[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1423 - November 19, 2004

Sat Nov 20 11:55:31 EST 2004

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1423 - November 19, 2004

The following is a Q-S-T.  Ham radio in California says goodbye to the 
Tournament of Roses Parade and W7DXX speaks out on his Internet 
controlled remote base in Baghdad.  And its not the first time.  Find 
out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1423 coming your 
way right now.

**

PUBLIC SERVICE:  HAMS QUIT TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE - LIMIT SERVICE TO 
ATV

Ham radio will not be a major part of the 2005 Tournament of Roses 
Parade. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP has the rest of the 
story:

--

Although it was never officially part of the Tournament of Roses, ham 
radio has been providing a communications link along the Rose Parade 
route for more than 40 years. And long before there was any official 
group, people like Tom O'Hara, W6ORG, of P-C Electronics were the early 
pioneers:

--

O'Hara:  "I first got involved with the Rose Parade communications when 
I was one of the Emergency Coordinators for Pasadena.  They asked us to 
help out with some longer range stuff than what the CB operators were 
doing.  This was in the middle 1960's."

--

Using video cameras and Amateur television, the ham radio volunteers 
were ever alert for any kind of an emergency situation that might 
develop.  If they spotted something they would send their pictures back 
to the parade coordinator who could then take the necessary action.  

--

O'Hara:  "Later on they added more and more ATV and more and more hams.  
At one time I think there were 17 camera positions."

--

Amateur Radio literally pioneered the use of closed circuit television 
for coordinating large scale events in the Tournament of Roses Parade.  
At one time hams even had Amateur Television transmitters  sending back 
pictures from helicopters flying overhead.  And they did this long 
before most television stations had camera equipped news choppers of 
their own.

--

O Hara:  "Got involved with the helicopter with the first ATV in 1968.  
Put it in the Sheriff's helicopter.  And when I got my own helicopter I 
put it in and flew around one year."

--

As the parade grew, so did the Amateur Radio communications effort.  By 
the 1970's TORRA had unofficially been formed.  TORRA stands for 
Tournament of Roses Radio Amateurs and in the 1980's the hams involved 
formalized as a club and with this came the golden days of ham radio 
supporting the parade.  

Today TORRA has more than 300 active members who regularly volunteer 
their time.  At least that's the way it had been until an incident 
occurred last year.  That's when an incident took place that apparently 
caused things to go sour.

According to an article in the Pasadena Star News, a pair of ham radio 
operators were carrying equipment onto the grounds of Tournament House 
in preparation for the last parade.  They were stopped by a senior 
Tournament official and their presence challenged.  The unnamed official 
even went so far as to accuse the ham radio volunteers of lying to get 
on the grounds.

Now enter Nextel.  The same Nextel that has patented the words push-to-
talk. 

Nextel is a corporate sponsor of the 2005 parade, and reportedly has 
donated a number of phones to the event.  This means that most 
Tournament of Roses officials will have a Nextel phone with direct 
walkie-talkie service in their pockets.

Bill Flinn is the Tournament's chief operating officer.  Talking about 
Amateur Radio's departure he was quoted by Pasadena Star News as saying:  
"I think it's come to the end of a run.  We are sorry to see them go."

But depending on the Nextel walkie-talkie phones as a primary form of 
communications could turn out to be a mistake for the parade and those 
that run it.  Unlike hams, parade officials and their corps of 
volunteers are not trained communicators.  Rather they have been used to 
handing a message to a ham radio operator and having an answer appear.  
Most are likely unaware that they will have to contend with numerous 
people calling at the same time.  All with priority traffic and all 
demanding immediate answers.  

With their years of experience, the hams were the buffers who learned 
how to work around these problems.  But the cellphone provider is coming 
in cold with no experience in this specialized communications area.  
There will likely be no experienced net control stations and no way to 
prioritize needs.  

On Thursday, November 18th, as this report was being prepared, we 
received a copy of a letter from TORRA Chair Jeanne Nordland, WD6BWN, 
thats being sent to all of the groups members.  It confirms that hams 
will not be providing voice communications in 2005, but that A-T-V 
assistance to the parade will continue as it has in years past.

But ATV is only one part of the equation.  the question still remains as 
to whether or not the Nextel phones can take the place of the hams and a 
structured voice communications network.  This is something that nobody 
will really know until January 1st of 2005.  That's when the drama will 
be played out live to the world on their livingroom T-V screens -- on 
New Years Day.  And likely, 10's of millions of people will be watching.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP,  reporting.

--

As Norm said, these days the Tournament of Roses Amateur Radio group 
currently has about 300 members.  How many might return if they are 
asked back in 2006 is really, anyones guess.

To read the complete Pasadena Star News article on the departure of ham 
radio from the Tournament of Roses Parade, take your web browser to 
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/Stories/0,1413,206%257E22097%257E2529574
,00.html

(ARNewsline(tm), CGC Communicator, Pasadena Star News, W6ORG)

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  FCC ISSUES ERATTUM ON BPL R&O

The FCC has issued whats known as an Notice of Erratum.  One that 
slightly modifys its Report and Order on the introduction of Broadband 
Over Powerline operations.  

Two changes were made.  First in Section 15.15  under General Technical 
Requirements section B now reads:  "Except as follows, an intentional or 
unintentional radiator must be constructed such that the adjustments of 
any control that is readily accessible by or intended to be accessible 
to the user will not cause operation of the device in violation of the 
regulations.  Access BPL equipment shall comply with the applicable 
standards at the control adjustment that is employed.  The measurement 
report used in support of an application for Certification and the user 
instructions for Access BPL equipment shall clearly specify the user- or 
installer-control settings that are required for conformance with these 
regulations."

Also, Section 15.31 is amended by revising a paragraph under Measurement 
standards to read:  
"Measurements shall be performed at a sufficient number of radials 
around the equipment under test to determine the radial at which the 
field strength values of the radiated emissions are maximized.  The 
maximum field strength at the frequency being measured shall be reported 
in the equipment authorization report.  This paragraph shall not apply 
to Access BPL equipment on overhead medium voltage lines.  In lieu 
thereof, the measurement guidelines established by the Commission for 
Access BPL shall be followed."
While these changes may seem as minor right now, they could  impact ham 
radio and other services in the future.  This, when and if B-P-L ever 
becomes a major player in the area of direct to home high speed Internet 
access.  (FCC)
**

THE BPL FIGHT:  ITS NOT BPL IN WESTERN VK

Meantime, some good news on the B-P-L front from down-under.  Word that 
interference being heard by hams in Western Australia is not coming from 
a powerline broadband installation.  The problem is that nobody is sure 
exactly what the source is.  W-I-A newsman Dennis Muldownie, VK6KAD, is 
in Redcliff with more:

--

One of the rumors persisting in VK6 is that our power authority is  
running BPL. This has been denied several times. I may have found the  
source of these rumors, as I have stumbled across a website dating back 
to 2002, in which the testing of Broadband by the power company was 
mentioned. 

However it was not BPL technology. There is an ongoing  project here to 
"rewire" the West by placing low voltage and some higher  tension 
feeders underground. This is - or was - progressing slowly. It  improves 
the street-scape out of sight and reduces the potential for  damage in 
bad weather. In providing these services apparently optical  fiber cable 
was also placed in the trench, and the Broadband was under  test on the 
fiber.  Not you will note on BPL. 

 Very little of WA was ever wired by Cable as in Sydney and Melbourne 
for Cable TV, and therefore Cable Modems are not an option.  The way is  
clear for the power authority to provide such services by Fiber as it 
replaces the overhead with underground. I have not found out what the 
tests revealed.

 And having said all that, I am finding excessive noise in isolated  
pockets on the AM Broadcast band, from power lines in my area. I suspect  
the approved items used on Power lines obtainable from many outlets are 
not as bullet proof as we would like to suspect...

 The saga continues.

--

The saga does indeed continue and Dennis is one of those at the 
forefront of the search.  (WIA News)

**

RADIO AND THE LAW:  CLUBS AND THE FCC

Still with legal issues, for a group to be eligible for a club callsign, 
the FCC has four criteria thar must be met.  It says that a club must be 
made up of at least four members, have a name and legal document of 
organization and a primary purpose of being devoted to Amateur Radio 
activities consistent with FCC rules.  But do you know how many of the 
members of a radio club need to hold ham radio licenses?  

These and many other questions are answered by former FCC rules Chief 
John B. Johnston, W3BE, in an article titled "What Is a Club"  appearing 
in the just out December issue of Worldradio Magazine.  And filling 
close to two pages, Johnston explains in great detail the recognition 
given clubs by the regulatory agency and the rules regarding club call 
signs.  

If you have ever had questions regarding radio clubs and their dealings 
with the FCC, this is the tell all definitive article you have been 
waiting for.  More about subscribing to Worldradio and sample issues is 
on-line at www.wr6wr.com

And less we forget, the answer to how many members of a radio club must 
hold a valid FCC issued ham radio license is only one.  The rules say 
that at least one member must have an operator and primary station grant 
from the agency to apply for a club station license.  (Worldradio)

**

RESCUE RADIO: US COAST GUARD AUXILIARY SEEKS RADIO AMATEURS

The ARRL Letter says that the U-S Coast Guard Auxiliary is looking for 
Amateur Radio operators or prospective amateur licensees.  Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has more:

--

Wayne Spivak, KC2NJV, is with the Coast Guard's National Public Affairs 
Department.  He says that because the service operates every day, in 
good weather and in bad, that the U-S Coast Guard Auxiliary is on the 
air whether there is power to operate or not.  And at times like these, 
the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary rely on the Auxiliary Net as a backup 
radio network.  In areas with a large U-S Coast Guard  presence, the 
AuxNet operates in both a support and backup capacity.  More important, 
in regions where there is no regular Coast Guard presence, the Auxiliary 
may rely solely on its AuxNet for communication.

And because of this, Spivak says the Coast Guard Auxiliary is seeking 
ham radio volunteers.  He says that this is because amateurs are good 
communicators.  That they have developed both in everyday radio 
operation and participation during emergencies through RACES, ARES and 
SKYWARN.  

Spivak believes that Amateur Radio and the U-S Coast Guard Auxiliary are 
an ideal fit.  He says that the US Coast Guard Auxiliary is open to all 
US citizens over the age of 17.  A security background check, paid for 
by the US Coast Guard, is required before an applicant is accepted.  If 
you are interested in expanding your public service horizons, please 
visit the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Web site.  Its in cyberspacw at 
www.cgaux.org.  Again, that U-R-L is www.cgaux.org and I'm Bruce 
Tennant, K6PZW, reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

A direct link to the U-S Coast Guard Auxiliary application webpage is at 
http://www.cgaux.org/cgauxweb/getzip.html  (ARRL)

**

RESCUE RADIO :  MARITIME MOBILES SERVICES NET NOW STREAMING AUDIO

The sound of the daily Maritime Mobile Service Net  can now be heard in 
streaming audio on the Internet.  

The net meets daily on 14.300 MHz between 16:00 UTC and  03:00 UTC.  The 
audio streaming originates from the receive site of W-L-O Marine Radio 
in Mobile, Alabama using a Japan Radio Company N-R-D 535 D receiver fed 
from a T-C-I ground mounted loop antenna.  

As with any streaming audio on the Internet, there will be an inherent 
lag from the time its encoded in Alabama and when you hear it on your 
computer.  In this case the delay could be anywhere from 4 seconds to 1 
minute, as compared to live on-the-air audio.  

Because of this, this streamed audio is not meant to be used to control 
the net.  Rather, it is intended as another means for non hams to listen 
to the net, family of boat crews to listen for the boat and a way to 
monitor the net when you are away from the radio or when you have no 
propagation to hear the net control station.

You can hear the streamed audio daily when the net is in operation.  You 
will need a media player like Winamp or Real installed on your computer.  
Simply take your web browser to www.mmsn.org and click on the yellow 
icon that says "Listen Live."  (MMSN)

**

ENFORCEMEMT:  CBS PROTESTS JACKSON WARDROBE MALFUNCTION FINE

Viacom Corporation, the parent of the  CBS network says the FCC's 
proposed 550-thousand-dollar fine for Janet Jackson's Super Bowl 
"wardrobe malfunction" is "entirely illogical."   Viacom says neither it 
nor anyone at CBS knew Justin Timberlake would yank off a piece of 
Jackson's black leather top. 

The move exposed Jackson's right breast for less than a second, but 
generated a-half (m) million complaints to the Federal Communications 
Commission.  The fine is the largest ever imposed against a T-V outlet.  
Viacom is seeking to have it rescinded and has indicated that it will 
fight the matter in the Federal courts.  (Published news reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  WLFK-LP ADMONISHED FOR BROADCASTING ADVERTISEMENTS

Low Power FM stations are prohibited from broadcasting advertisements by 
the Communications Act of 1934 and by the FCC's own  rules.  And doing 
so has brought a letter of admonishment to a Wisconsin based LPFM 
station.

This hand-slap went to WLFK-LP and is looked at as a fair warning to all 
Low Power F-M stations not to broadcast commercial advertisements.  A 
letter of admonishment carries a warning to cease and desist but no 
punitive action such as a fine.  More is on-line at  
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-04-3555A1.doc  
(FCC)

**

TELECOMMUNICATIONS LAW:  SPAMMER BOUNTY SUGGESTED BY FTC

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has given its endorsement to a plan 
that would reward insiders for information leading to the arrest and 
conviction of people or companies that produce spam.  In a recent report 
the FTC said that some anti-spam proposals, such as a "Do Not Spam" list 
similar to the agency's highly successful "Do Not Call" list, would not 
work and could make spam worse.  But the agency said that providing 
monetary rewards for turning in spammers could work in some cases.  The 
FTC is suggesting rewards ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 to turn 
spammers in.  (FTC)

**

SPECIAL EVENTS:  PEARL HARBOR DAY COMMEMORATIVES - DEC. 4 - 7

Two upcoming special event stations will be on the air to commemorate 
Pearl Harbor Day.  The first will be operated by the Historical 
Electronics Museum Amateur Radio Club from December 4th to the 7th using 
the call sign W2W.  Operation will be in the General; class segments of 
all of the high frequency bands.  Further information is on-line at 
www.qsl.nwt/w3gr or by e-mail to w3gr at arrl.net  (Worldradio)

The other operation we have heard about will be one day only on December 
7th.  This one by the U-S-S Kidd Amateur Radio Club down in Baton Rouge, 
Louisiana.  Look for this operation mainly SSB on 30 meters from 14.250 
to 14.320 MHz and C-W near the popular QRP calling frequencies on 40 
through 10 meters.  More on this one is on the web at www.lsu.edu/brarc  
(Worldradio)

**

SPECIAL EVENTS:  THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE - DEC. 16 - 20

And a bit later in December the Anaheim California Police Amateur Radio 
Club will sponsor special event station K6B.  This, to commemorate the 
6oth anniversary of the famed Battle of the Bulge that took place during 
World War 2.  Operation will be on 40 through 15 meters from December 
16th through the 20th.  For more information please e-mail 
km6hb at arrl.net.  (Worldradio)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  A FLY-IN TO HONOR K9TRG

He served the ham radio community for years, especially in the early 
days of F-M.  And on Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11th, some 
nineteen hams from around the nation gathered at a restaurant in 
Suburban Chicago to honor their friend Art Householder, K9TRG, of 
Spectronics fame.

If you operated F-M in the 1960's or 1970's using radios like a Motorola 
80 D or a General Electric Progress Line, then the name Art Householder 
and the call sign K9TRG has to ring a bell.  Back when F-M was in its 
infancy, Art was the premiere supplier of decommissioned police and taxi 
dispatch radios to the growing world of Amateur Radio F-M.  

Now retired and in declining health, he cannot travel as he used to.  So 
this year his friends came to the Rose Garden restaurant in Elkgrove, 
Illinois to spend the day with him.  

And the list reads like a whose' who of ham radio including such 
notables as Evelyn Garrison, WS7A, who came from Washington State and F-
M pioneer Dick McKay, K6VGP, of Los Angeles.  From the Chicago area ATV 
pioneer Henry Rue, AA9XW, the FCC's  Russell "Joe" Moonie and RAIN 
producer Hap Holly, KC9RP, were among those sharing the day with . 

While the luncheon is held every Thursday, this was notable event for 
Art because of the number of people who either took time off from work 
or traveled thousands of miles to attend.  And many say that they plan 
to do it again next year.  (KC9RP)

**

RADIO LAW FOLLOW-UP:  COURT ORDER ON PET CHIPS THAT CAN'T BE READ

Remember our story a few months ago about a particular pet 
identification transponder chip that were not compatible with most 
scanners in use in the United States?  Well, it took some time but a 
judge now barred a company from selling or advertising these microchips.

The preliminary injunction from San Diego Superior Court Judge William 
C. Pate yesterday blocks several named defendants from selling or 
advertising its unit called  "Recovery Chip,"  If and when the company 
wants to resume selling or promoting the Recovery Chip product, the 
court must first approve the company's proposed advertisements.  Also, 
any new ads must disclose that the Recovery Chip cannot be read by the 
majority of  microchip scanners in U.S. shelters.

Banfield, the Pet Hospital has been the U.S. distributor of the 
particular per I-D chip.  It  is based in Portland, Oregon and operates 
in Pets Mart stores throughout the United States. Banfield voluntarily 
suspended microchip sales in early May, before the lawsuit was filed, 
and has no immediate plans to resume its microchip program.  (Published 
news reports)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  FREE WIRELESS INTERNET ACCESS IN VAN NUYS CA

A pilot program to provide free wireless Internet access in part of Los 
Angeles began on October 29th.  This at the Marvin Braude Constituent 
Services Center in the suburban of Van Nuys.  During the six-month 
program, anyone in the area will be able to use a wireless-enabled 
notebook computer, P-D-A or other mobile device to access the Internet.  
The high-speed access will be available in the outdoor plaza, along Van 
Nuys Boulevard and in public meeting rooms and service counters in the 
building.  (Computing)

**

WORLDBEAT - BELGIUM:  QRP POWER TESTS ANNOUNCED

Sunday November 21st, , December 26th and January 16th are the dates 
announced of the second Belgian U-B-A 'Candlelight Tests."  In these 
tests, several stations transmit simultaneously on 80, 40 or 30 meters 
running micro power levels ranging from 100 milliwatts down to 5 
milliwatts.  The challenge for participating amateurs is to copy the 
code words embedded in the transmitted messages.  Full information is on 
the U-B-A website.  A link to it appears ay  
www.uba.be/actual/candlelight/candlelight_en.html.  (GB2RS)

**

DX

In D-X,  PF5X, informs the Ohio Penn D X newsletter that  he has 
received his license from the local authorities in Singapore.  Also that 
his station was inspected and approved for active usage.  His callsign 
is 9V1CW, and Enno says that he will be in Singapore for about 3 years.  
All QSLs via PA0KHS direct or via the bureau.  (OPDX)

And word that N3SIG has been redeployed to McMurdo Station in 
Antarctica.  Chris says that he expects to be there until March 5th.  
Thats the good news.  The bad comes in a report that says the ham 
shack's antennas there were destroyed, and there us also damage to the 
main HF rig.  So he plans to hand carry a HF rig from his home in 
Pennsylvania to Antarctica. When  he arrives, Chris says that he will 
construct a dipole and will be on the air as N3SIG stroke KC4.  Listen 
for him mainly on 14 dot 243 MHz which is the unofficial Antarctica ham 
radio calling frequency.  (OPDX)

Lastly, a real rare one with word that Christmas Island as VK9XG will be 
active from the 22nd of  November until the 8th of December. The station 
will be operated by W0YG and W0MY  and will be operational in the CQ 
world wide CW contest plus a much-needed RTTY activation on 40, 80 and 
160 meters.  QSL this one as directed on the air.  (OPDX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  THE BAGDHAD REMOTE BASE - REVISITED

Two weeks ago we reported that former 73 Magazine Editor Keith Lamonica, 
W7DXX, had arranged for the installation of a remotely controlled 
transceiver in Baghdad, Iraq.  A transceiver whose functions could be 
controlled by hams world wide over the Internet.  

Well, that announcement by W7DXX has created quite a stir in ham radio 
circles because of the armed conflict taking part in that nation.  This 
has resulted in many questions from the ham radio community that 
Lamonica recently addressed in an interview with Rain's Hap Holly, 
KC9RP.  W7DXX says that some hams don't spend the time to read whats in 
front of them:

--

Lamonica:  "There has been a lot of activity, especially on the qrz.com 
site about the operation and people just don't take a breath and sit 
back and read the instructions.  We have outlined everything that should 
satisfy anyones curiosity, but you still have people that just put their 
blinders on and go off to make wild statements."

--

Lamonica has lots more to say about the Baghdad remote and other uses of 
the Internet by ham radio.  You can her it all on this weeks RAIN 
Report.  Its on line in streaming audio at www.rainreport.com or on your 
phone at 847-827-7246.  That number is easy to remember as 847-827-R-A-
I-N.   (ARNewsline(tm), RAIN)

**
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 W-I-A 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. 