[TCARC-NTX] Fw: The ARRL Letter, Vol 23, No 08

[Fred Muehlen]

> ***************
> The ARRL Letter
> Vol. 23, No. 08
> February 20, 2004
> ***************
>
> IN THIS EDITION:
>
> * +Ham-congressman gets BPL assurances
> * +2003 an up and down year for ARRL contest entries
> * +NASA memorializes lost Columbia crew on Earth and Mars
> * +Pending Morse "@" symbol catches NPR's, hams' attention
> * +Hawaii considering CC&R legislation
> * +Nomination deadline nears for ARRL technical awards
> * +Leland Smith, W5KL, SK
> *  Solar Update
> *  IN BRIEF:
>      This weekend on the radio
>      ARRL Certification and Continuing Education course registration
>      ARRL ham radio instructor awards nominations due by March 1
>      Free activity boards still available to schools
>      Participation up sharply for 2003 FMT
>      Expedition 9 astronaut is KE5AIT!
>      Field Day 2004 packets now available
>      SGC founder, president Pierre Goral, KI7UA, SK
>      Vanity HQ Web site on thin ice
>      Hong Kong, Denmark dropping Morse requirement
>
> +Available on ARRL Audio News
>
> ===========================================================
>
> ==>FCC CHAIRMAN ASSURES CONGRESSMAN ON BPL STUDIES
>
> FCC Chairman Michael Powell has assured US Representative Greg Walden,
> WB7OCE, that the Commission will give "thorough consideration" to all
> Broadband over Power Line (BPL) studies before it takes final action
on
> BPL. Powell responded February 3 to Walden's January 15 letter
requesting
> that the FCC defer any further action in its BPL proceeding until the
> National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)
releases
> the results of its BPL study and the public has had a chance to
comment.
> On February 12 the FCC took the proceeding to the next level,
unanimously
> approving the issuance of a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM).
Among
> other provisions, the NPRM would require BPL providers to employ
"adaptive
> interference-mitigation techniques."
>
> "Please be assured that we have already begun coordination of this
action
> with NTIA," Powell told Walden, "and that the Commission will give all
> studies, including the forthcoming NTIA study, thorough consideration
> prior to any final action or rules on the subject." The FCC has not
yet
> released the BPL NPRM nor invited public comments. An Office of
> Engineering and Technology (OET) briefing at the FCC's February 12
open
> meeting indicated that the Commission would make no changes in Part 15
> rules governing emissions from unlicensed devices. To date, the FCC
has
> released only a public notice on its BPL proposals.
>
> Walden, a member of the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and
the
> Internet, had told the FCC chairman that, in view of the importance of
> avoiding interference to federal government HF communications, the FCC
> should give the pending NTIA study a thorough airing before proposing
any
> rules to govern BPL systems. The Oregon Republican is one of two
Amateur
> Radio licensees in the US House.
>
> Commenting on last April's FCC BPL Notice of Inquiry in ET Docket
03-104,
> the NTIA had expressed "broad concern" about the technology's
potential to
> cause interference to federal government users. The NTIA said the
> Commission "must ensure that other communications services, especially
> government operations, are adequately protected from unacceptable
> interference."
>
> An arm of the US Department of Commerce, the NTIA subsequently
undertook
> evaluations of BPL field test sites, in part to gauge the technology's
> interference potential. The NTIA was supposed to conclude its field
work
> last month, and release its observations and conclusions during the
first
> quarter of this year. The ARRL's own BPL study, which is assessing the
> potential of interference both from and to BPL systems, also is set to
> wrap up early this year.
>
> Acting Assistant Secretary of Commerce Michael Gallagher and NTIA head
> Michael Gallagher told a December meeting of BPL proponent the Power
Line
> Communications Association that the NTIA was "studying interference
risks
> and potential means for making risks more tolerable." He indicated
that
> the first phase of NTIA's pending BPL study would recommend radiated
> emission limits, compliance measurement procedures and other
conditions in
> its report to the FCC.
>
> At the FCC's February 12 open meeting, Powell pledged that the FCC
would
> continue to be vigilant in the area of BPL's interference potential.
Anh
> Wride of the OET staff, who provided the broad strokes of the pending
> NPRM, said the FCC recognizes the concerns of licensed radio service
users
> regarding BPL's interference potential. Wride said "licensed
operations
> must be protected," but added that the OET staff believes that "these
> interference concerns can be adequately addressed."
>
> ==>ARRL VHF, RTTY CONTEST ENTRIES UP IN A DOWN YEAR
>
> ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, reports that while
2003
> saw a net decrease of 2.8 percent in log submissions for all
> ARRL-sponsored operating events, the downward trend is typical in the
> aftermath of a solar cycle peak. The 18,434 logs turned in during 2003
> represent 539 fewer logs than in 2002, in which there was an all-time
> record of ARRL contest log submissions. Henderson says HF contest log
> submissions always follow the solar cycle and then start to drop off,
but
> he also points to the proverbial silver lining in the statistics.
>
> "Log submissions were up for six of the events and held steady for
several
> others," he observed. "The largest changes really came from two
events:
> RTTY--experiencing a burst of popularity with the ease of interfacing
> radios and computers--was up by just over 30 percent, and VHF rose
overall
> by 5 percent." Henderson said preliminary numbers for 2004 show
another 20
> percent hike in ARRL RTTY Roundup submissions.
>
> Henderson said he was encouraged to see some rebound in VHF log
> submissions--from 2179 in 2002 to 2289 in 2003--although that jump
> resulted largely from better numbers for the ARRL June VHF QSO Party.
> Participation was down for the January VHF Sweepstakes as well as for
the
> September VHF QSO Party.
>
> The total number of "rovers" active in VHF events, at 272, was the
third
> highest ever, Henderson noted, and within eight logs of the all-time
> record of 1993. Rover numbers were up by more than 12 percent in 2003
over
> the previous year, while the percentage of rovers among contest
entrants
> rose slightly.
>
> Participation in the ARRL International EME (moonbounce) Competition
> increased by more than 24 percent in 2003.
>
> Sagging propagation got the lion's share of the blame for the drop-off
in
> log submissions for HF events, especially the 10-meter and DX
contests.
> "The decline of Cycle 23 affected submissions for the ARRL 10-Meter
> Contest in 2003, which was coming off a record number of submissions
for
> any single weekend ARRL event in 2002," he said, "while major solar
> disturbances impacted the ARRL November Sweepstakes."
>
> ARRL 10-Meter Contest submissions were off by 25.5 percent.
Sweepstakes
> logs for both modes were off in 2003 by 6.4 percent. Field Day entries
> were up by less than one percent over 2002 numbers. Even so, Henderson
> noted, "If you look back historically, the 18,000+ logs we received in
> 2003 is very high."
>
> The 2003 ARRL Contest Calendar
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/calendar.html?year=2003> includes links
to
> results of each operating event as well as the contest soapbox.
>
> ==>NASA DEDICATES MEMORIAL, MARTIAN LANDMARKS TO SHUTTLE COLUMBIA CREW
>
> The families of the shuttle Columbia crew lost February 1, 2003, and
NASA
> Administrator Sean O'Keefe this month unveiled a monument at Arlington
> National Cemetery to commemorate the astronauts and their mission. The
> space agency also has dedicated seven Martian hills--one named for
each
> lost crew member--located east of the Spirit rover landing site in
honor
> of the Columbia astronauts. Three of the seven Columbia crew members
were
> Amateur Radio licensees.
>
> "This memorial will remind us of the dedication and sacrifice made by
> those brave individuals willing to risk their own lives to further
> humanity's knowledge about space exploration," O'Keefe said February 2
at
> Arlington Cemetery. "Our obligation is to ensure their loss was not in
> vain. We will return the space shuttle to flight as safe as humanly
> possible, and we will continue to lead humanity into the unknown."
>
> The Columbia, which broke apart while returning from a 16-day science
> mission, was commanded by Rick Husband and piloted by William McCool.
Also
> aboard were mission specialists Kalpana "KC" Chawlna, KD5ESI; David
Brown,
> KC5ZTC; Laurel Clark, KC5ZSU, and Michael Anderson, and payload
specialist
> Ilan Ramon--a well-known Israeli Air Force pilot.
>
> Following the mishap, Amateur Radio volunteers in Texas, Louisiana and
> other states assisted in the search for shuttle Columbia debris.
>
> The Vermont marble memorial bears two bronze plaques portraying the
> Columbia's crew and the shoulder patch the astronauts wore on their
> mission. It is located near the shuttle Challenger memorial. An image
of
> the Columbia Hills on Mars is available on the JPL/NASA Web site
>
<http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mer2004/rover-images/feb-02-2004/captions/image
-1
> 0.html>. Additional information is on the NASA Web site
> <http://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/F_04_Memorials.html>--NASA
>
> ==>NPR FEATURE SPOTLIGHTS ADDITION OF @ SYMBOL TO MORSE CODE
>
> Some hams may have thought they'd left their transceivers turned on
> Tuesday, February 17. That's when the popular National Public Radio
> <http://www.npr.org> afternoon news magazine All Things Considered ran
a
> piece about the pending addition of the @ symbol to the official
> international Morse code lexicon. That's because NPR introduced and
closed
> the nearly four-minute segment with actual CW, catching the ear of
many
> hams.
>
> ARRL Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, conceived of the new
> character, necessary for transmitting e-mail addresses in CW, among
other
> possible purposes. Assuming approval by International
Telecommunication
> Union <http://www.itu.int/home/index.html> member-states, the new
> character--the first added to the code in many, many years--will be
"AC"
> run together (.--.-.).
>
> The new character, Rinaldo says, is both unique in the Morse world as
well
> as a mnemonic (think of an 'a' wrapped in a 'C').
>
> ATC co-host Robert Siegel interviewed ARRL Senior News Editor Rick
> Lindquist, N1RL, for some background on the change, giving Lindquist
an
> opportunity to mention his passion for mobile CW operation. The short
> feature, "Morse Code Enters Cyber Age," is available on the National
> Public Radio Web site,
> <http://www.npr.org/rundowns/segment.php?wfId=1680529>.
>
> ==>HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE CONSIDERING CC&R BILL
>
> A bill to aid Hawaiian amateurs living in subdivisions subject to
> homeowners' association covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs)
is
> under consideration in the Hawaii State Legislature. Introduced
January 28
> by Rep Ken Hiraki (D-28) at the request of an amateur on Kauai, House
Bill
> 2774 now is pending in the Hawaii House Committee on Consumer
Protection
> and Commerce, which Hiraki chairs.
>
> The measure is similar in intent to HR 1478, now in Congress and
sponsored
> by Rep Steve Israel (D-NY). That proposed legislation that would apply
the
> limited federal preemption known as PRB-1 to CC&Rs on a nationwide
basis.
>
> The Hawaii legislative committee may schedule a hearing on the bill as
> early as next week, and the ARRL plans to submit testimony in support
of
> HB 2774. Hiraki's office is urging hams in Hawaii to contact their
> legislative representatives as well.
>
> The bill, in general, would amend state statutes to permit Amateur
Radio
> licensees living in subdivisions and subject to CC&Rs to install
> "antennas, conduits, chases, wires, and other telecommunications
equipment
> directly attached to the owner's residence or other permitted
structure on
> the owner's lot." The bill provides that the antenna and
> telecommunications equipment installation "not directly affect any
other
> lot owner in the subdivision."
>
> The text of the proposed legislation is available on the Hawaii State
> Legislature Web site
> <http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb2774_.htm>.
>
> ==>ARRL TECHNICAL AWARDS NOMINATION DEADLINE LOOMS
>
> Nominations for ARRL technical awards recognizing service, innovation
and
> microwave development in the technical arena are due at ARRL
Headquarters
> March 31. Supplemental information must arrive no later than April 15.
> Nominating forms are available on the ARRL Web site.
>
> The ARRL Technical Innovation Award goes each year to a radio amateur
or
> group of radio amateurs whose accomplishments are of the most
exemplary
> nature within the framework of technical research, development and
> application of new ideas and future systems within an Amateur Radio
> context. The recipient(s) receive(s) $500 in cash and an engraved
plaque.
>
> The ARRL Technical Service Award goes each year to a radio amateur or
> group of radio amateurs whose service to the amateur community and/or
> society at large is of the most exemplary nature within the framework
of
> Amateur Radio technical activities.
>
> The ARRL Microwave Development Award goes each year to a radio amateur
or
> group of radio amateurs whose accomplishments and contributions are of
the
> most exemplary nature within the framework of microwave development
(ie,
> research and application of new and refined uses and activity in the
> amateur microwave bands).
>
> The recipient(s) The ARRL Technical Innovation and Microwave
Development
> awards receive(s) an engraved plaque and may request up to $100 in
ARRL
> publications.
>
> Any ARRL member may place a nomination for any of these awards.
Supporting
> documentation should not exceed 10 pages. For links to on-line
nomination
> forms and for more information, visit the ARRL Technical Awards Web
page
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/instructor/instructor/awards.html>.
>
> ==>LELAND W. SMITH, W5KL, SK
>
> Leland W. Smith, W5KL, of Harrison, Arkansas, died February 15. He
turned
> 90 earlier this month. An ARRL member, Smith was president emeritus of
the
> Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA) <http://www.qcwa.org> and
the
> sitting president of the Old Old Timer's Club (OOTC). Smith had held a
> number of ARRL section-level appointments that included service as
Section
> Communications Manager (SCM, now SM) in Georgia and Alabama prior to
World
> War II. He was a former member of the Radio Club of America board.
>
> ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, recalls meeting Smith
while
> a teenager growing up in Little Rock in the early 1970s. "When I
became
> Arkansas Section Manager in 1983, Leland was one of the first League
> members to contact me and offer any assistance or advice," he said.
When
> Harrison became Delta Division Director, Smith became an assistant
> director and advisor. "His service to ARRL and Amateur Radio was
> respectable and commendable," Harrison said, calling Smith "an example
all
> radio amateurs should strive to follow."
>
> An amateur since 1930, Smith was highly regarded for his CW ability
and
> powerfully efficient station. "He was the epitome of a good CW
operator,
> as well as a good person," said Arkansas SM Dennis Schaefer, W5RZ.
During
> his tenure with the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, Smith
once
> wrote that he was "able to continue my hobby as a radio amateur with
> low-power homemade equipment from my tent."
>
> While serving as a Marine second lieutenant in the Pacific during
World
> War II, Smith won a Bronze Star for bravery under fire and for
maintaining
> vital communication during combat. He also collected three battle
stars.
> Smith also put his electronics skills to use by helping to cobble
together
> a 50 W radio station from spare parts to entertain the troops. Smith
> served during the Korean Conflict and later worked for the Veterans
> Administration and the Centers for Disease Control. In 1966, he became
one
> of only five reserve general officers, attaining the rank of brigadier
> general.
>
> Over the years, Smith also held W4AGI, W4YE, W4BEA, W4PCS, W3JJO and
K6CN.
> One son, Buddy, now holds W4YE, while another, Kay, holds W4AGI.
Memorial
> services were held February 20 in Harrison.
>
> ==>SOLAR UPDATE
>
> Solar sage Tad "I Live for the Sun " Cook, K7RA, Seattle, Washington,
> reports: Average daily sunspot numbers were down a little from a week
> earlier, as were the daily solar flux numbers. Average daily planetary
A
> index was slightly higher. Geomagnetic indices settled down February
16-19
> to yield some nice HF conditions. There weren't many sunspots, so the
MUF
> wasn't as high as it was, say, several years ago, but the quiet
conditions
> are a welcome respite from the stormy geomagnetic conditions of late.
>
> The quiet conditions should continue though this weekend--good news
for
> those participating in the ARRL International DX Contest (CW).
Predicted
> planetary A index for Friday through Monday, February 20-23, is 10,
10, 12
> and 12. Solar flux is expected to stay below 100 until around Leap
Year
> Day, February 29.
>
> Sunspot numbers for February 12 through 18 were 65, 71, 64, 75, 81, 22
and
> 23, with a mean of 57.3. The 10.7 cm flux was 112.2, 107.8, 103.7,
102.1,
> 98.7, 101.9 and 97.7, with a mean of 103.4. Estimated planetary A
indices
> were 28, 21, 18, 18, 7, 5 and 8, with a mean of 15.
>
> __________________________________
>
> ==>IN BRIEF:
>
> * This weekend on the radio: The ARRL International DX Contest (CW),
the
> YL-ISSB QSO Party (CW) and the CQC Winter QSO Party are the weekend of
> February 21-22. JUST AHEAD: The CQ 160-Meter Contest (SSB), the REF
> Contest (SSB), the UBA DX Contest (CW), the Mississippi QSO Party, the
> CZEBRIS Contest, the North American QSO Party (RTTY), the High Speed
Club
> CW Contest and the North Carolina QSO Party are the weekend of
February
> 28-29. 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 ARRL RFI (EC-006) and ARRL Antenna Design and
> Construction (EC-009) courses opens Monday, February 23, 12:01 AM
Eastern
> Time (0501 UTC). Registration remains open through Sunday, March 1.
> Classes begin Tuesday March 9. 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. For more information, contact
> Certification and Continuing Education Program Department
<cce@arrl.org>.
>
> * ARRL ham radio instructor awards nominations due by March 1: The
> deadline is March 1 to submit nominations for The ARRL Herb S. Brier
> Instructor of the Year Award and the ARRL Professional Educator Award.
The
> Brief Award <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/award/herb-tor.html> goes
to a
> volunteer Amateur Radio instructor, while the Professional Educator
Award
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/award/pey-tor.html> is presented to a
> teacher who uses Amateur Radio as part of the curriculum or
after-school
> program, or teaches it in an educational institution. These awards are
> aimed at honoring amateurs who put in countless volunteer hours to
seek
> out newcomers and teach them the standards and practices of Amateur
Radio.
> Nominating forms for the Brier Award
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/edunom.html?aw_id=7> and the
Professional
> Educator award <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/edunom.html?aw_id=9>
are
> available on the ARRL Web site. All nominees will be invited to
confirm
> their interest in competing for the award and to submit material
> documenting their activities. Winners receive engraved plaques and up
to
> $100 worth of ARRL publications.
>
> * Free activity boards still available to schools: ARRL Amateur Radio
> Education & Technology Program (ETP) Coordinator Mark Spencer, WA8SME,
> says his program still has a number of "activity board" suites
available
> for schools on a first-come, first served basis. Described in Unit 9
of
> The ETP curriculum
> <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/Curriculum-Materials.html>, the
activity
> board provides teachers with a ready, reliable set of component blocks
> that can be used in platform instruction to cover the five basic
building
> blocks of virtually all wireless technology: oscillators, rectifiers,
> amplifiers, mixers and filters. The activity board kit includes the
board,
> components, and instruction manual. It's designed for construction by
> middle schoolers--with knowledgeable adult supervision--using basic
tools
> (soldering iron and wire clippers). Valued at approximately $350, the
> suite includes the circuit board and components, three volt-ohm meters
and
> a digital oscilloscope. For more details on requesting the suites, see
> "ARRL Education and Technology Program Activity Boards Still
Available"
> <http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/02/12/3/> or contact Mark
Spencer,
> WA8SME, <mspencer@arrl.org>; 860-594-0396.
>
> * Participation up sharply for 2003 FMT: Participation in the 2003
ARRL
> Frequency Measuring Test (FMT) last November 19 was up by 57 percent
over
> 2002, reports W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q. Carcia also noted
an
> increase in error rates over the previous FMT. The test exercises the
> capability of hams to measure an important operating
> parameter--frequency--and to improve their understanding of their
radios.
> The error rates, in parts per million, ranged anywhere from +1084
to -482
> ppm, taking into account all four bands on which the test was run.
Carcia
> cites the number of first-time FMT participants as the likely reason
for
> the rise in the error rate. Test submissions came from 213 hams and
one
> shortwave listener. W1AW carried out the test on 80, 40, 20 and 15
meters.
> The exact frequencies were 3,585,383.7 Hz; 7,050,409.9 Hz;
14,050,075.7 Hz
> and 21,053,399.1 Hz. Complete FMT results are available on W1AW's FMT
page
> <http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/fmt/>. The next FMT likely will take place
late
> this year. Carcia says a number of hams suggested a "West Coast Run"
of
> the next FMT, given current propagation in the declining solar cycle.
>
> * Expedition 9 astronaut is KE5AIT! Astronaut Mike Fincke, who will be
one
> of the two International Space Station Expedition 9 crew members, now
has
> his new call sign, KE5AIT. Fincke passed his Technician examination
> February 12 and had his new call sign less than a week later--in
plenty of
> time for his ISS tour of duty that begins in mid-April. Fincke, 36,
and
> cosmonaut and crew commander Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, 45, will heads
for
> the ISS April 18 aboard a Russian Soyuz vehicle. Fincke will be the
NASA
> ISS science officer and flight engineer for Expedition 9. Fincke and
> Padalka have been training together as a space station crew for nearly
two
> years, and NASA cited their experience as a team as a primary reason
for
> its sudden change-of-heart to have Padalka and Fincke replace Leroy
Chiao
> and cosmonaut Valery Tokarev as the next crew. Having an US Amateur
Radio
> licensee aboard is necessary if the Amateur Radio on the International
> Space Station--or ARISS--program is to continue its schedule of school
> group contacts via NA1SS.
>
> * Field Day 2004 packets now available: Rules and entry packets for
the
> 2004 running of ARRL Field Day now are available on the League's Web
site
> <http://www.arrl.org/contests/forms/>. Field Day is always the fourth
full
> weekend of June--this year June 26-27. The activity begins at 1800 UTC
> Saturday and ends at 2100 UTC Sunday. There are no rules changes from
> 2003. Participation in Field Day now is open to all amateurs within
IARU
> Region 2--the Americas. FD stations may contact stations in other
regions
> for point credit, but stations outside Region 2 are not eligible to
submit
> entries.
>
> * SGC founder, president Pierre Goral, KI7UA, SK: The man who
co-founded
> and headed radio manufacturer SGC Inc--Pierre Goral, KI7UA (ex-N7VRJ),
of
> Kirkland, Washington--died February 12. He was 67. Goral, who
established
> SGC in 1971 with the late Don Stoner, W6TNS (the company originally
was
> called Stoner-Goral Communications, later shortened to SGC), was "an
> internationally recognized designer, entrepreneur and leader in the
field
> of RF engineering," the company said this week in announcing his
death.
> "He led an adventurous life, working in the jungles of Brazil as a
young
> engineer and traveling the world to represent his company," SGC said.
"RF
> engineering was his passion, and he devoted himself and his company to
> producing only the very finest, professional HF SSB products." Outside
of
> his professional life, SGC said, Goral was an artist, photographer,
skier
> and snowboarder who "demonstrated an appreciation of life in
everything he
> did." SGC is a manufacturer of both commercial and amateur gear.
> Condolences may be sent care of SGC Inc, 13737 SE 26 St, Bellevue, WA
> 98005 or via e-mail to sgc@sgcworld.com.
>
> * Vanity HQ Web site on thin ice: The proprietor of the popular Vanity
HQ
> Web site <http://www.vanityhq.com>, Michael Carroll, N4MC, says the
site's
> future viability is hanging by a thread. "Vanity HQ has been on life
> support these past two years since I lost my job," Carroll said in a
> February12 posting. "Unfortunately, it has become necessary to pull
the
> plug on the daily updates and eventually, the site itself." At this
point,
> Carroll says, the site will remain up until mid-March while he
relocates
> and mulls his personal situation, but he says not to look for any
updates
> at least for the next couple of weeks.
>
> * Hong Kong, Denmark dropping Morse requirement: Hong Kong and Denmark
> have become the latest countries to announce they will drop the
> requirement for Amateur Radio applicants to pass a Morse code
examination
> for access to frequencies below 30 MHz. In conjunction with its
> announcement, Hong Kong will cancel all existing amateur station
license
> classes (and/or authority to operate), replacing them with a new
> authorization that does not carry a license class, the Office of the
> Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) announced February 11. OFTA also
> opened the 430 to 440 MHz band for portable and mobile operation and
> allocated 10.45 to 10.5 GHz to the Amateur Service. OFTA said only
that
> the changes would "come into effect soon." The Danish Information
> Technology and Telecom Agency, meanwhile, has announced the
elimination of
> the Morse code examination for access to Amateur Radio HF bands,
effective
> February 1.
>
> ===========================================================
> 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
> interest to active amateurs. The ARRL Letter strives to be timely,
> accurate, concise, and readable. Visit ARRLWeb <http://www.arrl.org>
for
> the latest news, updated as it happens. The ARRL Web site
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