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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-04-07   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   April 7, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  A New "ARRL The Doctor is In" Audio Podcast Episode is Now Available   
    *  World Amateur Radio Day 2016 Will Celebrate Amateur Radio's Contribution   
       to Society   
    *  ARRL MF Experiment Coordinator Sees Ongoing Research Role After Hams   
       Gain 472-479 kHz   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  Author, TV Reporter are the 2015 ARRL Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Award   
       Recipients   
    *  MicroHAMS Digital Conference Showcases Innovative Applications, Hardware   
    *  "Cows Over the World DXpedition" Set to Get Under Way   
    *  Hurricane Watch Net Seeks Net Control Operators   
    *  Ohio SEC Expanding "NVIS Antenna Day" Activity this Year   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  This Week in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
      
   A New "ARRL The Doctor is In" Audio Podcast Episode is Now Available   
      
   "HF Vertical Antennas" will be the topic of the inaugural "ARRL The Doctor is   
   In" audio podcast, available on April 7 and sponsored by DX Engineering. "ARRL   
   The Doctor is In" is a lively discussion of all things technical. Listen on   
   your computer, tablet, or smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like!   
      
   Every 2 weeks your host, QST Editor in Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the   
   Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical   
   topics. You can e-mail your questions to doctor@arrl.org, and they may be   
   answered in a future podcast.   
      
   Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or iPad   
   podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In"). You can also listen   
   online through Stitcher and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or   
   Android devices. Subscribe to the podcast free of charge through either   
   service and never miss an episode.   
      
   Podcast episodes will be archived on the ARRL website.   
      
      
   World Amateur Radio Day 2016 Will Celebrate Amateur Radio's Contribution to   
   Society   
      
   World Amateur Radio Day (WARD), observed every April 18, marks the founding of   
   the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) in 1925. As they do every year,   
   radio amateurs worldwide will take to the airwaves to celebrate Amateur   
   Radio's contribution to society.   
      
   "April 18 is the day for all of Amateur Radio to celebrate and tell the world   
   about the science we can help teach, the community service we can provide, and   
   the fun we have," the IARU said in announcing World Amateur Radio Day 2016.   
   "We hope you will join in the fun and education that is World Amateur Radio   
   Day!"   
      
   Amateur Radio experimenters were the first to discover that -- far from being   
   a wasteland -- the shortwave spectrum could support worldwide propagation. In   
   the rush to use these shorter wavelengths, Amateur Radio was "in grave danger   
   of being pushed aside," the IARU's history has noted. Amateur Radio pioneers   
   -- ARRL co-founder Hiram Percy Maxim, 1AW, among them -- met in Paris in 1925   
   and created the IARU to support Amateur Radio worldwide.   
      
   As Maxim and his counterparts envisioned, the IARU is an international   
   confederation of national Amateur Radio organizations that allows a forum for   
   common matters of concern and collectively represents matters to the   
   International Telecommunication Union (ITU).   
      
   Just 2 years later, at the International Radiotelegraph Conference, Amateur   
   Radio gained several allocations still recognized today -- 160, 80, 40, 20,   
   and 10 meters. Since its founding, the IARU has worked to defend and expand   
   the frequency allocations for Amateur Radio.   
      
   [IARU_all3regions.JPG] From the 25 countries that formed the IARU in 1925, the   
   IARU has grown to include 160 member-societies in 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 ITU has recognized the IARU as   
   representing the interests of Amateur Radio.   
      
      
   Today, Amateur Radio is more popular than ever, with over 3,000,000 licensed   
   operators!   
      
   The IARU has provided a World Amateur Radio Day poster. Any club may download   
   it to promote WARD. The poster comes in two sizes (61cm x 91cm) (small (A4)   
   flyer).   
      
   Groups should promote their WARD activity on social media by using the hash   
   tag #WARD2016 on Twitter and on Facebook. The IARU will list all WARD   
   activities (scroll below the announcement). To have your WARD activity listed,   
   e-mail ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X. Read more.   
      
      
   ARRL MF Experiment Coordinator Sees Ongoing Research Role After Hams Gain   
   472-479 kHz   
      
   The coordinator of the 600 Meter Experimental Group, Fritz Raab, W1FR, said   
   this week that he sees an ongoing role for medium frequency (MF)   
   experimentation, even after Amateur Radio gains access to the new 630 meter   
   band (472-479 kHz). An FCC Report and Order authorizing Amateur Radio access   
   to 2200 meters (135.7-137.8 kHz) and 630 meters is expected to be released   
   soon. In his 1st quarter report for 2016 on the WD2XSH Experimental license   
   work, Raab said that once the new ham band is in place, he expects ARRL   
   experiment participants to pursue work in that part of the spectrum under   
   their Amateur Radio licenses. But he said that more MF research remains, and   
   he would recommend continuing work under the WD2XSH Experimental a while   
   longer, shifting focus to 461 to 472 kHz.   
      
   "This will clear the amateur frequencies, while allowing the experimenters to   
   run unattended propagation beacons without using the limited bandwidth that   
   will be available to amateurs." The WD2XSH Part 5 Experimental license does   
   not expire until 2020. A substantial community of Amateur Radio operators   
   already conduct experiments using their own FCC Part 5 licenses in the low   
   frequency (LF) and MF spectrum, in addition to the WD2XSH experiment.   
      
   Raab this week suggested several possibilities for expanded experimental work   
   in the vicinity of 630 meters without cluttering the limited 7 kHz of spectrum   
   in the soon-to-be-authorized amateur band. Among other things, he envisions   
   work using wider-bandwidth modulation protocols, the use of higher power than   
   the 1 W EIRP expected to be authorized for the new ham band, and commemorative   
   transmissions.   
      
   "Eventually, this operation might show that the amateur allocation could be   
   expanded or allowed to use more power," Raab said.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   Thanks to the ARRL IT Department, there are now daily updates to the   
   National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) activity statistics. The new statistics   
   are listed on the NPOTA Leader board page. There, you can find info on the   
   number of parks activated, total number of NPOTA activations, and number of   
   QSOs per NPOTA unit. As of April 6, more than   
   240,000 NPOTA contacts had been confirmed in Logbook of the World, from nearly   
   3400 activations since January 1. The California National Historic Trail has   
   hosted 4115 QSOs, more than any other NPOTA unit.   
      
   There are 47 Activations on the NPOTA calendar for April 7-13, including Cesar   
   Chavez National Monument in California, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore   
   in Michigan. Details about these and other upcoming activations can be found   
   on the NPOTA Activations calendar.   
      
   Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook. Follow NPOTA on Twitter   
   (@ARRL_NPOTA).   
      
      
   Author, TV Reporter are the 2015 ARRL Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Award Recipients   
      
   Author Don Keith, N4KC, and TV reporter and anchor Jackie Lukas are the   
   recipients of the 2015 ARRL Bill Leonard, W2SKE, Award. Keith was recognized   
   for an article on Amateur Radio, "Wave of Popularity," that he contributed to   
   American Legion magazine. Lukas, a reporter and anchor for News 12 Long Island   
   in New York, was honored for reporting the Great South Bay Amateur Radio   
   Club's activation of a lighthouse "in an uplifting and positive manner." The   
   ARRL Board of Directors named Keith and Lukas in January to receive the award.   
      
   The ARRL Bill Leonard Award honors up to three professional journalists each   
   year for outstanding coverage highlighting the enjoyment, importance, and   
   public service value the Amateur Radio Service has to offer. The award is a   
   tribute to the late CBS News President Bill Leonard, W2SKE, an avid Amateur   
   Radio operator and advocate. Each recipient will receive an engraved plaque,   
   and a $250 contribution will be made in each recipient's name to the charity   
   of their choice.   
      
   "I look forward to receiving the plaque and am very humbled by the award,"   
   Keith reacted. He expects to attend a formal presentation at the Huntsville   
   Hamfest in August. Keith said the American Legion's national Amateur Radio   
   club (K9TAL) is working to reach members who might be interested in Amateur   
   Radio and "especially its public service aspects." Keith has designated the   
   Amateur Radio Advancement Group, which is affiliated with the Birmingham   
   Amateur Radio Club, to be the beneficiary of his award. Keith is the author or   
   co-author of more than 30 books.   
      
   Lukas responded, "Thank you so much! It's such an honor. I'm glad you enjoyed   
   my story just as much as I enjoyed covering it!" Lukas received the Leonard   
   Award plaque at the March meeting of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club.   
      
   ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, praised the efforts   
   of media professionals who report on Amateur Radio activities. "We owe a lot   
   to the journalists who highlight Amateur Radio's capabilities to our   
   communities and our country," he said. "When Amateur Radio provides   
   communication for a natural disaster or school contact with astronauts on the   
   International Space Station, and the media covers that service, more and more   
   people become aware just how much of a resource we are. The ARRL Leonard Award   
   is our way of saying, 'Thank you for telling our story.'"   
      
      
   MicroHAMS Digital Conference Showcases Innovative Applications, Hardware   
      
   Each March in the heart of the Pacific Northwest's software capital, the   
   MicroHAMS club hosts the annual MicroHAMS Digital Conference (MHDC). Having   
   expanded beyond being Microsoft's radio club, MicroHAMS now boasts members   
   from all around the Puget Sound area, including a lot of digital innovators.   
   This year's conference was booked solid.   
      
   "I always come away from this conference energized and full of ideas about   
   ways to put digital technology to work for ham radio," said ARRL Contributing   
   Editor Ward Silver, N0AX, who was a presenter at MHDC 2016. "This year was no   
   different as the presenters focused on SDR and related technologies, including   
   networking and fully digital radios."   
      
   A challenging application of digital ham radio is to provide seamless race-day   
   coverage of the RAMROD (Ride Around Mount Rainier in One Day) bicycle race.   
   Curt Black, WR5J, described the perils of attempting data links around a   
   14,000-foot mountain surrounded by dense fir and hemlock forests, over a   
   150-mile race course with 10,000 feet of elevation changes. It's not easy, but   
   they do it and have bigger plans for 2016. The technology involves everything   
   from 80 meter NVIS to 900 MHz RFID and D-RATS over the D-STAR system.   
      
   John Petrich, W7FU, is taking SDR into the UHF-microwave transceiver world   
   with a design using the Ettus Research USRP B200 SDR and the GNU Radio   
   Companion software platforms. The radio covers from 70 MHz to 6 GHz without   
   converters and is an excellent "workbench" for someone interested in getting   
   into SDR/DSP technology.   
      
   Alex Schwartz, VE7DSW, described his LiF/BiLiF adapter boards that use a   
   conventional transceiver's IF to create a fully functional spectrum scope.   
   "It's a particularly sweet combination with the FT-817 and can perform just   
   about any type of modulation and demodulation you can think of," Silver   
   commented.   
      
   Two fully digital radios in late prototype stages also were shown. The   
   HamShield by Morgan Redfield, KG7OGM, and Casey Halverson, KC7IBT, is a   
   144/222/432 MHz handheld based on the Arduino. The project was funded through   
   Kickstarter, and the presentation was as much about the trials and triumphs of   
   funding development as it was technical. Local company Northwest Digital   
   Radio's Universal Digital Radio UDRX is in pilot production after a long   
   development and will have product available at Dayton Hamvention(R). The 440   
   MHz transceiver is built to handle a wide variety of digital protocols and   
   modulation types.   
      
   Following the ham radio presentations, Phil Horkin, AF7GY, gave a fascinating   
   explanation of how MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) technology works.   
   MIMO is commonly applied in the wireless data industry, in such devices as   
   WiFi routers. MIMO depends on the presence of multipath propagation to work.   
   Implementing it over line-of-sight links is the challenge, and Horkin is at   
   the forefront of figuring out how to do just that, increasing a channel's   
   throughput considerably without consuming more bandwidth.   
      
   Silver said his own presentation discussed the changes ahead for ham radio, as   
   new technology and new hams come aboard, taking Ham Radio 1.0 to Ham Radio   
   2.0. "It will be different, but not unrecognizable, as hams carry the   
   fundamentals forward into the second century of Amateur Radio," he predicted.   
      
   "For radio amateurs, digital conferences such as this one offer opportunities   
   to discover technology that is opening up little-used bands and achieving   
   communication capabilities that were science fiction not long ago," Silver   
   observed. "The pace and breadth of development remind me of how packet radio   
   and commercial wireless data developed with considerable overlap in the 1980s,   
   a partnership that continues to pay dividends today."   
      
   Presentations are available on the MHDC website. -- Thanks to Ward Silver, N0AX   
      
      
   "Cows Over the World DXpedition" Set to Get Under Way   
      
   Tom Callas, KC0W, has all of his bovines in a row to begin his "Cows Over the   
   World DXpedition" to several DXCC entities in the Pacific and Asia this month,   
   several months earlier than initially announced. All call signs will include a   
   "COW" suffix. American Samoa will be the starting [COW%20logo.png] point for   
   his all-CW adventure. The Minnesota DXer will operate as KH8/KC0W beginning on   
   or about April 12. At the outset of his stay on Tutuila Island (OC-045),   
   Callas will be on a beach near Pago Pago on the east side of the island.   
      
   "Running down the center of American Samoa is an 800 meter (approximately 2600   
   feet) tall mountain, which should greatly attenuate my CW signal to Europe and   
   Asia," he told The Daily DX. This location should favor North and South   
   America, however.   
      
   After completing operations on the east side of the island, KC0W will move to   
   the west side to accommodate European and Asian DXers. He has estimated that   
   he will operate "for a month or two" from the east side of the island. "Europe   
   and Asia, don't get frustrated if you can't hear me when I'm operating from   
   the east side of the island. Your time will come," he said on his QRZ.com   
   profile.   
      
   Callas has no set time frame to operate from each entity. "The determining   
   factor will be: When the pileups die down, it's time to pack everything up and   
   move along," he said. Although his emphasis will be on 160, 80, and 40 meters,   
   KC0W plans to be active on 160 through 6 meters, running 500 W to vertical   
   antennas over salt water. He expects to participate in "all major CW contests."   
      
   His DX travels to the other venues are still on track. These include Samoa,   
   Tokelau, Solomon Islands, Temotu Province, and Bangladesh. He said he's spent   
   months researching the absolute best DXing sites at each location.   
      
   Callas stressed that he will only be operating CW. "No microphones have been   
   brought along," he pointed out. He's financing the round-robin DXpedition out   
   of his own pocket. -- Thanks to The Daily DX for some information   
      
      
   Hurricane Watch Net Seeks Net Control Operators   
      
   The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is looking for additional net control operators.   
   Hurricane Season in the Atlantic begins on June 1 and ends on November 30; in   
   the Eastern Pacific, it begins on May 15 and ends on November 30. Hurricanes   
   can form at any time of the year, however, as witnessed by Hurricane Alex in   
   January.   
      
   "With the 2016 hurricane season rapidly approaching, the Hurricane Watch Net   
   is preparing for what looks to be an active season," HWN Manager Bobby Graves,   
   KB5HAV, said. "It has been a long time since the US has seen a major hurricane   
   make landfall." He believes the US may be overdue for one.   
      
   Graves said the HWN is always on the lookout for well-qualified, experienced   
   net control operators who can effectively communicate with hurricane-prone   
   areas from eastern Canada, the US East Coast, the Gulf of Mexico, Central   
   America, and the Caribbean. He said bilingual (English and Spanish) operators   
   are a valuable asset.   
      
   Visit the HWN Membership Information Page, if you're interested in becoming a   
   member of the Hurricane Watch Net.   
      
      
   Ohio SEC Expanding "NVIS Antenna Day" Activity this Year   
      
   ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL, says he has   
   expanded participation in his section's "NVIS Antenna Day" on Saturday, April   
   23, by inviting stations in neighboring states to participate. This year's   
   activity also will introduce the "anchor stations" concept, to provide more   
   consistent signal reports. The Near-Vertical Incidence Skywave or NVIS antenna   
   has gained traction among emergency communication groups and others desiring a   
   close-in radiation pattern for regional work on HF.   
      
   "Working with antennas has been an integral part of Amateur Radio since the   
   first hams took to the airwaves," Broadway said. "Having the 'right' antenna   
   becomes even more important when we're acting in the interest of public   
   safety." Sponsored by Ohio ARES, NVIS Antenna Day will get under way at 1500   
   UTC on April 23, when teams will start making contacts to compare antennas.   
      
   "We don't have an ending time, because some stations had so much fun -- and so   
   many pileups -- last year that that they went on for quite a while past dark,"   
   Broadway recounted.   
      
   Broadways said several stations in surrounding states plan to be active in   
   this year's NVIS Day. "We've also received word a group in Texas will be doing   
   their own NVIS exercise along with ours," he added. "So, it looks like 40   
   meters will be busy with test signals!"   
      
   Broadway said NVIS Antenna Day is not a contest but an activity focused on   
   having teams or individuals research and determine the NVIS antenna designs   
   they believe will work the best -- then build and test them on the air.   
      
   "The differences [among competing NVIS antennas] last year weren't as dramatic   
   as one might expect. Those fashioned after the military AS-2259 cross-dipole   
   configuration appeared to be the best, but other designs worked nearly as   
   well," Broadway pointed out. "We do understand that 'regular' antennas work   
   well also -- a lot has to do with band conditions."   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   ARRL Establishes "Youth Nets" Web Page: The new "Youth Nets" page on the ARRL   
   website is designed to serve as a clearing house for information about Amateur   
   Radio nets aimed at youth participation. During those dry spells between   
   bigger operating events such as School Club Roundup, Kids Day, and Field Day,   
   regular participation in a net helps to develop operating skills and   
   confidence, and it builds connections within the community of young hams. A   
   few nets are already listed, but ARRL invites any nets aimed at young radio   
   amateurs to post and share their information   
   on the ARRL "Youth Nets" web page.   
      
      
   Rose A. "Uti" Gandy, KS6FO, SK: Rose "Uti" Gandy, of Pago Pago, American   
   Samoa, died on March 25. She was 69 and had been an ARRL member. Uti Gandy was   
   the widow of the prominent contester and DXer Larry Gandy, AH8LG (SK). Uti   
   Gandy helped with the Swains Island DXpeditions and hosted the W1AW/KH8   
   operations during the ARRL Centennial. A service was set for April 7.   
      
      
   Voice of America Antenna Farm in North Carolina Leveled: A field of 48 antenna   
   towers that the Voice of America (VOA) once used to broadcast around the   
   world, was dropped by explosives on April 4. The VOA had not used the towers,   
   located in Beaufort County, North Carolina, for 10 years, although it still   
   broadcasts news and information to Latin America, Cuba, the Caribbean, and   
   Africa from antennas in a nearby county. According to news reports, it took   
   less than 1 minute to fell the towers, which were hauled away as scrap.   
   Television station WITN said the VOA site has been sold to the North Carolina   
   Wildlife Resources Commission for conservation. See the towers go down in this   
   WITN TV news report.   
      
      
   Steve Thomas, M1ACB, is New Radio Society of Great Britain General Manager:   
   Steve Thomas, M1ACB, has been appointed as the new general manager of the   
   Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). He will succeed Graham Coomber, G0NBI,   
   who is retiring. An RSGB volunteer since 2008, Thomas has a background in the   
   IT and telecoms industries. He has also served as a director of an   
   international standards organization and brings experience in contract,   
   project, and financial management. "He will be working with the Board to   
   review the Society's strategy, to ensure that the RSGB works effectively to   
   increase awareness and understanding of Amateur Radio, wireless science, and   
   its technologies, and also to make the hobby accessible to everyone," an RSGB   
   announcement said. Read more.   
      
      
   UK to Sell Off 750 MHz of Radio Spectrum: UK Chancellor of the Exchequer   
   George Osborne announced in the 2016 budget that 750 MHz of public sector   
   radio spectrum would be "released" (auctioned). The Amateur Service in the UK   
   currently shares significant spectrum with the public sector. "Budget 2016   
   announces a new government commitment that 750 MHz of valuable public sector   
   spectrum in bands below 10 GHz will be made available by 2022, of which 500   
   MHz will be made available by 2020," the document states. Previous spectrum   
   sell-offs have adversely impacted the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services.   
   In 2014 Ofcom announced that it would end Amateur Radio access to significant   
   portions of the 2.3 and 3.4 GHz bands. Read more.   
      
      
   Waynesboro, Georgia, SwapFest is April 23: The date of the Waynesboro,   
   Georgia, SwapFest was incorrect in the May edition of QST. The correct date is   
   Saturday, April 23, 9 AM-4 PM at American Legion Post 120. The Waynesboro   
   SwapFest is sponsored by the Burke Amateur Radio Club.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: All solar and geomagnetic indicators   
   declined again last week. Compared to the previous 7 days, from March 31   
   through April 6 the average daily sunspot number slipped from 28.1 to 19.4.   
   Average daily solar flux sank from 88.8 to 83.1, while average daily planetary   
   A index declined from 11.9 to 9.4. The average daily mid-latitude A index went   
   to 7.6 from 8.6.   
      
   The April 6 prediction had solar flux at 90 and 92 on April 7-8; 95 on April   
   9-10; 93 and 91 on April 11-12; 90 on April 13-14; 80 on April 15; 78 on April   
   16-17; 80 on April 18-22; 78 on April 23; 80 on April 24-28; 82 on April   
   29-May 1; 78 on May 2-5; 82 on May 6-7, and 80 on May 8-12. Solar flux then   
   continues to dither between 78 and 80 over the remainder of the 45-day   
   forecast.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 14, 12, and 8 on April 7-9; 5 on April 10-11;   
   12, 20, 15, and 8 on April 12-15; 5 on April 16-20; 8 on April 21-22; 5 and 12   
   on April 23-24; 10 on April 25-26; 8 on April 27; 5 on April 28-29; 22, 8, 15,   
   and 12 on April 30-May 3, and 8 on May 4-5.   
      
   The big factor in bringing the week's average sunspot number down by nearly 9   
   points was the fact that the daily sunspot number was 11 on March 31 through   
   April 2. A sunspot number of 11 is the lowest we can possibly observe, outside   
   of no sunspots (then the sunspot number is zero). Each sunspot group counts as   
   10 points, and these are added to the total number of sunspots, so a sunspot   
   number of 11 means that just one sunspot is visible.   
      
   Spaceweather.com reported that on April 7, Earth is expected to cross a fold   
   in the Heliospheric Current Sheet, which could trigger unsettled geomagnetic   
   conditions. The Heliospheric Current Sheet separates regions of solar wind   
   where the magnetic field points toward or away from the sun. See an animation   
   of this effect from 2001 until 2009.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for March 31 through April 6 were 11, 11, 11, 38, 23, 27, and   
   13, with a mean of 19.1. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 81.7, 82.1, 81.5, 82.3,   
   83.4, 83.4, and 87.1, with a mean of 83.1. Estimated planetary A indices were   
   7, 3, 22, 15, 7, 5, and 7, with a mean of 9.4. Estimated mid-latitude A   
   indices were 5, 2, 15, 13, 6, 5, and 7, with a mean of 7.6.   
      
   Send me your reports and observations!   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   This Week in Radiosport   
      
    *  April 9-10 -- JIDX CW Contest   
    *  April 9-10 -- PODXS 070 Club PSK 31 Flavors   
    *  April 9-10 -- OK/OM DX Contest (SSB)   
    *  April 9-10 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)   
    *  April 9-10 -- New Mexico QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  April 9-10 -- Georgia QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  April 9-10 -- Yuri Gagarin International DX Contest (CW)   
    *  April 10 -- International Vintage Contest HF (CW, phone)   
    *  April 10 -- Hungarian Straight Key Contest (CW)   
    *  April 11 -- 144 MHz Spring Sprint (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  April 13 -- NAQCC CW Sprint   
    *  April 13 -- RSGB 80 Meter SSB Club Championship   
      
   See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on   
   Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL   
   member profile e-mail preferences.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions and Events   
      
    *  April 8-9 -- Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma   
    *  April 9-10 -- Communications Academy, Seattle, Washington   
    *  April 15-17 -- International DX Convention, Visalia, California   
    *  April 15-17 -- VHF Super Conference, Sterling, Virginia   
    *  April 16 -- Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware   
    *  April 22-24 -- Idaho State Convention, Boise, Idaho   
    *  April 23 -- Aurora '16 Conference, White Bear Lake, Minnesota   
    *  April 23 -- Nebraska State Convention, Lincoln, Nebraska   
    *  April 29-May 1 -- Nevada State Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada   
    *  May 7 -- South Carolina Section Convention, Spartanburg, South Carolina   
    *  May 13-15 -- Rocky Mountain Division Convention, Keystone, Colorado   
    *  May 14 -- Iowa State Convention, Boone, Iowa   
    *  May 20-22 -- Dayton Hamvention, Dayton, Ohio   
    *  June 3-5 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon   
    *  June 4 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia   
    *  June 5 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,   
       Pennsylvania   
    *  June 10-11 -- West Gulf Division Convention, Irving, Texas   
    *  June 18 -- Tennessee State Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   Always Mount a Scratch Monkey   
      
   ... Waiter! Another round for my friends here!   
   ---   
    * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)