TWO METER BAND EXPLODES
-----------------------

[This special report from GEARVAKf New Service arrived at the GEARVAKf
Bulletin just moments ago.]

Mt. Lishnus Observatory, Mt. Idy, Ohio-- In a special news conference just
concluded, Dr. Avruell U. Harnishe, Chairman of the GEARVAKf Scientific
Studies Committee, announced that the two meter amateur radio band has just
exploded. Apparently there has been widespread property damage and injury to
hundreds of hams operating on the band at the time of the explosion.

The blast came at 11:03 AM EDT and measured about 9.2 on the Richter scale.
According to Dr. Harnishe, the rupture was so violent that some pieces of the
shattered frequencies actually achieved Earth orbit. Other debris from the
massive explosion continues to fall through the ether placing all
radio frequencies at risk of serious damage from collisions with two meter
band fragments.

A statement issued moments ago by the Federal Communications Commission
calls the situation "extremely dangerous." FCC spokesman Ralph R. Spiffee
said that the two meter band had been "blown to smithereens throughout the
nation and perhaps the world." He warned all radio operators to get away from
their radio equipment and stay away until the cloud settles.

"although no deaths have yet been reported among amateurs using two meters
at the time of the blast," Mr. Spiffee said, "I wouldn't be surprised if
there were fatalities." Dr. Harnishe told reporters that it was to early to
assess the long term effects of the disaster, but it was almost certain that
two meters was damaged beyond repair.

"We believe the explosion originated on the West Coast and propagated
rapidly eastward," Dr. Harnishe continued. "The blast was so powerful that
the shock wave made RF frequencies momentarily visible as it passed thru the
air," he said. "The most distressing thing about this tragedy is that it
could have been avoided. Five years ago we warned people that two meters was
going to blow up, but nobody paid attention; now there is no more two meter
band," Harnishe concluded.

In 1984, the Scientific Studies Committee predicted that increased use was
raising pressure within the band because more energy was being put in than
there was being taken out. At that time Dr. Harnishe explained that sensitive
modern receiver circuits required very small amounts of RF to produce a
readable 144 MHz signal and were bleeding off very little RF energy. Much
more RF energy was being transmitted into the band than was being removed
through receivers, so the pressure rose dramatically.

To reduce the pressure, he suggested that all amateur radio operators
listen to two meters for at least six months without transmitting. The no
transmit rule would have allowed most of the overpressure to be reduced
gradually to a safe level. Unfortunately, nobody listened--either to two
meters or to Dr. Harnishe. The result is a disaster of such major proportions
that it makes the 20 meter band fire of nearly a decade ago pale in
comparison.

-- WB7TGQ et al.

The Man in the Maze
QRT on Baboquivari Peak, AZ