Rescue Radio: Changing Times - ARMY MARS PHASING OUT WINLINK

The Department of the Army has announced that it has begun to take steps to phase out the use of the WINLINK System. This is because of possible security breaches that might be incurred in the Internet aspect of transmissions using the mode. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has more:
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According to the December 21st ARRL ARES E-Letter, the military chain of command that governs Army MARS feels that the Internet portion of WINLKINK leaves the system significantly open to the possibility of intrusion. To deal with this it plans to replace WINLINK with a newer military e-mail system that has extensive protection against any form of hacking or any other form of incursion.

To accomplish this, Army MARS will be expanding on the concept of a national network that is voice, RTTY and PACTOR capable under MIL-STD 110A. It says that PACTOR will become even more important as the new areas of focus will be peer to peer and keyboard to keyboard PACTOR based communications.

Amateur modes such as MT-63, OLIVIA, and WINMOR, which cannot be used by the military, will be eventually phased out as well.

The ultimate goal of this change will be to help Army MARS return to what it is really supposed to be. That of a radio-only system to relay long haul traffic as it has done very successfully in the past.
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While these changes will affect Army MARS nationally, it is not abandoning state and local served agencies. Army MARS says that it is moving away from providing them a winlink.org e-mail address. (ARRL ARES E-Letter)

CME expected at Earth on 28 December 2011

New sunspot 1387 erupted during the late hours of Christmas Day, producing an M4-class flare and hurling a CME toward Earth and Mars. Click to view an animated forecast track prepared by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab:



The CME is expected to deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Dec. 28th at 1200 UT and a direct hit to the planet Mars on Dec. 30th at 1800 UT. Using onboard radiation sensors, NASA's Curiosity rover might be able to sense the CME when it passes the rover's spacecraft en route to Mars. Here on Earth, NOAA forecasters estimate a 30-to-40% chance of geomagnetic storms on Dec. 28th when the CME and an incoming solar wind stream (unrelated to the CME) could arrive in quick succession.

“The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio”

ARRL VIDEO TO BE RELEASED VIA DECEMBER 27th AND JAN 3rd NETCASTS
Two dates to mark down on your ham radio social calendar. The first is this Tuesday, December 27th at 8:30 p.m. Eastern time. That’s when the ARRL will present an on-line premiere screening of its new video titled The DIY Magic of Amateur Radio.

To accomplish this the League has teamed up with Tom Medlin, W5KUB, who will be streaming it from his website at w5kub.com. The video will also be released earlier that day on-line at the ARRL’s own website at www.arrl.org and on the ARRL video pages on YouTube dot com. All three are a part of a new ARRL public relations campaign to interest the nations maker and hacker community in our world of ham radio.

Then a week later on January 3rd at 9 p.m. Eastern, the shows producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, along with Director Dave Bell, W6AQ and writer Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, will be the guests of Bob Heil, K9EID, and Gordon West, WB6NOA. This on their weekly TWIT dot TV video podcast known as Ham Nation.

Bell, Feinberg and Pasternak will give you a behind the scenes look at how the DIY Magic of Amateur Radio video was conceived as well as how it was put together using the very latest digital video production techniques. You will also get to see the video in its entirety.

Look for this live netcast at 9 PM Eastern on Tuesday, January 3rd at live.twit.tv. If you miss it, wait about 24 hours for it to be posted at twit.tv/hn. (ARRL, ARNewsline™)

TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE: DISABILITY.GOV NOW ON LINE

www.disability.gov is the new federal government website for comprehensive information on disability programs and services in communities nationwide. The site links to more than 14,000 resources from federal, state and local government agencies; academic institutions; and nonprofit organizations.

In the Technology section, can be found information on assistive and accessible technologies, emergency communications systems; the accessibility features of new technologies like smart phones; and guidelines and standards related to technology accessibility for people with disabilities. Information is by State using the drop-down menu located on the left side of any page on Disability.gov, to find local resources that can help you pay for your assistive technology needs.

Disability.gov is managed by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy in collaboration with 21 federal agency partners, including the FCC. (FCC)

Merry Christmas

Amateur Radio Operators to host Kids Day

Kids Day is an on-air event to encourage young people (licensed or not) to have fun with Amateur Radio and takes place Sunday January 8.

The Kids Day operating event is not a contest. It’s a way to tell young people worldwide about the magic and mystery of two way hobby radio communications.

To do this, Amateur radio stations are being asked to devote this short time window to promote the terrestrial hobby and ham radio satellite operations to youngsters. This, by providing a place to make contacts with other Kids Day stations around the world.

Walworth County Today report on the Lakes Area Amateur Radio Club plans for the day at
http://walworthcountytoday.com/news/...ds-day-darien/

Further information on Kids Day is at
http://www.arrl.org/kids-day

World War II Voluntary Interceptors

Here is a link to a BBC documentary on the work of Amateur Radio Interceptors during the Second World War, which some of you may find interesting.

http://www.eafa.org.uk/catalogue/5108

Radio Direction Finder kit (DDF2020M)

DDF2020M Radio Direction Finder kit requires minimum assembly for 10~15 Minutes

The DDF2020M DF is an economical but very sophisticated Doppler DF “kit” with a GPS input, and RS232 output to provide the ability to indicate its location and draw bearing automatically or manually on Google Earth map to find the RF transmitter more conveniently.

DDF2020M kit Includes eight assembled / tested PC boards: MAIN board, 2 Sub boards, and 1 antenna board in the main unit. Completion work is required by the user to finish the DF main unit. Guidelines for the completion work are provided.

The user must provide a NB FM receiver, 5 antennas with mounts for external DF antenna unit and a PC for DF bearing (Windows OS). DDF2020 display program further requires a GPS receiver with NMEA 4800 baud output.

VHF Doppler DF – 5 Antennas primarily for mobile DF, 100~1000 MHz
Economy, high performance DSP / micro processor design, software intensive
Sold as a kit – Main unit, antenna unit and associated cables
RS232 output for Windows PCs (Agrello format)
Uses modified Joe Moell Wideband Antenna design
9 ~ 28 VDC operation
Optional GPS Receiver available.

Specifications:

Rcvr Freq: Determined by user-provided FM receiver, range 100 to 1000 MHz
Antenna: Four elements for DF and one auxiliary element for improving sensitivity and accuracy, wave vertical with assembled
Ant Scan: Scan rate 430 Hz, rotation clockwise (viewed from above antenna)
Ant Switch: Modified Joe Moell Wideband Doppler DF antenna design
Employs Agilent HSMP3893 SMT PIN diodes
SMT / stripline circuit design, SMA output connector
Audio Input: FM receiver speaker audio, 1.0K ohm load. 25db dynamic range.
GPS Input: 4800 baud RS232 input, NMEA $GPRMC, $GPGGA and / or $GPVTG messages.
Output 1: RS232 Agrello DF message, 4800 baud, 8N2. (15 messages / second )
Ant Outputs : Four discrete active HIGH outputs for DDF 2020 Antenna ( one per antenna )
DC Power : 9 ~ 28 VDC
Voice Filter : Switched-capacitor filter, (SCF) 4 sections. Bandwidth 0.2 Hz
Multi Display

The MultiDisplay of DDF2020M provides a combined numeric and pelorus display in the main board. A high quality display, with 2 microcomputers and an RS232 input that accepts Agrello DF messages.

The pelorus display employs 36 high density LEDs, with 4 yellow LEDs at cardinal headings. Option straps allow “hold/blink” of last valid DF data, or pelorus “orbit” when data goes invalid. All LEDs briefly “flash” (2 second intervals) for enhanced nighttime viewing

3 digit numeric readout, 0.36 inch characters
36 LED pelorus display, 4 yellow cardinal LEDS
Selectable HOLD/ORBIT display for old DF data
Power-on self-test

Link

http://www.thestealthmall.com/cart/index.php

Warning regarding Accessories connected to your Radio

Warning regarding accessories connected to your radio
Information from West Mountain Radio web site.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/content.php?page=supportpro
If you have a Rig Blaster or other interface connected to your 12 volt radio, DO NOT connect the negative terminal of the accessory to the negative terminal of your power supply. Here's why. If for any reason the 12 negative connection for your radio becomes disconnected from the power supply, the full current drawn by the radio will also flow through the ground loop circuit of the accessory. Your accessory will most likely fry and you may damage your radio. Connect the NEGATIVE wire of your accessory to the ground terminal on your rig, or use a wall wart (ugh). Better yet, to avoid ground loops, connect all your accessories to a separate DC source.
Example; use a 12 volt 10 AmpHour AGM battery, fused of course. The current draw on most of these accessories is in the milli amp range and will last weeks even if not turned off....

AIR 25 Inflated Antenna Tower for Amateur Radio & CERT

Quick Start Guide to setting up a 25 foot tall inflatable antenna tower invented by LTA Projects…and built especially for Amateur Radio and for CERT Teams. This is a revolutionary way to temporarily put your antenna up. Perfect where there are neighborhood restrictions on permanent antennas…or just to take your rig on the road with you. Or use it with a cell repeater if you’re an RV-er on the road looking for better cell reception at your stops in remote areas. It performs amazingly well in winds & is VERY safe to use. We have larger versions operating with Emergency Management and Law Enforcement all over the US. For more information or to purchase these affordable towers visit us at http://www.ltaprojects.com/

NYC Ops Situation Page

Access public content on the NYC Ops Situation
Page at....

http://www.vuetoo.com/nycops/Situationpagenews.asp?af=&sit=6443

KD8BIG / jinglemonster

I really love it when a fellow blogger finds my site. It is even more gratifying when they ask me to help promote their site.

Their Blog is located in my blog list~ Check them out.

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Hi,

I came across your blog, KD8BIG, while reading another radio blog. It’s a really cool site. Nice work!
I help run a blog on a jingles website, where we do have plans to regularly feature different radio stations. You can check out our first featured radio station here.
Since we do share a common interest for radio, I was wondering if you could help us out by putting a link on your site? We can return a link to yours if you'd like?
Please let me know if you’re interested.
Cheers!

www.jinglemonster.com.au
http://jinglemonster.com.au/our-blog/

VETERANS DAY 2011

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

Asteroid 2005 YU55

2005 YU55, an asteroid larger than an aircraft carrier, is expected to pass by Earth at 6:28 p.m. EST today, but NASA says there is no chance it will collide with the Earth or moon.
NASA radars are monitoring 2005 YU55, an asteroid the size of an aircraft carrier, as it heads for a flyby of the Earth-Moon system later today. There is no danger to our planet. At closest approach on Tuesday, Nov. 8th, at 3:28 pm PST (23:28 UT), the 400m-wide space rock will be 324,600 kilometers away, about 85% the distance from Earth to the Moon. Professional astronomers are eagerly anticipating the flyby as the asteroid presents an exceptionally strong radar target. Powerful transmitters at Goldstone and Arecibo will ping the space rock as it passes by, revealing the asteroid's shape and texture in crisp detail, and pinpointing its orbit for future flyby calculations.

Asteroids this big have passed by Earth at similar distances many times before, but this is the first time astronomers have known about the flyby in advance. For instance, a similar encounter occurred in 1976 when 2010 XC15 split the distance between Earth and the Moon. Researchers didn't discover that space rock until 24 years after the flyby. The Nov. 8, 2011, passage of 2005 YU55 thus represents a rare opportunity for asteroid research.

Experienced amateur astronomers should be able to photograph 2005 YU55 as it zips through the constellations Aquila and Pegasus glowing like an 11th magnitude star. Even under the full moonlight of Nov. 8th, such a bright asteroid is within reach of mid-sized backyard telescopes. The timing of the flyby favors observers in western Europe and eastern parts of North America. Check Sky & Telescope for observing tips or go straight to JPL for the object's ephemeris.

Thai Amateurs Respond to Floods, Ask that 7.060-7.063 MHz Be Kept Clear

Authorities in Thailand continue to battle the country’s worst floods in decades, with the death toll rising to almost 300. While Thai hams are mostly using 2 meters to communicate, IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee Chairman Jim Linton VK3PC, is asking all radio amateurs to keep 7.060-7.063MHz clear from unnecessary traffic, as Thai hams are also using 40 meters during the flooding that is affecting millions of people in North and Central Thailand.

“Amateur Radio has been assisting with flood relief communications, helping victims in the affected areas, said Tony Waltham, HS0ZDX, the Radio Amateur Society of Thailand’s (RAST) International Liaison Officer. “Operators are using RAST’s club station call sign HS0AC, and a special flood relief center with the call sign HS0AB has been established at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport. Please be formally advised that Thai radio amateurs are standing by on 144.900 MHz, 145.000 MHz and 144.9375 MHz, as well as on frequencies of 7.060-7.063 MHz in the 40 meter HF band.” Waltham noted that RAST has posted a video (in Thai) to YouTube, showing the activities at the special flood relief Amateur Radio station at the airport.

Despite sandbags, Bangkok -- the country’s capital -- is under threat of flooding. In outlying areas, the floods have destroyed crops, inundated factories and damaged the homes or livelihoods of millions of people. About 110,000 people have sought refuge in shelters. It is expected for the flooding to continue for a week. The high tide will prevent the floodwater's escaping to the sea for a day or two, while the recovery efforts may take a year.

According to Linton, nearly three million people are affected by the floods, and the disaster has caused serious damage to the country`s agriculture and other industries, with Japan’s Toyota, Sony and Honda, along with USA’s Western Digital -- and many other factories to the north of Bangkok -- suspending production until the situation improves. Damage so far has been assessed at more than 20 billion baht ($65,295,400 USD). Waltham said that 26 out of the country’s 77 provinces are affected, and Bangkok is bracing for a large amount of run-off water that will coincide with the seasonal high tides, making it harder for the flood waters to flow out to sea