Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1391 – April 8, 2004

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1391 with a release date of Friday, April
9th, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. It’s ham radio versus BPL in upstate New York.
Hear the racket for yourself on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1391
coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

THE BPL FIFGHT: HAM RADIO VS. BPL IN PENN YAN N.Y.

If you have been wondering what Broadband over Powerline interference will do
to your ability to communicate on the high frequency bands, here is a very
graphic illustration. Take a listen:

--
Penn Yan NY Audio - BPL Noise
--

That recording of the 15 meter phone band was recently made by Dave Hallidy,
K2DH, operating mobile in Penn Yan, New York and posted to the Rochester VHF
Society website. It was made the weekend of the CQ WPXSSB Contest using a
Yaesu FT-100D transceiver, a Tarheel Screwdriver antenna and recorded at a time
when the band was loaded end to end with high power contest stations. And
while you cold detect a few of them, the majority were covered up by the BPL
grudge.

--
Penn Yan NY Audio With Signals Covered Up
--

In an Internet posting Mark Hoffman, K2AXX, who is Chairman of Rochester group
described it as frightening to hear. He encourages all ham radio clubs and
other organizations to contributed to the ARRL BPL Defense Fund as a way of
fighting this threat to the ham radio bands. (K0BC, K2AXX, K2DH, QCWA)

**

THE BPL FIGHT: TIME TO GO TO COURT?

And Hoffman is not alone in his concern. Others on the Internet are
circulating a more drastic approach. Some hams advocate taking the matter to
court and try to have the interfering BPL providers charged with being a
public nuisance or as a threat to our national security. (Various Internet
Posts)

**

ENFORCEMENT: UTILITY WARNED TO CLEAN UP RFI

An electric utility has been told for a second time to locate and fix an
interference problem to a ham radio operator. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bruce
Tennant, K6ZW, has mo

--

The FCC has sent a second letter to an energy provider warning it to clean up
interference to a ham or face punitive action. The notice was sent directly to
Wayne H. Brunetti who is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Xcel Energy based I n Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In his letter the FCC tells Brunetti that the agency notified him back in
December of 2003 that it has received complaints of harmful radio interference
possibly caused by equipment operated by Xcel Energy. That this interference
has been reported by a ham living in Wellington, Colorado and that Xcel had
been given 60 days to let the FCC and the ham know what steps were being taken
to resolve the problem.

The FCC says that while Xcel did comply with its directive to respond, but as
of the date of the latest letter the harmful interference reported to its
office still remains unresolved. So the FCC told Brunetti that the company had
30 days to let the regulatory agency know what action Xcel has taken, or
intends to take, in order to identify and correct the source of these radio
emissions if they are being caused by its equipment. If Xcel fails to comply
it could face enforcement action.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting.

--

As we go to air there is no word if Xcel’s Burnetti has responded to the FCC.
(FCC, RAIN)

**

THE BPL FIGHT: OPPOSITION GOES PUBLIC IN SOUTH AFRICA

BPL is also a big concern in South Africa and that nations national ham radio
society has voiced its concern to the public about the introduction of
Broadband over Powerline Communications in that nation. SARL -- the South
African Radio League did this during the program “Technologic� which aired
on Africa’s D-S-T-V Business Channel.

Society president Graham Harlett, ZS6GJH, was interviewed at the National
Amateur Radio Center. He said that the SARL is opposed to Power Line
Communication because of its inherent interference to High Frequency radio
communication. He noted that the interference is not limited only to
frequencies used by Radio Amateurs. That it includes the military, civil
emergency agencies and some broadcasting stations as well.

Harlett, says that extensive tests carried out in Europe, the USA and Japan has
clearly shown this. A transmission line that carries power will become like
an antenna at higher frequencies and render the high frequency spectrum
unusable.

Harlett, who is a managing director of a South African consulting company
voiced another concern as well. One that has not really been talked about in
the United States. That of ingress to Broadband over Powerline systems from
other radio spectrum users including hams. Harlett says that radio
transmitters in close proximity to users of BPL are likely to cause
interference to them because of the antenna effect of the long, unshielded
powerlines.

Technologic was broadcast on Monday March 29th and has been repeated twice
since its initial airdate. (Q-News)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SOLVING HAM-SAT INTERFERENCE

Meantime, the subject of interference to ham radio satellite was one of the
topics at the recent meeting of the IARU Region One VHF Managers held in
Vienna. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, reports:

--

As a result of research performed by OZ1MY, it now been shown that QRM that is
occurring to ham radio satellites. Its primarily but not exclusively to 145
MHz satellite uplinks and mainly occurs when the birds are flying over Africa
and the Middle East.

According to AMSAT, IARU Region 1 has a Monitoring Service which has been
active for some years but which has, up to now, concentrated on frequencies
below 30 MHz. In view of the wide area of QRM that can be caused by satellites
and their ability to relay signals across international borders, the monitoring
team has now agreed to scrutinize the satellite subbands as well.

Right now, what is needed are regular reports detailing instances of
interference to the ham-sats along with audio files to back up each claim. The
audio files will enable more precise identification of accents and dialects of
those heard interfering. Hopefully, this will be a first step in getting those
causing the interference off the satellites and off the ham bands as well.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles.

--

The IARU Region One Monitoring Service team is said to have good contacts which
are used daily to remove intruders from the High Frequency bands. Hopefully
they will be able to do the same on VHF and UHF as well. (AMSAT, Others)

**

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on
bulletin stations around the world including the N8JFA X-WARN Repeater serving
Xenia Ohio.

(5 sec pause here)

**


ENFORCEMENT: FCC INVESTIGATES "PERFECT FIT"

Back here in the United States, the GCC Communicator reports that the FCC has
launched an investigation into mattress warmer switching power supplies
manufactured by Perfect Fit Industries. According to CGC, these supplies were
never Part 15 RFI tested
and have been shown to create large amounts of problems to radio reception.
(CGC)

**

CB NEWS: VK CB TELNET NODES ON THE AIR

Some interesting news about C-B -- Citizens Band radio -- down-under. Unlike
the United States where C-B operation is hap-hazard with no structure,
Australia has a CB Packet Radio System that rivals anything that ham radio has
ever set up. And now, it is being linked over the Internet to C-B operations
in other nations including many Europe. This is making it possible for
Australian C-B’ers to connect with numerous other C-B stations throughout
the world using radio and Telnet. Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the nodes and
the frequencies:

--

AUS002 Warren reports in Australia there are so far several CB Packet Radio
Nodes and BBS's. These are AU4BNE Node 27.225 Usb Brisbane Q'ld, AUS011 BBS
27.225 Usb Brisbane, AU6PER Node 476.950 Fm Perth W.A and AU6BBS BBS 476.950
Fm Perth.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, In Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of Q-News Australia.

--

So if you are scanning the 11 meter Citizens Band and hear digital signals, now
you know exactly what they are. (Q-News)

**

RESCUE RADIO: NEW NYC ARES WEBSITE

Some good news out of the Big Apple. The Public Information Officer for New
York City District ARES reports that the group has a new web site up and
running. Among its features are links to each of the city’s 5 borough ARES
operations, a contact list of borough District Emergency Coordinators, a news
page and much more.

Want to see it? You can. Its in cyberspace at www.aresnyc.org (K2VMR)

**

RADIO LAW: CABLE MAKES DECENCY OFFER

The cable television industry says that it will provide free equipment to allow
subscribers to block unwanted channels. This in reaction to efforts on Capitol
Hill to curb indecent programming.

Robert Sachs, president of the National Cable and Telecommunications
Association, announced the plan at a recent gathering of cable industry
executives. The offer is directed to about half the nation's 70.5 million
cable subscribers who don't have cable boxes that can be programmed to block
certain channels or programs.

The companies agreeing to the plan include the 10 largest in the country and
reach 85 percent of all cable subscribers. (Published reports)

**

RADIO ON THE MOVE: WWVA MAY LEAVE WEST VA

Famed AM broadcast station WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia may soon be heading
to a new QTH. This, as Clear Channel Communications confirms that the company
has filed an application with the FCC to move long-time 1170 KHz Wheeling radio
station out of the state of West Virginia.

According to a report in the Wheeling News-Register, Clear Channel
Communications Wheeling Vice President Scott Miller said the company has
submitted an application to move the radio station to Stow, Ohio. This is a
town located just north of Akron. Miller said it has not been determined
whether WWVA will actually be leaving Wheeling, and noted that approval of such
applications are extensive.

Broadcast pioneer John Stroebel brought WWVA on the air on December 13th, 1926
using home built 50 watt transmitter set up in the basement of his Wheeling
home. By 1929 WWVA had increased power to 5000 watts and became one of the
most listened to stations in the East. And, for many years before Clear
Channel Communications bought it, WWVA held the honor of being one of the last
clear channel coast to coast broadcasters left in the United States. It also
helped to make the city of Wheeling famous, worldwide. (Listener reports
confirmed by NRCDXAS)

**

HAMFESTS AND CONVENTIONS: VISALIA INTERNATIONAL DX CONVENTION

On the convention circuit, the 55th Annual International DX Convention
sponsored this year by the Southern California DX Club will be held April 23 to
the 25th. This is the worlds premiere gathering of hams interested in DX and
DXing on any band from DC to light. A show that attracts attendees from Asia,
Europe, Africa and Oceania as well as from across the United States.

Scheduled events include a contest forum, antenna forum, DX forum along with
seminars for everyone from the newcomer to DXing to the seasoned pro. The top
of the line manufacturers will be there on their own display midway where you
can talk to the people who design and use the best of DX equipment made.

As in previous years, the venue is the Holiday Inn in the city of Visalia,
California. For full details visit www.scdxc.org/visalia/ on the World Wide
Web. (SCDXC)

**

HAMVENTION 2004: AMSAT EVENTS

Two more special events timed to coincide with Hamvention 2004 to report this
week. The Third Annual AMSAT "Pizza 'n' Suds" party will be held Thursday
evening May 13th. Again this year the venue will be Marion's Pizza at 1320
North Fairfield Rd. The party will begin at 1830 and go until the last pizza
is gone! Food will be ordered from the menu and drinks are available at the
bar.

Also, the AMSAT Banquet will be held Friday evening at 1800. Location is the
Amber Rose Restaurant at 1400 Valley St. in old north Dayton. As with past
years the meal will be a buffet with a price of $25.00 per person.
Reservations are required and the banquet is limited to 90 people maximum.
Please contact Nancy Makley for reservations. Her e-mail is .
(N8NUY)

**

HAMVENTION 2004: MEDIA CREDENTIALS

Still with Hamvention 2004, this to members of the working press who are
planning to cover the event for commercial television, radio, newspapers or
magazines. Media credentials are available to those organizations planning to
send reporters. Complete information and a downloadable electronic application
are on line at www.hamvention.org. Just scroll down on the left side of the
page and click on the word Media. When the page loads, click on the word Media
Credentials and follow the instructions that appear. (Hamvention(r))

**

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)

**

WITH NEWSLINE: NEW SEATTLE ACCESS NUMBER

This note to listeners who get Newsline by telephone access from Seattle.
Joybubbles, WB0RPA, tells us he has a new easy to remember number for that
line. Its area code 206-333-6397. How is that easier to rember? Try it this
way: 206-333-NEWS. And we thank WB0RPA for the information and for sponsoring
the line. (WB0RPA)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ECHO STILL NEEDS $48,000

Turning to ham radio in space, AMSAT reports that as of March 30th it has
raised $61,988 of the $110,000 needed to launch the new Echo ham radio
satellite. That leaves about $48,000 still needed before the current target
launch date of this coming June 29th. Go to www.amsat.org to find out how to
donate to this very worthy project. (AMSAT)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: PC-SAT 2 READY TO FLY

Also word that PCSAT 2 has passed its final outgassing tests putting it one
step closer to launch. These outgassing tests are some of the most stringent
in the space program. They are designed to protest crew members from fumes
that might arise out of materials used to construct anything going into space.


Commercial manufacturers who spend millions of dollars to develop space safe
materials might want to take a lesson from the hams. All the parts in PCSAT 2
are off-the-shelf ham radio items. The new bird uses Kantronics TNC's and
Hamtronics transmitter and receiver boards that include all of the original
plastic parts.

PCSAT 2 will go into orbit on the first shuttle when they return to flight
next year. Additional information about the PCSAT 2 mission is available at
http://www.ew.usna.edu/~bruninga/pcsat2.html (ANS, WB4APR)

**

WORLDBEAT - URUNGA - UGANDA: NO IT WASN’T APRIL FOOLS

Turning to news from around the world we have a correction on a sound-alike
from last week. No, it wasn’t an April Fools joke. Again, here’s Q-News
Graham Kemp, VK4BB:

--
Audio report only. Hear it in the audio newscast at www.arnewsline.org
--

So how did this one happen? Here is a clue. Try typing Urunga into your spell
checker and see what it spits out. This one simply got away in the wee hours
of the morning. (Q-News)

**

WORLDBEAT - HOLLAND: SKED CHANGES AT RADIO NETHERLANDS

This for Radio Netherlands listeners in North America. As of Sunday 4th April
the station has dropped its 1200 UTC shortwave transmission on 11.675 MHz.
Also, last week the station broadcast its morning program on shortwave at both
1100 and 1200 UTC due to the discrepancy in the starting dates for daylight
saving time. From Sunday it will be on shortwave for one hour at 1100-1200 UTC
on the afore mentioned 11.675 Mhz. (Radio Netherlands)

**

WORLDBEAT - EUROPE: THE 2004 SIX METER MARATHON

The Rientola Radio Amateur Club, operators of station OH3AG is inviting hams
world wide to participate into the first Global Six Meter Marathon. The
objective of the contest is to work as many DXCC countries as possible between
May 8th at 0000 UTC and August 8th at 2400 UTC, doing so on six meters band.
The results of this contest will be published during Tampere Six Meters Forum
on August 14th when the Magic Band enthusiasts abroad will meet. You can follow
this contest and get more information on-line at www.50mc.tk (RSGB)

**

DX

In DX, F5NQL says that he has been receiving many QSLs for the 5V7C Togo
Dxpedition, but he is not the QSL manager for this operation. The correct QSL
manager is Franck Savoldi, F5TVG, whose address is PO Box 92, 94223 Charenton
Cedex, France. F5NQL is the DX editor for the French magazine Megahertz.
(RSGB)

On the air, SM1TDE will operate from Tanzania mainly on CW, RTTY and SSB. He
will be signing his call portable 5H3 through the 18th of April. QSL as
directed by the operator. (RSGB)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: HAM RADIO AND THE AMBER ALERTS REVISITED

And finally, an update to our story two weeks ago about AMBER Alerts. We
mentioned that for the most part ham radio seemed to have little interest in
this important public notification system designed to help find the victims of
kidnappings. Now we learn of at least one Amateur Radio club that's at work
preparing to handle AMBER Alerts. It's located in Eastern Pennsylvania where
our own Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is based:

--

Mel Salzman, W-3-M-E-L is the force behind the Dauberville DX Association in
Reading, Pennsylvania, getting connected to the AMBER Alert system.

Salzman, Dauberville's president, says he first became interested in AMBER
Alert about a year ago and began searching the Internet for information.
The system enables law enforcement to issue bulletins to the public about
missing or abducted children.

In some states, messages are transmitted by commercial radio stations similar
to an Emergency Broadcast System message. AMBER Alert also relies on highway
message boards and cable-television systems to get out information.

Its goal: To enlist thousands of pairs of eyes - whether they be motorists or
truckers or neighborhood and community residents - to be on the lookout for the
kidnapper of a child.

Salzman says he convinced the Dauberville group to put up a "ticker" or
scrolling message on the club's website - D-D-X-A dot o-r-g, to display AMBER
Alert information.
Salzman also says he has his home computer hooked up to receive instant AMBER
Alert notifications, paying particular attention to Pennsylvania, New Jersey,
Delaware and Maryland.

Salzman says his next step in connecting the Amateur Radio service to this
effort was getting clearance from the club and the blessing of the FCC to
transmit AMBER Alert information as a Q-S-T over the Dauberville group's
repeaters.
"We have three repeaters," Salzman explains. "We can link all three repeaters
if necessary and actually read the description, license plate number, whose
been taken, what the guy looks like, whatever information comes through on my
e-mail. That's what I'll put out on the air."

Salzman says the instructions are clear to any ham operator receiving the
information and making a possible sighting.

"Call your local police, call 9-1-1 and give them the information," Salzman
says. "If you happen to see that car or whatever description is out there, the
car, what the driver looks like, call the police immediately."

Salzman says the Dauberville club has a modest, active membership, but many
others in the region as well as those passing through the area use its
repeaters and are supportive.

"We do have an active membership of, I would say, 20-25, and then people that
they talk to," Salzman says. "You know how that could just snowballs. Like I
said, the more people hear it, the more people are going to be looking, too."

Salzman says he hasn't publicized the Dauberville club's involvement with AMBER
Alert. But Salzman says he's now preparing to reach out to other local clubs in
the region as well as the Berks County ARES/RACES unit.

Salzman says he's also working to contact local law enforcement officials in
greater Reading area to let them know ham operators are prepared to help by
relaying AMBER Alert information.

So far, he says, the AMBER Alert system hasn't been activated much in this
region. Salzman says that's a good thing. But, he says, the hams are ready if
needed. Salzman says February's abduction and murder of 11-year-old Carlie
Brucia in Sarasota, Florida affected him and others. Auto mechanic Joseph Smith
is awaiting trial in connection with her death.

"I'd just like to really see this get going because it is extremely important.
It just tears your heart out when you see these kids being abducted, especially
with Carlie (Brucia), like when you find them and they're gone already. So, the
more people involved, the better the results are going to be."

AMBER Alert was created seven years ago in memory of Amber Hagerman of
Arlington, Texas. The 9-year-old was kidnapped while riding her bicycle near
her home and later found murdered.

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

--

If you want to know more about how you can involve the Amateur Radio service in
your area in America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response - what AMBER
stands for - take your web browser to www.missingkids.com. Then click on the
words AMBER Plan. Getting a ham-radio assisted AMBER Alert plan started in
your town could eventually save a child's life. (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 Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail
address is . 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.

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur Radio Newsline Young
Ham of the Year Award is now on. This program is open to any FCC licensed
young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the contiguous 48 states and
who has made a significant contribution to the community, the nation or ham
radio though the United States Amateur Radio Service.

More information and a downloadable on-line nominating form is at our website.
That’s in cyberspace at www.arnewsline.org. The cutoff for nominations this
year is midnight on Tuesday, June 31st.

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