DELARANEWS

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

First-Time Exam Applicants Must

Obtain FCC Registration Number

Before Taking Exam

Beginning May 20, 2021, all amateur examination applicants will be required to provide an FCC Registration Number (FRN) to the Volunteer Examiners (VEs) before taking an amateur exam. This is necessary due to changes the FCC has made to its licensing system. Amateur candidates who already have an FCC license, whether for amateur radio or another service, and already have an FRN may use the same number. All prospective new FCC licensees, however, will be required to obtain an FRN before the examination and provide that number to the volunteer examiners on the Form 605 license application. An FCC instructional video provides step-by-step instructions on how to obtain an FRN through the FCC's COmmission REgistration System (CORES). The FRN is required for all new applicants to take an amateur exam and is used afterward by the applicant to download the license document from the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS), upgrade the license, apply for a vanity call sign, and to submit administrative updates (such as address and email changes) and renewal applications. In addition, after June 29, all applications will be required to contain an email address for FCC correspondence. Applicants will receive an email directly from the FCC with a link to the official electronic copy of their license whenever a license is issued or changed. ARRL VEC suggests that those without access to email should use the email address of a family member or friend. Licensees will be able to log in to the ULS using their FRN and password to download the latest version of their license at any time. The FCC no longer provides paper license documents. -ARRL letter I can see Russia from my shack…

Russian Robinson Club Announces

Activation of Rare IOTA Islands in

the Aleutians

The Russian Robinson Club (RRC) has resumed its plans to activate rare Kiska Island (IOTA NA-070) and Adak Island (IOTA NA-039) in Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain in July for Islands On The Air (IOTA) enthusiasts. Plans to activate these islands in 2020 were called off because of COVID-19 concerns. The uninhabited Kiska Island (52.06° N, 177.57° E) lies in the North Pacific's treacherous Bering Sea, which RRC calls one of the most intense patches of ocean on Earth and where strong winds, freezing temperatures, and icy water are the norm. The island also features the prominent conical Kiska volcano. Kiska Island is a National Historic Landmark and part of the Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR). Permission to visit is required from both Alaska's Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The KL7RRC team plans to have a minimum of two stations on the air on 40 - 6 meters, SSB, CW, and FT8. Operators will place special emphasis on the difficult trans-polar path to Europe. The 56-foot aluminum sailing vessel Seal will make the 1,000- mile journey along the Aleutians to Kiska with a stop at Dutch Harbor to pick up Tim, NL8F, and the gear sent in advance to his location. The team will continue sailing west to Adak Island, where some team members will activate Adak Island on June 30 - July 3. The SV Seal will pick up the entire crew there, which will have flown in by July 3. Then, they hope to arrive at Kiska and be on the air as KL7RCC on July 7 - 12, before the return sail to Adak and flights home. Additional KL7RRC activity may take place from Adak July 14 - 16. Donations are welcome. QSLs for KL7RRC (Kiska Island NA-070) and KL7RRC (Adak Island NA-039) are via N7RO. All donors will receive direct QSLs. Updates will be posted on the Russian Robinson Club website. -- Thanks to Hal Turley, W8HC, via The Daily DX A slot is open for a fifth operator. Contact team leader Yuri, N3QQ, if interested.

Wooden Satellite to Launch by Year's End

[No, really, this is not the ~April~ issue, -ed] The WISA Woodsat project, being sponsored by plywood supplier WISA in an unconventional PR initiative, is poised to place a wooden satellite into orbit by the end of the year. The idea is to test the suitability of treated wood as a low- cost and widely available material for space applications. The IARU posting for Woodsat indicates that several amateur radio experiments will be on board as well as photo downlinking, including selfies. The wooden satellite is based on a basic, versatile CubeSat format, Kitsat, which is designed with educational use in mind. It retails for just $1,500. Based in Finland, the Woodsat project began with students across the country contributing parts to a CubeSat launched by balloon. The satellite will be a 10- centimeter cube weighing 1 kilogram, covered on all sides by coated birch plywood from WISA Plywood. Nine small solar cells will power the satellite, which will orbit at an altitude of 500 - 550 kilometers. As the sponsor explained, "WISA Woodsat will go where no wood has gone before. With a mission to gather data on the behavior and durability of plywood over an extended period in the harsh temperatures, vacuum, and radiation of space in order to assess the use of wood materials in space structures." Once in orbit, Woodsat will be able to extend a selfie stick to capture photographs of the wooden box as it hurtles through space at 40,000 kilometers (24,800 miles) per hour. This will allow the mission leaders to monitor the impact of the environment on the plywood. The satellite would downlink its telemetry and images from two cameras using amateur radio frequencies. "The wooden satellite with a selfie stick will surely bring laughter and goodwill," added mission manager Jari Mäkinen of Arctic Astronautics. "Essentially, this is a serious science and technology endeavor. In addition to testing plywood, the satellite will demonstrate accessible radio amateur satellite communication; host several secondary technology experiments; validate the Kitsat platform in orbit, and popularize space technology." An April 23 Engineering and Technology article has more information. -- Thanks to AMSAT News Service via JoAnne Maenpaa, K9JKM; E&T, and the IARU Almost as remote:

Intrepid-DX Group Adds Second Physician

for Trip to "Cold and Inhospitable" Bouvet

Island

"Bouvet is like the Mount Everest of DXCC entities," 3Y0J DXpedition co-leader Paul Ewing, N6PSE, said. "It is among the most challenging entities to activate due to significant transportation costs and personal sacrifices required by the team to make the 42-day round trip. Fortunately, Bouvet is not our first mountain." The DXpedition's website describes Bouvet as, "a cold and inhospitable place." At 54° S, Bouvet Island, a sub-Antarctic island in the South Atlantic and a dependency of Norway, is the most remote place on Earth. Ewing announced recently that Mike Crownover, AB5EB, a veteran emergency room physician, has joined the 3Y0J DXpedition team to pair with ER doctor Bill Straw, KO7SS. The DXpedition is set for January - February 2023, but the planning stage to activate the second-most-wanted DXCC entity is well under way, with the team researching polar-quality tents and equipment and discussing antenna specifications with various manufacturers. "We will make careful choices to help us meet the demand for Bouvet contacts," Ewing said. The 3Y0J team has set a goal of making at least 100,000 contacts from Bouvet. "3Y0J will be a DXpedition with a focus on good, fast, and accurate operating. QSO rates will be very high," Ewing said. "We have assembled a team of strong operators who will strive to work everyone. We will focus on CW/SSB/digital for the 10 - 160 meter bands. Our goal is to match our VP8STI/VP8SGI achievement with 135,000 contacts made." Ewing said that in the later stages of the DXpedition, operators will use "proven techniques" to work the weakest of callers. "We will also use techniques to work the youth in our audience," he added. No real-time log search will be available, but 3Y0J will upload to Club Log and to M0OXO Log Search each day, Ewing said. The DXpedition has an estimated budget of $764,000, with each team member contributing a minimum of $20,000 each. In April, ARRL awarded a Colvin Grant of $5,000 to the Intrepid-DX Group to help in funding the 3Y0J DXpedition. Ewing and ARRL member Ken Opskar, LA7GIA, will share DXpedition leadership duties.
DELARANews

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

First-Time Exam Applicants Must

Obtain FCC Registration Number

Before Taking Exam

Beginning May 20, 2021, all amateur examination applicants will be required to provide an FCC Registration Number (FRN) to the Volunteer Examiners (VEs) before taking an amateur exam. This is necessary due to changes the FCC has made to its licensing system. Amateur candidates who already have an FCC license, whether for amateur radio or another service, and already have an FRN may use the same number. All prospective new FCC licensees, however, will be required to obtain an FRN before the examination and provide that number to the volunteer examiners on the Form 605 license application. An FCC instructional video provides step-by-step instructions on how to obtain an FRN through the FCC's COmmission REgistration System (CORES). The FRN is required for all new applicants to take an amateur exam and is used afterward by the applicant to download the license document from the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS), upgrade the license, apply for a vanity call sign, and to submit administrative updates (such as address and email changes) and renewal applications. In addition, after June 29, all applications will be required to contain an email address for FCC correspondence. Applicants will receive an email directly from the FCC with a link to the official electronic copy of their license whenever a license is issued or changed. ARRL VEC suggests that those without access to email should use the email address of a family member or friend. Licensees will be able to log in to the ULS using their FRN and password to download the latest version of their license at any time. The FCC no longer provides paper license documents. -ARRL letter I can see Russia from my shack…

Russian Robinson Club

Announces Activation of Rare

IOTA Islands in the Aleutians

The Russian Robinson Club (RRC) has resumed its plans to activate rare Kiska Island (IOTA NA-070) and Adak Island (IOTA NA-039) in Alaska's Aleutian Islands chain in July for Islands On The Air (IOTA) enthusiasts. Plans to activate these islands in 2020 were called off because of COVID-19 concerns. The uninhabited Kiska Island (52.06° N, 177.57° E) lies in the North Pacific's treacherous Bering Sea, which RRC calls one of the most intense patches of ocean on Earth and where strong winds, freezing temperatures, and icy water are the norm. The island also features the prominent conical Kiska volcano. Kiska Island is a National Historic Landmark and part of the Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (AMNWR). Permission to visit is required from both Alaska's Maritime National Wildlife Refuge and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The KL7RRC team plans to have a minimum of two stations on the air on 40 - 6 meters, SSB, CW, and FT8. Operators will place special emphasis on the difficult trans-polar path to Europe. The 56-foot aluminum sailing vessel Seal will make the 1,000-mile journey along the Aleutians to Kiska with a stop at Dutch Harbor to pick up Tim, NL8F, and the gear sent in advance to his location. The team will continue sailing west to Adak Island, where some team members will activate Adak Island on June 30 - July 3. The SV Seal will pick up the entire crew there, which will have flown in by July 3. Then, they hope to arrive at Kiska and be on the air as KL7RCC on July 7 - 12, before the return sail to Adak and flights home. Additional KL7RRC activity may take place from Adak July 14 - 16. Donations are welcome. QSLs for KL7RRC (Kiska Island NA-070) and KL7RRC (Adak Island NA-039) are via N7RO. All donors will receive direct QSLs. Updates will be posted on the Russian Robinson Club website. -- Thanks to Hal Turley, W8HC, via The Daily DX A slot is open for a fifth operator. Contact team leader Yuri, N3QQ, if interested.