Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1888 October 18
2013
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1888 with a
release date of October 18 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. Ham radio responds as a major
cyclone hits India and an earthquake hits the Philippines; the IARU
Monitoring Service says that Russia is again intruding into 15 meters;
Sweeden gives its hams access to 472 kilohertz; AMSAT to celebrate 30
years of manned ham radio in space operations and a bit of early DX
history from down-under. Hear it all on Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) report number 1888 coming your way right
now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RESCUE RADIO: AMATEUR RADIO ON SCENE AS
CYCLONE PHAILIN HITS INDIA
Amateur radio operators in
India were ready to respond when cyclone Phailin roared up the Bay of
Bengal, carrying winds of 155 mph at landfall. But proper
planning on the part of India's emergency services kept casualties to a
minimum as ham radio operators braved the weather to make sure
communications kept flowing. Amateur Radio Newslines Mark
Abramowicz, NT3V, has the rest of the story:
--
India's National Institute of Amateur Radio
put as many as 200 operators on alert and many of those volunteers came
through and were dispatched as needed once the cyclone hit Odisha,
along the country's eastern coast.
And, news
accounts are praising government officials in the country for acting
quickly to evacuate some half-a-million people living along lowland
coastal areas to get them out of harm's way.
Early
accounts put the death toll in the teens.
The storm is
believed to be the strongest to hit the region since 1999 when a
tropical storm washed ashore causing 9,000 deaths and extensive
damage.
Power is still out in many areas in the wake of
this storm.
Radio operators are staying on duty at
shelters and other areas in many of the coastal districts where flood
and wind damage to the infrastructure was the most extensive.
News accounts are reporting many of the mud homes and farms in the
coastal region hit by the storm were destroyed and roads remain blocked
by uprooted trees.
Jay, VU2JAU, was helping to
coordinate storm relief activity on 40 meters, along with a team that
included VU2DPI, VU3BHI and VU2AOR.
For the Amateur
Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V.
--
During the height of the storm VU2JAU put out a
world-wide request that the frequency of 7 point 145 MHz on 40 meters
be kept clear for disaster communications. As we go to air, some ham
radio emergency communications is reported to still be ongoing as the
clean-up effort in the aftermath of the cyclone continues. (IARU
R-3, other published news sources)
**
RESCUE RADIO: HAMS RESPOND AS AN EARTHQUAKE HITS THE
PHILIPPINES
The Philippine Amateur Radio Association has
activated its Ham Emergency Radio Operators group. This,
following a Magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit the province of Bohol at
8:12 a.m. local time on Monday, October 14th.
At airtime
the death toll stands near 110 and could rise. Dozens of people
are reported as missing, and authorities were checking into reports of
people trapped in collapsed buildings in both Cebu and Bohol.
Roberto Vicencio is DU1VHY in Mandaluyong City. He has
passed along word that all radio amateurs are being asked to keep 7 dot
095 MHz on 40 meters clear until further notice. This frequency
is being used for both damage assessment and other ongoing relief
work.
Meantime, a state of calamity was declared in both
the Bohol and Cebu areas. This prompted the closure of schools
and other structures until officials can determine the safety of
buildings and bridges. The initial jolt was followed by two
aftershocks, each measuring more than 5.0 in magnitude. (PARA,
VK3PC, Pacific News)
**
RESCUE
RADIO: HISTORIC VK LIGHTHOUSE SAVED FROM FIRE
A
bushfire on the Australian coast recently threatened the historic
Barrenjoey Lighthouse at Palm Beach, on the northern most point of
Sydney. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service reports the
building sustained some roof damage but is mostly fine after fire swept
through the area. This is good news, particularly to the Manly
Warringah (PRON: WOR-RING-A) Radio Society which has activated this
lighthouse as VK2MB in the 2013 International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend. (VK3PC)
**
INTRUDER WATCH:
RUSSIAN MILITARY BACK ON 21 MHZ
The IARU Monitoring
Service newsletter reports on a possible Russian military station that
has been using the amateur radio 21 MHz band. It says that
encrypted voice traffic has been operating on 21000.0 kHz on USB.
Also that the in-band synchronizing signal was always audible and quite
strong. The transmitter sending out these transmissions is
believed to be located in or near Nizhny Tagil in Russia but its
purpose is unknown. The newsletter also reports that the Russian
military have also been using other frequencies in our 7, 14 and 21 MHz
bands and have been operating an Over The Horizon radar between 3500
and 3800 kHz. (IARUMS, IARU-R-1)
**
RESTRUCTURING: SWEDISH HAMS GET ACCESS TO THE 472 KHZ
BAND
Some good news for radio amateurs and other
spectrum users in Sweden. Hams get a new band and commercial
entities are given limited use of unlicensed devices. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reports:
--
As of October 1st Swedish Telecom is permitting that nations radio
amateurs access to the 472 to 479 kHz band. Like in some
locations the maximum radiated power is one watt as opposed to the five
watts permitted by some nations.
The Swedish Telecom
paper also reports that also on the same date that new rules concerning
exemptions from the requirement for radio transmitters to have an
operating license came into effect.
Most transmitters in
Sweden still require a license but for the sake of simplicity, the
telecommunications regulator may allow exceptions in cases where this
is little risk of interference. One new exclusion applies to
vehicle communication transmissions in the 63 to 64 GHz band.
Other exemptions are associated to Radio Frequency Identification use
in the 2446 to 2454 MHz range for sales and inventory
control.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Heather
Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania.
--
All in all it appears to be a win-win decision for everyone.
(Southgate)
**
RESTRUCTURING: UK
ISSUES RULE MAKING TO LEGALIZE AM AND SSB ON CB
Twenty-eight months after the European Commission published a
decision aimed harmonizing CB radio across the European Union, United
Kingdom telecommunications regulator Ofcom has announced a consultation
on legalizing 27 MHz double sideband A.M. and Single Sideband
transmissions. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, is in Nottingham, in the UK
with more:
--
Ofcom has published
proposals to amend current arrangements for Citizens' Band radio in
the UK, to allow the use of a wider range of transmission
standards.
Ofcom is proposing to allow amplitude
modulation, double-and single sideband transmissions on CB radio, which
will bring the UK in line with other European countries.
The consultation will close on 8 November.
For the
Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham in the
UK.
--
11 meter CB radio was first
introduced into the United Kingdom around 1972 as an F.M only
service. In the late 1970's James Bryant, G4CLF, who was then
the President of the UK Citizens Band Association, campaigned for the
legalization of AM and SSB operation for use in that service. Now
some 36 years later it looks as though it may finally be
achieved. (RSGB)
**
WORLDBEAT: IARU ANNOUNCES THEME FOR WORLD AMATEUR DAY
2014
The IARU has chosen its theme for World Amateur
Radio Day, 2014. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of the WIA news is here with
the details:
--
Each year on 18 April is
World Amateur Radio Day, which celebrates the founding of the
International Amateur Radio Union in 1925. The theme
"Amateur Radio: Your Gateway to Wireless Communications" has
been chosen for the day in 2014.
In 100 years it has
evolved from crude spark-gap technology to digital signal processing
and software-defined radios.
The IARU understands that
the date is close to Easter. It encourages activity earlier or later to
gain as much exposure and publicity as possible for modern and easily
accessed amateur radio.
Only six months to go. Will you
be involved?
For the AmateurRadio Newsline, I'm Graham
Kemp, VK4BB, of the WIA News in Australia.
--
Most if not all of the worlds national ham radio societies will be
taking part in World Amateur Radio Day 2014. Check with yours to
find out its celebration plans. (IARU, WIA NEWS)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify
your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on
bulletin stations around the world including the N7KSO repeater system
serving northwest Arizona.
(5 sec pause
here)
**
BREAKING NEWS:
CONGRESSIONAL IMPASSE SETTLED FCC REOPENS
I'm Norm
Seeley, KI7UP with breaking news.
The House and Senate
voted on Wednesday, night October 16th to at least temporarily restore
all government operations until January 15th and permit the US Treasury
to extend its debt ceiling limit through February 7th have passed and
been signed into law by the president. This means that the FCC
and other government agencies should now be getting back to work, but
that does not mean things will be back as they were before the partial
government shutdown began.
Even though the FCC is
technically back in operation, you have to remember that matters
concerning services such as CB radio, the Mult-Use or MURS Radio
Service, GMRS and even Amateur Radio are going to take a back seat to
more important subjects. This includes but is not limited to
broadband expansion and broadcast related issues.
While
the good news is that the stalemate is over for now, it could take a
bit more time before the FCC takes any matter under advisement that is
important to ham radio such as several requests for rule making from
the ARRL. And as you will hear in a few moments, the FCC could
even face a paperwork deluge of monumental proportions in the coming
days.
So for now the two key words are "be
patient." (ARNewsline(tm))
**
RADIO
LAW: MASSIVE BACKLOG COULD HIT FCC WHEN IT REOPENS
Don't expect miracles in the handling of any matter by the FCC
when the government shutdown ends. That's the prediction of
attorney Mitchell Lazarus from the law firm of Fletcher, Heald and
Hildreth.
According to Lazarus, everything that would
have come due during the shutdown instead will all be due on the same
day. Not the day the FCC reopens, but the day after
that.
And as to filings due on the day of
reopening? They likely will also be put off till that same the
next day. As such, Attorney Lazarus believes that this creates
the possibility of a massive accumulation of filings, including the
last-minute crunch when the electronic databases becomes accessible and
updated again.
The commission said right before the
shutdown if its systems become overwhelmed upon reopening, it will
issue further guidance. Presumably that includes extending filing
deadlines, but until that happens nobody can be sure.
The bottom line says Lazarus: "The longer this goes on, the
worse the chaos will be when it ends." (RW, commlawblog.com)
**
ENFORCEMENT FOLLOW-UP: ALLEGED INDIANA
POLICE IMPOSTER CHARGED
A follow-up to our recent story
about an Indianapolis area ham who was arrested after authorities say
he impersonated a cop during the funeral of an Indianapolis police
officer killed in the line of duty. Court documents say that 38
year old Minh van Nguyen, now faces three felony charges including two
counts of impersonation of a public servant and theft.
Nguyn holds the call sign KB9WDY. As reported, on the day of
the funeral of officer Rod Bradway, KC9PFW, police say that Nguyen
showed up in police uniform with police patches and a badge.
Later, when investigators searched Nguyen home, they recovered among
other items, including a 37-millimeter grenade launcher, a number of
assault rifles, shotguns, handguns and several thousand rounds of
ammunition. Officials said he also had body armor, several
uniforms belonging to area police agencies and numerous badges.
This included one that belonged to Indiana State Police.
If tried and convicted, Nguyen faces up to three years in
prison. And if convictions were to be reported to the FCC's
Enforcement Bureau the regulatory agency could call for a show cause
hearing as to whether Nguyen should be permitted to retain his Amateur
Service license. But as time has shown, such an action by the FCC
is likely down the road at least several years. (Published news
reports)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC WARNS
STATIONS ABOUT UNLICENSED OPERATION
Some unlicensed
operators have caught the eye of FCC Enforcement counsel Laura
Smith. On July 8, Smith warned James E. Richburg against
unlicensed radio operation in the Amateur Radio bands. According
to Smith it had come to the FCC's attention that at multiple times in
the last several months Richburg had made radio transmissions in the
amateur bands for which a license is required and that Richburg did not
possess such a permit.
Then in August Smith sent notices
to Charles W. Johnson and Mark W. Althaus, warning them of unlicensed
operation on 26.735 MHz. In this letter Smith underscored that
transmitting outside of authorized frequencies violates Section 301 of
the Communications Act. As such, this could lead to the
imposition of substantial fines and seizure of radio equipment as well
as possible criminal action up to and including imprisonment.
In all three cases Smith directed that unauthorized operation of
their radio station must cease immediately. She also gave
Richburg, Johnson and Althaus 10 days from the date each received her
letters to respond to their respective warning notices. Each was
instructed to state what specific actions had been taken to comply with
the FCC's rules. (FCC, ARRL)
**
RADIO BUSINESS: SMALL WONDER LABS TO GO QRT
QRP kit supplier Small Wonder Labs is closing its doors
permanently. According to owner Dave Benson, K1SWL, he is going
into retirement and has discontinued sales of the popular
RockMite.
Benson says that he will ship out the last
several dozen orders shortly and that he will continue to support
requests for missing or replacement RockMite parts from existing
customers, but only over the short term. He also hopes to keep
the Small Wonder Labs website active for a year, and it will maintain
documentation for his earlier products
However QRP
enthusiasts should not despair. According to the rumor mill at
least one other QRP kit supplier is interested in taking over supplying
the RockMite and there could be an announcement at any time
now.
For more on Dave Benson's future plans please visit
smallwonderlabs.com on the world-wide-web. (smallwonderlabs.com,
others)
**
WORLDBEAT: POLAND
NATIONAL PUBLIC BROADCASTER ADOPTS DAB+
National public
broadcaster Polish Radio has begun transmitting in the DAB+ digital
audio transmission system. The Director and Editor-in-Chief of
Polish Radio 4 said that adopting the digital standard enables the it
to increase its coverage area, improve sound quality and disseminate
programming nationwide. (RW)
**
WORLDBEAT: WW2 GERMAN ENIGMA MACHINE TO BE
AUCTIONED
A rare German Enigma encoding machine used by
the Nazis to send secret messages during the Second World War will go
on sale in the United Kingdom later this month. The machine,
built in 1944, was part of the German intelligence operation thwarted
by British counter-intelligence working out of Bletchley
Park.
Engima machines were used through the war by the
German military, but this was a later model which sent out even more
heavily encrypted signals than earlier versions. A specialist
from London auctioneers Bonhams said the untouched and unrestored
device is especially valuable because it still has many of its original
parts, and was not modified after the war.
The unit
comes with an original ebonite plugboard, which when added to the
Engima would swap pairs of letters. For example, pressing the F
key would send a letter B to be scrambled at the Enigma's rotors.
This of coarse would require a matching device at the other end to make
sense of the message.
If you want to own this prize
World War 2 relic be prepared to shell out at least $80,000. More
is on the web at tinyurl.com/enigma-for-sale. (Daily
Mail)
**
WORLDBEAT: APPLE VS
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENTS ON PROPRIETY CONNECTORS
Apple may
be forced to abandon its proprietary 30-pin dock charger, at least on
the other side of the Atlantic, if European politicians get their
way. This after members of the European Parliament's Internal
Market Committee voted unanimously for a new law mandating a universal
mobile phone charger.
The Member of the European
Parliaments want all radio equipment devices and their accessories,
such as chargers, to be interoperable to cut down on electronic
waste. Germany's Member of the European Parliaments Barbara
Weiler said she wanted to see an end to what she terms as cable
chaos.
This is not the first attempt to set a standard
for universal phone chargers. In 2009 the European Commission,
the International Telecommunications Union and leading mobile phone
manufacturers drew up a voluntary agreement based on the micro USB
connector. However Apple, which sold nine million units of the
iPhone 5s and 5c's in just three days has not adhered to the agreement
despite signing up with it.
(euexaminer.com,
networkworld.com)
**
PUBLIC
SERVICE: HAM RADIO SUPPORTS BETHANY BEACH TRIATHLON
The Bethany Beach Delaware First Responders Triathlon featured ham
radio as one of its key components. This as the Sussex County
Amateur Radio Emergency Service provided communications support to the
event.
Twenty amateur radio operators supported the
triathlon. They were located at strategic points throughout the
course of the bike and run events. The hams radio volunteers
reported through a net control at the Bethany Beach Fire Station.
Status on the progress of the participants as well as any emergency or
medical needs were routed to the appropriate authorities using ham
radio.
The event which was held back on September 22nd
included a 6 tenths of a mile swim, an 1 mile bike and a 4.3 mile
run. More than 800 participants took part. Planners say
that it was a very successful effort for the first responders as well
as the Amateur Radio Emergency Service communications team. The
complete story is on the web at
tinyurl.com/bethany-triathlon-hams. (CapeGazette.com,
eHam.net)
**
BREAK 2
This
is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. 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)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AMSAT CELEBRATES 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF
AMATEUR RADIO INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
A special
highlight of this year's AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting
will be the celebration of the 30th anniversary of amateur radio
involvement in human space flight. This as it evolved into a
successful program on board the International Space Station that we all
know as ARISS. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
is in the newsroom with more:
--
The
AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual Meeting takes place November 1st to
the 3rd in Houston Texas. And in recognition of the 30th
anniversary of manned ham radio in space, a specially invited panel
featuring former Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL, and other key
individuals who initiated this amazing program will take place on
Saturday evening, November 2nd as a part of the symposium's grand
banquet.
The event will be moderated by Frank Bauer,
KA3HDO, who is AMSAT Vice President of Human Space Flight. The
presentation includes not only remarks by Garriott and others, but also
video highlights of amateur radio participation in the first ever
manned ham radio operation from space as well as several other shuttle
flights.
Owen Garriott, W5LFL flew on shuttle flight
STS-9 in November 1983. He was the first astronaut to utilize
amateur radio to communicate with those on the ground. This in
turn permitted the general public to speak with a United States
astronaut from space, doing so outside of NASA communication
channels. Garriott's operation from the space shuttle Columbia
was commemorated in the video "Amateur Radios Newest Frontier" produced
and hosted by the late NBC newsman Roy Neal, K6DUE.
According to AMSAT, holding this celebration in Houston makes it
all the more special. This is because it will permit non-AMSAT
personnel and others involved with placing amateur radio on the space
shuttles and later onto the International Space Station a chance to
participate in the celebration.
For the Amateur Radio
Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, looking skyward and remembering
where I was when STS-9 flew overhead here in the City of
Angels.
--
The 31st Annual AMSAT Space
Symposium and Annual Meeting takes place at the Houston Marriott South
at Hobby Airport. Details about the symposium and this
celebration are on the web at
www.amsat.org. (AMSAT
NA)
**
ON THE AIR: SPECIAL EVENT
STATION II8IDXC CELEBRATES ITALYS IDXC 2015
On the air,
listen out for special event station II8IDXC to be active between
November 2013 and May 2015. This operation is to help publicize
the 10th anniversary of Italy's "International DX Convention"
that will be held in the city of Paestum in April of 2015.
Operations will be on the High Frequency bands plus 6 meters using CW,
SSB and the Digital modes. The events QSL manager is
IZ8EDJ. More information is on the web at
www.dxitalia.it
(Southgate)
**
ON THE AIR:
CELEBRATING THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY
Members of Turkey's
Special Wireless Activity Team have been active with the special event
TC suffix callsigns for some years now to celebrate the anniversary of
the Republic of Turkey. This year the celebration runs through
October 31st and the group will be operational as TC90TC through
then. More details will be available on QRZ.com in the coming
days. (Southgate)
**
DX
In DX, K4ZIN and N4WDT will be on the air from Sierra Leone from
October 15th to the 22nd using the callsign 9L1JT. No operating
times or modes were stated. QSL via K4ZIN.
SM1TDE
is currently on the air from Uganda as 5X8A on High Frequency
bands. No specific modes or operating times mentioned. QSL
via his home call.
Five operators from Japan will be
active from Grenada Island operating as J34J from November 20th to the
29th. Their operation will include the CQ World Wide DX CW
Contest. If you make contact please QSL via JA1HGY
W9NJY will be active from Curacao from November 19th to the 25th
signing stroke PJ2. He will be operational on 160 through 10
meters on CW only. QSL via WD9DZV either direct or electronically using
Logbook of the World.
JA1FUF and JF1CCH will be on the
air from Kiribati from November 28th to December 4th as T30NK and
T30TS. Listen out for them on 40 through 6 meters using CW, SSB
and PSK31. QSL each operator via his home call.
Lastly, M1AYI will be active from Falkland Islands October 20
through November 19th as VP8DNY. He plans to be operational an
all of the High Frequency bands on SSB only. QSL via his
home call.
**
THAT FINAL ITEM:
CELEBRATING THE FIRST ZL DX ACCOMPLISHMENTS
And finally
this week, October marked the beginning of a celebration in New Zealand
of the earliest days of DX. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen,
ZL2BHF, has the details"
--
After World
War 1 and with the relocation of radio amateurs to the supposedly
useless shorter wavelength bands an amazing period of radio exploration
took place. Ham radio operators all over the world soon realized
that far from being useless these wavelengths allowed
communication over long distances than previously thought.
Amateurs in New Zealand were among those at the forefront of this
activity with the first Zed-L to Australia QSO in April 1923.
This was followed by what were then world record distance QSO's between
New Zealand and Argentina in May 1924, New Zealand and California in
September 1924, and Connecticut on the US east coast just weeks
later. And then the ultimate early Zed-L DX contact of Frank
Bell, Z4AA and his QSO with Cecil Goyder, G2SZ, in London, England on
October 18 1924.
To commemorate the 90th anniversary of
the record breaking activities of these early pioneers of Amateur
Radio, ZM90DX will be on the air between October of this year through
October 31st of 2014 on all bands 1.8 MHz to 1.2 GHz and beyond using
all modes. Activated by the Kiwi DX Group which is an informal
group of DX'ers and contest enthusiasts, ZM90DX will be used by
stations around New Zealand and a special commemorative QSL card will
be available as well as an award program for contacts with this nation
during this period.
Not only will ZM90DX be active at
expected times and on expected bands, but in the spirit of those early
pioneers the operators will also be calling CQ on bands and in
directions one may not necessarily expect. This, with the
intention of exploring the boundaries of radio propagation.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF,
down-under in Nelson, New Zealand.
--
This will be an unparalleled opportunity for Amateurs all over the
world to work Zed-L while celebrating the exploits of those early trail
blazers whose work paved the way for radio communications as we know it
today. Further details can be found on zm90dx.com and
gb2nz.com. (NZART)
**
NEWSCAST
CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the NZART, 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 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 Jin Davis,
W2JKD, in Vero Beach, Florida, saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright
2013. All rights reserved.
***
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-73-
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