The Arsenal Files 6/The Arsenal Files 6 (Arsenal Computer).ISO/ham/arrl0315.zip/ARRL0315.TXT

Text File | 1996-03-23 | 19KB | 357 lines

The ARRL Letter
Electronic Update
March 15, 1996
__________________________________

IN THIS UPDATE:

* At Deadline:  Two NY counties return to WNY section
* Next SAREX flight set for March 21
* KC5KII is new NASA manager in Russia
* Disaster preparedness workshop set
* Lambda ARC aids VP2EHF and VP2EE
* Pennsylvania hams pitch in after flooding
* FCC issues FEMA call signs
* Last call for McGan Award
* WRTC wildcard leaders picked
* Al Ross, K4CAW, SK
* Hank Olson, W6GXN, SK
* In Brief:
   -New W3 incoming QSL bureau address
   -Ham Radio and More Show to mark five years
   -Windows exam-review software available
   -Solomon Islands radio stamps released
   -SARL names patron
__________________________________

AT DEADLINE:

* The ARRL Executive Committee has voted unanimously to return the New York
counties of Herkimer and Otsego counties from the Northern New York Section
to the Western New York Section, effective April 1, 1996. The decision was
based on the results of a canvass of affected members which clearly favored
the return of those counties to the WNY section. The committee's action
reflects the results of a canvass of ARRL members in three counties that had
initially been made a part of the new NNY section. Of 37 members in Herkimer
County, 25 responded; 18 favored returning to WNY, while seven favored
remaining in NNY. Of 50 members in Otsego County, 37 responded; 29 favored
returning to WNY, six favored remaining in NNY, and two did not reply. Of 18
members in Schoharie County, only seven responded; one favored returning to
WNY, while six favored remaining in NNY. Therefore, in the case of Schoharie
County the Executive Committee decided to make no change. The affected
section managers have been notified.

__________________________________

NEXT SHUTTLE FLIGHT TO INCLUDE SAREX

Shuttle mission STS-76, scheduled for launch March 21, is a SAREX flight,
giving Amateur Radio operators around the world a chance to QSO the
astronauts aboard the space shuttle Atlantis. The 3:35 AM (Eastern) launch
also will give East Coast hams and nonhams alike a rare opportunity to
actually see the shuttle as it streaks up the coast into a high-inclination
orbit for its nine-day Mir rendezvous mission. Weather permitting,
earthbound viewers from Florida to Boston should be able to watch the
shuttle during the launch, when its main engines will be bright enough to be
seen from hundreds of miles away! The shuttle will rise from the southeast
and travel north. Look roughly southeast a few minutes after launch for a
bright, fast-moving streak low in the sky. Since this is a Mir rendezvous
mission, the launch window will be very short. Atlantis must launch within a
few minutes of 3:34 AM (Eastern) or NASA will scrub the launch.

Astronaut Richard A. Searfoss, KC5CKM, is the shuttle's pilot. Searfoss last
operated SAREX from the space shuttle Columbia during mission STS-58 in
October/November 1993. This will be his second shuttle flight. Linda M.
Godwin, N5RAX, will serve as a mission specialist on this, her third shuttle
flight. (Last December Linda Godwin married fellow astronaut Steve Nagel
N5RAW, making them the first married astronaut-ham couple.) Mission
Specialist Ronald M. Sega, KC5ETH, used SAREX from Discovery during the
first joint US-Russian shuttle mission in February 1994. Remaining crew
members include Commander Kevin P. Chilton, KC5TEU, and Mission Specialists
Shannon W. Lucid and Michael R. Clifford.

Chilton only just passed his Amateur Radio license test, and Lucid has
expressed an interest in getting her license. She and her husband hope to
take their Technician tests before the launch. The mission will feature the
first spacewalk by US astronauts while the shuttle is attached to the Mir
and the first American woman, Shannon Lucid, to serve as a Mir station
researcher. Lucid is scheduled to stay aboard the Mir orbital complex for
five months.

This mission will use the SAREX-M configuration (voice only) using the VHF
radio that's also used to talk to Mir. Amateur Radio has been flying aboard
the shuttles since 1983.

NASA wants to make astronauts available for SAREX contacts to involve the
largest possible number of people--especially students--in technology and
the US space program with the help of Amateur Radio. Astronauts will
typically make scheduled radio contacts with schools as well as random radio
contacts with other hams and personal contacts with their families.

During the STS-76 mission, the space shuttle Atlantis will make its third of
seven shuttle flights to Mir, an effort known as Phase 1, the precursor to
building the International Space Station. Since this flight is a shuttle-Mir
docking mission, and SAREX and Mir Amateur Radio stations usually share the
same downlink frequency (145.55 MHz), the SAREX Working Group has designated
the uplink frequencies as 144.45 and 144.47 MHz, and the downlink FM voice
downlink frequency as 145.84 MHz. (Please do not transmit on the shuttle's
downlink frequency! The downlink is your receiving frequency.) The crew will
not favor either uplink frequency, so your ability to communicate with SAREX
will be the "luck of the draw." Transmit only when the shuttle is within
range of your station, and when the shuttle's station is on the air.

Reception reports and QSLs go to ARRL, EAD, STS-76 QSL, 225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111. Include a large, stamped, self-addressed business-sized
envelope. The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club in Massachusetts has
generously volunteered to manage the cards for this mission.

You can find more STS-76 mission information from NASA on the World Wide Web
at http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov. For additional information about SAREX or
other general operating information, check out the ARRL SAREX World Wide Web
site at http://www.arrl.org/sarex/.--AMSAT News Service/NASA

LAWRENCE NAMED NASA MANAGER IN RUSSIA

Astronaut Wendy B. Lawrence, KC5KII, Commander, USN, has been named to
replace Charles J. Precourt, KB5YSQ, Lt Col, USAF, as the NASA manager of
operational activities at Star City, Russia. As Director of Operations,
Russia, Lawrence will support training and preparations of NASA astronauts
at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC), Star City.  She also will
be the primary link between NASA and the Russian center's management,
coordinating all training and other operations involving NASA or contractor
personnel in Star City.

Lawrence, 36, is the sixth astronaut to serve in this rotating assignment.
She leaves this month for Russia, where she will continue to establish
operational and managerial relationships with Star City management and
Russian cosmonauts. Precourt will return to the Johnson Space Center to
begin training as commander of the sixth shuttle/Mir docking mission
(STS-84).--NASA

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP SET

A workshop, Disaster Preparedness: Reducing Risk and Improving Response, is
scheduled for June 24 in Asheville, North Carolina. It's sponsored by the
Disaster Emergency Response Association, an ARRL-affiliated organization.
All Amateur Radio operators and others involved with disaster planning and
emergency response are welcome. Robert R. Dockery, WD4CNZ, a professor at
Western Piedmont College, will chair the workshop, which plans to cover risk
assessment, mass casualties, terrorism, hazard mitigation, incident command,
communications and recovery. Those who attend will take part in a tabletop
disaster exercise. A key discussion topic will be Amateur Radio's role in
recent disasters and the need for ready, capable and reliable Amateur Radio
emergency service during catastrophes, especially those affecting
multi-state regions.

Among those scheduled to speak is Jerry VeHaun, WA4GTT, president of the
National Coordinating Council on Emergency Management and head of the
Buncombe County (North Carolina) Emergency Management Agency.VeHaun will
deliver a keynote address on state and local preparedness and emergency
management. Others set to speak include Bascombe Wilson, N3DAK, of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and DERA's executive director. Wilson
will outline the Federal Response Plan and the national strategy for
military support to civilian authorities during disasters. Also presenting
will be Steve Keene, who directs experimental radio station KE2XOL. Keene
will discuss the future of space-based communication and its impact on
disaster response.

The workshop will be held in Simpson Auditorium at Asheville-Buncombe
Technical Community College. The first session runs from 9 AM until 5 PM;
the second from 6 until 9 PM. Participants may attend either or both
sessions. The registration fee is $65 if received before June 1, 1996, and
$79 for late registrations. Amateur Radio operators active in any form of
voluntary emergency service need only pay $12.50 if they register before
June 1, however. Registrations are space-available.

To register or for more information, write: DERA Readiness Workshop, PO Box
6558, Asheville, NC 28816.

LAMBDA ARC HELPS ANGUILLA HAMS

The Lambda Amateur Radio Club, headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
has raised more than $1000 to help Anguilla hams Dave and Dorothea Mann
(VP2EHF and VP2EE) in their recovery efforts in the wake of last year's
devastating hurricane season. LARC members donated half of the money, while
the rest came from the VP2EJA group: JA1VPO, JI1DCW/N2RYM, JL1MUT/N2XYF and
JG1RXQ. The money will go to help the Manns buy tools and supplies and to
help pay for equipment repair and replacement. The Manns, who are both LARC
members, hosted a barbecue for a LARC OSCAR DXpedition to Anguilla in 1994
(see "LARC's Mode-S DXpedition," QST, Jul 1994). The Manns won the ARRL's
International Humanitarian Award for 1995 for their hurricane relief
efforts.

LARC--a public service-oriented ham radio club for gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgendered hams and their friends--recently became an ARRL-affiliated
club. For more information about LARC, write the club at PO Box 24810,
Philadelphia, PA 19130, or e-mail [e-mail].--LARC

HARRISBURG-AREA HAMS LEND HELPING HAND IN FLOODS

Some 30 ham radio volunteers from the Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) Radio
Amateur's Club answered a call in January from the Red Cross to help after
the Susquehanna River overflowed its banks, flooding the capital area
January 20. Initially, hams provided communication between Dauphin County
Red Cross headquarters and two mass-care facilities that lacked telephone
service. The following day, the Red Cross requested additional volunteers
with vehicles for disaster-assessment training and reporting. Several hams
were among those who reported. The club dedicated its February 14 meeting to
recognize hams who answered the appeal for volunteers.--John Obradovich,
W3IS, President, HRAC

FCC ISSUED CALL SIGN UPDATE

The FCC's most recently issued call signs as of March 1, 1996:

District     Group A   Group B    Group C    Group D
             Extra     Advanced   Tech/Gen   Novice
0            AB0BA     KI0BM        ++       KB0VLN
1            AA1PQ     KE1EE       N1WRE     KB1BWW
2            AB2AG     KG2FT        ++       KB2YCU
3            AA3NR     KE3WA       N3WXH     KB3BNP
4            AE4RF     KT4LS        ++       KF4HFX
5            AC5GR     KK5XL        ++       KC5TBY
6            AC6SZ     KQ6EI        ++       KF6BSN
7            AB7PE     KJ7VF        ++       KC7PLX
8            AA8WE     KG8VF        ++       KC8CON
9            AA9RK     KG9FO        ++       KB9MWF
Hawaii        ++       AH6OL        ++       WH6DAE
Alaska        ++       AL7QI        ++       WL7CRW
Virgin Is    WP2W      KP2CJ       NP2JD     WP2AIC
Puerto Rico   ++        ++          ++       WP4NJY

++All call signs in this group have been issued in this area.

FCC ISSUES FEMA HAM CALL SIGNS

The FCC has issued Amateur Radio call signs to the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. FEMA Frequency Manager Paul Reid, N4EKW, says FEMA will
use the call signs only in emergencies to communicate directly with ARES,
RACES and other Amateur Radio operations. The FEMA call signs all have the
same format. For example, the Region I call sign is KF1EMA, while the FEMA
Headquarters at Mt Weather in Berryville, Virginia, has been issued NF1EMA.

LAST CALL FOR 1996 MCGAN SILVER ANTENNA AWARD NOMINATIONS

If you're planning to nominate someone for this year's Philip J. McGan
Memorial Silver Antenna Award, the deadline is May 31, 1996.

Each year, the McGan award goes to an individual ham who has achieved
exceptional public relations success on behalf of Amateur Radio,
exemplifying the volunteer efforts of Philip J. McGan, WA2MBQ (SK). The
award is sponsored jointly by the New Hampshire Amateur Radio Association
(NHARA) and ARRL.

For more information about the McGan Award program, see the detailed
announcement in February QST on page 98. All nominations must be accompanied
by an official entry form, available from ARRL's Public Relations
department, tel [phone] or by e-mail request to [e-mail].

WRTC-96 ANNOUNCES WILDCARD TEAM LEADERS

The Team Selection Committee of World Radiosport Team Championship, Inc
(WRTC-96) has announced selection of the 10 wildcard team leaders. Each
wildcard team leader now must pick an operating partner from anywhere on the
team leader's same continent.

Wildcard team leaders are 9A9A, DJ6QT, I2VXJ, K4UEE, NP4Z, T93A, UN2L,
UW3AA, WN4KKN and ZS6EZ. The WRTC, set to begin July 13, will pit 52
two-person teams comprised of some of the world's top contest operators in a
head to head competition during the IARU HF World Championship contest.
Teams will run the same power and operate from stations having similar
terrain and antenna systems and in the same geographical area. A television
crew plans to videotape the event with the hope of airing excerpts on
network TV and to make a video available clubs and individuals. The first
WRTC was held in 1990.

WRTC has received initial commitments of more than $50,000 in sponsorships
from ICOM, Yaesu, Ham Radio Outlet, Shell Oil Company, the Northern
California DX Foundation and CQ magazine.

For information about WRTC-96, contact Rusty Epps, W6OAT, at 651 Handley
Trail, Redwood City, CA 94062, or e-mail [e-mail].

ALBERT T. ROSS, K4CAW, SK

Al Ross, K4CAW, of Greensboro, North Carolina, died December 5, 1995. He was
86. Al was a well-known and active VHF, UHF and microwave operator. A New
York native, he'd lived in the Greensboro area for 48 years and had retired
from Western Electric. Al had been a ham for 50 years. In addition to his
ham radio accomplishments, he was elected in 1967 to the North Carolina
State Bowling Association's Hall of Fame. A daughter, Patricia Talton, and
grandchildren and great-grandchildren survive.--Alex Regi, W4FSO

HENRY D. OLSON, W6GXN, SK

Hank Olson, W6GXN, of Menlo Park, California, died unexpectedly March 9. He
was 64. Hank authored several articles for QST in the 1960s and 1970s. His
wife, Jane, is among the survivors.--Frank Wyatt, N6FW

__________________________________

In Brief:

* The Third Call Area Incoming QSL Bureau has a new address. The
Pennsylvania DX Association has assumed responsibility for the bureau. The
new address is: Pennsylvania DX Association, PO Box 100, York Haven, PA
17370-0100. All envelopes and cards on file at the former incoming W3 bureau
have been transferred to the Pennsylvania DX Association.

* April 21, 1996, marks the fifth anniversary of the nationally syndicated
Ham Radio and More Show, hosted by Len Winkler, KB7LPW. The program airs
live on many stations Sundays at 6 PM (Eastern) and features weekly guests,
listener call-ins, prizes, news and more. The guest on the Sunday, March 17,
program will be Steve Elswork of Exotic Research. Elswork will discuss HAARP
(High-frequency Active Auroral Research Project). Short-wave station WWCR
carries the show live at 5065 kHz, and on a delayed basis on Mondays, 1000
UTC, at 7435 kHz, and on Saturdays, 1700 UTC, at 12,160 kHz.--Len Winkler,
KB7LPW

* The Technician Class and General Class Computerized Exam-Review software
(for use with the video exam courses) is now available in Windows versions.
A Windows version of the Advanced Class software should be available soon.
To use the Windows software, you'll need an IBM-compatible '386 computer or
greater with at least 4 MB of RAM; MS-DOS 3.3 or higher; Windows 3.0 or
higher in enhanced mode (or Windows 95); 3.5-inch high-density drive; at
least 10 MB of free hard-drive space; VGA or better video and a pointing
device.--Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R

* The Solomon Islands has released a set of four postage stamps
commemorating Marconi--100 Years of Radio Communication. The $1.05 stamp
shows Marconi demonstrating his invention, c. 1896. A $1.20 stamp depicts a
typical maritime installation of the Marconi International Marine
Communication Company, c. 1900. A $1.35 stamp depicts the first aeronautical
radio systems supplied by Marconi to commercial aircraft. A $1.45 stamp
shows Marconi in Japan during his 1933-34 world tour. The four stamps are
available on a color first-day cover from Peter Taylor, G8BCG, for $6
(checks accepted). Write him at 6 Bray Ct, Plantation Rd, Amersham HP6 6JB,
UK.

* The South African Radio League has appointed Dikgang Moseneke as its
Patron. Moseneke is chairman of the board of Telkom SA's telecommunications
subsidiary. At his induction, Moseneke released an SARL initiative to
introduce Amateur Radio into South African schools and to create a
development fund to establish ham radio stations at educational institutions
in South Africa.--SARL

===========================================================

The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel [phone]; fax [phone]. Rodney J.
Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail
[e-mail].
Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail [e-mail].

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest
to active, organizationally minded radio amateurs faster than it can be
disseminated by our official journal, QST. We strive to be fast, accurate
and readable in our reporting.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any
form, including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, provided that
credit is given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.