29 November 2020

• The K7RA Solar Update

  Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Over the past week our sun has been quite active, with rising sunspot numbers and solar flux showing strong evidence that Solar Cycle 25 is progressing.

  Average daily sunspot number rose from 12 last week to 27.9 in the current week, while solar flux rose to a high of 103.7, bringing average daily solar flux up from 79.8 to 90.1.

  Average daily planetary A index r...

• ARRL Asks FCC to Allow 3.4-GHz Operation until Spectrum is Occupied

  In comments to the FCC, ARRL has argued that radio amateurs be allowed to continue shared operation in the 3.4 GHz band until 5G licensees who purchase the spectrum when the FCC puts it up for auction initiate incompatible operations. In its Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) in WT Docket 19-348, the FCC had proposed to sunset the band for amateur radio in two phases, governed by whe...

• Yasme Foundation Announces Excellence Awards

  The Yasme Foundation has announced the latest recipients of the Yasme Excellence Award. They are Brett Ruiz, PJ2BR, and Helena Ruiz, PJ2ZZ; Bob Wilson, N6TV; Jari Perkiömäki, OH6BG, and Jim Brown, K9YC. The Yasme Excellence Award recognizes individuals and groups who, through their own service, creativity, effort, and dedication, have made a significant contribution to amateur radio. This may b...

• Coast Guard Proposes to Discontinue HF Voice Watchkeeping

  The US Coast Guard has invited comments by January 21, 2021, on a proposal to discontinue HF voice watchkeeping. The proposal appeared on November 20 in the Federal Register. The USCG proposes to cease monitoring 4125, 6215, 8291, and 12,290 kHz, in the contiguous US and Hawaii, due to a lack of activity.

  “We believe this change would have a low impact on the maritime public, as commercial satel...

• Universal Radio Announces Closing

  Ham Radio retailer Universal Radio, headquartered in Worthington, Ohio, is closing its store on November 30, although all existing orders will be filled, and the Universal Radio website will remain open to sell off “remaining stock, publications, and some select products.” Owners Fred Osterman, N8EKU, and Barbara Osterman, KC8VWI, are retiring.

  “I am very fortunate to have been in the radio busi...

• IARU Region 2 Executive Committee Approves Dues Reductions for Member-Societies

  The International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 (IARU R2) Executive Committee (EC) approved dues reductions and holidays for member-societies in Region 2 (the Americas). The action came as the R2 EC held its fifth and final virtual meeting of the year on November 18 to complete outstanding business from its three October sessions and to approve the 2021 operating budget.

  “Recognizing that the pan...

• New York City-Long Island Section Manager Re-Elected in Fall Balloting

  New York City-Long Island Section Manager Jim Mezey, W2KFV, has been re-elected in the fall election cycle. Mezey, of Carle Place, received 527 votes to 136 for challenger Donnie Katzovicz, W2BRU. The race for NYC-LI SM was the only contested election. Mezey begins a new 2-year term of office on January 1, 2021. He has served as New York City-Long Island Section Manager since 2013.

  In the West C...

• Former West Virginia Section Manager Ann Rinehart, KA8ZGY, SK
• FEMA Seeking Reserve Telecommunications Operators

  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is seeking telecommunications operator reservists to assist in emergency recovery efforts on an intermittent, on-call basis. The deadline to apply is December 8, but FEMA will not take any applications beyond the first 200, which may come sooner than that.

  These FEMA reservist positions seem well suited to radio amateurs. Duties include sending, rec...

• Dayton Hamvention Announces its 2021 Theme — “The Gathering”

  “The Gathering” will be the theme for the 2021 Dayton Hamvention®. Hamvention General Chair Rick Allnutt, WS8G, said the theme reflects what has been missing from our lives most of this year.

  “We have spent the last 6 months being bound to our houses and small groups,” he said. “We are very optimistic that when May arrives, we will be allowed to get together.”

  Allnut, a medical doctor with a mast...

• Still Time to Apply for Foreign Service Information Management Technical Specialists-Radio Positions

  The deadline to apply for US Department of State Foreign Service Information Management Technical Specialists-Radio (IMTS-R) positions is December 1, 2020.

  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...

• ARRL Announces Director, Vice Director Election Results

  The ARRL Dakota Division will have a new Director, and the Great Lakes and Midwest Divisions will have new Vice Directors on January 1. The results of four contested elections for Director and Vice Director in three ARRL Divisions were announced on November 20, after ballots were tallied at ARRL Headquarters.

  In the Dakota Division, incumbent Matt Holden, K0BBC, lost his re-election bid to chall...

• The K7RA Solar Update

  Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: As solar flux declined over the past week, I noticed less long-distance propagation on 10 meters reported on pskreporter.info from my local grid square, CN87. Propagation on 12 meters was quite strong, however. After 0100 UTC on November 15, transequatorial propagation was evident between East Asia and Australia on 10 meters. 

  Solar activity declined dramaticall...

• ARRL November Sweepstakes Phone Contest is this Weekend!
• Arizona Congresswoman Introduces National Amateur Radio Operators Day Resolution

  US Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona has introduced a resolution designating April 18, 2021, as National Amateur Radio Operators Day, to recognize the important contributions of amateur radio operators.

  “Amateur radio operators are critical in times of crisis and our communities are safer thanks to their dedication to sharing important information with the public,” Lesko said. She was appr...

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29 November 2020

• Foundations of Amateur Radio
  Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance The other day I was adding an item to my to-do list. The purpose of this list is to keep track of the things in my life that I'm interested in investigating or need to do or get to finish a project. My to-do list is like those of most of my fellow travellers, unending, unrelenting and never completed. As I tick off a completed item, three more get added and the list grows
• ARISS telebridge contact with school in Italy
  An ARISS educational school contact is planned for Victor Glover KI5BKC with students at Scuola Scuola Secondaria di I grado “Anna Frank”, Pistoia, Italy, Pistoia, Italy
• FCC takes action against marketing of unauthorized transceivers
  On November 24 FCC Enforcement Bureau (EB) issued a citation and order concerning the illegal marketing of unauthorized radio frequency devices
• How to install a PL259 on RG58 coax
  In this video Ria Jairman N2RJ explains how to install a PL259 on RG58 coax and looks at Wifi connectors, SMA and TNC F connectors and why we use them in ham radio
• TF3YOTA on the air in December
  Iceland's national amateur radio society IRA reports TF3YOTA will be active from December 1 for Youngsters On The Air mont
• DXCC Country/Entity Report
  According to the Amateur Radio Cluster Network for the week of Sunday, 22nd November, through Friday, 27th Nov there were 214 countries active
• QSO Today - Episode 001 - Arie Kleingold - PA3A
  Arie Kleingold, PA3A, came to my attention because of his DXpeditions, through Mercy Ships, hospital ships, off the coast of Africa
• Register now for Free Foundation Online Training course
  The next free amateur radio Foundation Online training course run by volunteers from Essex Ham starts on December 6
• Special call signs in Belgium during the second lockdown period
  Due to the recent stricter COVID-19 measures, many radio amateurs will be forced to spend most of the following weeks at home again
• Ham radio contact spurred South Pole visit
  Forbes magazine describes how an amateur radio contact with the Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole spurred Jim Clash WA3JID to travel there and operate the ham radio station
• German Gov recognizes importance of Electromagnetic compatibility
  DARC report that Germany's Federal Government recognizes the importance of Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in the development of microelectronics
• New York City-Long Island Section Manager re-elected in fall balloting
  New York City-Long Island Section Manager Jim Mezey, W2KFV, has been re-elected in the Fall election cycle. Mezey, of Carle Place, received 527 votes to 136 for challenger Donnie Katzovicz, W2BRU
• U.S. postal stoppage
  The U.S. Postal Service is temporarily suspending international mail acceptance for certain destinations due to service impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Discussion point
  Hello, I'm Geoff Emery, VK4ZPP, and I've been thinking. How sad is it that the ACMA had to post a request to the Amateur Community to use courteous behaviour when they are in contact with the Australian Maritime College
• Afghanistan operation
  Robert, S53R, who has been active from Kabul since early September 2019 and will be there for another year, has been active as T6AA and T6A during major contests

29 November 2020

• LU1ZG & LU3HRS/Z BASE BELGRANO 2 ANTARTIDA
• DXCommander Expedition Antenna Build & Review
• NewsWest for Sunday 29th November 2020 - New Amateurs Edition
• Space Weather News 11.26.2020
• EPISODE 000 - ERIC GUTH - 4Z1UG / WA6IGR
• Congressional Resolution--Help Needed
• Amateur Radio Newsline headlines for Ham Nation. November 25, 2020.
• HR2.0 - Xiegu REVEALS the GSOC Controller for G90 and X5105
• QSO Today Interviews Ralph Haller N4RH
• New Sunspot Several Times Wider Than Earth Rotating Into View
• December YOTA Month activity – DYM 2020
• Emergency Communications with Wade Smith, VK1MIC
• Universal Radio Closing: Retirement
• RF-Kit Earns FCC Amplifier Certification
• NewsWest for Sunday 22nd November 2020 - Anything Goes Edition