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ARRL Letter Update - 1:30 PM (ET) Oct 24, 2008

==> FCC AMENDS WE2XRH EXPERIMENTAL LICENSE

In response to the October 20 ARRL Petition for Modification or 
Cancellation of Experimental Authorization (Petition) concerning an 
experimental license issued to Digital Aurora Radio Technologies (DART) 
station WE2XRH, the FCC today issued an amended license that redefines 
one of the station's frequency ranges to eliminate conflict with the 
Amateur Radio Service. This revision addresses ARRL's concern that the 
original 7.10 to 7.60 MHz range would cause unacceptable interference to 
Amateur Radio operations in the 40 meter band. The amended license 
narrows the range to 7.30 to 7.60 MHz and gives as the reason for the 
change, "operation in the band 7.1-7.3 MHz will cause harmful 
interference to Amateur Radio Service licensees."

"We are delighted that the FCC acted so promptly to correct this error 
and are pleased that the matter has been resolved," said ARRL CEO David 
Sumner, K1ZZ.

WE2XRH will be testing a proposed domestic broadcast service using a 20 
kHz bandwidth digital emission at a transmitter output power of 100 kW 
and an ERP of 660 kW within a radius of 1500 kilometers of Delta 
Junction, Alaska. According to the amended license, the transmissions 
will take place in the frequency ranges 4.4 to 5.1 MHz, 7.3 to 7.6 MHz 
and 9.25 to 9.95 MHz.


*************** The ARRL Letter Vol. 27, No. 42 October 24, 2008 *************** IN THIS EDITION: * + ARRL Files Petition with FCC against Experimental License Using 40 Meter Band * + ARRL Announces New Youth Editor * + ARRL Hosts Amateur Radio Classroom for USTTI Students * + The "Doctor Is IN" the ARRL Letter * + Get Ready for the ARRL November Sweepstakes * + Next Round of PAVE PAWS Mitigation Contacts Begin * Pension Protection Act Streamlines Charitable Donations from IRAs * IN BRIEF: This Weekend on the Radio ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration + Third Annual ARRL On-Line Auction Begins + ARRL's 500 kHz Experimental Station, WD2XSH, Wants to Hear from You TAPR Announces HPSDR Mercury Receiver Board + Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> =========================================================== ==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>; ==>Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane, <k1sfa@arrl.org>; =========================================================== ==> ARRL FILES PETITION WITH FCC AGAINST EXPERIMENTAL LICENSE USING 40 METER BAND On Monday, October 20, the ARRL filed a "Petition for Modification or Cancellation of Experimental Authorization" ("Petition") <http://www.arrl.org/news/files/Digital_Aurora_Radio_Technologies_Petiti on_10_20_08.pdf> with the FCC with respect to WE2XRH. According to the FCC, this experimental license -- issued to Digital Aurora Radio Technologies (DART) -- proposes to "test digital transmissions in 4.50-5.10 MHz, 7.10-7.60 MHz and 9.25-9.95 MHz for a terrestrial digital radio service to the citizens of Alaska." The League's petition states that DART's hopes that this experimentation "will lead to a terrestrial, high-frequency (HF) digital aural (domestic broadcast) service in Alaska. Ostensibly to study the operation of this 'shortwave' system at high latitudes, and apparently in order to roll out this domestic broadcast service, DART specifies exceptionally high power operation in various segments of the HF spectrum. ARRL's interest in this matter is limited to the fact that the experimental license includes the band 7.1 -7.3 MHz...allocated domestically exclusively to the Amateur Radio Service." "It is astonishing that the FCC would grant this experimental license for operation at such a high power level in a band that is allocated exclusively to a service with which such operation is clearly incompatible," said ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. "The only possible explanation is that it was an error; the only reasonable step for the FCC to take is to correct its error immediately, either by cancelling the license or by amending the frequency ranges to delete 7.1 -7.3 MHz." It is the ARRL's view that "Simply stated, there is a 100 percent certainty of severe, continuous, harmful interference from operation of the DART facilities as authorized by the Commission to ongoing Amateur Radio operation at 7.1 to 7.3 MHz. This authorization must be modified immediately (if not cancelled completely), so as to delete the band 7.1-7.3 MHz" from DART's experimental license application. DART has been permitted operation in the 7.1-7.6 MHz band using a 20 kHz bandwidth digital emission at a transmitter output power of 100 kW and an ERP of 660 kW within a radius of 1500 kilometers of Delta Junction, Alaska. In the petition, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, points out that while DART says it will coordinate with the High Frequency Coordination Conference (HFCC) <http://www.hfcc.org/>, "[i]t does not propose any coordination with any individual or entity in the Amateur Service. There is no showing whatsoever how DART proposes to avoid interference to Amateur Radio operation at 7.1-7.3 MHz. In fact, there is no indication that DART is even aware of the allocation." Calling the 40 meter band "perhaps the most heavily-utilized Amateur HF band in the United States," the ARRL states that it can see "no compatible use that DART can make of this band in any state or territory of the United States, at any time of the day or night" and that such use will cause "preclusive interference" to amateurs using that portion of the band. "The entire 7.0 - 7.3 MHz band is used heavily within Alaska, especially by radio amateurs located in its remotest areas, at all times. It is particularly critical in times of emergency due to its daytime and nighttime propagation characteristics. The band is also used at all times of the day and night for worldwide communications by radio amateurs." The League's "Petition" points out that the FCC's Rules at Section 5.83(b) state that experimental license grants are subject to change or cancellation by the Commission at any time without hearing if in the Commission's discretion the need for such action arises: "ARRL submits that this application should never have been granted as applied for in the first place, and there is an urgent need to prohibit operation of the DART high power transmitters in the entirety of the 7.1-7.3 MHz band. It is likely that DART has been under a misapprehension that the band is among the international broadcast allocations, because, in ITU Regions 1 and 3, the band is allocated to that Service. However, in Region 2, in Alaska, it is not." After March 29, 2009, 7.1-7.2 MHz will not be available for broadcasting anywhere. The League goes on to say that Section 5.85 of the Commission's Rules governs the selection and use of frequencies by holders of experimental authorizations and adamantly states that "there is no justification submitted by DART for the use of the frequency bands requested, particularly with respect to 7.1-7.3 MHz. It is unclear why such large segments of spectrum were specified by DART, given its stated course of experimentation, and given its narrow occupied bandwidth" and notes that DART "should have been required to conduct its frequency coordination efforts in advance of the filing of its application." The ARRL contends that DART's proposed facility cannot meet the FCC's requirements, as outlined in the Commission's Rules, Section 5.111(a)(2), "and there is no showing that the transmitter power is the lowest practical value consistent with the program of experimentation. Nor has it even taken Amateur Radio operation into account." This portion of the Rules state that when transmitting, the experimental licensee "must use every precaution to ensure that the radio frequency energy emitted will not cause harmful interference to the services carried on by stations operating in accordance with the Table of Frequency Allocations of part 2 of this chapter and, further, that the power radiated is reduced to the lowest practical value consistent with the program of experimentation for which the station authorization is granted. If harmful interference to an established radio service develops, the licensee shall cease transmissions and such transmissions shall not be resumed until it is certain that harmful interference will not be caused." Calling for DART's WE2XRH experimental license to "be cancelled entirely, or at least modified so as to delete the reference to any Amateur HF allocation," the ARRL reminded the FCC that DART failed to make any showing as to how it would avoid interference to Amateur Radio operation at 7.1-7.3 MHz: "ARRL submits that such a showing could not be made in any case." ==> ARRL ANNOUNCES NEW YOUTH EDITOR Duncan MacLachlan, KU0DM, of Prairie Village, Kansas, has been named as the new ARRL Youth Editor and will write the Youth@HamRadio.Fun column <http://www.arrl.org/news/youth/>. MacLachlan, who turns 14 next week, takes over from Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, as she continues her education at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Amateur Radio runs in the MacLachlan family -- 12 family members are hams. "I got interested in ham radio through Boy Scouts," MacLachlan said, "but it was with family support that I got licensed." An ARRL member, MacLachlan was first licensed in February 2006. "I passed my Technician and decided I might as well get the code out of the way at the same time," he said. "I came home that afternoon with my CSCE and began the cycle of looking at radios, checking their price and then checking to see if I was in the database. Finally, after what felt like a year, but was really just a few days, I learned my call: KC0VVU." Using an old handheld transceiver that his uncle, Phillip Fry, WD0FHK, loaned him, MacLachlan quickly got on the air. "I soon learned that I wasn't going to get into any repeaters from my room, so I put on a jacket and went outside to brave a February evening to talk on the radio," he said. "It was worth it! But it wasn't long that I got restless with being restricted to VHF/UHF -- I wanted to be able to talk around the world! I decided it was time to get to work on getting my General class license. I studied for two weeks and passed that test in April 2006 at a local hamfest." MacLachlan said he remembers "getting on HF and gleefully calling CQ every afternoon." But soon, he said, he caught the DX bug: "I was satisfied with stateside QSOs, but not for long. I had heard about DX hunters, and the 'last 25,' so after doing some research, I knew I'd need my Amateur Extra license to get those contacts. After about a year of procrastinating, I decided it was time to start studying for my Extra. I think late January 2007 was one of the happiest times of my ham career: I had passed my Extra! Later that year, I changed my call to KU0DM. The KU is for University of Kansas (go Jayhawks!) and the DM is for my initials." Since then, MacLachlan has become active in public service and emergency communications. "I feel that it is very important to provide Amateur Radio communications when asked or needed and that we do it in a way that is efficient for the operation and that respects accepted practice on the bands. I am currently the coordinator for the Johnson County ARES Rapid Response Team. My job is to assemble a roster of amateurs who are ready to respond at moment's notice to any disaster or request to aid in communications." Outside of public service, MacLachlan, who calls himself a "big APRS geek," enjoys helping to build and maintain repeaters and digipeaters, trying to get the most range and reliability out of them. "I am a huge DXer," he said. "My total is currently at 110 entities (with a dipole and 100 W). When I get the chance, I'll put in an effort for almost any contest. I mainly operate SSB, but am getting up to speed on my CW after a year-long hiatus. I also enjoy weak-signal/sound card modes on HF and spend a lot of my time on PSK31 or RTTY. My favorite band is 15 meters. It is really almost always open, but people just don't use it." Outside of ham radio, MacLachlan is an 8th grader at Indian Hills Middle School: "I enjoy football, basketball, climbing, swimming, listening to music and just spending time with friends and family. I am a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 91 and am working toward my Eagle Scout rank. I also am a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow. I'm always looking ahead to see what's next in life and Amateur Radio!" The two previous ARRL youth editors -- Hartlage and Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT -- have both received the prestigious Hiram Percy Maxim Award from the ARRL <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/awards/hpm.html>, as well as "Amateur Radio Newsline's" Young Ham of the Year Award (YHOTY). Hartlage was also awarded the Goldfarb Scholarship <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/04/12/101/> from the ARRL Foundation in 2007. Mileshosky currently serves as Rocky Mountain Division Director; he is the youngest to be elected ARRL Vice Director and Director. ==> ARRL HOSTS AMATEUR RADIO CLASSROOM FOR USTTI STUDENTS Students from Kenya, The Gambia, Ghana, The Philippines, Honduras, Dominica and Nepal attended the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) Amateur Radio Administration Course (ARAC) <http://ustti.org/courses/display.php3?CourseID=332> at ARRL Headquarters October 13-17. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, coordinated the session and led the course. ARRL Assistant to the Chief Executive Officer and Meeting Planner Lisa Kustosik, KA1UFZ, coordinated with ARRL's participation with USTTI. ARRL Technical Relations Manager Brennan Price, N4QX, led the classes on the first day. According to Price, the students work in their respective government telecommunications offices dealing with telecommunications and Amateur Radio testing, licensing and monitoring. "Our seven students -- Fitzroy Pascal (Dominica), Purushottam Prasad Khanal (Nepal), Godfrey Odipo (Kenya), Eriberta Tamoro (The Philippines), Paola Michelle Pascua Cantarero (Honduras), Constance Takyi (Ghana) and Rodine Renner (The Gambia) -- made the trek to Newington," said Price. "The curriculum covered a wide variety of Amateur Radio topics and concerns, including licensing, spectrum requirements, disaster communications and antenna requirements." The curriculum also covered the ITU and its regulations, as well as the process leading to the 2011 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-11). "All seven students took a keen interest in how the Amateur Radio Service has developed through its history and continues to develop today," Price said. "There was a particular interest in RFI issues, and students were receptive to our ideas for resolving these issues." Numerous ARRL HQ staff assisted with the course. VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM; Assistant VEC Manager Perry Green, WY1O, and Regulatory Information Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, covered US Amateur Radio Licensing Structure and the VEC program. Dennis Dura, K2DCD, presented the Disaster Communications module, and ARRL Publications Manager and QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, spoke on HF digital communications and Amateur Radio satellites. ARRL Laboratory staff members -- Mike Gruber, W1MG; Bob Allison, WB1GCM; Zack Lau, W1VT, and Ed Hare, W1RFI -- also contributed to the training effort. Hare and Gruber delivered presentations on RFI and RF safety, while Lau demonstrated 10 GHz equipment. Gruber and Allison assisted the students in assembling 40 meter receivers. The Amateur Radio Administration Course is designed for those in developing countries who regulate and manage their countries' Amateur Radio Service. The course is intended to help participants create, administer and foster an Amateur Radio Service in their home countries. Now in its 26th year, USTTI is a nonprofit venture involving leading US-based communications and information technology corporations, as well as leaders in the federal government, cooperating to provide tuition-free management, policy and technical training for talented professionals from the developing world <http://ustti.org/>. ARRL has been offering the ARAC with USTTI for 24 years. ==> THE "DOCTOR IS IN" THE ARRL LETTER This week, ARRL Letter readers are in luck! The ARRL's very own Doctor, author of the popular QST column "The Doctor Is IN," answers a question from his mailbag: Jim Kueck, KC9LMO, of Long Grove, Illinois, asks: I greatly enjoyed the article about feeding a dipole with low loss balanced line in July 2008 QST. I have put up a half wave 40 meter dipole fed with 300 Ohm twin lead, with an antenna tuner at the radio. This $15 antenna has worked very well on 40 and 20 meters, with many European contacts logged using just 100 W. Is there any concern about having RF in the shack with the twinlead as a feed line? I have read that a long wire antenna can pose this problem and want to be sure that I'm not slow cooking myself with this feed line going right in back of my operating position. The Doctor Answers -- The short answer is no, but the long answer is longer! If the dipole is fed in the center, the two sides are at the same height and the transmission line is perpendicular to the antenna, the currents on the two sides of the balanced transmission line will be equal and opposite and there is virtually no radiation outside of an imaginary tube a few times the wire spacing around the wires. If all of those conditions are not met, there may be some radiation from the line, but it will generally be a small portion of the total signal. Note that if you were to feed the dipole with coax, if you didn't have a balun at the antenna, the current on the outside of the shield would likely be higher than that from a not quite balanced dipole fed with balanced line. Note also that the pickup on a transmission line that is not perpendicular to the antenna would be about the same on coax as balanced line. So my conclusion is that balanced line and coax are about the same in this regard, as long as you stay more than a few inches from the line -- it can have high RF voltage in places. If you notice effects of large common mode currents on you feed line -- typically a hot chassis or RF feedback -- you will want to address them for many reasons, but even then I have trouble imagining an RF safety issue especially at the 100 W level. One caution worth mentioning is that twinlead may be more susceptible to picking up RFI as it works its way to the tuner. Make sure you keep it as far as possible from your PC or other potential RFI generators. Do you have a question or a problem? Send your questions via e-mail <doctor@arrl.org>;; or to "The Doctor," ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111 (no phone calls, please). Look for "The Doctor Is IN" every month in QST, the official journal of the ARRL. ==> GET READY FOR THE ARRL NOVEMBER SWEEPSTAKES This year marks the 75th running of the premier domestic contest, the ARRL CW Sweepstakes <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/novss.html>. According to ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, the event started back in 1929 as a competition for handling formal traffic messages and is one of the oldest traditions in Amateur Radio. "The contest exchange contains more elements than usual, an homage to the traffic-handling days of yore," he said. "If you have never participated in Sweepstakes, you are really missing out on some serious fun! A complete primer by ARRL Contributing Editor H. Ward Silver, N0AX, on how to participate in Sweepstakes can be found in the Radiosport supplement in the October 2008 issue of QST." Kutzko said that since 2008 is the 75th running of Sweepstakes, ARRL is anticipating record levels of participation and many prizes will be available for those who participate: "We'll have a special magnet that will be sent free to all stations that submit a log with 75 of the 80 ARRL and RAC Sections worked. As in previous years, those who submit logs with at least 100 contacts will be able to purchase Participation Pins." The major challenge in Sweepstakes is to work all 80 ARRL/RAC Sections; this is known as a "Clean Sweep." "This year, we will be awarding a Clean Sweep whisk broom to all stations that make a Clean Sweep," Kutzko said. "Brooms were last available in 1983, the 50th running of Sweepstakes. In addition to the free brooms, Clean Sweep coffee mugs will also be available for purchase. This year's mug will be fine etched glass and will truly be a collector's item." Thanks to ICOM America <http://www.icomamerica.com/>, the Principal Award Sponsor of the November Sweepstakes, certificates will be awarded for first place in each of the 80 ARRL/RAC Sections for all six entry categories; plaques will be available to the overall winners in each entry category, as well as the winners in each Division. "ICOM has provided plaques and certificates for Sweepstakes winners since 2005, and we are grateful for their support over the years," Kutzko said. "Certain Sections are always rare for Sweepstakes, especially on CW," Kutzko pointed out. "VY0/VY1/VE8 (Northern Territories), VE1-VE9-VY2 (Maritimes), VE2 (Quebec), VE4 (Manitoba), VE5 (Saskatchewan), VO1-VO2 (Newfoundland-Labrador), Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming always seem to be highly sought after. If you live in one of these places (or want to travel there), this is a golden opportunity for you to be the 'rare DX.' Stations in these Sections get to hear 'Thanks for the Sweep!' more than once during the weekend. Even if your CW is rusty or your station is modest, your effort to put a rare Section on the air during CW Sweepstakes will be appreciated by every single station that works you." Whether you want to go for a Top 10 finish, or simply get on the air to hand out a few QSOs or work on your Worked All States Award (WAS) <http://www.arrl.org/awards/was/>, Kutzko said the November CW Sweepstakes is guaranteed fun and excitement. Be sure to check out the complete rules and entry forms. Come be a part of one of Amateur Radio's finest traditions <http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2008/novss.html>. ==> NEXT ROUND OF PAVE PAWS MITIGATION CONTACTS BEGIN On October 22, the FCC notified the ARRL that they would immediately begin making direct contact with owners or trustees of approximately 40 repeaters. The US Air Force identified these repeaters earlier this year as contributors to the harmful interference affecting the Beale Air Force Base PAVE PAWS radar installation near Sacramento, California. "ARRL understands that contact with individual amateurs will be made from the DFCC's San Francisco office," said ARRL Regulatory Information Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND. "The owners of these newly identified repeaters will be provided the operating parameters determined by the Air Force engineering unit's testing to be necessary to mitigate the interference. The owners will be requested to meet signal strength limits as soon as possible. The ARRL Lab and staff are available to answer specific questions for the owners of these newly identified repeaters and to provide technical information to assist them in implementing the mitigation." Henderson said that as the Amateur Radio Service is a secondary user on the 70 cm band, "It is important for amateurs to remember that it is 100 percent our responsibility to eliminate harmful interference to the primary user. While we realize that this is and will continue to be an ongoing process, this third round of mitigation should mean that each of the known repeaters in the affected area has been tested at least once. How the FCC will address approximately 50 repeaters previously identified as interference contributors -- but which have not apparently completed the required modifications -- still remains. Nor is it clear when a process by which new coordinations can be issued in the area might commence." Henderson reminded amateurs that "It is important to remember that this isn't a one-time solution. The amateur community needs to remain aware of this problem and responsibly utilize the band in the future to avoid any large-scale problems such as those we have experienced in this situation." ==>PENSION PROTECTION ACT STREAMLINES CHARITABLE DONATIONS FROM IRAS The ARRL Development Office notes that legislation was signed on October 3, 2008 in conjunction with the Economic Stimulus Bill of 2008 to include the immediate and retroactive extension of the popular charitable contribution a provision of the Pension Protection Act (PPA) of 2006. Certain IRA holders may give something back to Amateur Radio by donating to the Spectrum Defense Fund, the ARRL Education and Technology Fund or the ARRL Diamond Club. The Diamond Club provides flexible funding for a variety of programs not supported by member dues. "Individuals who are at least 70-1/2 and support nonprofits of their choice may use IRA or Roth IRA assets as a convenient, tax-efficient source to make contributions while conserving non-IRA assets," ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, points out. "Contributions must be made directly from the IRA to the organization, not to a donor-advised fund, gift annuity or trust." Hobart says contributions of up to $100,000 may be made annually during each of the next two years -- by December 31, 2008 and again next year by December 31, 2009. "A direct contribution from an IRA to a qualified organization is excluded from income," she emphasizes. "We have received significant support through this program. I hope donors will take advantage of this renewed giving opportunity in 2008 -- and again next year!" This two-year program expires December 31, 2009. Hobart urges prospective donors to consult with a financial advisor before taking advantage of this opportunity. Contact Hobart <mhobart@arrl.org>; for more information or call 860-594-0397. You can also visit the ARRL's PPA Web site <http://www.arrl.org/development/ppa.html#top> for more information. __________________________________ ==>IN BRIEF: * This Weekend on the Radio: This week, the NCCC Sprint on October 24. The Microwave Fall Sprint is October 25 (local time). The CQ Worldwide DX Contest (SSB) and the 10-10 International Fall Contest are October 25-26. Next week, look for the ARRL Sweepstakes Contest (CW) on November 1-3. The NCCC Sprint is October 31 and the IPARC Contest (CW) is November 1. The Ukrainian DX Contest is November 1-2. The IPARC Contest (SSB), the High Speed Club CW Contest and the DARC 10 Meter Digital Contest are all November 2. All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/>, the ARRL Contest Update <http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL Special Event Station Web page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html>. * ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains open through Sunday, November 9, 2008, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, November 21, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002); Antenna Modeling (EC-004); HF Digital Communications (EC-005); VHF/UHF -- Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011). Each online course has been developed in segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may access the course at any time of day during the course period, completing lessons and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule. Mentors assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and activities, as well as providing helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is no appointed time the student must be present -- allowing complete flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cep/student> or contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator <cep@arrl.org>;. * Third Annual ARRL On-Line Auction Begins: The Third Annual ARRL On-Line Auction kicked off Thursday, October 23 <http://www.arrl.org/auction >. With almost 200 items up for bid, this event promises to have something for just about everyone. This year's auction will again include many transceivers and other items, including items that have appeared in the QST Product Review column, and have thus been thoroughly tested by the ARRL Lab. According to ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, "Last year's online auction -- our second -- proved to be a successful and enjoyable event for both hams and ARRL staff members alike. When the bidding ended, we realized that we had sold 162 items and sold just over $50,000 worth of merchandise." Proceeds from the auction benefit ARRL education programs including activities to license new hams, strengthen Amateur Radio's emergency service training, offer continuing technical and operating education, as well as create instructional materials. The auction runs through Friday, October 31 on the ARRL Web site. * ARRL's 500 kHz Station, WD2XSH, Wants to Hear from You: Fritz Raab, W1FR, coordinator for ARRL's 500 kHz Experimental Station, WD2XSH <http://www.500kc.com/>, reports that fall has brought lower static and good propagation, making excellent conditions for the 500 kHz experimenters. The experimental license, issued in September 2006 <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/09/15/104/>, has more than 20 active stations. Raab said that last year, a second US experimental license -- WE2XGR, with five participants -- joined the project, as well as experimenters in the UK, Germany, Sweden and the Czech Republic. These stations' operating modes include CW, QRSS, PSK-31 and others. Contacts have been achieved at distances up to 1234 miles, with signals received from all over North America, Alaska and Hawaii; trans-Atlantic reports are not uncommon. "The 500 kHz experimenters are experiencing excellent propagation conditions," Raab said. "The best time to listen is between sunset and sunrise." The operating frequencies are: WD2XSH -- 505.2-510 kHz; WE2XGR -- 505-515 kHz; UK -- 501-504 kHz, and SM, DL, OK -- 505.0-505.2 kHz. Raab requests that listeners file reception reports at the experiment's Web site so that they become part of the station's data base <http://www.500kc.com/>. Additional information can be found at the experiment's Web site and also in the July/August 2007 issue of QEX <http://www.arrl.org/qex/2007/07/raab.pdf>. * TAPR Announces HPSDR Mercury Receiver Board: High Performance Software Defined Radio (HPSDR) is an open-source hardware and software project designed and developed by a group of enthusiasts with representation from interested experimenters worldwide. TAPR <http://www.tapr.org/> is looking for a "show of interest" to determine the production run for the new HPSDR Mercury receiver board. The assembled Mercury receiver board uses SMT parts and is manufactured in quantity by machine. If interested, please check out the HAMSDR Web site and log in <http://www.hamsdr.com/>. You will find the interest page under the <Projects><TAPR-HAMSDR> tab. Once interest has been determined, Mercury boards may be purchased from TAPR. Mercury board specifications can be found here <http://hpsdr.org/wiki/index.php?title=MERCURY>. =========================================================== The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American Radio Relay League: ARRL--the national association for Amateur Radio, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259; <http://www.arrl.org/>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President. The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates. The ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/> also offers informative features and columns. ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> is a weekly "ham radio newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's also available as a podcast from our Web site. Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League. ==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org ==>Editorial questions or comments: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, k1sfa@arrl.org ==>ARRL News on the Web: <http://www.arrl.org/> ==>ARRL Audio News: <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> or call 860-594-0384 ==>How to Get The ARRL Letter The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail delivery: 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.) Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved

 

The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly summary of essential news of interest to active amateurs that is available in advance of publication in QST, our official journal. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate, concise and readable.

Much of the ARRL Letter content is also available in audio form in ARRL Audio News.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.

Back issues published since 2000 are available on this page. If you wish to subscribe via e-mail, simply log on to the ARRL Web site, click on Edit Your Profile at the top, then click on Edit Email Subscriptions. Check the box next to The ARRL email newsletter, the ARRL Letter and you will receive each weekly issue in HTML format. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!): letter-dlvy@arrl.org

Editorial questions or comments: John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, at news@arrl.org.

Plain-Text

The ARRL E-Letter e-mail is also available in plain-text version:

Outlook Express

1. From the Inbox view, select the Tools menu and the Options selection.

2. Click the Read tab

3. Check the Read All Messages In Plain Text box.  When you open the e-mail, it will be in plain text without images. Other e-mail programs may be able to make a Mail Rule for e-mail received from the address memberlist@www.arrl.org so that the plain-text-only display is selected automatically.

Outlook 2007

Use the same procedure as for Outlook Express, although the global option is under "Tools/Trust Center/E-mail Security".

Thunderbird

Use the menu item "View/Message Body As/Plain Text" or "View/Message Source" options.

OS X Mail (Mac)

Use the "View/Message/Plain Text Alternative" menu item.

GMail

Use the "Message text garbled?" link in the drop-down menu at the upper right of the displayed message block. pine, alpine Set "prefer-plain-text" in your ~/.pinerc configuration file: feature-list=..., prefer-plain-text, ...

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