For full text --> www.arrl.org
(I included a bit more than usual this time - Tom)
The ARRL Letter
Electronic Update
June 7, 1996
__________________________________
IN THIS UPDATE:
* Deluge of comments on 2-meter/70-cm threat!
* Ariane 5 rocket failure could affect Phase 3D
* First vanity call signs issued
* N4T commemorates Tennessee bicentennial
* FCC closes monitoring stations, field offices
* Scanner charges dropped against KY ham
* Apparent repeat offender nabbed on West Coast
* Quiet sun
* FD in space
* QRP-ARCI FDIM papers available
* Courage HANDI-HAM's Sister Alverna recovering
* Megan A. Fox, KB5WBX, SK
* Dorothea M. Seaver, W4QBY, SK
* In Brief: Eastern VHF/UHF confab set;
5A1A okay for DXCC; DXCC Desk report;
ARRL Web hits top one million
__________________________________
COMMENT DELUGE FOLLOWS 2-METER/70-CM BAND THREAT
[text skipped, see www.arrl.org for complete article]
Instead of directing comments to the individuals listed in the pre-press
version of Sumner's editorial, the Commission's new procedures ask that
comments by e-mail be sent to: wrc97@fcc.gov.
[text skipped]
Remember: Do comment. But be civil. Don't abuse people who are simply doing
their jobs.
FIRST VANITY CALL SIGNS ISSUED!
The FCC has issued the first call signs under the new vanity call sign
program. Gate 1, which permits licensees to get back former individual or
club call signs or the former call sign of a deceased close relative, opened
May 31, 1996.
Among the first out of the gate were Mark Mandelkern, K5AM (ex-KN5S); Ronald
Allen, W3OR (ex-AA3NF); John Webster, W6RM (ex-WA6L); Frank Eldredge, W7GGR
(ex-N7BRG); Charles Coldwell Jr, WB5CTQ (ex-KC5EBG); John Santucci Jr,
WB9JVM (ex-WD4FMN); Signe Twardowski, W3IIJ (ex KC7QFI); Wendell Davis,
W1HSO (ex-N1GJW); and Ernest Evans, W8RWS (ex-N8ELO). The FCC also issued
club station call signs K2HE, K0USA and WA7MNW.
The FCC reports it received more than 350 first-day applications. But 85
applications were filed too early and were returned to applicants for timely
resubmittal. Gate 1 remains open for applications indefinitely. The FCC has
not yet announced opening dates for the other filing gates.
1x1 CALL SIGN N4T ISSUED FOR TENNESSEE BICENTENNIAL
The Amateur Radio display at the Bicentennial Mall in Nashville, Tennessee,
will include special event station N4T, in observance of the 200th
anniversary of Tennessee's statehood. The FCC has authorized the use of N4T
through June 30, 1996.
The station licensee and control operator is Ron Quednau, N4GHU, of
Nolensville, Tennessee. The special event call sign was granted May 31 by
the office of FCC Private Wireless Division Chief Robert H. McNamara.
N4GHU reports N4T operations are mostly on evenings and weekends, and
operating hours are "very flexible," since the station is relying on guest
operators. N4T is equipped for HF on CW (80, 40 and 20 meters) and has done
some satellite work, too.
A commemorative QSL card signed by Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist will be
issued for contacts. It also bears Sundquist's message: "Let Tennessee
Amateur Radio commemorate our Bicentennial with this QSL card."
FCC CLOSES MONITORING STATIONS, FIELD OFFICES
As part of a previously announced restructuring of its Compliance and
Information Bureau, the FCC has closed 12 HF spectrum monitoring stations
and six district offices, effective May 29.
The monitoring stations shut down were in Belfast, Maine; Powder Springs,
Georgia; Vero Beach, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Allegan, Michigan;
Kingsville, Texas, Grand Island, Nebraska; Anchorage, Alaska; Douglas,
Arizona; Livermore, California, Honolulu, Hawaii; and Ferndale, Washington.
District offices closed were in Buffalo, New York; Norfolk, Virginia; Miami,
Florida; Houston, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and St Paul (Maplewood),
Minnesota.
The FCC says "a downsized professional staff" will remain in Buffalo,
Norfolk, Miami, Houston, Portland, St Paul, Anchorage, Honolulu and San
Juan.
The FCC is replacing its HF monitoring stations with "advanced, automated
equipment" that will remotely control monitoring sites from an operations
center in Maryland. The FCC also plans to install a nationwide toll-free
call center, and service is scheduled to begin on a regional basis this
month. Until the nationwide toll-free service is available, the FCC says
people may call one of the remaining district offices for assistance. Here's
a list of service facilities for localities where FCC offices have been
closed:
* Allegan, Michigan: Detroit District Office, 810-471-5924.
* Anchorage, Alaska; Ferndale, Washington; Portland, Oregon: Seattle
District Office, 206-821-9037.
* Belfast, Maine: Boston District Office, 617-770-4023.
* Douglas, Arizona: San Diego District Office, 619-467-0549.
* Grand Island, Nebraska; Norfolk, Virginia: Kansas City District Office,
816-353-3773.
* Honolulu, Hawaii; Livermore, California: San Francisco District Office,
510-732-9046.
* Houston, Texas; Kingsville, Texas: Dallas District Office, 214-235-3369.
* Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Vero Beach, Florida: Tampa District
Office, 813-348-1508.
* Powder Springs, Georgia: Atlanta District Office, 770-279-4621.
* St Paul, Minnesota: Chicago District Office, 847-298-5401.
Individuals needing FCC forms or other documents should call the FCC's Forms
Distribution Center at 800-418-3676.--FCC
SOLAR FORECAST: QUIET
Solar prognosticator Tad Cook, KT7H, in Seattle, Washington, reports there
were no visible sunspots for the period May 24-29, and solar flux was down a
couple of points. Expect very quiet conditions to continue, with very little
solar activity. On or about Saturday, June 8, a slightly rising solar flux
should peak just above 70, and then fall below 70 after the middle of June.
The most disturbed days over the next month are predicted to be around June
9 and 10, but with a predicted A index of only 12, so a major storm is not
expected. This is a result of disturbed areas observed during the last solar
rotation coming back into view.
Sunspot numbers for May 23 through 29 were 12, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and 0,
respectively, with a mean of 1.7. The 10.7-cm flux was 67.2, 67.2, 66.9,
66.9, 66.6, 66, and 66.5, respectively, with a mean of 66.8.
FIELD DAY IN SPACE?
During this year's ARRL Field Day June 22-23, some SAREX activities will
take place on shuttle mission STS-78, set to launch June 20. NASA Payload
Commander Susan Helms, KC7NHZ; Mission Specialist Charles Brady, N4BQW; and
Payload Specialist Robert Thirsk, VA3CSA; hope to find free time to hand out
points from the shuttle to Field Day ops. The crew will use separate receive
and transmit frequencies:
* FM voice downlink (worldwide): 145.55 MHz
* FM voice uplink: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97 and 144.99 MHz
* FM voice uplink (Europe only): 144.70, 144.75 and 144.80 MHz
* FM packet downlink: 145.55 MHz
* FM packet uplink: 144.49 MHz
In Brief:
* The 22nd annual Eastern VHF/UHF Conference is set for August 23-25 at the
Quality Inn and Conference Center, 51 Hartford Tpke (Rte 83), Vernon, CT.
The event commences with a hospitality suite Friday, August 23, at 4 PM.
Registration, formal conference activities and the banquet start Saturday,
August 24, at 8 AM. A swapfest is Sunday, August 25. Registration by mail is
$20; at the door, $25 (banquet tickets are additional). For registration
information, contact Rae Bristol, K1LXD, 328 Mark Dr, Coventry, CT 06238,
tel 860-742-8650. For swapfest information, contact Mark Casey, N1LZC, 303
Main St, Hampden, MA 01036, tel 413-566-2445. The conference still seeks
speakers. Those interested should contact Conference Chairman Stan Hilinski,
KA1ZE, 17 Pilgrim Dr, Tolland, CT 06084, tel 860-649-3258 (W) or
860-872-6197 (H).
* FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Deputy Chief Ralph A. Haller, N4RH,
has announced he's retiring. Haller, 48, has spent 25 years with the FCC,
including eight years as head of the Private Radio Bureau. He lives in
Arlington, Virginia.
* DXCC approval has been given for 5A1A operations from Libya that were
conducted by Ukrainian and Libyan nationals.
* The ARRL DXCC Desk reports the number of unprocessed applications at the
end of May 1996 was 139 (13,424 QSLs). The desk got 431 applications (32,402
QSLs) for endorsements and new awards during May. Applications being sent
out at month's end were received about a week earlier. A few applications
received before that were awaiting conversion from paper records or were
being audited.
* It's official! ARRL Web, the ARRL HQ World Wide Web site has gone over the
one million "hit" mark for 1996. (A "hit" is a request for a file from the
server by a viewer.) The site currently gets as many as 10,000 hits daily on
weekdays and has been seeing more than 13,000 a day since the 2-meter/70-cm
band threat issue arose!--Jon Bloom, KE3Z
The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Rodney J.
Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.
Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail
kcapodicasa@arrl.org.
Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail rlindquist@arrl.org.
The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest
to active, organizationally minded radio amateurs faster than it can be
disseminated by our official journal, QST. We strive to be fast, accurate
and readable in our reporting.
Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any
form, including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, provided that
credit is given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.
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Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box 386, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444
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