eHam.net News

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Amateur 'Ham' Radio Vital for Emergency Communications:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 05:03 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36491


Amateur (ham) Radio capabilities serve as a vital source of communication
during emergency situations. To help support communication efforts in the
county during times of need, the Dakota County Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES) in partnership with the Dakota County Emergency Management
provided a ham radio operator technician course earlier this month to
interested community members. The course was offered to prepare attendees
for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s ham radio operator
licensing testing to help expand communication resources in the county.
Dakota County Emergency Management is currently working on Standard
Operation Guidelines and Standard Operation Procedures with local ham radio
operators to explore how the county can efficiently utilize their services
in an event of emergency. "By increasing the number of ham radio operators
in the area, it gives us the capability of having this resource spread
across the county to assist us in a time that we have communication
breakdowns or during storm season when we are watching for severe weather,"
said Deanna Beckman, director of Dakota County Emergency Management. "There
are always going to be situations where we have no capability of having
cell phone reception, and even the possibility of lacking radio reception,
where our ham radio operators could step in and be able to assist us."


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Anniversary of the End of Operation Desert Storm Special Ham Radio Event:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 05:02 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36490


The Clay County Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Florida Army Military
Auxiliary Radio System celebrates the 25th anniversary of the end of
Operation Desert Storm with an amateur radio "special event station" from
8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Camp Blanding's Desert Storm memorial at
5629 Florida 16 W. The station (using Amateur Call Sign N4G) will make
radio contact with amateur radio operators around the world in honor of the
men and women who served in Operation Desert Storm. Amateur radio
operators, or hams, successfully contact the special event station via
radio will receive a certificate commemorating the event. The radio
operators will be set up next to the base museum in the memorial garden and
aircraft display. Visitors can ask questions and listen to communications,
or even contact another operator around the world.


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Did You Know the World's First Hack Took Place in 1901?

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 05:01 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36489


The World's First Hack Was Done On A Wireless Transmission in 1901: The
world's first hacking happened 115 years ago! Surprised ? In 1901,
Guglielmo Marconi, the Italian inventor and electrical engineer was all set
to demonstrate wireless transmission in England. Not many know that Marconi
had many rivals who wanted to prove him wrong. Marconi claimed that his
Wireless transmission was unhackable and could not be interrupted or
encroached on. A rival inventor named Nevil Maskelyne went on to prove him
wrong. As Marconi set up for his big wireless demonstration, a transmission
across England via morse code, a signal intrusion occurred. Maskelyne was
the one who intruded in the signal with morse code.


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Vietnam 50 Years Later:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:55 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36488


After the North Korean advance into South Korea (1950) MARS repurposed from
domestic disaster response to morale-building for service personnel at war.
It was a totally new venture and the army was short of operators and
equipment for combat, but the Signal Corps scraped up transceivers and
antennas capable of the long hop to ham stations back in the U.S. The
operators on both sides of the Pacific deserve a far richer accounting than
is available in this mini-history.


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DX News -- ARRL DX Bulletin #14:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:54 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36487


This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
QRZ DX, OPDX, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the
ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.


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This Week in Radiosport:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:54 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36486


This Week in Radiosport:


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'Elmer' Inspiration, Elmer 'Bud' Frohardt Jr, W9DY, (SK):

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:54 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36485


The ham radio mentor who inspired the term "Elmer" -- Elmer P. "Bud"
Frohardt Jr, W9DY (ex-W9GFF), of Madison, Wisconsin -- died on March 22. He
was 93. A friend and co-worker of the late Rod Newkirk, W9BRD (later
VA3ZBB), who edited QST's "How's DX?" column, Frohardt was the "Elmer" that
Newkirk had in mind when he used the name in his March 1971 column,
referring to someone who helped to mentor new Amateur Radio licensees.


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ARRL Asks FCC to Restore Balance of Modes on 80 and 75 Meters:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36484


In comments filed on March 23 on its Petition for Rule Making (RM 11759)
seeking changes to 80 and 75 meters, the ARRL has told the FCC that its
primary objective is to "rebalance" the bands by correcting a 10-year old
FCC error.


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'ARRL The Doctor is In' -- the Podcast -- Debuts on April 7:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36483


The popular QST "The Doctor is In" column soon will also be available as a
podcast! "ARRL The Doctor is In" will debut on Thursday, April 7, and
subsequent new episodes will be posted every other Thursday. The podcast
will feature QST columnist and technical whiz Joel Hallas, W1ZR, with QST
Editor in Chief Steve Ford, WB8IMY, serving as the host. Each 20-minute
program will be available from Apple iTunes and Stitcher -- the two largest
podcast distribution platforms (search for "ARRL The Doctor is In") -- and
episodes will be archived on the ARRL website. DX Engineering is the
sponsor of the "ARRL The Doctor is In" podcast.


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ARRL to Review, Evaluate, and Explore Possible Improvements for OO Program:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36482


The ARRL Executive Committee has directed the Headquarters staff to "review
and evaluate the Official Observer (OO) program, solicit input from the
field organization, and explore areas of possible improvement including in
the area of training for OOs." ARRL Second Vice President Brian Mileshosky
will oversee the study. The action stemmed from a discussion during the
EC's March 12 meeting in Westlake, Texas. At the meeting, ARRL General
Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, observed that there have been "several positive
developments" with respect to FCC enforcement, since the EC last met in
October 2015. But with the closure of some FCC field offices and the
retirement of several experienced engineers who have been helpful with
enforcement matters in the past, the EC discussed how the OO program might
be better positioned to help the FCC. A preliminary report is due at the
EC's October meeting.


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National Parks on the Air Update:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36481


Satellite aficionado Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, activated the National Mall
(DZ06) in Washington, DC, on March 27, during two FO-29 satellite passes.
Stoetzer said he plans to operate from other NPOTA sites in the DC area and
will set up to operate HF between satellite passes. See W5PFG's blog about
N8HM's activity.


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Major DXpeditions Cooperating to Minimize Conflicts:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:53 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36480


Two major DXpeditions now are attracting hordes of DX chasers and raising
the activity levels on HF. While both the Heard Island VK0EK and Juan de
Nova FT4JA DXpeditions coordinated their operating plans in advance to
avoid conflicts and confusion, the fact that both DXCC entities are quite
rare will keep things hopping on bands where both are active at the same
time. Heard Island is number 5, and Juan de Nova is number 4 on ClubLog's
DXCC Most Wanted List.


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ARRL Okays P5/3Z9DX North Korea Operation for DXCC:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36479


The ARRL DXCC Department has approved for DXCC credit the unexpected
P5/3Z9DX "demonstration" operation from North Korea last December.
Well-traveled Polish DXer Dom Grzyb, 3Z9DX, has said he expects to be back
in North Korea : officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
(DPRK) : for his "official" activation by late summer. P5/3Z9DX showed up
on the air from the most-wanted DXCC entity on December 20 and 21 to
demonstrate Amateur Radio for North Korean officials. During that
activation : the first in more than a decade : P5/3Z9DX made nearly 785 SSB
contacts, most of them on 15 meters. Nearly 600 of the contacts were with
stations in Asia; P5/3Z9DX worked just 26 stations in North America. He
posted his log on ClubLog.


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Kingman Reef (KH5) Deleted from DXCC List:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36478


The ARRL Awards Committee has voted to delete Kingman Reef (KH5) from the
DXCC List, effective March 29, 2016. Kingman Reef will be added to the
Deleted Entities List on March 29, 2016. The total number of entities on
the List will drop from 340 to 339. The deletion process is described in
DXCC Rules Section II DXCC List Criteria, Part 5(a) Deletion Criteria.


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'Discover the HF Experience' Aims to Dazzle Technicians, Newcomers:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:52 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36477


Contesting clubs in Canada and New England have joined forces to invite
non-hams, new hams, and even old timers to discover HF radio in the 21st
century firsthand, by getting on the air and operating remote stations.
Beta test "Discover the HF Experience" events will take place in April,
with the debut on April 2 in Manitoba. A subsequent special event in
Massachusetts will take place on April 10, using the call sign K1K. A major
rollout is expected at Dayton Hamvention in May, with four operating
positions at ARRL EXPO. The "Discover the HF Experience" concept stresses
that "short-wave" Amateur Radio is just as compelling now as it was 100
years ago.


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ISS Expedition 47/48 Crew Increment Includes Two Radio Amateurs:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:51 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36476


After launching on March 18 in a Soyuz TMA-20M vehicle from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the Expedition 47/48 crew increment of Astronaut
Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, and Cosmonauts Oleg Skripochka, RN3FU, and Alexey
Ovchinin is settling in on board the International Space Station (ISS).


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Comedian, Actor, TV Writer and Personality Garry Shandling, ex-KD6OY, (SK):

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:51 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36475


Comedian, actor, and TV personality Garry Shandling, ex-KD6OY, died March
24 after suffering an apparent heart attack in Los Angeles. He was 66.
Shandling became a ham as a teenager in the 1960s, long before he entered
show business.


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ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference Issues 2016 Call for Papers:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:50 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36474


Technical Papers are being solicited for presentation at the 35th Annual
ARRL/TAPR Digital Communications Conference (DCC), to be held September
16-18 in St Petersburg, Florida. Papers will also be published in the
Conference Proceedings.


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Isolated NC Ham Uses Ham Radio to Get Help in House Fire Incident:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:50 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36473


A ham living on remote Cedar Island off the coast of North Carolina
recently used Amateur Radio to summon help after a fire broke out in his
house. "A station came on the [Pamlico Amateur Radio Society] repeater
asking if anyone could contact the local fire department," said Bill
Michne, WM3X, who lives in Oriental, North Carolina. "The signal was broken
up but readable after repeats. What I learned was that the station was in
Stacy, the operator's house was filling with smoke, and that he had no
telephone to use to call for help."


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CQ World Wide DX Contest Rate Records Posted:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 11:50 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36472


The CQ World Wide SSB and CW Contest rate records have been updated with
details from the 2015 CW logs. It's possible to query the database by year,
continent, call sign, and country. "It is interesting to see how many
high-rate records were set in 2015," said Randy Thompson, K5ZD, past CQ WW
Contests Manager. That includes the current CW and SSB records in the
high-power category.


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GigaParts Ham Radio Day 2016:

Posted: 31 Mar 2016 09:11 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/36471


GigaParts will be hosting Ham Radio Day on
Saturday, April 2nd, from 9am until 3pm.
Representatives from the largest
manufacturers of Ham Radio equipment and
local Ham Radio organizations will be in
attendance to demonstrate the latest
communications gear and answer questions
you may have about getting started in the
hobby.