[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1559 - June 29, 2007

Sat Jun 30 09:17:27 EDT 2007

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1559 - June 29, 2007

The following is a Q-S-T.  Ham operating mobile in New Jersey win an 
exemption from a tough new cellphone law, hams in California practice 
their emergency communications skills in a mock bird flu exercise and 
on the FCC dismisses a pair of Regulation by Bandwidth petitions but 
leaves the door open to future requests.  Find out more on Amateur 
Radio Newsline report number 1559 coming your way right now.

**

RADIO LAW:  HAMS WIN MOBILE IN MOTION EXEMPTION IN NEW JERSEY

Amateur Radio has won an important exemption in New Jersey.  One that 
should keep the states hams running mobile for a long time.  Amateur 
Radio Newsline's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, reports:

--

New Jersey Assembly Bill A 4146 and Senate Bill S 1099/2764 were 
introduced in the New Jersey legislature to restrict cell phone use and 
text messaging while driving.  The twin measures were passed on June 
21st  and await the governor's signature. 

As originally introduced, the bills would have prohibited the use of 
any and all electronic communications devices for talking, listening or 
text messaging while driving.  This could have meant that New Jersey 
hams would have effectively been banned from operating while mobile in 
motion.  

But that won't be the case.  This is because the combined measure as 
passed includes a sentence that makes Amateur Radio the only service 
exempt from the all inclusive ban.  That hard fought for exemption 
reads -- and we quote:  "For the purposes of this section an 
'electronic communication device' shall not include an Amateur Radio". 

Talk about getting a broadly worded exemption that covers every aspect 
of Amateur Service communications.  More important it means that use 
Amateur Radio while driving will continue to be permitted in New 
Jersey.  The only caveat is that it is done safely and the ham operator 
is not engaging in inattentive driving. 

The new law goes into effect four months after the governor signs it.  
>From that point on, hams are advised to keep a copy of the measure and 
their Amateur Radio license in your glove compartment if you drive in 
the Garden State. 

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, in West 
Orange, New Jersey.  

--

The exemption for Amateur Radio came about thanks to the work the hams 
in the Northern New Jersey  and Southern New Jersey ARRL sections who 
contacted their legislators.  This, to make sure that Amateur Radio 
mobile operations weren't adversely affected by the then pending 
legislation  (Published reports)

**

RADIO LAW:  REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH PETITIONS DISMISSED BY FCC

With little fanfare, the FCC granted separate requests to recall two 
petitions for rulemaking dealing with Regulation by Bandwidth.  On June 
25th the commission approved requests from the Communications Think Tank 
and the American Radio Relay League to withdraw petitions RM-11305 and 
RM-11306 respectively.  In a brief notice issued on June 27th, the FCC 
stated that both Petitions for Rulemaking are dismissed without 
prejudice.  

Without prejudice is legal term.  It means that a claim, lawsuit, or 
law proceeding has been brought to a temporary halt but that no legal 
rights or privileges have been determined, waived, or lost by the 
result.  In this case it means that these two parties can file 
petitions on this matter again, if they choose to do so.  (FCC)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  MOCK EPEDEMIC CHALLENGES CA HAMS 

The scenario of a mock bird flu a pandemic was the basis of a simulated 
emergency exercise, called "Operation Kung Flu."  This, involving about 
200 Santa Barbara California County public health and disaster planning 
officials along with medical service representatives and of coarse a 
number of ham radio volunteer communicators.  Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has 
the rest of the story:

--

The drill took place on June 20th.  In past exercises members of the 
Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Emergency Service have played an important 
role in the Health Department's backup communications between it and 
the local hospitals. In this drill officials realized the only contact 
they had with medical clinics and facilities for the was by telephone 
and cell phone.  Neither would be very reliable if all members of the 
community were to try to use these services at the same time.  So they 
requested the ARES group conduct a communications survey during the 
exercise to evaluate how effective it could be as a backup.

ARES members identified 34 facilities in the area and sent a team out 
to each location to record G-P-S coordinates.  They also drew a map of 
directions to each location, conducted a radio check using mobile and 
handheld gear and sent back a slow scan television picture of the site. 
The exercise proved ARES could establish solid communications at all 
locations tested. The data will be used to develop an information 
packet containing details on each facility for ARES members to use 
should they be deployed in an emergency. 

During the actual drill, the County's Emergency Operations Center was 
activated.  It dealt with the challenges of coordinating health, 
logistics, communications, law enforcement, and information 
distribution to the media and public.  Because of this the ARES radio 
station at the E-O-C was itself brought on line.  It was used for both 
voice communications and to receive slow scan pictures from the teams 
in the field.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los 
Angeles.  

--

Following the exercise Bruce Carter, the Manager of the Office of 
Emergency Services for the County of Santa Barbara issued a letter 
praising the ARES hams.  He said and we quote:   "ARES is always there, 
willing and up to any task."  (N6ZKJ)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  MORE HAMS MAY BE NEEDED IF WEATHER SAT FAILS

Ham radio severe weather spotters could have additional 
responsibilities come their way.  This, if an aging weather satellite 
crucial to accurate predictions on the intensity and path of hurricanes 
fails. 

According to published news reports, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration's chief said the failure of the QuikScat 
satellite could bring more uncertainty to forecasts.  Also that it 
could force his agency to widen the areas that are placed under 
hurricane watches and warnings. 

If the QuikScat were to die on-orbit, then forecasters may have to rely 
on less accurate satellite observations and alternate sources of data.  
Experts estimate that the accuracy of two-day forecasts could suffer by 
10 percent and three-day forecasts by 16 percent.  This could translate 
into miles of coastline and the difference between a city being 
evacuated or not.  

As of now, plans to launch a replacement satellite have been pushed 
back seven years to 2016.  And if QuikScat dies before that launch 
takes place it will likely also mean that many more severe weather 
storm spotters would be needed along coastal areas of the United 
states.  This is a job that has traditionally fallen to ham radio 
volunteers.  (Science Online)

**

HAM RADIO TRENDS:  LEAGUE CITES NO-ODE AS REASON FOR MEMBERSHIP GROWTH

Thee ARRL Letter says that its membership in the League is up and the 
trend is toward continued growth.  With now close to 152,000 members, 
Customer Service Manager Amy Hurtado, KB1NXO, says the League is a 
viable, up-to-date organization that every ham should be a part of.

Hurtado credits the rise in membership in part to the FCC rule changes 
earlier this year that eliminated Morse code testing for the General 
and Amateur Extra license classes.   She says that since more people 
are upgrading their licenses as a result of there being no Morse code 
requirement, the League is now successfully able to show them the 
benefits of being an ARRL member.  (ARRL)

**

THE BPL FIGHT:  SARL SPEAKS OUT IN OPPOSITION TO BPL

Broadband over Powerline Internet access is not an acceptable system 
while interference to High Frequency communications is potentially 
high.  So says one of the worlds most respected national ham radio 
societies.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more:

--

Broadband over Powerline is not an acceptable system to provide 
Internet access connections.  This, while the interference potential to 
High Frequency communications remains high.

This was the message that the South African Radio League delivered to a 
Broadband Conference held last week.  One where the proponents of  B-P-
L see it as the solution to bridging the digital divide.

These people must think again, says the S-A-R-L's Hans van de 
Groenendaal, ZS6AKV. van de Groenendaal told delegates that bridging 
the digital divide is about access to Personal Computers and computer 
literacy and not about cheap broadband delivery.

ZS6AKV said that the South African Radio League is not against new 
technologies.  This, as long as these technologies are not at the cost 
of the High Frequency spectrum which he terms as a scarce national 
resource. 

van de Groenendaal said that radio amateurs are always embracing new 
technologies. It is part of being an communications experimenter.

With so many successful and more mature technologies available, ZS6AKV 
concluded by saying that it is difficult to understand why PLT is still 
pursued so vigorously.

At the studio in Los Angeles, I'm Bill Pasternak reporting for the 
amateur Radio Newsline.

--

Currently there is no Broadband over Powerline  equipment "type 
approved" by for use in South Africa and no licenses for it have been 
issued.  The South African Radio League and the South Africa ham 
community are hopeful to keep it that way.  (Southgate)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  SAN DIEGO FCC OFFICE JUMPS ON THE LATEST 96.9 MHZ 
UNLICENSED STATION

Back in the United States, the San Diego FCC field office lost no time 
in going after the latest unlicensed broadcast operation on 96.9 MHz.  
A Notice of Unlicensed Operation was issued June 12th to Jose Partida of 
Chula Vista.   In it the regulatory agency  warned Partida to cease 
operation at once or face sanctions that could include  heavy fines, 
seizure of station equipment and criminal sanctions including 
imprisonment.  Partida was given ten days from the June 12th date of the 
notice to respond.  (CGC)

**

RADIO LAW:  FCC DENIES UFO CALLSIGN

The FCC has denied a request that the call sign NM5UFO be assigned to 
the New Mexico's Saucer Ridge Amateur Radio Association.  In filing its 
request the club had maintained that the assignment of NM5UFO would be 
in keeping with the theme that Roswell, New Mexico which  has been 
known since 1947 as the site of a UFO crash.  In denying the request 
the FCC simply said that the requested call did not follow the agency's  
sequential callsign assignment system.  (HandiHam News)

**

HAM RADIO TRENDS:  THE ICOM ON-LINE SURVEY

Icom is conducting an on-line survey to find out how, where and when  
hams operate their stations.  And as an incentive for taking part you 
will be entered to a drawing to win one of two IC-R5 portable 
receivers.

The survey is quite simple and takes only a few moments to complete.  
And you do not have to own or use any Icom brand gear to take part.  
All you need to do is take your web browser over to 
www.icomamerica.com/amateur/survey and follow the simple instructions.  
According to Icom your opinions are very important to its Product 
Development Team.

Again, the URL for the Icom survey is 
www.icomamerica.com/amateur/survey  Just fill it in and one of these 
days you might find yourself listening to an IC-R5 that you won for 
simply taking part.  (Icom Release, WB9QZB)

**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS:  KENWOOD SAYS ITS HERE TO STAY

Once again the bloggers are wrong.  Contrary to what some hams have 
conjectured on the Internet, Kenwood Communications has no plans to 
leave the ham radio marketplace.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, 
W8HDU, has the rest of the story:

--

Kenwood, which has just announced that is acquiring famed consumer 
electronics manufacturer J-V-C from Matsushita Electric says that it 
sees ham radio as an important part of its overall future business 
plan.  And in a letter to the Amateur Radio community, Phil Parton , 
N4DRO, who is the Kenwood's National Sales Manager for Amateur Products 
makes it clear that the company is in ham radio to stay.  

Parton writes -- and we quote:  "I would like to take a moment of your 
time with this open letter and help dispel rumors, and falsehoods that 
have been stated as fact.  I have been assured from Top Management in 
Japan and the U.S. and I can assure you that the Kenwood Communications 
Sector has no intention of exiting the Amateur Radio Marketplace. It is 
a viable market. The Amateur Division has been running in the black 
since our restructuring several years ago. In fact, even with the loss 
of models over the last four years the Amateur Division has grown in 
market, speaking highly of Kenwood quality and the loyalty of our 
customers."  -- End quote.

Parton goes on to say that at the recent Dayton Hamvention, Kenwood 
introduced its new dual band TM-V71A and that dealers report many were 
sold at the show.  The TM-V71A is billed as the worlds first Echolink 
ready transceiver with ten dedicated Echolink memory channels as well 
as Echolink sysop mode of operation.  

Parton also notes that the company also had a pre-production prototype 
of the Dual Band TM-D710A was under Plexiglas.  This radio, due out in 
late August, will  serve as a replacement for the soon to be 
discontinued TM-D700A.  

In his letter, Parton also touches on the reason Kenwood has been 
taking its time in bringing our new models.  He says that a good 
portion of the delay is because Europe has already adopted a 
Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive and the rest of the world 
is likely soon to follow their lead.  The directive sets collection, 
recycling and recovery targets for electrical goods and is part of a 
legislative initiative to solve the problem of huge amounts of toxic 
electronic waste.  This means that all new consumer electronics that 
you will buy in the coming years will have to meet the directives 
criteria.  Developing products to meet the new standard has taken a bit 
of time, but since ham radio gear is a world wide market Kenwood 
believes that it is imperative that any new products it brings to that 
marketplace do comply.  

The bottom line says Parton is that Kenwood is very much alive, well 
committed to serving the needs of the world-wide Amateur Radio 
community for years to come.  He ends by saying to please standby for 
more quality products bearing the Kenwood name.  

For the amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, in Lima, Ohio.  

--

One thing you can be sure about.  Whatever new products Kenwood 
introduces will be environmentally friendly.  Phil Parton says that 
some of them will soon be coming your way soon.  (ARNewsline from 
Kenwood open letter to all hams.)

**

NEW PRODUCTS:  HEIL SOUND ANNOUNCES THE PR-R

Another new product from ham radios own Mr. Audio.  This with word that 
Bob Heil, K9EID, the president of Heil Sound has announced the model 
PR-R omnidirectional microphone designed specifically for Electronic 
News Gathering and  news reporting.

The PR-R is 12 inches long and features a moving-coil dynamic element 
with an internal shock mount that reduces handling noise.  It also has 
a non-glare, slim profile; and zinc die-cast body construction.  The 
latter means that it can withstand physical and environmental 
conditions encountered during field production operations.

Frequency response is 50 Hz to 16.5 kHz, sensitivity is -68 dB and 
output impedance is 600 ohm balanced. Additional features include a 
foam pop shield and extended frequency response with rising high end.

Heil Sound says the mic is now in production with delivery expected in 
August.  Amateur Radio Newsline had a chance to try out a pre-
production unit at the recent Dayton Hamvention.  Even just connected 
to our $30 G-E microcassette recorder the PR-R really proved its 
ability to make interview audio easy to understand even in the noisy 
environment of the Hara Arena.  To us, that says a lot.  (RW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  WB4GCS WINS TECH AWARD 

Some names in the news.  First up is Jim Sanford, WB4GCS, who has been 
named as this years ARRL Atlantic Division Technical Achievement Award 
winner.  

Sanford was selected for this honor in recognition of his involvement 
with AMSAT  where he is currently serving as the Project Manager for 
the OSCAR Eagle project.  Eagle is the next generation high earth orbit 
satellite under construction now by AMSAT North America.  (K3IO, 
Southgate)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  PAVEK MUSEUM HONORED FOR PRESERVING ELECTRONIC 
MEDIA 

Meantime, Minnesota's Pavek Museum of Broadcasting has been presented 
with the Richard M. Uray Alpha Epsilon Rho Award for Excellence for its 
efforts and achievements in preserving the history of electronic 
communication.  

The museum is said to feature one of the world's finest collections of 
early radio, television, broadcasting and recording equipment, as well 
as an archive of regional radio and television program material. Pavek 
also is home to the Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Fame. 

The award is given by the National Broadcasting Society and Alpha 
Epsilon Rho.  The latter is a national honor society of electronic 
media students.   (RW)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  GOOGLE MAP IMAGRY GOES TO THE STREETS

Want to see your antenna farm from street level from the comfort of 
your hamshack?  Well Google has announced that it will soon be  
introducing street-level map views of various U.S. cities, giving Web 
surfers a panoramic, 360 degree images as well as the overhead views 
Google Maps has offered. 

With the new "Street View" feature in Google Maps, street level images 
will be available for maps of the San Francisco area, New York, Las 
Vegas, Denver and Miami.  The service will then  expand to other 
metropolitan regions nationwide.  

Users looking at Google Maps through a Web browser will be able to 
navigate around a city,.  This will mean web surfers can virtually walk 
the streets, check out restaurants and landmarks and even zoom in on 
street signs to make travel plans. 

No word as to how often the street level images will be updated or if 
they will be clear enough to pick out rusty mounting hardware on your 
tri-band quad.  (Google)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  APPLE SAFARI BROWSER NOW FOR WINDOWS

Apple has released a new version of its Safari Web browser for Windows-
based PC. The free program is the latest move by Apple to expand its 
reach beyond its Macintosh computers and, at the same time, attract new 
converts to its products. 

Safari, was released a few years ago for Apple's Macintosh computers.  
It has so far captured about 5 percent of the world's market share for 
Internet browsers with more than 18 million users.    Microsoft's 
Internet Explorer is the dominant browser with a 78 percent share, 
while Mozilla's Firefox has rapidly climbed to gain about 15 percent of 
the market.  

The release of Safari for Windows is seen as yet another part of Apples 
multi-pronged encroachment of what has long been held to be Microsoft's 
almost private turf.  (Published news reports)

**

WORLDBEAT - AUSTRALIA:  VK6XW NEW WIA INTRUDER WATCH COORDINATOR

Karl Hennig VK6XW has been appointed by the Wireless Institute of 
Australia Board as its new Intruder Watch Coordinator. The  WIA 
operates the Intruder Watch program as a centralized regional clearing 
house for reports on intrusions from non amateur activities in the ham 
radio bands.  Hening replaces Glenn Dunstan, VK4DU, who retired from 
that post at the recent Wireless Institute of Australia annual general 
meeting. (WIA News)

**

WORLDBEAT - JAPAN:  TOKYO TO HOST WORLDS TALLEST TOWER

Wired.com says the tallest broadcasting tower ever built is coming to 
Tokyo, Japan..  The 2001 foot high structure, which still doesn't have 
a name, will host the digital radio and television transmissions plus a 
mobile TV network.  When completed in 2011 the concrete-and-steel tower 
will be the highest free-standing antenna in the world.  (RW)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK:  VOLUNTEER COMMUNICATORS NEEDED FOR THE TOUR DE FRANCE

The United Kingdom's Raynet emergency communications system says that 
ham radio volunteers needed for the British leg Tour de France bicycle 
race.  Hams free on July 8th are invited to apply.  If you can help 
contact Dennis Spalding, by e-mail to dennis at spalding.freeserve.co.uk 
as soon as you possibly can possible.  (GB2RS)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK:  GB2RS TO DISCONTINUE PACKET NEWS

Call this one the end of an era.  This with word that the Radio Society 
of Great Britain's GB2RS News Service will no longer be distributed via 
Packet Radio.  This, after Roger Harris, G3ZFR, is no longer in a 
position to distribute the weekly GB2RS news bulletin via that early 
digital mode. 

The GB2RS news will continue to be distributed with scheduled on-the-
air broadcasts and via the Internet.  The RSGB also hosts a 
subscription remailer on yahoogroups for those who want their news to 
come to them by electronic mail.   (GB2RS)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK:  HAM RADIO COMEDY ON YOUTUBE

Still in the U-K, an episode of the 1960 BBC TV comedy series 
'Hancock's Half Hour' starring Tony Hancock as a bungling ham radio 
operator is now on YouTube.  This classic episode shows Hancock as a 
ham radio enthusiast who receives a mayday call from a ship in distress 
but keeps getting distracted just before he can take down its position.  
The episode is split into three parts. To view this and other classic 
Hancock clips, go to www.youtube.com and enter Tony Hancock in the 
search box.  (GB2RS)

**

ON THE AIR:  SCHEDULE CHANGE FOR WEST COAST QUALIFYING RUN

On the air, the ARRL has announced that there will be a slight change 
to the July 2007 West Coast Qualifying Run schedule.  The Run will be 
transmitted by the Maritime Radio Historical Society station using the 
call KPH stroke K6KPH. This station is the same one that sends out the 
W1AW Field Day Bulletin for the benefit of West Coast amateurs.

Look for K6KPH to transmit the West Coast Run on three bands on July 12 
at 0400 UTC.  That computes as 9 PM PDT on July 11th.  The Morse code 
speeds will remain at 10 to 40 Words Per Minute with transmission made 
on 3.590, 7.047.5 and 14.047.5 MHz.

All Qualifying Run submissions should still be sent to the ARRL for 
processing.  (ARRL)

**

DX

In D-X, UA4WHX is once again active from Uganda as 5X1VB.  As always 
there is no indication on how long he will be there but he has been  
heard this past weekend on 80, 17 and 12 meters mostly CW.  QSL via his 
home callsign, direct or by the bureau. It is recommend
to send direct cards after he has gotten home from his travels.

And word that the 3B7 Dxpedition to the Brandon Islands was expected to 
have gone Q-R-T on June 21st.  If you worked this one please QSL via 
SP9SX. 

EA5RM, has announced that a multi-national team is planning to be on 
the air from Kigali, Rwanda later this summer.  Details will be 
shortly.   
Susan Meckley, W7KFI, who is sailing her boat the USS Dharma to 
Johnston Island has been forced to return to Honolulu because of a bad 
toothache.  She told the O-P-D-X newsletter that the pain was so 
unbearable that decided to return to Hawaii to see an oral surgeon.

Meckley tells the OPDX that she will again attempt her trip to Johnston 
Island in less than two weeks.  It will take about a week to travel 
there.  Listen out for her on C-W 36 Kilohertz above any High Frequency 
ham band edge and on SSB on selected voice frequencies.  She plans on 
visiting a number of  rare DX spots over next 3 years in the South 
Pacific.

Lastly, HB9QQ, will be active portable HB0 from Lichtenstein between
June 29th and July 2nd and again between July 6th to the 9th. Activity 
will be on the High Frequency bands along with 6 and 2 meters.  QSL via 
his home callsign address.

(Above DX news from various DX sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  FIELD DAY 2007

And finally this week, Field Day 2007 seems to have been a mixed bag.  
Most hams report less than good conditions with the upper High 
Frequency bands fairly quiet over the entire operating event.  The 
opposite was true on the lower bands like 40 and 75 where contact runs 
like this one were common in the hours after dark:

--

Contact audio here

--

While the ARRL bills Field Day as an operating event to test the 
emergency preparedness skills of radio amateurs, hams themselves have 
other reasons for taking part.  Some look at it as yet another contest 
to see how many stations they can contact from a location away from 
home.  Others look at it as a public relations event to make the public 
aware that Amateur Radio is out there, ready and willing to serve in 
time of crisis.  Many like James Osment, W6OZZ, of the Santa Clarita 
Amateur RadioClub in California  have another reason for taking part.  
They see it as a chance to share time with some very special friends:

--

Osment:  "For me, I guess its about comoradory.  The people I have met 
in Amateur Radio are to me long lasting friends,  I mean that they are 
forever-lasting friends and to me that's very important.  Its very 
important in your lifetimre to have friends that you can turn to for 
any problem in the world, and they are there itt seems to help you, no 
matter what."

--

It will be a few months before the scores are tallied and we all know 
who won in each operating category.  No matter.  With Field Day all who 
take part win something, in one way or another.  And this operator is 
already looking forward to Field Day, 2008.  (ARNewsline)

**

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, the Southgate News and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all 
from the Amateur Radio Newsline.  Our e-mail address is 
newsline at arnewsline.org.  More information is available at Amateur 
Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.  
You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, P.O. 
Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066. 

Before we go, a reminder of our latest on-line poll.  It asks what is 
your favorite major U.S. ham radio magazine.  You vote at 
www.arnewsline.org.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim 
Davis, W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.  