Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1959 April 4 2015
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1959 with a release date of
Friday, April 4, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1,
The following is a QST. Hams in Oklahoma respond to severe weather
outbreak; the International Telecommunications Union dispatches rescue
radio communications gear to Vanuatu; broadcasters say no to FCC field
office downsizing proposal and a remote controlled asteroid relocation
mission will come before NASA sends a ship to Mars. All this and more
on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1959 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RESCUE RADIO: OKLAHOMA HAMS RESPOND TO TORNADOES
Wednesday, March 25th was a busy afternoon and evening for ham radio
emergency communications volunteers in Oklahoma. This as the Southwest
Independent Repeater Association and the Tulsa Region Skywarn Nets were
active in support of tornado warnings in both Metropolitan areas. Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF reports:
--
[Bill] As the storms progressed across the Tulsa Metro area
many of the early damage reports were passed to The Tulsa
Area Emergency Management Agency via amateur
radio. Oklahoma section radio amateurs, on both sides of
the State reported on these severe weather outbreaks until
the exited late that evening.
According to Lloyd Colton, KC5FM, both the Tulsa and Norman
offices of the National Weather Service have amateur radio
stations. Colton, who is the Oklahoma Section Manager notes
that both encourage Skywarn and Weather Ready Nation
programs in their service area.
KC5FM says that in Severe Weather mode, volunteer radio
amateurs serve as SKYWARN net controllers operating with a
tactical call of "TULSA WEATHER" under using the
callsign WX5TUL. There are 2 dual band radios, radar
displays and monitors to track warnings and briefings, as
well as systems to monitor APRS. Also, the Tulsa Amateur
Radio Club's UHF Super link System is used for SKYWARN
traffic outside the metro area.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
in the newsroom in Los Angeles.
--
In the wake of the severe weather outbreak 25 of the 77
counties in Oklahoma were declared disaster areas by
Governor Mary Fallin while the State's Attorney General
Scott Pruitt warned citizens to be wary of scammers seeking
to take advantage of survivors.
(KC5FM)
**
RESCUE RADIO: ITU SENDS TELECOMS KIT TO VANUATU
The International Telecommunications Union has deployed
emergency telecommunication equipment to Vanuatu following
the devastation caused by Category 5 Cyclone Pam that hit
the archipelago on March 13th.
The ITU dispatched 40 satellite phones, 10 broadband global
area network terminals and 35 solar panels to the island
nation to support relief coordination efforts.
When Cyclone Pam slammed into the Vanuatu archipelago winds
were estimated to have reached 150 miles per hour with gusts
peaking at around 200. This caused massive damage to the
nation's infrastructure while impacting services such as
electricity and communications with the outside world.
Over the years Vanuatu has been a haven for tourists and
DXpeditions. Now, many who had visited are struggling to
recognize damaged landmarks shown on TV news.
(GB2RS)
**
RADIO LAW: BROADCASTERS SAY NO TO FCC ENFORCEMENT
DOWNSIZING?
Broadcasters appear to be in agreement with the ARRL and
numerous other interests that are opposing the Federal
Communications Commission's plan to close two-thirds of its
field offices around the country. Amateur Radio Newsline
Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has the details:
--
[Bruce] A few weeks ago FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler proposed
downsizing the number of field offices the agency has
throughout the country from 24 to 8. He called it a cost-
saving tool that shouldn't hinder the agency's ability to do
its work.
At that time, ARRL Chief Executive Officer Dave Sumner,
K1ZZ, expressed dismay at the proposal. In a widely
published statement Sumner said that it's troubling to see
recommendations for such drastic reductions in the
Commission's geographic footprint and the number of field
agents at a time when the Field staff is facing ever-
increasing challenges.
Now it appears as if the National Association of
Broadcasters has joined in condemning the Wheeler inspired
cutback proposal. In an ominous warning the N-A-B says that
the plan would gut the agency's eyes and ears and leave it
in the dark.
Bob Weller is the trade group's vice president of spectrum
policy. In a blog posting on Monday, March 30th he warned
that the change of pace is coming right as the FCC is
encouraging broadcasting companies to sell their licenses to
the nation's airwaves in a massive auction planned for next
year. One which will require some companies to share
spectrum space.
Weller noted that while the broadcast industry lobby
supports the concept of spectrum sharing, that a robust
mechanism for enforcement is critical to ensure that devices
operate only on the frequencies they are authorized.
He warned that fewer field offices could lead to some
unsettling scenes if malfunctions occur while companies are
trying to share airwaves but the FCC's cops aren't on the
beat. That says Weller means disrupted emergency and AMBER
Alerts, unreliable police and fire communications, riskier
air travel and a host of other scary possibilities.
So far the FCC has rejected the impression that its response
times will change. In a statement, an FCC spokesperson said
that under the proposed approach, the commission would
maintain its current commitment to respond to all public
safety spectrum issues within one day, anywhere in the
country. It was also noted that the majority of the nation
is reachable within 4 to 6 hours.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW in
Los Angeles.
--
The unnamed FCC spokesperson summed up by saying that if the
proposal is adopted, the commission will meet its
responsibilities while existing within today's flat-line
budget Those who depend on FCC Field Bureaus for emergency
response are not certain that this promise can be kept.
(The Hill)
**
RESTRUCTURING: FCC MAY APPROVE WIRELESS CARRIER AND
GOVERNMENT SHARING
Federal regulators are set to vote on a plan to allow
wireless carriers and companies to share airwaves with the
government. This, in an effort to make more of the airwaves
available for future wireless devices.
Essentially, the government has developed a spectrum sharing
plan that would protect radar systems near military bases
and the coastline while auctioning off access to
the spectrum in other parts of the country. A portion of
these airwaves would also be reserved for free use by anyone
with an FCC certified device that doesn't
create interference.
Traditionally, wireless carriers have paid billions of
dollars at auctions for licenses that give them exclusive
rights to use airwaves for voice and mobile Internet
service. Now the Federal Communications Commission is
proposing a new approach for the 3.5 gigahertz band that
would allow some users to access the airwave at no cost
while others could buy exclusive licenses in specific
geographic areas on a short-term basis.
The proposal is being looked at as a novel new effort by the
FCC which has spent the last several years trying to free
up more airwaves for wireless carriers trying to stay ahead
of consumer demand, as well as setting aside some
frequencies for new Wi-Fi networks.
The agency proposed this airwaves sharing plan last spring,
and the wireless industry and some tech companies have been
arguing about the details ever since. Most of the
sparring has been over technical rules, including the size
of protected zones around military bases.
The FCC is expected to approve the proposal at a meeting
later this month. What impact such a spectrum sharing plan
might have on the near-by 3.3 to 3.5 GHz amateur radio and
amateur satellite allocation is unknown.
More is on-line at http://recode.net/2015/03/27/fcc-plans-a-
vote-on-new-airwaves-sharing-plan/ (RECODE.net, other
published news reports)
**
DX UP FRONT: THE ISLE OF MULL IN MAY
In DX up front, members of the Camb-Hams will be active as
GS3PYE/P from the Isle of Mull between May 15th and the
22nd. The Camb-Hams have been activating the Scottish Isles
each year since 2008 and will be traveling to the
Grasspoint, Isle of Mull, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides in
2015.
Ten operators will be active on all bands and many modes
from 80 through 2 meters. 2 meters and 70 centimeters will
also see satellite and EME operations. The High Frequency
bands will be covered by four simultaneous stations, while
the 6 and 4 meter stations will have a great take-off
towards the UK and Europe from the island's Eastern edge.
All stations will be able to run at the full U-K power
limit. The primary E-M-E mode will be JT65 but they will
also be available for CW skeds. Up-to-date plans and
progress will be on dx.camb-hams.com. (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 including the K7MRG repeater serving
Prescott Arizona.
(5 SEC PAUSE)
**
ENFORCEMENT: WDBJ FINED FOR AIRING INDECENT PROGRAMMING
MATERIAL DURING NEWSCAST
The Federal Communications Commission intends to fine WDBJ
Television, Inc., of Roanoke, Virginia, $325,000. This, for
broadcasting what the agency termed as graphic and explicit
material during the station's evening newscast. Stephan
Kinford, N8WB, has the details:
--
[Stephen] Following up on viewer complaints, the FCC's
Enforcement Bureau investigated the situation surrounding a
WDBJ news story about a former adult film star who had
joined a local volunteer rescue squad. The investigation
found that station staff obtained a video clip from an adult
film website and broadcast those images in the news report
that aired at approximately 6 p.m. on July 12, 2012.
The Commission's enforcement action alleges that the
broadcast of such explicit content violated federal laws
prohibiting the broadcast of indecent programming. It plans
to fine WDBJ $325,000, which is the maximum available
penalty.
This is the third action the FCC has taken regarding the
broadcast of indecent material since January 2014. In April
2014, its Enforcement Bureau settled an investigation into
allegations of the broadcast of vulgar language on radio
station KRXA - AM, which resulted in a payment of $15,000.
In August 2014, Border Media Business Trust paid $37,500 in
penalties to settle an investigation into the use of
indecent language during a morning show on radio station
KDBR - FM.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB,
in Wadsworth, Ohio.
--
The full text of Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture
issued to WDBJ is available at tinyurl.com/wdbj-proposed-
fine (FCC release)
**
HAM TECHNOLOGY VIDEO: DIGITAL VOICE - WHICH WAY TO GO
If your club is thinking of replacing its current FM voice
repeater with a new Digital Voice system but don't know
what's the right choice, help has arrived in the form of a
new video release from HamRadioNow.TV.
Produced by Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, the VHF/UHF DV System
Comparison is the story of a group of Digital Voice
enthusiasts in Charlotte, North Carolina, who have repeaters
for every digital voice system available except P-25. They
have D-STAR, DMR/ MotoTRBO and even a new Yaesu System
Fusion machine. So they're in a pretty good position to
evaluate the various technologies. And in episode 195 of
HamRadioNow, Roland Kraatz, W9HPX gives a simple to
understand talk at the Charlotte Hamfest, comparing all
three.
So if you or your club are thinking of making the Digital
Voice move, first take your web browser to tinyurl.com/hrn-
on-dv, sit back for about an hour and soak in the
information that might help you make the right choice.
(ARNewsline, HRN)
**
RADIO READING: FREE DUTCH KINGDOM AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY E-
MAGAZINE
The Dutch Kingdom Amateur Radio Society DKARS now has its
own free monthly magazine available for download as a PDF
file. This e-zine contains articles written in both English
and Dutch. If you want to subscribe, simply send an e-mail
to and you will automatically receive an
email with a download link. Direct download is also
available at www.dkars.nl (PJ4NX)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: COMMERCIAL LICENSE EXAMS AT HAMVENTION 2015
ETA International will have test proctors available during
all three days of 2015 Dayton Hamvention to administer
commercial radio license tests. ETA certification and FCC
license exams will be administered from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
both Friday and Saturday and 9 am to noon on Sunday. You
can schedule exams in advance by calling Lora Roberson at
ETA at 800-288-3824 or by e-mail to lroberson (at) eta-I
(dot) org. You can also visit ETA at the Hamvention booth
#BA0429 to set up to take an exam on site. More information
in PDF format is at tinyurl.com/eta-hamvention-exams. (ETA
International)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: 2015 SAN BERNARDINO MICROWAVE SOCIETY 2.3
GHZ AND UP CONTEST
The 2015 San Bernardino Microwave Society 2 GHz and Up
Contest and Club Challenge is slated to begin at 6 a.m.
local time on Saturday, May 2nd, and end at 11:59 p.m. on
Sunday, May 3rd.
The purpose of this contest is for participants to operate
all bands above 2.3 GHz. The exchange is the six-digit grid
square. 100 QSO points are given for the first contact with
a station on each band plus 1 point per kilometer of
distance.
After either station moves 16 kilometers they may work again
for distance points. For more information, log forms and
last year's results go to: www.n6nb.com/sbmsrules.htm
(N6NB via the W6YX VHF Reflector)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: THE ANNUAL SCHOOL CLUB EU DAY
Europe's annual School Club EU Day sponsored by
Germany's AATIS Initiative is inviting in school amateur
radio stations in Europe to be active on Tuesday, May 5.
This for the purpose of making contacts between those school
amateur radio club and school girls and boys with own
callsigns as well as contacts with other stations.
According to Region One of the International amateur Radio
Union, this activity is a great way to get young operators
on the air from their school shacks using their training
call signs. IARU says that very often a new operator may be
intimidated by the fear of not knowing what to say to the
stranger on the other side of the radio. The exchange of
information through the AATIS Initiative helps to overcome
this fear in a low pressure contest format, it should not be
made a "5-9-contest." As such, all operators are encouraged
to take more time to chat beyond the exchange of the
necessary details. ??A certificate of participation will be
issued for stations that send an excerpt from the log of the
day. There is also the chance of winning one of the prizes
to be given away by the AATIS Initiative.
More information is available in this
document: ?http://www.iaru-r1.org/index.php/documents/func-
startdown/588/??(IARU Region 1)
**?
NAMES IN THE NEWS: AC2KG NAMED TO RECEIVE CADYAWARD
Ajay K. Poddar, AC2KG, of Elmwood, New Jersey, has been
selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers as the winner of the 2015 International Frequency
Control Symposium W.G. Cady Award.
Poddar, a chief scientist at Synergy Microwave Corp and an
academic, was cited for "the analysis, design, and
development of a host of frequency control products
exhibiting state-of-the-art performance. This includes the
development of extremely low noise crystal oscillator
circuitry.
The award marks the second honor for Synergy Microwave
scientists this year, and the third in 3 years. (ARRL)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: G3TXF WINS CASS AWARD FOR ZD9XF
OPERATION
The Cass Award 2014 Single-Operator Cass Award has been won
by Nigel Cawthorne, G3TXF. This for his operation from the
island of Tristan da Cunha as ZD9XF in September of 2014.
While there G3TXF worked 9314 unique stations during the
first 14 days of his one-man DXpedition. The award states
that G3TXF demonstrated an outstanding effort to log as many
DXers as possible and set a new Single-Operator Cass Award
record. Club Log founder Michael Wells, G7VJR, presented
Nigel with his plaque and prize at the C-D-X-C Annual Dinner
is on March 21st. (GB2RS)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: M6DRG AND BLUR TO RELEASE NEW CD
Dave Rowntree, M6DRQ, and the band Blur are about to release
their first new studio album in 12 years. The new album is
titled The Magic Whip and the song Go Out has been pre-
released on the music streaming service Spotify.
The UK Telegraph newspaper reports The Magic Whip, was
recorded in Hong Kong and will be released on April 28.
Also that the group will play at London's Hyde Park on
Saturday, June 20th.
More is on the web at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/cele...22729/Blur-to-
release-first-studio-album-for-12-years.html (Southgate)
**?
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)
**
SWL NEWS: DEUTSCE WELLE TO CLOSE KIGALI RWANDA SHORT WAVE
RELAY
German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle is shutting
down its relay station at Kigali in Rwanda. When the relay
station first started transmitting it was about 15 km from
the city center. Since then Kigali has grown and the
station now finds itself in the suburbs. Because of this
the plot of land on which the station stands has skyrocketed
in value.
But the price of real estate was just one issue Guido
Baumhauer, Deutsche Welle's Director of Distribution, was
forced to face when attempting to negotiate with the Rwandan
government. According to Baumhauer, even if the relay
station wanted to stay it couldn't because its contract
with the Rwanda is expiring and its government does not wish
to renew it.
Established in 1965 Kigali Rwanda was the broadcaster's last
short wave relay still in operation. Dismantling the
station could take until August 2016 and Deutsche Welle has
to vacate the premises by that date.?
The full story is on the web at ?http://www.dw.de/deutsche-
welle-closes-kigali-outpost/a-18340960 (Deutsche Welle,
Southgate)
**
WORLDBEAT: U.S. PROPOSES MAKING RADIO MARTI INDEPENDENT
The White House has proposed turning Radio Marti, the U.S.
government-controlled broadcaster created in part to
undermine communist rule in Cuba, into a separate entity.
This, as Washington seeks as new direction in its dealings
with Havana.
Under the plan, the Miami based broadcaster, which is part
of the Broadcasting Board of Governors would become a
separate entity along with unspecified parts of Voice of
America's Spanish-language service. In essence, Radio Marti
would cease to be part of the U.S. government and would turn
into a "grantee" receiving federal funding. The proposal
does not specify how it would be structured beyond that it
would a private, nonprofit organization. (Published news
reports)
**
WORLDBEAT: FALCONS STOP VODAFONE PHONE TOWER UPGRADE
In the UK, the Register newspaper reports that some large
birds have interrupted a two hundred million dollar Vodafone
4 G antenna upgrade program. The five pairs of nesting
falcons disrupted Vodafone customers' mobile phone signals
in London and the south east - because the birds have set up
shop on the mobile carrier's towers.
Vodafone spokesman Simon Gordon told the press that Falcons
usually like rocky cliffs but given the absence of such in
metropolitan London they make do with phone towers.
Typically they nest for two to three months. Gordon added
that Vodafone was very pleased to have the world's fastest
bird as visitors. You can read the complete story at
tinyurl.com/nesting-falcons (register.com, Southgate)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: HAM RADIO CREW EXPANDS ON ISS
The number of ham radio operators on-board the International
Space Station is now at three. This following the March
28th arrival of Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko, RN3BF,
and Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, along with NASA astronaut Scott
Kelly.
European Space Agency Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti,
IZ0UDF, will return to Earth in May, after Kjell Lindgren,
KO5MOS; Oleg Kononenko, RN3DX, and Kimiya Yui arrive at the
ISS as part of a scheduled crew rotation. Cristoforetti has
conducted several Amateur Radio school contacts during her
time on board the ISS. (ARRL, NASA)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: GETTING STARTED WITH THE FM SATELLITES
GUIDE
AMSAT's Director of Field Operations, Patrick Stoddard,
WD9EWK says the handout titled Getting Started with the FM
Satellites is now available on the Word Wide Web. Written
by Stoddard, the article shows the basic equipment and
techniques to learn successful operating on the satellites.
It also gives specific information on how to operate via SO-
50, the only currently available FM satellite at the moment.
It's posted at tinyurl.com/fm-satellite-operating. (ANS)
**
DX
In DX, SM6MCW is now on the air as D44TBO from Cape Verde.
The length of his stay is unknown. So far his activity has
been on 30, 20, 15, 12 and 10 meter CW. QSL via SM6MCW.
VA3EGG will be active as 6Y4DX from Jamaica's Jewel Paradise
Cove Resort until mid April. His operation will be holiday
style on 40 through 10 meters with 100 watts into a 46 ft
long-wire. QSL direct to VA3EGG.
Lastly, IZ2DPX has announced an operation from the
Seychelles possibly with the callsign S79DPX between August
9th and the 23rd. Activity will be on 80 through 6 meters
using all modes. QSL via his home callsign. For details
and updates keep an eye on iz2dpx.jimdo.com
(This weeks DX news courtesy of the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: NASA SAYS ASTEROID REDIRECT MISSION WILL
TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER MARS MISSION
And finally this week, a remote controlled mission to the
red planet has been a longtime priority for NASA. No the
space agency revealed that they will start working on
an asteroid relocation mission first. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the details:
--
[Heather] NASA Associate Administrator Robert Lightfoot says
that the Asteroid Redirect Mission or A-R-M will provide an
initial demonstration of several spaceflight capabilities
that will be needed to send astronauts deeper into space,
and eventually to Mars.
As the agency tries to find select the best asteroid for the
mission, it will study the candidate asteroids regarding
their size, rotation, shape and precise orbit. The main
candidates so far are asteroids Itokawa, Bennu and 2008 EV5.
The agency expects to have a selected asteroid by 2019 and
then place it into a stable orbit around the moon they study
it. To move the asteroid into moon's orbit, NASA plans to
use new trajectory and navigation methods. NASA said it
will be picking up a small asteroid that will burn in space
if it attempts to get into Earth's atmosphere before
reaching us.
According to NASA, the A-R-M robotic spacecraft will test
several capabilities that will be needed for a long term
human mission. For example, it will test the advanced Solar
Electric Propulsion or S-E-P technology. S-E-P will
basically be used to harness sunlight power and converts it
to electrical power using solar arrays that will be used to
propel spacecraft engine. And that's only one of the
research projects that will be an integral part of the
Asteroid Redirect Mission.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD in
Berwick, Pennsylvania.
-
NASA plans to launch the Asteroid Redirect Mission in 2020.
It says that it is expected to take six years before it can
place an asteroid into lunar orbit using radio remote
control. (NASA, published news reports)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the
FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, 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.
Before we go, a reminder that Amateur Radio Newsline is
seeking nominations for its 2015 Young Ham of the Year
Award. For consideration, a nominee must have used amateur
radio in some way that has benefited his or her community or
encouraged technological development directly or indirectly
related to communications.
Nominees must be 19 years or younger, and reside in the
United States including Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, and Puerto
Rico or any of the Canadian Provinces. The individual must
also hold a currently valid United States or Canadian
Amateur Radio license.
This award is not a contest. The person selected as `Young
Ham of the Year' is judged on his or her overall
accomplishments and contributions. Any prizes awarded are
secondary in nature.
The deadline for submitting an application is May 30th 2015
and the decision of the judging committee is final. To
obtain an application, send a self addressed, stamped
envelope to 2015 Young Ham of the Year Award, in care of
Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Ave. Santa Clarita, CA
91350. You can also download a form in Microsoft Word
format at www.arnewsline.org/yhoty, clicking on the word
"here" and saving the file to print at a later time.
Presentation of the 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of
the Year Award will take the weekend of August 15 and 16 at
the Huntsville Hamfest in Huntsville Alabama.
For now, with producers Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los
Angeles, Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, in Topeka, plus our news team
world wide, I'm Jim Damron N8TMW reporting from Charleston,
West Virginia, saying 73 and as always we thank you for
listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2015. All rights
reserved.