Amateur Radio Newslineâ„¢ Report 1396 ÂÂ* May 14, 2004


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1396 with a release date of
Friday, May 14, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Hamvention 2004 is opening and B-P-L is
still in the
news. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number
1396
coming your way right now.



**


HAMVENTION COVERAGE


The 2004 Dayton Hamvention is about to open its doors. One of this
year's
Hamvention themes is going back to the future. Our producer Bill
Pasternak,
WA6ITF, flew in a few days early to find out what it really means for
those who
will be attending the show.


--
Audio report only: Hear it at www.arnewsline.org
--


Bill, Mark Abramowicz NT3V and yours truly will all be at Hamvention
to bring
you all the highlights on next week's Amateur Radio Newsline
report. (ARNewsline(tm))


**


THE BPL FIGHT: B-P-L EXPECTED TO DRAW ATTENTION AT DAYTON


While the latest in ham gear is certain to be grab the interest of
most of those
attending this year's Dayton Hamvention, the topic of Broadband Over
Power
Lines internet access is likely to be on the lips of many. Amateur
Radio
Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V has more...


--
While not much has happened in the past week on the B-P-L issue, look
for lots
of discussion on the Dayton Hamvention floor. You can expect to see
American
Radio Relay League President Jim Haynie W-5-J-B-P in the middle of it.


We told you here on Amateur Radio Newsline two weeks ago of Haynie's
call to
arms and his direct appeal to President Bush to abandon support for
B-P-L
technology.


Haynie is convinced Bush has been misled by his advisors. He and
A-R-R-L's
Washington corps have asked for a meeting with the president. There's
nothing
new to report on that front.


But Haynie says it's important for the ham community to continue to
make its
voice heard by writing to the White House, your congressman and your
senator
about B-P-L. Even though the Federal Communications Commission turned
down
the A-R-R-L's request to extend the May 3 deadline for comments on
B-P-L,
Haynie says there are still ways to be heard.


The A-R-R-L's website (www.arrl.org) has helpful tips on writing that
letter or e-
mail or picking up the phone and calling your representative in
Washington.


Meanwhile, the FCC is now studying the National Telecommunications
and
Information Agency report on B-P-L. And while the glowing press
release put out
by N-T-I-A touted the possibilities of B-P-L, the technical data in
the report
presents another picture.


And that picture is anything but fuzzy. N-T-I-A cites major
interference concerns
and suggests the methods used to measure B-P-L interference are
inadequate.


It also cites worries B-P-L signals could affect aircraft operations
and suggests
more stringent measurement standards and interference mitigation
techniques
need to be explored.


Could that B-P-L fast-track train be slowing? No one is willing to
speculate on
that, especially since President Bush and F-C-C Chairman Michael
Powell appear
to be on the same page in their push for deployment of B-P-L.


Could the F-C-C be convinced to wait for the next N-T-I-A report and
table the
issue for a few months? No one knows how to read the tea leaves in
Washington.


Tune in weekly to Amateur Radio Newsline and we'll keep you on top of
the
issue with the very latest news and views of those close to the B-P-L
issue.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in
Philadelphia.
--


And look for Mark's report on the B-P-L buzz and other topics from
the
Hamvention floor during our special program next week produced in
Dayton.
(ARNewsline(tm))


**


Ham radio did all it could to help save the life of a stricken runner
at a recent foot race in
Indianapolis. Jack Parker, W-8-I-S-H, has the details:


--
Audio report only: Hear it at www.arnewsline.org
--


Thanks Jack. (W8ISH, ARNewsline(tm))


**


RADIO RULES: FCC MKES "MINOR AMMENDMENTS" TO PART 97


The FCC says that it has minor amendments to various Amateur Radio
rules. A
bulletin from the ARRL highlights some of them including the most
significant
one. It involved revising the wording of Section 97.307(d), which
defines
spurious emissions. The updated language imposes a slightly higher
standard on
newer transmitters or amplifiers of any power level.


The FCC also has redefined what constitutes an Amateur Radio operator
to
reflect the advent of the Universal Licensing System electronic
licensee database.
The current rule defines an amateur operator as "a person holding a
written
authorization to be the control operator of an amateur station."
Under the
revised Section 97.3(a)(1) an amateur operator is "a person named in
an
amateur operator/primary license station grant on the U-L-S
consolidated
licensee database to be the control operator of an amateur station."


The FCC made these and several other regulatory changes on its own
motion
rather than in reaction to any petitions. The decision appeared May 5
in the
Federal Register. The changes become effective June 1st. (ARRL)



**


Break 1


From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard
on bulletin stations around the world including the WB3ERZ repeater
serving
South Central Pennsylvania.



**


ENFORCEMENT: CONVICTED MURDERER LOOSES HAM TICKET


A ham serving a prison sentence for the murder of his wife has had
his Amateur
license revoked. Roger Thomas Scaggs, the now ex-W5EBC, had his
ticket
pulled after the FCC determined that he no longer holds the requisite
requirements to remain a Commission licensee.


On March 6, 1996 Scaggs was convicted of murder in the death of Penny
Scaggs, his wife of thirty-five years. The court record in that case
showed that
Scaggs beat his wife to death with a galvanized lead pipe and then
stabbed her
several times. He was sentenced to a prison term of thirty-two
years and fined
ten thousand dollars.


The Commission says that its character policies provide that any
felony
conviction is a matter predictive of licensee behavior and is
directly relevant to
the functioning of the Commission's regulatory mission. It says
that Scaggs
conviction mandates the conclusion that he does not possess the
requisite
qualifications to be or remain a Commission licensee and that his
license should
be revoked. (FCC)


**


ENFORCMENT: NO FISHING COMS HERE


The owners of four trucking companies, two seafood companies and one
fishing
boat have all been cited by the FCC for operating without a license
on amateur
frequencies. According to the C-Q magazine website, three of the
trucking
companies are in North and South Carolina and the fourth is in Idaho.
They
were allegedly operating on 10 meters. The fishing boats are in the
Pacific
Northwest, purportedly using the 2 meter band. (CQ)


**


ENFORCEMENT: FCC AGAIN WRITES TO K1MAN


The FCC has again written to Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and the commissions
note
has both good and bad news for the Belgrade Lakes, Maine radio
amateur. On
the positive side, the April 14th letter informs K1MAN that a review
of his
transmissions indicates that he is complying with the Amateur Service
regulations
regarding broadcasting and bulletins and station control.


The negative? The FCC alleges that K1MAN is in violation of rules
regarding use
of his Amateur station for pecuniary interest and those regarding
deliberate
interference to ongoing communications.


Also, the letter again told Baxter that his "felony affidavit
complaints" will not be
accepted by the regulatory agency. He was also reminded that all
frequencies in
the Amateur Radio Service are shared. No frequency is assigned for
the
exclusive use of any station, and that Baxter's station has no
greater rights to a
frequency at any particular time than does any other Amateur station.
(FCC)


**


ENFORCEMENT: CONSERVATIVE GROUP CALLS ON CONGRESS TO REPRIMAND
FCC


A faith based group is chiding the FCC for not acting more decisively
in getting
dirty words off the public airwaves. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Jim Davis, W-2-J-
K-D, has mo


--


AUDIO


--


Focus on the Family was founded by Dr. James Dobson, whose
commentaries
are heard on radio stations world-wide. (Published reports)


**


ENFORCEMENT: FCC CHAIRMAN DOES NOT SUPPORT REVOKING BROADCAST
LICENSES


F-C-C chairman Michael Powell says he doesn't support legislation
that would pull
a broadcast station license after a third indecency violation. He is
not opposed
to high fines to get the attention of broadcasters who step across
the indecency
line.


Speaking at the recent National Association of Broadcasters
convention in Las
Vegas, Powell suggested that he would support extending indecency
regulations
beyond over-the-air broadcasting to other media, such as cable and
satellite
broadcasts, but only if the FCC is given approval by Congress.

Powell labels as a "red herring" a proposal by Viacom president Mel
Karmazin for
more specific decency guidelines. Viacom owns C-B-S. That's the
network which
aired the controversial Super Bowl half-time show with rock star
Janet Jackson. (Published
reports)


**


RESCUE RADIO: EMERGENCY TRAINING IN KANSAS


A day-long program on Amateur Radio emergency communications will
take
place Saturday, July 24, 9 AM in Kansas. This, at The Salvation
Army, 420 E
Santa Fe, Olathe which is 15 miles southwest of Kansas City.


According to the ARRL Letter, the day begins with "New Ham
Orientation,"
sponsored by Johnson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service. This
session
will provide an overview of ARES and explain how amateurs can get
involved.
Following a lunch break the Kansas Salvation Army Team Emergency
Radio
Network will sponsor an ARRL Emergency Communications seminar.


Seats are limited. For additional information contact June Jeffers,
KB0WEQ, by e-
mail to or call area code 913-856-8674 during normal
business
hours, Central time. (ARRL)


* *


HAM RADIO CONFERENCES: CSVHFS IN CANADA IN JULY


More information is now available on the upcoming Central States
V-H-F
Conference that has been mailed out and also posted to the conference
website.
Included are the latest highlights of conference plans, border
crossing tips and
Canadian currency tips. Also posted is the 2004 President's Message
along with
last years Noise Figure Measurement Test results and the Antenna Test
Range
results.


The conference is scheduled for July 22nd to the 25th at the Delta
Meadowvale
Resort & Conference Center in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. All the
latest is in
cyberspace at www.csvhfs.org and the Ontario VHF Association's page
at
www.ovhfa.com. We hope that you have a great time. (Peter Shilton
VE3AX)


**


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:


**


RADIO LAW: SAN DIEGO TV SHOP OWNER CONVICTED


Here's the kind of a story you probably have not heard of in
years. How about a
T-V repair shop owner convicted of duping his customers. Jim
Meachen, Zed-L-
2-B-H-F, has the rest of the story:


--
AUDIO
--


The store owner pleaded guilty to ten criminal counts, including
grand theft,
forgery, fraud and false advertising. (listeners reports)

**


EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: DTV AT A SNAILS PACE


The General Accounting Office has issued a report saying that more
than 80
percent of Americans are either unaware or only "somewhat aware" of
the
transition to digital television signals. They are also unaware that
Congress
plans to sell the analog spectrum that will become available when TV
stations
convert from analog to digital.


Lawmakers are counting on the money to help balance the budget.
However, the
digital transition may be years away unless more consumers start
buying digital
TVs to receive the new signals. Current sales of those expensive
digital sets
appear to be fairly flat at best. (Science OnLine)


**



WORLDBEAT - ALBANIA: NEWS FROM ALBANIA


Turning to news from around the world, many noticed the signals from
OH2BH
and OH2PM bouncing in from Albania not long ago. In fact, the pair
made some
6000 QSOs while visiting that nation. They were also there to remind
the world
of Amateur Radio about it's shared responsibility to help those
in need. You are
welcome to join this effort by making your old gear active from
Albania. For U.S.
tax payers, your donations can be processed by the Northern
California DX
Foundation. Contact W6OSP by e-mail to for details.
(N4GN)


**


WORLDBEAT - CANADA: SOME RAC APPOINTMENTS ANNOUNCED


Radio Amateurs of Canada's Board of Directors has approved Eric
Ferguson, V-E-
3-C-R, as the organizations new Treasurer. This, for the term ending
Dec 31st,
2005. Feguson comes to Radio Amateurs of Canada with extensive
banking
experience at the Executive level at a major Canadian bank.


The Board of Directors has approved Dave Goodwin, V-Oh-1-A-U, as the
Director
for Radio Amateurs of Canada's Atlantic Region. Goodwin will
complete the term
of David Nimmo, VE1NN, who resigned in early March. (RAC)


**


WORLDBEAT - UK: NEW 6 METER BEACON ON THE AIR


And members of the United Kingdom's Blacksheep Contest Group have
activated
a new 6 meter propagation beacon located near the city of
Hertfordshire, in grid
square IO91. This, as a replacement for the GB3NHQ beacon which
closed down
some years ago.


The new GB3BAA beacon became operational on 50.016 MHz at 15:10 UTC
on
April 20th, and ground-wave reception reports from Normandy and
northern
England have already been received. Further reports would be most
welcome,
and should be sent to Mr. I. Phillips, G0RDI, by e-mail to
(RSGB)


**


DX


In DX, 3-B-9-F-R has been heard operating from Rodrigues Island on 10
meter
FM. He was heard on the worldwide calling frequency of 29.600 MHz
between
1200 and 1400 U-T-C, working Europe. (GB2RS)


Also heard on is A-P-2-J-Z-B in Pakistan. He was monitored on 12 and
17 meters
SSB. Watch 24.955 MHz after 0930 U-T-C and also around 18.110 MHz
after
1445 UTC. QSL direct to the operators call directory address.
(GB2RS)


**


THAT FINAL ITEM: WHO INVENTED THE SCANNER RADIO - REDUX


And finally this week, an update on our recent story of who really
invented the
first scanner radio. We previously reported that a group of
broadcast engineers
working at Cape Canaveral during the early days of the space race
developed the
first scanner radio. This, so that the late NBC newsman Roy Neal,
K-6-D-U-E,
could know when a launch was going to take place.


Well, that is quite true but Harvey Cronen, a S-W-L who is one of our
listeners in
New Jersey has some further information. He says that musician and
inventor
Raymond Scott is the person who holds a patent on at least one form
of
automatic scanning radio.


Harvey sent us a web link to a site that chronicles the life of
Scott. While he is
best known as the orchestra leader on the early NBC television show
"Your Hit
Parade" and as the husband of the late songstress Dorothy
Collins, there was
another side to Raymond Scott that few in the public knew about. It
is all on the
website and it is there where it says that Scott actually patented a
broadcast
band radio receiver which tunes in on stations around the country and
changes
frequency by itself at any given interval. This, says the website,
permitted Scott
to catch most of the nations disc-jockey shows in a brief span and
find out what
tunes are being played.


There is lots of truly fascinating information at this very
informative website
about Raymond Scott, his life, his inventions that impacted on the
worlds of
recording and communications as well as his music. It is well worth
visiting at
www.raymondscott.com. (H. Cronen)


**


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 and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm).
Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.org. More information is
available at
Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at
Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066.


A reminder that the nominating period for the 2004 Amateur Radio
Newsline
Young Ham of the Year Award is now on. This program is open to any
FCC
licensed young radio amateur age 18 or younger residing in the
contiguous 48
states and who has made a significant contribution to the community,
the nation
or ham radio though the United States Amateur Radio Service.


More information and a downloadable on-line nominating form is at our
website.
That's in cyberspace at www.arnewsline.org. The cutoff for
nominations this
year is midnight on Tuesday, June 31st.


Next week, a full wrap-up on Hamvention 2004 which is opening as this
newscast goes to air. Our Editor Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in
Dayton this week, sor for
now I am Don Wilbanks, AE5DW editing, anchoring saying 73 and we
thank you for
listening."


Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.







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