Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1377 – January 2, 2004

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1377 with a release date of
Friday, January 2, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. V-K hams welcome 2004 with new spectrum.
P-29 hams enter the new year with no-code and the FCC ends 2003
embracing smart radios. All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline
report number 1377 for the first week of 2004 coming your way right
now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

RESTRUCTURING: EXCLUSIVE SPECTRUM DOWN UNDER

Hams in Australia start 2004 with an unexpected gift. Some exclusive
spectrum in the 75 meter band. From Brisbane here's Q-News Graham
Kemp, VK4BB, with the rest of the story:

--

As of January 1st amateur radio operators in Australia have gained
exclusive access to 24 kHz of HF spectrum at 3776-3800 kHz for high
frequency amateur radio communications between continents.

The new Australian spectrum allocation for the amateur service is made
under footnote AUS8 of the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan
2002 published by the ACA. It aligns well with international
arrangements, which means intercontinental communications for
Australian amateur radio operators will be improved at these
frequencies.

This domestic change has affected other spectrum users. More than 40
government bodies, community groups and commercial organizations were
previously licensed for HF communications within this 24 kHz of
spectrum, with amateur operators having lower priority access to 6
kHz.

For Q-News Australia, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB, for the Amateur Radio
Newsline.

--

A very nice way to start the year 2004. (Q-News)

**

RESTRUCTURING: P29Z CALLS GIVEN HF GIFT

Australia is not the only nation in the Southern hemisphere to have
some ham radio rules changes with the new year. A report out of Papua
New Guinea says that the tiny nations has welcomed 2004 by going
no-code.

According to Rick Warnett, P29KFS, in Port Morsby, the nations
telecommunications regulator PANGTEL has issued an opinion confirming
that P-N-G hams holding a Limited Amateur Operator's Certificate of
Proficiency now have access to all High Frequency bands granted by
PANGTEL. As a result, from 0000 P-N-G time on December 31st hams
assigned P29Z series calls have full High Frequency access in the ham
bands from 165 KHz thru 28MHz in addition to their 430 MHz to the
multi Ghz allocation. (Q-News)

**

RESCUE RADIO: IRELAND PREPARES FOR POWER OUTAGES

Meantime on the other side of the world, what amounts to a mini Field
Day exercise took place in Ireland December 6th and 7th. This when
that nations ham radio rescue service known as AREN took part in a
twenty-four hour simulated test to help prepare members for a possible
power failure such as those experienced recently in the US and in the
United Kingdom.

The test had several goals. Among them was to establish that AREN
members could operate without mains power and to have members ready
for activation during a sustained standby period. Also important was
maintaining discipline by politely and firmly holding control of a
working frequency for the duration of the exercise.

According to assessment reports, the AREN members demonstrated a keen
and effective will to efficiently operate such a service. They also
held the primary exercise frequency of 3.660 MHz without incident for
the duration of the watch period. (IRTS)

**

RADIO LAW: S.C. INDICTMENT IN BPL RELATED SCHEME

Back here at home, it looks as if the first scam associated with
Broadband over Powerline technology has surfaced. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Jim Davis, W2JKD, tells us the who, the what, the why and
the whe

--

News reports say that two Texas businessmen have been indicted on wire
fraud and money laundering charges. This in a scheme that defrauded a
South Carolina electric utility out of $1 million.

Prosecutors in Columbia, South Carolina say that the two convinced the
utility to invest the money in research they said would allow voice,
video and data to be sent to homes and businesses through power lines.
According to the documents filed on Thursday, December 18th, the
could not deliver on the promises they had made.

Jim Davis, W2JKD, reporting.

--

No trial date has been announced in this case. (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 Southern
California Amateur Transmitting Society serving West Covina
California.

(5 sec pause here)


**

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Joe Knight, W5PDY, - S.K.

Some truly sad news to report. One of the nicest people ever to hold
a ham radio license, Joe Knight, W5PDY, the recently retired New
Mexico ARRL Section Manager, died on December 28th. Knight was in
declining health when he passed away in Albuquerque at age 76.

For those not aware, Joe Knight held the honor of the longest tenure
of any Section Manager in history. He was elected to the post in the
mid 1970's and only stepped down last July after his health began to
fail. In all he served as New Mexico Section Manager close to 27
years. A record never before matched.

Knight was the subject and chief narrator of an article, "The Luckiest
Man Alive," which appeared in the January 2003 issue of QST Magazine.
In it, Knight said that Amateur Radio will exist as long as there are
people who love the art and science of communicating by radio. The
article also outlined the vast emergency communication resources that
Knight and hundreds of other dedicated volunteers built up over the
years in New Mexico.

John Stuart, AC5ZO, the president of the Albuquerque DX Association,
visited Knight on December 22nd. At that time Stuart presented Knight
with an honorary membership certificate in that group.

Survivors include his wife, Lois, KC5CXO, who often accompanied Knight
on his hamfest and convention visits and was a tireless recruiter for
new ARRL members. (ARRL, W7AS, N7US, others)

**

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Emmanuel G. Papandreas, W4SS, - S.K.

And former ARRL Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator,
Emmanuel G. Papandreas, W4SS, of Lake Worth, passed away, Friday,
December 26th at age 80. Manny as he was better was Southern Florida
was SEC for 20 years. A record longer than any of his predecessors.
And during his tenure, Papandreas oversaw the amateur emergency
communications effort following Hurricane Andrew in 1992 including the
staging area at the South Florida Fairgrounds in Palm Beach County.

W4SS was a life member of the West Palm Beach Amateur Radio Club and
served numerous terms as President. He also taught amateur radio
classes and was an ARRL Volunteer Examiner in Palm Beach county. And,
over the years, W4SS was the recipient of many awards and honors from
the South Florida agencies served by Amateur Radio. (WA4AW)

**

RADIO RULES: FCC OPENS SMART RADIO PROCEEDING

Turning to the regulatory scene, the FCC has adopted a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking and Order that sets out proposals and seeks
comments on the uses and applications for "smart" radio systems.
This, In light of the ever increasing demand for wireless
transmitters.

Smart radios have the ability to adapt their use of spectrum to their
environments. For example, a smart radio system could use geolocation
and table lookups to determine whether certain frequencies are
candidates for use in a particular area. Then, those frequencies
could be scanned, idle spectrum identified, and the best frequencies
and power levels selected for a particular link.

More is at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...C-242312A1.doc
and http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...C-03-322A1.doc
on the World-Wide-Web. (CGC, FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: YOU CAN FLY BUT YOU CAN'T USE THAT RADIO

The FCC has asked more groups representing hang glider enthusiasts to
tell their members to stay off the ham bands unless they hold Amateur
Radio licenses. The agency's Daryl Duckworth, N-N-Zero-W, has more
details:

--

Audio report only. Hear it at www.arnewsline.org

--

Hang gliding zealots who fail to heed the FCC warning could face some
pretty severe penalties. (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT: COMPANY FINED $8,000 FOR FAILING TO PAINT TOWER CABLES

The FCC has issued an $8,000 fine against Tower Properties of Florida,
Inc. for having unpainted cables attached to their tower structure.
Cables that the regulatory agency says precluded good visibility of
the orange and white aviation-painted structure.

Section 17.50 of the FCC's Rules provides that antenna structures such
as this one that require painting will be cleaned or repainted as
often as necessary to maintain good visibility. Further, as
incorporated by reference, alternate bands of aviation orange and
white are normally displayed on coaxial cable, conduits, and other
cables attached to the face of a tower. (CGC, FCC)

**

COMMUNICATIONS LAW: JUDGE RULES ISP'S DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE INFO TO
MUSIC INDUSTRY

Meantime, back here in the United States, a major setback for the
music industry's anti-piracy campaign. This, a federal appeals
rejects efforts by the music producers to compel the nation's Internet
providers to identify subscribers accused of illegally distributing
music on-line. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has
mo

--

It happened on Friday December 19th and it's being called a
substantial setback for the entertainment industry. This, as a
three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia overturned a ruling by the trial judge to enforce a copyright
subpoena.

Earlier a trial judge had authorized the use of the subpoenas forcing
Verizon Communications Inc. to turn over names and addresses for at
least four Internet subscribers. Verizon complied but instructed its
lawyers to challenges the ruling.

In its decision, the appeals court not only sided with Verizon. It
went a step further. This, by declaring one of the crucial arguments
used by the Recording Industry Association of America to obtain the
original order as -- quote -- bordering upon the silly. The judges
words-- not ours.

What does this mean to those artists and companies wanting to protect
their intellectual copyright? It won't stop the entertainment
industry from suing those who continue to swap music and video files
peer to peer, but it will make them a lot harder for the industry
lawyers to locate.

From the entertainment capitol of the world, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline

--

Its not known if the recording industry plans to appeal this latest
decision against it to the U-S Supreme court. (Published news
reports)

**

ON THE AIR: IOTA 40TH ANNIVERSARY AWARD

Turning to operating events, Don Field, G3XTT, wants to remind Islands
on the Air Award enthusiasts and would-be enthusiasts that 2004 marks
the 49th nniversary of this unique program. Don says that a set of
files for downloading with lots more information are now available on
the Chiltern DX Club website at www.cdxc.org.uk Just follow the IOTA
2004 links and remember this years award began on January 1st. (RSGB)

**

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS: HAMFAIR NY IN FEBRUARY

And a reminder that Sunday, February 29th is the annual Long Island
Hamfair and Electronics Show Winterfest sponsored by the Long Island
Mobile Amateur Radio Club. The doors open 9:00 AM for buyers.
Admission is $6 with children 11 and under welcome through the gate
for free.

The location is Levittown Hall in Hicksville, New York. Complete
directions are available on the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club
website at www.limarc.org/fest.htm (LIMARC)

**

HAMVENTION 2004: AWARD NOMINATING PERIOD CLOSES JANUARY 31ST

And the planners of Hamvention 2004 want to remind everyone that the
nominating period for the Radio Amateur of the Year, Technical
Excellence and Special Achievement awards program closes on January
31st.

There are three awards that will be given this year. The Radio
Amateur of the Year is described as that special person who has made a
long term commitment to the advancement of amateur radio. He or she
is a well rounded individual who has contributed most of his or her
lifetime to our hobby in some very outstanding way.

A nominee for the Technical Excellence award should be a person who
has made an outstanding technical advancement in the field of amateur
radio. Something like a revolutionary new equipment design or mode of
operation that has impacted positively on the day to day operation of
many hams.

Last but by no means least, a nominee for the Hamvention's Special
Achievement is the kind of special person who has made an outstanding
contribution to the advancement of amateur radio. This award is
usually given to a respected amateur who spearheaded a single
significant project.

Documentation is required. Magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper
clippings, videos, and the like will better inform the Awards
Committee of your candidate's accomplishments.

The nomination deadline is January 31st, All materials become the
property of the Hamvention and cannot be returned.

You can fill out the on-line form and attach documentation files at
www.hamvention.org. Then click your mouse on the words award
nominations. Printed nominations and documentation go to the Awards
Committee, Hamvention 2004, PO Box 964, Dayton Ohio, 45401.

Again, the deadline for all nominations is Saturday, January 31st.
(Hamvention)

**

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)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ARISS UPDATE

According to ARISS International Chairman Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, the
crew on board the International Space Station does not have time to
read messages from the ham public and he advises against sending any.
We have more in this report:

--

In letters posted to the SAREX remailer, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO,
indicates that ham radio is lucky that the crew has been able to fire
up the new Kenwood packet radio system that was recently delivered to
the space outpost. He also says that its not a good idea for hams to
send personal e-mails to the astro-hams indicating that they are
really to busy to read and answer them.

As to the new radio itself, Bauer says that the unit is a Kenwood D700
that has been modified to support up to 25 watts maximum output.
Normally, if the crew has the system configured with the default
settings. This means about 10 watts out which is medium power on the
700.

Regarding the packet frequencies and why split channels rather than
simplex is used, Bauer says this. 145.80 MHz is designated a human
spaceflight downlink frequency. Right now it shares use on voice and
packet for general operations and school group contacts. In the
future it will be used at times for voice, packet, repeater
capabilities, school group contacts and S-S-T-V. Because of this, the
ARISS team would like to keep the downlink frequency clear for all to
hear and receive. Therefore, packet simplex is use not a good idea on
this frequency.

I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF

--

Meantime, Miles Man, WF1F, has posted some photos of the new station
on his MAREX website. The URL is:
http://www.marex.org/hardware.kenwood.html (SAREX BBS, WF1F)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: RADIO BRINGS FASTER FAST FOOD

On the emerging technology front, fast food has gotten even faster in
southern California thanks to the magic of radio. This as five
McDonald's restaurants sign a deal with a communications company to
allow motorists to zip through the drive-through line without having
to stop and pay cash for their food.

The trick is utilizing the same technology that permits motorists to
skip stops on toll roads. A transponder will emit a signal to a
receiver at the food giant that will automatically calculate the food
the fee. The motorist is then billed. The process is said to cut 15
seconds off the normal 131 second-wait for delivery at the payment
window. (Technology Corner)

**

INTERNATIONAL-ARGENTINA: ANDES MOUNTAIN LAND CROSSING

From the international page, Carlos Beviglia, LU1BCE, says that
between January 4 and 15th, the Radio Club Argentino will participate
in the 6th Andes Mountains Land Crossing. LU1BCE is the Secretary of
the Radio Club Argentino. He tells the Ohio Penn D-X newsletter that
this trek is made every year to honor General San Martin and his
army's crossing to Chile. This, during the American Independence War
in 1817.

The Radio Club Argentino will provide the communication for the event.
The club will set up two High Frequency stations at every camp point
throughout the journey. Operation will be mainly on SSB and C-W using
the special event call LS4M. QSL via LU4AA, either direct or via the
bureau. (OPDX)

**

INTERNATIONAL-CANADA: MEET THE NEW RAC EXEC COMMITTEE

Meantime, to the North, word that Daniel Lamoureux VE2KA, has been
elected as president of the Executive Committee of Radio Amateurs of
Canada. This, for a 2004 through 2005 term. Also elected to the
committee are First Vice President Robert Nash, VE3KZ; Vice President
of Regulatory Affairs James Deann, VE3IQ; Vice President Field
Services and International Affairs Pierre Mainville, VA3PM, and Noel
Marcil, VE2BR, as Secretary. (RAC)

**

INTRUDER WATCH: THOSE INDONESIANS AGAIN

On the Intruder Watch scene, we have some bad news and some good news.
First the bad. VK6XW reports hearing 53 non ham stations on the 14
MHz band operating SSB. He says that most appear to be from
Indonesia.

The good news? Word that another group of Indonesians who had been
using 14.335 MHz have vanished and have not been found again. The
same is true for the bunch on 14.252 which have also disappeared from
the Amateur spectrum leaving only the 14.144 gang which have gone LSB
and moved up to 14.145 Mhz. (Q-News)

**

SPECIAL EVENT: 50 YEARS A HAM

And you might call this one celebrating a personal best. This as Fort
Wayne Indiana's Jack Forbing, K9LSB, takes to the air from March 1st
to the 14th as K9L in celebration of his 50 years as a licensed
operator.

Jack and his friends in the Hoosierland Amateur Mobile Systems group
will operate all bands and all modes from K9LSB's home QTH. Equipment
for the event will be a Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V and a Yaesu FTV-1000 6
meter transverter into an yaggi at 65 feet. All other bands will use
dipoles antennas. All QSL's go to K9LSB at his Callbook address. And
we wish Jack a hearty well done on reaching this milestone in his ham
radio career. (Via e-mail)

**

DX

In DX, 9V1DX, is now active as 9V0A from Ellsworth Mountain in
Antarctica. He was spotted in 40 and 30 meters CW. Watch 7.001 or
10.108 MHz between 01:30 and 03:00 UTC. (OPDX)

And W4WX, will be active as KG4DX from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from
January 13th to the 19th. He will operate the HF bands and 6 meters.
QSL to his home call, direct with SASE. (OPDX)

Lastly, AP2JZB, was active recently from Pakistan on 17 and 12 meters
SSB . Watch around 18.119 and 24.946 MHz between 13:30 and 15:00
U-T-C. QSL as directed on the air. (OPDX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: HAM RADIO HISTORY -- THE FIRST BIG REPEATER MEETING -
PART I

And finally this week, many hams are not aware that back in the early
1970's repeater growth and continued experimentation in ham radio
relay communication came to a screeching halt. This, as the result of
overly restrictive regulations on the part of the FCC.

As most radio amateurs of that era knew, this was not a good time to
be the owner of a repeater unless you also held an Electronics
Engineering degree. Things had to change if F-M and repeaters were to
grow again. In the end, one man risked it all to make it happen.

On January 24, 1974 then 73 Magazine publisher Wayne Green, W2NSD,
brought a group of prominent "repeater people" before the FCC. He
had arranged the meeting in an attempt to convince the Commissioners
to roll back the restrictions put in place as a result of Docket
18803. Here's a sample of what that meeting sounded like:

--
Meeting audio sample
--

Want to hear more? Well, over the next several months you can take a
trip back in time to join Wayne Green, W2NSD, former Colorado's
Marshal Quiat, AG0X, New York's Howard Lester W2ODC and Dick McKay,
K6VGP, from California. This, as they and others go to Washington D-C
-- to -- quite literaly -- set repeaters free.

Part 1 of the audio of that meeting is on our website as a Newsline
Extra. In it you will meet the hams who traveled to Washington to
speak on behalf of the nations FM and repeater community. You will
also hear some of the presentations made by them. Its on line now at
our f-t-p site at www.arnewsline.org slash quincy.

This is literally a page out of ham radio's history. Its here --
right now for you -- exclusively -- on the Amateur Radio Newsline.
(ARNewesline(tm))

**

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 and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.org. More
information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only official
website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or
support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia,
California 91066.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don
Wilbanks, AE5DW, saying welcome to 2004, 73 and we thank you for
listening." Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights
reserved.