Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1768 - July 2 2011

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1768 with a release date of
Friday, July 2, 2011 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A New York State representative introduces
anti distracted driving legislation in Congress. Will it affect amateur
radio? Also, Alberta Canada get a strange exemption from a new
distracted driving law set to go into effect this fall, two people are
held in connection with the death of a Wisconsin ham, the U-S Supreme
Court to review the so-called safe harbor for children broadcasting
rule and in the future the time on your clock may vary. Find out what
we mean on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1768 coming your
way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RADIO LAW: ANTI DISTRACTED DRIVING MEASURE INTRODUCED IN US HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES

Federal legislation to ban use of handheld phones and other mobile
devices while driving has been introduced in the United States House of
Representatives. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
reports:

--

According to published news reports, Representative Carolyn McCarthy of
New York said the legislation titled the "Safe Drivers Act of 2011"
would direct the Department of Transportation to set a national
standard to prohibit drivers from using hand-held mobile devices,
except in certain emergency situations. The legislation, as now
proposed, states a handheld device would at this time not include
voice-operated, vehicle-integrated, or hands-free devices that allow an
individual to operate that device without the use of either hand
-except to activate or deactivate a feature or function.

In addition to developing a national handheld ban, the legislation
would also require the Department of Transportation to conduct a study
on all aspects of distracted driving. In particular, the study would
look at cognitive distraction which involves whether drivers can still
be dangerously distracted while using mobile phones even when they are
operated with hands-free devices or voice commands.

Within two years of the proposed law's passage, the Department of
Transportation would be required to report on its findings and possibly
tighten its restrictions even further on the use of all mobile device
used in vehicles. States that did not comply with the Federal
government's standard within two years would be penalized by having 25%
of their federal highway funding withheld.

It's unknown whether or not the use of handheld push-to-talk
microphones used by two-way radio users such as police, fire, delivery
services, CB operators and hams would be exempted from McCarthy's
proposed national ban.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I;m Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los
Angeles
--

The complete text of the proposal as currently written is available for
download in pdf format at tinyurl.com/3w63f9t (Detroit Free Press,
Infrastructurist.com, SFGte.com, others)

**

RADIO LAW: ALBERTA CANADA HAMS GET TEMPORARY EXEMPTION FROM DISTRACTED
DRIVER LAW

Hams in Alberta Canada have received a kind of strange dispensation
from a new distracted driver law set to take effect on September 1st.
The new statute will restricts drivers from using hand-held cell
phones, texting or doing emailing using electronic devices like laptop
computers. It also bans drivers from using video games, cameras, video
entertainment displays and programming portable audio players, entering
information on GPS units, reading printed materials in the vehicle
writing, printing or sketching, and performing any form of personal
grooming.

However, Alberta hams and other operators of two-way radio gear have
been granted a temporary reprieve. This, in the form of an exemption
that says any an individual who holds a Canadian radio operator
certificate issued under the Radiocommunication Act may drive or
operate a vehicle on a highway while holding, viewing or manipulating a
2-way radio communication device.

So whats the catch? It comes in Section 5 of the new law. It says that
for the purposes of ensuring that this Regulation is reviewed for
ongoing relevancy and necessity, with the option that it may be
re-passed in its present or an amended form following a review, this
Regulation expires on June 1, 2016.

The bottom line: It appears as if Alberta Province ham radio operators
and other licensed two-way radio users don't create problems for 5
years, the exemption may be extended for many years to come. (VE6TEQ,
VA6GCT via QRZ.com)

**

RADIO LAW: TWO HELD IN CONNECTION TO MURDER OF WISCONSIN HAM

Two people are being held in connection with the murder of John
Aegerter, WA9GAR, of Brookfield, Wisconsin. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with mo

--

Authorities in Brookfield, Wisconsin have ordered Tommy V. Douyette,
held on $750,000 bail on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide
and Lynn M. Hajny held on $500,000 bail on suspicion of first-degree
intentional homicide, party to a crime. This in the death of 63 year
old John Aegerter, WA9GAR.

Aegerter's body was discovered by Brookfield police after officers were
asked by one of his employees to go to his home check on him because he
had not shown up for work. His body was found face down in the garage.
His ankles were tied with a black electrical cord, and a white
electrical cord was around his neck. A sleeping bag had been placed
partially over the body. According to court records Aegerter may have
been strangled or had his neck broken during the attack at his home in
a dispute over money.

Authorities said that they could not comment on what led them to arrest
Douyette and Hajny. However, court records indicate that Hajny's cousin
called police and told them Hajny had telephoned her and told her she
had killed someone. Sometime after that call, Hajny and Douyette
showed up at the woman's home and said they had been at Aegerter's
home. Hajny then told her cousin Aegerter was in the garage "dead with
his feet tied," and that she had taken his house and car keys, $75 in
cash from his wallet and his credit card. Hajny's husband, Albert, at
one time was employed by Aegerter, and Hajny had asked him about money
he owed her husband, court records state.

Friends of John Aegerter say that he was an intelligent businessman who
collected antique radio transmitters and other communications
equipment. Jack Hughes, identified in news articles as a fellow ham
radio operator is quoted as saying that Aegerter was proud to have
built up his own companies. That at age 63 was a workaholic who still
climbed his towers to maintain them rather than hiring others to do it.

Another friend identified as Keefe John said WA9GAR developed one of
the first mobile data communications systems used in police squad cars.

At airtime, formal charges against Doyoutte and Hajny were pending.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasterenak, WA6ITF, in the
newsroom in Loa Angeles.

--

Authorities say that an autopsy was being conducted on Aegerter remains
to determine the exact cause of death. Aegerter, who lived alone, owned
a communications business and several radio towers used by cellular
telephone, pager and two-way radio companies. More on this story is on
line at http://www.jsonline.com/news/waukesha/124418999. html (KM6X,
K9KHJ, jsonline.com)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WA2EHL
repeater serving Burlington New Jersey.


(5 sec pause here)


**

ENFORCEMENT: FCC ISSUES NOTICE OF UNLICENSED OPERATION TO CALIFORNIA
CORPORATION

A major shopping center in California has come under FCC scrutiny for
allegedly operating a repeater without proper licensing. Don Wilbanks,
AE5DW, has the details:

--

The FCC's Los Angeles Office has issued a Notice of Unlicensed
Operation to the Irvine Company which operates the Irvine Spectrum
Center in California. This, after the commission received information
that an unlicensed repeater was operating on a frequency pair 462.5875
and 467.5875 MHz in the Irvine area.

Back on April 27th an agent from the FCC's Los Angeles office confirmed
by direction finding that radio the signals were emanating from the
Irvine Spectrum Center. An inspection determined that portable radios
used by the maintenance staff were simultaneously retransmitted on
462.5875 MHz by a Motorola Radius repeater. The Commission's records
show that no license had been issued for operation of a radio station
at this location on 462.5875 MHz.

It should be noted that the frequencies 462.5875 MHz and 467.5875 MHz
are only available for use under the Family Radio Service. The
repeater at the Irvine Spectrum Center could not legally operate on FRS
frequencies because it does not meet the FCC's technical regulations
for F-R-S operation and therefore was not certified for use under the
Family Radio Service rules.

The regulatory agency's notice warned the Irvine Company to immediately
cease operation of the illegal repeater station. It also gave the
Irvine Company 10 days from the June 3rd date of the Notice of
Unlicensed Operation to respond and provide any evidence that it has
any form of authority to operate on those frequencies as granted by the
FCC.

Im Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

At airtime, any response made by the Irvine Center to the FCC has not
been made public by either entity. (FCC)

**


RADIO LAW: US SUPREME COURT WILL REVIEW FCC AUTHORITY IN SAFE HARBOR
PROGRAMMING CASES

The Supreme Court says that it will review the First Amendment fight
over what broadcasters can put on the airwaves when young children may
be watching television. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
has the details:

--

A June 27th release says that the justices will re-examine appeals
court rulings that threw out the Federal Communications Commission's
rules against the isolated use of expletives as well as fines against
broadcasters who showed a woman's nude buttocks on a 2003 episode of
ABC's "NYPD Blue."

In a landmark 1978 decision, the court upheld the FCC's authority to
regulate both radio and television content, at least during the hours
when children are likely to be watching or listening. That period
includes the primetime hours before 10 p.m.

For many years, the FCC did not take action against broadcasters for
one-time uses of curse words. The policy stemmed from the 1978
decision that upheld the FCC's reprimand of New York radio station WBAI
for airing a George Carlin monologue containing a 12-minute string of
expletives in the middle of the afternoon. This is when the FCC created
the so-called safe harbor hours prohibiting the airing this type of
material when youngsters were likely to be listening to the radio or
watching television programming.

The "NYPD Blue" episode led to fines only for stations in the Central
and Mountain time zones, where the show aired at 9 p.m.. This was
inside the safe harbor child-friendly hours than the show's 10 p.m.
time slot in the East and 3 hour delay in the Pacific time zone.

Another part of the case that involves fleeting expletives involving
the awards shows has been to the high court before. Three years ago,
the justices narrowly upheld the policy, but in a ruling that pointedly
avoided dealing with First Amendment issues. Instead, the court
directed the appeals court to undertake a constitutional review.

The Obama administration objected that the appeals court findings in
these cases had in essence stripped the FCC of its ability to police
the airwaves on matters dealing with adult language that was not
suitable for children's ears and not video that parents would likely
find objectionable for youngsters to see. On the other side, the
television networks claim that the FCC's long-time safe harbor for
children who might see such programming policy is outdated. This is
because it applies only to broadcast television, leaving unregulated
the same content if transmitted on cable TV or over the Internet.

For the amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, watching this
case from Scottsdale, Arizona.

--

No date was given for arguments before the court to begin nor is it
known how long it might take for the justices to render their opinion.
(Published news reports)

**


NAMES IN THE NEWS: VE3NUZ NAMED NEW DIRECTOR OF SATERN

Some names in the news. First up is Major Rick Shirran, VE3NUZ, of
Toronto, Canada, who has been appointed as the new Director of the
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network.

Major Shirran obtained his amateur radio license in 1975. He served 12
years as a member of the Royal Canadian Navy as a Radio Operator and
Communications Technician. He is a Commissioned Officer and Pastor in
The Salvation Army Canada and Bermuda Territory. Prior to his
appointment, Shirran served as the Emergency Disaster Services Director
and SATERN Director for The Salvation Army in Canada and Bermuda
Territory.

Shirran replaces Major Patrick McPherson, WW9E, who founded the
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network back in 1988. (SATERN,
ARRL, Southgate, Others)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: VE3FFK APPOINTED AS RAC ADVISOR TO NATIONAL FIELD
SECRETARIAT

Mike Kelly VE3FFK has joined Radio Amateurs of Canada as an advisor to
the RAC National Field Organization Secretariat. With a wealth of
emergency preparedness knowledge and experience, Radio Amateurs of
Canada says that Kelly is regarded as a much needed presence in the
Ottawa area in dealing with both the Federal and Provincial governments
on matters relating to Wireless Radio Interoperability.

According to the RAC press release, Kelly has had a long standing
relationship with the Canadian Emergency Management College and is the
"go to" guy to be registered for their training programs. He is also a
regular volunteer at Radio Amateurs of Canada headquarters in Ottawa.
(RAC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: KM0A AWARDED ARRL FRED FISH MEMORIAL AWARD NUMBER 4

A word of congratulations to Mark Ammann, K-M-Zero-A of Florissant,
Missouri who has been awarded the ARRL Fred Fish Memorial Award #4.
According to an announcement from Contest Branch Manager Sean Kutzko,
KX9X, Ammann submitted the final batch of QSLs to ARRL about a week or
so ago and the cards were approved by both Kutzko and ARRL Awards
Branch Manager Bill Moore, NC1L. More information on the Fred Fish
Memorial Award is on-line at www.arrl.org/FFMA (VHF Reflector, KX9X)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: W5KUB TO NETCAST 2011 HUNTSVILLE HAMFEST

And Tom Medlin, W5KUB, says that he will once again be netcasting live
from the 2011 Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama on August 20th nand 21st.

This is a large hamfest that pulls many people from not only the
South-Eastern states but also from across the entire United States. As
is usual, Tom says that he will have prizes for his viewers. He adds
that as this is an all indoor hamfest at the famed Von Braun Center, it
should have perfect connectivity to enable him to stream the event with
what he terms as great quality video.

Toms netcast from the Huntsville Hamfest complete with ongoing
chat-room will be carried live at w5kub dot com. If you cannot be
there in person, this is definitely the next best way to take part.
(W5KUB)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: ARNEWSLINE LOOKING FOR SPEAKERS FOR HAM RADIO TOWN
MEETING IN TORRANCE CALIFORNIA ON SEPTEMBER 10

Amateur Radio Newsline will be hosting a 90 minute Ham Radio Town Forum
on Saturday, September 10th at the 2011 Southwestern Division
Convention. This will be a reprise of the highly successful "How to
Make a Ham Radio Video in the 21st Century" conference held at the
Dayton Hamvention several weeks ago.

We are currently looking for speakers from within the Southwestern
Division or others who may be visiting the area and who work in the T-V
or film industries to speak at this session. If you are interested in
being a part of this session please contact us by e-mail to Newsline
(at) arnewsline (dot) org.

This years Southwestern Division Convention runs from Friday, September
9th to the Sunday the 11th. The venue is the Marriott Torrance South
Bay, 3635 Fashion Way, Torrance, California. More about it is on-line
at www.hamconinc.org. 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)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: ALE HFN REACHES 4 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS OPERATION

The Global Automatic Link Establishment High Frequency Network has set
a new time on the air record. This, by operating continuously on all
international amateur radio shortwave bands 24 hours a day, 365 days a
year for 4 years.

While crested to foster High Frequency interoperability between all
types of organizations, agencies, individual ham operators and nets
with a primary focus in international emergency communications, the
service also has ample capacity for radio operators everywhere to use
for ordinary calling and QSO's, including some DX'ing. And with about
2000 registered operators, the High Frequency Network covers a vast
area of the planet.

All radio stations in this worldwide system scan the ham bands every 10
seconds, rapidly maintaining contact through short digital bursts of
signals using a system known as Automatic Link Establishment or A-L-E.
More information is on line at hflink.net (KQ6XA)

**

TECHNOLOGY TRYOUT: POWER COMPANIES TO EXPERIMENT WITH NOT HOLDING
POWERLINES TO 60 HZ

If you are a United States radio amateur that depends on a powerline
synchronized clock for logging and other station operations, you might
want to look toward buying a stand alone unit that does not rely on the
power at your outlet being precisely 60 hertz. This is because of an
upcoming yearlong experiment with the nations electric grid could
unsynchronize clocks that use synchronous motors to display the time.

Since 1930, electric clocks have kept time based on the rate of the
frequency of the A-C electrical current that powers them. If the
frequency changes from its usual 60 hertz rate, clocks run a little
fast or slow. Power companies have long taken steps to keep the
frequency as close to 60 hertz as is possible but the group that
oversees the U.S. power grid, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,
is proposing an experiment that would allow more frequency variation
than it does now without corrections being made.

The North American Electric Reliability Corporation runs the nation's
interlocking web of transmission lines and power plants. At a June
14th company presentation it spelled out the potential effects of the
change. It said that synchronous motor driven clocks or any timing
device that uses the 60 Hertz powerline as a time base to lock to can
be off by ba signifigant amount. On the East Coast clocks could run as
much as 20 minutes fast over the year. Clocks West Coast are only
likely to be off by 8 minutes during the 12 month long test.

The test is tentatively set to start in mid July. More on this
upcoming experiment with the time of day can be found on line at
tinyurl.com/3h6lfcn and tinyurl.com/3uzut3g along with other on-line
news websites. (Various)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: JULY 15 DEADLINE TO SCHEDULE ARISS CONTACTS

In ham radio space related news, word that NASA is seeking formal and
informal education institutions and organizations in the United States,
individually or working together, to host an Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station, or ARISS, contact. This, between the
dates of January 15 and July 15, 2012.

To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for
organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and
integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan.

During the first six months of 2012, crew members aboard the
International Space Station will participate in prescheduled amateur
radio contacts in addition to random operation. These scheduled radio
contacts are approximately 10 minutes in length and allow students and
educators to interact with the astronauts through a question-and-answer
session.

An ARISS contact is a voice-only communication opportunity via amateur
radio between astronauts and cosmonauts aboard the space station and
classrooms and communities. ARISS contacts afford education audiences
the opportunity to learn firsthand from astronauts what it is like to
live and work in space. Due to the nature of human spaceflight,
organizations must demonstrate the flexibility to accommodate changes
in contact dates and times.

Interested parties should contact Teaching From Space to obtain
information related to expectations, content, format, audience,
proposal guidelines and forms by sending an e-mail to
or by calling 281-244-2320. The deadline to
submit a proposal is July 15th. More information is on-line at
tinyurl.com/6fc2lzn (NASA, ARISS)

**

SPACE SCIENCE: A YEAR OF THE MOON IN 2 « MINUTES

And a new on-line time lapse video of the Moon produced by the Goddard
Space Flight Center's Scientific Visualization Studio compresses one
month into 12 seconds and one year into 2.5 minutes. Constructed using
data data from the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft, the video
shows how the Moon wobbles in its orbit, the way that it changes in
libration and axis tilt and the is numerous phases. You will find the
video at YouTube by taking the shortcut of tinyurl.com/3ffmhbe (NASA,
AMSAT)
**

DX

In DX, PY2FN will be active as PY0FO from Fernando de Noronha through
July 9th. Operations will be on 160 through 6 meters on CW only. Logs
will be uploaded to Logbook of the World QSL via his home callsign,
direct or by the Bureau.

F8IJV will be active as 6V7Q from the Le Calao resort in Senegal
between October 22nd and November 11th. Operations will be on 160
through 6 meters, operating mainly on SSB, possibly some Digital and
CW. Log will be uploaded to Logbook of thew World. QSL via his home
callsign, direct or via the bureau.

Lastly, VA2WDQ, will be on the air portable FP from Miquelon Islland
between July 7th and the 11th. Activity will be on 160 through 6 meters
using mostly CW with some SSB. His main goal is to participate in the
IARU HF Championship on July 9th and 10th. All logs will be uploaded
to Logbook of the World and to eQSL once he returns home.

Above from various DX news sources

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: 13 COLONIES EVENT CELEBRATES AMERICA'S BIRTHDAY

And finally this week, from now through July 5th, you'll have a special
opportunity to look for and work a group of amateur radio stations
operating from the 13 original American colonies. You'll be able to
score some nice QSL cards and a great certificate for your effort, too.
We get more from Philadelphia, the birthplace of American liberty, from
Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, with all the details:

--

Yes, the Fourth of July holiday weekend is a long and busy time.

But if you have a couple of spare minutes, maybe a few hours, there is
an operating event worth your time.

It's the annual 13th Colonies special event.

Ken Villone, KU2US, is the event manager...

"We added more operators and more modes," Villone says. "We're doing
CW, we doing side-band, we're doing PSK-31.

"In fact, we have one club that's just specifically is going to be
operating on PSK-31. "And, this year is the first year that we will
have all of the satellites representing the 13 colonies states. So a
clean sweep of the colony states on the birds is a possibility. But
it's going to be really hard to do this."

To emphasize the theme of "Independence," Villone says stations will be
on the air during the event from Philadelphia.

"It's the whole patriotic theme of the event, the time that it's going
to take place during the Fourth of July week," Villone says. "And,
also, the Holmesburg Amateur Radio Club fit right in beautifully with
the theme because of the Independence Hall."

Bob Josuweit WA3PZO is helping to coordinate the Holmesburg club's
operations... "We'll have several stations on the air in a Field
day-type operation, actually operating from people's homes," Josuweit
says. "But, we'll be rotating bands and modes during the course of the
holiday so that we can all enjoy part of the holiday with our families
but still to keep the call sign on the air and work as many people as
possible."

Josuweit says this is the first year Philadelphia will be directly
represented in the event...

"After all, that's where the Declaration of Independence was signed and
created," Josuweit says. "And, we'll be using our club call sign of
WM3PEN, we affectionately know for William Penn, the founder of
Philadelphia."

Event coordinator, Ken Villone says, you don't have to be a contester
to work the event. He compared operations to the ARRL's Sweepstakes
event. But, in this case, he cautions, it may require some patience...

"The person who wants to contact us, basically will probably have to
work through pile-ups because it's very hard to find where we are just
by going through the frequencies and hunting," Villone says. "So you
have to really be on top of everything and all of our operators
basically, they pick their own time and their own frequency to operate.

"There's no set of rules for that. So, it's basically like the same way
that you would operate on the ARRL event."

Villone says check the DX Clusters and links for callouts. And, if you
work a Colony station, he'd love to see you post it there so others can
get in on the fun.

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

**

For more information about the 13 Colonies, event, check out the
website www.13colonies.info (NT3V)


**

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 WIA 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, we have to announce that the nominating period for the
year 2011 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now
closed. The cutoff date for paper nominations to be postmarked was
midnight, September 30th your local time. Electronically filed
nominations had to be time-stamped the same.

It will likely be about three weeks before we have the name of this
year's Young Ham of the Year Award recipient. As soon as the judging
committee completes its work, we will announce whomever it is that they
have chosen on a future Newsline report.

Meantime, our thanks to those of you who took the time to nominate a
young radio amateur this year. As we all know, today's young hams will
be tomorrows leaders and the people who will carry on the traditions of
our hobby.

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

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2011. All rights reserved.