The ARRL Letter
Published by the American Radio Relay League
********************************************
November 10, 2011
Editor: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL Home Page ARRL Letter Archive
Audio News
IN THIS ISSUE
- + USA Brings Home Gold at 2011 High Speed Telegraphy World
Championships
- + Record Number of Freshmen Take Tech Exam at California University
- + Kirk Pickering, K4RO, Named 14th Editor of NCJ
- + Get Ready for the December Issue of QST
- + LoTW Processing Update
- The Sixth Annual ARRL On-Line Auction Comes to a Close
- ARRL Says "Thank You" to Veterans
- ARRL Committee Seeks Microwave Band Plan Input
- + Dave Kaplan, WA1OUI, Takes Over Administration of ARRL A-1 Operator
Club
- + W1AW Announces Winter Operating Schedule
- Solar Update
- JARL Welcomes New President
- New QuickStats Poll Now Available on ARRL Website
- This Week on the Radio
- Upcoming ARRL Section, State and Division Conventions and Events
+ Available on ARRL Audio News .
> + USA BRINGS HOME GOLD AT 2011 HIGH SPEED TELEGRAPHY WORLD
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Back in September 1936, Eugene A. Hubbell, W9ERU, took home the
silver trophy at what the October 1936 issue of QST called the first
official "Amateur Code Speed Contest." Only making one error, Hubbell
won first prize with his winning speed of receiving 52.2 words per
minute. Held at the ARRL Central Division Convention that year, the
contest required operators to decipher plain language text at two
minute intervals that ranged in speed from 25 to 52.7 words per minute.
But things have changed since Hubbell made history. Today, individuals
all over the world compete in High Speed Telegraphy (HST) events where
they are challenged to correctly receive and copy Morse code
transmissions sent at very high speeds, upwards of 300 characters a
minute.
According to Barry Kutner, W2UP, HST has long been considered a sport
in Europe, especially Eastern Europe, similar to chess or an Olympic
sport. This year, Team USA -- consisting of Kutner, Kennan Low, KE3X,
and Kody Low, K3ODY - placed 10th at the Ninth High Speed Telegraphy
IARU World Championship in Bielefeld, Germany this past October. Kutner
won a gold medal -- the first in HST history to a non-European -- in
the pileup competition, and a bronze medal in the RUFZ competition.
Read more here
-telegraphy-wor
ld-championships>.
> + RECORD NUMBER OF FRESHMEN TAKE TECH EXAM AT CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY
When 114 freshmen electrical engineering students at California
Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, gathered
on Friday, November 4 to take their Technician exam, they made history.
Not only was the session one of the largest exam sessions ever, it was
the largest exam session sponsored by a college Amateur Radio club and
the largest exam session ever held in San Luis Obispo County. After all
the exams were graded, 96 of the 114 students were brand new licensed
amateurs, joining the next generation of radio amateurs in the US.
Hosted by the Cal Poly Amateur Radio Club, this exam session broke its
previous record of 62 new licensees, set earlier this year in October.
These 96 new Amateur Radio operators will join more than 700,000 other
hams in the US in providing volunteer and emergency communications
support for everything from local bike rides and parades to global
disaster relief. Read more here
r-of-freshmen-t
ake-tech-exam>.
> + KIRK PICKERING, K4RO, NAMED 14TH EDITOR OF NCJ
Kirk Pickering, K4RO, of Pegram, Tennessee, has been named Editor of
the National Contest Journal (NCJ), beginning with the January/February
2012 issue. Pickering takes over from Al Dewey, K0AD, of Plymouth,
Minnesota, who has served as NCJ Editor since 2008. Pickering, who has
been licensed since 1976, began writing the "Contesting 101" column in
NCJ in 2008. "I've been chasing DX since 1986, and in 1994, I began
entering contests. My current interests are mostly contesting and
DXing. I tend to enjoy CW contesting the most, but I do RTTY and phone
contests, too. I also like to tinker in the workshop and learn about
how this magic medium of radio works." Read more here
em>.
> + GET READY FOR THE DECEMBER ISSUE OF QST
The December issue of QST is jam-packed with all sorts of things that
today's Amateur Radio operator needs. From product reviews to
experiments to contesting -- including an expanded holiday advertising
guide and the 2011 ARRL Field Day results -- the upcoming issue of QST
has something for just about everyone.
If you are looking for something new to try during the cold winter
months, why not rise to the challenge of QRP CW operating? In his
article "A 2 W Logic Chip Transmitter," Lew Smith, N7KSB, presents an
easy-to-duplicate transmitter that you can put together in no time at
all. Once you have your transmitter ready to go, you'll need to hook it
up to an antenna. But what kind of antenna? ARRL Technical Editor Joel
Hallas, W1ZR, takes a look at some HF beam options in his article "How
About an HF Beam Under Your Holiday Tree?"
With the ARRL turning 100 in just a little more than two years, many
here at ARRL Headquarters have been looking to the past as we make
plans for for the future. An organization rich in history, the ARRL has
been looking for ways to keep that history alive for years to come. One
of the ways we are doing so is by archiving the many photos and
documents we have, many going back to the very early days of radio.
Join ARRL Volunteer Archivist Michael Marinaro, WN1M, as he explains
how the ARRL is preserving our history in his article "Ham History
SOS."
Many hams spend all year gearing up for ARRL Field Day, the most
popular on-the-air operating event in all of Amateur Radio. For those
hard-core Field Day aficionados, the December issue of QST is one of
the most anticipated issues all year -- this is the issue with the
Field Day results! This year, join ARRL Field Day Manager Dan
Henderson, N1ND, as he travels through literature to bring readers the
annual Field Day results article. You will also find official
announcements for upcoming contests and operating events: the ARRL
January VHF Sweepstakes, the ARRL International DX Contest (both SSB
and CW), the ARRL Rookie Roundup (CW), Kids Day, the ARRL RTTY Roundup
and the ARRL Straight Key Night. The results from the 2011 ARRL June
VHF QSO Party are also in the December issue.
ARRL Contributing Editor H. Ward Silver, N0AX, takes a look at the
FlexRadio Systems FLEX-1500 software defined HF+6 meter QRP transceiver
in this month's Product Review. He says this rig "provides excellent
performance at an entry level price, assuming you have a satisfactory
PC to host it. The Flexers, an active community of SDR enthusiasts,
will become your best friends. If you want a portable or mobile radio
or don't like to use computer interface devices, I'd recommend staying
with a traditional stand-alone rig; however, if you want to experiment
and jump into SDR, the FLEX 1500 makes for an easy route."
Of course, there are the usual columns you know and expect in the
December QST: Happenings, Hints & Kinks, The Doctor Is IN, Technical
Correspondence, How's DX, Vintage Radio and more. Look for your
December issue in your mailbox. QST is the official journal of ARRL,
the national association for Amateur Radio. QST is just one of the many
benefits of ARRL membership. To join or renew your ARRL membership,
please see the ARRL Web page
.
> + LOTW PROCESSING UPDATE
Logbook of The World (LoTW
) has been managing to hold
its own against the current high volume of incoming logs. An
approximate 60 hour processing delay has been maintained for about a
week. As of November 9, there are approximately 2.8 million QSOs in the
LoTW queue. Many logs are still coming in from the CQ WW and the ARRL
Sweepstakes Contests that were held the last two weekends. If you have
already uploaded a log, there is no need to upload it again. By doing
so, you will only add to the lengthy queue. Also, please do not send
entire logs that contain previously uploaded QSOs. Please use the date
range option when signing logs. This will allow you to select QSOs from
your log within a specific date range. By following these guidelines,
this will allow LoTW to process the backlog at a faster pace. The ARRL
IT staff has been working diligently to speed up the LoTW processing
time and eliminate the backlog. Thanks again for your patience.
> THE SIXTH ANNUAL ARRL ON-LINE AUCTION COMES TO A CLOSE
After a week of frenzied bidding, the Sixth Annual ARRL On-Line
Auction ended with a bang on October 26. The 2011 running of the
auction featured almost 200 items, ranging from high-end Product Review
equipment to a great assortment of antique books. In addition to
bidders from the US, the auction saw winning bids from Canada, Italy,
Japan, China and Brazil. According to Auction Coordinator Deb Jahnke,
K1DAJ, bidding was fierce for the Yaesu FT-DX 5000D HF/6 meter
transceiver that ultimately went to a bidder in China who placed a
winning bid of $4925. This rig was featured in the December 2010 issue
of QST as a Product Review item. Read more here
omes-to-a-close
>.
> ARRL SAYS "THANK YOU" TO VETERANS
On Friday, November 11, here in the US and abroad, we will celebrate
Veterans Day, also called Remembrance Day or Armistice Day. Originally
a holiday that marked the end of World War I -- the "War to End All
Wars" -- this day has been set aside to honor all who have served their
country. It was on November 11, 1918, on the 11th hour of the 11th day
of the 11th month, that Germany signed the Armistice, formally ending
the hostilities that had been ongoing since 1914.
The ARRL would like to take this opportunity to thank our service
veterans. Whether they served on active duty or reserve, during peace
time or time of conflict, they served their county with honor. We also
would be remiss if we did not remember the families of those veterans
who kept the homefires burning bright; without their love and support,
our veterans would have indeed been alone.
ARRL Headquarters has its share of service veterans: Contributing
Editor Al Brogdon, W1AB (Army); Publications Sales Associate Mark
Dzamba, KB1FMY (Air Force); Assistant VEC Manager Perry Green, WY1O
(Army); Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR (Army); News Editor S.
Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA (Coast Guard); DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L
(Army); Reprints Specialist Tony Nesta, AA1RZ (Navy); Membership and
Volunteer Programs Manager Dave Patton, NN1N (Navy); Technical
Relations Specialist Jon Siverling, WB3ERA (Army); Field and Regulatory
Correspondent Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG (Air Force), and Education &
Technology Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME (Air Force).
Thank you for your service -- your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your
fellow service members is not forgotten.
> ARRL COMMITTEE SEEKS MICROWAVE BAND PLAN INPUT
Attention microwavers! An ARRL Ad Hoc Committee has been tasked by the
Board of Directors with recommending updates to the ARRL band plans for
the amateur bands between 902 MHz and 3.5 GHz. If you are now active on
any of these bands or are developing plans to do so, the committee
would like to hear from you.
The band plans for these bands may be found here
:
- 902-928 MHz
- 1240-1300 MHz
- 2300-2310 and 2390-2450 MHz
- 3300-3500 MHz
You can find additional background and a form for submitting
information here
.
Please respond by December 15, 2011.
> + DAVE KAPLAN, WA1OUI, TAKES OVER ADMINISTRATION OF ARRL A-1
OPERATOR CLUB
The ARRL relies on a number of volunteers who give their time to
help make the organization run smoothly. From Division Directors to
Section Managers to Emergency Coordinators to tour guides at
Headquarters and everyone in between, volunteers play an important part
in carrying out the ARRL's mission: To promote and advance the art,
science and enjoyment of Amateur Radio. Dave Kaplan, WA1OUI, is one of
the volunteer tour guides at ARRL Headquarters. Recently, he agreed to
take on the role of administrator for the ARRL A-1 Operator Club. First
organized in May 1933, the ARRL A-1 Operator Club has a proud history
and occupies an important place in Amateur Radio tradition. Read more
here
ation-of-arrl-a
-1-operator-club>.
> + W1AW ANNOUNCES WINTER OPERATING SCHEDULE
With the switch from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time, W1AW
Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, has updated the W1AW operating
schedule to reflect the change. The standard times have not changed,
but the UTC times have. Read more here
.
> SOLAR UPDATE
Tad "We're out there having fun in the warm California Sun
" Cook, K7RA, reports:
Another sunspot number record for Solar Cycle 24 was shattered: On
Wednesday, November 9, the daily sunspot number reached 220, the
highest it has been in more than eight years. The last time the sunspot
number was higher than 220 was November 1, 2003 when the number was
277. Two days before it reached 277 in 2003, the sunspot number was
330, a harder record to beat. The average daily sunspot numbers this
week rose more than 53 points compared to last week, to 153.4, while
the average daily solar flux rose nearly 39 points to 173.7. The latest
prediction from NOAA/USAF has solar flux at 180 on November 10-11, 175
on November 12-13, 170 on November 14-16, and 165, 155, 155, 145, 140,
135, 135 and 140 on November 17-24. The planetary A index is predicted
at 5, 10, 18 and 10 on November 10-13, then 5 on November 14-25. The A
index of 18 on November 12 seems to reflect a warning from IPS Radio
and Space Services (in Australia) at 2330 UTC on November 9. It
announced expected increased geomagnetic activity November 10-12, with
quiet conditions on November 10, unsettled to active with isolated
minor storm levels on November 11 and quiet to unsettled with isolated
active levels on November 12. Geophysical Institute Prague says look
for quiet to unsettled conditions November 11, unsettled to active
November 12, quiet to unsettled again on November 13 and quiet November
14-17. Look for more information on the ARRL website on Friday,
November 11. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit
the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page
. This week's "Tad
Cookism" is brought to you by The Rivieras' California Sun.
> JARL WELCOMES NEW PRESIDENT
The Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL
) named a new President and two new
Vice Presidents, effective November 1, 2011. Akira Inage, JA5MG, will
take over the presidency from Shozo Hara, JA1AN. Hara has served as
JARL President for more than 35 years. "Mr Hara led the JARL with great
distinction for more than 35 years, including a period of phenomenal
growth," remarked ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "It
has been a great privilege to collaborate with him in protecting and
promoting Amateur Radio worldwide." Kazuo Niwa, JA1AYO, and Norimasa
Nemoto, JH1UBU, will serve as the new JARL Vice Presidents.
> NEW QUICKSTATS POLL NOW AVAILABLE ON ARRL WEBSITE
Four new poll questions have just been published on the QuickStats page
on the ARRL website. Let your voice be
heard!
Questions in this month's QuickStats poll:
- Do you still keep a station log on paper?
- Have you ever performed an RF Safety evaluation for your home
station?
- How familiar are you with Software Defined Radio (SDR)?
- Now that propagation is improving, are you operating more often on
15, 12 and 10 meters?
Visit the QuickStats page and be sure
|
