Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1947 - December 5 2014   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1947 with a release date of December   
   5th 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.      
      
   The following is a QST.  CEPT recommends new testing procedures for people   
   with disabilities; the mysteries of NVIS propagation being studied   
   down-under; the Japan asteroid recovery mission carrying two ham radio   
   satellites is launched and graphene is in our future.  Find out the details   
   are on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1947 coming your way right   
   now.   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)    
      
      
   **   
      
   RESTRUCTURING:  NEW CEPT EXAM RECOMMENDATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES   
      
   A new recommendation adopted by the Electronic Communications Committee of   
   the European Conference of Postal and Telecommuncations Administrations or   
   CEPT seeks to ease the access of persons with disabilities to license   
   examinations for the Amateur Radio Service.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather   
   Embee, KB3TZD has the details:   
      
   --    
      
   Electronic Communications Committee Recommendation 1405 was drafted by the   
   IARU Region 1 Regulatory Affairs Coordinator and was adopted by the committee   
   back on October 10th.  This was followed a consultation process with several   
   administrations providing comments.    
      
   The recommendation notes that for persons with disabilities, participating   
   in the amateur service it is not only an important means of technical   
   self-qualification by setting and achieving goals, but is also a way of   
   integration into society by communicating with other persons of like   
   interests. However, license examinations designed for non-disabled candidates   
   can prove to be a significant impediment in obtaining the necessary   
   qualifications to operate a station.   
      
   Several administrations of CEPT member countries have already adopted   
   practices to adapt amateur radio license examinations to the specific needs   
   of candidates with disabilities.  For other administrations E-C-C   
   Recommendation 1405 provides a framework for action.     
      
   The document states that the examination syllabus should be identical for   
   all candidates but that testing procedures take into account the individual   
   disability of candidates as confirmed by an official document. Such   
   procedures can include individual testing where appropriate and/or providing   
   reasonable additional examination time.  Tests with diagram-free questions   
   for the visually impaired could be replaced questions provided in Braille.    
   Lastly, Examinations conducted in the home of candidates with severely   
   limited mobility would be instituted.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reporting.   
      
   --   
      
   How this procedure might be phased in not explained in the press   
   announcement.  A link to this new recommendation in the CEPT database in PDF   
   format is at tinyurl.com/new-cept-testing-proposal.   (IARU Region 1)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO RESEARCH:  RESEARCHING THE MYSTERIES OF NVIS   
      
   Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation, better known as NVIS, is   
   turning in some rather interesting mysteries as well as solving others as we   
   hear in this special report from VK2LAW of the Wireless Institute of   
   Australia:     
      
   --   
      
   One of the most interesting findings in the results of Near Vertical   
   Incidence Skywave propagation, comparing a communications path between two   
   amateur stations ZS6KN and ZS6KTS over a distance of 51 kilometers it is   
   interesting to note that on June 20 2014 there was a good communications path   
   from approximately 05:00 to 16:30 after which the signals disappeared.  The   
   pattern was the same for July but the signals were considerably stronger than   
   August or September.  Suring September a strong dip in signal strength can be   
   seen.    
      
   The other interesting observation from the graph is that propagation opens   
   earlier and closes later as we go into summer which indicates variations in   
   the D layer of the Ionosphere as the Sun rises earlier and sets later.   
      
   Not enough data has been collected to make any meaningful conclusions.  If   
   the path was pure groundwave the signals would have been more or less   
   constant throughout the day or night.   
      
   --   
      
   Obviously its going to take a few more seasons of research to truly find the   
   limitations of NVIS propagation as well as to fully understand its   
   characteristics.  (WIA News)   
      
   **   
      
   HRIS:  SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF ASTEROID RETURN MISSION   
      
   Japan has successfully launched its round trip Hayabusa 2 asteroid   
   sample-return mission with a pair of amateur radio payloads along for part of   
   the ride as we hear from Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF:   
      
   --     
      
   The mission was carried into space on board a Japan Aerospace Exploration   
   Agency launch vehicle on December 3rd.  The primary payload is the Hayabusa 2   
   spacecraft on the first leg of its exploration and recovery journey to   
   Asteroid 1999 JU3.    
      
   Along for the ride into the final frontier are two amateur radio satellites   
   named Shin'en 2 and ARTSAT 2 Despatch.     
      
   The Shin'en 2 carries a one tenth of a watt CW beacon downlinking on 437.505   
   MHz and a telemetry downlink on 437.385 MHz.  Also on board is a digital   
   store-and-forward transponder with an uplink of 145.942 MHz and a micro power   
   downlink at 435.270 MHz.     
      
   ARTSAT2:DESPATCH carries a 7 watt Morse transmitter on 437.325 MHz.  Its   
   controllers say that they are seeking the assistance from hams here on Earth   
   as part of a global monitoring system that it calls a cooperative diversity   
   communication experiment. This effort will attempt to intercept signals from   
   the spacecraft by properly equipped radio amateurs around the world in   
   addition to those heard and recorded at the mission control center in Tokyo.    
   This in the hope of reconstructing the original data transmitted from the   
   spacecraft.   
      
   Each payload has its own website with tracking and other technical details.    
   Shin'en 2 is at tinyurl.com/sinen-2-online.  ARTSAT2:DESPATCH can be found at   
   inyurl.com/artsat-2-in-space.     
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   We will have more ham radio space related news later on in this weeks   
   report.  (AMSAT-UK, others)    
      
   **   
      
   DX UP FRONT:  COCOS ISLAND IN FEBRUARY 2015   
      
   In DX up front,  3Z9DX, K7CO and TI2HMJ will be active as TI9A from Cocos   
   Island between February 16th and the 23rd of 2015.  It has been 6 years since   
   the last TI9 operation, and because of this Cocos is ranked 26th on the most   
   wanted list.    
      
   The boat trip to the island will begin on February 14th 2015, and it takes   
   30 hours from Costa Rica.  Their Radio Permit is issued for 7 days only.    
   That means they can operate for only about 6 days but are also in possession   
   of the second permit, which allows them to stay on the island overnight and   
   there-by 24 hour a day operation.  They will be using two radios on 80   
   through 10 meter CW, SSB and RTTY.  QSL via 3Z9DX as directed at   
   www.nielsen.net/ti9a  (OPDX)   
      
   **   
      
   DX UP FRONT:  BEAR ISLAND THROUGH MAY 2015   
      
   Also, LA9JKA will be on Bear Island for a work assignment until May 2015.    
   In his free time he plans to operate on all HF bands and 6 meters.  QSL via   
   LA9JKA direct only.  (Facebook DX)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 1   
      
   Time for you to identify your station.  We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,   
   heard on bulletin stations around the world including the Radio Society of   
   Okinawa Emergency Services Net.   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   ENFORCEMENT:  RADIO STATION EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH ALLEGED ARSON OF STATION   
      
   A Stafford, Arizona radio station is back on the air after an employee of   
   KJIK-FM allegedly set the station in early November and then stuck around to   
   watch it burn.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, has more:   
      
   --   
      
   Shortly after 1 a.m. local time, Graham County Dispatch received an   
   anonymous call about a structure fire at the radio station.   When officers   
   arrived, they noticed smoke pouring out of the building and a man, later   
   identified as Scott Louis Welbaum, standing in the parking lot watching.   
      
   Welbaum was told to leave the area but informed officers he was an employee   
   of the station and there was a significant amount of expensive equipment   
   inside. The Safford Fire Department then responded to the scene and   
   extinguished the fire.    
      
   According to reports, Safford Fire Chief Clark Bingham advised the fire was   
   possibly arson.  Officers then learned the anonymous phone call had been   
   placed at a pay phone at Walmart across the highway.  A Thatcher officer   
   responded to review surveillance footage from the store and saw a man he   
   believed to be Welbaum approach and use a pay phone at the time of the tip.    
   The subject was also wearing the same clothes as Welbaum.   
      
   The suspect and two other employees who also have keys to the building were   
   then taken to the Safford Police Department to be interviewed.  During his   
   interview, Welbaum allegedly became hostile toward the officers.  When   
   presented with a warrant to search his vehicle which was also parked at the   
   scene, police say that Welbaum acted as though he was going to throw a   
   computer and had to be talked down by an officer pointing his TASER at him.    
   After a short struggle,  Welbaum was handcuffed and transported to the jail,   
   where a search revealed he was in possession of five green-tipped wood   
   matches.  He was then booked on a charge of alleged arson.  KJIK-FM was back   
   on the air by noon the same day.     
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, reporting.   
      
   --   
      
   More is on the web at tinyurl.com/radio-station-arson-ch  (Eastern Arizona   
   Courier, Inside Radio, other published reports)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  EXPLORE 30 METER DIGITAL PARTY   
      
   The European Radio Amateurs' Organization, together with the 30 Meter   
   Digital Group, announce a new QSO party with the motto: 'Be digital, explore   
   30 meters."  The party will be held the weekend December 20th and 21st from   
   00:00 to 24:00 UTC.  This is not a contest but rather a radio meeting with a   
   few simple recommendations to follow.  You can find them at   
   tinyurl.com/explore-30-meters.  (ERAO)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  NEW FT4TA TROMELIN SLIDESHOW ON LINE   
      
   F5CWU reports that a slide show covering the 2014 Tromelin Island FT4TA   
   operation is now available for viewing on the World Wide Web.  The show is   
   made up from the selected photos out of the thousands that were taken   
   beginning with the approach by air to the island.  You can see them with   
   either French or English captioning at tinyurl.com/tromelin-2014-photos.  A   
   video of the expedition is being edited and will hopefully be available in   
   early 2015.  (Press Release)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  DECEMBER IS YOTA MONTH   
      
   During the entire month of December, Youth on the Air or YOTA is growing   
   quickly with it being reported that every week more youngsters are asking to   
   participate.  YOTA stations will be trying to make many contacts, so take   
   this opportunity to connect young amateurs in their teens and 20s with their   
   peers on the air.  To quote the Radio Society of Great Britain, by making   
   YOTA popular, we can all help to get more youngsters active in amateur radio.   
   (GB2RS)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS:  M0PHI NEW CHAIR OF RSGB TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE   
      
   The Radio Society of Great Britain has announced the appointment of Philip   
   Willis, M0PHI as the new Chairman of its Training and Education Committee    
   Willis succeeds Steve Hartley, G0FUW.     
   (GB2RS)   
      
   **   
      
   SWL CORNER:  GERMAN LONGWAVE TO CEASE BY YEARS END   
      
   The German national public broadcasters Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandradio   
   Kultur will disappear from longwave at the end of this year. According to   
   Bulgarian DX Blog, the money saved will be invested in digital terrestrial   
   radio such as DAB+.  At the end of 2015 the mediumwave transmitters of   
   Deutschlandfunk will also close.   
      
   Deutschlandfunk still broadcasts on longwave at 153 and 207 kHz.  It also   
   maintains seven medium wave frequencies including 1269 and 549 kHz.    
      
   Deutschlandradio Kultur broadcasts by means of the longwave frequency 177   
   kHz.  Their  mediumwave frequency 990 kHz went off last year.  (Bulgarian DX   
   Blog)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  QRZ.COM INSTITUTES SUBSCRIBER REWARDS PROGRAM   
      
   The QRZ.com callsign lookup and general ham radio discussion website has   
   announced its new Subscriber Rewards program.  According to the websites   
   managers, Subscriber Rewards is their way of saying thanks their subscribers   
   upon whose support they depend to keep the site running.     
      
   Every Wednesday QRZ will choose a subscriber to win a free prize.  All   
   current QRZ subscribers are eligible, regardless of their subscription plan.    
   If your callsign page has a QRZ Subscriber badge, then you're eligible to   
   win.     
      
   QRZ.com will announce each week's new winner on its home page, in the Ham   
   Radio News forum.  They will also keep you posted on Facebook and Twitter.    
   (QRZ)   
      
   **    
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS:  DECEMBER 31 CUTOFF DATE FOR ARRL INTERNATIONAL AWARD   
      
   The ARRL says that the deadline to accept nominations for its 2014   
   International Humanitarian Award is December 31.  This award is conferred on   
   an amateur or amateurs who demonstrate devotion to human welfare, peace, and   
   international understanding through Amateur Radio.     
      
   Nominations should include a summary of the nominee's qualifying actions and   
   statements from at least two people having first-hand knowledge of the events   
   warranting the nomination.  These verifying statements may be from an   
   official of a group such as an emergency management agency that benefited   
   from the nominee's particular Amateur Radio contribution.  Nominations should   
   include the names and addresses of all references.   
      
   All nominations and supporting materials must be submitted in English to the   
   ARRL International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, Newington, Connecticut   
   06111.    
      
   The League says that it established this annual prize to recognize   
   individuals who have used Amateur Radio to provide extraordinary service to   
   others in times of crisis or disaster.  (ARRL)   
      
   **   
      
   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)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO IN SPACE:  SPINSAT SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED FROM ISS   
      
   SpinSat was successfully deployed from the International Space Station on   
   the afternoon of Friday, November 28th.     
      
   Developed by the Naval Research Laboratory, SpinSat is a 56 cm sphere   
   weighing 57 kg that has 12 Electronically-controlled Solid Propellant   
   thrusters spread in pairs throughout the surface of the satellite.  They will   
   be fired in pairs to spin the spacecraft.     
      
   SpinSat's primary mission will be to calibrate the Space Surveillance   
   Network.  Lasers will be fired at SpinSat from the ground.  The light   
   reflected back will be measured to determine where in time and space the   
   satellite is passing overhead. SpinSat will also model the density of the   
   atmosphere.   
      
   The IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel report that SpinSat carries   
   a 2 watt RF output 9600 bit per second AX.25 packet radio store and forward   
   system on 437.230 MHz. The Cyclops deployment system was used to release the   
   satellite from the airlock of the Japanese Experiment Module.  With just   
   primary batteries for power and only 4.8 grams of fuel the spin-up phase may   
   last between three to six months.  (Published news reports)   
      
   **   
      
      
   HRIS:  DHRUVA SPACE SIGNS DEAL WITH AMSAT INDIA TO DEVELOP HAMSAT II   
      
   Dhruva Space, a two-year-old startup co-founded by technologist Sanjay   
   Nekkanti, VU3ISS, has sealed a deal with AMSAT India to develop HAMSAT II.    
   This as a successor to HAMSAT VO-52 which went silent on July 11th most   
   likely due to the failure of it's on-board lithium ion batteries.   
      
   Dhruva's satellites are expected to be launched on  Indian Space Research   
   Organisation Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle.  Nekkanti said his team are   
   working closely with the space organization for design approvals and testing   
   of the planned new satellite.  (AMSAT India, Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   HRIS:  SURREY SPACE CENTRE TO DEVELOP SME-SAT   
      
   The United Kingdom's Surrey Space Centre is developing a 3 unit sized   
   CubeSat called SME-SAT that it expected to launch into a 550-620 km orbit in   
   the not to distant future.  The primary objective of this project is to   
   involve small to medium size enterprises from the terrestrial sector on a   
   space project and allow them to space qualify their technology.     
      
   SME-SAT brings together one of the largest small to medium based consortiums   
   ever to develop advanced space technologies based on terrestrial   
   applications.  This will enable them to fully space qualify their   
   technologies within 3 years of the mission start date.     
      
   This project represents a unique, unprecedented space mission, fostering a   
   new alliance between smaller companies, universities and a large scale space   
   integrator in which high risk technologies will be developed and fully tested   
   in space using cubesats.  The satellite will provide beacons for amateur   
   radio satellite users worldwide to be able to receive.   More is on the web   
   at tinyurl.com/sme-sat-uk  (SME-SAT - University of Surrey)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO FROM SPACE:  GALILEO SATELLITE RECOVERED AND TRANSMITTING NAVIGATION   
   SIGNALS   
      
   Europe's fifth Galileo satellite, one of two delivered into a wrong orbit by   
   a Soyuz-Fregat launcher last August, has transmitted its first navigation   
   signal in space on Saturday 29 November 2014.  It has reached its new target   
   orbit and its navigation payload has been successfully switched on.  A   
   detailed test operation is under way now the satellite has reached a more   
   suitable orbit for navigation purposes.  (Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX, YB4IR will be active stroke 8 from Bandaneira Island between December   
   22nd and the 27th.  Operations will be on 80 through10 meters using CW, SSB   
   and RTTY.  QSL via his home callsign direct or via the bureau.  For   
   electronic QSL use Logbook of the World or Clublogs Oh QRS.   
      
   DG1SGW will be active stroke PJ4 from Bonaire between March 1st to the 12th.   
   Activity will be holiday style on the 160 through 6 meters using SSB and the   
   digital modes.  QSL via his home callsign, direct, by the bureau or Logbook   
   of the World.   
      
   N7XR will be active as VQ9XR for his operations in 2014 and 2015.  These   
   were to have started on or about December 3rd for approximately 3 weeks on   
   160 through 10 meters with a focus on CW, SSB and RTTY.  He may use the   
   callsign V92XR instead, which gives the prefix hunters a new one to go after.   
   Either way, please QSL via his home callsign direct only.   
      
   3W3B who lives in Da Nang has announced that he will be active during the   
   ARRL International   
   DX CW Contest February 21st and 22nd as a Single-Op/All-band/High-Power   
   entry.  QSL via E21EIC or Logbook of the world.   
      
   Lastly, DL2GAN will be visiting Nepal for a short term operation as 9N7CB   
   from Kathmandu scheduled for end of December.  His plan is to be operational   
   on Christmas Eve which would be 8 am to 12 noon UTC on December 24th.    
   Depending on propagation, bands of operation will be 14 and / or 21 MHz SSB   
   or CW if propagation is poor.  QSL via his home callsign, direct or via the   
   bureau.   
      
   (This weeks DX report courtesy of OPDX)   
      
   **   
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM:  SIMPLY GRAPHENE   
      
   And finally this week, while only a few nanometers thick, Graphine is being   
   touted by some in the scientific world as the new steel of the 21st century.    
   Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephen Kinford, N9WB, reports:   
      
   --   
      
   Introduced to the world about a decade ago, graphene is a multi-layered   
   material that is somewhere between 10 and 100 nanometers thick.  This makes   
   the material more like a very thin sheet of carbon.  As a matter of fact, the   
   material is so thin that it appears to be more like a sheet of paper but   
   thinner.   
      
   But even at that extreme thinness, graphene can hold weights that are 100   
   times heavier than steel.  And graphene is an extremely good conductor of   
   both heat and electricity.  But the most important aspect found so far is   
   that graphene can dissipate huge amounts of  energy.   
      
   Jae-Hwang Lee, of the University of Massachusetts Department of Mechanical   
   and Industrial Engineering is a graphene researcher.  He and his team say   
   that the ability of graphene to dissipate energy is due to a high degree of   
   stiffness combined with low density.  This means that energy can move through   
   it very quickly.   
      
   What might this mean to those involved in emergency response work?  Many   
   things including something as simple dropping a hand held radio onto concrete   
   and it not even being scratched.  More important is that it continues to work   
   as if nothing at all had happened.      
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.   
      
   --   
      
   More about this latest scientific advance is on the web at   
   wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphene   
      
   (University of Manchester; Electronics Weekly, New Scientist, others)   
      
   **   
      
   NEWSCAST CLOSE   
      
   With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio   
   Penn DX Bulletin, Rain, the RSGB, the South African Radio League, the   
   Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News and you our listeners, 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  only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also   
   write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue,   
   Santa Clarita California, 91350..   
      
   For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Davis,   
   W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.     
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2014.  All rights reserved.   
      
   ***   
      
   As a Service to the HAM Radio Community and HAM Operators all over the   
   world, this Amateur Radio Newline(tm) message has been gated from the   
   internet and posted to you by Waldo's Place USA, fidonet node 1:3634/12.   
   We hope you enjoyed it!   
      
   Please address all comments and questions to the ARNewsletter editor as   
   described in this posting. If you have any specific questions related   
   to the actual posting of this message, you may address them to   
   hamfdn(at)wpusa.dynip.com.   
      
   Thank you and good day!   
      
   -73- ARNTE-0.1.0-OS2 build 42   
   (text/plain utf-8 base64)   
      
      
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