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The ARRL Letter

June 8, 2017
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME

 *  Hamvention Improvements Already in the Works for 2018!
 *  Consent Decree, Forfeiture Terminate FCC Interference Investigation
 *  Canada C3 Sesquicentennial Voyage May be Tracked via WSPR Beacon
 *  FCC and OSHA Release Communications Tower Best Practices Guide
 *  The Doctor Will See You Now!
 *  The ARRL June VHF Contest is Almost Here!
 *  New Jersey Radio Amateur Receives International Astronomical League's
    Gold Certification
 *  Jordan's First CubeSat Set for Early 2018 Launch
 *  Additional Countries Gain Bands at 5 MHz
 *  SAQ Transmission on Alexanderson Day Cancelled
 *  Centenarian ARRL Member Claiming Oldest Active Radio Amateur Crown
 *  In Brief...
 *  The K7RA Solar Update
 *  Just Ahead in Radiosport
 *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions


Hamvention Improvements Already in the Works for 2018!

Even before Hamvention(R) 2017 had wound down at its new Xenia, Ohio, location,
 plans were on the drawing board to enhance next year's show. Hamvention 2017
"went reasonably well," spokesperson Mike Kalter, W8CI, allowed, but he
acknowledged that there are still a "lot of things to work on" for 2018.
Kalter, who lives in Xenia, made the remarks in a video interview with DX
Engineering's Tim Duffy, K3LR, in the wake of the May 19-21 show, which is
sponsored by the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA).

Kalter told Duffy that the staff of the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo
Center on its own initiative met with him, Hamvention General Chair Ron Cramer,
 KD8ENJ, and others to say they were already formulating plans for
improvements. The food and forum venues at the new location got high marks,
Kalter told Duffy, but the flea market suffered badly from the effects of heavy
 rainfall.

"It rained hard, and it rained a lot," Kalter recounted, adding that the flea
market area was not as well drained as organizers had expected. "What exactly
we're going to do at this point, I don't know," he conceded. "We felt bad about
 that."

The exhibitor tents were another issue, with crowded quarters, wind-blown rain
getting into booth spaces, and a lack of lighting. Kalter told Duffy that DARA
didn't get the tents it wanted, and that more and better tents are high on the
list for next year. DARA also has asked the Greene County Commission to
purchase another building for the site, and the Commission will be installing
air handlers in buildings for 2018.

On-site parking improvements also are in the works, after a massive traffic jam
 on opening day. "Traffic on Friday morning was pretty rough, for those that
got caught in that, but we worked with the officials...and they fixed it
overnight," Kalter said.

"We know that we are stewards of a very important event [for Amateur Radio],"
Kalter told Duffy. Hamvention "is not just DARA's show," and exhibitors and
organizers alike are buying into the concept of "our Hamvention" and
contributing to an effort to improve the event. Kalter called Hamvention "a
pillar" that helps to keep Amateur Radio alive and "growing and functioning at
a much higher level" than anywhere else.

"We're out in front of it," Kalter assured, "and I want to thank all of our
volunteers," referring to the 657 individuals who made Hamvention 2017 happen.
"Most of what I heard was very positive."

In a separate interview with HamRadioNow's Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, Kalter said that
 while he could offer no firm numbers, attendance was "the biggest I've seen at
 any Hamvention I've ever been to. It was absolutely wall to wall, from one end
 to the other."



Consent Decree, Forfeiture Terminate FCC Interference Investigation

The FCC has again used a consent decree to resolve an enforcement matter. The
FCC Enforcement Bureau recently concluded a radio interference investigation
with "a negotiated settlement" and a $90,000 civil penalty. The case against
AFX Inc. involved the marketing of unauthorized RF devices that interfered with
 AM/FM radio reception.

After the company's NLL Series LED lighting fixtures were reported to be
causing interference to broadcast radio reception last year, the Enforcement
Bureau's Spectrum Enforcement Division issued a Letter of Inquiry (LOI) to AFX
directing it to submit a sworn written response regarding its marketing and
sale of the fixtures, considered unintentional radiators under FCC rules.
According to the FCC, evidence revealed that the suspect lighting fixtures had
not been tested and authorized under FCC rules prior to marketing, and that AFX
 continued to market them during an approximately 5-month period after receipt
of the LOI.

"[W]e find that the public interest would be served by adopting the Consent
Decree and terminating the referenced investigation regarding AFX's marketing
of unauthorized radio frequency devices, and compliance with Section 302(b) of
the Communications Act of 1934, as amended and Sections 2.803(b)(2), 15.107(a),
 and 15.109(a) of the Commission's rules (Rules)," the FCC said.



Canada C3 Sesquicentennial Voyage May be Tracked via WSPR Beacon

An Amateur Radio WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter) beacon has been
installed and activated onboard the Canada C3 vessel. The ship departed
Toronto, Ontario, on June 1 on a 150-day expedition to Victoria, British
Columbia, via the Northwest Passage as part of the Canadian Sesquicentennial
celebration. Sponsors are calling it an "epic journey to celebrate Canada and
connect Canadians." According to Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), Canada C3
organizers permitted a group of enthusiasts under the leadership of Barrie
Crampton, VE3BSB, to install the WSPR beacon on the C3 vessel.

"This provides a unique opportunity to track the vessel on its 150-day sailing
voyage around the Canadian coast -- the longest coastline in the world," an RAC
 bulletin said. The WSPR beacon identifies as CG3EXP (this page also includes
WSPR Amateur Radio frequencies). A live tracking link, generated by QRP Labs,
the supplier of the tracking hardware, has been activated, hosted by Jeff
Milne, VE3EFF. It generates a series of dots -- one for each Maidenhead grid
square the vessel traverses.

Stopping at a different location every day, Canada C3 will visit 50 coastal
communities, 36 indigenous communities, 13 national parks, and 20 migratory
bird sanctuaries. The WSPR project is part of the science experiments and
research to be carried out during the voyage.

"Many of the locations to be visited by Canada C3 lie in areas where radio
communication is difficult," RAC said. Visit the RAC website for additional
information.



FCC and OSHA Release Communications Tower Best Practices Guide

The FCC and OSHA have announced the release of a free publication,
Communications Tower Best Practices Guide. While aimed more at those who tend
commercial communication towers, the guide offers information applicable to the
 Amateur Radio community and contractors working on Amateur Radio antenna
support structures. The FCC said the guide was a result of two tower safety
workshops.

"Recognizing the risks that tower employees face, OSHA and the FCC held a
workshop on communication tower employee safety on October 14, 2014," the new
guide explains. "During this workshop, industry stakeholders, along with
employee safety advocates and the families of communication tower employees who
 had been killed on the job, gathered to discuss issues affecting the safety of
 communication tower employees."

A second workshop followed in February 2016, during which a panel of industry
stakeholders and advocates discussed best practices that could reduce injuries
and fatalities among tower workers. "This document is a collection of the best
practices gathered from those workshops and from the discussions that continued
 beyond those events," the guide says.

Among other points, the guide emphasizes that all tower workers need "to have
and use proper safety equipment at all times," and that, "no work should be
done if proper safety equipment is unavailable or if the safety equipment
available is not functioning properly."

The guide also notes an increasing use of drones for tower inspection. "This
technology has the potential to reduce unnecessary climbing and can avoid
putting [tower workers] at risk," the guide points out.

"Every tower climber death is preventable," stressed FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.



The Doctor Will See You Now!

"The Mystery of Sporadic E" is the topic of the new (June 8) episode of the
"ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast. Listen...and learn!

Sponsored by DX Engineering, "ARRL The Doctor is In" is an informative
discussion of all things technical. Listen on your computer, tablet, or
smartphone -- whenever and wherever you like!

Every 2 weeks, your host, QST Editor-in-Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, and the
Doctor himself, Joel Hallas, W1ZR, will discuss a broad range of technical
topics. You can also e-mail your questions to doctor@arrl.org, and the Doctor
may answer them in a future podcast.

Enjoy "ARRL The Doctor is In" on Apple iTunes, or by using your iPhone or iPad
podcast app (just search for "ARRL The Doctor is In". You can also listen
online at Blubrry, or at Stitcher (free registration required, or browse the
site as a guest) and through the free Stitcher app for iOS, Kindle, or Android
devices. If you've never listened to a podcast before, download our beginner's
guide.



The ARRL June VHF Contest is Almost Here!

One of the premier VHF/UHF events on the contest calendar -- the ARRL June VHF
Contest -- gets under way at 1800 UTC on Saturday, June 10, and continues until
 0259 UTC on Monday, June 12. Whether you are new to VHF or new to contesting
altogether, the ARRL June VHF Contest offers all licensees a chance to explore
what they can do on our VHF and UHF bands.

The object for participants in the US and Canada (and possessions) is to work
stations in as many different 2° x 1° Maidenhead grid squares as possible,
using authorized frequencies above 50 MHz. Stations outside the US and Canada
(and their possessions) may only work stations in the US (and its possessions)
and Canada. Stations in KH0-9, KL7, KP1-KP5, CY9, and CY0 count as W/VE
stations and may be worked by DX stations for contest credit.

June is a favorable month for 6-meter band openings, and the contest occurs at
the start of the summer sporadic E season, offering intense openings on 6 and
even 2 meters. Propagation opportunities also can include tropospheric ducting,
 aurora, and moonbounce or meteor scatter. K1JT's WSJT-X software suite now
includes a new mode for scatter communications -- MSK144. It offers 15-second
sequencing and improvement in signal decoding for meteor scatter work, and many
 VHF operators are talking about using it on 6 and 2 meters during this event.

Newcomers to VHF contesting may want to try one of these categories:

 *  Single Operator, Portable: For those who enjoy operating low power from
    a portable power source and using portable antennas.
 *  Rover: For mobile operators who enjoy traveling from one grid square to
    another to hand out contacts.
 *  Single Operator, FM-only: A category for the 50-, 144-, 222-, and
    440-MHz bands running 100 W or less.
 *  Single Operator, Three-Band: Restricted to 50, 144, and 432 MHz (power
    limits apply).

Pick a band or mode, and have fun in the June VHF Contest!

Got a question? Contact the ARRL Contest Branch.



New Jersey Radio Amateur Receives International Astronomical League's Gold
Certification

Blair Hearth, KD2EPA, of Oceanport, New Jersey, has joined the select group of
individuals who have received Gold certification in the Radio Astronomy
Observation program of the International Astronomical League for making at
least 10 galactic observations. Hearth, who already had qualified for Silver
certification, used the InfoAge Science History Museum's TLM-18 dish for a few
of his observations, but most were accomplished by using Amateur Radio
equipment to scan the void. A member of the Garden State Amateur Radio
Association and the Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers, Hearth was the
recipient of the ARRL Hudson Division Technical Achievement Award in 2015 for
his work in radio astronomy and RFI. As Hearth explains on his QRZ.com profile:

"I use a low-frequency receiver to collect data that indicates sudden
ionospheric disturbances. My venerable Kenwood R-600 receiver is dedicated to
receiving Jovian radiation at 20.1 MHz. I also monitor and count meteors via
radio reflection using a NooElec 2 dongle, SDR#, and HDRFFT software. I attempt
 observations of extra-solar radio objects in the 408 MHz 'band' using GNU
Radio, an excellent LNA, and a DB8 bow-tie antenna."

Hearth said he uses the TLM-18 60-foot dish for research into "the velocity of
the sun with respect to the Local Standard of Rest." He also will take part in
data-gathering during the August solar eclipse. Hearth will deliver a
presentation, "How to Use Ham Radio Gear to Do Radio Astronomy," at the
International Astronomical League's 2018 international meeting. He enjoys QRP
operating and has a WSPR beacon on 20 meters.



Jordan's First CubeSat Set for Early 2018 Launch

Jordan's first CubeSat -- JY1SAT -- will be launched next February, according
to a news report. The spacecraft's name recalls the famous Amateur Radio call
sign of Jordan's late King Hussein. JY1SAT will carry a FUNcube 435/145 MHz
SSB/CW Amateur Radio inverting transponder and a Slow-Scan Digital Video (SSDV)
 system to transmit stored images.

The Jordan Times recently reported that a team of 16 university students has
been constructing the 1U CubeSat, supervised by a group of experts and
academics through weekly meetings at the Royal Jordanian Radio Amateurs Society
 (RJRAS). RJRAS members Nart Tahamouqa, JY5IB, and Rafiq Farmawi, JY4CI, serve
as advisers to the project. The JY1SAT team includes 24-year-old Zeid Kawar,
whose 2-month internship at NASA's Ames Research Center inspired his interest
in developing his country's first nanosatellite.

The student team will develop and operate a special ground station (JY6JY).
JY1SAT will transmit stored images reflecting Jordan's historical and cultural
heritage, which will be selected in advance of the launch through a national
competition. JY1SAT applied to the IARU on May 15 to coordinate a telemetry
downlink on 145.840 MHz and transponder downlink passband of 145.855-145.875
MHz, with an inverting uplink passband of 435.100-435.120 MHz.

A SpaceX flight will carry JY1SAT into orbit from Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California. -- Thanks to AMSAT-UK, The Jordan Times, AMSAT News Service



Additional Countries Gain Bands at 5 MHz

Radio amateurs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are among the latest to gain
access to a 60-meter band. The allocation is 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz at a maximum
power of 15 W EIRP. Malta also has opened a 60-meter band for its Amateur Radio
 licensees. The island's telecoms regulator, the Malta Communications
Authority, published an updated National Frequency Plan in April that includes
the WRC-15 secondary Amateur Radio allocation of 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz at a
maximum power of 15 W EIRP. Panama came on board with the same allocation in
December.

The Netherlands telecoms regulator Agentschap Telecom (AT) has added a 60-meter
 band of 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz to its frequency plan for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius,
 and Saba. Eligible licensees may run up to 25 W EIRP.

Radio Amateurs in Poland will soon have access to 5,351.5-5,366.5 kHz with 15 W
 EIRP. Mexico's telecommunications regulator IFT has approved Amateur Radio use
 of 5,351.5-5366.5 kHz at up to 20 W EIRP.

Iceland's telecommunication authority PTA has extended experimental license
privileges for radio amateurs in the 5 MHz band until December 31, 2017. The
privileges are for 5,260-5,410 kHz, with 100 W EIRP, CW, USB, PSK31, and other
digital modes. Currently 25 licensees in Iceland have experimental licenses to
operate on 60 meters.

In Hungary, the HG7BHB beacon on 5,352.5 kHz has been shut down. Established in
 2015 by Hungary's IARU member society MRASZ, the beacon went out of order in
February. A substantial increase in activity near its frequency and the lack of
 a suitable alternative frequency led to the decision to switch it off
altogether.

Meanwhile, Steve Kölcsey, HA0DU, has reported that temporary Amateur Radio
licenses permitting 5 MHz operation in Hungary have expired, and there has been
 no 60-meter operation since May 1. -- Thanks to the 5 MHz Newsletter via Paul
Gaskell, G4MWO, Southgate Amateur Radio News



SAQ Transmission on Alexanderson Day Cancelled

There will be no Alexanderson Day over-the-air VLF transmission on Sunday, July
 2, from SAQ, the Alexanderson alternator station in Sweden. SAQ periodically
schedules transmissions with the nearly century-old electromechanical behemoth,
 which operates on 17.2 kHz from the World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station. SAQ
 said the event was cancelled due to ongoing maintenance work at the site.

The station will still observe Alexanderson Day with activities that include
two startups of the Alexanderson alternator and a "local" transmission. These
events will be streamed via YouTube. The site will be open to visitors.

Dating from the 1900s, the Alexanderson alternator -- essentially a massive ac
generator run at extremely high speed and connected to an extensive antenna
system -- could generate 200 kW of very low frequency RF. The unit at SAQ
typically is operated at less than half that power level. Once providing
reliable transatlantic communication, it is now a museum piece and only put on
the air on special occasions. The unit at SAQ was built in the 1920s.



Centenarian ARRL Member Claiming Oldest Active Radio Amateur Crown

A 105-year-old ARRL member, Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP, of White Rock, South
Carolina, is claiming the title of "World's Oldest Operating Ham." No official
record of such milestones exists, but ARRL is not aware of any radio amateurs
senior to Kayhart, and he is now quite likely the oldest active ham, at least
in the US. Early this year, Charlie Hellman, W2RP, died at 106; he also may
have been the longest licensed. Hellman outlived the former "oldest US ham,"
Harry Wolf, W6NKT, by 8 days. Wolf was a couple of weeks shy of turning 108.
Kayhart now lives at The Heritage at Lowman Home.

"I have had to get help getting set up after moving here from Tennessee," he
said in his QRZ.com profile. "Two local clubs, Dutch Fork Amateur Radio Group
and Columbia Amateur Radio Club, have been there to help. It has been slow
going. They tell me I may be the oldest operating ham." Kayhart is active on 80
 meters, as well as other bands.

Born in 1911, Kayhart was first licensed in 1937 as W2LFE in New Jersey. He
then was W9GNQ before becoming W4KKP. Kayhart's interest in Amateur Radio began
 in the early 1920s, when he built a crystal radio. After modifying the
inductor, he began hearing hams on AM.



In Brief...

New Washington Distracted Driving Law Includes Amateur Radio Exception: The
State of Washington has a new distracted driving law aimed at discouraging the
use of certain personal electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle.
Governor Jay Inslee signed SSB 5289 into law on May 16, declaring its
implementation an emergency, which means the new law becomes effective on
August 16. In defining a "personal electronic device," the pending law excludes
 two-way radio, Citizens Band radio, or Amateur Radio equipment. The law
defines a "personal electronic device" as "any portable electronic 16 device
that is capable of wireless communication or electronic data retrieval and is
not manufactured primarily for hands-free use in a motor vehicle. 'Personal
electronic device' includes, but is not limited to, a cell phone, tablet,
laptop, two-way messaging device, or electronic game." Their use while driving
would be a secondary violation. -- Thanks to ARRL Western Washington Section
Manager Monte Simpson, AF7PQ

Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, and Oleg Novitskiy Return to Earth after 6 Months in
Space: European Space Agency Astronaut Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, and cosmonaut
Oleg Novitskiy returned to Earth on June 2 after a 6-month duty tour on the
International Space Station (ISS). It took the pair more than 3 hours to
descend to Earth in a Soyuz MS-03 transporter. During his time on the ISS,
Pesquet participated in several Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station (ARISS) school contacts. "It's been a fantastic adventure and amazing
ride. We got a lot of work done up here," Pesquet tweeted just prior to his
departure. The two space travelers landed without incident in the steppes of
Kazakhstan. The departure of Pesquet and Novitskiy leaves three crew members on
 board the ISS -- Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, RN3FI; Peggy Whitson, ex-KC5ZTD,
 and Jack Fischer, K2FSH. The Expedition 52/53 crew increment of Paolo Nespoli,
 IZ0JPA; Randy Bresnik, and Sergey Ryazanskiy will head to the ISS in July.


Register Now for the 2017 Central States VHF Society Conference: Registration
is now open for the 2017 Central States VHF Society (CSVHFS) Conference, which
is expected to attract VHF/UHF/microwave operators from across the US, Canada,
and elsewhere to sunny Albuquerque, New Mexico (DM65) on July 27-30 at the
Sheraton Airport Hotel. Lodging information, including the special conference
hotel rate and reservation deadline, are on the convention website. An
up-close-and-personal tour of the iconic NRAO Very Large Array (VLA) near
Magdalena, New Mexico, has been
arranged for Thursday, July 27. The deadline to submit papers for publication
in the Proceedings, or to propose a presentation for this year's conference, is
 Monday, June 12. CSVHFS continues its tradition of highlighting
experimentation, research, design, and construction within the
VHF/UHF/microwave community, and information, contact information, and guidance
 for all interested in providing papers or posters also is on the conference
website. You do not need to attend or present at the conference for your paper
to be published.


W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention Registration Now Open: Registration now is
open for the 2017 W4DXCC DX and Contest Convention, the Southeast's largest and
 most popular DX and contesting event, September 22-23, at the MainStay Suites
in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The event will feature presenters speaking on DX
and contesting, equipment manufacturers -- on hand to demonstrate new products
and answer questions face to face, and a banquet. This year's convention will
continue the Ham Radio Bootcamp to mentor newcomers and experienced hams alike
on station and antenna construction, operating, digital modes, DXing, and
contesting. The convention website has full details. -- Thanks to Dave
Anderson, K4SV


Amateur Radio Volunteers Sought to Assist with Silicon Valley Tour de Cure
Communications: Amateur Radio rest stop and SAG volunteers are being sought to
assist with communications during the Silicon Valley Tour de Cure on Sunday,
June 11 (approximately 9 AM until 4 PM PDT), sponsored by the American Diabetes
 Association. This is a walk/run/cycling event, and all race legs begin and end
 at the Hewlett-Packard campus in Palo Alto. Fred "Fast Freddie" Rodriguez,
four-time National Road Race Champion, will be the Celebrity Pro-Rider at the
event. Amateur Radio volunteers will need a VHF/UHF mobile capable of at least
25 W, and a gain antenna. Rest stop volunteers can use a beam antenna and
battery. Handheld transceivers will not be sufficient. Contact Fred Townsend,
AE6QL, to volunteer and for additional details.



The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: The average daily sunspot number rose this
week from 15.6 to 19.3, largely due to the fact that there was one zero-sunspot
 day last week, and none this week. The average daily A index -- planetary and
mid-latitude -- were both 5.6 this week. Last week they were 13.3 and 10.6,
respectively.

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