Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1625 - October 3, 2008

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1625 with a release date of Friday,
October 3rd, 2008 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, says he plans to talk
to kids from space. Also, DX has to wait as the sun remains silent,
Afghanistan coming on the air soon, A-P-R-S can now help you locate ham
radio newscasts and simplex may be better than repeaters. All this and a
warning about a new e-mail scam aimed at the ham community on Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) report number 1625 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: W5KWQ PLANS STUDENT SCHOOL CONTACTS

When Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, becomes the next civilian to fly into space
later this month, he plans to talk to students live using amateur
radio. Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, is here with the details:

--

The ham radio educational events with Richard Garriott, W5KWQ, on board the
International Space Station are currently scheduled for Thursday, October
16th and Friday, October 17th. This, with middle school students from
Challenger Learning Centers across the country.

First up will be students from Howard B. Owens Science Center's Challenger
Center in Lanham, Maryland, Challenger Learning Center of Columbia in South
Carolina, Verizon Challenger Learning Center in Tampa, Florida and the
Brownsburg Challenger Learning Center in Indiana. They plan to ask
Garriott questions about living and working in space of on October 16th.

Students from the Indianapolis Challenger Learning Center in Indiana,
Challenger Learning Center at Paducah in Kentucky and Challenger Learning
Center-St. Louis in Missouri will talk to W5KWQ on Friday, October 17th.

These events will be broadcast live on the national website. Also at that
site are lesson plans in support of Richard Garriott's on orbit activities,
archived webcasts, podcasts, and student's predictions of what will happen
in the weightless environment of space. All are available on Challenger
Center's national website at www.challenger.org

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I', Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, in Los Angeles.

--

Richard Garriortt, W5KWQ, is the son of NASA's Skylab Astronaut Owen
Garriott, W5LFL. Owen Garriott was also the first ham radio operator to
ever come on the air from space. (ARISS, SAREX, ANS)

**

RADIO SCIENCE: NASA SCIENTISTS CALL 2008 BLANKEST SUNSPOT YEAR OF THE
SPACE AGE

The wait for better D-X conditions continues but it could be a longer wait
than originally projected. Astronomers who count sunspots have announced
that 2008 is now the "blankest year" of the Space Age. NASA Science News
says that as of September 27, the sun had no visible sunspots on 200 days
of this year.

To find a year with more blank suns, you have to go back to 1954. That's
,
three years before the launch of Sputnik. Its also the year that the sun's
disk was devoid of sunspots 241 days.

And right now the prognosis for increased solar activity seems dim. David
Hathaway is a Solar Physicist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. He
says that sunspot counts are at a 50-year low and that we are experiencing
a deep minimum of the solar cycle. You can read more at
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2...r.htm?list6529 (NASA
)

**

BREAKING DX NEWS: AFGHANISTAN COMING ON THE AIR

Speaking of D-X, even as the war to rid Afghanistan of Taliban insurgents
continues, ham radio is again taking to the air in that nation. And from
October 5th to the 31st, KE6GFF will be operating from the capital city of
Kabul as T6EE

Listen out for T6EE only on 14 dot 200 MHz +/- QRM as other frequencies are
not permitted with his license. He does plan to take part in the upcoming
CQ WWDX Contest in SSB on Oct 25th and 26th. QSLs via KE6GFI.

We will have more DX news at the end of this weeks report. (DXNS)


**

RADIO LAW: WISCONSIN CLUB WINS CONTESTED CALL

A Wisconsin radio club has been ruled as the new legal holder of a
contested vanity call sign. This as the FCC issues an order on September
24th that rules the Falls Amateur Radio Club to be the rightful recipient
of call sign W9CQ. Only one problem. It can't get the call. At least not
yet. Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Carlson, KQ6FM, reports:

--

The Falls Amateur Radio Club and the QRQ CW and Contest Group had both
claimed they were entitled to use the W9CQ call. This, after it was
voluntarily surrendered by Robert C. Moldenhauer who had received the call
after claiming to be a relative of the deceased previous holder. When he
realized that he was not, he offered the call back to the FCC for it to
reassign.

This past January 2nd, the Falls Amateur Radio Club filed an application
requesting the W9CQ call. The FCC dismissed the application on the
grounds that the call sign was not available, because it was less than two
years since it had been surrendered by Moldenhauer. But wait a minute.
Didn't Moldenhauer admit that he should not have gotten W9CQ the first
place?

That's what the Falls club believed and filed a Petition for
Reconsideration on January 23rd. In it, the club claimed that the call
sign should have been made available to the vanity call sign system on
January 2nd because Moldenhauer was not eligible for the call sign prior to
the expiration of the two-year waiting period. It also claimed to be the
only one who filed for that call on the January 2nd date.

But on May 23rd the QRQ CW and Contest Group submitted an application for
the W9CQ call. The application stated that QRQ was acting with the written
consent of a nephew of Paul Kent. The QRQ application was granted on June
10th.

But what about the petition for reconsideration filed by the Falls Amateur
Radio Club? When it finally got around to making a decision, the FCC
stated that they agreed with Falls Amateur Radio Club that call sign W9CQ
should have been made available to the vanity call sign system on January
2nd because Robert C. Moldenhauer was not eligible for it in the first
place. And it agreed that the Falls Amateur Radio Club was the only
applicant for that call sign on January 2, 2008, and that the call should
have been assigned to Falls Amateur Radio Club station.

Confused? Well it gets even better.

One would think that the FCC would simply yank the W9CQ call from the Q-R-Q
club and give it to the Falls group since the FCC itself said that Falls
should have gotten it in the first place. But that going with the simple
and obvious is never the way of the Washington bureaucracy.

Instead of switching the call to the club that the FCC itself says deserves
to have it, the agency said that it does not see how, at this time, it
could set aside QRQ's application for W9CQ. This is because that grant is
a final action.

Then it say wait a minute, there is a bureaucratic loophole. Its called
Section 316(a)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934, and it permits the
Commission to modify a station license if the action will promote the
public interest, convenience, and necessity. And using it the FCC proposed
to modify QRQ's Amateur Radio station license back to its old KC9MWH. This
is the call sign it held prior to the grant of its application for
W9CQ. The FCC stated that upon the modification of QRQ's license back to
KC9MWH, they would then be able to assign call sign W9CQ to Falls Amateur
Radio Club.

And so it is that the FCC has ordered that the petition filed by Falls
Amateur Radio Club be granted to the
extent indicated" in the Order and their application is returned to pending
status. I t was further ordered that it is proposed that the license of QRQ
be modified" by returning the previous call sign of KC9MWH.

But here's the bureaucratic Catch 22. The FCC says that it will not issue
a modification order until QRQ CW and Contest Group has received notice of
the proposed action and has had an opportunity to file a protest to
the modification. Such a protest has to be filed within thirty days of
the release date of the 'Order on Reconsideration and Order Proposing
Modification,' and has to contain sufficient evidence to show that the
modification would not be in the public interest. The FCC further stated
that if no protest is filed, that QRQ will have waived its right to protest
the modification and will be deemed to have consented to the modification.

Confusing? Very much so, to which Ill add to please not ask me to explain
any of this. I am not a communications lawyer nor do I play one on
T.V. In fact I'm just Don Csrlson, KQ6FM, in Reno, reporting the facts for
the Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

Obviously we won't know if QRQ files a protest until the FCC says its
received one or QRQ offers a public statement. And if they do protest, it
could also mean that this matter could drag on for months or years to
come. And as of this writing, the FCC database shows that the W9CQ call is
still in the hands of the QRQ CW And Contest Group of Vincennes,
Indiana. (FCC, ARRL, others)

**

RESCUE RADIO: CANADIAN HAMS TRACK HURRICANE KYLE

Hams in Eastern Canada were activated as the latest tropical event of the
season made it was North before making landfall in New Brunswick Nova
Scotia on Sunday, September 28th. Canadian amateur radio operators
provided information on Hurricane Kyle to the both the U.S. National
Hurricane Center in Miami as well as having it passed to the Canadian
Hurricane Center in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Kyle's impact on Nova Scotia was blunted by the cold waters of the north
Atlantic Ocean. None the less wind gusts of 124 kilometers per hour were
recorded at Baccaro Point in Nova Scotia's Shelburne County. A Canadian
coast guard ship reported wind gusts up to 154 kilometres per hour off the
Shelburne coast. The winds knocked down a construction site in Shelburne
and caused thousands to lose power. Nova Scotia Power said that at Kyle's
height, winds knocked out power to more than 40,000 customers across the
province, mostly in the southwestern part.

Most of the ham radio hurricane tracking reports were made through the
Voice Over Internet Protocol Hurricane Net network which uses interlinked
IRLP and Echolink nodes. These are connected to WX4NHC, which is the
Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center in Miami. In
addition, there were Amateur radio stations from Australia and Germany
assisting in net activities. (RAC)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W9BBK repeater
serving Bolingbrook, Illinois.

(5 sec pause here)

**

RESCUE RADIO: HURRICANE KYLE BRUSHES US COASTLINE

Before hitting the Nova Scotia coastline, Hurricane Kyle brushed its way
across Eastern New England region. Heavy rain associated with the storm
caused some flooding in the region.

According to the ARRL, the amateur radio station at the National Weather
Service in Taunton, Massachusetts was activated for the weather event. Its
call is WX1BOX, and it coordinated SKYWARN operations Friday afternoon
through Sunday.

The ARRL District Emergency Coordinator for Maine District 3 is Phil
Roberts, K1PAR. He activated several nets in his on Saturday night with
all ARES members in the affected counties were on standby. In Southwestern
Maine, ARES members were also on standby for possible activation by their
respective served agencies. Maine Section Emergency Coordinator, Bryce
Rumery, K1GAX, provided reports all day Sunday to ARRL Headquarters before
the nets were advised to stand down. (ARRL)

**


PUBLIC SERVICE: THE 2008 USFAR MARATHON AND HAM RADIO

Ham radio was a part of the action at a recent Ohio marathon. Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, is here with the details:

--

A team of 35 radio amateur operators from organizations from around the
Dayton, Ohio area provided critical communications for the recent running
of the United States Air Force Marathon. Hams operating under the
direction of Greene County Amateur Radio Emergency Service provided an
information channel between the hydration stations, medical stations, and
the United States Air Force Marathon staff.

For the twelfth year, this marathon was held at Wright Patterson Air force
Base . Most of the radio systems were deployed late on Friday, September
19th or very early on event day of September the 20th. The primary
repeater normally used for the event is owned by the Upper Valley Amateur
Radio Club of Fairborn Ohio. Due to the remnants of Hurricane Ike, it did
not did not have commercial power and battery backup ran out on earlier in
the week. To make it available for the marathon, the Fairborn group was
able to obtain a generator to keep the machine in operation for the day.
Over 500 routine and emergency messages were passed during the event.

For the amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the studio
in Los Angeles.

--

This years United States Air Force Marathon supported over 7500 military
and civilian runners from around the world. Over 1500 volunteers including
35 hams assisted with the event. (KF4KWW, WS8B)

**

RADIO SCAM ALEET: E-MAIL FROM AMEX TO HAMS A PURPORTED PHONY

A possible new fraud scheme targeting radio amateurs over the
Internet This, according to Robert Greenstein, AA6A, who reports via
QRZ.com that the scam has apparently been directed to ham radio callsign
sign e-mail addresses.

Greenstein says that the electronic solicitation purportedly looks like an
e-mail from American Express. Specifically from "AMEX SERVICES" with a
Subject Line: reading: "AMEX UPDATE". The messages seeks to have the
recipient respond by sending back a font and rear copy of both their
driver's license and American Express card.

Greenstein's post indicates that the message originates from
the and has an I P address of 82.165.179.193.

More savvy e-mail users will readily see that the message is a bogus
attempt to obtain personal and account information.

The bottom line to this. If you get any e-mail asking for your personal
information -- no matter whom its from -- do not ever respond. Delete it
and in doing so you protect your identity and your life savings. (AA6A via
QRZ.com)

**

ENFORCEMENT: FOLLOW-UP ON ALLEGED UNLICENSED STATION
OPERATOR INCARCERATED IN FLORIDA

A follow-up to last weeks story about the arrest of an alleged unlicensed
radio station in Florida. You may remember that authorities in Wilton
Manors, Florida announced the arrest 23-year-old Constantinos
Rigalos. This, for apparently operating an illegal FM radio station which
is a third-degree felony in Florida. But now we learn that's not where
the
story ends.

In addition to local law enforcement action, word that the FCC appears to
have been involved in the bust. In a September 10th letter to Rigalos, the
regulatory agency says that its Miami Office received information that an
unlicensed broadcast radio station on 103.9 MHz. One that was allegedly
operating in the Wilton Manors area. Also, that's its agents traced the
signal to Rigalos residence in Wilton Manors.

The FCC also says that it has information that indicates Rigalos was one of
the operators of this station. Its letter warns him that his operation is
illegal and must cease at once. If not, on a federal level the penalties
he could face include seizure of the radio station equipment, monetary
fines, and criminal sanctions including imprisonment. This is in addition
to the Florida state prosecution that is already underway. (CGC, FCC)

**

RADIO LAW: THE FCC SAYS THAT TWO ARE REALLY ONE

Ten applications for noncom educational FMs in various states have been
dismissed by the FCC. This, in a case involving two separate but related
organizations in Ohio.

Spirit Communications and The Helpline each filed 10 applications in last
fall's noncom filing window. The FCC then received an anonymous petition
alleging that Helpline had been created by Spirit to deliberately
circumvent a cap of 10 applications.

Helpline told the FCC that the two organizations do not have common
directors and in fact the groups have had separate boards and officers
since just prior to their application filings. But the FCC found that
Spirit's de facto control of Helpline continued, so the organizations
could
not apply for 10 each.

Among other things the FCC found that the new Helpline board consists of
two Spirit employees and their spouses, and that Helpline has no employees
of its own. Rather, it relies on Spirit employees to "volunteer" to
perform basic functions. Based on this, the FCC's Audio Division of the
Media Bureau now has ruled that Helpline's applications should still be
attributed to Spirit and the maximum of 10 applications does prevail. (RW)

**

RADIO LAW: TEXTING OUT AND GPS IN UNDER CA LAWS

California Governor Schwarzenegger has signed two bills into law that
affect the installation or operation of electronic communications devices
in vehicles. The first one signed on September 25th makes California the
latest state that bans drivers from text messaging while behind the wheel.

The ban on texting while driving, backed by fines starting at $20 per
offense, will come into force on January 1st 2009. It closes a loophole in
a law that requires the use of hands-free devices while driving and talking
on a cellular phone. That law that took effect this past July but failed
to include text messaging.

Meantime, the California Governor has now signed into law a bill that was
put forth earlier this year that will again legalize windshield mounting of
GPS devices. Also beginning January 1, 2009, California drivers will be
able to suction cup their GPS units but there are some restrictions. The
only places legal will be in the lower 7-inch corner farthest away from the
driver or in the lower 5-inch corner closest to the driver. The use of
suction cup on-glass mounting had earlier been banned due to safety
concerns but a loud out cry from the public seems to have brought them
back. (K6LCS and other published reports)

**

ON THE NET: COMCAST TO LIMIT RESIDENTIAL INTERNET BANDWIDTH

Internet provider Comcast has announced that it plans to place limits on
the amount of broadband usage it will allow its residential customers. Jim
Meachen, ZL2BHF reports:

--

Comcast say that the 250 gigabytes is about 100 times the typical home
usage. It claims that the average residential customer uses only two to
three gigabytes a month. It also says that under one percent of customers
exceed the 250 gigabyte level in a given 30 day period, but that small
number can slow the system down as they download a large number of huge
media files.

Under the Comcast plan, residential subscribers who exceed the 250 gigabyte
limit would risk having their service terminated for up to a year. Users
who exceed that amount will not have their access switched off immediately,
nor will they be charged for excessive use. Instead, they would likely be
contacted by Comcast and officially notified of the cap. If they exceed
the limit a second time or simply refuse to comply, then service
termination could result.

In recent months a number of Internet Service Providers have considered
clamping down on their most active subscribers. Mainly those involved in
peer to peer media file exchange services. The ISP's say that the limits
are needed to insure fair access to the network for who need to reach the
Internet.

--


Reports are that several bloggers who seem to indicate that they are
involved in file sharing may challenge Comcast on the data transfer in
court. (Published reports)


**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS: EMCOMM OPS FROM CREATIVE SERVICES SOFTWARE

Creative Services Software has announced the release of EmComm Ops, which
the company describes as a new software solution for packet radio
operations.

Creative says that the software is designed primarily for emergency radio
communications. It says that it assists amateur, commercial and MARS radio
operators to connect to, access, integrate and operate packet radio
stations with a Windows PC or laptop from a fixed station or in the field.

EmComm Ops is the first addition to Creative Services Software recently
rebranded Radio Operations Center product line. A free, 30-day trial of
EmComm Ops is available now on the CSS Website. That U-R-L in cyberspace
at www.cssincorp,com (Crerative Services release)

**

HAM RADIO BUSINESS: DX ENGINEERING ACQUIRES COMTEL SYSTEMS

Consolidation in the ham radio industry. This with word that Ohio-based DX
Engineering has acquired of Comtek Systems.

James R. Miller, K4SQR, principal of Comtek Systems explained that DX
Engineering and Comtek have complementary product lines and the ability to
union created by combining the two companies will bring many benefits to
the Amateur Radio fraternity.

The acquisition will take place immediately, with the transfer of Comtek's
manufacturing and customer service operations to DX Engineering's Akron,
Ohio facility. For more information about DX Engineering and Comtek
Systems, please visit www.dxengineering.com and ww.comteksystems.com, on
the World Wide Web. (DX Engineering release)

**

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)

**

WITH NEWSLINE: SOME WORDS OF THANKS

Ladies and gentlemen, with some thank-you's to those who support these
newscasts, here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Support Fund Administrator, Andy
Jarema, N6TCQ

--

Continuing with our thank-yous, last year in the months of June through
September we heard from John Hays, N6JWH of Oak Hills, CA with a
contribution in memory of Frank Spencer, KA6BUY.

The Muncie, IN Area ARC, WB9HXG who sent their contribution as a result of
the sale of donated gear from the family of Silent Key David Doirion,
WA1MKE/9 their long-time club secretary.

Lou Dartanner, N6ZKJ of Santa Barbara and the Southern Orange Amateur Radio
Association of Mission Viejo.

Via PayPal we had contributors from IL including Joan Friedman, KC9HXY in
Urbana; Marilyn Gardner in Evanston; Gary Friendlander, WD9HDM in Buffalo
Grove; One "quote unit of love and respect" from Edmund Burckart, N9VTU in
Glenview; Mark Burlingame, KB9TVD in Northlake and David Hewitt In Lake
Forest .

Elsewhere James Drenthe, KC8SSK of Galesburg, MI; Scott Saunders in Salt
Lake City, Utah; Bryan Charles Bailey in Fort Worth, Texas and Mark Moore
in Sunland, CA.

Please do your part to help keep these weekly newscasts stay on the air.
We've made it easy for you through PayPal on our website, arnewsline.org,
or at the address you'll hear at the end of this broadcast.

Till next time, I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.

--

Andy will be back with us in the near future with more than-yous to those
who have contributed to the support fund. (Newsline Support Fund)


**

HAM RADIO ON THE WEB: QST BACK ISSUES ON-LINE FOR ARRL MEMBERS

Back issues of QST Magazine from December 1915 to December 2004 are now
available online as a free download for ARRL members. This new benefit is
provided by the ARRL Technical Information Service and provides copies of
each magazine in Adobe Portable Document File format.

ARRL members can now access the online QST magazine archive by logging into
their account and then going to
www.arrl.org/members-only/qqnsearch.html. If you are not an ARRL member
you can find out how to join at t www.arrl.org/join ((ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: W0ODY TO RECEIVE UNIVERSITY AWARD

A ham radio operator is among two members of the Evangel University staff
honored October 10th during Evangel University's homecoming
celebration. Librarian Woodvall Moore, W0ODY and Marilyn Campbell who is
an administrative assistant in the Business and Economics Department, will
both receive a Distinguished Service Award.

Known as "Woodie" to friends, Moore has been a fixture in Evangel's
library
since 1976. He earned a bachelor of science from Southern Bible College
and a master of library science from the University of Kentucky. Starting
as reference librarian, he was promoted to director within one year. His
current title, director of library and media services, reflects the changes
in his role that have taken place over the years. He is also a past
president of the Association of Christian Librarians.

Evangel University is a private Christian university associated with the
Assemblies of God church. (Press release)

**

RADIO TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT: THE NEWS AND APRS

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR, reports that he has created a new APRS information
website. One that provides a look at who is transmitting ham radio
newscasts like this one.

The new web page is designed to help those Newsline, RAIN and ARRL audio
volunteers to get their APRS objects on the air. The concept requires the
cooperation and support of listeners to these reports.

According to Bob, while a report like this one is on the air, an APRS
operator in that area should be putting out on an approved APRS frequency
as a live object at the time of the event. That object would shows up on
the front panel of every APRS mobile displaying the frequency to listen to,
the direction and distance to the repeater and the topic being transmitted.

Bobs new APRS news and information web page includes Amateur Radio
Newsline, the Rain Report and the ARRL Audio News. You can find it on line
at www.aprs.org/On-Air-Beacons.html. (WB4APR)

**

WORLDBEAT - RUSSIA: VOA MAKES MAJOR CHANGES TO RUSSIAN PROGRAM DELIVERY

The Voice of America announced that it has eliminated radio broadcasts in
Hindi, Bosnian, Serbian, and Macedonian as of September 30th. The
broadcaster has also discontinued its 30-minute Russian weekly television
program and will deliver text, audio, and video content to Russia's
fast-growing Internet market.

The Voice of America says that it will accessible through digital
devices. These include mobile Internet devices, cell phones that receive
text and multi-media messages, and MP3 players.

According to a report from the British Broadcasting Company, the change in
the Voice of America's Russian's program delivery reflects the crackdown on
independent media and freedom of speech in Russia. The V-O-A's Russian
radio broadcasts ended in July 2008. The BCC notes that Russian shortwave
radio listenership also has continued to decline with fewer than two per
cent of Russians using this medium to receive broadcasts. (BBC)

**

DX

In D-X, Word that DJ1OJ, will spend the winter on Teneriffa, in the Canary
Islands until the end of March 2009. He will be active as EA8OM mainly
using CW and RTTY. QSL via bureau to his home call or via Logbook to the
World.

And F4EGS, is operating portable EY8 in the Tajikistan capital city of
Dushanbe. He will be there through November 26th and is on the air using
SSB, C-W, RTTY and PSK on 40 through 10 meters. QSL direct or via bureau
to his home call.

S79TF will be the callsign of DJ6TF, who is going to spend his vacation
time through October 14th on La Digue Island. His main emphasis is the 30
meter band and RTTY operation. That said, you can also find him working
the other modes mostly at the lower band edges with his FT-890 and a
vertical antenna. QSLs via DJ6TF either direct or via bureau.

Lastly, F5TLN will be in the Lebanon until February of 2009. He will work
mostly in SSB but also some CW on all High Frequency bands. He says that
he will confirm the QSL cards after his return home and points out that
bureau QSL's will take some time. The bottom line on this one is to please
be patient on this one.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: THINK SIMPLEX

And finally this week, a rhetoric question. Can a ham have more fun on FM
if he doesn't use a repeater? Jim Linton, VK3PC, of the WIA News thinks
that you can:

--

The use of simplex operation is not new and in fact it was a way of life
before voice repeaters arrived many decades ago.

If you find yourself on the shores of Australia's large inland sea, Lake
Eyre, or someone else remote, a call on simplex FM can surprisingly achieve
results. In fact a number of travelling radio amateurs do sit on the
national calling frequency of and that should be encouraged. Simplex also
takes away some of the hassles with repeater operation such as what
repeater to use and those CTCSS access tones.

The Simplex Preservation Society is a club in the United States that is an
alternative to what it calls the traditional repeater-centric amateur radio
groups. It's not suggesting anyone gives up repeater use, but its members
do monitor
simplex, make regular contacts that way and maintain a capability to be
able to operate independently of repeaters. SPS members maintain, or
improve, their VHF stations to ensure they can effectively communicate
within their city limits.

Do you regularly evaluate your simplex capabilities or perhaps have an
over-reliance on repeaters? There are plenty of regular repeater nets but
not as many simplex nets. As a suggestion a net controller could put
everyone to the test by QSY'ing to simplex to see just how many can still
maintain contact.

The Simplex Preservation Society believes that being simplex-capable will
also be vital in times of natural disasters or other emergencies.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Linton VK3PC

--

More about the Simplex Preservation Society is on-line at
www.73sps.com (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 and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is
. 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.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Don
Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Mississippi saying 73 and we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.