Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1896 - December 13 2013   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1896 with a release date of December   
   13 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a QST. Colorado hams coordinate rescue of vehicle that   
   runs off icy road; House of Representatives subcommittee passes FCC reform   
   measure; Radio Acala looses its prized 330 foot high 160 meter beam   
   antenna in fierce windstorm; six meters comes to all hams in New Zealand;   
   2014 will host a pair of Contest Universities in the United States and the   
   Weather Channel celebrates Skywarn Recognition Day. Find out the details   
   are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1896 coming your way right   
   now.   
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO:  HAM RADIO COORDINATES COLORADO VEHICLE RESCUE   
      
   Several Colorado hams and a linked repeater system made possible the   
   successful rescue of a group whose vehicle had slid off an icy roadway.   
   It happened on Friday night December 6th.  That's when Cody Fowler, ND0A,   
   and his family were on their way home to Cotopaxi from the city of Pueblo.   
    Suddenly Fowler noticed that the lights of the vehicle behind them had   
   disappeared.  Suspecting a problem, ND0A turned around, parked and saw   
   that a red S-U-V had driven off the road and into a ditch.  Ironically   
   while he and his family had just purchased new cellphones none were   
   charged or activated.  So he turned to amateur radio:   
      
   --   
      
   Repeater Audio:   
      
   ND0A:  "Emergency - Emergency,  November Delta Zero Alpha.  Somebody call   
   911.  We've got a rollover accident up here on Copper Gulch, I'm guessing   
   about 4 or 5 miles up from Highway 50.  Copy?"   
      
   Other operator: "Copy.  Amanda, can you handle that?"   
      
   --   
      
   Relaying the information to authorities was Amanda Alden, K1DDN.   Alden   
   called 911 and for the next hour she kept a cell phone in one hand and a   
   radio in the other relaying messages between dispatch and Fowler.   
      
   --   
      
   Repeater audio:   
      
   ND0A: "Actually they were going south bound and went off the left side of   
   the road rollover and the little girls (got a) possible concussion.  She's   
   shook up and a little nauseated."   
      
   K1DDN:  "So Cody, you are going to stay with them until emergency help   
   arrives?"   
      
   ND0A: "Affirmative, Ill stay."   
      
   --   
      
   A few minutes later came word from another ham on the system that help was   
   on its way:   
      
   --   
      
   Repeater audio:   
      
   WD0WGF:  "Amanda, they just dispatched an officer on the Sheriff's old   
   analog system,  WD0WGF."   
      
   --   
      
   While everyone at the accident site was waiting for help to arrive, ND0A   
   along with K1DDN, K0JSC and several others kept the lines of   
   communications flowing:   
      
   --   
      
   Repeater audio:   
      
   K0JSC:  "ND0A, K0JSC.  Do you still have the individuals in your vehicle?   
      
   ND0A:  "I've got one of the young ladies that was in the vehicle.  The   
   other passengers are split up amongst the other two vehicles that   
   stopped."   
      
   --   
      
   From the time Alden made the 911 emergency call until the Colorado State   
   Patrol arrived took about 40 minutes.  It was followed by the Deer   
   Mountain Fire & Rescue and the Fremont County Sheriff.  According to   
   Alden, two of the victims ended up being transferred to a local hospital.   
   Their condition at airtime is unknown.  (K1DDN)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW:  HOUSE COMMITTEE PASSES FCC REFORM MEASURE   
      
   Some breaking news out of the nation's capital. That's where the House   
   Energy and Commerce Committee on has approved proposed FCC process reform   
   legislation.   
      
   Republican Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman   
   Representative Greg Walden W7EQI of Oregon and Subcommittee Democratic   
   Ranking Member California Representative Anna Eshoo earlier had  submitted   
   an amendment to H.R. 3675.  One that that they said presents the   
   commission with a framework to bring additional transparency and   
   predictability to the agency.   
      
   In response to the committee passage, FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai said  that   
   he applauds the Committee for passing by voice vote H.R. 3675, which is   
   officially known as the Federal Communications Commission Process Reform   
   Act of 2013.  He also heaped praise on the leaders of the Subcommittee on   
   Communications and Technology for their bipartisan efforts to advance what   
   he termed as this important legislation.   
      
   The measure now moves onto the full House of Representatives for approval.   
    (RW, TVT, others)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO DISASTERS:  RADIO ACALA OH8X LOOSES 160 METER TOWER   
      
   A European windstorm named Oskari has brought down the famed 330 foot high   
   Radio Arcala 160 and 80 meter tower and antenna at Finland's OH8X   
   station.  This after only 5 years of the spectacular low-band antennas   
   existence.   
      
      
      
   The storm with gusts up to 80 miles per hour not only demolished the 40   
   ton amateur radio array, but also caused power outages for more than   
   200,000 households in Finland.  Fortunately, nobody was hurt and the six   
   other ham radio antenna towers at the Radio Acala site survived the storm.   
    None of the buildings that are a part of the station suffered any damage.   
      
   As we go to air inspectors are trying to evaluate the cause of the   
   failure.  One suspicion is that the automation designed to enable the   
   array to find its most comfortable position in high winds somehow locked   
   up and caused the structure to corkscrew and tumble to the ground.  Up   
   until its failure professional engineering efforts had up to now ensured   
   the survival of the structure.   
      
   Even with the demise of the 160 and 80 meter directional array, life goes   
   on at Radio Arcala.  As such you may soon hear Santa Claus from the North   
   of Finland bringing you the joy of Christmas in the form of station OF9X.   
   It plans to beam its signal over the North Pole on 20 meters by   
   capitalizing on the famous Polar Path during the Holiday Season.  (N4BKT,   
   OH2BN, DARC)   
      
   **   
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  6 METERS COMES TO ALL IN NEW ZEALAND   
      
   Hams in New Zealand now have access to the entire 6 meter band.  This   
   after the last analogue television broadcast transmitter was switched off   
   on November 30th.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the   
   details.   
      
   --   
      
   Vaughan Henderson ZL1VH is the president of the New Zealand Association of   
   Radio Transmitters NZART which is this nation's national amateur Radio   
   society.  Writing in the December 6th issue of NZART's bi-weekly   
   e-newsletter HQ Infoline, he says that from midnight on December 6th, ZL   
   hams had permission to operate on the 6 meter band with the full legal   
   power limit of 1 kilowatt.   
      
   ZL1VH notes that he has been told that some amateurs were waiting for an   
   official notice from New Zealand telecommunications regulator Radio   
   Spectrum Management but this will not be forthcoming.  But in a   
   conversation he had on December 5th with the Radio Spectrum Licensing   
   Manager he received confirmation that the whole of the 6 meter band is now   
   available to New Zealand hams so to go out and make good use of it.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, down-under in   
   Nelson, New Zealand.   
      
   --   
      
   It will be interesting to see if the 2014 6 meter spring and summer DX   
   season bring more Zed-L calls to US shores.  (ZL1VH)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO RULES:  SSB AND AM MAY COME TO UK CB   
      
   British telecommunications regulator Ofcom has published a statement   
   confirming its plans to amend current regulations to allow the use of a   
   wider range of transmission standards for 11 meter Citizens Band Radio in   
   the UK.  These will include Amplitude Modulation, Double-sideband and   
   Single-sideband transmission standards which will bring the UK in line   
   with other European countries.   
      
   Ofcom's proposed changes will also allow United Kingdom CB users the right   
   to run a higher power output than holders of the nation's entry level   
   Foundation amateur radio license.   
      
   95% of respondents to the Ofcom proposal supported the use of AM and SSB.   
   Currently CB in the United Kingdom is an FM only service.   (Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   DX UP FRONT:  CONGOLESE CLUB STATION BACK ON THE AIR   
      
   The Democratic Republic of the Congo looks ready to reinstate limited ham   
   radio operations.  Ohio-Penn DX newsletter says that there are several   
   reports stating that after 3 years of negotiations with the Congolese   
   government and gaining official approval from the nations Ministry of   
   Telecommunications that the national club station 9Q0AR and its special   
   callsign 9Q0HQ were finally given permission to operate again.  This would   
   be the first legal activity from 9Q-land in several years.  On QRZ.com   
   under the listing for 9Q0AR it suggests to listen on 21.310 MHz between   
   10:00to 14:00 UTC for that station.  We will have more DX related news   
   near the end of this weeks report.  (OPDX)   
      
   **   
      
   ENFORCEMENT:  FCC AFFIRMS $10000 FINE AGAINST SPRING VALLEY NY UNLICENSED   
   STATION   
      
      
      
   The FCC has affirmed a $10,000 Forfeiture Order to Vicot Chery for   
   willfully and repeatedly violating Section 301 of the Communications Act   
   by operating of an unlicensed radio transmitter in Spring Valley, New   
   York.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Hal Rogers, K8CMD, has the rest of the   
   story:   
      
   --   
      
   On October 22, 2010, the Enforcement Bureau's New York Office issued a   
   Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to Vicot Chery for operation   
   of an unlicensed radio station on 90.5 MHz.  This from a location within a   
   building leased by Mr. Chery for the operation of his businesses known as   
   P.C. Taxi Services, LLC and P.C. Auto Repair, Inc.   
      
   In response to the Notice Chery urged cancellation or reduction of the   
   proposed forfeiture because he claimed that he was not aware of what was   
   going on at the station.  Also that he was contacted by FCC agents without   
   the knowledge of his attorney, and that the proposed forfeiture would pose   
   an "absolute hardship.   
      
   But in turning away all of his claims the FCC noted that an FCC station   
   inspection is authorized under Section 303(n) of the Communications Act.   
   As such an inspection is not a criminal investigation and any questioning   
   that occurs as part of the fact-finding process in a non-custodial, civil,   
   administrative proceeding that does not require the presence of counsel.   
      
   As to Chery's alleged inability to pay the Notice of Apparent Liability   
   the FCC noted that he failed to provide the required documentation to   
   prove his claim even after being given additional time to do so.  As such   
   fine in the amount of $10,000 is warranted.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Hal Rogers, K8CMD.   
      
   --   
      
   Chery was given the customary 30 days from the November 25th release date   
   of the FCC findings to either pay the amount in full or to arrange to make   
   installment payments.  If he fails to do either the matter can be turned   
   to the Department of Justice for further action.  (FCC)   
      
   **   
      
   RESTRUCTURING: FCC CHAIRMAN DELAYS TV SPECTRUM AUCTION UNTIL 2015   
      
   The long awaited TV spectrum incentive auction has been postponed by a   
   year.  The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, Tom Wheeler,   
   delivered the news via his FCC Blog on Friday, December 6th where he   
   stated - and we quote:  "I believe we can conduct a successful auction in   
   the middle of 2015."   
      
   Wheeler went on to say that getting the right policy and procedures for   
   the auction is only half the job.  He said that for the incentive auction   
   to be a success, the FCC must also ensure that the operating systems and   
   software to run it work from the moment the first bid is placed, until the   
   final broadcast station is relocated or `repacked.'"   
      
   The National Association of Broadcasters has lodged several concerns   
   regarding the TV station repacking software.  NAB executives met earlier   
   with FCC engineering officials to object to the proposed calculations in   
   the TVStudy software.  At that time the NAB questioned whether it indeed   
   met the spirit of the law that all reasonable effort be made to preserve   
   an over the air broadcast TV signal reach.   
      
   Up until December 6th the FCC appeared to be determined to hold the   
   auction in June of 2014.  However many details remain undetermined,   
   including station repacking coordination along the borders with Canada and   
   Mexico. (TV Technology)   
      
   **   
      
   LAW:  PATENT INNOVATION ACT PASSES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES   
      
   The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, December 5th passed the   
   Innovation Act.  This is a measure to reform an American patent system   
   that is currently plagued by shell companies that make a business of   
   filing nuisance lawsuits against productive businesses.   
      
   Stopping the trolls requires changing the economic incentives that inspire   
   the shakedown campaigns, which is something the 2011 America Invents Act   
   failed to do.  This time, it might be different.  The America Invents Act   
   was stripped of most provisions that would have made a significant dent in   
   the troll problem.  By contrast, the Innovation Act specifically addresses   
   certain abusive patent assertion activities.   
      
   The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, will now go to the Senate,   
   where it is expected to pass and to the White House, which is also in   
   favor, however it is not a cure-all to end all trolling.   While the   
   Innovation Act may kill off some of the more egregious trolls, it does not   
   address the root cause of the patent problem.  This being the granting of   
   far too many low-quality patents.  A low quality patent is defined as   
   those that cannot really claim to be wholly new or are obvious   
   improvements on an existing technology.  (RW, slate.com, other published   
   news reports)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS:  NEW VICE DIRECTOR FOR THE ARRL SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION   
      
   The ARRL Southeastern Division will have a new Vice Director as well as a   
   new Director on January 1st.  Following balloting in November, Doug   
   Rehman, K4AC, was elected to a three-year term as Director, and incumbent   
   Vice Director Jim Millsap, WB4NWS, was declared elected to a new term.   
   But a subsequent change in Millsap's job responsibilities made it   
   necessary for him to resign from the Vice Directors post.  That too will   
   be effective January 1st.  So in accordance with the ARRL Articles of   
   Association and after consultation with the Director-elect, League   
   President Kay Craigie, N3KN, has appointed Michael Lee, AA6ML, to fill the   
   upcoming vacancy created by Milsaps decision to step aside.  Lee currently   
   serves as the Northern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator.  (ARRL   
   Bulletin)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  HAMVENTION ON-LINE ORDERING NOW AVAILABLE   
      
   The online ordering system is now accepting Hamvention 2014 orders.   
   According to an announcement the Hamvention's Webmaster Richard Rieben,   
   KE4WLE, you can now order your tickets or reserve a flea market spot.  Its   
   all on-line at hamvention.org.  (KE4WLE)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  DIY COMES TO DOWN UNDER MAKER FAIRE   
      
   The Wireless Institute of Australia reports that a display of amateur   
   radio targeted at the audience attending the first-ever Sydney Mini Maker   
   Faire has been deemed a success.   
      
   For the event the Wireless Institute of Australia joined with the   
   Operation Helios High Altitude Balloon Team, the University of New South   
   Wales Student BLUEsat low-earth orbit satellite project, and the Manly   
   Warringah Radio Society.   
      
   The Manly club's younger radio amateurs showed a cardboard retro style ham   
   radio exhibit, both commercial and homebrew transceivers and demonstrated   
   a portable A-P-S-S or Automatic Packet Reporting System station.  John   
   Press, VK2YGV of Operation Helios put together a very interesting display   
   on ham radio tracked ballooning.   
      
   Maker Faires continue to grow in popularity world wide as they attract an   
   audience of hands-on tinkerers.  These range from technical enthusiasts   
   and scientists to garage builders of all ages and backgrounds.  More about   
   this gathering down-under is on the web at makerfairesydney.com.  (VK3PC,   
   WIA News)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  ARLHS CHRISTMAS LIGHTS QSO PARTY INVITATION   
      
   The Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society is inviting radio amateurs world-wide   
   to participate in its annual Lighthouse Christmas Lights QSO Party.  The   
   2013 event is slated to begin at 0001 UTC on December 21st and ends at   
   23:59 UTC on January 1st, 2014.  All rules, operating guidelines, logging   
   requirements, and prizes can be found at  arlhs.com/LCL-2013.html  (ARLHS   
   Release)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  AMSAT STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT ON OSCAR 2014 IN MEMORY OF W2LV   
      
      
   Hams world-wide are invited to participate in Straight Key Night on OSCAR.   
    This annual Morse-only event is sponsored by AMSAT.  In it you can   
   operate through any amateur satellite from 00:01 through 24:00 UTC on   
   January 1st 2014, using a manual, non-electronic key.  Bugs are now   
   allowed as they are in similar ARRL events.   
      
   There is no need to send in a log, but please nominate someone you worked   
   for the title of Best Fist.  Send your nomination to w2rs (at) amsat (dot)   
   org.   
      
   This year's Straight Key Night on OSCAR is being held in memory of Robert   
   Morris, W2LV, whose amateur and professional career in radio literally   
   spanned the era from spark to satellites.  One of the first to work across   
   the Atlantic in 1923, he also received Satellite DXCC Number 2 in 1979 and   
   was featured in the PBS television documentary, "Empire of the Air."   
   (ANS)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  2014 TO SEE A PAIR OF USA CONTEST UNIVERSITIES   
      
   For the first time ever, in 2014 the United States will see two Contest   
   Universities taking place in the same year.  The first will be held to   
   coincide with the Dayton Hamvention on Thursday, May 15th.  This is the   
   day before the Dayton Hamvention opens. The venue will be the Crowne Plaza   
   Hotel with 20 all new presentations conducted by top contesters and   
   station builders. Check the official Contest University website for   
   registration and updated information.  It's at contestuniversity.com.   
      
   As an added bonus a second Contest University will be held July 17th at   
   the 2014 ARRL Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut.   Called the   
   Contest University Centennial it will be an all day event with six all new   
   presentations that will be different from those presented at the Dayton   
   event.  Registration for the ARRL Centennial Contest University will be   
   handled through the ARRL.  Please keep an eye on www.arrl.org for further   
   updates.  (K3LR)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO VIDEO:  HOW WE DO PRODUCE THE NEWSLINE ANCHOR TRACK   
      
   A new short video that shows how we record part of these weekly newscasts   
   is now available on YouTube.  Produced and hosted by Skeeter Nash, N5ASH,   
   the two minute presentation shows exactly what happens from the time that   
   Skeeter gets the request to anchor through to when he ships the completed   
   audio file back to our studio in Santa Clarita, California.  You can view   
   Skeeter's video on the web at tinyurl.com/anchoring-newsline.  (N5ASH,   
   ARNewslineT)   
      
   **   
      
   SWL CORNER:  BIG CHANGES COME TO RUSSIA EXTERNAL MEDIA   
      
   Big changes have come to external world media from Russia.  Amateur Radio   
   Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has the details:   
      
   --   
      
   Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree abolishing RIA   
   Novosti, one of the largest news agencies in that nation.  It will be   
   reborn as a global agency called Rossiya Segodnya or in English as Russia   
   Today.   
      
   Russia Today will be headed by Dmitry Kiselyov with its headquarters at   
   the current RIA office.  According to the official statement, the   
   fledgling agency will focus on informing foreign audiences about Russia's   
   policies and the way of life.  President Putin gave the Cabinet of   
   Ministers a month to plan all events necessary to help the newly created   
   agency into existence and add it to the list of state-run strategic   
   entities.   
      
   Putin's decree also did away with the bulk of state media.  It abolished   
   the State Fund of Television and Radio Programs, placing it under control   
   of All-Russia State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company.  The same   
   order has passed over the Russian Book Chamber which is a federal   
   scientific center to the ITAR-TASS news agency.   
      
   The decree which came into force on Monday, December 9th also affects the   
   future of the radio station famous world-wide as the Voice of Russia.   
   This is the external service which was formerly known as Radio Moscow   
   prior to the collapse of the USSR.  Effective on January 1st 2014 it will   
   cease all broadcasting on the shortwave bands.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth,   
   Ohio.   
      
   --   
      
   More is on the web at tinyurl.com/russia-media-changes.  ((Voice of   
   Russia)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  NASA VIDEO OF HAM RADIO PARTICIPATION IN JUNO   
      
   When NASA's Juno spacecraft flew past Earth this past October 9th it   
   received a boost in speed of more than 7.3 kilometer per second.  This set   
   it on course for a July 4, 2016, rendezvous with the planet Jupiter.   
      
   During the flyby, Juno's Waves instrument, which is tasked with measuring   
   radio and plasma waves in Jupiter's magnetosphere, recorded amateur radio   
   signals from here on Earth as part of a public outreach effort involving   
   ham radio operators from around the world.  Hams were invited to say "HI"   
   to Juno by coordinating radio transmissions that carried the same   
   Morse-coded message.   
      
   Operators from every continent, including Antarctica, participated. The   
   data returned from the spacecraft was then processed at the Jet Propulsion   
   Laboratory in Pasadena California.  The results can be seen and heard in a   
   short video clip posted at tinyurl.com/juno-ham-radio.   
      
   (JPL)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: WREN SSTV SATELLITE FOUND ALIVE AND ON-ORBIT   
      
   Some good news for the builders and controllers of the missing WREN   
   satellite.  The bird has been found on-orbit as we hear from RSGB news   
   reader Jeremy Boot, G4NJH:   
      
   --   
      
   Patrick Kirkden, M0ZPK from Thanet Radio and Electronics Club helped the   
   developers of the WREN SSTV satellite when it was thought to have stopped   
   working.   
      
   He was able to find the satellite and record some of its telemetry, giving   
   the WREN team updated location information, which they have now released   
   for other amateurs to use.  This includes new commands, decode software   
   and a video describing how to do it.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, in   
   the UK.   
      
   --   
      
   Nore information on the locating and condition of WREN is on the web at   
   amsat-uk.org. (RSGB)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO IN SPACE:  MARS ONE PLANNING FOLLOW-UP   
      
   A follow-up on a story from earlier this year on an ambitious space   
   project the goal of which is to send volunteers on a one-way trip to Mars.   
      
   On December 10th  the backers of this mission unveiled plans for the first   
   private unmanned mission to the red planet.  This, as a robotic prelude to   
   human colonization that will launch in 2018.   
      
   The non-profit Mars One foundation says that it has completed deals with   
   Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. to draw   
   up mission concept studies for the private robotic flight to Mars.  Under   
   the plan, Lockheed Martin will build the Mars One lander, and Surrey   
   Satellite Technology Ltd. will build a communications satellite.   
      
   Bas Lansdorp is a Mars One co-founder and its Chief Executive Officer. In   
   a statement he said that these will be the first private spacecraft to   
   Mars and their successful arrival and operation will be a historic   
   accomplishment.  He added that his organization is very excited to have   
   contracted Lockheed Martin and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. for its   
   first mission to the red planet.  (Space Today)   
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT:  IOTA NEEDS WEBSITE CODING VOLUNTEER   
      
   The Islands on the Air project says that it urgently needs developers to   
   work on coding for its IOTA website.   
      
   Volunteers should be reasonably familiar with MySQL, PHP and JavaScript.   
   The code is version controlled using Github so familiarity with this would   
   also be useful.   
      
   The Islands on the Air project operates on a tiny budget so the role is   
   primarily for volunteers. Please contact iota.onlinersgb.org.uk  if   
   you think you may be able to help.  (Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   PROPAGATION STUDY:  NEW VK6RIO BEACON ON 144.950 MHz TO BEAM AT SOUTH   
   AFRICA   
      
      
      
   The Northern Corridor Radio Group in Perth, Australia is going to try to   
   bridge the Tropospheric Ducting gap to South Africa.  This by using the   
   latest chirp modulation techniques on its 144.950 MHz VK6RIO two meter   
   beacon.   
      
   Keith Bainbridge, VK6RK, is the spokesman for the Australian group.  He's   
   quoted as saying that if his group can get someone in the right location   
   in South Africa then perhaps it can help with some of the equipment.   
      
   The Trans-Atlantic and Trans-Indian ocean two-way contacts on 144 MHz via   
   Tropospheric Ducting are still the most challenging terrestrial frontiers   
   on VHF.  Many attempts have been made but to date with no real success.   
   (SARL)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX the ARRL DXCC desk has approved the 2013 Rwanda 9X0XA and the just   
   concluded November 20th through December 10th VU7AG Lakshadweep Islands   
   operations for DXCC credit.  Once you have confirmation you will be able   
   to apply these toward your DXCC standing.   
      
   F5MVB is planning to be active as 5V7MP from Togo sometime in 2014.  Look   
   for more details to be forthcoming in January.   
      
   G3XAQ as 5X1XA is expected to return again to Kampala, Uganda between   
   February 25th and March 16th.  His activity will be CW only including the   
   RSGB Commonwealth Contest on March 8th and 9th. QSL 5X1XA via G3SWH.   
      
   DK1AX and his wife DK1MA will be operational as A35AX on a holiday style   
   DXpedition from Tongatapu Island and Vava'u Island between February 24th   
   and March 7th.  Activity will be on CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL via the OQRS on   
   ClubLog.   
      
   YV5IAL will be on the air stroke CE2 from Chile between January 2nd and   
   the 30th. He plans to operate PSK31 daily on 14070.15 and occasionally on   
   10, 15 and 40 meters using both PSK31 and SSB. QSL via his home   
      
   callsign, direct or via the bureau.   
      
   LW9EOC will be active stroke H-K-Zero from San Andres Island between April   
   18 and the 25th of 2014.  Operations will be on 80 through 10 meters using   
   CW and SSB.  QSL via LW9EOC.   
      
   (Above from various DX News sources)   
      
   **   
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM:  SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY ON THE WEATHER CHANNEL   
      
   And finally Saturday, December 07th was SKYWARN Recognition Day and in   
   celebration, the Weather Channel aired a special report that included a   
   live interview with Lynn Bianco, KN4YZ.  He is the Assistant Section   
   Emergency Coordinator for Georgia ARES that works with the National   
   Weather Service.   
      
   The remote broadcast originated over SKYPE from the National Weather   
   Service office in Peachtree City, Georgia.  The Weather Channel has given   
   us permission to use part of the interview with Bianco who explained to   
   the public what SKYWARN does:   
      
   --   
      
   KN4YZ:  "We actually help get the ground truth for the National Weather   
   Service in times like this.  They really need to know what's happening out   
   there.  With communications cut with potentially downed power lines or   
   downed phone lines there has got to be a way of getting information back   
   to the National Weather service and out to other emergency service   
   people."   
      
   --   
      
   Bianco then described how SKYWARN works with both the National Weather   
   Service and the National Hurricane Center during the tropical storm   
   season:   
      
   --   
      
   KN4YZ:  "Basically we want to provide the ground truth of what's really   
   happening out there.  As you know and your viewers know, the Doppler   
   (RADAR) is a wonderful tool for seeing what's out there, but what's really   
   happening on the ground beneath that Doppler; what kind of flooding is   
   happening?  Is there really a tornado even though the Doppler says there   
   is rotation?  Maybe its on the ground and maybe its not, but we are trying   
   to provide the ground truths."   
      
   --   
      
   Bianco also explained the fun aspect of SKYWARN Recognition Day and how it   
   involves not only those at National Weather Service locations, but the   
   entire world-wide ham radio community.  You can see the entire 2 minute   
   and 45 second broadcast on-line at tinyurl.com/weather-channel-skywarn.   
      
   And less we forget, our sincere thanks to The Weather Channel and its   
   Technical Production Manager Andy Funk, KB7UV, for making this audio   
   available so that we could bring it to you.  (Weather Channel, KB7UV)   
      
   **   
      
   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, The Weather Channel 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 Don   
   Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Southern Mississippi saying 73 and we thank you for   
   listening.   
      
   Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013.  All rights reserved.   
      
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