Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1722 – August 13 2010
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1722 with a release date of
Friday, August 13 2010 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Authorities across the West search for the
killers of a ham radio operator and his wife in rural New Mexico. Also
the FCC refuses to make the unauthorized use of a ham radio call a form
of identity theft or to expand voice privileges on 15 meters. Find out
the details on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1722 coming your
way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RADIO CRIME: POLICE IN SOUTHWEST SEARCH FOR MURDERERS OF HAM OPERATOR
AND HIS WIFE
Authorities across the Western United States and Canada are searching
for an escaped convict and his accomplice who may have been involved in
the brutal murder of Gary Haas N5VGH and his wife Linda. This after
their bodies were found in their burned out travel trailer in Santa
Rosa, New Mexico. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has
the latest on this developing story:
–
The badly burned skeletal remains of a couple believed to be Gary,
N5VGH, and Linda Haas were found by a rancher in a charred trailer near
Santa Rosa, New Mexico, on Wednesday, August 4th. State Police have
confirmed that an Oklahoma couple by that name owned the trailer as
well as a pick-up truck that was later found abandoned in Albuquerque.
New Mexico State Police Major Robert Shilling said on Saturday, August
7th that 45 year old John McCluskey has been linked through forensic
evidence to the couple’s remains. Shilling declined to provide
specifics and would not say whether police think the other two people
McCluskey is believed to have been traveling with, Tracy Province and
Casslyn Mae Welch, are also tied to the killings.
Province was captured on August 9th in Wyoming. Also arrested was
Claudia Washburn, who is the mother of John McCluskey. She was taken
into custody in Jake’s Corner, Arizona on allegations that she
provided financial and other types aid in the flight of her son, as
well as Province, and Welch.
With Province now behind bars, most involved in the search believe that
McClusky and Welch are hiding out in the Yellowstone Park area of
Montana or Wyoming or may have even crossed into Canada. But in a
bizarre twist, U.S. Marshals for Arizona say the escaped inmate and his
fianc‚e may be as far away as Arkansas. Authorities say that a couple
who robbed a store in Gentry, Arkansas on Wednesday morning, August 11th
fit the description of John McCluskey and his fianc‚e, Casslyn Welch.
Gentry is in northwest Arkansas, near Bentonville, where Welch’s mother
lives. Police are reportedly trying to obtain surveillance video from
the robbery. No matter where they are, McCluskey and Welch are
considered to be armed and extremely dangerous.
The two victims, Gary and Linda Haas were from Tecumseh, Oklahoma.
Gary Haas and was believed to be a member of Tecumseh Amateur Radio
Club.
According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by The Oklahoman
newspaper, a relative told authorities that the Haas were traveling to
Colorado for their annual camping trip. The relative told police they
typically camped in state parks and they would often stay near Santa
Rosa.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the
newsroom in Los Angeles.
–
More on this story as soon as news updates are made available.
(KRQE, The Oaklahoman, NewsOK.com, US Marshalls Office release)
**
RADIO LAW: FCC SAYS NO TO PART 97 ID THEFT RULES CHANGE REQUEST
The FCC has dismissed a request from a California ham who wanted to
make the unauthorized use of a ham radio call sign a form of identity
theft covered under Part 97 of the the Amateur Service rules.
Back in November of 2009, Eric Hilding, K6VVA, of Morgan Hill, had
filed a petition for rulemaking that requested Part 97 be amended to
prohibit the false or unauthorized use of an amateur radio call sign.
According to the dismissal order, the petition primarily expressed
concern about the misappropriation of call signs on internet bulletin
boards.
In his petition Hilding stated that this should be considered a form of
identity theft. He proposed that Part 97 be amended to prohibit any
misrepresentation or unauthorized use of someone else’s amateur call
sign over the public airwaves, on Internet packet cluster system
postings, cellular or non-cellular telephone connections, electronic
based communications or print media formats of any other nature.
But in dismissing Hilding’s rules change request the FCC stated that
Part 97 regulates only the Amateur Radio service. As such and that
controlling other forms of communications would be beyond the scope of
Part 97. Also, since Part 97 already prohibits amateur stations from
transmitting false identification, the FCC concludes that the rules
already in place address the misuse of amateur call signs to the
appropriate extent, and that Hilding’s petition presents no grounds for
amending it. (FCC)
**
RADIO LAW: FCC TURNS DOWN PETRION TO EXPAND VOICE PRIOVELEGES ON 15
METERS
The Federal Communications Commission has turned down a request from a
New York ham to expand the spectrum available on 15 meters for phone
operation.
In his December 2009 petition to the regulatory agency, Richard
Ebeling, K2UTC, of White Plains had
proposed that the segment of the 15 meter amateur service band
authorized to General Class and Amateur Extra Class licensees for voice
emissions be increased by seventy-five and fifty kilohertz,
respectively. In his petition Ebeling primarily argued that the
frequency segment that General Class licensees may use for phone
emissions in the 15 m band should be returned to what it was prior to
the Commission’s Incentive
Licensing decision in 1967, which he believed unfairly disadvantaged
General Class licensees.
But in its August 9th dismissal order the FCC noted that it had recently
extended the spectrum amateur stations could use for voice
communications in various amateur bands. In particular, the spectrum
that General Class licensees may use for phone emissions in the 15
meter band was increased by twenty-five kilohertz. The FCC noted that
Ebeling’s Petition did not that action, or otherwise present evidence
that the current amount of spectrum in the 15 meter band available for
voice communications is inadequate. (FCC)
**
RADIO LAW: ARRL FILES MOTION TO DENY LICENSES FOR RECON ROBOTICS
ROBOTS
The ARRL is again saying no to sharing the amateur radio spectrum with
public safety robots. On August 4th the League filed a Petition to
Deny Applications with the FCC to reject 68 pending Public Safety Pool
license applications associated with the ReconRobotics Video and Audio
Surveillance System.
Each license application is accompanied by a waiver request to permit
operation of the devices in the 433 to 445 MHz band. The applications
were coordinated by APCO International Inc Licensing Services and
would allow the use of the Recon Scout product currently being marketed
by ReconRobotics pursuant to an FCC waiver. APCO International Inc
Licensing Services is the frequency coordinator for the public safety
land mobile radio services –
Dan Henderson, N1ND, is the ARRL’s Regulatory Information Manager. He
says that while several issues factor into the League’s Petition to
Deny these applications, most notable is that the Commission has not
acted on an earlier ARRL Petition for Reconsideration in WP Docket 08-
63, which has been pending since March of this year. Henderson sat
that petition raises issues that should be addressed prior to any
action on the individual applications. He says that granting
applications based on the Docket 08-63 waiver, which is not final,
would be premature.
Henderson goes on to note that there is the potential for significant
interference from these devices to licensed operations in the amateur
70 cm band. Therefore the ARRL urges the FCC to take thoughtful and
expedient action on our Petition for Reconsideration. (ARRL)
**
BREAK 1
From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W3UU repeater
of the Harrisburg Amateur Radio Club of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
(5 sec pause here)
**
RADIO LAW: MIDWEST CITY RESCINDS VIOLATION NOTICE ISSUED TO LOCAL HAM
A follow-up to the story of the ham in Midwest City, Oklahoma who had
been sent a notice by the town last June asserting that he was in
violation of a local ordinance regarding radio frequency interference.
That ham, now identified as David Box, K5DBX, has been posting on the
situation to QRZ.com, and the latest is he reports is good but not
great.
The good part is that on the evening of August 4th, Box says that he
received an email from Midwest City and the office of its City
Manager, that retracted the Notice and Order left at his address in
June. The bad news is that the city has decided to retain the
ordinance as written.
Box says that he has provided to the city, what he considers to be a
more suitable solution through redrafting the ordinance to bring it
into compliance with the Communications Act, rather than direct
conflict with it. He says that he will have to see how the city will
responds and address this portion of the matter.
By way of background, you may remember that two weeks ago we reported
that ARRL General Counsel Christopher D. Imlay, W3KD, had written to
Midwest City’s political leaders. Imlay letter stated categorically
that the city had absolutely no legal ground on which to enact or
enforce its ordinance. He went on to state that Midwest City’s
ordinance 27-3(9), which purports to regulate RFI is preempted on its
face by federal oversight and is therefore the city’s ordinance is null
and void. He also expressed his hope that it will not be necessary to
submit the Midwest City ordinance to the FCC by way of a Request for a
Declaratory Ruling but warned that would be the ARRL’s planned course
of action unless the ordinance is rescinded.
So far Midwest City has refused to comply with Imlay’s demand to
withdraw the RFI ordinance. But in his letter retracting the citation
issued to Box, Midwest City Assistant City Attorney Randal Homburg says
that in the event there are future complaints from any citizen about a
neighbor’s use of these licensed devices, the city will direct the
complaining party to file their complaints with the FCC. (K5DBX via
QRZ.com, ARNewslineT, ARRL)
**
RADIO POLITICS: ARRL BOD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS
Some highlights from the recent ARRL Board of Directors Meeting held in
Windsor, Connecticut. Of major concern to ham radio was a report from
General Counsel Chris Imlay, W3KD, that the recently released National
Broadband Plan could affect the amateur spectrum near 2.3 GHz. In hisd
report W3KD noted that nothing is sacred and even spectrum occupied by
the Department of Defense is being challenged.
On a more positive note, ARRL Legislative Consultant John Chwat
reported that his office had received more than 2400 letters from
amateurs supporting HR 2160 and S 1755. He noted that there are only a
few more weeks left in the 111th Congress and that the ARRL must
continue efforts its efforts to have the House consider these bills.
He also reported on the progress of legislation concerning the tax
deduction for personal vehicle mileage on behalf of charitable
organizations and the ARRL’s efforts to avoid impact on mobile
operating in distracted-driving legislation.
The complete Minutes of the 2010 Second Meeting of the ARRL Board of
Directors are available on the ARRL Web site. Its at www.arrl.org.
(ARRL)
**
RADIO LAW: MONTGOMERY ALABAMA BANS NON EMERGENCY MOBILE COMMS
Hams operating mobile in Montgomery, Alabama, have won a rather narrow
partial exclusion to the city’s tough new distracted driver law, but
only during emergencies. This after the Montgomery City Council passes
an ordinance making hand-held cell phone use, including texting while
driving a secondary offense.
Once the distracted driving ordinance takes effect in the coming weeks,
a driver would have to violate one of the primary rules of the road,
such as speeding or running a stop sign while using a cellphone before
he or she could be cited for distracted driving.
The ordinance does allow for some exceptions. These include someone
using their cell phone to report a traffic accident or a crime.
Emergency personnel, employees of utility companies and an operator of
an amateur radio are also excluded from the new ordinance, but only as
long as their communications devices are being used during an actual
emergency.
Whats not clear is whether the new ordinance applies only to cellular
and texting devices or to other two way radio gear as well. In other
words, would charting on your local repeater with a mic in your hand
while driving be considered a distracted driving practice and subject
to the new law? And if it does, how would a police officer be able to
determine if the ham radio was or was not of an emergency nature let
alone what constitutes an emergency in any given instance.
(montgomeryadvertiser.com)
**
RADIO ACCIDENTS: HIGH WINDS FELL WWVA TOWERS
One of the nations legendary AM broadcast stations was taken off the
air on Wednesday, August 4th by the fury of Mother Nature. At about
around 4 in the afternoon all three of Wheeling West Virginia’s WWVA
broadcast towers were knocked down due to severe storms and winds in
excess of 70 mph. Weather experts say wind speeds at the top of the
400 foot towers could have been in excess of 100 mph at the time of the
incident.
WWVA first began broadcasting in at 2:00 a.m. on December 13, 1926
using a home-built 50-watt transmitter in the basement of the home of
inventor John Stroebel. One week earlier, the Federal Communications
Commission had granted a broadcast license on 860 kHz to the radio
station WWVA. In May 1941, the FCC moved WWVA to 1170 kHz, and in
August of that same year, granted the ultimate power for AM stations of
50,000 watts and making it the most powerful AM station in the entire
state of West Virginia.
In reality, the stations three tower directional array is located in
near-by St. Clairsville, Ohio with its studio in Wheeling. According
to a statement on the stations website, engineering crews are working
to get some temporary antennas in place as soon as possible, so the
station can return the programming to the 1170 signal. In the
meantime, WWVA’s programming can be heard on the 1400 kHz signal of its
sister station WBBD which normally plays Adult Standards.
WWVA is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications. Images of the
fallen array are on line at tinyurl.com/ towersdown (WWVA.com,
Wikipedia)
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: SWODXA DINNER MOVES TO NEW LOCATION FOR 2011
Turning to the ham radio social scene, ‘Southwest Ohio DX Association
president Don DuBon, N6JRL, has announced that 26th annual DX Dinner
will be held on Friday, May 20, 2011in conjunction with Dayton
Hamvention. The new venue for this longtime gathering will be the
Dayton Marriott located at
1414 S. Patterson Boulevard. DuBon says that the Marriott has been
recently remodeled and has a much larger capacity than the previous
location. More information is on-line at www.SWODXA.org. (OPDX)
**
THE SOCIAL SCENE: THIRD ANNUAL ASIA PACIFIC DX CONVENTION NOV. 5 – 7
The 3rd Asia Pacific DX Convention or APDXC will be held at the Osaka
International House in Osaka, Japan, between November 5th and the 7th.
Presentations will be conducted in English and will include discussions
on some recent DXpeditions along with technical discussions. There
will also be an opportunity to join a tour to visit the Icom factory
and participate in a technical session led by the Icom High Frequency
radio design team. Program details and updates will be posted on line
at www.apdxc.org as they become available. (OPDX)
**
RADIO BUSINESS: CQ VHF MAGAZINE INTRODUCES NEW WEB DESIGN
And continuing its company-wide update of its magazine websites, CQ
Communications, Inc. has announced the launch of a new and easier-to-
navigate website for CQ VHF magazine. Like the recently updated sites
for WorldRadio Online and Popular Communications, the new CQ VHF site
features a cleaner look and a streamlined user interface to make it
quicker and easier for visitors to find what they are looking for.
The CQ VHF Website update coincides with posting of the highlights for
the Summer 2010 issue. Current highlights include sample pages in
full-color layout. This to give prospective readers the ability to see
what the magazine itself looks like in print. Also on the updated site
are segments of previous issues reaching back to 2006.
CQ VHF is a quarterly magazine edited by Joe Lynch, N6CL devoted to
“Ham Radio Above 50 MHz.” First published in 1996, it combines
articles designed for newcomers with historical and technical features
best appreciated by more experienced VHF operators. You can browse the
new web layout at www.cq-vhf.com. (CQ Publishing)
**
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)
**;
CHANGING TECHNOLOGY: NZ ATV TO BE FORCED TO GO DIGITAL
Digital Amateur Television is coming to New Zealand, but not
necessarily because the Kiwi ham community wants to make the change.
Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, is here with the details:
–
Hams down here in New Zealand will soon be forced to go digital if they
wish to continue Amateur Fast Scan Television operations. This after
our nations government regulators announce that all analogue modulated
TV transmissions in the VHF and UHF broadcast bands, which include
Channel 39 used by ham
radio, will close down in March 2015, or at some earlier date. At that
time the upper end of the New Zealand UHF television allocation will be
cleared of television, so that the vacated spectrum can be used for
next-generation mobile communications.
One consequence of these decisions is that the existing television
transmissions will need to convert to digital so as to fit into about
half of the present spectrum, requiring that their transmission
parameters need to be more closely defined than at present. For the
Amateur Television service this means that each Radio License for
analogue-modulated TV needs to be replaced by a Spectrum License for
analogue-modulated TV. As part of the process, our government
telecommunications regulator has cancelled all of the existing Radio
Licenses for Channel 39 TV Repeaters. Operators of Channel 39 TV
Repeaters need to close them down to avoid receiving an Infringement
Notices from the regulatory agency.
Those wishing to operate their analogue-modulated Channel 39 ATV
repeaters between now and the 2015 Digital TV Switch-Over, will be
required to apply for a Spectrum License. However this Spectrum License
for analog ATV transmitters will only exist until the Analogue shut
down date. Ham Radio access to New Zealand Channel 39 which runs from
614 to 622 MHz was made by footnote to the nations telecommunications
regulations many years ago when a chunk of the 432 MHz band was taken
from the amateur radio service.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Auckland
–
At airtime, its not known how many of the nations Amateur Television
Repeaters will apply for a new Spectrum License to at least temporarily
keep their analog systems operational and on the air. (NZART, ZL2BHF)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AO-51 BACK IN SERVICE AFTER OUTAGE
Turning to ham radio space related matters, AMSAT Vice-President of
Operations, Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, reports that after a brief outage
aboard AO-51 reported on Saturday, July 31 that the ham radio satellite
had been restored to service. The 145.92 slash 435.300 repeater was set
to run with the 67 Hz tone required to activate the satellite. Power
output was reported as 740 milliwatts. (ANS)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AMSAT UK SPACE COLLOQUIOM VIDEOS ON-LINE
Videos of the presentations given at the recent 25th AMSAT-UK
International Space Colloquium are now available on the web courtesy of
the British Amateur Television Club. This includes a short video
produced by the BATV group showing how club members go about covering
events such as the colloquium using a lot of pro-sumer grade audio and
video gear to bring you close to broadcast quality pictures and sound.
These productions can be viewed and download them at www.batc.tv.
Simply click on the ‘Film Archive’ icon and then select an 2010 AMSAT
video. (GB2RS, Southgate)
**
WORLDBEAT: EUROPE HAMS TOLD TO LISTEN FOR CHURCHERS ON 10 METER FM
Amateurs and SWL’s across Europe are being asked to keep an ear on or
about 28.265 FM. This for transmissions believed to be coming from
churches with transmitters capable of delivering a signal strength well
over S-9. Reception reports and all other information should be sent
to the IRTS Intruder Watch Coordinator Ger McNamara, EI4GXB. His e-
mail address is ei4gxb (at) gmail (dot) com. (IRTS)
**
THE CONTREST CORNER: ICOM UK TO HOST CONTEST UNIVERSITY UK IN OCTOBER
From the radiosports desk cones word that Icom UK will again be
sponsoring Contest University UK on Saturday October 9th, This, in
conjunction with the 2010 RSGB Convention, which will be held at the
new venue of Horwood House near Milton Keynes.
Now in its 3rd year, Contest University UK is based on the highly
successful international format that has seen many radio amateurs
throughout the world learn about this exciting facet of amateur radio
from experienced practitioners. As such it’s a place where European
hams can learn all the skills and secrets to start their journey in
becoming a contester, and learn some of the secrets to stay ahead of
competitors.
If you have any questions regarding Contest University UK, please
contact course director Mark
Haynes, M0DXR atby e-mail to mark.haynes (at) yahoo (dot) co (dot) uk.
(GB2RS)
**
DX
In DX, word that YJ0VK will be the call of the upcoming DXpedition to
Vanuatu. The team is made up of four Australian hams who will be
operating from August 27th through to September 2nd. on the High
Frequency bands from Vanuatu’s main Island of Efate. Special attention
will be paid to the WARC bands. More information along with QSL
routing is available on line at yj0vk.vkham.com
FK8IK, will be on the Chesterfields Islands as part of a scientific
expedition through August 19th. Look
for him to be active during his spare time on 80 through 10 meters
using CW with 100 watts into various dipoles. QSL only via his home
address of P.O. Box 14639, 98803 Noumea, New Caledpnia.
EA4DB is reportedly operating from the Seychelles as S79DB. Modes used
are CW, SSB, RTTY and PSK on 40 through 10 meters. QSL to his home
call either direct or electronically via Logbook to the World or eQSL.
IW0QO, is working from portable 9A from Losinj Island. He should be
there through August 18th. QSL via his home callsign either direct or
via the bureau.
DK2MT plans to be active stroke F from Oleron Island until the 20th
August. If you make contact. QSL via his home DK2MT direct or via the
bureau.
Lastly, W2GD, will be active from Aruba as P40W between November 22nd
and December 1st. His operation will include the CQWW DX CW Contest on
November 27th and 28th as a Single-Op All-Band entry. Operations outside
of the contest will be on 160, 30, 17 and 12 meters as time permits.
QSL via
Logbook of the World or direct to N2MM. Logs will be loaded on Logbook
of the World on his return to
the USA.
(Above from various DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: FIRST TUBSAT TO BE MUSIC SAT
National Public Radio says that one of the first of the do it yourself
low orbit satellite kits from Interorbital Systems has been purchased
by professional astronomer. Alex Antunes says that he will use it to
create natures own music from space.
As reported a few weeks ago here on Amateur Radio Newsline, California-
based Interorbital Systems, is offering a personal satellite kit for
$8000 called TubeSat that includes a ride into space. Now in an N-P-R
interview Antunes says that the sun interacts with the Earth’s magnetic
field in the ionosphere and causes all sorts of activity. He says that
his goal is to use his satellite to put something in orbit to convert
that interaction directly to sound data so we can hear it.
The first TubeSats along with an amateur radio CubeSat are currently
slated to launch on an Interorbital Neptune 30 rocket from Tonga at the
end of this year. You can listen to the NPR interview with astronomer
Alex Antunes at tinyurl.com/musicsat (NPR)
**
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 NewslineT. Our e-mail address is
newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur
Radio Newsline’sT only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.
You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio NewslineT,
28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350
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 NewslineT is Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
