[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline #1315 - October 25 200

Sat Oct 26 02:58:30 EDT 2002

Amateur Radio Newsline #1315 - October 25 2002  

The following is a Q-S-T.  A ham radio operator may have played a part   
in the apprehension of the DC sniper suspects, the U-K says no more new   
operators in its 5 megs experiment and the ARRL says no to unlicensed   
visitors sharing a United States ham radio band.  These stories are   
first on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1315 coming your way right   
now.  

**  

RESCUE RADIO:  HAM RADIO HELPS NAB THE DC SNIPER SUSPECTS 

A ham radio operators may have played a role in the apprehension of two   
men wanted in connection with the sniper shootings in the Washington DC   
area.  ABC News interviewed the trucker who called the police to report   
he had spotted the two suspects.  When asked how he heard about the   
description of the vehicle, his response was that he heard it while   
listening to Bozo on WLW radio  

Now, Chip Margelli, K7JA tell amateur Radio Newsline that Bozo in real   
life is Dale Sommers; callsign WB6OM.  Sommers hosts a very popular late   
night trucker's show on the 700 Kilohertz clear channel station.  His   
show is mainly music and information of interest to long-haul truck   
drivers.  The description of the wanted men was just that.  As a result   
the pair are in custody thanks to a trucker who was paying attention to   
what WB6OM had to say as "Truckin Bozo" over WLW in Cincinnati. (K7JA)  

**  

INTERNATIONAL:  NEW PERMITS FOR THE UK 5 MHZ EXPERIMENT GOING ON  
HOLD  

What happens when a propagation experiment gets a bit to popular?  If   
you are a telecommunications regulator in the United Kingdom you might   
be inclined to temporarily suspended issuing further permits for hams to   
take part.  And that's what's about to happen in regard to the United   
Kingdom's 5 Megs experiment.  From Nottingham England, here's Jeramy   
Boot, G4NJH:  

--  
The Radiocommunications Agency says that applications for 5-MHz band   
experimental Notices of Variation or NoV's have far exceeded their   
expectations. The R.A. now considers that the risk of congestion on the   
five spot frequencies allocated may be detrimental to the overall   
success of the experiment.   

Accordingly, the RA has decided not to issue any further NoV's for   
applications received after the 31st of October.  The position will be   
kept under review and occupancy monitoring of the frequencies will be   
carried out.  It is hoped that ollowing this exercise - more NoV's could   
be issued, or a numerical limit to the number of NoVs can be set based   
on usage and congestion. It is likely that an announcement can be made   
later this year for action early in the new year.  

Jeramy Boot, G4NJH.  

--  

The United Kingdom 5 MHz experimental band was made available to that   
nations individual Full Class A hams by means of a Notice of Variation   
issued last July.  The five 3kHz-wide frequency allocations are   
permitted for the purposes of antenna and propagation experiments.  The   
Radio Society of Great Britain is in charge of the overall management of   
the project.  (RSGB)  

**  

INTERNATIONAL:  AN IARU UPDATE FROM PRESIDENT LARRY PRICE W4RA  

Still in the international arena, we have a follow up to last weeks   
story on the International Amateur Radio Union.  With it, here's our   
producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF:  

--  

We received a very nice note from International Amateur Radio Union   
President Larry Price, W4RA,  following last weeks story about the   
recent meeting in Morocco.  According to President Price, the news isn't   
the IARU observer status at Plenipotentiary Conferences.  He tells   
Newsline that IARU has had this status since the 1998 Conference in   
Minneapolis.  At that time the International Telecommunications Union   
Convention rules were modified to give the same privileges at   
Plenipotentiary Conferences as IARU already had at Radio Conferences.  

President Price says that the real news was the special station, CN8UIT   
set up at the conference center in Marrakech.  He says that this was a   
follow on from a similar station set up by the ARRL in Minneapolis and   
one eight years ago in Kyoto, Japan from the JARL.    

Buy the way, the CN8UIT call is based on the French pronunciation of the   
International Telecommunications Union.   For those of you unaware, the   
International Amateur Radio Union was founded in 1925 specifically to   
represent our service at international conferences.  It has $one so --   
with great success -- ever since.  

With a thank-you to IARU President Larry Price, W4RA, for that neat   
note, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, for the Amateur Radio Newsline.  
--  

In his note to us President Price says that the IARU has taken part in   
every major conference in  modern years.  Also that it will be there for   
all of us at WRC 2003 in Geneva Switzerland.  (ARNewsline)  

**  

INTERNATIONAL:  ARRL ASKS FCC TO DENY US USE OF EUROPEAN/UK FRS- 
TYPE RADIOS ON 70 cm  

The ARRL is saying no to visitors using unlicensed radios in our ham   
bands.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has more:  

--  
The ARRL has asked the FCC to deny a petition that would set aside   
spectrum in the 70-cm ham band for non ham use.  This, for use by   
visitors from Europe and the United Kingdom to use their Personal Mobile   
Radio transceivers while in the U-S.    

According to the ARRL Letter, the request was filed by Dr. Michael   
Trahos, KB4PGC of Alexandria Virginia.  It  asks that European PMR 446   
type handie-talkies be allowed to operate license free while overseas   
travelers were in United States jurisdiction.  PMR 446 hand-helds are   
similar to the US Family Radio Service transceivers but operate on eight   
channels between 446.0 and 446 .1 MHz. at up to a half watt out.  

In his Petition, Trahos said that existing Part 97 Amateur Service rules   
precluding the use of PMR 446 radios in the US were essentially   
unenforceable and that granting his petition would have minimal impact   
on existing amateur operations. The ARRL countered by saying that there   
are obvious enforcement problems associated with the Petition.  It says   
that putting the unlicensed users on a ham band is a formula for serious   
interference problems to be created.    

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles.  
--  

As an alternative, the ARRL recommends that European and UK visitors   
simply purchase inexpensive FRS transceivers to use during visits to the   
United States.  (ARRL)  

**  

RADIO LAW:  FCC REJECTS AMATEUR'S PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION ON  
CC&R ISSUE  

The FCC has turned down a Petition for Reconsideration filed by a   
Florida amateur.  This, of the Commission's 2001 decision to deny the   
ARRL's Application for Review in RM-8763.  That proceeding concerned the   
League's effort to have the Commission include privately imposed deed   
restrictions under PRB-1.    

The ARRL says that the FCC dismissed its Application for Review last   
December 18th.  At that time the FCC noted that PRB-1 more than   
adequately protects federal interest in promoting amateur communications   
from overly restrictive regulations.    

Not long after, W. Lee McVey, W6EM, of Bradenton, Florida, filed his own   
Petition for Reconsideration Mc Vey claimed that it presented additional   
evidence that the FCC had not considered in dealing with the ARRL's   
petition.  But the FCC disagreed.  It says that McVey offered up no new   
evidence in the matter and has turned his petition away.  (ARRL)  

**  

ENFORCEMENT:  INDONESIA PIRATE UPDATE  

An update now to our recent story on the problems being caused by pirate   
stations in Indonesia.  Not only are they making life difficult for hams   
around the world.  The pirates are also playing havoc with domestic   
Indonesian ham radio communications as well.  With more, heres Q-News   
Graham Kemp, VK4BB:  

--  
Many reports covering Indonesian non amateurs using our frequencies in   
the 40, 20 and 10 metre bands are making their way to the IARUMS.     
There seems absolutely no control over their working and existence by   
the  local Government.  

It is very difficult for licensed Indonesian amateurs to find a clear   
frequency in the lower edges of 40mb for their authorised cmmunications.    
Generally the licensed Indonesians are around 7050,7055 and 7060 kHz for    
their traffic. 7050 kHz frequency, carries CW lessons for the intending   
future amateurs. Otherwise, the licensed ones, operate in their own nets   
and you can clearly identify their call signs in between, as per   
standard practice, though the entire conversations are in Indonesian.   

Another frequency regularly used by a SE Asian group for two-way non   
amateur  communications is 14044 J3Eu mode around 0100 UTC every day.   
IARUMS need the services of those knowing SE Asian languages to identify   
them, they may be from XV, 3W or XU area.  
--  

If you are a resident of South-East Asia and heating this newscast, you   
are requested to watch 14.044 MHz and help identify the unlicensed   
users.  Please send that information to your nations Intruder Watch   
Coordinator as fast as you can.  (Q-News)  

**  

ENFORCEMENT:  PIRATE BOARDCASTING IN SAN DIEGO CA  

Back here in the U-S-A, Bob Gonsett's CGC Communicator reports on an   
entity calling itself  Free Radio San Diego which announced plans to   
begin broadcasting  on on 96.9 MHz..  The transmitter location and   
parameters are unknown but one person reports being in the town of   
Carlsbad California and seeing a spray-painted stenciled sign on the   
concrete walkway promoting Free Radio 96.9.  Also, the operator of the   
station does have a web site at www.pirate969.org  What action the FCC   
may be planning on this one is unknown.  (CGC Communicator)  

**  

ENFORCEMENT:  BE CAREFUL ON 146.52  

The has FCC issued and then retracted advisory notices to five Mid-West   
hams telling them that they were talking to long.  This, on the national   
calling frequency of 146.52 MHz.    

The letters said -- and we quote:  "The frequency 146.52 MHz is   
customarily used, and is called for under the band plan, as a simplex   
calling frequency for Two Meter operation.  Numerous communications from   
your station during the above dates have lasted from nearly half an hour   
to an hour.  While band plans are not mandatory under the Commission's   
rules, the Commission depends upon them to minimize the situations in   
which Commission intervention is required, and they comport with good   
Amateur practice under our rules.  Please review Section 97.101 of the   
Commission's rules"  -- end quote.  

The FCC origionally said that the October 16th letters went out   
following a review of complaints about the operation of their Amateur   
stations between September 19th and October 6th.  The retraction was   
issued on Wednesday October 23rd.  No reason was given for the   
withdrawal.  (FCC)  

**  

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC JUDGE FAVORS SCHOENBOHM'S RETURN TO AMATEUR RADIO  

The ARRL reports that an FCC Administrative Law Judge believes the   
regulatory agency should permit Herbert L. Sahoenbohm to once again hold   
an Amateur service license.  In rendering his decision, Judge Arthur I.   
Steinberg says that he believes Schoenbohm now appears to hold the   
requisite character qualifications to be a Commission licensee.  

The FCC had designated Schoenbohm's license renewal application for a   
public hearing.  This based on character issues stemming from a 1992   
conviction and alleged lack of candor during subsequent FCC hearings on   
the matter.  The former KV4FZ lost his bid to renew his ham ticket in   
2000.  He applied for a new license in 2001 which lead to the recent   
recommendation by Judge Steinberg.  A final decision on whether or not   
to re-license Schoenbohm now must be made by the FCC itself.  Schoenbohm   
has also passed an Extra class exam that is also pending.  (ARRL, FCC)  

**  

THE INTERNET:  DENIAL OF SERVICE ATTACK THWARTED  

What investigators are calling a sophisticated and large-scale assault   
against the World Wide Web has been thwarted .  But not before nine of   
the thirteen servers that manage global Internet traffic were crippled   
for a short time  on Monday October 21st.  

The FBI's National Infrastructure Protection Center said that it was   
aware of the denial of service attack and is addressing this matter.   
Service was quickly restored after managers put defensive measure in   
place bringing the attack to a halt.  Most Internet users did not even   
notice the hour long attack whose origin is still not known.  (WebNews)  

**  

ON THE WEB:  TECH NOTES GOES HIGH TECH  

You have hears us credit it here on Amateur Radio Newsline.  Now, Larry   
Bloomfield's broadcast industry publication Tech-Notes is available on   
the World Wide Web in a new easy-to-read format.  Larry has adopted HTML   
scripting which permits him to publish pictures, logos and diagrams.    
And you will always have lots about digital and high definition   
television and much more.  You can check it out on-line at www.Tech-  
Notes.TV.  (Tech-Notes, CGC)  

**  

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  PAUL BLUMHARDT, K5RT, JOINS CQ STAFF   

Paul Blumhardt, K5RT, has joined the staff of CQ Communications, Inc. as   
Director of New Business Development.  Blumhardt, of Rowlett, Texas,   
will oversee efforts to broaden the base and the scope of the company's   
marketing activities.   

According to publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, Blumhardt has actually been   
part of the CQ "family" for the past three years, serving in a volunteer   
capacity as Worked All Zones Award Manager.  Blunhardt holds an Extra   
Class amateur license,  a commercial FCC General Radio Operator License   
and degrees in both engineering and business. Among his personal   
operating achievements are 5-Band Worked All Zones, 5-Band DXCC, 6-Band   
Worked All States, and #1 DXCC Honor Roll.   

As all of you are aware, CQ Communicatoins publishes magazines, books,   
videos and other materials for the amateur radio and hobby radio fields.    
They are also a co-corporate underwriter of the annual Young Ham of he   
Year Award.  (CQ)  

**  

THE WAR ON TERROR:  A BANNER AND A LINK  

Pieter Wycoff, KG4UPX, says over the Internet that he has found an   
important tool that every concerned ham should have on his or her   
personal website.  Wycoff says that the Homeland Security Knowledge   
Database has a banner that can be posted to any website notifying   
visitors of the current status of alert to terrorist threats.   

The site also contains lots of other information relevant to homeland   
security and how you can play a part.  You can even sign up to receive   
threat notification updates by e-mail.  To learn more on how you can add   
this feature to your ham radio website, take your web browser to   
http://www.twotigersonline.com/resources.html.    

And for those not aware, right now the nation is under color code Yellow   
which indicates an elevated level of alert.  (Via Internet)  

**  

CONVENTIONS/HAMFESTS/CONFERENCES:  AMSAT IN FT. WORTH IN  
NOVEMBER  

The 20th annual AMSAT Symposium will be held November 8th to the 10th in   
Fort Worth, TX.  The gathering actually kicks off with an Early Arrival   
Activity on November 7th and ends with the conclusion of the Board of   
Director's Meeting on the 11th.  More information is in cyberspace   
www.amsat.org.  (ANS)  

**  

SATELLITE NEWS:  FCC DECLINES TO APPROVE ECHOSTAR-DIRECTV MERGER  

The FCC has declined to approve the transfer of licenses from EchoStar   
Communications Corporation and the Hughes Electronics Corp. subsidiary   
DirecTV to form a new business entity.  The FCC said that the companies   
did not demonstrated that approval of the transaction will serve the   
public interest,convenience, and necessity.  The complete story is on   
the web at www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2002/db1010/DOC-  
227263A1.doc  (CGC)  

**  

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SOYUZ ACCIDENT SOLVED  

A Russian state commission has set October 30th as the launch date for a   
Soyuz rocket carrying a three-person crew to the International Space   
Station.  The decision was made after investigators determined that it   
was a probably a production glitch rather than faulty design which led   
to the October 15th crash of a similar launch vehicle.  

For a while, it appeared that ham radio operations and everything else   
on the International Space Station might come to a grinding halt.    
Russia had threatened to suspend resupply launces following the mishap   
with the unmanned Soyuz ship which exploded seconds after liftoff,   
killing one person on the ground and injuring 20 others.    

Such a delay would have had a devastating effect of future habitation of   
the space station.  This is because the current emergency evacuation   
lifeboat vehicle is fast approaching the date on which it must be   
replaced.  Only a Soyuz launcher can carry the replacement lifeboat to   
the ISS.  If the Soyuz launchers had been kept on the ground, operations   
on the ISS might have been suspended.  Thankfully, that wont be the   
case.   (Published news reports)  

**  

INTERNATIONAL - RUSSIA:  HELP LETTER MAY BE PHONY  

A electronic letter purportedly from a Russian ham asking for financial   
assistance may be a phony.  Then again, maybe not.  

The letter showed up in hams mail boxes and on the numerous Internet   
news groups beginning on October 18th.  Signed by a person calling   
himself Valentin, the note asks for donations of money and other gear.    
What has made many suspicious is that the writer never gives his call   
sign and does not use any ham radio terminology.   

A number of people believe that the letter was actually sent by a spam-  
mail generating company or someone with a program that harvests e-mail   
addresses from the World Wide Web and generates automatic e-mail to   
them.  There is even some speculation that the message did not come from   
Russia as the note itself claims.    

Then comes a posting to the QCWA remailer from Lee Manning AK7T.    
Manning says that he e-mailed the writer of the message.  Valentin   
replied that his callsign is RA3XAA.  According to international call   
sign listings, RA3XAA belongs to Valentin Mikhaylin in Kaluga Russia.    
We have e-mailed him and are waiting to find out if he is the person who   
issued the letter and how he was able to get so many e-mail addresses of   
United States hams.   

Meantime you might want to keep in mind two words.  Caviat Emptor.    
Buyer -- or in this case -- giver beware.  (QCWA Remailer, others)  

**  

INTERNATIONAL - THE NETHERLANDS:  AUCTIONS NOT MANDATORY  

Media Network says that a judge in Rotterdam has ruled that the next   
Dutch government will not be required to auction the commercial radio   
frequencies to the highest bidders.  The ruling on Friday October 11th   
will impact on future spectrum auctions in that nation.   (Media   
Network)  

**  

DX  

In DX, GB2EVR is a new permanent special event operation for the Eden   
Valley Railway in the U-K.  The station is located at the Warcop railway   
station, six miles east of Appleby-in-Westmorland, Cumbria.  (GB2RS)  

Also, JA2ZL will be active as F0/JA2ZL from Morea Island in French   
Polynesia from the 30th of October to 2nd of November.  He plans to   
operate on 40 to 10 meters mainly SSB, with some CW and RTTY.  (GB2RS)  

And a milliwatt Beacon is on the air on 11 meters from Northern   
California. AOH is at the top of a very high mountain and operates under   
FCC rules part 15.  This is the same as child walkie-talkie and can be   
heard on 27.125 MHz. The Beacon is on the air trying to make a point you   
don't need 20 kilowatts to DX.  If you hear it, QSL to aoh@   
computermail.net  (APC News)  

**  

THAT FINAL ITEM: INNOVATION IN AMATEUR RADIO REWARDED  

And finally this week,  a big honor for a deserving ham.  Amateur Radio   
Newsline's Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA, has the details:  

--  

Brad Phillips ZS5BP has been rewarded for his innovation in Amateur   
Radio.  This by being named to receive the South African Radio Amateur   
of the Year Award.    

Phillips received the honor for his work in introducing the Internet   
Repeater Linking Project - or IRLP to that nation.  South Africa Radio   
League President Sid Tyler congratulated Phillips on his achievements   
saying that IRLP is as much part of amateur radio as is HF.    

But that's not all.  The award itself says that IRLP offers new   
opportunities for the development of the amateur radio service in South   
Africa.  This is because it brings amateur radio within the reach of   
young people in schools and the older generation who, after  retirement,   
often do not have access to High Frequency stations or other ham gear of   
their own.  Phillips work brings ham radio to both.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA.  

--  

The South African Radio Amateur of the Year Award is sponsored by   
Siemens.  Its given annually by the South African Amateur Radio   
Development Trust to a ham radio operator who  has made a major   
contribution to the Amateur service. (SARL)  

**  

NEWSCAST CLOSE  

With thanks to Alan Labs, Amateur News Weekly, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC   
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio   
Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the   
Amateur Radio Newsline.  Our e-mail address is newsline   
@arnewsline.org.  More information is available at Amateur Radio   
Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.  You   
can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, P.O. Box   
660937, Arcadia, California 91066.   