ARNewsline Report 1832 -- Sept 21 2012:

Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1832 – September 21 2012

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1832 with a release date of September 21 2012 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a Q-S-T.

Political wrangling over making spectrum available to expand broadband could impact on ham radio in years to come; the South African Radio League backs the Radio Society of Great Britain in is stand on in-home B-P-L; a bunch of new cubesats reach orbit; a dozen operations approved for DXCC and the upcoming Last Man Standing on-air celebration gets the special event callsign K6T. Find out how to make contact with the sound stage on Amateur Radio Newsline™ report number 1832 coming your way right now.

RADIO POLITICS: HOUSE MAJORITY REPORTEDLY WANTS SPECTRUM CLEARING RATHER THAN SHARING

According to news reports, the majority control in the United States House of Representatives favors clearing federal spectrum for commercial use instead of seeking sharing arrangements. This, according to the majority staff memo circulated for a House of Representatives hearing prior to a meeting held recently in Washington D.C.. And there is a chance that any decisions could impact on future access to the highest Ultra High Frequency and Super High Frequency bands used by ham radio. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Don Carlson, KQ6FM, takes a look at what’s transpiring in the national capital:

On September 13th, House members of the Communications and Technology subcommittee were to discuss the subject of Creating Opportunities through Improved Government Spectrum Efficiency. But in rejecting a report from the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, the memo said that sharing spectrum in the way it envisions is less useful than clearing spectrum and too untested to be the focus of the subcommittee’s spectrum strategy.

The memo went on to say that such sharing should be reserved for cases in which federal clearing is impossible. However the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration both endorse public-private spectrum sharing. They also claim that clearing the spectrum would cost more than $18 billion and 10 years to clear the targeted airwaves.

But the staff memo claims that this figure was inflated and unconfirmed by independent analysis. Instead it calls the figure merely aggregated the estimates of the federal agencies currently using the spectrum. The memo claims that the NTIA and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology never fully investigated the agencies’ relocation estimates. Nor has it determined whether the agencies need all the spectrum they have, or whether they could get by with less if they had more efficient equipment or relied more on commercial services.

At this moment its not known exactly what spectrum would be impacted if a non-sharing plan is eventually passed. That said, it could impact negatively on amateur radio if the reallocated spectrum was that shared between Part 97 users and government agencies as quite a bit of the U-H-F and higher bands are today. And while am eventual compromise between the two factions is most likely, this is yet another matter that the nations ham radio community will have to watch closely in the days, weeks and months ahead.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Don Carlson, KQ6FM, in Reno.

For its part, the President’s Council’s proposed a sharing arrangement is similar to unlicensed devices in the broadcast bands, which use a dynamic database to check for open frequencies. However the majority House staff appears to have rejected that approach. (Adapted from TV Technology)

RADIO POLITICS: SARL SAYS IT SUPPORTS RSGB STAND ON BPL/PLT

Over on the other side of the world, the South African Radio League says that it supports the Radio Society of Great Britain’s concerns over Access Broadband over Powerline also known as Powerline Technology. These are the internet access ports carried on unshielded in-home and powerline to home wiring.

As reported last week, the RSGB had written an official letter to the International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 Electromagnetic Compatibility Working Group. In it the U-K national ham radio society asked that the Working Group reconsider its policy on the draft European Broadband over Power Line standard. One that the RSGB claims to threaten a 38dB increase in RF pollution over much of the short wave radio spectrum.

Now, in its own public statement, the South African Radio League days that it fully supports the RSGB's views. It says that any relaxation in emission levels can have far reaching negative effects which ultimately may impact on South Africa as well. (SARL)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: NEW CUBESATS NOW ON- ORBIT

What might best be called a flotilla of new cubesats operating in the ham radio bands are now on-orbit. Amateur Radio Newsline’s George Bowen, W2XBS, has the details:

The long awaited launch of a number of new ham radio cubesats has finally taken place. The group of tiny birds winged their way to Earth orbit on September 13th on board a The Atlas 5 launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The launch carried a satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office. Also aboard this flight at four cubesats as part of NASA’s Educational Launch of Nanosatellites mission and seven cubesats for government use. The non government mini-birds include the Cubesat for Ion, Neutral, Electron, Magnetic fields that downlinks its science telemetry is in 2200 to 2300 MHz range.

Also now on-orbit is the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment that can be heard on 437.345 MHz transmitting 9k6 modulation in AX.25 protocol. Another is CP5 also known as PolySat with its downlink at 437.405 MHz at 1 watt, AFSK on Lower Sideband in AX.25 protocol. Rounding out the set is XBN which is a Cosmic X-Ray Background Nanosatellite with its downlink 437.525 MHz running G-F-S-K also in AX.25 protocol.

Several hours after launch Justin Foley, KI6EPH, announced via the Cubesat Internet Rely Channel that all of the microsats had been successfully deployed. A detailed article of the launch can be found on-line at tinyurl.com/microsats-to-orbit.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m George Bowen, W2XBS, monitoring the sky at the North East Bureau in Albany New York.

A detailed article on the payloads of this mission and the reason for the launch delays can be found on-line at tinyurl.com/multi- microsat-launch. (ANS)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FIVE CUBSATS TO GO ON- ORBIT FROM ISS

The long awaited deployment of five CubeSats from the International Space Station will take place on Thursday, September 27. Four of the micro sized birds carry amateur radio payloads. These are identified as F-1, FITSAT-1, WE-WISH and TechEdSat. More about this microsat project is on-line at tinyurl.com/iss-micro-birds. (AMSAT-UK)

AMATEUR RADIO IN SPACE: THREE HAMS RETURN TO EARTH

Three astronauts hams have returned safely to Earth after completing a four month mission aboard the International Space Station. The Expedition 32 crew made up of American Flight Engineer Joe Acaba, KE5DAR with Russian Commander Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, and Flight Engineer Sergei Revin, RN3BS, undocked their Soyuz TMA-04M spacecraft from the orbiting space lab at 7:09 p.m. EDT. They landed in northern Kazakhstan at 10:53 p.m. EDT Sunday night.

The homeward bound Soyuz fired its orbital engines one last time at 9:56 p.m. The descent module then separated from the spacecraft and fell through the atmosphere. It then deployed its parachutes and fired landing engines shortly before touchdown to soften the impact.

The successful landing wraps up a mission that began on May 17 with the Expedition 32 crew spending 125 days in space. (ARRL, Southgate, others)

DXCC NEWS: ARRL APPROVES A DOZEN OPERATIONS FOR DXCC

A busy day at the ARRL’s DXCC Desk with word that an even dozen operations have been approved for DXCC credit. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with the list:

According to Bill Moore, NC1L at the ARRL Awards Desk, the following 2012 operations have been approved for DXCC credit. In no particular order they are the 3B8 stroke IW5ELA operation from Mauritius Island; E40VB from Palestine; JY8VB from Jordan; 9A8VB from Croatia; E7 stroke UA4WHX from Bosnia- Herzegovina; 4O7VB from Montenegro; Z38VB from Macedonia; ZA stroke UA4WHX from Albania; YU9VB from Serbia, EY8 stroke UA4WHX from Tajikistan and the UN stroke UA4WHX operation from Kazakhstan.

And that’s quite a list.

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

If you missed any of that you can find the entire list in this week’s printed Amateur Radio Newsline report. (ARRL DXCC Desk)

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WB0QXW repeater serving St. Louis Missouri.

BREAKING DX NEWS: N8HS SWAINS ISLAND OPERATION GOES QRT EARLY

The NH8S team on Swains Island is now QRT and is reported to be in the process of tearing down their camp. This, for a possible early departure.

Sanford Houston, K5YY, who is the DXpedition's Pilot Station. He says that the decision to go silent before the announced September 18th end of operations date was due to several factors. This included bad weather conditions, antennas that had come down, a number of operators that had fallen ill with some wounds requiring medical care.

During its stay on Swains the NH8S team has made a total of 105,455 QSOs with 26,010 Unique callsigns. Of these 43,126 were on SSB, 54,128 on CW and 8,201 made using RTTY.

Direct QSLs can be mailed to the Swains Island DXpedition, P.O. Box 5005, Lake Wylie, South Carolina. 29710, in the USA. Bureau QSLs go to AA4NN.

More information on this operation is on-line at http://nh8s.org And we will have more DX related news later on in this weeks Amateur Radio Newsline report. (OPDX)

RADIO CRIME: HAM RADIO EMCOMM REPEATER VANDALIZED

Steven Tidwell, KF5NDG, reports to Amateur Radio Newsline on a recent case where a repeater used for Skywarn and other ham radio emergency communications was criminally damaged. The only good news us that it appears the perpetrators have been caught. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK has the details:

It all happened a few weeks ago at about 4:15 a.m. local time on August 20th. That’s when the 147.12 MHz hub of the W5RHS linked repeater system in Benton, Arkansas, was taken off the air by an act of vandalism.

The repeater site is located on a water tower that sits behind a fence and locked gate. The suspects managed to break in to the site, and cut the hard-line going to the repeater and the link antennas. They also cut the coax going to the Water Association radio system. The latter is the commercial radio system communicates between the plant and the water tower.

According to KF5NDG the system owner is Kelly Hesters, whose call is W5RHS. He reportedly noticed that his repeater was off the air when he was leaving work about 7 AM. He made a stop at the repeater site and noticed a Toyota pickup truck outside the gate. He then went inside he found the damage.

The next day when he went back to see what parts and supplies he needed to get the repeater back on the air he found a key that the suspects dropped on the ground. He contacted the Saline County Sheriffs office which determined that the key belonged to the vehicle. As a result of some detective work by the local authorities the suspects in the break-in have been arrested.

Meantime W5RHS is waiting on the delivery of some new hard-line to get the repeater back on the air.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in Zion, Illinois.

By way of reference, the W5RHS repeater is the main hub for a multi-linked repeater system in Arkansas. This repeater system is also very involved in Skywarn operations as well as carrying NOAA weather radio alerts. (KF5NDG)

ENFORCEMENT: FCC AFFIRMS $15000 NAL TO UNLICENSED MIAMI BROADCASTER

The FCC has affirmed a $15000 monetary forfeiture previously issued to Jeffrey Darius. This for his alleged operation an unlicensed transmitter in the Miami, Florida area.

Back on March 6th the Enforcement Bureau’s Miami Office issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture to Darius after tracing an unlicensed broadcast operation on 88.7 MHz to him. To date, Darius had not filed a response to the proposed fine. As a result the forfeiture has been affirmed.

As is the custom, Darius was given the usual 30 days from the September 14th release date of the order to pay or file an appeal. (FCC)

RADIO BUSINESS: ICOM AMERICA ANNOUNCES NEW SUBSIDIARY IN BRAZIL

Icom America has announced the establishment of Icom Brazil. This as a subsidiary with headquarters located in Belo Horizonte which is the capital city of Minas Gerais state.

The creation of the new subsidiary will allow the radio manufacturer to solidify its brand visibility in an emerging South American market. According to the Central Intelligence Agency's "World Factbook" publication, Brazil became the world's seventh largest economy in terms of gross domestic product in 2011.

The initial objective of Icom Brazil will focus on the public safety industry with Brazil's government. The new subsidiary will also help existing distributors expand their dealer networks nationwide. (Icom, Southgate)

NAMES IN THE NEWS: BECKY SCHOENFELD, W1BXY, NAMED QST MANAGING EDITOR

The ARRL has announced that Book Editor Becky Schoenfeld, W1BXY, has been promoted to QST Managing Editor. A Connecticut native, Schoenfeld has more than two decades of publishing experience.

Prior to her employment at ARRL Headquarters, Schoenfeld served as Senior Editor at Teaching Kindergarten through 8th grade magazine and Senior Project Editor for textbook publisher Macmillan/McGraw-Hill. She is also the founder of Amaranth magazine which is a highly successful poetry journal.

W1BXY holds a Masters of Fine Arts from Emerson College and a Bachelor of Arts from Fairfield University. Her Amateur Radio activities include chasing grid squares in pursuit of her 6 meter VUCC award and DX hunting on 10 meters.

Schoenfeld replaces the position formerly held by Joel Kleinman, N1BKE, who died tragically in a house fire several weeks ago. (ARRL)

NAMES IN THE NEWS: AMSAT 2012 BOD ELECTION RESULTS ANNOUNCED

Tom Clark, K3IO, Lou McFadin, W5DID, and Gould Smith, WA4SXM, will serve on the AMSAT North America Board of Directors for the next two years. The first alternate is Mark Hammond, N8MH and the second alternate is Patrick Stoddard, WD9EWK. In all some 700 AMSAT North America members cast ballots in this year’s election. (AMSAT)

HAM HAPPENINGS: HUNTSVILLE ARC TO ACTIVATE THREE LIGHTHOUSES

The Huntsville Alabama Amateur Radio Club says that it will be activating three light houses in Mobile Bay for Alabama Lighthouse Weekend. The event takes place beginning at 1800 Central Time on October 5th and runs through 1800 Central on the 7th. During that period the club will be on the air as N4L from the Sand Island lighthouse near the entrance to Mobile Bay, W4L which is the Mobile Point lighthouse at Fort Morgan , and K4L at the MidBay lighthouse in Mobile Bay. Operations will be on the High Frequency bands. For more information please contact the event organizer Warren Alford by e-mail to KJ4RAQ (at) comcast (dot) net. (HARC)

HAM HAPPENINGS UPDATE: W5KUB TO WEBCAST MFJ 40TH ANNIVERSARY

The 40th anniversary hamfest gathering of MFJ Enterprises will be streamed live to the Internet thanks to Tom Medlin, W5KUB. The event takes place October 5th and 6th from the grounds of the company’s production complex in Starkville Mississippi. As reported last week, there will be all sorts of fun activities and now those hams unable to travel to the gathering will be able to enjoy it vicariously thanks to Tom and his highly skilled video production crew. As in past webcasts Tom will be offering prizes to some of those who tune in. Updated information will be posted to Tom’s Facebook webpage at facebook.com/groups/w5kub/. The on-line address to enjoy all of what looks to be a fun gathering at MFJ is simply w5kub.com. (W5KUB)

HAM HAPPENINGS: PACIFICON TO FEATURE NEW MEDIA AND SOCIAL NETWORKING

And an update on plans for the joint Pacificon and ARRL 2012 National Convention. A major theme this year is New Media and Social Networking. And to emphasize its importance the Mount Diablo Amateur Radio Club and Pacificon have teamed up to host "Night of the New Media Elmers" with well- known amateur radio podcasters.

At airtime, speakers scheduled to appear include Jerry Taylor, KD0BIK, Randy Hall, K7AGE, Chris Matthieu, N7ICE, and Ham Nation co-host Gordon West, WB6NOA.

Jim Siemons, AF6PU, is the event’s co-General Chairman. He says that forums and seminars are the very heart and soul of Pacificon:

AF6PU: “Pacificon specifically is a forum driven event and we have fantastic speakers from all over the country. We’ve had Nobel Laureates and astronauts and all sorts of folks come out and talk about whatever you are into in amateur radio we are going to have something for you.”

The New Media and Social Networking gathering takes place at 7 P.M. on Friday night, October 12th. The location is in the Sedona Ballroom of the Satern Conference Center at the Mariott Hotel and Convention Center in Santa Clara, California.

Pacificon has also created a Facebook page where you can post photos, videos, comments, and get up-to-date announcements about what's happening at the convention. To join it sign onto Facebook and then go to facebook.com/Pacificon2012 and click "Like" to join the page. (MDARC, Pacificon)

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:

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION TV SYSTEM EXPECTS ITU APPROVAL

The next generation of super high definition television may soon be on its way as we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline’s Jim Damron, N8TMW:

Ultra High Definition Television also known under the acronym Super Hi-Vision, will likely be approved by the International Telecommunication Union as the next generation universal global television standard.

Developed by public broadcaster NHK at its Science and Technical Research Laboratories, Ultra High Definition Television is a system that delivers 16 times the resolution of current high definition images. The new format can deliver images with 33 million pixels through 7,680 horizontal lines and 4,320 vertical lines. It also boasts a video refresh rate of 120 frames per second, as well as 22.2 channel multi-dimensional sound.

The system is collaboration between NHK along with electronics manufacturers Panasonic and Sharp.

From Charleston West Virginia, I’m Jim Damron, N8TMW, reporting.

Test broadcasts are scheduled to begin in Japan by 2020. (Published News Reports)

RADIOSPORTS: CALIFORNIA AND PENNSYLVANIA QSO PARTIES COMING

Two of the nations most popular radiosporting events are looming on the near horizon. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, is here with the details:

The first weekend of October, it's the granddaddy of all state QSO parties - the California QSO Party. It's sponsored by the Northern California Contest Club.

The action starts on Saturday, Oct. 6 and wraps up Sunday, Oct. 7.

The following weekend, Saturday, Oct. 13 and Sunday, Oct. 14, it's the Pennsylvania QSO sponsored by the Nittany Amateur Radio Club in State College, PA.

It's promoted as the "Friendly QSO Party."

Let's start right up front here.

You don't have to be a contester to take part in either of these events.

In fact, most of the operators competing in either of the parties like to hear from the many casual operators who might turn on their radios during the weekend, hear some activity, and tune up and down the HF bands offering a simple contact and, perhaps, a much needed multiplier.

So, you're just as valuable, sometimes even more valuable, than you might think.

Don't be afraid. Squeeze the mic or touch the CW paddles or the key and give a fellow ham a hand.

California's party features activity from all 58 counties in the Golden State and has special competitions for Y-Ls, youth operators, first-time contesters and even school clubs.

Club competitions are highly encouraged, so if you decide to jump in, put the name of your radio club into the entry form.

The California Party gives away a host of plaques for various operating categories, offers unique T-shirts to those who are interested, and even awards special prizes for the top 20 California and top 20 non- California single operator stations. See their website for more on that.

The following weekend, the bands get active again as operators fan out across Pennsylvania's 67 counties for a great operating event.

It's one of the few competitions where lots of non-contesters get together with friends to set up Field Day-style stations to activate some of the rare Pennsylvania counties.

There's lots of buzz in the months before the party on a reflector operated by the party organizers.

And, there are plaques and certificates awarded to contestants both within Pennsylvania and across the country. Even DX stations are recognized.

First-timers also are welcome in the PA Party. And, there are T-shirts for those who to get one.

So, is your station ready?

If you're a contester, maybe you consider each of the parties a warm-up for the fall contest competition.

If you're not a contester, get on anyway. Pick up a few counties in Pennsylvania or California, maybe a few unique call signs if you're a prefix hunter.

The bottom line: Have some fun.

We'll see you on the air!

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

More on the California QSO Party is on line at tinyurl.com/cal-qso-party. The website for the Pennsylvania QSO Party is simply tinyurl.com/pa-qso-party. We say good luck in both contests.

(NT3V)

Radiosports: ARRL 2011 EME CERTIFICATES IN THE MAIL

Sean Kutzko, KX9X, who is the ARRL’s Contest Branch Manager says that Certificates for the Leagues 2011 E-M-E Contest were mailed out on September 18th. Winners should see them begin to arrive shortly. Awards processing for ARRL contests can be tracked at arrl.org/plaques-and-certificates. (ARRL)

ON THE AIR: GB1LM CELEBRATES UL LIVERPOOL MARATHON

On the air, listen out for GB1LM which is the special event call sign for the United Kingdom’s famed Liverpool Marathon. The station will be active on the High Frequency bands through October 14th. For QSL information please check GB1LM on QRZ.com. (Southgate)

DX

In DX, The Republic of South Sudan has issued its first amateur radio license. The call Z81A went to Jim Pratt who holds the United States call letters of K7QI. The second license issued was Z81D. It went to Diya Al Sadi, YI1DZ. Both are reportedly now on the air.

Also new, on September 17th, shortly after 1700 U-T-C, a combined group of international and local operators started operating as Z-6- zero-K from near Pristina, Kosovo on both 20 and 17 meter SSB. Operators included 9A9A, MD0CCE, OH2BH and OH2TA. Local television recorded the historic moment live on air. QSL via G3TXF.

And word that the Martello Tower Group will be activating the Island of Herm which from October 4th to the 8th. Operations will be on 80 through 10 meter SSB and RTTY. QSL via G6NHU.

Lastly ON6KE will be active as 9H3AK from Gozo Island through September 28th. His activity will be holiday style on 40, 30 and 20 meters operating about 5 watts QRP on CW only. QSL only electronically via Logbook of the World or eQSL. No printed cards will be available for this operation.

(Above from various DX news sources)

THAT FINAL ITEM: LAST MAN STANDING GETS SPECIAL EVENT CALL K6T

And finally this week, word from Last Man Standing Producer John Amodeo, NN6JA, that the callsign K6T has been approved for use for the shows special event operation to be held on Sunday, October 28th. NN6JA says that K6T will take to the air at approximately 9 a.m. Pacific with exact bands and frequencies to be announced as the date gets closer. And according to Amodeo, he wants this to be a fun event that everyone can share in:

NN6JA: “We at the show are so excited about ham radio and we have so much incredibly cool amateur radio here; not to mention some 12 licensed amateur radio operators on the staff; that we decided why not share our good fortune with hams out around America and our ham (radio) fans in particular and get on the air and talk directly to our ham (radio) fans through all of our great gear.

“So we took a few minutes, put all of our antennas on the roof so we could improve our range; tuned everything up; and we are ready to go.

“So we are hoping everybody from around the country will take a few minutes away from contesting, because that is a big contest afternoon, and come on over (to where we are operating) and call us up.”

NN6JA says that the current plan is to operate on the High Frequency, VHF and UHF bands as well as D-STAR, Echolink and IRLP. This should make it possible for hams anywhere to make contact with K6T.

NN6JA: “We are going to provide a large number of paths for people to get in so we kind of feel that everyone in the country should be able to find some path to get to our stage (ham radio operation) to talk to our crew and the PAPA members who are helping us out.”

According to Amodeo, members of the LA based PAPA System will assist the licensed operators who are part of the shows the crew in running the event. They will use several PAPA System repeaters to run its local and linked communications. The operators will also be monitoring other linked repeater systems from around the country as well.

As the day approaches further information will be posted on Facebook at www.facebook.com/KA0XTT. Amodeo also says to monitor @nn6ja on Twitter for the fastest updates.

Last Man Standing stars actor and comedian Tim Allen as Mike Baxter, KA0XTT. The show airs on ABC.

(NN6JA, ARNewsline™)

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, Pacificon, the RSGB, the Southgate News, TWiT-TV and Australia's WIA News, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline™. Our e-mail address is newsline(at) arnewsline (dot) 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

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors’ desk, I’m Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, near Houston, Texas, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline™ is Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

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