Amateur Radio Newslineâ Report 1370 - November 14, 2003

Amateur Radio Newslineâ Report 1370 - November 14,  2003

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1370 with a release date of Friday, 
November 14, 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
 
The following is a Q-S-T. 

Internationally sponsored ham radio training begins in Albania, UOSat-14 
goes QRT for good and ARISS honors the late Roy Neal, K6DUE, with an on 
the air -- space to ground event.  The details on Amateur Radio Newsline 
report number 1370 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here) 
 
**

 BREAKING NEWS: AUSTRALIA TO BE CODE FREE

The Australian Communications Authority has announced to QNEWS that as 
of January First 2004 CW will no longer be a requirement for Amateurs to 
operate on the HF bands.  From Monday November 17th, the ACA website 
will have the press release under the signature of Dr. Bob Horton. Full 
details on next weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.  (Q-News)


**

RADIO EDUCATION:   AMATEUR RADIO PROGRAM OPENS IN ALBANIA

We told you a few weeks ago that it was going to happen and now it has.  
Ham radio training is now available in Albania.  Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, in 
the U.K. takes an in-depth look at the new internationally sponsored 
training program:

--

A unique amateur radio program started in Tirana, Albania the 9th of 
November. Thirty-four third and fourth-year university students began a 
five-week amateur radio course using RSGB study material as the 
reference books.

The course will culminate in CEPT license examinations. It is being run 
in cooperation with Mr. Spartak Poci, the Albanian Minister of 
Telecommunications, and the Polytechnic University of Tirana. 

A unique part of the program is the way in which amateur radio is being 
integrated into the regular university courses.  The course will not 
only teach amateur radio up to the RAE Full-license standard, but also 
the role of amateur radio in society, QSL'ing practices and successful 
Dxpeditioning.

During the five-week period, ZA1A will be active on many bands and modes 
while demonstrating amateur radio to local telecom and education  
administrators, as well as to the students. Multiple locations will be 
used and several stations may be active at the same time. After the 
course, all the donated equipment will serve the amateur community.

Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the U.K.
--

This unique, one-of-a-kind ham radio training program is supported by 
Region 1 of the International Amateur Radio Union.  Additional 
assistance comes from several national ham radio societies, the Northern 
California D-X Foundation, Vertex Standard,  Fluidmotion Corporation, 
Malev Airlines and the Rogner Europark Hotel in Tirana Albania.  (RSGB, 
OH2BH)

**

RESTRUCTURING:  SWEDEN MAY GO CODEFREE

Sweden could be next nation to drop the Morse requirement for ham radio 
licensing and end C-W testing.  

The November issue of the Swedish national amateur radio society's 
magazine, QTC, says -- and we quote:  "Soon - very soon - the 
requirement for knowledge of C-W for High Frequency band access will be 
dropped for the country's would-be amateurs and current Class 2 
amateurs". 

SM0SMK is the President of the Swedish national society.  He says that 
they hope the Morse code test requirement will be removed at the end of 
the year.  (GB2RS)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  OSCAR 14 GOES SILENT

One of ham radios most popular emergency communications Easy Sats has 
gone Q-R-T.  This with word from the Surrey Space Center that U-Oh-Sat 
Oscar 14 has finally reached the end of its mission after an amazing 14 
years in day to day service.  

Launched in January of 1990, U-Oh-14 was the first 9.6 kilobit per 
second amateur digital communications satellite.  It literally pioneered 
the packet satellite or PacSat concept.  

After about 14 months on-orbit, U-Oh-14 was switched to commercial 
frequencies for humanitarian service by an organization called Satelife.  
It was used by them until 1997 when it was returned to Amateur Radio 
service and configured as an F-M repeater in space.  

A failure of one of the cells of its on-board battery supply is keeping 
the entire pack from recharging from the satellites solar array.  This 
causes the transmitter to shut down shortly after it is commanded on.  
This situation lead to the decision by controllers to terminate the 
micro satellites mission after more than 72,000 orbits of the planet.  
(RSGB)

**

RADIO HONORS:  ARISS TO CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF ROY NEAL, K6DUE

The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station team will be 
honoring the memory and the legacy of the late Roy Neal, K6DUE.  This, 
with an operating event involving the crew on the orbiting outpost and 
hams on the ground.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley is here with 
the details:

--  

In a joint release, Frank Bauer, KA3HDO and Sergej Samburov, RV3DR of 
the ARISS International team say that the event is being held to 
commemorate Roy Neal's vision and dedication.  This, in the development 
of manned Amateur Radio space communications.  

And as a celebration of Roy's contributions ARISS has requested that the 
current I-S-S crew take to the airwaves the weekend of November 29th and 
30th to  communicate with as many ground based amateur radio operators 
as they can.  After the initial two days, the operation will continue 
through the month of December using both voice and packet.  

Ham radio from the International Space Station signals will be on the 
usual frequencies.  These are 145.80 MHz as the worldwide voice and 
packet downlink.  That's where you listen.  

The worldwide packet radio uplink channel is 145.99 MHz.  144.49 MHz is 
the voice uplink for the America's and the Pacific while 145.20 MHz is 
where to call if you are in Europe, Central Asia and Africa.

Roy Neal, K6DUE, died last August 15th due to complications following 
heart valve replacement surgery.  He is very much missed by everyone in 
the world wide ham radio community especially by us here it the Amateur 
Radio Newsline where he was a friend and colleague.

The full text of the ARISS International release about this special 
operation commemorating Roy Neal's contributions to manned ham radio in 
space is now at our website.  That URL is www.arnewsline.org.  Scroll 
down to the new "This Just In" area and you will find it there.

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

--

According to Bauer and Samburov hams making contact with the Roy Neal 
Commemorative Operation will be eligible for a special certificate.  
More ham radio in space news later on in this weeks report.  (ARISS)

**

Break 1

>From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, 
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W9EAR repeater 
of the EARS Repeater Network serving Indiana, Kentucky and Illinois.

(5 sec pause here)


**
AN ARNEWSLINE(tm) EDITORIAL:  AN ANONYMOUS NOTES OR E-MAIL PLEASE  

I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, with a short editorial comment.  Actually, 
its more of a reminder that the Amateur Radio Newsline does not accept 
anonymous letters and e-mail as valid information or story leads.  

Every so often, a letter or e-mail will arrive making all sorts of 
claims.  It might deal will allegations that a ham radio test session is 
corrupt, or identifying someone as the purported jammer of a net or that 
a ham is doing business over a local repeater.  This past week we 
received two such notes.  One claimed that a repeater was discriminating 
against a group of individuals.  The other claimed corruption in the 
management of a ham radio convention.  Both had something  in common -- 
they were unsigned.  And here's our policy in dealing with unsigned 
correspondence.  Ready?

(Sound of actual letters being torn up and toss in the trash basket.)

That's right, you just heard me rip it up and toss it in the garbage 
can.  And the reason is simple.  If the person sending the letter or the 
e-mail does not have the courage to sign it, then the chances are that 
he or she is attempting to use us and you in a personal vendetta.  And 
friends, we are not going to let ourselves or you to be used in 
someone's private war.  That's been our policy since our days as the 
Westlink Radio Network and it is still our policy today.

The bottom line.  If you are going to send us information you must 
provide identification and be ready to take responsibility for your 
words and actions.  I you are not willing to do so, please save us the 
time and effort of doing this -- and tossing it in the trash.  

This has been an infrequent Amateur Radio Newsline editorial.  In Los 
Angeles, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF.  (ARNewsline(tm))  

**

ENFORCEMENT:  ALLEGED TOWER UNBOLTER CAUGHT

A follow-up to a story we aired two weeks ago about a man trying to 
unbolt power transmission towers in three western states.  He has now 
been captured.

According to news reports, the suspect is identified as Michael Poulin.  
He claims that his actions illustrate how vulnerable the power grid 
might be to acts of terrorism.  At airtime, charges against him are 
pending.  (Published news reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  IRLP HARASSMENT

A pair of mid-West hams are being asked to explain their actions their 
on the air activities.  The FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, tells us who 
and why:

--

Duckworth: "Two Oklahoma amateurs; Johnny Adams, KD5QJG, of Dell City 
and Jack Stokes, KE5KR, of Oklahoma City have been queried regarding 
complaints of deliberate interference and harassment of repeater users 
on W5QO, 144.650 and 145.250 MHz." 

--

The FCC says that at the time the incident occurred, the W5QO repeater 
was functioning as an IRLP node.  Adams and Stokes were given 20 days 
from the day that they received the FCC's letter to answer the charges.  
They were also warned that failure to respond could result in the 
revocation of Amateur station license and suspension of operator 
privileges.  (FCC, RAIN)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  HEY YOU LEFT THE RADIO ON

The FCC also wants to know why a ham may have walked away from his car 
with his rig running as a cross band repeater.  Again, the FCC's Daryl 
Duckworth, NN0V:

--

Duckworth: "A complaint of two hours of interference on September 16th, 
coming from an amateur transceiver unit, in a car, unidentified, 
unattended, and operating in crossband mode has prompted the Enforcement 
Bureau to inquire of the vehicle's owner, KG6QKR, Angel Carballo, of 
Freemont California.  The vehicles was located at Hamilton and Bascon 
Avenue's in San Jose (California) at the time of the interference to 
145.23 and 146.94 MHz."

--

Like Adams and Stokes, Carballo was also given 20 days from the date he 
received the FCC's letter to file a response.  (FCC, RAIN)
 
**

RADIO LAW:  A CLARIFICATION ON EQUIPMENT SEIZURES

Phil Kane, K2ASP,  says in the CGC Communicator that the FCC does not 
confiscate equipment.   

Kane, now an attorney in Oregon is the retired District Director of the 
FCC in San Francisco California.  He says that he served many times as 
an on-scene supervisor during events such as the recent raid on an 
unlicensed broadcaster where equipment was taken.  According to Kane, 
seizures are made by the U.S. Marshal Service executing an order of the 
Federal District Court.  Any items taken are held pending court action 
of forfeiture of the equipment to the Government.  

According to Kane, the FCC agents on scene are there only as technical 
experts.  They identify to the Marshals what equipment falls under the 
purview of the seizure warrant.   (CGC)

**

RADIO RULES:  THE FEDS ON FRS

Federal government entities have been authorized to purchase and operate 
radios certified by the FCC in the Family Radio Service.  This, 
according to the May 2003 Manual of Regulations and Procedures for 
Federal Radio Frequency Management.

The manual says that pursuant to Part 95 Subpart B of the FCC Rules and 
Regulations, government users will be accorded the same privileges as 
non-federal users.  Also, since FRS users must share each channel and no 
user is assured protection from interference caused by another 
authorized user, federal entities may not purchase and operate F-R-S 
radios for planned communications operations that safeguard human life 
or property.

The Manual of Regulations and Procedures for Federal Radio Frequency 
Management is a great publication that has a ton of useful information.  
The only drawback is that it costs $342.00 new.  However it is available 
for viewing and download, chapter by chapter, at 
www.ntia.doc.gov/osmhome/redbook/redbook.html   (CGC)

**

HAM EDUCATION:  NEW ON-LINE HELP FOR INSTRUCTORS

The American Radio Relay League's Field and Educational Services branch 
has announced a new resource for active Volunteer Instructors.  Titled 
the Online Instructor Primer, it's a new compilation by Linda Mullally, 
KB1HSV, that's jam-packed with helpful tips, links, and tutorials sure 
to help instructors eager to try new ideas and approaches.  More 
information about it is at the ARRL website.  Just take the link to 
www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/instructor/oip  (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  PATRIOT NAME CHANGE

Turning to this weeks names in the news.  Word that the Patriot DX 
Association has changed its name to the New England DXCC with a new 
mission.  That of fostering participation in DX'ing and the DXCC 
program.  

The group has also announced the creation of a new operating event 
called the N-E-D-X-C-C Challenge.  According to an October 27th press 
release the purpose of the Challenge is to stimulate on-the-air 
operating activity among club members to make contact with many DXCC 
countries as possible during the prescribed activity periods.  More 
information is on the web at www.nedxcc.org (Via e-mail)

**


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: SOUND OF A BLACK HOLE

>From the science page this question.  Did you know that the voice of a 
black hole is a deep, deep bass?  In fact, its 57 octaves below middle 
C.  It is and Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has more:

--

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has picked up sound waves for the first 
time from a cluster of galaxies 250 million light years away.  
Astronomers at the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge, England, 
discovered the sound waves while analyzing the Chandra images of the 
Perseus cluster.  This is an immense grouping of galaxies held in 
formation by the powerful tug of a super massive black hole.

Andy Fabian is a professor at the Institute of Astronomy.  He says that 
a close study of the fine detail collected by Chandra shows ripples in 
the X-ray pattern that are caused by sound waves excited by the energy 
from the black hole.  

Fabiam says that the sound produced by the black hole is a B flat, the 
same pitch as a key near middle C on the piano.  But the song of the 
Presses Black Hole is 57 octaves below that middle C.  This is a tone or 
frequency more than a million, billion times deeper than the limits of 
the human ear,.  Fabian says that makes it the lowest note known in the 
universe.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in New Zealand.

--

Scientists expect more insight on this as the experiments progress.  
(Science Today)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  NEW FRACTILE ANTENNA DESIGN

Engineers at Pennsylvania State have developed innovative design methods 
for a new class of antennas.  One composed of an array of fractal-shaped 
tiles that offer anywhere from a 4 to 1 to 8 to 1 improvement in 
bandwidth compared to their conventional counterparts.  

According to Space Daily, the new broadband antennas are composed of 
irregular but self-similar, repeated fractal-shaped unit tiles called 
"fractiles."  These "fractiles" cover an entire plane without any gaps 
or overlaps.  

While fractal concepts have been used previously in antenna design, the 
Penn State research team are the first to introduce a design approach 
for broadband phased array antenna systems.  One that combines aspects 
of tiling theory with fractal geometry.  (ANS, Space Daily)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AMSAT UK DONATES TO LAUNCH FUNDS

AMSAT-UK is funding the development of two new amateur radio satellites 
by donating Å10,000 to each of two projects in the USA and Germany.  In 
accordance with their constitution, at their meeting on Saturday October 
25th, AMSAT UK decided to make an immediate donation of Å10,000 to the 
AMSAT North America's Project Echo Launch Campaign Fund.  

Also at the meeting AMSAT U-K decided to earmark another Å10,000 for 
transfer to AMSAT Germany to support the Phase 3 Express project.  This, 
when a suitable component for funding can be identified.

Project Echo satellite is due to be launched next March 31st.  The Phase 
3 E Express ham satellite is likely to get a ride to orbit in the 2005 
to 2006 time frame.   (ANS)

**

BEACON NEWS:  UK PROP BEACONS BACK ON

If you are a microwave D-X'er, listen up.  This one is for you.  It 
comes from the United Kingdom and says that two of that nations highest 
frequency beacons are back in full time operation.

Both are part of the South Coast microwave beacon complex.  GB3SCX 
operates on 10 GHz and GB3SCK on 24 Ghz.  The two units are again 
operational following a major rebuild.  Both have had their output power 
increased, raising them at least 10 dB above their previous levels.  And 
there's more.  

GB3SCK has been retuned to transmit on 24,048.905 MHz in order to comply 
with the new 24 GHz bandplan, which will come into force at the 
beginning of 2004.  Also, the GB3SCC which is on 5760.905 MHz has had 
its keying duty cycle adjusted.  It now transmits callsign and location 
details, followed by plain carrier for a total of 45 seconds.  It then 
stops transmitting for 15 seconds to permit cooling before resuming its 
operation.  Reception reports on any of these beacons go to John Fell, 
G0API, at his Callbook address.  (GB2RS)

**

DX

In D-X, MW0USK reports over QRZ.com that M1DAZ, who is on active duty 
with the British Forces Broadcast Services in Iraq,  has obtained 
official authority to operate with the callsign YI9DAZ.  Darran will be 
active around the bands for the next couple of weeks using a Yaesu FT-
100 and Atas aerial from the Southern part of the country.  Most of his 
operation will be on P-S-K 31 so that he does not disturb his room mate 
who is the presenter of the early morning radio show.  QSL direct to 
M1DAZ at his home address.  (qrz.com)

F6BUM will be active on CW, SSB and RTTY from various regions of Peru.  
This, between the 5th of November and the 5th of December.  He will be 
using the callsign OA, followed by a district number, stroke F6BUM.  
(GB2RS)

Also, three operators from Japan will be active from Kathmandu, Nepal, 
between the 16th and 22nd of November. The callsigns will be 9N7AU, 
9N7LN and 9N7SZ. They will operate on 40 to 6 metres using two HF rigs 
and a 6-metre rig.  (GB2RS)

And, a VHF DXpedition to La Palma in Square IL18, should be active 
through November 19th.  This, with DJ6JJ and DL1EJA operating during the 
ARRL EME Contest and scatter during the Leonids meteor shower. Their  
station is reportedly using use high power to four 12-element Yagis with 
full elevation control.  For all of these operations please QSL as 
directed on the air.  (GB2RS)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  THE TECH SIDE OF THE NYC MARATHON

And finally this week a look at two other ham radio aspect of the New 
York City Marathon.  The way hams organize and the technology that they 
use.  Here's Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ:

--
Last week Communications Coordinator Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, told us 
that it takes 411 radio amateurs to keep the New York City Marathon 
moving along.  This week W2ML says that it also takes a lot of well 
organized ham radio networks to keep the messages flowing:

--

Audio only.  Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org

--

According to Mendelsohn, ham radio communicators are aided by a lot of 
modern technology.  Its science that literally gives them a leg up on 
the contestants:

--   

Audio only.  Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org

--

And this year ham radio expanded the use of its own kind of digital 
positioning technology:

--

Audio only.  Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org

--

According to Mendelsohn, it's human beings -- trained ham radio 
communicators that makes for a smooth race.

In New York, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, for the Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

Next week,  how it all gets put together.  Please be with us.  
(ARNewsline)

**

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 and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio 
Newsline(tm).  Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.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), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia, 
California 91066. 

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don 
Wilbanks, AE5DW, saying 73 and we thank you for listening."  Amateur 
Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright  2003.  All rights reserved.