The ARRL Letter
September 23, 2021
* ARRL, RSGB Announce Joint Events to Celebrate Centenary of Ham
Radio Transatlantic Success
* Clear Frequencies Requested for Possible Nicaragua Earthquake
Traffic
* Radio Amateurs on Standby Following Volcanic Eruption in the
Canaries
* ARRL Podcasts Schedule
* Registration Opens for US Amateur Radio Direction Finding
Championships
* ARRL Learning Network Webinars
* Open-Source Amateur Satellite Work Not Subject to Export
ministration Regulation
* Amateur Radio in the News
* IARU Region 3 Considers Significant Expansion of HF Digital
Segments
* Announcements
* AWA Video: SSB was Slow to Catch On as a Ham Radio Mode
* The K7RA Solar Update
* Just Ahead in Radiosport
* Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
ARRL, RSGB Announce Joint Events to Celebrate Centenary of Ham Radio
Transatlantic Success
ARRL and the Radio Society of Great Britain will jointly sponsor events
to celebrate the achievement of transatlantic communications by radio
amateurs 100 years ago.
In December 1921, ARRL sent Paul F. Godley, 2ZE, as its representative
to listen for amateur signals from North America during the Second
Transatlantic Tests. Setting up his listening station in Ardrossan, on
the west coast of Scotland, Godley received the signals of more than 2
dozen US amateur radio stations, the first on December 12 (UTC) from
1BCG in Connecticut, operated by members of the Radio Club of America.
The message read: "Nr 1 NY ck 12 to Paul Godley, Ardrossan, Scotland.
Hearty Congratulations. (Signed) Burghard Inman Grinan Armstrong Amy
Cronkhite."
These successful transatlantic tests and the ones that followed spurred
technological advances and new global wireless distance records.
Several amateur radio operating events this year and next will
commemorate the centenary of these significant milestones that heralded
the dawn of two-way international amateur radio communication.
ARRL and RSGB will activate special event stations for 6 hours (0200 -
0800 UTC) on December 12 for the 160-meter Transatlantic Centenary QSO
Party. RSGB will activate GB2ZE from Scotland, with a team of stations
from the GMDX Group sharing operating duties. ARRL will activate W1AW.
The stations will operate only on CW. If transatlantic propagation
holds up, the stations may continue to operate beyond 0800 UTC.
Paul Godley, 2ZE
The GMDX Group of Scotland will award a quaich -- a traditional
Scottish drinking cup representing friendship -- to the first stations
in North America and the UK to complete contacts with both W1AW and
GB2ZE during the QSO party. A commemorative certificate will be
available for download.
RSGB and ARRL are also organizing an international amateur radio
marathon on the HF bands to commemorate transatlantic tests held
between 1921 and 1923. The Transatlantic Centenary Marathon will take
place in December 2022. The objective will be to mark these historic
events by encouraging all radio amateurs to get on the air. Event
details are pending.
ARRL and RSGB have assembled a list of stations and groups that are
also organizing events and activities to celebrate 100 years of amateur
radio transatlantic communication. For more information, visit
arrl.org/transatlantic and rsgb.org/transatlantic-tests. The sites also
include links to many previously published articles and presentations
covering the historic tests.
ditional events and commemorations include:
* Radio Club of America (RCA) Transatlantic QSO Party, 1200 UTC on
November 13 to 0400 UTC on November 14, 2021 (16 hours total). The
QSO party commemorates the contribution of members of the Radio
Club of America who constructed and operated the 1BCG transmitter
site in Greenwich, Connecticut, that sent the first message
received by Paul Godley, 2ZE, in Scotland.
* W1AW Commemorative Transatlantic QSL Card. Stations making contact
with the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, between December
11, 2021, and December 31, 2022, qualify to receive a commemorative
W1AW QSL card. US stations should QSL with a self-addressed,
stamped envelope; international stations should QSL via the Bureau.
* The 2021 ARRL 160-Meter Contest, 2200 UTC on December 3 - 1559 UTC
on December 5. This 42-hour, CW-only contest is most similar to the
original Transatlantic Tests of the early 1920s. Stations in the US
and Canada work each other as well as DXCC entities. RSGB is
planning to activate one of the original call signs used in the
Transatlantic Tests, with up to seven different prefixes from the
UK and Crown Dependencies. Look for G6XX (England); GD6XX (Isle of
Man); GI6XX (Northern Ireland); GJ6XX (Jersey); GM6XX (Scotland);
GU6XX (Guernsey), and GW6XX (Wales).
* Special Event GB1002ZE, December 1 - 26, 2021. The Crocodile Rock
Amateur Group (CRAG) based near Ardrossan, Scotland, will activate
the special event station GB1002ZE to commemorate the successful
reception of amateur transatlantic signals by Paul Godley, 2ZE, in
1921. The RSGB encourages stations in the UK and Crown Dependencies
to append the suffix "/2ZE" to their station's normal call sign
throughout the period, as authorized by UK regulator Ofcom.
Clear Frequencies Requested for Possible Nicaragua Earthquake Traffic
IARU Region 2 Emergency Coordinator Carlos Alberto Santamaría González,
CO2JC, has requested that radio amateurs in Central America avoid 7098
and 7198 kHz in the wake of an earthquake at 0957 UTC Wednesday in
Nicaragua.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the magnitude 6.5 earthquake has
also affected Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.
The earthquake was followed by another 4.0 temblor and other
aftershocks of less intensity, as confirmed by Juan de la Cruz
Rodríguez Pérez, YN1J, President and National Emergency Coordinator of
the Club de Radioexperimentadores de Nicaragua (CREN). CREN is the
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-society for Nicaragua.
The earthquake occurred offshore some 60 miles from Chinandega and
approximately 52 miles southwest of the resort town of Jiquilillo,
Nicaragua. The USGS said the quake occurred in the North Pacific at a
depth of approximately 20 miles.
According to the Nicaraguan Institute for Territorial Studies, the
event was related to the tectonic processes of the collision between
the Cocos and Caribbean tectonic plates.
Emergency communicator Juan de la Cruz, YN1J, requested the frequency
protection.
No tsunami warning has been issued, and there have been no immediate
reports of damage.
According to the USGS, "Little or no landsliding is expected, but some
landslides could have occurred in highly susceptible areas." And, "The
number of people living near areas that could have produced landslides
in this earthquake is low, but landslide damage or fatalities are still
possible in highly susceptible areas. This is not a direct estimate of
landslide fatalities or losses."
Radio Amateurs on Standby Following Volcanic Eruption in the Canaries
The Cumbre Vieja volcano on La Palmas in Spain's Canary Islands erupted
for the first time in 50 years on Sunday, September 19, following an
increase in seismic activity over the previous 7 days. The lava flow
has triggered the evacuation of more than 6,000 people so far.
Authorities have deployed all the resources of the Canary Islands
Government, as well as military support from the mainland, to manage
the situation. In order to facilitate communication into and out of the
area, EMCOM-SPAIN has asked that the IARU Emergency Center of Activity
Frequencies be kept clear in case the situation worsens: 3.760 MHz;
7.110 MHz; 14.300 MHz, and 21.360 MHz. -- Thanks to IARU Region 1
ARRL Podcasts Schedule
The latest episode of the On the Air podcast (Episode 21) features a
chat with Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, about the new edition of The ARRL
Handbook and how it can be useful to new hams.
The latest edition of Eclectic Tech (Episode 43) debuts on Thursday,
September 23. It is a chat with Glen Popiel, KW5GP, about his new ARRL
book More Arduino for Amateur Radio.
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.
Registration Opens for US Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championships
Registration is now open for the 2021 US and IARU Region 2
Championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF), set for
October 13 - 17. Competition venues will be near Asheboro, North
Carolina. Postponed from 2020, these championships will be conducted in
accordance with CDC COVID-19 guidelines.
"The US ARDF Championships are an ideal opportunity to watch and learn
from the best radio-orienteers in the US," said ARRL ARDF
Co-coordinator Charles Scharlau, NZ0I. "Winners who qualify by
citizenship or residence may be selected for positions on ARDF Team US,
which will travel to Serbia for the 2022 ARDF World Championships."
Wednesday, October 13, will be a model event for equipment testing and
a competitor briefing. Thursday, October 14, will be devoted to the
Sprint championship, a short course with 12-second fox transmissions
instead of the usual 60 seconds.
Classic 2-meter and 80-meter competitions will take place on Friday and
Sunday. Between the days of classic competitions will be Foxoring, a
combination of radio direction-finding and classic orienteering, held
on Saturday morning. An outdoor pizza picnic will be held on Saturday
evening. Presentation of medals for foxoring, sprint, and Friday's
classic event take place at the picnic. Awards for Sunday's Classic
competition will be presented immediately after the competition.
Postponed in 2020, the 2021 ARDF USA
Championships will take place
October 13 - 17 in North Carolina.
Three optional practice days are planned for Sunday through Tuesday,
October 10 - 12, just prior to the championships. A practice event on
Sunday in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, will provide the experience of a
full ARDF course in a friendly environment, with the clock as the only
opponent. The practices on Monday and Tuesday will be held in Durham,
North Carolina, and will offer informal sessions in which the
participants help with setting the transmitters in the woods.
Experienced radio orienteers and event organizers from the Backwoods
Orienteering Klub (BOK) will organize the 2021 US and IARU Region 2
Championships. An email reflector is available for questions and
answers with the organizers, as well as for coordinating transportation
and arranging equipment loans. -- Thanks to Joe Moell, K0OV Read an
expanded version.
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.
ARRL members may register for upcoming presentations and view
previously recorded Learning Network webinars. ARRL-affiliated radio
clubs may also use the recordings as presentations for club meetings,
mentoring new and current hams, and discussing amateur radio topics.
Working the Pileup, presented by Ron Delpiere-Smith, KD9IPO / Tuesday,
October 5, 2021 @ 1:00 pm EDT (1700 UTC)
Ron Delpiere-Smith, KD9IPO, Vice President of the Chicago Suburban
Radio Association and an ARRL Assistant Section Manager in Illinois,
will offer an enlightening discussion on working a pileup from both
sides of the contact. Whether your interest lies in ARRL Field Day,
contesting, special events, or rare DX, this is a must-see
presentation. Ron will discuss search-and-pounce and running
techniques, when to use them, and some tips on working them to your
advantage.
The ARRL Learning Network schedule is subject to change.
Open-Source Amateur Satellite Work Not Subject to Export ministration
Regulation
CEO Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, reports that Open Research Institute
(ORI) received an advisory opinion from the US Commerce Department
Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) on September 2, confirming that
public internet posts regarding open-source amateur satellite
communications work are not subject to the Export ministration
Regulation (EAR). ORI was founded in March 2018 by Bruce Perens, K6BP,
in order to provide a formal structure for open-source satellite work.
Prior work by ORI established that open-source amateur satellite
communications work was free of International Traffic in Arms
Regulations (ITAR).
"This is a significant regulatory success for open-source amateur
satellite work and open source in general," Thompson said. In a later
post on the ORI site, Thompson said ITAR and EAR have had a dramatic
effect on both commercial and amateur satellite work since the 1990s.
"The regulations are blamed for a significant decline in US market
share for satellite systems and halted highly successful international
amateur collaborations," she wrote.
ORI CEO Michelle
Thompson, W5NYV.
Open-source work that is published as it is created and is freely
available to the general public at no cost is not subject to ITAR or
EAR, Thompson said.
ORI's work was funded by ARDC, with legal assistance provided by
Thomsen and Burke LLP. All documents and links to presentations about
the work are available.
"Thank you to those who have supported and assisted ORI during the many
stages of this successful regulatory endeavor," Thompson said. "ORI
will build upon this work to advance the aims and purposes of
open-source amateur satellites."
Visit the ORI website's "Getting Started" page to get involved. Read an
expanded version.
Amateur Radio in the News
ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other
member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news.
* The Quietest Place in America / Green Bank, West Virginia from
LethbridgeNewsNow (Alberta, Canada) September 21, 2021
Share any amateur radio media hits you spot with us.
IARU Region 3 Considers Significant Expansion of HF Digital Segments
The IARU Region 3 (Asia) online conference hosted by Thailand's IARU
member-society RAST wraps up on September 23. One topic discussed was a
proposed HF band plan. Among the problems the planners seek to address
is the use of bandwidth as a defining transmission characteristic.
Following the revision of the tools used to describe HF amateur band
plans, a joint tri-region IARU committee developed a proposal for
revision of the data segments of the HF amateur band plans.
The changes proposed include a significant expansion of digital mode
segments. These revisions address several areas, including global HF
amateur band plan segment harmonization.
Other factors include:
* separation of "conversational" and time-synchronized digital
activity
* band plan segment expansions in support of time-synchronized
transmission mode capacity demands (mostly trading with now lesser
used RTTY subbands)
* more effective separation of voice and data modes on 40 meters
* relocation of the IARU Region 3 EmComm SSB frequency from 3600 to
3680 kHz
* relocation of the global 20-meter slow-scan TV (SSTV) frequency
from 14,230 kHz to 14,330 kHz
* relocation of Japan's domestic 40-meter FT8 frequency from 7041 to
7037 kHz (dial) to provide for a global narrowband conversational
modes (e.g., PSK) segment between 7040 and 7044 kHz in alignment
with existing Region 1 arrangements to replace the 7070 - 7074 kHz
segment in Region 2, and recognition of 7040 - 7060 plus 7065 -
7080 kHz as the new 40-meter data segment with voice operation,
reduced to secondary status between 7060 and 7070 kHz.
Documents are available from the Region 1 Conference website. Special
event station HS18IARU was on the air during the conference.
Announcements
* The International DX Association (INDEXA) will support the 3Y0J
DXpedition to Bouvet Island in November-December 2022 with a grant
of $15,000.
* PACIFICON 2021, which will host the ARRL Pacific Division
Convention, is set for October 15 -17, sponsored by Mount Diablo
Amateur Radio Club. The event will take place at the San Ramon
Marriott Hotel, 2600 Bishop Drive, San Ramon, California.
* The Arizona Association for Summits on the Air (SOTA) will host the
4th annual 10-Point s2s Madness event on Saturday, October 2, 1400
- 2359 UTC. In this event, multiple hams simultaneously operate
mountaintop portable on 10-point summits. Hams can participate as
activators or chasers; add your information to the Alerts section
on the SOTA website if you plan to activate. The same website will
display the spots on the day of the event, if you are a chaser. In
the past, 25 - 30 activators are on a 10-point summit at the same
time. For more information, contact Pete Scola, WA7JTM, or search
social media for the hashtag #TenPointMadness.
* The Central Arizona DX Association will have the call sign K7UGA on
the air October 4 - 8. K7UGA was the call sign of Arizona US
Senator Barry Goldwater, who was also the 1964 Republican Party
presidential candidate. K7UGA will be on all bands and modes. QSL
via K7BHM with an SASE.
* Lance Collister, W7GJ, will undertake a 6-meter DXpedition to the
Austral and Marquesas Islands. He'll spend October 15 - 24 as
FO/W7GJ on the Australs, and October 28 - November 7 as TX7MB on
the Marquesas. He is planning to use the Q65-60A for all 6-meter
moonbounce activity and FT8 for terrestrial contacts.
* Members of the Russian Robinson Club will celebrate the 60th
anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty signing with special call signs
R60ANT, RA60ANT, RB60ANT, RC60ANT, RG60ANT, RJ60ANT, RK60ANT,
RL60ANT, RN60ANT, RT60ANT, RU60ANT, RZ60ANT, and RI60ANT, between
October 1 and December 31.
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AWA Video: SSB was Slow to Catch On as a Ham Radio Mode
Hams are often early adopters of new technology, such as FT8, but this
was not the case with single sideband (SSB) amplitude modulation. First
referenced in Major General George Squier's 1911 patent that had
nothing to do with RF applications, SSB didn't really catch on as a
popular ham radio phone mode until the 1960s.
Antique Wireless Association (AWA) museum curator Ed Gable, K2MP,
recounted "The History of Single Sideband" as part of the inaugural
"AWA Shares" program, presented on August 19. Gable described Squier as
an "early idea man" in the history of SSB at a time when hams had
hardly adopted AM in any form.
As Gable explained, John Renshaw Carson built on Squier's patents to
define the principles of SSB radio transmission theory, using a
balanced modulator and filters. AT&T went all in with SSB, basing its
first long-haul telephone system on the technology. Its SSB voice
service to Europe, which kicked off in 1923, lasted for more than 3
decades. A receiving site in Scotland took advantage of Beverage
antennas put in place for the ARRL transatlantic tests.
Gable credited Robert M. Moore, W6DEI, with introducing SSB to the ham
radio community, through an article in R9 Magazine in the early 1930s.
The technology remained more of a curiosity, however, in part because
of the Great Depression, cost, and technical difficulty. Besides, hams
of that era saw no real advantage to narrowband modes, since bands were
not that crowded.
The mood began to change after World War II, though. In 1948, Oswald
Villard, W6QIT, engineered the airing of SSB signals via Stanford
University's W6YX, re-introducing the mode to a burgeoning and more
technically savvy post-war ham community that included a lot of
veterans. A 1950 GE Ham News article by Don Norgaard, W2KUJ, described
plans for a 5 W, three-tube SSB transmitter he dubbed "The SSB Jr."
The Central Electronics Model 20A.
--- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462
* Origin: Christian Fellowship | cfbbs.no-ip.com 856-933-7096 (1:266/512)
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