[Ham-News] (no subject)

Sun Oct 2 07:29:14 EDT 2005

Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1468 -  September 30, 2005

The following is a Q-S-T.   Hurricane Rita hits Texas and Louisiana and ham 
radio is ready.  Also, the B-P-L battle heats up down-under and the third 
ham  head space tourist heads to the I-S-S.  Find out the details on 
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1468 coming your way right now.

**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAM RADIO COMMS POST KATRINA AND RITA

Amateur Radio operators are now assisting in the clean-up efforts following 
two hurricanes.  This as Rita follows Katrina into the Gulf states.  
Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has the latest:

--

As Texas Gov. Rick Perry put it, some areas of his state "really got 
whacked" while others "dodged a bullet" delivered by Hurricane Rita. The 
same might be said for Louisiana, where some coastal towns sustained severe 
damage and flooding while others further inland were spared.

As the cleanup continues and the restoration work progresses in the 
hurricane disaster zones of Rita and Katrina, amateur radio will continue 
to play a large role in the communications and relief effort.

Jeff Clark, K8JAC, a homeland security planner for Kanawha County in 
Charleston, West Virginia, spent a week in the New Orleans area in early 
September, just after Katrina hit. He was there to provide communications 
support for his county sheriff department's SWAT team which was assisting 
in security operations.

Clark is back at work now, but he says the devastation he saw will stay 
with him for a long time.

"It's really surreal in certain areas there it defies description, really," 
he recalls. "You know, you see those images on TV but you can't smell those 
images and that's the first thing that struck me. 

"It's surreal, it is surreal. There are areas of New Orleans, I don't know 
how they're going to rebuild all those homes. St. Bernard's Parish is 
virtually gone."

Clark says he and the SWAT team worked in the town of Gretna, in Jefferson 
Parish, just across the Mississippi River from downtown New Orleans. But 
they toured the devastation in New Orleans as part of their assignment.

Clark says living conditions for the visiting West Virginia delegation were 
pretty spartan, but they were prepared and brought most of the supplies 
they needed with them.

"Things were pretty austere and pretty rugged but we made due just fine," 
Clark says. "One of the interesting points was there was absolutely no 
commerce during most of the time we were there. 

"You couldn't buy gas or fuel south of Meridien, Mississippi. And, no 
convenience stores, no Wal Marts, no Home Depots, nothing was open. As a 
matter of fact I took a fair amount of cash with me, I didn't spend a dime 
the whole week."

Clark says amateur radio was still working to provide health-and-welfare 
communications and other traffic as needed. As to his own take on the 
future for New Orleans: 

"In order to get everything ramped up, back to where it was, I'm not sure 
that that will ever take place," Clark says. "At the very least, it'll take 
years to get neighborhoods rebuilt and consequently, you know because the 
people that live in the New Orleans area were employed there.

"They're part of the economic base and that will take even longer to get 
back up to speed. It's unfortunately going to be a long road back for the 
greater New Orleans area."

Last week, we spoke with Joe Tomasone, AB2M, the ham behind creation of the 
database for radio operators interested in working in the hurricane 
disaster zone. He told us how inspired he was by the posting in the forum 
section of his website from a ham in a wheelchair.

Well, Amateur Radio Newsline - with Joe's help - found that ham. He's Troy 
Scoville KC8QLR. Troy is from St. Petersburg, Florida and is active in the 
Pinellas County emergency communications and net control for a number of 
nets there.

Scoville tells us his wheelchair is not an obstacle and he volunteered to 
go with a group of operators from Pinellas being deployed to Hancock 
County, Mississippi's Emergency Operations Center.

He says the first crew was reluctant to take him because of the extent of 
the devastation there. But Scoville says he's has heard from the operators 
and found he would be able to get around and do what he can if needed.

"I did get to see some pictures from some of the people that deployed in my 
area," Scoville says. "It showed the ground was pretty well nice at the 
base camp where they were set up at at the Hancock County EOC.
"And, I was told that it was wheelchair accessible, so at that particular 
time it seemed like things had gotten better in the area and it would be 
okay for a wheelchair to get through."

Scoville says he has been in a wheelchair most of his life because of Spina 
Bifida, which has left him paralyzed from the waist down. However, he says 
he has full upper body strength and is very mobile in his wheelchair.

"I might not be a good person for a first-responder, being in a wheelchair, 
you know, I don't want to go into a disaster area where I'm in real 
danger," Scoville says. "But maybe as a relief operator, I'd be good as a 
second team member or a third team being deployed in there to relieve the 
other guys, the grunts that go in first and put up the antennas and get 
radio communications set up."

Troy Scoville is an inspiration to us all. His courage and determination 
might give us pause to reflect on the contributions every ham - regardless 
or age or disability - can make in times of need.

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

--

Experts say that the post storm clean-up effort could continue for some 
time as will the need for Amateur Radio emergency communications efforts.  
(ARNewslineT)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  LAKE CHARLES TV STATION STREAMS RITA ON THE WEB

Hurricane Rita as seen through the cameras of a television station caught 
in the eye of the storm.  This was the story after the news division of 
station KPLC rode out the brunt of the storm as it hammered Lake Charles.  

According to Shoptalk, the station set up temporary facilities at a local 
hospital when it appeared its regular studio might get flooded by rising 
storm surge.  Operating on generators, KPLC has remained on the air around 
the clock.  This includes the hours when the hurricane sent winds higher 
than 100 mph through the city. The streaming video of Hurricane Rita at 
www.kplc.com was watched all over the world as the storm slammed through 
the area.  (Adapted from Shoptalk)

**

INDUSTRY ASSIST:  KENWOOD GROUP DONATES WIRELSS GEAR TO KATRINA CLEAN-UP

Radio World on-line reports that the Kenwood Group has pledged to provide 
roughly $90,000 worth of wireless public safety mobile radios.  This, to 
support and assist in the reconstruction of the gulf coast areas devastated 
by Hurricane Katrina.

Such equipment does not rely on commercial power utilities and the receiver 
company hopes the donation will help to maintain and recover some parts of 
the destroyed communications in the area.  

The donations will head to the American Red Cross, state emergency 
managers, county emergency managers, city emergency managers for the state 
of Louisiana as well as Tennessee, and shelters in Tennessee.

On the ham radio side, numerous companies have donated gear and other 
support to the hurricane communications effort.  This list is quite long 
and includes Heil Sound, Icom, Kenwood,  M-F-J and Yaesu to mention only a 
few.  (RW-Online, others)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  GERRITSEN TRIAL PUSHED BACK TO DECEMBER

The federal trial of Jack Gerritsen, the ex-KG6IRO, of Bell, California on 
charges of interfering with a number of radio services has been postponed 
until at least December 6th and could slide a bit further.  As previously 
reported, Gerritsen was arrested last May 5th after being accused of jamming 
radio frequencies being used by the United States military, the United 
States Coast Guard, law enforcement and public safety agencies.

In a criminal complaint filed Wednesday on May 4th the government had 
charged  Gerritsen with a felony count of malicious interference with a 
communications system operated by the United States and a misdemeanor count 
of transmitting radio signals without a license.  If convicted on both 
charges Gerritsen could face a hefty fine and up to 11 years in a federal 
prison.  (N6USO)

**  

THE BPL WAR:  BATTLE LINES DRAWN DOWN-UNDER

The battle lines between Australian BPL providers and numerous radio 
services have been drawn in the sand.  This as that nations 
telecommunications regulator publishes the 275 responses to its proposal on 
the issue of introducing Broadband Over Powerlines down-under.   The 
majority of responders are telling the regulator -- ACMA -- not to do it.  
Phil Wait, VK2DKN, reports:

--

There are some very big names amongst the list in addition to the 222  
submission from radio amateurs.

Air Services, The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Defence, are  
concerned about the interference potential to their radio communications  
services.

Optus recommend a 'cautious approach', and are concerned over potential  
interference to their cable services

Likewise, Telstra expresses serious concerns about interference to their  
Broadband cable- ADSL- ADSL2-, VDSL- and HF radio services. 

Telstra stated:  ".ubiquitous BPL could have serious consequences for cable 
modem networks"  and  "It is clear  that if BPL is permitted at the ETSI 
levels, there will be   significant degradation of VDSL in cases where 
power and telecommunications lines are in close proximity".

In a strongly worded statement - medical alarm providers through their  
industry association the Personal Emergency Response Services Association  
(PERSA) conclude:  "Electromagnetic interference from BPL is potentially 
severe, and is  continuous and widespread. BPL interference could prevent a 
call for  assistance in a life threatening situation, resulting in death or 
injury."

The ABC express fear that BPL interference is: "highly likely in some 
circumstances to annihilate broadcasting services."

The BPL industry's submissions are more favourable towards BPL and 
recommend  less onerous management techniques. 

Bytecan is a member of the Wommera Consortium operator of the Morouya BPL 
trial in New South Wales.  

Bytecan is the first from any entity involved in the promotion of BPL to  
acknowledge the impact of BPL terference on radio communications services. 
Bytecan - a member of the Wommera BPL Consortium - They essessencially say  
that BPL works only at levels high enough to cause interference to  
radiocommunications services - and  if the BPL signal is "notched" enough 
to  avoid that  interference then there is insufficient bandwidth remaining 
for  the BPL system to operate.

This is Phil Wait, VK2DKN, from the WIA.

--

That's the strongest and most united opposition to the introduction of B-P-
L heard to date. A link to the full list of submissions - also including 
those from CB radio,  model aircraft enthusiasts, outback radio uses, and 
equipment suppliers is  on the WIA website at www.wia.org.au. (WIA News)

**

RADIO LAW:  AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNA "CC&R BILL" REINTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

The ARRL Letter reports that New York Congressman Steve Israel has 
reintroduced legislation that could make it easier for radio amateurs 
living in communities with deed covenants, conditions and restrictions to 
erect suitable antennas.  Arkansas Congressman Mike Ross, WD5DVR, signed 
aboard as an original co-sponsor of the  Amateur Radio Emergency 
Communications Consistency Act.  ARRL Hudson Division Director Frank 
Fallon, N2FF, attended Israel's public announcement of the bill September 
19th on Long Island.  The measure has been assigned the designation HR 
3876.  (ARRL)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  LICENSE RENEWALS ON HOLD FOR OHIO HAMS

A pair of Strongsville, Ohio, hams have had their license renewal 
applications set aside by the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau.  
The August 19th action against Gary A. Jaworske, KB8ZNS, and Zachary J. 
Jaworske, KB8YYG is based on a complaint against the pair that claims they 
are involved in the marketing non-certified radio transmitters and 
modifying certified radio equipment to cause it to operate on unauthorized 
frequencies and at power limits that violate Commission rules.

The FCC says that the complaint if valid raises serious questions regarding 
the two hams qualifications to retain an amateur license.  Zachary 
Jaworske's license expired on April 19, while Gary Jaworske's ticket 
expired May 17th. 

Since their renewal applications were filed before the expiration date the 
two hams can continue to operate until the issues involved are settled.  In 
this case the FCC cannot invoked its new Red Light rule as there is no 
outstanding fine or other debt panding to the agency.  

Both Gary and Zachary Jaworske hold Technician class licenses.  They were 
given the customary 30 days from the date of the FCC letter to them to 
respond.  (FCC)

**

RADIO LAW:  THREATENED LAW SUIT GIVES BACK MEDIA ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICE 
COMMS

News organizations in Wichita Falls, Texas have reached an agreement with 
the city to again allow them access to local emergency communications that 
was cut off after a new encrypted radio system was put into service. Now 
they have it all back.  Jim Davis, W2JKD, reports:

--

The media outlets had threatened to sue for the same access to real-time 
police and fire communications they had in the past. 

By listening to scanners, reporters find out about car accidents, crimes, 
fires, road closures and public safety threats.  But the new 800-MHz 
digital radio system requires specific equipment, plus encryption codes for 
police, fire and other public service  transmissions that the city has 
denied to anyone.  

The agreement with the city will allow television stations KFDX and KAUZ 
and the Wichita Falls Times Record News each to buy as many as two digital 
radios.  The radios will be programmed to receive dispatching information 
from the Wichita Falls Fire Department as well as the Police Department's 
primary traffic channel.

For weeks prior to the agreement, Wichita Falls officials insisted that the 
media and other outside parties should not have any access to emergency 
transmissions.  Officials claimed that making this information available to 
anyone outside of those in the need to know placed officers safety at risk.  
They also said information officers need to give to each other during an 
incident, such as someone's health condition or criminal activities, cannot 
be broadcast with others listening.

As the scanners turned quiet, media outlets asked citizens to call when 
they saw breaking news events.  The public did and Drew Hadwal, who is News 
Director for KAUZ said those tips were invaluable. 

--

Still unanswered is what legal action local scanner radio enthusiasts might 
take to try to force the city to give them access to these transmissions as 
well.  There appears to be no legal precedent that the average citizen can 
turn to in cases where public access to emergency service transmissions is 
denied.  (Media Watch)

**

RADIO LAW:  DON'T CENSOR WHAT I WATCH

The word to the government is to stop meddling in what airs on the tube.  
Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, has the details:

--

Americans do not want the government to censor what they watch.  This, 
according to a study recently released by the nonprofit advocacy group TV 
Watch.

The researchers reported that three out of four of the 1,002 people polled 
for the survey strongly agreed that they would rather decide what programs 
to watch instead of having government censors decide.  The pole concluded 
that no matter the concerns people may have about content, the much 
stronger and more dominant feeling is that they don't want government 
making choices that they feel should be left to families and individuals.

--

The survey comes amid an increasing government crackdown on broadcasters.  
(Published reports)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  HAS TO RECEIVE RCA HONORS

Four hams are among those being honored at the 96th annual Radio Club of 
America Awards Banquet.   Among them is William Lieske, W7GLT,  with the 
Fred M. Link Award.  This, in recognition of his contributions to the 
advancement of Land Mobile radio communications. 

Also being honored are Stephen Hemphill, WA3ZAE, Carl Krauss WB2TZL and 
Charles Sackerman Jr..  They will receive Special Appreciation Awards for 
their contribution to the 70th anniversary commemorative broadcast of Major 
Edwin Armstrong's first public demonstration of FM radio.  As previously 
reported that event took place back on June 11th from the Armstrong Tower in 
Alpine, New Jersey.  

And named receive Radio Club of America's Presidents Award is Eric D. 
Stoll, K2TO.  He will be receiving this honor in recognition of his 30 
years of work in support of the organizations needs.  

Award presentations take place November 18th at the New York Athletic Club 
on Central Park South in New York City.  More information is on-line at 
www.radio-club-of-america.org  (RCA)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  ISS EXPEDITION 12 CREW HEADS TO ISS WITH SPACE TOURIST

A new crew and the latest space tourist should be on their way to the 
International Space Station about the time this newscast goes to air.  

Commander William McArthur, KC5ACR, and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev, 
RA4ADM, will be the Expedition 12 crew.  They are scheduled to launch from 
the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan a few minutes before midnight Eastern 
Daylight Time on September 30th to begin a 182 day stay in space.

With them will be American Greg Olsen, KC2ONX.  Olsen is the third private 
citizen in space, flying under a contract with the Russian Federal Space 
Agency.  He will spend about eight days on the station before hitching a 
ride back to Earth with the departing Expedition 11 crew.  During his stay 
he will be an acting NASA Science Officer performing experiments on board 
the I-S-S.  He has also promised to contact several schools using the I-S-S 
ham radio gear.

The Soyuz spacecraft carrying the three adventurers is scheduled to dock 
with the I-S-S on Monday, October 3rd.  Like his predecessors Dennis Tito, 
KG6FZX, and Mark Shuttleworth, ZSRSA, before him, Olsen is believed to have 
coughed up about $20 million to pay for his ride into space.  (AMSAT)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SSETI EXPRESS LAUNCH DELAYED

Meantime, word that the launch of the SSETI Express satellite has been 
postponed indefinitely. According to M5AKA the delay was the result of the 
Sinah payload having suffered a significant failure and not being ready in 
time to be launched.  Sinah was one of the primary Russian payloads that 
was to be orbited along with SSETI Express.  (M5AKA)

**

CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  LASER INVENTOR GORDON GOULD - SK 

The scientist who coined the word "laser" and won a decades-long struggle 
to secure patent rights for the most commonly used type, has died.  Gordon 
Gould, a pioneer in laser technology was was 85 when he passes away on 
Friday, September 23rd.

Gould is credited with developing the gas discharge laser and the optically 
pumped laser.  He began work on the laser in 1957 based on his graduate 
studies at Columbia University and first applied for the patent in 1959.    
The U.S. Patent Office denied his application, sparking a legal battle that 
would span three decades. 

Gould won his first minor patent in 1977, but didn't claim his first 
significant patent victory until 1987.  That's when a federal judge ordered 
the government to issue a patent to him for the optically pumped laser.  
This is a device that has varied applications that includes supermarket 
checkout counters and eye surgery. Over the next 17 years, until the patent 
expired, Gould earned an estimated $30 million from patent licenses.   
Ironically, the patent fight played to his advantage.  If he had received 
the patent in 1959 his rights would have expired before the laser became 
widely used.  (Science OnLine)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  A POSSIBLE WAY TO END DANGEROUS POLICE PURSUITS

>From the emerging technology file word that a possible new way to end those 
televised police pursuits may be on its way.  This with word from the CGC 
Communicator that a Virginia start-up called StarChase will soon unveil a 
system aimed at ending them very quickly.

The StarChase concept uses compressed air to fire an epoxy-coated 
projectile at a fleeing vehicle.  The round carries with it a GPS chip set, 
wireless modem and power supply to enable continuous remote tracking. 

Field tests will begin soon.  StarChase intends to officially unveil the 
system at next month's IAPC Conference in Miami.  (CGC)

**

WORLDBEAT - AUSTRALIA:  CELEBRATING ANOTHER MARCONI FIRST

Planning is underway to celebrate the July 1906 first radio transmission 
from Devonport to Queenscliff in Victoria Australia by Marconi.  The North 
West Tasmania Amateur Radio Interest Group in conjunction with the 
Devonport City Council will co-ordinate the Devonport End.  The Geelong 
Amateur Radio Club in conjunction with the various public utilities in the 
Queenscliff and Geelong areas,  handling the Victorian end.  

The celebration is planned for the weekend of 6th or 12th of July of 2006. 
Those involved hope for an actual re-enactment of the radio transmission 
using spark transmitters and other radio related activity and exhibitions.

This is seen as an excellent opportunity to promote Amateur Radio down-
under with lots of media coverage.  Further news will be made available as 
it comes to hand.  (WIA)

**

ON THE AIR:  COMMEMORATING THE TITAN

October 1st is the date that Arizona's Green Valley Amateur Radio Club will 
be conducting a special event operation from the Titan Missile Museum 
National Historic Site, in the town of Sahuarita.  While most of the 
operation will be on HF, the group also plans to be on the SO-50 and AO-51 
birds as time permits.  The call sign to look for is N7GV.  QSL via W0KAD.  
(E-Mail)

**

DX

In D-X, GB2RS reports that a large group of Dutch amateurs are in Qawra, 
Malta for their 18th holiday DXpedition.  They are operating on 80 thru 6 
meters using CW,  SSB and digital modes.  Listen for them as 9H0VRZ through 
early October and Q-S-L as directed on the air.  (SB2RS)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  PA QSO PARTY - OCT 8 & 9

And finally this week, one of the nations favorite contests is about to hit 
the airwaves.  It's the Pennsylvania QSO party.  Amateur Radio Newslines 
Josh Abramowicz, KB3GWY, has the details:

--

Audio report only.  Download the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org

--

Again the dates for the Pennsylvania QSO Party are October 8thth and 9thth.  
Josh says he will see you on the air. (ARNewslineT)

**

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. 