#ARRL representing #hamradio at international meeting opening October 28

From K1ZZ, 

The World Radiocommunication Conference 2019 is due to open in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Monday 28 October. The meeting, which lasts four weeks, will be attended by three thousand delegates from most of the countries around the world, and will discuss and agree changes to the ITU Radio Regulations.

IARU and its member-societies will be there, representing the amateur and amateur satellite services with a team of 14 people from 10 countries.

Of particular interest to IARU are the positions on:

-              Agenda Item (AI) 1.1, to allocate spectrum in the 50-54 MHz Region in Region 1 to the amateur service

-              AI 1.13 to consider new spectrum of International Mobile Telecommunications, which potentially might impact amateur spectrum at around 47 GHz

-              AI 1.16 which could impact the 5 GHz amateur spectrum

-              AI 9.1.6 on Wireless Power Transmission, where harmonics of WPT systems can impact the MF/HF radio spectrum

-              AI 10 – where it is possible that future agenda items at WRC-23 could impact the amateur service, including the 1240-1300 MHz band.

What does it take to be an International Amateur Radio Union member?  Again K1ZZ explains:

To be eligible for IARU membership the organization must be a noncommercial association of radio amateurs, devoted to the objectives of the IARU and "substantially covering by influence and recognition the country and/or territories which it represents." The quote is from the IARU Constitution. The Bylaws are a bit more specific. An applicant must supply evidence that it "adequately represents the interests of amateurs throughout the country and/or separate territory which it proposes to represent, has the ability to meet its financial obligations as a member of the Union, and is legally able to act in the furtherance of IARU objectives within its country and/or separate territory." There can only be one IARU member-society representing a country or separate territory.

The "or separate territory" language makes it possible for, for example, Bermuda and Gibraltar (among others) to be members of the IARU separate from the UK, which is ably represented by the RSGB.

NO other amateur radio organization in the United States meets those conditions.  This is only ONE of over 50 reasons an amateur radio operator in the United States should be a member of the American Radio Relay League.  Do YOU want some other country telling YOU where you can operate your amateur radio station?

Ham radio and #Halloween #hamradio #ARRL

What's a ham to do on Halloween?  Stay home and pass out candy while passing out QSOs?  

Two options have been popular in the past.

Some groups form a "Pumpkin Patrol" to report suspicious activity to local authorities.

“Amateur Radio Operators to Help Keep Halloween Safe”

Others have their own hamfest and a special event station.

How are you observing the day?

Are you checking into your local nets? #ARRL #hamradio

There are some local and Section nets that are available for your enjoyment.  

Monday, the Ponca City 146.97 net is available on Echolink for Statewide use.

Tuesday, there's a YL net on the Kan-Okla System.

Wednesday, the Wheatstraw net is on 146.01 mHz.

Thursday, the W5IAS system has a net.

Friday, the 220 group in the Tulsa area has a net.  It's available on Allstar.

There are plenty of others.  Do you have a favorite net?  Is it registered on the League net directory?

If it's too hot for you, here's two feet of snow
to cool you off.

Atomic Energy for Military Purposes #ARRL #hamradio

In Atomic Energy for Military Purposes https://buff.ly/2Za0tXa the words appear in the forward "The ultimate responsibility for our nation's policy rests on its citizens and they can discharge those responsibilities wisely only if they are informed."

These words apply to amateur radio very well.  

How informed are you in matters of #hamradio?  Who writes policy?  How does new policy apply to you?  How do you get policy changed or initiated?

The majority of the answers rest with the American Radio Relay League. 

While everyone can request the Federal Communications Commission to make a new rule or change a Part 97 way of thinking, the League has a history of representing the BEST hobby on the Planet.  Sometimes, they get it wrong.  Most of the time, they get it right.

One of the things the League does well is inform the membership ... and amateur radio as a whole ... about issues impacting the hobby.  

One of the things you can do be be informed is ... at least ... read the League news.  The BEST think you can do to be informed is be a MEMBER.  The League has a robust Section leadership in place.  They and the Division folks do a good job keeping people informed.  Get their number in your speed dial and address book.

Within weeks of the atomic weapons falling on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the subject publication was printed.  That's an example of transparency in Government.  That's right.  It was printed in 1945.  The reprint received with InterLibrary Loan was printed in 1948.  

Please remember YOU are responsible for the Hobby.  Apply the quote above in your amateur radio life.  You'll get more enjoyment from the Hobby if you are not nescient.  After one does that, apply the concept to other spheres in Life.

What did amateur radio operators do during the 9/11 attacks? #ARRL #hamradio

On a number of fronts, amateur radio operators did what they could to communicate on 9-11.

Emergency relief efforts in both Lower Manhattan and at the Pentagon were augmented by volunteer amateur radio operators in the weeks after the attacks.^[3]

Please recall that cellular systems in New York City and Washington DC areas were overloaded.  Land Mobile Radio systems were congested, if available at all.

In rural areas, amateur radio Skywarn, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services, and Amateur Radio Emergency Service operators monitored High Frequency and local systems.

What did YOU do on 9/11?

FACEBOOK did it again #ARRL #hamradio

The Social Media Giant revealed a number of telephone numbers in a security breach.

This causes one to consider leaving FACEBOOK.  It's not the first time.  The firm continues to give reasons to leave on so many fronts.

One of the items keeping customers is the ham radio groups there.  For example, Ham Radio 2.0, Amateur Radio, APRS, DMR, Dstar, as well as pages like the VOIPWX Net folks keep content flowing.

How do you decide to stay or leave?  There has already been some exodus.  New followers and friends arrive daily too.

New social media platforms have sprung up to replace Google+ and others.  How do you decide where to move to, if you are leaving.

Do you miss the old days of email yet?   Don't you miss 75-meter AM too?

All Ham Dinner - September 19 #ARRL #hamradio

On 9/11, remember Rick Rescorla. He is a former student at the University of Oklahoma. Years ago, amateur radio clubs in the Oklahoma City area started an event that is now known as the “All Ham Dinner”. This dinner allows about 70 hams to get together, eat, and communicate with each other. This dinner is held on the third Thursday of January, May, and September at 6:30 pm. The next All Ham Dinner will be held Thursday, September 19th, 2019, at 6:30 pm. This dinner will be at the Hibachi Supreme Buffet, (South side of the South service road of I-240, 1/4 mile West of Western) in south Oklahoma City. No RSVP is needed, show up, get your meal, and join the fun in their 100 seat north banquet room. The Hibachi Supreme Buffet has a wide range of food that includes, Asian, steak, french fries, Mongolian Buffet, pizza, salads, desserts, Italian, and Greek Gyros. It’s very affordable and there’s something for everyone. The Aeronautical Center Amateur Radio Club (ACARC) will host the evening that will include a book signing and discussion of Michael Dean K5MFD's book "Oklahoma City Radio".

Katrina Deployment in Gruber @RedCrossOK #hamrdio #ARRL

During the Hurricane Katrina event, Camp Gruber was the site of the Oklahoma reception center for guests from Houston and New Orleans.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol and American Red Cross
are joined by Salvation Army, National Guard and a host
of other emergency management personnel at the Gruber
Emergency Operations Center

Amateur Radio and the Military Auxiliary Radio System played  part in the emergency.  Supporting communications to the Red Cross office in Tulsa, the linked system from the Camp was utilized for days.  

The Military Auxiliary Radio System tested a crossband link from the mobile unit in the parking lot on HF to VHF handhelds in the field.  It worked flawlessly.

The American Red Cross supplied services for the large number of persons coming to Oklahoma and moving out to other communities across the Nation.  It was a eye-opening experience and a motivator for learning the Incident Command Structure of the National Incident Management System.

Some of the Oklahoma Disaster Medical Assistance Team
deployed to New Orleans.  Please don't mention this
because FEMA was supposedly missing in action.

Are you using APRS in your Skywarn program?

Your traveling #hamradio friends need you to ... #ARRL

... keep your repeaters in your area up to date.

Two resources are available for the Mission.  Repeaterbook and Rfinder are online resources with Android and IOS applications.  The latter has replaced the ARRL Repeater directory.

BOTH rely on local users to let them know changes in the repeaters in the area.  The former uses area administrators to oversee the process but they don't do all the work.  The real work comes from reports from users like you.

Repeaterbook can always use administrators.  For example, if you are in the Tulsa, OKC, Guymon, Lawton, McAlester, Durant area, volunteer to be an admin.  There's no cost but your time and the value is immense.

In the mean time, summer travelers need to know what is available.  The next step is to have someone listening when the call comes over the air.

It's NOT real radio #hamradio #ARRL

At a recent club meeting, the discussion of ALLSTAR produced a discussion of "not real radio".  Add that to the mix on Echolink, IRLP, Dstar, DMR, WiresX (Yaesu Fusion), and others that use the internet backbone to support long haul communication.

Granted that the connection to the internet is "required".  That connection can come and go based on ice storms, hurricanes, and solar flares.  However, the technology is robust, normally, and your electric radio depends on the electric power grid to work.  That is mitigated by using solar, wind, or mobile power (except the Coronal Mass Ejection will take your power grid and radio down to nothing).

So, it's not real radio but please, try to get on the air using one without verification you have a license.

Area #Hamfest notes #ARRL #hamradio

From reports, if you missed HamHoliday, you missed a good event.  The new location was a good choice.

There are plenty of hamfests in the area.  A quick search (just put your zip code and the radius you'll drive) shows:

• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  08/23/2019 | Joplin Hamfest 2019

  Location: Joplin, MO
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Joplin Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
  Website: http://joplinhamfest.org
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  09/06/2019 | Arkansas State Convention (50th Annual Queen Wilhelmena Hamfest)

  Location: Mena, AR
  Type: ARRL Convention
  Sponsor: Queen Wilhelmena Hamfest Association
  Website: http://menahamfest.net
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  09/21/2019 | Reno County Kansas Amateur Radio Club Hamfest

  Location: Hutchinson, KS
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Reno County Kansas Amateur Radio Club
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  10/05/2019 | Annual Southside ARC Hamfest

  Location: Belton, MO
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Southside ARC
  Website: http://southsidearc.net/hamfest/
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  10/05/2019 | Wichita Area Hamfest

  Location: Wichita, KS
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Valley Center Amateur Radio Club
  Website: http://www.vcarc.org
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  10/12/2019 | Randy Griffin Memorial Hamfest

  Location: Morrilton, AR
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Randy Griffin Memorial Radio Club
  Website: http://k5boc.org
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  11/02/2019 | Raytown Amateur Radio Club Hamfest

  Location: Independence , MO
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Raytown Amateur Radio Club
  Website: http://www.k0gq.com
  Learn More
• 

  HAMFEST/CONVENTION

  11/09/2019 | NARC Hamfest

  Location: Nixa, MO
  Type: ARRL Hamfest
  Sponsor: Nixa Amateur Radio Club
  Learn More

#Hamradio Nets of Note #ARRL

The Wichita Amateur Radio Club has a footprint in south Central Kansas and North Central Oklahoma.

With that in mind, their Sunday evening net at 8 p.m. Central Time offers a good way for area amateur radio operators to keep track of what's going on, not only in the Club, but also in the groups around the region.

The net meets on the various linked repeaters and Echolink.

Also, on Tuesday evening, there is a YL net that has attendees from the Region and beyond.

Since 1932, this club has been active in bringing amateur radio to the attention of Kansas and Oklahoma hams.

Ant Trails #WRN #Skywarn

Chasing storms tornado forming right in front of us

Can we be accurate in our descriptions, please? To the left is a photo from a Storm Chaser who described what appears to be a funnel as a developing tornado.  The apparent funnel was reported to the appropriate Weather Service office.

Appropriately, there was no tornado warning issued on this cell.

Some of the emergency management community are happy to engage the Chaser Community. Others are less than happy to see the ant trails in their neighborhood.

What are ant trails?  Those are the little red dots displayed on the RadarScope image below.  Each dot is an individual trained, according to SpotterNetwork standards, that allows them to report to the National Weather Service.  There is also a verification program that meet certain criteria.  There is also a process to weed out those who are consistent with their less than accurate reports.  

Clicking the dot, emergency managers, media folks, weather service professionals can get contact information for the dot. Typically, it's a phone number or email address for a name.  Sometimes, nothing is there.

Unlike SpotterNetwork and Skywarn operatives, there are other chasers who contribute little to public safety.  These individuals rarely report to the National Weather Service or the Local Emergency Management program.  If there is any report, it's video streamed on their private feed.  It appears these individuals act for self-recognition, rather than community good.

During an unpleasant discussion with a government employee, the individual stated he trusted a famous chaser more than he trusted local Skywarn individuals.  

Ant Trails

The latter spend hours learning what to report.  They give their time and gas to protect their local community,   Along with spending time learning amateur radio, they develop their radar skills with programs such as the OK-First and other training from the Oklahoma Mesonet while using tools such as NWSchat communicate with media and the Weather Service.  These folks are your neighbors and friends.  They live in your community.  They shop at your stores before and after the storms.   These individuals make StormReady and Weather Ready Nation programs reality.

Please ask yourself if the famous chaser will be in your community during the next thunderstorm or will he be in Timbuktu?  Was there a tornado warning issued because of the chaser's report?  Did the chaser report to the local government or the National Weather Service?

The average person needs three confirming events before action will occur.  For example, weather radio sounds, followed by a text, followed by siren would generally cause the person to take shelter. What will happen if only your chaser sends the only notice?  Someone, somewhere will see it.  The rest of your community likely won't.

If you are the average Citizen, please have three ways to get your warning from the National Weather Service.  Your favorite media app, the American Red Cross or Federal Emergency Management Agency app, the local warning process, amateur radio, all-hazards NWS receiver, your local AM or FM or TeeVee broadcaster, or your local Scanner Feed would be items from which to pick and choose.  The siren will be a late arrival in the warning process.

You can also trust your local Skywarn volunteer.   Join your local Skywarn effort to enhance the Weather Ready Nation and StormReady initiatives. 

Winlink announces third-party traffic enforcement #hamradio #ARRL

If you are a US-licensed station that routinely connects to a foreign gateway, or a non-US-licensed station that connects with a US gateway, you may be affected by new CMS behavior. The Winlink CMS now will enforce US Third-Party Message rules.

Because Winlink is being severely criticized for allowing US client and gateway operators to violate US amateur radio third-party traffic rules, we are today starting to test automatic enforcement of these rules. Part 97.3(47), 97.115 and 97.117 apply.

If you attempt to send or receive a third-party message between a US-licensed station and another station the US does not have a third-party communication agreement with, you may receive a service message saying the message will violate the applcable rules and that the message is refused (if you're sending) or being held at the CMS (if you are receiving). Alternative means to successfully send or receive the message will be explained. The US has treaties with most countries in the North and South America, but not most European, Asian and Pacific countries.

If you are a US-licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect with another US-licensed gateway, or one licensed in Central or South America — as long as the US has a third-party agreement with the licensing country.

If you are a non-US licensee, you should have no trouble sending and receiving to/from internet addresses if you connect to non-US licensed gateways.

We wish this was not necessary, but we have relied on US client and gateway operators to know the rules and obey them—and most have ignored them, unfortunately for all of us. In order to clean up the violations we are taking these measures to keep US Winlink operators legal. All licensees have an obligation to study, know, and obey the Amateur Radio Rules.

New monitoring and enforcement measures are coming into play with the establishment of a new Volunteer Monitor Program, now being set up by the ARRL at the request of the US FCC. We're doing this to make it easier for US operators to avoid loosing their licenses!

We will be tweaking the behavior of this new mechanism to make it as friendly and informative as it can be. Please bear with us as we make changes.

Thanks and 73,

Lor W3QA

Winlink Development Team

Are you sure 10 meters isn't open? #ARRL #hamradio

Ten Meters is one of my favorite bands. Even when it's not "open", it's frequently open. With the sunspots on the rise, so should the activity on the band increase.


Have you found http://ten-ten.org/daily_nets.html yet? Nets listed there will help determine if the band is open. If you look at http://www.qsl.net/steelcity/nets/whichnet.html, one will see a search box that lets you know which nets are in operation.

http://www.dxwatch.com/dxsd1.php?f=92 or http://hamspots.net/10/ will also give you DX Cluster spots, just for 10 meters.

At http://www.vhfdx.info/spots/warnings.php, one can get email alerts when six meters is open. If SIX is open, it's almost a given that TEN is open.

http://www.dxmaps.com/spots/map.php?Lan=E&Frec=28&ML=M&Map=W2L&DXC=N&HF=N&GL=N also offers a map of openings AND the ability to post spots all in one place.


There's a number of 10 meter software defined radios that one can use to see where's the band is open. Two are dedicated to the "Beacon Band".

http://userpages.troycable.net/~wj5o/bcn.htm is a list of beacons on Ten. Tune here to see where the band is open, even when it's not.

Ten Meters is one of my favorite bands. Thankfully, there's plenty of tools to take some of the Magic out of the Band.  What is your favorite band?

#HelpWanted #HamHoliday #ARRL #hamradio

Volunteers needed for Ham Holiday

Each of the clubs in the OKC area volunteer to fulfill roles at Ham Holiday.  The Edmond Amateur Radio Society is tasked with collecting volunteers for the Ham Holiday ticket sales/will-call desk and wristbands for Friday and Saturday.

Please contact Ron McCubbin, KC5QCV.  Volunteers are needed to sell tickets, look-up pre-paid tickets and help with wristbands.

We thank you as does CORA, the Central Oklahoma Radio Amateurs!

Contact Ron McCubbin: KC5QCV1@att.net

(405) 255-5666

13 Colonies event #ARRL #hamradio #RSGB

One of my personal favorite events in ham radio is the 13 Colonies! 

One has until the 7th of July to contact as many of the 13 original US colony stations as possible and there's a UK station along with two other stations for a total of 16 stations.

Look for them on HF.  Use DXwatch to check for spots. There's a spotting site dedicated to the event. Technician class operators, you have 10-meter privileges.  Will they be there?  Will you be there, when they are?

From a Yank who has a 12th great-grandmother who was Queen, there's more than COFFEE to help with the enjoyment. 

When #FakeNews hits #hamradio @ARRL #ARRL

You've seen the note!  THEY are taking away your Two-Meter band.

This mysterious THEY is ONE country that is proposing to change two meters in France to aeronautical service.

One poster asked where the Federal Communications Commission and the American Radio Relay League is in the matter.

First, France is in International Amateur Radio Union Region 1.  When last checked, the USA is in Region 2.  The forty meter band alone would show there are different band plans for the three IARU regions.  The FCC has no jurisdiction anywhere but the USA.

Second, the ARRL represents 100% of amateur radio, including the 80% of those operators who aren't League members, before the IARU.  The proposal has yet to be discussed with all member nations.  One of the pesky details in the proposal, however, is the two-meter satellites on FM, SSB, and APRS, including the International Space Station.  AMSAT, to be sure, will likely issue a comment or two.

The best take on this issue was found in this tweet:

[Moon-Net] Latest News On the Current 2 m Band Allocation Discussion https://buff.ly/2XjwoEu #hamradio #arrl @IARU_R1 @amsat

Thanks to Bernd, DF2ZC, for the information from the German Amateur Radio Club, which on their front page, addressed the issue.  

He writes quite accurately ... 

Latest News On the Current 2 m Band Allocation Discussion 


As most of you probably are aware, for example from the email by John,
G4SWX, dated June 6th the French administration at short notice had handed
in a modified a proposal to WRC-19 preparatory groups at CEPT that WRC-19
should decide on feasibility studies for additional
Aeronautical-Mobile-Services(AMS) allocations in the range from 144 MHz to
22.2 GHz. 

Since I have some insight in this matter I would like to give you a short
information update on the situation.

 

If this proposal in its current version is endorsed at the next meeting of
the CEPT Conference Preparatory Group in August it is highly likely that it
will appear on the agendas of WRC-19 and WRC-23 where a final decision will
be made. At least 10 of the 48 CEPT countries have to be in favour of this
proposal while not more than 6 must be against this.

During the recent Meeting of the CEPT Project Team A in Prague this proposal
by France was being discussed for the first time. Only the German delegation
made it clear that they are against this proposal including 144-146 MHz.

The main reason for that little opposition might be that the 2 m band was
included in the revised version of that French proposal only few days before
the deadline for the Prague meeting. Consequently most other European
countries had no time for internal discussions let alone formulating their
position.

IARU, being supported by regulatory experts of their member associations
(RSGB, DARC, VERON etc) is intensively working on executing their influence
within the current process and trying to keep the 2 m band as it is now. By
the way, the cost of this activities is covered by the funds resulting from
the contributions of the IARU member societies. So those who left their
county's amateur radio society should perhaps reconsider their decision.
Without the commitment and the funds the amateur radio community would have
little influence in that process, let alone could be present at the relevant
meetings.

Most importantly, amateur radio should speak with a single voice only. So I
would like to ask everybody to refrain from using maybe good personal
contacts to your government or the EU. This would weaken our position and
take away power and vigour from the systematic approach by IARU and country
amateur radio societies. This particularly applies for online petitions in
the WWW.which by the way do not even base on a correct facts background. 

 

73 Bernd DF2ZC, designated Frequency Manager DARC

The Change.org petition is problematic in that it will only show the low numbers of respondents to everyone.  Amateur radio is a 2% population in the USA.  It's less in other places.  If you really want to make a difference, let your ARRL officials know.  Your Section Manager would be a good first step.

As Bernd mentions, above, it's problematic also because it's #FAKENEWS,  It's a STUDY; not a rule.

PLEASE be aware of your facts before starting petitions, spouting out on YouTube, emailing and blogging.  

One country does not get to dictate to the world, regardless of what the USA, USSR, and CHINA think.  Please let due process work.  Your ARRL is on top of this.  THAT is not FAKEnews.