[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1376 - December 26, 2003

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Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1376 - December 26,  2003

The following is a Q-S-T.  A California city says NO to BPL, an 
earthquake hits the central California and Kids Day 2004 is just a week 
or so away.  The details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1376 
coming your way right now.
 
**

RADIO LAW:  LOMPOC SAYS NO TO BPL

The City of Lompoc,  California,  has said NO to Broadband over 
Powerlines, and its a big win for ham radio.  Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has been monitoring the situation and has the 
details:

--

Paul Andreasen, K1JAN, said it this way -- quote:  "Well, we won ONE at 
least!"

What Andreasen is referring to was a plan by Lompoc city leaders to 
deploy Broadband over Powerlines in that city and the work of the ham 
community to head it off.  

Andreasen is the ARRL Technical Coordinator for the  Santa Barbara 
Section and a ARRL Technical Advisor for the League's Southwestern 
Division.  And he was one of the organizers of the movement to stop the 
deployment of B-P-L in the Lompoc area.  

In an e-mail, Andreasen says that his group sprang into action when they 
learned of plans to permit powerline broadband.  He presented city 
leaders with several studies and some facts on interference effects to 
and from other licensed RF users.  

--

Andreasen:  "I know the mayor so I stopped in one day and asked him.  He 
said yes they were and I introduced him to some of the facts of 
radiation not only causing problems with public communications, the CHP, 
Amateur Radio, etc., but about it also causing problems with the BPL 
system (itself). 

--


Meantime, Eric Lemmon, WB6FLY, made the California Highway Patrol  aware 
of their efforts.  The statewide C-H-P radio system operates on low-band 
F-M which falls right smack in the middle of the spectrum used by B-P-L.

And then they wait until December 17th for the newspapers to report the 
results of their City Council vote on the matter.  The good news:  No 
Broadband Over Powerlines in Lompoc.  Instead, the City Council approved 
a rival, non radiating system that uses fiber optic technology.  

But that's not all.  The company that did the study for the planners was 
told by the City Administrator not to entertain any radiating 
methodologies at all.  All because ham radio operators spoke up and 
provided proof that B-P-L could be hazardous to the regions R-F 
environment.

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

--

Another quote from Paul Andreasen, K1JAN, kind of sums it up.  "We not 
only win one, but a bureaucracy kept it's word!"  (K1JAN, W6YN)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  THE CENTRAL CALIFORNIA QUAKE

Meantime, about 90 miles North of Lompoc an earthquake measuring 6 point 
5 on the Richter scale struck at 11:15 a.m. on Monday December 22nd.  
Centered not far from the famed Hearst Castle tourist attraction at San 
Simmeon.  Ham radio was quick to respond as we hear in this report:

--

K6YR:  "Various parts of the livingroom looked like the U.S. Army had 
gone through a Fedeey'n safe house.  Just glass and food stuffs all over 
the place.  It was pretty scary."

--
That's Rob Griffin, K6YR, the Section Manager for the area where the 
quake hit.  He was describing what his own home looked like after the 
magnitude 6.5 temblor hit.  But Griffin would have to put off clean-up 
chores because there was other work that needed to be done:

--

K6YR:  By noon the San Luis Obispo Emergency Operations Center had 
called out the ARES and RACES operators, primarily supporting the Red 
Cross in opening shelters in Paso Robles and Oceana.  Morrow Bay also 
had Red Cross shelters and we provided communications for the Red Cross 
because their cell phones just weren't functioning for the first 12 
hours after the earthquake.  

--

According to Griffin with cellphones down, another way to communicate 
was needed by emergency workers.  Enter ham radio volunteers.

--

K6YR:  "We had some come from as far as South county which includes 
Oceana, Nipomo, maybe even some from Santa Maria to help support the 
North county Paso Robles ARES area."
--

The city of Paso Robles was hardest hit.  Part of the historic downtown 
area was destroyed and two people were killed.   Griffin says that hams 
were on scene providing communications for about 24 hours.  When we 
spoke to K6YR some  were still there:

--

K6YR: " There are some Amateur operators still manning the county 
Emergency Operations Center. but my understanding is that the 
communications and support up at the Paso Robles Police Department has 
closed down for the timer being and it appears that the Red Cross has 
its communications which relies on cell phones back in operation."

--

The bottom line.  It took the cellular providers about 12 hours to get 
service back to most of the stricken area.  Meantime ham radio operators 
were there, doing what they do best.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, reporting.

--

According to Cal Tech, Monday's temblor was the state's first deadly 
earthquake since the magnitude 6.7 shaker that hit Northridge California 
in 1994.  (ARNewsline(tm))


**

RESTRUCTURING:  VK TO GET REVISED AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE

Hams in Australia will soon have a restructured Amateur Radio Service.  
Some of the changes are coming soon  Others are still being negotiated.  
Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, is here with the details:

--

As reported, the Australian Communications Authority has decided to 
discontinue the Morse code proficiency requirement for the amateur 
service.  The ACA will also remove the prohibition of third party 
communications to an  amateur station in another country.  If another 
country seeks a prohibition  on such communications, this will be 
published and conveyed to the amateurs.  To effect this decision, the 
ACA will need to amend the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions 
Determination No. 1 of 1997.  Thats the  Amateur LCD. 

The ACA will directly inform the amateur community through  established 
communication channels when the amendment has been made.  The ACA will 
update the Amateur Internet Linking System consumer fact sheet to 
incorporate changes to third party communication arrangements.

The ACA will continue to impose limits on the purity and stability of  
emitted frequencies, and maximum power limits on amateur stations in  
accordance with the ITU's requirements for transmitting stations.  The 
ITU requirements will be incorporated into the ACA's public information  
doments in early 2004 to ensure that they are available to amateur 
licensees.

The ACA will maintain current requirements for use of a callsign while  
operating an amateur station, as contained in sections 8, 37 and 44 of 
the  Amateur LCD.   The ACA is still considering whether to permit the 
abbreviation of callsigns  during emergency services operations and 
training.  A decision will be announced by mid-2004.

The ACA will proceed with the proposal for Australia to participate in  
European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations  - 
CEPT.  While liaison with CEPT about T/R 61-01 can  commence 
immediately, the licensing arrangements necessary to implement this will 
not begin until mid-2004.

The ACA is working through submissions about the remaining proposals,  
including the licensing structure, and expects to announce decisions by 
mid 2004.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of Q-News 
Australia.

--

Obviously for hams down-under, this is the start of something big.  (Q-
News)

**

HAM RADIO EVENTS:  KID'S DAY IS SUNDAY JANUARY 4

Its one of the two most important ham radio holidays of the ham radio 
year and its only about a week away.  Of coarse we are talking about the 
first of two Kids Day operating events for 2004. 

According to a recent ARRL Letter, the first Kid's Day of 2004 will 
occur on a Sunday.  Next Sunday, January the 4th.  And unlike most other 
on-the-air events, Kid's Day is not a contest.  Rather its a time when 
experienced hams open their hearts and their stations to invite kids in 
and put them on the air to experience the magic that is ham radio.

Kid's Day will run from 1800 to 2400 UTC, and there's no limit on 
operating time. The suggested exchange is a youngsters name, age, 
location and favorite color.  Most operation will be found on 14.270 to 
14.300, 21.380 to 21.400 and 28.350 to 28.400 MHz and local 2 meter 
repeaters.

Guidelines for Kids Day are available at www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/kd-
rules.htm.  And -- oh yes: If you miss this Kids Day operating event the 
next one won't take place until Saturday, June 19th.  (ARRL)

**

HAM RADIO EDUCATION: IARU CONGRATULATES NEW HAMS

A top IARU official has welcomed Albania's newly licensed hams to the 
hobby.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is here with more:

--

Ole Garpestadt, LA2RR, is IARU Region 1 Chairman. And while 
participating in the recent graduation ceremony for Project Goodwill 
Albania 2003, he took the time to congratulate the new Albanian 
licensees, and welcomed them to the bands.  

Garpestadt credited the University of Triana and the program organizers 
with their success in conducting the training and succeeding in 
something that the IARU itself has had only limited results with.  It 
should be noted that LA2RR participated in final negotiations with 
Albanian authorities for their entry to CEPT and bringing the Albanian 
licensing regime into line with the rest of the CEPT world.

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

--

One final note on Project Goodwill Albania 2003.  Its organizer, the 
famed D-Xer Martti Laine, O-H-2-B-H, was awarded a "Senior Fellow of 
Polytechnic University of Tirana" at the graduation ceremony.  In his 
closing remarks Liane thanked everyone involved for what he termed as 
their five weeks of serious effort.  (Via press release)

**

HAM RADIO EDUCATION:  2004 - 2005 FAR SCHOLARSHIPS OPEN

Meanwhile, here in the United States, it's ham radio scholarship time 
again.  This, with word that Foundation for Amateur Radio is providing 
applications for  hams to apply for the 59 awards that it will 
administer for the 2004 through 2005 academic.  

Right now, the foundation is inviting Amateur Radio licensees planning 
to pursue a full-time course of study beyond high school, and who are 
either enrolled in or accepted for enrollment at an accredited 
university, college or technical school to compete for these 
scholarships.  Awards range from $500 to $2500 with preference in some 
cases going to residents of specific geographic area or to those 
pursuing certain study programs.

The cutoff date is April 30, 2004. Application forms are available by 
mailing a request to FAR Scholarships, P.O. Box 831 Riverdale, Maryland.  
The Zipcode is 20738.  (Foundation for Amateur Radio)

**

ELECTRONIC ASSISTANCE:  REPAIRCLINIC.COM

A new Web site has been created to usher Americans away from their 
throwaway habits and into the world of yesteryear when we just kept it 
working.  

Called RepairClinic.com, the cyberspac port provides aids for those  
looking to repair anything from a refrigerator or air conditioner to 
more complex devices such as microwave ovens. The site appears to derive 
most of its income by selling spare parts and factory manuals. 

At the moment the site sticks to typical kitchen appliances.  It does 
not provide advice on such items as radios, T-V sets, VCRs and other 
consumer electronics.  At least, not yet.  (Science Today)

** 

RESCUE RADIO:  THE LATEST TOWER TO COLLAPSE IS....

A 528 foot tower supporting antennas for WMGX and WYNZ in the Portland, 
Maine area collapsed on Thursday, December 11th.  As reported on Scott 
Fybush's web site, the reason for the tower falling appears to be a guy 
wire that apparently snapped. The story, and a photo of the tower prior 
to collapse, can be seen at www.fybush.com/nerw.html  Its not known if 
any ham radio repeaters shared this support structure.  (CGC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  VE1MR NAMED RAC RADIO AMATEUR OF 2003

Bill Elliott, VE1MR, has been named to receive  the RAC Radio Amateur of 
the Year Award for 2003.  Currently President of Halifax Amateur Radio 
Club, Elliott has been a Radio Amateur and a member of Radio Amateurs of 
Canada and its predecessor national organizations for over twenty years. 
Through that time, VE1MR has consistently and generously donated his 
technical and organizational skills to significantly promoting 
excellence in Amateur Radio and facilitating its public service role.

For a complete story on VE1MR's activities and the contributions which 
qualified him for this prestigious award, see 
http://www.rac.ca/new/canada.htm (RAC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  JENNICAM GOING QRT

And, by the time you read this, Jennifer Ringley will have taken her 
famed jennicam.org webcam off the Internet and Q-R-T.  This, after 7 
years of her permitting the world to watch her life through a cyberspace 
eye.

Ringley was 20 and a student at a Pennsylvania college when she 
installed a web camera in her room and launched jennicam.org.  That was 
in April of 1996 and over the years the cameras have followed her every 
movement 24 hours a day.  

A self-described former computer geek who now lives in Northern 
California, Ringley has posted that her web cam was intended to be a fun 
way for her mom or friends to keep tabs on her.  Also, that it was an 
interesting use for the digital camera that she bought on a whim in the 
bookstore.  

Now, the site has a notice saying it will be closing on December 31st.  
No reason is given and Ringley has not respond to e-mail query's from 
the press.  (Published news reports)
    
**

NEWSLINE NEWS:  MORE THANK YOU'S WITH N6TCQ

Ladies and gentlemen, we end this year and begin the next by saying 
thank you to more listeners who kept the Amateur Radio Newsline on the 
air throughout 2003. Here's Andy Jarema, N6TCQ:

--
This week we have the second half of our list of people who helped us
financially in the month of April:

Linda Reeder of Salt Lake City, Vic Hartpence, W7RKU of Sparks, NV, The 
Puget Amateur Radio Society of Kirkland, WA, The Quarter Century 
Wireless Association of Eugene, OR'. Bill Alexander, KR6G of Quincy, CA, 
Leo Halog, KR6EG of San Fransisco, Mark Lunge and the MSARC N6MPX 
Repeater System, San Leandro, Monthly contributor William Walters, 
WA2IBM, of San Jose, Monthly contributor Scott Hensley of the Area 
Communications Team,  San Jose SCATS, the Southern California Amateur 
Transmitting Society, in West Covina, Our good friend Dave Bell, W6AQ of
Hollywood, And Newsline Staff volunteers who paid out-of-pocket to keep
Newsline on the air.

Thank you to everyone.  Your April response to our crisis was 
exceptional, and we promise to do our best to continue to earn your care 
and support. A reminder that Newsline is a 501c 3 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.

--

More from Andy in future Amateur Radio Newsline reports.  
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

HAM RADIO AND SPACE:  THE MARS EXPRESS

An amazing space DX record for ham radio.  This as Charlie Suckling, 
G3WDG reports that he has successfully received the 'Mars Express' deep-
space probe using his 3 meter dish antenna. 

Mars Express has been on its way to the red planet since the 2nd of June 
and was  scheduled to arrive on Christmas Day.  The signal was earlier 
received on 8.4 GHz by James Miller, G-3-R-U-H, at the AMSAT D-L ground 
station in Bochum, Germany.  This, when the probe was 107 million 
kilometers away on November 16th. 

Although traveling at the speed of light, the signal took about six 
minutes to reach earth.  The AMSAT D-L website has information on how 
amateurs can receive Mars Express.

The AMSAT-DL website  at www.amsat-dl/pa5/reception_g3ruh.htm provides 
information on how amateurs can receive Mars Express. (GB2RS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  PC SAT UPDATE

AMSAT North America reports that P-C sat is doing fine and will continue 
in good sunlight through New Years Eve.  The satellite is seeing about 
50 packet users per day and 30 per pass over the USA.  

Anyone with a 2 meter transceiver and T-N-C can easily copy this bird.  
Just tune the radio to 145.825 and watch for 1200 baud normal AX.25 
packet.  (AMSAT)

**

INTERNATIONAL-SWEDEN:  NO CODE ON JANUARY 1?

GB2RS reports that Sweden is likely to permit former CEPT Class 2 
amateurs access to the High Frequency bands from the 1st of January. 
SM0SMK, the President of Swedish national amateur radio society has said 
that they hope the Morse code test requirement will be removed at the 
turn of the year.b  (RSGB)

**

INTERNATIONAL - UK:  NEW TRAINING PRESENTATIONS ON THE WEB

The Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society in Essex England has made all of 
its  Powerpoint slide presentations for the United Kingdom's Foundation 
and Intermediate courses available on the web.  Those who are interested 
in seeing what's involved in getting these new U-K licenses can download 
the slides from www.qsl.net/g0mwt  (M5AKA)

**

DX

In DX, the FMRE Sunday bulletin has announced that the X-F4 DXpedition 
to Socorro Island will begin March 3rd, and run for two weeks.  The call 
sign to be used is X-F-4-I-H.  8 operators from Mexico will be active 
all bands and modes including VHF, UHF and satellite.  No QSL 
information is available at this time.   (XE1KK, N4GN)

And S57CQ expects to be in Bhutan by the time you hear this newscast. He 
plans to spend as much of his spare time as possible active as A52Q.  
QSL as directed on the air.  (RSGB)

Lastly PA4WM will be in Turkey for six months, on a four week rotation 
schedule. He operates SSB, CW and RTTY as TA1/PA4WM with 100 watts into 
a G5RV.  He plans to upgrade his antennas with a vertical and receiving 
antenna for 160 and 80 meters at the earliest available time.  (GB2RS)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  HEAVY METAL ON THE HAM BANDS 	

And finally this week, Heavy metal is back on the ham bands.  No, not 
the rock music kind.  We are talking heavy metal as in vintage AM gear.  
Paul Goodman, K2ORC, has more in this report filed over the air - using 
AM :

--

Sunset on December 27, 2003 will mark the kickoff of this year's Heavy 
Metal Rally. A showcase for AM transmitters that weigh at least 250 
pounds and produce 250 watts or 
more, the annual event is sponsored by Electric Radio magazine.

The Rally has become a coast to coast highlight for many AM amateur 
stations in North America with activity on 160, 75 and 40 meters. The 
event goes all night, ending at sunrise on December 28

Participants who want to compete for the top place trophy submit logs to 
the event coordinator. Scoring for the Heavy Metal Rally utilizes a 
point system that takes into account, among other things, total number 
of contacts and the number of states and bands worked. In a departure 
from traditional contest-type scoring, a station can receive an extra 
point for each positive signal or audio report received by the event 
coordinator from other hams and SWLs.

Scoring notwithstanding, many AM fans participate in the Heavy Metal 
Rally simply for the pleasure of talking and listening to other AM 
stations with strong signals and outstanding audio.

Winter HF operating conditions generally lead to numerous coast to coast 
contacts featuring a diversity of transmitters. It would not be unusual 
for listeners to hear, an amateur in Colorado on a restored Gates 
broadcast transmitter chatting with someone in California running a 
Collins broadcast transmitter.

--
Contact Audio
--

While broadcast transmitters may be the first thing to come to mind when 
picturing equipment that meets the Heavy Metal weight and power 
criteria, the Rally also features a sizeable number of homebrew and 
military rigs. For more information on the 2003 Heavy Metal Rally, 
including the email address for log submissions and a list of suggested 
operating frequencies, please visit amfone.net -- that's alpha-mike-
foxtrot-oscar-november-echo - dot - net.

Reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Paul Goodman, K2ORC.

--

Sounds great, doesn't it!  You can hear more for yourself on Saturday 
evening December 27th overnight into Sunday the 28th on 160 and 75 
meters.  Its the 2003 Heavy Metal Rally on your radio to enjoy.  
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

For this week and this year, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.  
Our  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 for their assistance in producing this 
weeks report.  

A reminder that our e-mail address is newsline at 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 Jim 
Davis, W2JKD, saying 73, Happy New Year and we thank you for listening.  
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2003 and 2004.  All rights are 
reserved.