Friday, April 22, 2011
This Weekends Contest; April 21-25, 2011
This Weekends Contest;
| RSGB 80m Club Championship, Data | Apr 21 |
| NCCC Sprint Ladder | Apr 22 |
| 10-10 Int. Spring Contest, Digital | Apr 23-24 |
| SP DX RTTY Contest | Apr 23-24 |
| Helvetia Contest | Apr 23-24 |
| QRP to the Field | Apr 23-24 |
| South Dakota QSO Party | Apr 23-24 |
| Low Power Spring Sprint | Apr 25 |
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Global Positioning System (GPS) Under Attack
Representatives of a wide variety of industries and companies have joined the Coalition to Save Our GPS to resolve a serious threat to the reliability and viability of the Global Positioning System (GPS) - a national utility upon which millions of Americans rely every day.
To safeguard GPS, the Coalition seeks a number of remedies from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which recently granted a waiver to a company called LightSquared that allows them to repurpose the satellite spectrum immediately neighboring that of the GPS.
LightSquared plans to transmit ground-based radio signals that would be one billion or more times more powerful as received on earth than GPS's low-powered satellite-based signals, potentially causing severe interference impacting millions of GPS receivers - including those used by the federal agencies, state and local governments, first responders, airlines, mariners, civil engineering, construction and surveying, agriculture, and everyday consumers in their cars and on handheld devices.
For further information on this issue and to voice your concern please go to the Coalitions website: http://www.saveourgps.org/
To safeguard GPS, the Coalition seeks a number of remedies from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which recently granted a waiver to a company called LightSquared that allows them to repurpose the satellite spectrum immediately neighboring that of the GPS.
LightSquared plans to transmit ground-based radio signals that would be one billion or more times more powerful as received on earth than GPS's low-powered satellite-based signals, potentially causing severe interference impacting millions of GPS receivers - including those used by the federal agencies, state and local governments, first responders, airlines, mariners, civil engineering, construction and surveying, agriculture, and everyday consumers in their cars and on handheld devices.
For further information on this issue and to voice your concern please go to the Coalitions website: http://www.saveourgps.org/
D-STAR Infrastructure Promotion
Program Details:
From April 25, 2011 — May 9, 2011, your club can purchase directly from Icom America Inc, either a 2m or 70cm D-STAR repeater for US$3,000 (plus freight and applicable taxes).
| Repeater Components in this program for $3,000 | |
| Controller RF Module Gateway Software | ID-RP2C ID-RP2000V or ID-RP4000V RS-RP2 G2 |
Bonus: If you can meet the following requirements within 90-days from the date of purchase, Icom will refund the original purchase price (US$3000).
- Install in permanent location identified at the time of purchase
- Fully operational on the USROOT trust server with Icom G2 Gateway Software and within the requirements outlined by the USROOT Administration team
- Minimum of 10 users registered on the "Gateway"
- Guarantee system on air for minimum of 1 year from date of installation
This program is limited to the first 70 qualifying clubs located in priority areas listed below or not within an existing D-STAR Repeater (100 Aeronautical Mile Radius). Send a club biography and an outline of how D-STAR will be used in your community toDSTAR.Promo@icomamerica.com to see if your club qualifies.
Priority areas:
| Washington (Eastern) | Western Texas | Kentucky |
| Idaho | Nevada (North) | Illinois (Southern) |
| Montana | North Dakota | Indiana (Southern) |
| Wyoming | South Dakota | Arkansas |
| New Mexico | Minnesota (Northern) | Nebraska |
| New York (Up State) | Wisconsin (Northern) | Kansas |
Limitations:
This promotion is for U.S. residents only. Applicants cannot be affiliated with employees of Icom, Inc., including any parent, subsidiary or entity affiliated with Icom, Inc. or the distribution channels of Icom products.
For more information about the D-STAR Promotion: DSTAR.Promo@icomamerica.com
For more information on D-STAR:
www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/dstar/dstar/default.aspx
For more information on registering on the gateway:
Refer to the document "Joining the Network" on www.dstarusers.org
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
440 MHz Frequencies in Jeopardy??
I ran across this story this morning and thought I'd share it with you.
You can send it into buildings where hostages are being held, then move it from room to room as it transmits video via its miniature camera. Sleek and unobtrusive, the gadget can slip under furniture and roll down stairs. Only eight inches long and 1.2 pounds, it can be tossed through windows or onto burning roofs without sustaining damage.
On the other hand, the American Radio Relay League pretty much threw the book at Recon's request in its response to the request. The ARRL's opposition filing charged that the petition was vague, lacked appropriate technical specifications, and did not explore the possibility of using other frequencies for the gadget.
Read Full Story, Click Here
You can send it into buildings where hostages are being held, then move it from room to room as it transmits video via its miniature camera. Sleek and unobtrusive, the gadget can slip under furniture and roll down stairs. Only eight inches long and 1.2 pounds, it can be tossed through windows or onto burning roofs without sustaining damage.
On the other hand, the American Radio Relay League pretty much threw the book at Recon's request in its response to the request. The ARRL's opposition filing charged that the petition was vague, lacked appropriate technical specifications, and did not explore the possibility of using other frequencies for the gadget.
Read Full Story, Click Here
Monday, April 18, 2011
Articles of Interest w/ Archives
Hello All,
Today, Monday, April 18, is World Amateur Radio Day
I hope to hear you on the bands.
Articles of Interest
Fewer crackle over HAM in country today
Upcoming ARISS ham radio contact with primary school in Argentina
Big B to brush up his ham radio skills
World Amateur Radio Day April 18
Archives
Dec 15, 1961 Eugene Register-Guard Oscar's Picked Up .By Eugene Ham's Radio
Feb 8, 1958 St. Petersburg Times - Did Amateur Radio Signal Kill Atlas?
Aug 23, 1928 Toledo News-Bee- … Doubt Expressed To Authenticity .Amateur Radio Operator..
Today, Monday, April 18, is World Amateur Radio Day
I hope to hear you on the bands.
Articles of Interest
Fewer crackle over HAM in country today
Upcoming ARISS ham radio contact with primary school in Argentina
Big B to brush up his ham radio skills
World Amateur Radio Day April 18
Archives
Dec 15, 1961 Eugene Register-Guard Oscar's Picked Up .By Eugene Ham's Radio
Feb 8, 1958 St. Petersburg Times - Did Amateur Radio Signal Kill Atlas?
Aug 23, 1928 Toledo News-Bee- … Doubt Expressed To Authenticity .Amateur Radio Operator..
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Amateur Radio continuing to help in Japan
Towards the bottom of my post I have past info from Japan Amateur Radio League (JARL)
Here is an update obtained from several e-mails and SARC.
Here is an update obtained from several e-mails and SARC.
The amateur radio activity is continuing to help those mainly within the disaster recovery area struck by the worst earthquake in Japan in 140 years.
IARU Region 3 Secretary, Ken Yamamoto JA1CJP said “several stations are handling medium distance information exchange on 7.030/7.043 MHz.
“The operation in VHF and UHF bands becomes more active than in earlier days. About 250 transceivers with JARL licenses are used for communications between various refugee rest places and local government offices.
“Two sets of 430 MHz repeaters have also been delivered to the disaster area and they are operational now to enhance the existing repeaters coverage and provide easier communications between hand-held transceivers.”
The big earthquake, now graded at nine on the Ritcher scale, and followed by a tsunami hit north-eastern Japan on 11 March, and crippled a nuclear power facility. More than 13,500 have been killed.
The headquarters station of the Japan Amateur League (JARL) in Tokyo, JA1RL became a disaster communication centre in the days immediately after the disaster.
Ken JA1CJP said, “It should be noted that some towns are so heavily disrupted that the local government offices are also in the refugee centres and the residents are staying in multiple places.
“In such cases, amateur radio can contribute a lot to maintain the ties between the local government and residents.”
In the long haul the emergency communications to be provided through amateur radio, as the disruption to normal life will continue for some considerable time to come.
A presentation on the Japanese earthquake triple disaster will be made at the GAREC 2011 in Sun City, South Africa, in August this year.
Jim Linton VK3PC
Chairman, IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee
WØGFQ; World Radio founder SK at 100
The Omaha native founded World Radio Laboratories in Council Bluffs in 1935 and it became one of the world's largest distributors of amateur radio equipment. Meyerson also established the World Radio electronics stores, a retail chain that operated in the Midlands from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Meyerson, known internationally by the radio call sign WØGFQ, died of complications from a stroke on Wednesday at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He had celebrated his 100th birthday on March 7.
WØGFQ, WØGFQ, WØGFQ;~This is KD8BIG
God Speed WØGFQ
Continue Reading; Click Here
Saturday, April 16, 2011
World Amateur Radio Day
Monday, April 18, is World Amateur Radio Day and the theme for this year is 'Amateur Radio: The first technology-based social network'.
Long before the Internet and smart phones, Amateur Radio operators have been talking, texting and sharing for decades. But unlike those commercial services, Amateur Radio continues to attract people world-wide by providing international communications for free. And because it does not need pre-established supporting infrastructure, these radio-savvy “amateurs” can reach out to friends in every corner of the world, as well as into space.
Amateur Radio operators have been the leaders in developing many of today’s modern electronic and communications marvels. Today, the citizens of Earth think of “wireless” as being the ubiquitous cellular phone. But this technology is only made possible due to the pioneering work in radio technologies first explored by these “amateurs.”
Many of our leading electrical engineers draw from their practical experiences as Amateur Radio operators as they continue to develop applications blending computers and radios. Ham radio operators may be “amateur” because they are unpaid volunteers, but their skills and contributions to the world are of the highest order.
World Amateur Radio Day celebrates the founding on April 18, 1925 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and hams around the world will be on the air.
World Amateur Radio Day
http://www.iaru-r2.org/world-amateur-radio-day/
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=70269378675
Long before the Internet and smart phones, Amateur Radio operators have been talking, texting and sharing for decades. But unlike those commercial services, Amateur Radio continues to attract people world-wide by providing international communications for free. And because it does not need pre-established supporting infrastructure, these radio-savvy “amateurs” can reach out to friends in every corner of the world, as well as into space.
Amateur Radio operators have been the leaders in developing many of today’s modern electronic and communications marvels. Today, the citizens of Earth think of “wireless” as being the ubiquitous cellular phone. But this technology is only made possible due to the pioneering work in radio technologies first explored by these “amateurs.”
Many of our leading electrical engineers draw from their practical experiences as Amateur Radio operators as they continue to develop applications blending computers and radios. Ham radio operators may be “amateur” because they are unpaid volunteers, but their skills and contributions to the world are of the highest order.
World Amateur Radio Day celebrates the founding on April 18, 1925 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and hams around the world will be on the air.
World Amateur Radio Day
http://www.iaru-r2.org/world-amateur-radio-day/
https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#!/group.php?gid=70269378675
Friday, April 15, 2011
Special Temporary Amateur Call Signs for Royal Wedding
RSGB has agreed with Ofcom arrangements for all UK Radio Amateurs to opt to use special call-signs for a period of eleven days beginning on the date of the marriage of H.R.H. Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton, 29th April 2011.
Use of the special prefix, which is "GR", "MR" or "2R" is conditional on allocation of a Notice of Variation to the License (NoV) which can be quickly obtained via a simple process on this RSGB web site, which also contains all relevant information.
The last date and time for application is 18:00 BST on Tuesday 26th April 2011. All NoVs which are approved by Ofcom will be provided by close of business on Thursday 28th April 2011. No postal applications will be accepted and all NoVs will be sent by Email to the address supplied as part of the application.
For more info, Click Here
Use of the special prefix, which is "GR", "MR" or "2R" is conditional on allocation of a Notice of Variation to the License (NoV) which can be quickly obtained via a simple process on this RSGB web site, which also contains all relevant information.
The last date and time for application is 18:00 BST on Tuesday 26th April 2011. All NoVs which are approved by Ofcom will be provided by close of business on Thursday 28th April 2011. No postal applications will be accepted and all NoVs will be sent by Email to the address supplied as part of the application.
For more info, Click Here
KD8BIG & Articles of Interest
Hello all, still dealing with health issues and hoping to feel more like sitting at the desk soon. I really hate using the lap-top while in the recliner or in bed.
I am hoping to write up a few reviews next week on the HEIL Pro Set Plus, Yaesu FTM 350 AR and the MFJ 1279M Deluxe Multimode Sound Card Interface. It has been a while since I have done a review, mine or someone else's.
This weekends contest.
Articles of Interest;
Contest;
Amateur Radio;
Big B to brush up his ham radio skills
ARNewsline Report 1757 -- April 15 2011:
ZM Amateur Radio prefix for Rugby World Cup
When Pig's Fly Special Event Stations
Amateur radio enthusiasts set to run Speyside special
Elementary School Students Make Contact with Astronauts
I am hoping to write up a few reviews next week on the HEIL Pro Set Plus, Yaesu FTM 350 AR and the MFJ 1279M Deluxe Multimode Sound Card Interface. It has been a while since I have done a review, mine or someone else's.
This weekends contest.
| NCCC Sprint Ladder | Apr 15 |
| Holyland DX Contest | Apr 15-16 |
| TARA Skirmish Digital Prefix Contest | Apr 16 |
| ARLHS Annual Spring Lites QSO Party | Apr 16-24 |
| ES Open HF Championship | Apr 16 |
| CQ Manchester Mineira DX Contest | Apr 16-17 |
| Feld Hell Sprint | Apr 16 |
| Michigan QSO Party | Apr 16-17 |
| EU Spring Sprint, SSB | Apr 16 |
| EA-QRP CW Contest | Apr 16-17 |
| Ontario QSO Party | Apr 16-17 |
| YU DX Contest | Apr 16-17 |
| ARRL Rookie Roundup, SSB | Apr 17 |
| Run for the Bacon QRP Contest | Apr 18 |
Articles of Interest;
Contest;
Amateur Radio;
Big B to brush up his ham radio skills
ARNewsline Report 1757 -- April 15 2011:
ZM Amateur Radio prefix for Rugby World Cup
When Pig's Fly Special Event Stations
Amateur radio enthusiasts set to run Speyside special
Elementary School Students Make Contact with Astronauts
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Geomagnetic Storm
A geomagnetic storm that sparked auroras around the Arctic Circle and sent Northern Lights spilling over the Canadian border into the United States on April 12th is subsiding.
Geomagnetic Storm Update
A geomagnetic storm that sparked auroras around the Arctic Circle and sent Northern Lights spilling over the Canadian border into the United States on April 12th is subsiding.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
GEOMAGNETIC STORM
A G1-class geomagnetic storm is in progress, sparked by a high-speed solar wind stream which is buffeting Earth's magnetic field.
To read more, Click Here
To read more, Click Here
Japan; One Month Later
It is hard to imagine the amount of strength and composer the citizens of Japan are going through.
One moth ago they suffered that devastating earthquake followed by the tsunami and then a nuclear crises. This is unbelievable, a true end of the world feeling they must have.
I really would not know where to start if this were to have happen to me, as much as I prepare myself and family for such an emergency, are we truly ready? I know it is tough enough to lose electricity for 3-4 days.
Dear Lord, I pray for the country of Japan and those effected. Please Lord, ease their burden and help them through this, for you know there needs. Amen.
Here is a large group of photos. Click Here.
One moth ago they suffered that devastating earthquake followed by the tsunami and then a nuclear crises. This is unbelievable, a true end of the world feeling they must have.
I really would not know where to start if this were to have happen to me, as much as I prepare myself and family for such an emergency, are we truly ready? I know it is tough enough to lose electricity for 3-4 days.
Dear Lord, I pray for the country of Japan and those effected. Please Lord, ease their burden and help them through this, for you know there needs. Amen.
Here is a large group of photos. Click Here.
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