[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1301 - July 19, 2002

Sat Jul 20 11:53:39 EDT 2002

The following is a Q-S-T. 

The United States takes the gold at W-R-T-C 2002 but ham radio growth in the 
U-S appears to be standing still.  These stories are first on Amateur Radio 
Newsline report number 1301 coming your way right now.

**

RADIOSPORTS:  N5TJ AND K1TO MAKE IT A THREE-PEAT

The Lakers did it in Los Angeles in basketball.  Now the Radiosport team of 
Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, and Dan Street, K1TO have made it three in a row as they 
win the World Radiosports Team Championship games in Finland.  Dave Bell, 
W6AQ, attended the games.  He is just back and we asked him to describe the 
event:

--
Dave Bell W6AQ:  "I got to go out with the camera and watch them in action.  
And I saw some of thje worlds best contesters and I realized how they win 
contests:  Thst is, they stay focused totally on what it is that they are 
doing for 24 hours.  And other than swap chairs with a co-pilot so that the 
co-pilot becomes the pilot, those guys are focusted totally on this contest.  
For me, it is a lesson on how to concentrate and, if you are really into it - 
how to win."
--

N5TJ and K1TO operating as OJ3A fended off a very close challenge from Igor 
Booklan, RA3AUU, and Andrei Karpov, RV1AW, who claimed the silver.  The 
Americans had a score of 1,626,900 to the Russians 1,620,760.  A difference of 
only 6140 points. W6AQ says that regardless of the numbers, these operators 
are dedicated to the sport of radio:

--

Dave Bell W6AQ:  "The two winners this year, Jeff Steinman, N5TJ, and Dan 
Street, K1TO, also won last year and they won the one before that.  And it was 
not surprising to me, ehen I came to their shack and watched them operate."  

"When I showed up there, Dan Street was the second operator and he noticed me 
come in and he nodded.  I brought the camera up and came right around in front 
of Jeff Steinman.  I was basically between him and his co-pilot.  In fact I 
was actually looking at his face and I am not sure to this day that he even 
knew I was there - so concentrated was on listening and talking."

--

The German team made up of Frank Grossman, DL2CC, and Bernd Och, DL6FBL, 
finished third to claim the bronze with a score of 1,614,591. All of the 
scores are on the web at www.wrtc2002.org.  No announcement yet as to the 
venue for the 2004 WRTC games.  (ARNewsline )

**

HAM RADIO STATS:  NO GROWTH

The numbers are in and the word is -- stagnant.  That about sums up the growth 
in ham radio since the introduction of a restructured United States Amateur 
service April of 2000.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, takes 
a close look at the numbers and what they mean:

--
The numbers come from the interpreter of the numbers.  And W5YI Report Editor 
Fred Maia in Dallas Texas says that growth in ham radio is at a standstill.

Maia has been right on the money in his predictions over the years, and he 
looks back at the past two years in his newsletter.  And in it, Fred says that 
there are just about the same number of Amateur Radio operators under FCC 
license now as there were in the spring of 2000.  That's when the service was 
restructured.  

In April of 2000 there were 678,539 holders of Amateur licensees in the United 
States and its possessions.  In June of 2002 the number was 680,342.  Taking 
into account attrition from people not renewing for any number of reasons, 
that's a net gain of only 1803 new hams over the past two years.  Not allot, 
but there is a good reason.  Keep listening.

Maia breaks the numbers down by license class.  In April of 2000 there were 
50,077 holders of Novice tickets.  In June 2002 there were only 39,930.  A 
loss to the license class of 10,147 but not necessarily gone from ham radio.  
Why?  The numbers for General and Extra kind of tell the story.  General is up 
by 27,037 and Extra by 20,282 since restructuring.  Chances are that most of 
the new holders of General class are probably the results of upgrades by 
Novices and Technician's wanting a wider range of high frequency operating 
privileges.  This is born out by looking at the numbers for the Tech license 
which is also down by about the amount General and Extra are up.

So its really been two years of ham radio musical chairs and that was not 
unexpected.  It takes time for as massive a change as the restructuring of 
2000 to settle in.  It will be the next set of numbers a year from now in 2003 
that will really tell the story.  

Are we up or are we down?  In 12 months we should have the answer.

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

--

The complete set of statistics can be found on pages 7 and 8 of the July 1st 
W5YI Report.  (W5YI Report)

**

SPECTRUM:  FCC PROPOSES ALLOCATION AND SERVICE RULES
FOR THE 71-76, 81-86, AND 92-95 GHZ BANDS

New rules may soon be on their way for a set of super high frequencies.  David 
Black, KB4KCH has the details:

--

The FCC has proposed a Notice of Proposed Rule Making designed to promote 
commercial development and growth of the millimeter wave.  This, in the 
spectrum in the 71-76, 81-86 and 92-95 GHz bands.

This millimeter wave band is also known as the Extremely High Frequency or E-
H-F band.  It refers to radio signals between 30 and 300 Gigahertz, where the 
wavelengths range between 1 and 10 millimeters.  Research sponsored by the 
U.S. government has led to the verge of being able to use millimeter waves 
economically.  

One advantage of using this frequency band is that the beams can be tightly 
collimated, easing channel sharing.  Another important consideration is 
increased path loss due to oxygen and  atmospheric absorption which can 
perhaps be viewed as a positive in terms of frequency reuse for wide dispersal 
applications such as high speed data transfer.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm David Black, KB4KCH.

--

If enacted, the new rules will be under Parts 15 and 101 of the Commission's 
Rules.  (FCC, CGC Communicator)

**

HIGHER AMATEUR VANITY CALL SIGN FEE EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 9

The FCC has officially set $14.50 as the cost to apply for, renew or reinstate 
an Amateur Radio vanity call sign. According to the ARRL Letter, a Report and 
Order adopted July 3rd says that the new fee schedule will become effective 
for applications received on or after September 9th. 

The current vanity fee is $12 for the 10-year license term. The FCC had 
proposed the new, higher fee in a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking released March 
27th aimed at setting all Fiscal Year 2002 fees.  Again, the new higher fee 
ineffective on September 9th.  (ARRL, FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC ACTS ON CALIFORNIA REPEATER INTERFERENCE ISSUE

A California ham appears to have decided to quit ham radio rather than fight 
allegations that he was the source of interference to a repeater.  FCC Special 
Counsel for Amateur Radio Enforcement, Riley Hollingsworth, explains:

--
Riley Hollingsworth:  Hollingsworth:  "We opened an investigation of 
interference allegations against Steven Holt, KE6WSJ, of West Hills 
California.  That matter involves interference to the WB6VBV repeater in 
Palmdale California.  We have been contacted by Mr. Holt.  He informed us that 
on the advice of his attorney, he was submitting his license for 
cancellation."  (RAIN, FCC)

--

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC ACTS ON ANOTHER CALIFORNIA REPEATER INTERFERENCE ISSUE

But Holt is not the only individual involved in a California repeater related 
issue that the FCC is looking at.  Another is Leobardo C. Coronado, KC6PXL, of 
Sun Valley California.  Again, the FCC's Riley Hollingsworth:

--
Hollingsworth: "Coronado is coordinated for operation on 145.120 Mhz but links 
to 224.160 Mhz on which there is a coordinated repeater receiving 
interference."
--

Hollingsworth's letter to Coronado said that the FCC had evidence that the 
repeater operator had taken no action to alleviate the problem even though he 
had been advised of the interference numerous times.  The FCC gave Coronado 20 
days from receipt of its letter to write back and advise the regulatory agency 
about the coordination status of his repeaters and what has been done 
regarding any complaints.  (RAIN, FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC QUESTIONS CALIFORNIA CLUB CALL SIGNS

And in yet another California matter, the FCC has requested that Long Beach 
resident Richard Crow, KB6IAT, justify a pair of club call signs for which he 
is listed as trustee.  The calls are WB6FCC for an organization identified as 
the Richard Burton Amateur Radio Club and WB6JAM for a club called Jammers for 
Jesus.  

The FCC gave Crow thirty days from the date of its June letter to provide 
justification as to the need for each of these call signs.  He was also 
directed to furnish the Commission with a list of the names, addresses and 
telephone numbers of the members of the two clubs.  Also, the meeting times 
and dates within the past year, proposed meeting times and locations within 
the coming year, and copies of minutes, if any, taken at meetings within the 
past three months for each club.  Crow was told that the FCC would cancel the 
two call signs if he did not file a satisfactory response.  (FCC)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  WORLDCOM AND UU-NET

Even if WorldComm files for bankruptcy it will have little effect on the way 
the Intrernet operates.  This even though the troubled financially strapped 
telecommunications giant controls a big chunk of it.  Jim Damron, N8TMW and 
Jeff Clark, K8JAC, have more:

--
WorldComm officials say that even if the company goes under, the Internet will 
keep running.  This, after market analysts predict WorldComm will file for 
bankruptcy following a major accounting scandal.  

The telecom giant handles half of the Internet's U-S traffic through a 
subsidiary known as U-U- Net.  Newly elected WorldCom C-E-O John Sidgmore says 
that U-U-Net -- will keep going no matter what happens to the WorldCom parent 
corporation. 

According to Sidgmore, U-U-Net handles more than 50 percent of U-S Internet 
traffic.  This includes about 70 percent of all e-mails sent within the United 
States and half of e-mails sent in the world.  Thousands of companies and 
agencies in more than 100 countries rely on WorldCom for Internet access, 
including the United States Department of Defense and the U-S Department of 
State.

--

The bottom line.  The Internet and your e-mail are safe even if WorldComm goes 
away.  (Published news reports)

**

SWAP MEETS:  HAM LICENSE A MUST FOR SELLERS AT TRW SWAPMEET

The TRW Radio Club passes along a reminder notice that every seller at its 
famed monthly Swapmeet must show a copy of his or her valid Amateur Radio 
license in order to receive a seller's permit.  This restriction is for 
sellers only.  Those coming to browse or make purchases are not subject to 
this rule.  The T-R-W swap-meet takes place monthly in the Los Angeles 
California area but draws buyers and sellers nationwide.  (TRW-ARC Via e-Mail)

**

UPCOMING EVENTS:  HAM RADIO AT THE SOAP BOX DERBY

Ham radio will be a part of the 65th running of the All-American Soap Box 
Derby.  This, in Akron Ohio on Saturday July 27th.  To commemorate the event, 
members of the Cayahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club will activate special events 
station W8D from 2000 to 2400 hours U-T-C from 
July 22nd to the 26th.  On the day of the race W8D will be on the air from 
1200 to 2000 U-T-C.  Look for this one on 7.275, 14.250, 21.275 and 28.340 MHz 
and Q-S-L to Post Office Box 14, Cayahoga Falls Ohio 44222.  (Press release)

**

UPCOMING EVENTS: FORT TUTHILL HAMFEST

And finally one not in Ohio.  How about Flagstaff Arizona the weekend of July 
26th, 27th and 28th.  That's when the Fort Tuthill Hamfest and Arizona State 
ARRL convention takes place at Flagstaff Airport oat exit 337 on Arizona State 
Highway 17.  Aside from the usual hamfest fare, the Fort Tuthill gathering has 
something very special to offer.  The clean air of the Arizona mountains and a 
truly breathtaking majestic nighttime sky.  And less we forget, there is the 
famed Fort Tuthill Saturday evening Barbecue that makes people want to come 
back for more.  

And less we forget, there will also be a wedding taking place at this years 
Fort Tuthill Hamfest.  The groom is James Pastorfield, KB7TBT.  The bride is 
Laura Lindstrom, KD7KYO.  They met during an emergency in which the local ham 
community was involved. Not a ham at the time, Laura was assigned to ride in 
Jame's vehicle.  The wedding is scheduled for 5 PM, Saturday, July 27th.  They 
hope to honeymoon at the Grand Canyon.  You can see lots more at www.acra-
az.org on the world wide web.  (ACRA, ARNewsline)

**

POST-IT NOTES CAUSE PROBLEMS

Warning: The effect of Post-It Notes on archived material is devastating.  
According to the Scripps Institution of Oceanography Library in La Jolla 
California the glue on Post-It notes eventually hardens and leaves a film that 
becomes acidic.  This results in eventual discoloration and brittleness of the 
paper.  In fact, Post-Its left for more than a month or two on already brittle 
paper such as old books can cause the paper to tear when the notes are 
removed.  (CGC Communicator)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  LANCE BASS IN TRAINING FOR ISS VISIT 

Will a teen heart-throb be the next tourist in space?  Possibly as Russian 
space officials soften their previously tough line on the much-hyped plans for 
a commercial flight to the international space station this October by pop 
singer Lance Bass.  

Bass has already undergone at least two medical examinations and is now doing 
a round of intensive training at Russian space facilities.  Two weeks ago, the 
23 year old member of the group N SYNC began training in Russia at the Star 
City Cosmonaut Center near Moscow.   A few days later, Music Television News  
reported that as part of his training, Bass would be dropped into the Black 
Sea for an emergency-splashdown test.  He was also to be left in a Russian 
forest without food and supplies.  He must also become fluent in the Russian 
language, spacecraft flight control systems and standard operations of the 
International Space Station as a pre-requisite to fly.

The decision by the Russian agency to explore the possibility of Bass' flight 
was based on the idea that the $20 million ride would have one or more 
corporate sponsors.  So far there is no word as to whether or not Bass would 
be willing to get his ham license and operate the ham station on board the I-
S-S.  (Published reports)

**

INTERNATIONAL - CANADA:  VE1QJ APPOINTED ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Maurice  Le Blanc, VE1QJ, has been appointed as an Assistant Director for 
Radio Amateurs of Canada's  Atlantic Region.   Le Blanc lives in  St. Basile, 
New Brunswick province and is retired from the Universit‚ de Moncton where he 
taught English as a second language.  He is also fluent in French, English, 
Spanish and German and has been licensed as an amateur since 1950.  (RAC)

**

INTERNATIONAL:  UK CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The UK results of the special Marconi Centenary Contest that took place in 
December last year have now been released. This was a 'one-off' event to 
commemorate the centenary of Marconi's first trans-Atlantic contact  between 
Canada and Great Britain. 

The overall U-K winner was Dave Cree, G3TBK, with a total of exactly 400 VE 
QSOs.  The UK winner of the 100-watt section was GI0KVQ with 149 Canadian 
contacts, while G4ELZ made an excellent 110 VE QSO's and took the QRP prize.  
(GB2RS)

**

HAM HELP NEEDED:  QSL'S LOST AS LIGHTNING STRIKES

Back here in the U-S-A, Don Moss, NL7CO reports over the VHF Reflector that 
Scot Sharp, KD5OMJ, was away on vacation when his house was hit by lightening. 
Moss says that it appears as though it entered the house through the ham shack 
modem line.  

As a result of the ensuing fire, KD5OMJ has lost all of his logs and QSL cards 
and he is asking hams who had a QSO with him, to please send him a new QSL.  
This, because without logs he is not able to determine who he has talked with.  
Both Sharp and Moss are residents of Lawton Oklahoma.  (VHF Reflector)

**

DX

In D-X, word from Ron Moorefield, W8ILC, that he along with K8FL, K8LEE, N9NS, 
W8GEX and WA8NJR will be operating between 40 and 6 metres as C6AJR from 
Eleuthera, Bahamas, between the 24th and the 31st of July.   Modes will be on 
SSB, CW and PSK31. The team will also be in the IOTA Contest operating as 
C6DX.  QSL is via N8QET.  (W8ILC)

Also word that DL4FCH, will be active, as DL4FCH/P from Pellworm Island from 
the 20th of July to the 2nd of August.  Operation will be mostly on CW, and 
will include the IOTA Contest. (RSGB)

And word that W2SGX has become a VUCC awards checker in the central New York 
area.   Carl says over the VHF Reflector that he will be available to check 
cards for VUCC awards at the Fingerlakes Hamfest on Saturday August 3rd. The 
venue is the Tompkins County Airport in Ithaca, New York from 10:00 AM until 
2:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time.  (VHF Reflector)

**

SUPPORT FUND REPORT WITH ANDY JAREMA, N6TCQ

And finally this week, its time for another Support Fund report from 
Administrator Andy Jarema.  This time N6TCQ is not asking for funds.  Just 
some advice:

--

Hi.  I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, your Amateur Radio Newsline Support Fund 
Administrator.

For the past several months, a number of you have written to us -- asking why 
we are not using on-line payments for Amateur Radio Newsline donations?  Well, 
we have given it a lot of thought.  And each time, we end up asking ourselves 
the same question: does the price tag to establish and maintain this service 
justify the additional cost?

No matter whose services we use, there are set-up and monthly usage fees for 
the secure e-commerce web server.  And our bank will charge us 3 to 5 percent 
for every credit card transaction they process.  

The answer is simple.  Supporters would have to donate enough using this 
method to break even.  Only after that could your generosity be put to work.

So for the next several weeks we'll be asking for your input.  Would you use 
your credit card on-line to support ARNewsline?  

Send your answer to newsline at arnewsline.org.  If you are reading the Internet 
version, just click on the link shown. mailto: newsline at arnewsline.org.

Type "YES" in the subject line if you would use this service.  If not, type 
"NO."  Feel free to make any comments in the body of the e-mail.  We'll tally 
the results and report to you in a future Amateur Radio Newsline report.

Remember, Amateur Radio Newsline is a 501(c)(3) corporation.  Your donations 
are tax-deductable and your support is always appreciated.

That's it for this week.  I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

--

In case you missed those instructions you can find them in the print edition 
of this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.  (ARNewsline Support Fund)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, Amateur News Weekly, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC 
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