Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1393 * April 23, 2004


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1393 with a release date of
Friday, April 23rd, 2004 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T.


The FCC says its time to look at rebuilding ham radio and a big win
for Radio Frequency I-D tagging. Find out the details on Amateur
Radio Newsline report number 1393 coming your way right now.



(Billboard Cart Here)

**


RESTRUCTURING: FCC HOUSECLEANING AND THE BEGINNING OF ROUND TWO


The FCC says its time to begin restructuring the Amateur Service for
the 21st century and it has handed the nations ham radio community a
71 page start. Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has looked it over and has the
rest of the story:


--


Actually, you might call this a bit of housecleaning because the bulk
of the FCC's proposal stems from a number of petitions that have been
sitting on desks and in drawers at the regulatory agency for months;
some up to three years.


And, we should say up-front that this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
is separate from the latest license restructuring proposal put out
for comment by the FCC a few weeks ago.


CQ Magazine Editor Rich Moseson W2VU, is focusing on this new FCC
proposal in his "Zero Bias" editorial column for the magazine's June
issue.


He tells me the centerpiece is what's known as the American Radio
Relay League's "Novice Refarming" petition.


"A couple of years ago, the League filed a petition with the FCC
saying: 'You're not issuing new Novice licenses anymore and that
these band segments are not being well used. Let's expand the phone
bands using some of these frequencies,' " Moseson explains.


Basically, Moseson says, the plan would expand code and data
privileges for Novices and Technicians.


"And what they propose, basically, is giving Novices and Technicians
with code credit access to the General CW portion of each of these
three bands - 80, 40 and 15 and 10 meters as well. But CW only for
them on 80, 40 and 15 and RTTY and Data on 10 meters. And then to
take part of each of those Novice bands on 80, 40, and 15 and use
them to expand the phone bands."


And, Moseson says there are also some big changes proposed for
General, Advanced and Extra-class license holders.


"The big winners here are going to be General class hams," Moseson
says. "They are going to get an extra 50 khz of phone band on 75
meters and on 40 meters and an extra 25 khz on 15 meters. Advanced
and Extra class hams will also get additional space, 25 khz each on
75 and 40.


"But they're going to lose some of the exclusive areas that they have
now. The exclusive Advanced class bands are going to be shrunk down
by 25 khz or so.


"Of course, since there are no new Advanced class licenses being
issued and since a lot of people have upgraded to General since the
code-speed requirement was dropped to 5-words-a-minute, this may,
indeed, be the right thing to do."


Again, Moseson stresses, this doesn't address the A-R-R-L's proposal
to revive a Novice class license that would be a "no-code" ticket
with HF privileges. And, he says, it has nothing to do with the raft
of petitions on file at the commission to change the code
requirements or add an entry level class by some other name.

Another big change in the FCC document centers on a proposal to
legalize the sale and use of amplifiers for frequencies in the range
of 24 to 35 Mhz.


Moseson says back in the mid-1970s, when Citizen Band radio operators
were at the heart of interference complaints due to excessive use of
power, the FCC banned the manufacture and sale of the amps that could
be used on a wide scale that included 27 Mhz.


Well, Moseson says, that decision hurt the ham community then and
causes unnecessary restrictions now.


"It hasn't really had any impact on CB because those people who want
to have illegal amplifiers have had no problem continuing to get
them," Moseson says. "And the hams who want to abide by the rules
have not been able to use the power that's permitted to them on 12
meters and 10 meters.


"So the commission is proposing to do away with those restrictions
and once again allow commercial manufacturers to make amplifiers that
will amplify on 12 meters and 10 meters and to let you build as many
as you want."


And finally, among the major elements, one allowing remote-control
access to an HF transceiver using the 2-meter band. It would
essentially legalize Kenwood's "Sky Command" system.


"They are now proposing to allow auxiliary operation on 2 meters
considering the fact that the loading of the band in terms of actual
use of repeaters etcetera is considerably less that it was 5 to 10
years ago," Moseson says.


"So it's not as likely to create interference problems and it's
something that could become very important with the advent of things
like BPL and more and more antenna restrictions that people may want
to have an HF transceiver in a remote location that they cannot
operate from home for whatever reason either the environment is poor
for it or it is restricted and that they can use their VHF/UHF
handheld or mobile rig to communicate back and forth with that remote
transceiver."


Moseson says you can find more on-line at the FCC's website. He says
copies of the June CQ with more of an explanation will be available
at Dayton and in your mailbox or on newstands by mid-May.


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


--


More on this FCC offering and reaction from the ham radio community
in next weeks amateur Radio Newsline report. (ARNewsline(tm))


--


ENFORCEMENT: SELL THOSE AMPS AND MAYBE GO TO JAIL


While the FCC says that it may eventually change the rules regarding
the current prohibition on the sale of R-F power amplifiers capable
of 10 and 12 meter operation, as of today they are still illegal.
Anything marketed must be FCC certified and the agency has told a
Texas businessman that he could go to jail if he does not stop
selling some that are not. The FCC's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W, explains:


--


Duckworth: "A warning notice went to Donald Hewitt, of Tomball,
Texas. It stated that continued sale of non certified equipment
would submit him to fine or imprisonment.


This case dates back to the Dayton Hamvention in 1999 involving the
sale of WM-300 and WM-600 power amplifiers. We note that at his
website these units are again for sale and that he has presented them
for sale in the parking lot of the Houston Amateur Radio Supply and
at the Smithville, Texas, hamfest this year."


--


By way of background, Hewitt was issued an Official Notice of
Violation of violation of Section 2.815 of the Commission's rules
regarding manufacturing and marketing external radio frequency power
amplifiers that operated below 144 Mhz. This, after he showed them
at the 1999 Dayton Hamvention. He subsequently agreed to stop and
the matter was dropped until it was brought to the FCC's attention
that he again had them for sale. Now the FCC says that Hewitt had
better cease offering the units or he could face time behind prison
bars. (FCC, RAIN)


**


THE BPL FIGHT: NC POWER COMPANY SAYS ITS LICKED INTERFERENCE


I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, with late word on the B-P-L front where a
North Carolina power company says that its licked the interference
problem. Well almost.


In a letter to the FCC, Progress Energy claims it has solved almost
all of the problems to the ham bands created by its test installation
near the city of Raleigh. The company says that what remains is
interference near the band edges that only affects mobile operators.
It also says its still working to resolve this aspect.


Are the hams in the area satisfied? We will find out next week in a
special in-depth report by Gay Pearce, KN4AQ. (ARNewsline(tm), KN4AQ)


**


RADIO RULES: A WIN FOR RFID IN THE 70 CM BAND


The FCC has adopted a somewhat limited proposal to permit deployment
of RF Identification or R-F-I-D tags on the 70-cm band. This, at
much greater duty cycles than current Part 15 rules permit for such
devices.


According to an ARRL bulletin, the Third Report and Order in ET
Docket 01-278 which was approved April 15th follows a 2000 petition
by SAVI Technology. This, to revise FCC Part 15 rules to accommodate
such devices in the band from 433.5 to 434.5 Mhz, instead of the 425
to 435 Mhz SAVI originally asked for. It also prohibits operation of
RFID tag systems within about 25 miles of five government radar sites
and manufacturers of 433 Mhz R-F I-D systems would have to register
the locations of their system base stations to aid in interference
resolution.


The ARRL had opposed these changes but the FCC has gone along with it
based mainly on national security reasons. Ed Thomas who is the
Chief of the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology said that
these devices are designed to increase homeland security at ports,
rail yards and warehouses. (ARRL)


**


Break 1


From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W0BZN
repeater serving Newton, Kansas.


(5 sec pause here)



**


RADIO LAW: FCC EXPLORES RULES FOR DIGITAL AUDIO BROADCASTING


The Federal Communications Commission has taken another step toward
bringing digital radio services or D-A-B to American consumers.
This, as it releases a Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making and
companion Notice of Inquiry into changing the rules as part of the
broader digital migration that is underway across all media.


Docket No. 99-325 released April 15th and its companion N-O-I seek
comments on several topics relevant to D-A-B, including what changes
and amendments to the FCC's technical rules are necessary to further
its introduction. Specifically, sought are comments on proposals to
allow AM nighttime digital service. The FCC also asks questions
concerning digital's affect on FM translators. Questions regarding
interference are also raised for comment.


Looking at the business side of radio, the FCC wants to know what
types of digital services the it should permit stations to offer.
Should a broadcaster be allowed to offer a high definition service, a
multiplexed service, a datacasting service, or a combination of all
of these possibilities? Comment is also sought on whether a radio
station should be permitted to offer subscription services.


Comments on Docket No. 99-325 are due by June 16th and reply comments
must be dated no later than July 16th. The FCC says that Digital
audio broadcasting technology offers the possibility for enhanced
sound quality, improved reception, and will offer the public new
services such as datacasting along with music and news. (FCC, CGC)


**


ENFORCEMENT: IGNORING THE FCC BRINGS $11,000 N-A-L


A Southern California ham who repeatedly ignored FCC warnings has now
been told that he owes the government $11,000. Newsline's David
Black, KB4KCH is here with mo


--


The FCC slaps Daniel Granda, KA6VHC, with an 11-thousand dollar fine
for what it says is willful and repeated interference. The
Commission says it sent a warning notice by certified and regular
mail to Granda in December, 2002 ... but the notice was later
returned as unclaimed. The Commission says the letter it sent via
regular mail was not returned.


Twice during January, 2003, the Commission sent follow-up warning
notices, again, using certified and regular mail. Each of those
times, the FCC says the certified mail was returned as unclaimed,
while the notice sent by regular mail was not returned.


The fine goes back to a series of events beginning in November,
2002. That's when the Commission says it received a complaint that
Granda was causing deliberate interference to two southern California
repeaters. But the Commission and Granda had many more encounters.
On March 6th, 2003, an FCC agent determined that Granda was
retransmitting communications from 223-point-275 MHz onto the input
of a repeater operating on 223-point-840 MHz. Just over two weeks
later, authorities again caught Granda's station interfering with the
same repeater.


The Commission's complaint cites more than half a dozen encounters
with Granda. At times, investigators said Granda's station was
transmitting signals from various 2 meter frequencies on to the 220
MHz repeater's input channel. In one incident agents using mobile
direction finding techniques identified Granda's home as the source
of an unidentified unmodulated carrier.

On April 15, 2003, the FCC says agents inspected Granda's equipment
at his home in Whittier. The Commission says Granda orally admitted
that he received several warning notices from the FCC. Investigators
say Granda stated he was trying to prevent anyone from using quote--
his--frequency by retransmitting other signals to keep the channel
occupied.


Granda's ham license could be in jeopardy. That's because he's in
trouble not just for alleged interference, but also for not
responding to the FCC. The Commission notes that on three separate
occasions, it sent notices to Granda, requiring responses, and that
all three times, he failed to answer. That could set the way for the
FCC to eventually order Granda to show cause why he shouldn't lose
his amateur radio license.


From the Southeastern Bureau in Birmingham Alabama, I'm David Black,
KB4KCH.


--


Granda was given the normal 30 days to pay the fine or to file an
appeal. (FCC)


**


ENFORCEMENT: TO MANY CALL CHANGES


The FCC wants to know why a Maryland ham keeps changing his call
sign. Again, the agency's Daryl Duckworth, NN0W:


--


Duckworth: "Fredrick Davis, N3BO, of Emmetsburg Maryland has been
asked about changing his call twelve times in nine different
combinations nince November of 1999. In as much as each time a call
sign is relinquished it is unavailable to anyone else for two years,
these applications raise questions about apparent abuse of the
licensing system."


--


The FCC gave Davis the usual time to respond and he was not alone. A
similar notice went out to Thomas Eifert of Greendale, Wisconsin,
concerning his switching between NI7V and N9IX. Also hearing from
the FCC was William Mc Doniel of Garden Grove, California, was told
to explain the six applications he has filed applications involving
call sign switches between N6BM and N4EA. (FCC, RAIN)


**


ENFORCEMENT: CHICAGO DJ SUES LISTENER OVER COMPLAINTS


The Chicago Sun-Times reports a new twist to the indecent language
war that's pitting air talent against the FCC, and now, against
listeners as well. According to the paper, WKQX morning host Mancow
Muller is suing David Edward Smith for complaining about him to the
regulatory agency.


According to Muller's complaint, Smith has filed numerous complaints
against the jock. This has resulted in $42,000 worth of files being
issued by the FCC.


Muller's $3 million lawsuit charges Smith and the watch-dog group
Citizens for Community Values with business interference and
filing "spurious complaints" that are "repetitive, malicious, untrue
and designed merely for the purpose of harassment."


So far, Smith has filed 66 complaints against Muller. If he should
win his suit, Muller says that any profit will be donated to the Boy
Scouts of America and various other charities. (Published news
reports)


**



EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: HIGH SPEED INTERNET ACCESS GROWING


Two in five Internet users in the United States now have high-speed
Internet access at home. This, as telephone companies slash prices
to better compete with cable broadband services, a study says.


A report by the Pew Internet and American Life Project says that most
of the growth has been since November from D-S-L phone connections.
They now make up 42 percent of the entire home broadband market.
That's up from 28 percent in March 2003.


Cable modems still have the lead. Their market share is 54 percent,
but they no longer enjoy a 2-to-1 edge.


Although dial-up remains a lot less expensive than high speed access,
John Horrigan, Pew's senior research specialist, said Americans are
increasingly making a time is money" calculation. If they are
spending more time online, they find savings from high-speed
connections even if they must pay a little more.


According to the study, 36 percent of home broadband users said they
switched because their dial-up connection was too slow or
frustrating. Twenty-one percent said they wanted to download files
faster, and 10 percent needed it for job-related tasks.


Pew places the adult residential broadband population at 48 million,
or one-quarter of all adult Americans. Among college educated
adults age 35 and younger, broadband penetration has now reached 52
percent. (Press release)


**


NEW THECHNOLGY: A CELL PHONE WITH WORLDWIDE CAPABILITY


A cell phone that can be used most places in the world will be
offered by Motorola during the second half of this year. The handset
is compatible with the GSM networks used throughout Europe, as well
as the CDMA standard that is popular in the United States and across
Asia. More is on-line at http://tinyurl.com/3bqh5 (CGC)


**


HAMFESTS & CONVENTIONS: VISTA AZ. IN MAY


On the ham radio social scene, word that the Cochise Amateur Radio
Club will be holding its 2004 hamfest on Saturday, May the 1st in
Vista Arizona. All the information on this one is on-line at
www.qsl.net/k7rdg or by e-mail to


**


HAMVENTION 2004: AWARDS WITH PRIZES ON SUNDAY


The planners of the 2004 Dayton Hamvention say that they have a
unique new way to present this years Hamvention awards. This, as
part of an expanded prize drawing on Sunday afternoon, May 16th.


As in years past, at the close of business hours on Sunday attendees
will be directed to the 7000 seats in the grandstands in the main
arena for the drawing of the remaining hourly prizes and the big
grand prizes. But before the first numbers get pulled the crowd will
get a chance to meet the three Hamvention award winners, find out why
they were chosen and get to be a part of this very special award
presentation ceremony.


As previously reported, this years winners are Barry Sanderson,
KB9VAK, whose getting the "Technical Excellence Award," George
Wilson, W4OYI, who is the "Special Achievement Award" winner and
David Kopacz, KY1V, named as "Radio Amateur of the Year." They
will be joined by the President of the Dayton Amateur Radio
Association and members of the Hamvention planning committee to make
this a special afternoon for the winners and everyone else on hand.
(Hamvention(r))


**


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)


**


NEW PUBLICATIONS: HAM RADIO FOR DUMMIES


We've all seen those great yellow covered books that have been
introducing the public to the world of computers for close to two
decades. Books like DOS For Dummies, Windows For Dummies, Excel For
Dummies and the rest. And how often have you wished out loud for a
book titled Ham Radio For Dummies. You know. A book that you could
hand to the next guy who confuses your 70 foot tower and Tri-Bander
with a C-B set to talk to Smokey and the Bandit.


Well now you can, but you may want to read it first because author
Ward Silver, N0ZAX, has come up with what may well be the best
explanation of the hobby ever written:


--


Silver: "I get a lot of people who come up and say -- `hey I bet you
get goof TV reception' -- or that sort of thing. So I go into my 5
minute spiel about what ham radio is. And at some point you can
sense that they are kind of glazing over a little bit.


But the familiar yellow and black cover and the brand helps to take
the mystique out of buying the book. It makes something that they
are familiar with so that they are comfortable in giving it a try."


the experts expert: Joe Moell, KO0V:
--


Last time I told you about foxhunting -- that's tracking radio
transmitters for sport with direction-finding equipment -- and the
upcoming USA Championships of foxhunting, which will take place in
southern California beginning June 16. Perhaps you would like to
attend, but you want to get some practice first. And wouldn't it be
great if there were more foxhunting activity in your home town?
Well, that's why you should get your local ham club involved in this
fantastic form of radio competition, and the National Foxhunting
Weekend is the time to do it.


CQ Magazine sponsors the National Foxhunting Weekend each spring.
The seventh annual event will be May 8 and 9, 2004. The rules are
very loose. Actually, there really aren't any rules, just the
suggestion that your club hold some kind of foxhunt on that weekend,
or close to it. An on-foot event in the park, perhaps with a
barbecue at the end, would be great fun for families. Or you could
hold a more traditional kind of hunt, with the competitors in their
cars and the hider in an unlikely spot, miles away. Scoring on a
mobile hunt can be by time -- who finds it first -- or by least
odometer mileage, making it more like a road rallye.


If your club isn't already planning a National Foxhunting Weekend
hunt, it's up to YOU to start the fun. Get some ideas by reading the
tales of last years hunts in the April issue of CQ Magazine. Report
forms and more information can be found at my Web site,
www.homingin.com. That's HomingIn, as one word, homingin.com. See
you on the hunt! From southern California, this is Joe Moell Kay-
Zero-Oscar-Victor for Amateur Radio Newsline.


--


Radio Fox Hunts are a lot of fun and many of the Newsline staffers
around the world enjoy taking part in them.


**


NEWSCAST CLOSE


With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ
Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands,
Rain, the RSGB and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline @arnewsline.org.
More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only
official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write
to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937,
Arcadia, California 91066.


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


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


For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim
Davis, W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur
Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.









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