eHam.net News

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Propagation Forecast Bulletin #34 de K7RA:

Posted: 19 Aug 2016 06:28 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37401


Conditions turned a little more favorable since last week's bulletin
with both solar flux and sunspot numbers up, and geomagnetic indices
substantially lower.


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MacLoggerDX Version 6.04 Released:

Posted: 19 Aug 2016 06:28 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37400


Dog Park Software is pleased to announce that version 6.04 of
MacLoggerDX has been released.


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Ham Radio Event this Saturday at Former Naval Air Station:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 05:02 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37399


A local amateur radio station, going by the call sign "W1NAS" will be
operating this weekend from the grounds of the former South Weymouth Naval
Air Station. Ham Radio enthusiast Steve Cohn says more than one radio club
will be participating to commemorate a unique event that occurred 58 years
ago. "We're teaming up with another Navy-based radio club from Braintree,
K1USN and we're going to set up a couple of radio stations on the base this
Saturday to commemorate the flight of the blimp "Snow Goose" from the South
Weymouth Naval Air Station to the Arctic Circle. And while the blimp was
airborne, the submarine USS Nautilus was under the polar ice and they kept
in communications with them," said Cohn. A third amateur radio station will
also be operating in conjunction with W1NAS from the pier of the Nautilus
in Groton, Connecticut. Cohn says the event gives people a chance to see
what ham radio is all about.


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Sunspot Number On The Decline Since 2010:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 05:01 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37398


Observing the sun is the closest we can get to observing other stars, and
potential solar systems, which could be home to other extra terrestrial
life forms. Recent observations of the sun have shown (by recent, we mean
since the 20th century) changes in the habits of sunspots. Graph plots at
the Royal Observatory of Belgium show a continuous average of the mean
sunspot numbers since 1955 and illustrate the solar cycle of approximately
11 years. So far, the highest sunspot numbers recorded were near to the
sunspot maximum of 1958, while the latest cycle began in 2008 and has the
lowest number since one that peaked in 1906.


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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2025, August 19, 2016:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 05:03 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37397


The following is a QST. The FCC prepares to study the radio spectrum's
noise floor. Radio Caroline returns triumphantly as a Special Event station
in the UK. Australian hams celebrate innovation. These stories and an
extended special report on amateur response to Louisiana's flooding crisis
-- now in Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2025.


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DX News -- ARRL DX Bulletin #34:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37396


This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
CO7WT, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX News, The Daily DX, DXNL,
Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web
sites. Thanks to all.


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Just Ahead In Radiosport:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37395


Just Ahead In Radiosport:


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Amateur Radio Volunteers Respond to Louisiana Flooding Catastrophe:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37394


Amateur Radio volunteers this week responded to help, after flooding of
historic proportions struck parts of Louisiana and Mississippi over the
weekend in the wake of torrential rainfall. States of emergency were
declared in both states, the federal government has declared Louisiana
a major disaster area, and the Louisiana Emergency Operations Center
was at full activation.


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ARRL Encourages Comprehensive Noise Floor Study:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37393


Anticipating an FCC Technological Advisory Council (TAC) investigation into
changes and trends in the radio spectrum noise
floor, ARRL has asserted that such a study is long overdue. In part,
the study would determine if there is an increasing noise problem.


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The Doctor Will See You Now!

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:51 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37392


"SWR" is the topic of the current (August 11) episode of the "ARRL The
Doctor is In" podcast. Listen...and learn!


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National Parks On the Air Update:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37391


The 100th anniversary of the National Park Service -- known as Founders
Day -- is August 25. NPS units across the country have planned special
activities on that day. Many units also will include Amateur Radio and
NPOTA activity during all of next week. One
of these will be Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park in
Vermont, where some ARRL staffers will team up with members of the West
River Radio Club on Saturday, August 27, to help showcase the NPS unit
and Amateur Radio to the general public. Unless you're visiting an NPS
unit next week as part of the official Centennial celebration, stay
close to your radio and see how many NPOTA units you can work!


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Comments In FCC 'Symbol Rate' Rule Making Proposal Due by October 11:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:50 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37390


The FCC will accept public comments in response to a July FCC Notice of
Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in WT
Docket 16-239 -- the "Symbol Rate" proceeding -- until October 11.
Reply comments -- ie, comments on comments already filed -- are due by
November 10.


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Come One, Come All: The ARRL Rookie Roundup RTTY is August 21!

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:51 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37389


The ARRL Rookie Roundup is back,
with the RTTY event set for Sunday, August 21, 1800 UTC through 2359
UTC. The Rookie Roundup is aimed at helping recently licensed amateurs
to build their HF operating skills. Specifically aimed at those who are
new to Amateur Radio, the Rookie Roundup brings the fun and Elmering of
the old Novice Roundup into the 21st century.


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FEMA Teaming with Amateur Radio Clubs to Present Preparedness Information:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37388


September is National Preparedness Month. As part of its focus on
educating and getting prepared, FEMA is offering a "Family Emergency
Communications Plan," which helps families work out their communication
strategies in the event of an emergency. ARRL is partnering with FEMA
to offer this material to interested Amateur Radio clubs that are
willing to present it in their localities during National Preparedness
Month.


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Now Free of HAARP, US Air Force Still Wants to Tinker with the Ionosphe

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37387


A lot of radio amateurs bemoaning the recent spate of poor HF
conditions would love to have a way to improve propagation -- perhaps
without even having to rely on the whims of the Sun. The US Department
of Defense has been thinking along the same lines.


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Birds CubeSat Constellation to Launch In 2017:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37386


AMSAT-UK reports that
four CubeSats comprising the BIRDS constellation are set to deploy from
the International Space Station (ISS) in 2017. The 1U CubeSats --
BIRD-B, BIRD-J, BIRD-G, and BIRD-M -- have identical designs, will use
the same Amateur Radio frequencies, and will be deployed as a group.
The main mission of the 2-year project is to use the constellation to
carry out radio communication experiments via a network of UHF/VHF
Amateur Radio ground stations around the world.


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Es'hailSat-2 Launch Reset for 2017:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:50 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37385


The Es'hailSat Qatar Satellite Company has announced that the launch of
Es'hail-2, which will carry the first "Phase 4" geostationary Amateur
Radio transponder, has been shifted to the 3rd quarter of 2017.
Es'hail-2 had been
scheduled to launch in December. Coverage of the Amateur Radio
narrowband (NB) and wideband (WB) transponders should extend from
Brazil to Thailand.


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RSGB 'Deeply Disappointed' In Regulator's Attitude Toward Amateur Radio:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:48 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37384


In comments filed
in July, the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has told
telecommunications regulator Ofcom that it was "deeply disappointed" that it
failed to recognize Amateur Radio's innovational activity at 5 GHz and
that it did not engage the Amateur Radio community in its proceeding,
Improving Spectrum Access for Consumers in the 5 GHz Band.


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Annual IOTA DXpedition Morphs Into Visit to Rare One -- Aves Island:

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:49 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37383


An unexpected invitation from the Venezuelan Navy gave rise to a
DXpedition later this month to Aves Island -- Isla de Aves -- currently
number 17 on the ClubLog DXCC Most Wanted List.


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In Brief...

Posted: 18 Aug 2016 10:47 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37382


In Brief...