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

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

March 21, 2024

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

- Get Ready for the 2024 ARRL National Convention and Youth Rally
- FCC to Require Two Factor Authentication for CORES Users
- International Marconi Day 2024
- Amateur Radio in the News
- ARRL Podcasts
- Announcements
- In Brief...
- The K7RA Solar Update
- Just Ahead in Radiosport
- Upcoming Section, State, and Division Conventions

GET READY FOR THE 2024 ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION AND YOUTH RALLY

A full slate of programming has been committed for the 2024 ARRL
National Convention, which will be hosted by Dayton Hamvention®, May 17
- 19, in Xenia, Ohio. Hamvention is the largest annual gathering of
radio amateurs in the world. Coupled with the National Convention, this
year promises to be a Hamvention not to miss. Building on a yearlong
theme to "Be Radio Active," ARRL has planned exhibits, forums, panels,
and activities that promise to engage and inspire attendees in a wide
range of amateur radio interests.

Hamvention has committed one of its four forum rooms to a track of ARRL National Convention presentations with topics that span public service, technology, on-air activities, instruction, and youth outreach.

- In the Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) forum, ARRL Director
of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, will discuss the role of
SAFECOM in supporting the public safety community to improve the
emergency communications ecosystem, as well as the importance of
building mutually beneficial relationships with local emergency
management officials.

- ARRL National Instructor Gordon West, WB6NOA, will lead an Instructor Academy, showing off many new training tools to help lead lively ham
radio license classes.

- ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, will cover
Youth Outreach through Amateur Radio STEM Education, covering ways to
inspire students to pursue higher education and careers in
technological fields.

- Enhancing Transmitter Performance will examine the ARRL Clean Signal Initiative, and presenters include ARRL Second Vice President Mike
Ritz, W7VO; Rob Sherwood, NC0B, of Sherwood Engineering Inc., and ARRL Laboratory Manager George Spatta, W1GKS.

- Kyle Krieg, AA0Z, will present, How to Control Your Ham Shack with A
Node-RED Dashboard, offering a tutorial for this easy-to-learn
flow-based programming language that ham radio operators can use to
build simple web-based dashboards that provide command, control, and
automation in their ham shack.

- ARRL First Vice President Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, will examine the
theory of ground, discussing dc grounds, RF grounds, and even talking
about gravity, in her presentation, Ground is a Myth!

- ARRL CEO David A. Minster, NA2AA, will delve into the world of Gaming
the Amateur Radio Modes, offering tips and tricks covering station
design, operating, instruction, and mastering the art of amateur radio
modes, including FT8.

- Five Steps to a Successful POTA (Parks on the Air®) Activation will
be presented by Michael Martens, KB9VBR, of KB9VBR Antennas on YouTube.

- ARRL Regulatory Information Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, will moderate
a panel on Good Operators and Interference that includes Lark Hadley,
KA4A, Director, Region Three, FCC Enforcement Bureau; ARRL Volunteer
Monitor Program Administrator Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, and ARRL
Laboratory Manager George Spatta, W1GKS.

- ARRL Field Services Manager Mike Walters, W8ZY, will present, Tips
for Successful Radio Clubs.

- ARRL Radiosport Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, and Contest Program
Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, will provide an ARRL Contest Program
Update.

- Explore the full scope of operating privileges and ham radio
activities that can be done with a Technician - class license, in the
forum Beyond Repeaters: See How Far Your Tech License Will Take You,
presented by ARRL Laboratory Digital RF Engineer John McAuliffe,
KD2ZWN.

Additionally, an ARRL Membership Forum will be held on Saturday, May
18, covering several key areas of membership interest. The forum will
be moderated by ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Scott Yonally, N8SY,
and panelists include ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR; First Vice
President Kristen McIntyre, K6WX, and CEO David A. Minster, NA2AA.

On Saturday, May 18, a 2024 ARRL Youth Rally will be a special feature
of the National Convention at Hamvention. The Youth Rally is intended
for students who are 11 to 21 years of age. While Hamvention offers
free tickets for youth aged 12 through 18, advance registration for the
Youth Rally is recommended. A preliminary Youth Rally agenda and
registration instructions are on the ARRL website, at www.arrl.org/expo <https://www.arrl.org/expo>. The Youth Rally registration fee is $20
and includes a tee shirt (to wear on Saturday), badge, lanyard, and
reusable tote bag.

Youth Rally participants will enjoy a full day of activities,
discovery, sharing, and fun. Rally day begins at 9:15 AM on Saturday
with the annual Dayton Youth Forum -- open to all Hamvention attendees
-- moderated by well-known amateur radio educator Carole Perry, WB2MGP.
The forum includes presentations from young hams covering a variety of
amateur radio activities, topics, and technology. After lunch (on your
own) Youth Rally registrants will gather in Forum Room 3 to get know
each other and to explore a variety of amateur radio interests and
activities. Learn about satellite communications, participate in a
short sprint contest, contact a parachute mobile station, and
participate in other fun! Bring a 2-meter handheld radio if you have
one.

The Youth Rally will wrap up on Saturday with a presentation from the
ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program (CARP).

Learn more about the 2024 ARRL National Convention at www.arrl.org/expo <http://www.arrl.org/expo>, where you can find the full listing of ARRL-sponsored forums, exhibits, and activities.

Hamvention is held in Xenia, Ohio, on the sprawling grounds of the
Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center. Visit the event's website at www.hamvention.org <http://www.hamvention.org/>, where you can also
purchase tickets, find the complete list of Hamvention forums, and
learn more about the event.

FCC TO REQUIRE TWO FACTOR AUTHENTICATION FOR CORES USERS

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced an upcoming
change to the Commission Registration System (CORES) <https://apps2.fcc.gov/fccUserReg/pages/login.htm> that licensees use
to pay any application or regulatory fees, manage or reset a password
on an existing FRN, or request a new FRN. Beginning March 29, 2024,
multifactor authentication will be implemented. Users will be prompted
to request a six-digit secondary verification code, which will be sent
to the email address(es) associated with each username. The user will
then need to enter the code into CORES before they can continue.

In a public notice
<https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-219A1.pdf>, the FCC said
this change will make the system more secure. "This additional layer of security will further safeguard against unauthorized access, thereby
enhancing the overall integrity of information contained within the
CORES system and improving the security of user data," it read.

The FCC recommends that users confirm they have access to their
username account email and to add a secondary email address, if need
be.

Resources are available for those who need assistance with the system.
For inquiries or assistance regarding the implementation of multifactor authentication on CORES, submit a help request at
https://www.fcc.gov/wtbhelp, or call the FCC at 877-480-3201 (Monday
through Friday, 8 AM to 6 PM ET).

INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY 2024

This year, International Marconi Day (IMD) is on April 27. Italian
inventor and electrical engineer Guglielmo Giovanni Maria Marconi was
born on April 25, 1874, and is credited for inventing the
radiotelegraph system, creating Marconi's law, and sending the first
wireless transmission over the open sea.

IMD was created to honor Marconi and is hosted annually by the Cornish
Radio Amateur Club <http://gx4crc.com/>, GX4CRC. The purpose of the day
is for amateur radio enthusiasts around the world to contact historic
Marconi sites using communication techniques similar to those that he
would have used.

The 24-hour event will operate from 0000 UTC to 2359 UTC, and
registration is required. Participants can register at GX4CRC's
registration web page <https://gx4crc.com/imd/imd-registration/>.

Stations in the United States, including Marconi Cape Cod Radio Club,
KM1CC, in Massachusetts, are already registering for the event. KM1CC
hosts several on-air events each year to keep the accomplishments and
story of Marconi and his wireless station site in South Wellfleet
alive. In 1975, the Wellfleet station was listed as a National Historic Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places and is now part of
Cape Cod National Seashore, a unit of the National Park Service. When
possible, KM1CC sets up a temporary radio station inside the park. More information about KM1CC is available on their Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/KM1CC/> page.

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>.

" "L.A. Hogs" Ham Radio Group Broadcasts From Jonquil Festival <https://hopeprescott.com/2024/03/19/l-a-hogs-ham-radio-group-broadcasts-from-jonquil-festival/>"

/ HopePrescott.com (Arkansas) March 19, 2024 -- The Lower Arkansas Ham Operators Group.

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

ARRL PODCASTS

On the Air
Sponsored by Icom <http://www.icomamerica.com/en/>

Contribute to Science While You Operate

The Solar Eclipse QSO Party (or SEQP), is an on-air event coming up on
April 8, the same day as the next total solar eclipse. The SEQP is a
great opportunity for hams to contribute data to studies of Earth's
ionosphere, the part of our atmosphere that makes radio communications possible, and all you have to do is get on the air and operate as you
normally would. The lead organizer of Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation (HamSCI), Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, joins us in this
episode to explain how to get involved.

ARRL Audio News
Listen to ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-audio-news>,
available every Friday. ARRL Audio News is a summary of the week's top
news stories in the world of amateur radio and ARRL, along with
interviews and other features.

The On the Air podcast and ARRL Audio News are available on blubrry,
iTunes, and Apple Podcasts -- On the Air
<https://blubrry.com/arrlontheair/> | ARRL Audio News <https://blubrry.com/arrlaudionews/>.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

The 2024 Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers <https://www.radio-astronomy.org/> (SARA) Western Conference will be
held in Dallas, Texas, at the University of Texas on April 8 - 9. One
of the main events of the conference will be the April 8 solar eclipse,
which will be visible over the Dallas area in the afternoon. The
conference will include presentations by SARA members and a keynote
address by University of Texas Associate Professor of Physics Dr.
Lindsay King. Registration to attend the conference in person is $75
and on Zoom is $15. Participants must be SARA members to register.
Visit the SARA website for additional information. Payment can be made
through PayPal <http://www.paypal.com/> by sending your payment via
email to treas@radio-astronomy.org. The 2024 SARA Eastern Conference
and Global Radio Astronomy Symposium will be held at the Green Bank
Observatory in West Virginia, from August 4 - 7.

IN BRIEF...

The third annual Lewis and Clark Trail on the Air will be active from
June 1 - 16. This special event is an on-air activity that commemorates
the historic Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail <https://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm>, which covers 4,900 miles through
16 states, including the disembarkation from Camp Dubois and what is
referred to as the Eastern Legacy <http://lewisandclarktrail.com/elearningeastern.htm>. The event is
sponsored by the Clark County Amateur Radio Club
<https://www.w7aia.org/> (CCARC), W7AIA, with support and participation
from various clubs in all 16 states along the historic trail. Each day
of the event runs for 24, hours and the start time is 0000 UTC through
2400 UTC. Operating modes include SSB phone, FM phone, CW, and FT8. Any combination of modes toward working all 16 states is allowed. A
schedule for planned operations for each participating state will be
posted on the CCARC website. Certificates can be requested for two
classes of participation: the Expedition Partner Certificate (awarded
to any station working all 16 states) and the Trail Companion
Certificate (awarded to any station working one or more states). Clubs interested in activating this event for one of the 16 states of the
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail should send an email of
interest to info@LCTOTA.org.

THE K7RA SOLAR UPDATE

Tad Cook, K7RA, of Seattle, Washington, reports for this week's ARRL Propagation Bulletin, ARLP0012:

This solar disk image was taken on March 21, 2024. [Photo courtesy of
NASA SDO/HMI]

Throughout March 14 - 20, new sunspot groups emerged every day
except on March 19. March 18 had two, and each of the other days saw
one new sunspot group.

It is now spring in the Northern Hemisphere, which is favorable to HF conditions, and solar and geomagnetic numbers both show improvement.

Average daily sunspot numbers rose from 82.3 to 94.3, and the average
daily solar flux jumped from 130.4 to 153.3.

Geomagnetic indicators were very quiet, with the average daily
planetary A index dropping from 8.9 to 5.9, and the middle latitude
numbers decreasing from 7 to 5.

Here is the outlook for the next few weeks.

Predicted solar flux is 178, 176, and 174 on March 21 - 23; 172 on
March 24 - 25; 176, 178, and 162 on March 26 - 28; 165 on March 29 -
30; 160 on March 31; 155 on April 1 - 3; 158 on April 4; 160 on April 5
- 6; 162, 155, 150, and 145 on April 7 - 10; 148 on April 11 - 12, and
152, 155, 160, 162, 165, and 160 on April 13 - 18.

The predicted planetary A index is 20, 8, 5, 16, and 18 on March 21 -
25; 8, 5, 12, and 8 on March 26 - 29; 5 on March 30 through April 2;
15, 12, and 12 on April 3 - 5; 5 on April 6 - 8; 8 on April 9 - 11, and
5 on April 12 - 23.

Public Information Coordinator of the ARRL Puerto Rico Section Angel
Santana, WP3GW, wrote about conditions in an email on March 16. "With
much expectation, [I] worked the Russian DX contest on SSB, but then
noticed rough conditions, so bad that after 1600 UTC signals were gone
[and] not seen on my radio. After 1730 UTC, [I] saw them come back, but conditions were still bad. The next day, I did the BARTG RTTY contest
after 1430 UTC and fared better. Did it have to do with one of the six
sunspots last week? I hope [propagation] is good in a week from now."

I replied to his email stating that according to Spaceweather.com <https://spaceweather.com/>, departing sunspot AR3599 blasted protons
toward Earth on March 14, causing a polar cap absorption event on March
16. The ionizing effect of the protons absorbed radio signals inside
the Arctic Circle.

The Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) on the Plains of San Agustin
in New Mexico detected radiation above sunspots (see
https://bit.ly/4cDDref).

From Space Weather Woman Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW:

Dear Tad,

"Recently, our Sun gave us a surprise when a solar storm we thought
would be a glancing blow actually hit us pretty hard. That was back on
March 3, and some gorgeous aurora shows were seen in Tasmania and
Australia. See my forecast from that week for some amazing pictures: https://youtu.be/2nWLAYL01FA.

"Here we are several weeks later with yet another 'glancing' blow set
to hit us midday March 20. The official forecast is calling for a weak
impact, but our recent experience has left me wondering: Are we going
to make the same mistake twice? These are the kinds of dilemmas that
make space weather such a tough field today. Compared to terrestrial
weather, there are so many things we simply cannot foresee.

"Turning to the forecast, big flare activity is beginning again, thanks
to old Region 3590 rotating back into view, along with some new players
as well. Amateur radio bands are getting noisier and radio blackouts
are resuming on the daylight side of Earth. Of course, the big story is
the solar storm coming toward us. Will it be relatively mild at
midlatitudes as the predictions suggest? This time, I'm not so sure.
Either way, I will remain on the lookout.

Cheers,

Tamitha"

Visit https://youtu.be/O6vZDFaBfrc for her latest video report.

Sunspot numbers for March 14 - 20, 2024, were 88, 49, 67, 86, 127, 123,
and 120, with a mean of 94.3. The 10.7-centimeter flux was 127.1, 129,
144.1, 151.3, 177.4, 168.9, and 175.5, with a mean of 153.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 8, 3, 3, 6, 9, and 4, with a mean of 5.9.
The middle latitude A index was 7, 8, 3, 2, 5, 7, and 3, with a mean of
5.

Send your tips, questions, or comments to k7ra@arrl.net.

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

- March 21 -- NAQCC CW Sprint (CW)

- March 21 -- NTC QSO Party (CW)

- March 23 -- VHF FOC QSO Party (CW)

- March 23 - 24 -- Maidenhead Mayhem Sprint (CW, phone, digital)

- March 24 -- North American SSB Sprint (phone)

- March 24 -- UBA Spring Contest, 6m CW (phone)

- March 28 -- RSGB 80m Club Championship SSB (phone)

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

UPCOMING SECTION, STATE, AND DIVISION CONVENTIONS

- April 6 | Raleigh Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/raleigh-hamfest-arrl-roanoke-division-convention-1>,

hosting the ARRL Roanoke Division Convention, Raleigh, North Carolina

- April 12 - 13 | Green Country Hamfest 2024 <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/green-country-hamfest-2024-arrl-oklahoma-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Oklahoma State Convention, Claremore, Oklahoma

- April 20 | Delmarva Amateur Radio and Electronics Expo <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/delmarva-amateur-radio-and-electronics-expo-arrl-delaware-state-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Delaware State Convention, Georgetown, Delaware

- May 11 | ARRL Nebraska State Convention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/arrl-nebraska-state-convention-3>,
Lincoln, Nebraska

- May 17 - 19 | Dayton Hamvention <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/dayton-hamvention-arrl-national-convention>, hosting the ARRL National Convention, Xenia, Ohio

- May 31 - June 2 | SEA-PAC <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/sea-pac-arrl-northwestern-division-convention-2>,

hosting the ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, Seaside, Oregon

- June 1 | Atlanta Hamfest <http://www.arrl.org/hamfests/atlanta-hamfest-arrl-georgia-section-convention>,

hosting the ARRL Georgia Section Convention, Marietta, Georgia

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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