2021 Orlando Hamcation and ARRL National Convention Cancelled

 

The continuing Coronavirus pandemic has prompted the cancellation of the 2021 Orlando Hamcation® next February. The Hamcation was also going to be hosting the 2021 ARRL National Convention. 

According to the ARRL Letter, the decision was made jointly by the Orlando Amateur Radio Club and the ARRL. Both events have been rescheduled for February 10-13, 2022. Hamcation was the only major U.S. hamfest held in 2020, coming just before the pandemic prompted restrictions on travel and large gatherings.

Hara Arena Being Demolished

The former home of the Dayton Hamvention® is being torn down. Demolition of Hara Arena began in late September and, according to the Dayton Daily News, the process is expected to take four-to-six months. Hara Arena closed in 2016 and the buildings suffered significant damage last year from a tornado. 

The Daily News reports that the arena's new owner is in negotiations with "a global company to put something on the property," but no additional details were available. The newspaper also reports that the letters spelling out "Hara Arena" on the front of the main building will be saved from the wrecking ball and will be auctioned in the future, with proceeds going to a local charity.

MF/LF Bands Now Have Their Own WSJT-X Protocols

 

Two new digital protocols designed specifically for the 630-meter and 2200-meter bands are included in the latest "candidate release" of the WSJT-X software suite. The ARRL Letter reports that test transmissions of FST4 and FST4W in recent months have resulted in many intercontinental contacts on the bands. FST4 is for two-way contacts and FST4W is designed for beacon-type transmissions such as WSPR (Weak Signal Propagation Reporter - see this month's "Digital Connection" column for more on WSPR). Developers say current users of other WSJT modes should find using the new modes to be straightforward.

Over-the-Horizon Radar Systems are Back on HF

 

The International Amateur Radio Union's Region 1 Monitoring Service is reporting significant interference on HF ham bands from over-the-horizon (OTH) radar systems believed to originate in China and Russia. According to the IARU, the 10-kHz-wide signals of the so-called "foghorn" radar from China have been heard on 40 meters, particularly in the 7113-7123 kHz and 7165-7175 kHz ranges, and on 20 meters as well. In addition, the Russian "contayner" OTH radar system has been monitored on 20. The monitoring service urges amateurs suffering interference from these signals to file complaints with their national regulatory agencies.

IARU Region 1 President Warns of QRM from Wireless Power Chargers for Electric Cars

Speaking of IARU Region 1 (which covers Europe, Africa and the Middle East), region President Don Beattie, G3BJ, is warning of tremendous interference potential from wireless charging systems for electric vehicles. According to the ARRL Letter, Beattie notes that these charging systems, which are similar to wireless charging systems for cell phones but operating at power levels of 20 kilowatts or more, may generate harmonics causing interference on a wide range of frequencies. He urged IARU member societies to discuss these issues with their national regulators, noting that discussions about WPT-EV (wireless power transfer for electric vehicles) "have reached a point where they are moving from the technical to the political arena."

Lucky Numbers 20 + 7?

 The International Space Station (NASA image)

The numbers 20 and 7 are popping up in three stories about amateur radio in space. ARISS, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of ham radio operations from the orbiting space station. ARISS has supported nearly 1400 scheduled contacts over the past two decades, according to the ARRL Letter, and astronauts aboard the station are in the process of installing new ham equipment for the first time since launch.

OSCAR-7 (AMSAT image)

AMSAT-OSCAR 7, the oldest ham radio satellite still operating, should be accessible by earthbound hams through Christmas. The satellite works only when in full sunlight, which it entered in late September. It is expected to be accessible through December 26, operating in either Mode A (2 meters up, 10 meters down) or Mode B (70 centimeters up, 2 meters down). AO-7 was launched in 1974, went silent for many years and amazed the amateur satellite world by suddenly coming back on the air in 2002.

Finally, AMRAD-OSCAR 27 celebrated its 27th anniversary in orbit on September 27th! According to the AMSAT News Service, AO-27 was the first FM "bent pipe" repeater in orbit and was also the platform for the first successful D-STAR satellite QSO.

Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Monitored by Canadian Ham

Artist's conception of Mars
Reconnaissance Orbiter above
the planet's surface.
(NASA image)

An amateur in British Columbia has reported receiving signals from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is flying 170 miles above the surface of the red planet. 

Spaceweather.com reports that Scott Tilley, VE7TH, monitored a carrier from the satellite on 10 GHz, but the signal did not contain any telemetry or other data. The orbiter has a high-gain antenna and is intended to act as a relay station for signals from other Mars missions.

 

N0SSC Named IARU Region 2 Youth Liaison

Sterling Mann, N0SSC, has been appointed as Youth Liaison for Region 2 of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), which covers the Americas. According to the ARRL Letter, Mann will reach out to young hams throughout North, Central and South America and work with them and their national societies to develop "self-sustaining groups and activities" in each country. He will also be coordinating a "Young Ham Action Plan," which is described as a means to "connect with, engage, inspire and mentor young hams throughout the Americas."

FCC Allows MURS/Satellite Mix

 

The FCC will allow Garmin International to build a Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) handheld that also includes an emergency transmitter linked to the Iridium satellite network. MURS is regulated under Part 95 of the Commission's rules while the emergency beacon satellite system comes under Part 25. According to the ARRL Letter, FCC rules prohibit combining a MURS transmitter with one that operates in a different service. In this case, Garmin persuaded the Commission that it would be in the public interest to waive that particular rule and permit the installation of an emergency satellite module in its MURS handheld. Users would have to subscribe to Iridium's service to access the beacon transmitter, which Garmin assured the FCC would not be able to transmit at the same time as the MURS portion of the radio.

Hams Monitor FRS to Help Find Missing Kids

 

Some hams with sharp ears helped police in Idaho find two young boys who had gone missing while (fortunately) playing with a pair of Family Radio Service (FRS) handhelds. Also fortunate was that the Post Falls, Idaho, police officer put in charge of the search was a ham, Detective Neil Uhrig, K7NJU. 

While trying to set up his amateur handheld to monitor FRS Channel 1, which the two boys were thought to be using, Uhrig came across the NorthWest Traffic Net, sponsored by the Kootenai Amateur Radio Society, on a local repeater. The ARRL Letter reports that Uhrig explained the situation to the net control station and asked anyone in the Post Falls area with FRS capability to listen for the kids, ages 9 and 11. 

The Letter then reports that abou a half hour later, Jim Hager, KJ7OTD, heard children talking on Channel 1 and reported it to Uhrig. Uhrig came to Hager's house, heard the kids for himself and organized searchers in that vicinity, which was a considerable distance away from the area initially being searched. The children were soon found, safe and sound, thanks to Hager and the Northwest Traffic Net.