***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 26, No. 04
January 26, 2007
***************
IN THIS EDITION:
* +Morse code requirement goes away February 23
* +Board receives National Emergency Response Planning Committee Report
* +League announces reorganization
* +Engineering students lend a hand with next-gen SuitSat
* +FCC still not processing new vanity applications
* +Free Money: FAR opens scholarship application window
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
+REMINDER -- ARRL scholarship application deadline looms
+ARRL Headquarters welcomes new staff member
"Mr Lincoln" retires
2007 DXCC Honor Roll deadline approaching
+AO-27 rejuvenated, back on the air
FCC rescinds applications to modify club station license
All-ham ISS crew to undertake "unprecedented" spacewalk series
Special event to mark transcontinental relay anniversary
We stand corrected!
+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
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==>IT'S OFFICIAL! MORSE CODE REQUIREMENT ENDS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Circle Friday, February 23, on your calendar. That's when the current 5 WPM
Morse code requirement will officially disappear from the Amateur Radio
Service Part 97 rules. Effective that date, applicants for a General or
Amateur Extra class Amateur Radio license no longer will have to demonstrate
proficiency in Morse code. They'll just have to pass the applicable written
examination. Federal Register publication January 24 of the FCC's Report and
Order (R&O) in the "Morse code proceeding," WT Docket 05-235, started a
30-day countdown for the new rules to become effective.
"The overall effect of this action is to further the public interest by
encouraging individuals who are interested in communications technology or
who are able to contribute to the advancement of the radio art, to become
Amateur Radio operators; and eliminating a requirement that is now
unnecessary and may discourage Amateur Service licensees from advancing
their skills in the communications and technical phases of Amateur Radio,"
the FCC remarked in the Federal Register version of the "Morse code" R&O.
The League had asked the FCC to retain the 5 WPM for Amateur Extra class
applicants, but the Commission held to its decision to eliminate the
requirement across the board. The rules that appeared in the Federal
Register constitute their official version
<http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20071800/edocket.access.gpo.go
v/2007/pdf/E7-729.pdf>.
The new rules also mean that starting February 23 all Technician licensees,
whether or not they've passed a Morse code examination, will have CW
privileges on 80, 40 and 15 meters and CW, RTTY, data and SSB privileges on
10 meters. Once the new rules go into effect Technicians may begin using
their new privileges without any further action.
An applicant holding a valid Certificate of Successful Completion of
Examination (CSCE) for Element 3 (General) or Element 4 (Amateur Extra)
credit may redeem it for an upgrade at a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator
(VEC) exam session. A CSCE is good for 365 days from the date of issuance,
no exceptions.
For example, a Technician licensee holding a valid CSCE for Element 3 credit
would have to apply at a VEC test session and pay the application fee, which
most VECs charge, in order to receive an instant upgrade to General.
ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, cautions that a
license upgrade is *not* automatic for those holding valid CSCEs for element
credit. "You must apply for the upgrade at a VEC test session, and you may
not operate as /AG or /AE until you have upgraded and have been issued a
CSCE marked for upgrade," he stresses. "A valid CSCE for element credit only
does not confer any operating privileges."
Henderson also advises all radio amateurs to know and fully understand their
operating privileges before taking to the airwaves. Some Technician
licensees reportedly started showing up on 75 meters December 15 in the
mistaken belief that they had gained phone privileges there.
The FCC R&O includes an Order on Reconsideration in WT Docket 04-140 -- the
so-called "omnibus" proceeding. It will modify Part 97 in response to ARRL's
request to accommodate automatically controlled narrowband digital stations
on 80 meters in the wake of other rule changes that became effective last
December 15. The Commission designated 3585 to 3600 kHz for such operations,
although that segment will remain available for CW, RTTY and data. The ARRL
had requested that the upper limit of the CW/RTTY/data subband be set at
3635 kHz so there would be no change in the existing 3620 to 3635 kHz
subband.
The ARRL has posted all relevant information on these important Part 97 rule
revisions on its "FCC's Morse Code Report and Order WT Docket 05-235" Web
page <http://www.arrl.org/fcc/morse/>.
==>ARRL BOARD ACCEPTS NATIONAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANNING COMMITTEE REPORT
The ARRL Board of Directors accepted the Report of the National Emergency
Response Planning Committee (NERPC) when it met January 19 and 20 in
Windsor, Connecticut. Upon dissolving the committee with its thanks, the
Board set in motion a process to identify and implement action items in the
report as soon as possible. ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN,
chaired the 13-member NERPC, charged with developing comprehensive
recommendations to improve the League's response to regional, national and
international disasters. Among other things, panel members evaluated the
responses and actions of ARRL and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
during Hurricane Katrina as well as lessons learned.
"If 'lessons learned' are not followed by 'behaviors changed,' then the
lessons have not been learned at all," the report concludes. The report
describes disaster preparedness as "a moving target, moving faster all the
time." No recommendations, plans or systems should be considered "the
permanent answers for all circumstances and hazards," the report asserts.
The unprecedented scope of the Katrina response placed ARRL Headquarters
into a leadership coordination role through national-level requests for help
from served agencies such as the American Red Cross. While the level of
expertise in emergency communications and emergency management among US
radio amateurs is growing, the report noted, so is the expectation that the
ARRL provide first-rate leadership and guidance.
Among the report's wide-ranging recommendations and suggestions:
* enhance ARRL and ARES training in basic message handling.
* develop a continuing education course covering installation,
configuration, and use of Winlink 2000 for e-mail.
* formally establish a national ARES volunteer database for use during
major disasters and establish training criteria.
* institute a Major Disaster Emergency Coordinator (MDEC) function to
coordinate responses to large-scale national or regional disasters or
emergencies.
* become better acquainted with the emergency response needs of distant
ARRL sections, such as Pacific, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Alaska.
* improve working relationships with national-level served agencies.
* ensure ARRL staff training in the Incident Command System (ICS) and
National Incident Management System (NIMS) and, as necessary, adapt ARRL's
emergency response structure to the Unified Command model.
In addition, ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, has appointed an ad hoc
committee to study issues relating to background investigations as they
apply to ARRL Amateur Radio volunteers and to recommend a background
investigation policy.
In other matters, the Board adopted five legislative objectives for the
110th Congress. The League will seek legislation to extend the requirement
for "reasonable accommodation" of Amateur Radio station antennas to all
forms of land use regulation, including deed covenants, conditions and
restrictions (CC&Rs). It also will seek legislation requiring the FCC to
conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the interference potential of
broadband over power line (BPL) systems. Based on the findings, the League
wants Congress to instruct the FCC to adopt improved BPL rules to prevent
BPL deployments having the potential to cause "destructive interference." US
Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR (D-AR), has submitted such a bill, HR 462.
In addition, ARRL will seek recognition of Amateur Radio's "unique
resources, capabilities and expertise" in any legislation addressing
communication issues related to emergencies, disasters or homeland security;
oppose legislation that diminishes the rights of federal licensees in favor
of unlicensed -- and especially unintentional -- emitters, and support the
complementary legislative objectives of other radiocommunication services,
especially as they relate to spectrum access and interference protection.
Legislative relations consultant John Chwat of Chwat & Company Inc told the
Board that the congressional shift of control to the Democratic Party will
have a significant impact on telecommunications legislation, policy, FCC
actions and perhaps even the League. Emergency communication is a hot topic
this year, he pointed out, and this could permit the League to take
different approaches to issues from those tried in the past.
The Board also accepted the report of the Technology Task Force (TTF).
Chaired by ARRL Pacific Division Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO, that panel
advised the League to continue the Software Defined Radio and Digital
Multimedia Above 50 MHz working groups and establish a new working group to
explore activity detection for digital modes. The TTF also recommended that
the ARRL demonstrate and promote viable digital voice technologies.
==>ARRL ANNOUNCES HEADQUARTERS REORGANIZATION
ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, this week announced
several organizational changes at ARRL Headquarters, effective January 22.
Under the modified organization, most functions of the former Membership
Services Department and Field and Educational Services will be combined into
a single unit, tentatively called the Programs and Services Department. The
League also will establish a new Education Department.
"The new Programs and Services Department will focus on providing
first-class service to members and volunteers, and it ultimately will
combine common functional areas like awards and certificates and mailings,"
Kramer explained, citing some of the advantages of the reorganization. "It
will also permit better management and integration of programs and services
as well as cross-training of staff members to improve efficiency."
Dave Patton, NN1N, will manage the combined department, while Norm Fusaro,
W3IZ, will become assistant manager. Fusaro will continue his
responsibilities as ARRL club and mentoring coordinator.
A new position of Emergency Communications Manager has been established
within the new department. This individual will be responsible for relations
with served agencies, memoranda of understanding, administration, ARRL
internal emergency response planning, simulated emergency tests, emergency
communications training, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) database
and related activities.
The new Education Department will consolidate a variety of activities under
one roof. "Today, education is dispersed throughout the organization,"
Kramer noted. "Many departments are involved in educational endeavors, but
there is a lack of coordination among the different departments."
The Education Department will oversee the ARRL Certification and Continuing
Education Program and distance-learning support, the volunteer instructor
and mentor program, youth programs, the ARRL Education and Technology
Program and its teachers institutes, Amateur Radio on the International
Space Station (ARISS) coordination and the development of educational
materials.
"We believe that these changes will make us a better prepared and more
responsive organization," Kramer concluded.
==>SUITSAT-2 GOES TO COLLEGE
Eleven electrical engineering students at The College of New Jersey had a
hand in designing some of the software defined radio (SDR) hardware that
will fly aboard SuitSat-2. The college seniors signed up last fall for
"Software Defined Radio," taught by adjunct professors Bob McGwier, N4HY,
and Frank Brickle, AB2KT -- both members of the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) SuitSat-2 team.
The second-generation SuitSat will have a software designed Amateur Radio
transponder (SDX) on board. SuitSat-2 is being viewed as a test bed for the
hardware AMSAT hopes to launch on its Phase 3E Eagle satellite.
McGwier and Brickle designed practical, goal-based experiments for the
students' projects with an eye toward turning out something that would be a
useful SuitSat-2 component. Team members Steve Bible, N7HPR, and Joe
Julicher, N9WXU, provided circuit boards employing "bleeding-edge"
technology -- dsPIC33F 16-bit direct memory access digital signal
controllers. Brickle says the circuits will serve as SuitSat-2's heart and
brain.
Early on, the students studied signal processing and communication theory as
well as what Brickle calls "esoteric corners of computer science." Then,
using Matlab -- a high-level technical computing language -- the students
implemented modulators and demodulators for SSB, FM, BPSK and AFSK.
"Students get a little bit of verbal swimming instruction, and then we toss
them straight into the ocean," is how Brickle described the process.
By mid-semester, the students were designing their experiments and getting
them up and running. Boards were powered up without diagnostic hardware or
software, since that's how the circuitry will be on orbit -- "walking a
tightrope without a net," as Brickle sees it.
"Given the complexity of what the SDR/SDX in SuitSat-2 will be required to
provide, the applications will need to run in an unprecedented software
environment: pre-emptive multitasking under freeRTOS," he explained.
FreeRTOS is an open-source, round-robin operating system for embedded
devices.
Instead of being scared off, the students ran with the challenge and
demonstrated obvious enthusiasm, Brickle reports. "We will be doing a very
good thing if we continue to involve these kids, and more like them, in our
future AMSAT projects," he said. What surprised him most, he added, was that
the students focused on taking new approaches to "very fundamental
engineering issues that aren't flashy or trendy." McGwier, who's AMSAT-NA's
vice president of engineering and a member of the AMSAT Board of Directors,
remarked that both students and teachers shared in the excitement.
The SuitSat-2 team, under the leadership of Lou McFadin, W5DID, has been
working on the design of a power converter for the solar panels, the
internal housekeeping unit, the antenna mount, the transmitting and
receiving hardware and how it will mount atop the suit's helmet. An ISS crew
could launch SuitSat-2 during a spacewalk as early as next fall. SuitSat-2
could have an operational lifetime of six months or more. -- Rosalie White,
K1STO/ARISS
==>NEW VANITY CALL SIGN PROCESSING HIATUS CONTINUES
The hold on processing new Amateur Radio vanity call sign applications
remained in effect at week's end, although FCC Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau staff members have indicated informally that it would end very soon.
The Commission stopped processing new vanity call sign applications while it
modifies the software that handles vanity applications. The suspension,
which does not affect vanity call sign renewals, resulted from a new Amateur
Radio Service rule that went into effect December 15 to discourage the
filing of multiple applications by one individual for the same call sign on
the same receipt day.
"The Commission continues to accept vanity call sign applications," a brief
announcement on the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) Web page says.
"However, these applications will not be processed until software changes in
accordance with the recent rule making have been fully implemented."
The FCC granted the last Amateur Radio vanity call signs on January 4 for
applications received December 15. The current suspension affects new vanity
call sign applications submitted on December 18 or later. Once processing of
new vanity applications resumes, the FCC says, it will process all
applications in the queue in the order in which they were received.
Typically, it takes 18 days from the time the FCC receives a vanity
application until the call sign is issued -- or the application is denied.
The FCC's "omnibus" Report and Order (R&O) in WT Docket 04-140 stipulates
that if the FCC receives more than one application requesting a vanity call
sign from a single applicant on the same receipt day, it will process only
the first application entered into the ULS. The FCC will dismiss any
subsequent vanity call sign applications from the same applicant on the same
receipt date. The FCC put new vanity call sign processing on hold after an
applicant unwittingly submitted 30 applications for the same call sign three
days after the new rule became effective.
The current vanity call sign fee, payable for new applications as well as
renewals, is $20.80 for the 10-year license term.
==>FOUNDATION FOR AMATEUR RADIO INVITES SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
The non-profit Foundation for Amateur Radio (FAR) now is accepting
applications for 56 academic year 2007-2008 scholarships to assist radio
amateurs pursuing higher education. The deadline to apply is April 30, 2007.
FAR fully funds three of scholarships and administers 42 others without cost
on behalf of various club and individual donors; grant income funds the
remaining 11 awards. Amateur Radio licensees pursuing a full-time course of
study beyond high school and accepted by or enrolled in an accredited
university, college or technical school are eligible to apply.
Scholarship grants range from $500 to $3000, and preference in some cases
goes to applicants living in particular geographical areas or pursuing
certain studies. Non-US residents are eligible to apply for some of the
scholarships.
Request more information and an application form via e-mail
<scholarships@farweb.org>; or by sending a QSL card by April 30 to FAR
Scholarships, PO Box 831, Riverdale, MD 20738.
==>SOLAR UPDATE
Propagation maven Tad "Sunshine Superman" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: This reporting week, January 18-24, saw lower sunspot numbers --
seven points lower, on average -- than the previous week. Geomagnetic
numbers also were lower, especially the past few days. At all latitudes
January 22 through the first hours of today K index readings were zero or
one.
Low geomagnetic activity will be good for this weekend's CQ World Wide
160-Meter CW Contest. There's currently a flare-spewing sunspot just around
the sun's eastern limb, however, and when it swings into view we'll see
solar flux about 10 points higher than now and, briefly, some higher
geomagnetic numbers. Planetary A index for January 26-31 is predicted at 5,
5, 15, 20, 20 and 15.
Geophysical Institute Prague predicts quiet conditions for January 26-27,
unsettled January 28, unsettled to active January 29-30, unsettled January
31, and quiet to unsettled February 1.
Sunspot numbers for January 18 through 24 were 23, 15, 31, 18, 23, 18 and
15, with a mean of 20.4. The 10.7 cm flux was 76.8, 76.3, 78.8, 78.6, 78.5,
79.3, and 80.4, with a mean of 78.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 16,
11, 7, 7, 3, 2 and 1, with a mean of 6.7. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 9, 9, 6, 7, 2, 3 and 1, with a mean of 5.3.
For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical
Information Service Propagation page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: The CQ 160-Meter Contest (CW), the REF Contest
(CW), the SARL Youth for Amateur Radio contest, the BARTG RTTY Sprint and
the UBA DX Contest (SSB) are the weekend of January 27-28. JUST AHEAD: The
Delaware, Minnesota and Vermont QSO parties, the 10-10 International Winter
Contest (SSB), the AGCW Straight Key Party, the YLRL YL-OM Contest (CW), the
Mexico RTTY International Contest, the North American Sprint (SSB) and the
ARCI Fireside SSB Sprint are the weekend of February 3-4. The RSGB 80-Meter
Club Championship (SSB) is February 5. The ARS Spartan Sprint is February 6.
See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the
WA7BNM Contest Calendar <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html>
for more info.
* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Tuesday, February 6, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) online courses beginning
Sunday, February 18: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2
(EC-002), Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003R2), Antenna
Modeling (EC-004), HF Digital Communications (EC-005), VHF/UHF -- Life
Beyond the Repeater (EC-008), and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011).
These courses will also open for registration Sunday, February 4, for
classes beginning Friday, March 16. To learn more, visit the CCE Course
Listing page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE
Department <cce@arrl.org>;.
* REMINDER -- ARRL scholarship application deadline looms: The deadline to
apply for academic year 2007-2008 ARRL Foundation scholarships is Thursday,
February 1. All information on ARRL Foundation scholarships for young radio
amateurs, including application forms and instructions, is only available on
the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Programs Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/scholgen.html>. ARRL Foundation scholarship
recipients will be announced this spring. Important: Applicants must include
high school or college academic transcripts with all scholarship
applications. Those applying for the four-year William R. Goldfarb Memorial
Scholarship also must include a Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). The ARRL Foundation is a not-for-profit IRS 501(c)(3) organization.
Contributions to support the future of Amateur Radio are welcome
<http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/contribs.html>.
* ARRL Headquarters welcomes new staff member: Micah Murray of Manchester,
Connecticut, joined the ARRL Headquarters staff as a Web Applications
Developer on January 8. The 27-year-old Connecticut native and Eastern
Connecticut State University graduate previously worked in the insurance
industry. At ARRL he will be working on a variety of Web application
projects.
* "Mr Lincoln" retires: ARRL staffer Bob Lincoln -- usually called "Mr
Lincoln" at League Headquarters -- is retiring after nearly 27 years of
service. What makes this particular occasion special is the fact that Bob is
92 years old! "It's time to quit," Bob told fellow staff members who
gathered January 22 to wish him well and shower him with cards and gifts. "I
really have enjoyed working here." A part-time press operator who'd already
completed one career before some ARRL staffers were even born, Mr Lincoln
carried out his various printing tasks largely out of the public spotlight.
This marks his second retirement, since he didn't begin working for the
League until he'd taken his pension from the company that manufactured the
presses he's been using at Headquarters. "I don't recall anyone qualifying
for the '25 Year Club' after retiring," quipped ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.
Happy second retirement, Mr Lincoln!
* 2007 DXCC Honor Roll deadline approaching: The deadline for inclusion in
the next DXCC Honor Roll listing is March 31. Submissions must be postmarked
by that date. The Honor Roll list will appear in August QST. There are 337
current entities on the DXCC List, and you must be at 337 to qualify for Top
of the Honor Roll or within the numerical top 10 to qualify for Honor Roll.
The current minimum number for Honor Roll is 328. (Deleted entities do not
count toward Honor Roll). "Top of Honor Roll" and "Honor Roll" plaques and
lapel pins are available to all past and current Honor Roll members. Visit
The ARRL DX Century Club Program Web page <http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc>
for information on how to order.
* AO-27 rejuvenated, back on the air: AMSAT News Service reports that AO-27
(EyeSat-1) <http://www.ao27.org/> has again been recovered and returned to
operation. Launched in September 1993, AO-27 has been listed as
non-operational. Michael Wyrick, N3UC, of the AO-27 command team told ANS
that after addressing problems with the microsat's AFSK modem, ground
controllers were able to upload operational software. The satellite has been
sending telemetry, and the analog transponder has been turned on again.
Under the current schedule, AO-27 is on during ascending (south-to-north)
passes at approximately 30 degrees north latitude, although it's impossible
to say when the satellite will be operational for a given location. An
initial 20 seconds of telemetry are followed by 5 minutes of analog repeater
operation. AO-27 then transmits another 60 seconds of telemetry before
shutting down. The satellite carries a Mode V/U FM repeater with the uplink
at 145.850 MHz and the downlink at 436.795 MHz. "Please keep in mind that
AO-27 is 13 years old and takes some work to keep going," Wyrick advised
users. Ground controllers are seeking help in logging telemetry from AO-27.
Visit the Logging AO-27 Telemetry page <http://www.ao27.org/tlm.shtml> for
information.
* FCC rescinds applications to modify club station license: The FCC says it
will void two applications it granted in 2005 to change the name of the club
holding K4WCF and the designated club license trustee. Paul Toth, NA4AR, of
Seminole, Florida, had challenged petitions filed by Gerald D. "Dee" Turner,
N4GD, of Pinellas Park, replacing Dave E. Armbrust, AE4MR, with himself as
K4WCF trustee and changing the name of the licensee from "West Central
Florida Group" to "West Central Florida Section." Turner is ARRL West
Central Florida Section Manager. Toth, who's president of West Central
Florida Group Inc, contended that Turner's June 2005 applications were
submitted without the club board's knowledge or approval, as FCC rules
require, and that Turner was not even a member of the club. The FCC agreed
that the modifications were not authorized. "Based on the information before
us, we conclude that two applications to change the name of the club trustee
and the name of the club were submitted without authorization," the FCC said
in a January 24 letter to Toth
<http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-182A1.pdf>. The FCC
declared its grant of Turner's applications void and said it would correct
its Amateur Radio license database to reflect the trustee and club name
previously associated with the license.
* All-ham ISS crew to undertake "unprecedented" spacewalk series: The
all-ham crew of the International Space Station will undertake what NASA is
calling "an unprecedented series" of four spacewalks during the next few
weeks. Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and Flight
Engineer Suni Williams, KD5PLB, will kick off the spacewalk string January
31 with a six-and-a-half-hour excursion. Subsequent spacewalks are set for
February 4 and 8 using US spacesuits. Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer
Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT, will conduct the fourth spacewalk later in February
using Russian spacesuits. NASA says the US spacewalks will bring on line new
portions of the station's cooling system, expanded with components activated
during the December space shuttle mission. Among other tasks, Lopez-Alegria
and Williams also will assist in the retraction of heat-rejecting radiators
on the station's P6 truss, install some external devices to stow cargo and
install cabling for a new power transfer system for future shuttle flights.
On the fourth spacewalk, Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin will remove a stuck
antenna from the Russian Progress 23 cargo spacecraft to ensure it can
safely undock in April. NASA TV <http://www.nasa.gov/ntv> will cover these
events. -- NASA
* Special event to mark transcontinental relay anniversary: The Mid-MO
Amateur Radio Club <http://www.mmccs.com/mmarc/> will sponsor a special
event this weekend to commemoratethe role of Willis P. Corwin, 9ABD, in the
first transcontinental relay of formal message traffic 90 years ago. Special
event station W9C will be active starting Saturday, January 27, at 2000 UTC,
continuing for the next 24 hours on or about 3.540, 7.040, 10.113, 14.040,
21.040 and 28.040 MHz CW and 3.940, 7.240, 14.240, 21.240, and 28.240 SSB.
On January 27, 1917, Corwin, then 18, received and re-transmitted the three
CW messages that became the first successful one-way transcontinental relay
of formal message traffic. Pioneering Amateur Radio operators originated the
messages in Los Angeles. From there they went to an operator in Denver who
relayed them to Corwin in Jefferson City, Missouri. From there, the messages
went to Albany, New York, and, ultimately, to Hartford, Connecticut. A few
days later, Corwin was again part of the chain that relayed the first
two-way transcontinental traffic from the East Coast and back in 80 minutes.
The feat was reported in April 1917 QST. Corwin later served as a shipboard
wireless operator and built Jefferson City's first commercial broadcast
station. A certificate is available. Mid-MO ARC will QSL all contacts but
requests none in return.
* We stand corrected! The story, "Antique Wireless Technology Spins for
Fessenden Transmission Centennial" in The ARRL Letter, Vol 26, No 03
(January 19, 2007) contained some incorrect information. Swedish-American
engineer Ernst Alexanderson developed the radio transmitter that bears his
name while working for General Electric in Schenectady, New York. He also
was chief engineer for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), a GE
subsidiary, according to the Alexander-Grimeton Veteranradios Vänner
(Friends) Association, which operates Swedish Alexanderson museum station
SAQ.
===========================================================
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delivery of The ARRL Letter--registered members should click on the "Member
Data Page" link (in the Members Only box). Click on "Modify membership
data," check or uncheck the appropriate boxes and/or change your e-mail
address if necessary. (Check "Temporarily disable all automatically sent
email" to temporarily stop all e-mail deliveries.) Then, click on "Submit
modification" to make selections effective. (NOTE: HQ staff members cannot
change your e-mail delivery address. You must do this yourself via the
Members Only Web Site.)
The ARRL Letter also is available to all, free of charge, from these
sources:
* ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>. (NOTE: The ARRL Letter will be
posted each Friday when it is distributed via e-mail.)
* The QTH.net listserver, thanks to volunteers from the Boston Amateur Radio
Club: Visit Mailing Lists@QTH.Net
<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list>. (NOTE: The ARRL
cannot assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.)
