No subject

Newsline.

--

Further experimentation is expected to bring even more record setting 
contacts in this very  microwave ham radio band.  (Q-News)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  BIG LICENSING SUCCESS IN THE UK

A new slow-code license recently introduced in the United Kingdom is 
also setting records.  This in the area of people flocking to get it.  
Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, days that the new British Foundation License is on 
its way to becoming a major success:

--

The Radio Licensing Center reports that, as of the 7th of January, 
exactly 600 of the new M3 Foundation Licenses had been issued.

In the 'QSO Party' for Foundation Licensees that took place on the 1st 
of January it is estimated that about 100 M3 stations were active. Many 
joined the one-minute-past-midnight 80-meter net and many more were 
heard working DX during the subsequent days. 

One person active on the 1st of January was Mike Marsden, M3BQH, who 
also holds the callsign G8BQH. Mike reports that he worked Alex, UR5EDU, 
in the Ukraine at two seconds past midnight, using 10 watts on 40 
meters. The report was 59+10dB. After a few hours' sleep M3BQH worked 66 
stations on the first day, with only two short CQ calls. 

"The pile-up queue was never ending, I even managed to work seven other 
M3s", Mike said.

Jeramy Boot, G4NJH

--

To put this in perspective.  The UK has 57,814 hams so 600 is about 1%.  
Here in the United States we have close to 625,000 licensees.  That's 
the equivalent of getting 6250 hams signing up for a new license class 
here in the USA in only a few short days.   (GB2RS)

**

RADIO REGULATIONS: FCC'S APPROVES DRAFT WRC PROPOSALS

The FCC's Advisory Committee for the year 2003 World Radiocommunications 
Conference has approved its preliminary draft proposals.  The document 
has been assigned as D-A-02-101 and deals mainly with satellite and 
terrestrial allocations in the UHF and microwave bands.  Amateur Radio 
is only briefly mentioned in the area of 890 to 1350 MHz allocations.

The Advisory Committee itself was formed in January of 2001 to assist in 
the development of United States proposals for WRC 2003.  DA-02-101 is 
based primarily on the committee report. Comments on it are due on it no 
later than January 28th.  

The complete of 55 page text of DA-02-101 is on the FCC website at 
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-02-101A1.txt  
(FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  CLEAN UP THE INTERFERENCE - PLEASE

The FCC has written to an A-M radio station and an electric power 
provider to help resolve an unusual and long-standing interference 
situation.  One affecting local amateurs in the Cincinnati and Mason 
Ohio areas.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA, brings us up 
to date:

--

The letter suggests that multiple sources may be  involved in this 
interference case.  Also that two that are possibilities are Cinergy 
Corporation and radio station WLW.  Cinergy is the electric company to 
the affected area and WLW is a Clear Channel Communications owned power-
house AM station serving the greater Cincinnati area from a transmitter 
in Mason.

WLW operates on 700 kHz with 50,000 Watts into a single element diamond 
shaped half-wave vertical tower.  This is only one of two such towers 
left in the United States, the other belonging to WSM AM in Nashville 
Tennessee.  Both were constructed in the early 1930's by the now defunct 
Blaw Knox Construction Corporation. 

One of the amateurs affected is Bob Reiff, WA8ULW, of Mason.  Reiff told 
the ARRL that while the noise is most noticeable on 160 meters, it's 
showing up elsewhere.  He says that some local hams suspect it is even 
causing problems even on a two meter repeater.

In its letters. the Commission says that it recognizes this to be an 
unusual case.  It says that the source of the interference could turn 
out to be something else unexpected.  But the Commission adds that it is 
turning to the radio station and electric utility company and asking for 
their help in finding the source of the noise plaguing the Mason ham 
community.  It's also asking that both cooperate with the technical 
experts from the American Radio Relay League in solving the problem.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, KC5MFA.

--

By the way, More information on this very interesting Blaw Knox diamond 
tower design and the ones installed at both WLW and WSM is available on-
line.  Simply take your browser to 
http://www.wsmonline.com/w_homepage/tower/index.html.  Its very 
interesting reading.  (FCC, ARRL, ANW)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  UNLICENSED OPERATOR TOLD TO EXPLAIN

A former ham that the FCC says may have been on the air without a 
license has been asked by the agency to provide an explanation.  The 
person posing the questions is FCC chief ham radio rules enforcer Riley 
Hollingsworth, K4ZDH.  And in a recent Rain Enforcement log, 
Hollingsworth outlined the situation:

--
Hollingsworth:  "We requested clarifying information from Brian Bailey, 
ex-KD5PXQ.  His license was set aside by the Wireless Bureau on October 
19th.  We want to know his exact whereabouts on two specific days in 
September.  Bailey has been in touch with us and is deciding weather to 
provide the information."
--

According to Hollingsworth, the information that the FCC wants from 
Bailey relates to allegations of unlicensed operations and malicious 
interference.  (FCC, RAIN)

**


HELPING HAMS:  HAMDIHAMS NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS

This note: The Courage HandiHam System has a new electronic mail 
address.  You can now reach the group at handiham at courage.org.  You may 
also contact its Director Pat Tice directly at wa0tda at arrl.net.  
(HandiHams)

**

CONVENTIONS:  HAMVENTION SAYS BRING YOUR BUS AND LAVE THE PARKING SPOT 
TO US

Free parking at the HARA Arena for Hamvention?  Well, kind of.  Its free 
if you leave your car at home and charter a bus to bring in a pretty 
large group of people to the event.  Amateur News Weekly's Phil Thomas, 
W8RMJ has the not so complex details:

--

For Amateurs who charter a bust to make the annual journey to 
Hamvention, the Dayton Hamvention Committee will reserve a parking place 
for your chartered bus for the entire three days of Hamvention.  The 
reserved parking will be close to the HARA Arena Complex, allowing not 
only a place to secure your valued purchases, but also a place to rest 
those weary feet after walking many, many miles of Hamvention.  Space is 
limited for the new charter bus parking area.  Pre registration is 
required.  Availability is on a first come, first served basis.  

--

For more information on the new on-site charter bus parking offer or to 
reserve a space, please contact the Dayton Hamvention office.  It's open 
normal business hours Eastern Standard Time at are code (937) 276-6930.  
You can also fax your request toll free at 
1-800-491-4267.   (ANW)

**

CONFERENCES:  SE VHF SOCIETY IN APRIL

Greg Robinson KB4NVD says over the VHF Reflector that the Sixth Annual 
Southeastern VHF Society Conference will take place April 26th through 
the 27 Th. in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The conference, hosted by the 
Southeastern VHF Society, promises to be an interesting and exciting 
event with presentations from accomplished VHF and up amateur radio 
enthusiasts from several parts of the country.  Registration, program 
details, hotel and travel information can be found in cyberspace at 
http://www.svhfs.org.  (SE VHF Society)

**

HAM RADIO EVENTS:  KIDS DAY A BIG MID-WEST SUCCESS
          
The first Kids Day operating event for 2002 was a rousing success in 
many venues.  But in one Mid-West city a bit of coverage on a local T-V 
station helped to make it even better.  Again to Amateur News Weekly and 
reporter Jack Parker, W8ISH:

--

Kids Day at the Indianapolis Chapter of the American Red Cross got a 
boost when event coordinator Stece Wendt, KB9RDS, made an appearance on 
a local TV news program.  During the two minute segment. Wendt told 
viewers that all kids and their parents were welcome to share in the 
Amateur Radio experience, including an introduction to Morse Code, VHF 
repeaters and HF:

--
Wendt:  "And then we turn around tand take them over to the big radios -
- the big base station radios where they can talk -- literally -- around 
the world."
--

This is the second year the local Red Cross chapter has shown young 
people how to tune in the world.  

Reporting from Indianapolis Indians for Amateur News Weekly, This is 
Jack Parker, W8ISH.

--

This is just one of many Kids Day success stories.  We will have more in 
future Amateur Radio Newsline reports.  (ANW)

**

ARNEWSLINE(tm) FINANCIAL UPDATE WITH N6TCQ

It's time for a report on the financial situation here at Amateur Radio 
Newsline.  With it is our Support Fund Administrator and Corporate 
Treasurer, Andy Jarema, N6TCQ:

--

It is January of 2002.  A brand new year for ham radio.  And the 
beginning of another year for us here at the Amateur Radio Newsline.  
And as we start off the new year, here are the current finances.

Looking in the new corporate checkbook, the balance shows us at about 
$700 give or take a few bucks.  Not very much when you consider that it 
takes over a thousand dollars a month to produce these weekly 20 minute 
Q-S-T's.  

Obviously, Amateur Radio Newsline is going to need your help -- and -- 
need it quickly to keep it from going away and to keep the news of ham 
radio coming your way.

We have done all that is possible from our side to keep costs under 
control.  But, some fixed expenses like the telephone and long distance 
calling are a must have.  So are electronic mail and world wide web 
access.  There is the cost of the routine maintenance on the tape 
machines and editing gear.  And in a few months the Newsline sponsored 
Young Ham of the Year Award will be rolling our way.  All of this adds 
up and some costs just keep going up.  When you add it all up and 
average it out, it comes to that $1000 a month figure I just mentioned.

So now is the time when Amateur Radio Newsline has to ask to ask that 
you help to keep its newscasts coming your way.   Your tax deductible 
contributions can be sent to the Newsline Support Fund, Post Office Box 
660937, Arcadia California.  The Zipcode is 91066.

Ill be back within the next few weeks with an update on how things are 
going.  For now from the Amateur Radio Newsline support center, I'm Andy 
Jarema, N6-Tiny-California-Quake.

--

Don't worry if you missed the address.  It will be repeated in a few 
minutes at the end of this weeks newscast.  (ARNewsline(tm) Support 
Fund)

**

ARNEWSLINE(tm): WE ARE GOING MP3

One other piece of news concerning Amateur Radio Newsline.  As of March 
1st, we will be dropping Real Audio and going exclusively MP3.  Why the 
change?  Well ever since we began posting a downloadable MP3 file at our 
own FTP site along side the Real Audio file, 9 out of 10 people have 
chosen the MP3.  And with good reason.  MP3 simply sounds a lot better 
than Real Audio to most of you.  And by dropping the Real Audio, we can 
make the MP3 sound even better by encoding at a higher bit rate.  

Right now, you can still compare the two formats if you like.  Until 
February 22nd we will continue to post both Real Audio and MP3.  Take 
the time to download both.  And don't worry.  Most modern media players 
including Real Audio, Microsoft Media and Winamp play MP3 so the chances 
are that you are already equipped to cover of the digital format change.  
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:  THE NOISE OF EARTH

According to Space Daily, researchers have known for three decades that 
the Earth is a potent radio transmitter, but they were never able to 
pinpoint where the noise was coming from.  Recently, by using data from 
the four spacecraft of the European Space Agency's Cluster mission, 
NASA-funded scientists have precisely located the source of the radio 
noise along the magnetic field lines.  The noise originates several 
thousand miles above bright regions in the Earth's
northern lights.  (AMSAT, Space Daily)

**

INTERNATIONAL-CANADA: ARE AGREEMENT IN B.C.

Turning to international news, Radio Amateurs of Canada which sponsors 
that nation's Amateur Radio Emergency Service has signed a Letter Of 
Understanding and the British Columbia Provincial Emergency Radio 
Communication Service.  The letter represents the collaboration between 
Radio Amateurs of Canada's  British Columbia Section Manager Fred 
Orsetti VE7IO and Supervisor of Information and Communications 
Technology for the Provincial Emergency Program Andrew Bryan VE7KSN, to 
provide a cooperative plan to carry out emergency communication.  The 
letter also further enhances the work of the Canadian ARES program and 
compliments the Memorandum of Understanding signed May of 1994 between 
Radio Amateurs of Canada and Red Cross.  (RAC)


**

INTERNATIONAL - CANADA:  VE1AWA RESIGNS AS MARITIME PROVENCES SM

Due to personal reason Roy MacIntosh, VE1AWA  has stepped
down from the position of Section Manager for the Maritimes. 
Tom Caithness, VE1GTC has been appointed acting Section
Manager pending outcome of the upcoming election call.  (RAC)

**

INTERNATIONAL - UK:  AMSAT-UK COLLOQUIUM

The 17th AMSAT-UK Colloquium will be held at Surrey University in 
Guildford from the 26th to 28th of July this year.  AMSAT-UK is now 
inviting speakers to submit papers about amateur radio space and 
associated activities for this event and for the Proceedings document. 
Offers of papers should be submitted as soon as possible and should be 
sent only to Richard Limebear, G3RWL.  His e-mail goes to 
g3rwl at amsat.org. (AMSAT-UK)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  WEBSITE UPDATE

AMSAT reports that IK8XLD has updated his website with information about 
satellite operations, EME, the ham radio operation on the International 
Space Station, ATV and homebrew equipment. You can visit Rocco's website 
at http://www.qsl.net/ik8xld.  (ANS)


**

DX

In DX, DJ4KW and DK9GG are active from Belize as V31YN and V31GW 
respectively until about the 2nd of February.  Activity is on CW, RTTY 
and PSK 31.  (GB2RS)

And KE1F will be active on 10 to 160 meters CW, SSB and perhaps RTTY as 
ZF2LM from Grand Cayman Island from the 14th to 30th of January.  
(GB2RS)

Also R1ANF began operations as CE9 slash R1ANF on the 29th of December 
from a Chilean base in the South Shetland Islands.  He is active on 10 
to 28 MHz with 100 watts to an R6000 vertical.  For all three, QSL as 
directed on the air.  (OPDX)

Last but by no means least, word that JX7DFA, is on a job assignment to 
Jan Mayen.  He is operating as LA7DFA.  QSL via his home call.  He will 
reply when he returns home in the Spring.  (Modern DX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  A CALL FOR ARDF HUNTERS FOR THE WORLD GAMES

And finally this week, 2002 may be the biggest year yet for fans of 
hidden transmitter hunts, especially the ones that are all on foot.  
Amateur Radio Newsline's Joe Moell K0OV helps coordinate happenings like 
these and has news of two major events.
--

Every two years, hams from around the world gather to see who is best at 
on-foot hidden transmitter hunting, also called foxtailing, radio-
orienteering and ARDF.  There are separate events on eighty meters and 
two meters, each with five transmitters scattered in a forest that can 
encompass 1000 acres or more.

Competitors are divided into five categories for males and four 
categories for females.  Each country may have up to three persons per 
category on its team.

Back in Y2K, the championships were in China, with a dozen stateside 
hams among the competitors from 26 countries.  This year, the excitement 
moves to Slovakia and takes place from September 2 through 7.  Once 
again, ARDF Team USA will be there.

Would you like to be on that team?  If so, contact me right away, 
because USA must submit its Letter of Intent to the Slovakian hosts by 
the end of January.

Of course you'll need lots of practice beforehand, and you can get 
plenty by attending USA's own national ARDF championships, which will be 
April 19-21 in Pine Mountain, Georgia, near Atlanta.

Find out about both championships -- Slovakia and Pine Mountain -- by 
visiting my Web site: http://www.homingin.com.  Homingin is one word.  
Then apply for the Team USA roster at my e-mail address on that site, 
or by postal mail to my callbook address.

Maybe you'll bring home a medal this year.  From southern California, 
where this year's local radio-orienteering training sessions will begin 
soon, this is Joe Moell K-zero-Oscar-Victor for Amateur Radio Newsline.
(K0OV, ARNewsline(tm))

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, Amateur News Weekly, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC 
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio 
Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB and Australia's Q-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 season for the Dayton Hamvention Radio 
Amateur of the Year, Technical Achievement and Special Achievement 
Awards closes January 31st.  Nominations should be sent to Post Office 
Box 964 Dayton Ohio 45401.  They can also be filed using the e-form at 
the Hamvention website.  Its at http://www.hamvention.org.