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|    mark lewis to all    |
|    The ARRL Letter for June 5, 2014    |
|    06 Jun 14 15:21:19    |
      If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:       http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2014-06-05              The ARRL Letter              June 5, 2014       Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME               * Radio Amateurs Are Principal Players in Effort to Resurrect 36-Year-Old        NASA Spacecraft        * Ham Radio Helps Get Medical Attention for Mobile Operator in Distress        * ARRL Vice Director Agrees to Conditions to Resolve Conflict-of-Interest        Situation        * Southern Florida Gets New Section Manager        * FCC Releases Warning Notices to Several Radio Amateurs        * The ARRL June VHF Contest is June 14-16!        * Hundreds of Clubs Register their FD 2014 Sites on the ARRL Field Day        Locator!        * "We Are Ready!" 2014 WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test a Success        * ARRL Foundation Awards 79 Scholarships in 2014        * Centennial Operations Now in Alabama, Louisiana to Shift States on June        11 (UTC)        * D-Day Special Event Stations to be Active        * Huntsville to Host GAREC 2014        * King Juan Carlos of Spain, EA0JC, to Step Down        * IARU Region 3 Directors to Attend Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Meeting        * Honor Roll DXer, Assistant ARRL Director H.O. Townsend, K5CX, SK        * A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL        * In Brief...        * The K7RA Solar Update        * Just Ahead in Radiosport        * Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events              Radio Amateurs Are Principal Players in Effort to Resurrect 36-Year-Old NASA       Spacecraft              Not even an earthquake kept the ISEE-3 Reboot Project from contacting the       36-year-old International Sun-Earth Explorer 3 spacecraft -- later       repurposed, redirected, and renamed the International Cometary Explorer       (ICE) -- on May 29 from the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. The ISEE-3       Reboot Project is a private crowd-funded group of engineers, programmers,       and scientists -- including several radio amateurs -- that is trying to fire       the old spacecraft's [ISEE-3%20Reboot%20Project%20logo.jpg] engines to       redirect its path. And that has to happen by June 17, according to Dennis       Wingo, KD4ETA, one of the team members and the CEO of California-based       Skycorp Incorporated. Wingo has not ruled out the possibility that ICE could       crash into the moon, but just commanding one of the spacecraft's       transponders on 2.042 GHz by radio marked a major milestone.              "[W]e have successfully contacted the bird!" Wingo enthused in a June 1       project update. Wingo was at Arecibo Observatory on May 29 when a magnitude       5.8 earthquake rattled the region. Wingo said he and his colleagues were in       a safe area when the earthquake occurred.              Surviving the earthquake experience aside, Wingo said, the "first miracle"       was to command the spacecraft. The second task was to interpret data       received back from the spacecraft. The group is hoping to place ISSE-3/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!"). But, it has a lot of work to do before that is possible.       The group has obtained NASA's approval to communicate with the satellite.              "One of the major problems that we have...is to update the range to the       spacecraft, so that its position, velocity, and trajectory into the       Earth-Moon system can be properly plotted," Wingo said. If the team can fire       the spacecraft's thrusters this month, ISSE-3/ICE will fly by the moon at an       altitude of some 50 km on August 10.              Newer digital signal processing (DSP) techniques have made it possible to       develop and apply software solutions to address problems that would have       required extensive hardware a decade earlier. The project has purchased DSP       peripherals from Ettus Research, founded by Matt Ettus, N2MJI, to implement       modulator and demodulator programs.              More information and updates are available on the ISEE-3 Reboot Project       Facebook page and the ISEE3 Returns Community Facebook page. The project       also has a ISEE-3 Reboot Project Google+ page. Read more.              Ham Radio Helps Get Medical Attention for Mobile Operator in Distress              In this era of nearly ubiquitous cell phones, Amateur Radio still offers a       way to summon help in an emergency. Ron Smith, N1PXX, of Marshfield,       Massachusetts, is living proof. Over Memorial Day weekend, on May 24, Smith,       who's in his 60s, broke in on a conversation on the N1ZIZ 146.685 MHz       repeater in Plymouth to say he was having a medical problem.              "Ron had pulled over on the highway and was having a tough time talking on       his radio," said ARRL member John Williams, KB1EVY, the president of the       Genesis Amateur Radio Society President, which owns the N1ZIZ repeater. The       Genesis ARS is an ARRL Special Service Club.              One of the two stations that had been on the repeater, ARRL member Kevin       O'Donnell, K1KOD, acknowledged Smith's call and [Genesis%20ARS%20logo.gif]       asked for his cell phone number. With some difficulty -- and with assistance       from the second station, David Blackford, KB1QJX, who was visiting the Cape       Cod area from Connecticut -- O'Donnell was able to call Smith and establish       that he needed prompt medical attention.              O'Donnell cleared the repeater and requested priority for a medical       emergency. "Using both the radio and the cell, Kevin kept talking with Ron.       He called 911, [and] gave Ron's location to the State Police," Williams       said. O'Donnell let Smith know that an ambulance and police were en route.       Smith reported that he saw the police pass by, but the cruiser did not stop              ARRL Life Member Dave Ring, N1EA, joined the conversation at this point, and       assisted K1KOD. "N1EA was instrumental in making calls to the State police,       who got back to Kevin that they had picked up Ron and were heading for South       Shore Hospital," Williams recounted. Once Smith was on his way to the       hospital, O'Donnell secured the brief emergency net. Williams said that in       addition to the Massachusetts State Police, the call brought mutual aid from       the Pembroke and Marshfield police departments and ambulance.              "Ron is still in the hospital and doing okay," Williams said later. "I talk       with him once a day. He is so grateful for what was done for him! I would       like to say, 'a job well done' by Kevin, K1KOD; David, N1EA, and Dave,       KB1QJX." Read more. -- Thanks to John Williams, KB1EVY, and ARRL Eastern       Massachusetts SM Phil Temples, K9HI              ARRL Vice Director Agrees to Conditions to Resolve Conflict-of-Interest       Situation              ARRL Rocky Mountain Vice Director Dwayne Allen, WY7FD, has agreed to       stipulations spelled out by the ARRL Board of Directors to address a       conflict-of-interest situation arising from the employment of his wife,       Katie Allen, WY7KRA, by CQ Communications Inc. Emphasizing that there had       been no allegations of impropriety on the part of either Dwayne or Katie       Allen, the ARRL Ethics & Elections Committee determined on April 24 that       Katie Allen's March 28 appointment as Sales and Marketing Manager for CQ       Communications Inc created a conflict of interest for her husband that would       disqualify him from continuing to serve as a Vice Director. Katie Allen is       the former ARRL Membership Manager and a past volunteer member of the ARRL       Public Relations Committee.              On April 25, written requests were made by more than five directors to have       the board review the Ethics & Elections Committee's decision.              Informal discussion among directors and volunteer officers culminated in a       May 22 meeting by teleconference of the full ARRL Board. A majority of board       members concurred that a "potential conflict of interest exists under       current ARRL By-Laws resulting from the familial relationship" between       Dwayne and Katie Allen. With some dissent, the board approved the motion of       ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, to manage the potential       conflict of interest by calling upon Dwayne Allen to agree to certain       stipulations. The agreement allows him to remain in office while isolating       him from any ARRL matters that would conflict with his wife's professional       activities.              Under the agreement, to which Dwayne Allen must adhere as long as his wife       is employed by CQ Communications, Allen "will diligently recuse himself"       from portions of any Board, Committee, or other ARRL meeting -- including       any discussion or votes -- that pertain to ARRL advertising and marketing       matters as well as to the ARRL Financial Plan as it relates to advertising       and marketing matters. Allen also must recuse himself from "any other       discussion or vote where a conflict of interest might arise" and abide by       ARRL non-disclosure requirements.              According to the resolution, the board "may revisit the issue of a conflict       of interest" involving Dwayne Allen, if the Ethics & Elections Committee       feels he has failed to comply with the terms of board resolution.              The Ethics & Elections Committee's April 24 action marked the first       application of a conflict of interest policy, adopted by the Board in July       2006 and contained in Bylaw 45, to a situation involving an elected ARRL       official already in office.              Southern Florida Gets New Section Manager              Jeff Beals, WA4AW, of Loxahatchee, has assumed the office of Southern       Florida Section Manager, following the resignation of SM David Fowler,       K4DLF, of West Palm Beach. The change was effective on June 1. Fowler       announced plans to step down at the end of May, due to recently increased       work responsibilities. He had been at the helm in Southern Florida since       October 1, 2010.              Beals will complete the current term of office, which runs through September       30. SM vacancies between elections are filled by       appointment, and Fowler recommended that Beals succeed him. ARRL Membership       and Volunteer Programs Manager Dave Patton, NN1N, consulted with       Southeastern Division Director Doug Rehman, K4AC, before making the       appointment.              An ARRL Life Member, Beals has been licensed since the early 1960s. He has       served as an Assistant Section Manager, a District Emergency Coordinator,       and a Public Information Officer in the Southern Florida Section. He was the       ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director from 2009 until 2011.              A solicitation is underway for nominations for the next 2-year term of       office for the Southern Florida Section Manager's position. Nominations are       due at ARRL Headquarters by Friday, June 6, at 4 PM Eastern Time. Further       details are on the ARRL website.              FCC Releases Warning Notices to Several Radio Amateurs              The FCC Enforcement Bureau has made public several warning notices issued       over the past few months to radio amateurs. A couple of the letters from       Special Counsel Laura Smith involved alleged infractions on 20 meters. On       April 15, the FCC wrote Larry S. King, KI8NGS, of Owosso, Michigan,       regarding failure to properly follow station identification rules on March       21. Smith told King that he was monitored by staffers at the FCC High       Frequency Direction Finding Center (HFDFC) "operating your Amateur Radio on       14.313 MHz for 20 minutes without identifying in a timely manner." Smith       said the HFDFC used direction-finding equipment to confirm that the       transmissions were coming from his location. She said the Center recorded       the transmissions.              "This incident constitutes a failure to properly transmit your assigned call       sign, in violation of the Commission's rules," Smith wrote. "Your       operation as described is contrary to       the basis and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service, as set out in Section       97.1 and is a violation of Section 97.11(a) of the Commission's rules."              On March 31, Smith sent a warning notice to Daniel G.Churovich, N9RSY, of       Ripley, Tennessee.              "On Friday, March 28, 2014, you were heard by staff at the Commission's High       Frequency Direction Finding (HFDF) Center communicating repeatedly on 14.313       MHz with an individual who you identify only as 'cowboy,'" Smith wrote.       "This individual failed to provide his call sign during your conversation, a       fact that you were aware of as you repeatedly demanded that he provide his       name, call sign, and location. Despite being aware of the rule violation on       the part of this other individual, you continued communicating with him for       an extended period of time."              Smith told Churovich that the incident constituted "unauthorized       transmissions" in violation of Commission rules that permit radio amateur to       engage in two-way communications with "other stations in the Amateur       Service."              "There is no evidence that the individual with whom you were communicating       with on March 28 was an Amateur Radio operator, as he failed to provide his       call sign as required by Commission rules," Smith pointed out.              Smith also wrote Amateur Radio licensees in Tennessee, Michigan, and       Wisconsin on March 31, alleging they all had failed to comply with formal       written requests not to use local repeater systems. Smith advised four       licensees that the FCC expected them to "abide by the request of the trustee       and/or control operator that you stay off [the repeater] -- and any other       similar requests to cease operations on any other repeaters by any other       repeater licensees, control operators or trustees." Read more.              The ARRL June VHF Contest is June 14-16!              One of the most popular VHF/UHF events on the contest calendar is the ARRL       June VHF Contest, which gets underway at 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 14, and       continues until 0259 UTC on Monday, June 16. The object for participants in       the US and Canada (and their possessions) is to work stations in as many       different 2ø x 1ø Maidenhead grid squares as possible, using authorized       frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and Canada (and their       possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions) and       Canada. Stations in KH0-9, Alaska, KP1-KP5, CY9 and CY0 count as W/VE       stations and may be worked by DX stations for contest credit.              You don't need a big station or an elaborate antenna farm to enjoy operating       in the June VHF Contest, and you don't have to be a contesting "pro" either.       Just get on the air and see what you can work. Six meters -- the so-called       "Magic Band" -- often yields surprising openings to various parts of the US       and Canada and beyond. DX contacts are even possible on 6 meters.              The June VHF Contest       occurs at the start of the summer sporadic E season, and intense openings on       6 meters and even 2 meters are possible. It's a whole new world of       propagation possibilities that also include tropospheric ducting, aurora,       and even meteor scatter and moonbounce.              There are several entry categories, including portable -- for those who       enjoy operating low power from a portable power source and using portable       antennas -- and rover, for mobile operators who enjoy traveling from one       grid square to another to hand out contacts. There's even an FM-only       category (50 144, 222, and 446 MHz at a power of 100 W or less).              Even with a modest station, it's possible to work hundreds of miles on the       VHF bands during a good opening. You can find plans for simple VHF antennas       at the Technical Information Service area of the ARRL website, as well as in       the "Antennas" chapter of the ARRL Handbook or in the "VHF and UHF Antenna       Systems" chapter of the ARRL Antenna Book. Direct any questions via e-mail       to the ARRL Contest Branch.              Hundreds of Clubs Register their FD 2014 Sites on the ARRL Field Day       Locator!              ARRL Field Day 2014 is just ahead -- June 28-29. Let the world know about       your ARRL Field Day Operation via the ARRL Field Day Locator. It's easy to       use. The web page is intended to show only public Field       Day sites that members of the public and media can       visit. So far, some 800 clubs have registered their Field Day information.       Registration is optional, but it is a good way to help generate interest in       a group's participation. If you're planning to operate from a private and/or       residential location, do not add your site to the map.              The 2014 Field Day packet is available on the ARRL website. A Spanish       version of the Field Day rules is available too.              Last year, the League received more than 2500 Field Day entries,       representing participation by more than 36,000 radio amateurs who completed       in excess of 1.2 million individual contacts on CW, phone, and digital       modes. For more information about Field Day 2014, e-mail ARRL Headquarters       or call (860) 594-0236.              "We Are Ready!" 2014 WX4NHC On-the-Air Station Test a Success              The National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC May 31 annual on-the-air Station Test       was a success, according to WX4NHC Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator Julio       Ripoll, WD4R. WX4NHC conducts the event each year in preparation for       hurricane season, which began June 1 and continues through November.              "We had the best annual Station Test that I can remember," Ripoll said this       week. "Hopefully we will not have to activate for a hurricane this       season, but it is good to know that our equipment worked well, in case the       need arises. We are ready, not just for us in sunny South Florida, but for       everyone along the US East Coast and in the Caribbean. Thank you for your       support."              WX4NHC made 308 contacts during 9 hours of operation, with contacts ranging       from local VHF/UHF stations in South Florida and the Florida Keys to as far       away as Guam. Surface reports were received from 25 states as well as from       several countries, including Bermuda, Canada, Cuba, Curacao, Costa Rica,       Dominican Republic, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela,       Ripoll said. WX4NHC even spoke with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, KK4INZ,       via EchoLink.              Ripoll said it helped that one of the WX4NHC operators was Dominican       Republic native Julio Henriquez, AD4Z, an internationally       recognized DXer and contester. Henriquez will compete in the World       Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC-2014) next month in New England.              WX4NHC was tested on various bands and modes. The Center also checked out       its Winlink, EchoLink, IRLP, and APRS capabilities, among other       communication systems. All radio equipment and antennas performed well, and       WX4NHC logged "the most contacts made during this event in memory," Ripoll       said, despite poor HF propagation and the fact that WX4NHC also was testing       equipment, training operators on new modes, and "tweaking" its computer       software.              Ripoll expressed appreciation to SKYWARN volunteers and to ARRL Emergency       Preparations Manager Mike Corey KI1U, for supporting the annual exercise.       Read more.              ARRL Foundation Awards 79 Scholarships in 2014              The ARRL Foundation Board of Directors has announced the scholarship       recipients for 2014. Each year, the Foundation's Directors have the honor       and privilege of selecting Amateur Radio operators who will receive monetary       assistance to further their undergraduate or graduate education. For 2014,       the Foundation awarded 79 annual scholarships through 58 funds to young       Amateur Radio operators, valued at $106,250.              In addition, the Foundation Board selected 17-year-old       Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS, of Bloomington, Indiana, as the 2014 recipient of       the William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship       awards vary based on the college or university the recipient attends, other       awards received, and other financial factors. Lysandrou is the 12th Goldfarb       Scholarship recipient.              The application period for ARRL Foundation Scholarships opens October 1 each       year and closes on January 31 at midnight the following year, with awards       announced in May. Descriptions of all the available scholarships and       selection criteria, as well as application instructions and forms are on the       ARRL Foundation web pages.              Centennial Operations Now in Alabama, Louisiana to Shift States on June 11       (UTC)              The ARRL Centennial W1AW WAS operations taking place throughout 2014 from       each of the 50 states are now in Alabama and Louisiana. They will relocate       on Wednesday, June 11 (Tuesday, June 10 in US time zones) to Arkansas       (W1AW/5) and Minnesota (W1AW/0). 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. Some schedule       changes have been made, and the W1AW WAS list has been updated to reflect       these.              To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ARRL, 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.              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.              D-Day Special Event Stations to be Active              Several special event stations will be on the air to commemorate the 70th       anniversary of D-Day -- the Allied invasion of the Normandy Coast of France       in World War II -- on June 6, 2014 (this list is not comprehensive).              In France, TM70JUN will be on the air from June 6 until June 20. Modes will       be SSB, CW, PSK, RTTY, and JT65 on HF and 6 meters.              Special event station TM70BMC will operate from Mont Canisy June 5-8.              TM70DD will be active from June 5 until June 19.              The TM70UTAH operation on HF and VHF, SSB, CW, and digital modes is underway       and will conclude June 12.              W9D will be active on SSB, CW, and AM on HF through 6 meters June 6-8 from       the First Division War Museum in Winfield, Illinois.              The Riverway Amateur Radio Society will sponsor special event station       GB70DDL from June 1 until June 28 from the Sea Cadet headquarters in       Stafford, England.              VC3JUNO from Canada will be on the air from June 6 until July 31 to       commemorate the 70th anniversary of D-Day; "Juno" was the code name for the       beach where Canadian forces landed.              F/PA70DDAY will be from the "Nan Green Sector" of Juno Beach in Normandy.       This operation is already underway and scheduled to conclude June 9.       Operation will be on 80, 40, and 20 meters, SSB.              F/ON6JUN/p will take place June 4-8 from Ranville in Normandy.              On June 6, 1944, 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50-mile stretch of       heavily-fortified French coastline to fight Nazi Germany on the Normandy       beaches. The attack was a major turning point in the war. More than 5000       ships and 13,000 aircraft supported the invasion, in which more than 9000       Allied soldiers were killed or wounded.              Huntsville to Host GAREC 2014              The 2014 Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference       (GAREC-2014) will take place Thursday and Friday, August 14-15, in       conjunction with the Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama. The Huntsville Hamfest,       August 16-17 at the Von Braun Convention Center, is the Southeastern       Division Convention and a Regional ARRL Centennial Event.              The GAREC conference will focus on the application of advanced [IARU.jpg]       technologies in emergency communication. All public service-minded Amateurs       Radio operators and emergency communication professionals are welcome. This       will mark the second time a GAREC Conference has been held in the US.              The conference agenda and programs are still under development.              The first Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference in 2005       was organized on the initiative of Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, and held in       Tampere, Finland. Following the success of that event and increased interest       in international and regional cooperation on emergency communication, GAREC       conferences have become established annual events. For each conference, an       organizing committee works with a local host, and International Amateur       Radio Union (IARU) representatives participate in the event.              Register for GAREC 2014 on the ARRL website. Contact Greg Sarratt, W4OZK,       for additional information. Read more.              King Juan Carlos of Spain, EA0JC, to Step Down              King of Spain Juan Carlos de Borb¢n, EA0JC, announced June 2 that he will       abdicate his throne after 39 years in favor of his son, Crown Prince Felipe.       The king turned 76 in January.              Prince Felipe, a former Olympic yachtsman,       is the father of two daughters. He's married to Letizia Ortiz, a former TV       news anchor. In addition to Spanish, he is fluent in English, French, and       Catalan and studied in Canada for a year.              He holds a degree in law and has earned a master's in international       relations from Georgetown University.              King Juan Carlos ascended the throne upon the death of dictator Francisco       Franco in 1975, winning the respect of his subjects by guiding the country       into an era of democratic rule.              IARU Region 3 Directors to Attend Asia-Pacific Telecommunity Meeting              International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3 directors plan to attend       the third meeting of the Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) Conference       Preparatory Group for World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15),       June 9-13 in Brisbane, Australia. APT will organize the meeting, which is       being hosted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority and       supported by the Australian Department of Communications.              Among other things, attendees will consider the results       of International Telecommunication Union-Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R)       study groups and develop preliminary APT views on WRC-15 agenda items, based       on member input. It is one of a series of regional gatherings at which the       IARU is seeking support for an allocation at 5 MHz (WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.4       will consider a possible new secondary Amateur Radio allocation within the       band 5250-5450 kHz, in accordance with WRC-12 Resolution 649. (Five 60 meter       channels are available in the US, Canada, and other countries.)              "The IARU is able to input an Amateur Radio view on matters being discussed       and decided," said Jim Linton, VK3PC, who chairs the IARU Region 3 Disaster       Communications Committee. Read more. -- Thanks to Jim Linton, VK3PC              Honor Roll DXer, Assistant ARRL Director H.O. Townsend, K5CX, SK              ARRL Life Member Howard O. "H.O." Townsend, K5CX (ex-WA5MLT), of Naples,       Texas, died on May 30. He was 69. Townsend was a retired software designer       and a US Army veteran.              An Honor Roll DXer, West Gulf Division Assistant Director, and past Section       Emergency Coordinator, Townsend participated in the W1AW/5 Centennial QSO       Party operation from Texas (12 meters SSB).              ARRL West Gulf Division Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV, said Townsend's       obituary fails to capture Townsend's importance as an advisor to him and to       past West Gulf directors. "He was active in several clubs and continually       promoted Amateur Radio," Woolweaver said. "He leaves a big hole in the       Amateur Radio community."              The family has requested memorial donations to the ARRL Education and       Technology Fund (ETP), 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111-1494.              ____________________________________________________________________________       A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL              A VHF-and-above ham license had been discussed and debated for years. When       the FCC changed the Amateur Radio license structure on July 1, 1951, it       established the Technician class license. It required passing a Morse code       test of 5 WPM; the written exam was the same as the General class test.              The purpose of the Technician license was to allow electronics-minded people       to get on the air easily to experiment on 220 MHz and higher frequencies, at       a time when major advances were taking place on those amateur bands. As it       turned out, the number of experimenters in the Technician ranks was fairly       small; most Technician licensees wanted to be communicators. The FCC       responded to this fact by progressively granting additional operating       privileges to Techs.              In 1955, Technicians got privileges on 6 meters; in 1959, they obtained       privileges on 145 to 147 MHz; in 1972, 145 to 148 MHz; in 1978, all       privileges above 50 MHz, and in 1987, a small subband for 10 meter SSB. In       2000, Technicians who had passed a 5 WPM code test were allowed to operate       CW on the Novice segments of 80, 40, and 15 meters, and to use all modes on       10 meters.              Experimentation and advances in the state of the Amateur Radio art on       VHF-and-above remained, for the most part, the domain of higher-class       licensees, although a fair percentage of Technicians contributed too.              As communicators, Technician licensees have proven to be a great asset to       Amateur Radio during disasters and emergencies, for which the VHF/UHF bands       have become primary. The proliferation of mobile stations on VHF and above       also has played an important role in providing public service and emergency       communication support.              As the FCC intended, both Technician and Novice licensees spurred the growth       of Amateur Radio in the US. In 1950 there were about 90,000 hams; by 1956,       there were more than 140,000; by 1963, more than 250,000, and today there       are some 723,000 licensees.              Joe Speroni, AH0A, has compiled ham radio licensing statistics from June       1997 to the present. -- Al Brogdon, W1AB              ____________________________________________________________________________       In Brief...              Chinese Publishing Representatives Visit       ARRL Headquarters: Representatives of China's Posts and Telecommunications       Press (PT Press) visited ARRL Headquarters on May 30 to present an award       honoring the ARRL's involvement in publishing Amateur Radio books in China.       PT Press publishes more than 20,000 titles as well as 13 magazines. In       partnership with the ARRL, PT Press has translated and published several       League titles, such as the current edition of The Antenna Book, The ARRL       Handbook, and Getting Started in Amateur Radio.              First Call for 2014 AMSAT Space Symposium       Papers: AMSAT-NA has issued its first call for papers for the 2014 AMSAT       Symposium and General Meeting, set for the weekend of October 10-12 in       Baltimore, Maryland. Proposals for papers, symposium presentations and       poster presentations are invited on any topic of interest to the Amateur       Satellite community. AMSAT requests a tentative presentation title no later       than August 1, and final papers and presentations must be submitted by       September 15 for inclusion in the printed proceedings. Send abstracts and       papers to Dan Schultz, N8FGV. -- AMSAT News Service via 2014 Baltimore       Symposium Committee              Hams Invited to Submit Papers for Digital Communications       Conference: Radio amateurs are invited to submit technical papers for       presentation at the 33rd annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications       Conference (DCC), set for September 5-7 in Austin, Texas. These papers will       also be published in the Conference Proceedings (you do not need to attend       the conference to have your paper included in the Proceedings). The       submission deadline is July 15. Send or e-mail papers to Maty Weinberg,       ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. If you must e-mail ZIP files, add       "ZIP FILE ATTACHED" to the subject line. More conference information is on       the TAPR website, or call (972) 671-8277.              Nevada Governor Declares June as "Nevada Amateur Radio       Month:" Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval has declared June "Nevada Amateur       Radio Month." In a May 12 gubernatorial proclamation, Sandoval noted       Nevada's sesquicentennial and the ARRL centennial this year and cited the       public service participation of Nevada's nearly 7000 radio amateurs. "Silver       State hams demonstrate their creative, technological, and emergency       operational prowess in public view all across Nevada during the annual Field       Day," the governor added.              DX-World, Northern California DX Club Announce       New Partnership: DX-World.net has announced a new partnership with Northern       California DX Club. NCDXC has agreed to sponsor and donate all future DX       World -- DXpedition of the Year trophies. The DX World -- DXpedition of the       Year survey takes place every December and is considered the most       comprehensive and prestigious global poll of its kind to determine teams       worthy of the title. -- DX-World.net via MM0NDX              ____________________________________________________________________________       The K7RA Solar Update              Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Boy, has solar activity declined this       week, and the near-term outlook has dimmed as well.              Average daily sunspot numbers for May 29 through June 4 dropped from 103.3       (for the previous 7 days) to just 60.1. Average daily solar flux declined       from 110.3 to 104.1. Last week the predi    |
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