[FPARC] The ARRL Letter Vol. 25, No. 17 April 28, 2006
W4kkw at aol.com
W4kkw at aol.com
Sat Apr 29 08:28:31 EDT 2006
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The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 17
April 28, 2006
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IN THIS EDITION:
* +BPL study amendment attached to House telecoms bill
* +Kevin Martin tapped for new FCC term
* +Andamans operation helps slake VU4 demand
* +California adopts BPL deployment regulations
* +KB0WZA is 2006 Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship winner
* +West Mountain Radio to be RTTY Round-UP Principal Awards Sponsor
* +European hams hear signal from far-distant Voyager 1 spacecraft
* +Long-lost QSL card finds its way back home
* Solar Update
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
Armed Forces Day 2006 military/amateur activities set
SuitSat-1 still in orbit
Hugh L. Tinley, K0GHK, SK
DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit
+Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
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==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
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==>HOUSE COMMITTEE OKAYS TELECOMS BILL WITH BPL-INTERFERENCE STUDY AMENDMENT
The US House Energy and Commerce Committee's version of the Communications
Opportunity, Promotion and Enhancement (COPE) Act of 2006 includes an
amendment requiring the FCC to study the interference potential of BPL
systems. The panel voted April 26 to send the much-talked-about "telecoms
rewrite" bill to the full House for its consideration. "Outstanding news!"
was the reaction of ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ.
"This is a major victory for the ARRL," he exulted, noting that the
amendment "received significant opposition" from utilities. Rep Mike Ross,
WD5DVR (D-AR), proposed the amendment, and, with the support of Committee
Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX), the committee agreed by voice vote to include it
in the bill.
A year ago, Ross sponsored House Resolution 230 (H Res 230)
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/HTML/plc/filings/hres230/HRes230.pdf>, which
calls on the FCC to "reconsider and revise rules governing broadband over
power line systems based on a comprehensive evaluation of the interference
potential of those systems to public safety services and other licensed
radio services."
"Hundreds of ARRL members who wrote their congressional representatives in
support of Rep Ross's H Res 230 helped to achieve this week's success with
the COPE Act amendment," Sumner observed.
A more-widely reported Internet "network neutrality" amendment to the COPE
Act bill was defeated. The measure will get a number next week.
A statement released by Ross's office notes that his amendment, which
received unanimous committee support, "would guarantee that valuable public
safety communications and Amateur Radio operators are not subject to
interference." One of two radio amateurs in the US House, Ross said
infrastructure-free Amateur Radio, "often overlooked in favor of flashier
means of communication," can maintain communication in disasters that bring
more vulnerable technology to its knees. Ham radio operators "are often the
only means of communication attainable in a devastated area," he said.
"I believe it is imperative that the interference potential [of BPL] is
thoroughly examined and comprehensively evaluated to ensure that deployment
of BPL, which I do support, does not cause radio interference for Amateur
Radio operators and first responders who serve our communities," Ross added.
The COPE Act BPL amendment adds a section (under Title V) to the proposed
legislation that would require the FCC to study and report on the
interference potential of BPL systems within 90 days of the bill's
enactment. "This puts the House Energy and Commerce Committee on record as
having concerns about BPL interference," Sumner said. "If we are vigilant in
protecting it against deletion on the House floor--assuming the bill is
approved by the House--the BPL language will be included in the legislation
that goes on to the Senate."
==>FCC CHAIRMAN NOMINATED FOR NEW TERM
President George W. Bush has tapped FCC Chairman Kevin J. Martin of North
Carolina for a second, five-year term on the Commission starting July 1. The
White House this week submitted Martin's name to the US Senate for
confirmation. Martin says he's honored to be nominated for a second term as
a commissioner and as FCC chairman.
"This is an exciting time of growth and innovation in the communications
sector," Martin said in a statement. "I look forward to working with the
Administration, Congress, my fellow commissioners and the talented staff at
the FCC to provide all Americans with the services and opportunities offered
by the best communications system in the world today."
Judging by their statements, his three FCC colleagues have confidence in his
leadership. Martin succeeded Michael Powell as FCC chairman in 2005.
In the meantime, politics reportedly is keeping the FCC from having a full
slate of commissioners. In February, the White House nominated Republican
Robert M. McDowell of Virginia to fill the still-vacant fifth FCC seat. The
Senate Commerce Committee okayed the telecommunications attorney's
nomination, but US Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La) reportedly has blocked any
of President Bush's non-judicial nominations--including McDowell's--from
going forward to a vote by the full Senate. Landrieu is said to be unhappy
with the pace of Hurricane Katrina recovery assistance to the Gulf Coast.
The situation leaves the FCC split at two Republicans and two Democrats. If
the Senate stalemate continues, Martin could continue to serve on the FCC
beyond his term's expiration.
==>SUPPLY AND DEMAND: VU4AN ANDAMANS OPERATIONS CREATE A CLAMOR
For several days this month, the tiny Andaman Islands became the DX mouse
that roared--well, sort of. Just how loudly depended on your position on the
globe and fickle propagation. A first-of-its-kind event, "Hamfest - (VU4)
India - 2006," made rare VU4 (Andaman and Nicobar Islands) widely available
worldwide April 18-25. With activities centered in Port Blair on South
Andaman Island, more than 100 VU4AN stations made a joyful noise on several
modes and bands. Despite the current ebb in the sunspot cycle, many US radio
amateurs were able to take advantage.
"They weren't rock-crushingly loud, but they seemed to be making a lot of
QSOs in North America," said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ--one of the lucky
ones. Sumner said he worked VU4 on CW and SSB and noted that some of the
stations were spotted quite a lot on RTTY.
Sumner expressed pleasure that one of his QSOs was with Bharathi Prasad,
operating as VU4AN/VU2RBI. She led the December 2004 VU4 DXpedition that
turned into a disaster-communication operation after being cut short by the
devastating South Asia earthquake and tsunami. As a result, Prasad and her
team won the 2005 ARRL International Humanitarian Award, and she was named
Dayton Hamvention's Radio Amateur of the Year.
Telecommunication authorities in India authorized the issuance of short-term
licenses to some 40 Indian nationals and 70 foreigners. While VU4AN signals
were dicey or non-existent in some North American locations, many stations
in the US and elsewhere were able to add this rare one to their DXCC
total--some on more than one band.
According to The DX Magazine's 2005 survey of DXers, Andaman and Nicobar
Islands was the 10th most-wanted DXCC entity. This month's massive
operation--sponsored by the National Institute of Amateur Radio (NIAR)--may
have put a dent in the demand. The NIAR offered certificates for stations
working more than four VU4AN stations as well as awards for working the most
VU4AN stations in several categories.
In addition to operating, several participants delivered presentations at
the NIAR gathering that stressed the positive aspects of Amateur Radio
operating as well as various technical topics. The intention was to promote
ham radio and to invite more-friendly governmental regulation.
"This VU4-Andaman Islands project took some eight months from start to
finish and involved many hours and financial support by members of NIAR,"
commented QST "Hows DX?" and The Daily DX Editor Bernie McClenny, W3UR,
after returning from the Andamans where he operated as VU4AN/VU3OHA.
"Heavy-duty negotiations between NIAR and the many different government
branches took place for this activity to happen." McClenny also reported
that there are now two newly licensed hams in Port Blair, Andaman.
Unless otherwise announced for individual stations, VU4AN QSLs go to Jose
Jacob, VU2JOS, National Institute of Amateur Radio, 6-3-1092/93, Raj Bhavan
Rd, Somajiguda, Hyderabad 500082 INDIA.
==>CALIFORNIA PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION APPROVES BPL REGULATIONS
Saying that broadband over power line (BPL) will bring Internet access to
"underserved communities," the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)
has adopted regulatory guidelines for electric utilities and companies that
wish to develop BPL projects in that state. While the Commission's BPL
guidelines include a requirement to maintain the safety and reliability of
the electric distribution system, the state agency has no jurisdiction over
radio frequency interference, which received no mention in the PUC's news
release. ARRL Laboratory Manager Ed Hare, W1RFI, points out that the utility
industry still must meet another tier of federal regulations that govern
permitted BPL signal levels and interference issues.
"Although this action addresses how BPL operators will be responsible to
state regulators, it does not address any of the technical problems with BPL
in any way," Hare observed. "Utilities will still have to carefully choose
BPL vendors with a proven track record of preventing interference
complaints."
The CPUC said it wants to foster BPL deployment to solve the "last mile"
problem of broadband delivery and to increase consumer choice in broadband
providers. "BPL has the potential to bring broadband Internet services to
communities who do not have broadband service available today from the
telephone companies or cable companies," said CPUC President Michael R.
Peevey.
One commissioner suggested that BPL faces an uphill battle. "This is a
nascent technology with technological, market, and financial hurdles before
it," commented CPUC member John Bohn. "By removing unnecessary regulations
from its path, we free BPL entrepreneurs to invest and take the risks they
want, while protecting ratepayers from any downside."
ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, said that while the League's concern is with
BPL interference and not with BPL's viability in the broadband marketplace,
"it's odd to see the California PUC echoing the pro-BPL rhetoric that was
coming out of the FCC two years ago and that is so demonstrably wrong
today." Sumner points out that BPL has been around for years now, and "after
all the hype," the most-recent FCC statistics show no more than about 4000
BPL lines in service across the US.
"The California PUC would better serve its citizens by focusing on more
capable broadband technologies, such as fiber and wireless, that do not have
the potential to disrupt radio communication," Sumner concluded.
The policy the CPUC adopted April 27 stemmed from a draft developed by CPUC
member Rachelle Chong, a former FCC commissioner.
==>MISSOURI TEEN WINS PRESTIGIOUS GOLDFARB MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
Seventeen-year-old Mellissa Ann Meye, KB0WZA, of Camdenton, Missouri, has
been named the recipient of the 2006 William R. Goldfarb Memorial
Scholarship, the ARRL Foundation Scholarship Committee has announced. Meye
is the first young woman to receive this generous award. Licensed in 1996,
Meye has actively promoted Amateur Radio in her community, was instrumental
in establishing the Osage Amateur Radio Club at her school and serves as the
club's president.
"The establishment of this club took many hours of work and convincing the
school administration of its value," said Lloyd Wood, N0GYE, who recommended
Meye's selection. "Mellissa was so successful in convincing school personnel
of Amateur Radio's value that the high school principal and some of the
faculty members are presently studying to take their exams."
The terms of reference of the generous Goldfarb scholarship award require
that recipients demonstrate financial need and significant involvement with
Amateur Radio, in addition to high academic performance. "Ms Meye meets or
exceeds all of our criteria," the selection committee said. A high school
senior and General-class licensee, Meye ranks sixth in a class of 132
pursuing an advanced academic diploma course of study. She plans to attend
the University of Missouri-Rolla to study petroleum engineering.
Amateur Radio runs in the Meye family. Her father David is KL7QW.
Beyond her academic accomplishments, Meye sports a well-balanced and
impressive list of extracurricular and community activities. She's a member
of her school's advanced concert chorale, Science Research Team, the
Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Future Business Leaders of America.
She also has participated in the Upward Bound Math and Science Program held
summers at Northwest Missouri State University and was selected two years
running.
Said one of her church leaders, Robert D. Ashford: "She has led other young
women of her age group to be better people and has conducted music for the
entire congregation."
The William R. Goldfarb Memorial Scholarship is intended to assist a
qualified student to obtain a bachelor's degree at an accredited school in
one of the following courses of study: business-related computers, medical
or nursing fields, engineering or sciences. The four-year award to an active
radio amateur is based on outstanding qualifications, need and other funding
sources.
The Goldfarb Scholarship is the result of a generous endowment from the late
William Goldfarb, N2ITP. Before his death in 1997, Goldfarb set up a
scholarship endowment of close to $1 million in memory of his parents,
Albert and Dorothy Goldfarb.
More information on the Goldfarb Scholarship is available on the ARRL Web
site <http://www.arrl.org/arrlf/goldfarb.html>. Applications for the
Goldfarb Scholarship and other ARRL Foundation Scholarship applications are
accepted each year beginning October 1 and ending February 1 for the
academic year that starts the following August/September.
==>WEST MOUNTAIN RADIO TO BE PRINCIPAL AWARDS SPONSOR FOR ARRL RTTY ROUNDUP
West Mountain Radio, which manufactures the popular RIGblaster digital modes
radio-to-sound card interfaces, has generously agreed to be Principal Awards
Sponsor for the 2006 and 2007 runnings of the ARRL RTTY Round-Up. During the
annual event, which takes place the first full weekend in January, radio
amateurs around the globe contact and exchange QSO information using Baudot
RTTY, PSK31, ASCII, AMTOR and attended packet operation. ARRL COO Harold
Kramer, WJ1B, said West Mountain Radio's participation will provide the
events' top scorers with plaques that might not otherwise be available.
"We are pleased that West Mountain Radio has agreed to be the Principal
Awards Sponsor for the ARRL RTTY Round-Up," Kramer said. "Participation in
the ARRL RTTY Round-Up has been increasing every year, and we are grateful
to West Mountain Radio for its support. It is particularly appropriate for
West Mountain Radio to associate itself with this operating event because of
its continuing commitment and technical contribution to digital
communication and support of this interest group." West Mountain Radio will
be Principal Awards Sponsor for all unsponsored plaques for the events.
West Mountain Radio's Dan Gravereaux, N1ZZ, said he hopes the cooperative
arrangement will help to spur more interest in digital mode contesting and
operating. "We are delighted to be the Principal Awards Sponsor," he
commented. "We at West Mountain Radio have worked very hard to make RTTY and
other digital modes more accessible to the Amateur Radio community."
Gravereaux says he believes the League, the various digital-mode software
developers and his company have made an effort to promote more exciting
modes and "to keep ham radio really fun," and he sees West Mountain Radio's
participation as Principal Awards Sponsor an extension of that activity.
RTTY Round-Up plaques will go to the top-scoring low and high-power entrants
in each overall contest category within each ARRL Division and Canada. Entry
categories include single-operator low power and high power and
multioperator single-transmitter, low power and high power. Plaques that
West Mountain Radio is underwriting will bear the company's logo, as will
all contest certificates sent to contest category winners. Other plaques
already are underwritten by clubs, individuals or other organizations.
Based in Norwalk, Connecticut, West Mountain Radio
<http://www.westmountainradio.com/> produces several RIGblaster models for
operating digital modes with a computer. It also makes the RIGrunner for
distributing 12 V dc power, PWRgates for emergency backup, RIGtalk for rig
control, and CBAs for battery testing. Gravereaux says the West Mountain
Radio team plans to be on the air for the ARRL RTTY Round-Up next January
using the company's K1WMR club station call sign.
==>EUROPEAN HAMS HEAR SIGNALS FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE
Hams in Germany and Portugal reportedly have received signals from the US
Voyager 1 spacecraft <http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov/> in March and April. On
March 31, AMSAT-DL (Germany) radio amateurs at the Institute for
Environmental and Future Research (IUZ) at Bochum Observatory used a
20-meter radio telescope dish to detect Voyager 1's 8.4 GHz signal.
Using Doppler shift and sky positioning, the German team received the signal
from a distance of 8.82 billion miles (14.7 billion km)--nearly 100 times
the distance from the sun to Earth. This is the first recorded reception of
signals from Voyager 1 by radio amateurs.
Members of the AMSAT-DL/IUZ team included Freddy de Guchteneire, ON6UG,
James Miller, G3RUH, Hartmut Paesler, DL1YDD, and Achim Vollhardt,
DH2VA/HB9DUN. Assisting were Theo Elsner, DJ5YM of IUZ, and Roger Ludwig of
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), as well as the Deep Space Network (DSN)
tracking station in Madrid, Spain.
Luis Cupido, CT1DMK, in Portugal reported April 15 that he spent "two nights
without sleep" to hear Voyager I at his QTH using a 5.6-meter dish. To
detect the signal, Cupido says he had to acquire and integrate spectrograms
over an extended period.
"I did several acquisition periods of 15 minutes (900 s), the minimum I
would expect to see something," he said on his Web site
<http://w3ref.cfn.ist.utl.pt/cupido/dsn.html>, noting that any longer time
period would be incompatible with his Doppler-shift correction scheme. "The
receiver is operated at fixed frequency, and the Doppler variation was
corrected by skewing successive spectrograms in software while accumulating
[images]."
He based positive identification of Voyager 1's signal on the fact that
signal is "only visible for the right skew amount that corresponds to the
Doppler variation as predicted by the relative velocity calculation."
Voyager 1 was launched in September 1977 to conduct close-up studies of
Jupiter and Saturn, Saturn's rings and the larger moons of the two planets.
Designed to last only five years, the probe is expected to send back
astronomical information to NASA and JPL until at least 2020. Voyager 1 will
study ultraviolet sources among the stars, and its fields and particles
instruments will continue to search for the boundary between the sun's
influence and interstellar space.
==>NON-DELIVERABLE CARD REMAINS IN "QSL LIMBO" FOR 50 YEARS
George Hitz, W1DA, of Sudbury, Massachusetts, can finally account for one of
his QSL cards--one he sent in 1956. While a newly licensed teenager living
in DeLand, Florida, Hitz, then KN4DPI, fired up his Johnson Viking
Adventurer transmitter and made contact with Dave, KN6MSI, on 40 meters.
Like a good operator, Hitz sent off a QSL card, addressed only to "Amateur
Radio--KN6NMI, Chief Op Dave, Address Unknown, Riverdale, Calif." This
turned out to be David Leaven, later WI6J, who became a Silent Key in 2003.
"I was 14, and like me, Dave was a new ham, and he wasn't in the call book,"
Hitz told ARRL. "I hoped there would be someone at the Riverdale post office
that would know who Dave was, and it would get to him." But Hitz made one
mistake: he addressed the card to Riverdale instead of to Dave's actual QTH,
Riverside. That simple error left the card sitting in QSL limbo from 1956
until now.
"In 1956, I was just a Novice operator with a primitive station and even
more primitive operating skills," Hitz explained. "Back then, with my radio
built from a kit and my BC-348 World War II Army Air Corps surplus receiver
and a 60-foot long wire antenna that was 15 feet high, California, was like
a whole other country. And I needed that California QSL!"
Hitz had put a return address on his card, but for reasons perhaps best
known to the US Postal Service, it finally was returned to his former
Florida address in early April. It turned up in the mailbox of Mack
McCormick, a nonham now living in Hitz's childhood home.
"The card apparently has been in the 'Twilight Zone' for 50 years,"
McCormick said. "It's not wrinkled or anything."
McCormick offered to return the card to Hitz, but Hitz declined. "What would
I do with it?" he said. "I understand the guy who found it is going to frame
it and place it on his coffee table!"
The story of the long-lost QSL card received worldwide attention. "The press
has run wild with this," Hitz said. "I heard this story has been in
newspapers in India, Iceland, Ireland--all over the world, over 100
countries! It's almost like I could have DXCC from all the countries that
have reported it."
==>SOLAR UPDATE
Solar flash Tad "That Lucky Ol' Sun" Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
reports: Geomagnetic conditions were quiet this week in most places, but on
April 22 there was a geomagnetic storm at high latitudes caused by solar
wind and a south-pointing interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). The College A
index in Fairbanks, Alaska, reached 38, and the K index was 7 at its
highest. The Mid-Latitude A index for the day was only 10--just slightly
unsettled.
On April 27 there was a strong, but brief, solar flare from Sunspot 875, but
this was not expected to cause major geomagnetic activity. At the time of
the flare, around 1552 UTC, X-rays caused a radio blackout of nearly a
quarter-hour.
Sunspot numbers and solar flux have been rising, and solar flux is expected
to remain around 100 over the next week. Geomagnetic conditions may become
active again around May 2 and May 6, with a big increase in activity
expected around May 10-13 because of similar activity during the previous
solar rotation.
Sunspot numbers for April 20 through 26 were 30, 14, 15, 24, 38, 33 and 60,
with a mean of 30.6. The 10.7 cm flux was 78.7, 76.4, 82.4, 86.7, 92.8,
95.1, and 100, with a mean of 87.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 8,
18, 8, 7, 5 and 5, with a mean of 8. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were
3, 6, 10, 8, 4, 1 and 2, with a mean of 4.9.
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: The North America High Speed Meteor Scatter
Spring Rally is April 29 until May 7. The SBMS 2 GHz and Up World Wide Club
Contest, the Helvetia Contest and the Alabama QSO Party are the weekend of
April 29-30. JUST AHEAD: The AGCW QRP/QRP Party and the RSGB 80-meter Club
Championship (SSB) are May 1. The ARS Spartan Sprint is May 2. The Thursday
NCCC Sprint Ladder is May 5 UTC. The New England, Seventh Call Area and
Indiana QSO parties, the MARAC County Hunter Contest (CW), the 10-10
International Spring Contest (CW), the Microwave Spring Sprint, and the ARI
International DX Contest are the weekend of May 6-7. The RSGB 80-meter Club
Championship (Data) is May 10. The Thursday NCCC Sprint Ladder is May 12
(UTC). See the ARRL Contest Branch page <http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and
the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration remains open through Sunday, May 7, for these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) Program on-line courses:
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 2 (EC-002), Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications Level 3 (EC-003), Antenna Modeling (EC-004), HF
Digital Communications (EC-005), VHF/UHF--Life Beyond the Repeater (EC-008),
and Radio Frequency Propagation (EC-011). Classes begin Friday, May 19. To
learn more, visit the CCE Course Listing page
<http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> or contact the CCE Department
<cce at arrl.org>.
* Armed Forces Day 2006 military/amateur activities set: The US Army, Air
Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will cosponsor the annual
military/Amateur Radio communications tests Saturday and Sunday, May 13-14
t56th Armed Forces Day. Although the actual Armed Forces Day is Saturday,
May 20, the Armed Forces Day on-the-air activities will take place earlier,
to avoid conflicts with those who might be attending Dayton Hamvention, May
19-21. The annual activity features traditional military-to-amateur
crossband (ie, hams transmit on amateur frequencies and receive military
stations on nearby military channels) SSB voice tests and copying the
Secretary of Defense's annual Armed Forces Day message via digital modes
(RTTY, PACTOR, AMTOR, PSK-31 and MT63). "These tests give Amateur Radio
operators and Short Wave Listeners an opportunity to demonstrate their
individual technical skills and receive recognition from the Secretary of
Defense and/or the appropriate military radio station for their proven
expertise," the US Armed Forces Day announcement says. QSL cards will be
provided to those making contact with military stations. Commemorative
certificates will be awarded to those receiving and copying without error
the digital Armed Forces Day message from the Secretary of Defense. The
tentative schedule of on-the-air events--including a list of participating
stations, the Secretary of Defense's message transmission schedule and more
information--is available on the US Army MARS Web site
<http://www.netcom.army.mil/mars/news/ARMED%20FORCES%20DAY%20(2006).doc>.
The schedule is subject to change without notice.
* SuitSat-1 still in orbit: Tossed into orbit three months ago from the
International Space Station, SuitSat-1 continues to orbit Earth--although
its batteries are long since dead, Spaceweather.com reported this week that
skywatcher Kevin Fetter videotaped SuitSat-1 as it passed over his
Brockville, Ontario, Canada, home (the bright star in the movie is Vega)
<http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/swpod2006/27apr06/fetter.wmv>. A spare
Russian Orlan spacesuit equipped with a voice transmitter, slow-scan TV
system, voice recordings and various sensors, SuitSat-1 was the brainchild
of the Russian Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
team. From the outset, radio signals from the unusual satellite were very
weak due to an undetermined problem. Even so, SuitSat-1 remained in
operation for more than two weeks, easily outlasting initial predictions
that it would only transmit for about one week. The last confirmed reception
of SuitSat-1's voice audio was on February 18. Calling the project
"tremendously successful," ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO,
says SuitSat-1 captured the imagination of people around the world, despite
its much-lower-than-expected signal strength. Eventually, SuitSat-1 will
sink into Earth's atmosphere and disintegrate in a flash of fire. Another
surplus Orlan suit remains aboard the ISS, so SuitSat-2 could be in the
offing.
* Hugh L. Tinley, K0GHK, SK: QST author and World War II historical figure
Hugh Tinley, K0GHK, of Omaha, Nebraska, died April 27. He was 88. Tinley had
been suffering from bone cancer. His article, "Riding the Magic Carpet," in
April QST about using EchoLink to put hospital patients in touch with one
another proved very popular with readers. An officer on the staff of Gen
Dwight D. Eisenhower during World War II, Tinley was one of the last
surviving individuals to have witnessed the signing of the German surrender
documents that ended the war. In 2005, he appeared in an ABC Evening News
segment, "Old Soldiers," marking the 60th anniversary of the victory in
Europe. Retired as president of Farmers International, he had been a radio
amateur for 46 years. During the 1960s, he was an active participant in the
Military Affiliate Radio System's "Operation Hello," helping provide phone
patches between servicemen in Vietnam and their families. He was a member of
ARRL and the Heartland DX Association.
* DXCC Desk approves operations for DXCC credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has
approved these operations for DXCC credit: YI9AQ (Iraq), current operation,
effective September 21, 2004; D6/WB4MBU (Comoros), operation from May 24 to
October 27, 2001; D68JC (Comoros), operation from October 23 to November 8,
2001, and 4W2AQ (Timor-Leste), operation from June 18 to December 17, 2003.
For more information, visit the DXCC Web page
<http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc>. "DXCC Frequently Asked Questions" can
answer most questions about the DXCC program. ARRL DX bulletins are
available on the W1AW DX Bulletins page <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/>.
===========================================================
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==>Editorial questions or comments: Rick Lindquist, N1RL, n1rl at arrl.org
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860-594-0384
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