Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1785 - October 28 2011


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1785 with a release date of
Friday, October 28th, 2011 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Hams respond following a killer earthquake
in Turkey; the FCC again approves Access BPL without much protection to
any High Frequency operations including ham radio; the FCC, FEMA and
NOAA to hold the first ever national E-A-S test on November 9th and
Dayton announces the theme for Hamvention 2012. Find out what it is on
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1785 coming your way right
now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO RESPONDS TO EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY

Amateur radio operators again became communications first responders on
October 23rd. This after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the Van
region of Eastern Turkey. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
has whats known so far:

--

News reports indicate that Ercis, a city of 75,000 in the mountainous
province close to the Iranian border was hardest hit. As this report
is being prepared the death toll stands at more than 450. Tens of
thousands have been left homeless and even more have lost all means of
communications.

To assist with the latter, hams associated with the Turkish national
amateur radio society TRAC are responding to assist with communications
in the quake devastated area. There are several frequencies in use on
the High Frequency bands being used to link with Turkish government
relief resources with some of the frequencies in use located outside
the amateur bandplan. This will be the standard until more equipment
gets to the region. When that happens, more traffic should move to the
normal Emergency Communications Centre of Activity frequencies.

In the meantime, hams world-wide are asked to avoid the emergency
traffic happening on 7.092 MHz on 40 meters. Also note that upper
sideband is being used to allow communications with government
stations.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale,
Arizona.

--

As we go to air, close to 500 aftershocks have been recorded in the
area since the earthquake. More amateur radio emergency communications
information will be posted on the Turkish Wireless and Radio Amateur
Society web pages when it is made available. These are in cyberspace
at tinyurl.com/TRACwebsite (IARU Region 1)

**

RADIO RULES: FCC TURNS IT BACK TO HAM RADIO CONCERNS IN APPROVING
MODIFIED BPL RULES

The Federal Communications Commission has affirmed its rules for
Broadband over Power Lines or Access BPL with only minor modifications
that do little to protect the Amateur Radio service and other High
Frequency users from severe to intolerable interference.

According to the Second Report and Order issued by the FCC on October
25th, the rules it has created to govern Access BPL provide what it
calls an appropriate balance between the dual objectives of providing
for Access BPL technology that has potential applications for broadband
and Smart Grid while protecting incumbent radio services against
harmful interference.

Those incumbent radio services primarily comprise amateur radio
operators and other users of the High Frequency spectrum. Hams started
arguing against Access BPL when the commission first adopted rules for
it in 2004, saying that in geographic areas where it was in trial that
it severely interfered with their operations.

The American Radio and Relay League filed a lawsuit against the FCC in
federal court, seeking full access to unredacted versions of staff
technical studies upon which the rules were predicated. The ARRL was
victorious. The FCC was ordered to supply the studies, allow public
comment, and explain its method for measuring radiated emissions from
Access BPL systems.

Now in its Second Report and Order, the commission said the resulting
cycle of comments did not warrant any changes to the emissions
standards but said that they were making several refinements
none-the-less. And minor they are.

The Second Report & Order modifies the rules to increase the required
notch filtering capability for systems operating below 30 MHz from 20
to 25 dB. It also establishes a new alternative procedure for
determining site specific extrapolation factors and adopts a definition
for the slant range distance used in the BPL measurement guidelines to
further clarify its application. Slant-range refers to the diagonal
distance of a measurement device to an Access BPL transmitter mounted
at the top of a power pole.

Access BPL is said to support data rates of more than 500 Mbps and
first and last mile ranges of up to 1,500 meters. The commission said
that while it endeavored to minimize interference to ham radio
operations that it remains a possibility.

In the end the Commission concluded that some cases of harmful
interference may be possible from Access BPL emissions at levels at or
below the Part 15 limits. However the regulatory agency feels that the
potential benefits of Access BPL service warrant acceptance of what
they call a negligible risk of harmful interference that can be managed
and corrected as needed on a case-by-case basis.

The commission noted that Access BPL provides yet another way to get
broadband to the masses. This is one of the key objectives of the
Obama Administration, and more recently, the International
Telecommunications Union.

The big question now is what action the ARRL might take to stop the
poorer forms of Access BPL technology from being deployed. We will all
likely learn that in coming weeks. (FCC, RW, Others)

**

RESCUE RADIO: FCC-FEMA-NOAA TO HOLD NATIONAL EAS TEST NOVEMBER 9

The first ever national test of the Emergency Activation System, or
EAS, will soon take place. This as the FCC, in cooperation with the
Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration announce that they will conduct a nationwide
activation of the system at 2 p.m. Eastern, 11 a.m. Pacific time on
Wednesday, November 9th.

According to FEMA, all EAS participants are required to take part. This
includes over the air radio and television broadcasters, other
television providers, satellite and digital radio along with cable and
wire-line video providers.

During the approximate three minute test, radio listeners will hear a
message indicating that "This is a test." Although the EAS test may
resemble the Routine Monthly EAS Tests or R-M-T's that most of us are
already familiar with, there will be some differences in what viewers
will see and hear.

While the audio message will be the same for all EAS participants, the
video may differ. This is because of certain limitations within the
Emergency Activation System itself. As a result, the video test
message scroll may not be the same or indicate that "This is a test."
According to FEMA's website, this is due to the use of the live E.A.N.
code which is the same cipher that would be used in an actual emergency
callout.

Although local and state aspects of the Emergency Activation System
holds routine weekly and monthly basis, there has never been an
end-to-end nationwide test of the system. That will change on November
9th.

The FCC says that it chose that date order to minimize disruption and
confusion during the test. This is because it is near the end of
hurricane season and before the severe winter weather season begins.
Also the 2 p.m. Eastern time broadcast will minimize disruption during
rush hours while ensuring that the test occurs during working hours
across the nation.

And while personal radio emergency communications groups like ARES,
RACES, REACT and the like are not required to take part in this first
ever national EAS test, there is the off chance that some may activate
as part of local or regional training exercises in resonse to a
national EAS alert. (FEMA, FCC, others)

**

RADIO LAW: LOADS OF INTRUDERS ON 10 METERS

Meantime, pirate operations are showing up on 10 meters seemingly en
mass. Following the improvement in propagation on 10 meters in recent
weeks, it appears that there are many illegal users of this band. Most
seem to be using low power FM chanalized radios to operate taxi
services. Signals mainly seem to come from the western part of Russia.

Information regarding these intrusions is being gathered by RSGB
Intruder Watch program. It will be used to support a complaint to the
Russian authorities in an attempt to clear this nuisance from what
should be an exclusive amateur band.

But all of the intruders may not be Russians. Others are obvious
unlicensed operators using A-M and SSB here in North America. These
are likely illegal 11 meter export type CB sets sold by unscrupulous
dealers here in the United States and elsewhere that only require a
tweek or a cut wire to put them onto the 10 meter band. If you hear
these operators and have a way to record them, do so and then send the
audio file or cassette tape to the FCC Enforcement people with a cover
letter stating what you heard and when you heard it. Be as specific as
you can. The more information that you can provide to the regulatory
agency, the better. (GB2RS, ARNewsline(tm), others)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N5LEZ
repeater serving Wichita Falls, Texas.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RADIO HISTORY: NATIONAL CAPITAL RADIO & TV MUSEUM IN EXHIBIT SPACE
CRUNCH

A suburban Washington D.C. broadcast museum is literally facing a tight
future. This due to less and less floor space for its ever increasing
supply of exhibit material.

According to The Gazette, the National Capital Radio & Television
Museum located in Bowie, Maryland has reached out to Bowie's leaders at
a recent City Council meeting. Museum Executive Director Brian
Belanger, KB3PRS, asked the members for help in .

Beyond space concerns, Belanger said the facility has other issues.
These include a location is not easily reached by bus; a second floor
that is not handicap accessible and it lacks climate control.

The private, nonprofit museum is located in the Harmel House, one of
Bowie's historic landmark properties. Displays include an early
wireless telegraph from Guglielmo Marconi, early crystal sets from the
1920s, Depression-era cathedral radios and more.

Belanger says the museum receives 2,000 visitors per year, and their
spending boosts Bowie's economy. In reply to the museum's request,
Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson asked for a list of specific needs of
the museum. Mayor Robinson added that the council will try to put
Belanger together with the right people.

More about the museum and the history it shares with rthe nation and
the world is on-line at http://radiohistory.org. The complete story of
the museums needs is at tinyurl.com/museum-space. (RW, ARNewsline(tm))

**

RADIO LAW: ODESSA TEXAS TO CONSIDER NO TEXTING LAW

Odessa Texas City Council members will consider an ordinance regulating
texting while driving during their upcoming meeting 6 p.m.. The
ordinance would prohibit drivers from viewing, reading, sending or
composing electronic messages or use any other application software
such as Internet, games or pictures while driving.

Drivers would be exempt from the prohibition while their vehicle is
stopped, if they are dialing for a phone call or ending a phone call,
using the cell phone's global navigation system and if the device is on
voice-activated or hands-free mode.

The ordinance would also not apply to drivers trying to communicate
with an emergency response operator, a fire department, a law
enforcement agency, a hospital, a physician's office or a health
clinic. (City of Odessa, WV6H)

**

ENFORCEMENT: ANOTHER FLORIDA UNLICENSED STATION PROPOSED FINE

The FCC has issued a $15,000 Notice of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture, also known as a proposed fine, to John E. Criteser, Jr..
this for apparently willfully and repeatedly operating an unlicensed
radio transmitter on the frequency 95.1 MHz in Lake Park, Florida.

On December 13th, 2010, and this past July 8th, agents from the
Enforcement Bureau's Miami Office located the source of radio frequency
transmissions on the frequency 95.1 MHz to Criteser's residence. Also,
on July 8, 2011, agents from the Miami Office knocked on the door of
Mr. Criteser's residence and requested to inspect the radio station
located on the premises. The individual who answered the door called
for "John" and shut the door. Soon afterward the agents observed that
the radio station on 95.1 MHz ceased operation. Approximately 15
minutes later and after repeated knocks, Criteser opened the door,
identified himself, and admitted to agents that he was operating a
radio station on 95.1 MHz.

Now the FCC is having its say and it says that because Criteser
operated this station consciously on more than one day, it finds that
the apparent violations were not only willful, but also repeated. And
based on the evidence before it, the regulatory agency finds that
Criteser is eligible for the base fine of $10,000 for the illegal
operation and an additional $5000 because the act was repeated.

Criteser was given the usual 30 days from the October 21st date the
order was released to pay or to file an appeal. (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: $10000 FINE IN SAN FRANCISCO FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION

Meantime, a similar situation out West where Daniel K. Roberts has been
ordered to pay a monetary forfeiture in the amount of $10,000. This for
allegedly operating an unlicensed radio broadcast station on 87.9 MHz
in San Francisco, California. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson,
KQ6FM, has the details:

--

The FCC alleges that Daniel K. Roberts was the operator of Pirate Cat
Radio which operated a radio broadcast station without a license issued
by that agency. According to the FCC, back in 2008 Roberts began
operating Pirate Cat Radio from a radio studio located at the Pirate
Cat Caf‚ and Studio. At the time the NAL was issued, the Pirate Cat
Radio website prominently featured Roberts, and described the radio
station as an unlicensed low powered community radio operation located
at the same address as the Pirate Cat Caf‚ and Studio.

The Enforcement Bureau's San Francisco Office issued numerous warnings
and Notices of Unlicensed Operation to Roberts and Pirate Cat Radio
concerning the unlicensed operations. These detailed the potential
penalties for operating an unlicensed radio station and for further

On August 31, 2009, the San Francisco Office issued a Notice of
Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to
Roberts. This after finding that he apparently willfully and
repeatedly violated section 301 of the Communications Act by operating
an unlicensed broadcast station. After the issuance of the NAL, the
broadcasts on 87.9 MHz in San Francisco ceased.

Roberts filed a response to the proposed fine on October 23, 2009,
after receiving an extension of time from the San Francisco Office. In
his reply, Roberts acknowledged his involvement with Pirate Cat Radio,
but argued that he is not associated with the transmissions of the
station. Roberts alleged that the shows were an internet streamed
program service and that Pirate Cat Radio was being downloaded and
broadcast by third parties. He also claimed that he was financially
unable to pay the forfeiture amount, but failed to produce any
documentation to support this claim.

But in finding against him, the FCC said that despite some alterations
to the Pirate Cat Radio website, Roberts, as the operator of Pirate Cat
Radio held himself out as the station manager and held Pirate Cat Radio
out as a broadcast station, not just as a source of internet
programming. The regulatory agency noted that Roberts solicited funds
on the Pirate Cat Radio website stating that donations go towards
monthly station cost of running the FM transmitter and help Pirate Cat
Radio buy new radio station equipment.

Thev FCC also notes that in August 2009, Roberts accepted a certificate
from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. One which recognized
Pirate Cat Radio - and we quote - "for its trailblazing efforts toward
freeing the airwaves from corporate control, providing the community
with training in radio broadcast skills, empowering voices ignored by
traditional media outlets, and contributing to the advancement of the
city's coffee culture."

After examining the response the FCC concluded that Roberts willfully
and repeatedly violated section 301 of the Communications Act. It
added that after considering the entire record in this matter, it found
that neither a reduction nor cancellation of the proposed $10,000
forfeiture is warranted.

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

--

The FCC has formally ordered Roberts to pay the $10,000 fine within 30
days or take his appeal to the next level. (FCC)

**

ON THE AIR: NEW 10 METER ALL DIGITAL NET ANNOUNCED

A new digital mode net to encourage use of these modes on 10 meters
will be held every Saturday and Sunday at 1800 UTC. This according to
Andrew O'Brien, K3UK, who says via the Digital Radio Yahoo that he is
creating such a weekly gathering after noting that the band is open to
distant communications more and more these days.

The net will gather on 28.125 MHz Upper Sideband, plus or minus for
QRM, at 1800 UTC. R S ID and Call ID will be used to help people pick
out the net and modes used. The Olivia 500/8 mode will be used to call
up the net but the it may switch modes as needed.

K3UK says that the gathering will usually run 30 minutes and will try
to include some brief announcements relative to digital modes on HF. It
will also use the K3UK sked page at www.obriensweb.com/sked for on-line
coordination during each session. (K3UK)

**

RADIO CELEBRATIONS: GHOST HUNT ON IRLP

The first, and possibly annual, IRLP Ghost Net will take place on
Monday, October 31st on reflector 9204. This ghostly net will begin at
00:00 UTC which is 8 p.m. Eastern or 5 p.m. Pacific time. All are
welcome to check in, and kids are encouraged to join in the Halloween
fun.

(KI6ZON)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS: VA3AAR TO CELEBRATE THE 150th BIRTH OF THE INVENTOR
oOF BASKETBALL

Special event station VA3AAR, sponsored by Canada's Almonte Amateur
Radio Club, will be taking to the air on Sunday, November 6th beginning
at 00:00 UTC for a 24 hour operation. This to celebrate the 150th
anniversary of the birth of Dr. James Naismith.

Dr. Naismith who was born in 1861 was a Canadian-American sports coach
and innovator. He invented the sport of basketball in 1891 and is
often credited with introducing the first football helmet. He also
wrote the original basketball rulebook, founded the University of
Kansas basketball program, and lived to see basketball adopted as an
Olympic demonstration sport in 1904 and as an official event at the
1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.

To honor the Almonte native's accomplishments the Almonte Amateur Radio
Club will be operational on 75, 40 and 20 meters from the Mill of
Kintail near Dr. Naismith's birthplace. If you contact VA3AAR during
this event please QSL direct to VE3NCE, P.O. Box 1644, Almonte,
Ontario, K0A 1A0, Canada. More information is at the club website at
www.almontearclub.ca. (Almonte ARC)

**

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)

**

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: FORMER ARRL MIDWEST VICE DIRECTOR W0JCP - S.K.

The changing of the guard in amateur radio continues. This with word
of the passing of former ARRL Midwest Division Vice Director C. Richard
Dyas, W0JCP, of Oxford, Nebraska on October 17th.

Dyas who was a Charter ARRL Life Member was first elected Vice Director
in 1975 and began his term on January 1, 1976. He resigned in 1985 to
take care of his wife. In 1987, when then-ARRL Midwest Division Vice
Director Richard Ridenour, KB0ZL, resigned, ARRL President Larry Price,
W4RA, appointed Dyas to serve Ridenour's unexpired term.

Dyas passed away at age 90. He was laid to rest on October 21st with
military honors by Oxford American Legion Post 219 in conjunction with
the US Army National Guard Military Honors Team. (ARRL)

**

RADIO TO SPACE: NASA SEEKING NEW MEMBERS FOR THE ASTRONAUT CORPS

NASA says that it will seek applicants for its next class of astronaut
candidates in early November. This, in the face of a National Research
Council report that warned the corps was getting too small due to
attrition and other factors.

The space agency will not be seeking hundreds of new astronauts. Rather
there will be room for between 8 to 12 new members of the Corps. Also,
this next class of astronauts won't necessarily be training as pilots.
Rather the focus will instead be on long-duration missions aboard the
International Space Station.

The class will also include a broad look at such topics as geology and
geophysics, Ross said. The quest for astronauts comes on the heels of a
September report from the National Research Council, which argued that
the United States must maintain a strong astronaut corps, even though
human space flight has been temporarily stalled for NASA and many
astronauts have retired or quit this year.

Janet Kavandi is the Director of Flight Crew Operations at the Johnson
Space Center in Houston, Texas. She says that for scientists,
engineers and other professionals who have always dreamed of
experiencing spaceflight, this is an exciting time to join the
Astronaut Corps.

To learn more or to apply to become an Astronaut please visit
astronauts.nasa.gov on the World-Wide-Web. Also remember that with the
30 year history of the SAREX and ARISS programs that holding a valid
Amateur Radio license and being an active ham could be a plus for
anyone hoping to make it into this elite group of voyagers into the
unknown. (NASA)

**

RADIO FROM SPACE: ROSAT DE-ORBITS INTO THE BAY OF BENGAL

A follow-up on our story of the imminent return to Earth of a defunct
German research satellite. According to news reports, the ROSAT
de-orbited on Sunday, October 23rd and crashed into the Bay of Bengal
off the coast of India.

Most parts of the minivan sized research satellite were expected to
burn up as they hit the atmosphere. However up to 30 fragments
weighing a total of 1.87 tons could have crashed onto the planets
surface. Luckily that surface turned out to be a watery grave.

ROSAT was an acronym for the R"ntgen Satellite. It was an Xray
observatory developed through a cooperative program between Germany,
the United States, and the United Kingdom. The satellite was proposed
by the Max Planck Institute. It was designed, built and operated in
Germany but was launched by the United States on June 1, 1990. The
satellites mission actually ended after almost nine years, on February
12, 1999. More about this now fallen bird is on-line at
tinyurl.com/rosat-deorbits (NASA)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: RECORDINGS SOUGHT ON PROSPERO SATELLITE

The team working on reactivating the ageing Prospero satellite would
appreciate any recording that can be made of the 137.560 MHz downlink.
If you hear and can record transmissions heard on that frequency,
please send it by email to rjad (at) mssl (dot) ucl (dot) ac (dot) uk.
More on Prospero is available at tinyurl.com/prospero-comeback. (ANS)

**

ON THE AIR: COLORADO 6 METER BEACON BACK ON THE AIR

The Colorado 6 Meter Beacon is back on the air. This is the beacon that
originally maintained by Glenn and Karen Schultz and sported the calls
W0IJR and KA0CDN. With the passing of W0IJR, the KA0CDN call will be
the sole ID for this machine.

The new beacon was built from the ground up by N0YE, W0BA, N0POH and
W6OAL. The operating frequency is 50.065 Mhz. Further information on
it can be found on-line at www.rmvhf.org. KA0CDN adds that she would
appreciate QSN report's of its reception. (W6OAL)

**

DX

In DX, JK1KSB will be on the air as 8Q7SO from Mirihi Island Resort in
the Maldives between October 28th and November 3rd. Activity will be
holiday style on 80 to 10m using CW, RTTY, SSB and PSK31. QSL via
JK1KSB, either via the bureau or to the address on QRZ.com.

I0WDX will be on the air as 8Q7CC from the Maldives between November
2nd to the 12th. A web page for this operation is on-line at
dxcoffee.com/8q7cc. QSL via his home callsign, direct only.

DK7PE will be active as TL0CW from the Central African Republic through
November 3rd. No information on what modes or frequencies will be used
for this one. If you work him, QSL via his home call.

G3RWF will be active as 5X1NH from Uganda for three weeks, starting on
November 23rd. He will concentrate on the low bands. QSL via his home
callsign.

OS1T will be active as PJ4J on Bonaire Island through November 9th. His
focus will be on RTTY, SSB and the WARC bands, but other bands may also
be used depending on the propagation. QSL as directed on the air.

GM3WOJ will be activating ZK2V from the island of Niue in the Pacific
for the next few months. He will be joined by GM4YXI until the end of
October and the call ZK2X will be used in the CQ World Wide SSB
Contest. QSL as directed by the respective operators

Lastly, LA9DL and LA6VM will be active from Bhutan using the callsigns
A52DL and A52VM, respectively, between November 3rd to the 13th.
Operations will be on 80 through 10 meters using IC-7000s and amps.
Listen for A52DL to be mainly on PSK and SSB, while A52VM will be
mostly on CW. QSL via their home callsigns.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: INTERNATIONALLY CONNECTED ANNOUNCED AS THEME OF
HAMVENTIONr 2012

And finally this week word that "Internationally Connected" will be the
theme of the 2012 Dayton Hamvention. This according to General
Chairman Michael Kalter, W8CI, who says that this premise emphasizes
how amateur radio continues to build connections among amateur radio
operators from all over the world.

Kalter, who is returning for another year as general chairman, noted
that many international attendees return each year to meet other hams
that they have talked to on the radio. He says that in 2012 the
Hamvention is acknowledging the important role that ham radio plays in
promoting this very special international goodwill.

To accomplish this, Kalter says that he has added a new committee whose
task will be to make visiting Hamvention even more enjoyable for
international guests. Assistant general chairman Joshua Long, KD8BVB,
noted that almost all the committee chairman are returning and that
many other volunteers have already committed to making 2012 an even
better Hamvention than in years past.

The 2012 Dayton Hamvention 2012 is scheduled for May 18th to the 20th
at its longtime of of the Hara Arena in suburban Dayton, Ohio. It is
the world's largest amateur radio gathering and brings together some
20,000 people to the greater Dayton area each year. More information is
already on line at www.Hamvention.org or by e-mail to media (at)
Hamvention (dot) org. And less we forget, Amateur Radio Newsline will
be there as well. (Dayton Hamventionr)

**

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 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

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jeff
Clark, K8JAC, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.

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