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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2014-12-18   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
   December 18, 2014   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    * "Amateur Radio Parity Act" Campaign Will Resume in New Congress   
    * ARRL's Last "Red Badges on the Air Day" is December 31!   
    * Boy Scouts Recognize ARRL Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award   
    * Cross-Borders ARES Exercise Tests Northeast Communication Capabilities   
    * Pennsylvania and Iowa Will Host Final W1AW Centennial Operations   
    * ARRL RTTY Roundup is Always a Mid-Contest Season Favorite   
    * IARU President Addresses ITU Telecom World '14 in Qatar   
    * Preparations Under Way for January DXpedition to Iran   
    * Centenarian ARRL Member Says Congressional Gold Medal for CAP Was Overdue   
    * Dayton Hamvention 2015 Award Nominations Due by January 16, 2015   
    * Contesting Hall of Famer Carl D. Cook, AI6V/P49V, SK   
    * Past Northern Florida Section Manager Royal V. Mackey, N4ADI, 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   
      
   Note: This week's editions of The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will be the   
   last for 2014. The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will be on a holiday hiatus   
   until January. The next edition of The ARRL Letter will be January 8, 2015;   
   ARRL Audio News will post to our website the following day. ARRL Headquarters   
   will be closed on Thursday, December 25, Friday, December 26, and Thursday,   
   January 1. We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday season!   
   "Amateur Radio Parity Act" Campaign Will Resume in New Congress   
      
   Largely as the result of a grassroots campaign, "The Amateur Radio Parity Act   
   of 2014" (H.R. 4969) attracted the support of 69 members of the US House of   
   Representatives in addition to that of its sponsor, Rep Adam Kinzinger (R-IL).   
   While the just-adjourned 113th Congress did not enact the bill, the effort to   
   gain passage of the legislation will begin anew when the 114th Congress   
   convenes in January. Introduced with bipartisan support last June, H.R. 4969   
   called on 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 limited PRB-1 pre-emption currently applies only to   
   state and municipal land-use ordinances. The FCC has indicated its reluctance   
   to provide the same legal protections from private land-use agreements --   
   often called covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) -- without   
   direction from Congress. ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson,   
   N1ND, stressed this week that the fight is not over.   
      
   "While we are disappointed that the bill did not make it through the process   
   during the session, the effort was extremely energized by the efforts of   
   thousands of ARRL members who participated in our grassroots lobbying effort,"   
   Henderson said. "In just 6 short months we gained tremendous traction for the   
   Amateur Radio Parity Act."   
      
   Henderson explained that sometime after the new Congress is called into   
   session in January, a new "Amateur Radio Parity Act" bill with a new number   
   will be introduced into the US House. "Once this happens, the ARRL will gear   
   up for a fresh effort to push this legislation forward," he added.   
      
   In a note to ARRL Section Managers this week, ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ,   
   thanked Section leaders and Field Organization volunteers on behalf of the   
   ARRL Board of Directors and Headquarters staff for their help in garnering   
   legislative support for H.R. 4969. "We had hoped to gain 30 co-sponsors for   
   the bill and ultimately ended up with 69, plus the sponsor," Sumner noted.   
   "The overwhelming majority of these 70 supporters are returning in January,   
   which gives us a good base on which to grow additional support."   
      
   Sumner said the objective for 2015 is to continue the momentum, gathering   
   enough support to move the bill through the Energy and Commerce Committee. "We   
   have received expressions of interest from the Senate side and are hoping to   
   have the bill introduced there as well," he added.   
      
   Henderson said the bill would not have attained its current level of support   
   in the US House without the thousands of letters and phone calls made by ARRL   
   members to their congressional representatives. "The success of this crucial   
   issue relies on the efforts of all radio amateurs and ARRL members," he said.   
   "We know you will step forward in the new year, when we renew our efforts on   
   Capitol Hill."   
      
   The ARRL H.R. 4969 web page provides additional information.   
      
   ARRL's Last "Red Badges on the Air Day" is December 31!   
      
   The last day of 2014 (UTC) will be your final opportunity to rack up those   
   remaining ARRL Centennial QSO Party points -- before you celebrate the arrival   
   of the new year. To help with that goal, the League is sponsoring its final   
   "Red Badges on the Air Day" on Wednesday, December 31. That's when those   
   high-value red ARRL identification badge bearers will be out in force on the   
   bands.   
      
   ARRL officers, elected officials such as Director or Section Manager, as well   
   as Headquarters staffers and volunteers, and other members of the ARRL family   
   are expected to be on the air for this event. Contacts with red badge wearers   
   are worth as much as 300 points per contact for working ARRL President Kay   
   Craigie, N3KN. Many of the 200 or so holders of red badges will be on the air   
   on December 31, along with other ARRL appointees, VEs, and members. Maxim   
   Society members are worth 50 points.   
      
   These events are considered activity days, not contests, and operation is   
   permitted on all bands. Participants can call "CQ ARRL Centennial QSO Party"   
   on phone or "CQ CENT" on CW or digital modes. While the focus is to encourage   
   ARRL red badge holders to hand out Centennial QSO Party points, all activity   
   is welcome, regardless of point value. Many stations will try to keep their   
   contacts short; the minimum exchange is a signal report, and any ARRL office   
   or member abbreviation is optional.   
      
   ARRL members are worth at least one point in the Centennial QSO Party.   
   Participants get credit for each band/mode contact, regardless of point value.   
   ARRL Centennial QSO Party participants can use the leader board to determine   
   how many points they have accumulated.   
      
   Participants will need 1000 points to qualify for a first-level certificate,   
   3000 points for a second-level certificate, 7500 points for a third-level   
   certificate, and 15,000 points for a top-level award certificate. Read more.   
   Boy Scouts Recognize ARRL Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award   
      
   The Boy Scouts of America's National Awards and Recognition Committee has   
   officially recognized the ARRL "Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award" as   
   part of its family of Community Organization awards. The ARRL award recognizes   
   actively involved Scouting leaders who make a significant contribution to   
   providing Scouts with a memorable and valuable Amateur Radio experience. This   
   program allows Scouting leaders to wear the Community Organization Award   
   square knot on their uniform, in recognition of their service within their   
   community organization.   
      
   "This is yet another step in ARRL-BSA cooperation, one that will recognize the   
   Scouting leaders who have worked tirelessly to introduce the science,   
   technology, fun, and excitement of Amateur Radio to the youth involved in Cub   
   Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing," the Boy Scouts organization said in   
   announcing its formal recognition of the League award.   
      
   This award was officially established through a resolution adopted by the ARRL   
   Board at its 2013 Annual Meeting. It builds on the long-standing relationship   
   between the BSA and ARRL, which began with the development of the Wireless   
   Merit Badge in 1918 (now called the Radio Merit Badge). This relationship was   
   formally recognized through a 2011 Memorandum of Understanding (view a video   
   of the signing).   
      
   Nominations for the Amateur Radio Service to Scouting Award are made through   
   the appropriate ARRL Section Manager. Read more.   
      
   Cross-Borders ARES Exercise Tests Northeast Communication Capabilities   
      
   Maine ARESr Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Phil Duggan, N1EP, wants to   
   expand Amateur Radio's reach during emergencies in the Northeast. To that end,   
   he convened a 40 meter "cross-borders" net on Saturday morning, December 13,   
   on 7262 kHz to test the communication paths for that band and time for   
   operators in Maine, New Hampshire, and the bordering Canadian provinces. The   
   exercise was spurred by Maine Emergency Management Agency Communications   
   Manager Steve Mallory's suggestion that Maine hams should put extra effort   
   into training and exercising with neighboring states and provinces, since   
   disasters do not recognize borders.   
      
   "The exercise brought together Amateur Radio operators from the bordering   
   states and provinces in a collaborative effort that will continue in the   
   coming months, using a variety of bands and modes," Duggan told ARRL. He said   
   the net attracted 33 check-ins from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, New Hampshire,   
   Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Several state and provincial ARES   
   members and emergency coordinators participated, including New Hampshire SEC   
   Wayne Santos, N1CKM.   
      
   "Most signals were easily copied during the net by all," Duggan recounted.   
   "One surprising outcome for some was the fact that a couple of the stations   
   that had the strongest signals were using modest power -- 25 to 40 W -- and   
   their antennas were verticals." Duggan said the exercise expanded upon Maine   
   ARES and New Hampshire ARES Simulated Emergency Tests held earlier this fall,   
   when members of both states' teams supported each other's SETs.   
      
   "In recent years there have been few such exercises in the region [and] most   
   Maine emergency communication drills have been limited to VHF or 75 meter   
   phone," Duggan said. "As Maine SEC, in addition to voice modes, I am   
   encouraging the use of more Amateur Radio assets in our training activities,   
   including Narrow Band Emergency Messaging System (NBEMS), digital, good   
   old-fashioned CW, and working with our neighbors."   
      
   Duggan plans similar events in the future, most likely on a quarterly basis.   
   He encouraged stations in all six New England states, as well as in the   
   Maritime provinces and Quebec, to join in. Read more. -- Thanks to Maine SEC   
   Phil Duggan, N1EP   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Pennsylvania and Iowa Will Host Final W1AW Centennial Operations   
      
   The ARRL Centennial W1AW portable operations taking place throughout 2014 from   
   each of the 50 states are now in Maryland, Hawaii, and Georgia. They will   
   transition at 0000 UTC on Wednesday, December 24 (the evening of December 23   
   in US time zones), to Pennsylvania (W1AW/3) and Iowa (W1AW/0). These will be   
   the last W1AW portable activations of the ARRL Centennial Year. During 2014,   
   W1AW has visited all 50 states at least twice, as well as some US territories.   
      
   The ARRL Centennial QSO Party is open to all. 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. ARRL members, appointees, elected officials, HQ   
   staff, and W1AW are worth ARRL Centennial QSO Party points as well.   
      
   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. Participants must work W1AW/1 in Connecticut.) A W1AW WAS   
   certificate and plaque will be available.   
      
   An ARRL Centennial QSO Party leader board shows participants 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.   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   ARRL RTTY Roundup is Always a Mid-Contest Season Favorite   
      
   Dust off those keyboards! The ARRL RTTY Roundup takes place January 3-4, 2015.   
   It's very easy to get on RTTY and other digital modes, and some late-model   
   transceivers even have RTTY and other digital capabilities built right into   
   the radio. Participation in this annual operating event has grown along with   
   the enthusiasm for digital modes. In addition to conventional Baudot, RTTY   
   Roundup ops may use ASCII, AMTOR, PSK31, and Packet (attended). Newcomers are   
   always welcome to join the fray.   
      
   The 2014 ARRL RTTY Roundup runs from 1800 UTC Saturday, January 3 through 2359   
   UTC Sunday, January 4. Participants may operate 24 of the 30 available hours.   
   US and Canadian stations send a signal report and state/province, while DX   
   stations send a signal report and consecutive serial number, starting with 001.   
      
   Submit Cabrillo logs via e-mail or by using the web applet. Send paper logs to   
   ARRL RTTY Roundup, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. All logs must be   
   postmarked no later than 2359 UTC Tuesday, February 3, 2015.   
      
   Contact the ARRL Contest Branch for more information.   
      
   IARU President Addresses ITU Telecom World '14 in Qatar   
      
   International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) President Timothy Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA,   
   highlighted the benefits of Amateur Radio during disasters in remarks at the   
   International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecom World '14, December 7-10   
   in Doha, Qatar.   
      
   Ellam told the participants that radio amateurs are already in place in 170   
   countries, that Amateur Radio does not rely on commercial networks, and that   
   hams have the technical know-how to disseminate information during disasters.   
   One example was the response of Amateur Radio volunteers this month during   
   Typhoon Hagupit in The Philippines.   
      
   The 4-day international gathering in Qatar attracted some 3500 participants   
   representing various fields of information and communications technology.   
   Speakers offered examples of how information technology is helping to save   
   lives or mitigating the effects of natural disasters and climate change. Read   
   more.   
      
   Through Ellam, the IARU is a founding Advisory Board member of the ITU's Smart   
   Sustainable Development Model (SSDM) initiative. The initiative is aimed at   
   developing an action plan to deploy necessary crucial telecommunication   
   infrastructure to offer prompt assistance in the event of natural disasters.   
   The Advisory Board will guide the IARU's approach to the initiative.   
      
   The Advisory Board met in Doha, Qatar on December 6, one day before the   
   kickoff of ITU Telecom World 2014. The IARU played a key role in the   
   development of the Board's final report, adopted at the meeting and available   
   soon, in which the Amateur Radio Service features prominently. Read more.   
      
   Preparations Under Way for January DXpedition to Iran   
      
   Preparations continue on the part of the Rockall DX Group to make Iran -- #33   
   on ClubLog's DXCC Most Wanted List -- available through a DXpedition to Kish   
   Island (IOTA AS-166). Look for EP6T beginning on January 16. While the   
   emphasis will be on 160 meters, the DXpedition will operate on all bands, 160   
   through 10 meters. EP6T plans to remain active until January 26. Organizers   
   say the theme of the expedition will be "friendship and cultural tolerance."   
      
   "We hope to make a lot of people happy," team member Luc Kerkhofs, ON4IA, said.   
      
   A dedicated 160 meter station will be on the air starting at local sunrise and   
   sunset for the first two nights, in order to work as many Europeans as   
   possible and to check when signals peak to North America. The planned   
   transmitting antenna is a 26-meter (85.3 feet) vertical with 50 quarter-wave   
   radials. Kerkhofs said the operators will attempt to be fair in giving all   
   continents a crack at working Iran on 160. After that, the operators will   
   concentrate on listening for North American stations, although they concede   
   that paths to North America on Top Band will be dicey and of short duration.   
      
   Since word first spread of the planned DXpedition, many groups and individuals   
   have offered support, including the Northern California DX Foundation. The   
   organizers say that preparations are "progressing smoothly and according to   
   plan." M0URX will be the QSL manager. The EP6T log will be uploaded to Logbook   
   of The World (LoTW) once the DXpedition has concluded. Read more.   
      
   Centenarian ARRL Member Says Congressional Gold Medal for CAP Was Overdue   
      
   A 100-year-old ARRL member from North Carolina was among those honored on   
   December 10 when the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) received a Congressional Gold   
   Medal for its World War II service, and, for Weldon Fields, W4AJT, of   
   Greensboro, the recognition was long overdue.   
      
   During the war, Fields volunteered to become a member of a CAP contingent at   
   Base 16, near Manteo, on North Carolina's Outer Banks. CAP pilots were   
   carrying out anti-submarine missions to thwart submarine attacks off the US   
   East Coast, and volunteers like Fields were needed to provide ai   
   craft-to-ground radio communication. According to CAP, Fields, who became a   
   CAP lieutenant colonel, was responsible for maintaining communication from the   
   base to the planes. He also contributed his own Amateur Radio gear to the   
   base, back in an era when equipment was anything but small and lightweight.   
      
   "I took my radio down there, and lo and behold, the stairs to the second floor   
   [where the radios were located] were about as wide as my radio," Fields   
   recalled. "We got it up there, and it worked okay, but it was kind of a   
   chore." CAP observer planes flew each day from sunrise to sunset, Fields   
   recalled, keeping the radio operators busy modifying and repairing aircraft   
   radios. While his primary work was as a communications officer, Fields also   
   flew some 200 to 300 hours as a mission observer.   
      
   "The wartime communications systems and procedures put in place by Col Fields   
   and his peers laid the foundation for what is now a world-class, nationwide   
   communications system operated by Civil Air Patrol, said CAP Col David   
   Crawford, the North Carolina Wing commander.   
      
   "I'm proud to say that from the day we sent the first flight out, there was   
   not another sinking of our boats or any kind of ship," Fields said. Once the   
   German submariners learned of the CAP air patrols, they were afraid to surface.   
      
   Forty-six founding CAP members were on hand in Washington, DC, for the   
   presentation, representing the more than 200,000 CAP volunteers during World   
   War II.   
      
   Dayton Hamvention 2015 Award Nominations Due by January 16, 2015   
      
   Time is running short to submit nominations for the 2015 Dayton Hamventionr   
   Amateur of the Year, Special Achievement, Technical Excellence, and Club of   
   the Year. Completed nomination forms and supporting documentation are due by   
   January 16. All Amateur Radio operators (and clubs) are eligible. Winners will   
   be recognized at the 2015 Hamventionr, which takes place May 15-17.   
      
   The Amateur of the Year Award goes to an individual who has made a long-term,   
   outstanding commitment to the advancement of Amateur Radio. The Technical   
   Excellence Award is given to an individual who has made an outstanding   
   technical advancement in the field of Amateur Radio. The Special Achievement   
   Award honors someone who has made an outstanding contribution to the   
   advancement of Amateur Radio, typically by spearheading a significant project.   
   The Club of the Year award is presented to a club that has made a significant   
   contribution to the advancement of Amateur Radio.   
      
   Additional detail and a nomination form are available on the Dayton   
   Hamventionr website. Submit nominations via e-mail or mail them to Dayton   
   Hamvention Awards, PO Box 1446, Dayton, OH 45401-1446. Read more. -- Thanks to   
   Dayton Hamvention   
      
   Contesting Hall of Famer Carl D. Cook, AI6V/P49V, SK   
      
   Well-known Contester, DXer, and DXpeditioner Carl Cook, AI6V/P49V (ex-WA6JUD),   
   of Las Vegas, Nevada, died December 15. An ARRL Life Member, he was 74.   
   Despite getting a rather late start, Cook went on to enjoy considerable   
   success in Amateur Radio, and even casual DX contesters had P49V in their logs.   
      
   On his QRZ.com web page, Cook recounted how he got into Amateur Radio in the   
   1970s, when he was 38, after installing an HF radio on his boat. He began   
   listening on VHF, discovered VHF/UHF contesting, and got his Technician   
   license. After upgrading to General in 1975, he enjoyed ARRL November   
   Sweepstakes with the Northern California Contest Club, for which he also   
   served a term as president.   
      
   In time Cook developed into a world-class contester, and his operations from   
   Aruba put Zone 9 into many logbooks. He said the highlight of his years in   
   Amateur Radio was being named to the CQ Contest Hall of Fame in 1997. Cook was   
   on the DXCC Honor Roll and held 5-Band DXCC. Read more. -- Thanks to John   
   Bayne, KK9A/P40A, and QRZ.com   
      
   Past Northern Florida Section Manager Royal V. Mackey, N4ADI, SK   
      
   Past ARRL Northern Florida Section Manager Royal V. "Roy" Mackey,   
      
   N4ADI, of Winter Park, Florida, died December 5. He was 96 and had not been   
   active as a radio amateur for several years. Mackey served as Northern Florida   
   Section Manager from 1986 until 1990 and as a Northern Florida Assistant   
   Section Manager from 1990 until 1997.   
      
   Mackey was instrumental in launching the Volunteer Examiner program in Central   
   Florida. He was a member of the Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA).   
      
   "Roy's passing marks another of the Greatest Generation leaving our midst,"   
   said Paul Blumhardt, K5RT, a friend who got to know Mackey and his late wife   
   Carolyn when he was a teenager. "Roy touched the lives of many in our Amateur   
   Radio community, and he will be missed." Read more. -- Thanks to Paul   
   Blumhardt, K5RT   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL   
      
   In July 2001, the ARRL petitioned the FCC to allocate 5.250 to 5.400 MHz to   
   Amateur Radio.   
      
   At its July 2001 meeting, the ARRL Board of Directors endorsed the Logbook of   
   The World (LoTW) concept, and Headquarters staffers began the massive push to   
   make LoTW a reality.   
      
   In September 2001, the ARRL presented an Amateur Radio demonstration and   
   tutorial to FCC commissioners and staff members. ARRL President Jim Haynie,   
   W5JBP, headed the ARRL contingent, and the show-and-tell was deemed a great   
   success.   
      
   Amateur Radio mobilized and provided communication support following the   
   terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, on the World Trade Center and the   
   Pentagon. The following month, the FCC established a Homeland Security Panel   
   to plan for restoration of communications links following terrorist attacks.   
      
   In October 2001, a rash of bio-terrorist (anthrax) threats to federal   
   government facilities caused FCC processing of licensing and other matters to   
   be significantly delayed.   
      
   The FCC announced that all applicants must register for and obtain a 10-digit   
   FCC Registration Number (FRN), in order to do business with the Commission   
   after December 3, 2001. -- Al Brogdon, W1AB   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   In Brief...   
      
   Kids Day is January 4! The next Kids Day, sponsored by the ARRL and The Boring   
   (Oregon) Amateur Radio Club, will be Sunday, January 4, 2015, from 1800 to   
   2400 UTC. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase Amateur Radio and   
   Amateur Radio satellites to youngsters and even to hand over the keys so they   
   can get some hands-on experience. For youngsters, their positive ham radio   
   experience may foster an interest in getting licensed one day. For veteran   
   radio amateurs, it's a chance to share their stations and affection for   
   Amateur Radio with the next generation. Call "CQ Kids Day." The suggested   
   exchange is name, age, location, and favorite color. There is no limit on   
   operating time, and stations may work each other more than once if the   
   operator has changed. Observe third-party traffic restrictions when making DX   
   contacts. Post stories and photos to the Kids Day Soapbox page and download a   
   colorful certificate.   
      
   ARTSAT2: DESPATCH Satellite is Now FO-81: AMSAT-NA has designated the ARTSAT2:   
   DESPATCH (DEep SPace Amateur Troubadour's CHallenge) satellite as Fuji OSCAR   
   81 or FO-81. OSCAR Number Administrator Bill Tynan, W3XO, said this week that   
   the spacecraft "appears to have met all of the requirements for an OSCAR   
   number, including IARU coordination." Tynan said the "Fuji" designation   
   recognizes "the long history of contributions the Japanese have made to   
   Amateur Radio satellites." The second spacecraft in the ARTSAT series, FO-81   
   went into space December 3 with the Hayabusa-2 asteroid probe. A primary   
   mission of DESPATCH is to collect signals from the spacecraft from around the   
   world and to reconstruct the original data transmitted from the spacecraft.   
   The satellite's developers are seeking the cooperation of radio amateurs   
   around the world. A couple of them, Zdenek Samek, OK1DFC, and Rob Hardenberg,   
   PE1ITR, reported receiving the ARTSAT2: DESPATCH beacon on December 14 at a   
   distance of 2.91 million miles.   
      
   That's "Doctor Bob" to You: Well-known Amateur Radio audio products   
   manufacturer Bob Heil, K9EID, will receive an honorary doctorate on December   
   20 from the University of Missouri-St Louis. The school will grant Heil, the   
   founder of Heil Sound Ltd, an honorary Doctor of Music and Technology degree   
   for his contributions to the world of broadcast, live, and studio sound and to   
   the Amateur Radio industry. Heil will also speak at the school's winter   
   commencement ceremony. -- Thanks to SoundForums.net and Southgate Amateur   
   Radio News   
      
   New Element 3 (General Class) Question Pool Released: The Question Pool   
   Committee of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators   
   (NCVEC) has released the 2015-2019 Element 3 (General Class) question pool.   
   The new question pool becomes effective for all Element 3 examinations   
   administered on or after July 1, 2015, and it remains valid until June 30,   
   2019. The question pool files are available in PDF, Microsoft Word (.doc), and   
   ASCII text formats. Section G7A requires the use of one illustration, a   
   schematic identified as G7-1. This drawing file is published separately. --   
   Thanks to Roland Anders, K3RA, NCVEC Question Pool Committee Chairman   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, in Seattle reports: Solar activity made a strong comeback this   
   week, with the average daily sunspot number for December 11-17 rising 57   
   points to 145.4 from the previous 7 days. Average daily solar flux was up 28.1   
   points to 167.7.   
      
   The solar flux prediction for the near term is 190 on December 18-19, 185 on   
   December 20-23, then 175, 170, and 145 on December 24-26, 140 on December   
   27-29, 135 on December 30 through January 1, 140 on January 2-4, 145 on   
   January 5, 155 on January 6-7, 160 on January 8, and 165 on January 9-12.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 8, 10, 15, 10, and 8 for December 18-22, 5 on   
   December 23-27, 8 on December 28-30, 10 on December 31 and January 1, then 12,   
   25, 15, and 10 on January 2-5, 8 on January 6-7, 10 on January 8-9, and 8 on   
   January 10-12.   
      
   At 0105 UTC on December 18 the Australian Space Forecast Centre issued a   
   geomagnetic warning for an expected CME impact on December 19-20, resulting in   
   increased geomagnetic activity, with unsettled to active geomagnetic   
   conditions on December 19 and active conditions on December 20.   
      
   This weekly "Solar Update" in The ARRL Letter is a preview of the "Propagation   
   Bulletin" issued each Friday. The latest bulletin and an archive of past   
   propagation bulletins is on the ARRL website.   
      
   In tomorrow's bulletin look for an updated forecast and reports from readers.   
   Send me your reports and observations.   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
       December 18 -- Russian 160 Meter Contest (SSB, CW)   
      
       December 20 -- Feld-Hell Rudolf Hell Sprint   
      
       December 20-21 -- OK DX RTTY Contest   
      
       December 20-January 4 -- Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party (CW, SSB,   
   Digital)   
      
       December 20-21 -- Croatian CW Contest   
      
       December 21 -- ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW)   
      
       December 24 -- SKCC Straight Key Sprint   
      
       December 26 -- DARC XMAS Contest (SSB, CW)   
      
       December 27 -- RAC Winter Contest (SSB, CW)   
      
       December 27-28 -- Iron Ham Contest (SSB, CW, Digital)   
      
       December 27-28 -- Stew Perry Top Band Distance Challenge (CW)   
      
       December 27-28 -- Original QRP Contest (CW)   
      
       December 28 -- RAEM Contest (CW)   
      
       January 1 -- ARRL Straight Key Night   
      
       January 1 -- New Year's Snowball Contest (SSB, CW)   
      
       January 1 -- SARTG New Year RTTY Contest   
      
       January 1 -- AGCW Happy New Year Contest (CW)   
      
       January 2 -- NS Weekly Sprint   
      
       January 3 -- 070 PSKFest   
      
       January 3 -- QRP ARCI New Year's Sprint (CW)   
      
       January 3 -- EUCW 160 Meter Contest   
      
       January 3-4 -- WW Peace Messenger Cities (SSB, CW)   
      
       January 3-4 -- ARRL RTTY Roundup   
      
       January 4 -- ARRL Kids Day   
      
       January 5 -- OK1WC Memorial Contest   
      
       January 6 -- ARS Spartan Sprint   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information.   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
       January 4 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage, New   
   York   
      
       January 10 -- TECHFEST, Lawrenceville, Georgia   
      
       January 16-17 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas   
      
       January 18-24 -- Quartzfest, Quartzsite, Arizona   
      
       January 23-24 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi   
      
       January 23-25 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico   
      
       February 7 -- South Carolina State Convention, North Charleston, South   
   Carolina   
      
       February 7 -- Virginia State Convention, Richmond, Virginia   
      
       February 13-15 -- Southeastern Division Convention, Orlando, Florida   
      
       February 20-21 -- Arizona Section Convention, Yuma, Arizona   
      
       February 28 -- Vermont State Convention, S Burlington, Vermont   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
   ______________________________________________________________________________   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until   
   you hire an amateur.   
      
   --- FMail/Win32 1.60   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.71)