The Illuminator

The monthly newsletter of the Carbon Amateur Radio Club

December 2001

December Meeting

The next regular meeting of the Carbon Amateur Radio Club will be held on Thursday, December 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Boulevard Restaurant on Route 443 in Lehighton. See you there!

Universal Licensing System

The FCC has announced that its Universal Licensing System (ULS) now can be accessed using either Internet Explorer 5.5-6.0 or Netscape Navigator 4.5, 4.51, 4.61, 4.7 and 4.75. Until now, the ULS has supported only Netscape. The FCC says applicants may now use Internet Explorer to file applications and for all other ULS purposes. For more information, contact ULS <[email protected]>. For questions concerning computer access to ULS, CORES registration and FCC Registration Number, TIN/Call Sign issues, or submitting attachments in ULS, contact the Technical Support Hotline, 202-414-1250, available weekdays 7 AM-10 PM, Saturdays, 8 AM-7 PM and Sundays from noon-6 PM Eastern Time. The Public Notice outlining this change is available on the FCC's Web site <http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-01-2729A1.doc>.

ARRL Propagation Forecast Bulletin

Propagation Forecast Bulletin 51 ARLP051

From Tad Cook, K7VVV

Seattle, WA December 3, 2001

To all radio amateurs

This bulletin corrects a piece of data that was in Propagation Forecast Bulletin ARLP050, released on November 30, 2001.

Sometimes during a period of high solar activity the device which reads the solar flux at the Penticton observatory gets overwhelmed by a solar flare, and the reported value is adjusted downward. Readers who use Scott Craig's Solar Data Plotting Utility (download it free from http://www.craigcentral.com/sol.htm ) probably noticed a spike in the solar flux number from November 22, when the value jumped nearly 100 points to 282.5 from 184.2 the day before and then back to 177.3 on Friday.

That value was adjusted by NOAA, and should read 190. It is corrected in the list of numbers at the bottom of this bulletin. This means that the average solar flux for the week was 182, not 195.2.

Solar flux has been rising, and for the next few days look for flux values around 245 for Monday through Wednesday. The planetary A index may rise to around 15 on Tuesday and Wednesday, indicating unsettled conditions.

Sunspot numbers for November 22 through 28 were 143, 144, 124, 102, 122, 139 and 180 with a mean of 136.3. 10.7 cm flux was 190, 177.3, 173, 170, 174.8, 190.4 and 198.5, with a mean of 182, and estimated planetary A indices were 8, 12, 108, 8, 5, 2 and 3 with a mean of 20.9.

"Band Threat" Proceeding

Comments are due February 12, 2002, in an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Order, ET Docket 01-278, that ARRL has targeted as a potential band threat. Reply comments are due on March 12, 2002. The proceeding deals in part with a potential threat to the popular 70-cm band from Part 15 RF identification devices proposed for deployment between 425 and 435 MHz.

SAVI Technology, which markets radiolocation and wireless inventory control products, told the FCC it needs the rules changes to satisfy customer demand for increased RFID system capabilities. The FCC has proposed to allow operation of RFIDs as unlicensed Part 15 devices in the 425-435 MHz band with transmissions of up to two minutes at field strengths now only permitted for extremely short duration, intermittent control signals.

The ARRL has argued that under the Communications Act of 1934 the FCC lacks authority to permit unlicensed devices with substantial interference potential and that such devices must be licensed. The League also is looking into the interference potential posed to 20 meters by a proposal to increase the maximum emission levels permitted by Part 15 devices operating at 13.56 MHz, as well as the maximum level of out-of-band emissions.

Commenters are advised to read paragraphs 20-27 of the NPRM&O, available on the ARRL Web site

<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/10/19/1/290a11.html>. Interested parties may file comments using the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System,

<http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html> (search using "01-278"). Commenters should include full name, US Postal Service mailing address, and applicable docket or rule making number–in this case ET 01 278.

It's also possible to e-mail comments via the ECFS. To obtain e-mail filing instructions, commenters should send an e-mail to [email protected] and include the words "get form <your e-mail address>" in the body of the message. A sample form and directions will be sent by reply e-mail.

ARRL DX Bulletin

DX Bulletin 52 ARLD052

From ARRL Headquarters

Newington CT December 6, 2001

To all radio amateurs

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by Tedd, KB8NW, the OPDX Bulletin, WA7BNM, QRZ DX, The Daily DX, DXNL and 425DXnews. Thanks to all.

BURUNDI, 9U. Gus, 9U5D has been QRV on 17 meters around 1800z. He is also usually QRV on 20, 15 and 10 meters. QSL via SM5BFJ.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, A6. Robert, S53R is a quest operator at A61AJ and has been QRV on 40 meters using CW around 1400z. QSL via N4QB.

ANGOLA, D2. D2/CT1FSC is QRV from Luanda until December 14. QSL to home call.

TAJIKISTAN, EY. Alex, EY8CQ is QRV on 20 meters using SSB most days around 0230 to 0400z.

AUSTRAL ISLANDS, FO. Jon, WB8YJF and Leo, K8PYD are QRV as FO0SEV and FO0FRY, respectively, until December 14. Activity is on all bands, using CW and SSB, with a heavy emphasis on RTTY. QSL to home calls.

WALLIS AND FUTUNA ISLANDS, FW. FW0DX is usually QRV on 80 meters using CW around 1000 to 1200z daily. QSL via JE3RZT.

THAILAND, HS. Members of the Royal Amateur Radio Society of Thailand will be QRV as E29AL from Tarutao Island, IOTA AS-126, from December 8 to 15. Activity will be on 20, 15 and 10 meters on the usual IOTA frequencies using, in addition to using RTTY, SSTV and PSK31. QSL via HS0GBI.

ITALY, I. Special Event station IR7GM is QRV during the weekends of December to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's first Transatlantic wireless transmission. Activity is on all HF bands, including the newer ones, using CW and SSB. QSL via IK7JWX.

SEYCHELLES, S7. Juergen, DL8LE is QRV as S79LE until December 13. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using digital modes. QSL to home call.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. Steve, 3D2SJ is active as V73ED until December 13. QSL to home call.

SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS, VP8. Miroslaw, SP7JKW is QRV as HF0POL from King George Island, IOTA AN-010, until the end of 2002. Activity is on all HF bands, including the newer ones, using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL via SQ5TA.

NIUE ISLAND, ZK2. Mike, KM9D and Jan, KF4TUG are QRV as ZK2MO and ZK2TO, respectively, from Uluvehi, IOTA OC-048. Their length of stay is unknown. QSL both calls via OM2SA.

Afghanistan Operation Approved for DXCC

The ARRL DXCC Desk reports it has received acceptable documentation for YA5T in Afghanistan and has approved it for DXCC credit. Afghanistan is among the top 10 "most wanted" countries. The license, which authorizes operation on all bands–including 6 meters–was issued by the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan government that's still recognized by the United Nations. YA5T will be operated by Peter Casier, ON6TT, as well as by Mats Persson, SM7PKK, Robert Kasca, S53R, and

Mark Demeuleneere, ON4WW. All work for the UN World Food Program. YA5T will be on the air as their schedules permit. The DXCC documentation is for contacts made on or after November 20, 2001. No other call signs or operations have been approved. For more information, visit the YA5T Web site managed by Bruce Richards, WD4NGB <http://www.qsl.net/ya5t/>.

Check out http://incolor.inetnebr.com/n0ujr for other cartoons and to purchase N0UJR’s book, “N0UJR and His Friends.”

Carbon Amateur Radio Club – 2001-2002 Officers

President: Anthony “Goody” Good, K3NG, [email protected]

Vice President: Rob Roomberg, KB3BYT, [email protected]

Secretary: Larry Lilly, N3CR, [email protected]

Treasurer: John Schreibmaier, W3MF, [email protected]

W3HA Callsign Trustee: Bill Dale, WY3K

W3HA Repeater Trustee: John Bednar, K3CT

Public Information Officer: Bill Kelley, KA3UKL

Directors

Bob Schreibmaier, K3PH, John Bednar, K3CT, Bert Rex, W3OWP

Illuminator Staff

Editor: Bob, K3PH [email protected]

DX: Bob, K3PH

Foxhunting: open

Propagation and Commentary: Larry, N3CR [email protected]

Newsletter Printing, Folding, and Mailing: Bob, K3PH

Services

W3HA Repeater: 147.255 Mhz + PL 131.8

CARC Website: http://www.cpals.com/~elitehom/carc/

Webmaster: Rob, KB3BYT [email protected]

CARC Email Reflector: see www.qth.net CarbonARC list for details

CARC Membership Information

Regular Membership is $15.00, which includes autopatch privileges.

All amateur radio operators are invited to join the CARC ARES / RACES net held 21:00 local time every Wednesday on the W3HA repeater at 147.255 MHz + offset, PL 131.8. Any amateur radio operator or anyone with an interest in ham radio is welcome to attend our monthly meetings which occur the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 PM at the Carbon County EMA Center on Route 93 in Nesquehoning.