No subject

Thu Mar 8 06:28:51 EST 2007

KB4KCH.

--

Granda was given the normal 30 days to pay the fine or to file an 
appeal.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  TO MANY CALL CHANGES

The FCC wants to know why a Maryland ham keeps changing his call sign.  
Again, the agency's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:

--

Duckworth: "Fredrick Davis, N3BO, of Emmetsburg Maryland has been asked 
about changing his call twelve times in nine different combinations 
nince November of 1999.  In as much as each time a call sign is 
relinquished it is unavailable to anyone else for two years, these 
applications raise questions about apparent abuse of the licensing 
system."

--

The FCC gave Davis the usual time to respond and he was not alone.  A 
similar notice went out to Thomas Eifert of Greendale, Wisconsin, 
concerning his switching between NI7V and N9IX.  Also hearing from the 
FCC was William Mc Doniel of Garden Grove, California, was told to 
explain the six applications he has filed applications involving call 
sign switches between N6BM and N4EA.  (FCC, RAIN)  

**

ENFORCEMENT:  CHICAGO DJ SUES LISTENER OVER COMPLAINTS

The Chicago Sun-Times reports a new twist to the indecent language  war 
that's pitting air talent against the FCC, and now,   against listeners 
as well.  According to the paper, WKQX morning host Mancow Muller is 
suing David Edward Smith for complaining about him to the regulatory 
agency.

According to Muller's complaint, Smith has filed numerous complaints 
against the jock.  This has resulted in $42,000 worth of files being 
issued by the FCC.

Muller's $3 million lawsuit charges Smith and the watch-dog group 
Citizens for Community Values with business interference and filing 
"spurious complaints" that are "repetitive, malicious, untrue and 
designed merely for the purpose of harassment." 

So far, Smith has filed 66 complaints against Muller.  If he should win 
his suit, Muller says that any profit will be donated to the Boy Scouts 
of America and various other charities.  (Published news reports)  

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS GROWING

Two in five Internet users in the United States now have high-speed 
Internet access at home.  This, as telephone companies slash prices to 
better compete with cable broadband services, a study says.

A report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project says that most of 
the growth has been since November from D-S-L phone connections.  They 
now make up 42 percent of the entire home broadband market.  That's up 
from 28 percent in March 2003. 

Cable modems still have the lead.  Their market share is 54 percent, but 
they no longer enjoy a 2-to-1 edge.

Although dial-up remains a lot less expensive than high speed access, 
John Horrigan, Pew's senior research specialist, said Americans are 
increasingly making a time is money" calculation.  If  they are spending 
more time online, they find savings from high-speed connections even if 
they must pay a little more.  

According to the study, 36 percent of home broadband users said they 
switched because their dial-up connection was too slow or frustrating.  
Twenty-one percent said they wanted to download files faster, and 10 
percent needed it for job-related tasks.

Pew places the adult residential broadband population at 48 million, or 
one-quarter of all adult Americans.   Among college educated adults age 
35 and younger, broadband penetration has now reached 52 percent.  
(Press release)

**

NEW THECHNOLGY:  A CELL PHONE WITH WORLDWIDE CAPABILITY

A cell phone that can be used most places in the world will be offered 
by Motorola during the second half of this year.  The handset is 
compatible with the GSM networks used throughout Europe, as well as the 
CDMA standard that is popular in the United States and across Asia.  
More is on-line at http://tinyurl.com/3bqh5  (CGC)

**

HAMFESTS & CONVENTIONS:  VISTA AZ. IN MAY

On the ham radio social scene, word that the Cochise Amateur Radio Club 
will be holding its 2004 hamfest on Saturday, May the 1st in Vista 
Arizona.  All the information on this one is on-line at 
www.qsl.net/k7rdg or by e-mail to kd7hab at netzero.net

**

HAMVENTION 2004:  AWARDS WITH PRIZES ON SUNDAY

The planners of the 2004 Dayton Hamvention say that they have a unique 
new way to present this years Hamvention awards.  This,  as part of an 
expanded prize drawing on Sunday afternoon, May 16th.  

As in years past, at the close of business hours on Sunday attendees 
will be directed to the 7000 seats in the grandstands in the main arena 
for the drawing of the remaining hourly prizes and the big grand prizes.  
But before the first numbers get pulled the crowd will get a chance to 
meet the three Hamvention award winners, find out why they were chosen 
and get to be a part of this very special award presentation ceremony.  

As previously reported, this years winners are Barry Sanderson, KB9VAK, 
whose getting the  "Technical Excellence Award," George Wilson, W4OYI, 
who is the "Special Achievement Award" winner and David Kopacz, KY1V,  
named as  "Radio Amateur of the Year."  They will be joined by the 
President of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association and members of the 
Hamvention planning committee to make this a special afternoon for the 
winners and everyone else on hand.  (Hamvention(r))

** 

NEW PUBLICATIONS:  HAM RADIO FOR DUMMIES

We've all seen those great yellow covered books that have been 
introducing the public to the world of computers for close to two 
decades.  Books like DOS For Dummies, Windows For Dummies, Excel For 
Dummies and the rest.  And how often have you wished out loud for a book 
titled Ham Radio For Dummies.  You know.  A book that you could hand to 
the next guy who confuses your 70 foot tower and Tri-Bander with a C-B 
set to talk to Smokey and the Bandit.

Well now you can, but you may want to read it first because author Ward 
Silver, N0ZAX, has come up with what may well be the best explanation of 
the hobby ever written:

--

Silver:  "I get a lot of people who come up and say -- `hey I bet you 
get goof TV reception' -- or that sort of thing.  So I go into my 5 
minute spiel about what ham radio is.  And at some point you can sense 
that they are kind of glazing over a little bit.  

But the familiar yellow and black cover and the brand helps to take the 
mystique out of buying the book.  It makes something that they are 
familiar with so that they are comfortable in giving it a try."

-- 

Ham Radio For Dummies extols the belief that hams do cool things like 
talking to folks around the world and helping with communications during 
emergencies.  Using plain English, it instructs the reader how to 
understand ham jargon or "ham-speak" and explains how hams communicate 
on the air.  It then tells the reader how to prepare  for the license 
exam, how to set up a shack, how to provide help in an  emergency or 
natural disaster and how to be a ham on the go.  What's a ham on the go 
you ask?

--

Silver: "A lot of people that are getting into the hobby now are either 
apartment (dwellers) or condo owners.  Maybe they live in a sub-division 
where antennas are not allowed.  And, with the new radios that are out 
there, mobile and portable operation is becoming really, really popular.  
And I think you are going to see a lot more of that over the next 10 
years."

--

Sound intriguing?  Well you can learn more about the book and its author 
by tuning into this weeks Rain Report.  Its on-line right now at 
www.rainreport dot com and on the phone at area code 847 827  7246.  
Thats 847 827  RAIN.

Ham Radio For Dummies is on sale right now from most major bookseller 
including Amazon dot com.  It carries a list price of $21.95 which most 
say is well worth it because Ham Radio For Dummies is just plain fun to 
read.  And oh yes.  You don't have to be a  ham radio dummy to read it.  
(ARNewsline(tm))

** 

RADIO SCIENCE:  ONE WORD -  TESLAMANIA

Are you one of the many that is fascinated by the work of the famed 
inventor Nikola Tesla?  Then Bert Hickman's Teslamania website is just 
what you have been looking for.

According to the CGC Communicator, Teslamania is probably the only web 
address featuring Tesla coils, levitating Mendocino motors, frozen 
lightning bolts, magnetic coin shrinkers and can crushers.  Its also 
real easy to find.  Its in cyberspace at www.teslamania.com.  (CGC)

**

WORLDBEAT - ALBANIA:  PROJECT GOOD WILL EXPANDS

The success story of Project Goodwill Albania 2003 on boosting ham radio 
activity in Albania continues.  It has already accounted for some 40 new 
licensees and integrating amateur radio into the official course 
offering at the Technical University of Tirana.

Now comes word that two of the projects organizers, Martti Laine, OH2BH 
and Pertti Simovaara, OH2PM visited Tirana for a week starting on 
Tuesday, April 20th.  They were there to launch several new Zed-A prefix 
stations using equipment donated by the worlds ham radio DX community.  
They also say that more gear is needed.  You can read about the story 
and find out how you can help on-line at www.za1a.com  (OH2BH via N4GN)

**

WORLDBEAT - CANADA:  VE2AUU APPOINTED QUEBEC DIRECTOR

Radio Amateurs of Canada's Board of Directors has approved Murray 
Epstein, VE2AUU, as the interim Director for Quebec.  This, pending the 
results of an upcoming election in the next few weeks.  

Epstein has been an Amateur for more than 55 years, and is very active 
both on and off the air.  R-A-C says that Epstein has been an important 
innovator both as a radio amateur and in the business world.  (RAC)

**

WORLDBEAT:  SWISS RADIO INTERNATIONAL GOING QRT

And after 70 years on the air, Swiss Radio International has reached the 
final phase of its retreat from international radio broadcasting.   As 
of April 13th there are no more daily radio programs in English, and at 
the end of October the shortwave transmissions will close down 
completely.

Radio Netherlands has prepared an investigative report on why, along 
with a look back at Swiss international broadcasting 40 years ago.  You 
will find it at www.rnw.nl/realradio/features/html/sri040408.html   
((Media Network)

**

DX

In D-X, word that three Italian operators plan to be active from Gaflei, 
Lichtenstein, on May 1st and 2nd.  Callsigns are not known at this time 
but activity will be on 80 through 6 meters. QSL as directed by each 
operator. (OPDX)

And K5LBU, has told the Ohio Penn DX newsletter that it looks as if his 
trip to Botswana is not going to happen.  He tells OPDX that only one 
person has stepped forward and said he will go along but a total of five 
are needed.  Unless he hears from at least 4 more he will reschedule and 
try to make it for next year's the IARU contest.  K5LBU's E-mail address 
is frosty1 at pdq.net  (OPDX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM

And finally this week, more on the art of Fox Hunting, how you can make 
it a part of your ham radio life and that of your club.  Here's the 
experts expert:  Joe Moell, KO0V:

--

Last time I told you about foxhunting -- that's tracking radio 
transmitters for sport with direction-finding equipment -- and the 
upcoming USA Championships of foxhunting, which will take place in 
southern California beginning June 16.  Perhaps you would like to 
attend, but you want to get some practice first.  And wouldn't it be 
great if there were more foxhunting activity in your home town?  Well, 
that's why you should get your local ham club involved in this fantastic 
form of radio competition, and the National Foxhunting Weekend is the 
time to do it.

CQ Magazine sponsors the National Foxhunting Weekend each spring.  The 
seventh annual event will be May 8 and 9, 2004.  The rules are very 
loose.  Actually, there really aren't any rules, just the suggestion 
that your club hold some kind of foxhunt on that weekend, or close to 
it.  An on-foot event in the park, perhaps with a barbecue at the end, 
would be great fun for families.  Or you could hold a more traditional 
kind of hunt, with the competitors in their cars and the hider in an 
unlikely spot, miles away.  Scoring on a mobile hunt can be by time -- 
who finds it first -- or by least odometer mileage, making it more like 
a road rallye.

If your club isn't already planning a National Foxhunting Weekend hunt, 
it's up to YOU to start the fun.  Get some ideas by reading the tales of 
last years hunts in the April issue of CQ Magazine.  Report forms and 
more information can be found at my Web site, www.homingin.com.  That's 
HomingIn, as one word, homingin.com.  See you on the hunt!  From 
southern California, this is Joe Moell Kay-Zero-Oscar-Victor for Amateur 
Radio Newsline.

--

Radio Fox Hunts are a lot of fun and many of the Newsline staffers 
around the world enjoy taking part in them.  

**

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 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. 

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur Radio 
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now on.  This program is open to 
any FCC licensed young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the 
contiguous 48 states and who has made a significant contribution to the 
community, the nation or ham radio though the United States Amateur 
Radio Service.  

More information and a downloadable on-line nominating form is at our 
website. That's in cyberspace at www.arnewsline.org.  The cutoff for 
nominations this year is midnight on Tuesday, June 31st. 