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|    27 Sep 12 22:02:42    |
      Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1833 - September 28 2012              Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1833 with a release date of September 28       2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.              The following is a QST. Dedicated Cubesat downlinks to be discussed at WRC       2018; Ofcom lifts spectrum restrictions imposed because of London Summer       Olympics; Kosovo takes to the ham radio airwaves and the results of the       World Radio Direction Finding competition. Find out the details are on       Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1833 coming your way right now.                     (Billboard Cart Here)                     **              HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DEDICATED CUBESAT DOWNLINKS FOR DISCUSSION AT WRC-18              IARU Secretary Rod Stafford, W6ROD, reports that the International Amateur       Radio Union's Administrative Council will meet in the next 45 days to       address the agenda items for the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference.       Planning for the dedicated spectrum for university research cubesats will       begin at that gathering, but the actual allocation of frequencies may not       occur until the 2018 World Radiocommunication Conference.              In an article posted on the ARRL web, Stafford noted, "A lot of radio       amateurs are aware of the increasing use of amateur spectrum by small       satellites, mainly by universities. It is becoming an increasingly       difficult situation to accommodate the number of small, non-commercial       satellites within the amateur bands. These education-based satellites do       not really fit within the definition of the Amateur Radio Service, but have       been accommodated there.              According to W6ROD, these small birds are categorized as nano-satellites       weighing between 1 to 10 kilogram and pico-satellites weighing less than 1       kilogram. The International Telecommunications Union is trying to deal with       this issue in an orderly manner and a `preliminary' WRC-18 agenda item is to       consider whether these satellite operations can be accommodated in an       already crowded radio spectrum is being researched.              Stafford concludes by noting that as these issues develop, the IARU will keep       its Member-Societies, such as the ARRL, aware of developments with an eye to       building the best strategy to deal with those agenda items in a way that is       most favorable to the Amateur Radio Service.              You can read the full article, including many other IARU agenda items at       tinyurl.com/looking-at-tinysats. (ANS, ARRL)              **              RESCUE RADIO: UK PARISHES ABANDONING EMCOMM SYSTEM FOR CELLPHONES AND RAYNET              An emergency radio system that has provided a lifeline to Heathfield in the       United Kingdom for 25 years is to be scrapped and to be replaced by cellular       telephones. But users of the ageing service have criticized the decision to       rely on patchy mobile phone service in an emergency. Bill Pasternak,       WA6ITF, has the details:              --              That's right Jim. It is supposed to go away and here's why.              The radio system was created back in 1987 after what has been called the       Great Storm. Six parishes still have the gear in service to use emergency       situations.              But the district council now wants to abolish them because they are too       expensive to maintain. The council pays 3,600 British Pounds a year to       maintain the radio gear and a repeater that they are used through.              Parish councilor Bob Wood who has one of the old radios. He says that while       thee gear my be old and possibly inadequate for what they want, that doing       away with them is silly. He notes that mobile phone networks can only hold       a certain number of calls at a time if an emergency happens.              But according to Jim van den Bos, of the District Council, the Wealden       emergency radio network radio equipment is now old, less reliable and more       difficult to repair. He says that last year a survey of parishes was       conducted asking which had been active in the network over the past three       years. Out of the 15 who took part, only seven were in favor of continuing.              So what will happen when the old emergency radio system falls silent?       According to van den Bos it will likely be ham radio that will be used to       augment the cellular network. In a statement he said that the council       supports local members of a network of amateur radio users called RAYNET who       are willing to respond in an emergency.              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the newsroom       in Los Angeles.              --              RAYNET in the UK would be quite similar to a combined RACES and ARES here in       the United States. (Sussix Courier, Northcliff Media, Southgate)              **              RADIO LAW: OFCOM LIFTS TEMPORARY SPECTRUM RESTRICTIONS ON UHF AND SHF BANDS       USED FOR OLYMPICS              UK telecommunications regulator Ofcom has announced that as of midnight on       September 23rd, temporary operating restrictions on parts of the 70       centimeter and several microwave bands have come to an end. The       restrictions on spectrum usage by British radio amateurs had been put in       place to permit use of several spectral parcels in relation to the now       conceded 2012 London Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. (RSGB)              **              BREAKING DX NEWS: KOSOVO NOW OFFICIALLY ON THE AIR              The Republic of Kosovo is now officially on the air. Station Z-60-K near       Pristina commenced amateur radio operation shortly after 1700 UTC on       September 17th. The call had been issued to the club station of the Amateur       Radio Association of Kosovo. For this operation QSL via G3TXF or using       ClubLog.              It has to be noted that as Kosovo is not yet a member of the United Nations       nor does it have an assigned callsign block allocated by the International       Telecommunications Union, it does not meet the established requirements of       the ARRL's DXCC program at this time. However CQ has recognized Kosovo as       a separate entity for its award and contest programs since 2007. More is on       line at www.art-ks.org (DXNL, CQ Newsroom)              **              DX SPECIAL: AZORES 9 ISLANDS HUNT SEPT 29 - 30              While short notice, all nine of the Azores islands will be operational from       12:00 UTC on Saturday, September 29th through 12:00 UTC on Sunday September       30th. This a part of the Azores 9 Islands Hunt operating event.              Callsigns to be used are CU1ARM from Santa Maria; CU2ARA from San Miguel;       CU3URA on Terceira; CU4ARG from Graciosa; CU5AM on Sao Jorge; CU6GRP on       Pico; CU7CRA from Faial; CU8ARF on Flores and CU9AC operating on Corvo.              Operations on CW will be from 7.000 to 7.015, 14.050 to 14.065 and 18.080 to       18.090 MHz. SSB phone operations will be found on 7.175 to 7.195, 14.250 to       14. 275 and 18.120 through 18.135 MHz.              But that's not all. Those holding a QSO with at least 5 different islands       will have a corresponding number of tickets placed into a lottery for a free       trip to the Azores. Additionally, the first 25 operators making QSOs with       all 9 islands will be eligible for a second lottery.              All QSOs will be confirmed through the bureau network with special full-color       cards. Direct QSL requests via CU2CE. More information on this activation       and trip give-away is on-line at azores-islands-hunt.com. And we will have       more DX related news at the end of this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.       (OH2BH)              **              BREAK 1              From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard       on bulletin stations around the world including the Dirty Dozen Club Net in       Des Moines Iowa.              (5 sec pause here)                     **              ENFORCEMENT: YET ANOTHER FLORIDA UNLICENSED BROADCASTER BUSTED BY THE FCC              From the seemingly never ending Florida unlicensed radio station scene comes       word that the FCC's Miami Office has issued yet another Notice of Apparent       Liability to Monetary Forfeiture. This time the recipient of a proposed       $10,000 fine is Burt Byng of Miami who the regulatory agency claims       operating an unlicensed radio transmitter on the frequency 107.1 MHz.       Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reports:              --              By way of background, this past February 9th agents from the Enforcement       Bureau's Miami Office T-hunted the source of a signal on the 107.1 MHz to a       transmitting antenna mounted on the roof of a commercial property in Miami.       The agents determined that the signals on 107.1 MHz exceeded the limits for       operation under Part 15 of the Commission's rules and therefore required a       license. While monitoring the transmission, the agents also heard the       station identify itself on the air as "WEROC Radio." Commission records       showed that no authorization was issued to Burt Byng or to anyone else for       operation of an FM broadcast station at or near this address.              On the same date, agents from the Miami Office, accompanied by the property       owner, inspected the unlicensed station's antenna and transmitter located on       the rooftop of the commercial building. According to information provided       by the property owner, a company called J & B Enterprise US, Inc. was the       tenant of the particular area where the transmitting equipment was located.                     The property owner provided a copy of Burt Byng's driver's license and       identified him as the individual who rented the rooftop space. According       to Florida records, Byng is the President of an inactive business named "J &       B Enterprises US, Inc."              While researching the matter the agents also discovered that Mr. Byng       registered the domain name, ww.werocradio.com, a webpage for "WEROC Radio."       The agents also noticed that the phone number listed in the domain       registration was the same phone number listed on in the information provided       by the property owner.              In issuing the $10,000 NAL the FCC says that it finds that the record       evidence in this case is sufficient to establish that Burt Byng violated       Section 301 of the Act by operating radio transmission equipment without the       required Commission authorization. As such he is liable for the proposed       fine.              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles              --.              As is usual, Byng was given the customary 30 days to pay the $10,000 NAL or       to file an appeal. (FCC)              **              RADIO LAW: FCC EXTENDS COMMENTARY DEADLINE ON MD DOCKET 12-201              The public as well as concerned industries have been given more time to tell       the FCC what they think of the agency's process for collecting regulatory       fees as outlined in MD Docket 12-201. Originally, comments on commission       proposals to reform the way in which it evaluates the regulatory fees for       the industries it regulates were due by September 17th. While that date has       passed, the agency has announced that the new commentary cutoff date is       October 9th, with reply comments due by October 23rd.              The FCC also says that it would also like to receive comments on a recent       report from the Government Accountability Office. That report is titled       "The Federal Communications Commission Regulatory Fee Process Needs to Be       Updated." In that document the Accountability Office observes, among other       things, that the commission's regulatory fee, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking       proposes some fundamental changes to FCC's regulatory fee program that       relate to many of the concerns raised in its report. (FCC, RW)              **              HAM HAPPENINGS: LAST MAN STANDING K6T SPECIAL EVENT CANCELLED              The highly publicized Last Man Standing K6T operating event will not take       place. This according to the television shows Producer John Amodeo, NN6JA.              The thank you to the ham radio community had been slated to happen on Sunday,       October 28th. According to Amodeo the decision to cancel was based on       concerns about a possible violation of FCC Regulation 97.113(a)(3).              For those not aware, this rule bars any communications using ham radio in       which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest. It       also precludes any communications on behalf of an employer.              In making the announcement Amodeo notes that while everyone involved with the       planned operation are very disappointed with the cancellation of what would       have a fun, one of a kind event, that as a licensed radio amateur and       producer of broadcast programs, compliance with FCC rules must take       precedence.              Special event station K6T would have worked hams from around world on HF,       VHF, UHF, D-STAR and IRLP. While that's not going to take place the good       news is that the ham station that is a part of the set of Last Man Standing       will remain and continue to be a part of the shows ongoing plot line.       (NN6JA)              **              PUBLIC SERVICE: HAM RADIO AT THE USAF MARATHON              David Crawford, KF4KWW, reports that over fifty amateur radio operators from       all over the greater Dayton, Ohio. area and coming from as far away as       Detroit, Michigan, recently converged on Wright Patterson Air Force Base.       This, support the 2012 United States Air Force Marathon held on Saturday,       September 15th.              Ham radio operators provided emergency and logistic communications between       the race director and his staff. They also assisted with communications to       the hydration stations positioned throughout the course.              The United States Air Force Marathon is described as a world class event with       over 15000 participants registered and another estimated 15000 volunteers       and spectators in attendance. Amateur radio operators were indispensable in       communicating information on runner's locations and status, weather heat       indexes settings, severe weather notifications and logistic issues.              Robert Aguiar is the marathon Race Director. He says that the senior base       leaders of the event have come rely on the communication skills of the       amateur radios operators and use them a as a vital resource. He adds that       this race would be extremely difficult if not impossible to accomplish       without their support and dedication. More about this event is on-line at       www.usafmarathon.com. (KF4KWW)              **              HAM HAPPENINGS: AMATEUR RADIO TO ASSIST AT VK NATIONAL FUN FLIGHT DAY 2012              Amateur Radio will once again be a part of Australia's National Fun Flight       Day this coming November 4th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF,       has the details:              --              National Fun Flight Day is an event staged by Australian flying clubs to       provide pleasure flights for children and families touched by adversity.       Amateur radio began its association with this event back in 2011. Thats       when the Victoria-based Midland Amateur Radio Club and its station VK3CMZ       were invited to participate in the National FunFlight Day by the Bendigo       Flying Club. The Midland Club was more than happy to oblige and an       operating High Frequency, VHF and UHF station was set up at the event site.       A handheld in a plane also provided communication back to children on the       ground.              The operation was deemed a major success and the Midland Committee saw it as       a worthwhile national amateur radio event. So it then approached the       FunFlight manager regarding other amateur clubs' participation. The result       of the meeting was very positive and contact information has now been       provided to participating flying clubs so that they can contact their       nearest amateur radio club.              For the amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New       Zealand.              --              More event information on this fun in the sky event down-under is on-line at       www.funflight.org. (Midland Amateur Radio Club)              **              WITH ARNEWSLINE: ARNEWSLINE FACEBOOK PAGES BREAKS 1000 BARRIER              The Amateur Radio Newsline fan page on Facebook has just passed the 1000       subscriber point. In fact, as we go to air, the number of members       subscribed stands at 1004.              The page is managed for Amateur Radio Newsline by James Pastorfield, KB7TBT,       who devotes a lot of time and energy to it. So as we pass the 1000 mark and       hopefully head toward 2000 or more, we want to pause to thank KB7TBT for his       volunteerism in making the page possible and to all of you who contribute to       it.              If you are on Facebook but have not yet joined the Amateur Radio Newsline       family, you can find us there at by simply typing Amateur Radio Newsline in       the blue Facebook search line. We would love to have you there with us.       (ARNewsline(tm))              **                     NAMES IN THE NEWS: BILL TYNAN W3XO TO RECEIVE RCA BARRY GOLDWATER AWARD              The Radio Club of America has announced that former AMSAT North America       President Bill Tynan, W3XO, is to be the recipient of its 2012 Barry       Goldwater Amateur Radio Award. The award recognizes Tynan's lifelong       service to the public through amateur radio.              The award will be presented to W3XO at the club's annual awards banquet in       New York on November 16th. ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner, K1ZZ,       will be the keynote speaker at the event. (RCA, W2RS)              **              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: WIA PRESIDENT MICHAEL OWEN, VK3SI - S.K.              The changing of the guard in our service continues. This, with the sad news       that Michael Owen, VK3KI, the Chairman of Region III of the International       Amateur Radio Union and President of the Wireless Institute of Australia has       became a Silent Key.              Owen's sudden passing came after suffering what is only being described as a       medical condition at his home on Saturday, September the 22nd.              During his many volunteer years, Owen, who was age 75 at the time of his       passing, participated in many IARU committees and had been a member of the       IARU Observer Team at a number of World Radiocommunication Conferences. He       served as IARU Vice President from 1989 to 1999 and is perhaps best       remembered for his work on a package of revisions to the international Radio       Regulations. These were specific to the Amateur Radio and Amateur Satellite       services and presented at the 2003 World Radiocommunications Conference.              Michael Owen, VK3KI, is survived by his wife Nan, and his two daughters. His       funeral was to be held on Friday, September 28th at St Andrews Anglican       Church in Brighton. Australia. Condolence messages can be sent via the       Wireless Institute of Australia by e-mail to condolences (at) WIA (dot) org       (dot) au or direct to the surviving family members at PO Box 2042,       Bayswater, Victoria 3153 Australia.       (WIA, VK6POP)              **       WORLDBEAT: NEW FOCUS FOR RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE              The Board of Supervisors of Radio Netherlands Worldwide has appointed William       Valkenburg as editor-in-chief. This, effective January 1st of 2013.              According to the announcement, Valkenburg will set out the new course for the       organization with the recently appointed director general Robert Zaal. The       broadcaster will focus on free speech in countries where press freedom is       limited and Valkenburg will take responsibility for journalism within the       organization.              As of 2013, Radio Netherlands Worldwide's main focus will be on Africa, and       the Arab World, as well as countries such as China, Cuba and Venezuela. (RW)              **              WORLDBEAT: FRENCH POLYNESIA GETS BROADBAND ACCESS              Another remote area of the world is now on-line. Amateur Radio Newsline's       Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, has the details:              --              High speed Internet access has come to the islands of the South Pacific.       This with word that OmniAccess has expanded its network coverage in the       remote French Polynesian islands.              The news follows the company's investment into the opening of a high-capacity       network on the Intelsat 18 satellite that first became operational in       November 2011. This provides the capacity to enable enhanced broadband       internet coverage and network services via Ku-band coverage platform to that       isolated part of the world.              As a result, for the first time private yachts, charter yachts and commercial       vessels cruising in the region can now benefit from high quality       uninterrupted broadband connectivity via the new high speed service.              For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, reporting.              --              More on this new service can be found by going to www.noonsite.com and using       the search engine at that website. (noonsite.com via K4CPX)              **              EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: DARC AND GERMAN NSI COLLABORATE ON FIELD STRENGTH       ARTICLE              The National Standards Institute of Germany in cooperation with the Deutscher       Amateur Radio Club have jointly authored an article on the calibration of       field strength monitors that has been published in the publication Advances       in Radio Science'. The article covers a detailed description of a possible       calibration setup including uncertainty calculations. You can download an       abstract and the full article at tinyurl.com/field-strength-monitors.       (DARC)              **              HAM HAPPENINGS: WESTERN STATES VHF/UHF WEAK SIGNAL NET ON SUNDAYS              The Western States VHF/UHF Weak Signal 75m Net meets every Sunday on 3.920       MHz at 17:30 Pacific Daylight Time. This net is a wide ranging discussion       dealing with all aspects of VHF to microwave building, contesting, and       operating. More about this weekly gathering is on-line at www.weaksig.net       (N8DEZ)              **              DX              In DX, G0VJG will be operational stroke 3A from Monaco between October 1st       and the 5th. His activity will be on the High Frequency bands using 100       watts on SSB only. QSL via G4DFI.              A multi-national team is on the air from Conway Reef in the South Pacific       Ocean. They plan to be there through October 5th using the callsign will be       3D2C. Their QSL manager is YT1AD.              DL7VSN will be active from Tanzania through October 13th. His operation will       be from two locations using the 5H1HS from Zanzibar Island and 5H1HS/3 from       Lazy Lagoon Island. Activity is expected on 160 through 10 meters using       mainly CW and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign. More about his operation is       on-line at Visit his Web page at www.qsl.net/dl7vsn              Lastly word that DJ7RJ who was expected to be active stroke FR from Reunion       Island between September 26th and October 21st, has announced he had to       cancel his trip. No reason for the cancellation was given.       (Above from various DX news sources)              **              THAT FINAL ITEM:              And finally this week, hidden transmitter hunters held their world       championships this month and hams from the USA came home with more medals       than ever. Amateur Radio Newsline's Joe Moell, K0OV, the details.              --              Every two years, on-foot hidden transmitter hunters get together to see who       is best in the world. The Sixteenth World Championships of Amateur Radio       Direction Finding, or ARDF, took place at a ski resort in the mountains of       central Serbia. In these big forests, about 330 foxhunters from 33 countries       searched for transmitters on two meters and 80 meters using direction       finding gear, maps, and compasses, but no GPS. USA was represented by nine       men and four women from six states. They ranged in age from 27 to 71.              In previous world championships, USA has won no more than two medals, and no       golds. But this year, the team members packed thirteen medals into their       suitcases, including four golds.              Standing on the medal podium and hearing the Star-Spangled Banner the most       times was Bob Cooley KF6VSE of Pleasanton, California. He won two golds in       the division for men over age 70 in the World Cup competition for       individuals and another gold for his two-meter run during the main ARDF       competitions. Also winning a playing of our national anthem was Vadim       Afonkin KB1RLI of Newton, Massachusetts, who was this year's Team Captain.       His gold medal was in the 80-meter ARDF competition.              Other Team USA members on the podium included Jay Hennigan WB6RDV of Goleta,       California, who was a silver medalist on 80 meters. Winning bronze in their       divisions on that band were Alla Mezhevaya of Loves Park, Illinois, Ruth       Bromer WB4QZG of Raleigh, North Carolina and Karla Leach KC7BLA of Bozeman,       Montana.              Team USA members earned their right to go to Serbia by medaling in the USA       ARDF Championships this June at Mt. Laguna, California and in earlier US       championships.              You can read more about Team USA and the ARDF World Championships at       www.homingin.com. There are plenty of photos, plus links to the complete       results. That's homingin, as one word, homingin.com.              From southern California, where ARDF activities take place all year long,       this is Joe Moell, K0OV, for the Amateur Radio Newsline.              --              Again, more information is on-line at www.homingin.com. And "homingin" is       spelled as one word. (K0OV)              **              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 WIA 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.              And a reminder to those of you who still receive these newscasts over our       661-296-2407 dial in line rater than downloading the MP3 file from our       website. Of late we have noticed a major decline in the number of those       calling into it and as such we are giving consideration to discontinuing it       by years end. But before we do, we want to know how many people are       actually using it. If you are one of those who call in each week on the       phone, please send us a note telling us who you are and the reason you are       using telephone access rather than simply downloading the newscast from the       Internet.              Our address is the Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Saugus       California, 91350. Or, as we said, you can e-mail us at newsline (at)       arnewsline (dot) org. We look forward to hearing from you.              For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Damron,       N8TMW, saying 73 from Charleston, West Virginia. 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       described in this posting. If you have any specific questions concerning       the actual posting of this message service, you may address them to       hamfdn -at- wpusa.dynip.com.              Thank you and good day!              -73-                      * Origin: (1:3634/12)    |
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