Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1740 =AD December 17 2010   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1740 with a release date of Friday,   
   December 17th 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
      
   The following is a Q-S-T.  Hams in Hawaii are ready as a Pacific storm hits   
   the island state, a New Brunswick cellphone law could ban amateur radio mobile   
   operations, the long awaited Jarvis Island DXpedition is put on hold until   
   November of 2011 and Ohio   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RESCUE RADIO:  HAWAII HAMS READY AS PACIFIC STORM HITS   
      
      
   Hams in Hawaii were ready as a major Pacific storm raked itself over the   
   Island state.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with more:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   (Sound of ham rtadio emcomm operations)   
      
      
   That's the sound of ham radio RACES and SKYWARN operations as a strong Pacific   
   storm system moved over Hawaii on December 9th and 10th bringing with it heavy   
   rain, accompanied by thunder and lightning.  According to News reports, worst   
   hit was Oahu and Ka   
      
      
   Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, is the Hawaii State Civil Defense RACES Coordinator and an   
   accredited SKYWARN member.  He explains the system that caused the severe   
   storm:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   AH6RH:  "What we had was a cold front move through the system and butting up   
   against some warm air to the South-East.  As that storm front came through it   
   produced a collection of thunder storms and those were sweeping through Kauai   
   then hiting Oahu and m   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   Hashiro told Newsline that the National Weather Service needed severe weather   
   spotters all across the Island state and the hams were ready to respond:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   AH6RH:  "Ray Tanabe, who is WH7IH, is one of our contacts at state Civil   
   Defense asked us to activate SKYWARN so Clem Jung, KH7HO, contacted a number   
   of hams on Oahu and put together a response team and had people scheduled from   
   6 p.m. on Thursday all the   
   --   
      
      
   According to Hashiro, the ham radio volunteers were both communicators and   
   severe weather spotters:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   AH6RH:  "We (hams) provided radio communications at the National Weathewr   
   Service in Honolulu and a number of hams at their homes or on the road called   
   in weather reports on the tremendous amount of rain, lightning, thunder and   
   the wind conditions.  (That   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   As hams did their job, Honolulu Fire crews worked to clear what was left of   
   the roof of a plumbing supply company that had been sheared off by the storm.    
   Officials said that the overnight, gusty winds blew open a large warehouse   
   door, and then lifted the   
      
      
   With thanks to former Newsline Production Coordinator Bill Orenstein, KH6QX,   
   for the on the scene audio, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the newsroom in the   
   City of Angels reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline.   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   Thanks to the ongoing training that many hams in Hawaii devote themselves to,   
   everyone was ready to handle this latest challenge that Mother Nature brought   
   their way. (ARNewsline(tm) with some audio supplied by KH6QX)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  UK GOVERNMENT LOOKING FOR 500 MHZ FOR BROADBAND   
      
      
   The United Kingdom's government is looking 500MHz spectrum and this could   
   spell problems ahead for hams in that nation.   
      
      
   The British newspaper the Register recently carried a story on government   
   plans to reallocate as much as 500 MHz of spectrum for broadband Internet.    
   The article points out that if large chunks of Ministry of Defense spectrum   
   are sold off, the new owners    
      
      
   The problem for UK hams comes from the fact that all Amateur Radio UHF and   
   Microwave bands are shared with either the Ministry of Defense or the U-K   
   Civil Aviation Authority.  If some of the spectrum that gets reallocated   
   happens be shared with radio amat   
      
      
   Those interested can read the entire Register article at tinyurl.com/28ayvzl    
   (Southgate)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  NEW MICROWAVE BAND ALLOCATIONS IN SPAIN   
      
      
   Thanks to the efforts of the Spanish amateur radio society the U-R-E, hams in   
   that nation now have access to three new microwave bands.  These are 2320 to   
   2322, 5760 to 5762  and 10368 to 10370 MHz  Amateur use of this spectrum has   
   been authorized for a y   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RADIO LAW:  NEW BRUNSWICK CANADA CELL LAW COULD BAN  MOBILE HAM OPERATIONS   
      
      
   The Canadian province of New Brunswick has introduced legislation banning   
   cellular telephone and two way radio use while mobile.  Amateur radio   
   Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   The measure was introduced in the New Brunswick Legislature on November 24th.    
   Its aim is to control cell phone and any other hand-operated electronic device   
   use while driving.  As  worded it would prevent radio amateurs from using   
   their mobile radios whi   
      
      
   Now in a letter to Brunswick Minister of Public Safety, Robert Trevors, the   
   national society Radio Amateurs of Canada has taken strong opposition to the   
   proposed law.  In its communiqu=E9 to Trevors, RAC notes that most provinces   
   such as Nova Scotia, Mani   
      
      
   The letter goes on to state that hams in New Brunswick regularly and without   
   fail respond to the provinces citizen's needs.  This includes helping   
   municipalities fighting flooding along the St. John River.  The note ends by   
   warning New Brunswick legislato   
      
      
   The third reading on the bill is expected during the week of at about the time   
   this newscast goes to air. After that the Bill permits the New Brunswick   
   government to proclaim the legislation at a time of its choosing anytime   
   thereafter.   
      
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, watching the events up   
   North from Scottsdale, Arizona.   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   Radio Amateurs of Canada says that it is preferable that any exclusion for   
   Amateur Radio operators occurs in the legislation itself as it has requested.    
   However it notes that there are provisions for a regulated exclusion for radio   
   amateurs under Canadia   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   BREAK 1   
      
      
   This week coming to you from down-under, we are the Amateur Radio Newsline,   
   heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W7CSK repeater   
   serving Everett, Washington.   
      
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   BREAKING DX NEWS:  JARVIS ISLAND OPERATION DELAYED TO NOV 2011   
      
      
   The DXpedition to Jarvis Island organized by Radio Expeditions Inc has been   
   postponed until November 2011.  The reasons are complex but boil down to it   
   taking authorities to long to come up with a plan acceptable to all parties   
   and then getting it approve   
      
      
   While Radio Expeditions Inc was fortunate to be the group selected in late   
   August, it soon became apparent that due to all these factors plus scheduling   
   transportation to Jarvis, that it was best for all involved that the   
   expedition be postponed one year.   
      
      
   November remains the best month to visit Jarvis Island from a propagation   
   standpoint, with the largest combination of openings predicted to Europe on   
   the H-F band.  This being the case the new plan is for the operation to take   
   place in November of 2011 wi   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RESCUE RADIO:  OHIO HAMS PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT TO IMPROVE COUNTY RADIO   
   SYSTEM   
      
      
   Ham radio operators have volunteered their time and technical expertise to   
   improve communications for the Wood County Sheriff's Office just south of   
   Toledo, Ohio.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, has the rest of the   
   story:   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   After years of incomplete police radio coverage, the Wood County Sheriff's   
   Office has made some significant communications upgrades.   
      
      
   In many remote areas of the county, deputies' police radios wouldn't work once   
   they got out of their car. That caused them t0 loose contact with dispatchers   
   and other officers. But with a little ingenuity, and some help from ham radio   
   operators, the probl   
      
      
   "It was scary for me to know that there were times when my deputies went there   
   on a call we had no communication with them, said Wood County Sheriff Mark   
   "That caused a lot of sleepless nights."   
      
      
   Estimates for communications upgrades ran in to the millions. Wood County did   
   not have that kind of money. So the Sheriff turned to amateur radio operators   
   from around the county.   
      
      
   "They looked at our system and came up with a relatively inexpensive fix which   
   was to move antenna situation around the county to much high locations," said   
   Wasylyshyn.   
      
      
   Wood County was able to update the system for just $160,000. Tower space at   
   eight locations around Wood County was donated, from radio towers to water   
   towers. And to make sure deputies could stay in contact anywhere outside, as   
   well as inside buildings, t   
      
      
   I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, reporting from Lima, Ohio.   
      
      
   --   
      
      
   To even further strengthen Wood County's communication system, it has now   
   installed two new propane powered generators for the radio system.  That means   
   the county can maintain radio contact with its officers in the field in case   
   of a power outage that co   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   ENFORCEMENT:  CALIFORNIA CB'ER ISSUED NOTICE OF UNLICENSED OPERATION   
      
      
   The FCC's Sam Francisco Field Office has issued a Notice of Unlicensed   
   Operation to Victor M. Coucelos of Anderson, California.  This for what the   
   regulatory agency says were violations of its Part 95 Rules governing the   
   Citizens Radio Service.   
      
      
   According to the FCC, it received a complaint of Citizens Band Radio   
   interference in the city of Anderson, California.  This past August 24th   
   agents from the San Francisco office confirmed by direction finding techniques   
   that radio signals on 27.085 MHz w   
      
      
   During an inspection on August 25th of Coucelos CB station he was identified   
   as the person responsible for its operation.  The inspection revealed that a   
   Galaxy, model DX 2517, transceiver was in use at Coucelos base station, and a   
   model Magnum S-9 Nitro    
      
      
   During the inspection, the San Francisco agents issued Coucelos a verbal   
   warning that any further operation with these transmitters might subject him   
   to more serious sanctions for engaging in violations of the Part 95 rules.   
      
      
   Coucelos was told that he must cease such violations immediately.  If he fails   
   to abide by the FCC  edict, he could be re-investigated during FCC enforcement   
   efforts.  If such an investigation were to indicate that Coucelos had violated   
   any FCC Rules he c   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   RADIO LAW:  FCC GRANTS WAIVER FOR TRAIN BREAK RADIO SYSTEM   
      
      
   The FCC has granted eight railroads temporary waivers of the power limit for   
   telemetry operations in the 450 to 470 MHz band.  Specifically, the waivers to   
   permit the operation of end-of-train ot E-O-T devices with eight watts   
   transmitter output power, pe   
      
      
   For those not aware, end-of-train devices operate on frequency pair 452 and   
   457.9375 MHz.  They transmit information regarding the brake pipe pressure on   
   the rear car to the lead locomotive for display to the locomotive engineer.    
   This in turn allows the    
      
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  PAPERS SOUGHT FOR 2011 SOUTHESTERN VHF SOCIETY CONFERENCE   
      
      
   A call has gone out for papers to be presented at the 15th annual Southeastern   
   VHF Society Conference to be held in Huntsville, Alabama on April 29th and   
   30th, 2011.  Papers and other presentations can be on both the technical or   
   operational aspects of VH   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS:  TWO UK HAMS SERVING ON ETSIC   
      
      
   Some names in the news.  First up is Peter Chadwick, G3RZP. He has been   
   reappointed as Chairman of European Telecommunications Standards Institute   
   Committee on Wireless Medical Applications.  In the same announcement it was   
   learned that Nigel Wilson, G4VV   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   BREAK 2   
      
      
   This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur.  This week from the beneath   
   the Southern Cross, 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   
      
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SANASA TO SUPPORT HAM RADIO SPACE PROGRAM   
      
      
   The newly formed South African National Space Agency has announced its   
   intention to champion the amateur radio in space.   In response to a question   
   at the agency's launch ceremony press briefing from the South African Radio   
   League, the new space agency's   
      
      
   Naledi Pandor is the South African Minister of Science and Technology.  She   
   officially launched the South African National Space Agency at a gala event on   
   Thursday December 9th.  At that time she said that the new agency will be that   
   nations primary but n   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  MULTIPLEXED AMATEUR RADIO DTV DOWN UNDER   
      
      
   A group of New Zealand hams have successfully multiplex four digital video and   
   audio streams.  On Saturday, December 4th, a group of Wellington and Hutt   
   Valley Radio Amateurs simultaneously multiplexed the four video and audio   
   streams into a single digita   
      
      
   The transmission was centred on 1282 MHz, in accordance with the NZART   
   bandplan.  It occupied 1274 to 1290 MHz, the same bandwidth as one analogue FM   
   television transmission.   DVB-S modulation format was used and was receivable   
   on an unmodified satellite   
      
      
   Further development and testing is planned with the aim of transmitting the   
   four video and audio streams within an 8 MHz bandwidth.  Thats half the   
   bandwidth used by the initial tests.   
      
      
   The next transmissions will use the DVB-T modulation format.  That wil make   
   them receivable on an ordinary Digital terrestrial television receiver of the   
   type sold down-under.  (NZART)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  100 MW SIGNAL ON 8.970 KHZ HEAR OVER 2873 KM   
      
      
   The low frequency transmissions by DK7FC on 8.970 kHz have been received at a   
   distance of 2873 km by 4X1RF in Haifa, Israel.  Reception at these super low   
   frequencies within the human audio hearing range requires ground rod antennas,   
   low noise preamps and   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   WORLDBEAT:  REPEATER LOCATION GUIDE FOR GREECE NOW IPHONE APP   
      
      
   A directory of amateur repeaters in Greece is now available for iPhone, iPod   
   and IPad users developed by SW1NJX is now available from the iTunes on-line   
   store.  This is a free app designed to assist hams living in or traveling   
   through Greece to find the c   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   CONTEST CORNER:  THE ARRL JANUARY VHF SWEEPSTAKES JANUARY 22 To 24   
      
      
   Turning to radiosporting news, the ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes is set for   
   1900 UTC on January 22nd to 03:49 UTC on January 24th.  This is primarily a   
   weak signal contest aimed mainly at operators who use SSB and CW.  Some FM is   
   allowed as long as it's no   
      
      
   The required exchange is simply your callsign and the Maidenhead grid square   
   locator you are operating from.   
      
      
   Logs are due no later than 0400 UTC on Wednesday, February 23rd.  Paper   
   submissions go to the ARRL January VHF Sweepstakes, 225 Main Street,   
   Newington, Connecticut 06111.  Electronic logs must be in Cabrillo format and   
   e-mailed to Januaryvhf (at) arrl (do   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   DX   
      
      
   In DX, getr ready for Tonga as W6ZL, informs OPDX that he is planning to be   
   active as A35KL rom Foa Island between December 16th to the 20th.  His   
   operation will be primarily CW with the possibility of some RTTY and SSB.  His   
   gear is an Elecraft K3 radio    
      
      
   JE1RXJ, will be on the air as T88RX from Palau between January 21st and the   
   26th. Activity will be holiday style on 160 to 6 meters using CW and SSB.  His   
   emphasis will be on the lower band and CW.  QSL via JE1RXJ, direct or by the   
   JA Bureau.   
      
      
   For those of you still needing Bangladesh for your DXCC listen out for   
   S-21-FGC during the period December 16th to the 21st.  Several foreign   
   operators will be using this call.  QSL is via JH1AJT.   
      
      
   Lastly, JA2EZD will be active from Laos as XWPA from the Vientiane DX Club for   
   another year.  His operation will be on the HF bands only. QSL to Hiroo   
   Yonezuka, Box DD153, Huang Sathai, Vientiane, Laos.  And that callsign is not   
   a mistake.  It is XWPA.   
      
      
   (Above from various DX news sources)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM:  TV RECEIVING ANTENNAS REGAIN POPULARITY   
      
      
   And finally this week, word that over-the-air television antenna sales in the   
   United States are growing dramatically.  This as people disconnect from cable   
   and satellite as they rediscover free, over the air TV.  Much of it now in   
   true High Definition.   
      
      
   Asked if the popularity will continue, one antenna manufacturer and   
   distributor said yes because 80% of the population doesn't even know you can   
   get over-the-air High Definition TV, but they are finding out.   
      
      
   The same manufacturer added that when you tell people that the same   
   programming is available over the air they look at you like you're crazy.    
   They then say: "You're saying I can actually get free HDTV from an antenna?    
   It's shocking to a lot of people."   
      
      
   As it turns out, the ability of over the air stations to multicast several   
   channels on what used to be one has opened up a a new and growing market for   
   those wanting High Definition Television reception without having to pay a   
   monthly fee.  More about the   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   NEWSCAST CLOSE   
      
      
   With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ Magazine,   
   the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the   
   Southgate News and Australia's WIA News, that's all from the Amateur Radio   
   Newsline(tm).  Our e-mail a   
      
      
   For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk in the USA, I'm Jim   
   Meachen, ZL2BHF,  saying 73 from Auckland, New Zealand, a very happy holiday   
   from down-under and we thank you for listening.   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2010.  All rights reserved.   
      
      
   ***   
      
   As a service to the HAM Radio Community and HAM Radio Operators all around   
   the world, this Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) message has been gated and posted   
   to the Fidonet LS_ARRL echo by Waldo's Place USA, 1:3634/12. We hope you   
   enjoyed it!   
      
   Please address all comments and questions to the ARNewsline editor as   
   described in this posting. If you have any specific questions concerning   
   the actual posting of this message service, you may address them to   
   hamfdn -at- wpusa.dynip.com. Thank you.   
      
   -73-   
      
      
    * Origin: (1:3634/12)