By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor

This week, Surfin’ searches the FCC database and finds more musical hams. 

New FCC Database Search Tool

Mike Staines, WM1KE, asked me to check out his new FCC Database Search tool, so I did.

Mike says his online application “is a little different than your run-of-the-mill FCC database search.” It can search by call sign, ZIP code, within a specified radiu...

For the ninth year running, the US Office of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL to participate in the 2010 Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). In the past, this campaign for federal government civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the military has generated almost $140,000 for ARRL programs since it first became an option for giving by federal employees to the Leag...

 Member polls have returned to the ARRL Web, but with a twist. Rather than a single weekly poll, the new QuickStats page at http://www.arrl.org/quickstats offers several polls at once with new questions every 30 days. The results will be published in QST beginning with the October issue.

Start by visiting the QuickStats page now. Be sure to bookmark it in your browser! Watch for poll results in ...

On July 19, the FCC announced via the Federal Register that the cost of an Amateur Radio vanity call sign will decrease 10 cents, from to $13.40 to $13.30. The new fees take effect 30 days after publication, making August 17, 2010, the first day the new fee is in effect. In FY2010, the FCC expects to grant 14,800 vanity call signs, bringing in $196,840 from the vanity call sign program. Earlier...

The National Scout Jamboree takes place July 26-August 4 at Fort AP Hill, Caroline County, Virginia. A myriad of exhibits and activities await the close to 40,000 Scouts, leaders and staff. Coming from all 50 states, territories and foreign countries, they will have the opportunity to live, work and play together in an atmosphere of Scouting fellowship. And just like the National Scout Jamboree...

The ARRL Board of Directors held its Second Meeting of 2010 July 16-17 in Windsor, Connecticut, under the chairmanship of President Kay Craigie, N3KN. The Board considered and acted on a number of organizational, regulatory and operating issues, including the following: Approved a campaign to celebrate the 75th anniversary of ARES® that is designed to promote and increase awareness of this valu...

The nearly forgotten story of how a radio amateur successfully detected transmissions from the first men to land on the Moon.

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During the Friday morning portion of the July 2010 ARRL Board meeting in Windsor, Connecticut, Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, received a surprise plaque from the Amateur Radio Research and Development Corporation (AMRAD). Titled “BPL Spoils”, the plaque featured a discarded BPL modem that was allegedly rescued from surplus equipment belonging to a prominent  manufacturer that had de...

In a Report and Order (R&O) released Wednesday, July 14, the FCC amended Part 97.113 to allow amateurs to participate without an FCC waiver in government-sponsored disaster preparedness drills on behalf of their employers participating in the exercise. The FCC also has amended the rules to allow employees to participate in non-government drills and exercises up to one hour per week and up to tw...

Two new sunspot groups appeared in the last week -- groups 1087 and 1088. Group 1088 lasted just one day -- on July 13, 2010 -- with a relative area of 10 (millionths of a solar hemisphere). Sunspot group 1087 had a relative area from July 9-15 of 30, 100, 120, 130, 70, 100 and 60. Sunspot numbers for July 8-14 were 11, 12, 18, 25, 22, 28 and 16, with a mean of 18.9. The 10.7 cm flux was 75.6, ...

By Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU
Contributing Editor

This week, Surfin’ is full of short stuff that is not big enough to be tall stuff.

Ham Radio on Highway Patrol

“Radioactive," the ham radio episode of the 1955 television series Highway Patrol is now available for viewing on Hulu (thanks to Mark Thompson, WB9QZB, for the heads-up.)

Old Red Head’s QSL Card Unearthed

While on the topic of old television shows...

A crystal set brings radio to life for a 6 year old.

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First organized in May 1933, the ARRL A-1 Operator Club has a proud history and occupies an important place in Amateur Radio tradition. Communications Manager Ed Handy, W1BDI, announced its formation with these words in the July 1933 edition of QST:

Are you an A-1 Operator? Excellence in stations has often been emphasized. Yet, station performance, equipment, adjustment, etc., are but part of th...

The Federal Communications Commission is the “most improved” agency across the entire federal government, according to the 2010 OPM Viewpoint Employee Satisfaction Survey released Monday, July 12 by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

“I am delighted that the FCC has been recognized as the ‘most improved’ federal agency,” said FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski. “The survey res...

With more than 18,000 new Amateur Radio licenses issued in the first half of this year -- 18, 270 to be exact -- 2010 is shaping up to be a banner year for Amateur Radio. So far, the number of new licenses issued by the FCC in 2010 is outpacing the January-June 2009 totals by almost 8.5 percent; at this time last year, the FCC had issued 16,844 new licenses.

In 2009, a total of 30,144 new licens...

Broadcast live over the Internet, WRTC Judge David Sumner, K1ZZ, just moments ago announced the winners of the 2010 World Radiosport Team Championships (WRTC) from Moscow, Russia:

• Gold Medal (First Place): The R32F Team, consisting of Vladimir Aksenov RW1AC, and Alexey Mikhailov, RA1AIP, of Russia.
• Silver Medal (Second Place): The R33A Team, consisting of Tonno Vahk, ES5TV, and Toivo Hallikivi, ...

Llewellyn “Pat” Rose, W5OZI, of Junction, Texas, is the recipient of the Fred Fish Memorial Award (FFMA) #2. Thanks to a recent Grid DXpedition by Russ Dwarshius, KB8U, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rose earned FFMA #2; FFMA #1 was awarded posthumously to Fred Fish, W5FF (SK), himself. The ARRL Awards Branch received and approved Rose’s QSL for his last-needed grid -- CM79 in California -- on July 8,...

The Union de Radioaficionados Espanoles (URE) -- Spain’s IARU Member-Society -- announced that the Secretaría de Estado de Telecomunicaciones y para la Sociedad de la Información (SETSI) (Spain’s equivalent to the USA’s FCC) has extended temporary privileges on the 70 MHz band (4 meters) to hams in that country. In 2008, hams in Spain were granted 70 MHz privileges for six months. Spanish amate...

On Sunday, July 11, ARRL West Gulf Division Vice Director John Thomason, WB5SYT, of Edmond, Oklahoma, submitted his resignation to ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. Thomason told President Craigie that by resigning, he will be able to “devote my energy to serve my family, employer and health.” Craigie accepted the resignation with regret and then informed West Gulf Director Dr David Woolweaver,...

The average daily sunspot numbers for this week rose from 11.7 to 16, back to the level from two weeks ago. The geomagnetic indices have quieted down, with average mid-latitude A index dropping over five points from the previous week. Sunspot numbers for July 1-7 were 11, 11, 11, 11, 23, 23 and 22, with a mean of 16. The 10.7 cm flux was 73, 73.4, 72.4, 71.6, 72.7, 72.7 and 74.1, with a mean of...