Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1813 - May 11 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1813 with a release date of May
11th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. High schoolers in California send a ham
radio balloon to the edge of space; Israeli hams protest on-line
against DXCC credit for the 7O6T operation from Yemen; W5KUB to again
netcast live from the Dayton Hamvention and the latest on the Amateur
Radio Direction Finding Championship coming to San Diego. Find out the
details are on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1813 coming
your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here)

**

HAM RADIO NEAR SPACE: ANACAPA HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOON SOARS TO NEAR
112000 FEET

We're not sure if it's a new world altitude record for a ham radio
equipped high altitude balloon, but members of the Anacapa Near Space
Exploration Club at California's Anacapa School are celebrating the
recent success of their second near space probe. One that reached an
altitude of almost 112,000 feet. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson,
KQ6FM, has the rest of the story:

--

Balloon launch team: "5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - Go!!"

--

That's the sound of a group of teenage near-space adventurers lofting a
high altitude balloon that would soon soar above California's central
coast and then eastward toward the states central valley.

Called Anacapa Amateur High-Altitude Balloon 2, a student team from the
Anacapa School launched two payload capsules tethered to a weather
balloon on Saturday, May 5th. Equipped with GPS, atmospheric sensors,
high-definition video and still cameras, a television transmitter and a
Geiger counter, the payload downlinked live data, video and images
during its ascent.

Anacapa Amateur High-Altitude Balloon 2 was designed and built entirely
by students that included Alex Carlson, KJ6UGF and Genevieve Hatfield,
KJ6UGH. They along with non-hams Grayson Baggiolini, Julio Bernal and
Christian Eckert made up the construction and launch team that was
under the supervision of faculty advisor Levi Maaia, K6LCM.

--

K6LCM: "Two years ago in September of 2010, one of my students, Connor
Proctor and I got together and were talking about some of the headlines
we had seen on-line about high altitude balloons and decided that it
would be a neat project to bring to the Anacapa School in Santa
Barbara. So we brought it to the Head Master of the school and said we
want to do this. He said what an awesome idea and was behind us 110%
as we sought funding for the project and put together a small team of
students to spearhead the first launch."

--

As the balloon climbed through the thinning air, the decreasing
atmospheric pressure caused it to expand nearly ten times in diameter.
On reaching its apex above California's Central Valley, the balloon
burst, sending the payload back to mother Earth under the canopy of a
small parachute. By reaching an altitude of 111,814 feet, this flight
shattered the record of the group's own first balloon flight by more
than 20,000 feet.

Over the coming weeks the students expect to thoroughly document the
flight and analyze the collected data. More information, including
photos and a condensed version of the in-flight video can be found
online at www.anacapaschool.org/ansec

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Carlson, KQ6FM, in Reno.

--

And less we forget to mention, the student group has been working on
this high altitude ham radio balloon project since September of 2011.
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

SCHOOL HAM HAPPENINGS: UK SCHOOL TO HOLD D-STAR SPECIAL EVENT WANTS
CONTACTS

A United Kingdom school in the village of Gresham will be hosting a
special event station on May 23rd using the D-STAR digital network. The
event is specifically for children age 6 to 11 and will use the
callsign GB2GVS which stands for Gresham Village School.

Andy Johnston, 2E0AIV, is the event coordinator. He says that they
have already arranged link-ups with schools in Northern Ireland, the
United States and England, but are looking for more countries and
schools to participate. If anyone is interested, they can contact Andy
via e-mail to 2e0avi (at) 2e0aiv (dot) co (dot) uk.

**

ENFORCEMENT NEEDED: RADIO MYANMAR INTERFERENCE ON 40 METERS

The South African Radio League reports that Radio Myanmar has been
found to be broadcasting illegally on 7.110 MHz. The station is
transmitting using full carrier AM from 15:30 UTC every day and is
causing interference on South Africa's publicized region wide emergency
communications frequency.

According to the South African Radio League, steps are being taken to
issue a formal objection but this takes time and the correct procedures
need to be followed. Meantime, South Africa's Hamnet emergency
communications response group has sent an official complaint directly
to Radio Myanmar and requested that it move frequency. (SARL)

**

DX NEWS: 7O6T YEMEN OPERATION APPROVED FOR DXCC OVER PROTESTS OF
ISRAELI HAMS

Over complaints that were voiced on QRZ.com and other public websites
by some Israeli hams, the ARRL DXCC Awards Desk has approved the
current 7O6T operation from Yemen for DXCC credit. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with mo

--

A small but vocal number of Israeli hams have been arguing on-line that
the 7O6T from Yemen should not be allowed for DXCC because the
operators refused to make contact with 4X and 4Z prefix hams. They
note that Israel has no banned countries list and as such refusal of
the 7O6T operators to contact them was at least a violation of the
principals and the spirit of the DXCC program.

While its true that Israel has no banned countries list, many of its
neighbors consider themselves technically in a state of war with the
Jewish state and have been since its creation through partitioning
following World War 2. As such these nations ban hams operating under
their jurisdiction from making contact with their counterparts in
Israel.

The 7O6T operation reportedly has the support of Yemen's Ministry of
the Interior, the Ministry of Information, the Ministry of Radio and
the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology. As such
it is a pretty good guess that not recognizing Israeli stations was a
decree imposed by Yemen on the 7O6T operating team and not one of their
own choosing.

At airtime, it's not known if any of the protesting Israeli hams
contacted the ARRL DXCC Desk regarding this issue of if it was just
another of those cyberspace only arguments. Either way it came to an
abrupt end on Saturday, May 5th. That's when ARRL Awards Branch Manager
Bill Moore, NC1L, issued a news release stating that the current 7O6T
operation from Yemen along with the earlier 6O3A DXpedition to Somalia
have been granted DXCC approval. As such, both will be counted for
DXCC credit.

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

--

The 7O6T adventure began at 2100 UTC Monday, April 30th and has been
causing massive pile-ups wherever the operators show up. It will
continue through 2100 UTC on May 15th.

Up until this operation began, Yemen was ranked as number 5 in the DX
Magazine's list of most wanted entities behind North Korea, plus
Navassa, Bouvet and Heard Islands.

We will have more DX news later on in this week's Amateur Radio
Newsline report. (ARNewsline, QRZ.com, ARRL DXCC Desk)

**

RESTRUCTURING: 6 METER EXTENSION GRANTED IN PORTUGAL

Now that terrestrial analog TV has been switched off in Portugal, the
National Communications Authority has agreed to extend the 6 meter band
for radio amateurs. As a result, Portuguese Category 1, A and B
amateurs can now use 50 to 52 MHz on a secondary basis with a maximum
power output of 25 watts. (GB2RS)

**

RADIO RULES: VANITY CALLSIGN FEE MAY GO UP 80 CENTS

The FCC has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that, among other
things, would raise the cost of obtaining a vanity callsign to $15.00
for a ten year license term. The current cost is $14.20 which in
essence means an increase of only 80 cents if the rule making is
approved. (FCC)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KJ3LR
repeater serving Bradenton, Florida.

(5 sec pause here)

**

RADIO AND SCOUTING: BSA ANNOUNCES NEW MORSE CODE INTERPRETER STRIP

The Boy Scouts of America have just announced a new "Interpreter Strip"
for Morse Code. An "Interpreter Strip" on the uniform means that the
Scout or adult leader is able to communicate in a particular language.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramovich, NT3V, explains:

--

Those older Scouts and former Scouts among you may remember the Boy
Scout requirements that said a Scout had to learn Morse Code or signal
flags to send and receive a message. And, even though that requirement
has disappeared and Morse Code is no longer mandatory to get any
amateur radio license in the United States, the BSA is reviving Morse
Code as a "language" worth learning.

You can probably credit Jim Wilson, K5ND, for getting this one from
concept to reality.

He's the BSA's "Jamboree on the Air" organizer and the volunteer
chairman for the next K2BSA operation at the 2013 National Boy Scouts
Jamboree at the Summit in West Virigina.

Wilson works at BSA headquarters in Texas and is a big promoter of
amateur radio in Scouting. So much so, Wilson says he organized a
national Radio Scouting advisory committee last year to get stronger
support in the amateur and Scouting community for JOTA.

Earlier this year, Wilson says a member of that committee made a
suggestion about getting some additional Scouting recognition for
amateur radio.

Wilson says there were some ideas that eventually evolved into
exploring the "interpreter" strip worn on the Scout uniform to show a
Scout has some ability to speak a certain language.

Wilson admits he came up with the idea for "Morse" on the strip - but
in the letters of the language - dah-dah, dah-dah-dah, di-dah-dit,
dit-dit-dit, dit."

Wilson says he quickly moved the idea over to the BSA's national awards
committee where it got a favorable reception and approval within
months.

So how does a boy earn it?

Wilson says there are three requirements, the first....

"It's carrying on a 5-minute conversation in Morse Code at a speed of
at least 5 words per minute," Wilson explains. "And, then the second
one, copying correctly a 2-minute message sent in Morse Code at a
minimum of 5-words-per-minute.

"And, copying of course means writing the message down as it's
received. And, then, three, sending a 25-word written document in Morse
Code at a minimum of 5 words per minute."

Wilson says Scouts can be certified by their Scoutmaster or maybe even
a ham who's an adult Scout leader.

Wilson says the idea is to further cement the bonds of brotherhood
between Scouting and ham radio operators. And, of course, Wilson is....

"Eager to increase participation in amateur radio to provide an
opportunity for Scouts to get involved in a fun hobby, a hobby that
promotes communicating with lots of Scouts and others around the
country and around the world," Wilson says. "And, it's science, it's
technology, it's engineering, it's math - the stem items that are of
enormous interest right now and frankly have been in Boy Scouting for
quite some time."

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

--

For more on the new Boy Scouts of America Interpreter Strip for Morse
Code please visit tinyurl.com/scouting-morse-code on the
World-Wide-Web. (NT3V, ARNewsline(tm))

**

ENFORCEMENT: FCC AFFIRMS $10000 FINE AGAINST OHIO AM STATION

The FCC has affirmed a $10,000 Monetary Forfeiture Order it issued to
Taylor Broadcasting Company which is the licensee of AM Station WJTB in
Elyria, Ohio . This for the station willfully and repeatedly violating
Section 73.1125(a) of the Commission's rules by failing to maintain a
management and staff presence at the station's main studio.

As previously reported, back on February 13th the Enforcement Bureau's
Detroit Office issued a Notice of Apparent Liability in the amount of
$10,000 to Taylor Broadcasting. Since then, Taylor Broadcasting has
not filed a response to the NAL.

Now, based on the information before it, on May 2nd the FCC has
affirmed the monetary forfeiture. Its also given Taylor Broadcasting
the customary 30 days to pay the fine or to file an appeal. (FCC)

**

MEDIA STATS: CABLE LOOSES AND OVER THE AIR VIEWERSHIP REMAINS DOMINANT

Some fascinating home viewing media statistics. According to
Multichannel News, United States cable system operators lost about 2
point 9 million video subscribers in 2011. That's a drop of 1 point 5
percent in the overall pay-TV market.

Meanwhile, households with broadband and only free, over-the-air
broadcast TV increased by 631,000 over the course of last year,
climbing 14% to 5.1 million. Broadcast-only homes dropped 1%, to about
11 million households versus 11.15 million a year earlier.

Whether or not the broadband-plus-free-TV increase reflects a gathering
cord-cutting trend, the survey found that 98% of video viewing remained
on traditional TV in the 4th quarter of 2011. (Multichannel News)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: ILLW REGISTRATION HITS THE 200 MARK

Registration for the 2012 International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend has topped the double century mark. This with word that the
West Side Amateur Radio Club of Los Angeles is the 200th registratant
for this years event with its members operating station W6A at the Port
Fermin Lighthouse located near the San Pedro port area of the city.

The entry by the West Side Amateur Radio Club puts the USA on 28
registrations/ Australia is so far number one with 38 followed by
Germany 33, England with 16, and The Netherlands sporting 13. The
total of nations committed to the event so far is nearing 30.

International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend will be held on August
the 18th and 19th. Find out more or register your lighthouse by
visiting the ILLW (dot) net. (VK3PC)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: NORTHERN IRELAND AMATEUR RADIO CONFERENCE JUNE 16

From the ham radio social page, if you plan to be in Ireland on June
16th, you might want to stop by the Northern Ireland Amateur Radio
Conference. Sponsored by the West Tyrone Amateur Radio Club the venue
this year is the Technology Education Centre in the town of Omagh.
Featured will be lectures, seminars and demonstrations along with
commercial vendors and booth representing special interest groups and
various national amateur radio societies. Again the date for the 2012
Northern Ireland Amateur Radio Conference at the Technology Education
Centre in Omagh. (IRTS)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: W5KUB TO NETCAST LIVE FROM HAMVENTION 2012

Closer to home, Tom Medlin, W5KUB, will once again be streaming live
television from the 2012 Dayton Hamvention.

Tom will begin his live webcast on Wednesday morning May 16th at 0800
Central, broadcasting his 550 mile drive. He will then set up shop in
the Hamvention Flea Market and will spend the next three days bringing
you the sights and sounds of Hamvention 2012 before live-casting his
drive home.

While on the web from Hamvention Tom and his crew will be interviewing
some of ham radios best known celebrities. This includes television
producer John Amodeo, NN6JA, of the hit television comedy Last Man
Standing.

So if you cannot be at Hamvention in person, you can enjoy part of the
festivities vicariously by tuning in via the Internet to w5kub dot com.
Again that's w5kub dot com for this years live netcast from Hamvention
2012. (W5KUB)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: NEWSLINE FORUM AT HAMVENTION - "HAM RADIO IN THE YEAR
2112"

Also a reminder that we at Amateur Radio Newsline will once again be
hosting the annual Ham Radio Town Meeting at Hamvention 2012. This
years topic is titled "Imagining the Futu Ham Radio in the Year
2112" and takes an optimistic look at the way we may be operating as a
hobby and a service 100 years from now.

This years presenters include CQ Magazine Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU;
IARU Secretary Rod Staffdord, W6ROD and teenage ham radio high altitude
balloon enthusiast Erin King, AK4JG, to name only three. They will be
joined by several other notables from the world of amateur radio on a
journey through time into what may be our future.

Look for us on Saturday, May 20th in Meeting Room 2 at the Hara Arena.
Our session runs from 11:45 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and we promise you a fun
and imaginative time. We hope to see many of you there.
(ARNewsline(tm))

**

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)

**

OFF THE AIR: RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL TO END SHORTWAVE AND SATELLITE
BROADCASTS

The shortwave bands will soon be a little less entertaining. This after
it was announced that an 80% budget cut is forcing Radio Canada
International to abandon shortwave and satellite radio broadcasting,
leaving the World-Wide-Web as RCI's only delivery method.

The latest cut of $10 million takes place on June 26th. Once in effect,
a date will be set to end the broadcasts from Radio Canada
International's Sackville, New Brunwick, transmission site which will
then be abandoned. Besides ending shortwave and satellite
broadcasting, Radio Canada International will also lose its news
operation and cease producing its own programming. (RW)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: K9VV APPOINTED NEW SECTION MANAGER FOR THE US
VIRGIN ISLANDS

Some names in the news. First up is Fred Kleber, K9VV, who has been
appointed as Section Manager of the Virgin Islands Section beginning
May 1, 2012. Kleber, of Christainsted, is taking the reins from John
Ellis, NP2B, who is planning to move out of the section. Ellis has been
Section Manager of the Virgin Islands since 1996. Kleber has served as
the Section Emergency Coordinator of the Virgin Islands this past year.
(ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: THREE SHUTTLE VETERANS INDUCTED INTO THE ASTRONAUT
HALL OF FAME

The U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame has inducted three new space travelers
into its ranks. On Saturday, May 5th, Kevin Chilton, Franklin Chang
Diaz, and Charles Precourt, became the Hall of Fame's 11th class of
space shuttle astronauts and the first to be inducted after the 30 year
program had come to its end.

The three were enshrined during a public ceremony held at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida, which includes the
Hall of Fame. To have been eligible for induction in 2012, the
astronauts needed to have made their first space mission in 1994 or
earlier. They also had to be retired from flight status as a NASA
commander, pilot or mission specialist for at least five years, be a
U.S. citizen; and have orbited the Earth at least once.

Induction of the shuttle veterans raised the number of honorees in the
Hall of Fame to 81. This includes all of the Mercury, Gemini and
Apollo pioneers. (NASA via N6ZXJ)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FOX PROJECT REVIEW SAYS BIRD DEVELOPMENT ON TRACK

AMSAT's Fox Satellite Project has completed its preliminary design
review and is looking good. Mechanical, RF, control, power, and
related issues were evaluated at the three night session in late April
with the needed development for various systems refined.

One thing that became evident is that AMSAT is in need of an
experienced RF designer for the Fox-1 satellite. Due to international
trade restrictions the person must be a US citizen or permanent
resident. If you interested please send an e-mail with your phone
number to Tony Monteiro to AA2TX (at) amsat (dot) org.

Currently, Fox-1 is slated for launch in the second half of 2013.
(AMSAT-NA)

**

AWARDS NEWS: DXCC ONLINE APPLICATION TURN-AROUND.

The ARRL's new on-line DXCC application system appears to be up and
running quite smoothly. This according to Steve Lawrence, WB6RSE, of
Los Angeles California.

WB6RSE tells the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter that he submitted an Online
DXCC application just prior to the recent International DX Convention
in Visalia, California. At the convention he had his cards checked and
the paperwork accepted for forwarding to the DXCC desk for processing.
Just two weeks later, the credits appeared in Steve's Logbook of the
World DXCC Account Status. (OPDX)

**

ON THE AIR: KK5W FROM GALVESTON TEXAS ON MUSEUM SHIPS WEEKEND

On the air, listen out for members of the Brazos Valley Amateur Radio
Club activating the call KK5W to be active during the Museum Ships
Weekend on June 2nd and 3rd. Operations will be from radio rooms of
WWII Submarine USS Cavalla and Destroyer Escort USS Stewart at Seawolf
Park on Pelican Island in Galveston, Texas. They plan to operate on 40
through 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL with a self addressed stamped
envelope to KK5W as listed on QRZ.com. More information is available
on-line at www.bvarc.org (BVARC)

**

DX

In DX, the Wessex Contest Group will be operating from the Isle of Skye
through the 19th of May. They will be using a variety of equipment
including some homebrew gear, a number of QRP stations along with the
normal high power modern contest gear. QSL via EB7DX either direct,
via the bureau or via Logbook of The World.

F5IRO is expected to return to Uganda in early May. With the help of
5X1D he hopes to get his license during the first week and plans to
become QRV on CW on the high frequency bands in the evenings. Some PSK
may be possible also. QSL via F8DFP.

DH2AK and DL1THM, will be active portable PJ2 from Curacao on a holiday
style operation through May 18th. They will be on the air using the
PJ2A club station mainly on SSB on 20 and 15 meters. QSL via bureau to
their home calls.

Brothers ZB3M and ZB2ER are using the special calls ZQ3M and ZQ2ER from
Gibralter through June 10th. This, to celebrate the Queen's Diamond
Jubilee. QSL direct only to ZB3M.

ZS6RGV is the new radio operator on the Marion Island base. His
equipment includes an Icom IC-736 transceiver and FL-7000 amplifier.
ZS1HF is going to help him with applying for a ZS8 call and will act as
his QSL manager.

Lastly, an international team of operators will be on the air as 3D2C
from Conway Reef between September 24th and October 5th. Activity will
be on 160 through 2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and PSK31. QSL via
YT1AD, direct or by the bureau.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: ARDF CHAMPIONSHIPS COMING TO SAN DIEGO CA

And finally this week, they call themselves foxtailers, but they're not
really after those bushy-tailed creatures. Here's the straight scoop
from Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV, who is also ARRL's Direction Finding
Coordinator.

--

They range in age from the teens to the 70's, and they're coming from
all over the USA to compete in the most physical of all ham radio
sports. I'm talking about on-foot hidden transmitter hunters, also
called foxtailers and radio-orienteers. Their sport is called Amateur
Radio Direction Finding, or ARDF.

It's all done on foot in a BIG outdoor space. Thanks to a set of
standard international rules, it's pretty much the same all over the
world, so we can have international competitions. Your mission is to
try to find up to five hidden ham radio transmitters without assistance
while on the run, or trotting, or just walking. You'll carry a map and
compass so you don't get lost.

You can mix in with the USA's best radio-orienteers at the twelfth
national ARDF championships in the mountains east of San Diego during
the week and weekend after Memorial Day. It starts off with two days of
intense training, followed by three days of competition, all near Mount
Laguna. You can stay in the lodge there or camp out among the tall
pines.

Learn from the experts, then see how you do for yourself out on the
courses. You don't have to be a marathoner to be successful, but it
helps to be in good shape. There are nine separate categories with
medals for the best three in each, so you'll only be competing against
people of your own age range and gender. If you're in the top three of
your category, you'll get a medal, and maybe you'll be invited to join
ARDF Team USA as it travels to Serbia for the World ARDF Championships
this September.

Registration for the championships is now open, so start making plans.
You can read all the details and get the registration form on the web
at www.homingin.com. That's homingin -- as one word -- homingin.com.

I hope to see YOU at the championships. For Amateur Radio Newsline,
this is Joe Moell K-Zero-Oscar-Victor.

--

Again, for more information on this and other ham radio direction
finding events, please take your web browser to www dot homingin dot
com. (K0OV)

**

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, TWiT TV, the Southgate News and Australia's WIA News, that's
all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is
newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) 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), 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350

A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open. Full details and a
downloadable nominating form are on our website at
arnewsline.org/yhoty.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim
Damron, N8TMW, saying 73 from Charleston, West Virginia, and we thank
you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.