***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 27, No. 35
September 5, 2008
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* + ARRL, Amateur Radio Gears Up for Hanna, Ike
* + Amateur Radio Operators Were Ready for Hurricane Gustav
* + ARRL Ham Aid Go Kits Support Amateur Radio Operations During
Hurricane Gustav -- and Beyond
* + Look for the October Issue of QST in Your Mailbox
* + Membership Manager to Leave ARRL
* IARU Region 2 EC: "Active Member-Societies Are Vital to Ensure
Amateur Radio's Future"
* + Pentagon Amateur Radio Club to Host Special Event Station
Commemorating 9/11
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This Weekend on the Radio
ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration
+ ARRL Sets up E-mail Addresses for Use During Hurricanes, Tropical
Storms
+ Steven Weber, KD1JV, Wins August QST Cover Plaque Award
MARS Assists with Hurricane H&W Traffic for American Soldiers in
Iraq, Afghanistan

+Available on ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/

================================================== =========
==Delivery problems: First see FAQ
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery, then e-mail

==Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane,

================================================== =========

== ARRL, AMATEUR RADIO GEARS UP FOR HANNA, IKE

As the ARRL Headquarters staff continues to support response and
recovery efforts in Louisiana and the areas impacted by Hurricane
Gustav, yet another storm begins to shift some of the focus eastward.
Tropical Storm Hanna, currently forecast to impact the North and South
Carolina coastline early Saturday morning, has begun to activate ARES
preparations from Florida northward. Hanna is responsible for at least
137 deaths in Haiti.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a hurricane watch is in
effect from north of Edisto Beach, South Carolina to Okracoke Inlet. A
tropical storm watch remains in effect from Edisto Beach southward to
Altamaha Sound, Georgia. A tropical storm warning remains in effect for
the Central and Northwestern Bahamas. A tropical storm watch means
tropical storm conditions are possible within 36 hours.

ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, has
begun to put protocols in place to support any of the ARRL Sections that
may be impacted by Hanna. "We are beginning the coordination efforts
with the individual Sections that could be on the receiving end of what
is becoming an active storm season for the United States mainland. While
Hanna currently remains a tropical storm, we must ensure that all
Amateur Radio preparations are in place in case the storm turns into a
hurricane."

According to ARRL North Carolina Section Manager Tim Slay, N4IB, hams in
his state are ready for Hanna. "The Amateur Radio Station at the State
Emergency Operations Center is ready to go. We will begin operating from
there on Friday at 8 PM and go until about mid-day on Saturday or for
however long is needed." Slay also said the Tarheel Emergency Net, the
North Carolina HF ARES Net that meets on 3.923 MHz, has been tested and
is prepared for the incoming storms.

Slay said that hams in his state have verified that the equipment is all
in working order at the State Emergency Operations Center. The South
Carolina Healthcare Emergency Amateur Radio Team (SCHEART)
http://www.scheart.us/ -- a system of strategically located repeaters
linking 64 South Carolina hospitals by Amateur Radio, forming a
statewide emergency communications network -- is also on alert.

ARRL South Carolina Section Manager Jim Boehner, N2ZZ, said South
Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has called for a voluntary evacuation for
those who live along that state's coastal areas. "It's incredibly
important that we be prepared [for Hanna] and for people in areas that
could be the most affected to be prudent," Governor Sanford said. "More
than anything, this storm may serve as a reminder to everyone along the
coast to be prepared for what could still come your way in this season.
That means having a full tank of gas, a storm kit and an evacuation plan
as these storms head our way."

The Weather Channel's Tim Ballisty called Hanna an "ugly mess" since the
storm is not acting like a typical storm: "Hanna has no markings of a
classic-looking tropical cyclone. It is a highly disorganized tropical
storm and will have a lot to do in a short period of time to organize
and strengthen to a hurricane."

Ballisty warned that people should not be fooled by Hanna's appearance.
"It is important to note that one should not focus solely on [Hanna's]
center of circulation," he said. "In fact, the worst of Hanna may not
actually be found close to the center of circulation but rather away
from it. Impacts such as tropical storm-force gusts, tropical downpours
and very choppy surf will be felt hundreds of miles away from the
center. That being said, the center of Hanna is projected to make
landfall near the coastal South Carolina/North Carolina border, or
perhaps just east of there, very early on Saturday morning."

After landfall, Hanna is expected to spread rain and breezy conditions
up the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coast on Saturday, impacting several
major cities. Due its rapid forward speed, the storm will not linger.
Hanna will be exiting off the New England coast by as early as
mid-morning Sunday. Rainfall totals are not expected to come anywhere
close to what was seen with Hurricanes Fay or Gustav.

"If nothing else, [Hanna is] a good dress rehearsal for Ike if Ike were
to come," said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency
Management Agency.

Fast on Hanna's heels, Ike is the third major hurricane of the 2008
Atlantic hurricane season; it is not yet threatening any land. A
Category 4 hurricane on Thursday, Ike was downgraded to Category 3 early
Friday morning.

For now, Ike is of no threat to land, but could threaten the Bahamas by
Sunday and into early next week. Residents of the Bahamas should monitor
Ike carefully the next several days. Ballisty said that as of now, it is
too early to tell if Ike would have any impact on the United States.
"The entire Southeast coast should pay close attention to the progress
and forecast track of Ike," he said.

Josephine, a tropical storm in the eastern Atlantic remains fairly weak.
It continues to struggle with maximum sustained winds now near 50 MPH;
this storm is currently no threat to land; however, the storm continues
to feel the effects of wind shear and dry air, and this may keep any
additional strengthening in check. Josephine will continue to move
west-northwest over the next several days and will not be a threat to
land in the near future.

== AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS WERE READY FOR HURRICANE GUSTAV

After several days of harrowing watching and waiting for Hurricane
Gustav to make landfall, the storm slammed into southeast Louisiana
Monday afternoon, leaving flooding, wind damage and power outages in its
wake and evacuees eager to go home. As Amateur Radio operators across
the area moved from an emergency response stance to clean-up, evaluation
and repair, the need for some changes to operations and equipment became
clear, as well as the vastly improved response as compared to Hurricane
Katrina. As the storm made its way inland, ARRL Division, Section and
public information volunteers in and around the area impacted by the
Category 2 hurricane, reported that they were preparing to deploy
themselves and other volunteers to strategic locations once conditions
allow.

Throughout the week, staff at ARRL headquarters coordinated conference
calls between key emergency communications volunteers, Division and
Section leadership officials and ARRL HQ in order to facilitate
communications among the participants and to respond to any requests for
assistance. Dennis Dura, K2DCD, ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response
Manager, commented: "Based on what we hear and what we receive in the
daily situation reports, it will really dictate what kind of response
we're going to have. In the beginning of a storm event, we don't have a
clear idea of what the needs are. Once those on the scene tell us what
they need, we will support them. Requests for emergency communications
personnel will come from Section Managers or their designees, and we as
an organization will meet those requests. Gustav is different from
Katrina in a lot of ways. For one thing, people are much better prepared
down there."

On Monday, September 1, Louisiana Section Manager Gary Stratton, K5GLS,
told conference call participants that he was expecting to head to the
Baton Rouge Red Cross Marshalling Center the next day. He reported that
credentialing for ham volunteers who will be sent to locations
requesting Amateur Radio support was being handled, and emergency nets
were activated. Louisiana Section Emergency Coordinator Jim Coleman,
AI5B, expected to head to Baton Rouge Tuesday as well.

Assistant South Texas SM Mike Schwartz, KG5TL, of Muldoon, reported that
4500 New Orleans-area evacuees were relocated to shelters in surrounding
counties. He reported that about 20 ham radio operators were ready to
travel to where they are needed. "When we find out, we're ready to
deploy," he said.

Mississippi SM Malcolm Keown, W5XX, of Vicksburg, expressed concern
about the impending effects from Gustav. He said up to 20 inches of rain
could fall in central Mississippi, and tornado warnings have been
issued.

Southeastern Division Vice Director Sandy Donahue, W4RU, mentioned that
numerous Red Cross shelters have been set up in Georgia to handle the
needs of evacuees.

Northern Florida Section Manager Paul Eakin, KJ4G, offered the services
of four Winlink stations to forward messages from the states more
directly affected, as needed.

ARRL Directors Henry Leggette, WD4Q, of the Delta Division, Greg
Sarratt, W4OZK, of the Southeastern Division and Coy Day, N5OK, of the
West Gulf Division also took part in the September 1 conference call, as
did West Gulf Vice Director Dr David Woolweaver, K5RAV, and Delta Vice
Director Karl Bullock, WA5TMC.

At Poplarville, Missisippi -- county seat of Pearl River County --
Emergency Operations Center Communications Officer David Moore, N5ELI,
said, "We have some stuff to do, but it's not bad." He noted a defective
antenna that was discovered during operations for Gustav, as well as a
few operational details that need to be worked out before future events.
But, noted ARRL Mississippi Section Public Information Coordinator Larry
Wagoner, N5WLW, who manned the Emergency Operations Center in Picayune,
Mississippi, essential services were provided in spite of the problems,
as contact was maintained with the shelters in the area as well as other
individuals and agencies needing assistance.

Harrison County Emergency Coordinator and District Emergency Coordinator
for the Gulf Coast District Tom Hammack, W4WLF, echoed that reaction,
noting the heavier damage to his coastal community: "The harbors are
torn up," he observed, saying that a small tornado had been sighted near
the port, which reportedly damaged a few buildings in the area and
knocked out power for a time.

"We had communications with the Coast Guard representatives, on 2
meters, as well as marine VHF," Hammack said. "We had hams at other
locations as well." He noted that Ed Byrd, KA5VFU, had the radio links
to the area hospitals working, too. "In general it went pretty fair," he
said. "This was a cakewalk for us compared to Katrina," Hammack noted,
adding, "But the farther west went you go, it wasn't any cakewalk at
all. Hancock County (located due west of Harrison County) got hit pretty
hard."

North of the coast, Tim Purvis, N5UDK, Emergency Coordinator for Stone
County and Assistant Emergency Coordinator for the Gulf Coast District
noted that one mobile home was destroyed in the storm. "All in all, it
went real well," he said. Like the other officials in the area, he said
the storm was a learning exercise for the Amateur Radio community. "We
need to get our repeater to a higher location and we need to get more
people with emergency Yagis." He said in some cases, hams in outlying
areas of the county had a hard time making it into the repeater during
the storm. "These are people who may have lost or taken down their
antennas," he said, "and they were trying to operate on a mag mount on
top of a refrigerator from 20 miles away."

One problem noted by several officials in the area was the signal
propagation from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MSEMA)
office near Jackson. "A new antenna up there would help," said one. "We
had a real hard time copying the signal from MSEMA," said another.

Local hams were not the only ones learning lessons from the storm.
Purvis noted that while the MSEMA official at the Stone County Emergency
operations Center was familiar with Amateur Radio, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) representative did not know anything about ham
radio and the service that hams provide before the storm. By the end of
operations Tuesday, she had quite an education, Purvis said, noting that
she was not only very impressed with what hams can do, but now wants to
become licensed as an Amateur Radio operator herself and is very
interested in SKYWARN operations. "We have a feather in our cap on that
one," Purvis said.

SKYWARN operations went well across the region, as hams from all over
the southern Mississippi area called in to report sightings of severe
weather and damage from the storm. "Like you (in Pearl River County), we
were inundated by warnings and reports," Purvis said, adding, "I just
wish we could get all those people to sign in on a regular basis."

Local officials said the area fared much better in Gustav than in 2005's
Hurricane Katrina. "Compared to Katrina, we didn't lose any local
communications, phone or Internet. In Katrina, they lost everything,"
said Purvis. "Our major function was communications with the shelters,
storm spotting and being on standby for other services," he added.

Stone County had one shelter open, which closed early Tuesday. Those
requiring longer stays were transferred to shelters in Picayune and
Hattiesburg. The Stone County shelter housed about 50 people at one
point. The shelter in Picayune had about 130 people maximum -- mostly
from Louisiana, where nearby New Orleans and St Tammany Parishes
remained closed Tuesday.

By Tuesday morning, crews were out evaluating damage to local power
lines, cable TV, phone lines and trees, and hams were getting ready for
the next time they are called to serve, keeping a close eye on Hurricane
Hanna and Hurricane Ike.

== ARRL HAM AID GO KITS SUPPORT AMATEUR RADIO OPERATIONS DURING
HURRICANE GUSTAV -- AND BEYOND

As Amateur Radio operators prepared for Hurricane Gustav, the ARRL
deployed complete radio stations comprised of industry-donated Amateur
Radio equipment, thanks to the generous contributions of ARRL members to
the Ham Aid Fund. Created in 2005 to assist with the response to
Hurricane Katrina, the Ham Aid Fund is designated to finance Amateur
Radio equipment needed for disaster response. In preparation for
Hurricane Gustav, ARRL received requests for radio equipment from
Louisiana and Texas. The shipping costs for this equipment were covered
by the Ham Aid Fund.

According to Assistant Manager of the ARRL Membership and Volunteer
Programs Department Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, several kits were shipped to
Louisiana; Fusaro is handling Ham Aid requests during Hurricane Gustav.
"We sent three HF kits, 3 VHF/UHF kits and a combination kit complete
with HF, VHF and handheld transceivers to the Louisiana Office of
Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) facility in Baton
Rouge, as well as four VHF/UHF base antennas and a support box that
included coax, rope, wire antennas and connectors." Fusaro also said
that a 600 W amplifier was sent to Jim Coleman, AI5B, in Bogalusa,
Louisiana to be used at the Emergency Operations Center there, and an HF
radio was sent to Joel Colman, NO5FD, of New Orleans, replacing his rig
that was damaged during set up at the firehouse.

"To me, these Go-Kits ramp up ARRL's ability to support Amateur Radio
volunteers in the field when the next big disaster hits," said ARRL
Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH. "They won't replace or
supplant anything that's already on the ground and working well, but the
kits will strengthen it and add flexibility to Amateur Radio's overall
response capabilities."

In setting up these Go Kits, League staffers consulted with volunteers
who were in the field during Hurricane Katrina to find out what gear
served them best or what they wished they'd had but didn't. The Go Kits,
stowed in rugged, waterproof Pelican 1650 containers, enable the League
to loan out needed equipment on a moment's notice. "The idea is that
this makes it easy to ship," explains Fusaro, "and since they're less
than 50 pounds apiece, they can be shipped by air."

The HF Kit contains a 100 W HF transceiver, a tuner and antenna, a
microphone and a power supply. The VHF/UHF Kit includes a dualband
mobile transceiver, power supply, headset, 10 handheld transceivers and
a supply of alkaline batteries. In the Handheld Transceiver Kit are
eight dualband handheld transceivers and antennas, plus a stock of extra
batteries. The Support Kit includes a length of BuryFlex RG-213 coaxial
cable, rope, 15 foot jumper cables with battery clamps at one end and an
Anderson Powerpole on the other. The kit includes various fittings and
adapters to connect to the power distribution unit and to make RF feed
line connections. All kits contain any necessary manuals.

Hobart said it's imperative to sustain and enhance ham radio's emergency
communication capabilities for the futu "Disasters happen to be one
place Amateur Radio can shine," she pointed out. "We need to maintain a
high level of readiness to do those things that are second nature to
ARES members, but that the public is just coming to recognize." Making
the Go Kits available to ARES teams, Hobart said, will help to cement
Amateur Radio's position as a community resource. "We want to be able to
ensure that we have the personnel and the equipment," she said. "With a
disaster of any magnitude, we need to be ready."

Since the arrival of Hurricane Gustav, Hobart said that the Ham Aid fund
has been depleted. "With more storms on the horizon, the ARRL is seeking
member contributions to rebuild the Ham Aid Fund. This vital lifeline of
resources to support the ARRL Field Organization and Amateur Radio
Volunteers will benefit from the renewed generosity of radio amateurs."
Contributions in any amount can be made online
https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/basic/.

== LOOK FOR THE OCTOBER ISSUE OF QST IN YOUR MAILBOX

The October issue of QST -- our first-ever Radiosport issue -- is
jam-packed with all sorts of things today's Amateur Radio operator
needs, with a special focus on Amateur Radio contesting. From product
reviews to experiments to public service, the upcoming issue of QST has
something for just about everyone.

Steve Clifford, K4GUN, offer his views "On Becoming a Rove Warrior." In
this article, Clifford expounds on the joys of roving -- mobile
operating in VHF+ contests -- and offers some lessons and tips gleaned
from his first roving operation. Gil McElroy, VE1PKD, gives readers "A
History of Radiosport." Did you know that CQ CONTEST could be heard on
the bands as far back as the early 1920s? Discover the origins of how
contesting began as McElroy takes us on a contesting history journey.

In addition to the articles featuring contesting, ARRL Contributing
Editor H. Ward Silver, N0AX, has put together an 8 page radiosport
insert -- you can easily find this section, thanks to the bright yellow
page edges! This section will feature such articles as how to interpret
your Log Checking Report, guidelines for the upcoming contest season and
a list of resources that no contester should be without, as well as a
listing of major contests throughout the year.

ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, announces how 2009 is the
Year of the State QSO Party. Be sure to check out October QST to find
out more about this exciting new event. Of course, no issue of QST would
be complete without "Contest Corral" and "This Month in Contesting."

ARRL News Editor S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, describes the events and
decisions from the July ARRL Board of Directors meeting, as well as
announces the six winners who were bestowed awards for 2007-2008.

If you're in the market for a new rig, be sure to check out October's
Product Review: NCJ Managing Editor Rick Lindquist, WW3DE, gives his
take on the ICOM IC-7700 HF and 6 meter transceiver. In his review,
Lindquist says "The IC-7700's attributes seemed shaped more toward the
serious contester and DXer, but it's a superior performer with features
enough to attract any active HF or 6 meter enthusiast. The price will
put the radio out of reach for some, but this piece of radio gear more
than fills the average ham's desires, not to mention the operating
desk."

Of course, there are the usual columns you know and love in October QST:
"Hints & Kinks," "The Doctor Is IN," "How's DX," "Eclectic Technology,"
"World Above 50 MHz," "Hamspeak" and more. Look for your October issue
to arrive soon. QST is the official journal of ARRL, the national
association for Amateur Radio. QST is just one of the many benefits of
ARRL membership. To join or renew your ARRL membership, please visit the
ARRL Web page http://www.arrl.org/join.

== MEMBERSHIP MANAGER TO LEAVE ARRL

On Friday, October 3, the ARRL HQ family will say goodbye to Membership
Manager Katie Breen, W1KRB, as she moves away from her native
Connecticut. In her short time here, Breen quickly became popular as she
traveled to hamfests and conventions around the country -- as well as
making videos that have been posted online -- promoting the League to
members and non-members alike; she headed up the ARRL team at the 2008
Dayton Hamvention this past May
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/05/17/10103/?nc=1.

"This job was much more than a job to me," Breen said. "Amateur Radio
became part of my life. When I started, I honestly didn't think I'd ever
really understand the technical side of things, never mind actually
build anything. Since coming to the ARRL, I've built my own antennas and
a small transceiver; I couldn't have done any of this without my Elmers.
Because of this experience, I've become a strong proponent of mentoring
-- you don't have to be a ham for 50 years to become an Elmer."

Breen said that talking to hams around the country and then meeting them
at hamfests, as well as connecting with new friends all over the world,
has been an "amazing experience. I've loved going to Amateur Radio
events and working with countless volunteers that give of their time,
energy, experience and funds to continue to promote the Amateur Radio
Service. I've had the unique opportunity to spend a lot of time with our
field volunteers and I have seen personally the dedication and passion
these folks have -- I think they are some of the biggest unsung heroes
in ham radio. I don't know of any other hobby or service that has such
dedication and passion. I am proud to have had the opportunity to make
the personal connection, to bring a piece of ARRL Headquarters to our
members and to help develop a sense of belonging for our members."

Breen's supervisor, ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen,
NQ1R, said that she will be missed "a great deal. Members -- and
particularly new members -- appreciate her enthusiasm as an advocate for
ham radio and ARRL. We've all enjoyed Katie's willingness to share her
own stories as a new radio amateur."

Inderbitzen said the search to find a qualified candidate for ARRL
Membership Manager is underway. Interested individuals should have a
background in membership marketing and experience developing membership
recruitment and retention strategies. An understanding of the Amateur
Radio Service is desired. The complete job posting and instructions for
applying can be found online on the ARRL's Job Announcement Web page
http://www.arrl.org/announce/jobs/.

== IARU REGION 2 EC: "ACTIVE MEMBER-SOCIETIES ARE VITAL TO ENSURE
AMATEUR RADIO'S FUTURE"

Late last month in Panama, the Executive Committee of IARU Region 2
http://www.iaru-r2.org/ held its annual meeting. According to IARU
Region 2 President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH, the importance of having
active and inclusive IARU Member-Societies is the "only way to ensure
the future of Amateur Radio." Leandro said this theme was "underlined"
throughout the meeting. The United States is a member of Region 2.

At the meeting, the Executive Committee called on the Region 2 Area
Directors to establish links at the area and country level to work with
an Emergency Communications and Monitoring System. Once those links are
established, the Area Directors will work with recently designated
Coordinators in the Region http://www.iaru-r2.org/coordinators/.

The Committee heard reports regarding the IARU's participation in the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the Inter-American
Telecommunication Commission (CITEL) and the Caribbean
Telecommunications Union (CTU). The CTU is aware of the importance of
radio amateurs in emergency situations and has requested the IARU's
support to have active Member-Societies in its region. CTU countries
include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize,
Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, Turks and Caicos, and Trinidad and Tobago; the
IARU is an Associate Member of CTU.

Other actions by the Executive Committee included:

* The Executive Committee initiated preparations to participate in
Telecom Americas 2010, to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in March
2010 http://www.itu.int/americas2010/.

* The Committee requested the support of the Region 2 Member-Societies
in order get more countries in the region to sign on to the
International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP)
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/io/. Countries that
currently accept the IARP are Argentina, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador,
Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

* The Committee announced that an introductory study guide for all those
interested in becoming new radio amateurs will be made available in
Spanish within the next few months. This guide will be published in a
digital format, allowing for easy distribution.

* Emergency Communications Coordinator Cesar Pio Santos, HR2P, advised
the Executive Committee that he is compiling an inventory of emergency
networks in Region 2. The Committee decided that the listing should be
completed "as soon as possible" and underlined its importance to the
region.

The next Region 2 Executive Committee meeting will be in September 2009
in Lima, Peru.

The meeting was attended by President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH; Vice
President Dario Jurado, HP1DJ; Secretary Ramon Santoyo V., XE1KK;
Treasurer and Area E Director Noel E. Donawa, 9Y4NED; Area A Director
Daniel A. Lamoureux, VE2KA; Area B Director Rod Stafford, W6ROD; Area C
Director Pedro Rodriguez, CO2RP; Area D Director Marco Tulio Gudiel,
TG9AGD, and Area G Director Reinaldo Szama, LU2AH. IARU President Larry
Price, W4RA was also present, representing the IARU International
Secretariat.

== PENTAGON AMATEUR RADIO CLUB TO HOST SPECIAL EVENT STATION
COMMEMORATING 9/11

On Thursday, September 11, the Pentagon Amateur Radio Club (PARC) will
operate a Special Event station commemorating the 7th anniversary of the
attacks that occurred on the Pentagon, the World Trade Center and over
Pennsylvania in 2001 http://www.k4af.org/.

This special event will be held in conjunction with President Bush's
visit to the Pentagon to dedicate the new Pentagon Memorial
http://www.defenselink.mil/home/features/2008/0708_memorial/index.html
, honoring the 184 people, both at the Pentagon and on American Airlines
flight 77, who lost their lives in the attacks. Operators will be on 10,
15, 20, 40 and 80 meters -- both phone and CW -- with plans to operate
on a 12 hour basis (1200-2400 UTC). There will be a special QSL card
available for stations that work K4AF.

For more information, please contact Gary Sessums, KC5QCN
. QSL via PARC, PO Box 2322, Arlington, VA 22202.

==SOLAR UPDATE

Tad "Happy we who can bask in this warm September Sun" Cook, K7RA, this
week reports: We're still looking at a quiet sun, but currently a solar
wind is disturbing the Earth's magnetic field. Six meter operators --
after enjoying a fine season of sporadic E propagation this summer --
may see some added excitement from auroral propagation. The planetary A
index was 33 on Thursday, September 4, the highest daily number in over
a year. I don't know when it was last that high, but the closest recent
numbers were 32 on April 23, and 31 on March 27. Planetary A index for
September 5-10 is predicted to be 20, 15, 8, 5, 5 and 5. It is expected
to rise to 20 on September 14. Sunspot numbers for August 28-September 3
were 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 and 0 with a mean of 0. The 10.7 cm flux was 66.1,
66.8, 67.1, 66.7, 65.8, 66 and 66.2 with a mean of 66.4. Estimated
planetary A indices were 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 3 and 7 with a mean of 3.6.
Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 and 7 with a mean
of 2.7. There has been some news about the current solar minimum
regarding continuous days without spots. August was the first calendar
month with no sunspots since 1913. Of course, there have been periods
longer than 30 days, but generally over a two calendar-month period in
which there were some sunspots in each month. As of Thursday, September
4, there have been 46 continuous days with no spots. That is the seventh
longest period of no spots, looking back over 150 years to the mid-19th
century. If there are no sunspots through this Sunday, at 49 days this
will be the fourth longest spot-free period. For more information
concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information
Service Propagation page
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. To read this week's
Solar Report in its entirety, check out the W1AW Propagation Bulletin
page http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/. This week's "Tad Cookism" brought
to you by Henry David Thoreau's "A Week on the Concord and Merrimack
Rivers."

__________________________________

==IN BRIEF:

* This Weekend on the Radio: The International G3ZQS Memorial Straight
Key Contest is September 5-7. On September 6, be sure to look for the
Russian RTTY WW Contest, the NCCC Sprint, the Wake-Up! QRP Sprint and
the AGCW Straight Key Party. The All Asian DX Contest (Phone), the RSGB
SSB Field Day and the IARU Region 1 Field Day (SSB) are September 6-7.
The North American Sprint (CW) and the DARC 10 Meter Digital Contest are
September 7. The Tennessee QSO Party is September 7-8. Next weekend,
look for the ARRL September VHF QSO Party on September 13-15. The NCCC
Sprint is September 12 and the PODXS 070 Club 80 Meter Autumn Sprint is
September 12-13. The FISTS Get Your Feet Wet Weekend is September 12-14.
The Swiss HTC QRP Sprint is September 13. The WAE DX Contest (SSB) and
the Arkansas QSO Party are both September 13-14. The North American
Sprint (SSB), the SKCC Weekend Sprintathon and the ARCI End of Summer
Digital Sprint are September 14. The NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint is
September 18. All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL
Contest Branch page http://www.arrl.org/contests/, the ARRL Contest
Update http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/ and the WA7BNM Contest
Calendar http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html for more
info. Looking for a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL
Special Event Station Web page http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html.


* ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains
open through Sunday, September 21, 2008 for these online course sessions
beginning on Friday, October 3, 2008: Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Level 1 (EC-001); Radio Frequency Interference (EC-006);
Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009); Technician License Course
(EC-010); Analog Electronics (EC-012), and Digital Electronics (EC-013).
Each online course has been developed in segments -- learning units with
objectives, informative text, student activities and quizzes. Courses
are interactive, and some include direct communications with a
Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular session that may
be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may access the
course at any time of day during the course period, completing lessons
and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule. Mentors
assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and
activities, as well as providing helpful feedback. Interaction with
mentors is conducted through e-mail; there is no appointed time the
student must be present -- allowing complete flexibility for the student
to work when and where it is convenient. To learn more, visit the CCE
Course Listing page http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html or contact
the Continuing Education Program Coordinator .

* ARRL Sets up E-mail Addresses for Use During Hurricanes, Tropical
Storms: In an effort to streamline hurricane support operations at ARRL
Headquarters, the League has set up two e-mail addresses for hams to
pose questions or relay information to HQ Staff relating to hurricane or
named tropical storm events. If you need to communicate with ARRL HQ
regarding these storms, please use or
. These e-mail addresses will be monitored during
each storm's descent on the US, as well as throughout the hurricane
season.

* Steven Weber, KD1JV, Wins August QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of
the QST Cover Plaque Award for August is Steven Weber, KD1JV, for his
article "A 40 Meter CW/SSB Transceiver for the Homebrew Challenge."
Congratulations, Steven! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award --
given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue -- is
determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web
page http://www.arrl.org/members-only/QSTvote.html. Cast a ballot for
your favorite article in the September issue by Tuesday, September 30.

* MARS Assists with Hurricane H&W Traffic for American Soldiers in Iraq,
Afghanistan: Army Captain Jeff Hammer, N9NIC, who represents the Army
Military Affiliate Radio System (Army MARS)
http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/ in Iraq, has appealed to the families
of troops deployed overseas that have been affected by the recent
tropical storms and hurricanes to let their loved ones know all is well
at home. "There are a lot of soldiers from the Gulf States here in
Iraq," Hammer said, "and their families may be impacted by the
hurricanes and not have a way to communicate with their soldier to let
them know their status in the coming week(s). If you are unable to
deliver hurricane-related Health and Welfare messages from a family
member to a service member in Iraq due to lack of communication assets
or insufficient address information, send them directly through an
Amateur Radio operator or Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS)
operator . MARS operators currently deployed in
Iraq will do their best to get all messages delivered immediately."
Hammer said that Army MARS also can handle messages to service members
in Afghanistan, but delivery may be delayed. Direct entry of MARSgrams
is available via the MARSgram Web site http://www.mymars.org/. The
site provides full instructions and a message form that will be
transmitted automatically via the Army MARS system.

================================================== =========
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the
American Radio Relay League: ARRL--the national association for Amateur
Radio, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax
860-594-0259; http://www.arrl.org. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general
news of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org for the latest Amateur Radio news and news
updates. The ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/ also offers
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http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/ is a weekly "ham radio newscast"
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podcast from our Web site.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole
or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be
given to The ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):

==Editorial questions or comments: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA,

==ARRL News on the Web: http://www.arrl.org
==ARRL Audio News: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/ or call
860-594-0384

==How to Get The ARRL Letter

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Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.