ARNewsline #1700 -- March 12 2010:

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1700 - March 12, 2010

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1700 with a release date of Friday, March 12th, 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T. The American Hospital Association asks for a blanket waiver covering all employee hams who want to take part in emergency training drills, New Zealand gives its hams spectrum at 500 kilohertz, an FCC Administrative Law Judge rules that the agency cannot revoke a ham radio license for a crime committed years ago and t ham in France hears and records the Mars Express fly-by of the moon Phobos. Hear the sound and find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline™ report number 1700 coming your way right now.

RESCUE RADIO: AMERICAN HOSPITAL ASSN. FILES FOR BLANKET 97.113(a)(3) WAIVER

It’s the waiver request to rival all other such requests to permit hams in the employ of hospitals to take part in disaster training drills. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP, is here with the details:

The FCC has issued a Public Notice in WP Docket 10-54 that seeks comments on weather or not the Commission should grant a request American Hospital Association. This, for a blanket waiver of Section 97.113(a)(3) to permit amateur operators who are hospital employees to participate in emergency drills that are conducted by hospitals for accreditation purposes and that are not government-sponsored.

As most know, last year the FCC began taking a very strict interpretation of Section 97.113(a)(3) of the Amateur Service rules. This rule specifically prohibits amateur stations from transmitting communications in which the station licensee or control operator has a pecuniary interest, including communications on behalf of an employer. This has already lead to a pair of rules change requests. One filed by educator Gordon West WB6NOA and two other hams. The other from CQ Magazine. Both essentially request that 97.113(a)(3) be changed to permit hams to volunteer their services for any emergency drill conducted by an employer, whether or not the employee is on the clock. And at its January Board meeting the ARRL said it too plans to file its own proposal to modify Rule 97.113(a)(3) as well.

Late last year the FCC began granting waivers to various entities in need of using hams in their employ as a part of emergency preparedness drills. Now, the American Hospital Association says that it is time for a single across the board waiver so that individual hospitals can hold drills without having to file for specific exemptions to 97.113(a)(3).

Comments on WP Docket 10-54 are due by Friday, April 2nd with reply comments are due no later than Monday, April 19th. All filings should reference the docket number of this proceeding, WP Docket No 10-54.

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

As we go to air a check of the FCC's electronic comment filing system shows those responding to be about 3 to 1 in favor of granting the American Hospital Association waiver request, but those numbers are subject to change as more comments are filed. (FCC)

RADIO LAW: ALJ SAYS FCC CANNOT REVOKE HAM LICENSE FOR PAST CRIME

An FCC Administrative Law Judge has sided with a ham who claimed that the revocation proceeding against his license for a crime committed years ago was unjust. In his March 9th decision, FCC Chief Administrative Law Judge Richard L. Sippel ordered that that the Amateur Radio Operator License of Amateur Radio Station KB7ILD held by David L. Titus should not be revoked and that the License Revocation Proceeding be dismissed. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with more on what the Administrative Law Judge decided:

First some background on this matter. Back in January of 2007 the FCC issued a Show Cause Order to determine whether David L. Titus, KB7ILD, was qualified to remain a Commission licensee. This, in light of a 1993 felony conviction involving a minor and whether his authorization should be revoked. The offense in question took place on April 16, 1993 and he was sentenced to serve 25 months in prison.

At that time the FCC noted that Titus' felony conviction for at least one sexual-related offense involving children raised material and substantial questions as to whether he possesses the requisite character qualifications to be and remain a Commission licensee. It also noted that while the felony conviction occurred more than 10 years earlier that the nature of his criminal misconduct and the fact the amateur radio service is particularly attractive to children called into serious question whether he should be permitted to retain his amateur radio authorization.

Titus decided to move forward with the hearing process and hired noted Washington D.C. attorney George L. Lyon, Jr. to represent him. At the hearing attorney Lyon produced numerous witnesses who testified on Titus behalf. These included a clergyman, a police officer, a corrections officer, a school counselor, a government contractor, a Red Cross worker, and a lab engineer. Each of them attested to Titus' successful integration into the community as a law-abiding citizen. Several of these witnesses are also active in Amateur Radio and approved of Titus' conduct in operating Amateur Radio. There was no rebuttal. Nor was any negative character testimony or other evidence bearing on character offered.

But Titus license was not without challenge from within the ham community. The President of the Lake Washington Amateur Radio Club appeared in person at the hearing. In his testimony he expressed concern that a convicted sex offender, who is licensed, could use his amateur radio station to contact children for immoral purposes. His concern was heightened by the fact that Titus operates a repeater thereby affording wider coverage.

But in his finding, A-L-J Sippel stated there is no evidence of Titus mentoring a minor on ham radio procedures. Nor is there evidence of Titus communicating with a minor through his amateur radio directly or on his repeater frequency. Also, there is no credible or reliable evidence in the record to support a finding that he would use his FCC license to solicit minors.

Lastly, A-L-J Sippel stated that David L. Titus, KB7ILD has held an Amateur Radio license for 20 years. He added that there is no credible or reliable evidence even suggesting that he ever has used or ever would dare to use ham radio communication as a means to contact minors for illicit purposes.

Administrative Law Judge Richard L. Sippel's decision carries a tag that it is issued "with prejudice." That’s a legal term meaning that when a case is dismissed for good reason that the plaintiff - in this case the FCC -- is barred from bringing an action on the same claim.

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

The decision in this case runs thirteen pages. You can read the entire text at: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10D-01A1.pdf or http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10D-01A1.txt (FCC)

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N7CCD repeater serving Seattle, Washington.

RADIO LAW: FCC REAFFIRMS ROS ONLY LEGAL ABOVE 222 MHZ

The FCC says that a new digital mode developed in Europe and being used world-wide is not legal for United States hams to transmit below 222 MHz. This because it uses frequency hopping technology which the regulatory which the agency considers to be spread spectrum and bans hams from using below that frequency. Amateur Radio Newsline's Frank Haas, KB4T, has more.

According to the ARRL, back in mid-February, European amateurs first used a new, experimental digital mode known as R-O S. On February 23, 2010 -- after FCC review of the original documents provided from the developer's website -- the FCC made the following statements on R-O-S. We quote:

"Section 97.305 is the rule that specifies where different emission types are allowed to be transmitted on different bands. 'R-O-S' is viewed as 'spread spectrum,' and the creator of the system describes it as that. We assume that he knows what he created.

Section 97.305 authorizes spread spectrum emission types defined in Section 97.3 to be transmitted by FCC licensed amateur stations at places we regulate communications only on 222-225 MHz and higher frequency amateur bands. European telecommunication regulatory authorities may authorize amateur stations in Europe to use spread spectrum on the High Frequency bands, but this is of no concern to us.

"The Commission does not determine if a particular mode 'truly' represents spread spectrum as it is defined in the rules. The licensee of the station transmitting the emission is responsible for determining that the operation of the station complies with the rules. This would include determining the type of emission the station is transmitting and that the frequencies being used are authorized for that type of emission." End quote

Since that initial FCC review, several Internet sites have reported a claim -- attributed to the FCC -- that the original statements made had been reconsidered and that the regulatory agency's view was now that -- quote: "R-O-S cannot be viewed as Spread Spectrum and it would be encompassed within Section 97.309 which covers RTTY and data emissions codes."

The ARRL says that when queried about this new statement, the FCC's Consumer Assistance Office stated that -- and again we quote: "The information contained on the R-O-S website was not provided by the FCC."

The agency then reaffirmed the original statements that came from the FCC's Wireless Bureau, which handles Amateur Radio rules for the United States. In other words, as far as the FCC is concerned, the R-O-S mode can only be used by the hams that it licenses on frequency bands above 222 MHz. And that’s where it stands with the FCC as we go to air.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline. I'm Frank Haas, KB4T, in Holly Hill, Florida.

In its closing statement on the matter, the ARRL says that it supports the experimentation and advancing the technical skills of operators. But the League also reminds US licensees that according to Section 97.307, spread spectrum communications are only permissible in the US on frequencies above 222 MHz. (ARRL)

RADIO LAW: ROS CREATOR SAYS HES DEVLOPED A NEW NARROWBAND VERSION

As if this situation was not complicated enough, the creator of ROS, one José Alberto Nieto Ros, has announced the creation of a narrowband version of ROS that requires only 500 Hz. To operate.

He says that a technical description of this new version will be sent to FCC with the aim of gaining the agency's approval their approval for its use in the United States. Until then, the author says that he will not make public any technical explanation about this mode.

But here's where there may be a conflict. In his blog posting he claims that if you are a U.S. citizen, that you are in your perfect right to experiment with this new digital mode, until the FCC says otherwise. What he might not understand is that here in the United States hams must abide by the FCC Part 97 rules currently in place as well as any standing FCC declaration regarding the use of any mode. Also, that violating either could lead to anything ranging from a warning letter to a Notice of Violation or even a monetary fine. So while U-S hams can sit all day and receive and decode using any version of ROS, that they cannot transmit with it until they get a go ahead from the FCC. (Various sources)

RESTRUCTURING: NZ HAMS GRANTED TEMPORARY 600 METER ALLOCATION

Based on a request filed by New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters that nations telecommunications regulator has agreed to grant New Zealand Amateurs temporary access to a slice of the 600 meter spectrum.

Beginning on March 1st, 505 to 515 kHz has been granted to them on a temporary basis pending an international allocation to radio amateurs and includes some restrictions. These involve a maximum radiated power not to exceed 25 watts effective radiated and a maximum bandwidth of 200 Hertz.

As in other parts of the world where hams have use of this band, these frequencies are, or may be, allocated for use by other services. As such, amateur operators must accept interference from, and must not cause interference to these other services.

On the international scene, work continues to gain a world-wide allocation in this area through the International Amateur Radio Union. If and when this is approved, it is likely that the New Zealand Amateurs will be granted a permanent allocation in the 600 meter area. (NZART)

RESCUE RADIO: TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND BROADCASTING RETURNING TO HAITI

Telecommunications and broadcasting are both slowly returning to earthquake ravaged Haiti. This according to Federal Communications Commission officials who went to Port-Au-Prince in January to assess communications damage and help that country's communications regulators with their restoration efforts.

As previously reported here on Newsline, the team was deployed in response to a request from Director General of Conatel, the communications agency in Haiti, in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development. In an update delivered to commissioners, FCC staffers Mindel Del La Torre, and Jamie Barnett, detailed the states of Haiti's communications and the ongoing efforts by the FCC to assist.

According to the two officials, hard-wired phones were heavily damaged. There were 108,000 telephone lines in the country in 2008. But the quake lead to a total loss of its wire-line infrastructure and those phones are still not working.

Wireless service fared better in the quake. De La Torre noted that Haiti had 2.5 million cell users before the quake. Now, with new equipment having replaced destroyed cell sites and cellular coverage is nearly back to 100%.

In the area of broadcasting some definite strides have been made. Before the earthquake Haiti had some 50 radio stations and 18 TV stations operating. Now, about 30 radio stations as well as six TV stations are back on the air.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim, Meachen, ZL2BHF.

The FCC has said that it intends to help with the restoration of Haiti's telecommunications and broadcast infrastructure over the long term. Meantime a limited ham radio response is still at work aiding in quake relief efforts. (RW)

RADIO AND THE NET: NEW VERSION OF SDR-RADIO.COM RELEASED

A new version of SDR-Radio.com has been released by developer Simon Brown HB9DR. This is a Windows console for software defined radios developed specifically for the amateur radio and short-wave listener communities and provides a powerful interface for the rapidly growing number of SDR enthusiasts. This free software can be downloaded from www.sdr-radio.com. (SDR-RADIO)

NAMES IN THE NEWS: TWO FORMER SPACEHAMS LEADING COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT

Two former space shuttle and space station commanders are now competitors in the start up world of commercial human spaceflight. Ken Bowersox, KD5JDP, and Frank Culbertson, KD5OPQ, are now respectively vice presidents at Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Orbital Sciences Corporation which are two United States based companies at the forefront of the private space industry.

Space Exploration's Dragon capsule and Orbital Science's Cygnus spacecraft have already been selected by NASA to ferry cargo to the International Space Station starting in 2011. Both companies are now vying for a NASA contract to begin developing vehicles capable of carrying humans to the International Space Station. Commercial providers could take up the job of carrying astronauts to and from the complex if President Obama directs NASA to revamp its current exploration program. (Spaceflight Now)

NAMES IN THE NEWS: THREE HAMS ACHIEVE HIGH SPPED CW RECORD

And talk about high speed Morse code. The latest High Speed Telegraphy Honor Roll has been published with three amateurs, LZ4UU, DJ1YFK and EW8VK, achieving an amazing 1231 characters per minute. For full details check out www.rufzxp.net. (Southgate)

HAMVENTION 2010: WEAK SIGNAL DINNER MAY 14th

The 2010 VHF Weak Signal Group Banquet held during the Dayton Hamvention will be on Friday evening May 14th, at the Doubletree Dayton Downtown Hotel at 11 South Ludlow Street, in Dayton. Anyone with an interest in weak signal VHF, UHF and Microwave is invited to attend. Seating is limited to 125 and reservations are required. Cost per person is $35. Reservation requests with full payment and an SASE go to Tony Emanuele WA8RJF, 7156 Kory Court, Concord Township, Ohio 44077-2221. And please include the names and calls of all attendees as well as an e-mail address if you have one. (VHF Group)

HAMVENTION 2010: LAST CALL FOR HAMVENTION 2010 AWARD NOMINATIONS And if you are hearing this before March 15th it means that you only have a few days left to nominate individuals and clubs for the Hamvention 2010 awards. While the Special Achievement Award, Technical Excellence Award, and Amateur of the Year Awards have been given for many years, Awards Chairman Frank Beafore, WS8B, said this a year a special award will be given for Club of the Year. That award is tied to this year's Hamvention theme of "Amateur Radio Clubs Worldwide: The Lifeline."

Judging will begin as soon as the nominating March 15th deadline passes. Winners will be notified in April and publicly honored at Hamvention 2010 in the weekend of May 14th, 15th and 16th. Information on how to file nominations is on line at www.hamvention.org. Just scroll down and click on the word awards on the right side of the screen. (Hamvention©)

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:

ON THE NET: NEW F1 MALWARE BUG DISCOVERED IN INTERNET EXPLORER

If you are a Windows XP user, listen up. Microsoft as well as the urban legends research service Snops dot com both say that Windows XP users should not to press the F1 key when prompted by any website that they might visit. This due to an unpatched vulnerability that hackers could exploit to hijack PCs running certain versions of Internet Explorer. Amateur Radio Newsline's David Black, KB4KCH, has the details:

According to Microsoft, the vulnerability exists in the way that V B Script interacts with the Windows Help files when using Internet Explorer. If a malicious website displays a specially crafted dialog box, and if you press the F1 key, an arbitrary code could execute in the security context of the currently logged-on user.

Microsoft says the bug affects Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. Plus, any supported versions of Internet Explorer on those operating systems could be leveraged by attackers. Users running IE6 on the XP operating platform plus IE7 and IE8 are said to be at risk.

Microsoft says--even if your windows system is up to date with all security patches--you should still avoid pressing F1 on dialog boxes presented from web pages or other Internet content.

The prompt can appear repeatedly when dismissed, nagging the user to press the F1 key. But Microsoft says not to pay attention to this demand and if it persists try closing and then re-opening Internet Explorer. The company says simply avoiding any website where a dialogue box tells you to press F1 is a good idea.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm David Black, KB4KCH, at the South-East Bureau in Birmingham, Alabama.

For those not aware, snopes.com is the Internet's best known urban legend debunking website. If it says that a story making the rounds of the World Wide Web is true, you can pretty much be certain that it is. And our thanks to Hap Holly, KC9RP, of RAIN for bringing this one to our attention. The full story with all reference material is at s.com/computer/virus/f1key.asp (RAIN)

RADIO RECORDS: GERMAN HAM CLAIMS 8.97 KILOHERTZ RECORD

An interesting record is being claimed by a German radio amateur. Markus Vester, DF6NM, of Nuremberg has been able to receive his test transmissions on 8.97kHz at a distance of 12.1 kilometers.

According to Vester, the transmitter was a 35 watt car radio audio amplifier offering up an Effective Radiated Power was about 1.3 microwatts using a relatively small antenna with 1.4 Henry loading coil. The receiving system consisted of a six meter long antenna feeding SpecLab software. (Various)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: A CLOSE ENCOUNTER ON-ORBIT

The Amsat Oscar 51 ham radio satellite has survived a close encounter with the FORMOSAT-3 constellation of satellites. The close call took place on Monday, March 1st at 10:56 UTC. This as all of the satellites were over the Eastern United States.

According to AMSAT-NA Vice President of Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, the predicted miss distance was 953 meters, which is over 3000 feet. But the overall but the radial difference between the two orbits was only 39 meters. Given the orbital uncertainties of both satellites, an orbit separated by only 39 meters could mean that distance may become eaten up rather quickly.

As noted earlier, FORMOSAT-3 is a constellation of satellites launched on April 15, 2006. AO-51 is a bit older having been put into orbit on June 29, 2004. (ANS)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: ARISS WINS BOSELLI PRIZE

The Italian radio listeners' society A-I-R has awarded the prestigious 2010 Boselli prize to ARISS, the Amateur Radio in the International Space Station project. In its announcement, A-I-R says that the award recognizes how ARISS has shown the importance of radio communications to hundreds of young students in Europe and beyond. A-I-R says that ARISS has spread the use of radio from the forefront of science in outer space to classrooms around the world. The Boselli prize will be presented at the A-I-R Annual General Meeting on May 8th in Faenza, Italy. (GB2RS)

ON THE AIR: UK HAM OPERATION TO HELP SAVE VULCAN BOMBER

Members of Newbury And District Amateur Radio Society in the United Kingdom will be activating GB0VUL during the month of March. This special event is to increase the awareness of the "Vulcan to the Sky Trust" and its efforts to save the only flying Vulcan XH558 bomber.

Operation is 80 through 10 meters using CW and SSB. While activity may take place all month, the main event of the month will be on the weekend of 20th and 21st. QSL via the RSGB Bureau, eQSL preferred or via G8JIP. More information on the Vulcan bomber is at www.nadars.org.uk/vulcan.asp (Southgate)

HAM HAPPENINGS: INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY AWARDS PROGRAM

The 23rd International Marconi Day will take place on April 24th. Although not a contest, awards can be obtained if you pre register for the event. Also, in order to qualify as an award station, operations should take place from a site that either used Marconi equipment prior to his death in 1937 or from which Marconi carried out experiments during the same period. Full details can be found at www.gb4imd.org.uk. (GB2RS, Southgate)

ON THE AIR: FRENCH HAMS CELEBRATE CONVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

On the air, F6FQK reports that members of the "Council of Europe Radio Amateur Club will be active as TP60CE between March 12th to the 14th. This to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the "Convention of Human Rights. Operations will be on CW, SSB, PSK and the Satellites. QSL via F5LGF. An online log search will be available at http://ewwa.free.fr (Southgate)

ON THE AIR: CELEBRATING ST. PATRICKS DAY FROM ERIN'S ISLE

And Irelands Foyle and District Amateur Radio Club, has been granted the special event callsign GB5SPD to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. The callsign will be used over several days, from March 15th until March 17th.

While most of the contacts will be SSB operators hope to also use digital modes as well. A special QSL card has been printed for the occasion and reports from SWL’s are also welcome. More details can be found under GB5SPD on the qrz.com. (IRTS)

DX

In DX, word that WE9V will be active as from Jamaica as 6Y9V through March 14th. His activity will be on 160 through 10 with emphasis on 160, 30, 17 and 12 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via WD9DZV.

G3RWF as 5X1NH will be on the air from Uganda until March 21st. QSL via his home callsign.

Also from Uganda, 5X7JD will be on the air until 25 May. QSL as directed on air.

HA5AO will be on the air from Lesotho as 7P8AO through March 28th using all modes and bands. QSL only via his home callsign.

DL7AFS and DL7ZG will sign V21ZG from Antigua for 18 days starting 16 March. They will concentrate on RTTY, PSK and SSB. This is another one to QSL as directed on the air.

And 5R8UI will be on the air from Madagascar until the end of the year. QSL to IK4ZUI.

DL7BC, will be active March 27th and 28th from Morocco as CN2BC during the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest. This, as a Single-Op/All-Band/Low-Power entry. QSL via DL7BC.

Lastly, NP3D will be active portable HR2 from Honduras between March 19th and the 29th. He will operate on all of the High Frequency bands using all modes, but will focus on 160 meters. QSL via W3HNK, RW6HS, or via Logbook of the World.

(Above from various DX news sources)

THAT FINAL ITEM HAM HEARS AND RECORDS MARS EXPRESS FLY-BY

And finally this week, talk about a true accomplishment for ham radio. This as the European Space Agency website reports that a radio amateur was able to receive and record the Mars Express mission on its recent flyby of the Martian moon Phobos. Bertrand Pinel, F5PL, from near Castelnaudary, France, used his 3.5 meter dish throughout the flyby to monitor the signal from Mars Express. Heres a sample of what he heard:

Actual fly-by audio.

The recording of the tone of Mars Express shifts from high to low because, at the time of the recording, Mars Express was travelling away from the Earth with a speed of 39 000 km/hr - accelerating as it went. This is the same Doppler effect as the sound of an ambulance siren changing as it passes you.

More on this story and F5PL's complete audio recording is on-line at http://webservices.esa.int/blog/post/7/1058 (Southgate)

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™. Our e-mail address is newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's™ only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline™, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350

Before we go, a reminder that the nominating period for the 2010 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open. Each year, we here at the Amateur Radio Newsline in association with Vertex Standard Corporation -- the makers of Yaesu brand ham radio gear -- and CQ Magazine combine to honor a ham radio operator age 18 or younger for his or her contributions to ham radio or to society itself through ham radio.

All nominations and materials required by the official rules must be received by Amateur Radio Newsline no later than midnight on May 30th. Both “mail-in” and electronic submissions are being accepted this year. Full rules and a downloadable nominating form are now on our website at www.arnewsline.org. Just scroll down until you see "2010 Young Ham of the Year Awards Now Being Accepted" and click on the word "here" to download the directions and the form. You can also leave questions and comments on the official Young Ham of the Year Award page on Facebook dot com.

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™ is Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

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