Amateur Radio Newsline=E2=84=A2 Report 1371 - November 21, 2003

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1371 with a release date of Friday,=20
November 21, 2003 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. =20
=20
The following is a Q-S-T. Australia says goodbye to the Morse code and=20
the FCC says hello to a new way to regulate interference. Find out the=20
details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1371 coming your way=20
right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)=20
=20
**

RESTRUCTURING: AUSTRALIA GOES CODE FREE

Australia is joining the no-code revolution. Q-News Graham Kemp, VK4BB=20
is down-under with the details:

--

The Australian Communications Authority (ACA) is reviewing regulatory=20
and licensing arrangements for the amateur service. A discussion paper=20
was released in August 2003, and public meetings were held in 10 cities=20
around Australia. As a result of this extensive public consultation=20
process, the ACA has decided to discontinue the Morse code proficiency=20
requirement for the amateur service.

Background: Article 25 of the Radio Regulations of the International=20
Telecommunication Union sets out the international arrangements for the=20
amateur service.=20

The World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) held from 9 June to 4 July=20
2003 in Geneva fundamentally changed Article 25. The changes to Article=20
25 have provided the ACA with an opportunity to review and simplify the=20
current regulatory and licensing arrangements for the amateur service.=20
In August 2003 the ACA released a discussion paper that looked at the=20
changes made to Article 25, as well as exploring future options for the=20
amateur service in Australia.
Morse code proficiency requirement to be removed As a result of an=20
extensive public consultation process, the ACA has decided to=20
discontinue the Morse code proficiency requirement for the amateur=20
service. This decision was made considering public comments at the=20
meetings and initial analysis of submissions to the discussion paper.

The ACA will make interim changes to legislative instruments which will=20
immediately allow access to privileges previously available only to=20
those satisfying Morse code proficiency requirements. The ACA is in the=20
process of amending the amateur radio licence conditions specified in=20
the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions (Amateur Licence)=20
Determination No. 1 of 1997 to reflect this decision. The amendments=20
will give holders of Intermediate and Limited Amateur licences access to=20
the same frequency bands as Unrestricted Amateur licensees; and holders=20
of the Novice Limited Amateur licence access to the same frequency bands=20
as Novice licensees.

The interim arrangements are expected to come into force on 1 January=20
2004.

I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB, of Q-News Australia for the Amateur Radio=20
Newsline.

--

More on this in future Amateur Radio Newsline reports. (Q-News: Note: =20
Print version is expanded from audio report)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC LOOKING AT NEW INTERFERENCE STANDARD

Turning to regulatory news here at home, word that the FCC is looking at=20
another way of determining what it calls acceptable interference levels. =
=20
Termed "interference temperature," the Commission says that this is a=20
new model for addressing interference that takes into account the actual=20
cumulative R-F energy from transmissions of spectrum-based devices. It=20
would also set a maximum cap on the aggregate of these transmissions. =20

To test the potential usefulness and applicability of this approach the=20
agency has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. FCC docket item 03-
289 seeks comment on various technical rules that would establish=20
procedures and use the interference temperature model on a limited basis=20
in the 6525 to 6700 MHz and portions of the 12.75 to 13.25 GHz bands.=20

According to the FCC, the "interference temperature" approach may=20
facilitate more intensive use of the radio spectrum, creating the=20
opportunities for new services and improving the predictability of any=20
interference to existing services. The current approach for managing=20
interference focuses on specifying and limiting the transmit powers of=20
individual spectrum based devices. What impact the adoption of an=20
"interference temperature" standard might have on Amateur Radio=20
operations has yet to be determined. (CGC Communicator, ARNewsline(tm),=20
other published reports)


**

REGULATORY NEWS: FCC APPROVES WIRELESS INTERNET IN HAM SPACE BAND

The FCC has turned down an ARRL request to keep so-called wireless=20
Internet connections out of the 5.650 to 5.670 Gigahertz to avoid=20
interference with the Amateur Satellite Service. This, as the regulatory=20
agency makes another 255 MHz of spectrum available for Wi Fi use. Bill=20
Pasternak, WA6ITF, reports:

--

In a Report and Order in ET Docket 03-122 released on November 18th, the=20
FCC says it was taking action to alleviate crowding in existing wireless=20
Internet allocations. Also, that it wanted to align wireless Internet=20
connectivity here in the United States with the rest of the world.

Amateur Radio has a secondary allocation from 5.650 to 5.925 Gigahertz.=20
That includes a 20 Megahertz wide satellite downlink segment from 5.830=20
to 5.850 Gigahertz.

An ARRL Bulletin says that back in September the League expressed=20
concerns about the potential for interference from these wireless=20
devices to Amateur Radio space operations. But in releasing its=20
decision, the FCC says that its dynamic frequency selection and=20
transmitter power control requirements should be adequate to protect=20
amateur operations. This, even though the FCC admits that they are not=20
specifically designed to do so.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los=20
Angeles.

--
=20
In rendering its decision the FCC said that it was not persuaded that it=20
should either add to or modify its proposed rules as requested by ARRL. =20
The Federal government itself is the primary user of the entire band. =20
(ARRL Bulletin, FCC)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC COMMISSIONER'S OFFICE CLARIFIES HER "BROADBAND NIRVANA"=20
REMARKS

The office of FCC Commissioner Kathleen Abernathy has expressed regrets=20
that her remarks in a September speech may have failed to make her=20
concerns about potential interference from Broadband over Power Line=20
sufficiently clear. Responding to complaints from the ARRL and=20
individual amateurs, Abernathy's Senior Legal Adviser Matthew A. Brill=20
said that her office is sorry that the Commissioner's remarks may have=20
been interpreted as suggesting an absence of concern over harmful=20
interference.

The ARRL Letter says Brill has assured the League that ensuring that B-
P-L and all new technologies avoids causing harmful interference to=20
licensed R-F users is important to Abernathy. Brill termed it as a=20
bedrock position for the Commissioner. =20

Last September 22nd, in a speech to the United Powerline Council's=20
annual conference Abernathy expressed personal enthusiasm for B-P-L=20
calling it a Broadband nirvana. That position was quickly challenged by=20
the ARRL and others in the ham radio community. (ARRL)

**

Break 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,=20
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W3UU repeater=20
of the Harrisburg Radio Amateur Club serving Harrisburg Pennsylvania.

(5 sec pause here)


**
BREAKING NEWS: EARTH HIT BY SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM

A severe G-4 class geomagnetic storm is in progress as we go to air. =20
This, due to the arrival of coronal hole mass ejections related to the=20
returning sunspot group 484, now numbered 501 astronomers. =20

Thomas Hood, N-W-7-U-S, is the Propagation Editor for C-Q Magazine. In=20
a November 20th posting to the V-H-F Reflector, Hood says that some=20
reporting stations show a K index of 9. The current planetary K index=20
is 8 and the Aurora index is 10. This means that there could be visual=20
Aurora is possible at low-latitudes. =20

What does this mean to ham radio operations? During the storm HF=20
conditions are poor. So will those on the Medium Wave broadcast bands. =20
But in the world of 50 Mhz and above anything could happen and usually=20
does. Keep your ears open, your radio on and enjoy it while you can. =20

Now long will this geomagnetic storm last and are more sunspots on the=20
way? Ongoing information is in cyberspace at http://prop.hfradio.org=20
and on the W6YX VHF Reflector.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. (VHF=20
REflector)

**

ENFORCEMENT: HAM ACCUSED IN WISCONSIN INTERFERENCE CASE

A peason described by authorities as a Wisconsin ham has been arrested=20
and charged with some high tech interference to public service=20
communications. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennent, K6PZW, has the=20
rest of the story:

--

The Wisconsin State Journal reports that a ham radio operator is being=20
accused of interfering with emergency radio channels in the city of=20
Madison over the past nine months. According to the Journal,=20
authorities charge that twenty-five year old Rajib K. Mitra, a=20
University of Wisconsin Madison student, may have broadcast audio from=20
pornographic movies over the Madison Police Department airwaves.

The news article describes Mitra is a ham radio operator with a degree=20
in computer science. He was arrested Thursday November 13th after police=20
showed up at his apartment with a search warrant looking for radio and=20
computer equipment and pornographic audio.=20

According to a Madison police spokesperson, the interference usually=20
left the radio system dead for stretches from a few seconds to about 20=20
minutes but never on a regular schedule. Al Schwoegler, the Madison=20
Communication Operations Supervisor said that this intermittant=20
operation added to the difficulty of tracking the source. =20

The interference came at times when police were dispatched on calls. =20
Authorities believe that the person jamming may have monitored police=20
radio traffic.

Helping to track down Mitra was Ralph Pellegrini. The newspaper article=20
identified Pellegrini is a ham operator and technician for Sprint PCS=20
who assisted police. Authorities approached Pellegrini for assistance=20
when they thought the interference might be coming from a Sprint=20
cellular tower. Pellegrini in turn gave a lot of credit for Mitra's=20
capture to those he termed as the Madison radio guys. He notes that=20
they were able to hunt down Mitra in a city R-F environment that's=20
pretty bad.

Mitra was in the Dane County Wisconson jail as of Friday November 14th. =20
He has been tentatively charged with 16 felony counts of computer crimes=20
and could also face federal charges, according to Madison police.=20

For the Amateur Radio newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, reporting.

--

Authorities hope that Mitra's arrest will end months of frustrating=20
interference to their radio communications system. The complete story=20
is on-line at=20
http://www.madison.com/wisconsinstat...ocal/61321.php (Wisconsin=20
State Journal, QRZ.com, others)


**

ENFORCEMENT: SKYWARN INTERFERENCE

The FCC has told an Indiana ham that he is to stay off of a 2 meter=20
repeater dedicated to emergency alerting operations. This, in a letter=20
to Christopher Smith, KC9CAU, of South Bend.

In the note, the agency says that it has received a complaint about=20
Smith's on the air operation on a repeater system participating in the=20
St. Joseph County Skywarn system. The complaint alleges deliberate=20
interference and harassment to the repeater and refusal to refrain from=20
attempting communications on that system.=20

The FCC's letter tells Smith that it expects him to abide by any demand=20
that he stay off the repeater, as well as any other repeater where such=20
request i made by a repeater control operator or the system licensee. =20
Smith was given the customary 20 days from the date of the FCC's letter=20
to reply. (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT: ECHOLINK EXPLANATION SOUGHT

A Florida ham has some explaining to do for comments made over a linked=20
repeater system. The FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, explains:

--

Duckworth: "An inquiry went to WA3QCV, Timothy Horvath, of Flagler=20
Beeach, Florida, concerning operation on two repeaters: WB2IXR at=20
157.015 Mhz and KG4IDD at 145.47 Mhz that are linked through the=20
Echolink system. The inquiry involves alleged threats and obscene=20
language."


--

The FCC also gave Horvath 20 days from the date of its letter for him to=20
respond. (FCC)

**

RADIO LAW: ANTI-PIRACT BROADCAST FLAG APPROVED

The government has approved a new anti-piracy system that will=20
theoretically make it harder for computer users to illegally distribute=20
digital TV programs on the Internet. This, with the goal is to speed the=20
transition to higher quality digital broadcasts and ensure such=20
programming remains free.=20

The five-member FCC voted unanimously to allow a "broadcast flag" to be=20
added to digital programming to block broader distribution on the=20
Internet on November 4th. Broadcasters and the movie industry had urged=20
the Federal Communications Commission to take such action, while=20
consumer groups said it will force some people to purchase new=20
electronics. (FCC, others)

**
=20
ON THE MOVE: HF NET RELOCATING TO IRLP

Call it a sign of the times we live in. This as Tom Mc Glinn, KO6HA,=20
reports over QRZ.com website on big change for a long established high=20
frequency net that's taking to a different way to communicate.

Mc Glinn says that due to the urban lifestyle of many of the members of=20
the USS Hornet Amateur Radio Club, the group has decided to move its=20
weekly Net from 80 Meters to repeaters that are interconnected using I-
R-L-P. That's the Internet Radio Linking Project which permits the=20
world wide interconnecting of repeaters over the World Wide Web.=20

According to Mc Glinn, the net has been conducting tests and they have=20
worked out most of the bugs involved with such a move. Once completed,=20
the U-S-S Hornet Net will hold the weekly gathering in the San Francisco=20
Bay Area using the facilities of the 147.210 repeater in near-by=20
Oakland. Those outside the area we will be linked in using the I-R-L-P=20
Western Reflector.
=20
Mc Glinn adds that anyone on the planet who has I-R-L-P access to link=20
to the Western Reflector Subchannel 1, node 9251, on Mondays at 2030=20
Pacific time is invited to check in on the Net. He says that you do not=20
need to be a member of the club to take part. (QRZ.com)

**=20

CONFERENCES: CSVHFS IN ONTARIO CANADA NEXT JULY

The Ontario VHF Association and the Toronto VHF Society will be hosting=20
the 38th annual Central States VHF Society Conference. The dates are=20
July 22nd to the 25th at the Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference=20
Center in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. =20

2004 marks only the second time that this conference has been held=20
outside of the USA. More information and a registration form will be=20
available shortly in cyberspace at www.csvhfs.org and www.ovhfa.com =20
(VHF REflector)

**

HAMVENTION 2004: AWARD NOMINATING PERIOD OPENS

Meantime, the planners of Hamvention 2004 say that the nominating period=20
is now open for its Radio Amateur of the Year, Technical Excellence and=20
Special Achievement awards program. The Radio Amateur of the Year is=20
described as that special person who has made a long term commitment to=20
the advancement of amateur radio. A well-rounded individual who has=20
contributed most of his or her lifetime to our hobby in some very=20
outstanding way.=20

A nominee for the Technical Excellence award should be a person who has=20
made an outstanding technical advancement in the field of amateur radio. =
=20
Something like a revolutionary new equipment design or mode of operation=20
that has impacted positively on the day to day operation of many hams.

Last but by no means least, a nominee for the Hamvention's Special=20
Achievement is the kind of special person who has made an outstanding=20
contribution to the advancement of amateur radio. This award is usually=20
given to a respected amateur who spearheaded a single significant=20
project.=20

Documentation is beneficial. Magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper=20
clippings, videos, etc. will better inform the Awards Committee of your=20
candidate's accomplishments. All materials become the property of the=20
Hamvention and cannot be returned.=20

The nomination deadline is January 31 2004. You can fill out the on-
line form found at www.hamvention.org by clicking your mouse on the=20
words award nominations. Printed nominations go to the Awards=20
Committee, Hamvention 2004, PO Box 964, Dayton Ohio, 45401.

And oh yes. The deadline for all submissions is January 31st, 2004 =20
(Dayton Hamvention)

**

BREAK 2

This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. From the United=20
States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the=20
world from our only official website at www.arnewsline.org and being=20
relayed by the volunteer services of the following radio amateur:

(5 sec pause here)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: KB2GSD VS. WJMK - PART 2

A follow up to an earlier story involving retired CBS newsman Walter=20
Cronkite, KB2GSD, and a Florida television production company that he=20
says misled him and tarnished his reputation. This, when it persuaded=20
him to appear in videos that promoted prescription drugs and other=20
products. =20

The company, WJMK, filed suit last September after Cronkite tried to end=20
a contract he had signed to appear as the host of a series of videos,=20
including some called American Medical Review. In their legal brief=20
responding to the WJMK action, Cronkite's lawyers say WJMK had assured=20
him that the videos would be educational and would not promote corporate=20
products. These are claims that his lawyers say Cronkite subsequently=20
learned were false.

An attorney representing W-J-M-K, says that Cronkite's charges had no=20
merit and that Cronkite's lawyers were trying to disparage the other=20
side in the media. Meantime, KB2GSD has filed a counter claim seeking=20
$25 million in damages from WJMK. (Published news reports)=20

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: LONG TO AMSAT JOURNAL

Ed Long, WA4SWJ, is the new Editor in Chief of the AMSAT Journal. A=20
licensed amateur since 1970, Ed holds a BSEE from West Virginia=20
University and an MBA from Duke. He is currently employed by SPX=20
Process Equipment in Delavan, Wisconsin. He can be reached by e-mail to=20
(AMSAT-NA)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: SAFETYCAST BROADCAST TO YOUR CAR

Police or fire engines may soon be able to override the radio in your=20
car. This, as Jacksonville Florida based SafetyCast announces that it=20
will soon test a new mobile alert system. One that will allow a police=20
officer or ambulance driver to take over a car radio within a distance=20
of about 1000 feet and broadcast a brief alert tone and warning message.

Emergency services officials are praising the development. They claim=20
that there is a warning crisis because motorists in today's sound-
proofed vehicles can't hear sirens, or just aren't paying attention.

But the CGC Communicator reports hearing from one engineer who's worried=20
about the Special Temporary Authority the FCC gave for the trial. He=20
says his studios and E-A-S receivers are located 100 feet from a highway=20
and one block from a hospital. He feels that SafetyCast might jam an=20
Emergency Alert System messages that are coming in. (CGC Communicator)

**

SPACE: FRENCH AND RUSSIAN LAUNCH ACCORD

France and Russia approved an accord intended to pave the way for the=20
eventual launch of Russian rockets from a French launch pad in South=20
America. The agreement, signed on November 11th is the first of its=20
kind between Russia and a European Union country and is a step toward=20
the launch of Russian Soyuz-ST rockets from the E-S-A Kourou launch pad=20
in French Guyana. Most ham radio satellites are orbited from the Kourou=20
facility. (Published reports)

**

INTERNATIONAL - HOLLAND: RADIO NETHERLANDS BROADCAST CHANGE

Radio Netherlands says that its shifting the frequency of its Dutch=20
language transmission to the Far East, East and Southeast Asia at 1300=20
U-T-C. This broadcast can now be heard on 7 point 380 MHz. The reason=20
for the change is to avoid interference to the transmission. (Media=20
Network)

**

DX

In D-X, word that ON4LAC, is active portable 3B8 from Marutius through=20
November 23rd. His activity has been mainly on 20 and 15 meters using=20
SSB and PSK, but is expected to be on RTTY as well. He will leave=20
Msrutius and head to Reunion Island to be active as FR5 stroke ON4LAC=20
during the period of November 26th and December 15th. After this=20
activity, he will head back to Mauritius and will be active again=20
between December 17th and 27th. QSL direct to his home callsign. =20
(OPDX)

Also, K5LB has announced that he will be going to Swaziland next March=20
and is looking for several operators to tag along. His plans include a=20
trip through the Kruger Game Park. If interested, contact him at=20
(OPDX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: VOLUNTEERISM AND THE NYC MARATHON

For the last two weeks New York City Marathon Communications Coordinator=20
Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, has been sharing with us the behind the scenes=20
story of how 411 hams move the race along. In our final part in this=20
series Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ, takes a look at the volunteers that make=20
it all hapen:

--

The ham radio communications effort for the New York City Marathon is=20
volunteer driven. And, as with any event, volunteers do come and go. =20
We asked the lead volunteer, Steve Merndelsohn, W2ML, to explain how=20
this situation gets covered:

--
Audio only. Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org
--

It's primerally the local clubs that supply the volunteer ham radio=20
communicators. W2ML says that he has a special way of introducing them=20
to what Marathon communications is all about:

--
Audio only. Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org
--

And speaking about volunteers, we asked Steve what about his own role in=20
all this. How much of his life does he devote to setting up this all=20
volunteer communications effort? His answer may astound you:

--
Audio only. Hear the newscast in mp3 at www.arnewsline.org
--

And there you have it. An insiders look at the massive all volunteer=20
ham radio communications network that literally runs the New York City=20
Marathon. It's a view that only someone who has been there every year=20
since Amateur Radio has been involved, can give. =20

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Henry Feinberg, K2SSQ

--

Our thanks to Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML, for sharing his experiences with=20
us, and with you.
=20
**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ=20
Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain,=20
the RSGB and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio=20
Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.org. More=20
information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only official=20
website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or=20
support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia,=20
California 91066.=20

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don=20
Wilbanks, AE5DW, saying Happy Thanksgiving, 73 and we thank you for=20
listening." Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2003. All rights=20
reserved.