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Feature: Surfin': Remembering the Woodpecker
(Oct 23, 2009)
-- This week, Surfin' recalls a formidable ham radio nemesis from the 20th century.Full Story |
SumbandilaSat Now OSCAR 67
(Oct 23, 2009)
-- The South African Amateur Radio satellite SumbandilaSat has been officially designated SumbandilaSat-OSCAR 67, or simply OSCAR 67. Last weekend, the satellite was successfully activated and tested with a number of contacts made through its transponder, but it is not yet open for routine use. The satellite was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on September 17. The main payload is a multi-spectral imager, but the satellite also carries an Amateur Radio component consisting of a 2 meter/70 cm FM repeater. After SumbandilaSat is fully commissioned, the repeater will be activated with an uplink at 145.880 MHz and a downlink at 435.350 MHz; there will also be a voice beacon at 435.300 MHz. The transponder mode will be controlled by a CTCSS tone on the uplink frequency. SumbandilaSat was sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology and was built at SunSpace in cooperation with the Stellenbosch University. In addition to the SA-AMSAT amateur module, the satellite carries Stellenbosch University's radiation experiment and software defined radio (SDR) project, an experiment from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and a VLF radio module from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.Link to this item |
HR 2160 Gains More Cosponsors
(Oct 22, 2009)
-- As of October 14, five more Congressional Representatives -- Tom Latham (R-IA-4), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA-46), Scott Garrett (R-NJ-5), Candice Miller (R-MI-10) and John Olver (D-MA-1) -- pledged their support for HR 2160, The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009, bringing the total number of cosponsors to 29, including original sponsor Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX-18). HR 2160 is also sponsored by W. Todd Akin (R-MO-2), Michael Arcuri (D-NY-24), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD-6), John Boozman (R-AR-3), Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam), Geoff Davis (R-KY-4), Bob Filner (D-CA-51), Bart Gordon (D-TN-6), Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY-22), Michael Honda (D-CA-15), Mary Jo Kilroy (D-OH-15), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-16), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO-9), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI-11), Charlie Melancon (D-LA-3), Dennis Moore (D-KS-3), Bill Posey (R-FL-15), Bennie Thompson (D-MS-2), Michael Turner (R-OH-3), Peter Welch (D-VT), David Wu (D-OR-1) and Don Young (R-AK). Click here for information on how to encourage your Congressional representative to sponsor HR 2160.Link to this item |
Feature: The Amateur Amateur: A Soggy, Foggy, Doggy Demo in the Park
(Oct 22, 2009)
-- Our ARES® group's Field Station Demonstration and Simulated Emergency Test (FSD&SET?) was supposed to start at 8AM, but I was still sitting at home, staring out the window at the fog. I'd hoped that some of the pea soup would have dissipated by then, but it seemed as thick as it had been when I'd first struggled out of bed. Fearing that I'd miss the whole event if I waited any longer, I got into my car and crept down the driveway and into the murk.Full Story |
ARRL HQ Hosts Amateur Radio Course for USTTI Participants
(Oct 22, 2009)
-- Students from Ghana, Mauritius, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Zambia attended the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) Amateur Radio Administration Course (ARAC) at ARRL Headquarters October 12-16. ARRL Technical Relations Manager Brennan Price, N4QX, coordinated the session and led the course. ARRL Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer and Meeting Planner Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ, coordinated ARRL's participation with USTTI.Full Story |
Four Radio Amateurs Killed in Plane Crash En Route to CQWW Phone Contest
(Oct 21, 2009 [REVISED Oct 22, 2009 11:05 ET])
-- Just after take-off -- around 6:30 AM on Wednesday, October 21 -- a twin-engine plane carrying four Amateur Radio operators crashed into the woods, only 250 yards off the end of the runway in Jedburg, South Carolina, about 20 miles northwest of Charleston. The plane -- piloted and owned by Peter Radding, W2GJ -- carried Ed Steeble, K3IXD, Dallas Carter, W3PP, and Randy Hargenrader, K4QO. The four men were on their way to the Bahamas to operate in this weekend's CQ World Wide Phone Contest as C6APR, competing in the Multi/2 category.Full Story |
ARRL Continuing Education Online Course Registration
(Oct 21, 2009)
-- Registration remains open through Sunday, October 25, 2009, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, November 6, 2009: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1; Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog Electronics, and Digital Electronics.Full Story |
University Researchers Need Your Help as they Study Early Amateur Station Logs
(Oct 21, 2009)
-- Researchers at the University of Wisconsin and Miami University of Ohio are seeking copies of amateur station logs from 1913-1927 in hopes they may offer insights into the relationship between individuals' work and leisure activities, technology, and their social networks.Full Story |
ARRL to Participate in the Combined Federal Campaign
(Oct 21, 2009)
-- For the eighth year running, the US Office of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL to participate in the 2009 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In the past, this campaign for federal government civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the military has generated more than $160,000 for ARRL programs since it first became an option for giving by federal employees to the League. The CFC provides an easy way to support ARRL’s effort to represent its members and all radio amateurs. Similar to the United Way, the CFC encourages individuals to pledge by payroll deduction to non-profit organizations of their choice. The ARRL encourages eligible radio amateurs to consider the League when designating campaign recipients. Payroll deduction through the CFC is an easy way for participants to support ARRL over and above their annual membership. Such contributions support programs that are not funded by member dues, enriching ARRL's ability to serve its members and all of Amateur Radio. Those wishing to select the ARRL to receive all or part of their payroll deductions should designate organization 10099 when completing their CFC donor forms. Donations to ARRL can be designated for Diamond Club contributions, the ARRL Spectrum Defense Fund or the ARRL Education & Technology Program. Donors may also make unrestricted contributions to the League. One important note: Since the CFC does not provide the ARRL with the names of individual donors, the ARRL Development Office would appreciate a copy of the donor form to ensure that each contribution is applied according to the donor's wishes and the contribution or pledge can be properly acknowledged. The 2009 CFC ends December 15.Link to this item |
FCC Issues Public Notice on Amateur Service Communication During Government Disaster Drills
(Oct 20, 2009 [REVISED Oct 22, 2009 13:51 ET])
-- On Tuesday October 20, 2009 the FCC released a Public Notice clarifying the Commission's rules relating to the use of Amateur Radio by licensed amateurs participating in drills and exercises on behalf of their employers. Entitled Amateur Service Communications During Government Disaster Drills, the Public Notice addresses participation by paid employees of organizations taking part in drills.Full Story |
ARRL General Counsel, Regulatory Information Manager to Present Webinar
(Oct 20, 2009)
-- ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, and ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson N1ND, will present a webinar beginning at 9 PM EDT on Wednesday, October 28. This session will discuss the issues behind, and the reasoning for, the ARRL’s recent report, The Commercialization of Amateur Radio: The Rules, The Risks, The Issues. According to webinar sponsor ARRL Atlantic Division Director Bill Edgar, N3LLR, all amateurs need to be aware of these issues. The webinar, available at no cost, is open to all amateurs. Please click here to register for this informative interactive Internet meeting.Link to this item |
IARU Administrative Council Adopts Preliminary WRC-12 Positions
(Oct 20, 2009)
-- The Administrative Council (AC) of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its annual meeting on October 17-18, 2009 in Christchurch, New Zealand and took the following 16 actions.Full Story |
IARU Officials Attend Region 3 Conference in New Zealand
(Oct 18, 2009)
-- Hosted by the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART), officials from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) -- IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, and Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD, along with Region 1 President Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, Region 1 Secretary Dennis Green, ZS4BS, and Region 2 Secretary Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK -- attended the IARU Region 3 14th Triennial Conference on October12-16, in Christchurch, New Zealand.Full Story |
Feature: Youth@HamRadio.Fun: A Scouting Marathon
(Oct 17, 2009)
-- School is back in session all around America, and scouting is ramping back up. September and October are great months to kick off the Scouting year and resume the tireless chase for victory in the world of Radiosport.Full Story |
The K7RA Solar Update
(Oct 16, 2009)
-- No sunspots appeared this week, although there were hopeful signs. Spaceweather.com reported on October 11 that a new sunspot was "struggling to emerge," but it faded quickly, and the Sun has been blank since then. Sunspot numbers for October 8-14 were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and 0 with a mean of 0. The 10.7 cm flux was 68.8, 69.2, 70, 70.4, 70.1, 69.8 and 70.9 with a mean of 69.9. The estimated planetary A indices were 2, 3, 2, 6, 2, 2 and 2 with a mean of 2.7. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 1, 1, 0, 7, 1, 2 and 0 with a mean of 1.7. For this week, expect more of the same quiet geomagnetic conditions. Geophysical Institute Prague expects quiet to unsettled conditions today, October 16, then quiet conditions October 17-22. NOAA and US Air Force predict the planetary A index for today at 7, then back down to 5 for the foreseeable future. They expect solar flux to be up to 72 today through October 30.Full Story |
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