October 13, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Defending and enhancing access to the Amateur Radio spectrum is the primary mission of the ARRL. According to ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, the League has not only protected the bands, but has also added several new ones, despite exponential growth in the variety and number of radio frequency devices in the hands of consumers and businesses. “Even our most disappointing defeat — the loss of the bottom 40 percent of the 220 MHz band some two decades ago — gave us upgraded status, from shared to exclusive, in the remaining 60 percent of the band,” he said.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/10/11/10379/?nc=1

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October 13, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The wait for better DX conditions continues and it could be a longer wait than originally projected. Astronomers who count sunspots have announced that 2008 is now the “blankest year” of the Space Age. NASA Science News says that, as of September 27, the sun had no visible sunspots on 200 days of this year. To find a year with more blank suns, you have to go back to 1954. That’s three years before the launch of Sputnik. It’s also the year that the sun’s disk was devoid of sunspots 241 days. But there is better news. For the first time in months, a significant sunspot is emerging on the sun. It is a fast-growing active region with two dark cores, each larger than Earth. The magnetic polarity of the sunspot identifies it as a member of new Sunspot Cycle 24. This new sunspot is an encouraging sign that the 11-year solar cycle is indeed progressing, albeit slowly. [RSGB]

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October 13, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Michael Chen, BD5RV/4, reports that he recently received an update from Alan, BA1DU, on the progress of the first Chinese amateur satellite. Things are now going smoothly. This satellite was formerly named CAS-1 and is now XW-1. It carries a beacon and three cross band transponders: FM, linear, and digital.

The satellite is planned to be launched into a Sun synchronous orbit in June 2009 by a CZ-2C rocket in Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in North China.

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October 13, 2008 by kb3ljm.

The ARISS SSTV team announces the new ARISS SSTV Web Gallery and Blog.

A website has been established to enable amateur radio operators to share
their pictures received from the International Space Station’s SSTV system.
People wishing to view photos captured from the ISS or upload their own
captured pictures can go to http://www.amsat.com/ARISS_SSTV/. There is also
a blog in which the ARISS SSTV Team will post announcements and additional
information about the project. The blog can be viewed at
http://www.ariss-sstv.blogspot.com/.

To prepare for the upcoming SSTV operations, you are welcome to “try out”
the new Web Gallery by posting past SSTV images (on-orbit and terrestrial).
These will be deleted prior to the ARISS SSTV events that are planned for
this weekend and during ISS Expedition 17 and Richard Garriott’s flight (see
below).
Read the rest of this entry »

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October 13, 2008 by kb3ljm.

This month we include at least 3 separate items on books that are available to amateurs. The
ARRL has its new Handbook for Radio Communications. The ARRL also has a book on the golden age of amateur radio technology. The IARU has a booklet that promotes ethics and good operating….It seems to be a very full seasons of good fall reading. Enjoy!
73, Mayer, W3GXK

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