Feed aggregator

This week, Surfin' visits a blog and learns all about the Voice of America facility in southwestern Ohio.

On the night of August 11 and well into the next day, Earth will make its annual passage through the bulk of the debris shed by a comet known as Swift-Tuttle. Much of the debris is composed of dust-sized grains, but when these fragments come plunging into our atmosphere they can create a dazzling meteor display. Not only are the meteors fascinating to watch, they also leave short-lived streams of ionized gas in their wake. As hams have known for years, these meteor trails are excellent reflectors of radio waves.

Vice Admiral John Scott Redd, K0DQ (US Navy, retired) has, throughout his 36 year military career, helped to make the world a safer place. From postings in Uruguay to Iraq to serving as Commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet as a naval officer, to becoming Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC), Redd has served his country with distinction. Earlier this year, President George W. Bush presented him with the National Security Medal in a White House ceremony for "his more than 40 years of exceptional service to the Nation, strengthening its intelligence capabilities and improving national security." President Bush called Redd "an innovator, a strategic thinker, an inspirational leader and a dedicated servant to the Nation, respected for his vision, courage and integrity." But intermingled in his Navy career was Amateur Radio. This year, Redd, an active DXer and contester, became the first person ever to win all six of the major HF contests: The ARRL International DX Contests (SSB and CW), the CQ World Wide Contests (SSB and CW) and the CQ Worked All Prefix (WPX) Contests (SSB and CW).

Summer can be a slow time of year in the ham radio world. The contesters are in remission, preparing for battle in the fall. Hamfests are scarce, as cheap locations with air conditioning are hard to find; however, the ARRL -- and many others -- take this time of the year to recognize those who dedicate so much to Amateur Radio, including youth!

In 2004, the ARRL held its first Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology. That summer, nine teachers came from across the country to learn how to bring this exciting technology back to their classrooms. Six years later, 93 teachers from 29 states attended eight sessions of the ARRL Teachers Institute. "The ARRL Teachers Institute continues to be a resounding success," said ARRL Education Program Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME. "These teachers, upon returning to their classrooms, will reach out to approximately 3000 students, using new approaches to instructing the science of radio through the many hands-on activities that they learned about during the Teachers Institute."

On July 28, the FCC issued a Citation to The Spy Store for marketing unauthorized radio frequency devices. According to the Commission, these devices were in violation of the Communications Act of 1934, As Amended and the Commission's Rules, as well as United States Customs and Border Patrol regulations.

The Federal Communications Commission now has its full complement of five Commissioners: On Friday, July 31, Meredith Attwell Baker joined Chairman Julius Genachowski, Robert McDowell and Michael Copps. On Monday, August 3, Mignon Clyburn came on board.

This feature -- including convenient Web links to useful information -- is a concise monthly update of some of the things ARRL is doing on behalf of its members. This installment covers the month of July.

The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for July is Robert Wilson, AL7KK/VE7ZKK, for his article "A High Gain Single Wire Beam." Congratulations, Robert! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award -- given to the author or authors of the best article in each issue -- is determined by a vote of ARRL members on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the August issue by Monday, August 31.

More than 300 lighthouses in more than 51 countries -- from Argentina to Wales -- will be on the air for 2009 International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend (ILLW) organized by the Ayr Amateur Radio Group (AARG) in Scotland. The event, held for the 11th year in a row, takes place Saturday, August 15 0001 UTC-Sunday, August 16 2359 UTC. While not a contest, the ILLW is more of a QSO Party and Amateur Radio demonstration. The ILLW aims to raise public awareness of lighthouses and lightships and the need for their preservation and restoration, promote Amateur Radio and foster international goodwill. Stations at more than 40 US lights are expected to be on the air for the event, and several stations will identify with special event call signs. Participating lighthouse/lightship stations do not have to be inside the structure or on the vessel itself; a Field Day-type setup at or adjacent to the light is sufficient. More information about the event, including a registration form, is available on the ILLW Web site.

There's so much to know in an activity with a long history like Amateur Radio. Both newcomers and old-timers find it easy to be flummoxed if they’re not "in the know" when confronted with an on-the-air mystery -- like the ones below! The ARRL Operating Manual is a good source of information about what takes place on the ham bands.

Now we know what the FCC didn’t want us to know, back in 2004, about its staff studies of interference to radio services from Broadband over Power Line (BPL) systems.