Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1798 - January 27 2012   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1798 with a release date of January   
   27th, 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a Q-S-T. The FCC nixes a waiver request from Anchorage VEC   
   that would have lead to instant re-licensing of hams with expired licenses   
   but the proposal is far from dead. Also ham radio to be discussed at WRC   
   2012; International cooperation removes a noise generator from 40 meters and   
   the city of Los Angeles celebrate the life of a ham who started broadcast   
   emergency alerting, Find out the details are on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm)   
   report number 1798 coming your way right now.   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: FCC SAYS NO TO ANCHORAGE VEC LICENSE ELEMENT WAIVER REQUEST   
      
   The FCC has turned away a request from Alaska's Anchorage Volunteer   
   Examination Coordinator for a temporary blanket waiver of Section 97.505(a)   
   of the Commission's Rules. This, to allow the VEC to give individuals whose   
   amateur radio operator licenses have expired examination credit for test   
   elements previously passed so that all former licensees could be re-licensed   
   without retesting. Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Butera-Howell, KB3TZD,   
   has the details:   
      
   --   
      
   The Anchorage VEC had filed for the waiver pending the outcome of a related   
   rulemaking petition in FCC Docket WT 11-130. That request seeks the same   
   end but on a permanent nationwide basis.   
      
   But in its denial order the FCC noted that individuals who do not hold a   
   current or renewable amateur radio operator license, regardless of whether   
   they have held one in the past, must demonstrate their qualifications to be   
   amateur radio operators before obtaining a new license. As such, the   
   approval of the requested waiver to allow examination credit to be granted   
   for any previously held amateur service operator license would not serve the   
   underlying purpose of the regulatory agency's licensing rules.   
      
   The FCC also stated that amateur radio testing opportunities are widely   
   available. It said that Volunteer Examiner teams can administer tests at   
   any location and time convenient to them and the examinee. As such   
   Anchorage VEC has not shown that requiring retesting of examinees whose   
   operator licenses expired more than two years ago, including those of   
   advanced years, is inequitable or unduly burdensome, or that these examinees   
   have no reasonable alternative.   
      
   But this matter is far from closed. In its conclusion the FCC also noted   
   that the dismissal of the Anchorage VEC's waiver request is a separate   
   matter from the groups pending Rule Making request in FCC Docket WT 11-130.   
   As such this action is without prejudice to Anchorage VEC's pending   
   rule-making petition.   
      
   The Report and Order denying the Anchorage VEC's waiver request was issued on   
   Tuesday, January 24th. As we go to air it's not known if the Anchorage VEC   
   will appeal this decision or simply wait for the outcome on its underlying   
   Rule Making request.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Butera-Howell, near Pittsburgh,   
   Pennsylvania.   
      
   --   
      
   The bottom line: At least for now if a ham lets his or her license expire   
   and fails to renew it during the two year grace period, he or she will be   
   back to ground zero and will have to go through the testing procedure before   
   being granted a call sign to get back on the air.   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO REGULATION: AMATEUR RADIO AT WRC-2012   
      
   Amateur radio is mentioned in the preface of the International   
   Telecommunication Union's agenda document for the World Radiocommunication   
   Conference 2012 now taking place in taking place in Geneva, Switzerland.   
   Of interest to the Amateur and Amateur satellite Services is item 1.15.   
   This, to consider possible allocations in the range 3 to 50 MHz to the radio   
   location service for oceanographic radar applications, taking into account   
   the results of ITU-R studies and in accordance with Resolution 612 from   
   WRC-07.   
      
   Also, there is item 1.19 to consider regulatory measures and their relevance,   
   in order to enable the introduction of software-defined radio and cognitive   
   radio systems. This one is based on the results of ITU-R studies, and in   
   accordance with Resolution 956 of WRC-07.   
      
   Lastly, there are items 1.22 to examine the effect of emissions from   
   short-range devices on radio communication services and item 1.23 which will   
   consider an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band from 415 to   
   526.5 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis. This, taking into   
   account the need to protect existing services.   
      
   WRC 2012 runs through February the 17th. We will all know more once the   
   final reports on all these measures are in and made public. (ITU)   
      
   **   
      
   INTRUDER WATCH: INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION TAKES WHITE NOISE OFF 40 METERS   
      
   Interference from All India Radio to the 40 meter band has been eliminated.   
   Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl Lasik, K9BIK, has the details:   
      
   --   
      
   Wolfgang Hadel, DK2OM, in Siegbach, Germany, reports via the I-A-R-U Region 1   
   website that back last December 1st he and Peter Jost HB9CET of Zurich,   
   Switzerland, noticed a band of white noise like interference on 40 meters.   
   This from 6 dot 960 to 7 dot 040MHz and also on 7 dot 820 MHz and showing up   
   every evening.   
      
   Calculation by DK2OM showed the center of the spurious emissions was expected   
   to be on the center 7 dot 410 MHz. From this point the German and Swiss   
   Departments of Post and Telecommunications became involved.   
      
   Both offices filed official complaints to their counterpart in India. VU2GMN   
   assisted by filing a personal complaint. On January 13th the transmitter   
   located near the city of New Delhi was reported as having been repaired, and   
   all traces of this source of interference to 40 meters was gone.   
      
   For the amateur Radio Newsline, I;m Cheryl Lasik, K9BIK, in Zion, Illinois.   
      
   --   
      
   More on this story is on-line at www.iaru-1.org. (IARU Region 1)   
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO: ALABAMA AGAIN HIT BY TORNADOS - HAMS RESPOND   
      
   Ham radio was again called out as another group of tornadoes touch down in   
   Alabama. Amateur Radio Newsline's David Black, KB4KCH, is at our South-East   
   Bureau in Birmingham with more:   
      
   --   
      
   The January 22nd storms that pounded residents in Arkansas and Alabama were   
   particularly difficult to deal with because they hit at night and couldn't   
   be seen. Some tornadoes were wrapped in rain. Damage was reported in five   
   Arkansas counties. One woman was trapped in her home for a time. At least   
   six tornadoes hit areas south and east of Little Rock across the state's   
   Delta region. A 150 year old church was hit and a transmission tower was   
   destroyed. Members of Arkansas Skywarn activated at the request of National   
   Weather Service forecasters in Little Rock. In all, about 60 radio amateurs   
   helped with providing emergency communications across the state.   
      
   Hams remained busy as the storms swept east, hitting Alabama during the   
   predawn hours January 23rd. A single supercell thunderstorm produces four   
   tornadoes across central Alabama. Two of the twisters strike neighborhoods   
   north and west of downtown Birmingham. A 16-year-old girl dies when her home   
   is hit by an 800-yard wide tornado packing winds of 150 miles an hour. An   
   81-year-old man dies when a tornado hits his mobile home shortly after 3am.   
   In all, forecasters say Alabama was hit by at least eight tornadoes, some of   
   them leaving long tracks of destruction while tearing up hundreds of homes   
   and businesses, and injuring 150 people. The tornadoes hit very close to   
   areas pounded during a series of storms that killed 239 people in the state   
   April 27th, 2011.   
      
   Members of the Alabama Emergency Response Team, ALERT, provided severe   
   weather reports to Weather Service forecasters who used the information to   
   issue warnings to the public. Hams with amateur radio clubs in Birmingham   
   and nearby Sylvan Springs were on the air throughout much of the night, as   
   well, assisting emergency management officials. And members of the Amateur   
   Radio Emergency Service were active, as well. They provided communications   
   as officials set up shelters for people who lost their homes in the storms.   
      
   The winter months typically see what's called a secondary severe weather   
   season across the Southeast. With that in mind, radio amateurs throughout   
   the region are being thanked for their services...and reminded that their   
   help will likely be needed again.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm David Black, KB4KCH, at the South-East   
   Bureau in Birmingham, Alabama.   
      
   --   
      
   More on this story in future Amateur radio Newsline reports. (KB4KCH, ALERT,   
   ARRL, others)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 1   
      
   From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard   
   on bulletin stations around the world including the Hamelton Countyty ARES   
   net serving Hamelton County, Indiana.   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW FOLLOW-UP: SEVERAL AMATEUR RADIO WEBSTES SUPPORTED THE SOPA -   
   PIPA BLACKOUT PROTEST   
      
   A follow up to last weeks story about the involvement of ham radio in halting   
   the progress of two measures working their way through the U-S Congress.   
   Laws that many say would have destroyed the Internet as we know it today.   
      
   While the giant QRZ dot com website took what could best be described as the   
   amateur radio point position in helping to halt the twin bills in their   
   tacks, it turns out that it was not alone. The Southgate News reports that   
   at least two other ham radio websites took part in the protest. Both the   
   amateur radio HF Link Forum and the APRS site aprs.fi were closed in the   
   United States on Wednesday, January 18th.   
      
   The aprs.fi blog noted in advance that it would join Wikipedia and Reddit,   
   and protest the proposed United States Stop Online Piracy or SOPA and the   
   Protect Intellectual Property Act or PIPA legislation by closing down. The   
   blog went on to note that if some APRS user were to post links to copyright   
   infringing material, even when that material would reside somewhere other   
   than aprs.fi itself, that aprs.fi could be shut down in the U.S. and there   
   would not be much that the website owners could do about it.   
      
   As we go to air, both SOPA and PIPA have been withdrawn by their respective   
   sponsors in Congress for retooling. That's a fancy way of saying that   
   enough votes had defected to make passage at this time impossible. At the   
   same time it's a way of keeping both pieces of legislation alive for   
   re-introduction to the United States Federal law making process at some   
   later date. And it's a sure bet that content providers such as the motion   
   picture and music industries which basically wrote these two pieces of   
   legislation will try again. (Southgate, ARNewsline(tm))   
      
   **   
      
   ENFORCEMENT: FORMER AUSTRALIAN HAM ADMITS TO INTERFERING WITH OTHERS   
      
   A former ham in VK-land has admitted to being a source of interference on the   
   ham radio bands. This after the 63-year-old man from one of Melbourne's   
   western suburbs pleaded guilty on January 11th to several offences under the   
   Australian Radio Communications Act. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley,   
   KI7UP has more in this report:   
      
   --   
      
   In testimony, the Australian court hearing the case was told that, until   
   August 2009, the defendant had been a licensed amateur radio operator but   
   was investigated by the Australian Communications and Media Authority   
   following complaints about interference. As a result of the inquiry, the   
   regulatory authority cancelled the defendant's amateur licensee.   
      
   But it did not end there. The Australian Communications and Media Authority   
   alleged that he continued to use his amateur radio gear his home to jam the   
   communications other licensed amateur licensees. The execution of the   
   search warrant by the authorities in September of 2011 confirmed that the   
   defendant had a large quantity of radio communications gear. Tests   
   confirmed that the equipment was set to the radio frequencies that had been   
   interfered with.   
      
   In its sentencing, the court placed the defendant on a 12-month good behavior   
   bond, ordered him to get rid of all of the seized equipment within four   
   months and prove to the Australian Communications and Media Authority in   
   writing that he had disposed of the gear.   
      
   The unidentified ham is considered lucky. Under Australian   
   telecommunications law the court hearing the case had the option to sentence   
   him to up to 24 months in prison for these offenses.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm_Norm Seeley, KI7UP, reporting from   
   Scottsdale, Arizona.   
      
   --   
      
   As is policy down-under, the defendants name was not made public by the   
   Australian court. (WIA News)   
      
   **   
      
   ENFORCEMENT: FLORIDA LPFM FINE LOWERED TO $1500   
      
   Back in the United States, a low power FM station that interfered with FAA   
   frequencies in Florida will only have to pay a $1,500 fine for operating   
   without an FCC certified transmitter. This after it successfully convinced   
   the commission to slash the penalty from the original $12,000.   
      
   Power Ministries is the licensee of low power station WRLE in Dunnellon,   
   Florida. As reported here on Newsline, last September the Enforcement   
   Bureau issued a notice of apparent liability, saying the station had   
   operated with a non-certified transmitter for about three months in 2010.   
   This action came after an investigation prompted by a complaint of   
   interference it received from the Federal Aviation Administration's   
   Jacksonville Center to Air Traffic Control on133.75 MHz.   
      
   The proposed fine was $12,000 but the station appealed in a letter from Power   
   Ministries owner Anthony Downes. The FCC now has rejected his arguments   
   that the fine should be waived on the grounds that he had acted promptly and   
   had not been aware of interference. But the commission has accepted the   
   station's documentation of inability to pay, and it cut the penalty to the   
   $1500 level. (FCC)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: LIGHTSQUARED ASKS FCC TO CONFIRM ITS RIGHT TO SPECTRUM   
      
   The seemingly never ending story continues. This with word that   
   LightSquared, the company that wants to build a nationwide broadband data   
   distribution system has asked the FCC to confirm its right to use the   
   spectrum licensed to it by the federal government. It's also asking the   
   regulatory agency to confirm that commercial G-P-S manufacturers have no   
   right to interference protection from LightSquared's network since they are   
   not licensed users of that spectrum. Amateur Radio Newsline's Burt Hicks   
   has the latest in this report:   
      
   --   
      
   According to news reports, LightSquared claims that commercial GPS   
   manufacturers are responsible for having designed and sold unlicensed   
   devices that use adjacent spectrum licensed to LightSquared and its   
   predecessor companies. In a petition recently filed with the FCC   
   LightSquared claimed that commercial GPS receivers are not licensed, do not   
   operate under any service rules, and thus are not entitled to any   
   interference protection whatsoever. The petition also noted that the FCC   
   itself has stated that the GPS industry has been on notice for almost a   
   decade that LightSquared was planning to use its spectrum to launch a   
   nationwide broadband network.   
      
   LightSquared's petition claims that it has had FCC authorization to build its   
   network for over eight years, and that authorization was endorsed by the GPS   
   industry, and fully reviewed and allowed to proceed by several other   
   government agencies. A company spokesman added that commercial GPS   
   device-makers have had nearly a decade to design and sell devices that do   
   not infringe on LightSquared's licensed spectrum. They have no right to   
   complain in the eleventh-hour about incompatibility when they had ample   
   opportunity to avoid this problem.   
      
   As previously reported, LightSquared plans to deploy an open 4G network to be   
   used by existing and new service providers to sell their own devices,   
   applications and broadband connectivity. The company claims that the   
   deployment and operation of the network represent more than $14 billion of   
   private investment over the next eight years.   
      
   In its closing remarks the company did moderate its position a tiny bit. It   
   said that while it asks the FCC to confirm its legal rights, LightSquared   
   remains fully committed to cooperate with all parties including the GPS   
   industry, GPS users and the federal government to ensure that its network is   
   deployed in a way that is compatible with GPS users.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Burt Hicks in Los Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   LightSquared says that it has always recognized the critical importance of   
   the GPS system. As such it firmly believes that a way can be found for GPS   
   devices to peacefully co-exist adjacent to its network. That said, the GPS   
   industry and Congress are not so sure. (Published News Reports)   
      
   **   
      
      
   RADIO BUSINESS: TAPR AND IQUADLABS ANNOUNCE AGREEMENT ON SDR BOARDS   
      
   Tucson Amateur Packet Radio and iQuadlabs have jointly announced a sourcing   
   agreement for the open source Software Defined Radio or HPSDR boards.   
   These are the ones best known by their nick-names of Magister, Mercury and   
   Pennylane.   
      
   Under the new agreement, Tucson Amateur Packet Radio will acquire inventory   
   of iQuadLabs creating a one-stop source for all open HPSDR boards. On the   
   other side, iQuadLabs will gain the inventory from Tucson Amateur Packet   
   Radio to build pre-configured and tested complete open HPSDR systems.   
      
   The end result will be that Tucson Amateur Packet Radio will have all open   
   HPSDR boards in stock, in one place, for those wishing to buy boards, kits   
   and components. And, for the first time in the history of open HPSDR, those   
   who wish to by a completely assembled and tested radio will have a source at   
   iQuadLabs. Zephyr Engineering, Inc will continue to manufacture the   
   assembled boards. (TAPR)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 2   
      
   This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. From the United States of   
   America, 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)   
      
   **   
      
   STRANGE TECHNOLOGY UNKNOWN ANIMAL TAKES KENTUCKY TV STATION OFF THE AIR   
      
   A TV station went dark for a short time due to damage from one of the   
   creatures of the wild. Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, has the   
   details:   
      
   --   
      
   An unidentified animal has been blamed for taking a Kentucky television   
   station off the air. Lexington CBS affiliate WKYT announced on its   
   Facebook page Wednesday, January 11th that it was in the midst of   
   broadcasting a University of Kentucky basketball game when a power outage   
   shut it down.   
      
   It turns out that the power interruption was caused by an animal gnawing   
   through a power line on the station's property. Mike Kanarek, WKYT's vice   
   president of operations, told the Lexington Herald-Leader newspaper that the   
   station switched to a back-up generator almost immediately after the animal   
   cut off electricity but it took a few minutes for the transmitter to resume   
   broadcasting.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU.   
      
   --   
      
   WKYT didn't specify what type of animal caused the disturbance or if it   
   survived the ordeal. (RW)   
      
   **   
      
   AWARD NEWS: LOGBOOK OF THE WORLD TO SUPPORT CQ OPERATING AWARDS   
      
   CQ Communications and ARRL have signed an agreement to begin providing   
   support for CQ-sponsored operating awards by the ARRL's Logbook of the World   
   electronic confirmation system. CQ's awards will be the first non-ARRL   
   awards supported by Logbook of the World and will be phased in, beginning   
   with the CQ WPX award. Additional CQ awards will follow.   
      
   The target date for beginning Logbook of the World support for WPX is April   
   1st. Amateurs will be able to use Logbook of the World logs to generate   
   lists of confirmed contacts to be submitted for WPX credit. Standard   
   Logbook of the World credit fees and CQ award fees will apply.   
      
   The ARRL's Logbook of the World system is an interactive database recording   
   contacts between radio amateurs was created in 2003 and has been adopted by   
   47,500 radio amateurs worldwide. It already has records of 400 million   
   contacts and grows weekly.   
      
   The agreement was announced jointly on Tuesday, January 24th by ARRL Chief   
   Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, and CQ Communications President   
   Richard Ross, K2MGA. (CQ)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: K5B TO COMMEMORATE THE BATAAN DEATH MARCH   
      
   The Mesilla Valley Radio Club of Las Cruces, New Mexico will be operating   
   special events station K5B on March 25th. This, in conjunction with the   
   23rd annual Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon to be held at the near-by   
   White Sands Missile Range.   
      
   K5B will operate from 1000 to 2300 UTC on or near 21.337, 14.330, 7.225, and   
   3.893 megahertz. A commemorative card will be available by request. If you   
   make contact please QSL with a self addressed stamped business sized   
   envelope to Special Events Station K5B, in care of the Mesilla Valley Radio   
   Club, P. O. Box 1443 Las Cruces, NM 88004-1443. All QSL requests must be   
   received by Friday, April 20th. More information is on-line at   
   www.n5bl.org/bataan. (Mesilla Valley ARC)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: SEVHFS SOLICITING PAPERS FOR APRIL CONFERENCE   
      
   Papers and other presentations are solicited The 15th Annual Southeastern VHF   
   Society Conference to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina on April 20th and   
   21st. Submissions are welcomed on both the technical and operational   
   aspects of VHF, UHF and Microwave weak signal amateur radio. The deadline   
   for the submission is February 17th. Send all questions and comments to   
   Robin Midgett via e-mail to K4IDC at comcast dot net. More is on-line at   
   www.svhfs.org. (SEVHFS)   
      
   **   
      
   HAMVENTION 2012: DAYTON DX DINNER INFORMATION ANNOUNCED   
      
   The Southwest Ohio DX Association has announced that it will again sponsor   
   the DX Dinner to be held in conjunction with the 2012 Dayton Hamvention.   
   The date is Friday, May 18th at the Dayton Marriott Hotel in downtown   
   Dayton, Ohio. There will be a cash bar starting at 5:30 p.m. with dinner   
   served at 7:00 o'clock Eastern time. Reservation information can be found   
   on line at www.,swodxa.org. (SWODXA)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: ORLANDO HAMCATION FEBRUARY 10 To 12   
      
   The 66th annual Orlando HamCation Amateur Radio and Computer Show will take   
   place on February 10th through the 12th at the Central Florida Fairgrounds,   
   in Orlando, Florida. Presented by the Orlando Amateur Radio Club, HamCation   
   2012 will feature over 150 commercial vendors offering a wide variety of   
   radio gear, antennas, accessories, test equipment, tools, software and   
   books. There will also be over 400 swap vendors and a large outdoor   
   tailgating area. More information on this fun winter get-away event in the   
   Florida sun is on-line at www dot hamcation.com. (Orlando HamCation)   
      
   **   
      
   HAMVENTION 2012: N6TR TO BE FEATURED SPEAKER AT DAYTON CONTEST DINNER   
      
   2003 Radio Amateur of the Year Larry "Tree" Tyree, N6TR, will be the featured   
   speaker at the 20th Annual Dayton Contest Dinner to be held on Saturday, May   
   19, 2012 in Dayton, Ohio.   
      
   According to the North Coast Contesters who sponsor the dinner, N6TR has an   
   extensive and distinguished contesting resume that goes beyond his many top   
   ten finishes in domestic CW contests. He was one of the founders of the   
   popular Stew Perry Top Band Distance Challenge and the creator of the   
   twice-a-year Kids Day operating events. Tyree is also the author of the   
   popular TRLOG contest logging software and is responsible for log checking   
   packages that are used to adjudicate many of the major radio contests.   
      
   Outside of contests, Tyree spends most of his time chasing new countries on   
   160 meters. More about this event is on-line at contestdinner.com. (K3LR)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS: VA2SH/VA6SH ELECTED NEW RAC DIRECTOR FOR QUEBEC   
      
   And congratulations to Sheldon Werner, VA2SH / VA6SH on his election as the   
   Radio Amateurs of Canada Director for the Provence of Quebec. Werner has   
   been an amateur radio operator since 1976. He has been involved in many   
   aspects of the hobby including serving as the Vice President for the   
   Montreal Amateur Radio Club.   
      
   Werner ran unopposed, eliminating the need for a balloted election. His role   
   as Quebec Director is for the remainder of a two year term which ends   
   December 31, 2013. (VO1PRB)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 3   
      
   This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. From the United States of   
   America, 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)   
      
   **   
      
   SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: LEAP SECONDS GET A REPRIEVE   
      
   The Leap Second is getting a temporary reprieve. This after delegates at an   
   international telecommunications meeting in Geneva failed to reach a   
   consensus on whether or not to delete these sporadic additions from the   
   global time standard system.   
      
   As reported last week, attendees to the conference were supposed to decide   
   whether to recommend the elimination of leap seconds. Since no decision was   
   made, the issue has been referred back to a panel of experts for further   
   study. A revised proposal will be introduced no earlier than 2015.   
      
   Leap Seconds are time increments which are occasionally added to the world's   
   atomic clocks to keep them synchronized with Earth's rotational cycles. The   
   last leap second was added in 2008. The next one is this year at the end of   
   June.   
      
   Also one correction to last weeks report. As pointed out to us in an e-mail   
   from John Rabold KS6M, the Earth doesn't rotate around the sun. Rather it   
   revolves around the sun.   
      
   Thank you John for catching that one. It was our bad. (Space & Science)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NASA AND W5KWQ WORKING ON RELEASE OF FIRST MOVIE SHOT IN   
   SPACE   
      
   The first science fiction film shot in space could be coming to viewers here   
   on Earth. This after NASA confirms it's almost ready to give approval for   
   the project.   
      
   Titled Apogee of Fear, the film was shot by space tourist Richard Garriott,   
   W5KWQ, during his 2008 trip to the International Space Station. Garriott   
   shot the basic footage for the film, using astronauts as his cast. He then   
   added scenes and visual effects after his return to Earth.   
      
   The film was privately shown at Dragon*Con last year, but has been in legal   
   limbo since then. This is because it wasn't included in Garriott's deal   
   with NASA. Now the space agency confirms that it is working with W5KWQ to   
   facilitate the video's release. The complete story is on-line at   
   tinyurl.com/movie-in-space. (The UK Register, Wired, others)   
      
   **   
      
   EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: THE IPAD PASSPORT   
      
   A Canadian man traveling by car to Vermont claimes that his iPad helped save   
   the day. This after he realized he left his passport, which is required to   
   cross into the United States, at his home in Quebec.   
      
   According to news reports, Martin Reisch said that on December 30th he   
   arrived at Canada's Stanstead crossing and proceeded to the U.S. border   
   post. He then showed the U.S. officer his Canadian driver's license, his   
   Medicaid card and a digital scan of his passport he had on his iPad. At   
   that point says Reisch he was permitted to enter the United States.   
      
   But the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency says that it did not happen   
   that way calling Reisch's story false. In a statement the agency said that   
   in this case, the individual had both a driver's license and birth   
   certificate, which the CBP officer used to determine identity and   
   citizenship in order to admit the traveler into the country.   
      
   But Reisch isn't backing down from his story. He told the press that he does   
   not even know where his paper birth certificate is. He added that his   
   experience does however make him think about how technology can be used for   
   identification purposes when traveling at some point in the future.   
   (Various published news sources)   
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT: RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA SEEKS TREASURER   
      
   Radio Amateurs of Canada is looking for a Treasurer who is a Chartered   
   Accountant, Certified General Accountant or Certified Management Accountant.   
   Experience with QuickBooks would be an asset. Interested parties should   
   contact Paul Burggraaf by e-mail to vo1prb(at) rac (dot) ca. (RAC)   
      
   **   
      
   WORLDBEAT: UK SCHOOL TO HOLD D-STAR EVENT   
      
   A school in the village of Gresham in the United Kingdom will be holding an   
   amateur radio special event station using the D-STAR digital network for   
   children age 6 to 11 on May 23rd. The callsign will be GB2GVS which stands   
   for Gresham Village School.   
      
   Andy Johnston, 2E0AIV is the event coordinator. He says that they have   
   already arranged link-ups with schools in Northern Ireland, the USA and   
   England, but are looking for more countries and schools to participate. If   
   anyone is interested, they can contact Andy via e-mail at 2e0avi (at) 2e0aiv   
   (dot) co (dot) uk. (Southgate)   
      
   **   
      
   ON THE AIR: CELEBRATING DENMARK'S PRESIDENCY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION   
      
   Ham radio is helping Denmark celebrate its turn as President of the European   
   Union. Denmark holds this from January 1st to June 30th. Ro celebrate, the   
   callsign 5P12EU will be activated during this same time period. QSL cards   
   will be available and there is an award scheme for working or just hearing   
   this callsign. For all details on QSLing, the award format and logs, check   
   out www.5p12eu.dk (DX OnLine)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX, members of the Buddies in the Caribbean will mount a mini-DXpedition   
   to Grenada between February 1st through the 9th. The team specializes in   
   100 watts or less low power radios and the Buddipole portable antenna   
   systems They will have fixed operations from a cliff-top villa and portable   
   operations from various points on the island. Modes used will be CW, SSB,   
   and the Digital on 160 through 10 meters. Licensing is not yet complete,   
   but each operator is expected to receive their J3/callsign. QSL via Logbook   
   of the World, eQSL, or regular mail to operator's home callsign and include   
   a self addressed stamped envelope if you go the postal route.   
      
   JA1XGI will be active from Hawaii as W8XGI/KH6 between January 31st and   
   February 4th just prior to his upcoming trip to Tonga. Operations will   
   probably be on 20 through 6 meters with an emphasis on 30, 17 and 12 meters.   
   He is expected to operate mainly CW, with some SSB and the Digital modes.   
   QSL via JA1XGI, direct or by the Bureau. QSO's will be uploaded to Logbook   
   of the World.   
      
   DL7AFS and DJ7ZG will be operational as V21FS and V21ZG, respectively, from   
   the Villa Sundowerns on the island of Antigua beginning March 5th for an   
   unknown stay. Focus of this operation on 160 through meters as propagation   
   conditions allow. Modes noted are RTTY, PSK and SSB. QSL via the DARC   
   German QSL bureau or direct to DL7AFS.   
      
   (Above from various DX news sources)   
      
   **   
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM: LOS ANGELES CELEBRATES THE 57TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SIGALERT   
   DEVELOPED BY THE LATE LLOYD SIGMON, W6LQ   
      
   Los Angeles transportation leaders gathered at Caltrans headquarters Monday   
   January 23rd to commemorate the 57th anniversary of what may be Los Angeles'   
   most iconic gift to the rest of the world: the SigAlert. And it was   
   developed by a ham radio operator. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak,   
   WA6ITF, tells about this legacy gifted to the people of Southern California   
   by a broadcasting pioneer:   
      
   --   
      
   It's hard to fathom that it was 57 years ago this week that the late Lloyd   
   Sigmon, W6LQ, developed the SigAlert. At the time Lloyd was a vice   
   president and engineer at Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasting AM radio   
   station KMPC.   
      
   In the pre Internet world of the 1950's KMPC had revolutionized Southern   
   California driving by launching a fleet of fixed wing aircraft and   
   helicopters to report live on traffic conditions during rush hours.   
   But what became known as the "KMPC Air Force" could not fly around the clock.   
      
      
   In off hours Lloyd Sigmon had wanted Los Angeles Police Department officers   
   to simply phone KMPC's news department when freeways or streets were clogged   
   but the department rejected that idea. So W6LQ used his ham radio know how   
   to develop a hardware-based work around that has been a region wide standard   
   for more than half a century.   
      
   Today the California Highway Patrol and other police authorities still use   
   the term SigAlert to advise motorists to an unplanned lane closure lasting   
   more than 30 minutes. And over the years SigAlerts have not only aided in   
   traffic reporting but have also been used in disaster alerting.   
      
   The first such emergency notification SigAlert took place in 1955 when it   
   urged medical personnel to respond to a train derailment. It reportedly   
   caused a traffic jam when many doctors and nurses showed up to assist at the   
   scene.   
      
   W6LQ's SigAlert is also credited with saving the lives of hundreds when the   
   Baldwin Hills Dam collapsed on December 14, 1963. And even today Lloyd   
   Sigmon's basic alerting concept is in use nationwide in the form of the   
   high-tech Emergency Alert System or E-A-S.   
      
   During his time in Southern California, Lloyd Sigmon, W6LQ, was very active   
   and well known in the Los Angeles ham radio community. He was also a   
   frequent guest on