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********************************************
The ARRL Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League ********************************************

May 19, 2022

John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, Editor <news@arrl.org>

ARRL Home Page <http://www.arrl.org/>ARRL Letter Archive <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/>Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/> IN THIS ISSUE

- The 2022 Dayton Hamvention® -- May 20-22 -- Is Ready to Go
- Armed Forces Day Crossband Test Successful
- Vibroplex Acquires SPE Expert Linear Amplifiers
- ARRL Podcasts Schedule
- Amateur Radio in the News
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

THE 2022 DAYTON HAMVENTION® -- MAY 20-22 -- IS READY TO GO

The gates are set to open at 9 AM on Friday, May 20, for the 70th

anniversary of the Dayton Hamvention® at the Greene County
Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio. The 2022 Hamvention theme
is "Reunion," to celebrate the much-anticipated return of this popular
annual gathering of the ham radio community after the event's two-year
absence in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. Hamvention officials have
great reason to expect this year's event will be highly successful.
Advance ticket sales have been brisk, and over 450 vendors have been
working this week setting up booths and displays.

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio
<http://www.arrl.org>® has organized a large exhibit area, the ARRL
EXPO <http://www.arrl.org/expo>, in the Tesla building. More than a
dozen booths will be staffed by a team of 80 including ARRL Board
members, Section Managers, Field Organization volunteers, program representatives, and ARRL Headquarters staff. ARRL has also organized
10 forums, including presentations for the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service® (ARES®), 2022 ARRL Field Day, the ARRL Collegiate Amateur
Radio Program, the ARRL Volunteer Monitor Program, and topics covering
ham radio outreach to youth, reinvigorating radio clubs, and
understanding the FCC RF Exposure Rules. An ARRL membership forum will
be held Saturday afternoon.

The 2022 Hamvention will be open Friday and Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM,
and on Sunday from 9 AM to 1 PM. For more information, please visit
these official websites:

Dayton Hamvention www.hamvention.org <http://www.hamvention.org/>

ARRL EXPO at Dayton Hamvention www.arrl.org/expo
<http://www.arrl.org/expo>

Attendees can follow the complete Hamvention program using the ARRL
Events app which is available for download at www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/arrl <https://www.tripbuildermedia.com/apps/arrl>, or use the web version <https://www.tripbuilder.net/html5/arrl>. Photos will be posted
throughout the event on the ARRL Facebook page at
tinyurl.com/2022Hamvention <https://tinyurl.com/2022Hamvention>.

ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND TEST SUCCESSFUL

The 2022 Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, held May 14, produced
impressive results. Frank Donovan, W3LPL, reports good band conditions
and participation resulted in over 800 contacts with 330 on Single Side
Band (SSB).

"Cooperation of amateurs, as secondary users of 60 meters, was
outstanding, with no interference," said Donovan. "All of the 24
stations that signed up for the exercise were active at some point."

Here is the detailed NSS band-by-band QSO breakdown:

80 meters: 20 CW, 35 SSB = 55 total
60 meters: 21 CW, 169 SSB = 190 total
40 meters: 85 CW, 87 SSB = 172 total
30 meters: 54 CW = 54 total
20 meters: 151 CW, 165 SSB = 316 total
Total contacts: 331 CW, 456 SSB = 787 grand total

Historic US Navy call sign NSS in Annapolis, Maryland was operated by
the U.S. Naval Academy Amateur Radio Club, supported by members of the
Potomac Valley Radio Club (PVRC), and produced 331 CW and 456 SSB
contacts from the location of the 1918 NSS Naval Radio station.

NSS QSL cards are available from K3LU. A self-addressed stamped
envelope (SASE) will be appreciated.

VIBROPLEX ACQUIRES SPE EXPERT LINEAR AMPLIFIERS

Vibroplex LLC, of Knoxville, Tennessee, has entered into a purchase
agreement to acquire all operating assets related to the sale and
servicing of SPE Expert linear amplifiers from Expert Linears America
LLC, of Magnolia, Texas, for undisclosed terms. This is including
contractual agreements for the exclusive sale and service of SPE Expert amplifiers for the United States and Canada. SPE, based in Rome, Italy,
has also agreed to provide an extension to existing distribution
agreements as part of the transaction. Vibroplex has taken over the
exclusive US and Canada distribution and service of SPE Expert products effective May 1, 2022.

Present ELA LLC owner Bob Hardie, W5UQ, told ARRL, "I'm still doing
a lot of the repairing, and I will be for a few years until I just
can't repair anymore." Hardie will continue to provide repair and parts services for SPE Expert products on behalf of Vibroplex and function as
a consultant during the transition to new ownership. An additional
repair person has also been brought on by ELA and Vibroplex to assist
with both future warranty and non-warranty service and tech support.

All SPE amplifier warranties presently in effect will be transferred to
and administered by Vibroplex. Pending orders for SPE Expert
unfulfilled prior to May 1, 2022, will be administered by Vibroplex
with no additional delay over quoted delivery time added.

SPE is owned and operated by Gianfranco Scasciafratti, I0ZY, of Rome,
Italy. The current SPE product line is distributed worldwide and
consists of the SPE 1.3K-FA, SPE 1.5K-FA, and SPE 2K-FA solid-state
linear amplifiers.

Scott Robbins, W4PA, owns Vibroplex, as well as Bencher, INRAD, Par
EndFedz and Vintage Manuals product lines. The company is also the
exclusive US and Canada distributor for Spiderbeam, MAT-TUNER, Easy-Rotor-Control, GHD, and Hi-Mound radio accessories.

More information is available from Virboplex; www.vibroplex.com <http://www.vibroplex.com/>.

ARRL PODCASTS SCHEDULE

The latest episode of the ARRL On the Air
<https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> podcast (Episode 29) features a
discussion about the nature of frequency modulation (FM) and how it
differs from AM.

The latest edition (Episode 60) of the ARRL Eclectic Tech <https://blubrry.com/eclectictech/> podcast features a discussion with
Brian Callahan, AD2BA, about his proposal for embedding small binary
files within SSTV images. Also, an old idea revived for the 21st
century: using "lens" antennas for microwaves.

The On the Air and Eclectic Tech podcasts are sponsored by Icom. Both
podcasts are available on iTunes (iOS) and Stitcher (Android), as well
as on Blubrry -- On the Air <https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> |
Eclectic Tech <https://blubrry.com/eclectictech/>.

AMATEUR RADIO IN THE NEWS

ARRL Public Information Officers, Coordinators, and many other member-volunteers help keep amateur radio and ARRL in the news <http://www.arrl.org/media-hits>.

- "Hamvention returns tomorrow, thousands expected <https://www.whio.com/news/hamvention-returns-tomorrow-thousands-expected/840496d4-c240-4b6e-8cf1-0d63b92e9682/>"

/ WHIO-TV 7 (Ohio), May 19, 2022

- "Ham radio operators to show off skills during field day event in
Portage County <https://www.record-courier.com/story/news/2022/05/15/ham-radio-operators-show-off-skills-portage-field-day-event-portage-county-amateur-radio-service/9734275002/>"

/ Record-Courier (Ohio), May 15, 2022

Share <newsmedia@arrl.org> any amateur radio media hits you spot with
us.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station located at ARRL
Headquarters in Newington, Connecticut, is fulfilling QSL card requests
with a commemorative card celebrating the Amateur Radio Transatlantic Communications Centennial. The special card will be issued for all W1AW
QSL card requests for contacts made with the station from December 11,
2021, to December 31, 2022. The historic transatlantic tests of 100
years ago contributed to the dawn of international amateur radio communications. US amateurs contacting W1AW <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw>
who would like a QSL card should send their card directly to the
station with a SASE (Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope). International
stations may confirm receipt of transmissions directly to W1AW with one
IRC or via the W1 Incoming QSL Bureau.

On June 12, 2022, the Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club (BVARC) will
mark the 250th anniversary of the burning of the British tax collection
ship HMS Gaspee in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island. The club will
operate a special event station from the site at Gaspee Point on June
11, and two stations, W1G and K1G from June 4 - 20. The BVARC team will
provide a special certificate to anyone who works both W1G and K1G.
There is no charge for postage or certificate. Details available at www.w1ddd.org <http://www.w1ddd.org/>.

IN BRIEF...

On the road from Toronto, Canada to Dayton Hamvention, Mike Walker,
VA3MW, stopped along Highway 401 to operate a little 10 GHz via rain
scatter propagation. Mike managed 2 contacts; one with Peter Paul
Prabucki, VA3ELE, and another with Gedas Vysniauskas, W8BYA. The CW
contact with W8BYA was his longest to date at 377km while VA3ELE was at
167 km.

THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington, reports:

Solar activity was up, up, up this week, with average daily sunspot

numbers increasing from 74.4 to 134.1, and average daily solar flux
from 120.3 to 157.3.

Geomagnetic indicators were higher also. Average daily planetary A
index went from 5 to 9, while middle latitude A index increased from
4.6 to 9.6.

Spaceweather.com reported on Wednesday that big sunspot AR3014 doubled
in size, and presented this movie from NASA, showing 24 hours of
activity:

https://bit.ly/3G1m2ff

Predicted solar flux is 180 on May 19 - 20, 178 on May 21 - 24, then
flux values drop rapidly to 176, 170, 150, 136 and 138 on May 25 - 29,
140 on May 30 - 31, 143 on June 1 - 3, 140 and 136 on June 4 - 5, 138
on June 6 - 7, then 140 and 150 on June 8 - 9, 154 on June 10 - 12, 152
on June 13 - 14, then 150 and 148 on June 15 - 16, 140 on June 17 - 18,
145 on June 19, 142 on June 20 - 21, and 138 on June 22.

Predicted planetary A index is 14 and 12 on May 19 - 20, 8 on May 21 -
22, 5 on May 23 - 25, 15 on May 26 - 27, 8 on May 28, 5 on May 29
through June 9, 8 on June 10, 14 on June 11 - 12, 8 and 5 on June 13 -
14, 8 on June 15 - 16, 5 on June 17 - 19, 18 on June 20, and 15 on June
21 - 23.

The above predictions are from the 557th USAF Weather wing.

In Friday's bulletin look for reports of unusual propagation on 12
meters.

Sunspot numbers for May 12 - 18, 2022 were 112, 120, 105, 129, 173,
153, and 147, with a mean of 134.1. 10.7 cm flux was 133, 149.5, 152.7,
153.6, 161.7, 170.8, and 179.9, with a mean of 157.3. Estimated
planetary A indices were 8, 7, 7, 12, 10, 12, and 7, with a mean of 9.
Middle latitude A index was 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 15, and 7, with a mean of
9.6.

A comprehensive K7RA Solar Update is posted Fridays on the ARRL
website. For more information concerning radio propagation, visit <http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals> the ARRL Technical
Information Service, read
<http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere> "What the Numbers
Mean...," and check out <http://k9la.us/> the Propagation Page of Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA.

A propagation bulletin archive <http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation> is available. For customizable propagation charts, visit the VOACAP Online for Ham Radio <https://www.voacap.com/hf/> website.

Share <k7ra@arrl.net> your reports and observations.

A weekly, full report is posted on ARRL News
<http://www.arrl.org/news>.

JUST AHEAD IN RADIOSPORT

- May 21 - 22 -- SARL VHF/UHF Digital Contest (digital)

- May 21 -- UN DX Contest (CW, phone)

- May 21 -- YOTA Contest (CW, phone)

- May 21 - 22 -- NZART Sangster Shield Contest (CW)

- May 21 - 22 -- His Majesty King of Spain Contest (CW)

- May 21 - 22 -- EU PSK DX Contest (digital)

- May 21 - 22 -- Arkansas QSO Party (CW, phone, digital)

- May 21 -- Feld Hell Sprint (digital)

- May 21 - 22 -- Baltic Contest (CW, phone)

- May 23 -- QRP ARCI Hootowl Sprint (CW)

- May 25 -- SKCC Sprint (CW)

- May 26 -- QRP Minimal Art Session (CW)

- May 26 -- RSGB 80-Meter Club Championship (CW)

Visit the ARRL Contest Calendar <http://www.arrl.org/contest-calendar>
for more events and information.

UPCOMING SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS

- May 20 - 22 | Dayton Hamvention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/dayton-hamvention-7>® and featuring ARRL
EXPO, Xenia, Ohio

- June 3 - 5 | SEA-PAC <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/sea-pac-arrl-northwestern-division-convention>, hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon

- June 4 | Atlanta Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/atlanta-hamfest-arrl-georgia-state-convention>, hosting the ARRL Georgia State Convention, Marietta, Georgia

- June 18 | Knoxville Hamfest and Electronics Convention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/knoxville-hamfest-and-electronics-convention-arrl-tennessee-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Tennessee State Convention, Knoxville, Tennessee

- June 24 - 26 | HAM RADIO <https://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.com/>,
the International Amateur Radio Exhibition, Friedrichshafen, Germany

- July 2 | Firecracker Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/firecracker-hamfest-arrl-pennsylvania-state-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Pennsylvania State Convention, Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania

- July 22 - 23 | Ham Holiday 2022 <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/ham-holiday-2022-arrl-oklahoma-section-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Oklahoma Section Convention, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

- July 30 - 31 | ARRL West Virginia State Convention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arrl-west-virginia-state-convention-and-ham-fest>,

Sutton, West Virginia

- August 6 - 7 | Cedar Valley ARC Techfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/cedar-valley-arc-techfest-arrl-iowa-state-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Iowa State Convention, Central City, Iowa

- August 13 | Tidewater Hamfest and Swap Meet <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/tidewater-hamfest-and-swap-meet-arrl-virginia-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Virginia State Convention, Portsmouth, Virginia

- August 20 - 21 | Huntsville Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/huntsville-hamfest-arrl-southeastern-division-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Southeastern Division Convention, Huntsville, Alabama

- August 26 - 28 | Northeast HamXposition <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/northeast-hamxposition-arrl-new-england-and-hudson-division-convention>,

hosting the ARRL New England and Hudson Division Conventions,
Marlborough, Massachusetts

Search the ARRL Hamfest and Convention Database
<http://www.arrl.org/hamfests> to find events in your area.

HAVE NEWS FOR ARRL?

Submissions for the ARRL Letter and ARRL News can be sent to
news@arrl.org. -- John E. Ross, KD8IDJ, ARRL News Editor
<news@arrl.org>

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