By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
In honor of the holiday, Surfin’ offers a ham radio horn of plenty.
Maybe I need to get out more.
Back in grade school, I remember images of cornucopia gracing the bulletin boards around the premises this time of year and I am sure that during art period, we drew a cornucopia with our crayons, but in my six decades on this planet, I have never seen a corn…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
On November 16, ballots were counted in the races for Director in the Hudson Division and for Director and Vice Director in the Northwestern Division. This year, there were only three contested races for Director or Vice Director in the five Divisions holding elections. In the Hudson Division, Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, defeated Joyce Birmingham, KA2ANF, for the top slot in that Division. In the Nort…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
There has been an exciting and dramatic rise in sunspot activity this week. The daily sunspot number was 188 on Monday, November 12 — higher than it has been in more than a year. The last time the daily sunspot number was as high was on November 9, 2011, when it was 208. Prior to last November, we have to go back nine years — November 26, 2003 — into the previous solar cycle to find a number…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
ARRL Headquarters will be closed November 22 and 23 in observance of Thanksgiving. There will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice transmissions those days. The ARRL Letter will be published a day early on Wednesday, November 21, but there will be no ARRL Audio News on Thursday, November 22. ARRL Headquarters will reopen Monday, November 26 at 8 AM Eastern Standard Time. We wish everyone a saf…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
ARRL members who use Apple iOS mobile devices — iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch — can now download a new dedicated app to access and browse all issues of the digital edition of QST. This app allows ARRL members to read QST online or download individual issues of the journal for offline reading. This free app is available to ARRL members in the Apple App Store.
Using the New QST App:
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The digital version of the December QST is now available to ARRL members. The digital version includes many features not available in the print version, such as:
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The autumnal fall equinox in the northern hemisphere always brings exciting propagation. From September 19-30, 2012 along the Front Range of Colorado, we especially enjoyed an exceptional 10 meter opening. Over 130 different DXCC countries, from all continents, were spotted from our area stations during this time.
Read More
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
If you’ve ever wanted a way to show the world how exciting Amateur Radio can be, here’s your chance: The ARRL is sponsoring its Third Annual Video Contest! Here’s a chance to put that video camera to use: Shoot a ham radio-related video and send it our way. If your video takes first, second or third place, we’ll post it on the ARRL website for everyone to see. We’re looking for a few good video…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Hosted by the Vietnam Amateur Radio Club (VARC), officials from the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) — IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, and IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD — attended the IARU Region 3 15th Triennial Conference on November 5-9 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Chairman Peter Lake, ZL2AZ, and Secretary Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP, represented IARU Region 3. President Hans Blond…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
If the US Postal Service (USPS) gets its way, it will no longer sell International Reply Coupons (IRCs) after January 27, 2013. According to the October 23 edition of the Federal Register, there is not sufficient demand for the USPS to continue offering IRCs to customers; however, per the Universal Postal Union (UPU) regulations, the USPS must continue to exchange (redeem) IRCs that have been p…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Atlantic Division Leadership is turning the traditional convention model on its head! This year — through the use of multimedia — the Division will host its convention on the Internet on Saturday, November 10. ARRL President (and former Atlantic Division Director) Kay Craigie N3KN, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 Atlantic Division Convention.
“We will be doing the convention as an…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ looks at radios that are very pleasing to the eye.
Tom Kipgen builds designer radios.
You may ask, “What’s a designer radio?” It’s a radio that not only works well, but looks good.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so I direct your attention to Tom’s Designer Radios website where you can view photos of Tom’s designs (representing ten…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Solar activity retreated again this week, with the average daily sunspot numbers declining 8.7 points to 49.7, while the average daily solar flux was down nearly 20 points to 97.2. Sunspot numbers for November 1-7 were 48, 34, 35, 46, 47, 61 and 77, with a mean of 49.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 98.4, 96.5, 93.3, 95, 96.6, 98.7 and 101.7, with a mean of 97.2. The estimated planetary A indices were 1…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
ARRL Information Technology Manager Michael Keane, K1MK, is reporting that while Logbook of The World (LoTW) system is currently down, it is expected to be back up by 9 AM EST (1400 UTC) on Friday, November 9. “While the system is temporarily down, radio amateurs are not able to access LoTW or upload their logs,” Keane explained. “No data has been lost, and everyone’s records are intact. We und…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The ARRL Executive Committee (EC) held its second 2012 meeting Saturday, September 29 in Denver, Colorado. The EC is responsible for administering the League’s affairs in between Board meetings. It consists of the President (Kay Craigie, N3KN), five Directors elected annually by the Board, and — without vote — the First Vice President (Rick Roderick, K5UR) and Chief Executive Officer (David S…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Administrative Council (AC) of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) held its Annual Meeting November 2-4 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The AC — which consists australians online casinos of the three IARU International Officers and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations — is responsible for the policy and management of the IARU. According to IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD,…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
ARRL Information Technology Manager Michael Keane, K1MK, is reporting that the Logbook of The World (LoTW) system is currently down for maintenance. “With the system temporarily down, radio amateurs are not able to access LoTW or upload their logs,” Keane explained. “No data has been lost, and everyone’s records are intact. We understand the problem and we are in the process of restoring servic…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
If the US Postal Service (USPS) gets its way, it will no longer sell International Reply Coupons (IRCs) after January 27, 2013. According to the October 23 edition of the Federal Register, there is not sufficient demand for the USPS to continue offering IRCs to customers; however, per the Universal Postal Union (UPU) regulations, the USPS must continue to exchange (redeem) IRCs that have been p…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Four new poll questions have just been published on the QuickStats page on the ARRL website. Let your voice be heard!
Questions in this month’s QuickStats poll:
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ considers portable power generators in the wake of another horrific storm.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy barreled through here Monday, but I was lucky: The tree man had done his work last month, so there was no tree damage on my property, except for a few small branches that landed without incident here and there. And my home lost po…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Solar activity quieted this week, with the average daily sunspot numbers down nearly 37 points to 58.4 and the average daily solar flux declining 27 points to 116.9. Sunspot numbers for October 25-31 were 58, 71, 59, 55, 75, 56 and 35, with a mean of 58.4. The 10.7 cm flux was 130, 130.7, 121.7, 117, 108.4, 106.3 and 104.2, with a mean of 116.9. The estimated planetary A indices were 4, 4, 4, 3…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Compiled by S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
ARRL News Editor
news@arrl.org
This feature — including convenient web links to useful information — is a concise monthly update of some of the things the ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of October.
As Hurricane Sandy pounded the East Coast, the Emergency Response Team at ARRL Headquarters supported the affected Secti…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
On Saturday, October 27, radio amateurs in Hawaii responded to a tsunami warning, providing valuable and timely information to emergency management officials. The tsunami was triggered by a magnitude 7.7 earthquake which struck at struck at 5:04 PM HST (0304 UTC on Sunday, October 28) in the Queen Charlotte Islands, located off the coast of British Columbia, Canada.
At 7:14 PM*, the Pacific Tsun…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The League is currently looking to fill the position of Media and Public Relations Manager at ARRL Headquarters in Newington. Connecticut residency or the ability to relocate to Connecticut is required. The ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager is responsible for explaining the value of the Amateur Radio Service to the media and the general public, directly and through volunteers. Outstanding…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Due to the ongoing cleanup and power restoration from Hurricane Sandy, ARRL Headquarters will open at 10 AM EDT (1400 UTC) on Tuesday, October 30.
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
As Hurricane Sandy approaches the area, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy has ordered all highways in Connecticut to close at 1 PM to all but emergency traffic. In order for ARRL Headquarters staff to safely make it home in advance of the road closures, the League will be closing at 11:30 AM (1530 UTC) on Monday, October 29. There will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice transmissions dur…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Sterling Coffey, N0SSC
ARRL Youth Editor
Today was an interesting milestone in the progress of the year. Almost every fall after a biting cold front the air heats up again and Japanese beetles — commonly mistaken as ladybugs — take refuge on sunlit surface, resting after a long migratory flight. They fly around looking for places to hide before the winter freeze sets in.
RF and ladybugs have …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Gary Hoffman, KB0H
ARRL Contributing Editor
I was sitting in my shack, fuming over my latest failure. I was a computer professional for more than 40 years and I still couldn’t penetrate digital modes. Or understand the menus on modern transceivers. Or figure out why the heck my newest radio beeped at random times. I guess it’s because I’m an old fossil who never owned an X-this or i-that.
I kn…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has announced plans to reactivate its nets in advance of Hurricane Sandy’s approach to the East Coast of the United States. The HWN will relay on-the-ground reports from hams to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. The forecasters at the NHC are predicting that Sandy — currently a Category 1 hurricane — will move para…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
Ghosts and Halloween go together, but what about ghosts and radios?
Last week’s episode of Surfin’ — An Extremely Long Delayed Echo — revealed that a famous long delayed echo (LDE) was actually a hoax. But what about other LDEs? Are they real and if so, what causes them?
LDEs are a fascinating subject and the responses I received to last week’s Surfin’…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Good conditions should prevail for the CQ World Wide SSB DX Contest this weekend. A chance for solar flares has greatly diminished in the past few days, and the latest forecast has the planetary A index at a steady and quiet 5 for this weekend and beyond, through the first week in November.
The average daily sunspot numbers for October 18-24 were down 1.7 points from the previous seven days, to …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Earlier this month, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) — WT Docket No. 12-283 — proposing to amend the Part 97 rules governing the Amateur Radio Service. On October 24, a summary of the NPRM was published in the Federal Register and the FCC is seeking comments on it.
Specifically, the Commission is proposing to modify the Amateur Radio Service rules to grant examination cr…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) will activate at 7 AM EST (1100 UTC) on Wednesday, October 24 for Tropical Storm Sandy, in support of WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida. As of 2 PM EST on Tuesday, October 24, the storm is about 275 miles south-southwest of Kingston, Jamaica with maximum sustained winds reaching 50 miles per hour. Sandy is mo…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Each year at its Annual Meeting in January, the ARRL Board of Directors bestows the George Hart Distinguished Service Award to a League member whose service to the ARRL’s Field Organization is of the most exemplary nature. This award is named in honor of George Hart, W1NJM, long-time Communications Manager at ARRL Headquarters and chief developer of the National Traffic System.
Selection criter…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ discovers the truth about a radio urban legend that was too good to be true.
You can thank my editor, ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, for this week’s installment of Surfin’. She put a bug in my ear about a radio urban legend that I had heard about back around 1960, and I could not resist writing about it.
Hopeville Elementa…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Sunspot activity rose this week, with the average daily sunspot numbers up more than 45 points to 97, while the average daily solar flux rose more than 24 points to 129.2. Sunspot numbers for October 11-17 were 82, 89, 85, 97, 119, 107 and 100, with a mean of 97. The 10.7 cm flux was 116.6, 121.9, 124.9, 132.1, 136.8, 137 and 135, with a mean of 129.2. The estimated planetary A indices were 6, …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Ted Rappaport, N9NB, of New York City, has been named the recipient of the 2012 William E. Sayle Award for Achievement in Education, given by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Education Society. The prestigious award is presented annually to an IEEE Education Society member who has made significant contributions in engineering education.
Rappaport, an ARRL Life Member,…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
After more than eight years as the ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager, Allen Pitts, W1AGP, has retired. During his tenure, Pitts was responsible for developing public relations campaigns that featured the many facets of the Amateur Radio Service: Hello Radio came first in 2006 and highlighted the fun and friendships of ham radio. It was followed by Emergency Radio, which built on the ARRL …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The 55th annual Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) is October 20-21. This 48-hour event runs from 0000 (local time) on Saturday, October 20 (right at midnight Friday) through midnight (local time) on Sunday, October 21. JOTA is an opportunity for Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and Girl Guides from all over the world to experience the magic and excitement of Amateur Radio.
According to Boy Scouts of…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Seventh Annual ARRL On-Line Auction opened for preview on Tuesday, October 16, and will open for bidding at 10 AM EDT (1400 UTC) on Thursday, October 25. According to ARRL On-Line Auction Coordinator Lisa Tardette, KB1MOI, there is a large assortment of ARRL Product Review items, including an Elecraft KPA500 HF/6 meter power amplifier, an ICOM IC-7410 HF/6 meter transceiver, a Yaesu FT-450D…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The digital version of the November QST is now available to ARRL members. The digital version includes many features not available in the print version, such as:
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Ham radio has been a part of Scouting since 1918 with the inauguration of the Wireless merit badge. The ARRL was a key contributor in establishing those early requirements and in pulling together that first merit badge pamphlet. This merit badge, among many, is part of Scouting’s legacy of providing concise information and rigorous requirements to introduce Scouts to hobbies, vocations and gene…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Ward Silver, N0AX
QST Contributing Editor
Three days in Santa Clara have just vanished in a blur of ham radio happiness. Pacificon attendance was up to about 1600, filling the halls for forums, lectures, browsing, and the occasional airborne affair such as astronauts, ARISS contacts, parachute mobile stations, and of course, Felix Baumgartner’s skydive from 24 miles up on Sunday afternoon put …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ tries out a new app on the iPod Touch and revisits a blog of historic proportions.
Distance and Bearing App
Tommy Sullivan, W1AUV, created DBHam, an app for the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad to calculate distance and bearing between six-digit Maidenhead locations. It is free at Apple’s App Store.
DBHam is useful for any ham; however, it i…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Ward Silver, N0AX
QST Contributing Editor
What does a hamfest fleamarket in Silicon Valley look like? Palm trees and soldering irons, that’s what! After a couple rainy days, everyone was relieved to have cool, clear weather for the parking lot to fill with buyers and sellers. Being in the heart of the West Coast’s electronics industry did seem to influence the wares on display with a lot of te…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
There was another decline in sunspot activity this week, but based on activity over the past few days, combined with the projected solar flux values, it is making a steady recovery. The sunspot numbers for October 4-10 were 56, 55, 39, 37, 41, 63 and 71, with a mean of 51.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 109.5, 106.2, 98.8, 98.1, 103.4, 106.2 and 112, with a mean of 104.9. The estimated planetary A indi…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Ward Silver, N0AX
QST Contributing Editor
The first day of the ARRL National Convention at Pacificon in Santa Clara, California is a wrap!
Much or the morning was consumed with getting everything “just so” in the ARRL EXPO area as Bob Inderbitzen NQ1R, and the rest of the EXPO staff made final preparations. ARRL Membership Manager, Diane Petrilli, KB1RNF and Customer Service Manager, Amy Hurtad…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The US Postal Service has announced that as of January 27, 2013, the cost to mail first class letters, postcards and packages within the US will go up. The cost to mail a first class letter will be 46 cents, while the cost to mail a postcard will be 33 cents, an increase of 1 cent for each. This is the third increase for postcard postage in less than two years; in April 2011, the USPS boosted t…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Executive Committee of IARU Region 2 met in Curacao September 29-30. Led by Region 1 President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AM, the following members of the Executive Committee were in attendance at the meeting: Vice-President José Arturo Molina, YS1MS; Secretary and Area C Director Ramon Santoyo, XE1KK; Treasurer and Area E Director Noel Donawa, 9Y4X; Area B Director and ARRL International Affairs…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Each year, more than 500,000 Scouts in more than 100 countries take to the airwaves on the third full weekend in October — and this year on October 20-21, it will be no different. The Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) is an annual Scouting and Amateur Radio event sponsored by the World Scout Bureau of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). JOTA is an annual event where Boy Scouts, Girl …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Four new poll questions have just been published on the QuickStats page on the ARRL website. Let your voice be heard!
Questions in this month’s QuickStats poll:
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Nominations are open for the 2012 ARRL International Humanitarian Award. This award is conferred upon an amateur or amateurs who demonstrate devotion to human welfare, peace and international understanding through Amateur Radio. The League established the annual prize to recognize those radio amateurs who have used ham radio to provide extraordinary service to others in times of crisis or disas…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ reveals a cool radio trick for measuring distance with Google Maps.
Whereas, last time, the topic here was performing radio tricks using Google Earth, this time, the topic is performing radio tricks with Google Maps.
One of my radio pastimes is DXing on the AM and FM broadcast bands. It is something I can do with radio when I don’t hav…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By H. Ward Silver, N0AX
noax@arrl.net
Part 97.1 points out five bases and purposes of the Amateur Radio Service. The third principle — encouragement and improvement of the Amateur Service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art — has been a hallmark of the Amateur Radio Service from the beginning. This quiz lists a few of those …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit the Earth on September 30, triggering a jump in geomagnetic indices. The planetary A index on October 1 was 31, and the K index jumped to 7, making aurora visible across the northern tier of the United States. The northern latitude college A index was 23 (near Fairbanks, Alaska), about the same as the mid-latitude index — which was 21 — in Fredericksburg, Vir…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Olympic Peninsula is in the far corner of the Pacific Northwest and contains a huge area of remote, isolated and largely undeveloped wilderness. The peninsula has but one single main road, Highway 101, which gives access to the distant coastline. Although most of it is within a hundred miles of the densely populated greater Seattle area, the tall peaks in the Olympic Mountain range will blo…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Beginning this winter, The Weather Channel will begin naming what it calls “noteworthy winter storms.” As The Weather Channel explained on its website, “[a] storm with a name is easier to follow, which will mean fewer surprises and more preparation. In addition to providing information about significant winter storms by referring to them by name, the name itself will make communication and info…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
On October 2, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in WT Docket No. 12-121 that seeks to change the Amateur Radio licensing rules, especially as they concern former licensees. Acting upon an April 2011 Petition for Rulemaking filed by the Anchorage VEC to give permanent credit to radio amateurs for examination elements they have successfully passed, the FCC proposes to revise…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) — an organization for those interested in radio astronomy — is soliciting papers for presentation at its 2013 Western Regional Conference, February 9-10, 2013 in Socorro, New Mexico. Papers on radio astronomy hardware, software, education, research strategies, observations and philosophy are welcome. SARA members or supporters wishing to present…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources