[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1581 - November 30, 2007

Sun Dec 2 16:17:55 EST 2007

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1581 - November 30, 2007

The following is a Q-S-T. 

New research shows that the Internet may be headed toward gridlock.  
Will this impact ham radio Voice over I-P operations and new ham radio 
Internet based emergency communications?  Also, a C-Q editorial takes 
on the new I-A-R-U bandplan and the secret way it was enacted. Find out 
the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1581 coming your 
way right now.

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  NEW SURVEY SAYS INTERNET HEADED TO GRIDLOCK

Hams who see emergency communications over the Internet as the future 
of traffic handling might want to rethink their position.  This, if a 
new report that predicts that Internet usage could outstrip network 
capacity worldwide in a couple of years proves to be as accurate as it 
seems to be.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has the 
details:

--

The study was conducted by the advisory firm Nemertes Research. The 
report is the first to assess the Internet infrastructure and current 
model as well as projected traffic patterns independent of one another.  
And it says that the Internet access infrastructure, specifically in 
North America, will cease to be adequate for supporting demand within 
the next three to five years.

But that's not all.  The Nemertes report says that the cost required to 
make capacity meet demand is in the area of $42 billion to $55 billion 
in the United States.  This would primarily be spent on broadband 
access capacity. The firm says that figure is 60 to 70 percent beyond 
the $72 billion service providers are planning to invest.  

Even bigger is the required investment globally to keep data flowing 
freely 
across the Internet.  It's is estimated at $137 billion, again 
primarily in broadband access."

If the reports authors are correct, Internet users could increasingly 
encounter Internet brownouts or other interruptions to their 
applications they use online.  For example, it may take more than one 
attempt to confirm an online purchase or it may take longer to download 
the latest video from a site like YouTube.  And for hams trying to 
communicate using radio to Voice over Internet Protocol technology it 
could mean a major slowdown in message delivery speed.  And when lives 
are at stake, such a roadblock would be intolerable.   

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

--

The bottom line: Radio amateurs involved in emergency communications 
might want to consider keeping an all radio backbone system in place, 
just in case Internet based message delivery disappears at the moment 
its needed the most.  (RW, ARNewsline, others)

**

REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH:  CQ EDITORIAL SAYS "HERE WE GO AGAIN"

CQ Magazine is again tackling the controversial subject of Regulation 
by Bandwidth.  This time in an in-depth editorial in its just out 
December issue.  An editorial that points out that the soon to be in 
place IARU Region 2 bandplan is really nothing more than the ARRL's 
abortive attempt at reaching the objective of Regulation by Bandwidth, 
but hidden under a fresh coat of paint.  And according to editor Rich 
Moseson, W2VU, its not the idea of regulating by signal bandwidth 
that's worrisome.  Rather it's the way that the ham radio political 
leaders are going about it through what amounts to a back door:

--

Moseson:  "I want to make it clear from the start that I have no 
objection to the concept of regulation by bandwidth.  We think the 
concept is good.  Its something that's needed.  The problem comes up in 
execution."

"When you are turning a concept into a workable plan, in this case you 
have to make sure that it is flexible not only to permit the 
development of new modes, which may yet be off over the horizon, but to 
continue to accommodate the modes that are currently legal and 
currently being used by some number of people."  

"Our biggest gripe is just the fact that this was not put out for 
public discussion.  That it was done quietly at an IARU meeting  and 
not put out for the members of the various societies that are part of 
Region 2 to discuss."

--

According to W2VU, in early 2007, realizing that the tide of opinion in 
the U-S ham community was not yet ready to change to a bandwidth 
regulated service, the ARRL quietly met with FCC officials.  At that 
time it submitted revisions that essentially gutted the original 
proposal.  Then a couple of months later the League withdrew the 
petition altogether.  At the time, the ARRL said it still felt that a 
shift to regulation by bandwidth was necessary and that it would 
revisit the issue in the future.  And Moseson says that it not only 
appears to be revisiting the issue right now but that it  appears to be 
continuing the pattern started earlier this year of doing so very 
quietly and with very little explanation.:

--

Moseson:  "The agenda of the meeting was not publicized beforehand.  
The specific proposal was not publicized beforehand.  The only thing 
that was publicized was what was adopted and the encouragement to lobby 
your national regulatory agency to adopt the provisions of this 
bandplan as law"

-- 

As previously reported, in mid-October, Region II of the IARU announced 
that it had adopted a new High Frequency band bandplan that it termed 
as a way to better organize the use of the bands more efficiently.  The 
new band plan takes effect January 1, 2008, and guess what?  It's 
broken down by bandwidths! Not only that, but it appears to do nearly 
everything that opponents of the original ARRL plan feared including 
limiting wide bandwidth legacy modes like AM to a pair of 25 kHz wide 
shared segments in the 75-meter band and to frequencies above 29 MHz.  

But that's not all.  The plan also calls for the creation of segments 
for automatically controlled 2 point 7 kHz wide digital stations on all 
of the High Frequency bands except 160 and 30 meters.  In several 
cases, these so called "robot" station segments are right at the bottom 
of the U.S. phone bands, where the best DX is often found. 

While the new bandplan is voluntary, as W2VU points out, its authors do 
urge hams all across Region 2 to lobby their respective governments to 
make it law.  And the United States does take up a lot of real estate 
in Region 2.

The entire editorial and the implications to Region 2 appears in the 
December issue of C-Q Magazine.  Its title seems rather apropos.  Rich 
Moseson calls it -- "Here we Go Again."  (CQ, ARNewsline)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  WORLRADIO SAYS ITS CHANGING TIMES

Another must read is an article in the December issue of Worldradio 
magazine titled "Changing Times."  In it, author Jim Wades, K8SIW, 
notes that the response model of the Amateur Radio Emergency service 
has remained stagnant while the needs, wants and desires of t5he 
clients it serves are changing very rapidly.   

In his treatment, Wades notes that ARES and similar programs as 
originally envisioned stressed a high degree of local autonomy.   He 
notes that model worked well when all public service communications was 
centered around a few basic technologies.  But says Wades, problems are 
beginning to emerge as emergency management agencies begin to stress 
regional cooperation, national standardization and interoperability. 

Wades says that these days, many independent ARES programs are finding 
it increasingly difficult to implement new technologies, many of which 
require specialized knowledge along with a significant financial 
investment not available within the local community.   He also notes 
that there is a people problem where in all to often local emergency 
coordinators reject initiatives toward such things as the use of a 
single, universal radiogram form or even to implement structures 
designed to share specialized resources across multiple jurisdictions.  

But Wades says that this philosophy has to change.  He says that ARES 
really needs to be structured more like the McDonalds restaurant chain 
.  He says, just as you can expect a quarter pounder with cheese to be 
the same all over the United States, an agency served by ARES should 
have assurance that an ARES group in Oregon has the same basic skills 
as would a similar group in Michigan or New York.   How this might come 
to be is covered in the rest of Jim Wades article that begins on page 
34 of the December issue of Worldradio magazine.  (Worldradio, 
ARNewsline)

**

THE BPL WAR:  EUROPEAN COMPANY DOUBLES BPL THROUGHPUT

A new challenge to DSL and cable Internet access from BPL that also 
holds the potential for increasing interference even higher in 
frequency.  Europe' s DS2 Corporation has demonstrated a second 
generation Broadband over Powerline chipset for  that can handle data 
at sustained rates of well over 400 Megabytes per second.  This, while 
maintaining backwards compatibility with earlier generations of 
hardware. 

The company making the claim is DS2, is based in Valencia, Spain.  Its 
previous chipset, introduced four years ago, enabled communications at 
200 Megabits a second  over standard electrical power lines.  That 
generation has been widely deployed by European telecommunications 
providers and displaced earlier consumer hardware.

The new generation chipset doubles the bandwidth to 400 Megabits a 
second.  Even after control, error correction, and quality of service 
information are subtracted, the end users will have access to well over 
200Megabits per second of usable bandwidth.  That's double the current 
100-BaseT Ethernet and better than 802.11n can do under most 
conditions.

DS2 does not build completed BPL systems, installation equipment or end 
user hardware.  Rather, it designs the processors and creates 
integrated chipsets that enable original equipment manufacturers to 
produce networking solutions.  Its also bout to make power providers -- 
especially  those in Europe who have been wary of jumping onto the BPL 
bandwagon -- take another look at introducing the technology.  (ARS 
Technica)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  NEW HAM HELPS SAVE CHILDS LIFE

While helping to provide health and welfare communications for a 
California athletic event, a newly licensed amateur calmly makes the 
call for critical medical assistance for an injured 6 year old:

--

Actual contact audio.  Hear it in the mp3 version of this newscast 
available at www.arnewsline.org

--

Licensed for only 2 « weeks, Kristen Andersen, KI6MRH -- now W6KLA -- 
volunteered with the Catalina Amateur Repeater Association to help 
provide communications for the first-annual Catalina Island Eco 
Marathon.  Kristen was stationed as a radio operator at the Middle 
Ranch aid station.  During the race, a vehicle pulled up with a young 
boy who was bucked off of his horse during a riding lesson.  He was 
believed to be  suffering from head trauma.

--

Actual contact audio.  Hear it in the mp3 version of this newscast 
available at www.arnewsline.org

--

As luck had it, the accident occurred right near a radio-staffed 
marathon aid station..  But even with a 2 meter repeater located at the 
top of the island's highest point, Middle Ranch is a tough shot, due to 
the rugged terrain.  Still, the critical communications got through.

Responding to the call were Santa Catalina Island Conservancy Rangers, 
LA County Fire Dept, and City of Avalon Fire Department Ambulance. He 
was first taken to Avalon Community hospital where a scan was done that 
showed bleeding on the brain.  He was then  med-evaced by helicopter to 
Children's Hospital Orange County and admitted to the Intensive Care 
Unit.  Late word I that the child is back home and doing well.  (KI6AL)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  NM FIRE FOLLOW-UP

New Mexico ham radio operators continued their efforts to assist those 
fighting a wildfire in the Manzano Mountain range south of Albuquerque 
this past week.   Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in our studio with more.

--

According to Charlie Christmann, K5CEC, as the fire near Mountainair, 
New Mexico continued to expand, the states Amateur Radio Emergency 
Service members from Socorro to Los Alamos were alerted for deployment 
over the Thanksgiving holiday.  

As the winds began to increase, the fire in the Cibola National forest 
about 50 miles southeast of Albuquerque began to threaten homes in the 
town.  At 1:00 am on Wednesday, November 21st, Darryl Clutter, NX5W, 
the Torrance County ARES District Emergency Coordinator, received word 
residents in the town of Mountainair were being evacuated. John 
Cordova, KE5RNB, the Torrance County Emergency Manager, notified 
Clutter that a shelter was being opened at the Mountainair High School 
and communications support was needed. Approximately 100 to 200 
evacuees were expected.  Karl Russell, KE5AKI, with the New Mexico 
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief was also called to provide meals for 
the evacuees, firefighters, and communicators.

Early morning saw the fire growing steadily. Local firefighters, 
hampered by the rugged terrain, formed a defensive perimeter. Clutter 
and Cordova called the surrounding County Emergency Managers for 
additional Ham radio support. By 8:00 am, ARES volunteers from Los 
Alamos to Socorro were on standby to assist as needed.  By late-
afternoon, Socorro ARES had brought its communications trailer and 
Sandoval County had its county communications van, staffed by Sandoval 
County ARES members on site in Mountainair. 

By 5:00 pm, the fire had grown to an estimated 7000 acres and the 
weather was not cooperating. The overnight forecast called for 
increasing winds with gust to more than 45 milers per hour as a cold 
front entered the area.   Fortunately, Thanksgiving Day's forecast 
included a good chance to snow.  As that front began to develop over 
the area on Thursday afternoon, the prospects for controlling the fire 
improved. ARES members were released to enjoy the remainder of their 
holiday.

By Monday afternoon, the blaze was almost fully contained. About 100 
homes were evacuated during the peak of the fire. Only three structures 
were known to have burned.

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

--

New Mexico ARES is involved in the relief effort along with the South-
West Baptist Group.  (K5CEC)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  ROGUE IOWA CELLPHONE CALLING FOR HELP

Meantime, a cellular telephone is dialing 911 operators in eastern Iowa 
and nobody seems to be able to locate it.  

According to news reports, emergency service operators at the Black 
Hawk County Consolidated Communications Center near Waterloo say that 
they received about 400 calls from the same cell phone last week but no 
one seems to be on the other line.

Searchers say that they cannot locate the rogue phone but have figured 
out that it is an old analog line not currently associated with any 
cellular service provider.  Under FCC rules, all  cellphones must still 
be able to place 911 emergency calls.    

The cell phone is not taking calls, and emergency workers haven't been 
able to track the owner through service records.  

Some officials are suspicious that it could be a prank but until the 
source of the calls is found or they stop, dispatchers still have to 
answer every call just in case there is someone is on the line with an 
emergency.  (Wired & Wireless)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FCC COMOPLETELY CLEARS WA2SEI OF ANY WRONG DOING IN 6 
METER SITUATION

What we reported two weeks ago is now official.   The FCC has issued a 
letter to Raymond W. Czyzewski, Jr., WA2SEI, of  Interlachen, Florida 
that completely clears him of any wrong doing in connection with an 
alleged interference situation on the 6 meter band.   

As we already told you, back on September 14th the FCC  wrote to WA2SEI 
concerning a complaint it had received about the operation of his 
Amateur station.  The complaint alleged interference on the Six Meter 
Amateur band on June 19th.  .  

Czyzewski wasted no time in contacting the FCC.  As he told Newsline 
and as we reported, it was WA2SEI who said that he was the victim in 
this situation.  This,  when an operator suddenly telling him to leave 
the frequency on which he had been operating for several hours and then 
demanding in C-B lingo that Czyzewski provide him with his name and 
address over the air.  

Czyzewski responded to the FCC on September 24th.  At that time he fully 
explained the operation on the date cited in the complaint.   Now the 
FCC in a November 26th letter has officially accepted his response and 
says that in its view that no enforcement action is appropriate.  The 
regulatory agency also thanked WA2SEI for his cooperation in quickly 
resolving the issue.  (FCC)

**

HAM HONORS:  ARRL INTERNATIONAL HUMANITERIAN AWARD CLOSES DEC 31

Nominations close December 31st  for the 2007 ARRL International 
Humanitarian Award.   This award recognizes our unique role in 
international communication, and the assistance we regularly provide to 
people in need throughout the world  

 The League established the annual prize to recognize Amateur Radio 
operators who have used ham radio to provide extraordinary service to 
others in times of crisis or disaster.  It is dedicated to an amateur 
or amateur group devoted to promoting human welfare, peace and 
international understanding through Amateur Radio.

All nominations and supporting materials for the 2007 ARRL 
International Humanitarian Award must be submitted in writing in 
English to ARRL International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, 
Newington, Connecticut, 06111.  Again the cutoff date for nominations 
on December 31st.  (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  BOB HEIL. K9EID, RECEIVES PARNELLI AWARD

Another honor for ham radio's Mr. Audio.  This time it's the 
prestigious Parnelli Award that was given to Bob Heil. K9EID, in a 
ceremony on November 16th and sponsored by Timeless Communications and 
their F.O.H. magazine.   

The Parnelli Award is considered as being the `Grammy' of the sound 
industry.   Bob was honored as one of professional sounds most prolific 
inventors and for his work with such acts as The Who,  Humble Pie, Joe 
Walsh, Peter Frampton, Humble Pie, Jeff Beck  and many others.

Named after Rick "Parnelli" O'Brien the Parnelli award recognizes 
pioneering, influential professionals and their contributions, honoring 
both individuals and companies. The presentation of the Parnelli award 
to Bob Heil took place during the LDI entertainment technology show 
that was held in Orlando, Florida, November 12th to the 18th.  (Heil 
Sound Release)

**

D-STAR NEWS:  A NEW D-STAR REPEATER IN PORTUGAL

D-Star has come to Portugal.  This as Jose Guerreiro, CT1EPS, the 
President of the Radioamador Clube de Loule, has announced that a new 
D-STAR repeater went on the air in test mode in Algarve, Portugal on 
December 9th.  The repeater operates only at the 70 cm Amateur Radio 
band, receiving on 430.975 MHz and transmitting on 438.575 MHz.. The 
system operate under the callsign CQ0UDFO running 20 watts out.  It The 
system is located in Maidenhead Grid Square IM57QH.  (Southgate)

**

D-STAR NEWS:  ICOM DONATES 5 MORE D-STAR REPEATERS TO THE WIA

Icom Australia has donated five more D-Star repeaters to the Wireless 
Institute of Australia.  This, top expand that nations digital voice 
and data capability.  Wireless Institute of Australia President Michael 
Owen, VK3KI, was the one who made the announcement of the gift and how 
it will be used:

--

Just over a month ago, the WIA announced the gift from Icom (Australia) 
Pty Ltd of a D-Star repeater to be located at Olinda in the Dandenong 
ranges, to serve the greater Melbourne area.  Now Icom and the WIA, 
concurrently with the official opening of the Olinda D-Star repeater 
VK3RWN, have announced the gift by Icom of 5 further D-Star repeaters 
to the WIA so that a D-Star repeater will be able to serve each of the 
other state capitals.

The experience in Melbourne has been used as the basis of formulating 
what is really a cooperative effort between a club, its individual 
experts, the WIA and Icom.  The WIA will consult with people in each 
state capital including the appropriate Advisory Committee to identify 
a club or group of clubs, supported by people with the necessary RF and 
computer skills, able to provide a suitable site and supply the 
ancillary equipment.

--

Only one caveat. The agreement between the WIA and Icom makes it clear 
that each D-Star repeater shall be open to all radio amateurs.  And for 
those not aware, D-Star is a digital protocol developed by the Japanese 
Amateur Relay League and stands for Digital Smart Technologies for 
Amateur Radio.  Most believe that it will likely replace analog FM as 
the VHF and UHF utility communications mode of choice in years to come.  
(WIA News)

**

WORLDBEAT:  AUSTRALIA ISSUES WORLDS LONGEST SPECIAL EVENT CALL SIGN

Still down-under, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has 
issued what might be the longest callsigns in the history of ham radio 
for a special event.  ACMA, as its better known  has made available to 
the Blue Mountains Amateur Radio Club the callsign VI 2 BMARC 50, to 
commemorate the club's 50th anniversary.

VI 2 BMARC 50 -- yep it is a mouthful -- well -- it will be on-air for 
10 days early next year.  Listen out for it from January 18th to the 28th  
2008.  

Details of the operating schedule and QSL information will be posted on 
the club's website.  Its in cyberspace at www.bmarc.org  And that U-R-L 
is a lot easier to say than VI 2 BMARC 50.  (WIA News)

(VK2QN)

**

DX

In D-X, DL7CM, will once again be active as 5H1CM from Uroa White 
Villa, Zanzibar Island from January 13th to the 24th. Listen out for him 
on 160 through6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.  He will be here on 
vacation with his wife so activity maybe limited.. QSL direct to DL7CM.

And two operators from Belgium will be on the air Gambia next year. 
ON7YK will once again be active as C56YK from February 11th through 
March 6th.  He will be on 160 through 6 meters using SSB.  QSL C56YK 
via the info on QRZ.com.

Lastly,, keep an ear open for ON4LAC, to be active from Gambia as 
C56JC, between February 12th and March 5th.  He will focus on the PSK and 
RTTY modes with some SSB.  QSL this one as directed on the air.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  HAM RADIO TRENDS:  THE RESULTS OF THE EQUIPMENT 
PURCHASE POLL

For the past four months we have been running one of our very 
unscientific website polls that asked the simple question of what will 
your next transceiver purchase be?   773 of you responded, and here's 
what you had to say.

Coming in as number 1 at 44.9% of the vote is the purchase of a High 
Frequency transceiver.  347 of you say that your next radio purchase 
will be one of these.  

Coming in second is the 2 meter and 440 MHz dual-bander with 159 of you 
saying you plan to purchase one.  That equates to 20.6%.

In third place is the category we called "other"  Any radio not listed 
on our survey.  14.9% or 115 of you said you would buy something in 
this mysterious category.  We have a feeling this might relate to D-
Star or P 25 digital voice, though we really can't be sure.

Tied close for 4th place are those planning the purchase of either a 6 
meter all mode, a 2 meter FM only or a 220 MHz FM only transceiver.  
Each of those categories received between 6%  to 7% of the vote.   

Last and almost falling off the survey was the dedicated 440 MHz FM 
transceiver.  It came in with less than 1% or only 5 of you saying you 
plan to buy one in the near future.

So what does this all say?  Again the poll is far from scientific, but 
its obvious that interest in the High Frequency bands continues to grow 
and interest in a singe F-M set that covers more than one band 
continues unabated.  But it also seems to be saying that there's more 
to ham radio life than SSB, C-W and F-M. and that's the topic of our 
next poll.  

As we cannot help but wonder if "other "in third place might indicate 
that the next radio some folks plan to buy will be a digital radio.  
And with D-Star now being so popular, we are next asking the question 
if a D-Star radio is what you are considering.

This poll is a very simple one that requires only a yes or no answer. 
Go to www.arnewsline.org and cast your vote today.  (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 WIA 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. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim 
Meachen, ZL2BHF, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.  