Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1720 - July 30 2010

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1720 with a release date of
Friday, July 30, 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. The ARRL tells an Oklahoma City that it has
no legal ground to try to control R-F-I, San Francisco sued over its
new cellphone radiation label law, the Florida Repeater Council
releases a proposal to narrow-band the 2 meter and 70 Centimeter
repeater subbands and ham radio helps celebrate 100 years of Scouting
in America. A live report by Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, from the 2010 Boy
Scouts of America Jamboree on this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline(tm)
report number 1720 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

RADIO LAW: ARRL TELLS MIDWEST CITY THAT ITS RFI ORDENANCE IS ILLEGAL
AND ORDERS IT BE RESCINDED

The ARRL has told an Oklahoma city that it has no jurisdiction over
radio frequency interference. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant,
K6PZW, has mo

--

Saying that the Federal Communications Commission is the only entity
empowered to regulate radio frequency interference, the ARRL has notified
Midwest City, Oklahoma, that its local ordinance 27-3(9), seeking to
regulate radio transmissions and RFI, is in the League's words, "null and
void."

Midwest City is located in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. On July
21st, ARRL General Counsel Christopher D. Imlay, W3KD, wrote to Midwest
City Assistant City Manager Dave Ballew, City Attorney Katherine Bolles and
Director of Code Enforcement Mike Stroh. In his letter he informed them
that the ARRL had been provided with a copy of the ordinance by radio
amateurs in that community. Imlay also stated that the League was aware
that a notice was sent by Stroh on behalf of the city to one of ARRL's
members who resides in Midwest City. In it, the city asserted that the FCC
licensed radio amateur to whom the letter was addressed was in violation of
the ordinance as the result of radio frequency interference appearing in a
neighbor complainant's home electronic equipment. That radio amateur was
ordered to remedy the problem in one day, under penalty of a sanction
assessed against his real property.

Imlay then stated categorically that the city had absolutely no legal
ground on which to enact or enforce its ordinance. His letter explained in
detail to the city officials that the FCC is the only entity empowered to
regulate RFI and that Radio Frequency Interference is not a matter subject
for municipal regulation by Midwest City. He went on to state that Midwest
City's ordinance 27-3(9), which purports to regulate RFI is preempted on
its face by federal oversight and is therefore the city's ordinance is null
and void.

In his note, attorney Imlay expressed his hope that it will not be
necessary to submit the Midwest City ordinance to the FCC by way of a
Request for a Declaratory Ruling. But warned W3KD, that would be the
ARRL's planned course of action unless the ordinance is rescinded. He also
says that the letter from Director of Code Enforcement Stroh to the radio
amateur in Midwest City must be retracted immediately.

Reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los
Angeles.

--

In his letter to the leadership of Midwest City, Attorney Imlay noted that
the radio amateur in question has the full support of ARRL in any action he
may choose to take in this matter. (ARRL, K5DBX, QRZ.com)

**

RADIO LAW: CTIA SUES SAN FRANCISCO OVER CELLPHONE LABEL LAW

The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association has gone to court to
stop a recently passed San Francisco, California law. One that would
require retail stores to disclose radiation levels for the mobile phones
they sell. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the
Newsroom with the details:

--

In a lawsuit filed Friday, July 23rd, the trade organization, that's better
known by its initials CTIA, says that the San Francisco ordinance attempts
to unlawfully regulate emissions from cell phones which is a duty reserved
exclusively by the FCC. The suit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the
Northern District of California, seeks to block the ordinance, which was
passed last month and requires retailers to post information about the
Specific Absorption Rate for the phones they sell.

Specific Absorption Rate or SAR is a measurement of cellular telephone
radiation. The FCC has established a Specific Absorption Rate limit for
all mobile phones sold in the United States and the CTIA argues that the
ordinance unlawfully interferes with the Federal Communications
Commission's authority over such telecommunications devices. The also CTIA
claims that the San Francisco ordinance conflicts with federal law by
challenging the FCC's determination that all FCC complaint handsets are safe.

This is an important case for ham radio to follow because if implemented it
could eventually be expanded to cover all types of two way radio gear used
within the city limits of San Francisco including amateur radio
stations. And if left standing, it would also undermine the federal
governments preemptive role in the area of governing anything to do with
the transmission of radio frequency energy.

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

--

We will be keeping a close eye on this one as it proceeds through the
courts. (Adapted from published news reports.)

**

FM AND REPEATERS: FLORIDA REPEATER COUNCIL RELEASES VHF AND UHF
NARROWBANDING PROPOSAL

The Florida Repeater Council has officially posted it's proposed
narrow-banding recommendation for 2 meters and 70 centimeters on its
website. The concept adopted by the Florida Repeater Council leadership
basically follows the narrow-banding in the Part 90 VHF and UHF commercial
services. Its also based on the knowledge that most if not all of the
newer amateur radio FM equipment available on the market today in the 144
to148 MHz and 430 to 450 MHz range is capable of using 6.25 KHz channels
if deviation is set at 2.5 KHz deviation.

Since the use of these new technology systems usually requires the purchase
of new radios which are compatible with the new technology systems, by
allocating narrow band channels for only newer technology systems there
should be a minimal impact on existing wide band repeaters and their users.

While 12.5 and 6.25 KHz channel spacing has been used on the UHF commercial
and amateur bands for some time, the VHF bands have used 15 KHz spacing for
decades. Since the legacy spacing of VHF commercial and the 146 to 148 MHz
amateur service bands do not permit the use of 12.5 or 6.25 KHz spacing
without a complete and disruptive re-farming of the entire band, the
Florida Repeater Council is proposing to follow the FCC's VHF plan for Part
90. This will allow use of 7.5 KHz spacing between the legacy 15 KHz
channels in the 146 to 148 MHz subband 2 meter and 10 kHz spacing between
the existing 144.5 to 145.5 MHz channels in the lower subband.

The Florida repeater council says that most newer amateur radio equipment
evaluated can program to the 7.5 or 10 KHz spacing without
difficulty. However in some case the scanning or stepping functions of
some radios may require software or firmware updates to properly scan these
new channels in a given radios VFO mode.

The proposed changes will create 71 new frequency pairs for narrow band
repeaters on 2 meters. It would also significantly expand the number of
UHF narrow band channel pairs available as well. This says the council
should provide the needed spectrum for experimentation and development of
the newer technology systems that utilize narrow band emission such as
D-Star and P-25 digital audio relay services.

The Florida Repeater Council will be looking for public comment on its
proposal by e-mail to narrowbandcomments (at) florida-repeaters (dot) org
or at the Melborne Hamfest this coming October. More on this proposed band
change is on-line at www.florida-repeaters.org. (KS4VT, FRC)

**

RADIO LAW: SPANISH FISHING INTRUDERS ON THE HAM BANDS

The IARU Region 1 website reports that Spanish fishermen are now being
heard daily on most of the High Frequency bands. Frequencies mentioned
include 3.500, 3.510, 3.550, 3.590, 7.000, 14.000, 21.000, 21.222 and
21.395 MHz.

All operations are on upper sideband. DK2OM says that the operators often
use a voice scrambler but when decoded, they only use private names. No
ship names or other identification is given. DK2OM adds that talking to
them is wasted time as they only react with obscenities.

If you hear them, you can log reports of these intruders online at
tinyurl.com/spanish-fishing
(IARU Region 1)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ISS TO CELEBRATE 100 YEARS OF US SCOUTING WITH ISS CONTACT

A special Amateur Radio on the International Space Station contact with the
100th anniversary of Scouting Jamboree is scheduled to take place at about
18:20 UTC on Saturday, October 31st. At the time of the contact the I-S-S
will be in a 56 degree elevation pass over the National Boy Scout Jamboree
at Fort A. P. Hill, Virginia. That's where some 43,000 scouts and leaders
will join 8,000 volunteers to celebrate this milestone event for the
scouting movement. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is at
the Jamboree and will have a report on ham radios part in this years
Jamboree later on in this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report.

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the world including
the WA4ZBE repeater serving Richmond, Virginia.

(5 sec pause here)


**

ENFORCEMENT: SOUTH AFRICA TELECOM REGULATOR REMOVES UNLICENSED REPEATER
FROM THE 70 CM BAND

An unlicensed repeater has been removed from the 70 centimeter band in
South Africa. Following a report by the South African Radio League to the
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa about the unlicensed
machine operating in the ham radio band, the South African regulator
investigated the intrusion. It located the system and instructed the
owner, who was providing services for his local community watch, to shut
down the repeater. At first the systems owner refused the regulatory
agency's representatives access to his premises to seal the repeater from
further operation. The person soon relented and the repeater is now off
and out of the 70 centimeter South African amateur radio band. (SARL)

**

ENFORCEMENT: UNLICENSED BROADCASTER ORDERED TO PAY $10,000 FINE

The United States FCC has affirmed a $10,000 Forfeiture Order issued to
Dexter Blake of Mt. Vernon, New York. This, for willfully and repeatedly
violating Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934 by operating an
unlicensed radio transmitter on the frequency 101.5 MHz in the Mt. Vernon area.

Back on March 3, 2009, the Commission's New York Field Office issued a
Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture in the amount of $10,000 to
Blake. To date, Blake has not filed a response to the NAL or paid the
proposed forfeiture. Therefore, based on the information the FCC had
before it, the regulatory agency on July 22nd affirmed the forfeiture and
has issued Blake an order to pay the fine. (FCC)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC TO REDUCE VANITY FEE BY A DIME

The cost of getting a ham radio vanity call sign is about to go down a
dime. On July 19th, the Federal Communications Commission announced via
the Federal Register that the cost of an Amateur Radio vanity call sign
will decrease 10 cents to $13.30. The new charge takes effect 30 days after
publication, making August 17th the first day the new fee is in
effect. (FCC, ARRL)

**

RADIO EDUCATION: RSGB PRESENTS MUSICAL MORSE TRAINING

The RSGB newcomers web page has an MP3 designed to encourage learning Morse
Code. With a musical backing track, it gives the entire Morse alphabet
including numbers and punctuation. We cant bring it to you because of the
FCC's ban on music on the ham bands, but you can hear it on-line at
tinyurl.com/morsemusic. Just click the 'Play' button to listen. (GB2RS)

**

RADIO AND THE MILITARY: NETHERLANDS TERMINATES URUGZANFM ON JULY 30

Uruzgan FM, the special program for Dutch forces in Afghanistan made its
final transmission on July 30th. This, as the Dutch mission in
Afghanistan ends on August 1st.

Uruzgan FM was produced by the Dutch domestic network 3FM. It was
broadcast via Radio Netherlands Worldwide heard Monday through Friday at
1400 UTC on local FM transmitters in Afghanistan fed by satellite and via
the website at www dot uruzgan dot fm. It was also broadcast on local
stations in the Netherlands in areas around the military bases.

Uruzgan FM was launched in August 2006 at the start of the Dutch mission in
Afghanistan. The Uruzgan FM team along with various Dutch artists has
visited the Dutch bases in Afghanistan three times. (Media Network)

**

RADIO BUSINESS: IOWA'S HAMKITT STORE CLOSING ITS DOORS

Some sad news in the ham radio business world. This with word that the
HAMKITT store in Des Moines, Iowa is closing it's doors due to poor sales.

According to Terry Graves, K7FE, who is the Chief Editor, QRZ dot com, Joe
Leto, W0IW, opened the Des Moines, Iowa retail business with the intent to
provide local hams an amateur radio store to visit. He also had a web site
providing online sales.

The ham store void in the area was an attraction for Joe to start his
business. While it was well received by the locals, the poor economy
caused reduced sales and made the venture unprofitable. According to W0IW
the remaining inventory is still for sale and will be until he closes the
door. To find out if he has what you need you can e-mail Joe to info (at)
hamkitt (dot) com

For those not aware, Joe Leto, W0IW, hosts the The Iowa Wireless Contesting
Station. (K7FE, QRZ.com)

**

ON THE AIR: KINGS COUNTY REPEATER ASSOCIATION TO COMMEMORATE 911

New York City's Kings County Repeater Association's annual 9/11 Memorial
Event will operate special event station KC2RA on Friday, September 10th
from 1300 to 2300 UTC. The operation will take place only a short walk
from Ground Zero with SSB operations on 7.250 and 14.295, PSK31 on 14.070
plus D-Star on reflector REF020B and Echolink node 64300. RF participants
who send card with S-A-S-E will receive a commemorative QSL. Send yours to
KC2RA, Post Office Box 280288, Brooklyn, New York, 11228. For more
information see www.kc2ra.org on the World Wide Web. (KCRA)

**

ON THE AIR: INTERNATIONAL LIGHTHOUSE AND LIGHTSHIP WEEKEND

A tide of registrations for the International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend. There are 340 lighthouses, some lightships and one time-ball
tower registered so far for the International Lighthouse and Lightship
Weekend on the 21st and 22nd of August.

The event now in its 11th year was begun by the Ayr Radio Club of
Scotland. Now there are radio amateurs and lighthouses in some 30
countries involved.

The 300th registration this year came from Rainer Kledtke DO7RKL for the
Westerheversand lighthouse in the northernmost part of Germany. A most
famous landmark it stands 41-metres tall on a peninsula between the North
and the Baltic seas.

Australia has been a strong supporter of this fun event celebrating the
history of lighthouses. It has 53 registrations, just ahead of Germany on
50 and the United States some 40 lighthouses.

There's still lots of lonely lighthouses looking for the company of
friendly radio hams to bring radio gear to them for the International
Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend. To learn more or register a lighthouse
visit the website at www.illw.net. (VK3PC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: KE5ISX APPOINTED NEW WEST GULF ARRL VICE DIRECTOR

Some names in the news. First up is John Robert Stratton, KE5ISX, of
Austin Texas. He has been appointed by ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN,
to serve as Vice Director of the Leagues West Gulf Division for the
remainder of the current term that expires January 1, 2011.

A General class licensee, Stratton has been licensed and an ARRL member
since 2006, but said he has wanted to be a ham since he was a Boy Scout in
high school. In February 2007 he became active in League affairs after
learning about the new cell phone bills that were introduced in the Texas
Legislative Session and volunteered to help work against those
measures. Due to his success with that legislation, Stratton became the
ex-officio West Gulf Legal Counsel and in 2009. He was then appointed
Assistant Director and Division Legislative Action Chair.

Stratton, an attorney by profession, fills the vacancy created when John
Thomason, WB5SYT, resigned the position earlier this month. (ARRL)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: VK3DQ NAMED FIRST RECIPIENT OF WIA CENTENARY AWARD

John Fisher, VK3DQ, is the first ham to qualify for the Wireless Institute
of Australia's WIA Centenary Award. The award to Fisher was based on his
three contacts with 100th anniversary WIA commemorative station
VK100WIA. One contact was made with the WIA during May. Fisher then made
contact with the Wagga and Midland Amateur Radio Clubs operation of
VK100WIA in June. He also worked 14 WIA members to tally up the required
100 points. Fisher received his award in a surprise visit to his home by
Wireless Institute of Australia's President, Michael Owen VK3KI. (WIA News)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: TWO ASTRONAUTS TAKE PART IN SIMULATED ISS CONTACTS

Astronauts Ron Garan, KF5GPO, and Mike Fossum, KF5AQG, have each
successfully completed a simulated Amateur Radio on the International Space
Station contact with the Challenger Learning Center of Indianapolis on
Thursday, July 22. Garan and Fossum answered 14 and 22 questions
respectively during the training exercise. These practice sessions are
terrestrial based amateur radio contacts using the same type of ham gear
that the astronauts will be using when they are on board the International
Space Station. (ANS)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: ARRL SAYS APOLLO 11 HEARD BY HAM

The ARRL reports that a ham received signals from the Apollo 11 lunar
astronauts 41 years ago. According to the League, in July of 1969, Larry
Baysinger, W4EJA, independently detected radio transmissions from the
Apollo 11 astronauts on the lunar surface.

Baysinger was both a radio amateur and an amateur radio-astronomer. His
accomplishments were reportded by Louisville Courier-Journal reporter Glenn
Rutherford in an article titled Lunar Eavesdropping: Louisvillians Hear
Moon Walk Talk On Homemade Equipment. You can read more at
www.arrl.org/eavesdropping-on-apollo-11. (ARRL)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE: 2011 W0 DX CONVENTION TO BE HELD IN KANSAS CITY

The Kansas City DX Club is has announce the W0 DX Convention to be held in
the Kansas City area on July 23rd, 2011. For more information on The W0 DX
Convention please go to the Kansas City DX Club website and to download the
flyer. Its in cyberspace www.kcdxclub.com (QRZ.com, K4SX)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE: K6J AT THE WINGS OVER WINE COUNTRY AIR SHOW

The Sonoma County Radio Amateurs Club has been granted a Special Event
license to operate Special Event Station K6J. This, at the Pacific Coast
Air Museum Wings over Wine Country Air Show on August 21st and 22nd in
Santa Rosa, California.

Wings Over Wine Country is one of the nations premier air shows with flight
presentations by both the Air Force and Navy demonstration teams. It also
features a display of military aircraft known as warbirds along with other
aviation related entertainment.

To help commemorate this years show, station K6J we will be operating SSB
on 20 meters on or around 14.275 MHz. As part of the stations operation it
will describe the show to other hams with whom it makes contact. Those who
work K6J who can send a request for a QSL card or certificate. More
information and QSL routing should soon be on-line at
www.sonomacountyradioamateurs.com. (KG6JSL)

**

BREAK 2

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

(5 sec pause here)

**

THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: DAVID WARREN - INVENTOR OF "BLACK BOX RECORDER
- S.K.

An Australian scientist who invented the "black box" flight data recorder,
has died. Jim Linton, VK3PC, reports on the life of inventor David Warren:

--

The death of Dr David Warren brought to the close a very interesting life
of a man who developed the black box that has played a crucial role in
improving aviation worldwide.

He was born in 1925 at a remote mission station on Groote Eylandt in the
Gulf of Carpentaria, North Australia, and the first European child to be
born on that Aboriginal settlement.

His father was killed in one of Australia's earliest air disasters in Bass
Strait between the states of Victoria and Tasmania, and the last gift
received from his dad was a crystal set.

That encouraged the young David in boarding school to build radio receivers
and enroll to sit for his ham ticket, hoping to become Australia's youngest
radio amateur. But this ambition was thwarted when the government imposed
a ban on amateur radio with the outbreak of World War II. However his
schoolboy knowledge of electronics led him to later to build the world's
first flight data recorder.

Being involved in the accident investigation of the world's first jet-power
aircraft, the Comet, in 1953, led him to advocate that there be a cockpit
recorder as a means of solving otherwise unexplainable aircraft crashes.

The idea initially raised little interest, so while the Principal Research
Scientist, Aeronautical Research Laboratories in Melbourne, he designed and
built an experimental unit that could record four hours of speech as well
as flight instrument readings.

The idea took five years to be finally accepted. Dr David Warren died aged 85

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

--

A variation on Warren's invention is now being included in more and more
new cars, trucks and other vehicles. (VK3PC)

**

WORLDBEAT: UK'S BBC BROADCAST HOUSE GETTING FORTIFICATIONS

Call this one a sign of the times. The British Broadcasting Corporation
has been given the final go ahead to build a fortress-style parapet around
Broadcasting House to defend it from terrorist attack. Under the 5 million
pound plan, which has been endorsed by British Security Service MI5, what
is described as an imposing ring of steel consisting of hydraulic rising
pylons and concrete planters is being erected around the landmark building
in London's Portland Place. Work is due to be completed by November. More
is on-line at tinyurl.com/2d7kxpf (West End Extra)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: SO-67 AGAIN RETURNING TO SERVICE

South Africa AMSAT reports on their web page that operations are slowly
being resumed on its Sumbandilsat SO-67 bird. According to the
announcement the satellites ground control station will observe the amateur
payload to ensure the it remains stable and then gradually add more
operating time. You can follow the progress on-line at
www.amsatsa.org.za. (ANS)

**

RADIO IN SPACE: PLANETARY SOCIETY SAYS YES TO LIGHTSAIL-1

LightSail-1, the Planetary Society's new ultra-light Cubesat-based solar
sail spacecraft, has passed its Critical Design Review. At a two-day
meeting in Pasadena, California, a team including Jet Propulsion Labs
project veterans Glenn Cunningham, WA6TPT, Bud Schurmeier, Viktor
Kerzhanovich, and Aerospace Corporation's Dave Bearden gave the thumbs up
to proceed with building the spacecraft's hardware and
software. LightSat-1will demonstrate that sunlight alone can propel a
spacecraft in Earth orbit. More information is on-line at
tinyurl.com/ycnsqmc (LightSail-1)

**

PROPAGATION STUDY: NEW 6 METER BEACON IN KYRGYZSTAN

EX1SIX is a new 6 meter propagation beacon that has come on the air from
Kyrgyzstan. It transmits on 50.026 MHz with 60 watts out to a vertical
groundplane from grid square MN82sd. That's near the village Tamga on the
southern coast of lake Issyk Kul.

According to Oleg Ivin, EX8MLT, the beacon's installation was
made possible thanks to the help of David Krejg, N3DB. Ivin says that
N3DB is the leader in the installation of a project to install 6 meter
beacons world wide. More is on line at tinyurl.com/propbeacon. (UN Ham
Radio News)

**

DX

In DX, word that planning is well underway for the upcoming Saint Maarten
DXpedition. Co-leaders W8GEX and K9CT were recently there and have secured
property for the CW and SSB stations to be located on the east and west
sides of the island. These locations have clear shots to Europe and North
America. ICOM is providing IC7600 transceivers and Alpha will be providing
their amplifiers for this DXpedition. Four stations will be on
continuously and manned by a 12 person team of experienced international
operators. The plan is to be on the air starting on October 10th and
continuing for 10 days.

VE2XB, will be active as portable 4X from Israel for one month or so having
started operation around July 26th. Activity will be on all bands
including 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via his home callsign on QRZ.com.

IZ2DPX will be active stroke 5Z4 from Malindi Kenya between August 4th to
the 17th. Operations will be on 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters. QSL via
IZ2DUW direct or by the bureau to IZ2DPX.

IK2NCJ will once again be on the air as D-4-C from Sao Vicente Island
between August 5th to the 26th. Activity will include the WAE DX CW Contest
on August 14th and 15th as a single operator all band entry. QSL via
Logbook of the World or CT1ESV by the bureau.

Lastly, DK2TUX, will be active portable EA8 from the Canary Islands
between August 16th to the
20th. Operations will be on will be on 40 through 15 meters. QSL via DK2TUX.

(Above from various DX News Sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: HAM RADIO AT THE 100th ANNIVERSARY BSA JAMBOREE

And finally, the Boy Scouts of America have been holding their Jamboree at
Ft. A.P. Hill in Virginia and ham radio was a major part of the
action. The theme is 100 years of scouting. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is live on the scene with this report:

--

It has been an incredibly busy time here at the 2010 Boy Scouts of America
National Jamboree where operations of K2BSA have been a critical part of
the program.

Brian Mileshosky, N5ZGT, is the chairman and coordinator for K2BSA
operations here at Fort AP Hill, just outside of Bowling Green, Virginia.

"Ive got a staff that works under me and we're in charge of the
demonstrating of ham radio to the Scouts, Mileshosky explains.

"That is getting them on the air, conducting the space station contact,
things like that while the other staff is off doing other complementary
things like the Radio merit badge and doing the licensing classes, the VE
exams and basically wrapping up the whole picture of demonstrating and
providing ham radio to the participants here."

Mileshosky says more than 40-thousand Scouts and leaders are on the
jamboree site and thousands have been stopping by the check out ham radio. "

To my knowledge, I think to date this could probably be considered the
largest on-site amateur radio demonstration to youth in the world to date,"
Mileshosky says. "And that's just a fantastic thing to be behind."

And, Mileshosky says there's something far more important in the mission of
K2BSA here at the jamboree.

"Wer'e targeting ham radio's legacy," Mileshosky says. "And that no matter
how you look at it, whether if you look at ham radio as a hobby or as a
service or both, we got to have blood in it for it to continue and that
blood has got to be young."

Larry Wolfgang, WR1B, is acting as the American Radio Relay League's
connection to K2BSA operations.

"The board of directors has voted strong support for the Scouting program,"
Wolfgang says. "And so that support starts right from the top. At the
headquarters level, the support is great because I get to come here and
represent the league, be a liaison and kind of help out in every way
possible with the operation."

That includes technical support for set-up of the antenna array and radio
gear as well as all ARRL license manuals and other publications, maps,
frequency charts and even pins. Wolfgang says the one of the keys to the
K2BSA operation's success is the Radio merit badge which Scouts can earn in
a little over three hours.

"A lot of Scouts really like the idea they can complete the merit badge,"
Wolfgang says.

"And they may not know about radio to start with, but by the time they're
done, they have a pretty good idea of what we do as amateur radio operators.

"And quite a few of them want to take the license class and move on to get
a license."

A huge supporter of this year's K2BSA operation at the jamboree is
ICOM. Ray Novak, N9JA, is division manager for amateur and receiver
products at ICOM America. He stopped by to visit the jamboree operation
and see how things were going.

"A couple of stations that we have are running 7600s," Novak says. "We've
also worked with the local amateur radio group that has the D-star repeater
in Stafford, Virginia, using the WS4VA repeater to do D-star from two
locations here and, a couple of other radios as well.

"We're helping with radios for the fox hunt. We're just trying to show all
different aspects of where ICOM helps out with the ham radio community."

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, reporting from
the 2010 Boy Scouts of America National Jamboree in Fort AP Hill, VA.

--

The Jamboree runs from July 26th through August 4th. More with Mark from
this very special scouting event next week. (NT3V, ARNewsline(tm))

**

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 WIA News, that's all from the
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