The ARRL Letter
February 11, 2021
* ARRL to Extend Field Day Rule Waivers from 2020, d Class D and E
Power Limit
* Orlando HamCation Special Edition Online Event and QSO Party Set
for February 13 - 14
* ARRL to FCC: ditional Volunteer Examiner Coordinators Not Needed
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 109 as Troubleshooting
Continues
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* IARU Agrees On Preliminary WRC-23 Positions
* Amateur Radio in the News
* Article: Ham Radio Forms a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor
Network
* Announcements
* A "Perfect Coronal Mass Ejection" Could Be a Nightmare
* Club Gets Double Duty from Minnesota QSO Party 2021 Operation
* The K7RA Solar Update
* In Brief...
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
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ARRL Headquarters will be closed on Monday, February 15, for Presidents
Day and will re-open on Tuesday, February 16, at 8 AM EST.
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ARRL to Extend Field Day Rule Waivers from 2020, d Class D and E
Power Limit
The COVID-19 pandemic-modified ARRL Field Day rules from 2020 will
continue this June with the addition of a power limit imposed on Class
D (Home Stations) and Class E (Home Stations-Emergency Power)
participants. The news from the ARRL Board's Programs and Services
Committee comes as many clubs and groups are starting preparations for
Field Day in earnest. Field Day 2021 will take place June 26 - 27.
"This early decision should alleviate any hesitancy that radio clubs
and individual Field Day participants may have with their planning for
the event," said ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE.
For Field Day 2021, Class D stations may work all other Field Day
stations, including other Class D stations, for points. This year,
however, Class D and Class E stations will be limited to 150 W PEP
output.
For Field Day 2021, an aggregate club score will be published -- just
as it was done last year. The aggregate score will be a sum of all
individual entries that attributed their score to that of a specific
club.
ARRL Field Day is one of the biggest events on the amateur radio
calendar. Last summer, a record 10,213 entries were received.
"With the greater flexibility afforded by the rules waivers,
individuals and groups will still be able to participate in Field Day,
while still staying within any public health recommendations and/or
requirements," Bourque said.
The ARRL Field Day web page contains complete rules and entry forms, as
well as any updated information as it becomes available. Join the ARRL
Field Day Facebook group. Read an expanded version.
Orlando HamCation Special Edition Online Event and QSO Party Set for
February 13 - 14
The Orlando HamCation Special Edition online event and QSO Party will
take place this weekend, February 13 - 14. The online event will
include youth, technology, contesting, and vendor webinar tracks via
Zoom. ARRL will also present two webinars on Saturday, February 13.
The ARRL Member Forum at 1 PM EST, will be moderated by ARRL
Southeastern Division Director Mickey Baker, N4MB. Presenters include
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, and ARRL Director of Emergency
Management Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW.
Gilbert also will be the moderator for an Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES^(R)) presentation at 3 PM EST. The ARES presentation will
include ARRL Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Karl
Martin, K4HBN, and Southern Florida SEC John Wells, W4CMH.
The HamCation QSO Party -- a 12-hour on-air event, will also take place
this weekend. 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). Scores will be posted on www.3830Scores.com
-- no logs are required.
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ARRL to Offer Weekend of Specials for Hams Missing Orlando
HamCation^(R) 2021. This weekend, February 13-14, was supposed to be
the ARRL National Convention at Orlando HamCation. While members will
have to wait until next year for our National Convention, ARRL will be
hosting a special "At Home Expo" this weekend. Enjoy a special video
from ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR; ARRL staff, and the HamCation
committee. Look for limited offers including membership premiums,
latest publications and products, 2021 Field Day gear, and our
exclusive sheet full of ARRL logo stickers. All who make a weekend
purchase or renew their membership will receive a free sticker sheet
with their order, while supplies last. Visit our ARRL at Home page to
check out all the offerings.
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ARRL to FCC: ditional Volunteer Examiner Coordinators Not Needed
ARRL has told the FCC that no additional Volunteer Examiner
Coordinators (VEC) are needed to oversee the administration of amateur
radio exams by Volunteer Examiners (VEs). Examination opportunities
have continued to be widely available throughout the US -- except for a
couple of months during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic -- and
adding VECs to the 14 now in place would "have no effect" on the number
of available exams, ARRL said. ARRL's comments on February 4 were in
response to a January 5 FCC Public Notice in WT Docket 21-2 seeking
input on possible expansion of the VEC pool.
"We found that even though 10 of the 12 months for calendar year 2020
were times of severe disruption throughout the nation, including for
FCC and ARRL Headquarters staff, amateur examination opportunities and
numbers were strong," ARRL told the FCC.
"Instead of increasing the number of VECs, we would encourage
volunteers to become accredited as VEs and to volunteer to help the
current VECs wherever possible," ARRL said. "Many of the VECs would
welcome help." ARRL said VEs, not VECs, are responsible for
administering amateur radio exams.
The number of new and upgraded licenses has been in line with earlier
years, "with noticeable increases in the 4 months following the
lockdown that occurred in many areas in the early spring," ARRL pointed
out.
ARRL said, "Increasing the number of VECs would expand the complexity
of VEC coordination and management, increase demand on FCC resources to
interface with additional organizations, and raise the potential for
abuse and fraud." Read an expanded version.
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ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 14) takes a
deeper dive into the subject of HF antenna tuners, including some
shopping tips.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 27) features a discussion
of virtual audio cables, plus a chat with Clint Turner, KA7OEI, about
extremely slow CW, otherwise known as QRSS.
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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RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E Designated AMSAT-OSCAR 109 as Troubleshooting
Continues
Launched on January 17, the RadFxSat-2/Fox-1E CubeSat has been
designated as AMSAT-OSCAR 109 (AO-109). The satellite, which carries a
telemetry beacon and a linear transponder, along with radiation effects
experiments, is a joint mission of AMSAT and the Institute for Space
and Defense Electronics at Vanderbilt University. While the telemetry
beacon has not yet been heard, the transponder is partially operational
at reduced signal strength.
"Work continues to recover the telemetry beacon and characterize the
transponder with the goal of opening it for general use," AMSAT said
this week. "Testing and characterization of RadFxSat-2/AO-109
continues." On January 27, a ham in Nevada reported weakly hearing his
CW signal via the spacecraft's transponder.
AMSAT engineering and operations teams made the official AO-109
designation after confirmation that the linear transponder was
functional, although with a low-level downlink signal. Read an expanded
version. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via Mark Hammond, N8MH
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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.
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 @ 8 PM EST (0100 UTC on Friday, February
12)
Maxim Memorial Station W1AW Tour -- Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, W1AW Station
Manager
Maxim Memorial Station W1AW, located in Newington, Connecticut, was
established to honor the memory of ARRL's co-founder and first
president, Hiram Percy Maxim. Although the first radio station of ARRL
was actually located in Hartford, Connecticut and active as W1MK, W1AW
in Newington is known worldwide and considered the radio station most
associated with Hiram Percy Maxim. Formally established in 1938 --
nearly 2 years after the death of Hiram Percy Maxim -- W1AW has
consistently been on the air, save for the time when the station was
ordered off the air by the FCC because of World War II.
Thursday, February 18, 2021 @ 3:30 PM EST (2030 UTC)
Talking to Astronauts: An Elementary School's Exciting ARISS Experience
-- Diane Warner, KE8HLD
This is a story about Tallmadge Elementary School's participation in a
once-in-a-lifetime ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station) school contact. Learn about their amazing journey leading up
to the amateur radio contact with an astronaut on the International
Space Station. The excitement of the entire experience was shared not
just by the students, but included faculty, parents, the community, and
local amateur radio operators. You will also learn how to begin the
process of submitting your own ARISS contact proposal.
Tuesday, March 2, 2021 @ 1 PM EST (1800 UTC)
Visit the ARRL Learning Network (a members-only benefit) to register,
check on upcoming webinars, and to view previously recorded sessions.
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IARU Agrees On Preliminary WRC-23 Positions
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has agreed on its
preliminary positions for World Radiocommunication Conference 2023
(WRC-23), according to Barry Lewis, G4SJH, Chair of IARU Region 1
Spectrum Affairs.
"The preparatory work for WRC-23 has started across all [three] regions
in both the ITUâ**R [Radiocommunication Sector] and the Regional
Telecommunications Organizations (RTOs)," Lewis said. "The IARU has
representatives in these RTOs, and the ITUâ**R contributing to the
studies and helping to develop the regional positions on all the WRC
agenda items. It is vital that the amateur community presents its views
in a consolidated and consistent manner on each WRC agenda item across
all the regions."
Lewis said the IARU ministrative Council has agreed on initial
preliminary positions covering the six most important agenda items for
the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services.
The preliminary IARU positions:
* Agenda Item 1.2 -- oppose the identification of 10.0 - 10.5 GHz for
International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT) in Region 2 (the
Americas), as well as the introduction of a mobile service
allocation in the region.
* Agenda Item 1.12 -- support studies that include the need to
protect the incumbent amateur service in the adjacent 50 - 54 MHz
band. The agenda item calls for studies to establish a possible new
secondary allocation for spaceborne radar sounders within a range
of frequencies around 45 MHz.
* Agenda Item 1.14 -- support retaining the 248 - 250 GHz primary and
the 241 - 248 GHz secondary Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services
allocations.
* Agenda Item 1.18 -- support retention of the amateur secondary
allocation of 3300 - 3400 MHz in Regions 2 and 3.
* Agenda Item 9.1, Topic A -- The IARU said, "In considering
potential new regulatory provisions for the recognition of space
weather systems, additional constraints on incumbent services
including the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services must be
avoided."
* Agenda Item 9.1 Topic B -- The IARU said, "Radio amateurs have
successfully co-existed and innovated in the frequency range of
1240 - 1300 MHz for many years, and IARU believes that the
regulatory status of the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Services in
this range is already clear."
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Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.
Ham Radio Forms a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor Network
Eos, February 9, 2021
Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Holds Training in WXOW's Parking Lot
ABC News 19 (Minnesota/Wisconsin), February 6, 2021
When Scoutmasters Got Trained to be Amateur Radio Operators
Net News Ledger (Canada), February 5, 2021
Concord Student Wins Congressional App Challenge
Patch News (California), February 4, 2021
Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
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Article: Ham Radio Forms a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor Network
The article "Ham Radio Forms a Planet-Sized Space Weather Sensor
Network," which appeared on February 9 in Eos, Earth & Space Science
News, sprang from a project by the Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation (HamSCI), founded by Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, of the
University of Scranton, one of the paper's authors. The other authors
are Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, who led the project, and David Kazdan,
AD8Y, both of Case Western Reserve University (W8EDU). The article
posits that, with their experience dealing with ionosphere-influenced
propagation, radio amateurs have an empirical knowledge of space
weather and offer a ready-made volunteer science community.
The article covers the methods and research being used to monitor the
effects of solar activity on Earth's atmosphere, telecommunications,
and electrical utilities -- and the valuable data being crowdsourced
from amateur radio signals.
"To fully understand variability on small spatial scales and short
timescales, the scientific community will require vastly larger and
denser sensing networks that collect data on continental and global
scales," the article asserts. "With open-source instrumentation cheaper
and more plentiful than ever before, the time is ripe for amateur
scientists to take distributed measurements of the ionosphere -- and
the amateur radio community is up for the challenge."
"The reach of these crowdsourced systems, and the support of the
amateur community, offers tremendous opportunities for scientific
measurements," the article notes.
The research acknowledges a handful of HamSCI collaborators -- from
organizations and universities -- and is supported by National Science
Foundation grants. HamSCI's Personal Space Weather Station initiative
aims to develop a network of specially equipped amateur stations that
will allow amateurs to collect useful data for space science
researchers. Ham radio operators and researchers, through HamSCI, are
designing hardware for a distributed network of personal space weather
stations, the article explains.
The 2021 HamSCI virtual workshop will take place March 19 - 20. Read an
expanded version.
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Announcements
* CQ has announced that Trent Fleming, N4DTF, of Germantown,
Tennessee, has been named CQ magazine's VHF-Plus Editor. He
succeeds Tony Emanuele, K8ZR. Fleming's first column will appear in
the April 2021 issue of CQ.
* Michel Godart, F8GGZ, plans to celebrate United Nations World Radio
Day, February 13, with special call sign TM23JMR (Journee Mondiale
de la Radio). Activity will be on 1.8 through 14 MHz, SSB and CW.
* Tom Callas, KC0W, has announced that he's activated Saipan (KH0)
for the first time on 60 and 160 meters FT8. "The 160-meter pileups
have been massive," he reports. Do not call on his transmit
frequency.
* Members of the West Bengal Radio Club (VU2WB) in India are
celebrating United Nations World Radio Day, February 13, with the
special call sign AT2WRD. Operation will continue until February
20.
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A "Perfect Coronal Mass Ejection" Could Be a Nightmare
A new study in the research journal Space Weather considers what might
happen if a worst-case coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth -- a
"perfect solar storm," if you will.
In 2014, Bruce Tsurutani of Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Gurbax
Lakhina of the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism introduced the "perfect
CME." It could create a magnetic storm with intensity up to the
saturation limit, a value greater than the Carrington Event of 1859,
the researchers said. The interplanetary shock would arrive at Earth
within about 12 hours, the shock impingement onto the magnetosphere
would create a sudden impulse of around 234 nanoteslas (nT), and the
magnetic pulse duration in the magnetosphere would be about 22 seconds.
Orbiting satellites would be exposed to "extreme levels of flare and
interplanetary CME (ICME) shock-accelerated particle radiation," they
said. The event would follow an initial CME that would "clear the path
in front of it, allowing the storm cloud to hit Earth with maximum
force."
The CME
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