Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1547 - April 6, 2007

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1547 with a
release date of Friday, April 6th, 2007 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. The ham radio ban
continues in Iraq, the long awaited Swains Island
Dxpedition is on the air and the fight against
B-P-L continures world-wide. Find out the
details on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number
1547 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

WORLDBEAT: IRAQ HAM RADIO BLACK-OUT CONTINUES

The shut-down of Amateur Radio in Iraq could
continue for a long time. This according to
several reports that quote officials of the Iraq
Amateur Radio Society. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR, has the details:

--


The Iraq Amateur Radio Society says through
Internet postings that it has turned down a
government request to warehouse all ham gear
owned by Iraqi radio amateurs. This is because
its simply to dangerous to go out and collect the equipment.

While Iraq's ham populace may not be radiating
R-F, they are still communicating with
one-another and with the outside. This, world
using Echolink and other V-O-I-P systems over the World Wide Web.

This was confirmed earlier in a posting to the
QRZ dot com website where Iraq Amateur Radio
Society President Diya Sayah, YI1DZ, indicated this would likely be the
case.

Sayah wrote -- and we quote: "Echolink, CQ100,
the Internet, cellphones are still working and we
had several ham radios working now using these
instead of RF." The term "ham radios" in this
case referring to operators not actual gear.

The Iraqi ham radio blackout affects anyone
operating an Amateur station from that
nation. That includes its citizens, outside
contractors and even members of other nations
military who are stationed in Iraq.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Jeff reinhardt, AA6JR, in Los Angeles.

--

As previously reported, the Iraqi Ministry of
Defense last month ordered that all Iraqi radio
amateurs remain off the air until improvements
are made in what it terms as that nations
overall internal security. Some political
observers in the West believe that could take
years if not decades to happen. (Various)

**

THE DX WORLD: SWAINS ISLAND IS ON THE AIR

The long awaited N-8-S Swains Island DXpedition
is on the air! The first contacts were made at
just past 10:00 U-T-C on Wednesday, April 4th
with literal pile-ups already reported on 80, 40 and 20 meters.

By the time this newscast goes to air, the 17
member team should be active on all of the High
Frequency bands from 160 through 10 meters. They
are also carrying moonbounce and weak signal gear
for use on on 6 and 2 meters. The primary modes
to be used will be SSB and C-W but they will be
operating W-S-J-T-65 on 50.375 MHz and 144.375
MHz for their Earth-Moon-Earth operations.

Radio New Zealand International which has been
following the Swains Island DX-pedition planning
says that in addition to the ham radio aspect of
this expedition, the group will be delivering
supplies, such as tents, equipment and food items
for those living on Swains. Also that the ham
radio team will donate an Amateur station and a
generator to ensure communication is always
available between the isolated atoll and the outside world.

The N-8-S team plans to be on Swains through
April 15th. Up to date information on this
operation is on line at www.yt1ad.info/n8s

We will have more DX at the end of this weeks
newscast. (Various DX remailers, Radio New Zealand International)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: HAM SPACE TOURIST TO LAUNCH APRIL 7

If all goes as planned, space tourist Charles
Simonyi KE7KDP, should be on the International
Space Station by the time many of you hear this
newscast. As we go to AIR, THE Russian Soyuz
spacecraft carrying Simonyi is slated for liftoff
at 17:30 U-T-C on April 7th.

The launch was to be carried live on both NASA
and E-S-A television. Once on board the I-S-S,
Simonyi plans to use one of the ARISS stations
for contacts with students at four schools as
well as possible casual contacts with hams on the ground.

After his stay, KE7KDP will return to Earth with
members of the departing Expedition 14
crew. They are being replaced by Expedition 15
which is made up of Russian cosmonauts Fyodor
Yurchikhin, RN3FI, and non-ham Oleg Kotov. U-S
astronaut Suni Williams, KD5PLB, will remain on
the I-S-S. Her tour of duty was scheduled to
span portions of Expeditions 14 and 15. (ARISS, Southgate, others)

**

THE BPL WAR: AUSTRALIAN BPL INTERFERENCE VIDEO RELEASED

The fight against interference caused by access
B-P-L continues down-under. This with the
release of a new 8 minute documentary video
dealing with the interference potential of
Broadband Over Powerline technology in Australia.

The show is a virtual tour video of the Mt
Nelson B-P-L trial area and contains a visual and
audible representation of the interference
potential of the B-P-L technology deployed in the
area. It also contains commentary and background
information on B-P-L technology . You can view
it on-line at http://reast.asn.au/vk7bplwatch.php#bpltours (WIA News)

**

THE BPL WAR: RSGB OPPOSES BPL SCHEME

The Radio Society of Great Britain is supporting
International Amateur Radio Union Region 1
efforts to stop proposals, whereby Broadband over
Powerline systems could operate within the High
Frequency broadcast bands. This, using a
technique called dynamic notching. The RSGB
support has been to echo IARU's detailed
technical objections; the response can be seen
from the link on the RSGB web site - www,rsgb.org. (GB2RS)

**

Break 1

From the United States of America, We are the
Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin
stations around the world including the WC8OH repeater serving Kettering,
Ohio.

(5 sec pause here)

**

RADIO RULES: THE FCC AND 6.25 kHz NARROWBAND TECHNOLOGY

The Federal Communications Commission has
declined to mandate when the Private Land Mobile
Service will be directed to adopt 6.25 kHz
narrowband spacing between systems, but says that
it will eventually happen. And this could be as
early as 2011 or 2013. And hams in need of more
repeater channels are likely watching to see how
it all pans out. Amateur radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has mo

--

If you own an Amateur repeater on any of the
bands between 2 meters and 70 centimeters, a
decision by the FCC to force users in the Private
Land Mobile Service to adop 6.25 KHz
inter-station spacing at some yet to be
determined day could eventually impact on ham
radio. This is because the operating standards
used in commercial service usually work
themselves down to ham radio operations over a period of time.

On March 22nd the FCC made public its Third
Report and Order dealing with a mandatory shift
to 6.25 KHz ultra-narreowband technology. The
release says that the agency for now does not
want to establish a specific fixed date for
private land mobile radio systems in the 150 to
174 MHz and 421 to 512 MHz bands to transition to
6.25 kHz. That said, the FCC also says that it
plans to have such a transition take place once
gear is available and certified for sale. And
for that reason, the FCC strongly urges land
mobile licensees to consider migrating directly
to 6.25 kHz rather than first adopting 12.5 kHz
spacing and later making the 6.25 kHz move.

But there are a few caveats. In its
announcement, the FCC admitted that 6.25 kHz
technology is not mature enough to warrant
setting a specific migration schedule. Also,
that there are no accepted industry standards for
6.25 kHz, and this could be a problem in regard
to interoperability between various users.

But says the the FCC also says that it will
expeditiously establish a schedule for transition
to 6.25 kHz ultra-narrowband once the technology
matures to the point that sufficient equipment is available for testing.

What does this mean to hams? While the FCC is
not likely to tell radio amateurs that they have
to adopt the same technology, it is all but
inevitable that some hams will begin looking at
6.25 kHz for their own future repeater
operations. This might be especially true in the
crowded urban areas like the North-East and in
California where waiting lines exist for new
repeaters with some hams in that line for several years.

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

--

6.25kHz narrowband will not be seen in the
Private Land Mobile Radio for several years, but
ham radio experimenters are likely to try it long
before then. (Adapted from FCC news release)

**

RESCUE RADIO: CONECTICUT DISTRICT ADOPTS HAM RADIO EMCOMMS

A Connecticut township health district has
adopted Amateur Radio as its second line for
back-up emergency communications. The March 31st
edition of the electronic newspaper Voices.com
reports that the Naugatuck Valley Health District
has completed the installation of the new ham
radio base station, to assist in emergency communications.

The article notes that Al Raymond KB1HLK of
Naugatuck and Charlie Betkoski, WB1CML, of
Seymour, the NVHD helped to spearhead the
successful installation of the station. The gear
will used in the event that traditional means of
communication, including landline telephone, cell
or computer, have failed, or are being stretched
thin and not functioning adequately.

Health District leaders say that the organization
has been working very closely with its partners
in the Connecticut Amateur Radio and Emergency
Services to make sure that they have purchased
equipment that will stand the test of time, and
will be easy to operate for ham radio
volunteers. A recent test of the system showed
that it could communicate state wide.

The Naugatuck Valley Health District says that
it is also close to enacting a memorandum of
understanding with Connecticut ARES. One that
will solidify the relationship that has been
developing between it and the regions Amateur
Radio operators over the past several years. (voices.com)

**

RESCUE RADIO: REPORT SAYS CELLPHONES SAFE IN HOSPITALS

A report released on March 9th has concluded
that cellular telephone calls made on cell phones
do not affect hospital medical devices. But the
same researchers say that store anti-theft alarms
might make implanted heart devices
misbehave. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, reports:

--

According to March issue of Mayo Clinic
Proceedings., tests at Rochester, Minnesota
hospital showed normal use of cellular telephones
caused no noticeable interference with patient
care equipment. What came as a surprise was a
finding that a portable CD player caused an
abnormal electrocardiograph reading when a
patient used it near one of the leads of the device.

Most hospitals forbid the use of cell
phones. Dr. David Hayes and colleagues said
their tests suggest the ban is unmerited.

The researchers tested cellular phones using two
different technologies from different carriers,
near 192 different medical devices. During 300
tests run over five months, they reported no trouble with the equipment.

But not all communications technology mixes with
medical devices. Dr. J. Rod Gimbel of East
Tennessee Heart Consultants and Dr. James Cox of
the University of Tennessee Medical Center in
Knoxville described two cases in which anti-theft
devices apparently caused implanted heart devices to malfunction.

Dr. Gimbel says that one of the patients had a
pacemaker and she collapsed after pausing in a
store doorway. Another had an implantable
cardiac defibrillator that shocked him after he
stood near an anti-theft unit. Dr. Gimbel adds
that simply moving a person with one of these
implanted devices away from the anti-theft device may save their lives.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the studio in Los Angeles.

--

Regardless of what this report says, it is
important to follow the rules that each
individual hospital enforces and displays. And
if the sign says to turn off your cellular
telephone while on the premises, then its best
that you do as asked. That goes for your H-T or
any other two-way device as well. (Mayo Clinic Proceedings, Science On-Line)

**

ENFORCEMENT: SIGN YOUR LETTER AND STAY OFF THIS REPEATER

Turning to regulatory news, a New York, ham,
previously told by the FCC to stay off of certain
repeatesr, has had his written response returned
to him by the FCC. This because he failed to sign it.

On February 20th, the FCC wrote to Bruce H.
Williams, N2YIH, of Long Island City, ordering
that he stay off three New York city area
repeaters. This, after Williams allegedly
ignored an edict from the systems trustee to not use the machines.

According to the FCC, Williams filed a written
response on March 12th but did not sign it. That
letter was returned to him on March 27th for his
signature. At that time the FCC said that the
repeaters he must avoid using are those operating
under he call letters WA2ZLB. (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: PLEASE QSY YOUR REPEATER

A ham in Puerto Rico who declined to change the
operating frequency of his system has been advised to do so by the FCC.

In a letter to Oscar Resto, KP4RF, the FCC notes
that he was requested by the Puerto Rico Virgin
Islands Volunteer Frequency Coordinators group to
move his repeater off of 145.450 MHz because it
was mixing with another transmitter and
interfering with a repeater on 145.37 MHz. The
FCC notes that both repeaters involved are
coordinated and that such a move by Resto would
not only cure this problem but another interference problem as well.

The FCC letter notes that the coordination
council has found a new frequency pair for
Resto's system, and advises him that making the
move would be in the best interest of all
concerned. But the FCC also warned KP4RF that
failure to resolve the interference may subject
him to a loss of automatic remote control privileges for his machine. (FCC)

**

RADIO AT ALTITUDE: IN FLIGHT CELLPHONE BAN TO CONTINUE

Don't look for the FCC to change its rules that
currently forbid the use of cellular telephones
while flying. This after the agency acts on
Tuesday, April 3rd to continue its ban on the
in-flight use of these and other wireless devices.

Back on on Tuesday March 20th FCC Chair Kevin
Martin announced that the agency would likely
abandon a proposal that would have lifted the
prohibition. The decision came after the
wireless telecommunications industry indicated in
recent comments to the FCC that mobile phone
calls in planes at altitude would cause massive
interfere with their ground based
networks. While the range of a cellphone is only
a mile or so on the ground, that same unit at
35,000 feet could capture cellular telephone
receivers sites for several hundred miles in all
directions. That said the industry would bog
down a systems ability to handle other calls.

Two agencies claim regulatory jurisdiction over
the issue. The FCC is focused on whether
in-flight calling interferes with ground-based
networks, while the Federal Aviation
Administration considers in-flight safety issues..
(Published news reports)

**

HAM RADIO ON THE WWW: NEW ECHOLINK PUBLICATION

A new and easy to understand introduction to
Echolink has been published on the World Wide
Web. Although intended for the United Kingdom's
MB7IPH-L node the information is equally
applicable to Echolink operation world-wide. The
PDF can be downloaded from
http://www.headcorn.org/echolink/intro.pdf (Southgate)

**

HAM HOLIDAYS: INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY - APRIL 28

International Marconi Day will take place on
Saturday 28th April this year. Although the
event is not a contest, participants can qualify
for award certificates by contacting special
stations. These stations must operate on or close
to a site where Guglielmo Marconi carried out
experiments or where Marconi equipment was used
prior to his death in 1937. Further information
can be found at www.gb4imd.org.uk. (Varoious)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE: QRP FOUR DAYS IN MAY EVENT

Low power operators are being invited to register
for the Four Days in May event. Its being held
on May 17th to 20th in Dayton, Ohio, alongside the 2007 Dayton Hamvention.

Organized by the QRP Amateur Radio Club
International, Four Days in May is the world's
premier QRP convention. This year there will
once again be the usual line-up of expert
speakers including Radio Communications Magaxine
columnist, the Rev. George Dobbs, G3RJV flying in
from the U-K. Other speakers include Lyle
Johnson, KK7P and Wes Hayward, W7ZOI. There will
also be various building and design competitions during the event.

The Four Days in May gala banquet and
prize-giving ceremony will be held on Saturday
evening, May 19th. Full details about the event
can be found on the web at www.qrparci.org/fdim. (Press release)

**

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)

**

A WORD OF THANKS FROM THE SUPPORT FUND WITH ANDY JAREMA N6TCQ

Ladies and gentlemen, with more thanks to those
who contributed to the Newsline Support Fund.
Thjis time going back to May of 2006, here's
Amateur Radio Newsline's Support Fund Administrator Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

--

In the month of May we heard from monthly
contributor Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of
Columbus, OH., The Peoria, IL Area ARC , monthly
contributor William Walters, WA2IBM, and Scott
Hensley of the Area Communications Team, both in
San Jose and the San Francisco ARC, in memory of member Jim, KK6SD

Via PayPal we heard from Robert Weissman , the
Sulpher Mountain Repeater Association of Santa Paula, CA,
N. Rubin of N3SGD Electronics and Gary Elmer,
representing the KG6DVO repeater of Huntingon Beach, CA.

Month in and month out Newsline gives you the
latest news of Amateur Radio- it doesn't come to
us- we have to go get it. With no advertising, we
depend on you- our loyal listeners. Our website-
arnewsline.org has all the info you need to
contribute, including a quick link to PayPal. Or
there's our address: Newsline Support Fund, PO
Box 660937, Arcadia, CA 91066. That address will
be repeated at the end of the newscast. Thanks for your help.
I'm Andy Jarema. N6TCQ. (Support Fund)

--

Thank you Andy.

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: OSCAR 11 AGAIN HEADED TO ECLIPSE

If you want to use the OSCAR 11 satellite, now is
the time to give uit a try. This is the last
operational period for the Amsat-OSCAR 11 ham
radio satellite before eclipses start on April 20th.

Currently, good, steady signals are being heard
from it on 145.826 MHz. If the satellite behaves
as it did last year, once the eclipses begin, it
is unlikely to be heard for any length of time,
during the eclipse period. These continue until August 23rd.

OSCAR 11 also known as UoSAT-OSCAR 11 or UoSAT-2
is one of those long surviving ham radio
birds. It was launched into orbit way back on
March 1, 1984 on a Thor Delta rocket from
Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It was
the first ham satellite to carry a digital
store-and-forward communications payload. (AMSAT, G3CWV, ARNewsline(tm))

**

WORLDBEAT - CANADA: NEW CANADIAN SECTION MANAGERS

Radio amateurs of Canada has named Joan Bahnman,
VE5JML, as Saskatchewan Section Manager,
completing the term ending October 31, 2008.
Bahnman has been acting in the position after the
first call for nominations went unanswered by
Saskatchewan hams. In the recent second call she
ran unopposed, thus removing the need for a balloted election.

Meanwhile, Alberta Section Manager Tom Martens,
VE6TRM, was nominated and ran unopposed in that
Section, thereby also alleviating the need for a
balloted election. Tom begins another two-year term on July 1st. (RAC)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK: RSGB MAMES NEW RCVS NATIONAL COORDINATOR

The Radio Society of Great Britain has appointed
Dr Robin Bellerby, GM3ZYE, as its new Radio
communications Voluntary Services National
Coordinator. Dr. Bellerby who resides in the
city of Newton Stewart, has more than forty years
experience of RAYNET and radio services to the
local community behind him. His principal role
is that of the working interface between all
RAYNET groups and the RSGB and to work closely
with the "Network" on all emergency
communications matters. RAYNET is the UK
equivalent of RACES. Dr. Bellerby takes up his post immediately. (GB2RS)

**

WORLDBEAT - NEW ZEALAND: AN NZART CONVENTION DOWN-UNDER

Down-under, the New Zealand Amateur Radio
Transmitters 2007 Conference and Annual General
Meeting will be held June 1st to the 4th . The
venue is the Palmerston North Convention Centre
in the city of Palmerson. Among this years
highlights will be forums by Fred Johnson ZL2AMJ
showing an Introductory Demonstrations in Radio
Technology and local Government Liaison Officer
Mike Newman ZL1BNB on Antennas and the New
Zealand Resource Management Act. More
information is on-line at www.nzart.org.nz/nzart (NZART)

**

ON THE AIR: K5THD CELEBRATES WORLD HEALTH DAY APRIL 7

Special Event station K5THD will be focusing on
World Health Day while operating from the Tulsa
City-County Health Department. K5THD, which is
the . Tulsa Health Department Amateur Radio
Club, will take to the airwaves on Saturday,
April 7th from just after midnight to 23:59 UTC
to celebrate the 2007 outing of this annual
event. Operations will be on . 7.273, 14.273,
21.373 and 28.373 HHz. QSL to the Tulsa Health
Department Amateur Radio Club, 5051 S 129 E Ave, Tulsa, OK 74134.
PSK and SSTV on request. See www.tulsa-health.org/k5thd for more. KC5FM))

**

HAM RADIO AND SCOUTING: THE SCOUTING 100 AWARD

A new international Amateur Radio award has been
launched to mark the centenary of the scouting movement.

Called the Scouting 100 Radio Award it comes in
two forms. One is available only to ham radio
operators while the other to S-W-L's.

To attain this award, it is necessary to accrue
points by contacting or hearing scout or guide
stations during 2007. Contacts or reports with
individual scout or guide stations count for one
point. Special event scout stations are worth
two points. The World Jamboree, the Gilwell Park
station in the U-K and Brownsea Island stations count for five points each.

There are no restrictions on what bands and modes
are used. The award is also available for
Echolink and IRLP mode operators. More is
on-line at www.scouting100award.org. (RSGB)

**

DX

In DX word that an upcoming operation is in need
of a few more good operators. The R-S-G-B News
says that K-5-L-B-U, is organizing a DXpedition
to Botswana, which is scheduled to take place
between July 5th to the 21st. He already has four
operators so far, but would like to find at least
two more to join the team. If you are interested
in making the trip you can contact him at

And news that DL6UAA will be active as 3B8MM from
Mauritius starting on the 5th April and will be
there for a few weeks. He will operate mostly CW,
but will also give SSTV a try. QSL DL6UAA either direct or via the bureau.

Also, 3D2AG is active as FO5RK portable F-K from
Noumea, New Caledonia. He will be there to the
end of April operating mostly on 40 and 20 meter CW. QSL this one direct
only.

Lastly, listen out for a group of operators from
Antwerp, Belgium to be active as ON4OSA portable
P-A from Schouwen-Duiveland. This through the
14th of April. QSL this one as directed on the air.

(Various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEMS: CALL IT DX DREAMS

And finally this week, the United States is not
the only place where hams have D-X wish
lists. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks is
here with the D-X desires of hams in one European
nation and of those down-under:

--

German radio amateurs are desperate to make
contact with Swain's Island while Australians and
New Zealanders are more keen on QSOing with an
operation from Yemen.. This, according to a pair
of new surveys that have recently been released.

The German DX Foundation has published the
results of a 2006 survey of that nations most
wanted DXCC entities. More than 83 percent of
respondents cited Swain's Island as their most
wanted. This was followed by Scarborough Reef,
Navassa Island, Bouvet Island and Lakshadweep Islands.

Meanwhile, a survey into Oceania's most wanted
list by ZL3AB, revealed that Australian and New
Zealand hams wanted most to make contact with
Yemen. Other locations high up the list for those
living down-under included Navassa, Pagalu I,
Scarborough Reef and Amsterdam and St Paul Island.

--

I guess no matter where in the world you are, you
likely have a most wanted D-X list of your very own. (WIA News)

**

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, the Southgate News and Australia's W-I-A
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.

Two reminders before we go. First about our
on-line poll regarding ypur position on the
concept of Regulation by Bandwidth. To take
part, take yourr web browser
to www.arnewsline.org. Scroll down and watch for
the word "Polls" on the left hand side of the
page. Then click on the box that is closest to
your view. As soon as you cast your vote you will see the current results.

Also, the nominating season for this years
Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year
Award is now open. Any radio amateur age 18 or
younger residing in all 50 United States, plus
Puerto Rico and all 13 Canadian Provences can
qualify. Full details and nominating forms are
on our special website at www,yhoty.org. Also
see the Vertex-Standard sponsored ad on page 8
of the March issue of QST Magazine.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the
editors desk, I'm Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, saying 73
and we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.