From Newsgroup: alt.ham-radio.ssb

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1402 ­ June 25, 2004


The following is an advisory and not necessarily for air. Ladies and gentlemen, Amateur Radio Newslines' Support Fund Administrator, Andy
Jarema, N6TCQ:


--


This is Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, Newsline Support Fund Administrator,
getting caught up with our supporters. In the month of September of
last year we heard from Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando; monthly
contributor Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of Columbus, OH; the St.
Charles, MO ARC, WB0HSI; monthly contributor William Walters, WA2IBM,
of San Jose; monthly contributor Scott Hensley of the Area
Communications Team, also in San Jose and the Anchorage ARC.


Of special mention was support received in memory of the late Roy
Neal, K6DUE, by the Brackett family of Cerritos, CA. Our thanks to
Sharyn, Jim, KE6FVN, David, KE6OPK, and Lynn, WA6HBS.


Thank you to everyone, and we promise to do our best to continue to
earn your care and support. A reminder that Newsline is a 501c 3
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. That address will be repeated at the
end of the newscast.


I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.


--


Thank you Andy. Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1402 with
a release date of Friday, June 25 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Changes coming to ham radio in New Zealand
and maybe to the 40 meter band here in the United States. Find out
the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1402 coming your
way right now.



(Billboard Cart Here)

**


RESTRUCTURING: A NEW HAM RADIO IN ZED-L

Big changes appear to be in store for ham radio in New Zealand.
This, as the current licensing system is replaced by one test and one
class of ham radio operator. ,Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, is in Auckland
where its all taking place:


--


Here's the bottom line. Our current New Zealand Amateur Radio
licensing system is being renovated. We now have only one class of
ham radio license in Zed-L called the General Amateur Radio License.
This is just one of many changes coming to ham radio down-under as
New Zealand radio amateurs discover the full outcome of their
regulatory authority's review of the Amateur Radio service. It's all
good!


The changes started on June 17th when a new revised Schedule attached
to the Zed-L license came into effect. A Schedule here in New Zealand
is kind of like a new set of rules. That's the first step. Other
changes will take effect over the next 18 months or more. Many long
standing problems are being eliminated and some of the changes are
believed to be world firsts. Under the new structure there will be
only one grade of Amateur operator license in New Zealand. That's the
General Radio License that I mentioned earlier. One license means
only one test needs to be administered.


A newly-licensed amateur will have immediate access to all amateur
bands below 5 MHz and to all amateur bands above 25 MHz. After
getting experience over 3 months and with at least 50 contacts
logged, access is then permitted to all amateur radio bands.


All existing Limited Amateur licensees automatically became General
Amateur licensees on June 17th irrespective of what is written on
their existing licenses. There being only one license grade,
callsigns will no longer indicate a class. There is already an
established procedure to request a change of callsign if a licensee
so wishes.


All amateur bands remain the same but a newly-extended Low Frequency
band 130 to 190 kHz is being listed for the first time as an amateur allocation.


The permitted maximum transmitter power output for an amateur station
on all bands is 500 watts P-E-P. With only one figure, the maximum
power level in New Zealand is now mode-independent.


How about visitors to New Zealand? Touring hams holding a current
amateur certificate of competency, authorization, or license issued
by another administration, may operate an amateur station in New
Zealand under a General User Radio License for visitors. A licensed
visitor will be granted similar privileges to a New Zealand resident
station for a period not exceeding 90 days. The present country-to-
country reciprocal license agreements will disappear in time as more
countries directly recognize the licenses issued by other
administrations. This will make cross-border travel by radio amateurs
a lot easier than it is today.


There are now minimum rules and restrictions for Amateur Radio in New
Zealand and the future is positive.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, reporting
from Auckland.


--


With one license exam, one license grade, and with new and
simplified procedures, New Zealand telecommunications regulators say
that they have positioned that nations Amateur Radio Service for an
exciting future. (ARNewsline(tm), ZL2BHF, Q-News)


**


RESTRUCTURING: FCC RELEASES NPRM ON 40-METER CHANGES


The FCC says pending changes in the 40-meter amateur band as a result
of the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference will improve spectrum efficiency. It said so in a rule making notice dealing with the 40
meter band. Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the latest:


--


The ARRL Letter reports that this remark came in an FCC Notice of
Proposed Rule Making in ET Docket 04-139. This is an inquiry that
seeks public comments on proposed rule changes to complete domestic implementation of various World Radiocommunication Conference
allocation decisions made in 2003. Among them the future of the
Amateur Service 40 meter allocation.


The regulatory agency says that it anticipates that administrations
in I-T-U Regions 1 and 3 will, in the near future, authorize phone
emissions in the 7 point 150 to 7 point 200 MHz band segment. The
FCC notes that the ARRL has requested that the United States
frequency segment for phone emissions be expanded to 7 point 125 to 7
point 300 MHz. The FCC says that authorizing voice operations in
this band segment would permit same-frequency US-to-DX contacts,
resulting in increased spectrum efficiency.


The N-P-R-M also addresses the deployment of Earth Exploration
Satellite Service-Active spacecraft in the 70-cm band. The Commission
says that this operation should not cause harmful interference to,
nor claim protection from, any other services allocated in the band
in the United States. This includes the Amateur Satellite service as
well as any others.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale,
Arizona.



--


Comments in the proceeding are due July 16, with reply by August 2.
Interested parties may view the entire NPRM, file comments and view
comments filed in ET Docket 04-139 via the FCC's Electronic Comment
Filing System at www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ (ARRL)


**


RESTRUCTURING: NO VANITY CALLS IN THE UK RIGHT NOW


Vanity callsigns 'are unlikely to be introduced in the United Kingdom
before March of 2006. This, according to the Radio Society of Great
Britain which says that for the last three years it has been in
discussion with licensing authorities over the introduction of such a
program for U-K amateurs.


The latest word is that telecommunications regulators have informed
the RSGB that due to software issues it is unlikely that vanity
callsigns can be introduced before March 2006. In other words, the
waiting goes on. (RSGB)


**


More news in a moment, but right now its time for you to identify
your station. Linda Reader, N-7-H-V-F, if you please: "From the
United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on
bulletin stations around the world including the W7FP repeater
serving Salt Lake City, Utah."


(5 sec pause here)


**


THE BPL FIGHT: ARRL JOINS IOWA HAM IN BPL INTERFERENCE STRUGGLE


The ARRL has joined in the fight on behalf of Iowa amateur and ARRL
member. This, following complaints from Jim Spencer, W0SR, of Cedar
Rapids, that he has suffered severe Broadband Over Powerline
interference for more than two months.


According to the ARRL Letter, a formal complaint to FCC Enforcement
Bureau Chief David H. Solomon calls on the Commission to order
Alliant Energy's B-P-L field trial system to shut down. It also
demands that the agency fine the utility $10,000 for violating the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC's Part 15 rules.


Alleging that the ongoing interference is both harmful and willful to
one or more licensed radio station the ARRL asked Solomon to
intervene on an emergency basis. ARRL Chief Executive Officer David
Sumner, K1ZZ, who signed the letter of complaint, said Alliant Energy
has been aware since March 30th. Thats the date it installed
Amperion BPL equipment in Spencer's neighborhood and the interference
began. (ARRL)


**


ENFORCEMENT: EX-KG6IRO FINED $10000 FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION


A man who challenged the FCC and the southern California ham radio
community has been fined $10,000. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce
Tennant, K6PZW, has the latest on a person who the F-C-C has told to
stay off the air:


--


The FCC has issued a $10,000 Notice of Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture -- that's a fancy way of saying a fine -- to Jack
Gerritsen, the at least temporarily former KG6IRO. This, for
operating a radio station in the Amateur Radio Service without the authorization from the FCC to do so.


In a June 15th letter to the Bell, California, former licensee, the
regulatory agency notes his past record of non compliance with, among
other things, its orders to keep off the air. It also notes his
previous conviction for interfering with police radio communications
in 2000 and the November 14, 2001 decision by the FCC to set aside
his ham radio ticket based on complaints about the operation of his
stations. Kit also raises questions regarding his qualifications to
be a Commission licensee in light of his 1999 arrest and 2000
conviction on the police radio jamming charges.


At the time of the license set aside Gerritsen was warned that he has
no authority to operate radio transmitting equipment. That doing so
would be considered to be a violation of Section 301 of the
Communications Act and could subject him to monetary penalties or imprisonment.


But on December 9th 2001, the Bell, California Police Department
notified the FCC that it had received complaints against Gerritsen
for making radio transmissions. On December 28th of 2001 the FCC's
Los Angeles Office issued a warning letter to Gerritsen for
unlicensed operation, and basically told him to get off the air. On
January 2, 2002 Gerritsen replied and asserted that the set aide of
his license was improper. On January 29th, the Bell Police and the
California Highway Patrol arrested Gerritsen on a probation violation
charge. On May 7th of 2002 he was found guilty of the parole
violation and sentenced.


Soon after his release on July 28th of 2003 the FCC began getting
complaints of unauthorized transmissions over local Los Angeles area
amateur, business band and public safety repeaters. The complaints
alleged that the person making the transmissions identified using the
call letters KG6IRO. An investigation was launched. This lead to an
agent positively identifying Gerritsen on November 6, 2003 as a
person holding a transceiver while the investigator recorded the
radio transmissions he was making. The investigation continued with
the FCC identifying Gerritsen as the interference source on November
7th 2003 and on February 9th of this year.


Now, based on what the FCC cites as conclusive evidence it has levied
the $10,000 fine against Gerritsen for willful and repeated
violations of Section 301. As usual, Gerritsen was given the
customary 30 days to pay up or to file an appeal.


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


--


Word is that Gerritsen has responded to the FCC with a demand that
the agency rescind the fine. He reportedly claims that his license
granted on November 14th 2001 has not been terminated, revoked or in
any way modified to prevent him from being on the air. (FCC)


**


ENFORCEMENT: THE FCC ENFORCEMENT LOG


Gerritsen is not the only ham radio enforcement story making news
this week. With more, heres the FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:


--


DO NOT READ: Audio report only. Hear it in the newscast at www.arnewsline.org


--


More ham radio enforcement news in upcoming Amateur Radio Newsline
reports.


--


ENFORCEMENT VICTORVILLE CA PIRATE STILL ON THE AIR


A pirate broadcaster in Victorville, California, is still operating
full time on AM 660 and FM 91.3. This, in defiance of FCC actions
to shut it down.


Back on March 31st, the FCC issued a $20,000 fine to alleged station
owner Stanley Mark Mayo. This, for willful and repeated violation of
Section 301 of the Act for operating radio transmitting equipment
without the required Commission authorization.


None the less, the stations remain on the air leading to speculation
that another level of enforcement action might be taken. One that
could lead to seizure of the broadcast equipment and jailing of those
who put the stations on the air.


For a look at the Commission's action on these stations, see www.fcc.gov/eb/FieldNotices/2003/DOC-246123A1.html (CGC, others)


**


RESCUE RADIO: A 100 WATT TRAVELERS INFORMATION STATION AT LAX


The FCC has granted a request by the managers of Los Angeles
International Airport for a ten fold power increase to their
Travelers Radio Information Radio service. On December 4, 2002,
managers filed the application that asked to increase power from 10
to 100 watts. The reason for the increase was to facilitate the
airport's efforts to provide emergency communications to the
traveling public in the event of a terrorist attack. The FCC has now
granted the 100 watt request, due, it says, to the circumstances
involved. More on this story is on-line http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-03-3843A1.doc
(CGC)


**


THE SOCIAL SCENE: NEBRASKA IN JULY


Turning to the ham radio social scene, Nerbraska's Pioneer Amateur
Radio Club will hold its flea market on Sunday, June 11th. The venue
is the St. Charles Parish Center in North Bend. For more information
e-mail mehaffey@dtnsped.net (E-mail)


**


THE SOCIAL SCENE: MARYLAND IN JULY


And the BRATS Hamfest and Computer Fest will take place July 25th at
the Timonium Fairgrounds in Timonium, Maryland. This is one of the
biggies that features more than 500 outdoor flea market spaces,
hundreds of indoor vendors, free ham radio exams and much more.
There is lots of information on this one on-line. You will find it
in cyberspace at www.bratsatv.org (Press release)


**


HAM RADIO AND THE 2004 OLYMPICS: THE ATHENS 2004 AWARD


Athens 2004 Olympic Games Awards will available for all radio
amateurs and short-wave listeners who make or log a requisite number
of contacts with stations in Greece. This, during the period of the
15th of May until the 30th of September.


Special prefixes J4, SX and SY count 10 points each, normal SV
stations count 5 points each and the Radio Amateur Association of
Greece's HQ station SZ1SV counts 50 points. A total of 250 points is
required for the Bronze Award, 350 for the Silver and 500 points for
the Gold Award.


The address for applications is RAAG Award Manager, PO Box 3564, 102
10 Athens, Greece, or see the RAAG web site:
www.araag.org/award2004.html (RSGB)


**


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)


**
AN ARNEWSLINE FOLLOW-UP: MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY


A follow-up to a story we ran several weeks ago. Thanks to the
efforts of several amateur radio operators in Ft. Wayne, Indiana a
message of hope and appreciation was sent via the airwaves to our
military personnel around the world. Newsline's Jack Parker W8ISH
has the details:


---


It's official. By proclamation, May 29th, is officially Amateur Radio
Military Appreciation Day in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The event was
organized to honor and show appreciation to those that serve and have
served in the military and related auxiliary groups. Planning for the
event started last spring and quickly grew into a nationwide effort
as organizer Emery McClendon KB9IBW spread the word to amateurs and
MARS operators in the US and around the world.


The key to success centered on what Amateur Radio could do to let our
Military members know that people supported them. Unlike written
letters, amateur radio allowed Americans, in their own voice and
words, tell the troops how much they care.


To get lots of public input, event organizers searched for a special
event location. The Fort Wayne Wizards baseball team got into the
game by offering up a spot at their stadium and a home game crowd.
The effort grew momentum when radio volunteers from three Allen
county amateur radio groups joined the ranks to spread the good word.


The amateurs ran three Echolink stations, IRLP, and two HF stations
along with PSK31. The event scored local media coverage from
newspapers, radio and network TV stations. Indiana Governor Joe
Kernan, a former Vietnam POW and Indiana's senior Senator Dick Lugar
both sent proclamations. They were just two of several proclamations
read in a special ceremony before the first pitch of the baseball
game. Many of the 65-hundred fans on hand, took advantage of the
amateur radio connection to express their support to the military
stationed around the world.


Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jack Parker W8ISH


--


The Fort Wayne hams say their mission was a success. They now plan to
make Amateur Radio Military Appreciation Day an annual event. (ARNewsline(tm), KB9IBW)


**


HAM RADIO ON THE INTERNET: THE AOL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FORUM


If you use America Online to get your e-mail and have never explored
the Radio Communications forum pages, then you are missing half the
fun. Almost since the day AoL took to Internet, the Radio
Communications Forum has been a part of the service, and its not just
limited to ham radio operators either. No matter what you radio
hobby interest, there is probably a board for you. C-B. Scanners.
You name it. There's a place for you.


So the next time you sign on and hear the famous words -- "you've got
mail" -- type in the keywords radio communications and join the other
radio hobbyists around the world who make this area of AoL their
cyberspace home." (ARNewsline(tm))


**


HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AN ORBITAL FIELD DAY


Ham radio space travelers Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, and Gennady Padalka,
RN3DT, may participate in Field Day from the International Space
Station if time permits. ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Ken Ransom,
N5VHO, sent Field Day operating instructions and pass times to the
ISS support team at Johnson Space Center. If they were on, Fincke
should have been operating as NA1SS. Padalka would likely have signed
RS0ISS. Both stations would be classified as 1 Alpha operations.
(ARISS)


**


HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ITS A GIRL


And less we forget, a word of congratulations to Astronaut Mike
Fincke and his wife Renita on the birth of their second child. Tarali
Fincke was born on Friday June 18th with KE5AIT himself making the announcement from the orbiting I-S-S. (N1ORC)


**


THE EDUCATION FILE: THE 2004 TAPR - ARRL DCC


On the educational agenda, the 2004 TAPR and ARRL Digital
Communications Conference will be held September 10th to the 12. The
venue is the Airport Holiday Inn in Des Moines, Iowa and the planners
say that are now accepting papers for the conference proceedings. You
do not have to be present at the conference to have your paper
included in the proceedings.


Submissions are due before August 10th. Send them to Maty Weinberg
at ARRL Headquarters, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connercticut. The
zipcode is 06111 and you will find more conference information on
the web at www.tapr.org/dcc (TAPR)



**


WORLDBEAT - INDIA: A NEW HAM RADIO INITIATIVE


In world news. India's national Amateur Radio society says that it
plans to conduct various programs to promote Amateur Radio as part of
a disaster mitigation program in many venues across that country.
Many local radio amateurs and clubs across India plan to back this
National Institute of Amateur Radio initiative and also take part in
this program. (NIAR via Q-NEWS)


**


WORLDBEAT - SCOTLAND: RSGB DISTRICT NAME CHANGES


And some major changes to the two Radio Society of Great Britain
Scottish Regions have been announced. Region 1, previously known as
Scotland West and the Western Isles, becomes Scotland South and the
Western Isles Region 2, previously known as Scotland East and the
Highlands becomes Scotland North and the Northern Isles.


As a result of these changes, two new RSGB districts will be added to
Region 1. These are District 15 to be called Lothians and District
16, the Borders. The Deputy Regional Manager for District 15 is Dave Stockton, GM4ZNX. (GB2RS)


**


DX


In D-X, word that IZ3EFL is currently active as S79DF from the
Seychelles. Look for him during his evening hours on 20 meters SSB.
He expects to remain there for quite some time so QSL as directed on
the air. (GB2RS)


And PA5M is now in Sudan and will be active in his spare time as
ST2DX. He will be there for about one month. QSL is via PA7FM.
(GB2RS)


**


THAT FINAL ITEM: D-DAY AND HAM RADIO - NEW ORLEANS STYLE


And finally this week, the story of ham radio helping to celebrate a
national holiday, southern style. It took place in New Orleans and
Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, is there with the rest of the story:


--


The weekend of June 5th and 6th the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club,
based in Metairie, Louisiana operated W5D, a special event station to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the D-Day invasion at the
National D-Day Museum located in downtown New Orleans.


Event co-chairman Keith Barnes, W5KB reports that by all measures it
was a rousing success. Just over 600 contacts were made and the
station display was very well received by visitors and Veterans
alike. The hams manning the booth didn't miss many opportunities to
talk up amateur radio.


The display, prominently located in the main entrance hall just past
the front door, featured a large collection of World War II vintage
military radio gear. Among the visitors to the station were former
New Orleans Archbishop Philip Hannan, himself a World War II vet and
member of the 82nd Airborne. The Archbishop actually jumped with the
82nd on D-Day.


Also stopping by was Louisiana governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco.
She even sat at the radio and made a contact.


Both Archbishop Hannan and Governor Blanco signed the commemorative
poster along with World War II veteran radio operators and World War
II veteran hams. The poster will be made into the commemorative
certificate for those stations making contact with W5D.


For more information on the special event, along with pictures of the
station and vintage radio display, take your web browser to the
Jefferson Amateur Radio Club's website at www.w5gad.org. To find out
more about the National D-Day Museum visit www.ddaymuseum.org.


From New Orleans, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW for the Amateur Radio
Newsline.




-- credit: JARC --



--


A job well done by the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club in New Orleans.
(AE5DW)


**


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.


A final reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award closes at midnight Eastern
time this Wednesday, June 30th. If you have not yet nominated a
youngster this is your last chance to do so for this years judging.


This Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is open to
any FCC licensed young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in
the contiguous 48 states and who has made a significant contribution
to the community, the nation or ham radio though the United States
Amateur Radio Service.


More information and a downloadable on-line nominating form is at our
website. That's in cyberspace at www.arnewsline.org. Again, the
cutoff for nominations this year is midnight on June 30th.


For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jeff
Clark, K8JAC, saying 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur
Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.









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