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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

“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...

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...

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...

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...

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...