The ARRL Letter
Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************
March 3, 2011
Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL Home Page ARRL Letter Archive
Audio News
IN THIS ISSUE
- + Legislative News: ARRL Members Respond to HR 607
- + Get Ready for the April Issue of QST!
- The Doctor Is IN : Measuring a Meter's Tolerance
- + Public Service: No HF Frequencies Being Used in New Zealand
Earthquake Operations
- + ARRL in Action : What Have We Been Up to Lately?
- ARRL Field Day: 2011 Field Day Packets Available
- Solar Update
- + Silent Key: Eugene Pressler, W3ZXV (SK)
- + ARRL Recognizes: Lou Burke, W7JI, Wins February QST Cover Plaque
Award
- DX News: Spratly Islands DXpedition Postponed to 2012
- This Week on the Radio
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
> + LEGISLATIVE NEWS: ARRL MEMBERS RESPOND TO HR 607
Last month, a bill was introduced in the US House of Representatives
that addresses certain spectrum management issues, including the
creation and maintenance of a nationwide Public Safety broadband
network. This bill -- HR 607, known as The Broadband for First
Responders Act of 2011 -- if passed, also calls to auction off parts of
the 70 cm band, namely 420-440 and 450-470 MHz. As such, the ARRL asked
its members to write their Representative, asking them to not support
HR 607 in its current form.
According to ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND,
Chwat & Co -- the ARRL's legislative relations firm in Washington, DC
-- received almost 1000 letters from League members in opposition to HR
607. "This is a great start and many thanks to the diligent members who
have risen to the challenge; however, it cannot stop there. As long as
HR 607 is in its current form, we must continue this campaign." He
clarified that the ARRL opposes HR 607 in its present form: "We do not
oppose the concept of dedicated spectrum for the development of a
Public Safety infrastructure and wireless network. We object to the
bill because of the inclusion of 420-440 MHz as part of the spectrum to
be swapped and auctioned to commercial users." Click here
for some pointers for writing
letters in opposition to HR 607.
> + GET READY FOR THE APRIL ISSUE OF QST!
No foolin' -- the April issue of QST is jam-packed with all sorts of
things that today's Amateur Radio operator needs. From product reviews
to experiments to contesting -- including articles featuring a homebrew
40 meter transmitter, ground radials, digital modes and the 2011 ARRL
Board of Directors Annual Meeting -- this issue of QST has something
for just about everyone.
Who says life's too short for QRP? Not Lou Burke, W7JI. Following up
on his February 2011 QST article about a homebrew QRP superhet
receiver, Burke brings us "The W7JI Low or Lower Power 40 Meter
Transmitter," a companion to that receiver. This transmitter features a
VFO, CW keyer and automatic antenna switching. Ron Harger, WD8BCS,
shows readers an inexpensive and easy-to-build radial system for
temporary vertical antenna installations in his article "Does Your
Ground Radial Kit Measure Up?" When you keep your audio controls in
check, it really does make a difference in how your station sounds. QST
Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR, demonstrates how to set up your SSB
transceiver with the proper audio levels in "Sounding Good on the Air
-- Setting Your Audio Controls."
Amateur Radio is all about experimentation. One of the newer ways for
hams to have fun and play around on the bands is via the digital modes.
QST editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, takes a look at one of the newer digital
modes in "JT65 -- The 'Musical' Mode." In January, the ARRL Board of
Director met in Connecticut for its Annual Meeting. Join ARRL News
Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, and QST Managing Editor Joel
Kleinman, N1BKE, as they take you inside the meeting room as the Board
charts the course for the coming year and beyond. Keane also tells of
the recipients of the ARRL International Humanitarian Award, the George
Hart Distinguished Service Award and the print, video and audio winners
of the Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Professional Media Award.
QST Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR, takes a look at the Elecraft
P3 panadapter in this month's Product Review. He says this add-on to
Elecraft's popular K3 rig "adds high performance, stand-alone
functionality. If you want to see what's happening on the band, this
will provide the needed view, as well as another way to control radio
tuning, if you wish." ARRL Contributing Author Curt Phillips, W4CP,
checks out the Uniden HomePatrol-1 scanning receiver. He says that it
"brings user friendliness to a new level. It performs complicated
scanning functions with ease, and loading local frequencies is a snap."
Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, delivers the results of the 2010 IARU HF
World Championship, held this past July. What makes this 24 hour
contest so much fun? "Everyone works everyone, we get to operate both
CW and phone, the exchange is simple and we get to work HQ stations and
receive their nifty QSLs," said one participant. "It's also during the
summer break, which allows busy college students to take it seriously."
ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, tells about
the 2011 ARRL Straight Key Night. As one participant described it,
Straight Key Night participants appreciate "the opportunity it affords
us Old Timers to relive the past in such a wonderful way."
Of course, there are the usual columns you know and expect in the April
QST: Happenings, Hints & Kinks, The Doctor Is IN, How's DX, Vintage
Radio and more. Look for your April issue in your mailbox. QST is the
official journal of ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio.
QST is just one of the many benefits of ARRL membership. To join or
renew your ARRL membership, please see the ARRL Web page
.
> THE DOCTOR IS IN : MEASURING A METER'S TOLERANCE
David Van Doorn, W9WEL, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, wrote to the ARRL's
Doctor, asking about his analog meter's tolerance. He wanted to know if
the tolerance is listed as 10% of full scale, does that actually mean
±10% of full scale? For example, a meter with a 300 unit full scale
would have a specified accuracy of the measured value of ±30. Thus, a
reading of 40 could actually be anywhere from 10 to 70. Or does that
mean ±10% at full scale? For example, at 300 full scale, an actual
value of 300 could read 270 or 330 and every other reading on that
scale would read ±10%? So an actual value of 40 could read 36 or 44?
Here's what the Doctor had to say:
I'm afraid it is the former. This suggests that the scale selected be
one with the reading near the top of the range for maximum accuracy.
Keep in mind that the actual accuracy could be -- and often will be --
much better than that specified, just not worse.
Thanks Doctor! Do you have a question or a problem? Send your questions
via e-mail or to The Doctor, ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111 (no phone calls, please). Look for "The Doctor Is
IN" every month in QST , the official journal
of the ARRL.
> + PUBLIC SERVICE: NO HF FREQUENCIES BEING USED IN NEW ZEALAND
EARTHQUAKE OPERATIONS
The ARRL has received word from the New Zealand Association of Radio
Transmitters (NZART ) -- that country's IARU
Member-Society -- that amateurs there providing
communications support in the aftermath of the 6.3 earthquake
are using 2 meters (144 MHz). No HF frequencies are being used. If this
changes, the information will be posted on the ARRL website.
> + ARRL IN ACTION : WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO LATELY?
Compiled by ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
This feature is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL
is doing on behalf of its members. This installment -- which covers the
month of February -- looks at how the ARRL is responding to HR 607, a
new Memorandum of Understanding between the ARRL and the Boy Scouts of
America, improvements at W1AW and in the ARRL Lab, reports from the
Official Observer Desk and more . Read more here
.
> ARRL FIELD DAY: 2011 FIELD DAY PACKETS AVAILABLE
It's that time of year again -- time to start gearing up for ARRL
Field Day, June 25-26, 2011! ARRL's flagship operating event -- always
held the fourth full weekend in June -- brings together new and
experienced hams for 24 hours of operating fun. Field Day packets are
now available for download
and
include the complete rules (including a change for 2011), as well as
other reference items such as forms, ARRL Section abbreviation list,
entry submission instructions, a Frequently Asked Questions section,
guidelines for getting bonus points, instructions for GOTA stations and
a kit to publicize your event with the local press. Read more here
.
> SOLAR UPDATE
Tad "Waiting for the Sun
" Cook, K7RA, reports:
Solar activity is on the rise again, but the average sunspot and solar
flux numbers are down, compared with last week. This week, the average
daily sunspot number declined more than 14 points to 50.9, and the
average daily solar flux was off 7 points to 96.8. The average daily
planetary A index rose from 6.1 to 9, and the average mid-latitude A
index was about the same, declining from 5.4 to 5.1. The most active
day for geomagnetic indexes was March 1, with a planetary A index of
31. The planetary K index rose as high as 6 on that day. NOAA and USAF
predict solar flux at 115 on March 3, 120 on March 4-10, 110 on March
11-15 and 105 on March 16-17. The planetary A index is forecast at 15,
12 and 10 on March 3-5, 5 on March 6-13 and 7 on March 14-15. The
monthly average of sunspot numbers for December through February was
22, 32.2 and 53.5. Look for more information -- including a take on why
Solar Cycle 24 has been so weak -- on the ARRL website on Friday, March
4. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL
Technical Information Service Propagation page
. This week's "Tad
Cookism" is brought to you by The Doors' Waiting for the Sun
.
> + SILENT KEY: EUGENE PRESSLER, W3ZXV (SK)
Eugene "Gene" Pressler, W3ZXV, of Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, passed away
February 22. He was 80. Pressler, who served as an Assistant Director
in the ARRL Atlantic Division, also served as the Public Information
Coordinator and Assistant Section Manager for Eastern Pennsylvania, as
well as the Division's representative on the Public Relations Advisory
Committee for several years. In 1996, Pressler was honored by the
Atlantic Division as its Amateur of the Year for a "lifetime of service
to Amateur Radio." He co-founded and served as Director Emeritus of the
Area Repeater Coordination Council, the regional Amateur Radio repeater
frequency coordinator for Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.
Read more here
.
> + ARRL RECOGNIZES: LOU BURKE, W7JI, WINS FEBRUARY QST COVER PLAQUE
AWARD
The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for February is Lou
Burke, W7JI , for his article "A Compact 40 Meter Receiver. "
Congratulations Lou! The QST Cover Plaque award -- given to the
author or authors of the best article in each issue -- is determined by
a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page
. Cast a ballot for your
favorite article in the March issue today.
> DX NEWS: SPRATLY ISLANDS DXPEDITION POSTPONED TO 2012
In the March 3 edition of The Daily DX ,
Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR, reports that the planned DXpedition to
the Spratly Islands
has been postponed until April 2012. According to DX0DX Team Leader
Chris Dimitrijevic, VK3FY, the postponement is due to circumstances
beyond the control of the DX0DX Team and "in the best interests of the
Team of Operators." The DX0DX DXpedition was originally scheduled to
run January 6-February 1, 2011. Spratly currently sits at #32 on DX
Magazine 's "Most Wanted" List.
> THIS WEEK ON THE RADIO
This week:
- March 5 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint
- March 5-6 -- ARRL International DX Contest (SSB)
; Open Ukraine RTTY Championship
- March 6 -- DARC 10 Meter Digital Contest
- March 8 -- ARS Spartan Sprint
- March 9-10 -- CWops Mini-CWT Test
Next week:
- March 12 -- AGCW QRP Contest
- March 12-13 -- Idaho QSO Party
- March 13 -- North American Sprint (RTTY); SKCC Weekend Sprint; UBA
Spring Contest (CW)
- March 13-14 -- Wisconsin QSO Party; EA PSK31 Contest
- March 15-16 -- CLARA HF Contest
All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page , the ARRL Contest Update
and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar for more
info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the
ARRL Special Event Stations Web page
.
> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS
- March 5 -- ARRL South Texas Section Convention
,
Rosenberg, Texas; ARRL Alabama Section Convention
,
Birmingham, Alabama
- March 11-12 -- ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention
,
Claremore, Oklahoma
- March 12-13 -- ARRL North Carolina Section Convention
,
Concord, North Carolina
- March 19 -- ARRL West Texas Section Convention
,
Midland, Texas; ARRL Nebraska State Convention
, Lincoln,
Nebraska
- March 25 -- ARRL Maine State Convention
, Lewiston,
Maine
- March 26 -- ARRL Maryland State Convention
,
Timonium, Maryland
To find a convention or hamfest near you, click here
.
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