The ARRL Letter
Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************
February 2, 2012
Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL Home Page ARRL Letter Archive
Audio News
IN THIS ISSUE
- + WRC-12: The First Week
- + WRC-12: Agenda Item 1.23 Update
- + FCC News: FCC Sets Date for Medical Devices on 70 cm
- + ARRL HQ: Save the Date! Take a Virtual Tour of W1AW on February 12
- + ARRL HQ: Volunteer Tour Guides Make Your Visit to ARRL Headquarters
Pleasant and Informative
- +ARRL Field Day: 2012 Field Day Packet Now Available
- ARRL in Action: What Have We Been Up to Lately?
- + On the Air: 4U1ITU now 4U1WRC During WRC-12
- Solar Update
- This Week in Radiosport
- + ARRL Congratulates: Ralph Taggart, WB8DQT , Wins January QST Cover
Plaque Award
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
+ Available on ARRL Audio News .
> + WRC-12: THE FIRST WEEK
By IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2012 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) began January 23 in Geneva,
Switzerland. This is the "big show" for spectrum allocation matters and
a very important meeting if you are an Amateur Radio operator anywhere
in the world. Every four or five years, a WRC takes place; the last one
was in 2007. Approximately 3000 people are attending WRC-12. These are
government officials, telecommunication industry people and others --
like the IARU -- who have an interest in the use of the radio spectrum.
The agenda items discussed during WRC-12 were established at the
previous WRC in 2007. In the past 4.5 years, there have been many
committee meetings within the ITU to try to arrive at solutions that
will satisfy each of the agenda items. In the case of some of the
agenda items, several possible methods to satisfy the agenda item have
been identified. It is up to the WRC to select the most appropriate
method to satisfy the agenda item, that is, to arrive at a worldwide
solution to the issue presented in the agenda item. Read more here
.
> + WRC-12: AGENDA ITEM 1.23 UPDATE
According to Colin Thomas, G3PSM, CEPT Coordinator for Agenda Item
1.23, WRC-12 delegates are progressing with what he calls a "compromise
proposal" for an MF secondary allocation to the Amateur Radio Service.
Agenda Item 1.23 calls for WRC-12 delegations to consider an allocation
of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415-526.5 kHz to the Amateur
Service on a secondary basis, taking into account the need to protect
existing services.
"Progress was made with a compromise proposal on Agenda Item 1.23,
drafted to take into consideration the views of those for and those
against an amateur service allocation around 500 kHz," Thomas
explained. "This proposal suggests a 7 kHz segment between 472-479 kHz,
very close to the CEPT position of 472-480 kHz
.
Initial indications are that this could be acceptable to many
administrations and regional organizations. However, various meetings
need to take place to have these formally accepted. In order to tidy up
the draft for the next meeting of the sub-working group, a weekend
meeting of the drafting group will be held. At the time of writing
[Saturday, January 28], the NOC (No Change) advocates steadfastly
maintain their positions."
> + FCC NEWS: FCC SETS DATE FOR MEDICAL DEVICES ON 70 CM
In November 2011, FCC Commissioners unanimously agreed
to allocate spectrum and adopt service and technical rules for the
utilization of new implanted medical devices that operate on 413-457
MHz (70 cm). These devices will be used on a secondary basis as part of
the Medical Device Radiocommunication (MedRadio) Service in Part 95 of
the FCC rules. In the Federal Register for Friday, January 27
, the FCC
announced that the effective date for these new rules is Monday,
February 27. The new rules expand the existing MedRadio Service rules
to permit the use of new wideband medical implant devices that employ
neuromuscular microstimulation techniques to restore sensation,
mobility, and other functions to paralyzed limbs and organs. These
medical devices hold enormous promise to advance the state of medical
care, lower health costs, and improve the quality of life for countless
Americans. The rules will allow these new types of MedRadio devices to
access 24 megahertz of spectrum in the 413-419, 426-432, 438-444, and
451-457 MHz bands on a secondary basis.
> + ARRL HQ: SAVE THE DATE! TAKE A VIRTUAL TOUR OF W1AW ON FEBRUARY
12
Join W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, on a virtual tour of W1AW,
the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station
, the Amateur Radio station at
ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut. Carcia will lead this tour
via a live webcast on Sunday, February 12 at 5 PM EST (2200 UTC).
Anyone with an Internet connection will be able to watch the tour here
.
"We want viewers of this live Internet tour to feel as if they are
actually at W1AW," Carcia explained. "If you came to W1AW in person,
you would see the same things that we are going to show on the virtual
tour: The three operating stations, the W1AW workshop, the transmitter
racks that we use to send out our bulletins and use for the code
practice transmission, the control console and Old Betsy
, Hiram Percy Maxim's
personal spark gap transmitter."
Al Petrunti, KA1TCH, of the New Day Group ,
will follow Carcia as he leads viewers through the station. ARRL Staff
members, including Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts,
W1AGP, and Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, as well as
local television weatherman Geoff Fox, K1GF ,
will also be on hand at W1AW during the tour.
"Hams around the world know of W1AW, and thousands have made contacts
with this impressive station -- but most hams never get to see it,"
Pitts said. "Thanks to Al Petrunti's group, we hope that folks enjoy
seeing what's at the other end of the signals. As in all live
broadcasts, you never know just what might happen. We invite you to
join us." Pitts is producing the live web tour.
This is the second video that the New Day Group has made for the ARRL.
In 2011, they created the HR 607 video
that educated radio amateurs of a bill in Congress that addressed
certain spectrum management issues, including the creation and
maintenance of a nationwide Public Safety broadband network using
current Amateur Radio spectrum.
> + ARRL HQ: VOLUNTEER TOUR GUIDES MAKE YOUR VISIT TO ARRL
HEADQUARTERS PLEASANT AND INFORMATIVE
When you visit ARRL Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, the
first smiling face you're likely to see is a tour guide. ARRL's Tour
Guide program now includes 19 volunteers who donate thousands of hours
of their free time per year, giving tours to hundreds of visitors.
ARRL's tour guides are an integral part of the ARRL. When not giving
tours, they are busy accomplishing tasks in various HQ departments --
sorting QSL cards, working on special projects in the lab, updating the
periodicals archive, and much, much more. Read more here
.
> +ARRL FIELD DAY: 2012 FIELD DAY PACKET NOW AVAILABLE
It's that time of year again -- time to start gearing up for ARRL
Field Day, June 23-24, 2012! 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, 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. A brief one-page flyer with basic "What is
Field Day" information has also been included in this year's Field Day
packet. Amateur Radio clubs and individuals are encouraged to reproduce
this flyer as a handout for information tables.
> ARRL IN ACTION: WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO LATELY?
This feature is a concise monthly update of some of the things that
the ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment -- which
covers the month of January -- takes a look the 2012 World
Radiocommunication Conference, the ARRL Board of Directors' 2012 Annual
Meeting, new ARRL books, new antennas at the W1AW antenna farm, FCC
decisions affecting Amateur Radio, reports from the Official Observer
Desk and more. Read more here
.
> + ON THE AIR: 4U1ITU NOW 4U1WRC DURING WRC-12
4U1ITU -- the Amateur Radio station
at the ITU -- will be signing as 4U1WRC during the 2012 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12), through February 17. The
station will revert to 4U1ITU just in time for the ARRL International
DX CW Contest , scheduled for February
18-19. According to ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ,
who is attending WRC-12 as the IARU International Secretariat, the
station is in really good shape, with two operating positions capable
of going on any two bands at the same time. "A number of delegates are
active amateurs, so the station should be quite active for the next
several weeks," he said. Amateurs who work 4U1WRC between January
23-February 17, 2012 can receive a special QSL card via the HB9 Bureau
or by QSLing direct to IARC, PO Box 6, CH-1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland.
> SOLAR UPDATE
Tad "Strolling slowly toward the Sun
" Cook, K7RA, reports: Over
the past reporting week -- January 26-February 1 -- the average daily
sunspot number declined nearly 37 points to 62, while the average daily
solar flux was off nearly 21 points to 120.4. The predicted solar flux
for the near term is 120 on February 2-5, 110 on February 6-9, 150 on
February 10, 155 on February 11-13, 150 on February 14-19, and then 145
on February 20-23. The forecast in mid-January for flux levels at 165
on February 17-21 are but a distant memory. Shortly after the last
bulletin was released on Friday, January 27, a powerful X-class solar
flare was released at 1837 UTC, but it was not Earth-directed. Look for
more information on the ARRL website on Friday, February 3. For more
information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service Propagation page
. This week's "Tad
Cookism" is brought to you by Sugarloaf's Green Eyed Lady
.
> THIS WEEK IN RADIOSPORT
This week:
- February 3 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- February 4 -- Minnesota QSO Party; FYBO Winter QRP Sprint; AGCW
Straight Key Party
- February 4-5 -- Vermont QSO Party; Delaware QSO Party; British
Columbia QSO Party; Mexico RTTY International Contest; 10-10
International Winter Contest (SSB); YL-ISSB QSO Party (CW); Black Sea
Cup International; EPC WW DX Contest
- February 5 -- North American Sprint (CW)
Next week:
- February 10 -- NCCC Sprint Ladder
- February 11 -- FISTS Winter Sprint
- February 11-12 -- Louisiana QSO Party; New Hampshire QSO Party; CQ WW
RTTY WPX Contest
- February 12 -- North American Sprint (SSB); SKCC Weekend Sprint
- February 12-13 -- Classic Exchange (Phone)
- February 13-17 -- ARRL School Club Roundup
- February 14-15 -- PODXS 070 Club Valentine Sprint (local time)
- February 15 -- NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint; AGCW Semi-Automatic Key
Evening
All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page , the ARRL Contest Update
and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar for more
information. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out
the ARRL Special Event Stations Web page
.
> + ARRL CONGRATULATES: RALPH TAGGART, WB8DQT , WINS JANUARY QST
COVER PLAQUE AWARD
The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for January is Ralph
Taggart, WB8DQT , for his article "Vintage Low Power Radios. "
Congratulations Ralph! 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 February issue today.
> UPCOMING ARRL SECTION, STATE AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS
- February 4 -- ARRL Virginia State Convention
,
Richmond, Virginia; ARRL South Carolina State Convention
,
Ladson, South Carolina
- February 10-12 -- ARRL Northern Florida Section Convention
,
Orlando, Florida
- February 17-18 -- ARRL Southwestern Division Convention
,
Yuma, Arizona
- February 18 -- ARRL Arkansas Section Convention
, Hoxie,
Arkansas
- February 25 -- ARRL Vermont State Convention
,
South Burlington, Vermont
- March 3 -- ARRL Santa Clara Valley Section Convention
,
Del Rey Oaks, California; ARRL South Texas Section Convention
,
Rosenberg, Texas
- March 3-4 -- ARRL Alabama Section Convention
,
Birmingham, Alabama
- March 9-10 -- ARRL Louisiana State Convention
,
Rayne, Louisiana; ARRL Oklahoma State Convention
,
Claremore, Oklahoma
- March 10-11 -- ARRL Roanoke Division Convention
,
Concord, North Carolina
- March 17 -- ARRL Nebraska State Convention
,
Lincoln, Nebraska; ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention
,
Stuart, Florida; ARRL West Texas Section Convention
,
Midland, Texas
- March 23-24 -- ARRL Maine State Convention
, Lewiston,
Maine
To find a convention or hamfest near you, click here
.
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