Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1362– September 19 2003

A NOTE TO THOSE WHO ONLY “READ� AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE

As you are aware, Amateur Radio Newsline is, primarily, an audio news service
and this weeks newscast is very audio intensive. While reading gives the basic
facts, we advise you to download the audio file at
http://www.arnewsline.org/quincy to get the most out of the newscast in
relation to our coverage of Hurricane Isabel and the role Amateur Radio played
and continues to play in storm communications efforts. This is a story told in
“sound� from the scene that really cannot be reported in any other way.

**

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1362 with a release date of Friday,
September 19th 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Ham radio is there as a hurricane pounds the U-S
east coast, the ARRL holds tight on Morse and more petitions are on their way
to the FCC. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1362
coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

RESCUE RADIO: HAM ADIO AND HURRICANE ISABEL


Her name is Isabel. She is a hurricane that slammed into the United States
East coast with gale force winds. Emergency services including ham radio were
ready and waiting as we hear in this report:

--

Roaring ashore with winds of more than 100 miles an hour, Isabel made landfall
along North Carolina's Ocracoke Island, crossing the Outer Banks around midday
September 18th. On the west end of Ocracoke Island, sustained winds were
measured at 80 miles an hour. Storm surge of 12 feet was reported I

Bernard Nobles, WA4MOK, is a Section Emergency Coordinator in North Carolina.
He says hams mobilized over a large part of the state:

4:07 IN In emergency operations centers
OUT in the eastern part of the state

The action wasn't just in North Carolina. Hams throughout the eastern seaboard
were in position, ready to provide backup communications. Only a few hours
after the storm had moved ashore, more than 800-thousand customers were without
power in North Carolina and Virginia. Bill Moraine, N2COP, is a Public
Information Officer in southeastern North Carolina. He says hams were providing
a variety of communications services:

--

IN they really run the range of
OUT in northeastern North Carolina.

--

Morrain says High Frequency conditions were often deplorable with extensive
interference. He says the Hurricane Watch Net was being relayed locally through
both EchoLink and IRLP, the Internet Repeater Linking Project, to help overcome
H-F problem. All along the storms projected path ham radio operators trained in
emergency communications were in service or on stand-by alert. The Hurricane
Watch Net was busy on 14-point-325 MHz. At the National Hurricane Center in
Florida, amateur station WX4NHC helped with relaying storm reports. With hams
throughout the mid-Atlantic region helping in the communications effort,
Morraine said putting a number on those assisting would be tough:

--

IN We don't have a handle
OUT in this particular disaster One bit of good news.

--

Morraine says Isabel is no Hugo, referring to the devastating hurricane that
slammed into North Carolina in 1989:

--

IN Thanksfully, Isabel
OUT about 105.

--

Hams were scheduled to staff the North Carolina Emergency Management Eastern
Branch headquarters in Kinston. The amateur station at the state emergency
operations center in Raleigh was also activating, with an umbrella of liaison
stations being organized to monitor the 146.88 MHz repeater and the Tarheel
Net.

The National Weather Service had hurricane warnings posted for parts of North
Carolina and Virginia. Forecasters warned hurricane force winds were possible
150 miles inland, along with tornadoes.

As Isabel began moving north after landfall, flooding became a serious threat.
At least one hotel in Kill Devil Hills collapsed into the ocean. Evacuations
were being ordered along Chesapeake Bay.

In the hurricane's first day ashore, nearly 900 flights had to be cancelled,
with some airports closing or limiting service. Up to a foot of rain was
possible in West Virginia's hilly Eastern Panhandle, with between 6 and 9
inches of rain expected over parts of Pennsylvania. Amateur radio operators say
they will stay on the air helping--as long as needed.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm David Black, KB4KCH, in Birmingham Alabama.

+++

As David said, it was North Carolina that was the first to feel Isabel’s
fury. Gay Pearce, KN4AQ, is in Raleigh with that part of the story.

+++

Amateur Radio was in full swing in eastern North Carolina as Hurricane Isabel
made landfall on Thursday. For hams and everyone else, the term "made
landfall" was a confusing one. High winds, rain and power failures reached the
Raleigh-Durham area, 150 miles inland, well before the
hurricane eye crossed the coastline.

--

IN: WAKE EOC POWER FAIL AUDIO]

--

The Tarheel Emergency Net, North Carolina's ARES net, was in operation,
splitting duty between 3923 and 7232 kHz, depending on propagation

--

IN: HF COUNTY CHECK-IN AUDIO],

--

The North Carolina ARES group has not yet begun to use 60 meters.

Most traffic between the coast and the states Eastern Branch headquarters in
Kinston was being handled on linked repeater systems.

Several hams have remained on Hatteras Island on the Outer Banks, and for a
time, hams across the world could listen to them via Echolink and IRLP
connections. That ended as power and phone service failed near the coast.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami continued to use the Internet links to
take reports from areas where connections remained in place.

--

[K4JVP AUDIO]

--


There was some confusion early as too many sources of input were mixed together
on one combined Echoink/IRLP conference. The National Hurricane Center's
liaison station commented:

--

[HNC CONFUSION AUDIO]

--

Control operators were able to clear up that confusion, but locally, repeater
operators are finding that they can't mix local emergency and logistics traffic
with a full-time Internet connection that's carrying similar traffic on other
repeaters. That's a lesson for the next emergency.

Repeaters were used inland as well. The wide coverage 146.88 repeater in
Raleigh linked the State EOC with surrounding counties and the Eastern Branch
headquarters.

--

[VHF COUNTY CHECK-IN AUDIO]

--

Shelters began filling up as the storm moved inland, but with most shelters
located in counties that would receive at least Tropical Storm force winds and
a possible loss of power and telephone service, Amateurs were dispatched to
provide communications.

--

[SHELTER VOLUNTEER AUDIO]

--

Reporting for Newsline from the fringe of Hurricane Isabel, this is Gary Pearce
KN4AQ in Raleigh, North Carolina.

--

More on Hurricane Isabel and the role of ham radio in future Amateur Radio
Newsline reports. (Numerous sources)

**

Break 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on
bulletin stations around the world including the WR4AMS repeater serving
Eastern Kentucky.


(5 sec pause here)


**

RESTRUCTURING: THE ARRL POSITION - WAIT TO HEAR FROM OUR MEMBERS

Why hasn't the ARRL joined those who have already filed petitions to the FCC on
the topics of Morse Code testing and changes to license priveleges? In a note
to his constituancy the League’s Southwestern Division Director Art Goddard,
W6XD, explains it this way:

“After determining that the FCC will be handling these matters in due
course, your ARRL has set a timetable that includes ample opportunity to
collect member input before determining its direction at the January 2004 Board
meeting.�

Goddard says to say tuned for further developments. He also tells ARRL members
to contact their own ARRL Director and make known their views on these vital
issues.

Goddard also suppled a brief overview of a meeting in St. Louis this past
weekend, where ARRL Directors and Officers took what he calls the next step to
define the ARRL's future role in Advancing and Advocating Amateur Radio.
Although the details of ARRL's Long Range Plan aren't yet complete, W6XD says
that hams can expect to see bold new actions in several key areas. These
include advocacy in key regulatory and legislative issues, lifetime learning,
certification and personal achievement and public recognition of Amateur Radio
as a valuable service. Goddard adds that there will also be financial
stability to implement all of these strategies. (ARRL SW Div. Report)

**

RESTRUCTURING: MORE CODE PETITIONS COMING

The ARRL may be taking the correct road on this one. This is because the
latest ham radio restructuring show appears to be only in its opening act. In
fact, it looks as if the six petitions favoring abolishing Morse testing and
the one from FISTS favoring its retention may be only the beginning of a deluge
of requests from both sides in the issue. We have heard that there are a
number of other petitions already at the FCC or on their way but know little
about them. Our Bruce Tennant, K6PZW has mo

As we go to air we believe there are as many as another half dozen petitions
being filed on both sides of this contriversial restructuring issue. Amateur
Radio Newsline will keep following this story and will have more fore you in
upcoming reports. (Various sources)

**

RESTRUCTURING: FILE ON EACH PETITION

Still with this latest round of restructuring. If you are among those planning
to file comments on one or more of the Morse petitions already before the FCC
then listen up. If you want to make known your feelings on all of them, then
you will have to file separate comments on each one.

As of this moment, a comment filed on any one particular petition will be
considered for that specific rule making request alone and not on all. And
having read the petitions, we can understand why. Each one asks for a specific
approach in handling the Morse question and it would be impossible to provide a
one comment that would fit all.

By the way, as we go to air the FISTS pro-code request has still not been
assigned a rule making designation by the FCC. (ARNewsline(tm))

**

RADIO LAW: CONGRESS MAY INCREASE FCC AUTHORITY TO ISSUE FINES

The Federal Communications Commission would be given the authority to levy
significantly higher fines. This, if a bill being considered by the Commerce
Committee of the U.S. Senate becomes law. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Mark
Abramowicz, NT3V, has the details:

--

The Wall Street Journal reports that fines for violating FCC rules could jump
tenfold, and activities of lobbyists would be further restricted under a bill
introduced in mid-June by Senator John McCain who chairs the Committee that
authorizes the agency's funding. In addition to the increase in the
Commission’s authority to levy fines, the proposed legislation would also
extend the statute of limitations on violations of the agency’s rules from
one year to two.

Other provisions include restrictions that would prevent top staffers from
lobbying the agency for one year after leaving their positions, and a ban on
the payment of travel expenses of FCC officials by companies and private
interest groups. In other words, if the FCC were to send out a representative
to any gathering the cost must be borne by the agency and not the events
sponsor. Its far to early to know if such a prohibition would impact on the
FCC ability to attend hamfests, conventions and other hobby radio gatherings.


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

--

McCain’s bill reportedly has the support of Senator Ernest Hollings
increasing its chances of gaining broader support. Even so, it is still
expected to face tough opposition as it makes its way through the regulatory
aproval process. (Published news reports)

**

REMEMBERING : THE 2ND ANNUAL N2LEN 9/11 NET

The second annual N2LEN nine eleven net took place on Thursday, September
11tth. The gathering used voice over I P technology to link repeaters world
wide over the Internet. This allowed radio amateurs and non-ham listeners to
reflect on the terrorist attacks of two years ago and the role that radio
amateurs played in the aftermath.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, was this years keynote speaker. He addressed
the role of Amateur Radio in homeland security and urged each amateur to
develop his or her emergency communication skills.

As with the 2002 net, this year's cyberspace and radio meting relied on
EchoLink and eQSO Internet software connections as well as repeaters and
simplex links around the world. (N2LEN Net News Release)

**

AMATEUR RADIO SURVIVAL: UCF CLUB EVICTED FROM ITS HOME

The University of Central Florida Amateur Radio Club station K4UCF has been
evicted. This, from the campus location that it had occupied for 30 years.
Mert Garlick, N6AWE, reports:

--

According to a qrz.com website posting from Matt Collins, KG4JYD, the eviction
took place last June but seems only now to have been made public. It
reportedly resulted from faculty complaints about the radio club who concluded
that damage to computer equipment was from a lightning strike that entered the
building through the club's antenna system. University's plant personnel also
complained that club members worked on the roof of the building without
authorization.

But Matt Kassawara KG4FEQ , has a differing view. Kassawar who is with the club
says that the ham station is the closest equipment to the antenna system. He
says that neither that equipment nor the club repeaters were damaged by a
lightning strike, indicating that the clubs antenna could not have been the
source of the damage.

The club requested that University of Central Florida provide comparable space
from which to operate. So far UCF administrators have refused.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Mert Garlick, N6AWE.

--

More information is on the web at qrz.com and
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~wb4tcw/evictimeline.html (qrz.com)

**

ENFORCEMENT: NY COURT DISMISSES HAM SCANNER CASE

Some good news for a New York State ham as a court dismisses a misdemeanor
charge against Richard C. Lalone, KC5GAX. This for allegedly for violating an
anti-scanner provision that state's Vehicle and Traffic Law.

According to the ARRL Letter, in a 1300-word decision, Judge John J. Hallet
said it was clear the legislature never intended the provisions of traffic law
397 from applying to licensed Amateur Radio operators. He then dismissed the
charge against Lalone August 5th.

The law in question prohibits individuals in New York state -- other than law
officers -- from equipping their vehicles with radios capable of receiving
signals on the frequencies allocated for police use without first securing a
permit. The section also contains an explicit exemption for any person who
holds a valid amateur radio operator's license. (ARRL)

**

ENFORCEMENT: FCC ASKS POWER COMPANY TO TRY HARDER TO RESOLVE NOISE COMPLAINTS

The FCC has asked American Electric Power Company of Columbus, Ohio to take a
closer look at several power line noise complaints and try harder to resolve
them. This in relation to complaints filed by four Amateur Radio operators in
Ohio, Indiana and Oklahoma.

According to the ARRL Letter AEP responded February 10th to the FCC's initial
correspondence regarding the four cases. But the agencys’ Special Counsel
Riley Hollingsworth says that follow-up reports from the complainants suggest
discrepancies exist between what AEP told the FCC and what the complainants
report.

Hollingsworth said evidence to date indicates that none of the cases has been
satisfactorily resolved. In one case, AEP erroneously identified the amateur's
own antenna as the source of the noise.

Now, Hollingsworth has asked AEP to revisit each of these issues and to update
the FCC within 45 days of any progress in each case. He also referred the
power company to ARRL RFI Specialist Mike Gruber, W1MG, for technical
assistance. (ARRL, FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: PAGING FINE

The FCC has affirmed a $9,000 fine against Air Paging, Inc.. This for failure
to operate its Wireless Radio Station in accordance with its station
authorization, continuous radiation of an unmodulated carrier, and failure to
provide station identification by the assigned call sign.

Air Paging did not file a response to the initial Notice of Liability, so the
$9,000 figure was affirmed. In addition, the Commission does not know if Air
Paging has corrected the various violations, so Air Paging has been given 30
days to outline what measures it has taken or will take to correct the
violations and ensure that they do not recur. The entire mater is in
cyberspace at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...-03-2741A1.doc (CGC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: TWO MORE TOWER FINES ISSUED

The FCC has issued two more broadcasters hefty fines because of tower related
violations. A monetary forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 was issued to
Pinnacle Towers, Inc., owner of a tower in Des Moines, Iowa, for failing to
clean and repaint its antenna structure to maintain good visibility. Dinged
with a $3000 fine is Best Country Broadcasting, LLC, owner of the antenna
structure located in Bogalusa, Louisiana. No reason for this fine was
mentioned in the FCC digest for the Best Country fine. (CGC)

**


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)


**

INTERNATIONAL - AUSTRALIA: BPL COMING TO VK-LAND

The problem of Broadband over Powerlines or BPL is about to hit dwn-under.
This as Australia makes ready to give it a go. Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has
the latest:

--

PLT, PLC, BPL. What ever way you say it it means noise. Now, the Wireless
Institute of Australia - Victoria says there is now clear evidence of a
PLT-C/PBL push in Australia. That no-one can continue to be in denial mode.

From the Q-NEWS perspective Barry VK2AAB will no longer be a "voice in the
wilderness." Many of us will soon be asking "why didn't we act sooner".

You'll recall months ago we mentioned the little units being sold by DSE. Well
these are small fry compared to the same basics being applied to our 240 volt
mains supply, or worse, the High voltage distribution system.

--

It appears as id BPL is quickly becoming a world-wide problem for Amateur
Radio. (Q-News)

**

RADIO LAW FOLLOW-UP: NEVADA TOLD TO SCRAP NEW RADIO SYSTEM

Here’s a follow up on a story we brought to you several months ago regarding
a new state wide radio system in Nevada and an oversight by the regulators
planning it. As previousy reported, the Nevada Highway Patrol had spent $14
million on a contract with Motorola to build a computerized radio system. It
was activated back in 2000 but nobody from the state ever applied to the FCC
for licenses for the frequencies. As a result, the FCC had told the Nevada
Highway Patrol and other state agencies to stop using the 140 frequencies by
last June.

To comply with the federal order, Nevada has had to scrap a costly radio
system that's less than two yeas old. So on Tuesday, September 9th the Nevada
state Board of Examiners voted to spend $16.1 million on new radio gear for the
Nevada Highway Patrol. (Published news reports)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: W4FAL AND K2AD ELECTED NEW NFCC DIRECTORS

Some names in the news. They are Frank Lynch, W4FAL and Doug Sharp, K2AD who
have been elected as Directors of the National Frequency Coordinators Council.


The NFCC made known the results on September 6th. This, after twenty-eigh of
its member councils took part in the vote.

The National Frequency Coordinators Council is an umbrella group of recognized
repeater coordinators. It was formed as the result of a meeting held in St.
Charls Missouri in the late 1990’s. (ARNewsline(tm))

**

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS: QUEENSLAND AUSTRALIA ON SEPTEMBER 19-21

On the hamfest scene, the 30th annual North Queensland Amateur Radio Convention
takes place September 19th to the 21st. The venue is down-under at James Cook
University in the state of Queensland Australia. For details please e-mail
(Q-News)

**

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS: THE DX BASH IN TEXAS IN OCTOBER

Back on this side of the Pacific, the 13th Annual DX BASH will be held on Oct
10th to the 11 at Lake Buchanan near Austin, Texas. Icom has provided a IC-746
Pro and IC-756 Pro II that will be in use at the W5KFT contest station for
attendees to try out in actual "on the air" conditions. Also planned are
programs on operating, contesting, towers and antennas. More nformation is
on-line at www.dxbash.com (W5KFT)

**

SWL-FESTS: SCADS IN HUNTINGTON BEACH IN SEPTEMBER

And short-wave hobbyists, this one is for you. Word that the Annual Southern
California Area D-X’ers Picnic will be held on September 20th from 8am to
4pm. This, at the Huntington Beach Central Park in Huntington Beach
California.

Huntington Beach is a suburb of Los Angeles. Further information available from
Stewart MacKenzie, WDX6AA, at 714-846-1685 from about 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. -
Pacific coast time. (SCADS)

**

DX

In D-X, if you are waiting for a Q-S-L card for last June’s WB8XX operation
on Antigua, you will have to be patient a bit longer. According to Kevin,
cards ordered 2 months ago from PY2TNT never did show up and now it appears
that the company maybe out of business. Kevin says that the website is
suspended and E-mails bounce. WB8XX adds that he will be ordering more cards
from a stateside supplier, and will have all of the cards out as soon as the
2nd order arrives. (VHF Reflector)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: TEACHING HAM RADIO IN ALBANIA

And finaly this week, how would one of you like to teach ham radio in Albania?
Yes, we said Albania. Well you can if you know the British Radio Amateur
Examination course and like to travel. Here R-S-G-B Newsreader Jeramy Boot,
G4NJH, with the rest of the story:

--

A radio amateur lecturer is required to help give a radio amateur course in the
Technical University of Tirana, Albania, this coming November. The course will
integrate amateur radio communications theory and practice into the
University's normal study programme.

The course is organised in coordination with the Ministry of Telecommunications
in Albania, in conjunction with the IARU, and using RSGB documentation. Several
agencies and companies are providing financial support. The applicant should
have experience of
teaching electronics and telecommunications at the amateur radio level in a UK
setting. The course material is based on the UK RAE at the Full licence level
and will lead to a CEPT-recognised qualification for the successful students.
The successful amateur will help to coordinate the other visiting lecturers,
and the assignment will take three weeks out of a six-week program.

This is a unique opportunity to join a multi-national amateur radio team
helping to create a new group of telecommunication engineers to benefit the
Albanian economy. It will provide a rich experience, not to mention the
opportunity to operate ZA1A from the hotel in any spare moments.

--

For more details, please contact Roger, G3LQP, by e-mail to
(GB2RS)

**

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 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur Radio Newsline(tm)
is Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.