The ARRL Letter
December 10, 2020
* Launch Window for AMSAT's RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E CubeSat Opens on
December 19
* Nathan Simington Confirmed as Newest FCC Member
* Lee Finkel, KY7M, is New National Contest Journal Editor
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* ARRL Announces New Book Releases
* First Solar Image from Hawaii Observatory Shows Sunspot Close-Up
* ARRL 10-Meter Contest is this Weekend
* IARU Region 2 Executive Committee Approves Dues Reductions for
Member-Societies
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Announcements
* Australian Radio Amateurs Denied Access to 60 Meters
* Transatlantic Tests Mark 99th Anniversary
* In Brief...
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Launch Window for AMSAT's RadFxSat-2 / Fox-1E CubeSat Opens on December
19
The launch that will carry AMSAT's RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E CubeSat into orbit
could come as early as this month. Virgin Orbit has announced that the
launch window for its LauncherOne Launch Demo 2 mission, which will
carry the AMSAT spacecraft into orbit, opens on December 19. RadFxSat-2
is the fifth and final Fox-1 satellite built by AMSAT.
Like RadFxSat/Fox-1B (now AMSAT-OSCAR 91) the RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E CubeSat
is a partnership opportunity between Vanderbilt University and AMSAT
and will carry a similar radiation effects experiment, studying new
FinFET technology.
The RadFxSat-2 spacecraft bus is built on the Fox-1 series, but Fox-1E
features a linear transponder upgrade to replace the standard FM
transponder in the Fox-1A - Fox-1D projects. In addition, the uplink
and downlink bands are reversed from the previous Fox satellites in a
mode V/u (J) configuration using a 2-meter uplink and 70-centimeter
downlink.
The telemetry downlink will be 435.750 MHz. The inverting linear
transponder uplink will be 145.860 MHz - 145.890 MHz. The inverting
linear transponder downlink will be 435.760 MHz - 435.790 MHz.
The telemetry downlink features a 1,200 bps BPSK channel to carry the
Vanderbilt science data, in addition to a 30 kHz wide transponder for
amateur radio use. Telemetry and experiment data can be decoded using
FoxTelem version 1.09 or later.
"Participation in telemetry collection by as many stations in as many
parts of the world as possible is essential, as AMSAT Engineering looks
for successful startup and indications of the general health and
function of the satellite as it begins to acclimate to space," AMSAT
said in announcing the possible launch window. "AMSAT will send a
commemorative 3D-printed QSL card to the first station capturing
telemetry from RadFxSat-2." -- Thanks to AMSAT
Nathan Simington Confirmed as Newest FCC Member
On a 49 - 46 vote, the US Senate on December 9 confirmed Nathan
Simington to be a Commissioner at the FCC. Simington previously served
as a senior advisor at the US Department of Commerce. Earlier, he was a
legal associate at various law firms, often specializing in finance.
Upon being sworn in, he will take the seat of Commissioner Michael
O'Rielly, whose renomination was pulled by President Donald Trump last
summer, shortly before it was to go to the Senate floor.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has announced that he will step down on January
20, opening a seat for incoming President Joe Biden to appoint a new
commissioner to form a new 3 - 2 Democratic majority. Biden then could
either designate that new commissioner as chairman, or select one of
the two sitting Democrats already on the Commission, Jessica
Rosenworcel and Geoffrey Starks. Biden could also designate one of the
two sitting Democrats as Acting Chairman to manage the FCC until his
new pick has been confirmed by the Senate and sworn in. Until that
happens, the FCC will have a 2 - 2 party split.
Lee Finkel, KY7M, is New National Contest Journal Editor
Lee Finkel, KY7M, of Phoenix, Arizona, will begin his tenure as Editor
of National Contest Journal (NCJ) with the magazine's January/February
issue. An ARRL publication, NCJ is in its 48th year. Finkel, the 17th
Editor, takes over the reins from Scott Wright, KO/MD, a noted and
regular amateur radio contester, who has helmed NCJ since January 2017.
"My hope is that I will be able to build on Scott Wright's hard work
and that of my other predecessors, the very supportive ARRL staff, and
the impressive cadre of columnists and other writers, to continue
making NCJ a valuable resource for the contesting community," Finkel
said. Most contesters will recognize his call sign from his regular
contest activity. He's also been a contributing writer for NCJ and
other publications. A retired lawyer, mediator, arbitrator, and
educator, he and his family have lived in Arizona since 1981.
Licensed as WN9EBT in 1962 in Chicago, Finkel said it wasn't long
before he discovered contesting. His participation in the now-defunct
ARRL Communications Department (CD) Parties whetted his appetite for
contesting. He also discovered DX contests and his "still-favorite CW
Sweepstakes."
Finkel is a member of the First-Class CW Operators' Club (FOC) and
CWops, past Central Arizona DX Association (CADXA) president, and a
member of the Arizona Outlaws Contest Club (AOCC). He serves on the
Northern California DX Foundation (NCDXF) Board of Directors. He
frequently operates the Top Band Club of Arizona remote station, NA7TB,
originally built by Milt Jensen, N5IA (SK). Read more.
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ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 12) will feature
a discussion about storm spotting and SKYWARN, with Mike Corey, KI1U,
co-author of Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio, now in its third
edition.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 22) describes how some
companies are experimenting with gravity as a means of generating
electricity. Then, a discussion with ARRL Assistant Laboratory Manager
Bob Allison, WB1GCM, about how modern transceivers compare to vintage
models.
The On the Air and Eclectic Tech podcasts are sponsored by Icom. Both
podcasts are available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android), as well
as on Blubrry -- On the Air | Eclectic Tech.
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ARRL Announces New Book Releases
ARRL has released new editions of two books, Antenna Physics, and Storm
Spotting and Amateur Radio.
The second edition of Antenna Physics: An Introduction bridges the gap
between basic theory and graduate-level engineering texts. This latest
edition includes new material to help readers to better understand the
complexities of antenna theory.
The author is world-recognized antenna technology authority Robert J.
Zavrel, Jr., W7SX. This edition provides a guide to grasping a deeper
understanding of how antenna systems function. Zavrel clearly
communicates the theory and mathematics that form the foundations upon
which all antenna designs depend.
The second edition of Antenna Physics: An Introduction is available
from the ARRL Store or your ARRL Dealer. (ARRL Item no. 1359, ISBN:
978-1-62595-135-9, $34.95 retail, special ARRL Member Price $29.95.)
Call 860-594-0355 or, toll-free in the US, 888-277-5289. It will also
be available for the Amazon Kindle.
The third edition of Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio is also now
available from ARRL. Storm spotting gives radio amateurs another way to
offer a public service by using their skills as communicators. In an
average year, the US experiences more than 10,000 severe thunderstorms,
5,000 floods, and more than 1,000 tornadoes. During these weather
events, ham radio volunteers provide real-time information to partners
such as emergency managers and National Weather Service forecasters.
New in this edition are lessons learned and response reports from the
2017 hurricane season, among other things. Co-authors are University of
Mississippi Professor of Emergency Management Michael Corey, KI1U, and
former Embry Riddle Aeronautical University meteorology professor
Victor Morris, AH6WX, with Contributing Editor Rob Macedo, KD1CY.
The third edition of Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio is available from
the ARRL Store or your ARRL Dealer. ARRL Item no. 1410, ISBN:
978-1-62595-135-9, $22.95 retail, special ARRL Member Price $19.95.)
Call 860-594-0355 or, toll-free in the US, 888-277-5289. Also available
in Amazon Kindle format.
First Solar Image from Hawaii Observatory Shows Sunspot Close-Up
The world's largest solar observatory, National Science Foundation
(NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope in Hawaii, has released its
first image of a sunspot, capturing the phenomenon in striking detail.
The image, taken last January, is among the first solar images of the
new Solar Cycle 25. The telescope's 4-meter primary mirror will give
the best views of the sun from Earth throughout Solar Cycle 25. The
image was released along with the first of a series of Inouye-related
articles featured in the Solar Physics journal. As radio amateurs know,
sunspots and other solar activity can affect HF radio
The first sunspot image taken on
January 28, 2020 by the NSF's Inouye
Solar Telescope's Wave Front
Correction context viewer. The
sunspot is sculpted by a convergence
of intense magnetic fields and hot
gas boiling up from below.
[NSO/AURA/NSF, photo]
propagation, among other things, and they are where coronal mass
ejections (CMEs) and solar flares originate. The Inouye telescope is in
its final stages of construction.
"While the start of telescope operations has been slightly delayed due
to the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic, this image represents
an early preview of the unprecedented capabilities that the facility
will bring to bear on our understanding of the sun," said David
Boboltz, NSF Inouye Solar Telescope Program Director. Solar Cycle 25 is
predicted to peak in mid-2025.
"With this solar cycle just beginning, we also enter the era of the
Inouye Solar Telescope," said Matt Mountain, President of the
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), the
organization that manages the National Solar Observatory and the Inouye
Solar Telescope. "We can now point the world's most advanced solar
telescope at the sun to capture and share incredibly detailed images
and add to our scientific insights about the sun's activity."
During the peak of Solar Cycle 24, 120 sunspots were tracked. Some 115
sunspots are predicted for the peak of Solar Cycle 25.
The new image encompasses an area on the sun's surface of some 10,000
miles across -- just a tiny part of the sun, but large enough to fit
Earth inside, the Inouye Solar Telescope said in its statement. Read
more. -- Thanks to the National Solar Observatory and news media
reports
ARRL 10-Meter Contest is this Weekend
The 2020 ARRL 10-Meter Contest is just ahead, December 12 - 13. Whether
you're new to the hobby or a seasoned operator, this event offers
something for radio amateurs of all experience levels, from Technician
to Amateur Extra.
If you're a recently licensed ham or a Technician-class licensee who
wants to get their first taste of HF contesting, remember that
Technicians have CW privileges from 28.0 to 28.3 MHz and SSB phone
privileges from 28.3 to 28.5 MHz.
This contest relies in part on winter E-skip, so propagation may favor
higher activity during daylight hours. Be on the lookout for unexpected
band openings and favorable propagation. Many operators have noticed
improved conditions in recent months.
The contest runs from 0000 UTC on December 12 and concludes at 2359 UTC
on December 13. Contest logs are due by 2359 UTC on December 20.
Complete rules and more information are on the ARRL website.
IARU Region 2 Executive Committee Approves Dues Reductions for
Member-Societies
The International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU R2) Executive
Committee (EC) approved dues reductions and holidays for
member-societies in Region 2 (the Americas). The action came as the R2
EC held its fifth and final virtual meeting of the year on November 18
to complete outstanding business from its three October sessions and to
approve the 2021 operating budget.
"Recognizing that the pandemic created many hardships for
member-societies and all amateurs in the Americas, the R2 EC approved a
1-year dues reduction for 2021," the EC said. Member-societies with
annual dues lower than $150 will get a dues holiday next year, while
larger societies will get a 50% dues reduction. The R2 EC said it's
able to allow the discounts because 2021 expenses are expected to be
lower, "primarily as travel restrictions have moved meeting attendance
to being held virtually."
The other major item of business was to review the Future Committee's
proposal to the IARU ministrative Council (AC). The committee was
formed to study and propose how IARU should be structured "to become
far more nimble and able to respond quickly to changes in the
telecommunications ecosystem," the EC said. Representing Region 2 at
the Executive Committee session were Committee Chair Ramón Santoyo,
XE1KK, and Secretary George Gorsline, VE3YV.
The very popular R2 workshops will be given a reboot in the new year,
focusing more on the needs of member-societies as well as on emergency
communication. Read more.
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ARRL Learning Network Webinars
Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,
check for upcoming webinars, and view previously recorded sessions. The
schedule is subject to change.
HF, VHF, and UHF Antennas for SOTA: Brian Betz, W7JET
What antenna should you use for activations? We will discuss and show
the different types of antennas used by activators, and show the pros
and cons of each type. The goal of the presentation is to help
activators make a good, informed antenna choice that suits them best.
Tuesday, December 15, 2020, 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST (1800 UTC)
Learn and Have Fun with Morse Code: Howard Bernstein, WB2UZE, and Jim
Crites, W6JIM
Morse code, or "CW," is a popular ham radio operating mode. Learning CW
does not have to be an arduous or lonely experience. Learn, practice,
and enjoy CW with the methods used by the Long Island CW Club.
Thursday, December 17, 2020, 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST (0100 UTC on Friday,
December 18)
QSLing in an Online World: Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Learn all about the changing methods of QSLing in amateur radio,
including traditional paper QSL cards, and electronic QSLing, such as
Logbook of The World and eQSL.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021, 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST (1800 UTC)
Amateur Radio Logging: Anthony Luscre, K8ZT
Discover the advantages of keeping an electronic amateur radio log.
Find out why you may need more than one software program for
logging-contesting, digital modes, special events, and so on. Learn
about using one full-featured logging program to pull everything
together, interface with outside databases, handle electronic QSLing,
and more. The discussion will include file formats, importing and
exporting data between programs, submitting contest logs online, and
safe backup of data.
Thursday, January 14, 2021, 12:30 PM PST / 3:30 PM EST (2030 UTC)
Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,
check on upcoming webinars, and to view previously recorded sessions.
The schedule is subject to change.
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The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar activity quieted this week. The
average daily sunspot number declined from 57.6 to 28.9, and average
daily solar flux from 108.1 to 91.9. Average daily planetary A index
went from 6.4 to 4.4, and average daily middle latitude A index went
from 5.6 to 3.1.
Predicted solar flux for the next month is 82 on December 10 - 11; 84
on December 12 - 13; 80 on December 14 - 16; 82 and 88 on December 17 -
18; 92 on December 19 - 24; 94 on December 25 - 28; 96, 94, and 92 on
December 29 - 31; 90 on January 1 - 4; 88 on January 5 - 7, and 86 on
January 8 - 11.
The forecast for planetary A index shows 40 and 25 on December 10 - 11;
8 on December 12 - 13; 5 on December 14 - 17; 12, 20, and 8 on December
18 - 20; 5 on December 21 - 22; 8, 10, and 8 on December 23 - 25; 5 on
December 26 - January 5; 10 and 8 on January 6 - 7, and 5 on January 8
- 13.
A coronal mass ejection on December 7 was expected to spark a
geomagnetic storm on December 10 -- 11, which explains why the
planetary A index is predicted at 40, 25, 8, and 8 on December 10 --
13.
The ARRL 10-Meter Contest this weekend is much anticipated because of
recent increased solar activity. I'm hoping for the best!
Sunspot numbers for December 3 - 9 were 40, 38, 42, 25, 35, 11, and 11,
with a mean of 28.9. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 102.9, 95.8, 99.9,
90.9, 89.5, 82.4, and 82.1, with a mean of 91.9. Estimated planetary A
indices were 3, 2, 5, 6, 3, 5, and 7, with a mean of 4.4. Middle
latitude A index was 1, 1, 4, 4, 2, 4, and 6, with a mean of 3.1.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the
ARRL Technical Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...,"
and check out K9LA's Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable
propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
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Announcements
* The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has announced a Get on
the air for Christmas (GOTA4C) initiative, shared on social media
with the hashtag #GOTA4C, December 19 - January 9. "[I]t will
bring together a few activities that radio amateurs can participate
in over the holiday period," RSGB said.
* The FCC, in conjunction with the Federal Trade Commission and the
US Postal Service, will host a webinar about current COVID-19 scams
on Wednesday, December 16, starting at 1 PM EST (1800 UTC). It will
be streamed live.
* ON5AU has created a web page devoted to the memory of John
Devoldere, ON4UN (SK), an icon of low-band DXing, who died on
November 9.
* Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) says its
InterOperable Radio System (IORS), launched in March, has now been
in space about 6,655 hours and traveled some 116.5 million miles,
according to the Arduino-based Space Radio clock by Kerry Banke,
N6IZW, of the ARISS Hardware Team.
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