[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1322 – December 13, 2

Sat Dec 14 03:21:37 EST 2002

Amateur Radio Newsline 1322 – December 13, 2002

The following is a Q-S-T.  Ham radio responds as a winter blizzard sweeps 
the Carolinas and the FCC asks a V-E team to explain.  Find out what on 
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1322 coming your way right now.

**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAMS RESPOND TO CAROLINA BLIZZARD

Weathecasters described it as a clash of titans.  A large cold mass of air 
from the North collided with a warm wet airmass from the Gulf of Mexico. 
The result was blizzard-like conditions in many areas of the Mid-West and 
along the Eastern Seaboard.

It all happened late Wednesday December 4th and all day on Thursday 
December 5 th.  Hardest hit was North Carolina.  Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, lived 
through the storm in Raleigh and has this first hand report:

--

The storm began moving across North Carolina as snow and sleet   on 
Wednesday afternoon, and turned to ice overnight.  With temperatures 
hovering just  below freezing, a half-inch or more of ice coated trees and 
power lines.  Power failed to several million homes across a wide belt in 
the center of the state.  Telephone service had fewer outright failures, 
but both wired and cellular service was sluggish due to the high  volume of 
calls.

The amateur radio story began Wednesday afternoon, as SKYWARN  spotters 
tracked the storm for the National Weather Service.  As night fell and 
power failed, the Red Cross and county emergency management's began opening 
shelters to give people a warm place to stay.  Amateurs in several dozen 
counties staffed EOCs, shelters and Red Cross offices to assure continued 
communications.  There was no statewide communications emergency, but ARES 
operators kept watch on the statewide ARES HF nets, and the state EOC in 
Raleigh remained on the air.

On Friday, with millions of people heading into the second  night without 
power out and temperatures predicted to dip to 18 degrees,  North Carolina 
Governor Mike Easley declared a state of emergency and decided to send the 
National Guard out to do house-to-house canvassing in 22 counties, to make 
sure people without phones, radio and TV knew there were shelters 
available.

The communications plan for the Guard units was to use cell phones to call 
into the State EOC and make their reports.  North Carolina  Emergency 
Management asked if Amateur Radio could provide a backup if the cell phones 
didn't come through.  But, they couldn't pin down when or where amateurs 
might be needed.

John Guerriero, KG4HDT, the Emergency Coordinator assigned to   cover the 
State EOC, arranged for the Tarheel net -- NC's statewide ARES -- Net to 
operate all day Saturday.  He announced on Friday's nets that operators may 
be needed at any time in the 22 counties covered.  He was especially 
interested in hams with HF mobile capability.

Operators from many of the affected counties maintained watch  Saturday, 
and  Guerriero demonstrated the HF and VHF Amateur Radio operation  to the 
National Guard coordinator at the EOC.  Ultimately, however, the hams 
received no requests for Amateur Radio communication.

One county did work directly with the Guard.  In Alamance County, ARES 
operators who already on duty providing communications between the EOC, the

Red Cross and shelters offered to accompany the Guard, but were told that 
civilians could not ride in military vehicles.  Instead, the county 
provided VHF radios left over from a recent move to 800 MHz, and the 
Amateurs at the EOC acted as dispatchers.  Alamance County EC Dwayne Ayers, 
N4MIO, reported that this arrangement wasn't nearly as good as the coverage 
the hams could have provided, but it was all the Guard would accept.

ARES operation in some counties continued through Monday,  though with much 
power restored and shelters closing, most Amateur Radio activity secured by 
Tuesday.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Gary Pearce KN4AQ in Raleigh, North

Carolina.

--

As we go to air almost everyone in North Carolina have had their power 
restored.  And the hams of North Carolina are standing by -- just in case 
Mother Nature has more winter storms up her sleeve.  (KN4AQ, 
ARNewsline(tm))

**

HAM RAIO IN SPACE:  ARISS MEETS IN WASHINGTON

It may have been snowing outside, but that did not stop ham radio 
delegations from descending on the Washinton D-C area for the Winter 2002 
meeting to plan the future of ARISS and manned ham radio on board the 
International Space Station.  Roy Neal, K6DUE, was there and filed back 
this report:

--

THE DELEGATES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF  ARISS
AMATEUR RADIO ON THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION... MET AT THE GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, NEAR 
THE NATION'S CAPITOL.THEY DECIDED THAT 2 THOUSAND AND TWO WAS A GOOD YEAR 
FOR THE SPACE STATION.  IT GREW RAPIDLY AND IS WORKING WELL.   THE SAME IS 
TRUE OF ARISS.

THERE WERE MANY EXCELLENT CONTACTS WITH SCHOOLS ALL OVER THE WORLD, 
INCLUDING EUROPE, SOUTH AFRICA AND JAPAN.  GROUND STATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA, 
AUSTRALIA AND HAWAII WORKED  VERY WELL IN MAKING THOSE CONTACTS .

PACKET HAS BEEN BROUGHT ON LINE AND SEVERAL THOUSAND VERY SATISFIED USERS 
ARE  MAKING THE MOST OF IT.

FOUR EXTERNAL ANTENNAS WERE INSTALLED LAST YEAR.  A MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT 
THAT GAVE ARISS THE CAPABILITY OF OPERATING ALMOST ANY FREQUENCY FROM  20 
METERS UP INTO THE GIGAHERTZ RANGE.

AMONG ITS PROBLEMS, THE SPACE STATION HAS  A CREW OF ONLY THREE ASTRONAUTS 
AND COSMONAUTS., INSTEAD OF SEVEN AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED.  THAT SEVERELY 
LIMITS OPERATING TIME FOR AMATEUR RADIO.   THE ARISS DELEGATES WERE TOLD 
THAT THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS HOPE TO INCREASE CREW SIZE IN THE NEAR 
FUTURE.  HOPEFULLY A LOT MORE AIR TIME WILL BE  AVAILABLE.

HAM RADIO ON THE SPACE STATION PLANS FOR THE NEXT PHASE  CALL FOR EXPANSION 
TO 70 CENTIMETER OPERATION AND A SECOND STATION ON THE AIR.  THIS WOULD 
OPEN THE DOOR TO FULL DUPLEX OPERATION.  AT A FUTURE DATE IT MIGHT EVEN 
ALLOW STUDENTS TO RECEIVE PICTURES ON 70 CM WHILE TALKING ON 2 METERS!

WORK WILL CONTINUE, TESTING SLOW SCAN TELEVISION AND SPACE CAM HARDWARE, 
HOPEFUL OF GETTING BOTH THESE  PROJECTS  ON THE AIR PERHAPS BY THIS TIME 
NEXT YEAR.

MANY OTHER EXCITING, ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY  PROJECTS WERE DISCUSSED.   THEY 
WILL BE   REPORTED HERE ON NEWSLINE DURING THE COMING YEAR AS THE ARISS 
TEAM CONTINUES BUILDING ITS HAM RADIO STATION IN ORBIT.

ROY NEAL, K6DUE, FOR AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE

--

Thanks Roy.  (K6DUEE, ARNewsline(tm))

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  RS-20 IN ORBIT

Russia has a new ham satellite in space.  Well, kind of. According to the 
AMSAT News Service, the new ham radio bird is actually an Amateur Radio 
telemetry beacon operating as a secondary payload of a new Russian 
navigational and scientific satellite.  It was launched on November 28th, 
is at an altitude of 720 kilometers and circles the Earth every 99 
minutes.  Its beacons can be heard transmitting telemetry on 145.828 and 
435.319 MHz.  The new satellite has been officially named RS-20.  (AMSAT 
NA)

**

SPECTRUM ISSUES:  40 METER REALIGNMENT DISCUSSED The just-ended preparatory 
meeting for next years World Radio communication Conference heard five ways 
to fix the problems plaguing 40 meter.  It also heard a sixth presentation 
that would essentially leave things as they are.  Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has more:

--

Without going into minute detail, the five concepts differ markedly from 
one another.  League Executive Vice President Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, says in 
the ARRL Letter that all five options do represent improvements for 
Amateurs operating in the 40 meter band, although two fall short of 
fulfilling the 300-kHz worldwide requirement.

The International Amateur Radio Union is on record as supporting a 300-kHz 
worldwide amateur allocation in the vicinity of 7 MHz.  Sumner says that 
achieving this will require the fixed and mobile services to make room for 
broadcasters and for the broadcasters to change their operating 
frequencies.

The five proposed methods for change include a variety of transition 
schedules to ease the impact on these other services.  Even with this Dave 
Sumner says that there is no guarantee that proposals will be limited to 
the six methods described in the report.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles.

--

More on this story is on the web at www.arrl.org  (ARRL)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  VE'S ASKED TO ANSWER STRANGE PASSING GRADE

The FCC's Enforcement Bureau has begun an audit an ARRL VEC sponsored test 
session held in Pelham Georgia on June 10th 2000.  Letters have been sent 
to the three V-E's who supervised the test.  They ask some key questions:

--

Duckworth"  "The bureau seeks information as to how a candidate who has 
seriously failed seven tests passed the Pelham test with a perfect score on 
Element 2 and only one wrong answer on Element 3.

--

The reason for the suspicion?  Again the FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:

--

Duckworth:  "The candidate got a license but was recalled for testing.  He 
did not appear and his license was canceled.

--

The three V-E's were given an appropriate amount of time to respond.  In 
the meantime the FCC has also recommended to the ARRL VEC that it not not 
accept their services while the matter is under review.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC SUGGESTS THAT FIVE VE'S ARE OUT

Meantime, the FCC has closed the books on its audit of a pair of ARRL 
sponsored ham radio exams in Cookville Tennessee.  The sessions were held 
back on December 14th 1999 and March 11th, 2000.  And as the FCC's Daryl 
Duckworth, NN0W, tells us, the Enforcement Bureau has recommended that five 
Volunteer Examiners not be used again:

--

Duckworth:  "It recommended that the services of five V-E's be no longer 
accepted because they knew or should have known that one of the test 
candidates was related to a V-E.  Also, the location of one of the test 
sessions was not revealed in the documentation sent to the ARRL.

--

A final decision on the future of the five V-E's is now in the hands of the 
ARRL VEC.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

HAM RADIO TESTING:  NEW TECHNICIAN CLASS QUESTIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Scotty Neustadter, W4WW, says that the new question pool for Technician 
class exams is out.  Neustadter heads the Question Pool Committee of the 
National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators.  And, in an e-mail, 
W4WW says that the committee has released a revised and expanded Amateur 
Technician class question pool into the public domain.

The new question pool becomes effective July 1, 2003.  It must be used for 
all Technician written examinations given on or after that date.  The 
complete set of questions can be downloaded in text or Portable Document 
File format from  www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html.  You will need a free 
Adobe Acrobat reader program to view and print the P-D-F version.  It can 
be downloaded at www.adobe.com.  (W4WW)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC EXPECTED TO OK MITNICK RENEWAL

The FCC is expected to approve the license renewal of former computer 
hacker Kevin Mitnick, N6NHG, if it has not done so already.  The W5YI 
Report says that an Administrative Law Judge says that Mitnick has paid his 
debt to society and has been adequately rehabilitated to where he now holds 
the requisite character requirements to continue as an FCC license holder.

In rendering his decision the Judge added that Mitnick has been using his 
radio gear since his release from prison and it is significant that there 
have been no complaints filed regarding his radio operations.  Also, that 
Mitnick's post prison conduct demonstrates that his rehabilitation can be 
relied upon to deal honestly with the Commission and to comply with all 
rules and regulations.

Mitnick's ham radio license renewal had been on hold based on his 
conviction for computer hacking which the FCC alluded brought with it 
questions regarding his fitness to remain a Commission licensee.  (W5YI, 
ARNewsline(tm))

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC RE-LICENSES HERB SCHOENBOHM

The former KV4FZ is back on the air but not under that call sign.  Herb 
Schoenbohm who used tohold that call sign showed up on the air during last 
weekends 160 metrer D-X contest sporting the call NP2MJ.

FCC records show that Schoenbohm's new call was issued to him on December 
7th.  The action to grant a new ham license comes about two months after an 
FCC Administrative Law Judge ruled that he now holds the requisite 
requirements to again become a Commission license holder.

Two years ago Schoenohm was forced off the air after the FCC refused to 
renew his ham ticket based on an earlier fraud conviction and the U.S. 
Supreme Court refused to hear his license renewal appeal.  Its not known if 
Schoenbohm will apply for his old KV4FZ call under the vanity progam -- or 
-- if the FCC would grant such a request.  (Numerous listener reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  VK CB'ERS IN TROUBLE

Still with enforcement news, word from down-under that a pair of Australian 
C-B operators are in trouble with communications regulators.  VK7HG-O 
reports that the two U-H-F C-B operators have been charged with breaches 
Australia's Radio communications Act for operating where they were not 
supposed to be.

On November 22nd, the two C-Bers were talking on the input channel to an 
emergency repeater. They refused to relinquish the frequency  and would not 
move away.  They  were tracked from the town of Reinna to Richmond and back 
to Honbart by a ham radio direction finding team and the Australian 
Communications Authority.  The regulatory agancy has already spoken with 
the two V-K Citizens Radio operators and is reportedly considering further 
action.  (Q-News)

**

RADIO POLITICS:  HAM ELECTED MAYOR OF CALIFORNIA CITY

The New Mayor of Agoura Hills California is a ham.  Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR 
was sworn in as the city's new leader on December 3rd.  He says his theme 
for 2003 is "The Year of Discovery.

Reinhardt, a public relations specialist, is best known nationally as he 
author of his "Magic in the Sky" column at appears regularly in C-Q 
Magazine.  He will be starting a new quarterly column on mobiling also for 
C-Q.

Among those attending the swearing-in ceremony were Reinhardt's wife 
Melissa KD6BIT, daughter Jessica KD6ARA and son Steven K6SJR. Also present 
were Jim Fortney K6IYK, Doug Wynn WY6NN and a number of other local 
Southern California hams.

2003 marks the 20th year of cityhood for Agoura Hills but only the first 
time a licensed radio amateur has sat in the Mayor's seat.  (WY6NN)

**

CONFERENCES:  THE SOUTHEASTERN VHF SOCIETY

Turning to conventions and hamfests, a first call is out for papers to be 
presented at the 2003 Southeastern VHF Society Conference.  This gathering 
is slated for Huntsville, Alabama, on April 25 and 26. The deadline for 
submitting papers to Dick Hanson, K5AND, is March 11. Dick's e-mail address 
is k5and at adelphia.net. Contact him directly with any questions.  (VHF 
Reflector)

**

HAM RADIO MEMORIBILIA:  COLLINS REPRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON-LINE

Collins reproduction items, including a new antenna switch unit are now 
being marketed by the Collins Radio Association.  This, through its Collins 
Radio Center location, near Johnstown, Pennsylvania.   Items  can be picked 
up in person at the center or shipped via U-P-S.  More information on 
what's available is in cyberspace at www.collinsra.com.  (Press release)

**

RADIO LAW:  NEW STUDY SAYS MOBILE PHONES CAUSE ACCIDENTS

Researchers say increased cell phone use has led to more crashes caused by 
drivers on the phone.  According to a December 2nd news report, researchers 
at Harvard's Center for Risk Analysis, drawing on previous research 
involving cell phones and government figures for auto accidents, say there 
is a growing public health risk from the reliance on cell phones in cars.

Data on the number of crashes caused by cell phones is incomplete but it 
suggested that drivers talking on their phones are responsible for about 6 
percent of U.S. auto accidents each year.  Translated into a human toll it 
means that an estimated 2,600 people are killed and another 330,000 are 
injured.

Researchers say that the  figure was reached using current cell phone usage 
estimates to update a 1997 study. That study looked at phone records of 
Canadian drivers involved in crashes to see if they were making calls at 
the time.

The number of cell phone subscribers has grown from 94 million in 2000 to 
more than 128 million today.  Opponents of banning mobile phone usage by 
drivers say that the benefit of car calls outweigh the possible dangers 
that they may pose. (Published reports)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  EMERGENCY RADIO CAN INTERFERE WITH PACEMAKERS

If you wear a pacemaker or know someone who does, listen up.  A new 
emergency radio system could affect you.  Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has 
the details:

--

United Kingdom and setting the pace –makers:   New Scientist 23 November 
carry an article warning that TETRA, the two-way radio system being adopted 
by many of the worlds emergency services can interfere with the operation 
of medical devices like heart-pacemakers.

TETRA  operates at 400 megs and uses pulse-rates of 17.6 Hz.  Rex VK4LR 
suggests that anyone playing with PCM at VHF or even HF  should be very 
careful in case someone nearby suddenly has unanticipated ticker problems!

--

The TETRA system is a European developed standard that being adopted by 
emergency services in 50 countries.  In addition to Europe, TETRA radios 
are in Africa, Asia and Latin America.  Great Britains' Devices Agency 
found that TETRA  radios can upset heart pacemakers, confuse 
defibrillators,  and stop ventilators from working.   (Q-News)

**

INTRUDER WATCH:  AIR ACTS ON INTERFERENCE TO 10 MHZ

A shortwave broadcaster has acted to eliminate interference to a ham band. 
Following a report that All India Radio was radiating spurious signals from 
it's 9.950 Mhz channel the broadcaster has taken the offending transmitter 
off the air.

All India Radio's Deputy Director said that the company decided to suspend 
the transmission on November 21st  to investigate  the cause of spurious 
emissions.  The unwanted spurs were being heard in 50 kHz increments and 
included 10.1 and 10.150 MHz .  (Q-News)

**

INTERNATIONAL - KENYA:  NEW US-KENYA RECIP AGREEMENT According to ZS6AKV, 
Kenya has new reciprocal licensing agreement between it and the United 
States.  Under it, U-S citizens with F-C-C issued licenses may apply for 
and be granted Kenyan licenses. ZS6AKV notes that it has taken the IARU 
close to ten years to achieve this agreement.   The application form to 
operate in Kenya can be downloaded a www.cck.go.ke. (SARL)

**

INTERNATIONAL – UK:  NEW UK-THAILAND RECIP AGREEMENT

The United Kingdom's Radiocommunications Agency has signed a reciprocal 
licensing agreement with Thailand.  Visitors to Thailand may apply for a 
Thai license with an H-S-Zero prefix and long-term residents of Thailand 
receive a full Thai callsign. (RSGB)

**

DX

In D-X, HG4I reports that he will be on from Hungary  between the 20th of 
December and 12th January with the special event call sign H-G-Zero 
3-H-N-Y.  This call celebrates the new year with the numerals Zero 3 
representing 2003 and the H-N-Y suffix is abbreviation of phrase Happy New 
Year.  Look for him on all of the H-F bands running CW, RTTY, BPSK, SSB, 
and FM on 29 MHz..  QSL  directly with a self addressed stamped envelope to 
HG4I at the call book address.  (HG4I)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  THE PAPER SAID WHAT?

And finally this week, an update to a simple story that has now taken a 
rather bizarre twist.  As in -- a reporter made part of it up and nobody 
caught it.  Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, is back with the rest of the story:

--

Last week we at Amateur Radio Newsline brought you an item about a call by 
the Partnership for Public Warning to create a national wireless emergency 
alert system.  One that could send warnings to citizens via their pagers, 
mobile phones or computer screens.

It sounds like a good idea, only thats not what P-P-W had in mind when it 
released a report based on a workshop that the group conducted last June.

You see, one of the worlds largest news services picked up the story and 
put it out on the wires.  Several news organizations including many 
newspapers picked up wire service story and ran their own versions of it. 
We were sent a number of copies by our own listeners that appeared in their 
local papers.  And who ever questions a newspaper article?  Well in this 
case we all should have.

Richard Rudman, W6TIA, is a Director of the Partnership for Public Warning.

He ways that when his organization learned of the story its Press Relations 
Director contacted the news agency.  Rudman says they  admitted to P-P-W 
that their reporter made up the lead sentence about using pagers to contact 
the public.  And as a result, the news agency actually issued a very rare 
retraction, but many news organizations that ran the original story did not 
pick up the corrected release.

For the record, Rudman says that the Partnership for Public Warning does 
not endorse any one vendor or  technology over another.  Its goal is to 
promote what it terms as a level playing field.  One where all warning 
marketplace players can be more certain of rules and standards.  This says 
W6TIA will permit them to develop on a level playing field which does not 
now exist.  It will also promote  development of common warning terminology 
to better serve the publics need.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU.

--

That full report of last June's P-P-W workshop was released on November 
25th.  You can read it on-line at www.ppw.us.org.  (PPW via W6TIA, W6VR)

**

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(tm).  Our e-mail address is newsline 
@arnewsline.org.  More information is available at Amateur Radio 
Newsline's(tm) only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.  You 
can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 
660937, Arcadia, California 91066.

Before we go this note.  We have been advised that last weeks story on the 
Canals of Venus credited to Q-News actually originated in Bob Gonsett's CGC 
Communicator.  There was no credit line in the Q-News audio report and we 
thought it was theirs.  Turns out it was actually written by Bob Gonsett, 
W6VR.