The annual 13 Colonies Special Event is this week. More information can be found at their website: http://www.13colonies.net/

Submitted by KW1LL

“Audit finds most Tennessee counties ignoring requirements to provide updates on local emergency operations plan” by Andy Sher

Source/Link: https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/politics/state/story/2019/jun/17/tennessee-comptroller-audit-88-counties-exami/496864/

Submitted by KD4WX

The Middle TN Hamquest will be Saturday, July 27, 2019 in Lebanon.

More information can be found at their website: https://midtnhamquest.com/home/

Submitted by KW1LL

From ARRL

Source: http://www.arrl.org/field-day

New to Field Day? START HERE!

Field Day is ham radio’s open house. Every June, more than 40,000 hams throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate ham radio’s science, skill and service to our communities and our nation. It combines public service, emergency preparedness, community outreach, and technical skills all in a single event. Field Day has been an annual event since 1933, and remains the most popular event in ham radio.

“What Is Field Day” (Printable PDF Flier)

Submitted by KD4WX

From ARRL

Source: http://www.arrl.org/news/china-set-to-launch-new-amateur-satellite-with-sail-ball-stabilization

06/02/2019

Chinese Amateur Satellite Group (CAMSAT) has announced the impending launch of the CAS-7B satellite, also designated as BP-1B, a short-lived spacecraft that will carry an Amateur Radio payload. An unusual feature of the spacecraft is its “sail ball” passive stabilization system. The 1.5-U CubeSat is attached to a 500-millimeter flexible film ball — or sail — that will offer passive “pneumatic resistance” stabilization. CAS-7B is expected to remain in orbit for up to 1 month. 

The spacecraft will carry an Amateur Radio transponder and educational mission. CAMSAT is working with Beijing Institute of Technology (BIT), a top aerospace school, which is providing launch support in launch of the satellite. BIT faculty and students are participating in the development and testing of the satellite, and, with CAMSAT’s help, the university has established an Amateur Radio club (call sign BI1LG). CAMSAT said many students are now members, “learning Amateur Radio satellite communication and experience[ing] endless fun.”

The VHF and UHF antennas are quarter-wave monopoles. CAS-7B will transmit a CW telemetry beacon on 435.715 MHz. The V/U FM voice transponder downlink will be 435.690 MHz, and the transponder uplink will be 145.900 MHz (16-kHz passband). 

The 3-kilogram satellite will have an apogee of 300 kilometers. 

“Because of the orbital apogee and the size and mass of the satellite, the orbital life is expected to be only 1 week, up to a maximum of 1 month, which will also provide an opportunity for hams to track and monitor satellite entering the atmosphere,” CAMSAT said in announcing the new satellite, scheduled for launch in late June.

“The launch will use a new launch vehicle from a small commercial rocket company,” CAMSAT explained. “This is the first launch of this launch vehicle, and there is a large possibility of failure; if the launch fails, we will have another launch later this year.”

https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/repeater1.pdf

Submitted by NN9J

From ARRL

(source: http://www.arrl.org/news/the-fcc-is-not-reinstating-a-vanity-call-sign-fee)

The FCC is Not Reinstating a Vanity Call Sign Fee

05/16/2019

An erroneous report this week suggested that the FCC planned to again impose an Amateur Radio vanity call sign application (regulatory) fee of $70 for the 10-year term. This incorrect conclusion resulted from an incomplete reading of the May 7 FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in the matter of the assessment and collection of regulatory fees for fiscal year 2019.

Although the Schedule of Regulatory Fees does show a $7 annual fee for Amateur Radio vanity call signs, a boldface heading in that section of the NPRM states, “REGULATORY FEES. This section is no longer is effect as it has been amended by RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018…” Section 9(e)(2) of RAY BAUM’S Act gives the Commission discretion to exempt a party from paying regulatory fees when the FCC determines that the cost of collection exceeds the amount collected. A new section 9(e)(1) incorporated the Amateur Radio vanity fee exemption from FCC rules into the statute.

The NPRM makes clear in several other places that regulatory fees no longer apply to Amateur Radio licenses. The FCC eliminated the regulatory fee for Amateur Radio vanity call signs in 2015.

Submitted by KD4WX