[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1637 - December 26, 2008

ham-news at mailman.qth.net ham-news at mailman.qth.net
Sat Dec 27 16:19:47 EST 2008


Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1637 - December 26, 2008

Ladies and gentlemen, once again with thank-you's to those listeners 
who have supported these newscast in the past year, here is Amateur 
Radio Newsline's Support Fund Administrator, Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

--

In the month of April, besides some of our monthly contributors we 
heard from Dr. Eric Stoll, K2TO of Teaneck NJ, Frank Donough, W3PMV of 
Monroeville, PA,  Lloyd Willever, K9LJW in Fishers, IN. Tom Hise, NC0O 
of Shellsburg, IA. And Steven Blaisdell, W0PER in Englewood, CO.
 
Moving to California, Steven Gibson, K6KGO in Lake Almanor, with a very 
pretty card, Ray Day, N6HE and Donna, W6DLD in Rancho Palos Verdes, 
Steven Rhodes, KF6JIN in Orange, The Western Amateur Radio Association 
in Fullerton and Alvin Borne, W6IVO in Hermosa Beach.  Via PayPal there 
was. Adalberto Castelo. 

It's appropriate that we heard from these people in April, as I'm sure 
some had just completed their taxes. No doubt a number of you thought 
that you'd better increase your deductions for 2008. Well, the end of 
the year is fast approaching, and you still have time to pen that check 
or get online to our website: arnewsline.org and do it through PayPal.  
Newsline is a 501(c)3 not-for profit organization, and your donations 
are tax-deductible.

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, sending you the best wishes for a new year.

--

Thank you Andy.  Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1637 with a 
release date of  Friday, December 26th, 2008 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
 
The following is a QST. The future of a famed New York City ham radio 
exhibit is in doubt as the Hall of Science tells its radio club 
namesake to get ready to move out.  Also, wireless headphones are 
confiscated after they are found to be jamming a repeater and the North 
Pole Network activates to help jolly old Saint Nick.  Find out the 
details on this year end edition of the Amateur Radio Newsline in 
report number 1637 coming your way right now.
 
**

RADIO IN THE PUBLIC EYE:  NYC HALL OF SCIENCE TO OUST ITS NAMESAKE HAM 
RADIO STATION

The future of WB2JSM, the club station operated inside New York's Hall 
of Science museum is cloudy.  This, after the group which operates it 
gets an order to begin dismantling it.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark 
Abramowicz, NT3V, has the story:

--

Thomas Tumino, N2YTF, who is taking the reins as president of the Hall 
of Science Amateur Radio Club in New York, doesn't want to have the 
distinction of being the last president of the organization.

Tumino been a member and officer for a number of years and has been 
serving as a volunteer at the WB2JSM operation inside a building in 
Flushing Meadows on the site where the World's Fair was held in the 
mid-1960s.

Tumino, who has been vice president of the group for the past year, got 
word from the president of the New York Hall of Science that repairs to 
the roof would require the temporary removal of the club's antennas.

Tumino says the the group moved antennas during the summer to the 
ground and continued operating. Then, the club received blueprints to 
mark out new locations on the roof for new antennas.

Tumino says all looked good until about two weeks ago when he was 
summoned to a meeting where the group was told because of renovations 
there was no room for amateur radio inside the museum.

To say he and the club were shocked by the news might be an 
understatement.

"We asked several times why there was no more space in the museum," 
says Tumino. "We were told there was a renovation going on and that 
because of the renovation there was limited space in the museum.

"And I asked if we could return once the renovation was complete and 
they said, no."

Tumino says he pressed further and was told there was an avenue of 
appeal.

"We were told we could appeal it to the museum president, the new 
museum president, and she has granted us a meeting for the first week 
in January," Tumino says.

She is Dr. Margaret Honey, the new president and chief executive 
officer of the New York Hall of Science.

Tumino says he plans to make a case to her that amateur radio - from CW 
to SSB, PSK-31 and EchoLink, IRLP and working through satellites - 
should be an important part of the museum's exhibits.

Tumino says the New York Hall of Science is missing a golden 
opportunity. He says science museums in the U.S. and Canada with 
amateur radio stations are promoting them and using them as part of 
their programs.

"Those museum stations are promoted by their museums and cherished by 
their museums in a way that the shows that their museum staffs have 
great vision and a great sense of marketing," Tumino says. "And, I 
think for the past several years at the Hall of Science, I don't think 
management has really had that kind of vision.

"When the Hall of Science Radio Club runs a JOTA station - Jamboree on 
the Air station - it is just the radio club that publicizes the event. 
Same with our Field Day, same with Kids' Day. The museum does not 
publicize these events, we're not included on their website." 

He's right. WB2JSM isn't even listed on the museum's website. It, ham 
radio or amateur radio, doesn't even come up on a keyword search on the 
site.

Tumino says the club has launched a petition campaign on the web and is 
asking for electronic signatures at www-dot-tinyurl-dot-com forward 
slash h-o-s-a-r-c. (www.tinyurl.com/hosarc).

If you didn't get that address, you can go to the text version of this 
week's show to find it.

There have been hundreds of signatures already posted and lots of 
comments as well.
Tumino says there's also a box on the site that asks for other 
contributions.

"I'm asking for thoughtful comments as to why we should involve our 
children in amateur radio to show how important amateur radio is in 
children's science education," Tumino says.

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

--

We'll have a follow-up report on the future of the Hall of Science ham 
radio station in the coming weeks.  (ARNewsline)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  WIRELESS PC HEADPHONES INTERFERE WITH VK REPEATER

>From down-under comes word that Australia's telecommunications 
regulator ACMA has confiscated a consumer device that was wreaking 
havoc on a 2 meter repeater.  The unit turned out to be a pair of 
wireless headphones, with a talk back-channel, designed to be used with 
a PC online.  

The headphones carried a brand label Omni model WEP-910D.  It turned 
out that they use the 2 meter frequency of 147.000 MHz as to deliver 
audio to the headphones.  This explains why hams in range of the 
repeater being jammed heard endless hours of whatever was being 
processed through the offending PC's sound card.

Now, here's the kicker. Not knowing that the unit was in a ham radio 
band the users of these headphones complained that on some occasions 
they heard "voices talking to them" on their personal computer system.  

As there may be more of these units in use anywhere in the world, hams 
need to keep an ear out for them.  Most appear to operate on 147.000 
MHz +- about 15 kHz, so users listening to repeaters on or near 147.000 
MHz are more likely to be affected by these units.   (WIA News)

**

DXCC NEWS: MOUNT ATHOS WANTS HELP KEEPING SY PREFIX

A decision by Greek telecommunications authorities may cause confusion 
in then DXCC program and the Monks at Mount Athos monastery are asking 
your help to sort it all out.  

According to Monk Appolo, a recent change in regulations made by the 
Greek Ministry of Communications has re-designated the longtime Mount 
Athos SY prefix to special call status and has made it available to any 
Greek ham who wants it.  Monk Appolo says that those at the Ministry do 
not understand the importance of Mount Athos as a separate DXCC entity 
to the world of amateur radio and to the DXCC program itself.  .

To help reverse the decision, Monk Apollo is asking hams world-wide to 
send an email to the Greek telecommunications ministry at 
yme at otenet.gr.  He says to request that they act to once again reserve 
the SY prefix solely for the use of Mount Athos.  This,  to eliminate 
any confusion to the DXCC

**.  

RADIO IN SPACE:  SATELLITE CONFIRMS CRACKS IN EARTS MAGNETIC SHIELD

Recent satellite observations have revealed the largest breach yet seen 
in the magnetic field receded to date.  

Scientists have long known that the Earth's magnetic field is similar 
to a drafty old house that sometimes lets in charged particles from the 
sun. These breaches cause the brilliant auroras but can also disrupt 
satellite and ground communications.

The discovery was made last summer by a fleet of five small NASA 
satellites known as Themis.  Their observations showed the Earth's 
magnetic field occasionally develops two cracks that allows a stream of 
charged particles spewing from the sun to penetrate the Earth's upper 
atmosphere. 

Last summer, Themis calculated a layer of solar particles to be at 
least 4,000 miles thick in the outermost part of the Earth's 
magnetosphere.  This is the largest tear of the planets protective 
shield found so far. 

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  W5KWQ TALK ABOUT HIS ARISS EXPERIENCE

Space traveler Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, ha been interviewed by science 
fiction writer Tracy Hickman about Garriott's recent visit to the 
International Space Station.  During the session, W5KWQ talked about 
his experience of operating amateur radio on orbit and conversing with 
the ham community worldwide.  

The entire interview is 2 hours and 45 minutes in duration.  Its 
available in 3 installments. You will find it at 
http://feeds.feedburner.com/Dragonhearth  (Southgate)

**

PUBLIC SERVICE:  THE WARNER ROBINS SANTA PATROL

Hams in Warner Robins, Georgia calling themselves the Santa Patrol have 
received praise from a local newspaper.  This, for their work with 
police and 911 dispatchers to offer extra sets of eyes and ears to law 
enforcement during the holiday season.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in 
the Newsroom with more:

--

According to a Macon Sun News story, the 15 member radio equipped group 
calling itself the Santa Patrol spreads out mostly in store parking 
lots.  There they monitor the  surroundings looking for suspicious 
activity during the holiday season. They are especially on the lookout 
for people who appear to be following shoppers out to their cars or 
folks going through parking lots peering into car windows.

The majority of Santa Patrol members simply sit in their vehicles and 
watch.  For the most part they look like a typical husband waiting on 
his wife to come out of the store.  

But some members are more visible.  These hams walk through the parking 
lots with his hand-held radio in plain sight.  If they spot someone 
suspicious they radio back to a ham stationed at the Houston County 911 
Center, where the sheriff's office has a desk set up for the Santa 
Patrol.  The 911 operators and police then decide whether to send out a 
police officer.  

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

--

The complete article on the Warner Robins ham radio Santa Patrol 
including quotes from some of the ham operators involved makes great 
reading.  Its on-line at www.macon.com/197/story/563630.html   (Macon 
On Line)

**


RESCUE RADIO:  FEMA ANNOUNCES IPAWS CONTRACTOR HUNT

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is looking for vendors to help 
implement the future generation version of Emergency Activation System 
better known by the acronym EAS.

FEMA recently published a request for information on implementing the 
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System known by its own acronym of 
IPAWS.  According to the news release IPAWS will use mobile media such 
as cell phones, pagers, laptop computers and other personal 
communications devices to warn people of dangerous situations.  This 
through live or pre-recorded audio, video and text messages in multiple 
languages and with support for American Sign Language and Braille.

Responses to the government solicitation are due by January 30, 2009.  
A fascinating article about the IPAWS system and its role in future 
rescue radio operations is on-line at www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/#0   
(FEMA, RW)

**

TELECOM LAW:  DEMOCRATS MAY SEEK EXPANDED FAIRNESS DOCTRINE

According to news reports Republican Minority Leader John Boehner is 
concerned about Democratic Representative Anne Eshoo's statements to 
the Palo Alto Daily Post.  This, where Eshoo says that she will push 
Congress to reinstate and expand the so-called Fairness Doctrine to 
other FCC regulated services.  Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has more:

--

The Fairness Doctrine was a policy of the Federal Communications 
Commission  that for many year s.  It required the holders of broadcast 
licenses both to present controversial issues of public importance and 
to do so in a manner that was in the Commission's view honest, 
equitable, and balanced.  It  was scrapped by the FCC as 
unconstitutional in 1987.  Congress tried to revive it, but President 
Ronald Reagan vetoed it once and pledged at the time that he would 
block it again if congress tried to re-impose it. 

The doctrine's demise is credited with the rise in conservative talk 
radio. Hosts including Rush Limbaugh and Mark Levin have expressed 
concerns that the new Democratic controlled Congress will try to 
reinstate the doctrine as a way to silence its critics.. The office of 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has also raised the idea of its return. 

President-elect Barack Obama has twice told Broadcasting and Cable 
Magazine that he is opposed to tits return.  Boehner has now called on 
him to speak out against any congressional effort to limit free 
speech..  Regardless, Eshoo says that he will work on bringing it back 
adding that she would want it to apply to other services rather than 
just radio and television.  

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

--

The Fairness Doctrine should not be confused with the Equal Time 
provision. The Equal Time rule only deals with giving the same access 
to the airwaves to political candidates running for office.  (Published 
news reports)

**

D-STAR NEWS:  ANOTHER NEW MACHINE ON THE AIR IN THE UK

D-Star continues to grow in popularity as an alternative to analog F-M 
for ham radio utility communications.  No where is more evident than in 
the United Kingdom where the start-up of yet another D-Star repeater 
has been announced with more than a bit of fanfare.  

This one is in London and operates under the callsign GB7OK.  The 
system is located in Bromley.  It has an output on 145.7125 MHz and the 
input 600 kHz lower on 145.1125.  The new machine serves both greater 
London and Kent and is being called by some as an early Christmas 
present to the hams of that region.  (Southgate)

**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  THE FUTRE IS LED LIGHTING

Science OnLine says that innovations in photonics and solid state 
lighting will lead to trillions of dollars in cost savings, along with 
a massive reduction in the amount of energy required to light homes and 
businesses around the globe.  This, according to a paper published by 
two professors at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The paper suggests that a new generation of illuminating devices based 
on light-emitting diodes or LED's will supplant the common light bulb 
in coming years.  In addition to the environmental and cost benefits of 
LEDs, the technology is expected to enable a wide range of advances in 
areas as diverse as healthcare, transportation systems, digital 
displays, and computer networking.

Researchers say that they are able to control every aspect of light 
generated by light-emitting diodes, allowing the light sources to be 
tweaked and optimized for nearly any situation.  In general LED's will 
require 20 times less power than today's conventional light bulbs, and 
five times less power than compact fluorescent lamps.  (ScienceOnLine)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  FOX TV TO GO ALL HD BY 2010

Fox's television network group plans to distribute all of its cable and 
networks exclusively in high-definition within two years.  It will also 
eliminate standard-definition feeds with an infrastructure upgrade the 
company expects will double its satellite capacity.

As part of the project, Fox will convert its encoding and satellite 
transmission infrastructure to Motorola equipment, covering all cable 
networks and the national broadcast network.  The change will require 
all cable, satellite and other distributors to install new satellite 
receiver and decoder units from Motorola, although Fox for the time 
being will continue to offer the high-definition feeds in the widely 
used MPEG-2 encoding format.

Fox will begin the switch to the Motorola-based high definition gear on 
March 1, 2009.  Its aiming to migrate all networks by the end of 2010.   
(MultiChannel News)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  CTU 2009 DAYTON REGISTRATION. 

Turning to the ham radio social scene, word that Contest University 
2009 registration is now open.  

The event is slated for on Thursday, May 14th, 2009 in Dayton, Ohio a 
day prior to the opening of the Dayton Hamvention.  It features some of 
the best contest operators and station builders as teachers.  They will 
present state of the art contesting in way to  increase your knowledge 
and fun. 

Again this year the events primary sponsor  will be Icom America.  
Others supporters include CQ Magazine, DX Engineering, Comtek Systems, 
SuperBertha Antennas and W9ZRX.

This day long event is one that any ham into radio sporting won't want 
to miss.  For Contest University 2009 registration please visit 
www.contestuniversity.com on the World Wide Web.  (Press release)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT ON OSCAR 2009

Ray Soifer, W2RS extends an invitation to all radio amateurs worldwide 
to participate in AMSAT's Straight Key Night on OSCAR 2009.  

The event takes place between 0000 and 2400 UTC on  January 1st, 2009. 
Its C-W only and you must use a straight hand key.  

Participating is easy.  There really are no rules, no scoring and no 
need to send in a log.  Just operate CW through any OSCAR satellite and 
have a good fun and safe New Years Eve.  (ANS)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  N5XFW IS NAMED NEW ARKANSAS SM

J.M. Rowe, N5XFW, of Hot Springs, has been appointed as the new ARRL 
Arkansas Section Manager with a term that began on December 22nd.   He 
takes over the Section Manager reins from David Norris, K5UZ, who was 
elected Vice Director of the ARRL Delta Division in November. Norris 
assumes his office on January 1st, 2009.  (ARRL)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  HIGH POWER AUDIO TO THWART PIRATES AT SEA

A British firm is spearheading  use of a high-tech "sonic laser" to 
beat  bandits on the high seas.  Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, has the details on 
this new media based unit:

--

About the size of a domestic satellite dish, the long range acoustic 
device blasts the target with a  precise beam of sound.  This could 
include warning messages, noise or sirens that can be tuned  to 
excruciatingly painful levels should an attacker get too close.

The sound source for the unit is any standard off the shelf MP3 player.  
The device has shown to be very effective at up to 1,000 meters and 
excruciating if you  get within  100 or 200 meters.  At full power it 
would result in permanent hearing damage.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, in Los Angeles.

-- 

According to reports, the device has been tested in an actual attack 
and the pirates were driven off.   (WIA News)

**


RADIO IN SPACE:  NEXT LUNAR LANDER MISSION DELAYED TWO YEARS

Another wait before there will be more pictures radioed back to Earth 
from Mars.  This as NASA says that it will delay the launch of the 
next-generation Mars rover two years due to technical difficulties and 
cost overruns.   Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details:

--

The mission, which was originally scheduled for late next year, is now 
slated for 2011.  This next generation of automated explorer will be 
known as the Mars Science Laboratory.  Its primary mission will be to 
try to determine habitability on Mars now and in the past.  

According to a report in The Los Angeles Times, the new target date was 
the earliest available because missions to Mars can only be launched 
every 26 months when the Earth and Mars are properly aligned.  In the 
interim, NASA says that it plans to try to contact the Phoenix lander 
in the Martian springtime.  

The Phoenix, which landed on Mars last May, last communicated with the 
Mars Odyssey orbiter on November 2nd.  That's when it  lost power and 
shut down due to sub-freezing temperatures on the red planets surface.

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


--

If NASA can revive the Phoenix, it will have a continuing flow of Mars 
data until the next probe arrives.  (NASA)

**

WORLDBEAT: SOUTH AFRIUCA ON TRACK FOR EXPANDED 40 METER BAND

The South African Radio League has received assurances from that 
nations telecommunications regulator that the issue of making 7 100 to 
7 200 kHz available to radio amateurs as of March 8, 2009, should be 
finalized by the end of January. 

The various changes have been included in the South African national 
table of frequency allocation.  Its expected to be published for 
comments in the near future.  

In the final process, the Minister of Communication will have to 
approve the table of frequency allocation before it is  implementation.  
The new rules also will carry a correction of the Zed R allocation in 
the 20 meter band.  (Southgate)

**

WORLDBEAT:  17TH IARU REGION 1 ARDF GAMES ANNOUNCED FOR  BULGARIA

The  Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs will host the 17th IARU 
Region 1 ARDF Championships to be held in Bulgaria September 16th to the 
21st.  The group is inviting Amateur Radio Direction Finding teams from 
IARU Region 1 and guests from around the world to participate in the 
event. The  Bulgarian Federation of Radio Amateurs also notes that this 
event also marks the anniversary of 50 years of Amateur Radio Direction 
Finding activity in Bulgaria. It began way back in 1959. More is on-
line at www.ardf2009.eu   (BAFA)

**

WORLDBEAT: MEXICO CONTEST AND DX CLUB 4TH ANNIVERSARY

Members of the Mexican Contest and DX group will celebrate their 4th 
anniversary by using the special callsign 4A1DXXE between December 25th 
and January 6th of the new year. Activity will be on 160 through 6 
meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSOs with this station are good for the 
DXXE Award. QSL via N7RO and the Logbook to the World.  For more 
information visit www.dxxe.org.   (OPDX)

**

DX

In DX, word that a team of six Italian team have been grated a license 
to operate from the region called Palestine territory from  January 1st 
to the -11th.  They will use the callsign E44M and will be active on 160 
through 2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and all the digital modes with a 
maximum power of 1 kilowatt on each band.  Operations will be focused 
on RTTY and the other digital modes, as well as the low bands and 30, 
17 and 12 meters. The operators plan to pay special attention to 
stations outside Europe when the propagation will allow it.  Pilot 
stations will be announced later.  More is on line at 
www.dxcoffee.com/e44m

F4EGX, as FT5Y has been heard from the French scientific station 
"Dumont D' Urville."  Nicolas doesn't know if he will spend Christmas 
at the station or on the boat headed home.  He will be back in France 
around the New Year.  If you worked him, QSL as directed on the air.

JA8BMK has gone QRT as T31DX from Central Kiribati and is now headed 
back to Christmas Island.  He should be there around by the end of the 
week. Look for him to be active as T32YY again once he arrives.  QSL 
direct to JA8BMK.


(Above from various DX sources)

**

HELPING HAMS:  CHRISTMAS AND THE NORTH POLE NETWORK

And finally this week, it seems that radio propagation to the northern 
latitudes is always especially good near the end of December.  That 
gives hams the chance to connect hospitalized children to a very 
special inhabitant of the frozen north.  Newsline's Joe Moell K0OV has 
a report on this year's North Pole Network. 

--

K0OV:  When you talk with a station 'way up north at this time of year, 
do you hear the cold wind and the sound of reindeer hoofbeats?  Well, 
the kids at Childrens Hospital of Orange County do, and they have been 
hearing it for 33 years. 

WA6OPS:  North Pole station, are you still on the air, Santa?  This is 
WA6OPS. 

SANTA (with cold wind):  Ho, ho, ho, Santa copies you loud and clear at 
the North Pole station. 

K0OV:  And what happens next is pure magic.  Santa already knows who is 
in the hospital that day, thanks to hard work by his elves. 

WA6OPS:  Hey Santa, signals are holding up well today.  We're in room 
316, do you happen to know who's in here with me? 

SANTA:  Ho, ho, ho, Santa certainly does.  And I'm very happy because I 
want to say a very Merry Christmas to Cody Waters.  Santa knows that 
he's going home today and Merry Christmas to his Mom and Dad also. 

WA6OPS:  You're Cody?  That's great, do you want to say hi to Santa? 

CODY:  Hi Santa Claus! 

SANTA:  Merry Christmas Cody, and you have a very nice voice. 

CODY:  Merry Christmas to you too Santa Claus. 

WA6OPS:  Hey as long as we've got Santa on the radio and he's got his 
computer up, here's your chance to get in your last minute wishes. 

CODY:  "Piranha Panic," a board game please. 

WA6OPS:  Santa do the elves work on that stuff? 

SANTA:  Ho, ho, ho, oh yes, and Santa wants to say hello to Stacy [the 
nurse] also. 

NURSE:  Santa, he's been good for me today. 

WA6OPS:  Just today? 

NURSE:  Well I've just had him today, but I've heard from the other 
nurses and he deserves his piranha game. 

WA6OPS:  OK, so Cody's on the good list, right Santa? 

SANTA:  Ho, ho, ho, oh yes definitely, and a Merry Christmas to the 
nurse and thank you for being so good and kind to all the boys and 
girls at the hospital. 

K0OV:  Note that Santa has involved more than just the child.  He's 
also talking to the family members and caregivers.  Then he has to deal 
with some very noisy elves. 

WA6OPS:  What do you think about those elves, they're noisy aren't 
they?  But you know, you look like you could be a good elf.  Would you 
like to work up there?  Yeah, he'd be a good elf worker, wouldn't he? 

SANTA (with noisy elves):  Ho, ho, ho, yes, he certainly would, and the 
elves would love to have him up here to help test out the toys before I 
get to deliver them.  Every once in a while Santa has to go out in the 
workshop and tell them to calm down. 

WA6OPS:  Yeah, they get a little carried away.  Santa, thanks for 
talking to us and from Cody and all the friends in the room ... 

ALL:  Merry Christmas! 

SANTA:  Merry Christmas to the Waters family. 

K0OV:  North Pole Network at Childrens Hospital began back in 1976 and 
hasn't missed a year since.  This year, there were dozens of kids and 
it took seven hours to go from room to room and see them all, including 
the ones in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.  It's a project of the 
Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, an ARES group that 
serves all 35 hospitals in the county when communications fail.  This 
is the same group that helped evacuate respiratory patients from a 
hospital in Brea during the recent southern California firestorm. 

>From southern California, this is Joe Moell, K-zero-Oscar-Victor, for 
Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

You can read about the groups rescue radio work and the North Pole 
Network at the group's Web site, www.hdscs.org.  That's short for 
Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, with a dot org.  Click 
on North Pole to see photos from this year and all the way back to the 
beginning.   (K0OV, 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 
Wilbanks, AE5DW,  saying 73, happy holidays, a joyous new year and as 
always, we thank you for listening.  

Amateur Radio Newsline is Copyright 2008 and 2009.  All rights 
reserved.



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