Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1922 - June 13, 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1922 with a release date of June
13 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. The FCC announces some changes to Amateur
Radio licensing and more; hams take issue with indoor marijuana farmers
over interference from grow lights; a pair of X Class flares erupt on
the Sun; Marines learn how to T-hunt from a North Carolina radio club,
Dayton announces 2014 Hamvention attendance and part two of our look at
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. All this and more on
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1922 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RADIO REGULATION: FCC REVISES RULES ON AMATEUR LICENSING AND NEW MODES
The FCC says that the public interest will be served by revising the
Amateur Service rules to grant partial examination credit for certain
expired amateur operator licenses, to permit examinations to be
administered remotely, and to permit amateur stations to use
technologies that stations in other services are already permitted to
use. This is the gist of a Report and Order issued by the regulatory
agency on June 9th that acts on several long stand rules changes
requests. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PW, is here with
the details:
--
In its decision the FCC will make it a bit easier for hams whose
licenses have expired to get back into the service. This by granting
written examination credit for test Elements 3 and 4 to holders of
expired licenses that initially required passage of these elements.
However the regulatory agency will require former license holders whose
lapsed licenses have gone past the two year renewal grace period to
pass the Element 2 Technician class exam to get their licenses
restored.
In the same action the Commission refused to give examination credit to
the holder of an expired Certificate of Successful Completion of
Examination. Nor will it extend the validity of them for the lifetime
of the holder of these documents.
The FCC has decided to continue the requirement that three Volunteer
Examiners be present at amateur testing sessions. The agency had
earlier proposed to drop that number down to two after noting that some
applicants could not find a test session because it was not possible to
find three volunteer examiners in some rural geographic areas.
There was strong opposition to this proposal by the majority of those
filing comments as well as the American Radio Relay league. In
deciding against making this change the FCC said that it was persuaded
to keep the current three Volunteer Examiner rule to assure that the
security and quality of exams would not be compromised.
While the number of Volunteer Examinees will remain at three the FCC
did offer some relief for those who cannot find a local exam session.
This in approving the concept of allowing remote testing.
The report and Order says that allowing Volunteer Examineers and
V-E-C's the option of administering examinations at locations remote is
warranted. It notes that as far back as 2002 the National Conference
of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators endorsed experimental use of
videoconferencing technology to conduct Amateur Radio testing in remote
areas of Alaska. Also that the Anchorage Volunteer Examination
Coordinator group has long requested such a change. It cited the
expense to provide amateur radio test sessions to Alaska residents
living in remote areas of that state.
The FCC declined to address the mechanics of remote testing as this
will likely vary from location to location and session to session. It
stated that specific rules spelling out how to administer exam sessions
remotely could limit the flexibility of conducting these sessions.
Instead it re-asserted that the obligation on the part of Volunteer
Examiners and V-E-C's to administer examinations responsibly applies in
full to remote testing as well as any other test session.
Last but by no means least the FCC has adopted an ARRL proposal to
authorize certain types of Time Division Multiple Access better known
as T-D-M-A emissions for permanent use by radio amateurs. Back in 2013
the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau had granted an League request
for a temporary blanket waiver to permit radio amateurs to transmit
emissions with designators FXD, FXE, and F7E pending resolution of the
rulemaking petition. In issuing its final decision on this matter the
FCC stated that those commenting strongly supported such a change. Also
noted was that such a modification to its rules is consistent with the
basis and purpose of the Part 97 Amateur Service.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los
Angeles.
--
All of these rules changes become effective 30 days after their
publication in The Federal Register. We should have that date for you
next week.
(FCC)
**
RADIO REGULATIONS: EDUCATOR GORDON WEST COMMENTS ON RULES CHANGES
One ham very much concerned with ham radio testing procedures is famed
educator Gordon West, WB6NOA. We asked West what he thought of several
of the changes starting with reinstatement for those whose licenses had
lapsed and who had not renewed them within the two-year grace period.
He gave us his personal experience with those wanting back in:
--
WB6NOA: "We get once every two weeks a call from a ham and I tell him
thst he needs to take three exams to get back to Extra class I never
hear from them again. But now Ill be able to say just one examination,
the Element 2 Technician Class and then you will be reinstated to
either your General, Advanced or Extra class license you once held."
--
And what about the requirement that those seeking license reinstatement
outside the grace period be subject to taking a new Technician class
exam? West says that he agrees with the FCC on this:
--
WB6NOA: "I think its good that a reinstated ham would have to pass
some sort of an examination and Element 2 is a good starting point
because Element 2 has a lot more rules and regulations that encompass
the overall ham radio service. So I think they (the FCC) did it just
right by asking the applicant to consider taking the Element 2 exam if
they want yo get back their original general, advanced or extra class
ticket."
--
We also asked WB6NOA for his thoughts on the FCC's decision to permit
remote testing for candidates unable to attend a normal exam session in
person:
--
WB6NOA: "I think our VE program administered by VEC's is pretty darn
tight. And I think that especially up in Alaska where Jim Wiley had a
lot to with some of these suggestions to the Commission; I think there
are areas that we can monitor via teleconference to insure exam
integrity and getting more hams to pass tests amd upgrading that we
might not have had before because we could not get a three member team
to them."
--
Finally we asked him to give us his overall thoughts on the way the FCC
handled these changes to ham radio exam and licenses reinstatement
procedures.
--
WB6NOA: "I'm delighted to see that the FCC has taken the amount of
time to consider all of the comments that fellow hams and I have
submitted to them on these three topics. It tells me that the FCC
continuously listen to input and that they cite those inputs to base on
what their decision is and I think its good that we have a Commission
that listens as well as enacts new rules."
--
The assessment of the regulatory changes to ham radio licensing and
testing from amateur radio educator Gordon West, WB6NOA. (ARNewsline)
**
RADIO LAW: IARUMS SUVCCEEDS IN GETTING AUSTRALIAN RADAR OFF 20 METERS
In other news, the IARU Monitoring System newsletter reports success in
getting an Australian radar system removed from the 20 meter ham band.
According to a report from Wolf Hadel, DK2OM, back on May 10th John
Martin, ZL1GWE and another source informed him about a Superdarn Radar
found to be on 14 dot 050 MHz. It turned out that this radar system
was being operated by the La Trobe University in Australia.
At this point DK2OM got back to ZL1GWE who informed the university that
it was operating in a ham radio band. Hadel also sent the information
to Peter Young, VK3MV who serves as the IARU Monitoring System Region 3
coordinator. He in turn informed the Australian Department of Post and
Telecommunications of the situation.
The bottom line: Thanks to the combined efforts of these three hams
the offending radar signal was gone from 20 meters within two days.
(IARUMS)
**
DX UP FRONT: EASTER ISLAND IN JANUARY 2015
In DX up-front, word that a team of operators from Japan will likely be
on the air with their individual home callsigns stroke C-E-Zero-Y from
Hare Kapone on Easter Island between January 9th to the 17th of 2015.
Activity will be holiday style on 80 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and
the Digital modes. QSL via the operator's instructions. (OPDX)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
NS4R repeater serving Jacksonville, Florida.
(5 sec pause here)
**
RADIO PROPAGATION: TWIN SOLAR FLARES ON JUNE 10
Various news sources report that the Sun unleashed a pair of X-class
solar flares in the span of one hour and 10 minutes on Tuesday morning
June 10th. These flares came from a sunspot on the lower left limb of
our home star that had just rotated into view and was named Active
Region 2087 by solar scientists.
The first flare was the more powerful of the two erupted at 7:42 a.m.
Eastern Daylight Time and was declared a class X 2 point 2. The second
came at 8:52 a.m. Eastern and was designated an X 1 point 5.
X-rays and Ultra Violet radiation from the double flare created a wave
of ionization in Earth's upper atmosphere, altering the normal
propagation of radio transmissions over Europe. Preliminary images
from NASA's STEREO probes show a bright Coronal Mass Ejection emerging
from the blast area but it was away from the sun-Earth line. As such,
no strong impacts were expected.
The area calmed down after its two violent outbursts but the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction
Center says the new active region remains a potent force. As such
there could be more flares that could cause radio blackouts if they
here on Earth if they were to take place. (Spaceweather, other
published news reports)
**
ENFORCEMENT: POT GROWERS LIGHTS VS THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM
Marijuana growing operations using what are called indoor grow lights
are making life miserable for hams and S-W-L's. That's because many of
these units emit wide-band interference all across the High Frequency
radio spectrum. Some can even wreck havoc on the bands from 6 meters
and above. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has more on
the problem of pot growers versus two-way radio:
--
A recent story picked up by USA TODAY and the Associated Press from the
pages of The Coloradan newspaper reports on this new source of
interference for amateur radio operators.
The story tracks the problems faced by Thomas Thompson, W0IVJ, of
Boulder, Colorado, who discovered RF interference which he traced to
the ballasts of the grow lights being used by some of his neighbors.
Thompson reported his findings to the ARRL and also posted a page about
the problem on the web. You can find it at
http://tomthompson.com/radio/GrowLig...htBallastFilte r.html
He notes the interference problem is significant on 40 meters.
Thompson, a retired electrical engineer, was able to find the source of
the interference with direction-finding equipment, according to the
news stories. He then decided that the best way to address the problem
was to build filters for his neighbors to take care of the
interference.
The ARRL, according to the Coloradan, filed a complaint with the FCC
about the grow lamps.
The Coloradan says the FCC told its reporter that agency is aware of
the interference, but didn't say what it was going to do about it.
The ARRL has produced information about the problem at a link on its
website. You can find that at www.arrl.org/grow-light-rfi. It
recommends filters and choke to alleviate the problem, if you know the
neighbor where you've identified the source.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V.
--
One word of caution to any ham thinking of confronting a suspected
Marijuana grower, especially if it's someone you do not know. In three
words: "don't do it." While there may be some people out there who are
growing these plants for medical use, you could easily run into a large
scale cultivating operation being run by members of the underworld who
are armed and dangerous. Instead, if you T-Hunt down such a location
just file a report of the interference and where you believe it's
coming from with your closest FCC office and let the professionals
handle it from there. (The Coloradian, others)
**
RESCUE RADIO: MARINES LEARN T-HUNTING FROM HAM RADIO GROUP
United States Marines know that eing able to locate a lost person or
find an enemy might save lives and their training prepares them for
this. But there are some things classroom training can't teach, which
is why Sergent. Philip Rice, KK4NBK, and a dozen other Marines recently
traveled from Camp Lejeune to Salisbury, North Carolina to learn the
art of hidden transmitter hunting from members of the Rowan Amateur
Radio Society.
In an interview with the Sailsbury Post newspaper, Sergeant Rice said
he tries to locate opportunities for hands-on training that will help
members of his unit be more prepared for their duties. As a part of
the days training, club members Tommie Wood, N4YZ, and Gary Lang,
K4GHL, showed some of the specialized antennas used for radio
direction-finding. Afterward, the Marines paired up with members of
the club as they fanned out through woods on the outskirts of Salisbury
for a T-Hunt practice session.
According to Sergeant Rice, amateur radio is a good way to open
people's minds, and prepare them for more than just our current war on
terror. You can read the entire story of this group effort between the
Marines and the Rowan Amateur Radio Society at
tinyurl.com/marines-and-hams (Sailsbury Post)
**
RADIO IN THE PRESS: A GOODBYE TO ALASKA'S HAARP RESEARCH FACILITY
An interesting article on the demise of the High Frequency Active
Auroral Research Program, or HAARP facility in Alaska appeared in the
June 4th edition of the Anchorage Press newspaper.
The article by Mary Lochner not only tells some of the history of the
multi-megawatt transmitting station but also explains in easy to
understand terminology just how the High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program actually functioned. It also goes into some of the
unsuccessful efforts undertaken by supporters of the research facility
to keep it from being shuttered and torn down.
Titled HAARP Plays One Last Song, you can read the very fascinating
story on-line at tinyurl.com/haarp-swansong. (Anchorage Press)
**
RADIO BUSINESS: BAOFENG CHANGES NAME TO POFUNG
Radio supplier Baofeng has changed its product distribution name to
Pofung for all sales outside China. In an announcement on its website
the company says that it feels it's time to adapt its brand to the
global stage. It notes that the current name Baofeng is a literal
translation of it's Chinese character name, and as such it may be
difficult for a hobbyist elsewhere in the world to pronounce. The
company say that its new product name of Pofung is easier to pronounce
and more friendly to its customers, while maintaining the phonetic
symbolism of its brand. The company's official web domain
www.baofengradio.com will remain unchanged. (Baofeng)
**
HAMVENTION 2014: THE NUMBERS ARE IN
It seems that each year after the close of Hamvention that there is a
big guessing game as to attendance. Long ago it was just between hams
talking on the telephone, but since the advent of the World-Wide-Web
it's kind of become an on-line sport or some such. Well the results
are now in and the number was announced at a recent meeting of the
Dayton Amateur Radio Association by this year's Assistant General
Chairman, Jim Tiderman, N8IDS:
--
N8IDS: "Those who guessed close to 25,000 were the closest. The actual
number was 24,873."
--
So how does this compare with years past? Well in 2013 some 24,542
hams made the trek to Hamvention for a net increase of 331 attendees
this year. Its also way up from 2008 when only 17,250 showed up at the
Hara Arena gates. The bottom line is that as the world's economy
improves so does the number of visitors to the Dayton Hamvention and
that's good news for everyone concerned. (ARNewsline with audio from
DARA meeting streaming)
**
DAYTON 2014: CTU VIDEOS POSTED AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF CTU AT ARRL
CENTENNIAL
Tim Duffy, K3LR, says that select video presentations from the 2014
Contest University held at the recent Dayton Hamvention are now
available for viewing at the Contest University website. The shortcut
URL is simply tinyurl.com/ctu-video-2014
Also, for the first time in eight years there will be a second Contest
University in the United States offered in the same year. This one
will take place on Thursday, July 17th which is the opening day of the
ARRL Centennial Convention in Hartford Connecticut. More information
on this is on the web at arrl2014.org under All Day Training Tracks.
(CTU)
**
DAYTON 2014: K0NEB POSTS ANNUAL HANVENTION VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Also now available on YouTube is a video produced by Joe Eisenberg,
K0NEB taken at these years Hamvention. Titled Sharp Dressed Man, it's
actually a slide show set to music as seen through the lens of Joe's
Canon digital camera. It's a very enjoyable 4 and a half minutes of
Hamvention fun that you can find it by taking your web browser to
tinyurl.com/K0NEB-Dayton-2014 (ARNewsline)
**
BREAK 2
This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website
at www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of
the following radio amateur:
(5 sec pause here)
**
WORLDBEAT: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST UK EME CONTACT
A big celebration of early ham radio on earth to moon to earth contacts
will soon take place in the United Kingdom as we hear from Jeremy Boot,
G4NJH:
--
July 2014 marks the 50th anniversary of the first time that amateur
signals from the UK reached other parts of the world by bouncing off
the moon, a technique now known as moonbounce or EME, earth-moon-earth.
In the July 1964 edition of Radio Communications the RSGB announced
that at 20.20 GMT on June 13th, 1964, G3LTF at Galleywood, Essex, and
KP4BPZ in Puerto Rico, made contact on 430 Mc/s by bouncing their
signals off the moon. Signal reports were RST459 both ways. A further
contact took place one hour later.
KP4BPZ was fortunate in having the 1000 foot radio-telescope dish
aerial at Arecibo, Puerto Rico at his disposal. G3LTF's equipment
included a 15 foot dish aerial and an AF139 transistor preamplifier for
reception. Power input to the PA was 150 watts.
What is more remarkable is that Peter, G3LTF is still active on
moon-bounce and is one of the world's leading pioneers.
I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH, in Nottiningham in the U.K. for the Amateur
Radio Newsline.
--
And less we forget our heartiest congratulations to Jeremy and to the
GB2RS Podcast team on having received 100,000 hits on their weekly
newscasts on Podbean. Each week the the GB2RS audio newscast is
uploaded to both iTunes and podbean.com. (GB2RS)
**
WORLDBEAT: GUEST OPERATION IN BRAZIL DURING FIFA 2014 WORLD CUP
The Brazilian Amateur Radio League has obtained special permission from
telecommunications regulator ANATEL. This, to permit foreign amateurs
visiting that nation to operate during the duration FIFA World Cup.
During June and July, any foreign amateur will be able to operate in
Brazil regardless of the existence of reciprocity agreement between
countries. No special license is necessary and no fees are required.
Hams who wish to take advantage of this opportunity need only send the
Brazilian Amateur Radio League copies of certain documents. These
include a copy of the identification pages of their valid passport, a
copy of a valid amateur radio license of his or her country, a list of
cities from where he or she intends to operate and an e-mail address
for contact. The documents should be scanned and sent via e-mail to
executive (at) labre (dot) org (dot) br.
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international
football competition played by the senior men's national teams all of
whom are members of the F‚d‚ration Internationale de Football
Association. (RAC)
**
DX
In DX, ZL1GWE will be active as 5WZ1JM from Savaii, Samoa until June
23rd. He's reported to be operating on 40 through 10 meters using CW
and SSB. QSL via his home callsign.
DL2JRM will be operational portable stroke CT9 from Madeira Island
through June 19th. Activity is on 80 through 10 meters CW. QSL via
his home callsign, direct or by the Bureau.
K2QBV will be active as E51QBV from Rarotonga Island between July 8th
to the 21st. According to K2QBV this is not a DXpedition but rather
the second phase of his summer vacation that will start in New Zealand.
QSL via his home station address.
VK3ATX will be operational stroke P from Gabo Island on August 16th and
17th. Activity will be on the High Frequency bands. QSL via his home
callsign, direct only.
VK3VTH will be active stroke 7 from King Island between August 14th to
the17th. His operation will be on 40 and 20 meters using SSB only. QSL
via VK3VTH either direct or via the bureau.
OH4SS will be operational stroke OH0 from Brando Island between June
28th and the 30th. Activity will probably be only on 40, 17 and 15
meters on SSB only. QSL direct only via OH4SS.
Lastly, AF1G is reported operational from Andros Island on the
weekends, U.S. holidays and some contests. His activity is on 80
through 6 meters using SSB and the digital modes. QSL Logbook of the
World or direct with a self addressed stamped envelope direct only. No
bureau QSL's for this one.
(This weeks DX news courtesy of OPDX and other DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: ARISS REVISITED - PART 2
And finally this week we present part 2 of a look back at the Amateur
Radio on the International Space Station or ARISS program. Or in this
case, maybe more of a look at it today. Here's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH:
--
According to Part 3 of KN4AQ's mini-documentary ARISS to the MAX, NASA
would like to see participation in an ARISS contact to go beyond a few
students involved in an exchange with crew members on board the
International Space Station. And on the occasion of the contact with
the Dixon Elementary School in North Carolina two Public Information
Officers pitched in to assist.
Suzie Ulbrich is the PIO for Onslow County Schools, and Janice Hopkins,
KJ4JPE, a new ARRL PIO covering coastal North Carolina. Ulbrich
explained that they had overlapped in making their media contacts, and
it helped:
--
Ulbrich: "When we talked after we found out that we had reached out to
some of the same people. But I think them getting two notices worked
because they really knew how important it was hearing it from them and
hearing it from us. We got responses immediately that "we'll be
there."
--
Hopikns began doing Public Information informally for her local club,
saw how valuable it was, and expanded her coverage:
--
Hopkins: I've been doing that for the last three years by sending my
information out to the different newspapers and magazines. Then I
decided I was going to branch out and (include) the clubs in the area.
Whaytever they did I would try to get into the media. I'm npow an
official PIO for Amateur Radio through the ARRL"
--
ARISS to the MAX then wraps up with a special treat, especially for
those who have never seen nor heard a space shuttle launch. Part Four
is a look back at one of the early SAREX contacts. SAREX, which stands
for the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment is the predecessor to the
ARISS program. It officially began in late 1985 with the flight of
Tony England, W0ORE on board the shuttle Challenger for mission
STS-51-F. This sound you are about to hear is the actual launch
countdown from a SAREX mission number STS-50 in 1992 and was the 6th in
the series of early manned ham radio flights in to space.
--
Audio: STS-50 countdown and launch.
--
The sound of ham radio history, as it was about to be made more than a
decade ago.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.
--
"ARISS to the MAX" can be seen at the web site Ham Radio Now dot TV.
Look for Episode 144. (Ed note: Yes Flight STS-51-F did fly 7 years
prior to STS-50. In 1984 NASA temporarily changed the shuttle flight
numbering system but returned to the original flight numbering system
in the late 1980's. More on this is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...uttle_missions)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the
Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the South
African Radio League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News
and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Our
e-mail address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information
is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located
at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at
Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California,
91350.
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Ralph
Squillace , KK6ITB, near Los Angeles saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.