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25th Annual SKYWARN Recognition Day December 7, 2024 |
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SKYWARNTM Recognition Day (SRD) is December 7, 2024. The annual event is celebrating its 25th anniversary. SRD was established in 1999 by the National Weather Service (NWS) and ARRL® to commemorate the contributions of SKYWARN volunteers. Using amateur radio and other means of communication, SKYWARN spotters provide real time ground truth to NWS offices. The ham-volunteers can also provide vital communications between NWS and local emergency management officials when other means go down.
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| In a video posted to the SRD web page, National Weather Service Director Ken Graham, WX4KEG, said the information ham radio operators and other SKYWARN volunteers provide is critical. “I, along with the entire National Weather Service, want to acknowledge and thank you for your invaluable service to the communities we serve.”
There will be a SRD special event from 0000 – 2359 UTC on the day. The objective is for all amateur stations to exchange QSO information with as many Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters and National Weather Service Stations as possible on the 80, 40, 20, 15, 10, 6, 2-meter and 70-centimeter bands.
ARRL will be on the air during the event from the ARRL Radio Laboratory station, W1HQ, using the call sign WX1AW. ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX, said SRD is a great opportunity to welcome non-ham SKYWARN volunteers to explore amateur radio. “Storm spotting was my original draw into ham radio. I watched a large tornado tear up my community on May 3, 1999, and was listening via my mom’s 2-meter mobile radio to spotter reports being relayed to the NWS Norman, Oklahoma, office. I knew I wanted to be a part of that and within months I was licensed. Amateur radio was my path into that community service and has been the hobby of a lifetime ever since,” she said.
ARRL has a web page to help those interested with getting licensed. Find details at www.arrl.org/getting-licensed.
Spotters are encouraged to register for SRD at www.weather.gov/crh/skywarnrecognition. There will be participation certificates available after the event.
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Committee Proposes Revisions to ARRL By-Laws |
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| ARRL International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD |
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In an ARRL Member Bulletin emailed to members on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, ARRL International Affairs Vice President Rod Stafford, W6ROD, shared the work completed over the last year by a Board Committee.
At the 2024 ARRL Annual Meeting held in January, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to approve the establishment of a committee to assure the existence of a set of ethical standards and guidelines for Board Members as called for in ARRL By-Law 42. In addition, the committee was tasked to review By-Laws 42 (Ethics and Elections Committee) and 46 (Conflict of Interest Policy) for possible revision.
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| The committee has finalized its recommendations and this week, presented its report and proposed By-Law revisions. The committee’s work, including their report and documents pertaining to proposed By-Law revisions, is readily available for review at www.arrl.org/by-laws-update. Members with any questions or concerns should contact their Division Director.
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Fall Season Section Manager Election Results |
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On Tuesday, November 19, ballots were counted at ARRL Headquarters for the ARRL South Carolina Section Manager election that was conducted this fall.
ARRL members in South Carolina have elected incumbent Matthew Crook, W1MRC, to continue as their Section Manager with a new term of office starting on January 1, 2025. Crook received 296 votes, and his opponent, Billy Irwin, K9OH, of Anderson, received 223 votes.
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| Crook, of Lexington, has been Section Manager since July 1, 2024, when he was appointed to fulfill the term of office when then-Section Manager Jon Gendron, NJ4Z, moved out of the Section to accept a new job.
Southern New Jersey will welcome a new Section Manager starting in the New Year. Ron Fish, KX1W, of Galloway, ran unopposed after Tom Preiser, N2XW, decided not to run for a new term of office. Preiser has been the Southern New Jersey Section Manager since January 2019.
The following incumbent Section Managers were unopposed, and they will begin new two-year terms of office on January 1, 2025: Jon McCombie, N1ILZ (Eastern Massachusetts); Cecil Higgins, ACØHA, (Missouri); Matthew Anderson, KAØBOJ (Nebraska); Jim Mezey, W2KFV (New York City-Long Island); Rocco Conte, WU2M (Northern New York), Joe Shupienis, W3BC (Western Pennsylvania), and Michael Douglas, W4MDD (West Central Florida).
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New Video Promoting YouTube Telethon to Benefit Teachers Institute |
| The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology (TI) is a tremendously successful advocacy for inspiring youth, and it is growing significantly. The program is entirely donor-funded, and that effort is getting a huge shot in the arm. A YouTube telethon to raise money for the program will be held on Saturday, November 30, 2024, on the Ham Radio Crash Course channel. ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, and ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal, K8EAL, joined forces in a new video to promote the telethon. See the video by clicking on the image below or by clicking here.
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| Goodgame and Beal will be joined on the telethon by teachers who have found great success in incorporating amateur radio and wireless technology into their learning environment after graduating TI. A who’s who of ham radio personalities are set to be on the marathon stream, including ARRL National Instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA.
There’s a chance to make a real impact. “A group of donors has inspired us with a challenge gift,” said Beal. If the telethon raises $20,000, there will be an additional $20,000 kicked in by the donors.
The telethon, hosted by popular YouTuber Josh Nass, KI6NAZ, will offer viewers a fun and laidback activity to enjoy while recovering from Thanksgiving and Black Friday activities. The telethon may be viewed at this link. www.youtube.com/live/XCo5ajQadRk
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Amateur Radio in the News |
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On the Air
Sponsored by Icom
December YOTA Month is Coming
December is Youth on the Air Month, also known as YOTA Month, and there are plans to celebrate young operators all month long. Blake Pearson, KN4VKY, one of the Americas YOTA Month Participation Coordinators, joins the podcast to explain how young hams can apply to use one of the official YOTA Month call signs, and how you can take part in the YOTA Month operating events no matter what age you are.
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ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News, available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week’s top news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with interviews and other features.
The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are available on blubrry, iTunes, and Apple Podcasts.
On the Air | ARRL Audio News
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| Beginning December 1, 2024, through January 31, 2025, the Utah DX Association will operate special event station K7S to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the amateur radio stamp and the 110th anniversary of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). K7S will operate on all bands and all modes, focusing on 7.260, 14.260, 21.300, and 28.470 MHz. A QSL card and a free “used” amateur radio stamp will be available. For more information contact www.udxa.org or www.qrz.com/db/w7wes.
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| The Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) is sponsoring its annual W2MM special event station operation, which runs for 7 days beginning December 1, 2024. Operations will be on the following frequencies and modes: CW: 3.540, 7.035, 14.040, 21.050, and 28.050 MHz; SSB: 3.810, 7.244, 14.262, 21.365, and 28.325 MHz; FT8/FT4: standard frequencies on 80/40/20/15/10 meters. During the event, W2MM will be within 20 kHz of the above frequencies. QCWA members in the US and its possessions will have an opportunity to activate W2MM for this event. Contact the QCWA Activities Manager for more information and scheduling (address below). Stations activating W2MM must submit their log in an Amateur Data Interchange Format (ADIF) file only to activitiesmanager@qcwa.org by the end of the third week of December. At the end of December, all stations working W2MM will be able to download a commemorative certificate but there will be a 2 – 3-month lead time to access your certificate. For more information, contact John Kludt, K7SYS, at activitiesmanager@qcwa.org.
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| ARRL will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving on Thursday and Friday, November 28 – 29, 2024. There will be no W1AW bulletins, code practice, or visitor operations during that time. ARRL Headquarters will reopen on Monday, December 2, 2024, at 8 AM EST (1300 UTC). During the closure, members are encouraged to use the ARRL website, www.arrl.org, for membership renewals, publication purchases, and to access most benefits, services, and programs. We wish you and yours a happy holiday, and we’re thankful for your membership and support!
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| Members of the Northern Arizona DX Association (NAXDA) are making an impact in their community beyond radio service. The club has donated a new air compressor to the Flagstaff Community Toys for Tots organization to be used to help inflate around 1,000 toy balls and bicycle tires. The hams have worked with the organization for years. They are known as the “Battery Boyz” and sort the toys into those needing batteries. NAXDA is an ARRL Affiliated Club.
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| NAXDA volunteers from left to right: Ken Held, W7SS; Larry Gilbert, WB7EUJ; Lou Arminio, W7KFT (NADXA President); Christine Farr, T4T Coordinator; Mike Hanks, W7QS, and Bob Wertz, NF7E (NADXA Vice President). [Photo courtesy of Ken Held, W7SS] |
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| Hawaii is preparing for the 83rd commemoration of the December 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. The 83rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor theme of “Forging Ahead” emphasizes not only the historical significance but also the vital role of the younger generation in preserving and honoring this legacy. This year’s event will take place December 07, 2024, 7:30 AM – 9:00 AM HST at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, 1 Arizona Memorial Place, Honolulu, HI. The event will also be live streamed. ARRL requested, and has received, a waiver from the Federal Communication Commission’s Part 97 rules to communicate with military stations as part of Pearl Harbor Day commemorations December 7 – 8. ARRL made the request on behalf of the Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association, to allow amateur-military cross-band capabilities to communicate with the Battleship Iowa using the ship’s original callsign NEPM. The USS Iowa is moored at the Port of Los Angeles. Also, the Amateur Radio Club of the National Electronics Museum (ARCNEM) will hold a Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration December 1 – 11 from 1300Z – 2200Z. Special event station W2W will operate on 14.241, 14.041, 7.241, and 7.041 MHz. A certificate & QSL will be available. Primary operation will be December 1 – 7 with additional operation possible during December 8 – 11 as operator availability permits. Operation on 80 meters, 3.541 and 3.841 MHz, and digital modes is possible during event.
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| This image was taken on November 21, 2024. [Photo courtesy of NASA SDO/HMI] |
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This week’s ARRL Propagation Bulletin ARLP047:
NOTE: Next week’s bulletin will be delayed until the following Monday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Solar activity was lower this reporting week, November 14 – 20, with the average daily sunspot number down from 141.6 to 99.3, and solar flux from 203.7 to 152.4. Geomagnetic indicators were quiet.
This follows a period during August and October when it seemed we must be at the peak of solar cycle 25. But we won’t know that until nearly a year after solar max, when a long moving average of daily sunspot numbers is examined.
Predicted solar flux is 160 on November 21 – 22; 165 on November 23; 160 on November 24 – 26; 165 and 255 on November 27 – 28; 250 on November 29 – 30; then 240, 230, 220, and 210 on December 1 – 4; 205 on December 5 – 6; then 200, 180, 170 and 150 on December 7 – 10; 145 on December 11 – 12, and then 149, 145, and 230 on December 13 – 15.
Predicted planetary A index is 5 on November 21; 8 on November 22 – 25; 5 on November 26 – 29; then 10, 12, 9, 8, 7 and 5 on November 30 through December 5; 12 on December 6 – 7; 10, 5, 5, 10, 15 and 10 on November 8 – 13.
European Space Agency images
Sunspot numbers for November 14 through 20, 2024 were 96, 71, 71, 117, 118, 109, and 113, with a mean of 99.3. The 10.7 -centimeter flux was 146.8, 148.9, 139.9, 146.3, 165, 157.2, and 162.6, with a mean of 152.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 11, 13, 8, 8, 4, 9, and 9, with a mean of 8.9. Middle latitude A index was 10, 10, 8, 6, 3, 6, and 8, with a mean of 7.3
Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net.
A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit the ARRL Technical Information Service, read “What the Numbers Mean…,” and check out the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.
A propagation bulletin archive is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio website.
Share your reports and observations.
A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News.
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- November 21 – 22 — Walk for the Bacon QRP Contest (CW)
- November 21 — NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)
- November 21 — NTC QSO Party (CW )
- November 23 – 24 — CQ Worldwide DX Contest (CW)
- November 27 — SKCC Sprint (CW)
- November 27 — UKEICC 80m Contest (CW)
- November 28 — RSGB 80m Autumn Series (CW)
Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar for more events and information
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Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions |
- December 13 – 14 | Tampa Bay Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL West Central Florida Section Convention, Plant City, Florida
- January 4 | Ham Radio University, sponsoring the ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention, Brookville, New York
- January 10 – 11 | 2025 Southwest Florida Regional Hamfest, sponsoring the ARRL Southern Florida Section Convention, Fort Myers, Florida
- January 17 – 18 |
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