1996 Budget
Chuck Sarture, ARC Treasurer,
presented the proposed 1996 budget. The planned expenditures
for 1996 are summarized below:
High Frequency Equipment,
etc.$415.
Packet 845.
Repeaters 1220.
Field Day 760.
General Maintenance 385.
Infrastructure 500.
Other (Newsltrs, Awards, etc.)1069.
Total $5194.
In addition to the General, Autopatch,
and Emergency Preparedness Accounts, ERC requested that the club
open a separate Capital Equipment Upgrade Account. Income for
this account is based on the sale of obsolete equipment plus
a 25% ERC grant.
It was moved to approve the budget;
the motion was seconded and approved.
 |
|
RW3DZ being welcomed by W6EJJ(photo by N6ET) |
Program
Jay then introduced Dr. Alexander
(Alex) Zaitzev (RW3DZ), who spoke to us about amateur radio in
Russia. Alex is from the Russian Academy of Sciences and was
attending the Chapman Conference on Magnetic Storms at JPL. He
received his first license (UA1ABZ) in 1959 and has been active
since then. Alex compared amateur radio in Russia (about 20 repeaters
- all 2-meter) to here, where he was amazed at the size of the
Repeater Directory that he saw at Ham Radio Outlet. The talk
was very interesting and pointed out the enormous differences
between the U.S. and Russia. Alex can be reached on e-mail at
rw3dz@sch1tr.msk.su and on packet at RZ3AXO.ampr.org
Board of Director's Meeting
The regular Board of Directors
meeting was held in Bldg. 301, Room 227, on Wednesday, February
28. The meeting was chaired by President Jay Holladay, W6EJJ,
and a quorum was present. In the absence of the secretary, who
was on business travel, notes were taken by Bob Polansky, N6ET,
and Jay Holladay.
Emergency Communications Manager
Walt Mushagian, K6DNS, reported on the emergency exercise held
earlier that day. The Emergency Operations Center was activated,
but the simulated emergency was designated as a "table top"
(discussion) exercise rather than a full-up simulation, and the
emergency communications net was not activated. Walt thanked
all those who were monitoring that day and ready to support.
He is compiling an updated list of Club members to be called
in case of a real activation. The president requested that the
Club's emergency communications plan be reviewed for possible
update.
Chuck Sarture, KG6NF, presented
the treasurer's report. The budget for the Club's 1996-1997 fiscal
year has been submitted to ERC.
There followed a discussion of
club repeater activities, including the recent temporary interruption
of Shuttle audio on 224.08. The president expressed a strong
desire for regular review of the status and plans for the Club
repeaters by the Board of Directors. n
JPL Scouts
Need Help
By Chuck
Sarture, KG6NF
The JPL Space Exploration Post
509 is interested in having the JPL Amateur Radio Club provide
communications support for its Space Settlement Design Competition
(a.k.a. SpaceSet '96). This is an event for young people between
the ages of 14 and 21 who are interested in science, engineering,
and space, and has been hosted by the Post and JPL each of the
past 10 years.
Six to ten amateurs are needed
on Saturday, April 13, from 7 AM to 11 PM, and four to six people
on Sunday, April 14, from 7 AM to 3 PM. A standard communications
net will be set up with net control in von Karman auditorium
and stations located around the lab. The need is based on the
requirement for JPL employee escorts for all people moving around
the lab and communications support among the groups situated
in several conference rooms around the lab wherever phones are
not conveniently located. At this point I would like to determine
the number of people interested in supporting SpaceSet (not necessarily
for the entire time) so that I know whether the club can actually
support it or not. Shifts and support locations will be determined
later.
Contact Chuck for more information. n
DX News
By Bob
Polansky, N6ET
I am submitting this article
a bit early, since I will be away from the Lab when my next "The
DX Bulletin" arrives. Not to fear though, there is still
some interesting stuff I've been able to identify in the one-week
old issue. Here goes:
CHAD - DL7FT is currently operating
as TT8FT, all modes, all bands. He will be there through 9 March.
He is one of the few I still need on CW. No reports of his being
worked in California yet.
CHAGOS - VQ9DX showed up this
week on 40 CW, about 1500Z. He is not real strong, but is copyable
in W6-land. His home call is AA5DX and he plans to be there for
the next 4 months.
CROZET - FT5WE is frequently
available around 7005 kHz from 1515Z for quick CW contacts. He
is weak and sends very fast, but is relatively easy to work.
Good luck!
FRANZ JOSEF LAND - R1FJZ has
been reported from 1100 to 1300Z on both 7002 and 3790 kHz.
THE GAMBIA - C5/many DL calls
will be populating the bands from 4 to 18 March. They plan on
operating all bands, and all modes. 1822, 3505, 7005, 10115,
14005, 18073, 21005, 24893, and 28005 were advertised as CW frequencies
with the usual SSB DX frequencies being all that was specified.
Good luck. If you miss them, C53HG is quite active on most bands,
both SSB and CW.
MAURITIUS - 3B8CF is frequently
on 40 and 80 CW around 1500Z. Work him quickly while the long
path remains open on those bands.
SIERRA LEONE - 9L1PG has been
reported on most bands, both phone and CW. Look on the W6VIO
trailer walls for specifics on times and frequencies.
SOUTH COOK ISLAND - ZK1DI operates
nightly on the low ends of 40 and 80 CW. He puts in a moderate
signal on both bands, and has only a few takers. Work him quickly,
since he will be leaving in mid-March.
SVALBARD - JW6VDA will operate
from this rare polar QTH from 1 to 10 March. No information is
available on bands or modes, but I would try 20 and 40 CW in
the late afternoon and early evening.
TURKEY - TA2BK has been worked
just after 1500Z in California on 7003 kHz. Several Eastern Europeans,
Western Asians have also been heard at about the same time on
40 CW.
That's enough for this month.
The DX is there, just a bit weak due to the sunspot situation. n
W6VIO Work
Parties
By Bob
Polansky, N6ET
On 10 February, Jay Holladay,
Walt Mushagian, Chris Carson, Warren Dowler, Nick Gautier, Jerry
Hawkes, and myself got together and accomplished a whole bunch!
The new battery that powers the shack was installed in a new
waterproof container. A new battery charger was also installed
and set up. Our battery power is now fully restored and operational.
All element halves for the new TH7DXX were measured and assembled.
They now await further assembly into TH7DXX "halves,"
an activity that will be accomplished at the water tower site
so they can be readily installed on our new tower. Last of all,
the hardline plumbing was completed and we are now ready to run
pressure tests on all four hardlines.
Our next Work Party will take
place on 9 March from 9 AM to Noon. Our goal will be to assemble
element halves, and to run preliminary pressure tests on the
hardlines. These are fun times! Hope you can join us. Further
work parties are tentatively scheduled on three week centers
from the 9th of March, but are subject to change as circumstances
dictate. n
Licensing
Classes
By Jay
Holladay, W6EJJ
Know someone who is looking for
a licensing class? Two local clubs are sponsoring beginners classes
leading to the Technician (no-code) license:
Crescenta Valley Radio Club classes
begin Wed., March 13, from 7:30-9:00 PM at the La Crescenta Sheriff's
Station on Briggs Ave. The classes will be held for six weeks,
with the test given on the seventh week. Contact Joe Sabutis,
NW0A, at 818-247-1126, or e-mail jsabutis@aurora.atmos.ucla.edu
Pasadena Radio Club classes will
begin the first week of April at the Kaiser Permanente offices
in Pasadena. Contact Al Wolff, KC7O, at 818-603-5682. n
WB6IEA
Repeater
By Walt
Diem, WA6PEA
Users have been reporting significantly
improved sensitivity and audio quality since the "backup"
repeater was installed in December. They are now able to use
the repeater from areas that they could not use the Kendecom.
In fact, the reports indicate the coverage is like it used to
be before the Kendecom was installed.
Soon after the "backup"
repeater was installed, Merv MacMedan reported "I can bring
up the new configuration with only 50 milliwatts and a rubber
ducky inside the house, and I can now use my handy-talkie around
the neighborhood which I had not been able to do for many years".
Tom Bruegge, et al., have reported that they are now able to
use the repeater from areas that they were unable to use it before.
So, if you have not tried it lately, check it out.
The repeater is transmitting
PL on its output so that users can use tone (CTCSS) squelch to
monitor the repeater without having to listen to any co-channeled
repeaters.
Bill Wood cleaned, modified and
retuned the duplexer. He and I reinstalled it on 10 January.
With the refurbished duplexer working properly, we were able
to discontinue the use of split antennas and return to the use
of the single higher antenna, further improving receive sensitivity.
The autodialer, donated by Greg
LaBorde, was installed on 16 January after Bill Wood diagnosed
the interface problem and modified the repeater interface. Since
this was a different autodialer, I had to first program all the
autodial numbers. I recommend that you try your autodialer number
to verify it is programmed correctly. Notify me of any problems.
Any autopatch member that does not yet have an autodial number
may get one by contacting me by email, wdiem@earthlink.net, or
phone 818-248-7525.
This "backup" repeater
is actually the old repeater built by Bill Wood in 1978, which
was replaced several years ago by the Kendecom repeater. The
Board of Directors decided to purchase the Kendecom with the
intent of getting a commercially built unit with good documentation
and factory support. We have found it to be poorly designed and
built with inferior parts. The drawings do not completely match
the hardware and factory support is poor. It took two years,
the work of many club members, and one return to the factory
to get the repeater working well enough to put into service.
Once in service, it was unreliable and had muddy audio. Bill
Wood is now redesigning the transmitter audio circuits, replacing
unreliable potentiometers, and reworking the repeater hardware
to make it work properly and reliably.
The Kendecom repeater uses a
6502 processor. The program is usable, but poorly written. Is
anyone willing to tackle rewriting the software? n
Classified
Section
Wanted
A 220 MHz FM transceiver, HT
or mobile, preferably with PL, DTMF, and/or service manual. Contact
Ross Snyder (N0GSZ) at 818-545-3973 or via Internet at rdsnyder@mit.edu.
A50-to-80-foot self supporting/telescoping/tilt-over
tower or towers. Can be either tubular or triangular. Need to
be in good condition. Motorized would be a big plus. Will pay
for packaging and shipping to Prescott, Arizona. Contact Brian
(KW6J) at 714-896-3514 (M-F, 8 AM to 4 PM) or via Internet at
stapleton@apt.mdc.com.
New or used (but in good condition)
HF large mono-band beams which were designed for high gain/good
front to back ratio/good directivity etc. Contact Brian (KW6J)
at 714-896-3514 (M-F 8 AM to 4 PM) or via Internet at stapleton@apt.mdc.com.
Your want ad or article for inclusion
in a future issue of W6VIO Calling. Submit either to Bill Wood,
Mail Stop DSCC-33; or via Internet (bill.wood@mindspring.com).
For Sale
220 Mhz FM transceiver. Midland
Model 13-513 in good condition with keypad mike, manual, and
uninstalled PL kit. Contact Richard Mathison, KG6Y at 818-354-5747
days, 811-798-7660 evenings, or rpm@jpl.nasa.gov
Kenwood TS-430S HF transceiver.
Kenwood TL-922A HF kW amplifier. MFJ 1500 watt HF antenna tuner.
Create Designs 10-15-20-40 rotatable inverted, inverted V. Misc.
microphones, keys and keyers, wattmeters, loads, etc. for the
above equipment. Contact George Morris, W6ABW, (818) 432-4987.
Battery Packs for HT's, camcorders,
cordless and cellular telephones, etc. at unusually low prices.
Larsen mobile antennas also at a discount. Call Walt Diem at
(818) 248-7525. n
ARRL News
Via the WWW ARRL Letter and Jan Tarsala
Solar Cycle
Near Bottom
ARRL Letter, Volume 15, Number
2
Despite some earlier reports
that the current sunspot cycle had bottomed out, it could be
another year before things start looking up, depending on which
data you use. Solar prognosticator Tad Cook, KT7H, reports that
solar activity is still very low, and "we are very close
to the solar minimum." The latest projections show 10.7-cm
solar flux - actually a radio measurement of the amount of energy
at that wavelength - reaching minimum around a year from now,
during January and February 1997. Solar flux seems to correlate
with density of ionization in the ionosphere and consequent HF
propagation.
But other projections, based
on direct telescopic observations of sunspots, show the sunspot
number reaching minimum during April through June of this year,
and a big increase starting late in 1997. The sunspot number
is derived by counting visible dark spots on the sun and factoring
in their area. Last summer, astronomers observed what they believe
to be the first spots of the new cycle on the sun's polar regions.
Spots shift in magnetic polarity from one cycle to another, Cook
says, making it possible to differentiate the "new"
spots from the current ones. In any case, just when Cycle 23
begins often is not "officially" determined until well
after the event transpires. "There's some overlap"
between cycles, he explains.
From Cook's point of view, the
solar flux is a more reliable indicator of how solar activity
will affect HF propagation on Earth. As most hams know already,
solar disturbances, primarily solar flares, can disrupt radio
(and other) communication. "These throw out huge amounts
of protons," Cook explains about the flares. "If they're
aimed right at the earth, they can be very disruptive."
Among the most disturbed days in recent weeks was January 29,
when the A index reached 18, and the K index was as high as five.
Otherwise geomagnetic conditions were quiet over this period,
Cook says. Solar flux should head down toward 70 by February
12 and then back above the mid-70s late in the month. Sunspot
numbers in late January had a mean of 13.7.
Vanity Callsign
Delay
ARRL Letter, February 16
Update
ARRL has learned that the FCC
may delay until mid-1996 the announcement of when it plans to
open the first gate or gates of the vanity call sign program.
A Commission spokesman says the FCC first wants to deal with
remaining Petitions for Reconsideration it has received. The
FCC had been expected to announce opening dates early this year.
FCC vanity call sign application Form 610V is now available,
but the FCC will not accept completed forms until it opens the
appropriate filing gates. Prospective applicants can get the
FCC Form 610V package by writing ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington,
CT 06111. Please include an SASE. Form 610V also is available
from the FCC via the Internet at http://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form610V
or at ftp://ftp.fcc.gov/pub/Forms/Form610V/, or by fax at 202-418-0177.
Ask for Form 006108. The FCC's Forms Distribution Center also
accepts orders for Form 610V at 800-418-3676. n
CD-ROM Version of QST
ARRL Letter, February 23
Update
The new CD-ROM version of QST
was the hit of the ARRL booth at the Miami Tropical Hamboree
February 3-4. Here, QST Editor Mark Wilson, AA2Z, right, runs
the demonstration disk through its paces for a pair of interested
visitors. The CD-ROM - to be available in mid-March - features
an entire year's worth of QST, plus QEX and NCJ (1995 issues
for the initial offering), including full text, photographs,
schematics and other graphics, and advertisements. Among other
things, users can search for text and zoom in to schematics and
diagrams to enhance detail. The text includes hypertext links.
(Copies are $19.95 for members and $29.95 for nonmembers, plus
$4 shipping. To order one, e-mail pubsales@arrl.org or, read
more about it at http://www.arrl.org/ads/cdrom/.)
n
AMSAT On
Discovery Channel
ARRL Letter, March 1 Update
Members of the Phase 3-D International
Project Team are part of an upcoming Discovery Channel TV program,
Eyes in the Sky. Keith Baker, KB1SF, AMSAT-NA executive vice
president says the cable channel will present the two-hour-long
special during multiple airings throughout March. The segment
of the program containing the AMSAT footage runs for about six
minutes. Actor Barry Corbin, who plays an ex-NASA astronaut on
the TV show Northern Exposure, is the narrator.
US broadcast times (Eastern Time)
on the Discovery Channel are 9 PM, Sunday, March 10, and 3 PM,
Sunday, March 17. Repeat showings are at 1 AM and 9 PM, Wednesday,
March 20.
Viewers will see shots of Baker
as well as Dick Jansson, WD4FAB, AMSAT-NA vice president of engineering,
and Stan Wood, WA4NFY, AMSAT-NA assistant vice president of engineering,
shopping for "satellite parts" at an Orlando, Florida,
surplus house. Jansson also is shown searching for "antenna
parts" in the housewares section of a local department store.
Various views and on-camera comments from all three individuals
follow, along with shots of Phase 3-D team members actually working
on the new satellite at AMSAT's Orlando Integration Laboratory.
Paul Gasek, the program's producer/director
at Stonybrook Films in Brewster, Massachusetts, said the AMSAT
segment demonstrates that "high tech doesn't need to be
high cost." Baker said the AMSAT portion of the program
provides "another opportunity for Amateur Radio and AMSAT
to get national television exposure showing what we hams know
how to do best, being creative, pushing the state of the radio
art forward, and having some great fun in the process!"
On-location filming for AMSAT's
portion of the segment was completed last October, just after
AMSAT-NA's 1995 Space Symposium in Orlando.
For more information, call Keith
Baker, KB1SF, 1324 Fairgrounds Rd, Xenia, OH 45385, 513-429-5325
(voice/FAX), or e-mail at kb1sf@amsat.org.
n
PRB-1 Change
Sought
ARRL Bulletin 9
The ARRL wants the FCC to take
additional steps to compel state and local governments to make
reasonable accommodation for Amateur Radio under PRB-1 and apply
the least restrictive means to regulate amateur antennas and
activity. In a Petition for Rulemaking filed February 7, the
League calls on the FCC to amend Section 97.15(e) to say that
any state or local ordinances restricting ham radio antennas
to heights below 70 feet would be presumed unreasonable, unless
the state or local authority could show its restrictions support
a clearly defined health, safety or aesthetic objective. State
and local governments also could not impose substantial application
costs on amateur service licensees.
The League also wants the FCC
to acknowledge that it has an interest in the effective performance
of Amateur Radio stations in areas regulated by deed restrictions
or restrictive covenants rather than by local zoning ordinances.
The League says clarifying the
preemption policy (PRB-1) would help guide municipalities to
enact provisions that make fair accommodation for amateurs and
avoid highly divisive litigation between hams and localities.
Under the suggested changes,
state and local governments could apply to the Commission for
a full or partial waiver of the amended rules in unusual circumstances.
The FCC has not assigned a rule making petition (RM) number.
Here is the suggested wording
of Section 97.15(e) the ARRL's petition requests:
(1) State and local regulation
of a station antenna structure must not preclude amateur service
communications. Rather, it must reasonably accommodate such communications;
it must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish
the state or local authority's legitimate purpose; and it must
not impose substantial costs on amateur service licensees.
(2) Any state or local antenna
restriction or regulation which, on its face or as applied, would
limit amateur station antennas to heights below 70 feet is presumed
unreasonable unless the promulgating authority can demonstrate
that such regulation is necessary to accomplish a clearly defined,
and expressly stated health safety or aesthetic objective; that
there is no less burdensome alternative to the regulation; and
that the Federal interest in efficient amateur radio communications
from the amateur station at issue is otherwise reasonably accommodated.
(3) Any state or local authority,
or other entity that wishes to maintain and enforce zoning, land
use or other regulations or restrictions inconsistent with this
section may apply to the Commission for a full or partial waiver
of this section. Such waivers may be granted by the Commission
in its sole discretion, upon a showing by the applicant that
local concerns of a highly specialized or unusual nature create
an overwhelming necessity for regulation inconsistent with this
section. No application for waiver shall be considered unless
it includes the particular regulation for which waiver is sought.
Waivers granted according to this rule shall not apply to later-enacted
or amended regulations by the local authority unless the Commission
expressly orders otherwise. n
New Prefixes
For New UK Hams
ARRL Letter, Volume 15, Number
2
Don't think it's the latest DXpedition
when the new M-prefix call signs start showing up on the bands
this spring. The United Kingdom is running out of the familiar
G-series call signs the government there has issued since the
1920s for most UK stations. The Radiocommunications Agency will
begin issuing the M-series calls starting April 1 to all new
full licenses (both Class A and B). The first call sign, M0AAA,
has already been awarded to the Reading and District Amateur
Radio Club (on behalf of the Reading Novices Amateur Aerial Association).
RADARC reports it will use the club-station version of the call,
MX0AAA, beginning April 1 and offer a special QSL card to mark
the occasion.
RADARC says the UK's Radiocommunications
Agency will follow the same prefix pattern it's used for the
G-series calls over the years: MW stations will be in Wales,
MM will be Scotland, MI for Northern Ireland, etc. Existing G
stations are not affected by the move to the new call sign block.
Peter Swynford, G0PUB, of RADARC
explains that the RA in the United Kingdom issues four classes
of "licence": A Class A Full Licence holder may operate
all amateur HF and VHF bands with a maximum of 400 W, while a
Class B Full Licence station may operate all bands above 50 MHz
with a maximum of 400 W. A Class A Novice Licence holder has
limited access to the HF and VHF bands with 3 W, while a Class
B Novice License station has limited access to VHF bands only
with 3 W. Novice station prefixes (issued since 1992) have call
signs in the 2-series. So, an English Novice call might be 2E1AAA
while a Scottish Novice call might be 2M1AAA. n
Telecommunications
Bill
ARRL Letter, February 16
Update
The new Telecommunications Act
of 1996 enacted 21 proposals to "reinvent" the FCC
by streamlining or eliminating some of the agency's functions.
One change will permit the modification of some of the rules
governing Amateur Radio examinations. The new law "eliminates
unnecessary conflict-of-interest provisions for publishers and
equipment manufacturers to broaden the category of those authorized
to administer amateur radio service examinations," the FCC
said. The amendment also eliminates "burdensome" record
keeping and annual financial certification requirements. To become
official, the FCC still must incorporate the change into Part
97 of its rules. In theory, at least, the change could open the
door to employees of ham equipment manufacturers to become VEs.
Other noteworthy changes in the
new Telecommunications Act, signed by President Clinton February
8, would permit unlicensed domestic ship and aircraft radio operation
by allowing the FCC to authorize "by rule" rather than
through individual licenses. This is the same approach the FCC
already has taken with the Citizens Band. The FCC estimates the
amendment will eliminate more than 120,000 license applications
each year. The law also permits the FCC to hire private contractors
to inspect shipboard radio equipment.
The Commission seeks suggestions
to upgrade its services and procedures by, among other things,
eliminating some functions entirely, reducing paperwork, privatization
and "outsourcing" and use of self-regulating organizations.
The Commission says it also wants to hear about how it can improve
customer service and make better use of computer technology,
electronic filing and the Internet to streamline processing.
- FCC n
Upcoming
VEC Examinations
The following test session information
is provided by the ARRL/VEC for the upcoming eight week period.
For further information, please call the test session contact
person at the telephone number listed. If necessary, you may
contact the ARRL/VEC at 203-666-1541 x282 for additional information.
Electronic mail may be forwarded to the ARRL/VEC via USENET at
"bjahnke@arrl.org" or via MCI Mail to MCI ID: 653-2312
or 215-5052.
Although the test session information
presented here does not indicate whether walk-ins are accepted
or not, most test sessions do allow walk-ins. We encourage you,
however, to always call the contact person at the telephone number
provided so that the VE Team is aware that you be attending the
test.
03/08/96, Irvine, 714-824-8477, Jack C Lockhart WD6AEI
03/28/96, Colton, 909-825-7136, Harold Heydenfeldt
03/30/96, Culver City, 310-459-0337, Scott V Swanson
03/30/96, Pomona, 909-949-0059, Donald Warburg WA6HNC
04/01/96, Lancaster, 805-948-1865, Adrienne J Sherwood
04/13/96, Fontana, 909-823-6818, Louis Johnson
04/25/96, Colton, 909-825-7136, Harold Heydenfeldt n
FCC Issued
Call Sign Update
The following is a list of the
FCC's most recently issued call signs as of January 1:
District Group A Group B Group C Group D
Extra Adv. Tech/Gen Novice
0 AA0AO KI0AV ++ KB0VFH
1 AA1PL KE1EA N1WOJ KB1BWP
2 AB2AA KG2FN ++ KB2WXM
3 AA3NK KE3VY N3WTW KB3BNF
4 AE4QB KT4KE ++ KF4GNF
5 AC5GK KK5WI ++ KC5SQT
6 AC6SH KQ6DN ++ KF6BGO
7 AB7OR KJ7UK ++ KC7PBF
8 AA8VV KG8VF ++ KC8CGD
9 AA9RE KG9FK ++ KB9MOU
Hawaii ++ AH6OK ++ WH6CZW
Alaska ++ AL7QI ++ WL7CRO
Virgin WP2V KP2CJ NP2IJ WP2AIA
Puerto Rico ++ ++ ++ WP4NIR
++ All call signs in this group have been issued in this area n
Jet Propulsion Laboratory Amateur Radio Club
Attn: Bill Wood, Editor,
Mail Stop DSCC-33
4800 Oak Grove Drive
Pasadena, CA 91109-8099
Go
back to the W6VIO Calling
Index.
Updated August 27, 1999
