7O6T Yemen DXpedition

The Daily DX is reporting that the 7O6T Yemen DXpedition will start 2100 UTC Monday, April 30 and will continue through 2100 UTC May 15. Yemen currently sits at #5 on DX Magazine’s most wanted list, behind North Korea, Navassa, Bouvet and Heard Island. The ARRL DXCC Desk will review the 7O6T DXpedition’s documentation before granting approval for the operation to count for DXCC credit.

The DXpedition will be on Socotra Island -- the largest island in the four-island Socotra archipelago located in the Indian Ocean -- about 353 kilometers south of the Yemen mainland. Socotra Island (AF-028) is also ranked #1 on the RSGB’s Islands on the Air (IOTA) list, with only .3 percent of IOTA participants claiming it. Due to Socotra’s location, Yemen is one of the few DXCC entities that cross continental borders (Asia and Africa). Socotra also counts for one of the three Diamond DXCC Entities that make up today’s Yemen (including Aden City and Yemen itself) from the 1937 DXCC List.

The DXpedition is led by Dmitri Zhikharev, RA9USU, and assisted by Harry Booklan RA3AUU, and Dave Collingham, K3LP. Currently, there are 11 operators on Socotra, with a rotation planned later in the operation. Operators plan to be on 160-10 meters on six stations using CW, SSB and RTTY. Five of the stations are equipped with an Elecraft K3 and ACOM 1010 amplifier; the sixth station has a Kenwood TS-590 and THP-400 amplifier. There will be various beams, verticals and vertical arrays, as well as Beverages and other receiving antennas.

 Look for 7O6T on the following frequencies:

160     CW 1.824 MHz    SSB 1.845 MHz             RTTY 0000
80       CW 3.504 MHz    SSB 3.780 MHz             RTTY 0000
40       CW 7.004 MHz    SSB 7.065/7.180 MHz    RTTY 7.035 MHz
30       CW 10.104 MHz                                      RTTY 10.140 MHz
20       CW 14.024 MHz  SSB 14.145 MHz           RTTY 14.080 MHz
17       CW 18.074 MHz  SSB 18.145 MHz          RTTY 18.100 MHz
15       CW 21.024 MHz  SSB 21.295 MHz          RTTY 21.080 MHz
12       CW 24.894 MHz  SSB 24.945 MHz          RTTY 24.920 MHz
10       CW 28.024 MHz  SSB 28.495 MHz          RTTY 28.080 MHz

Logs, photos and propagation forecasts will be posted to the 7O6T website as the DXpedition continues. QSL via Nick Averyanov, UA3DX. Updates regarding OQRS, direct, bureau and LoTW QSLing will also be posted to the website.

Only one Amateur Radio operation has taken place from Socotra Island: VS9SJF (VS9 Socotra Joint Forces), operated by John Farrar, G3UCQ (ex 5B4JF) during a Royal Air Force/Army expedition. At that time, Socotra was under British rule. “The Expedition was on the island for two months (December 1964-February 1965) and I contacted over 100 countries with my little 75 W rig, including, many from USA,” Farrar recounted. “The Heathkit DX-40U transmitter gave 74 W input on CQ and 60 W input controlled carrier modulation (AM). The receiver was an RCA AR88D. No electronic keyers in those days, so a good wrist was needed! The antennas comprised a W3DZZ trap dipole (80-10 meters) and a V-beam was later erected, aimed at USA, with the legs about 200 feet long and 30 feet high.”

Except for two brief periods, Socotra Island belonged to the sultans of Mahra. During the early 16th century, it was occupied by the Portuguese. In 1886, it became part of Britain’s Aden Protectorate until 1967, when it was joined with the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen), which became the Republic of Yemen in 1990.

Thanks to The Daily DX and the K8CX Ham Gallery for some information

US Part 97 Not Affected by Part 90 Narrowbanding

A lot of mis-information is going around in amateur radio FM
and repeater circles regarding an upcoming FCC mandate on
narrow-banding communications in the 150 to 512 MHz spectrum
is finally being debunked.  Ham radio is not affected by
this change.
----
Much of the mis-information regarding narrowband on amateur
radio FM appears to be coming from hams who have purchased
various low cost Part 90 radios built in China.  These
radios are capable of narrowband operation on the 2 meter
and 70 centimeter ham bands in addition to Part 90
frequencies.

The manuals that come with these radios are written with
Part 90 users in mind and much of the material has no
meaning to Part 97 Amateur Service operations.  However,
some hams do not realize this and that's likely the way the
erroneous rumors that ham radio FM and repeater operations
at 70 centimeters and above would have to narrowband got
started.

To make it clear, ham radio is not affected in any way by
this FCC edict and your ham gear is not going to become
obsolete.

The switch to 12.5 KHz from the current 25 KHz channel
spacing only affects operations in the FCC Part 90 regulated
services.  There is no narrow band mandate by the FCC for
Part 97 ham radio operations. Hams are free to voluntarily
switch to narrowband operations if they so desire, but the
Amateur Part 97 Service as a whole is not obligated to make
any change.

OFCOM; Amateur Radio Restrictions for 2012 Olympics

2012 Olympics: UK Regulator OFCOM Announces
Amateur Radio Restrictions.

Details of amateur band frequency restrictions during the
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have now been
released by U-K Telecommunications regulator Ofcom.  The
greatest impact to ham radio appears to be satellite and
other operations in the 436 to 437 Mhz segment of 70
centimeters.

--

Parts of the 70, 13 and 9 centimeter amateur bands in the
United Kingdom will face restrictions between June 28th and
September 23rd.  This, due to need for spectrum during the
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The restrictions only apply in geographically limited areas,
with 70cm being particularly affected around London and
Weymouth.  Also hard hit by the restrictions will be ham
radio satellite operations.

According to a notice on the AMSAT-UK web site the Amateur-
satellite Service allocation in the 435 to 438 MHz range
will be restricted to 436.25 to 437.25 MHz.  This is based
on an understanding that the equipment being used for
Olympics communications in the 430 MHz band will include
handheld FM rigs at the hotels, the routes to the venues and
at the venues themselves.

The U-K communications regulator Ofcom say the use of radio
by amateurs in the designated areas could cause interference
to various communications at the games.  Also, it is
possible that higher power transmissions from outside these
areas could cause interference as well.  Consequently, to
avoid the risk of interference, Ofcom has requested that
United Kingdom amateurs do not operate within the frequency
ranges it has outlined. This says AMSAT-UK means that the
spectrum identified by Ofcom should be avoided for a
considerable distance outside the designated Olympic
communications zones.

AMSAT-UK notes that a well equipped station on a good site
75 km or more from the edge of an Olympics communications
zone could still put a fairly decent signal into that area.

ARNewslineT did a bit of research and found that the closest
heavily populated mainland European city to London appears
to be Calais, France.  This is mainly over water path only
about 93 airline miles or 149 kilometers away from the
closest Olympic venue.

That said, Ofcom has so far not asked the French or any
other European telecommunications administrations to
restrict their nations Amateur Service allocations during
the Olympic and Paralympic games.

More on this is on-line at www.uk.amsat.org/6574 and
RSGB.org/olympics. (GB2RS, AMSAT-UK, ARNewslineT)

Japan will be Launching 16 Educational Ham-Sats

The first of the new birds to be launched will be the
amateur radio satellite HORYU-2 built by students at the
Kyushu Institute of Technology.  Its mission is to take
pictures of the Earth using a small C-MOS camera called
SCAMP that was developed by the University of Surrey in the
UK.  The SCAMP camera takes a 640x480 pixel picture in the
popular JPEG format. That means from 700 km altitude, one
pixel corresponds to 1.6 km.

HORYU-2 will be followed in July by the transport of several
items to the International Space Station.  This mission will
deliver the Japanese Experiment Module Small Satellite
Orbital Deployer or JEM along with the Japanese CubeSats WE-
WISH, FITSAT-1 and RAIKO.  These CubeSats should be deployed
from the ISS in September using the JEM and robot arm.

FITSAT-1 may be the most interesting of these.  It will use
a neodymium magnet for attitude control.  It will also have
multiple downlinks.  These include CW on 437.250 MHz, AX.25
on 437.445 MHz and a 4 watt high speed data transmitter on
5840 MHz.  The latter is capable of sending a 640 by 480 VGA
JPEG image in 6 seconds.

In addition to its other experiments, FITSAT-1 will also
carry a set of high power LED's that will be driven with
100W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes.  It is
hoped, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small
binoculars from the ground.  Both the 5840 MHz and optical
downlinks have a high power consumption so it may be that
they are only activated only over Japan.

In December the TSUBAME satellite is planned to be launched
on a Japanese H-IIA booster. It will carry a CW beacon on
437.250 MHz and AX.25 packet at 1200 and 9600 bit per second
telemetry on 437.505 MHz.  The remaining satellites will be
placed into orbit on subsequent  flights.

Geomagnetic Storm Watch

A minor (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm is underway. This is probably due to Earth's passage through the wake of a CME that swept past our planet earlier today. 

SolarHam.com wrote:

ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 6
Threshold Reached: 2012 Apr 24 0046 UTC
Synoptic Period: 0000-0300 UTC
Active Warning: Yes
NOAA Scale: G2 - Moderate
Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 55 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude.
Induced Currents - Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms.
Spacecraft - Satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible.
Radio - HF (high frequency) radio propagation can fade at higher latitudes.
Aurora - Aurora may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state.

KD8BIG; Articles of Interest

Hello to all my Amateur Radio Friends.
I hope all is well.
I have been under the weather for the last few weeks.
That is the reason for the lack of postings.

Here are some Articles of Interest;

Radio club amateurs take to the airwaves

Titanic 'hotspots' in radio link with Maryport

English town honors its Titanic hero‎

Area amateur radio groups have common bond

Amateur radio fans ham it up in Lewes

‎‎

CW Celebration

New York’s QSY Society Amateur Radio Club will be hosting a special event station at the Samuel F. B. Morse Estate at Locust Grove in the city of Poughkeepsie. This in celebration of his creation of the Morse Code in 1832. The operation will run from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Saturday April 14th using the special event callsign K2QS. Transmissions will be centered on 7.034 on 40 meters and 14.034 MHz on 20. Hams making contact with K2QS will be eligible for a special commutative QSL card. QSL requests go to David Ruth at 48 Hoof Print Road, Millbrook, New York, 12545.

KD8BIG; Articles of Interest

Articles of Interest

Video: Underground Survival Bunker

Top 14 Survival Downloads You Should Have

Survival Communication: HAM Radio

Free Practice Amateur Radio License Exams

How Much Land Do You Need To Live Off The Grid?

Basic Deer Hunting and Advice For Survival

How Viable Are Your Stored Seeds?

Interview with Bernanke on Gas Prices, Jobs

Too Much Sitting Can Kill You

Michigan Militia Members Cleared of Most Charges

Putin Targets Foes with "Zombie" Gun

Americans Brace for Next Foreclosure Wave

Militant Attacks In France Underscore Americas Need For Increased Vigilance, U.S. Official Says

Crowd Beats, Strips and Robs Tourist in Street in Baltimore

Government Surveillance on Internet Goes Into Overdrive

NBC Says Trayvon Martin Call Was A "Mistake, Not Deliberate"

Yaesu FT-818

All mode, all bands 1.8-1296MHz with 5MHz and 70MHz
US version with additional 500 KHz and 5 MHz Bands
QRP 5W RF (2W 1296MHz not yet confirm)
3.5AHr Li-Ion battery pack (2hr charging)
Built in random wire and whip auto-ATU
Full color TFT display
Mulch-functionDSP noise reduction
RF Speech processor
QSK in CW

The rumors is circulating since end of 2010 but not yet clear when the new transceiver will be released…

Amateur Radio Emergency Communications

FCC Issues Inquiry on the Future of Amateur Radio Emergency Communications

The FCC is taking a look at amateur radios role in emergency communications. It also wants to know about obstacles to ham radio operations such as Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions better known as C C and R’s that keep radio amateurs from being able to fulfill their public service duties. It’s done this in a Public Notice given the identifier of G N Docket 12–91 also known as DA 12-523.
------------------------------------

Just how important is amateur radio during emergencies? What is ham radio's value to the community when disasters strike? The FCC wants to hear from you about these questions, because the Commission has a lot of homework to do for Congress. Most hams know that helping serve the community is one of the primary reasons the amateur radio service was founded.

Hams have a long history of helping during emergencies. They maintain close relationships with the National Weather Service and other public safety groups. When tornadoes raked Arkansas and Alabama in January, radio amateurs provided important communications support. They were active, as well, when a severe winter storm knocked out power and communications to villages along the Bering Sea in November, 2011.

The Commission is required to study amateur radio as part of a Public Law known as the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012. The FCC is to analyze ham radio's uses and capabilities during emergencies, and to submit its findings to House and Senate Committees.

The law also requires the Commission to analyze ham radio's importance as it relates to protecting lives and property. The Commission is to provide recommendations on how to enhance voluntary deployment of ham radio operators when needed. The law compels FCC to evaluate how best to integrate amateur radio into furthering various federal government initiatives that might require communications support.

If there are impediments along the way, the law requires that the Commission find ways to remove them. For example, the law questions whether antenna restrictions or unnecessary private land use restrictions wind up causing more problems than they solve.

In doing its study, FCC is directed to reach out to various entities including amateur radio, as well as various disaster and emergency response organizations.

The Commission has been given a list of specific questions to ask. If you want to comment, you can answer those questions, but you can also submit other comments, too, as long as they relate to the study.

The questions seek examples on various scenarios where amateur radio played a key role relating to emergency response and disaster relief.

Specific benefits ham radio provided are to be named.

Another question asks for examples of when ham radio is an advantage over other forms of communications during emergencies, and when does it complement those other systems.

Other questions cover a wide range of subjects, all involving amateur radio's role, how it can best be utilized, communications training, activities, planning and much more. One topic raised is whether existing rules governing the amateur radio service might need modifying to better facilitate emergency communications. The changes could be of an operational nature...or perhaps some technical limitations need to be addressed. The study asks whether rules changes would be a good idea to encourage development of innovative new technologies, whether voice, data or perhaps video.

In the past, some amateur radio emergency groups have expressed the desire to be able to interconnect directly with public safety and health care communications systems during emergencies. The Commission is to look into whether this should be considered, and if doing so, would enable hams to better serve the public, or whether would pose problems.

The possibility of national certification standards is mentioned as another subject to investigate.

If there are any current Commission rules that serve as impediments to what hams try to accomplish during emergencies, the FCC is told to name them and assess whether they should be changed or lifted to make it easier on hams trying to help during disasters.

If you want to submit comments, you have until May 17th to do so. You can file your comments electronically or by mail. To submit comments electronically, go to apps.fcc.gov/ecfs. Paper filings must include an original and one copy for each filing. Those must be mailed to the Commission's Secretary. The address is: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th St SW, Washington, DC, 20554.

---------------------------------------------

The FCC says that stakeholder entities and organizations, including the amateur radio, emergency response, and disaster communications communities, are particularly encouraged to submit comments. However the FCC says that those who do provide filings should not view this Public Notice as an opportunity to seek Commission rulings regarding specific situations. This is an overview inquiry only. And be certain to mention Docket 12-91 when you do submit your comments. The complete text of this FCC release can be downloaded in .PDF format at tinyurl.com/fcc-emcomm-study (FCC)


ARRL SAYS IT NEEDS CCR RESTRICTION INFORMATION ASAP

In a related story, if you live in a CC&R restricted community, have deed restrictions or homeowners association covenants that have prevented you from erecting amateur radio antennas then the ARRL wants to hear from you.

The League says that it is looking for input in two specific areas. These are recent amateur radio involvement in actual emergency communications and disaster relief and specific details about how CC&R’s and other private land use restrictions have impaired licensed amateurs to participate fully in these disaster relief communications.

If your ability to participate in ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, CERT, or other emergency and disaster relief communications has been limited because the inability to have adequate antennas due to such land use or owners association restrictions, you are asked to provide that information to the ARRL. Also to provide it as a narrative of your exact situation, giving as much detail as practical. Some areas for you to consider in writing your story might be:

Were there alternative properties without CC&Rs in the area you wished to reside?

The exact wording of what exactly does your CC&R’s prohibit or allow.

Have you applied for a waiver of the CC&R with the Home Owner's Association Architectural Review Committee but were denied? If so, what was the reason?

Whether you are an ARRL member or not, your information and situation are important to helping the League make the case for all amateurs. Please provide your documentation to the ARRL as soon as possible but definitely before Wednesday April 25th. It can either be uploaded to the ARRL website at www.arrl.org/ccr-study-information or they can be sent as an e-mail attachment to an email sent to CCRinfo (at) arrl (dot) org. (ARRL)

DX News

In DX, PA7JWC and PD7DB operating stroke PJ2 will be on the air from Curacao through the 9th April. They will operate SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK on 80 through 10 meters. QSLs via Logbook of The World is preferred otherwise send paper QSL’s to their home callsigns, either direct and via the bureau.

JA1XGI will be active as A35XG from Tonga through the 9th of April on 30, 17 and 12 metes using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL him also via his home callsign, direct or via the bureau.

ON4AEO and several other operators will be active as 3DA0FC from Swaziland from April 6th to the 10th. They plan to operate SSB, RTTY and PSK on 80 through 10 meters. QSL via ON4CJK, direct or via the bureau.

Lastly, GM6TW will be operating from the Inner Hebrides from April 7th to 13th. His main operating location will be the Isle of Jura, but he also- hopes to activate from Islay and Colonsay as well. No frequencies or modes were given. QSL via M0UTD.

DX UNIVERSITY APRIL 20 – LAST CALL TO REGISTER

The annual 'DX University' will take place in Visalia, California, on Friday, April 20th. On the program are several of the world's most renowned DXers who will share their knowledge. You will also hear some vital tips on making DXCC and on achieving Honor Roll status.

So far over 120 hams have already reserved their place at this session. There are still a few seats left. Go to www.dxuniversity.com to register.

KD8BIG / Articles of Interest

Hello all,

I've been under the weather for the last few weeks so this is a short post~
Articles of Interest~

Google Declares “Morse Code Is Perfect” with New Gmail Tap Mail Program

On April 1, Google announced that it has unveiled a new way to use its popular Gmail e-mail system. Called Gmail Tap, it uses dots and dashes to form letters, a system of communicating that should be very familiar to radio amateurs. “Morse code is perfect,” said Gmail Tap Engineer Mitch Fedenko. “It’s just a dot and a dash. What’s simpler... [continue]

ARRL in Action: What Have We Been Up to Lately?

Compiled by S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFAARRL News Editork1sfa@arrl.orgThis feature -- including convenient Web links to useful information -- is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of March.New privileges on 60 meters went into effect on March 5. After communicating w... [continue]

Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ, Wins March QST Cover Plaque Award

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for March is Eric P. Nichols, KL7AJ, for his article “Three Wrong Assumptions about the Ionosphere.” Congratulations Eric! The QST Cover Plaque award -- given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue -- is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll web page. Cast ... [continue]

ARNewsline Report 1807 -- Mar. 30 2012:

The following is a Q-S-T. The next Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference to be hekd in Malaysia; 1700 South African hams let their licenses lapse, World amateur Radio Day to celebrate 50 yesrs of ham radio in space, Japan to launch five new hamsats, DXCC is going on-line and Roving Reporter Pierre Pulinmyleg returns with a truly out of this... [continue]