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2005 Emergency Telecommunications Handbook (Nov. 11 2005) The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has released the 2005 Emergency Telecommunications Handbook. This Handbook is written to serve as a close companion to those involved in the work of providing as well as using telecommunications for disaster mitigation and relief. While this handbook is meant to be simple, it is comprehensive, compact and contains useful factual information that is concise and organized for easy access especially by practitioners. The Amateur service, through the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) is one of the major partners in disaster response, mitigation and prevention. For more information on the book and associated training take your web browser to www.iaru.org (ARNewsLine)
Great Britain...New threat to amateur bands (Nov. 11 2005) The European Radiocommunications Office has announced plans to hold a public consultation into ultra wide band – a technology that potentially poses a threat to the amateur radio microwave bands. Ultra wide band is a wireless version of the popular USB technology used to connect devices such as keyboards and mice to personal computers. UK communications regulator Ofcom is keen for ultra wide band to use the 3.1-10GHz spectrum, But this could interfere with the microwave bands used by radio enthusiasts. Amateur groups such as AMSAT-UK, the UK Microwave Group and the British Amateur Television Club are fighting Ofcom's proposals. The European Radiocommunications Office meanwhile is proposing to protect the 5-6GHz band and use interference mitigation techniques below 5GHz. Amateurs are urged to respond to the European Radiocommunications Office consultation, if only to offset the views of commercial organisations keen to use 3.1-6GHz for ultra wide band. (RSGB2)
Australia Revamps Amateur Radio Licensing (Nov. 11 2005) At least 1,000 new radio amateurs are expected in Australia over the next 12 months with the introduction of the new entry level Foundation Licence. VK is abuzz with excitement as the first Foundation Licences are issued - they have a distinctive four-letter callsign suffix. Have you heard any yet? This all comes in the wake of recent research that confirmed a serious decline in amateur radio in Australia for the past 15 years. An estimated 450 people are queued up for the new licence, and that's purely by word-of-mouth without any media publicity. The Foundation Licence requires candidates to study basic electronics, radio theory, safety and the regulations. The Wireless Institute of Australia has published a 90-page licence manual study book. Training courses are popping up around the nation. Candidates are tested by a written 30 question combined theory and regulations paper, plus a 40 minute practical assessment that involves recognition of station components, assembling them into a working station, knowledge of IRLP DTMF, CTCSS, and interference mitigation methods. They must demonstrate how to use bands plans referenced to their licence conditions. The licence restructure in Australia that occurred last month has resulted in five previous licence grades being amalgamated into two - the top level Advanced, and middle level Standard. A result is much more on air activity being heard, with the former band restrictions on some licensees now lifted - many are taking to the 20-metre band for the first time. All in all, things are looking up downunder due in no small measure to the enormous effort by the Wireless Institute of Australia which has set up the new system. It's even now fielding questions from other radio societies eager to learn about the Aussie approach, to kick-starting amateur radio. The United Kingdom was the first to try a Foundation Class as a means of boosting that nations ham radio ranks. Its was a big success. So much so that administrations around the world have taken notice. (VK3PC) (ARNewsLine)
Australia...BPL Interfernce...The Battle Continues (Nov. 12 2005) Australia's electronics magazine Silicon Chip this month describes broadband over powerlines (BPL) as a flawed technology flying in the face of Electromagnetic Compatibility regulations. With a report on this development, here's Jim Linton VK3PC. The cover story "BPL is coming here ." by staff technical writer, Ross Tester said BPL has been a pipe-dream for years. However, the wires to carry the broadband signals are stretched in the air and make "magnificent antennas radiating interference" right across the spectrum. The article said, "Whether by fiendishly clever design or simply dumb good luck (we'll leave you to make up your mind which) BPL has avoided heavy-use areas of the spectrum where there could be huge public outcry." Silicon Chip's Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Leo Simpson in an editorial said, "Just imagine every street in every major city and town in Australia blanketed with BPL signals ranging from just above the AM broadcast band to just below the FM band. "This will play merry hell with all radio (and TV) services in that range. In fact, it would mean the end of any useful radio services in that range." It is incredible that the trials have even started. It makes a huge mockery of all of the EMC compliance regulations that all electronic equipment must now meet. Why have EMC compliance when the power authorities will be able to blast interference out to everyone. It just beggars the imagination. The Editor-in-Chief concluded: "BPL in its present form is a very bad idea. It might at first appeal to the non-technical populace but when the true ramifications take hold, there will be hell to pay." I'm Jim Linton VK3PC and you're listening to VK1WIA. (W1A News)
Nov. 18 2005 Tad Cook K7RA Solar
Update
For the past two days, November 16 and 17, the three daily readings were 93.2, 94, 96, 97.1, 100.5 and 103.2. The 94 and 100.5 readings taken at local noon each day were the official solar flux numbers for those days, so as you can see, the trend is up. Currently the interplanetary magnetic field is pointing south, which means Earth is vulnerable to any flares from Sunspot 822. This weekend is the ARRL November Sweepstakes (SSB) contest. Sunspot numbers and solar flux both are expected to remain relatively high, with solar flux remaining around 100 for the next week. Geomagnetic activity is expected to remain low over the weekend, with the planetary A index for November 18-21 at 5, 5, 7 and 12. Geophysical Institute Prague predicts quiet conditions on November 24, quiet to unsettled November 20, 22 and 23, and unsettled November 18, 19 and 21. Tom Coates, N3IJ, wrote to ask about getting the WWV geo-alert messages via the Internet. These alerts are transmitted at 18 minutes after each hour, and you can also read the latest copy on the Space Environment Center Web site. The same report is available via telephone at 303-497-3235. The broadcasts are updated every three hours, after 0000 UTC, 0300 UTC, 0600 UTC, 0900 UTC and so on. Osten Magnusson, SM5DQC, observes that the lower the solar flux, the better 160 meters seems to be. "Around October 25 the 160 meter band was as good as it can be," he wrote November 11. "Now it's down again as sunspots have increased. Maybe it's not scientific, but this is my experience!" We received several interesting and informative emails concerning 10 meters. Ten seems to be open over various paths quite often, although with the solar activity lower many people are not showing up and operating. Those that do operate sometimes observe interesting propagation. Joe Murray, K0VTY, of Ithaca, Nebraska, said he heard LU6GB working NL7Z on 28.49 MHz at 2012 UTC on November 6. When Joe worked LU6GB, signals were S9 both ways for 30 to 40 minutes. Of course, it helps that Joe runs a 7-element homebrew monoband Yagi that he built more than 40 years ago. He had it AZ-EL mounted in 1965 with stacked 11-element 2 meter Yagis for satellite work, back when only the 2 and 10 meter bands were used for OSCAR. On November 13 Joe wrote again to say that from 1805 until 1820 UTC that day he worked Brazil and Chile on 10 meters with solid signals. Joe Living, W3GW/KH6, lives on Maui, and he listens to 10 meters every Saturday. He hears many mainland US stations that cannot hear each other and often copies beacons. On November 12 at 1900 UTC he heard the K5AB beacon in Texas at S5. On September 5 he worked George, KA9YCB, in Southern Illinois. George was using a tiny indoor magnetic loop antenna. On November 13 Joe worked K7LEK in Nevada on 28.4 MHz, then KD6AXR in Fullerton, California, broke in, and of course he and K7LEK could not hear each other. Joe mentioned that he would like to monitor 28.31 MHz every Saturday, SSB or CW, for readers of this report who wish to check the 10 meter path to Maui. Most interesting this week was an e-mail from Martin McCormick, WB5AGZ, of Stillwater, Oklahoma. Martin was amazed on the morning of November 14 at 0200 CST local time (0800 UTC) to record the KQ2H repeater system in New York on 29.62 MHz FM. The repeater faded out, then began coming in again around 0530 local time with New York drive-time traffic, probably from its 2 meter link. By 0600 CST it was full-quieting. He tuned around the rest of 10 meters and on the 11 meter band but heard no other activity except the tail end of an FM signal briefly on 29.64 MHz. Note that all this activity was overnight; for most of the time it was dark at both ends of the path. I contacted Alex Muzyka, KQ2H, who said the 10 meter transmitter is running 1300 W. The antenna is a vertical at 300 feet on a tower in Wurtsboro, New York, about 1950 feet above mean sea level. Carl Luetzelschwaub, K9LA, comments that this propagation could be due to F2 region ionization from geomagnetic field activity. Martin thought perhaps this was very early winter E-skip. For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service Propagation page. An archive of past bulletins is on the ARRL Web site. Sunspot numbers for November 10 through 16 were 0, 0, 11, 16, 26, 32 and 58, with a mean of 20.4. The 10.7 cm flux was 77.9, 78.6, 83.1, 87.8, 92.4, 100, and 94, with a mean of 87.7. Estimated planetary A indices were 2, 5, 10, 14, 10, 4 and 3, with a mean of 6.9. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 1, 3, 7, 12, 7, 5 and 1, with a mean of 5.1. (ARRL News Service)
Europe
Last week's report looked forward to low solar activity but warned that this could not be expected to last right through solar minimum. Change could come with very little warning. Right on cue, a major sunspot rotated into view, bringing the first M-class flares for two months and a cluster of lesser C-class flares.. Several weak short-wave fadeouts followed in their wake. Some 140,000km across, sunspot 822 propelled the solar flux from the 70s, where it had lingered for weeks to 101 on the 17th. The average for the week rose from 79 to 93. The 90-day average rose a point to 85. The x-ray flux has also reflected the arrival of sunspot 822, increasing to an average of B1.7 against A2.9 the previous week. The geomagnetic field was 'active' at the start of the week, as a result of coronal hole activity and a disintegrating filament. It subsided to a very quiet Ap index of 3 on the 17th. Solar wind speeds ranged between 435km/sec on the 14th and 277km/sec on the 17th. Particle densities were 5 per cubic centimetre or less throughout. Apart from poorish low-band conditions during daytime shortwave fadeouts, HF propagation has so far shown little change from the pattern of the last two weeks. All bands have been open for limited periods. No auroral events have been reported since the afternoon of the 23rd. Finally the forecast. In the course of the coming week sunspot 822 will be crossing the sun's central meridian and we will be experiencing its full impact. It will continue to sustain the solar flux around its present relatively high level for this stage of the cycle for a few more days, but a decline is likely to have set in by the end of the week. Sunspot 822 has the potential to produce moderate flare activity and coronal mass ejections, which - if Earth-directed - could bring geomagnetic disturbances in their wake. However, as this report was prepared there were no signs of this happening on any significant scale. That said, we are likely to see unsettled to active periods. On the quieter days, MUFs at equal latitudes should reach 24MHz in the south and 21MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows will be around 8MHz. Paths to Australia should have a maximum usable frequency of about 23MHz. However, the optimum working frequency, where there should be a 90 per cent chance of a contact, will be around 17MHz. The best time will be between 0700 and 1300UTC. That report was prepared by Neil Clarke, G0CAS, and Martin Harrison, G3USF.
Students in Italy, England Entertained,
Educated via Ham Radio (Nov 16, 2005)
"I feel very humble, I feel like I'm a very small person from a planet with many billions of people and that I'm very fortunate to represent human beings--mankind--in space," McArthur said. He and crewmate Valery Tokarev will be aboard the ISS until next April. McArthur said he and Tokarev have been conducting experiments focused primarily on how people can live and work during long periods in space. He also said microgravity was "very, very comfortable," and meant the crew never had to sit down. In all McArthur managed to answer 20 questions during the nearly eight-minute contact. The contact took place over a teleconferencing circuit via Nancy Rocheleau, WH6PN, in Honolulu, because Italian radio regulations do not permit unlicensed individuals to speak over Amateur Radio. A little more than seven hours later,
McArthur was back at NA1SS, this time for a direct contact between NA1SS
and GB2FPS at Furtherwick Park School, where 16 students took part in the
event. In answer to one student's question, McArthur said the Amateur Radio
station was one of the systems
The ISS commander also allowed that he enjoyed a broad and eclectic range of music, from classical to country. "I like classical--Mozart, Beethoven,
Bach. I like contemporary music--Jet, Dispatch. I like country-and-western
music--Garth Brooks, Robert Earl Keen
"As a matter of fact," McArthur continued,
"we're going to have live music aboard the station Sunday morning from
one of Sir Paul McCartney's concerts
Several of the Furtherwick Park students'
questions were more scientifically oriented than those typically put to
ISS crew members during ARISS school
"The fluid tends to shift down from our legs, our feet, lower extremities to the upper part of your body," McArthur explained. He said there's not much astronauts can do to prepare for this occurrence, and the body responds by reducing the amount of fluid in the body. He told another student that it would be difficult to maintain a candle's flame in microgravity because the convection needed to supply oxygen to the flame requires gravity. Convection keeps a candle's flame generally vertical on Earth, McArthur explained. Microgravity also influences how substances mix, he said. ARISS is an international educational outreach with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA. (ARRL News Service)
Across the Universe (Nov. 19 2005) Beatles legend Sir Paul McCartney has become the first musician in history to broadcast live music to an audience in space, thanks to the wonder of radio communications. NASA astronaut Bill McArthur and Russian cosmonaut Valery Tokarev aboard the International Space Station woke up last week to a rendition of the Beatles classic Good Day Sunshine. The song was being performed by Sir Paul in California and was transmitted live to the space station 250 miles above the earth’s surface. Sir Paul agreed to broadcast to the astronauts after he found out that NASA used the Good Day Sunshine song to wake up the crew of the space shuttle Discovery. It is a tradition for astronauts to be woken up with songs but this is the first time that they have been aroused from their slumber by live music. In addition to singing Good Day Sunshine to the space station crew, Sir Paul also played a number of his more recent tracks, including a solo rendition of English Tea. He said: “I can’t believe that we’re actually broadcasting to space. This is sensational. I love it.” Bill McArthur, who was spending his 44th day onboard the space station, showed his appreciation to Paul by doing a couple of zero gravity flips. “That was simply magnificent,” he said. “We consider you an explorer just as we are.” (RSGB2)
SSETI Express is now OSCAR 53 (Nov 10, 2005) AMSAT-NA has designated the now-problematic SSETI Express satellite as OSCAR 53--XO-53 for short. Launched October 27, the satellite, which carries an Amateur Radio package and deployed three ham radio cubesats, went silent after about five orbits. Based on telemetry received during its short period of operation, SSETI Express Project Manager Neil Melville has cited an apparent onboard power system anomaly. The spacecraft went into a "safe mode" due to an undervoltage caused by battery charging problems, Melville has said, adding that ground-based hardware tests confirm the possibility of a further failure mode of the specific component that would allow the batteries to charge and the spacecraft to resume operation. In thanking AMSAT's Bill Tynan, W3XO, and the AMSAT Board for notifying the project of the designation, Melville remained upbeat. "As you are no doubt aware XO-53, to use its new designation, has some significant problems right now," he said. "However, we remain vigilant and hopeful, perhaps it can be recovered." Graham Shirville, G3VZV, says analysis of the actual cause of SSETI Express's problems continues, and a full review will take place later this month. Shirville says a number of automated ground stations have been set up in Europe to listen for SSETI Express on 437.250 MHz. He also invites valid reception reports via e-mail from the Amateur Radio community, "and if you do hear it first we can promise you a bigger prize than just a special T-shirt!" he added. "We believe that there is a small but finite chance of recovery, so your efforts could be very worthwhile." (ARRL News Service)
SA AMSAT to build Amateur payload for South Africa's New Satellite (Nov. 12 2005) SA AMSAT will be building the amateur payload to be incorporated in South Africa's new satellite recently announced by the Department of Science and Technology. The SA AMSAT committee met this week via teleconference and decided to file a proposal to the Department for an amateur payload comprising a FM mode J Transponder and a digitalker. Mode J has an uplink on 2 metres and a downlink on 70 cm. The Digitalker will announce the satellite ID and offer opportunities to upload 30 seconds of audio and repeating it back to earth. The digitalker operating on 2 metres will be an ideal promotion tool for taking amateur radio into schools. The time frame for designing and building the amateur payload is 6 months with the launch scheduled for December 2006. The Department of Science and Technology will make the final selection of which payload will fly in earl December. In anticipation of a positive decision by the Department of Science and Technology, SA AMSAT is calling for volunteers to work on the project and to build the amateur payload. If you are interesting in taking part please send full details of your experience and the time you can make available. A project team of this nature needs engineers, persons with construction experience including the application of micro-technology, software and drafting expertise. Mail the details to saamsat@intekom.co.za. Visit the www.amsatsa.org.za for more information. In addition to the satellite payload, SA AMSAT is also looking for persons to design and build 70 cm converters to give as many as possible amateurs access to the satellite. (SARL)
Indecency and Obscenity complaint jump (Nov. 11 2005) The number of radio and television broadcasting complaints received by the FCC has increased significantly between the 2nd and 3rd quarter of the year. There were 6,429 complaints filed in the 2nd quarter of 2005. That number skyrocketed to 26,368 in the 3rd quarter. The biggest increase occurred in the Indecency and Obscenity category, up from 6,161 to 26,185. (CGC) (ARNewsLine)
Somalia: Beware of Pirate SOS Calls (Nov. 11 2005) Pirates on the not-so-high seas are using phony distress calls to lure unsuspecting victims. According to the San Diego Union Tribue, the pirates operating off the coast of Somalia are known to send out S-O-S messages pretending that they have a problem and ask anyone hearing the signal to come to assist them When the rescue boat arrives the law-breakers board it at gunpoint and hold anyone on board for ransom. Three well organized pirate groups are known to be operating with impugnity off Somalia's 1,880 mile coastline. That African nation has had no effective government since opposition leaders ousted a dictatorship in 1991 and then turned on each other, leaving the nation of 7 million a patchwork of warlord fiefdoms. Hams and SWL's in Africa might want to keep their ears open for distress calld and report them to local authorities. (W6VR, published news reports) (ARNewsLine)
North American Collegiate ARC Championship--CW (Phone, Nov 19-20). This is a competition based on Sweepstakes results between club stations at institutions of higher education beyond the high school level. Clubs enter Sweepstakes in any of the valid entry categories. Separate champions will be determined for CW, Phone and Combined scores. For more information: www.collegiatechampionship.org. LZ DX Contest--CW/SSB, sponsored by the Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs from 1200Z Nov 19-1200Z Nov 20. Frequencies: 80-10-meters with 10-minute mode change rule. Categories: SOAB (CW, Phone, Mixed), SOAB-QRP Mixed, SOSB-Mixed, MS-Mixed, SWL. Exchange: RST + ITU zone or 2-letter LZ district. QSO Points: same continent--1 pt, different cont--3 pts, LZ station--10 pts. Score: QSO points × ITU zones + LZ districts counted once per band. For more information: www.qsl.net/lz1fw/contest. Logs due 30 days after the contest to lzdxc@yahoo.com or BFRA, PO Box 830, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria. RSGB 1.8MHz Contest--CW, from 2100 Nov 19-0100Z Nov 20 (see Feb QST, p 102). For more information: www.rsgbhfcc.org. Logs due 16 days after the contest to 2nd160.logs@rsgbhfcc.org or RSGB--G3UFY, 77 Bensham Manor Rd, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 7AF, England. CQ World Wide DX Contest--CW, from 0000Z Nov 26 to 2400Z Nov 27 (see Oct QST, p 101 or http://cqww.com). (ARRL News Service)
Mother Goose Parade/Field Day
1976 El Cajon, CA
Centennial of Rev Joseph Murgas
wireless overland transmission Wilkes-Barre, PA
107th anniversary of the loss
of the Steamship Portland Provincetown, MA
Ten-Ten International Celebrating
43 years and 75000 members
The first Pilgrim Landing at Plymouth,
Massachusetts
The 10th anniversary of the Villages
Radio Club The Villages, FL
Skywarn Recognition Day Sacramento,
CA
Skywarn Recognition Day Chicago,
IL
Skywarn Recognition Day Grand
Junction, CO
Pearl Harbor Attack AnniversaryBaltimore,
MD
Pearl Harbor Day Baton
Rouge, LA
Winter Festival Of Lights at Oglebay
Park Wheeling, WV
15 year anniversary of Warrensburg
Area Amateur Radio Club
Green Mountain Wireless Society
25th anniversary Rutland, VT
Christmas Greetings from Nazareth
and Bethlehem PA
(ARRL)
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).
Nov. 17 2005 ARRL DX News This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by IT9BLB, K8ND, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, The Daily DX, 425DXnews, DXNL, WA7BNM and Contest Corral from QST. Thanks to all. SWAZILAND, 3DA0. Mike, K9NW will be QRV as 3DA0NW from November 20 to 29. His primary activity will be in the upcoming CQ WW contest. QSL to home call. VIETNAM, 3W. Station 3W3A has been active on 80, 20 and 15 meters using mostly CW at various times. QSL via JA6UHG. ANGOLA, D2. D2DX has been QRV on 24 meters around 1030z. Meanwhile, D2U has been active on 20 meters around 1830z. QSL via operators' instructions. MAYOTTE, FH. Serge, F6AUS is QRV as FH/F6AUS and has been active on 40 meters around 1900z. QSL to home call. SAN ANDRES AND PROVIDENCIA, HK0. Alex, DK8FD will be QRV as HK0/DK8FD from San Andres, IOTA NA-033, from November 21 to December 2. He will be active in the upcoming CQ WW contest, with casual operating before and after the contest. QSL to home call. ITALY, I. Look for I2IFT,
IK2AHB, IK2ANI, IK2CIO, IK2HKT, IK2RZP, IK7JWY, IK8ETA, IN3QGY, IV3SKB,
IT9BLB, IT9VDQ, IT9WPO and IT9ZGY to be QRV as homecalls/IH9 from Pantelleria
Island, IOTA AF-018, beginning November 20. They will be active as
IH9P in the upcoming
PERU, OA. Daniel, DL5YWM and Eric, W0TT will be QRV as OA4/DL5YWM and OA4/W0TT, respectively, from the Radio Club Peruano in Lima from November 20 to 28. They also plan to be active in the upcoming CQ WW contest. QSL to home calls. MARKET REEF, OJ0. Operators
OH0RJ, OH2BH, OH2BO and OH2PM plan to be QRV as OJ0B and OJ0J beginning
November 22 for one week.
NETHERLAND ANTILLES, PJ2. Operators K8ND, N1ZZ, N5OT, N8BJQ, S50R, W4PA, W8WTS, W9EFL, W0NB, and WA4PGM are QRV from Signal Point Station on Curacao as PJ2/homecalls until November 29. They will be active as PJ2T in the upcoming CQ WW contest. QSL PJ2T via N9AG and all others via home calls. SUDAN, ST. Jovica is QRV as ST0RM and has been active on 40 meters between 0425 and 0500Z. QSL via T93Y. EGYPT, SU. Gab, HA3JB
will be QRV as SU8BHI from November 22 to 29. Activity will be on 80 to
10 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and
COTE d'IVOIRE, TU. Gerard, TU5JM has been QRV using special callsign TU0PAX and has been active on 20 and 15 meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL via TU2CI. MALI, TZ. Members of the VooDoo Contest Group will be QRV as TZ6NS, TZ6VT, TZ6CW, TZ5A, TZ6MF, TZ6WP, TZ6LF, TZ6RN and TZ6NG before and after the upcoming CQ WW contest. They will be active as TZ5A in the contest. QSL contest call via G3SXW and all others via operator's instructions. MICRONESIA, V6. Sholi,
JA7HMZ is QRV as V6A from Pohnpei Island, IOTA OC-010, and has been active
on 160 meters using CW around 1200z
MACQUARIE ISLAND, VK0. Richard, W5VTS plans to be QRV as VK0AVT starting November 23, for about 24 hours. Activity will be on 40 and 20 meters using CW. QSL via operator's instructions. COCOS-KEELING ISLAND, VK0C. Bernd, VK2IA will be QRV as VK9AA from November 21 to December 1. Before and after the upcoming CQ WW contest, he may sign VK2IA/9. QSL via DL8YR. ANTARCTICA. Dr. Bhagwati, VU3BPZ is QRV from the Antarctic Maitri Base until the end of March 2006. Activity is mainly on 20 meters using SSB between 1700 to 1830z. QSL via VU3MKE. THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO.
The ARRL SSB Sweepstakes, YO International PSK31 Contest, LZ DX Contest,
EUCW Fraternizing CW QSO
(ARRL News Service)
Nov. 19-25 2005 I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O. 19/11/2005:
AE6PP, W6/OH3SR SAN FRANCISCO -
19/11/2005:
OC-086 KH2VL/KHØ SAIPAN -
19/11/2005:
OC-010 V63 POHNPEI ISLAND -
20/11/2005:
NA-032 FP/H.C.'s ISLAND OF MIQUELON -
20/11/2005:
OC-009 T88LY & T88YU PALAU -
22/11/2005:
NA-080 C6A/W6SJ & C6AWS BAHAMAS -
22/11/2005:
OC-003 VK9AA COCOS-KEELING ISLAND -
23/11/2005:
AF-032 5H1CM ZANZIBAR ISLAND -
23/11/2005:
NA-096 HI7/DL1JFI DOMINICAN REPUBLIC -
23/11/2005:
NA-106 KP2/K3MD U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS -
23/11/2005:
PZ5PA, PZ5WP & PZ5C SURINAM -
23/11/2005:
NA-100 V26K ANTIGUA -
23/11/2005:
NA-104 V47CJ ISLAND OF ST. KITTS -
24/11/2005:
5Z4LS KENYA -
24/11/2005:
AS-053 HSØT KO LANTA YAI -
24/11/2005:
NA-106 KP2/K3CT & KP2/K3TEJ USVI -
25/11/2005:
OC-026 KH2/JA3EGZ & KH2/JA3PPH GUAM -
25/11/2005:
TZ5A MALI -
25/11/2005:
NA-104 V47CJ ISLAND OF NEVIS -
26/11/2005:
NA-097 6Y5/KH5H JAMAICA -
26/11/2005:
OC-133 9M6NA LABUAN ISLAND -
26/11/2005:
EU-003 CU2A SAN MIGUEL ISLAND -
26/11/2005:
EU-004 EA6IB BALEARIC ISLANDS -
26/11/2005:
AF-004 EA8EW CANARY ISLANDS -
26/11/2005:
NA-105 FS/K7ZUM ST. MARTIN -
26/11/2005:
EU-116 GD6IA ISLE OF MAN -
26/11/2005:
HSØZCW THAILAND -
26/11/2005:
AF-018 IH9P PANTELLERIA ISLAND -
26/11/2005:
EU-001 J45A DODECANESE -
26/11/2005:
EU-013 MJØASP ISLE OF JERSEY -
26/11/2005:
SA-036 P4ØA ARUBA -
26/11/2005:
NA-145 PJ5NA ST. EUSTATIUS -
26/11/2005:
SU8BHI EGYPT -
26/11/2005:
NA-005 VP9I BERMUDA -
26/11/2005:
ZL1CT/MM PACIFIC OCEAN -
28/11/2005:
AS-003 4S7PAG SRI LANKA -
28/11/2005:
P4, PJ2 & PJ4 NETHERLAND ANTILLES -
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
Amateur Radio responds as storms spawn rash of Tornadoes (Nov. 19 2005) Just weeks after assisting in hurricane relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in Florida, Amateur Radio volunteers responded in the wake of yet another weather emergency. Strong thunderstorms resulting from a clash of cold and warm fronts in the nation's midsection spawned tornadoes in several states. The nearly three dozen twisters reported November 15 in Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Illinois and Missouri came a little more than a week after tornadoes killed more than 20 people in Indiana and days after another string hit Iowa, resulting in one death. Some 8000 customers were left without electricity in the affected states, but Kentucky appears to have been the hardest hit. "Nets for SKYWARN were activated all across the affected areas," Kentucky Section Emergency Coordinator Ron Dodson, KA4MAP, reported November 16. "We also had the state EOC [emergency operations center] on the air on 3.993 MHz last night as we were trying to get emergency information into and out of the affected areas." Dodson told ARRL Headquarters that WX4NWS at the Louisville National Weather Service (NWS) office was active during the afternoon and evening of November 15 as forecasters tried to keep up with the rapidly developing weather. One person died in the Marshall County town of Benton, where a tornado severely damaged a mobile home park. Upward of two dozen other people were hurt, Dodson added. Kentucky Area 2 District Emergency Coordinator Nick Bailey, KG4URI, said a tornado ripped through the southern end of Madisonville. He estimated that up to 30 ARES and RACES volunteers deployed throughout Hopkins County. Baily reported "a lot of damage" but no deaths. On November 16, three ARES teams equipped with APRS and GPS accompanied search-and-rescue (SAR) teams going door-to-door. "Amateur radio provided mostly SAR communications as the police repeaters were still up," Bailey added. According to Bailey, preliminary estimates had 35 to 40 homes severely damaged or destroyed in the Madisonville area and possibly 10 in Earlington. At least two dozen people were reported injured in Hopkins County, and the count was expected to rise. A confirmed touchdown also occurred in Sharps. Steve Morgan, W4NHO, an ARRL Great Lakes Division assistant director, reported a tornado was tracked from Dawson Spring through Owensboro and into southeastern Indiana. "I spoke with the deputy EMA director in Hopkins County, Frank Wright, KA4IGR," he said at mid-week. "Amateur Radio is the only reliable communications they have at the moment due to power outages." Telephone service also was reported out in parts of Kentucky. Indiana's latest encounter with tornadoes
was not nearly as severe as that of November 6. In the November 15 outbreak,
one person was reported killed
"I know the SKYWARN programs were hopping yesterday as we tracked the storms through the area," he said. "At one point they would only take tornado/funnel reports and significant damage reports because there was so much going on." Illinois SM Shari Harlan, N9SH, says her section seems to have largely escaped the tornado outbreak. "It appears that while some straight line winds toppled some structures in the Wabash, Edwards and Lawrence county area, they escaped the afternoon round of storms," she said. She did note one report of definite rotational echoes, however. Iowa SEC Jim Snapp, NA0R, said Amateur
Radio volunteers responded after a series of eight tornadoes within a few
hours hit central Iowa November 12.
"Homes, business and farmsteads were
damaged or destroyed as the tornadoes rampaged through the Iowa countryside
and in some small communities," he
(ARRL News Service)
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