The Directors in IARU Region 3 have voted to appoint Peter Lake, ZL2AZ, of Wellington, New Zealand, as the Chairman of IARU Region 3. He replaces Michael Owen, VK3KI, who passed away unexpectedly last month. Owen, who was also President of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA), had served as Region 3 Chairman since 2006.
“I am extremely grateful to my fellow Directors for their support in th…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The winner of the August QST Cover Plaque award is Thomas Schaefer, NY4I, for his article “Your Antenna is on Fire!” Congratulations Thomas! The QST Cover Plaque Award — given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue — is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the October issue today.
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 ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of September.
The ARRL has begun planning for its 100th birthday celebration in 2014.
NASA Astronaut Lee Morin, KF5DDB, will be the ARRL’…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Sterling Coffey, N0SSC
ARRL Youth Editor
Everyone has heard the phrase “If you build it, they will come,” and when it comes to ham radio, they will.
For quite some time, I have been receiving e-mail from the Young Amateurs Contest Ham Team (YACHT), but rarely do I read them, as most of the e-mails end up at the bottom of my inbox. But a few weeks ago I saw a particularly interesting e-mail enti…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ features guest columnist Mike Schaffer, KA3JAW, of September 7 Surfin’ fame.
Upon posting my rare, out-of-season Costa Rican analog television Sporadic-E 1240-mile distance video on YouTube, I was curious about the broadcast towers’ location and appearance.
In my pursuit of this quest, I visited Wikipedia to obtain some information; how…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The average daily sunspot numbers rose this week from 56 to 81.3, while the average daily solar flux increased from 101.4 to 129.7. Sunspot numbers for September 20-26 were 68, 74, 46, 57, 90, 121 and 113, with a mean of 81.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 117.4, 116.9, 124.5, 133.6, 136.6, 139.8 and 139.2, with a mean of 129.7. The estimated planetary A indices were 9, 5, 4, 2, 2, 2 and 6, with a mean …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ can begin antenna maintenance now that the trees are out of the way.
The tree man finally showed up on Monday and cleared the area around my crank-up/down tower, so I can now lower it without the antenna hitting any branches on the way down.
The antenna is a log periodic and is the actual one Bart Jahnke, KB9NM, reviewed way back in the…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The ARRL wants to hear from kit builders about simple useful, educational and exciting kits. These kits should have a high probability for success and would serve as stepping stones for more advanced projects. We are looking all sorts of kits, but RF detector kits that work in the 380 MHz-2.5 GHz range are of special interest. The kits should also have a “Wow, I built this and it works!” factor…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The League is currently looking to fill the position of QST Technical Editor at ARRL Headquarters in Newington. Connecticut residency or the ability to relocate to Connecticut is required.
The QST Technical Editor will provide leadership to the technical Amateur Radio community by developing and promulgating a vision of the state of the Amateur Radio art through the pages of QST.
Qualifications:…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society (EARS) Chairman Sid T. May, ET3SID/G4CTQ/AB3OZ, passed away September 25. In 1993, May established ET3AA, the first Amateur Radio club in Ethiopia. According to Hailemelekot Negussie, AB3OX, of EARS, May has taught Amateur Radio licensing classes in Ethiopia for more than 15 years. EARS is Ethiopia’s IARU Member-Society.
An accredited ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE),…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Army MARS Chief Stephen G. Klinefelter has implemented a major leadership realignment: Under the new organization chart, the 11 Regional Directors — all volunteers — will assume the day-to-day management responsibility previously exercised from the Army MARS Headquarters at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. “You will tell us if you can take on a task and you will tell us the resources you need,” Klinef…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Editor’s Note: On September 12, the Autoriteti Rregullativ i Telekomunikacionit (ART) — Kosovo’s telecommunications regulatory authority — created the necessary legal framework for the development of an Amateur Radio Service in the Republic of Kosovo by approving its Regulation for Amateur Radio Services (please see the link below for the document). Although not formally assigned a prefix by …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
IARU Region 3 Chairman Michael Owen, VK3KI, passed away September 22. He was 75. Owen, who was also President of the Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) — that country’s IARU Member-Society — participated in many IARU committees and was a member of the IARU Observer Team at a number of World Radiocommunication Conferences. He is perhaps best remembered for his work on Article 25 — a packag…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Everett Gracey, WA6CBA, of Grass Valley, California, passed away on August 26. He was 90. In 1979, Gracey — along with Ken, K6HCP, and Jacqui Holladay — founded Mirage Communications in Gilroy, California; Mirage is now owned by MFJ. After selling Mirage, Gracey founded RF Concepts in 1986. Both companies sold and manufactured VHF and UHF amplifiers. After Gracey sold RF Concepts, he continue…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The average daily sunspot numbers dropped this week, from 83.1 to 56, while the average daily solar flux declined from 118.9 to 101.4. Sunspot numbers for September 13-19 were 44, 44, 53, 77, 51, 61 and 62, with a mean of 56. The 10.7 cm flux was 99.1, 100.5, 97.5, 97.3, 101.5, 104.3 and 109.8, with a mean of 101.4. The estimated planetary A indices were 6, 5, 6, 7, 6, 8 and 14, with a mean of …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The Radio Club of America (RCA) has announced that William A. Tynan, W3XO, of Kerrville, Texas, will receive its 2012 Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Award. First given in 1994, the Goldwater Award is given to an RCA member who is also a licensed amateur in recognition of a long record of service to the public through the use of Amateur Radio. Tynan — an RCA Fellow and an ARRL Life Member — wil…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Gary Hoffman, KB0H
Contributing Editor
“Who did you say you were again?” the receptionist asked. “Gary Hoffman,” I said. “I’m with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. I’m supposed to run a test on your Amateur Radio equipment.”
I was patient, even though I knew that the SET (Simulated Emergency Test) was supposed to start right at that very moment. They had kept me at the reception desk of the…
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The ARRL Executive Committee will meet Saturday, September 29 in Denver, Colorado. See the link below for the meeting’s agenda.
ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee. Five Division Directors who are elected by the ARRL Board of Directors are also on the committee: Midwest Division Director Cliff Ahrens, K0CA; Northwestern Division Director Jim Fensterma…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The League is currently looking to fill the position of QST Technical Editor at ARRL Headquarters in Newington. Connecticut residency or the ability to relocate to Connecticut is required.
The QST Technical Editor will provide leadership to the technical Amateur Radio community by developing and promulgating a vision of the state of the Amateur Radio art through the pages of QST.
Qualifications:…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The crew of the hit ABC comedy Last Man Standing is planning a radio event on Sunday, October 28 to kick off the show’s second season. Last Man Standing features Tim Allen as Mike Baxter, KA0XTT. According to Last Man Standing Producer John Amodeo, NN6JA, Mike’s station is back this year with even more gear. In addition, all the antennas that were in the catwalk last year have been relocated to…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
With the current focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) initiatives in US schools, teachers are always looking for new ways to draw student interest into these areas. To promote STEM and to get students thinking ahead about their career path, many schools in Seminole County, Florida participate in “Teach-In.” This is an annual event in mid-November where the parents of studen…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Sean P. Smith, KG4WSS, of Falls Church, Virginia, was killed when the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, was attacked on September 11. He was 34. Smith was one of four Americans, including Chris Stevens — the US Ambassador to Libya — who was killed in the attack.
Smith — a native of San Diego — enlisted in the Air Force in 1995 at age 17. He served six years as a ground radio maintenance speci…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
On October 12-14, the ARRL will welcome members and friends to the 2012 ARRL National Convention in Santa Clara, California. Hosted by Pacificon and sponsored by members of the Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club, this three-day event is sure to be jam-packed with excitement, exhibits and, of course, the ever-popular ARRL EXPO. Use this handy guide to find ARRL-sponsored activities and exhibits thr…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
For the past 11 years, the US Office of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In that time, this campaign for federal government civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the military has generated almost $ 192,000 for ARRL programs since it first became an option for federal employees to donate to the League. The C…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ discovers a new way of fixing radios.
I won a Radio Shack Realistic Astronaut 8 circa 1972 multiband receiver at an auction for $ 1 a few years ago. It had minor cosmetic wear and tear, but functioned like new after I sprayed all the switches and pots with an electronics cleaner.
It had been my garage radio ever since, and sits on top o…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The digital version of the October QST is now available to ARRL members. The digital version includes many features not available in the print version, such as:
Eve…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Solar activity retreated this week, with the average daily sunspot numbers off nearly 46 points — about 35 percent — to 83.1, while the average daily solar flux declined 18 points to 118.9. Sunspot numbers for September 6-12 were 112, 110, 70, 87, 62, 73 and 68, with a mean of 83.1. The 10.7 cm flux was 128, 133.4, 128.6, 123, 111.3, 105.1 and 102.6, with a mean of 118.9. The estimated planet…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Next month — October 1-5 — the ARRL will welcome eight international students who want to learn how to administer and regulate Amateur Radio programs in their home countries. This course, offered by the United States Telecommunications Training Institute (USTTI) for learners from developing countries, will help the participants create, administer and foster an Amateur Radio Service in their c…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
After spending 125 days in space, NASA Flight Engineer Joe Acaba, KE5DAR, Expedition 32 Commander Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin, RN3BS (both of the Russian Federal Space Agency) will begin their voyage home to Earth this weekend, marking the end of Expedition 32 on board the International Space Station (ISS). The trio will undock their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft on Sund…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
This weekend, 12 newly elected or appointed Section Managers will be in Newington at ARRL Headquarters for an orientation workshop. The primary purposes of the three-day workshop sessions are to share ideas and to provide basic administrative, management, leadership and motivational training.
“The Section Manager Workshop is an orientation and training event for new Section Managers who have com…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
NASA Astronaut Lee Morin, KF5DDB, will be a special guest at the 2012 ARRL National Convention at Pacificon — held October 12-14 — in Santa Clara, California. Morin, an ARRL member, served as a Mission Specialist on Atlantis for STS-110 that launched in April 2002. During this 13th shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS), he performed two extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) — …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week, Surfin’ literally takes a look at Sporadic E propagation on YouTube.
Last week’s “Got Tropo” got me an e-mail from Mike Schaffer, KA3JAW, located in Tampa, who directed my attention to his recent YouTube video that illustrated the following:
On Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at 0045-0116 (UTC), Mexican XHTAU, Azteca-7 relayer analog channel 2 from…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
There was a surprising jump in solar activity occurred this week: The average daily sunspot numbers rose nearly 55 points (that’s almost 74 percent) to 128.7, while the average daily solar flux values were up more than 28 points to 136.9. Sunspot numbers for August 30-September 5 were 118, 144, 120, 108, 156, 150 and 105, with a mean of 128.7. The 10.7 cm flux was 127.8, 130.5, 145.6, 142.3, 14…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
In just over 2 years of being a ham, the one thing I’ve found that I can do for hours on end without getting bored is DXing.
I’ve found that some hams think DXing is too hard, QSLing too expensive or that they don’t have the right equipment. DXing is something that everyone can enjoy and nobody says that you have to QSL to be a DXer. Some DXers I’ve spoken with have logged over 200 countries but…
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
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 ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of August.
The FCC released its study on Amateur Radio’s role in emergency and disaster communications and the impact of private land us…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The ARRL has announced plans to hold its National Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut on July 17-20, 2014. The Convention will mark 100 years of the ARRL’s founding in Hartford. ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN, has also announced a theme for ARRL’s Centennial year: Advancing the Art and Science of Radio — since 1914.
In May 1914, Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW — a leading inventor and ind…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By H. Ward Silver, N0AX
n0ax@arrl.net
The fall and winter months are packed with contests for every taste: DX, domestic, single-band and specialty events of every stripe. Shake off a little rust with this quiz and get ready to put some QSOs in the log. Remember, too, if you’re not a contest aficionado, most major contests use only one mode and 12, 17 and 30 meters bands are entirely contest-free …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The winner of the August QST Cover Plaque award is Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, for his article “Rethinking Electrical Power for the Ham.” Congratulations Bob! The QST Cover Plaque award — given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue — is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the September issue today.
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Although solar activity is quite low, there was an increase in sunspot numbers and in the solar flux over the past week. The average daily sunspot numbers were up nearly 20 points — about 36 percent — to 74.1, while the average daily solar flux increased nearly 13 points to 108.7. Sunspot numbers for August 23-29 were 49, 69, 70, 78, 85, 73 and 95, with a mean of 74.1. The 10.7 cm flux was 96…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Seven years to the day that Hurricane Katrina smashed into New Orleans, Hurricane Isaac came calling. But instead of making landfall right at New Orleans like Katrina (a Category 3 storm) did on August 28, 2005, Isaac veered slightly to the west of the city. Through it all, hams at WX4NHC — the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida — and those supporti…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Stretching over a distance of 305 miles from east to west, the nine populated islands of the Azores count for a single DXCC entity and three IOTA groupings. A group of radio amateurs from eight countries and the Azores will be putting these islands on the air September 28-30 for the Azores 9 Islands Hunt, offering an opportunity for the world to contact these nine islands during one single week…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
As Hurricane Isaac makes its way toward New Orleans, hams in the ARRL Delta Division are bracing for the storms impact. As of 12:20 PM (EDT) on Tuesday, August 28, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center confirmed that Isaac — which is 160 miles south of New Orleans, Louisiana — had reached hurricane status.
The Delta Division ARES® EMCOMM Net activated at 12 noon (CDT) on Tuesday. Accord…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Sterling Coffey, N0SSC
ARRL Youth Editor
n0ssc@arrl.net
The sounds of cicadas buzzing in the trees herald the fast approaching school year. Every summer seems to go by so quickly in conformance to the old adage: “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
To most school-bound youths, fun can be as simple as doing nothing, taking a break from schoolwork and social drama. Or it’s a time for video gaming…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor
This week’s installment of Surfin’ previews the 2012 Digital Communications Conference.
The annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC) is on the move again and this year finds the DCC in Atlanta, Georgia on September 21-23. Typically, the DCC venue is in a hotel conveniently located near an airport and this year is no different with th…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The weak solar activity continues: The average daily sunspot numbers for the seven days of August 16-22 were down 23 points — 30 percent — to 54.6, while the average daily solar flux dropped a little over 16 percent — 18.7 points — to 96. These figures offer a comparison between August 9-15 and the latest reporting period of August 16-22. Sunspot numbers for August 16-22 were 34, 42, 56, 69…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
According to WX4NHC Associate Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC — the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami, Florida — along with the VoIP Hurricane Net — will activate on Friday, August 24 in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) stated on its website that it will activate on 14.325 MHz at 3 PM (1900 UTC) on Thursday, August 23 “…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
On August 20 — in response to a Spring 2012 Congressional directive — the Federal Communications Commission released its findings on the Uses and Capabilities of Amateur Radio Service Communications in Emergencies and Disaster Relief: Report to Congress Pursuant to Section 6414 of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.
This report contains the FCC’s “ review of the importanc…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The policies of the ARRL are established by 15 Directors who are elected to the Board on a geographical basis, with elections for three-year terms held in five divisions each year. At the same time, Vice Directors are elected on the same basis. Responding to solicitations in the July and August issues of QST, ARRL members in the Central, Hudson, New England, Northwestern and Roanoke Divisions h…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Two Section Manager elections this summer were decided by member balloting: ARRL Connecticut Section Manager Betsey Doane, K1EIC, was re-elected to a new term, and John Mueller, K2BT, was elected as the new ARRL Western New York Section Manager. New terms of office start October 1, 2012. Ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters on Tuesday, August 21.
Doane, of Shelton, received 493 votes. Her o…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Victor (Vic) Poor, W5SMM, of Melbourne, Florida, passed away Friday, August 17, due to complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 79. Just last month, Poor — an ARRL member — received the ARRL President’s Award for his contributions to the development of digital communications systems in the Amateur Radio Service. Poor was also known for his work in the development of one of Intel’s first c…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
QST Managing Editor Joel P. Kleinman, N1BKE, of Meriden, Connecticut, died from injuries received during a house fire. He was 64. Kleinman was responsible for the coordination, organization, control and completion of all aspects of QST’s editorial content each month. Kleinman’s wife Jayne survived the fire, but is currently in the intensive care unit of a local hospital.
“Joel was obsessed with …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
There was a big drop in solar activity over the past week, with the average daily sunspot numbers declining nearly 42 points to 77.6, and the average daily solar flux down 20 points to 114.7. Sunspot numbers for August 9-15 were 124, 105, 98, 76, 62, 46 and 32, with a mean of 77.6. The 10.7 cm flux was 131.2, 125.4, 119.7, 112.3, 108.1, 105.8 and 100.7, with a mean of 114.7. The estimated plane…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
This summer, the ARRL offered teachers the opportunity to learn about ways to incorporate wireless technology into their classroom curriculum through its Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology (TI). Since 2004, the ARRL has sponsored TI sessions as part of its educational outreach to schools. This professional development training is offered at no cost to the teachers, but is funded through …
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The digital version of the September 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
Paul Lieb, KH6HME, of Hilo, Hawaii, passed away July 16. He was 84. Lieb — an ARRL Life Member — was best known for his VHF work and his radio beacon on the slopes of Mauna Loa where he worked the famous trans-Pacific tropo duct to the West Coast. Lieb achieved many tropo ducting distance records up through 5760 MHz and received the Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award in 1999 for “his…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
Larry Pollock, NB5X, Chairman of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC), presided over the NCVEC’s 27th annual meeting, held via teleconference on July 20. The meeting offered an opportunity for representatives of the VECs to discuss issues facing the volunteer examination program and interact with FCC staff members.
Representatives from 13 of the nation’s 14 VECs too…
American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources