[FPARC] The ARRL Letter Vol. 25, No. 36 September 8, 2006

[W4kkw at aol.com]

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 25, No. 36
September 8,  2006
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +Hams want  broadcasters' battle off amateur frequencies
* +League accepts Golden Antenna  Award
* +SuitSat-1 deorbits; a SuitSat-2 is possible
* +Astronaut's niece,  classmates talk to ISS via ham radio
* +Maine's governor gets ham radio  ticket
* +Virginia's ham radio antenna law aids local ordinance revision
*  +Mid-October ARRL On-Line Auction preview set
*  Solar Update
*   IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio: ARRL September VHF  QSO Party, NA Sprint
(CW)!
ARRL Certification and  Continuing Education course registration
+Reminder — vanity  renewal fee now $20.80
+Virginia radio amateur not prosecuted  on radio-related felony charge
Hydraulic malfunction  faulted in CubeSat launch failure
Armin Henry Meyer,  W3ACE, SK

+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>
===========================================================

==>IARU,  MEMBER-SOCIETIES WANT BROADCASTERS TO END "BATTLE ON THE HAM BANDS"

As  the so-called "Firedragon" jammer continues to transmit in one or  more
Amateur Radio bands, the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and  three
of its Region 3 member-societies so far have appealed to the jammer's  target
to move elsewhere. The Firedragon's all-music transmissions from  the
People's Republic of China (PRC) appear aimed at blocking the  much-weaker
broadcasts of the clandestine "Sound of Hope" (SOH), located  outside the
PRC. Responding via e-mail September 5 to an inquiry from IARU  Region 1
Monitoring System (IARUMS) Vice Coordinator Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR,  the SOH
said its supporters use various avenues "including Amateur  Radio
frequencies" to get their message into the PRC.

"Through our  investigation, we learned that the transmissions of SOH
programs through  Amateur Radio frequencies come from areas around China, and
they each only  target a local area of China with very low power, only for
the intended  audience and would interfere with nobody else," said SOH's  Yue
Chen.

Yue addressed the reply to "All Amateur Radio Community  Members" and
indicated it was copied to the International Telecommunication  Union (ITU),
although no ITU addressee was displayed. Yue encouraged the  Amateur Radio
community to "openly urge the Chinese government to stop this  outrageous act
of radio jamming" and to urge the ITU to take action as  well.

Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Director Glenn Dunstan,  VK4DU, told
the Sound of Hope via e-mail this week that if it wants the  support of the
international community, it should move its transmissions into  legitimate
broadcasting spectrum.

"There is more than enough radio  spectrum for you to use outside of the
Amateur Radio bands," Dunstan said  September 5. "You are in breach of
international radio regulations."

A  similar reaction came September 6 from Amateur Radio Society of India
(ARSI)  Monitoring System Coordinator B.L. Manohar Arasu, VU2UR, who pointed
the  finger at both the Sound of Hope and the Firedragon music jammer.

"We,  the Indian Amateur Radio operators, condemn both of you for using
Amateur  Radio frequencies," he said. "Please leave the frequencies clear at
the  earliest." Arasu suggested the jamming not only was bothersome to
everyday  hamming but could cause problems for emergency communication by
radio  amateurs.

New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART)  Monitoring Service
Coordinator Len Martinson, ZL1BYA, e-mailed the Sound of  Hope September 6 to
say its "illegal broadcast transmissions" were causing  unlawful and harmful
interference to the legal occupants of the Amateur Radio  bands in question.

"Your transmissions are also attracting the attention  of jamming stations,
which is increasing the interference to unacceptable  levels," he said.
"Please cease transmissions in the exclusive amateur bands  immediately."

Writing SOH on behalf of the IARU, Secretary David Sumner,  K1ZZ, asked the
clandestine broadcaster to be more careful in its selection  of transmitting
frequencies. "Your operations in the 14 and 18 MHz bands have  caused serious
interference to the amateur radio service, which is allocated  these bands
(14.000-14.350 and 18.068-18.168 MHz) for two-way amateur  radio
communication," Sumner wrote. "Please do not operate in these or any  other
amateur radio bands."

Bihlmayer said September 6 that the  Firedragon was back on 14.050 MHz -- a
part of the 20-meter band allocated to  the Amateur Radio Service on an
exclusive basis worldwide -- after spending  two days on 14.400 MHz. Over the
past several months, the jammer also has  been heard on 10.135 MHz, 14.260
MHz, 18.080 MHz and 18.160 MHz.

The  music jammer takes apparent monitoring breaks on the hour. When the
jammer's  carrier is off, Bihlmayer, who lives in Southern Germany, says he's
heard a  weak carrier on 14.050 MHz broadcasting a Chinese program that
included  speech.

ARRL Monitoring System/Intruder Watch Liaison Chuck Skolaut,  K0BOG, says
he's been able to hear the jammer from W1AW. In July, when the  same jammer
also was appearing on 18.160 MHz, Bihlmayer alerted telecom  authorities in
Germany and Hong Kong, as well as IARU Region 3 and the PRC  embassy in
Berlin to the situation. The 17-meter band also is a worldwide  exclusive
Amateur Radio allocation. Skolaut says he's received reports about  the music
jammer from all over the US, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto  Rico.

==>ARRL RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GOLDEN ANTENNA AWARD IN  GERMANY

The ARRL is the recipient of the 2006 Golden Antenna Award in  recognition of
the role the League and its members played in providing and  supporting
emergency communication during the response to Hurricane Katrina.  The city
of Bad Bentheim, Germany, sponsors the annual award. ARRL Chief  Development
Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, accepted the honor on behalf of the  League on
August 25.

"It was a honor to represent ARRL and accept the  Golden Antenna Award that
recognizes the role that hundreds of ARRL members  played in the response to
Katrina in 2005," Hobart said. "The speeches were  generous in their praise
of ARRL, and the cameras flashed as Bad Bentheim  Mayor Günter Alsmeier
presented the award." The city paid all expenses for  Hobart's visit to
Germany.

The August 25 presentation took place at  formal flag-draped ceremonies in
the 12th century Bad Bentheim Castle to kick  off the 38th annual Amateur
Radio Days. The event is a cooperative venture of  the German-Dutch Amateur
Radio organization DNAT (Deutsch-Niederländischen  Amateurfunker Tage/Duits
Nederlands Amateur Treffen) and the Deutscher  Amateur Radio Club (DARC).

Hobart said the gracious and generous  hospitality of both German and Dutch
members of the Amateur Radio fraternity  made her visit special. Topping off
the weekend was a large flea market that  drew hams from both countries and
from as far away as Spain.

"Of  course bratwurst and beer added flavor to the occasion!" Hobart  quipped.

In her remarks during the presentation, Hobart expressed  appreciation for
the award on behalf of all who helped following Katrina and  said she'd find
a suitable location to display the award at ARRL  Headquarters.

Bad Bentheim has presented The Golden Antenna Award since  1982 to recognize
outstanding Amateur Radio public service and humanitarian  contributions. A
jury of five German and Dutch radio amateurs makes the final  selection. The
2005 award went to the Radio Society of Sri Lanka for its  performance in the
wake of the December 2004 South Asia earthquake and  tsunami.

==>SUITSAT-1 (AO-54), RE-ENTERS EARTH'S  ATMOSPHERE

SuitSat-1 (AO-54) is history. The surplus Russian Orlan  spacesuit turned
satellite, which became one of the greatest public relations  vehicles for
Amateur Radio in years, re-entered and burned up in Earth's  atmosphere
Thursday, September 7, at 1600 UTC some 1400 km south-southwest of  Western
Australia. The announcement came September 8 from Amateur Radio on  the
International Space Station (ARISS) International Chairman Frank  Bauer,
KA3HDO. Bauer expressed thanks to "all who made SuitSat-1 the  phenomenal
event that it was." Launched February 3 during a spacewalk from  the ISS,
SuitSat-1's 2-meter signal was heard around the world, although at a  much
weaker signal strength than anticipated.

"Your hard work and  dedication paid off," Bauer continued. "In just three
weeks the SuitSat team  developed and delivered a safe satellite system that
has gained the  confidence of the international space agencies." Bauer also
noted the  "unprecedented press coverage" that included more than 9 million
hits on the  SuitSat-1 Web site <http://www.suitsat.org> during February
alone as  well as several prominent mentions in the general news media.

"Students  around the world had the opportunity to participate in a
seven-month 'school  spacewalk' with the artwork, pictures, signatures and
voices onboard," Bauer  pointed out. "And the 'super-sleuth' ham radio
operator extraordinaires were  able to pull a significant amount of data from
the satellite, despite its low  signal strength."

After SuitSat-1's VHF ham radio payload stopped  transmitting earlier this
year, AMSAT initiated a "Chicken Little Contest,"  for participants to guess
when SuitSat-1 would deorbit. Winners and more  information are on the AMSAT
Web site  <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/ariss/suitsatContest.php>.

Bauer  said plans for a potential SuitSat-2 will be a discussion topic at  the
AMSAT/ARISS joint meeting in  October
<http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/>.

Commented  ARRL ARISS Liaison Rosalie White, K1STO: "This unique satellite
lasted longer  than anyone ever expected, making the ARISS team  proud."

==>ASTRONAUT'S KIN AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOLERS FOR SPACE CONTACT  VIA HAM RADIO

ISS astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, got to answer  questions about life in
space from his niece and several of her classmates  August 28 during a
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)  contact with
Northeast Middle School in Clarksville, Tennessee. Williams told  his niece,
Riley -- who asked the first question -- that he became an  astronaut because
it involves excitement and discovery.

"And flying in  space is the current frontier for exploration," Williams
remarked. If he were  to pick another career, he said he'd return to the US
Army. A Wisconsin  native, Williams is a graduate of the US Military Academy
at West Point, New  York.

Another student wanted to know what an astronaut would do if the  tether to
the ISS broke during a spacewalk or EVA -- extra-vehicular activity  -- as
NASA calls it.

"Well, we're very careful, and our equipment is  designed so that it won't
break," Williams replied. "If that were to happen,  though, when we're doing
an American EVA -- in the American suits -- we have  what we call 'safers.'
They're little jet packs that we have on the backpack  of the space suit, and
we can fly back to the space station. They're only  used for emergencies."

Responding to another question, Williams said it's  not really known how long
a human being could remain in space before  encountering medical or health
problems. He noted that the crew does keep a  strict exercise regimen in
space.

"We're learning to understand what  happens to the human body after a long
period of time [in space]," he  continued. "Of course, most expeditions are
about six months." But he noted  that back in the days of the Russian Mir
space station, one cosmonaut stayed  aboard for 437 days "and he did well
when he got back to the  ground."

Williams and ISS Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov,  RV3BS, will
return to Earth at the end of September. They've been in space  since last
April. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter, DF4TR, will  remain
aboard the ISS to help provide some crew continuity for the Expedition  14
team of NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and Russian  cosmonaut
Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT.

In response to another question from  his niece, Williams told the youngsters
that the ISS crew has been growing a  variety of plants as part of its
scientific research. "The latest one we  tried here was peas, and we had a
great survival rate initially, but we had  some kind of a problem, which we
don't quite understand, and the peas all  eventually died, so, we're still
working on that," he said. "It's a very  important experiment, especially for
the future, to provide food, for  example, when we go to Mars."

Northeast Middle School science teacher  Sharon Fletcher said the ARISS
contact had inspired a lot of interest among  her students in becoming
astronauts.

During the approximately  10-minute contact, the students had 18 questions
asked and answered before  the ISS went over the horizon at Earth station
VK4KHZ in Australia. Verizon  Conferencing donated a teleconferencing link to
provide two-way audio between  the school and VK4KHZ.

ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an  international educational outreach,
with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and  NASA.

==>MAINE'S GOVERNOR IS NOW KB1NXP

Maine Gov John E.  Baldacci may now be the only sitting state chief executive
holding an Amateur  Radio license. Following up on an effort begun a few
years ago, Baldacci took  and passed his Technician license test September 6,
and the FCC issued his  new call sign, KB1NXP, the following day. Bill
Crowley, K1NIT, is the liaison  for the ARRL VEC volunteer examiner team that
administered Baldacci's Amateur  Radio license examination.

"We heard that he was interested in getting  his license," Crowley told ARRL.
"So I talked to a couple of other people in  the Augusta Amateur Radio
Association and said, 'You know, we're the guys who  could do this. We're
right here, right in his backyard, and I think we ought  to help him get a
license.'"

Crowley said Baldacci expressed initial  interest in becoming licensed after
learning of the Amateur Radio response  following the 1998 ice storm that
devastated a wide area of the Northeast. At  the time, Baldacci was
representing Maine's Second District in the US House.  He renewed his
interest in 2003, shortly after becoming Maine's governor,  promising to add
the goal of getting his ticket to his to-do list and seeking  the
encouragement and help of Maine's hams to achieve it.

Former Maine  State Treasurer Rod Scribner, KA1RFD -- a longtime radio
amateur and  instructor -- was recruited to help make it happen. "Rod went up
there once a  week, very early in the morning, and tutored him -- went
through all the  material," Crowley recounted. But the pressures of office
compelled Baldacci  to put the project on a back burner.

During that lull, Crowley says he  occasionally used his back channels at the
Department of Public Safety, where  he works, to relay messages via
Baldacci's security guards to remind the  governor the Augusta club was still
eager to give him his ham radio test. "It  got to be a standing joke," he
said.

Crowley had an opportunity to  deliver the message firsthand in July when he
greeted the Baldacci during an  official occasion. "I said, 'You know, we've
got to get this going,'" he  recalled telling the governor. Baldacci asked
Crowley to call his office and  set up an appointment.

Baldacci was a little concerned at that point that  he might be behind the
curve since the Technician question pool had changed  since he'd worked with
Scribner, Crowley said. But he assured the governor  that the club members
could get him back up to speed in short  order.

Over coffee early on September 6, Scribner, Crowley and the other  members of
the VE team -- Don Smith, AE1Q, and Tom Bailey, KB1EKY -- reviewed  the
current Technician material. "Then, he sat down and took the test and  did
very well," Crowley said.

Baldacci got a taste of Amateur Radio in  2003, when he checked into the
75-meter Maine Sea Gull Net during a visit  with members of the Ellsworth
Amateur Wireless Association and other  amateurs. On that occasion, the
governor assured the gathering that the Maine  Emergency Management Agency
depends on Amateur Radio to support the statewide  communications system and
said Maine would rely on Amateur Radio volunteers  if primary
telecommunication systems go down.

Now, historic Blaine  House in Maine's capital of Augusta could become the
only governor's  residence to start sporting Amateur Radio antennas. Perhaps
because Maine's  motto is Dirigo -- I lead, Crowley hopes Baldacci will serve
as a trendsetter  among his gubernatorial colleagues across the US. In this
instance, the old  saying from the world of politics, "As Maine goes, so goes
the nation," still  may apply.

==>AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNA LAW LEADS VIRGINIA COUNTY TO  REVISE ORDINANCE

The existence of Virginia's Amateur Radio antenna  statute recently was
instrumental in convincing the Stafford County Board of  Supervisors to adopt
changes that make it easier for radio amateurs to erect  antenna support
structures. Tom Gregory, N4NW -- a former Virginia Section  Emergency
Coordinator who lives in Stafford -- says that before the  amendments went
into effect, an Amateur Radio licensee wanting to put up a  tower could have
been asked to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) and  pay a $7500
filing fee. Gregory says that's because the old county ordinance  did not
distinguish between Amateur Radio and cellular towers. The county  didn't
necessarily oppose ham radio antennas, he said, but the application  earlier
this year of Lewis Cheek, K4HR, to erect a 120-foot antenna  support
structure apparently caught county officials unawares.

"It was  more of a situation that county staff was incapable of making a
decision  without clear guidelines to say that they could or could not do
something,"  said Gregory.

Stafford County's revised ordinance permits Amateur Radio  operation "by
right" throughout the county, situated roughly halfway between  Richmond and
Washington, DC. The changes require ham radio antenna support  structures to
comply with zoning requirements applying to accessory  structures in a given
municipality.

Virginia's 1998 Amateur Radio  antenna  law
<http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+15.2-2293.1>  is among
the few that go beyond merely incorporating the language of the  PRB-1
limited federal  preemption
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/local/prb-1.html>  into state
statutes. It also provides minimum regulatory heights of either 75  feet or
200 feet for antenna support structures, depending upon population  density.

Gregory says just having an Amateur Radio antenna law on the  Commonwealth's
books helped get the situation off the dime in Stafford  County.

"The fact that the Virginia state code specifically had some  numbers in it
and some clear language in it, that carried more weight with  [county
officials] than what PRB-1 says, which basically says, 'you'll  accommodate
the amateur,' but doesn't give any guidelines to localities,"  Gregory said.
It didn't hurt either when the specter of litigation was  raised. The county
attorney told the Board of Supervisors that, given  Virginia's Amateur Radio
Antenna statute, the Board would be on shaky legal  ground in trying to
require a CUP and likely would lose if the case landed in  court, Gregory
said.

Before even approaching the Stafford County Board  of Supervisors with an eye
toward changing the ordinance, Cheek and Gregory  boned up on antenna
restrictions via the ARRL Web  site
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/antenna-restrictions.html>  as
well as local codes and ordinances throughout the commonwealth. As a  result,
Gregory said, they were able to educate county officials about ham  radio and
its benefits to the community. Armed with extensive ARRL materials,  a copy
of the Virginia Amateur Radio antenna law and the assistance of  ARRL
Volunteer Counsel George Marzloff, K4GM, Gregory and Cheek testified  before
the county Planning Commission to urge adoption of changes to permit  Amateur
Radio by right.

Gregory, Cheek, and other radio amateurs,  including Stafford County ARES
Emergency Coordinator Bart Bartholomew, N3GQ,  also testified before the full
Board of Supervisors, which adopted the zoning  ordinance revisions August 1.
The revised ordinance also specifically defines  Amateur Radio for the first
time.

Gregory encouraged radio amateurs in  the 27 states lacking Amateur Radio
antenna laws to work toward getting one  on the books.

==>ARRL ON-LINE AUCTION "PREVIEW" SET FOR  MID-OCTOBER

With a little less than two months to go and counting before  the ARRL's
first On-Line Auction gets under way, ARRL Business Services  Manager Deb
Jahnke, K1DAJ, says the League has received several generous  donations from
a variety of sources. Auction proceeds will benefit ARRL  educational
programs and services.

"I think you'll find a terrific  variety of items when bidding kicks off on
October 23," she said. Jahnke says  the On-Line Auction site will open for a
"preview" starting Monday, October  16.

"At that time, you'll be able to view many of the items that will be  up for
bid the following week," she said. "You'll also be able to register at  that
time, if you choose." Auction proceeds will help to support the  League's
educational services and programs.

The auction will be open  to all -- ARRL members and otherwise. Bidders just
need online access and  must register prior to participating, which they may
do at any time during  the auction.

The ARRL On-Line Auction will begin Monday, October 23, and  will wrap up
Friday, November 3. Jahnke and her Business Services team are  planning,
organizing and managing this premier event.

Jahnke said many  ARRL members have inquired to ask if they could donate a
piece of vintage  Amateur Radio gear or other item for the auction -- either
on their own  behalf or in someone's memory.

"If this is something that you wish to do,  please contact me
<djahnke at arrl.org> to discuss it further," she  said.

Jahnke says the link to the ARRL On-Line Auction site will become  available
via the ARRL Web home page during the October 16 preview and once  bidding
begins October 23.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Propagation  prognosticator Tad "Sunshine Superman" Cook, K7RA, Seattle,
Washington,  reports: Average daily sunspot numbers were down only slightly
this week --  from 27 to 25.3. There were two days this week when the sunspot
number was  zero, and as we move closer to the bottom of Sunspot Cycle 23, we
should see  more zero sunspot days than we're currently experiencing.

The last solar  minimum was centered near October 1996, and prior to that was
week after week  of no sunspots. Currently we're observing average daily
sunspot numbers in  the 20s and 30s. According to weekly NOAA Space
Environment Center sunspot  predictions
<http://sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/weekly/Predict.txt>, these  averages are above
the high end for this month and last, and the minimum is  about six months
away.

Right now is a fairly good time for  long-distance HF communication, because
the geomagnetic field is mostly  stable, sunspots haven't disappeared and
we're close to the autumnal equinox.  Best bets appear to be 40, 30 and 20
meters.

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

Sunspot numbers  for August 31 through September 6 were 39, 32, 27, 0, 0, 26
and 53, with a  mean of 25.3. 10.7 cm flux was 83.2, 76.9, 75.6, 76.5, 79,
80.4, and 84, with  a mean of 79.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 13,
7, 6, 23, 8 and 7,  with a mean of 10.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
were 6, 8, 6, 6, 15, 7  and 6, with a mean of  7.7.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

*  This weekend on the radio: The ARRL September VHF QSO Party, the  North
American Sprint (CW), the Worked All Europe (WAE) DX Contest (SSB),  the
International G3ZQS Memorial Straight Key Contest, the Swiss HTC QRP  Sprint,
the SOC Marathon Sprint, the Tennessee QSO Party and the ARCI End of  Summer
Digital Sprint are the weekend of September 9-10. JUST AHEAD: YLRL  Howdy
Days are September 12-14. The North American Sprint (SSB), the ARRL 10  GHz
and Up Contest, F.I.S.T.S. Get Your Feet Wet Weekend, the SARL  VHF/UHF
Contest, the Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW), the South Carolina  QSO
Party, QRP Afield, the Washington State Salmon Run and the QCWA Fall  QSO
Party are the weekend of September 16-17. The Run for the Bacon QRP  Contest
and the 144 MHz Fall Sprint are September 18. The NAQCC Straight  Key/Bug
Sprint is September 21. 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, September 24, for  these ARRL
Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) program 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  on
Friday, October 6. These courses will also open for registration  Friday,
September 22, for classes beginning Friday, November 3. To learn  more, visit
the CCE Course Listing  page
<http://mymail.arrl.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.arrl.org/cce/co
urses.html>  or contact the CCE Department <cce at arrl.org>.

* Reminder — vanity  fee now $20.80: The regulatory fee to obtain or renew a
post-1995 Amateur  Radio vanity call sign is $20.80 for applications received
by the FCC on or  after Wednesday, September 6. The new fee covers the
10-year license term.  See <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/08/01/3/>
for more  information.

* Virginia radio amateur not prosecuted on radio-related  felony charge:
Dennis Alford, KC4VGA, of Wythe County, Virginia, is breathing  a bit more
easily now that he's no longer facing a felony charge of  possessing an
unlawful communication device. According to a news report in  The Wytheville
Enterprise, a misdemeanor charge of unlawful interfering with  a two-way
radio was taken under advisement. It will be dismissed after a year  if no
similar charges are brought against Alford, a 60-year-old longtime  radio
amateur. The newspaper says a Wythe County General District Court  judge
accepted an agreement worked out by Alford, his attorneys and a  local
prosecutor. A disabled truck plant worker who had been employed as  a
Wal-Mart greeter, Alford still must forfeit three of the radios  police
confiscated last March. One of Alford's attorneys told the court that  Alford
had bought the confiscated radios used and didn't realize they'd  been
modified. Following his August 31 court appearance, authorities  returned
other confiscated radio equipment to Alford. Police had searched  Alford's
home after the Wytheville Police Department in January reported  extensive
interference on its dispatching system that was traced to  Alford's
transmissions. Police subsequently arrested him at work and  confiscated
several pieces of his radio equipment as well as a computer that  since had
been returned to him. He had been on bond pending the hearing.  Alford denied
making any illegal transmissions and said afterward he was  satisfied with
the resolution of his case.

* Hydraulic malfunction  faulted in CubeSat launch failure: The commission
probing the July 26  Dnepr-1LV rocket launch vehicle failure that resulted in
the loss of more  than a dozen CubeSats with ham radio payloads believes it
knows why the  vehicle didn't reach orbit. A brief malfunction of a hydraulic
drive in a  first-stage propulsion unit caused a deviation in the rocket's
trajectory and  "the issuance of a command to abort the flight," said a news
release from  Kosmotras, the company responsible for the rocket's launch.
Kosmotras said  the cause of the hydraulic malfunction has been determined,
and the committee  is "working up recommendations for its rectification."
Russia, meanwhile, has  suspended further Dnepr-1 LV launches. Fourteen of
the tiny spacecraft that  were lost carried Amateur Radio VHF or UHF beacon
or telemetry transmitters.  Various accounts indicated that the mission went
awry less than two minutes  after liftoff. The CubeSat project was a
collaboration between California  Polytechnic State University-San Luis
Obispo and Stanford University's Space  Systems Development Laboratory. All
of the CubeSats were designed and built  by students at various universities
around the world.--some information from  AMSAT News Service

* Armin Henry Meyer, W3ACE, SK: Former US Ambassador  Armin Henry "Hank"
Meyer, W3ACE, died August 13 following a long illness. He  was 92. An ARRL
Life Member, Meyer, an expert on the Middle East, served as  US ambassador to
Lebanon in the Kennedy Administration after postings in Iraq  and
Afghanistan. He later was the US envoy to Iran and Japan. In 1972, he  headed
President Richard Nixon's terrorism unit following the killing of  Israeli
Olympic athletes in Munich. Amateur Radio went around the globe with  him. He
operated over the years as YI2AN, OD5AX, YA1AM, EP3AM and JH1YDR, and  he
especially enjoyed operating on the low bands. Meyer was a member of  the
National Capitol DX Association. As W3ACE, he had 325 DXCC  entities
confirmed (mixed and phone) and at one point achieved No 1 Honor  Roll. He
also earned DXCCs as OD5AX, EP3AM and  JH1YDR.

===========================================================
The  ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio  Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
Main St,  Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax  860-594-0259;
<http://www.arrl.org>. Joel Harrison, W5ZN,  President.

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