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Ärende: Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1911 - March 28, 2014
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Greetings Y'all!
Amateur Radio NewslineT Report 1911 - March 28, 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1911 with a release date of March 28
2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Ham radio is offered a pair of transponders on an
upcoming geostationary satellite launch; the final commissioning of the
new Ham TV on the International Space Station is again delayed; United
Kingdom hams may get added spectrum on 2 meters; the FCC grants several
experimental licenses in the 70 centimeter band; planning is underway for
International Marconi Day and an April 1st report on remote operation by
you know who! All this and more on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number
1911 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: TWO GEOSTATIONARY HAM TRANSPONDERS TO BE ON ORBIT BY
END OF 2016
The dreams of many hams around the world will become reality within the
next two years. This with the announcement that there will soon be a
geostationary satellite carrying amateur radio as a part of its payload.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the rest of the story:
--
Ham radio will have its own geostationary transponders on-orbit by the end
of 2016. This thanks to approval of a concept from by the Qatar Amateur
Radio Society to include a pair Phase 4 amateur transponders part of the
Qatar Satellite Company's new Es'HailSat-2 communications satellite.
Peter Guelzow, DB2OS, is the President of AMSAT Germany. He says that
Qatar's Es'HailSat-2 will carry a 250 kHz wide linear transponder
intended for conventional analogue operations such as CW and SSB. Also on
board will be an 8 MHz wide transponder to be used for experimental
digital modulation schemes and digital amateur television.
Precise operating frequencies remain to be finalized but the uplinks will
be in the 2.400 to 2.450 GHz and the downlinks in the 10.450 to 10.500 GHz
amateur satellite service allocations. Both of the transponders will be
feeding broad beam antennas to provide coverage over about 1/3rd of the
Earth's surface. This equates to Europe, Africa, along with parts of
South America and Asia. Because of its orbital position and antenna beam
width, it will not provide service into Central and North America.
Precise operational plans will be finalized over the coming months but it
is anticipated that only quite simple ground station equipment will be
required to hold QSO's via the transponders on board the soon to be
orbited geostationary satellite.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick
Pennsylvania.
--
The Qatar Amateur Radio Society and Qatar Satellite Company are
cooperating on the ham radio aspect of the project. A team of amateurs
led by DB2OS is also providing technical support.
More about the satellite is on the web at
http://www.qatarchronicle.com/science-and-technolgy/49977/eshailsat-announ
ces-tender-process-for-eshail-2/ (Qatar Amateur Radio Society, AMSAT-DL,
Southgate.)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FINAL COMMISSIONING OF ISS HAM TV DELAYED
It appears as if there will be a few weeks delay in the final
commissioning of the new HAM TV system on board the International Space
Station. According to ARISS Europe Chairman Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, the
final step to bring HAM TV into full operation now will not take place
until late April or early May due to the scheduled arrival of the SpaceX
Dragon re-supply ship docking and related operations. Because of this the
current Ham Video blank transmissions will come to an end March 31.
NASA has confirmed the new launch of the re-supply mission. The Dragon
spacecraft will ride into space sitting atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on
March 30 at 10:50 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time from the Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station. The mission will deliver 4,959 pounds of supplies to the
ISS. (ON4WF, SpaceX)
**
RESTRUCTURING: UK HAMS MAY GET ADDED SPECTRUM ON 2 METERS
The two meter band in the United Kingdom may soon be a megahertz larger.
This as United Kingdom telecommunications regulator Ofcom publishes a
consultation on the release of around 6 MHz of VHF spectrum in the 143 to
169 MHz band, which has been returned for civil use. We get the details
from Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB:
--
For ham radio operators in the U-K, the key point of the Consultation is
the proposal to permit temporary access of the spectrum from 146 to 147
MHz for amateur radio use, until or unless it might be needed by Business
Radio or other services. Should additional spectrum be needed to meet
those operational requirements, Ofcom says that it will re remove the
temporary ham radio allocation.
Amateur Radio use of 146 to 147 MHz will be on a non-protected and
non-interference basis with any other service. There will also be some
geographical restrictions to ensure that there is no interference to
neighboring countries. Authorization to use this spectrum by U-K hams will
be by an individual Notice of Variation to an applicant's amateur radio
license.
A notice of Variance is the equivalent of a Special Temporary Authority
while an Ofcom Consultation is about the same as an FCC Notice of Proposed
Rule Making here in the United States.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, reporting.
--
Responses to the Ofcom proposals in the Consultation by United Kingdom
citizens are due by May 26th.
Those in the United Kingdom wishing file a response can do so on-line at
http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/consultations/vhf-143-169mhz/howtorespond
/ (Ofcom, Southgate)
**
HAM RADIO TECHNOLOGY: CANADIAN HAMS ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE POND ON TWO
METERS
A group of hams from Atlantic Canada will operate from Pouch Cove,
Newfoundland, from July 4th to the 12th. This, in a bid to complete a 2
meter trans-Atlantic QSO and claim the Brendan Trophy.
The expedition will operate take to the air from Maidenhead Grid GN37
transmitting on 144.270 MHz with about 750 watts into a 30 meter long rope
Yagi with a gain of more than 23 dB over a dipole. The group will
concentrate its efforts using the digital mode JT65B that offers greatly
enhanced performance over more conventional analog operation. It will
also have the capability to operate CW and SSB if conditions warrant.
A special callsign has been requested and will be announced if and when
approved. In the event that approval for a special callsign is not
received, the group will use VO1NO.
Real time information on operating modes and schedules will be posted
during the expedition on the team's web site, the ON4KST website site and
the G4CQM Shoutbox. Facebook users are also welcome to join the group's
page at Brendan Quest 2 meter Trans-Atlantic Attempt 2014.
The Brendan Trophy is part of a series of awards offered by the Irish
Radio Transmitters Society to the first amateur radio operators to
complete a 2 meter Trans-Atlantic QSO. Further is on the web at
www.brendanquest.org or by e-mail to info (at) brendanquest (dot) org
(Press release)
**
SPECTRUM SHARING: FCC GRANTS EXPERIMENTAL LICENSES IN 70 CM BAND
The FCC has issued its list of recently granted experimental licenses and
there were a few that will likely be of interest to ham radio operators.
Primarily those using the shared 420 to 450 MHz band.
Amateur radio operators in the area north of Denver, Colorado may
eventually notice transmissions from Detect, Inc. on 449 MHz. This will
be in connection with the testing of wind profiler radar and remote
sensing technology operating mobile around the Longmont area.
And General Dynamics is using the same band for development of
software-defined radios operating with Wide Networking Waveform mobile
technology in Scottsdale, Arizona. The specific frequencies that General
Dynamics will be using are 420 to 424 dot 75, 445 dot 75 to 450, 1370 to
1400 and 1755 to 1850 MHz.
The complete list of experimental license grants from January 1st through
February 1st of this year has been made available in the FCC Public Notice
Report No. 453 which is subtitled Experimental Actions. (TV Technology)
**
DX UP FRONT: MELLISH REEF UPDATE
In DX up front, the Mellish Reef DXpedition team is now in Australia and
making ready to head out to sea. According to the groups latest update
all of the equipment has arrived, antennas have been tested and are now
stored for the voyage. If all continues as planned, the ship will be
fueled and the group was to set sail for Mellish Reef sometime on March
25th. (Press release)
**
DX UP FRONT - DODCANESE ISLAND MAY 3 - 11
And word that nine operators will be active from Dodcanese with the
special callsign SX5LA from May 3rd to the 11th. Operations will be on
160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. The group plans to use beam
antennas for 30 through 6 meters, a phased vertical for 40, a vertical for
80 and an Inverted L for 160 meters. Power out will be only 100 watts.
QSL's go via SV2FWV. (Facebook)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC ISSUES $15000 NAL FOR UNLICENSED OPERATION IN AUSTIN
TEXAS
In what might be called one of the stranger enforcement cases we have
reported, the FCC has issued a $15,000 Notice of Apparent Liability for
Forfeiture to Walter Olenick and M. Rae Nadler-Olenick. This for their
alleged operation of an unlicensed radio station on the frequency 90.1 MHz
in Austin, Texas. But the question is whether or not those handed the
proposed fine will recognize the FCC's authority to issue it. Skeeter
Nash, N5ASH, is near Houston Texas with more:
--
According to the regulatory agency, back on August 12, 2013 agents from
the Enforcement Bureau's Houston Office used direction-finding to locate
the source of radio on 90.1 MHz to an antenna atop an approximately 50
feet tall tower mounted to the side of an apartment building. According
to Travis County Texas property records, the apartment building is owned
by Mr. and Mrs. Olenick.
On September 6, 2013, the Houston Office issued Mr. and Mrs. Olenick a
warning letter, which advised them that the operation of an unlicensed
radio station from their property violated the Communications Act. The
warning also instructed Mr. and Mrs. Olenick to describe the steps taken
to secure the common areas of their property.
On September 16, 2013, the Houston Office received a reply from Mr. and
Mrs. Olenick, which did not deny that they owned the apartment building or
operated an unlicensed radio station from the apartment building. Rather,
with respect to the common areas of the building, the response stated that
the agent did not have permission or consent to enter the premises. They
also stated that because they had no commercial nexus with the Commission,
they did not consent, directly or by any implication, to the Commission's
policies, procedures, or jurisdiction. They also implied that they do not
consider themselves subject to the laws of the United States, because they
stated they expect any future communications to come from the
International Bureau only after a treaty to which they are "signators" is
signed.
But in its findings the FCC noted that it has every right to observe from
common grounds and that it also had the authority to regulate radio
transmissions within the state of Texas. With that it gave the Olnicks
the customary 30 days from the February 19th issuance of the proposed
$15,000 fine to pay or to file an appeal.
--
That 30 day response period is now past but there's been no word from the
FCC if it has any response to the proposed $15000 fine. (FCC)
**
ENFORCEMENT: OKLAHOMA HOBBY RADIO ENTHUIAST ISSUED $12000 PROPOSED FINE
An Oklahoma hobby radio enthusiast has been issued a $12,000 Notice of
Apparent Liability for operating a Citizens Band radio transmitter to
interfere with the communications of other CB stations.
The recipient of the proposed fine is Orloff Haines, KF5IXX, from the city
of Enid whom the FCC says was the subject of action beginning back on May
14, 2013. That's when an agent of the Enforcement Bureau's Dallas Office
T-hunted and positively identified the source of a continuous carrier on
27.1850 MHz to Orloff Haines's residence. That frequency corresponds to
CB Channel 19.
At that point the agent decided to do a station inspection. He identified
himself and while Orloff Haines was not present, Mrs. Haines showed the
agent her husbands CB station, which was transmitting on Channel 19. At
that point Mrs. Haines stated that Mr. Haines was continuously
transmitting on Channel 19, because other CB operators in the area were
harassing her.
During the inspection the agent telephoned Orloff Haines who admitted that
he was keyed up on Channel 19 to prevent other CB operators in the area
from bothering his wife. At the conclusion of the inspection, Mrs. Haines
voluntarily turned off the CB transmitter, resolving the interference.
In making its decision to issues the $12,000 proposed fine, the FCC noted
that on two prior occasions that Haines had been issued written warnings
from the Dallas Office advising him that intentionally interfering with
other CB operators violated the Communications Act and the Commission's
Rules. It then stated that based on the evidence before it that finds
Orloff Haines apparently and willfully violated the rules by intentionally
interfering with other CB station communications and as such the punitive
action is warranted.
Haynes was given the usual 30 days from the March 21st date that the
Notice was published to pay it in full, arrange time payments, or to file
an appeal. (FCC)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FLORIDA HAM ENTERS INTO CONSENT DECREE AND GIVES UP HIS
LICENSE
A Florida ham has effectively resigned from the hobby and entered into a
Consent Decree with the FCC. This to end enforcement action taken against
him for his alleged interference to a law enforcement two way radio
system. Amateur Radio Newsline Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, reports:
--
As part of a Consent Decree ending an enforcement action Cocoa, Florida,
radio amateur Terry L. Van Volkenburg, KC5RF, has given up his Advanced
class Amateur Radio license. He also agreed to make a $1000 "voluntary
donation" to the United States Treasury, in installments, and waive all
rights to contest the validity of the Consent Decree that was released on
March 19.
The case goes back some two years to September of 2012. That's when the
FCC began an investigation in response to an interference complaint filed
by the Brevard County Sheriff's Department. The Enforcement Bureau
subsequently determined that Van Volkenburg had transmitted on 465.300 MHz
without a license for operating in that spectrum and interfering with the
radio system in the county jail.
On March 1, 2013, the FCC found Van Volkenburg liable for a $25,000
forfeiture, which the Commission subsequently determined he would be
unable to pay. The Commission said it was entering into the agreement and
terminating the enforcement proceeding in part, to avoid further
expenditure of public resources. The Enforcement Bureau also agreed not
to institute any new proceeding on the basis of the one just concluded.
In settling the enforcement action, Van Volkenburg admitted, solely for
the purpose of the Consent Decree and for Commission civil enforcement
purposes that the radio transmissions he made on 465.300 MHz sparked the
investigation of violations of the Communications Act.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, reporting.
--
Prior to signing the Consent Decree, the FCC said, Van Volkenburg had
requested in writing that the Commission cancel his Amateur Radio license
which it did effective March 14th. (FCC, ARRL)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY - APRIL 26
Saturday April 26th is when stations around the world will be on the air
to celebrate International Marconi Day. This is a once a year opportunity
to make contact with historic Marconi locations around the world and to
celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi on the April 25th 1874.
At airtime, over 20 Marconi related sites have confirmed that they will be
on board this year's celebration. These include the historic GB4IMD at
Poldhu in Cornwall, England along with VO1AA on Signal Hill in St. Johns,
Newfoundland, and W2MRC at Monmouth Junction in New Jersey.
All stations planning to participate are urged to register in advance.
Full details are at www.gb4imd.com.
(IMD)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: WA8RJF NAMED NEW VHF EDITOR OF CQ MAGAZINE
Tony Emanuele, WA8RJF, has been named the new VHF Editor of CQ Amateur
Radio magazine. A ham for nearly 50 years, Emanuele who lives in
Painesville, Ohio, has been active on VHF and above for the past 30 years.
He enjoys building equipment and has operated on all bands from 6 meters
to 47 GHz. Professionally, Emanuele is Sales Engineer and Sales Manager
for a specialty LCD company. He succeeds Joe Lynch, N6CL, who stepped
down after 22 years as VHF Editor to devote his full energies to his new
position as Director of Religious Education for the United States Military
Academy at West Point, New York. N6CL's final column will appear in the
March/April issue of CQ. (CQ Magazine)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: PHOTOS OF MARLON BRANDOS HAMSHACK ON LINE
And Fernando Casanova, EC1AME, has posted that back in the 1980s while he
was reading the Spanish magazine HOLA and found a very interesting article
about Marlon Brando's private island in the Pacific. Among the pictures
he spotted 2 ham radio related ones and later posted them to the EA1URO
internet discussion site.
As some of you may know, Marlon Brando was licensed as KE6ZPH here in the
USA and FO5GJ while in Tahiti. According to Wilipedia.com, Brando was
listed in the Federal Communications Commission records as Martin
Brandeaux to preserve his privacy and that he used that name while on the
air.
His private island was to become a luxury resort in 2013, so EC1AME says
that its a perfect moment to remember how it looked in the 80's. You can
see those photos on the web at tinyurl.com/marlon-brando-station (EC1AME)
**
WORLDBEAT: UK REPEATERS REDUCE HOURS ON THE AIR DUE TO LACK OF USERS
Now here's something you do not hear about very often. Repeaters reducing
the amount of time that they operate because their user base is fading
away. Its taking place over in the UK and Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has more:
--
Due to the falling membership, the Leicestershire Repeater Group has taken
the decision to limit the hours of operation of the repeaters GB3CF,
GB3GV, GB3LE and GB3UM to conserve funds. As a result, the repeaters are
now switched off overnight between 22.00 and 05.00 UTC. The groups
beacons GB3LEX and GB3LES continue to operate 24 hours a day. For the
Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham in the heart
of the U.K..
--
Here in the United States many repeaters are also seeing a falling number
of users. This as the cost of site rental, insurance and electrical power
continue to rise. As such, we cannot help but wonder if limiting the
hours that relatively underused repeaters operate could become a phenomena
that could spread to this side of the Atlantic as well.
More about the United Kingdom group, its repeaters and beacons is on the
web at www.leicestershirerepeatergroup.org.uk. (GB2RS)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: PRN CODES FOR KICKSAT SPRITES RELEASED
Zac Manchester, KD2BHC, has posted an update regarding the KickSat CubeSat
which will carry 104 tiny Sprite satellites into a short term Earth orbit.
KickSat with its Sprite cargo are part of the payload to be carried into
space on the SpaceX Falcon 9 C-R-S 3 mission. As previously reported, all
of the tiny Sprite satellites transmit on the same frequency. So as to
identify one from another, each Sprite has a unique pair of Pseudo-Random
Number or PRN codes that marks its transmissions and allowing a receiver
to tell the them apart.
A list of all Sprite PRN codes is available in a spreadsheet format at
tinyurl.com/sprite-id (Southgate)
**
RADIO FROM SPACE: NASA PUBLISHES UNPRECEDENTED MILKY WAY IMAGES
NASA has released an interactive mosaic of infrared images of the Milky
Way. According to the space agency what's known as the Galactic Legacy
Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire project or GLIMPSE360 for short allows
viewers to see stars normally obstructed by interstellar dust.
The variable zoom image is a composite of more than 2 million photos taken
the by the Spitzer Space Telescope over the course of a decade and sent
back to earth via its radio system. NASA says that all of these images
together still only make up three percent of our night sky, but because
the Milky Way is shaped like a stellar pancake, that small percentage
still shows more than half of the stars in its disc.
You can view the composite image on-line at tinyurl.com/glimpse360 (NASA,
other news reports)
**
RADIOSPORTS: NEW SPONSOR AND DATE FOR SOUTH DAKOTA QSO PARTY
The South Dakota QSO Party has a new sponsor and a new date. After the
person who was coordinating the event had to give it up due to other
obligations a small group made up of members of the USS South Dakota
Wireless Association formed the N0EBC Group and has stepped forward to
take over the QSO Party management. The new dates for the South Dakota
QSO Party are October 18th and 19th this year. The club's primary focus
is special events with the major undertaking being the Veteran's Day
Special Event W-Zero-V at the South Dakota Battleship Memorial. Details
on the changes can be found at www.kb0wsw.com/SDQP (KB0WSW)
**
DX
In DX, a large group of operators will be active as DA0HEL from Helgoland
Island between April 3rd and the12th. They plan to have 3 to 4 stations
on the air but no bands nor operating times have been announced. If you
make contact, QSL to DF6QC via the bureau.
LW9EOC, will be active as 5JZ0T from San Andres Island between April 18th
to the 25th. His operations will be on 80 through 10 meters using CW, SSB
and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign.
F4FET has announced that he will operate maritime mobile and portable from
the Isle of Mull between May 12th and the 18th. His activity will be
holiday style on the High Frequency bands. QSL via his home callsign,
direct, via the bureau or using ClubLog's Oh QRS
JH7EQW will be on the air as A52EQW from Dochula Resort in Bhutan at the
end of August or early in September. Look for more details to be
forthcoming. QSL via his home callsign.
KT5S is planning to be active as V-31-N-X from Belize starting at the end
September. Operations will be on the HF bands. QSL via his home callsign.
Lastly, BA3AX and BD3AEO have postponed their trip to Yuetuo Island that
had been slated for March 21st to the 24th. No reason given for the
cancellation.
9(Above from OPDX and other DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: PIERRE ON APRI 1ST: REMOTE OPERATING IN 2014 AND BEYOND
And finally this week, one of the hot topics in ham radio today,
especially among contesters and DX'ers, is remote operating. Our intrepid
once yearly roving reporter, Pierre Pullinmyleg, has been looking into
the phenomenon and files this report. Remotely, of course:
--
Zee magazines and zee internets, zey are always talking about ziss "remote
operating" and it haz been something of a mystery to me. But I love a
good mystery!
Some people say remote operating will change zee face of DXing and
contesting. That is the first mystery to me.
When I listen to some ham operators trying to contact a DXpedition or a
rare DX station in a contest, zee face is not zee first part of the body
that comes to mind.
The next thing I tried to figure out is whether my so-called univerzal
remote would let me operate my station remotely while watching TV. I
tried all sorts of combinations of button-pushing. I found zee organic
gardening channel, turned zee coffeemaker on and off, and started zee car
three times. But zee ham rig stayed on the same frequency and I could not
key zee mic. So much for a "universal" remote.
Then I realized that perhaps I had it all backwards and that I have been
doing ham radio remote operation for many years. I switched on my linear
and keyed my mic.
Every time I spoke, I remotely opened and closed garage doors up and down
my street; I remotely rotated the neighbors' satellite dishes, and I
remotely set off four car alarms.
Zee appeal of all this is still a mystery to me.
Oh, there's za doorbell. a mystery visitor . zee plot thickens.
From the FCC's until now secret prison outside Gettysburg, this is Pierre
Pullinmyleg reporting for Newsline.
--
Government officials assure us that Pierre will be released by next spring
in time for his April 1st 2015 report. (The Pierre Pullinmyleg
International Support Group)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio
Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the South African
Radio League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News and you
our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio NewslineT. Our e-mail
address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) 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..
Our e-mail address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) 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 2014. All rights reserved.
R\%/itt - K5RXT
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* Origin: K 5 R X T (Royz Xtra Terrific) So-Central Texas, USA (1:387/22)
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