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Manager - AB7RG
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RSGB Elections:

by AB7RG  2023-03-28
If you are an RSGB Member, don't forget to vote for the two candidates that you would like to see as Board Directors for the next two years.

Amateur Radio Operators Like Bob McArthur of New Ipswich Make Connections:

by AB7RG  2023-03-26
Bob McArthur turns on his radio and puts out a "CQ" call -- calling anyone, anywhere for a chat. Answering the call, somewhat tinny until McArthur makes a few adjustmentsm to make the signal clearer and clearer, is Ian, of central England. The two exchange some details -- their exact locations, the kinds of radios they have and how clear their signal is, before signing off. It's a pretty typical conversation between ham radio operators. The fact that they're across an ocean from each other is no object. McArthur, whose radio set up is in an upstairs office in his New Ipswich home, with an antenna set up in his backyard, has been a ham radio enthusiast for the past 25 years. McArthur's call sign is K1QT, a sign he picked himself. Though he occasionally gets ribbed about whether he's a "cutie," he said he chose it for more practical reasons -- it's short, understandable over a weak connection and has a good rhythm when being transmitted by Morse code. The range of radio communications on rigs like McArthur's depend upon atmospheric conditions. When there are a lot of solar flares, the ionosphere surrounding the Earth hardens, and signals can bounce off and reach greater distances. Current conditions for the hobby are excellent, McArthur said.

Ham Radio Kept Upland Man Connected During Pandemic:

by AB7RG  2023-03-25
Michael Guerin of Upland resurrected an old interest: ham radio. "I hadn't been on the air in a few decades. When COVID hit I dug out the gear, set up a makeshift antenna in the backyard and retrained myself how to make contacts," Guerin said. "Since 2020 I have met fellow hams on the air in all 50 states and made contacts in over 100 countries," Guerin said. "In speaking with these hams, many had a similar story of returning to the hobby after many years."

DX News -- ARRL DX Bulletin #12:

by AB7RG  2023-03-23
This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by AA3B, IK1TTD, TA3J, The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

Ham Radio Making a Comeback in Poland:

by AB7RG  2023-03-27
Figures show a comeback of amateur -- or ham radio -- especially during the Pandemic and now during the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. So how can amateur radio be useful when we have everything we need to communicate in the palm of our hands?

Wellington Board Learns About Local Amateur Radio Users:

by AB7RG  2023-03-25
If a disaster takes down the internet and cellular telephone networks, Palm Beach County's western communities still have an old-school option to communicate. OK, not smoke signals -- ham radio. Yes, it's still out there, sustained by dedicated hobbyists including a number of police and fire professionals. Members of Wellington's Public Safety Committee heard precise details on Wednesday, March 8 about how many of its practitioners are ready to do their thing if matters go sideways and it becomes vital to stay in touch in an emergency. This method of communication dates back more than a century and is officially known as amateur radio, but is often called "ham" radio, said Lt. Eli Shaivitz of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, himself a longtime user of the medium. "It is predominantly a hobby, but it does have a public-service benefit," he said. For example, he often can get information through ham radio about emergency matters during hurricanes before it appears on the news, he explained to the committee.

Simulations Confirm Low Probability of Interference into RNSS Receivers:

by AB7RG  2023-03-24
The IARU maintains the view that the likelihood of widespread and persistent interference from amateur radio activities to RNSS (e.g. Galileo) receivers in the 23cm band is minimal. The WRC-23 preparatory studies carried out in the ITU?R study groups have only considered static one-to-one estimations using a minimum coupling loss approach. These studies do not consider the effect of an amateur transmitter on a population of RNSS receivers deployed around an amateur transmitting station.

Just Ahead In Radiosport:

by AB7RG  2023-03-23
Just Ahead In Radiosport: