June 12, 2009 by kb3ljm.

[Schedules and Maps are attached at the end of this post]
*** More maps added 6-12 ***

Fellow MS Chesapeake Challenge 2009 Amateur Radio Volunteers,

Thanks for your offer to help with Amateur Radio communications support for the Multiple Sclerosis Chesapeake Challenge 2009 on June 13-14. This year, the MS Society will hold its two-day Challenge Walk MS 2009 in conjunction with its two-day Bike MS 2009 at Washington College in Chestertown. Challenge Walk MS will be held on Kent Island on Saturday , and in Chestertown on Sunday. Bike MS will be held in Chestertown on Saturday and Sunday. Here is some information on the event, logistics, and the communications support for the event.

We are still in need of amateurs for route support vehicles (SAG). This invitation is open to all amateur radio operators, especially in the Baltimore-Washington area, and Kent/Queen Anne’s/Anne Arundel counties. You do not have to be affiliated with an amateur radio organization.
Read the rest of this entry »

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June 1, 2009 by kb3ljm.

WEST MALAYSIA, 9M2.

Richard, PA0RRS has moved here permanently and is QRV as 9M2MRS from Penang Island, IOTA AS-015. Activity is generally using CW with SSB on request. QSL via operator’s instructions.

ETHIOPIA, ET.

Peter is QRV as ET3BN is QRV from Addis Ababa and is here for a few years. Activity is generally on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL direct.

OPERATIONS APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT.

The following operations are approved for DXCC credit: Western Sahara, S04R, 2009 operation;North Cook Island, E51QQQ, 2009 operation.

http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/2009-arld017.html

Posted in ARRL DX BULLETIN | Comments Off

May 30, 2009 by kb3ljm.

The FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order (NPRM) on May 14 seeking to raise fees for Amateur Radio vanity call signs. Currently, a vanity call sign costs $12.30 and is good for 10 years; the new fee, if the FCC plan goes through, will go up to $13.40 for 10 years, an increase of $1.10. The FCC is authorized by the Communications Act of 1934 (as amended) to collect vanity call sign fees to recover the costs associated with that program. The vanity call sign regulatory fee is payable not only when applying for a new vanity call sign, but also upon renewing a vanity call sign for a new term. Instructions on how to comment on this NPRM are available on the FCC Web site.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/18/10825/

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 30, 2009 by kb3ljm.

Earlier this month, the FCC released the redacted portions of the studies on which they relied with regard to its Broadband over Powerline (BPL) rulemaking in 2004 after ARRL filed a Freedom of Information Act request on March 31 for the studies. In October 2007, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard ARRL’s case against the Commission, stating, among other things, that the FCC not only withheld the internal studies until it was too late to comment, but had yet to release portions of studies that may not support its own conclusions regarding BPL. The FCC claimed that the studies were “internal communications” that it did not rely upon in reaching its decision to adopt the BPL rules. In its April 2008 ruling, the Court ordered the FCC to release the studies.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/08/10811/

Posted in BPL, ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

On Wednesday, April 29, Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX) introduced HR 2160, the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009 in the US House of Representatives. This bill, if passed, would “promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by undertaking a study of the uses of Amateur Radio for emergency and disaster relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster relief communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of Amateur Radio communications in Homeland Security planning and response.” The bill has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/04/30/10792/?nc=1

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

On Wednesday, April 29, President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate Mignon L. Clyburn of South Carolina as an FCC Commissioner. If her nomination is approved by Congress, Clyburn will fill the seat of Democrat Jonathan Adelstein. Adelstein is leaving the FCC to head up the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/04/30/10795/?nc=1

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

June 6

Wake-Up QRP Sprint

Jun 6-7

SEANET Contest

June 13

Portugal Day Contest
Asia-Pacific Sprint SSB

Jun 13-14

GACW WWSA CW DX
REF DDFM 6 Meter Contest

Jun 13-15

ARRL June VHF QSO Party

June 16

SARL Youth Day Sprint

Jun 20-21

All Asian DX Contest, CW

Jun 27-28

His Maj. King of Spain, SSB
Ukrainian DX DIGI Contest
Marconi Memorial HF Contest
ARRL FIELD DAY

July 1

RAC Canada Day Contest

July 4-5

DL-DX RTTY Contest

MI QRP July 4 CW Sprint

July 11

FISTS Summer Sprint

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html

Posted in WA7BNM Contest Calendar | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

The FCC dismissed a petition filed by Richard Essen, N6CX (ex-AB3IQ), of Silver Spring, Maryland, regarding the issuance of a vanity call sign to Allan Corderman. In its decision, the FCC said that Corderman’s application for his new call sign was valid and the call sign was “properly granted” by the FCC.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2009/05/04/10804/?nc=1

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

Speaking about the International Amateur Radio Union, it has thanked shortwave broadcasters for achieving a high degree of migration away from the now-worldwide Amateur-exclusive band of 7100 to 7200 kHz. This, by the mandated March 29th date. IARU Secretary Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, has been quick to acknowledge the compliance by most broadcasters to QSY out of that band, as required by a decision of the World Radio Conference in 2003. In a statement, Sumner thanked the international broadcast community for its compliance with the changeover schedule. He also noted that he is certain that the few remaining broadcast transmitters operating on 7200 kHz and below will be addressed in the coming weeks. Sumner’s letter of appreciation was sent to the High Frequency Coordination Conference. That group
represents 60 organizations from more than 30 countries accounting for up to 80% of the global output of short wave broadcasting. The departure of broadcasting from this spectrum has resulted in an enormous improvement in the usefulness of 40 meters for amateur radio communication. (VK3PC)

Posted in International | Comments Off

May 8, 2009 by kb3ljm.

Watch the RSGB News Online on ATV:
Website: http://www.batc.tv/
Roy, G8CKN reads the rsgb news every Sunday at 0830 GMT on amateur television. It can be watched live by anyone in the world on the batc streamer under the members stream callsign: g8ckn.
http://www.batc.tv/
A recording is also available at: http://www.superiorsignals.co.uk/gb3hv.com/gb2rs.html
It will also be available soon on the batc web site tv streamer under film archive:
http://www.batc.tv/
73 Ian G3ZHI

Posted in RSGB, ATV | Comments Off