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Ärende: Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1876 - July 26 2013
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Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1876 - July 26 2013
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1876 with a release date of July 26
2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. Ham radio will share a ride to space on a pair
of joint mission satellites; a pico balloon remains aloft for over 70
hours; Massachusetts looks to enact an anti pirate radio law and Lithium
battery safety is once again a major concern. Find out the details are on
Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1876 coming your way right now.
**
RADIO NEAR SPACE: HAM RADIO TRACKED PICO BALLOON ALOFT MORE THAN 70 HOURS
A possible new record for the flight of a ham radio tracked pico balloon.
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the Newsroom with more:
--
Flying pico balloons appears to be the latest interest by ham radio
operators and other near-space explorers. A pico balloon is essentially
one of those silverized party balloons fitted with an ultra-light-weight
amateur radio payload and designed for long distance medium altitude
flight. And now comes word that a pico balloon launched in the United
Kingdon managed to stay aloft for some 70 hours while it floated across
the English Channel, made several north to south round trips in France
before its signal was lost about 80 miles North-East of Paris.
Dubbed simply B 6 the tiny craft was launched from Silverstone in the UK
at 18:40 UTC on Sunday, July 14th. It initially headed south approaching
Paris before it changed direction and headed north again. On the evening
of July 16th it was still aloft and transmitting over northern France, at
an altitude of about 11,000 feet. It then turned south once again, before
doing yet another loop and then going East and passing just North of Paris
before radio contact was lost.
The B 6 payload weighed in at just 20.2 grams. It contained a GPS
receiver along with the 10 milliwatt transmitter on 434.500 MHz running
the amateur radio Domino EX 16 data mode. Power was supplied by a single
AA size battery which in itself may also prove to be an endurance record
of sorts for a single cell powering a long distance flight. But for that
we will have to see what those who keep the record books have to say.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the
Newsroom in Los Angeles.
--
Leo Bondar who launched the pico balloon tells Amateur Radio Newsline that
he is not himself a radio amateur but has long been an avid shortwave
listener. He adds that ballooning has rekindled his interest in ham radio
and radio equipment building so he just press ahead and get a license
after all those years spent just listening. Also, a posting on the
balloon flight website indicates that he did work with some four dozen
hams from the U-K, France and several other European nations who were
involved in tracking the flight in real time. More information on its
epic voyage including any late updates is on the web at
tinyurl.com/balloon-b6. (Southgate, Leo Bondar)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: JOINT SCIENCE AND HAM RADIO TRANSPONDER PAYLOADS TO
LAUNCH 2014
A consortium headquartered in the United Kingdom plans to launch a set of
shared purpose ham radio and scientific research cubesats early next year.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, reports:
--
It was announced during the QB 50 presentation at the recent AMSAT-UK
International Space Colloquium that two CubeSats, carrying SSB, CW and FM
voice transponders could be launched into a 600 km or 370 mile orbit in
the first half of 2014.
The QB 50 project team says that on July 19th, it had signed a Memorandum
of Understanding with AMSAT-UK, AMSAT-Francophone, and AMSAT-NL to enable
two amateur radio payloads to fly on a pair of CubeSats. These are
mission precursor mini-satellites which whose purpose is to permit the
testing of key satellite and payload components ahead of the full QB 50
mission.
The primary objective of the QB 50 mission is the study the temporal and
spatial variations of a number of key parameters in the Earth's lower
thermosphere doing so with a network of about 40 double CubeSats. These
mini-birds will be launched into a 320 kilometer or 210 mile high circular
orbit. They will be separated by a few hundred feet and carry identical
science sensors. These will monitor parameters that will greatly increase
our knowledge and understanding of this little explored region of the E
and F layers of the Ionosphere.
QB 50 will also study the re-entry process by measuring a number of key
parameters during re-entry and by comparing predicted and actual CubeSat
trajectories and orbital lifetimes.
At the beginning of the mission, the various payloads onboard the
spacecraft will be operated in an alternating fashion. Later on the
amateur radio transponders will be operated as the primary mission once
all QB 50 related experimentation has been concluded.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, watching the
nighttime sky from Scottsdale, Arizona.
--
By combining the ham radio and scientific missions together it means that
both will reach orbit at a cost affordable. More information about the QB
50 project can be found at www.qb50.eu
(AMSAT UK, Southgate)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: UKUBE ONE GIVEN TENTATIVE OCTOBER LAUNCH DATE
In a related story the Amsat News Service reports that the UKube-1 CubeSat
carrying an amateur radio transponder as a part of its payload could
launch in late October. As previously reported, UKube-1 will carry a set
of AMSAT-UK designed FUNcube-2 boards. These will provide the ham radio
community with a 70 centimeter up and 2 meter downlink linear transponder
for SSB/CW operation along with a 1200 bps BPSK telemetry beacon on
145.915 MHz. The actual satellite is being constructed in Scotland by
Clyde Space with its launch to take place from Kazikstan on-board a
Russian Soyuz 2 orbital booster. (ANS)
**
RADIO POLITICS: BI-PARTISAN REQUEST TO NTIA TO ASSURE THE FREEING UP
SPECTRUM
In a rare bi-partisan move, Senators Mario Rubio of Florida and Mark
Warner from Virginia have asked National Telecommunications and
Information Agency chief Larry Strickling for answers on what the agency
is doing to free up government spectrum. This in light of President
Obama's June 14th memo on motivating wireless innovation and in light of a
Government Accounting Office study from April 2011 that concluded NTIA
cannot ensure that spectrum is being used efficiently by federal agencies
and has limited ability to monitor federal spectrum use.
In a letter to Strickling dated July 19th, a copy of which was supplied to
the press by Warner's office, the two wanted that question and severa
others answered. The letter also notes that - and we quote: "without
effective NTIA management and oversight, we have serious reservations
about the agency's ability to maximize spectrum efficiency and relinquish
portions of federal spectrum."
The FCC is preparing to auction as much as 120 MHz of commercial spectrum
reclaimed from broadcasters but this is likely to be reduced to 80 MHZ or
less given Canadian and Mexican border issues. This matter is also of
importance to the ham radio community because much of the spectrum it has
at 420 MHz and above is on a secondary basis and is shared with government
and military users. (Published news reports)
**
RADIO LAW FOLLOW-UP: DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS AT STANDOFF ON FCC REFORM
A follow-up to last weeks report on another congressional attempt to
streamline the FCC The House Communications Subcommittee wrapped up its
FCC reform hearing Thursday, July 11th, but continuing partisan politics
seem still be standing in the way of any meaningful change. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the details:
--
The subject of the hearing was Republican backed draft measures similar to
legislation that passed in the House last year only to fail to get Senate
attention.
On one side of the bills were Republican legislators who argued that they
were necessary to speed FCC decision making, tie it to a cost-benefit
analysis of any new regulations, improve transparency and limit the FCC's
ability to impose merger conditions that they suggest are a vehicle for
backdoor regulations.
On the other side are Democrats who in effect said the committee was
wasting its time debating bills similar, and even more burdensome, than
ones that had failed to get a legal toehold in the past.
Committee ranking Democrat Henry Waxman was quoted as saying that the
legislation was a way to undermine the FCC's ability to adopt new rules
and protect consumers. He said that the only thing it would efficiently
speed up would be endless legal challenges. Waxman also noted that the
dozen new mandates in the proposed law would, among other things, would
remove the public interest standard and slow the FCC process to a crawl.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline. I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berewick,
Pennsylvania.
--
Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, W7EQI, is the one who called the
hearings. He said that the communications sector is one of the few that
is firing on all cylinders, but that the current FCC process threatens the
health of this segment of the economy. That said, in this congressional
session there is little sign that Republicans and Democrats can come
together to reach an accord. (Connect2.com and other published news
reports)
**
HAM TECHNOLOGY: BROADBAND-HAMNETT SOFTWARE WINS INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
An interesting ham radio communications concept developed mainly by hams
in Texas interested in automated emergency communications has been awarded
a pair of important prizes. Jim Davis, W2JKD, has the story:
--
Broadband-Hamnet, formerly HSMM-MESH firmware, developed by amateur radio
operators to provide hams with a high-speed digital wireless communication
mesh network, has won both US and global awards from the International
Association of Emergency Managers.
The USA Council of the designated Broadband Hamnet as a Division 2
Technology and Innovation Award winner. It then went on to win the
International Association of Emergency Managers Global Technology and
Innovation Award in the same division.
Broadband-Hamnet as "a high-speed, self-discovering, self-configuring,
fault-tolerant, wireless computer network. It has very low power
consumption and a focus on emergency communication. The firmware itself is
available at no charge via the project website hsmm-mesh.org
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD.
--
The awards will be presented to Broadband-Hamnet in October at the
International Association of Emergency Managers annual conference in Reno,
Nevada. A demonstration of how it works can be seen in the ARRL video The
DIY Magic of Amateur Radio. It's on the web at
tinyurl.com/ham-radio-diy-magic (ARRL)
**
RADIO LAW: MASSACHUSETTS LOOKS TO ENACT ANTI PIRATE RADIO LAW
Massachusetts is the latest state to follow the lead of Florida, New York
and New Jersey to enact laws that would permit the prosecution of
unlicensed broadcast radio station operators. This with word that State
Representative Steven Walsh has introduced H.R. 1679, which would give the
state attorney general the power to seek action against radio pirates,
including seizing equipment and seeking heavy money damages.
Specifically, the measure would prohibit any unauthorized radio
telecommunication or emission to, or interference with, a public or
commercial radio station licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission. The key to excluding other services such as police, fire and
even amateur radio from inclusion under the proposal seems to be the words
licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
As previously reported, last January the U.S. Attorney's Office for
Massachusetts seized transmission equipment from an unlicensed station
operating in the city of Roslindale. The FCC then escalated the case into
a forfeiture action and that's when the office of the U.S. Attorney for
Massachusetts became involved. (RW, Broadcast Daily, others)
**
ENFORCEMENT: BROADCAST TRANSMITTER CREATES SPURS IN AVIATION BAND IN NEW
ZEALAND
A recent investigation of interference to communications between pilots
and the control tower for aircraft approaching Auckland airport in New
Zealand, highlights the risk of unintended signals being generated as an
unwanted side effect of radio broadcasting. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim
Meachen reports from down-under:
--
The investigation took several weeks to complete because of the low signal
level and intermittent observations of the interference. Locating it
involved considerable staff resources from the New Zealand Radio Spectrum
Management agency as well as their renting an aircraft and pilot to locate
the source from the air.
When found the problem proved to be an unwanted spurious emission from an
FM broadcast transmitter in a community to the north of Auckland. The
problem was quickly repaired by the broadcaster.
In this case the interference was not considered to be an immediate safety
risk because of the availability of alternative aircraft radio
communications channels. It did however present a significant annoyance
and distraction to pilots flying into and out of the city.
A recent study by the New Zealands's neighbor across the Tasman Sea
confirms the same problem exists in VK land. According to the Australian
Communications and Media Authority about 28% of the transmitters it
checked showed the production of unwanted emissions with many radiated in
the aeronautical radio-communication band. As such these spurs do hold a
potential risk to the safe operation of aircraft.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New
Zealand.
--
Auckland Airport is a major airline hub in New Zealand. It serves
domestic airline flights as well as a transfer point for passengers going
on to other locations. (Southgate, ARNewslineT)
**
RESCUE RADIO: GOV.DELIVERY TO DISCONTINUE DISSEMINATING NWS WEATHER ALERTS
If you are involved in emergency communications activities and use the
GovDelivery e-mail service service listen up. GovDelivery has announced
that it will discontinue disseminating National Weather Service weather
alerts effective July 31, 2013.
GovDelivery is a self-subscription service used to deliver e-mail and
SMS/text notifications to the general public and has contracts with many
government agencies. The National Weather Service began using GovDelivery
in 2008 but terminated its contract with GovDelivery in November of 2012,
due to budget constraints.
At the time of the National Weather Service contract termination
GovDelivery continued distribute weather alert information using a similar
e-subscription service. NWS subscribers were notified about the change
and offered the opportunity to subscribe to GovDelivery's free service as
well as to other third party weather alert services. However, due to the
substantial costs of providing a high reliability messaging service at
this scale GovDelivery cannot continue the free service.
More information on the discontinuance of GovDelivery NWS alerts and
several free alternatives to it are on the web at
tinyurl.com/gov-delivery-ends. (NOAA)
**
RADIO BUSINESS: ALINCO NOW REPRESENTED BY REMTRONIX
George Howard, NW4G, who is the Amateur Radio Division Manager at
GigaParts says that he has received word that Alinco is back up and
running and its products began shipping on July 17th.
In a posting to QRZ.com, Howard says that distribution is now being
handled by a company called Remtronix Incorporated with a website at
www.remtronix.com. A web search shows Remtronix to be located in Hayward
California not that far from San Francisco.
Howard also says that he has received word of several price reductions as
well as announcement of the launch of the new Software Defined Radio based
DX-SR9T high frequency transceiver. (NW4G via QRZ)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: VE3CWP NAMED RAC CORPORATE SECRETARY
Radio Amateurs of Canada has named Alvin Masse, VE3CWP, as its new
Corporate Secretary. In making the announcement, Geoff Bawden, VE4BAW,
who is the national society's President and Chairman said that Masse
brings with him a wealth of organizational skills, history and wisdom and
will be a great benefit to the organization. VE3CWP replaces Linda
Friars, VE9GLF, who served as Acting Corporate Secretary until Masse's
appointment. (RAC)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: SARL TO EXHIBIT AT ESKOM EXPO FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS
The South African Radio League will be an exhibitor at the 2013 Eskom Expo
for Young Scientists. The event takes place from September 25th to 28th
and will include both an operational High Frequency as well as a VHF
station. The South African Radio League will also be sponsoring a special
award at the Expo for best final entry in the field of RF and electronics.
The Eskom Expo was founded by the late Dr. Derek Gray in 1980. Since then
it has provided an opportunity for school students from primary to grade
12, who have an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and
Mathematics to exhibit their projects and to be judged on their skills and
enthusiasm for science. (SARL)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: MICROWAVE UPDATE 2013 SEEKS PRESENTERS
Microwave Update or MUD 2013 which takes place October 18th and 19th at
Morehead State Space Science Center in Moorehead, Kentucky. The planners
have put out a call seeking papers to be presented at the event. Papers
can be up to 10 pages in length. If you wish to be a presenter please
send your proposal to mud (at) downeastmicrowave (dot) come before August
30th. (WA3ZKR)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: NEW FACEBOOK PAGE TO SCHEDULE SKEDS
A new group has been formed on Facebook for hams wishing to schedule
contacts with other amateurs world-wide. If you need a particular contact
for an award, or just a chat, then go to facebook.com/groups/hamsked and
have a look. (GB2RS)
**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: LITHIUM BATTERY SAFETY
Much of today's latest portable electronics including ham radio gear is
powered by Lithium or Lithium Ion batteries. But these same batteries
have also become a safety concern as we hear from Graham Kemp, VK4BB:
--
Lithium batteries are undoubtedly popular going by their wide use in
consumer products, and even higher powered models in electric vehicles.
However they have been linked to fires, illicit drug makers and medical
problems.
The recent death of a toddler in Queensland, Australia and others injured
after swallowing them, has again focused attention on the common power
source.
From January 2013 stricter regulations for the carriage of Lithium
batteries by air travelers were introduced best check with your airline
for the rules.
A battery can also be a convenient source of lithium metal used in illegal
methamphetamine laboratories. Sales of larger quantities are restricted
for this reason in some areas.
International industry standards for button batteries are soon to be
introduced as an urgent safety measure. These are likely to include
strengthened consumer education about the dangers and child-restraint
packaging for the cell batteries.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB. Of the WIA News,
in Australia.
--
The bottom line is that when using these Lithium batteries as a source of
power for anything electronic that it is important to think safety first.
(VK3PC, WIA News)
**
WORLDBEAT: 2ND INTERNATIONAL YOUTH MEETING FRIEDRICHSHAFEN
IARU Region 1 reports that the 2nd International Youth Meeting was held on
Saturday, June 29th. The event featured several lectures including one by
Tommy Degrande, ON2TD. He is the Belgian Youth Coordinator of that
nations national Amateur Radio Society the UBA. He spoke about youth
activities in Belgium
Other presenters included Remko Welling, PE1MEW, who servers as the
Scouting Jamboree on the Air Coordinator in the Netherlands and Mari
Nikkila, OH2FPK, who is the Finnish Amateur Radio Youth Coordinator.
The International Youth Meeting was timed to coincide with the 2013 Ham
Radio Convention held on the shores of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen,
Germany. More can be found on the web at www.iaru-r1.org (IARU Region 1)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ISS CONTACT PLANNING SOFTWARE GETS UPDATE BY NASA
INTERN
The Amsat News Service reports that the ARISS software has been upgraded
by a student named Nolan Replogle who interned with the Education Projects
Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston from January to April of
this year.
During his stay his assignment was to update the planning software for the
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station which is used to help
schedule contacts and events. The original software's lack of a user
interface meant that people needed to input data directly into text files,
and then run the program to see if it worked. Replogle, a computer
engineering major at Oklahoma State University used his programming skills
to create a more user-friendly interface for the software.
Replogle named the upgraded software ARISS Assistant or ARRISA for short.
With his updates, there is now a graphic user interface that allows users
to click on buttons to enter information into text boxes. This automated
feature is more intuitive and requires a lot less data entry.
Replogle has not yet had the chance to speak with an astronaut on-orbit,
but he says that he would like to. Now thanks in part to the work he did
as a NASA intern, other students around the world will have a better
chance to have live contacts with International Space Station and its ham
radio astronauts. (ANS)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: INDIA HOLDS SMALL SATELLITE WORKSHOP
India's National Institute of Amateur Radio was co sponsor of a Small
Satellite Developer Workshop event organized by Dhruva Space held July 8th
to the 13th. Satellite experts had engineering models on display to help
participants understand the challenges found in designing and developing
the subsystems of small satellites. A full report on this gathering can
be found on the web at tinyurl.com/SmallSatelliteWorkshop2013. (NAIR)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SCOTLAND PORTABLE SATELLITE OPERATION IN AUGUST
Paul Robinson, 2E1EUB, will once again be on the air from Scotland as
2M1EUB for 14 days beginning August 5th. He will be driving around that
nation while listening out for anyone looking for grid squares that they
have not worked yet, especially on the satellites. His operation will be
several ham radio birds including AO-7 running modes B to A as well as on
160, 80 and 2 meter SSB. Robinson says that he will arrange skeds to work
him. To arrange one e-mail him at 2e1eub (at) amsat.org. Check out
QRZ.com under 2M1EUB for more information and the latest updates. (ANS)
**
DX
In DX, word that the ARRL has announced several Colvin Award grants to
help support three upcoming DXpeditions. The recipients are the K9W Wake
Atoll operation scheduled for September through October and the T33A
Banaba Island for November. Also named is the FT5ZM Amsterdam Island
DXpedition planned for January through February of 2014.
PH2M will be active as PJ4M from the island of Bonaire between September
13th to the 26th. Operations will be on the High Frequency bands. QSL via
his home callsign direct or via the bureau\
N0TG, AA4VK and N1SNB will be active stroke FS from St. Martin between
October 24th to the 31st. This operation will likely mirror probably
their PJ7 DXpedition which was described as a suitcase operation on 40
through 10 meters using CW and SSB, with wire antennas and 100 watts. QSL
all operators via AA4VK.
IZ1DPS will be operational stroke HC from Ecuador through January 12th,
2014. Activity will be on the HF bands. QSL via IK2DUW, direct, by the
Bureau or Logbook of the World only.
A team composed of six French DXers will be operating as TM2NOI from
Noirmoutier Island from August 9th to the 11th. The team will try to be
active from 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and several digital modes.
Particular interest will be paid to the Islands on the Air calling
frequencies. QSL direct or via the bureau to F4FVI.
Lastly, Members from the F6KOP Radio Club team will be active as TO7CC
from Reunion Island between February 5th to the 17th, 2014. Their
operation will be on all bands and modes, with an emphasis on the lower
bands and RTTY. The group says that more details will be forthcoming.
(Above from various DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: SEND A PERSONAL MESSAGE TO THE MOON
And finally this week, have you ever thought of sending your own
spacecraft to the Moon? Well until now such a trip was out of the reach
of almost everyone here on planet Earth. But that's all changing thanks
to a new citizen oriented space project as we hear in this report from the
Wireless Institute of Australia:
--
A new project to give thousands of people the opportunity to design, build
and launch personalised spacecraft and send them to the moon has begun.
Now anyone can become a citizen space explorer at a cost of USD159,
explorers who back the project will be able to personalise their own
spacecraft by adding a picture or message direct from their favourite
social media or game profile or create their own unique design.
Pocket Spacecraft are disks with flexible electronics, smaller than a CD
and as thin as a piece of paper, that will be loaded into an
Interplanetary CubeSat mothership to hitch a ride into space on a
commercial rocket. The mothership will then set off to the moon and when
it arrives many months later, the fleet of Pocket Spacecraft will be
photographed as they are released to land on the moon to complete their
mission.
Anyone can take part in the mission via the crowd-funding site
PocketSpacecraft.com
The campaign ends on August 26, 2013.
--
Anyone can take part in the mission via the crowd-funding web site
PocketSpacecraft.com. And who knows? If this idea works as planned you
could be the first ham radio operator on your block or in your community
to vicariously make a trip to the Moon. Well at least, kind of. (WIA
News)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ
Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the
RSGB, the Southgate News, TWiT-TV and Australia's WIA News, that's all
from the Amateur Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail address is newsline (at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio
Newsline'sT only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can
also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio NewslineT, 28197 Robin
Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Skeeter
Nash, N5ASH, near Houston, Texas, saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.
Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
------------------------------------
R\%/itt, K5RXT
--- GoldED+/W32 1.1.5-31012
--- D'Bridge 3.92
* Origin: K5RXT HAM Echo Moderator - San Antonio, Texas, USA (1:387/22)
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