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Thu Mar 8 06:28:51 EST 2007

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The following is a Q-S-T. 

The FCC takes another look at human exposure to R-F and ham radio aids 
in 
the search for a missing plane.  These stories and more on Amateur Radio 
Newsline report number 1351 coming your way right now.

**

RADIO LAW: FCC ISSUES NPRM ON MODIFYING RF EXPOSURE LIMITS

The FCC says its time to take another look human exposure to 
electromagnetic radiation and the agency a Notice of Proposed Rule 
Making to collect public comments on the matter.  Bill Pasternak, 
WA6ITF, has more:

--

FCC docket 03-132 proposes to revise and modify Commission policies and 
rules for routine evaluation of compliance with exposure guidelines.  It 
will also look again at categorical exclusion from evaluation of certain 
transmitters, facilities, and operations.   

The docket also proposes rules for routine evaluation of compliance for 
certain unlicensed devices authorized under Section 15.247 of the FCC's 
rules.  These are the so-called frequency hopping and digital spread 
spectrum devices. The agency also wants to clarify the responsibilities 
it's licensees and grantees to better ensure compliance with the 
Commission's exposure limits in the most practical, reasonable and 
efficient manner.

The FCC says that it's current rules and procedures on human exposure to 
R-F were adopted and implemented in 1996 and 1997.  Since that time, it 
has become apparent that some aspects of these regulations and 
procedures may need to be revised or modified.  This, based on the 
agency's experience and on the evolution of services and equipment. 

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

--

Right now it is far to early to know what impact -- if any that FCC 
docket 03-132 might have on Amateur Radio.  That said, it could -- and 
it will have to be watched.  (FCC)

**

SUNSPOT WATCH:  MAJOR EVENT HITS ON FIELD DAY WEEKEND

Wonder why some the ham bands sounded dead on Field Day weekend.  
Especially on Sunday June 29th.  Well the answer may be a single 
sunspot.  Here's the story.

According to spaceweather.com, early in June a large sunspot or active 
region  crossed the Earth-facing side of the sun and unleashed several 
powerful solar flares.  For the past two weeks it has been out of sight 
on the far side of our star, but now it is back.  

The sunspot  reappeared Field Day weekend near the sun's northeastern 
limb.  The active region, which is about 10 times wider than our Earth 
is still an impressive sight through properly-filtered telescopes.  But 
this kind of beauty comes with an important warning. Never look at the 
sun directly with your naked eye or through unfiltered instrument such 
as a telescope or binoculars. Bright sunlight, especially when focused 
through a telescope, is a sure way to damage your eyes. 

A much safer way to see it is to visit spaceweather.com.  Go there to 
find safe solar observing tips and to recent images of this emerging 
active area of our Sun.  (ASWLC)

**

FIELD DAY 2003:  A TEST OF COMMUNICATIONS SKILL

Sunsopots or not, the weekend of June 28th and 29th saw hams across the 
nation participate in ARRL Field Day.  And for one area of the central 
U-S, the two day training session was a first.  Jack Parker, W8ISH, has 
the details:

--
Audio Report Only - Hear it at www.arnewsline.org
--

Avon Indiana was not the only Field Day site of its kind.  Out in Los 
Angeles, the newly formed Hollywood Hills QRP Contest Club decided to 
keep the power at a minimum and see what could be done with radios in 
the QRP class.  Operating from the home TV producer Dave Bell, W6AQ, the 
group connected a bunch of Yaesu FT-817's and other QRP radios to 
batteries and solar panels for a 100% class 5E low power operation.  Not 
allot of contacts, but the group did prove flea power in this annual 
simulated emergency communications scenario really does work.  (W8ISH, 
ARNewsline(tm))

**

RADIO POLITICS:  WRC-2003 REPORT

The 2003 World Radiocommunications Conference is winding down in Geneva 
Switzerland.  We have the latest in this report.

--

It now looks clear that the mandatory international Morse requirement 
for access to the HF bands is to cease. Colin Thomas, G3PSM, an advisor 
to the UK delegation to the ITU World Radiocommunication Conference, 
reported on Monday the 30th of June that, unless there was a major shift 
during the week, the mandatory Morse code requirement for HF access 
would disappear at the end of the conference. However, if any 
administration feels that it needs to keep the requirement, it has the 
right to do so. Colin reiterated that nothing is certain until the final 
acts are signed at the end of the week.

Discussion was still ongoing on the 7MHz realignment agenda item, with 
no decisions being agreed. Colin reported that, in an attempt to clear 
some of the backlog of agenda items, the chairman of the conference 
ordered a number of plenary ad-hoc working groups to meet to bring final 
proposals to the plenary session on Friday, the 4th of July. Once such 
group was to meet to try to finalize the 7MHz discussions.

Jeramy Boot, G4NJH.

--

We hope to have a full wrap-up on WRC-2003 in next weeks Amateur Radio 
Newsline report.  (RSGB)

**

FOLLOW-UP:  HAMS PETITION TO OUTLAW HI-FI SSB

A follow-up to the ongoing saga of the proponents of so-called high 
fidelity SSB and the two hams who want to outlaw its use on the high 
frequency bands.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Courson, WA3VJB,  is in 
Washdigton D.C. and has the latest:

--
Audio report only.  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org
--

As we go to air the FCC has not assigned any official rule making 
designation to the Lonneke/Ladisky rules change request.  (ARNewsline 
(tm))

**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAMS ASSIST IN HUNT FOR MISSING PLANE

Amateur Radio operators in Western Kentucky recently assisted in the 
search for a single-engine plane and its two passengers that went 
missing on June 14th.  

According to Bill Slayman, KY4NU, the Air Force Auxiliary's Civil Air 
Patrol was the lead agency for the mission.  Also involved in the ground 
and over water hunt were the Coast Guard and numerous other regional 
agencies from Kentucky and Tennessee with communications assistance from 
Kentucky's First District ARES.

Unfortunately, the wreckage was finally identified on June 22nd.  During 
the search, twenty-two hams donated 506 man-hours of their time.  Their 
support filled a gap which otherwise would have delayed operations and 
which would have cost local agencies in excess of $70,000.

For a picture story take your web browser over to 
http://webpages.charter.net/donsno/airplanesearch.htm   (K4JFD via 
qrz.com)

**

ENFORCEMENT: UNLICENSED OPERATOR WARNED ABOUT INTERFERENCE

An unlicensed operator in the so called unofficial low CB Band has been 
warned to stop bothering legitimate Amateur Radio communications.  The 
FCC's Daryl Duckworth, tells us who it is:

--

Duckworth:  ""A warning Notice was sent to Eric Dollar of Taylorsville 
North Carolina concerning unlicensed operation on 26.895 MHz and 26.915 
MHz.  These transmissions are causing interference to licensed stations 
in the 10 meter band."

--

In its letter the FCC warned Dollar that operation of radio transmitting 
equipment without a license is a violation of Section 301 of the 
Communications Act of 1934.  Also that it could lead to seizure of his 
radio gear and a  $7,500 to $10,000 fine.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  ALLEGED PIRATE BROADCASTER ISSUED $10,000 NAL

And speaking about $10,000 fines, Brian Bloom, has been issued just such 
a Monetary Forfeiture Order by the FCC.  This, after the regulatory 
agency found that of Altamonte Springs, Florida resident was willful 
violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act for allegedly 
operating an unlicensed radio station 93.9 MHz in the Orlando, Florida 
area. 

The Commission says that back on February 11th the District Director of 
its Tampa Field Office issued Bloom a Notice of Apparent Liability for 
Forfeiture  in the amount of $10,000.  But the agency claims that Bloom 
never filed a response to the NAL.  On June 26th the Commission 
reaffirmed the $10,000 forfeiture notice.  It gave Bloom 30 days to pay.  
(FCC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  OREGON SECTION MANAGER RECALLED

For only the third time in League history, an ARRL Section Manager has 
been ousted from office in recall election. The audited vote to remove 
freshman Oregon Section Manager Marshall D. Johnson, KK7CW, was 939 to 
280, with eight invalid ballots. 

Oregon's Section Manager only since last July 1, Johnson was recalled 
pursuant to  provisions of the of the ARRL Field Organization. The 
position is now vacant until a successor is appointed by ARRL Field and 
Educational Services Manager Rosalie White,  K1STO.

The last time an ARRL Section Manager was recalled was just over five 
years ago.  In 1998 League members in the New York City-Long Island 
Section voted to recall Section Manager Leonard Buonaiuto, then KE2LE. 
The first Section Manager to be recalled was former Vermont's Frank 
Suitor, W1CTM, in January 1990.  (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  WESTERN WASHINGTON SM RETIRES

Also leaving the ARRL public service arena, but by his own choosing is 
veteran ARRL Western Washington Section Manager Harry Lewis, W7JWJ, 
whose  resignation became effective on July 1st.  Lewis's wife and 
former Northwestern Division Director Mary Lewis, W7QGP, also is leaving 
her current post as a Western Washington Assistant Section Manager. 
Assistant Section Manager Ed Bruette, N7NVP, is the only candidate who 
had filed to succeed Lewis in the fall.  He will fill the remaining 
three months of Lewis's term. (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  KB2GSD TO WRITE "AND THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT"

A famous ham is taking to the world of print.  Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has more:

--

Veteran CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, long regarded as the 
most trusted man in America, is taking to the printed word.  Cronkite 
has 
agreed to write a column for the King Features Syndicate starting in 
August. 

"And That's the Way I See It" will debut on August 3rd with Cronkite 
writing about a wide range of subjects, mainly involving government, 
politics, the media, and current affairs. 

KB2GSD is 86.  He has worked intermittently since his retirement in 
1981, mainly reporting documentaries for CBS and Discovery Channel.  He 
has also written several books and recently hosted the video "Amateur 
Radio Today" for the American Radio Relay League.

--

By the time you hear this it will be less than a month until Walter 
Cronkite's new column premieres.  (From published reports)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  A CAREER CHANGE FOR G8WGN

Jonathan Marks, G8WGN, who developed the DX Jukebox program into the 
Media Network show on Radio Netherlands, and produced it for 19 years 
has announced a career change.  Marks is to exchange his post as Radio 
Netherlands Creative Director to form his own media company.  In his new 
role he will combine strategic consultancy with project management and 
productions.  

But G8WGN is not severing ties with the Dutch broadcaster completely.  
He will continue to advise Radio Netherlands on strategy.  You can read 
the entire story at http://www.rnw.nl/realradio/html/medianews.html   
(Media Network)

**

HAM GATHERINGS:  THE 29th ANNUAL EASTERN VHF/UHF CONFERENCE

The 29th annual Eastern VHF UHF Conference takes place August 22nd to 
the 24th at the Radison Hotel in Enfield, Connecticut.  This years 
conference will kick off with a Friday evening Hospitality suite 
followed on Saturday with Technical Sessions, Band Rap Sessions, Lab 
Sessions, homebrew equipment displays and a small vendor display area.  
Conference registration is $25 and includes a Conference Proceedings and 
flea market admission for either a buyer or seller. Banquet dinner is 
$30.  For more information contact Bruce Wood, N2LIV, by e-mail to 
bdwood at erols.com.  (Via e-mail)

**

THINGS FAIL DEPT:  BAD I/C KNOCKS ALL-NEWS RADIO STATION OFF THE AIR

An all news radio station in the nations second largest marker was off 
the air for 36 minutes.  This after what's described as a faulty 
integrated circuit shut down the main transmitter of KNX AM in Los 
Angeles and also kept the station from switching to its back-up 
transmitter by remote control.

KNX operates on 1070 kilohertz.  And early morning commuters listening 
in at 6:03 a.m. on Tuesday June 24th heard silence as the transmitter in 
Torrance California fell silent.  

According to the Los Angeles Times, personnel at the Hollywood based 
studios attempted to turn on the stations stand-by transmitter, but it 
would not accept commands.  Eventually Larry Wichman who is the stations 
transmitter supervisor was reached at his home and was able to talk them 
through another, more involved procedure to bring the backup transmitter 
on the air.  KNX returned to the airwaves at 6:39 a.m.  (LA Times)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  THROW AWAY CELL PHONES

Throw away cellular telephones are set to make their debut on U.S. 
convenience store shelves this summer.  This as Hop-On, a small company 
based in Garden Grove, California,  announces that it has received U.S. 
regulatory approval to sell its first recyclable phones  for prepaid 
mobile calling phones.

Hop-On's phones plastic and about the size of a deck of playing cards.  
Customers buy airtime cards in increments of additional talk time of 60, 
90 and 120 minutes.  In a recent interview, Peter Michaels who is Hop-
On's Chairman and Chief Executive said approval of the phones will allow 
the company to sell its stripped-down mobile phone and 60 minutes of 
initial service for a $40 flat fee.  (Press release)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  A NEW URL FOR MAREX

MAREX finally has a brand new home in cyberspace at www.marexmg.org.  
You may recall that back in April the old URL was highjacked and lost.  
The good news is, that MAREX is now MAREXMG Inc.  And again the new URL 
is www.marexmg.org  (MAREX)

**

INTERNATIONAL-JAPAN:  MEGA COMPUTING

Japan's NTT Data Corporation says that it  has successfully linked 
thousands of computers on the Internet to finish a task in 132 days that 
would take a single computer 611 years.  It marked it also marked that 
nations first test of "grid computing." This is a system where linked 
computers share small parts of giant calculations.    (SpaceDaily)

**

DX

In D-X, word that the Lesotho D-X'pedition sponsored by the Lone Star D-
X Association and the Texas DX Society slated for July 18th to the 25th 
has added amateur satellites to its planned operations. DXpedition 
Leader Charles Frost, K5LBU who also holds Lesotho call 7P8TA has 
announced that the expedition will be on the AO-40 ham-sat in mode U S 
in addition to the previously announced bands and frequencies. QSLs will 
be handled by each operator separately, via their home calls.  (ANS)

And the Darwin Amateur Radio Club of the Northern Territory, Australia 
will operate special event station VI8NT from July 1st  through December 
31st.  This, to celebrate 25 years of self government.  QSL via VK6NE.  
(RSGB)

Lastly, F5OZK, will be active portable TK from Corsica between July 5th 
and the 25th.  Look for him on  40 through 10 meters, including the WARC 
bands.  QSL via his home callsign, either direct or via the bureau.  
(QRZ-DX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  ECHOLINK, THE INTERNET AND HAM RADIO

And finally, what do ham radio, the Internet and a linking program 
called Echolink all have in common?  Quite a bit according to  Echolink 
creator Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD:

--
Audio Report Only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org
--

K1RFD made those remarks on Saturday evening May 17th as a part of his 
acceptance speech after being honored as the 2003 Dayton Hamvention 
Special Achievement Award recipient.  In his talk, Taylor went to great 
lengths to explain the way in which ham radio and the Internet 
complement one another while explaining the role of his Echolink 
software in the overall scheme.  

That presentation is a bit long to bring its entirety in this newscast 
so we have it up as an MP3 file on our website as this months ARNewsline 
Extra.  Just go to www.arnewsline.org, click on the newscast number and 
download the file marked Extra.  Then sit back and let Jonathan Taylor, 
K1RFD, take you on an adventure to where ham radio and the Internet 
meet.  (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 at 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. 