***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 23, No. 01
January 2, 2004
***************
IN THIS EDITION:
* +Comments augment BPL alarm
* +A BPL tale of two cities
* +ISS commander debuts new ham gear
* +California ARES/RACES teams respond following earthquake
* +Joe Knight, W5PDY, SK
* +Washington state lawmakers hear from ARRL SM on BPL threat
* +Hamvention 2004 award nomination deadline looms
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
Reminder: Kid's Day is Sunday, January 4!
ARRL Emergency Communications course registration
ARECC/ARES seminar set in New York City-Long Island Section
Amateur Radio assists in Iran earthquake relief
Emanuel G. "Manny" Papandreas, W4SS, SK
Canadian hams may lose 220-222 MHz segment
TO4E/TO4WW DXpedition racks up 34,000 Qs
CQ names Floyd Gerald, N5FG, as Worked All Zones awards manager
+Available on ARRL Audio News
===========================================================
==>ORGANIZATIONS' COMMENTS AUGMENT ALARM OVER BPL
Two organizations have filed comments with the FCC that augment previously
expressed worries about potential interference from and to Broadband over
Power Line (BPL) systems. Picking up on the "grave concerns" the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) <http://www.fema.gov/> expressed over
BPL December 4, the nonprofit Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response
Association (DERA) <http://www.disasters.org/> called on the FCC to require
impartial BPL field testing as well as additional public comment and full
and open public hearings.
"DERA concludes that serious interference to and disruption of critical
emergency communications systems in several licensed services throughout
North America would almost certainly result from BPL implementation as
currently proposed," DERA said. Endorsing the earlier FEMA remarks, DERA
said proposed BPL systems don't just pose a risk of interference, they've
already been shown to "actually cause harmful interference to licensed
radio services."
Meanwhile, the Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation (AMRAD)
has filed additional test data with the FCC to support preliminary
findings suggesting that BPL systems are susceptible to interference from
even modest Amateur Radio HF signals. AMRAD said its newest data
demonstrated that amateur operation in the test neighborhood would cause
many homes to lose their Internet service.
"At least an area out to a radius of 0.51 miles from the transmitting
station could have their Internet connection interrupted," AMRAD said.
"Closer-in homes would almost certainly have their Internet service
interrupted."
For its RF susceptibility experiment, AMRAD used the Potomac Electric
Power Company system test site. It features a mid-1960s vintage home with
unshielded interior electrical wiring and overhead power lines.
AMRAD found that at a distance of just over one-half mile, data transfer
ceased in the face of a 100-W signal on 3980 kHz from a mobile
transmitter. Adjacent to the test property, AMRAD said data transfer
ceased in all but one instance at a transmitter power of just 4 W in the
BPL operating band of from 4 to 21 MHz.
The ARRL hopes to complete an independent BPL engineering study early this
year. It will explore how BPL might affect HF and low-VHF amateur
operation as well as how Amateur Radio operation could affect BPL systems.
In related news, BPL equipment manufacturer Amperion Inc recently
announced an "industry first" by successfully testing its high-speed
"Connect" system on 69 kV transmission lines. Typical BPL systems have
employed medium and low-voltage lines to deliver broadband and Internet
access. Amperion said its tests, performed in conjunction with American
Electric Power, demonstrated multi-megabit data transmission to a distance
of nearly one mile without the need for a repeater. There's more
information on Amperion's Web site
<http://www.amperion.com/press.asp?pid=89>.
Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/>. To support the League's efforts
in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site
<https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/>.
==>A BPL TALE OF TWO CITIES
A Virginia community is preparing to go forward with plans to deploy a
city-owned BPL network, while a California city has decided against BPL
for its own municipal broadband system.
The city council in Lompoc, California <http://www.cityoflompoc.com/>--a
community of some 42,000--opted December 16 to go with a wireless and
fiber optic cable-based broadband network, rejecting BPL and other
possible options. ARRL Santa Barbara Section Technical Coordinator Paul
Andreasen, K1JAN, said he and other members of the local Amateur Radio
community lobbied hard to ensure that Lompoc would not pick BPL.
After contacting Lompoc Mayor Dick DeWesse to spell out the downside of
BPL, Andreasen said he subsequently received assurances from City Manager
Gary Keefe that Lompoc's consultants would not entertain technology that
would radiate in the HF/low-VHF spectrum. The report from McKibben
Consulting noted the "ongoing controversy" about BPL and cited a 2003
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) study that, McKibben said, "made it
clear that there is very good reason to be concerned about RF
interference." The consultant concluded that BPL's advantages failed to
outweigh its disadvantages.
The Washington, DC, suburb of Manassas, Virginia, meanwhile, indicates it
will go ahead this month with plans to inaugurate BPL service in four
subdivisions--a total of some 2100 homes. Manassas--with a population of
nearly 35,000--hopes to be the first community in the US to deploy BPL
citywide.
Amateurs in the Manassas vicinity have pointed to FEMA's "grave concerns"
that BPL could interfere with HF communications systems critical to
national security and public safety. They've also cited Japan's banning of
BPL deployment in the wake of Amateur Radio pressure as well as the BBC
study, where the BPL system used the same Main.net technology Manassas
plans to employ.
City officials seem unimpressed. "Nobody has proven it's a problem," City
Councilman Ulysses X. White told Potomac News
<http://www.potomacnews.com/>. "If it is a problem, then we re-evaluate it.
There's no reason not to go forward with it." The same article quotes City
Utilities Director Allen Todd, W4VUB, as saying that the city will monitor
the system and rectify any problems that crop up. No field testing for RF
interference took place during the system's pilot program.
Potomac News also quoted ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, saying that the risk
of disrupting worldwide and emergency communications for BPL is
shortsighted and, as FEMA aleady has noted, carries potential national
security implications.
==>ISS COMMANDER GETS ON THE AIR WITH NEW HAM GEAR
Astronaut Mike Foale, KB5UAC, fired up the new Phase 2 Amateur Radio on
the International Space Station (ARISS) equipment December 21 to make a
number of 2-meter contacts with amateurs around the world. The Expedition
8 commander completed QSOs with amateurs in Australia, Europe and North
America from 1100 to approximately 1700 UTC.
"I heard him at approximately 1100 UTC and also on the next pass."
commented Ib Christofferson, OZ1MY, on the SAREX reflector. "He had a
large pileup."
A new Kenwood TM-D700E VHF-UHF dualband transceiver was installed late
last fall in the ISS Zvezda Service Module--the crew's living quarters.
ARISS International Chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said official permission to
use the new gear came December 17. The RS0ISS packet system also is back
in operation.
"This equipment, including antennas, radios, hardware and software were
developed and provided by a diverse set of team members located around the
world," Bauer said in a year-end statement. "This was quite a challenge to
make happen."
Activation of the new gear means a power boost from 5 W to 25 W for the
NA1SS downlink signal. It also means the ISS now has two functional ham
stations. Additional Phase 2 equipment--which could go into space this
month--is to include a slow-scan television (SSTV) system and a Yaesu
FT-100 HF/VHF/UHF transceiver.
"I was able to hear him from as far out as 1200 miles," reported Arthur
Rowe, N1ORC, of Lawrence, Massachusetts. "I guess that the new output
power was helping."
Foale's operation was part of a special event to honor SAREX/ARISS Working
Group Chairman Roy Neal, K6DUE, who died last August. Stations contacting
or monitoring the ISS on voice (NA1SS) or packet (RS0ISS) through the end
of 2003 are eligible for special event certificates. See "K6DUE ISS
Commemorative Event Certificates" on the ARISS Web site
<http://www.rac.ca/ariss> for details.
ARISS is an international educational outreach program with participation
by ARRL, NASA and AMSAT.
==>CENTRAL CALIFORNIA HAMS RESPOND TO EARTHQUAKE
Amateur Radio operators aided the American Red Cross after a magnitude 6.5
earthquake struck California's Central Coast region Monday, December 22.
Amateurs in San Luis Obispo County provided radio links between shelters
and the Red Cross San Luis Obispo Chapter office. Santa Barbara Section
Manager Robert Griffin, K6YR, said the San Luis Obispo County Office of
Emergency Services requested the assistance of the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) teams.
Griffin said San Luis Obispo ARES/RACES operators helped staff the county
emergency operations center and backed-up communication for the Red Cross
after cell phone service proved unreliable.
"About 24 operators were involved," Griffin said. "By 10 PM Monday night,
the primary American Red Cross communication resources were again
reliable, and the ARES net secured." Griffin says a few operators
continued communications support at the EOC.
Griffin said the American Red Cross quickly established three shelters for
quake victims--one in hard-hit Paso Robles, another in Morro Bay and a
third in the southern part of the county. Hams staffed shelters to
maintain contact with the Red Cross chapter office. Two people died in
Paso Robles, some 25 miles from the epicenter.
Force 12 President Tom Schiller, N6BT, reports the antenna
manufacturer--located in Paso Robles--suffered "minimal damage" from the
December 22 quake.
"Most of it was confined to the front office, with ceiling tiles falling
down, books and computers being tossed around," Schiller said in an update
on the company's Web site. "Those who had a view out the front glass doors
watched the cars and trucks in the street leave the ground as the shock
waves rolled through." He said the quake took out electric power,
telephone and cell service within less than a minute, although the power
returned and telephones became sporadically operative within a few hours.
Schiller reports his own house--about a mile away--was "trashed," although
his towers and the plumbing and electrical systems survived. Standing
outside while checking the house, Schiller said he noticed that there was
no wildlife at all. "No birds, no deer, no dogs barking. Not even a
breeze," he said. "Thankfully, we made it through."
==>DEAN EMERITUS OF ARRL SECTION MANAGERS JOE T. KNIGHT, W5PDY, SK
Former ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Joe Knight, W5PDY, of Albuquerque
died December 28. He was 76. Until he stepped down last July after his
health began to fail, Knight had provided leadership to the New Mexico
Section for nearly 27 years--longer than any of his peers. ARRL President
Jim Haynie, W5JBP, called Knight an exemplary amateur and volunteer and
said he was saddened to said to learn of his passing.
"You couldn't ask for anybody who was more dedicated to Amateur Radio and
to the League than Joe Knight," Haynie said. "He was the consummate ham."
An ARRL Life Member, Knight had belonged to the League for 55 years. For
several years through 2002, Knight was a regular participant at the New
Section Manager workshops each fall, at which he would share the wealth of
expertise derived from his many years of Field Organization leadership
experience.
Knight was the subject and chief narrator of an article, "The Luckiest Man
Alive," which appeared in the January 2003 issue of QST. In it Knight
said, "Amateur Radio will exist as long as there are people who love the
art and science of communicating by radio." The article also outlined the
vast emergency communication resources that Knight and hundreds of other
dedicated volunteers built up over the years in New Mexico.
During Knight's tenure as SM, New Mexico amateurs convinced state
lawmakers to pass The Emergency Communication Preservation Act--an Amateur
Radio antenna bill--signed into law in 2002. Knight also was at the helm
as amateurs in New Mexico assisted in response and relief efforts during
devastating wildfires in 2000 and in 2002.
Last July, the ARRL Board of Directors created the Knight Distinguished
Service Award and named Knight as its inaugural recipient. The award
honors "exceptionally notable contributions" to the health and vitality of
the League by an SM.
With Knight's blessing, then-New Mexico Assistant SM Bill Weatherford,
KM5FT, of Albuquerque, was appointed fill the remainder of Knight's term.
Weatherford, who recently was elected to a new two-year term in his own
right, appointed Knight in September as an Assistant SM.
Official Observer (and former ARRL Web youth columnist) Brian Mileshosky,
N5ZGT, said Knight "served as a great example that each of us should
follow every day to keep our beloved hobby alive and healthy."
In addition to his lengthy service as New Mexico's SM, Knight was a past
president and long-time member of the Upper Rio FM Society. He also
belonged to the Albuquerque Amateur Radio Club, the Albuquerque DX
Association and the A1 Operator Club, and he served on the board of the
Duke City Hamfest. He also was active in the Quarter Century Wireless
Association.
Survivors include his wife, Lois, KC5CXO, who often accompanied Knight on
his hamfest and convention visits and was a tireless recruiter for new
ARRL members.
A memorial service was held January 2 in Albuquerque. The family has
invited memorial contributions to the Knight Distinguished Service Award
or to the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Fund. Memorials may be made to
either fund on the ARRL Memorial Gifts Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/development/memorial.html> or to ARRL, 225 Main St,
Newington CT 006111-1494.
==>ARRL SECTION MANAGER REPRESENTS HAM RADIO IN STATE SENATE BPL INQUIRY
ARRL Western Washington Section Manager Ed Bruette, N7NVP, testified
December 9 before the Washington Senate Technology and Communications
Committee during an informational inquiry on Broadband over Power Line
(BPL). The committee invited Bruette to speak after Gloria Sharp, WA7GYD,
of Ellensburg, contacted a senior committee staffer to ask if Amateur
Radio would be represented at the hearing. As a result, the panel added
Bruette to the list of spokespersons.
"My presentation outlined the Part 15 device limitations, the interference
issues both to and from Amateur Radio, BPL trials in Europe and Japan, and
the other users of the HF and VHF spectrum who will be impacted by
interference by BPL," Bruette said in summing up his 15-minute
presentation. "I included the first 37 seconds of the BPL video made by
ARRL Lab Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, along with an NTIA spectrum allocation
chart that I modified to show the potential loss of spectrum."
Bruette followed remarks by two industry representatives. He said the
committee's feedback was positive, as was the reaction from the four radio
amateurs in the audience.
Bruette said he was surprised to hear one industry representative
characterize power lines as antennas. He also said he was pleased to learn
that the Chelan County Public Utility District had received letters from
local hams expressing concern about BPL.
==>HAMVENTION 2004 SEEKS AWARD NOMINEES
Nominations close January 31 for the Hamvention 2004 Radio Amateur of the
Year, Technical Excellence and Special Achievement awards.
The Radio Amateur of the Year is an individual with a long term commitment
to the advancement of Amateur Radio--a well-rounded amateur who has
contributed in an exceptional manner to Amateur Radio.
The Technical Excellence award goes to an amateur who has made an
outstanding technical contribution to advance Amateur Radio. This could
include, but is not limited to, a revolutionary equipment design or
operational mode that has positively influenced the day-to-day operation
of many amateurs.
The Special Achievement award honors an outstanding contribution to the
advancement of Amateur Radio and typically recognizes an amateur who has
spearheaded a significant project.
All amateurs are eligible for any of these awards, and the Hamvention
Awards Committee makes the final decision on recipients, based in part on
the information submitted on the nominee's behalf (and not on the number
of nominations). Documentation to support a nomination is essential. This
could be in the form of magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper
clippings or videos. All materials become the property of Hamvention and
will not be returned.
Submit nominations by mail to Awards Committee, Hamvention 2004, PO Box
964, Dayton OH 45401, or complete the on-line Nominating Form on the
Hamvention 2004 Web site <http://www.hamvention.org/> (click on "Award
Nominations"). Nominees are responsible for submitting substantiating
documentation via mail by January 31, 2004.
Hamvention 2004 is May 14-16.
==>SOLAR UPDATE
Sun watcher Tad "I stayed up to watch that glittery ball drop" Cook, K7RA,
Seattle, Washington, reports: This is the first "Solar Update" for
2004--time to review averages from 2003 and compare them to previous
years.
From the third quarter of 2002 through the last quarter of 2003, the
average daily sunspot numbers were 193.5, 152.7, 120.3, 107.3, 110.2 and
99.2. Average daily solar flux for the same six quarters were 178.1,
164.2, 134.3, 124.2, 120.8 and 137.4.
Average daily sunspot numbers for 1997 through 2003 were 30.7, 88.7,
136.3, 173, 170.3, 176.6 and 109.2. Average daily solar flux for the same
seven years was 81, 117.9, 153.7, 179.6, 181.6, 179.5 and 129.2. By
averaging the daily numbers on an annual basis, we certainly can see a
decline in the solar cycle over the past few years.
Over the next week, expect solar flux numbers between 120 and 125. A
geomagnetic forecast for January 1 predicted planetary A index values for
January 2-8 of 20, 15, 35, 30, 35, 35 and 25. With the exception of this
Saturday, January 3, those numbers portend rough conditions with
geomagnetic storms--especially in those cases where the A index is above
30. This should be the result of a big blast of solar wind beginning on
Sunday, January 4.
Remember that the long winter nights are great for 160, 80, 60, 40 and 30
meters. The typically higher summertime noise is long gone, and long hours
of darkness are great for the lower frequencies--at least when there isn't
a major geomagnetic storm.
Sunspot numbers for December 25 through 31 were 58, 65, 47, 47, 56, 15 and
25, with a mean of 44.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 139.1, 137.2, 161.5, 119,
114.5, 107.7 and 105.6, with a mean of 126.4. Estimated planetary A
indices were 6, 9, 12, 12, 6, 8 and 17, with a mean of 10.
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: The ARRL RTTY Roundup, the EUCW 160-Meter
Contest, and Kid's Day (Sunday, January 4--see below) are the weekend of
January 3-4. JUST AHEAD: The North American QSO Party (CW), the Hunting
Lions in the Air Contest, the East Asia 160/80 DX Contest, the UK DX
Contest (SSB), the Midwinter Contest (CW), the NRAU-Baltic Contest
(separate CW and SSB events), the Midwinter Contest (SSB) and the DARC
10-Meter Contest are the weekend of January 10-11. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
* Reminder: Kid's Day is Sunday, January 4! The first 2004 running of this
popular operating event will be Sunday, January 4, 1800 to 2400 UTC, with
no limit on operating time. This marks the first time this event will take
place on a Sunday. Kid's Day offers a "mentoring opportunity" for
experienced amateurs while giving youngsters--licensed or not--some
firsthand hamming experience and perhaps sparking a lifelong interest.
"Kid's Day is an opportunity to introduce your own youngsters,
neighborhood kids and nieces and nephews to participate in the magic of
ham radio," suggests Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS, of ARRL Field and Educational
Services. Now entering its tenth year, each running of Kid's Day typically
attracts more than 1000 participants. The suggested exchange is name, age,
location and favorite color. Stations may work the same station again if
an operator has changed. Call "CQ Kid's Day." Suggested frequencies are
14.270-14.300, 21.380-21.400 and 28.350-28.400 MHz plus 2 meter repeater
frequencies, with permission from the repeater's sponsor). Guidelines for
this event are available on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-rules.html>. All participants are
eligible to receive a colorful certificate. Visit the ARRL Kid's Day
Survey page <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kids-day-survey.html> to
complete a short survey and post your comments. Kid's Day participants are
invited to post logs and comments on the Internet
<http://lists.contesting.com/pipermail/kids/>.
* ARRL Emergency Communications course registration: Registration opens
Monday, January 5, 12:01 AM Eastern Time (0501 UTC), for the on-line ARRL
Level I Emergency Communications course (EC-001). Registration remains
open through the January 10-11 weekend or until all available seats have
been filled--whichever comes first. Class begins Tuesday, January 20.
Thanks to our grant sponsors--the Corporation for National and Community
Service and the United Technologies Corporation--the $45 registration fee
paid upon enrollment will be reimbursed after successful completion of the
course. During this registration period, approximately 175 seats are being
offered to ARRL members on a first-come, first-served basis. Senior
amateurs are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. To
learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/> and the C-CE Links found there. For more
information, contact Emergency Communications Course Manager Dan Miller,
K3UFG, <dmiller@arrl.org>;; 860-594-0340. [ARECC logo]
* ARECC/ARES seminar set in New York City-Long Island Section: The ARRL
will offer a condensed version of its free Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications seminar Sunday, January 18, 8-10 AM, in conjunction with
the New York City-Long Island Section Convention (Ham Radio University
2004) at East Woods School in Oyster Bay, Long Island. The seminar does
not include the Level I course itself. This program is designed to explain
in greater detail the duties of all Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Course participants and how their volunteer efforts are essential to the
ARES Field Organization. Senior Citizens are strongly encouraged to
participate. "This seminar will explain the importance of every team
player with emphasis on using lessons learned to effectively move Amateur
Radio emergency communications to the next level," said ARRL Emergency
Communications Course Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG. The seminar is open to
all interested hams. Field Organization leaders and course participants at
every ARECC level--mentors, certification instructors, certification
examiners and current students--are encouraged to attend and share their
experiences. The seminar will focus on coordination between ARECC
volunteers and students and their integration into the Field Organization.
Seating may be limited. If planning to attend, contact Dan Miller, K3UFG,
<k3ufg@arrl.org>;; 860-594-0340; FAX 860-594-0259. Seminar attendance does
not include admission to the convention. For convention information, visit
the New York City-Long Island Web site
<http://www.hudson.arrl.org/nli/hru2004.htm>.
* Amateur Radio assists in Iran earthquake relief: Turkey Amateur Radio
Club President Aziz Sasa,TA1E, reports that three Amateur Radio operators
joined the Turkish Relief Team that departed for the incident
location--the city of Bam, some 600 miles south of Tehran--from Istanbul
December 27 aboard a military aircraft. Local communications will be
carried out on 2-meter simplex with HF operation on 14.270 MHz during the
day and on 7092 kHz or 3777 kHz during hours of darkness. Soyhan Erim,
TA2IJ, will handle HF operations at the Turkish Incident Command Post. He
is part of the Ministry of Health team. Erdinç Sarimusaoglu, TA2RJ, is
part of the AKUT Search and Rescue Team, while Mustafa Yuceturk, TA1CAN,
is a member of the Istanbul Civil Defense Search-and-Rescue team. Also on
site is Serdar Demirel, TA2NO, a member of the Ankara Civil Defense SAR
team, who arrived earlier.
* Emanuel G. "Manny" Papandreas, W4SS, SK: Former long-time ARRL Southern
Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Manny Papandreas, W4SS, of Lake
Worth, died December 26. He was 80. Papandreas served as Southern
Florida's SEC for 20 years--longer than any of his predecessors. He also
was an ARRL Southeastern Division assistant director. During his tenure as
SEC, he oversaw the Amateur Radio emergency communications in the wake of
Hurricane Andrew in 1992. A life member of both the ARRL and the Quarter
Century Wireless Association, Papandreas was first licensed in 1941 as
W8VKS. After a career in appliance sales and service, he became operations
coordinator for the Palm Beach County Division of Emergency Management.
There he assisted in designing a new Emergency Operations Center.
Papandreas also founded and led the Palm Beach Amateur Radio Council,
which coordinated the county's ARES/RACES activities. Southern Florida
Assistant Section Manager Jeff Beals, WA4AW, called Papandreas a good
friend and mentor who was "a staunch supporter of the League and its
programs." A service was set for Saturday, January 3, 10 AM until noon, at
Dorsey Memorial Gardens, 10th Avenue N and Kirk Road, Lake
Worth.--information supplied by Jeff Beals, WA4AW
* Canadian hams may lose 220-222 MHz segment: After studying the spectrum
needs of various services over the past 18 months, the Radio Advisory
Board of Canada (RABC) plans to recommend to Industry Canada (IC) that the
220-222 MHz band segment be transferred from the Amateur Service to the
Mobile Service. The RABC recommended allocating 219-220 MHz to amateurs in
Canada on a secondary basis, in harmony with a similar allocation for US
amateurs, who lost the 220-222 MHz band segment in 1991. In addition, the
RABC asked that IC continue 222-225 MHz as a primary exclusive amateur
allocation. It also recommended grandfathering amateur repeaters in the
220-222 MHz segment, to continue operation for a period of time that the
IC would determine, and designating 150 kHz of spectrum for the Amateur
and Mobile services to share for certain public safety and disaster
communication applications. Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) has vigorously
opposed the proposed changes without success. The RAC has posted
additional information on its Web site
<http://www.rac.ca/news/canada.htm>.--RAC bulletin
* TO4E/TO4WW DXpedition racks up 34,000 Qs: TO4E/TO4WW Europa Island
DXpedition member Dany Prevostat, F5CW, reports the team arrived safely
back home December 24. "TO4E/TO4WW is over!" he declared in a message
posted on the DXpedition Web site <http://europa2003.free.fr/>. He
suggested that while the team's 34,000 QSO total was below expectations,
it was greater than sporadic operations to Europa over the years had been
able to generate. F5CW said the team was "very, very frustrated" by a lack
of power on the island. As a result, he said, many stations were left
waiting in vain for TO4E to show up on the low bands. The team also
endured some severe weather from Tropical Storm Cela that took TO4E off
the air and damaged equipment and antennas. "Even in such uncomfortable
conditions, we managed to be on air as much as possible, and few hours
were made barefoot on battery--an old battery found there--and a
candlelight upon the FT-100D." At one point, he said, team member Pascal
Roha, F5PTM, managed to work a pileup with the power output meter sitting
at zero--an estimated 100 mW! The team had diesel generators but, because
Europa is a wildlife preserve, available fuel supplies were limited.
On-line logs for TO4E and TO4WW <http://europa2003.free.fr/searchlog.php>
are available on the DXpedition's Web site.
* CQ names Floyd Gerald, N5FG, as Worked All Zones awards manager: CQ has
named Floyd Gerald, N5FG, as CQ Worked All Zones (WAZ) awards manager. He
succeeds Paul Blumhardt, K5RT, who is stepping down after four years due
to increased work and family commitments. Licensed since 1972, Gerald is
an accomplished DXer and the holder of many Amateur Radio operating
awards. An ARRL member, he also has served as a CQ awards and ARRL DXCC
card checker. After February 1, WAZ applications and cards go to Floyd
Gerald, N5FG, 17 Green Hollow Rd, Wiggins, MS 39577-8318.
===========================================================
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ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
<http://www.arrl.org/members/>. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including
delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the
"Member Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify
membership data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change
your e-mail address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all
automatically sent email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.)
Then, click on "Submit modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE:
HQ staff members cannot change your e-mail delivery address. You must do
this yourself via the Members Only Web Site.)
The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:
* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will
be posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)
* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur
Radio Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this
listserver.)
