Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1829 - August 31 2012   
      
   The following is a closed circuit and is not necessarily for air. With a   
   report on the Amateur Radio Newsline current financial picture here's our   
   producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF:   
      
   --   
      
   Well, the last time I was on here with a financial report I told you that I   
   thought we had enough in the bank to hopefully hold us over the summer   
   months June, July and August, and that I would not be asking for any   
   contributions unless the sky was falling. Sadly, the sky is falling this   
   year. This is mainly because we did not get some of the larger donations   
   that we have come to count on to keep us going over the lean summer months   
   when people are away on vacation.   
      
   Right now, we only have a couple of hundred dollars left in our bank account.   
   Most of that will vanish as we pay off our financial obligation in regard   
   to presenting this years Young Ham of the Year Award and the outstanding   
   bills for the month of August which are quickly piling up. And unlike the   
   years up through October 2009 when I retired from full time employment, I'm   
   now living on fixed income and honestly cannot afford to underwrite the cost   
   of bringing these newscasts to you.   
      
   To be candid, I do not like to lead off a newscast with an appeal such as   
   this, but we have no other method of getting the word out to you that we   
   need your financial assistance to keep Amateur Radio Newsline on the air,   
   and that we need it now. To all of us involved, each donation is looked   
   upon as an ongoing vote of confidence in the quality of the news and   
   information that we provide each week. And for this I add my personal thank   
   you.   
      
   Remember, Amateur Radio Newsline is a 501c3, not for profit corporation and   
   your donations are tax deductible. The easiest way to donate is by going to   
   our website at www.arnewsline.org and clicking on the Pay Pal button. Or   
   you can mail a donation to the address you will hear at the end of this   
   weeks newscast.   
      
   Whichever method you choose, the all volunteer Amateur Radio Newsline team   
   says thank you so much for caring. We promise to do all that we can to   
   continue bringing you the news and information you want to hear about   
   amateur radio and personal communications in the coming years.   
      
   Thank you. I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, and now this weeks newscast.   
      
   --   
      
   Thanks bill. Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1829 with a release   
   date of August 31 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a Q-S-T.   
      
   Amateur radio assists as Hurricane Isaac hits the U.S. Gulf shore; the London   
   Olympics ham radio station may have set a world record and a star is found   
   devouring a planet. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report   
   number 1829 coming your way right now.   
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO WAS READY FOR HURRICANE ISAAC   
      
   Amateur radio first responders along the United States Gulf shore were ready   
   when Hurricane Isaac slammed ashore on August 28th and 29th. We have the   
   more in this report:   
      
   --   
      
   As Hurricane Isaac made its way across the Gulf of Mexico and then made   
   landfall several miles West of New Orleans, Louisiana, members of the   
   Hurricane Watch Net took to the air to track its approach:   
      
   --   
      
   (Ham in Florida) "...Victor-Radio-4-Golf. The handle here is Bill and Im   
   located in Pensacola, Florida and we've had some winds gusts up to about 44   
   miles an hour. We went out for a ride along the beach this afternoon and   
   they do now have some roads closed and water was coming over the sand dunes   
   and starting to flood some of the roads, over"   
      
   --   
      
   While band conditions on 20 and 40 meters were not the greatest, the net   
   continued and began passing storm conditions to the National Hurricane   
   Center in Miami:   
      
   --   
      
   (Ham in New Orleans: "...we have wind gusts of about 70 to 75 miles per hour   
   right now. Its really coming bad on us but my antenna is located in the   
   attic."   
      
   --   
      
   One report was rather interesting from a scientific point of view:   
      
   --   
      
   (Ham in New Orleans) "The Mississippi river at the Carrolton gate in New   
   Orleans is flowing backward."   
      
   --   
      
   Also taking reports for the National Hurricane Center was the V-O-I-P   
   Hurricane Watch net. This group gathers information mainly from local   
   repeaters within the storm area and also passes it along to the National   
   Hurricane Center:   
      
   --   
      
   (VoIP Net Audio) "K3-November-Foxtrot-Uniform in Slidell, Louisiana.   
   Estimated winds of 30 and no rain as of this time."   
      
   --   
      
   Hams on the V-O-I-P net also provided ongoing damage assessment:   
      
   --   
      
   (VoIP Net Audio) "I was informed that the power has hone out in mid-city New   
   Orleans, Louisiana near the steets of Murat and Bowden..."   
      
   "Roger. I have Murast and Bowden. Did I copy correctly that was mid-city   
   New Orleans?"   
      
   --   
      
   As this report is being prepared, Issac has been downgraded from a category 1   
   hurricane to a tropical storm but is soaking Louisiana and surrounding   
   states for yet another day. As such, the job of ham radio operators in   
   coping with the storm is far from over.   
      
   With thanks to K3VR for the recordings of the 20 meter Hurricane Watch Net,   
   Im Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the newsroom in Los Angeles.   
      
   --   
      
   We will have more on the role of amateur radio in the wake of Hurricane Isaac   
   in upcoming Amateur Radio Newsline reports. (ARNewsline(tm) with audio from   
   Hurricane Watch Net and VoIP Hurricane Watch Net.)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: IARU SAYS IT WOULD WELCOME DOT RADIO DOMAIN   
      
   The International Amateur Radio Union says that it will back the European   
   Broadcasting Union proposal that the top level Internet domain dot radio be   
   used to help to create a global radio community. IARU President Tim Ellam,   
   VE6SH, says that his organization believes that the proposal, to be   
   submitted by the European Broadcast Union, could provide a unique   
   opportunity to standardize radio domain names on the Internet.   
      
   In a recently made public letter, VE6SH said that he recommends that the dot   
   radio domain proposal be approved by the Internet Corporation for Assigned   
   Names and Numbers. European Broadcast Union Director General, Ingrid   
   Deltenre said the International Amateur Radio Union comments are an   
   expression of confidence in the proposal. The complete story on the new dot   
   radio domain and how it will impact all spectrum users is on-line at   
   tinyurl.com/iaru-dot-radio (IARU, VK3PC)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: LONDON OLYMPICS COMMEMORATIVE STATION MAY HAVE SET WORLD   
   RECORD   
      
   The Radio Society of Great Britain reports that the team at 2O12L, the   
   amateur radio station for the London Olympic and Paralympic Games, believe   
   that they have now broken the world record for the number of Q-S-O's by a   
   Special Event Station. As of 21:42 UTC on August 21st, 2O12L had logged   
   contact number 47,791.   
      
   2O12L goes QRT on September 9th at the end of the Paralympic Games closing   
   ceremony. As such the operators are fairly confident that they can achieve   
   their target of 60,000 contacts.   
      
   It is believed the previous standing record for a ham radio Special Event   
   station was held by the group that operated DQ2006X during the 2006 World   
   Cup. That station was on the air from May 13th through July 16th of 2006   
   and made 47,790 contacts.   
      
   More on the operation of 2O12L is on-line at www.2O12L.com. (RSGB)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: APRS TO ASSIST VULTURE 2 SPACEPLANE TRACKING   
      
   The Low Orbit Helium Assisted Navigator Vulture 2 space plane will carry an   
   amateur radio Automatic Packet Reporting System or APRS system.   
      
   The UK newspaper the Register reports that Anthony Stirk, M-Zero-U-P-U, who   
   was involved in the Raspberry Pi In The Sky mission, is working on the   
   custom control board for the Vulture 2 space plane.   
      
   As of now, the communications subsystem has a Radiometrix 300 milliwatt HX1   
   144 MHz band module for APRS and a Radiometrix 10 milliwatt NTX2 433 MHz   
   band module for RTTY. More information on frequencies will ve announced at   
   a later date.   
      
   More on this upcoming near to space adventure can be read on-line at   
   tinyurl.com/vulture-2. And we will have more ham radio space related news   
   later on in this weeks newscast. (UK Register)   
      
   **   
      
   BREAK 1   
      
   From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard   
   on bulletin stations around the world including the W9RCA repeater serving   
   Indianapolis, Indiana.   
      
   (5 sec pause here)   
      
      
   **   
      
   RADIO LAW: VOTE ON ADDING ENGINEERS TO COMMISSION STAFF SEEMS STALLED IN   
   CONGRESS   
      
   Legislation working its way Congress that would add a technical expert to the   
   staff of each FCC commissioner may not come up for a vote this fall. This   
   is because the House and Senate versions of the bill to allow each of the   
   five commissioners to hire one additional staff engineer are still in   
   committee. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has the details:   
      
   --   
      
   Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe introduced S. 611 in May 2011. The   
   measure seeks to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to provide   
   commissioners additional technical expertise. However Snowe's intention to   
   retire at the end of this year has led supporters to push for a vote before   
   the end of this Congressional term.   
      
   The companion House companion measure is H.R. 2102: FCC Commissioners'   
   Technical Resource Enhancement Act. The Society of Broadcast Engineers   
   better known as the SBE is a major supporter of these two pieces of   
   legislation. In a recent press statement, SBE President Ralph Hogan said   
   that his organization has scheduled a trip to Washington to meet with key   
   members of Congress in Washington, This to further groups efforts to move   
   the bills through the House and Senate before the end 2012.   
      
   However, SBE General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, acknowledged in a column that   
   appeared in the August edition of the SBE publication "The Signal" that time   
   is of the essence.   
      
   According to Imlay, the SBE's last chance this fall to get H.R. 2102 through   
   the House is `on suspension.' That means the measure is without the usual   
   hearing and report procedure.   
      
   To move a bill along in these cases normally requires that the bill have a   
   large number of cosponsors. Imlay says that in an election year, this is   
   not easy, noting that there are only four co-sponsors for the House bill   
   now.   
      
   Currently, FCC commissioners can appoint only three legal advisors to counsel   
   the Commissioners on the wired, wireless and cable media. As part of its   
   legislative agenda, the Society of Broadcast Engineers has sought greater   
   technical expertise on the commission for several years.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale,   
   Arizona.   
      
   --   
      
   Passage of these measures is important to the ham radio community as it will   
   put technical expertise to the highest level of the Commission which for   
   decades has lead primarily by members of the legal profession rather than   
   technologists and engineers. This could lead to a better understanding of   
   our needs than is possible right now. (SBE, RW)   
      
   **   
      
   ENFORCEMENT: RAC ACTS TO PREVENT UNLAWFUL USE OF 2 METERS BY PARAGLIDING   
   COMPETITION   
      
   Radio Amateurs of Canada took action after a Paragliding competition in   
   British Columbia told its contestants to communicate using a frequency in   
   the 2 meter amateur band. Bob Holowenko, VE7WNK, has more:   
      
   --   
      
   Radio Amateurs of Canada received a report by a British Columbia ham who   
   notified them of what appeared to be the use of the two meter band for the   
   operation of a paragliding competition. Dave Cameron, VE7LTD, witnessed this   
   radio traffic and I was able to talk with him over the phone.   
      
   -   
      
   VE7LTD: "I was at a local repeater site helping the locals there by doing a   
   sweep trying to find a source of interference. I had my HP8920A Service   
   Monitor and I was monitoring around the band trying to find what the sources   
   of intermod could be, and I noticed a few spikes in the ham band. Knowing   
   that there is not a lot of VHF activity in the Pemberton area, I decided to   
   tune into each of those and one was on 146.415 simplex where I heard lots of   
   intercommunication between both paragliders in the air and some kind of race   
   coordination on the ground."   
      
   -   
      
   This "race coordination" which Dave was hearing was the Canadian Paragliding   
   National Championships held in Pemberton, BC. Dave reported this to The   
   Radio Amateurs of Canada who became extremely concerned about the organizers   
   assertion that all participants must use a VHF radio tuned to 146.415 Mhz   
   for launching and landing.   
      
   Southern BC is popular for paragliding and hangliding thrill seekers, and the   
   ham community here knows many of those who take part in these events are   
   licensed hams, however it has become apparent that many are not.   
      
   -   
      
   VE7LTD: "There was never a call sign used, and never any identification   
   used. Although the communication was very structures, you could tell it was   
   not by ham operators"   
      
   -   
      
   Dave did go on to say that of the registered Canadian participants at the   
   event, at least 40% of their names were found in the Ras=dio Amateurs of   
   Canada database.   
      
   RAC has been in contact with representatives from the Paragliding community   
   and has also requested enforcement action to be taken by government officals   
   at Industry Canada.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bob Holowenko, VE7WNK, in   
   Vancouver, British Columbia.   
      
   --   
      
   According to Radio Amateurs of Canada, protecting the ham radio spectrum from   
   intruders is all in a days work for the group. (RAC, VE7WNK)   
      
   **   
      
   HELPING HAMS: RFINDER.NET SEEKS INPUT FROM FREQUENY COORDINATORS   
      
   The on-line repeater directory RFinder is inviting Frequency Coordinators to   
   use the World Wide Radio Directory help them in conducting their work. The   
   hams who operate RFinder say that they have already heard from several   
   frequency coordinators who have told them that being able to see the   
   repeaters across borders is very helpful. As such, RFfinder says that   
   frequency coordinators in several countries are using RFinder/Web as a tool   
   in their activities. They are also looking to compile a wish list from the   
   coordination community to build a special portal for them to have the tools   
   they need to make frequency coordination easier. If you are a coordinator   
   who wants to contribute to this wish list please send your thoughts by   
   e-mail to w2cyk (at) rfinder (dot) net. You lraen more about RFinder and   
   the services that it provides all who use repeaters on-line at   
   www.rfinder.net. (RFinder)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: ARRL CENTENNIAL CONVENTION IN HARTFORD CT   
      
   On the ham radio social scene, the ARRL has announced the organization will   
   hold its 2014 national Centennial Convention in Hartford, Connecticut, from   
   July 17th to the 20th. The Convention will mark 100 years of the ARRL's   
   founding that took place in the city of Hartford. The theme for ARRL's   
   Centennial year is Advancing the Art and Science of Radio Since 1914. More   
   information is on-line at www.arrl.org/expo. (ARRL)   
      
   **   
      
   RADIO HAPPENINGS: NRCDXAS SWITCHING FROM TAPE TO CD MAILOUTS   
      
   According to Amateur Radio Newsline's Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, the September and   
   October issues of the National Radio Club's D-X Audio Service will be the   
   last to issue on cassette tape. Beginning in November these reports will   
   switch distribution to CD's after 27 years of tape mailouts.   
      
   Fred asks that if you know someone who is blind or otherwise visually   
   impaired, and who loves the topic of broadcast radio, to please tell them   
   about the DX Audio Service. More information about it can be found on-line   
   at www.nrcdxas.org. (W8HDU)   
      
   **   
      
   NAMES IN THE NEWS: BRITISH SOPRANO SARAH BRIGHTMAN MAY BE THE NEXT SPACE   
   TOURIST   
      
   A world famous entertainer may be the next to travel to the International   
   Space Station. Amateur Radio Newsline's George Bowen, W2XBS, has the   
   details:   
      
   --   
      
   British soprano Sarah Brightman could become the next space tourist to visit   
   the International Space Station. This according to a senior official at the   
   Russian Space Agency who hinted on August 22nd that the 52 year old   
   songstress best known for her creating the role of Christine Daae' in the   
   Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Phantom of the Opera is being considered as   
   candidate for such a trip.   
      
   The Interfax news agency cited a space industry source as saying that the   
   name of the next space tourist, who will most likely fly to the ISS in 2015,   
   will be officially announced in around a month. The source also told   
   Interfax that Brightman visited Russia around a month ago and was given the   
   go-ahead by the medical commission to train at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut   
   Training Centre in Star City outside Moscow.   
      
   Previous space tourists visiting the ISS have included the Canadian founder   
   of the Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, and computer game creator Richard   
   Garriott, W5KWQ. As most of you know, Richard Garriott is the son of   
   retired Astronaut Owen Garriott, W5LFL, who was the first radio amateur to   
   ever operate from space. This on shuttle mission STS-9. Iranian-American   
   entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari is so far the only woman to make the trip to   
   the I-S-S.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm George Bowen, W2XBS, in Albany, New York.   
      
      
   --   
      
   More about Sarah Brightman's proposed trip to Earth orbit is on-line at   
   tinyurl.com/brightman-iss. (Interfax, AFP)   
      
   **   
      
   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)   
      
   **   
      
   THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: MIRAGE AND RF CONCEPTS FOUNDER EVERETT GRACY,   
   WA6CBA - S.K.   
      
   The man responsible for many pieces of equipment in the shacks of so many   
   hams has become a silent key at age 91. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don   
   Carlson, KQ6FM, brings us the story of Everett Gracey, WA6CBA.   
      
   --   
      
   On Sunday morning, August 26, the Amateur Radio world lost a gentle giant, as   
   Everett Gracey, WA6CBA became a silent key. For the many of us who knew   
   Everett, it is loss unlike any other. We have lost a great source of   
   knowledge, but most of all, a dear friend. For everyone else who did not   
   know him, the word "giant" is not adequate to describe him. His   
   contributions to the Amateur Radio world were immeasurable.   
      
   For those of you who ever owned a piece of gear with the name RF Concepts or   
   Mirage Communications on it, you held a piece of his life and legacy, since   
   he was a co-founder of both companies, which he started with Ken Holaday,   
   K6HCP. Later in life Everett became a consultant to LDG Electronics, who,   
   according to Everett put out one of the greatest automatic antenna tuners on   
   the market, and are sold world wide.   
      
   Everett spent most of his life in and around Reno, Nevada, where he married   
   his wife Dorothy on July 6, 1940. He was devoted to her, since she was   
   always first and foremost in his mind. He took care of her in their later   
   years, and finally, it was his concern for her well being that prompted his   
   move from Reno to Grass Valley, California, so that her care could be shared   
   with medical professionals.   
      
   Everett was also a decorated veteran, who fought in with the Army in Europe   
   during WWII, and was awarded both the Bronze Star and Silver Star for   
   bravery in Germany. He was also recipient of the Purple Heart. He was also   
   author of several books, "From A 13 year old Hobo to an Entrepreneur" "My 20   
   Years of RV Adventures" and "Buying and Selling Real Estate by Owner". One   
   of my most treasured possessions is an autographed copy of his   
   autobiographical book, "From Freight Trains to Airplanes", published in   
   1999.   
      
   Everett was always ready to lend a friendly hand with a good piece of advice,   
   Elmering and plenty of wisdom which helped many a ham in need, and always   
   seemed to have exactly what they needed to complete the project, or get back   
   on the air. He even gave away parts used for fixing antennas and gear, at   
   no charge.   
      
   As a dear mutual friend of Everett's and mine said of his passing, Everett,   
   "I will miss you...you rascal....Oh, and while you are winging your way   
   around the heavens, and you had best not tamper with my RF signal when I am   
   attempting to work DX, or someday, you and I will have a long discussion   
   about that!".   
      
   With sincere thanks to Joe Wolfe, WA6RKN for his informative help, for the   
   Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Don Carlson, KQ6FM in Reno.   
      
   --   
      
   Per his request no service or memorial will be held. Instead his ashes will   
   be placed next to his wife Dorothy. Everett and Dorothy Gracey had been   
   married 70 years. (KQ6FM, WA6RKN)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: KEPLARIAN ELEMENTS CHANGE WITH ISS HIGHER ORBIT   
      
   Space-Travel.com reports on August 22nd that a European ATV-3 unmanned supply   
   spacecraft was used to raise the International Space Station's orbit to   
   about 261 miles. The orbit adjustment was done in two stages, with the   
   ATV-3 engines firing for 348 seconds to lift the orbit to 257 miles followed   
   by another burn four hours later that brought the space station to its final   
   altitude.   
      
   The maneuver was conducted to prepare for the return to earth of Russia's   
   Soyuz TMA-04M manned spacecraft on September 17 and the docking of the Soyuz   
   TMA-06M manned spacecraft with the ISS on October 15th. For amateur radio   
   space enthusiasts this means that you will have to readjust your Keplarian   
   elements when tracking the I-S-S at its new higher altitude. The complete   
   story of this orbital maneuver is on-line at tinyurl.com/ISS-Reboost. (ANS,   
   Spece-Travel.com)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM HAPPENINGS: REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 2012 AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM   
      
   AMSAT says that registration for its 2012 Space Symposium is now open   
   on-line. To register over the World-Wide-Web simply take your computer to   
   store (dot) amsat (dot) org/catalog and click on the "AMSAT 2012 Symposium"   
   item in the top left box.   
      
   A mail-in option is also available for those who wamt to register the old   
   fashioned way. A downloadable paper registration forms in MS-Word and PDF   
   format are available on the 2012 Symposium page at   
   tinyurl.com/amsat-2012-reg.   
      
   This years AMSAT Space Symposium takes place October 26th through the 28th at   
   the Holiday Inn Orlando-International Airport in Orlando, Florida. This   
   hotel is located at only one mile north of the Orlando International   
   Airport. at 5750 T.G. Lee Blvd, in Orlando. (AMSAT)   
      
   **   
      
   HAM RADIO IN SPACE: CPUT CUBESAT TO LAUNCH END NOVEMBER   
      
   A CubeSat designed and built by students at the Cape Peninsular University of   
   Technology in Bellville, South Africa, will be launched towards the end of   
   November.   
      
   Still known by its engineering name ZA Cube-1, the satellite will be shipped   
   in the next few weeks to Holland. There it will be integrated with two   
   other CubeSats in the launch carrier before being shipped for integrating   
   with the rocket.   
      
   ZA Cube-1 is rare for a ham radio bird in that it carries a High Frequency   
   transmitter operating on 14.099 MHz in the 20 meter band. Also on-board is   
   a small camera and a telemetry transmitter. (SARL)   
      
   **   
      
   DX   
      
   In DX, N6MW and possibly 1 or 2 other operators will be active stroke KH8   
   from American Samoa between November 8th and the 19th. Operations will be   
   on 160 through 10 meters using mainly CW, but some SSB and RTTY. QSL via   
   Logbook of the World.   
      
   A group of radio amateurs from Poland will be on the air as 5T0SP from   
   Mauritania between November 24th and December 10th. Their activity will be   
   on 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes. As of airtime   
   no QSL route has been announced   
      
   Bill Moore, NC1L, at the ARRL says that the 1998 X-U-one-A operation from   
   Cambodia has been approved for DXCC Credit. Moore says that if you have had   
   QSLs rejected please send an e-mail to bmoore (at) arrl (dot) org to be   
   placed on the list for update. If you remember the submission in which you   
   included the QSL please note this to expedite the search for the rejected   
   QSO.   
      
   Lastly, SM0JHF reports that he has retired and can no longer afford sending   
   out QSL cards automatically. He notes that for the past 50 years that he   
   has personally filled out and shipped more than 100,000 QSL cards for his   
   activities using numerous past callsigns. He says that he will clean house   
   and dispose of blank cards by the end of this year. If you need a card for   
   any of his calls please contact him by e-mail to sm0jhf (at) gmail (dot)   
   com. A complete list of his operations over the years is under SM0JHF on   
   QRZ.com   
      
   (Above from various DX news sources)   
      
   **   
      
   THAT FINAL ITEM: STAR FOUND DEVOURING PLANET   
      
   And finally this week, radio and radio astronomy have brought some new light   
   on the way nature works out in the cosmos. Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl   
   Lasek, K9BIK, takes us to the far reaches of space:   
      
   --   
      
   Astronomers have found evidence of a planet being devoured by its star,   
   yielding insights into the fate that will befall Earth several billions   
   years in the future.   
      
   The team uncovered the signature of the planet that had been absorbed by   
   looking at the chemistry of the host star. They also think a surviving   
   planet circling this star may have been kicked into its unusual orbit by the   
   destruction of a neighboring world.   
      
   The US-Polish-Spanish team made the discovery when they were studying the   
   star BD+48 740 - which is one of a stellar class known as red giants.   
   Rising temperatures near the cores of red giants cause these elderly stars   
   to expand in size. This in turn results in any nearby planets to be   
   absorbed by the expanding star or otherwise destroyed.   
      
   It's the way of the universe now brought to us thanks to the art of radio and   
   the science of Astronomy.   
      
   For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in Zion, Illinois.   
      
   --   
      
   Details of the work have been published in Astrophysical Journal Letters.   
   The complete story is on-line at tinyurl.com/planet-hungry-star.   
   (ScienceToday, BBC, others)   
      
   **   
      
   NEWSCAST CLOSE   
      
   With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ Magazine,   
   the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the   
   Southgate News, TWiT-TV and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the   
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline(at) arnewsline   
   (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm)   
   only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to   
   us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa   
   Clarita California, 91350   
      
   For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Damron,   
   N8TMW, wishing you a safe and enjoyable Labor Day weekend. 73 and as   
   always, we thank you for listening.   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.   
      
      
   ***   
      
   As a Service to the HAM Radio Community and Ham Operators all around the   
   world, this Amateur Radio Newline(tm) message has been gated from the internet   
   and posted to you by Waldo's Place USA, 1:3634/12. We hope you enjoyed it!   
      
   Please address all comments and questions to the ARNewsletter editor as   
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   Thank you and good day!   
      
   -73-   
      
      
    * Origin: (1:3634/12)