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The ARRL Letter

November 17, 2016
Editor: Rick Lindquist, WW1ME

 *  ARRL Calls on Members to Press for US Senate Passage of Amateur Radio
    Parity Act
 *  Work Continues to Strengthen Relationship between Amateur Auxiliary, FCC
 *  Mark Twain Birthday Special Event Set
 *  "An Amazing Night" Reported for Special Activity on 630 Meters
 *  The Doctor Will See You Now!
 *  National Parks on the Air Update
 *  ARRL November Sweepstakes -- Part 2 is November 19-21
 *  New ARRL Repeater Directory Will Leverage Crowdsourcing Technology
 *  Hamvention(R) Countdown: With 6 Months to Go, Plans Proceed Apace at New
    Venue
 *  ARRL Honorary Vice President, Director Emeritus Tod Olson, K0TO, SK
 *  In Brief...
 *  The K7RA Solar Update
 *  Just Ahead in Radiosport
 *  Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

____________________________________________________________________________


ARRL Headquarters Will Be Closed on November 24-25: ARRL Headquarters will be
closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday and Friday, November 24-25. The
 ARRL Letter will not publish on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, and
there will be no ARRL Audio News on Friday, November 25. In addition, there
will be no W1AW bulletins or code practice on those days. We wish all our
members a safe and enjoyable holiday!

____________________________________________________________________________


ARRL Calls on Members to Press for US Senate Passage of Amateur Radio Parity
Act

ARRL once again is calling on its members to urge their US Senators to support
the Amateur Radio Parity Act (H.R. 1301) when it comes up in the Senate during
the "lame duck" session of Congress that adjourns in mid-December. The House of
 Representatives approved the bill in September, but if the Senate does not
follow suit, the bill will die, and the entire process will have to be
repeated. ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, who chairs the
ARRL Board's Legislative Advocacy Committee and has been heavily involved in
efforts to move H.R. 1301 forward, said today, "The clock is ticking!"

"We begin the e-mail campaign once again, as the US Senate returns to work this
 week after a month-long hiatus," Lisenco said. "We were just beginning to
build momentum in the Senate following the unanimous passage of the Parity Act
in the House when Congress shut down for the 4 weeks prior to Election Day."

The task is simple: Go to our Rally Congress page, enter your ZIP code, fill in
 your name and address, press enter, and e-mails will go directly to your
Senators. Members may do this, even if they have already contacted their US
Senators for support.

"We have to remind our legislators that we are still here and that we need the
Amateur Radio Parity Act to become law," Lisenco stressed. "We must do this now
 as we have, at most, only 4 weeks left in the session to get the bill passed
this year. Otherwise, we will have to begin the entire process in 2017 with a
new 115th Congress."

There are no guarantees, Lisenco said, and we are subject to the political
bickering that goes on daily between the parties, despite the fact that the
bill is truly a bipartisan effort. "In order to have a chance at overcoming
political obstacles that have little or nothing to do with the legislation, we
need our voices to be heard," he said. "And we need that input today!"

September's victory in the US House was the culmination of many years of effort
 on ARRL's part to gain legislation that would enable radio amateurs living in
deed-restricted communities to erect efficient outdoor antennas that support
Amateur Radio communication. The measure calls on the FCC to amend its Part 97
rules "to prohibit the application to amateur stations of certain private
land-use restrictions, and for other purposes." While similar bills have gained
 some traction on Capitol Hill in the past, it was not until the overwhelming
grassroots support from the Amateur Radio community for H.R. 1301 and ARRL's
relentless and strident efforts on Capitol Hill that this bill made it this
far.



Work Continues to Strengthen Relationship between Amateur Auxiliary, FCC

Work continues to promote the visibility of Amateur Radio enforcement within
the FCC, the ARRL Executive Committee (EC) was told recently. The EC met on
October 22 in Rosemont, Illinois. ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, chaired
the session.

ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, reported that meetings have been held
with the FCC concerning more effective FCC use of the volunteer resources of
the Amateur Auxiliary (Official Observers) program, the current FCC-ARRL
Amateur Auxiliary Agreement, and the development of a new Memorandum of
Understanding that better incorporates the Amateur Auxiliary program --
especially in light of the FCC's recent closing of field offices and reduction
of Spectrum Enforcement Division staff.

The EC directed Second Vice President Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, to continue work
 on the review and revitalization of the Amateur Auxiliary, in cooperation with
 the FCC, to ensure active use of the Amateur Auxiliary program.

In other FCC-related issues. The EC provided guidance in the domestic
implementation of the worldwide Amateur Radio allocation at 5 MHz, agreed upon
at World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) last fall: 5351.5-5366.5
kHz, with stations limited to 15 W EIRP.

Imlay, in conjunction with ARRL International Affairs Vice President Jay
Bellows, K0QB, and Midwest Division Director Rod Blocksome, K0DAS, will review
the National Broadband Plan, with an eye toward determining any impact it might
 have on Amateur Radio allocations.

In addition, Imlay and West Gulf Division Director Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV,
 will meet with officials of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and
congressional offices to address the effect of new painting and lighting
requirements required under the FAA Reauthorization Act (H.R. 636) on Amateur
Radio antenna systems between 50 and 200 feet tall.

ARRL CEO Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, told the panel that several new educational
initiatives are under way, and, as those pilot programs are assessed and
refined, the programs will be made available to the Amateur Radio community.

In his report, Bellows told the EC that the IARU Administrative Council has
begun preparations to represent Amateur Radio at various meetings being held in
 advance of World Radiocommunication Conference 2019.

Minutes of the October 22 meeting are available on the ARRL website.



Mark Twain Birthday Special Event Set

Members of ARRL Headquarters staff will be on the air as W1T, November
28-December 4, in honor of Mark Twain's 181st birthday. On November 30, Twain's
 actual birthday, the Mark Twain House and Museum in Hartford, Connecticut has
granted permission for a special event station to be set up in the front yard
of the house from 9 AM until 4 PM EST (1400-2100 UTC).

Born in Missouri in 1835, Twain lived in Hartford from 1874 to 1891 and wrote
many of his greatest works during that time, including The Adventures of Tom
Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King
Arthur's Court.

"We are so excited to have our neighbors at ARRL with us on Mark Twain's 181st
birthday!" said Betsy Maguire, Manager of Living History at the Mark Twain
House and Museum. "This is a rare treat for the Museum staff, our visitors and,
 hopefully, many amateur operators across the country who make contact with the
 station. As a lover of the science and technology of his day, Samuel Clemens
would definitely approve of a 'special event station' on the grounds of 'the
loveliest home that ever was.'"

W1T activity on November 30 will be exclusively from the Mark Twain House and
Museum; all other W1T activity during the week will be conducted from other
sites, as ARRL staff time permits. All bands and modes will be considered,
including satellite operation. A special W1T QSL card will be available to
commemorate the event. Complete information is available on the W1T listing at
qrz.com.



"An Amazing Night" Reported for Special Activity on 630 Meters

Texas radio amateur and FCC Part 5 Experimental licensee John Langridge,
KB5NJD/ WG2XIQ, reported "an amazing night" for the 630-meter special event on
November 12-13. One highlight was a North America-to-Europe Amateur Radio
contact on the medium-wave band, to which US operators are still awaiting
access.

"Last night is what it is all about, and I had a front row seat for the
festivities," Langridge said in his lengthy post-event report, adding that the
activity represented "a significant moment in 630-meter lore." The weekend
event featured participation by the Marine Radio Historical Society's KPH,
Canadian radio amateurs making cross-band contacts with US stations, and Part 5
 Experimental stations either beaconing or contacting other experimental
stations.

Langridge credited radio amateurs in Canada, who already have access to the
427-479 kHz band, with playing "a massive role" in providing cross-band QSOs;
advance publicity also helped, he said. Newfoundland MW enthusiast Joe Craig,
VO1NA, completed a contact on CW with Kees Nijdam, PE5T, in the Netherlands.
Langridge said the contact was among only a handful of transatlantic CW
contacts completed so far on 630 meters. Others in Europe reported hearing
VO1NA.

Mitch Powell, VE3OT, worked several other North American stations cross-band,
with all contacts -- from Maine to Iowa to Alabama -- taking place on 80
meters. Many stations in the western US were also successful in working or
hearing stations in British Columbia.

In Australia, Roger Crofts, VK4YB, reported "horrid conditions," with just a
single transpacific report. Laurence Howell, KL7L/WE2XPQ, in Wasilla, Alaska,
reported a lot of noise on VLF and warble on HF signals, with periods of total
blackout overnight. Merv Schweigert, K9FD/WH2XCR, in Hawaii, experienced a
spectacular night with stations in Japan.

"We live in a time when a lot of people want the easy way out, and there is
nothing easy about 630 meters, even when the band is in good shape," Langridge
said.



The Doctor Will See You Now!

"Stealth Antennas" is the topic of the latest (November 17) 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.



National Parks on the Air Update

Participants in ARRL's National Parks on the Air (NPOTA) continue to push
toward 1 million two-way contacts from eligible NPOTA units before the program
ends on December 31. For the fourth straight week, more than 25,000 NPOTA
contacts were uploaded to Logbook of The World from some 16,000 activations of
NPS units.

Time is running out for you to get in on the NPOTA fun! Get on the air and give
 some of the Activators a contact toward the 1 million-contact goal, or try
activating an NPOTA unit yourself; many units can be activated using a mobile
station in the parking lot.

Twenty activations are slated for November 17-23, including the Ana Kahakai
National Scenic Trail in Hawaii, and Biscayne National Park in Florida. Details
 about these and other upcoming activations can be found on the NPOTA
Activations calendar.

Keep up with the latest NPOTA news on Facebook. Follow NPOTA on Twitter
(@ARRL_NPOTA).



ARRL November Sweepstakes -- Part 2 is November 19-21

The second half of the 2016 ARRL November Sweepstakes -- the phone weekend --
is November 19-21. The event begins on November 19 at 2100 UTC and continues
through 0259 UTC on November 21. ARRL Sweepstakes Manager Larry Hammel, K5OT,
advises SS newcomers to learn the required, lengthy exchange in the correct
sequence.

"Write the exchange down on a card in front of the rig if necessary," he said.
"There is no need to repeat it all twice; say it clearly one time, and the
other station will let you know if they need any 'fills' of information they
missed."

He also said not to invest too much time trying to work a rare multiplier that
has attracted a pileup. "Put that frequency in your rig's memory -- or second
VFO, or your logger's bandmap -- and pop back later when things slow down a
bit," he said. "You can use that waiting time productively to look for other
stations to work."

He further advised that newcomers to SS should not be afraid to attempt
"running" (calling CQ) on a clear frequency. But most of all, he said, "Have
fun!" -- Thanks to The ARRL Contest Update



New ARRL Repeater Directory Will Leverage Crowdsourcing Technology

ARRL partner RFinder, the creator of a web and app-based directory of Amateur
Radio repeaters worldwide, will supply all data for the 2017-2018 ARRL Repeater
 Directory(R). RFinder will employ its crowdsourcing technology to aggregate
timely and accurate information for the Directory, marking the first time
crowdsourcing has been put to use in the production of an ARRL publication.
"Crowdsourcing," in this case, means repeater owners and frequency
coordinators. Including RFinder's data in The Repeater Directory will help
users seeking the most complete listing of on-air repeaters. The Repeater
Directory will continue to publish listings by state, city, frequency, and
mode.

Although RFinder's data is primarily user supplied, ARRL has invited volunteer
frequency coordinators to contribute their coordination data to RFinder.
RFinder has set up an online portal to accept coordinator input. Every
coordinator supplying repeater data to RFinder will have its listings credited
as coordinated repeaters in both the RFinder smartphone apps and web listings,
and in the hard-copy Repeater Directory.

As part of this program, RFinder will make the RFinder database available to
all frequency coordinators free of charge, with the exception of the Apple iOS
version app, which requires a $9.99 license. The Android-compatible database is
 a free download.

"We believe this will help you in your coordination activities, as it will
provide you with a complete map of machines, both coordinated or not," RFinder
said. "It will also assist coordinators to bring uncoordinated machines into
coordination."

RFinder's steadily growing worldwide repeater database now includes more than
60,000 repeaters in some 170 countries around the globe. RFinder listings are
dynamic, regularly reflecting new, updated, revised, and deleted information.

RFinder is integrated directly with EchoLink on both Android and iPhone and
provides the ability to share repeater check-ins on Facebook, Twitter, and
APRS. RFinder is integrated with RT Systems and CHIRP radio programming
applications and has a routing feature that lets users find repeaters worldwide
 over a given route. Video demos of RFinder features are available on YouTube.

RFinder also includes the ability to report radio jamming anywhere. Those
without a device or subscription can file reports online. Those responsible for
 coordinating anti-jamming activities also can request access to view jamming
reports for their area.

ARRL previously discontinued its own products that supported digital listings
of repeater data including the TravelPlus for Repeaters(TM) software and its
own apps.

RFinder is $9.99 per year. Subscribe to RFinder from your iPhone, iPad, iPod
Touch, or from your Android smartphone or tablet.

RFinder recently collaborated with the BrandMeister network of Amateur Radio
digital voice systems to include a daily data feed of digital repeaters.
Digital repeaters are now categorized in RFinder by network, and RFinder's
Android and iOS apps can provide information on BrandMeister networked
repeaters worldwide. The daily data feed from BrandMeister includes both
repeaters and talk groups.

RFinder also now supports automated repeater coverage maps for the newly
released BrandMeister dashboard, active once repeaters sysops enter their
repeater information on BrandMeister. RFinder generates its coverage maps using
 CloudRF technology, developed by Alex Farrant, M6ZUJ.



Hamvention(R) Countdown: With 6 Months to Go, Plans Proceed Apace at New Venue

With just 6 months to go until Hamvention(R) debuts at its new Greene County
Fairgrounds and Event Center venue in Xenia, Ohio, May 19-21, General Chair Ron
 Cramer, KD8ENJ, and Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) Board Member Mike
Kalter, W8CI, assure that all is progressing smoothly. Cramer and Kalter made
another appearance this week on Amateur Radio Roundtable, hosted by Tom Medlin,
 W5KUB, to update progress on preparations for the all-new Hamvention. Cramer
and Kalter said they continue to be bombarded with questions, concerns, and
rumors regarding how the event will be staged.

"You have to remember, we're starting from the ground up," Cramer said. "So
it's taken a while to get things going." He asked for patience from prospective
 visitors, but he and Kalter told Medlin that the vast all-volunteer team has
everything well in hand, and that plans are coming together. Both maintained
that those attending Hamvention 2017 "will be very impressed."

Cramer predicted parking would not be an issue, and that there would be plenty
of room for the anticipated number of vehicles, with overflow parking available
 and transportation to the buildings housing the vendors and events from the
parking areas, as needed.

Traffic and transportation logistics are being addressed, Cramer said, and
Hamvention is working with four police departments as well as a professional
traffic planner to ensure that all goes smoothly.

Cramer said Hamvention 2017 tickets will become available starting in December
-- a bit earlier than in past years. The cost of admission will rise by $2 from
 the 2016 price of $20 for advanced tickets, and $25 for those purchased at the
 gate. But, he pointed out, there will be no parking charges on site.

The Hamvention website is yet to be updated to reflect the 2017 event, but
Cramer and Kalter said that both indoor and outdoor layout maps will be made
available online in advance of the show, and these will be included in the
Hamvention program as well.

Hamvention announced in August that it would be relocating to Xenia, following
the closure of Hara Arena, where the show took place for more than 50 years.

The Amateur Radio Roundtable show included a DX Engineering-produced video
taken from a drone operated by Greg Ordy, W8WWV, and narrated by DX
Engineering's Tim Duffy, K3LR.



ARRL Honorary Vice President, Director Emeritus Tod Olson, K0TO, SK

ARRL Honorary Vice President and Director Emeritus Tod Olson, K0TO (ex-W0IYP),
of Minnesota and Idaho, died on November 12 after battling cancer for several
years. An ARRL Life Member, he was 83. He began his volunteer service to ARRL
in 1974 as the Minnesota Section Communications Manager. He became Dakota
Division Vice Director in 1976, and then Director in 1982. In 1986, the ARRL
Board of Directors elected him as ARRL Vice President of International Affairs,
 a post he held until 1990. He again served as Dakota Division Director from
1994 until 1999. The ARRL Board of Directors named him an ARRL Director
Emeritus in 2000. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions, the Board
elected him as Honorary Vice President in 2003.

Olson held a BS from the University of Minnesota, and an MPH from the
University of Michigan. He belonged to the Minnesota Wireless Association and
the Eagle Rock Amateur Radio Club. An active contester, he was inducted last
May into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.

"Even through his entire illness, he was a positive force for everyone who knew
 him," ARRL First Vice President and immediate past Dakota Division Director
Greg Widin, K0GW, said. On the CQ-Contest reflector, former Dakota Division
Vice Director Hans Brakob, K0HB, called Olson "my mentor, my teacher, sometimes
 my critic, and always a true and steady friend," and said, "I feel like I have
 lost my brother." Former ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, knew Olson well and
offered these reflections (abbreviated here):

"A lifelong interest in technology influenced Tod's career as well as his
choice of avocation; he retired in 1991 as Director of the Information
Technology Department at General Mills. As he opened the envelope from the FCC
containing his first license [in 1952], it is unlikely that even Tod could
imagine where Amateur Radio would take him, but he tackled his new avocation
with the same energy and devotion as to family, career, and community. The
Amateur Radio community was enriched by his selfless efforts, and his life was
enriched in return.

"As W0IYP, Tod soon began making his mark through local radio clubs and
on-the-air activity. His passion for competitive operating, particularly in the
 ARRL November Sweepstakes, led him in 1973 to be the founding editor of
National Contest Journal (NCJ). He was inducted into the CQ Contest Hall of
Fame largely on the strength of his vision for NCJ.

"Tod served on every standing committee of the ARRL Board and twice was
chairman of the Administration & Finance Committee.

"In retirement, Tod and Jackie divided their time between Minnesota and Idaho,
and it was in Idaho Falls that Tod chose to enter hospice and to spend his
final weeks with Jackie and other family members. His countless friends in
Amateur Radio send their condolences to the family and our thanks for having
shared him with us for so many years."

A memorial service will be held in Minnesota.



In Brief...

Two Radio Amateurs Set to Join ISS Crew: Astronauts Peggy Whitson, KC5ZTD, and
Thomas Pesquet, KG5FYG, and Cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy head into space on
November 17 for a 6-month stay aboard the International Space Station. It will
take the Expedition 50/51 crew members 2 days to reach the ISS in their Soyuz
vehicle. Welcoming the new crew increment will be Expedition 50 Commander Shane
 Kimbrough, KE5HOD, and crew members Sergey Ryzhikov and Andrey Borisenko, who
have been aboard the complex since October. Whitson will become the first woman
 to command the space station twice. Her first tenure as commander was in 2007,
 when she became the first woman to hold this post.


Amateur Radio Holds Fascination for Two Nonagenarians: Radio amateurs Merle
Taylor, VE1VCI, and Loretta Smith, KG5QCH, both are in their 90s -- but one of
the women is a veteran CW operator, while the other is a newcomer to ham radio.
 According to a CBC report, Taylor, 93, of Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada,
learned Morse code as a young woman, when she signed on to help her country's
World War II effort, then taught the code to pilots through the British
Commonwealth Air Training Plan. Today, she still enjoys Morse code on the air.
Newcomer Smith, 91, who lives in an assisted living facility in Gun Barrel
City, Texas, was inspired by the Rev. George Yarger, W5BRG, who spoke of
Amateur Radio's role in disasters and emergencies. Smith worked with the
activity director at her residence, Cedarview Place, to get her license, along
with three other residents, according to an Athens Daily Review report. She
passed her Technician exam on November 2.


November Frequency Measuring Test Results Reported: The results are in, and
more than 90 stations submitted entries for the November 3 running of the
Frequency Measuring Test (FMT). Thirty stations were able to pull off a "triple
 play" by correctly measuring the frequencies of all three transmitting
stations with an accuracy of less than 1 Hz. Measurement equipment ranged from
a standard transceiver calibrated against WWV or CHU to rubidium frequency
standards. Several reported building their own test equipment, and the use of
GPS-disciplined frequency references and oscillators is becoming more common
with every FMT. Measurement was taken using frequency counters, software
spectrum analysis, and even by ear -- sometimes by two people. The next FMT
will be in April 2017. -- Thanks to Ward Silver, N0AX


SKYWARN Recognition Day Webinar Set: A webinar will be offered on November 30
at 0100 UTC (the evening of November 29 in US time zones) in advance of the
18th SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) on December 3. Register online. Developed in
 1999 by the National Weather Service (NWS) and ARRL, SRD celebrates the
contributions that SKYWARN volunteers make to the mission of the NWS -- the
protection of life and property. During the SKYWARN Special Event, operators
visit NWS offices and contact other radio operators across the world. The
pre-event webinar will cover SKYWARN Recognition Day basics, explain how to
participate, and alert participants to a few changes in store for 2016. The
webinar will be recorded and posted to the ARRL YouTube channel afterward.



The K7RA Solar Update

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, reports: Solar flux and sunspot numbers went in
opposite directions over the past week, and differences were more extreme than
usual. Typically, we expect daily sunspot numbers to track solar flux, and
geomagnetic indices to track as well -- at least approximately.

Average daily sunspot numbers over the November 10-16 reporting week rose 10
points from 18.7 to 28.7 from the previous reporting week, while average daily
solar flux dropped from 76.9 to 45.8 over the same period.

Over the same dates, the average planetary A index increased from 6.4 to 12.7,
while the mid-latitude A index rose from 4.3 to 10.1.

Predicted solar flux values for the near future are 83 on November 17-18; 82 on
 November 19; 83 on November 20-21; 80 on November 22-23; 75 on November 24; 78
 on November 25-26; 80 on November 27; 82 on November 28-December 1; 84 on
December 2; 82 on December 3-7; 80 on December 8-9; 78 on December 10; 75 on
December 11-15; 77 on December 16, and 75 on December 17-21.

The predicted planetary A index is 5 on November 17-18; 14, 18, 48, 36, and 28
on November 19-22; 28, 18, 25, 18, 12, 10, and 8 on November 23-29; 5 on
November 30-December 6; 15, 12, 18, 20, 15, and 10 on December 7-12; 5 on
December 13-15; 10, 15, 55, 45, and 25 on December 16-20, and 25, 18, 12, and
10 on December 21-24.

Sunspot numbers for November 10 through 16 were 13, 26, 51, 38, 26, 29, and 18,
 with a mean of 28.7. The 10.7 centimeter flux was 80.2, 78.4, 78.4, 77.8,
77.3, 76.5, and 80.9, with a mean of 45.8. Estimated planetary A indices were
14, 13, 19, 21, 11, 7, and 4, with a mean of 12.7. Estimated mid-latitude A
indices were 11, 10, 13, 19, 8, 7, and 3, with a mean of 10.1.

Spaceweather.com reports the solar cycle is currently at its lowest level in 5
years.

ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB is this weekend. Were you active in the CW
Sweepstakes?

Send me reports of your observations.

____________________________________________________________________________


Just Ahead in Radiosport

 *  November 18 -- YO International PSK31 Contest
 *  November 19 -- Feld Hell Sprint
 *  November 19 -- RSGB Second 1.8 MHz Contest (CW)
 *  November 19-20 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)
 *  November 19-20 -- LZ DX Contest (CW, phone)
 *  November 19-20 -- All Austrian 160 Meter Contest (CW)
 *  November 19-21 -- ARRL November Sweepstakes (SSB)
 *  November 20 -- Homebrew and Old Time Equipment Party (CW)
 *  November 21 -- Run for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
 *  November 23 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)
 *  November 24 -- RSGB 80 Meter Club Sprint (CW)
 *  November 26-27 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest (CW)

See the ARRL Contest Calendar for more information. For in-depth reporting on
Amateur Radio contesting, subscribe to The ARRL Contest Update via your ARRL
member profile e-mail preferences.



Upcoming ARRL Section, State, and Division Conventions

 *  November 19 -- Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama
 *  December 9-10 -- West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,
    Florida
 *  January 8 -- New York City/Long Island Section Convention, Bethpage, New
    York
 *  January 14 -- TechFest 2017 Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia
 *  January 20-21 -- North Texas Section Convention, Forest Hill, Texas
 *  January 21 -- Georgia ARES Convention, Forsyth, Georgia
 *  January 22-28 -- QuartzFest Convention, Quartzsite, Arizona
 *  January 27-28 -- Mississippi State Convention, Jackson, Mississippi
 *  January 27-29 -- Puerto Rico State Convention, Hatillo, Puerto Rico
 *  February 3-4 -- Southern Florida Section Convention, Ft. Lauderdale,
    Florida
 *  February 4 - South Carolina State Convention, North Charleston, South
    Carolina
 *  February 4 -- Virginia State Convention, Richmond, Virginia
 *  February 10-12 -- Southeastern Division Convention (HamCation), Orlando,
    Florida
 *  February 17-18 -- Arizona Section Convention, Yuma, Arizona
 *  February 25 -- West Central Florida Section Technical Conference,
    Sarasota, Florida

Find conventions and hamfests in your area.

____________________________________________________________________________


ARRL -- Your One-Stop Resource for Amateur Radio News and Information.

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Free of charge to ARRL members...

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)\/(ark

Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
Do you manage your own servers? If you are not running an IDS/IPS yer doin' it
wrong...
... Do something unusual today. Pay a bill.
---
 * Origin:  (1:3634/12.73)