[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1588 - January 18, 2008

ham-news at mailman.qth.net ham-news at mailman.qth.net
Sat Jan 19 10:31:01 EST 2008



Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1588 - January 18, 2008

The following is a Q-S-T. 

2 Meter distance records are set down-under, Morse remains a required 
skill in parts of I-T-U Region 3, a pirate radio operator is now being 
blamed for an international incident in the middle-East and Canada asks 
its hams for input on D-X-C-C using remote stations.  Find out the 
details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1588 coming your way 
right now.

**

RADIO ERECORDS:  VK to ZL ON 2 METERS - TWICE

They are calling it unbelievable down-under.  This, as 2 meter distance 
records fall one right after another.  Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us 
that the first of these happened as 2007 made its way into the history 
books:

--

Kemp: During the recent 2 meter openings in VK4 Dale VK4DMC worked 
ZL1CN located in Wellsford NZ.   ZL1CN Murray contacted VK4DMC via 
email a few days later and said that the contact was a NZ VHF record 
and also the VK/ZL record distance worked.  He lodged an application 
with the NZART and already this application has been approved and the 
ZL records duly amended.  

Conditions on the day were excellent.  John VK4FNQ played a big part in 
alerting Dale the band was open to ZL and Southern VK areas.  The 
VK4DMC station for 2 meters, IC-7000 into an 11 element yagi 8 meters 
above ground running 200 watts. All this on December 29, 144.130 and 
distance worked 3549km.


--

A few days later, it happened again.  This time a tape recorder was 
running.  Again to Graham Kemp, VK4BB

--

Kemp:  Wednesday the 9th there was an opening on 2m from VK5.  A little 
after 12 noon Brian VK5BC portable at Corny Point heard David ZL1BT in 
Auckland calling CQ on 144.1 and completed a contact with him. Several 
other VK5's then worked him including Phil VK5AKK, Richard VK5UK, 
Andrew VK5DL, Mark VK5EME and Jeff VK5GF.  The opening lasted about 1/2 
hour. 

About 1 hour later Brian VK5BC completed a  contact with Steve ZL1TWR 
in Takitaki over a distance of 3482kms which will probably be a VK5 
record.

--

Actual contact audio here

--

>From the WIA News in Australia, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB, for the Amateur 
Radio Newsline.

--

Its starting to look as if the summer V-H-F DX season in the Southern 
hemisphere  could be on the best in years.  (WIA News)

**

RADIO RECORDS:  Z35M SAYS HE HAS THE QSO RECORD

Still with record setting contacts, a Macedonian radio amateur, has 
claimed the largest number of QSO's as a single operator in the 21st 
century. Vlado Kovaceski, Z35M has, submitted a proposal to Guinness 
World Records to add a new category of  the "largest number of contacts 
for 5 years in a row."  He claims 140,000 QSO's in the period 2001 to 
2005.  

Z35M says that his all-time total since 1984 is a colossal 320,000 
contacts. That would likely be a lifetime record unto itself.  His best 
year was 2001, when he made 43,300 QSO's, which has to be a European 
single year record.  (GB2RS)

**

INTERNATIONAL INTREGUE:  PIRATE RADIO OPERATOR NOW BLAMED FOR US - IRAN 
RUN IN

A pirate radio operator who calls himself the Filipino Monkey is being 
blamed for causing a major diplomatic row after American warships 
almost attacked Iranian patrol boats on January 6th.  

The U-K on-line newspaper the Guardian reports that the illegal 
operator -- whom the news service calls a heckling radio ham -- has 
been pestering ships in the Persian Gulf for more than a quarter of a 
century.  According to the Guardian, the pirate operator caused the US 
Navy to come within seconds of firing at the Iranian speedboats in the 
Strait of Hormuz after hearing threats by radio that the boats were 
attacking and were about to explode..  

The US Navy's own magazine journal is the Navy Times.  It claims that 
the threats, which were made public by the Pentagon, are thought to 
have come from an infamous Filipino Monkey radio prankster.  Unlike the 
Guardian the Navy Times did not identify the pirate as being a radio 
ham.  

So who is this Filipino Monkey?  The answer may be found in this 
description found in the on-line encyclopedia Wikipedia.  It says that 
the Filipino Monkey is a pseudonym used by radio pranksters in maritime 
radio transmissions since at least the 1980s, especially in the Persian 
Gulf.  These pranksters make odd, confusing, or even threatening calls 
on VHF marine channel 16, which is the shipping and maritime 
International Emergency Distress Frequency. 

You can read more about the Filipino Monkey on Wikipedia.  The complete 
story Guardian is at 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,,2240533,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=

The URL for the Wikipedia item is 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filipino_monkey 

(Guardian, Navy Times, eHam, Wikipedia)

**

EMERGING HAM RADIO TECHNOLOGY:  CANADA SAYS DXAC TO LOOK AT REMOTE DXCC

According to a release from Radio Amateurs of Canada, the ARRL's DX 
Advisory Committee is currently dealing with questions concerning 
remotely operated stations.  These are operations where the a 
transmitter and receiver may be at a location other than the actual 
station operator.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more:

--

With Local remotely controllable ham stations using systems like 
Kenwood's Sky Command or home built, a ham station can be one place in 
town with the operator at another.  Add to this the recent 
proliferation of Internet controllable transceivers and it is now at 
least theoretically possible to go vicariously on a D-Xpedition to the 
remotest part of the world.  

All it takes now a days is a high speed Internet connection or 
satellite data path along with someone at the remote location to set up 
the station.  If this is in place a ham with enough financial resources 
can literally ship a station out to a wanted D-X spot and make 
thousands of contacts from without ever leaving the comfort of his 
hamshack or livingroom.

Wanting to stay ahead of the curve, it appears as if the DX Advisory 
Committee is tackling this potential change in ham radios operating 
paradigm before it becomes a major headache.  Among the things being 
looked at is the necessity to require that the radio and the operator 
be at the same location.  Also, whether such operations should even 
count for DXCC credit.  
  
Radio Amateurs of Canada is asking its members to provide input on this 
issue to its representative to the D-X Advisory Committee.  So far no 
such request has been made of hams on this side of the U-S and Canadian 
border.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, really 
recording live in the Studio, in Los Angeles.  

--

Talk about another way that computers, the Internet and other methods 
of remote control are changing the very nature of ham radio operations, 
world-wide.  (Adapted from RAC news release)


**

RESTRUCTURING:  REGION 3 AND THE MORSE CODE

The W-I-A News reports that a recent ad hoc survey of International 
Amateur Radio Union Region 3 member societies has found that a number 
of countries still require a Morse code proficiency test for their 
higher grade of amateur licenses.  These include China, India, Japan, 
Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Most have retained a 5 word per minute test 
requirement, although Malaysia remains at 12 word per minute exam with 
a proposal to drop it to 8. 

China has experienced a growth of some 30,000 new radio amateurs in the 
past four years.  At the moment considers the Morse code tests for its 
Class 1and Class 2 licenses are necessary to maintain the more 
traditional style of High Frequency Amateur radio operation.  The 
concern appears to be that new arrivals to the hobby may change its 
culture dramatically through their use of new perhaps internet-inspired 
vocabulary and style of operating. 

Elsewhere in Region 3, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua New 
Guinea and Singapore are among those who are part of the world-wide 
trend to fully abolish the code requirement.  This has occurred as a 
result of the World Radio Conference 2003 Article 25 change, making 
code proficiency no longer be an international mandatory requirement 
for access to amateur frequency bands below 30MHz.  (WIA News)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  OREGON GIVES $250,000 FOR HAM DIGITAL EMCOMM NETWORK

The ARRL Letter reports that the State of Oregon's Office of Emergency 
Management has received $250,000 from Governor Ted Kulongoski's 
Strategic Reserve Fund.  This, to further develop and enhance a 
statewide Amateur Radio digital communications network.

Bonnie Altus, AB7ZQ  is the ARRL's Oregon Section Manager.  She says 
that the primary purpose of the Oregon ARES Digital Network is to 
provide back-up digital communications capabilities.  This, between 
county Emergency Operations Centers and Oregon Emergency Management and 
other state agencies in Salem, in the event that normal communications 
systems fail in an emergency.  

This Oregon ARES Digital Network already uses a combination of 
different radio equipment and spectrum segments, computers and the 
Internet to provide a robust backup communications system in times of 
disaster. With its enhancements, all Oregon counties will be able to 
communicate directly with the state Office of Emergency Management.  
(ARRL)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FORMER HAM WARNED TO STAY OFF THE AIR			
The FCC has written to former ham David O. Castle of Evansville, 
Indiana, warning him to stay off the air or face dyer consequences.  In 
a January 9th letter to the ex-WA9JKJI the FCC says that Monitoring 
information indicates that he has been operating portable radio 
transmitting equipment on Two Meters in order to interfere with a local 
linked repeater system on 146.835 and 146.250 MHz.  Also that Castle 
has provided a portable unit for others to use in the same manner. 

The letter to Castle the FCC tells him that he has no authority to 
operate Amateur radio transmitting equipment on any frequency.  Such 
operation is a violation of Section 301 of the Communications Act of 
1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. Section 301, and carries criminal penalties 
that include fines and time behind prison bars.  

If the name David O. Castle sounds familiar it is because he is the 
former ham whose license renewal application had been designated for a 
hearing on May 24th 2007.  In the Hearing Designation Order it was noted 
that since 1998, Castle has been warned repeatedly to refrain from 
intentionally interfering with radio communications; refrain from 
broadcasting without communicating with any particular station; refrain 
from causing interference on amateur repeaters; using amateur repeaters 
without authorization; and cease using indecent, slanderous, or 
harassing language.  He had already  had his operating hours restricted 
and his operating privileges modified.

On August 17th of 2007 Administrative Law Judge Arthur I. Steinberg 
issued a Memorandum, Order and Opinion dismissing Castle's request to 
renew his Amateur Service license.  This after he failed to appear a 
pre-hearing conference was held on August 13th in the Commission's 
Washington, D. C., offices.  He's had no authority to operate a 
transmitting device in the Amateur Radio service ever since.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  UTAH COMPANY CITED FOR SELLING NON APPROVED TRANSMITTERS

The FCC has issued an official Citation to James Royer and Absolute Toy 
Marketing of Orem Utah.  This, for marketing unauthorized radio 
frequency devices and for failure to respond to an Enforcement Bureau 
directive to provide information and documents.  Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, 
reports:

--

In this case the unauthorized devices are non type accepted broadcast 
transmitters. On October 12, and again on October 18, 2007, FCC 
personnel say that they observed these item for ale on Absolute Toy 
Marketing's HobbyTron.com website.  

The FCC says that none of the advertised transmitters appeared to hold 
grants of equipment authorization from the Commission.  As part of the 
investigation, the agency sent a letter of inquiry to the company on 
October 22nd requesting, a copy of the grant of equipment authorization 
corresponding to each model of FM transmitter marketed on the 
HobbyTron.com website

That letter also made note of a previously issued Notice of Apparent 
Liability for Forfeiture that had been issued against Gibson Tech Ed 
Inc., which also had done  business as  HobbyTron.com.  That N-A-L was 
for willful and repeated violation of this same marketing rule.  

On November 15, 2007, Royer responded as President of Absolute Toy 
Marketing, Inc., but his response was  not supported by an affidavit or 
declaration under penalty of perjury, as directed by the FCC. He did 
state that Absolute sells electronic kits made in Canada by CanaKit 
Corporation and transmitters made in the United States by Ramsey 
Electronics and that some kits sold have been assembled for export.  As 
such  these items may be lawfully marketed because customers are 
required to fill out a form on which they state that they will export 
the device.

But in its new January 15 release the FCC says it will not accept this 
explanation because it says that it was incomplete.  Instead, it 
declared that its rules provide that radio frequency devices, such as 
the FM transmitters at issue, are subject to certification by the 
regulatory agency.  It says that after receipt of the citation, if 
Absolute Toy Marketing violates the Communications Act or the 
Commission's rules in any manner that the Commission may impose 
monetary forfeitures not to exceed $11,000 for each violation or each 
day of a continuing violation.  It does not take a genius to figure out 
that could quickly cost Royer and Absolute Toy Marketing a lot of 
money.

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

--

Royer, Absolute Marketing and HobbyTron.com were given the usual 30 
days to respond.  (FCC)

**

RADIO RULES:  GOVERNMENT DTV CONVETER SUBSIDY BEGINS

The federal government has taken a major step toward pushing consumers 
to make the long-awaited conversion to digital television.  Millions of 
$40 government coupons have become available to help analog television 
owners buy converter boxes for older TVs that will not work after the 
switch to digital broadcasting on February 17th, 2009.  (Published 
reports)

**

RADIO RULES:  FCC DISMISSES FAMILY RADIO APPLICATION FOR 26 MHZ

The FCC has said no to a domestic broiadcaster that wanted to try its 
hand at Digital Radio Mondiale.  Jeff Clark, K8JAC, has more:

--

The FCC has dismissed an application filed by David Joseph asking for 
an experimental license to try out Digital Radio Mondiale broadcasting 
at 26 MHz.  In a letter to Joseph the FCC said that it was unable to 
grant his request because this type of experimental permit cannot be 
used to transmit to the general public.  The proposed station was to be 
used to broadcast from the studios of Family Radio located in Oakland, 
California.  

I'm Jeff Clark, K8JAC.

--

Family Radio is one of a number of domestic U-S operations wanting to 
use the Digital Radio Mondiale codec on the air.  (FCC)

**

RADIO ACCIDENTS:  2000 FOOT ARKANSAS TOWER FALLS

Investigators are trying to figure out just what caused a 2000 foot 
broadcast tower in Redfield, Arkansas to fall.  The collapse took KATV 
television off the air for much of Friday January 11th until the station 
could partially get back on using alternate facilities.  

No one was seriously injured when the tower fell but crews working to 
strengthen the tower had been just minutes away from climbing it to 
replace cable.  The tower was 43 years old and was once the 2nd tallest 
structure in the world.  

Fred Anderson is the KATV Engineering Supervisor.  He says that 
insurance people are trying to decide the point of failure and if it 
was actually mechanical or human error.  Meantime the KATV signal is 
once again available for cable, Dish Network and Direct TV subscribers.  
Its not known if the tower held any ham radio repeater installations.  
(KATV, others)

**

THE D-STAR REVOLUTION:  NEW "HOW TO" VIDEO FROM KN4AQ

Film maker Gary Pearce, KN4AQ has released a DVD of the D-Star seminar 
presented by Steve Koone, KA4YMY and Ken Johnson, KC4YOZ.  Held 
originally for users of the new Charlotte, North Carolina D-Star 
repeater and gateway, this session is a valuable tool for anyone just 
getting started with the new communications system.  Here's a sample of 
what you will see and hear:

--

Actual sound from program courtesy of KN4AQ.

--

The program runs about 90 minutes, and covers the stuff a new D-Star 
users needs to know.  This includes such things as programming the 
callsign fields, Gateway operation, and much more.

You can also download a preview of the program on-line at 
www.arvidnews.com  It can also be ordered by credit card or PayPal at 
the website.  For pricing and other information contact Gary Pearce to 
KN4AQ at arvidnews.com  (ARVIDNEWS)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  HAPPY 75 TO VALLEY ARC OF OREGON

A word of congratulations to the Valley Amateur Radio Club of Oregon on 
the 75th anniversary of its 75 years of charter affiliation with the 
American Radio Relay League.  

And by way of making this truly an affair to remember, club members are 
on the air with special event station W7PXL through next November 11th.  
If you work the station QSL with a self addressed stamped envelope to 
club call trustee Larry Lange, W7JS, at his callbook address.  More 
information is on-line at www.valleyradioclub.org.  (Via e-mail)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  VE1BL NEW RAC MARITIME PROVENCES SM

And congratulations also to Jim Langille, VE1JBL, who begins a two-year 
term as  Radio Amateurs of Canada's Maritimes Section Manager on March 
1st.  Langille's nomination was uncontested thus removing the need for a 
balloted election.  He replaces Hugh Clark, VE9HC, who did not seek re-
election.  (RAC)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  SWL FEST IN PA IN MARCH

The 2008 annual Winter SWL Festival will be held on March 7th and 8th in 
the meeting rooms of The Inn at Towamencin  in Kulpsville, PA.  This is 
the largest gathering of listeners to the radio spectrum in the United 
States and possibly the world.  Some 200 attend each year. The 
gathering is sponsored by the North American Shortwave Association.  A 
printable registration form is available at http://swlfest.com  (NASWA)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  2008 SARL NATIONAL CONVENTION - A FEAST OF AMATEUR 
RADIO

The South Africa Radio League's  National convention will be held April 
11 to 13th. The weekend will be hosted by the Bloemfontein Amateur Radio 
Club and will include a visit to the Boyden Observatory. the Annual 
General Meeting and an ARDF demonstration with a T-Hunt  There will 
also be various technical session covering HF, VHF and that nations 
Hamnet emergency response radio service.  Festivities will  concluded 
with a breakfast session on the ZS9X Contest station.  More is on-line 
at the SARL website.  (SARL)

**

RADIO SCIENCE:  NOAA CONFIRMS START OF SOLAR CYCLE 24

Better late than never, the United States National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration has conformed what the rest of the world's 
solar scientists reported a week earlier.  That being the first sunspot 
of a new 11-year cycle has appeared in the sun's northern hemisphere.

Last April an international panel of solar experts forecast that Solar 
Cycle 24 would start in March 2008, plus or minus six months. The 
frequency of sunspots rises and falls during these cycles, and the 
start of a new cycle indicates they are likely to begin increasing. The 
panel was split between those predicting it would be a strong or weak 
cycle.  (Space Environment News)

**

EMRGING TECHNOLOGY:  CREATING MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT COMPUTERS.  

A coalition of technology companies and environmental groups led by 
Google and Intel Corporation have launched an initiative to conserve 
electricity and curb global warming emissions by making the world's 
computers and servers more energy-efficient.  The Climate Savers 
Computing Initiative, organized by Internet giants sets ambitious 
industry targets for more energy efficiency of computing gear over the 
next four years.  

Industry analysts have praised the concept.  They estimate that energy-
efficiency technology would initially make computers about $20 more 
expensive and servers about $30 costlier, but consumers are expected to 
recoup the costs through lower electricity bills and rebates from 
utilities. 

If successful, the plan is expected to save the nation more than $5.5 
billion in electricity costs by 2010.  It would also reduce greenhouse 
gas emissions that contribute to climate change by 54 million tons 
annually.  (Science On_line)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  STS-122 LAUNCH NIW SET FOR FEB 7

NASA has announced February 7th as its target launch date for shuttle 
Atlantis' STS-122 mission to the International Space Station. Lift-off 
of Atlantis from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida will be at 2:47 
p.m. EST.  

Atlantis' main objective during its STS-122 mission to the station is 
to install and activate the European Space Agency's Columbus 
laboratory.  This new module will provide scientists around the world 
the ability to conduct a variety of experiments in life, physical, and 
materials science, Earth observation and solar physics. 

The Columbus module also carries two new Amateur Radio on the 
International Space Station antennas.  This have already been installed 
on the side of Columbus.

NASA also hopes to send  for the launch of Endeavour on STS-123 by mid-
March.  Its mission will deliver the first section of the Japan 
Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory module, and Dextre, 
which is Canada's new robotics system to the space station.  (NASA)

**

WORLDBEAT - SWITZERLAND  DRM APPROVED FPR TROPICAL BAND OPERATIONS

Digital Radio Mondiale or DRM has been adopted for use in the so-called 
Tropical Bands for domestic shortwave broadcasting.  At the last World 
Radiocommunicaton Conference in Geneva, attendees officially approved 
DRM for use in the broadcasting bands between 3200 and 5900 kHz for 
domestic coverage in the "tropical zone" countries. 

Since 2002 Digital Radio Mondiale has been endorsed by the ITU for 
broadcasting over the world in the long-wave, medium-wave and short-
wave frequencies, with the exception of the "tropical zone" bands.  The 
tropical zone bands are the frequencies near the lower end of the 
shortwave spectrum that are reserved for domestic shortwave and 
includes countries located roughly in latitudes between 30 degrees 
North and South.  

Nations in this zone include Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, 
the Congo, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, and many others.  Coverage can 
range from less than 100 square kilometers using very low power to well 
over 1,000,000 square kilometers using powers approaching 100 kW.  

This regulatory achievement will likely open up a huge market for the 
benefit of the citizens from this part of the world.  (Southgate)

**

CANCELLED DX: MEDICAL EMERGENCY ENDS CARIBBEAN OPERATION PLAN

Get well wishes to a well known D-X operator.  The Daily DX reports 
that Gregg Marco, W6IZT, who planned to be active from Saint Maarten  
and St. Barthelemy this past week, had to cancel because of health 
issues.  This, after suffering severe abdominal pain, resulting in an 
emergency appendectomy.  We join everyone else in wishing W6IZT a very 
speedy recovery.  (Various)

**

DX

In D-X, word that the VP6DX DXpedition to Ducie Island in the South 
Pacific should be on the air from 10th to 28th February. The 
multinational team plan to operate on 160 to 6 meters.  Ducie Island is 
a rarely visited atoll that has been part of the Pitcairn Islands since 
1902.

And G7CO  will be operational through February 2nd from the Island of 
Embudu   in the Maldives using the call 8Q7AK.  He will be using mostly 
SSB with a little CW.  This, on the 40, 30, 20, 17, 15 and 12 meter 
bands. For details of operating times, spot frequencies and QSL 
information, please check 8Q7AK on QRZ.COM.

J20MB will be in Djibouti until the end of March.  Activity is expected 
on 20, 17 and 10 meters using SSB.

F6HMJ portable 6W will operate from Senegal until 29th January.  This 
operation  is scheduled for 80 to 10 meters using SSB and RTTY.

Lastly, the F6KOP Team should be on the air right now from Guinea-
Bissau on Bubaque.  They aim to be active on all open bands 
simultaneously, with special emphasis on 160 through 40 meters. Full 
details of the DXpedition are on the team web site, www.j5c.eu.  QSL 
all of these operations as directed on the air.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  HOLLYWOODS HONORARY MAYOR, JOHNNY GRANT, WB6MJV 
- SK

The changing of the guard in ham radio continues.  This with the 
passing of the ham radio operator who literally put Hollywood on the 
map.  Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, knew him and has this report:

--

Johnny Grant, WB6MJV, best known as the honorary mayor of Hollywood who 
traveled the world for more than a half-century as its number one 
cheerleader, has died. 

>From hosting red carpet Oscar arrivals and presenting the stars with 
stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to producing Hollywood's annual 
Christmas Parade, Johnny Grant's mission in life was bringing the story 
of the real Hollywood to anyone and everyone who would listen. He first 
came to Los Angeles in 1943 while in the military and quickly fell in 
love with the area.  After his military service he returned to carve 
out a niche first as a radio and television personality and later as 
Hollywood's honorary mayor. 

Film maker Dave Bell, W6AQ, knew WB6MJV both socially and 
professionally:

--

W6AQ: "He absolutely loved Hollywood.  Even when Hollywood was in the 
dumper and really just awful, Johnny was promoting it anyway.  And I 
think that single-handedly that Johnny is responsible to a great extent 
for the renaissance of Hollywood as seen today, because Hollywood is 
really back.    

--

As WB6NJV, Johnny Grant came to ham radio late in life.  He got his 
ticket in 1985 when he was 61 and immediately became a popular figure 
on several Los Angeles area repeaters.  A broad smile and a hearty 
laugh were his trademark and he brought both of them with him to the 
local airwaves:

--

W6AQ:  "While hie didn't get on the air very much, he was a terrific 
promoter.  Not only of Hollywood but of ham radio.

"He loved the idea of ham radio and the idea of volunteers helping out 
in emergencies and helping to coordinate parades including the 
Hollywood Christmas Parade which he ran for years."  

--

Johnny Grant was also a big supporter of the men and women serving in 
the United States military.  Early on in his career he also joined the 
globe trotting Bob Hope as a USO ambassador.  On his trips he brought 
famous entertainers to perform for those in uniform during the Korean 
and Vietnam wars.  He had only recently returned from one of these 
trips to Guantanamo Bay.  

Another of his projects was overseeing the revival of Hollywood Blvd.  
For years it had been a favorite tourist destination but had fallen 
into decay by the early 1990's.  It was Johnny Grant who was at the 
point position leading the restoration movement.

A personal note.  Johnny Grant would occasionally drop into this 
reporters former ham radio store -- Midnight Radio -- in Burbank, 
California.  On his first visit, and although he was completely 
unpretentious, I knew there was something special about him.  

After a few seconds of hearing him talk I recognized him as one of the 
personalities I had aired on Armed Forces Radio in Thailand.  Hr had a 
half hour program of music and short interviews.  

He just wanted to be WB6MJV to the hams in the area, but to many of us, 
he was much more.

Johnny Grant, WB6MJV, passed away on Wednesday, January 9th in his 
apartment at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel apparently of natural 
causes. 

73 Johnny.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, in Los Angeles.

--

As he might have said it himself, Johnny Grant, WB6MJV, was a very, 
very, very -- young -- 84.  (ARNewsline and various other sources)

**

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. 

A reminder to take a moment and visit our website and vote in our 
latest on-line poll.  It asks if you got you ham radio dream gift for 
Christmas.  The poll is on the left side of our home page at 
www.arnewsline.org

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don 
Wilbanks, AE5DW, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.  

Amateur Radio Newsline is Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.



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