Twitter Archive

Technical

6GHz WiFi Court Ruling

This ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit does not appear to impact Amateur Radio Super High Frequency (SHF) operation since—according to the ARRL US Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations page and Wikipedia ITU Region 2 frequency allocation chart—the 6GHz band is outside the Amateur Radio 5cm allocation (5.650–5.925 GHz).

A ruling (pdf) last week by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has paved the way for deployment of faster, better Wi-Fi, while simultaneously cementing the FCC’s authority to make important decisions related to spectrum and interference concerns.

Last year, the FCC voted to open up a chunk of spectrum in the 6GHz band for unlicensed use , providing more airwaves to be used by Wi-Fi and other technologies. Wi-Fi is the most immediate beneficiary; this posed the biggest expansion of available spectrum since Wi-Fi was first unveiled back in 1989. The expansion, and the new standards making more efficient use of more spectrum, should result first in better, more reliable Wi-Fi, and ultimately faster speeds of 1-2 Gbps connections over Wi-Fi. That means better broadband, and more innovation in the band: 1

  1. “Court Ruling Paves The Way For Better, More Reliable Wi-Fi”, techdirt, accessed January 5 2022, https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20220103/07173148222/court-ruling-paves-way-better-more-reliable-wi-fi.shtml. ↩︎

Outreach

Dayton Hamvention 2021 Cancelled

Dayton Hamvention 2021 has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On January 11, 2021, the Dayton Hamvention 2021 Executive Committee announced:

Unfortunately, several setbacks in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic make necessary the difficult decision to cancel Hamvention 2021. …

Those who had their tickets, inside booths or flea market spaces deferred last year will be deferred again. Those who purchased 2021 tickets, inside booths or flea market spaces will also be deferred. If you desire a refund instead please email tickets@hamvention.org and we will contact you. 1

ARRL News reports in Dayton Hamvention Cancels 2021 Show:

The committee said the show would return in 2022 and hinted at a QSO party for Hamvention weekend. In November, Hamvention had announced that “The Gathering” would be the theme for the 2021 show. 2

ARRL

  1. “Home - Hamvention”, Dayton Hamvention®, accessed January 12 2021, https://hamvention.org/. ↩︎

  2. “Dayton Hamvention Cancels 2021 Show”, ARRL the national association for Amateur Radio, retrieved January 12 2021, http://www.arrl.org/news/dayton-hamvention-cancels-2021-show. ↩︎

Technical

White House announces reallocation of 3.45-3.55 GHz Band for 5G

“The White House and US Department of Defense (DOD) have revealed that the 3.45-3.55 GHz band will be made available for 5G, a move that has been welcomed by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai.” 1 This reallocation is a 25% loss of 9cm band spectrum to our hobby.

In an FCC News Release dated August 10, 2020, Chairman Pai issued this statement:

I commend the President and Department of Defense for today’s announcement that the 3.45–3.55 GHz band will be made available for commercial 5G deployment. This is a key milestone in securing United States leadership in 5G. I also would like to thank FCC staff for their work to help create a framework that will promote 5G service in this important band. Together with the spectrum being made available for 5G in the C-band as well as the 3.5 GHz band, we are now on track to have a 530-megahertz swath of mid-band spectrum available for 5G from 3.45 to 3.98 GHz. The FCC looks forward to moving quickly to adopt service rules for the 3.45 GHz band and then hold an auction to bring this prime mid-band spectrum to market. 2

Remarks by President Trump on United States 5G Deployment have been published on-line by the White House.

The FCC News Release is available in multiple formats on the FCC Chairman Pai on Administration Freeing Up 3.45-3.55 GHz Band for 5G page.

References

  1. “US frees up midband spectrum for 5G”, Advanced Television, accessed August 10 2020, https://advanced-television.com/2020/08/11/us-frees-up-midband-spectrum-for-5g/. ↩︎

  2. “Chairman Pai Statement On The Administration Announcement Freeing Up 3.45-3.55 GHz Band For 5G”, Federal Communications Commission, accessed August 10 2020, https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-366068A1.pdf. ↩︎

3Y0Z Bouvet Island DXpedition Aborted

From the bouvetdx.org News, Updates & Information page:

February 3, 2018, 2000 UTC: During the last 72 hours, we continued to experience the high winds, low clouds, fog and rough seas that have prevented helicopter operations since our arrival at Bouvet. No improvement was predicted in the weather forecast for the next four days. Then, last night, an issue developed in one of the ship’s engines.

This morning, the captain of the vessel declared it unsafe to continue with our project and aborted the DXpedition. We are now on our long voyage back to Punta Arenas. As you might imagine, the team is deeply disappointed, but safe. There is already talk about rescheduling the DXpedition 1

  1. “News, Updates & Information”, bouvetdx.org | The Bouvet DXpedition Website, Retrieved February 3 2018, http://www.bouvetdx.org/news-and-updates/. ↩︎

Membership

Is it time for action?

ARRL leadership policy and governance actions taken over the last two years—along the actions planned to be formalized at the Board meeting in January 19, 2018, in Newington—have become a source of concern, among some members, about the future of the League. Enough concern was raised that, “in December 2017, a small group of passionate, long-time supporters of ARRL [including Life Members, Maxim Society Members, Legacy Circle Members, Past Vice-Directors, and Volunteer Counsel] … banded together as myARRLvoice to better understand the issues, to educate the community and to advocate for positive change.” 1

Subsequent to the formation of myARRLvoice a Facebook Group and Twitter Feed were established to provide venues for discussion about, and to raise awareness of, these issues.

The Issues

myARRLvoice consider these actions to be issues of concern:

  • The Amateur Radio Parity Act was renegotiated to favor HOA positions
  • The new ARRL [Board of Directors] Code of Conduct limits what you get to know
  • Your Director’s voting power could be diminished
  • Your ARRL membership could be terminated for any reason
  • Vice Directors could have been eliminated from the ARRL
  • The ARRL Board’s governance proposals have generated significant undisclosed legal fees
  • Your elected Director could be censured for describing the new ARRL Code of Conduct
  • Your candidate for Board of Directors could be disqualified without explanation 2

Other Voices

The myARRLvoice “Other Voices” page links to examples of what others have been saying about the recent Board actions:

  • Letters to the ARRL from individuals and radio clubs
  • CQ Magazine articles
  • KB6NU Blog articles
  • HamRadioNow vidcasts and podcasts
  • QRZ.com Forums

Should you take action?

Find out if you agree with the position held by myARRLvoice, and many other concerned Amateur Radio Operators, by:

  1. Learning about the issues
  2. Finding out what “other voices” are saying (including the ARRL rebuttal)

If you feel that the Board of Directors actions are not in the best interests of the League send a letter to your director before the January 19 Board Meeting.

About myARRLvoice

myARRLvoice is an independent grassroots group of amateur radio operators working on behalf of [their] fellow Members of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), monitoring the activity of its leadership and advocating change to optimize the organization’s effectiveness in matters of policy and governance, and to foster ethical and competent stewardship.

myARRLvoice acts as a vehicle for ARRL Members to make their voices heard on matters of governance and policy, and to participate in the policy-setting process, holding [their] elected and appointed leaders accountable. [They] strive to make the activities of ARRL leadership more transparent by insisting on the creation and dissemination of records of the deliberations and actions of all ARRL Boards, Committees and the operational Executive Team.

myARRLvoice believes that good ARRL stewardship can only be achieved through a check and balance system that includes the watchful eye of the Membership. 3

  1. “About Us”, myARRLvoice, retrieved January 10 2018, https://www.myarrlvoice.org/about-us/. ↩︎

  2. “The Issues”, myARRLvoice, Retrieved January 10 2018, https://www.myarrlvoice.org/the-issues/. ↩︎

  3. “myARRLvoice”, The Action Network, Retrieved January 10 2018, https://actionnetwork.org/groups/myarrlvoice. ↩︎

Membership

Get ready for the International Grid Chase 2018

2018 brings a new year-long operating event for all Amateur Radio Operators regardless of location or license class: The ARRL International Grid Chase.

About the Chase

The objective of the ARRL International Grid Chase is simple: Work stations in as many grid squares as possible and upload your log data to ARRL’s Logbook of The World. If you are not currently registered with Logbook of The World, this is a good reason to get started. Go to https://lotw.arrl.org/lotw-help/getting-started/. Registration and uploading are free.

Every new grid square contact confirmed through Logbook of The World counts toward your monthly total, so you have an incentive to start the chase as soon as you ring in the New Year. [ 1 ]

Please visit the ARRL International Grid Chase 2018 page to learn about

  • How the scoring will work
  • Determining your grid square
  • Tips for the chase
  • 2018 International Grid Chase Rules

630 and 2200 Meter bands may be used

ARRL Contest Branch Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, has clarified that the new 630- and 2200-meter bands will be fair territory in the ARRL International Grid Chase.

US radio amateurs are advised, however, that the use of 630 and 2200 meters requires advance notification to the Utilities Technology Council (UTC), formerly the Utilities Telecom Council, of their intention to operate on one or both bands. If UTC does not respond within 30 days or specifically denies access, these stations may commence operation there. [ 2 ]

Please see the November 16, 2017, ARRL Letter for a review of important technical notes concerning operation in the 630 and 2200 Meter bands.

References

[ 1 ] “http://www.arrl.org/international-grid-chase-2018", ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio, retrieved December 19 2017, http://www.arrl.org/aigc2018.

[ 2 ] “The ARRL Letter”, ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio, retrieved December 19 2017, http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter?issue=2017-11-16#toc02.

Technical

AO-91 Officially Commissioned

AO-91 was built as a partnership with Vanderbilt University ISDE and hosts four payloads for the study of radiation effects on commercial off the shelf components. The satellite was launched on November 18, 2017 as part of the ELaNa XIV mission, secondary payloads aboard the Delta II rocket that carried the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS-1) satellite to orbit. AO-91 also features the Fox-1 style FM U/v repeater with an uplink on 435.250 MHz (67.0 Hz CTCSS) and a downlink on 145.960 MHz. Satellite and experiment telemetry are downlinked via the “DUV” subaudible telemetry stream and can be decoded with the FoxTelem software. [ 1 ]

An AO-91 radio programming chart has been published in the AO-91 Commissioned, Declared Open for Amateur Use article on the AMSAT website.

Helpful links and comments from hams working this satellite have been posted in a “AO-91 is officially open” discussion on the Amateur Radio Subreddit.

References

[ 1 ] “AO-91 Commissioned, Declared Open for Amateur Use”, Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT), Retrieved November 23 2017, https://www.amsat.org/ao-91-commissioned-declared-open-for-amateur-use/.

Technical

Getting Started with Amateur Satellites

Technical

RadFxSat Heard Over Europe

RadFxSat (Fox-1B) was sucessfully launched on a Delta II rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:47AM PST on November 18, 2017, and has been heard over Europe.

This satellite had been designated as AMSAT-OSCAR 91 (AO-91).

More information about the launch is available on the AMSAT website.

Technical

New FT8 Mode included in WSJT-X Beta Release

WSJT-X version 1.8.0 includes a new mode named FT8

This mode features:

  • QSOs 4 times faster than JT65 or JT9
  • Sensitivity down to -20 dB on the AWGN channel
  • Auto-sequencing includes an option to respond automatically to first decoded reply to your CQ

WSJT-X source code; along with installation packages for Windows, Linux, OS X, and Raspbian; is available for download at http://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/K1JT/wsjtx.html

About the FT8 protocol

WSJT-X Version 1.8.0 includes a new mode called FT8, developed by K9AN and K1JT. The mode name “FT8” stands for “Franke and Taylor, 8-FSK modulation”. FT8 uses 15-second T/R sequences, provides 50% or better decoding probability down to -20 dB on an AWGN channel, and maintains good performance on Doppler-spread fading channels. An auto-sequencing facility includes an option to respond automatically to the first decoded reply to your CQ. FT8 QSOs are 4 times faster than those made with JT65 or JT9. FT8 is an excellent mode for HF DXing and for situations like multi-hop E_s on 6 meters, where deep QSB may make fast and reliable completion of QSOs desirable. [ 1 ]

Some important characteristics of FT8:

  • T/R sequence length: 15 s
  • Message length: 75 bits + 12-bit CRC
  • FEC code: LDPC(174,87)
  • Modulation: 8-FSK, tone spacing 6.25 Hz
  • Constant-envelope waveform
  • Occupied bandwidth: 50 Hz
  • Synchronization: 7x7 Costas arrays at start, middle, and end
  • Transmission duration: 12.64 s
  • Decoding threshold: -20 dB; several dB lower with AP decoding
  • Multi-decoder finds and decodes all FT8 signals in passband
  • Optional auto-sequencing and auto-reply to a CQ response
  • Operational behavior similar to JT9, JT65

Footnotes

[ 1 ] “WSJT-X Release Notes”, Joe Taylor K1JT, retrieved July 18 2017, https://physics.princeton.edu/pulsar/k1jt/Release_Notes_1.8.0.txt.

Outreach

Contact K2BSA at the National Scout Jamboree

Help Scouts at the National Jamboree earn their Radio Merit Badge by making QSOs with K2BSA between July 18th and 28th, 2017.

Please visit the K2BSA “Amateur Radio—Live From The Jamboree!” and the ARRL “K2BSA will be On the Air during National Scout Jamboree” pages for frequency, mode, and QSL information. Operation will be conducted using SSB, PSK-31, EchoLink, and D-Star; limited CW operation may occur at time permits.

Outreach

Save the date for JOTA

Save the date for the 60th Jamboree on the Air which will be held on October 20–22, 2017.

“Jamboree-on-the-Air, or JOTA, is the largest Scouting event in the world. It is held annually the third full weekend in October. JOTA uses amateur radio to link Scouts and hams around the world, around the nation, and [across communities].” [ 1 ]

Participating as an Amateur Radio Operator

Contact your local Scout council and see what may already be planned in your area and how you can help. You can find your council using the Council locator.

If nothing is currently planned, or if current plans aren’t reaching your area, you can work with the council or a local unit (pack, troop, crew) to set up a JOTA station or arrange for visits to your ham shack. You can also participate just by making QSOs with the many JOTA stations that will be on the air. A good resource to find a local Scout unit is the Be-A-Scout website [ 2 ]

References

Footnotes

[ 1, 2 ] “Jamboree-on-the-Air”, Boy Scouts of America, retrieved June 30 2017, http://www.scouting.org/jota.aspx/.

Outreach Technical

Field Day 2017 Digital QST

Get ready for Field Day 2017 with these articles in the June edition of QST:

  • The Science of Field Day; a new way to wow Field Day visitors
  • The Nerd Wagon (a roll on / roll off portable station)
  • The Rhombic Loop Twofer (construction project)
  • An Easy-to-Make Three-Band [coupled-resonator] Dipole (construction project)
Technical

Is Your Version of TQSL Up To Date?

“As of 1400 UTC on January 16, ARRL Logbook of The World (LoTW) no longer will accept contacts that have been digitally signed by versions of TQSL earlier than version 2.0. Users of earlier versions are encouraged to upgrade as soon as possible, as older TQSL versions contain uncorrected defects and display inaccurate error messages.”[ 1 ]

TQSL for MacOS and Microsoft Windows may be installed from the LoTW Installing or Upgrading TQSL page.

TQSL source code for Linux, and other unix-like operating systems, is available from the Installing or Upgrading TQSL page. Prepackaged versions of TQSL (both binary and source) may be available through your Operating System (or “distribution”) package management system.

Footnotes

[ 1 ] “https://x.com/arrl/status/816668087227445249", ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio, last modified January 3 2017, http://www.arrl.org/news/logbook-of-the-world-to-no-longer-accept-contacts-signed-by-tqsl-versions-earlier-than-2-0-1.

Technical

BY70-1 Cubesat Launched

“BY70-1 is a 2U CubeSat project for education and Amateur Radio. It features 3-axis stabilization and deployable solar panels. In addition to the FM transponder, BY70-1 has a camera, and plans call for downloading images and telemetry via a 9600 bps BPSK downlink. The IARU Amateur Satellite Frequency Coordination pages list an uplink of 145.920 MHz, and a downlink of 436.200 MHz.”[ 1 ]

Please visit the AMSAT-UK BY70-1 announcement for more information.

Footnotes

[ 1 ] “New Amateur Radio FM Transponder CubeSat Now in Space”, ARRL The national association for Amateur Radio, last modified December 29 2016, http://www.arrl.org/news/new-amateur-radio-fm-transponder-cubesat-now-in-space.

Education

Did you miss the ARRL CHIRP Programming Webinar?

Or would you like to see it again?

The ARRL CHIRP Programming Webinar has been uploaded to the ARRL HQ YouTube Channel.

This 57 minute video presents the Webinar slides and a live programming session which demonstrates:

  • Connecting CHIRP to the radio
  • Downloading from the radio to CHIRP
  • Editing individual channels
  • Editing a group of channels
  • Copying channels between radios
  • Uploading from CHIRP to the radio