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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 19, No. 33
September 1, 2000
__________________________________
=>To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change your e-mail delivery address:
see "How to Get The ARRL Letter," below
=>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
letter-dlvy@arrl.org
=>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
rlindquist@arrl.org =>ARRL Audio News: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/
or call 860-594-0384
=>The ARRLWeb Extra: http://www.arrl.org/members-only/extra
__________________________________
IN THIS EDITION:
* +Hollingsworth's ten steps to a brighter ham future
* +Balloting set in three ARRL divisions
* +Phase 3D launch campaign to start September 11
* +Rescue takes hams away from convention
* +RF safety rules now in force for all hams
* +ARRL DX CW contest logs incorrectly scored
* +Youth-oriented TV spot available to clubs
* Solar update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
+Amateur Radio to the rescue--again
Microwave Update 2000 reminder
Young ham receives award for antenna paper
West Central Florida Section Emergency Coordinator appointed
SBE honors KG0KI
Finding ARRL Section, Division Web sites
+Available on ARRL Audio News
__________________________________
HOLLINGSWORTH SUGGESTS STEPS TO BRIGHTER AMATEUR FUTURE
Looking "beyond enforcement," FCC Special Counsel for Amateur Radio
Enforcement Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, has offered his ten personal
suggestions to secure a sound future for Amateur Radio.
Speaking at the ARRL New England Division Convention August 26 in
Boxboro,
Massachusetts, Hollingsworth recapped the nearly two years since he took
over Amateur Radio enforcement. Hollingsworth proclaimed the Amateur
Service
"fundamentally sound" today and said complaints now are decreasing.
With some major enforcement issues out of the way, Hollingsworth
encouraged
amateurs to "seize the moment" to ensure a bright future for Amateur
Radio.
"Look beyond enforcement," he urged, "because if I do my job right, in
five
years you won't even remember my name." Hollingsworth said that while
no one
can predict the future, amateurs must invent theirs in an era of
converging
digital and RF technology.
And he reiterated a phrase that has become a Hollingsworth mantra:
"There is
no reason why our Amateur Radio Service can't be the envy of the rest
of the
world." Getting there, he suggested, comes with each amateur's taking
responsibility for his or her behavior on the air. Amateurs should
encourage
arrogant, negative operators to "take their anger and hate to the
Internet,"
he said. "Every minute they are on the Internet is a minute they aren't
on
Amateur Radio."
Among other suggestions, Hollingsworth said hams should be proud of what
they have accomplished. "Let the public know what you are, what Amateur
Radio is, and why it's valuable," he said. He also urged hams to
"operate as
if the whole world is listening" and to never let ham radio "become the
audio version of the The Jerry Springer Show."
He also called upon veteran hams to take newcomers under their wing and
teach them "all you know" about the hobby.
Hollingsworth also expressed his support for the ARRL, which has backed
his
enforcement initiative on behalf of the FCC. "Take care of the one
voice you
have," he advised. "You must never doubt that a small group of dedicated
people can change the world. They just did."
"Enjoy ham radio," Hollingsworth told his audience. "Celebrate it. But
realize it comes with responsibility."
The complete list of Riley Hollingsworth's ten suggestions is available
on
Web edition of The ARRL Letter for September 1 at
http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/ .
BALLOTING SCHEDULED IN THREE ARRL DIVISIONS
Members in five ARRL divisions have nominated candidates for the
positions
of ARRL Director and Vice Director, and balloting is set for contested
positions in three divisions. The ARRL Election Committee has reviewed
the
nominations and declared all of the candidates to be eligible. All
unopposed
candidates have been declared elected. All terms are for three years
beginning at noon January 1, 2001.
Balloting for Director will occur in the Central and Northwestern
divisions;
balloting for Vice Director in the Northwestern and Hudson divisions.
There's a three-way race for the Director's seat in the Central
Division. Running are incumbent Director Edmond A. Metzger, W9PRN, and
challengers
Richard David Klatzco Jr, N9TQA, and George R. Isely, W9GIG. Vice
Director
Howard Huntington, K9KM, is unopposed for reelection.
In the Northwestern Division, incumbent Director Greg Milnes, W7OZ, will
face Mary E. Lewis, W7QGP. Milnes defeated Lewis for the Vice Director's
slot in 1998, then moved up to Director following the death of Director
Mary
Lou Brown, NM7N. Incumbent Northwestern Division Vice Director James E.
Fenstermaker, K9JF, is being challenged by Edward W. Bruette, N7NVP.
In the Hudson Division incumbent Vice Director J.P. Kleinhaus, W2XX,
faces a
challenge from former ARRL First Vice President and Hudson Division
Director
Stephen A. Mendelsohn, W2ML. Director Frank Fallon, N2FF, is running
unopposed.
Also without opposition are New England Division Director Tom Frenaye,
K1KI,
and Vice Director Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, and Roanoke Division Director
Dennis
Bodson, W4PWF, and Vice Director Leslie J. Shattuck, K4NK.
ARRL full members of record in the Central, Hudson and Northwestern
divisions as of September 10, 2000, will be sent ballots by October 1.
The
deadline to receive completed ballots at ARRL Headquarters is noon
Friday,
November 17, when the votes will be counted.
PHASE 3D LAUNCH CAMPAIGN POISED TO BEGIN
The launch campaign for Phase 3D will begin September 11, according to
AMSAT-DL Vice President Peter Guelzow, DB2OS. If current schedules
hold, the
next-generation Amateur Radio satellite is expected to go into space in
late
October or early November. With the recent hospitalization of Phase 3D
Project Manager Karl Meinzer, DJ4ZC, Guelzow has been tapped to serve as
mission director and project manager during the launch campaign. He'll
be assisted by Chuck Green, N0ADI.
The Phase 3D satellite remains at the European Spaceport in Korou,
French Guiana, South America. During the launch campaign, some two dozen
members of
the Phase 3D team will be on site at various times to make final
preparations to put the satellite aboard an Ariane 5 rocket for its
journey
into orbit.
Satellite launch contractor Arianespace says the launch campaign for the
next Ariane 5 mission--Flight 130, the sixth Ariane flight--now is back
on
track following a postponement earlier this summer. As a result of the
thruster problem, the mission's original July 25 launch date now has
been reset to September 14. Arianespace changed out all six Ariane 5
attitude
control system thrusters for Flight 130 after a similar thruster failed
during bench testing in Europe. The hydrazine propellant system ensures
"roll control" during the flight of the Ariane 5's main and upper
stages. In
addition, the attitude control system provides three-axis control during
satellite positioning maneuvers critical to the success of missions
such as
Phase 3D.
The Ariane 5 flight that is supposed to carry Phase 3D into space will
follow this fall. That mission, which previously had been designated as
Flight 132, presumably will be issued a new flight number once it's on
the
launch schedule. A launch contract accepting Phase 3D as a payload for
the
first suitable Ariane 5 launch vehicle was signed last October.
Arianespace is expected to publish an updated launch manifest with a
specific launch date for the Phase 3D flight once the next Ariane 5
flight
has gone into space. For more information about Phase 3D, visit the
AMSAT-NA
Web site, http://www.amsat.org/.
CONVENTION TAKES BACK SEAT TO SEARCH AND RESCUE
Members of the New Mexico Search and Rescue Support Team--most of them
amateurs--found themselves called away from the recent ARRL New Mexico
Section Convention to help a fallen rock climber in the Sandia
Mountains.
"The Amateur Radio community is very strongly involved in search and
rescue
throughout the year," says New Mexico Search and Rescue Support Team
President Bob Rieden, WD5IDL, an ARRL member. Rieden's team has 35
members,
nearly all of them licensed.
Rieden says the rescue mission on August 26 was a bit more complicated
than
most. A man--part of a party of four climbers--had been attempting to
scale
a very steep rock wall known as "The Shield" and was about halfway up
the 1200-foot face when he fell about 25 feet suffering serious
injuries. It
wasn't until 3 o'clock Sunday morning that rescuers were able raise the
victim to the top of the rock wall. From there he was whisked off to a
hospital by a National Guard helicopter.
Rieden says a lot of the communication and coordination was handled by
Amateur Radio operators. One of the incident commanders, John Maio,
WB2ARS,
also was an amateur, as was Operations Officer Don Stone, N5DRS. With
thunderstorms reported in the area, hams also were involved in
collecting weather information.
While raising the injured rock climber to the top of the rock wall,
Rieden
says, some rocks that were kicked loose struck another member of the
original climbing party. She also had to be evacuated.
"This was a biggie," Rieden said of the rescue operation. He estimated
that
the mission involved more than 100 people, including 16 from the New
Mexico
Search and Rescue Support Team, who logged some 210 work hours.
RF SAFETY RULES NOW IN FORCE FOR ALL AMATEURS
The time has come! Starting Friday, September 1, every US amateur was
required to fully comply with the FCC's RF exposure guidelines.
The regulations, which went into effect January 1, 1998, require US
Amateur
Radio operators to read and understand the rules and, where necessary,
perform technical evaluations to determine that their stations are
compliant
with the new regulations. Up until now, only hams who have had to file
an Amateur Radio application with the FCC have had to certify compliance
with
the RF exposure rules. As of September 1, all amateurs must comply.
Under the regulations, an amateur station must not exceed the maximum
permissible exposure limits for transmitter operation. MPEs are both
frequency and power-dependent.
"These regulations are not a major burden on the Amateur Radio Service,"
said ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, the League's point man on RF
exposure issues. "Most hams are already in compliance with the MPE
requirements; some hams will need to conduct a simple station
evaluation."
By and large, the FCC has put hams on the honor system, but compliance
with
the RF exposure rules is not optional.
"Even aside from the fact that every US amateur is required to follow
the RF
safety regulations, amateurs owe it to themselves, their families, their
neighbors, and the general public to follow the FCC guidelines to the
letter," said ARRL Pacific Division Director Jim Maxwell, W6CF, in
urging compliance.
A complete description of the rules is available on the ARRL Web site at
http://www.arrl.org/news/rfsafety/. The site also contains resources to
make
your station evaluation quite painless.
The topic of RF exposure and safety also has been covered extensively
in QST
(see "FCC RF-Exposure Regulations--the Station Evaluation" by Ed Hare,
W1RFI, January 1998 QST). Hare also wrote the standard Amateur Radio
reference on the topic of RF exposure, RF Exposure and You, published
by the
ARRL. The book is aimed at answering all questions about meeting the
FCC RF
exposure regulations. It includes simple step-by-step worksheets for
hams to
use to help determine if their stations comply with the rules--and, if
not,
how to correct the problem. (RF Exposure and You is $15. Order item
#6621 from ARRL.)
Address questions about RF safety and the FCC exposure guidelines to
ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, ehare@arrl.org.
OOOPS! ARRL DX CW CONTEST LOGS INCORRECTLY SCORED
ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, says contest-scoring
software glitches led to the publication of incorrect scores for CW
participants in the 2000 ARRL International DX Contest. The erroneous
scores, which will appear in the October issue of QST, already had been
posted to the ARRL Members' Only Web site. They were removed August 31.
"We have discovered there is a problem with the counting of multipliers
in
the software used to check logs for the ARRL International DX CW
Contest,"
Henderson said this week. He emphasized that the problem affects only
the results of the CW contest and will not affect the results of the
phone event.
Henderson apologized for the error on behalf of the volunteers involved
in
the log-checking process and the ARRL Contest Branch.
For domestic logs, Henderson said, the scoring algorithm failed to
count the
last multiplier made on each band. For foreign logs, the software was
incorrectly set up to count ARRL sections rather than individual
provinces
or territories, Henderson explained. For example, the software counted
the
Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward
Island as
all being the ARRL "Maritime" section, instead of as individual
multipliers.
"Newfoundland and Labrador were counted as one instead of two," he
said. In
addition, the District of Columbia was scored as the ARRL Maryland-DC
section instead of as two separate mults.
Henderson said it was the first time the ARRL has used the particular
software, and the problem didn't become apparent until it was brought
to the
League's attention by Bruce Sawyer, N6NT, on the contest reflector.
Henderson said the author of the software has corrected the algorithm.
Henderson says that once recalculated results are available, the QST
article
reporting them will be re-posted in Adobe PDF format on the ARRL Members
Only Web site. He stressed that the recalculated scores will be used to
determine all awards and any new records established by any
participants. There are no plans to reprint the corrected contest
results in QST.
For more information, contact ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson,
N1ND, n1nd@arrlorg; 860-594-0232.
ITVA PRODUCES YOUTH-ORIENTED AMATEUR RADIO TV SPOT
The San Francisco Chapter of the International Television Association
has produced a 30-second TV public service announcement designed to
assist the
amateur community in recruiting more young people to the hobby. Copies
of the TV spot are being made available to Amateur Radio clubs for
distribution
to local television outlets at nominal cost.
Each year ITVA volunteers produce a public service announcement for a
charitable or nonprofit organization. This year, they focused on Amateur
Radio.
ITVA President Ken Alan, K6PSI, said he'd been hearing about the need to
recruit "new blood" into ham radio, "so I suggested it to the PSA
committee,
and everyone loved the idea." ITVA recruited several San Francisco Bay
area
hams to consult on the development of the story line for the 30-second
spot.
Spot producer Michelle Brown said ITVA "focused on the message on the
two concepts that most appeal to that demographic: high technology and
disaster
preparedness."
Alan says the producers "wanted to show young people using H-Ts for
socializing and in a disaster scenario." Referring to the "high tech
world
of Amateur Radio" and using rock music in the background, the
announcement
points out that hams can talk to people all over the world. The spot
also depicts a simulated earthquake or explosion, where the things start
to
shake, lights flicker and go out and there's a cry for help. The young,
female ham grabs her H-T to call for assistance.
The spot concludes with an invitation to "find out more about amateur
radio"
and provides a 10-second visual backdrop for a local sponsoring club to
superimpose its name and contact information. The whole idea, Alan told
ARRL, was to steer clear of ham radio stereotypes and "just show the
hobby
as contemporary, high-tech and fun."
A Quicktime movie of the PSA can be viewed at the ITVA Web site at
http://www.itvasf.com. Amateur Radio organizations may order a
professional
Betacam copy to be used in their television markets at $20--which
covers the
cost of tapes, duplication, and shipping.--ITVA
SOLAR UPDATE
Solar activity was generally lower over the past week, with average
solar flux down by more than seven points and sunspot numbers down by
nearly 28
points, compared to the previous week.
Since we are at or near the peak of this solar cycle, there is some
worry that we may have already passed the peak, and solar activity may
be headed
down. Of course we won't know this until many months after the peak,
when we
can look at running averages of the previous numbers. The latest
projections
from NOAA show the solar flux peaking in September and sunspot numbers
reaching maximum around December.
For the next few days, expect geomagnetic indices to settle down, and
conditions to be generally quiet. The next active period, based on the
previous solar rotation is September 6-8. Another active period is
possible
around September 25-26. Look for solar flux to decline slightly over the
next few days to around 161 on September 3-4, then rising to around 185
on
September 8. Expect fairly good propagation for the All Asia DX Phone
Contest this weekend, with fairly quiet geomagnetic conditions and
progress
toward the autumnal equinox.
Sunspot numbers for August 24 through 30 were 92, 101, 104, 124, 165,
175 and 187, with a mean of 135.4. The 10.7 cm flux was 130.6, 133.2,
137, 150.1, 160, 163.3 and 164.8, with a mean of 148.4. The estimated
planetary A
indices were 10, 7, 9, 9, 21, 31 and 13 with a mean of 14.3.
__________________________________
IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: The All-Asian DX Contest (SSB), and the
Labor
Day CW Sprint are the weekend of September 2-3. Just ahead: The ARRL
September VHF QSO Party, the Worked All Europe Contest (SSB), the End of
Summer PSK-31 Sprint, and the SOC Marathon Sprint are the weekend of
September 9-10. See September QST, page 102, for details.
* Amateur Radio to the rescue--again: Amateur Radio operators in the
Dayton,
Ohio, area sprang into action August 10 to assist in the search for a
missing boy in the suburb of Huber Heights. Rob Taylor, KC8LNO, an avid
scanner enthusiast, monitored a police dispatch for a missing
eight-year-old
mentally challenged boy who was in need of vital medication. The boy,
named
Zachary, had last been seen pursuing an ice cream truck near his home.
Taylor called Jim Ebner, N8JE, a fellow member of the Huber Heights ARC,
who, in turn, called local authorities to offer Amateur Radio
assistance. Police accepted the offer, and other amateurs in the area
were summoned to
the scene via a local repeater and deployed to assist in the search. A
mobile amateur communication command post was set up using a mini
motor-home
provided by Bob Beach, W8LCZ, and communication was conducted on the
Huber
Heights Amateur Radio Club's 442.95 MHz repeater and on 2-meter FM
simplex.
The three-and-a-half hour search ended happily when Zachary telephoned
from
a residence a half-mile from home. He soon was reunited with his
family. The
family and the Huber Heights Police Department thanked amateur
operators who
assisted in the search for their quick response and for a job well
done.--Phil Thomas, W8RMJ
* Microwave Update 2000 reminder: The Mid-Atlantic States' VHF
Conference--Microwave Update 2000--will be held September 28-30 at the
Holiday Inn Select, Bucks County just north of Philadelphia, with the Mt
Airy VHF Radio Club "Pack Rats" as hosts. The Microwave Update will
include
the traditional surplus tour and evening flea markets at the hotel (the
Pack
Rats' Hamarama hamfest follows on Sunday, October 1 at the Middletown
Grange
Fairgrounds in Wrightstown, Pennsylvania). Noise figure testing will be
provided as well as an equipment tune-up clinic. Presentations are
scheduled
by such VHF-UHF luminaries as Al Ward, W5LUA, Dave Olean, K1WHS, and
Steve
Kostro, N2CEI. Activities are planned for nonamateur family members.
Registration is $40 with forms available at the Packrats Web site,
http://www.ij.net/packrats/MUD_2000/mud.html. Send registration to
Microwave
Update, PO Box 682, Hatboro, PA 19040. Hamarama and dinner tickets will
be
available at the door. A block of 100 rooms is being held until
September 7
for Microwave Update. Contact the Holiday Inn Select, Bucks County, 4700
Street Rd, Trevose, PA 19053; 215-364-2000; 800-HOLIDAY;
http://www.basshotels.com/holiday-inn. For more information on Microwave
Update 2000, contact John Sortor, KB3XG, johnkb3xg@aol.com or visit the
Web
site.--Harry Brown, W3IIT
* Young ham receives award for antenna paper: Heather Cox, KB8VYQ, of
Ann Arbor, Michigan, received an American Statistical Association
Certificate of
Recognition for her academic paper, "Which Ham Radio Antenna is the Best
Choice for Point to Point Communication?" The paper, submitted to the
42nd
annual Southeastern Michigan Science Fair 2000, is an experimental
thesis that demonstrates how to determine the effectiveness of various
antennas.
The experiments were carried out on 70 cm, and the paper includes
photographs, charts and graphs to document and support her findings. Her
conclusion: The Yagi is the best-performing antenna of those she tested.
Heather, 15, holds a Technician license. Now a high school junior, she
drafted the paper during her sophomore year. A copy of her thesis
appears on
the ARRLWeb TIS page, http://www.arrl.org/tis/ . The report is on the
"Antenna Theory" page, http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/antheory.html
.--thanks
to Al Alvareztorres, AA1DO
* West Central Florida Section Emergency Coordinator appointed: West
Central
Florida Section Manager Dave Armbrust, AE4MR, has appointed David
Colburn,
K1YP, of Hudson to serve as Section Emergency Coordinator. Colburn
replaces
Allen Turk, KE4MPQ, who has stepped down. Contact Colburn via e-mail at
k1yp@arrl.net or by telephone at 727-861-0779.--Dave Armbrust, AE4MR
* SBE honors KG0KI: The Society of Broadcast Engineers has elevated ARRL
member Fred Baumgartner, KG0KI, of Parker, Colorado, to a Fellow in the
Society. Baumgartner, who's with the National Digital Television Center
in
Denver, has been a member of SBE for 27 years. SBE cites him "many
valuable
contributions to the advancement of broadcasting engineering and the
Society
of Broadcast Engineers." Baumgartner has authored more than 100
technical articles and several books including "Salvaging Waterlogged
Gear" in the
March 1999 issue of QST.--SBE press release
* Finding ARRL Section, Division Web sites: Want to find your ARRL
Section
or Division Web site--or to learn if your Section or Division has a Web
site? The quickest and easiest way is to visit the ARRL Section Managers
page, http://www.arrl.org/field/org/smlist.html. This often-overlooked
page
on ARRLWeb contains links to all Section and Division pages, if
available.
This URL also appears on page 12 in every issue of QST, where you can
find
the names, addresses, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of all ARRL
Section Managers. Contact information for all ARRL Directors and Vice
Directors as well as for various departments and individuals is found on
page 10 of any issue of QST. And, oh, by the way: To submit news items
from
your Section or Division that might be of interest to ARRL members or
to the
general Amateur Radio community, send them to ARRL Senior News Editor
Rick
Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl@arrl.org.
===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the
American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur
Radio--225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
http://www.arrl.org. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ,
Executive Vice President.
The ARRL Letter offers a weekly summary of essential news of interest to
active amateurs that's available in advance of publication in QST, our
official journal. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely, accurate,
concise,
and readable. The ARRLWeb Extra at
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/extra offers ARRL members access to
late-breaking news and informative features,
updated regularly.
Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole
or
in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given
to
The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.
==>Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):
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==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
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