Jack St Clair Kilby, Ex-W9GTY, Inventor of the IC, Dies at 81 (Jun.22 2005) Jack Kilby, who held the call sign W9GTY in the 1930s and `40s, died in Dallas June 20 at age 81. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2000 for the invention of the first monolithic integrated circuit. A native of Great Bend, Kansas, Kilby has been credited with making the Information Age possible. His interest in ham radio was recounted in a Web site dedicated to his achievements: "As a boy, Kilby used to travel the western half of the state with his father in the summers, checking on various power plants in the family's 1935 Buick. When a severe ice storm crippled Western Kansas in 1937, Kilby and his Dad borrowed a neighbor's ham radio to communicate with the various power plants around the state. Kilby became interested in ham radio, and got his license from the FCC, with his own set of call letters--W9GTY." ARRL HQ staff member Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, recalled: "[He] was my hometown's claim to a famous person. He was sometimes known as `Mr IC.' I remember the first time I heard about the big blizzard and how his father communicated with other people in the area with help from his ham friends. That got Jack interested in ham radio." Following college and a stint in the Army, Kilby went to work on the transistor for Centralab in Milwaukee. In 1958, he moved to Dallas to work for Texas Instruments, where he came upon the idea of creating the integrated circuit. By 1960 the first chips were made available to industry, and the age of microelectonics was upon us. The vanity call sign W9GTY is today held by the J. S. Kilby Digital Millenium, based at the US Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California. (ARRL News Service)
Pete Halpin, PH1PH/G7ECN, SK (Jun 22, 2005) Pete Halpin, PH1PH/G7ECN, of Hengelo, the Netherlands, died June 8 after battling cancer. The co-developer with Simon Brown, HB9DRV, of the freeware Ham Radio Deluxe transceiver-control package, Halpin was considered its support and services guru. "Pete was instrumental in the development of what must be the premier freeware operating, logging, PSK-interface application available to our hobby," said Jim Newton, K9YGW/M0YGW. "He and Simon spent untold hours bringing this resource to the community." Licensed in 1982, Halpin was a retired aircraft technician who, in Brown's words, "devoted copious free time to this project. He will be missed by everyone involved with Ham Radio Deluxe." The Radio Society of Great Britain recognized Brown and Halpin last year for their significant contribution to the development of Amateur Radio technology . Halpin also has received awards from the QRP Amateur Radio Club International, one for his low-power successes on 6 meters. He was a past director of No Code International. (ARRL News Service)
Amateur Radio Emergency Communication Focus of World Conference (Jun. 21 2005) NEWINGTON, CT, Jun 21, 2005--Tampere, Finland, played host June 13-14 to the first Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC 2005). Participants from 17 countries and representatives of all three International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) regions gathered to discuss and exchange information on the role of Amateur Radio in emergency communication. A conference statement summarized the value of Amateur Radio to emergency communication worldwide. "The Amateur Radio Service has the proven capabilities and capacities to serve the international community through its global network of infrastructure-independent stations," the statement concluded. "Such stations are not only most likely to withstand the physical impact of disasters, but their flexibility furthermore avoids the overload all public networks inevitably experience in the aftermath of disasters." The statement also pointed to the Amateur Service as "an invaluable resource of skilled operators, trained and experienced in maintaining communications under the most adverse conditions." It further concluded that it's essential "to ensure that this resource can be fully utilized in the service of emergency and disaster response providers." Conferees agreed as well that the Amateur Service needs access to "appropriate portions of the shared and limited resource of the radio frequency spectrum." The IARU has submitted the summary as an input document to the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), set to take place in Tunisia this November. Representing the IARU and chairing GAREC 2005 was Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS, the IARU's International Coordinator for Emergency Communications. Past ARRL President Rod Stafford, W6ROD, represented IARU in his capacity as Region 2 President and the League in his capacity as International Affairs Vice President. Major topics included cooperation between radio amateurs and institutional emergency response providers on the national level, and an exchange of experiences from recent events. Presentations showed how hams support emergency responders as skilled volunteer telecommunication operators as well as via their own global networks. Conferees also talked over ways to improve and facilitate the work of emergency communication networks. Participants agreed on the desirability of establishing a "Center of Activity Frequency" for emergency traffic on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 meters. SRAL, the IARU member-society for Finland and the host of GAREC 2005 will forward a proposal to that effect to the IARU for its consideration. This could happen during the IARU Region 1 Conference in Davos, Switzerland, this September. GAREC-2005 did not put forth specific center-of-activity frequencies, but the proposal did recommend calling them "The Tampere Frequencies." GAREC 2005 participants expressed their appreciation for the hospitality of Finnish radio amateurs and of Tampere. Because of its association with the history of emergency and disaster communication, the city's name has become nearly synonymous with emergency telecommunication. Among signal events, an experts conference there in 1991 adopted the Tampere Declaration on Disaster Communications. In 1998, the Intergovernmental Conference on Emergency Telecommunications (ICET-98) adopted the Tampere Convention on the Provision of Telecommunication Resources for Disaster Mitigation and Relief Operations. Effective as of January 8, 2005, the convention largely eliminates roadblocks to moving telecommunications personnel and equipment across international borders into and within disaster-stricken areas. Tampere has hosted several related conferences on emergency telecommunication as well. To maintain the momentum, plans already are being discussed for a second global conference in 2006. A conference summary is available on the IARU Web site. (ARRL News Service)
Israeli stations to honour Maccabiah Games June 21-July 21 (Jun 2, 2005) The Israel Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring a special Amateur Radio operation honoring the largest Jewish sport event in the world -- the 17th Maccabiah Games -- to be held in Tel-Aviv July 10-21, 2005. 14 Israeli stations with letters in their suffix from which MACCABIAH can be spelled will be active for 30 days starting June 21. A special Award will be available for stations having at least 6 valid QSOs with the participating Special Event stations. The operation is valid for all radio amateurs and SWLs around the world. More details can be found at the Maccabiah Games page or via www.iarc.org. -- IARC (ARRL News Service)
Don, VK3DZM Silent Key (Jun. 4 2005) It is with regret that I announce that Don, VK3DZM became a silent key on the 4th June, 2005. Don over many years was a very keen, well known and liked operator on the 80 metre phone DX scene who will be sadly missed by all of his many amateur friends, his friends in general and his family. Don was on his flight home after having just spent time touring and staying with amateur friends in the USA, paying a visit to relatives in Great Britain and a short stay in Paris when he had to leave his flight at Singapore because he was not well and died shortly afterwards from a major coronary attack. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him. (George, VK5ALS)
Jun. 24 2005 Tad Cook K7RA Solar Update
Given the low sunspot numbers, 20 and 40 meters are going to be the best bands for working cross country, with 80 meters open after dark. 40 and 80 should be the best bands for working stations less than 1000 miles away, day or night. To review the past week, sunspots and solar flux numbers were lower. Average daily sunspot numbers dropped nearly 28 points from the previous week to 51.1. Average daily solar flux was off over 15 points to 87.7. The big geomagnetic activity of note was one day following our Thursday through Wednesday reporting period, on Thursday, June 23, when mid-latitude A index was 30 and planetary A index was 48. Sunspot numbers for June 16 through 22 were 67, 59, 50, 43, 47, 53 and 39 with a mean of 51.1. 10.7 cm flux was 98.1, 90.8, 90, 86.9, 86.1, 82.8 and 79.5, with a mean of 87.7. Estimated planetary A indices were 26, 14, 7, 7, 5, 4 and 7 with a mean of 10. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 19, 9, 5, 3, 2, 1 and 6, with a mean of 6.4. (ARRL News Service)
Europe June 25 2005 Solar and propagation report,
Flare activity was been low or very low, with only a scattering of C-class
flares. The solar flux sunk gradually from 91 to 77, averaging 83. However,
the 90-day average was unchanged at 93. The X-ray flux declined steadily
from B2 to A3.4. The average was A7.1. The geomagnetic field was
initially quiet, with the Ap index in single figures up to the 23rd. Early
on the 23rd a high-speed coronal stream reached Earth's environment and
a geomagnetic storm ensued. The index went up to 48. It fell back to 17
on the 24th, continuing unsettled-to-active on the 25th. Solar wind speeds
were mostly around average, with the extreme ranges 673 km/sec on the 25th
and 286 km/sec on the 22nd. Particle densities were in low single
figures
Apart from depressed MUFs during and after the ionospheric disturbance, propagation on the higher HF bands remained much as it has been for the past few weeks. The bright spot remains 14MHz, where there were good openings on several mornings to the West Coast of North America and Hawaii. Sporadic-E made occasional appearances on 28 and 50MHz but was less frequent and intense than might have been hoped for at this stage in the season. The ionospheric storm brought auroral propagation on the morning of the 23rd. Most reported contacts were on 50MHz. Now the forecast. As this report was prepared on the 25th the Sun was spotless for a second day. The indications are that flare activity will be mainly low or very low, although there is an outside chance of smallish M- class flares later in the week. The solar flux may slip a little lower but by around midweek it should be slowly and slightly increasing. Coronal hole activity will keep geomagnetic levels unsettled to active through most of the present weekend, possibly until the 27th or 28th. but quiet-to-unsettled levels are expected to return later. MUFs at equal latitudes will remain around the levels of recent weeks - that is to say, on quiet days, they will be about 20MHz in southern Britain and 17MHz in the North. Darkness hour lows will again be in the region of 11MHz. Despite the disappointing level of sporadic-E in the past week there remain good chances of openings at 28 and 50MHz, and perhaps higher, with some possibility of multi-hop openings on 50MHz. And that's all from the propagation team for another week.
Some ISS passes visible from North America during Field Day weekend (Jun 23, 2005) Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth Ransom, N5VHO, says some ISS passes during ARRL Field Day weekend--Saturday and Sunday, June 25-26--may be visible by Earthbound observers. Expedition 11 crew members John Phillips, KE5DRY, and Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR, may be on the air for Field Day from NA1SS and RS0ISS, respectively. "It appears that some operators in North America might get an added bonus of seeing the ISS as it goes overhead," Ransom told ARRL. "Pass times prior to dawn will likely have the opportunity to see the space station given clear skies." He said Field Day sites in northern latitudes will have a better chance of seeing the ISS that those farther south. "That should make it a little easier for operators to track the station manually," he noted. "It is likely to be something special to tell your buddies that you talked to the ISS while watching it go overhead." Ransom said information on NASA's Human Space Flight page might help determine when the ISS will be visible in the heavens. (ARRL News Service)
ARISS school contact at École de la Source, Mascouche, QC, Canada (Jun. 22 2005) On Friday morning, June 17th, 2005, almost three years to the day from a first casual conversation on the ARISS Project, the ISS was answering a call from the earth. The fifth and sixth grade student of this elementary school that had accepted to take on a project submitted by their teachers in 2002, none were there anymore but the ones that replaced them had continued the project and they were all in the school gym on this memorable morning. The members of the Club radioamateur Laval-Laurentide, VE2CRL, had worked very hard to make sure that the technical side had been taken care off. At exactly 9:34 EDT (13:34 UTC), John Phillips, KE5DRY, answered the call and everybody breathed again. From the questions asked by the students, we learned that it can take him up to four hours only to put on and take off a space suit, that a sick astronaut could have to come back to earth to be treated if his condition was serious enough and we discovered that we do not know yet if space travel could be dangerous for pregnant women. At some point, John Phillips confided that he and Sergeï Krikalev, U5MIR, enjoyed watching a good movie on DVD to relax after supper. A student beside me whispered in my hear “Just like at my home”. The signal was lost during the answer to the 15th question and a roaring “ Merci” went up that John could surely hear even after LOS. The contact was conducted in a smaller room that had a direct video link with the gymnasium where about 400 pupils, parents and guests were assembled. A representative from the Canadian Space Agency explained the procedure before the contact and translated to French the answers to the questions afterwards. Two national TV networks had sent crews to cover the event, as well as at least one newspaper. Dignitaries were present from the municipality and the school board as well as many parents. Once again the magic has worked and on their way out of the hall, every one knew that they had just witnessed an unusual and unique event that they will long remember. Thank you to all the ones that made this event possible. (Thanks to Daniel Lamoureux, VE2KA, ARISS Canada Team) (RAC News Service)
SSETI Express Launch Date Announced (Jun. 3 2005) The launch date for SSETI Express and three ‘cubesats’ has now been confirmed as 25 August, with the next day, the 26th, as a back-up. The satellite has now completed all its pre-launch tests and is presently back in the clean room where everything is having a final checkout and where the cubesats are being loaded into their launchers. Current plans show that the satellite will be packed and ready for despatch to the launch site during the last week of June. SSETI Express will automatically downlink general telemetry at 9K6 on 70cm and it will also be possible for amateurs to request specific downloads. It is planned that the 38K4 telemetry transmitter on 2.4GHz will also be available for amateur voice operation as a Mode U/S transponder after initial tests on the satellite have been completed. AMSAT-UK provided the 2.4GHz transmitter for the satellite and a presentation on SSETI Express will be given at the AMSAT-UK Space Colloquium to be held from 29 to 31 July at the University of Surrey in Guildford. All amateurs and SWLs are welcome to attend. (RSGB2)
Funds urgently needed to manufacture Amateur radio antennas for the ISS (May 29 2005) Columbus is the name of the European laboratory module to be attached to the International Space station. For the Amateur Radio service exclusively, two UHF antennas and two L/S-band antennas are to be fixed on the Meteorite Debris Panels which protect the hull of the Columbus module. If ever a MDP would be hit by an meteorite and be replaced, the antenna would be lost. Therefore the antennas are doubled and fixed on different panels on the nadir, facing the earth. This does not influence the cost considerably. The ARISS patch antennas will be installed on the nadir of the Columbus module in September - October 2005. The European Space Agency has already contributed over 100.000 euro for the installation of the ARISS antennas. Special feedthroughs for the coaxial cables have been installed on the conical end of the module and coaxial feedlines will run to the antennas on the nadir. The antennas are being developed by Pawel Kabacik, professor at the Institute of Telecommunications and Acoustics, Wroclaw University of Technology, Poland. Pawel Kabacik and his team also developed the antennas for the SSETI satellite. The antennas shall be delivered in September and installed before end of October, last limit. The antennas will be manufactured in Poland under supervision of the University. The antennas for the SSETI satellite have cost 70.000 euro. The Columbus antennas will cost 80.000 euro. Facing the difficulty to raise 80.000 euro, we have asked the Wroclaw University to consider two separate contracts, one for the UHF antennas and one for the L/S-band antennas. Building the UHF antennas will cost 52.000 euro (latest evaluation). This includes the purchase of materials that can also be used for the L/S-band antennas which will then cost 25.000 euro. The contract for the UHF antennas has to be signed by ARISS before the end of June and 55.000 euro paid. The contract fo the L/S-band antennas can be signed later, if funds are available. FUNDING So far we have collected about 32.000 euro. Donations received :
Donations pledged :
You can see the list of donations on www.ariss-eu.org/columbus.htm CALL FOR DONATIONS As Bernardo Patti, ESA General Manager for Columbus, stated: "It would be a shame if ARISS would not be able to provide the antennas in due time, whereas the European Space Agency has already spent more than 100.000 euro for the installation of the Amateur Radio antennas". We still need to collect 20.000 euro in the next three weeks to gather the 52.000 euro necessary for the UHF antennas. We call on all possible donors to help ARISS fill the gap. (Thanks to Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, ARISS Vice chairman) (RAC News Service)
Amateur Radio to be Fitted On Board ISS Columbus Module (May 29 2005)
The availability of the new frequencies will permit wideband and video operation for the first time, including ATV facilities for school contacts and, additionally, continuous transponder operation. The new ARISS antennas will be installed in autumn this year. The European Space Agency has kindly agreed to cover the entire cost of installation, but a sum needs to be raised quickly to cover the cost of development and manufacture of the antennas. Further details can be found on the ARISS-Europe website: www.ariss-eu.org/columbus.htm Thanks to Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, the ARISS-Europe chairman, for this news story. (RSGB2)
AMSAT-UK Colloquium set for late July (May 4 2005) The AMSAT-UK Colloquium for 2005 will take place Friday through Sunday, July 29-31, at the University of Surrey, Guildford, UK This year's event marks the 20th colloquium. Attendees do not have to be AMSAT members. AMSAT-UK invites presentations about space-related Amateur Radio activities and papers for the conference Proceedings. Final presentation documents must be submitted by mid-June. Send papers for presentation at the conference and/or for inclusion in the Proceedings to Jim Heck, G3WGM , or via surface mail c/o AMSAT-UK, Badgers, Letton Close, Blandford, Dorset DT11 7SS, UK. AMSAT-UK also invites anyone to submit program topic requests to G3WGM. The colloquium will include sessions specifically for amateur satellite beginners. Registration details and more information are on the AMSAT- UK Colloquium Web pages. Immediately following the AMSAT-UK Colloquium, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) International Team will meet Monday and Tuesday, August 1-2. Although primarily for ARISS delegates, the meeting is open for anyone to attend as an observer and offers an excellent opportunity to get acquainted with the ARISS program. (ARRL News Service)
Amateur Radio Begins ‘Podcasting’ (Jun. 19 2005) ‘Podcasting’ - in which broadcasts are downloaded from the Internet for later playback on Ipods - has been much in the news recently. You won’t be surprised to hear that there is now an amateur radio podcast. If you have a broadband Internet connection, you may want to give it a try. Type www.podcast.net in your web-browser, and type 'Amateur Radio' in the search field and you will see a list of the latest 'This Week in Amateur Radio International' bulletins. Click on the links and make sure your speakers are turned on. (RSGB2)
Award-Winning Freeware Author Peter Halpin, PH1PH, is Silent Key (Jun. 19 2005) Peter Halpin, PH1PH and formerly PE1MHO, has become a Silent Key. Three years ago Peter was given a short time to live after being diagnosed with cancer. He defied all the doctors and lived for an active three years longer than was expected. He will best be remembered by his contribution to the 'Ham Radio Deluxe' software and his successes on 6 metres. (RSGB2)
Ten-Tec Co-Founder Al Kahn, K4FW, SK (Jun 17, 2005) Albert R. "Al" Kahn, K4FW, of Cassopolis, Michigan, died June 15. He was 98. An ARRL member, Kahn--with Jack Burchfield, K4JU, co-founded Ten-Tec following his retirement from Electro-Voice, which he'd also founded and served as president. Kahn remained a member of the Ten-Tec Board of Directors until his death. Kahn's daughter, Carol Bieneman, said her father had continued his regular CW schedules with his old friends until just a few days before he died. Full Story: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/06/17/6/?nc=1 (ARRL News Service)
ARRL Field Day--1800Z Jun 25 to 2100Z Jun 26 (see May QST, page 100}. His Majesty King of Spain Contest--SSB--1200Z Jun 25-1200Z Jun 26; see May QST, page 99). QRP ARCI Milliwatt Field Day--1800Z Jun 25-2100Z Jun 26. Follows ARRL Field Day rules; see www.qrparci.org/contest.htm for more information. Marconi Memorial HF Contest--CW, sponsored by ARI, from 1400Z Jun 25-1400Z Jun 26. Frequencies: 160-10 meters, according to IARU band plan. Categories: SO -LP (<100 W) and -QRP (<5 W), and MO. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO points × DXCC entities counted once per band. For more information: www.qsl.net/ik6ptj/marconi.htm. Logs due 30 days after the contest to ik6ptj@qsl.net or ARI sez. di Fano, PO Box 35, I-61032 FANO (PS), Italy. Canada Day Contest--CW/Phone--sponsored by the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) from 0000Z-2359Z Jul 1. Frequencies: 160-10, 6 and 2 meters. Categories: SOAB (HP (>100 W), LP, QRP (<5 W), SOSB, MS (LP, HP), MM. Exchange: VE1-9 send RS(T) and province or territory, VE0 and non-VE send RS(T) and serial number. QSO points: VE and VE0s--10 pts, non-VE--2 pts, RAC official stations (suffix of -RAC)--20 pts. Score: QSO points × Provinces/Territories counted once per band and mode. For more information: www.rac.ca/service/infoconthtm. Logs due Jul 31 to canada@rac.ca or Radio Amateurs of Canada, 720 Belfast Rd, Ste 217, Ottawa, ON K1G 0Z5, Canada. MI QRP Jul 4th CW Sprint--2300Z Jul 4-0300Z Jul 5 (see Jan QST, p 102, or www.qsl.net/miqrpclub). Venezuelan Ind. Day Contest--CW/SSB--sponsored by the Radio Club Venezolano from 0000Z Jul 2-2400Z Jul 3. Frequencies: 160-10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (CW, SSB, and mixed), MS (mixed mode). Exchange: RS(T) plus serial number. Work any station--not just YV. QSO points: Own country--1 pt, different country, same continent--3 pts, different cont-- 5 pts. Score: QSO points × YV call areas + DXCC entities counted once per band. For more information: http://radioclubvenezolano.org/concurso.htm. Logs due Aug 31 to contestyv@cantv.net or Radio Club Venezolano, Concurso, Independencia de Venezuela, PO Box 2285, Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela. DL-DX-RTTY-Contest--RTTY/PSK--sponsored by the DL DX RTTY Contest Group (DRCG) from 1100Z Jul 2 -1059Z Jul 3. Frequencies: 80-10 meters. Categories: SOAB and SO-Dipole/Ground-Plane (Full-time, 6 Hour), MS. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO points: own country--5 pts, diff country--10 pts, diff continent--15 pts, with DL station add 3 pts from EU, 5 points elsewhere. Score: QSO points × DXCC entities + VK/VE/JA/W call areas from each band. For more information: www.drcg.de. Logs in Cabrillo format due Aug 10 to logs@drcg.de. Bahia Independence Contest--SSB/CW, sponsored by LABRE-Bahia, from 0000Z Jul 1 - 0000Z Jul 2 (SSB) and from 0000Z Jul 2 - 0000Z Jul 3 (CW). Frequencies: 160 to 10 meters. Categories: SOAB (SSB, CW, Mixed). Exchange: RST and serial number. QSO Points: with non-Bahia stations - 1 pt, with Bahia stations (PY6) - 4 pts, with PY6AA - 30 pts. Total Score: QSO Points X PY Prefixes, counted once per band. For more information:www.labre-ba.org.br. Logs due 31 Jul to labre@labre-ba.org.br or LABRE-BAHIA, Rua dos Radioamadores, 73 Parque Pituaçu, CEP 41741-080, SALVADOR-BAHIA, BRAZIL or PO Box 533-CEP 41700-000. DARC 10-Meter Digital "Corona"--RTTY/AMTOR/PACTOR/PSK31/Clover-- sponsored by Deutscher Amateur Radio Club from 1100Z-1700Z Jul 3 (see Nov QST, p 102, or www.darc.de/referate/dx). IARU HF World Championship--from 1200Z Jul 9 to 1200Z Jul 10 (see Apr QST, p 102, or www.iaru.org/contest.html). FISTS Summer Sprint--CW, from 1700Z-2100Z Jul 10 (see Feb QST, p 102, or www.fists.org). QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint--CW, from 2000Z-2400Z Jul 10 (see Dec QST, p 85, or www.qrparci.org/contest.htm). Add the following bonus points for each band on which homebrew gear is used; 2000 pts for homebrew transmitter, 3000 pts for homebrew receiver, 5000 pts for homebrew transceiver. Logs due 30 days after the contest to contest@qrparci.org or Jeff Hetherington, VA3JFF, 139 Elizabeth St W, Welland, ON L3C 4M3, Canada. (ARRL News Service)
0000Z Jun 13-2359Z Jun 26, Great Falls, MT. Great Falls Area Amateur Radio Club, W7M. Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commemoration. SSB 28.350 21.350 14.250 3.855 CW up 35 kHz on CW bands. QSL. W7ECA, PO Box 1763, Great Falls, MT 59405. www.w7eca.org. 1400Z-2200Z Jun 24, Sault Ste Marie, MI. U.P. Net/Wexaukee Amateur Radio Club, N8S. 150th anniversary of the St Marys River Soo Locks. 21.255 14.255 7.255 3.921. Certificate. Al Robertson, PO Box 202, Stevensville, MI 49127-0202. 1400Z -1800Z Jun 25, Emerson, AR. PurpleHull Pea Amateur Radio Club, K5PEA. Commemorating 16th Annual PurpleHull Pea Festival. 14.240 7.240. QSL. PurpleHull Pea Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 273, Emerson, AR 71740. www.purplehull.com/hams. 1800Z Jun 25-1800Z Jun 26, Rusk, TX. A Group of Texas Amateurs, W5R, N5R. Texas State Railroad operation during Field Day. 14.250. QSL. Stephen Hicks, N5AC, 900 Carnegie Ct, Allen, TX 75002. www.FieldDay05.com. 1800Z Jun 25-2100Z Jun 26, Brigantine, NJ. Shore Points Amateur Radio Club, W2HRW. Field Day 2005. 14.280 146.520 446.600 224.900. QSL. Shore Points Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 142, Absecon, NJ 08201. Jun 30, 1500Z-2200Z, Delavan, WI. Lakes Area Amauter Radio Club, W9D. Wisconsin pit stop for The Great Race. 14.040 10.120 7.040. QSL. Bob Ludowise, 60 E Geneva St, Delavan, WI 53115. www.idcnet.com/~serskine/laarc.htm. Jul 1-Jul 10, 1200Z-2200Z, Marco Island, FL. Marco Island Radio Club, N4M. Founding of modern Marco Island. 21.260 18.128 14.260. QSL. Karl L Geng, 695 Embassy Ct, Marco Island, FL 34145. www.marcoisland.org/k5mi.htm. Jul 2, 0800Z-1500Z, Ashland, KY. River Cities Amateur Radio Association, KA4OIL. Summer Motion 05. 28.400 7.250 3.940. Certificate. RCARA, PO Box 612, Ashland, KY 41105. www.geocities.com/kg4dve/rcara.htm. Jul 2, 1400Z-2200Z, Smithville, TN. DeKalb County Amateur Radio Club, K4F. 34th Annual Smithville Fiddlers Jamboree & Crafts Festival. 28.425 21.325 14.280 7.275. QSL. William Freddy Curtis, KC4GUG, 288 Dogwood Cir, Smithville, TN 37166-2712. www.geocities.com/kg4bto1/darc_warc.html. Jul 2-Jul 3, 1400Z-2130Z, Winona, MN. Winona Amateur Radio Club, Inc, W0NE. Great River Shakespeare Festival. 14.250 7.250 7.050 3.870. Certificate. Leslie Hittner, K0BAD, 1340 Conrad Dr, Winona, MN 55987. www.w0ne.org. Jul 4, 1300Z-2100Z, Van Wert, OH. Van Wert Amateur Radio Club, W8FY. Holiday at Home—Van Wert County Historical Museum. 14.320 7.260. Certificate. Van Wert Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 602, Van Wert, OH 45891. Jul 4, 1500Z-2200Z, Independence, IA. Five Sullivan Brothers Amateur Radio Club, W0FSB. Celebrating Independence Day from Independence, Iowa. 28.340 21.240 14.240 7.240 50.140. Certificate. Five Sullivan Brothers ARC, 4015 Independence Ave, Waterloo, IA 50703. www.qrz.com/w0fsb. Jul 4, 1600Z-2300Z, Beecher, IL. Hams of Beecher, W9B. 5th Annual Welcome Home Beecher Train Depot. 28.340 14.270 14.040 7.270 144.49. Certificate. Gene Backlin, 26811 Greenbriar Dr, Monee, IL 60449. Jul 4-Jul 5, 1400Z-0100Z, Thompson, OH. Lake County Amateur Radio Association, N8GB. Heritage of Our Country—Happy Birthday America. 28.450 7.247. Certificate. George R. Bair, 386 Cedarbrook Dr, Painesville, OH 44077. Jul 4-Jul 5, 1600Z-0300Z, Klamath Falls, OR. Klamath Basin Amateur Radio Association, W7VW. Centennial of incorporation of the city of Klamath Falls. 14.250 7.250. Certificate. Douglas Clarke, N7KF, 4801 Glenwood Dr, Klamath Falls, OR 97603. Jul 5-Jul 31, 1300Z-2100Z, Port Colborne, ON, Canada. Niagara Peninsula ARC, VE3WCD. Canal Days Marine Heritage Festival. 28.350 21.250 14.250 7.250. QSL. Doug Frame, VE3JDF, 895 Lakeshore Rd E, Port Colborne, ON, Canada L3K 5V3. www.nparc.on.ca. Jul 6-Jul 10, 1800Z-2400Z, Austin, TX. Naturist Amateur Radio Club, NU5DE. Nude Awareness Celebration/Nude Recreation Week. 28.465 21.365 14.265 7.265. QSL. Naturist Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 200812, Austin, TX 78720-0812. www.nu5de.org. Jul 8-Jul 10, 1400Z-2359Z, Trenton, MI. Motor City Radio Club, W8MRM. 30th Annual Trenton Mid-Summer Festival. 14.244 14.044 7.244 7.044. Certificate. Motor City Radio Club, W8MRM, PO Box 337, Wyandotte, MI 48192. www.W8MRM.org. Jul 8-Jul 10, 1800-0600 dailyZ-1800-0600Z, Salmon Arm, BC, Canada. Shuswap Amateur Radio Club, VA7C. Salmon Arm Centennial Celebration. 21.375 14.275 7.275 3.875. Certificate. Shuswap Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 2613, Salmon Arm, BC V1E 4R5.Canada. www.jetstream.net/sarc. Jul 8-Jul 18, 1400Z-1800Z, Steamboat Lake State Park, CO. Castle Rock Repeater Group, K0CRG. New US Islands activation CO-12, grid DN60, Routt County. 14.260 14.030 7.260 3.960. QSL. Roger Krautkremer, K0YY, 41 Cedar Way, Evergreen, CO 80439. www.crrg.org. Jul 9, 1800Z-2200Z, Los Alamos, NM. Los Alamos Amateur Radio Club, W5PDO. Earthwatch Institute Student Challenge Awards Program from Fenton Hill Observatory. 28.450 21.350 14.250. Certificate. Don Casperson, AA5PA, 1423 43rd St, Los Alamos, NM 87544. Jul 9-Jul 10, 0000Z-2359Z, Hannibal, MO. Hannibal Amateur Radio Club, W0MTL/MM. National Tom Sawyer Days from the Mark Twain Riverboat. 14.259 7.258. Certificate. Robert G. Mitchell, 816 Long Dr, Quincy, IL 62305. www.ewingmissouri.com/w0kem/. Jul 9-Jul 10, 0900Z-1600Z, Somers, NY. Peekskill Cortlandt Amateur Radio Association, W4H. 4H Fair at Muscoot Farms. 21.310 14.275 7.255. QSL. W2NYW Peekskill Cortlandt Amateur Radio Association, PO Box 146, Crompond, NY 10517. Jul 9-Jul 23. Lewis and Clark County, MT. Capital City Amateur Radio Club, K7L/C. 200th anniversary of Lewis and Clark “discovering” Lewis and Clark County, MT. SSB and CW: 25 kHz down from the top of each band; PSK31. Certificate. Forrest Christian, AC7DE, 50 11th Ave, Helena, MT 59601-3642. County stations also signing /LC. www.w7tck.org/lc. Jul 10, 1400Z-1900Z, Upton (Long Island), NY. National Weather Service Upton NY and Town of Babylon ARES, WX2OKX. Annual NWS OKX Open House, promoting the partnership between NWS and Amateur Radio in the Tri-State SKYWARN Program. 28.320 21.320 14.320 7.250. Certificate. NOAA/NWS, Attn: WX2OKX, 175 Brookhaven Ave, Bldg NWS-1, Upton, NY 11973. www.erh.noaa.gov/okx/Skywarn/openhouse05.html. Jul 10-Jul 21. Israel Amateur Radio Club, 17th Maccabiah Games. Israel Amateur Radio Club, PO Box 17600, Tel-Aviv, 61176 Israel. For complete information go to: www.iarc.org/~4z4tl/Maccabiah17_main.htm. Jul 11-Jul 16, 0001Z-0400Z, Santa Catalina Island, CA. Boy Scout Troop 655, Old Baldy Council, K1USC/6. Boy Scout Troop Camping on Catalina Island. 54.000 28.000 14.260 7.000. QSL. Tony Ruiz, 9755 Liberty Ct, Alta Loma, CA 97137. (ARRL)
The latest issue of The Antarctic Sun (21 June 2005) The latest issue of The Antarctic Sun is now available at http://www.mdxc.org/antarctica/antarcticsun.asp - give a look to the memories of 30 years ago, when amateur radio was the only way for workers at the South Pole to communicate with people back home (see page 21). Reminder: The Antarctica Award will be at Ham Radio 2005, the most important meeting for amateur radio enthusiasts in Europe. Ric, DL2VFR & Emir, 9A6AA have organized an Antarctica Award Field Check on Saturday, 25 June, starting at 15 local time at the 9A Radio Club - HRS (Croatian Amateur Radio Association).
EGYPT, SU. Gab, HA3JB will be QRV again as SU8BHI from
July 01 to December 31. He will be active on all bands using
CW, RTTY, SSTV, PSK and some SSB during many of the major upcoming contests.
QSL direct only via HA3JB (Kutasi Gabor, P.O.
Box 243, H-8601 Siofok, Hungary).
June 23 2005 ARRL DX News This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by K7JA, NC1L, the OPDX Bulletin, The Daily DX, 425DXnews, DXNL, WA7BNM and Contest Corral from QST. Thanks to all. TANZANIA, 5H. Ralph, VK4VB is QRV as 5H3RK from Dar-es-Salaam for a few weeks. He is active on 40, 20 and 15 meters using CW. QSL via operator's instructions. MALAWI, 7Q. Kato, 7Q7PF has been QRV on 10 meters between 1400 and 1500z. QSL via LA7PF. ZAMBIA, 9J. James, 9J2CA has been QRV on 20 and 17 meters using CW around 0430z and then from 1400 to 1600z. QSL via G3SWH. CHINA, BY. Jack, WB8FSV will be staying in Qingdao from June 29 until July 27, and may be QRV as either WB8FSV/BD4IT or WB8FSV/BD4JV during his spare time. QSL via operator's instructions. MOROCCO, CN. M'hamed, CN8NK will participate in the His Majesty King of Spain SSB contest on all bands. QSL via EA5XX. SPAIN, EA. Steve, G0SGB is QRV as EA5/G0SGB from Tabarca and Benidorm Islands, both IOTA EU-092, until June 30. Activity is primarily on 20 meters using SSB. QSL direct to home call. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HI. Franco, HB9OAB will be QRV as HI7/HB9OAB from the Punta Cana area from June 25 to July 15. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters. QSL via home call. GRENADA, J3. Dick, K5AND is QRV as J3/K5AND until July 3. He is joined by Arliss, W7XU, Holly, N0QJM and Johan, ON4IQ. Activity is mainly on 6 and 2 meters using CW and SSB. There will also be 2 meter EME activity using JT65a. QSL via operators' instructions. US VIRGIN ISLANDS, KP2. Members of the Pina Colada Contest Club will be QRV as KP2AA on 80 to 6 meters during ARRL Field Day. They may also be active the week after Field Day, especially on 6 meters. QSL via K7JA. DODECANESE, SV5. Kurt, HB9XCL will be QRV as SV5/HB9XCL from June 27 to July 2. Activity will be on all HF bands using CW, SSB and various digital modes. QSL direct via bureau. KALININGRAD, UA2. Kaliningrad amateurs are allowed to use special prefix R750 until July 20 to celebrate the 750th anniversary of Kaliningrad-Konigsberg. The UA2 Contest Club station is QRV as R750KG. QSL via operators' instructions. ASIATIC RUSSIA, UA0. Andre, RA0CS/p, Slava, UA0AOZ/0 and Vlad, UA0ACG/0 are QRV using CW, SSB and PSK31 from Toki Island until June 26. QSL to home calls. BELIZE, V3. Jimmy, W6JKV is QRV as V31IV until July 6 using mostly CW on 6 meters. He will also be active on EME using mode JT65a. QSL to home call. CHAGOS ISLAND, VQ9. VQ9ZZ has been QRV using PSK31 on 20 meters around 0300 to 0500z. QSL via N1ZZZ. AFGHANISTAN, YA. Johnny, LA5IIA is QRV as T68G until March 2007 while working here with UNICEF. Activity is during his spare time and is on 160 to 30 meters using mostly CW and digital modes. QSL via LA4YW. THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. ARRL Field Day, NCCC Thursday CW Sprint, Marconi Memorial HF CW Contest, QRP ARCI Milliwatt Field Day and the His Majesty King of Spain SSB Contest will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend. Please see June QST, page 93 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details. (ARRL)
Jun. 24- July 15 2005 I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O. 24/06/2005: NA-024 J3/K5AND ISLAND OF GRENADA -
24/06/2005: RR-14-05 UAØ CURRENTS ISLAND -
25/06/2005: NA-096 HI7/HB9OAB DOMINICAN REPUBLICA
-
25/06/2005: NA-024 N8UAS/P ISLE ROYALE -
26/06/2005: NA-067 WA3WSJ/P OUTER BANKS, NC -
27/06/2005: IIA:LE-019 IZ7's/P ISOLA DELLA SCOGLIERA
-
27/06/2005: EU-001 SV5/HB9XCL/P KOS ISLAND -
01/07/2005: EU-005 GB2CD SANDIWAY SCOUT CAMP -
01/07/2005: NA-052 N4M MARCO ISLAND -
01/07/2005: AS-154 TA1ED/Ø, TA3BN/Ø GIRESUN ISLAND
-
01/07/2005: Zone 2 VD2X LABRADOR 6 METER DXPEDITION
-
01/07/2005: VE9GLF/M/P, VE9MY/M/P CANADIAN ISLANDS -
03/07/2005: EU-042 DL7AT/P FOEHR ISLAND -
03/07/2005: NA-062 N3LLT KEY LARGO, FL -
07/07/2005: SA-058 YW4C CARABOBO STATE ISLANDS
-
08/07/2005: AS-117 JAØ AWA ISLAND -
08/07/2005: NA-052 K5MI, N1DL MARCO ISLAND, FL
-
08/07/2005: USI CO-New K0YY/P BRIDGE ISLAND, CO
-
08/07/2005: USI NM5RC/P CA, ID, OR, MT & WA
ISLANDS -
09/07/2005: 3DAØ SWAZILAND -
15/07/2005: AS-147 H.C.'s/8 REBUN ISLAND -
73 and Good Hunting!
Home of ICPO:
www.qsl.net/va3rj
Note: A complete list of Prefixes assigned by International Telecommunications Union can be found on the Trans Provincial Website: www.tpn7055.ca/callsign.html
US Senate version of Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act Introduced (Jun. 17 2005) A US Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 has been introduced with bipartisan support in the 109th Congress. Sen Michael Crapo of Idaho sponsored the measure, S 1236, on June 14. The wording of the bill is identical to the House version, HR 691, introduced earlier this year by Rep Michael Bilirakis of Florida. Joining Crapo as cosponsors of the Senate bill were Senators Christopher Bond of Missouri, Max Baucus and Conrad Burns of Montana, and Daniel Akaka of Hawaii. The bill has been referred to the US Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee of which Burns is a member. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said the League is pleased that Crapo has agreed to once again sponsor this legislation at ARRL's urging. "We are grateful for Sen Crapo's demonstration of support by introducing the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005," Sumner said. "His sponsorship of this bill shows his appreciation for the value and utility of Amateur Radio to the US public, especially in times of emergency." Like previous versions of the proposal, the House and Senate measures would require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to the Amateur Radio and Amateur-Satellite services in the event of reallocation to other services of primary amateur spectrum or the diminution of secondary amateur spectrum. The bill also would cover additional allocations within Amateur Radio bands that "would substantially reduce" their utility to Amateur Service licensees. In a letter this week, ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, also thanked Crapo continued support for the Spectrum Protection Act. "As you know, this legislation is vital for ensuring that the Amateur Radio Service, the only 100 percent fail-safe emergency communication capability, remains a viable public safety option," Haynie said. "The ARRL looks forward to working with you on successfully passing this legislation during the 109th Congress," he said. The legislation references Amateur Radio's role in providing "voluntary, noncommercial radio service, particularly emergency communications," and it points out that hams have "consistently and reliably" provided communication support in the event of emergencies and disasters including tornadoes and hurricanes, chemical spills, forest fires and rail accidents. As the measure notes, FCC actions already have led to the loss of at least 107 MHz of spectrum to radio amateurs. Efforts will continue--now in both chambers of Congress--to attract additional cosponsors for S 1236 and HR 691. The League encourages its members to urge their congressional representatives and senators to sign aboard. There's more information on the ARRL Web site at, http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2005/06/17/5/. (ARRL News Service)
FCC says no to GPS re-transmission (Jun. 17 2005) The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau has sent citations to a group of retailers for selling the a device kbnown as a GPS re-radiator Antenna. This is a combined an antenna and amplifier which can either connect directly to a GPS unit and boost the signal, or re-transmit it. For automotive use, it could be mounted outside the car and retransmit into the GPS unit inside. I t is this latter mode of operation that is problematic. This is because GPS operating frequencies fall into the restricted frequency bands of the FCC's Part 15 rules for unlicensed intentional radiators. Only low level signals caused spurious emissions may be unintentionally radiated in these restricted bands. Therefore, this type of a device could not be in compliance with FCC's rules and receive a certification grant. (VK4ZZ) (ARNewsLine)
The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth: "Get Involved in the Good Things in Amateur Radio!" (Jun. 14 2005) FCC Special Counsel for Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth told the Dayton Hamvention FCC Forum May 21 "all you need to know to enhance your radio service--in one simple lesson." Drawing upon his nearly seven years' experience as the FCC's point man for Amateur Radio enforcement, Hollingsworth told his audience "what I personally think you need to do to make the Amateur Radio Service thrive and to enjoy the incredible opportunity" to have fun and engage in public service activities. "The point is, it isn't about enforcement," Hollingsworth said, adding that he'd like to pass along a few lessons regarding behavior that extend into the realm of Amateur Radio. "Number one: The world is ugly enough as it is. You don't have to add to the ugliness. Use the VFO!" He said that if the FCC had wanted everyone on the same frequency, it would have assigned everyone the same channel in the first place. "I can't change mentality; I can't change personality. Just use the VFO and go somewhere else." Hollingsworth said he wished he got a better sense that more amateur licensees were happy to use their privileges and appreciate them. "It doesn't matter whether you're on 2 meters in California--in which case, God help you--or 2 meters in Florida or HF, you're being heard all over the world because of the technology and because of the tourists coming to America from all over the world." For those on the air and not enjoying Amateur Radio, Hollingsworth reiterated: "Use the VFO! Don't waste your time trying to talk sense into an operator who's bitter or angry or who hates everything." Enforcement can't put such operators under adult supervision, Hollingsworth added. Enthusiasm and happiness on ham radio are contagious, he asserted, and amateur licensees themselves are responsible for creating and maintaining a hospitable operating environment. "Overall, amateur compliance, I think, is very, very good--I'm really happy with it," although, he said, "we still have a good distance to go" in certain areas. His "problem children," Hollingsworth said, by and large continue to be Advanced and Extra class licensees, not Technicians. Hollingsworth said complaints have been continuing to decline over the past year. "For a solid year now, we've had a steady decline," he said. "I think that's a good sign." He also predicted the trend would continue. The most high-profile recent enforcement case--involving former amateur licensee Jack Gerritsen in the Los Angeles Area--"is not technically an amateur case," Hollingsworth explained, although it does involve complaints of interference to amateur repeaters. While Gerritsen has bonded out of jail pending trial on "very rigorous" conditions that include house arrest and electronic monitoring, plus no access to radios, Hollingsworth said, "I don't think we'll be hearing from him again." Hollingsworth pointed out, however, that the FCC is looking to determine who supplied Gerritsen with Amateur Radio equipment and "encouraged him." Among the good things going on in ham radio, Hollingsworth elicited a round of applause by singling out Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, teacher Sean Barnes, N3JQ, whose classes have helped 60 youngsters to obtain Amateur Radio licensees over the past three years. "I'd love to track what they contribute to society and to science and technology over the next few years," Hollingsworth said. His final admonishment: Good amateur practice means "not operating so that whoever hears you becomes sorry they ever got interested in Amateur Radio in the first place." But for those who "insist on getting the air acting stupid, hiding behind the microphone, just go to Toys R Us and get your equipment," he joked. "And then you can say, 'I saved a ton of money by switching my equipment to Toys R Us.'" He urged hams to look to the future and "get involved in the good things in Amateur Radio" and spread the word among to acquaint the public and even legislators, lawmakers and government officials. "It's not about enforcement. It's about your obligation," he said. Enforcement can't cure all Amateur Radio's ills. "It's all about you and what you're doing with [Amateur Radio]," he concluded. "Look beyond enforcement." Hollingsworth told the gathering that it was important that he get his message across now, because he didn't expect to be around much longer to preach it. "I'll be dead and for one good reason: Hamfest hotdogs," which, he teased, get recycled from one event to the next. (ARRL News Service)
Field Day Alert K6KPH to transmit W1AW FD bulletin for West Coast (Jun 8, 2005) For Field Day 2005 participants on the West Coast, the Maritime Radio Historical Society's K6KPH will again retransmit the W1AW Field Day bulletin this year on Field Day weekend, June 24-25. K6KPH CW frequencies will be 3.5815, 7.0475, 14.0475, 18.0975 and 21.0675 MHz. In addition to sending the FD bulletin on CW, K6KPH will make digital transmissions both days on RTTY and AMTOR on 40 meters only (7.095 MHz). A Field Day bulletin transmission schedule, which will be updated as necessary, plus full information on Field Day 2005 are posted on the ARRL Web site. (ARRL News Service)
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