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N9PMO > LETTER 24.05.19 15:43z 535 Lines 24709 Bytes #999 (0) @ ARRL
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Dayton Hamvention Attracts a Happy Crowd
Springtime Section Manager Election Results Announced
Magnetic Loop Antenna Designs Multiply
The Doctor Will See You Now!
FCC Re-Charters Technological visory Council for New Term
The K7RA Solar Update
Just Ahead in Radiosport
June Event in Europe to Assess Activity, Ability to Share Spectrum on 6
Meters
CQ Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
In Brief...
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
The ARRL Letter will not publish on Thursday, May 30, and there will be no
edition of ARRL Audio News on Friday, May 31. The ARRL Letter will return on
June 6.
Dayton Hamvention Attracts a Happy Crowd
Dayton Hamvention®, hosting the 2019 ARRL National Convention, chalked up
its third year at its new venue, the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo
Center in Xenia, Ohio. Amateur Radio's largest annual gathering took place
May 17 - 19. Hamvention officials have not yet released a 2019 attendance
figure, but last year's show drew 28,417 -- the third largest attendance
ever. For many hams, Hamvention offers an opportunity each spring to renew
old acquaintances and make new ones, and for manufacturers to debut their
latest and greatest gear.
"These were some of the biggest crowds I've seen since Dayton Hamvention
relocated to Xenia," ARRL Product Development Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R,
said.
Hamvention visitors enjoyed largely comfortable weather, with some drizzle
on opening day. By all accounts, the crowd was animated and amiable. This
year marked the first that Hamvention offered free Sunday admission.
ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR.
"Dayton Hamvention 2019 was a fantastic event and was a great setting for
the ARRL National Convention," said ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR.
"Thank you to everyone for stopping by the ARRL exhibit area to visit with
ARRL officials, staff, and volunteers. It's always a pleasure to be able to
have a face-to-face QSO with everyone. Isn't ham radio great? The greatest
hobby in the world!"
A free ARRL/Dayton Hamvention mobile event app helped visitors navigate the
landscape of exhibitors and forums. Attendees also used the app to follow
the hourly prize drawings, connect with other visitors, and view maps of the
sprawling fairgrounds. The new app got a positive reception.
Members of the Nashua (New Hampshire) Area Radio Society received the Dayton
Hamvention® Club of the Year Award. At ARRL's invitation, NARS hosted an
interactive exhibit to serve as a model for other clubs to emulate. (L - R)
Scott Andersen, NE1RD; Jamey Finchum, AC1DC; Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC; Brian
McCaffrey, W1BP; Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB; Dave Merchant, K1DLM; Abby Finchum,
AB1BY, and Charlie Dunn, W1CBD. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]
The Nashua (New Hampshire) Area Radio Society (NARS) -- the 2019 Dayton
Hamvention Club of the Year -- led the "ARRL Spotlight on Radio Clubs and
Mentoring" forum. NARS members described the ways the club builds and
maintains a strong and active membership through its website, licensing
classes, and programs that fit members' schedules. The success rate for
licensing classes is 93%, and the club retains 70% of active members.
Instructors from the ARRL Education & Technology Program shared resources
available for introducing radio science and wireless technology.
In step with the shared ARRL Convention-Hamvention theme, "Mentoring the
Next Generation," the 2019 Youth Forum moderated by Carole Perry, WB2MGP,
drew attendees of all ages.
ARRL CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX, addresses the ARRL Member Forum. [Bob
Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]
It was standing room only at Saturday's ARRL Member Forum, which featured a
panel of ARRL Board members with ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Dale
Williams, WA8EFK, moderating. Pacific Division Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT,
who chairs the Legislative vocacy Committee, addressed the Board's decision
to hit the pause button on the Amateur Radio Parity Act. He said the Board
intends to renew efforts to get a bill passed and will craft a new strategy
to make that happen.
Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, discusses the new Volunteer Monitor Program.
[Allison McLellan photo]
President Roderick and CEO Howard Michel, WB2ITX, stressed the need to
attract more Technician licensees into ARRL. Roderick challenged forum
attendees to make sure their clubs are welcoming newcomers and helping them
to get active and engaged as radio amateurs. At Michel's "Engaging Today's
Radio Amateur" presentation, audience members expressed support for the new
directions Michel is taking ARRL in terms of delivering more value to
members.
The Youngsters on the Air (YOTA) delegation (L - R); Florian Zwingl, OE3FTA;
Larissa Rentmeister (SWL); Markus Grosser, DL8GM; Phillip Springer, DK6SP.
YOTA is a project of IARU Region 1. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, photo]
Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, headed up a Sunday forum on ARRL's new Volunteer
Monitor Program. Hollingsworth explained how the program evolved out of an
FCC request. Hollingsworth explained that he polled FCC District Directors
to see which areas of the US needed the most attention. He said that's where
most Volunteer Monitors will be deployed.
ARRL's Public Service Communications Panel Discussion drew a large crowd of
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members and other active volunteers.
Dayton Hamvention Radio Amateur of the Year Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF
(left), with Joe Taylor, K1JT, of WSJT-X renown. [Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R,
photo]
Audience members expressed constructive concerns over the new ARES Plan and
with reinforcing Amateur Radio recognition nationwide.
"ARRL's big team included 118 members supporting exhibits, activities, and
presentations to help all radio amateurs become more active, involved, and
engaged," Inderbitzen said. "Together we helped represent the very best of
our Amateur Radio Service and ARRL."
At a Thursday Donors' Reception, President Roderick presented the National
Convention recognition award to Hamvention Chairman Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, and
Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) President (and past Hamvention
General Chair) Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ.
+++
Springtime Section Manager Election Results Announced
In the only contested Section Manager election this spring, ARRL members in
Utah have re-elected Mel Parkes, NM7P, as Section Manager for a new 2-year
term of office that starts on July 1. Parkes, of Layton, received 481 votes;
his opponent, Pat Malan, N7PAT, of South Jordan, received 233 votes. Parkes
has served as Section Manager since 1999. Ballots were counted and verified
at ARRL Headquarters on May 21.
Elsewhere, John Gotthardt, K1UAF, of Wolfeboro, will become Section Manager
of New Hampshire on July 1. He was the only nominee for the post after New
Hampshire Section Manager Pete Stohrer, K1PJS, of Concord, decided not to
run for a new term after serving since 2013. Gotthardt is currently the
Section Traffic Manager and also serves as Net Manager and Official Relay
Station.
Steve Ostrove, K2SO, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, will become the Northern New
Jersey Section Manager once again in July. Ostrove previously served as
Section Manager from 2016 until 2017. Northern New Jersey SM Rob Roschewsk,
KA2PBT, decided not to run for a new term after serving for the past 2
years.
Several incumbent Section Managers faced no opposition and were declared
re-elected to new terms starting on July 1: Marty Pittinger, KB3MXM
(Maryland-DC); John Bigley, N7UR (Nevada); Bob Beaudet, W1YRC (Rhode
Island); Dan Pruitt, AE6SX (San Joaquin Valley), and Dale Durham, W5WI (West
Texas).
+++
Magnetic Loop Antenna Designs Multiply
Magnetic loops have become popular as effective and compact antennas for
traveling and stealth applications. An HF magnetic loop design by John
Chappell, W3HX, was an honorable mention in the 2018 QST Antenna Design
Competition. Chappell's mag loop offers coverage on 80 - 20 meters, and he
runs FT8 at 50 W. See his article on page 39 of the June 2019 issue of QST.
The magnetic loop for 40 and 20 meters designed by Richard Robbins, WA8RR.
[Photo courtesy of DELARA News]
Richard Robbins, WA8RR, wanted to build one of his own for 40 and 20 meters,
and he described his efforts in a recent edition of his club's newsletter,
DELARA News. An online calculator helped him come up with the basics, and he
decided on a 10-foot circumference loop constructed from half-inch copper
pipe that would handle 100 W. His prototype, constructed from a piece of
pipe "hand bent into an approximate circle," a Dayton Hamvention flea market
capacitor, and a coax drive loop, would tune the two bands -- although, as
expected, tuning was very sensitive and affected by body capacitance.
He worked up a reduction drive and remote motorized tuning, and was able to
make several FT8 contacts, using his antenna analyzer to tune the loop. "The
tuning would shift as I was transmitting," Robbins recounted. "This is a
result of a very high circulating current and heating of the separate
components." Encouraged, he went for a higher-end design constructed around
a 5 - 500 pf vacuum variable capacitor, the project's most expensive
component (these go for $150 or more on eBay). " It is big and heavy,"
Robbins said. He had a metal fabricator bend a new piece of thin-wall copper
tubing into a more aesthetically pleasing circle.
"To drive the capacitor, I obtained a stepper motor and driver, an Arduino
controller board, and a four-channel remote," Robbins explained. "I used
some sample programs to develop the code that would move the capacitor at
different speeds depending on how long the remote was pressed. I added
markings on the capacitor, so I could quickly move to different bands." --
Thanks to DELARA News
The Doctor Will See You Now!
"Do Dipoles Have to be Straight?" is the topic of the current (May 9)
episode of the ARRL The Doctor is In podcast. Listen...and learn!
Sponsored by DX Engineering, ARRL The Doctor is In is an informative
discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or
smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like!
Every 2 weeks, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the
Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical
topics. You can also email your questions to doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor
may answer them in a future podcast.
Enjoy ARRL The Doctor is In on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or iPad
podcast app (just search for ARRL The Doctor is In). You can also listen
online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the
site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or
Android devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our
beginner's guide.
FCC Re-Charters Technological visory Council for New Term
The FCC has re-chartered its Technological visory Council (TAC) for a 2-year
term. Comprised of a diverse group of leading technology experts, the TAC
provides technical expertise to the FCC to identify important areas of
innovation and develop informed technology policies.
Greg Lapin, N9GL, will continue to represent ARRL on the TAC.
"The TAC will consider and advise the Commission on a variety of topics such
as the deployment of 5G technology, the evolution of broadband networks and
devices and their implications, the spectrum needs of unmanned aircraft
systems, new developments in antenna technology, and the applications of
artificial intelligence to telecommunications networks," the FCC said in
announcing the re-charter.
Dennis Roberson, Executive Chairman of entigenlogicTM, chairs the Council.
Michael Ha, Deputy Chief of the FCC Policy and Rules Division, is the
Designated Federal Officer.
The TAC will next meet on June 21. The public is welcome. The FCC Public
Notice includes the names of all TAC members, some of whom are radio
amateurs. -- FCC Public Notice
The K7RA Solar Update
Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: May 18 was the last day we saw sunspot
activity, after more than 2 weeks with sunspots visible daily. The average
daily sunspot number declined to 5.3 this week from 22.7 the previous week.
Average daily solar flux declined from 75.7 to 69.8. Geomagnetic conditions
were quieter, with the average daily planetary A index declining from 13 to
5.
Predicted solar flux over the next 45 days is 68 on May 23 - 27; 70 on May
28 - 30; 72 on May 31; 74 on June 1; 76 on June 2 - 10; 74 on June 11; 72 on
June 12 - 13; 70 on June 14 - 15; 69 on June 16 - 17; 68 on June 18; 67 on
June 19 - 25; 70, 72, and 74 on June 26 - 28, and 76 on June 29 - July 6.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on May 23 - 24; 8 on May 25; 5 on May 26 -
27; 10; 8; 8 and 10 on May 28 - 31; 5 on June 1 - 15; 8 on June 16 - 18; 5
on June 19 - 23; 10, 12, 8, and 10 on June 24 - 27, and 5 on June 28 - July
6.
On May 20, Markus Hansen, VE7CA, wrote to say he's been hearing many
10-meter beacons from California, and one from Utah.
Sunspot numbers for May 16 - 22 were 13, 13, 11, 0, 0, 0, and 0, with a mean
of 5.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 73.6, 72.1, 70.6, 68, 68.7, 68, and
67.3, with a mean of 69.8. Estimated planetary A index was8, 5, 5, 3, 6, 4,
and 4, with a mean of 5. The mid-latitude A index was 9, 7, 8, 3, 7, 4, and
5, with a mean of 6.1.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For
more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read "What the Numbers Mean...," and check out K9LA's
Propagation Page.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. Monthly charts offer
propagation projections between the US and a dozen DX locations.
Share your reports and observations.
Just Ahead in Radiosport
May 25 - 26 -- CQ World Wide WPX Contest, CW
May 30 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship, CW
June 1 -- Wake-Up! QRP Sprint (CW)
June 1 - 2 -- SEANET Contest (CW, phone)
June 1 - 2 -- 10-10 International Open Season PSK Contest
June 1 - 2 -- DigiFest
June 1 - 2 -- UKSMG Summer Contest (CW, phone, digital)
June 1 - 2 -- Kentucky QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)
June 1 - 2 -- IARU Region 1 Field Day (CW)
June 1 - 2 -- Dutch Kingdom Contest (CW, phone)
June 1 - 2 -- RSGB National Field Day (CW)
June 2 -- PVRC Reunion (CW, phone)
June 4 -- ARS Spartan Sprint (CW)
June 6 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)
June 6 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)
See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting
on Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your
ARRL member profile email preferences.
June Event in Europe to Assess Activity, Ability to Share Spectrum on 6
Meters
The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has thrown its support behind
an upcoming operating event on 6 meters aimed at assessing activity on 6
meters and the ability of Amateur Radio to share spectrum with government
users on the band. The worldwide Amateur Radio community is invited to
participate in the Czech-sponsored Pohotovostní (readiness) Test -- or
"P-Test" -- which will take place on June 13. Agenda Item 1.1 for World
Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) will consider an Amateur Service
allocation in the 50 - 54 MHz band in Region 1 (Europe, Africa, Asiatic
Russia), taking into account studies looking into sharing between the
Amateur Service and the mobile, fixed, radiolocation, and broadcasting
services, "in order to ensure protection of these services."
The Czech Republic's telecommunications regulator CTO is investigating if
theoretical study results match real life. The June test follows an initial
trial that took place in late February in the Czech Republic. One objective
was to verify that military and Amateur Radio stations could coexist on the
band. The second test will take place when enhanced propagation is more
likely. During the event, other 50 MHz band users will operate their own
communication systems, and the IARU has cautioned radio amateurs not to
interfere with their activities.
"The purpose of this event is to show regulators that amateurs and military
stations can coexist without causing harmful interference to each other,"
said an IARU Region 1 news article by Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T.
The June 13 event will take place in two activity periods: The first will
run from 0730 until 0900 UTC, and the second will take place from 1100 to
1230 UTC. Participating stations will call "CQ P (Contest)" and exchange
signal reports, a sequential serial number, a six-character grid locator,
and a geographical location.
Maximum power output will be 25 W PEP, the maximum power under Czech Amateur
Radio Service regulations. Stations outside of the Czech Republic are
requested to use the same output power to enable comparisons with the
February test. The use of spotting networks is permitted. Submit logs no
later than 1230 UTC on June 15.
"We would like to involve amateur stations experimenting with wideband modes
in this test," the IARU news article said. This could include
reduced-bandwidth digital television or other wide-band emissions. Such
stations would participate in the second activity period. Read more.
CQ Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Inductees
CQ Magazine over the weekend announced the 2019 inductees to its Amateur
Radio, DX, and Contest halls of fame.
The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame added 5 new members for 2019, making a
total of 326 inductees since its establishment in 2001. The CQ Amateur Radio
Hall of Fame honors radio amateurs who have made significant contributions
"to Amateur Radio, to their professional careers or to some other aspect of
life on our planet." The 2019 inductees are:
John Attaway, Sr., K4IIF (SK); Dave Bernstein, AA6YQ; Doreen Bogdan-Martin,
KD2JTX; Predescu Florin Cristian, YO0CNU, and Ellen White, W1YL.
CQ inducted two new members to its CQ DX Hall of Fame, which honors those
DXers who not only excel in personal performance, but also give back to the
hobby in outstanding ways. CQ DX Editor Bob Schenck, N2OO, presented Hall of
Fame plaques at an induction ceremony held at the annual Dayton DX dinner on
May 17.
The 2019 inductees to the CQ DX Hall of Fame are: Joe Taylor, K1JT, and
Silvano Borsa, I2YSB, and the Italian DXpedition Team.
The CQ DX Hall of Fame was established in 1967 to recognize those amateurs
who have made major contributions to DXing and DXpeditioning. This weekend
marked the 54th annual induction.
CQ magazine inducted three new members into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame,
which honors contesters who stand out in their own contesting performance
while also contributing greatly to the avocation as a whole. CQ Contesting
Editor David Siddall, K3ZJ, presented Hall of Fame plaques at an induction
ceremony held at the annual Dayton Contest Dinner on May 18.
The 2019 inductees to the CQ Contest Hall of Fame are: Bruce Horn, WA7BNM,
and Dean Straw, N6BV, and Kresimir "Chris" Kovarik, 9A5K (SK).
The CQ Contest Hall of Fame was established in 1986 to recognize those
amateurs who have made major contributions to the art of radio contesting.
This year's inductions bring the total number of members of the CQ Contest
Hall of Fame to 74. Read more.
In Brief...
Educator, author, and contester Fred Cady, KE7X, of Bozeman, Montana, died
on May 16. An ARRL Life Member, he turned 77 earlier this month. Cady was a
professor emeritus of electrical and computer engineering at Montana State
University. He coauthored The Successful Ham Radio Operator's Handbook with
Vic DiCiccio, VE3YT. He also wrote several manuals on how to use Elecraft
equipment. First licensed in 1959, Cady earned a PhD in electrical
engineering from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and was a
senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
(IEEE). He taught for more than 40 years and published five textbooks on
microcomputers. An avid CW contester, Cady was a member of the world
record-holding Team Vertical contest group. "Fred was my very dear friend
and an important mentor for me," DiCiccio said. "Working with him to write
The Successful Ham book was a joy. He helped so many people as a professor,
author of his books, and in his role as a volunteer fireman, fire chief, and
deputy chief. He will be deeply missed."
+++
Radio Amateurs in India recently provided post-disaster communication.
According to a May 12 article in The Hindu newspaper, after Cyclone Fani
struck eastern India on May 3, two teams of Amateur Radio operators from
Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal came to the rescue. The town of Puri in the
state of Odisha remained cut off for 2 days, and VHF communication systems
used by police had very limited range. The Odisha state control room was not
able to establish regular communication with district headquarters,
"resulting in utter confusion in relief and rescue operations," the
newspaper said. Emergency managers now are looking into how and why
post-disaster communication failed for the first time since 1999. In the
wake of Cyclone Fani, ham radio provided the primary mode of communication
for the first several hours.
+++
IARU Member-Societies have ratified leadership nominations and will consider
new members International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-societies on May
3 completed voting to ratify the nominations of IARU President Tim Ellam,
VE6SH/G4HUA, and Vice President Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, to new terms. With 57
affirmative votes required for ratification, Ellam received 75 votes, and
Garpestad received 74 votes. Applications for IARU membership have been
received via IARU Region 1 from the Saudi Amateur Radio Society (SARS) and
the Seychelles Amateur Radio Association (SARA). As of January 2019, there
were 66 members out of a total of 479 licensed radio amateurs in Saudi
Arabia. SARA has six members, two of whom are licensed. It is believed that
there are four licensed amateurs in Seychelles. Voting will close on October
9.
+++
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has announced a Cricket World Cup
Amateur Radio Marathon, from May 30 until July 14. The Cricket World Cup
will take place in England and Wales. UK and international call signs will
be active on nine HF bands on SSB, CW, and digital modes. Award certificates
will be offered based on the number of contacts made with the special UK and
international stations. Sponsors are inviting other countries to take part
and to activate special call signs with the suffix "19CWC" or similar. A
total of 31 special call signs will be on the air in the UK, with GB19CWC
representing the 2019 Cricket World Cup Headquarters in England. Listen for
other "GB19" prefix call signs. Teams will field special event stations as
well. Details, including the rules for awards and a list of international
call signs, are on the RSGB website. Follow your progress on the Ham Log
website. Email for more information on the marathon. -- Thanks to Nick
Totterdell, G4FAL
Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions
May 31 - June 1 -- Arizona State Convention, Prescott, Arizona
May 31 - June 2 -- Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon
June 1 -- Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia
June 1 - 2 -- Western Pennsylvania Section Convention, Prospect,
Pennsylvania
June 7 - 8 -- West Gulf Division Convention (Ham-Com), Plano, Texas
June 15 -- W8DXCC DX Convention, Owensville, Ohio
July 19 - 21 -- Nevada State Convention, Reno, Nevada
July 25 - 27 -- Central States VHF Conference, Lincoln, Nebraska
July 26 - 27 -- Ham Holiday, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Find conventions and hamfests in your area.
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