From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio.ssb

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1369 – November 7, 2003

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1369 with a release date of Friday, November 7, 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Rain brings the California wildfires under control but ham radio stays on the job. A report from the scene on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1369 coming your way right now.


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RESCUE RADIO: CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE COMMS WINDING DOWN

The Southern California wildfires are on their way to full control. This as the winter rains come early to the region. As a result, many hams who had been full time fire communications volunteers have gone back to their regular jobs and ham radio emergency communications efforts are winding down. Others are still on the front lines and now its time for assessment. Gordon West, W-B-6-N-O-A, spent most of last week at a Red Cross Shelter in the city of Fontana. He takes a look at the contributions made by the regions Amateur Radio communicators:

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Audio report only. Hear it by downloading this weeks audio newscast file at http://www.arnewsline.org
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Emergency service officials agree that having ham radio made a big difference in successfully handling this disaster situation. (ARNewsline(tm))

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RESCUE RADIO: REPEATERS LOST IN SOCAL WILDFIRES

We all heard the grim statistics of the homes and businesses were destroyed by this years California wildfires over a million acres of land has been scorched.
But there is one total that the mass media won’t report. That’s the number of ham radio repeaters knocked off the air by the blazes. While exact call signs are not yet available, we did ask reporter Matt Lechleiter, W6KGB, to find out which radio sites were most affected.

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It's estimated that close to 30 repeater or remote base systems have been affected by the recent Southern California firestorm. These systems are either off-air, were before switching to backup power, or were destroyed by the fires. The number of systems actually destroyed by the fires is unknown - we'll follow up on this in a subsequent report.

Communications sites affected include Oat Mountain just north of Los Angeles, Sunset Ridge and Heaps Peak to the East, and Mount Otay near San Diego to name a few. Each of these major sites lost power due to one of the fires. News reports say that it could be over a month before power is restored to these locations. Until then, battery and generator power are keeping the commercial and amateurs two-way systems on the air.

There are also several repeaters that are believed to be safe but which are still off the air. This is because they live at more remote mountaintop sites that also lost electrical service to the flames. And just like the more accessible sites that I mentioned, it might be a quite a while before commercial power is returned.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Matt Lechliter, W6KGB reporting.

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If you are a Southern California repeater operator whose system was affected by the firestorms, or if you know of one that was, please send the details to us. We will include it in an upcoming report. Our address in cyberspace is nerwsline@arnewsline.org (ARNewsline(tm))

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NEW GEAR FOR THE ISS

Radio gear from some well known ham radio manufacturers is in space. This, as the group known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station announces the delivery of the so-called Phase 2 ham equipment to the ISS. Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details in this report:

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A Russian Progress supply rocket has delivered a Kenwood TM-D700E, dual band transceiver to the International Space Station. The installation of this new radio will mean a significant boost to the power output of the ARISS station from 5 watts to 25 watts.

The Chairman of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station is Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. He says that the software for the D700 has been programmed for five modes of operation. These are for standard F-M phone, crossband repeater, APRS, packet and an emergency mode. Bauer predicted that APRS probably will be the default mode when a crew member is not actively using the ham station.

Next up will be gear from Vertex-Standard, the Yaesu brand folks. Bauer says that a Yaesu FT-100D, some SSTV equipment, along with new headsets, will be taken to the space outpost on Progress Flight 14P. Look for it to launch in January.

But says Bauer, that will be the endof the transport of any more ham radio gear for quite a while. At least until the space shuttle returns to flight in September 2004.

But that in itself could be a blessing in disguise. KA3HDO says that the equipment still on the ground will be tested this month at the Service Module facility in Moscow. This will permit making sure that the Phase 1 and 2 systems are compatible. RF testing will also take place.

According to Bauer, current plans call for the current Expedition 8 crew of Mike Foale, KB5UAC, and Alex Kaleri, U8MIR, to install the new hardware after ground tests are complete. Previous crews already installed four Amateur Radio antennas to cover HF, 2 meters, 70 cm and microwave frequencies.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Norm Seeley, KI7UP.

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What about hams on the ground getting more chances to talk to the crew on the ISS? Bauer says he's been working with U-S and Russian space officials to have them dedicate a few additional hours each month for operation and amateur station maintenance. (ANS, ARISS K7CCC)

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SPAIN SCHOOL CONTACT A BIG SUCCESS

Still with news of ham radio on board the International Space Station, word that the Ourense, Spain school contact on October 23 was very successful. 75 children and 25 parents gathered at Ceip Seixalbo school as European Space Agency astronaut Pedro Duque answered sixteen questions in Spanish using the ARISS radio system. All nationwide radio, TV broadcasters, and newspapers were present. Duque has since returned to Earth along with the Expedition 7 crew. (ANS, ARISS)

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Break 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N5LEZ linked repeaters serving Wichita Falls and Vernon Texas.

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RADIO LAW: HAM ACCUSED OF AIRPORT SECURITY BEACH GETS CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT

The ham who is accused of breaching airport security has gotten some unexpected congressional support. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Mark Abramovich, NT3V, has the rest of the story:

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Leading Democrats have openly criticized federal authorities for prosecuting Nathaniel Heatwole, W-Zed-3-A-R. Hes the ham who admits to planting banned items on airliners, allegedly to show flaws in airport security. And some in congress think he is almost a hero for pointing out the Transportation Security Authority's inability to properly protect airline travelers.

Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is quoted in print as saying: " "I don't think he had criminal intent. I think what he was trying to do was to show how exposed we are and what our vulnerability was, and he tried to tell TSA and he gave a trail to them."

Pelosi said that if theres any penalty imposed, it should be some kind of community service. And Representative Ed Markey, a powerful Democrat from Massachusetts agrees. In fact, Markey says that any community service sentence imposed on Heatwole should be with the TSA. And Markey adds that TSA officials should listen to him so that they know exactly how to prevent a terrorist from doing the very same thing.

And even the Republicans are getting into the act. Representative John Mica of Florida is chairman of the House aviation subcommittee. He said that prosecutors should concentrate on people who actually pose a threat, adding that Heatwole should not be the fall guy.

None of the politicians are not trying to excuse Heatwole’s action, but they more and more are beginning to agree with Pelosi and Markey who apparently believes that the punishment should fit the crime.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in Philadelphia.

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Heatwole is headed back to court on November 10th for a preliminary hearing. What was not expected is the level of support of some in congress and the obvious pressure that puts on prosecutors working on the case. (From published news reports)

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RADIO LAW: THE BPL WAR - THE ARRL VS. MANASSAS VA.

The ARRL has put officials in Manassas, Virginia, on notice that the League will act on behalf of its members. This, to ensure full compliance with FCC regulations when the city's Broadband over Power Line system starts up in a few months.

Manassas is a suburb of Washington, DC. The League said that it was responding to media reports that Manassas has approved plans for a citywide B-P-L rollout in the near future. As such, ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, has faxed the Mayor of Manassas to point out the potential for RF interference from and to any Broadband over Power Line data distribution system. (ARRL)

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ENFORCEMENT: FCC ISSUES 2ND LARGEST FINE IN HISTORY

Meantime, the FCC has proposed issuing the second largest fine ever for on a broadcast indecency issue. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has the details:

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The FCC wants to force Infinity Broadcasting to pay a fine of $357,000. This, for airing a shock jock radio segment in which a couple was said to been involved in the most intimate of human experiences in New York City’s famed St. Patrick's Cathedral.

According to news reports, the FCC proposed record forfeiture is in response to complaints from the public following an August 2002 broadcast of the "Opie and Anthony" show and aired over thirteen Infinity owned radio stations. The nationally syndicated show was canceled a week later and hosts were fired.

Four commissioners voted for the fine. The fifth said the agency should have taken even stronger action. He said that the FCC should have gone after Infinity's radio licenses and taken their stations off the air.

Infinity has 30 days to pay the fine or appeal. The company has indicated that it will use the legal recourse.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles.

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If upheld the amount paid would be second only to the $1.7 million dollars Infinity paid in 1995 to settle several cases against shock-jock Howard Stern. (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT: USERS RESPONSIBLE FOR REPEATER INTERFERENCE

Users and not the operator of a repeater are responsible for interference problems to another New Jersey repeater system. This is the gist of a September 12th letter to Andrew Woerner, K2ETN, who operates a repeater bearing his callsign.

Back on July 7th the agency notified Woerner that it had received complaints that his repeater, operating on the 146.355/146.955 MHz channel pair, was causing interference to the coordinated W2RAP repeater on the same frequencies.
The complaints alleged that Woerner’s repeater was previously coordinated but that it has relocated since the coordination was issued.

The FCC requested that Woerner provide information in response to the complaints. He did, and in a follow-up letter, the FCC said that it has reviewed his information as well as detailed reports provided by the Metropolitan Coordination Association and the Area Repeater Coordination Council.

The FCC says that coordination does not appear to be an issue in this case. Rather, the interference problem seems to result from users of the K2ETN repeater, which is located in Northern New Jersey, attempting to access that repeater from locations in Southern N/ew Jersey. As such its repeater users who are interfering with the W2RAP repeater and not the person running the K2ETN machine.

The bottom line. The regulatory agency says that this situation does not appear to warrant its intervention. Instead its calling on everybody to work together to minimize any interference to the W2RAP machine. (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT: FCC PROPOSES $120,500 FOR ANTENNA STRUCTURE VIOLATIONS

Meantime, its the fine of all fines for radio tower violations. This, as the Federal Communications Commission releases a Notice of Apparent Liability on October 31st. One proposing a $120,500 forfeiture against SpectraSite Communications, Inc., of Cary, North Carolina for safety-related violations of the Communications Act and the Commission’s antenna structure rules.

Specifically, the FCC is going after SpectraSite for its failure to register and light its antenna structures following an investigation conducted by the Commission’s Norfolk, Virginia Field Office.

The FCC says that the amount of the proposed fine represents the statutory maximum available. The Commission says that it decided to propose a significantly higher forfeiture than generally used in such cases because SpectraSite has a prior history of antenna structure rules violations. It says that SpectraSite has received three previous forfeitures in less than three years for at least 13 instances of failure to comply with the antenna structure rules. (FCC)

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RADO LAW: EMDERGENCY OFFICIALS CONCERNED ABOUT PUBLIC ACCESS TO "MIRT"

Emergency responders are concerned that MIRT, or mobile infra red transmitters are falling into the wrong hands. Mainly, into the hands of people not willing to obey traffic laws.

A mobile infra red transmitter allows personnel aboard emergency vehicles responding to emergency calls to quickly change specially-equipped traffic signals in their favor. That was fine until Internet websites began offering the same devices for use by the public for around $300 a pop.

Unlike radar jammers and certain laser detectors that emit radio signals, the mobile infra red transmitter and other signal changers send out a beam of invisible light. Since light is not controlled by the FCC the devices do not run afoul of the agency’s rules.

Needless to say that this is causing concern for those who rely on the technology for legitimate needs. Don’t be to surprised if states begin enacting their own laws to control the sale and purchase of the units.

More on the situation and the device is in cybrspace at www.detnews.com/2003/commuting/0310/26/a01-307303.htm and
http://www.themirt.com (CGC, others)

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COMMUNICATIONS CRIMES: INDUSTRY VS. IDENTITY THEFT

Microsoft and other technology giants have launched an industry alliance to thwart identity theft and boost confidence in e-commerce. The Coalition on Online Identity Theft will campaign to improve e-commerce record-keeping, beef up Internet security and enforce penalties against identity thieves. The formation of this group comes in response to growing concern over the growing tine of identity theft crimes and government pressure on industry to help to thwart it. (Published news reports)

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BREAK 2

This is ham radio news for today’s radio amateur. From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of the following radio amateur:

(5 sec pause here)

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T-HUNTING NEWS: THE BIRDS OF FALL

If you are into hidden transmitter hunting, listen up. This one is for you. Keeping track of over 300 migrating radio tagged birds. Joe Moell, K0OV, is here with the details.

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Since 1998, you've heard me reporting on hams and scanner fans tracking Burrowing Owls that migrate from Canada to southern states and Mexico. Researchers are so impressed by the capabilities of hams to do this sort of thing that they are asking for help with other critters. Right now, we're starting our biggest ever project, with more birds and more states involved. Nick Myatt of the Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research unit has radio-tagged 360 American Woodcock in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and he wants hams to help him find out where they're going. They're heading out now, and the list of possible stopover and destination states is big, including Southern Minnesota, Southern Wisconsin, Southern Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Eastern Kansas, Eastern Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Eastern Texas. If that's where you live or travel, please check my Web site for the list of active frequencies, all between 150 and 152 MHz.

Also at this time, Dave Sherman, a Biologist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, is looking for help in keeping track of two radio-tagged Sandhill Cranes that should be leaving Ohio about the time you hear this. More information, including the frequencies, is on the Web. Go to www.homingin.com


Besides the frequencies, you'll learn how to identify the special characteristics of a radio tag signal, and you can subscribe to an e-mail list for fastest notification of these studies. That's homingin -- one word -- homingin.com

From southern California, this is Joe Moell K-zero-Oscar-Victor, for Amateur Radio Newsline.

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Again, more information is at Joe’s website. Its in cyberspace at www.homingin.com. And remember: homingin is one word. (K0OV, ARNewsline(tm))

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NAMES IN THE NEWS: QCWA SEEKS NEW G.M.

In other news, word that Jim Walsh, W7VLN is resigning as the General Manager of the Quarter Century Wireless Association and the groups Board of Directors is looking for a replacement. Among the responsibilities are attending all meetings of the QCWA board, keeping full records for the organization and conducting the general correspondence. A solicitation for nominees is on line.
You will find it in cyberspace at www.qcwa.org/manager.htm (QCWA)

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CONFERENCES: 30TH ANNUAL EASTERN VHF/UHF CONFERENCE

The 30th Annual Eastern VHF/UHF conference will be held next April 16th to the 18th, at the Radisson Hotel in Enfield, Connecticut. Planners say that the conference has been moved to the spring time to help alleviate numerous conflicts with other ham radio activities and vacation schedules in August. Guest speakers, proceedings, articles and overall volunteers are being solicited to help out. Prize donations are also being solicited from vendors and members. More information is available from conference chairman Bruce Wood, N2LIV, by e-mail to bdwood@erols.com (VHF Reflector)

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BEACON NEWS: C6AFP COMING BACK ON THE AIR

Steve Rutledge, N4JQQ says over the VHF Reflector that the C6AFP beacon in grid square FL16, should be operational soon. This, thanks to W4WSR who rebuilt the old one that WZ8D originally supplied.

That one took a lightning hit last summer. Rutledge says that he was able to salvage the RF board but that was it.

Rutledge thanks C6AGN, whose Q-T-H the beacon now lives at. This is in Coco Bay, Green Turtle Cay, Abaco, The Bahamas. He says that Bill should be back on the island on or about the time this newscast hits air. Hopefully we will hear the beacon sometime later this month. (VHF Reflector)

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INTERNATIONAL - INTRUDER WATCH: PIRATES OF THE PACIFIC

On the intruder watch scene, VK6XW in Albany Australia reports over 130 of them in the ham bands in recent days. The majority are foundd on 20 meters and appear to be Indonesians, with the rest being Asian Intruders including a number of fishing boats. VK6XW says that the boats also use Amateur Radio VHF frequencies for ship-to ship communication.

Meantime, Chris Wright, VK2UW in Lighthouse Beach New South Wales Australia reports on other pirates in the Pacific. This group is using Amateur Radio calls such as VK4ZLY, several Zed L calls and American calls -- portable VK. These are also on 20 meters and Chris says that they have become a major headache to a number of regularly schedule ham radio nets. (Q-News)

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DX

In D-X, word that XV9DT is active as 3W22S now until the 31st of December. The special callsign is to celebrate the 22nd South East Asian Games, hosted by Vietnam. (GB2RS)

Also, HB0/HA0HW/P and two other stations will be operating from a location 1350 meters above sea level in Liechtenstein through the 10th of November. The three operators will be active on 160 to 10 meters, with an emphasis on the low bands. Modes used will be CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL as directed on the air. (GB2RS)

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THAT FINAL ITEM: NYC HAMS RUN THE RACE

Kenya again ruled the New York City Marathon but it was ham radio that kept the race running. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, takes a look at the November 2nd event and the radio amateurs who kept it moving along:

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Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML: “When people say ‘why do you do it’ my answer is always the same. I’m in it for the T-shirts.”

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And after 27 years as Communications Director for the New York City Marathon, Steve Mendelsohn W2ML, has to have quite a collection. But Mendelsohn is also the first to tell you that he is only a small part of a big ham radio organization that keeps all the races within the New York City Marathon moving.
And 2003 was no exception:

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Mendelsohn: “At about 8 o’clock we went to the actual starting line at the Verrazno Narrows Bridge and Alan fired the air-horn that’s starts the race for the athletes with disabilities. And, 15 minutes after that it was the start of the wheel-chair race; and 15 minutes after that was the start of the hand-cranked race and fifteen minutes after that the elite women. And finally, at 10:07 our operators climbed into vehicles -- because we maintain control of all of the vehicles on the course for safety purposes -- and we use Amateur Radio to do it -- and down the course we went.

At the other end, we climbed out of the vehicles; everyone went to do their next assignment and from the time that the male winner cross the finish line at roughly 12:15 p.m. until the time that we closed down the Family Reunion at 6:30 at night and started to tear down, 411 hams worked with the other 12,000 volunteers to make this the smoothest, best marathon ever.”
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The Alan that Steve referred to is Race Director Alan Steinfeld, W-2-T-N. They were but two of the 400 plus Amateur Radio volunteers who came out this year. And Mendelsohn says that the hams were kept very busy, especially in assisting in medical communications as runners fell by the wayside:

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Mendelsohn: “We had people went down virtually everywhere on the course. The hams were there with the doctors to help and provided a great deal of medical communications back to the Family Reunion area. This allowed the families to know that a runner had dropped out: That they may have been taken to a hospital or that they were simply going home.”

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Mendelsohn says that between 800 to 900 pieces of health and welfare traffic was passed between 10:07 a.m. and 4:40 p.m. He also says that 2003 was the years of APRS at the New York City Marathon. Ill have that part of the story next week.

With part of the course of the New York City Marathon in sight, I’m Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

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As for the race results. Kenya’s Martin Lel, running his first ever marathon won the Mens division. He timed in 2:10:30 beating out defending champion Rodgers Rop. Meantime Margaret Okayo smashed the course record. She won the race for the second time after crossing the line in 2 hours, 22 minutes, 31 seconds, shattering her own record by almost two minutes.

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NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I’m Jim Damron, N6TMW, and I’m Jeff Clark, K8JAC, saying 73 and we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.


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