XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.policy, rec.radio.info

********************************************
The ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League ********************************************

October 26, 2023

John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, Editor <[email protected]>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- FCC to Vote on Removing Symbol Rate Restrictions
- Speak Up for Your Spectrum: 60-Meter-Band Comments Due to the FCC by
October 30
- Video: Amateur Radio STEM Education Takes Center Stage at Pacificon
- $31k Raised for Education from ARRL Online Auction
- Amateur Radio in the News
- ARRL Podcasts
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

FCC TO VOTE ON REMOVING SYMBOL RATE RESTRICTIONS

ARRL <https://www.arrl.org/> welcomes news of a scheduled vote by the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to consider removing symbol
rate restrictions
<https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-397992A1.pdf> that
restrict digital modes, foster inefficient spectrum use, and dampen
incentives for innovation. In the draft Commission decision, the FCC
would replace the current HF restrictions with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth
limit. The Commission also announced that it will consider a Further
Notice in which it will propose eliminating similar restrictions where
they apply in other bands and consider relying on signal bandwidth
limits. If both actions are adopted by the Commission, there will be a
period for public comment on the Further Notice issues.

In announcing the proposed Commission actions, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said that "We're bolstering amateur radio. We will vote on
a proposal to incentivize innovation and experimentation in the amateur
radio bands by removing outdated restrictions and providing licensees
with the flexibility to use modern digital emissions."

ARRL requested and strongly supports replacing the symbol rate limits
on the HF bands with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit. ARRL also supports
eliminating the symbol rate limits in favor of the already-existing
bandwidth limits where they apply on the VHF and UHF bands and
eliminating the similar limits 2200 and 630-meter bands.

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, said the
changes will result in a tremendous time savings during disasters, when
every second counts. "We will be very pleased to have the FCC remove
the restrictions on symbol rate for the amateur bands. This will
eliminate the need for temporary waivers during an event and provide
the ability to train and exercise using the higher symbol rate,
allowing increased data capability to our served agencies and
partners."

Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) introduced The Amateur Radio
Communications Improvement Act (H.R. 3241) on May 11, 2023 <https://www.arrl.org/news/congresswoman-lesko-reintroduces-bill-to-replace-symbol-rate-limit-with-bandwidth-limit>,

to require that the FCC eliminate the obsolete HF digital symbol rate
limit with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit.

The Congresswoman subsequently addressed the issue with Chairwoman
Rosenworcel in a Congressional oversight hearing. The changes are
supported by many state emergency management officials.

ARRL will continue to engage on this matter.

SPEAK UP FOR YOUR SPECTRUM: 60-METER-BAND COMMENTS DUE TO THE FCC

BY OCTOBER 30

Time is running out to take a stand in the effort to protect amateur allocations on the 60-meter band. At the time of writing, nearly 1,500
comments have been filed, many of them being from radio amateurs urging
the FCC to protect our access to this critical band. The FCC proposal
would take away several of the discreet channels and reduce power
output from the current 100 W to less than 10 W.

ARRL asks that all amateurs file comments during the public comment
period, which is open until October 30, 2023. ARRL encourages
expressions of support to the FCC for the current 100 W ERP power limit (instead of reducing the power limit to 15 W EIRP) and continuing
secondary access to the current channels.

ARRL has assembled a web page with instructions on how to submit your
comments, that also includes background information on the issue: www.arrl.org/60-meter-band <https://www.arrl.org/60-meter-band>.

To submit your comments for the FCC's consideration in the rulemaking
process, go to the FCC web page for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking's
(NPRM) Docket Number 23-120 at https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/docket-detail/23-120.

The urgency of this matter is being seen around the amateur community.
In a message to ARRL members in the Roanoke Division, Director Jim
Boehner, N2ZZ, and Vice Director Bill Morine, N2COP, issued a call to
action, stating:

"Even if you are not currently active on 60 meters, the proposed
reduction in power from 100 W to an equivalent of less than 10 W is the
most sweeping reduction of HF privileges in decades. If amateur radio opposition to this proposed change is weak and the FCC goes through
with the change, will a lackluster response from the Amateur Radio
community embolden the FCC to remove or modify more HF privileges?

With just days left in the public comment period, ARRL hopes to see the
docket filled with comments in support of keeping 60 meters as the
vital resource it is.

VIDEO: AMATEUR RADIO STEM EDUCATION TAKES CENTER STAGE AT PACIFICON

ARRL Education and Learning Manager, and IARU Region 2 Youth
Coordinator, Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, gave the keynote address at the
2023 ARRL Pacific Division Ham Radio Convention, also known as
Pacificon.

Goodgame was a public-school teacher for 21 years. He carries his
experience of bringing ham radio into the classroom into his role at
ARRL. "It is safe to say I've learned a thing or two about reaching
youth along the way," he quipped.

His presentation, to a packed audience, was a highlight of the
convention. Goodgame's passion and vision for promoting youth
involvement in the hobby shined in his speech as he discussed STEM
education and the importance of inspiring youth and teachers to engage
in amateur radio and wireless technology.

Watch "A Vision of the Future of Amateur Radio" on the ARRLHQ YouTube
Channel https://youtu.be/fTi8LDz4dS4?si=GQfSd3k2BS__ERMy to learn how
to grow the next generation of radio amateurs from one of the leaders
in the space.

$31K RAISED FOR EDUCATION FROM ARRL ONLINE AUCTION

The 18th Annual ARRL Online Auction, sponsored by RT Systems Inc <https://www.rtsystemsinc.com/>, raised $31,000 in support of amateur
radio. The auction took place during October 13 - 19, 2023.

In addition to hundreds of viewers, the auction saw 244 individual
bidders vying for Product Review equipment, vintage books, mystery junk
boxes from the ARRL Lab, and more.

There were 1,163 bids recorded, with 14 items finishing in overtime
bidding. Proceeds from the yearly ARRL Online Auction go directly to
ARRL's education programs, including promoting activities to license
new hams, strengthening amateur radio's emergency service training,
offering technical and operating education, and creating instructional materials.

ARRL sincerely appreciates our corporate partners and members for their generous donations.

AMATEUR RADIO IN THE NEWS

ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news <http://www.arrl.org/media-hits>.

"County amateur radio now a FEMA-certified communications team <https://www.wiscassetnewspaper.com/article/county-amateur-radio-now-fema-certified-communications-team/179587>"

/ Wiscasset Newspaper (Maine) October 18, 2023 -- The Lincoln County
Emergency Management Agency amateur radio team.

"From Baton Rouge to Belize, local ham radio operators talk around the
globe <https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/entertainment_life/baton-rouge-ham-radio-operators-talk-around-the-world/article_3b26a562-6a19-11ee-a89b-4389e03e33ca.html>"

/ The Advocate (Louisiana) October 23, 2023 -- The Baton Rouge Amateur
Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

"Lookout Mountain Wildfire Also Affected Ham Radio Operators; Fire Said
To Be Contained <https://www.chattanoogan.com/2023/10/23/477085/Lookout-Mountain-Wildfire-Also-Affected.aspx>"

/ Chattanoogan.com (Tennessee) October 23, 2023 - The Tri-States
Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL Affiliated Club.

Share <[email protected]> any amateur radio media hits you spot with
us.

ARRL PODCASTS

On the Air
Sponsored by Icom <http://www.icomamerica.com/en/>

The Solar Eclipse QSO Party: When Operating is Science

Gary Mikitin's, AF8A, article, "The Solar Eclipse QSO Party: A Fun Way
Support Radio Science" in the September/October 2023 issue of On the
Air details how hams can contribute data to a study on how the
ionosphere reflects radio signals during the eclipse via an easygoing
on-air event called the Solar Eclipse QSO Party. Gary, who is the
Amateur Radio Community Coordinator of HamSCI, joins us on the October
episode of the On the Air podcast, to talk about just how easy it is to participate.

ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>,
available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week's top
news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with
interviews and other features.

The On the Air podcast is available on iTunes. The On the Air podcast
and ARRL Audio News are also on blubrry -- On the Air <https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> | ARRL Audio News <https://blubrry.com/arrlaudionews/>.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The Nashua Area Radio Society <https://www.n1fd.org/> (NARS) will host
their Ham Bootcamp program on November 11, 2023, from 10 AM to 6 PM ET.
This program includes a series of online demonstrations and tutorials
designed to help newly licensed Technician-, General-, and Extra-class
license holders get on the air. It's available to all licensed and
prospective amateur radio operators. Visit NARS's Ham Bootcamp <http://n1fd.org/bootcamp> program web page to register and for
additional information.

IN BRIEF...

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is planning
their 40th anniversary celebration conference for February 22 - 24,
2024. The Positive Impact of Amateur Radio on Human Spaceflight: 40th Anniversary Conference will be held at the Center for Space Education: Astronauts Memorial Foundation, located adjacent to the NASA Kennedy
Space Center Visitors Center in Florida. Organizers hope to gather
volunteer teams, astronauts, space agency officials, educators, and
space and amateur radio enthusiasts to attend the event. For
registration information and special event pricing at local hotels,
visit the event website at https://www.ariss.org/, and choose the
drop-down menu tab labeled 40th Anniversary. ARISS is a cooperative
venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies
that support the ISS. In the US, participating organizations include
NASA's Space Communications and Navigation program (SCaN), the ISS
National Laboratory -- Space Station Explorers, ARRL
<http://www.arrl.org/>, and AMSAT.

THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, of Seattle, Washington, reports for this week's ARRL Propagation Bulletin, ARLP043:

The recent decline in solar activity continues. The weekly average
daily sunspot numbers, starting with ARLP039 on September 21, were
170.6, 128.6, 144.1, and 89.4. This week's average daily sunspot number
was 41.9. The weekly average daily solar flux for the same period was
168.8, 155.6, 159.1, 145.1, and 123.5.

Solar disk image taken October 26, 2023. [Photo courtesy of NASA
SDO/HMI]

On October 25, Spaceweather.com <https://spaceweather.com/> noted,
"Solar Cycle 25 roared to life in 2021 - [2023], dashing predictions of
a weak solar cycle. Forecasters have since been expecting a robust
Solar Max in 2024 or 2025. Suddenly, however, sunspot counts are
dropping." They also noted that temporary lulls are common in strong
sunspot cycles, and strong activity should resume soon, with a cycle
peak occurring within the next 2 years. They provided a recent link to
the NOAA Space Weather Scale at https://bit.ly/3FyVWko.

Three new sunspot groups appeared this week on October 20 - 22.

Predicted solar flux is 125 on October 26 - 28; 120 on October 29
through November 1; 150 on November 2 - 5; 140 on November 6 - 9; 135
on November 10 - 11; 145, 140, 135, and 135 on November 12 - 15; 140 on November 16 - 18; 135 and 140 on November 19 - 20, and 145 on November
21 - 24.

Predicted planetary A index is 5, 8, 5, 5, 18, and 10 on October 26 -
31; 5 on November 1 - 8; 12 and 8 on November 9 - 10; 5 on November 11
- 12; 12 on November 13 - 14; 10 and 8 on November 15 - 16; 5 on
November 17 - 22, and 8 on November 23 - 26.

Jon Jones, N0JK, QST columnist for "The World Above 50 MHz QST" wrote:

"The weekend of October 20 - 22 had some outstanding propagation on 6
meters.

On the afternoon of Saturday, October 21, there was E-layer or
sporadic-E propagation linking to trans-equatorial paths to the [South]
Pacific from the Midwest. N0LL copied FK8CP and ZL1RS on just a ham
stick vertical antenna while driving from Salina to his home in Smith
Center, KS. He later worked E51WL from his home around 2130Z.

I was staying at the La Quinta Inn in Scottsdale for the weekend [and]
had my MFJ-9406 [with me]. Using a dipole antenna in the hotel room, I
copied N0LL EM09, N0KQY DM998, and N0OT DM88 on 6-meter Es, calling DX
stations around 1945Z. Es in October are rare, and Es links rarer
still.

[On October 22], I managed to work W5JAY EM26 on [6-meter] FT8 via Es
at 0136 [UTC.] Power was 7 watts to the indoor dipole. East coast
stations were working the South Pacific on Es links to TEP.

That next afternoon, Arizona had Es link[s] to TEP to South America. I
copied XE1H DL80 at the first Es hop. 231022_233300 50.313 Rx FT8 -8
0.2 1612 CQ XE1H DL80.

October 24 at 2335 UTC copied PY5CC GG54 via Es link to TEP.

Spaceweather.com noted a coronal mass ejection (CME) impact [on]
October 20. The active geomagnetic field boosted the TEP MUF and may
have sparked some of the sporadic -E as well.

Note that this weekend is the SSB portion of the CQ World Wide DX
Contest.

See https://www.cqww.com/ for more information.

Sunspot numbers for October 19 - 25, 2023, were 39, 56, 65, 48, 25, 34,
and 26, with a mean of 41.9. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 128.7, 125.7,
122.6, 118.8, 122.1, 121.1, and 125.8, with a mean of 123.5. Estimated planetary A indices were 10, 8, 22, 8, 3, 4, and 4, with a mean of 8.4.
The middle latitude A index was 8, 8, 13, 7, 2, 2, and 3, with a mean
of 6.1.

Send your tips, questions, or comments to [email protected].

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit <http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals> the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read
<http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere> "What the Numbers
Mean...," and check out <http://k9la.us/> the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.

A propagation bulletin archive <http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation> is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio <https://www.voacap.com/hf/> website.

Share <[email protected]> your reports and observations.

A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News
<http://www.arrl.org/news>.

JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

Yearlong -- ARRL Volunteers On the Air <https://vota.arrl.org/> (VOTA).
See the State Activations Schedule for weekly W1AW Portable Operations <https://vota.arrl.org/w1awPortable.php>, including:

- October 25 - 31 -- Virginia W1AW/4

- October 25 - 31 -- Michigan W1AW/8

- October 25 - 31 -- Arkansas W1AW/5

- November 1 - 7 -- West Virginia W1AW/8

- November 1 - 7 -- Massachusetts W1AW/1

- November 1 - 7 -- Iowa W1AW/0

UPCOMING CONTESTS:

- October 26 -- RSGB 80m Autumn Series, SSB (phone)

- October 27 -- Zombie Shuffle (CW)

- October 28 - 29 -- ARRL EME Contest (CW, phone, digital)

- October 28 - 29 -- CQ World Wide DX Contest, SSB (phone)

- November 1 -- Silent Key Memorial Contest (CW)

- November 1 -- 3.5 UKEICC 80-Meter Contest (phone)

- November 2 - 3 -- Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)

- November 2 -- NRAU 10-Meter Activity Contest (CW, phone, digital)

- November 2 -- SKCC Sprint Europe (CW)

Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar>
for more events and information.

UPCOMING SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS

- November 4 - 5 | Stone Mountain Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/stone-mountain-hamfest-arrl-georgia-state-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Georgia State Convention, Lawrenceville, Georgia

- November 4 | Wisconsin ARES/RACES Conference 2023 <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/wisconsin-ares-races-conference-2023-arrl-wisconsin-section-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Wisconsin Section Convention, Wisconsin Rapids,
Wisconsin

- November 18 - 19 | Fort Wayne Hamfest and Computer Expo, <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/fort-wayne-hamfest-computer-expo-arrl-central-division-convention-1>

hosting the ARRL Central Division Convention, Fort Wayne, Indiana.

- December 8 - 9 | Tampa Bay Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/tampa-bay-hamfest-arrl-west-central-florida-section-convention-2>,

hosting the ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City,
Florida

Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests> to find events in your area.

HAVE NEWS FOR ARRL?

Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to
[email protected]. -- John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor
<[email protected]>

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