Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1811 with a release
date of April 27th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Japan says it will be launching 16
educational ham-sats; NASA says now is time for educators to
request I-S-S contacts for 2013; UK hams learn of ham band
restrictions during the 2012 Olympics; US hams will not be
affected by Part 90 narrow-banding and a new video on VHF
and UHF digital audio is on-line. Find out the details are
on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1811 coming your
way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: JAPAN TO LAUNCH 16 NEW EDUCATIONAL HAM-
SATS
Japan says that it plans to launch sixteen educational
satellites over the next two years. The tiny birds are
currently under construction in Japan with the first launch
to take place on May 17th followed by the others in as rapid
succession as possible. Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather
Butera-Howell, KB3TZD, has the details:
--
The first of the new birds to be launched will be the
amateur radio satellite HORYU-2 built by students at the
Kyushu Institute of Technology. Its mission is to take
pictures of the Earth using a small C-MOS camera called
SCAMP that was developed by the University of Surrey in the
UK. The SCAMP camera takes a 640x480 pixel picture in the
popular JPEG format. That means from 700 km altitude, one
pixel corresponds to 1.6 km.
HORYU-2 will be followed in July by the transport of several
items to the International Space Station. This mission will
deliver the Japanese Experiment Module Small Satellite
Orbital Deployer or JEM along with the Japanese CubeSats WE-
WISH, FITSAT-1 and RAIKO. These CubeSats should be deployed
from the ISS in September using the JEM and robot arm.
FITSAT-1 may be the most interesting of these. It will use
a neodymium magnet for attitude control. It will also have
multiple downlinks. These include CW on 437.250 MHz, AX.25
on 437.445 MHz and a 4 watt high speed data transmitter on
5840 MHz. The latter is capable of sending a 640 by 480 VGA
JPEG image in 6 seconds.
In addition to its other experiments, FITSAT-1 will also
carry a set of high power LED's that will be driven with
100W pulses to produce extremely bright flashes. It is
hoped, will be observable by the unaided eye or with small
binoculars from the ground. Both the 5840 MHz and optical
downlinks have a high power consumption so it may be that
they are only activated only over Japan.
In December the TSUBAME satellite is planned to be launched
on a Japanese H-IIA booster. It will carry a CW beacon on
437.250 MHz and AX.25 packet at 1200 and 9600 bit per second
telemetry on 437.505 MHz. The remaining satellites will be
placed into orbit on subsequent flights.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Butera-Howell,
KB3TZD, bear Burwick, Pennsylvania.
--
Further information on all the satellites can be found on
line at www.uk.amsat.org/6691 (AMSAT-UK, JA-AMSAT)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NASA OPENS PROPOSAL CYCLE FOR 2013
CLASSROOM ISS CONTACTS
NASA's Teaching From Space Office has announced a new
proposal cycle for United States ARISS school contacts.
Proposals may be submitted from April 23rd through July 2nd
for contacts that will be scheduled beginning in January
2013.
NASA says that informational sessions will be held to answer
any questions concerning the proposal process. To attend a
session or to have questions answered, contact the Teaching
From Space office by e-mail to JSC-TFS-ARISS (at) mail (dot)
nasa (dot) gov. You can also call the office during normal
business hours Eastern time at 281-244-1919. More
information is on the Teaching From Space website at
tinyurl.com/teach-from-space. (NASA)
**
RADIO SAFETY: RADIO HOBBYIST LOOSES LIFE IN ANTENNA
ACCIDENT
A sad story from down-under where a radio hobbyist has been
killed in a strange accident. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of the
WIA News is here with whats known so far:
--
Police are investigating the death of a man who fell from
his vehicle onto an antenna at his hobby farm. The 51 year-
old man is believed to have suffered fatal injuries after he
fell onto the 20 meter high metal antenna at the Cunderdin
property in Western Australia.
Police spokeswoman Ros Weatherall said the antenna was used
for surveying services, and had been removed by the man from
the roof rack of his Landcruiser utility before the
incident. Initial investigations reveal that he may have
slipped from the top of the car and fallen onto the antenna.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of
the WIA News in Australia.
--
As we go to air the victim has not been identified by
authorities. Nor is it known if he may have been a VK radio
amateur. More is on-line at tinyurl.com/7kehv5s (VK4BAT,
WIA News)
**
2012 OLYMPICS: UK REGULATOR OFCOM ANNOUNCES HAM BAND
RESTRICTIONS DURING 2012 OLYMPICS
Details of amateur band frequency restrictions during the
London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have now been
released by U-K Telecommunications regulator Ofcom. The
greatest impact to ham radio appears to be satellite and
other operations in the 436 to 437 Mhz segment of 70
centimeters. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
explains why:
--
Parts of the 70, 13 and 9 centimeter amateur bands in the
United Kingdom will face restrictions between June 28th and
September 23rd. This, due to need for spectrum during the
2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The restrictions only apply in geographically limited areas,
with 70cm being particularly affected around London and
Weymouth. Also hard hit by the restrictions will be ham
radio satellite operations.
According to a notice on the AMSAT-UK web site the Amateur-
satellite Service allocation in the 435 to 438 MHz range
will be restricted to 436.25 to 437.25 MHz. This is based
on an understanding that the equipment being used for
Olympics communications in the 430 MHz band will include
handheld FM rigs at the hotels, the routes to the venues and
at the venues themselves.
The U-K communications regulator Ofcom say the use of radio
by amateurs in the designated areas could cause interference
to various communications at the games. Also, it is
possible that higher power transmissions from outside these
areas could cause interference as well. Consequently, to
avoid the risk of interference, Ofcom has requested that
United Kingdom amateurs do not operate within the frequency
ranges it has outlined. This says AMSAT-UK means that the
spectrum identified by Ofcom should be avoided for a
considerable distance outside the designated Olympic
communications zones.
AMSAT-UK notes that a well equipped station on a good site
75 km or more from the edge of an Olympics communications
zone could still put a fairly decent signal into that area.
Newsline did a bit of research and found that the closest
heavily populated mainland European city to London appears
to be Calais, France. This is mainly over water path only
about 93 airline miles or 149 kilometers away from the
closest Olympic venue.
That said, Ofcom has so far not asked the French or any
other European telecommunications administrations to
restrict their nations Amateur Service allocations during
the Olympic and Paralympic games.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Norm Seeley, KI7UP, far
from the U-K in Scottsdale, Arizona.
--
More on this is on-line at www.uk.amsat.org/6574 and
RSGB.org/olympics. (GB2RS, AMSAT-UK, ARNewslineT)
**
BREAK 1
From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the W7KYC repeater serving Portland Oregon.
(5 sec pause here)
**
RADIO RULES: US PART 97 HAM RADIO NOT AFFECTED BY FCC PART
90 NARROWBANDING
A lot of mis-information is going around in amateur radio FM
and repeater circles regarding an upcoming FCC mandate on
narrow-banding communications in the 150 to 512 MHz spectrum
is finally being debunked. Ham radio is not affected by
this change as we hear from Amateur radio Newsline's Cheryl
Lasek, K9BIK:
--
Much of the mis-information regarding narrowband on amateur
radio FM appears to be coming from hams who have purchased
various low cost Part 90 radios built in China. These
radios are capable of narrowband operation on the 2 meter
and 70 centimeter ham bands in addition to Part 90
frequencies.
The manuals that come with these radios are written with
Part 90 users in mind and much of the material has no
meaning to Part 97 Amateur Service operations. However,
some hams do not realize this and that's likely the way the
erroneous rumors that ham radio FM and repeater operations
at 70 centimeters and above would have to narrowband got
started.
To make it clear, ham radio is not affected in any way by
this FCC edict and your ham gear is not going to become
obsolete.
The switch to 12.5 KHz from the current 25 KHz channel
spacing only affects operations in the FCC Part 90 regulated
services. There is no narrow band mandate by the FCC for
Part 97 ham radio operations. Hams are free to voluntarily
switch to narrowband operations if they so desire, but the
Amateur Part 97 Service as a whole is not obligated to make
any change.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in
Zion, Illinois.
--
Once again, ham radio is in no way affected by the switch of
Part 90 to narrowband operation. What ham radio decides is
strictly up to those within the hobby to determine.
(Repeater Remailer, ARNewslineT)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC SAYS IT WONT RECONSIDER NYC $10000 FINE
The FCC has told Alexander Kissi, that he must pay a $10,000
fine for operating of an unlicensed radio broadcast station
on the frequency 96.5 MHz in Bronx, New York. In its April
20th Memorandum Opinion and Order, the FCC noted that back
on February 28 and March 1, 2008, agents in the Enforcement
Bureau's New located the unlicensed transmitter at a two-
story building on White Plains Road in the Bronx. After
completing the field strength measurements the agents
returned to conduct a station inspection. The agents spoke
to a man who worked there and a woman who was doing a live
radio broadcast from a small broadcast studio. In response
to agents' questions both the man and the woman stated that
Alexander Kissi was in charge of the station, but that he
was not there at the time. The agents reached Kissi by
phone on March 6, 2008, at which time he took full
responsibility for operation of the station.
On June 18, 2008, the New York Office issued Mr. Kissi a
Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture by operating an
unlicensed radio transmitter and proposing a forfeiture in
the amount of $10,000. Mr. Kissi did not file a response to
the NAL. So on September 11,2008, the Enforcement Bureau's
Northeast Region issued a Forfeiture Order affirming the
findings and assessing a $10,000 forfeiture.
That's when Kissi filed an appeal in which he claimed that
he was out of town at the time the unlicensed transmissions
took place. He also asserted that a construction worker had
stolen his radio transmission equipment for the purpose of
selling. Also that when the construction worker was doing
equipment tests, he mistakenly left the equipment running
for several days.
But in denying the appeal the FCC says that Kissi does not
meet any of the three criteria that would allow the Bureau
to consider his Petition. This is because Kissi accepted
responsibility for the unauthorized operation just five days
after the violation. Therefore his new assertions regarding
the theft of his radio transmission equipment directly
contradicts his March 6, 2008, admission to an FCC agent
that he was fully responsible for the operation of the
station on February 28, 2008, and March 1, 2008.
Given that it finds this newly-presented information
unsubstantiated and unreliable, the FCC says that it does
not believe that further consideration of the Petition would
serve the public interest. For these reasons, the FCC says
it finds no basis for reconsideration and therefore affirms
the finding in the Forfeiture Order. Its given Kissi the
customary 30 days to pay the $10,000 fine or take the matter
to further appeal. (FCC)
**
PUBLIC SERVICE: MORE HAMS NEEDED FOR PROJECT BREAD WALK
COMMUNICATIONS IN BOSTON
Eric Horwitz, KA1NCF, tells Newsline that there is still
need for more volunteer ham radio operators for this years
Boston, Massachusetts area Project Bread Walk for Hunger.
The walk takes place Sunday, May 6th and is the 44th ouuting
of the event.
Horowitz says that they need people to provide
communications support for the Project Bread Staff and
volunteers along the 20 mile route. If you will be in the
Boston area on May 6th and are interested in helping out
this year, go to www.mmra.org/wfh to log in and fill out the
signup form. (KA1NCF)
**
HAMVENTION 2012: UNPAID RESERVED GREEN FLEA SPACES NOW
AVAILABLE FOR RENT
Any reserved Dayton Hamvention Flea Market Green booth space
that has not been paid for or payment armaments made have
been released and are available for rental.
According to the Hamvention's Assistant Flea Market Chairman
Stan Leeds, KC7EHJ, to find out what is available simply
just take your web browser to tinyurl.com/flea-spaces-green.
Then scroll to the bottom of the left side of the screen and
click the "View Floor Plan" link. This will give a map of
rented, reserved and available spaces. From this link you
can also use the web portal for ordering a space if you so
desire. (Hamventionc Remailer)
**
HAM VIDEO: DIGITAL MOBILE RADIO ON HAM RADIO NOW
The future of digital audio in VHF and UHF amateur radio is
the subject of a video conversation between video producer
Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, and expert Jeff Parker, WA1WXL, who
works for Motorola Solutions. The video presents a
discussion of alternative digital audio systems available
today and what may be coming to the ham radio market in the
very near future. You can see it on line as Episode 7 of
Pearce's Ham Radio New series. The URL is hamradionow.tv.
(Various)
**
HAM RADIO PROMOTION: FREE POSTERS FROM THE RSGB
The Radio Society of Great Britain has made available a
collection of high quality amateur radio promotional posters
that can be used when demonstrating the hobby to the general
public. These posters are in Adobe .PDF format are being
provided free of charge to the amateur radio community for
the purpose of promoting the hobby.
It should be noted that the posters do contain the RSGB logo
and contact information making then basically more useful to
UK hams than others. You can see them and download them at
www.rsgb.org/posters. (RSGB)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: VE3RXA NAMED DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR RAC
N/E. ONTARIO REGION
Glenn MacDonell, VE3XRA of Ottawa is the new Deputy Director
for Radio Amateurs of Canada, North East Ontario Region. By
way of background, VE3XRA was employed by the Canadian
Federal Government in various departments as diverse as
Environmental issues to Foreign Affairs.
Bill Unger, VE3XT, is the North East Ontario Regional
Director for the Canadian national society. He says that
MacDonell will bring some iportent administration,
innovation and management skills to Radio Amateurs of
Canads. As such Unger says that he is looking forward to
working with him as part of the North-East Ontario team.
(RAC)
**
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: AUTHOR ROBERT L. SHRADER, W6BNB -
S.K.
The changing of the guard in amateur radio continues. This
with the sad news that writer and author Robert L.
Shrader, W6BNB, became a Silent Key on Wednesday, April
11th.
The author of numerous books and articles dealing with
almost every area of communications, possibly his best known
work was the textbook Electronic Communications, which was
first published in 1959 and is currently in its 6th edition
from McGraw Hill.
Robert Shrader, W5BNB, is survived by his wife Dorothy,
W6ECU, a son Doug, KJ6TEJ, and daughter Patricia. At the
time of his passing Robert Shrader was age 98.
(PressDemocrat, others)
**
WORLDBEAT - JAPAN: ULTRA THIN FLEXIBLE BATTERIES EXPECTED
IN 2013
In news from around the world, an ultra-thin flexible
battery is on its way from Japan electronic giant NEC.
According to reports, the company has worked for over a
decade to design an organic battery is just one one-
hundredth of an inch thick, can refresh a teeny screen 2,000
times and can be recharged in less than a minute.
In 2013, the battery is expected to be included in such
items as enhanced credit and debit cards that display
balances, electronic hotel keys, subway and train passes,
and in much slimmer and lighter smart phones. The organic
battery is also expected to pave the way for slender flat-
screen displays and e-readers with a texture that feels like
paper. (Kiplinger, CGC)
**
WORLDBEAT - CANADA: ONTARIO EXPECTED TO EXTEND HAM RADIO
HAND HELD DEVICE LAW ANOTHER FIVE YEARS
Some good news for hams living in the Canadian Province of
Ontario. You likely will be able to continue to operate
mobile using a hand mic or other hand held device for at
least another 60 months.
On April 16th the Ontario Ministry of Transportation posted
a regulatory notice proposing a change to Ontario motor
vehicle regulations that deal with the use of display
screens and hand-held devices in motor vehicles. If
approved it would extend the present exemption for licensed
amateur radio operators for an additional five years.
As previously reported, Radio Amateurs of Canada has been
lobbying for a permanent exemption for ham radio since this
regulation was first enacted back in 2009. The current
exemption was due to expire at the end of this calendar
year. (VE3XT, RAC)
**
ON THE AIR: W4F COMMEMORATES 2010 NASHVILLE FLOODS
Back in the USA, Tennessee's Sumner County ARES team will be
hosting a special event station W4F on Saturday, May 12th.
This to commemorate the 2nd Anniversary of the 2010
Nashville Flood and give recognition to the amateur radio
community that responded to that disaster.
W4F will be on the air from 10 am to 7 pm Central Standard
Time. If you make contact, QSL via WR1Q at his call book
address. More is on-line at specialevent.sumnerares.org
(N4WRD)
**
DX
In DX, word that DL6UAA will once again be back on Mauritius
as 3B8MM, but the length of his stay is unknown at this
time. His on the air activity is usually on 160 through 10
meters using mostly CW. Some SSB and Digital will also be
possible. QSL via DL6UAA, either via the Bureau or direct.
IRO, is expected to be in Uganda on a work assignment
starting early May. He is hoping to get a license during
the first week of his arrival. Once secured, listen out for
him on CW on the upper HF bands, especially on 10 MHz. QSL
routes include F8DFP, the French Cureau or direct with a
self addressed envelope and include one I-R-C.
J28AA will once again be active as 6O3A from Somalia between
May 25th and the 31st. His operation will be on SSB, RTTY
and 50 MHz. QSL via K2PF.
F5VHJ will operate the CQ World Wide DX SSB Contest from
Senegak as 6W1RY this October. He plans to be on as a
Single-Operator All-Band High-Power entry. QSL via F5VHJ,
direct, by the Bureau or Logbook of the World.
Members of the Oceania DX Group be operational as YJ0VK from
Efate Island, Vanuatu through May 5th. Activity will be on
all HF bands 160-10 meters, with an emphasis on 30/17/12
meter bands using CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL via VK2CA,
direct or by the Bureau.
Lastly DJ2EH is currently active as 9H3XX from Malta. The
length of his stay is not known at this time but he has been
heard on 30, 17, 12 and 6 meters using CW. QSL via DJ2EH.
(Above from various DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: NORTH FLORIDA SCOUTING COUNCIL TO
INAUGURATE KB4SA
And finally this week, we say congratulations to a group of
scouts who have chartered a new scouting amateur radio
station. Heres Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, with the details:
--
Hams in the Jacksonville area had been helping Scouts in the
North Florida Council earn their Radio merit badges over the
years.
But they were looking to do more for the Scouts and for ham
radio.
Scott Roberts, KK4ECR, says a group of those hams finally
decided to make a move.
"We approached one of the local Scout camps here in the area
and talked to them about it and they said, 'Yes, we're all
for it, let's do it,' Roberts says.
"And, basically, at that point, amateur radio club KB4SA was
born."
The station is being set up at Camp Echockotee in Orange
Park, Florida. It also has backing from Clay County Amateur
Radio Emergency Service operators.
Roberts says KB4SA will be staffed by Scouters and Scouts
looking to share the fun of the amateur radio hobby.
On Saturday, May 12, Roberts says the station will launch
operations with a special event station from the camp. And
he's looking to make contacts with.
"Other Scout clubs, with other DX stations that are around
that can be available that day to talk to the Scouts and
kind of make it a big hit for some of these Scouts that have
been on the radio before and then some of those that have
never been on the radio before," Roberts says.
You can find more about the KB4SA operation by going online
to our website, arnewsline.org for a link (http://kb4sa.org)
to information about the station and the frequencies.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V,
in Philadelphia.
--
Our congratulations to The North Florida Council on its
upcoming inauguration of amateur radio station KB4SA. If
you hear the station on the air please be sure to give the
scouts operating it a call and say hello. (N. FL. Council,
NT3V)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX
Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the Southgate
News and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline(at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us
at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita California, 91350
A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk,
I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.
Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.
No comments:
Post a Comment