DELARANEWS

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

World Scout Jamboree Gearing Up for

Significant Amateur Radio Presence

Amateur Radio will be a part of this summer's 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, the first World Jamboree held in North America since 1983. The Jamboree has chosen the theme "Unlock a New World." Thousands of Scouts and Scout leaders from some 200 countries are expected to attend. The Jamboree's Amateur Radio Exhibit will use the call sign NA1WJ -- North America's 1st World Jamboree. It will be on the air during the event, July 22 until August 2, at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US. Amateur Radio testing is expected to begin as early as July 14. Operating frequencies will be posted in real time via Facebook and Twitter or via an NA1WJ email group. "The goals of the Amateur Radio station at the World Scout Jamboree are to introduce Amateur Radio to Scouts and Scout leaders through hands-on participation in two-way communication with other stations across the globe. This activity will also serve as the Amateur Radio voice of the Jamboree," the World Scout Jamboree Amateur Radio Exhibit Operational Vision document states. Other facets of Amateur Radio at the Jamboree will include Amateur Radio direction finding (ARDF), Amateur Radio satellite contacts, and a scheduled Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with an ISS crew member. "We also expect to launch one or two balloons with Amateur Radio payloads and track them as they cross the Atlantic," the vision document continues. Organizers are encouraging radio amateurs around the globe to get on the air during the World Jamboree to help NA1WJ demonstrate Amateur Radio for Jamboree visitors. The 2019 World Scout Jamboree operation at the Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve will take advantage of lessons learned by the K2BSA Amateur Radio operation during the 2013 and 2017 USA National Jamborees. It will also take advantage of the existing infrastructure, which includes three VHF/UHF repeaters installed by Icom America, as well as the utility poles for installing antennas. K2BSA ham gear stored in West Virginia includes antennas, rotators, and cables. Evening operation from NA1WJ will involve at least two operators using the buddy system. VHF/UHF repeaters will offer full coverage of the Jamboree area via handheld transceivers, facilitating networking as well as emergency communication. The exhibit will include an Amateur Radio station with the special event call sign W8J. The demonstration station will include multiple operating positions offering a variety of modes. These include six stations with 100 W HF transceivers, computer logging software, and large screen computer displays; two VHF/UHF stations for demonstrations and repeater monitoring, and two satellite communication systems. The antenna farm will include two HF directional antennas, three HF dipoles, three HF vertical antennas, VHF/UHF verticals and satellite antennas with azimuth and elevation control, a trailer-based crank-up tower, a five- band Yagi, a 40-meter rotatable dipole, and a 6-meter Yagi. Each station will be able to accommodate four participants at a time, plus one control operator. The goal is to give each participant up to about 10 minutes of operating time. The K2BSA Amateur Radio Association will host a "Radio Scouting" booth at Dayton Hamvention® (Booth 2205 in Building 2). -ARRL Letter

Locals keep ham radio alive and well

In a time when social media platforms are often criticized more for their divisiveness than praised for their ability to bring people together, a number of Seacoast residents are tapping into a different network to forge connections worldwide. Local interest in ham radios has been growing at an accelerated rate in recent years thanks to lower entry hurdles, according to clubs and operators. They say it’s put new generations one twist of a dial or tap of a touchscreen away from the rush that comes from a meaningful chat with people on the other side of the globe.

World explorers: WCS students travel across radio

waves.

The U.S., Canada, Central America and Europe represent just a handful of global locations Worthington Christian School students have been able to explore with no passport required. Using radio frequency technology, WCS students have made contact with hundreds of people across the world by way of radio waves. “You get to know people you wouldn’t otherwise know,” said WCS fifth-grader Cali Visser of her experience transmitting shortwave radio signals. Led by longtime amateur radioer Randy Shirbroun, students interested in learning about amateur (ham) radio have had several hands-on experiences over the past two years during both casual and organized radio operating events via the school’s club station, W0WCS. -Dan Romanchik KB6NU

ARRL Reply Comments Stress Need to

Update Technician Privileges in a Digital

World

In reply comments to the FCC (comments on comments already filed) on its Petition for Rule Making (RM-11828), ARRL has stressed that updating HF privileges for the entry-level Technician license "is the sole subject and intent" of the petition. ARRL filed its reply comments on April 29, urging the FCC to disregard comments irrelevant to its petition and maintaining that Technician privileges must be relevant within the context of today's technological environment. "[T]he increasingly rapid pace of change in communications technologies, coupled with the national need for self-training in science, technology, engineering, and math" necessitate the rule changes requested, ARRL asserted. "ARRL made its request because of the gap between today's digital technologies and the privileges accorded the current entry-level Technician license." ARRL characterized its proposal to update the rules as "balanced and modest." "If adopted, there would be no change to the operating privileges for all license classes other than those of the Technician class," ARRL said. In 2018, ARRL asked the FCC to expand HF privileges for Technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus RTTY and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, and 15 meters. The FCC invited comments on the proposal in April. ARRL pointed out that some comments filed on its petition address subjects related to other open proceedings rather than expanding Technician privileges, citing comments cross-filed in such proceedings as WT Docket 16- 239, RM-11708, RM-11759, and RM-11831. "Those filings should be considered in the proceedings that they address, rather than here," ARRL said. ARRL said some opposition appears based on fears of increased interference potential due to additional digital operation by Technicians. "It is improbable that all, or even a majority, of Technician licensees suddenly would develop a passion for the same digital technology," ARRL said. "Our hope and expectation is that many will engage with digital modes on the high- frequency spectrum at issue, but it is unrealistic to suggest that every Technician licensee blessed with new privileges would suddenly appear on the same band." The comments note the development of very efficient digital modes, such as FT8, which occupies just 90 Hz of spectrum per signal. "The experience with FT8 clearly demonstrates the attraction of the digital modes and the spectrum efficiencies that can be achieved," ARRL said. "This is why opening up limited digital opportunities to new radio amateurs so clearly would serve the broad public interest as well as the specific purposes of Amateur Radio in experimentation and innovation, as enumerated in the governing FCC rules." ARRL further said that comments regarding disagreement on the definition of encryption for masking the content of certain digital transmissions are also "out of place in this proceeding" and "should not delay initiation of a proceeding" proposing to update Technician privileges. "Technology has changed dramatically in the Amateur Radio domain, and ARRL believes the requested Technician license enhancement would foster the regulatory goals for the Amateur Service and continue to increase amateurs' historical experimentation and service in a meaningful way," ARRL concluded. -ARRL Letter

Faster, More Contest-Friendly FT4 Digital

Protocol

initially in beta form. WSJT-X developers say serious work on the new FT4 protocol began shortly after the FT8 Roundup held last December 1 - 2. The goal was a mode that could compete with RTTY contesting in terms of contact rates, while preserving many of the benefits of FT8. "Over the past month, a small group of volunteers have been conducting on- the-air tests of FT4," the WSJT-X development group -- Joe Taylor, K1JT; Steve Franke, K9AN; and Bill Somerville, G4WJS -- announced this week. "The early tests were very successful and helped us to make a number of important design decisions. We believe FT4 has considerable promise for its intended purpose." The developers say FT4 soon will be ready for testing by a larger group and they're seeking interested participants who can offer their "considered feedback." They suggest reading The FT4 Protocol for Digital Contesting first. A general release of the WSJT-X suite that includes FT4 is anticipated in July. According to the document, FT4 is an experimental digital mode designed specifically for radio contesting that -- like FT8 -- uses fixed-length transmissions, structured messages with formats optimized for minimal contacts, and strong forward-error correction. Transmit-receive sequences are 6 seconds long, making it 2.5 times faster than FT8 and about the same speed as conventional RTTY for radio contesting. FT4 can work with signals 10 dB weaker what would be required to decode RTTY while using much less bandwidth. Spectra of an FT4 signal transmitted with GFSK (blue), FT4 with FSK (red), and RTTY with continuous-phase FSK (purple). Transmissions last for 4.48 seconds, compared to 12.64 seconds for FT8. Modulation uses four-tone frequency-shift keying at approximately 23.4 baud, with tones separated by the baud rate. The occupied bandwidth is 90 Hz. "We plan to post downloadable installation packages for WSJT-X version 2.1.0-rc5 on Monday, April 29," the Development Group said. "A few parameters and operating behaviors of FT4 are still being tested and optimized," the initial FT4 guide says. "It will be very useful to hold several more mock contest practice sessions, with a larger group of active participants." Even if these practice sessions reveal no serious bugs or inadequacies, the WSJT-X development group believes FT4 is still too new to be used in the ARRL VHF Contest (June 8 - 10) and ARRL Field Day (June 22 - 23). For that reason, release candidate WSJT-X 2.1.0-rc5 will "time out" on June 7. A general availability release is expected in mid-July. -ARRL Letter
DELARANews

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

World Scout Jamboree Gearing

Up for Significant Amateur Radio

Presence

Amateur Radio will be a part of this summer's 24th World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia, the first World Jamboree held in North America since 1983. The Jamboree has chosen the theme "Unlock a New World." Thousands of Scouts and Scout leaders from some 200 countries are expected to attend. The Jamboree's Amateur Radio Exhibit will use the call sign NA1WJ -- North America's 1st World Jamboree. It will be on the air during the event, July 22 until August 2, at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the US. Amateur Radio testing is expected to begin as early as July 14. Operating frequencies will be posted in real time via Facebook and Twitter or via an NA1WJ email group. "The goals of the Amateur Radio station at the World Scout Jamboree are to introduce Amateur Radio to Scouts and Scout leaders through hands- on participation in two-way communication with other stations across the globe. This activity will also serve as the Amateur Radio voice of the Jamboree," the World Scout Jamboree Amateur Radio Exhibit Operational Vision document states. Other facets of Amateur Radio at the Jamboree will include Amateur Radio direction finding (ARDF), Amateur Radio satellite contacts, and a scheduled Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with an ISS crew member. "We also expect to launch one or two balloons with Amateur Radio payloads and track them as they cross the Atlantic," the vision document continues. Organizers are encouraging radio amateurs around the globe to get on the air during the World Jamboree to help NA1WJ demonstrate Amateur Radio for Jamboree visitors. The 2019 World Scout Jamboree operation at the Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve will take advantage of lessons learned by the K2BSA Amateur Radio operation during the 2013 and 2017 USA National Jamborees. It will also take advantage of the existing infrastructure, which includes three VHF/UHF repeaters installed by Icom America, as well as the utility poles for installing antennas. K2BSA ham gear stored in West Virginia includes antennas, rotators, and cables. Evening operation from NA1WJ will involve at least two operators using the buddy system. VHF/UHF repeaters will offer full coverage of the Jamboree area via handheld transceivers, facilitating networking as well as emergency communication. The exhibit will include an Amateur Radio station with the special event call sign W8J. The demonstration station will include multiple operating positions offering a variety of modes. These include six stations with 100 W HF transceivers, computer logging software, and large screen computer displays; two VHF/UHF stations for demonstrations and repeater monitoring, and two satellite communication systems. The antenna farm will include two HF directional antennas, three HF dipoles, three HF vertical antennas, VHF/UHF verticals and satellite antennas with azimuth and elevation control, a trailer-based crank-up tower, a five-band Yagi, a 40-meter rotatable dipole, and a 6- meter Yagi. Each station will be able to accommodate four participants at a time, plus one control operator. The goal is to give each participant up to about 10 minutes of operating time. The K2BSA Amateur Radio Association will host a "Radio Scouting" booth at Dayton Hamvention® (Booth 2205 in Building 2). -ARRL Letter

Locals keep ham radio alive and well

In a time when social media platforms are often criticized more for their divisiveness than praised for their ability to bring people together, a number of Seacoast residents are tapping into a different network to forge connections worldwide. Local interest in ham radios has been growing at an accelerated rate in recent years thanks to lower entry hurdles, according to clubs and operators. They say it’s put new generations one twist of a dial or tap of a touchscreen away from the rush that comes from a meaningful chat with people on the other side of the globe.

World explorers: WCS students travel across

radio waves.

The U.S., Canada, Central America and Europe represent just a handful of global locations Worthington Christian School students have been able to explore with no passport required. Using radio frequency technology, WCS students have made contact with hundreds of people across the world by way of radio waves. “You get to know people you wouldn’t otherwise know,” said WCS fifth-grader Cali Visser of her experience transmitting shortwave radio signals. Led by longtime amateur radioer Randy Shirbroun, students interested in learning about amateur (ham) radio have had several hands-on experiences over the past two years during both casual and organized radio operating events via the school’s club station, W0WCS. -Dan Romanchik KB6NU