Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1925 - July, 4 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1925 with a release date of July 4
2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. The ARRL works with Congress to get The
Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 introduced to the House of
Representatives; hams in Italy get another chance to use the 4 meter
band; WRTC 2014 competition takes place on July 12th and 13th; Coconino
County Arizona revises its controversial distracted driving law to
exempt hams; Congress weighs in on Net Neutrality and after 70 years
Morse code returns to a secret World War 2 Australian base. Find out
the details are on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1925 coming
your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
--
RADIO LAW: ARRL WORKS WITH CONGRESS TO INTRODUCE BILL TO ECTEND PRB-1
TO INCLUDE CCR'S
The ARRL reports that a bill with bipartisan support has been
introduced in the US House of Representatives. One that calls on the
FCC to apply the reasonable accommodation three-part test of the PRB-1
federal pre- emption policy to private land-use restrictions. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reports:
--
The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 also known as HR.4969 was
introduced on June 25th at the request of the American Radio Relay
League which worked with House of Representative staffers to draft the
proposed legislation. The bill's sponsor is Representative Adam
Kinzinger of Illinois and it has initial co-sponsorship from
Representative Joe Courtney of Connecticut.
If the measure is approved by the 113th Congress, it would require the
FCC, within 120 days of the bill's passage, to amend the Part 97
Amateur Service rules to apply PRB-1 coverage to include homeowners'
association regulations and deed restrictions. These are often
referred to as covenants, conditions, and restrictions and presently
PRB-1 only applies to state and local zoning laws and ordinances.
HR.4969 has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Representative Greg Walden, W-7-E-Q- eye of Oregon chairs that panel's
Communications and Technology Subcommittee, which will consider the
measure.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los
Angeles.
--
ARRL Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, is a principal
advocate for the current legislative initiative to gain PRB-1
recognition for CC&Rs. Lisenco said the most urgent task now is to
get additional co-sponsors to sign onto HR.4969. (ARRL)
**
RADIO RULES: HAMS IN ITALY GET AMOTHER CHANCE AT USING 70 MHZ
Radio Amateurs in Italy have again been granted temporary access to the
ITU Region One 70 MHz or 4 meter band. At least until December 19th all
Italian stations are authorized to use this band except within 30
kilometers of the borders with Austria, Switzerland and France.
Specific frequencies being permitted are 70.1, 70.2 and 70.3 MHz with a
maximum bandwidth of 25 kHz. All modes may be used as long as they do
not exceed 50 watts of Effective Radiated Power. (Southgate)
**
RADIOSPORTS: WORLD TEAM RADIOSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP JULY 12 - 13
The World Radiosport Team Championship 2014 operating event will take
place on Saturday, July 12th beginning at 1200 UTC and concluding
Sunday the 13th at 1200 hours UTC.
WRTC2014 pits fifty-nine two-operator amateur radio teams, representing
32 countries, in a battle of operating skill and strategy from
identical locations and using identical antenna systems. Competing
teams were selected from 29 qualifying regions around the world based
on scores in a series of 55 qualifying events over a 3 year period.
The team with the best score during the 24 hour operating competition
will claim the gold medal and earn the distinction of being the best in
the world.
Live video streaming of some of the social events surrounding WRTC2014
will begin on Wednesday July 9th. These include the welcoming BBQ
Dinner, the opening ceremony as well as the closing ceremony.
The World Radiosport Team Championship is held every four years. This
year's venue is in and around the city of Westborough, Massachusetts.
Previous events have been held in Seattle, San Francisco, Slovenia,
Finland, Brazil and most recently in Russia. More about this years
happening is on the web at www.wrtc2014.org (ARRL, WRTC2014)
**
RADIO RECORDS: BRENDAN TROPHY ATTEMPT ABOUT TO GET UNDERWAY
The Irish Radio Transmitters Society's Brendan Trophy for the first
two-way transatlantic amateur communication on 2 meters has gone
unclaimed for years but that could change within the coming days. This
with the announcement of a highly determined attempt that is about to
get underway by the Brendan Quest team operating from Pouch Cove,
Newfoundland.
Using 750 watts of power to a 98 foot long 43-element Yagi at some 25
feet above average terrain, the VC1T team hopes to achieve
transatlantic communication first on 2 meters which remains one of the
few remaining VHF amateur radio distance records. The two stations
involved must be located on land or non-tidal waterways within the
continental shelves of Europe and North America. The limit of the
continental shelf of Europe is considered to lie along the line of
maximum depth between the European land mass and Iceland,. That of
North America is defined to lie along the line of maximum depth between
Canada and Greenland.
A detailed operating schedule has now been released along with the
procedure and a description of the modes that will be used. Modes
include CW, SSB and WSJT. The latter being for digital attempts. All
the needed information including a full description of the monster
antenna being used can be found on-line at brendanquest.org. (GB2RS,
SARL, others)
**
RADIO TO SPACE: SEND YOUR NAME AND CALL TO AN ASTEROID NASA is
inviting people around the world to submit their names to be etched on
a microchip aboard a spacecraft headed to the asteroid Bennu in 2016.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, is here to tell you
how:
--The "Messages to Bennu!" microchip will travel to the asteroid aboard
the Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security
Regolith Explorer spacecraft. The robotic mission will spend more than
two years at the asteroid, which has a width of approximately 1,760
feet. While there it will collect samples of Bennu's surface and
return it to Earth in a special capsule. The deadline to submit names
online is this coming September 30th. Those who take part in the
Messages to Bennu campaign will be able to print a certificate of
appreciation to document their involvement.
To submit your name, or maybe your name and callsign following your
last name, simply visit planetary.org/bennu on the World Wide Web and
fill out the very simple form. Figuring out how and where to add your
ham radio call sign should be quite easy.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB reporting.
--
If you want to get regular updates on the mission you can do so simply
by following it on Fecebook at the
www.planetary.org/get-involved/messages/bennu/ (NASA, Planetary
Society via published news reports)
**
DX UP FRONT: NIUE IN DECEMBER
In DX up front, JA1XGI has announced his next operation will be from
Niue between December 1st and the 6th and is and his expected to be
issued the callsign will be E6XG. Activity will be on 160 through 10
meters, looking for Europe and North America especially on lower bands.
Modes mentioned are CW, SSB and some digital. QSL via his home
callsign either direct or by the bureau. An online QSL request service
or OQRS will be available on ClubLog. (OPDX)
**
DX UP FRONT: BENIN HOPEFULLY IN LATE NOVEMBER
Members of the Italian DXpedition Team have announced their next
operation will be from Benin. According to an announcement on the
group's website, on the plus side they have already been assigned the
call TY1AA. However, owing to working commitments of some members of
the team at the moment they are not able to announce an exact date for
the DXpedition. Therefore, the actual date could vary somewhat with
respect to the already announced date of November 20th to the 30th.
Once on the air activity will be on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB
and RTTY. QSL's will go via I2YSB, either direct or via the Bureau.
(Southgate, 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
Cavernaun Amateur Radio Association's club net serving the city of
Bordeaux, France.
(5 sec pause here)
**
RADIO LAW: COCONINO COUNTY AZ AMMENDS CONTRIVERSIAL DIRSTRACTED
DRIVING LAW
A big win for amateur radio and other two way radio services in
Coconino Country Arizona. This as the County Board of Supervisors
reverses itself on a number off key elements in what had become one of
the nation's most controversial distracted driving laws. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Bill Pasternak, is in the Newsroom with the details:
--
On June 26th the Coconino County Arizona Board of Supervisors approved
changes to ordinance regulating the use of communication devices while
driving. Before the changes were approved, anyone caught with a
hand-held push to talk microphone while their vehicle was in motion and
they were behind the steering wheel was subject to be issued a
citation.
Among several new exemptions is one that applies to those who holds a
valid amateur radio operator license issued by or any license issued by
the Federal Communications Commission or the driver who uses two-way
radio such as a CB.
Matt Ryan is the Coconino Board Chairman. He stated that the Board and
other county officials remain dedicated to enhancing public safety by
reducing injuries and fatal crashes on our roadways. However, it was
brought to their attention that the originally approved ordinance
created hardships for specific segments of drivers, such as truckers,
amateur radio operators and bus drivers.
Ryan added that while the overall goal is to curb distracted driving,
that the Board still feels the ordinance as revised does exactly that.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the
newsroom in Los Angeles.
--
For the purpose of informing and educating the public and motorists,
the ordinance allows for law enforcement officers to issue verbal
warnings to persons found violating the terms of the revised ordinance
through November 22nd. Law enforcement officers will then have
discretion on whether or not to issue a citation. (K5KNM, others)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC DISMISSES LONG STANDING LICENSE RENEWAL APPLICATION
OF K1MAN
After being on-hold for more than 9 years, the FCC has dismissed the
license renewal application of Glen Baxter, K1MAN, of Bellgrade Lake,
Maine. This because he failed to pay a long standing $10,000 fine
issued against him by the regulatory agency.
In its letter notifying Baxter of this action, the FCC stated that his
application could not be processed because it was red lighted by the
FCC's Universal Licensing System. It went on to note that the Red
Light Rule was adopted as part of the Federal Communication
Commission's ongoing effort to implement the Debt Collection
Improvement Act. This law provides that the Commission check whether
entities or individuals seeking licenses or other benefits from the FCC
are delinquent in debt owed to the Commission.
The FCC added that anyone filing an application or seeking a benefit
that is found to be delinquent in debt owed to the FCC and who fails to
pay the debt in full or make other satisfactory arrangements in a
timely manner will have their application dismissed. Because Baxter
had failed to resolve this matter according to those rules that his
application was being dismissed. (FCC)
**
COMMUNICATIONS LAW: CONGRESS WEIGHS IN ON NET NEUTRALITY
The concept of Net Neutrality appears to be hitting home with the
nations law makers as we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Hal
Rodgers, K8CMD:
--
Congress is weighing in on the issue of Net Neutrality. On June 17th
Senator Patrick Leahy and Representative Doris Matsui introduced the
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act. If passed into law, the
measure would grant the Federal Communications Commission the authority
to bar paid prioritization agreements between internet service
providers and content providers over the last-mile of a broadband
connection.
As written, broadband provider would not be allowed to speed up one
service at the expense of any other. Nor would providers be permitted
to charge extra fees to particular content providers. Internet Service
Providers would also be barred from prioritizing their own services or
devices over competitors.
The legislative maneuver appears designed to try and supersede the
FCC's current regulatory efforts to seek public comment on a proposal
to bar internet actions that it might deem to be commercially
unreasonable violations of the principle of network neutrality. The
Online Competition and Consumer Choice Act has already garnered support
from net neutrality advocates.
Im Hal Rogers, K8CMD.
--
How far this measure will get in Congress will depend on the amount of
cooperation that can be generated between Republicans and Democrats
over this issue. Net Neutrality is an important issue in the ham radio
community because more and more aspects of the hobby such as station
remote control and satellite tracking rely on unencumbered high speed
Internet connectivity. (Published news reports)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: FCARC STATION W9ZL TO CELEBRATE AIRVENTURE 2014
The Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club will once again be operating special
event station W9ZL from July 30th through August 3rd. This in
celebration of AirVenture 2014 hosted by the Experimental Aviation
Association in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club has been sponsoring this special
event station for 21 years. Plans for 2014 are to have W9ZL operate
from the Experimental Aviation Association fairgrounds during the
fly-in using SSB on 7.250, 14.250 and 50.150 MHz.
A special commemorative certificate will be available for those who
make contact. Just QSL with a Self Addressed Stamped envelope direct
to the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club AirVenture 2014, PO Box 2346,
Appleton Wisconsin, 54912.
More about AirVenture 2014 can be found at www.eaa.org while
information about the Fox Cities Amateur Radio Club is at www.fcarc.us.
(AB9AH)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER EXAMINER RECOGNIZED BY
GOVERNOR:
Some names in the news. First up this week is ARRL VEC Volunteer
Examiner Truett Smith, N4TK. Butch Smith as he is better known in ham
radio circles has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the
Governor of Tennessee on behalf of the Nashville VE Team. N4TK is one
of the founding members of the group which has been continuously
offering Amateur Radio exams since 1986. Smith not only maintains the
VE team website but also delivers the official opening remarks at test
sessions.
Professionally, N4TK is a well known broadcast industry consultant who
operates Media Broadcast Integration and Technical Services
Incorporated in Nashville. He was also a contributor to several
ARRL-produced promotional and educational video's made in the late
1980's. (ARRL, KW6A, ARNewsline)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: VE7NL APPOINTED RAC SEC FOR ALBERTA CANADA
Radio Amateurs of Canada has announced the recent appointment of Neal
Sunderland VE6NL, as Section Emergency Coordinator for Alberta,
Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Sunderland has been involved in
many areas of radio both professionally and privately for more than 40
years. He became a licensed radio amateur five years ago and has been
active in ARES in the Calgary region. VE6NL is trained in and has
worked professionally in Search and Rescue, Emergency Medicine and
other related fields. (RAC, VE4BAW)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: AUSTRALIAN ASTRO HAM ANDY THOMAS RETIRES
Australian space explorer Andy Thomas has retired to his Texas ranch
after 22 years with NASA and 4 months living in zero gravity on the Mir
space station. Recently Dr. Thomas, who holds the call VK5MIR, has
been leading design teams whose projects included a return visit to the
moon, and a first visit to Mars. His 40 acre ranch property in central
Texas is where he plans to live with his astronaut wife Shannon Walker.
At this tome she is still in the NASA program and hoping for at least
one more flight. We might add that QSL's to Dr. Thomas might be a bit
difficult to deliver as the various on-line call sign databases list
his QTH as the MIR Space Station which deorbited and essentially burned
up in the Earth's atmosphere on March 21st of 2001. (WIA)
**
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)
**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: MONARCH BUTTERFLY HAS MAGNETIC COMPASS
Researchers now say that the monarch butterfly uses a magnetic compass
to guide its extraordinary migration thousands of miles across North
America.
Monarchs are believed to possess a form of Sun compass but even on
cloudy days they still keep flying south towards Mexico. To test for
the theory that they also possessed a form of magnetic compass
scientists strapped butterflies into a flight simulator allowing them
to point in any direction while flying. They then surrounded the
chamber with a magnetic coil and then varied the inclination angle of
the field while at the same time exposing them to ultra-violet light.
This in essence effectively changed the position of the equator and the
poles. The monarchs responded by turning in the direction they
perceived as south.
More about this research can be found on the web at
tinyurl.com/monarch-butterfly-experiment. (Published news reports)
**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT QUANTUM PARTICLES CAN TUNNEL
THROUGH MULTIPLE BARRIERS
According to the new study, quantum particles have been found capable
of tunneling through multiple long range barriers. This is a
phenomenon that is known as quantum tunnel effect.
Formerly, this procedure was for one particle to pass through one
barrier. However the latest study was conducted by a team of
researchers at the Institute for Experimental Physics in Austria showed
the tunneling of quantum particles through five consecutive barriers
simultaneously is possible with the help of an effect known as Bose
enhancement. Bose enhancement is a phenomenon that effects in
high-energy heavy-ion collisions.
How the study was performed and its findings to date were published in
a recent issue of the journal Science. More is on the web at
tinyurl.com/quantum-particle-barrier. (techsonia.com)
**
WORLDBEAT: UK CB OPERATOR LUCKLY AVOIDS BEING HIT BY LIGHTNING STRIKE
TO HIS STATION
Turning to news from around the world, word that a United Kingdom CB
radio enthusiast was likely moments away from being electrocuted when a
lightning bolt hit his antenna and blew up his station equipment.
According to the news account Robin Tester had just used his radio to
warn a friend of an impending storm. He then turned off his gear and
within moments the lightning bolt struck the antenna located in his
garden only some 6 feet away from his home.
According to Tester, the lightning strike destroyed his radio, the
microphone and parts of the antenna. He noted that he did have a good
lightning arrester connected between the radio and the antenna but that
was destroyed as well.
According to Tester, the only saving grace was the fact that the
antenna lead in travels underground so it was able to ground out some
of the strike. Tester added that had it not been, it would have been
worse. (HuntsPost.com)
**
WORLDBEAT: INTERNATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE AND LIGHTSHIP WEEKEND REGISTRATION
OPEN
Jim Linton, VK3PC, reports from down-under that registrations of marine
beacons in the upcoming International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
continue to grow. As we go to air Jim says that the total stands at
over 300 from 36 countries.
International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is an annual event that
aims to raise public awareness of the need to preserve and restore old
structures used to navigate ships. At the same time it is a great way
to promote Amateur Radio portable operations.
This years event is slated to take place the weekend of August 16th and
the 17th. To learn the simple guidelines or register the location you
plan to activate just take your web browser to illw.net (VK3PC)
**
WORLDBEAT: JARL ELECTS NEW LEADERSHIP
The Japan Amateur Radio League has announced the election of a new
President and two vice presidents. According to Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP,
the new President of JARL is Toshihiko Yamanouchi, JA7AYW, with Kimio
Maegawa, JA9BOH and Yoshinori Takao, JG1KTC, taking on the role of Vice
Presidents. The post of Executive Director and IARU liaison was filled
by Hiroyoshi Tamama, JA1SLS. The election took place at the Japan
Amateur Radio League's ammual assembly held on June 15th. (JA1CJP,
Southgate)
**
DX
In DX, DL2DXA and DJ5AA are reported to be on the air as 5P2X from the
island of Vendsyssel. No bands, modes or operating schedule has been
mentioned. QSL via DL2DXA. AG6OU should once again be active as XW6OU
from Vientiane, Laos. His operation should be on 20 meters mainly SSB.
The exact length of his stay is not known but if you make contact QSL
via E21EIC direct or electronically using eQSL.
PD7YY will be operational stroke OZ from Langeland Island between July
19th to the 25th. This will be a holiday style operation on the High
Frequency bands. No modes were mentioned. QSL via PD7YY direct or via
the bureau. No electronic QSL's will be available for his operation.
Members of the Union De Radioaficionados De Tenerife will be active as
EA8URT from the Canary Islands during the RSGB Islands on the Air
contest on July 27th and 28th. QSL direct as instructed on QRZ.com or
via the bureau.
ON6DSL will operational stroke SV9 from Crete from August 1st to the
10th. His mode of operation will be SSB using QRP at 5 watts into a
home built antenna. QSL via his home callsign to the UBA Bureau.
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: MORSE RETURNS TO WW2 SECRET BASE DOWN- UNDER
And finally this week, 7 News Australia reports a secret World War 2
base in northern Victoria state, that has resumed Morse code radio
communication with the world after more than 70 silent years. Graham
Kemp, VK4BB, of the WIA News has the details:
--
The restored Flying Boat Museum at Lake Boga near Swan Hill in
northwest Victoria was the home of the No. 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot
during World War II.
Now a Lions Club project it's a fitting memorial to the 1,000 who made
a sterling contribution at the repair and radio base that kept the
Catalina Aircraft serving.
Hidden from aerial view with bomb-proof walls is a Communications
Bunker. It has been restored and put on air by Thomas Brownstein
VK3EO, complete with war-time receivers and smaller transmitters.
The latest media coverage of the Flying Boat Museum has been on the
Channel 7 network news that featured a radio amateur and his realized
efforts to put it back on air.
Thomas VK3EO was interviewed while on the key in contact with the
former enemy - a QSO with a JA station near Tokyo. Among his other CW
contacts he has spoken to Europe, America and New Zealand.
Dropping in at the time of the recent TV news interview was Jean
Willox, a war-time radio operator who tried the key for the first time
since the war, and described it really amazing.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Keemp, VK4BB, of the WIA
News in Australia.
--
Thomas Brownstein, VK3EO, also teaches youngsters about Morse code and
what went on in secrecy during World War 2. He described the whole
experience as being a little like magic. WIA News)
**
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(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, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California,
91350.
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim
Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West Virginia, saying 73 and we thank you
for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(TM) is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.