Monday, July 15, 2013

Articles of Interest

*40 Meter Glowbug and Power Supply
*6-Band Windom Antenna
*Attic Coaxial-Cable Trap Dipole Antenna
*Linear Loaded Vertical Antenna for 40m and 80m by PA3HBB
*J-Poles with Wireman-cable
*India's Telegraph, Once Gandhi's E-Mail, Stutters to an End:
*Communications 150 Years Ago and Now:

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Friday, July 12, 2013

ARRL says no to Encrypted Amateur Radio Communications

The ARRL is calling on the FCC to deny a Petition for Rule Making in RM-11699. This is a request that seeks to permit the encryption of certain amateur communications during emergency operations or related training exercises. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Norm Seeley, KI7UP, is here with the details:

As we previously reported, earlier this year the FCC accepted for filing a Petition for Rulemaking from Don Rolph, AB1PH, designated as RM-11699 and put it on public notice. In it Rolph suggested that an additional exception to Part 97.113 be made to permit encrypted communications when hams are participating in emergency services operations or related training exercises which may involve information covered by medical privacy requirements or other sensitive data. This could include logistical information concerning medical supplies, personnel movement or any other data designated by Federal authorities managing relief or training efforts.
But on July 8th the ARRL filed to oppose the AB1PH rules change request. The ARRL says that in its view there is no factual or legal basis for the assumption that encryption of transmissions is necessary in order to continue and enhance the utility of amateur radio emergency and disaster relief communication. The ARRL also characterized as erroneous the assumption that encryption of certain information may be required under the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability or HIPPA Act.
The ARRL is not alone in this view. Several other commenters on RM-11699 have also pointed out that the restrictions imposed by HIPPA can be overlooked in time of a dire emergency. 

source; Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, Arizona.
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Thursday, June 27, 2013

North Hills Amateur Radio Club

What is Ham Radio Night? North Hills Amateur Radio Club:
The Sacramento area North Hills Amateur Radio Club hosts an annual What Is Ham Radio Night event. The members setup demonstrations and the evening is open to the public. This is to show future amateur radio operators different aspects of the hobby.

There were some other demonstrations that I did not cover. Satellite operation was tried, but no luck. I didn't get a chance to video the military radios either.

IRLP
http://www.irlp.net/

North Hills Amateur Radio Club
http://www.k6is.org/

ESpotter
http://espotter.weather.gov/

Wilderness Radio
http://www.fix.net/~jparker/wild.html

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Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Lost Ham?


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Sunday, June 23, 2013

Field Day 2013; Articles of Interest

I did not participate in Field Day this year, so I will just have to share some articles of interest in regards to Field Day Activities.

Ham radio day has locals connecting in La Quinta

Louisville amateur radio enthusiasts hold emergency preparedness 'field day'  

Ham radio has a field day at MCLB (Marine Corps Logistics Base) ALBANY, Ga.  

Amateur radio operators train for the worst-case scenario-  

Ham radio operators having a field day-  

Radio operators demonstrate skills during 'Field Day'- 

HAM radios key to emergency communication- 

Ham radio group tuned into hobby-  

Amateur radio enthusiasts have a field day-  

Field Day highlights emergency preparedness role of ham radio buffs-  

 
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Wednesday, June 19, 2013

5 Watts QRP

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Monday, June 17, 2013

Burj Khalifa, Dubai

This is amazing. 
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Sunday, June 16, 2013

Winter in New Zealand

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Friday, June 14, 2013

Dubai, the city of lights

Stunning. 
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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

HAMTV from the International Space Station (ISS)

The frequencies of 2422.0 MHz and 2437.0 MHz have been announced for a new ham radio Digital TV transmitter that will operate as an educational adjunct from the International Space Station.

The main mission of what’s being called Ham TV is to perform school contacts between the astronauts on board ISS and educational institutions on the ground. This by providing space station to ground video within ARISS program.

To accomplish this, the ISS will host a new S-Band video transmitting station in addition to the existing VHF FM ham band transceiver. The new equipment will have the ability to transmit images from orbit during the school contacts. It will also be able to broadcast other pre-recorded video images up to 24 hours a day to allow ground stations tuning. More information on this new on-orbit service is on the Web at tinyurl.com/iss-dtv. (IRTS)
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Fox-1 Ham Radio CubeSat Frequencies Announced

The International Amateur Radio Union Frequency Coordination Panel has announced coordinated frequencies for the AMSAT-NA Fox-1CubeSat. The uplink will be on 435.180 MHz for FM voice and the downlink on145.980 MHz with FM voice and an optional sub audible FSK digital carrier channel.
Fox-1a is a one unit cubesat that will serve as a communications relay for radio amateurs worldwide via the onboard FM repeater system. It will also carry an experiment consisting of a 3-axis gyro developed by Penn State University. The communications and scientific experiment missions will run concurrently. (AMSAT)
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More 6m Bandspace in Germany

Radio amateurs in Germany have had their 6 meter band extended until at least the end of the year. The latest allocation is from 50.03 to 51MHz and the bottom 30 kHz ties up with where the new 6 meter Synchronized Propagation or Synced Beacons are planned. German radio amateurs may use all modes with a bandwidth up to 12 kHz but must not cause interference to the primary user of the band which is the German the military. (GB2RS)
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Amateur Radio Ops; SPAIN GRANTED NEW BANDSPACE

Hams in Spain have been granted an extension of the 160 meter band along with a new 630 meter allocation. This with word that Spanish radio amateurs have been authorized to use a new segment from 1810 to 1830 kHz on secondary basis. The new frequencies are in addition to their primary allocation of 1830 to 1850 kHz. Spanish radio amateurs are also now allowed to use the band of 472 to 479 kHz also on secondary basis. (EA7SB, Southgate)
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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Amateur Radio Kids Day

Kids Day is an on-air event to encourage young people (licensed or not) to have fun with Amateur Radio. It is designed to give on-the-air experience to youngsters and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children 
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VEC Clerical Error leads to License Modification

A clerical error by a Volunteer Examination Coordinator will likely lead to a license downgrade for a California ham. This after the FCC releases an order proposing to modify the license of James H. Schofield, KI6JIM, from General to Technician due to no fault of his own.
On November 29, 2012, the W5YI Volunteer Examiner Coordinator sent an electronic data file to the Commission requesting that Schofield’s operator license for amateur station KI6JIM be modified to upgrade to General Class amateur radio operator privileges. Based on this application, the Commission granted Schofield a General Class license on November 29, 2012.
On May 30, 2013, the W5YI VEC notified the Commission that it had made a typographical error in the November 2012 data file and that a licensee other than Schofield had qualified for a General Class operator license. W5YI VEC noted that a correction was filed, resulting in the other licensee receiving the operator license for which he had qualified but that Schofield’s operator privileges had not been returned to Technician Class operator privileges. The W5YI VEC urged the FCC to modify Schofield’s license to correct the operator privileges.
Now in a June 4th Order Proposing Modification the FCC says it believes that the grant of General Class operator privileges to Schofield was erroneous because he did not pass the examination necessary to qualify for that class of operator license. Rather, he appears to be currently authorized to operate with General Class operator privileges due to a typographical error made during the application process. As such it believes that a modification of the license for amateur station KI6JIM to replace General Class operator privileges with Technician Class operator privileges is appropriate. It also notes that if Schofield opposes this action that he has 30 days to submit a written statement with sufficient evidence to show that the modification would not be in the public interest. (FCC)
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My Stamp Collecting Blog

My Stamp Collecting Blog

Counter Added January 1, 2011

free counters

HOW TO READ PROPAGATION NUMBERS

The A index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 1 to 6 is BEST
  • 7 to 9 is OK
  • 11 or more is BAD

Represents the overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Ap" if averaged from the Kp-Index) (an average of the eight 3-hour K-Indices) ('A' referring to amplitude) over a given 24 hour period, ranging (linearly) typically from 1-100 but theoretically up to 400.

A lower A-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Ap-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

SFI index [ HIGH is GOOD ]

  • 70 NOT GOOD
  • 80 GOOD
  • 90 BETTER
  • 100+ BEST

The measure of total radio emissions from the sun at 10.7cm (2800 MHz), on a scale of 60 (no sunspots) to 300, generally corresponding to the sunspot level, but being too low in energy to cause ionization, not related to the ionization level of the Ionosphere.

Higher Solar Flux generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; Solar Flux rarely affects the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

K index [ LOW is GOOD ]

  • 0 or 1 is BEST
  • 2 is OK
  • 3 or more is BAD
  • 5 is VERY VERY BAD

The overall geomagnetic condition of the ionosphere ("Kp" if averaged over the planet) over the past 3 hours, measured by 13 magnetometers between 46 & 63 degrees of latitude, and ranging quasi-logarithmically from 0-9. Designed to detect solar particle radiation by its magnetic effect. A higher K-index generally means worse HF conditions.

A lower K-Index generally suggests better propagation on the 10, 12, 15, 17, & 20 Meter Bands; a low & steady Kp-Index generally suggest good propagation on the 30, 40, 60, 80, & 160 Meter Bands.

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