AMATEUR RADIO NEWS FROM THE NET

10641- 10675 of 10751 News Items

Space Weather Update: DSCOVR not to come back online until early 2020 As we have reported before, the real time solar wind monitoring satellite Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) which is located at the Sun-Earth L1 point is being kept in a safe hold at the moment. A glitch in its position system triggered the safe hold and that means it does not transmit any data back to Earth. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel for DSCOVR. IARU Administrative Council Steps Up Efforts to Combat Radio Spectrum Pollution The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Administrative Council (AC) met on September 28 and 29 in Lima, Peru, to conduct a final review of IARU preparations for the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). The Council’s annual meeting took place just ahead of the triennial IARU Region 2 (IARU R2) General Assembly. Responsible for IARU p... FCC Proposes Fining New York Radio Amateur $17,000 for Deliberate Interference A New York Radio Amateur — Harold Guretzky, K6DPZ, of Richmond Hill — is facing a $17,000 fine imposed by the FCC. Guretzky was issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) on October 3 for causing intentional interference on a local repeater and preventing other radio amateurs from using it.“Given his history as a repeat offender, this violation warrants a significant penalty,” the FCC said in the NAL. Lynyrd Skynyrd Founding Member Larry Junstrom, K4EB, SK Southern Rocker Larry “LJ” Junstrom, K4EB, died on October 6. He was reported to be 70.Junstrom was a founding member and bassist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, although he left the group before it recorded its first album. He’s better known as a member of another Southern Rock band, 38 Special, with which he performed from 1977 until retiring in 2014.“The Big Man on the Big Bass has left us,” said a sta... via the RSGB: WRC-19 Day-0: Being Prepared After four years of preparation, studies and proposals, the start of the 2019 World Radiocommunication Conference is at hand. Opening on Monday Oct-28, and running for four weeks. The recent pattern of WRCs has been every three to four years (WRC-12, WRC-15 and now WRC-19). Most recent events have been held at ITU HQ in Geneva. This time however, Egypt is making a great effort and hosting it in the very glossy Sharm el-Sheikh International Conference Centre (SHICC). via the RSGB: WRC-19 Day-1: A Grand Opening Southern Rocker Larry “LJ” Junstrom, K4EB, died on October 6. He was reported to be 70. Junstrom was a founding member and bassist of Lynyrd Skynyrd, although he left the group before it recorded its first album. He’s better known as a member of another Southern Rock band, 38 Special, with which he performed from 1977 until retiring in 2014.“The Big Man on the Big Bass has left us,” said a sta... via the RSGB: WRC-19 Day-2: The real work begins, inc 50 MHz Following Monday’s opening, the second day saw most committees and sub-working groups stood up and many agenda items having their documents introduced. First thing of particular interest to amateur radio, was the release of two documents via the RSGB: WRC-19 Day-3: kHz, MHz and GHz Amateur radio interests at WRC-19 span an amazing range of frequencies and applications from kHz to GHz. Day-3 saw the start of the Wireless Power Transmission topic. Agenda Item 9.1.6, specifically considers its high power use for charging electric vehicles, termed WPT-EV. Whilst it operates at relatively low frequencies such as 19-21 or 79-90 kHz, the kilowatts involved and nature of the switch-mode electronics create significant concerns regarding spurious emissions from its harmonics that may range up to HF. via the RSGB: WRC-19 Day-4: Consensus, or Not WRC-19 takes decisions based on consensus rather than votes. Day 4, Thursday October 31st provided a few examples of the extremes, of when views converge, or not. Wireless Power for electric vehicles (WPT-EV) managed to reach consensus on one of its core regulatory aspects. Subject to finalisation, ‘No Change’ will be made to the ITU Radio Regulations in line with all submissions by various countries – a remarkably quick consensus result, for a topic of significant attention to amateur radio. Via the ARRL: FCC Seeks Telecommunications Specialist The FCC is looking for a telecommunications specialist to work at the HF Direction Finding Center in Columbia, Maryland. This is a full-time position with a competitive salary.The incumbent would perform “watch duty” and serve as a technical authority, providing technical assistance and guidance to communication systems users to resolve radio interference complaints and problems. Radiocommunication Conference 2019 Opens in Egypt World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) is under way in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. More than 3,500 delegates from 193 member-states around the world are attending the month-long gathering, sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), which opened today (October 28). WRC-19 delegates will discuss changes to the ITU Radio Regulations. Amateur radio issues are but a small p... Via the ARRL: Revised AMSAT-NA Website in the Offing AMSAT Treasurer and Vice President of User Services Robert Bankston, KE4AL, has announced that the AMSAT Board has approved his recommendations for an internet-based membership management system, the transition to a digital full-color edition of AMSAT Journal, and a complete overhaul of the AMSAT-NA website. “I have been putting together these proposals for several months and thank the Board of... World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 Special Event Set The Egyptian Radio Amateur Society (ERASD) and Egypt’s National Telecommunications Radio Authority (NTRA) have announced a special event for World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19). SU8X and SU8WRC will be on the air from Sharm el-Sheikh in southern Egypt, the venue of WRC-19. Operation will begin October 26 UTC as SU8X participates in the CQ World Wide DX Contest SSB. Special event s... via the RSGB: Sweden to discontinue 2.3 and 3.4GHz permits Amateurs in Sweden have been able to apply for temporary permits to allow operation in 2.3GHz and 3.4GHz bands. Their regulator, the PTS, has announced these temporary permits will no longer be issued from 1 January 2020. The reason is 5G. Dayton Hamvention Admission, Fees to Increase in 2020 Dayton Hamvention® is increasing the cost of admission and its booth fees. Hamvention General Chair Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, announced this week that general admission would rise by $4 per ticket to $26 in advance or $31 at the gate for all 3 days. The cost of flea market spots will go up by $5 per space, and inside exhibitors will pay $30 more. ARRL Asks FCC to Dismiss Petition Seeking Declaratory Ruling on Encoded Message Rule ARRL has asked the FCC to dismiss a Petition for Declaratory Ruling filed by New York University (NYU), that in ARRL’s view proposes a new interpretation of the rule — Section 97.113(a)(4) — prohibiting “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning.” In its December 2 filing, ARRL said NYU’s call to “clarify” the rule’s meaning to prohibit “effectively encrypted or encoded messages, including messages that cannot be readily decoded over the air for true meaning,” is not only vague but could weaken the prohibition against encryption. FCC Amending Amateur Radio RF Exposure Safety Rules The FCC is amending its Part 97 Amateur Service rules relating to RF exposure safety. In a lengthy document in ET Docket 19-226 released on December 4 that addresses a broad range of RF safety issues, the FCC said current amateur radio RF exposure safety limits will remain unchanged, but that the amateur-specific exemption from having to conduct an RF exposure evaluation will be replaced by the... UN Headquarters’ 4U1UN has been Back on the Air The United Nations Amateur Radio Club, 4U1UN, at UN Headquarters in New York has been on the air recently. Adrian Ciuperca, KO8SCA, recently was on site to replace and test a serial cable, and, while there, made some 100 contacts. “Now that all works, we should hear the 4U1UN more often on the air,” he commented. QSL via HB9BOU. Via HACKADAY: Retrotechtacular: 934 MHz CB Radio The radio spectrum is carefully regulated and divided up by Governments worldwide. Some of it is shared across jurisdictions under the terms of international treaties, while other allocations exist only in individual countries. Often these can contain some surprising oddities, and one of these is our subject today. Did you know that the UK’s first legal CB radio channels included a set in the UHF range, at 934 MHz? Don’t worry, neither did most Brits. Behind it lies a tale of bureaucracy, and of a bungled attempt to create an industry around a barely usable product. US State Department Seeks Foreign Service Information Management Technical Specialists – Radio The US Department of State is currently accepting applications for Foreign Service Information Management Technical Specialists – Radio (IMTS-R) positions. Foreign Service IMTS-Rs design, install, and maintain radio and telecommunications systems. They provide radio support for presidential, congressional, and other VIP visits. These radio specialists work from a regional location, overseas or domestically. Extensive travel is required to support radio telecommunications systems, such as land mobile radio (LMR), HF, VHF, and UHF radio networks at State Department missions around the world. Potential applicants should read the vacancy announcement to ensure that they meet all of the requirements before applying. To begin the online application process, visit USAJOBS. The deadline to submit completed applications is December 31, 2019. Applicants must be US citizens, at least 20 years old to apply, and at least 21 years old to be appointed. Applicants must also be available for worldwide service and be able to obtain all required security, medical, and suitability clearances. President Rick Roderick, K5UR, Heads ARRL Group on FCC Visits President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and members of the ARRL Board’s Executive Committee undertook a round of visits to FCC Headquarters in Washington on November 4 and 5. Topics focused on a number of pressing amateur radio-related issues. In addition to Roderick, members of the ARRL contingent included Atlantic Division Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM; New England Division Director Fred Hopengarten, ... Via the ARRL: Amateur Radio News from Antarctica In Antarctica, Chris Cianflone, W2RTO, is on the air from KC4USV at McMurdo Station, mostly operating FT8 on 14.075 MHz. The station has a tribander for 20, 15, and 10 meters and a Kenwood TS-480 feeding a 500 W amplifier, which, he said “sounds like it’s on its last legs.” Given the 24 hours of daylight this time of year and the challenging terrain, the lower bands are unusable in Antarctica, ... SAQ, Sweden’s Alexanderson Alternator, Announces Scheduled Christmas Eve Transmission SAQ, the call sign of the 1920s vintage Alexanderson transmitter in Grimeton, Sweden, is set to be on the air for its annual Christmas Eve transmission. SAQ transmits CW with up to 200 kW on 17.2 kHz. Tune-up is scheduled to begin at around 0730 UTC, with the holiday message transmitted on December 24 at 0800 UTC. SAQ will livestream the event. SAQ has introduced a new reception report form for... W1AW to be on the Air for Winter Field Day Members of the Warren County (New York) Amateur Radio Club (W2WCR) will activate Maxim Memorial Station W1AW for Winter Field Day 2020 over the January 25 – 26 weekend. Winter Field Day is sponsored by the Winter Field Day Association (WFDA), which believes that emergency communication is important throughout the year. Winter Field Day is open to radio amateurs worldwide. Radio Amateurs of Canada Announces a New Section The number of Sections needed for a clean sweep in the ARRL November Sweepstakes (SS) will rise to 84 in 2020, with the addition of a new Prince Edward Island (PE) Section. Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) announced this week that the new Section will become effective on April 1.RAC said its Prince Edward Island members have been working for some time to create a separate Section for RAC ARES act... New tropo records on 2m and 70cm Congratulations to Ian, GM3SEK who set a new 70cm world record distance on tropo on 28 December 2019 by working D41CV at a distance of 4,565km. That put him in the unique position of holding both EME and tropo records on that band as, back on 12 March 1989, he worked ZL3AAD at 18,970km. On 1 January 2020, Callum, GM0EWX on the Isle of Skye managed to work D41CV on 2m FT8. This now extends the 144MHz IARU Region 1 tropo record to 4,776km. Australian Bushfires Causing Major Telecommunication Outages, Hams Asked to Remain Alert Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) President Greg Kelly, VK2GPK, says the bushfires in Australia have caused or are expected to cause significant disruption of telecommunication services in the states of Victoria and New South Wales. “The scope and range of these impacts is unknown at this stage but are predicted to cover all internet and phone (fixed and mobile) and other commercial radio s... Strong Earthquake Shakes Puerto Rico, ARES Standing By A strong magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit Puerto Rico early on January 7 on the heels of a smaller magnitude 5.8 tremor a day earlier. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority reported widespread power outages after generating plants automatically activated protective shutdown systems following the earthquake. Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vazquez Garced urged citizens to remain calm. Norway Experiences Unexpected Ground Current “Shockwave” Spaceweather.com reports that on January 6, unexpected electrical currents were detected in the soil of northern Norway starting at around 1930 UTC.“It seemed to be some kind of shockwave,” said Rob Stammes, who monitors ground currents at the Polarlightcenter geophysical observatory in Lofoten. “My instruments detected a sudden, strong variation in both ground currents and our local magnetic f... Earthquakes Compromised Power Generation Capacity, Puerto Rico Section Manager Says ARRL Puerto Rico Section Manager Oscar Resto, KP4RF, says small tremors continue on the island in the wake of the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that struck the southwestern part of the island on January 7. A magnitude 5.8 quake struck a day earlier. The Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA) reported widespread power outages after generating plants automatically activated protective shutdown s... A J-Pole for 2-meters and 70-cm An Easy Dual-Band VHF/UHF vertical Antenna made with a TV twin lead and coax cable 6-Band Windom antenna Theory and construction of a novel trapless center-loaded off-center-fed (cl-ocf) dipole or windom antenna for the 80, 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10m hf amateur radio (ham) bands How to make an end-fed antenna work Here is a sure fire way to make end-fed halfwave antennas fed with a 50 ohm coupler work - without long radials, grounds, chokes, voodoo. A magnetic loop antenna for HF Able to cover all frequencies between 3.5 and about 10 MHz, the loop described here is directional, does not require a radial system, and stands just 1.8 metres tall. Most parts needed can be purchased at a hardware shop. The antenna can be put together in an afternoon and requires only hand tools to assemble. It should cost less than sixty dollars to build. by Peter Parker VK3YE ex VK1PK Trapped dipole for 40-80-160 meters Build a space efficient trapped dipole antenna for 40-80-160 meter bands using RG-58 and PVC pipe by W8NX