[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1404 - July 9, 2004

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Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1404 - July 9,  2004

The following is a Q-S-T.  The B-P-L fight escalates as a utility 
spokesman declares a war of words against ham radio.  Find out the 
details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1404 coming your way 
right now.

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  A WAR OF WORDS

The fight to stave off the rollout of B-P-L technology has now become a 
war of words.  This, as an official of the United Power Line Council 
issues a statement calling ham radio operators a misinformed set of 
armchair amateurs that still use vacuum tube transmitters.  Amateur 
Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has more:

--

The comments appear on the Federal Communications Commission record in 
the current Broadband over Powerline Internet proceedings and in a 
critical press release issued by the council.

American Radio Relay League President Jim Haynie, W5JBP tells Amateur 
Radio Newsline it's clear amateur radio's impact in the BPL debate is 
irritating the proponents of the technology.

"Yeah, a lot of us do have armchairs in our shacks and some of us still 
do have tube equipment but what they overlook is the fact that probably 
more than half of all radio amateurs in the United States are in the 
electronics field of some sort," Haynie says. "And, when they say ignore 
us, and ignore the NTIA (National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration), that just flabbergasted me when they said that.

"I thought, 'Okay, this is remarks of somebody that's feeling the 
pressure."

Haynie says BPL spokesman Brett Kilbourne touted his member utilities 
and companies which produce BPL equipment as the real experts on the 
technology. Haynie says Kilbourne denigrated the contribution of the 
amateur radio service operators in the debate. 

Haynie says calling amateurs "misinformed" and trying to paint them as 
backward-thinking radio operators who use outdated and antiquated 
equipment, simply didn't sit well with the ham community. 

"No, they're not fighting words particularly, but it shows the lack of 
experience," Haynie says. "It shows the lack of education on the subject 
that these associations are putting out."

Haynie says the NTIA's findings of interference problems and the 
opposition from several users of the radio spectrum that would be 
affected by BPL apparently caught the industry by surprise.

"The part that really amazes me is the fact that PLCA (Power Line 
Communications Association) and the UPLC (United Power Line Council) 
have continually denied that there's any interference and yet the NTIA 
study, the League studies are all based on fact," Haynie says. " And, I 
would challenge the industry - the BPL industry - Okay, show me your 
study. Show me your data and I don't want any just, 'Well, it won't 
interfere,' I want to see hard science and evidence. And, let's see what 
you got!"

Haynie says there are hams across the country, like those in Cedar 
Rapids, Iowa who tried to work with engineers at Alliant Energy to 
resolve BPL test problems. Alliant shut down its pilot test prematurely 
after conceding its inability to solve certain technical issues as well 
as a formal deliberate interference complaint filed by the ARRL with the 
FCC.

"Some of the utilities, are indeed working with the amateurs and are 
making good-faith efforts," Haynie concedes. "And, the amateurs are 
acting very professional in their respect because the ones that are 
working with the utilities are indeed double E's and PhD's.

"So, their credentials are good. Just the fact that they're amateurs, I 
think, doesn't discredit their ability to come up with good, factual 
information. But the associations are the ones that I see that are 
having a problem dealing with the truth."

Haynie says his recent meeting with the Bush administration's technology 
advisor about the president's pro-BPL stand, netted even more requests 
to work on the issue from a key government agency.

"I just got a letter last Saturday from the secretary of commerce also 
assuring me that the interference studies would be dealt with and 
invited me to have a dialogue with Mr. (Michael) Gallagher, who's head 
of the NTIA right now," Haynie says. "They realize that they have 
something that wasn't in there at first in the sales job that the BPL 
industry has done and it's suddenly become quite transparent.

"They realize that there is a problem with the NTIA report. They realize 
there is a problem in the other data that's been submitted in the Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking.

"So the glitz and glitter is not there as much as it was six, eight 
months ago or a year ago, whenever the salesmanship job was done by the 
BPL people."

Haynie says as more people study the BPL issue, especially the technical 
woes it can cause, the chorus of those joining the ARRL's opposition 
grows. 

"Interestingly enough, Mark, I've got a number of e-mails and stuff from 
people, the short-wave listeners," Haynie says. "I know they have a 
little association, and I don't mean little by the fact they don't work 
hard. But they've really commented about the work the League has done 
and been the leader in the forefront of bringing this evidence to 
light."

Haynie adds the Cedar Rapids case sent shock waves through the BPL 
industry. He's hopeful it will influence those on the fence about the 
technology to reconsider.

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

--

As the date approaches for the FCC to render its final decision on the 
rollout of BPL, don't be to surprised if the attacks against ham radio 
and others in opposition grow in loudness and intensity.  
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  AMSAT SAYS NO TO BPL IN REPLY COMMENTS

AMSAT has filed reply comments with the FCC on the FCC's  BPL Notice 
of Proposed Rule Making.  The ham radio space agency says that Broadband 
Over Powerline technology is almost certain to have a heavy negative 
impact way beyond the frequencies it actually utilizes.  Bill Pasternak, 
WA6ITF, has more:

--

In its filing to the FCC, AMSAT North America cites two very sound 
technical reasons for its concern.  One of these is the generation 
harmonics that every transmitter produced.  The other is mixing products 
that can take place accidentally, even in the very best of maintained R-
F transmission systems.. 

As every ham knows, mixing products are generated by combinations of two 
or more RF carriers being present in a nonlinear medium.  When mixing is 
a planned part of a radio system, it happens in a contained environment 
like a transistor or i-c chip.  But  there are far more times when its 
not wanted such as a corroded joint on a tower, on a guy wire and 
especially on an electrical power line.  

AMSAT says that these mixing products along with the harmonics of a BPL 
system will appear at VHF and higher frequencies.  Bands like 2 
meters, 220 and above.  Moreover, being higher in frequency, they will 
radiate more readily from the power lines carrying them than will the 
fundamental frequencies actually being used to access to the BPL system 
itself.

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

--

More on AMSAT's reply comment filing is on line at the address in this 
weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.The full text of all of AMSAT's FCC 
filings can be found at http://www.amsat.org/amsat/amsat-na/filings/)
 
**

WITH THE FCC:  CHAIRMAN POWELL VIDEO PROMOTES UWB

Meantime, the CGC Communicator reports that FCC Chairman Michael Powell 
has addressed a meeting of the International Telecommunication Union in 
Boston.  This,  regarding the compatibility between ultra-wideband 
devices and radio communications services.  

In his prerecorded message, the Chairman spoke to the international 
audience of spectrum management experts from over 30 countries.  He 
reportedly stressed that existing operators must be protected from 
harmful interference.  (CGC)

**

RADIO LAW:  DON'T DO THE CRIME IF YOU CAN'T PAY THE FINE

Its going to cost a bit more if the FCC catches anyone breaking its 
rules.  This, as the agency amends its rules to increase the maximum 
monetary forfeiture penalties available to it.

The new maximum for broadcasters and cable operators is $32,500 per 
violation or per day of a continuing violation.  In this case the amount 
for a continuing violation will not to exceed $325,000.  

Common carriers like telephone companies and cellular providers can be 
dinged up to $130,000 per violation or per day of a continuing violation 
with.  Here the amount for a continuing the misbehavior cannot exceed 
$1.325 million.  

And what individuals who knowingly break the rules?  Like unlicensed 
operators who take to the ham bands?  Well they can be fined $11,000 per 
violation or per day of a continuing violation with the amount for a 
continuing infraction not to exceed $97,500.  And $97,500 will put a big 
dent in almost anyone's checking account.  (FCC)

**

ON THE AIR:  MARKET REEF, OJ0J, A SUCCESS

The now concluded Market Reif Dxpedition was a rousing success.  This, 
according to Lars Nikko, OH0RJ, who says that  12,414 QSOs were made 
during the groups 84 hours on the rock and operating as OJ0J.

Due to bad weather, dipole antennas had to be used most of the time.  
The beam they had with them could only be hoisted for the last day of 
operations. Only the 30, 40, 20 and 17 meter bands were activated. Even 
with these restrictions the operators managed to rack up an average of 
150 QSO's an hour for their entire stay.

With calmer weather on the morning of Monday, July 5th, the operators 
departed Market Reef and returned safely to the Aland Islands. OH0RJ 
says that if you contacted the group your QSL should be sent to him at 
his callbook address.  (Via E-Mail)

**

ON VHF AND ABOVE:  BIG 2 METER OPENING ON JULY 6TH

VHF DX may be better this year than last.  This, even though we are on a 
downward side of the 11 year solar cycle.  

Real D-X on 2 meters began rolling in on Tuesday, July 6th.  Pete Petri, 
WA5JCI, in Palestine, Texas wrote over the W6YX VHF Reflector that he 
arrived home about time the opening started to show up in grid square  
in EM21.  Using only a barefoot IC-706 Pete managed to work a few new 
grids including stations in FN25 and FN03.

Meantime, Steve, Rutledge, N4JQQ, in Memphis, Tennessee grid EM55 
reported what he termed as an incredible opening to the North East.  
Steve says that he worked at least 20 new grids on two meters.  He also 
tried a CQ or two on 222 Mhz but made no contacts on that band.

But it may have been Al Gross, K2ERG, in Rochester, New York, who summed 
it up best.  He posted the word WOW, adding that he was hearing Florida 
working into West Texas, Oklahoma and every where between.  

We will have more DX news a bit later on in this weeks newscast.  (VHF 
Reflector)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  RAYNET ON STAND-BY FOR FIRE

RAYNET, the U-K equivalent of RACES was called up on alert when a fire 
gutted a scrap yard in the town of Morecambe. 

The fire started in the early hours of the morning and during the day 
local residents were advised to stay indoors because of the fumes, which 
could be observed two to three miles away.  This lead to the possibility 
that local residents would be evacuated to a rest center if the fire 
worsened.  ,

Charles Warr, G0AWM, is a Lancashire County Raynet Controller.  He 
reports that North Lancs Raynet and Central Lancs Raynet were put on 
stand-by on Friday, the 11th of June, by Lancashire County Emergency 
Planning.

Warr says that the two groups were on stand-by from 10:15 to 15:24 UTC.  
Firefighters eventually got a handle on the blaze and no evacuations 
were needed.   (GB2RS)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  THE WORLD BALLOON CHAMPIONSHIPS 

Meantime in Australia WICEN is that nations version of ARES and RACES  
combined.  Now word that WICEN Victoria in conjunction with the 
SUNRAYSIA Radio Group provided  the communications for the 16th World 
Balloon Championships at Mildura. 

Over 100 balloons competed from 36 countries.  Under the guidance of 
VK3ECV and VK3JAW about 20 WICEN operators assisted with communications.  
Among other duties they relayed scores from target measuring teams in 
the field to the score team at control.  Of particular interest was the 
portable Packet Radio facilities for digi-peating that were utilized 
extensively during the event.  (Q-News)

**

COMMUNICATIONS EVENTS:  NO COMDEX THIS YEAR

After almost a quarter of a century, Las Vegas' famed Comdex computer 
show has closed its doors.  At least it has for this year but its new 
owners say that it will be back..  

During the tech boom, Comdex lured more than 200-thousand people to the 
oasis in the desert and filled more than a million square feet of 
exhibit space with computer related exhibits.  But in recent years, 
several major players including Dell, I-B-M and Intel have stopped 
leasing exhibit space at the show.  Now, show organizer MediaLive 
International says it has formed an advisory board to reshape the event 
and hopes to bring it back in the future. 

Comdex Las Vegas  had been scheduled to open November 14, but now it is 
a definite cancellation for 2004.  More is on line at www.comdex.com  
(Published reports)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  HAM RADIO DL PULLS 18000

On a much brighter note, about 18,000 visitors, mostly radio amateurs 
and electronic hobbyists from Germany and other countries, came to the 
recent amateur radio Ham Radio exhibition in Friedrichshafen, Germany.  
Yes, that's its name.  Ham Radio --  and planners say that's close to 
1,000 more coming through the gate than in 2093.

There were 219 exhibitors from 33 countries showing everything that the 
radio amateur could wish for.  This year, a lot of interest was in 
antennas and other station accessories. The Ham Radio flea market is 
Europe's largest.  It too showed a healthy sales increase. 

In the end 43% of those attending Ham Radio traveled over 300 km and 
nearly one third of those attending came from outside of Germany.  There 
were even a number of attendees traveling to this event from here in the 
United States.  (DARC, DJ0QN)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE SANTA BARBARA CA. IN AUGUST

And be sure to mark August 8th on your ham radio calendar.  That's the 
date of the annual Santa Barbara California Hamfest.  Sponsored by the 
Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club, this years venue is the Elks Lodge in 
the town of Golita.  For more information on this event contact Marvin 
Johnston, KE6HTS by e-mail to  KE6HTS at sbarc.org  (SBARC)

** 

CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  MARLON BRANDO, KE6PZH/FO5GJ - S.K.

He was one of the towering giants of stage and screen, and was also one 
of us.  We are referring to the late Marlon Brando, KE6PZH, who died in 
Los Angeles, California on July 1.  Amateur Radio Newslines Bruce 
Tennant, K6PZW, reports:

--

Marlon Brando was born April 3, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska.  Best known 
for his inward looking method acting rolls in such cinema classics as 
"On The Waterfront, " "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "The Godfather," 
Brando's interest in ham radio first became known in the November of 
1977.  This occurred when he passed by a booth set up by the now defunct 
Palisades Amateur Radio Club of Culver City in the Pan American World 
Airways terminal at Los Angeles International Airport.  

The booth was there to handle health and welfare messages to earthquake 
torn Argentina.  64 people had been killed, upward of 40,000 were 
homeless and personal communications was non existent.  The radio 
amateurs were there to do what they could.

Brando and his entourage were passing through the Pan Am terminal when 
the actor spotted the ham radio operation.  He broke away from his 
group, introduced himself under his FO5GJ call sign and 
complimented the PARC crew for their volunteer effort.  

Soon, word that Brando was a ham became common knowledge in the Los 
Angeles area, but few people ever reported hearing him on the air.  When 
they did, he gave his name as Martin not Marlon and there are no reports 
of him ever using his 6 land call which the FCC database shows listed to 
a Martin Brandeaux -- spelled B-R-A-N-D-E-A-U-X -- in Beverly Hills.

It was not until an interview with Larry King in the mid-1990's that 
Brando let the world outside the hobby know of his love of ham radio.  
He told King that being a radio amateur gave him the opportunity to just 
be another anonymous human being.  To be himself.  A voice on the air, 
making friends from his home in French Polynesia using his FO5GJ 
call. 

Considered to be one of the greatest actors of all time, Brando was 
nominated for eight Academy Awards and won two of them.  His first Oscar 
was for his performance as ex-boxer Terry Malloy in "On the Waterfront."  
His second and last was for portraying Mafia boss Don Corleone in "The 
Godfather."  This is the Oscar he refused and sent a native American 
named Sacheen Littlefeather to decline in his name.  His last major film 
role was in 2001 in "The Score."  

At the time of his death he was involved in the development of a motion 
picture tentatively titled "Brando on Brando" which the International 
Movie Database Registry says was scheduled for release sometime in 2005.  

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

--

Brando's agent, Jay Cantor, said the 80 year old actor was admitted to 
UCLA Medical Center on Wednesday evening, June 30th.  The cause of death 
was listed as pulmonary fibrosis.  (PARC Archives, ARNewsline(tm), 
W6RCL, others)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:   FIELD DAY FROM THE ISS

The International Space Station amateur radio packet system was on the 
air for  Field Day on June 26th while astro travelers Mike Fincke and 
Gennady Padalka both participated on June 27th by making voice contacts 
with stations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa 
Rica, Venezuela, Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. 

The AMSAT News Service says that this was Fincke's first time to make 
general contacts.  He was active on 5 passes over the US and 2 passes 
over Central and South America logging some 60 contacts on 2 meter voice 
as NA1SS.  Padalka was active on 70 cm as RS0ISS but only managed 4 
contacts.  This 70 cm operation caught many amateurs by surprise. 

This is the first time that both callsigns, NA1SS and RS0ISS, have been 
used simultaneously during voice operations and the first time that 2 
bands have been used simultaneously from the orbiting space platform.  
(ARISS)

**

WORLDBEAT - AUSTRALIA:  REPEATER MONITORS REPEATERS

A new and truly novel repeater relay monitoring system is now 
operational in Australia on 146.850.  What makes it stand out from the 
crowd is that the repeater is using a commercial scanning receiver 
supplied by VK7BW.  In this way, the repeater input scans the output of 
three 70 cm repeaters, and relays their output on 146.850.  This makes 
it  possible to monitor all four repeaters on a single frequency or to 
monitor a users own input signal to any of these systems.  The repeaters 
monitored are VK7RBH in  Launceston, VK7RIN on Barren Tier and 
VK7RTC on Mt. Nelson.  (Q-News)

**

WORLDBEAT - AUSTRALIA:  HAM RADIO EDUCATION ON THE AIR

If you live in Australia and want to get a ham radio license, well now 
theres a way to do it by listening on the air.  This with word that the 
Manly-Warringah Radio Society in the city of Sydney is now conducting 
the weekly Q 5 Educational Broadcast on its VK2RMB 146.875 MHz repeater 
Tuesday evenings at 8pm local.

Hosting the broadcast is Ron Bertrand VK2DQ.  Bertrand is well known 
across Australia for his Radio Electronics School web site, and for his 
television  lectures transmitted by the Gladesville Amateur Radio Club.  
The program is produced in conjunction with the Gold Coast Amateur Radio 
Club.  (Q-News)

**

 DX

In D-X, word that  M0AEP is active as VP2MDD from Montserrat through the 
mid July.  He plans to concentrate operations on 6 meters. 

Also, DJ7IK reports that there is a newly-licensed operator in Libya.  
Look for Ali, 5A3A , a former operator of the 5A1A club station, now 
operating with his own callsign.  QSL both a directed on the air

And TA3J, will operate from different locations in Hungary signing 
portable HA through July 21st.  Listen for activity on the high 
frequency bands plus 6 and 2 meters on SSB and FM.  QSL via his home 
callsign, direct with an SASE and 1 IRC or by the bureau. SWL QSL cards 
are accepted for this one as well.   

(Above from various DX news sources)


**

THAT FINAL ITEM

And finally this week the story of a way to keep a tower and antenna up 
when neighbors object.  Call it a lesson on thinking on your feet.  Q-
News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the rest of the story:

--

Problems with the local authorities in your area over tower heights? 
Well one VK'er had such problems recently.

The shire "do gooders" arrived, tape measures and digital photographic 
gear in abundance.  Our thoughtful ham, after being told to "pull it 
down", walked the Authorities over the property and quietly said " well 
if I am to pull this one tower down, I will need to erect seventeen 
legal 10 meter poles over the yard to get the same deal... 

Council Replied: Oh that would be ugly and we would get complaints.... 
How about we let sleeping dogs lie..." 

--

VK4BB says to chalk up one for the "good guys," in this case.
(Q-News)

**

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. 

Before we go, this note to those who get this newscast from the 661-296-
2407 line.  For next weeks newscast we request that you use another 
phone number or download the MP3 audio file from our website.  The 
reason is simple.  We will not have access to the premises where the 
machine is located from July 13th to the 18th, so we wont be able to 
change the tape.  We apologize for any inconvenience that this might 
cause.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, back from vacation and back at the 
editors desk, I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for 
listening."  Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004.  All rights 
reserved.