April 18, 2007 by kb3ljm.

So far this month we’ve observed nine days in a row with zero sunspots, and all of our reporting week — April 5 through 11 — falls within this string of inactive solar days. As noted last week, comparing that week’s average sunspot number (12.9) to this week’s (0) doesn’t mean much when activity is so low at the bottom of this sunspot cycle. Based on predicted smoothed sunspot numbers, if this month and the next are truly the solar minimum, we should probably see several weeks in a row with no sunspots. This should cheer those hoping for more activity and a return to worldwide propagation on 10 and 15, because recent observation shows the rise of any solar cycle is more rapid than its decline and, most important, the decline of the previous cycle.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/04/13/100/?nc=1

Posted in K7RA Solar Update, ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

April 18, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Four CubeSats containing payloads operating on Amateur Radio frequencies were among several spacecraft launched successfully April 17 at 0645 UTC from Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. A Dnepr rocket deployed seven CubeSats plus seven other satellites from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine into Earth orbit, and signals from the four CubeSats have been copied on Earth. Among the spacecraft was Colombia’s first satellite. The CubeSats are: CalPoly’s PolySats CP3 and CP4 (similar to photo), 436.845 MHz and 437.325 MHz respectively, 1200 bps FM AFSK, AX.25, 1 W, operating under an FCC Part-5 Experimental license; University of Louisiana CAPE-1 435.245 MHz, 9600 bps FM FSK AX.25 and CW telemetry during opposing 30-second intervals, 1 W, call sign K5USL (e-mail telemetry reports); Universidad Sergio Arboleda, Colombia, Libertad-1, 437.405 MHz, 1200 bps FM AFSK AX.25, 400 mW, call sign 5K3L. CP4 will transmit a “sensor snapshot” every 2 minutes on 437.325 MHz at 1200bps FSK, AX.25. FSK will require using SSB mode for reception. A 6-second CW preamble precedes this transmission. Keplerian elements for the new ham radio birds and additional information will be posted on Cal Poly’s CubeSat Web page. CalPoly offers a CubeSat “Satellite Contact Form” to report telemetry data received from any satellite. A discussion board also is available for satellite trackers. – AMSAT

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7379

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April 18, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The ARRL has been working with the US Department of Defense to develop a plan to mitigate alleged interference from 70 cm ham radio repeaters to military radar systems on both coasts. Amateur Radio is secondary to government users from 420 to 450 MHz and must not interfere with primary users. Citing an increasing number of interferencecomplaints, the US Air Force has asked the FCC to order dozens of repeater systems to either mitigate interference to the “PAVE PAWS” radars or shut down. The Commission has not yet responded. The situation affects 15 repeaters within less than 100 miles of Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and more than 100 repeaters within some 140 miles of Beale Air Force Base near Sacramento, California. ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, stresses that the Defense Department acknowledges Amateur Radio’s value in disasters and emergencies and is being extremely cooperative — and a wholesale shutdown of US 70 cm Amateur Radio activity is not in the offing.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/04/17/100/?nc=1

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April 18, 2007 by kb3ljm.

From: TOMSMB@aol.com
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2007 16:54:15 EDT
We are shipping out the last TC70-20Sa ATV Transceivers today. We cant make another production run because the 20W power module is no longer manufactured. We have a few modules left for repairs and PA5’s, but not enough to justify the cost of a small production quantity. Meanwhile, we are working with Videolynx to come out with a 5-10 Watt 70cm Transmitter. Watch our New for 2007 web page for the announcement on availability and price, but we expect it to be ready this summer. It will work with the Mirage D1010N-ATV or DEMI 70225PA linear amps for higher power and with our TVC-4G downconverter to receive. For those that cant wait to get on, you can package your own system using our board modules or use the RTX70-1 1 Watt transmitter driving a Mirage D26N 50 Watt pep amp - check out our web site.
Tom O’Hara W6ORG P. C. Electronics www.hamtv.com 626-447-4565 m-th 8am-5:30pm Pacific time

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