[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1290 - May 1 2002

Sun May 5 11:34:09 EDT 2002

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1290 - May 1 2002 

** 

SPECIAL NOTICE TO THOSE WHO ONLY READ THE PRINT VERSION OF THIS 
NEWSCAST 

ARNewsline 1290 coverage of the flight of Mark Shuttleworth, ZS-RSA, is  
very audio intensive.  This historic meaning of this story really cannot  
be appreciated in a print version.  We strongly urge you this week to  
visit www.arnewsline.org, click on the newscast number, download the MP3  
file and listen to a moment in history that was made possible by Amateur  
Radio.  Thank you. 

** 

The following is a Q-S-T.  Mark Shuttleworth comes on the air from the  
I-S-S and South Africa cheers.  This story is first on Amateur Radio  
Newsline report number 1290 coming your way right now. 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SECOND SPACE VISITOR OPERATES HAM RADIO FROM 
THE ISS 

South African amateur researcher Mark Shuttleworth has made his way to  
the International Space Station and to ham radio.  Amateur Radio  
Newsline's Roy Neal, K6DUE, has been following the mission and brings us  
up to date: 

-- 

(STUDENTS CHEER) 

MORE THAN 200 STUDENTS, IN SOUTH AFRICA, CHEERED THEIR NEW HERO, 
MARK SHUTTLEWORTH.  THEY TALKED TO HIM VIA AMATEUR RADIO.  NICE 
DX. ON THE FIRST CALL, THESE ARE STUDENTS IN CAPE TOWN, TALKING 
TO THE PASSENGER IN SPACE BY WAY OF HAM STATION VK5ZAI, IN AUSTRALIA. 

(STUDENT QUESTION AND SHUTTLEWORTH RESPONSE) 

MARK SHUTTLEWORTH HAS BECOME A HERO IN SOUTH AFRICA.  TO QUOTE 
THE HEADLINES: "HE'S THE FIRST AFRICAN IN SPACE" AND HAM RADIO HAS 
ENHANCED THAT IMAGE. 

USING ARISS -- THE AMATEUR RADIO ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE 
STATION -- WITH SPECIAL PERMISSION AND AN HONORARY LICENSE 
-- SHUTTLEWORTH LINED UP CONTACTS WITH HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL KIDS 
-- SCHOOL LEARNERS THEY'RE CALLED IN SOUTH AFRICA.  HE ALSO MADE
SOME GENERAL CONTACTS WITH HAM RADIO OPERATORS. 

ON FOUR DIFFERENT DAYS, STUDENTS GATHERED AT FOUR SPECIAL 
SCHOOLS, STARTING WITH SHUTTLEWORTH'S ALMA MATER, BISHOPS IN CAPE 
TOWN.   ALL TOLD, ABOUT A THOUSAND SOUTH AFRICAN STUDENT LEARNERS SHARED 
THE EXPERIENCE OF DIRECT CONTACT. 

ON THE SECOND DAY SOME 300 STUDENTS GATHERED AT THE HAVENSIDE 
COMMUNITY CENTER IN DURBAN WERE TREATED TO SOME REAL TIME EXCITEMENT.  
SHUTTLEWORTH WAS NOT ON THE AIR AT THE APPOINTED HOUR!  HE WAS 
BUSY COMPLETING A MEDICAL EXPERIMENT. 

AN EMERGENCY TEAM WENT TO WORK.  THEY CALLED RUSSIAN MISSION CONTROL, 
IN MOSCOW, NASA MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON, MARK SHUTTLEWORTH ABOARD 
THE SPACE STATION_AND THEY AWAKENED TONY HUTCHISON, VK5ZAI, IN 
AUSTRALIA BEFORE DAWN.

AT ONE POINT THE SOUTH AFRICAN COORDINATOR, RICHARD MILLS, WAS 
ON THREE PHONES AT THE SAME TIME.  SOMEHOW IT WORKED AND LESS THAN HALF AN 
HOUR AFTER THE FIRST ATTEMPT THEY MADE CONTACT AND THE HAPPY STUDENTS 
CHATTED BRIEFLY WITH THEIR HERO IN SPACE. 

ARISS PROVIDED TOP NOTCH GROUND STATIONS IN AUSTRALIA, SOUTH 
AFRICA AND THE UNITED STATES TO MAKE THE CONTACTS.  ON THE AIR, 
MARK USED ONE OF THE ISS INTERNATIONAL CALLS, NA1SS.  THE 
COMMUNICATIONS WERE FED AROUND THE WORLD AS A DONATION FROM 
WORLDCOM, THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 

MOST SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS AND NETWORKS 
CARRIED THE REPORTS LIVE AND REPEATED THEM ON TAPE. NEWSPAPERS AND 
MAGAZINES GAVE THEM HEADLINES GALORE. IN THE UNITED STATES, 
CABLE NETWORK MSNBC CARRIED THE CONTACTS. 

-- 
(STUDENT QUESTION AND SHUTTLEWORTH RESPONSE) 
-- 

BEFORE TAKING OFF ON HIS SPACE FLIGHT, FOR WHICH HE PAID RUSSIA AN 
ESTIMATED $20 MILLION, SHUTTLEWORTH TOLD REPORTERS THAT HIS LIVE 
COMMUNICATION REPRESENTS A MAJOR TURNING POINT FOR THE IMAGE OF 
SOUTH AFRICAN EDUCATION.  THEN MARK SHUTTLEWORTH ADDED "THIS PUTS A 
GROUP OF OUR SCHOOL LEARNERS UNIQUELY INTO THE GLOBAL SPOTLIGHT OF SPACE 
EXPLORATION." 

AND THAT'S JUST WHAT HE DID, HOLDING CONVERSATIONS WITH STUDENTS 
WHO WON THE RIGHT TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS IN A NATIONAL COMPETITION. 
-- 
(STUDENT QUESTION AND SHUTTLEWORTH RESPONSE) 
-- 
SPACE TRAVEL HAS BEEN A LIFELONG DREAM FOR MARK SHUTTLEWORTH.  
HE HAS SHARED IT WITH A VERY GRATEFUL SOUTH AFRICA AND IN THE 
PROCESS HAS GIVEN  AMATEUR RADIO A MAGNIFICENT SHOWCASE TO 
THE WORLD.   FOR THE AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, RN, K6DUE.  
-- 

The crew's primary mission was to deliver a fresh Soyuz spacecraft to  
the I-S-S. This spacecraft remains available as an emergency escape  
lifeboat.  (ARNewsline(tm)) 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SHUTTLEWORTH MAKES RANDOM CONTACTS 

Mark Shuttlesworth was active on voice over North America from the  
International Space Station making random contacts.  He used the  
standard space communications F-M  channel pair 145.800 to transmit  
while listening on 144.490 MHz.  One of those he spoke to was AMSAT  
North America's Frank Bauer, KA3HDO.  Mark's audio was captured by Bruce  
Paige, KK5DO and posted to his website.  Take a listen: 

-- 
Shuttleworth:  "Kilo-Alpha-3-Hotel-Delta-Oscar this is NA1SS.  Do you  
copy us?"   
(Response) 
Shuttleworth:  "Thaks very much for your help with the station on the  
ISS." 
--  

Shuttleworth was only been heard using NA1SS.  That's a call assigned to  
the ISS.  He's not used his honorary South African ZS-RSA callsign.   
According to Miles Mann, WF1F, Shuttleworth worked many stations as he  
flew across the United States. This included school amateur radio club  
KB3BRT in Knoxville Pennsylvania.  More next week.  (ARNewsline(tm) with  
audio provided by KK5DO) 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SHUTTLEWORTHS SPECIAL CALL 

Before his flight,  Mark Shuttleworth was granted a temporary honorary  
ham radio call to operate from the International Space Station.  And  
while everyone who is assigned to the ISS has some form of ham radio  
certification, the call, ZS RSA, is a one of a kind.  Amateur Radio  
Newsline's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, tells us why: 

-- 

According to Deon Erwin, ZR1DQ, space visitor Mark Shuttleworth received  
all the information in Russia's Star City, from the South African Radio  
League, to study for his ham radio license and he was trying to fit  
these studies into his busy training schedule.  However, there was doubt  
whether Shuttleworth would actually have the time to complete his ham  
radio exam due to the eight months it took to learn Russian and  
simultaneously completing his astronaut training. 

So the Oakdale Amateur Radio Club near Cape Town, South Africa,   
negotiated with the South African licensing authority to grant  
Shuttleworth an Amateur Radio license in light of the tight schedule  
before the launch and in anticipation of him writing the test.  The  
authorities agreed and awarded the temporary, honorary and very unique  
callsign ZS RSA.  ZS is the prefix for South Africa' and R S A  
represents the nations name -- the  Republic of South Africa. 

Shuttleworth's callsign is only valid for three months.  The licensing  
authorities did not assign a number to the callsign, as the numerals  
represent South Africa's  provinces and geographic locations.  And in  
the South African licensing system no separate callsign allocation  
exists for space communications. 

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ 

-- 

The Oakdale Amateur Radio Club is located in Durbanville, a village  
which is about 30 kilometers North East of Cape Town.  Durbanville is  
Shuttleworth's home town and where his family still lives.  (ARNewsline  
with information from SAREX remailer) 

** 

REPEATER LINKING:  IRLP SURPASSES 400 

Nate Duehr, WY0X, reports that the Internet Radio Linking Project or I- 
R-L-P has now exceeded 400 nodes.  The latest list shows the number  
stands at 403 installed.   

The Internet Radio Linking Project permits repeaters around the world to  
interconnect with one another using a Linux based computer and a simple  
computer to repeater interface.  The system is secure against non hams  
penetrating it because of its propriority hardware and software made  
available only to licensed radio amateurs.  In fact, it is the only  
Internet ham radio linking system permitted by the Australian  
government. 

More information is on the world wide web at www.irlp.net.  Be sure to  
look at http://status.irlp.net and http://maps.irlp.net to see if there  
is an I-R-L-P node near you (WY0X) 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AMSAT-NA ANNOUNCES NEW SATELLITE PROJECT 

AMSAT North America has started construction of a new low-earth-orbit  
communications satellite.  According to the groups president Robin  
Haighton, VE3FRH, the satellite will be similar in size to the original  
AMSAT Microsat design, but will incorporate all new  leading edge  
electronics and RF technology 

The new satellite will be code named AMSAT OSCAR E or Echo until launch.   
It will contain both analog and digital VHF and UHF FM transponders  
similar to those carried on the UOSAT-OSCAR 14 and AMRAD-OSCAR 27 ham- 
sats that are currently in orbit.  In addition, the new satellite will  
have the capability to host one or two other experimental payloads. 

Haighton discussed the new bird at the organization's Board of Directors  
meeting held in Washington, DC,  on April 20th and 21st.  The spacecraft  
is now slated to be ready for launch in late 2003.  AMSAT says that a  
number of affordable launch opportunities are being actively explored.   
(ANS) 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  KOLIBRI 2000 TO DE-ORBIT 

The Kolibri-2000 Russian and Australian School Scientific Research 
Microsatellite is headed toward a fiery grave.  Kolibri-2000, later  
named RS-21 was launched on March 19th at 22:00 UTC from the  
International Space Station and has been in orbit for the past 6 weeks.   
During that time Kolibri's has been sending back telemetry and digital  
voice recordings.   

The low cost RS-21 satellite was designed for this type of short  
duration mission.  Part of its job included analyzing particles using a  
very sophisticated a flux-gate magnetometer and sending that data back  
to Earth.  But all of this will soon end as Kolibri-2000 will reenter  
the Earths atmosphere and burn up sometime between May 3rd to the 4th  
UTC time. 

Since the RS-21 has solar panels to recharge it batteries, it should be  
able to continue to transmit data until re-entry occurs.  To hear its  
last transmissions, keep your radio set to the satellites primary  
downlink on 435.335  MHz and secondary downlink on 145.825 MHz.  Both  
frequencies operate CW and FSK and you might want to keep a tape  
recorder running to catch a bit of ham radio space history as the  
mission of Kolibri-2000 comes to an end.  (WF1F, ARNewsline(tm)) 

** 

ENFORCEMENT:  OWNERS OF BROOKLYN REPEATER DON'T  RESPOND TO FCC 

The owner operators of a repeater in the New York City area have not yet  
responded to a letter of inquiry from the FCC and the agency wants to  
know why.  So it has once again written to one of the pair of hams to  
demand an answer.  The person posing the questions is Special Counsel  
Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH: 

-- 
Hollingsworth:  "We warned Thomas Batista, an operator of the KC2DDD and  
the N2IFU repeater -- the repeater alternately known by both of those  
call signs -- in Corona New York -- that we had nor gotten a response  
from him to our letter of February 15th.  That letter concerned  
interference and allegations of no coordination." 
-- 

In earlier letters to Batista and Gerardo Arias regarding the same  
repeater, the FCC asked for an explanation of why the system input is on  
143.020 MHz.  This is a frequency not allocated for use by hams.  (FCC) 

** 

RADIO RULES:  XM & SIRIUS CONCERNED ABOUT OUT-OF-BAND EMISSIONS 

The nation's two satellite digital audio radio service providers, XM and  
Sirius, are concerned that out-of-band signals from a variety of  
wireless devices.  The CGC Communicator reports that the two worry that  
these services will eventually cause widespread interference to their  
program services.   

Singled out as potential culprits are license-free Part 15 and 18  
devices such as ISM, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11b, home RF wireless devices,  
RF lighting, ultra-wideband devices and even Family Radio Service  
transmitters.  The fifth harmonics from Channels FRS channels 8 to 14  
fall within XM's passband but not Sirius's.  More information is found  
at the FCC website under ET Docket 01-278, RM-9375 and RM-10051.   
(CGC Communicator) 

** 

SUPPORT FUND REPORT WITH ANDY JAREMA N6TCQ 

Its time once again to hear from our support fund administrator.  Here's  
N6TCQ. 

-- 

In the month of February we heard from The Montgomery ARC of  
Gaithersburg, MD;  The Kanawha ARC of Charleston, WV;  Michael Leahan,  
N9PQK of Sun Prairie, WI; Jay Underdown, W0PS of St. Charles, MO; The  
DuPage, IL ARC;  Russell Lamb and the South Texas Amateur Repeater  
Society of Harlingen, TX, WH8H; The Steamboat Springs, CO Amateur Radio  
Association; regular contributor William Walters, WA2IBM of San Jose,  
CA.; The Kings ARC of Armona, CA; David Estrada, KD6HDX and the  
INLANDARS repeater system of Chino Hills, CA and the Xerox Amateur Radio  
Club in El Segundo, WD6CZH. 

Thanks to everybody for their support. A reminder that Newsline is a  
501c 3 and a California non-profit corporation; all contributions are  
tax-deductible. 

The address for the Newsline Support fund is PO Box 660937, Arcadia, CA  
91066.  If you missed it, it will be given again at the end of this  
week's newscast.  

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ. 

-- 

Also, a reminder that the nominating period for the 2002 amateur Radio  
Newsline Young Ham of the Year award closes May 30th. Nominees must be  
18 or younger.  Full rules and an application is on our website at  
www.arnewsline.org.  (ARNewsline(tm) Support Fund) 

** 

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  AUTOMATING NEWSLINE 

Fred Vobbe of the National Radio Club D-X Audio Service says that he is  
now playing Amateur Radio Newsline automatically on his repeater.  Fred  
says that he uses Echo Station software to automatically play this  
newscast every Saturday and Monday night at 7 P-M over his W8HDU  
repeater.   

Fred's machine operates 443.625 and is located in Allen County Ohio.   
More on Echo Station automation software is on the word wide web at www  
dot westmountainradio.com and click the link on the right side of the  
page that says Amateur Radio soundcard software presentation.  (W8HDU) 

** 

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  CALL 511 IN UTAH FOR TRAFFIC INFO 

Travelers in Utah have a new way to get updates on traffic, and they can  
do it without having to watch television or listen to the radio.   
Instead, using a cellular phone, they can dial the nation's first voice- 
activated 511 travel service line.   

Called Tellme, this is one of several free, voice-activated services  
known as voice portals.' Voice portals use speach recognition software  
to retrieve and translate information from the Internet.  Taking their  
cues from spoken words, the services can dispense stock quotes,  
horoscopes, driving directions, sports scores and other widely sought  
information over any telephone.  

Utah was one of six states selected to launch a 511 service after the  
Federal Communications Commission officially designated 511 as a  
nationwide number for travel information back in July 2000. Like the  
emergency number 911, the 511 systems are a public service and free.   
(Road Routes) 

** 

INTERNATIONAL:  UK ANNOUNCES INTERMEDIATE LICENSE CLASS PLANS 

The United Kingdom's Radiocommunications Agency has announced details of  
the qualifications and examinations for the revised licensing structure  
for that nations Amateur Radio service.   

A press release from the Radiocommunications Agency says that a new  
program of study for the U-K Intermediate license will be introduced  
early in 2003.  This will be based on the current Novice syllabus but  
will exclude those topics covered in the Foundation License.  The  
Radiocommunications  Agency says that it plans to announce the course  
outline at least three months ahead of its introduction.  It will be run  
initially as a pilot format similar to the Foundation pilot.  Once the  
new syllabus is in force, a pass at Foundation level will be a pre- 
requisite to sitting the Intermediate Class U-K exam. 

The new licensing structure was announced in September 2001.  It's first  
phase was the introduction of the Foundation License last January. This  
new ticket has been deemed to be a major success with over 1500 M 3  
prefix Foundation Licenses having been issued. (RSGB) 

** 

DX 

In D-X, what is believed to be the first 2-meter random meteor scatter  
contact has been made between Australia and New Zealand.  Rex Moncur,  
VK7MO, in Hobart and Bob McQuarrie, ZL3TY, in Greymouth, on the west  
coast of the south island of New Zealand, made the contact on April 13th  
over a distance of 1950 kilometres using the W-S-J-T software.  (Q-News,  
RSGB) 

A bit lower in frequency, HC8N reports that the new QSL Route to him is  
Randy Becnel, W5UE, at Post Office Box 170, Kiln, MS 39556-0170 in the  
United States.  Bechnel replaces Derek Wills AA5BT who is stepping down  
after 10 years of service and 50,000 QSL requests answered.  (Various DX  
publications) 

Also, Dennis Hanley, G3YVY, says that he has been informed that his  
callsign is being used on 20 meters.  At present Dennis has no High  
Frequency equipment and says that has no immediate plans to become  
active on the H-F bands.  (RSGB) 

** 

THAT FINAL ITEM: USA ARDF CHAMPIONSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED 

And finally, who's the best in the country at finding hidden  
transmitters?  Here's Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV, with the results of a  
contest to find the answer, and an opportunity for your club to get in  
on the fun. 

-- 

USA has just completed its second national championships of on-foot  
hidden transmitter hunting, also called radio-orienteering and ARDF.   
The event took place near Pine Mountain, Georgia, hosted by hams in the  
Georgia Orienteering club.  Primary organizers were Laurie Searle KG4FDM  
and Sam Smith N4MAP.  About two dozen of our country's best fox-finders  
went into the deep woods of Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, trying to  
be first to find up to five transmitters and then navigate their way to  
the finish line.  Their rewards:  the possibility of a medal and a place  
on our country's team going to the ARDF World Championships in Slovakia  
this coming September.   

The championships included two complete courses on consecutive days, the  
first on two meters and the second on 80 meters.  Best performance  
overall was by Gyuri Nagi KF6YKN, who averaged 19 minutes per fox on two  
meters and an amazing 15 minutes per fox on 80 meters.  Gyuri, whose  
other call is HA3PA, is a part-time US resident who learned the sport in  
his native Hungary.  He competed in M21, the prime age division,  
requiring him to find five foxes on a six kilometer forest course.  Gold  
medal winning hams in other age and gender divisions were Jerry Boyd  
WB8WFK, Valerie Meyer KG4QWE, John Munsey KB3GK, Debbie Pendley 
KD5LOK, Charlie Siler KO4NO, and Jack Stump KD5OEO. 

Hidden transmitter hunting is a fast-growing activity in the USA,  
whether on foot like these championships, or in cars full of direction  
finding gear and computers.  It's time for your club to give it a try.   
The perfect opportunity is coming May 11 and 12, which will be the fifth  
annual National Foxhunting Weekend, sponsored by CQ magazine.  The May  
issue of CQ has all the details.  On the Web, you can find lots of  
information on both the National Fox Hunting W and the just-completed  
national Championships at www.homingin.com.  That's homingin -- one word  
-- homingin.com 