Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1833 with a release date of September 28 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. Dedicated Cubesat downlinks to be discussed at WRC 2018; Ofcom lifts spectrum restrictions imposed because of London Summer Olympics; Kosovo takes to the ham radio airwaves and the results of the World Radio Direction Finding competition. Find out the details are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1833 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here) ** HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DEDICATED CUBESAT DOWNLINKS FOR DISCUSSION AT WRC-18 IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD, reports that the International Amateur Radio Union's Administrative Council will meet in the next 45 days to address the agenda items for the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference. Planning for the dedicated spectrum for university research cubesats will begin at that gathering, but the actual allocation of frequencies may not occur until the 2018 World Radiocommunication Conference. In an article posted on the ARRL web, Stafford noted, "A lot of radio amateurs are aware of the increasing use of amateur spectrum by small satellites, mainly by universities. It is becoming an increasingly difficult situation to accommodate the number of small, non-commercial satellites within the amateur bands. These education-based satellites do not really fit within the definition of the Amateur Radio Service, but have been accommodated there. According to W6ROD, these small birds are categorized as nano-satellites weighing between 1 to 10 kilogram and pico- satellites weighing less than 1 kilogram. The International Telecommunications Union is trying to deal with this issue in an orderly manner and a `preliminary' WRC-18 agenda item is to consider whether these satellite operations can be accommodated in an already crowded radio spectrum is being researched. Stafford concludes by noting that as these issues develop, the IARU will keep its Member-Societies, such as the ARRL, aware of developments with an eye to building the best strategy to deal with those agenda items in a way that is most favorable to the Amateur Radio Service. You can read the full article, including many other IARU agenda items at tinyurl.com/looking-at-tinysats. (ANS, ARRL) ** RESCUE RADIO: UK PARISHES ABANDONING EMCOMM SYSTEM FOR CELLPHONES AND RAYNET An emergency radio system that has provided a lifeline to Heathfield in the United Kingdom for 25 years is to be scrapped and to be replaced by cellular telephones. But users of the ageing service have criticized the decision to rely on patchy mobile phone service in an emergency. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the details: -- That's right Jim. It is supposed to go away and here's why. The radio system was created back in 1987 after what has been called the Great Storm. Six parishes still have the gear in service to use emergency situations. But the district council now wants to abolish them because they are too expensive to maintain. The council pays 3,600 British Pounds a year to maintain the radio gear and a repeater that they are used through. Parish councilor Bob Wood who has one of the old radios. He says that while thee gear my be old and possibly inadequate for what they want, that doing away with them is silly. He notes that mobile phone networks can only hold a certain number of calls at a time if an emergency happens. But according to Jim van den Bos, of the District Council, the Wealden emergency radio network radio equipment is now old, less reliable and more difficult to repair. He says that last year a survey of parishes was conducted asking which had been active in the network over the past three years. Out of the 15 who took part, only seven were in favor of continuing. So what will happen when the old emergency radio system falls silent? According to van den Bos it will likely be ham radio that will be used to augment the cellular network. In a statement he said that the council supports local members of a network of amateur radio users called RAYNET who are willing to respond in an emergency. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the newsroom in Los Angeles. -- RAYNET in the UK would be quite similar to a combined RACES and ARES here in the United States. (Sussix Courier, Northcliff Media, Southgate) ** RADIO LAW: OFCOM LIFTS TEMPORARY SPECTRUM RESTRICTIONS ON UHF AND SHF BANDS USED FOR OLYMPICS UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom has announced that as of midnight on September 23rd, temporary operating restrictions on parts of the 70 centimeter and several microwave bands have come to an end. The restrictions on spectrum usage by British radio amateurs had been put in place to permit use of several spectral parcels in relation to the now conceded 2012 London Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. (RSGB) ** BREAKING DX NEWS: KOSOVO NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE AIR The Republic of Kosovo is now officially on the air. Station Z-60-K near Pristina commenced amateur radio operation shortly after 1700 UTC on September 17th. The call had been issued to the club station of the Amateur Radio Association of Kosovo. For this operation QSL via G3TXF or using ClubLog. It has to be noted that as Kosovo is not yet a member of the United Nations nor does it have an assigned callsign block allocated by the International Telecommunications Union, it does not meet the established requirements of the ARRL's DXCC program at this time. However CQ has recognized Kosovo as a separate entity for its award and contest programs since 2007. More is on line at www.art-ks.org (DXNL, CQ Newsroom) ** DX SPECIAL: AZORES 9 ISLANDS HUNT SEPT 29 - 30 While short notice, all nine of the Azores islands will be operational from 12:00 UTC on Saturday, September 29th through 12:00 UTC on Sunday September 30th. This a part of the Azores 9 Islands Hunt operating event. Callsigns to be used are CU1ARM from Santa Maria; CU2ARA from San Miguel; CU3URA on Terceira; CU4ARG from Graciosa; CU5AM on Sao Jorge; CU6GRP on Pico; CU7CRA from Faial; CU8ARF on Flores and CU9AC operating on Corvo. Operations on CW will be from 7.000 to 7.015, 14.050 to 14.065 and 18.080 to 18.090 MHz. SSB phone operations will be found on 7.175 to 7.195, 14.250 to 14. 275 and 18.120 through 18.135 MHz. But that's not all. Those holding a QSO with at least 5 different islands will have a corresponding number of tickets placed into a lottery for a free trip to the Azores. Additionally, the first 25 operators making QSOs with all 9 islands will be eligible for a second lottery. All QSOs will be confirmed through the bureau network with special full-color cards. Direct QSL requests via CU2CE. More information on this activation and trip give-away is on- line at azores-islands-hunt.com. And we will have more DX related news at the end of this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report. (OH2BH) ** BREAK 1 From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the Dirty Dozen Club Net in Des Moines Iowa. (5 sec pause here) ** ENFORCEMENT: YET ANOTHER FLORIDA UNLICENSED BROADCASTER BUSTED BY THE FCC From the seemingly never ending Florida unlicensed radio station scene comes word that the FCC's Miami Office has issued yet another Notice of Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture. This time the recipient of a proposed $10,000 fine is Burt Byng of Miami who the regulatory agency claims operating an unlicensed radio transmitter on the frequency 107.1 MHz. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reports: -- By way of background, this past February 9th agents from the Enforcement Bureau's Miami Office T-hunted the source of a signal on the 107.1 MHz to a transmitting antenna mounted on the roof of a commercial property in Miami. The agents determined that the signals on 107.1 MHz exceeded the limits for operation under Part 15 of the Commission's rules and therefore required a license. While monitoring the transmission, the agents also heard the station identify itself on the air as "WEROC Radio." Commission records showed that no authorization was issued to Burt Byng or to anyone else for operation of an FM broadcast station at or near this address. On the same date, agents from the Miami Office, accompanied by the property owner, inspected the unlicensed station's antenna and transmitter located on the rooftop of the commercial building. According to information provided by the property owner, a company called J & B Enterprise US, Inc. was the tenant of the particular area where the transmitting equipment was located. The property owner provided a copy of Burt Byng's driver's license and identified him as the individual who rented the rooftop space. According to Florida records, Byng is the President of an inactive business named "J & B Enterprises US, Inc." While researching the matter the agents also discovered that Mr. Byng registered the domain name, ww.werocradio.com, a webpage for "WEROC Radio." The agents also noticed that the phone number listed in the domain registration was the same phone number listed on in the information provided by the property owner. In issuing the $10,000 NAL the FCC says that it finds that the record evidence in this case is sufficient to establish that Burt Byng violated Section 301 of the Act by operating radio transmission equipment without the required Commission authorization. As such he is liable for the proposed fine. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles --. As is usual, Byng was given the customary 30 days to pay the $10,000 NAL or to file an appeal. (FCC) ** RADIO LAW: FCC EXTENDS COMMENTARY DEADLINE ON MD DOCKET 12- 201 The public as well as concerned industries have been given more time to tell the FCC what they think of the agency's process for collecting regulatory fees as outlined in MD Docket 12-201. Originally, comments on commission proposals to reform the way in which it evaluates the regulatory fees for the industries it regulates were due by September 17th. While that date has passed, the agency has announced that the new commentary cutoff date is October 9th, with reply comments due by October 23rd. The FCC also says that it would also like to receive comments on a recent report from the Government Accountability Office. That report is titled "The Federal Communications Commission Regulatory Fee Process Needs to Be Updated." In that document the Accountability Office observes, among other things, that the commission's regulatory fee, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposes some fundamental changes to FCC's regulatory fee program that relate to many of the concerns raised in its report. (FCC, RW) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: LAST MAN STANDING K6T SPECIAL EVENT CANCELLED The highly publicized Last Man Standing K6T operating event will not take place. This according to the television shows Producer John Amodeo, NN6JA. The thank you to the ham radio community had been slated to happen on Sunday, October 28th. According to Amodeo the decision to cancel was based on concerns about a possible violation of FCC Regulation 97.113(a)(3). For those not aware, this rule bars any communications using ham radio in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest. It also precludes any communications on behalf of an employer. In making the announcement Amodeo notes that while everyone involved with the planned operation are very disappointed with the cancellation of what would have a fun, one of a kind event, that as a licensed radio amateur and producer of broadcast programs, compliance with FCC rules must take precedence. Special event station K6T would have worked hams from around world on HF, VHF, UHF, D-STAR and IRLP. While that's not going to take place the good news is that the ham station that is a part of the set of Last Man Standing will remain and continue to be a part of the shows ongoing plot line. (NN6JA) ** PUBLIC SERVICE: HAM RADIO AT THE USAF MARATHON David Crawford, KF4KWW, reports that over fifty amateur radio operators from all over the greater Dayton, Ohio. area and coming from as far away as Detroit, Michigan, recently converged on Wright Patterson Air Force Base. This, support the 2012 United States Air Force Marathon held on Saturday, September 15th. Ham radio operators provided emergency and logistic communications between the race director and his staff. They also assisted with communications to the hydration stations positioned throughout the course. The United States Air Force Marathon is described as a world class event with over 15000 participants registered and another estimated 15000 volunteers and spectators in attendance. Amateur radio operators were indispensable in communicating information on runner's locations and status, weather heat indexes settings, severe weather notifications and logistic issues. Robert Aguiar is the marathon Race Director. He says that the senior base leaders of the event have come rely on the communication skills of the amateur radios operators and use them a as a vital resource. He adds that this race would be extremely difficult if not impossible to accomplish without their support and dedication. More about this event is on- line at www.usafmarathon.com. (KF4KWW) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: AMATEUR RADIO TO ASSIST AT VK NATIONAL FUN FLIGHT DAY 2012 Amateur Radio will once again be a part of Australia's National Fun Flight Day this coming November 4th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details: -- National Fun Flight Day is an event staged by Australian flying clubs to provide pleasure flights for children and families touched by adversity. Amateur radio began its association with this event back in 2011. Thats when the Victoria-based Midland Amateur Radio Club and its station VK3CMZ were invited to participate in the National FunFlight Day by the Bendigo Flying Club. The Midland Club was more than happy to oblige and an operating High Frequency, VHF and UHF station was set up at the event site. A handheld in a plane also provided communication back to children on the ground. The operation was deemed a major success and the Midland Committee saw it as a worthwhile national amateur radio event. So it then approached the FunFlight manager regarding other amateur clubs' participation. The result of the meeting was very positive and contact information has now been provided to participating flying clubs so that they can contact their nearest amateur radio club. For the amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New Zealand. -- More event information on this fun in the sky event down- under is on-line at www.funflight.org. (Midland Amateur Radio Club) ** WITH ARNEWSLINE: ARNEWSLINE FACEBOOK PAGES BREAKS 1000 BARRIER The Amateur Radio Newsline fan page on Facebook has just passed the 1000 subscriber point. In fact, as we go to air, the number of members subscribed stands at 1004. The page is managed for Amateur Radio Newsline by James Pastorfield, KB7TBT, who devotes a lot of time and energy to it. So as we pass the 1000 mark and hopefully head toward 2000 or more, we want to pause to thank KB7TBT for his volunteerism in making the page possible and to all of you who contribute to it. If you are on Facebook but have not yet joined the Amateur Radio Newsline family, you can find us there at by simply typing Amateur Radio Newsline in the blue Facebook search line. We would love to have you there with us. (ARNewslineT) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: BILL TYNAN W3XO TO RECEIVE RCA BARRY GOLDWATER AWARD The Radio Club of America has announced that former AMSAT North America President Bill Tynan, W3XO, is to be the recipient of its 2012 Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Award. The award recognizes Tynan's lifelong service to the public through amateur radio. The award will be presented to W3XO at the club's annual awards banquet in New York on November 16th. ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, will be the keynote speaker at the event. (RCA, W2RS) ** 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: WIA PRESIDENT MICHAEL OWEN, VK3SI - S.K. The changing of the guard in our service continues. This, with the sad news that Michael Owen, VK3KI, the Chairman of Region III of the International Amateur Radio Union and President of the Wireless Institute of Australia has became a Silent Key. Owen's sudden passing came after suffering what is only being described as a medical condition at his home on Saturday, September the 22nd. During his many volunteer years, Owen, who was age 75 at the time of his passing, participated in many IARU committees and had been a member of the IARU Observer Team at a number of World Radiocommunication Conferences. He served as IARU Vice President from 1989 to 1999 and is perhaps best remembered for his work on a package of revisions to the international Radio Regulations. These were specific to the Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite services and presented at the 2003 World Radiocommunications Conference. Michael Owen, VK3KI, is survived by his wife Nan, and his two daughters. His funeral was to be held on Friday, September 28th at St Andrews Anglican Church in Brighton. Australia. Condolence messages can be sent via the Wireless Institute of Australia by e-mail to condolences (at) WIA (dot) org (dot) au or direct to the surviving family members at PO Box 2042, Bayswater, Victoria 3153 Australia. (WIA, VK6POP) ** WORLDBEAT: NEW FOCUS FOR RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE The Board of Supervisors of Radio Netherlands Worldwide has appointed William Valkenburg as editor-in-chief. This, effective January 1st of 2013. According to the announcement, Valkenburg will set out the new course for the organization with the recently appointed director general Robert Zaal. The broadcaster will focus on free speech in countries where press freedom is limited and Valkenburg will take responsibility for journalism within the organization. As of 2013, Radio Netherlands Worldwide's main focus will be on Africa, and the Arab World, as well as countries such as China, Cuba and Venezuela. (RW) ** WORLDBEAT: FRENCH POLYNESIA GETS BROADBAND ACCESS Another remote area of the world is now on-line. Amateur Radio Newsline's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, has the details: -- High speed Internet access has come to the islands of the South Pacific. This with word that OmniAccess has expanded its network coverage in the remote French Polynesian islands. The news follows the company's investment into the opening of a high-capacity network on the Intelsat 18 satellite that first became operational in November 2011. This provides the capacity to enable enhanced broadband internet coverage and network services via Ku-band coverage platform to that isolated part of the world. As a result, for the first time private yachts, charter yachts and commercial vessels cruising in the region can now benefit from high quality uninterrupted broadband connectivity via the new high speed service. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, reporting. -- More on this new service can be found by going to www.noonsite.com and using the search engine at that website. (noonsite.com via K4CPX) ** EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: DARC AND GERMAN NSI COLLABORATE ON FIELD STRENGTH ARTICLE The National Standards Institute of Germany in cooperation with the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club have jointly authored an article on the calibration of field strength monitors that has been published in the publication Advances in Radio Science'. The article covers a detailed description of a possible calibration setup including uncertainty calculations. You can download an abstract and the full article at tinyurl.com/field-strength-monitors. (DARC) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: WESTERN STATES VHF/UHF WEAK SIGNAL NET ON SUNDAYS The Western States VHF/UHF Weak Signal 75m Net meets every Sunday on 3.920 MHz at 17:30 Pacific Daylight Time. This net is a wide ranging discussion dealing with all aspects of VHF to microwave building, contesting, and operating. More about this weekly gathering is on-line at www.weaksig.net (N8DEZ) ** DX In DX, G0VJG will be operational stroke 3A from Monaco between October 1st and the 5th. His activity will be on the High Frequency bands using 100 watts on SSB only. QSL via G4DFI. A multi-national team is on the air from Conway Reef in the South Pacific Ocean. They plan to be there through October 5th using the callsign will be 3D2C. Their QSL manager is YT1AD. DL7VSN will be active from Tanzania through October 13th. His operation will be from two locations using the 5H1HS from Zanzibar Island and 5H1HS/3 from Lazy Lagoon Island. Activity is expected on 160 through 10 meters using mainly CW and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign. More about his operation is on-line at Visit his Web page at www.qsl.net/dl7vsn Lastly word that DJ7RJ who was expected to be active stroke FR from Reunion Island between September 26th and October 21st, has announced he had to cancel his trip. No reason for the cancellation was given. (Above from various DX news sources) ** THAT FINAL ITEM: And finally this week, hidden transmitter hunters held their world championships this month and hams from the USA came home with more medals than ever. Amateur Radio Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV, the details. -- Every two years, on-foot hidden transmitter hunters get together to see who is best in the world. The Sixteenth World Championships of Amateur Radio Direction Finding, or ARDF, took place at a ski resort in the mountains of central Serbia. In these big forests, about 330 foxhunters from 33 countries searched for transmitters on two meters and 80 meters using direction finding gear, maps, and compasses, but no GPS. USA was represented by nine men and four women from six states. They ranged in age from 27 to 71. In previous world championships, USA has won no more than two medals, and no golds. But this year, the team members packed thirteen medals into their suitcases, including four golds. Standing on the medal podium and hearing the Star-Spangled Banner the most times was Bob Cooley KF6VSE of Pleasanton, California. He won two golds in the division for men over age 70 in the World Cup competition for individuals and another gold for his two-meter run during the main ARDF competitions. Also winning a playing of our national anthem was Vadim Afonkin KB1RLI of Newton, Massachusetts, who was this year's Team Captain. His gold medal was in the 80-meter ARDF competition. Other Team USA members on the podium included Jay Hennigan WB6RDV of Goleta, California, who was a silver medalist on 80 meters. Winning bronze in their divisions on that band were Alla Mezhevaya of Loves Park, Illinois, Ruth Bromer WB4QZG of Raleigh, North Carolina and Karla Leach KC7BLA of Bozeman, Montana. Team USA members earned their right to go to Serbia by medaling in the USA ARDF Championships this June at Mt. Laguna, California and in earlier US championships. You can read more about Team USA and the ARDF World Championships at www.homingin.com. There are plenty of photos, plus links to the complete results. That's homingin, as one word, homingin.com. From southern California, where ARDF activities take place all year long, this is Joe Moell, K0OV, for the Amateur Radio Newsline. -- Again, more information is on-line at www.homingin.com. And "homingin" is spelled as one word. (K0OV) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, 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. And a reminder to those of you who still receive these newscasts over our 661-296-2407 dial in line rater than downloading the MP3 file from our website. Of late we have noticed a major decline in the number of those calling into it and as such we are giving consideration to discontinuing it by years end. But before we do, we want to know how many people are actually using it. If you are one of those who call in each week on the phone, please send us a note telling us who you are and the reason you are using telephone access rather than simply downloading the newscast from the Internet. Our address is the Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Saugus California, 91350. Or, as we said, you can e- mail us at newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. We look forward to hearing from you. For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, saying 73 from Charleston, West Virginia. And, as always, we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.
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