Friday, May 25, 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline T Report 1815 - May 25 2012






Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1815 with a release
date of May 25th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. The 2012 Dayton Hamvention is in
the history books, well take you there. Logbook Of The
World logs an important milestone and you're never too old
to learn a thing or two. These stories and more on Amateur
Radio NewslineT report number 1815 coming your way right
now.

(Billboard Cart Here)


**

HAM HAPPENINGS: DAYTON 2012

The city of Dayton, Ohio was invaded over the weekend of May
18, 19 and 20 by radio amateurs from all over the world for
the Dayton Hamvention. By all accounts it was a huge
success. The weather was, for the first time in many years,
absolutely perfect. Sunny days in the upper 80s and clear
nights in the 50s made for great strolls through the massive
flea market. No matter what obscure or rare item you're
looking for, odds are that someone in the flea market has it
for sale. The old saying of "if you can't find it at Dayton
it doesn't exist" is really true. Don Dubon, N6JRL is
president of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association, the
sponsoring club for the Hamvention. He says this was an
excellent year.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

Of course, it takes more than just DARA to put on a show of
this size. It is truly a group effort.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

Always at the sharp end of the pileup is Bob Heil, K9EID.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

This year, Bob added television host to his resume. Ham
Nation is an Internet television show all about amateur
radio and the crowds were even thicker around Audio Alley.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

Amateur Radio Newsline is honored to be a part of Ham
Nation. Bringing the magic of our great hobby and service
to a new and very receptive audience.

Amid the new product announcements was very exciting news
that Icom is now the official amateur radio supplier of the
Boy Scouts of America Jamboree On The air. Icom has
assembled a number of self contained "go kits" containing
everything needed to get on the air from JOTA and other
scouting events consisting of an Icom IC 7200 and everything
else needed to get on the air.

Kenwood debuted their latest and greatest, the TS-990. Phil
Parton, N4DRO goes over some of the features.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

Expect the new TS-990 to begin shipping in the last quarter
of this year. The retail list price hasn't been released
yet, but Phil says between $5000 and $10,000 is a good
ballpark. From the looks of it, it's worth every penny.

Another new rig debuted at Hamvention was the long awaited
Heiberling PT-8000. As we hear from DH7JH, it is indeed
finally a reality.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

So how much is the Heiberling PT-8000 you ask?

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

Yes. He said $17,000. Not Euros, US Dollars. Time to
start saving that spare change.

Over the years Amateur Radio Newsline has relied on one
seasoned, some say grizzled, Dayton veteran to distill the
Dayton experience down to it's true essence. That fabled
old ham is none other than Chip Margelli, K7JA from CQ
Publications.

--

Audio report only. Please download the audio version of
this weeks newscast at www.arnewsline.org.

--

That , of course, just scratches the surface of Hamvention
2012. We'll have more from Dayton in next week's Amateur
Radio Newsline report.

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the WD6HFR repeater serving the region around
Palomar, California.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RADIO BUSINESS: LIGHTSQUARED - THE NEVER ENDING STORY TAKES
A NEW TURN

Is it an end to the story that never seems to end? Possibly
as word that LightSquared Inc. has filed for Federal
bankruptcy protection. This as it says that it will
continue to try and resolve the concerns of U.S. regulators
who frustrated the company's plan to deliver high-speed
wireless to as many as 260 million people.

LightSquared, based in Reston, Virginia, listed assets of
$4.48 billion and debt of $2.29 billion as of February 29th
in a Chapter 11 filing May 14th in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in
Manhattan, New York. The filing followed intense
negotiations with creditors, who had requested that the
company's backer, Philip Falcone, step aside. Falcone and
the current management team will remain with the company
according to company spokesperson , Terry Neal.

But this might not be the last time we hear from
LightSquared. In a statement, Falcone noted that the
bankruptcy filing was not option the company embraced
quickly or easily. Rather that it was necessary to protect
LightSquared against creditors who were looking for a quick
profit.

Falcone added that LightSquared remains committed to our
original mission, and that he is steadfast in his belief
that a path forward exists that will satisfy and benefit all
constituencies.

LightSquared's plans for a high speed high speed broadband
network hit a roadblock in February. That's when the FCC
said it would withdraw preliminary approval for the
company's network after government tests found that the
signals would interfere with global-positioning systems.
That decision followed a yearlong fight between LightSquared
versus GPS users and providers.

The bottom line: If Lightsquared is successful in
reorganizing under the Federal Bankruptcy Law, the never
ending story could be with us for some time to come.
(Published news reports)

**

RADIO EDUCATION: DXING FROM THE BLACK HOLE SEMINARS IN
ILLINOIS IN SEPT

"DX'ing from the Black Hole is the title of a multi-session
course to be presented this fall in conjunction with the
60th W9DXCC DX Convention to be held in Schaumburg,
Illinois,

The W9DXCC convention committee has announced it will offer
a 4 session class on Friday, September 14th to introduce ham
operators to the excitement and fun of DXing.

The class has been designed for new and inexperienced
DX'ers. Each session will cover a different aspect of
DX'ing including operating practices, station design,
chasing awards, QSL'ing and propagation from the area known
as the Black Hole.

All presenters are accomplished DXers from the Northern
Illinois
DX Association. Between them they represent over 100 years
of experience that includes participation in DXpedition
operations to rare locations around the world and numerous
awards. Please contact W9MU by e-mail to jhudson (at)
wishcom (dot) net for further details and
information." (W9DXCC)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: D-STAR AT THE 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS

The London GB7OK D-STAR repeater server has been updated
with Jonathan Naylor, G4KLX's software and can now access
all D-STAR reflectors. Also, four new D-Star nodes in
London area have come on air just in time for 2012 Olympics.
The four nodes are MB6IHF in West London, MB6INL in North
London, MB6IOK in South East London and MB6SS located in
South West London. All four nodes will give D-STAR access
to all Dplus, XRF and DCS reflectors. (G1HIG)

**

RADIO MARKETPLACE: CW LAUNCHES INDUSTRY INSIDER NEWSLETTER

CQ Communications has announced the launch of the CQ
Industry Insider, an e-mail newsletter for the hobby radio
industry. The newsletter will report on news and trends in
the amateur radio, scanning and listening marketplace, as
well as company news and announcements, marketing tips and
an idea exchange for spotlighting concepts for new products
and services.

According to Publisher Dick Ross, K2MGA, the goal in
publishing the Industry Insider is to help businesses in the
amateur radio industry thrive and grow by sharing industry
news and trends, marketing tips and product ideas.

The Editor of the CQ Industry Insider is Jason Feldman, who
currently works with both Popular Communications and
WorldRadio Online, and is Director of Pop'Comm's monitoring
registration program. He came to CQ with considerable
experience in producing e-mail trade newsletters.

Feldman will be backed up by Ad Manager Chip Margelli, K7JA;
Editorial Director Rich Moseson, W2VU; Production Director
Dottie Kehrwieder, and the rest of the CQ Communications
staff.

The CQ Industry Insider is being distributed initially to
companies and individuals already on the CQ advertising
department e-mail list. Industry members not on the list who
would like to be added should contact Chip Margelli by e-
mail to ads@cq-amateur-radio.com. (CQ)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: LOGBOOK OF THE WORLD MARKS 50,000 USERS

A Serbian ham is the holder of what can best be described as
an electronic honor. On May 1st Dragan Pavlovic, YT3PDT,
completed his registration process for Logbook of The World.
As such he becamethe 50,000th person to take advantage of
the ARRL's online QSL confirmation system.

According to ARRL Membership and Volunteer Programs Manager
Dave Patton, NN1N there are more than 3500 individuals from
outside the US in the process of obtaining a digital
certificate. There are also numerous hams here in the US
who have started the certificate process, but not yet
finished. (ARRL, WIA)

**

WORLDBEAT: WRTH A-12 SHORTWAVE BROADCAST SCHEDULES
AVAILABLE

The World Radio and Television Editorial team has announced
that the Summer 'A' season broadcasting schedules file is
now available to download, free of charge, from the WRTH
website. The 86 page file is approximately 4500 kB in size
and contains the kind of information that SWL's need to keep
on top of the summer DX season. To get a copy take your web
browser to www.wrth.com and follow the link "Latest PDF
Updates." (WRTH)

**

WORLDBEAT: EGYPT NATIONAL SOCIETY TO CONCENTRATE ON YOUTH
EDUCATION

IARU Region 1 Youth Coordinator Lisa Leenders, PA2LS,
reports that youth oriented amateur radio activities in
Egypt are on the increase.

In a recent report, Leenders noted that the Egyptian Radio
Amateurs Society or ERASD, has announced plans to promote
and improve amateur radio services and youth activities in
Egypt. This through the participation in more international
and regional activities.

An ERASD prepared plan for three years is divided into four
key points. These are Radio Activities, Education,
Society's Station, Media. During the radio Activity the
Egyptian Radio Amateurs Society will be providing
educational programs and materials to promote amateur radio
and develop the scientific and technical skills of youth in
the hobby. (IARU Region 1, Southgate)

**

WORLDBEAT: NORTHERN IRELAND BALLYMENA AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
TURNS 65

Northern Irelands Ballymena Times reports that the Ballymena
Amateur Radio Club has recognized by Ballymena Borough
Council for their 65 years of service to the community.

Recently, members of the club were invited to the Ballymena
Mayor's office to be presented with a plaque for their
achievement. Chairman Aubrey Kincaid gave a short speech to
Mayor Hubert Nicholl explaining the club's history.
According to Aubrey, the club was officially started back in
1947 by local radio enthusiasts and ex-servicemen. However
it's thought a club was in operation and on the air as far
back as 1929. (IRTS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: STUDENT PROJECT MAY FLY IN SPACE

GoErie.com reports on the work of students from Penn State
Behrend who developed a super capacitor based energy storage
device designed to replace the silver-zinc battery on
ARISSat type satellites.

According to the report, when David Jesberger, Kathleen
Nicholas and Jacob Sherk graduated on May 4th from Penn
State Behrend, they left behind a finished senior project
that could soon be headed into space. This is because
senior engineering students at Behrend pitch ideas each year
for projects they would like to tackle in their final year.

Nicholas, Jesberger and Sherk all bid for a chance to be
part of a project for the Radio Amateur Satellite
Corporation. The result of their work was a collection of
fifteen super-capacitors linked together by a circuit board
that also contained their names and the famed college mascot
Nittany Lion paw print. You can read more about this
student team effort on-line at tinyurl.com/supercap-battery.
(Erie Times News, Southgate)

**

RADIO EDUCATION: IEEE BROADCAST TECHNIOLOGY SOCIETY EXTENDS
ABSTRACT DEADLINE

The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers'
Broadcast Technology Society has announced an extension of
the deadline for receiving abstracts of prospective papers
to be presented at the organization's annual fall 2012 IEEE
Broadcast Symposium. A final date of May 31st has been set
for delivery of abstracts by prospective presenters.

Submissions are welcomed from broadcasters, researchers,
developers, technology suppliers and service providers
within the field of broadcasting. Submissions must indicate
that abstract is for the 2012 IEEE Broadcast Symposium, and
contain complete contact information, including the author's
full name, affiliation, mailing address and telephone
number. Abstracts should be limited to 1,000 words and
should be sent via email to bts@ieee.org.

Proposals for panel discussions involving technology,
applications, business models and policy-related issues and
opportunities within the broadcasting industry are also
being solicited. In addition, proposals for half-day
tutorial sessions on broadcast technology topics are
welcomed.

This year's symposium event will be held in Alexandria,
Virginia from October 17th to the 19th. (RW)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: NEW JERSEY CLUB TO ACTIVATE SUBMARINE RADIO
STATION

The Nutley Amateur Radio Society, of Nutley New Jersey, will
be activating the radio room of the World War II Submarine
the USS Ling. This as a part of the world-wide Museum Ships
Weekend on June 2nd and 3rd.

The Ling is a Balao class fleet submarine, measuring 312
feet and is a permanent museum ship, berthed on the
Hackensack River at Hackensack, New Jersey. As we go to air
it is expected that amateur radio stations on over 75 museum
ships will be on the air for this event. (K2DC)

**

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)

**

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: NYC MARATHON COMMUNICATIONS
COORDINATOR AND FORMER NEWSLINE CONTRIBUTOR STEVE
MENDELSOHN, W2ML - SK

For each of the 36 years that the New York City Marathon has
been run, Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, could be found in the lead
vehicle with the race director traveling along with the lead
male runner and relaying messages via ham radio. But this
coming November, Steve will not be there. This is because
our longtime friend lost his valiant battle against
Pancreatic Cancer the morning of May 23rd. Steve was only
67 when he died at his home in Dumont, New Jersey. And as
our producer Bill Pasternak tells us, this for him is not an
easy goodbye:

--

Its not easy to say goodbye to a friend, and in the case of
someone whom you have known for a good part of your life.
So while others will give you statistics and facts about
what Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, did in his rather amazing life,
I want to share a few personal thoughts.

I fist met Steve when he was working for one of the supply
houses near what we New Yorkers called Radio Roe. Steve was
a salesman and I had just saved enough to purchase the
transmitter of my dreams. A Hallicrafters HT-40. Not the
completed unit but rather the kit.

The truth be known, Steve tried to talk me out of the
purchase saying there were better units for about the same
price. But none of those covered 6 meters in addition to HF
and so he made the sale. And as a result of that quick
conversation we became friends for life. Only neither of us
knew it at the time.

Fast forward the timeline to the late 1960's. In those days
the ham radio meeting ground in New York City was the WA2SUR
repeater on 2 meters operated by the late George LeDoux,
K1TKJ. And it was there one afternoon that I heard some
folks in QSO. One of the people had a familiar voice. His
call was WA2DHF and his name was Steve. So I joined the QSO
and quickly learned that this was the same Steve who had
sold me the HT-40 kit almost a decade earlier. And I guess
this is where it really all began.

There are a couple of personal stories involving Steve that
I want to relate because they tell far more about Steve than
anything purely ham radio, albeit both do have a ham radio
connection.

The first revolves around the WA2ZWP repeater that a group
of us Brooklynites put up in the late 1960's. We knew from
the outset that we would be using a voice I-D but none of us
knew how to properly interface an automotive 8 track player
to an RCA Carfone transmitter. But Steve Mendelsohn did and
he spent several evenings with this reporter explaining how
to make the transistors in the tape player talk to the tubes
in the repeater transmitter with no distortion and not so
loud as to cover up those who were involved in a QSO. Steve
knew audio technology and gladly shared it with myself and
others.

But the most important Steve Mendelsohn story is the one
that completely changed my life. It was in the winter of
1970. I was dating a gal named Sharon Wagner and every
Sunday morning found me winding my way from Brooklyn out to
Valley Stream to pick up the lady to go - well - go
somewhere or do something. Be it just lunch and a movie or
whatever, I would pick her up and we would be off to that
proverbial somewhere. And it also became a ritual for
everyone on WA2SUR to say hello to Sharon and for her to say
hi in return. This with me in control of the transceiver.
A Regency HR-2 as I recall.

Well this one Sunday after we had all said our hello's via
WA2SUR, Steve says something like: ".you two have been going
out for months. When are you going to ask the girl to marry
you?"

At first I hemmed and hawed a bit looking for an excuse, but
there was none to be had. Steve had put me into a corner
where it was either catch the fish or cut bait and run. I
knew that I was in love with the lady, so with all of New
York hamdom listening in on 146.73 MHz, I asked Sharon to
change her last name from Wagner to Pasternak. She
immediately accepted and that September Sharon and I said "I
Do."

If not for Steve, I do not know if I would have asked Sharon
or any gal to become my wife. But thanks to him, I was
forced to make a decision that was definitely the right one.
40 years so far and headed toward 41.

Over the decades Steve remained a true friend. Even after I
moved West, we were never very long out of contact. When e-
mail came along, it was even easier.

I still remember sitting on the phone and having him tell me
about the fate-full meeting that got him involved in
coordinating ham radio communications for the New York City
Marathon. A position he loved and kept up for some 37
years.

And especially that one evening at the Dayton Hamvention way
back in the 1980's where Steve engineered and edited one of
our Westlink Report newscasts that was anchored by the late
broadcast legend Jean Shepherd, K2ORS. A newscast recorded
on a modified Sony portable reel to reel recorder that Steve
had found out in his garage and made to work once again just
for this occasion.

Theres so much more that I could relate if only we had the
time because to me, Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, was more than
just another voice on the air. For the better part of five
decades he was an important part of my life. He was my
friend, and I will miss him.

Im Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, and I dedicate this weeks
newscast to my friend, the late Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML.

73 old buddy. I know we will meet once again in the future
on the other side of the great eatherial abyss.

--

According to Bill, its impossible to tell the story of Steve
Mendelsohn's amazing life and career in a short news item
like this. However several print publications have. This
includes a lengthy and well written tribute by the ARRL that
can be found at tinyurl.com/w2ml-sk and a New York Times
item on Steve's career as a communications coordinator at
tinyurl.com/marathon-race-radio.

Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML is survived by his wife Heidi, W2MLW.
As we go to air, memorial survives for Steve have not yet
been announced. (ARNewslineT)

**

DX

In DX, word that F5IRO has received his Ugandan callsign
5X5RO. He will be operating CW and PSK during his spare
time until June 8th. QSL via F8DFP.

OK7MT, OK5MM, and OK2PP have announced to be oprerational
stroke P4 through May 31. They will sign P40H in the
upcoming W-P-X CW Contest on May 26th and 27th. QSL via
OK7MT.

Lastly, RK4FF should be on the air from Senegal as 6V7S
through May 28th. Listen out for him on CW, SSB and RTTY
on 80 through 10 meters. QSL via RK4FF.


(Above from various DX News Sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: 90 YEAR OLD UK HAM GETS MASTERS DEGREE

And finally this week, a story on higher education that
involved a ham radio operator.

Bert Gladwin G3FVO, a former MI 6 electronics engineer, has
become the United Kingdom's oldest new graduate at the age
of 90. This after graduating with a Masters degree from the
University of Buckingham.

In his youth Gladwin left school at 14 and worked as a
delivery boy. During World War II he served with the Royal
Air Force and developed an interest in radio communications.
After the war he worked for the Marconi company and obtained
his amateur radio license.

Gladwin then worked for the Foreign Office setting up
communications systems for British embassies around the
world. He embarked on his degree in Intelligence History
and Bletchley Park Studies at the age of 89 together with
his wife, who was then 77.

G3FVO is not new to being a senior in taking advanced higher
education courses. At the age of 60, he decided to
undertake obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. By
the time he was 70 he had also completed a Bachelor of
Science in Molecular Biology.

Bert Gladwin's advice to anyone considering a degree is to
go for it at any age. He says that it's never too late to
learn.

More is on-line at tinyurl.com/grad-at-90 (University of
Buckingham)

**

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, the Southgate
News and Australia's WIA News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline(at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us
at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita California, 91350

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk,
I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Southern Mississippi, saying 73
and we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.

Friday, May 18, 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline T Report 1814 - May 18 2012





Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1814 with a release
date of May 18th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Hams in Canada take a first step
toward gaining access to 60 meters; amateur radio gets drawn
into the argument over whop really owns Scarborough Reef,
entry level hams in Belgium get a power upgrade and the 2012
Dayton Hamvention is here. Find out the details are on
Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1814 coming your way
right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RESTRUCTURING: CANADIAN HAMS MAY SOON GET 60 METER
PRIVELEGES

Canadian hams may soon be heard on the 5 MHz band. This as
telecommunications regulator Industry Canada has posted the
request from Radio Amateurs of Canada for access to 60
Meters and opened a window for anyone to file comments on
the proposal. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
reports:

--

By way of background, back in 2010, Radio Amateurs of Canada
approached Industry Canada and requested the use of five
center frequencies in the 5 MHz band. Specifically 5332,
5348, 5358.5, 5373 and 5405 kHz.

The national society stated that the use of these
frequencies would allow for more reliable communications
during emergency operations. It noted that the propagation
characteristics in the 5 MHz frequency range allow for both
local and inter-provincial communications.

Radio Amateurs of Canada also noted that the U.S. amateur
radio community has access to these frequencies and that
harmonizing frequency use would allow Canadian radio
amateurs to conduct regional emergency communications on a
coordinated basis with U.S. radio amateurs. The society
noted that many administrations around the world have
authorized radio amateurs to use the frequency 5405 kHz.

At the same time, Radio Amateurs of Canada also requested
the use of two additional frequencies, 5319 and 5329 kHz,
for Canadian domestic use. However, after conducting a
review of domestic and international use of 5319 kHz,
Industry Canada determined that this frequency is
unavailable for use by the amateur radio service in Canada.

The proposal still needs to complete the entire Canadian
rule making process. Canadian hams and other citizens have
until June 12th to file comments on this matter.

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

--

Bill Unger, VE3XT, is Radio Amateurs of Canada's North -
East Ontario Regional Director. He says that this has been
a long hard go and has taken a lot of time and effort on the
part of the national society, doing so on behalf of all
Canadian radio amateurs. (RAC)

**

RADIO RELATIONS: HAM RADIO BEING DRAWN INTO DISPUTE OVER
OWNERSHIP OF SCARBOROUGH REEF

Ham radio is being drawn into a dispute over the territorial
ownership of Scarborough Reef. This as a website pops up
claiming correspondence between the Philippine Amateur Radio
Association and the ARRL supports mainland China's
territorial claim in regard to the land mass that's also
known as as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

The report on the Sina website relating to amateur radio
says that back in 1990, the then Philippine ambassador to
Germany indicated clearly in his letter to a German radio
amateur on February 5th that, Scarborough was not within the
Philippine territory and sovereignty. This, according to
the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of
the Philippines.

The documents issued by the National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority of the Philippines and the Philippine
amateur radio organization to the American Radio Relay
League on October 18 and November 18, 1994 had also are
claimed to confirm that the Philippine territorial limits
and sovereignty was stipulated by the Article 3 of the
Treaty of Paris way back in the year 1889.

Scarborough Reef is located between the Macclesfield Bank
and Luzon Island of the Philippines. Over the years it has
seen seen several major DXpeditions and still ranks high as
a wanted entity by DXers world wide. .

You can read the entire claim for yourself on-line at
tinyurl.com/Scarborough-Reef.

(Sina.com, Southgate)

**

RESTRUCTURING: BELGIUM ENTRY LEVEL HAMS GET POWER UPGRADE

In a very strange turnabout of events, Belgium, which only
recently threw a paperwork logjam into the lives of hams
with antenna registration based on hours on the air and
power output has suddenly granted a major power increase to
its entry level Foundation Class license holders. We have
more in this report:

--

On May 4th, the Flemish government's telecommunications
regulator B-I-P-T announced power increases that could
permit entry level amateur radio Foundation holders to run
100 watt transceivers on the High Frequency bands. Well,
more accurately run 100 watt out transceivers at about half
power output level.

The new maximum output power for Flemish Foundation class
license holders is 50 watts. That's up from the 10 watts
out previously permitted.

But its not all good news for the Belgium based ham radio
newcomers. This is because that nations Foundation class H-
F allocations are being reduced slightly on most bands but
the changes are far to many to list here.

There were also some modifications made for holders of
higher class Belgium Amateur Radio Licenses. Those along
with the major changes for the Foundation class are on line
as a .pdf document in the Flemish language at
tinyurl.com/belgium-power-upgrade.

And don't rely on Google or any other on-line language
translator to convert this document into truly
understandable English. Flemish is one of those languages
that really require a human being to translate into
understandable form.

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

--

The change in power level for Belgium Foundation level hams
came as the result of a lobbying effort by the Belgium
national amateur radio society, the UBA. Meantime there is
no word on any hope of easing the antenna paperwork
requirement now faced by all classes of Flemish hams. (UBA,
Southgate)

**

RADIO POLITICS: ROSENWORCEL AND PAI CONFIRMED AS FCC
COMMISSIONERS

The United States Senate has voted to confirm Jessica
Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai as FCC Commissioners and they
likely will have been sworn in by the time this newscast
goes to air. Rosenworcel is senior communications counsel
for the Senate Commerce Committee and also has FCC
experience. Pai has worked at the law firm of Jenner and
Block since April 2011, and is a former FCC attorney and
Senate staffer. Once they take their Commission seats it
will bring the agency up to its full complement of five
commissioners.

(Published news reports)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the Hamvention repeater, W8BI, serving Dayton,
Ohio.

(5 sec pause here)


**

HAM HAPPENINGS: HAMVENTION 2012 OPENS INTERNATIONALLY
CONNECTED

As we go to air, the gates at the Hara Arena should be
opening for the 2012 Dayton Hamvention. This is the
gathering that's considered as being the show of shows in
amateur radio.

Michael Kalter, W8CI, is the General Chairman of this 60th
anniversary Hamvention and he recently told Hap Holly,
KC9RP, of Rain that 2012 is dedicated to the concept that
radio amateurs are internationally connected:

--

W8CI: "We have a new committee this year that is working
with people that are coming from all over the world that is
working to try to make them feel comfortable in Dayton,
Ohio, and to be comfortable at Hamvention. They had a
welcoming evening at the Mariott Hotel from about 4 to 6.
The Mariott is South of Dayton. So we could meet and
connect to more of our foreign visitors and make them feel
welcome because they certainly are.

--

Kalter also says it looks to be a good year for both
merchants and those hams attending Hamvention 2012 to get
some new goodies. He says that that inside booth space is
close to a sellout:

--

W8CI: "We are doing really well on indoors and if you were
to look at our website (www.hamvention.org) and connect to a
couple of liks you can see who is where and how many spaces
are left. And there sure aren't very many spaces left.

"There are lots of different exhibitors from all over the
world.

"We are pleased to have so many back this year and some new
ones as well."

--

And what about this years prizes?

--

W8CI: "We are ahead on prizes this year from what we had
last year in terms of dollar value. Our Prize Chairman and
Prize Committee worked very hard to bring in some major
prizes and our hourly prizes that start when Hamvention
doors open.

"We have flat screens (displays) around the facility to make
it a little bit easier and a little bit sharper to be able
to see if your ticket stub has won."

--

If Michael Kalter's predictions are correct, 2012 should be
a banner year for the Dayton Hamvention. We'll let you know
more in next Weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.

(ARNewslineT, Audio courtsy of RAIN)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: HAM NATION DAYTON BROADCAST TO BE AIRED BY
THE TECH GUY ON THE PREMIERE RADIO NETWORK

And speaking of Hamvention 2012, Bob Heil, K9EID, of Heil
Sound tells us that satellite service Via Sat is installing
its new Exede high speed internet service on site at the
Hara Arena for the entire Hamvention weekend.

Bob that the plan is to initially site the equipment at Tom
Medlin, W5KUB's streaming video booth in the Flea Market for
all to use.

On Saturday, the 19th Via Sat will move the system outside
the doors of the Hamvention's Audio Alley for a live
broadcast into Leo Laporte, W6TWT's "The Tech Guy" radio
show from around 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time. This means that
170 stations on the Premiere Network will have a live report
form the Dayton Hamvention with Bob, along with co-hosts
Gordon West, WB6NOA and George Thomas, W5JDX, originating
from the Ham Nation booth for that broadcast.

Leo Laporte's "The Tech Guy" airs from 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern
Time every Saturday. To find a station airing it where you
live please visit techguylabs.com on the World-Wide-Web.
(K9EID)

**

RESCUE RADIO: THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN REPORTING
EMERGENCIES TO THE PUBLIC

"Emergency Management Without Social Media.Fail" is the
title of a very interesting op-ed article by author Tim
Burrows posted across several social media websites. In it,
Burrows looks at both the positive and negative effects on
the public that social media can have in attempting to
disseminate and update information of a disaster, accident
or other event that the public needs to know.

Whether you agree or disagree with Burrows assessment of the
role of social media in regard to the accuracy of the
information being made public, his article is a very
interesting evaluation for anyone involved in the world of
emergency communications. You can read the entire story on-
line at tinyurl.com/emergency-social-media. (Wordpress.com)

**

ENFORCEMENT: CONNECTICUT HAM RADIO OPERATOR HELPS LOCATE
AND CONVICT PERSON WHO STOLE FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES

J. David Goldin ,WB1EZA, is being hailed as a hero by the
United States National Archives. This after helping to
solve exposed what authorities have called one of the most
egregious instances of theft of historic materials from
where the government preserves its historic documents,
photographs and recordings. Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl
Lasek, K9BIK, has the details:

--

According to news reports when J. David Goldin, WB1EZA, saw
a recorded interview of baseball great Babe Ruth for sale on
eBay he knew something was wrong. That's because there was
only one original record of that 1937 interview of Ruth on a
hunting trip, and Goldin had donated it to a government
archive more than 30 years ago.

So Goldin, who is described as an avid record collector,
launched his own investigation that lead directly to
uncovering the person now believed responsible for stealing
close to 1000 artifacts from the National Archives.

Goldin began his sleuthing by purchasing a different
recording from the same on-line seller. When the deal was
complete he recognized the name of the seller as being the
same National Archives employee who had received the Babe
Ruth and other historic recording that Goldin had donated
thirty years earlier.

Goldin then took his findings to federal investigators.
They in turn obtained a search warrant and raided the home
of retired National Archives employee Leslie Waffen. There
authorities carted away two truckloads of materials. Now,
after pleading guilty, a judge in Maryland has sentenced
Waffen, to an 18 month prison term and fined him $10,000.

Before retiring, Waffen had worked at the National Archives
for 40 years.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in
Zion, Illinois.

--

United Stares Inspector General, Paul Brachfeld, whose
office investigated the theft, says that he plans to honor
Goldin. He told the press that there are some people who
give tips who are just passive. He said that J. David
Golden wasn't like that. He called Goldin a sentinel.
(QRZ.com, other media reports)


**

ENFORCEMENT: TRANSLATOR FINED $10000 FOR IMPROPER OPERATION

Ace of Hearts DJ service and its owner Randy Bennett have
been dinged $10,000 by the FCC. This for operating an FM
translator near Cape Canaveral, Florida with improper
equipment and at more than authorized power levels. Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more:

--

By way of background, in March 2011, the Enforcement
Bureau's Tampa office issued a proposed $13,000 fine to Ace
of Hearts DJ Service for using an unauthorized transmitting
antenna system and operating at more than its authorized
transmitter power output. In its investigation FCC agents
from the Tampa office measured the field strength for
station W277AN at almost twice its authorized level. An
inspection showed that the translator was also operating
with a two-antenna array rather than the single bay system
for which it was authorized. ,

In its reply to the Notice of Apparent Liability, Ace
claimed it was now operating within its authorized power
levels and with an authorized antenna system. The company
asked for the penalty to be waived or reduced, arguing that
the higher power levels may have been caused by an unknown
third party tampering with the transmission equipment. Also
that the antenna issue was the result of a typo on an
application.

But the commission was not persuaded that someone tampered
with the transmitter and caused the power output to be too
high. The commission also said it was up to Ace to have
reviewed its license application and make sure it was
specifying the proper antenna array.

The FCC did however note that after the original N-A-L was
levied, Ace filed an application to modify its license to a
two-antenna array so the commission cut the fine by $2,000.
Hence the reduction of the fine to the $10,000 level.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
in the studio in Los Angeles.

--

Bennett and the Ace of Hearts DJ service were given the
customary 30 days to pay the fine or to file a further
appeal. In addition Bennett was instructed to submit a
statement that the translator is now operating consistent
with its license authorization. (FCC)

**

RADIO READING: SPRING 2012 TAPR OSR JOURNAL NOW ON LINE

The spring issue of the free TAPR P-S-R Journal edited by
Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, is now available to download. This
quarterly Journal is full of technical, non-technical and
user supplied digital information and articles. Previous
issues are also available free from the TAPR website. Its
all in cyberspace at www.tapr.org. (TAPR)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: DIGIFEST 2012 - JUNE 2-3

The annual "Digifest" will be held the weekend of June 2nd
and 3rd. The popularity and peculiarity of this contest is
the great variety of different categories of the
participants using various digital modes. These include
RTTY, BPSK, MFSK, HELLSCHREIBER, OLIVIA. Complete rules are
on line at tinyurl.com/digifest-2012. (Digifest)

**

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)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: TRACKING MANTA RAYS BY SATELLITE

An international team of researchers have used radio beacon
transmitters and satellite technology to track the movements
of giant Manta Rays.

According to a Times news report, a team headed by Rachel
Graham of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Punta Gorda,
Belize, attached transmitters to six Rays off the coast of
Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. They reported in the journal
PLoS One that they monitored the rays for periods ranging
from 27 to 64 days. Their preliminary findings for the
Atlantic mantas showed that they traveled as far as 680
miles over a one to two month period searching for food most
of the time staying close to the coastline. They also found
that Rays spent considerable time in shipping lanes, which
rendered them vulnerable to being hit by freighters.

The full in-depth text of this very interesting use of radio
tracking can be found on-line at tinyurl.com/manta-ray-
tracking (Science Times)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FM INTERFERENCE TO SSB/CW SATELLITES
INCREASING

Interference by terrestrial FM operators to ham radio
satellites is a growing problem. This according to
Alexandru Csete, OZ9AEC who made this recording of FM
interference to the FO-9 ham radio bird on Saturday, May
5th. A QSO that seemed to revolve around chocolate:

--

Actual interference QSO recorded off FO-29

--

OZ9AEC says that to an FM operator, the spectrum from 145.8
to 146.0 MHz may seem empty, but it isn't. These
frequencies are used by weak signal SSB and CW satellite
transponders and even a few watts of FM can cause severe
interference.

Some FM operators are unaware that if they use these
frequencies their local chat across town will be heard
thousands of miles away. Nor do they realize that in
holding their point to point terrestrial FM chats in this
spectrum that they block the satellite from others to use.
The use of FM on an SSB/CW linear transponder satellite also
reduces the lifetime of both the satellite's batteries and
the transponder itself. (OZ9AEC, Southgate)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: THREE MORE HAMS LAUNCH TOWARD THE ISS

If all went as planned, several new ham radio operators
should now be on board the International Space Station.
NASA Flight Engineer Joseph Acaba, KE5DAR, and his two
Russian Cosmonaut crewmates, Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, and
Sergei Revin, RN3BS, were scheduled to launch toward the ISS
on May 14th.

The new crew members should have arrived at the I-S-S on May
16th. They will join Expedition 31 Commander Oleg
Kononenko, RN3DX, Flight Engineer Don Pettit, KD5MDT, and
Flight Engineer Andrei Kuipers, PI9ISS.

Padalka, Acaba and Revin will transition to the Expedition
32 crew in July and return to Earth this coming September.
(NASA, ESA)

**

WORLDBEAT: SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DAY JUNE 16

In news from around the globe, the South Africa Radio League
has selected June 16th as National Amateur Radio Day. This
holiday will celebrate amateur radio as a national resource
and its diversity as the most exciting of all scientific
hobbies.

National Ham Radio Day in South Africa will run from 09:00
to 14:00 local time. The objective is to take amateur radio
to the public by exhibiting and doing live demonstrations of
the various aspects of the hobby and as such a great and a
fun thing to be part of. Both individual hams and clubs in
South Africa are invited to take part. (SARL)

**

WORLDBEAT: THE ERIC JAMIESON AWARD CREATED IN VK

The Wireless Institute of Australia Board has accepted the
offer of Eric Jamieson, VK5LP, to sponsor awards for first
amateur radio contacts on the two meter band spanning the
Indian Ocean between Australia and Africa. There will be
three honors given. One each for voice, for CW and for the
digital modes. More on this is on line at www.wia.org.au.
(WIA)

**

WORLDBEAT: GB0BON COMMEMORATES BATTLE OF NASBY

The United Kingdom's Welland Valley Amateur Radio Society
will again be hosting amateur radio special event station
GB0BON on June 16th and 17th. This is in celebration of the
367th anniversary of the Battle of Naseby and the third
anniversary of station GB0BON. QSL this operation as
directed on the air. (GB2RS)

**

DX

In DX, word that XX9E is the callsign for the 17th-23rd May
DXpedition to Coloane Island, Macau. A large team will be
active on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY with
at least three stations. QSL to EB7DX, direct or
electronically via Logbook of the World.

VE1AWW is on the air stroke CY0 from Sable Island. He will
be there for at least the next two months and operational on
30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters. He will also be coming to
6 meters as soon as he completes installing an antenna for
that band. QSL to his home callsign, direct or via the
bureau.

Lastly, MM0SSG is now operational from Angola as D2SG.
While he will be there through the end of October his
operating time is limited because he is there on a work
assignment on an off-shore oil platform. Operations will
only take place when he is on land. If you work him, QSL
via GM4FDM, direct or by the bureau.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: LENORE JENSEN, W6NAZ, PHONE PATCHING TO
VIETNAM VIA MARS

And finally this week, a piece of ham radio history that you
can enjoy and share with friends. While perusing the latest
ham radio videos posted to YouTube, our producer Biull
Pasternak, WA6ITF, came across one featuring the late radio,
television and film actress Lenore Jensen, W6NAZ, running
phone patches to Vietnam.

These phone patches were done through the Military Affiliate
Radio System which often used frequencies just outside the
regular High Frequency ham bands. Overseas telephone calls
were difficult to make decades ago and sometimes impossible
depending on location, so for U.S. service men stationed
around the world, ham radio filled the void. This was an
all with volunteer effort and Lenore Jensen, W6NAZ, was at
the forefront of the activity.

--

Audio bite from film

--

The film is titled "A Visit to Mars" and was part of the
United States Army produced series "The Big Picture." Bill
dates the documentary to the late 60s and notes that the
phone patch was obviously simulated for filming. He asks:
Did you ever hear noise-free audio on High Frequency DX, or
the public always remembering to say "over?"

These details aside, the film appears to be accurate
overall. It depicts the way things were done about 50 years
ago and is a trip back in time. You can see it yourself on-
line at tinyurl.com/LenorePatchingToVietnam. And
LenorePatchingToVietnam is spelled as one word. (CGC,
ARNewslineT)

**


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, the Southgate
News and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline(at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us
at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita California, 91350

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, this week representing
Newsline at the Dayton Hamvention, I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD,
saying 73 and we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.

Friday, May 11, 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline T Report 1813 - May 11 2012




Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1813 with a release
date of May 11th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. High schoolers in California send
a ham radio balloon to the edge of space; Israeli hams
protest on-line against DXCC credit for the 7O6T operation
from Yemen; W5KUB to again netcast live from the Dayton Hamvention
and the latest on the Amateur Radio Direction Finding
Championship coming to San Diego. Find out the details are
on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1813 coming your
way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here)

**

HAM RADIO NEAR SPACE: ANACAPA HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON SOARS
TO NEAR 112000 FEET

We're not sure if it's a new world altitude record for a ham
radio equipped high altitude balloon, but members of the
Anacapa Near Space Exploration Club at California's Anacapa
School are celebrating the recent success of their second
near space probe. One that reached an altitude of almost
112,000 feet. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson, KQ6FM,
has the rest of the story:

--

Balloon launch team: "5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Go!!"

--

That's the sound of a group of teenage near-space
adventurers lofting a high altitude balloon that would soon
soar above California's central coast and then eastward
toward the states central valley.

Called Anacapa Amateur High-Altitude Balloon 2, a student
team from the Anacapa School launched two payload capsules
tethered to a weather balloon on Saturday, May 5th.
Equipped with GPS, atmospheric sensors, high-definition
video and still cameras, a television transmitter and a
Geiger counter, the payload downlinked live data, video and
images during its ascent.

Anacapa Amateur High-Altitude Balloon 2 was designed and
built entirely by students that included Alex Carlson,
KJ6UGF and Genevieve Hatfield, KJ6UGH. They along with non-
hams Grayson Baggiolini, Julio Bernal and Christian Eckert
made up the construction and launch team that was under the
supervision of faculty advisor Levi Maaia, K6LCM.

--

K6LCM: "Two years ago in September of 2010, one of my
students, Connor Proctor and I got together and were talking
about some of the headlines we had seen on-line about high
altitude balloons and decided that it would be a neat
project to bring to the Anacapa School in Santa Barbara. So
we brought it to the Head Master of the school and said we
want to do this. He said what an awesome idea and was
behind us 110% as we sought funding for the project and put
together a small team of students to spearhead the first
launch."

--

As the balloon climbed through the thinning air, the
decreasing atmospheric pressure caused it to expand nearly
ten times in diameter. On reaching its apex above
California's Central Valley, the balloon burst, sending the
payload back to mother Earth under the canopy of a small
parachute. By reaching an altitude of 111,814 feet, this
flight shattered the record of the group's own first balloon
flight by more than 20,000 feet.

Over the coming weeks the students expect to thoroughly
document the flight and analyze the collected data. More
information, including photos and a condensed version of the
in-flight video can be found online at
www.anacapaschool.org/ansec

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Carlson, KQ6FM, in
Reno.

--

And less we forget to mention, the student group has been
working on this high altitude ham radio balloon project
since September of 2011. (ARNewslineT)

**

SCHOOL HAM HAPPENINGS: UK SCHOOL TO HOLD D-STAR SPECIAL
EVENT WANTS CONTACTS

A United Kingdom school in the village of Gresham will be
hosting a special event station on May 23rd using the D-STAR
digital network. The event is specifically for children age
6 to 11 and will use the callsign GB2GVS which stands for
Gresham Village School.

Andy Johnston, 2E0AIV, is the event coordinator. He says
that they have already arranged link-ups with schools in
Northern Ireland, the United States and England, but are
looking for more countries and schools to participate. If
anyone is interested, they can contact Andy via e-mail to
2e0avi (at) 2e0aiv (dot) co (dot) uk.

**

ENFORCEMENT NEEDED: RADIO MYANMAR INTERFERENCE ON 40 METERS

The South African Radio League reports that Radio Myanmar
has been found to be broadcasting illegally on 7.110 MHz.
The station is transmitting using full carrier AM from 15:30
UTC every day and is causing interference on South Africa's
publicized region wide emergency communications frequency.

According to the South African Radio League, steps are being
taken to issue a formal objection but this takes time and
the correct procedures need to be followed. Meantime, South
Africa's Hamnet emergency communications response group has
sent an official complaint directly to Radio Myanmar and
requested that it move frequency. (SARL)

**

DX NEWS: 7O6T YEMEN OPERATION APPROVED FOR DXCC OVER
PROTESTS OF ISRAELI HAMS

Over complaints that were voiced on QRZ.com and other public
websites by some Israeli hams, the ARRL DXCC Awards Desk has
approved the current 7O6T operation from Yemen for DXCC
credit. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is
here with more:

--

A small but vocal number of Israeli hams have been arguing
on-line that the 7O6T from Yemen should not be allowed for
DXCC because the operators refused to make contact with 4X
and 4Z prefix hams. They note that Israel has no banned
countries list and as such refusal of the 7O6T operators to
contact them was at least a violation of the principals and
the spirit of the DXCC program.

While its true that Israel has no banned countries list,
many of its neighbors consider themselves technically in a
state of war with the Jewish state and have been since its
creation through partitioning following World War 2. As
such these nations ban hams operating under their
jurisdiction from making contact with their counterparts in
Israel.

The 7O6T operation reportedly has the support of Yemen's
Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Information, the
Ministry of Radio and the Ministry of Telecommunications and
Information Technology. As such it is a pretty good guess
that not recognizing Israeli stations was a decree imposed
by Yemen on the 7O6T operating team and not one of their own
choosing.

At airtime, it's not known if any of the protesting Israeli
hams contacted the ARRL DXCC Desk regarding this issue of
if it was just another of those cyberspace only arguments.
Either way it came to an abrupt end on Saturday, May 5th.
That's when ARRL Awards Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L,
issued a news release stating that the current 7O6T
operation from Yemen along with the earlier 6O3A DXpedition
to Somalia have been granted DXCC approval. As such, both
will be counted for DXCC credit.

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

--

The 7O6T adventure began at 2100 UTC Monday, April 30th and
has been causing massive pile-ups wherever the operators
show up. It will continue through 2100 UTC on May 15th.

Up until this operation began, Yemen was ranked as number 5
in the DX Magazine's list of most wanted entities behind
North Korea, plus Navassa, Bouvet and Heard Islands.

We will have more DX news later on in this week's Amateur
Radio Newsline report. (ARNewsline, QRZ.com, ARRL DXCC
Desk)

**

RESTRUCTURING: 6 METER EXTENSION GRANTED IN PORTUGAL

Now that terrestrial analog TV has been switched off in
Portugal, the National Communications Authority has agreed
to extend the 6 meter band for radio amateurs. As a result,
Portuguese Category 1, A and B amateurs can now use 50 to 52
MHz on a secondary basis with a maximum power output of 25
watts. (GB2RS)

**

RADIO RULES: VANITY CALLSIGN FEE MAY GO UP 80 CENTS

The FCC has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that,
among other things, would raise the cost of obtaining a
vanity callsign to $15.00 for a ten year license term. The
current cost is $14.20 which in essence means an increase of
only 80 cents if the rule making is approved. (FCC)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the KJ3LR repeater serving Bradenton, Florida.

(5 sec pause here)

**

RADIO AND SCOUTING: BSA ANNOUNCES NEW MORSE CODE
INTERPRETER STRIP

The Boy Scouts of America have just announced a new
"Interpreter Strip" for Morse Code. An "Interpreter Strip"
on the uniform means that the Scout or adult leader is able
to communicate in a particular language. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Mark Abramovich, NT3V, explains:

--

Those older Scouts and former Scouts among you may remember
the Boy Scout requirements that said a Scout had to learn
Morse Code or signal flags to send and receive a message.
And, even though that requirement has disappeared and Morse
Code is no longer mandatory to get any amateur radio license
in the United States, the BSA is reviving Morse Code as a
"language" worth learning.

You can probably credit Jim Wilson, K5ND, for getting this
one from concept to reality.

He's the BSA's "Jamboree on the Air" organizer and the
volunteer chairman for the next K2BSA operation at the 2013
National Boy Scouts Jamboree at the Summit in West Virigina.

Wilson works at BSA headquarters in Texas and is a big
promoter of amateur radio in Scouting.
So much so, Wilson says he organized a national Radio
Scouting advisory committee last year to get stronger
support in the amateur and Scouting community for JOTA.

Earlier this year, Wilson says a member of that committee
made a suggestion about getting some additional Scouting
recognition for amateur radio.

Wilson says there were some ideas that eventually evolved
into exploring the "interpreter" strip worn on the Scout
uniform to show a Scout has some ability to speak a certain
language.

Wilson admits he came up with the idea for "Morse" on the
strip - but in the letters of the language - dah-dah, dah-
dah-dah, di-dah-dit, dit-dit-dit, dit."

Wilson says he quickly moved the idea over to the BSA's
national awards committee where it got a favorable reception
and approval within months.

So how does a boy earn it?

Wilson says there are three requirements, the first....

"It's carrying on a 5-minute conversation in Morse Code at a
speed of at least 5 words per minute," Wilson explains.
"And, then the second one, copying correctly a 2-minute
message sent in Morse Code at a minimum of 5-words-per-
minute.

"And, copying of course means writing the message down as
it's received. And, then, three, sending a 25-word written
document in Morse Code at a minimum of 5 words per minute."

Wilson says Scouts can be certified by their Scoutmaster or
maybe even a ham who's an adult Scout leader.

Wilson says the idea is to further cement the bonds of
brotherhood between Scouting and ham radio operators. And,
of course, Wilson is....

"Eager to increase participation in amateur radio to provide
an opportunity for Scouts to get involved in a fun hobby, a
hobby that promotes communicating with lots of Scouts and
others around the country and around the world," Wilson
says. "And, it's science, it's technology, it's engineering,
it's math - the stem items that are of enormous interest
right now and frankly have been in Boy Scouting for quite
some time."

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

--

For more on the new Boy Scouts of America Interpreter Strip
for Morse Code please visit tinyurl.com/scouting-morse-code
on the World-Wide-Web. (NT3V, ARNewslineT)

**

ENFORCEMENT: FCC AFFIRMS $10000 FINE AGAINST OHIO AM
STATION

The FCC has affirmed a $10,000 Monetary Forfeiture Order it
issued to Taylor Broadcasting Company which is the licensee
of AM Station WJTB in Elyria, Ohio . This for the station
willfully and repeatedly violating Section 73.1125(a) of the
Commission's rules by failing to maintain a management and
staff presence at the station's main studio.

As previously reported, back on February 13th the
Enforcement Bureau's Detroit Office issued a Notice of
Apparent Liability in the amount of $10,000 to Taylor
Broadcasting. Since then, Taylor Broadcasting has not filed
a response to the NAL.

Now, based on the information before it, on May 2nd the FCC
has affirmed the monetary forfeiture. Its also given Taylor
Broadcasting the customary 30 days to pay the fine or to
file an appeal. (FCC)

**

MEDIA STATS: CABLE LOOSES AND OVER THE AIR VIEWERSHIP
REMAINS DOMINANT

Some fascinating home viewing media statistics. According
to Multichannel News, United States cable system operators
lost about 2 point 9 million video subscribers in 2011.
That's a drop of 1 point 5 percent in the overall pay-TV
market.

Meanwhile, households with broadband and only free, over-the-
air broadcast TV increased by 631,000 over the course of
last year, climbing 14% to 5.1 million. Broadcast-only
homes dropped 1%, to about 11 million households versus
11.15 million a year earlier.

Whether or not the broadband-plus-free-TV increase reflects
a gathering cord-cutting trend, the survey found that 98% of
video viewing remained on traditional TV in the 4th quarter
of 2011. (Multichannel News)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: ILLW REGISTRATION HITS THE 200 MARK

Registration for the 2012 International Lighthouse and
Lightship Weekend has topped the double century mark. This
with word that the West Side Amateur Radio Club of Los
Angeles is the 200th registratant for this years event with
its members operating station W6A at the Port Fermin
Lighthouse located near the San Pedro port area of the city.

The entry by the West Side Amateur Radio Club puts the USA
on 28 registrations/ Australia is so far number one with 38
followed by Germany 33, England with 16, and The Netherlands
sporting 13. The total of nations committed to the event so
far is nearing 30.

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend will be held
on August the 18th and 19th. Find out more or register your
lighthouse by visiting the ILLW (dot) net. (VK3PC)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: NORTHERN IRELAND AMATEUR RADIO CONFERENCE
JUNE 16

From the ham radio social page, if you plan to be in Ireland
on June 16th, you might want to stop by the Northern Ireland
Amateur Radio Conference. Sponsored by the West Tyrone
Amateur Radio Club the venue this year is the Technology
Education Centre in the town of Omagh. Featured will be
lectures, seminars and demonstrations along with commercial
vendors and booth representing special interest groups and
various national amateur radio societies. Again the date
for the 2012 Northern Ireland Amateur Radio Conference at
the Technology Education Centre in Omagh. (IRTS)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: W5KUB TO NETCAST LIVE FROM HAMVENTION 2012

Closer to home, Tom Medlin, W5KUB, will once again be
streaming live television from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention.

Tom will begin his live webcast on Wednesday morning May
16th at 0800 Central, broadcasting his 550 mile drive. He
will then set up shop in the Hamvention Flea Market and will
spend the next three days bringing you the sights and sounds
of Hamvention 2012 before live-casting his drive home.

While on the web from Hamvention Tom and his crew will be
interviewing some of ham radios best known celebrities.
This includes television producer John Amodeo, NN6JA, of the
hit television comedy Last Man Standing.

So if you cannot be at Hamvention in person, you can enjoy
part of the festivities vicariously by tuning in via the
Internet to w5kub dot com. Again that's w5kub dot com for
this years live netcast from Hamvention 2012. (W5KUB)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: NEWSLINE FORUM AT HAMVENTION - "HAM RADIO
IN THE YEAR 2112"

Also a reminder that we at Amateur Radio Newsline will once
again be hosting the annual Ham Radio Town Meeting at
Hamvention 2012. This years topic is titled "Imagining the
Future: Ham Radio in the Year 2112" and takes an optimistic
look at the way we may be operating as a hobby and a service
100 years from now.

This years presenters include CQ Magazine Editor Rich
Moseson, W2VU; IARU Secretary Rod Staffdord, W6ROD and
teenage ham radio high altitude balloon enthusiast Erin
King, AK4JG, to name only three. They will be joined by
several other notables from the world of amateur radio on a
journey through time into what may be our future.

Look for us on Saturday, May 20th in Meeting Room 2 at the
Hara Arena. Our session runs from 11:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
and we promise you a fun and imaginative time. We hope to
see many of you there. (ARNewslineT)

**

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)

**

OFF THE AIR: RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL TO END SHORTWAVE
AND SATELLITE BROADCASTS

The shortwave bands will soon be a little less entertaining.
This after it was announced that an 80% budget cut is
forcing Radio Canada International to abandon shortwave and
satellite radio broadcasting, leaving the World-Wide-Web as
RCI's only delivery method.

The latest cut of $10 million takes place on June 26th.
Once in effect, a date will be set to end the broadcasts
from Radio Canada International's Sackville, New Brunwick,
transmission site which will then be abandoned. Besides
ending shortwave and satellite broadcasting, Radio Canada
International will also lose its news operation and cease
producing its own programming. (RW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: K9VV APPOINTED NEW SECTION MANAGER FOR
THE US VIRGIN ISLANDS

Some names in the news. First up is Fred Kleber, K9VV, who
has been appointed as Section Manager of the Virgin Islands
Section beginning May 1, 2012. Kleber, of Christainsted, is
taking the reins from John Ellis, NP2B, who is planning to
move out of the section. Ellis has been Section Manager of
the Virgin Islands since 1996. Kleber has served as the
Section Emergency Coordinator of the Virgin Islands this
past year. (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: THREE SHUTTLE VETERANS INDUCTED INTO THE
ASTRONAUT HALL OF FAME

The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame has inducted three new space
travelers into its ranks. On Saturday, May 5th, Kevin
Chilton, Franklin Chang Diaz, and Charles Precourt, became
the Hall of Fame's 11th class of space shuttle astronauts
and the first to be inducted after the 30 year program had
come to its end.

The three were enshrined during a public ceremony held at
NASA's Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida,
which includes the Hall of Fame. To have been eligible for
induction in 2012, the astronauts needed to have made their
first space mission in 1994 or earlier. They also had to be
retired from flight status as a NASA commander, pilot or
mission specialist for at least five years, be a U.S.
citizen; and have orbited the Earth at least once.

Induction of the shuttle veterans raised the number of
honorees in the Hall of Fame to 81. This includes all of
the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo pioneers. (NASA via N6ZXJ)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FOX PROJECT REVIEW SAYS BIRD
DEVELOPMENT ON TRACK

AMSAT's Fox Satellite Project has completed its preliminary
design review and is looking good. Mechanical, RF, control,
power, and related issues were evaluated at the three night
session in late April with the needed development for
various systems refined.

One thing that became evident is that AMSAT is in need of an
experienced RF designer for the Fox-1 satellite. Due to
international trade restrictions the person must be a US
citizen or permanent resident. If you interested please
send an e-mail with your phone number to Tony Monteiro to
AA2TX (at) amsat (dot) org.

Currently, Fox-1 is slated for launch in the second half of
2013. (AMSAT-NA)

**

AWARDS NEWS: DXCC ONLINE APPLICATION TURN-AROUND.

The ARRL's new on-line DXCC application system appears to be
up and running quite smoothly. This according to Steve
Lawrence, WB6RSE, of Los Angeles California.

WB6RSE tells the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter that he submitted
an Online DXCC application just prior to the recent
International DX Convention in Visalia, California. At the
convention he had his cards checked and the paperwork
accepted for forwarding to the DXCC desk for processing.
Just two weeks later, the credits appeared in Steve's
Logbook of the World DXCC Account Status. (OPDX)

**

ON THE AIR: KK5W FROM GALVESTON TEXAS ON MUSEUM SHIPS
WEEKEND

On the air, listen out for members of the Brazos Valley
Amateur Radio Club activating the call KK5W to be active
during the Museum Ships Weekend on June 2nd and 3rd.
Operations will be from radio rooms of WWII Submarine USS
Cavalla and Destroyer Escort USS Stewart at Seawolf Park on
Pelican Island in Galveston, Texas. They plan to operate on
40 through 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL with a self
addressed stamped envelope to KK5W as listed on QRZ.com.
More information is available on-line at www.bvarc.org
(BVARC)

**

DX

In DX, the Wessex Contest Group will be operating from the
Isle of Skye through the 19th of May. They will be using a
variety of equipment including some homebrew gear, a number
of QRP stations along with the normal high power modern
contest gear. QSL via EB7DX either direct, via the bureau
or via Logbook of The World.

F5IRO is expected to return to Uganda in early May. With
the help of 5X1D he hopes to get his license during the
first week and plans to become QRV on CW on the high
frequency bands in the evenings. Some PSK may be possible
also. QSL via F8DFP.

DH2AK and DL1THM, will be active portable PJ2 from Curacao
on a holiday style operation through May 18th. They will be
on the air using the PJ2A club station mainly on SSB on 20
and 15 meters. QSL via bureau to their home calls.

Brothers ZB3M and ZB2ER are using the special calls ZQ3M and
ZQ2ER from Gibralter through June 10th. This, to celebrate
the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. QSL direct only to ZB3M.

ZS6RGV is the new radio operator on the Marion Island base.
His equipment includes an Icom IC-736 transceiver and FL-
7000 amplifier. ZS1HF is going to help him with applying for
a ZS8 call and will act as his QSL manager.

Lastly, an international team of operators will be on the
air as 3D2C from Conway Reef between September 24th and
October 5th. Activity will be on 160 through 2 meters using
CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and PSK31. QSL via YT1AD, direct or by
the bureau.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: ARDF CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING TO SAN DIEGO CA

And finally this week, they call themselves foxtailers, but
they're not really after those bushy-tailed creatures.
Here's the straight scoop from Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV,
who is also ARRL's Direction Finding Coordinator.

--

They range in age from the teens to the 70's, and they're
coming from all over the USA to compete in the most physical
of all ham radio sports. I'm talking about on-foot hidden
transmitter hunters, also called foxtailers and radio-
orienteers. Their sport is called Amateur Radio Direction
Finding, or ARDF.

It's all done on foot in a BIG outdoor space. Thanks to a
set of standard international rules, it's pretty much the
same all over the world, so we can have international
competitions. Your mission is to try to find up to five
hidden ham radio transmitters without assistance while on
the run, or trotting, or just walking. You'll carry a map
and compass so you don't get lost.

You can mix in with the USA's best radio-orienteers at the
twelfth national ARDF championships in the mountains east of
San Diego during the week and weekend after Memorial Day. It
starts off with two days of intense training, followed by
three days of competition, all near Mount Laguna. You can
stay in the lodge there or camp out among the tall pines.

Learn from the experts, then see how you do for yourself out
on the courses. You don't have to be a marathoner to be
successful, but it helps to be in good shape. There are nine
separate categories with medals for the best three in each,
so you'll only be competing against people of your own age
range and gender. If you're in the top three of your
category, you'll get a medal, and maybe you'll be invited to
join ARDF Team USA as it travels to Serbia for the World
ARDF Championships this September.

Registration for the championships is now open, so start
making plans. You can read all the details and get the
registration form on the web at www.homingin.com. That's
homingin -- as one word -- homingin.com.

I hope to see YOU at the championships. For Amateur Radio
Newsline, this is Joe Moell K-Zero-Oscar-Victor.

--

Again, for more information on this and other ham radio
direction finding events, please take your web browser to
www dot homingin dot com. (K0OV)

**

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, TWiT TV, the
Southgate News and Australia's WIA News, that's all from the
Amateur Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline
(at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us
at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita California, 91350

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk,
I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, saying 73 from Charleston, West
Virginia, and we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline T Report 1812 - May 4 2012




Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1812 with a release
date of May 4th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Antenna restrictions get worse in
Belgium; A new whistling intruder is heard on 40 meters; U-K
telecommunications regulator Ofcom issues new rules to
prevent radio interference to the 2012 Olympics and Nebraska
hams are lauded for their severe weather watch operations.
Find out the details are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report
number 1812 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RADIO LAW: ANTENNA RESTRICTIONS IN BELGIUM GET TIGHTER

If you think it's hard to put up an antenna in some
locations here in the USA its nothing in comparison to
what's happening in Belgium. That's where antenna
restrictions have gotten even tighter than before and its
happening with the government blessings. In fact, the rules
are so stringent that it could force some hams off the air.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, reports:

--

The Belgian national amateur radio society's website has
posted an update on the restrictive antenna requirements
recently imposed by the Flemish Government. The
registration seems to apply to antennas that operate between
10 MHz through 10 Gigahertz, the amount of time a ham is
actually transmitting and the power output of his or her
station.

Going by the latest information, it would appear that
Flemish amateurs who transmit less than 175 hours a year at
20 watts Effective Radiated Power or less, are required to
submit forms to the government for each antenna they have.
Multi-band antennas require multiple submissions of forms.

For instance, a tri-band Yagi antenna for 20, 15 and 10
meters requires three separate submissions. And if any
changes to an antenna is made, all of the paperwork must be
resubmitted.

But wait. It gets worse. If transmission are made from an
antenna for more than 175 hours a year or with an Effective
Radiated Power greater than 20 watts then it appears the
bureaucracy involved is even more complex. You can find out
just how bad it is at tinyurl.com/NoticeForTxAntennas.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH,
reporting from Jonesboro, Arkansas,

--

According to what we are hearing, the Belgian national
amateur radio society's known as the UBA has been attempting
to get these strict antenna rules modified, but to date with
little to no success. (Southgate, UBA Website)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC ACCUSES REPEATER THAT'S BEEN OFF THE AIR
OVER A DECADE OF INTERFERENCE TO NEW RADAR SYSTEM

How can a repeater that's been off the air more than a
decade and a half be creating interference to an aircraft
radar tracking system that may not even be on the air yet?
That's what a lot of hams want to know after educator Gordon
West, WB6NOA, showed and partially read a warning letter on
the Tuesday, May 1st edition of the netcast Ham Nation. A
letter that he received from the FCC and one that appears to
accuse him of operating a repeater on the 23 centimeter band
that's causing interference to a radar system that the FCC
won't even talk about. Here's what West had to say as he
presented his warning letter to the thousands worldwide that
were watching Ham Nation:

--

WB6NOA on Ham Nation: "...I always enjoy it when it say
Certified Mail. Federal Communications Commission,
Enforcement Bureau. And here it's a Warning Notice from the
Commission that went to a slew of Southern California
Repeater operators who own 1.2 GHz repeaters and I haven't
had my 1200 MHz repeater on the air for fifteen years, yet
they say that I operate on the air on 1.2 GHz and I'm
interfering with the FAA radar.
--

We asked West why he thinks he received this letter
regarding a repeater that's been off the air for years:

--

WB6NOA To Newsline: "The Warning Notice Federal
Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau, Western
Region, L.A. District Office, out of Cerritos (California)
begins: `Warning Notice. You are receiving this warning
notice because you operate an Amateur Radio Service repeater
in the 23 centimeter band in the Los Angeles California
county area. This office has received information that
amateur radio repeaters have been causing harmful
interference to Federal Aviation Administration operations
in the 23 centimeter band at San Pedro, California.'

"The remaining paragraphs go on to scare the living
daylights out of you that any further operation could create
some real problems for both the FAA as well as the offending
operator.

"Interesting though is that this letter went to many of us
who at one time may have had a repeater, but the
coordination is closed and the repeater has been off the air
for me up to fifteen years yet we are still getting this
notice an a pretty strong letter to come right out of
nowhere indicating that we have been potentially interfering
with the radar."

--

So what is it that the FCC says hams are interfering with?
In reality, nobody but the government really knows for sure.

According to one report attributed to the ARRL, the Federal
Aviation Administration is deploying a new generation of
Common Air Route Surveillance Radar that operates in the
1240 to 1300 MHz of the 23 centimeter band. The Amateur
Service allocation in this band is on a secondary basis,
with aeronautical radionavigation and several other services
primary in the United States Table of Frequency Allocations.

The FCC rules require that amateur stations operating in the
23 cm band may not cause harmful interference to stations in
the Radionavigation-Satellite Service, the Aeronautical
Radionavigation Service, the Earth Exploration Satellite
Service or the space research service. Nobody is arguing
with that. What is questionable are letters being sent to
hams telling them that they are the source of interference
to this new radar system even if they or their repeaters
have not been on 23 centimeters in years.

If you are a repeater owner or 23 centimeter operator
anywhere in the United States and have received a letter
similar to that described by Gordon West, then we ask you to
send us a copy along with any reply that you sent to the
FCC. Our mailing address and e-mail will be presented at
the end of this week's newscast. We promise to bring you a
follow-up in a future Amateur Radio Newsline report.

Note: You can see and hear WB6NOA describe the FCC Warning
Notice he received on Ham Nation episode #46 which can be
viewed or downloaded at twit.tv/hn (ARNewslineT)

**

INTRUDER WATCH: WHISTLING SIGNAL FOUND ON 40 METER BAND

Alex Cete, OZ9AEC, in Ribe, Denmark, says that has found a
strange whistling signal in the 40 meter band. It sounds
like this:

--

Audio of whistling signal.

--

The strange whistle-like signal was received on 7.013 MHz
using GQRX software defined radio receiver and a Funcube
Dongle equipped with a shortwave converter. The signal
appears to be amplitude modulated with suppressed lower side
band.

Amateurs who have heard it are uncertain of its origin, but
some suspect it might be from an ionosonde. Others
speculate that it could be a new form of digital numbers
station. (Southgate)

**

2012 OLYMPICS: UK REGULATOR OFCOM ISSUES PROPOSED ANTI-
INTERFERENCE RULES FOR 2012 OLYMPIC GAME VENUES

UK Telecommunications regulator Ofcom have issued a notice
dealing with proposed regulations that will enable prompt
enforcement action for interference cases that affect the
2012 Olympics. One that affects every citizen that operates
two way radio gear or even unintentional radiators.

The Proposed Regulations set out a requirement that applies
to apparatus in relation to a Games' "event zone." Where
the use of a given apparatus does not meet requirements of
causing zero interference to communications within an
Olympic venue Ofcom may serve on the person in possession of
the apparatus a notice prohibiting its use. Breach of such
a notice would be considered to be a criminal offence. The
draft regulations designate 25 to 35 km radius around all
major venues across the UK, including football stadiums,
where enhanced enforcement could apply.

The announcement follows last week's Ofcom announcement of
restrictions to the 70cm, 2.3 and 3.4GHz amateur bands. The
new proposal would apply to anyone, ham or non-ham, within
the range of the Olympic venues. (RSGB, others)

**

2012 OLYMPICS: RSGB SAYS GAMES A GOOD WAY TO PUBLICIZE HAM
RADIO

Meantime, the Radio Society of Great Britain calls the
upcoming Olympics a great chance for ham radio to show its
colors. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that part of the story from
Nottingham in the U-K:

--

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provide an
outstanding opportunity to publicize amateur radio. To that
end, the RSGB negotiated a very limited number of special
prefixes starting with 2 Oscar One Two followed by a single
letter suffix.

The idea is for these calls are given an extensive airing
over the Olympic period this summer. Special stations are
already planned for London, 2O12L, and Wales, 2O12W, and
there will be a special callsign for the National Radio
Centre.

Groups in Scotland and Northern Ireland are encouraged to
take advantage of the special callsign secured for their
region.

I'm Jeramy Boot, G4NJH.

--

If you are a ham radio group in Scotland or Northern Ireland
and are hearing this newscast, you can apply for use of one
of the special Olympic call signs by contacting Bob Whelen
by e-mail to G3PJT (at) btinternet (dot) com. (GB2RS)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the W5TXR repeater serving Schertz Texas.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RADIO POLITICS: SEN. GRASSLEY LIFTS HOLD ON FCC COMMISSION
LICENSEES

The FCC may soon get two new commissioners and be back up to
its full complement of five members. This following an
announcement by Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, that he is
lifting his hold on the two nominees, Jessica Rosenworcel
and Ajit Pai.

Grassley has been seeking documentation from the commission
on an issue unrelated to the nominees. He specifically
wanted to know about about interference concerns to the
Global Positioning System from the proposed LightSquared
wireless broadband project.

While the documents he's obtained so far raise more
questions for him, Grassley said in a statement he intends
to lift the hold on the two FCC nominees, but also continue
his investigation into both the FCC and Lightsquared.

If confirmed, Rosenworcel would take the seat of former
Commissioner Michael Copps who resigned in December, while
Ajit would replace former Commissioner Meredith Baker.
Baker left the agency in May 2011 to join Comcast. (RW)

**

RESCUE RADIO: NEBRASKA HAMS LAUDED FOR SKYWARN SEVERE
WEATHER WATCH

When normal communications systems in Nebraska were taken
off line by a recent spate severe storms and tornadoes,
local officials had no way of calling of getting damage
assessment. That's where ham radio operators came to the
rescue as we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley,
KI7UP.

--

Tom Reis is a Skywarn coordinator for the National Weather
Service. He says that radio amateurs in Nebraska are a
valuable asset who can get out messages that help save
lives.

In a interview with the Atlantic, Reis said that the
National Weather Service recognizes the importance of
accurate ground information. He says that there are a
variety of methods to get that information to them and that
one of those is via amateur radio.

According to the NWS, ham radio operators can confirm
sightings of severe weather as it approaches and offer
damage assessment after the storm passes. This while at the
same time providing communications support to local
officials.

Reis says that this shows how amateur radio operators
provide a service for their community in a variety of
different ways. He also notes that it doesn't take much to
become an amateur radio operator and people of all ages
enjoy the hobby.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
where we have mostly dust storms in Scottsdale, Arizona.

--

It should be noted that there is a big difference between
trained radio amateurs in the SKYWARN program and the so-
called storm chasers that we have been hearing so much about
in newscasts and reality TV shows these days. Unlike storm
chasers who make a living photographing severe weather
incidents or are members of the general public who are
simply out for a thrill, SKYWARN associated hams are
educated weather observers. Their job is not to go racing
after tornadoes as do storm chasers. Rather they are unpaid
volunteer radio amateurs who keep their eyes and ears open
for severe weather outbreaks. They then report what they
see and hear via ham radio to the National Weather Service.
The NWS takes this information and includes it into
forecasts that invariably save lives. (Atlantic,
ARNewsline)

**

RESCUE RADIO: DOCUMENTARY TELLS STORY OF BROADCASTERS ROLE
IN MISSOURI TORNADOES

A University of Alabama instructor has produced an award-
winning, eight-minute documentary on the role of local
television broadcasters in saving lives during the massive
tornadoes that hit Tuscaloosa and Joplin, Missouri last
year.

Chandra Clark, an instructor in the department of
telecommunications and film, worked with director Scott
Hodgson of the University of Oklahoma to make "Tornado
Emergency: Saving Lives."

Clark said the inspiration for the documentary came as a
response the Federal Communications Commission's proposal to
sell off a large portion of the broadcast spectrum. Clark
said the sales could limit some of the resources
broadcasters have to reach the public.

The mini-documentary has already garnered a prestigious
Telly Award. The film was also awarded a Best of
Competition Award by the Broadcast Education Association's
Festival of Media Arts. (TVB)

**

RESCUE RADIO: UK RAYNET AND APCO-UK SIGN MOU

The United Kingdom's RAYNET group and British APCO have
signed a Memorandum of Understanding. One that recognizes
the common objectives of both organizations in the promotion
and influencing of public safety, civil contingency,
information management and communications

In the Memorandum of Understanding RAYNET and APCO set out a
Schedule of Agreements which sets out some of the ways in
which both organizations will work together. This includes
networking opportunities and invitations to attend
management meetings; website content sharing; joint working
and sharing of publications; and engaging RAYNET in regional
and national events.

RAYNET which is an acronym for the U-K based Radio Amateurs'
Emergency Network is a national voluntary communications
service provided for the community by licensed radio
amateurs. It was formed in 1953 following Great Britain's
East Coast floods, when radio amateurs provided much of the
emergency communications. (RAYNET)

**

ENFORCEMENT: ANOTHER UNLICENSED FLORIDA BROADCASTER FINED
$20000

Another unlicensed broadcaster in Florida has been dinged
$20,000 by the FCC. In a Forfeiture Order, the FCC has told
Robens Cheriza to pay the fine for operation of an
unlicensed radio transmitter on the frequency 107.3 MHz in
the city of West Palm Beach.

Back on February 1st, the Enforcement Bureau's Miami Office
issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in the
amount of $20,000 to Cheriza. Cheriza never filed a
response to the proposed fine. So based on the information
before it the forfeiture was affirmed with Cheriza given the
customary 30 days to pay up or to file an appeal. (FCC)

**


HAM RADIO ON THE NET: RFINDER FOR APPLE PORTABLE PRODUCTS
RELEASED

W2CYK has announced the latest platform release of RFinder -
The World Wide Repeater Directory. The new version is
designed for Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod users and is
available for immediate download from the Apple App Store.

Previous versions of RFinder run on Android based gear and
can be found on-line at web.rfinder.net. The World Wide
Repeater Directory is also accessible from RT Systems radio
programmers and via CHIRP on Windows, Linux and Macintosh
with the same user/password you use on handheld devices.
(W2CYK)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: N8CGM'S CHOIR TAKES 3RD PLACE IN SWEET
ADELINES CONTEST

Some names in the news. Members of Susan Scott, N8CGM's
chorus known as the Cincinnati Sound now wear 3d place
overall medals. This from the recent Region 4 Sweet
Adelines contest held at the Northern Kentucky Convention
Center. The quartets competed on Fri April 19th and the
choirs on Saturday the 20th. (OH-KY-IN A.R.S)

**

MAMES IN THE NEWS: F6HBR FIRST FRENCH HAM TO BE ISSUED A
THAI LICENSE

Meantime, Alain Burgnon, F6HBR, appears to be the first
French radio amateur to be granted a Thailand license.

Burgnon has been living in Thailand since 2006. After seven
years of negotiations between France and Thailand, a
reciprocal agreement was signed in December 2011. As a
result, F6HBR was granted the call HS0ZKG on April 25th.

A second French ham is living in Thailand - Gerald Begards,
F8DEG. He is expected to be the second French ham that will
be granted a Thai call. (F5NQL)

**

HAMVENTION NEWS: TECH LICENSE CLASS AND TESTING AT
HAMVENTION 2012

A Technician level Ham Radio Class will be held concurrent
with the Dayton Hamvention on Saturday, May 19th.

The session runs from 9AM until 4PM Eastern Daylight Time
and will be held at the Hara Arena Hamvention venue.
Immediately following the conclusion of the class a team of
Volunteer Examiners will be on-hand to administer the
Technician class exam.

You do need to pre-register for the class and yes, there is
homework. Info on what's in the class and how to enroll can
be found at tinyurl.com/hamvention-license-class.

The class will be again sponsored by Mitch Stern, W1SJ. If
you have any questions please contact him at w1sj (at) art
(dot) net. (W1SJ)

**

HAMVENTION NEWS: WEAK SIGNAL DINNER AT HAMVENTION 2012

And Weak Signal VHF, UHF and Microwave enthusiasts are
invited to attend the 17th VHF Weak Signal Group banquet.
This annual event will be held concurrent with the Dayton
Hamvention on Friday evening May 18th, at the Dayton Grand
Hotel in Dayton, Ohio. The evenings featured speaker will
be Dick Hanson, K5AND, and his presentation on the 2011 PJ6D
Six Meter DXpedition to Saba Island. Cost is for the
banquet is $35 per person and advance reservations are
required. Prepaid reservation requests should be sent to
Tony Emanuele WA8RJF, 7156 Kory Court, Concord Township,
Ohio 44077. For more information you can e-mail Tony to
WA8RJF (at) ARRL (dot) net. (WA8RJF)

**

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)

**

ELECTRONIC THEFT: CALIFORNIA COPPER THIEVES EXPAND TO FIBER
OPTICS

Copper thieves in California have expanded to stealing glass
as well. In this case we are talking about glass as in
fiber optic cable. In one case some AT&T customers in the
city of Alpine experienced disruptions in phone and Internet
service after thieves stole copper and fiber optic wiring
from underground lines.

According to Sgt. Joseph Passalacqua, the thieves took about
75 feet of 600 strand fiber optic cable along with the
copper wiring. To accomplish this the robbers climbed into
a manhole and cut into the underground pipes. An AT&T
spokesperson said that three conduits carrying fiber optic
or copper cables were damaged and that the vandalism
affected some cellphone users as well.

Sergant Passalacqua said that Internet service was down at
both the sheriff's Alpine and Pine Valley substations, but
that public safety was not affected.

The theft of copper wiring and other metals like bronze and
aluminum has proliferated over the years. Thieves commonly
steal the precious metals in order to sell it to recyclers.
However the theft of fiber optic lines is something new and
could signal a developing market for this kind of product.
(Published news reports)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: 5 MHZ PROPAGATION STUDY RELEASED IN UK

A paper entitled Comparison of Propagation Predictions and
Measurements for Mid-Latitude HF Near-Vertical Incidence Sky
Wave Links at 5 MHz has just been published in the peer-
reviewed, academic journal, Radio Science. Authored by Dr.
Marcus Walden, G0IJZ, the paper compares near-vertical
incidence skywave or NVIS measurements from the U-K 5 MHz
beacon network with High Frequency propagation predictions
using VOACAP and ASAPS software. Further information,
including a link to the paper, can be found at
tinyurl.com/7ahx8vt. (GB2RS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AMSAT PUTS OUT FIRST CALL FOR SYMPOSIUM
PAPERS

AMSAT has put out a first call for papers to be presented at
the 2012 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium to be held
in Orlando, Florida.

Proposals for papers, presentations and poster presentations
are invited on any topic of interest to the amateur
satellite community. Abstracts and papers including a
tentative title should be sent to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, by e-
mail n8fgv (at) amsat (dot) org.

The 2012 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium takes
place the weekend of October 26th to the 28th at the Holiday
Inn, Orlando Airport Hotel. (AMSAT, N8FGV)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DELFI C3 DO-64 CELEBRATES 4 YEARS IN
SPACE

The Delfi-C3, DO-64 satellite has celebrated 4 years on-
orbit. The 3-unit CubeSat, developed by the Technical
University of Delft in the Netherlands was launched on April
28, 2008. The nanosatellite has since performed technology
demonstration experiments for the space industry in the
Netherlands. It still transmits its telemetry and
measurement data which can be received using simple amateur
radio equipment and using the RASCAL software. An in-depth
article on the tiny bird is on-line in Google translated
English at tinyurl.com/Delfi-C3-4th-Anniversary.
(Southgate)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE NEW CUBESAT LAUNCHER DEVELOPED AT NAVAL
POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL

The Space Systems Academic Group at the US Naval
Postgraduate School has developed the NPSCubeSat Launcher or
NPSCuL.

NPSCuL is described as an auxiliary payload platform. It is
designed to allow multiple CubeSats to be launched aboard
rockets as secondary payloads. This means that the launch
rocket would be able to carry satellites in onboard space
that would otherwise be unused.

NPSCuL can accommodate up to 24 CubeSats in a single
Secondary Payload Adapter. On reaching the desired orbit
spring-loaded doors will release the satellites one-by-one.

A first flight is planned for August 2012 which will carry
11 CubeSats. (ANS)

**

RADIO SPORTS: ARRL CREATES NEW VHF - UHF CONTESTS

In radiosports news, the ARRL Programs and Services
Committee have approved a rule change for ARRL VHF+ contests
effective beginning in 2013.

One of the most controversial changes is the creation of a
Single-Op FM-only category. Here, operators will be limited
to 100 Watts maximum output in the FM mode on the 50, 144,
222 and 440 MHz bands. Exact rules have not been announced
so it's not yet known if the contest will have restricted
frequencies or if it will be a free, anything goes
competition.

Also created by the committee is a new Single-Operator
category for stations permitted up to 100 Watts PEP on 50
and 144 MHz, 50 Watts PEP on 432 MHz. This for the more
traditional contesting modes.

These changes will apply to the January, June, and September
contests - again, beginning with the 2013 January VHF
Sweepstakes. It should be noted that past attempts to
create FM only contests have not succeeded. This is believed
primarily because both the use of repeaters and of national
calling channels where all the FM action is, have been
declared off-limits. (VHF Reflector, ARRL)

**

DX

In DX, ZS6JR and ZS6DJD should be operating from Mozambique
for seven to ten days starting on the 3th or 4th of May.
Operations will take place next to a small lake 400 km north
of the capital using vertical antennas and a Hex Beam on 40
through 10 meters. Callsigns have not been announced. QSL
as directed on the air.

An international team of operators will be active as 7-Oh-6-
T from Socotra Island through May 17th. They plan to have
six stations on the air at any given time. Activity will
be on 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via
UA3DX.

A group of operators from Japan will be operational from the
Maldives between May 11th and the 16th. Activity will be on
160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK. QSL via
their home callsigns, either direct or via the bureau.

E51WL in the North Cook Islands has been heard on 6 meters.
Keep an ear open for him just before 2300 UTC on or around
50.120 MHz. QSL as directed on the air

Members of the Crimean Contest Radio Club will be active
from the Ukrane as EM67J through May 15th. Their operation
is to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the "Victory in
the Great Patriotic War." QSL's via K2PF. And less we
forget, electronic logbooks will be upload to Logbook To The
World in late May or early June.

Lastly, DL4HG and DL5XAT will be on the air as 9H3OG and
9H3TX, respectively, from Malta's Gozo Island between
November 21st and the 26th. Their operation will include the
CQ WW DX CW Contest on November 24th and 25th using the
callsign 9H3TX. QSL 9H3OG via DL4HG and 9H3TX via DL5XAT.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: FAA MAY LOOK AGAIN AT BANNED RF DEVICES ON
PLANES

And finally this week, using your laptop, iPad or Kindle
during a commercial U-S flight might become a reality in the
not to distant future. This with word that the Federal
Aviation Administration may be willing to take a second look
at it's policy on electronics usage aboard airplanes.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, reports:

--

While some airlines permit very limited use of wireless
devices one an aircraft is at altitude, actual availability
is quite limited. But according to a recent report credited
to columnist Nick Bilton and the New York times, the FAA has
decided to take a updated look at the use of personal
electronics on planes.

The report continues by quoting FAA spokesperson Laura
Brown. She told the press that with the advent of new and
evolving electronic technology, and because the airlines
have not conducted the testing necessary to approve the use
of new devices, the FAA may be taking a fresh look at the
use of personal electronic devices, other than cell phones,
on aircraft.

Currently, airline passengers must turn off any electronic
device that can transmit or receive a radio signal that
cannot be disabled. While, the FAA indicates that it is
open to testing new devices, it will more than likely be a
long road before any substantive changes take place. This
is because every airline giving thought to allow such
operations would first have to test one of each version of a
device on each of model of every aircraft in its fleet.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU.

--

Whatever happens, the FAA has already been quoted as saying
that it will not budge on its policy of not permitting use
of mobile phones during a flight. And don't even consider
trying to use a ham radio H-T on a commercial airliner.
Even if that one were lifted by the FAA the domestic U-S
airlines would likely keep a ban in place on the use of ham
gear and other two way radios on board their flights. (Tech
Trends)

**

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, the Southgate
News and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline(at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us
at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita California, 91350

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.

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 NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.