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Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1699 - March 5, 2010
Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1699 with a release date of Friday, March 5th, 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a Q-S-T. Ham radio responds to an earthquake in Chile and a tsunami it causes across the Pacific Ocean. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1699 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here) ** RESCUE RADIO: CHILEAN HAMS ACTIVATE FOLLOWING FEBRUARY 27 QUAKE Radio Club de Chile President Dr Galdino Besomi, CE3PG says that hams in Chile took to the air shortly after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake that rattled his nation in the early morning hours of February 27th. Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the latest: -- In a March 1st telephone conversation with IARU Region 2 President Reinaldo Leandro, YV5AMH, Dr. Bensomi said that soon after the earthquake hit, an Emergency Net was activated across the entire country. Initial activation was on VHF followed by nets on the HF bands. CE3PG says that all Radio Club de Chile members are actively working in close coordination with civil and military authorities. Also that requests health and welfare news about people in the affected areas is one of the main activities occupying the Chilean radio amateurs these days. As we reported in last weeks breaking news bulletin, the massive 8.8 magnitude shaker caused widespread devastation across Chile. It also triggered a tsunami alert from the West coast of North and South America to as far away as New Zealand, Australia and the nations of the Pacific Rim.. Ham radio will likely be involved in post quake disaster communications for some time. The IARU Region 2 and the Chilean national ham radio society have requested that monitor a number of emergency communications frequencies for traffic pertaining to the earthquake and its aftermath. These are 3.738, 3.750, 7.050, 7.100, 14.200, 14.350, 21.200, 21.350, 28.300 and 28.500 MHz. In addition to these frequencies, hams may also want to listen to the worldwide emergency communication Center of Activity frequencies. These are 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz. Other suggested monitoring frequencies are 3.720, 7.045 and 7.060 MHz. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale, Arizona. -- As we go to air, the Chilean government confirmed 799 people had been killed by the quake, and at least 2 million made homeless. But that number could rise because others including tourists camping on the coast may have been dragged out to sea by the 40ft-high tsunami that followed. (Various Sources) ** RESCUE RADIO: HAWAII HAMS WERE PREPARED TO FACE TSUNAMI The shaker that caused massive devastation across Chile also triggered a tsunami alert from the West coast of North and South America to as far away as New Zealand, Australia and the nations of the Pacific Rim. One of the first places to go on tsunami watch was Hawaii. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has been following that part of the story from our newsroom in Los Angeles: -- "Did I hear any more stations trying to check in, KH6IB with the emergency response communications net for the impending tsunami headed into Honolulu as well as the Hawaiian Islands and actually California." -- That's the voice of Ralph Young, KH6IB, who was part of a Hawaii state wide tsunami alert on Saturday, February 27th. This as some 60 Hawaiian hams participated in a tsunami radio net that operated throughout the island state. Over two dozen real-time reports from observers around the state were relayed simultaneously to the State Emergency Operating Center and the four county EOC's. Reports like this one provided up to the minute information on sea level changes to emergency management officials. -- "Just an update from the Big Island of Hawaii. Its been reported the water is receding in Hilo too on the breakwaters as well as on a couple of the beaches. I'm on the Southern end and that's the report from Hilo, Hawaii. Back to net, KH6RFB." -- Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, is the Hawaii State Civil Defense ARES and RACES Coordinator. He says that emergency managers in his state have long been preparing for a tsunami from Chile. Planning began in 1960 shortly after an earthquake in Chile created a tsunami that all but destroyed the city of Hilo on the Big Island. According to AH6RH, the 14 hour travel time for the tsunami to reach Hawaii provided ample time for radio amateurs to put in place their response plan. Hashiro said that activity started on Friday, February 26 when key Amateur Radio operators were alerted to the 8.8 magnitude earthquake in Chile. Then he and Kevin Bogan, AH6QO began receiving messages from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center that lead to the activation of RACES and ARES. Coordination was handled on radio via the AH6CP UHF repeater. Also utilized were text messages, phone calls as well as postings to Facebook and tweets on the Twitter social networking websites. But it was mobile operations over the state wide repeater network that Hashiro said would prove to be of the greatest value as the tsunami approached: -- "We were very fortunate with the tsunami net during this event because both islands have exempted amateur radio from their mobile cellular telephone bills. As a result hams can still operate with their radios in their vehicles and it was that element that provided real time reporting to the state EOC" -- Radio operations began with the sounding of the warning sirens across the state at 6 AM. The 6:01 AM net was a bulletin-only with instructions for starting operations at 7 AM. Meantime, amateur radio operators reported to the State and County EOCs. Hashiro, Robin Liu, AH6CP, and Mitch Pinkerton, KH6MP, were stationed at the State Civil Defense EOC in Diamond Head crater From there they operated nets on the State RACES VHF Repeater network and 7.088 MHz on 40 meters. The state-wide tsunami net commenced operation at 10:45 AM with check-ins and position reports. Everything was ready for the tidal surge. When it began, so did the reports from the hams in the field: -- "The water is still receding on the Big Island of Hawaii in Hilo. Its going back out again and going out more this time than it did the first time and we've heard that the Marquises Islands have been hit with a 6 foot wave." -- As the event continued, hams traced the ocean changes around the Big Island, then to the harbors and rivers on Maui, Oahu and Kauai. Receding water levels on the order of 2 to 6 feet were reported as the various waves moved through the island chain. And as the hours passed the hams also passed along other information including one dealing with the water supply on one of the islands: -- "They have turned off all the water to Hilo as well as Kona, I think as a precautionary measure so that they don't get contamination. So they have shut down all the water to both of those cities. Back to net, Ill be monitoring. KH6RC." -- According to AH6RH check-in nets were run at the top of each hour to monitor the availability of operators and their locations. Thankfully the tidal surge was minimal. As a result, real-time reporting ended at 1:08 PM and the tsunami warning for Hawaii was canceled at 1:38 PM. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles -- Ron Hashiro AH6RH, says that Hawaii State Civil Defense Vice Director Ed Teixeira was extremely pleased and grateful for these reports and extended his thanks to the Hawaiian amateur radio community for another outstanding job well done. (ARNewsline(tm), AH6RH) ** BREAK 1 Coming to you this week from Los Angeles, California and Auckland, New Zealand we are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WB0QXW repeater serving Saint Louis, Missouri. (5 sec pause here) ** RESCUE RADIO: SOCAL HAMS READY BUT NOT CALLED OUT FOR TSUNAMI While public officials in Hawaii were in full alert for the Chilean earthquake generated tsunami, the same cannot be said for the political leadership in Southern California. This according to Gordon West, WB6NOA, who says that after all the hours of training volunteers in the various cities that comprise the Southern California region, not one politician nor their staff members had the courtesy to let them know what was going on: -- West: "We had ham radio operators in Dana Point, Newport Beach, Huntington Harbor, Catalina Island, Long Beach Harbor, L.A. Harbor. Hams were all over the place but no one to make a report to. The hams were not mobilized in Southern California, and that seems strange because here in Southern California we've offered a lot of free classes to municipalities wanting to get their CERT groups going in disaster preparedness." -- West speculates that the uncertainty over the use of volunteers caused by the FCC's strict interpretation of rule 97.113 might be one of the reasons that the political leaders shied away from calling out or using the services of ham radio volunteers: -- West: "Well, maybe it was 97.113 and the worry by cities that this would be an exercise that the FCC might not approve. This was not an exercise. This was an actual tsunami with the waves coming into the Los Angeles area." -- Even though there was no official callout some Southern California's rescue radio hams took the initiative to use the event as a training exercise. Some nets did put themselves into operation and properly equipped operators like Jason Gant,W6AUX, on Catalina Island were able to provide accurate tidal surge reports. Reports that sadly went nowhe -- "This is W6AUX reporting from Avalon. We had an approximate one foot surge come in at 12:18 P.M. Pacific Standard Time. The tidal situation is that we are two hours from an extreme low tide of minus 1.2 feet so this helped us in managing this very low surge. This is W6AUX, out." -- According to West, its beginning to appear as if the political leadership of the region really has no idea of the free expert communications talent at their fingertips: -- West: "They don't realize the resources that the ham operators could bring, such as we had one ham, Richard, K6RBS, that was monitoring the DART Buoys and was giving an up to date count as to how high or not high the tsunami would reach here in Southern California." -- As we go to air its unclear if any other California, Oregon, Washington, Alaskan or Canadian coastal communities put their ham radio response groups on alert. What we do know is that in Southern California that was not the case. And less we forget, to hear more of what Gordon West has to say regarding this issue just tune into this weeks RAIN Report, Its on line all this week at www.therainreport.com. (ARNewsline(tm)) ** RADIO LAW: FCC REFUSES TO ISSUE DECLARATORY RULING TO PROTECT HAMS FROM NEW JERSEY AND FLORIDA ANTI PIRATE RADIO LAWS The FCC has turned down a request filed in 2005 by the American Radio Relay League for a declaratory ruling. One that would have indemnified ham radio operators from prosecution under anti pirate radio laws in two states. In a letter dated February 25th, the FCC responded to a Request for Declaratory Ruling Request filed by attorney Christopher D. Imlay, W3KD, on February 25, 2005 on behalf of ARRL. In it the ARRL asked the FCC for a declaratory ruling that Section 877.27 of the Florida Criminal Statutes and Section C.2C:33-23.1 of the New Jersey Statutes be preempted by federal law. Both of these statutes make it a felony to make a radio transmission without Commission authorization or to interfere with a licensed public or commercial radio station. In its filing, the ARRL acknowledged that the statutes were enacted to address unlicensed pirate broadcasting facilities. But the League was concerned that these laws could be applied to Commission-licensed amateur radio stations. In declining the ARRL request the FCC noted that the Florida legislation has now been in effect for over five years and the New Jersey law has been in effect for over four years. It says that in that time the agency has not received any reports of any amateur operators being prosecuted or threatened with prosecution under either statute. The FCC decision did leave the door open in case a ham somewhere winds up under the gun of one of these two state laws. It said that the ARRL may file a new petition for declaratory ruling in the event of changed circumstances. Read that to mean its going to take a test case in New Jersey or Florida before the FCC gives any consideration to preempting either state law. (FCC) ** RADIO SAFETY: FLORIDA MAN ELECTROCUTED INSTALLING ANTENNA TO TALK TO HAITI A Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, man who was electrocuted on February 28th. This, while trying to install an antenna that authorities said would have been used to communicate with Haiti. Police spokesman Sgt. Frank Sousa said Mackenson Mareus died when he touched a live power line at a home in the 1100 block of Northwest 18th Court. Police said the antenna Mareus was helping install was intended to set up communication with Haiti. According to experts in South Florida that is something ham radio operators would be able to do with relative ease. But Mareus was not a radio amateur and according to his cousin Louikenson Arne he did not know what the antenna was for. Arne said that the 27 year old Mareus, was from Haiti and had lived in South Florida for less than three years. He ran an Internet-based radio station called Radio Tendresse, and the Web site boasted the frequency of 97.7 FM but was not on the air anywhere in the United States. According to the police report on the accident ham radio operators are supposed to be licensed with the Federal Communications Commission. However it was unclear who, if anyone, held a license to use the antenna and any radio gear connected to it at the time of the accident that took Mackenson Mareus life. (Published news reports) ** RADIO BUSINESS: GRE TO ASSUME ALINCO SALES AND SERVICE GRE, Inc, best known as an original electronics manufacturer and Alinco, Inc. have announced an new marketing agreement. One under which G-R-E America, Inc. will distribute, offer customer support, and provide warranty and non-warranty repair for radios and amplification equipment under the Alinco brand for all of North America. Under the agreement, GRE, Inc. will be the exclusive distributor of Alinco products in Canada, USA, and Mexico and will handle all warranty service and parts orders. GRE will also provide out-of warranty service as will other currently authorized Alinco service centers. (GRE) ** NEW PRODUCTS: MORSE CODE TIE FOR PILOTS A new way to learn the Morse code if you fly. Wear it. And no we are not kidding as we hear from Frank Lusa, VK2FJL of the WIA National News has the story from down-under: -- Aviators have Morse code all tied up. How, Well you might ask? Well it's a neck tie that has the code printed on it. Presumably pilots can check their tie if they're a bit rusty on the code and want to verify what beacon they're receiving. These beacons transmit a two to five letter callsigns at 5-words per minute. Lets hope that coffee stains do not obliterate too many dits and dahs. Im VK2FJL reporting for the WIA National News. -- Now all someone has to make these new aviators Morse code ties, self cleaning. (WIA News) ** THE SOCIAL SCENE: THE DUTCH NATIONAL RADIO FLEAMARKET MARCH 13 Turning to the international social scene, the Dutch National Radio Fleamarket takes place on March 13th at the Autotron at 's-Hertogenbosch, just off A59 motorway in Holland. The event opens at 9.00 A.M. local time and runs until 15.30. Details can be found on the website at www.radiovlooienmarkt.nl. (GB2RS) ** BREAK 2 This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at www.arnewsline.org and being relayed around the globe by the volunteer services of the following radio amateur: (5 sec pause here) ** CHANGING OF THE GUARD: DR. DAVID TOTH, VE3GYQ - SK Some sad news to report. This with word of the February 26th passing of former Tucson Amateur Packet Radio President David Toth, VE3GYQ at his home in London, Ontario, Canada. Toth who was only age 55 served as Tucson Amateur Packet Radio President from 2005 to 2009 and was twice as a member of its Board of Directors. At the time of his passing he held the title of President Emeritus of the organization. In addition to amateur radio, Dr. Toth's other passions were flying his Piper Twin Comanche and astronomy. He established the London, Ontario, Astronomy Club and served as its president. He was also a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and belonged to the Lima, Dayton and Columbus Astronomy Clubs. During his career VE3GYQ traveled to Chile and Australia for NASA to fix telescope problems. He also worked closely with Software Bisque to develop computer programs to operate telescopes. Dr. Toth graduated from the University of Western Ontario Medical School in 1978. He practiced family medicine in London, Ontario but moved to the U.S. in 1993 to began a career in emergency medicine. He was a partner of Premier Health Care Services, in Dayton, Ohio, and worked at Lima Memorial Health System and St. Rita's Medical Center until the time of his illness. (WB9QZB) ** CHANGING TECHNOLOGY: SONY TO CLOSE ALABAMA MAGNETIC TAPE PLANT Call it a true sign of the times. This with word that Sony Corporation plans to close its tape-manufacturing plant in Dothan, Alabama. This as the need for magnetic tape products dwindles to a trickle world-wide. As recently as five years ago most recording of video and audio was done to tape. But as magnetic disc drives, flash memory and electro-optical recording technology made rapid advances, the need for magnetic tape products quickly declined. Now it has finally reached a low where the demand for magnetic tape products like those produced at the Sony Dolthan, Alabama, plant has reached the point where keeping it open is no longer economical. According to Sony, operations at the plant will be phased out starting in April with the closure planned to be completed by September. The facility was opened in 1977. Termination of its operation will lead to the loss of 300 jobs. (Birmingham News, RW, others) ** HAMS IN THE NEWS: MATTHEW ARTHUR KA0PQW NAMED TO RECEIVE PRESIDENTIAL AWARD Some names in the news. Handiham World reports that Matthew Arthur, KA0PQW, of Ellendale, Minnesota, has been selected to receive a President's Volunteer Service Award. Arthur is being recognized for his work with the Community Emergency Response Team in Steele County, Minnesota. That's where he volunteered and handled communications during a flood in 2007. According to Handiham World, this was a nine hour non-stop stint that lasted until the National Guard could relieve him. During that time he handled traffic into and out of the flood zone, passing messages to authorities in the city of Winona. Handiham World says that a story on Matthew Arthur's selection to receive the award appeared in the February 18, 2010 edition of the Star-Eagle newspaper that also featured a photo of his well equipped amateur station. KA0PQW is also a Handiham leader and volunteer. (WA0TDA, Handiham World) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: DIANA ENG KC2UHB JOINS ARRL PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE Diana Eng KC2UHB, well known for her amateur radio articles and videos for MAKE magazine, will be joining the ARRL Public Relations Committee. Eng who is a fashion designer who is known to integrate electronics into the attire she designs says that she is very excited to join the committee because she wants to help connect the maker and hacker community to the ham radio community. Phil Torrone is the senior Editor of MAKE magazine. He describes Diana Eng as a fashion nerd, hacker, maker and ham radio ambassador. He says that KC2UHB is one of those people who inspire us all to hack, mod, and learn new skills. Eng herself notes that it is an exciting time because there is a huge growth in the maker and hacker community. She says that it is hip to tinker and that ham radio operators were the original makers and hackers. Diana Eng maintains her own website. It's a fun place in cyberspace to visit at http://fashionnerd.com/ (Southgate) ** EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: CHILE QUAKE MAY HAVE SHORTENED THE DAYS Scientists at NASA say that the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on Saturday, February 27th may have shifted Earth's axis and created shorter days. If their preliminary calculations are correct each day should be 1.26 microseconds shorter/ According to Science OnLine, large earthquakes cause massive amounts of rock to shift and alters the distribution of mass on the planet. That distribution change causes the rate at which the planet rotates to alter and it is the rate of rotation rate determines the length of a day. Richard Gross is a geophysicist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. He used computer modeling to determine how the magnitude 8.8 quake that struck Chile may have affected Earth. He found that the quake should have moved Earth's figure axis about 8 centimeters. That shift in axis is what may have lead to the minutely shortened days. (Science Daily) ** RADIO COOPERATION: ROS FREQUENCIES MOVED ON 20 METERS ROS is changing channel. José Alberto Nieto Ros, the originator of the new amateur radio data mode ROS, has agreed to move the suggested 20 meter frequencies for this mode to 14.0972MHz and 14.102MHz. This following a mounting number of complaints that the mode was accidentally causing massive world-wide interference to the international beacon frequency of 14.100 MHz. The original frequencies recommended for the mode had been 14.098MHz and 14.1011MHz. This sandwiched the decades old propagation advisory system between the original frequencies for ROS and making it impossible to hear the beacon propagation broadcasts. You can find out more about ROS at http://rosmodem.wordpress.com. More about the International Beacon Project at www.ncdxf.org/beacons.html. (Southgate) ** DX In DX, we start with word from ARRL Awards Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, that the 3V3S operation from Tunisia and the D2CQ operation in Angola have been approved for DXCC credit. The 3V3S operation took place in 2009 while D2CQ is ongoing. On the air now is G3LZQ active as 3B9WR from Rodrigues Island through April 2nd. His operation is on all bands 160 to 10 meters, mainly CW, but with a focus on the 160 through 40. Also look for him to be in the RSGB's 73rd Commonwealth Contest (March 13-14th). QSL via his home callsign. And lastly, DF7ZS, will be on the air from Madeira Island signing portable CT9. This. between March 24th and the 31st. Activity will be holiday style and will focus on the WARC bands. QSL via DF7ZS. To which we can only add the line: "Have some Madiera my dear." OK. Bad joke unless you know the music of the Limeliters. (Above from various DX news sources) ** THAT FINAL ITEM: NEIGHBOR SUES NEIGHBOR OVER ELECTROMAGNETIC ALLERGY And finally this week the story of a Santa Fe, New Mexico, man who is suing his neighbor because he claims that her cellular telephone, her WiFi and even her lamp dimmers are making him ill. Once again, here is Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, who takes a look at this rather strange case: -- The Santa Fe Reporter and Huffington Post newspapers says that a New Mexico resident who alleges he suffers from electromagnetic allergies is has filed a tort action against neighbor because she refuses to turn off her home electronic equipment. According to the news stories, Arthur Firstenberg of Santa Fe, has been sleeping at friends' homes or in his car to avoid what he claims are the electromagnetic waves created by his neighbor's cell phone, wireless network, computer, compact fluorescent light bulbs and lamp dimmer switches. Firstenberg claims that the low-level electromagnetic radiation emitted by cell phones and other modern gadgets makes him, and others sensitive to radio waves suffer terribly. He believes that the side-effects of exposure, include nausea, vertigo, ringing in the ears, severe headaches and body aches. He also credits crippling joint pains, insomnia, impaired vision, impaired muscular control and other ailments to electromagnetic sources. The suit claims that when Raphaela Monribot moved in next door, she refused to keep her phone, computer and wireless network turned off when not in use. When asked if she could use a landline instead of her iPhone, Firstenberg claims the neighbor flatly refused. Firstenberg suit demands that a judge to stop his neighbor from using her iPhone, her wireless internet and her laptop charger, saying the radiation has forced him from his home. He also wants $530,000 in damages, including $100,000 for pain and suffering. The lawsuit was filed January 4th in First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe. Firstenberg's attorney is Lindsay Lovejoy, Jr, who is a graduate of Harvard and Yale, as well as a former Assistant New Mexico Assistant Attorney General who has argued cases alongside now US Senator Tom Udall. With such a high power attorney, its doubtful that this case will disappear anytime soon. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, In Los Angeles. -- The battle against WiFi in Santa Fe isn't one Firstenberg is fighting alone. He's part of a group of city residents who are pursuing legal means to remove all WiFi hotspots from public locations because they claim the wireless internet waves aggravate their electromagnetic allergies. You can read more about this story http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/0...stenb_n_421724. html, http://www.sfreeper.com/2010/01/06/t...ensitive-activ ist-sues-to-stop-neighbors-iphone-use/ and www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7017499815 (Published reports) ** 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), 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350 Before we go, a reminder that the nominating period for the 2010 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open. Each year, we here at the Amateur Radio Newsline in association with Vertex Standard Corporation -- the makers of Yaesu brand ham radio gear -- and CQ Magazine combine to honor a ham radio operator age 18 or younger for his or her contributions to ham radio or to society itself through ham radio. All nominations and materials required by the official rules must be received by Amateur Radio Newsline no later than midnight on May 30th. Both "mail-in" and electronic submissions are being accepted this year. Full rules and a downloadable nominating form are now on our website at www dot arnewsline dot org. Just scroll down until you see "2010 Young Ham of the Year Awards Now Being Accepted" and click on the word "here" to download the directions and the form. You can also leave questions and comments on the official Young Ham of the Year Award page on Facebook dot com. For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk in Los Angeles, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, reporting from Auckland, New Zealand, saying 73 and we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. |
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