Bergen Amateur Radio Association BARA Bulletin March 2015 Volume 52 Number 3 www.BARA.ORG NEXT MEETING Meeting Programs Are there any topics of interest to the club that you would like to see a presen- tation or demonstration? Is there a sub- ject you could lead a discussion on? Please contact Steve Holly, WI2W WI2W ‘at’ ARRL.NET March 1, 2015 7:30 PM Municipal Building Senior Center 350 Hudson Avenue. Township of Washington, NJ 07676 BARA Auction 1 HF Band Plan Proposals 1 2015 Dues 1 Upcoming Events 2 New Members 2 VE Exam Schedule 3 Public Service Information 3 Link of the Month 3 February Meeting Minutes 4 ARRL DX Phone Contest 5 Member Contest Scores 6 DX Insights 6 General Class License Course 6 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Our 52nd Year 2015 BARA DUES BARA Dues for 2015 are $25 for an individual member and $35 for a family membership. Please pay at a business meeting, kit night, or mail to the Treasurer. BARA Auction Sunday, March 15, 2015 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Open for sellers at 12 Noon Westwood Regional High School Cafeteria No admission fee Refreshments available 12% commission paid by seller to BARA on sold items. Time for a last minute check of the items you’re selling. Are all the parts/cables there? Attach an index card stating features and condition. Pack everything up and let’s go to the Auction. Consider donating a few items to the BARA table to support the club. Meeting Presentation "Getting Started in RTTY Contesting" by David , K2DSL and Dave, K2ZC From the ARRL ... ARRL Seeks Member Input on Draft HF Band Plan Proposals The ARRL is asking members to comment by April 19 on possible changes to the League's HF Band Plans suggested by the HF Band Planning Committee. The survey is part of the committee's efforts to tweak the band plans for the RTTY/ data/CW portions of 80 through 10 meters -- excepting 60 meters. The committee developed its suggested revisions to the voluntary band plans after reviewing some 400 member comments in response to a March 2014 solicitation that sought suggestions on how to use the spec- trum more efficiently, so that data modes may coexist compatibly. "The committee concluded that most of the concerns voiced by members could be addressed by modest adjustments to the existing band plans, and mainly by confining data modes with bandwidths greater than 500 Hz to the FCC-designated segments for automatically con- trolled digital stations (ACDS) …” The proposed changes differentiate among ACDS, narrow RTTY/data modes having a bandwidth no great- er than 500 Hz, and wider data modes having a bandwidth up to 2700 Hz. (Continued on page 7)
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Eeting D
Bergen Amateur Radio Association
BARA Bulletin March 2015
Volume 52 Number 3 www.BARA.ORG
NEXT MEETING
Meeting Programs
Are there any topics of interest to the
club that you would like to see a presen-
tation or demonstration? Is there a sub-
ject you could lead a discussion on?
Please contact Steve Holly, WI2W
WI2W ‘at’ ARRL.NET
March 1, 2015
7:30 PM
Municipal Building Senior Center
350 Hudson Avenue.
Township of Washington, NJ
07676
BARA Auction 1
HF Band Plan Proposals 1
2015 Dues 1
Upcoming Events 2
New Members 2
VE Exam Schedule 3
Public Service Information 3
Link of the Month 3
February Meeting Minutes 4
ARRL DX Phone Contest 5
Member Contest Scores 6
DX Insights 6
General Class License Course 6
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Our 52nd Year
2015 BARA DUES
BARA Dues for 2015 are $25 for an
individual member and $35 for a
family membership.
Please pay at a business meeting, kit
night, or mail to the Treasurer.
BARA Auction
Sunday, March 15, 2015
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Open for sellers at 12 Noon
Westwood Regional High School
Cafeteria
No admission fee
Refreshments available
12% commission paid by seller to
BARA on sold items.
Time for a last minute check of the
items you’re selling. Are all the
parts/cables there? Attach an index
card stating features and condition.
Pack everything up and let’s go to
the Auction.
Consider donating a few items to the
BARA table to support the club.
Meeting Presentation
"Getting Started in RTTY
Contesting"
by David , K2DSL
and Dave, K2ZC
From the ARRL ...
ARRL Seeks Member
Input on Draft
HF Band Plan Proposals
The ARRL is asking members to
comment by April 19 on possible
changes to the League's HF Band
Plans suggested by the HF Band
Planning Committee. The survey is
part of the committee's efforts to
tweak the band plans for the RTTY/
data/CW portions of 80 through 10
meters -- excepting 60 meters. The
committee developed its suggested
revisions to the voluntary band
plans after reviewing some 400
member comments in response to a
March 2014 solicitation that sought
suggestions on how to use the spec-
trum more efficiently, so that data
modes may coexist compatibly.
"The committee concluded that
most of the concerns voiced by
members could be addressed by
modest adjustments to the existing
band plans, and mainly by confining
data modes with bandwidths greater
than 500 Hz to the FCC-designated
segments for automatically con-
trolled digital stations (ACDS) …”
The proposed changes differentiate
among ACDS, narrow RTTY/data
modes having a bandwidth no great-
er than 500 Hz, and wider data
modes having a bandwidth up to
2700 Hz.
(Continued on page 7)
Page 2 Bergen Amateur Radio Association
BARA BULLETIN
BARA RESOURCES
The BARA Bulletin is published monthly by the Bergen Amateur
Radio Association. Subscriptions are included in the annual member-ship dues. Membership is open to anyone interested in radio communi-cation.
QSL Bureau:
Warren Hager, K2UFM
Public Service:
Club Contesting:
Phil Barber, WA2LXE
VE Exams:
Don Younger, W2JEK
Donnan917’at’aol.com
Hamfests:
Jim Joyce, K2ZO
Webmasters:
wm’at’bara.org
Tony Izzo, K2AMI
David Levine, K2DSL
MEMBERSHIP
APPLICATION
Interested in learning more about amateur radio and meeting new
people? Then join the Bergen
Amateur Radio Association (BARA). Dues are $25 per year. Send your application request to:
David Levine, K2DSL
11 Mackay Ave.
Waldwick, NJ 07463
e-mail to k2dsl’at’arrl.net.
Please include your name, address, town, zip, call sign, license class, and phone number.
Upcoming Events
March 1 - BARA Business Meeting
March 3 - Kit Night
March 6 - 8 - ARRL DX Contest - SSB
March 8 - Daylight Savings Time Begins
March 10 - Kit Night
March 15 - BARA Auction
March 17 - Kit Night
March 20 - 22 - BARTG RTTY Contest
March 24 - Kit Night
March 27 - VE Test Session
March 27 - 28 - CQ WW WPX Contest - SSB
March 31 - Kit Night
April 5 - BARA Business Meeting
Welcome New Members:
Karl Frank, W2KBF - Fair Lawn
John Zaleskie - Hackensack
James Crisall, KF4UGR - Valley Cottage, NY
Gregory March, K2GFM - Montvale
Keven Rooney - Emerson
Matthew Berman, KC2YDT - New Hyde Park, NY
Ronald Loree - Norwood
Jonathan Venusti - Mahwah
Page 3 Bergen Amateur Radio Association
PUBLIC SERVICE
BCRACES NET 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month.
7:45 PM on the W2AKR Repeater
146.790 Mhz; PL 141.3 Hz.
Net control is NJ2BC
Directed training net for all authorized
Bergen County RACES stations and
authorized liaison stations.
K2BAR NETS
VE EXAM SCHEDULE
The next VE test session
is scheduled for:
February, 27 2015
7 PM
Westwood Regional H.S.
Room 123
The FCC has imposed a
Testing fee of $15.00
per exam/retest.
Required documents:
Two forms of ID required
for all transactions.
Social Security Number
if unlicensed or FRN
Number if licensed.
Original CSCE if prior
test credit is claimed.
If license upgrade.
original and a copy of
current FCC license
Questions may be directed to:
Don Younger, W2JEK
201-265-6583
Question Pool Revision:
The current General exam question
pool will be revised on July 1,
2015.
Current Question Pool Effective
Dates:
Technician, Element 2-July 1, 2014
General, Element 3 - July 1, 2011
Extra, Element 4 - July 1, 2012
Sample tests available at QRZ.COM
http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl
Daily FCC report of new and re-
newed callsigns available at:
http://www.qrz.com/new_hams.html
Link of the Month
Those who wish to operate 60 M.
may be interested in the following
web site.
http://hflink.com/60meters/
Operating Guide for USA 60 meter
Band - Modes
- - Tnx to WB2GAI
BCRACES
Communications Unit Any licensed ham operator in Bergen
On 80 meters, the committee suggests several modifications to the band plan. FCC action in 2006 reduced the 80 meter RTTY/data sub band to 100 kHz and limited access to the 3600-3700 kHz segment to Amateur Extra class licensees. "Unless and until the FCC Rules are modified, changes in the band plan for 3500-3600 kHz will not improve the situation," Sumner said.
The HF Band Planning Committee recommends that the League petition the FCC to move the boundary between the 80 meter RTTY/data band and the 75 meter phone/image band from 3600 to 3650 kHz and restoring that segment to General and Advanced class licensees. Members are being asked to comment on this proposal, as well as on whether or not the ARRL should petition the FCC for these other changes:
Shift the ACDS band segment from 3585-3600 to 3600-3615 kHz, consistent with the IARU Region 1 and 2 band plans.
Extend the current Novice/Technician CW segment of 3525-3600 kHz to 3650 kHz.
Add 80 meter RTTY/data privileges for Novices and Technicians.
On 40 meters, the committee concluded that it would be unrealistic to try to bring the ARRL band plan into alignment with the rest of the world, particularly with Regions 1 and 3 where operating patterns developed when the entire band, including phone, was just 100 kHz wide -- and is still only 200 kHz. While 7040 kHz is a recognized RTTY/data DX frequency in the band plan, the best place for other RTTY/data activity in the US is above 7070 kHz.
The committee proposes aligning the band plan with the "Considerate Operator's Frequency Guide," with wide data modes -- out-side of ACDS -- at 7115-7125 kHz. The "Guide" shows 7070-7125 kHz for RTTY/data, while the ARRL band plan shows 7080-7125 kHz. The FCC mandates that ACDS be confined to the 7100-7105 kHz segment.
On 30 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data modes to 10.140-10.150 MHz, separated from other RTTY/data at 10.130-10.140 MHz.
On 20 meters, the committee recommends using the 1 kHz IARU/NCDXF beacon network frequency (14.0995-14.1005 MHz) as a line in the sand between wide ACDS in the 14.1005-14.112 MHz segment, and narrow ACDS in the 14.095-14.0995 MHz segment.
The committee recommends 14.070-14.095 MHz for RTTY and narrowband data, noting that so-called "weak-signal" data modes often are used between 14.070 and 14.078 MHz.
On 17 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data modes to the FCC-mandated ACDS segment of 18.105-18.110 MHz, separated from narrow RTTY/data at 18.100-18.105 MHz. FCC rules do not permit RTTY/data above 18.110 MHz, limiting options for this band.
On 15 meters, the committee recommends that 21.070-21.090 MHz for narrow RTTY/data modes, the FCC-mandated ACDS seg-ment of 21.090-21.100 MHz for both narrow and wide automatically controlled data station activity, and above 21.100 MHz for any additional wide data activity.
The ARRL Board also wants members to comment on the desirability of adding RTTY/data privileges for Novices and Technicians in their existing 15 meter segment, where they're now limited to CW.
On 12 meters, the committee recommends confining wide data to the FCC-mandated ACDS segment, 24.925-24.930 MHz, separat-ed from narrow RTTY/data operation at 24.920-24.925 MHz. FCC rules do not permit RTTY/data operation above 24.930 MHz, lim-iting options for this band.
On 10 meters, the committee recommends that wide data be confined to the FCC-mandated ACDS segment, 28.120-28.189 MHz, separated from narrow RTTY/data modes at 28.070-28.120 MHz.
How to Comment
The League has set up a web page to record members' preferences and comments, which includes links to the HF Band Planning Committee report to the ARRL Board and to Sumner's April QST article (and high-resolution band charts). Those wishing to of-fer more detailed comments may e-mail ARRL at BANDPLAN@ARRL>ORG. The comment deadline is April 19.