Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1929 - August 1 2014   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1929 with a release date of August 1    
   2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.      
      
   The following is a QST.  The Amateur Radio Parity Act gains new co-sponsors;   
   the Internet of Things could impact United Kingdom hams; Australian radio   
   amateurs forced to temporarily share the 70 centimeter band with commercial   
   interests; hams respond to northern California wildfire and changes coming to   
   the famed Pennsylvania QSO Party.  Find out the details are on Amateur Radio   
   Newsline(tm) report number 1929 coming your way right now.   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)    
      
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW:  AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT GAINS NEW CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT   
      
   The just-concluded ARRL National Centennial Convention in Hartford,   
   Connecticut, helped to impart added energy into efforts to line up   
   co-sponsors for "The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014" also known as House of   
   Representatives measure H R 4969.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Gary Bernstein,   
   N9VU, has the details:   
      
   --   
      
   H R 4969 was introduced in the US House of Representatives with bipartisan   
   support in late June.  It asks Congress to direct the FCC to apply the   
   "reasonable accommodation" three-part test of the PRB-1 federal pre-emption   
   policy to private land-use restrictions regarding antennas.    
      
   The measures primary sponsor is Republican Representative Adam Kinzinger of   
   Illinois.  It received initial co-sponsorship from Democrat Joe Courtney of   
   Connecticut.  Four additional members of the House had since signed aboard to   
   co-sponsor the bill by July 24th.  On July 29th, ARRL Hudson Division   
   Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, posted to Facebook that two more House law   
   makers had thrown their support to H R 4969.  .     
      
   By way of background, right now present PRB-1 only applies to state and   
   municipal land-use ordinances.  The FCC has indicated that it will not act to   
   provide the same legal protections from private land-use agreements -- often   
   called covenants, conditions, and restrictions without direction from   
   Congress.  As such, the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 is an attempt by the   
   League to muster the needed push to get the FCC to act on this matter.   
      
   Speaking at the convention, ARRL General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, says   
   that there already is precedent for the FCC to act.  He explains that the   
   Commission's so-called Over-the-Air Receiving Device rules currently preempt   
   private land-use agreements to permit the installation of television antennas   
   and satellite dishes.  Based on this, Imlay suggests that making the leap to   
   reasonably accommodating outdoor amateur radio antennas is within the FCC's   
   regulatory scope.   This, given the established strong federal interest in   
   effective amateur radio communication.   
      
   On the other side, Imlay said the bill faces opposition from the Community   
   Associations Institute and an organization called Associa.  The latter has   
   already suggested to Representative Kinzinger that he "re-think" the bill.    
   As such, Imlay says that a lot more co-sponsors are needed for this bill.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Gary Bernstein, N9VU, reporting.   
      
   --   
      
   The ARRL reports that Representative Courtney visited the ARRL Centennial   
   Convention on July 19 to speak with League officials and those attending the   
   event.  A more in-depth look at the Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 and how   
   to support it is on the web at www.arrl.org/hr-4969   
   http://www.arrl.org/hr-4969  (ARRL, Facebook)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO OPINION:  HAM TAKES ISSUE WITH AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT   
      
   While the ARRL has been very successful in getting HR 4969 before the House   
   of Representatives it appears as if not every ham is in favor of its being   
   passed into law.  In an interview on the video podcast HamRadioNow, viewer   
   Mike Alexander, N8MSA takes what he calls a principled stand against the   
   measure.   
      
   N8MSA spends about 40 minutes explaining his point of view and answering   
   questions from moderator Gary Pearce, KN4AQ.  You can see the interview in   
   episode 158 of the video podcast HamRadioNow at hamradionow.tv.      
   (HamRadioNow)   
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT:  UK REGULATOR CALLS FOR INPUT ON INTERNET OF THINGS   
      
   United Kingdom telecommunications regulator Ofcom has published a Call for   
   Input.  This, to help it understand the actions required to ensure that   
   nation takes a leading role in the emerging Internet of Things.    
      
   According to Wikipedia, the Internet of Things can refer to a wide variety   
   of devices such as heart monitoring implants, biochip transponders on farm   
   animals, automobiles with built-in sensors, or field operation devices that   
   assist fire-fighters in search and rescue.  Current market examples include   
   smart thermostats and washer/dryers that utilize wifi for remote monitoring.   
      
   The Ofcom Call for Input seeks views to inform the U-K regulatory body's   
   understanding of these and other developments, enabling it to better support   
   the emergence of the Internet of Things. Many future devices will be   
   connected wirelessly and the availability of radio spectrum will be an   
   important enabler especially at 2.4 and 5 Gigahertz.    
      
   For this reason the Internet of Things could mean using Amateur and Amateur   
   Satellite Service spectrum for other services.  The closing date for United   
   Kingdom hams and others to respond is October 1, 2014.  (Ofcom, Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
      
   RADIO LAW:  TEMPORARY REASSIGNMENT OF COMMERCIAL SERVICES INTO AUSTRALIAN   
   AMATEUR 70CM BAND   
      
   Some bad news for hams living down under.  This with word that a 400 MHz and   
   above  spectrum review held in 2010 has identified a need for using part of   
   the 70 cm amateur band, on a temporary basis, for what the Australian   
   Communications and Media Authority or ACMA has termed the orderly repacking   
   of 400 MHz commercial services.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford,   
   N8WB, reports:   
      
   --   
      
   Specifically, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has advised   
   the nations ham radio community that as part of the ongoing 400 MHz band plan   
   review that it will be necessary to temporary move some commercial services   
   into the 442.5 to 444 and 446.5 to 448 MHz segments of the 70 centimeter   
   band.    
      
   Commercial services will be assigned on a secondary basis with equal status   
   to the amateur service.  The ACMA says that it will coordinate frequency   
   assignments to avoid interference issues with existing licensed amateur   
   services. Clubs that currently hold licenses for repeater links or other   
   purposes in these band segments were being advised to contact the Wireless   
   Institute of Australia for further information. The WIA is the recognized   
   national society serving that nations ham radio community.     
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, reporting.   
      
   --   
      
   This ACMA says that this reassignment will be required starting now and   
   continuing through to the end of 2015.  (VK2ASD, WIA)   
      
   **   
      
   PROPAGATION NEWS:  VK 723 KHZ BEACON TEMPORARILLY QRT   
      
   The VK3FI 473 kHz CW beacon at Mildura, Australia, has been temporarily   
   taken off the air for some required maintenance and improvements.  The work   
   includes the errection of a new antenna support and feeder cables as well as   
   relocating the home-made beacon into a rack assembly.  According to reports   
   this work will likely take a couple of months after which it will resume its   
   nightly transmission from is location in the far north west of Australia's   
   Victoria state.     
   (VK3PC)   
      
   **   
   DX UP FRONT:  LICHTENSTEIN SEPTEMBER 13 TO 20   
   In DX up front, DL2SBY will be active from Liechtenstein between September   
   13th and the 20th.  Operations will be on 80 through 10 meters including 30,   
   17 and 12 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL to DL2SBY, direct, via the   
   bureau as well as through PayPal requests.  (OPDX)   
   **   
   DX UP FRONT:  TOGO SEPTEMBER 25 TO OCTOBER 3   
   The Czech DXpedition Team will be on the air from Togo between September   
   25th and October 3rd.  Activity will be on 160 through 10 meters using CW,   
   SSB and some of the digital modes. The group also plans to take part in the   
   CQ World Wide DX RTTY Contest on September 27th and 28th.  QSL's go via   
   OK6DJ, direct, via the bureau, eQSL, Logbook to the World, or using the Oh   
   QRS on ClubLog.  (OPDX)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 1   
      
   Time for you to identify your station.  We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,   
   heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KA5GLX repeater   
   serving Clear Lake Texas.   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   WITH NEWSLINE:  A NEW VIDEO ADDITION AT WWW.ARNEWSLINE.ORG   
   http://www.arnewsline.org/   
      
   Thanks to the work of Kevin Trotman, N5PRE and Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, we have   
   a new and highly visible addition to our website.  If you take your web   
   browser to www dot arnewsline dot org, and start scrolling down, you will see   
   we have posted an abbreviated video version. This is actually the same video   
   we produce weekly for the TWiT-TV program Ham Nation and at our recent BoD   
   meeting we decided to make it directly available to all of you as well.    
      
   Please note that due to the different production schedules, the video   
   version will be released a few days after the audio and text.  Also, you can   
   only view it at our website; at least for now.  We are sorry, but we will not   
   be able to provide automatic direct down linking for the foreseeable. Of   
   coarse you can also view it as a part of the TWiT TV program Ham Nation.   
   Please take a look and let us know what you think.  (ARNewsline)   
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO:   MARITIME MOBLE SERVICES NET HANDLES LAND BASED EMERGENCY   
      
   Some good work by the Maritime Mobile Service Network as it helped in a   
   recent land based incident.  We have more in this report:   
      
   --   
      
   The Maritime Mobile Service Network normally helps hams at sea but on July   
   24th it took on a land based situation.  This after net control station Ken   
   Porter, A-C-zero-M-L, received a distress call from George Molnar, KF2T, on   
   14.300 MHz which is the nets longtime home frequency.     
      
   Molnar told Porter that he had witnessed a tractor-trailer overturn on   
   Nevada Highway 318, approximately 26 miles south of US Route 93.  The   
   location was in a deep canyon with no cellular telephone service or any ham   
   radio repeaters available in the area.  As such HF radio appeared to be the   
   only communications.   
      
   Once he had the information, Porter called the Las Vegas Police Department   
   and told it about the incident and its location.  The Las Vegas police in   
   turn notified Nevada State Highway Patrol.  Porter remained on the phone with   
   the police in case the dispatcher required any further information.     
      
   It did not take long for troopers to arrive on scene.  Thankfully there were   
   no injuries but the driver of the overturned truck was reported to be   
   somewhat in shock.  Highway 318 remained blocked until the perishable items   
   from the overturned vehicle could be cleaned away.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the Newsroom   
   in Los Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   The Maritime Mobile Service Network operates between the hours of 1600 to   
   0200 UTC daily on 14.300 MHz and most hams are aware that they will likely   
   find assistance on that frequency.  (K4EDX)   
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO:  HAMS RESPOND TO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE   
      
   Northern California ham radio emergency communications teams were called out   
   on Saturday, July 26th.  This in support of those fighting the El Portal   
   wildfire burning in Tuolumne County.     
      
   Hams were assigned to shadow Red Cross officials and provide communications   
   at an evacuation shelter in the town of Groveland.  A number of repeaters   
   were linked to provide a direct communication channel from the shelter to the   
   Red Cross nerve center in Fresno.  In all, the hams who volunteered spent   
   close to a full day before being dismissed and returning home.     
   (ARNewsline from various Sources)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW:  PRIVATE DRONE AIRCRAFT ORDERED GROUNDED BY CALIFORNIA   
   FIREFIGHTERS   
      
   A privately owned remote control drone aircraft shooting video of a   
   California wildfire has been ordered grounded.  This after firefighting   
   officials feared it might interfere with efforts to contain the blaze burning   
   near the city of Sacramento.     
      
   According to news reports a California Department of Forestry and Fire   
   Prevention spokesperson said that the owner of the unmanned vehicle was asked   
   by Sheriff's Deputies to stop flying the drone so as to keep it away from the   
   low-flying aircraft being used to fight the Sand fire.  The owner was   
   apparently operating the small 4-engine quadcopter craft so he could check   
   out the fire for his own personal viewing.     
      
   Cal-Fire spokesperson Lynne Tolmachoff said that this is the first time her   
   agency had encountered such a device during their firefighting efforts, but   
   she adds that she expects it may not be the last.     
      
   As previously reported, the Federal Aviation Administration is in the   
   process of investigating who may use drones and for what purposes.  This in   
   order to develop guidelines and regulations concerning these radio remote   
   control devices.     
      
   And as previously reported, National Park Service Director Jonathan B.   
   Jarvis has signed a policy memorandum that directs his superintendents   
   nationwide to prohibit launching, landing, or operating unmanned remote   
   controlled aircraft including drones on lands and waters administered by his   
   agency.  (Published news reports, ARNewsline archive)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  AMSAT NA SYMPOSIUM OCTOBER 10 - 12    
      
   AMSAT-North America's 32nd Space Symposium and Annual Meeting will be held   
   October 10th to the 12th in Baltimore, Maryland.  The location will be the   
   DoubleTree by Hilton at the Baltimore  BWI Airport.  The gathering will be   
   preceded by the AMSAT North America Board of Directors meeting for October   
   9th and morning of the 10th.  A registration form for the Symposium and all   
   events may be downloaded at tinyurl.com/ANS208-SymposiumRegistration.  And   
   SymposiumRegistration is spelled as one word.  (ANS)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  WRONG RETURN ADDRESS ON AMSAT-NA BALLOT ENVELOPES   
      
   And speaking about AMSAT North America, we received a message from that   
   organization to pass along to members who may be listening.     
      
   It seems that after the 2014 Board of Directors election ballots were   
   mailed, the group was notified by its printer that old stock return envelopes   
   were accidentally included.  Unfortunately, these envelopes have the old   
   Silver Spring, Maryland address on them.     
      
   The good news is that the ballot postcard and other documents have the   
   correct Kensington, Maryland, address.  As mail is being forwarded to the new   
   office address, and will continue to do so for several months, those voting   
   can use either the envelope included in the packet, or, your own envelope   
   addressed to The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, 10605 Concord Street,   
   Kensington, Maryland, 20895.  Whichever method you choose AMSAT asks that   
   those voting make certain that their ballot is mailed in time to be received   
   by the September 15th deadline.     
   (WA4SCA, AMSAT-NA)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  FISTS CW CLUB NORTH AMERICA REDUCES DUES STRUCTURE FOR   
   SENIORS   
      
   The North America chapter of the FISTS CW Club has reduced its dues for   
   members aged 65 to 80 to $10 annually.  The only caveat is that those in the   
   65 to 80 age group as well as those over 80 and under age 18 need to supply   
   their birth date when you join or renew to get this rate.  More on this   
   change is on the web at fistsna.org.  (KB1DSB, FISTS, NA)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RAPPENINGS:  MICHIGAN VHF-UHF SOCIETY BEING REACTIVATED     
      
   According to Roger Cox, W8IO, the Michigan VHF-UHF Society, based in the   
   Detroit area will soon be coming back to life.  Cox says that he wrote to the   
   clubs current president Bob Lang, K8ZKJ who said that he was looking for   
   someone to take over and make the organization active again.     
      
   Cox then called a number of his friends who indicated their interest in   
   joining if the organization was to be revitalized.  Cox is now proceeding in   
   doing so with the assistance of Tom Bosscher, K8TB, who will create a mailing   
   list for the group which holds the call AD8U, that it uses in contests and   
   grid expeditions.  More information on this project can be found on the web   
   at  wb0dgf.com/MichiganVHF.htm  (Michigan VHF-UHF Cub)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  4,000 SCOUTS TO EXPERIENCE HAM RADIO AT SCOUT AIRFEST IN   
   ILLINOIS   
      
   The Rainbow Council Amateur Radio Committee of the Boy Scouts of America   
   will operate a Special Event Station during Scout Air Fest on August 8th to   
   the 10th.  This as the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association has given the Rainbow   
   Council permission to operate as K2BSA during the event.     
      
   The camporee will take place on the grounds of the Lewis University Airport   
   in Romeoville, Illinois.  High Frequency operations will be on 80 through 15   
   meters using CW, SSB and some digital modes.  Talk in will be on 70   
   centimeter FM and the Campfire talk-about will be on 2 meter FM.   
      
   With nearly 4,000 registered scouts expected to attend, Scout Air Fest will   
   one of the largest events of its type this year.  More information including   
   specific frequencies and QSL information is on the web at   
   tinyurl.com/Illinois-Scouts.   (Southgate, QRZ)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS:  RSGB APPOINTS G6JYB AS NEW SPECTRUM CHAIR   
      
   The Radio Society of Great Britain's Board of Directors has appointed Murray   
   Niman,  G6JYB, to the position of Chairman of its Spectrum Forum.  Niman is   
   no stranger to spectrum matters having held the post of RSGB Microwave   
   Manager, since January 2007.  He succeeds the former Spectrum Chair John   
   Gould, G3WKL, who was recently elected as RSGB President.  (GB2RS)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS:  TWO HAMS HONORED BY ORDER OF CANADA   
      
   Two radio amateurs have been named to receive appointments to the Order of   
   Canada.  Among the list of recipients are Veena Rawat, VA3ITU, and Canadian   
   astronaut Chris Hadfield, VA3OOG who also holds the United States call KC5RNJ.   
      
   Rawat was honored as a Companion of the Order of Canada for her   
   contributions to telecommunications engineering and for leadership in   
   establishing a global regulatory framework for radio spectrum management.    
   Hadfield was recognized as an Officer of the Order of Canada for his   
   commitment to promoting scientific discovery and for sharing the wonders of   
   space exploration with the world.  (RAC)   
      
   **   
      
   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 http://www.arnewsline.org/ and being relayed by the   
   volunteer services of the following radio amateur:   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
   **   
      
   EMERGING TECHNOLOGY:  NASA SEARCHING FOR HIGH SPEED MARS TO EARTH DATA LINKS   
      
   NASA is asking for future assistance to help to get data back from its   
   science missions that are orbiting Mars and roaming its surface of the red   
   planet.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reports:   
      
   --   
      
   The United States space agency is acting now to close a potential   
   communications gap that is set to occur in or around the year 2020.  This is   
   because it currently has no plans to launch new orbiters capable of taking   
   over data relay duties from existing but ageing spacecraft that will be    
   circling Mars in 6 to 7 years.   
      
   NASA currently relies on the Odyssey and the Reconnaissance Orbiter to along   
   data radioed to them from the Curiosity rover.  These two spacecraft can send   
   data back to Earth at a rate of about 2 Megabytes per Second which is far   
   faster than the data transfer speed that a rover can manage by itself.   
      
   In the near future, these data relay duties are set to be taken over by two   
   newer spacecraft that are due to arrive at Mars later this year and in 2016.    
   NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution satellite will go into service   
   this September and Europe's Exo Mars Trace Gas Orbiter craft will arrive in   
   2016.   
      
   But after the arrival of its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution   
   satellite NASA has no plans to launch any more Mars-bound science and data   
   relay orbiters.  On the other side, there are plans to land more rovers on   
   the planet, potentially creating a problem retrieving data gathered by these   
   wandering robots.   
      
   Because of this the space agency is seeking input from universities and   
   companies about better ways to continue the high speed relay of data back to   
   Earth once the new orbiters eventually go dark.  It adds that commercial   
   partners could help overcome this shortfall.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick,   
   Pennsylvania.   
      
   --   
      
   One possibility for the future might be the use of Laser based   
   communications.  A system like this was tried in October 2013 during the   
   Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer mission.  During that test,   
   data rates between the Moon and Earth hit 622 Megabytes Per Second.  The   
   problem that even a system such as this would require sending an orbiter so   
   equipped to Mars which is not in the cards or in NASA's long term budget   
   right now.     
   (G7VFY, Southgate, SpaceWorld)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO FROM SPACE: OPPORTUNITY MARS ROVER HOLDS RECORD FOR OFF WORLD ROAMING   
      
   And speaking about its ongoing investigation of Mars, according to a NASA   
   report, the Opportunity Mars rover that landed on the Red Planet in 2004, now   
   holds the off-Earth roving distance record.  This after accumulating slightly   
   over 25 miles of driving across the surface of the red planet.    
      
   John Callas is the Mars Exploration Rover Project Manager at  NASA's Jet   
   Propulsion Laboratory  in Pasadena, California.  He says that Opportunity has   
   driven farther than any other wheeled vehicle on another world.  He says that   
   this is so remarkable considering Opportunity was intended to drive about one   
   kilometer and was never designed for distance.    
      
   But what is really important is not how many miles Opportunity has managed   
   to cover, but how much exploration and discovery we have accomplished over   
   that distance. July's driving took the rover south along the western rim of   
   Endeavour Crater. The rover had driven over 20 miles before arriving at   
   Endeavour Crater in 2011, where it examined outcrops on the crater's rim   
   containing clay and sulfate-bearing minerals and radio relaying its findings   
   back to Earth.     
   (ScienceRecorder.com)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  EURAO SUMMER 2014 YOUTH QSO PARTY   
      
   The European Radio Amateurs' Organization has announced a new on the air QSO   
   party this time with the motto: "give youth a chance."  Similar to Kids Day   
   here in the United States, its purpose is to promote amateur radio among   
   young people, meet other hams around the world and to have fun.     
      
   The event is slated for September 20th and 21st.  In nations where   
   regulations permit, licensed radio amateurs are encouraged to invite and   
   supervise future operators to their home or club station so as to get their   
   first taste of ham radio.  More on this event is on the web at eurao.org.    
   (EURAO)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX, word that AI5P will activate two islands on a holiday style   
   DXpedition during the months of August and September. His tentative schedule   
   is to be on from Greneda from August 12th to the 22nd signing stroke J3.    
   From there he will move onto Tobago for a stint signing portable 9Y4 from   
   August 23rd through September 1st.  Activity will be on 40 through 10 meters   
   using mostly CW.  QSL via AI5P.   
      
   RW6HS has contacted EP3SMH, who works for the Communications Regulatory   
   Authority of Iran, and was told that EP2MKO doesn't have a license.  As such   
   he is operating without authority to do so.   
      
   Member of the Hotel India DX Club will tentatively be on the air as HI2DX   
   from Saona Island between November 19th and the 23rd.   Activity will be on   
   160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes. They will have 10   
   stations on the air using dipoles, verticals and other various antennas.  The   
   QSL Manager M0URX for direct requests and bureau QSLs.    
      
   LW9EOC will be operational from San Andres Island as 5KZ0A between November   
   26th and December 9th.  Activity should be on 80 through 10 meters using CW,   
   SSB and RTTY.  QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau.    
   Electronic QSL's go via Logbook to the World or eQSL.    
      
   LW9EOC will be active stroke HK-one from Columbia between October 22nd and   
   the 29th.  Operations will be on all High Frequency bands using CW and SSB.   
   QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau.  Electronic cards   
   go via eQSL and Logbook to the World.   
      
   Lastly, DL2SBY will be active as S79KB from two islands in the Seychelles   
   between October 4th and the 18th.  His operation will be on 20 through 10   
   including 17 and 12 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY with log being uploaded   
   onto ClubLog.  QSL via DL2SBY either direct or via the bureau.     
      
   (This weeks DX courtesy of the Ohio-PennDX Newsletter)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO SPORTS:  THE PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTY   
      
   And finally this week, the 2014 Pennsylvania QSO Party is slated for October   
   11th and 12th and its already on the calendars of many contesters.  Now comes   
   word of a major announcement from the events planners as we hear from Amateur   
   Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V:   
      
   --   
      
   The era of the paper summary sheet is coming to an end with the arrival of   
   this year's PA QSO Party.   
      
   Michael Coslo, N3LI, party chairman, says the Nittany Amateur Radio Club in   
   State College, PA, sponsors of the party, decided it's time to do away with   
   the requirement that participants MAIL IN the summary sheet after the party.   
      
   "We've had that requirement for years and now that we're here in 2014 in the   
   internet age not so many people really wanted to mail things in anymore,"   
   Coslo says. "If a partier does want to mail it in, they still have that   
   option."   
      
   Coslo admits there's a bit of a risk here because those mailing in the   
   summary sheets usually sent a donation along to cover party expenses.   
      
   But he says they've come up with a solution.   
      
   "What we've done is we have opened an online store where people can make   
   donations if they see fit or also buy a promotional T-shirt and such," he   
   says. "And, I think all of this will make everybody's experience a lot more   
   pleasant."    
      
   Coslo says a link to the new PA QSO Party store can be found at the club's   
   website - that's www.nittany-arc.net http://www.nittany-arc.net/.  It links   
   you to the PA QSO Party site.   
      
   Coslo says he's hoping by dropping the mail-in requirement, that more logs   
   and completed entries will be submitted for the event this fall.   
      
   "The number of people sending in logs turned out to be about 50 percent of   
   the people who actually participated in the QSO party," he says. "In fact,   
   there are some people out there, I know who they are, that they would have   
   won their respective county or their respective section, had they sent in   
   their summary sheet and logs."   
      
   The PA QSO Party is the second largest of its kind in the country, topped   
   only by the California QSO Party which falls the first weekend of October.   
      
   Lots of PA contesters tell me they use the California event as a sort of   
   "tune-up" to check antennas and operating conditions.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in Philadelphia.   
      
   --   
      
   Again, the dates are October 11th and the 12th for the 2014 Pennsylvania QSO   
   Party.  Be sure to make those dates down so that you don't miss this year's   
   event.  (NT3V)   
      
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