No subject

Thu Mar 8 06:28:51 EST 2007

for Amateur Radio Newsline.  (K0OV, ARNewsline)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  BASS OFFICIALLY OFF OCTOBER ISS FLIGHT

It's now official.  The Russian Space Agency has notified NASA that  'N 
Sync singer Lance Bass, KG4UYY, won't fly to the international space 
station next month because his backers were unable to raise the $20 
million fare.

With backing from corporate sponsors that included Radio Shack and MTV, 
Bass had hoped to blast off from the Bikenour Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan 
on October 28th.  But the producer of a seven part documentary on Bass 
experience in space failed to raise the full amount of money needed.  
The result is that the pop star was grounded by the Russians and a cargo 
container substituted on the flight in his place.

Had he flown Bass who is age 23 would have been the youngest person and 
youngest ham radio operator ever in space.  He also would have been the 
third paying space tourist to visit the I-S-S.  We'll have more ham 
radio space related news later in this weeks newscast.  
(ARNewsline from published reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  DONT TAKE 10 ON THE ROAD AGAIN

The FCC has told Cheetah Transportation Company to keep its trucking 
operation off of the 10 meter Amateur band.  In a letter to the 
Monroesville North Carolina company the FCC says a driver for a vehicle 
licensed to Cheetah was operating unlicensed radio transmitting 
equipment on  28.085 MHz.  This, while driving on Interstate 77 in South 
Carolina last June 5th.  

In its letter to the company the FCC tells Cheetah Transportation that 
this operation will subject the person operating the radio to fine or 
imprisonment if the violation continues.  Fines normally range from 
$7500 to $10,000.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: FCC SAYS NYC REPEATER PROBLEM IS SOLVED

The FCC says that a repeater problem in the New York City area has been 
put to rest.  This as the agency places primary responsibility for 
solving interference on the shoulders of the operator of an 
uncoordinated repeater.  The agency's Daryl Duckwoth, NNZ0W, explains:

--
Duckworth: "We closed the case involving a repeater operated by Ramon 
Floriman, KB2PRV, of Elmhurst New York.  Florimam was unable to show 
coordination and the Enforcement Bureau pointed out that he would be 
primerilly responsible for resolving any interfertence to a coordinated 
repeater; that a Control Operator must be present during the operation 
of the station and that the repeater is to be used only by licensed 
operators."
--

The FCC hopes that closes the book on this one.  (RAIN, FCC)

**

HAM RADIO EDUCATION:  THE BIG PROJECT WORKS

The ARRL Education and Technology Initiative, better known as "The Big 
Project," has been getting big donations.  More important, its getting 
big results.

The Big Project was created by ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP.  League 
Vice President Kay Cragie, WT3P, made it all work.  Its primary 
objective is the spreading of Amateur Radio into the nation's schools.

The Big Project support fund has already received $198,000 in donations 
from approximately 3,400 individual ARRL members.  The average donation 
has been about $50.  (ARRL Great Lakes Div. Release)

**

HAM RADIO TRAINING:  HAMTESTONLINE.COM

J. Cunningham and Associates has launched a new subscription 
website for aspiring radio amateurs and those wanting to upgrade.  
Called www.hamtestonline.com, the company says that the site is 
designed to help both new and experienced ham radio enthusiasts 
prepare for U.S. amateur radio written exams. 
According to a press release, HamTestOnline operates entirely 
online.  There is no software to download or install. One click 
records your answer, provides feedback, and presents the next 
question. The Website includes all questions from the latest 
Technician, General, and Amateur Extra question pools.
J. Cunningham & Assoc. is a small software development and 
consulting firm located on the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. 
They can be contacted by e-mail to webmaster @hamtestonline.com.  
(Hamtestonline)

**

BROADCAST COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING:  SBE OFFERS CERTIFICATION

The Society of Broadcast Engineers - the SBE - is offering a program of 
certification for broadcast engineers.  Certificates range from the 
entry-level Broadcast Technologist to the 20-plus-years-of-experience-
needed Professional Broadcast Engineer. The program includes 
certification for Audio and Video Engineers.  There is also a  Broadcast 
Network Technologist which does not include any RF related questions.  
 For more information about SBE Certification contact the SBE chapter 
nearest to you.  (SBE PDX)

**

CELEBRATIONS:  SCADS AT YEAR 29

The 29th Birthday Meeting of the Southern California Area D-X'ers is 
slated for September 21st at 12 noon.  The venue is the Community Room 
of the F&M Bank in suburban city of Seal Beach. The meeting is open to 
the general public.  Contact Bill Fisher by e-mail to 
billfishernow at netzero.net for more information on this special 
gathering.  (SCADS)

**

SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS:  GB2RAF ON THE AIR

And the permanent special event station GB2RAF located at the UK Royal 
Air Force Air Defense Radar Museum was to be operational on Saturday the 
14th of September between 09:00 and 14:00 UTC in the 80 or 40 meter 
bands.  QSL will be sent to all amateurs who make contact and request 
one.  (GB2RS)

**

EDUCATION:  HOME SCHOOLING HAD HAM RADIO

In California where Amateur Radio Newsline is located, some 150,000 
youngsters each year are getting their primary education at home.  They 
are home schoolers.  Their teachers are primarily their parents and 
similar percentages hold for most other states.  And there's a growing 
question: Has ham radio become a part of the home schooling movement?  
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more:

--
Rumors abound that ham radio has become an important addition to the 
nations home schooling movement but only those involved in home 
schooling can really tell us -- and you -- what's happening.  To try to 
find out, Amateur Radio Newsline is going to run one of our  "mini 
surveys."  

To take part is simple.  First you need to be a ham radio operator who 
is home schooling his or her children or a ham radio kid who is being 
home schooled.  If you fit either category, take a moment to send us a 
note explaining how you are using ham radio in your home schooling 
curriculum and why you chose it.

Please send your electronic response to newsline at arnewsline.org and be 
sure to put the words home schooling in the subject line.  We will 
collect the data for the next three weeks and then post some of it to 
our website.  If we get enough input we may even try to write an article 
on ham radio and home schooling for one of the mainline Amateur Radio 
magazines -- if they are interested.  Lets face it: This could make for 
a rather interesting project.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF
--

Again, if you are a home schooler who uses ham radio in the teaching 
process please send your e-mail response to newsline at arnewsline.org and 
be sure to put the words home schooling in the subject line.  We thank 
you for taking part in this survey.

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  U-O-SAT 11 HEARD AGAIN

In the world of ham radio in space, word that U-O-SAT 11's V-H-F beacon 
has been heard once again.  Paul Roeder, KK5ET in Houston reports via 
the AMSAT News Service that he copied the 2 Meter downlink on 145.826 
MHz FM.  This is a 1200-baud A-F-S-K signal and he heard it between 
21:25 and 21:38 UTC pass on September 4th.  Paul says that the signal 
was a strong S 3 to S 5.  (ANS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  JAPAN TO DEVELOP SPACE SHUTTLE

Japan's space agency says that it plans to test an unmanned landing and 
take-off system next month.  That nations National Space Development 
Agency, or NASDA, that it hopes will one day be used in a reusable 
shuttle or other spacecraft.

The five-part tests are to begin next month on Christmas Island in the 
Micronesian archipelago of Kiribati.  They will be followed by a second 
set of tests sometime next year.   (K6DUE, NASDA)

**

ON THE AIR:  THE VHF/UHF FALL SPRINTS

The 2002 Fall Sprints, sponsored by the Southeastern VHF Society, are 
about to start up.   According to Greg Robinson, KB4NVD , the Sprints 
are a fast paced block of time where all the contest activity is 
compressed into a short period.  That says Robinson makes them a great 
chance to get on and work lots of stations on your favorite VHF and 
higher bands. 

Robinson says that the bottom four bands all have their own separate 
evenings for the contest. The  microwave bands from 902 MHz and up  are 
grouped together on a weekend morning.

More information about the days of the Sprints , the rules and a list of 
who is handling the logs for each band will be found on the SVHFS 
webpage.  Its in cyberspace at www.svhfs.org.  (VHF Reflector)

**

DX

In D-X, word that G3PYB, G8ACE and G8BKE believe they have re-claimed 
the United Kingdom distance record for 76 gigahertz. Yes that's 76 
gigahertz -- as in way up there in frequency.

On Sunday September 1st, the trio made  contact on 75,976.2MHz over a 
distance of 79.6 kilometres between Ventnor on the Isle of Wight and 
Highclere, near Newbury in Berkshire England. Further details are on the 
world wide web  and there's a link from the RSGB site at www.rsgb.org.  
(RSGB)

And nearly at the other end of the spectrum, on August 30th at 05:50 UTC 
stations G3MLO, and MW0AQD, were in QSO and taking part in the British 
'Fivemegs Experiment' on 5398.5kHz at 05:50 UTC.  Afterwards, G3MLO 
received a reception report from ZL2JR, saying that their signals had 
been copied in New Zealand.  MW0AQD was received at '4 and 4' while 
G3MLO was copied at '5 and 4'. 

While the 'Fivemegs Experiment' is intended to investigate propagation 
within the U-K, the contact was made shortly after sunrise in Britain 
and around sunset in New Zealand.  This is the time that long-distance 
'greyline' propagation can be expected to occur  (RSGB)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  A NEW KIND OF BATTERY

And finally this week, a new battery about to be marketed for home video 
enthusiasts holds a promise in expanding ham radio emergency 
communications.  It is called Instant Power and Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, has more in our technology report:

--
One of the most frustrating experiences for a photographer or a ham 
radio operator is to be in an acute situation that requires equipment 
work properly and have the batteries powering the equipment go flat.  
For the photographer it usually means a lost photo opportunity.  To the 
ham radio operator assigned to provide communications during an 
emergency it could be a life and death situation.  

But power reliability could soon increase dramatically.  Steve Crow, 
K4CPX, passes along word that the nations largest photographic retailer, 
Ritz Camera has announced plans to begin selling a new battery that can 
keep a camcorder or digital camera shooting away for half a day.

The new source of portable power is Electric Fuel Corp.'s Instant Power 
disposable batteries.  Based upon Electric Fuel's zinc-air technology 
platform, the Instant Power camcorder battery connects to the camcorder 
through its DC jack and offers the user up to 10-hours of running time.  
Another model designed for digital still cameras offers upward of 12 
hours of continuous operation time. As with the camcorder battery, the 
digital camera battery pack comes with a built-in belt clip and 3-foot 
cord.  Both batteries have a five year shelf life in the original sealed 
aluminum pouch and come complete with a 3-foot cord and an integral belt 
clip. 

While not directly designed for ham radio needs and not a renewable 
source, the new battery could augment the needs of ham radio operators 
in emergency communications situations.  And here's where Amateur Radio 
ingenuity comes in.  If models are available that can directly or 
through some home built regulator adapter be made to power a 5 watt 
hand-held radio, an Amateur working an emergency situation would have 
hours of power wll beyond that of his radios normal battery.  And 
depending on how much he transmits, an Electric Fuel battery might run 
his H-T for several days before requiring replacement.  This also gives 
the possibility of extended operations for low power Field Day stations, 
QRP treks and similar one-time operations.  Best of all it is a date it, 
put it on the shelf and forget it power source, standing by for the next 
five years in case it is needed.  

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

--

Electric Fuel also manufacturers a smaller version of this battery 
technology for cellular phones and P-D-A's.  You can find out more about 
this new power source and the technology behind it is on the web at 
www.electric-fuel.com.  (K4CPX)

**

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. 