DaySaver Power Systems is merging with Elk Antennas. DaySaver products
will continue to be offered by Elk, which says that that the transition
from DaySaver Power Systems to Elk Antennas should be seamless, with no
interruption in order fulfillment or warranties.
Currently, the DaySaver.com website will continue to operate, but in the
future the link will likely take you to the Elk Antennas site at http://www.elkantennas.com/ for an expanded array of products with the DaySaver
name.
According to Elk Antenna’s Jim Siemons, AF6PU, the merger helps fulfill
Elk’s goal of expanding its product line for portable, remote and
emergency communications. Both companies service the Amateur,
Commercial, Military and Public Safety Radio Services.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Laser Speed Demo in Space
NASA has used laser technology to transfer data over the 239,000 miles
to and from the moon. This at a speed of 622 megabits per second.
Badri Younes is NASA's deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation. In a press release he said that his agency is encouraged by the results of the demonstration of the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration to this point. As such NASA is confident that it is on the right path to introduce this new capability into operational service soon.
The space agency’s Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration is the first two-way space communication system to use a laser instead of radio. Younes calls it the first step on NASA’s roadmap toward building the next generation of space communication capability.
The Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration is hosted on NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer or LADEE satellite. (NASA)
Badri Younes is NASA's deputy associate administrator for space communications and navigation. In a press release he said that his agency is encouraged by the results of the demonstration of the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration to this point. As such NASA is confident that it is on the right path to introduce this new capability into operational service soon.
The space agency’s Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration is the first two-way space communication system to use a laser instead of radio. Younes calls it the first step on NASA’s roadmap toward building the next generation of space communication capability.
The Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration is hosted on NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer or LADEE satellite. (NASA)
Friday, November 1, 2013
DX News
In DX, YL2GM is currently reported on the air from Sao Vicente Island as
D44TYL. Activity has been mainly 20 and 15 meters SSB. The length of
his stay is unknown. QSL via YL2GM.
HB9EYP will be on the air from Zanzibar between November 2nd and the 9th possibly using the call 5H3JJ. Activity will be QRP on 20 through 6 meters with 10 watts into a Windom antenna from a beachfront location. QSL via his home callsign either direct, via the bureau or electronically using Logbook to the World.
Members of the DX Friends group will activate San Andres Island as 5J0R from November 1st to the 10th. Operations will be on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. Visit their Web page at
http://www.dxfriends.com/SanAndres2013/
for more information and QSL via EA5RM.
DL7VOA will be active as 6V7D from Senegal between November 29th and December 7th. His operation will be mainly on CW, with some SSB, on 40 through 10 meters. QSL via DL7VOA.
A group of operators from India will be operating from the Lakshadweep Islands from November 20th to the 10th of December as VU7AG and VU7KA. They will be active on 160 through10 meters using CW , SSB and RTTY. QSL via W4VKU
A team of 8 operators will be active from the rare Banda Besar Island between November 10th to the 15th. Callsigns have not been announced yet but operations will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW and SSB. Look for more details to be forthcoming at http://oc157.blogspot.co.uk/
HB9EYP will be on the air from Zanzibar between November 2nd and the 9th possibly using the call 5H3JJ. Activity will be QRP on 20 through 6 meters with 10 watts into a Windom antenna from a beachfront location. QSL via his home callsign either direct, via the bureau or electronically using Logbook to the World.
Members of the DX Friends group will activate San Andres Island as 5J0R from November 1st to the 10th. Operations will be on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. Visit their Web page at
http://www.dxfriends.com/SanAndres2013/
for more information and QSL via EA5RM.
DL7VOA will be active as 6V7D from Senegal between November 29th and December 7th. His operation will be mainly on CW, with some SSB, on 40 through 10 meters. QSL via DL7VOA.
A group of operators from India will be operating from the Lakshadweep Islands from November 20th to the 10th of December as VU7AG and VU7KA. They will be active on 160 through10 meters using CW , SSB and RTTY. QSL via W4VKU
A team of 8 operators will be active from the rare Banda Besar Island between November 10th to the 15th. Callsigns have not been announced yet but operations will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW and SSB. Look for more details to be forthcoming at http://oc157.blogspot.co.uk/
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Royal Air Force Permanent Special Event Stations
The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force station G3ELV and the Royal Air
Force Signals Museum station GB4SMH, will be operational under a
permanent Special Event permit effective November 1st. Normal operating
times for both locations will be 10:00 to 16:00 local time on each
Tuesday and on the first Saturday of each month.
If you make contact, please QSL only via the bureau.
If you make contact, please QSL only via the bureau.
Radar Contest on November 2nd
Turning to radiosports, the 2013 RaDAR-America Contest is coming November 2nd starting at 14:00 UTC and ending at 18:00 UTC.
RaDAR stands for Rapidly Deployable Amateur Radio and the event is aimed at promoting this type of operation throughout North and South America.
This competition is open to all licensed radio amateurs. A choice is made prior to the contest to participate in one of the defined categories.
The points system is so structured as to encourage portable operation, especially moveable stations. In fact, the rules are very close to those created by the founder of the contest Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE and the ZS RaDAR competition will take place at the same time in South Africa as it will here in the Americas.
Marcus Kessler, NX5MK, is the RaDAR-America Contest manager. The complete rules can be found at tinyurl.com/radar-america-contest. You can see a promotional video on the Amateur Radio Today page at www.sarl.org.za.
RaDAR stands for Rapidly Deployable Amateur Radio and the event is aimed at promoting this type of operation throughout North and South America.
This competition is open to all licensed radio amateurs. A choice is made prior to the contest to participate in one of the defined categories.
The points system is so structured as to encourage portable operation, especially moveable stations. In fact, the rules are very close to those created by the founder of the contest Eddie Leighton, ZS6BNE and the ZS RaDAR competition will take place at the same time in South Africa as it will here in the Americas.
Marcus Kessler, NX5MK, is the RaDAR-America Contest manager. The complete rules can be found at tinyurl.com/radar-america-contest. You can see a promotional video on the Amateur Radio Today page at www.sarl.org.za.
Monday, October 28, 2013
ARRL Supports FCC WRC-15
ARRL Supports FCC WRC-15 Advisory Committee Recommendations Affecting Amateur Radio
The ARRL has expressed its support for three recommendations affecting Amateur Radio frequency allocations which the FCC’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 FCC Advisory Committee (WAC) has already approved. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, filed comments on behalf of the League October 17 in IB Docket 04-286. The League has concluded that the WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.1 recommendation for 420-450 MHz “maintains a status quo that accommodates many users and works well.” The Amateur Service is secondary on the 70 centimeter band in the United States. At least one administration has proposed to introduce international mobile telecommunications (IMT) — cellular telephone and wireless broadband — to the bottom 10 MHz of the band, but the League said it agrees with the WAC and the NTIA that things are just fine as they stand.
“The status quo is successful and represents a success story for spectrum management,” the League said. “Introduction of IMT in the 420-430 segment of this band, as proposed by one administration, will most assuredly upset this status quo.” The ARRL pointed out that although ham radio is secondary on the band, “radio amateurs have a vested interest in maintaining their ability to use the band,” and Amateur Radio has been “a responsive and responsible sharing partner” to the band’s primary users.
For its part the WAC said, “The results indicate that for most cases, sharing between IMT-2000 base/mobile stations and the various types of radars when placed in adjacent spectrum is not feasible in the absence of mitigation.” Based on information at hand, the committee said, “it is logical to conclude that co-frequency sharing between IMT and the radiolocation service in the 420-450 MHz bands is not feasible.”
The League also said the WAC recommendation for WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.10 regarding 22 to 26 GHz “protects the only worldwide, primary Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Service allocation between 146 MHz and 47.2 GHz.”
“Sharing with incumbent services, including the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services at 24.-24.25 GHz will require technical and operation constraints that will result in spectrum being impractical for use by the MSS [Mobile Satellite Service],” the ARRL said. The Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services are primary at 24-24.25 GHz. “Radio amateurs have been responsible stewards of a band that is difficult to use, and the WAC proposal of no change to the entire 22-26 GHz range is particularly applicable to the 24-24.25 GHz segment.”
WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.18 considers a primary allocation to the radiolocation service for automotive applications in the 77.5-78.0 GHz frequency band in accordance with a resolution adopted at WRC-12. The League suggested that the FCC support the WAC recommendations “as a base for eventual reconciliation with an NTIA position,” or that the FCC not support any position on the agenda item, “as conducted studies to not support a position more expansive than that contained in the recommendation.” The Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services are now primary in the 77.5-78 GHz band, with Radio Astronomy Service users secondary.
The ARRL has expressed its support for three recommendations affecting Amateur Radio frequency allocations which the FCC’s World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 FCC Advisory Committee (WAC) has already approved. ARRL Chief Technology Officer Brennan Price, N4QX, filed comments on behalf of the League October 17 in IB Docket 04-286. The League has concluded that the WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.1 recommendation for 420-450 MHz “maintains a status quo that accommodates many users and works well.” The Amateur Service is secondary on the 70 centimeter band in the United States. At least one administration has proposed to introduce international mobile telecommunications (IMT) — cellular telephone and wireless broadband — to the bottom 10 MHz of the band, but the League said it agrees with the WAC and the NTIA that things are just fine as they stand.
“The status quo is successful and represents a success story for spectrum management,” the League said. “Introduction of IMT in the 420-430 segment of this band, as proposed by one administration, will most assuredly upset this status quo.” The ARRL pointed out that although ham radio is secondary on the band, “radio amateurs have a vested interest in maintaining their ability to use the band,” and Amateur Radio has been “a responsive and responsible sharing partner” to the band’s primary users.
For its part the WAC said, “The results indicate that for most cases, sharing between IMT-2000 base/mobile stations and the various types of radars when placed in adjacent spectrum is not feasible in the absence of mitigation.” Based on information at hand, the committee said, “it is logical to conclude that co-frequency sharing between IMT and the radiolocation service in the 420-450 MHz bands is not feasible.”
The League also said the WAC recommendation for WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.10 regarding 22 to 26 GHz “protects the only worldwide, primary Amateur and Amateur-Satellite Service allocation between 146 MHz and 47.2 GHz.”
“Sharing with incumbent services, including the Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services at 24.-24.25 GHz will require technical and operation constraints that will result in spectrum being impractical for use by the MSS [Mobile Satellite Service],” the ARRL said. The Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services are primary at 24-24.25 GHz. “Radio amateurs have been responsible stewards of a band that is difficult to use, and the WAC proposal of no change to the entire 22-26 GHz range is particularly applicable to the 24-24.25 GHz segment.”
WRC-15 Agenda Item 1.18 considers a primary allocation to the radiolocation service for automotive applications in the 77.5-78.0 GHz frequency band in accordance with a resolution adopted at WRC-12. The League suggested that the FCC support the WAC recommendations “as a base for eventual reconciliation with an NTIA position,” or that the FCC not support any position on the agenda item, “as conducted studies to not support a position more expansive than that contained in the recommendation.” The Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services are now primary in the 77.5-78 GHz band, with Radio Astronomy Service users secondary.
Canadian Amateurs Favor New MW Amateur Band
Radio Amateurs of Canada has commented
in support of a proposal that would create a new secondary Amateur
Radio medium-wave allocation at 472 to 479 kHz. The new 630 meter band
was proposed in a Consultation released in June by Industry Canada,
the nation’s radio communication regulator. It proposed numerous
revisions to Canada’s table of allocations warranted in the wake of
World Radio communication Conference 2012 (WRC-12). Last year the ARRL asked the FCC in 2012 to carve out the same MW band for US hams.
“RAC is pleased to see the department has included this allocation to the amateur service on a secondary basis in Canada, consistent with outcome of Agenda Item 1.23 at the World Radio Conference 2012,” said RAC President Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW, on behalf of RAC. “It is acknowledged that amateur service use of this new…band will be limited to 5 W effective radiated power relative to an isotropic radiator,” Bawden continued. In line with WRC-12, Industry Canada proposed that stations in the Amateur Service “shall not cause harmful interference to, or claim protection from, stations of the Aeronautical Radio navigation Service.”
Bawden said the addition of the MW band to the Amateur Service “will give Amateur Radio operators in Canada an opportunity to participate with other amateur operators in conducting short and long-range propagation studies using very narrowband digital techniques. Such communications will provide another path for emergency and disaster relief communications, when necessary.”
Several Canadian radio amateurs and other organizations also filed comments favoring the new MW allocation.
Bawden also offered the RAC’s support to create a 60 meter band for Canada’s radio amateurs. The allocation 5250 to 5450 kHz is not yet available to hams north of the border, and while Industry Canada did not specifically propose creating an amateur allocation there, the RAC remains optimistic.
“Based on the posted comments, we expect a favourable decision to this consultation very soon and expect an appropriate footnote will be added to this portion of spectrum [in the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations] indicating the six spot frequency allocations authorized to the Canadian Amateur Service and any restrictions on use that may apply,” Bawden told IC.
Low-frequency experimenter Joe Craig, VO1NA, writing on behalf of the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland (MRCN), added that group’s voice to those supporting the creation of the 472-479 kHz band in Canada. “From 2009-2012 , we and other Canadian amateurs conducted experiments between 504 and 509 kHz in support of a domestic allocation to the Amateur Service in this portion of the radio spectrum,” Craig noted. “We have used Morse and digital transmissions on 504.1, 507.77 and 508.5 MHz and were authorised to use up to 20 W ERP. There were no reports of interference from these operations.”
Utilities in Canada and the US have opposed the addition of a secondary Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz as well as at 135.7 to 137.8 kHz. In its comments, the Utilities Telecom Council of Canada (UTCC) urged IC not to establish an Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz, saying that interference to power line communication (PLC) systems operating in that part of the spectrum is highly likely and would be difficult to mitigate, since the PLC systems would have to avoid interfering with amateur operations.
“If there was an amateur allocation at 472-479 kHz, amateurs could freely operate in close proximity to transmission lines without the utility knowing that they were there,” the UTCC said in its comments. “Utilities would probably only become aware of these operations when it was too late, because they would experience unexplained outages or mis-operation of PLC systems. Interference to PLC systems has to the potential to cause widespread electrical outages.”
Craig asserts that the utilities are using drama, conjecture and “outright inaccuracies” to support their position, even citing what he called “the unfortunate FCC decision to deny 137 kHz” to US hams. “We can hope that reason will prevail, and that the new band will soon become available to Canadian amateurs,” he told ARRL.
source; E-Mail, ARRL
“RAC is pleased to see the department has included this allocation to the amateur service on a secondary basis in Canada, consistent with outcome of Agenda Item 1.23 at the World Radio Conference 2012,” said RAC President Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW, on behalf of RAC. “It is acknowledged that amateur service use of this new…band will be limited to 5 W effective radiated power relative to an isotropic radiator,” Bawden continued. In line with WRC-12, Industry Canada proposed that stations in the Amateur Service “shall not cause harmful interference to, or claim protection from, stations of the Aeronautical Radio navigation Service.”
Bawden said the addition of the MW band to the Amateur Service “will give Amateur Radio operators in Canada an opportunity to participate with other amateur operators in conducting short and long-range propagation studies using very narrowband digital techniques. Such communications will provide another path for emergency and disaster relief communications, when necessary.”
Several Canadian radio amateurs and other organizations also filed comments favoring the new MW allocation.
Bawden also offered the RAC’s support to create a 60 meter band for Canada’s radio amateurs. The allocation 5250 to 5450 kHz is not yet available to hams north of the border, and while Industry Canada did not specifically propose creating an amateur allocation there, the RAC remains optimistic.
“Based on the posted comments, we expect a favourable decision to this consultation very soon and expect an appropriate footnote will be added to this portion of spectrum [in the Canadian Table of Frequency Allocations] indicating the six spot frequency allocations authorized to the Canadian Amateur Service and any restrictions on use that may apply,” Bawden told IC.
Low-frequency experimenter Joe Craig, VO1NA, writing on behalf of the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland (MRCN), added that group’s voice to those supporting the creation of the 472-479 kHz band in Canada. “From 2009-2012 , we and other Canadian amateurs conducted experiments between 504 and 509 kHz in support of a domestic allocation to the Amateur Service in this portion of the radio spectrum,” Craig noted. “We have used Morse and digital transmissions on 504.1, 507.77 and 508.5 MHz and were authorised to use up to 20 W ERP. There were no reports of interference from these operations.”
Utilities in Canada and the US have opposed the addition of a secondary Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz as well as at 135.7 to 137.8 kHz. In its comments, the Utilities Telecom Council of Canada (UTCC) urged IC not to establish an Amateur Radio allocation at 472-479 kHz, saying that interference to power line communication (PLC) systems operating in that part of the spectrum is highly likely and would be difficult to mitigate, since the PLC systems would have to avoid interfering with amateur operations.
“If there was an amateur allocation at 472-479 kHz, amateurs could freely operate in close proximity to transmission lines without the utility knowing that they were there,” the UTCC said in its comments. “Utilities would probably only become aware of these operations when it was too late, because they would experience unexplained outages or mis-operation of PLC systems. Interference to PLC systems has to the potential to cause widespread electrical outages.”
Craig asserts that the utilities are using drama, conjecture and “outright inaccuracies” to support their position, even citing what he called “the unfortunate FCC decision to deny 137 kHz” to US hams. “We can hope that reason will prevail, and that the new band will soon become available to Canadian amateurs,” he told ARRL.
source; E-Mail, ARRL
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Amateur Radio DX News
In DX, the ARRL DXCC desk has announced that the 2013 T6JR operation
from Afghanistan has been approved for DXCC credit. Cards are now being
accepted for that one.
RK4FF will be on the air as 6V7S from Senegal through November 27th. Activity is on 80 through 10 meters excluding the WARC bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. His log is available on ClubLog. QSL via RK4FF.
DF1YP is now active stroke FO from Moorea Island French Polynesia. He reportedly will be there until November 6th. His operation has been mainly on 20 meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign.
G4IRN will be active as D44TWQ from Cape Verde between November 5th to the 12th. His operation will be holiday style on the 30, 17 and 12 meters and on CW only. QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau.
N7OU will be operational from the South Cook Islands until 9th of November. He has reactivated his E51NOU callsign on all bands from 10 to 160 meters operating CW only. QSLs go via his home call.
DL7AFS and J7ZG will be active as D44TXT from Ilha de Sao Tiago, until November 7th. They will be on the 80 through 10 meters using SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and PSK63. QSL via DL7AFS, either direct or via the bureau.
N0HJZ is active as C6ARW from Grand Bahama, through October 29th using on 30, 17 and 12 meters as well on CW and RTTY on other bands. QSL via N0HJZ, either direct or via bureau.
DH3WO announces that he will be operational from Lesotho as 7P8WO from December 22nd to the 24th. He plans to be active on all of the High Frequency bands though no operating times or frequencies have yet been announced. QSL’s go via home call.
RK4FF will be on the air as 6V7S from Senegal through November 27th. Activity is on 80 through 10 meters excluding the WARC bands using CW, SSB and RTTY. His log is available on ClubLog. QSL via RK4FF.
DF1YP is now active stroke FO from Moorea Island French Polynesia. He reportedly will be there until November 6th. His operation has been mainly on 20 meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign.
G4IRN will be active as D44TWQ from Cape Verde between November 5th to the 12th. His operation will be holiday style on the 30, 17 and 12 meters and on CW only. QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau.
N7OU will be operational from the South Cook Islands until 9th of November. He has reactivated his E51NOU callsign on all bands from 10 to 160 meters operating CW only. QSLs go via his home call.
DL7AFS and J7ZG will be active as D44TXT from Ilha de Sao Tiago, until November 7th. They will be on the 80 through 10 meters using SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and PSK63. QSL via DL7AFS, either direct or via the bureau.
N0HJZ is active as C6ARW from Grand Bahama, through October 29th using on 30, 17 and 12 meters as well on CW and RTTY on other bands. QSL via N0HJZ, either direct or via bureau.
DH3WO announces that he will be operational from Lesotho as 7P8WO from December 22nd to the 24th. He plans to be active on all of the High Frequency bands though no operating times or frequencies have yet been announced. QSL’s go via home call.
Friday, October 25, 2013
T33A Banaba Island Hopes to be Active NOVEMBER 5-18
The T33A DXpedition to Banaba Island is fast approaching and is expected to be active from November 5th to the 18th.
It was reported on the T33A Blog Page on October 17th by co team leader Jay Kobelin, W2IJ, that the container carrying the gear for the operation has departed Suva, Fiji and was now on its way by sea to Tarawa. Also that the operations advance team will arrive in Tarawa on October 31st to attend to picking up provisions as well as to get the container unsealed and cleared through customs. They will then make certain that it is loaded onto their vessel in preparation for a November 3rd departure to Banaba Island.
It was also mentioned that the T33A operations main sponsor is Elecraft, which is supplying six K 3 Transceivers and five KPA-500 Amplifiers. Also that the T33A team will be using the DXA interface for their operation. DXA is an innovative Web site that allows DX’ers to view the status and activities of a DXpedition in near-real-time.
For more details about this DXpedition please visit www.t33a.com.
It was reported on the T33A Blog Page on October 17th by co team leader Jay Kobelin, W2IJ, that the container carrying the gear for the operation has departed Suva, Fiji and was now on its way by sea to Tarawa. Also that the operations advance team will arrive in Tarawa on October 31st to attend to picking up provisions as well as to get the container unsealed and cleared through customs. They will then make certain that it is loaded onto their vessel in preparation for a November 3rd departure to Banaba Island.
It was also mentioned that the T33A operations main sponsor is Elecraft, which is supplying six K 3 Transceivers and five KPA-500 Amplifiers. Also that the T33A team will be using the DXA interface for their operation. DXA is an innovative Web site that allows DX’ers to view the status and activities of a DXpedition in near-real-time.
For more details about this DXpedition please visit www.t33a.com.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Australia WICIN Responds to New South Wales Brushfires
Amateur Radio Operators who are members of Australia’s WICEN have been activated as fires rage in an area called the Blue Mountains threaten to expand.
According to Jim Linton, VK3PC, who is the IARU Chairman Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee, already some 200 homes have been lost as wildfires rage in the Blue Mountains of the Australian state of New South Wales not far from the city of Sydney. News reports attribute one death to the wildfires. A State of Emergency has been declared for the area and fire fighters worry that up to four separate blazes could potentially combine to form a single massive fire front.
Compton Allen, VK2HRX, is the president of WICEN in New South Wales. He says that an official activation has begun, drawing on the resources of the emergency communications group. Currently the mobilization is to support the declared State of Emergency with manpower in the Lithgow area to the west of Sydney.
About 1,200 firefighters were battling blazes across the state. New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said personnel had volunteered to help from all across Australia, and as far away as here in New Zealand. The ground effort is being backed with more than eighty aircraft which were dropping water and fire retardant on the flames.
VK3PC says that evacuations of tens of thousands of people are possible if hotter weather conditions combine with fire fronts already burning. This is a scenario that is literally changing minute by minute and we will have more on it in future newscasts.
Note:
WICEN in Australia is comparable to a combined RACES and ARES here in the United States.
source; Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF
According to Jim Linton, VK3PC, who is the IARU Chairman Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee, already some 200 homes have been lost as wildfires rage in the Blue Mountains of the Australian state of New South Wales not far from the city of Sydney. News reports attribute one death to the wildfires. A State of Emergency has been declared for the area and fire fighters worry that up to four separate blazes could potentially combine to form a single massive fire front.
Compton Allen, VK2HRX, is the president of WICEN in New South Wales. He says that an official activation has begun, drawing on the resources of the emergency communications group. Currently the mobilization is to support the declared State of Emergency with manpower in the Lithgow area to the west of Sydney.
About 1,200 firefighters were battling blazes across the state. New South Wales Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said personnel had volunteered to help from all across Australia, and as far away as here in New Zealand. The ground effort is being backed with more than eighty aircraft which were dropping water and fire retardant on the flames.
VK3PC says that evacuations of tens of thousands of people are possible if hotter weather conditions combine with fire fronts already burning. This is a scenario that is literally changing minute by minute and we will have more on it in future newscasts.
Note:
WICEN in Australia is comparable to a combined RACES and ARES here in the United States.
source; Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
LDG AT-600ProII AutoTuner
Time was, 100 watts was a lot of power.
Today, more and more mid-sized amps with 500 watts output are becoming popular.
The LDG AT-600ProII is designed for this new generation of power levels.
The AT-600ProII will
handle up to 600 watts SSB and CW and 300 on RTTY (1.8 – 30 MHz) and 250 watts
on 54 MHz. It features LDG’s state-of-the-art, processor-controlled Switched-L
tuner. It will match virtually any kind of coax-fed antenna, including Yagis,
dipoles, inverted Vs, slopers, loops, just about anything. It will typically
match a 10:1 SWR down to 1.5:1 in just a few seconds. You can also use the AT-600ProII
with longwires, random wires and antennas fed with ladder line just by adding a
balun.
The AT-600ProII features two antenna ports with
a front-panel indicator showing which is in use, and separate memory banks for
each antenna. The optional M-600 4.5" analog meter shows FWD (100 and 600W scales), REV, or SWR in Peak or Average. Easy to read LED bar-graph meters showing RF power, SWR and tuner
status, tactile feedback control buttons and an LED bypass indicator complete
the user interface. Any power source from 11 – 16 volts DC can be used; the
AT-600ProII only draws up to 750mA.
Cycle 24’s not going anywhere any time soon.
If you power up, LDG’s got your back with the new AT-600ProII. Order yours today.
More Info; Click Here
New Equipment Strengthens ability to Communicate after any Disaster
Sick of hearing about scientists’ prediction that much
of the northern West Coast, including Del Norte, is due for a
catastrophic earthquake and tsunami?
Well, local emergency officials are far from sick of
reminding you, and they continue to beef up emergency infrastructure for
when “the big one” strikes.
Last weekend, a 59-foot ham radio tower engineered to
withstand a large earthquake was installed at the headquarters of the
Del Norte Amateur Radio Club located at the Del Norte American Red
Cross building.
“In a big disaster, ham radio has been proven to be
that one form of communication that is always the last one standing,”
said Cindy Henderson, Emergency Services Manager for Del Norte County,
adding that cell phone towers are likely to go down in an earthquake.
During Hurricane Katrina, ham radio was the last
communication available, Henderson said, adding, “Ham radio is one of
those things that is going to save lives.”
To read the rest of the story. Click Here
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Russian Military back on 21MHz
The IARU Monitoring Service newsletter reports on a possible Russian
military station that has been using the amateur radio 21 MHz band. It
says that encrypted voice traffic has been operating on 21000.0 kHz on
USB. Also that the in-band synchronizing signal was always audible and
quite strong. The transmitter sending out these transmissions is
believed to be located in or near Nizhny Tagil in Russia but its purpose
is unknown. The newsletter also reports that the Russian military have
also been using other frequencies in our 7, 14 and 21 MHz bands and
have been operating an Over The Horizon radar between 3500 and 3800 kHz.
(IARUMS, IARU-R-1)
(IARUMS, IARU-R-1)
Solar Activity Drops to 100-Year Low, Puzzling Scientists:
Predictions that 2013 would see an upsurge in solar activity and
geomagnetic storms disrupting power grids and communications systems
have proved to be a false alarm. Instead, the current peak in the solar
cycle is the weakest for a century.
Subdued solar activity has prompted controversial comparisons with the Maunder Minimum, which occurred between 1645 and 1715, when a prolonged absence of sunspots and other indicators of solar activity coincided with the coldest period in the last millennium.
The comparisons have sparked a furious exchange of views between observers who believe the planet could be on the brink of another period of cooling, and scientists who insist there is no evidence that temperatures are about to fall. In all fairness, Russian scientists have warned over a decade ago that the Earth will enter a mini ice age period.
New Scientist magazine blasted those who predicted a mini ice age, opening a recent article on the surprising lack of sunspots this year with the bold declaration: "Those hoping that the sun could save us from climate change look set for disappointment".
"The recent lapse in solar activity is not the beginning of a decades-long absence of sunspots, a dip that might have cooled the climate. Instead it represents a shorter, less pronounced downturn that happens every century or so," ("Sun's quiet spell not the start of a mini ice age" July 12).
The unusually low number of sunspots in recent years "is not an indication that we are going into a Maunder Minimum" according to Giuliana DeToma, a solar scientist at the High Altitude Observatory in Colorado.
But DeToma admitted "we will do not know how or why the Maunder Minimum started, so we cannot predict the next one."
Many solar experts think the downturn is linked a different phenomenon, the Gleissberg cycle, which predicts a period of weaker solar activity every century or so. If that turns out to be true, the sun could remain unusually quiet through the middle of the 2020s.
But since the scientists still do not understand why the Gleissberg cycle takes place, the evidence is inconclusive. The bottom line is that the sun has gone unusually quiet and no one really knows why or how it will last.
To read more; Click Here
http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/23966/1/
Subdued solar activity has prompted controversial comparisons with the Maunder Minimum, which occurred between 1645 and 1715, when a prolonged absence of sunspots and other indicators of solar activity coincided with the coldest period in the last millennium.
The comparisons have sparked a furious exchange of views between observers who believe the planet could be on the brink of another period of cooling, and scientists who insist there is no evidence that temperatures are about to fall. In all fairness, Russian scientists have warned over a decade ago that the Earth will enter a mini ice age period.
New Scientist magazine blasted those who predicted a mini ice age, opening a recent article on the surprising lack of sunspots this year with the bold declaration: "Those hoping that the sun could save us from climate change look set for disappointment".
"The recent lapse in solar activity is not the beginning of a decades-long absence of sunspots, a dip that might have cooled the climate. Instead it represents a shorter, less pronounced downturn that happens every century or so," ("Sun's quiet spell not the start of a mini ice age" July 12).
The unusually low number of sunspots in recent years "is not an indication that we are going into a Maunder Minimum" according to Giuliana DeToma, a solar scientist at the High Altitude Observatory in Colorado.
But DeToma admitted "we will do not know how or why the Maunder Minimum started, so we cannot predict the next one."
Many solar experts think the downturn is linked a different phenomenon, the Gleissberg cycle, which predicts a period of weaker solar activity every century or so. If that turns out to be true, the sun could remain unusually quiet through the middle of the 2020s.
But since the scientists still do not understand why the Gleissberg cycle takes place, the evidence is inconclusive. The bottom line is that the sun has gone unusually quiet and no one really knows why or how it will last.
To read more; Click Here
http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/23966/1/
Friday, October 18, 2013
Swedish Amateur Radio Operators get Access to the 472 KHZ Band
As of October 1st Swedish Telecom is permitting that nations radio
amateurs access to the 472 to 479 kHz band. Like in some locations the
maximum radiated power is one watt as opposed to the five watts
permitted by some nations.
The Swedish Telecom paper also reports that also on the same date that new rules concerning exemptions from the requirement for radio transmitters to have an operating license came into effect.
Most transmitters in Sweden still require a license but for the sake of simplicity, the telecommunications regulator may allow exceptions in cases where this is little risk of interference. One new exclusion applies to vehicle communication transmissions in the 63 to 64 GHz band. Other exemptions are associated to Radio Frequency Identification use in the 2446 to 2454 MHz range for sales and inventory control.
Source; Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania.
The Swedish Telecom paper also reports that also on the same date that new rules concerning exemptions from the requirement for radio transmitters to have an operating license came into effect.
Most transmitters in Sweden still require a license but for the sake of simplicity, the telecommunications regulator may allow exceptions in cases where this is little risk of interference. One new exclusion applies to vehicle communication transmissions in the 63 to 64 GHz band. Other exemptions are associated to Radio Frequency Identification use in the 2446 to 2454 MHz range for sales and inventory control.
Source; Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania.
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