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   http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-11-10   
      
   The ARRL Letter   
      
   November 10, 2016   
   Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME   
      
    *  Amateur Radio "Uniquely Situated" to be at Leading Edge Again, Conferees   
       Told   
    *  Naval Academy Students Planning CubeSat with HF Uplink   
    *  The Doctor Will See You Now!   
    *  National Parks on the Air Update   
    *  US JOTA 2016 "Flash Numbers" Show Participation was Up   
    *  Austrian Moonbounce Enthusiast Demonstrates Success with Small-Scale   
       Setup   
    *  Quest Continues for 1 kW Power Privileges in Australia   
    *  Reminder: NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative Application Deadline is   
       November 22   
    *  Free Cubes in Space(TM) Program Offers Opportunity for Youth to Put   
       Experiments into Space   
    *  Latest Edition of the ITU Radio Regulations is Available Online   
    *  DX Notes from All Over   
    *  Hurricane Watch Net Honors Bermuda Radio Amateur   
    *  Getting it Right!   
    *  In Brief...   
    *  The K7RA Solar Update   
    *  Just Ahead in Radiosport   
    *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions   
      
      
   Amateur Radio "Uniquely Situated" to be at Leading Edge Again, Conferees Told   
      
   The dawn of so-called "smart" -- or cognitive -- radio has presented Amateur   
   Radio with an opportunity to regain the leading edge in radio technology in   
   the near future. It will also alter our view of [ARRL_TAPR.JPG] spectrum as a   
   limited resource. Those points and others were part of a forward-looking,   
   tag-team Sunday Seminar presentation, "Spectrum (It's the frequency crunch for   
   real)," by Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, and Bob McGwier, N4HY, at the 2016 ARRL   
   and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), September 16-18 in St.   
   Petersburg, Florida. Thompson heads the AMSAT Ground Terminal Team, a   
   component of the Phase 4B geosynchronous satellite project. McGwier is chief   
   scientist at the Hume Center for National Security and Technology at Virginia   
   Tech. This week, HamRadioNow made the entire 3-hour presentation available as   
   part of its conference coverage: HamRadioNow Episode 276 Parts 1, 2, and 3.   
      
   "If you put the smarts in the radio, what can possibly go wrong?" quipped   
   Thompson, pointing to an example that demonstrated how sufficiently   
   complicated technology is also more likely to fail.   
      
   Thompson said cognitive radio technology will alter the paradigm of treating   
   spectrum as if it were land. "Spectrum is immediately reusable," she said,   
   "and land is not." Regulation and spectrum allocation have been necessary to   
   manage interference among services, but smart radios can avoid collisions   
   among users, she said.   
      
   "[I]t hasn't been until fairly recently that we've been able to inexpensively   
   and quickly reconfigure a radio," she said. Thompson's Phase 4B project will   
   take maximum advantage of cognitive radio technology, which can -- among other   
   things -- determine an optimal clear frequency, mode, and path on the fly,   
   transparently, and without human intervention.   
      
   McGwier called the computer "the tidal wave that has swept over Amateur   
   Radio." And, he predicted, "It is going to bring us back to becoming technical   
   innovators." He said radio amateurs "are uniquely situated to be the leading   
   edge in radio again."   
      
   McGwier said the innovation needed in Amateur Radio will come about through   
   what he called "Amateur Radio freedom," that encourages experimentation and   
   thinking outside the box. "It's the ultimate democratic assignment of   
   frequencies in the world," he said.   
      
   He painted a picture of intelligent radio technology that will operate like   
   the human brain. "It's going to design the radio on the fly, from scratch,   
   without a subject-matter expert involved," he said. "The radio will be done by   
   artificial intelligence, from beginning to end. The object becomes not the   
   radio, but the activity it allows."   
      
   Responding to a question, McGwier conceded that today's hams may balk at this   
   sort of paradigm shift, since it's far removed from how most Amateur Radio   
   communication takes place today. But he said embracing smart radio technology   
   is what will attract a younger generation of new hams.   
      
   "We need to not limit what these kids can do with Amateur Radio," he   
   maintained. "They are going to outdo us, if we only allow them. We can't limit   
   them, because this is a fundamental paradigm shift."   
      
   Predicted McGwier: "You will not recognize your world in 10 years." The   
   HamRadioNow presentation also is available in audio format, and a highly   
   condensed 11-minute synopsis is available on YouTube. -- Thanks to Gary   
   Pearce, KN4AQ/HamRadioNow   
      
      
      
   Naval Academy Students Planning CubeSat with HF Uplink   
      
   Students at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, are planning an   
   Amateur Radio CubeSat -- dubbed HFSAT -- that would carry an HF transponder as   
   a primary payload as well as 2-meter APRS as a secondary mission when power is   
   available. The 1.5 U CubeSat will have a linear uplink at 21.4 MHz and a   
   downlink at 29.42 MHz.   
      
   "HFSAT is a small 1.5 U CubeSat that will demonstrate the viability of HF   
   satellite communications as a back-up communication system using existing   
   ubiquitous HF radios that are often a part of every amateur station," said   
   USNA Instructor Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, who developed APRS. Bruninga said HFSAT   
   would be similar to the 1990s-era RS-12/13 Russian Amateur Radio satellite.   
      
   "HFSAT will continue the long tradition of small amateur satellites designed   
   by students and hams at the US Naval Academy," Bruninga told ARRL. The uplink   
   will be at 21.4 MHz and downlink at 29.42 MHz, similar to [earlier] Mode K HF   
   satellites. No launch has yet been identified." Bruninga said HFSAT would be   
   gravity gradient-stabilized by its full-sized, 10-meter, thin-wire, half-wave   
   dipole.   
      
   Other unique features of HFSAT include its APRS telemetry command-and-control   
   capability. "For VHF the students have modified a popular Byonics.com MTT4B   
   all-in-one APRS Tiny-Track4 module for telemetry, command, and control to fit   
   on a single 3.4-inch square card inside the CubeSat, that they will use for   
   this and for future CubeSats," Bruninga said. The students are working with   
   Bill Ress, N6GHZ, on the HF transponder card, which will provide a bandwidth   
   of 30 kHz, employing an inverting transponder to minimize Doppler. Todd   
   Bruner, WB1HAI, will be the HFSAT control operator.   
      
   Bruninga said the HF transponder is a follow-on from the USNA's existing PSAT   
   10-meter PSK31 transponder, still operational. HFSAT's telemetry downlink will   
   be captured via stations in the worldwide ground-station network. The packet   
   link is a secondary mission compared to the HF transponder on this spacecraft.   
      
   Once HFSAT is in space, Bruninga recommended using a vertical HF antenna,   
   because it would match well with the antenna patterns and geometry of Low   
   Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. "When low on the horizon, both the satellite and   
   the user antennas are in their main lobes, providing maximum gain at the   
   distant horizons," Bruninga said. "At the higher elevations, the satellite is   
   6 dB to 10 dB closer, significantly making up for the reduced antenna pattern   
   geometry."   
      
   He said hams would be able to use "simple, manual" pass-prediction tools, much   
   as they used the old Oscar Locator in the early years of Amateur Radio   
   satellites.   
      
      
      
   The Doctor Will See You Now!   
      
   "Anderson Powerpole Connectors, and Antenna Polarization" are the topics of   
   the latest (November 3) episode of the "ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast.   
   Listen...and learn!   
      
   Sponsored by DX Engineering, "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative   
   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 also e-mail your questions to doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor   
   may answer them 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 at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the   
   site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android   
   devices.   
      
   If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's guide.   
      
      
      
   National Parks on the Air Update   
      
   A couple of milestones were reached in the ARRL National Parks on the Air   
   (NPOTA) program last week. Washington, DC-based Activator Paul Stoetzer, N8HM,   
   became the first amateur to activate from all 28 NPOTA units in DC, completing   
   that feat on November 7.   
      
   Pete Kobak, K0BAK, also deserves credit for activating all of the NPS units in   
   the Eastern Pennsylvania Section. These include some difficult urban units in   
   Philadelphia.   
      
   These are two examples of the efforts that Activators are putting forth to   
   achieve 1 million total NPOTA contacts by year's end. Activity remains strong,   
   with more than 25,000 contacts uploaded to Logbook of The World every week.   
      
   Fifty-four activations are scheduled for November 10-16, including Theodore   
   Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York, and Dry Tortugas   
   National Park in Florida.   
      
   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).   
      
      
      
   US JOTA 2016 "Flash Numbers" Show Participation was Up   
      
   According to the US Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) 2016 "flash numbers,"   
   participation swelled in the annual Scouting event this fall. JOTA Coordinator   
   Jim Wilson, K5ND, released the preliminary report last weekend.   
      
   "After sifting through the reports and eliminating a few duplicates along with   
   reports from countries outside the US, we've compiled the early flash   
   numbers," Wilson said. "The great news is that there have been some excellent   
   increases in participation."   
      
   The total number of Scouts taking part was up by 51% to 10,761, while the   
   visitor total was up by 30% to 6,668. Perhaps the best news was an increase in   
   the number of stations reporting -- up by 28% to 267 this year, just short of   
   the record 271 in 2013.   
      
   After station reports slumped last year, the Boy Scouts made a big push that   
   included prize drawings to encourage participants to file post-JOTA reports.   
   Station registrations dropped by 15% this fall to 295. Jamboree on the   
   Internet (JOTI) registrations were up from 100 last year, to 505 this time   
   around.   
      
   The stats showed that the number of Amateur Radio operators was up by 14% to   
   1,120, but they used fewer radios -- down 25% in 2016 to 631.   
      
   "The next steps are to do further analysis and finalize the report for full   
   publication," Wilson said. "We'll be sifting through the written reports and   
   suggestions, finding memorable quotes, and photos/videos, as well as searching   
   for other insight. We know for starters that there was far more interest this   
   year in JOTA-JOTI from Scout leaders and parents, based on the new 2016 Arrow   
   of Light award requirement."   
      
   Wilson said he expects to have the final report out by month's end. The grand   
   prize winner of the drawing for an Icom ID-51A Plus, donated by Icom America,   
   was Leroy Wignot, WA4OTD.   
      
      
      
   Austrian Moonbounce Enthusiast Demonstrates Success with Small-Scale Setup   
      
   Hannes Fasching, OE5JFL, of Braunau am Inn, Austria, has demonstrated that you   
   don't need a huge antenna system to operate EME (moonbounce) successfully.   
   Fasching fired up for the October 22-23 weekend of the ARRL EME Contest, using   
   a small horn antenna on 1.2 GHz.   
      
   "Because of other commitments I had only a few hours to be QRV in the first   
   part of the ARRL EME Contest," he said in a Moon-Net post on October 26. "As   
   tests with my recently built 23-centimeter horn antenna were promising, I   
   decided to give it a try to work some stations."   
      
   Fasching placed the horn on his balcony with an 80 W solid-state amplifier.   
   Operating WSJT, he logged contacts with Switzerland, Russia, Germany, and the   
   Czech Republic.   
      
   He also heard stations in the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, and Italy on   
   digital modes and in the UK, Czech Republic, Denmark, and Italy on CW.   
   Fasching, who also has a 7.3-meter homemade dish, has uploaded recordings of   
   some EME signals to his website, along with the results of tests with his   
   small system.   
      
      
      
   Quest Continues for 1 kW Power Privileges in Australia   
      
   On the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) VK1WIA National News, WIA   
   Director Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH, recently remarked on efforts to raise the   
   Amateur Radio power limit to 1 kW there. A 1 kW limit was trialed in   
   2012-2013, but Harrison said he does not expect the Australian Communications   
   and Media Authority (ACMA) to repeat that test.   
      
   The central issue comes down to that of compliance with electromagnetic   
   radiation standards in Australia," Harrison said, not what other countries may   
   allow. He noted that radiocommunication regulation in Australia is embodied   
   both in license conditions and in compliance with electromagnetic radiation   
   standards, and ACMA has a responsibility to ensure that emissions from all   
   radio transmitting systems do not expose the public to harm.   
      
   "In fulfilling that responsibility, the ACMA needs to know where possibly   
   harmful transmitter systems are located and that such locations are recorded   
   on a license," Harrison continued. "With that understanding, the [WIA]   
   Spectrum Strategy Committee is working with ACMA to develop suitable   
   procedures under which amateurs interested in running high power can make an   
   application that meets the ACMA's technical and regulatory requirements. Talks   
   are continuing." -- Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio News; WIA   
      
      
      
   Reminder: NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative Application Deadline is November 22   
      
   The application deadline to take part in NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative   
   (CSLI) is Tuesday, November 22. NASA has invited accredited education   
   institutions, nonprofit organizations, and NASA centers to join the adventure   
   and challenge of space, while helping the agency to achieve its exploration   
   goals. Many research CubeSats launched as part of the CSLI have carried   
   Amateur Radio payloads.   
      
   CSLI provides CubeSat developers with a low-cost pathway to space, in order to   
   conduct research that advances NASA's strategic goals in science, exploration,   
   technology development, education, and operations. The initiative provides   
   students, teachers, and faculty members with a chance to gain hands-on flight   
   hardware development experience by designing, building, and operating small   
   research satellites. NASA will announce its selections by February 17, 2017;   
   selection does not guarantee a launch opportunity. Selected experiments are   
   considered auxiliary payloads on NASA launches or for International Space   
   Station deployment starting next year and continuing through 2020. More   
   information on CSLI is on the NASA website. -- Thanks to NASA   
      
      
      
   Free Cubes in Space(TM) Program Offers Opportunity for Youth to Put   
   Experiments into Space   
      
   The free Cubes in Space(TM) program provides students ages 11 to 18 an   
   opportunity to design and compete to launch an experiment into space at no   
   cost. Cubes in Space is offered by idoodledu inc, in partnership with the NASA   
   Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility, the Colorado Space   
   Grant Consortium, and the NASA Langley Research Center.   
      
   Based on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), the   
   global education initiative enables students to learn about space exploration   
   using innovative problem-solving and inquiry-based learning methods.   
   Participants have access to resources that help prepare them to design and   
   develop an experiment to be integrated into a small cube.   
      
   There are two launch opportunities in 2017 -- into space via sounding rocket   
   from Wallops Island or via high-altitude balloon, launched from NASA's   
   Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in New Mexico.   
      
   The registration deadline is January 6, 2017. E-mail or visit the Cubes in   
   Space website for more information, or call (888) 735-4565. -- Thanks to AMSAT   
   News Service via NASA   
      
      
      
   Latest Edition of the ITU Radio Regulations is Available Online   
      
   What the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) calls "The global treaty   
   behind your mobile communications" -- the ITU Radio Regulations (2016 edition)   
   -- now is available online and at no cost via the ITU website. Published in   
   ITU's six official languages, the new edition of the Radio Regulations is also   
   available for purchase in hard copy format and as a multilingual DVD.   
      
   "Following the successful completion of World Radiocommunication Conference   
   2015, I am pleased to announce the issue of the ITU Radio Regulations, edition   
   of 2016, which will come into force for all the signatory parties on 1 January   
   2017," said Fran‡ois Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau.   
   Calling the treaty "an incredible success story," ITU Secretary-General Houlin   
   Zhao noted that the global treaty upon which mobile communication and other   
   uses of wireless technology internationally depend, will celebrate its 110th   
   anniversary this year.   
      
   Delegates to the World Radiocommunication Seminar (WRS-16) in Geneva this   
   December will mark the occasion. -- Thanks to ITU (media release)   
      
      
      
   DX Notes from All Over   
      
   The ZL7G DXpedition to Chatham Island wrapped up on November 9 after logging   
   more than 42,000 contacts, including nearly 3,000 of them on RTTY. The   
   DXpedition team has dismantled stations and antennas and plans to depart the   
   island on November 19. Chatham Island was number 95 on the ClubLog DXCC Most   
   Wanted List.   
      
   "We continued with RTTY (2,900 QSOs now) and had hoped for one last grey line   
   on 160," a team news release said. "However, thunderstorms over New Zealand   
   and Australia meant that 160-meter QSOs on the morning of [November 9] were   
   hard to come by."   
      
   Earlier, the team had complained of "dire HF conditions," although things did   
   improve. ZL7G recorded nearly 10,400 contacts with North American stations,   
   more than 16,400 with stations in Europe, and nearly 14,000 with Asian   
   stations. The contact count with stations in Africa and Asia were only in the   
   triple digits. Complete results of the DXpedition are available on the ClubLog   
   website.   
      
      
   Rebounding from his aborted "Cows Over the World" DXpedition, Tom Callas,   
   KC0W, commenced a CW-only operation from the Philippines on November 8, as   
   4I7COW. This marks the first time the 4I7 prefix has been used. The Minnesota   
   DXer plans to focus on 160 meters. He will operate from 4I7COW until November   
   22.   
      
   Callas was forced to abruptly cancel the rest of his "Cows Over the World"   
   Pacific DXpeditions earlier this fall, after his belongings were stolen in   
   Kiribati.   
      
   After he returns to the US, Callas plans to travel to Equatorial Guinea, where   
   he will apply in person for 3C and 3C0 call signs. Given the complexity of the   
   Equatorial Guinea licensing process, Callas has said he believes it's best to   
   make the preliminary trip to submit all 20 documents required for each call   
   sign and increase his chances of getting the ones he wants.   
      
   He plans to activate Annobon (3C0) and Equatorial Guinea (3C) in January for   
   at least 25 days from each entity. He may do some SSB operation too, but no   
   digital modes. Annobon is number 35 on the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List,   
   while Equatorial Guinea is number 43.   
      
      
   Peripatetic DXer Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT, will be part of a team that will   
   activate Myanmar (XZ), November 15-22. Joining him will be Champ Muangamphun,   
   E21EIC; Franz Langner, DJ9ZB, and Madison Jones, W5MJ. The primary purpose of   
   the trip is to support the Olympic and Paralympic Committee in Myanmar.   
      
   Activity will be on 80 through 10 meters on CW, SSB, and RTTY, with two   
   stations. The call sign has not yet been announced. Myanmar is number 49 on   
   the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List.   
      
      
   Ken Opskar, LA7GIA, is heading to the Central African Republic, hoping to get   
   on the air as TL8AO on November 11. He'll be there until November 22, running   
   400 W to a variety of antennas, mostly on CW, on 80 through 10 meters. He will   
   upload his log to Logbook of The World.   
      
      
   Yath Yoshikawa, JG2MLI, will head back to the Japanese Polar Research Syowa   
   Station on East Ongul Island to operate with the commemorative call sign   
   8J60JARE, marking the 60th anniversary of the Japanese Antarctic Research   
   Expedition (JARE) from January 2017 until January 2018. He will operate SSB,   
   CW, RTTY, and digital modes on 40 through 10 meters and will post his logs to   
   Club Log.   
      
      
   CW operator Tony Wanschura, KM0O, will be on the air November 19-28 --   
   including the CQ World Wide DX CW Contest -- from Vientiane, Laos, as XW0YO.   
   He'll be on CW and SSB (but not RTTY) on 160 through 10 meters. "Fortunately,   
   in this time of low solar activity and weak signals, this particular QTH has   
   virtually zero noise," he said. -- Thanks to KC0W, The Daily DX, DX-World, and   
   the ZL7G team   
      
      
      
   Hurricane Watch Net Honors Bermuda Radio Amateur   
      
   The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has recognized one of its longtime members,   
   Antony "Tony" Siese, VP9HK. HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, announced on   
   October 20 that the net would confer upon Siese the title of "Honorary   
   Member," in recognition of his 31 years of service. Graves said Siese is the   
   first non-manager to be named an Honorary Member.   
      
   VP9HK joined the HWN in 1985, although, he said, he took a "sabbatical" last   
   year. In 2003, his reports during Hurricane Fabian gave forecasters at the   
   National Hurricane Center valuable ground-truth information and insight as to   
   what the storm was doing in Bermuda, Graves said, earning Siese the Message in   
   a Bottle Award from W4EHW (now WX4NHC) for the 2003 Hurricane Season.   
      
   "It is very rare for any individual to be so dedicated to an organization,   
   especially as a volunteer," Graves said. "Tony, on behalf of the Hurricane   
   Watch Net, thank you for all you have done and continue to do."   
      
   Siese was first licensed in the UK as G4CIL in the 1970s. He's lived in   
   Bermuda for more than 52 years. -- Thanks to the Hurricane Watch Net   
      
      
      
   Getting it Right!   
      
   In the story "Rule Making Petition to FCC Calls for Vanity Call Sign Rule   
   Changes" in The ARRL Letter for November 3, 2016, the correct number of the   
   Petition for Rule Making is RM-11775. Interested parties may comment using the   
   FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). Comments are due within 30 days   
   of the October 26 posting date.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   In Brief...   
      
   The American Legion Amateur Radio Club Sponsoring Veterans Day Special Event:   
   American Legion members will honor fellow veterans with a special event on   
   Veterans Day, Friday, November 11. The American Legion Amateur Radio Club   
   (TALARC) will sponsor the activity, which will begin on the HF bands at 1400   
   UTC and conclude at 2130 UTC, using the call sign K9TAL. Operators who contact   
   the station are eligible to receive a full-color commemorative certificate by   
   sending a 9x12 self-addressed, stamped envelope to The American Legion Amateur   
   Radio Club, 700 N Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis, IN 46204. -- Thanks to Ed   
   Brown, AA3EB   
      
      
   ARISS Packet System on Board the ISS Switched to UHF Due to the recent failure   
   of the Ericsson VHF radio in the ISS Columbus module, the Amateur Radio on the   
   International Space Station (ARISS) APRS packet system that normally operates   
   145.825 MHz has not been available. Crew member Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD, has   
   activated an ARISS UHF radio that had been in storage on the ISS, and it is   
   now operational on 437.550 MHz. The packet system uses the same protocol as   
   the VHF system. Operators using the system should adjust for increased Doppler   
   shift at UHF. The ARISS team is currently   
   working on Kenwood TM-D710GA models to replace all Amateur Radio transceivers   
   on board the ISS. The target date for delivery is late 2017. -- Thanks to ARISS   
      
      
   Papers Solicited for 2017 Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference Organizers for   
   the 2017 Eastern VHF/UHF Microwave Conference have issued a first call for   
   papers. The event will take place April 21-23, 2017, at Baymont Inn in   
   Manchester, Connecticut. Papers on all VHF-and-up activities are invited, from   
   operating, contesting, and propagation to antennas, amplifiers, low-noise   
   preamps, homebrewing, microwaves, moonbounce, Arduinos, and more. Photos of   
   projects are especially welcome. For more information, contact Paul Wade,   
   W1GHZ. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via the Microwave List   
      
      
   Video of Forum Explaining How Ham Radio Clubs Can Obtain Tax-Exempt Status Now   
   Available: A video of the presentation by Certified Public Accountant Lynn   
   Baxter, W0LTB, at the New England Amateur Radio Festival (NEAR-Fest) in   
   October is now available online. Most radio clubs are set up as nonprofit   
   corporations, but this does not mean that they are tax exempt under section   
   501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax code. Some changes that   
   took place in 2014 simplified the process for smaller organizations with less   
   than $50,000 in annual gross revenues and reduced the amount of red tape. In   
   the presentation, Baxter explains how clubs and nonprofits can attain   
   501(c)(3) status under the new rules and how to file a simple online annual   
   report to maintain that status, which, under some circumstances, would allow   
   Amateur Radio clubs to accept donations and issue receipts for tax purposes,   
   as well as enjoy other benefits. -- Thanks to Mike Crestohl, W1RC   
      
      
   Changes Made to 60-Meter Allocations in Portugal and Finland: Jos‚ E. Ribeiro   
   S , CT1EEB, has reported on changes to Portugal's 60-meter allocation, which   
   includes some of the existing discrete channels plus a new contiguous band. He   
   said his just-renewed, 60-meter band license authorizes him to operate CW and   
   SSB on 5,371.5 kHz and 5,403.5 kHz, as well as on 5,351.5 kHz to 5,366.5 kHz.   
   He said his license specifies no power limit. In Finland, Jari Jussila, OH2BU   
   (aka OH2P on 60 meters), reported that radio amateurs there should gain access   
   to 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz, starting on January 1, with 15 W EIRP. The 60-meter   
   band in Finland is divided into sub-bands by mode bandwidth. Amateur Radio is   
   secondary on all 60-meter allocations. -- Thanks to Southgate Amateur Radio   
   News   
      
      
      
   The K7RA Solar Update   
      
   Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: At 0002 UTC on November 9, this geomagnetic   
   warning was distributed by Australia's Space Forecast Centre: Increased   
   geomagnetic activity expected due to coronal hole high-speed wind stream and   
   possible glancing blow from CME [coronal mass ejection] associated with   
   November 5 filament on November 9-10 2016. The Centre said the forecast for   
   November 10 is "Active."   
      
   But the USAF Ap forecast predicts the disturbance will occur perhaps a few   
   days later. The USAF forecast was issued about 21 hours later than the   
   Australian forecast.   
      
   Predicted planetary A index is 8, 14, 26, 20, 12, and 8 on November 10-15; 5   
   on November 16-18; 8, 15, 54, 42, and 24 on November 19-23; 18, 22, 18, 12,   
   and 10 on November 24-28; 8 on November 29-30; 5 on December 1-3; 8, 20, and 8   
   on December 4-6; 10, 12, and 20 on December 7-9; 18, 10, and 8 on December   
   10-12; 5 on December 13-15; 8, 15, 54, 42, and 24 on December 16-20.   
      
   Predicted solar flux is 80 on November 10-12; 85 on November 13-14; 90 on   
   November 15-16; 78 on November 17-18; 77 and 75 on November 19-20; 78 on   
   November 21-22; 79 on November 23-25; 78 on November 26; 77 on November 27-28;   
   76 on November 29-30; 77 on December 1-3; 75 on December 4-5, and 78 on   
   December 6-15.   
      
   Sunspot numbers for November 3 through 9 were 23, 25, 24, 23, 24, 0, and 12,   
   with a mean of 18.7. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 75.6, 76.7, 76.7, 76.2,   
   76.5, 76.9, and 79.9, with a mean of 76.9. Estimated planetary A indices were   
   18, 5, 3, 5, 4, 3, and 7, with a mean of 6.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices   
   were 12, 3, 2, 4, 2, 2, and 5, with a mean of 4.3.   
      
   Were you active in the ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW) last weekend? Send me a   
   report of your observations.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
   Just Ahead in Radiosport   
      
    *  November 12-13 -- WAE DX Contest (RTTY)   
    *  November 12-13 -- 10-10 International Fall Contest (Digital)   
    *  November 12-13 -- JIDX Phone Contest   
    *  November 12-13 -- OK/OM DX Contest (CW)   
    *  November 12-13 -- SKCC Weekend Sprintathon (CW)   
    *  November 12-13 -- Kentucky QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  November 12-14 -- CQ-WE Contest (CW, phone, digital)   
    *  November 17 -- NAQCC CW Sprint   
      
   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   
      
    *  November 12-13 -- Indiana State Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana   
    *  November 19 -- Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama   
    *  December 9-10 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,   
       Florida   
    *  January 8 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage, New   
       York   
    *  January 14 -- TechFest 2017 Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia   
    *  January 20-21 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas   
    *  January 21 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia   
    *  January 22-28 -- QuartzFest Convention, Quartzsite, Arizona   
    *  January 27-28 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi   
    *  January 27-29 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico   
    *  February 3-4 -- Southern Florida Section Convention, Ft. Lauderdale,   
       Florida   
    *  February 4 - South Carolina State Convention, North Charleston, South   
       Carolina   
    *  February 4 -- Virginia State Convention, Richmond, Virginia   
    *  February 10-12 -- Southeastern Division Convention (HamCation), Orlando,   
       Florida   
    *  February 17-18 -- Arizona Section Convention, Yuma, Arizona   
    *  February 25 -- West Central Florida Section Technical Conference,   
       Sarasota, Florida   
      
   Find conventions and hamfests in your area.   
      
   ____________________________________________________________________________   
      
      
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