Club News

 Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees.

The FCC proposal is contained in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in MD Docket 20-270, which was adopted to implement portions of the “Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act” of 2018 — the so-called “Ray Baum’s Act.”

The Act requires that the FCC switch from a Congressionally-mandated fee structure to a cost-based system of assessment. In its NPRM, the FCC proposed application fees for a broad range of services that use the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS), including the Amateur Radio Service that had been excluded by an earlier statute. The 2018 statute excludes the Amateur Service from annual regulatory fees, but not from application fees.

Read more: FCC Proposes to Reinstate Amateur Radio Service Fees

We welcome our first two Aksarben ARC “PANDEMIC” members:

Robert Mitchell KE0ZUP and Thomas (Tom) Blocher KE0ULW

As we continue to learn how to conduct our socially distant meetings on Zoom and the repeater it was exciting to introduce these new members to the club.  We look forward to the day when we can welcome them in person and put a face to the voice we hear on the radio. 

Respectfully:

Brian Sohl KE0GKB

Aksarben ARC

Secretary

The Effects of COVID-19 on Worldwide Propagation
by Pat Connell W0OJU

On a typical Spring Sunday afternoon, I would be working on a project in the garage, in the basement, in the back yard, or at a friend’s house.  Anywhere but in the basement or in my radio room.

But this Sunday was different, it was March 29, 2020 the year of COVID-19.  Our president, governor, and numerous other brilliant scientists touted the way to defeat or “flatten the infection curve” was to practice “social distancing”.  But how does an extrovert like me practice social distancing.  Talk to my neighbor over the fence, or  call someone on the phone – not too interesting.  Go for a walk with the dog?  No, the dog will just want to chase the neighborhood birds and other wildlife. 

Thinking about what to do next, I found myself in the radio shack. Seeing the HF radio was on, I checked on 15 meters and found the WPX contest was on and could hear US states repeating calling CQ with no answers or at least I could not hear the foreign stations calling them on my simple dipole.

I went down to 21.074 mhz to see if FT8 was active and start seeing signal reports of S+5 -10!  What the heck, as I turned up the audio I could hear lots of audio signals and some really loud signals from all over North and South America.  I thought what the heck, I should check out 10 meters my favorite band.  (Did I ever tell you I had an 8 element 10 meter Yagi on an 48 foot boom when I was young and single? That is a story for another column.)

I could hear a faint signal down in the noise and then a string of W4, 5 and a W6 came across the WSJT program screen.  I worked a half dozen stations, and then started calling CQ, which in turn caused me to work stations after stations for the next two hours.  I worked W0-W9, KP4, KH6, and a slew of central and South Americans! 

I checked with PSKreporter and found that my signal was being heard in Italy, New Zealand, etc.  (By the way PSKreporter will be a topic for another column – but it is a very practical almost real time tool to check on both HF and VHF band conditions, and whom is hearing whom.)

This was not a onetime experience.  On March 31, ten meters was open late afternoon and early evening across the U.S. and all the ways to South American.  One Example was a J68 (St. Lucia island) who was a S9+ signal for over two hours!!

By now you are wondering, so how is COVID-19 improving propagation? My hypothesis is that there is an indirect impact.  My hypothesis is that there are more people listening out there as part of their social distancing.  The problem is if everybody is just listening and not calling CQ the band will appear to be dead.  So, let’s light up the ionosphere by listening and calling CQ – just don’t be surprised when someone answers! 

73’s and I would love to hear your experiences. – Pat W0OJU

With some adjustments, the April 2020 Ak-Sar-Ben ARC meeting is on!

* * * PLEASE READ CAREFULLY THE INFORMATION BELOW * * *

1. We will NOT be meeting at the Red Cross this month, that facility is closed to outside groups at this time. 

2. We WILL host the meeting on the KØUSA  repeater: 146.940 Mhz (No PL Tone is necessary to reach the repeater - the PL tone is only on the output and is optional on your radio)    also, you can use Echolink node 732572 (N0TRK-R) to reach the K0USA repeater.  (note, you will not hear the repeater ID or courtesy beep over Echolink due to the link radio utilizing the receive PL tone) 

3. We WILL host the meeting simultaneously on Zoom.  (Zoom is a video meeting host site - see information below) 

4. Procedure: THE MEETING WILL BE RUN AS A NET. So for those on the repeater, we will have check-ins.

5. Limitations: Due to the limitations of Zoom, it is possible the meeting will only last 40 minutes. We are working to resolve this. Also, we will NOT send the Treasurer's report out over the repeater. Committees will give a report when called for, like any other meeting.

This should not be new, many of us have participated in a net, and many of us have been involved in a video conference meeting.  However, this is new for the club. So we want to thank you for your patience and your participation. If you have questions email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you did not receive the email about this - please reach out to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to ensure we have your current information.  The Zoom meeting information is not shared on Facebook or the web site to help reduce the likelihood that the meeting will be hijacked.  (yes, people troll the web looking for meeting invitations and then disrupt meetings.

Despite things being listed on the web site calendar - it is ALWAYS a good idea to check on the status of a meeting or test session with each group listed.

At this point, any event that was scheduled at the Red Cross at 81st and Spring is canceled as they have closed the building to outside groups, and most gatherings would be in excess of the 10 people gathering limit.  

Known cancellations:

• Ak-Sar-Ben ARC sponsored License Exam (aka VE Session) 03/31/20 is canceled
• The Pioneer Amateur Radio Club (PARC) meeting scheduled for 3/26/20 is Canceled.  Future PARC meetings are Canceled until further notice.
• The SWIARC Meeting scheduled for 3/26/20 is canceled.  Next Month's meetings TBA.
• The Annual Family Weatherfest sponsored by the University of Nebraska in Lincoln scheduled for 04/04/20 is canceled but they plan to reschedule.  The new date is not available
• Ak-Sar-Ben ARC club Meeting 04/10/20 will be on-air and on-line (look for more details)
• The Spring Clean-up Hamfest on 04/18/20 sponsored by the Bellevue ARC is Cancelled and they also plan to reschedule.  The new date has not yet been announced.
• The DMRAA (Des Moines) Ham Fest scheduled for 04/25/20 has been postponed - new date is 04/24/2021