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|    mark lewis to all    |
|    The ARRL Letter for December 15, 2016    |
|    16 Dec 16 04:12:56    |
      If you are having trouble reading this message, you can see the original at:       http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/?issue=2016-12-15              The ARRL Letter              December 15, 2016       Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME               * Amateur Radio Parity Act Bill Unable to Overcome Florida Senator's        Objections        * IARU Continues Preparations for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019        * The Doctor Will See You Now!        * National Parks on the Air Update        * Commemorative Special Event Reenacts 1921 Amateur Radio Transatlantic        Reception        * Support ARRL and Earn an Extra 5,000 Points        * Radio Amateurs Assist in Wake of Indonesian Earthquake        * ARISS Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Plans for Future of Amateur Radio in        Human Spaceflight        * Middle School Students' "TubeSat" Set for ISS Deployment; Other Launches        Pending        * Mexico Not Yet Extending Operating Permission to Non-Mexican Radio        Amateurs        * Getting It Right!        * In Brief...        * The K7RA Solar Update        * Just Ahead in Radiosport        * Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions                     Amateur Radio Parity Act Bill Unable to Overcome Florida Senator's Objections              The Amateur Radio Parity Act, H.R. 1301, suffered an unbefitting demise on       December 9 as the 114th Congress drew to a close. After passing the House of       Representatives on a unanimous vote earlier this fall, the bill stalled in the       Senate due to the intervention of only one member, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL).       The measure would have directed the FCC to extend its rules relating to       reasonable accommodation of Amateur Service communications to private land-use       restrictions, such as covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) imposed       by homeowners associations.              "[During 2016] Nelson received thousands of e-mails, letters, and phone calls       from concerned constituents asking for his support of H.R. 1301. Numerous       meetings were held with his senior staff in an effort to move the legislation       forward," ARRL said in a news release. "Negotiations, which led to an       agreement with the Community Associations Institute (CAI), the national       association of homeowner's associations and publicly supported by CAI and       ARRL, were brushed aside by Sen. Nelson as irrelevant."              In a final meeting with Nelson's staff as the 114th Congress neared       adjournment, it became clear that no matter what was said or done, the Senator       would oppose the bill and refuse to allow it to move forward. Because the       measure had not been put on the floor schedule, the only way it could have       passed the Senate would have been through a process called "unanimous       consent." A Senate member may request unanimous consent on the floor to set       aside rules and expedite proceedings. If any single Senator objects, though,       the request is rejected.              The unhappy ending followed nearly 2 years of intense effort on the part of       ARRL and thousands of its members, who contacted their Congressional       representatives to urge their support of the measure on Capitol Hill. The       ARRL Board of Directors is expected to discuss the future of the initiative       at its January meeting.                            IARU Continues Preparations for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019              Work already is under way by the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) to       address agenda items of interest to Amateur Radio during the run-up to the       2019 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-19). The International       Telecommunication Union (ITU) convenes WRCs every 3 or 4 years; the last WRC       was in 2015. The IARU's prime focus is spectrum privileges -- gaining or       retaining spectrum for the Amateur Radio services and spectrum protection --       making sure that amateur spectrum remains available for use and free from       serious man-made interference. The IARU works within international standards       organizations and with regional telecommunication organizations to accomplish       its goals.              In the past month, IARU representatives have attended the European Conference       of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) Electronic       Communications Committee (ECC), CEPT's policy-making body. IARU was also       present at ITU Working Parties under Study Group 5 (SG5), which studies       matters related to terrestrial radiocommunication services, including the       Amateur Service. Working Party 5A met November 7-17, preparing for WRC-19 with       a focus that includes the Amateur Radio Services. Among other things, the       panel:               * Completed revisions to Recommendation ITU-R M.1732 dealing with        parameters to be used in sharing studies regarding the compatibility of        Amateur Service operations with other radio services, mainly in the        50-54 MHz band.        * Continued work on sharing and compatibility studies required for WRC-19        Agenda Item 1.1, which addresses an Amateur Radio allocation at 50-54        MHz in ITU Region 1, in common with what already is available in Regions        2 and 3. Sharing studies consider criteria under which spectrum can be        shared among different radio services.        * Addressed other WRC-19 agenda items that could impact the Amateur        Service.        * Updated the WP5A web document, "Guide to the use of ITU-R texts relating        to the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services."              IARU will continue to be active in ITU and regional telecommunication       organizations as preparations go forward for WRC-19. In the coming weeks, IARU       plans to participate in CEPT's Conference Preparatory Group for WRC-19 and in       its Project Team meetings.                            The Doctor Will See You Now!              "Antenna System Troubleshooting." is the topic of the latest (December 1)       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              The ARRL National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) program is on the verge of making       history. With less than 2 weeks to go until the program concludes on December       31, NPOTA Activators have made more than 995,000 contacts from National Park       Service units this year, and it appears certain that the count will top 1       million before year's end.              National Parks on the Air has proven to be one of the most successful and       popular on-air activities ARRL has ever created. Tens of thousands of radio       amateurs made at least one contact with an NPOTA Activator in 2016, and nearly       1,400 Activators went out and transmitted from a park. One million contacts       from portable operations -- many of them using under 100 W and simple wire       antennas -- is an amazing feat. Congratulations to every NPOTA Activator who       hit the trail this year and helped NPOTA to reach its goal!              But the fun isn't over yet! More than 30 NPOTA activations are scheduled       through the end of 2016, including Fort Scott National Historic Site in       Kansas, and the Amistad National Recreation Area in Texas. NPOTA Activators       have promised a burst of activity all across the country in the final week,       especially all day on Saturday, December 31. Work as many NPOTA stations as       you can!              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).                            Commemorative Special Event Reenacts 1921 Amateur Radio Transatlantic Reception              Radio amateurs in the US and in Scotland have reenacted the first successful       transatlantic reception of a shortwave Amateur Radio signal nearly a century       earlier. Special event station N1BCG in Greenwich, Connecticut, and GB2ZE in       Ardrossan, Scotland, completed contacts on SSB and on CW during the December       11 event. ARRL, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), and the Radio Club       of America (RCA) partnered to support the activity, organized by ARRL CEO Tom       Gallagher, NY2RF, and Clark Burgard, N1BCG, who loaned his history-rich call       sign for the occasion.              On December 11, 1921, in Ardrossan, Scotland, reception of a radio signal       transmitted from an RCA test station -- located in a small shack on the       Greenwich, Connecticut, property of Minton Cronkhite, 1BCG -- helped to usher       in the age of global communication. In Scotland, American Paul Godley, 2ZE,       clearly heard the signal using a receiver of his own design.              "These events are fun, because they're timely and cause us to focus on the       history and on the people who made history," Gallagher said. "We were very       pleased with the tenor of it and with the media coverage, and we were happy to       make the connection with GB2ZE, although we would have preferred to have made       it on 160 meters, where it would have been closer to the frequency used in       1921." The 1921 transatlantic test, on CW, was conducted on a wavelength of       230 to 235 meters (about 1.3 MHz). The ARRL transatlantic tests proved the       value of the shorter wavelengths, which had long been considered worthless for       long-distance communication.              Burgard spoke on 20-meter SSB with GB2ZE, operated by Jason O'Neill, GM7VSB,       in Ardrossan. A bit later, ARRL Field Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N,       chatted with GB2ZE on CW. "After working GB2ZE on 20 meters, I was reminded of       how much of a challenge the RCA ops had using 200 meters," Patton said.       "Hearing signals in Europe from across the Atlantic had to be a tremendous       thrill for Godley and the others listening."              The first message sent by Burgard from Greenwich to Ardrossan on Sunday       morning repeated the original 1921 text. Patton retransmitted the message 30       minutes later on CW.              Describing the special event as "a rewarding experience," Patton said the       entire team worked together to build a Field Day-style station in wintry       weather. The complement of equipment included what he called "a few fully       armed vintage AM stations," as well as modern gear. Among the older pieces was       a 1950s-era transmitter owned by rocker Joe Walsh, WB6ACU, of the Eagles.              Bruce Godley Littlefield and his sister Janice Taylor are grandchildren of       Paul Godley, 2ZE, who was at the Ardrossan, Scotland, receiving station in       1921.              The antennas were simple dipoles.              With about a dozen operators active, the special event logged nearly 525       contacts, more than 100 of them on AM, through conditions that were only fair.              To highlight the historical nature of the occasion, Godley's grandchildren       Bruce Godley Littlefield and his sister, Janice Taylor, visited, and       Littlefield brought his grandfather's complete log books of the experiment, as       well as numerous photos and letters from ARRL.              "We enjoyed the opportunity to reconnect the Godley history with that of ARRL       and the Radio Club of America," Littlefield said afterward.                            Support ARRL and Earn an Extra 5,000 Points              Apply for the ARRL Visa Signature(R) Card and, upon approval, enjoy a long       list of great everyday benefits. Plus now, as a special gift, you'll also earn       an additional 5,000 Bonus Points (subject to credit approval) on your account       after you make your first purchase.              Take advantage of these great everyday Signature Card benefits:               * One reward point for every eligible net $1 spent in purchases        * Redeem points for cash back, gift cards, merchandise, unrestricted        travel, and more. (Transactions qualify for double points, based on how        merchants classify the transaction.)        * Zero fraud liability        * Merchant upgrades, special offers, savings, and more.                            Radio Amateurs Assist in Wake of Indonesian Earthquake              Radio amateurs provided emergency communication support during the response to       a December 7 magnitude 6.5 earthquake in Indonesia's Aceh Province. The death       toll was reported at 100, with nearly 300 injured. The IARU Region 3 Disaster       Communications Committee's Dani Hidayat, YB2TJV, reported that it took 2 hours       for the ham radio group from the Indonesian Amateur Radio Organization       (ORARI), Aceh Region, to reach the earthquake zone.              A team led by Abdullah Ali, YB6AA, and Ismul Huda, YB6AG, and others supported       emergency communications in the field at Pidie Jaya. Zainal Abidin, YC6FZ, was       injured when his house collapsed, but his family was said to be safe; Huda       took Abidin to the Banda Aceh Hospital for treatment. YB2TJV reported that 40       meters and 2 meters were used for emergency traffic. The quake flattened       houses and buildings, caused infrastructure damage, and left large cracks in       roads in the worst-affected districts of Pidie Jaya and Pidie.              Search-and-rescue teams checked the rubble of hundreds of structures, and       displaced residents took shelter in a makeshift refugee camp. -- Thanks to Jim       Linton, VK3PC, chairman, IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee                            ARISS Celebrates 20th Anniversary, Plans for Future of Amateur Radio in Human       Spaceflight              ARISS-International delegates celebrated 20 years of Amateur Radio on the       International Space Station (ARISS) when they met November 15-18 at the       International Space Center Conference Facility in Houston, Texas, to continue       planning for the years ahead. More than 50 delegates and guests from Russia,       Japan, Italy, Germany, the UK, and North America took part, and        eleconferencing let individuals unable to attend in person to join the       proceedings. An international group interested in installing and operating an       Amateur Radio station on the ISS first met in November 1996 at Johnson Space       Center, and ARISS was born as a result of that gathering.              "The international partners celebrated the dedication and contributions of       volunteers who have sustained it over the challenges of the past 20 years,"       said ARRL Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, who attended on       behalf of ARRL. "It was clear that the vision to make the excitement of space       exploration accessible to students and the challenge of participating in space       activities through Amateur Radio is still very much alive." Rosalie White,       K1STO, also represented ARRL at the gathering.              Hardware sessions discussed finalizing designs for the Kenwood TM-D710GA       dual-band radio and interoperable radio system, which includes a new power       supply. Participants also heard a review of educational outcomes. Ronny       Risinger, KC5EES, a government teacher at Language Arts and Sciences Academy       in Austin, Texas, discussed classroom integration of ham radio and student       outcomes. Delegates also saw a demonstration of a standardized HamTV ground       receiver constructed by Ciaran Morgan, M0XTD.              "A vision of Amateur Radio in space exploration beyond the ISS was also       discussed and action taken to develop a position statement about the program's       intention to be involved in future journeys into space," Johnson recounted.       "This position statement will be used as a basis for discussions with key       industry leaders involved in projects in development for the next journeys to       the Moon and to Mars."              Contributions to ARISS are welcome via the ARISS website (click on the "Donate       to the ARISS Annual Fund" button) or via the AMSAT website (click on the       "ARISS Donate" button). Read more. -- Thanks to ARISS via AMSAT News Service       for some information                            Middle School Students' "TubeSat" Set for ISS Deployment; Other Launches       Pending              The cargo ship carrying the Tancredo-1 "TubeSat" -- so called because of its       cylindrical form factor -- launched on schedule from Japan on December 9.       Built by 10- to 14-year-old middle schoolers in Brazil, Tancredo-1 carries an       Amateur Radio payload. Tancredo-1 went into space inside the TuPOD TubeSat       deployer, which is expected to be ejected into space from the ISS on December       19 by the JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD). It will, in turn,       eject Tancredo-1 into orbit on December 21. Once in space, Tancredo-1 should       start transmitting telemetry.              Tancredo-1 is the first satellite of the UbatubaSat Project, a STEM initiative       at Tancredo Neves Public School in Ubatuba, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The project is       supported by the Brazilian Institute for Space Research and the Brazilian       Space Agency. Tancredo-1 will initially have the same orbit as the ISS. The       UbatubaSat project team and AMSAT-BR has asked for reception reports.       Tancredo-1 will transmit on 437.200 MHz using 1,200 bps AFSK AX.25. Submit       reports via e-mail. According to information filed with the IARU Satellite       Coordinator, Tancredo-1 has an onboard voice recorder that will transmit a       message chosen through a competition among students from schools in Ubatuba.              The December 9 launch also carried Turkey's UBAKUSAT CubeSat. Equipped with a       145/435 MHz (V/U) SSB/CW Amateur Radio transponder and a CW beacon, UBAKUSAT       will be deployed from the ISS next year. The satellite is being developed by       Istanbul Technical University's Space Systems Design and Test Lab (SSDTL)       along with the Turkish Amateur Satellite Technologies Organization (TAMSAT)       and other entities, including the Ministry of Transportation, Communication       and Maritime, in collaboration with the Japanese government.              On December 26, the China Center for Aerospace Science and Technology's BY70-1       satellite is expected to launch from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center into a       530-kilometer Sun-synchronous orbit. The 3-axis stabilized 2U CubeSat will       carry a Mode V/U FM transponder, with an uplink on 145.920 MHz, and a downlink       on 436.200 MHz              China's CAMSAT is reported to be working closely with a Beijing government       aerospace contractor to build two microsatellites with Amateur Radio linear       transponders -- CAS-4A and CAS-4B. Each spacecraft will carry a        0-centimeter/2-meter (U/V) 100 mW SSB/CW linear transponder, a 2-meter CW 50       mW telemetry beacon, and an AX.25 4.8 kbps GMSK 100 mW telemetry downlink. The       transponders will have the same technical characteristics, but will employ       different frequencies for their 70-centimeter uplinks and 2-meter downlinks.       Launch is anticipated in late March. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service, IARU                            Mexico Not Yet Extending Operating Permission to Non-Mexican Radio Amateurs              Broad changes in Mexico's radiocommunication regulatory environment 2 years       ago continue to hinder Amateur Radio licensing there and still do not provide       reciprocal permission for non-Mexican radio amateurs to operate south of the       border. Mexico's International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member society, the       Federation of Mexican Radio Amateurs (FMRE), has been working with the new       regulator, the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) to craft more       Amateur Radio-friendly licensing procedures and regulations, and there has       been a little positive movement. The new regulatory regime considers the radio       spectrum as an exploitable resource, and all former Amateur Radio regulations       have been deemed null and void.              FMRE's new president, Alfonso "Poncho" Tamez, XE2O, is spearheading the       society's negotiations with the IFT. At FMRE's National Convention in       September, IFT Commissioner Adriana Labardini announced to loud cheers that       her agency will get Amateur Radio licensing going again, after a 2-year delay.       FMRE has estimated that of the 3,500 existing Mexican Amateur Radio licenses       in place before the new law went into effect, more than 1,000 have expired and       their renewal was put on hold until the IFT works out procedural details. She       said the IFT expects to process more than 800 applications by year's end, with       another batch of more than 1,400 to follow. An initial license will cost about       $30 US. The status of Amateur Radio clubs has also been put in limbo by the       new regulatory regime.              A revised IFT draft of Amateur Radio licensing procedures included specific       provisions to grant Amateur Radio operating permission and to make licensing       requirements more consistent with the nature of the Amateur Radio service. But       significant gaps still exist. At this point, it is not even necessary to take       an examination to obtain an Amateur Radio license -- called a "concession" --       in Mexico.              While the IFT has not yet determined what to do about foreign radio amateurs       wishing to operate in Mexico, the agency has received 45 petitions to do so       and is considering how it can issue permits; a foreigner cannot obtain a       license under the new law, but may be given permission to operate as XE#/ |
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