[TWIAR] TWIAR Edition 714 General Release

[w2xbs]

This Week in Amateur Radio - Edition # 714
Air dates: 12.16 06 > 12.23.06

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-- North America's Premier On-The-Air Amateur Magazine Service --

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    * * * CELEBRATING 13.73 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE HAM RADIO COMMUNITY * * *

Here is a summary of the news items and special features covered in
Edition #714 of "This Week in Amateur Radio", North America's only satellite-
delivered, on-the-air audio news magazine service, for the week ending
December 23, 2006.

This week's edition of This Week in Amateur Radio comes to you anchored by
Chris Perrine, KB2FAF, from our northeast news bureau in Syracuse, New York,
by Mike Gorniak, NM7X, from our mid west news bureau on the frozen tundra of
central Minnesota, by Jim Wishner, N0EXX, reporting from our mid-west news
bureau in Saint Paul, Minnesota, by Bill Russell, KC2IFR, reporting from our
northeast news bureau in Glens Falls, New York, by Nick Griming, reporting
from our Rocky Mountain news bureau in Colorado Springs, and by George Bowen,
W2XBS, reporting from our headquarters studio facility in Albany, New York.

THIS WEEKS PROGRAM RUNNING TIMES:
--------------------------------
* FULL VERSION of This Week in Amateur Radio runs 101 minutes.
          -------------------------------------------
* HEADLINE NEWS VERSION of This Week in Amateur Radio runs 59 minutes.

SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTES:

* Closed circuit advisory and weekly program promos are available as
   a separate audio file download.

CONTENT:
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Stories covered and special features in This Weeks edition:

01. The FCC modifies amateur radio service rules, eliminating morse code exam
     requirements and addressing ARRL petition for reconsideration. Puts
     all technician class licensees at same level.
02. ARES/RACES activate in the Pacific northwest due to severe weather.
03. Amateurs transition smoothly into new band allocations.
04. The FCC proposes a $14,000 fine for a California amateur licensee.
05. The FCC cites a possible ham license hijacking in initiating a hearing.
06. New chip developed in the UK may solve part of the BPL interference.
07. The FCC affirms a $21,000 fine for the marketing of illegal CB gear.
08. The ARRL Board of Directors approves band changes of 80/75/40/15 meters.
09. New amateur radio satellites are sitting on the launch pad in Virginia.
10. Buyer Beware: Fake Icom 2 Meter HT's for sale on internet auction sites.
11. THAT Corporation partnerships with Mouser Electronics.
12. TWIAR QSL Cards are now available! Write in for yours today!
13. Amateur licensee faces a big fine for marketing non-certified radio gear.
14. Special event station listings.
15. The Gateway 160 Meter Net Report with Vern Jackson, WA0RCR.
16. Weekly propagation (standard) forecast.
17. ARRL outgoing QSL service revises rate structure.
18. 500khz (600 Meter) project experiment seeks reception reports.
19. The Random Access Christmas with Bill Baran, N2FNH.
20. Public Service Announcement Writing for your club, Lesson #3 with KF9MP.
21. IRLP nodes now may feature a special "TalkBack" operation.
22. Upcoming IRLP contest announced. Giving away a free radio.
23. Technology News and Commentary with Leo Laporte.
24. KatySat an amateur satellite for kids, scheduled for a May launch.
25. Monthly propagation forecast and outlook with Steve Nichols, G0KYA.
26. Working Amateur Radio Satellites with Bruce Paige, KK5DO.
27. OfCom UK Lifetime amateur radio licenses now in place.
28. Courage Handi-Ham System Update with Pat Tice, WA0TDA.
29. SPAR announces its Winter Field Day 2007.
30. Dale Hatfield, W0IFO, named spectrum advisory committee chairman.
31. "Take Charge and Move Out" is philosophy of new ARMY MARS Chief.
32. New DX record claimed for 300+ gHz "Traditional RF" operation.
33. New EAS experts to serve newest emergency alert group.
34. M3POU makes first UK foundation class 10gHz contact.
35. Canada celebrates Fessenden 100 with special prefixes and a lot more!

Transmission and production expenses for todays edition of This Week in
Amateur Radio, was made possible by our staff and crew at our headquarters
in Albany, New York.  Remember that out of pocket expenses to cover production
of this weekly bulletin service by our staff is a limited resource.  If you
value our service, to keep you up-to-date on all the latest amateur radio
news, please help support us.  Although we can't tell you how to support us
on the air, you will find all the information you need on our web site at
W-W-W dot T-W-I-A-R dot O-R-G.

It's now winter in North America. Hams are in the shack and operating as much
as possible during the quiet and long winder nights.

In todays world, with ham radios increased profile in public service and
Homeland security, it's important for amateurs to stay up to date with the
latest news and events taking place in the amateur radio service.

This Week in Amateur Radio is here to fill that need, with all the latest
amateur radio news and special features, from a single, reliable, news source.

And, This Week in Amateur Radio remains on the cutting edge of technology
using new MP3 and MP4 (AAC) audio codecs. You can subscribe to our RSS/XML
podcast feeds, download directly from our web site, or find our programs on
Apple I-Tunes, Yahoo Podcast, Odeo PodNova and more.

Also, remember that This Week in Amateur Radio is listener and club supported.
Our bulletin service does not receive any corporate funding. So, please,
pass the hat at your next club meeting, to help support the service.

When you help "This Week in Amateur Radio" through our support fund, by
tradition, we mention during the course of the bulletin service each week,
the individual, club, or organization that has made This Week in Amateur Radio
possible that week, through their financial support.

Mention is also made on the air, on a rotating basis, each of our affiliates
that carry the service. Please check our web site to be sure that your local
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"This Week in Amateur Radio" is proud to be your reliable source for all the
late-breaking, up-to-the-minute amateur news each week, as we have been for
the past twelve years. Our special segments each week, adds to the value of
the service to the amateur community, and are exclusively available on "This
Week in Amateur Radio"

"This Week in Amateur Radio" is a weekly amateur radio audio, on the air, news
magazine/bulletin service, produced by a lot of dedicated volunteers, by
Community Video Associates, Inc., a New York State not-for-profit corporation.

The mailing address for our support fund is:

This Week in Amateur Radio Support Fund
P.O. Box 30
Sand Lake, New York  12153

This Week in Amateur Radio is distributed each Saturday evening
on the internet (www.twiar.org) and also on commercial C-Band satellite via
the "W0KIE Satellite Network" Saturdays at 9:00 PM (EST) on Intelsat Telstar
Six communications satellite, transponder 1 (V), 6.2 MHz Right/6.8 MHz Left
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equatorial geosynchronous orbit.  The service is re-run on the satellite
network, Tuesday evenings at 7:00pm eastern time.

On the World Wide Web, program audio can now be found in two different
program lengths. Our full version which runs around 90 minutes and a new
condensed one hour version, This Week in Amateur Radio Headline News.

This Week in Amateur Radio is licensed under the Creative Commons
Attribution-Non-Commercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License. Visit our web site to view
a copy of this license.

Contact your local amateur radio club or repeater operator if "This Week in
Amateur Radio" is not being heard in your area.

Further information is available by calling W2XBS at 518.283.3665, or e-mail
to w2xbs at twiar.org.

We look forward to hearing from you or your organization soon!

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