[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1632 - November 21, 2008

[ham-news at mailman.qth.net]

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1632 - November 21, 2008

The following is a Q-S-T.  Hams respond to the Southern California 
firestorms, C-Q calls on the FCC to appoint a replacement for rules 
enforcer Riley Hollingsworth, more tower problems for hams in the U-S 
and the case of the booby-trapped repeater jammer in the UK.  Find out 
the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1632 coming your 
way right now.
 
**

RESCUE RADIO:  THE CALIFORNIA FIRESTORMS

Ham radio was quick to respond when a series of wind-driven firestorms 
erupted across southern-California.  The first of these brushfires was 
spotted in the north-east corner of Los Angeles San Fernando Valley in 
the town of Sylmar.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom where 
you can still smell the smoke.

--

The first of these brushfires was the Sayre fire spotted in the north 
end of the town of Sylmar.  That's at the north-east corner of Los 
Angeles well known San Fernando Valley and literally 7 miles and one 
mountain south of the Newsline studio. 

And as the fire widened and intensified, hams associated with Los 
Angeles A-R-E-S were called out to provide communications support to 
Olive View Hospital which experienced a power and telephone outage at a 
time when flames were approaching and patient evacuation was imminent. 

Marty Woll, N6VI and Tom Turner KI6CCW were immediately dispatched to 
the scene. Olester Santos Ki6RWR, Jim Curio, KI6FGV, Wyatt Underwood, 
K6LZL and District Emergency Coordinator David Greenhut, N6HD,  
provided net or operational support.  The net continued until 
approximately 7:20 on the morning of November 15th but the fire 
continued to rage on.  

The battle against this fire continued throughout the weekend with many 
road closures. At times ham radio operators found themselves advising 
one another on which roads were open passable and which were not:

--

Unknown ham operator:  "The 118 to the 405, the 118 to the 210, the 210 
to San Fernando Road..."

--

Early on Saturday morning, November 15th ARES activated a net is over 
the Disaster Amateur Radio Network repeater system.  The net exchanged 
fire observations and kept its ears open for both communications and 
power outage in and around Los Angeles County.  All licensed amateur 
radio operators were encouraged to provide observation and participate. 

Meantime, in Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties brush fires 
also sprang up.  Thousands were evacuated and many homes were damaged 
or destroyed by the flames.  Gordon West, WB6NOA, was at a Red Cross 
evacuation center when he filed this report:

--

WB6NOA:  "Here in Orange County, southern California, our local Red 
Cross ham radio communications team was taking part in an early 
Saturday morning RACES drill when the fire hit.  At the conclusion of 
the training, we hear a ham radio operator call on 2 meters:  ".this is 
not a drill message. We have a wildfire "

Within an hour this small Chino Hills wildfire was a raging inferno, 
fanned ny 50 MPH winds associated with our Southern California Santa 
Ana high pressure system. 

Our 60-member communications team out of Orange County was dispatched 
to provide communications at evacuation centers in shelters along with 
other hams, but we had to keep moving shelters because the flames kept 
coming closer and closer.  Ultimately, two shelter with ham radio Red 
Cross communicators were set up for four days of communications 
handling messages in and out between the shelter and our local Orange 
County chapter.  Many of our clients in the shelters lost everything 
and they appreciated everything that ham radio operators were doing. 

211 homes (in the area) were damaged or destroyed. Huge spot fires got 
as far as five miles away were reported by ham operators.  The bamnds 
were flooded -- 2 meters and 440 -- with orderly ham radio 
communications supporting those local served agencies.  

--

The firestorm also lead a southern California hospital to evacuate and 
ham radio helped coordinate the operation.  Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Joe Moell. K0OV, has the details:

--

Shortly before noon on Saturday, November 15, a wildfire broke out 
northeast of Brea-Olinda High School. It became part of the Freeway 
Complex firestorm that has burned over 28,000 acres and damaged or 
destroyed over 250 homes in Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside and San 
Bernardino counties. At the time, members of the Orange County Hospital 
Disaster Support Communications System, an ARES group best known as 
HDSCS, were participating in an annual messaging drill with city and 
county RACES groups and the Red Cross. News of the fire terminated the 
drill and HDSCS established a net to determine which members could 
respond to hospitals if needed. There was concern that this new fire 
could threaten Kindred Hospital in Brea if it jumped westward over the 
57 freeway. 

When the fire did jump ten freeway lanes about 12:45 PM, Net Control 
sent five members to this hospital so that they could get there before 
traffic became too congested. At 2:45 PM, as the operators were in 
place at Kindred and in communication with the net, a page was received 
from St. Jude hospital in Fullerton and a call came in from Placentia-
Linda hospital in Placentia, also requesting Amateur Radio operators in 
accordance with pre-established procedures. St. Jude was receiving 
heavy smoke and its Emergency Department had gone on diversion status. 
Placentia-Linda had been advised that it might receive chronic 
pulmonary patients from nearby skilled nursing facilities. HDSCS 
members were immediately sent from the net to these facilities. A 
member was also sent to Orange County Emergency Medical Services Agency 
operations center in Santa Ana. 

At 3:15 PM, the decision was made to close and evacuate the Kindred 
Brea hospital, as reported by Reid Green KF6LOK to Net Control April 
Moell WA6OPS. 

--
 
WA6OPS: "What we understand is that all 37 are going to other Kindred 
facilities, correct?" 

KF6LOK: "That is confirmed. Kindred Brea is on full evacuation." 

--

Clearing the facility required the movement of all patients by 
ambulance to four other Kindred hospitals in Orange and Los Angeles 
Counties. Ten of these patients were fully dependent on ventilators. 
HDSCS operators assisted with communications throughout the evacuation. 
The HDSCS net also kept officials at the Emergency Medical Services 
Agency fully informed of the situation. All patients were under way by 
6 PM. Ham radio support continued at Placentia Linda Hospital until 
that evening and at St. Jude hospital through Saturday night and into 
Sunday afternoon. 

There's no doubt that having ham radio at these facilities to provide 
additional communications paths and back up the overloaded telephone 
lines was a godsend to harried members of the hospital staff and 
administration during this difficult time. 

--

According to K0OV, in addition to the evacuation of Kindred Brea 
hospital his group also provided communications assistance to two other 
hospitals during the firestorm emergency.

Last but by no means least, ham radio participation in the firestorm 
emergency relief effort caused one event to be cancelled.  That one was 
to be a training session for hams involved in disaster communications:

--

KG6DNY:  "The CERT refresher scheduled for tomorrow at Fire station 88 
has been cancelled due to the brush fires.  End of QST.  Thanks for the 
frequency guys.  KG6DNY clear." 

--

As this report is recorded on Thursday, November 20th, most of the fires 
are contained or controlled but they are still fresh on everyone's 
mind.  All you have to do is step outside and take a deep breath to 
know what happened only a few days ago.

In the newsroom, not far from the remnant of the Sayre fire, I'm Bill 
Pasternak, WA6ITF, reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

As we go to air, all of the southern California firestorms have been 
contained, but tinder dry conditions remain across the region.  This 
means that all first responders and the hams that back them up remain 
on high alert.  (ARNewsline with input from KA6GSE, WB6NOA, K0OV, 
others.)

**

RESCUE RADIO: THE BIG CALIFORNIA SHAKEOUT

Ironically, the first of the southern California firestorms hit only 
hours after hams across the region had taken part in one of the biggest 
state-wide disaster drills ever held.  Called the Big Shakeout, the 
scenario for the exercise focused on a mock 7.8 magnitude earthquake 
which would have the potential to devastate the region.  In Orange 
County, some of the same hams who would later volunteer for fire 
communications duty took part.  Again, Joe Moell, K0OV:

--

In Orange County, ham radio operators were drilling side-by-side with 
hospital staff members. The Hospital Disaster Support Communications 
System, an ARES group, fielded the largest number of members to help 
the largest number of hospitals of any single-day drill in its 28-year 
history. 

Forty-four HDSCS members went into 32 hospitals. The emphasis was a 
realistic near-real-time response using the group's automatic response 
procedures. Instead of members going inside the hospitals and setting 
up prior to the simulated shaker, these responders pre-staged nearby 
and were dispatched by Net Control into the facilities during the chaos 
after the temblor. This taught them what it is really like to enter, 
get to the Hospital Command Centers and get on the air with their 
portable equipment under these difficult conditions. 

--
 
WA6OPS: "Copy W7KTS we'll get to you in a minute. WD8ICK what is your 
location?" 

WD8ICK: "I am away from home at Brookhurst and Talbert in Fountain 
Valley." 

WA6OPS: OK, we don't have anybody yet at Orange Coast Hospital, so 
please proceed there. Your tactical call will be Orange Coast. Copy?" 

WD8ICK: "QSL, this is WD8ICK." 

--

Members received their assignments just a few hours before the event. 
For training purposes, they were not told in advance which hospitals 
would be simulating evacuations and which would be receiving simulated 
evacuees. The hams got that information, and all the other message 
traffic to be handled, as they worked shoulder-to-shoulder with the 
Incident Commander, the Liaison Officer, and other staff members in 
Hospital Incident Command System positions. Messages sent and received 
included requests for ambulances to move evacuated victims, including 
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit infants. They also passed simulated orders 
for oxygen tanks and for medicines such as Cipro and morphine. 

The Great Shakeout wasn't the only time that Orange County hams have 
drilled with their hospital counterparts recently. It was actually the 
sixth time so far in 2008 in which HDSCS members have participated 
directly with hospital staff members in drills that the hospitals must 
perform to maintain their accreditation.

>From Orange County, California, this is Joe Moell K-zero-O-V for 
Amateur Radio Newsline. 

--

This exercise was the largest ever to take place in the country and 
involved the participation of millions of California residents and a 
large number of ham radio communications volunteers.  The ham radio 
group in Orange County was just one of many.  (ARNewsline, K0OV)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  CQ TO THE FCC - NAME A SUCCESSOR TO RILEY - NOW

CQ magazine is calling on FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Kris Monteith to 
move swiftly to name a successor to Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, as 
Special Counsel for Amateur Radio, and to bring FCC enforcement back to 
the ham bands. 

Writing in his "Zero Bias" editorial in the December 2008 issue, CQ 
Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, noted that the Commission not only has 
failed to name a successor to Hollingsworth, but that not a single 
amateur enforcement action has been taken since his retirement this 
past July.  At that time, the editorial notes, the amateur radio 
community was assured that the Commission's dedication to enforcement 
in the Amateur Service would remain strong.  But Moseson says that  the 
FCC's total inaction since July suggests otherwise:

--

Moseson:  This is deeply disturbing and of grave concern.  It would be 
a tragedy, and a travesty, if the FCC were to go back on its promise to 
be there for us and allowed amateur enforcement to once again drop off 
the radar."

--

The need for continuing amateur enforcement was reinforced after the 
December issue was went to press.  Thats when CQ was informed of an 
outburst of racist diatribes on 20 meters, including the transmission 
of recordings of a Hitler rally and of Nazi marching songs.  

Moseson notes that this type of behavior was all too common before 
Hollingsworth became the rules enforcer a decade ago.  Most of it 
quickly disappeared once it became obvious that someone in authority 
was paying attention.  But now, only a matter of months since 
Hollingsworth retired from public service it has become obvious to the  
hams wanting to reek havoc that they are once again free to do whatever 
they please without fear of any consequences:

--

Moseson:  "The FCC must get back into the amateur enforcement business, 
and it must do so quickly before the situation once again gets out of 
control. Enforcement Bureau Chief Monteith must act promptly to name a 
successor to Riley Hollingsworth and assure amateurs that they have not 
once again been abandoned by the Commission."

--

You may recall that in his pre-retirement comments that Riley 
Hollingsworth urged the ham radio community to not let the FCC abandon 
ham radio enforcement.  The CQ decision to pressure the FCC to name a 
successor to Hollingsworth kind of echos his words.  The full text of 
Rich Moseson's editorial is on-line at www.cq-amateur-radio.com, linked 
from the December issue highlights.  (CQ)

**

RADIO LAW: ANOTHER APPEAL IN THE PA TOWER CASE

A Pennsylvania ham is facing yet another appeals board hearing.  This 
after a neighbor of Charles Mills, W3YNI, says that he is not happy 
with the latest decision the zoning commission rendered in the case.  
Mark Abramovich, NT3V, reports:

--

W3YNI would like it to end soon. 

The southwestern Pennsylvania amateur just can't seem to satisfy 
neighbors who don't want the emergency coordinator for his community to 
have a 53-foot-tower on his property. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the story, Charles Mills has 
been battling for many months to satisfy the township zoning hearing 
board and neighbor complaints that his tower doesn't meet requirements. 

Mills' biggest adversary it turns out is neighbor John Ducar, who has 
made it clear he doesn't want a tower right near his property. 

The Pittsburgh Tribune Review newspaper, quoted Ducar as saying at the 
Nov. 13 hearing: 

"This is a major eyesore. This is a major aesthetic nuisance." 

That's the crux of his dispute with Mills. The trees that that neighbor 
insisted Mills put up as part of a plan to screen the tower simply were 
not enough. 

Ducar wants Mills to move the tower, but Mills has said that's not 
possible given the size of his property and the contour of the land. 

So now, Ducar wants the township to revoke the permit it granted to 
Mills in August to put up the tower. 

Mills' attorney, Mike Lazaroff, K3AIR, worked closely with Mills and 
the township to satisfy all its requirements. And Mills says he'd 
rather work with the community than take the matter to court. 

All of this may be mute next month when a new law regarding regulation 
of amateur radio towers goes into effect in Pennsylvania. 

The law, dubbed Pennsylvania's PRB-1 basically tells municipal 
governments they must reasonably accommodate amateur radio service 
communications and, quoting the law here, "shall impose only the 
minimum regulations necessary to accomplish the legitimate purpose of 
the municipality." 

Now, legitimate purposes, according to the law, known as Act 88 of 
2008, shall include a clearly defined health, safety or aesthetic 
objective of a municipality such as preserving a historical or an 
architectural district. 

And, while there is discussion in the law of ensuring safety 
requirements of a tower structure, it also stipulates, quoting here: 
"No ordinance, regulation, plan or any other action shall restrict 
amateur radio antenna height to less than 65 feet above ground level." 

There have been lots of posts on the ham radio boards about Mills' 
situation. And, there is overwhelming support for his cause. 

Lazaroff, K3AIR, gave the zoning board 12 letters from neighbors 
supporting Mills. He also gave them a petition signed by 47 township 
residents who support Mills. 

Perhaps Melinda Young, one of those who composed a letter to support 
Mills, said it best when she wrote: 

"I have great piece of mind knowing that Charles Mills has a tower so 
that if and when there is another disaster such as 9-11 or something 
worse, God forbid, we have someone in our township that we can count on 
to communicate and coordinate our emergency efforts." 

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

--

The board is expected to render a decision when it meets December 11th.  
We'll let you know what they decide.  (ARNewsline)

**

RADIO LAW:  SAN DIEGO PROPOSES TOWER RESTRICTIONS

The City of San Diego , California, seems poised to try to violate the 
states PRB One type law and impose some severe tower and antenna 
restrictions on its ham radio community.

Back in 2003 then Governor Gray Davis signed into law a measure that 
assures California hams that their tower and antenna needs would be 
reasonably accommodated.  Now it appears as if San Diego is ignoring 
that state-wide edict as it prepares to enact a set of regulations that 
would require an expensive site development permit.  Not only that, but 
it would also direct that a tower retracts when not in use and that the 
a tower and its antenna be located in the least visible location from 
adjacent public rights of-way and adjacent properties. Last and by no 
means least that it be removed if not used for 2 years.

Hams in the area are more than a bit appalled at the actions of the 
areas legislators, especially in a time of a very severe city budget 
shortfall.  Also, the city admits that it gets only one or two tower 
permit requests from hams every year.  

The hams of San Diego say that the proposed new regulation is not 
needed. Also that it runs afoul of state law.  They say that they will 
fight to keep the proposal from becoming a city ordinance.  If it does, 
look for it to be challenged by the San Diego ham community, in the 
courts.  (WA6ILQ, others)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  CANADA TO GIVE HAMS EXPERIMENTAL 600 METER BAND

Some Canadian hams will soon have access to the 600 meter very low 
frequency band.  This after telecommunications regulator Industry 
Canada accepts a Radio Amateurs of Canada proposal that will permit 
selected Canadian radio amateurs to operate in the vicinity of 500 kHz.

Industry Canada has authorized Radio Amateurs of Canada to recommend 
which hams who would be licensed to operate in the 504 to 509 kHz band.  
Power output would be a  maximum of 20 watts ERP and bandwidth up to 1 
kHz.   Stations operating in this band would be technically operating 
under Special Developmental Licenses although they would all be radio 
amateurs.  Distinct call signs would be used and the licenses would be 
renewable annually subject to the amateur demonstrating the research he 
has carried out.

Hams taking part in these operations would support Canada's efforts to 
action a proposal on the agenda of the 2011 World Radio Conference for 
a new amateur allocation in the 600-meter band.  More information will 
follow in upcoming Radio Amateurs of Canada bulletins.  (RAC)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  ALE AT 500 DAYS

The Global Automatic Link Establishment or A-L-E High Frequency Network 
believes it is the first net to operate continuously for more than 500 
days.  This, on all international amateur radio shortwave bands 
simultaneously.  

The main purpose of the network is to provide efficient emergency and 
disaster relief communications to remote areas of the world.  Beginning 
with a core group of 6 North American radio operators in June 2007, the 
net rapidly expanded to cover large areas of the planet with 24 hour a 
day, 7 day a week digital communications. 

Relying on radio communications, the net is a system of interconnected 
base stations scans the various radio bands from 3.5 Megahertz to 28 
Megahertz every 10 seconds.  Using this system net members are 
connected with each other and can send internet email or cell phone 
mobile text messages from the field.  More about A-L-E is on line at 
hflink.net.  (HFLink release)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  YL DXER NEEDED

Bill Horner, VK4FW, a member of the Oceania Amateur Radio DX Group says 
that one more Y L is needed to participate in the upcoming VK9LA 
operation.  He says that there are currently 5 YL's on the team but 
only 2 are operators.  A third experienced female ham is needed.  If 
you are interested in going on this operation please e-mail vk4fw(at) 
westnet (dot) com (dot) au for more information.  (Southgate)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE:  6TH IDXC CONVENTION IN APRIL 2009

Turning to the ham radio social calendar, word that Italy's 6th 
International DX Convention will be held April 18th tp the 19th, 2009. 
Organized by the Strange Radio Team the venue is the city of Paestum 
near Salerno.  More details will be forthcoming in January and posted 
at www.strangeradioteam.com.  (OPDX)

**

DAYTON HAMVENTION 2009:  AWARDS NOMINATIONS SOUGHT

The Dayton Hamvention now is accepting nominations for its 2009 Radio 
Amateur of the Year, Special Achievement, and Technical Excellence 
awards.  The Radio Amateur of the Year Award is presented  to an 
individual who has made a long-term, outstanding commitment to the 
advancement of Amateur Radio.  The Technical Excellence Award is for 
the person who has made an outstanding technical advancement in the 
field of Amateur Radio. The Special Achievement Award honors someone 
who has made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of Amateur 
Radio by spearheading at least one significant project.

All amateur radio operators are eligible.  The Hamvention Awards 
Committee makes the decision on all awards based in part upon the 
information it receives and not on the number of nominations submitted 
for a given individual.  Documentation that informs the Awards 
Committee of a candidate's accomplishments may include magazine 
articles, newsletters, newspaper clippings, and even videos.  These 
materials become the property of Hamvention and cannot not be returned.

The deadline for nominations is February 18, 2009 with the winners 
recognized nest May at the Hamvention.  Additional details on these 
awards and a nomination form are available on the Dayton Hamvention Web 
site at www.hamvention.org.  Nominations also are accepted via U-S mail 
to Dayton Hamvention Awards, PO Box 964, Dayton, Ohio, 45401.  (DARA)

**
	
OLD TIME RADIO:  THE CHICAGO WLS STORY BY W9CHI

Scott Childers, W9CHI, has authored a new book titled Chicago's WLS 
Radio.  Childers tome is an illustrated history of the station known as 
the windy city's Big 89.  It takes you from the stations inception in 
the 1920's by Sears Roebuck in all the way to last year's Big 89 Rewind 
special.  W9CHI tells Newsline that it was a book that he wanted to do:

--

W9CHI audio here.  Talks about the eay the station connects with its 
audience.  Hear it in the MO3 version of this newscast downloadable at 
www.arnewsline.org

--

Many well-known celebrities, like Gene Autry, owe their careers to the 
Big 89, through the famous Saturday night program The National Barn 
Dance. And some rather famous air personalities such as Dick Biondi, 
Larry Lujack, and John Records Landecker became household names thanks 
to the stations incredible influence on the Chicago broadcast scene.

Chicago's WLS Radio is part of the Images Of America series by Arcadia 
Press.  More information is at W9CHI's website at WLS History dot com.    
(ARNewsline)

**

OLD TIME RADIO:  W9CHI ON THE RAIN REPORT

Also, you can learn more about Scott Childers, W9CHI, and his book on 
W-L-S  over the next two weeks on the Chicago-based RAIN Report.  You 
can hear it over the phone at 773-358-7845 or on-line at www dot 
therainreport dot com.  And therainreport is spelled as one word.  
(RAIN)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  KGO RADIO GOES GREEN

San Francisco station KGO AM says that it has gone partially green.  
According to its website, on October 30th KGO became the first major 
commercial broadcast media outlet in California to reach its listeners 
by harnessing the power of the sun to reduce its dependence on the 
regions power system.  

The KGO solar energy program began last winter.  The now completed 
solar panel installation is located at the stations transmitter site 
near San Francisco's Dumbarton Bridge.  Not only does it reduce KGO's 
daily load on the power grid, but it will serve as an ongoing test 
facility for emerging solar technology.  You can see  the construction 
of the solar power system as it progressed from 2008 to now 
http://dynamic.kgoradio.com/solar.php.  (RW)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  LEONID METEOR STORM A HAM RADIO SUCCESS

This years Leonid meteor shower peaked on November 17th and 18th much to 
the delight of weak signal scatter enthusiasts world-wide.  Peak rates 
of 20 to 100 meteors had been anticipated during the early hours of the 
17th and again during the waning hours of the 18th at around 21:30 UTC. 

While the rather bright moonlight probably spoil the show for star 
gazers, ham were reportedly thrilled with the pings, hits and QSO'sthey 
had during the storm.  This, by bouncing their signals off the ionized 
trails of meteors burning up in the Earths atmosphere.  

Researchers who study the comet Tempel-Tuttle say that it is the source 
of the annual Leonid meteor swarm.  (VHF Reflector)

**

WORLDBEAT - HOLLAND:  RADIO NETHERLANDS GLOBAL PANEL WANTS YOU

Hams tend have strong opinions on world events and issues.  If you are 
one who does then Radio Netherlands Worldwide may have something to 
interest you.

According to Media Network, the station is looking for people to join 
its Global Panel in English.  If you join you will be regularly invited 
to give your opinion about current topics. The results of the surveys 
will be published on the Radio Netherlands Web site and will be used in 
the programs of Radio Netherlands Worldwide. 

If you're interested, go to www dot globalpanel.nl to sign up.  (Media 
Network)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK:  CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF LOUIS BRAILLE

On the air, listen out for GM3WUX will be operating GB2HLB, from 
December 26th of this year through January 22nd 2009.  This, to celebrate 
the bicentenary of the birth of  inventor Louis Braille whose tactile 
language for the sightless has been adapted world-wide.

In dedication to the Braille bicentenary each QSO made by GB2HLB will 
receive a special QSL card depicting Braille and raising awareness of 
the the United Kingdom's Royal National Institute of Blind People. A 
fund raising web page for the group can be found at 
www.justgiving.com/louisbraille.  (GB2RS)

**

WORLDBEAT - INDIA:  INDIA'S HAMS CELEBRATE BOSE

Be on the lookout for several stations in India to sign with the AU2 
prefix between now and December 8th.  This,  to commemorate the 150th 
anniversary of the birth of Sir Jagadeesh Chandra Bose.  That nation 
considers Bose as the father of radio communications in India.  (E-
mail)

**. 

ON THE AIR:  COMMEMORATING THE ARECIBO OBSERVATORY

Operation of special event station KP4AO commemorating Puerto Rico's 
Arecibo Observatory's 45th  anniversary has been postponed to Sunday, 
November 23rd.  This due to Angel Vazquez, WP3R, involvement in this 
past weekend's ARRL SSB Sweepstakes.  The Arecibo operation will be on 
20 meter SSB only.  It will run from 1300 to 2000 UTC and those that 
make contact with KP4AO will receive a certificate via W3HNK.  (WP3GW)

**

DX

In DX, word that G3RWF is in Kenya through November 24th using the 
callsign 5Z4LS.  Between November 25th and December 2nd he will be in 
Uganda as 5X1NH. QSL via his home call.

5R8IC will be active from Ile Sainte Marie, Madagascar through the 14th 
of December.  His operation is CW only on 30 through 10 meters.  QSL 
direct to F6ICX.

ON4JM will be on the air portable O-D-5 until the end of December.  He 
in Lebanon working with the United Nations. QSL to his home call.

And listen out for OP0DL on from Patriot Hills in Antarctica until 
around December 25th.  He's there on work a assignment and on the air as 
time permits.  QSL vis ON5XX.

Lastly, DJ4SO will be on the air portable V 5 in Namibia until  
December 4th.  His activity will be mostly on CW, RTTY and PSK31.  He 
will be on 160 through 10 meters.  QSL as directed on the air.

(Above DX news from RSGB and various other DX news sources.)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  THE BOOBY-TRAP REPEATER JAMMER

And finally this week, the rather bizarre video showing the discovery 
of a repeater jamming device with a booby-trap attached.  That's the 
story from the United Kingdom told in an item that first aired on ITV 
news and is now  posted to a video sharing website.  Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the rest of this rather strange 
tale now coming to the attention of hams world wide:

--

The accidental find of the booby trapped jamming unit apparently took 
place in the United Kingdom in late 2007.  According to an early 2008  
report by Erika Barnes of ITV News and only recently discovered on the 
YouTube dot com video website, the device was accidentally discovered 
in Buckinghamshere by the caretaker of the property.  

Mike Harrison is the manager of Wolton Estate. Thats a tiny in-land 
island in Englands south end.   He told Barnes that in the course of 
his regular duties that he unearthed some top soil and found a white 
box.  He was suspicious and decided to not go near it.  After turning 
it over using a long stick he noticed a battery attached to something 
that he suspected might be an explosive and decided to back away.    

Authorities found it to be a radio jamming device intended to interfere 
with ham radio relay communications to a repeater located on a tower 
near a location known as Brill.  Authorities say that the device was 
also designed harm and possibly kill anyone who might have found it and 
try to turn it off.  Thankfully for Harrison he moved it with the stick 
and even more thankfully the device failed to detonate.  

At the time the report aired that there was at least one more jamming 
device in the area.  The ITV story warned that anyone who might find it 
to not tamper with it.  Instead, that they should notify the local 
police.  No word if it was ever located and disarmed.  

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

--

Talk about carrying repeater jamming to a new low.  As far as we have 
been able to determine, the person or persons who planted the booby 
trapped jamming devices is still at large.   You cam see the story 
yourself at www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT11HFigbxk&feature=related  
(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. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don 
Carlson, KQ6FM, saying 73 from Reno, Nevada, and we thank you for 
listening.  

Amateur Radio Newsline is Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.