -- was 17,100 this
year, up from 15,300 visitors last year. This year's Ham Radio teamed with
the Maker World create-it-yourself event. The gathering attracted some 200
exhibitors from 34 countries plus 300 flea marketers. Ham Radio 2014 placed
an emphasis on youth-oriented themes and activities and also honored one of
2013's major DXpedtions. "Creative Amateur Radio -- Build It Yourself" was
the theme for this year's show.
The third International Youth Meeting took place at Friedrichshafen on June
28, sponsored by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 1 and
the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC), Germany's national Amateur Radio
society. The gathering included presentations from many young radio
amateurs and adult leaders. Among the presenters was 16-year-old ARRL
member Alex Banbury, KE7WUD, and Gerrit Herzig, DH8GHH. Herzig, who
organizes activities for youth in Braunschweig, Germany, spoke about ways
to interest young people in Amateur Radio, particularly students interested
in science and technology. Herzig was also involved with a team of students
and youth leaders who launched a tropospheric balloon from the convention
grounds on the convention's second day. The balloon carried student-built
ham radio payloads including an APRS beacon and telemetry transmitter,
video camera, and numerous scientific sensors.
Banbury told one forum how he started a radio club at his high school on
Washington's Mercer Island. He explained that promoting the public service
aspect of Amateur Radio has been particularly successful for recruiting
other students -- and because the island's infrastructure is uniquely
susceptible to natural or man-made disaster. Banbury, who earned his ham
radio ticket at age 10, spends summers in Germany with his family. He
attended the convention in Friedrichshafen with his father, ARRL Life
Member John Banbury, AG7N.
ARRL Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, said the convention included
many youth-organized exhibits. "A ham youth camp had participation from 100
young people up to the age of 27," he said. "The young hams spent 3 nights
meeting with one another and having fun." Their activities included
building various projects and getting on the air from different stations. A
hidden transmitter "fox hunt" was held on Sunday morning in a forest near
the fairgrounds. Read more.
W1AW Centennial Operations Head to South Carolina
The ARRL Centennial W1AW WAS operations taking place throughout 2014 from
each of the 50 states and now on hiatus will resume at 0000 UTC on
Wednesday, July 16 (the evening of July 15 in US time zones), from South
Carolina (W1AW/4). There will be only one state this week. During 2014 W1AW
will be on the air from every state (at least twice) and most US
territories, and it will be easy to work all states solely by contacting
W1AW portable operations.
The ARRL Centennial QSO Party kicked off January 1 for a year-long
operating event in which participants can accumulate points and win awards.
The event is open to all, although only ARRL members and appointees,
elected officials, HQ staff and W1AW are worth ARRL Centennial QSO Party
points.
Working W1AW/x from each state is worth 5 points per mode/contact, even
when working the same state during its second week of activity. If you
worked any of the 59 WRTC-2014 competitor stations with 1 x 1 call signs
this past weekend, those contacts also are worth 5 points apiece.
To earn the "Worked all States with W1AW Award," work W1AW operating
portable from all 50 states. (Working W1AW or W100AW in Connecticut does
not count for Connecticut, however. For award credit, participants must
work W1AW/1 in Connecticut.) A W1AW WAS certificate and plaque will be
available.
The ARRL has posted an ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board that
participants can use to determine how many points they have accumulated in
the Centennial QSO Party and in the W1AW WAS operations. Log in using your
Logbook of The World (LoTW) user name and password, and your position will
appear at the top of the leader boards. Results are updated daily, based on
contacts entered into LoTW.
New Ham Radio Regulations in Place in Thailand, Germany Gets 4 Meters
Briefly
Thailand's 247,000 radio amateurs have new Amateur Radio regulations that
provide significant new privileges The Radio Amateur Society of Thailand
(RAST) has reported that the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications
Commission (NBTC) has been working on the new regulations for nearly 3
years. They will permit operation on 6 meters, will expand the 2 meter band
by 500 kHz (to 146.5 MHz), and will activate the Advanced class with
privileges permitting running up to 1 kW. Restrictions on HF radios that
include 6 meters will be removed and type-approval restrictions eased, so
that Thai radio amateurs will be able to purchase transceiver models.
Additional spectrum is being authorized for 160 and 80 meters too.
Among other changes, more club stations and contest call signs will be
issued, those not holding a ham ticket may operate under supervision at a
club station, an 8 WPM Morse code receiving test will remain as a component
of the Intermediate and Advanced class examination, and the entry-level
Basic (Novice) license now may run 60 W on 144 MHz and 100 W on 28 MHz. The
NBTC has posted a new allocation table.
Meanwhile, German telecommunications authorities have approved the use of
70.000 to 70.030 MHz by Class A radio amateurs from July 2 until August 31,
2014. The DARC report the restrictions are similar to those for the 50 MHz
band: 25 W EIRP, all modes, maximum bandwidth 12 kHz, horizontal antenna
polarization. This band has not been available to radio amateurs in Germany
since 1957. The UK also has access to 4 meters. The DARC has said it is
working toward permanent access to 4 meters. -- Thanks to Southgate ARC
ICE Spacecraft Recovery Effort Appears at an Impasse
According to a July 10 National Public Radio (NPR) "Morning Edition"
report, the effort to recover the venerable International Sun-Earth
Explorer 3 spacecraft (ISEE-3) -- later repurposed, redirected, and renamed
the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) -- has run into problems and may
have reached a dead end. The ISEE-3 Reboot Project has been trying since
July 8 to fire the engines of the 36-year-old space traveler without
apparent success. The spacecraft is some 2.65 million miles from Earth. The
team, which includes several Amateur Radio operators, has been transmitting
control signals from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico and listening
for spacecraft telemetry at the Bochum Observatory in Germany. The
pessimistic NPR report featured team member Keith Cowing, a former NASA
engineer.
"Our first series of burns, we thought went okay," Cowing told reporter
Nell Greenfieldboyce. "And then when we went to the second set, pretty much
nothing happened. And we tried it again, and nothing happened." The group
has conjectured that the nitrogen tanks needed to pressurize the hydrazine
fuel on the spacecraft may be empty, meaning that the engines are dead, and
the team will not be able to redirect ICE into an orbit that is closer to
Earth, instead of letting it fly past the planet.
"At this point, we're sort of scratching our heads," Cowing said. "We may
take one last run at the spacecraft, but this may be it for an attempt to
bring it back to Earth." ICE has been in a solar orbit for most of its
life, following its 1978 launch.
In late May, Dennis Wingo, KD4ETA, a project team member and the CEO of
California-based Skycorp Incorporated, reported that the team was able to
command one of the spacecraft's transponders on 2.042 GHz by radio.
The group has been hoping to place ICE into a gravitationally stable spot
some 930,000 miles from Earth -- essentially its original orbit -- where it
could again study the effects of solar weather on Earth's magnetosphere
(the project's slogan is "Make me do science again!"). The private group
had to obtain NASA's approval to communicate with the satellite.
Cowing said in a July 15 update that the team's next window of opportunity
would be July 16 at Arecibo. "During that opportunity we intend to attempt
a deep space plumbing repair on board ISEE-3 and then fire its engines," he
said. "Based on the number of thruster firings we achieve during that
plumbing repair session we'll need to do some additional firings --
possibly over the course of several days -- all of which will constitute
the [trajectory correction maneuver].
"We have most certainly not given up on this spacecraft yet," Cowing said
July 10.
Astronauts Andy Thomas, VK5MIR, and Dave Leestma, N5QWC, Retire from NASA
Astronauts Andy Thomas, VK5MIR/ex-KD5CHF, and Dave Leestma, N5WQC, have
announced their retirements from NASA. Both operated on ham radio from
space, and Thomas, as the last US astronaut to complete a duty tour onboard
the Russian Mir space station, conducted several contacts with students on
Earth as part of the SAREX program, the predecessor of ARISS.
native of Australia, Thomas, 62, became an astronaut in 1993. He leaves
the space agency after 22 years of service. His most recent work with NASA
involved leading design teams for projects that include a return visit to
the moon and a Mars mission. Thomas's spaceflight experience includes a
1996 mission on the shuttle Endeavour, about 6 months onboard Mir, and a
1998 trip on the shuttle Discovery, to deliver the Expedition 2
International Space Station crew, and the 2005 Discovery "Return to Flight"
mission following the Columbia disaster to continue construction of the ISS.
Thomas was active on the air during his stint aboard Mir and from NA1SS
during his brief 2005 ISS stay. Thomas and his wife, Shannon Walker,
KD5DXB, will live on the couple's 40 acre ranch in central Texas. Walker,
who's still active with NASA, is hoping for at least one more spaceflight.
Thomas's US Amateur Radio license has expired.
Leestma, 65, is a veteran of three shuttle missions. He leaves NASA after
more than 44 years of government service. Leestma was selected to join the
astronaut corps in 1980. After flying in space, Leestma held multiple
technical and leadership assignments at NASA, including director of Flight
Crew Operations. He is a graduate of the US Naval Academy and the Naval
Postgraduate School. In 1992 he completed the Worked All Continents (WAC)
award from space by working Antarctica.
A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL
This week, we'll look at the 1950s. Danny Weil, VP2VB, began his well-known
series of Yasme DXpeditions around the world in 1955, putting some rare
countries on the air. That series lasted until 1963, and it gave thousands
of DXers the opportunity to work some new ones.
In the mid-1950s, The FCC ran out of 1 × 3 call signs with W and K prefixes
and began reissuing lapsed W and K call signs. When those ran out, they
went on to 2 × 3 call signs with WA (and, later, WB) prefixes.
The log periodic antenna -- a new and very useful concept -- was introduced
to hams in the late 1950s. It had been developed by D.E. Isbell at the
University of Illinois.
Late in 1958, hams lost the shared use of 11 meters, which then became the
Class D Citizens Band.
During the late 1950s, amateurs continued to push the limits of VHF and
higher bands. W6NLZ and KH6UK ran regular schedules on VHF and succeeded in
making two-way contact on 144 MHz in 1957, and on 220 MHz in 1959.
Another Amateur Radio first took place in 1960, when the first EME
(moonbounce) contact was made on 1296 MHz between W6HB in California and
W1BU in Massachusetts.
During the 1950s and 1960s, The USSR and the US were in the midst of the
so-called "Cold War." Fearing that Soviet bombers could home in on radio
signals to find their targets, the CONELRAD (CONtrol of ELectromagnetic
RADiation) system went into effect from 1957 to 1962. For their part hams
were required to (1) monitor an AM broadcast station at least every 10
minutes to be sure it was still on the air; and (2) shut down, if broadcast
stations went off the air. In the event of such an emergency, key 50 kW AM
stations would move to either 640 or 1240 kHz to broadcast emergency
information. The stations on each of those frequencies would go on and off
the air in a continually varying sequence, while all carried the same audio
to provide continuous information to the public. -- Al Brogdon, W1AB
Just Ahead in Radiosport
July 17 -- NAQCC Monthly QRP Sprint (CW)
July 19 -- Feld-Hell High Road Sprint
July 19-20 -- 144 MHz Digital EME Championship
July 19-20 -- DMC RTTY Contest
July 19-20 -- CQ World Wide VHF Contest
July 19-20 -- North American QSO Party RTTY
July 20 -- RSBG Low Power Contest (CW)
July 21 -- Run For the Bacon
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information.
Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
July 17-19 -- ARRL National Centennial Convention, Hartford, Connecticut
July 18-19 -- Arizona State Convention, Williams, Arizona
July 18-20 -- Montana State Convention, East Glacier, Montana
July 24-27 -- Central States VHF Society Conference, Austin, Texas
July 25-26 -- Oklahoma State Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
August 1-2 -- Texas State Convention, Austin, Texas
August 7-9 -- Young Ladies Radio League Convention, Vancouver, Washington
August 8-10 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Albuquerque, New Mexico
August 16-17 -- Southeastern Division Convention, Regional ARRL Centennial
Event, Huntsville, Alabama
August 17 -- Kansas State Convention, Salina, Kansas
August 23 -- West Virginia State Convention, Weston, West Virginia
August 23-24 -- JARL Ham Fair, Tokyo, Japan
August 24 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, New Kensington,
Pennsylvania
August 30-31 -- North Carolina State Convention (Shelby Hamfest), Shelby,
North Carolina
September 5-7 -- ARRL-TAPR Digital Communications Conference (Austin, Texas)
September 6 -- Kentucky State Convention (Shepherdsville, Kentucky)
September 6 -- Virginia Section Convention (Virginia Beach, Virginia)
September 12-14 -- Southwestern Division Convention (San Diego, California)
September 19-20 -- W9DXCC Convention (Schaumburg, Illinois)
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Copyright © 2014 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved
///////////////////////////////////////////
Amateur Radio Saves Lives!
Posted: 16 Jul 2014 09:03 AM PDT
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php...!&goto=newpost
On Friday morning, July 11, Certified Pilot Car was enroute with two of its
vehicles operated by Mike (VY1WH) and Elayne House to Dawson City
accompanying two loads from Western Heavy Haul; an oversize load and a
legal size load with mining equipment. Mike was talking to a trucker who
was ahead of him when that trucker, Thomas Moore of Norcope enterprises,
spotted what he was pretty sure was an overturned vehicle with what
appeared to be fairly fresh tracks leading to it off the road over a steep
bank near Twin Lakes, which is south of Carmacks on the North Klondike
Highway. As Certified Pilot Car was within a few minutes of ThomasÂ’s
location, and Thomas had spotted this too late to stop, Mike informed him
that we would stop our convoy in the area he described and not proceed
north until we found the unit and ascertained whether it was in fact a
recent or old accident and that there no assistance we could render. Elayne
House actually found the overturned vehicle, and thought she could hear a
faint voice coming from it. She was in that moment deciding whether she
should go over the bank and investigate or radio it to Mike when her
driver, Clyde, arrived on foot and it was decided Clyde would go over the
bank immediately to investigate so Elayne could relay information by radio
to Mike.
There was a female inside, who was in great pain and had stated she had
been there since midnight and couldnÂ’t move (it was now approximately
06:15). Elayne radioed this information to Mike who immediately called
ahead to Thomas on Ladd 1 to inform him that an ambulance was needed if he
was within cell coverage area and could reach one. Then Mike immediately
switched to the YARA network and made an emergency call requesting any
station for emergency assistance. The call was answered by Ray (VY1RF) who
relayed the information to emergency personnel. At this time, further
medical information, recovery details, patient condition, etc, were relayed
via the YARA system to better inform emergency personnel the exact details
of the situation, etc, as well as the need for the mechanical extraction
equipment. Shortly after that, the RCMP arrived, shortly after that the
ambulance. I have no further recovery nor other details, other than that
the subject was initially in critical condition, and is still alive in
Whitehorse hospital at this moment, updated condition unkown.
YARA president Terry Maher has a sign on his truck that says, “Amateur
Radio Saves Lives”. There is no way to know for certain if it did in this
case, but I would be fairly confident in saying it certainly played a part.
For those involved in designing, installing and maintaining our Yukon
network, I canÂ’t express enough thanks. Sincerely.