[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1340 - April 18, 2003

Fri Apr 18 23:04:30 EDT 2003

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1340  - April  18, 2003 

The following is a Q-S-T. Dayton announces the Oscar's and Emmy's of ham  
radio, new radio records set in the U-K and more on the return of ham  
radio to Iraq.  All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline report  
number 1340 coming your way right now. 

** 

RADIO HONORS:  DAYTON HAMVENTION  2003 AWARDS ANNOUNCED 

The judges have made their decision and now the Dayton Amateur Radio  
Association announces its Hamvention award winners for 2003.  We have  
this report: 

-- 

He gave the world of Amateur Radio "Kids Day."  And now, the Dayton  
Amateur Radio Association has decided to reward Larry Tyree, N6TR, of  
Boring Oregon, by naming him 2003 Radio Amateur of the Year.   

We caught up with N6TR a few hours after he learned he had been  
selected.  He says that the award really honors what Kids Day is all  
about: 

-- 

Tyree:  "Its really been incredable just seeing how its taken off on its  
own and I am very proud to have come up with the idea and done the  
initial sponsorship of it." 

-- 

Tree, as her prefers to be known, was first licensed in 1967 as WN6ZVC.   
He obtained his distinctive N6TR callsign in 1977 and these days holds  
an Amateur Extra Class license. 

Tree grew up in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley but moved to Oregon in  
1984.  And long before he created Kids' Day, Tyree was immersed in  
almost every aspect of the hobby.  He is an avid contester who can  
regularly be heard on all  bands from 160 through 6 meters.  

Tyree also spends a lot of his ham radio time in front of his computer  
on ham radio related matters.  Why all of the computer time?  It's  
another of his many contributions to Amateur Radio.  Tree Tyree is the  
creator of the very popular "TR-LOG" contest logging software.   

But what about "Kids Day?"  How does a contester and ham radio software  
writer come to create a twice yearly operating event specifically  
designed to introduce ham radio to the younger set?  You have to start  
by realizing that Tree Tyree is first and foremost a parent himself.   

-- 

Tyree:  "I think the ingredient that helped enable this is that I have  
my own kids.  At the time when Kids Day was invented they were 3 and 5  
years old.  And I just somehow flashed on the concept of -- well -- lets  
get kids on  the air and have them talk to other kids.  Lets just make  
thaty happen.  So, under the guise of the Boring Amateur Radio Club, we  
put that together and made it happen.  I think that the first one was  
just an hour or two hours and the response was pretty signifigant." 

-- 

But how do you keep it interesting for youngsters?  N6TR had an answer  
for that too: 

-- 

Tyree:  "I think the other important ingredient to the Kids Day concept  
was to give the kids something to talk about as a formulia that they  
could work under so that they have something to talk about.  And thats  
how we came up with the idea of the simple thing of your name, and your  
age, where you live and your favorite color. " 

-- 

Tyree envisioned "Kids Day" to be what it has evolved into.  That of a  
ham radio social event for the younger set.  One where experienced  
operators open their hearts and his ham stations so that youngsters can  
get on the air and enjoy the fun of talking with other kids through the  
magic of Amateur Radio.  

But Tree Tyree is not the only ham to take honors at Dayton this year.   
If you are into Echolink, then the name Jonathan Taylor and the call  
sign K1RFD, is very familiar to you.  This is because Taylor is the ham  
who made Echolink happen.  And for this important contribution to  
integrating the world of ham radio with the world of the Internet the  
Ridgefield, Connecticut ham has been named to receive this years  
Specific Achievement Award. 

For those of you not into computerized ham radio, Echolink is one of a  
very popular using voice-over-IP technology and linking protocol  
software system that allowd  Amateur Radio stations to communicate with  
one another over the Internet.  Using Echolink permits worldwide  
connections between stations, from computer to station, or from computer  
to computer. 

But Echolink is not Taylor's only contribution to ham radio.  Anorther  
is his Echo-Station software package.  This gem is a is a repeater- 
control program designed to run under the popular Microsoft Windows  
platform.  This makes it easy to set up a complete, fully-functional  
repeater or "announcement machine" using a personal computer.  In fact,  
some of you may be listening to this nerwscast over a repeater that is  
using Echo Station to replay it.   

Last and by no means least come Steve Dimse, K4HG, of Cudjoe Key  
Florida.  Actually we should say Dr. Steve Dimse, because K4HG is a  
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Miami.   
His primary responsibility is that of attending physician in the U M /  
Jackson Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department.  And in his spare  
time, Steve loves to play ham radio with an emphasis on the digital side  
of things.   

Among his technical achievemets are his authoring of a number of APRS  
related internet programs, including, Global APRS,  javAPRS and  
APRServe. Dimse is also the developer and administrator of the APRS  
internet database at www.findu.com.   

We should add that the world of computers pre-dates K4HG's career in  
medicine.  His undergraduate degree in 1980 was in computer science from  
Pepperdine University in Malibu California.  He then worked as a  
Programmer for Hughes Aircraft as a Member of the Technical Staff before  
entering medical school.  

With congratulations to all three of this years Dayton award winners,  
I'm David Black, KB4KCH, reporting. 

-- 

The winners will be presented their awards at a special ceremony to be  
held at Dayton's HARA Arena on Saturday, May 17th. You can hear more  
about the plans for Hamvention 2003 with Pat Neff on this weeks RAIN  
Report.  Its on-line right now in streaming audio at www.rainreport.com.   
Or, if you are Internet deprived, you can dial in on your phone to  
listen.  The number in Chicago is area code 847 827 RAIN.  Thats 847 827  
7246.  (Dayton Hamventionr, ARNewsline™) 

** 

RADIO RECORDS:  UK HAMS TAKE LF TO MICROWAVE TITLES 

Three amateurs have achieved the unusual feat of setting new United  
Kingdom distance records for bands at the opposite ends of the electro- 
msagnetic ham radio spectrum.  Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, has the details: 

-- 

Derek Atter, G3GRO, and Allan Wyatt, G8LSD, of the Crawley Amateur Radio  
Club teamed up with David Bowman, G0MRF, to set new distance records for  
73 kHz in the LF spectrum and for Laser communications at a wavelength  
of 670 nanometres.   

On the 73kHz band David, G0MRF, drove from London to operate from the  
QTH of RadCom columnist Simon Lewis, GM4PLM, near Ayr in Scotland.   
Meanwhile Derek, G3GRO, and Jim Moritz, M0BMU, set up a temporary  
station at the Cable and Wireless Museum at Porthcurno near Lands End.  
The two groups had a contact on the evening of the 1st of April over a  
distance of 610 kilometres. 

Four days later on Saturday the 5th of April, Allan, G8LSD, and David,  
G0MRF, took advantage of a cold, clear night to set up laser  
communications equipment on the cliffs near Dover in Kent and at  
Fairlight near Hastings in East Sussex.  After three hours waiting for  
the atmosphere to clear and precisely locating each other, calls and  
reports of 559 and 579 were finally exchanged. The distance of 49.3  
kilometres exceeds a previous record set in 1998.  Both stations used  
modulated CW achieved by switching the laser on and off at 488Hz.  

Jeramy Boot, G4NJH. 

-- 

According to G4NJH, when the lasers were aligned they were among the  
brightest objects on the horizon across the entire 50 kilometer path.   
(GB2RS) 

** 

HAM RADIO AT WAR:  AMATEUR RADIO FROM IRAQ - REDUX 

Don't be to surprised if you soon start hearing a number of stations  
signing portable YI from Iraq.  Chris Partridge, G8AUU, reports to  
Amateur Radio Newsline™ from Kuwait City that with the war winding down  
a number of international news agencies plan on setting up bureaus in  
Baghdad, Basra, Mousal and other key Iraqui cities.   

G8AUU was in a news satellite truck when we spoke with him by telephone  
on Saturday April 12th.  According to Chris, more than a small number of  
the technicians and engineers serving at these bureaus will be hams.   
This includes a satellite engineer from Polish  TV, some French hams  
working for Globecast and a number of others that he knows of.  G8AUU  
believes that its only a matter of time before some of them get ham  
radio gear and take to the air -- portable YI --  from Iraq.  

The news from Chris Partridge, G8AUU comes only days after The Daily DX  
and the ARRL Letter reported that Jim Dunkerton, KT4CK, had been active  
from the Middle East on 15 meters SSB.  On April 7th, he was identifying  
as YI/KT4CK and saying he was in the desert of Southern Iraq.  (G8AUU,  
ARRL, ARNewsline™) 

** 

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC TO CALIFORNIA HAM - STAY OFF THE AIR 

A southern California ham has been told to stay off ther air after his  
license was set aside by the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.   
Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, has the rest of ther story: 

-- 

Recieving the order to cease operation was Drew Feldman, KG6PFC, of Los  
Angeles.   

By way of background, this is Feldman's second license.  Back in May of  
2000 the FCC canceled his original N3KSO ticket after he failed to  
appear for re-examination as directed by the agency.   

Later on Feldman did attend an exam session where he passed the  
Technician class test.  It was after that exam that he was then issued  
the KG6PFC call.   

But says the FCC, it set aside Feldman's latest license grant on March  
18th.  This, based on what it described as new complaints it received  
about his on-air operation.  The letter did not elaborate on what the  
exact nature if the infractions are but it did warn Feldman that he  
currently has no authority to operate any for of Amateur Radio  
transmitting equipment.   That doing so would be a violation of the  
Communications Act and could mean a stiff fine or even time in jail. 

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

-- 

No word as to weather Feldman plans an appeal.  (FCC) 

** 

ENFORCEMENT:  REPEATER PROBLEMS IN N.D. 

If you thought interference to repeaters are just a big city phenomena,  
guess again.  This as a North Dakota ham receives a warning letter from  
the FCC.  The agency's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, has the details: 

-- 

Duckworth: "Erin Rourke, N0KCN, of Fargo North Dakota, was issued a  
Warning Notice concerning deliberate interference with  the KC0SD  
repeater systyem on 146.060 Mhz in the Fargo area.  The interference has  
consisted of  unidentified transmissions, tones, and the playing of  
music." 

-- 

In its letter the FCC warned Rourke that continued incidents of such  
interference to the KC0SD repeater or to any other Amateur  
communications will subject him to license revocation and suspension  
proceedings, as well as a hefty fine.  (FCC, RAIN) 

** 

ENFORCEMENT:  PAY TV PIRATES INDICTED 

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles has indicted 17 people who  
authorities say hacked into satellite television transmissions, causing  
millions of dollars in losses to DirecTV and Dish Network.  The U.S.  
Attorney's office says that six of the defendants were charged with  
violating the anti-encryption provisions of the Digital Millennium  
Copyright Act.  The other charges involved conspiracy or manufacturing a  
device for the purpose of stealing satellite signals. All three counts  
carry a maximum sentence of five years in prision.  (Published news  
reports) 

**  

RADIO LAW:  UTAH GOVERNOR SIGNS PRO ANTENNA BILL 

Utah became the 17th state to pass a PRB-1 like law.  After being  
sponsored by Representative Neal Hendrickson the measure went to the  
states legal department, then to the house sub-committee where it  
initally died.  But Representative Hendrickson revived it and after John  
Hanson, KI7AR,  testified on its behalf the measure sailed through both  
the house and senate.  It took another 63 days for the Governor Mike  
Leavitt to sign it.  He has -- and it becomes Utah state law on May 1st.   
(KD7FQD via QRZ.com) 

** 

RADIO LAW:  ISRAEL ACTS TO PROTECT HAM ANTENNAS 

Utah is not the only place thats protecting the rights of its radio  
amateurs when it comes to towers and antennas.  So is state of Israel.   
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more: 

-- 
Hagal International is the English language edition of the Israel  
Amateur Radio Club's newsletter.  And Hagal reports some good news for  
that nations hams. 

According to the newsletter, Israeli cities and municipalities may no  
longer prohibit amateur radio antenna structures on for reasons of  
zoning.  In other words, hams cannot be denied anteenas just because  
neighborhoods want to be free of what they view as unsightly antennas.   
Thats the good news, heres the bad.   

Hagal goes on to say that the legal erection of an antenna and support  
may still not be the easiest task.  A building permit must still be  
obtained after submitting the plans to be signed by a construction  
enginee.  Also, there must be an authorization from the Ministry of the  
Environment showing that the antenna does not emit dangerous radiation.  

But Israeli hams say that this PRB-1 like legal change is a first good  
step, and nobody is going to complasin. 

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. 

-- 

The next step will be to try to get the Ministry to ease some of the  
environmental restrictions Israeli hams currently face.  (Hagal  
International, IARC) 

** 

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  DOOROUGH HOLDS ON TECHNICAL ASPECT OF 
NEW AM  
SCHEME 

Noted audio innovator Mike Dorrough, KO6NM, called off a special  
presentation of a new technology slated at last weeks National  
Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas.  Amateur Radio  
Newsline's Paul Courson, WA3VJB, has the reason why: 

-- 

Mike Dorrough, KO6NM, had planned to announce details of an enhanced  
technique to improve the loudness of full carrier, dual sideband AM  
signals.  But his lawyers said -- wait a minute -- you do not have  
patent protection yet.  So, as the patent attorney process continues,  
the speach is delayed. 

As previously reported on Amateur Radio Newsline, KO6NM has told fellow  
A-M enthusiasts he intends to share some of his experiments on H-F, and  
that he will invite their comments and analysis on how the system sounds  
with basic voice audio waveforms such as those in amateur service.    

Dorrough believes that his new technical scheme holds promise to  
increase the already warm and inviting sound of AM among vintage hams,  
who could deploy the audio on new or old transmitters used on HF.   

Even though their gear may be old, these hams are actually on the  
cutting edge of technology in improving double sideband full  carrier A- 
M transmissions. More than 100 retired broadcast transmitters are known  
to have reached private hands, with most of them now restored and  
operating on 160, 75 and 40 meters across the United States.  In  
addition, a number of homebrew buffs have constructed solid state "Class  
E" transmitters which offer outstanding audio quality and simple design 

Dorrough, who is best known in the broadcast industry for his creation  
of the L-E-D Audio Loudness Meter is also a prominent member of the AM  
Amateur Radio community.  He is active on the short-wave ham bands and  
is often heard running one of a variety of retired broadcast  
transmitters he has restored on 160 and 75 meters.  He has been worked  
coast-to-coast when in California, as well as from his second home in  
Wisconsin. 

For the Amateur Radio Nerwsline, Paul Courson, WA3VJB, Washington. 

-- 

According to reports, Dorrough was encouraged by his attorneys to delay  
his remarks until the patent issue is resolved.  As soon as they are and  
KO6NM schedules another presentation, Amateur Radio Newsline will bring  
you the details.  (WA3VJB) 

** 

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AMSAT ESTABLISHES ECHOLINK CONFERENCE SERVER 

AMSAT has announced the opening of a new Echolink conference server as a  
new service from its amsat.org website.  A conference server uses voice  
over I-P technology and allows many operators, links, and repeaters to  
share the same conversation in real time.   

The new AMSAT conference server was established to provide a place for  
satellite operators world-wide to congregate and chat.  The server is up  
continuously and all amateurs are invited to connect and give it a try. 

More information about the *AMSAT* EchoLink conference server is  
available at http://www.amsat.org/echolink  (ANS) 

** 

ON THE NET:  NEW TEMPORARY MAREX-NA URL 

Miles Mann WF1F, has announced a new website address for his Manned  
Amateur Radio Experiment or MAREX N-A group.  The temporary U-R-L is  
http://wf1f.home.attbi.com.   Mann asks that you delete any bookmarks  
you have for the old MAREX website which was pirated away by a foreign  
web host company some 30 days after it was renewed here in the United  
States.  (WF1F) 

** 

INTERNATIONAL - IARU:  THREE NEW MEMBERS WELCOMED 

The International Amateur Radio Union has admitted three new member  
societies. According to an ARRL Bulletin, the new members are the  
National Association Radioamateurs of Georgia, the Federation of  
Radiosport of the Republic of Armenia and the Vietnam Amateur Radio  
Club.  

The IARU was founded in 1925.  It is a worldwide federation of national  
Amateur Radio societies with members in 156 countries and separate  
territories.  (ARRL) 

** 

INTERNATIONAL - CANADA:  NEW RAC BOD MEMBERS 

Radio Amateurs of Canada has announced that Ian MacFarquhar, VE9IM, was  
elected by the RAC Board of Directors effective February 17th.   
MacFarquhawill fill the unexpired term of First Vice President, vacated  
by Joe MacPherson, VE1CH.  (RAC) 

** 

DX 

In D-X, DL8EBW reports on an upcoming all VHF DXpedition to a pair of  
Norway's most wanted grid squares.  The VHF-DX-GROUP will activate both  
JP-43 and JP-33 in Western Norway on both 6 and 2 meters looking for  
meteor scatter, tropo and aurora contacts.  The call sign to be used is  
LA6K. Modes will be HSCW, SSB and FSK 441 with the time frame of the  
operation centered around the IARU contest.  For more information and  
the sked list please check www.qsl.net/la7dfa on the World Wide Web.   
(VHF Reflector) 

** 

THAT FINAL ITEM: RESCUE RADIO PLANNING -  ECOMMWEST 2003 IN RENO 

Our old friend Neil Mc Kie, WA6KLA, reports on an up-coming emergency  
communications event on Saturday, May 31st to be held in Reno Nevada.   
Called EMCOMMWEST 2003, the event is jointly sponsored by the ARRL  
Nevada Section and Northern Nevada Amateur Radio Services, Inc.   
Speakers include Jim Utterback, KC6TWC, Disaster Services Manager for  
the Reno-Tahoe Chapter of the American Red Cross, Alex King, Disaster  
Services Coordinator for the Salvation Army in Reno along with Nevada  
ARRL Section Manager Dick Flanagan W6OLD and numerous others.  More  
about this important rescue radio planning event can be found on the web  
at www.cvrc.net/emcommwest  (WA6KLA) 

** 

NEWSCAST CLOSE 

With thanks to Alan Labs, Amateur News Weekly, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC  
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the Dayton Hamvention, 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.  