August 1998

President's Message

The club membership made an important decision earlier this year when we
decided to support two important events which fell on the last weekend in
June. There was never any question that we would insure that the Air Show
was properly staffed, but unlike previous years when both events fell on the
same weekend, we decided NOT to run a minimal Field Day- it was MAX EFFORT
for both activities!

Our most demanding annual public service communications event, the Willow
Grove Air Show, provides us the opportunity to sharpen our communication
skills (where the emergencies are never "simulated") and demonstrate the
relevance of our hobby to the general public. Although smaller crowds and
cooler weather than usual kept the number of medical incidents down, our
30-35 operators each day played an important role in directing the resources
necessary to insure prompt medical attention. It was again our competent and
professional use of amateur radio that allowed the military to communicate
with each other and to work efficiently with civilian support services.
Congratulations for a job well-done to Al Folsom (KY3T) for again taking on
the primary leadership role and to all those who participated in this most
important activity.

WARC's version of amateur radio's premiere operating event, Field Day, was
also a resounding success. More than 40 club members participated for at
least a portion of the event, and even with a smaller showing than usual
(due to many of our club members helping out at the Air Show both days), set
up and tear down went very smoothly. For most of the 24 hour operating
period, we were able to keep 5 stations on the air simultaneously. It was
another opportunity to learn things about antennas, rigs, propagation and
operating practices. Whether you were a first time participant or a
"veteran", you can never come away from a WARC Field Day without saying that
you learned something new about ham radio. And equally important, it's a
great a chance to socialize- each of us has our own reasons for
participating in Field Day and all of us appreciate being around others who
have a common interest. The weather was ideal for the second year in a row,
the food Doc prepared was delicious, conditions on most bands were decent,
no equipment was damaged and no one got injured. I'm glad so many of our
members were actively involved in the test and contest aspects of Field
Day'98 and our club gratefully recognizes the efforts of chairperson Doc
Whitticar (W3GAD), who made sure we all were going in the same direction at
the same time!

We made a concerted effort to attract hams from other clubs, ARES and RACES
to give us a hand with staffing the Air Show. In the alternative, we invited
them and all amateur radio operators to come out to our Field Day (a number
of local clubs don't participate) and operate. As you may have guessed, the
response was underwhelming. Maybe we should just deal with the reality that
it's up the club members (solely) to provide the resources necessary for
WARC to meet its commitments. With everyone trying to carve out time for
family, career, community and personal endeavors, there isn't much time or
energy available for "fringe" activities- and that's probably how WARC
events are categorized by those not affiliated with our club.

With over 135 members, I believe we should have the ability to handle the
Air Show and Field Day, whether they fall on consecutive weekends (as they
usually do) or the same weekend. For those who participated in either or
both events, thanks for supporting the club; for those who didn't, no guilt
trip is intended. I know some of you had family commitments or other reasons
for not participating- none of us have the ability to make every WARC
meeting and activity. What's important (and necessary if WARC is going to
remain viable) is that we get enough participation to accomplish our goals
and NOT burn anyone out. And we should ever forget that belonging to WARC is
supposed to be fun !

As reported previously, Membership Chairperson (for the past three years)
Don McCunney (N3VHU) has decided to step down from his present club duties
in the next few months in order to participate more fully in our meetings
(he's always "working" on club business in the back of the room!). The
membership job includes processing new member applications (including WARC
badges), maintaining the club database, insuring renewal of WARC and ARRL
membership dues, providing labels for the monthly mailing of Feedback and
responding to requests for WARC information. We already have a number of
people working on the membership committee, but we need someone to be
chairperson and coordinate. Please contact me or another Board member if
interested in this very important club position.

Don't forget to mark upcoming August activities on your calendar- our annual
family picnic on August 9th and the Middletown Grange Fair August 12-19;
details on both appear in FEEDBACK.

de Bill , K3MFI

UPCOMING PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS

Middletown Grange Fair
Wednesday, August 12th through Sunday, August 16th. Contact Frank O'Neill
(N3UQP) at 699-9549 to sign up.

1998 Grange Fair August 12-19, 1998

Our next public service event is our annual participation at the Middletown
Grange Fair being held from Wednesday, August 12th through Sunday, August
16th. The event will be chaired this year by Frank O'Neill (N3UQP) ; please
see him at the general meeting (or give him a call at 699-9549) to sign up
for either an on-site shift at our booth or to deliver local messages by
telephone from your home. Over 20,000 people attend the Grange Fair each
year, which gives WARC tremendous public exposure. In addition to handling
message traffic, we get lots of inquiries about ham radio, especially
license preparation classes offered by our club and others in the area. Take
the family to a great country fair and help represent WARC and the amateur
radio community.


1998 WARC Picnic

The 1998 WARC picnic will be held on August 9, 1998 in Pavilion #9 at Core
Creek Park in Langhorne, PA. This is in the same picnic grove as our
previous two picnics. The picnic will start setting up around 11:00 AM and
running from 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM. The club will be providing hamburgers,
hot dogs, rolls and condiments. We ask each family that comes to bring a
family favorite dish to share with everyone else.

If anybody would like to bring a favorite game, volleyball net or
whatever, feel free to do so. Goop has shown up the past two years as well
as some model rockets.

To help get ready for the picnic, I am looking for two or three
volunteers to help me pick up supplies for the picnic. With a couple of
assistants, no one's job will take more than two or three hours to complete
a
couple of days before the picnic. If you would like to give me a hand,
please
call me at home (215-953-1493) send me an e-mail (mkempisty@gi.com) or
catch me on the club's repeaters.

I hope to see all of you at the picnic this year.

73,
Mark - N3GNW
Tel: 215-323-2293

General Meeting Rescheduled to September 10

Because of a scheduling conflict, our September meeting will be held on the
SECOND Thursday of the month. If you show up on September 3, plan on
participating in the celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the opening
of the Benjamin Wilson (one of the charter members of WARC) Senior Center!

WARC "For Sale Table" Returns

Members are encouraged to bring in their ham, computer and electronic
treasures and place them on the For Sale Table at our general membership
meetings. Items will be available for sale between 7:00 and 7:30 pm (when
the meeting starts) and during our refreshment break (usually about 8:15
pm). It's a great opportunity for club members to recycle unneeded items and
a welcomed return of a "WARC tradition" (from the "good old days").

I have heard about a neat site that many of you might enjoy. It allows you
to specify a town (i.e. Bensalem, PA), and then gives you a birds-eye view
of that town. You can zoom in to see individual buildings and cars, etc.

See if you can find your house or office building. It is not as easy as it
sounds, and you may have fun doing it. Having a roadmap at your side helps.

The pictures were taken by the government from a plane flying at 20,000
feet back around 1990 (they vary).

The site is http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/


P.S. The reason I used BENSALEM as an example is because the Philadelphia
Racetrack on Street Road is easily identified from the view. This helps
get your bearings straight. Other places to look for might be large malls,
bodies of water, airports, etc.

Have Fun

LEAGUE PROPOSES SIMPLIFIED LICENSE STRUCTURE
The ARRL has proposed a simplified Amateur Radio license structure featuring
four license classes and reduced Morse code requirements for full HF access.
In approving the plan July 18, the ARRL Board of Directors said the hobby no
longer needed six license classes. In their discussions, Board members
emphasized that the objective was to rationalize and simplify the amateur
licensing structure without reducing the requirements for any class of
license.
Among its recommendations, the plan would eliminate the current Novice and
Tech Plus class licenses and merge those operating privileges into a new
license class equivalent to the current General ticket. The plan would
replace the present named license classes with Class A, B, C, and D tickets,
revise written examination requirement and content, and set 12 WPM as the
highest Morse code test requirement. Most of the spectrum freed up by the
elimination of the current Novice CW bands would be "refarmed" into expanded
HF phone segments. Some would remain available for digital and CW, however.
Announcement of the Board's plan generated a tumult of opinions pro and con
within the Amateur Radio community. Comments received at League Headquarters
have ranged from angry opposition to enthusiastic support, but by the end of
the week in which the plan was announced, most Board members reported
receiving somewhat more comments in favor than opposed.
The League has forwarded details of the plan in a letter to the FCC but will
not petition for a rulemaking as it awaits public release of the
Commission's own ham radio restructuring plans (see related story below). In
its letter, the ARRL asked the FCC to "consider this restructuring plan as a
means of modernizing and simplifying amateur radio licensing, and a means of
making Amateur Radio available to more people."
Before the July meeting, the ARRL Board had twice voted down motions to
consider changing the licensing structure. This time, the impending FCC
rulemaking provided the impetus for the Board to issue its own plan, in time
to stimulate debate on the topic and possibly serve as a counterpoint to the
anticipated FCC proposals.
ARRL Board approval of the plan followed extensive discussion and debate
during its recent three-day meeting. "The debate was, at times, contentious,
and the result was not unanimous," said ARRL President Rod Stafford, W6ROD.
The vote to approve the plan was 9 to 6. Most of those in the minority were
not opposed to simplifying the licensing structure, however, and there was
sentiment for even fewer license classes.
"Some Board members preferred greater simplification; others were
uncomfortable with some of the changes being proposed," Stafford observed.
"However, every Board member, without exception, left the meeting knowing
that each of his or her colleagues did what they believe is best for the
future of Amateur Radio."
In developing its plan, the Board tied proposed reductions in Morse code
requirements to corresponding increases in written examination standards. On
the other hand, Board members were adamant that simplifying the structure
should not come at the expense of privileges amateurs already have earned.
This was the rationale to recommend granting the new entry-level Class C HF
license to present Novice and Technician Plus licensees, who already have
earned entry-level HF operating privileges.
Charts depicting the proposed operating privileges and licensing structure
and the text of the League's letter to the FCC are available on the ARRLWeb
site at http://www.arrl.org/news/restructuring/. Members may comment on the
ARRL plan via the Web or via e-mail to restrux@arrl.org.
Here are the highlights of the ARRL Board's restructuring plan:
* The Class D license, equivalent to the current Technician class, would be
the entry level ticket to Amateur Radio. Operating privileges and the
written examination would remain at the same level at Technician, but the
exam would be more consistent with Class D operating privileges.
* The Class C would supplant the Novice as the entry level to HF. Under the
League plan, all General, Tech Plus, and Novice licensees would become Class
C licensees. The Class C ticket would convey current General privileges, but
would offer bigger HF phone bands. Class C licensees would have access to
another 50 kHz on 75 and 15 meters and another 25 kHz on 40 meters. To
upgrade from Class D to Class C, an amateur would pass a written examination
on the operational and technical qualifications required for HF operation
plus a 5 WPM Morse code test.
* All amateurs now licensed as Advanced would become Class B. The Class B
would convey the privileges of the present Advanced license, but with
additional phone privileges. The Class B ticket would offer an additional 50
kHz on 75 and 15 meters and another 25 kHz on 40 meters. To upgrade from
Class C to Class B, an amateur must pass a more advanced written
examination--similar in difficulty to the present Element 4A--and a 12 WPM
Morse code exam.
* All amateurs presently licensed as Amateur Extra Class would become Class
A. The Class A ticket would convey the full privileges of the present
Amateur Extra Class but, once again, with expanded phone subbands. Class A
licensees would get an additional 50 kHz on 75 and 15 meters and another 25
kHz on 40 meters. To upgrade from Class B to Class A, an amateur would be
required to pass the most difficult written examination in the sequence. The
Advanced written test is considered the most difficult in the current exam
sequence. Consistent with the practice in many other countries, no Morse
code examination beyond 12 words per minute would be required for a Class A
ticket.
Adoption of the simplification plan culminated some 30 months of work by the
Board and embraced input from thousands of ARRL members, nonmembers, and
prospective hams. The Board debated a wide variety of options including more
and fewer license classes, higher and lower qualification levels, and
different privileges.
Courtesy The ARRL Newsletter


SOLAR UPDATE
Solar sage Tad Cook, K7VVV, Seattle, Washington, reports: W9JJ wrote to
point out that the statement in last week's bulletin that a K index of 6 was
bad really only applies to HF. For VHF operators, geomagnetic disturbances
often produce exciting propagation. A good VHF rule is when the K index is
high to point your antenna toward the closest polar region--north in the
Northern Hemisphere and south in the southern--to take advantage of auroral
propagation. Estimated Planetary A indices of 37 on July 16 and again a week
later on July 23 were certainly good times to listen for those gravelly
auroral signals on VHF. W9JJ reported that when he lived in Wisconsin he
would frequently find auroral propagation on 2 meters when the K index was
only 3 or higher. When the K index was 6 it meant a solid 2 and 6-meter
opening.
VHF has been producing a lot of interesting propagation lately, but not just
from aurora. A lot of Hawaiian signals have been reported on the West Coast
due to tropospheric ducting. WA6KLK, K6FV and N6RZ reported hearing the
KH6HME 2-meter beacon in Northern California early in the week, and later it
was copied by a number of Pacific Northwest stations. KH6HME went on to fill
several log pages with contacts. KJ6KO in Placerville, California has posted
several .wav files of KH6HME working the 2-meter opening. You can hear them
at http://www.innercite.com/~kj6ko
A number of stations reported 6-meter openings to Japan. JH2COZ worked K7CA
in Nevada and heard many JA stations calling N5JHV in New Mexico and K7FF in
California. G0JHC in Northwest England heard a VE8 6-meter beacon at S7.
Over the next week look for a rising solar flux, reaching 120 around July 28
to August 1. Flux values are expected to drop below 110 around August 7, and
above 110 again after mid-August. Look for disturbed geomagnetic conditions
again around July 30-31.
Sunspot numbers for July 16 through 22 were 113, 89, 76, 62, 90, 125, and
145, with a mean of 100. The 10.7-cm flux was 106.2, 100.3, 99.2, 103.6,
111.8, 110.3, and 114.1, with a mean of 106.5. The estimated planetary A
indices were 37, 9, 5, 8, 6, 15, and 8, with a mean of 12.6.
Courtesy The ARRL Newsletter


Vanity update: The FCC in Gettysburg reports that it has processed vanity
applications received through July 2. In a run on July 15, the FCC granted
216 call signs. Another 271 applications landed in the work in process
(WIPs) stack. In a run July 22, the FCC granted 72 new call signs and 95
applications ended up in the WIPs stack. The FCC reports that all WIPs
records have been processed. Courtesy The ARRL Newsletter