[TCARC-NTX] Fw: The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 49

[Fred Muehlen]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "ARRL Letter Mailing List" <letter-dlvy@arrl.org>
To: <n5wla@isp01.net>
Sent: Friday, December 12, 2003 5:40 PM
Subject: The ARRL Letter, Vol 22, No 49


> ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 22, No. 49
> December 12, 2003
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +FEMA says BPL's benefits don't outweigh its shortcomings
> * +Recess offers opportunity to promote ham radio bills
> * +Expedition 8 commander thrills the madding crowd
> * +Universal Licensing System to get a new look
> * +German student-amateurs enjoy space chat
> * +Morse code to gain a new character
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Emergency Communications course registration
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>     +FCC enforcement funding will not decrease in new fiscal year
>      UK amateur copies signal from Mars Express spacecraft
>      Amateurs complete 82-mile two-way DSSS link on 2.4 GH
>      New 241-GHz record claimed
>      Robert S. Bennett, W3WCQ, SK
>      Aeronautical mobile special event to mark 100 years of flight
>      "Toys, Trains, Dolls!" special event set
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News
>
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>FEMA SAYS BPL WILL "SEVERELY IMPAIR" ESSENTIAL HF OPERATIONS
>
> A proverbial monkey wrench in the works for BPL? Expressing "grave
> concerns" about likely interference from unlicensed Broadband over
Power
> Line (BPL) systems, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
told
> the FCC that BPL could "severely impair FEMA's mission-essential HF
radio
> operations in areas serviced by BPL technology." FEMA responded
December 4
> to last April's FCC BPL Notice of Inquiry, ET Docket 03-104. Now part
of
> the Department of Homeland Security--the agency said its primary worry
is
> BPL's potential impact on the FEMA National Radio System (FNARS) on
HF.
> FNARS is FEMA's primary command and control backup medium under the
> Federal Response Plan.
>
> "FEMA has concluded that introduction of unwanted interference from
the
> implementation of BPL technology into the high frequency radio
spectrum
> will result in significant detriment to the operation of FEMA radio
> systems such as FNARS," FEMA asserted. "FNARS radio operators normally
> conduct communications with signals that are barely above the ambient
> noise levels." FNARS HF stations, FEMA said, typically are in
residential
> areas of the sort that BPL might serve.
>
> As part of the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA's perspectives on
BPL
> could carry substantial weight at the FCC, which may issue a Notice of
> Proposed Rule Making as early as February. The FCC's BPL Notice of
Inquiry
> has attracted more than 5100 comments--many of them from the amateur
> community.
>
> FEMA said BPL also could render useless such "essential communications
> services" as the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the
> Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) and the Civil Air Patrol. FEMA
and
> ARRL last year signed a Memorandum of Understanding that focuses on
how
> Amateur Radio may coordinate with the agency in disasters and
emergencies.
>
> Calling the HF spectrum "an invaluable and irreplaceable public safety
> resource," FEMA said there's no current alternative to HF in terms of
> meeting national security and emergency preparedness requirements at
the
> national, state and local levels. The agency advised the FCC to beef
up
> its Part 15 rules to ensure no increase in interference levels to
existing
> FCC or NTIA-licensed communication systems. Otherwise, FEMA predicted,
> "any noise increase inevitably would diminish the ability to maintain
> essential communications" and would "directly impair the safety of
life
> and property."
>
> Likewise, FEMA pointed out, amateur HF transmitters could possibly
> interfere with and interrupt BPL service, leading consumers not
familiar
> with Part 15 to blame licensed radio services.
>
> Concluded FEMA: "The purported benefits of BPL in terms of expanded
> services in certain communications sectors do not appear to outweigh
the
> benefit to the overall public of HF radio capability as presently used
by
> government, broadcasting and public safety users."
>
> Additional information about BPL and Amateur Radio is on the ARRL Web
> site, www.arrl.org/tis/info/html/plc/. To support the League's efforts
in
> this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site,
> https://www.arrl.org/forms/development/donations/bpl/.
>
> ==>CONGRESSIONAL RECESS PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY TO PROMOTE AMATEUR RADIO
> BILLS
>
> Just as the US House of Representatives was about to adjourn for the
year,
> the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act, HR 713, picked up three new
> cosponsors. The addition of Democrats Sander M. Levin of Michigan,
Brad
> Sherman of California and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland brings the
> cosponsor list to 77. The nation's lawmakers now have headed home and
> won't be back in Washington until January 20. ARRL President Jim
Haynie,
> W5JBP, suggests that League members take advantage of the
> opportunity--while members of Congress are on their home turf--to
visit
> their local offices and urge support for the spectrum protection
measure
> and for the so-called "CC&R bill," HR 1478.
>
> "It wouldn't hurt to stop by and drop off a QSL card with a message
asking
> for support," Haynie said. "That's what it's going to take. Cards and
> letters from individual voters do make a difference." Judging by the
> number of cosponsors to date, Haynie says, the spectrum protection
bill
> appears to be gaining the attention of lawmakers.
>
> Other recent Spectrum Protection Act cosponsors include Anibal
> Acevedo-Vila (D-PR), Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), Bob Filner (D-CA), Betty
> McCollum (D-MN) and Brian Baird (D-WA), who signed aboard during
November.
>
> Identical versions of the Spectrum Protection Act have been introduced
in
> the House and Senate. The number of cosponsors for the Senate version,
S
> 537, remains at eight. Sponsored in the House by Rep Michael Bilirakis
> (R-FL) and in the Senate by Sen Michael Crapo (R-ID), the bill would
> require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to
Amateur
> Radio if the FCC reallocates primary amateur frequencies, reduces any
> secondary amateur allocations, or makes additional allocations within
such
> bands that would substantially reduce their utility to amateurs.
>
> Meanwhile, the cosponsor count on the CC&R bill--known formally as HR
> 1478, the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act of
> 2003--is holding at 29. Sponsored by Rep Steve Israel (D-NY), the CC&R
> bill would require private land-use regulators such as homeowners'
> associations to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio antennas
consistent
> with the PRB-1 limited federal preemption. The ARRL is seeking a
sponsor
> for a companion bill in the US Senate.
>
> For guidance on the best methods of contacting your members of
Congress,
> see "Communicating with Congress," by Derek Riker, KB3JLF, on the ARRL
Web
> site <http://www.arrl.org/news/bandthreat/0304046.pdf> or in the April
> 2003 issue of QST (p 46).
>
> Additional information--including the bills' texts, sample letters and
> information on how to write members of Congress--is on The Amateur
Radio
> Spectrum Protection Act of 2003 Web page
> <http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/arspa.html> and on the HR 1478, The
> Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act of 2003 Web
page
> <http://www.arrl.org/govrelations/hr1478/>.
>
> Those writing their lawmakers on behalf of the Spectrum Protection Act
are
> asked to copy their correspondence to the League via e-mail to
> specbill03@arrl.org. Those writing on behalf of the Amateur Radio
> Emergency Communications Consistency Act, HR 1478, are asked to copy
their
> correspondence to ccr-bill@arrl.org.
>
> ==>EXPEDITION 8 COMMANDER MAKES FIRST QSOS FOR ARISS ROY NEAL, K6DUE,
> EVENT
>
> International Space Station Expedition 8 Commander Mike Foale, KB5UAC,
> thrilled the madding crowd in North America and Europe December 6 as
he
> got on the air to kick off the Amateur Radio on the International
Space
> Station (ARISS) Roy Neal, K6DUE, commemorative special event. The
event
> honors Neal, the SAREX/ARISS Working Group chairman, who died in
August.
>
> "Numerous ham radio operators in these parts of the world made contact
> with Mike Foale or heard the ISS downlink," said ARISS International
> Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. "Those who heard or worked the ISS
qualify
> for a special ISS commemorative certificate.
>
> One of those is past ARRL Roanoke Division Director and Vice President
> John Kanode, N4MM, who lives in Boyce, Virginia. Kanode said that
after
> having his 2-meter radio set on the 145.800 MHz downlink all day
December
> 6, NA1SS finally broke his squelch during the third of four suggested
> North American passes--around 3 PM Eastern Standard Time.
>
> "He was full quieting," said Kanode. A well-known DXer and now an ARRL
> Honorary Vice President, Kanode said he'd never worked any space
shuttle
> missions with ham radio aboard or even the hams aboard the Russian Mir
> space station. "I had no idea I was going to work him," Kanode said.
"It
> made my day!"
>
> Another lucky operator to QSO Foale was Randy Shriver, KG3N. In
November
> 2000, the Hanover, Pennsylvania, ham snagged the first-ever casual
contact
> with Expedition 1 crew commander William Shepherd, KD5GSL.
>
> At week's end, ARISS was still not sure whether Foale would be able to
get
> on the air from NA1SS over the December 13-14 weekend. If he does, it
will
> be for passes over Japan, Australia and New Zealand (see "NA1SS Roy
Neal
> Event Operation Possible this Weekend for Japan, Oceania"
> <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/11/3/>). A "very challenging
> schedule" kept the Expedition 8 crew from getting on the air November
> 29-30 for the Roy Neal special event.
>
> A retired broadcaster, Neal was instrumental in convincing NASA to
make
> Amateur Radio a permanent feature on human space flights. He also
helped
> to form the ARISS international team and moderated its gatherings.
>
> Certificate requests, accompanied by a 9x12 envelope and adequate
return
> postage or IRCs, go to the appropriate QSL address listed on the ARISS
Web
> site <http://www.rac.ca/ariss/>. Bauer said it could take several
weeks to
> process certificate requests.
>
> ==>FCC ANNOUNCES UNIVERSAL LICENSING SYSTEM MAKEOVER
>
> At week's end, the FCC was preparing to put a new face on the
Universal
> Licensing System (ULS) <http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls>, which includes
the
> Amateur Service. The Commission was set to unveil the new on-line ULS
> filing interface December 14.
>
> To implement the changes, the ULS on-line filing system will be down
from
> 12 AM EST Saturday, December 13, until 10 AM EST Sunday, December 14.
>
> Among other features, the ULS makeover will include easier-to-read
> on-screen forms that guide users through filing and simplify such
routine
> tasks as applying for license renewal, address change or vanity call
sign.
> The FCC says the introduction of its new system, called "ULS License
> Manager," concludes phase one of an ongoing ULS overhaul by the
Wireless
> Telecommunications Bureau.
>
> ULS License Manager will be compatible with most, if not all, major
Web
> browsers and computer platforms and no longer will require downloading
> Java and Java Script files. Screens also will be compliant with Web
> screen-to-voice reader software. An FCC staffer involved with
implementing
> ULS License Manager notes that all features may not be in place when
the
> system debuts.
>
> The ULS will require all filers to log into the system using an FCC
> Registration Number (FRN) and Commission Registration System (CORES)
> password. The FCC said it would no longer accept a Taxpayer
Identification
> Number (TIN)--a Social Security Number for most individuals--for
log-in
> purposes.
>
> Once the new system is up and running, all licenses and applications
in
> the ULS database will be converted to the new ULS License Manager
filing
> environment.
>
> There's also a new paper version of FCC Form 605, dated December 2003.
One
> change is that Form 605 no longer requests a date of birth and will
only
> accept an FRN and CORES password. There are no Amateur Service-related
> changes to any Form 605 schedules. The FCC says Amateur Service
applicants
> may continue to use the March 2001 (or later) edition of Form 605,
> although it encourages use of the newest version. The new FCC Form 605
now
> is available via the FCC Web site
> <http://www.fcc.gov/Forms/Form605/605.html>.
>
> To assist with any ULS issues after the changeover, the Technical
Support
> Hotline staff will be available Sunday, December 14, from 10 AM until
6 PM
> EST. Normal hours are weekdays (except holidays) from 8 AM until 6 PM
> Eastern Time. Technical Support is available via the FCC Web site
> <http://esupport.fcc.gov> or telephone 877-480-3201 (TTY
202-414-1255).
>
> ULS licensing support and forms information is available weekdays
(except
> holidays) from 8 AM until 5:30 PM Eastern Time via e-mail
> <ulshelp@fcc.gov> or telephone 888-CALLFCC (225-5322), Option 2 (users
> also may call 717-338-2888).
>
> ==>ISS COMMANDER TALKS WITH GERMAN STUDENT-AMATEURS
>
> ISS Crew Commander Mike Foale, KB5UAC, answered questions posed
December 5
> by students at the Berufliches Schulzentrum Elektrotechnik (Vocational
> High School for Electrical Engineering) in Dresden, Germany. All seven
> students who spoke with Foale were Amateur Radio licensees. The QSO
with
> NA1SS was arranged via the Amateur Radio on the International Space
> Station (ARISS) program.
>
> The students and their teacher, Thomas Hetland, DL8DXW, started
preparing
> for the Amateur Radio exam last summer. "The goal was to participate
in a
> radio contact with an astronaut on the ISS by using their own Amateur
> Radio call signs," said ARISS Mentor Peter Kofler, IN3GHZ. The
students
> got their tickets September 27.
>
> During the 10-minute contact, the students queried Foale on topics
ranging
> from gravity and artificial gravity to oxygen consumption and water
> reserves on the ISS. One student wanted to know which antenna NA1SS
was
> using for the QSO. Another asked about the probability of the ISS
being
> hit by a meteorite. Foale squeezed in answers to 14 question before
the
> ISS got out of range. Before loss of signal there was just enough time
for
> a few quick words of farewell from Hetland and a round of applause
from
> the audience.
>
> Kofler called the contact "a big success, and a superb illustration of
the
> educational power of the ARISS school contacts."
>
> ARISS <http://www.rac.ca/ariss> is an international educational
outreach
> program with US participation from ARRL, NASA and AMSAT. ARISS school
> group contacts offer an opportunity for students to experience the
> excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with ISS crew members.
>
> ==>INTERNATIONAL MORSE CODE GETS NEW ITU HOME, NEW CHARACTER
>
> The 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-03) may have
eliminated
> the treaty requirement for prospective amateurs to demonstrate Morse
code
> proficiency to gain HF access, but the International Telecommunication
> Union (ITU) hasn't forgotten Morse code altogether. In Geneva on
December
> 5, the ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R) Study Group 8 agreed on
the
> wording of a Draft New Recommendation ITU-R M.[MORSE] that specifies
the
> international Morse code character set and transmission procedures. It
> also includes a new Morse code character to cover the "@" symbol used
in
> e-mail addresses.
>
> Once it's made available in English, French and Spanish, the draft new
> recommendation will go out to ITU member-states using a new procedure
for
> simultaneous adoption and approval. On December 3, the draft new
> recommendation won the approval of Working Party 8A, which is
responsible
> for the Land Mobile and Amateur services.
>
> Within the ITU, the international Morse code has been defined by the
> Telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T), which is responsible
for
> the public telephone and telegraph network--mostly landline. A couple
of
> years ago, the ARRL pointed out to the US delegation to the ITU
> Radiocommunication Advisory Group that Morse code's role more properly
> resides in the radiocommunication realm, not wire, and should be the
> responsibility of ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R).
>
> The transfer was agreed to, and International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU)
> President Larry Price, W4RA, proposed the draft new recommendation at
the
> November-December Working Group 8A meeting. The draft new
recommendation
> is almost unchanged from its ITU-T text.
>
> "No one wanted to disturb something with more than 150 years of
history,"
> said ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI.
>
> To keep up with the times, however, the IARU proposed adding a new
> character--the commercial "at" or @ symbol--to permit sending e-mail
> addresses in Morse code. The draft new recommendation proposes using
the
> letters A and C run together (.--.-.) to represent the @ symbol.
>
> While the draft new recommendation is still a working document, its
> expected to become a Recommendation within six months or so, pending
> approval by member-states.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Ra the Sun god Tad "Seasons in the Sun" Cook, K7RA, Seattle,
Washington,
> reports: Declining sunspot numbers and high geomagnetic activity made
for
> rough conditions this week. Average daily sunspot numbers for the week
> dropped by 57 percent from the previous week, and average daily solar
flux
> was down by 34 percent. Average daily planetary A index more than
tripled
> to 28.7.
>
> Currently Earth is inside a high-speed solar wind. The interplanetary
> magnetic field points north, but geomagnetic conditions would be even
more
> active if it pointed south. The wind is from a large coronal hole, and
the
> stream began affecting Earth on December 8. No sunspots now face
Earth.
>
> Solar flux is expected to stay below 100 until Tuesday, December 16,
and
> then rise suddenly Thursday and Friday, December 18-19.
>
> Unfortunately, conditions should be rough for the ARRL 10-Meter
Contest
> this weekend. Predicted solar flux values for Friday through Monday,
> December 12-15, are 85, 90, 90 and 95. Predicted planetary A index
numbers
> for the same period are 40, 35, 25 and 20. Ten-meter paths really need
a
> high MUF value to sustain them, and the low sunspot numbers we're
seeing
> now don't help.
>
> Sunspot numbers for December 4 through 10 were 115, 88, 87, 53, 49, 23
and
> 46, with a mean of 65.9. The 10.7 cm flux was 115.8, 111.7, 108.9, 92,
> 93.7, 92.2 and 89.2, with a mean of 100.5. Estimated planetary A
indices
> were 9, 43, 22, 15, 39, 31 and 42, with a mean of 28.7.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The ARRL 10-Meter Contest and the Great
> Colorado Snowshoe Run are the weekend of December 13-14. JUST AHEAD:
The
> AGB Party Contest, the Russian 160-Meter Contest, the OK DX RTTY
Contest,
> the Croatian CW Contest and the International Naval Contest are the
> weekend of December 20-21. See the ARRL Contest Page
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests> and the WA7BNM Contest Calendar
> <http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html> for more info.
>
> * ARRL Emergency Communications course registration: Registration
opens
> Monday, December 15, 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time (0501 UTC), for
the
> Level III Emergency Communications on-line course (EC-003).
Registration
> remains open through the December 20-21 weekend or until all available
> seats have been filled--whichever comes first. Class begins Tuesday,
> December 30. Thanks to our grant sponsors--the Corporation for
National
> and Community Service and the United Technologies Corporation--the $45
> registration fee paid upon enrollment will be reimbursed after
successful
> completion of the course. During this registration period,
approximately
> 50 seats are being offered to ARRL members on a first-come,
first-served
> basis. For more information, contact Emergency Communications Course
> Manager Dan Miller, K3UFG, dmiller@arrl.org, 860-594-0340.
>
> * ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration:
> Registration for the ARRL HF Digital Communications (EC-005) and
UHF-VHF
> Beyond the Repeater (EC-008) courses opens Monday, December 15, 12:01
AM
> Eastern Standard Time (0501 UTC). Registration will remain open
through
> Sunday, December 22. Classes begin Tuesday December 23. Registration
for
> the ARRL Antenna Modeling (EC-004) course remains open through Sunday,
> December 14. Those interested in taking an ARRL Certification and
> Continuing Education (C-CE) course in the future can sign up to
receive
> advance notification of registration opportunities. To take advantage,
> send an e-mail to prereg@arrl.org. On the subject line, indicate the
> course name or number (eg, EC-00#) and the month you want to start the
> course. In the message body, provide your name, call sign, and e-mail
> address. Please do not send inquiries to this mailbox. To learn more,
> visit the ARRL Certification and Continuing Education (C-CE)
> <http://www.arrl.org/cce/> Web page and the C-CE Links found there.
For
> more information, contact Certification and Continuing Education
Program
> Department cce@arrl.org.
>
> * FCC enforcement funding will not decrease in new fiscal year: The
> omnibus budget bill that the US House of Representatives approved this
> week directs the FCC to maintain next fiscal year's funding for
> enforcement activities at least at its current level. The
Congressional
> Record reports that a House-Senate conference agreement includes
nearly
> $274 million for the FCC, with all but $1 million to be offset by fee
> collections. "The conferees direct the FCC to expend for enforcement
in
> fiscal year 2004 an amount equal to or greater than the amount
expended
> for enforcement in fiscal year 2003," the House Conference Report on
HR
> 2673, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2004 states. The US
Senate
> will consider the budget measure in January after it returns from the
> holiday break.
>
> * UK amateur copies signal from Mars Express spacecraft: Using what he
> described as "just a quick throw-together" system, Charlie Suckling,
> G3WDG, this week received a signal in the UK from the European Space
> Agency's Mars Express
> <http://www.esrin.esa.int/export/SPECIALS/Mars_Express/> spacecraft.
Now
> in deep space, Mars Express is expected to reach the Red Planet on
> Christmas Day and deploy its Beagle 2 lander for six months of
> exploration. G3WDG reports he heard the Mars Express signal on X band
(8.4
> GHz) December 9 using a 3-meter dish. "Signals seemed very consistent
for
> about two hours," he said in a message to James Miller, G3RUH, who'd
> provided him with advice. Finding the signal, G3WDG said, took about
10
> minutes of searching plus or minus 100 kHz and tweaking his azimuth
and
> elevation settings. In mid-November, a team of German amateurs was
able to
> copy the Mars Express signal from a far more sophisticated setup in
> Bochum, Germany, that's equipped with a 20 meter parabolic antenna.
> Reception of the Mars Express signal provided a test run for the
facility,
> which will serve as the ground control station for AMSAT-DL's Phase
P5-A
> Mars orbital mission planned for 2007. There's a complete report on
the
> AMSAT-DL Web site <http://www.amsat-dl.org/p5a/p5a-bochum-eng.htm>.
>
> * Amateurs complete 82-mile two-way DSSS link on 2.4 GHz: ARRL High
Speed
> Multimedia (HSMM) Working Group <http://www.arrl.org/hsmm/> member Ken
> Cuddeback, NT7K, reports that his students at Weber State University
> <http://classes.weber.edu/wireless/Project%20Information.htm> in
Ogden,
> Utah, recently completed two-way direct-sequence spread spectrum
(DSSS)
> communication on 2.4 GHz over a distance of 82 miles. The WSU
> students--which include one ham, Brandon Checketts, KG4NZV, and
several
> prospective licensees--broke the current world record of establishing
a
> wireless link on 2.4 GHz with DSSS (using IEEE 802.11b "Wi-Fi"
protocol).
> Cuddeback says his students used PrimeStar dishes with unamplified
Cisco
> Aironet 350 cards--which run about 100 mW--in each laptop. "We set up
a
> NetMeeting session and transferred a 2.5 MB mp3 file successfully," he
> said. ARRL HSMM Working Group Chairman John Champa, K8OCL, extended
his
> congratulations to NT7K and his students on what he called "this
fantastic
> accomplishment!"
>
> * New 241-GHz record claimed: Brian Justin, WA1ZMS, has bested his
> previous record on 241 GHz. The new claimed record is 61.8 km, which
tops
> his previous 34.9 km claimed record of November 14. "We had some
rather
> dry weather here in Virginia, and I just couldn't pass up trying to
better
> our own DX record for the band," Justin said. "After shorting out a
set of
> gel cell battery terminals while setting the gear up, I thought we'd
never
> make the QSO!" The mishap melted a 1/4-inch plug on the cable end of
the
> CW straight key, but it didn't prevent the contact from going forward.
> Operating as W2SZ/4 in FM07fm, Justin worked W4WWQ in EM97xe. There's
> information on Justin's other microwave accomplishments on the Mount
> Greylock Expeditionary Force Web site <http://www.mgef.org>.
>
> * Robert S. Bennett, W3WCQ, SK: Bob Bennett, W3WCQ, of Baltimore,
> Maryland, died December 6. He was 67. Bennett was an ARRL Atlantic
> Division Assistant Director and, as president of the Baltimore Radio
> Amateur Television Society (BRATS), was well known within the Amateur
TV
> community. "W3WCQ was our expert on ATV," said Atlantic Division
Director
> Bernie Fuller, N3EFN. "He will be missed." Bennett also was an
> acknowledged expert on weak-signal VHF work and once served as the
> Atlantic Division representative of the now-defunct VHF-UHF Advisory
> Committee (VUAC). ARRL Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, was among
> Bennett's many friends. "I respected him not only for his technical
> knowledge and willingness to share it with others, but also for his
good
> humor, common sense, candor, and ability to speak and write extremely
> well," Craigie said. "He was a valued advisor to several Atlantic
Division
> directors, myself most definitely included." An ARRL member, Bennett
also
> belonged to the Quarter Century Wireless Association and served as a
local
> chapter president. A service was held December 10.
>
> * Aeronautical mobile special event to mark 100 years of flight:
Special
> event station K1F will be on the air until December 20 to commemorate
the
> 100th anniversary of "heavier-than-air" powered flight. "I will only
be
> using this call sign while operating aeronautical mobile," said Ken
Eckel
> Jr, AB5A, of Santa Fe, Texas--a professional pilot. Eckel says he's
> indebted to the pioneers of aviation for making the dream of flight a
> reality. Listen for K1F on 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters (SSB) as
well
> as on 6 meters/VHF/UHF. Eckel says he'll try to be on the air for at
least
> an hour a day, and on December 17 will be airborne at 10:30 AM EST
(1530
> UTC), the actual time of the first flight, on or about 14.325 MHz. QSL
> requests go to AB5A, 2020 Cemetery Rd, Santa Fe, TX 77517-3755.
There's
> more information on his Web site
> <http://www.clarc.org/~ab5a/AB5A%20Aeromobile.html>.
>
> * "Toys, Trains, Dolls!" special event set: The Schenectady (New York)
> Museum Amateur Radio Association (SMARA) will operate Special Event
> Station W2S Sunday, December 14, 1700-2100 UTC, to commemorate the
"Toys,
> Trains, Dolls!" exhibit at the Schenectady Museum & Planetarium. The
> exhibit runs through January 4. W2S operate in the General class phone
> segments on 80, 40 and 20 as well as on the W2IR 146.79 MHz repeater.
QSL
> via W2IR or Schenectady Museum Amateur Radio Association, W2IR, PO Box
> 6143, Schenectady, NY 12306-0143.--Gerald Murray, WA2IWW
> ===========================================================
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