[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1507 - June 30, 2006

[ham-news at mailman.qth.net]

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1507 - June 30, 2006

The following is a Q-S-T.  

A Hawaii to the U-S mainland contact on 2 meter FM.  Licensing changes come 
to a pair of European nations, hams help out in the wake of flooding in 
Pennsylvania and guess what new technology is almost five decades old.  The 
answer on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1507 coming your way right 
now.

**

SPECTRUM NEWS:  SOCAL REPEATER USERS WORK HAWAII ON 2 FM

Ever hear a DX pile-up on a 2 meter repeater?  Well, take a listen:

--

Contact audio:  Hear it by downloading the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org.

--

That's what it sounded like on Monday, June 26th when Bill Cullen,WH6DQ,  in 
Hawaii showed up on the Los Angeles area 2 meter Calalina repeater.  

--

Contact audio:  Hear it by downloading the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org.

--

According to Frank Shannon, KR6AL, it seems that almost every summer , 
usually in July or August, a phenomena called tropospheric ducting supports 
2 meter SSB contacts from Hawaii to Southern California.  Most are weak 
signal on SSB.  But once in a great while, the ducting is good enough to 
provide 2 meter FM contacts as well.  And when it does, Hawaiian stations 
show up on the Catalina 2 meter repeater as they did on the evening of the 
26th.  That's when WH6DQ who is also known on the air as "Doctor Quack" 
broke into an ongoing net to announce that he had been listening to the net 
from the big island of Hawaii.

--

Contact audio:  Hear it by downloading the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org.

--

After the announcement, the net continued.  Then WH6DQ then broke back in 
to announce that he was still listening but would QSY to 146.520 to try 
working folks Simplex. 

--

Contact audio:  Hear it by downloading the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org.

-- 

After the net concluded, WH6DQ came back up on the Catalina 2 meter  
repeater.  So did half of the Southern California's ham radio population, 
who wanted to talk to Hawaii on 2 meter FM.  Needless to say there was 
quite a pile up as WH6DQ took a list and began working station after 
station.  He then  took another list and kept working the stations until 
the ducting faded out.  

--

Contact audio:  Hear it by downloading the MP3 version of this newscast at 
www.arnewsline.org.

--

It all started about 8 PM Pacific coast time and lasted until 9 PM.  Thats 
when the tropo duct and WH6DQ simply faded away.   (ARNewslineT, KR6AL)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  CHANGES COME TO HOLLAND AND SPAIN

A bit of license restructuring has come to a pair of European nations.  
Graham Kemp, VK4BB, reports on what's happening on the other side of the 
great Atlantic pond:

--

New Amateur Radio regulations became effective in Spain back on June 10.   
The new licensing regime essentially eliminates the former Novice, General  
and Restricted license classes and extends the same privileges to all radio  
amateurs. URE, Spain's IARU member-society, says the change means EB and EC  
prefix call signs will be showing up on all bands now, in addition to the  
familiar EA prefix.

In the Netherlands, IARU member-society  VERON, reports that as of June  
10, radio amateurs in the Netherlands are using the band 7.100-7.200 MHz  
on a secondary basis with a maximum power output of 250 watts.

--

Hams living in countries that are signatories to the CEPT licensing 
agreement have broad exchange operating privileges with other CEPT 
signatory nations.  (WIA News)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  ZULU STATIONS STAND DOWN IN INDONESIA

The Indonesian Amateur Radio "zulu stations" activated to handle emergency 
communications in the wake of the 6.3 earthquake in late May  have now 
stood  down.  Robert Broomhead, VK3KRB, reports:

--

Indonesia's International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) member-society, the 
Organization of Amateur Radio for Indonesia (ORARI) coordinated an 
emergency communication network comprised of zulu-suffix emergency 
communication stations on HF and VHF. 

Radio amateurs involved with the emergency effort now say West Java 
provincial emergency managers have declared the emergency phase at an end 
and that a recovery or "rehabilitation" phase has begun.

Emergency radio volunteers who went to the hard-hit Yogyakarta area 
following the quake will return home, although local club stations and 
emergency volunteers will remain on standby.

I'm Robert, VK3KRB, in Melbourne.

--

The Indonesian Zulu stations function much like RACES does here in the 
United States.  (WIA News)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAMS AID IN WAKE OF NORTH-EAST FLOODS

Back here in the USA, ham radio operators across Eastern Pennsylvania have 
been activated to supply communications along flooded rivers.  This, 
according to Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, who tells Amateur Radio Newsline that 
this is the worst deluge to hit the area since 1972 when Hurricane Agnes 
flooded much of the state during Field Day weekend.

Josuweit says that Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has declared disaster 
areas in 46 counties, including Philadelphia. The city of Reading has 
evacuated many residents. Flood stage for the Schuykill River in the area 
is 13 feet and was expected to crest at almost 23 feet.

Pottstown, PA has had to close it's water treatment plant. Area residents 
are being asked to conserve water. In Philadelphia the Broad Street subway 
system, a main commuter underground transit line, has suspended part of 
it's service because of rising water. The Schuykill River in Philadelphia 
could reach one of it's highest levels in 125 years. 

WA3PZO quotes Eastern Pennsylvania Section Manager Eric Olena, WB3FPL, as 
saying that about 100,000 people will have to be evacuated from the 
Wyoming Valley. Thats the Wilkes Barre area.  Also, that the counties of 
Berks, Bradford, Bucks, Carbon, Columbia, Lehigh, Northampton, Schuykill 
and Wyoming have been activated and have hams working in the field.  Olena 
is operating from the Pennsylvania Emergency Manangement Agency's Eastern 
Area Headquarters in Hamburg in Berks County. 

Bob Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, who provided the information in this story is the 
Public Service Columnist for CQ Magazine.   (WA3PZO, ARNewslineT)

**

FCC TO SEEK COMMENTS ON KATRINA PANEL RECOMMENDATIONS

The ARRL Letter reports that the FCC will invite public comments in 
response to recommendations presented by the Independent Panel Reviewing 
the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.  The report 
points out that Amateur Radio stations were among those segments of the 
communications infrastructure adversely affected by Hurricane Katrina.  It 
says that equipment was damaged or lost due to the storm, and trained 
amateurs were difficult to find in the immediate aftermath.  But it goes on 
to praise hams by saying once called into help, Amateur Radio operators 
volunteered to support many agencies, such as FEMA, the National Weather 
Service, Hurricane Watch Net and the American Red Cross."

The report went on to say that Amateur Radio volunteers provided 
communication in many locations where no other means existed.  Hams also 
provided other technical aid to communities affected by Hurricane Katrina, 
the report added. The panel recommended adopting a proactive rather than 
reactive program for network reliability and resiliency.

A Notice of Proposed Rule Making in EB Docket 06-119 contains wide-ranging 
proposals and considerations that could involve FCC rule or administrative 
changes, a few of which deal with the Amateur Service.  These include 
waiving of Amateur Radio and license-exempt rules, permitting transmissions 
necessary to meet essential communications needs.  Also, a  waiver of 
application filing deadlines, something the FCC did last fall for amateurs 
who lived in hurricane-stricken states.  Lastly, the creation of a 
streamlined STA process, so parties in the affected area may simply notify 
the FCC in writing or orally of a need to operate in order to restore 
service.

Comments will be due 30 days from the date the NPRM is published in the 
Federal Register and may be filed via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing 
System at www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs  (ARRL)

** 

RESCUE RADIO:  THE SUCCESS OF FIELD DAY 2006

A lot of hams are saying that they are happy they had a chance demonstrate 
their skills to the world on Field Day weekend.  One place where that 
is very true is in Indianapolis, Indiana, where Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Jack Parker, W8ISH, spent time covering the festivities:

--

(Nat Sound)

That's Russ Eberhart, K-9-I-V burning up the air waves with Morse code.  
He's making contacts for the Indianapolis Red Cross disaster radio group.  
Inside their tent city they have set up multiple analog and digital radio 
stations in an effort to test their portable  communications skills.   

Eberhart:  "We're all trained in Red Cross operation such as mass care and 
shelter care in addition to being proficient in amateur radio."


Teaching the public about amateur radio is another aspect of this two day 
radio marathon.  Good PR not only earns extra contest points but helps 
promote  amateur radio awareness in the community.  

Eberhart:  "When traditional communication links are down, as they are in a 
hurricane or tornado, it's important to have glue that holds together law 
enforcement and relief agencies and so on.  And, we're that glue."

According to Russ Eberhart, being ready to pull it all together for a local 
or national disaster has always been the corner stone of amateur radio 
technology and service.  

Eberhart:  "It's a hobby is a hobby with a public service obligation 
almost.  I don't think I know very many hams that don't feel an obligation 
to provide service in times of need."

For Amateur Radio Newsline this is Jack Parker, W8ISH 

--

Field Day 2006 is now ham radio history, but most who took part say they 
will do it again about 12 months from now.  (W8ISH, ARNewslineT)

**


ENFORCEMENT:  ANOTHER DELAY IN GERRITSEN SENTENCING

Turning to enforcement news, word of a 4th delay in the sentencing of 
convicted California radio jammer Jack Gerritsen, the ex-KG6IRO.  The 
reported reason for this latest postponement is that Gerritsen's current 
attorney is still waiting to receive court transcripts from day one and day 
two of the trial.  As a result, Gerritsen's sentencing date has been moved 
to August 21st, at 10 AM at the Roybal Courthouse in Los Angeles.  
(Various)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  GET THAT TRANSMITTER OFF THE AIR - NOW

Call this a strange mix-up with a tie to hurricane Katrina.  This, as the 
FCC's New Orleans Office warns what it says is an unlicensed broadcaster 
using the facilities of an abandoned radio station. But the broadcaster 
says the station was not abandoned and that he and the FCC have made a few 
minore mistakes. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has the rest 
of the story.  

--

The FCC action came in a letter to Jamie Patrick Broadcasting, LTD, of 
Bastrop, Louisiana.  The agency says that an unlicensed station is 
broadcasting on 93.9 MHz from Bastrop,  and warns the operator to get off 
the air or face dyer  consequences. But is really a case of mixed signals 
between the broadcaster and the regulatory agency?  Lets take a closer 
look.

The FCC says that on May 2, 2006, an agent confirmed by direction finding
that radio signals on frequency  93.9  MHz were emanating from the antenna 
structure of former broadcast radio station KTRY-FM.  The Commission says 
that the license for KTRY-FM expired on June 1, 2004 and was cancelled on 
January 19, 2006 by its Media Bureau.  It says that there currently is no 
valid license issued for operation of a broadcast station on 93.9  MHz  at 
that location in Bastrop, Louisiana.

But Jamie Patrick Broadcasting has a different story.  Henry Cotton, who 
runs the station says in a filing to the FCC that the required renewal was 
completed on February 2nd of 2005.  He says that the applications were 
completed on-time and he thought had been properly transmitted 
electronically to the agency.  He assumed that all was O-K so when 
Hurricane Katrina hit he headed to New Orleans helping relatives and 
friends in the wake of the killer storm.  It was not until he returned from 
this trip in January that he learned of the cancellation notice.  At that 
time he filed for a Special Temporary Authority to keep the station on the 
air and was guided through completing the applications by the FCC's staff.  

A Louisiana broadcast remailer says that the license was accepted for 
filing and a legal S-T-A has been granted .  But says the remailer, its not 
known how or when the FCC will dispose of the unlicensed operation 
citation.  A citation that orders Jamie Patrick Broadcasting to stop 
broadcasting on that frequency from that location, immediately. 

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Don Wilbanks, AE5DW reporting. 
--

More on this one in a future Amateur Radio Newsline report.  (FCC, 
Louisiana Broadcast Remailer)


**

RADIO LAW:  ASSEMBLY APPROVES BILL CREATING STATEWIDE VIDEO FRANCHISES

The California State Assembly has overwhelmingly approved legislation aimed 
at doing away with local cable television franchises and creating a 
statewide franchising system.  This,  to allow new competitors such as AT&T 
and Verizon to quickly begin competing with cable TV companies.  By a vote 
of 70 to 0, AB 2987 now advances to the Senate with its author vowing to 
negotiate with all parties.  (Published report)

**

TECHNOLOGY CORNER:  THE HARD DRIVE TURNS 50

You may find it hard to believe, but the computer hard drive will turn 50 
on September 13th.  

According to Hitachi, the first ever hard drive was called the RAMAC and 
designed for use in in the IBM System 305 Computer.  It required fifty 24-
inch diameter platters coated with iron oxide paint mounted on a rotating 
spindle to store only 5 megabytes of data.  

Now, compare that to current desktop P-C drives that are available with a 
capacity of up to 800 megabytes.  And terra-byte size drives for home P-C 
are rumored to be not all that far away.  (Hitachi)

**

HAM RADIO HAPPENINGS:  CONTEST UNIVERSITY 2007 

If you are interested in learning how to operate in a contest, listen up.  
Now is the time to reserve a seat for the 2007 ConTest University being 
planned for Thursday May 17th of Dayton Hamvention week. 

The venue is the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Dayton with the session is being 
billed as a rare opportunity to gain knowledge that may take you years of 
practice, trial and error or lost time to otherwise learn.  

Planners say that this is a break-even not-for-profit program that could 
help you get the edge to help improve your scores and put your station in 
the winners circle.  

More on ConTest University is on line at www.contestuniversity.com  (Via E-
Mail)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  TEXAS D-STAR TRAINING CLASS JULY 22

The University of Texas at Arlington College of Engineering welcomes the D-
Star training session.  The day-long session will be held on Saturday, July 
22, from 8:30 AM until 4:00 PM, at the University of Texas at Arlington, in 
Arlington, Texas. 

While much of D-star involves linking and position reporting, it's 
narrow band mode and digital modulation scheme is a very interesting topic 
for semi-weak signal mode on simplex VHF.  Some of the topics to be covered 
at this session will include D-Star concepts, D-Star Gateway concepts, D-
Star User operation, call sign configuration for local voice operation, 
call sign configuration for gateway voice operation and much, much more.
    
The class will be held in a classroom that opens off the Engineering 
Atrium, in Nedderman Hall.  Parling will be in the lot just to the North of 
UTA Blvd, and you will have to walk 1 block South to get to our building.  
A campus map showing the building and surrounding area can be viewed at 
http://www.uta.edu/maps/map?id=nh  (WB5WIA)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  UK AMATEUR PAT HAWKER, G3VA. HONORED BY THE QUEEN

Some names in the news.  First up is Pat Hawker, G3VA, who has written the 
Radio Communications Magazine "Technical Topics" pages for almost 50 years.  
And now G3VA has been named as Member of the British Empire in the United 
Kingdom's recent Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Hawker has had an illustrious career.  After World Wat 2, G3VA became an 
assistant to the General Secretary of the RSGB.  A few years later, he was 
editing the Radio & Television Service, Radio & Television Engineer's 
Reference Book, while laying the foundations of a technical career with the 
Independent Broadcasting Authority.  He later became the wrriter of 
"Technical Topics", for which he is still world-renowned.  (GB2RS)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  9M6DXX SAYS PALU WILL COME ON THE AIR IN JULY

And former RSGB staffer Steve Telenius-Lowe, 9M6DXX, says that following 
the Radio Society of Great Britain's Islands on the Air Committee's 
announcement that Pulau Sebatik Island would count as a new I-O-T-A group 
that a  D-Xpedition will be mounted to activate the island for the first 
time.  Steve says that Members of the Borneo Amateur Radio Club will be 
active as 9M4SEB from approximately 1100 UTC on July 14th until about 0300 
UTC on the 17th.   This operation will be on 80 through 10 meters using CW 
and SSB with 3 simultaneous stations on the air.  More details to follow.  
(GB2RS)

**

ARNEWSLINE NEWS:  CHICAGO PHONE DELIVERY LINE QRT

After more than 20 years in service, the Chicago area Amateur Radio 
Newsline automated telephone feed is going Q-R-T.  According to its 
volunteer manager Ken Piletic, W9ZMR, the reason for pulling the plug is 
that the call load has been on steady decline since the advent of Internet 
MP3 audio.  

Piletic says the line now only gets about two calls a week.  That's way 
down from a few years ago when it was busy around the clock.  

In a statement, Amateur Radio Newsline's producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,  
thanked W9ZMR for his decades of service to the ham radio community for 
keeping the line in operation over the years.  Bill also confirmed the 
downward trend in calls to all lines coincides with an upward spike in the 
number of people downloading the MP3 audio file.  He did however say that 
the Los Angeles area automated news feed line will remain in operation for 
the foreseeable future.  (ARNewslineT)

**

RAIN PROMO

Hap Holly interviews Eric Knight, KB1EHE, regarding the SOS Emergency 
Network

**

WORLDBEAT:  CELECRATING 100 YEARS OF MORSE - Part 2

A follow-up now to last weeks announcement of a major Morse code 
celebration down-under. This, as part of a Marconi Centenary Celebrations 
scheduled for July 12th  between the Geelong Amateur Radio Club in Victoria 
on the Australian mainland and the North-west Tasmania Amateur Radio 
Interest Group in Tasmania.  The event mars the 100 years since the first 
wireless transmissions across open water in the Southern Hemisphere and it 
is generating a lot of interest around the globe.   Barry Fraser VK7FR of 
Spectrum Tasmania has the latest:

--

We can now tell you the operating frequencies of  the  two special event 
stations.  VI 3 MC  in Queenscliff, Victoria and VI 7 MC in Devonport, 
Tasmania-plan to be on the air from the 12th. to the 16th.  July.  They will 
be operating on  20, 40, and 80 metros. around the following frequencies 
depending on QRM  and usage. We will try to have the other station very 
adjacent, say, 5kz. Away.

20 metros     14.170 MHz. (plus/minus)
40 metros.     7.100 MHz.  (plus/minus)
80 metros      3.570 MHz.  (plus/ minus)

As well, VI 7 MC  can be contacted on I R L P node 6616.  (EchoIRLP Node 
152375) An attractive QSL card will be available .    We will repeat these 
frequencies in a later bulletin.

We would like to receive messages from  groups interested in Marconi,  to 
broadcast on the 12th.  These can be sent on an MP3 file via email to 
nwtarig at spamex.com. Other means are by way of  IRLP node 6616 or echolink 
152375 (VK7AX-R) 

--

Again the dates for this very special Morse Code celebration is July 12th . 
(Spectrum Tasmania)

**

WORLDBEAT - JAPAN:  GUIDELINES FOR ROBOTS

Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is working on a new set of 
safety guidelines for next-generation robots.  This set of regulations 
would constitute a first attempt at a formal version of the first of 
Asimov's science-fictional Laws of Robotics, or at least the portion that 
states that humans shall not be harmed by robots.

The first law of robotics, was set forth in 1940 by science fiction writer 
Isaac Asimov. It states that a robot may not injure a human being, or, 
through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. 

Japan's ministry guidelines will require manufacturers to install a 
sufficient number of sensors to keep robots from running into people.  
Lighter or softer materials will be preferred, to further prevent injury.

Emergency shut-off buttons will also be required.  Science fiction heroes 
in stories and movies have spent an inordinate amount of time trying to 
find the shut-off button for various out-of-control machines, so I hope 
that these buttons will be prominently placed for easy access by concerned 
humans.

People in Japan are particularly concerned about this problem, due to the 
accelerating efforts to create robots that will address the coming labor 
shortage in Japan's elder care industry.  (WorldSciNews)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK:  THE RETURN OF RADIO CAROLINE

A legendary radio station is back on the air after a 16-year break.  GB2RS 
reports that Radio Caroline started broadcasting in 1964 from a ship off 
the coast of the UK. The station quickly attracted a loyal band of 
listeners and remained on the airwaves until 1990.  

Today, the station's manager is Peter Moore.  He is quick to point out that 
the new Radio Caroline will be operated by many of the presenters and staff 
who worked on the station last time it was on air. 

The station does not currently broadcast from sea but the managements aim 
is to do so sometime in the future.  The MV Ross Revenge, from which the 
station was once transmitted, is currently undergoing restoration.

Since 1999 Caroline has broadcast by satellite, and can now be accessed in 
the U-K via the Sky Television Electronic Program Guide.  For further 
information about the new Radio Caroline, visit www.radiocaroline.co.uk  
(RSGB)

**

WORLDBEAT - GERMANY:  SOCCER, FIFA AND RFID

Every ticket holder of 2006 FIFA World Cup Soccer games is carrying an  R-F 
I-D or radio frequency identification tag.  These tags are scanned whenever 
a  fan arrives at the gates of any of the 12 stadiums across Germany.  

Philips corporation supplied the R-F ID tags, the track-and-trace chip 
tags.  They are to combat counterfeiting and ensure only those with 
legitimate tickets can get in to watch the matches.  (Phillips)

**

WORLDBEAT - CHINA:  CSRA ON THE AIR FOR IARU CHAMPIONSHIP

The Chinese Radio Sports Association or C-R-S-A headquarters stations will 
be on air during the 2006 I-A-R-U High Frequency Word Championship.  That's 
the weekend of July 8th to the 9th.

There were four special callsigns assigned active on 160 through 10 meters 
and the Chinese Radio Sports Association will issue four awards to 
encourage QSOs with these stations.  Q-S-L all four callsigns via B-A-4-E-
G.  More information including the list of special calls being used is at 
www.crsa.org/2006_BnHQ/e.htm  (QRZ)

**

RADIO AIDS:  NEW GOOGLE MAPPING IMPROVEMENT

Grid square hunters take note.  Google has released the latest upgrades to 
the mapping tools.  The improvements include a major expansion of the 
satellite imagery included in Google's three-dimensional software for 
touring Earth. 
   
The Mountain View-based company says four times more land will be covered 
in the latest version of its free Google Earth software.  This will enable 
about one-third of the world's population to obtain an aerial view of their 
homes and neighborhood and maybe even antenna as well.  (Google)

**

RADIO IN SPACE:  CLOUDSAT PROVIDES CLOUD IMAGING FROM SPACE

According to NASA scientists, the first images from a $217 million CloudSat 
satellite project to measure the moisture content of clouds has also 
provided breathtaking views of storms on Earth.  

Scientists activated the satellites' radar on Saturday, June 3rd.  They 
received their first image of the cross-section of a warm storm front over 
the North Sea within the first 30 seconds of operation.  Since then, 
CloudSat has captured images of snowfall over Antarctica and a storm over 
east Africa that scientists say are truly breathtaking.  

CloudSat is a constellation of five satellites launched April 28 in orbit 
438 miles above the Earth.  Each can capture imahes and radio them back to 
Earth.  The project was developed by California State University 
researchers in cooperation with other agencies in the hope of developing 
long-term precipitation models.  (NASA)

**

DX

In DX, word that a group of stateside operators will activate C91HQ as the 
main contest station and multiplier from Mozambique during the 
International Amateur Radio Union  DX Contest.  That's runs from July 8th 
through the 9th. The IARU Contest operation will be just one aspect of a 
five member team operation from June 27th until July 13th with C91HQ QSLs 
to be handled by K5LBU of Missouri City, TX.

W7ZR will be active from Morocco as CN2ZR during the C-Q World Wide DX SSB 
Contest on October 28th and 29th,  This,  as a 20 meter Single-Op/Single-
Band entry.  QSL direct to W7ZR at his callbook address.  

And KB9LIE, will be active as portable FP from Miquelon Island July 28th
through August 6th.  Operation will be 80 through 10 meters, depending on 
conditions. QSL via her home callsign with an SASE and sufficient postage 
or via  the bureau.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  WORLDS LARGEST PINHOLE CAMERA

And finally this week, communications by eye.  The story of an aircraft 
hanger has been converted into the worlds largest pinhole camera in the 
hope of taking the biggest picture ever. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill 
Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the rest of the story:

--

Once home to roaring fighter jets, a decommissioned hanger at the former El 
Toro Marine Corps Air Station in California became a camera.  This, after 
all possible light leaks were plugged, and a 31-by-111 foot piece of white 
fabric covered in 20 gallons of light-sensitive emulsion was hung on the 
wall across from a hole drilled in the door. 

After exposing the fabric for up to 10 days, the fabric will be developed 
it in a huge tub made of pool siding, using 200 gallons of black-and-white 
developer solution and 600 gallons of photographic fixer. 

If all goes well, the hangar-turned-camera will record a panoramic image of 
what's on the other side of the door as part of what's called the Legacy 
Project.  .Also, the Guinness World Records has created two new categories 
for the project -- world's largest camera and world's largest photograph.  
It will certify the records once the photo is complete. 

But it is the photographers who are having the last laugh.  They joke that 
they are also making the world's largest disposable camera. When they are 
done, the hangar will be torn down. 

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

--

More on this project is on-line at The Legacy Project.  The URL is 
www.legacyphotoproject.com.  (California Legacy Project, others)

**

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. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim Davis, 
W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening."  Amateur Radio 
Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2006.  All rights reserved.