[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1626 - October 10, 2008

Thu Oct 16 18:32:15 EDT 2008

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1626 - October 10, 2008

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1626 with a release date of  
Friday, October 10th, 2008 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   

The following is a Q-S-T.  Scouting hams prepare for an out of this 
world experience, China prepares to launch its first ham radio 
satellite, a DXpedition to Afghanistan is put on hold and a strange 
twist in the California trial of a man accused of killing two ham radio 
operators at sea.  All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline report 
number 1626 coming your way right now.

**

HAM RADIO SCOUTING: JOTA PREPARES FOR OUT OF THIS WORLD CONTACTS 

The 2008 Scouting Jamboree on the Air is getting prepared for a 
vicarious ride into space. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, 
NT3V, has the details: 

-- 

As we told you here on Newsline a few weeks ago, Richard Garriott, 
W5KWQ - the son of retired astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL - is 
scheduled to ride into space as a tourist aboard a Soyuz craft set for 
an Oct. 12 blastoff.

He's set to dock with the International Space Station on Oct. 14 and 
expected to get pretty radio-active right away.

We told you of plans to hook up with schools through the Amateur Radio 
on the International Space Station program.

Now, we have confirmation that the younger Garriott plans to work 
stations operating on the Jamboree on the Air the third weekend of 
October.

Wil Marchant, KC6ROL, is one of the volunteers with the ARISS team and 
helping to coordinate activity.

"Richard is planning on during some of his free time, his limited free 
time, to try to get around and call CQ to JOTA stations on the normal 
ISS frequencies, the regional frequencies," Marchant says. "So, that's 
145.80 MHz downlink worldwide and then there are a couple different 
uplinks depending on which region you're in."

Marchant says if you'd like to work Garriott, there is a protocol that 
has to be followed to make it work.

"You need to wait and not transmit until you hear Richard or one of the 
other astronauts or cosmonauts call 'C-Q,' " And, when they start 
talking to somebody else, that means that there's somebody else on the 
ground that they're trying to listen to.

"And if everybody is yelling, trying to call the space station at that 
point, it will interfere with that station on the ground and their 
attempts to finish the QSO. So that the cosmonaut or astronaut can call 
'C-Q' again."

Marchant says there's a reason for the protocol.

"One of the things that's very important for people to remember is that 
the space station is like a repeater that essentially has a large 
footprint on the ground. So, the space station can hear everybody from 
a radius of I don't know, probably 500 to 1,000 miles." 

Marchant says there's a website you can visit where the ARISS 
frequencies and lots of other good information can be found.

"I would recommend that people go to ARISS-dot-o-r-g, which is 
maintained by the Radio Amateurs of Canada in English and there are 
other ARISS web pages linked from there in other languages," Marchant 
says. "And, if you go there is information about frequencies and also 
operational practices."

Marchant says Garriott also is planning extensive use of Slow-Scan TV.

"He's talking about trying to get the Slow-Scan Television system up 
and running basically very shortly after he opens the hatch," Marchant 
says. "And he would like to try and leave that running as much as 
possible when he or one of the other crew members can't be at the 
microphone. So, hopefully, we'll have lots of Slow-Scan Television 
activity."

Marchant says there is a place you can go - if you don't have an SSTV 
set-up to see what's happening.

"We are encouraging amateur radio operators around the world to be 
prepared to capture Slow-Scan Television images from Richard," Marchant 
says. "And then we'd like people to submit those to this website so we 
can collect a gallery of images from around the world during Richard's 
flight."

The web address is available in the script version of this story on our 
website. (It's www.amsat.com/ARISS_SSTV)

So, once again, all of you JOTA stations operating the weekend of Oct. 
18 and 19, here's a chance to really light up the experience with a 
contact from space or even hearing Richard in a QSO from space.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in 
Philadelphia.
-- 

If everything goes as now planned, and all the on-orbit scouting 
contacts are made with W5KWQ, this will truly be a Jamboree on the Air 
that will be considered by many to have been out of this world.  (NT3V, 
ARNewsline)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  CHINA TO LAUNCH HAMSAT

China is planning to launch its first-ever ham radio satellite.  
Michael Chen, BD5RV portable 4 reports that he recently received an 
update from BA1DU, on the progress of the ham radio bird. 

First off, this satellite was originally  named CAS-1 but its  is now 
known as XW-1.  And XW-1 will carry a beacon and three cross band 
transponders into space.  One is for FM, another is linear, and the 
last is designed for digital operation.  

Plans call for it to be launched into a sun synchronous orbit in June 
2009.  This, by a CZ-2C rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center 
in North China..  

More on this upcoming hamsat launch as information becomes available.  
(ANS)

**

RADIO LAW:  NEIGHBORS AGAIN APPEAL PA TOWER PERMIT 

Back on Earth, a Pennsylvania ham's effort to erect a 53-foot tower at 
his home is facing another challenge from neighbors.  Amateur Radio 
Newsline's  Don Carlson, KQ6FM, has the details.

--

Chuck Mills, W3YNI, lives in Irvin, Pennsylvania.  And, as previously 
reported, Mills had faced opposition from nearby residents over his 
tower that held a properly issued permit.  

Some neighbors appealed the issuance of a permit in March, claiming the 
tower was not properly screened. That appeal was upheld when the zoning 
hearing board ruled the first permit invalid.  But it was re-issued in 
September.  This, after Mills attorney argued his case successfully 
before the township planning council.

Now, another appeal has been filed in an effort to get the planning 
council to again reverse itself and take away Mills permit for the 
tower.  A neighbor identified in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review as John 
Ducar, told the newspaper and we quote:  

"We filed an appeal because we feel the township has not performed its 
duty in protecting the local community."

Attorney Mike Lazaroff, K3AIR, represents Mills.  He calls the latest 
appeal frivolous.  He told the newspaper that it is unfortunate the 
neighbors have chosen to pursue this issue in what Lazaroff calls an 
unreasonable manner.  

Lazaroff noted that his client has addressed all the concerns raised by 
the zoning hearing board and that Mills has complied fully with all 
ordinances.  He also notes that Federal preemption order PRB-1 requires 
that local governments must reasonably accommodate the needs of amateur 
radio operators for antennas.

But Lazaroff also sounded an ominous note telling the newspaper that it 
is unfortunate that the neighbors have chosen to embroil the township 
in a legal battle.  One that he says is going to cost the township a 
lot of money.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Carlson, KQ6FM.

--

According to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review this latest appeal could end 
up on the agenda when the Penn Township zoning board meets on November  
11th.   (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, W3WN, QRZ.COM)

**

RADIO LAW:  PA GETS PRB-1 LIKE LAW  (UPDATED FROM VERSION ON AUDIO 
NEWSCAST)

In a related story word that Pennsylvania now has its own PRB - 1 like 
law pf its own.  On Tuesday October 7th,  the Pennsylvania House of 
Representatives passed a measure designed to assure hams in the 
Keystone state that they will be reasonably accommodated in their quest 
to install towers and antennas,  The measure known as  SB 884 garnered 
196 yes votes and only one no.  With the Pennsylvania Senate having 
previously passed the bill the completed measure was sent to Governor 
Edward G. Rendell who signed it into law on Wednesday, October 8th.  How 
this might affect the W3YNI tower case just reported is to early to 
know.  (W3WN, QRZ.COM)

**

THE BPL WAR:  RSGB VS. UK TELECOM REGULATOR OFCOM

The Radio Society of Great Britain seems more than a little upset with 
U-K telecommunications Ofcom, and the reason can be summed up in three 
letters.  B-P-L.  

After waiting for nearly two years for a response from Ofcom over the 
introduction of possibly non compliant power line adapters the RSGB was 
extremely disappointed to hear the regulatory agency's response.  In a 
nutshell, Ofcom said that it does not intend to do anything about it. 

Now, RSGB President Colin Thomas, G3PSM, has written to Ofcom.  In it, 
Thomas states the RSGB's concerns that Ofcom is failing to deliver on 
its  statutory duty of ensuring the optimal use of the electromagnetic 
spectrum especially in the High Frequency bands. 

The RSGB has also told its members that it will continue to pursue 
Ofcom on this matter.  (GB2RS)   

**

THE BPL WAR:  THE SAGA CONTINUES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Two South African ham radio political leaders have testified in 
opposition to the introduction of Broadband over Powerline or BPL 
Internet access in that nation.  ZS6AKV, and ZS6BUU, made presentations 
at the South African telecommunications regulator BPL Hearing held last 
week.  ZS6AKV presented the South African Radio League's objection to 
the current draft regulations and ZS6BUU showed how BPL could 
potentially interfere with the nations emergency communication.

Telecommunications regulator ICASA said that by law it is tasked to 
protect licensed radio services against interference.  It also admitted 
that it is BPL operators that cause interference.  A final decision on 
the South African BPL rules is due out in a few months.  (SARL)

**

BREAKING DX NEWS:  AFGHANASTAN DXPEDITION ON HOLD

Some breaking news in the world of DX.  Word that the 2008 Kabul 
Afghanistan DX operation we reported on last week has been postponed.  
John Kountz, KE6GFF, tells Newsline that unexpected circumstances 
preclude the use of T6EE's QTH as a center from which to operate.  John 
says that he feels bad about this disappointment but does look forward 
to working all of you in the near future from Kabul.  (W2VU, KG6GFF)

**

RADIO LAW:  DEFENSE ADMITS SKYLAR DELEON KILLED KD7VWJ AND KD7VWK

A strange twist in the trial of the man accused of killing an Arizona 
ham radio couple to steal their boat.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce 
Tennant, K6PZW has more:

--

On Tuesday, October 7th the attorney for Skylar Deleon said that his 
client is guilty of those two murders and a third, but shouldn't be put 
to death.  Defense attorney Gary Pohlson said in his opening statement 
on that his only goal is to save Deleon's life.

Skylar Deleon is accused of the 2004 murders of  Thomas and Jackie 
Hawks, KD7VWJ and KD7VWK, in order to steal their yacht. He is also 
accused of the 2003 killing John Jarvi from whom he stole thousands of 
dollars. Deleon has pleaded not guilty to murder and murder for 
financial gain.

Under California criminal law, having attorney Pohlson admit that his 
client is guilty of all three murders is not the same as entering a 
guilty plea. Pohlson said he will dispute some details of the 
prosecution case.  He will likely argue that Deleon should not face the 
death penalty because others involved will have different outcomes of 
their cases. He will instead urge that Deleon be sentenced to life in 
prison without possibility of parole instead.

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Deleon.  They say that he 
was the mastermind that came up with the plan to kill the Hawks after 
learning they were preparing to sell their 55 foot yacht.  They say 
Deleon pretended to be interested in buying the nearly half-million-
dollar vessel.  He then enlisted the help of two men to overpower the 
Hawks on a demonstration cruise.  Deleon then forced the couple to sign 
over paperwork for the yacht before killing them at sea.  

Attorney Pohlson said outside court that he admitted Deleon's guilt to 
the jury to maintain credibility.  This, when he argues that they 
should spare his client's life.  Prosecutors say that they were not 
surprised by the defense's strategy in the case.

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

--

Deleon's former wife Jennifer was convicted and sentenced to a pair of 
life sentences without the possibility of parole.  She was found guilty 
on two counts of first degree murder on November 17, 2006.  (Various 
published news reports)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  FOUR CALIFORNIA CITIES TO GO INTEROPERABLE

Palm Springs, California, says that it plans to join with neighboring 
Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs and Indio in establishing a new 
interoperable radio communications system. One that will enable police 
and fire agencies to stay in contact and work together. 

The Palm Springs City Council recently voted to update the city's radio 
dispatch system and also to form a Joint Powers Agreement with the 
three other cities to create the Eastern Riverside County Interoperable 
Communications Authority. An August 2009 target date has been set for 
the system nicknamed ERICA to be fully operable.  (Press release)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  FCC TO HOST SPEAKERS SERIES FOR NATION'S FIRST 
RESPONDERS

The Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland 
Security Bureau will begin hosting a new speakers series this month.  
This, to help provide our nation's first responders with the latest 
news and developments on public safety communications and related-
initiatives.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF has more:

--

The first in a series of these sessions will be hosted by Public Safety 
and Homeland Security Bureau.  It takes place on Wednesday, October 22, 
2008, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  The location is Commission Meeting 
Room TW-C305 at the agency's Washington D.C. headquarters.  

Laurie Flaherty, a Program Analyst for the Office of Emergency Medical 
Services at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, will be 
the first expert speaker.  Flaherty will discuss the U.S. Department of 
Transportation's role in 911 issues.  Her presentation will 
specifically focus on the work of the Research and Innovative 
Technologies Administration and recent developments in Next Generation 
of 911. 

The Speakers Series will be open to the public but admittance will be 
limited to the seating available.  For those who want to tune in from 
home, both audio and video coverage of the meeting will be broadcast 
live with open captioning over the Internet from the FCC's web page at 
www.fcc.gov/realaudio.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the 
newsroom in Los Angeles.

--

The FCC's web cast is free to the public and does not require pre-
registration.  (FCC)

**

RADIO STATISTICS:  MORE FOLKS ON LINE THAN ARE LISTENING IN

There are some new and very interesting statistics as to how much time 
people like you and I are spending on line, versus listening to radio 
and watching T-V.  Jim Davis, W2JKD, reports:

--

Adults are now are spending more time with the Internet than listening 
to broadcast radio in the United States.  This, according to The Media 
Audit which reviewed findings of a recent report.

According to the survey, the average adult spends 2 hours and 40 
minutes a day listening to radio.  This is unchanged from the previous 
year.  It also said about 14% of adults visit a radio Web site in a 
typical 30-day period  many of whom are likely streaming radio content.

But the report also found that adults in the United States spend an 
average of 3 hours 17 minutes per day online.  This, compared to 2 
hours 2 minutes per day a year ago.  That says the report is a 62% 
increase and meaning that the  Internet represents 29% of the typical 
media consumption every day for U.S. adults.

But even the Internet is no match for the communications mode that 
brings you everything from the local news to American Idol.  The report 
ways that adults continue to spend the most amount of time watching 
television.  In fact, United States adults spend an average of 3 hours 
42 minutes a day in front to a television set.

--

The bottom line.  Even after all these years and the advent of the low 
cost personal computer, the American public still prefers that one eyed 
monster called television over anything else.  (RW)

**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS:  SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS CELEBRATE QTC MAGAZINE

Three consecutive special event stations are active to celebrate the 
200th edition of Poland's QTC Magazine.  HF200Q was operational through 
October 10th.  Currently on the bands is HF200T.  It goes away on 
October 20th to be replaced by HF200C which will be handing out contacts 
through the 31st. The QSL manager for all three stations is SP4KDX.  
SP2FAP is the publisher of QTC.  (DXNS)

**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS:  FRANCES MEGAHERTS MAGAZINE GOES QRT

Meantime, another well known ham European ham radio magazine has shut 
its doors.  Jim Linton, VK3PC, has the details:

--

After nearly 26 years Megahertz Magazine of France has closed due to 
increasing production and distribution costs, and market factors.  An 
editorial by co-founder Sylvio Faurez Feem says internet globalization 
also dealt a fatal blow by its facilitation of direct equipment imports 
bypassing and weakening local dealers, that reduced their ability to 
advertise. 

The ham magazine also suffered from pirating, says the editorial, in 
the form of multiple photocopies of the whole magazine distributed at 
clubs, readily available scans of coveted articles and duplication of 
its annual compact disc. 

Megahertz was one of France's oldest printed magazines and well 
respected as a specialist publication by francophone's inside and 
outside that country. 

The editorial also refers to the size of the domestic market with 
France only having 16,000 radio amateurs out of a population of 65 
million. 

The demise of the magazine comes after years of rigid financial control 
but with accumulated losses and ever increasing costs its closure was a 
fait au compli.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Linton VK3PC

--

Frances' Megahertz is not the only amateur radio magazine to fold its 
tent and disappear in the night.  It was preceded back in the 1980's by 
the United States based Ham Radio Magazine and  later on by Australia's 
Amateur Radio Action.  More recently in October 2003 73 Magazine closed 
its doors here after 43 years and over 500 editorials by the magazines 
founder Wayne Green, W2NSD.  (WIA News)

** 

RADIO EDUCATION:  A NEW MORSE TRAINER FOR PC BY ZL1AN

If you are a no-code ham or an SWL and want to learn C-W, have we found 
a neat way to assist you.  It's a new Morse teacher program from ZL1AN, 
that can be can be downloaded from the New Zealand Amateur Radio 
Transmitters ham radio society website.  Its really neat.  Take a 
listen as we play with its speed control from about 20 down to 5 words 
per minute:

In playback mode you can vary the speed from 3 to 30 words per minute.  
You can also set the output frequency of the audio the from 500 to 1000 
hertz and the Farnsworth character separation speed from 12 to 35.

The program runs in Windows and has already received rave reviews.  
Many are saying that it is the best "teach-yourself-Morse" program yet 
developed or that they have ever seen. You will find it in cyberspace 
at:  http://www.nzart.org.nz/nzart/exam/morse.html )  (NZART)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  PEHA NAMED CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST AT THE FCC

Jon M. Peha, Ph.D., has been named Chief Technologist of the Federal 
Communications Commission. 

Peha is currently serving as a professor in the Departments of 
Engineering and Public Policy, and Electrical & Computer Engineering at 
Carnegie Mellon University.  He also serves as the associate director 
of the Center for Wireless and Broadband Networking at C-M-U.  Prior to 
joining Carnegie Mellon, Peha served as the Chief Technology Officer of 
three high-tech start-ups,  He has also been a member of the technical 
staff at Stanford Research Institute International, AT&T Bell 
Laboratories and Microsoft.

Peha will serve as a senior advisor on communications technology in the 
FCC's Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis.  His research 
interests include technical and policy issues related to computer and 
telecommunications networks.  (FCC, RW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  IZ7KHR ANED 2008 YOUNG HAM CONTEST WINNER

And 20 year old Francesco Cozzi. IZ7KHR, of Bari, Italy, has been 
chosen as the winner of the Young Ham Contest Program for 2008.  As his 
prize, IZ7KHR gets to take part in the CQWW SSB contest from the famed 
Jamacian 6Y1V contest super-station with all expenses paid.

Cozzi is a member of the Italian RadioHams Association and the World 
Wide Young Contesters group.  He is described as a student and is 
active in many areas of amateur radio, including contesting, DX'ing and 
volunteer emergency services.

According to David Kopacz, who is the owner if 6Y1V, Cozzi speaks 
English quite well.  He also loves to cook and believes it is every 
hams social responsibility to spread international good will.

The 6Y1V contest super station is owned by K1LZ  and KY1V and is 
located at the home of at the home of George Campbell, 6Y5GC,  in 
Hopewell Jamaica.  David Kopacz says that he and his contest group are  
proud to have been granted the opportunity to make Francesco's dream 
come true.  (Various DX sources)

**

WORLDBEAT - SOUTH AFRICA:  SARL CANCELS TAKE AMATEUR RADIO TO SCHOOL 
PROGRAM

Some sad news from South Africa.  That's where the recently proposed 
'Take Amateur Radio to School' children's educational curriculum has 
been cancelled. 

The South African Radio League announced its decision to abandon the 
program on October 8th .  This after it was found that there was due to 
the lack of interest in setting up amateur radio stations in that 
nations schools .

The South African Radio League says that its essay competition in which 
a student can win an Acer laptop will continue.  It's also announced a 
new closing date of  November 15th for this years competition to end.  
(SARL)

**

WORLDBEAT UK:  NEW D-STAR REPEATER IN THE UK

Another D-Star repeater has taken to the air in the United Kingdom. 
GB7ZP is a new D-Star repeater in Essex.  The input frequency is 
430.4875MHz and output frequency is 439.4875MHz.  Initial operation is 
local RF only, with the internet Gateway facility to be added at a 
later date.  (RSGB)

**

ON THE ROCKS:  2008 ORIONIDS SHOWER EXPECTED TO BE BIG

If you are a ham who chases rocks flaring across the sky, there's some 
good news.  After the successful 2006 and 2007 outbursts, predictions 
say that this years Orionids Meteor activity will again be much higher 
than normal.  

According to the Make More Miles on VHF newsletter, while the 
"traditional" peak for this shower is expected on October 21st.  
However, another maximum, related to the encounter with an ancient dust 
trail rich in bright meteors is expected to occur on October 19th, 
between 02:13 and 08:08 UTC.  

For those not aware, hams involved in Meteor Scatter communications 
make contacts by bouncing their signals off the ionized trails of 
meteors as the burn up in the Earth's atmosphere.  (VHF Reflector)

**

DX

In DX, word that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service has 
selected a group of  United States lead hams to lead a DXpedition to 
Desecheo Island in early 2009. Desecheo currently sits at number 7 on 
DX Magazine's Most Wanted list.  The group is headed up by DXpedition 
veterans Bob Allphin, K4UEE, and Glenn Johnson, W0GJ.  

Also, news that F5TLN, will be portable Oh-D-5 in the Lebanon until 
February of 2009.  He will work mostly in SSB but also some CW on all 
HF bands.  The operator is Sylvain who says that he will confirm the 
QSL cards after his return home and points out that bureau QSLs will 
take some time.

And word that a YL-only DXpedition will take place from the Falkland 
Islands between January 17th and the 31st of 2009.  The team will be 
using 80 through 10 meters and the ladies will have individual 
callsigns in the range of VP8YLA through VP8YLZ.  Thevexact calls will 
depend on the number of operators who sign on for the operation.  
Originally 14 hams had signed up to go but a few have pulled out for 
various reasons. More is on-line at www.radioclubs.net/aa_vp8yl_/

And news that DJ1OJ will spend the winter on Teneriffa in the Canary 
Islands.  He was slated to arrive in early October and remain there 
until the end of March 2009.  While there, he will be active as EA8OM 
mainly in CW and RTTY.  QSL to the bureau, to his home call or 
electronically via Logbook to the World.

A0VDV is reported on from Curacao in the Netherlands Antillies.  He's 
scheduled to be there until October 29th operating C-W only.  If you 
make contact, QSL direct or via the bureau. 

Lastly, K5LBU, is planning a DXpedition to Lesotho for July or August 
of 2009 and is still looking for some participants.  If you are 
interested to join the team please contact Frosty via e-mail to 
frosty1(at) pdq (dot) net.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  THE END OFF A HAM BROADCAST ERA

And finally this week, the Radio Society of Great Britain says 73 to a 
ham who has been reading their GB2RS newscasts for over a half a 
century.  Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, has a bit of history and some words of 
praise for a truly dedicated UK ham:

--

GB2RS News was first broadcast on Sunday 25 September 1955 from the 
station of Frank Hicks-Arnold G6MB on 3600kHz using voice amplitude 
modulation. What is less well-known is that the RSGB had been in 
discussions with the UK regulator, then the General Post Office, for 
some time about the feasibility of such a news service for UK radio 
amateurs. 

As part of its practicability evidence for the GPO, some experimental 
broadcasts were arranged by the RSGB on 40 metros. These test 
transmissions took place from the station of Jimmy Porter GI3GGY, in 
Londonderry during 1954 using his own callsign. 

The GPO then agreed initially to the news taking place in the 80 meter 
band on Sundays using the callsign GB2RS. A year later they permitted 
these bulletins to be broadcast on 40 meters as well and these were put 
out by GI3GGY using the GB2RS callsign. GI3GGY has been involved ever 
since, and he has thus been a GB2RS news reader for more than 50 years 
- longer than anyone else.

Earlier this year Jimmy's massive HF type LPH9 16-element log periodic 
antenna was severely damaged by gales. The antenna tower was some 90 
feet high.  Jimmy has been unable to get the structure repaired and has 
therefore, reluctantly, stated that he wishes to stand down as an HF 
news reader. 

The RSGB wishes to pay tribute to Jimmy's dedication as a news reader 
over more than 50 years, and also thank his assistant reader June, 
GI4MJD, for acting as back up. They will continue to read the local 
news on 2 meters FM for the Londonderry area.

Im Jeremy Boot,  G4NJH, and you are listening to the Amateur Radio 
Newsline.

--

To which we want to add our congratulations to Jimmy Porter, GI3GGY, on 
a job truly well done.  (GB2RS)

**

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. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim 
Damron, N8TMW, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.  