Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1742 - December 31 2010   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1742 with a release date of Friday,   
   December 31st  2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a Q-S-T.  Kids Day goes International as Germany climbs on   
   board this twice a year youth involvement program; hams in Iceland get a new   
   allocation at 5 Megahertz; amateur radio vying for spectrum with national   
   broadcaster in India and a n   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)   
      
   **   
      
      
   WORLDBEAT:  KIDS DAY GOES INTERNATIONAL AS GERMANY JOINS THE EVENT   
      
      
   Kids Day has gone international.  This with word that the Deutscher Amateur   
   Radio Club which is Germany's national amateur radio society is supporting   
   Kids Day on Sunday, January 2nd.   
      
   As most of you know, Kids Day is an on-air event conceived by Larry "Tree"   
   Tyree, N6TR, and Oregon's Boring Amateur Radio Club.  Its purpose is to   
   encourage young people to have fun with Amateur Radio.  This, by giving   
   members of the younger set some on-t   
      
   --   
      
   N6TR:  "Originally when I set out on this my goal was very modest which was if   
   there is one additional radio ham that comes out of this (program) I'll   
   consider it a success.  Now, its likely grown beyond that and to see it spread   
   to other countries makes    
   --   
      
   The complete Deutscher Amateur Radio Club press release can be seen in Google   
   English at tinyurl.com/38bkqf4.  More about Kids Day and how to take part can   
   be found at www dot arrl dot org stroke kids-day.  And if you missed taking   
   part in this first Kids   
      
   (DARC, Southgate, ARNewsline)   
      
   **   
      
      
   RESCUE RADIO:  AMATEUR RADIO PRAISED FOR ASSISTING IN NEVADA FLOODS   
      
      
   This is Don Carlson, KQ6FM - Nevada Section EC in Reno, Nevada with some   
   breaking news.   
      
   On December 21,  Southern Nevada was inundated with heavy rains, high winds   
   and mountain snow, which caused a number of weather-related outages and   
   situations in the area.  These included flooding in the town of Mesquite,   
   minor flooding around the greater   
      
   More than a dozen operators took part in the efforts, as they gave up valuable   
   holiday time to serve their community.   The communications efforts were aided   
   by a statewide IRLP/Echolink "intercom" which allowed traffic and information   
   to be passed around   
      
   According to an article in the Las Vegas Sun, Amateur radio received high   
   praise from the director of emergency planning for the state, as he briefed   
   Gov. Elect Brian Sandoval of the situation.   He said that Amateur Radio was   
   right on the mark, and that    
      
   Reporting from Reno Nevada, this is Don Carlson, KQ6FM - Nevada Section   
   Emergency Coordinator.  Now back to Don Wilbanks, AE5DW for more of this   
   week's Amateur Radio Newsline.  (Nevada ARES, Las Vegas Sun)   
      
   **   
      
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  HAMS IN ICELAND GET 5.36-5.41MHZ PLUS 500 KHZ AND 70 MHZ   
   EXTENSION   
      
      
   The national association of Icelandic Radio Amateurs has announced that   
   continued access for Icelandic ham radio licensees has been secured on the 500   
   kHz, 5 MHz and 70 MHz bands.  In a letter from the nations Department of Post   
   and Telecom Administration   
   .   
   Privileges and access to 500 kHz and 70 MHz remains unchanged but the grant at   
   5 MHz is a major improvement to what hams in Iceland have had to live with.    
   This is because the 150 kHz in the 5360 to 5410 kHz band replaces eight fixed   
   channels permitted up   
      
   **   
      
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  THE AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY VS ALL INDIA RADIO   
      
      
   Telecommunications interests in India, including ham radio have been meeting   
   to decide who should be allotted what frequency bands in that nation    
   According to an article in India's Daily News & Analysis on-line technical   
   newspaper, the meeting are a part   
      
   Among those crossing each others' path are Amateur Radio Society of India and   
   state-owned All India Radio.  In a meeting held in November, it was decided   
   that the proposal of the Amateur Radio Society of India for some frequency   
   bands shall be examined as   
      
   India's Department of Telecommunications is targeting sometime in 2012 to put   
   in place the new National Frequency Allocation Plan.  This, as per the   
   requirements of the industry and technological developments. Currently,   
   government agencies and companies    
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  ARRL WORKING TO UPGRADE LOTW FOR VUCC   
      
      
   The ARRL Logbook of the World web page noted on Dec 22nd that VUCC support is   
   being installed and tested.  When this upgrade is implemented, amateurs will   
   be able to use Logbook of the World to apply for awards based on Maidenhead   
   grid squares, such as VU   
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SUMBANDILLA HAM RADIO SATELLITE OFF THE AIR AGAIN   
      
      
   South Africa's Sumbandilla ham radio satellite is off the air again.  ZR1CBC   
   reports that the flash boot memory of a controller on was likely corrupted by   
   a solar radiation event. It does not affect satellite overall health but   
   prevents activation of the    
      
   This is the same problem that occurred in October of 2009 and was corrected.    
   However, the fix requires time consuming effort, which cannot be accomplished   
   immediately.  Because of this SO-67 repeater activations are therefore   
   suspended.  Controllers say    
      
   **   
      
      
   BREAK 1   
      
      
   Wishing you a happy new years, from the United States of America, We are the   
   Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including   
   the W9ELK repeater serving Elkhorn Wisconsin.   
      
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   ON THE NET: NEW OWNER OF LOS ANGELES W6NUT REPEATER INTERVIEWED ON THE RAIN   
   REPORT   
      
      
   The 147.435 Mhz W6NUT repeater in Los Angeles has yet another new owner.  Her   
   name is Christina Holzschuh, KE6RRI, and in an exclusive interview with the   
   Chicago based Radio Amateur Information Network, she talks about her   
   philosophy in regard to managing   
      
   --   
      
   KE6RRI:  "As I said when it came out on the repeater, I am not here to change   
   the repeater or to change you because .435 is really a psychology.  It's a   
   unique type of psychology that makes it work.  And if I try to get in there   
   and make all of thyese cha   
      
   "I don't think that there has been a female owner of this repeater.  I'm   
   interested in my own thinking how will this work with men relating to a woman   
   who is the repeater owner.  How are they going to relate to me other than your   
   standard slander, name ca   
      
   "I like to refer to them as down times.  You know if I find that someone is   
   jamming to much, Ill like to temper that and Ill just say Ill give you a down   
   time for an hour, and you know to go ahead and get yourself some coffee and   
   something to eat,  Then y   
      
   "I find that's most effective in that it does not put them on the defensive   
   where they feel like they have to come at me with vulgarities and bad words,   
   so as to speak."   
      
   --   
      
   You can hear the entire interview between Hap Holly, KC9RP and Christina   
   Holzschuh, KE6RRI, this week and next on the Rain Report.  Just take your web   
   browser to www.therainreport.com to listen in real time or to download the   
   audio file for replay at a la   
      
   **   
      
      
   ENFORCEMENT:  FCC RULES FORCE CANCELLATION OF WWTM FINE   
      
      
   It appears as if the FCC gave an early present to R&B Communications which is   
   the licensee of WWTM-AM in Decatur, Alabama.  This, as it cancels a $7,000   
   fine and instead admonished R&B for operating after its license had expired.   
      
   The case began in January 2007 when the FCC approved WWTM's license renewal   
   application.  But in April the agency fined the station $7,000 for not filing   
   the application on time and operating the station without authorization. The   
   renewal should have been   
      
   The agency said the renewal application wasn't actually filed until March 24,   
   2005. That was after the Media Bureau wrote to R&B indicating that WWTM's   
   license had expired and that authority to operate the station had been   
   terminated.  Also that WWTM's ca   
      
   R&B told the commission its late filing was inadvertent and that it couldn't   
   pay the fine.    However, under the FCC's own rules, if the violations   
   occurred more than a year before the fine was imposed, the fine must be   
   cancelled.  That was the case here    
      
   **   
      
      
   ENFORCEMENT:  FCC REDUCES UNLICENSED BROADCASTER FINE TO $750   
      
      
   A Christmas present of sorts from the FCC to a south Florida unlicensed radio   
   operator. This as the regulatory agency orders Adilson Alves de Almeida of   
   Boca Raton Florida to pay a $750 fine.  But it could have cost de Almeida   
   $20,000 until he proved the    
      
   --   
      
   The story goes back to December 6, 2006.  In response to a complaint of   
   interference from an authorized government user, agents from the Enforcement   
   Bureaus Miami Office investigated the unlicensed radio activity in the Boca   
   Raton.  On that date and two s   
      
   On April 19, 2007, the Miami Office issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for   
   Forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to de Almeida for operation of a radio   
   transmitter without a license.  de Almeida submitted a response requesting   
   cancellation of the forfeit   
      
   But it did happen again and on September 15, 2008, in response to another   
   complaint of interference from an authorized government user, agents from the   
   Miami Office again investigated unlicensed radio activity in the Boca Raton   
   area.  Once again, using di   
      
   On September 25, 2008, the Miami Office issued a second Notice of Apparent   
   Liability for Forfeiture in the amount of $20,000 to de Almeida for operation   
   of a radio transmitter without a license.  de Almeida submitted a response to   
   the Second N-A-L request   
      
   In analyzing a financial hardship claim, the Commission has determined that,   
   in general, an entities gross revenues are the best indicator of its ability   
   to pay a forfeiture.  As such, it reached a decision that a fine of at least   
   $750 was warranted based   
      
   For the amateur Radio Newsline, Im Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, reporting from Los   
   Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   de Almeida was given the customary 30 days to pay the fine or to file a   
   further appeal.  (FCC)   
      
   **   
      
      
   RADIO LAW:  FCC PASES NET NEUTRALITY MEASURE   
      
      
   The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday, December 21st voted to   
   regulate the speed of Internet traffic.  This, as the Commissioners voted on a   
   proposal from FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to prevent wireline broadband   
   providers from controlling    
      
   The 3 to 2 vote was down party lines, as expected, with support from the   
   Democratic members and dissent from the two Republicans.  The rules require   
   all broadband providers to publicly disclose network management practices,   
   restrict broadband providers fr   
      
   Democrats and Republicans have fought over network neutrality for several   
   years.  Democrats contend it preserves an open Internet.  Republicans contend   
   it regulates the Internet unnecessarily. FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said   
   the rules represented a c   
      
   Reaction in the telecommunications industry has been generally negative to the   
   FCC's Net Neutrality decision.  The National Journal's David Hatch is   
   reporting that Verizon's attorney's are gearing up for a lawsuit.  Meantime,   
   Broadcasting & Cable Magazine   
      
   **   
      
      
   TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES:  SOME NEW IPODS DON'T GET NEWSLINE   
      
      
   This note to users of new Apple iPod or those who may have just upgraded to   
   the latest model over the holiday and now find that they cannot download audio   
   files or podcasts of Amateur Radio Newsline.  We want to let you know that the   
   problem is not with u   
      
   What we can say is that we have not made any changes to our production methods   
   in years.  We provide an MP3 audio file at our website at www dot arnewsline   
   dot org that has not changed in any way for almost a decade.  So if you have a   
   new iPod that refuse   
      
   If anyone has an answer to this one, please let us know and we will on pass it   
   to our lidtener base.  (ARNewsline(tm))   
      
   **   
      
      
   THE SOCIAL SCENE:  PRIZE OFFERED TO UK HAMS PARTICIPATING IN SOS RADIO WEEK   
      
      
   Over in the United Kingdom, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution   
   fundraising event, SOS Radio Week, starts on January 22nd.  According to   
   several reports many UK amateur radio clubs and individual hams have already   
   signed up to tale part.   
      
   Now comes word that an unidentified big name in Great Britain's amateur radio   
   scene has offered a prize for those who take part.  Everyone who operates   
   during event will have his or her call entered for a drawing to win a new   
   Wouxun KG-679E 2 meter hand-h   
      
   If you are a UK ham and want to take part, simply visit the website at   
   www.sosradioweek.org.uk and view the registration page.  All monies raised are   
   donated to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.  (RLBI)   
      
   **   
      
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS  UK FAMILY HAS FIVE HAMS   
      
      
   Some names in the news.  Still in the UK, the Daily Post newspaper reports   
   that five members of the same family in the town of Tywyn are now licensed   
   radio amateurs.   The newspaper says that the latest member of the family to   
   get an amateur radio callsig   
      
   **   
      
      
   BREAK 2   
      
      
   The news never sleeps and neither do we.  Serving you 52 weeks a year since   
   1972, we are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only   
   official website at www dot arnewsline dot org and being relayed by the   
   volunteer services of the fol   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
   **   
      
      
   THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: FAMED RADIO ANNOUNCER FRED FOY DEAD AT AGE 89   
      
      
   He was not a ham, but the legendary radio announcer Fred Foy, best known for   
   his booming, passionate lead-ins to "The Lone Ranger" radio and television   
   series, died Wednesday, December 22nd of natural causes at his Woburn,   
   Massachusetts.   
      
   According to his daughter Nancy Foy, her father worked as an actor before   
   landing the job as the announcer and narrator on "The Lone Ranger" radio show   
   in 1948.  He is best remembered for the shows lead in that introduced the   
   masked cowboy hero and his tr   
      
   According to radio historian Jim Harmon, Foy's dramatic introduction and   
   narration, performed in a powerful baritone, were so good it made many people   
   forget there were others before him.  Harmon called Foy perhaps the greatest   
   announcer-narrator in the h   
      
   Foy was born in Detroit in 1921, graduated from that city's Eastern High   
   School in 1938 and landed a job on the announcing staff of radio station WXYZ   
   in Detroit in 1942.  He was drafted into the Army that year and served in an   
   Armed Forces Radio unit in    
      
   In 1960, Foy began working for the ABC network.  He spent five years as an   
   announcer on the "The Dick Cavett Show" and narrated documentaries.  He left   
   ABC in the mid-1980's and later retired.   
      
   Fred Foy is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances Foy, their three   
   children and three grandchildren.  He was age 89.  (From published news   
   reports)   
      
   **   
      
      
   EMERGING TECHNOLOGY GLITCH:  SKYPE DOWN FOR A DAY AS SUPERNODES GO OFF LINE   
      
      
   Internet calling and messaging service Skype SA mostly recovered Thursday,   
   December 23rd from an outage caused by an undisclosed glitch.  The service   
   went down for almost all of its users starting at midday Eastern time on   
   Wednesday, December 22nd.  By Th   
      
   On Wednesday a spokesman said a problem affecting some versions of Skype   
   caused many of its supernodes to go offline.  Supernodes are computers that   
   the company likens to phone directories, helping Skype users connect with each   
   other.  To help remedy the    
      
   On average, 124 million people use Skype each month, though the total number   
   of registered users is more than four times that.  (SKYPE)   
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM RADIO NEAR SPACE:  THE HABEX SUCCESS   
      
      
   Some good news from South Africa.  This with word that the main HABEX high   
   altitude ham radio balloon payload flew in excess of 33 000 meters before   
   returning to the ground.   
      
   Controllers Say that the on-board store and forward or parrot repeater was the   
   highlight of the day with many radio amateurs making contact from as far   
   awayas Harrismith and Victoria West.   
      
   After the balloon burst and returned to Earth, recovery teams found the main   
   payload was found in a farmer's field. Unfortunately the second balloon   
   carrying a simple controller board and ancillary equipment failed.   
      
   Project leaders say that flight helped further the learning curve for the team   
   who will build on the knowledge gained for further launches.  (SARL)   
      
   **   
      
      
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  SA AMSAT TO LAUNCH TWO NEW BIRDS   
      
      
   South Africa AMSAT announced on their web page that they they plan to launch   
   two satellite projects with totally different design approaches and time lines.   
      
   Both of these birds will be of the Cubesat design.  The first will focus on   
   providing a FM transponder that will be available on most passes over South   
   Africa and will have a short time line to launch.  This FM Transponder CubeSat   
   which has yet to be name   
      
   The second bird called SAiSAT focuses on an innovative approach to the   
   deployment of fold-out solar panels.  The project is aimed at getting Master   
   and Phd students involved in the development and design of various payloads   
   and substructures.  A detailed    
      
   will be released in the next two weeks on www dot amsatsa dot org dot za.    
   Both satellite projects will the subject of papers to be present at the South   
   African AMSAT Space Symposium to be held on 26 March 2011.  (SA AMSAT via ANS)   
      
      
   **   
      
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  QST EDITOR ON HO-68   
      
      
   And the Southgate news reports that you never know who you'll find on the   
   amateur radio satellites. How about QST Magazine editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY.   
      
   Writing on the AMSAT bulletin board K8YSE says that Hhe recently hear Ford   
   calling CQ on the HO-68 bird. According to K8YSE, Ford was operating from home   
   with his TS2000 and Eggbeater antennas.  He says that the two had a nice chat   
   and the reception was e   
      
   **   
      
      
   ON THE AIR:  NEW ZEALAND AMATEUR RADIO DAY JAN 15   
      
      
   New Zealand Amateur Radio Day takes place annually from 1000 to 1200 hours   
   local time on the 3rd Saturday of January.  This year that's January the 15th.   
      
   The purpose of the New Zealand Amateur Radio Day is to promote the hobby to   
   the public so that some may be encouraged to join the local club, take on   
   classes and become amateur radio operators.   
      
   Clubs taking part are urged to set up at any prominent and public location   
   where there is plenty of public foot traffic.  Participating amateurs are   
   required to keep a log of all stations worked during the 2 hours and use of   
   club callsigns is encouraged,    
      
   Operation on New Zealand Amateur Radio Day can be on any band and any mode.   
   Digital modes and CW may also be used to attract interest.  (NZART)   
      
   **   
      
      
   ON THE AIR:  A QSO A DAY FOR G6HMU DURING 2011   
      
      
   And throughout 2011, Keith Maton, G6NHU, is embarking on an ambitious project   
   to have a QSO every day of the year.  He says that his QSOs will be on any   
   band or any mode   
      
   There is a blog to follow the progress of this project at www.qso365.co.uk.   
   The blog won't necessarily be updated every day but it will document how the   
   project is going with updates as time permits.  (Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
      
   DX   
      
      
   In DX, W5JON says that he will be operating as V47JA from his new Calypso Bay,   
   St. Kitts vacation home from February 16th until March 30th.  He will be   
   active on 80 through 6 meters SSB including both the ARRL International DX SSB   
   Contest SSB on March 5th   
      
   XW1B is planning another operation from Danang, Vietnam, for the ARRL DX CW   
   Contest to be held February 19th and 20th.  He will operate a a    
   ingle-Operator Low-Power entry using the callsign 3W3B. He states that he will   
   be living in Danang most of the yea   
      
   DC0KK is again active from Sri Lanka as 4S7KKG until March 13th. Hes on all of   
   the HF bands using CW, SSB and the Digital modes.  He also hopes to activate   
   Barberyn Island sometime during his stay.  QSL via DC0KK, either direct or by   
   the Bureau.   
      
   IK2QPR will be on the air as 5R8PR from Nosy Be, Madagascar between January   
   17th and the 25th. Activity will be holiday style on 40through 10 meters using   
   CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign.   
      
   F6BLP, will be active as 6W7SK from Senegal between January 8yj to the 21st.   
   This operation will also be holiday style operating mainly CW. QSL via F6BLP,   
   either direct or by the Bureau.   
      
   Lastly,  JK1FNL will be active from the Maldives as 8Q7FF between January 4th   
   through the 9th.  Listen out for this operation on 160 through 6 meters using   
   CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign.   
      
   (Above from various DX news sources)   
      
   **   
      
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM:  BABE - THE BOAT ANCHOR EVALUATOR   
      
      
   And finally this week, there are a lot of web sites on the Internet that deal   
   with so called Boat Anchors.  You know - old radio equipment full of tubes.    
   Well how is this site with a variation on this  theme and its called BABE.   
      
   BABE stands for the Boat Anchor Beauty Evaluator.  It is a website that   
   contains a formula that includes terms such as the number of knobs on front   
   panel, of these the number of knobs not generally used, the number of tubes   
   and meters, the rack space requ   
      
   You can have some real fun with this one.  It's in cyberspace at   
   tinyurl.com/2b9453l  (VHF Reflector)   
      
   **   
      
      
   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   
      
   And a reminder that the deadline for Dayton Hamvention award nominations is   
   getting close.  The Hamvention now sponsors four annual awards.  These are the   
   Technical Excellence, Special Achievement and Radio Amateur of the Year   
   Awards.  And as the special    
      
   If you know of a radio amateur or a radio club deserving of recognition please   
   submit your nomination.  Further information and nomination forms can be found   
   on-line at www.Hamvention.com in the awards section.  To be considered for any   
   award the nominati   
      
   For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don Wilbanks,   
   AE5DW, saying Happy New Year 2011, 73 and we thank you for listening.   
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2010and 2011.  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)