Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1823 with a release
date of July 20 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The FCC turns down a request to
extend PRB-1 to overturn deed restrictions, the ARRL says a
White House Executive Order on telecommunications should not
impact ham radio, proposed changes in British laws governing
spacecraft could make microsat launches by UK hams possible
and the FCC continues its crackdown on unlicensed
broadcasters. Find out the details are on Amateur Radio
NewslineT report number 1823 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RADIO LAW: FCC DENIES PETITION TO EXPAND PRB-1 TO COVER
CC&R
Deed restrictions and other land use covenants that limit
the antenna rights of many hams will remain in place for the
time being. So says the FCC in its July 16th denial of a
rule making request filed by Leonard Umina, W7CCE, of
Gilbert, Arizona. One that sought to expand the policy of
limited Federal preemption of state and local regulations
governing amateur towers and antennas. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Don Carlson, KQ6FM, has the latest:
--
In its denial, the FCC told Leonard Umina, W7CCE, that when
it codified PRB-1 as Section 97.15(b) of the Amateur Service
Rules back in 1985, the mandate to state and local
municipalities were that they reasonably accommodate the
antenna needs of ham radio operators. But at the same time
the FCC purposely avoided extending this preemption to cover
CC&Rs and other land use restrictions in deeds and bylaws
that curb the installation of antennas and associated
support structures.
When the matter was brought before it again in 2001 the
Commission noted that its decision within the framework of
PRB-1 to exclude CC&Rs from its preemption policy was based
on the fundamental difference between state and local
regulations as opposed to land use restrictions. The latter
are considered as private contractual terms to which the
purchaser of a property voluntarily agrees to. The FCC also
concluded in its PRB-1 decision that there had not to date
been a sufficient showing that CC&Rs prevent Amateur Radio
operators from pursuing the basis and purpose of the Amateur
Service.
Lastly, and perhaps most important, the FCC pointed out to
W7CCE that should Congress see fit to enact a law mandating
the expansion of its limited preemption policy to include
more than state and local regulations, it would do all it
could to expeditiously act to fulfill such an order. It
noted that shortly after Umina filed his request that
Congress enacted a directive regarding an investigation into
the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service
communications in emergencies and disaster relief. This
report will identify impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio
Service communications and provide recommendations regarding
the removal of such impediments. This could conceivably
include unreasonable or unnecessary private land use
restrictions on residential antenna installations.
In closing, the FCC noted its belief that it would be
inappropriate and premature for the regulatory agency to
consider modifying its policy until after Congress has an
opportunity to review the report and decide whether to enact
laws mandating the expansion of PRB-1 to include more than
state and local regulations.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Carlson, KQ6FM, in
Reno.
--
The order denying Umina's Rule Making request was signed by
Scot Stone
who is the Deputy Chief of the Mobility Division of the
FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. As we go to air,
its unknown if W7CCE plans to appeal the FCC pronouncement
on his rule making request, or await the outcome of the
current Congressional inquiry. You can read the complete
text of the FCC decision on-line at tinyurl.com/no-ccr-
overide. (FCC)
**
RADIO LAW: ARRL SAYS NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER POSES NO THREAT TO
HAM RADIO
According to the ARRL, an executive order dealing with
telecommunications poses no threat to the amateur radio
service. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
reports:
--
On Friday, July 6th the White House released an Executive
Order signed by President Obama that addresses the National
Security and Emergency Preparedness communications functions
of the federal government. Contrary to some concerns raised
in a few amateur radio circles, the order does not appear to
contain any threat to the Amateur service or its ability to
continue support communications during times of emergency or
disaster. It also poses no threat to hams for continued
access to their spectrum.
Dan Henderson, N1ND, is the League's Regulatory Information
Manager. He explained that the purpose of the new entity,
which would be created within the Executive Branch by this
Order, appears to be to plan for future National Security
and Emergency Preparedness communications and to insure
survivability, hardness and interoperability. It will also
develop a long-term strategic plan for National Security and
Emergency Preparedness communications.
Henderson noted that based on the Amateur service's ongoing,
positive working relationship with officials at the
Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency
Communications, it is hard to envision that any new
management plan would not include Amateur Radio. N1ND says
that nothing in this Order directly affects amateur radio's
daily operations.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in
Scottsdale, Arizona.
--
N1ND says that a good summary of the content of the Order
can be found online at tinyurl.com/new-communications-order.
(ARRL)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: PROPOSED LAW CHANGES COULD MAKE SPACE
MORE FRIENDLY FOR UK HAM RADIO
Some good news for ham radio space enthusiasts in the UK.
Proposed changes in laws governing satellites launched any
United Kingdom entity could soon become friendlier. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, reports:
--
A posting on the United Kingdom's Space Agency Web Site has
announced what is called the "Reform of the Outer Space Act
1986 Consultation". These are a pair of proposals that, if
enacted as written, could make United Kingdom CubeSat
launches more ham radio friendly.
The key aspects of the changes are the proposals to waive
the capped liability and insurance requirement for in-orbit
operation of any satellite that meets the criteria of a
CubeSat. Also, to remove the requirement for unlimited
indemnity from satellite operators.
The existing United Kingdom Outer Space Act imposes heavy
additional costs up to �50,000 Pounds or $78,300 US dollars
a year on those wishing to launch small educational
CubeSats. That additional cost has acted as a major
deterrent and to date no such UK CubeSat has been launched.
The United Kingdom Outer Space Act covers all UK satellites
irrespective of size. This, from tiny low cost educational
CubeSats up to large commercial satellites that cost 10's of
millions of dollars to manufacture and launch.
The UK Space Agency says that responses to the Consultations
are due by August 31st.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
watching the skies from outside the Newsroom in Los Angeles.
--
By the way, a Consultation in the United Kingdom is very
similar to a Notice of Proposed Rule Making here in the
United States. (G3VZV, AMSAT-UK)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NEW ASTRO-HAMS ARRIVE AT THE ISS AS
PART OF THE EXPEDITION 32 CREW
Three ham radio space fliers arrived safely at the
International Space Station early Tuesday, July 17th. This,
for a four-month stay while also bringing the orbiting
outpost back to its full crew complement of six. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennantt, K6PZW, reports:
--
The Soyuz space capsule carrying NASA astronaut Sunita
Williams, KD5PLB; Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, RK3DUP
and Japanese space explorer Aki Hoshide, KE5DNI, docked
with the station at 12:51 a.m. Eastern Daulight Time on
Tuesday, July 17th . This following a two-day flight from
Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.
At docking time, the Soyuz spacecraft and space station were
at an altitude of 251 miles over North-Eastern Kazakhstan.
The Soyuz parked itself at an Earth facing docking port on
the station's Russian built Rassvet module. After the
hatches were opened between the Soyuz and ISS, Williams,
Malenchenko and Hoshide moved to the ISS and joined their
fellow Expedition 32 crew members Sergei Revin; Gennady
Padalka, RN3DT and Joseph Acaba, KE5DAR.
Padalka, Revin and Acaba have had the space station to
themselves since July 1st. That's when three previous crew
members returned to Earth and brought the station's previous
Expedition 31 to a close.
Padalka, Revin and Acaba return to Earth in mid-September.
When that happens, Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, become the
commander of the I-S-S team. She, Malenchenko and Hoshide
are scheduled to depart the station on November 12th.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'n Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in
Los Angeles.
--
As an aside, this latest group crew members arrived at the
International Space Station exactly 37 years to the day
after the world's first truly international spacecraft
meeting took place on-orbit. That was the famed docking
between a NASA Apollo spacecraft and a Russian Soviet Soyuz
19 capsule during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project in 1975.
Many believe that's what laid the groundwork that led to the
International Space Station that is on-orbit today.
(Published news reports)
**
BREAK 1
From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the W5TXR repeater serving Schertz, Texas.
(5 sec pause here)
**
ENFORCEMENT: ANOTHER ALLEGED UNLICENSED BROADCASTER BUSTED
The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability in the
amount of $10,000 to Florida resident Michael Gregory. This
for his alleged operating an unlicensed radio station
calling itself "Down South Radio 305" on 92.7 MHz in the
city of Miami.
This saga began to unfold last March, That's when the FCC
received a complaint that lead agents from the Miami office
of the Enforcement Bureau to monitor for the station. They
soon heard a person identify himself as "DJ Miami of 92.7
Heavy FM" and advertise the website www.whvy927.com. Agents
tied Gregory to the site by finding his domain name
registration as well as his photo online.
The agents then went out on a transmitter hunt and traced
the source of the transmission to an antenna on the roof of
a commercial building in Miami. Records showed no one was
authorized to operation a station on 92.7 MHz, nor at that
location.
While waiting in the lobby for the building owner, the
agents actually met Gregory. He took them to his leased
suite, admitted he ran the station, and turned off the
transmitter. Now Gregory has 30 days to pay the proposed
fine or to file an appeal. (FCC)
**
RADIO CRIME: MONTREAL STATION TORCHED AFTER CRITICIZING
FORMER HAITIAN DICTATOR
A Haitian radio station in Montreal, Canada, has been hit by
arsonists. This, after hosts criticized the country's
former dictator.
CPAM 1610 AM was set ablaze following calls by show hosts
for a criminal trial for Jean-Claude Duvalier, who returned
to that nation last year.
CPAM's north-end administrative offices were partially
destroyed and the studio suffered water damage, rendering it
useless. A spokesperson for the Montreal fire department
said the front window of CPAM 1610's studio was smashed and
a fire lit near the broken glass at about 4 a.m. Monday July
2nd. Another fire was started at the back of the second
floor where the station's office is located, he said.
Engineers had the station back on the air about 10 hours
after the attack from an alternate studio location.
According to its management, CPAM is a beacon for the more
than 100,000 Haitian expatriates in Montreal who form the
largest such community in Canada. (Montr�al Gazette, B&C)
**
RADIO HAPPENINGS: ITALY CLOSING NATIONAL SOUND ARCHIVES
Italy is shutting down its famed National Sound Archives.
This as a likely result of the continuing economic downturn
that has hit many European nations.
On July 6th, a simple 12 line document was signed by the
government to shut down the archive of priceless audio
history dating back to the dawn of the machine recording.
According to one source there are close to half a million
recordings housed in the Italian archive.
The big concern now among preservationists is that unless
another such museum such as the United States Library of
Congress takes over the Italian archive, that it could wind
up being sold off on the streets or on an on-line auction
site, piece by piece. More is on-line at
www.artsjournal.com (Arts Journal, Critical Distance
Weblog)
**
HAM STUFF: NEW FREQUENCY CHART AVAILABLE FROM US GOVERNMENT
BOOKSTORE
If you have ever had the yearning to own one of those nifty
United States radio spectrum posters to hang on your wall,
now is your chance to get one. Properly titled the United
States Frequency Allocations: The Radio Spectrum Chart, the
very latest edition is now available from U.S. Government
Printing Office Book Store at a cost of $12. To order
yours, take your web browser to tinyurl.com/big-frequency-
map and follow the directions you will find there. (RW, E-
News, others)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: UK SPECIAL EVENTS STATIONS FOR THE 2012
OLYMPICS
As part of the celebration of the 2012 London Olympics and
Paralympics, two flagship amateur radio stations will be
active during the games.
The Cray Valley Radio Society will host England's Olympic
celebration from the Royal Borough of Greenwich. This is
home to many of London's events outside the main Olympic
arena. The call-sign used at that location will be Two
Oscar One Two Lima. A similar amateur radio celebration is
happening in Barry, South Wales, where the call-sign will be
Two Oscar One Two Whisky.
Both groups are looking to make as many contacts as possible
worldwide during the Olympics. They will be on the air 24
hours a day, 7 days a week from Wednesday July 25th through
Sunday September 9th. The London station will be open to
the public from 10am to 4pm and the Welsh station from 10am
to 5pm daily. Both are local times.
Commemorative QSLs will be available for both operations.
QSL information is on-line at at www dot Two Oscar one two
Lima dot com and www dot Two Oscar One Two Whisky.com. Both
stations hope to contact you on the air. (Southgate)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: K4C TO CELEBRATE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO
Special Event station K4C will be on the air on July 25th to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Constitution of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. According to the Movimiento
Radioaficionados which is sponsoring the operation, the
purpose of the activity is to commemorate this important
date for citizens of Puerto Rico.
Operations will take place on the campus of the National
Park Julio Enrique Monagas of the Municipality of Bayamon
beginning at 1400 UTC. Activities will be on the 40 through
10 meter bands, and locally on the chain of repeaters
operated by the club. QSL via WP4NPC. (KP3CB)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: RESULTS OF 2012 ARDF YOUTH COMPETITION
ANNOUNCED
The results are in from the 2912 Youth ARDF Championship
event that was held this year near the town of Siauliai,
Lithuania. In all there were 104 contestants representing 9
countries. Medals went to Russia, the Ukraine, the Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Lithuania. The competition
was organized by LY2CD and a company of volunteer
assistants. The full results are on-line at
www.qrz.LT/eyac. (IARU-R1)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: MICULESCU NEW GM OF ROMANIAN
BROADCASTING
Some names in the news. The Romanian parliament recently
confirmed Ovidiu Miculescu as the new general manager of the
Romanian radio broadcasting corporation. With more than 20
years experience in media, Miculescu has held executive
positions at the public broadcaster as well as at private
radio and television stations. Miculescu said that
modernization of public radio and the resolution of issues
regarding coverage throughout Romania were among priorities.
(RW)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: VA4AJG APPOINTED RAC MIDWEST REGION
DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Allan Grant, VA4AJG, has been appointed as Deputy Director
for Radio Amateurs of Canada Midwest Region. The Midwest
region includes all the VE4 and VE5 call sign area.
Each Director of RAC is authorized to appoint one Deputy
Director from among RAC members residing in their region to
serve at the pleasure of the Director. Grant was appointed
by Canada Midwest Region Director, Derek Hay, VE4HAY. (RAC)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: AO-7 DISTANCE RECORD BROKEN AGAIN BY
AC0RA AND OM3BD
July 4th saw AC0RA and OM3BD set yet another world distance
record using ageing AMSAT-OSCAR-7 ham radio bird. This by
breaking their own record set just 48 hours earlier.
The new distance record is 7903.55km comfortably exceeding
the previous contact over a path of 7849km by 54.55
kilometers.
OM3BD was in Grid Square JN88mf. He says that AC0RA once
again woke up early and this time drove 150 miles to grid
EN41ad. They had a 30 second contact at 09:49 UTC to set
their latest distance record.
Recordings, pictures, and further information are on-line at
tinyurl.com/ao7-dx-record. (Southgate)
**
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: WRITER H. WALTER MAXWELL - S.K.
Famed writer M. Walter Maxwell, W2DU, passed away on July
3rd at his home in DeLand, Florida.
Known Better as Walt Maxwell. W2DU was best known in the
amateur radio circles for his ground-breaking articles,
"Another Look at Reflections." These were published in
QST Magazine in a seven part series from 1973 to 1976,and
explained in plain English concepts such as line loss, SWR,
baluns and antenna tuners.
The articles were later compiled into a book, titled
Reflections: Transmission Lines and Antennas, that included
additional material on matching networks, antennas and the
Smith Chart. It was first published by the ARRL in 1990 and
went through several editions. Later editions were published
by CQ Communications.
W2DU is survived by his spouse, Jean Binkley Mayhew, three
sons, William W. Maxwell of DeLand, Florida, Richard A.
Maxwell of Marietta, Georgia, and John R. Maxwell of
Gainesville, Florida, and one daughter, Susan M. Glasnapp of
Delray Beach, Florida.
More details of his life and work are available on his
website at www.w2du.com. At the time of his passing, Walt
Maxwell, W2DU, was age 93. (ARRL, others)
**
CHANGING OF THE GUARD: FAMED HAWAII BEACON KEEPER PAUL
LIEB, KH6HME-SK
Hawaii's weak signal legend, Paul Lieb , KH6HME, has also
become a Silent Key. According to Gordon West, WN6NOA, who
spoke to the family, Lieb was visiting his sister and other
relatives on the U.S. mainland. Leib's sister told WB6NOA
that on Sunday night July 15th, KH6HME had dinner with them,
went to bed, and died peacefully in his sleep.
Paul Lieb, KH6HME, maintained four VHF and UHF propagations
beacons atop the Mauna Loa volcano which were regularly
received along the U-S west coast. This usually took place
in July when troposphere conditions permitted. And it was
not unusual for KH6HME to make the 3 hour drive to the 8200
foot site of the beacons to maintain them and get on the air
himself to be a bit of rare VHF and UHF DX. West says that
while they are currently on the air that the long term fate
of beacons is unknown.
As we go to air, funeral arrangements for Paul Lieb, KH6HME,
were pending. (N6CL, WB6NOA)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FITSAT-1 - A VISUAL MORSE CODE BIRD
Call this one visual Morse code from space. This with word
that the FITSAT-1 ham radio cubesat will carry an optical
communications experiment that aims to write in C-W across
the night sky using super high intensity LED's as a lighting
source.
FITSAT-1 will be carried to the International Space Station
on July 21st from where it will be deployed sometime in
September. For more information see www.uk.amsat.org/2037.
(AMSAT UK)
**
WORLDBEAT: FRANCE WILL NOT PREEMPT DIGITAL RADIO FOR RFE
Digital radio may not come into being in France. According
to the daily newspaper Les Echos, the French government has
decided not to preempt digital radio frequencies for Radio
France exclusive use.
In May, telecommunications regulator CSA received more than
178 applications for the cities of Paris, Marseille and
Nice. It also announced plans to open a call for digital
terrestrial licenses for France's next 20 biggest cities.
It appears as if the public service broadcaster, which has
first right of refusal on frequencies, will thus not go
digital, in line with certain private groups including RTL,
NRJ and NextradioTV.
The French government is expected officially to announce its
final decision on this matter in the coming days. However,
if reports are true, observers say that they doubt the
digital system will be able to move forward in France. (RW)
**
WORLDBEAT: RF EXPERIENCED WITH CONTROL SYSTEM IN WESTERN
SOUTH AFRICA
Interference problems are being experienced by radio
amateurs in the Paarl and Stellenbosch Municipal areas of
South Africa. That's where a load control system is
currently being installed to switch a geyser off during peak
hours.
According to the South African Radio League, this unit
causes disturbances right through the High Frequency
spectrum. Word is that South African telecommunications
regulator ICASA has investigated the complaints and is
currently having discussions with the Municipal officials
and the South African Bureau of Standards regarding a fix.
(SARL)
**
DXCC NEWS: RWANDA AND BANGLADESH APPROVED FOR DXCC CREDIT
Several more operations have been approved for DXCC credit.
According to Bill Moore, NC1L, who is the ARRL Awards Branch
Manager, these are the 9X0PY DXpedition to Rwanda that ran
from December 24, 2011 through January 7, 2012. Also
approved are the S21YD Bangladesh operations for 1994, 1995,
1998, and 1999. If you have had cards for any of these
rejected in the past please contact Bill via e-mail to
bmoore (at) arrl (dot) org to be put on the list for an
update. (ARRL)
**
In DX, word that UA1OEJ will be active stroke P from
Solovetsky Islands from July 22nd to the 31st. Operations
will be on the HF bands using SSB and the Digital modes. QSL
via his home callsign.
JA8COE will once again be active stroke 8 from Yagishiri
Island between July 27th and the 29th. No word on what
bands or modes will be used. QSL via his home callsign,
direct or by the bureau.
A team of Saudi operators will activate Al-Dhahrah Island as
7Z7AB possibly between October 1st and the 15th. More
details and a Web page will be forthcoming. Meantime keep
an eye on their page on QRZ.com.
K9HZ will once again be active as J68HZ from his villa at
Labrelotte Bay, St. Lucia. Listen out for him between
August 1st and the 18th on 80, 40 and 20 meters using CW
and SSB. QSL to KH9Z.
OH1VR and OH3JR will be operational stroke VK9 from Lord
Howe Island between November 17th and the 27th. Activity
will be on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL
only direct via their home callsigns with a self addressed
envelope and an International Reply Coupon to cover return
postage.
5B4AIF will be active as E51E from a villa in Tautu Village
on Aitutaki Island between December 10th, 2012 and January
5th, 2013. QSL only via EB7DX.
Lastly, members of Russia's Armed Forces Amateur Radio Union
will be on the air as R100WWS from many areas of that nation
between August 10th and the 18th. This operation is to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Military Air Forces
of Russia which were formed on August 12, 1912. Activities
will be on all bands and using all modes. QSL via RV3YR.
(Above from various DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: STOPPING COPPER THEFT IN ITS TRACKS
British Telecom is taking on copper cable thieves. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, has the details:
--
A new tool has been unveiled in the United Kingdom to
literally locate copper wire thefts as they are taking
place.
Called the Rapid Assessment British Telecom Incident Tracker
or RABIT, this computer based program has the ability to
monitor all 120 million kilometers of cable on British
Telecom's phone network.
RABIT is a real-time system based on a neural network that
has been trained to sense the difference between a
telecommunications cable being severed and a cable that has
gradually failed. It does this by undertaking line tests and
bandwidth measurements to home in on a telltale signature of
a cable cut. This event data is then immediately plugged
into an incident monitoring system which gives British
Telecom's security staff a national view of trouble spots on
its networks, including cyber attacks.
I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Chareston, West Virginia,
reporting.
--
The industrial scale theft of copper telecommunications
cables is a massive world-wide problem. In the UK alone,
cable worth �770 million pounds was stolen from overhead and
buried telephone lines and railway signaling systems in
2011. (New Scientist)
**
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, at our new QTH in El Campo, Texas,
saying 73 and we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights
reserved.
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