[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1374 - December 12, 2003

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Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1374 - December 12, 2003

LISTENER ADVISORY:  PLEASE ASSIST IN THIS SURVEY

This is directed only to those who are not currently ARRL members.  

Amateur Radio Newsline has agreed to help compile a survey which seeks 
answers for these two questions:

1:  If you are not a member of the ARRL, why not?  

2:  If you were a member of the ARRL and quit, why?  

If you are already an ARRL member, please do not reply as those 
conducting the survey only want to hear from those hams who never joined 
or who have dropped their membership.

Please respond by e-mail to hamvideo at juno.com before December 18th. And 
we sincerely thank-you for assisting in this survey.  (The Producers)

**

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1374 with a release date of 
Friday, December 12 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
 
The following is a Q-S-T.  A new study says that the Executive Branch 
should take over the duties of the FCC, hams in Australia  could loose 
part of the 70 centimeter band and the K-6-D-U-E commemorative event is 
finally on the air from space.  Find out the details on Amateur Radio 
Newsline report number 1374 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here) 
 
**

RADIO POLITICS:  STUDY SAYS WHITE HOUSE SHOULD REGULATE RF SPECTRUM

A new study says that its time for the White House to replace the FCC as 
the nations regulator of the airwaves.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill 
Pasternak, WA6ITF, is here with the story:

--

 The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a private 
research organization that analyzes global issues.  And in a recent 
report, it basically posed the rhetorical questions of -- what if the 
FCC went away -- and -- what if the Executive branch of the federal 
government -- the White House --  took over management of the nation's 
airwaves?  

Would it be better or worse for America?  The Center says yes.  That in 
its view, such a change would definitely improve the way the finite 
resource called electromagnetic spectrum is managed, but critics have 
their doubts.  One told Amateur Radio Newsline: -- quote -- "You think 
the spectrum management is bad now, put it under the executive branch" -
- unquote. 

Be that as it may, the Center's report called Spectrum Management for 
the 21st Century was recently presented to Representative Tom Davis.  
Davis is chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform and the  
report recommends a number of steps to stop what the think-tank 
describes as the  increasing number of fights over existing spectrum 
space.  

Among its recommendations are to develop a national spectrum strategy.  
Increase research support for technologies that make better use of the 
spectrum and the controversial one.  Establish a spectrum oversight 
advisory board to implement full White House control of all spectrum 
related matters. 

Davis said his committee will weigh the report's findings, along with 
the results of five ongoing General Accounting Office reviews and a 
Presidential Spectrum Policy Initiative study commissioned last June.  
With all of this information for Congress to gather and digest, any 
change in who will regulate the nations spectrum is probably years, if 
not decades away.

With thanks to KC0DGY for bringing this to our attention, I'm Bill 
Pasternak, WA6ITF, for the Amateur Radio Newsline.  

--

Currently, the Federal Communications Commission oversees commercial use 
of the electronic magnetic spectrum while the National 
Telecommunications and Information Administration handles all aspects of 
government use.  Its far to early to speculate on what effect -- if any 
-- such a change might have on Amateur Radio.  

More information can be found on-line at 
http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/mobile-wireless/24166-1.html  (KC0DGY, GCN)
 
**

INTERNATIONAL - VK:  20 - 430 MHZ AT RISK IN VK-LAND

Australian hams may loose access to all of 420  through 430 MHZ.  This, 
as demands in this part of the spectrum by non-amateurs increases.

Q-News reports on an e-mail from the Space & Terrestrial Systems Team at 
the Australian Communications Authority to the Wireless Institute of 
Australia's  Federal President Ernest Hocking, VK1LK, last Tuesday.  It 
deals with an amendment that was made to the Australian radio 
regulations recently that prohibits the operation of amateur stations in 
the frequency band 420-430 MHz in certain locations.  This, to minimize 
the risk of interference to that nations Fire Brigades Network and the 
Mobile Data Radio Service emergency services that operate in this 
frequency band.
 
VK1LK told Q-NEWS that he will continue to adopt the view that the 
Wireless Institute of Australia is looking for primary allocation in the 
430 to 440 MHz band -- or at least some part of it -- to protect ham 
radio interests.   (Q-News)

**

INTERNATIONAL:  BIG HAM RADIO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS IN ALBANIA

Success reported for 33 students in an internationally sponsored 
Albanian Amateur Radio training project.  We go across the Atlantic to 
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, is in Nottinham the UK for the latest:

--
The following update on the unique amateur radio training course that is 
ongoing in Albania has been sent in by Martti Laine, OH2BH, in Tirana.

"A memorable second week came to an end when the US ARRL delegation 
headed by K7WX and K9LA departed Tirana with many fond memories and new 
friendships taken back home"

"The theory exam was conducted on Wednesday the 26th of November with 33 
students gaining a pass at the CEPT 1 level. Now the course will move on 
to pure amateur radio related subjects under the leadership of Uli, 
DJ2YA, while John, G3OKA, will head back to the UK after a job well 
done."

Britain's RSGB deserves credit for their support of the first part of 
the program.  I'm G4NJH, in Nottingham.

--

Another wave of lecturers representing Finland and Germany has now  
arrived.  Also, Albanian authorities have released the callsign ZA1UT.  
This is an acronym for the 'University of Tirana and is meant to assist 
in commemorating this extraordinary ham radio educational program.  
(GB2RS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  K6DUE OPERATING EVENT UNDER WAY

The K6DUE International Space Station Commemorative Event from the 
International Space Station is finally under way.  What's described as a 
challenging schedule kept the crew from getting on the air November 29th 
and 30th, but the ISS ham station was active during a pass on Saturday, 
December 6th.  We have more in this report:

--
According to ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, numerous 
hams across North America and Europe were able to contact with Astronaut 
Mike Foal,  KB5UAC or heard the ISS ham radio station downlink.  Those 
who did qualify for a special ISS Commemorative Certificate.  
Information on obtaining one is on-line at www.rac.ca/ariss

KA3HDO also reports that the Phase 2 equipment setup has been completed 
and the gear activated at approximately 11:20 UTC on December 8th.  The 
new radio is a Kenwood D 700 dual band transceiver.  It appeared to 
operate flawlessly but the packet operation was turned off after Russian 
controllers requested that the crew power down the hardware while 
bilateral safety paperwork coordination is being completed.  Bauer says 
that hopefully, this will be completed quickly and that the long awaited 
packet operation will be on the air once again.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP.

--

The event commemorates the contributions of the late Roy Neal, K6DUE, to 
manned ham radio space operations and continues through the end of the 
month.  (ARISS)

**

LAW: HIGH TECH MUST FIGHT CYBERTERRORISM

The Federal government says that technology companies must cooperate in 
the battle against cyber terrorism.  This, according to Homeland 
Security Secretary Tom Ridge who said that the alternative is to submit 
to government imposed security regulations.

Speaking at a recent two day conference sponsored by his agency, Ridge 
said that the enemies of freedom use the same techniques as hackers do 
and the nations industries must be as diligent and determined as the 
hackers." 
   
The two-day conference was the first formal brainstorming session to 
draft security guidelines and a cyberspace attack warning systems.  
(Published news reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC AGAIN WARNS AERO ENTHUSIASTS ABOUT UNLICENSED 
OPERATIONS

The FCC  is once again warning several hang gliding and sky-diving 
enthusiasts and the operators of a number of training facilities about 
the use of ham gear by unlicensed persons.  Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, 
reports:

--

In a letter to sixteen such California based flying groups, the FCC's 
Riley Hollingsworth says that the Commission is receiving an increasing 
number of complaints that users of these facilities are operating 
Amateur Radio equipment without a license.  Hollingsworth specifically 
notes the use of hand-held radio transceivers as the biggest violation.  

Hollingsworth says that while the FCC encourages the use of radio 
equipment for the safety of flyers, there are numerous alternative radio 
services that do not require a license.  These include the Family Radio 
Service and the Multiple Use Radio Service.  

Hollingswoth adds that the use of Amateur Radio Transmitting equipment 
is also permissible as long as the users -- in this case the pilots and 
sky-divers -- are licensed in the Amateur Radio Service.  Translated, 
they must have a ham ticket to put an Amateur band transceiver on-the-
air.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting.

--

Hollingsworth's letter tells the groups that the use of radio 
transmitting equipment in a service where a license is required, without  
obtaining a license, is a violation the Communications Act  and will 
result in criminal penalties.  He says that fines normally range from 
$7,500 to $10,000.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  HOMEOWNERS ASSN MUST FIND INTERFERENCE

And a big win for a Pennsylvania ham that could be precedent setting.  
The FCC has written to the lawyer representing the Pine Ridge Community 
Association in the city of Stroudsburg.  The note informs the counsel 
that his interpretation of the Community Association's obligations under 
Part 15 was incorrect and that the Association is required to 
investigate the source of its radio frequency interference to an Amateur 
licensee residing within the Association's  property.  (FCC)

**

AT THE FCC:  CHANGES AT THE CGB

Still with the FCC, word that Louis J. Sigalos has been named Chief and 
Sherry Dawson has been named Deputy Chief of the FCC's Consumer Affairs 
and Outreach Division of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau.  
This bureau is responsible for conducting outreach to the American 
public on a broad array of telecommunications issues including the 
deployment of broadband services, the transition to digital TV, wireless 
phones and services including local number portability and much more.  
The Division also promotes public awareness of the Commission's 
strategic goals and initiatives through consumer advisories and fact 
sheets, consumer forums and participation in conferences and workshops.  
(FCC)

**

CHANGING OF HE GUARD:  JULIAN HIRSCH 

Some sad news.  Famed technical writer Julian Hirsch, W2KFB, who spent 
most of his life testing the latest developments in stereo equipment and 
explaining them for Stereo Review magazine has died.  

Hirsch was a graduate electrical engineer from Cooper Union University.  
He and Gladden Houck created the Hirsch-Houck Laboratories to test 
electronic equipment in 1957.  

Hirsch went on to author more than 4,000 reports on stereo systems, 
speakers, turntables and other equipment until his retirement in 1998. 
He was 81 when he passed away on November 24th.  (LA Times, other 
published news reports)

**

HAM EVENTS:  HRU 2004 ON LONG  ISLAND NY

Mark Sunday, January 18, 2004 at 8AM, for the fifth annual Ham Radio 
University. The event is being held at the East Woods School in Oyster 
Bay New York with special forums geared to the non-ham as well as the 
experienced ham radio operator. The focus will be hands-on with many 
demonstrations on just about everything including ham radio satellite 
communications, low power operating using radios as small as a tuna tin 
and the latest in emergency communications.   There will also be a 
testing session for those who would like to take an FCC exam. 

Again this year, Ham Radio University will be combined with the ARRL New 
York City and Long Island Section Convention.  Talk-in will be provided 
on the W-2-V-L repeater on 146.85 MHz and using an access tone of 136.5 
Hertz.  For more information e-mail n2ga at arrl.org  (K2EPM)

**

INDUSTRY NEWS:  FREE SUB TO THE UNEMPLOYED FROM ATVQ

If you are out of work and would like to have something to read, has 
Amateur Television Quarterly Magazine got a deal for you.  How about a 
free one-year subscription to their flagship magazine?

To qualify, you must be normally employed and not retired.  Also, the 
offer is limited to the first 100 to apply.  

To take advantage of this one time offer, send a letter by U-S mail 
requesting a free subscription and stating that you are temporarily out 
of work.  The address is Holiday Offer - ATVQ, 5931 Alma Dr. Rockford, 
IL 61108.  

Sorry, the magazine will not accept e-mail subscriptions for this one 
time offer.  (ATVQ)

**

INDUSTRY NEWS: JVC TO CLOSE US VHS TAPE PLANT

A not so happy Christmass for some employees of JVC America. This, as 
the company announces that it will shut down its VHS tape production 
plant in Tuscaloosa Alabama by January 31st.  

The reason given for the closure is the loss of the VHS market to 
Digital Video Discs.  About 115 people will be laid off from the VHS 
tape plant closing.   JVC already has compact disc and DVD plants in 
Tuscaloosa and Kennesaw, Georgia that employ about 550 people.  (KB4KCH)

**

ARNEWSLINE(TM) NEWS:  WE THANK YOU

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ with a list of people to thank. 

It's been since March that we did this, and we were in big trouble 
financially at the time.  The following is only the first half of who 
helped us in April:

George Jacobs W3ASK of Silver Spring, MD.  He's the former Propagation 
and Space Communications Editor of CQ Magazine. 

Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando 

David Ziskind, KE4QLH of Atlanta 

Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of Wadsworth, OH, who since became a 
recurring 
contributor 

The Hiram's Ham Amateur Radio Society of Reynoldsburg, OH 

Donald West, W9DEW of Fortville, IN 

Paul Lebzelter, K8PFL of West Branch, MI 

Michael Leahan, N9PQK of Sun Prairie, WI 

Gary Harrison, K0BC of Bolivar, MO 

Kent Stutzman of Newton, KS 

George Ancell, N5LEZ and B&G Communications of Electra, TX

That wasn't everybody in April- we'll continue trying to catch up in the 
weeks that follow.

Finally, in the entertainment industry, oftentimes one of the biggest 
stars is listed at the end of the opening credits, such as: "and 
starring Martin Sheen as President Bartlett."


We at Newsline also have one of those: "and starring Roy Blanchard, 
N5YHS," 
as an occasional, but extraordinary benefactor. Roy, you're amazing!"

Thank you to everyone. Your April response to our crisis was 
exceptional, and got us all the way to December. We promise to do our 
best to continue to earn your care and support. 

A reminder that Newsline is a 501(c)(3), federally chartered, California 
non-profit corporation.  FCC regulations prohibit us from telling you 
exactly how to support us, but that information is on our website at 
www.arnewsline.org. 

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

**

ON THE AIR:  6 METERS IS BIG IN KNOXVILLE

If you live near Knoxville Tennessee and like to operate vintage ham 
gear, listen up.  This one is for you.  

The Repeater Journal reports that a group of local hams have gone back 
to  the future and created a new Six Meter Nostalgia Net that meets on 
50 point 4 Megahertz -- or should we say Megacycles in this case.  The 
gathering takes place every Thursday night at 8:30 P.M. local time and 
anyone with gear capable of running  full carrier A-M is invited to take 
part.  

And what if you are not into A-M operation?  Well the same group also 
sponsors F-M and S-S-B nets on Sundays.  The F-M gathering takes places 
at 9  P.M. on the 53.770 MHz repeater.   Five minutes after the F-M net 
is secured the S-S-B net takes to the airwaves on 50 point 200 MHz.  

And if that's not enough, yet another Knoxville area 6 meter F-M net has 
just started up on the 53 point 610 MHz repeater.  It meets on Thursdays 
at 8:00 P-M local Eastern U-S time.  (Repeater Journal)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: RADIO RESEARCH:  NAVY AND AIR FORCE AGREE ON NEW 
JOINT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The Air Force and Navy have agreed to merge their two formerly separate 
programs for the acquisition of improved radio systems.  The result will 
be the development of a single family of radios designed to replace 
incompatible units in use across the services.  

Called the Joint Tactical Radio System, this joint Air Force-Navy 
initiative is expected to produce more than 17,000 units.  Initial 
deliveries of the new radios are expected to begin in late 2008.  
(Science OnLine)

**

INTERNATIONAL  - CANADA:  VE9HC RE-ELECTED

Radio Amateurs of Canada reports that Hugh Clark, VE9HC was recently re-
elected Section Manager in the Maritimes Section.  This, for a two-year 
term that will begin on March 1st, 2004.  Clark ran unopposed 
eliminating the need for a balloted election.  (RAC)

**

INTERNATIONAL - IRAQ: BAGHDAD COMES TO ECHOLINK

Ian Abel, G3ZHI, reports that Iraq is now on Echolink.  Ian says that on 
December 4th he held a 90 minute cyberspace QSO with YI1SRA in Baghdad 
using the Echolink program.  Laith was operating from an Internet cafe 
as full Internet access has yet to be widely restored in the city.  

YI1SRA reported that he and fellow members of the Baghdad Radio Club are 
hoping to install a 2 meter  repeater in the city.  It would be linked 
to Echolink network allowing on demand around the clock contact with the 
city and provide communications back home for any foreign ham in 
Baghdad.  

YI1SRA also now has e-mail.  Messages to him go to  laithtariq at yahoo.com  
(G3ZHI)

**

DX

In D-X, now its your chance to QSO the real Santa Claus on the air.  
This, as station OH9SCL is active from Santa Claus Land near the Arctic 
Circle.  OH9SCL will take to the ham radio airwaves from December 17th 
through the 21st.  Operation will be 80 through 10 meters on cw, ssb, 
rtty, psk31 and slow scan television.  The digital modes will be primary 
focus durning the weekend hours.  Santa's ham radio helpers this year 
include Finnish amateurs OH2BH, OH2NWG, OH3BHL and several others.   QSL 
via OH9UV.  (Via e-mail)

Meantime, the ARRL says that its new  Logbook of the World secure 
contact-verification database continues to grow. ARRL Membership 
Services Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG, reports that nearly 5000 users have 
uploaded logs containing some 25.4 million Amateur Radio contacts. This 
has resulted in more than 1 million QSL records to date.  (ARRL)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  BRINGING THE DEAD BANDS BACK TO LIFE

And finally, its that time of year that the V-H-F frequencies are pretty 
dead as far as propagation goes.  So here's as idea from Terry Hosack, 
W-A-3-L-T-B, on how to bring them to life.  

Terry suggests over the V-H-F Reflector that you download a copy of the 
W-S-J-T program for digital high speed meteor scatter, weak signal, trop 
and E-M-E.   He says to be certain that you get all the current updates 
including the new JT65 mode.  

Hosack says that other than skeds, activity may be found on 144.140 and 
50.260 Mhz mainly during contest and activity periods.  If you are on 
the East Coast just beam west.  Conversely, if you live out West,  beam 
to the East and you might be surprised at what you might hear. 

Terry says to just put the program in the monitor mode and see if you 
can decode any signals.  If you find an interest in the mode you can buy 
or build an interface to actually transmit and help bring the dead VHF 
bands back to life.

The following web site is used for Skeds and chat about WSJT and 
meteorscatter:  http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk (VHF 
Reflector)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, 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. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don 
Wilbanks, AE5DW, in New Orleans, saying 73 and we thank you for 
listening."  Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright  2003.  All rights 
reserved.