[LeArc] The ARRL Letter Vol. 21, No. 19 May 10, 2002

[Joseph L. Rossmiller]

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 21, No. 19
May 10, 2002
***************

IN THIS EDITION:

* +A bonanza for ham radio!
* +FCC bumps back privileges after exam audit
* +Pennsylvania kids talk haute cuisine with astronaut
* +New Mexico ARES/RACES supports fire response
* +West Virginia amateurs help in flooding aftermath
* +Kenwood donates transceiver to W1AW
* +EMCOMM 2002 attendees eager to learn
*  Solar Update
*  IN BRIEF:
     This weekend on the radio
     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
     On-line ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB results available
     ARRL joins AARE
     Tornado a reality check for ARRL Emergency Communications Course
student
     Ham radio could have role in Phenomenon sequel
     P5/4L4FN back in North Korea; QSLs are in the mail
     Panama amateurs recover lost bands
     Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award

+Available on ARRL Audio News

===========================================================
NOTE: Because of Dayton Hamvention, the May 17 editions of The ARRL
Letter and ARRL Audio News will be distributed Wednesday, May 15. See
you in Dayton!--Rick Lindquist, N1RL
===========================================================

==>FCC PROPOSES TWO NEW AMATEUR BANDS!

Great news for ham radio this week! The FCC has proposed going along
with ARRL's request for a new domestic (US-only), secondary HF
allocation at 5.25 to 5.4 MHz. The FCC also is ready to permit operation
on a 136-kHz "sliver band" in the low-frequency (LF) region. And, in
response to a third ARRL request, the FCC has proposed elevating Amateur
Radio to primary status at 2400 to 2402 MHz.

"I'm just as tickled as I can be," ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP,
said upon hearing the news. "This is a classic example of our ARRL at
work."

The FCC voted unanimously May 2 to adopt the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking in ET Docket 02-98. The Commission released a Public Notice
May 9, and the NPRM is expected to be released soon. A comment deadline
will be announced as soon as it's available.

The FCC said the new 5-MHz band would help amateurs "better match their
choice of frequency to existing propagation conditions." The band, if
approved, would be the first new amateur HF allocation since World
Administrative Radio Conference 1979 gave amateurs 30, 17 and 12
meters--the so-called "WARC Bands." Assuming the 5-MHz band eventually
is authorized, it could be a few years before it actually becomes
available.

The League said its successful WA2XSY experiments demonstrated that
amateurs can coexist with current users and that the band is very
suitable for US-to-Caribbean paths. In comparisons with 80 and 40
meters, the WA2XSY operation also showed the 60-meter band to be the
most reliable of the three. The ARRL also argued that a new 150-kHz
allocation at 5 MHz could relieve periodic overcrowding on 80 and 40.

If allocated to amateurs on a secondary basis, hams would have to avoid
interfering with--and accept interference from--current occupants of the
spectrum, as they already do on 30 meters. The band 5.250 to 5.450 MHz
now is allocated to Fixed and Mobile services on a co-primary basis in
all three ITU regions.

The ARRL asked the FCC for two LF allocations in October 1998--135.7 to
137.8 kHz and 160 to 190 kHz. The FCC said its action on one part of
that LF request "proposes changes that would enhance the ability of
amateur radio operators to conduct technical experiments, including
propagation and antenna design experiments, in the 'low frequency' (LF)
range of the radio spectrum."

Several countries in Europe and elsewhere already have 136-kHz amateur
allocations. The first amateur transatlantic contact on the band was
recorded in February 2001.

Hams would be secondary to the Fixed and Maritime Mobile services in the
136-kHz allocation. The League said its engineering surveys suggest that
hams could operate without causing problems to power line carrier (PLC)
systems already active in that vicinity or to government assignments.
Unallocated Part 15 PLC systems are used by electric utilities to send
control signals, data and voice.

The FCC said its proposal to upgrade the Amateur Service allocation at
2400 to 2402 MHz to primary "seeks to protect current amateur use of
this band." Hams have shared their other 2.4 GHz spectrum on a secondary
basis with government users.

Amateurs already are primary at 2390 to 2400 and from 2402 to 2417 MHz.
The ARRL has said primary status in the intervening spectrum slice was
needed "to provide some assurances of future occupancy of the band
segments for the next generation of amateur satellites."

The ARRL has expressed its belief that hams can continue to accommodate
Part 15 and Part 18 devices at 2.4 GHz.

ARRL's Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, was among those
welcoming the good news from the FCC. "This a wonderful example of the
work ARRL conducts in Washington on matters important to the Amateur
Radio community," Hobart said.

"Thanks to the 10,000 hams who contributed so generously to the 2002
Defense of Frequencies Fund. The success of that campaign helps to make
decisions like this possible."

==>FCC BUMPS BACK PRIVILEGES FOLLOWING EXAM SESSION AUDIT

The FCC has reduced the privileges of six Amateur Radio licensees after
they failed to appear for retesting in the wake of a Georgia FCC
examination session audit. Earlier this year, the FCC asked the six
applicants--all Technicians--to retake the Element 1 (5 WPM Morse code)
examination by April 15, 2002. The FCC request followed the discovery of
apparent irregularities in code test administration during a May 27,
2000, ARRL-VEC test session in Statesboro.

"You did not appear for the code test," FCC Special Counsel Riley
Hollingsworth wrote all six in identically worded letters. "Accordingly,
your license privileges have been modified by the Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau to those of a 'no-code' Technician licensee."

The "modification" is academic, however, since the FCC no longer
distinguishes in its database between Technicians who have Element 1
credit--formerly called "Technician Plus" licensees--and those who do
not. Technicians with Element 1 credit have limited privileges on HF,
including "Novice" CW privileges on 80, 40 and 15 meters and CW and SSB
privileges on 10 meters.

Licensees notified were Eugene Walker Jr, KG4HHT; James W. Brannen,
KG4HIS; Roxanne T. Brannen, KG4HSH; Joyce B. Martin, KG4EXG; Larry D.
Hagan, KG4IHE; and Thomas F. Evans, KF4YLF.

Hollingsworth told all six amateurs that the irregularities uncovered
were "in no way a reflection upon you or your qualifications to be an
amateur licensee." In response to the FCC's January 31 retesting
request, two other candidates did appear for retesting and passed
Element 1.

The ARRL VEC called apparent irregularities to the FCC's attention last
June. Earlier this year, the FCC wrapped up an audit that was expanded
to include five examination sessions in Georgia during 2000 and 2001
conducted by the same ARRL VEC team. The ARRL VEC discontinued volunteer
examiner accreditation for all but two of the VEs involved.

Hollingsworth has said it appeared that some test candidates "had been
shown or had access to" the Morse code answer key used by the VEs to
grade the exam and that some VEs had taught classes and supplied sample
tests to the students using the same test editions later given at actual
examination sessions.

==>PENNSYLVANIA KIDS WANT THE SKINNY ON BUBBLE GUM, SODA POP IN SPACE

Food was never far from their minds as youngsters at Hambright
Elementary School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, quizzed astronaut Dan
Bursch, KD5PNU, via Amateur Radio about life in space. The questions
came during an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS)
school contact May 9.

"Can you still blow bubbles with gum in space?" asked Hambright pupil
Molly Black. Bursch, who has two young children of his own, was able to
address this and other burning issues.

"Yes, we still can!" he confidently assured her, even going into detail
to explain that the bubbles form the same as they do on Earth.

As a follow-up, Kyle Black wanted to know what was Bursch's favorite
meal. Bursch said the food he misses the most in space is pizza. Among
the meals that he enjoys the most on the International Space Station is
Japanese rice and curry.

Nick Reaney then cut to the chase. "If you open a soda, will it fizz?"
he inquired.

"The bubbles won't float to the top of the soda," the astronautic
gourmet replied. "What you would see is all the bubbles collect inside
the soda itself."

Bursh managed to answer a total of 13 questions during the nearly
10-minute contact. James "Yogi" Bear, WB3FQY, operated the 2-meter
station set up on the campus of Hambright Elementary School for the
direct contact.

A crowd of students, teachers and parents applauded the successful QSO
as signals faded as the ISS went over the horizon. ARISS mentor Kerry
Banke, N6IZW, assisted with details of preparation.

ARISS is an international project, with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT
and NASA.--Gene Chapline, K5YFL/ARISS

==>NEW MEXICO AMATEURS SUPPORT FIRE RESPONSE

Amateur Radio Emergency Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
members this week assisted the American Red Cross in New Mexico
following yet another wildfire. Tinder-dry conditions have continued to
keep New Mexico ARES/RACES members busy in recent weeks.

"The fire hazard remains high throughout virtually all of New Mexico so
there is no doubt that ARES/RACES teams will be called out again--the
only question is, when?" said New Mexico Section Emergency Coordinator
Bill Kauffman, W5YEJ.

A dozen or so air tankers were ordered to battle the most recent fire
near Pecos--the so-called Dalton Fire in the Santa Fe National Forest.
More than 100 residents were evacuated in the Dalton Canyon and Pecos
Canyon areas.

Kauffman said the US Forest Service estimated the Dalton Fire was 70
percent contained by mid-week. "This fire, which is believed to have
been intentionally started, was hit hard with slurry bombers and hot
shot ground teams," Kauffman said.

As the fire emergency escalated earlier this week, Kauffman said hams
quickly set up at a Red Cross shelter and other facilities near Pecos.
The New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center in Santa Fe was not
activated, but EOC personnel had asked ARES/RACES to be ready if needed.

On May 2, ARES/RACES activated an HF net at the request of the state EOC
to provide possible communication support with Otero County EOC in
response to the so-called Pe�asco Fire. That blaze near Mayhill, was
expected to be 100 percent contained by mid-week after burning more than
15,000 acres. Most residents of the James Canyon--including Douglas
Ream, AB5FG, and Reginald Duncan, W5UWY--were allowed to return to their
homes after being evacuated earlier last week.

The Pe�asco Fire destroyed more than a dozen homes and more than two
dozen other structures. About 15 families were reported in Red Cross
shelters as of the end of last week. More than 1500 firefighters have
been involved in fighting the Pe�asco fire.

ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Joe Knight, W5PDY, says the situation
"could change at any time." Little or no rain has fallen in New Mexico
in recent weeks, he said.

In Colorado, Jeff Ryan, K0RM, reports that El Paso County RACES
supported firefighters during the April 28 Black Forest fire, northeast
of Colorado Springs. Several homes were evacuated. A dozen RACES
operators provided continuous detailed weather data to the fire team
command post until the fire was brought under control. No one was
injured, and no structures were
damaged as a result of the fire, Ryan said.

==>WEST VIRGINIA AMATEURS HELP STATE DEAL WITH FLOODING

Amateurs in West Virginia continue to assist in the wake of recent
flooding. The state has recorded nine deaths since severe thunderstorms
May 2 dumped more than five inches of rain over the southern West
Virginia coalfields within a few hours.

ARRL West Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator Mac McMillian, W8XF,
says several roads in the hardest-hit region in and around Welch and
Webster counties remain closed due to flood damage, and "uncounted"
families have been forced from their homes. Schools in McDowell County
remain closed. Gov Bob Wise has declared a state of emergency in several
counties.

"Amateur Radio involvement has been done locally on battery-powered
repeaters in the affected areas." McMillian said this week. Amateurs
from the Charleston area volunteered to assist in Welch County.
McMillian said amateurs were able to handle a request from the state
Emergency Operations Center to provide back-up communication from Welch
to the state EOC in Charleston when a coal mine impound dam threatened
to burst. The impound was pumped down to safe levels before that could
happen, however.

Raleigh County Emergency Coordinator Tim Zutaut, KC8PMI, said this week
that Raleigh County ARES/RACES was monitoring the Welch 145.45 MHz
repeater. A McDowell County ARES group has been using the repeater to
assist with communications into and out of the county, he said. "Our
group is set up at the Red Cross to assist them with any traffic and
needs they ay have," he told McMillian. "From the reports I have
received, the damage there [McDowell County] is very extensive."

McMillian said the McDowell County 911 center was flooded, and more than
two-thirds of the telephones in the affected area were not functional in
the immediate aftermath of the flooding. Some cellular telephone sites
have remained operational, however.

In Virginia, flooding in Buchanan County affected more than 2500
residents and caused damage estimated at $30 million. Two people drowned
in the community of Hurley. Flooding also affected Pike County,
Kentucky, and one person drowned in that state.

==>KENWOOD DONATES TS-2000X TRANSCEIVER TO W1AW

Kenwood Communications Corporation has donated a TS-2000X all-mode,
multiband transceiver to ARRL Maxim Memorial Station W1AW. Kenwood
Assistant Sales Manager Phil Parton, N4DRO, made the presentation May 3.

"We're very grateful to Kenwood Communications Corporation for this
useful and attractive update to the W1AW satellite station," said ARRL
Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, who accepted the gift on
behalf of the ARRL.

W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, had contacted Kenwood to see if
the company would be willing to donate its latest transceiver to replace
an aging TS-790 that has done yeoman's duty in the Studio B satellite
operating position at W1AW.

"We now have nine operating positions in three studios for the use of
W1AW visitors," Carcia said. "Because the TS-2000X is capable of
handling 9600-baud operation, it will also be connected to an AEA
DSP-2232 multimode controller to handle other aspects of digital
satellite--and HF--operation, such as 9600 baud FSK. W1AW thanks Kenwood
for its donation."

The Kenwood TS-2000X covers all Amateur Radio bands from 1.8 MHz through
1.2 GHz, with the exception of transmit capability on 222 MHz. It was
reviewed in the July 2001 issue of QST.

==>EMCOMM 2002 EXAMINES EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

The third year for EMCOMM was the charm! This year, nearly 150 amateurs,
non-amateurs and state and local government officials attended the
two-day emergency communications conference April 20-21 near Redding,
California. EMCOMM 2002 was sponsored by the ARRL Sacramento Valley
Section.

"EMCOMM has grown each year it has been presented," said ARRL Sacramento
Valley Section Manager Jerry Boyd, K6BZ. "Seven states were represented
as the reputation of this event continues to spread."

A full schedule of sessions covered a variety of topics. Bill
Pennington, WA6SLA--an employee of the California State Office of
Emergency Services in Sacramento--provided an update on "mutual aid"
policies and procedures. Bill Frazier, W7ARC, talked about his
experiences as a volunteer for the American Red Cross in New York City
after the World Trade Center attack and highlighted the importance of
"cross training" with served agencies, such as The Salvation Army and
the Red Cross.

ARRL Field Organization/Public Service Team Leader Steve Ewald, WV1X,
addressed the League's mission to provide support and guidance in public
service and emergency communication issues. The ARRL Amateur Radio
Emergency Communications course series <http://www.arrl.org/cce> also
was a featured topic. Ewald stressed the importance of working with
other responding organizations during an incident.

Sacramento Valley Section Emergency Coordinator Dave Thorne, K6SOJ--who
chaired the convention-provided a historical perspective on the role of
volunteer organizations in America. Paul Cavnar, NN7B, reported on
Amateur Radio involvement in the 2002 Winter Olympics. The American Red
Cross presented its "Introduction to Disaster Services" course for
credit, and the National Weather Service offered a weather-spotter
class.

A highlight of EMCOMM 2002 was the mobile communication vehicle
competition. A panel of three judges scrutinized the entries to
determine which organization and individual had the best-equipped
emergency communication vehicles. The Humboldt County (California)
Amateur Radio Club won the group category; Mac McCulley, W6MAC, walked
away with the individual category trophy.

For more information, visit the EMCOMM 2002 Web site
<http://www.emcomm.org/emcomm2002/main.html>.

==>SOLAR UPDATE

Solar seer Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, is filling in this week for Tad
Cook, K7VVV: Solar activity was at low levels for most of the period.
May 7 did see moderate activity due to an M1 flare. A full halo coronal
mass ejection (CME) was associated with this flare. Geophysical activity
ranged from quiet to unsettled over the period. The Ap index was below
11 throughout the period.

As we progress into summer in the northern hemisphere, expect seasonally
lower F2-region MUFs. But summer also brings the increased probability
of sporadic E, so keep your ears tuned for 6-meter openings.

Sunspot numbers for May 2 through 8 were 187, 242, 271, 317, 226, 217,
and 249, with a mean of 244.1. The 10.7-cm flux was 169, 179.1, 189.5,
180, 190.8, 186.8, and 186.6, with a mean of 183.1. Estimated planetary
A indices were 7, 7, 8, 8, 11, 11, and 11, with a mean of 9.

__________________________________

==>IN BRIEF:

* This weekend on the radio: The Armed Forces Day Communications Test;
the Nevada and Oregon QSO parties, the Volta WW RTTY Contest, the FISTS
Spring Sprint, the CQ-M International DX Contest and the 50 MHz Spring
Sprint are the weekend of May 11-12. JUST AHEAD: The Anatolian RTTY WW
Contest, the His Majesty the King of Spain Contest (CW) and the Baltic
Contest are the weekend of May 18-19. See the ARRL Contest Branch page
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
<http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.

* ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
Registration for the Level I ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Course (EC-001) will remain open through the May 11-12 weekend.
Registration for the Level II Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
Course (EC-002) and for the Antenna Modeling Course opens Monday, May
13; registration for Level III (EC-003) opens Monday, May 20. Also,
registration for HF Digital Communications (EC-005) opens Monday, May
20. All registrations open at 4 PM Eastern Time. ARRL Emergency
Communications courses must be completed in order, starting with Level
I. To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education
Web page <http://www.arrl.org/cce> and the C-CE Links found there. For
more information, contact Certification and Continuing Education Program
Coordinator Dan Miller, K3UFG, cce@arrl.org.

* On-line ARRL November Sweepstakes SSB results available: On-line
results for the 2001 ARRL November Sweepstakes (SSB) now are available
on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/contests/results/>. Included
with these are an expanded contest writeup by Kelly Taylor, VE4XT; a
searchable database on the results of the Affiliated Club Competition
for Sweepstakes; and other interesting sidebars and photographs.

* ARRL joins AARE: The ARRL has joined the American Association of Radio
Enthusiasts (AARE), a nonprofit industry trade group formed to promote
Amateur Radio and emergency communications outside traditional amateur
circles. AARE says it will serve as "the voice of the manufacturers and
dealers in radio." Its stated goal is to help ham radio grow and to
double the number of hams in five years. ICOM's Ray Novak, KC7JPA, has
been chosen to serve as AARE's first president. Members of the Amateur
Radio industry created the group April 5 during an informal annual
meeting of Amateur Radio manufacturers in Milwaukee in conjunction with
AES Superfest 2002. The AARE Web site, now under construction, will
provide additional
information. The organization has scheduled a meeting for August 17 at
the Huntsville Hamfest. Dealers and manufacturers of radio products
interested in joining AARE may contact Evelyn Garrison,
evelyn@aaregroup.org, for details.

* Tornado a reality check for ARRL Emergency Communications Course
student: ARRL Emergency Communications Course student Charlie Crizer,
KF4MNE, of Alexandria, Virginia, says at least one course activity
turned into reality April 28. In one activity scenario in the course,
the student has been designated as chief liaison officer for a Simulated
Emergency Test in which a tornado will wipe out a neighboring community.
The student has to find VHF/UHF frequencies to monitor during the
initial stages; a
repeater for use as a calling channel; a VHF simplex frequency for local
operations; and a UHF repeater for calling and coordination. Since he
wasn't up to that part of the course then, Crizer says, he decided to
worry about that exercise when the time came. "How wrong I was. On
Sunday evening, my neighboring community [La Plata, Maryland] was wiped
out by a tornado." Crizer said that evening he found himself--along with
a lot of others--doing the same things outlined in the course activity's
scenario. "While anyone can buy the course books, read them and gain a
better understanding of emergency communications, actually doing the
activities is the real 'meat' of this course," he said. "Do them well."
To learn more, visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Web
page and the C-CE Links found there. For more information, contact
Certification and Continuing Education Program Coordinator Dan Miller,
K3UFG, cce@arrl.org.

* Ham radio could have role in Phenomenon sequel: Amateur Radio is
poised to hit the big screen yet again in a movie tentatively titled
Phenomenon II. Phenomenon debuted in 1996 and featured John Travolta and
his ham operator friend Forest Whitaker. In one scene, Travolta's
character appears to be able to copy RTTY transmissions by ear. For the
original Phenomenon movie, ARRL provided several props for the ham radio
shack. The sequel is still in the very early stages of development. A
researcher working on checking facts in the script contacted ARRL to ask
if operators actually used the term "CQ" when initiating contacts. She
also told ARRL Media Relations Manager Jennifer Hagy, N1TDY, that the
possibility exists for the creation of a television series based on the
Phenomenon movies. Hagy offered further assistance if needed. No further
details were immediately available.

* P5/4L4FN back in North Korea; QSLs are in the mail: Ed Giorgadze,
P5/4L4FN, reports that he is back in Pyongyang, North Korea, after a
short recreational trip to other parts of Asia. And he returns with good
news: He now has an Ameritron AL-80A linear amp, donated by Martti
Laine, OH2BH: Bernie McClenny, W3UR; and Al Baker, W5IZ. Giorgadze
expressed is gratitude to the trio as well as to Jari Wirzenius, OH2BVE,
and his staff at the Nokia office in Beijing, who made a special effort
to clear the unit through complicated customs procedures in China. He
says he's already fired up the amp and obtained the expected result. "So
the unit works well and generates lot more RF power from the skylines of
Pyongyang," he said in a posting to QSL manager Bruce Paige, KK5DO. "Now
I am ready for more P5 QSOs, are you?" Meanwhile, Paige reports that he
mailed some 4500 P5/4L4FN cards on May 4, representing replies to all
cards he's received to date. Paige said that from now on, he plans to
process all cards on the day he gets them. For his own part, Paige was
the first station to get DXCC credit for North Korean for working
P5/4L4FN.

* Panama amateurs recover lost bands: Amateurs in Panama (HP) again have
access to 30 meters as well as to most UHF bands they'd lost two years
ago. The restrictions resulted from a revised National Plan of Frequency
Allocations put into place in March 2000 by the Public Services
Regulatory Entity--Panama's FCC. Enrique Preciado, HP1IBF, credited
restoration of the bands to the tenacious efforts of the Radio Club of
Panama (HP1RCP) and of many individual amateurs in the Central American
nation. Preciada said that after lengthy discussions, debates and public
hearings, Panama's amateurs convinced authorities to reconsider the
value of amateur activity to the community--as well as the importance of
having Panama's regulations conform to international conventions and
agreements that it had already signed. Only one was not restored to
amateur use--33 cm (902-028 MHz). The other bands restored included
amateur allocations at 1.2 GHz and higher. "We learned a lesson that we
radio amateurs ought to use our space in the spectrum, care for and
protect it very jealously, if we want our hobby to survive," Preciado
told ARRL.--Jon Siverling, WB3ERA/ARRL

* Vote on QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque
Award for April was James C. Garland, W8ZR, for his article "The
EZ-Tuner." Congratulations, Jim! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque
award--given to the author of the best article in each issue--is
determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes place each month on
the Cover Plaque Poll Web page,
<http://www.arrl.org/members-only/qstvote.html>. As soon as your copy
arrives, cast a ballot for your favorite article in the May 2002 issue
of QST. Voting ends May 31.

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the
American Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur
Radio--225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax
860-594-0259; http://www.arrl.org. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President

The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of
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