[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1401 - June 18, 2004

Mon Jun 21 18:14:11 EDT 2004

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1401 - June 18,  2004

Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1401 with a release date of 
Friday, June 18 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   

The following is a Q-S-T.  A new ham-sat is made ready for launch and 
the B-P-L struggle continues.  Find out the details on Amateur Radio 
Newsline report number 1401 coming your way right now.

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  ECHO PREPARED FOR  LAUNCH

The soon to be launched ECHO ham radio satellite has arrived safely at 
the launch complex in Russia and is being made ready for launch.  This, 
according to Chuck Green, N0ADI, who is traveling with the bird to the 
launch facility.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is here with more:

--

According to Green, once he and the team arrived at the launch site, the 
satellite shipping containers were opened and placed in the clean room.  
ECHO was taken out of it's shipping case and set up for completion.  The 
bottom antennas were then installed.. So was the  bottom solar panel, 
magnets, and corner reflectors.  

ECHO was then powered on and the team successfully communicated with it 
over a hard wire connection from a computer.  The four two meter 
receivers and the two 70 cm transmitters were all successfully tested.  
And that's good news for everyone waiting for the new hamsat to take its 
ride into space.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles.

-- 

Currently the planned launch period for ECHO is four weeks beginning 
June 28th. Once in orbit the command teams will be working together to 
assure everything is working OK and get ECHO  into its initial 'normal' 
modes as quickly as possible. After that it will be open to the users in 
the ham radio community.  (AMSAT)

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  AN UPDATE ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE USA

The fight to keep Broadband Over Powerlines from going nationwide 
continues.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is here with 
the latest:

--

With summer now here, expect the Broadband over Power Line Internet 
access issue to heat up - especially as more people get a chance to look 
over the latest filing from the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration.

The federal agency, which advises the White House on telecommunications 
policies and oversees radio spectrum used by government agencies, 
weighed in with more BPL comments in a June 4 filing with the Federal 
Communications Commission.

And the American Radio Relay League and others who've analyzed the 
comments say it's clear the political considerations are overshadowing 
the engineering data which raises many questions about the viability of 
BPL.

In its filing with the FCC, the N-T-I-A's policy makers now call BPL a 
win-win situation for all and make what some call an outlandish claim - 
that deployment of the technology could actually lead to reduction,  
that's right, reduction of power line noise.

Now, the engineering types who've been studying the BPL and doing all 
kinds of test measurements are really scratching their heads trying to 
make sense out of that. The N-T-I-A filing also contains this comforting 
assertion for BPL opponents. It says that the current power line system 
is responsible for even greater local interference risks than what BPL 
would bring.

And, it says, B-P-L operators would implement procedures to eliminate 
any harmful interference.

The stack of complaints about BPL test sites and assertions by a lawyer 
representing one of the large utilities testing the technology might 
lead some to question that reassurance.

A source tells Amateur Radio Newsline the FCC has failed to "properly 
direct" BPL complaints to the appropriate FCC regulatory office for 
action. And, the source says, commissioners questioned about that 
haven't offered any explanation.

And a lawyer who has commented in writing to the FCC about some of the 
BPL complaints his utility company received claimed there was no basis 
for them, essentially saying the amateur radio operators making them 
don't know what they're talking about.

One thing the NTIA did suggest in its filing is the exclusion of certain 
bands and frequencies in specific geographical areas to protect critical 
government systems.

Does that suggest an agency confident BPL won't be an interference 
source?

The American Radio Relay League and others who've been vocal in this 
fight suggest otherwise.

They say BPL is far from a done deal and they're hopeful that the FCC's 
extension of reply comments to June 22 will net some helpful 
information. And, they say, they're not giving up or going away quietly.

In the meantime, there is a sense BPL is on a fast-track at the FCC 
where the majority of the commissioners view it as an engine to help 
stimulate the economy.

Could the FCC act on the BPL issue before the November election?

Anything is possible. And some close to the BPL debate say if the Bush 
administration believes it will generate a much-need bump in the public 
opinions polls or at the ballot box...well, you get the idea.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in 
Philadelphia. 

--

Mark will continue to monitor the B-P-L situation and report back in 
future Amateur Radio Newsline reports.  (ARRL, CQ, Repeater Journal, 
Published news reports, others)

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  AUSTRALIA REACTS TO THE BPL CHALLENGE

The United States is not the only place planning to introduce this 
controversial Internet access technology.  Proposals for Power Line 
Communications or Broadband over Power Lines in Australia have become a 
concern many spectrum users down-under.  This includes the Wireless 
Institute of Australia which is that nations Amateur Radio national 
society.  From Brisbane, Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, reports:

--

WIA President, Michael Owen, VK3KI has said that the WIA's  position in 
relation to B-P-L is that it supports increasing broadband access and 
broadband competitiveness in Australia, but in a way that does not cause 
interference to legitimate users of the High Frequency spectrum.  The 
WIA supports the  development by the ACA of policies for BPL that 
protect existing users.

 The WIA believes that one of the problems associated with B-P-L is that 
trials on a limited basis are not good indicators, and that the full 
effects of a problematic technology will not be seen with such trials.  
The WIA considers that B-P-L will not really serve the community's long 
run needs because of its limited bandwidth. A deep fibber network is to 
be preferred to using long runs of power lines.

The WIA has appointed a team to deal with this issue. WIA President has 
appointed Phil Wait, VK2DKN the director responsible for developing and 
advocating the WIA's position in relation to BPL. He has asked Owen 
Duffy, VK1OD Barry White, VK2AAB and David Wardlaw, VK3ADW to assist 
Phil, as the WIA's BPL Team.

--

A report on a recent small trial of B-P-L in the city of Hobart to some 
4 houses and 2 floors of one building is on the WIA website.  (Q-News)

**

RADIO RULES:  COMMISSION ADOPTS SPECTRUM SHARING PLAN FOR L AND S BAND

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a spectrum sharing plan 
for low earth orbit satellite systems in the 1.6 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands. 
The so-called Big Leo birds.  And here's how it will work

In the 1.6 GHz or "L-band," mobile-satellite service operators with 
satellite systems that utilize code division multiple access and time 
division multiple access technologies will share 3.1 megahertz of 
spectrum at 1618.25 to 1621.35 MHz.  At "S-band," the Commission 
allocated the 2495 to 2500 MHz band to fixed and mobile except 
aeronautical mobile services, in order to provide additional spectrum 
and to accommodate the relocation of Multipoint Distribution Service  
channels 1 and 2.

The commission says that its new spectrum sharing plan will further the 
agency's goal of efficient frequency utilization by increasing the 
number of providers offering services to consumers over the same 
spectrum.  It will promote the deployment of more innovative services to 
consumers.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  COUNTY HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG

The FCC says that a complaint that a county is using ham radio for its 
routine business is without merit.  The agency's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, 
is here with more:

--

Duckworth: "A complaint concerning Bell County Communications Center and 
club license W5BEC was dismissed.  There is no showing that this station 
is operated by anyone other than amateurs, nor is there a showing that 
it is there a showing that it is used or intended to be used for routine 
county business."

--

W5BEC is the club station license issued to the Bell County Emergency 
Operations Center in Belton, Texas.  Its also the call sign of a wide 
area two meter repeater that covers much of central Texas.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  STAY OFF 10 METERS

Meantime, the FCC's crackdown on 10 meter unlicensed intruders 
continues.  This time the agency acts in a New Jersey case.  Again, the 
FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:

--

Duckworth:  Auto Elite Transportation of Morristown, New Jersey, has 
been sent a warning notice about a vehicle of theirs; truck number 2113, 
as being the source of unlicensed radio transmissions on 28.085 Mhz."

--

Auto Elite was warned that continued unlicensed operation of radio 
transmitting equipment without is a violation of Section 301 of the 
Communications Act.  That it could subject the operator to fine or 
imprisonment, as well as seizure of any non-certified radio transmitting 
equipment. Monetary forfeitures for this kind of violation normally 
ranges from $7,500 to $10,000.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  SAN DIEGO'S 96.9 MHZ PIRATE REACTIVATES

According to a news bulletin from Chris Carmichael appearing in the CGC 
Communicator, San Diego's 96.9 MHz pirate is back on the air.  Chris 
says that there is no news on the location of the transmitter, but he 
believes that will only take the Commission a short time to figure out.  
(CGC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  SPAMMER GOES TO JAIL

A New York state man who sent out millions of "spam" e-mails has been 
sentenced to three and a half to seven years in prison.   This according 
to a May 27th news release from that states Attorney General's office 
which said that Howard Carmack, known as the "Buffalo Spammer," received 
the maximum sentence for 14 counts of identity theft and forgery.

A spokesman for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said that 
Carmack sent out hundreds of millions of bulk e-mail messages.  That he 
flooded inboxes and saddled Internet providers with millions of dollars 
in costs. But it was his use of stolen identities and forged addresses 
that caused action by state prosecutors.  New York has no state laws 
specifically dealing with spam.  Carmack was found guilty of violating 
state forgery and identity-theft laws in April.

Internet provider EarthLink Inc. won a $16.5 million judgment against 
Carmack last year, and EarthLink officials testified in the criminal 
trial as well.  (Published news reports)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  EARTHLINK VS. PHISHERS

Meantime, EarthLink claims that it has developed a program to fight 
phony websites like this,.  The sites, called phishers are those 
designed to deceive e-mail users into providing personal information 
such as passwords and credit card or Social Security numbers.

Phisher sites pronounced "fishers" but with a leading "p" are called 
that because they "fish" for personal information that can be used in 
identity theft.  They work by telling an Internet user via e-mail that 
there is a problem with the service-provider account and providing 
directions to a Web site for clarification.  The link takes the user to 
a hoax Web site that may be a perfect copy of a real page used by 
Earthlink, eBay or another legitimate business. That is where the user 
is deceived into providing personal information.

EarthLink's anti-phisher program will rely on a list of known fraudulent 
sites. When a subscriber responds to the e-mail message, he will be 
linked instead to a special Web page that warns the e-mail is a fraud.  
The site also will provide a chance to report the hoax attempt.

EarthLink says that it receives about 40,000 telephone calls or e-mails 
each month from subscribers who have received one of the fraudulent e-
mails.  (Earthlink)

**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS:  A SEARCHABLE CQ MAGAZINE ARCHIVE

Finding an article or an advertisement in a back issue of CQ Magazine is 
about to become only a mouse click away.  This, as CQ Communications and 
Buckmaster Publishing announce plans to create a searchable on-line 
archive of CQ magazines back issues.  

Buckmaster, which produces the Hamcall CD has for decades filmed issues 
of CQ onto microfiche for use by researchers and hobbyists.  Buckmaster 
also provides advanced scanning and searching technology for on-line 
posting of documents for major corporations. Now this same technology 
will be applied to back issues of 
CQ.

As currently envisioned, searches will be free, while access to reading 
and printing specific pages will require a subscription at a nominal 
fee.  Eventually Buckmaster plans to have every issue of CQ available 
dating back to the magazine's first issue in January 1945. 

A beta test version covering CQ from 1990 to 2002 is already on-line.  
The archive may be accessed at http://hamcall.net/cgi-bin/cqcgi.  (CQ)

**

WITH ARNEWSLINE:  YHOTY NOMINATIONS CLOSE JUNE 30TH

And a reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur Radio 
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award closes midnight on Wednesday, June 
30th.  If you are planning to nominate a youngster for this years award 
or, if you want to update a previous years nomination -- and have not 
yet done so  --  you have only about two weeks left to do so.  

The Young Ham of the Year Award program is open to any FCC licensed 
young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the contiguous 48 
states.  He or she must have made a significant contribution to the 
community, the nation or ham radio though the United States Amateur 
Radio Service.    

More information and a downloadable on-line nominating form is at our 
website. That's in cyberspace at www.arnewsline.org.  

Again, the cutoff for nominations this year is midnight on June 30th.  
The award presentation takes place in August at the Huntsville Hamfest 
in Alabama.   (ARNewsline(tm))

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  INSTANT MESSAGING  EXPANDING WORLDWIDE

Wonder where some of your ham radio buddies are these days?  Maybe they 
are now using Instant messaging instead of 2 meter FM.  Norm Seeley, 
KI7UP, has more:

--

According to Tech Web News, Instant Message use is growing steadily 
among corporate workers who use free services from companies like 
America Online, Microsoft, and Yahoo to send quick text messages to 
coworkers, family, and friends.  And by 2008 closer to  80 percent of 
corporations worldwide are expected to use either public or private 
Instant Messaging networks.

A recent study by The Radicati Group says that by 2008 the number of 
Instant Message users worldwide is expected to reach 670 million.  
Business wise, this equates to revenues in the $413 million range.  

Even so, the percentage of people using public networks and private 
networks is expected to remain the same.   That's at 88 percent public 
and 12 percent private, respectively.  The reason:  Its hard to get 
people to pay for what someone else is giving away for free.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP, reporting.

--

Ham radio groups are also turning to Instant Messaging.  According to 
Internet postings, it comes in handy when there is a net to be held and 
propagation goes away.   (TechWeb Online)

**

HAM INTERNET NEWS: THE VHF REFLECTOR BACK ON LINE

And speaking about instant messaging, or almost instant messaging, news 
that the VHF Reflector is back on line.  This, according to Bob Vaughan, 
KC6SXC, who oversees the systems operation.

In a posting, Vaughn explained that the W6YX server that hosts the VHF 
Reflector suffered a disk failure and was off line for the past month.  
Vaughn says that the team has now recovered the data from the failed 
disk and has put the system and the Reflector back on-line.  (VHF 
Reflector)

**

ON THE AIR:  KY REPEATER NEEDS A NEW HOME

The Repeater Journal reports that the Danville, Kentucky, 146 point 655 
WD4DZC repeater is looking for a new site.  According to trustee George 
Griebe, WQ4Z, the tower supporting the systems antenna is to be taken 
down and will not be replaced.  

Griebe says that the Wilderness Road Amateur Radio club which sponsors 
the repeater plans to keep it on the air from a temporary location with 
reduced coverage.  Meantime the club is continuing its search for a 
suitable, high level, wide coverage permanent site.  (Repeater Journal)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  OHIO IN JULY

Turning to the ham radio social circuit, the 7th annual OH-KY-IN hamfest 
is slated for the July 24th at the Diamond Oaks Career Development 
Center in Cincinnati Ohio.  The event will feature commercial vendors, a 
flea market and much more.  Information is on line at www.ohkyin.org or 
by e-mail to n8bv at juno.com.  (OH-KY-IN)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  COLORADO IN JULY

And the Northern Colorado Amateur Radio Club will hold its 2004 
Superfest at the Budweiser Events Center in the Larimer County 
Fairgrounds on July 17th.  Talk-in is on the 145.115 Mhz repeater with a 
100 hertz tone access.  For information on this one contact  Willis 
Whatley, WA5RVL, at his Callbook address.  (E-mail)

**  

INTERNATIONAL - GREECE:  HAM RADIO AT THE SUMMER OLYMPICS

Some more good news for foreign radio amateurs visiting Greece for the 
Summer Olympic Games. From the August 1st through September 15th hams 
from CEPT signatory nations will be permitted to operate in Greece 
without the need to submit any papers for a license.  They will also be 
allowed to use the special prefix J42004.  Meantime, Greek radio 
amateurs can use the special prefixes SX2004 or SY2004 through the 15th 
of November in celebration of the games.  (GB2RS)

**

DX

In D-X, word that MM0AFJ will be on the air from the Island of Harris.  
This,  from the 27th of June until the 2nd of July, mainly in the 
mornings on 80 to 10 meters CW and SSB.  There may be some activity on 
160 meters in the evenings. Requests for skeds should be sent via e-mail 
to m0afj at tiscali.co.uk. QSL direct to MM0AFJ at his Callbook address.  
(RSGB)

Also, IK4RUX reports he will operate portable IF9 on HF SSB from 
Favignana between the 19th and the 26th of June.  Side trips to other 
islands in the Egadis group as well as some lighthouse operations are 
also possible.  QSL to the operators home call or via the bureau.  
(RSGB)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  HAM RADIO HONORS THE MEMORY OF PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN

And finally this week, ham radio finds a way to honor the memory former 
President Ronald Reagan.  Here's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW with the rest of 
the story:

--

Two suburban Los Angeles area radio clubs are joing forces to honor the 
memory former President Ronald Wilson Reagan.  This, by operating Field 
Day in his honor from the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.  

According to Peter Heins, N6ZE, the two groups joing forces to honor the 
late United States president are the Ventura County Amateur Radio 
Society and the Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club.  The Ventura County 
group has operated Field Day before from the Reagan Library.  This year, 
the Conejo Valley club will be joining with them for the first time.

Heins says that 2004 is the fourth year a special event will have been 
held at the Reagan Library using the special N-6-R call sign.  The 
previous three were dedicated to all members of the former first family. 
This years Field Day operation will be specific in its remembrance of 
President Reagan who died of Alzheimer's disease on June 5th at age 93.  

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

--

Field Day 2004 is the weekend of June 26th and 27th.  Visitors to the 
Reagan Library will be able to listen in on amateur radio communication, 
talk to amateur radio stations located in other countries, and find out 
more about obtaining an FCC Amateur Radio License of their very own.  

Also, the complete Field Day rules are on-line at the ARRL website.  Its 
in cyberspace at www.arrl.org  (N6ZE)

**

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 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. 

Again, the cutoff for submitting nominations for this years Young Ham of 
the Year Award  is midnight on June 30th.  The award presentation takes 
place in August at the Huntsville.  Full details are on our website at 
www.arnewsline.org

Also, don't forget Field Day the weekend of June 26th and 27th.  We'll 
see you on the air.