If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:   
   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2014-02-27   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   February 27, 2014   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  Your League: ARRL to File "Friend of the Court" Brief in Ohio Antenna   
       Case   
    *  Your League: Nevada Getting New Section Manager on March 1   
    *  International: "Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communication"   
       is World Amateur Radio Day 2014 Theme   
    *  Ham Radio in Space: More Ham Radio CubeSats Expected to Deploy from ISS   
       This Week   
    *  Public Service: Hurricane Conferences Set for April and May   
    *  Public Service: RDF Bracelet Helps Oregon Hams to Locate Missing Man   
    *  DX: Mellish Reef DXpedition Ready to Pick Up the Post-FT5ZM Slack   
    *  ARRL Centennial: W1AW Centennial Operations Now in Washington, Kansas   
    *  Milestones: AMSAT's G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM, Steps Down from AMSAT Board   
    *  Technology: DARC Questions BPL/PLT Emission Measurement Method   
    *  Events: Islands On The Air Gatherings Set   
    *  Feature: A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  In Brief   
    *  Getting it Right!   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events   
      
   Your League: ARRL to File "Friend of the Court" Brief in Ohio Antenna Case   
      
   The ARRL plans to file a "friend of the court" or amicus curiae brief on   
   behalf of an Ohio radio amateur who has been at loggerheads with his   
   community since 2009 in efforts to erect a modest antenna support structure.   
   The Village of Swanton, Ohio, turned down the application of ARRL Life   
   Member Gary Wodtke, WW8N, for an antenna variance to put up a 60 foot tower.   
   Wodtke appealed, however, and in January the Fulton County Common Pleas   
   Court issued a final judgment in his favor, ruling that federal and state   
   law preempted Swanton's antenna ordinance.   
      
   Now, Swanton is appealing that order to the Ohio Sixth District Court of   
   Appeals, asserting, in part, that Ohio's PRB-1 antenna law is   
   unconstitutional, because it conflicts with the state's "Home Rule" statute,   
   which gives communities broad and preemptive regulatory powers. Like the   
   federal law, Ohio's PRB-1 statute calls on towns to "reasonably accommodate   
   amateur station communications and shall constitute the minimum practicable   
   regulation necessary." Ohio Section State Government Liaison Nick Pittner,   
   K8NAP, believes the state appeals court's decision in Wodtke v. Village of   
   Swanton could set legal precedent for similar antenna-related cases down the   
   road. An attorney, Pittner was instrumental in getting Ohio's PRB-1 law   
   enacted.   
      
   "Appellate decisions are generally final, unless further review is granted   
   by the Ohio Supreme Court," Pittner said in a statement. "While a court of   
   appeals decision represents the law only in that appellate district, it   
   carries significant precedential value in other Ohio courts and may also be   
   cited in similar cases in other states."   
      
   In addition to the state's antenna regulation pre-emption law, the   
   application and authority of the federal PRB-1 statute, embraced in Section   
   97.15(b) of the FCC's Amateur Service rules, will be at issue in the appeal.   
   This case will mark the first time a state PRB-1 law has been challenged in   
   an appeal.   
      
   Assisting in the case is telecommunications attorney and antenna rights   
   advocate and expert Fred Hopengarten, K1VR, the author of Antenna Zoning for   
   the Radio Amateur, published by the ARRL and now in its second edition.   
      
   The Village of Swanton's ordinance established a fixed antenna height of 20   
   feet above the residential roofline. Wodtke wants to install a 60 foot   
   antenna support structure on his 0.2 acre residential lot; the village   
   allows greater height where the lot is at least 5 acres. While the appeal is   
   pending, both parties have agreed that Wodtke be permitted to install a 40   
   foot antenna support structure, which complies with Swanton's current   
   ordinance.   
      
   Your League: Nevada Getting New Section Manager on March 1   
      
   The ARRL Nevada Section will have new leadership starting March 1. Section   
   Manager Joe Giraudo, N7JEH, has announced that he is stepping down from the   
   position, because a new job with his employer of more than 30 years will   
   take him outside Nevada more often.   
      
   "This absence from the Section makes it increasingly difficult to   
   effectively serve the membership within Nevada," said Giraudo, of Elko. He   
   has served as SM since August 2008. "During the past five years, it has been   
   my honor to serve as your elected Section Manager," Giraudo said in a   
   message to Nevada ARRL members.   
      
   With Giraudo's endorsement, Gary Grant, K7VY, of Reno, has been appointed to   
   take the reins. He will complete the current term of office that extends   
   until June 30, 2015. Membership and Volunteer Programs Manager Dave Patton,   
   NN1N, consulted with Pacific Division Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG, in making   
   the appointment of Grant.   
      
   Grant has been an ARRL member for more than 50 years, and he is retired from   
   the University of Nevada. He previously worked in radio and TV broadcasting   
   and ran a two-way radio company. He has served as an Assistant Section   
   Manager, Official Observer Coordinator, and Official Observer within the   
   Nevada Field Organization and helps run a ham radio list server.   
      
   International: "Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communication" is   
   World Amateur Radio Day 2014 Theme   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council has   
   designated "Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communication" as the   
   theme for World Amateur Radio Day 2014. World Amateur Radio Day is   
   celebrated each year on April 18 to recognize the anniversary of the   
   founding of the IARU in Paris in 1925. ARRL Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim,   
   1AW, who had proposed the idea the year before, became its first president.   
   The primary purpose of World Amateur Radio Day is to focus a public   
   spotlight on Amateur Radio and its benefits to countries and communities.   
   This year the IARU and its member-societies around the world will celebrate   
   the organization's 89th anniversary.   
      
   Each year the IARU Administrative Council selects a World Amateur Radio Day   
   theme that is consistent with the role and purpose of Amateur Radio and that   
   represents a commendable activity that would cast IARU and Amateur Radio in   
   a favorable light. When the Administrative Council met last September in   
   Mexico, attendees discussed various possible topics and themes, before   
   adopting "Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communication."   
      
   As the IARU's history recounts, in the early 1920s it was generally assumed   
   that the lower the frequency and the longer the wavelength, the better, and   
   "very large antennas and very high power were the rule." Amateur Radio   
   experimenters were the first to discover that the short wave spectrum, far   
   from being a wasteland, could support worldwide propagation. As the rush to   
   shorter wavelengths ensued, however, Amateur Radio, which had proved the   
   value of this spectrum in the first place, "were in grave danger of being   
   pushed aside," the IARU's history notes.   
      
   Adopting the philosophy of strength in numbers, Amateur Radio pioneers met   
   in Paris in 1925 and created the International Amateur Radio Union to   
   support Amateur Radio worldwide. Just 2 years later, at the International   
   Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur Radio gained the allocations still   
   recognized today -- 160, 80, 40, 20, and 10 meters. From fewer than 30,000   
   licensees in 1927, Amateur Radio's numbers have grown to 3 million. From the   
   25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the IARU has grown to include 150   
   member-societies.   
      
   Today IARU is organized into three regions. IARU Region 1 includes Europe,   
   Africa, the Middle East, and Northern Asia. Region 2 covers the Americas,   
   and Region 3 is comprised of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific island   
   nations, and most of Asia. The International Telecommunication Union (ITU)   
   has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of Amateur Radio.   
      
   Several IARU member-societies and associated clubs are expected to field   
   special event stations to mark the occasion. This year, April 18 is a   
   Friday. When the anniversary falls on a weekday, public relations activities   
   and operating events marking World Amateur Radio Day take place during the   
   weekend following April 18. -- Thanks to Geoff Atkinson, VK3TL, IARU R3   
   Director, IARU website   
      
   Ham Radio in Space: More Ham Radio CubeSats Expected to Deploy from ISS This   
   Week   
      
   Another batch of CubeSats were deployed at noon on February 25 from the   
   International Space Station. While no Amateur Radio satellites were among   
   them, NASA has indicated, "More deployments are scheduled through Friday."   
   NASA said this week that flight controllers from the Japan Aerospace   
   Exploration Agency (JAXA) "maneuvered the Kibo laboratory's robotic arm into   
   position" for the launches. The Multi-Purpose Experiment Platform, which   
   carries the NanoRacks CubeSats, is attached to the arm. NanoRacks provides   
   CubeSat deployment services through an agreement with NASA. JAXA astronaut   
   Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA, has been handling CubeSat deployments aboard the ISS.   
      
   Four Amateur Radio CubeSats -- LituanicaSat-1, LitSat-1, ArduSat-2, and   
   UAPSat-1, along with the 915 MHz SkyCube -- may be deployed February 28.   
   CubeSats deployments are streamed live. AMSAT-UK has reported that it's   
   unclear whether another Amateur Radio CubeSat, the Peruvian Chasqui 1, which   
   was sent to the ISS on February 5, also will be deployed on February 28.   
      
   Eight NanoRacks deployers are installed on the Multi-Purpose Experiment   
   Platform. Each deployer can hold up to six 1U (a unit = 10x10x10   
   centimeters) CubeSats or two 3U CubeSats. Two 3U CubeSats (6U total) can be   
   deployed every one to two orbits to prevent collisions.   
      
    LituanicaSAT-1 carries an FM transponder: Uplink 145.950 MHz/Downlink   
   435.180 MHz. It also has an AX.25 transponder: Uplink 145.850 MHz/Downlink   
   437.550 MHz. The CW beacon is on 437.275 MHz.   
      
    LitSat-1 carries an SSB transponder: Uplink 435.180 MHz/Downlink 145.950   
   MHz, and an AX.25 packet transponder: Uplink 437.550 MHz/Downlink 145.850   
   MHz.   
      
    ArduSat-2 will transmit 9.6 MSK CCSDS data on a 437 MHz downlink.   
      
    UAPSAT will carry an AX.25 packet transponder: Uplink 145.980   
   MHz/Downlink 437.385 MHz.   
      
    Chasqui-1 will transmit AX.25 format data on 437.250 MHz.   
      
   AMSAT-UK has reported that, in addition to the CubeSat deployments from the   
   ISS, seven Japanese Amateur Radio satellites are scheduled to launch from   
   Earth February 27 at 1807 UTC.   
      
   The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) project -- the   
   ARISS-EU "Ham Video" system -- is tentatively set to begin the commissioning   
   process no sooner than the second weekend in March. Ham radio-related   
   activities aboard the ISS typically take a low priority on the astronauts'   
   work agenda.   
      
   Meanwhile, there's some bad news regarding the Delfi CubeSat, Delfi-n3Xt.   
   Program Manager Jasper Bouwmeester PC4JB, reported the results of testing   
   carried out on the CubeSat's 435/145 MHz linear transponder. "Unfortunately,   
   we have not heard anything from Delfi-n3Xt since Thursday [February 20],   
   after our transponder test," Bouwmeester said. "Nothing seemed to be wrong,   
   except for the transponder itself not properly working." Bouwmeester said   
   the Delfi team suspects a hardware failure and has been attempting to revive   
   the satellite. Delfi-n3Xt transmits at about 145.870 MHz.   
      
   Public Service: Hurricane Conferences Set for April and May   
      
   The 2014 National Hurricane Conference will take place April 14-17, at the   
   Orlando Hilton in Orlando, Florida. The primary goal of the National   
   Hurricane Conference is to improve hurricane preparedness, response,   
   recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the US and   
   the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific. The conference also   
   serves as a national forum for federal, state and local officials to   
   exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve emergency management.   
   At past conferences, there has been a robust Amateur Radio and ARES presence   
   in the form of workshops and discussion forums. Planning for this year's   
   conference is underway, and registration is open.   
      
   The 28th annual Governor's Hurricane Conference (GHC) will be held May   
   11-16, 2014 at the Rosen Centre Hotel and Orange County Convention Center in   
   Orlando, Florida. This conference will feature an Amateur Radio and ARES   
   component. This year's theme is "Rethink risk." -- Thanks to the The ARES   
   E-Letter.   
      
   Public Service: RDF Bracelet Helps Oregon Hams to Locate Missing Man   
      
   Members of the Lane County (Oregon) Sheriff's Amateur Radio Operators   
   (LCSARO) -- an ARRL-Affiliated Club -- used radio direction-finding   
   techniques to locate a 78-year-old Eugene, Oregon, man suffering from   
   dementia, who had gone missing. The man's wife reported February 16 that her   
   husband had wandered away from the couple's home, east of the University of   
   Oregon Campus.   
      
   Fortunately, the man was one of six at-risk individuals in the county   
   equipped with a Project Lifesaver RDF bracelet. As a result, the specially   
   trained hams in the sheriff's department were able to track down and locate   
   the missing person in downtown Eugene. He was not injured. The ham radio   
   team minimizes the need for large-scale search parties that typically   
   involve many agencies, hundreds of police officers, and thousands of dollars   
   in cost. The LCSARO also supports communication in disaster and emergency   
   situations. -- Thanks to John Bigley, N7UR, Nevada Amateur Radio Newswire   
      
   DX: Mellish Reef DXpedition Ready to Pick Up the Post-FT5ZM Slack   
      
   With the hubbub generated by the just-ended FT5ZM Amsterdam Island   
   DXpedition still echoing in our ears, the Mellish Reef VK9MT DXpedition is   
   waiting in the wings to launch its own adventure on the Amateur Radio   
   airwaves. VK9MT will be handing out another rare one March 29 through April   
   9 from the Coral Sea atoll.   
      
   "Congratulations to the FT5ZM team for their excellent operation," Team   
   Mellish said in a February 20 news update. "Our equipment is on the way to   
   Australia, and the team is making last-minute preparations for their journey   
   to Australia." An advance team is set to arrive in Australia on March 18 to   
   start retrieving equipment from storage and preparing for the sea voyage.   
      
   The team has selected the 25 meter passenger expedition yacht Evohe from New   
   Zealand to transport operators and gear to Mellish Reef. Given the paucity   
   of dry land at the operating site, DXpedition participants plan to take   
   their meals and sleep on the vessel.   
      
   A pilot team now is in place to manage all communication between the island   
   team and DXers. "While on the island we will not be checking personal e-mail   
   accounts," the team pointed out, adding, "Please direct operational   
   suggestions to the pilot designated for your region." An online log will be   
   available. The DXpedition also has spelled out its QSL policy.   
      
   Located some 1150 kilometers north-northeast of Brisbane, Australia, Mellish   
   Reef takes the form of a boomerang-shaped platform some 10 kilometers long   
   and 3 kilometers wide. According to the VK9MT website, the surrounding   
   reefs, which enclose a narrow lagoon, are completely submerged or awash at   
   high tide. Near the lagoon's center is the only permanent land --   
   Heralds-Beacon Islet -- a small cay rising just a few meters above the   
   high-water mark and composed largely of sand, shingle, and coral rubble.   
      
   The schedule calls for 10 full days of operation on 160 through 10 meters,   
   CW, SSB, and RTTY, with 10 operators. Six members of the successful December   
   2012 ZL9HR operation from Campbell Island are among the team members.   
      
   Australia's Commonwealth Marine Reserve Operations Department will require   
   that the visitors follow the department's documented environmental   
   protection regulations. "Effective July 1, 2014, Mellish Reef becomes part   
   of Australia's new Coral Sea Marine Reserve Management Program, which   
   implements additional restrictions to further protect the area's ecology,"   
   an earlier team announcement noted. "[W]e appreciate the Australian   
   government's cooperation and spirit of partnership in making this DXpedition   
   possible." The Australian Communications and Media Authority issued the call   
   sign VK9MT last fall. Mellish Reef was last activated in 2009 and is number   
   23 on ClubLog's February 2014 DXCC Most Wanted List.   
      
   The team said it was "honored" to receive an ARRL Colvin Award grant, funded   
   through an endowment established by Lloyd Colvin, W6KG (SK). The DXpedition   
   budget is estimated at $110,000, not including operators' individual   
   expenses. The team has pledged "full financial transparency" for all aspects   
   of the DXpedition. "When the books are closed, clubs and foundations that   
   supported the project will receive a financial accounting," Team Mellish has   
   said. Contact the DXpedition via e-mail. The DXpedition also has a Facebook   
   page.   
      
   Several members of the VK9MT team plan to attend Dayton Hamvention in May   
   and the Friedrichshafen, Germany, Ham Radio exhibition in June.   
      
   ARRL Centennial: W1AW Centennial Operations Now in Washington, Kansas   
      
   The ARRL Centennial "W1AW WAS" operations that are taking place throughout   
   2014 from each of the 50 states now are in Washington (W1AW/7) and Kansas   
   (W1AW/0). They will relocate at 0000 UTC on March 5 (the evening of March 4   
   in US time zones) to Idaho (W1AW/7) and Kentucky (W1AW/4).   
      
   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.   
      
   In conjunction with 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 contact.   
      
   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   
   (pricing not yet 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.   
      
   Milestones: AMSAT's G. Gould Smith, WA4SXM, Steps Down from AMSAT Board   
      
   AMSAT-NA Board Member and Vice President-User Services G. Gould Smith,   
   WA4SXM, has resigned both positions "with deep regret."   
      
   "AMSAT has played a major part in my life over the last 25 years; the   
   incredible people have made it such a great pleasure," Smith, of Knoxville,   
   Tennessee, told AMSAT President Barry Baines, WD4ASW. Smith has confronted   
   health issues in recent years. "I had hoped that I would be able to   
   contribute this year, but that hasn't worked out," he told Baines. "The   
   organization needs to have contributing people in these positions."   
      
   Baines expressed sorrow over Smith's departure. "[Y]ou have done so much for   
   AMSAT over the years," he said.   
      
   First Alternate Board Member JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JWM, steps up as a board   
   member to fill the vacancy, at least until new elections are held this fall.   
   Smith's leadership position as Vice President-User Services remains open.   
      
   An AMSAT Life Member, Smith has drafted a variety of guides for satellite   
   users over the years. Among the books he's written and updated each year   
   include Decoding Telemetry, started in 1990, which later became The AMSAT-NA   
   Digital Satellite Guide. He also wrote the book now known as Getting Started   
   in Amateur Satellites; a revised edition will become available at the 2014   
   Dayton Hamvention.   
      
   Smith also served as a member of the AO-51 command team, has written for   
   AMSAT Journal, and presented papers at symposiums. He became an AMSAT Board   
   member in 2008 and stepped forward to serve as project manager of SuitSat-2,   
   which morphed into ARISSat-1, a spacecraft deployed from the ISS in August   
   2011. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service   
      
   Technology: DARC Questions BPL/PLT Emission Measurement Method   
      
   While complaints of BPL interference have become rare in the US, the   
   Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC), Germany's national Amateur Radio   
   society, continues to battle the issue. The DARC recently raised questions   
   regarding the measurement protocol that federal authorities used to test   
   devices used for power line telecommunication (PLT), as BPL is known in   
   Europe. The DARC Scientific Research Associate Thilo Kootz, DL9KCE, said it   
   appears the Federal Network Agency conducted some of its PLT emission   
   measurements while the devices were in stand-by mode, with no data being   
   transferred.   
      
   "The agency concluded that the device met all standard requirements," Kootz   
   said, "but our preliminary findings showed that emissions from a similar   
   unit were approximately 100 times above the limit." The DARC, he said, had   
   to use the Freedom of Information Act to obtain a copy of the measurement   
   protocols the federal agency employed, which leave several questions   
   unanswered. Kootz called it "a questionable procedure" to measure the PLT   
   device while it was idle.   
      
   "A lawnmower that's not running does not violate the noise ordinance," he   
   said. "Such a measurement technique offers carte blanche for thousands of   
   other devices that should not be permitted to come to market."   
      
   The DARC said radio amateurs have had negative experiences with PLT devices,   
   the use of which, it said, can cause massive interference to radio reception   
   and affect other wireless services as well.   
      
   Events: Islands On The Air Gatherings Set   
      
   The annual Islands On The Air (IOTA) BASH will take place on the weekend of   
   March 14-15 in Boerne, Texas. IOTA BASH 2014 is sponsored by the Island   
   Radio Expedition Foundation (IREF). Contact Mike Crownover, AD5A, with any   
   questions or visit the IREF website.   
      
   The 19th annual IOTA Dinner will be held in conjunction with the 65th annual   
   Visalia International DX Convention, Friday, April 4, in the Charter Oak   
   Room of the Visalia/Marriott Conference Center in Downtown Visalia,   
   California. The event is open to all who are active in IOTA (or who want to   
   see beautiful pictures of faraway islands). The IOTA program follows the   
   dinner with several guest speakers on the schedule. The event gets underway   
   at 5:30 PM PT.   
      
   Tickets are $35 per person. Reservations and payment in advance are required   
   by March 23. Send checks to IOTA Dinner Coordinator Ray Benny, N6VR, 462   
   South Reed Rd, Chino Valley, AZ 86323 (he will confirm receipt by e-mail).   
   Tickets are limited, and admission to the program following the dinner is   
   free and open to all.   
      
   Sponsored by the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), IOTA is an Amateur   
   Radio award program that encourages operators to contact stations on islands   
   around the world.   
      
   Feature: A Century of Amateur Radio and the ARRL   
      
   America's "Roaring 20s" had passed and, with them, a period of roaring   
   growth in radio technology. But a large problem had fallen on America, one   
   that began on October 29, 1929 -- "Black Tuesday," the day the stock market   
   crash triggered our Great Depression.   
      
   Like everyone else, hams had to tighten their belts during the 1930s.   
   Typical ham didn't have enough disposable income to take advantage of the   
   best advances in technology, so they learned to improvise. Amateur Radio   
   continued to grow, both in numbers and accomplishments. Here are some   
   Amateur Radio and ARRL tidbits from the 1930s:   
      
    January 1930 QST announced that phone operation on 20 meters had been   
   authorized.   
      
    By the early 1930s most hams were using crystal-controlled transmitters,   
   but most hams had only a small number of crystals. The usual procedure was   
   to call long CQs and then tune up and down the band looking for long calls   
   in reply.   
      
    The first ARRL "International" Field Day was held in 1933. By 1938 more   
   than 1000 stations were participating. The event had become as popular as   
   the ARRL DX Contest and the Sweepstakes.   
      
    The Communications Act of 1934 created the Federal Communications   
   Commission (FCC), which replaced the Federal Radio Commission. Within a few   
   years, the FCC was monitoring ham stations, to be certain everyone was   
   following the rules and regulations. QST warned its readers to be sure their   
   transmitters were operating within the ham bands, because the FCC could   
   measure frequency with an accuracy of 10 cycles per second!   
      
    By 1936 there were 46,000 radio amateurs in the US; by 1939 the number   
   had risen to 51,000.   
      
    The ARRL announced the start of the DXCC program in 1937. In 1938, W3CRA   
   qualified for the first DXCC certificate -- quite a feat!   
      
   Maxim Memorial Station W1AW.   
      
    League Co-Founder Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, died suddenly on February 17,   
   1936, at age 66. After Maxim's death, the FCC issued the call sign W1AW to   
   ARRL. The Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, in Newington, Connecticut, was   
   dedicated on September 2, 1938, in his honor. The ceremony was broadcast   
   nationwide by radio.   
      
    In May 1936, Eugene Woodruff, W8CMP, was elected by the ARRL Board of   
   Directors as the League's second President. Woodruff was the head of the   
   Departments of Electrical Railways and Radio at Pennsylvania State College.   
      
   But then, another World War was upon us. We'll look at hams and the war   
   years next week.   
      
   Ad   
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports: We saw an increase in solar   
   activity over the past week, so it appears that the recovery of solar cycle   
   24 is not over. Average daily sunspot numbers February 20-26 increased   
   nearly 24 percent from the previous 7 days -- from 140.4 to 173.6. Average   
   daily solar flux over the same period rose from 158.7 to 167.3.   
      
   Predicted solar flux over the near term is 180 on February 27-28, 175 on   
   March 1-6, 180 on March 7-9, then 175 and 160 on March 10-11, 145 on March   
   12-13, 150 on March 14-17, and 155 on March 18-20, peaking at 180 on March   
   26 and again on April 2-4.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 18, 15 and 8 on February 27 through March 1,   
   5 on March 2-4, 8 on March 5-6, 5 on March 7-8, 10 and 5 on March 9-10, 8 on   
   March 11, and 5 on March 12-22.   
      
   The ARRL International DX Contest phone is this weekend, starting at 0000   
   UTC on March 1 (the evening of February 28 in US time zones), and continuing   
   through 2359 UTC March 2.   
      
   In the Friday bulletin look for an updated forecast, as well as reports from   
   readers. Send me your reports and observations.   
      
   In Brief   
      
   ARRL International DX Contest (SSB) Offers Fun for Tech Ops! Technician   
   licensees, who have phone operating privileges on 10 meters, may want to   
   give the band a try this weekend, March 1-2 (UTC), during the ARRL   
   International DX Contest. The exchange is a signal report and your state.   
   With the solar flux high enough to open polar paths, this will be a great   
   time to see what you can do with your HF phone privileges! -- Thanks to The   
   ARRL Contest Update   
      
   Special Call Signs to Commemorate Russian Space Pioneer's Birth,   
   Spaceflight: Special call signs will mark Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin's   
   first human spaceflight -- a complete Earth orbit on April 12, 1961. The   
   operations celebrate Gagarin's birth 80 years ago in 1934 (he died in 1968)   
   and the historic spaceflight 53 years ago. Those years and the number "80"   
   are embedded in each call sign. The activity will take place March 1-April   
   30. A certificate is available. Kazakhstan also will field several special   
   UP-prefix call signs in Gagarin's honor, all with the suffix "KEDR." That   
   was the call sign Gagarin used on his historic space mission. QSL via RW6HS.   
   -- Thanks to The Daily DX   
      
   FT5ZM Operation Approved for DXCC Credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved   
   the 2014 operation of FT5ZM -- Amsterdam & St Paul Island -- for DX Century   
   Club credit. If a DXCC credit request for this operation has been rejected   
   in a prior application, contact ARRL Awards Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L,   
   to be placed on the record update list. Note the submission date and/or   
   application reference number. DXCC is Amateur Radio's premier award that   
   hams can earn by confirming on-the-air contacts with 100 DXCC "entities,"   
   most of which are countries in the traditional sense. Learn more. -- ARRL   
   Awards Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L   
      
   Registration Open for 2014 CubeSat Developers' Workshop: Registration is now   
   open for the 11th annual CubeSat Developers' Workshop, April 23-25, at   
   California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo, California. The   
   workshop's theme is "The Edge of Exploration." Members of the CubeSat   
   community, policymakers, government agency representatives, scientists, and   
   academicians from around the world are expected to attend. The Cal Poly   
   CubeSat Group invites authors to present papers on all areas of CubeSat   
   development and mission research. For more information, contact the Cal Poly   
   CubeSat Group, (805) 756-5087. -- AMSAT News Service   
      
   DX Engineering Acquires Cycle 24 Antenna Products: DX Engineering has   
   acquired the assets of Cycle 24 Antenna Products, a web-based retailer of   
   Amateur Radio antennas and antenna components. "Cycle 24 is a great fit with   
   DX Engineering," said Tim Duffy, K3LR, DX Engineering's chief marketing   
   officer. "We welcome all of Cycle 24's customers to the DX Engineering   
   family." He noted that several Cycle 24-developed products now will be   
   available through DX Engineering. -- Thanks to Tim Duffy, K3LR   
      
   Clearwater Amateur Radio Society Celebrates 60 Years as ARRL-Affiliated   
   Club: The Clearwater Amateur Radio Society (CARS) has celebrated 60 years as   
   an ARRL-affiliated club. CARS, which boasts nearly 50 members, became   
   affiliated with the ARRL on January 18, 1954. Representing the ARRL at   
   club's February meeting to present a plaque was ARRL West Central Florida   
   Section Manager Dee Turner, N4GD. CARS President, Craig Shapiro, KJ4BYK,   
   accepted the award on behalf of the club. A small celebration took place   
   following the meeting to commemorate the event. -- Thanks to Kevin Poorman,   
   KV4CT, PIO   
      
   Preliminary Contest Results Available: Initial results for the CW and phone   
   weekends of the 2013 ARRL November Sweepstakes have been posted online. The   
   articles feature category winners, Top 10 tables, Division Winners, and   
   Region Leaders. A ranking of rare sections is included (the hardest to get   
   last fall was NL, but QC was a close second). Preliminary results for the   
   January North American QSO Party (CW) are now available, as well as   
   preliminary results for the February North American Sprint (CW). -- Thanks   
   to The ARRL Contest Update, NCJ   
      
   BBC World Service to Cut Back Shortwave Transmissions: According to a report   
   in The Guardian newspaper, the BBC World Service will further reduce its   
   shortwave profile next year, diverting a projected saving of more than $25   
   million to fund television and digital services. As of April 1, the BBC   
   World Service and BBC Monitoring will be funded directly from the TV license   
   fee instead of through the Foreign Office. In cutbacks 3 years ago, the BBC   
   eliminated more than 500 jobs, closed five language services, ended radio   
   broadcasts in seven languages, and reduced short and medium-wave   
   transmissions.   
      
   Getting it Right!   
      
   In the story, "Make Your Voice Heard During the ARRL International DX   
   Contest (Phone)!" in The ARRL Letter, February 20, 2014, we inadvertently   
   "nicknamed" Robert Wood, W5AJ, in the caption of a photo by Carl Cook, AI6V.   
   Also, W5AJ operated solo at P40P, not as part of a team, as the caption   
   indicated.   
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  Mar 1-2 --ARRL International DX Contest, SSB   
    *  Mar 1 -- Open Ukraine RTTY Championship   
    *  Mar 2 -- OK1WC Memorial Contest   
    *  Mar 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint   
    *  Mar 4 -- YL CW Party   
    *  Mar 5 -- John Rollins Memorial DX Contest, CW   
    *  Mar 7 -- NS Weekly Sprint (CW)   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- Worldwide EME Contest   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- RSGB Commonwealth Contest (CW)   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- Straight Key Weekend Sprintathon   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- AGCW QRP Contest (CW)   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- QRP ARCI HF Grid Square Sprint (CW)   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- EA PSK63 Contest   
    *  Mar 7-8 -- Idaho QSO Party   
    *  Mar 9 -- North American Sprint (RTTY)   
    *  Mar 9 -- Wisconsin QSO Party   
      
   Visit the Contest Corral for details.   
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Co   
   --- D'Bridge 3.99   
    * Origin: FIDONet - The Positronium Repository (1:393/68)