Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1882 - September 6 2013   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1882 with a release date of   
   September 6 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a Q-S-T. A trans-Pacific emergency communications test   
   is deemed a success; a ham radio satellite band at 5 Gigahertz could be   
   in jeopardy in Europe; registration is now open for the Western   
   Hemisphere's biggest transmitter hunting event; a ham flies a   
   Presidential Medal to the International Space Station and some very   
   unexpected words at the wrong time from on high. Find out the details   
   on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1882 coming your way right   
   now.   
      
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT: PAN PACIFIC RESCUE RADIO EXERCISE DEEMED AN UNQUALIFIED   
   SUCCESS   
      
   A follow-up to our recent story on a planned joint MARS and civilian   
   trans-pacific emergency communications drill. It was called operation   
   Pacific Endeavor-13 and it teamed the United States Military Auxiliary   
   Radio System with hams across the Pacific in an ocean spanning   
   emergency exercise. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has   
   the details:   
      
   --   
      
   Everything about the August 25th and 26th Pacific Endeavor-13 simulated   
   emergency response was staged except for one unexpected occurrence.   
   Electric power actually did fail in the pretend nation of Pacifica   
   which was the supposed disaster beaten Asian nation that a small band   
   of ham radio operators were trying to assist.   
      
   The power failure happened right at the start of the globe-spanning   
   exercise organized by the U.S. Defense Department. At 9N1AA in Nepal,   
   the real "Pacifica," operators kept going on battery power with only 25   
   watts output. But a stroke of the other kind of luck provided a   
   low-power digital link to an amateur in Afghanistan. That was Tim   
   McFadden, T6TM. He is a retired Army communicator now helping train   
   Afghan troops who had only joined Army MARS less than a month before   
   the exercise   
      
   Although the operation only lasted just under three hours, months had   
   gone into its planning. The Pentagon and U.S. Pacific Command set it up   
   as a test of amateur emergency support in Asia after Japan's tsunami   
   catastrophe, using procedures of the International Amateur Radio Union,   
   the Military Auxiliary Radio System, military stations and radio   
   amateurs.   
      
   When power was restored in Nepal there were some limited voice contacts   
   with Afghanistan and Germany. Hawaii could hear but not talk to Nepal   
   because propagation lasted only a few minutes.   
      
   But the real star of the exercise was the digital mode PSK31 that   
   appeared to propagate well on low power. This even in the otherwise   
   poor High Frequency band conditions experienced during the exercise.   
      
   Only one negative note. During rehearsals, messaging was disrupted by   
   hams seeking to contact Nepal, which is rarely heard on the air. That   
   was alleviated by the use of abbreviated call signs plus the dependence   
   on digital communications during the actual exercise itself.   
      
   One unique feature of the event was use of the Defense Department's   
   open bulletin board for civil emergencies called the All Partners   
   Access Network or APAN. Army MARS Operations Chief David McGinnis   
   coordinated information flow via APAN to the Department of Defense and   
   U.S. Pacific Command.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, in New Orleans.   
      
   --   
      
   A preliminary account had a total of 60 stations logged at MARS   
   headquarters at Fort Huachuca and to the station in Germany of MARS   
   region director Daniel Wolff. (N1IN / AAR1FP via QRZ.com)   
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT: AMATEUR RADIO LICENSING EXAM TO BE HELD IN BANGLADESH   
      
   After a five year wait the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory   
   Authority has announced that an amateur radio licensing exam session   
   will be held on November 9th. The test will be made up of 50 multiple   
   choice questions covering the fundamentals of radio engineering, basic   
   electronics, that nations amateur radio rules, and several other   
   topics. An applicant must score at least 50% to pass. More information   
   is on the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Authority website at   
   www.btrc.gov.bd. (S21SM, Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO SUPPORT IN FIGHTING RIM FIRE WINDS DOWN   
      
   The California Rim Wildfire continues but volunteer ham radio   
   communications support winds down. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has been   
   following this story and has the latest:   
      
   --   
      
   As we go to air, there's good news. Shifting weather patterns have   
   brought some level of moisture to the fire ravaged area. This together   
   with massive firefighting efforts means that at airtime that the Rim   
   fire is about 80% contained. That does not mean the fire is under   
   control, but rather its not expected that the blaze will be able to   
   move past those areas of the containment line.    
      
      
      
   With the 80 percent containment the sheriff's offices in Tuolumne and   
   Mariposa counties have been able to lift evacuation advisories for   
   several communities. This includes those with several thousand   
   structures that were in the fire's path. It also means that after some   
   sixteen days of continuous duty that volunteer ham radio operators with   
   Tuolumne County ARES and RACES were able to stand down and return to   
   their normal lives.   
      
   As previously reported, ham radio was first asked to assist back on   
   August 19th. That was when communications assistance was required to   
   the towns of Tuolumne and Mi-Wuk Village which were under voluntary   
   evacuation alert.   
      
   We've since learned that hams also served duty assisting the Red Cross   
   in setting up an evacuation center in the town of Groveland and later   
   at the Tuolumne County Fairgrounds in the city of Sonora. Operators   
   associated with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service provided   
   information into and out of these centers during the time that evacuees   
   were being housed and fed at those locations. At the height of the   
   evacuation news reports say that the Tuolumne Fairgrounds was the   
   temporary home to upward of 100 evacuees.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the   
   newsroom in Los Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   Full containment of the Rim Fire is not expected until September 20th   
   at the earliest.   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: CEPT CONSIDERS USE OF 5830-5850 MHZ HAM RADIO SATELLITE BAND   
      
   Ham radio satellites could wind up being forced to share spectrum at 5   
   point 8 Gigahertz with terrestrial devices. At least in those nations   
   that are CEPT signatories. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant,   
   K6PZW has the particulars:   
      
   --   
      
   A CEPT Short Range Devices or SE24 meeting took place in Vienna,   
   Austria on August 26th and 27th. This to discuss the future use of 5350   
   to 5470 MHz and 5725 to 5925 MHz for wireless access systems including   
   wireless or radio-based local area networks.   
      
   The Amateur Satellite Service has a downlink band lies from 5830 to   
   5850 MHz. Those involved in space communications believe that   
   introducing such ground based services in this spectrum would   
   inevitably raise the noise floor. This in turn could make the weak   
   signals from satellites difficult if not totally impossible to receive.   
      
   Right now, no final decision on the future of this spectrum has been   
   made by the CEPT, but as the squeeze for more commercial bandspace   
   grows, the entire 5 Gigahertz band appears a prime target for more   
   sharing on an international basis among CEPT signatories and that   
   includes most of Europe and possessions of European nations.   
      
   More on this recent meeting is on the World Wide Web at www.cept.org/ecc   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los   
   Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   CEPT stands for the European Conference of Postal and   
   Telecommunications Administrations. It was established in 1959 by 19   
   countries, which expanded to 26 nations during its first ten years of   
   existence. Today 48 countries are members of CEPT's with the   
   organizations activities including co-operation on commercial,   
   operational, regulatory and technical standardization issues.   
   (Southgate, CEPT, others)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FIRST DANISH ASTRONAUT TO FLY TO THE ISS IN   
      
   Andreas Mogensen will be the first Danish astronaut to make a trip to   
   the International Space Station. Mogensen will ride to the ISS on board   
   a Russian Soyuz spacecraft to be launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome   
   in Kazakhstan in September 2015. During his stay onboard the ISS,   
   Mogensen will conduct a series of experiments in preparation of future   
   missions and in the orbital testing new technologies.   
      
   This 10 day mission will be Mogensen's first foray into space. The   
   flight is directly connected to the new era in ISS operations where 2   
   experienced spacefarers from the USA and Russia will work on the ISS   
   for one year starting in May of 2015.   
      
   More about his upcoming space adventure is on the web at   
   tinyurl.com/Andreas-Mogensen-ISS. And we will have more ham radio space   
   related news later on in this weeks newscast. (ESA)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 1   
      
   We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around   
   the world including the WA2JWR repeater serving Toms River New Jersey.   
      
      
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: CHANGES COME TO THE TRAVELERS INFORMATION STATION SERVICE   
      
   The FCC has updated its rules governing Travelers' Information or T-I-S   
   radio Stations. It's also seeking public input on further planned   
   changes. Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has more:   
      
   --   
      
   The commission created the Travelers Information Service in 1977. At   
   that time it authorized stations to operate low power transmissions on   
   530 kHz on a primary basis and in the 535 to 1705 kHz band on a   
   secondary non-interfering basis with broadcasters who are the primary   
   spectrum users.   
      
   At inception, the agency envisioned local governments would use   
   Travelers' Information Stations to reduce traffic congestion.   
   Commercial broadcasters opposed the creation of the service on grounds   
   that the information conveyed would duplicate what they provided and as   
   such would siphon off their add revenues or cause interference to their   
   operations.   
      
   The government prevailed and over the years, Travelers' Information   
   Station operators have wanted to broaden the scope of their content and   
   eliminate the restriction that confines their transmitting sites to   
   areas near roads, bridges, highways and public transportation terminals   
   like bus stops, train stations and airports. For example the American   
   Association of Information Radio Operators wanted to broadcast excerpts   
   of NOAA Weather Radio transmissions and AMBER Alerts. As a result AMBER   
   Alerts are now allowed on Travelers' Information stations.   
      
   In its latest decision FCC has clarified that Travelers' Information   
   stations operators can already transmit weather alerts regarding   
   difficult or hazardous conditions. This is in addition to information   
   regarding motor vehicle crashes, emergency points of assembly, road   
   closures and construction, parking, current driving travel times, air   
   flight status, truck weigh stations, driver rest areas, locations of   
   truck services, and road closures.   
      
   The FCC says that all transmitted content must remain noncommercial and   
   must relate to travel, an emergency or an imminent threat of danger. As   
   such, the commission has nixed the idea of routinely retransmitting   
   entire NOAA Weather Radio Alerts. However, the commission will now   
   allow Travelers' Information Stations to integrate those alerts into   
   broadcasts but only during especially hazardous conditions.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in   
   Wadsworth, Ohio.   
      
   --   
      
   In a Further Notice, the agency is proposing deleting requiring the   
   filtering of Travelers' Information Station audio frequencies above 3   
   kHz. So far those commenting for the most part have told the agency   
   that filtering makes it harder to hear the broadcasts while adding   
   little to interference protection of commercial AM stations. (FCC, RW)   
      
   **   
      
   PUBLIC SERVICE: IDAHO HAMS NEEDED FOR KOOTENAI RIVER RIDE SEPT 14   
      
   An Idaho Amateur Radio Emergency Services group will be providing radio   
   communications for that states Kootenai River Ride to be held September   
   14, and the group is in need of additional licensed radio amateurs to   
   assist. A planning session is slated for Tuesday evening September 10th   
   at the Bonners Ferry Main Fire Station in Boundary County and any radio   
   amateur from that area who wants to be a part of this outing is invited   
   to attend. If being a part of this very worthwhile public service is of   
   interest you them please contact Gary Leonard by e-mail to gary (at)   
   pvfd (dot) us. (newsbf.com, eHam.net)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS: FCC'S GREG COONS IS HEADING BACK TO VIRGINIA   
      
   Some names in the news. First up is Greg Coons, who currently works as   
   an agent in the FCC's Denver field office, but has been promoted to   
   resident agent to be based in Norfolk, Virginia. Coons grew up in   
   Virginia Beach and started his commission career in Norfolk in 1991. He   
   was transferred to Denver in 1996 after a reorganization of FCC field   
   offices, and has been based there for 17 years. He received his BSEE   
   from Old Dominion University in 1986. (SMPTE Rocky Mountain Section and   
   SBE Chapter 48)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS: ASTRONAUT HAM FLIES PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL TO ISS   
      
   An astronaut aboard the International Space Station has paid tribute to   
   the late United States president John F. Kennedy by flying a medallion   
   to the orbiting outpost that bears the likeness of the 35th President   
   of the United States. NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, KF6KDR, who is   
   serving as a flight engineer on board the space station, radioed photos   
   down to Mission Control on Wednesday, August 21st showing the medal   
   floating in front of a window with a view of the Earth below.   
      
   The 3-inch bronze medallion that Cassidy took to the space station was   
   created as part of the U.S. Mint's presidential medallion series. The   
   front of features a bust of the late United States president. Its   
   reverse side in inscribed with a quote from Kennedy's 1961 inaugural   
   address which says: "We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any   
   hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the   
   survival and the success of liberty."   
      
   When he returns to Earth this fall, Cassidy will deliver the medal back   
   to the JFK Library, where it will become a part of its permanent   
   collection. The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum is   
   located in Boston, Massachusetts and has a permanent exhibit devoted to   
   the race for space that began in the 1960's. (space.com,   
   VenturesInSpace, other news reports)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS: CUBAN AMATEUR LOOKING FOR UK CONTACTS   
      
   CO6CBF is looking for stations in the United Kingdom to try contacts   
   with him over the FO-29 amateur radio satellite. Currently, when the   
   satellite is in apogee, it has a good footprint that covers both the UK   
   and Cuba for a few minutes. Anyone wanting to try a FO-29 contact with   
   Cuba should e-mail Hector via co6cbf (at) frcuba (dot) co (cu) cu.   
   (GB2RS)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: QRP OPS NEEDED FOR 2014 THIRTEEN COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT   
      
   Ken Villone, KU2US, writing via eHam.net, says that the 13 Colonies   
   Special Event is looking to enlist one dedicated SSB and CW QRP   
   operator for each the original colony states state for 2014 and beyond.   
   Applicants must hold a General class or higher United States Amateur   
   Radio license but there are no special station requirements.   
      
   KU2US notes that this will be a QRP to QRP operation only as planners   
   want to give the low power stations a chance to get a 13 Colony States   
   "Clean Sweep" endorsement on his or her certificate. Those interested   
   should contact KU2US via e-mail using the information found on QRZ.com.    
      
      
      
   More information on the recent 2013 event as well as the early planning   
   for next year is on the web at www.13colonies.info. KU2US adds that the   
   New York QRP position is already filled for 2014. (KU2US via eHAM.net)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: ARRL - TAPR DCC IN SEATTLE SEPTEMBER 20-22   
      
   A reminder that the 32nd Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications   
   Conference is less than three weeks away. The gathering will take place   
   September 20th to the 22nd, in Seattle, Washington. The DCC is an   
   international forum for radio amateurs involved in digital   
   communications technology to meet, publish their work, and present new   
   ideas and techniques. Presenters and attendees will have the   
   opportunity to exchange ideas and learn about recent hardware and   
   software advances, theories, experimental results, and practical   
   applications. More about this event is on the web at www.tapr.org/dcc   
   (DCC)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIOSPORTS: CALIFORNIA QSO PARTY OCTOBER 5 AND 6   
      
   The 47th running of the California QSO Party or CQP is slated this year   
   to begin at 1600 UTC on October 5th and end at 2200 UTC on October 6th.   
   The Northern California Contest Club sponsors this annual event and   
   offers a variety of awards open to stations inside and outside of   
   California. These include plaques for the top operators in various   
   categories including a youth award for those under the age of 18. A   
   list of the awards is included in the rules and can be found on-line   
   www.cqp.org. (N6WM, W6TCP)   
      
   **   
      
   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)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIOSPORTS: ORGANIZING THE 2013 USA ARDF CHAMPIONSHIPS   
      
   Registration is now open for the Western Hemisphere's biggest   
   transmitter hunting event of 2013, and you might become a medal winner   
   there. Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV, has the details.   
      
   --   
      
   The mountains of North Carolina will be the setting for the 13th USA   
   championships of on-foot hidden transmitter hunting. Fans of this   
   international sport, which is also called foxtailing,   
   radio-orienteering and ARDF, are making travels plans now, and they   
   want you to join in.   
      
   Tuesday, October 8 will be arrival day for the optional practice   
   sessions on both two meters and 80 meters, which begin early on   
   Wednesday. Thursday and Friday will have two specialty events, sprints   
   and foxoring.   
      
   Those who cannot be present for all five days will arrive Friday,   
   October 11 for the classic championships. Saturday morning will be the   
   two-meter main event, followed in the evening by the banquet and awards   
   presentation. The 80-meter main event will be on Sunday morning with   
   awards presented afterwards, in time for those who must hurry home.   
      
   Organizing the 2013 USA Championships are Joseph Huberman, K5JGH and   
   Ruth Bromer, WB4QZG. Both have competed at previous USA Championships   
   and earned medals. Setting the courses will be Nadia Scharlau, with   
   radio support from Charles Scharlau, NZ0I. Nadia learned ARDF as a   
   youth in the Soviet Union and won her first gold medal by competing for   
   USSR at the European Championships in 1984. In 2006 in Bulgaria, she   
   became the first Team USA member to win a World Championships medal.   
      
   As always, our national Championships are open to anyone of any age who   
   can safely navigate the woods. Most will be licensed hams, but that's   
   not required, so encourage your unlicensed-but-athletic friends and   
   family members to join in. You can watch and learn from the best in the   
   country, as well as visitors from around the world.   
      
   Registration is now open on the Web and there is an e-mail reflector   
   for Q&A with the organizers. Learn all about the championships and   
   the sport of radio-orienteering at www.homingin.com. That's homingin,   
   as one word, homingin.com. I hope to see you there. From sunny southern   
   California, this is Joe Moell, K0OV, for Amateur Radio Newsline.   
      
   --   
      
   Again if you missed it that URL is simply www.homingin.com (K0OV)   
      
   **   
      
      
      
   RADIO TO SPACE: US SHUTS DOWN US AIR FORCE SPACE SURVEILLANCE RADAR   
      
   The US Air Force Space Surveillance Radar or AFSSS has stopped   
   transmitting. This, as a result of sequester budget cuts mandated by   
   Congress.   
      
   The Space Surveillance Radar which has been operational since 1961 and   
   is only one part of the nations global Space Surveillance Network. The   
   system is designed to transmit what the military calls a "fence" of   
   radar energy into space to detect all objects intersecting it. The   
   operational advantage of is its ability to detect objects in a random   
   or non cued fashion, rather than tracking objects based on previous   
   information. The disadvantage is the inherent inaccuracy of the data,   
   based on its dated design.    
      
      
      
   Military officials have devised what they call modified operating modes   
   for the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System located at   
   Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota and for the Space Surveillance   
   Radar at Eglin Air Force Base, in Florida. This allows the   
   discontinuation of the older Air Force Space Surveillance Radar   
   operations while still maintaining solid space situational awareness.   
      
   The AFSSS radar's final echoes came from a Russian satellite and a   
   sporadic meteor. You can see those traces at   
   tinyurl.com/last-radar-traces. Deactivating the old system will save   
   the Air Force Space Command $14 million annually starting in fiscal   
   year 2014. (Space News, VHF Reflector, WB4JGG)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NEXT PHONE SATS TO LAUNCH IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER   
      
   EDN magazine reports that the next generation of Phone-Sats which are   
   microsatellites built around smartphones will launch on November 6th   
   and December 6th. In an interview with the magazine developer Jasper   
   Wolfe said that these next Phone-Sats will transmit using Packet Radio   
   on 437.425 MHz using AFSK at 1200 bits per second. Coding will be AX   
   dot 25 and the transmit polarization will be vertical.    
      
      
      
   These and the previous Phone-Sats were developed by young engineers at   
   the NASA-Ames Research Center. One of the new birds will remain   
   on-orbit for up to two years while the other will have a far shorter   
   lifespan of only three months. The entire article including photos is   
   on the web at tinyurl.com/generation-2-phonesats. (EDN, Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: UK FUNCUBE 1 TO LAUNCH I LATE NOVEMBER   
      
   AMSAT-UK and AMSAT-NL have been advised that the launch date for   
   FUNcube-1 is now expected to be November 21st. This date is still   
   subject to final approval by the authorities. FUNcube-1 is a 1 unit   
   CubeSat that will provide a signal directly from a satellite to   
   classrooms with a signal level that can easily be received by schools   
   and colleges. (AMSAT, Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX, OH2YY hopes to be on the air from Nepal between October 2nd and   
   the 5th. He has applied for the callsign 9N2YY, but the final   
   confirmation will not take place until he arrives in that nation. After   
   Nepal he will be visiting the Kingdom of Bhutan between October 6th and   
   the 10th where he has already been assigned the callsign A52YY. Listen   
   out for him during his evenings and nights on 20 through 10 meter SSB.   
   QSL via OH2YY, the bureau or direct. Electronic QSL's go via Logbook of   
   the World.   
      
   JK1AJT will again be in Myanmar from September 18th to the 23rd signing   
   X-Zed-one-Zed . He tells DX Daily that he has spotted a better location   
   atop a 1557 feet hill and will bring a tri-band Yagi with him in   
   addition to the Ground Plains that he used last month. This next   
   operation will be mainly CW. QSL via ClubLog Oh-QRS or direct to   
   JH1AJT. Meantime the recent X-Zed-one-Zed Myanmar 2013 operation has   
   been approved for DXCC credit. If you've had it rejected in a prior   
   application, send a note to bmoore@arrl.org to be placed on the list   
   for an update to your record.    
      
      
      
   The Martello Tower Group are activating Herm Island again from October   
   4th to the 9th on 80 through 10 meters including the WARC bands. The   
   group will be using SSB and some data modes. All QSOs will be uploaded   
   to Logbook of the World and Club Log. QSL direct or via the bureau to   
   G6NHU   
      
   WB6OJB and K5LBU will be active as A25JK and A25CF, respectively, from   
   the extreme eastern part of Botswana through September 12th. They   
   should have two stations running but the A25JK will be the main call to   
   listen out for. Look for A25JK to operate SSB on 20 through 10 meters   
   with a possibility of some time spent on 40 and 75. A25CF will be   
   operating some PSK on whatever bands might be open and A25JK is not on.   
   QSL via their home callsigns.   
      
   DL2MDU and his DO3HDA will on the air 8Q7CF from the Maldives between   
   September 15th through the 27th. Their activity will be holiday style   
   on 80 through 10 meters with the possibly 160 meters Modes will be CW   
   and SSB with some digital. QSL via DL2MDU.   
      
   JA0RQV hopes to be operational from Tonga as A35JP/N between September   
   19th and the 24th. This operation will depend on weather and flight   
   availability to the island and his time on the air will be limited   
   because of limited supply of electric power. Operations will be on 80   
   through 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via his home callsign, by the   
   Bureau, direct or electronically using Logbook of the World.   
      
   DL7AFS and DJ7ZG will be operational as D44TXT from Santiago Island,   
   Cape Verde between October 19th and November 7th. The duo will be on 80   
   through 6 meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK31. QSL via DL7AFS.   
      
   (Above from various DX news sources)   
      
   **   
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM: UK FUNERAL INTERRUPTED BY RF   
      
   And finally this week, we have all heard of RF getting into public   
   address systems, but this one truly has to take the prize for the   
   unusual. Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, has the rather   
   strange details:   
      
   --   
      
   Can you imagine being at a funeral service when the sound coming out of   
   the loud speaker system is suddenly interrupted by airline stewardess'   
   message to her passengers? Well it actually happened recently in the   
   United Kingdom when what's been described as a mysterious voice was   
   heard through a church's public address system during a funeral service   
   telling passengers on a plane to prepare for landing.   
      
   The story goes this way. Friends and family of Brendan Duffy had   
   gathered at St Edward's Church in Windsor, Berkshire, to pay their   
   final respects after the Dublin-born grandfather-of-four died on August   
   8th, at age 78. But as his nephew Joe Duffy was reading the eulogy,   
   everyone was suddenly told to fasten their seat belts and for the other   
   flight attendants to prepare the aircraft's doors for landing.    
      
      
      
   While some might have thought it could have been a sign from the   
   heavens above a more rational explanation is that the church's wireless   
   microphone system and the two-way radio system on the aircraft were on   
   the same frequency. But that would not explain how the announcement   
   made using a closed loop in-cabin public address system could get   
   transmitted outside the airplane unless perhaps someone pushed the   
   wrong button on the flight deck.    
      
      
      
   That said, as we go to air, the mystery of the RF signal from on-high   
   remains unexplained.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline. I'm Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in Zion,   
   Illinois.   
      
   --   
      
   Joe Duffy is a local personality radio. He told a news reporter that   
   everyone at the service was looking around and up to heaven, trying to   
   figure out where the voice was coming from. (UK Daily Mail)   
      
   **   
      
   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 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 Jim   
   Damron, N8TMW, saying 73 from Charleston, West Virginia and we thank   
   you for listening.   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm)    
      
      
      
   ***   
      
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   the world, this Amateur Radio Newline(tm) message has been gated from   
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   you enjoyed it!   
      
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   Thank you and good day!   
      
   -73-   
      
      
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