[South Florida DX Association] The ARRL Letter, Vol 25, No 36

[Bill Marx]

 ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 25, No. 36
> September 8, 2006
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +Hams want broadcasters' battle off amateur frequencies
> * +League accepts Golden Antenna Award
> * +SuitSat-1 deorbits; a SuitSat-2 is possible
> * +Astronaut's niece, classmates talk to ISS via ham radio
> * +Maine's governor gets ham radio ticket
> * +Virginia's ham radio antenna law aids local ordinance revision
> * +Mid-October ARRL On-Line Auction preview set
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>     This weekend on the radio: ARRL September VHF QSO Party, NA Sprint
> (CW)!
>     ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>    +Reminder - vanity renewal fee now $20.80
>    +Virginia radio amateur not prosecuted on radio-related felony charge
>     Hydraulic malfunction faulted in CubeSat launch failure
>     Armin Henry Meyer, W3ACE, SK
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News <http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/audio/>
>
> ===========================================================
> ==>Delivery problems: First see FAQ
> <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/faq.html#nodelivery>, then e-mail
> <letter-dlvy at arrl.org>
> ==>Editorial questions or comments only: Rick Lindquist, N1RL,
> <n1rl at arrl.org>
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>IARU, MEMBER-SOCIETIES WANT BROADCASTERS TO END "BATTLE ON THE HAM 
> BANDS"
>
> As the so-called "Firedragon" jammer continues to transmit in one or more
> Amateur Radio bands, the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and 
> three
> of its Region 3 member-societies so far have appealed to the jammer's 
> target
> to move elsewhere. The Firedragon's all-music transmissions from the
> People's Republic of China (PRC) appear aimed at blocking the much-weaker
> broadcasts of the clandestine "Sound of Hope" (SOH), located outside the
> PRC. Responding via e-mail September 5 to an inquiry from IARU Region 1
> Monitoring System (IARUMS) Vice Coordinator Uli Bihlmayer, DJ9KR, the SOH
> said its supporters use various avenues "including Amateur Radio
> frequencies" to get their message into the PRC.
>
> "Through our investigation, we learned that the transmissions of SOH
> programs through Amateur Radio frequencies come from areas around China, 
> and
> they each only target a local area of China with very low power, only for
> the intended audience and would interfere with nobody else," said SOH's 
> Yue
> Chen.
>
> Yue addressed the reply to "All Amateur Radio Community Members" and
> indicated it was copied to the International Telecommunication Union 
> (ITU),
> although no ITU addressee was displayed. Yue encouraged the Amateur Radio
> community to "openly urge the Chinese government to stop this outrageous 
> act
> of radio jamming" and to urge the ITU to take action as well.
>
> Wireless Institute of Australia (WIA) Director Glenn Dunstan, VK4DU, told
> the Sound of Hope via e-mail this week that if it wants the support of the
> international community, it should move its transmissions into legitimate
> broadcasting spectrum.
>
> "There is more than enough radio spectrum for you to use outside of the
> Amateur Radio bands," Dunstan said September 5. "You are in breach of
> international radio regulations."
>
> A similar reaction came September 6 from Amateur Radio Society of India
> (ARSI) Monitoring System Coordinator B.L. Manohar Arasu, VU2UR, who 
> pointed
> the finger at both the Sound of Hope and the Firedragon music jammer.
>
> "We, the Indian Amateur Radio operators, condemn both of you for using
> Amateur Radio frequencies," he said. "Please leave the frequencies clear 
> at
> the earliest." Arasu suggested the jamming not only was bothersome to
> everyday hamming but could cause problems for emergency communication by
> radio amateurs.
>
> New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) Monitoring Service
> Coordinator Len Martinson, ZL1BYA, e-mailed the Sound of Hope September 6 
> to
> say its "illegal broadcast transmissions" were causing unlawful and 
> harmful
> interference to the legal occupants of the Amateur Radio bands in 
> question.
>
> "Your transmissions are also attracting the attention of jamming stations,
> which is increasing the interference to unacceptable levels," he said.
> "Please cease transmissions in the exclusive amateur bands immediately."
>
> Writing SOH on behalf of the IARU, Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ, asked the
> clandestine broadcaster to be more careful in its selection of 
> transmitting
> frequencies. "Your operations in the 14 and 18 MHz bands have caused 
> serious
> interference to the amateur radio service, which is allocated these bands
> (14.000-14.350 and 18.068-18.168 MHz) for two-way amateur radio
> communication," Sumner wrote. "Please do not operate in these or any other
> amateur radio bands."
>
> Bihlmayer said September 6 that the Firedragon was back on 14.050 MHz -- a
> part of the 20-meter band allocated to the Amateur Radio Service on an
> exclusive basis worldwide -- after spending two days on 14.400 MHz. Over 
> the
> past several months, the jammer also has been heard on 10.135 MHz, 14.260
> MHz, 18.080 MHz and 18.160 MHz.
>
> The music jammer takes apparent monitoring breaks on the hour. When the
> jammer's carrier is off, Bihlmayer, who lives in Southern Germany, says 
> he's
> heard a weak carrier on 14.050 MHz broadcasting a Chinese program that
> included speech.
>
> ARRL Monitoring System/Intruder Watch Liaison Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, says
> he's been able to hear the jammer from W1AW. In July, when the same jammer
> also was appearing on 18.160 MHz, Bihlmayer alerted telecom authorities in
> Germany and Hong Kong, as well as IARU Region 3 and the PRC embassy in
> Berlin to the situation. The 17-meter band also is a worldwide exclusive
> Amateur Radio allocation. Skolaut says he's received reports about the 
> music
> jammer from all over the US, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
>
> ==>ARRL RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS GOLDEN ANTENNA AWARD IN GERMANY
>
> The ARRL is the recipient of the 2006 Golden Antenna Award in recognition 
> of
> the role the League and its members played in providing and supporting
> emergency communication during the response to Hurricane Katrina. The city
> of Bad Bentheim, Germany, sponsors the annual award. ARRL Chief 
> Development
> Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, accepted the honor on behalf of the League on
> August 25.
>
> "It was a honor to represent ARRL and accept the Golden Antenna Award that
> recognizes the role that hundreds of ARRL members played in the response 
> to
> Katrina in 2005," Hobart said. "The speeches were generous in their praise
> of ARRL, and the cameras flashed as Bad Bentheim Mayor Günter Alsmeier
> presented the award." The city paid all expenses for Hobart's visit to
> Germany.
>
> The August 25 presentation took place at formal flag-draped ceremonies in
> the 12th century Bad Bentheim Castle to kick off the 38th annual Amateur
> Radio Days. The event is a cooperative venture of the German-Dutch Amateur
> Radio organization DNAT (Deutsch-Niederländischen Amateurfunker Tage/Duits
> Nederlands Amateur Treffen) and the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club (DARC).
>
> Hobart said the gracious and generous hospitality of both German and Dutch
> members of the Amateur Radio fraternity made her visit special. Topping 
> off
> the weekend was a large flea market that drew hams from both countries and
> from as far away as Spain.
>
> "Of course bratwurst and beer added flavor to the occasion!" Hobart 
> quipped.
>
> In her remarks during the presentation, Hobart expressed appreciation for
> the award on behalf of all who helped following Katrina and said she'd 
> find
> a suitable location to display the award at ARRL Headquarters.
>
> Bad Bentheim has presented The Golden Antenna Award since 1982 to 
> recognize
> outstanding Amateur Radio public service and humanitarian contributions. A
> jury of five German and Dutch radio amateurs makes the final selection. 
> The
> 2005 award went to the Radio Society of Sri Lanka for its performance in 
> the
> wake of the December 2004 South Asia earthquake and tsunami.
>
> ==>SUITSAT-1 (AO-54), RE-ENTERS EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE
>
> SuitSat-1 (AO-54) is history. The surplus Russian Orlan spacesuit turned
> satellite, which became one of the greatest public relations vehicles for
> Amateur Radio in years, re-entered and burned up in Earth's atmosphere
> Thursday, September 7, at 1600 UTC some 1400 km south-southwest of Western
> Australia. The announcement came September 8 from Amateur Radio on the
> International Space Station (ARISS) International Chairman Frank Bauer,
> KA3HDO. Bauer expressed thanks to "all who made SuitSat-1 the phenomenal
> event that it was." Launched February 3 during a spacewalk from the ISS,
> SuitSat-1's 2-meter signal was heard around the world, although at a much
> weaker signal strength than anticipated.
>
> "Your hard work and dedication paid off," Bauer continued. "In just three
> weeks the SuitSat team developed and delivered a safe satellite system 
> that
> has gained the confidence of the international space agencies." Bauer also
> noted the "unprecedented press coverage" that included more than 9 million
> hits on the SuitSat-1 Web site <http://www.suitsat.org> during February
> alone as well as several prominent mentions in the general news media.
>
> "Students around the world had the opportunity to participate in a
> seven-month 'school spacewalk' with the artwork, pictures, signatures and
> voices onboard," Bauer pointed out. "And the 'super-sleuth' ham radio
> operator extraordinaires were able to pull a significant amount of data 
> from
> the satellite, despite its low signal strength."
>
> After SuitSat-1's VHF ham radio payload stopped transmitting earlier this
> year, AMSAT initiated a "Chicken Little Contest," for participants to 
> guess
> when SuitSat-1 would deorbit. Winners and more information are on the 
> AMSAT
> Web site <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/ariss/suitsatContest.php>.
>
> Bauer said plans for a potential SuitSat-2 will be a discussion topic at 
> the
> AMSAT/ARISS joint meeting in October
> <http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/>.
>
> Commented ARRL ARISS Liaison Rosalie White, K1STO: "This unique satellite
> lasted longer than anyone ever expected, making the ARISS team proud."
>
> ==>ASTRONAUT'S KIN AMONG MIDDLE SCHOOLERS FOR SPACE CONTACT VIA HAM RADIO
>
> ISS astronaut Jeff Williams, KD5TVQ, got to answer questions about life in
> space from his niece and several of her classmates August 28 during a
> Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with
> Northeast Middle School in Clarksville, Tennessee. Williams told his 
> niece,
> Riley -- who asked the first question -- that he became an astronaut 
> because
> it involves excitement and discovery.
>
> "And flying in space is the current frontier for exploration," Williams
> remarked. If he were to pick another career, he said he'd return to the US
> Army. A Wisconsin native, Williams is a graduate of the US Military 
> Academy
> at West Point, New York.
>
> Another student wanted to know what an astronaut would do if the tether to
> the ISS broke during a spacewalk or EVA -- extra-vehicular activity -- as
> NASA calls it.
>
> "Well, we're very careful, and our equipment is designed so that it won't
> break," Williams replied. "If that were to happen, though, when we're 
> doing
> an American EVA -- in the American suits -- we have what we call 'safers.'
> They're little jet packs that we have on the backpack of the space suit, 
> and
> we can fly back to the space station. They're only used for emergencies."
>
> Responding to another question, Williams said it's not really known how 
> long
> a human being could remain in space before encountering medical or health
> problems. He noted that the crew does keep a strict exercise regimen in
> space.
>
> "We're learning to understand what happens to the human body after a long
> period of time [in space]," he continued. "Of course, most expeditions are
> about six months." But he noted that back in the days of the Russian Mir
> space station, one cosmonaut stayed aboard for 437 days "and he did well
> when he got back to the ground."
>
> Williams and ISS Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov, RV3BS, will
> return to Earth at the end of September. They've been in space since last
> April. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Reiter, DF4TR, will remain
> aboard the ISS to help provide some crew continuity for the Expedition 14
> team of NASA astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, KE5GTK, and Russian 
> cosmonaut
> Mikhail Tyurin, RZ3FT.
>
> In response to another question from his niece, Williams told the 
> youngsters
> that the ISS crew has been growing a variety of plants as part of its
> scientific research. "The latest one we tried here was peas, and we had a
> great survival rate initially, but we had some kind of a problem, which we
> don't quite understand, and the peas all eventually died, so, we're still
> working on that," he said. "It's a very important experiment, especially 
> for
> the future, to provide food, for example, when we go to Mars."
>
> Northeast Middle School science teacher Sharon Fletcher said the ARISS
> contact had inspired a lot of interest among her students in becoming
> astronauts.
>
> During the approximately 10-minute contact, the students had 18 questions
> asked and answered before the ISS went over the horizon at Earth station
> VK4KHZ in Australia. Verizon Conferencing donated a teleconferencing link 
> to
> provide two-way audio between the school and VK4KHZ.
>
> ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational outreach,
> with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA.
>
> ==>MAINE'S GOVERNOR IS NOW KB1NXP
>
> Maine Gov John E. Baldacci may now be the only sitting state chief 
> executive
> holding an Amateur Radio license. Following up on an effort begun a few
> years ago, Baldacci took and passed his Technician license test September 
> 6,
> and the FCC issued his new call sign, KB1NXP, the following day. Bill
> Crowley, K1NIT, is the liaison for the ARRL VEC volunteer examiner team 
> that
> administered Baldacci's Amateur Radio license examination.
>
> "We heard that he was interested in getting his license," Crowley told 
> ARRL.
> "So I talked to a couple of other people in the Augusta Amateur Radio
> Association and said, 'You know, we're the guys who could do this. We're
> right here, right in his backyard, and I think we ought to help him get a
> license.'"
>
> Crowley said Baldacci expressed initial interest in becoming licensed 
> after
> learning of the Amateur Radio response following the 1998 ice storm that
> devastated a wide area of the Northeast. At the time, Baldacci was
> representing Maine's Second District in the US House. He renewed his
> interest in 2003, shortly after becoming Maine's governor, promising to 
> add
> the goal of getting his ticket to his to-do list and seeking the
> encouragement and help of Maine's hams to achieve it.
>
> Former Maine State Treasurer Rod Scribner, KA1RFD -- a longtime radio
> amateur and instructor -- was recruited to help make it happen. "Rod went 
> up
> there once a week, very early in the morning, and tutored him -- went
> through all the material," Crowley recounted. But the pressures of office
> compelled Baldacci to put the project on a back burner.
>
> During that lull, Crowley says he occasionally used his back channels at 
> the
> Department of Public Safety, where he works, to relay messages via
> Baldacci's security guards to remind the governor the Augusta club was 
> still
> eager to give him his ham radio test. "It got to be a standing joke," he
> said.
>
> Crowley had an opportunity to deliver the message firsthand in July when 
> he
> greeted the Baldacci during an official occasion. "I said, 'You know, 
> we've
> got to get this going,'" he recalled telling the governor. Baldacci asked
> Crowley to call his office and set up an appointment.
>
> Baldacci was a little concerned at that point that he might be behind the
> curve since the Technician question pool had changed since he'd worked 
> with
> Scribner, Crowley said. But he assured the governor that the club members
> could get him back up to speed in short order.
>
> Over coffee early on September 6, Scribner, Crowley and the other members 
> of
> the VE team -- Don Smith, AE1Q, and Tom Bailey, KB1EKY -- reviewed the
> current Technician material. "Then, he sat down and took the test and did
> very well," Crowley said.
>
> Baldacci got a taste of Amateur Radio in 2003, when he checked into the
> 75-meter Maine Sea Gull Net during a visit with members of the Ellsworth
> Amateur Wireless Association and other amateurs. On that occasion, the
> governor assured the gathering that the Maine Emergency Management Agency
> depends on Amateur Radio to support the statewide communications system 
> and
> said Maine would rely on Amateur Radio volunteers if primary
> telecommunication systems go down.
>
> Now, historic Blaine House in Maine's capital of Augusta could become the
> only governor's residence to start sporting Amateur Radio antennas. 
> Perhaps
> because Maine's motto is Dirigo -- I lead, Crowley hopes Baldacci will 
> serve
> as a trendsetter among his gubernatorial colleagues across the US. In this
> instance, the old saying from the world of politics, "As Maine goes, so 
> goes
> the nation," still may apply.
>
> ==>AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNA LAW LEADS VIRGINIA COUNTY TO REVISE ORDINANCE
>
> The existence of Virginia's Amateur Radio antenna statute recently was
> instrumental in convincing the Stafford County Board of Supervisors to 
> adopt
> changes that make it easier for radio amateurs to erect antenna support
> structures. Tom Gregory, N4NW -- a former Virginia Section Emergency
> Coordinator who lives in Stafford -- says that before the amendments went
> into effect, an Amateur Radio licensee wanting to put up a tower could 
> have
> been asked to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) and pay a $7500
> filing fee. Gregory says that's because the old county ordinance did not
> distinguish between Amateur Radio and cellular towers. The county didn't
> necessarily oppose ham radio antennas, he said, but the application 
> earlier
> this year of Lewis Cheek, K4HR, to erect a 120-foot antenna support
> structure apparently caught county officials unawares.
>
> "It was more of a situation that county staff was incapable of making a
> decision without clear guidelines to say that they could or could not do
> something," said Gregory.
>
> Stafford County's revised ordinance permits Amateur Radio operation "by
> right" throughout the county, situated roughly halfway between Richmond 
> and
> Washington, DC. The changes require ham radio antenna support structures 
> to
> comply with zoning requirements applying to accessory structures in a 
> given
> municipality.
>
> Virginia's 1998 Amateur Radio antenna law
> <http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+15.2-2293.1> is among
> the few that go beyond merely incorporating the language of the PRB-1
> limited federal preemption
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/local/prb-1.html> into state
> statutes. It also provides minimum regulatory heights of either 75 feet or
> 200 feet for antenna support structures, depending upon population 
> density.
>
> Gregory says just having an Amateur Radio antenna law on the 
> Commonwealth's
> books helped get the situation off the dime in Stafford County.
>
> "The fact that the Virginia state code specifically had some numbers in it
> and some clear language in it, that carried more weight with [county
> officials] than what PRB-1 says, which basically says, 'you'll accommodate
> the amateur,' but doesn't give any guidelines to localities," Gregory 
> said.
> It didn't hurt either when the specter of litigation was raised. The 
> county
> attorney told the Board of Supervisors that, given Virginia's Amateur 
> Radio
> Antenna statute, the Board would be on shaky legal ground in trying to
> require a CUP and likely would lose if the case landed in court, Gregory
> said.
>
> Before even approaching the Stafford County Board of Supervisors with an 
> eye
> toward changing the ordinance, Cheek and Gregory boned up on antenna
> restrictions via the ARRL Web site
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/antenna-restrictions.html> 
> as
> well as local codes and ordinances throughout the commonwealth. As a 
> result,
> Gregory said, they were able to educate county officials about ham radio 
> and
> its benefits to the community. Armed with extensive ARRL materials, a copy
> of the Virginia Amateur Radio antenna law and the assistance of ARRL
> Volunteer Counsel George Marzloff, K4GM, Gregory and Cheek testified 
> before
> the county Planning Commission to urge adoption of changes to permit 
> Amateur
> Radio by right.
>
> Gregory, Cheek, and other radio amateurs, including Stafford County ARES
> Emergency Coordinator Bart Bartholomew, N3GQ, also testified before the 
> full
> Board of Supervisors, which adopted the zoning ordinance revisions August 
> 1.
> The revised ordinance also specifically defines Amateur Radio for the 
> first
> time.
>
> Gregory encouraged radio amateurs in the 27 states lacking Amateur Radio
> antenna laws to work toward getting one on the books.
>
> ==>ARRL ON-LINE AUCTION "PREVIEW" SET FOR MID-OCTOBER
>
> With a little less than two months to go and counting before the ARRL's
> first On-Line Auction gets under way, ARRL Business Services Manager Deb
> Jahnke, K1DAJ, says the League has received several generous donations 
> from
> a variety of sources. Auction proceeds will benefit ARRL educational
> programs and services.
>
> "I think you'll find a terrific variety of items when bidding kicks off on
> October 23," she said. Jahnke says the On-Line Auction site will open for 
> a
> "preview" starting Monday, October 16.
>
> "At that time, you'll be able to view many of the items that will be up 
> for
> bid the following week," she said. "You'll also be able to register at 
> that
> time, if you choose." Auction proceeds will help to support the League's
> educational services and programs.
>
> The auction will be open to all -- ARRL members and otherwise. Bidders 
> just
> need online access and must register prior to participating, which they 
> may
> do at any time during the auction.
>
> The ARRL On-Line Auction will begin Monday, October 23, and will wrap up
> Friday, November 3. Jahnke and her Business Services team are planning,
> organizing and managing this premier event.
>
> Jahnke said many ARRL members have inquired to ask if they could donate a
> piece of vintage Amateur Radio gear or other item for the auction --  
> either
> on their own behalf or in someone's memory.
>
> "If this is something that you wish to do, please contact me
> <djahnke at arrl.org> to discuss it further," she said.
>
> Jahnke says the link to the ARRL On-Line Auction site will become 
> available
> via the ARRL Web home page during the October 16 preview and once bidding
> begins October 23.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Propagation prognosticator Tad "Sunshine Superman" Cook, K7RA, Seattle,
> Washington, reports: Average daily sunspot numbers were down only slightly
> this week -- from 27 to 25.3. There were two days this week when the 
> sunspot
> number was zero, and as we move closer to the bottom of Sunspot Cycle 23, 
> we
> should see more zero sunspot days than we're currently experiencing.
>
> The last solar minimum was centered near October 1996, and prior to that 
> was
> week after week of no sunspots. Currently we're observing average daily
> sunspot numbers in the 20s and 30s. According to weekly NOAA Space
> Environment Center sunspot predictions
> <http://sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/weekly/Predict.txt>, these averages are above
> the high end for this month and last, and the minimum is about six months
> away.
>
> Right now is a fairly good time for long-distance HF communication, 
> because
> the geomagnetic field is mostly stable, sunspots haven't disappeared and
> we're close to the autumnal equinox. Best bets appear to be 40, 30 and 20
> meters.
>
> For more information concerning radio propagation, see the ARRL Technical
> Information Service <http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html>.
>
> Sunspot numbers for August 31 through September 6 were 39, 32, 27, 0, 0, 
> 26
> and 53, with a mean of 25.3. 10.7 cm flux was 83.2, 76.9, 75.6, 76.5, 79,
> 80.4, and 84, with a mean of 79.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 8, 
> 13,
> 7, 6, 23, 8 and 7, with a mean of 10.3. Estimated mid-latitude A indices
> were 6, 8, 6, 6, 15, 7 and 6, with a mean of 7.7.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The ARRL September VHF QSO Party, the North
> American Sprint (CW), the Worked All Europe (WAE) DX Contest (SSB), the
> International G3ZQS Memorial Straight Key Contest, the Swiss HTC QRP 
> Sprint,
> the SOC Marathon Sprint, the Tennessee QSO Party and the ARCI End of 
> Summer
> Digital Sprint are the weekend of September 9-10. JUST AHEAD: YLRL Howdy
> Days are September 12-14. The North American Sprint (SSB), the ARRL 10 GHz
> and Up Contest, F.I.S.T.S. Get Your Feet Wet Weekend, the SARL VHF/UHF
> Contest, the Scandinavian Activity Contest (CW), the South Carolina QSO
> Party, QRP Afield, the Washington State Salmon Run and the QCWA Fall QSO
> Party are the weekend of September 16-17. The Run for the Bacon QRP 
> Contest
> and the 144 MHz Fall Sprint are September 18. The NAQCC Straight Key/Bug
> Sprint is September 21. 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 remains open through Sunday, September 24, for these ARRL
> Certification and Continuing Education (CCE) program online courses: 
> Amateur
> Radio Emergency Communications Level 1 (EC-001), Radio Frequency
> Interference (EC-006), Antenna Design and Construction (EC-009), Analog
> Electronics (EC-012) and Digital Electronics (EC-013). Classes begin on
> Friday, October 6. These courses will also open for registration Friday,
> September 22, for classes beginning Friday, November 3. To learn more, 
> visit
> the CCE Course Listing page
> <http://mymail.arrl.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.arrl.org/cce/co
> urses.html> or contact the CCE Department <cce at arrl.org>.
>
> * Reminder - vanity fee now $20.80: The regulatory fee to obtain or renew 
> a
> post-1995 Amateur Radio vanity call sign is $20.80 for applications 
> received
> by the FCC on or after Wednesday, September 6. The new fee covers the
> 10-year license term. See <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2006/08/01/3/>
> for more information.
>
> * Virginia radio amateur not prosecuted on radio-related felony charge:
> Dennis Alford, KC4VGA, of Wythe County, Virginia, is breathing a bit more
> easily now that he's no longer facing a felony charge of possessing an
> unlawful communication device. According to a news report in The 
> Wytheville
> Enterprise, a misdemeanor charge of unlawful interfering with a two-way
> radio was taken under advisement. It will be dismissed after a year if no
> similar charges are brought against Alford, a 60-year-old longtime radio
> amateur. The newspaper says a Wythe County General District Court judge
> accepted an agreement worked out by Alford, his attorneys and a local
> prosecutor. A disabled truck plant worker who had been employed as a
> Wal-Mart greeter, Alford still must forfeit three of the radios police
> confiscated last March. One of Alford's attorneys told the court that 
> Alford
> had bought the confiscated radios used and didn't realize they'd been
> modified. Following his August 31 court appearance, authorities returned
> other confiscated radio equipment to Alford. Police had searched Alford's
> home after the Wytheville Police Department in January reported extensive
> interference on its dispatching system that was traced to Alford's
> transmissions. Police subsequently arrested him at work and confiscated
> several pieces of his radio equipment as well as a computer that since had
> been returned to him. He had been on bond pending the hearing. Alford 
> denied
> making any illegal transmissions and said afterward he was satisfied with
> the resolution of his case.
>
> * Hydraulic malfunction faulted in CubeSat launch failure: The commission
> probing the July 26 Dnepr-1LV rocket launch vehicle failure that resulted 
> in
> the loss of more than a dozen CubeSats with ham radio payloads believes it
> knows why the vehicle didn't reach orbit. A brief malfunction of a 
> hydraulic
> drive in a first-stage propulsion unit caused a deviation in the rocket's
> trajectory and "the issuance of a command to abort the flight," said a 
> news
> release from Kosmotras, the company responsible for the rocket's launch.
> Kosmotras said the cause of the hydraulic malfunction has been determined,
> and the committee is "working up recommendations for its rectification."
> Russia, meanwhile, has suspended further Dnepr-1 LV launches. Fourteen of
> the tiny spacecraft that were lost carried Amateur Radio VHF or UHF beacon
> or telemetry transmitters. Various accounts indicated that the mission 
> went
> awry less than two minutes after liftoff. The CubeSat project was a
> collaboration between California Polytechnic State University-San Luis
> Obispo and Stanford University's Space Systems Development Laboratory. All
> of the CubeSats were designed and built by students at various 
> universities
> around the world.--some information from AMSAT News Service
>
> * Armin Henry Meyer, W3ACE, SK: Former US Ambassador Armin Henry "Hank"
> Meyer, W3ACE, died August 13 following a long illness. He was 92. An ARRL
> Life Member, Meyer, an expert on the Middle East, served as US ambassador 
> to
> Lebanon in the Kennedy Administration after postings in Iraq and
> Afghanistan. He later was the US envoy to Iran and Japan. In 1972, he 
> headed
> President Richard Nixon's terrorism unit following the killing of Israeli
> Olympic athletes in Munich. Amateur Radio went around the globe with him. 
> He
> operated over the years as YI2AN, OD5AX, YA1AM, EP3AM and JH1YDR, and he
> especially enjoyed operating on the low bands. Meyer was a member of the
> National Capitol DX Association. As W3ACE, he had 325 DXCC entities
> confirmed (mixed and phone) and at one point achieved No 1 Honor Roll. He
> also earned DXCCs as OD5AX, EP3AM and JH1YDR.
>
> ===========================================================
> The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
> Radio Relay League: ARRL--the National Association For Amateur Radio, 225
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>
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