Amateur Radio Newslineâ„¢ Report 1419 Â* October 22, 2004


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1419 with a release date of
Friday, October 22, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. A ham down-under finds a way to evaluate
the effect of B-P-L on your station while hams in California keep a
hospital in contact with the outside world. Find out the details on
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1419 coming your way right now.



(Billboard Cart Here)

**


THE BPL FIGHT: AUSTRALIAN HAM DEVELOPS ON-LINE BPL IMPACT EVALUATION
TOOL


A new tool to help hams evaluate the impact of Broadband over
Powerline has just been made available on the Internet by an
Australian radio amateur. Its based on the work of a European
consortium that's trying to set a world standard for B-P-L
radiation
limits. Owen Duffy, VK1OD, is the ham who made it happen:


--


Current BPL technology works by conduction of signals in the radio
frequency spectrum up to about 100 MHz. Existing power lines
networks are not ideal RF transmission networks, they will radiate
radio frequency energy causing interference to radio communications
services, and they will be susceptible to interference from nearby
transmitters -- radio or otherwise.


The European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization,
CENELEC, are developing a standard for "Electromagnetic emissions
from access powerline communications networks". Access powerline
communications networks are commonly termed Broadband over Power
Lines or B-P-L.

The proposed CENELEC standard does not automatically apply globally,
though countries like Australia draw heavily on international
standards, such as CENELEC's for their own jurisdiction.

This proposed standard would set limits for the conducted energy and
radiated energy of B-P-L systems. The radiation limit is specified
for example as a field strength in dBuA/m in a measurement bandwidth
at a specified distance on particular frequency, and its impact will
not be immediately apparent to most radio users.

Do you know what the impact of +4dBuA/m in 9KHz at 3m is on your
receiver?

The B-P-L Interference Evaluation Tool allows evaluation of the
impact of B-P-L interference under the proposed CENELEC standard
given a set of location / application specific parameters.

Go to the BPL Interference Evaluation Tool at www.vk1od.net/bpl and
enter the details for your site and discover the impact. The URL
again is www.vk1od.net/bpl .

--


Again, the VK1OD B-P-L Interference Evaluation Tool is on the web at
www.vk1od.net/bpl. (WIA News)


**


THE BPL FIGHT: FCC RULE CHANGES TO PROMOTE BROADBAND


Back here in the United States, very little attention appears to have
been paid to two other FCC actions amid last weeks FCC decision on
BPL. But both are designed to help promote different forms of
broadband Internet access. This is important because they will be
giving Broadband Over Powerline a run for the corporate dollar
profit. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has mo


--


In another vote taken at their October 14th meeting, the FCC loosened
restrictions on fiber-optic networks built by local phone companies,
encouraging them to make greater investments in so-called "fiber-to-
the-curb" and "fiber-to-the-home" networks. According to the
Commission, and as reported in a bulletin from C-Q, the ruling will
encourage deployment of fiber optic broadband networks capable of
delivering advanced data, video and voice service" by local telephone
companies.


Prompted by the decision, several big telephone companies said they
would move more rapidly to build fiber networks to homes. S-B-C says
it now plans to provide 18 million households higher speed Internet
services in two to three years, rather than five years as previously
announced. . So far, Verizon Communications has been the most active
in building residential fiber networks.


And there is more. The day after the BPL vote was taken, the FCC's
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced a joint effort with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Utilities Service. This, to
advance the deployment of broadband wireless telecommunications
across rural America.


Its called the "Rural Wireless Community VISION Program. Its purpose
is to bring experts from both agencies into rural communities
selected as models to help provide technical, financial and other
assistance in launching wireless broadband services in those areas.


All of this adds up to a lot of competition for B-P-L from the day it
gets going.


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


--


As we go to air, it is unclear whether either of these actions are
efforts to promote multiple types of broadband, or, possibly a no
confidence vote in the long-term potential of B-P-L.


More information on the program is available online at
http://wireless.fcc.gov/outreach/ruralvision/index.html. (CQ)


**


RESTRUTURING: NEW UK INTERNET LINKING RULES


Across the Atlantic, some new procedures have been announced by
United Kingdom radio regulator Ofcom. This, for the issuing Internet-
linking Notices of Variation for U-K hams. Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, is in
Nottingham with more.


--


Following a period of consultation, the following new procedures have
been agreed between Ofcom and the RSGB. All current Internet linking
NoVs will expire on 31st December 2004. Existing NoV-holders and new
applicants will be able to apply for new NoVs from 1st October. The
three-month period between 1st October and 31st December will allow
for the continuity of the present
network to be maintained.


If you currently hold an Internet linking NoV and you wish to
continue providing an Internet gateway beyond 31st December now is
the time to apply for your new NoV. If you do not apply for a new
NoV, the service you currently provide to the amateur radio community
must cease on 31st December.


The method of application is totally web-based, and further details
and a series of 'FAQs' can also be found on the RSGB website.


Jeramy Boot, G4NJH


--


Here in the U-S-A we take Voice over I P interconnects for granted.
In most other nations hams are required to get special permission to
connect their stations to the Internet. (GB2RS)


**


Break 1


Its time for you to identify four station. Linda Reader, N7HVF, if
you please:


"From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
W7FP repeater serving Salt Lake City, Utah."


(5 sec pause here)



**


RESCUE RADIO: HAMS SUB FOR PHONES IN SOCAL HOSPITAL OUTAGE


Its ham radio to the rescue once again. This, when a construction
accident takes out telephones, faxes, Internet and all other outside
wireline communications at a southern California hospital. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Joe Moell K0OV has the details.


--


Imagine that you're a nurse in the Intensive Care Unit of a
hospital. You need to contact a doctor at his home or office, but
you can't get an outside line on the phone at your nurses' station.
That's what happened on October 6 at Tustin Hospital Medical Center
in southern California. At a construction site next to the hospital,
earthmoving equipment dug up 50 feet of telephone trunk lines,
severing a 400-pair cable and damaging a 200-pair cable.


Following its previously-drilled procedures, the hospital's Director
of Safety contacted the Hospital Disaster Support Communications
System -- HDSCS -- an ARES group dedicated to the support of medical
facilities in Orange County. In 30 minutes, the first ham had gotten
through rush-hour traffic and arrived at the hospital to set up a
communications link to the outside.


As more hams arrived, they deployed to the emergency Command Post,
switchboard, Medical/Surgical unit, Pediatric unit, Intensive Care
Unit, and the new Emergency Department. Meanwhile, the group's
leader, April Moell WA6OPS, and two other base station operators
prepared to make and receive phone calls in behalf of the THMC.
Message traffic began to flow immediately after the operators got on
station, as hospital staff members re-established links with their
patients' physicians on the outside.


--


WA6OPS: "Go ahead, W6KOS."


"Please advise ICU, I got the service, it was a message machine. I
put a message on that machine to call the number that you gave. I
also gave it my number. If there's any other way they want us to try
to get hold of him, we'll do it. Please advise them that we have
called."


W6KOS: "Will do, W6KOS."


--


When phone company workers stated that repairs would take at least
six hours, HDSCS began calling more members to provide relief to the
first responders. By 9:30 AM the next morning, when the last
telephone pair was spliced and the outage was declared to be over,
four shifts of HDSCS operators had worked within the facility.
Twenty-four hams participated in all.


This was the 85th time that HDSCS has activated to provide support
when telephones failed or overloaded at hospitals, for reasons
ranging from equipment failure, to cut cables, to natural disasters
such as earthquakes, floods, and wildfires. It was the fifth
activation so far in 2004. Each of the 80 members has his or her own
Go-Kit, ready to take to any of the 34 supported hospitals to
establish communications.


For more information on HDSCS -- and how hams in your community can
organize to provide rapid response like this to hospitals -- point
your Web browser to www.hdscs.org. Those are the initials for
Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, followed by dot-
org. From southern California, this is Joe Moell K-zero-Oscar-
Victor, for Amateur Radio Newsline.


--


Among the hams responding to this emergency were Newsline's 2003
Young Ham of the Year Jay Thompson W6JAY and his father Richard,
WA6NOL. They, and all of the others who volunteered are another good
example of Amateur Radio ready and able to step in when commercial
lines of communications fail. (K0OV, ARNewslineâ„¢)


**


RESCUE RADIO: STUDY SAYS THAT CELL PHONES IN HOSPITALS MAY PRESENT
RELATIVELY FEW RFI HAZARDS


Cellular telephones may not pose the big risk in hospitals that was
once thought. At least according to Dr. John Halamka who is the
chief medical information officer for the Harvard Medical School.


According to Dr. Halamka, three years ago the school held a
conference on the subject of hospital versus cellular telephone RFI
issue. Attending were some 100 engineers, the Food and Drug
Administration, wireless providers and businesses.


At that meeting the group determined that cell phones only pose a
threat if they are within three feet of medical equipment. So, says
Dr. Halamka, the current widespread hospital restrictions on cell
phone use are probably greatly overblown except at locations where
phones may audibly disturb patients or staff.


So will this report ease restrictions against cellular phone use in
hospitals? Probably not because no study can cover all eventualities
and most hospital administrators feel it better to safe than sorry.


The full story is on-line at
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/wireles...9-27-hospital-
phone-use_x.htm (CGC)


**


COORDINATION: SERA RESCINDS MANDATORY TONE POLICY


According to the Repeater Users Internet remailer, the South Eastern
Repeater Association has rescinded a controversial mandatory tone
access policy enacted last summer. One that would have required tone
receive and transmit on all new FM voice repeaters now, and on
existing repeaters by July of 2006. Postings to the remailer say
that numerous complaints lead the SERA Board of Directors to repeal
the policy at a meeting on October 4th. (Repeater Owners / Users
Remaler)


**


ENFORCEMENT: FLAT SCREEN TV FOOLS RESCUE SATELLITE


An Oregon resident has been told he could face a $10,000 fine if he
continues to use a new flat screen television set that is radiating a
high power spur on the International Distress Channel of 121.5 MHz.
This, after an October 2nd visit by a contingent of local police,
civil air patrol and search and rescue personnel.


Chris van Rossmann of Corvallis owns the year old Toshiba flat screen
T-V. Unknown to him, the set was radiating a signal that was strong
enough to be heard by the orbiting Sarsat Â* Cospas search and
rescue
satellite. From there it was relayed the Air Force Rescue Center at
Langley Air Base in Virginia which activated a search.


Van Rossmann found out about his broken television set when the
search team knocked on his door. They were expecting to find a
malfunctioning portable emergency transponder like those carried on
boats and in light plans. Instead their T-hunting gear lead them to
the college students T-V.


This is not the first time that an errant piece of ground based
electronic gear has fooled the Sarsat Â* Cospas rescue satellite.
About 12 years ago the crystal oscillator in an inadequately shielded
broadcast graphics machine brought a similar response to a production
studio in New Jersey. In that case the Ampex Digital Optics unit was
quickly retired from service.


Van Rossmann is faring a lot better. Toshiba has contacted him and
offered to provide him with a replacement set, for free of charge.
(Published reports)


**


ENFORCEMENT: SANTA CRUZ PIRATE SHUT DOWN BY FORCE


Government agents have shut down another unlicensed broadcaster. On
September 29th agents of the U.S. Marshals Service served a warrant
on a Santa Cruz, California pirate radio station.


The target was Free Radio Santa Cruz, an FM station running 35 to 40
watts of power while offering round-the-clock music, activism and
other local programming.


The marshals, along with agents of the Federal Communications
Commission, dismantled the station's equipment and carted it away in
a pickup truck. The warrant bore no names, listing as defendant any
and all radio station equipment used in connection with the
transmissions.


Those running the station face the possibility of further punitive
action in the form of hefty fines and even time in jail. The search
warrant gave the station operators 20 days to respond in court. The
value of the equipment seized is estimated at $5,000, including the
antenna agents removed from the roof.


More on this raid is on-line at
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...9797653.htm?1c (CGC, Mercury
News)


**


COMMUNICATIONS LAW: TELEMARKETERS LOOSE IN SUPREME COURT


The Supreme Court has turned away a challenge to the federal do-not-
call registry. The ruling came on Monday, October 4th and upholds
the lower court ruling that says the list does not in any way violate
telemarketers rights to freedom of speech.


Under a federal law passed in 2003, telemarketers face fines of up to
$11,000 if they call people who sign up for the registry unless
they have recently done business with them. Charities, those
conducting polls and callers on behalf of politicians are exempt.
(Published reports)


**


ALERT: POSSIBLE E-MAIL SCAM TARGETING HAM RADIO


If you get an e-mail with a subject line saying Golden Trust telling
you that you have won a lot of money, and its from hamemergency at
some unknown dot com, toss it. It may well be another Internet scam
targeted to Amateur radio.


Ray Shatzel, W2XC, says over the Internet that he received such a
solicitation recently. It told him that he had won $1,500,000 in the
Lottery Winners International program held on the July 7th of this
year.


Curious, Ray checked it out on the fraud watch international dot com
website. There he found out that it is nothing more than another of
the many e-mail scams aimed at getting people like you and me to part
with personally identifiable information that could be used in an
identity theft scheme. They will also ask for payment of taxes,
legal fees or other charges before the winnings can be released.
People who fall for it loose what they send in and maybe a lot more.


Our thanks to W2XC for posting this warning to the Internet .
He's
one of the good guys who took the time to find out and to pass along
the information so that nobody in the ham radio community gets
stung. (via Internet)


**


ON THE AIR: HAM RADIO TO CELEBRATE DEDICATION OF CLINTON MUSEUM


Turning to the ham radio happenings, word that special event station
W5C will take to the airwaves on November 13th and 14th from the
Historic Arkansas Museum. This, to help celebrate the dedication of
the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library. Operation will
be on 40 through 15 meters using various modes including PSK 31.
Those making contact will receive a special certificate in exchange
for their Q-S-L card sent to Dennis Schaefer, W5RZ, 181 Schaefer
Drive, Dover, Arkansas, 72837. (Via E-mail)


**


THE SOCIAL SCENE: GREAT LAKES SUPER SWAP IN MICHIGAN IN NOVEMBER


And the combined 2004 Great Lakes Super Swap and ARRL Michigan State
Convention takes place November 5th and 6th at the Harbor Lights
School in Holland, Michigan. This years special guest is League
President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, who will speak both at the ARRL forum
and at the Saturday night banquet. For more information on this fun
event take your web browser over to www.hollandarc.org and click on
the words swap info. (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)


**


HAM RADIO HELP: ARRL JOINS HOLIDAY TOY DRIVE


The ARRL is joining with the United Way in a project to brighten the
lives of kids who lost everything in the recent hurricanes that
ravaged Florida.


--


Thats right Don. The ARRL is joing forces with a special United Way
drive aimed at brightening the coming holidays for kids in central
Florida who might not otherwise be able to enjoy the season. They
are the youngest victims of the fall hurricanes that ravaged the
area. Suddenly living out of a tent or car.


To help these kids, hams nationwide are being asked to purchase a
new child's toy and send it to this special United Way campaign. Be
sure to include a QSL card or 3x5 file card showing your name and
callsign.


Send your donated toy before Thanksgiving to Ham Radio in care of the
The United Way White Dove Project at 50 Kindred Street, Suite 207 in
Stuart, Florida. The zipcode is 34994.


As we have often said, children are the future of the nation and the
world. They, more than any others, really deserve your support.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF.


--


Again, between now and Thanksgiving, purchase a new child's toy.
Send it with a QSL card or 3x5 showing your callsign to Ham Radio, in
care of The United Way White Dove Project, 50 Kindred Street, Suite
207, Stuart, FL 34994. We will and we hope that you will too.
(ARRL)


**


ON THE AIR: HZ1AB PERMANENTLY QRT


The Dhahran Amateur Radio Club has been permanently shut down. This,
as the result of telecommunications regulatory changes in Saudi
Arabia.


For close to sixty years the Dhahran Amateur Radio Club operated
station HZ1AB. Club Secretary Thomas Carlsson, AB5CQ reported that
due to revisions made in Amateur Service licensing requirements by
the Saudi Arabia Communications and Information Technology
Commission, operations were no longer possible.


The HZ1AB callsign has already been reissued to Bandar Salah AL-
Harby. Carlsson says that the clubs QSL manager, Leo Fry, K8PYD
still has all the logs and will process any outstanding QSL card
requests. (WIA News)


**


CONTESTS: RCA QSO PARTY - NOVEMBER 6TH


From the contest calendar, word that Saturday, November 6th is the
date for this years Radio Club of America 20 and 75 meter QSO Party.
The event will start at 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on 14 point 280
MHz upper sideband and at 8 p.m. E-S-T move to 3 point 910 lower
sideband. Both frequencies are plus or minus any Q-R-M. During the
party, W2RCA which is the club station of the Radio Club of America
will also be activated. Logs and suggestions for this contest go to
W2ZE by e-mail to (W2ZM)


**


CONTESTS: FISTS COAST TO COAST ON NOVEMBER 24


The 4th annual Fists Coast to Coast contest takes place October 24th
from 0000 U-T-C to 2400 UTC. This is a CW only event with the
object being to contact as many Fist affiliated clubs on as many
bands as you can. The contest is sponsored by Northwest Fists club
K7FFF. Full rules and certificate information may be found
at //www.tomochka.com/k7fff/fnw_c2c04.html (FISTS)


**


DX



In D-X, OH2BH and OH2PM will be in Albania from October 26th to the
31 finalizing Project Goodwill Albania and related activities with
the hope of bringing a number of new students on the air. Both
operators will be on the air from Albania during the C-Q World Wide
SSB contest on October 30th and 31st signing portable Zed A. During
this trip the two will be accompanied by representatives of the I-A-R-
U folks assisting Albanian Telecom in variety of regulatory issues.
QSL cards for contacts made go to the operators home call address.
(N4GN)


Also on for the CQ Word Wide SSB contest will be eight operators from
the North-East calling themselves Team Antigua. will again activate
as V-26-B from Antigua and Barbuda on October 30th and 31st and plan
to enter the multi-operator two-transmitter category. Operation will
be on all bands with a possibility of some satellite contacts on AO-7
and AO-51 More information is on line at
http://n3oc.dyndns.org/v26b/ (KA2AEV)


**


WITH THE YOUNG: THE NORTH AMERICAN YOUTH NET


The North American Youth Net meets every Friday at 23: 00 UTC on
14.329 MHz. According to Steve Anness, KD5OWO, the purpose of this
on the air gathering is to get young hams together for technical
discussions or just a chance to meet and get to know one another. If
you are interested in becoming a Net Control for this gathering e-
mail Steve at . You can also visit the groups
website at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nayn (KD5OWO)


**


THAT FINAL ITEM: HAMVENTION 2004 THROUGH TEENAGE EYES


And finally this week, its the Dayton Hamvention as you have never
seen it before. This is because its through the eyes of the young.
And while we can't show you the pictures here, we can bring you
some
of the sound:


--


Sara K3OOO: "So you are probably thinking, OK I'm into this,
but how
do I get my license? Well, there lots of stuff. There's study
guides. Real cheap. Real easy. You go home. You study for a while
and do take your test and you pass and you get your license. No
Internet. No wires required."


--


That's 15 year old Sara Saeger, K3OOO, who, along with 18 year
old
Trevor Conroy, W7TDC, are hosts of a new video about Hamvention 2004
produced for Icom America by of John Webb, W7NWH. But this show is
not a commercial for Icom brand ham radio gear. In fact, its as if
John borrowed a bit from Cole Porter's grand old Broadway
musical.
The one whose title is "Anything Goes":


--


Trevor W7TDC: "Right over here we have DX Engineering, a
manufacturer of components that actually allows you to build your own
antenna. Antennas can be big. Antennas can be small. But theres
one thing thats true about all of them. They all get your signal in
the air."


--


Thats the other half of the anchor team and if Trevor sounds excited
about building antennas it's because he knows just how much fun
it
can be. And while Sara and Trevor are our guides, they are not only
young people in the new Icom show. Meet Rebekah Dorff, WG4Y, of
Alabaster, Alabama:


--


Rebekah W4GY: "Ive been a ham since I was 8. I got my Tech when
I
was 8, my Extra when I was 9 and then I got my DXCC when I was 10 and
then I got appointed as the Assistant Section Manager this year."


--


The bottom line. This is a new world of Amateur Radio and a lot of
young people are getting excited about it once they find out just how
much fun it can be. Thats because it gets you away from a computer
screen and gives you new friends all over the world:


--


Unidentified youngster: "Hopefully I will get my license today
and I
will finally be able to talk to Russia."


--


If you are one of those who really care about the future of ham
radio and want to see what it looks like through Sara and Trevor
eyes, then go to www.icomamerica.com/amateur/video and have a look
for yourself. Better yet, have your kids -- or your friends kids
watch the show with you. Once you do, we guarantee that none of you
will ever view ham radio the same way -- ever again.


Our thanks to Ray Novak, N9JA, and the fine folks at Icom America for
funding this important new ham radio video and making it available on-
line. Again that URL is www.icomamerica.com/amateur/video on the
World Wide Web. (ARNewslineâ„¢)


**


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 WIA 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 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur
Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.

Again, the VK1OD B-P-L Interference Evaluation Tool is on the web at
www.vk1od.net/bpl. (WIA News)

It appears as if an S9 interference signal would be a common
occurrence if BPL was present in your neighborhood.

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 17:17:13 -0400, wrote:



Again, the VK1OD B-P-L Interference Evaluation Tool is on the web at
www.vk1od.net/bpl. (WIA News)

It appears as if an S9 interference signal would be a common
occurrence if BPL was present in your neighborhood.

According to the calculator BPL only needs to be within 5
miles to be discernible.