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Competitive operating, aka radiosport, is a great way to improve your operating skills, exercise your station’s capabilities, put that new gadget to the test, work on your awards or just have fun putting a lot of contacts in the log from all over.

That was a nice string of days showing a sunspot — May 13-19 — a whole week. Then it was gone, but a few days later on May 23, another Solar Cycle 24 sunspot emerged, this time in our Sun’s southern hemisphere. But it was another of those phantom spots. This one actually emerged, and gave us a sunspot number of 13. For that one day it covered 30 10E-6 hemispheres. (10E-6, or 10 to the minus sixth power, is another way of expressing the fraction one-millionth). The next day it was gone.

The League’s Programs and Services Committee has approved recommendations made by the ARRL’s VHF-UHF Advisory Committee (VUAC) to change two rules in the ARRL’s VHF/UHF contest program. These changes are in effect immediately, and include the 2009 June VHF QSO Party, scheduled for June 13-15.

This week’s Surfin’ visits Web sites related to operating with low power on the Appalachian Trail.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that the current 7Z1CQ operation in Saudi Arabia has been approved for DXCC credit. “If you had cards that were recently rejected for this operation, please send an e-mail to the ARRL DXCC Desk and you will be placed on the list for update,” Moore said.

Many amateurs treat ARRL Field Day (June 27-28) as a contest, even though it isn’t one. But if your idea of Field Day fun is to go for the highest score possible, ARRL Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, offered the following suggestions at the ARRL Field Day Forum at the 2009 Dayton Hamvention.

Bill Cross, W3TN, a staff member in the FCC’s Mobility Division, and Laura Smith, FCC Special Counsel for Amateur Enforcement, spoke at the FCC Forum on Saturday, May 16 at the 2009 Dayton Hamvention®. Cross opened by explaining just where Amateur Radio falls in the FCC’s bureaucracy: "In the Mobility Division [part of the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau], we handle the day-to-day administration of the Amateur Service and some of the rulemaking activities that affect Amateur Radio. The Division also has staff members in our Gettysburg, Pennsylvania office. Our Gettysburg staff handles most of your applications and the licensing matters and deals with the Universal Licensing System, or ULS."

The ARRL Triple Play Award (TPA) — introduced January 1, 2009 — is available to all amateurs worldwide who confirm QSOs with each of the 50 states on voice, CW and digital modes via Logbook of the World (LoTW). Not even six months since its inception, the Triple Play Award has been awarded to 269 hams around the world.

On Saturday, May 16 during the the forum featuring Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, at the Dayton Hamvention®, ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, presented former Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, with the ARRL President’s Award. Bauer, who stepped down from ARISS and AMSAT duties this past March, served as ARISS Program Leader and ARISS International Working Group Chair. Since 1991, he served as the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation’s (AMSAT) Vice President for Human Spaceflight Programs.

More than 100 ARRL donors gathered to mix and mingle at the ARRL’s Eighth Annual Donor Reception on Thursday, May 14, just prior to the 2009 ARRL National Convention and Dayton Hamvention. Hosted by the ARRL as a way to thank those who donated $1000 or more to the League in 2008, the reception — held at the Meadowbrook Country Club — featured a sumptuous buffet and a speech by new IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH/G4HUA.

There’s still time — but not much — to enter your high-resolution digital image (or print) in the 2009 ARRL Photo Contest. Entries must be received by May 31, either via e-mail (subject line: 2009 Photo Contest) or via postal mail to ARRL Photo Contest, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111. Details appear in April 2009 QST, page 20.

Ham radio demonstrations and displays are in the works for Maker Faire the world’s largest do-it-yourself (DIY) festival. This year, the festival will take place at the San Mateo County Expo Center in California on May 30-31. According to ARRL Sales and Marketing Manager Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R –who is attending the fair along with dozens of San Francisco Bay Area hams — this annual event showcases the country’s best innovations in science and technology, engineering, arts and crafts, food and music. "It’s no surprise that such an event has captured the attention of the ham radio community. Do-it-yourself, or DIY, has always been a signature of the Amateur Radio Service," he said.

"Okay, I’m here," I thought as I pulled into a parking space. I shut off the engine and just sat there for a minute. I glanced down at the clipboard lying on the passenger seat. It held my "what-to-do-and-in-what-order" list. Once I started doing things, though, there would be no stopping. So I just savored the moment, probably the last few quiet minutes I’d have for the rest of the day.

Do sunspots matter? Many of us are surprised at how good conditions can be with zero sunspots; the weak solar wind and lack of flares and geomagnetic events likely have something to do with it. Many times during the more active solar periods, sunspots were welcomed, but then some event associated with the higher solar activity would make conditions difficult, disrupt the ionosphere and increase absorption.

This week’s Surfin’ revisits the Dayton Hamvention and attempts to demystify Google.