[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1312 - OCTOBER 4, 2002

Sat Oct 5 01:24:11 EDT 2002

Amateur Radio Newsline  Report 1312 - OCTOBER 4, 2002

The following is a Q-S-T.  A new world-wide threat to ham radio on 70 
centimeters tops this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1312 
coming your way right now.

**

RADIO REGULATIONS:  A WORLDWIDE CHALLENGE TO 70 CM

If you operate on 70 centimeters anyplace in the world, listen up.  Your 
future access to that band is in peril.  Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has 
the details on how a proposed satellite system could run hams off of the 
band:

--
It has come to the attention of the South African Radio League, SARL  
that the threat to the 70-cm band -- world wide --  is once again very 
real.   The SARL has just received a discussion paper which will be 
tabled at the World Radio Conference next year -- WRC-03 -- which 
directly  targets the portion of 432 to 438 MHz for exclusive use by the 
planned Earth Exploration Satellite Service or EESS,  due to be launched 
soon.

If this proposal is carried at the World Radio Conference next year it, 
will see this portion of spectrum allocated on a worldwide basis and 
this spells the death knell of all 70-cm ham radio operation.

The section of the proposal and the motivation is as follows:  Agenda 
Item 1.38: '...to consider provision of up to 6 MHz of frequency 
spectrum to the Earth exploration-satellite service active in the 
frequency band  420-470 MHz, in accordance with Resolution 727 that was 
revised at WRC-2000.
--

But why target the Amateur Radio allocation at 70 centimeters?  The 
researchers who want it say its the only frequency that will work.  
Again, Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB:

--
According to the United Nations Conference on Environment and 
Development  -- UNCED --  held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, there is an 
urgent need for assessment and  systematic observations of forest cover 
and rate of forest degradation in  tropical and temperate regions.  
Active space borne sensors Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs) are needed 
to enable the monitoring of forest biomass.

Systems operating on frequencies around 450 MHz can penetrate the canopy 
of forests, and have the capability to determine the ground-trunk 
interaction and are in the context of forest cover information of  
particular importance.  

Systems operating at 1.3 GHz, or higher frequencies cannot penetrate the 
canopy.  The spectrum around 450 MHz is also optimal for monitoring of 
continental ice and for monitoring of vegetation and soil surfaces for 
desert and  tropical areas.
--

More on this story in future Amateur Radio Newsline reports.  (Q-News, 
SARL, ARNewsline )

**

HAM POLITICS:  HAM-CONGRESSMAN APPOINTED TO KEY HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE 

Back here in the U-S-A the ARRL Letter reports that Oregon Republican 
Congressman Greg Walden, WB7OCE, has been appointed to fill a vacancy on 
the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.  Walden 
is one of only two amateurs in the U-S House of Representatives, and his 
appointment to the key House panel dealing with communications matters 
is considered good news for the ham radio community.  Walden's selection 
was announced by Republican House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman 
Billy Tauzin of Louisiana. (ARRL)

**

RADIO LAW:  CONGRESS MANDATES DIGITAL ANTI-PIRACY

Meantime, congressional lawmakers have ordered the Federal 
Communications Commission to mandate technology preventing digital TV 
signals from being hooked up to the Internet and made vulnerable to 
piracy.  The directive is viewed as a major victory for Hollywood film 
makers and other copyright owners at a time when the music business is 
being ravaged by Internet piracy.  (Published news reports)

**

RADIO LAW:  FEDERAL COURT RULES IN RF BRAIN CANCER CASE

A Federal District Court has dismissed an RF related mobile telephone 
brain cancer suit.  According to the C-G-C Communicator, the court ruled 
that the plaintiffs had not provided any reliable and relevant 
scientific evidence to prove their case.  The complete finding can be 
found in cyberspace at   
http://www.mdd.uscourts.gov/Opinions152/Opinions/newman0902.pdf  (CGC 
Communicator)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAM RADIO READY FOR HURRICANE LILI

Following quickly in the wake of Hurricane Isidore, a Category 2 storm 
named Lili made its way across western Cuba and then took aim at the U-S 
Gulf Coast shoreline.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA, 
has more from New Orleans:
--

According to an ARRL Bulletin, the Hurricane Watch Net and W4EHW at the 
National Hurricane Center in Miami are again gathering ground-level 
reports using ham radio for communications into and out of the affected 
areas.

The Hurricane Watch Net is currently activated on 14.325 MHz with 
traffic coming in from numerous stations.  Meantime W4EHW continues to 
exchange meteorological data and Spanish advisories with Cuban amateurs.  
Many of the reports received via ham radio have proven to be valuable to 
forecasters at the National Hurricane Center. 

Right now all eyes are on Lili as she makes her way toward the U-S 
mainland.  On Wednesday October 2nd the FCC declared a  communications 
emergency as Lili approached the Louisiana and Texas shoreline.  As we 
go to air, all hams not directly involved in hurricane related emergency 
communications are required to avoid using 7.285 MHz daytime and 3.873 
MHz from sundown to sun 
up.  These frequencies are protected plus or minus 3 kHz.  The FCC 
declaration will remain in effect until rescinded and could be in effect 
for as long as two weeks.

Monitoring the storm and ham radio traffic from one of Lili's probable 
targets near New Orleans, I'm Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA, reporting.
--

Official advisories on Lili and other tropical storms can be found at 
the National Hurricane Web site.  Its in cyberspace at www.nhc.noaa.gov.  
Late breaking ham radio operational advisories are at www.arrl.org.  
(ARRL, others)

** 

SPACE AND SCIENCE:  HURRICANE LILI CAUSES SHUTTLE LAUNCH DELAY

And a potential threat from Hurricane Lili to the Mission Control Center 
at Johnson Space Center in Houston has forced a delay in the launch of 
the STS-112 shuttle mission.  Atlantis and its six member crew are now 
slated to lift off no earlier than 1800 to 2200 GMT on Monday October 
7th.  Once on-orbit, Atlantis will deliver the S-1 Truss to the 
International Space Station.  The crew will perform three spacewalks at 
the station and will transfer supplies and equipment between the two 
vehicles.  (NASA)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  VK HAMS THERE AS PHONES GO OUT

Amateur Radio has come to the rescue after the town of Bindoon in 
Western Australia was isolated by communications failure. 

For reasons yet to be explained, the failure of the phone system on 
Sunday September 22nd was total.  Both mobile and fixed services went 
dead. No calls were possible.

A ham radio knight in shining armor in the form of VK6HGM rode to the 
rescue.  Actually he drove to a hilltop and used the Roleystone repeater 
on 146.700 MHz in the hills above the city of Perth to report the 
telephone outage.  This of itself is quite a feat, as both Bindoon and 
Roleystone are in the Darling Mountain Range and are out of line-of-
sight from one another.

Be that as it may, the call for assistance was answered by VK6AX.  He 
had telephone service and used it to alert the authorities and brought 
about a happy end to the story.  Within half an hour, all telephone 
services in Bindoon were back on line.

**

ENFORCEMENT:  NET UNDER FCC SCRUTINY

Turning to news from the FCC, word that the agency is taking a close 
look at a 20 meter net and its control operator.  The FCC's Daryl 
Duckworth, NN0W, explains:

--
"The Enforcement Bureau has opened an inquirey into the Mobile Emergency 
and County Hunters Net operating on 14.336 Mhz.  We have requested that 
James Grandinetti, who uses the call signs KZ2P and K2JG to respond to 
seven complaints about the operation of the net.  The Enforcement Bureau 
also requested documentation supporting the club call sign of K2JG which 
is assigned to the Atlantic Amateur Association."
--

The FCC's letter to Grandinetti alleges that he harassed certain 
operators and banned other hams from using 14.336 MHz while he was 
operating as a net control station.  The letter told Grandinetti that 
the frequency 14.336 MHz is a shared amateur frequency.  As such, the 
operation of a net on that frequency conveys no greater rights regarding 
its use by Grandinetti than any other licensed radio amateur.  
Grandinetti was given the customary 30 days to reply. 

**

ENFORCEMENT:  PRIVILEGES REINSTATED

And still in the enforcement arena, some good news for a Martinsville 
Virginia ham.  Again, the FCC's Daryl Duckworth, N-N-Zero-W:
--
"We notified Theodore Crutchfield, K4TFC, that since he has taken and 
passed an Element 1 code test as requested, his license remains Extra 
class and that he is in good standing."
--

By way of background, back on December 20, 2001, the FCC had notified 
Crutchfield that it was requiring him to re-take Amateur Element 1 under 
the supervision of the W4VEC Volunteer Examination Coordinator.  This, 
on or before February 15th of this year.  Crutchfield appeared for the 
exam session but did not pass.  As a result, he was notified on July 
16th that the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau would downgrade his 
license from Extra to Technician Class.  A few days later on July 21st, 
Crutchfield successfully completed an Element I examination in Roanoke, 
Virginia.  Now, as Daryl Duckworth put it, Crutchfield remains Extra 
Class and his license is in good standing with the FCC.

**

RADIO ACCIDENTS:  HAM INJURED IN TOWER ACCIDENT

A Michigan ham has been seriously hurt in a tower fall.  According to an 
Internet report from Allen Stap, N8OKU , the accident involved the 
removal of a 160 foot tower. 

Stap says that the top 120 feet was removed without incident.  Daylight 
ran out so removal of the remaining 40 feet was deferred to the 
following morning.  On inspection, the last 40 feet appeared to be safe 
and the removal work began.  But the base of the tower broke apart and 
the tower fell with the ham on board.  It landed on a polebarn with the 
ham crushed between the tower and the roof. 

The accident happened near the town of  Lawton. The ham involved was not 
identified by full name or call sign but was described as a long time 
and experienced tower climber.  His injuries included a broken jaw, two 
broken arms and a broken leg.  The good news is that he is expected to 
make a full recovery after extensive rehabilitation. 

**

RADIO ACCIDENTS:  NEBRASKA TOWER COLLAPSE KILLS TWO

And a 1,965-foot television tower collapsed Tuesday September 24th in a 
western Nebraska field.  Two workers were killed and three others were 
injured.  

The tower was located near the town of Hemingford.  A spokesman for its 
owner, Duhamel Broadcasting Enterprises of Rapid City, South Dakota, 
said two of the workers were repairing the roof of the  near-by 
transmission building.  The others were strengthening the tower so it 
could be equipped with high-definition television antennas.

The structure was built in the late 1960's and was used to transmit the 
signal for Scottsbluff television station KDUH throughout most of the 
states panhandle area.  It and was the tallest structure in Nebraska, 
and was some 500 feet taller than the Sears Tower in Chicago and 700 
feet higher than the Empire State Building in New York.  The cause of 
its collapse is not yet known. (K0NEB)

**

OPERATING EVENTS:  ARRL DEVELOPING JOTA DATABASE

Jean Wolfgang, WB3IOS, of the ARRL Field and Educational Services 
Department writes to say that the League has set up a first ever 
scouting Jamboree On The Air event database.  It comes as the result of 
requests to Jean from scouting groups looking for hams who plan to offer 
their services to the event.  You can register your JOTA event by taking 
your browser to the rather complex U-R-L you will find on the web at 
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/jota.html.  T his years Jamboree On The 
Air takes place October 19th and 20th, local time.  (ARRL)

**

OPERATING EVENTS:  SHIPS ON THE AIR

The USS Cassin Young, a museum ship in Boston on a turn around cruise 
will operate an Amateur Radio station from her radio room during the 
voyage on Saturday, October 12th.  Operators will pass commemorative US 
Naval style messages between that ship and the USS Salem.  The Salem is 
another museum ship berthed in Quincy Massachusetts.  Operation will be 
on 20 and 40 meters.  For a commemorative certificate send an SASE and a 
copy of the message you hear  to Bob Callahan, W1QWT, 56 Acorn Street, 
Scituate, Massachusetts 02166.  And less we forget, of the two ships 
involved the USS Cassin Young is a Destroyer and the USS Salem is a 
heavy cruiser.  (W1QWT)

**

WITH THE HAHDI-HAMS:  FCC TVI BOOK NOW AVAILABLE 

Handi Ham members listen up.  The FCC's TVI book has been added as a 
zipped file in the downloads section of the Handi-Ham members only 
website.  Handi Ham members can also contact headquarters for a free 
floppy disk version of the book.  More information is at 
www.handiham.org.  (Handi Hams)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: THE SCIENCE REPORT

Two interesting items from this weeks science page.  Here are Jim 
Damron, N8TMW and Jeff Clark, K8JAC.

--
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  TECHNO-JUNK PILING UP

A new study called Waste in the Wireless World: The Challenge of Cell 
Phones says that 130 million wireless devices will be discarded annually 
in the United States.  This equals 65,000 tons of two-way radio garbage.

The study makes several recommendations regarding both the design of 
cell phones and the disposal of them.  It says that the use of toxic 
substances in them be reduced. It also suggests that device 
standardization be implemented so users are not forced to purchase new 
phones when they change service providers or for travel.  Finally, the 
study says that cellular telephones should be designed for disassembly, 
reuse and recycling. 

It should be noted that the study was limited to cellular phones and 
other two way radio devices.  It does not include the tons of VCR's and 
TV sets that are disposed of each year.  (Supplied by several 
ARNewsline(tm) listeners)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  BARCODES CAN SAVE LIVES

You know those bar codes that grocery workers scan to let you know how 
much your cereal costs? Well, hospitals are now using the same 
technology to help save lives, thanks to a computerized medication 
system.  A nurse scans the bar code on a patient's I-D bracelet, along 
with a bar code found on the medication itself before administering the 
drug. This enables the computer to verifies and checks the bar codes to 
make sure the patient is getting the correct medication. A green signal 
tells the nurse it's okay to precede. An error warning, and red signal, 
alerts the nurse if something's not right. 

To date, only about two percent of the nation's medical facilities use 
bar code technology to verify medication administration, but that number 
is expected to rise.  Statistics show the system prevents anywhere from 
84 to 264 potential errors a week at one hospital alone. (Science Today)
--

More emerging technology news, next week.

**

SPACE AND SCIENCE:  JAPAN DELAY COMPLETION OF ISS MODULE

Completion of the international space station hit another snag.  This  
as Japan's cash-strapped space program announces that it would delay 
launch of the bus-sized research module it is building for the project.  

The research capsule called Kibo is the only part of the space station 
developed and run by an Asian country.  It was scheduled for launch 
sometime in 2004.  Liftoff of that module is now planned for April 2005 
at the earliest.  (Published reports)

**

INTERNATIONAL - GERMANY:  DDH47 CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF SERVICE
November 8th and 9th will see a special station on the air from 
Pinneberg Germany.  This as Weather Service's station DDH47 will be 
operating crossband on 147 kHz and listening on 80, 40 and 20 meters CW 
to celebrate its 50th anniversary of the service.  Slow speed Morse 
transmissions to North America are also planned.  (G4NJH)

**

INTERNATIONAL: FIRST UK TO VE CONTACT

Sunday, September 22nd marked the 84th anniversary of the first radio 
message from the United Kingdom being received in Australia. On the 22nd 
of September 1918, a message of goodwill was sent in Morse code from the 
Marconi station located near Caernarfon. The callsign was M-U-U, and the 
200-kilowatt transmitter was on 21 kHz, a wavelength of 14,300 meters.  
The signal was received at
Wahroonga near Sydney by Sir Ernest Fisk, an Englishman who had served 
under Marconi in England. The message of goodwill was published the 
following day on the front pages of the Australian morning newspapers.  
(GB2RS)

**

DX

In DX, word of the first 6 Meter contact from Afghanistan.  Nick 
Peckett, G4KUX, writes that he made what he says is the first-ever 
contact on 6 metes from Kabul at 15:15 UTC on Tuesday
the 24th of September.  Peckett, operating as YA4F, contacted YF1OO in 
Indonesia.  G4KUX says that he hopes to be able to give many others 
their first opportunity to contact Afghanistan on 6 meters over the next 
few weeks.  (GB2RS)

And lower in frequency, TM4ENN is a special event station in France to 
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the 'Normandy 
Niemen' air flotilla by General de Gaulle.  It will be active on 40, 20, 
15 and 10 meters internationally.  QSL direct with an stamped and self 
addressed envelope to F6BZH, or via the bureau.  (GB2RS)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  BY-BY BETAMAX

And finally this week, a legend is being put to rest.  After twenty-
seven years in production Sony Corporation says that it will finally put 
its famed Betamax tape format to bed forever.  Our producer Bill 
Pasternak, WA6ITF, takes a nostalgic look back:

--
Its said that Betamax opened the world of home video as the first 
practical consumer format.  Sony, J-V-C and Panasonic first tried with 
the famed 3/4 inch U-Matic machines, but consumers were reluctant to buy 
a videotape machine that was bigger than most T-V sets of that era and 
looked more at home in a television station than their livingroom.

My own first home VCR was a Sony SL-7200 Betamax.  It would record a 
whole hour of pretty high quality video and audio on a tape cassette 
that was only 3 1/2 by 6 inches in size.  I paid almost $2000 for the 
machine and each cassette cost me close to $25.  That was in the late 
1970's and despite loosing the 1980's video format war to   VHS, Betamax 
held on as a niche product all these years.  

Now, according to Larry Bloomfield's Tech Notes news service, Betamax 
for consumer use is being phased out.  This is because of the new 
consumer digital tape formats like Mini D V that are literally 
delivering a death blow to Betamax' future prospects.  

Sony reportedly will manufacture only 2,000 more Betamax machines before 
discontinuing the product altogether.  But Beta will live on in the 
world of television journalism.  Thats where a spinoff tape format 
called Betacam with suffixes like S-X and S-P became the defacto news 
gathering videotape of choice and have remained so for the past decade 
and a half.

With an SL 7200 Betamax still sitting someplace out in the garage -- 
gathering dust -- I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, for the Amateur Radio 
Newsline.
--

And you thought that the Betamax died a quiet death many years ago! 
(Tech-Notes, ARNewsline )

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

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Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio 
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can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. 
Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066. 