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Ärende: Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1600 - April 11, 2008
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Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1600 - April 11, 2008
(Note: This weeks newcast has several audio intensive stories which
cannoy properly be displayed as text.
We suggest that you go to our website at www.arnewsline.org and download
and play the mp3 audio
version of this weeks newscast. -- ARNewsline T)
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1600 with a release date of Friday,
April 11tht, 2008 to follow in
5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. Morse code comes to the Internet, a middle-East
broadcaster highlights ham
radio, and Newsline celebrates newscast number 1600 with a look back.
Please join us for this trip through
time on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1600 coming your way right
now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
HAM RADIO ON THE NET: IRC MORSE COMES TO THE WWW
It was bound to happen and now it has, Morse code over Internet Relay Chat
or IRC.
According to its host website, CWirc is a plug-in for the X-Chat IRC
client. It is designed to transmit raw
Morse code over the internet using I-R-C servers as reflectors. The
transmitted Morse code can be received
in near real-time by other X-Chat clients who are equipped with the CWirc
plug-in.
CWirc tries to emulate a standard amateur radio rig. It has the ability
to send and receive Morse over
virtual channels, and it can listen to multiple senders transmitting on
the same channel. Morse code is
keyed locally using a straight or iambic key connected to a computers
serial port, or using the mouse
buttons, Sound is played through the soundcard or through an external
sounder.
Note that CWirc doesn't do any Morse decoding. It simply transmits and
receives C-W timing events. The
program and your computer does the rest to give you a Morse code
experience without the radio, the
antenna or any T-V-I.
More about CWirc is on-line at users.skynet.be/ppc/cwirc/ The website
also has historic information on the
Morse code and the telegraph. (Southgate)
**
RADIO LAW: KANSAS PROTECTS HAM RADIO TOWERS AND ANTENNAS
Kansas Becomes 26th State to have a law assuring to rights of hams to have
antennas. Known as the
Kansas Emergency Communications Preservation Act the new measure is
fashioned after federal statute
PRB-1.
The wording of HB 2805 is simple an unambiguous. It states that if a
municipality takes any action that
regulates the placement, screening, number or height of a ham radio
station antenna structure, that this
action must reasonably accommodate federally licensed amateur radio
service communications. Also that
the action must constitute the minimum regulation practicable to carry out
the legitimate purpose of the
governing body.
As to existing towers and antennas: These are grandfathered under a
stipulation that says antenna support
structures constructed prior to the bill's effective date are exempted
from subsequent changes in zoning
regulations. Also that they may be repaired as needed.
According to Tom Laux, N0AG, the Salvation Army was very supportive of the
measure. Representatives
of the Salvation Army twice testified in support of it at hearings held in
Topeka. Laux says that they were
fantastic.
The bill, written was by Rep Arlen Siegfreid. It unanimously passed in
both the houses of the Kansas
legislature. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed HB 2805 into law on
April 9. It takes effect July 1,
2008.
In the newsroom, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. ((QRZ, eHam, N0AG, others)
**
WORLDBEAT - LEBANON: AL JAZEERA TELEVISION COVERS HAM RADIO
Amateur Radio was highlighted on Quatar's international television service
Al Jazeera. This in a
documentary news show on Sunday April 6th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Burt
Hicks, WB6MQV, is here
with the details:
--
The Al Jazeera program, Hadeeth Al Sabah featured Radio Amateurs of
Lebanon President, Hani Raad,
OD5TE. Raad talked about Amateur Radio principles and his personal
experience in ham radio emergency
service communications over the past 28 years.
By way of background, Hani Raad, OD5TE, is a graduate of George Washington
University with a degree
in Electrical Engineering. He also holds the United States call sign
AA3EI and was very active in both
ARES and RACES when he lived in the Washington D.C area. As such he holds
expertise on the methods
used in the area of ham radio Emergency Communications in both the United
States and Lebanon.
The show, which was repeated on Monday the April 7th, was described as a
look at both worlds of ham
radio and the way in which hams respond in time of crisis in both.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, saying a happy
1600 to all.
--
In an e-mail to Newsline, OD5TE said that the program was extremely
successful and all the feedback he
has received form hams around the world has been very positive. (OD5TE,
others)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY AND THE WARD AWARD
World Amateur Radio Day 2008 will take place on April 18th and this year
you can win an award just for
taking part in this years celebration. That's because the Polish Radio
Amateur's Journal, with the support
of the Polish Amateur Radio Union will be sponsoring this years WARD or
World Amateur Radio Day
award. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has the details:
--
By way of background, each year on the anniversary of its founding, the
International Amateur Radio
Union marks its inaugural meeting in Paris. A meeting that took place on
April 18th some 83 years ago.
In honor of this historic event the IARU dedicates World Amateur Radio Day
to the future of the world-
wide service. And in continuing this theme the World Amateur Radio Day
award will be granted by the
Polish Radio Amateur's Journal to those who make either 10 QSOs on the
High Frequency bands, or 10
QSOs on the VHF bands. All contacts must be made between 0000 and 2400
U-T-C on April 18th.
The full colored award is also available to SWL's for the same numbers of
reports. To claim it you will
need to send a completed application form along with a log extract that
includes your list of QSO's and 5
International Reply Coupons to the The Polish Radio Amateur's Journal.
Its address is MK QTC,
Suchacz-Zamek - Wielmozy 5b, 82-340 Tolkmicko, Poland. Miore information
is on-line at
www.ward.pzk.pl
Saying a happy 1600 to all, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles, for
the Amateur Radio Newsline.
--
Oh yes. The deadline to file for this years World Amateur Radio Day award
is midnight UTC on May 31st.
(Southgate)
**
RESCUE RADIO: CANADIAN EARTH HOUR EXERCISE A SUCCESS
An emergency communications radio system was tested in Southern Ontario
Canada during the March 29th
Earth Hour. That's when the Toronto FM Communications Society in
association with the Canadian
Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Emergency Management Ontario conducted
a trial of the ability of
the amateur radio repeater system in the Southern Ontario to respond to
crisis situations.
During the Earth Hour, the Toronto FM Communications Society net control
station operated from an
Emergency Management Ontario mobile command center. He logged in excess
of 60 stations. All were
operating on emergency back-up power sources with some operators in
Hamilton to Oshawa and north to
Barrie responding. The exercise proved the importance of amateur radio
operators and repeater
organizations in the event of a widespread disaster.
Toronto FM Communications Society operates repeaters on the CN Tower in
Toronto, Ontario as well as at
the highest elevation in Southern Ontario atop the Skyloft Ski Resort in
Uxbridge, Ontario. More about the
group is on line at www.tfmcs.com (eHam, PRWeb)
**
BREAK 1
From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around
the world including the W5DSC repeater serving the ham radio community in
and near Victoria, Texas.
(5 sec pause here)
**
RESCUE RAFIO: EMCOMMWEST IN RENO NEVADA MAY 2 - 4
If you are into emergency communications and public service, then Reno,
Nevada, is the spot to be the
weekend of May 2nd to the 4th. Amateur Radio Newslie's Don Carlson,
KQ6FM, is in Reno with the
details:
--
EMCOMMWEST 2008 is returning to "The Biggest Little City in the World",
Reno, Nevada, It will be
held at the Circus Circus Hotel in downtown Reno, May 2-4.
This year's keynote speaker will be Dennis Dura, K2DCD - Emergency
Preparedness and Response
Manager from the ARRL headquarters in Newington, CN. Dennis will bring
some great information about
how we can be better emergency communicators, and use the latest
technology and resources available in
doing so.
Emcommwest will also feature a special video presentation from Riley
Hollingsworth, K4ZDH special
council of the FCC's enforcement Bureau, who has agreed to do the video
which will be shown at
EMCOMMWEST.
Also, Emcommwest will welcome Gordon West, WB6NOA from southern
California, who was with us a
few years back will return as the Saturday night banquet speaker and also
host a forum during the event as
an introduction to Emergency Communications, and he will have a display
booth set up in the vendor hall.
Gordon is also bringing his mobile communications unit for us to see.
Banquet seating is limited, so make
reservations early!
Forums covering leadership, handling PIO duties during callouts, working
with different served agencies,
MARS, the latest technology, and many new presentations will highlight
this year's event. Emcommwest
will also have it's own SPECIAL EVENT STATION, operating on HF, UHF and
VHF! Pacific Division
Director Bob Vallio, W6RGG will host an ARRL forum on Sunday May 4 with
many SM's and other
officials taking part.
There will be raffle prizes, including radios, power supply, and many
other items along with an all new,
larger vendor room and an all day amateur licensing class along with VE
testing, so non-ham attendees can
become licensed while they are there. Advance conference and banquet
registration is now available
online via the website, at www.emcommwest.org. Special room rates are
available from Circus Circus, via
a link on the website. For information, email your requests to:
info@emcommwest.org We are looking
forward to a great EMCOMMWEST this year!
From the site of Emcommwest in Reno, Nevada, this is Don Carlson, KQ6FM
for Amateur Radio
Newsline.
--
Again the dates are May 2nd to the 4th at the Circus Circus Hotel and
Casino in Reno, Nevada for
Emcommwest 2008 -- the premiere ham radio emergency communications show
west of the Continental
Divide. More information is on the web at www.emcommwest.org (KQ6FM,
Emcommwest )
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC TELLS TWO HAMS TO STAY OFF LOCAL REPEATERS
Two hams in different parts of the country have received warning letters
from the FCC. Letters that tell
them to stay off of certain repeaters in their respective geographic
areas.
In New York, the trustees of the K3TSA 2 meter repeater system had
requested in writing that David R.
Henry, W2DRH, refrain from use of that repeater. The request was issued as
a result of Henry's alleged
failure to follow operational rules set forth by the licensee and or the
control operators of the repeater and
of the FCC rules. The FCC says that Henry had previously been requested
to refrain from using the
system, but had apparently ignored both verbal and written requests.
The FCC not only warned Henry that any further unauthorized use of him by
the repeater will bring
enforcement action against his license. It also noted that his license
expires on April 21, 2009. It says that
his license will not be routinely renewed unless this matter is resolved.
A warning letter has also been sent to Edward R. Drone, W0NYF. In this
instance the trustee of the St.
Louis and Suburban Radio Club repeaters K0STL, N0TYZ, W0FF and W0SRC had
requested in writing
that Drone refrain from use of the repeaters. The request was issued as a
result of his alleged failure to
follow operational rules set forth by the licensee and control operators
of the repeaters for their users.
In a conversation with the FCC in February 2008 Drone reportedly
acknowledged that he had been directed
to stay off of the repeaters and stated that he would comply. However,
the FCC says that on March 31st he
was heard utilizing the K0STL repeater and reportedly stated that he would
not refrain from using it.
Now, in its April 2nd letter to Drone the FCC warns him that it expects
him to abide by the request to stay
off of the repeaters and any other such request by a repeater licensee,
control operator or trustee. It warns
W-Zero-N-Y-F that failure to do so will lead to enforcement action that
could include revocation of his
license , or a modification proceeding to restrict the frequencies on
which he may operate.
Drone was also asked to contact FCC rules enforcer Riley Hollingsworth and
issues with him. (FCC)
**
RADIO LAW: NEW CALIFORNIA HANDS-FREE MOBILE PHONE LAW MAY IMPACT TWO-
WAY RADIO AFTER ALL
California's soon to be in force hands free mobile phone law could impact
on two way radio users after all.
While a recently released pamphlet released by the states Department of
Motor Vehicles states that the use
of dedicated two-way radios such as walkie-talkies or Citizen Band radios
is not affected by the new hands-
free law, there are some who tend to disagree. And because of this two
camps of thinking have developed.
Those fearful of the consequences of the new law are of the opinion is
that judges will ignore the language
in the Department of Motor Vehicles pamphlet. Instead, this group
believes that those adjudicating such a
case will refer to the actual law which does not generally exempt two-way
radio operations from the hands-
free provision.
However, a contrary opinion is that the law clearly refers to and is
written around wireless telephone
handsets and their use. These people note that most two-way radios are
not wireless telephones. Also, that
even the California Highway Patrol seems to acknowledge that the new law
is about Wireless Telephones
only.
The bottom line. Its likely that one of these days someone will get
ticketed for using a business band radio,
a C-B set or even a mobile ham radio station. That will be the test case
and we are all going to have to wait
and see if it actually happens and what the final outcome will be. More
is on-line:
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/cellularphonelaws/dl208_03cell_phone.pdf and
http://www.chp.ca.gov/pdf/media/cell_phone_faq.pdf) (CGC, others)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: ARRL'S HARRISON APPOINTED TO AK SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
AUTHORITY
A word of congratulations to ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, who has
been appointed to a four year
term on the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Science & Technology
Authority by Governor Mike Beebe.
The Arkansas Science & Technology Authority was created by statute in 1983
with the mission to bring the
benefits of science and advanced technology to the people and state of
Arkansas. Harrison's appointment
has already been approved by the Arkansas State Senate. (ARRL)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: K6JGN NAMED NEWPORT BEACH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
And congratulations also to Ed Karagozian, K6JGN. On March 20th,
Karagozian was named as the 2007
Volunteer of the Year for his eighteen-plus years of service with Newport
Beach California RACES. The
honor was bestowed by the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce held its 37th
Annual Police
Appreciation Awards Breakfast (Via e-mail)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: N2NT NAMED NEW CQ WW 160M CONTEST DIRECTOR
Veteran contester Andy Blank, N2NT, of Dayton, New Jersey, has been named
the new Director of the CQ
World Wide 160-Meter Contest. Blank succeeds Dave Thompson, K4JRB, who has
decided to retire after
16 years at the helm of the event. (CQ)
**
YHOTY: 2008 NOMINATIONS SOUGHT
And a reminder that the nominating period for the 2008 Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham of the Year
is now open. Any licensed radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the
United States or Canada is
eligible for the award. Full details and both downloadable and on-line
nominating forms are in cyberspace
at www dot YHOTY dot org. (ARNewslineT)
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: HEIL SOUND HOSTING 2008 NAB HAM RADIO RECEPTION
If you are planning to attend the National Association of Broadcasters
Convention, Bob Heil, K9EID,
advises that the annual Ham Radio Reception hosted by Heil Sound will be
held on Wednesday night, April
16th, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. local Las Vegas time.
As usual, the venue in Ballroom B of the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel. The
hotel adjoins the Las Vegas
Convention Center which is the home of the National Association of
Broadcasters gathering. Bob says that
there will be lots and lots of prizes and that you never know who might
show up. (Heil Sound, K9EID)
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: REPEATERS FOR HAMS ATTENDING THE NAB CONVENTION IN LAS
VEGAS
And the Las Vegas Radio Amateur Club invites you to enjoy the use of our
repeaters while you are in town.
The club says it will have its UHF and VHF systems linked together most of
the time. According to Bill
Croghan, WBOKSW, the 2-meter repeater is on 146.94 MHz with a minus 600
kHz offset, and requiring a
100 Hz sub-audible access tone. The 70 cm system operates on 448.500 MHz
with its input MHz lower. It
too requires a 100 Hz tone. (CGC, WBOKSW )
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: THE ARRL AT NAB 2008
Also, last but by no means least, the ARRL will have its usual presence at
NAB 2008. Look for them in
Booth L One off to the left of the main exhibit hall entrance. This years
National Association of
Broadcasters Convention runs from April 11th to the 17th, at the Las Vegas
Convention Center in Las
Vegas, Nevada. (CGC, WBOKSW )
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: SHELBY HAMFEST LOOKING FOR A NEW HOME
The famed Shelby Hamfest is not cancelled. But it is looking for a new
home.
Word of the supposed demise of Shelby began spreading across ham radio
cyberspace last week. This as
bloggers interpreted a newspaper story regarding the inability of the
Shelby Amateur Radio Club and the
operators of the Cleveland County Fairgrounds to reach agreement on a
contract for the 2008 show.
But Susan Melvin, K4ZXN, who is a member of the Shelby Amateur Radio club
has posted to QRZ dot
com that the blogs are not correct. She says that the Shelby Hamfest has
not been cancelled. Rather, the
planners are actively seeking a new site for the show.
Melvin adds that as soon as the official word comes, it will be posted on
the club's website. Its URL is
www.shelbyhamfeast.org. (QRZ.com)
**
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: AZDEN'S LEW REINBERG, W2BIE - S.K.
Once again the changing of three guard in ham radio continues. This with
word that Lew Reinberg,
W2BIE, formerly with the Amateur Radio Products division of Azden
Communications, has passed away.
Reinberg came to Azden after a long career in the photographic and
electronics industries. This, as a final
job prior to his full retirement several years ago. He left when Azden
announced that the company had
decided to exit the ham radio marketplace.
First licensed back in 1954, Reinberg was active on all bands from HF
through UHF. He was an avid
DX'er and well known in both the New York City and Baltimore, Maryland ham
radio communities. He
was a fixture with the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club almost since
the groups inception and its
said that there was a room in Lew's house that wasn't within ear shot of a
ham radio or scanner.
Lew Reinberg, W2BIE, is survived by his wife Elaine, W2ECR, and son
Steven, N2HOK. Services for
W2BIE were held on Monday, March 17th at the Young Israel of West
Hempstead Temple on New York
City's Long Island. (K2EPM)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: COMMERATING THE TITANIC
At least two ham radio groups say that they will mark the 96th anniversary
of the sinking of the RMS
Titanic special event operations. First up is W- Zero-S, which stands
for "White Star Line." It will be on
the air from the Titanic Museum in Branson, Missouri. 1300 UTC on
Saturday, April 12, and conclude at
2400 UTC on Sunday, April 13.
Members of the Nixa Amateur Radio Club and the Southwest Missouri Amateur
Radio Club will bring
W0S to life along with corporate underwriters Icom, MFJ, MicroLog,
Rayfield Communications and
Vibroplex. Listen out for this one on SSB, CW, PSK plus some activity on
D-Star, EchoLink and IRLP.
More information including a full list of frequencies and the QSL route is
on-line at www dot wzeros dot
com
Alson on tape is special event station W1MGY. It will operate from the
Titanic Historical Society Museum
in Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. Operation will concentrate on 20 and 40
meters. Listen out for it on
April 11-12 from 1400 UTC until 2030 UTC both days QSL' for this one go
to the Titanic Historical
Society, W1MGY, PO Box 51053, Indian Orchard, MA 01151. (Press releases)
**
WORLDBEAT - ENGLAND: RSGB STAFF MEMBER RUNNING LONDON MARATHON ON
STILTS
Meantime. on Sunday April 13th, a Radio Society of Great Britain staff
member hopes to set a new world
record. That's when Michelle Frost, of the RSGB Commercial department,
will be running the London
Marathon on four foot high stilts!
Michelle has been stilt-walking for close to ten years but only graduated
to the four foot high ones about
three years ago. This time around she is taking to her lofty perch to
raise money for REACH. This is a U
K based charity dedicated to helping children with upper limb
deficiencies.
To date, no-one has ever competed in a marathon on stilts and the Guinness
Book of Records is reportedly
starting a new record category to celebrate. To find out more about
Michelle and her charity walk on stilts,
go to www.justgiving.com/rainbowdave on the World-Wide-Web. (RSGB)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: CELEBRATING 1600 WEEKS OF THE AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE
And finally this week . Hmmm... How many times have you heard those
words on these newscasts?
The words ".and finally this week."
Well, if you have been with us since the beginning in 1977, this week
marks the 1600th time one of our
news anchors has introduced the last story of the week with those words
going right back to the days we
were the Westlink Radio Network.
It Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP, who originally conceived, produced and voiced
the Westlink newscasts.
Actually, Westlink was originally intended for one newscast to talk about
the pros and cons of the hottest
topic of the day. That topic was repeater deregulation:
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
That's how it started. And after 70 some off newscasts, Jim Hendershot
moved away from Los Angeles,
turning the reins of Westlink Radio over to Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. He in
turn solicited the assistance of
two friends from NBC News. Broadcast Engineer Bill Orenstein, KH6QX, and
the late Alan Kaul,
W6RCL:
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
Over the years there were many highlights of the world of Amateur Radio
that Westlink and then Newsline
covered live on tape. Among them the grand opening of the ham radio
station on board the Queen Mary
Ocean Liner and the first QSO's from its refurbished radio room. That
happened back on April 4th of 1979,
when the late D-X'er Don Wallace, W6AM, made that opening night contact.
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
Then there was the first contact made from the space shuttle Columbia by
astronaut Owen Garriott,
W5LFL, and Lance Collister, WA1JXN, in Ferenchtown, Montana. That QSO
took place on November
28th 1983 and we were the first to bring not only the story, but the sound
of the actual contact as well:
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
But not all of the stories we covered were happy times. One of the
saddest days in ham radio history took
place on May 23, 1980. At three minutes into the launch of Amsat's Phase 3
A satellite something went
wrong with the French-built launch rocket and the ham radio payload went
into the sea:
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
Undaunted, within a few weeks Amsat began work on Phase 3B. It would go
to space on June 16, 1983
and became the highly successful AMSAT-OSCAR 10. A year later, A Oh 10
was used for the first ever
HT to HT repeater to repeater contact and we brought the sound of that
historic moment to your repeater
and even to your HT:
--
Audio only: Please download and play the mp3 version of the newscast
available at www.arnewsline.org
--
Admittedly by today's standards with the Internet, IRLP and Echolink that
1984 repeater interlink using a
ham radio satellite sounds kind of crude. But it did open the eyes of
many hams who had been conditioned
to think of a repeater as a purely local device. Suddenly repeaters had
matured to where a 2 watt H-T could
be heard nationwide. Eventually the technology of the 1990's and this
first part of the 21st century would
give a tiny hand held a voice heard around the world.
And so here we are in April of 2008, some 30 years and 8 months after the
very first Westlink radio
bulletin aired in Los Angeles. Back then, none of us had any idea that it
would be here this long and that
some of us who were there back then would still be doing it now. But we
are and we will continue for as
long as you want us. In our book, you are the most important reason that
we work to bring you a timely
news bulletin every week. And as we say at the end of each newscast, and
as we say again today, we thank
you for listening.
Im' Jim Davis W2JKD.
The Amateur Radio Newsline is copyright 2008. All rights are reserved.
R\%/itt
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* Origin: SATX Alamo Area Net * South * Texas, USA * (1:397/22)
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