News Articles

ARNewsline # 1684 -- Nov. 20 2009:
by Bill Pasternak (WA6ITF) on November 20, 2009
The following is a Q-S-T. The FCC's new chairman testifies before congress on distracted driving. Is congress looking at some sort of nationwide ban? Also, BPL to disappear in Manassas Virginia, 60 meters comes to Trinadad and Tobago, a ham in India waits 13 years to get his license and radio controlled robots to hold their own Olympic like games. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1684 coming your way right now.

Propagation Forecast Bulletin #47 de K7RA:
by W1AW Bulletin via the ARRL on November 20, 2009
Sunspot activity seems to be increasing steadily of late. Daily sunspot numbers for November 5-19 were 15, 16, 11, 0, 14, 13, 11, 11, 0, 0, 11, 12, 0, 29 and 30.

Technology Enthusiast Boosts Skills with Amateur Radio:
by rapidonline.com on November 20, 2009
An IT manager in the US spends his spare time brushing up on his technology skills by developing amateur radio communications networks. John D Hays, who hails from Washington, said that amateur radio is important for the emergency services to transfer messages if mainstream methods of communication, such as mobile phones and the internet, go down. "Individuals with radios in the field could interconnect with the telephone system even when their cell phones are shut down by an emergency," he told ComputerWorld. He added that the medium can be used to experiment with megahertz of free bandwidth, which is available to broadcast any signal as long as the sender has an amateur radio licence. The Times-Georgian recently reported that amateur radio enthusiast Earl Todd enhanced his telecommunication skills during the annual simulated emergency test in the US state. The October 4th event lasted for two hours, with the amateur radio fan sending messages about the state of the weather in the area.

Solar Radio Flux: Slow Upward Trend Since Summer:
by examiner.com on November 20, 2009
A slow but steady increase is seen in the 10.7cm solar flux since late September. This is the longest sustained upward trend in the electromagnetic emissions since early 2008. It is yet another indicator that the sun continues to awaken from its pronounced solar sluggishness. Observe the black line at the top of the graph. There is a gentle, but definite upward slope from left (older data) to right (newest data). This is the 10.7cm flux reading. This further supports solar researchers’ viewpoint that solar activity is climbing out of the cycle 23/24 minimum, which was the most pronounced since 1913.

This Week on the Radio:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
This Week on the Radio:

End in Sight for 'Third Battle of Bull Run'?
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, once termed the battle of Broadband over Power Lines (BPL) in Manassas, Virginia as the "Third Battle of Bull Run." While the war against harmful interference to Amateur Radio via BPL is not yet over, the battle in Manassas might soon be coming to an end.

NCVEC to Release New Technician Question Pool in January:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
The Question Pool Committee (QPC) of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) is due to release the new Technician class (Element 2) question pool to the 14 VECs on December 1, 2009; it will be released to the public in January 2010.

SKYWARN Recognition Day Set for December 5:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
The 11th Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) Special Event will take place Saturday, December 5, 2009. SRD is co-sponsored by the ARRL and the National Weather Service (NWS) as a way to recognize the commitment made by Amateur Radio operators in helping to keep their communities safe.

Hints & Kinks: PL-259 Connector Tool for Coax Cables:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
Tired of using pliers to screw on the PL-259 connectors when you are preparing cables? Pliers always seem to do some damage by the amount of force this task requires. I use an inexpensive 1/2 inch PVC female to male coupler. Simply use a step drill and ream out the female end. This works for most half inch coaxial cables.

Nominations Needed for Bill Leonard Professional Media, Humanitarian Awards
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
Did you see an article or news segment on Amateur Radio this past year in the papers, on TV, radio or a professional Web site? ARRL Media and Public Relations Manager Allen Pitts, W1AGP, reminds you that you can recognize the professional reporter's work by nominating them for the Bill Leonard Professional Media Award.

GAREC Returns to Region 2 for 2010:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
The 2010 Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Conference (GAREC) will take place October 11-12 on the Dutch island of Curacao in the Caribbean. The theme of the conference will be Learning through Practicing.

The 2009 ARRL Spectrum Defense Campaign Needs Your Support:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, reports that the ARRL has raised $126,828 toward the goal $310,000 for the 2009 Spectrum Defense Fund.

Now You Know!: It's All Greek to Me:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
Ask any high school physics student and they'll tell you that electrons govern pretty much everything we do. We call electrons in motion an electrical current, and those radio waves that we hams are so fond of are the result of high frequency electrons traveling in our antenna conductors. Think of a 40 meter wave as an accidental tourist who wants to go somewhere (somewhere nice and warm, maybe a rare DX station). But how to get there? It needs some mode of transport -- think of electrons as the transport providers.

QST Author George Badger, W6TC (SK):
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
George Badger, W6TC, of Portola Valley, California, passed away on Sunday, November 15. He was 84. Originally licensed in 1939 as W6RXW when he was 14, Badger was a member of the ARRL for 67 of his 69 year amateur career.

ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration:
by The ARRL Letter on November 19, 2009
Registration remains open through Sunday, December 27, 2009, for these online course sessions beginning on Friday, January 8, 2010: