XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.policy, rec.radio.info

********************************************
The ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League ********************************************

September 22, 2022

John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, Editor <news@arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- Amateur Radio Operators Track Hurricane Fiona
- Girl Scouts Receive ARRL Radio and Wireless Technology Patches
- Annual SET Exercise to Test Skills and Emergency Preparedness
- Three Hams Make the Most of an Emergency Scenario
- Amateur Radio in the News
- ARRL Podcasts
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS TRACK HURRICANE FIONA

The National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN), the
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Hurricane Net, and the Salvation
Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) all have been engaged in
tracking Hurricane Fiona.

Amateur radio operators have been reporting weather conditions since
Monday, September 19, 2022, and have received positive feedback on
their assistance. The VoIP Hurricane Net was active for 14 continuous
hours on Sunday, September 18, for Hurricane Fiona, as it pummeled the
southern and southwestern portions of Puerto Rico with catastrophic
rainfall and flooding with hurricane-force conditions.

In the ARRL Puerto Rico Section, Public Information Coordinator (PIC)
Angel L. Santana-Diaz, WP3GW, who lives in Trujillo Alto, reported a
widespread blackout as the hurricane made landfall on the island.
Still, he explained, there were ham radio repeaters that remained on
the air with amateurs sharing reports of damage, including downed trees
and power poles, and roofs ripped from homes. ARRL Member Pedro S.
Labayen, KP4DKE, of Utuado, was mentioned in a Miami Herald <https://www.miamiherald.com/news/weather/hurricane/article266011881.html> article for reporting the significant damage to his rural and
mountainous region of the island.

The NHC has issued advisories for Hurricane Fiona and Tropical Storm
Gaston. Marine warnings are also in effect for the Caribbean and the
Southwest Atlantic. As of 2:00 PM EDT (1800 UTC) on Thursday, September
22, the NHC reported that Hurricane Fiona is forecast to pass just west
of Bermuda by late Thursday evening, approach Nova Scotia on Friday,
and move across Nova Scotia and into the Gulf of St. Lawrence on
Saturday. Fiona is a category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds
near 130 mph (215 km/h) with higher gusts.

In advance of the hurricane, the Radio Society of Bermuda activated
their Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) on Wednesday, September 21,
at 1:43 PM ET and plans to have 14 active amateurs monitoring the
hurricane network. Plans are to use local repeaters, unless there's a
power loss, then they'll switch to simplex. They're currently
monitoring 14.283 MHz and will continue to monitor that frequency.

The HWN will be activated on Thursday, September 22, at 5:00 PM EDT/AST
(2100 UTC) on the primary frequency of 14.325 MHz. Activation for the
40-meter net on 7.268 MHz will be at 7:00 PM EDT/AST (2300 UTC). The
net will be on 20 meters for as long as propagation will allow and will
remain active on 40 meters until it's no longer required, or
propagation goes away.

However, should Hurricane Fiona make direct landfall, operations will
resume on Friday, September 23, at 9:00 AM EDT/AST (1300 UTC) to assist
with post-storm reports and any outgoing health and welfare traffic,
which would be directed toward SATERN.

HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, offered some suggestions for amateur
radio operators contacting the net.

"We look for reporting stations that can provide us with any measured
or estimated weather information that we can relay directly to the
forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Such weather
information we look for is maximum sustained winds, wind gusts, wind
direction, barometric pressure, and rainfall amount -- how much over
x-amount of time, storm surge, and damage," Graves said. "Also, should
you have any outgoing health and welfare traffic before, during, or
after this event, we are happy to assist as we work closely with the
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network."

Graves also said, as a reminder, the HWN is available to provide backup communications to official agencies, such as Emergency Operations
Centers, American Red Cross officials, and storm shelters in the
affected area. They also collect and forward significant damage
assessment data to government and non-government officials.

Amateur radio operators who want to monitor or participate in the
hurricane nets should visit these two useful and informative links:

The Hurricane Watch Net - Useful Links <https://hwn.org/tools/useful-links.html>

VoIP Hurricane Net <https://voipwx.net/>

Special thanks to HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, and ARRL PIC Angel
L. Santana-Diaz, WP3GW for information in this article.

GIRL SCOUTS RECEIVE ARRL RADIO AND WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY PATCHES

On Saturday, September 10, 2022, the York County Amateur Radio Society
(YCARS) in Rock Hill, South Carolina, helped 22 Girl Scouts earn their
ARRL Radio and Wireless Technology patch.

Created in 2016, the Radio and Wireless Technology Patch Program <http://www.arrl.org/girl-scouts-radio-patch> offers Girl Scouts
opportunities to learn about wireless technology, including amateur
radio. Girl Scouts are encouraged to participate in activities that
help them gain knowledge and skills in careers and subjects that
involve science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

The program activity was part of the Girl Scouts Love State Parks
annual event. YCARS Outreach Coordinator Vicki Carnes, AD3I, and six
other club members presented the program. Other amateur radio operators
were available to help the Girl Scouts get on the air and communicate
using amateur radio.

Carnes said some of the most enjoyed activities included a hands-on demonstration of Lenz's law that used copper tubing and a magnet,
making and using tin cans with string telephones, and coding and
decoding words using the phonetic alphabet. The breakdown for the Girl
Scouts participating were: 11 Brownies, four Juniors, four Cadettes,
two Seniors, and one Ambassador.

Carnes said YCARS is very involved in the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service® (ARES®), and it was an honor to play a small part in these
Girl Scouts' journeys through Girl Scouts of the USA. Engaging their
members by getting involved with ARES, Girl Scouts, and other
charitable organizations is just one way that YCARS serves its
community. Read "Club Station" in the September 2022 issue of QST for
more information about how YCARS has rebuilt itself into being an
active club, and other ways that they engage their membership by way of
public service.

"ARRL is eager to encourage opportunities to involve scouts with ham
radio," said ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA. "Congratulations to YCARS and the Girl Scouts for an outstanding
activity," he added.

ANNUAL SET EXERCISE TO TEST SKILLS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

The ARRL Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is scheduled for October 1 - 2,
2022. The SET is ARRL's annual national emergency exercise and is
designed to assess the skills and preparedness of Amateur Radio
Emergency Service® (ARES®) volunteers, as well as those affiliated with
other organizations involved in emergency and disaster responses.

"The SET provides an opportunity to evaluate equipment and skills, and
to gauge the level of preparedness," said ARRL Director of Emergency
Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. "Additionally, it helps with
interaction between other amateur radio operators and strengthens the
level of training we all have."

The SET encourages maximum participation by all radio amateurs and
partner organizations, as well as national, state, and local officials
who typically engage in emergency or disaster responses. In addition to
ARES volunteers, those active in the National Traffic Systemâ(tm)¢
(NTSâ(tm)¢),

Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), National Weather Service
(NWS) SKYWARN®, Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and a variety
of other allied groups and public service-oriented radio amateurs are
needed to fulfill important roles in this nationwide exercise.

This year, ARRL introduces a new program of accessible online reporting
forms that allow SET participants to report activity directly to ARRL Headquarters. The new forms allow Emergency Coordinators and Net
Managers to report traffic and activity. Public Information Officers
and Coordinators, as well as Section Emergency Coordinators and Section Managers, can also upload press releases and pictures online.

The SET offers volunteers an opportunity to assess equipment, modes,
and skills under simulated emergency conditions and scenarios.
Individuals can use the time to update a go-kit for use during
deployments and to ensure their home station's operational capability
during an emergency or disaster. To get involved, contact your local
ARRL Emergency Coordinator or Net Manager.

SET guidelines and access to the forms can be found at www.arrl.org/public-service-field-services-forms <http://www.arrl.org/public-service-field-services-forms>.

THREE HAMS MAKE THE MOST OF AN EMERGENCY SCENARIO

Three members of the Central Ohio Severe Weather Network <>(COSWN)
found themselves in an unanticipated situation last week as they
arrived for their weekly weather net <> at their operations center in
Columbus, Ohio.

Amateur radio operators Bradley Howard, KE8SVT; Brian Burley, KE8ANW,
and John Ross, KD8IDJ, discovered they didn't have <>access to the
COSWN operations center. <>All three are experienced operators who
regularly carry handheld radios, or have radios mounted in their
vehicles. In turn, they decided to treat this as an "emergency
scenario" to simulate establishing an emergency communications network
in the event of an actual emergency.

They went to their cars and accessed what equipment they had and what
equipment they would need to set up an Emergency Operations Center
(EOC) in the parking lot. They found three folding chairs and an empty
5-gallon bucket <> for a makeshift table. A mobile radio was pulled
from its under-dash mount in Burley's car (connected to a trunk-mounted antenna) and set it on the table.

"We all were pretty amazed by how fast it came together -- about 5
minutes," said Ross. "Howard had copies of the scripts and procedures
<>and we were able to get the net up and running on time." Disassembly
only took 5 minutes.

Burley said he, too, was surprised by the setup speed and was glad he
could help.

"I believe this underscores the importance of training and working in
different scenarios, so we can always be ready for the unexpected,"
said Howard. "Our commitment to Central Ohio is to be ready when severe
weather hits, and we will work to always uphold that responsibility."

All three now suggest different training opportunities to ensure COSWN
is fully prepared.

***Editor's note*** John Ross, KD8IDJ, is the ARRL News Editor and a
member of the COSWN Board of Trustees. COSWN is an ARRL Affiliated
Club.

AMATEUR RADIO IN THE NEWS

ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news <http://www.arrl.org/media-hits>.

"West Allis Amateur Radio Club aims to generate interest in ham radio <https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2022/09/13/west-allis-amateur-radio-club-aims-to-generate-interest-in-ham-radio>"

/ Spectrum News (Wisconsin), September 17, 2002 -- The West Allis Radio
Amateur Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

"STUTSMAN COUNTY HAM RADIO ENTHUSIASTS CELEBRATE 75 YEARS <https://www.newsdakota.com/2022/09/21/stutsman-county-ham-radio-enthusiasts-celebrate-75-years/>"

/ NewsDakota.com (North Dakota), September 21, 2022 -- The Jamestown
Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

Share <newsmedia@arrl.org> any amateur radio media hits you spot with
us.

ARRL PODCASTS

The latest episode of the ARRL On the Air
<https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> podcast includes QST contributor
Dino Papas, KL0S. Papas provides insight into the construction and
tuning of a J-pole antenna, which he built for On the Air from a design
by John H. Unrath, K6JHU.

Listen to ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>,
available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week's top
news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with
interviews and other features.

The On the Air podcast is available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher
(Android). The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are also on
Blubrry -- On the Air <https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> | ARRL Audio
News <https://blubrry.com/arrlaudionews/>.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Big E Space Chat is GO for Tuesday, September 27, 2022, from
"New England's Great State Fair." Hundreds of The Big E <https://www.thebige.com/>attendees and spectators will be able to
watch students make a live contact with NASA Astronaut Bob Hines,
KI5RQT, who is aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Hines will
contact the students via an amateur radio ground station, ON4ISS, in
Belgium. The contact is organized through Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station <https://www.ariss.org/> (ARISS). Around a
dozen youth associated with New England Sci-Tech (NEST), a STEM
learning and makerspace center in Natick, Massachusetts, have been
selected to participate in The Big E Space Chat. A pre-contact program
will begin at 1:20 PM Eastern Time, and will include several speakers
including Eastern States Exposition CEO and President Gene Cassidy,
ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA; ARRL New England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, and New England Sci-Tech President Bob Phinney, K5TEC.
More information about the Big E Space Chat can be found on the ARRL
New England Division <https://nediv.arrl.org/big-e-space-chat/>
website. A live video stream of the contact will be carried on the NEST
YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxnD8uF8t0 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdxnD8uF8t0>.

IN BRIEF...

The Radio Amateur Society of Australia (RASA) was able to gain
permission to use an AX prefix for their call signs to commemorate the
life of Queen Elizabeth II. The allowed use of the AX prefix began on
September 19, 2022. VK amateurs may exchange VK with AX until September
23, 2022. Normally, the VK prefix is reserved for use only on three
specific days of the year. But the RASA and the Wireless Institute of
Australia (WIA) worked with the Australian Communications and Media
Authority (ACMA) so that the VK prefix could be used in this manner.

Andy Clift, G6PJZ, has achieved the coveted Summits on the Air (SOTA)
Mountain Goat status for reaching 1,000 activator points. His Mountain Goat-qualifying activation took place from Helvellyn in the English
Lake District in Cumbria, England. Andy's SOTA journey started back in
2015, when he learned about the program by answering a CQ call from a
SOTA activator. He soon activated his first summit -- Rogan's Seat in
the Yorkshire Dales in England -- and started, as so many do, a keen
obsession over the ensuing years. Reflecting on his achievement, Andy commented, "Without SOTA I would not do anywhere near as much walking.
I would not be as active on the radio, and I would not have discovered
some of the fantastic smaller Marilyns [parts of larger mountain
systems that are situated in protected areas] that people don't bother travelling to." For more information about SOTA, visit www.sota.org.uk <http://www.sota.org.uk/>.

THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, of Seattle, Washington, reports for this week's ARRL Propagation Bulletin:

Geomagnetic disturbances were down this week, but so were sunspot
numbers and solar flux.

Average daily sunspot numbers declined from 92.7 to 68, and average
daily solar flux declined from 141.3 to 134.3.

Six new sunspot groups appeared this week, the first on September
15, two more on September 19, another on September 20, and two more on September 21.

Predicted solar flux is 140 and 138 on September 22 - 23; 130 on
September 24 - 27; 120 on September 28; 122 on September 29 through
October 2; 120 again on October 3; 122 on October 4 - 7; 125, 122, and
120 on October 8 - 10; 118 on October 11 - 12; 116 on October 13 - 15;
138 on October 16; 135 on October 17 - 18, and 133, 128, 126, 130, and
125 on October 19 - 23.

Predicted planetary A index is 10 and 20 on September 22 - 23; 15 on
September 24 - 25; 8 on September 26 - 29; 22, 50, 30, and 20 on
September 30 through October 3; 12, 15, 12, and 10 on October 4 - 7; 8,
8, 5, and 8 on October 8 - 11; 5 on October 12 - 14; 12, 10, 5, 5, 20,
18, and 12 on October 15 - 21, and 8 on October 22 - 26.

The above predictions were made by the Offutt Air Force Base.

For information on whether sunspots are really black, visit www.livescience.com/why-are-sunspots-black <https://www.livescience.com/why-are-sunspots-black>.

I'm pleased to report that the 2022 Autumnal Equinox is Friday,
September 23, at 0104 UTC. Both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
will be bathed in equal measures of solar radiation, which is good for
HF propagation.

Sunspot numbers for September 15 through 21 were 71, 64, 76, 51, 74,
70, and 70, with a mean of 68. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 139.7,
131.1, 131.5, 136.1, 127.9, 137.2, and 136.9, with a mean of 134.3.
Estimated planetary A indices were 6, 4, 5, 11, 11, 8, and 5, with a
mean of 7.1. Middle latitude A index was 8, 5, 5, 9, 7, 6, and 4, with
a mean of 6.9.

Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit <http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals> the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read
<http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere> "What the Numbers
Mean..." and check out <http://k9la.us/> the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.

A propagation bulletin archive <http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation> is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio <https://www.voacap.com/hf/> website.

Share <k7ra@arrl.net> your reports and observations.

A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News
<http://www.arrl.org/news>.

JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- September 24 - 25 -- CQ Worldwide DX Contest, (RTTY, digital)

- September 24 - 25 -- Maine QSO Party (CW, phone)

- September 24 -- AGCW VHF/UHF Contest (CW)

- September 24 -- AWA Amplitude Modulation QSO Party (phone)

- September 25 -- UBA ON Contest, 6 Meters (CW, phone)

- September 26 -- RSGB FT4 Contest (digital)

- September 27 -- 222 MHz Fall Sprint (CW, phone, digital)

Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar>
for more events and information.

UPCOMING SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS

- September 23 - 24 | HRO Superfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/hro-superfest-arrl-central-division-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Central Division Convention, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

- September 24 | Red River Radio Amateur Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/red-river-radio-amateur-hamfest-arrl-dakota-division-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Dakota Division Convention, West Fargo, North Dakota

- September 24 | Spokane Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/spokane-hamfest-arrl-washington-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Washington State Convention, Spokane Valley,
Washington

- October 1 | Wichita Area Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/wichita-area-hamfest-arrl-kansas-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Kansas State Convention, Wichita, Kansas

- October 1 | Rock Hill Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/70th-annual-rock-hill-hamfest-arrl-south-carolina-section-convention>,

hosting the ARRL South Carolina Section Convention, Rock Hill, South
Carolina

- October 7- 8 | Melbourne Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/melbourne-hamfest-arrl-florida-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Florida State Convention, Melbourne, Florida

- October 7- 8 | Slidell EOC Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/slidell-eoc-hamfest-arrl-louisiana-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Louisiana State Convention, Slidell, Louisiana

- October 7- 9 | ARRL Rocky Mountain Division Convention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arrl-rocky-mountain-division-convention>, Cheyenne, Wyoming

- October 9 | Nutmeg Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/nutmeg-hamfest-arrl-connecticut-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Connecticut State Convention, North Haven, Connecticut

- October 14 - 16 | Pacificon <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/pacificon-arrl-pacifc-division-convention>, hosting the ARRL Pacific Division Convention, San Ramon, California

- October 15 | Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference 2022 <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/wisconsin-ares-races-conference-2022-arrl-wisconsin-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Wisconsin State Convention, Wisconsin Rapids,
Wisconsin

- October 29 | CopaFest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/copafest-arrl-arizona-state-convention>,
hosting the ARRL Arizona State Convention, Maricopa, Arizona

- November 5 - 6 | Stone Mountain Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/stone-mountain-hamfest-arrl-georgia-section-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Georgia Section Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia

- November 12 | Montgomery ARC Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/montgomery-arc-hamfest-arrl-alabama-state-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Alabama State Convention, Montgomery, Alabama

Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests> to find events in your area.

HAVE NEWS FOR ARRL?

Submissions for The ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to
news@arrl.org. -- John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor
<news@arrl.org>

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