[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline - June 25, 2004

Sat Jun 26 19:08:35 EDT 2004

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1402 - June 25,  2004

The following is an advisory and not necessarily for air.  Ladies and 
gentlemen, Amateur Radio Newslines' Support Fund Administrator, Andy 
Jarema, N6TCQ:

--

This is Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, Newsline Support Fund Administrator, getting 
caught up with our supporters. In the month of September of last year we 
heard from Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando; monthly contributor Joseph 
Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of Columbus, OH; the St. Charles, MO ARC, WB0HSI; 
monthly contributor William Walters, WA2IBM, of San Jose; monthly 
contributor Scott Hensley of the Area Communications Team, also in San 
Jose and the Anchorage ARC.

Of special mention was support received in memory of the late Roy Neal, 
K6DUE, by the Brackett family of Cerritos, CA. Our thanks to Sharyn, 
Jim, KE6FVN, David, KE6OPK, and Lynn, WA6HBS. 

Thank you to everyone, 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.  That address will be repeated at the end of the 
newscast. 

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

--

Thank you Andy.  Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1402 with a 
release date of Friday, June 25 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T.  Changes coming to ham radio in New Zealand 
and maybe to the 40 meter band here in the United States.   Find out the 
details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1402 coming your way 
right now.

**

RESTRUCTURING:  A NEW HAM RADIO IN ZED-L

Big changes appear to be in store for ham radio in New Zealand.  This, 
as the current licensing system is replaced by one test and one class of 
ham radio operator. ,Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, is in Auckland where its all 
taking place:

--

Here's the bottom line. Our current New Zealand Amateur Radio licensing 
system is being renovated. We now have only one class of ham radio 
license in Zed-L called the General Amateur Radio License. This is just 
one of many changes coming to ham radio down-under as New Zealand radio 
amateurs discover the full outcome of their regulatory authority's 
review of the Amateur Radio service. It's all good!

The changes started on June 17th when a new revised Schedule attached to 
the Zed-L license came into effect. A Schedule here in New Zealand is 
kind of like a new set of rules. That's the first step. Other changes 
will take effect over the next 18 months or more. Many long standing 
problems are being eliminated and some of the changes are believed to be 
world firsts.  Under the new structure there will be only one grade of 
Amateur operator license in New Zealand. That's the General Radio 
License that I mentioned earlier. One license means only one test needs 
to be administered.

A newly-licensed amateur will have immediate access to all amateur bands 
below 5 MHz and to all amateur bands above 25 MHz. After getting 
experience over 3 months and with at least 50 contacts logged, access is 
then permitted to all amateur radio bands.

All existing Limited Amateur licensees automatically became General 
Amateur licensees on June 17th irrespective of what is written on their 
existing licenses. There being only one license grade, callsigns will no 
longer indicate a class. There is already an established procedure to 
request a change of callsign if a licensee so wishes.

All amateur bands remain the same but a newly-extended Low Frequency 
band 130 to 190 kHz is being listed for the first time as an amateur 
allocation. 

The permitted maximum transmitter power output for an amateur station on 
all bands is 500 watts P-E-P.  With only one figure, the maximum power 
level in New Zealand is now mode-independent.

How about visitors to New Zealand? Touring hams holding a current 
amateur certificate of competency, authorization, or license issued by 
another administration, may operate an amateur station in New Zealand 
under a General User Radio License for visitors. A licensed visitor will 
be granted similar privileges to a New Zealand resident station for a 
period not exceeding 90 days. The present country-to-country reciprocal 
license agreements will disappear in time as more countries directly 
recognize the licenses issued by other administrations. This will make 
cross-border travel by radio amateurs a lot easier than it is today.

There are now minimum rules and restrictions for Amateur Radio in New 
Zealand and the future is positive.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, reporting from 
Auckland.

--

With one license exam,  one license grade, and with new and  simplified 
procedures, New Zealand telecommunications regulators say that they have 
positioned that nations Amateur Radio Service for an exciting future.  
(ARNewsline(tm), ZL2BHF, Q-News)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  FCC RELEASES NPRM ON  40-METER CHANGES

The FCC says pending changes in the 40-meter amateur band as a result of 
the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference will improve spectrum 
efficiency.  It said so in a rule making notice dealing with the 40 
meter band.  Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the latest:

--

The ARRL Letter reports that this remark came in an FCC Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making in ET Docket 04-139.  This is an inquiry that  
seeks public comments on proposed rule changes to complete domestic 
implementation of various World Radiocommunication Conference allocation 
decisions made in 2003.  Among them the future of the Amateur Service 40 
meter allocation.

The regulatory agency says that it anticipates that administrations in 
I-T-U Regions 1 and 3 will,  in the near future, authorize phone 
emissions in the 7 point 150 to 7 point 200 MHz band segment.  The FCC 
notes that the ARRL has requested that the United States frequency 
segment for phone emissions be expanded to 7 point 125 to 7 point 300 
MHz. The FCC says that authorizing voice operations  in this band 
segment would permit same-frequency US-to-DX contacts,  resulting in 
increased spectrum efficiency.  

The N-P-R-M also addresses the deployment of Earth Exploration Satellite 
Service-Active spacecraft in the 70-cm band. The Commission says that 
this operation should not cause harmful interference to, nor claim 
protection from, any other services allocated in the band in the United 
States.  This includes the Amateur Satellite service as well as any 
others.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, 
Arizona.

--

Comments in the proceeding are due July 16, with reply by August 2. 
Interested parties may view the entire NPRM, file comments and view 
comments filed in ET Docket 04-139 via the FCC's Electronic Comment 
Filing System at www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/  (ARRL)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  NO VANITY CALLS IN THE UK RIGHT NOW

Vanity callsigns 'are unlikely to be introduced in the United Kingdom 
before March of 2006.  This, according to the Radio Society of Great 
Britain which says that for the last three years it has been in 
discussion with licensing authorities over the introduction of such a 
program for U-K amateurs.

The latest word is that telecommunications regulators have informed the 
RSGB that due to software issues it is unlikely that vanity callsigns 
can be introduced before March 2006.  In other words, the waiting goes 
on.  (RSGB)

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  ARRL JOINS IOWA HAM IN BPL INTERFERENCE STRUGGLE

The ARRL has joined in the fight on behalf of Iowa amateur and ARRL 
member.  This, following complaints from Jim Spencer, W0SR, of Cedar 
Rapids, that he has suffered severe Broadband Over Powerline 
interference for more than two months.

According to the ARRL Letter, a formal complaint to FCC Enforcement 
Bureau Chief David H. Solomon calls on the Commission to order Alliant 
Energy's B-P-L field trial system to shut down.  It also demands that 
the agency fine the utility $10,000 for violating the Communications Act 
of 1934 and FCC's Part 15 rules. 

Alleging that the ongoing interference is both harmful and willful to 
one or more licensed radio station the ARRL asked Solomon to intervene 
on an emergency basis.  ARRL Chief Executive Officer  David Sumner, 
K1ZZ, who signed the letter of complaint, said Alliant Energy has been 
aware since March 30th.  Thats the date it installed Amperion BPL 
equipment in Spencer's neighborhood and the interference began.  (ARRL)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  EX-KG6IRO FINED $10000 FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION

A man who challenged the FCC and the southern California ham radio 
community has been fined $10,000.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce 
Tennant, K6PZW, has the latest on a person who the F-C-C has told to 
stay off the air:

--

The FCC has issued a $10,000 Notice of Apparent Liability to Monetary 
Forfeiture -- that's a fancy way of saying a fine -- to Jack Gerritsen, 
the at least temporarily former KG6IRO.  This, for operating a radio 
station in the Amateur Radio Service without the authorization from the 
FCC to do so.  

In a June 15th letter to the Bell, California, former licensee, the 
regulatory agency notes his past record of non compliance with, among 
other things,  its orders to keep off the air.  It also notes his 
previous conviction for interfering with police radio communications in 
2000 and the November 14, 2001 decision by the FCC to set aside his ham 
radio ticket based on complaints about the operation of his stations.  
Kit also raises questions regarding his qualifications to be a 
Commission licensee in light of his 1999 arrest and 2000 conviction on 
the police radio jamming charges.

At the time of the license set aside Gerritsen was warned that he has no 
authority to operate radio transmitting equipment.  That doing so would 
be considered to be a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act 
and could subject him to monetary penalties or imprisonment.  

But on December 9th 2001, the Bell, California Police Department 
notified the FCC that it had received complaints against Gerritsen for 
making radio transmissions.  On December 28th of 2001 the FCC's Los 
Angeles Office issued a warning letter to Gerritsen for unlicensed 
operation, and basically told him to get off the air.  On January 2, 
2002 Gerritsen replied and asserted that the set aide of his license was 
improper.  On January 29th, the Bell Police and the California Highway 
Patrol arrested Gerritsen on a probation violation charge.  On May 7th 
of 2002 he was found guilty of the parole violation and sentenced.

Soon after his release on July 28th of 2003 the FCC began getting 
complaints of unauthorized transmissions over local Los Angeles area 
amateur, business band and public safety repeaters.  The complaints 
alleged that the person making the transmissions identified using the 
call letters KG6IRO.  An investigation was launched.  This lead to an 
agent positively identifying Gerritsen on November 6,  2003 as a person 
holding a transceiver while the investigator recorded the radio 
transmissions he was making.  The investigation continued with the FCC 
identifying Gerritsen as the interference source on November 7th 2003 
and on February 9th of this year.

Now, based on what the FCC cites as conclusive evidence it has levied 
the $10,000 fine against Gerritsen for willful and repeated violations 
of Section 301.  As usual, Gerritsen was given the customary 30 days to 
pay up or to file an appeal.

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

--

Word is that Gerritsen has responded to the FCC with a demand that the 
agency  rescind the fine.  He reportedly claims that his license granted 
on November 14th 2001 has not been terminated, revoked or in any way 
modified to prevent him from being on the air.   (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  THE FCC ENFORCEMENT LOG

Gerritsen is not the only ham radio enforcement story making news this 
week.  With more, heres the FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:

--

DO NOT READ:  Audio report only.  Hear it in the newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org

--

More ham radio enforcement news in upcoming Amateur Radio Newsline 
reports.

--

ENFORCEMENT VICTORVILLE CA PIRATE STILL ON THE AIR

A pirate broadcaster in Victorville, California,  is still operating 
full time on AM 660 and FM 91.3.  This,  in defiance of FCC actions to 
shut it down.

Back on March 31st, the FCC issued a $20,000 fine to alleged station 
owner Stanley Mark Mayo.  This, for willful and repeated violation of 
Section 301 of the Act for operating radio transmitting equipment 
without the required Commission authorization.  

None the less, the stations remain on the air leading to speculation 
that another level of enforcement action might be taken.  One that could 
lead to seizure of the broadcast equipment and jailing of those who put 
the stations on the air.  

For a look at the Commission's action on these stations, see  
www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-246123A1.html  (CGC, others)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  A 100 WATT TRAVELERS INFORMATION STATION AT LAX

The FCC has granted a request by the managers of Los Angeles 
International Airport for a ten fold power increase to their Travelers 
Radio Information Radio service.   On December 4, 2002, managers filed 
the application that asked to increase power from 10 to 100 watts.  The 
reason for the increase was to facilitate the airport's efforts to 
provide emergency communications to the traveling public in the event of 
a terrorist attack. The FCC has now granted the 100 watt request, due, 
it says, to the circumstances involved.  More on this story is on-line  
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-3843A1.doc  
(CGC) 

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  NEBRASKA IN JULY

Turning to the ham radio social scene, Nerbraska's Pioneer Amateur Radio 
Club will hold its flea market on Sunday, June 11th.  The venue is the 
St. Charles Parish Center in North Bend.  For more information e-mail 
mehaffey at dtnsped.net  (E-mail)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  MARYLAND IN JULY

And the BRATS Hamfest and Computer Fest will take place July 25th at the 
Timonium Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland.  This is one of the biggies  
that features more than 500 outdoor flea market spaces, hundreds of 
indoor vendors, free ham radio exams and much more.  There is lots of 
information on this one on-line.  You will find it in cyberspace at 
www.bratsatv.org  (Press release)

**

HAM RADIO AND THE 2004 OLYMPICS:  THE ATHENS 2004 AWARD

Athens 2004 Olympic Games Awards will available for all radio amateurs 
and short-wave listeners who make or log a requisite number of contacts 
with stations in Greece.  This, during the period of the 15th of May 
until the 30th of September.

Special prefixes J4, SX and SY count 10 points each, normal SV stations 
count 5 points each and the Radio Amateur Association of Greece's HQ 
station SZ1SV counts 50 points. A total of 250 points is required for 
the Bronze Award, 350 for the Silver and 500 points for the Gold Award.

The address for applications is RAAG Award Manager, PO Box 3564, 102 10 
Athens, Greece, or see the RAAG web site:  www.araag.org/award2004.html   
(RSGB)

**

AN ARNEWSLINE FOLLOW-UP:  MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY

A follow-up to a story we ran several weeks ago.  Thanks to the efforts 
of several amateur radio operators in Ft. Wayne, Indiana a message of 
hope and appreciation was sent via the airwaves to our military 
personnel around the world. Newsline's Jack Parker W8ISH  has the 
details:

---

It's official. By proclamation, May 29th, is officially Amateur Radio 
Military Appreciation Day in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The event was 
organized to honor and show appreciation to those that serve and have 
served in the military and related auxiliary groups. Planning for the 
event started last spring and quickly grew into a nationwide effort as 
organizer Emery McClendon KB9IBW spread the word to amateurs and MARS 
operators in the US and around the world.

The key to success centered on what Amateur Radio could do to let our 
Military members know that people supported them. Unlike written 
letters, amateur radio allowed Americans, in their own voice and words, 
tell the troops how much they care. 

To get lots of public input, event organizers searched for a special 
event location. The Fort Wayne Wizards baseball team got into the game 
by offering up a spot at their stadium and a home game crowd. The effort 
grew momentum when radio volunteers from three Allen county amateur 
radio groups joined the ranks to spread the good word. 

The amateurs ran three Echolink stations, IRLP, and two HF stations 
along with PSK31. The event scored local media coverage from newspapers, 
radio and network TV stations. Indiana Governor Joe Kernan, a former 
Vietnam POW and Indiana's senior Senator Dick Lugar both sent 
proclamations. They were just two of several proclamations read in a 
special ceremony before the first pitch of the baseball game. Many of 
the 65-hundred fans on hand, took advantage of the amateur radio 
connection to express their support to the military stationed around the 
world. 

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jack Parker W8ISH 

--

The Fort Wayne hams say their mission was a success. They now plan to 
make Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day an annual event.  
(ARNewsline(tm), KB9IBW)

**

HAM RADIO ON THE INTERNET:  THE AOL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FORUM

If you use America Online to get your e-mail and have never explored the 
Radio Communications forum pages, then you are missing half the fun.  
Almost since the day AoL took to Internet, the Radio Communications 
Forum has been a part of the service, and its not just limited to ham 
radio operators either.  No matter what you radio hobby interest, there 
is probably a board for you.  C-B.  Scanners.  You name it.  There's a 
place for you.

So the next time you sign on and hear the famous words -- "you've got 
mail" -- type in the keywords radio communications and join the other 
radio hobbyists around the world who make this area of AoL their 
cyberspace home."  (ARNewsline(tm))

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AN ORBITAL FIELD DAY

Ham radio space travelers Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, and Gennady Padalka, 
RN3DT, may participate in Field Day from the International Space Station 
if time permits.  ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Ken Ransom, N5VHO, sent 
Field Day operating instructions and pass times to the ISS support team 
at Johnson Space Center.  If they were on, Fincke should have been 
operating as NA1SS. Padalka would likely have signed RS0ISS.  Both 
stations would be classified as 1 Alpha operations.  (ARISS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  ITS A GIRL

And less we forget, a word of congratulations to Astronaut Mike Fincke 
and his wife Renita on the birth of their second child. Tarali Fincke 
was born on Friday June 18th with KE5AIT himself making the announcement 
from the orbiting I-S-S.  (N1ORC)

**

THE EDUCATION FILE:  THE 2004 TAPR - ARRL DCC

On the educational agenda, the 2004 TAPR and ARRL Digital Communications 
Conference will be held September 10th to the 12.  The venue is the 
Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines, Iowa and the planners say that are 
now accepting papers for the conference proceedings. You do not have to 
be present at the conference to have your paper included in the 
proceedings. 

Submissions are due before August 10th.  Send them to Maty Weinberg at 
ARRL Headquarters, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connercticut.  The 
zipcode is  06111 and you will find more conference information on the 
web at www.tapr.org/dcc  (TAPR)

**

WORLDBEAT - INDIA:  A NEW HAM RADIO INITIATIVE

In world news. India's national Amateur Radio society says that it plans 
to conduct various programs to promote Amateur Radio as part of a 
disaster mitigation program in many venues across that country.  Many 
local radio amateurs and clubs across India plan to back this National 
Institute of Amateur Radio initiative and also take part in this 
program.  (NIAR via Q-NEWS)

**

WORLDBEAT - SCOTLAND:  RSGB DISTRICT NAME CHANGES

And some major changes to the two Radio Society of Great Britain 
Scottish Regions have been announced.  Region 1, previously known as 
Scotland West and the Western Isles, becomes Scotland South and the 
Western Isles  Region 2, previously known as Scotland East and the 
Highlands becomes Scotland North and the Northern Isles.

As a result of these changes, two new RSGB districts will be added to 
Region 1.  These are District 15 to be called Lothians and District 16, 
the Borders.  The Deputy Regional Manager for District 15 is Dave 
Stockton, GM4ZNX.  (GB2RS)

**

DX

In D-X, word that IZ3EFL is currently active as S79DF from the 
Seychelles. Look for him during his evening hours on 20 meters SSB.  He 
expects to remain there for quite some time so QSL as directed on the 
air.  (GB2RS)

And PA5M is now in Sudan and will be active in his spare time as ST2DX.  
He will be there for about one month.  QSL is via PA7FM.  (GB2RS)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  D-DAY AND HAM RADIO - NEW ORLEANS STYLE

And finally this week, the story of ham radio helping to celebrate a 
national holiday, southern style.  It took place in New Orleans and Don 
Wilbanks, AE5DW, is there with the rest of the story:

--

The weekend of June 5th and 6th the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club, based 
in Metairie, Louisiana operated W5D, a special event station to 
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at the National 
D-Day Museum located in downtown New Orleans.  

Event co-chairman Keith Barnes, W5KB reports that by all measures it was 
a rousing success.  Just over 600 contacts were made and the station 
display was very well received by visitors and Veterans alike.  The hams 
manning the booth didn't miss many opportunities to talk up amateur 
radio.  

The display, prominently located in the main entrance hall just past the 
front door, featured a large collection of World War II vintage military 
radio gear.  Among the visitors to the station were former New Orleans 
Archbishop Philip Hannan, himself a World War II vet and member of the 
82nd Airborne.  The Archbishop actually jumped with the 82nd on D-Day.  

Also stopping by was Louisiana governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco.  She 
even sat at the radio and made a contact.  

Both Archbishop Hannan and Governor Blanco signed the commemorative 
poster along with World War II veteran radio operators and World War II 
veteran hams.  The poster will be made into the commemorative 
certificate for those stations making contact with W5D.  

For more information on the special event, along with pictures of the 
station and vintage radio display, take your web browser to the 
Jefferson Amateur Radio Club's website at www.w5gad.org.  To find out 
more about the National D-Day Museum visit www.ddaymuseum.org.  

>From New Orleans, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW for the Amateur Radio 
Newsline.

-- credit: JARC --

--

A job well done by the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club in New Orleans.  
(AE5DW)

**

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. 

A final reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur Radio 
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award closes at midnight Eastern time 
this Wednesday, June 30th.  If you have not yet nominated a youngster 
this is your last chance to do so for this years judging.

This Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is open to any 
FCC licensed young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the 
contiguous 48 states and who has 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. 