[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1441 - March 25th, 2005

Fri Mar 25 09:34:41 EST 2005

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1441 -  March 25th, 2005

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1441 with a release date of Friday, 
March 25th, 2005 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   

The following is a Q-S-T.  The Supreme Court says a California ham 
cannot collect millions of dollars in court costs and attorney fees 
after winning a long running dispute with a city.  Find out the details 
on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1441  coming your way right now.

**

RADIO LAW:  SUPREME COURT SAYS HAM CANNOT COLLECT LEGAL FEES IN 
COMMERCIAL TOWER CASE

The United States Supreme Court has told a California a ham radio 
operator that he cannot collect attorneys' fees and damages in a dispute 
with local government over building a commercial two-way radio tower.  
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, reports:

--

In a 9 to 0 decision released on Tuesday, March 22nd,  the court said 
Mark Abrams, WA6DPB, is not entitled to money from an earlier court 
battle against the city of Rancho Palos Verdes in which Abrams obtained 
a permit for a 52 foot antenna support system on his property. 

Abrams' lawyer had argued that although the Telecommunications Act 
doesn't specifically grant attorneys fees and damages, Abrams is 
entitled to them under a different portion of federal law.  But the 
attorney for Rancho Palos Verdes said that attorneys' fees had hit $15 
million which is roughly the annual budget of the seaside town.  The 
town lawyer argued that if municipalities faced the prospect of huge 
damage and fee payments if they wrongly denied a wireless antenna or 
cell phone tower application, few would ever say no.

The court agreed with Rancho Palos Verdes in this.  In denying Abrams it 
pointed to the potential financial implications for municipalities 
around the country.  The Supreme Court also said that Abrams' legal 
argument about using a different federal law to enforce the 
telecommunications act would distort the scheme of expedited judicial 
review and limited remedies.  

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

--

The bottom line is that Abrams gets to keep and use his tower atop 
Rancho Palos Verdes, but he, not the town has to foot all of his legal 
expenses in the case.  For other hams in antenna battles it could mean 
not ever being able to recoup the coust of legal counsel in these 
fights.  (WA3VJB, others)

**

THE BPL WAR:  ARRL CHARGES AMBIENT, FCC FAILING TO ADDRESS NEW YORK BPL 
COMPLAINTS

The ARRL has charged equipment maker Ambient Corporation and the FCC 
with being unwilling or unable to effectively deal with harmful 
interference stemming from a New York B-P-L pilot project.   And the 
ARRL Letter says that the League has asked a third time that the 
Commission shut down Ambient's Briarcliff Manor non-compliant system 
without further delay.  Amateur Radio Newline's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, 
has more:

--

Ambient operates the Briarcliff Manor, New York B-P-L system under its 
WD2XEQ Experimental license.  The League's latest demand in this B-P-L 
battle is in response to a February 10 letter from the FCC's Bruce 
Franca.  Franca is deputy chief of the Office of Engineering and 
Technology and his note concludes that FCC measurements in response to 
Amateur Radio complaints of harmful interference showed that no changes 
were required to the Briarcliff Manor B-P-L system.

In its latest volley, the League openly accuses the FCC of failure to 
conduct a thorough investigation of this matter.  It says that the tenor 
of the February 10th response from the agency leads to speculation that 
the Commission is really not interested in finding the interference that 
exists at Briarcliff Manor or at other B-P-L test sites either.  Nor 
does it have interest in enforcing the Part 15 rules that govern all B-
P-L operations.

The Letter says that ARRL Laboratory staff visited Briarcliff Manor on 
March 11th.  At one point they observed RF emission levels from the B-P-
L system exceeded the FCC's Part 15 permitted levels by up to 20 dB.  
The League says that the FCC's continued refusal to shut down the 
Ambient system in Briarcliff Manor highlights the completely arbitrary 
and baseless findings in the Commission's Report and Order adopted last 
October 14th.  This too was included in the ARRL's rebutral now in the 
hands of the FCC.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, reporting.

--

ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, says that he shared a 
copy of the League's latest complaint to the FCC and Ambient with the 
New York State Emergency Research & Development Authority.  This is the 
agency which has provided public funding to the Briarcliff  Manor BPL 
project.  Sumner also reminded Development Authority Director Gunner 
Walmet of his statement last summer that the project would require Con 
Edison to continually monitor possible radio interference from this BPL 
demonstration.  (ARRL)

**

RADIO INVESTIGATION: HAM VS. SPY (RADIO) RETURNS

Yosemite Sam is back on the ham bands, but he's not saying what he said 
a few weeks ago.  In fact the New Mexico based transmitter is now using 
double sideband on 3.890 Mhz with a new voice saying:

--

AUDIO:  bussing followed by "inclines like this."

--

That recording was made by Joe Tyburczy, W-1-G-F-H, in Burbank, 
California.  And in case you are wondering what the voice following the 
data burst is saying, we will slow it up a bit for you.

--

AUDIO: "inclines like this...."

--

Yep, its says -- quote -- inclines like this" though its exact meaning 
is unknown.  

As previously reported, On Wednesday, February 16th, Mike Stark, W-A-5-
O-I-P and Mike Langner K-5-M-G-R set out to locate the signal then on 3 
point 700 MHz.  The found it coming from the same MATIC Company test 
site on the Laguna Indian Reservation in New Mexico.  When it turned up 
on 3 point 890 Mhz Langer took to the road and again found it coming 
from the same location.  (QRZ.com, ARNewsline (tm))

**

DISCUSION POINT WAR ON TERROR:  SCAVENGER HUNT DRILL

Amateur radio operators recently took part in a scavenger hunt, but this 
one was a hunt for information rather than hub caps or old rigs.  This, 
in an exercise designed to get them acquainted with Southeastern 
Connecticut before a major emergency drill next month. 

Using a scavenger hunt as a mechanism, the hams were sent around the New 
London County area.  This, to find key areas where they might end up 
providing support or places they might have to stay away from because 
something is happening there that could put them at risk.

Wayne Gronlund, N1CLV, of ARES is coordinating the event.  He says that 
he is trying to put together at least 50 amateur radio enthusiasts for 
TOPFF which stands for Top Officials.  This is  a week-long exercise 
that will include simulated terrorist attacks on ports in New London, 
New Jersey, Canada and the United Kingdom.   

20 to 25 teams of two or three people were shuttled around the region in 
a cars equipped with VHF-FM radio looking for 12 sites based on 
photographic clues and maps that they were issued. TOPOFF, will take 
place April 4th to the 10th.  It will involve up to 10,000 people and 
cost an estimated $16 million!!   (published news reports/packet radio 
bulletins) 

**

RADIO MYSTERY FOLLOW-UP:  DNA EVEDENCE SOUGHT IN MISSING KD7VWJ AND 
KD7VWK CASE

Another development in the probe surrounding the disappearance of an 
Arizona ham radio couple.  Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with the 
latest:

--

John Fitzgerald Kennedy, who is one of four suspects in the 
disappearance and possible murder of a missing ham radio couple has 
given a D-N-A sample to authorities.  This, following an order issued on 
Friday, March 18th by Orange County California Superior Court Judge 
Craig Robison that he do so immediately.

According to his attorney, Winston McKesson, authorities have not 
disclosed why they sought the D-N-A from the Long Beach man.  Kennedy 
was arrested on March 10th for investigation of the murders of Tom and 
Jackie Hawkes, KD7VWJ and KD7VWK of Prescott, Arizona.  He has not 
entered a plea but his attorney said he intends to plead not guilty.  
Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy said that it was too soon to 
disclose details about Kennedy's alleged role in the Hawks' 
disappearance but court records show that he served time in prison on a 
previous conviction for attempted murder in Los Angeles County.

As reported, prosecutors have so far charged three men with murdering 
the couple in a scheme to steal the boat, their identities and other 
financial assets.  Myron S. Gardner,  Alonso Machain, and Skylar Deleon 
have been charged with two counts each of murder with special 
circumstances. The district attorney has not announced whether 
prosecutors will seek the death penalty but an announcement is expected 
as the matter progresses through the courts.  Authorities have also 
stated that more arrests are expected on this case.

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

--

There has been no trace of the Hawkes since November of 2004 when the 
couple told friends they were taking the prospective buyers on a test 
cruise off Newport Beach. Their car was recovered in December about 70 
miles south of the border in Mexico.   (Published news reports, NBPD)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  HAM GEAR ONLY ON HAM FREQUENCIES

A New York ham has been told by the FCC that he has 20 days to answer a 
previous query from the regulatory agency.  This, as Special Council 
Riley Hollingsworth advises  Frank J. Fatigate, KB2YDO, of Hopewell 
Junction to respond to an earlier complaint regarding operation of 
Amateur equipment on non-Amateur frequencies.

In his letter to Fatigate, Hollingsworh notes that Section 308(b) of the 
Communications Act of 1934 gives the Commission the authority to obtain 
information from applicants and licensees regarding the operation of 
their station and their qualifications to retain a Commission license.  
The letter to Fatigate was issued on March 7th with his reply due no 
later than March the 27th.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  YOU MUST RESPOND IN DETAIL

The FCC has issued a second Warning Notice to Irwin L. Richardt, W2VJZ, 
of Liberty Corner, New Jersey.  This, in regard to new allegations of 
his station being the source of interference to other radio amateurs and 
his failure to completely respond to earlier allegations made against 
him.

Back on January 18th the FCC notified Richardt of two complaints made 
about the operation of his station on December 12, 2004 and January 7, 
2005.  The complaints alleged deliberate interference and taking over or 
blocking frequencies in the 75 Meter Amateur band.  The letter requested 
a response within 20 days.  Richardt did respond on January 18th but on 
February 10th the FCC sent him another notice that contained yet another 
interference charge.  The FCC says that Postal Service records indicate 
Richardt refused receipt of the registered letter.  In a response 
received February 15th Richardt stated that he had received the January 
18th letter.  He called the complaints a fabrication adding that he 
pleads innocent.   So the FCC wrote him again, enclosing the latest 
complaints

Now the FCC tells Richardt that his response to its February 10 letter 
is not only inadequate, but frivolous.  That he had been requested to 
address the allegations in the complaints in detail but that he had not 
done so.  And says the FCC, if it does not receive a detailed reply by 
March 30th to the complaint provided him in its February 10th letter, 
the FCC will initiate enforcement action against Richardt's Amateur 
license.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  UNIDENTIFIED UK HAM CRIES FOUL IN ARREST

An unidentified United Kingdom radio amateur is charging foul following 
his arrest in connection with the harassment of an Internet chat room 
user.   And now the ham has filed a complaint charging he was roughly 
treated during the arrest. 

The radio operator told the Gazette Hereald, the ham said he was pinned 
to the floor by three police officers, while another put a boot on the 
side of his face and forced his head into the ground.  and then carried 
away by the strap of the handcuffs.  

But police say that they acted within the law when arresting him.   Six 
officers were involved in the arrest.  (Gazette-Hearald)

**

RADIO LAW:  MORE MUSIC FILE SWAP SUITS

Recording companies have filed copyright infringement lawsuits against 
754 computer users. The action came in the closing days of 2004.  The 
Recording Industry Association of America says the named defendants 
include 20 computer users suspected of swapping songs over university 
networks. 

Recording companies have sued over seven-thousand computer users since 
September 2003.  Industry officials say nearly fifteen hundred 
defendants have settled their cases out of court.  Settlements in 
previous cases have averaged about three thousand dollars each. The 
latest suits mark another round of legal action in the industry's effort 
to squelch unauthorized swapping of music online. The individual 
colleges and universities are not named as defendants.  (Todays 
Technology)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  MORSE BY CELLPHONE

Nokia has filed a patent for an optical messaging system that can 
generate Morse Code as well as other characters and decipher the 
information on the receiving end.  Phones using this technology will 
come with a single, high-power LED than can be used manually to transmit 
Morse Code up to 4 meters away.  The message would be received and 
displayed using a special Nokia cameraphone.  (Adapted from 
engadget.com)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE VIDEO-CONFERENCING BECOMES A 
REALITY

Firefighters from 51 stations in northern San Diego County served by ten 
fire agencies and districts will soon be connected via a $1 million 
video-conferencing system.  The technology, provided by SBC 
Communications and 70% funded by a federal grant, will be used for 
training, briefings and emergency communications between stations.  
(CGC)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AND THE KEPS JUST KEEP ON COMIMNG

AMSAT's request to continue redistribution of Keplerian data has been 
approved by the Air Force Space Command Commander's authority.  Under 
the interim policy adopted by Headquarters of Space Command, AMSAT is 
required to supply an annual e-mail list of  addresses of mailing list 
subscribers getting the information.  The initial listing to be supplied 
will be that on the list as of March 24th.  (AMSAT-NA)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  AMATEUR RADIO MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY

The second annual Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day takes place 
May 28th.  The event is held to thank active duty, veterans and retired 
military people for their service and sacrifices to the nation. This 
year, amateur radio operators will participate from several states 
including Florida, California, Washington, Ohio, Michigan, Louisiana, 
Colorado, Texas, North and South Carolina and others.  Operators in 
several foreign countries also are slated to participate including 
Australia, Greece, Kuwait and England, and members of the Iraq Amateur 
Radio Club are expected to join in as well. More is on-line at the 
http://www.defense.gov/news/Feb2005/n02162005_2005021611.htmln  (KB9IBW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  KB5MU'S PALOMAR MOUNTAIN CAM

A high resolution web camera has been installed at the home of Paul 
Williamson, KB5MU, on California's famed Palomar Mountain.  The camera 
looks out one of his windows and permits the public to see weather on 
the mountain be it rain, sunshine or snow on the ground.  An outdoor 
thermometer is in view to show the temperature as well.  Pauls Palomar 
Mountain cam is on-line to enjoy at  
www.mustbeart.com/webcam/fm/index.html  (CGC))

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  THE NAB ENGINEERING AWARD

A word of congratulations to Milford Smith (N2QMC)  This for winning 
NAB's Engineering Achievement Awards for radio and TV respectively.  

Honors will be bestowed at the N-A-B's spring show in April in Las 
Vegas.  The keynote speaker will be Dr. Robert W. Lucky, formerly of 
Bell Labs.  

More is on-line at 
  http://www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=6692  and  
  http://www.rwonline.com/dailynews/one.php?id=6689  (Radio World On-
Line)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  KC9RP TO SPEAK AT AES SUPERFEST

And RAIN FounderHap Holly, KC9RP will be a featured guest speaker at the 
rpcoming A-E-S Superfest in Milwaukee on Staurday, April 2nd.  Hap will 
deliver  a 45-minute talk entitled "The Net Difference."  We asked Hap 
to tell us a bit about it:

--

Hear Hap in the audio version of this newscast at www.arnewsline.org

--

The A-E-S Superfest takes place at Amateur Electronic Supply, 5710 W. 
Good Hope Road in Milwaukee.  Hap will speak at 11:30 AM.  More 
information is on-line at http://aesham.com.  (RAIN)

**

OBITUARY:  MARY ELIZABETH CRONKITE - S.K.

Some sad news to report.  This with word that Mary Elizabeth Cronkite, 
wife of former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, died Tuesday, 
March 15th.

She was Mary Elizabeth Maxwell when she met Walter Cronkite while both 
were working at radio station KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri.  They 
married in 1940, and shortly afterward she became women's editor of the 
Kansas City Journal-Post.  

While Walter Cronkite was overseas reporting for United Press during 
much of World War II, Mrs. Cronkite worked for Hallmark, publishing a 
company newspaper that also was distributed to members of the armed 
forces.

Mary Elizabeth was 89 when she passed away in New York City of cancer. 
In addition to her 88-year-old husband, she is survived by two 
daughters, Nancy and Kathy; a son, Walter III; and four grandsons.  
(Published news reports)

**

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  FRED DEEG, N6FD - S.K.

Anyone who was licensed in the 1960's and 70's when the first off-shore 
ham gear started to show up in the U-S market may well remember the name 
Fred Deeg and the call sign N6FD.  Fred, the former K6AEH,  was among 
the very first to represent  radio giants like Standard, Kokosai and 
Yaesu.  He was responsible for bringing the first Standard Radio built 
ham radio band only 2 meter H-T to the United Sates in the late 1960's.  
And it was during his tenure Yaesu that he coined the advertising catch 
phrase "The Radio."  This is a term that Yaesu's current parent 
corporation -- Vertex-Standard -- sill occasionally uses in some 
advertising today.

Fred was also an FM and repeater pioneer in the Los Angeles area.  Back 
in the 1960's with the Pallisades Amateur Radio Club of Culver Citry, he 
helped to establish the famed 146.61 MHz system that he nick-named the 
"good-guy machine."  And in the 1980's he put together the Ham Master 
Tie System which was one of the nations earliest 220 MHz interlinked 
repeater networks.  He also helped to organize the funding for the 
California deligation that flew to Washington for the meeting that lead 
the FCC to do away with much of the restrictive repeater over-regulation 
of the middle-1970's.  

A few years ago, Fred retired.  He and his wife Marsha, WA6CUF, retired 
to Anacortes, Washington where Fred died on Christmas Day, 2004, after 
succumbing to cancer of the esophagus.   It was not until the curerent 
issue of QST carried his name and call in the Silent Keys column that 
his friends world-wide learned of his passing.  Fred was only age 60 and 
will be missed.  (WA6KLA, K7VC, WA6ILQ, others)

**

RADIOSPORTS:  WRTC2006 IN BRAZIL - A RAFFLE

The next World Radiosport Team Championship will be held in Brazil in 
July 2006.  The organizers of WRTC 2006 have now announced a raffle  
with two all-expenses paid trips to attend the games as the prize.  One 
winner will be drawn in May 2005 and the other in May 2006.  For further 
details see www.wrtc2006.com on the world wide web.  (WRTC)

**

DX

In D-X, word that hams in Norway will be allowed to replace their normal 
LA and LB prefixes with LI and LJ respectively between 17th May 
and 7th June.  This, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the end of 
the 
union between Norway and Sweden.  More is on line at www.nrrl.org\

Also, GM4FDM and PA3EWP will be active portable ZB2 from Gibraltar 
through the end of March.  Plans are for operation on 80 through 10 
meters and the possibly also 160 meters as well.  Activity is on CW, SSB 
and RTTY.

Lastly, PA5M and HB9AMO are working in Chad for a couple of months.  
They are active as TT8M and TT8AMO respectively in their spare time.  
QSL as directed on the air.  (Above from various DX sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  FRIENDSHIP IN THE ARTS

And finally this week, a story of two hams who have been friends for a 
very long time. One is a business executive turned actor.  The other is 
Amateur Radio Newsline's Chief Financial Officer, Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.  
Their common bond -- ham radio and a love of the arts.  

--

AJ: My over 20-year friend and ham radio buddy, Brent Keast, KE6SV has, 
for the past 10 or more years, been pursuing an acting profession.  He 
has a great singing voice, which is how we met:

--

Hear Brent's reply in the audio version of this newscast available for 
download at www.arnewsline.org.: 

--

AJ: Now, you claim to be my Elmer, but I'd had a license as a kid, so 
that was pretty limited, wasn't it?

--

Hear Brent's reply in the audio version of this newscast available for 
download at www.arnewsline.org.: 

--

AJ: Brent was a successful executive in the cinema sound industry, 
becoming the Managing VP of CiniSound, a major player in that arena, but 
the "call of the boards" seemed greater.  That must have been a 
difficult transition.

--

Hear Brent's reply in the audio version of this newscast available for 
download at www.arnewsline.org.: 

--

AJ: Now you've recently completed a mini-series for the History Channel- 
another interesting location.  I asked him if he was playing it 
"Strait."

--

Hear Brent's reply in the audio version of this newscast available for 
download at www.arnewsline.org.: 

--

AJ: You can see Brent as  Vitus Bering on the History Channel's mini_
series on the Conquest of America starting Monday, March 28th.  The 
Bering story appears on Tuesday.

For Newsline, I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ

--

To find out what time Conquest of America airs in your area, please 
consult local cable or satellite T-V listrings.  (N6TCQ, ARNewsline(tm))

**

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 @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 reminder that the nominating period for the 2005 Amateur Radio 
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.  Full details along 
with downloadable and on-line nominating forms are at the awards website 
at www.yhoty.org.  Just click on 2005 Nominations at the top of the 
page.  