[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1454 - June 24, 2005

Sat Jun 25 11:21:33 EDT 2005

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1454 - June 24, 2005

The following is a closed circuit advisory and not necessarily for air. With some thank-you to our Pay Pal contributors, here's our Support Fund administrator, Andy Jerema, N6TCQ:

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In the month of February via PayPal, we heard from David Sommer, KC7WJW of Henderson, NV; Pat Stevens of the Northern Indiana Repeater Group KA9OHV in Warsaw; Matt, KB0KZR, on behalf of the Colorado Repeater Association, with links to Boulder and Colorado Springs; Gary Franks for the W6NVY Southern California repeater system and Michael Virgilio, KG4JNA of Herndon, VA.

Week-in, week-out, the gathering of the news takes funds. The news doesnƒ?Tt come to us- we have to go get it, and that takes funds. Check out our website at arnewsline.org for information on how to support us, or you can write us at Newsline Support Fund, PO Box 660937, Arcadia, CA 91066, or thereƒ?Ts our new PayPal account that some of you have already taken advantage of. The address for that is: N6TCQ at arnewsline.org.

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

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Than you Andy.  Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1454 with a release date of Friday, June 24, 2005 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T.  A new Over the Horizon radar system in Australia could cause problem for ham radio, B-P-L tests draw closer in San Diego, California and a ham radio operator testifies before Congress from space.  Find out who it was on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1454 coming your way right now.

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RADIO PROTECTION:  AUSTRALIA INTROS NEW OVER THE HORIZON RADAR SYSTEM

Has a new state-of-the-art over-the-horizon radar in Australia's Torres Strait become the source of interfence to that nations Amateur Radio operations? Bruce Tennant, K6PZW reports:

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At least one ham down under is asking just that question.  This, after the Australian Government launches a trial of the new early warning system that meant to boost that nations protection of its northern borders from drug runners, disease, illegal immigration and unlicensed fishing.

But some believe that the new radar could already be the source of objectionable interference to ham radio operations.  In fact,  Dale McCarthy,VK4DMC in North of Queensland State asks if the radar trial could be the source of the pulse type signals that we are hearing on 40 and 80 meters.  And the answer is that nobody knows.  At least not yet.

The Wireless Institute of Australia describes the installation as consisting of two sites. A 440 meter long receiver array is located on Dauan Island, in the northern Torres Strait.  The transmitter is on an uninhabited island, to the north of Badu Island, in the middle of Torres Strait.  Actual transmit power is not discussed but the W-I-A quotes a government release that says the new radar system can detect surface vessels and low-flying aircraft beyond the visible horizon.  As such, it has the potential to deliver 24-hour wide-area coastal surveillance of aircraft, ships and boats travelling in the Torres Strait. It also has the potential to provide early storm warnings and to protect offshore oil and gas installations, if further developed and deployed.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting.

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Meantime, if you hear any interference on the high frequency bands that might be attributed to this radar system, please notify the Amateur Radio Inteuder Watch Coordinator for the country that you live in.  Be certain to include any directional bearings of the you may have along with the UTC time and date you heard it.  You must make reports using UTC since that is the only world-wide time standard for investigators to refer to as they proceed.  (WIA News)

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THE BPL WAR:  SAN DIEGO TESTS GETTING CLOSER

On the BPL front, word from San Diego Gas & Electric Company is that they are only about 30 days from lighting up the first public test of Access Broadband Powerline technology.  According to the CGC Communicator the location for the expereiment has already been chosen and will be released shortly.  So far, the American Radio Relay League,  XETV television, Communications General Corporation and a number of public safety agencies plan to make interference tests.  Communications General Corporation is a highly respected broadcast industry consulting firm run by Bob Gonsett, W6VR, and located in Fallbrook, California.   (CGC)

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  ASTRO-HAM FIRST TO TESTIFY TO CONGRESS FROM ORBIT

An ham radio operator and astronaut aboard the International Space Station made history on June 14th.  This, by becoming the first person ever to testify before Congress while in orbit.

Expedition 11 crew member John Phillips, KE5DRY, appeared via satellite before the House Science Committee's Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics.  The group is  chaired by Representative Ken Calvert, of California.  During the session, Phillips answered questions about what it is like to live and work in space.  Focus of the questions was primarily on the Space Station's role in preparing humans for longer duration missions.  (AMSAT)

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  CANADIAN ARISS CONTACT A SUCCESS

Students at the cole de la Source school in Canada recently had a chance to talk with astronaut John Phillips, KE5DRY on board the International Space Station.  The contact went like this:

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Contact audio here:  Hear it in the audio report at www.arnewsline.org

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>From the questions asked by the students it was learned that it can take up to four hours to put on and take off a space suit.  Also, that a sick astronaut could come back to earth to be treated if his condition was serious enough.  On a [personal note Phillips confided  that he and Serge‹ Krikalev, U5MIR, enjoyed watching a good movie on DVD to relax after supper on the ISS.

The contact took place almost three at 13:34 UTC on June 17th.  That was almost three years to the day after a first casual conversation took place on the subject of having the school take part in the ARISS Project  (VE2KA )

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SOLAR SAIL EXPERIMENT FAILS

A joint Russian U.S. space mission involving Amateur Radio for tracking has failed.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more:

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The project was to launch a solar sail powered space vehicle called Cosmos 1. Ham radio operators around the world had been asked to listen for the spacecraft's telemetry on 401.5275 and 2250 MHz. and then report what they heard back to the Pasadena, California based Planetary, Society's mission control center.  Postings to ham radio boards like QRZ.com and elsewhere had requested the assistance.  Everything was ready and right on schedule on Tuesday, June 21st, when Cosmos 1 was launched toward orbit from a Russian submarine in the Barents Sea.

But something went awry.  As a Russia Space Agency spokesman said on Wednesday tew 22nd, the launch vehicle carrying the solar sail crashed back to Earth when the booster rocket's engine failed less than two minutes after takeoff.

During the almost 24 hours between liftoff and the failure announcement, professional communicators as well as radio amateurs swept the skies in hope that a signal from Cosmos 1 might be heard.  At one point U.S. scientists had said that they possibly had detected signals from the world's first solar sail spacecraft but cautioned that it could take hours or days to figure out exactly where the $4 million Cosmos 1 was.

But it was all for naught.  In his Wednesday announcement, the spokesman for the launch operator said that that the booster's failure means that the solar sail vehicle was lost.

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

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Solar sail powered space vehicles are propelled only by photon pressure from sunlight.  They are are envisioned as a potential means for achieving interstellar flight, allowing such spacecraft to gradually build up the high speed needed to travel the large distances of inter-stellar space. The Cosmos One vehicle was intended as a test to show that a solar sail can make such a controlled flight. More on the Solar Sail mission is on-line at www.planetary.org/solarsail (QRZ.com, Planetary Society)

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ENFORCEMRENT:  PLEASE SIGN THE LETTER

The ongoing saga of a Liberty Corner, New Jersey ham versus the FCC continues.  The FCC's Daryl Duckworh, N-N-Zero-W, explains:

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Duckworth:  "An unsigned letter by Irwin Richardt, W2VJZ, has been returned to him once again for his signature.  His earlier response stated that it had been written by another party and that he could not attest to everything in it."

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The debate between the FCC and Richardt revolves around a pair of complaints received by the FCC about the operation W-2-V-J-Zed's station on December 14, 2004, and January 7, 2005.  These allege deliberate interference and taking over frequencies in the 75-meter amateur band.  The FCC has told Richardt that without his signature the letter he sent in response will not be considered. (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT:  STAY OF THIS REPEATER

Darin W. Colville, KM0Q, of O' Fallon, Missouri, is among the latest to receive a warning from the FCC that tells him to stay off of several local area repeaters. In this case it us the St. Charles Amateur Radio Club's WB0HIS systems on 145.33, 146.67 and 444.650 MHz.

In its June 2nd correspondence to Colville, the FCC quotes a letter from the repeaters trustee to KM0Q.  That letter requested Colville not use the repeaters as a result of his failure to follow operational rules set forth by the licensee and control operators of the system for its users.  It also notes that Colville was verbally requested to refrain from using the system, but have apparently ignored both verbal and written requests.

The FCC then advises Colville that it expects him to abide by the request to stay off the WB0HSI systems and any other such request by any repeater licensee, control operator or trustee.  It warns him that if he uses the repeater again after receipt of its letter, the FCC will initiate enforcement action against his license, which may include revocation or a fine. The FCC warns that fines in these cases normally range from $7,500 to $10,000.  (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT:  ANSWER THE LETTER PLEASE

The FCC has sent a New York ham a warning notice for his failure to reply to an earlier information rerquest.  Frank Fatigate, KB2YDO, of Hopewell Junction was issued the notice based on his refusal to take delivery of that earlier letter.  If he fails to respond this time, he could be fined up to $4000.   (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT:  $10,000 NAL ISSUED TO UNLICENSED STATION

The FCC has affirmed a $10,000 Notice of Apparent Liability to Jeremy R. Riels of Cross City, Florida.  This, for his alleged operation of a transmitter on 156.875 MHz without a license.

156.875 MHz is also known as VHF marine channel 77 and the FCC says that on December 8th of 2004 agents from its Tampa office monitored a station they believe to be Riels on that frequency.  The conversation was between parties believed to be hunters talking about their dogs.

The FCC says that the initial complaint Came from the United States Coast Guard office in Tampa.  Reils was given the customary 30 days to pay the fine or to file an appeal.  (FCC)

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RADIO LAW:  G3 SPECTREUM REALLOCATION UPDATE

The FCC says money has to be spent to make the next generation of wireless a reality.  Some of this by the agency.  Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, reports:

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RADIO LAW:  G3 SPECTREUM REALLOCATION UPDATE

The FCC is seeking comment on rule changes needed to implement the Commercial Spectrum Enhancement Act.  A key element of CSEA is the establishment of a "Spectrum Relocation Fund" to reimburse the relocation costs of federal agencies operating on spectrum reallocated from federal to non- federal use.

The spectrum covered by CSEA includes 216 to 220, 1432 to 1435, 1710 to 1755 and 2385 to 2390 MHz, as well as other spectrum that may be reallocated from federal to non-federal use. The 1710 to 1755 MHz band accounts for half of the spectrum the commission plans to auction as early as June 2006 for advanced wireless services, including so-called "3G" services.

The FCC says that these changes will bring it closer to auctioning off spectrum for advanced wireless services.

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Once comments have been evaluated, the FCC will decide.  (RW OnLine)

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REPEATER NEWS:  NEW 10 METER REPEATER ON MT HARVARD

A new 10-meter repeater is on the air from Mt. Harvard in the Los Angeles, California area.  Input is on 29.56 MHz using a multi-side voting receiver system and a sub-audible access tone of 1-7.2 Hz.  The output is on 29.66 MHz with the system courtesy of Chris Buchanan, N6LXX, of KRCA television. (CGC)

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NAMES IN THE NEWS:  MORE HONORS FOR VU2RBI

Sone names in the news.  We start with yet another honor for VU2RBI and the VU4 DXpedition.  This time it's the G DX Foundation that will present VU2RBI and her team members with an "Award of Appreciation" to be presented at the Hamradio Convention in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The ceremony will reportedly be attended by representatives of the Indian Embassy and the Indian Ministry of Communication.  In May, VU2RBI received the 2005 Special Achievement Award presented at Hamvention 2005 in Ohio.  (GB2RS)

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NAMES IN THE NEWS:  SCOTT REDD K0DQ TO HEAD NATIONAL COUNTER TERRORISM CENTER

And John S. Redd, K0DQ, of Kennesaw, Georgia has been tapped by the White House to direct the nations new National Counter Terrorism Center.  Known as Scott Redd on the ham bands,  K0DQ is a retired Navy career officer and a former commander of US naval forces in the Middle East.  A well known contester and DX'er, Redd was honored by the ARRL two years ago at a reception in Dayton Ohio.  This, for his years of service in protecting the nation. (LYRA)

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HAMVENTION 2005:  THE NUMBERS ARE IN

And speaking of Dayon, the official attendance numbers for Hamvention 2005 are out and according to outgoing Chairman Gary De Combs, N8EMO, its good news.   This year, some 20,411 people paid to walk through the gates at the Hara Arena.  That's a modest  increase of 542 over 2004 when attendance dropped to which was 19,869.

What Dayton saw this year was in line with the percentages reported by other ham radio shows.  Most attribute this to an upturn in all business thanks to the ongoing U-S economic recovery, but not as much as they might like.  This, due to the very high price of gasoline making it expensive to drive great distances to get to some shows.   (Dayton Hamventionr, ARNewslineT)

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THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  ELECTRO VOICE AD TEN-TEC FOUNDER AL KAHN, K4FW - SK

Albert Kahn,  K4FW, who co-founded Electro-Voice and later Ten-Tec has passed from the scene at age 98.  Kahn died Wednesday, June 15th at his home in Cassopolis, Michigan.

Born in La Salle, Illinois. In 1906, Kahn started Electro Voice in 1930 and was president of the company until 1969 when it merged with Gulton Industries.  In 1970 he started the radio equipment manufacturing company, Ten-Tec, in Sevierville, Tennessee, with his partner and longtime friend Jack Birchfield, K4JU and remained involved until the company his death.

A favorite story from Kahn's early years revolves around the legendary football coach Knute Rockne.  Kahn designed and installed a portable PA system so that Rockne could direct his players during practice from a tower on four different playing fields simultaneously.  Rockne dubbed this system his "electric voice." Kahn liked the name.  When he started his first company, he called it Electro- Voice.

The company took off during WW II when Kahn invented and patented a noise- canceling microphone.  This is the same technology used in military field communications also sereved early space exploration including the Mercury, Gemini and Skylab space missions.

A memorial service is planned for Saturday, July 16th, in the Diamond Cove Missionary Church, in Cassopolis, Michigan at 4 p.m.  Contributions in memory of Albert Kahn may be made to Cass County Hospice, 310 East Sherwood Street, Decatur, MI 49045; or to the Michiana Amateur Radio Club (MARC), in care of Noel Kindt ,W9EFL), 90888 Bluff Drive, Marcellus, MI 49067. (N8EMO)

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  KFUO NOT SATISFIED WITH IBOC

Greg Hardisson's Los Angeles based broadcast industry newsletter says that at least one mid-West station is not very happy with the current In Bands - On Channel or Eye Bokk digital broadcast system. That station is KFUO on 850 Kilohertz in Clayton, Missouri and holds the honor of being the first digital station in the St. Louis market.

According to the newsletter KFUO is now considering switching it's Eye Bock off permanently. This after station managers reviewed complaints from listeners about reduced coverage as a result of the station's broadcasting in the I-B-O-C system.

Another reason may be some alleged interference that the digital system is reportedly causing to the signals of other broadcasters that St. Louis area listeners regularly tune in.  This includes the signals of WHB on 810 Kiloherrtz in Kansas City; KOTC on 830 Kilohertz in Kennett, Missouri; WINU on 870 Kilohertz in Shelbyville, Illinois; WCBW on 880 Highland, Illinois and powerhouse WLS on 890 Kilohertz in Chicago

The reason for the interference seems to be the sidebands generated by the KFUO digital transmitter.  The station appears to want to be a good neighbor and remain a welcome member of the community.   (Greg Hardisson)

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ON THE AIR:  INFINITY DROPS OLDIES ON WCBS-FM

Residents of the Big Apple are calling it the day the music died in New York City.  This, as the owners of the top oldies station in the nation for more than three decades, New York City's WCBS FM, stunned its legion of listeners by abruptly switching formats on Saturday afternoon, June 4th.

The station had changed to an oldies format in 1972.  Initially it served as a home for the doo-wop sounds of the 1950's.  Although the playlist of songs changed over the years, WCBS FM always remained the outpost for classic Top 40 radio in the nation's largest radio market.  Because of this, the station was always rated in the top 10 in the market.

Apparently that was not good enough for its owner Infinity Broadcasting which shifted WCBS FM to an emerging format  called "Jack." This is described as an eclectic mix of hit music from the '70s through the present.  Its also a lot less expensive to run as "Jack" can be fully automated while Top 40 is personality driven and requires highly paid air talent to make it work.

Infinity Broadcasting, also made the same format shift at its Chicago oldies station, WJMK FM, where classic Top 40 had aired for the past 21 years. (Published reports)

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  DUTCH TO ATTEND COLOQUOM

A delegation of 16 students from the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands will be attending the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium. The students are currently building an Amateur Satellite called Delfi-3C which will carry a 70 cm to 2 meter linear transponder and is scheduled for launch at the end of 2006.  The Colloquium is being held at the University of Surrey in Guildford England from July 29th to the 31st.  (M5AKA)

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WORLDBEAT - SOUTH AFRICA:  SARL NOW THE S.A. NATIONAL BODY FOR AMATEUR RADIO

The South  African Radio League has officially been designated as that nations National Body for Amateur Radio by the Department of Communications. While always having been regarded as the national society by the rest of the world, amendments to the radio South African regulations were required for the SARL to be given the official recognition and title.  Those changes took place earlier this year.  This means that SARL will now be able to handle the upgrading of restricted amateur radio licenses for the ZR to ZS prefixe blocks. More is on-line at  www.sarl.org.za  (SARL)

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SPECIAL EVENTS:  N6R CELEBRATED THE REAGANS ON FIELD DAY

And in celebration of the lives of former U-S President Ronald and Mrs. Nancy Reagan, Special Events station, N6R, was scheduled to operate ARRL's "Field Day 2005" from the grounds of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum.  That's where members of the Ventura County Amateur Radio Society and the Simi Settlers Amateur Radio Club planned to operate the H-F through U-H-F bands from 11 A.M. Saturday June 25th to 11 A.M. on Sunday June 26th local Pacific Daylight time.  If you were lucky enough to work N6R, QSL direct to N6ZE at his Callbook address.  (N6ZE)

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DX

In DX, K5LBU, reports that all systems are a go for a July operation from Swaziland. They expect to be on the air by the 9th of July with himself on SSB and  W5KDJ on CW.  Antennas will be 800 foot long beverages with one aimed at the United States.  KB5LU will operate as 3DA0CF and W5KDJ as 3DA0JDK.  QSL as directed on the air.

And members of Croatia's  Amateur Radio Club Koprivnica will be active with the special callsign 9A10KC through December 31st.  This is to celebrate the 10th Jubilee of the Community for the Technical Culture of the City of Koprivnica.  The QSL Manager for this one is 9A7K.

Also, JF1EGV, was heard from Bhutan as A52EGV on 21.255 MHz starting as early as 1200 U-T-C or as late as 1600 UTC. as directed on the air.

Lastly, VK4VB who also holds the call 5H3RK has announced that he is on his way to Tanzania. Look for him on 40, 20 and 15 meter CW. QSL direct to Ralph Karhammer, 1306 34th Street NW, Washington, DC 20007.

(DX News courtesy of GB2RS & OPDX)

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THAT FINAL ITEM:  A STRANGE DANGER FROM BPL

And finally this week, a BPL story of a different kind.  One that may just tweek your funny bone a bit.  With it, here's Chris Edmondson, VK4AA, down-under:

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We've all heard of the BPL interference problems experienced everywhere they've tried putting entertainment material along power lines. And no  wonder.

With five watt HF transmitters every couple of poles along power lines, HF signals  will be decimated not only right beside the power lines, but  potentially hundreds even thousands of kilometres from the wires. Basically,  nobody will be immune, no matter where on the earth's surface you might be  except, it seems, for  a part of China, where it's become quite the thing  to steal lengths of power distribution cables.

It all went awry, however, for one group the other day, when enterprising thieves  managed to hack their way through the 220kV cable, which was no mean feat in itself.   The cable was so heavy, however, that the hapless thieves dropped it,  directly over a road. And the story doesn't end there, not by a long shot.

The cable somehow snagged a large passing truck, which drove on for a time, the driver totally unaware of his unintended passenger. When the dust had finally settled, and hopefully, the sparks had stopped, there was a small  damage bill. It seems the truck didn't stop until it had brought down seven of those large steel power pylons as well.

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No word if the wire thieves were caught or of the plight of the hapless driver of the truck that snagged the wire that brought the power poles falling to the ground.  (WIA News)

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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 closes on June 30th.  That's less than a week away.  Full details along with downloadable and on-line nominating forms are at the awards website at www.yhoty.org or by e-mail to newsline at arnewsline.org. Just click on 2005 Nominations at the top of the page.