ARRL Sacramento Valley Section

ARRL Sacramento Valley Section News


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ARRL Sacramento Valley Nets - July 20

On Thursday, July 20, 2023, ARRL Sacramento Valley Section will hold a Section Wide Net, first on the WD6AXM FM repeater atop Sutter Buttes near Yuba City on 146.085 MHz, plus 600 kHz offset, tone 127.3 Hz.  Please wait for the call to the 2 meter ARRL Section Net after the 7 pm Yuba-Sutter ARES net has closed, usually around 7:20-7:30 pm Pacific Time.

For those who are unable to access the WD6AXM repeater, our HF net will commence IMMEDIATELY after the VHF SV net signs off, on the 60 meter Channel 1, 5330.5 USB dial frequency.  Those who check in to the VHF net are encouraged to join the HF net if they are able.  

Important:  If you do not hear net control over your radio, please check in anyway and listen for net control to acknowledge you via the Half Moon Bay WebSDR or the Northern Utah WebSDR.

All ARRL members, club presidents, Section appointees, and all appropriately licensed radio amateurs are encouraged to join us for the ARRL Sacramento Valley Section nets. Section News and items of regional and national interest to all radio amateurs will be the topics of discussion.

ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Wide Nets are conducted only on the third Thursday of such months as announced via official bulletin and on www.arrlsacvalley.org 

ARRL Sacramento Valley Section-Wide Nets

ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Nets are conducted only on months when announced, on the third Thursday of that month following the 7 pm Pacific Time Yuba-Sutter ARES net on the WD6AXM 146.085 MHz +0.6 MHz offset, CTCSS 127.3 Hz FM repeater, followed by the HF Section Net on 3880 kHz LSB +/- 3 kHz (or 5330.5 kHz USB as propagation permits).

All Sacramento Valley Section radio amateurs are welcome to check into our Section Nets. The nets carry announcements of interest to our section and test our section-wide station communication capabilities.

Don't have an HF radio or antenna? 
Click a link and Listen on a web receiver.

Hourly Northern California NVIS Observations

This chart shows colors that represent the recommended HF frequencies for contacting stations for a particular hour. 

Both stations should use the SAME frequency denoted by the color at the location of the target station. 

The chart is in Universal Time (UTC). 

More information at http://www.sws.bom.gov.au/HF_Systems/6/6

ARRL Advocates for Radio Amateurs as FCC Proposes Changes to 60-Meter Band
from the ARRL Letter, April 27, 2023

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is seeking comments about changing the secondary allocation available to radio amateurs on 60 meters. The FCC issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on April 21, 2023, that deals with the band. In a prior petition, ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® urged protecting the existing use of the band by amateurs when adding a new allocation adopted internationally.

Currently, radio amateurs in the US have access to five discrete channels on a secondary basis: 5332 kHz, 5348 kHz, 5358.5 kHz, 5373 kHz, and 5405 kHz. Users of these channels are limited to an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 W PEP.

The FCC proposes to allocate 15 kHz of contiguous bandwidth between 5351.5 - 5366.5 kHz on a secondary basis with a maximum power of 15 W EIRP (equivalent to 9.15 W ERP). This allocation was adopted at the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15).

The federal government is the primary user of the 5 MHz spectrum. The government's manager of spectrum use, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), has expressed support for implementing the allocation as adopted at WRC-15. Doing so would result in amateurs losing access to four of the five discrete channels, and power limits would be reduced from 100 W ERP to 9.15 W ERP. However, it would provide access to a new contiguous 15 kHz band that includes one of the current five channels.

In 2017, ARRL petitioned the FCC to keep the four 60-meter channels that fall outside the new band, as well as the current operating rules, including the 100 W PEP ERP limit.

The ARRL petition stated, "Such implementation will allow radio amateurs engaged in emergency and disaster relief communications, and especially those between the United States and the Caribbean basin, to more reliably, more flexibly, and more capably conduct those communications."

ARRL said that years of amateur radio experience using the five discrete channels have shown that amateurs can coexist with primary users at 5 MHz while complying with the regulations established for their use. The petition also stated, "Neither ARRL, nor, apparently, NTIA, is aware of a single reported instance of interference to a federal user by a radio amateur operating at 5 MHz to date."

In the NPRM, the FCC recognizes that Canada has already adopted 60-meter allocations and related rules that align with those proposed by ARRL. The Commission wrote, "Finally, we note that Canada has essentially implemented the same rules as ARRL has requested."

The FCC proposed to allocate the 15 kHz bandwidth, but stopped short of making a proposal on whether the existing channels should remain allocated to amateur radio and what the power limitations should be. They requested comments on their proposal and the related channel and power issues.

Comments will be due 60 days after the NPRM is published in the Federal Register, which is expected within the next two weeks.

KUDOS FOR ARRL SET/ARMY MARS EXERCISE OCT 2022

TO ALL ARRL PACIFIC AND SOUTHWEST DIVISION MEMBERS

"On behalf of the DOD and US Northern Command, I want to express my thanks to the more than 1,400 amateur radio operators who were a part of the SET-DOD interop exercise this past Oct/Nov.  Your willingness to support this effort is indicative of the amateur radio spirit of communications and interoperability towards achieving a common goal of providing communications during a time of need.  Thank you and well done.

Paul English
Dept Army Civilian
Chief of Army MARS"
Paul English
DA Civilian
U.S. Army NETCOM G3 Current Operations
HF/LMR Capability Manager and Chief Army MARS


To all of you I want to say a big Thank You.  Without your help we(Army and Air Force MARS) would not have been able to complete the assigned mission of delivering the Message from United States Northern Command to United States Amateur Radio Operators, Simulated Emergency Tests(SET).   Please pass this Thank You on the Amateur Radio Operators who were there in the background supporting you in the SET’S  coordinating with the MARS Operators who passed the Message to them because without them the Mission would not have been completed.

AGAIN THANKS TO ALL

DERRILL COFFMAN W7LTM
ARMY MARS REGION 9 LIASION

Redding Veterans ARC Special Event Station in the News

W6VET Club President, Michael Vancleemput, K6WK, during KRCR filming

November 11 - Redding television station KRCR prominently featured the Redding Veterans Amateur Radio Club's W6VET in its coverage of their Veteran's Day Special Event activity.  Club president Michael Vancleemput, K6WK, had worked for months to put together their Veterans Day special event where his club would connect with veterans across the globe.  Club members made contacts on 14.320, 21.383, and 146.55 MHz with people from all over the country, and the world, reaching as far as New Zealand.

“Our purpose is to unite with [amateur radios] all over the world,” VanCleemput said. “So we want to really have fun. You know this is our fun day, so it’s a celebration of Veterans Day, and, at the same time, creating goodwill.” 

See the full story, more photos and the KRCR video at
https://krcrtv.com/news/local/redding-veterans-use-ham-radio-to-connect-to-people-across-the-globe-on-veterans-day

Also check out W6VET's excellent QRZ page.

submitted by Michael Vancleemput, K6WK

May 20-21, 2023 Bug Roundup Special Event

Redding Hamfest Saturday, October 8, 2022

Thanks to the Amateur Radio Club of Anderson, Shasta/Tehama ARES and Bentronics for hosting the October 8 Redding Hamfest, and to all those who stopped by and said hello at our ARRL Section communications information booth.

Congratulations to the four new Technician licensees and the upgraded General licensee who tested at the onsite VE session!

New Section Appointments: ARES District 3 DEC

Carl First, N6CKV, is newly appointed ARES District 3 District Emergency Coordinator replacing Mike Meighan, KD6ILC, who passed away on March 12.

James Goldstene, KN6QNJ, has been appointed as ARRL Sacramento Valley Affiliated Club Coordinator.  Our Section Amateur Radio Clubs should contact James at KN6QNJ@arrl.net for club resources.  Thanks to Max Soucia, N1KGS, for his past service in this position.

Ted Cochran, N6TBC, of Oroville is the new Butte County ARES Emergency Coordinator, replacing Dale Anderson, KK6EVX, who became a Silent Key in August.

Chad Linden, ARES District 1 Emergency Coordinator, has changed his call sign from N5BMU to AB6CL effective 10/12/2022.

Mike Sumersille, N7MSS has replaced Jay Harmor KE6GLA as El Dorado County Emergency Coordinator. 
Congratulations to Carl N6CKV and Mike N7MSS on your new appointments, and thanks to Jay KE6GLA and Mike KK6ZGB for your past service in those positions. 

ARES District 3 DEC Mike Meighan, KD6ILC, Silent Key

District Emergency Coordinator became a Silent Key on Sunday March 12, 2023 while hospitalized for sepsis.

Mike had been active for many years with Sacramento Valley ARES, Sacramento ARC, Sacramento Metro Fire CERT, Sacramento SHARP, as an instructor and a volunteer examiner with the Carmichael Elks Lodge VE Team.  Mike had requested that no memorial service be held.

Sacramento Valley ARES Responds to NorCal Floods

Kudos to Sacramento County ARES EC Jay Ballinger, N6SAC, for this media hit and to SV ARES SEC Michael Joseph, KK6ZGB, and to all Sacramento Valley ARES volunteers for their support and response to the January 2023 Northern California floods.

Sacramento County ARES Sacramento Valley ARES
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2360 for Friday January 20th, 2023 

Winlink  Global Radio Email

Watch Winlink author and developer Oliver Dully, K6OLI's, session on Winlink, a network of amateur radio and authorized government stations that provide worldwide email via radio.  The Winlink network extends global messaging capability to HF and VHF operators anywhere, even in the absence of internet access, and is ideally suited for routine and Emergency Communications (EmComm) message traffic.

This presentation hosted by the River City ARCS is targeted to all radio amateurs in our section and Northern California who are interested in data messaging, ARES, and EmComm support. 
Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMhSeFLqXsM&t=100s.

Michael Joseph, KK6ZGB, Sacramento Valley SEC

Effective February 1, 2022, District 3 DEC Michael Joseph, KK6ZGB, will serve as ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), taking over for our current SEC, Greg Kruckewitt, KG6SJT.  I have interviewed Michael and am confident that he is qualified and motivated for this position.  This leadership transition will be smooth as Greg will stay on as Assistant SEC.  Congratulations to Michael on his new appointment and thanks to Greg for his many years of leadership and service to our community!

Dr. Carol Milazzo, KP4MD, ARRL Sacramento Valley Section Manager

Greg writes, 

Michael has a strong background in emergency communications. He has worked in law enforcement, with the Red Cross, and the Sacramento Medical Reserve Corps. He has also served as the ARRL District 3 EC working closely with multiple counties.

I’m sure many of you already know Michael and have talked and interacted with him in the past few years. He has been working the Red Cross radio station during the major fires that we have experienced. He has handled this position admirably tracking teams and resources.

Michael is excited at the opportunity to inject new energy and enthusiasm into SV ARES.  I’m looking forward to his leadership.

It has been my privilege to serve as the Sacramento Valley Section SEC and have the opportunity to work with each of you. 

The Sacramento Valley Section ARES has accomplished so very much  and performed at a high level supporting emergency communications. I’m proud that the various counties worked closely together and provided mutual support to each other during the fire seasons.

I’m not going away, but my focus with emergency communications will increase working to support the Winlink Development team. Many of the new technologies being integrated in Winlink will add the value of ARES operators to served agencies and Emergency Managers during times of crisis.

For an example of how Winlink is adding value to Emergency managers, check out this Dashboard that was developed by Oregon Office of Emergency Management for an exercise of integrating Winlink SPOTREP reports.

This is just their first try at this integration.

—— FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO) UNCLASSIFIED CONTROLLED INFORMATION - -

Oregon Office of Emergency Management developed a Dashboard of SpotRep reports received from Winlink

https://geo.maps.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/a29ec1cba18d45c09ba65bff97782517

—

I trust that ARES ability to utilize Winlink will increase our value to our served agencies.
Anyway, exciting things are coming to emergency communication  and I look forward to  the opportunity to be involved.
I will work closely to support Michael in his new appointment.
I have no doubts Michael will offer your and your members great support and leadership.
Please feel free to email or call me any time if I can be of help to you.
Please reach out to Michael and welcome him!

Greg KG6SJT

------

Michael’s Contact information:
Michael Joseph, KK6ZGB
Cell: 916-495-4010
kk6zgb@gmail.com 

A memorial service for Michael Aretsky, N6MQL, was held on Saturday, March 12th, 2022 at 3 PM PST at Carmichael Presbyterian Church - 5645 Marconi Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608.   Mike's ashes were interred at Carmichael Presbyterian Church on the same day with his family in attendance.  The memorial service is posted on the Carmichael Presbyterian YouTube page.

Section News - May 2023

From the Section Manager

As we approach a hopeful soon return to normalcy, I extend a warm welcome to our many newly licensed hams and applaud our section members and clubs for continuing the virtual club meetings, virtual Field Days, online conventions, licensing classes and VE sessions.  We look forward to soon resume our in-person activities with all necessary safety precautions. Thanks to you all for keeping our Sacramento Valley section alive and strong over this past year!

ARRL SV Section Booth at May 28, 2023 Carmichael Elks Ham Swap

Thanks to all who stopped by our ARRL booth at the Carmichael Elks Amateur Radio Club Ham Radio Swap Meet on Sunday May 28.  The weather was great, the bargains were plentiful, attendance was good and the door prizes won included a $100 gift certificate to Ham Radio Outlet and various ARRL publications. There was an electronic salvage trailer available for left over items.  Thanks to John Dyer, KJ6JD and the Carmichael Elks for another excellent event.

2023 ARRL Field Day is June 24-25! 

ARRL Field Day is an annual exercise and public demonstration of our emergency communications response capabilities. Radio amateurs throughout North America participate in this exercise during the last weekend of each June. Anyone with or without an FCC license is welcome to visit and participate in Amateur Radio at a Field Day site.  Click to find a public ARRL Field Day site in your area.

Clubs: Be sure to add your public Field Day site to the ARRL Field Day Station Locator. Log onto http://www.arrl.org/field-day and click on the Field Day Site Locator link. Promote your Field Day event in your community, online, and use hashtag #ARRLFD on social media.

Paul Grose, N6DRY, Silent Key

posted April 21, 2021

We are sad to announce that long time River City ARCS member Paul Grose, N6DRY, passed away peacefully while having lunch with his wife Jeff at Camden Springs Senior Living in Elk Grove around 1:00 pm on Monday, March 15, 2021.

Paul was a long time ARRL member, served as Treasurer and Vice President of the Elk Grove Florin ARC, board member and treasurer for the River City ARCS and was the 2011 recipient of that club's Lyle Aufranc Memorial Award.  Paul was also regularly active in 2 meter and SSTV nets, homebrewing, on WinLink and packet radio with Sacramento ARES, and regularly gave communications support to the Clarksburg Fun Run and the California International Marathon.

Condolences may be sent to Paul's wife Jeff Grose at Camden Springs Senior Living, 8476 Sheldon Rd Apt 126, Elk Grove, CA 95624.  The date and place of a future memorial service are to be announced.

You can still send May news to kp4md@arrl.org. This website is visited most during the first week of each month, but do check back as it is often updated with late breaking news.

Our Section website, Facebook and Twitter pages are a work in progress, and your suggestions and submissions are always welcome.

73, Dr. Carol Milazzo, KP4MD

American Radio Relay League Sacramento Valley Section Manager

kp4md(at)arrl.org

You can always send compliments, suggestions and submissions for inclusion in our Section News to kp4md(at)arrl.org

FCC Updated Radio Frequency Exposure Rules Become Effective on May 3, 2021

from the ARRL News April 12, 2021

The FCC has announced that rule changes detailed in a lengthy 2019 Report and Order governing RF exposure standards go into effect on May 3, 2021. The new rules do not change existing RF exposure (RFE) limits but do require that stations in all services, including amateur radio, be evaluated against existing limits, unless they are exempted. For stations already in place, that evaluation must be completed by May 3, 2023. After May 3 of this year, any new station, or any existing station modified in a way that’s likely to change its RFE profile — such as different antenna or placement or greater power — will need to conduct an evaluation by the date of activation or change.

“In the RF Report and Order, the Commission anticipated that few parties would have to conduct reevaluations under the new rules and that such evaluations will be relatively straightforward,” the FCC said in an April 2 Public Notice. “It nevertheless adopted a 2-year period for parties to verify and ensure compliance under the new rules.”The Amateur Service is no longer categorically excluded from certain aspects of the rules, as amended, and licensees can no longer avoid performing an exposure assessment simply because they are transmitting below a given power level.

ARRL members can watch a recording of the May 15 webinar on RF Exposure rules  on the ARRL Learning Network.

Read the full story at http://www.arrl.org/news/updated-radio-frequency-exposure-rules-become-effective-on-may-3

RF Exposure calculators

April 2021 Volunteer Monitor Program Report Released

from the ARRL News May 13, 2021

The Volunteer Monitor (VM) Program is a joint initiative between ARRL and FCC to enhance compliance in the Amateur Radio Service.

A General class renewal applicant withdrew his application after FCC notice that the renewal application would be held up pending review of Volunteer Monitor complaints. As a consequence, the Quakertown, Pennsylvania, applicant has no operating privileges.

Twenty-one operators in 14 states received Advisories because of their operation in the March CQ World Wide DX Contest. While making contacts with VC3T and VC2W, their LSB signals extended below 7.125 MHz, which is the lower limit of the 40-meter amateur phone band.

Volunteer Monitors participated in a nationwide training program on April 7 that was conducted by ARRL and the FCC.

The Volunteer Monitor Coordinator had two meetings in April with FCC Enforcement Bureau personnel.

The totals for VM monitoring in March were 1,394 hours on HF frequencies and 2,515 hours on VHF and above frequencies. -- Thanks to Volunteer Monitor Coordinator Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH

 EmComm = Emergency Communications 

Communicators Needed for June 16 Pony Express Re-Ride 2022

The National Pony Express Association has scheduled the 2022 Re-Ride to arrive in Old Sacramento on June 16, 2022. https://www.nationalponyexpress.org/re-ride/current-reride/

Dennis Klaman – N6KLA – is the communications coordinator for the California portion of the ride. He is needing radio operators and Net Control operators to take specific shifts in support of the ride. The shifts will operate from locations along the Highway 50 corridor.

This is a fun and interesting event supporting a historical society that is just as passionate about their hobby as we are about our hobby.

Contact Dennis Klaman to help with this event. dennis.klaman@gmail.com.

Jay Ballinger - N6SAC

Emergency Coordinator Sacramento County ARES

Sacramento County ARES - Consider being a Net Control Operator

posted May 5, 2021

We could use some help with more of you participating as Net Control.

We have a dedicated, yet small, group of members who reliably perform these duties every single week. Sometimes, because of availability, our Net Control Operators handle our weekly Net more than once a month. It would be a big help if we could get more of you to join our Net Control ranks. And, I’ll make you a deal – you can participate as much or as little as you like if you at least give it a try.

Net Control Tutorials

Jay Ballinger, N6SAC, Sacramento County ARES Emergency Coordinator

http://www.sacramentoares.org

American Radio Relay League

The National Association for Amateur Radio

American Radio Relay League is a 501(c)3 non profit organization.

Sacramento Valley Section

Serving Alpine, Amador, Butte, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo & Yuba Counties in Northern California

Sacramento Valley Section is located in the ARRL Pacific Division.

Sacramento Valley Section Web Resources

ARRL National Page:
www.arrl.org/Groups/view/sacramento-valley

Organization, Clubs, Calendar, Nets

Sacramento Valley ARES:
www.sacvalleyares.org SV ARES Brochure

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ARRLSacramentoValley

Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARRL_SV

Thanks to Greg Kruckewitt KG6SJT for maintaining our Section ARES web page and for assisting with our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Thanks to Les Cobb W6TEE for maintaining the Section Net list.

Submit Section News updates to kp4md(at)arrl.org

2023 ARRL Conventions/Hamfests & other Regional Events

Past Section News Archive

Amateur Radio License Classes and Volunteer Exam (VE) Information and Schedules

Class and VE Session Calendar

COVID-19 Note: Please check with VE teams for availability.

Remote Video Sessions:

If you cannot find an in-person exam session in your area or if you would rather take the test via a remote video-supervised online session, you can search for online examination dates here: https://hamstudy.org/sessions. Click on the box “Show online” to only display the list of upcoming remote video sessions.

Getting Your Amateur Radio License

Before you go on air, you need to be licensed and know the rules. In the United States the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) grants Amateur Radio licenses to individuals who successfully pass a multiple choice written exam at a Volunteer Exam (VE) session.  

The FCC currently issues three levels of amateur radio license: Technician, General and Amateur Extra.

The license exam contains multiple choice questions selected from lists that are published online at http://www.arrl.org/question-pools. Many individuals prepare for an exam session using self-study license manuals and online practice exams. From time to time, license preparation courses are offered that cover the exam material over several weeks. "Ham-Cram" sessions are also popular, where a several hours' review class of exam questions and answers is immediately followed by a license exam session.

Visit http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-class to find a license class.

Visit http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session to find a license exam session.

For more information on testing, preparation and study materials, see:

"So Now What?" - podcast for new hams

License Courses

COVID-19 Note:
Check with VE teams for availability.

2021 Ham-Cram Sessions - New Location

Posted April 21, 2021

Section member Joe Cardoza, KA6ROM, announces that his Citrus Heights VE Team will conduct their amateur radio Ham-Cram Technician License training and examinations on the following dates every other month at Compudigital Industries, 4480 Yankee Hill Rd, Ste 150, Rocklin, CA 95677.

The Ham-Cram and Exam dates for 2021 are:

Meet at 9 am, exam at 10 am.  Preregistration is required.  Contact Joe Cardoza, KA6ROM, via email cardozas@comcast.net to pre-register.

Carmichael Elks VE Team 2021 Sessions

Posted April 21, 2021

The Carmichael Elks VE Team continue conducting in-person on the third Saturday of each month from 7:00 am - 8:30 am at the Carmichael Elks Lodge, 5631 Cypress Ave, Carmichael, CA 95608.  COVID precautions are iniplace.  Advance registration is advised but walk ins may be accommodated.  Contact Vas Vyvoda at (916) 956-9221 or vvyvoda@gmail.com

Upcoming dates are:

May 15, June 19, July 17, August 21, September 18, October 16, November 20, December 18.

California Emergency Volunteers Ham-Cram Sessions

Posted May 1, 2021

The California Emergency Volunteers, Inc. offers 6 hour long "Get Your License in One Day" Ham-Cram sessions followed by a Technician Class license exam session. Contact them via www.cevol.org for more information and to register.

Redding ARRL VE Schedule 2021

Posted May 1, 2021

The Redding ARRL VE Team will be hosting exams on the following Saturdays in 2021:

Our exam sessions are now being held at the City of Redding Parks Building, 20055 Viking Way, Bldg #4, Redding. Exams start at 10:00 AM and candidates must pre-register.

More information can be found at: www.reddingve.com or by contacting Steve K6KS at sjmosconi@gmail.com

SHINGLETOWN ARRL VE 2021 Schedule

Test Location:

Shingletown Area Resource Center, 31268 HWY 44, SHINGLETOWN, CA. 96088

Testing begins at 8:00 AM.

Candidates should arrive 15 to 30 minutes early.

Information at http://www.qrz/com/db/wo6p

Contact:

Dar Walker W6IO, Shingletown ARRL VE Liaison, w6iodar@gmail.com, 530-474-3087

TEST SCHEDULE:

2021: Feb 20, Apr 17, Jun 19, Aug 21, Oct 16, Dec 11

Dar Walker W6IO

Other VE Sessions - Schedule List (ARRL.org site)

Samuel F Morse ARC to offer Morse Code Instructional Course Sep 15-Nov 17

Posted August 24, 2021

The Samuel F Morse ARC will once again be running our 10-week CW for beginner’s course. This course will be held once a week for 2 hours (7 PM until 9 PM) each Wednesday evening. If you or someone you know are interested in learning Morse Code we encourage you to sign up NOW. You do NOT need to be a licensed operator to join our class. We will begin Wednesday evening Sep 15th (ending Nov 17th).

Everyone can benefit from this course! For those with no Morse Code knowledge this is an excellent course where you or your friends will be taught the complete International Morse Code alphabet, numbers, pro-signs, how to adjust and send on a Morse Code straight. Please go to www.w6sfm.com or contact Mike, N6MQL for more information: admin@w6sfm.com


50 W PEP Maximum Power Limit Area on 70 cm

A little recognized portion of FCC Part 97 regulations applies to 420-450 MHz operations in most counties in our Sacramento Valley section:

47 CFR §97.313 (f) No station may transmit with a transmitter power exceeding 50 W PEP on the UHF 70 cm band from an area specified in footnote US270 to §2.106 of part 2. The indicated affected areas are specified in http://www.arrl.org/us270, in the State of California within a 240-kilometer (150 mile) radius around locations at Beale Air Force Base, California (latitude 39°08' North, longitude 121°21' West).

More information on the additional impact on 70 cm repeater stations is at http://www.narcc.org/NARCC-ARRL-PAVE-PAWS-Update-2014a.pdf

The Amateur Radio Service shares the 70 cm band on a secondary basis with the US Government which has priority. The US Department of Defense routinely monitors and locates signal sources on these frequencies.  Our voluntary cooperation is mandatory to avoid interference with the Pave PAWS (Phased Array Warning System) radar at Beale AFB and thus to assure our continued access to these frequencies.

More information and videos on Pave PAWS

Radio Frequency Interference

posted February 3, 2018

ARRL and the FCC have a cooperative agreement in radio frequency interference matters. You may submit interference reports together with your supporting documentation to ARRL EMC Engineer Mike Gruber W1MG who then files the report with the FCC Gettysburg office.

You may also contact our Section Technical Coordinator Bob Wortman, WB6VYH for assistance. More information is posted under the "From the Section Manager" notes in the November 2016 Section News - Carol KP4MD

Bob Hess, W1RH, shares this helpful web page by NK7Z for identifying sources of Radio Frequency Interference http://www.nk7z.net/rfi-snapshots

Keep Our Digital Transmissions Legal on 60 Meters

Posted January 29, 2017

Interest in HF propagation phenomena and antennas has attracted increasing numbers of radio amateurs to operate CW and weak signal digital modes on our lower HF frequencies including 60 meters. The five frequency channels that US amateur radio operators share on a secondary basis with US federal government users on 60 meters (5 MHz) pose unique requirements for CW and digital operators. As explained on http://www.arrl.org/60m-channel-allocation, each US radio amateur emission on our 60m channels must be precisely centered in the center frequency of each assigned channel, that is, 5332.0, 5348.0, 5358.5, 5373.0 or 5405.0 kHz. Thus, for example, each CW or digital signal on channel 3 (USB Dial frequency 5357.0 kHz) must be precisely in the 5358.5 kHz channel center.

This may appear unreasonable to radio amateurs because a 2.8 kHz channel can accommodate many digital and CW transmissions simultaneously, and requiring multiple stations to operate on the same exact frequency would result in mutual interference. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)* explains this requirement in https://ecfsapi.fcc.gov/file/7021871884.pdf which states: "Allowing multiple emissions within the necessary bandwidth of the widest authorized modes (2.8 kHz) increases the possibility of harmful interference from secondary amateur stations to primary federal stations, and would make it more difficult for a federal station to identify an interfering amateur station. In addition, NTIA is concerned about the aggregate equivalent isotropically radiated power from multiple amateur stations transmitting within a single 2.8 kHz channel. Accordingly, NTIA requests that 47 C.F.R. Section 97.303(h) continue to require that amateur stations transmit only on the five center frequencies allocated to the amateur service."  (See http://www.arrl.org/what-the-fcc-rules-say-97-303-h)

Observed Violations of US 60 Meter Frequency Regulations

FT8/JT65

This screenshot photo shows digital signals received on 60 meter Channel 3 (5357 kHz USB dial frequency) from 0300-0309 UTC on January 29, 2017. In the photo, the 5357 kHz dial frequency is at 0 Hz on the left side of the waterfall and the 5358.5 kHz channel center is at the 1500 Hz mark. Decodes of several US radio amateurs are seen transmitting digital emissions simultaneously on various frequencies throughout the channel 3 frequency range 5357-5360 kHz. This is the familiar appearance of a digital waterfall display on all other amateur radio bands; however, it violates the NTIA requirement that each US radio amateur transmission be on the 1500 Hz center mark (the 5358.5 kHz channel center frequency).

WSPR

The link http://wsprnet.org/olddb?band=60&sort=callsign&reverse=on&unique=on lists WSPR mode emissions on the 60 meter band. One can scroll down that list and see how many A, K, N and W call signs have been transmitting WSPR mode on 5288 kHz or 5366 kHz, frequencies that are outside the authorized US 60 meter center channel frequencies.  

US WSPR transmissions continue to be observed on the WSPR software default 60 meter frequencies of 5288 kHz and 5366 kHz, completely unauthorized frequencies for US radio amateurs.

Each licensee has the final responsibility for the lawful operation of his or her station.  Unfortunately, the increasing automation in our radios has apparently accustomed some to falsely assume that the radio will correct for operator carelessness and ignorance of regulations.  Our cooperation with NTIA requirements is essential for our continued access to the 60m channels and for possible future access to the new ITU worldwide 60 meter allocation at 5351.5 to 5366.5 kHz. (See http://www.arrl.org/news/view/arrl-asks-fcc-to-allocate-new-5-mhz-band-retain-channels-and-current-power-limit and http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-invites-comments-on-arrl-petition-to-allocate-new-5-mhz-band). Please be aware of these requirements if you intend to or currently operate CW or digital modes on our shared 60m allocations. The ARRL Volunteer Monitor Program is documenting this matter and wishes to raise its awareness in the wider amateur radio community.

-Carol Milazzo, KP4MD

*The NTIA is the federal authority that coordinates radio spectrum use for the US military and federal government while the FCC serves in this capacity for US civilian radio spectrum users.

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