From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio.ssb

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1374 – December 12, 2003

LISTENER ADVISORY: PLEASE ASSIST IN THIS SURVEY

This is directed only to those who are not currently ARRL members.

Amateur Radio Newsline has agreed to help compile a survey which seeks answers for these two questions:

1: If you are not a member of the ARRL, why not?

2: If you were a member of the ARRL and quit, why?

If you are already an ARRL member, please do not reply as those conducting the survey only want to hear from those hams who never joined or who have dropped their membership.

Please respond by e-mail to hamvideo@juno.com before December 18th. And we sincerely thank-you for assisting in this survey. (The Producers)

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Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1374 with a release date of
Friday, December 12 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. A new study says that the Executive Branch should take over the duties of the FCC, hams in Australia could loose part of the 70 centimeter band and the K-6-D-U-E commemorative event is finally on the air from space. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1374 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

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RADIO POLITICS: STUDY SAYS WHITE HOUSE SHOULD REGULATE RF SPECTRUM

A new study says that its time for the White House to replace the FCC as the nations regulator of the airwaves. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is here with the story:

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The Center for Strategic and International Studies is a private research organization that analyzes global issues. And in a recent report, it basically posed the rhetorical questions of -- what if the FCC went away -- and -- what if the Executive branch of the federal government -- the White House -- took over management of the nation’s airwaves?

Would it be better or worse for America? The Center says yes. That in its view, such a change would definitely improve the way the finite resource called electromagnetic spectrum is managed, but critics have their doubts. One told Amateur Radio Newsline: -- quote -- “You think the spectrum management is bad now, put it under the executive branch” -- unquote.

Be that as it may, the Center’s report called Spectrum Management for the 21st Century was recently presented to Representative Tom Davis. Davis is chairman of the House Committee on Government Reform and the report recommends a number of steps to stop what the think-tank describes as the increasing number of fights over existing spectrum space.

Among its recommendations are to develop a national spectrum strategy. Increase research support for technologies that make better use of the spectrum and the controversial one. Establish a spectrum oversight advisory board to implement full White House control of all spectrum related matters.

Davis said his committee will weigh the report’s findings, along with the results of five ongoing General Accounting Office reviews and a Presidential Spectrum Policy Initiative study commissioned last June. With all of this information for Congress to gather and digest, any change in who will regulate the nations spectrum is probably years, if not decades away.

With thanks to KC0DGY for bringing this to our attention, I’m Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

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Currently, the Federal Communications Commission oversees commercial use of the electronic magnetic spectrum while the National Telecommunications and Information Administration handles all aspects of government use. Its far to early to speculate on what effect -- if any -- such a change might have on Amateur Radio.

More information can be found on-line at http://www.gcn.com/vol1_no1/mobile-wireless/24166-1.html (KC0DGY, GCN)

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INTERNATIONAL - VK: 20 - 430 MHZ AT RISK IN VK-LAND

Australian hams may loose access to all of 420 through 430 MHZ. This, as demands in this part of the spectrum by non-amateurs increases.

Q-News reports on an e-mail from the Space & Terrestrial Systems Team at the Australian Communications Authority to the Wireless Institute of Australia’s Federal President Ernest Hocking, VK1LK, last Tuesday. It deals with an amendment that was made to the Australian radio regulations recently that prohibits the operation of amateur stations in the frequency band 420-430 MHz in certain locations. This, to minimize the risk of interference to that nations Fire Brigades Network and the Mobile Data Radio Service emergency services that operate in this frequency band.

VK1LK told Q-NEWS that he will continue to adopt the view that the Wireless Institute of Australia is looking for primary allocation in the 430 to 440 MHz band -- or at least some part of it -- to protect ham radio interests. (Q-News)

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INTERNATIONAL: BIG HAM RADIO EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS IN ALBANIA

Success reported for 33 students in an internationally sponsored Albanian Amateur Radio training project. We go across the Atlantic to Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, is in Nottinham the UK for the latest:

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The following update on the unique amateur radio training course that is ongoing in Albania has been sent in by Martti Laine, OH2BH, in Tirana.

"A memorable second week came to an end when the US ARRL delegation headed by K7WX and K9LA departed Tirana with many fond memories and new friendships taken back home”

"The theory exam was conducted on Wednesday the 26th of November with 33 students gaining a pass at the CEPT 1 level. Now the course will move on to pure amateur radio related subjects under the leadership of Uli, DJ2YA, while John, G3OKA, will head back to the UK after a job well done.”

Britain's RSGB deserves credit for their support of the first part of the program. I’m G4NJH, in Nottingham.

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Another wave of lecturers representing Finland and Germany has now arrived. Also, Albanian authorities have released the callsign ZA1UT. This is an acronym for the 'University of Tirana and is meant to assist in commemorating this extraordinary ham radio educational program. (GB2RS)

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HAM RADIO IN SPACE: K6DUE OPERATING EVENT UNDER WAY

The K6DUE International Space Station Commemorative Event from the International Space Station is finally under way. What’s described as a challenging schedule kept the crew from getting on the air November 29th and 30th, but the ISS ham station was active during a pass on Saturday, December 6th. We have more in this report:

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According to ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, numerous hams across North America and Europe were able to contact with Astronaut Mike Foal, KB5UAC or heard the ISS ham radio station downlink. Those who did qualify for a special ISS Commemorative Certificate. Information on obtaining one is on-line at www.rac.ca/ariss

KA3HDO also reports that the Phase 2 equipment setup has been completed and the gear activated at approximately 11:20 UTC on December 8th. The new radio is a Kenwood D 700 dual band transceiver. It appeared to operate flawlessly but the packet operation was turned off after Russian controllers requested that the crew power down the hardware while bilateral safety paperwork coordination is being completed. Bauer says that hopefully, this will be completed quickly and that the long awaited packet operation will be on the air once again.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP.

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The event commemorates the contributions of the late Roy Neal, K6DUE, to manned ham radio space operations and continues through the end of the month. (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 W3OC repeater serving North Huntington, Pennsylvania.

(5 sec pause here)


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LAW: HIGH TECH MUST FIGHT CYBERTERRORISM

The Federal government says that technology companies must cooperate in the battle against cyber terrorism. This, according to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge who said that the alternative is to submit to government imposed security regulations.

Speaking at a recent two day conference sponsored by his agency, Ridge said that the enemies of freedom use the same techniques as hackers do and the nations industries must be as diligent and determined as the hackers."

The two-day conference was the first formal brainstorming session to draft security guidelines and a cyberspace attack warning systems. (Published news reports)

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ENFORCEMENT: FCC AGAIN WARNS AERO ENTHUSIASTS ABOUT UNLICENSED OPERATIONS

The FCC is once again warning several hang gliding and sky-diving enthusiasts and the operators of a number of training facilities about the use of ham gear by unlicensed persons. Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reports:

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In a letter to sixteen such California based flying groups, the FCC’s Riley Hollingsworth says that the Commission is receiving an increasing number of complaints that users of these facilities are operating Amateur Radio equipment without a license. Hollingsworth specifically notes the use of hand-held radio transceivers as the biggest violation.

Hollingsworth says that while the FCC encourages the use of radio equipment for the safety of flyers, there are numerous alternative radio services that do not require a license. These include the Family Radio Service and the Multiple Use Radio Service.

Hollingswoth adds that the use of Amateur Radio Transmitting equipment is also permissible as long as the users -- in this case the pilots and sky-divers -- are licensed in the Amateur Radio Service. Translated, they must have a ham ticket to put an Amateur band transceiver on-the-air.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting.

--

Hollingsworth’s letter tells the groups that the use of radio transmitting equipment in a service where a license is required, without obtaining a license, is a violation the Communications Act and will result in criminal penalties. He says that fines normally range from $7,500 to $10,000. (FCC)

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ENFORCEMENT: HOMEOWNERS ASSN MUST FIND INTERFERENCE

And a big win for a Pennsylvania ham that could be precedent setting. The FCC has written to the lawyer representing the Pine Ridge Community Association in the city of Stroudsburg. The note informs the counsel that his interpretation of the Community Association's obligations under Part 15 was incorrect and that the Association is required to investigate the source of its radio frequency interference to an Amateur licensee residing within the Association’s property. (FCC)

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AT THE FCC: CHANGES AT THE CGB

Still with the FCC, word that Louis J. Sigalos has been named Chief and Sherry Dawson has been named Depty Chief of the FCC’s Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division of the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau. This bureau is responsible for conducting outreach to the American public on a broad array of telecommunications issues including the deployment of broadband services, the transition to digital TV, wireless phones and services including local number portability and much more. The Division also promotes public awareness of the Commission’s strategic goals and initiatives through consumer advisories and fact sheets, consumer forums and participation in conferences and workshops. (FCC)

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CHANGING OF HE GUARD: JULIAN HIRSCH

Some sad news. Famed technical writer Julian Hirsch, W2KFB, who spent most of his life testing the latest developments in stereo equipment and explaining them for Stereo Review magazine has died.

Hirsch was a graduate electrical engineer from Cooper Union University. He and Gladden Houck created the Hirsch-Houck Laboratories to test electronic equipment in 1957.

Hirsch went on to author more than 4,000 reports on stereo systems, speakers, turntables and other equipment until his retirement in 1998. He was 81 when he passed away on November 24th. (LA Times, other published news reports)

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HAM EVENTS: HRU 2004 ON LONG ISLAND NY

Mark Sunday, January 18, 2004 at 8AM, for the fifth annual Ham Radio University. The event is being held at the East Woods School in Oyster Bay New York with special forums geared to the non-ham as well as the experienced ham radio operator. The focus will be hands-on with many demonstrations on just about everything including ham radio satellite communications, low power operating using radios as small as a tuna tin and the latest in emergency communications. There will also be a testing session for those who would like to take an FCC exam.

Again this year, Ham Radio University will be combined with the ARRL New York City and Long Island Section Convention. Talk-in will be provided on the W-2-V-L repeater on 146.85 MHz and using an access tone of 136.5 Hertz. For more information e-mail n2ga@arrl.org (K2EPM)

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INDUSTRY NEWS: FREE SUB TO THE UNEMPLOYED FROM ATVQ

If you are out of work and would like to have something to read, has Amateur Television Quarterly Magazine got a deal for you. How about a free one-year subscription to their flagship magazine?

To qualify, you must be normally employed and not retired. Also, the offer is limited to the first 100 to apply.

To take advantage of this one time offer, send a letter by U-S mail requesting a free subscription and stating that you are temporarily out of work. The address is Holiday Offer - ATVQ, 5931 Alma Dr. Rockford, IL 61108.

Sorry, the magazine will not accept e-mail subscriptions for this one time offer. (ATVQ)

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INDUSTRY NEWS: JVC TO CLOSE US VHS TAPE PLANT

A not so happy Christmass for some employees of JVC America. This, as the company announces that it will shut down its VHS tape production plant in Tuscaloosa Alabama by January 31st.

The reason given for the closure is the loss of the VHS market to Digital Video Discs. About 115 people will be laid off from the VHS tape plant closing. JVC already has compact disc and DVD plants in Tuscaloosa and Kennesaw, Georgia that employ about 550 people. (KB4KCH)

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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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ARNEWSLINE(TM) NEWS: WE THANK YOU

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ with a list of people to thank.

It's been since March that we did this, and we were in big trouble financially at the time. The following is only the first half of who helped us in April:

George Jacobs W3ASK of Silver Spring, MD. He's the former Propagation and Space Communications Editor of CQ Magazine.

Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando

David Ziskind, KE4QLH of Atlanta

Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of Wadsworth, OH, who since became a recurring contributor

The Hiram's Ham Amateur Radio Society of Reynoldsburg, OH

Donald West, W9DEW of Fortville, IN

Paul Lebzelter, K8PFL of West Branch, MI

Michael Leahan, N9PQK of Sun Prairie, WI

Gary Harrison, K0BC of Bolivar, MO

Kent Stutzman of Newton, KS

George Ancell, N5LEZ and B&G Communications of Electra, TX

That wasn't everybody in April- we'll continue trying to catch up in the weeks that follow.

Finally, in the entertainment industry, oftentimes one of the biggest stars is listed at the end of the opening credits, such as: "and starring Martin Sheen as President Bartlett."


We at Newsline also have one of those: "and starring Roy Blanchard, N5YHS,” as an occasional, but extraordinary benefactor. Roy, you're amazing!”

Thank you to everyone. Your April response to our crisis was exceptional, and got us all the way to December. We promise to do our best to continue to earn your care and support.

A reminder that Newsline is a 501(c)(3), federally chartered, California non-profit corporation. FCC regulations prohibit us from telling you exactly how to support us, but that information is on our website at www.arnewsline.org.

I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

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ON THE AIR: 6 METERS IS BIG IN KNOXVILLE

If you live near Knoxville Tennessee and like to operate vintage ham gear, listen up. This one is for you.

The Repeater Journal reports that a group of local hams have gone back to the future and created a new Six Meter Nostalgia Net that meets on 50 point 4 Megahertz -- or should we say Megacycles in this case. The gathering takes place every Thursday night at 8:30 P.M. local time and anyone with gear capable of running full carrier A-M is invited to take part.

And what if you are not into A-M operation? Well the same group also sponsors F-M and S-S-B nets on Sundays. The F-M gathering takes places at 9 P.M. on the 53.770 MHz repeater. Five minutes after the F-M net is secured the S-S-B net takes to the airwaves on 50 point 200 MHz.

And if that’s not enough, yet another Knoxville area 6 meter F-M net has just started up on the 53 point 610 MHz repeater. It meets on Thursdays at 8:00 P-M local Eastern U-S time. (Repeater Journal)

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EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: RADIO RESEARCH: NAVY AND AIR FORCE AGREE ON NEW JOINT COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

The Air Force and Navy have agreed to merge their two formerly separate programs for the acquisition of improved radio systems. The result will be the development of a single family of radios designed to replace incompatible units in use across the services.

Called the Joint Tactical Radio System, this joint Air Force-Navy initiative is expected to produce more than 17,000 units. Initial deliveries of the new radios are expected to begin in late 2008. (Science OnLine)

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INTERNATIONAL - CANADA: VE9HC RE-ELECTED

Radio Amateurs of Canada reports that Hugh Clark, VE9HC was recently re-elected Section Manager in the Maritimes Section. This, for a two-year term that will begin on March 1st, 2004. Clark ran unopposed eliminating the need for a balloted election. (RAC)

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INTERNATIONAL - IRAQ: BAGHDAD COMES TO ECHOLINK

Ian Abel, G3ZHI, reports that Iraq is now on Echolink. Ian says that on December 4th he held a 90 minute cyberspace QSO with YI1SRA in Baghdad using the Echolink program. Laith was operating from an Internet cafe as full Internet access has yet to be widely restored in the city.

YI1SRA reported that he and fellow members of the Baghdad Radio Club are hoping to install a 2 meter repeater in the city. It would be linked to Echolink network allowing on demand around the clock contact with the city and provide communications back home for any foreign ham in Baghdad.

YI1SRA also now has e-mail. Messages to him go to laithtariq@yahoo.com (G3ZHI)

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DX

In D-X, now its your chance to QSO the real Santa Claus on the air. This, as station OH9SCL is active from Santa Claus Land near the Arctic Circle. OH9SCL will take to the ham radio airwaves from December 17th through the 21st. Operation will be 80 through 10 meters on cw, ssb, rtty, psk31 and slow scan television. The digital modes will be primary focus durning the weekend hours.
Santa’s ham radio helpers this year include Finnish amateurs OH2BH, OH2NWG, OH3BHL and several others. QSL via OH9UV. (Via e-mail)

Meantime, the ARRL says that its new Logbook of the World secure contact-verification database continues to grow. ARRL Membership Services Manager Wayne Mills, N7NG, reports that nearly 5000 users have uploaded logs containing some 25.4 million Amateur Radio contacts. This has resulted in more than 1 million QSL records to date. (ARRL)

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THAT FINAL ITEM: BRINGING THE DEAD BANDS BACK TO LIFE

And finally, its that time of year that the V-H-F frequencies are pretty dead as far as propagation goes. So here's as idea from Terry Hosack, W-A-3-L-T-B, on how to bring them to life.

Terry suggests over the V-H-F Reflector that you download a copy of the W-S-J-T program for digital high speed meteor scatter, weak signal, trop and E-M-E. He says to be certain that you get all the current updates including the new JT65 mode.

Hosack says that other than skeds, activity may be found on 144.140 and 50.260 Mhz mainly during contest and activity periods. If you are on the East Coast just beam west. Conversely, if you live out West, beam to the East and you might be surprised at what you might hear.

Terry says to just put the program in the monitor mode and see if you can decode any signals. If you find an interest in the mode you can buy or build an interface to actually transmit and help bring the dead VHF bands back to life.

The following web site is used for Skeds and chat about WSJT and meteorscatter:
http://www.pingjockey.net/cgi-bin/pingtalk (VHF Reflector)

**

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 Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, in New Orleans, saying 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.


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