The ARRL Letter
January 21, 2021
* Orlando HamCation Announces QSO Party, Special Edition Virtual
Presentations
* Eastern Iowans Rely On Ham Radio When Severe Weather Strikes
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* HamSCI Issues Call for Abstracts for March Virtual Workshop
* Contest University to Host Propagation Summit on January 23
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* Radio Amateur is Co-Leader of Just-Published Blood Plasma Research
Study
* Announcements: January 21
* Amateur Radio in the News
* The K7RA Solar Update
* In Brief...
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
Orlando HamCation Announces QSO Party, Special Edition Virtual
Presentations
Orlando HamCation has announced it will sponsor the HamCation QSO Party
over the February 13 - 14 weekend (UTC), "to create a fun way for
amateurs to celebrate the Orlando HamCation experience over the air."
The HamCation QSO Party will be a 12-hour event on HamCation weekend.
HamCation 2021 was to host the ARRL National Convention, which now will
take place in 2022.
"The QSO party will replicate the camaraderie and social experience of
attending HamCation and provide a way to have fun on the radio, since
HamCation 2021 will not be held due to COVID-19," the HamCation QSO
Party Committee said. The HamCation QSO Party will run from 1500 UTC on
February 13 until 0300 UTC on February 14. It will be a CW and SSB
operating event on 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters. Any station may work
any other station.
Categories will be High Power (more than 100 W output), Low Power (100
W output or less, but greater than 5 W), and QRP (5 W output or less).
All participants will be single operators; there is no multioperator
category. The exchange will be your name and state/province/country,
and the outside temperature at your location. "We are including
temperature at your QTH as a way of highlighting Orlando's mild
February weather," the committee said.
Nine HamCation special event stations with 1 * 1 call signs will be on
the air with combined suffixes spelling out HamCation (e.g., K4H, W4A,
K4M, etc). Each contact will count as one point, and stations may be
worked once on each band and mode. Entrants will report their scores on
www.3830Scores.com; no logs are required. Final results will be based
on the information submitted to the website.
Station guest operators must use their own call signs and submit their
scores individually. Plaques and certificates will be awarded.
Virtual HamCation Set
The Orlando HamCation Special Edition online event over the February 13
- 14 weekend will take the place of what would have been the HamCation
2021 in-person show.
The online event will include youth, technology, contesting, and vendor
webinar tracks. ARRL will also present two webinars on Saturday,
February 13. They are:
* ARRL Member Forum at 1 PM EST, moderated by ARRL Southeastern
Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB.
* Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES^(R)) presentation at 3 PM
EST, moderated by ARRL Director of Emergency Management Paul
Gilbert, KE5ZW. The ARES presentation will include panelists from
ARRL Section Emergency Coordinators in Florida.
Live, online prize drawings are also scheduled during the HamCation
Special Edition online event.
Eastern Iowans Rely On Ham Radio When Severe Weather Strikes
A derecho with winds of 80 to 100 MPH struck eastern Iowa last August,
disrupting power and telecommunications for some 400,000 residents.
But, as ARRL member and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES^(R))
volunteer Scott Haney, N0GUD, recently explained to The Gazette in
Cedar Rapids, that's when amateur radio shines.
Haney, the president of the Cedar Valley Amateur Radio Club (CVARC),
was the focus of the January 19 feature, "2nd-largest per-capita group
of amateur radio operators in the world calls Eastern Iowa home," by
Molly Rossiter.
"For some people, [amateur radio is] merely a hobby, but for a lot of
us, it's much more than that," Haney said. "Ham radio operators are
involved in emergency management, in large event management, in a large
variety of things. A lot of times people don't know we're there, but
we're actually a large part of planning and carrying out many events
and gatherings," he said. "People don't realize, especially in weather
events like hurricanes, [that] amateur radio is a huge part of getting
people in and out of dangerous areas. We've been doing that for
decades."
As the article notes, the fact that Collins Aerospace (formerly Collins
Radio and Rockwell Collins) calls Cedar Rapids home is believed to be
the reason that the second-highest population density of hams in the
world reside in Eastern Iowa.
Haney retired in 2019, after 30 years with Rockwell Collins and Collins
Aerospace. He's been licensed for more than 40 years.
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 13) features a
discussion with Curt Laumann, K7ZOO, about his success in boosting
activity at the University of Arizona amateur radio club.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 25) will discuss extreme
magnetic fields and also feature a chat with Bob Allison, WB1GCM, on
the topic of hunting down and resolving interference.
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.
HamSCI Issues Call for Abstracts for March Virtual Workshop
HamSCI has issued a call for abstracts for its virtual workshop March
19 - 20, hosted by the University of Scranton and sponsored by the
National Science Foundation.
"The primary objective of the HamSCI workshop is to bring together the
amateur radio community and professional scientists," said HamSCI
founder Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF. The theme is midlatitude ionospheric
physics, "which is especially important to us because the vast majority
of hams live in the midlatitude regions," Frissell said.
Invited tutorial speakers will be Mike Ruohoniemi of the Virginia Tech
SuperDARN initiative and Joe Dzekevich, K1YOW. Elizabeth Bruton, of the
Science Museum in London, will be the keynote speaker.
Submit abstracts by February 15. The March conference will also serve
as a team meeting for the Personal Space Weather Station project.
Frissell said he will coordinate with respective teams for their
abstracts.
The HamSCI workshop welcomes abstracts related to development of the
Personal Weather Station, ionospheric science, atmospheric science,
radio science, spaceweather, radio astronomy, and any science topic
"that can be appropriately related to the amateur radio hobby."
Submissions related to the workshop theme of midlatitude ionospheric
physics are encouraged.
Abstracts will be reviewed by the Science/Program Committee, and
authors will be notified no later than March 1. Virtual poster
presentations are welcome, but due to time constraints, requests for
oral presentation slots may not be guaranteed.
Contest University to Host Propagation Summit on January 23
Contest University (CTU) is holding a Virtual Propagation Summit on
Saturday, January 23. The Zoom-platform event will get under way at
1600 UTC with introductory remarks from Tim Duffy, K3LR, and Ray Novak,
N9JA.
* At 1605 UTC, Scott Jones, N3RA, and George Fremin, K5TR, will
moderate a session titled "Update on the Personal Space Weather
Station Project & HamSCI activities for 2021" with Nathaniel
Frissell, W2NAF.
* At 1700 UTC, Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, will discuss "Solar Cycle 25
Predictions & Progress."
* At 1800 UTC, Bill Fehring, W9KKN, and Marty Sullaway, NN1C, will
moderate a session, "Maximizing Performance of HF Antennas with
Irregular Terrain," with Jim Breakall, WA3FET.
* At 1900, the pair will moderate a presentation, "HF Propagation:
What to Expect During the Rising Years of Solar Cycle 25," with
Frank Donovan, W3LPL.
A drawing for an Icom IC-705 transceiver will be held. The winner must
be present on Zoom in order to win. Visit the 2021 Propagation Summit
registration page to sign up. ditional information will be posted on
the CTU website. -- Thanks to CTU Chair Tim Duffy, K3LR
ARRL Learning Network Webinars
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.
Emergency Communications: Why Train? -- North Texas Section Emergency
Coordinator Greg Evans, K5GTX
Utilizing amateur radio operators in an emergency communication
situation is a key function that can save lives. We must be able to
respond to the needs of our served agencies quickly and responsibly.
Topics covered include the Incident Command System and its relevance;
building on consistent training; interoperability with multiple
communication providers; interoperability with VOAD and partners, and
mission one: get the information delivered.
Thursday, January 21, 2021, 12:30 PM PST / 3:30 PM EST (2030 UTC)
Easy Helical Copper Tape and PVC 2-Meter Vertical Antenna -- John
Portune, W6NBC
Learn how to quickly build a tiny, 18-inch continuously loaded
lightweight portable or base station 2-meter omnidirectional vertical
with performance and efficiency comparable to a 5-foot J-pole. All you
need is copper tape and PVC pipe from the hardware store, and the cost
is roughly $10. It's an easy afternoon's homebrew project, ideal for
the new ham but equal to the experienced ham's needs. It is great for
events like bike-a-thons. It also makes an excellent ham radio club
hands-on building project, and the design is adaptable to other bands.
Tuesday, February 2, 2021, 10 AM PST / 1 PM EST (1800 UTC)
Interesting Stories about Ham Radio & Weather Spotting -- Rob Macedo,
KD1CY
One of the most critical ways amateur radio supports agencies such as
the National Weather Service (NWS), National Hurricane Center, and
emergency management is through weather spotting via the NWS SKYWARN
program. This presentation reviews some interesting stories about how
amateurs involved in SKYWARN have saved lives and property and why this
is an important amateur radio activity.
Thursday February 11, 2021 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST (0100 UTC on Friday,
February 12)
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Radio Amateur is Co-Leader of Just-Published Blood Plasma Research
Study
Scott Wright, K0MD -- a well-known amateur radio contester and past
editor of the National Contest Journal (NCJ) -- was a co-principal
investigator of a research project into the use of convalescent plasma
to treat COVID-19 patients. The study, Convalescent Plasma Antibody
Levels and the Risk of Death from COVID-19, appeared in the January 13
edition of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
The study began early last April under the co-leadership of Wright and
Dr. Michael Joyner, MD, both of the Mayo Clinic; Dr. Peter Marks, MD,
PhD, Dr. Nicole Verdun, MD, of the US Food and Drug ministration, and
Dr. Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Marks
is AB3XC. The Mayo Clinic was the lead institution for the program.
Initially heading up one segment of the study, the Mayo Clinic asked
him to formally step in as co-principal investigator and to assume the
forward face with the media.
"We report a 6.3% absolute reduction in mortality for those who
received high-titer convalescent plasma, and a 36% relative risk
reduction in mortality for those who received it while not on a
ventilator," Wright summarized briefly. "We are hopeful it will have an
impact globally where more advanced -- and expensive -- therapies may
not be available."
The US Convalescent Plasma Expanded Access Program was a collaborative
project between the US government and the Mayo Clinic to provide access
to convalescent plasma for patients in the US who were hospitalized
with COVID-19. The government-supported study collected and provided
blood plasma recovered from COVID-19 patients containing antibodies
that, it was theorized, could help these individuals fight the disease.
Wright said that in contrast with most studies, the investigators
designed and carried out the research without help from National
Institutes of Health (NIH). "It was an enormous project, not to mention
that over 105,000 people enrolled in the study," Wright said. "The NEJM
paper is a subset analysis of 3,000 or so subjects. We did a lot of
innovative things with the FDA's permission to make this a study that
quickly enrolled patients, physicians, and hospitals."
Wright said the study participants cooperated with all but five
hospital systems in the US and had sites in all US territories overseas
and military facilities. "Our physicians locally at the sites enrolled
twice as many minority subjects as any randomized clinical trial ever,"
Wright said, and we had about half men and half women as subjects --
something most trials struggle with."
The study has attracted some media attention. Wright was interviewed by
NBC News. "We were happy to have some media interest, especially given
the other news in Washington, DC, that overshadows this naturally," he
said. "It is just a great feeling to have it published and peer
reviewed."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Announcements: January 21
* [IMG]Winter Field Day is January 30 - 31, sponsored by the Winter
Field Day Association (WFDA), "a dedicated group of amateur radio
operators who believe that emergency communications in a winter
environment is just as important as the preparations and practice
that is done each summer, but with some additional unique
operational concerns." CW and SSB only.
* Bob Witte, K0NR, has proposed that Summits on the Air (SOTA) and
similar programs designate 146.48 MHz as the "North America
venture Frequency" (NAAF) FM simplex channel on 2 meters. This is
to avoid the national calling frequency of 146.52, which can be
busy; those using 146.52 MHz are expected to move to another
frequency after making contact.
* Madison DX Club President Bob Urban, W9EWZ, has announced that the
presentation "Understanding and Applying Solar Indices," by Carl
Luetzelschwab, K9LA, is available on the Madison DX Club YouTube
channel.
* Radio amateurs in Australia may use the prefix AX on Australia Day,
January 26. The day commemorates the arrival of the first fleet in
1788, the raising of the British flag, and the establishment of
European settlements. The annual day celebrates Australian history
and culture.
* To celebrate Peru's 200 years as a republic, the Peruvian Radio
Club will field some special call signs throughout 2021. Listen for
OC200P, OC200E, OC200R, and OC200U. The single-letter suffixes
spell "PERU." Only one of the commemorative call signs will be on
the air at a time -- OC200P in January, May, and September; OC200E
in February, June, and October; OC200R in March, July, and
November, and OC200U in April, August, and December. QSL to OA4O.
* The free English-language AMSAT-EA January newsletter features an
article by Carlos Flores, EA3HAH, about his experiences using FT4
on the linear (SSB) amateur satellites. He reports good results
with 1 - 2 W and was able to decode without problems "on almost all
calls."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news. Share
any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
2nd-largest per-capita group of amateur radio operators in the world
call Eastern Iowa home
The Gazette, January 19, 2021
Irish Students Get to Chat with International Space Station
Euro Weekly News (online), December 9, 2020
Ham Radio Operators Honor Legacy of Mars Hill Company
The Citizen-Times (North Carolina), December 9, 2020
Happy SKYWARN Recognition Day
WDRB.com (Kentucky), December 5, 2020
Liftoff: Sea Road School Students to Chat with Space Station Astronaut
Kennebunk Post (Maine), December 4, 2020
-------------------------------------------------------------------
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: We just witnessed 12 consecutive days
with no sunspots, which many of us found a bit unsettling. But
fortunately Solar Cycle 25 activity returned with a new sunspot on
January 15.
Average daily sunspot numbers increased from zero last week to 14.7 in
the January 14 - 20 reporting period.
Average daily solar flux rose from 73.8 to 76.1, and geomagnetic
indicators sank to very quiet levels. Average daily planetary A index
dropped from 5.9 to 4, and average daily middle latitude A index from
4.4 to 3.
The outlook for the next month looks good. Predicted daily solar flux
for the next 30 days is 80 on January 21 - 28; 75 on January 29 -
February 3; 76 for February 4 - 10; 77 for February 11 -17, and 76 on
February 18 - 19.
Predicted planetary A index is 14, 10, and 8 on January 21 - 23; 5 on
January 24 - 25; 8 on January 26 - 28; 5 on January 29 - 31; 10 on
February 1 - 2; 5 on February 3 - 13; 10, 10, 12, and 10 on February 14
- 17, and 5 on February 18 - 19.
Sunspot numbers for January 14 - 20 were 0, 13, 15, 23, 13, 14, and 25,
with a mean of 14.7. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 73.6, 73.4, 77.7,
77.2, 75.3, 78.1, and 77.2, with a mean of 76.1. Estimated planetary A
indices were 2, 3, 4, 3, 4, 6, and 6, with a mean of 4. Middle latitude
A index was 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 6, and 5, with a mean of 3.
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.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
In Brief...
Over-the-horizon radars (OTH-R) continue to clutter 40 and 20 meters.
The International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 Monitoring Service
(IARUMS) reports that OTH-Rs have increasingly been finding spectrum on
17 and 15 meters. "Above all, the Russian OTH-R 'Contayner,' as well as
OTH-R
--- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462
* Origin: Christian Fellowship | cfbbs.no-ip.com 856-933-7096 (1:266/512)
|
