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Old June 11th 10, 01:50 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.misc,rec.radio.amateur.policy,rec.radio.info
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Default Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June 11 2010

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June 11 2010

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1713 with a release date of
Friday, June 11, 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. The International Telecommunications Union
will investigate interference from BPL when it meets in Geneva, the FCC
denies a petition to change the basis and purpose of amateur radio, a
massive rewrite of the Part 95 rules governing GMRS and CB radio is
proposed and a New York State ham gets ready to fight a citation he
received for operating mobile with an HT. Find out the details on
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1713 coming your way right
now.


(Billboard Cart Here)

**

THE BPL WAR: ITU TO STUDY BPL INTERFERENCE

The International Telecommunications Union's Working Parties 1A and 1B
will meet in Geneva, Switzerland. between June 21 and 28. A major item
of discussion will be protection of radio services from interference
caused by Broadband over Powerline or BPL. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has a preview of what to expect:
--
The International Amateur Radio Union or IARU has already contributed to a
report titled "The Impact of Powerline Telecommunication Systems on
Radiocommunication Systems Operating in the Low Frequency, Medium
Frequency, High Frequency and VHF Bands Below 80 MHz." In it, the
acceptable criteria for degradation of the High Frequency radio noise floor
caused by BPL is defined as being one half of one db. Now, this group will
concentrate on the protection of radio services from the effects of BPL in
range from 80 to 200MHz.
The IARU delegate to the SG1 and its working parties is Peter Chadwick
G3RZP. He says that three input contributions have been prepared for this
meeting. The first of these is a report on the effects of intermodulation
in power supplies causing the amateur band frequency notches in the BPL
spectrum to be degraded. This report has been prepared from the work by
Richard Marshall, G3SBA. It go so far as to point out the difficulty such
effects could have on the BPL system itself.
A further input establishes the protection criteria for amateur stations
operating in the 2 meter band. Ian White, GM3SEK contributed to it. It
finds that the amateur and amateur satellite services require protection
such that BPL interference does not exceed the level of 4 point 5dB per
volt per meter in the main lobe of the antenna. This, with a separation
between antenna and the PLT installation being at least 10 meters.
The third input is of a more general nature. It shows that there are a
number of non-amateur services that could suffer interference from BPL or
its harmonics. These include alarms for the elderly, pagers, medical
implant telemetry, as well as broadcasting. And when accumulation of
radiation from BPL and other sources is added together, aircraft navigation
and communications could be negatively impacted as well.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los Angeles.
--
Summing it all up, the reports conclude that when the differences in range
between BPL devices versus the other spectrum users are taken into account,
the acceptable levels of radiation to protect the amateur service users are
of the same order as those needed to protect these other services. (RSGB,
Southgate, others)

**

THE BPL WAR: ACCESS BPL APPEARS DEAD DOWN UNDER

Meantime, wide area Access-BPL will soon likely be extinct in
Australia. The latest appraisal of Broadband over Powerlines that has been
cautiously described as appearing to have all but vanished from the
Australian telecommunications landscape.

That's the view of Wireless Institute of Australia BPL Working Group
Chairman, Phil Wait VK2DKN, who also observes that the use of Access-BPL in
the United States is diminishing rapidly, with the latest BPL shut-down
occurring in the City of Manassas, Virginia. And while there have been
eight Access BPL trials in Australia since 2004 the last of these appears
to have terminated back in 2007. (WIA)

**

THE BPL WAR: IN-HOME BPL THE EMERGING MARKET

While BPL using power lines as an internet enabling technology has
apparently failed, In-House BPL using the internal wiring or a home or
building is now the major market for BPL equipment manufacturers.

In the United Kingdom more than 800,000 pairs of in-home BPL modems have
been installed by British Telecom. This has brought continuing
interference complaints to the UK regulator Ofcom which according to
VK2DKN appears to be unable, or at least very reluctant to act.

To make matters worse for U-K radio amateurs, it appears that one type of
In-house BPL adaptor can emit a radio frequency signal up to 370 MHz.
(VK3PC)

**
THE BPL WAR: EGYPT TO EMBRACE BPL

While BPL may be on the decline in Western nations, it seems to be gaining
a new foothold in the middle East. This with news that Egypt-based SABA
Electric is getting into the Broadband over Powerline act.

Jim Linton, VK3PC, reports that SABA has formed a partnership with ISP
LINKdotNET and has plans for easy access to the Internet through BPL.

In a media statement SABA Electric said BPL is the technology it will use
to provide to provide broadband data speed up to 8 Mbps that include a
number of Voice over Internet Protocol and video options. The completed
system reach over 300,000 residents. (VK3PC)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC DENIES PETITION TO CHANGE BASIS AND PURPOSE OF AMATEUR RADIO

The FCC has turned away a rules change request from Gordon Schlesinger,
W6LBV, of San Diego, California. One that sought to partially rewrite
Section 97.1 of the Amateur Service Rules.

Section 97.1 deals with the very basis and purpose of ham radio. In his
September 2008 filing, Schlesinger claimed that Section 97.1 is outmoded
due to changes in technology and practices, and that it diverges from the
practical realities of the amateur service today.

In denying Schlesinger's request the FCC stated that that the basis and
purpose of the Amateur Service was not intended to reflect any particular
technology or the practices of a particular time. Rather, Section 97.1 is
intended to provide guidance as to the accomplishments the Commission
expects of the service and to assist in international negotiations
affecting the service.

In closing the FCC notes that nothing in Schlesinger's petition
demonstrates that the Commission's expectations for the Amateur Service
have changed or are not being met, or that the rule is in some way
hampering international negotiations that affect the Amateur Service. Nor
does his petition identify any reason to revisit the Commission's decision
on the matter made back in 1989. At that time the FCC decided that it was
in the best interest of the hobby not to change the basis and purpose of
the Part 97 Amateur Service. (FCC)

**

RADIO LAW: FCC ISSUES DOCKET ON REWRITE OF PART 95 RULES

The FCC is proposing a massive rewrite of its Part 95 rules. These are the
regulations that govern such public available two way radio as the General
Mobile Radio Service, the Family Radio Service, and 11 meter C-B to mention
only a few.

WT Docket No. 10-119 was released on June 7th and is a catch all of
proposed rules changes that would affect the General Mobile Radio Service
the most. This, by ending its current licensing requirements and replacing
these with what the FCC calls License by Rule. That's an FCC term that
kind of means doing to GMRS what it essentially did on 11 meter CB a few
decades ago. It would additionally mean relaxing GMRS eligibility
requirements and at the same time implementing mandatory 12 point
5kilohertz channel spacing to the service. It also would also allow the
transmission of Global Positioning System location information and
user-generated text messages on certain GMRS channels.

As to the Family Radio Service, the FCC proposes to prohibit the
authorization of radios that combine FRS with other safety-related
services. In other words, an FRS radio would have to be a Family Radio
Service only transceiver and it would become illegal to manufacture an FRS
radio that could work with or in any service other than channels where FRS
is allocated to operate. This would mean an end to a whole slew of
transceivers that have multiple service capability especially those that
cover both FRS and GMRS or some with FRS, GMRS and Marine channel
capability.

Regarding 11 Meter CB, the FCC says it plans to evaluate various
requirements regarding the Citizens Band Radio Service in order to
determine whether they all are still needed. Of significance the FCC will
be looking into CB'ers who work skip during band openings. It notes that
amplifiers for CB stations are already illegal, but WT Docket No. 10-119
asks if the regulatory agency should consider prohibiting directional
antennas for C-B operations in order to promote the services intended use
for short range only communications. It also wants to know if it should
consider power reductions for the CB Service and whether or not to permit
the use of "hands-free" microphones.
..
FCC WT Docket No. 10-119 is 96 pages long including various appendices. It
also carries a rather short commentary cutoff date of 30 days after
publication in the Federal Register. Reply Comments will be due 45 days
after publication in the Federal Register. You can download and read it
yourself at
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_publi...C-10-106A1.doc (FCC)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W4KEV repeater
serving Knoxville, Tennessee.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RADIO LAW: NY HAM HANDED CELLPHONE VIOLATION FOR USING MOBILE GEAR

Amateur radio operators in upstate New York are up in arms over a traffic
ticket handed to Steve Bozak, WB2IQU, while he was operating mobile in the
city of Troy. And Bozak is ready to force the issue in court. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, has mo

--

A 34 year veteran of the hobby, Steve Bozak, WB2IQU owns an antenna company
and is well known in the upstate New York areas. But recently he was
pulled over at an intersection while on his way to breakfast with fellow
ham radio enthusiasts. He was then issued a ticket for talking on a cell
phone while driving after Officer Mark Millington dismissed Bozak's claims
that the radio was not in fact a telephone.

The section of New York's vehicle and traffic law Bozak was cited for
violating is designated as 1225-c. It requires a phone to be in the
immediate proximity of the driver's ear. It also defines the types of
communication devices it applies to as ones interconnected to a public
switched telephone network provided by a commercial mobile radio service.

But Bozak was not using a cellphone. He was using a small Kenwood H-T that
is in no way even remotely similar to a cellphone. And on its face value,
the statute does not refer to devices like a ham radio transceivers that
independently transmits a signal with no telephone interconnect.

Sgt. Terry Buchanan is the Police Department's spokesman who worked
traffic
patrols for years. He says that he doesn't recall this issue coming up in
the past. He said the department would have no comment on the matter
because it is still pending in court.

Bozak is scheduled to appear on June 23rd but that date could be pushed
back because Bozak has decided to force the issue. As a start, he has
requested a supporting deposition from Officer Millington, who is typically
assigned to Troy's public schools and rarely works traffic patrol. Bozak
wants Millington to specifically detail what happened and explain how he
was breaking the law.

And when the case does come to a hearing more than a dozen local Troy area
hams plan on being there with him.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Norm Seeley, KI7UP, in Scottsdale,
Arizona.

--

If he looses in court, Bozak faces a $100 fine. A loss might also cause
other hams in New York State to face similar citations simply for operating
mobile as they have since ham radio first began. (troyrecord.com and
various other published reports)

**

ENFORCEMENT: HAM CHARGED IN FALSE THREAT REPORT

A Connecticut ham has been arrested in connection with incident that
occurred at Walmart in Norwich this past January. The May 28th issue of
the Norwich Bulletin reports that Keith J. Mutch, of Norwich has been
charged with second-degree Breach of Peace, first-degree reckless
endangerment and falsely reporting an incident in the first
degree. According to the FCC database, Mutch holds the call KB1RBI.

By way of background, back on January 26th Norwich police responded to a
report of a man in front of the local Walmart who was armed with a shotgun
and was threatening to shoot people. On their arrival it was determined
the report was false and no one was injured.

Initial investigation by police revealed that store security personnel had
heard the report of the man with the shotgun over their two way radio
system, however none of the personnel had made the transmission. A police
investigation concluded that Mutch had used a portable ham radio set to
make the transmission. (Norwich Bulletin)

**

ENFORCEMENT: AUSTRALIA REGULATOR REVOKES HAM LICENSE

The Australian Communications and Media Authority better known as the ACMA
has canceled the amateur radio station license of an unnamed ham following
an investigation that uncovered continuing breaches of that nations Amateur
service by the licensee. In this case, the violations included causing
interference to other stations, failing to use a call sign and transmitting
an un-modulated carrier.

The ACMA made the decision to cancel the amateur license when other
compliance and enforcement measures had failed. The regulatory agency says
in its reporting on the matter that every effort had been made to assist,
encourage and educate the licensee to understand the importance of
compliance with license conditions. Despite repeated warnings to the
licensee, the ACMA found that non-compliance continued over an extended
period of time.

Under the Australian Radiocommunications Act of 1992, the ACMA can suspend
or cancel an amateur license if the holder contravenes a condition of the
license. In the case of the recent cancellation, crucial information was
provided by other radio amateurs that alerted the ACMA to the ongoing
non-compliance and assisted the investigation. Under Australian privacy
laws the name of the ham who had his license revoked was not revealed.
(WIA)

**

HAM RADIO SAFETY: DX OPERATION CANCELLED AFTER BURGLARY

W6ZL, has cancelled his current A35KL operation from Tonga. David has
decided to leave Tonga on June 2nd and return to California after his
guesthouse room was burglarized last weekend. He says that he may be back
in Tonga for the CQWW contest, later this year. (OPDX)

**

D-STAR NEWS: VK HAM DEVELOPING ALTRETNATIVE TO AMBE ENCODER

While the D-Star protocol developed by the Japanese Amateur Radio League is
open and freely available for use by anyone. However, the AMBEvoice
encoding scheme currently used by the D-Star protocol is not. Rather it is
patented by DVSI, Inc. and its licensing fee is one of the factors in the
higher cost of a D-Star radio over a similar analog FM unit. But that
could change if one Australian ham has his way.

Development on an open source, freely available alternative to AMBE is
being spearheaded by David Rowe, VK5DGR. This open voice protocol is
called Codec 2. Right now, it is in a highly experimental stage but has
several advocates in open source software circles.

Rowe says that a D-Star protocol implementing Codec 2 Digital Voice would
significantly drop the entrance level cost to the mode and appeal to a much
wider audience. He says that once Codec2 is stable and competitive, it
would offer a real, developed-by-a-ham alternative to the patented AMBE
voice encoder.

You can find out more about Codec 2 at David Rowe's development site. Its
in cyberspace at tinyurl.com/2362n3t (KE7HQY)

**

HAMVENTION 2010: ATTENDENCE CONTINUES AN UPWARD GROWTH TREND

According to its Public Relations Director Henry Ruminski, W8HJR, the
official attendance for Hamvention 2010 was 19,750. This continues the
upward tend begun last year when 18,877 were counted going through the gate
at the Hara Arena following the 2008 record ten year low figure of 17,253.

While this is a good positive direction it's also still a long ways from
the 10 year record headcount of 28,804 set back in 2000. The all time
record Hamvention attendance was in set in 1993 when 33,669 radio amateurs
from around the world made their way to Dayton, Ohio for this annual ham
radio right of Spring. (Hamvention Remailer, W8HJR)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE: AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM IN CHICAGO IN OCTOBER

AMSAT has announced that its 2010 Space Symposium and Annual Meeting will
be held on Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10. This years venue
is the Chicago area Elk Grove Holiday Inn which is near O'Hare Airport for
the event. This is the same hotel that recently has hosted the Central
States VHF Conference and W9DXCC events.

AMSAT has also put out a call for papers to be presented at the
Symposium. These can be on any topic of interest to the amateur satellite
community. A final copy must be submitted by September 1st for inclusion
in the printed proceedings. Abstracts and papers should be sent via e-mail
to k9jkm (at) amsat (dot) org. (ANS)

**

THE SOCIAL SCENE: INTERNATIONAL EME CONFERENCE IN DALLAS IN AUGUST

The North Texas Microwave Society will host the 14th International EME
Conference in Dallas, Texas, on August 12th to the 14th. Gerald
Youngblood, K5SDR, President and Chief Executive Officer of FlexRadio, will
be the lunchtime speaker on Friday, August, 13 and Nobel laureate Joe
Taylor, K1JT, will speak about the 432 MHz EME event at Arecibo on
Saturday, August 14th. Presentations will also include a noise figure
workshop hosted by Al Ward, W5LUA, Tommy Henderson, WD5AGO, and Tony
Emmanuel, WA8RJF. This is the first time the conference is to be held in
the US since 2004. (SARL)

**

FOLLOW-UP: WA2INM - SK -- FAMILY REQUEST

Nicole Ledoux Levy, the widow of the late Larry Levy, WA2INM, has asked
that we pass along the following information. In lieu of flowers, that
donations in Larry Levy's name can be made to the Cornell Feline Health
Center, for the William Ledoux Fund, College of Veterinary Medicine,
Hungerford Hill Road, Ithica, New York, 14863.

As we reported last week, WA2INM died of a massive heart attack on Sunday
night, May 30th. In the world of electronics he was best known as the
developer of sound controlled entertainment lighting and as a contributor
to the design of the original I-B-M personal computer. He went on to
become a world champion cat breeder with offices in New York and
Paris. (ARNewsline(tm))

**

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)

**

RADIO FROM SPACE: ASTROHAM CONGRATULATES WIA ON ITS 100th ANNIVERSARY

An Astronaut on board the United States Space Station has sent
congratulations to the Wireless Institute of Australia on the latter's
100th anniversary. In her message beamed to the banquet celebrating the
organizations centenary, Astronaut Tracy Caldwell-Dyson KF5DBF, said that
the WIA and communications itself had come a long way over the past 100
years:

--

KF5DBF on-orbit addressing WIA babquet. Hear her remarks by downloading
this weeks MP3 newscast at www.arnewsline.org

--

Astronaut Caldwell-Dyson remarks were warmly received by all of those
attending the special W-I-A 100th anniversary dinner. (WIA)

**

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: NEW SMAT CELLPHONE ANTENNA FOER RUGGED TERRAIN S&R

Emergency search and rescue workers in rugged, rural areas may never lose a
cell phone call again. This, thanks to a new antenna developed by Montana
State University researchers in collaboration with Advanced Acoustic
Concepts, Inc.

The Montana State University antenna is considered a "smart" or "adaptive
array" antenna because it uses computer technology to automatically aim
the message transmission beam in the right direction, chooses the most
appropriate signal strength, optimize the strength of transmitted beams and
adapts to the environment. The automatic control allows users to
communicate in rugged terrain while on the move.

Unlike normal omnidirectional antennas, smart antennas maintain a direct
signal between individuals users and cell sites. This will likely mean
fewer dropped calls and the ability to move more data, such as streaming
video. You can read more about this antenna on-line at
tinyurl.com/2cwad9m (Science Daily)

**

EDUCATION: NASA LAUNCHES INTERACTIVE SIMULATION OF SATELLITE
COMMUNICATIONS

NASA has unveiled an interactive computer simulation that allows virtual
explorers of all ages to dock the space shuttle at the International Space
Station, experience a virtual trip to Mars or a lunar impact. It also
allows users to explore images of star formations taken by the Hubble Space
Telescope.

In an effort to excite young people about space and NASA's missions, the
agency has launched its online Space Communication and Navigation or SCaN
simulation. The interactive simulation offers a virtual 3-D experience to
visualize how data travels along various space communications paths.

The interactive Space Communication and Navigation simulation allows
visitors to select spacecraft and experience a "flythrough," or a tutorial
with images and descriptions of NASA's three space communication
networks. The Space Network flythrough also shows how data is relayed
from NASA's White Sands Test Facility to the space station via the Tracking
and Data Relay Satellite System. This is a network of communication
satellites and ground stations NASA uses for space communications.

Finally, in the Deep Space Network demonstration, visitors learn how NASA
communicates with the Mars Exploration Rovers, Sprit and Opportunity by
using the Madrid Deep Space Network antenna. This to send data to the
Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which then relays the data to the rover.

To explore the Space Communication and Navigation network simulation,
please take your web browser to the
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/3d_re...spacecomm.html (NASA)

**

RADIO IN SPACE: SOLAR DYNAMICS LAB ACTIVATED

The images from cameras and sensors on recently launched Solar Dynamics
Observatory satellite are a dramatic reminder of the power of the star that
warms our planet.

Since the spacecraft and its instruments were officially commissioned on
May 14, more than 5 million images have been transmitted back to
Earth. Some show clouds of magnetized gas big enough to engulf the Earth
breaking away from the outermost layer of the sun. These Coronal Mass
Ejections which are usually accompanied by solar flares can last for
several hours and travel through space at over 1 million kilometers per
hour.

Coronal Mass Ejection's usually take about three days reach Earth, but very
fast ones can arrive in under a day. And as they penetrate the Earth's
ionosphere the charged particles and magnetic forces emit radiation across
the electromagnetic spectrum, from low-energy radio waves through to
high-energy gamma rays,

NASA launched the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite in February to gain
a better understanding of how the sun behaves and why and also to keep a
closer watch on space weather. About 70,000 each day will be radioed back
to Earth during the expected five year life of this on-orbit
bird. (Adapted from the Japan Times)

**

WORLDBEAT - UK: WWII DOCUMENTS TO BE PUT ON LINE

Millions of documents stored at the United Kiingdom's World War II
code-breaking center, Bletchley Park, will soon be made available
online. This after Hewlett-Packard donates a number of scanners to the
center in Milton Keynes so volunteers can begin the task which is expected
to take over 3 years. The entire story is available on-line at
tinyurl.com/3x2cfz6 (BBC)

**

WORLDBEAT - AUSTRALIA: ICOM DONATES D-STAR REPEATER TOP CELEBRATE WIA AT
100

Icom Australia has donated a new D-Star repeater to the Wireless Institute
of Australia for installation in the Canberra area. The Canberra Region
Amateur Radio Club will be the D-Star group responsible for the
installation and operations of repeater on behalf of the WIA.

The repeater will be operational on 2 meters using Port C and have the
callsign of VK1RWN. The timeframe for the installation and operations of
the new D-Star system is yet to be determined.

The announcement of this donation was made by Takashi Aoki, Manager of Icom
Australia at the official WIA Centenary dinner on Saturday night, June
5th. This donation from Icom was made to celebrate 100 Years of the
WIA. (WIA News)

**

DX

In DX, word that a W0SD, W0OE, N0QJM, W7XU will be operating portable C5
Gambia from June 25th to July 6th. Their main focus will be 6 meters will
focus on 6 meters with plans to remain on 50.103 Mhz. They will have an
amplifier coupled to a large yagi from a seaside location and will have a
breakable beacon. QSL as directed on the air.

G4AHK, is now active as 7Q7BJ from Malawi and will be on the air until June
22nd. Listen out for him on 160, 80 and 40 and meters. QSL via his home
callsign.

DL1DA will be active stroke FJ from Saint Barthelemy Island between June
8th and the 20th . Activity will mostly be on 40 through 6 meters using CW
and RTTY. QSL him also via his home callsign.

Lastly, N2NL, will be returning to Guam on June 17th, and will be there for
three years. He will be active outside of contests as KH2 stroke N2NL and
during contests as NH2T. QSL via Logbook of the World or via W2YC.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM: US CONGRESS CALLS SOUTH AFRICA HAM WHO SPOTTED SPY PLABNE
A THREAT TO SECURITY

And finally this rather bizarre follow-up to our story two weeks ago
concerning a South African ham who spotted a super secret United States
military spy plane as it circles the globe. Now a local newspaper is
deeming him to be a thereat to the security of the United States because of
his accomplishment and those of his friends who helped him. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the rest of this rather unique tale:

--

South African retiree and amateur astronomer Greg Roberts, ZS1BI, says that
he and his group have been labeled a threat to US national security. This
after Roberts with the aiud of other amateur astronomers world-wide seem to
have successfully located and recorded images of the US Air Force secret
X-37B space craft on-orbit.

The South Africa Sunday Times reports that with the help of a group of
amateur astronomers from around the world, including a gasoline station
attendant in Canada, that Roberts calculated that the top-secret spacecraft
took about 92 minutes to orbit earth. Also that it flies over hot spots
such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Korea.

The discovery of the craft, which is 8.9m long and travels at 8km a second,
earned Roberts a mention in the New York Times, on the BBC and in several
science publications. As a result, Roberts says that he and his group had
been labeled a threat to national security by the U-S Congress. He and his
wife now joke that that the Men in Black will walk up our driveway some day.

But not everyone looks at Roberts work in that way. Dr. Ed Elson, is a
researcher at the University of Cape Town's department of astronomy. He
lauded Roberts and the group of amateur astronomers. He says that the fact
that they managed to find the X-37B and are now tracking the craft is
certainly quite an admirable feat, especially from an observational
astronomer's perspective.

Dr. Elson added that Roberts and his team certainly have a very respectable
track record, claiming to be tracking almost every classified object that
has been launched in the past five years. Because of this, he sees no real
reason to refute their claim of having found the X37-B.

--

For his part ZS1IBI says that his group of amateur astronomers feel that
they are doing a service to the public by providing to them what they
really need to know. He added that they do not consider themselves a
threat to security. He notes that anyone else can do exactly the same
thing. You can read the entire South Africa Sunday Times story on line at
tinyurl.com/2cwv7hv (SARL)

**

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), 28197 Robin
Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350

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

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.



  #2   Report Post  
Old June 11th 10, 06:46 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated
external usenet poster
 
First recorded activity by RadioBanter: Mar 2010
Posts: 37
Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On 6/11/2010 7:50 AM, William M. Pasternak wrote:
RADIO LAW: FCC DENIES PETITION TO CHANGE BASIS AND PURPOSE OF AMATEUR

RADIO

The FCC has turned away a rules change request from Gordon Schlesinger,
W6LBV, of San Diego, California. One that sought to partially rewrite
Section 97.1 of the Amateur Service Rules.

Section 97.1 deals with the very basis and purpose of ham radio. In hi

s
September 2008 filing, Schlesinger claimed that Section 97.1 is outmode

d
due to changes in technology and practices, and that it diverges from t

he
practical realities of the amateur service today.


I wonder exactly what Gordon thought was wrong or what needed changing.
Anybody have a link to the original petition?

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi

According to the FCC this is the part in question:
§97.1 Basis and purpose.-

The rules and regulations in this Part are designed to provide an
amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the
following principles:

(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to
the public as a voluntary noncommercial communication service,
particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.

(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven ability to
contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules
which provide for advancing skills in both the communications and
technical phases of the art.

(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service
of trained operators, technicians, and electronics experts.

(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to
enhance international goodwill.


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Old June 12th 10, 03:40 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.policy
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June 11 2010

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

In Jeffrey Angus writes:

On 6/11/2010 7:50 AM, William M. Pasternak wrote:
RADIO LAW: FCC DENIES PETITION TO CHANGE BASIS AND PURPOSE OF AMATEUR

RADIO

The FCC has turned away a rules change request from Gordon Schlesinger,
W6LBV, of San Diego, California. One that sought to partially rewrite
Section 97.1 of the Amateur Service Rules.

Section 97.1 deals with the very basis and purpose of ham radio. In hi

s
September 2008 filing, Schlesinger claimed that Section 97.1 is outmode

d
due to changes in technology and practices, and that it diverges from t

he
practical realities of the amateur service today.


I wonder exactly what Gordon thought was wrong or what needed changing.
Anybody have a link to the original petition?


Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi


I found it in the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS):

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/docume...?id=7020246777

A link to the full text of the FCC's reply was published in the FCC
Daily Digest for June 8th, 2010:

http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Da.../dd100608.html

Unfortunately, the mail filters for rec.radio.info didn't forward it on,
as they didn't find certain keywords in the text that indicated that
this was an amateur-radio-related (Part 97) action by the FCC.
Otherwise, it would have been automatically posted here.

- --
73, Paul W. Schleck, K3FU

http://www.novia.net/~pschleck/
Finger for PGP Public Key

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-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

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Old June 12th 10, 10:37 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.policy
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On 6/11/2010 9:40 PM, Paul W. Schleck wrote:
I found it in the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS):


Thank you Paul.

I'm kind of at a loss to see what his point was.

Part of it feels like this:
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899 ;-)

And part of this feels like a kind of end run to include
Morse code as part of the basis and purpose of the ARS.

Personally, I think it's the latter.

"through preservation of the history of the radio art"

I think the FCC did the right thing.

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi

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Old June 12th 10, 05:23 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.policy
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On Jun 12, 5:37�am, Jeffrey Angus wrote:

I'm kind of at a loss to see what his point was.


I think he had the idea to update the Basis and Purpose section, which
hasn't been changed much if at all since it was added to the regs in
1951.

Fun fact: Back in 1951, ARRL opposed the addition of the B&P to the
regs. It was an FCC idea, and IIRC all radio services got such
sections.

Part of it feels like this:
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."


Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899 ;-)


I see it more as an acceptance of reality that many if not most hams
today don't build their own rigs, even from kits. And that our other
roles have changed over the years.

And part of this feels like a kind of end run to include
Morse code as part of the basis and purpose of the ARS.


Personally, I think it's the latter.

"through preservation of the history of the radio art"


I don't really see that, but if so, what's the harm? It's clear FCC
won't even consider bringing back any form of Morse Code testing,
except possibly to add some technical questions to the written tests.
(Which would be a good thing, btw, if the questions are about things
like necessary/occupied bandwidth of various modes).

"Preservation of the history" could also be interpreted to mean things
like mode-specific subbands for AM and other modes, relaxation of some
technical requirements for older gear (spurs, chirp, hum), reversion
to the old 1 kW input rule at the option of the ham, etc.

I think the FCC did the right thing.

I don't see that the proposal changed 97.1 all that much. Also, not
being able to produce the exact dates of things such as when the B&P
were added might not have impressed the Commission.

If I read the calendar correctly, it took FCC seven months to decide
not to go anywhere with the proposal.

I was kind of disappointed that FCC didn't even put it up for
comments. But I think FCC prefers that hams present fully-developed
proposals with evidence of strong support in the amateur radio
community.

73 de Jim, N2EY



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Old June 12th 10, 05:25 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.policy
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On 6/12/2010 5:37 AM, Jeffrey Angus wrote:
On 6/11/2010 9:40 PM, Paul W. Schleck wrote:
I found it in the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS):


Thank you Paul.

I'm kind of at a loss to see what his point was.

Part of it feels like this:
"Everything that can be invented has been invented."

Charles Duell, Commissioner of US Patent Office, 1899 ;-)

And part of this feels like a kind of end run to include
Morse code as part of the basis and purpose of the ARS.

Personally, I think it's the latter.

"through preservation of the history of the radio art"

I think the FCC did the right thing.

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi


If you are saying you did not see the point of the petittioner.. clearly
the FCC fully agrees with you.

I would like to see the petittion once again. (I likely saw it long ago
but not recently)

I do see folks saying things (IN OTHER AREAS) like "This law was written
in 19xx and has not been modified since" (Fact is, the last time I read
that it was a law where we got updates every month when I was working,
no I won't say what law it was cause only a couple paragraphs apply to
Amateur Radio, and, I might add, both got updated)

Sometimes a law does not get changed,,, Because the "original" version
was very well written and there is no need to change it.

In the case of the purpose of Amateur radio.. I do not see as it has
changed.. Refined a bit, Emphasis moved from one thing to another
(Within the original purpose statement) yes,,, but changed enough to
need a re-wirte.. I doubt that will ever happen.

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Old June 12th 10, 09:51 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated,rec.radio.amateur.policy
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June 11 2010


"N2EY" wrote in message
...


I see it more as an acceptance of reality that many if not most hams
today don't build their own rigs, even from kits.


Jim,

The "advancement of the SoTA" clause MUST remain in our basis and purpose
charter, else the next step would be to DENY us the privilege of putting our
experiments on the air.

On that date, Amateur Radio would become a hulk adrift and heading for the
rocks.
__________________
73, de Hans, K0HB
--
Grand Exhalted Liberator of the Fumes of Solder
Inventor of "Triple Play"

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indisquishable from magic."
--Arthur C. Clark

"Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."
--K0HB





--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: ---

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Old June 13th 10, 06:19 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On Jun 12, 4:51�pm, Radio K�HB wrote:
"N2EY" wrote in message
...

I see it more as an acceptance of reality
that many if not most hams
today don't build their own rigs, even from kits.


The "advancement of the SoTA" clause MUST
remain in our basis and purpose
charter, else the next step would be to DENY
us the privilege of putting our
experiments on the air.


That's one I hadn't thought of, Hans.

And it's a valid point.

Most of the other radio services that are readily available to
ordinary citizens do not have anything approaching the freedom-to-
experiment that Amateur Radio does. All of the popular ones (cb, FRS/
GMRS, 802.11(x), RC at 4 meters) restrict their users to very low
power, mandatory channelization, limited modes and various forms of
certification.

On that date, Amateur Radio would become a hulk adrift and
heading for the rocks.


Pretty much, yes.

---

That reminds me; gotta finish homebrewing some 40 meter antenna traps.

73 de Jim, N2EY

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Old June 28th 10, 06:45 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On Jun 13, 1:19 am, N2EY wrote:
On Jun 12, 4:51 pm, Radio K HB wrote:

"N2EY" wrote in message
..

..

I see it more as an acceptance of reality
that many if not most hams
today don't build their own rigs, even from kits.


The "advancement of the SoTA" clause MUST
remain in our basis and purpose
charter, else the next step would be to DENY
us the privilege of putting our
experiments on the air.


That's one I hadn't thought of, Hans.

And it's a valid point.


I might point out that technical advancement does not have to be
furtherance of some basic science or physics. Indeed, I think Gordon
has missed the boat a little here. He's looking at it from a RF
centric view. The person that applied phase shift keying with a
computer sound card with programming on a computer is also performing
advancement of the art. This sort of thing is largely overlooked
because many amateurs are thinking that unless it is the discovery of
say one particular GHz frequency that otherwise behaves like 160
meters, it isn't worthwhile. It's a fairly mature science, and our
advancements are incremental. But we've done a lot more advancement
than Gordon gives us credit for.

Also moving the voluntary service to the lead position is a bit of a
concern. It's an argument that's a bit old, but as the ARS works out
it's problems with the emergency folks, moving it to the head of the
list is just possibly a bit of a step backwards. As I've noted in the
past the local folks who said they were going to declare eminent
domain on our repeater would have loved to point out that their work
is our primary purpose for existence.

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Old June 29th 10, 03:52 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated
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Default Part 97.1 Was Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1713 - June11 2010

On 6/28/2010 1:45 PM, Michael J. Coslo wrote:

I might point out that technical advancement does not have to be
furtherance of some basic science or physics. Indeed, I think Gordon
has missed the boat a little here. He's looking at it from a RF
centric view. The person that applied phase shift keying with a
computer sound card with programming on a computer is also performing
advancement of the art. This sort of thing is largely overlooked
because many amateurs are thinking that unless it is the discovery of
say one particular GHz frequency that otherwise behaves like 160
meters, it isn't worthwhile. It's a fairly mature science, and our
advancements are incremental. But we've done a lot more advancement
than Gordon gives us credit for.


I recall some years ago, Reading a news article on how doctors at a
local teaching hospital had developed a system (not unlike the one Dr.
Hawking uses) to allow a patient who could not speak or type to use a
puff-sip switch to convert puffs and sips into text which a computer
could then translate to speach.

They spend well over 100,000 dollars doing it

At that time, a Commodore VIC-20 was under 100 bucks, and could be
powered by the 12 or 24 volt battery on an electric wheel chair (using a
regulator in the 24 volt case) since it only needed 12VDC to work

A Curtis Keyer chip which could translate puff/sip to morse code (With
the addition of the puff sip switch) was about 10 bucks plus supporting
hardware, and could be powreed by the 9-v accessory line on the VIC's
expansion port.. Ham radio software could have been downloaded or
purchases for a few bucks.

Basically.. A ham could have built such a system for under 200 dollars,
AND. what's more, Opened a whole new world to the patient at the same
time (Since he would have been a world class CW operator in less than a
month of practice with the puff/sip to Speach system, and all he'd need
to do is study and pass the Technician test to get on the air)

Now in this case, Ham radio was not involved.

But think of how much better it woudl have been for the patient if he
could have done for a couple hundred, what cost over a hundred though.

I did send a message to the doctors at that hospital (Via another
doctor, who was my customer, I sold Commodore computers at the time, he
had a C=64 and his very cute Korean wife an Amiga. They were both a lot
of fun to be around in the store

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