Ham Radio Update

CQ WW WPX Contest, CW

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:53 +0000

WA7BNM Contest Calendar -- 0000Z, May 26 to 2359Z, May 27

ICQ Podcast S05 E11- Homebrew D-Star (20 May 2012)

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:52 +0000

ICQ Podcast -- Series Five Episode Eleven of the ICQ Podcast has been released. News Stories include :-

New frequencies for AMSAT-UK FUNcube-1
2E0BTR Mountain Goat
New regulations for the Olympic Games
Special UK callsigns for Queen's Diamond Jubilee
D-Star for London 2012 Olympics
GB3LV repeater back on the air
UK Propagation charts for May 2012
US Emergency Services move to Digital
Glasgow school wins 70cm CanSat launch competition
RAYNET Isle of Man
60 metres 'Gazetted' in Canada
European Football Championship 2012 on the Air

Martin M1MRB discusses Homebrew D-STAR.

It's 'DX-ing', 'Fox Hunting' Time:

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:51 +0000

eHam.net News -- HAMFEST: Carnival to focus on search and rescue ops: KUALA LUMPUR: WHAT do you do when natural disasters like earthquakes, landslides or floods strike? What if the power is down and all communication is cut off? At the Hamfest festival, an amateur radio opportunity, visitors will be exposed to how to use amateur radio for search and rescue operations in case of an emergency as well as interacting with other amateur radio enthusiasts worldwide. "We want to create awareness of this communication tool and its usefulness. "It becomes the last frontier when other communications are down and the public can learn it when they attend this festival" said event organiser, Azli Paat.

Hams Return to Dayton for World Event:

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:51 +0000

eHam.net News -- TROTWOOD, Ohio -- Amateur radio operators from around the world have made their pilgrimage to Hara Arena again this weekend for the 61st Annual Dayton Hamvention. Organizers said that before the event closes its doors Sunday night, over 20,000 people will have stopped at Hara Arena. They said that attendees are expected to spend millions of dollars in the Dayton area over the weekend.

Techies In Town for Hamvention:

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:51 +0000

eHam.net News -- TROTWOOD, Ohio (WDTN) - This weekend is the biggest of the year for ham radio fans. Hamvention is one the area's top attractions every year and this year is no different. Thousands of "techies" don their antenna hats and electronic gadgets for a week of networking and buying up radio goodies. One walk around the grounds of Hara Arena and you can feel the waves of radio excitement. There is amateur radio equipment on display, PA systems, handheld radios, hard drives, laptops, you name it it's there.

One month to Field Day

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Each year the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsors Field Day as an emergency preparedness exercise. The event takes place during a 24-hour period on the fourth weekend of June

DXCC approves Yemeni and Somali DXpeditions

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- The recent 7O6T DXpedition to Yemen and the February 2012 6O3A DXpedition to Somalia have both been approved for DXCC credit

What is a Spaceball?

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- This weekend the Bay Area Maker Faire in San Mateo is in full swing. Brian W6BY is there and this video shows his Spaceball azimuth and elevation rotator

Volunteers wanted for RSGB Centenary Working Group

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- With the RSGB Centenary now just over 6 months away detailed planning of events to mark the occasion, as well as publicise our hobby to the public, is under way

Propagation Report from Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Hannes Coetzee, ZS6BZP, reports that the Solar activity is at moderate levels. The sun's surface is peppered with sunspots and a new sunspot is emerging on the western limb

Heard Island DXpedition

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- After 5 months of planning, Cordell Expeditions is pleased to announce a DXpedition to Heard Island, Territory of Australia, in early 2014

Columbus Ham Radio powered-on

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- A status report video released by NASA for May 14-18 notes that Joe Acaba, KE5DAR, powered on the ham radio in the ESA Columbus module

GB2WPM Mills On The Air video

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- This is the fourth year the Brigg and District Amateur Radio Club have taken part in this event from the Wrawby Post Mill. The mill was built in 1760, and is located just outside the market town of Brigg in North Lincolnshire

Special Canadian amateur radio call sign

Sun, 20 May 2012 08:27:50 +0000

Southgate ARC -- VC2CBS30 is the unusual callsign in use by the Sorel-Tracy Amateur Radio Club in Quebec, Canada until 30 May

ICOM to Support Boy Scouts at National Jamboree and at Local Council Level

Sat, 19 May 2012 17:27:38 +0000

ARRL -- Against the backdrop of the 2012 Dayton Hamvention(r) -- the largest gathering of radio amateurs in the US -- ICOM America announced a sponsorship agreement with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) for the organization's 2013 National Scout Jamboree. As the BSA's official Amateur Radio transceiver supplier for the jamboree, ICOM will provide equipment and technical support for the K2BSA radio operati...

Amateur Radio satellite HORYU-2 videos

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Videos have been released showing the deployment of HORYU-2 in space and the reception of its signal in Sudan

Win a free TYT TH-UV3R

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- AmateurRadio.com is offering a free prize drawing!

Only months left to ILLW

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- As the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend approaches in August, it is Australia on 42 entries ahead of its rival Germany having 36 registrations for the 15th annual running of this fun event

Propagation de K7RA

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Average daily sunspot numbers for the past week rose nearly 25 points, or about 27%, to 117.3. The big day was Monday, May 14 when the daily sunspot number jumped to 156. This was the day after four new sunspot groups, numbered 1481 through 1484 arrived

Are QRPers Insane?

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- A preview of Craig AA0ZZ's presentation for the Dayton Hamvention given at the May 2012 MN-ARTS meeting

SpaceX Dragon to blast-off to ISS

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- On Tuesday, May 22 at 07:44 UT SpaceX's Dragon is transporting the student payload Aquarius on SSEP Mission 1 to the International Space Station (ISS)

Dunstable Downs Stockwood Park Amateur Radio Rally

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Everything is in place for the 29th running of the amateur radio boot sale at Stockwood Park, Luton on Sunday May 20, 2012

CQ announces 2012 Hall of Fame inductees

Sat, 19 May 2012 11:28:04 +0000

Southgate ARC -- CQ magazine has announced its 2012 Hall of Fame inductees, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the CQ DX Hall of Fame with three new members, along with two new inductees into the CQ Contest Hall of Fame and 16 new members of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame

Ham Radio Operators Prepare for the Big One:

Sat, 19 May 2012 08:28:26 +0000

eHam.net News -- ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) -- The Big One is on Nathan Lee's mind. More than four years after the Great Coastal Gale of 2007, and in the wake of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Lee and a small cadre of amateur radio junkies are preparing for the worst and having a great time doing it. With concerns growing over the dangers posed by the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where shifting tectonic plates pose the risk of creating huge earthquakes along the western seaboard, Lee figures that when the inevitable strikes, people can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. Guess which he is? His Jeep is a mobile radio station for the survivalist set. Resting inside a locked metal briefcase, like a Russian nesting doll, is another locked metal box, all of which is chained to the back seat. Inside is a "terminal node controller," a thin rectangular box that looks like a standard car radio but is actually a special piece of amateur radio equipment used to transmit signals around the globe. His radio-outfitted rig ensures that when Mother Nature turns tempestuous, he and the other members of the Clatsop County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) will have the county covered.

Weather Emergencies Help Fuel Ham Radio Growth:

Sat, 19 May 2012 08:28:26 +0000

eHam.net News -- The number of licensed amateur radio operators in the U.S. is at an all-time high, in part because of ham radio use during and after severe weather, experts said. The number of amateur radio operators topped 700,000 for the first time in October 2011, according to the American Radio Relay League, a national amateur radio association. New license applications for 2012's first quarter were up 30 percent compared to that period in 2011, the league said.

Dayton Goes 'Radio Active' This Weekend:

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:27:57 +0000

eHam.net News -- DAYTON, Ohio, (WDTN) - Some 20,000 visitors are in Dayton this weekend to attend Hamvention, the largest gathering of amateur radio operators in the world. The only impact on Miami Valley residents may be they notice a few more cars with "extra" antennas on the road, but the event is expected to give a $10 million boost to the local economy. Amateur radio operators, or Hams, flock to Dayton from all parts of the world to attend the event where many manufacturers debut their latest and greatest products. "I came all the way from Spain," said Oriel, who did not wish to give his last name, 'I am here to see the new radios and maybe take one home on the airplane." Hundreds of Hams lined up before the event opened Friday, signaling they are not only diehard hobbyists but also their dedication to the Dayton event. But, with the addition of cell phones, portable tablet devices and widespread internet availability, surly the hobby must be on its way out. "Amateur radio is far from dead," said Allen Pitts with the Amateur Radio Relay League, the national membership organization of amateur operators, "It's not your grandfather's anymore." Pitts says with the addition of digital radio modes and the internet, the hobby has new avenues of expansion. In fact, the Federal Communications Commission, who issues the necessary licenses to Hams, reports it is issuing thousands of licenses each year.

Amateurs Asked to Listen for HORYU-2 Satellite:

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:27:57 +0000

eHam.net News -- The Japanese HORYU-2 research satellite was launched May 17 at 1639
UTC as part of a mission that included the JAXA climate observation
satellite Shizuku. HORYU-2 was built by students at the Kyushu Institute of Technology
(KIT) and it carries the call sign JG6YBW. The satellite will
conduct a variety of experiments including high-voltage power
generation and space debris measurements.

Propagation Forecast Bulletin #20 de K7RA:

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:27:57 +0000

eHam.net News -- Look at the archive on spaceweather.com. On the upper
right side of the page, it is accessed by selecting a date on the
three drop-down fields. Now step day-by-day through the past week to
see the progression of a considerable number of sunspots. The spots
are in the Daily Sun image on the left side of the page. There was
one new sunspot group on May 10, two on May 11, four more on May 13,
and another on May 15.

Win a Free TYT TH-UV3R:

Fri, 18 May 2012 23:27:57 +0000

eHam.net News -- With the help of our very generous sponsor, Import Communications (formerly Wouxun.us), we're giving away a
TYT TH-UV3R Dual-Band HT
plus a Free USB Programming Cable!
Shipping to US and Canada included.

CQ Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Inductees:

Fri, 18 May 2012 20:27:54 +0000

eHam.net News -- (Dayton, OH - May 18, 2012) -- CQ magazine today announced its 2012 Hall of Fame inductees, celebrating the 45th anniversary of the CQ DX Hall of Fame with three new members, along with two new inductees into the CQ
Contest Hall of Fame and 16 new members of the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame.

The K7RA Solar Update

Fri, 18 May 2012 17:28:21 +0000

ARRL -- The average daily sunspot numbers for the past week rose nearly 25 points, or about 27 percent, to 117.3. The big day was Monday, May 14 when the daily sunspot number jumped to 156. This was the day after four new sunspot groups, numbered 1481 through 1484 arrived. Sunspot numbers for May 10-16 were 93, 102, 85, 138, 156, 125 and 122, with a mean of 117.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 130.7, 136.4, 129...

CQ Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Inductees

Fri, 18 May 2012 16:29:46 +0000

ARRL -- CQ magazine announced its 2012 Hall of Fame inductees on May 18, welcoming 16 new members into the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, three new members of the CQ DX Hall of Fame and two new members of the CQ Contest Hall of Fame.The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame honors those individuals, whether licensed hams or not, who have made significant contributions to Amateur Radio, as well as those amateur...

Surfin': Old Magazines and More Ducks

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:29:54 +0000

ARRL -- By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU Contributing EditorThis week, Surfin' tries to unclutter the house and learns about more open source software.Old Magazines Fill My HouseI have copies of every issue of QST going back to the mid-1960s, when I first became interested in ham radio. In addition to QST, I also have mass quantities of QEX, NCJ, CQ, Ham Radio, 73, Popular Communications and numerous other radio...

Enter the Seventh Annual ARRL Photo Contest!

Fri, 18 May 2012 15:29:54 +0000

ARRL -- Have you ever wanted to see a photo of yours in QST, the annual ARRL Amateur Radio Calendar or another ARRL publication? Well, here's your chance! If you're among the winners, not only will your photographic skill be propagated far and wide, but we're offering $100 as the First Prize. The winning photo and three runners-up will be published in QST. All submitted photos will also be considered f...

New RSGB General Manager:

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:28:55 +0000

eHam.net News -- In November last year we informed our membership of the financial and organisational challenges that faced the RSGB and presented our vision for the future of the Society. Your Board has been working on developing that strategy and is in the process of building financial, operational and governance models in preparation for consultation with staff, volunteers and members.

Olympic Games: Temporary Operating Restrictions:

Fri, 18 May 2012 08:28:55 +0000

eHam.net News -- The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games will place unprecedented demands on the radio spectrum in locations where there is already significant use of the spectrum resource. The Government has guaranteed to the International Olympic Committee that arrangements will be made to allocate the necessary radio frequencies for the organisation of the Games. Ofcom has worked closely with the Government and other spectrum users to meet the Games requirements with minimum disruption to other users. Ofcom has identified a need to have short term access to certain segments within bands to which Radio Amateurs have secondary access. Ofcom has been working with the Radio Society of Great Britain to ensure that Games requirements can be met in some of these shared bands, while maintaining enough spectrum for Amateurs to continue to use. There are segments within several Amateur bands which Ofcom plans to assign to support the 2012 Games and their preparation; some use will also continue for a short time after the Games to support decommissioning of venues. This use will be in geographically limited areas between 28th June 2012 and 23rd September 2012. The frequencies affected are segments of the 70cm band, and 2.390 - 2.400 GHz and 3.41 3.44 GHz.

RSGB 80m Club Championship, CW

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:48 +0000

WA7BNM Contest Calendar -- 1900Z-2030Z, May 24

Operators needed for Canal Festival

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- The Chesterfield Canal Festival is due to be held on the weekend 30th June and 1st July (Saturday and Sunday) at The Staveley Marina near Chesterfield and help is needed with communications for the event

GB60VUL - The Vulcan Diamond Jubilee

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- GB60VUL will be on the air until May 27 to promote 60 years of the Vulcan Bomber, and the Vulcan's 'Salute to Her Majesty' during her Diamond Jubilee year

Milestone for wi-fi with 'T-rays'

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- Researchers in Japan have smashed the record for wireless data transmission in the terahertz band, an uncharted part of the electro-magnetic spectrum

Successful end to Socotra Island DXpedition

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- The 7O6T - Socotra Island DXpedition came to a successful finish on May 15, 2012, at 2100 GMT, after having logged 162,029 QSOs

Two New Lighthouse Activations: TC1ILH and TC6KLH

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- This Fri-Sun May 18-20, 2012, TCSWAT and GITRAD, in collaboration with Coastal Safety Administration, will be operating from some Black Sea coast lighthouses for the first time

HORYU-2 Telemetry Competition

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- The amateur radio satellite HORYU-2 was successfully launched on Thursday, May 17 at 1639 UT and its signals have been received by radio amateurs around the world

New 'PRB-1' law now in effect in Ohio

Fri, 18 May 2012 07:27:44 +0000

Southgate ARC -- On May 15, Ohio Governor John Kasich signed a bill into law granting comprehensive rights to Amateur Radio operators in that state

CQ Introduces Industry Newsletter: CQ Industry Insider: