Friday, June 28, 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1872 - June 28 2013


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1872 with a release
date of June 28 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST.  Rules change sought to allow
encrypted ham radio communications in limited instances; the
Consumer Electronics Association is forming a standards
group to reduce distracted driving; 5 MHz privileges come to
Samoa; ARES responds to Alberta Canada flooding; FCC sets RF
exposure comment deadline and Amateur Radio Newsline
announces its 2013 Young Ham of the Year.  All this and more
on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1872 coming your
way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RADIO LAW:  RULES CHANGE SOUGHT TO PERMIT ENCRYPTION OF
SENSITIVE HAM RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

The FCC is inviting public comments on a proposal from a
Massachusetts ham to amend the Part 97 Amateur Service
rules.  This to permit the encryption of certain amateur
communications during emergency operations or related
training exercises.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant,
K6PZW, has the details:

--

On June 7 the FCC accepted for filing a Petition for
Rulemaking from Don Rolph, AB1PH, designated as RM-11699 and
put it on public notice. In it Rolph suggests that an
additional exception to Part 97.113 be made to permit
encrypted communications when hams are participating in
emergency services operations or related training exercises
which may involve information covered by medical privacy
requirements or other sensitive data.  This could include
logistical information concerning medical supplies,
personnel movement or any other data designated by Federal
authorities managing relief or training efforts.

As you are likely aware, FCC rule 97.113 right now prohibits
hams from transmitting messages encoded for the purpose of
obscuring their meaning.  Rolph rule making petition says
that this restriction has impacted the relationship of
amateur radio volunteers and served agencies.  Also that it
has significantly limited the effectiveness of amateurs in
supporting emergency communications where secured
communications is required.

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

--

In making his request Rolph notes that there already exists
precedent for this exemption.  He notes that Part 97 already
relaxes its encryption prohibitions with respect to
satellite control link communications and model craft radio
control.  The deadline for filing comments on RM-11699 is
July 8th.  (FCC, ARRL Letter)

**

FCC NEWS: FCC SETS RF EXPOSURE REASSESSMENT COMMENTS
DEADLINES

Ham radio operators and other interested parties have until
September 3rd to file comments on an FCC proceeding to
reassess the limits and policies governing exposure to radio
frequency electromagnetic fields. As previously reported,
the FCC released a First Report and Order, Further Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of Inquiry in ET dockets 13-
84 and 03-137 on March 27.  They were published in the
Federal Register June 4 starting the clock on the commentary
period.

While the FCC proposals do not alter existing RF exposure
limits, they do call for the elimination of existing special
evaluation ham radio exemptions as outlined in Section
97.13(c) of the Commission's rules.
According to the ARRL Letter, the league plans to submit
comments this issue over summer.

The Commission will also accept reply comments filed after
September 3rd and continuing through November 1st.  Other
minor rules changes adopted in the Report and Order section
of the document take effect on August 5th.  (FCC, ARRL)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  ARES STANDS DOWN AFTER ALBERTA CANADA
FLOODING

Amateur Radio Emergency Service operations in the Canadian
province of Alberta stood down on Monday, May 24th.  This
after being called out several days earlier when severe
flooding hit that area.

According to a news release by Curtis Bidulock, VE6AEW, ARES
will remain on standby alert during the recovery process in
the event of a communication failure.  Also, a temporary
link put in place between the provincial linking system and
the VE6HAT repeater will remain in place until recovery
operations are complete.

During the height of the callout, VE2MBS reported that
emergency nets were operational on 7.135 and 3.675 MHz in
support of communications for the floods.  Unfortunately
both suffered some level of interference from Field Day
stations that were unaware of their operation.

Alberta Premier Alison Redford has promised that the
province will help flood victims put their lives back
together and provide financial aid to communities that need
to rebuild.   (VE6AEW, VE2MBS, RAC)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  CALIFORNIA CITY EMPHASIZES HAM RADIO
INVOLVEMENT IN TORNADO DRILL

Officials in the city of Roseville, California, are so aware
of the importance of amateur radio for emergency
communications that the ham community was invited to be a
part of a recent emergency preparedness drill.

According to news reports a dozen agencies gathered in
Placer County on Tuesday, June 11th for a mock tornado
drill.  The exercise emphasized skilled and reliable
communication and because of this the city brought in a
group of local hams from the Placer County Amateur Radio
Services to assist.

It was noted that amateur radio was a tool used during and
after the recent tornadoes in Oklahoma.  Roseville city
officials say an F-3 tornado hit the Sacramento Valley in
the last 50 years, so the potential for a large natural
disaster of that sort remains.  More is on-line at
tinyurl.com/roseville-tornado-drill.  (Published news
reports)

**

RADIO SAFETY:  CEA FORMING STANDARDS GROUP TO TACKLE
DISTRACTED DRIVING

The Consumer Electronics Association is forming a standards
group to reduce distracted driving that results from the use
of consumer electronic products in a mobile environment.

The Associations Portable, Handheld and In-Vehicle
Electronics Committee recently approved the formation of the
Driver Device Interface Working Group.  It will provide
recommendations on portable and handheld devices, as well as
other consumer electronics products used in private and
commercial vehicles, boats and aircraft.

Whether or not a representative of the amateur radio
community will be invited to serve on this committee or how
its findings might affect the future design of portable and
mobile ham radio gear are both unknown as we go to air.  You
can read more on line at tinyurl.com/distracted-driving-
committee  (RW)

**

RADIO LAW:  RESIDENT OPERATOR GRANTED 5 MHZ OPERATING
PRIVILEGES ON SAMOA

Atsuo Sakuma, 5W1SA, has become the first resident operator
on the island of Samoa to be issued special permission to
operate 5 MHz.   This as the Samoan Office of The Regulator
says that he can operate from 5.250 to 5.450 MHz.  Although
60 meter operating permits have been available to visitors
since 2011, these had generally been the 5 United States
allocated channels only.  (G4MWO)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  MOONBOUNCE FROM RWANDA THROUGH JULY 7

Several sources are reporting that DL2NUD and PE1L will be
involved in an Moonbounce operation from Rwanda through July
7th.  Their main interest will be for EME contacts on the
144, 432, 1296 and 2304 MHz bands.  The team also expects to
be on the High Frequency bands and 6 meters as well.  The
callsigns mentioned for this operation are 9X0EME, 9X0HP,
9X0L and 9X0MB. QSL all via PE1L. For more information and
updates keep an eye on www.emelogger.com/rwanda.  (Various)

**

BREAKING DX NEWS:  6 METER ONLY OPERATION FROM SOUTH KOREA

Some breaking news courtesy of the Ohio Penn DX newsletter.
Look for 17 operators to be active as 6M6M from South Korea
through July 31st.  As you might have guessed from their
callsign this will be a 6 meter only operation with four
high power stations using yagis and quad antennas.  Modes
mentioned include CW, SSB, FM, several digital and even good
old AM.  They will operate mainly from the Korean mainland,
but there is the possibility of a trip to several Islands on
the Air groups.  QSL this special operation via HL2UVH and
we will have more DX news later on in this weeks report.
(OPDX)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the W3UU repeater serving Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania.

(5 sec pause here)


**

HAM HONORS:  ARNEWSLINE NAMES PADRAIG LYSANDROU, KC9UUS AS
2013 YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

A sixteen year old Extra class amateur from Bloomington,
Indiana, has been selected as the 2013 Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham of the Year.  Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is
here with the details:

--

"I'm not sure what to think. I'm happy."

And that's how it sounded when Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS,
heard the news he had been selected the Young Ham of the
Year.

He conceded he heard what he called rumors that he was being
nominated for something, but it didn't sink in until getting
the call from our Newsline headquarters that he might be
recognized for his achievements.

Lysandrou was born in Illinois, but has family in Cyprus.

He says his interest in ham radio was actually sparked by
his mom, Carolyn, KC9URR, who was a pretty serious shortwave
radio listener.

His father, is Plato. And, he has two sisters, Helena, who's
17, and Maria, 14.

"When I was little, I used to collect stamps," Lysandrou
recalls. "And, so my mom would show me all the letters and
all the stuff that she got back from shortwave stations -
all these intricate stamps.

"And, so I saw those and I wanted to get interested in
radio. I got into shortwave. And, then the interest grew
bigger and it wasn't just about stamps anymore. And, so, I
got interested in ham. I contacted Neil Rapp at my high
school and I joined the club."

Neil Rapp is WB9VPG, who teaches chemistry at Bloomington
High School South and met Padraig in class.

It was Rapp who invited him to join the school's amateur
radio club.

Rapp, co-nominated Padraig for the Amateur Radio Newsline
award along with Dr. Scott Wright, K0MD, who has taken part
in DX operations from Turks and Caicos, Chile, and China.

It was Rapp who introduced Lysandrou to a whole new world.
And, Lysandrou, who just turned 16, says it didn't take him
long to climb the license ladder.

"I got all three licenses within three months and then I
become president of my amateur radio club at school,"
Lysandrou says.

His Technician was earned in October 2011, General in
December 2011, and Extra in January 2012.

Lysandrou says participation in the School Club Round-up and
a program on the Peter Island DXpedition really sparked his
interest in DX.

"I decided to lead my own little expedition - DXpedition to
Cyprus," Lysandrou says. "I brought a Buddipole, which you
can change for the bands. But, I generally just use it on 20
meters.

"I brought a Yaseu FT-897, and some coax, step-down
transformer, batteries, the whole shebang. And, my mom and I
transmitted in Cyprus and then I decided it would be cool to
write an article for QST."

That was last summer and the article, 'A Crazy Idea, a
DXpedition to Cyprus,' was accepted and published as the QST
cover story in the past May's edition.

"I transmitted on two different mountain regions," Lysandrou
says. "I transmitted on a couple different beaches, I
transmitted in hotels, yes. I transmitted on the top of this
house by the beach that someone let us borrow.

"I transmitted really anywhere I could and I seemed to get
pretty good propogation."

So, what did Lynsandrou set out to do with this 5B
DXpedition? Contacts from the other side of the world and
fun!

"I got people from England all the way through Scandinavia,
to Russia, all the way down to Bulgaria and Dubai,"
Lysandrou recalls. "So, I tried to talk as much as possible
and meet new people. So, I took it slow, I didn't try to get
a million contacts."

He estimates it was slightly more than a hundred, actually,
and his mom was making some as well.

Word of his DXpedition spread before the article was
published and Lysandrou says he was invited to be a
presenter at the Dayton Hamvention Youth Forum this past May
run by Carole Perry WB2MGP.

"To meet other 16-year-olds who are Extras and who read my
article and are really excited to meet me is also really
cool," Lysandrou says. "I'm sort of a role model and I would
like to continue to be one."

Lysandrou was selected by Indiana Section Manager Lou
Everett, WA5LOU as an assistant section manager for youth.

His interests vary from 4-H to electronics, from music to
robotics.

And, yes, he's even played in Carnegie Hall.

But back home in Indiana...

"I've been designing circuits and messing around with a
bunch of high-voltage circuits and transformer drivers and
all sorts of stuff that fuel my interest between amateur
radio, electronics and chemistry," Lysandrou says.

It was an easy selection for the judges.

We here at Amateur Radio Newsline are proud to have Padraig
Lysandrou, KC9UUS, join our distinguished honor roll as the
2013 Young Ham of the Year.

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

--

Padraig Lysandrou, KC9UUS, will receive the Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award at a ceremony to be
held in his honor on Saturday, August 17th, at the
Huntsville Hamfest in Huntsville, Alabama.  The Young Ham of
the Year Award was created by the Amateur Radio Newsline
with corporate sponsorship from Yaesu USA, CQ Publishing and
Heil Sound.  (ARNewslineT)

**

RADIO ACCIDENTS:  KVTK AM LOOSES TOWER IN MOWING ACCIDENT

Listeners to KVTK-AM of Yankton, South Dakota, were recently
without the station for a few days.  This is because an
accident caused the stations broadcast tower to fall to the
ground.

The tower, which was 309 feet tall, was situated in the
middle of what was described as a small, grassy field
located about five miles west of the town of Vermillion.
Reportedly, a man cutting the grass Monday afternoon June
10th clipped one of the tower's guy-wires, causing it to
collapse shortly after 4 p.m. local time.

Engineers and other staffers of Five Star Communications,
which also owns KVHT-FM, reportedly worked quickly to find
the best way to begin broadcasting again after their tower
collapsed.  According to press reports the station was back
in operation from a temporary site on Friday, June 14th.

A small building located a short distance from the tower's
base was not damaged, as the collapsing metal snaked its way
around the structure without striking it.  Thankfully, no
one was injured in the mishap.  (RW, All Access Music)

**

RADIO BUSINESS:  SINCLAIR BUYS DIELECTRIC

Some good news for United States broadcaster's concerned
about service to their Dielectric brand broadcast towers and
antennas.  This with word that the Sinclair Broadcast
Group has announced the purchased of Dielectric from SPX
Corporation.

According to Sinclair President and CEO David Smith,
Dielectric has supplied more than two-thirds of the TV
industry's high power antennas and its name is synonymous
with expert engineering and quality products.  Smith added
that should a spectrum repack occurs; Dielectric will be
there to support that effort.

Gary Cavell is with the technical consulting firm Cavell
Mertz.  He says that the anticipated upcoming repack of
broadcast outlets in the face of spectrum reallocation to
broadband might prove to be impossible to accomplish in a
three year period without Dielectric.  (RW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  G4HYG RELEASES NEW APRS MESSENGER
ANDROID APP

Chris Moulding, G4HYG, says that he has just released a
new APRS app for Android phones and tablets.  This so that
radio amateurs can send APRS position beacons and messages
from an Android equipped phone or tablet over a 3G or Wi-Fi
link to the APRS-IS internet system. It can also link by
Bluetooth to the new Bluetooth version of the APRS TNC Digi
Tracker.

G4HYG notes that there is a small charge for the app to help
pay for the development tool licensing fee.  More
information on the web at tinyurl.com/aprs-android-app.
(G4HYG)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  PATRICK STODDARD, WD9EWK, NAMED AMSAT'S
DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS

Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK, has been named as AMSAT's new
Director of Field Operations.  In his new capacity, Stoddard
is responsible for managing AMSAT's corps of Area
Coordinators who represent AMSAT in their local areas.

For those not aware, Area Coordinators serve as the
"Ambassadors of AMSAT."  Their responsibilities include such
activities as manning an AMSAT booth at hamfests, giving
local or regional club presentations on AMSAT and satellite
operations.  They also serve as "Elmers" to those looking
for information about operating through satellites.  Area
Coordinators are also known to establish local nets and
assist with Field Day satellite activities. (ANS)

**

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:  ARNEWSLINE ANCHOR DON CARLSON,
KQ6FM - S.K.

It is with deep sorrow that we report the passing of Amateur
Radio Newsline anchor and reporter Don Carlson, KQ6FM on
Friday morning, June 21st from complications to Pancreatic
Cancer.

A lifelong broadcaster by profession, during his career Don,
at times using the stage name Don Murray, worked at numerous
radio stations throughout California and Nevada.  His
favorite jobs were hosting oldies Rock and Roll or jazz
shows.

Don also owned a voice talent company called The Voice Shop.
From there he provided commercials and other announcements
for numerous radio and television stations across the United
States. This included several national spots about ham radio
that he produced for the ARRL.

In the world of ham radio Don's activities included ARRL
appointments in California, Nevada and at the national
level.  In Nevada he served as District Emergency
Coordinator for the North West District, Assistant Section
Emergency Coordinator, Section Emergency Coordinator, and
Public Information Coordinator.  His most recent position
was as Assistant Section Manager.

KQ6FM was also a member of the ARRL's National Public
Relations Committee.  There one of his greatest achievements
was helping to create the Public Information Officers Swiss
Army Knife guide and its associated training program.

Don's passion for ARES and Emergency Service in general led
him to become the voice of the annual EMCOMM West emergency
communications ham radio gathering.  Don not only emceed the
event when it was held in Reno but also supported the
convention by serving on the Board of Directors.  In
recognition to his many contributions to ham radio, in 2010
he was named as the ARRL Pacific Division "Ham of the Year"
with the award presented to him at that years Pacificon
convention.

Don Carlson, KQ6FM, is survived by his wife Judy and son
Andrew.  A Celebration of Life ceremony for Don was to be
held on Saturday, June 29th at Sierra Bible Church in Reno,
Nevada.  In lieu of flowers, Judy Carlson asks that
donations be made to a church or other charitable
institution of your choice to help someone less fortunate
than yourself.  (AF6PU, N7JEH, June Parsons)

**

RADIO RECORDS: CALIFORNIA HAMS CLAIM NEW 3.7 MM WORLD
DISTANCE RECORD

A pair of California hams are claiming a new world distance
record on the 77 to 81 GHz or 3.7 millimeter band.   The
asserted new record was set June 13th between Robert
Johnson, KF6KVG, and Goran Popovic, AD6IW.  The two achieved
a distance of 252.49 km with one operating from Mt Hamilton
in grid square CM97 and the other located at Kings Canyon
National Park located in grid DM06.  KF6KVG used a one foot
parabolic dish while the one used at AD6IW was twice the
size.  Both stations employed what are known as dielectric
resonator oscillator locked frequency control for extreme
stability.  (VHF Reflector)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  ILLW CONTINUES TO GROW

Jim Linton, VK3PC, tells Amateur Radio Newsline that
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend continues to
grow.  In fact, it seems to have become the biggest and
arguably the world's first fun-filled event for portable
amateur radio stations that takes place in the month of
August.

According to VK3PC, the event continues to promote public
awareness of the old marine navigation and the need for
preservation and restoration of these facilities.  It also
promotes amateur radio and fosters international goodwill.

Now in its 16th year, International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend will be held August 17th and 18th.  So far some 285
registered sites representing more than 30 countries are on
board.  For more details please visit the website
www.illw.net  (VK3PC)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  DAYTON HAMVENTION ARISS UPDATE VIDEO
POSTED ON LINE

An update on amateur radio on the International Space
Station or ARISS program given by Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, at
the recent Dayton Hamvention  can now be viewed on the web.
In his presentation Bauer discusses a number of changes at
NASA that are affecting ARISS manned ham radio in space
program.  He also takes a look back at the past 30 years of
amateur radio on the Space Shuttle and now International
Space Station.  You will find the 23 minutes, 30 seconds
presentation on-line at tinyurl.com/ariss-dayton-update
(ARISS)

**

ON THE AIR:  POLISH CITY COMMEMORATIVE OPERATION HF50WLA

On the air, the city of Wladyslawowo Poland will be
celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer.  To
commemorate the event, local amateurs are celebrating using
the callsign HF50WLA until the 21st of July.  If you make
contact, please QSL via SP2YWL direct or electronically via
Logbook of the World.  (DXNS)

**

DX

In DX, word that HA1YA will be operational from Thassos
Island from July 5th to the 13th  as SW8EA.  He will be
active on the HF, VHF, UHF bands using CW and SSB.  If you
make contact, please QSL via his home call.

DL5YL and DL5YM, will be operating slash H-B-Zero from
Liechtenstein through early July.  No bands or operating
times have been mentioned.  QSL via their home callsigns.

RU0ZM will be in the village Kamenka in Asiatic Russia until
November operating stroke Zero.  He will be running 100
watts into a 2-element beam on 20 and 15 meters and a Windom
antenna for other bands.  QSL via UA0ZC, direct only.

OZ1DJJ will be on the air from Ammassalik Island from July
20th to August 1st operating as OX3LX.  He will be active on
High Frequency Bands plus 6 and 4 meters.  Modes to be used
were not announced.  QSL via OZ1PIF.

KK4OYJ will be operational as 9H3RJ from Gozo Island between
June 28th and August. No other details are available.  QSL
via his home callsign.

The 4M5DX Group is planning a DXpedition to Aves Island
sometime between November 1st, 2013 and February 28th, 2014.
The callsign mentioned is YW0A.  More information on this
one as its made available.

Lastly, members from the Spanish Aitana DX Group will be on
the air from the YN2N radio shack in Nicaragua between
October 1st to the 16th.   Operations will be on 160 through
6 meters using CW and SSB.   QSL via EB7DX, either direct or
by the bureau.

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  WILL WE SURVIVE IF A SUPER CME HITS THE
EARTH

And finally this week, a kind of rhetorical scientific
question.  Can our home planet survive a super Coronal Mass
Ejection from our home star if it was hurled directly at us.
While opinions among researchers are divided, at least some
in South Africa believe it would not be good news.  Amateur
Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, takes a close look
at what these scientists believe might happen:

--

Our Sun is a yellow star that consists of a giant ball of
superheated plasma.  It's magnetic field oscillates and acts
as a dynamo that creates the sunspots, solar flares and
strong magnetic storms in the solar system. When a Coronal
Mass Ejection or C-M-E is spewed from corona of the Sun and
travels to the Earth the magnetic field of our planet
generally deflects it, and in the process creates auroras
around the magnetic poles.

But a report published by the South African Radio League
notes that some scientists claim that if a super C-M-E
should hit Earth then this level of a magnetic storm could
penetrate the planets magnetic field and cause devastation.
First of all the satellites on-orbit would be destroyed.
This would mean that all satellite telecommunications and
Direct Satellite T-V would go off the air.

On the ground, such a C-M-E could also generate extremely
high voltages in the power lines and destroy most if not all
of the transformers in the substations.  This would likely
cause complete blackouts in cities and towns.  Since water
pumps won't function, municipalities world-wide dependant on
pumped-in delivery might quickly dry up.

According to the report, scientists are currently keeping a
very close eye on the Sun with a dedicated satellite known
as the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory.  At the same time
they are trying to develop some form of shielding that could
protect electrical transformers and other electronics during
such an event.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD,
in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

--

A massive solar storm that hit Earth in March of 1989 caused
blackouts in the entire province of Quebec, Canada.   That
power disruption also closed schools and businesses, kept
the Montreal Metro shut during the morning rush hour, and
closed Dorval Airport.  You can read more about it, courtesy
of NASA at tinyurl.com/giant-1989-cme.  (SARL)

**

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, TWiT-TV 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

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk,
I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, near Houston, Texas, saying 73 and
we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013.  All rights
reserved.

Friday, June 21, 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1871 - June 21 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1871 with a release
date of June 21 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST.  Hams in Poland reach agreement with
government on mutual aid in time of crisis; South Africa ham
radio rules correction remains on hold; Canada makes
powerline interference information contacts available on the
Web; UK hams may soon loose access to several UHF bands and
Major Edwin Armstrong is honored by his hometown.  Find out
the details are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number
1871 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RESCUE RADIO:  HAM RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AGREEMENT
IN POLAND

Polish radio amateurs have signed an agreement with that
nation's government regarding emergency radio
communications.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee,
KB3TZD, has the details:

--

On May 7th, what might best be described as a mutual aid
agreement was signed between Poland's Minister of
Administration and Digitization, Michal Boni, and the
Chairman of The Polish Amateur Radio Union, Jerzy
Jakubowski, SP7CBG.  The accord promises cooperation between
that nations amateur radio service and the Polish government
in support of actions that provide information on natural
disasters and other events that threaten public safety.

The new agreement encourages cooperation between the
Ministry and the Polish Amateur Radio Union in the support
of actions relating to the creation of back-up radio
communication in the Republic of Poland.  This in emergency
situations or when normal communications methods such as
telephones and the internet are overloaded or have failed.

Cooperation and coordination between The Ministry of
Administration and The Polish Amateur Radio Union will be
the responsibility of The Planning Department of Civil
Emergency Management and Emergency Notification System.
Participation in the agreement is voluntary and financial
investment is not obligatory unless the parties agree to it
at a local level.  This could include renting or purchasing
equipment or providing staff during training exercises as
well as in the event of an actual emergency callout.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm heather Embee, KB3TZD,
in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

--

The agreement was first drafted in 2011 by the Polish
Amateur Radio Union with the cooperation of the former
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration.  (IARU-R1)

**

RADIO RULES:  SOUTH AFRICA RADIO RULES CORRECTION STILL ON
HOLD

The long sought after correction to the South African
regulations regarding amateur radio will take a bit longer.
This according that nations national society the South
African Radio League.

In a news release that national society says that the
subject of corrections to the rules published on April 1st
of 2011 is on the agenda of every joint meeting between
itself and regulator the Independent Communications
Authority of South Africa.  The problem is that the matter
must remain in limbo pending the outcome of a court case
between the regulatory body and a cellular telephone
company.

The corrected regulations are ready in draft format.  They
address the issue of power for both class A and Class B
licenses on certain bands and a few other issues.  The draft
still has to be approved at the ICASA council.  But until
the pending matter between ICASA and the cellular provider
is adjudicated no progress can be made.  (SARL)

**

RADIO LAW:  CANADA MAKES POWER LINE INTERFERENCE CONTACT
INFORMATION AVAILABLE

Telecommunications regulator Industry Canada has just posted
contact information on where to report Power Line Radio
Interference.  The cyberspace location is tinyurl.com/Canada-
interference-report.

This information at the website covers all the major Power
Line companies in Canada and is being provided with the
cooperation of the Canadian Electricity Association and its
member power utilities.   Hams in Canada are encouraged to
use this contact information and report a problem when
confronted with suspected power line interference. (VE3LC)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  UK HAMS MAY LOOSE 2310-2450 AND 3450-3475
MHZ BANDS

UK Telecommunications regulator Ofcom has published a Notice
of Proposed Rules Making which in Great Britain is called a
Consultation.  In this case relating to amateur use of the
2310 to 2450 and 3400 to 3475 MHz bands.

According to the Consultation document, these frequencies
are within, and adjacent to, spectrum planned for release by
the Ministry of Defense or MoD.  The Ministry intends to
free up 40 MHz of spectrum between 2350 and 2390 MHz and an
additional 150 MHz from 3410 to 3600 MHz for new civil uses.
The technical and regulatory aspects of this release will be
the subject of another Consultation in the future, but in
advance of this, Ofcom is looking at proposals to make
changes to the United Kingdom Amateur Radio License for
these bands.

According to Ofcom, it is likely that the released Ministry
of Defense spectrum will be used for wireless broadband
using 4G Long Term Evolution or L-T-E advanced technology.
Based on its technical analysis Ofcom believes that the
impact and likelihood of harmful interference being caused
by amateur uses to new users in the 2350 to 2390 and 3410 to
3600 MHz spectrum is sufficiently severe to preclude
continued ham radio use following the reallocation taking
place.

Ofcom is also looking at proposals for the adjacent bands at
2310 to 2350, 2390 to 2400 and 3400to 3410 MHz.  In those
cases Ofcom's current thinking is that amateurs should
continue to be granted access to these adjacent bands
although with additional terms in the license which amend
the current terms of access to these bands.  Continued
access would be on the basis that interference may not be
caused to new and existing uses in the release and adjacent
bands and that no protection from interference from those
new uses can be expected.

UK hams have until July 22nd to file in response to the
consultation on this matter.  (Southgate)

**

HAM TECHNOLOGY:  MOON BOUNCE FROM ANTARCTICA TO ENGLAND

The exploits of Craig Hayhow, VK0JJJ, in bouncing radio
signals off the moon from Antarctica has been written about
in the Australian Antarctic Division science newsletter.

VK0JJJ achieved a 742,000 kilometer hop when he made an EME
contact with Peter Taylor G8BCG at Cornwall in England, on
May 4th.  Two nights later he contacted Bo Nilsson, SM7FJE,
in Sweden through another EME contact.

The newsletter hailed these as a first from an Australian
Antarctic station.  It also notes that the equipment and
software has now been proven and that more EME contacts will
be made.  (VK3PC)

**

DIFFERENT DX:  4 METER UK DXPEDITION TO LA MOYE JERSEY

A DX operation of a different kind.  This with word that the
United Kingdom's North Wakefield Radio Club will be active
as GJ4NOK on the pan-European 4 meter band from La Moye in
Jersey on July 5th to the 8th.

The operators will be on for at least 8 hours on July 5th
and 6th and 16 to 18 hours on the 77th and 8th using CW, SSB
and FSK44.  The activity also coincides with VHF National
Field Day so the station is sure to be in demand.

The operation is sponsored by The DX shop which is loaning
the DXpedition  a yagi antenna and amplifier and HA1YA who
is providing one of their ME4T-PRO 4m High performance
transverters.  Operators are M0RCX, M6MWP and G0RUZ.  QSL as
directed on the air.  We will have more DX news later on in
this weeks newscast,  (WRC, Southgate)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the KC2DAA repeater serving Mt. Beacon New York.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RESTRUCTURING:  NEW USER ON THE 903 MHZ BAND

According to the ARRL, a portion of the 902 to 928 MHz or 33
centimeter band may become less useful to radio amateurs in
urban areas as a result of a recent FCC Order.  Amateur
Radio Newsline's Stephen Kinford, N8WB, reports:

--

The FCC as given Progeny LMS, LLC permission  to begin
commercial operation of its multilateration location and
monitoring service known as an M-LMS in the upper portion of
the band 33 centimeter band. According to the regulatory
agency, Progeny's location service is designed to operate
using approximately 4 megahertz or about one-half of the M-
LMS portions of the band between 919.750 and 927.750 MHz
where the company holds its licenses.

In its June 6th release, the FCC stated that Progeny is
deploying a wide-area positioning system to provide more
precise location services in areas where Global Positioning
System and other existing services may not work effectively.
This is particularly true of indoor locations or in urban
canyons.

The FCC opened the 33 centimeter band to ham radio on a
secondary basis in 1985, provided hams did not interfere
with the Automatic Vehicle Monitoring service, which the
Commission subsequently expanded into the M-LMS.  While M-
LMS operations, at least on paper, have a higher priority
than unlicensed Part 15 devices on the band, Progeny had to
demonstrate through field testing that its network would not
cause unacceptable levels of interference to such Part 15
devices as cordless telephones and baby monitors.  This was
a result of an FCC policy to promote co-existence in the
band, while not elevating Part 15 devices to co-equal status
with M-LMS systems.

The FCC says that Part 15 devices will adapt to Progeny's
operations because they are designed for operation in an
interference environment.  However the effect on ham radio,
especially any attempts at weak signal operations will
likely be hampered severely by this new entry into the band.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline. Im Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in
Wadsworth, Ohio.

--

Progeny LMS, LLC develops technology for homeland security
and first responder communications using the wireless
location and monitoring service spectrum. The company was
founded in 1999 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(ARRL, FCC, Progeny LMS)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  FORT LEE N.J. BEGINS CITY EMCOMM ALERT AM
STATION

Fort Lee, New Jersey has launched its own emergency
broadcast radio station for alerting the public in times of
disaster.  Put on the air by the mayor Mark Sokolich office
and the Fort Lee City Council, residents can tune into the
new emergency station on 1630 Kilohertz for real-time
updates and safety tips during events like Hurricane Sandy.

The station will operate out of the Fort Lee Municipal
Building with generator backup.  Aside from emergency
announcements, city officials may use the station for
traffic updates and to broadcast City Council meetings.

Fort Lee also used a separate $10,000 private donation to
buy more than 250 hand-cranked or wind-up emergency radios.
These will be distribute at municipal buildings, communal
spaces and large residential complexes.  (NJ Journal)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  NAB HONORS BROADCASTERS ASSISTANCE IN WAKE OF
OK TWISTERS

The National Association of Broadcasters has issued a
special Oklahoma edition of its Licensed to Serve community
service newsletter.  This to salute Oklahoma broadcasters
and others who have been assisting in the wake of the
tornadoes that recently struck the state.

According to the newsletter, across Oklahoma stations led
efforts to assist citizens affected by the severe weather.
Some examples include Ponca City's KPNC-FM and KLOR-FM)
raising $27,000 for the Red Cross while the whole town put
together four truckloads of supplies in the wake of the
Moore tornado.

But it was not just stations in Oklahoma that helped out.
Radio broadcasters and broadcast groups across the nation
made special efforts to raise funds or collect supplies.
Cumulus Media put the call out to its 500 plus stations and
received almost $4 million in a variety of efforts,
including involvement in the Healing in the Heartland
concert by its country music formats.  Clear Channel
Communications also pitched in on the Healing in the
Heartland benefit.

Other fund raising or direct relief efforts took place in
Dallas Texas, St. Louis Missouri and Terra Haute, Indiana to
name only a few. (RW)

**



HAM HAPPENINGS:  ICOM TO SPONSOR HAMSTUDY.ORG ON THE WWW

Icom America has announced sponsorship for HamStudy.org.
This is a new website that offers free learning tools for
existing and potential amateur radio operators.

HamStudy.org users studying for an amateur radio license
exam can choose from three online learning modules for each
ham radio license class.  These are technician, general or
extra. FCC Commercial Element 1, 3, 5 and 6 study modules
are also available.

Educational materials include flash cards, question lists
and practice tests.  Users who register for a free account
can access personalized study history and submit
explanations to amateur radio questions.  Website
registrants may also choose to log into their account using
their Google or Facebook credentials.

HamStudy.org was created by Richard Bateman KD7BBC, Rich
Porter and Michael Stufflebeam KV9G.  It is optimized for
mobile phones and tablets.  Additional features are planned
be integrated to the website in the near future.

Facebook users can receive regular site updates and study
tips by "liking" HamStudy.org at www.Facebook.com/HamStudy.
The website is directly accessible at www.hamstudy.org.
(Icom Release)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  MAJOR ARMSTRONG HONORED BY HIS HOMETOWN

It took nearly 60 years after his death, but the inventor of
FM radio has finally been recognized on the street where he
lived.   Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
has the details:

--

On Monday, June 17th, city officials of Yonkers, New York in
joined with radio enthusiasts to unveil a new plaque
honoring Major Edwin Howard Armstrong.  This for his
numerous accomplishments in the area of radio
communications.

The bronze plaque in Hudson-Fulton Park is just a block away
from the site of Armstrong's home on Warburton Avenue.  It
overlooks the Hudson River and across to the unique tower
that Armstrong built in the near by town of Alpine, New
Jersey back in 1937 through 1938.

The plaque was the brainchild of Steve Klose.  He is a New
Jersey resident who learned of Armstrong because of their
shared interest in fast motorcycles.  Klose became
fascinated by Armstrong's story and ended up leading a
fundraising campaign that generated more than $4,000 in
contributions to pay for the plaque.

Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano and several city council members
were on hand for Monday's ceremony, joined by two Armstrong
descendants.  The ceremony was broadcast live on WA2XMN, the
experimental Armstrong Memorial Station that transmits on
Armstrong's old 42.8 MHz frequency from the Armstrong's
Alpine tower.

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

--

This plaque may not be the last commemoration of Armstrong
in his native Yonkers.  City officials are now working to
get a replica made of a bust of Armstrong statue now on
display at Columbia University.  There is also discussion
ongoing of renaming part of Warburton Avenue in Major
Armstrong's honor.  (RW, published news reports)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  RCA SOLICITING NOMINATIONS FOR BOD

If you are a Radio Club of America member, listen up.  This
is for you.

The Radio Club of America annually elects eligible club
members to serve as its officers and directors.  According
to a news release from the group, as a member of the club,
your help in nominating candidates is appreciated.

You may propose any member in good standing even yourself.
In order to complete the nomination process in time for the
annual fall election, the Nomination Committee needs to
receive all in by July 1st.

If you wish to make a nomination, you are asked to download
the official nominating form available at
www.radioclubofamerica.org.  You then must complete it fully
and send it to the Club's Executive Secretary by e-mail to
pat (at) radioclubofamerica (dot) org.  Or if you prefer you
can submit it by U-S- mail to 170 Kinnelon Road - Suite 33,
Kinnelon, New Jersey 07405 or fax to 973-838-7124

Again, the cutoff for nominations is July 1st.  (RCA)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  TEXAS CITY HAMFEST 2013 JULY 13

The Tidelands Amateur Radio Society will hold its 26th
annual hamfest on July 13th in Texas City, Texas.  The venue
will be the Doyle Convention Center with the gathering
running from 8:00 AM until 2:00 PM Central Daylight time.
Talk-in 147.14 MHz and requiring a 167.9 Hz CTCSS tone.
Advance registration is welcome at tinyurl.com/tidelands-
hamfest.  (Tidelands ARC)

**

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)

**

CHANGING TECHNOLOGY: LAND BASED TELEGRAPH IN INDIA ENDS JULY
15

It's the end of an era for an old but reliable form of
communications in India.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl
Lasek, K9BIK, tells us what's going away:

--

The newspaper the Hindu reports that as of July 15th that
telegraph service will come to an end in India.  This is
because of financial constraints that have forced
telecommunications provider B-S-N-L to wind down the
service.

India's first telegraph message was transmitted live between
Calcutta and Diamond Harbor on November 5, 1850.  That was a
distance of about 50 kilometers.  The service was opened for
use by the general public in February 1855 with a Radio-
telegram system between the UK and India established in
1927.

Over the years, B-S-N-L made several technical upgrades in
the telegraph service, with the latest being the
introduction of a web-based messaging system in 2010.
However, growing Internet penetration and cheaper mobile
phones in the last decade have kept people away from the 182
telegraph offices still in operation across that country.

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

--

It appears as if more modern technology such as Instant
Messaging and social media sites have taken their toll on
another communications technology of times gone bye.  (The
Hindu)

**

RADIOSPORT:  14TH EUROPEAN YOUTH ARDF CHAMPIONSHIP HELD

93 young people up to 16 years of age attended the European
Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championship held in the
Czech Republic June 12th to the 16th.  The Czech national
amateur radio society C-R-C organized this year's
competition that was held in the village Tri Studne or Three
Cold Springs.

Both the 80 and 2 meter were used during the event.  A
report on the championship was expected to be featured on
Czech TV on Thursday, June 20th.  More on the European Youth
A-R-D-F Championship is on-line at www.eyac2013.com  (LZ1US,
Southgate)

**

RADIOSPORT:  HAMVENTION 2013 CONTEST UNIVERSITY VIDEOS

Still with contesting news, word that several videos of the
2013 Contest University sessions from this years Dayton
Hamvention now are available on the Word-Wide-Web.  Icom, a
Contest University sponsor, posted the videos to YouTube.
To find them simply take tour web browser to
www.youtube.com/user/IcomAmericaInc.  Then simply scroll
down to the bottom of the page to Contest University at
Dayton Hamvention and choose the video or videos that you
wish to play. (Various)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AMSAT ON FIELD DAY SATELLITE CONTACTS

SaudiSat-Oscar-50 will be the only operational FM
transponder satellite for this years Field Day.  AMSAT notes
that if you are considering only FM voice operating for your
space contacts Field Day focus the single uplink and
downlink channels will be extremely challenging.

AMSAT says that as in prior years, this intense congestion
on FM Low Earth Orbit satellites drives the limitation in
the rules allowing their use to one-QSO-per-FM-satellite.
This includes the International Space Station.  You will be
allowed one QSO if the I-S-S is operating Voice. You will
also be allowed one digital QSO with the I-S-S or any other
digital, non-store-and-forward, packet satellite if one is
operational.

This year's AMSAT Field Day will take place from 1800 UTC on
Saturday June 22nd through 2100 UTC on Sunday June 23.  They
hope to hear you on the birds.  (ANS)

**

ON THE AIR:  ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT 2013

On the air listen out in early this summer for a number of
stations to  be operational July 1st to the 6th.  This to
commemorate the first thirteen colonies that came together
to form the United States.

Called the 13 Colonies stations, they will be operational
from 1300 UTC on July 1st to 0400 UTC on July 7th. There
will be at least two special event stations per colony
state.  Also included will be several super contest
stations, multi-operator Club stations and husband and wife
teams.

The theme for 2013 will be Banners of the Revolution.  A
commemorative certificate will be available printed on heavy
card stock.  More information including QSL routing is on
the web www.13colonies.info
(Via Press Release)

**

DX

In DX, W6JKV will be active as V31IV from San Pedro Belize
between June 20th and July 1st.  Operations will be on 80
through 6 meters and he will probably focus on 6 meters CW.
QSL via his home callsign.

The 4M5DX Group is planning a DXpedition to Aves Island
sometime between November 1st of this year and February
28th, 2014.  The callsign mentioned is Y-W-Zero-A.  More
information will be released at a future date.

ZS6AYU will on be operational as C91GR from Mozambique
between July 19th and the 23rd.  Activity will be holiday
style on CW only.  QSL via ZS6AYU, either direct or via the
bureau.

DL4SDW will be active stroke HI3 from the Dominican Republic
between June 17th and July 26th.  Operations will be limited
to his spare time on the HF bands, using mainly CW, but some
SSB and digital modes. QSL via his home callsign with cards
sent via the bureau preferred.

ON6DSL will be operational stroke as SV9 from the Island of
Crete between August 12th to the 21st.  Activity will be
holiday style on 40 through 15 meters using QRP SSB only
using a Yaesu FT817ND into a homemade multiband dipole.  QSL
via his home callsign either direct or via the UBA Bureau.

Lastly, LA8DW will be on the air as JW8DW from the JW5E club
station on Spitsbergen Island.  This, between September 25th
and October 3rd. Activity will probably be on 80 through 10
meters using CW and SSB. Also there is the possibility of
some RTTY and PSK31. QSL via his home callsign, direct, via
the Bureau or electronically via Logbook of the World.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  A NEW PSA FOR FIELD DAY AND BEYOND

Lastly, just in case you are wondering about a new ham radio
public service spot being broadcast on some radio stations
this past week, yes that is Newsline's Jim Davis, W2JKD.
Jim and our producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, put it together
in less than 8 hours after reading requests from hams on
Facebook about not having anything new to help publicize
Field Day this year.  As it was to close too Field Day
weekend to get national distribution, the decision was made
to keep it a bit generic so that it could be used at any
time of the year.  And this was the result:

--

"Amateur Radio, often called "Ham Radio" is really many
hobbies and passions under one name.  From studying the
stars to creating new computer applications to practicing
their emergency communications skills every June on Field
Day weekend, hams enjoy serving the community in many ways.
To find an amateur radio group near you, go to
www.arrl.org/find-a-club"

--

No, there is no music bed nor video version and for good
reason.  Adding music requires obtaining clearances and in
some cases paying per play use fees.  And a video version
would simply have taken to long to produce and even longer
to get any meaningful airplay.  With little time to get it
out before Field Day weekend, the decision was made to keep
it simple and that seems to have worked.

The spot was originally distributed over the ARRL's Public
Relations Remailer to those in a position most likely able
to get it on the air quickly.  It is currently available on
our website at www.arnewsline.org and will be there for
another couple of days.  If you want to download a higher
fidelity copy of it, just go to the site, scroll down a bit
and follow the simple instructions you will find there.  We
hope you will find it of use in publicizing the greatest
hobby in the world.  (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, TWiT-TV 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

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 2013.  All rights
reserved.

Friday, June 14, 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1870 - June 14 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1870 with a release
date of June 14 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST.  The International amateur Radio
Union gets ready for WRC 2015; a busy agenda for GAREC in
Zurich; more and more over the horizon radar invades the
upper High Frequency bands; a petition to extend Technician
class privileges on 10 meters is filed with the FCC and some
strange communications from the insect world. Find out the
details are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1870
coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RADIO LAW:  IARU STUDY IN PREPARATION FOR WRC 2015

The International Amateur Radio Union, also known as the
IARU is setting its sights on the upcoming 2015 World
Radiocommunication Conference.  In a recent teleconference,
the IARU Administrative Council authorized the distribution
of a paper which sets forth a number of agenda items that
will be considered during the gathering.  Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has more:

--

There are a number of agenda items that impact amateur radio
and amateur-satellite services.  These include Agenda Item
1.1 which is to consider additional spectrum allocations to
the mobile service on a primary basis and identification of
additional frequency bands for International Mobile
Telecommunications and related regulatory provisions.  This
is to facilitate the development of terrestrial mobile
broadband applications, in accordance with Resolution 233
passed at WRC 12.

Agenda Item 1.4 is to consider possible new allocation to
the amateur service on a secondary basis within the band
5250 to 5450 Kilohertz.  Agenda Item 1.6.1 will look at
possible additional primary allocations to the fixed-
satellite service of 250 MHz in the range between 10 GHz and
17 GHz in ITU Region 1.  Item 1.18 will consider a primary
allocation to the radiolocation service for automotive
applications in the 77.5 to 78.0 Gigahertz GHz frequency
band.

Lastly, Agenda Item 9.1.8 will consider the regulatory
aspects for nano-satellites and Pico-satellites as required
by Resolution 757 passed at WRC 12.  This calls for the
results of studies of the procedures for notifying space
networks that presently apply such tiny birds to be reported
to WRC 15.

Because of the possible implications of these studies for
the amateur radio and amateur-satellite services, the IARU
is following their progress very attentively.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in
Berwick, Pennsylvania.

--

All IARU member societies are being encouraged to meet with
their respective telecommunication authorities to discuss
the WRC 15 Agenda Items and to gain support for the IARU
positions.  (RAC, VE3YV, VE2MBS/VE2QQ)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  BUSY AGENDA AT GAREC 2013 IN ZURICH

The delegates and guests at the Global Amateur Radio
Emergency Communication or GAREC 2013 Conference will have a
busy agenda later this month.  This as they share ideas and
learn the approach being taken in different parts of the
world.

GAREC 2013 will discuss the true objectives, dissemination
of disaster information at an international level, how to
have hams prepared, trained and involved, and convince
authorities about amateur radio emergency communication.

Stefan Streif HB9TTQ is an organizer of GAREC 2013.  He
advises that one topic on the agenda is whether amateur
radio has an emergency communications role in Europe.  This
is because the authorities believe their infrastructure is
so good and its technical level so high, that a disaster
could not affect communications over a wide area.

This years Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communication
Conference will be held June 25th to the 27th in Zurich,
Switzerland. More information can be found at
www.garec2013.ch.  (VK3PC)

**

RADIO LAW:  SOUTH AFRICA FIVE-YEAR LICENSE STILL LEAVES
QUESTIONS

The South African Radio League says that it is still
receiving questions about the five year license issue with
telecommunications regulator the Independent Communications
Authroity of South Africa also known as ICASA.

The South African Radio League says that a detailed
explanation of the new rule was received from ICASA.
According to that regulatory body if a South African radio
amateur paid for 5 years and has advised ICASA accordingly,
the problem will be sorted out.  This even if a ham in that
nation has received a license for only this year.

ICASA says that the process may take several more weeks and
it is not necessary to call or contact them at this time.

Meantime the South African Radio League has placed the
matter on the Agenda of the next liaison meeting with the
telecommunications regulator.  That conclave is scheduled
for mid-June.  (SARL)

**

INTRUDER WATCH:  LOTS OF OTH RADAR ON THE UPPER HF BANDS|

The latest Amateur Radio Union Monitoring System Region 1
newsletter reports a United Kingdom military station
identified as STANAG 4285 station has been heard on the 20
meter band.  Reports are that the station which is believed
to be in Norwich, England has been on 14.236.8 Megahertz.
What action taken to get it to move is unknown

Also in the newsletter DGZ0JBJ reported during May no less
than 11 Over The Horizon or OTH radar systems have been
heard on 20 meters, with 30 on 10 meters and an almost
unbelievable 65 of these radar devices heard and logged on
the 15 meter band.  The newsletter says that these figures
do not include the numerous frequency jumping Iranian Over
The Horizon radars in that nation.

You can read the entire monitoring service intruder report
on the web at tinyurl.com/hamband-intruder-alert.  It's a
real eye opener for those who are new to HF and not quite
certain of the source of the noise that may be causing
harmful interference to a QSO.  (IARUMS-R1)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  KEEPING HURRICANE NET FREQUENCIES CLEAR

The Atlantic hurricane season officially started on 1st June
and many predictions indicate an above average number of
storms this year.  And as amateur radio continues to play a
significant role in the gathering and distribution of
information for the weather and emergency services each year
hams in other IARU Regions are being reminded that the same
frequencies may be in use by nets in North and Central
America to track and deal with the consequences of these
severe weather events.  As such, it is possible for Region 1
or Region 3 amateur stations to cause unintentional QRM to
these nets.  Because of this, hams world-wide are being
asked to please listen carefully if operating near these
frequencies. A full list of which nets are operating on
various frequencies can be found on line at www.iaru-r1.org
(IARU)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  ARES RESPONDS TO COLORADO WILDFIRES

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service in Colorado is providing
communication support for personnel on the Black Forest and
the Royal Gorge Fires currently burning in the Southern part
of that state.  Operators have been assigned to shelters,
Emergency Operations Centers's, and other locations as
needed.

The Automatic Packet Reporting System or APRS is being used
and constantly updated with current data showing the
locations of the fires, shelters, evacuation zones, and road
closures.  You can find the APRS data on APRS.fi and
OPENAPRS.net.  More in future Amateur Radio Newsline
reports.   (Colorado ARES via Facebook)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the Woodchuck Amateur Radio Club repeater serving
Cleveland Ohio.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RESTRUCTURING: TOLEDO MOBILE RADIO ASSN SEEKS FM PRIVILEGES
FOR TECHS ON 10 METERS

The Toledo Mobile Radio Association has filed a Petition for
Rule Making with the FCC asking for increased voice
privileges for Technician Class license holders in the 10
meter band.  In its request the group is asking that
Technician class privileges to include 29.520 MHz to 29.700
MHz which covers the gentlemen's agreement repeater subband
on 10 meters.

Tony Everhardt, N8WAC, is with the clubs Technical
Committee.  He tells Amateur Radio Newsliine that the
petition was the result of the club considering the
installation of a 10 meter repeater:

--

N8WAC:  "During the talks of a 10 meter repeater I suggested
that if we put up a 10 meter repeater just the General class
and higher can use that which doesn't benefit the
Technicians.  This was a few months ago and the more I
thought about it the less it made sense that they
(Technicians) do not have FM privileges.  They can talk
world wide from 28.300 to 28.500 MHz but they are not able
to use the FM portion of the band."
--

So Everhardt brought the matter up to the clubs Technical
Committee and the concept of Tech's on 10 meter FM was
warmly received:

--
N8WAC:  "I brought up to the Technical Committee the
suggestion of filing a Petition and the Technical Committee
was all for it.  So the Committee brought it up to the
membership at the monthly meeting and it was a unanimous
decision to file the petition."
--

In its rule making request the Toledo Mobile Radio
Association argues that the current FCC rule that limits
both Novice and Technician Class operators to 28.000 MHz to
28.500 MHz is not in keeping with the reality of today.  It
notes that with linking of various repeaters, the Internet
Radio Linking Project and Echolink it feels that Section
97.301 (e) which allows the Technician class license
privileges on the 10 meter band only from 28.000 MHz to
28.500 MHz is outdated.

The bottom line of the Toledo Mobile Radio Association rule
making request is that its time to bring Technician voice
privileges on 10 meters up to date.  Also to bring them in
line with the technology and the reality of ham radio in the
21st century.  (Toledo Mobile Radio Association)

**

LAW:  HAM MURDERED IN CALIFORNIA SHOOTING SPREE

A ham has been killed in what authorities are calling a
homicide spree by a Los Angeles area resident.  The incident
began with a report of shots fired at Santa Monica home
shortly before noon on June 7th.   Officers arrived to find
the house on fire and two people later identified as the
shooter's father and brother dead of gunshot wounds inside.
One of those murdered was Samir Zawahri, N6KXL.

The shooter, who police say was wearing what appeared to be
a ballistic jacket, then shot a woman passing by in a car
and carjacked another woman at gunpoint.  He directed her to
drive to the college campus, having her stop so he could
shoot along the way.  He fired on a city bus where three
women were left with minor injuries. Authorities say that
the gunman also fired on police cars, bystanders and
pedestrians.

From there, he demanded to be taken to Santa Monica College.
In a faculty parking lot he fired on two people in a red
Ford Explorer that crashed through a block wall.  Police say
that the driver was killed and a passenger was in critical
condition after undergoing surgery UCLA Medical Center.  He
then shot a woman outside the college library before
entering and attempting to shoot students there.  Police
said the rampage lasted about 10 minutes and ended when the
shooter, who had been firing a semiautomatic rifle, was shot
and killed on the campus.

Authorities have not officially named the gunman but law
enforcement sources in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles
have since identified him as 23 year old  John Zawahri, the
son of Samir Zawahri, N6KXL.  (AC6C, KG6FBM, K6FCC,
published news reports)

**

RADIO LAW:  ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION VS. PERSONAL
AUDIO LLC

A follow-up to last weeks story regarding Patent Trolls.
Here's Don Wilbanks, AE5DW:

--

The Electronic Frontier Foundation has also decided to do
something about Patent Trolls that are making life miserable
for some Podcasters.  This in a campaign being called Help
Save Podcasting.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is soliciting donations
and searching for prior proof of patent rights also known as
prior art that would derail the lawsuit brought by a group
called Personal Audio LLC.  The Foundation says that the
groups attorneys claim they own certain patents that govern
podcasts and they want money for use of podcasting
technology.  They have filed lawsuits against some
podcasters and now have moved against larger broadcasting
corporations, CBS and NBC.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation says that it is also
partnering with the Cyberlaw Clinic at Harvard to
investigate legal avenues.   More is on-line at
tinyurl.com/save-podcasting-campaign.

I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

--

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an international non-
profit digital rights group based here in the United States.
Among other things it provides funds for legal defense in
court and defends individuals and new technologies from what
it considers baseless or misdirected legal threats. You can
read more about the Electronic Frontier Foundation at
www.eff.org.  (EFF, RW)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  OMAHA NB. CITATION FOR SALES OF UNAUTHORIZED
DEVICES

According to the ARRL, the FCC has cited an Omaha, Nebraska
based online retailer for marketing unauthorized RF devices.
These include 10 and 12 meter amplifiers capable of several
thousand watts output in violation of FCC rules.

An FCC Citation dated June 6 orders the Enterprise Group
Inc., doing business as ePowerAmps, to immediately stop
advertising, marketing and selling all unauthorized radio
frequency devices.  These include modified CB radios and non-
certified external radio frequency amplifiers for use in the
10 to 12 meter bands.

The FCC warned the Enterprise Group Inc. that continuing to
engage in such conduct could subject the retailer to
substantial fines and seizure of equipment.  You can read
more on-line at tinyurl.com/Omaha-amp-citation.  (FCC, ARRL)

**

BROADCAST BUSINESS: DIALECTRIC CLOSING LEAVES VA STATIONS
WITHOUT A PRIMARY ANTENNA

The decision by SPX Communication Technology to close its
Dielectric broadcast, TV, radio and wireless operation on
June 29th is already having an impact on television viewers
in one city.

The Richmond Virginia Daily Progress reports that the
antenna array that serves public station WCVW and commercial
stations WRIC and WRLH suffered weather-related damage this
past winter.  Dialectric was supposed to do the final repair
this summer but with SPX decision to close its Dialectric
operations at the end of tthis month it appears as if the
company will not be around to do the job.

Workers did put up a temporary antenna as a result of damage
that happened to on March 6th.  Because the temporary
installation has a shorter range than the original one, some
viewers of the three stations have been unable to receive
over-the-air broadcasts since the weather-caused damage
occurred.  (RW, Daily Progress)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  CROWD FUNDING SAVES TESLA MUSEUM

Some good news for those working to maintain the history of
communications.  This with word that the famed Tesla
Laboratory on New York's Long Island has been saved and is
now in the hands of the non-profit organization that has
been trying to purchase it for the past eighteen years.

It all came about because of the dedication of famed
cartoonist Matthew Inman, who is the creator of "The
Oatmeal." Inman was able to raise  $1,370,461 by crowd-
funding to set up a permanent museum honoring the great
scientist.

The purchase price of the former Nikola Tesla laboratory was
$850,000.  The remainder of the funds raised by the campaign
will be used to clean up and to begin renovations of the
property.

Although the actual science center is going to take a lot
more time to finance and build, in the interim those
involved in the project are planning on having a celebration
of sorts in Shoreham, New York, hopefully sometime this
summer.  That event will focus on science, technology, and
innovation.  You can read the entire story on-line at
tinyurl.com/tesla-museum-saved.  (Southgate, other published
news reports)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: W9ZL TO CELEBRATE AIRVENTURE 2013

The Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club will once again be
operating special a event station in celebration of this
years EAA Airventure Convention and Fly-In gathering in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin.  Listen out for W9ZL from July 31st
through August 4th on 7.250, 14.250 and 50.150 MHz operating
only SSB.  If you work them, QSL with a large Self Addressed
Stamped Envelope to the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club
AirVenture, PO Box 2346, Appleton Wisconsin 54912.  More
about the EAA Airventure gathering is on line at
www.airventure.org.  (AB9AH)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  DAYTON HAMVENTION REPORTS SLIGHT RISE IN
ATTENDANCE

According to an announcement posted to the Dayton Hamvention
website, the official attendance figure for this years
gathering was 24,542.  This is a very modest increase of 59
attendees over last years 24,483, but is a major increase
over 2007 when only 19,750 showed up.

The all time high took place in 1994.  That's when the
Dayton Daily News reported that some 35,000 walked through
the gates at the Hara Arena for that years Hamvention.
(Dayton Hamvention, Dayton Daily News)

**


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:  STRANGE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE INSECT
WORLD

Now here's one for the books.  It happened recently when a
75 year woman in a southwestern German town called police at
3 a.m..  Her complaint was that she couldn't sleep because
her doorbell was always ringing.

Police officers dispatched to investigate the cause quickly
tracked down the culprit.  It wasn't some form pf
poltergeist or other strange phenomena.  Rather ants had
constructed a large nest next to the doorbell.  In fact, the
tiny creatures had built such a large home that the nest
pressed the doorbells switching contacts together.  That in
turn kept ringing the bell.

Officers silenced the intermittently ringing doorbell by
removing the nest with a knife.  Likely much to the dismay
of the ants who had spent the time to build it there.
(Published news reports)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  PASS PREDICTIONS LINK BACK AT AMSAT
WEBSITE

The AMSAT Online Satellite Pass Predictions webpage is back
on AMSAT's website. This as the result of a team effort by
N1DID, KB1LQC, KB1LQD and W2GPS.  You can find it on-line at
www dot amsat dot org under the Pass Predictions link.
(K1MP)

**

CONTEST CORNER:  RULES CHANGES FOR THE 2013 CQ WORLD WIDE
VHF CONTEST

Some new rules are coming to the CQ World Wide VHF Contest.
The 2013 rules reflect changes in the log submission
deadline and the publication date that have been implemented
by the magazine.

In order to be considered for an award, your log must be
received by the robot or postmarked no later than 23:59 UTC
on August 4th.  Logs received after that date will still be
listed in the results but will not be eligible for an award.
Extensions may be granted by the director for a valid reason
if you contact that person before the deadline.

The 2013 CQ World-Wide VHF Contest starts at 1800 UTC ob
Saturday July 20th and concludes at 2100 UTC on Sunday July
21st,  A detailed set of rules can be found beginning on
page 56 of the June 2013 issue of CQ Magazine.  (CQ)

***

PROPAGATION:  NEW 144 MHZ UK TO US BEACON TAKES TO THE AIR

A new Trans-Atlantic propagation beacon has come on the air
from the United Kingdom beaming West over the Atlantic
Ocean.

The GB3WGI Transatlantic 144 MHz amateur radio beacon went
live at 1600 GMT on June 4th.  This in time for the peak of
the 2013 Sporadic E season.

GB3WGI runs 100 Watts Effective Radiated Power using both CW
and JT65b modes on 144.487 MHz.  It is located in the West
of Northern Ireland in grid square IO64bl and its primary
mission is to provide an early warning of 144MHz
Transatlantic propagation on the Europe to USA path.  This
as a way of complimenting the existing 144MHz Transatlantic
beacon network in the United States that provides alerts
when a USA to Europe path is open.

Most current 144 MHz European transatlantic beacons are
located much further to the South and/or East in locations
like Cornwall in the U-K, in France and the Azores.  By
contrast, the GB3WGI beacon has a clear sea takeoff to the
eastern seaboard of the United States giving it a distinct
advantage of being heard when the 2 meter band is open
across the great Atlantic pond.  (G4BAO)

**

PROPAGATION: 6 METER BEACON NOW COVERS ALL OF SOUTH AFRICA

The ZS2X Six Meter VHF beacon now covering most of South
Africa.  This after its two-element Yagi was turned north
by Tim Joubert, ZS2X.  The 25 watt beacon transmits FSK
modulation on 50.007 MHz near Port Elizabeth.  This produces
some very strong radio bursts on the daylight meteor shower
Arietids that is currently active until July 2nd and is the
most intense daylight meteor shower of the year.  The beacon
beacon can also indicate country-wide Tropospheric Ducting
as well as Tropo Scatter propagation on 50 MHz in the early
mornings as well as aircraft scatter along their flight
paths.  (SARL)

**

PROPAGATION:  C6AFP 6 METER BEACON TEMPORARILY OFF THE AIR

Steve Rutledge, N4JQQ, reports via the VHF Reflector that
the C6AFP six meter propagation beacon that operates on
50.040 from grid-square FL16 is temporarily off the air.
Steve says that the beacon system which is located at Abaco,
Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas, developed a significant
chirp that his friend, C6AGN, could not pin down the source
of the problem.  So the beacon has been shipped to the
United States for repair.

N4JQQ notes that at the time of its temporary removal for
repair that the beacon was still operating on the six meter
Ringo that John Walker, WZ8D, took down there at least 20
years ago.  Steve says that this antenna has been through
many serious hurricanes, has not fallen over and still has
no tuning issues.  He calls that "certainly amazing."

N4JQQ says that he hopes to get it fixed quickly and get it
back as soon as possible. He adds that he will advise when
the C6AFP beacon is back on the air or at least headed in
that direction.  (N4JQQ)

**

DX

In DX, word that ZS6RJ will be on a one man DXpedition to
Botswana as A25RJ starting June 15th.  Activity will focus
on 80 through 10 meters, CW.   QSL direct to his home
address or electronically using Logbook of the World.  There
is no bureau service for Botswana.

JH1NBN will be on the air from Bhutan as A52W through June
19th.  Activity will be limited to his spare time because he
is there once again on a business trip. He will operate SSB
with 100 watts into wire antennas.  QSL via JH1NBN direct.

K9HZ is on the bands as J68HZ from his villa on St. Lucia
operating 160 through 6 meters on CW, SSB and RTTY.  He will
be there until June 22nd with a special emphasis on 160 and
80 meters operations.  QSL via his home callsign.

EA4GBA, will be operational as C91GBA from Mozambique from
June 27th through December 15th. Activity will be on all H F
bands using SSB with 100 watts into a dipole.  QSL direct
via EA4GBA.  QSL cards will be answered once he arrives back
in Spain early 2014.

IW2NEF will be operational as 5R8NE from Nosy-Be Island
between July 16th to the 30th. Activity will be on 40
through 10 meters using SSB.  QSL via IK2DUW.

Lastly, five operators will be on the air from November 12th
to the 27th using the callsign N8A from the southeast coast
of Tutuila Island.  Activity will be on 160 through 10
meters, with a significant effort on 160.  QSL this one via
ZL3CW.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  A RATHER SPECIAL LIGHTHOUSE

And finally this week, word that over 200 lighthouses and
lightships will be taking part in this years International
Lighthouse and Lightship weekend.  Amateur Radio Newsline's
Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, tells us that number 200 is very
special:

--

"The honor of being the 200th registrant for this years
International Lighthouse and Lhtship weekend goes to the
Whitby High Light in England.  Built in 1858, the Whitby
High Light helped ships avoid the Whitby Rock on the Noerh
Yorkshire coast.  Its well known as the place that Captain
James Cook became a seaman before leading his epic voyages
of discovery.

"The special event call GB2WHL will  be operated from the
lighthouse by the Denby Dale Radio Club.  A special QSL is
available on request.

"So far there are registrations from 29 countries.  To read
the guidelines for the International Lighthouse ans
Lightship Weekend slated for August 17th and 18th; or to
register a lighthouse, lightship or maritime beacon on line,
please visit illw.net.

"Im Skeeter Nash, N5ASH"

--

This years International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
takes place on August 17th and 18th and is sponsored by the
Ayr Amateur Radio Group in Scotland.  Again the URL for more
information or registration is simply illw.net.  (ILLW,
VK3PC)

**

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, TWiT-TV 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

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk,
I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013.  All rights
reserved.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1869 - June 7 2013


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1869 with a release
date of June 7th 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST.  A ham radio operator severe weather
researcher looses his life in an Oklahoma tornado; the FCC
sets commentary date for comments on RF exposure
reassessment; new life for ham radio in Ghana; the
government seizes an unlicensed broadcast station near
Boston and some long missing moon dust is found in a
California warehouse.  All this and more on Amateur Radio
NewslineT report number 1869 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RESCUE RADIO:  THREE SEVERE WEATHER RESEARCHERS LOST IN
OKLAHOMA TORNADO

A ham radio operator, his son and an associate who chased
severe weather to help science better understand Mother
Nature's wrath has been killed by a tornado in Oklahoma.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Burt Hicks has the sad details:

--

Professional storm chasers Tim Samaras, WJ0G, his son Paul
and fellow investigator Carl Young lost their lives on May
31st when a tornado that they were trailing unexpectedly
changed paths and rammed their vehicle near El Reno,
Oklahoma.

According to news reports it all happened so suddenly that
the three severe weather investigators were unable to escape
the storms wrath. Tim Samaras was found dead in his vehicle
still strapped in his seat belt.  Paul Samaras and Carl
Young had apparently been pulled from the vehicle by the
tornado with the remains of one found almost a half mile
away.

Tim and Paul Samaras and Carl Young were not your average
storm chasers.  The three were a part of a scientific field
study called TWISTEX or the Tactical Weather Instrumented
Sampling in or Near Tornadoes Experiment.  This is a
scientific field research program that had been originated
by Tim Samaras.  Its purpose is to better understand the
origin, maintenance and decay of tornadic activity in the
hope of gaining insight and knowledge of the seldom sampled
near surface internal tornado environment. The experiment
was well known in the meteorology community and had been
featured on The Discovery Channel's television program Storm
Chasers.

In a public statement honoring the three, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that Tim
Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend of
NOAA who brought to the field a unique portfolio of
expertise in engineering, science, writing and videography.
The NOAA statement went on to say that Samaras work was
documented through an extensive list of formal publications
and conference papers.  News reports said that Tim Samaras
held the Guinness World Record for recording the greatest
pressure drop ever measured inside a tornado and was the
only person to ever record video from the interior of a
tornado using special technology that he had developed.

Terry Garcia is the Executive Vice President of the National
Geographic Society.  He said that his organization had
provided 18 grants to Tim Samaras for research over the
years for field work like he was doing in Oklahoma at the
time of his death.  Garcia added that tornadoes were not Tim
Samaras' only interest and that his work on lightning was
featured in the August 2012 issue of National
Geographic magazine.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Burt Hicks, in Los
Angeles.

--

We know that you join us in sending condolences to the
families of these three valiant severe weather researchers.
(ARNewslineT from various news sources)

**

RADIO LAW:  FCC SETS DEADLINES FOR RF EXPOSURE REASSESSMENT
COMMENTS

The ARRL report the deadlines have been set for comments and
reply comments in an FCC proceeding to reassess the limits
and policies governing exposure to radio frequency (RF)
electromagnetic fields

On March 27, the FCC released a First Report and
Order, Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Notice of
Inquiry in ET Docket Nos. 13-84 and 03-137.

Publication in the June 4, 2013 Federal Register  started
the clock on a 90-day period for comments, the deadline for
which is September 3rd.  There is an additional 60-day
period for reply comments, i.e. until November 1st.

The unusually long period for comments reflects the
complexity of the proceeding and underscores the
Commission's desire for specific information on the costs
and benefits related to the RF exposure issue.

While the FCC proposals do not change the existing RF
exposure limits, they include the deletion of existing
special exemptions from evaluation in the Amateur Radio
Service in Section 97.13(c) of its rules.  Minor rules
changes adopted in the Report and Order section of the
document take effect on August 5.

A summary of the document is at tinyurl.com/exposure-limit-
comment   (ARRL)

**

ELECTRONIC LAW:  WHITE HOUSE GOING AFTER PATENT TROLLS

If you are a ham or other hobbyist who produces a podcast,
listen up.  The White House says that its time to end what
the legal world calls patent trolling.  And it's taking the
first steps by issuing five executive actions and seven
legislative recommendations designed to protect U.S.
companies and their products from spurious litigation from
Patent Assertion Entities that are more commonly called
Patent Trolls.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee,
KB3TZD, reports:

--

According to the National Economic Council and the Council
of Economic Advisors, Patent Trolls are entities that
threaten to sue thousands of companies at once, without
specific evidence of infringement against any of them.  They
may also create shell companies that make it difficult for
defendants to know who is suing them and assert that their
patents cover inventions not imagined at the time they were
granted.

Information made public by the two councils say that suits
brought by patent trolls have jumped by nearly 250% in just
the last two years, rising from 29% of all infringement
suits to 62% of all infringement suits.  Estimates suggest
that patent trolls may have threatened over 100,000
companies with patent infringement last year alone.

But it does not end there.  The U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office says that there is yet another new aspect to this
situation   This is where Patent Trolls are increasingly
targeting retailers, consumers and other end-users of
products containing patented technology especially software.

Among the initial steps being taken by the Obama
administration is having the Patent and Trademark Office
begin a rulemaking to require patent applicants and owners
to regularly update patent ownership information when they
are involved in patent proceedings before that agency,
specifically naming who controls the patent.  Its also will
give more training to its patent examiners on scrutiny of
functional claims and develop strategies to improve claim
clarity.  This in areas where stakeholders remain concerned
about patents with overly broad claims.

Possibly more important to all U.S, citizens is the White
House statement that says end users should not be subject to
lawsuits for simply using a product as it was intended.  It
says that citizens need an easier way to know their rights
before entering into costly litigation or settlements with
Patent Trolls.

For the amateur Radio Newsline, I;m Heather Embee, KB3TZD,
in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

--

The Obama Administration says it stands ready to work with
Congress to enact legislation to curb this type of patent
abuse.  This could be particularly important to a growing
sector of hams that are producing and posting amateur radio
oriented podcasts to the World-Wide-Web.  This is especially
true of the teens and pre-teens whose ham radio oriented
podcasts appear to be the fastest growing segment of all.
(RW, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

**

WORLDBEAT:  NEW LIFE FOR HAM RADIO IN GHANA

Some good news out of Ghana.  The first Amateur Radio
Administration meeting aimed at bringing together operators,
industry experts and other relevant bodies to exchange
experiences and best practices in the field was recently
held in that nation.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan
Kinford, N8WB, reports:

--

The weeklong workshop was organized by Ghana's National
Communication Authority in partnership with the
International Telecommunication Union and the International
Amateur Radio Union.

Paarock VanPercy is the Director General of Ghana's National
Communication Authority.  Speaking at the opening session of
the gathering he said amateur radio needs to be regulated to
ensure that the frequencies used by these operations did not
interfere or impact on the operations of commercial and
professional radio users.  However he then underscored the
importance of amateur radio operations, saying they had
contributed immensely in the fields of science, engineering,
industry and social services.

VanPercy advised Senior High Schools, polytechnic schools
and universities to apply for licenses from the National
Communication Authority to expose students to amateur radio
operations for research.  He also announced that his agency
would soon publish the syllabus for amateur radio
examinations in that nation.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8EWB,
in Wadsworeth, Ohio.

--

You can read the full story at tinyurl.com/ham-radio-in-
ghana.  (Ghana.gov, Southgate)

**


WORLDBEAT:  HAMS IN SPAIN GRANTED NEW BANDSPACE

Hams in Spain have been granted an extension of the 160
meter band along with a new 630 meter allocation.  This with
word that Spanish radio amateurs have been authorized to use
a new segment from 1810 to 1830 kHz on secondary basis.  The
new frequencies are in addition to their primary allocation
of 1830 to 1850 kHz.  Spanish radio amateurs  are also now
allowed to use the band of 472 to 479 kHz also on secondary
basis.  (EA7SB, Southgate)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  MORE 6 METER BABNDSPACE IN GERMANY

Radio amateurs in Germany have had their 6 meter band
extended until at least the end of the year.  The latest
allocation is from 50.03 to 51MHz and the bottom 30 kHz ties
up with where the new 6 meter Synchronized Propagation or
Synced Beacons are planned.  German radio amateurs may use
all modes with a bandwidth up to 12 kHz but must not cause
interference to the primary user of the band which is the
German the military.  (GB2RS)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the KB5UJM repeater serving San Antonio, Texas.

(5 sec pause here)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  GOVERNMENT SEIZES UNLICENSED BROADCAST STATION
NEAR BOSTON

It does not happen very often, but in this case the U.S.
Attorney's Office for Massachusetts has seized transmission
equipment from an unlicensed broadcaster operating in the
Boston area.  This after the FCC received interference
complaints from a licensed station and tracked the
unauthorized transmissions to the neighborhood of Roslindale
last January.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
picks up the story:

--

According to the court documents, upon finding the
transmitters location agents from the commission's
Enforcement Bureau went to the building and posted Notices
of Unlicensed Operation on the station door.  These
contained a warning the operator to stop transmitting
without a license.  When the agents returned, the notices
were gone, and the station was still putting out a signal on
88.5 MHz.

The FCC escalated the case into a forfeiture action and
that's when the office of the U.S. Attorney for
Massachusetts became involved.  And on May 21st Federal
agents raided the station and seized the transmission
equipment.

Carmen Ortiz is a U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts.  In a
press statement she said that it is a potential hazard to
public safety for pirate radio stations to broadcast
illegally and interfere with critical radio communications.
She added that the U.S. Attorney's Office will work in
conjunction with the FCC to identify and seize equipment
from these pirate broadcasters.

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

--

The warrant in this case was only recently unsealed in U.S.
District Court.  Whether or not it signals a change in
tactics on the part of government enforcement action against
unlicensed broadcasts remains to be seen.  (FCC, RW)

**

RADIO LICENSING:  VEC CLERICAL ERROR LEADS TO PROPOSED
LICENSE MODIFICATION

A clerical error by a Volunteer Examination Coordinator will
likely lead to a license downgrade for a California ham.
This after the FCC releases an order proposing to modify the
license of James H. Schofield, KI6JIM, from General to
Technician due to no fault of his own.

On November 29, 2012, the W5YI Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator sent an electronic data file to the Commission
requesting that Schofield's operator license for amateur
station KI6JIM be modified to upgrade to General Class
amateur radio operator privileges.  Based on this
application, the Commission granted Schofield a General
Class license on November 29, 2012.

On May 30, 2013, the W5YI VEC notified the Commission that
it had made a typographical error in the November 2012 data
file and that a licensee other than Schofield had qualified
for a General Class operator license.  W5YI VEC noted that a
correction was filed, resulting in the other licensee
receiving the operator license for which he had qualified
but that Schofield's operator privileges had not been
returned to Technician Class operator privileges.  The W5YI
VEC urged the FCC to modify Schofield's license to correct
the operator privileges.

Now in a June 4th Order Proposing Modification the FCC says
it believes that the grant of General Class operator
privileges to Schofield was erroneous because he did not
pass the examination necessary to qualify for that class of
operator license.  Rather, he appears to be currently
authorized to operate with General Class operator privileges
due to a typographical error made during the application
process.  As such it believes that a modification of the
license for amateur station KI6JIM to replace General Class
operator privileges with Technician Class operator
privileges is appropriate.   It also notes that if Schofield
opposes this action that he has 30 days to submit a written
statement with sufficient evidence to show that the
modification would not be in the public interest.  (FCC)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  FCC SAYS OK TO NEW PSA USING SIMULATED EAS
TONES

The FCC has issued a waiver specifically for a new series of
on the air Public Service Announcements or PSA's which
include a simulated Wireless Emergency Alert or EAS
Attention Signal.

The new PSAs are called "Wireless Alerts - Sounds of Your
Life."  Normally airing live EAS tones is prohibited.
However in this case, the Ad Council confirmed to Radio
World that FCC says the attention signal in the PSA does not
mislead the listening or viewing public into erroneously
concluding that an actual emergency message is being
transmitted.

The Alabama Broadcasters Association had previously
suggested that broadcasters not to air these new PSAs from
the Ad Council because they contained actual EAS tones.
However in an updated memo issued to members late Friday,
May 31st, the association said that the tone sounds the same
as the EAS alert tone, but has a different set of codes.  As
such, it will not trigger a stations EAS receiver.

The new English and Spanish language PSAs are being
distributed as part of Hurricane Preparedness Week.  This is
an annual effort by FEMA, the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security and the National Hurricane Center to inform the
public about hurricane hazards and help citizens prepare and
take action.  (RW, FCC)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  INDIA SMALL SATELLITE WORKSHOP FEATURES HAM
RADIO

A Small Satellite Developer Workshop featuring Amateur Radio
is now slated for July 8th to the 13th in Chennai, India.
The amateur radio segment is being conducted by the National
Institute of Amateur Radio with topics to be discussed to
include Software Designed Receiver design and Basics of
Spacecraft Technology among others.  Further details are on
the web at www.spaceschool.co.in.  (NAIR)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  EMC WORKING GROUP FRIEDRICHSHAFEN MEETING

The International Amateur Radio Union's Region
1 Electromagnetic Compatibility Working Group has invited
its members as well as observers from all national societies
to attend the meeting.  This to take place in
Friedrichshafen, Germany on Friday, June 28th.

The meeting will be held from 12:00 to 13:30 local time at
the same venue as last year. Details of how to find the
meeting room can be obtained from the Deutscher Amateur
Radio Club or IARU booths in the main convention hall or
from the convention's operations personnel.  More including
a group of EMC Working Group members is on line at
tinyurl.com/iaru-r1-emc-2013.  (IARU Region 1)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  SOUTHERN CAL BOZO NET 2 METER SSB NET

Meantime on this side of the Atlantic, if you are a 2 meter
SSB user looking to meet others, listen up.  The Southern
California 2 Meter BOZO Net meets on 144.240 MHz Upper
Sideband at 8:00 P.M. Pacific every Sunday evening.  Net
organizers invite anyone within rage to sign in and join in
the discussions.  More information can be found at
www.2meterbozo.net.  (N6EQ)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  CR6RI TO CELEBRATE ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
CONVENTION

Rotary International which holds the distinction of being
the worlds first Volunteer Service Organization is holding
it's annual convention this year in Lisbon, Portugal from
June 22nd to the 26th.  To help celebrate this event
Rotarians Of Amateur Radio which is a fellowship of
Rotarians, is activating a special event station CR6RI
during the Convention's exhibition hours from 09:00 to 18:00
UTC daily.  Frequencies to be used will be 14.287, 14.293
and possibly 21.293 MHz.  More information will be made
available on qrz.com.  About 30,000 Rotary members are
expected to attend this year's convention gathering.
(VK4ZD)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  KX9X REPLACES W1AGP AS ARRL MEDIA AND
PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

Some names in the news this week This with word that ARRL
Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko, KX9X, has accepted the
position of Media and Public Relations Manager for the
League.

Sean Kutzko joined the ARRL as the Contest Branch Manager in
October 2007.  An enthusiastic operator in contests and VHF
weak-signal work as well as a backpack QRPer, Kutzko holds a
Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of
Illinois at Springfield and has worked at several National
Public Radio affiliates in the Midwest.

Kuzko replaces former Media and Public Relations Manager
Allen Pitts, W1AGP who officially retired earlier this year
but had stayed on until a replacement could be found.  Pitts
will remain as a consultant on the planning of the ARRL's
2014 centennial celebration.

Taking over as Contest Branch Manager is Mike DeChristopher,
N1TA.  DeChristopher started at ARRL last year as a Logbook
of The World Specialist and Awards and Programs Assistant.
He resides in Feeding Hills, Massachusetts and is very
active in contesting from that location.

Kutzko and DeChristopher will begin their new positions on
June 17th.
(ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  BOB RATCLIFFE NAMED CHIEF OF FCC
ENFORCEMENT BUREAU

Acting FCC Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn has named Bob Ratcliffe
acting chief of the FCC's Enforcement Bureau.  Ratcliffe
moves over from the Media Bureau, where he had been had been
deputy chief.  Ratcliffe has been at the commission for more
than 35 years. He's had stints as acting chief of the Media
Bureau during the final phases of the digital television
transition in 2009 and as deputy chief of the Enforcement
Bureau from 2006 to 2009. Previously, Ratcliffe held various
positions in the former Mass Media Bureau. The move was
prompted because Clyburn recently named the previous chief
of the Enforcement Bureau, Michele Ellison, as her chief of
staff.  (RW)

**


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)

**

CHANGING OF THE GUARD:  VETERAN KNX ANCHOR HARRY BIRRELL,
KM6WX - SK

The changing of the guard in ham radio continues.  This with
word of the passing of longtime veteran Los Angeles newsman
Harry Birrell, KM6WX, at age 85.

A native of Steubenville, Ohio, Harry Birrell started his
broadcasting career at WBVP in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania in
1949.  From there he moved to WEIR West Virginia and held
positions at several other stations before moving West.  He
joined KFWB the then Group W Westinghouse station in Los
Angeles before moving to KNX Newsradio in 1968.  There
Birrell was hired as a news anchor and spent the next 25
years as one of the best known radio voices in Southern
California.  He partially retired from KNX in 1993 but spent
the next 5 1/2 years working from his home studio.  From
there he sent in daily reports of Ventura County news that
were heard on the station.  He went into full retirement in
1999.

During his long career Harry Birrell was honored with nine
Golden Mikes awarded by the Radio and Television News
Association of Southern California for his excellence in
broadcasting.  He has also been recognized repeatedly by the
Greater Los Angeles Press Club, the Valley Press Club, the
Associated Press and United Press International.  Perhaps
his highest tribute was being named recipient of the Dupont-
Columbia Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism given
to him by the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia
University.

According to his bio on QRZ.com, Harry Birrell and his wife
Emily had been married over 57 years when she passed away in
2007.  He is survived by his two children and five grand-
children.  At airtime, funeral arrangements had not yet been
announced.

(KNX Newsradio, QRZ.com and other published news reports)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  PERCEPTIVE RADIO ADAPTS TO WHERE IT IS

A radio that is able to change the context of a broadcast
depending on where you are and what you are doing, has been
demonstrated by the BBC.  The Perceptive Radio, created by
Ian Forrester of the corporation's Future Media division, is
thought to be a world first.

For its initial showing the team produced a computer-
generated radio drama where the script altered depending on
factors such as weather.  This proof-of-concept drama used a
computer generated voice for one of the characters and could
adapt on the fly according to data pulled from external
sources.  For instance, it could make reference to local
places which would differ from the script depending on where
in the world a listener is.

If you want to read more about this latest in almost
senescent computer technology you will find it on the web at
tinyurl.com/thinking-radio.

(BBC, Southgate)

**

RADIO FROM SPACE:  FIRST PAPER BASED ON KAT-7 RADIO
TELESCOPE RELEASED

The South African Radio League reports that the first
scientific paper based on observations performed with South
Africa's new KAT-7 radio telescope, has been accepted for
publication by the prestigious journal Monthly Notices of
the Royal Astronomy Society.

Using the new KAT-7 telescope and the existing 26 meter
radio telescope at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy
Observatory, South African and international astronomers
have observed a neutron star system known as Circinus X-1.
This as it fires matter from its core in extensive, compact
jets that flare brightly.

The details of the flares are visible only in radio waves.
The full story and a brief video are on line at
www.amsatsa.org.za.  (AMSAT-SA)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  Fox-1 Ham Radio CubeSat frequencies
announced

The International Amateur Radio Union Frequency Coordination
Panel has announced coordinated frequencies for the AMSAT-
NA Fox-1CubeSat.   The uplink will be on 435.180 MHz for FM
voice and the downlink on145.980 MHz with FM voice and an
optional sub audible FSK digital carrier channel.

Fox-1a is a one unit cubesat that will serve as a
communications relay for radio amateurs worldwide via the
onboard FM repeater system.  It will also carry an
experiment consisting of a 3-axis gyro developed by Penn
State University. The communications and scientific
experiment missions will run concurrently. (AMSAT)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  HAMTV FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION

The frequencies of 2422.0 MHz and 2437.0 MHz have been
announced for a new ham radio Digital TV transmitter that
will operate as an educational adjunct from the
International Space Station.

The main mission of what's being called Ham TV is to perform
school contacts between the astronauts onboard ISS and
educational institutions on the ground.  This by providing
space station to ground video within ARISS program.

To accomplish this, the ISS will host a new S-Band video
transmitting station in addition to the existing VHF FM ham
band transceiver. The  new equipment will have the ability
to transmit images from orbit during the school contacts.
It will also be able to broadcast other pre-recorded video
images up to 24 hours a day to allow ground stations tuning.
More information on this new on-orbit service is on the Web
at tinyurl.com/iss-dtv.  (IRTS)

**

ON THE AIR:  PS2013CCB CELEBRATES FIFA IN BRAZIL

On the air, listen out for Brazilian special event station
PS2013CCB to be active between June 15th to the 30th to
celebrate the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil event.
Operation will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and
various digital modes. Operations are.  QSL via PS7AB, only
via the bureau or electronically using either Logbook of the
World or eQSL.  SWL card request are also welcome.  (OPDX)

**

DX

In DX, F9IE, is now operational stroke CT7 from Portugal on
60 meters.  He is running 100 and should be there for about
another week.  He is said to be operating CW on 5405 and
5373 kHz with SSB on 5403.5 and 5371.5 kHz.  No QSL
information has been provided.

The VU7KV Lakshadweep Islands operation last month has been
approved for DXCC credit.   If anyone had this contact
rejected in a recent submission send an e-mail to bmoore
(at) arrl (dot) org to be placed on the list for an update
to your record.

VK3DAC is currently operational from Christmas Island as
VK9DAC
He is active on 80 through 10 meters as time permits.  QSL
as directed by the operator.

DL1DI will be active as PJ4D from the island of Bonaire
between June 22nd and July 10th.  All that's known so far is
that he will be there on vacation.  More details to be
follow.

W1XP is currently active stroke P4 from Aruba.  Listen out
for him on the various High Frequency bands.  QSL's go via
his home call.

F5SWB will be on the air as TU5DF from the Ivory Coast from
June through October.  Activity will be on all of the High
Frequency bands.  QSL via F5SWB.

Lastly, word that ZS6EZ and ZS6P will be active from
Mozambique from October 15th to the 22nd as C92Z and C91P
respectively.  They will also be operational using the call
C82DX.  QSL C92Z via ZS6EZ.  Cards for C91P go via ZS6P


**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  LOST MOON DUST FOUND IN STORAGE ON EARTH

And finally this week, several vials of moon dust brought
back to Earth by the first men on the moon have been found
inside a lab warehouse in California.  This after sitting in
storage unnoticed for more than 40 years.  Amateur Radio
Newsline's Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, reports:

--

Many of you likely remember those fuzzy live pictures from
the moons surface when Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the
first human being to set foot on an alien world.   We also
watched as Armstrong and Apollo 11 crew mate Buzz Aldrin
collected samples from the Lunar surface before returning
with them to mother Earth.  Now some four decades later a
part of the samples that Armstrong and Aldrin brought back
with them were recently rediscovered by an archivist who was
going over artifacts tucked away at the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory.

Karen Nelson, who made the surprising discovery, said in a
statement from the lab that they don't know how or when the
samples ended up in storage.  She says that she came across
about 20 vials with handwritten labels dated "24 July 1970,"
packed in a vacuum-sealed glass jar.

Accompanying the jar was an academic paper published in the
Proceedings of the Second Lunar Science Conference in 1971,
titled "Study of Carbon Compounds in Apollo 11 and Apollo 12
Returned Lunar Samples."  All of the authors of the paper
were from the University of California, Berkeley's Space
Sciences Laboratory.  This included Nobel Prize-
winning chemist Melvin Calvin, who worked with NASA on
efforts to protect the moon from contamination during the
first lunar landing, as well as planning on how to protect
those on Earth from unknown pathogens that might have been
lurking on the Moon's surface.

It turns out that the moon dust samples were supposed to
have been sent back to NASA after the Space Sciences
Laboratory team finished their research on them for some
unknown reason they instead ended up in storage.

After making the discovery Nelson then got in touch with
NASA officials.  They in turn permitted her to open the jar
to remove the vials before she returned them to the space
agency and making for a happy ending to a 4 decade old story
that began on the surface of the Moon.

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

--

In all, NASA's moon-walking Apollo astronauts brought 842
pounds of lunar samples back to Earth between 1969 and 1972,
and very little of it was thought to be unaccounted for
until Nelson's discovery.  More on this important find is on
the Web at tinyurl.com/moon-dust-found

(TechMag7 and other published news reports)

**

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, TWiT-TV 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

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 2013.  All rights
reserved.