[FPARC] The ARRL Letter Vol. 25, No. 29 July 21, 2006

[W4kkw at aol.com]

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 29
July 21,  2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +BPL interference  testing not performed as required, radio amateur says
* +The nation's  Volunteer Examiner Coordinators meet quietly in Gettysburg
* +Failure to keep  mailing address on file with FCC results in suspensions
* +FBI cooperative  program seeks alliance with Amateur Radio
* +Newest DXCC entity Montenegro on  the air in a big way
* +Ohio teen is 2006 Young Ham of the Year
*   Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the  radio
ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course  registration
Some call signs missing from DXCC Honor Roll  in August QST
+RAC seeks input on restructuring Amateur Radio  in Canada
+UK 5 MHz experiment extended to 2010, gains two new  channels
Discovery lands safely in Florida minus one  radio amateur

+Available on ARRL Audio News  <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>

===========================================================
==>Delivery  problems: First see  FAQ
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then  e-mail
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==>Editorial questions or comments  only: Rick Lindquist,  N1RL,
<n1rl at arrl.org>
===========================================================

==>MANASSAS  RADIO AMATEUR TAKES ISSUE WITH BPL INTERFERENCE TESTING

A Manassas,  Virginia, radio amateur who has complained of BPL interference
to his mobile  operation has taken issue with how FCC-mandated interference
testing was  performed. Dwight Agnew, AI4II, told the FCC July 20 that a
testing review,  carried out July 14 by Columbia Telecommunications Corp
(CTC), "did not  represent the Manassas BPL system at peak system loading,"
as the FCC had  required.

"The BPL folks' unwillingness to bring the system to peak  traffic load
further illustrates a lack of openness and cooperation," Agnew  wrote the
FCC's Spectrum Enforcement Division. "It's ludicrous that a system  operator
would not keep track of system loading and deny the existence of any  such
reporting mechanism." Objective interference testing is impossible  unless
the system is loaded at peak levels, Agnew asserted.

Responding  in March to Agnew's interference complaint, FCC Spectrum
Enforcement Division  Chief Joseph Casey called on system operator COMTek and
the City of Manassas  to take measurements at locations Agnew cited in his
complaint "during the  hours of peak usage of the system by BPL customers."
He reiterated that  directive in June.

Working with CTC's Lee Afflerbach, W3BRH, Agnew and  other Manassas radio
amateurs on July 14 reviewed testing done earlier by  Product Safety
Engineering (PSE) on behalf of COMTek and the city, which owns  the power
grid. The latest PSE testing responded to Casey's June 16 request.  He'd
ordered the city and COMTek to provide a detailed report on actions  taken
and progress made in resolving the interference complaint or reducing  the
emissions in the area referenced in Agnew's complaint to 20 dB below  the
Part 15 limit.

In its reply to the FCC July 17, COMTek said  remedial actions it and the
city took "have successfully resolved Mr Agnew's  complaint." Local radio
amateurs did not witness the actual system  testing.

CTC reviewed the earlier test results at three BPL system test  points picked
by Agnew and the other radio amateurs. CTC subsequently  reported in part,
that while the BPL signal "was perceptible in at least one  test location"
the "very low amplitude BPL signal" did not impair reception  of desired
communications. BPL signals within the ham bands "were  substantially
attenuated" from BPL signals outside the ham bands, the report  said.

The CTC report, which Manassas supplied to the FCC as a supplement  to the
PSE testing analysis, suggested that some interference radio amateurs  have
attributed to BPL "may in fact originate from other sources."  Afflerbach
recommended that the Manassas radio amateurs employ "proven modern  receiver
technology" such as filters and noise-suppression to minimize the  effects of
interference, "including any from BPL transmission."

PSE  said in its report that Agnew confirmed "subjectively" that the  remedial
actions COMTek and the city had taken had "eliminated the BPL  interference
completely or reduced them [sic] to acceptable  levels."

Agnew said in his letter this week that monitoring un-notched  BPL signals on
8 MHz indicated that system traffic during the post-testing  review "was very
low and did not represent peak or even normal system  usage."

George Tarnovsky, K4GVT, one of the hams witnessing the  post-testing review,
told ARRL that the interference "was right back" the day  after CTC conducted
its interference review.

"They're trying to  discredit the ham radio community," he charged, referring
to COMTek and the  City of Manassas. "When the system is active, you'll hear
it." Tarnovsky says  the post-testing review indicated to him that the BPL
system had not been  tested at peak loading.

Agnew told the FCC that further testing without  the system at peak loading
would be a waste of time. "If the BPL folks are  unwilling to share the peak
loading data with us, I would like to recommend  future testing of the
Manassas BPL system be conducted by the FCC." To date,  the Commission has
not done any testing of the Manassas BPL  system.

==>VOLUNTEER EXAMINER COORDINATORS GATHER IN  GETTYSBURG

Representatives of 11 of the nation's 14 volunteer examiner  coordinators
(VECs) met July 14 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the annual  National
Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC)  <http://www.ncvec.org>
conference. NCVEC Chairman Tom Fuszard, KB9PU,  presided. The session each
year offers an opportunity for VECs to discuss  issues facing the volunteer
examination program and question pools and to  meet face-to-face with FCC
staff members.

"Good news from Riley  Hollingsworth was that for the second year in a row
there have been no new  cases of examination irregularity brought to his
attention," said ARRL First  Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN. "The VECs
represented at the conference  were certainly not of a single mind about each
and every point relating to  licensing requirements, but all agreed that
Amateur Radio has a bright  future."

Joining Craigie as part of the League's delegation to the  gathering were
ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, Assistant Manager Perry  Green, WY1O,
and ARRL Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program Manager Norm Fusaro,  W3IZ.

In his remarks Hollingsworth -- FCC Special Counsel in the  Spectrum
Enforcement Division and the point man for Amateur Radio enforcement  --
noted that he has not required any license applicants to retake  an
examination since last year, when several individuals were called in  for
retesting following alleged improprieties at examination sessions  in
Yucaipa, California, a few years earlier. He credited the VECs for doing  a
better job in preventing exam fraud.

"I reminded them that the FCC  was still very enforcement oriented, and they
should avoid getting on our  radar screen," Hollingsworth told ARRL this
week.

Addressing an NCVEC  conference for the first time was Michael Wilhelm,
WS6BR, chief of the Public  Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division in
the FCC's Wireless  Telecommunications Bureau (WTB). Wilhelm said that of all
the services WTB  administers, Amateur Radio is the only one that's self
regulated. He said  Amateur Radio's best strategy for the future is to
continue serving in  disasters and emergencies and to "Elmer" new hams. He
also lauded the ARRL's  Amateur Radio Emergency Communications courses.

Some discussion involved  the work of the Question Pool Committee, especially
in light of anticipated  changes in licensing requirements still pending
within the FCC. Craigie says  FCC personnel were unable to predict when the
Commission would act on various  Amateur Radio-related rulemaking proceedings
now before it.

"We were  assured that these proceedings 'are not on the back burner,' but
that was  it," she said.

The Amateur Radio community is awaiting an FCC Report and  Order on its
proposal (in WT Docket 05-235) to drop the Morse code  requirement for all
Amateur Radio license classes. A Report and Order dealing  with other Amateur
Radio Service rule changes (in WT Docket 04-140) is still  in the wings, and
the FCC has indicated it will act on that proceeding before  it releases a
Report and Order on Morse code.

QPC Chairman Jim Wiley,  KL7CC, told the gathering the new Technician
question pool that became  effective July 1 has received both praise and
criticism. He said the General  class question pool, due to go into effect
next year, is next in line for  review and possible revision.

After learning that the FCC could give no  definitive prediction on when new
rules might go into effect, Wiley said, the  QPC decided to make few changes
to the General class question pool at this  point. He invited comments and
suggestions from the VECs as to how the QPC  should proceed.

The NCVEC unanimously voted to create a new position of  Rules Reporter to
keep members up to date on pending FCC rule making  proceedings. Fred Maia,
W5YI, was named to assume that role.

The NCVEC  representatives re-elected Fuszard to a fourth term as chairman.
Larry  Pollock, NB5X, will continue as vice chairman. Michele Cimbala, WK3X,
will be  the new secretary, succeeding Steve Sternitzke, NS5I, who declined
another  term. Ray Adams, W4CPA, will remain as treasurer.

Wiley will continue as  QPC chairman. Committee members are Larry Pollock,
NB5X, Roland Anders, K3RA,  and Perry Green, WY1O.

==>FCC SUSPENDS HAM LICENSES FOR FAILURE TO  MAINTAIN MAILING ADDRESS

The FCC has suspended two Amateur Radio licenses  because the holders had
failed to maintain correct mailing addresses in the  Commission's licensee
database. Special Counsel in the FCC Spectrum  Enforcement Division Riley
Hollingsworth wrote Larry L. Smith, KC7LJR, of  Middleton, Idaho, and Larry
J. Maniag, KD7JTG, of Payson, Arizona, on June 28  to inform them the FCC was
suspending their Technician tickets for the  remainder of their license terms
or until each licensee provides a valid  mailing address.

In his letter to Smith, Hollingsworth noted that on  three occasions in late
2005, the FCC had been unable to deliver warning  notices alleging deliberate
interference to a 2-meter repeater  system.

He told Maniag that the US Postal Service earlier this year  returned as
undeliverable two warning notices alleging deliberate  interference with
several repeaters.

Hollingsworth cited §97.23 of the  Commission's Amateur Radio Service rules
that requires each license grant to  show the licensee's correct name and
mailing address. The rule provides that  "revocation of the station license
or suspension of the operator license may  result when correspondence from
the FCC is returned as undeliverable because  the grantee failed to provide
the correct mailing  address."

Hollingsworth cited the same rule to an Ohio licensee  apparently tempting a
similar fate. On June 26 Hollingsworth afforded Robert  D. Reckner, W8IQJ,
more time to respond to complaints involving his service  as MIDCARS net
control. The complaint alleges deliberate interference as a  result of his
starting the net on top of existing communications on 7.258 MHz  in April. A
June 1 letter enclosing the complaint came back to the FCC as  undeliverable,
he said.

In another failure-to-reply case,  Hollingsworth notified William E. Kuth,
KB2SGQ, of Utica, New York, on June  27 that his license renewal application
has been designated for dismissal.  That action effectively eliminates Kuth's
Amateur Radio privileges, and  Hollingsworth reminded him of that fact.

In May, the FCC notified Kuth  that his renewal application "could not be
routinely granted" and had been  referred to the Enforcement Bureau for
review. That came in the wake of a  Warning Notice for allegedly operating on
26.815 MHz without a license and  causing interference on 10 meters.
Additional complaints alleged that Kuth  operated on 26.945 MHz.

Hollingsworth said postal records indicate that  Kuth received the FCC
inquiry on May 5 but did not respond. The letter to  Kuth noted that the
address on his renewal application differed from his  actual mailing address.
Kuth's Technician license expired in November  2004.

The FCC dismissed the upgrade application of Andrew O. Ojwang,  KI4LTH, of
Roswell, Georgia, based on the licensee's response to "numerous  complaints
about the operation of your station since the grant of your  General class
license," Hollingsworth wrote. Following the complaints, the  FCC last
October set aside Ojwang's General license and his renewal  application,
which reverted to pending status.

"Pursuant to your  response dated May 31, 2006, your General class
application is being  forwarded to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau for
dismissal,"  Hollingsworth informed Ojwang on June 28. Complaints regarding
Ojwang's  on-air operation would have to be resolved before the Commission
would  consider an upgrade application, Hollingsworth advised. The FCC
appears to  have renewed Ojwang's Technician ticket for a full 10-year  term,
however.

Meanwhile, a Texas man, Billy J. Benefiel, W5BJB,  turned in his amateur
license rather than respond to complaints alleging that  he was operating on
frequencies not authorized to him as a Technician, and  for causing
interference.

==>FBI'S "INFRAGARD" PROGRAM COURTS  AMATEUR RADIO AS ALLY

Amateur Radio's value as one component in a  cooperative effort to protect
critical national infrastructure was the focus  of an InfraGard
"Communications Interoperability and Ham Radios" summit this  week in New
York City. An FBI program, InfraGard is dedicated to promoting  dialogue
between the private sector and the federal investigative agency  "concerning
critical infrastructure protection issues." ARRL Chief  Development Officer
Mary Hobart, K1MMH, and Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program  Manager Norm Fusaro,
W3IZ, represented League Headquarters at the gathering,  which featured a
range of speakers.

"This is the key to opening the  door to a valuable model partnership,"
Hobart commented afterward. "They were  very receptive. I think it was a good
beginning."

Hobart says Amateur  Radio came up on InfraGard's radar earlier this year and
got the nonprofit  organization thinking of Amateur Radio as a possible
partner, ally and  service provider in emergencies. New York Metro InfraGard
put together the  one-day session July 17 at Cisco Systems' New York office
as a way to get  more familiar with Amateur Radio.

"They understand that ham radio has  'been there' in terms of emergencies and
disasters and is working to improve  its ability to respond," Hobart said.
She said New York Metro InfraGard  President Joe Concannon "expressed his
deep interest in Amateur Radio as a  partner and a desire to learn more about
our capabilities."

Keynote  speaker for the day-long session was Broadcasting & Cable Hall of
Famer  and New York Public Television CEO William Baker, W1BKR. Jeff Pulver,
WA2BOT,  chairman and founder of pulvermedia.com and cofounder of Vonage,
also  addressed the gathering.

"This InfraGard meeting brought together a group  of people who care about
post-disaster communication preparedness, and a  majority of the people in
attendance were active members of the Amateur Radio  community," Pulver
observed later in a blog entry. "This was my first time in  the post-VoIP era
that I had a chance to talk to hams about my early  experiences with VoIP and
how my ham radio background has had a positive  effect on the past 12 years
of my life."

Pulver said the InfraGard  meeting provided "a great audience to speak to,
since we shared a common  passion for communications and common ground on a
number of topics." He said  that includes the need for coordination between
the ham radio community and  fellow communication enthusiasts "who want to
volunteer their time the next  time disaster strikes."

In a presentation called "Radio Communications  101," New York City District
Emergency Coordinator Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, spoke  about the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES) and the League's role in  emergency and public
service communication and training.

Allan Manuel,  an attorney in the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security
Branch, indicated  the Commission is willing to be more flexible in
accommodating Amateur Radio  during emergencies and disasters. The FCC wants
to hear from the public by  August 7 in response to an FCC Notice of Proposed
Rule Making (NPRM)  regarding recommendations of the independent panel that
reviewed Hurricane  Katrina's impact on communication systems (EB Docket
06-119). Some of the  wide-ranging proposals in the NPRM include possibly
amending the rules to  permit automatic grants of certain types of waivers or
special temporary  authority (STA) in declared disaster areas.

For their part, Hobart and  Fusaro demonstrated the League's "Ham Aid" go
kits of Amateur Radio gear that  can be rapidly deployed to disaster areas
where the Amateur Radio  infrastructure has been lost or compromised. They
also provided attendees  with copies of the ARRL's Community Education
Program brochures and  materials.

Hobart says Concannon envisions a model in New York City that  other
InfraGard chapters across the country could emulate. "I think it's  an
opportunity for Amateur Radio to align itself with a high-profile group  with
key federal connections," she said.

==>MONTENEGRO  INTERNATIONAL DX FESTIVAL UNDER WAY

Radio amateurs and equipment from all  over Europe and from a few countries
outside the continent converged this  week on Montenegro -- the newest DXCC
entity -- for the Montenegro  International DX Festival. The event kicked off
at noon on Thursday, July 20,  with a salute to Montenegrin hams, the Amateur
Radio Association of  Montenegro and the country's telecoms authority and
military.

The  three-week Amateur Radio event is aimed at putting the tiny, new  Balkan
nation on the DX map in a big way. Seven stations identifying as 4O3T  will
be on the air from various locations. Nineteen-year old Nikola Ilic,  YZ6AMD,
made the first 403T QSO to start the festival, working  DF3IU.

During the formalities, Montenegro Amateur Radio Union President  Veso Babic,
YU6A, and event organizer Ranko Boca, YT6A, welcomed all visitors  to
Montenegro. Well-known DXer Martti Laine, OH2BH, discussed some of  the
challenges facing ham radio as well as the opportunities for further  talks
with Montenegrin authorities. International Amateur Radio  Union
representative Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T, promised to help  Montenegro
become an IARU member-society. Babic also reminded those on hand  of Amateur
Radio's valuable emergency communication effort following an  earthquake in
1979.

Nearly four dozen operators from more than 10  countries are expected to
serve as 4O3T operators during the DX Festival,  which continues until August
13. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, and his wife  Linda, KA1ZD, will join the
event in progress.

Look for 4O3NT on or  about these frequencies: CW: 1826.5, 3522, 7022,
10,106, 14,022, 18,072,  21,022, 24,892 and 28,022 kHz; SSB: 3795, 7055,
14,190, 18,145, 21,290,  24,945 and 28,490 kHz; RTTY: 7035, 10,135, 14,085,
18,105, 21,085 and 28,085  kHz; 6 meters, CW/SSB: 50,106 kHz. An online
searchable log will be available  on the SRACG Web  site
<http://www.yu6scg.cg.yu/log-book-search.html>.

Yaesu,  SteppIR, Acom and the Northern California DX Foundation have  supplied
equipment for the event.

Festival organizers have set the  ambitious goal of 200,000 contacts for the
event, which will use all HF  bands. DX Festival activities also will include
several basic courses on ham  radio operating and CEPT license examinations
aimed at new and  less-experienced radio amateurs.

There's still room for more operators,  especially during the second and
third weeks of the event. Contact Ranko  Boca, YT6A <yt6a at cg.yu>, with a copy
to Martti Laine, OH2BH  <oh2bh at sral.fi>. QSL via YT6A.

The United Nations admitted the  Republic of Montenegro as its 192nd member
on June 28, automatically making  Montenegro the 336th current DXCC entity.
Montenegro declared its  independence on June 3 following a national
referendum May 21.

There  are fewer than 100 native radio amateurs in Montenegro. The
International  Telecommunication Union has not yet assigned a distinctive
call sign block to  the new country, although current Montengrin radio
amateurs have been using  their YU/YT/YZ/4O-prefix call signs.

==>CATHY FERRY, NC8F, IS 2006  AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

For the third year in a row,  a young woman has been named to receive the
2006 Amateur Radio Newsline™  Young Ham of the Year Award (YHOTY)
<http://www.yhoty.org/>. She's  Cathy Ferry, NC8F -- an 18-year-old from
Silver Lake, Ohio.

"Cathy was  selected based on her long-term commitment to Amateur Radio, her
work in  public service and in promoting the hobby/service to others," the
Newsline  announcement said.

The daughter of Bruce Ferry, AK8B, and the late Joan  Ferry, Cathy was first
at age 10 and received her Extra class license at 13.  Currently an ARES
Assistant Emergency Coordinator, she has been involved in  numerous public
service events since age 12. For the past two years she's  served as a net
control station for the Roadrunner Akron Marathon. An ARRL  member, Cathy is
secretary of the Summit County Red Cross Amateur Radio  Club.

For the past two years been the editor of the Cuyahoga Falls  Amateur Radio
Club newsletter. In 2004 the publication received an honorable  mention in
the ARRL Ohio Section Newsletter Contest. She has also overseen  ticket sales
for her club's annual hamfest. Additionally, she assists in  teaching the
club's Technician class licensing course. Cathy has promoted  Amateur Radio
at Cuyahoga Falls High School while maintaining a 3.5 grade  point average.

In addition to her interest in Amateur Radio, Cathy is an  accomplished
musician who plays bassoon. She currently is with the Cleveland  Youth Wind
Symphony, which recently performed a series of concerts in  Australia. This
fall, Cathy is planning to major in music at Baldwin-Wallace  College in
Berea, Ohio.

The 2006 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of  the Year Award will be
presented August 19, 2006, at the Huntsville Hamfest  in Alabama. As the 2006
YHOTY Award winner, Cathy will receive -- courtesy of  Vertex-Standard -- an
expense-paid trip to the Huntsville Hamfest, along with  a gift of Yaesu ham
radio equipment. CQ magazine will treat her to an  expense-paid week at
Spacecamp Huntsville, and will present her with a  variety of CQ products.
She'll receive a commemorative plaque, underwritten  by Dave Bell, W6AQ.

The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year  Award goes annually to a
radio amateur age 18 or younger who has provided  outstanding service to the
nation and community or helped improve the state  of the art in Amateur Radio
communication.

==>SOLAR  UPDATE

Astral aficionado Tad "Shooting Star" Cook, K7RA, Seattle,  Washington,
reports: Solar activity remains low. Average daily sunspot  numbers dropped
by more than 6 points to 19.4, and solar flux was down by  more than 5 points
to 70.7.

July 13 saw the solar flux dip just barely  below 70 to 69.9. During extended
periods with zero sunspots, we will see  solar flux around 67 or 68.

The sun appears spotless, although the  sunspot number is above zero. Expect
continued low levels of solar activity.  For the next few days expect solar
flux around 70, rising to 75 after July  23.

Geomagnetic indices should be quiet, with a planetary A index of  five. The
next period of higher geomagnetic activity due to recurring coronal  holes
rotating into view is some moderate activity expected around Tuesday,  July
25, and then some higher activity centered on August 1.  Geophysical
Institute Prague predicts quiet conditions for July 21-24,  unsettled
conditions July 25-26, and quiet to unsettled July 27.

For  more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL  Technical
Information Service Propagation  page
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.

Sunspot  numbers for July 13 through 19 were 11, 15, 17, 20, 23, 26 and 24.
with a  mean of 19.4. 10.7 cm flux was 69.9, 70.9, 70.2, 70.8, 71, 71.2, and
71.1,  with a mean of 70.7. Estimated planetary A indices were 5, 14, 6, 4,
4, 3 and  2, with a mean of 5.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 3, 10,
5, 2, 2,  2 and 2, with a mean of  3.7.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

*  This weekend on the radio: The VK/Trans-Tasman 160-Meter Contest (CW) is
July  22. The RSGB Islands on the Air (IOTA) Contest and the ARS Flight of
the  Bumblebees contest are the weekend of July 29-30. JUST AHEAD: The  North
American QSO Party (CW), the ARRL UHF Contest, the TARA Grid Dip  Shindig, te
10-10 International Summer Contest (SSB), the European HF  Championship, the
RSGB RoPoCo 2 and the SARL HF Phone Contest are the weekend  of August 5-6.
The NAQCC Straight Key/Bug Sprint is August 9. 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, July 23, for these  ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) online courses: Amateur  Radio
Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001), Radio Frequency  Interference
(EC-006), Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009), Analog  Electronics
(EC-012) and Digital Electronics (EC-013). Classes begin Friday,  August 11.
The same courses will again open for registration Monday, July 24,  for
classes beginning September 1. 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>.

* Some call signs missing from DXCC  Honor Roll in August QST: The ARRL DXCC
Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, says  a problem with the DXCC software
caused a few call signs not to appear in the  DXCC Honor Roll listing in
August 2006 QST. "Although there were some errors  in this computer-generated
list, the online Honor Roll  listing
<http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/listings/dxccHR.pdf> produced  from the same
database is correct," Moore assured. "We will publish a  correction in
October 2006 QST." Anyone who was on the Honor Roll between  April 1, 2005,
and March 31, 2006, and whose call sign did not show up in the  QST list
should contact Moore via telephone (860-594-0234) or e-mail  <dxcc at arrl.org>.

* RAC seeks input on restructuring Amateur Radio  in Canada: Radio Amateurs
of Canada is seeking input from the Amateur Radio  community on possible
future restructuring of the Amateur Radio Service,  possibly by easing
entry-level licensing requirements as other countries have  done. The
Committee on the Restructuring of Amateur Radio in Canada, chaired  by RAC
Midwest Director Bj. Maden, VE5FX, has designed a questionnaire to  gather
information from Canadian amateurs about their thoughts on the future  of the
service. "Your input to this questionnaire is critical to help the  committee
to determine the direction which Amateur Radio might take," the RAC  says.
The survey takes about 10 minutes. Canadian radio amateurs can visit  the RAC
Web site's "Restructuring in Canada"  page
<http://www.rac.ca/regulatory/restructuring.htm>, which includes a  link to
the survey and to an article on restructuring that appeared in the  May/June
issue of The Canadian Amateur. There's also a PowerPoint  presentation,
including presenter's notes, for club programs.

* UK 5  MHz experiment extended to 2010, gains two new channels:  UK
telecommunications regulator Ofcom and the Ministry of Defence  okayed
extending the 5 MHz Amateur Radio experiment until June 30, 2010, and  adding
two new channels -- 5368 and 5373 kHz (center frequencies). Under  the
expanded plan, the UK and the US now will enjoy three  center-frequency
channels in common -- the two new channels and 5405 kHz. The  UK experiment,
which began in 2002, was to have concluded July 31. The Radio  Society of
Great Britain (RSGB) says the extension followed discussions  between Ofcom
and the RSGB. Current notices of variation (NoVs) issued by  the
Radiocommunications Agency -- the former telecoms regulator -- still  expire
July 31, 2006, however, and Full license holders in the UK who want  to
continue using the 5 MHz frequencies will have to file a new  NoV
application, available online from the Ofcom Web  site
<http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/ifi/licensing/classes/amateur/applicatio
ns/ofw285.pdf>.  Applicants must explain how they plan to experiment on the 5
MHz  channels.

* Discovery lands safely in Florida minus one radio amateur:  The shuttle
Discovery, with two radio amateur-astronauts aboard, landed  safely at
Kennedy Space Center in Florida July 17. In addition to Commander  Steven
Lindsey and Pilot Mark Kelly, the STS-121 crew included mission  specialists
Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, Lisa Nowak, KC5ZTB; Michael Fossum and  Piers
Sellers. A third radio amateur, European Space Agency astronaut  Thomas
Reiter, DF4TR -- aboard Discovery when it launched July 4 -- stayed  behind
to join International Space Station Expedition 13 Commander  Pavel
Vinogradov, RV3BS, and Flight Engineer and NASA Science Officer  Jeff
Williams, KD5TVQ, for the remainder of their duty tour and for about  half of
Expedition 14's -- six months in all, NASA says. His arrival on the  ISS
marks the first time since May 2003 that the space station has had  a
three-member crew. NASA astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and  Sunita
Williams, KD5PLB, and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT, have  been
named as the 14th ISS crew. They will launch to the ISS in September.  The
July 17 landing marked the end of Discovery's 32nd  flight.

===========================================================
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