March 2006 - arrl-odv - reflector.arrl.org

[arrl-odv:13862] Minutes Program & Services Comm Teleconference February 28 2006
by John Bellows 08 Mar '06

08 Mar '06

The Minutes of the Program & Services Committee Teleconference on February 28 2006 are attached. 73, Jay Bellows, KØQB PSC Chairman

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[arrl-odv:13861] Next Solar Cycle May Be More Intense
by dick＠pobox.com 07 Mar '06

07 Mar '06

7 MAR 2006 - 1415 CST The CNN item below was sent to me by a local ham friend earlier this afternoon. 73 - Dick, W9GIG ========================================================================= Solar Flares May Pack A Bigger Punch Scientists suggests solar cycle will be 30-50 percent more intense CNN - Tuesday, March 7, 2006; Posted: 11:39 AM EST (16:39 GMT) LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- A new computer model suggests the next solar cycle will be more active than the previous one, potentially spawning magnetic storms that will be more disruptive to communication systems on Earth. The next sunspot cycle will be between 30 percent to 50 percent more intense than the last one, scientists said Monday. The cycle will also begin a year later than expected, in late 2007 or early 2008, and peak around 2012, said Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. The new prediction is at odds with previous forecasts, which suggested that the intensity of the next solar cycle would be measurably smaller. Accurately predicting the intensity of the sunspot cycle, which occurs about every 11 years, allows scientists to anticipate solar storms. They are caused by solar flares, or giant eruptions that burst from the surface of the sun. Solar storms, which eject billions of tons of plasma and charged particles into space, can produce dazzling northern lights, but also disrupt power lines, radio transmissions and satellite communication. The last time the solar cycle peaked was in 2001. During the last cycle, solar storms caused extreme radio blackouts in the Pacific. For decades, scientists have tracked the solar cycle and appearance of sunspots, but they have been unable to accurately predict the intensity or timing of solar storms, which increase as the number of sunspots increases. Dikpati, of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said her team tested the new computer model using previous solar cycle data and had 98 percent accuracy. David Hathaway, a solar astronomer with NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, does not doubt that the next sunspot cycle will be stronger than the previous one. But Hathaway said his own research suggests that the next cycle will occur late this year -- earlier than what Dikpati predicted. The current research, funded by National Science Foundation, is published in the latest Geophysical Research Letters. =========================================================================

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[arrl-odv:13860] Changing all E-mail Reflectors
by Shelley, Barry, N1VXY 07 Mar '06

07 Mar '06

The test on the ODV list over the weekend went without a hitch so, effective today, we will be changing the protocol for processing messages on all ARRL e-mail reflector lists. The changes will be made between 2 pm and 4 pm this afternoon. 73, Barry, N1VXY

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Sad Announcement
by Bob Vallio 07 Mar '06

07 Mar '06

This came to me as a shock, and I have a feeling of personal loss. I hadn't realized that John was in poor health. I looked forward to receiving copies of the mail that John had sent to our members in my Division, in response to their questions. His answers were always spot on, and a pleasure to read. I always took the opportunity to personally say hello to John when I was at HQ, and considered him my friend. We have lost a valuable asset, and I will miss him. RIP, John. Bob Vallio -- W6RGG On 3/6/06, Kramer, Harold, WJ1B <wj1b(a)arrl.org> wrote: > > > > It is with deep regret and sorrow that I have to inform you that our > friend and colleague, John Hennessey, has passed away. We do not have very > many details yet, but we know his health had been failing for some time. > > > > I remember John as a true Gentleman in so many ways and know that his > faith was always strong. I hope that some of his strength will come to us > here as we deal with this sad shock. > > > > We will post any arrangements or significant information as it becomes > clear. > > > > > > Harold > > > > > > Harold Kramer, WJ1B > > Chief Operating Officer > > ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio > > 225 Main Street > > Newington, CT 06111 > > 860 594 0220 > > www.arrl.org/ > > >

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Responses to I Need Your Advice -- KB1EHE Proposal
by Bob Vallio 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Thanks to all for your replies. I sent this to ODV, because I think it needs an "official" reply from ARRL. As many of you have pointed out, this is not a good plan, and it is impractical to implement. Those who have been in an area where many folks are trying to use this service at the same time, have found their own disasters. A clear and quotable response to this proposition should be provided to this fellow. CERTs and NERTs may very well be able to manage using this system, but their liaison to emergency responders will have to be via another system. My RACES unit has had CERT and NERT team members as visitors, and they are shown that in order to communicate beyond their own neighborhoods, they will need to find another communications medium to use. RACES and ARES members are recommended to be one of those mediums. We cannot afford to let these folks become convinced that they will not need to integrate their efforts into a larger plan, or we stand to endanger our friends and neighbors. Perhaps this is already under consideration. I hope so. Bob Vallio -- W6RGG

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RE: [arrl-odv:13855] Sad Announcement
by Wade 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

This is indeed sad news. This is not only a deep personal loss, but his passing is a loss to the ARRL. The one consolation is that his failing health is no longer an issue for him. 73 John! Wade W0EJ -----Original Message----- From: Kramer, Harold, WJ1B [mailto:wj1b@arrl.org] Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 10:14 AM To: arrl-odv Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:13855] Sad Announcement Importance: High It is with deep regret and sorrow that I have to inform you that our friend and colleague, John Hennessey, has passed away. We do not have very many details yet, but we know his health had been failing for some time. I remember John as a true Gentleman in so many ways and know that his faith was always strong. I hope that some of his strength will come to us here as we deal with this sad shock. We will post any arrangements or significant information as it becomes clear. Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 860 594 0220 www.arrl.org/ <http://www.arrl.org/>

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[arrl-odv:13856] Re: Fwd: I need your advice
by Andy Oppel 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

I have used FRS radios vehicle-to-vehicle when off-roading out in the California desert. They work well out there, largely because there are few other users. But all you have to do is take them to a crowded event such as a fair or theme park, and you realize how many people have them who have zero concept on how to share a channel or how to speak succinctly and clearly. They were completely useless at the Oregon Country Fair, for example, because of the lack of skill (and perhaps courtesy) of the other users. In an emergency situation, I fear they won't be usable beyond the distance where FM capture is effective -- but perhaps there is hope after they all deplete their batteries (most won't have many spares on hand). -- Andy Oppel, N6AJO At 07:05 AM 3/6/2006, Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ wrote: >KB1EHE is in Connecticut -- Tom Frenaye's constituent. > >Another Eric (Eric Rosenberg, W3DQ at NTIA) has been talking up the >same thing. > >I have three FRS radios and have used them extensively on a couple >of trips when we had two or three cars in loose convoy, but have >never spoken to a stranger on them. > >Dave K1ZZ > > > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Paul L Rinaldo [mailto:prinaldo@mindspring.com] >Sent: Monday, March 06, 2006 9:52 AM >To: arrl-odv >Cc: arrl-odv >Subject: [arrl-odv:13851] Re: Fwd: I need your advice > >Bob, > >A technical point... FRS radios have been tried in emergency >situations, including The Pentagon on 9/11, only to find the >transmitters didn't have enough range to communicate from one side >of the building to the other outside. Further, their receivers do >not have sufficient filtering and immunity from blocking in an >environment where other transmitters are operating in the 450-470 MHz band. > >This is not to say that they don't have any applications during >emergencies but does say that they aren't the general solution. > >Paul > >At 06:54 PM 3/5/2006 -0800, Bob Vallio wrote: > >>>> >Have any of you received this missive? Mr Knight is a member, at >least until June 30. Bob > >---------- Forwarded message ---------- >From: Eric Knight <<mailto:eknight@upaerospace.com>eknight(a)upaerospace.com> >Date: Mar 5, 2006 3:24 PM >Subject: I need your advice >To: <mailto:eknight@upaerospace.com>eknight(a)upaerospace.com > >Dear amateur radio colleague, > >I apologize, in advance, for the generic greeting. I'm sending this >e-mail to about a dozen experienced amateur-radio leaders, hoping to >get your advice on something that is rather important. A few of you >have already given me excellent direction on this matter... and I >thank you greatly! > >My name is Eric Knight, KB1EHE. I've been a ham for 32 years, and >have always been extremely proud of the way hams volunteer their >time and energy to help in disaster communications. > >Last fall (after Hurricane Katrina), me and some local hams came up >with a way to help the public assist in their own recovery efforts. >It empowers the people that are directly affected by the crisis at >hand. And it weaves in the capabilities of amateur radio -- creating >a communications conduit to rescue & disaster-relief personnel. > >The idea is starting to pick up steam. For instance, the Director of >the U.S. Government's SHARES (Shared Resources High Frequency Radio >Program http://www.ncs.gov/n3/shares/shares.htm ) program, John >Peterson, believes it is a good idea, and has made excellent >suggestions on how to build national traction (see some suggestions >below). Emergency communication directors and planners -- coast to >coast -- are supporting it...and some are even implementing it right >now. And an entire, similar-idea organization -- DCERN (D.C. >Emergency Radio Network) -- is merging their entire membership base >into our fledgling emergency-communications concept ! > >On top of it all, not only can this concept help save lives in a >large-scale disaster, but it can also bring new people into amateur radio! > >The idea is called "NationalSOS" -- and it essentially creates a >network of "listening posts" of hams throughout the U.S. that will >perk up their RF ears to listen to 462.5625 MHz (the frequency of >Channel 1 on FRS) if a disaster strikes. (BTW, contrary to some >comments that have circulated on the Internet, it is not an >always-on emergency network. It's a network that would only be >activated during a declared emergency.) When AC power goes out, >telephone lines go down, cell-phone service fails, and / or >cell-phone batteries die, an FRS radio may be the only lifeline a >person in a desperate situation may have. It's akin to firing a >signal flare on a sinking ship. It can't hurt. And it just might help. > >The sheer volume of FRS owners in the U.S. (estimated at 100 million >and growing at an amazing rate of 12.2 million per year), and the >prevalence of hams in almost every community in America, makes this >idea possible. >The reality is that there are FRS owners on almost every street in >America. And just plugging in even the smallest city or town into >QRZ.com's online database ( http://www.qrz.com/i/names.html ) >reveals the matching density of hams that can receive the public's >FRS messages. That's the enabling factor of this concept. > >There's a more complete description on our simple Web site: >www.NationalSOS.com > >I need your advice and counsel on how this idea can continue to evolve. > >Here are a few ideas that have been submitted so far: > >* Run "drills" in various regions, to demonstrate to the public the >effectiveness of this emergency-communication tool. > >* Create centralized listening posts (such as at repeater sites) >that can listen to a wide area during a crisis. The working name: >H.E.L.P. (Ham Emergency Listening Posts). > >* Organize a coast-to-coast message "relay" -- a demonstration event >where hams and FRS users would collaborate in the passing of a >message. (Could be very newsworthy; the media could very well pick >up on the national event.) Of course, under normal circumstances, >hams and FRS owners can't directly communicate, as that is a >violation of FCC regulations. However, hams can easily receive >462.5625 MHz at all times. And, in a declared emergency, hams could >respond to FRS users. > >The goal is to somehow reach a minimum visibility threshold in which >the idea would then percolate through the public on its own...in >much the same way that the cell-phone " I.C.E." In-Case-of-Emergency >idea rapidly spread around the world almost entirely via e-mail and >Web postings. (As you know, I.C.E. began as simply the idea of one >paramedic in the UK. Then, in just a matter of weeks, it was everywhere.) > >Please check out the suggestions -- and actual implementations -- >that have been described in our public forums: >http://nationalsos.com/ideas/viewforum.php?f=3 > >Please help. I need the ingenuity, open-mindedness, and >creative-problem-solving ability that hams are legendary for. Jot me >any thoughts (no matter how trivial they may seem to you). Or post a >message in our forums. That would be wonderful! > >Together, we can find ways to help save lives. That's a worthy >objective, in and of itself. > >Thank you so much! > >Sincerely, > >Eric Knight, KB1EHE > > > >

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[arrl-odv:13855] Sad Announcement
by Kramer, Harold, WJ1B 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

It is with deep regret and sorrow that I have to inform you that our friend and colleague, John Hennessey, has passed away. We do not have very many details yet, but we know his health had been failing for some time. I remember John as a true Gentleman in so many ways and know that his faith was always strong. I hope that some of his strength will come to us here as we deal with this sad shock. We will post any arrangements or significant information as it becomes clear. Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 860 594 0220 www.arrl.org/

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[arrl-odv:13854] Re: Fwd: I need your advice
by Tom Frenaye 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Quoting "Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ" <dsumner(a)arrl.org>: > KB1EHE is in Connecticut -- Tom Frenaye's constituent. I've had several conversations with KB1EHE over the last year or so. The last I heard he was going to try to work out a local test with the CT section organization. Maybe that didn't pan out. Will check in a day or two when I get home. EHE is a nice guy trying to do a good thing and is in a bit over his head. Haven't read his last message yet. -- Tom/7 in beautiful downtown Conrad Montana, near VE6. -- Tom Frenaye, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093

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[arrl-odv:13853] Re: Fwd: I need your advice
by frenaye＠ntplx.net 06 Mar '06

06 Mar '06

Quoting "Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ" <dsumner(a)arrl.org>: > KB1EHE is in Connecticut -- Tom Frenaye's constituent. I've had several conversations with KB1EHE over the last year or so. The last I heard he was going to try to work out a local test with the CT section organization. Maybe that didn't pan out. Will check in a day or two when I get home. EHE is a nice guy trying to do a good thing and is in a bit over his head. Haven't read his last message yet. -- Tom/7 in beautiful downtown Conrad Montana, near VE6.

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