[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1334 - March 7, 2003

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Amateur Radio Newsline 1334 - March 7, 2003

The following is a Q-S-T. 

A national ham radio socierty on the brink of faiulure and how ham radio 
will survive in space while the shuttles are grounded.  These stories 
are first on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1334 coming your way 
right now.
 
**

INTERNATIONAL:   COLOMBIA'S NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY SAVED BY A MIRACLE 

Colombia's national Amateur Radio Society has received a reprieve from 
extinction.  At least a temporary one.  We have this in-depth look at 
what happened and whats being done to save the L-C-R-A.

--

Colombia's national ham radio society remains on the brink of being 
dissolved and you may soon hear very few of that nations hams on the 
air.  This, according to Fred Laun, K3ZO in a report that originally 
appeared in a number of D-X newsletters.  The reason?  The economy.

According to Laun, his old friend Beto Rojas, HK3DDD, in Bogota  
informed him that postal rates in Colombia were doubled as of January 
1st.  That it now costs the equivalent of $2.00 U-S to send a letter to 
the United States.  And as a result Colombian hams would have to pay the 
equivalent of 13 cents per QSL to send outgoing cards through the 
bureau.  

That 13 cent fee would not be to bad except for the fact that the bureau 
probably won't be available much longer.  This, because the Colombian I-
A-R-U member society -- the Liga Colombiana de Radioaficionados -- L-C-
R-A -- was to meet on Saturday, March 1st to dissolve itself. The 
problem is that L-C-R-A membership is down.  It now only has 200 paid 
members.  It also had the equivalent of 8000 United States dollars in 
debt.  It's leaders felt that it could no longer stay in business.

But says Laun, a  miracle actually happened.  At the meeting one of the 
members donated $7000 to pay off most of the current debt.  So, L-C-R-A 
will continue to operate as Colombia's national society for at least the 
next three months.  During that time the leadership will try to figure 
out what went wrong and see if they can get the organization back on an 
even keel.  

In a note to Amateur Radio Newsline, Laun says that several Colombian 
hams were apparently moved by the messages they received from around the 
world and have vowed to try to rescue their almost 70 year old society 
from the brink of oblivion.  Even so, HK3DDD tells Laun that many 
Colombian hams have stopped calling C-Q and some have even terminated 
all high frequency operations.  This is because they can no longer 
afford to handle the economic consequences of the demand for QSL cards.  

Also says HK3DDD, some Colombian DXers who are still on the air are 
simply listening, searching and pouncing on rare ones these days.  
Instead of being the DX, they are selectively looking for new countries 
for themselves.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP .

--

The bottom line to all of this?  H-K prefix hams may soon become very 
rare on the H-F ands and those whom you work may never be able to QSL.  
(K3ZO)

**

RADIO RULES:  WRC-03 GETS US POSITION

The U. S.  Department of State has forwarded several agenda items to 
Geneva as being this nations opening position at the 2003 World 
Radiocommunictions Conference.  The most important of these relate to 
International Radio Regulation s-25 and its sub-parts.  Included in  the 
initial United States position is rewording S 25 subpart 1 to give 
member nations more authority to determine the points of communication 
of the amateur stations it has licensed.  The suggested modifuication 
reads that administrators shall verify the technical and operational 
qualifications of any person wishing to operate an Amateur station.  

The United States is also proposing to eliminate regulation 25.5.  This 
is the rule that mandates Morse Code peoficiency examinations for all 
candidates for an Amateur license with high frequency operating 
priveleges.  The United States says that its time to remove the Morse 
testing requirement and leave the decision as whether or not to test for 
code up to individual I-T-U mermber nations.  (W5YI)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  CREW OF 2 TO THE ISS

It will be a two man crew rather than a three man crew on the 
International Space Station until the U-S Space Shuttle flies again.  
But ham radio will remain on the air from  the I-S-S as the 
investigation in the Columbia tragedy continues.  Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Roy Neal, K6DUE, has more:

--

NASA'S WORST NIGHTMARE BECAME REALITY WHEN AN ORBITTING SPACE SHUTTLE 
BLEW UP, KILLING ALL SEVEN ABOARD AND PUTTING UNITED STATES SPACE 
ACTIVITY OH HOLD FOR AN INDEFINITE FUTURE.  NOW, OUT OF THE DEBRIS, 
INVESTIGATION AND SORROW, NASA HAS BEGUN TO REORGANIZE.  

ADMINISTRATOR SEAN O'KEEFE HAS TOLD A CONGRESSIONAL PANEL THAT AN  
AGREEMENT HAS BEEN REACHED WITH THE INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS.  THE 
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WILL CONTINUE IN ORBIT FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT 
18 MONTHS.

THE TWO ASTRONAUTS AND ONE COSMONAUT ON BOARD WILL BE BROUGHT BACK TO 
EARTH IN LATE APRIL OR EARLY MAY ABOARD THE SOYUZ SPACE SHIP THAT'S 
DOCKED AT THE STATION.  THEY WILL BE REPLACED BY A NEW CREW OF ONLY 2 
PEOPLE, ONE ASTRONAUT AND ONE COSMONAUT, PROBABLY ED LU AND YURI 
MALENCHENKO, WHO ARE NOW IN TRAINING AT RUSSIA'S STAR CITY.  THEY WILL 
KEEP THE STATION OPERATIONAL, EVE N PLAN TO TALK TO ONE OR TWO SCHOOLS 
ON EARTH EVERY WEEK.  FUTURE CREWS WILL COPNSIST OF TWO PEOPLE FOR THE 
TIME BEING.

RUSSIAN PROGRESS SPACECRAFT WILL BE USED TO FERRY SUPPLIES,   SOYUZ WILL 
CARRY PASSENGERS.  ONCE NASA HAS FIGURED OUT WHAT CAUSED THE SHUTTLE 
COLUMBIA TO DISINTIGRATE, THEY HOPE TO FIX AND FLY THE THREE REMAINING 
SPACE SHUTTLES.  THE BOEING COMPANY HAS BEEN ASKED TO GO TO WORK ON A 
NEW CARRIER TO AUGMENT THE SHUTTLE FLEET.

RUSSIA HAS AGREED TO ACCELERATE THE DELIVERY OF 2 PROGRESS RE-SUPPLY 
VEHICLES FOR A TOTAL FLEET OF FOUR THIS YEAR AND FIVE IN 2004 AND THERE 
IS TALK OF AUGMENTING THE SOYUZ FLEET.

EXISTING HAM RADIO EQUIPMENT ON BOARD SHOULD KEEP THE STATION ON THE 
AIR.  OTHER EQUIPMENT MAY BE SENT UP IF NEEDED.  THE SPACE AGENCIES HAVE 
COMMITED TO STAYING IN SPACE WHILE THEY MAP A  FUTURE AND HAM RADIO IS 
AN INTEGRAL PART OF THAT ORBITING STATION. 

FOR THE AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, ROY NEAL, K6DUE.

--

NASA says that having only two people aboard the I-S-S will help 
extend supplies while the shuttle fleet remains grounded.  (NASA, 
ARNewsline)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  METRO-COMM AND THE NORTH-EAST BLIZZARD

A follow-up to our recent coverage of the severe weather that has 
blanketed the North-East in recent weeks.  Steve Bromhead, KB2TRZ, 
reports that the Metro-Comm linked repeater system did yomens duty 
during last months blizzard.  

According to Steve, their Snow Watch Net was activated for 42 
consecutive hours handling storm related traffic for 12 counties in New 
York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.  This included 10 formal 
messages to the National Weather Service office in My. Holly New Jersey.  
   
Steve says that Metro-Comm is a linked repeater system covering 
Binginghamton, New York to Ocean City, New Jersey.  The system has 
machines on 144, 220, 432, and 1296 MHz as well as a packet BBS.  
(KB2TRZ)

**

THE VEC SYSTEM:  QPC RELEASES DRAFT GENERAL CLASS SYLLABUS

You have the answers.  They have the questions.  So says the Question 
Pool Committee of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner 
Coordinators.

The Q-P-C has just released a draft syllabus for the new Element 3 
General class Question Pool.  This is the syllabus will be used when 
developing the new General class question  pool that will become 
effective July 1, 2004.

This draft syllabus is available for download at 
www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html. The public is invited to comment on 
this syllabus, as well as to suggest questions for consideration in the 
next General Pool.  

The Question Pool Committe says that all responses must be received 
prior to July 15, 2003. Please direct your comments to the following 
people: 
Scotty Neustadter, W4WW, Chair QPC email: W4WW at arrl.net
Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, Member QPC email: vec at arrl.org
Fred Maia, W5YI, Member QPC email: w5yi at w5yi.org
John Johnston, W3BE, Member QPC email: johnston.john1 at worldnet.att.net  
(NCVEC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  NO RULES BROKEN 

A ham accused of running a telephone call-in program on 75 meters has 
been cleared of any wrong doing.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce 
Tennant, K6PZW  has good news for one California ham:

--
Back on October 15, 2002, the FCC wrote to James S. Watkins, KI6GU, of 
Burbank California.  This, regarding complaints that his station was 
involved in a telephone call-in like program on 3.830 MHz on August 16th 
and 24th.  

The complaints alleged that Watkins had operated the call-in show using 
reverse phone patch.  Copies were provided to him and the FCC requested 
additional information from Watkins in regard to that operation.

Watkins provided the requested information in a response dated last 
November 12th.  Following a thorough review the FCC now says that that 
there were no violations of Commission rules since licensed operators 
were in control of the station during all transmissions.  As a result 
the inquiry is closed and no enforcement action is deemed to be 
necessary.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K7PZW, in Los 
Angeles.  

--

The FCC also thanked Watkins for what it termed as his quick reply and 
his cooperation.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  WARNING LERTTER FOR ALLEGED KEY-DOWN

A Michigan ham has recieved a Warning Notice from the FCC.  This time 
the letter went to to George Albrecht, N8PGB, of Lansing , and says that 
the FCC is in posession of information alleging that Albrecht's station 
was the source of deliberate interference to the W8LCC repeater system 
on 442.025 Mhz.

The notice says that the interference took the form of unidentified 
transmissions and keying down to cause sound effects from a link to 
52.525 Mhz.  In its note the FCC warned all Albrecht of the possibility 
of fines and revocation proceedings against him if the alleged problems 
continue.   (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  NY CAR SERVICE FINED FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION

International Car Service, Inc. of Brooklyn, New York has been fined 
$10,000.  This, for operating of unlicensed radio transmitters on  33.20 
Mhz.  

The original forfeiture order was issued on October 22, 2002 by the 
District Director of the Commission's New York Field Office. 
International Car Service never filed a response to the N-A-L.  Based on 
the information before the Commission, the fine has been affirmed and 
International has been ordered to pay.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  HACKER SENTENCED

A federal judge has ruled that a California man who quit his job to work 
for a competitor and used his old computer password to snoop on his 
former employer must pay $21,600 and serve five years probation.  The 
sentence comes after the San Dimas man pleaded guilty in September of 
2002 to one count of illegally obtaining information from a protected 
computer 
   
Until February of last year, the man reportedly worked for  a contractor 
specializing in large retail buildings.  After leaving that job to work 
for a competitor, the man admitted that he used a password to access its 
computer system more than 20 times.  (Published reports)

**

FM AND REPEATERS:  REPEATERLINK.ORG WANTS YOU

Hams and repeater owner operators interested in connecting their system 
to another cirty or another nation now have a new resource.  Its in 
cyberspace at  www.repeaterlink.org and once there you will find a 
growing list of who'se repeater is linked to where and how its being 
done.

repeaterlink.org is the work of Jim Willmore, KC9BIX.  He says over 
several Internet remailers that his site is unique in that it lets you 
to search for repeater systems that connect two different cities 
together or linked systems  that have repeater in a specific city.  It 
also allows hams who  own a repeater system to log in and maintain your 
own system information in real time.

According to Willmore, repeaterLink.org is totally independant and 
supported by the ham radio community.  It does not  buy data from the 
FCC or the ARRL, but rather relies on the architects and engineers who 
own the repeater networks to register their own systems.

Again, that site is www.repeaterlink.org.  If you have any questions 
about the site, email Jim at kc9bix at repeaterlink.org  (KC9BIX)

**

HAM RADIO HONORS:  NAB ENGINEERING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The National Association of Broadcasters has honored a ham radio 
oprtator with one of its two, 2003 Engineering Achievement Awards for 
Radio and
Television.  

John Reiser, WQ4L, the retired Senior Broadcast Engineer of the FCC 
International Bureau, will receive the award for Radio.  Robert Eckert, 
Branch Chief - Electromagnetic Compatibility Division, Technical 
Analysis Branch of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology, will 
receive the award for TV.

The Engineering Achievement Awards for Radio and Television will be 
presented at NAB's Technology Luncheon on April 9th.  The NAB annual 
convention takes place April 5 - 10 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.  
The Amasteur Radio Reception is Wednesday April 9th from 6 to 8 P.M. 
right next door at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel.  The complete details are 
in cyberspace at www.nab.org/newsroom/pressrel/n2003/c2603.htm)  (CGC)

**

CONVENTIONS AND HAMFESTS:  THE  ZL TECHNOLOGY CONVENTION
 
No plans for this springs Easter holiday?  Well think down-under as in 
Hamilton New Zealand because that's where this years Technology 
Convention will take place.  The dates are April 19th and 20th  at the 
Hamilton Astronomical Society meeting facility.  

This years Technology Convention will be hosted by the Hamilton Amateur 
Radio Club.  Plans for the event call for presentations on such subjects 
as microwave equipment construction, homebrew test equipment, APRS, 10 
GHz ATV, plus others state of the art Amateur radio disciplines.  And if 
the weather permits, some viewing of the Southern Hemisphere's night sky 
from the facility's optical telescope may be included.

Want to find out more?  You can write to the New Zealand Technology 
Convention 2003,  PO Box 606  Hamilton  New Zealand.  Or better yet send 
an e-mail to Gavin Petrie at gavinwp at ihug.co.nz.  (NZART)

**

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS:  WEAK SIGNAL BANQUET IN DAYTON OHIO

Here in the United States tickets are now on sale for the 11th Weak 
Signal Banquet slated for on Friday night May 16th in Dayton Ohio.  This 
is one of the largest gatherings of V-H-F weak signal enthusiasts held 
anywhere in the United States and is timed to coincide with the Dayton 
Hamvention.  Cost is $35 per person and only 125 people can be 
accommodated.  For information and reservation information take your web 
browser to www.wa8wzg.com and click on Dayton Banquet 2003.  (WA8WZG)

**

TRAVEL WARNING:  DX'ERS ADVISED TO USE CARRY-ON LUGGAGE ONLY 

If you are planning a D-Xpedition, you might want to think in terms of 
smaller being better.  This following reports of vandalism to the 
luggage of a recent DXpedition by none other than those highly trained 
security folks at Seattle Washington's Sea-Tac Airport.  Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF,  in Auckland New Zealand reports on what 
happened to a bunch of DXpedition operators who were headed home:

--
When the D-Xpedition group returning from the recent AH3D operation 
reached Seattle for their connection to Copenhagen Denmark, all their 
Samsonite case's locks were been broken by the Sea-Tac Airport security 
people who just had to take a peek inside.  The checking was done in a 
secure area of the Seattle airport.  As most seasoned travelers know, 
security is supposed to find the passengers to get the keys to luggage 
that they want to inspect.  In this case security simply broke into 
them, resulting in damage to the luggage and some rather messy 
repacking.

As a  result of this experience, D-X'er Martti Laine, OH2BH, says he 
will be going hand carried from now on.  When he operates the ARRL SSB 
Contest from the Canary Islands as EA8BH it will be using the new Yaesu 
FT-897.  This is a radio that weighs in at only 8 and 1/2 pounds and can 
be toted along in the passanger cabin with him.  

Laine says that EA8BH will be on the air on all bands using the new 
Yaesu radio.  He  adds that the QSL for this operation will feature 
information on this new, compact DXpedition, approach.