***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 28, No. 23
June 12, 2009
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* + Fun, Fresh Air, Friends and Food: It Must Be Time for ARRL Field Day!
* + Changes Coming for ARRL November Sweepstakes Contest Log Submissions
* + Alabama Hams Assist During Statewide Emergency Drill
* + Look for the July Issue of QST in Your Mailbox
* Join the Fun in the ARRL VHF QSO Party This Weekend
* + National Hurricane Center Predicts "Near-Normal" Hurricane Season
* + QEX: The July/August 2009 Issue
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This Week on the Radio
ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration
+ Two New Co-sponsors Pledge Support for HR 2160
+ Don Tunstill, W4NO (SK)
Central States VHF Society Seeks Presentations for Annual Conference
From the DXCC Desk

+ Available on ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/

================================================== =========
==Delivery problems: First see FAQ
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery, then e-mail


==Editorial questions or comments only: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA
.
================================================== =========

== FUN, FRESH AIR, FRIENDS AND FOOD: IT MUST BE TIME FOR ARRL FIELD DAY!

The 2009 ARRL Field Day will be here before you know it, so now is the time
to grab your rig, grab your friends, grab some grub and get ready to get
outside June 27-28 http://www.arrl.org/fieldday. If you haven't yet started
planning for this year's Field Day, it's not too late -- Field Day packets
are available for download from the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/fd-2009-packet.pdf.

ARRL Field Day Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, reminds clubs and groups that the
deadline to order exhibit kits and ham radio recruitment handouts is drawing
near. "We need to have all orders for kits and brochures no later than
Wednesday, June 17. If we have your order by then, we will be able to package
your order and get it to you in time for Field Day. Any orders received after
June 17 will be fulfilled and they might make it to recipients before Field
Day," he explained. Exhibit kits can be ordered online at no cost; there is a
small shipping and handling fee http://www.arrl.org/brochures/.

If you are looking for a Field Day site to attend, or are looking to
publicize your Field Day site, be sure to check out the Field Day Site
Locator http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/fd/locator.php. For more
information on this service, please check out the Locator Site Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ)
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/06/03/10021/?nc=1. "More than 1000
Field Day sites have been registered on the Locator, with more being added
every day," Henderson said.

ARRL Field Day is the most popular on-the-air operating event in Amateur
Radio. On the fourth full weekend in June, tens of thousands of Amateur Radio
operators gather for a demonstration of our service. Field Day is part
educational event, part operating event, part public relations event -- and
all about fun!
"We all became hams for our own reasons," Henderson said. "Some of us were
interested in public service and helping others in times of need. Many
discovered the hobby as an outlet to their curiosity about electronics and
communications. Still others joined our ranks because of the quest to meet
new people and expand their own personal bank of knowledge. Whatever the
reason you became an amateur, there is one compelling thread that brought us
all together. It is as simple as can be: We became hams for the fun of the
hobby!"

Henderson said that while Field Day serves a wide array of interests and
purposes, "there is no greater 'fun-damental' goal for Field Day than to have
fun! While it encompasses a broad range of Amateur Radio interests -- CW,
Phone, Digital, emergency preparedness, public service, satellites,
recruitment, antennas, new and vintage equipment and so many more -- Field
Day is, above all else, a chance for us to have some fun with our hobby."

Henderson reminded hams that fun is where you find it: "Some will discover
the fun by operating overnight, building up their club's total number of
QSOs. Others will never make a single Field Day contact, but will derive
their fun by helping set up antennas and generators. The joy of sharing your
radio knowledge with a newcomer will be fun for many old-timers, while other
old-timers will experience the 'Field Day high' when they make their very
first QSO using a new digital mode or via one of the Amateur Radio
satellites. The camaraderie of the annual club Field Day picnic or covered
dish supper will be a fun highlight for many, while still others will find
the joy in the hobby by simply being able to spend a couple of hours from
home on an otherwise busy weekend, tuning the bands and making a few
contacts."

If you want to be one of the best-dressed hams at your Field Day event, be
sure to pick up the 2009 ARRL Field Day T shirt, hat and pin
http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?categor...ords.x=0&Searc
hWords.y=0. Featuring a woodsy, outdoor scene, these items are a great way
to recognize your involvement in the excitement and fun of this annual
operating event. ARRL is also offering Get On The Air (GOTA) pins
http://www.arrl.org/catalog/?item=8911. It's a great idea to have your GOTA
station operators wear these attractive pins. Pins from previous Field Days
are also available -- make your collection complete with this year's pin.
According to ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, a new
shipment of 2009 Field Day T shirts has just arrived, so be sure to order
yours today.

== CHANGES COMING FOR ARRL NOVEMBER SWEEPSTAKES CONTEST LOG SUBMISSIONS

ARRL Sweepstakes Contest Manager Ken Adams, K5KA, said he and the ARRL
Contest Branch intend to "dramatically reduce the timeframe for producing
results that are available to all ARRL Sweepstakes participants." According
to Adams, the contesting community has requested that results be made
available more quickly. Currently, Sweepstakes results are published six
months after the contest has taken place.

"To facilitate this request, we would like to make the 2009 ARRL Sweepstakes
final results available on the Web in 60 days in the form of a PDF file," he
said. "If this effort proves successful, we plan to shorten this window to 30
days in 2010. This PDF would simply be the scores in each category -- full
write-ups and detailed analysis of the Sweepstakes contest would still appear
in QST and on the Web at a later time."

To meet this aggressive schedule, Adams said that the log submission deadline
will be reduced from 30 days to 15 days. For the 2009 Sweepstakes, the
deadline for CW Sweepstakes logs will be 0300 UTC on Monday, November 23,
2009. The deadline for the Phone Sweepstakes will be 0300 UTC on Monday,
December 7, 2009.

"The number of non-Cabrillo logs received at ARRL HQ must be reduced," Adams
explained. "By receiving logs 15 days earlier, we can begin the log checking
process that much faster, but we will we need your help on the paper log
issue. In 2008, the ARRL Contest Branch received more than 300 paper logs for
the Sweepstakes contests. These paper logs were converted to Cabrillo format
by a dedicated, yet small, group of volunteers. This took several hundred
person-hours of time."

Adams said that there are plans to contact as many paper log submitters as
possible and point out resources they can use to generate Cabrillo logs: "I
am asking that every club have a special project and meeting this year to
insure that 100 percent of their members submit Cabrillo logs for
Sweepstakes. If you have club members who don't have computers, please form
your own volunteer teams to convert their logs after the contest. This would
be a great excuse for a big post-Sweepstakes club pizza party, combining data
entry with club camaraderie."

While the ARRL will never turn away a paper log, Adams said that the
advantages of electronic log submission are critical to the success of the
accelerated presentation of the Sweepstakes results. "Numerous software
contest loggers exist for Windows and DOS, including the free packages CT
http://www.k1ea.com/ and N1MM http://pages.cthome.net/n1mm/," he said.
Entrants are also able to manually convert their own paper logs to a Cabrillo
log at the WA7BNM Cabrillo Web site"
http://www.b4h.net/cabforms/arrlsscw_cab.php.

"You, the members of the contesting community, have requested faster
turnaround of contest results for some time," Adams said. "With every
contester's help, we can achieve this goal of dramatically reducing the time
between contest and results. We have identified several other areas we hope
to improve in the future, such as simplified Web access for Sweepstakes
information, historical log search capability, easy access to FAQs, records
and the like. We will continue to work on those goals. Thank you for your
continued participation and help with the ARRL November Sweepstakes, the
greatest domestic contest out there."

== ALABAMA HAMS ASSIST DURING STATEWIDE EMERGENCY DRILL

During the week of May 4-8, emergency responders and support personnel
gathered in Robertsdale, Alabama for a communications interoperability
training and full-scale exercise, sponsored by the Alabama Department of
Homeland Security (ADHS) http://www.homelandsecurity.alabama.gov/.
Gathering in a field near the Baldwin County Emergency Operations Center,
responders came together to test the quality and effectiveness of
communications between various State agencies and support personnel. The
exercise simulated a Category 5 hurricane that entered Mobile Bay, causing
damage throughout the state.

According to ARRL Alabama Section Manager Jay Isbell, KA4KUN, the Alabama DHS
has come to recognize the role that Amateur Radio operators play in
emergencies and natural disasters; based on this, the Alabama DHS chose to
include Amateur Radio in the exercise. "During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur
Radio volunteers played a key part in making sure that communications between
agency personnel continued uninterrupted and the public received the help and
the timely response needed in this type of catastrophic event," Isbell
explained. ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) operators from SEMA
Region 1 and other regions throughout Alabama were on site to support
communications.

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency, the Alabama National Guard, the
Alabama Department of Public Safety, Region IV of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) http://www.fema.org/, Alabama Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board, Virtual Alabama, Alabama Civil Air Patrol, local sheriffs'
office, as well as eight Alabama Regional Communication vehicles also
participated in the exercise.

ARRL Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, together with
Alabama Region 1 District Emergency Coordinator Patti Link, KI4JEO, worked
diligently with both amateur volunteers and professional partner agencies to
coordinate and facilitate the role of Amateur Radio during the exercise.
According to Isbell, Sarratt was the liaison at the Incident Command Point,
while Link -- working in the Baldwin County EOC -- coordinated amateurs
throughout the area, dispatching them with Alabama DHS Regional Communication
vehicles and to other locations in the nine-county affected area. Isbell was
dispatched to a mock reception center site 60 miles north of the incident,
and Section Emergency Coordinator Les Rayburn, N1LF, manned the radio at the
State Emergency Operations Center.

"Since the major hurricanes of recent years, the State of Alabama and the
Southeast Region of FEMA have really accepted Amateur Radio as a prime player
in any major disaster," Isbell told the ARRL. "SEC Les Rayburn has grown
Alabama ARES from several independent groups into a well-organized first
responder team. Amateur Radio is being accepted as a critical tool during
times that the daily manpower and technical resources are stretched beyond
their design."

Sarratt said that the Amateur Radio participants learned a lot during the
week-long exercise: "This was a good test of the ARES processes and
improvements in a full-scale exercise with other agencies since Katrina.
Everyone shared and learned about each other's communications capabilities.
The relationships built and lessons learned here are invaluable to the
Amateur Radio Service."

== LOOK FOR THE JULY ISSUE OF QST IN YOUR MAILBOX

The July issue of QST is jam-packed with the news and information today's
Amateur Radio operator needs. From product reviews to experiments to
contesting, the upcoming issue of QST has something for just about everyone.

Al Yerger, WA2EHI, shows you how to take advantage of the multiple leads on a
parallel port to control all of your remote operations in his article "A
Parallel Port Interface for Your Shack." Follow Richard Kriss, AA6VU, as he
solves a pesky TVI problem at his home in Texas. ARRL News Editor S.
Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, along with QST Technical Editor Joel Hallas, W1ZR,
give their take on the sights, sounds and smells -- as well as the new radio
gear -- of the 2009 Dayton Hamvention in "Dayton DREAM Believer: The 2009
ARRL National Convention and Dayton Hamvention."

ARRL Technical Relations Manager Brennan Price, N4QX, reviews Yaesu's VX-8R
handheld transceiver. According to Price, "Yaesu incorporates GPS and APRS
capabilities into its new top-of-the-line, feature-packed handheld." ARRL
Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, reviews Array Solution's
QSK-MASTER external QSK TR switch for HF amplifiers. Sumner said that the
QSK-MASTER "offers owners of older RF power amplifiers a way to add flawless
full break-in (QSK) operation without equipment modification."

If it's July, it must be time for the IARU HF World Championships
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/iaru.html. This is a great
opportunity to contact many stations all over the world, especially the
headquarters station of IARU Member Societies, including W1AW. ARRL Contest
Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, takes a look multipliers -- what are they,
why are they important and how do they work -- in "This Month in Contesting."
The results of the 2008 ARRL 10 Meter Contest, the 2009 ARRL RTTY Roundup and
the 2009 ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes are in. Did you top your score from
last year? How did your closest rival do? Also, find out about upcoming
contests in Contest Corral.

Of course, there are the usual columns you know and expect in July QST: Hints
& Kinks, The Doctor Is IN, How's DX, Vintage Radio, Field Organization
Reports, Hamspeak and more. Look for your July issue in your mailbox. QST is
the official journal of ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. QST
is just one of the many benefits of ARRL membership. To join or renew your
ARRL membership, please see the ARRL Web page http://www.arrl.org/join.

== JOIN THE FUN IN THE ARRL VHF QSO PARTY THIS WEEKEND

VHF enthusiasts will be generating lots of RF on 6 meters and up this weekend
(June 13-15 UTC) during the 2009 ARRL VHF QSO Party
http://www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2009/june-vhf.html. While many amateurs
think of the VHF+ bands as a "local" band used primarily for public service,
emergency communications or fun on FM repeaters, weak-signal VHF+ enthusiasts
know better. According to ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, even
hams who have a modest station can work hundreds -- or even thousands -- of
miles on the VHF bands during a good opening.

Kutzko is a big VHF enthusiast: "In my more than 25 years of Amateur Radio,
weak-signal work on 6 and 2 meters remains the most fun and intriguing
activity I do. There is nothing like a good VHF opening; with interesting
propagation characteristics like sporadic-E, tropospheric ducting, aurora and
even meteor scatter and moonbounce, VHF offers QSO opportunities that HF can
never satisfy."

Kutzko said this weekend is a great time to try 6 or 2 meters. "The June VHF
QSO Party occurs at the beginning of the summer sporadic-E season, and can
produce strong openings on 6 meters and in some cases up to 2 meters," he
said. There have been moderate openings on 6 meters in some part of the
United States almost nightly for the last two weeks, and southern California
enjoyed a brief sporadic-E opening on 2 meters into Texas this past Tuesday
evening, over an average path of 1100 miles. "That's fun any way you slice
it," Kutzko said. "Because of the contest, many stations will be on. This,
coupled with the interesting propagation possibilities, makes for a great
weekend."

Getting on the VHF bands is easy, he said. While there will be some contest
activity on FM simplex (especially near large population centers), most
long-distance VHF+ QSOs are conducted on CW or SSB; that means horizontally
polarized antennas. You will also need a radio that can transmit in those
modes. Most of the newer HF transceivers have 6 meters built in, and several
come with 2 meters and 70 cm, too. "A dipole on 6 meters will work quite well
during a decent opening," Kutzko said. "They're easy to make and less than 10
feet long. Throw it up in a tree as high as you can and you'll be in
business. For 2 meters and 70 cm, a horizontal loop will work nicely for SSB
and CW contacts." You can find plans for simple VHF antennas at the Technical
Information Service area of the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/other-v.html, in the Antennas chapter of the
ARRL Handbook, or in the VHF and UHF Antenna Systems chapter of the ARRL
Antenna Book.

Because VHF antennas are generally smaller than their HF counterparts,
portable operation is easy. "You can operate from your favorite hilltop, camp
site or any location with high terrain and make many QSOs," Kutzko said. All
you need to know is the Maidenhead grid square of your operating location;
this is the contest exchange. Find your Maidenhead grid square here
http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/grid.html.

For SSB QSOs on 6 meters, tune between 50.100-50.200 MHz; 50.125 is the W/VE
calling frequency, so listen there for band openings. If the band starts to
open up, move off the calling frequency and start working folks! Keep in mind
that 50.100-50.125 is reserved for intercontinental QSOs, so don't transmit
there unless you are trying to work DX. For the CW operators, you will find
CW between 50.080-50.100 MHz. Activity on 2 meters will center around the
calling frequency of 144.200. Again, monitor the calling frequency for band
openings, but move off when activity starts to pick up. Kutzko advises that
most activity on 2 meter SSB/CW will be found between 144.170-144.230 MHz,
while 70 cm activity will center around 432.100 MHz.

"This weekend promises to be a tremendous amount of fun on the VHF and UHF
bands so don't miss out!" Kutzko said. "All amateurs -- from Technicians to
Extras, experienced VHF operators to the first-time VHF dabblers -- are
welcome to participate." The ARRL June VHF QSO Party runs this weekend from
1800 UTC Saturday until 0300 UTC Monday (Saturday afternoon to Sunday evening
for most of the US and Canada). Complete rules and entry forms may be found
here. All logs must be e-mailed or postmarked no later
than 0300 UTC Wednesday, July 15. If you have any questions about the ARRL
June VHF QSO Party or any other ARRL contest, please contact the Contest
Branch via e-mail .

== NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER PREDICTS "NEAR-NORMAL" HURRICANE SEASON

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) are calling for a
"near-normal" Atlantic hurricane season this year. In its initial outlook for
the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season -- which runs from June 1-November 30 --
the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC)
http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/ is calling for a 50 percent probability of a
near-normal season, a 25 percent probability of an above-normal season and a
25 percent probability of a below-normal season. According to the CPC, global
weather patterns are imposing a greater uncertainty in the 2009 hurricane
season outlook than in recent years.

Forecasters say there is a 70 percent chance of having nine to 14 named
storms, of which four to seven could become hurricanes, including one to
three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5). Tropical systems acquire a name
-- the first for 2009 will be Ana -- upon reaching tropical storm strength
with sustained winds of at least 39 MPH. Tropical storms become hurricanes
when winds reach 74 MPH and become major hurricanes when winds increase to
111 MPH. An average season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes with
two becoming major hurricanes.

"This outlook is a guide to the overall expected seasonal activity. However,
the outlook is not just about the numbers, it's also about taking action,"
said Dr Gerry Bell, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the CPC. "Prepare
for each and every season regardless of the seasonal outlook. Even a near- or
below-normal season can produce landfalling hurricanes, and it only takes one
landfalling storm to make it a bad season."

Rick Palm, K1CE, editor of the ARRL's ARES E-Letter
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/, warns that now is the time for
ARES members to assess their portfolio of communications equipment and
disaster response knowledge. Palm gives several tips for amateurs involved
with hurricane operations:

Monitor major HF hurricane networks during events this season. The Hurricane
Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz is one of several key players
http://www.hwn.org/. It serves either the Atlantic or Pacific during a
watch or warning period and coordinates with the National Hurricane Center
(NHC) in Miami http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/. Frequent, detailed information is
issued on nets when storms pose a threat to the US mainland. In addition to
hurricane spotting, local communicators may announce that residents have
evacuated from low-lying flood areas. Other amateurs across the country can
help by relaying information, keeping the net frequency clear and by
listening. See the HWN's Web site for more information. The net works closely
with the hams at the NHC's Amateur Radio station WX4NHC
http://www.wx4nhc.com/.

The SATERN Net (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network)
http://www.satern.org/ provides emergency communication support to the
Salvation Army and populations at large. They also handle health-and-welfare
traffic. SATERN holds high profile nets on 20 meters (14.265 MHz) during
major hurricanes and has a long history of excellence, discipline and
service. Refer to the SATERN Web site for more information.

The Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) http://www.mmsn.org/ meets on 14.300
MHz and is composed of hams who serve and assist those in need of
communications on the high seas. According to its Web site, the primary
purpose of the net is for handling traffic from maritime mobile stations. The
network is recognized by the United States Coast Guard and has an excellent
working relationship with that agency. The MMSN has handled hundreds of
incidents involving vessels in distress and medical emergencies in remote
locations, as well as passing health and welfare traffic in and out of
affected areas. They also work closely with the NWS and NHC by relaying
weather reports from maritime stations.

The VoIP SKYWARN and Hurricane Net http://www.voipwx.net/ operates by
combining both the EchoLink and IRLP linked repeater networks, while handling
critical wide area communications during major severe weather and tropical
events. These operations have gained national stature in recent years, making
the Net a critical partner with WX4NHC. Whenever tropical weather is posing a
threat to the US mainland and certain other areas of interest, the VoIP WX
net will be fully operational. See the VoIP SKYWARN and Hurricane Net Web
site for more information.

Palm said that during hurricane events, there are usually two or three
regional nets (usually on 40 or 20 meters) that spring to prominence as major
key assets to the disaster response on an ad hoc basis. "Watch for these
nets, as well as the nationally recognized networks described above, this
season. Don't transmit on their frequencies unless you are absolutely sure
you have something substantive to add, and then only under the direction of
the net control station," Palm advised.

ARRL Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, added
that when ARES activates in response to any tropical event, it is crucial
that information flows up through the Section and is reported to
Headquarters. "These reports allow us to develop the situational awareness
and disaster intelligence that is required for us as an organization to
support the Sections that are impacted" he explained. "In this way, we are
able to respond to relevant requests from the media and finally to coordinate
with the governmental and non-governmental organizations. This information
also allows us to make the decision at Headquarters on whether to stand up
our Incident Management Team to support and coordinate the operations."

If you are interested in Emergency Communications, please be sure to check
out the monthly ARES E-Letter http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/.
You can elect to receive this newsletter free of charge via e-mail by going
to the Member Data Page on the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org/members-only/memdata.html.

== QEX: THE JULY/AUGUST 2009 ISSUE

The July/August issue of QEX is coming soon, and it is full of theoretical
and practical technical articles and columns that you won't want to miss
http://www.arrl.org/qex.

In this issue, Gary Steinbaugh, AF8L, presents Part 3 of "A Cybernetic
Sinusoidal Synthesizer." This installment describes some limitations of
proportional control systems and explains the advantages of adding
integration and differentiation steps to proportional controllers. Steinbaugh
also describes the construction of the RF power meter circuit used in the
project

John Magliacane, KD2BD, and Bill Walker, W5GFE, describe "SPLAT!: An RF
Signal Propagation and Terrain Analysis Tool." In addition to VHF/UHF
line-of-sight paths, this program includes the Longley-Rice propagation model
to predict path loss across irregular terrain. A Web interface provides a
convenient way to use the extensive geographic terrain database in the
calculations. Rudy Severns, N6LF, presents more of his research in
"Experimental Determination of Ground System Performance for HF Verticals."
Part 5 focuses on the effects of different numbers of radials on received
signal strength for 160 meter vertical antennas.

Tom Warnagiris, K3GSY, introduces the Tapered Area Small Helix (TASH) antenna
in "The Chicken Wire Wonder." Chances are, this unique broadband vertical
antenna does not look like any antenna you have ever seen! An 80 meter
version is 14 feet high and covers an area of about 4 × 5 feet on the ground.
Maynard Wright, W6PAP, provides information on several "Alternatives to
Octave" for various electronics calculations. ARRL Technical Advisor Robert
J. Zavrel Jr, W7SX, presents the case for "Maximizing Radiation Resistance in
Vertical Antennas" to increase the efficiency of our antennas.

John S. (Jack) Belrose, VE2CV, another ARRL Technical Advisor, presents a
brief discussion "On Elevated Radials" after reading earlier installments of
Rudy Severns' series about his experiments with HF vertical antenna radial
systems. Ray Mack, W5IFS, continues his software defined radio column. In
this installment of "SDR: Simplified," he builds an SDR that will tune a
single AM broadcast band station.

Would you like to write for QEX? It pays $50/printed page. Get more
information and an Author's Guide http://www.arrl.org/qex/#aguide. If you
prefer postal mail, send a business-size self-addressed, stamped envelope to
QEX Author's Guide, c/o Maty Weinberg, ARRL, 225 Main St, Newington, CT
06111-1494. QEX is edited by Larry Wolfgang, WR1B , and
is published bimonthly. The subscription rate (6 issues) for ARRL members in
the US is $24. For First Class US delivery, it's $37; in Canada and
internationally by airmail it's $31. Nonmembers add $12 to these rates.
Subscribe to QEX today.

==SOLAR UPDATE

Tad "Rejoicing in the Sun" Cook, K7RA, this week reports: Sunspot numbers
from May 31-June 5 ranged from 13 to 23, then the Sun was blank for two days,
followed by sunspot numbers of 12 for both June 8 and 9. This fleeting
sunspot was number 1020, and like last week's spot, 1020 had the magnetic
signature of a new Solar Cycle 24 spot. Alas, it was another of the frequent
sunspots we've seen lately that appear briefly, and then vanish. The last
Solar Cycle 23 spot was number 1016 that appeared April 29-30. Sunspot
numbers for June 4-10 were 17, 13, 0, 0, 12, 12 and 0 with a mean of 7.7. The
10.7 cm flux was 71, 70.1, 69, 68.9, 69, 69.1 and 69.2 with a mean of 69.5.
The estimated planetary A indices were 6, 6, 5, 6, 4, 3 and 5 with a mean of
5. The estimated mid-latitude A indices were 5, 5, 2, 3, 2, 2 and 2 with a
mean of 3. For this week, geomagnetic conditions should remain very quiet.
Solar flux is estimated to be about 68, rising above 70 June 24-July 1. For
more informati
on concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service
Propagation page http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html. To read
this week's Solar Report in its entirety, check out the W1AW Propagation
Bulletin page http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/prop/. This week's "Tad Cookism"
brought to you by Christina Rossetti's "A Summer Wish"
http://www.readbookonline.net/readOnLine/15719/.

__________________________________

==IN BRIEF:

* This Week on the Radio: This week is the ARRL June VHF QSO Party on June
13-15. The Asia-Pacific Sprint is June 13. The GACW WWSA CW DX Contest and
the ANARTS WW RTTY Contest are June 13-14. Next week, look for the ARRL Kids
Day Contest on June 20. The NCCC Sprint Ladder and the Digital Pentathlon are
June 19. The Feld Hell Sprint and the AGCW VHF/UHF Contest are June 20. One
June 20-21, look for the West Virginia QSO Party and the All Asian DX Contest
(CW). The Run for the Bacon QRP Contest is June 22 and the SKCC Sprint is
June 24. All dates, unless otherwise stated, are UTC. See the ARRL Contest
Branch page http://www.arrl.org/contests/, the ARRL Contest Update
http://www.arrl.org/contests/update/ and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html for more info. Looking for
a Special Event station? Be sure to check out the ARRL Special Event Station
Web page http://www.arrl.org/contests/spev.html.

* ARRL Continuing Education Course Registration: Registration remains open
through Sunday, June 28, 2009, for these online course sessions beginning on
Friday, July 10, 2009: Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1;
Antenna Modeling; Radio Frequency Interference; Antenna Design and
Construction; Ham Radio (Technician) License Course; Propagation; Analog
Electronics, and Digital Electronics. Each online course has been developed
in segments -- learning units with objectives, informative text, student
activities and quizzes. Courses are interactive, and some include direct
communications with a Mentor/Instructor. Students register for a particular
session that may be 8, 12 or 16 weeks (depending on the course) and they may
access the course at any time of day during the course period, completing
lessons and activities at times convenient for their personal schedule.
Mentors assist students by answering questions, reviewing assignments and
activities, as well as providing
helpful feedback. Interaction with mentors is conducted through e-mail; there
is no appointed time the student must be present -- allowing complete
flexibility for the student to work when and where it is convenient. To learn
more, visit the CCE Course Listing page http://www.arrl.org/cep/student or
contact the Continuing Education Program Coordinator .

* Two New Co-sponsors Pledge Support for HR 2160: Earlier this week, HR 2160
-- The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 --
gained two new Congressional co-sponsors: Republican Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6)
and Democrat Bart Gordon (TN-6). Originally sponsored by Representative
Sheila Jackson-Lee, a Democrat representing Texas' 18th District, HR 2160 is
also sponsored by Madeleine Bordallo (Guam), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Mary Jo
Kilroy (OH-15), Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Blaine Luetkemeyer, (MO-9) and Bennie
Thompson (MS-02). Click here
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/12/10818 for information on how to
encourage your Congressional representative to sponsor HR 2160
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-...cong_bills&doc
id=f:h2160ih.txt.pdf.

* Don Tunstill, W4NO (SK): Don Tunstill, W4NO, founder of the Central America
VEC, passed away at his home in Huntsville, Alabama on Monday, June 9. He was
69. Tunstill, an ARRL Life Member, was a charter member of Huntsville Amateur
Radio Club and served as president of Huntsville Hamfest
http://www.hamfest.org/ for more than 30 years. With the FCC, Tunstill
assisted with the formulation and implementation of the Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator program and the vanity call sign system. He founded the Central
America VEC, one of the first VE programs in the state of Alabama. A memorial
service is planned for 10 AM on June 13 at Berryhill Funeral Home in
Huntsville.

* Central States VHF Society Seeks Presentations for Annual Conference: The
Central States VHF Society (CSVHFS) http://www.csvhfs.org/ is soliciting
presentations and poster displays for their 43rd Annual Conference this
summer -- July 23-26 -- at the Holiday Inn in Elk Grove Village, Illinois
http://www.csvhfs.org/conference/index.html. Possible presentation topics
on all aspects of weak-signal VHF and above include, but are not limited to,
antennas (modeling, design, arrays and control), equipment construction,
propagation, test gear, regulatory issues, operating, digital signal
processing and software-defined radio. The submission deadline for
presentations and poster displays is June 29; bring posters for display with
you to the conference. For more information, visit the CSVHFS 2009 conference
Web page http://www.csvhfs.org/conference/index.html or contact Kermit
Carlson, W9XA .

* From the DXCC Desk: According to ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L,
questions have been coming into DXCC regarding the status of 5N/LZ1QK in
Nigeria. "DXCC is currently working with his QSL manager to resolve the
status of this operation," Moore said. "At this time, DXCC accreditation is
on hold pending the outcome of the review."

================================================== =========
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League: ARRL--the national association for Amateur Radio, 225
Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
http://www.arrl.org. Joel Harrison, W5ZN, President.

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential and general news
of interest to active radio amateurs. Visit the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org for the latest Amateur Radio news and news updates. The
ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/ also offers informative features and
columns. ARRL Audio News http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/ is a weekly
"ham radio newscast" compiled and edited from The ARRL Letter. It's also
available as a podcast from our Web site.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in
part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The
ARRL Letter/American Radio Relay League.

==Delivery problems (ARRL member direct delivery only!):

==Editorial questions or comments: S. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA,
==ARRL News on the Web: http://www.arrl.org
==ARRL Audio News: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/ or call
860-594-0384

==How to Get The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is available to ARRL members free of charge directly from
ARRL HQ. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your address for e-mail
delivery:
ARRL members first must register on the Members Only Web Site
http://www.arrl.org/members/. You'll have an opportunity during
registration to sign up for e-mail delivery of The ARRL Letter, W1AW
bulletins, and other material. To change these selections--including 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
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/letter-list. (NOTE: The ARRL cannot
assist subscribers who receive The ARRL Letter via this listserver.)

Copyright 2009 American Radio Relay League, Inc.
All Rights Reserved