Organització Europea de Radioaficionats

This year and next will feature a solar eclipse in North America – a rare series of events not repeated in our lifetimes. Study of the Sun and the Earth will be the focus of much science that ham radio will participate, with the ionosphere of primary interest. Our collaboration with HAMSCI for the annual eclipse in October 2023 is a good example.

Our May Kawfee Tawk is a basic introduction to the sun and its effect, and how the ionosphere works. We hear a lot of terms used in our hobby, such as sunspots, CME, K index, solar flux, etc., but what do they mean, and how can we understand them?

This video program via Zoom will be held on Friday, May 19th, 2023 beginning at 7:30 PM EDT.

Source: Fair Lawn Amateur Radio Club [PDF]

"To mark Czech Radio's centenary, Radio Prague International is preparing a special show for you on Thursday 18 May. Listen to it and write to let us know where you heard it to receive a special Czech Radio QSL card made especially for the anniversary.

Write to us at: international@czechradio.cz

In return, we'll send you a special QSL card issued to mark the centenary, which comes from a 1933 radio exhibition and shows where the first international radio transmissions from Czechoslovakia were received."

Source: Radio Prague International

"More than 100 members of the U.S. House of Representatives now are pressuring carmakers to keep AM radio reception in cars.

These members, from both political parties, signed a letter led by Reps. Bob Latta and Greg Pence asking the car companies to retain AM radio.

They also asked the 10 companies to 'provide the details and the value of all federal loan, grant and tax incentives your company has received in the last 15 years' and whether those subsidies could help the companies offset the cost to mitigate interference. And they asked whether the car companies plan to charge customers for 'subscription-like access to free AM/FM radio in any vehicles.'"

Source: Radio World

"Hay River and Kátł’odeeche First Nation were evacuated yesterday evening. As of 15 May at 4:00 PM, 15 buildings have been damaged by wildfire at the Kátł'odeeche First Nation. No buildings are known to have been damaged in Hay River. Evacuations for both communities are in effect.

Fires remain out of control.

Members are asked to monitor the VE8YK repeater in case evacuee amateur radio operators attempt to make contact. Members are also requested to check their equipment. The Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society is civil defence oriented as part of its mandate."

Source: Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society

The AMSAT Field Day 2023 event is open to all Amateur Radio operators. Amateurs are to use the exchange as specified in ARRL rules for Field Day. The AMSAT competition is to encourage the use of all amateur satellites, both analog and digital. Note that no points will be credited for any contacts beyond the ONE allowed via each single-channel FM satellite. Operators are encouraged not to make any extra contacts via theses satellites (Ex: SO-50). CW contacts and digital contacts are worth three points as outlined below.

Source: AMSAT

More than three weeks after efforts began to deploy Juice's ice-penetrating Radar for Icy Moons Exploration (RIME) antenna, the 16-metre-long boom has finally escaped its mounting bracket.

On 12 May RIME was finally jolted into life when the flight control team fired a mechanical device called a 'non-explosive actuator' (NEA).

Source: The European Space Agency

"Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) introduced The Amateur Radio Communications Improvement Act (H.R. 3241) on May 11, 2023, to require that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) eliminate the obsolete HF digital symbol rate limit with a 2.8 kHz bandwidth limit."

Source: ARRL.org

"Larry Van Horn (N5FPW) helps break down exactly what the increased solar activity means for radio listeners on the high frequency (HF) shortwave bands. Think there are no shortwave broadcasters left to hear? Think that military and other utility communications have dried up on HF? Larry points you to the right spots on the band that prove otherwise.

As one of the only remaining publications available with international broadcast frequencies and schedules, the Global Radio Guide puts everything a radio enthusiast needs."

Source: SWLing Post

Gary, AK4ZX, Director of the Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club emailed me this morning and described an exciting endevour in which their club has created an enhanced SKYWARN network by incorporating both Ham and GMRS repeater systems. Even more intriguing is the club's embrace of GMRS users as an effort to expand the Ham Radio hobby. From Gary's email:

"Today, we begin a roll-out of an enhanced radio network to support Skywarn here in the Chattanooga area. The Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club (CARC) and the North Georgia GMRS (NGGMRS) Network have created a partnership to support a range of initiatives, including wider radio coverage areas (see map below), improvement of overall weather awareness, and to create new avenues for technological advancement. The CARC and NGGMRS have long recognized that Amateur & GMRS Radio are kindred spirits and natural partners for those that love radio. About 45 percent of NGGMRS members are also ham radio operators, which makes the 'connection' between ham radio and GMRS an obvious fit and is a near perfect path for GMRS users that so desire, to become hams. With that recognition, CARC and NGGMRS have established a strong partnership of mutual support to implement and strengthen non-commercial, non-government communications in service to its members and as a public service to the community at large...the greater level of support for Skywarn demonstrates that partnership.

After months of work, the installation of seven new GMRS repeater sites which, combined with CARC ham radio repeaters, provide a wider and near seamless radio coverage for a large portion of the southeast Tennessee, northwest Georgia, and northeast Alabama, is complete. The unique licensing nature of GMRS creates opportunities for those that need radio communications options but do not desire to become a ham, as is the case in many ham radio families. The almost 900 members & individuals represented by NGGMRS, along with the population of ham radio operators in the area, provides a large base of "eyes & ears" for Skywarn purposes. Local Skywarn Controllers are fully onboard with the addition of GMRS to the stream of weather data provided by GMRS and Ham Radio operators and are now equipped with GMRS radios and are GMRS licensed too. Skywarn orientation sessions are also available.

We are hopeful that we will see an overall improvement in the average number of Skywarn participants available on a day-in-day out basis, more quantitative & quality severe weather reporting, and a heighten sense of weather awareness. To quote one of the founding principles of the NGGMRS organization, 'If this network will one day, save one life, in a time of need, then it’s all worth the time, money, and sacrifice.' The CARC agrees with that philosophy."

Source: Chattanooga Amateur Radio Club

Most of the astronauts aboard the Artemis 2 mission, which will send a quartet of people around the moon in late 2024, are certified ham radio (amateur radio) operators. There's high hopes in the community that the astronauts may call home from deep space, the president of Radio Amateurs of Canada told Space.com.

Source: ICQ Podcast News

The National Alliance of State Broadcasters Association (NASBA) is reporting insights it discovered after polling AM stations about the removal of over-the-air AM in new cars.

The most telling survey result, according to NASBA, is that 8 in 10 of the radio stations responding listed their level of concern as 10 out of 10 when it comes to AM being eliminated in the car.

Eight automakers have decided to drop AM radio from some of their models, mostly EVs, and have cited interference with AM radio reception caused by electric motors as the reason.

Source: RadioWorld

The Dayton Hamvention is coming May 19th-21st! AMSAT's presence includes several events throughout the weekend and in with eight adjoining booths in Building 1. Highlighting the exhibit will be:

• SatPC32 software demonstrations
• The AMSAT CubeSat Simulator
• The AMSAT Youth Initiative / KidzSat
• AMSAT Engineering staff question and answer table
• OSCAR ground station for live satellite operations
• Annual Membership sign-up and renewals
• AMSAT President's Club recognition
• AMSAT Board of Directors and Senior Officers Meet and Greet
• AMSAT Store offering AMSAT trinkets, books and Arrow Antennas
• And much more!

The interaction with AMSAT members, satellite operators, designers, and builders makes the whole experience a lot of fun. Meet or renew acquaintances, exchange operating tips, and find out what antennas, software and equipment other AMSAT members use. We currently expect many of AMSAT's senior officers and board members to be there too.

More info at AMSAT.

Source: AMSAT

Jock Elliott, KB2GOM, gives a great overview of what low-power FM is, and how you can "chase" these 100 Watt stations.

Source: SWLing Post

Dear radio amateurs! We invite you to participate in the SSTV award program with the ORBICRAFT-ZORKIY satellite!

Schedule:

• Start of SSTV transmission: 07 May 2023 00:00 UTC
• End of SSTV transmission: May 13, 2023 00:00 UTC
• Frequency of MCA "ORBICRAFT-ZORKIY"

437.850 MHz GMSK 2k4 USP FEC, GMSK 4k8 USP FEC, GMSK 9k6 USP FEC, SSTV

Telemetry of the MSC "ORBICRAFT-ZORKIY" https://r4uab.ru/satdb/orbicraft-zorkiy/

Conditions: within 6 days, the satellite will broadcast 6 (six) different images in Robot 72 mode. To receive a diploma, at least 3 (three) of any images must be received and decoded. Each image must be received at least 70% and have an acceptable quality, the logo and call sign of the satellite must be distinguishable.

More info at AMSAT.

Source: AMSAT