Amateur Radio Newslineâ„¢ Report 1417 Â* October 8, 2004


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1417 with a release date of
Friday, October 8, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. A New Jersey radio club makes a big
donation to the local community and hams in Great Britain may get more
privileges on 40 meters. These stories and more on Amateur Radio
Newsline report number 1417 coming your way right now.



(Billboard Cart Here)

**


PUBLIC SERVICE: RADIO CLUB DONATES $400,000 TO NJ PARK


A radio club has donated $400,000 to Essex County, New Jersey. This,
to pay for renovations already made to Irvington Park where the club
has its headquarters. And there's more money on the way. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, has the rest of the story:


--


According to a story in the September 29th edition of the Newark Star
Ledger, the $400,000 donated by the Irvington Amateur Radio Team came
from the states Green Acres program. It will be used to pay part of
the $1.1 million in renovations that included new tennis courts,
basketball courts, benches and a track.


The club, a nonprofit organization that volunteers as keepers of the
park. It is expecting another $500,000 in Green Acres funds to pay
for the second phase of the parks upgrade. Phase I of the $2 million
overall was completed during early summer. Phase II, scheduled to
begin next year, will include a second floor addition to the field
house, where the radio club has its headquarters.


Phase I was completed during early summer. Phase II, scheduled to
begin next year, will include a second- floor addition to the field
house, where the radio club has its headquarters. The funds obtained
by the club have been matched by Essex County.


Charles Freeman, N2JGC, is the clubs president. He says that the
park renovations have boosted community pride.


--


Freeman: "Its all volunteerism. Its a bunch of wonderful people who
dedicate their time and service to I-ART - the Irvington Amateur Radio
Team, the Office of Emergency Management, CERT, and any way we can get
involved in helping out our community."
--


Feeeman says that this has helped get some of the children off the
street by getting them involved in computers and amateur radio.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ.


--


The club brought its headquarters to the park in 1998. Soon after,
members became the primary caretakers of the facility. (Star-Ledger,
ARNewsline(tm))



**


RESTRUCTURING: VICTORIA VK HAMS LOOSE LOWER HALF OF 70CM


The bottom half of the 70 centimeter band is no longer available for
amateur radio in most of Australia's Victoria state. This, as the
result of a new exclusion zone that has just become law. W-I-A
reporter Jim Linton VK3PC explains:


--


The ACA has prohibited all amateur radio activity on the 420-430 MHz
band within Victoria in an area of up to a 250 kilometre radius of the
Melbourne General Post Office. That band will now be used for a new
state-of-the-art digital radio system to replace the current analogue
systems of the Victoria Police, Metropolitan Ambulance Service and
Metropolitan Fire Brigade.


The exclusion zone has been anticipated and comes after other
permanent Exclusion zones were imposed for similar purposes around
Perth and Sydney, including the Australian Capital Territory. The band
420-430 MHz has been used for amateur fixed links and amateur
television. The WIA has assisted with the timely closure and migration
of those links in Victoria in liaison with the Bureau of Emergency
Services Telecommunications and the ACA.


The new digital voice and data radio system now being installed for
Emergency services will also provide common coordination channels to
support multi-agency response to major incidents and events. The aim
is to have it fully operational well in advance of the Melbourne
Commonwealth Games in 2006. This has been


Jim Linton VK3PC for WIA National News.


--


Where else the A-C-A will impose these exclusion zones is not known as
we go to air. (WIA News)


**


RESTRUCTURING: MORE 40 METERS FOR UK HAMS


Meantime there is much better news coming from the U-K. That's where
Ofcom -- the Office of Communications -- says that it might change the
rules and give that nations hams more access to 40 meters. Jeramy
Boot, G4NJH, is in Nottingham with mo


--


Ofcom is proposing to vary the Foundation, Intermediate and Full
amateur radio licenses to permit UK amateurs to operate in the band
7,100 to 7,200kHz.


The band would be allocated to the Amateur Service on a Secondary
basis, and would be available on the basis of non-interference to
other services, inside or outside the United Kingdom.


Ofcom announced a one-month consultation period beginning on 23rd
September and all license-holders are invited to make representations
to this proposal in writing or by e-mail.


Jeremy Boot, G4NJH


--


The cutoff date for U-K hams to comment on this proposed Notice of
Variation to the nations Amateur Service rules is October 23rd. (GB2RS)


**


Break 1


From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WB9AET
repeater serving Chicago Illinois.


(5 sec pause here)


**


RESCUE RADIO: SATERN IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST


Ever hear of SATERN? Not the planet but a group of true helping hams
that are always ready to serve the public need.


In our reports on the numerous hurricanes that hit the United States
mainland the past few weeks we have often referred to several high
frequency service nets. These include the Hurricane Watch Net, the
Maritime Mobile Services Net and of coarse SATERN - the Salvation Army
Team Emergency Network. You heard a lot of audio from the Hurricane
Watch Net and the Maritime Mobile Services Net in our reports, but
little of SATERN. That's because it was not really audible at our
studio here on the U-S west coast. But we recently caught it being
relayed on the Internet by K-A-4-E-P-S audio website and grabbed a few
minutes of it in operation. Sometimes it takes nothing more than a
referral to help out. Take a listen:


--


SATERN Net Audio. Hear it in the audio report at www.arnewsline.org.


--


Some of you may say that it sounds a little boring to just sit there
hours on end, taking messages or directing people to a website. But
that's an important part of the Salvation Army's job and the SATERN
Net is one of its most important tools.


Major Pat McPherson, WW9E, explains it all on the SATERN website. He
says that the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network provides
emergency communication support to the Salvation Army wherever needed.
As a result, SATERN members have found themselves in tornadoes,
floods, hurricanes, fires, aircraft accidents, bombings, earthquakes
-- just to name the more expected types of emergencies.


In short, SATERN is not your ordinary radio club or net. Maybe not the
most exciting to listen in on but it is ham radio in service to the
public, at its very best. (ARNewsline(tm))


**


ENFORCEMENT: ENNIS COMMUNICATIONS IN $300,000 CONSENT DECREE


Turning to enforcement news, word that Emmis Communications has
reached a $300,000 settlement with the Federal Communication
Commission. This, after admitting that it broadcast indecent material
on the airwaves.


Emmis owns 27 stations nationwide. The settlement comes in part from
comments made by a nationally syndicated Chicago shock jock named
Mancow Muller. Muller is an air personality at WKQX-FM and has been
the source of every previous FCC fine issued to Emmis. To date that
totals $42,000.


Besides the $300,000 payment, Indianapolis-based Emmis has also agreed
to implement a company-wide plan intended to prevent future
violations. (FCC)


**


ENFORCEMENT: ONE LAST CHANCE FOR K1MAN


The FCC appears to be giving Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, one final chance to
strictly conform to the agency's Part 97 rules. This, before taking
action against the Belgrade Lakes, Maine ham. The FCC's Daryl
Duckworth, NN0W, explains:


--


Duckworth: "A warning letter went to Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, of Belgrade
Lakes, Maine. Back in April of this year the Commission notified him
of two areas of operation that would lead to enforcement action and /
or designation for a hearing to determine his qualifications to remain
a licensee. This is regarding deliberate interference to ongoing
communications and using the station for pecuniary interest.


Copies of the warning notice were also went to the United States
Attorney in the United States Department of Justice, District of Maine.


This is Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, reporting."


--


In the September 15th Warning Notice the FCC's Riley Hollingsworth
tells Baxter that the Commission has received approximately a dozen
complaints that K1MAN Amateur Radio transmissions started on top of
ongoing communications of individual operators, as well as on top of
ongoing communications of the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Net.
Hollingsworth says that this is a net that has been handling health
and welfare traffic for this season's hurricane victims.


As to the pecuniary interest allegation, the FCC says that this is
because Baxter's website lists a bulletin service transmission
schedule and items for sale on the same pages. The FCC says that this
is in violation of Sections 97.113(a)(2)and (3) of its rules.


Hollingsworth ends the letter by saying that failure to correct the
violations will subject Baxter to enforcement action against his
station and operator licenses. Baxter was given twenty days from the
date the warning notice was issued to resoind. (FCC, RAIN)


**


ENFORCEMENT: FINE "KIND OF" REDUCED FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR


And a follow-up to a story we reported some time ago about a few
unauthorized transmitters coming on the air in California. This, in
2003 around the time of Super Bowl thirty-seven. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with an update:


--


As listeners may recall, Global Radio, Inc. had requested that the FCC
issue authority for it to operate on transmitters 89.1, 92.9, 93.7,
96.9, 104.1 and 106.9 Mhz. This, in conjunction with the Super Bowl
thirty seven activities at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. T


he FCC granted operation on 93.7 and 96.9 Mhz under the call sign
WN3XFL, but it specifically denied Global's request to use 89.1, 92.9,
104.1 and 106.9 Mhz. This based on possible interference to existing
stations in Mexico and the U.S. as outlined under bi-lateral agreements.


But on January 26, 2003, an agent from the San Diego FCC field office
was listening to the FM band. He observed that WN3XFL was active and
operating, without authorization, on 88.98, 104.1 and 106.9 Mhz.
This, in addition to its permitted operations on 93.7 Mhz and 96.9 Mhz.


Global's willful violation of its operating authority initially
resulted in a fine of $12,000. In its reply, the company claimed it
could not pay that amount but the Commission didn't buy that argument.
Global also argued that its otherwise unblemished compliance record
should be taken into account.


Well, the FCC did just that. Well, kind of. Because of the
unblemished record, the Commission reduced the fine by $1200. If you
do the math, that's now a fine of $10,800 that Global has been told
it has to pay.


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


--


The full FCC finding in this case is on line at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...-04-3017A1.doc (CGC)


**


THE HAM BUSINESS WORLD: A HEALTHY C3I


Turning to the ham radio industry, C3I says that it is not out of the
ham radio business. In fact, following a short pause to reassess the
current business climate, the concern is shipping out products and its
business as usual according to company owner Owen Wormser, K3CB.


--


Wormser: "We are fully operational. We have built up a good stock of
out standard antennas. We have taken special orders the last two
weeks. So, we have been able to recover in about two to two and a
half weeks time."


--


C3I is a unique company that manufactures printed circuit board
modules, VHF, UHF and Super High Frequency, high-performance Yagi
antennas and related accessories for the Amateur Radio and land mobile
market. More information is on-line at www.c3iusa.com and look for a
complete company profile with K3CB on an upcoming Rain Report.
(ARNewsline(tm))


**


THE SOCIAL SCENE: TITUSVILLE FL. IN OCTOBER


Florida's North Brevard Amateur Radio Club will be among the first to
begin celebrating the return of the good days following the hurricanes
of 2004. This, as it announces that its Titusville Hamfest will be
held on Saturday, October 23rd.


This year's venue is the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 109
building in Titusville. The event is open to the public from 7 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Eastern time. More information is on the club webpage at
www.northbrevardradioclub.org (Via e-mail)


**


THE SOCIAL SCENE: SAN DIEGO HAM RADIO ROUNDUP & HAMFEST


And on the West side of the country the San Diego Roundup and Hamfest
hosted by ARRL San Diego Section takes place October 30th from 8 a.m.
to 4 p.m.. The location is Hilltop Recreation Center on Ovieda Way at
San Diego. For more information contact KC6NXZ by telephone at area
code 619-561-6678 during normal business hours Pacific coast time.
(Via e-mail)


**


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)


**


RALPH WRIGHT (MIKE RIVERS), W5JVI - S.K.


More sad news to report with word of the passing of Ralph Wendel
Wright, W5VJI. Better known to his many fans as Mike Rivers, Wright
dominated the airwaves at radio station CKLW from 1967 to 1970.


Wright suffered a cerebral bleed in May from which he never recovered.
He passed away at his home in Antioch, Tennessee on Monday night
September 13th.


In addition to being a top rated air personality W5JVI was also a
gifted musician, jingle writer, a master at radio production and a
very active ham radio operator. No public memorial service was
planned. (W2JKD)


**


THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: FRANK TUREK, DL7FT - S.K.


Also, noted D-Xpeditioner, Frank Turek, DL7FT, became a "Silent Key"
on August 17th. Over the years Turek traveled to many rare locations
to hand out new country contacts to many operators worldwide. He is
survived by his wife Siegrid, DL7CN, who will be handling QSL duties
and will continue to keep the DL7FT Post Office Box open. (OPDX)


**


NAMES IN THE NEWS: RAC LEADERS RESIGN FOR HEALTH ISSUE


Two key officers of Canada's national Amateur Radio Society have
stepped down for health related reasons. According to an RAC bulletin
issued on October 5th, President Daniel Lamoureux, VE2KA, and First
Vice-president Bob Nash, VE3KZ have resigned after having been
hospitalized with heart related problems.


The bulletin says that the Radio Amateurs of Canada Board of Directors
will convene a special meeting as quickly as possible. This, to deal
with the vacancies created by these resignations. No date for the
meeting has yet been announced. (RAC)


**


RADIO HEALTH: KOREAN RESEARCHERS CLAIM CANCER CONNECTION TO HIGH
POWER RADIO TRANSMISSIONS


Korean scientists sat that they have found that regions near some A-M
radio broadcasting towers show 70 percent more leukemia deaths than
those without. This, according to Wired News which reports that the
study, to be published in an upcoming issue of the International
Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health, also found that
cancer deaths were 29 percent higher near such transmitters.


Two years ago an Italian investigation found death rates from leukemia
increased dramatically for residents living within two miles of
Vatican Radio's powerful array of transmitters in Rome. The Koreans
looked at the death rates in 10 regions with AM radio transmitting
towers broadcasting at more than 100 kilowatts and compared them with
control areas without transmitters.


The substantially higher cancer mortality in those who lived within
two kilometers of the towers led researchers to conclude that more
investigation was needed. However, they also said their study did
not prove a direct link between cancer and the transmitters.
(Published news reports)


**


HAM RADIO NEAR SPACE: A NEW ALTITUDE RECORD BY SIMSAT 1B


Pat Kilroy, N8PK, reports a new altitude record of over 112,900 feet
was set by the SimSat-1B mission when it flew last week. Pat says
that while the VHF telemetry failed early in the flight there are
numerous clues as to why and the group is piecing the puzzle to help
improve for future operations.


The Simulated Satellite or SimSat project is an education and outreach
activity being developed by N8PK at the NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center. A SimSat spacecraft uses a small high-altitude weather balloon
platform to fly experiments designed and built by students to
near-space altitudes.


In this case, a tiny CricketSat transmitter on UHF was also on board
as a last minute hitchhiker. Powered by a standard 9 Volt alkaline
battery and producing under 20 milliwatts, it operated all the way
through splashdown and saved the day for tracking the flight.


More information and the part ham radio plays is on line at
www.patkilroy.com/simsat on the World Wide Web. (N8PK)


**


HAM RADIO IN SPACE: MICROSAT ON DISPLAY


And some news from Dr. Perry Klein, W3PK, who says that The
Smithsonian National Museum of American History has put a Microsat
Mechanical Test Model on display in time for AMSAT's 35th Anniversary
meetings. The satellite is suspended from the ceiling outside the
NN3SI Smithsonian Amateur Radio Club station. That's located at "The
Information Age" exhibit on the first floor at the West end of the
American History Museum. (ANS)


**


HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SOLDERING ON-ORBIT


Meantime, the ham astronauts on the International Space Station have
been trying to solder in zero gravity, and the results are intriguing.
The NASA website says that the solder, heated, became a molten blob
with a droplet of rosin clinging tight to the outside. As the
temperature increased, the droplet began to spin, round and round,
faster and faster, like a miniature carnival ride. You can see and
enjoy the video of this experiment at at:
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...aug_solder.htm (ANS)


**


DX


In D-X, word that G3UML is joining the Oceania DX Group operation from
Lord Howe Island which is scheduled to start on 9th October. Separate
stations will be active on CW and SSB. (GB2RS)


And look for DF7XE to be active portable SV8 from Thassos Island
through the 13th of October. He will be using CW, SSB, PSK31 and RTTY
on 10 to 80 meters. (OPDX)


Lastly, information that PA0CJH operating as 9G5JH is active from
Ghana until November 13th. He is on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 meters
using SSB, CW and PSK31. For each of these operations, Q-S-L as
directed on the air. (OPDX)


**


THAT FINAL ITEM: ITS JOTA TIME


And finally this week, its time for scouts around the land to get
together and take to the ham bands in the annual Jamboree on the Air.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is also a parent
involved in the scouting program and has this inside look at the big
event:


--


It's one of the best operating events of the year.


Why?


Because it showcases the best of our hobby to thousands of young
people across the country and around the world.



For me, and others, it also gives us as operators a chance to reach
out in brotherhood and friendship to young people. We get to serve as
a bridge with our radios to other children and teens who share similar
interests in Scouting.


Charlie Beck, chairman of Venture Crew 59, sponsored by the Frankford
Radio Club and based out of Kutztown, PA is excited about his group's
plans.


He says they will be operating KC3BSA from the Hawk Mountain Scout
Reservation in Summit Station in eastern Pennsylvania.


"We're going to set up a couple stations in our science and tech
center," Beck says.


At this point, he says you'll find Crew 59 on the HF bands on phone,
CW and PSK 31. He says there are also plans to set up a VHF station
and an EchoLink position.


Becks says the best part of the weekend event is getting visitors to
the operation involved.


"I know we have some Girl Scout units and Cub packs and Boy Scout
troops that will be stopping by," Beck explains. "They'll all get a
turn to get on the air and try to make a contact with another Scout in
another part of the world."



Beck says some get mike-shy, but that quickly dissolves with the help
of a Venture Crew member sitting beside them.


"They'll be giving their name, their rank and talk about their hobbies
and tell them where they're calling from which would be Schuylkill
County in eastern Pennsylvania," Beck says.


Beck says the special part about JOTA is its diversity.


"There are Girl Scouts and Girl Guides. There's the World Association
of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts that are invited to join in the JOTA,"
Beck says. "There's also a patch that the Girl Scouts can earn just
like the Boy Scouts can earn for making contacts."


And, he says, for those who are a little shy about grabbing the
microphone, there's also a keyboard.


"It's interesting to find the quiet Scout or the quiet boy to come in
and sit down and get behind PSK 31 and really get in there and spend
an hour chatting with different people around the world," Beck says.


Beck says Scouts across the country and around the world will be
camping out and working radios from field conditions. Others will be
going to stations of operators who've invited them in to take part.


Operators play a big part in making it happen and whether you've been
a Scout in your lifetime isn't a factor. It's simply sharing the joy
of the Amateur Radio service we've all come to appreciate.


Hope to hear you on the air during JOTA weekend.


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



--


The 47th Jamboree on the Air takes place October 16th and 17th. More
information is on line at www.scout.org/wse/jota.shtml and the Leagues
website at www.arrl.org. (ARNewsline(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 W-I-A 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 Jeff
Clark, K8JAC, saying 73 and we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.













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