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|    Message 253 of 2,531    |
|    Roy Witt to Y'all    |
|    Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1895 - De    |
|    06 Dec 13 09:57:16    |
      Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1895 - December 6 2013              Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1895 with a release date of December       6 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.              The following is a QST. Four youngsters get their names in space thanks       to ham radio; the ARRL files erratum to its "symbol rate" rule making       petition; The Department of Homeland will be giving emergency       communications training at Hamvention 2014; VHF Communications magazine       ceases publication after 45 years and its Youngsters on the Air Operating       month in IARU Region One. Find out the details are on Amateur Radio       NewslineT report number 1895 coming your way right now.                     (Billboard Cart Here)                     **              HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NAMES OF FOUR PRE-TEENS NOW ON-ORBIT              The names of four pre-teens from the town of North Pole, Alaska, have been       sent into space, and its all thanks to ham radio. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,       is in the newsroom with the story of how it came about:              --              North Pole, Alaska is just outside of the city of Fairbanks and its where       Daniel Perry, age 10, Derik Perry, 9, Riley Perry, 9, and Kailey Perry, 5       all live. But these four youngsters now have something very special in       their lives because their names are orbiting some 400 miles above the       Earth on a microsat and its all because of friendship between to ham radio       operators.              The honor comes courtesy of their grandfather, Mike Perry, AL7F, who       became caretaker to some satellite-monitoring equipment about a year and a       half ago. This happened after he became close friends with Mark Kanawati,       N4TPY of Space Quest Ltd, which is a technology company based in Fairfax,       Virginia. AL7F says it all came about because of a note to the local ham       radio club:              --              AL7F: "The way this all got started was that Mark, the owner of Space       Quest, being a ham radio operator got in touch with the Arctic Amateur       Radio Club here in Fairbanks and had a letter posted to our membership       site looking for someone who had some property or knew of somebody who had       some property that would be a good location for him to install a satellite       tracking station. I own some property right off the side of the highway       that's sub-divided into lots and I offered to let him put his tracking       station on one of the lots."              --              This lead to a close friendship developing between AL7F and N4TPY and in       turn to Kanawati offering to fly the names of Perry's grandkids on a       satellite that was to be launched this past November.              --              AL7F: "I was more than happy to have my grandkids names put into the       satellite. It just launched on the 21st of November on a Russian ICBM       from Kazakhstan and there were quite a few ham radio cube-sat satellites       along with his and several different university cube-sats that went up       also."              --              But the Perry kids are not the only people whose names have flown in       space. Putting names or initials on vehicles bound for the final frontier       is believed to be something of an unwritten tradition in the space launch       industry. One apparently dating back to its earliest days. But according       to newsminer.com at SpaceQuest, the practice has reached a new level. It       says that photos and names are commonly tucked inside the company's       micro-satellites and N4TPY personally speaks to school classes about       space. He says that putting children's names on-orbit is one way to spark       their interest.              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the       newsroom in Los Angeles.              --              According to AL7F, the youngsters don't quite realize how rare it is to be       part of an orbiting satellite. But he adds that will likely appreciate it       a lot more as they get older.       (ARNewsline, Newsminer.com)              **              BREAKING NEWS: REWRITE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT ANNOUNCED              Some breaking news out of the nation's capital. This with word that House       Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Michigan Representative Fred Upton       and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Oregon Representative Greg Walden,       W7EQI, plan to update the Communications Act.              Making the announcement on Google Hangout the committee leaders and former       FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell outlined the need to adapt the law to       today's marketplace. Upton termed the project a multi-year effort that       will be focused on updating the communication laws to fit the Internet       age.              Meantime Walden noted that the Communications Act is now painfully out of       date. He said that when the Act was last revised nearly 18 years ago, the       56 kilobits-per-second via dial-up modem was state of the art.              The actual revision will involve a series of white papers asking questions       about what to do to improve the laws governing the communications       marketplace. These will also seek to learn the best way to a robust       conversation using digital media platforms.              To make it easier for the public to participate in this re-write, you can       follow the event on Twitter using the hashtag #CommActUpdate. (RW)              **              RADIO RULES: ARRL FILES ERRATUM TO "SYMBOL RATE" PETITION FOR RULE MAKING              The ARRL has filed an Erratum or modification of its request with the FCC.        This to correct an error in its "symbol rate" Petition for Rule Making       filed November 15 and put on public notice for comment as RM-11708 a few       days later.              The League's petition asks the FCC to delete the symbol rate limit in part       97.307(f) of its Amateur Service rules and replace it with a maximum       bandwidth for data emissions of 2.8 kHz on amateur frequencies below 29.7       MHz.              The Erratum, filed November 26, removes an erroneous reference in the       appendix at 97.307(f)(3) to "unspecified digital codes" and includes a       corrected appendix. The revised proposed 97.307(f)(3) will read: "Only a       RTTY or data emission using a specified digital code listed in 97.309(a)       of this part may be transmitted. The authorized bandwidth is 2.8 kHz."       (ARRL)              **              RESCUE RADIO: DHS TO PROVIDE EMCOMM TRAINING WITH HAMVENTION 2014              The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications       will be on hand at Hamvention 2014 to conduct its nationally recognized       emergency communications training course. The purpose of this program is       to educate qualified amateur radio operators so they may assist their       local, county and state governments with backup communications if       requested to do so.              The training will be held in the Dayton area on May 13th to the 15th.       These are the three days prior to the start of Hamvention 2014.       Registration will begin on February 1st. More information is on the front       page of the Dayton Hamvention website at hamvention.org. (Dayton       Hamvention)              **              WORLDBEAT: SOUTH AFRICA ONE YEAR HAM LICENSE RENEWALS DUE              South Africa's telecommunications regulator ICASA has advised the South       African Radio League that hams who hold one-year amateur radio license       should re-apply for renewal before 31 December 31st.              ICASA notes that South Africa Telecommunications Regulation 9 stipulates       that radio amateurs must reapply annually for a license renewal unless       they have opted for a multi-year license. In that case they only need to       reapply when their license is about to expire.              According to the regulatory agency, to date over 300 have already       submitted their applications. (SARL)              **              DXCC UP FRONT: DXCC 2013 DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31              In DX up-front, Bill Moore, NC1L, who is the ARRL Awards Branch Manager       wants to remind to all DXCC program participants that the deadline for the       2013 calendar year ends on Tuesday December 31st. Moore says that in       order to appear in the Annual Listing published in the electronic version       of the DXCC Yearbook, you must have your submission postmarked no later       than that date. Since the DXCC workload usually peaks around this time       each year, Moore recommends that applicants not wait until the last minute       to get their submissions in. Complete details are posted on the web at       arrl.org/dxcc-blog. And we will have more DX news later on in this week's       newscast. (ARRL DXCC)                     **              ENFORCEMENT: ILLINOIS MAN CHARGED WITH RACIAL SLURS OVER POLICE RADIO              A Waukegan, Illinois man who may be a former ham was arrested on Tuesday,       November 26th. This after authorities allege that he breached security on       a Lake County Sheriff's Office radio communications system and transmitted       racially offensive language.              according to Sara Balmes of the sheriff's office, 24 year old Raymond J.       Kelly was charged with two counts of tampering with jail communications.       HE also faces one count of harassment through electronic communications,              According to news reports, officers allegedly heard Kelly repeatedly using       a racial epithet over the communications system overnight on the previous       Saturday and Sunday. Officials said that during a search of Kelly's       residence, authorities seized radio and other electronic equipment.              While several news reports referred to Kelly as a ham radio operator a       check of the Universal Licensing System shows that he is not licensed by       the Federal Communications Commission at this time. However there are       indications that at one time he did hold an amateur radio ticket.       (Published news reports)              **              RADIO LAW: BROADCASTERS SUED OVER USE OF HD RADIO STANDARD              Yet another patent infringement lawsuit is in the offering. This one       aimed at broadcasters who use what commonly known as HD radio. Amateur       Radio Newsline's Jeff Clark, K8JAC, has the details:              --              In a major lawsuit a large number of radio broadcast groups have been sued       alleging patent infringement for using its technology for their H-D Radio       broadcasts. The filing by Wyncomm LLC and Delaware Radio Technologies       claims the broadcasters are using In-Band On-Channel or IBOC technology       and therefore infringing on U.S. patent no. 5,506,866 or simply 866 as       well as several other associated patents.              The '866 patent is titled "Side-Channel Communications in Simultaneous       Voice and Data Transmission." It was applied for in 1993 and granted in       1996 and originally assigned to AT&T by the United States Patent and       Trademark Office. The patent specifically describes radio transmission       techniques used in the In Band On-Channel standard adopted by the National       Radio Systems Committee in 2005.              The litigation lists Delaware Radio Technologies as the exclusive licensee       for the technology. HD Radio developer iBiquity Digital is not named nor       identified in any of the lawsuits. That company licenses the HD Radio       technology used by the radio broadcasters.              This is Jeff Clark. K8JAC, reporting.              --              How the broadcast community will respond to this latest patent       infringement claim is not known as we go to air. (RW)              **              LAW: ANTI-PATENT TROLL MEASURE PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE AS ASSERTION       COMPANIES READY TO FIGHT BACK              A law against patent trolling is making headway in Congress, but the       trolls appear organizing to fight back. Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan       Kinford, N8WB, has more in this report:              --              The House Judiciary Committee passed a bill to curb patent abuse by       so-called patent trolls, officially known as Patent Assertion Companies       that buy patents, not to make anything, but to sue end-users.              The committee sent to the full House a measure titled the Innovation Act       of 2013. Sponsored by Committee Chair Virginia Republican Bob Goodlatte,       the bill seeks to curb vague demand letters trolls send to end-users that       place the burden on users to prove they're not infringing on a patent,       rather than on the sender to prove they are.              Among other things, the bill requires lawsuit plaintiffs to specify which       patents are at issue and what products allegedly infringe. The Innovation       Act also allows a court to require the loser in a patent case to pay the       winners costs if the case was not reasonably justified.              But the so-called patent trolls are not sitting idly by waiting for the       end to come. With millions if not billions of dollars in future income at       stake may have are reported to be taking on a new role. This, by doubling       as government lobbyists for their patent-assertion companies.              The newsletter Politico reports that one of America's largest       patent-assertion entities, is investing in lobbying help to protect its       interests on Capitol Hill by pushing back against legislation designed to       curb patent trolls ability to extract rents from other companies. Unnamed       sources also told Politico that several patent-assertion entities are even       trying to create their own advocacy group to give them a larger voice in       Washington. The prospects of this actually happening are at this point in       time unclear.              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm, Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth,       Ohio.              --              "Patent Trolls" is an informal term for firms whose only business is       acquiring patents and using them as a basis to sue other companies even       though they don't actually produce any products based on the patented       technology. And if congress passes laws to restrict these patent       assertion companies, it's very likely that they will challenge such       regulations all of the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court. (RW, Politico,       BGR)              **              RADIO BUSINESS: VHF COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE CLOSES              The famed United Kingdom publication VHF Communications magazine is       closing after 45 years of continuous publication. A message on the       magazine website says that by the end of 2013 the number of subscribers       was not sufficient to support the magazine. Also the supply of articles       had become difficult because a lot of good articles are published direct       to the Internet.              From 1969 to 2013, VHF Communications was one of the foremost construction       oriented publication for radio amateurs and professional RF communications       engineers. A DVD containing the complete collection of magazines is       available. More is on the web at www.vhfcomm.co.uk       (Southgate)              **              RADIO READING: ONE FREE ARTICLE FROM QST PER MONTH TO HELP WITH OUTREACH              The ARRL has a deal that you can't refuse. This according to the League's       Contact public relations newsletter that notes that one QST article a       month will be made available free of charge to non League members and the       general public.              Traditionally, content from QST has been available only to members, who       have access to the print and digital editions of the ARRL membership       journal. According to the Contact article, this has hampered the ARRL's       ability to send articles to the non-amateur community, and consequently,       impacting on other efforts.              Beginning with the December 2013 issue, one QST article per month from       each issue will be made available in PDF format on the "This Month In QST"       page of the ARRL web site. The December 2013 article will be on the       Colorado flooding of 2013 and Amateur Radio's role in the disaster. You       will find it at www.arrl.org/this-month-in-QST. (ARRL)              **              PUBLIC SERVICE: HAM RADIO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 2014 BOSTON MARATHON              Registration to be a 2014 Boston Marathon ham radio communications       volunteer is now open. If you'd like to help out as a radio operator at       the Marathon on Monday April 21st or the smaller races on Saturday April       19th, you can register at marc.mmra.org.              One note. Due to security issues, volunteer signup will end in early       March and organizers will not be able to accept volunteers up to the last       minute as has been the case in years past. So if you wish to volunteer,       please do so as soon as possible.              Again that URL to volunteer is marc.mmra.org. (K1IW)              **              HAM HAPPENINGS: W5KUB LIVE WEBCAST FROM R & L CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY              W5KUB.COM will be webcasting live the R and L Electronics Customer       Appreciation Day from Hamilton, Ohio on Saturday, December 14th. In       addition to the actual event, Tom will also stream forums on D-Star and       another by ham radio's Mr. Audio Bob Heil, K9EID.              The Netcast will begin on Friday December 13th where you can follow Tom       and his crew on their 500 mile trip from Memphis, Tennessee, to Hamilton,       Ohio. During their airtime from R and L, there will be a number of       special guests. Those tuning in and joining the chat room will be       eligible for prizes. It will all be on-line at w5kub.com. (W5KUB)              **              NAMES IN THE NEWS: FCC CHAIR APPOINTED DEFENSE COMMISSIONER              Some names in the news. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has yet another duty as       he is appointed as the Commission's Defense Commissioner. This position is       purely procedural in nature and pertains to internal organization and       delegations of authority within the structure of the FCC. The Defense       Commissioner directs the homeland security, national security and       emergency preparedness, and defense activities of the Commission. (FCC)              **              NAMES IN THE NEWS: NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING NAMES EXECUTIVE       DIRECTOR              John T. Dominic has been named executive director of the National Voice of       America Museum of Broadcasting in West Chester, Ohio. This, effective       March 1, 2014.              Dominic is a 38-year broadcast veteran, serving as a station manager at       WCET and at Cincinnati Public Television, where he was instrumental in the       consolidation of WCET in Cincinnati and ThinkTV in Dayton. He will retire       as WCET executive vice president and station manager in February.              The exhibits at the museum feature the Voice of America at the VOA-Bethany       Ohio station, Media Heritage's Greater Cincinnati Museum of Broadcast       History, the Gray History of Wireless Museum and the West Chester Amateur       Radio Association. The museum is also implementing a docent program and       seeks volunteers to learn about the museums and help lead tours. (Press       release)                     **                     WORLDBEAT: TOKYO'S FAMED "THE RADIO STORE" CLOSES AFTER 64 YEARS              One of the landmarks that helped to create Tokyo Japan's famed Akihabara       electronics district has closed its doors for good. Amateur Radio       Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, is here with the details:              --              On Saturday evening, November 30th local time the business known as The       Radio Store ceased operations after 64 years.              The Radio Store building opened on March 8, 1950. It was the first of       Tokyo's electronics superstores, built by ten of the prominent vendors at       the time.              The building originally housed only those first ten stores but it lead to       the creation of business area that eventually became home to hundreds of       other electronics retailers and gained recognition world-wide. Its said       that The Radio Store was responsible for giving this area of Tokyo its       Electric Town nickname              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick,       Pennsylvania, here in the USA.              --              The complete story of The Radio Store's rise to fame and its decision to       close can be read at tinyurl.com/Tokyo-Radio-Store-Closes. (Southgate,       others)              **              WORLDBEAT: CANADIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND HAM RADIO STUDY       GUIDES              The Canadian National Institute for the Blind has recently confirmed to       Radio Amateurs of Canada that it still has amateur radio study guides and       other resources available in various formats for those who are blind or       vision impaired. If you live in Canada and wish to avail yourself of       these services, please contact Radio Amateurs of Canada which will assist       you in contacting the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to obtain       the assistance that you desire. (RAC, VA3GX/ VE2HHH)              **              WORLDBEAT: INTERNATIONAL MUSEUMS WEEKEND 2014 TO GO WORLD WIDE              John O'Toole, M0HEM, reports that the 2014 International Museums Weekends       will take place on June 14th through the 15th and again on June 21st       through the 22nd.              For well over a decade the International Museums Weekend has been growing       particularly in the United Kingdom, but with only a few radio amateurs       taking part from the rest of the world. So for 2014 the event       administrators are hoping to turn it into a truly international       experience. As such stations can be set up from absolutely any type of       location which might be broadly classified as a museum. This might       include air, railway, radio, agricultural and doll museums. Even entities       such as preserved jails and warships will qualify.              O'Toole who is the Public Relations manager for the event says that there       is absolutely no cost involved for taking part, nor is there any charge       for any of the International Museums Weekend Awards. More details about       the event, its history and how to register can be found at       tinyurl.com/imw-2014. (M0HEM, Southgate)              **              HAM RADIO IN SPACE: LIVE ISS VIDEO STREAM VIA N2YO.COM              If life aboard the International Space Station interests you, then listen       up. The N2YO satellite tracking website also provides limited live video       streaming from the International Space Station.              The Ustream video is available only when the orbiting complex is in       contact with the ground through its high-speed communications system via       NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite or TDRS System. During loss of       signal periods, you will see a blue screen.              Since the station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, it sees a       sunrise or a sunset every 45 minutes. When the station is in darkness       and there is established contact, an external camera video has the ability       to provide spectacular views of city lights below if any are in range.              The URL for live video stream from the ISS can be found at       www.n2yo.com/space-station. (Southgate)              **              ON THE AIR: CELEBRATING MONACO HAM RADIO SOCIETY AT 60              On the air, members of the Monaco Ham Radio Society will celebrate the       clubs 60th anniversary by signing 3A60ARM through December 31st. Activity       is on all bands and modes. A special QSL card to confirm all contacts       will be sent after March 2014 via bureau. Sorry but there will be no       electronic QSLing available for this event. (Press release)                     **              ON THE AIR: VX9MRC TO BE ON 472-479 KHZ DECEMBER 14 - 15              The Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland's Experimental station VX9MRC has       been issued a two-day temporary authority by Industry Canada. This to       transmit on 472 to 479 kHz on December 14 and 15th. The purpose of this       special permit is to call attention to the possible creation of a new       amateur service radio band in Canada while also highlighting the role ham       radio plays in emergency communications. (RAC)              **              DX              In DX, W8YCM, is currently on his annual trip to Jamaica and will be       active as 6Y5/W8YCM until the new year. His operations are mostly on 17       meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign.              G0KOK, is currently active as 8P9CC from Barbados and will be there       through mid December. He uses a FT897D into a dipole antenna. QSL via       G0KOK.              8P9JB will be operational QRP from Barbados beginning at 1400 UTC on       December 13th. Radio gear consists of an Alinco DX-70 at 5 to 10 watts       out to verticals and wire antennas. QSL as directed on the air.              F5MCC, will be active stroke FM from Martinique Island through December       21st. Operations will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW and SSB. He       will also activate 4 lighthouses on the island. QSL via the bureau to his       home callsign.              F5PLC, is currently operational stroke FR from Reunion Island. The length       of his stay is not known. Activity will be on the HF bands only QSL via       his home callsign, direct or by the REF Bureau.              K9EL will operate stroke FS from St. Martin between June 8th to the 27th       of 2014. Activity is usually on 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and       possibly RTTY. Daily uploads to ClubLog and LoTW are planned. QSL via       his home callsign.                                   **              THAT FINAL ITEM: DECEMBER IS IARU REGION 1 HAM RADIO YOTA MONTH              And finally this week, following on the heels of the success of last       summers European Youngsters on the Air operating events comes Youngsters       on the Air Operating month. This as several nations in IARU Region one       band together to get stations on the air with youngsters operating       throughout the month of December and using the YOTA as a suffix in their       callsign.              Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, is the IARU Region 1 Youth Coordinator. She tells       Amateur Radio Newsline that part of the event is to break the ice for some       already licensed youngsters by simply getting them to take a microphone in       the hand:              --              PA2LS: "Now that it's getting bigger, it gives them a chance to speak       with people of their own age"              --              According to Leenders, over the years she has seen both youth in ham radio       as well as the Youngsters on the Air group growing with more young people       participating in the hobby.              --              PA2LS: "The youngsters who already have their licenses are getting more       active on the bands and there are also more youngsters getting ham       licenses. We are also seeing this with YOTA getting more and more       youngsters (taking part) from all of the countries in Europe."              --              And if this growth keeps up, maybe one-day YOTA could become a world-wide       operating event.              --              PA2LS: "We would like to grow bigger. It's now in Europe but we want to       expand it into all of (IARU) Region 1 and later to the U.S. and to the       rest of the world."              --              A truly noble goal but for this year there are only some 17 stations from       14 countries with young operators active using YOTA suffix calls. If you       hear any of them on the air please take a moment and give them a QSO.       Remember that its today's young hams from around the world that will be       the future developers of technologies of tomorrow. They will also be the       ones carrying on the traditions of amateur radio for decades to come.              More information about Europe's Youth on the Air program is on the web at       www.ham-yota.eu (Southgate, PA2LS)              **                     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, TWiT-TV and Australia's WIA News, that's all       from the Amateur Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline (at)       arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio       Newsline'sT only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can       also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin       Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350              For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Skeeter       Nash, N5ASH,, near Houston, Texas, saying 73 and we thank you for       listening.              Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.              __._,_.___                            ---------------------------------------------------------------------                             R\%/itt - K5RXT              --- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-31012       --- D'Bridge 3.92        * Origin: Lone-Star Hub - Gulf Coast Distribution - USA (1:387/22)    |
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