A
an old freind
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"William M. Pasternak" <newsline@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:E1HXJvC-000373-QL@elasmtp-galgo.atl.sa.earthlink.net...
> Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1546 - March 30, 2007
>
> Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1546 with a release
> date of Friday, March 30th, 2007 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
>
> The following is a Q-S-T. The ARRL kind of changes its
> mind on Regulation by Bandwidth, European hams get
> interference protection from ultra wideband operations,
> Scouts world-wide plan to celebrate 50 years of their
> Jubilee On The Air and our annual April 1st report from
> roving reporter Pierre Pullinmyleg. All this and more on
> Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1546 coming your way
> right now.
>
>
> (Billboard Cart Here)
>
>
>
> REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH: THE ARRL VS THE BLOGGERS
>
> The ARRL has partially changed its mind on Regulation by
> Bandwidth. It now suggests confining these changes to 10
> meters and above. But even this has not placated the
> detractors of both the League and the proposed rules
> change. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramovich, NT3V.
> reports:
>
> --
>
> The ARRL says in the wake of the recent changes to the Part
> 97 Amateur Radio rules, it has revised its regulation by
> bandwidth proposals to the FCC.
>
> The League says this is being done to avoid some unintended
> consequences and temper some of the controversy the
> original petition had aroused.
>
> But bloggers on QRZ dot com and elsewhere in cyberspace
> seem to consider the revision nothing more than a smoke-
> screen.
>
> Some look at it as a sellout by the national organization
> to the proponents of digital communications to the
> detriment of all others in the hobby.
>
> The bloggers also say that almost any form of digital ham
> radio will disrupt most or all of the current
> communications on all bands and therefore must remain
> segregated into subbands of its own.
>
> By way of review, back in November 2005 the ARRL filed a
> Petition for Rule Making dealing with the concept of
> Regulation by Bandwidth.
>
> RM-11306 requested the FCC replace the current segregation
> of modes by subbands with a regulatory scheme that would
> segment bands by necessary bandwidths ranging from 200 Hz
> to 100 kHz rather than by emission mode.
>
> This proposal immediately brought the wrath of the high-
> frequency ham radio community.
>
> Through filings to the FCC and by numerous cyberspace web
> postings, the ham radio community told the ARRL and the FCC
> that regulation by bandwidth was simply not wanted.
>
> Now the ARRL appears to be capitulating.
>
> At least to the extent where the high frequency bands below
> 28 Mhz are concerned.
>
> In a statement published in the ARRL Letter, League
> Executive Vice President Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, said that:
>
> Regulation by bandwidth rather than by mode of emission
> remains controversial below 28 MHz because of its perceived
> potential impact on established operating patterns, so
> these proposals were removed from the list with one narrow
> exception.
>
> The ARRL now is urging the FCC to adopt what it terms a
> "subset" of the rules contained in its original petition
> that largely affects only the amateur bands at 28 MHz and
> above.
>
> If the FCC adopts the League's revised proposals, the 10, 6
> and 2 meter amateur bands would be segmented into subbands
> allowing maximum emission bandwidths of 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 3.0
> kHz 16 kHz or 100 kHz.
>
> The only exception would be for double-sideband, full-
> carrier AM phone.
>
> This modified proposal is already drawing fire from several
> factions in ham radio.
>
> First are the proponents of weak signal communications on 6
> meters and above.
>
> They fear that the introduction of any form of wideband
> modes close by weak signal segments will spell disaster.
>
> They contend it will raise the ambient noise floor of the
> bands, rendering it impossible to detect the minute traces
> of RF that they are searching for.
>
> As one post on QRZ put it: "Digital 100 khz wide signals
> thousands of them 100 kHz wide only 175 kHz from the 6
> meter calling frequency and 100 kHz from 2 meters and the
> noise floor will go through the roof."
>
> Also not happy are the operators of FM repeaters on 2
> meters.
>
> They point to the already overcrowded conditions in both of
> the repeater subbands.
>
> They also ask the rhetorical question of how and where can
> numerous 100 kHz wide digital modes be shoehorned in
> without degrading the performance of existing analog FM
> communication?
>
> Most believe that wideband digital and 2 meters simply do
> not mix. Others do not want them on any band below 1 point
> 2 Gigahertz.
>
> On the other side are the proponents of digital on the High
> Frequency bands.
>
> They believe that the ARRL is caving in to pressure brought
> by current H-F spectrum users.
>
> Some involved in rescue radio operations have already
> warned that in the near future emergency communications
> systems used by the agencies that they serve will go to
> wideband data-based communications systems.
>
> They warn that for ham radio to continue to serve its
> emergency communications clients, the rules must be changed
> so that Amateur Radio is fully compatible with that
> technology.
>
> Another bone of contention is why the ARRL continues to
> pursue any form of bandwidth-based regulation in the face
> of across-the-board opposition from the ham community.
>
> Dave Sumner seems to address this in his comments in the
> ARRL Letter:
>
> Regulation by bandwidth provides a better regulatory
> framework, not only for the introduction of future digital
> emissions but for the protection of traditional narrowband
> modes as well.
>
> Unfortunately for the ARRL, not everyone agrees.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V,
> in Philadelphia.
>
> --
>
> K1ZZ has expressed the hope that the subset of RM-11306
> modifications offers an alternative that will make it
> easier for the FCC to move at least part of the way in that
> direction. Even so, the analog ham radio world appears to
> be gearing up for a fight to maintain the status quo.
> (ARNewsline(tm) with input from numerous sources including
> ARRL Letter, QRZ.com, eHam.net, VHF Reflector, others.)
>
>
>
> REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH: AN ARNEWSLINE ON-LINE POLE
>
> So what's your thought about the idea of converting from
> the current subband system to regulation by bandwidth? To
> get an idea we have set up a pole on our website at
> www.arnewsline.org. Just go there, scroll down and watch
> for the word "Polls" on the left hand side of the page.
> Then click on the box that is closest to your view.
>
> The nice part about the software we use is that the results
> are instant. As soon as you cast your vote you will see
> the result.
>
> And before we get a horde of e-mails from those who need to
> point out the flaws of electronic polling, we freely admit
> that this poll is not very scientific. In fact it is
> easily subject to multiple voting from those with a
> personal ax to grind for or against regulation by
> bandwidth.
>
> That said, after a few weeks the cumulative results will at
> least give the ham radio community an idea on the way the
> majority feels on this subject. One that can and likely
> will affect the day to day operation of every radio
> amateurs across the United States. (ARNewsline(tm))
>
>
>
> THE BPL FIGHT: SUPPORT NEEDED FOR HR-462
>
> Supporters of congressional measure HR 462 are fearful that
> the recently announced the IEEE Broadband Over Powerline
> Standards Project announced last week could hamper efforts
> to get the measure enacted.
>
> HR-462 is better known as the Emergency Amateur Radio
> Interference Protection Act of 2007. If passed, it would
> require a study by the Federal Communications Commission on
> interference caused by broadband internet transmission over
> power lines.
>
> The measure is currently before the House Energy and
> Commerce Committee. Proponents say that the IEEE project
> seems to give the aura of respectability to BPL which they
> feel is not deserved. They believe only legislative
> pressure can force BPL providers to use non-interfering
> technology. They also urge all hams to write their
> political leaders in support of HR-462.
>
> The March issue of QST Magazine has the full background on
> this bill. (K2IVX)
>
>
>
> RADIO RULES: EUROPEN HAMS TO BE PROTECTED FROM UWB
> INTERFERENCE
>
> The European Commission has decided to impose more
> stringent rules on the use of ultra wide band equipment on
> frequencies below 6GHz. In essence that protects hams from
> interference the mode might cause. Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, is
> in Nottingham in the UK with more:
>
> --
>
> The decision is a victory for a host of amateur radio
> groups which have been fighting for greater regulation of
> ultra wide band.
>
> Amateur radio organizations including the Radio Society of
> Great Britain, the UK Microwave Group, AMSAT-UK, BATC and
> the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society have put in a lot of
> work over the last two years making the case for protection
> of the amateur bands from ultra wide band devices. The
> European Commission appears to have listened.
>
> In an official statement published on the web, the
> Commission said: "The conditions in the 4.2 to 4.8GHz band
> for ultra-wideband technology should be time limited and be
> replaced by more restrictive conditions beyond December
> 2010."
>
> The statement went on to say that in the long term ultra
> wide band equipment should be restricted to operating above
> 6GHz.
>
> Jeramy boot, G4NJH
>
> --
>
> A link to the statement can be found on the RSGB website.
> Its in cyberspace at www.rsgb.org (GB2RS)
>
>
>
> RESTRUCTURING: THAI HAMS GET CONTEST ONLY PRIVELEGES
>
> E21EIC and others report that the Radio Amateur Society of
> Thailand has received authorization from that nations
> telecommunications regulator for Thai operators to operate
> on 80 and 160 meters during 2007 contest periods. During
> those periods Thai operators may operate their stations on
> CW and SSB from 1.800 to 1.825 MHz and 3.500 to 3.536 MHz.
> Split operation has also been authorized.
>
> Stations in Thailand currently can only operate on 40, 20,
> 15 and10 meters. They are barred from 30, 17, 12 and 6
> meters, however, activity on the WARC bands and 6 meters is
> sometimes granted with special permission. (OPDX, others)
>
>
>
> Break 1
>
> From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
> Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
> including the VE6YTV repeater serving Langdon, Alberta
> Canada
>
> (5 sec pause here)
>
>
>
>
> RESCUE RADIO: CLUB EXPANDS SKYWARN IN INDIANA WITH CLASS
>
> Amateur radio operators in Monroe County, Indiana have been
> turning the annual National Weather Service's severe
> weather spotter training program into a public outreach
> event. Jack Parker W8ISH has this report.
>
> --
>
> Severe weather spotter training in Monroe county, Indiana
> has been taken to the next level. Through radio,
> newspapers and the internet the Bloomington Amateur Radio
> Club has expanded training to include emergency
> professionals and the general public. This years Severe
> Weather Training had over one hundred and thirty people in
> attendance.
>
> Each year Monroe county hams schedule the class on the
> first Friday in March. That coincides with the start of
> Severe Weather Prepardness Week in Indiana.
>
> History has shown Bloomington and Monroe county to be a
> prime target for tornadoes. Getting the general public,
> government officials and first responders trained can only
> add to the number of eyes and ears needed to warn the
> public of a severe weather outbreak.
>
> This years class was followed up with a series of radio
> interviews on WHCC radio in Bloomington. Radio
> personality and self proclaimed "weather junky" Rick
> Evans, invited amateur radio storm spotters to talk about
> their chasing experiences during Severe Weather Week. The
> interviews aired live during the morning commute. The
> early bird reports included severe weather safety tips and
> background on the role amateur radio plays in emergency and
> public service events.
>
> Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jack Parker
> W8ISH
>
> --
>
> This years class included 2004 ARRL Educator of the Year
> award winner Neil Rapp WB9VPG and Indiana State
> Representative Matt Pierce N9VKU. (KB9WVI)
>
>
>
>
> RESCUE RADIO: NPSTC AND ARRL SIGN MOA
>
> The ARRL and the National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council have signed a Memorandum of Agreement. As
> reported on the ARRL's website, under the pact the League's
> Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, will
> participate in meetings and serve on committees and working
> groups. The League also has agreed to provide other
> expertise, advice and resources to further the goals of the
> Memorandum of Agreement.
>
> For its part, the National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council has agreed to provide a National Support Office.
> Among other things, it will coordinate its outreach
> activities and provide national level technical assistance
> to the public safety telecommunications community.
>
> The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council is a
> federation of public safety organizations. It serves as a
> forum for the exchange of ideas and information for
> effective public safety telecommunications in the US and
> abroad.
>
> The ARRL is a National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council member. The Memorandum of Agreement culminates
> efforts begun in 2003 to formalize the relationship between
> the two organizations. The full story is on-line at
> www.arrl.org (ARRL)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: STAY OFF UNTIL YOU RENEW YOUR LICENSE
>
> The FCC has written to a now former ham to tell him that
> his license has expired and that he must go Q-R-T. That
> February 28th note went to Thurland Bristol Jr. Of Orange,
> Connecticut. In it the FCC says that Bristol's license and
> K1ACD callsign expired back on July 5th of 2005 and that
> operation without a valid license could bring with it some
> severe penalties. As his ticket is within the Commission's
> two year grace period all he needs to do is to renew it to
> bring it current once again. (FCC)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: TO MANY CALLSIGN CHANGES
>
> The FCC wants to know why a Texas ham has filed over two
> dozen applications that first request and then cancel four
> specific callsigns. That's the question that they ask of
> Barney Boone, NO5R in a letter to him dated February 28th.
>
> The note to Boone asserts that May of 2000, he has filed 25
> or more applications with the regulatory agency regarding
> the calls W5JB, AI5L, KC5KJG and KJ5AE that either
> requested or cancelled one of those calls. The FCC says
> that 10 of those applications were filed in 2006.
>
> The FCC says that once requested and cancelled, the calls
> were made unavailable to anyone else for a period of two
> years. The agency says that this appears to be an abuse of
> the agency's application process and gave Boone 30 days
> from receipt of its inquiry letter to respond and explain
> his actions. He was also told to choose which one of the
> call signs that he wanted to keep. (FCC)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: KIT BUILT TRANSMITTERS BRING $7000 NAL
>
> The FCC says that Richard Mann who does business as The
> Antique Radio Collector in Toledo, Ohio is apparently
> liable for a $7000 forfeiture. This for allegedly
> marketing of uncertified AM radio transmitters in repeated
> violation of the Communications Act and of the Commission's
> Rules. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeff Reinhart, AA6JR,
> reports:
>
> --
>
> On November 15, 2006, the FCC's Spectrum Enforcement
> Division issued a Letter of Inquiry to Richard Mann and The
> Antique Radio Collector. This, in response to a complaint
> alleging that the was marketing fully-assembled S S TRAN
> model AMT3000 AM transmitters.
>
> In a reply dated November 25, The Antique Radio Collector
> indicated that it was not aware of a certification
> authorizing a fully assembled AMT3000 transmitter. The
> response indicated that Mann had purchased the transmitters
> in kit form from a third party and assembled the them in
> his residence. Mr. Mann advertised the assembled
> transmitters for sale online at www.oldtimeradio.com and
> had sold a number of completed units to end users since
> December 2003.
>
> But the FCC says that buying a banned radio transmitter as
> a kit and building it expressly to sell it for profit is
> the sane as marketing a fully factory assembled unit. It
> says that Section 302(b) of the Communications Act provides
>that no person shall manufacture, import, sell, offer for
> sale, or ship devices or home electronic equipment and
> systems, or use devices, which fail to comply with the
> agency's regulations. As such it would be Mann's
> responsibility to obtain FCC certification before offering
> any units for sale which he did not do.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR,
> in Los Angeles.
>
> --
>
> Mann and The Antique Radio Collector were given the normal
> 30 days to pay the fine or to file an appeal. (FCC)
>
>
>
> HAM RADIO AND SCOUTING: AROUND THE WORLD IN 50 HOURS
>
> Around the World in 50 Hours will be the theme of this
> years Scouting Jamboree On The Air. JOTA as it is better
> known, is an annual event in which about 500,000 Scouts and
> Scout Guides all over the world make contacts with each
> other by means of Amateur Radio.
>
> The idea of the 50 hour operating schedule is to honor the
> golden-jubilee of the Jamboree by extending it two hours.
> One hour for every year that it has existed. As a result,
> this years 50th JOTA will run from October 19th at 22:00
> hours to October 21st at 24:00 hours your local time.
>
> An official start will be given by the World Scout Bureau
> radio station in Geneva, Switzerland on October 19th at
> 21:00 h GMT with a transmission in the 20 and 80 meter
> bands and on Echolink. (WIA, GB2RS, Southgate)
>
>
>
> EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: NEW DIGITAL HAM RADIO REMAILER FORMED
>
> A new cyberspace remailer dedicated exclusively to the
> emerging world of digital Amateur Radio communications has
> been formed on Yahoogroups. This reflector will primarily
> discuss the use of digital voice and data communication
> techniques on the VHF and UHF bands. Technology to be
> addressed will include D-STAR, APCO P25, packet radio
> including APRS, High Speed Multi Media, Wi-Fi, P-S-K and
> F-S-K. To join the group just take your web browser to
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/illinoisdigitalham/ and
> follow the sign up instructions. (WB9QZB)
>
>
>
> HAM HAPPENINGS: PAPERS SOLOICITED FOR ARRL AND TAPR
> DIGITAL CONFERENCE
>
> Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 26th
> Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to
> be held September 28th to the 30th in Hartford, Connecticut.
> These papers will also be published in the Conference
> Proceedings.
>
> Authors need not attend the conference to have their paper
> included in the Proceedings. Papers will be published
> exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights.
> The submission deadline is July 31, 2007. Please send
> papers to Maty Weinberg , at the ARRL , 225 Main St ,
> Newington, Connecticut, 06111. Submissions can also go by
> e-mail to maty@arrl.org (ARRL)
>
>
>
> HAM HAPPENINGS: THE 12th ANNUAL IOTA DINNER IN APRIL
>
> The 12th annual Islands On The Air or IOTA Dinner will be
> held on Friday, April 27th, in the Birch Room of the
> Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Visalia,
> California. This, in conjunction with the 58th annual
> Visalia International DX Convention.
>
> Reservations for this event are not required and attendees
> will pay as they enter at the door. Admission is free for
> those wishing only to watch the programs without dining.
> As usual, seating will be first come, first seated.
>
> For additional information regarding this event, please
> contact Jim Zimmerman, by e-mail to jimzim1@mindspring.com
> (Press release)
>
>
>
> SPECIAL EVENTS: HAMS CELEBRATE THE TITIANIC'S 95th
> ANNIVERSARY
>
> Ham radio will help to memorialize one of the greatest
> tragedies ever to happen on the high seas. To commemorate
> the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner
> Titanic, radio amateurs worldwide will be mounting an
> operation originating from the Titanic Museum Attraction in
> Branson, Missouri. That's where members of the Nixa
> Amateur Radio Club will be making contacts world-wide using
> the special event callsign W-Zero-S.
>
> Three stations will operate simultaneously using SSB, and
> CW. Trhere will also be operation using Echolink. All
> stations will be manned by operators from a consortium of
> clubs and non-club members from across Southwest Missouri,
> as well as licensed visitors from outside the area.
>
> Operations beginn at 8 a.m., Saturday, April 14th, and
> concluding at 7p.m., Sunday, April 15th. The W-Zero-S call
> being used which stands for White Star. White Star the
> name of the company that built the Titanic.A U-K group is
> also expected to be active during that same time as GB6MGY.
> That reportedly was the actual call sign of the Titanic.
> More information is on-line at www.nixahams.net (W7ZVD)
>
>
>
> 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)
>
>
>
> A WORD OF THANKS FROM THE SUPPORT FUND WITH ANDY JAREMA
> N6TCQ
>
> Ladies and gentlemen, with a word of thanks to those who
> contributed to the Newsline Support Fund in April of 2006,
> here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Support Fund Administrator
> Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.
>
> --
>
> In the month of April we heard from Regular contributor
> Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando , The Potomac Highlands ARC
> of Moorefield, WV, The Cookville, TN Repeater Association,
> W4HPL, monthly contributor Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of
> Columbus, OH and monthly contributors William Walters,
> WA2IBM, and Scott Hensley of the Area Communications Team,
> both in San Jose, CA, and the South Orange Amateur Radio
> Association
>
> Via PayPal we heard from C Mark Burlingame, KB6TVD of
> Northlake, IL and Stuart Cole, N5LBZ of Gulfport, MS.
>
> Month in and month out Newsline takes an average of $1000
> to put the latest news of Amateur Radio on the air- it
> doesn't come to us- we have to go get it. With no
> advertising, we depend on you- our loyal listeners. Our
> website- arnewsline.org has all the info you need to
> contribute, including a quick link to PayPal. Or there's
> our address: Newsline Support Fund, PO Box 660937, Arcadia,
> CA 91066. That address will be repeated at the end of the
> newscast. Thanks for your help.
>
> I'm Andy Jarema. N6TCQ.
>
> --
>
> Thank you Andy. (ARNewslineT)
>
>
>
>
> RADIO OPPS: PETER THOMAS VE7PT IS NOT A SILENT KEY
>
> If you happen to be a fan of the British comic group Monty
> Python then the line "I'm not dead yet, I'm just resting"
> will have a great deal of meaning. And it's also what may
> be going through the minds of the editorial staff at The
> Canadian Amateur magazine after it learned that it made a
> big oops in reporting the departure from life of a Canadian
> ham. Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with the rest of the
> story:
>
> --
>
> Well it happened this way. The March/April 2007 issue of
> The Canadian Amateur carried a listing in the Silent Key
> column saying that Peter Thomas, VE7PT, had passed on. Only
> one problem about this for the magazine. It seems that
> Peter was and is definitely not a Silent Key.
>
> It was all explained in a March 19th special bulletin issued
> by Radio Amateurs of Canada which publishes The Canadian
> Amateur. It seems that the mix-up came about when an
> obituary in local newspapers was spotted for a "Philip
> Thomas" in which it was stated that his interests included
> ham. It also listed his callsign as being VE7PT. And
> dutifully, the information was re-reported by the Canadian
> Amateur magazine but did not bother to check on the
> accuracy of the initial report.
>
> Well the good news is that the real VE7PT is very much
> alive. In fact, the R-A-C release describes him as an
> active 86 year-old living in British Columbia and a 25 year
> retiree who still enjoys being active in the hobby. He is a
> member of the Westcoast Amateur Radio Association, the
> Victoria Area Packet Association, and he particularly
> enjoys training new hams by having them visit his shack.
> And although VE7PT is no longer sailing the high seas,
> Peter is an honorary member of the Blue Water Cruising
> Association. A very active radio amateur indeed.
>
> Radio Amateurs of Canada has apologized to VE7PT and to his
> many friends and family for the error.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
> in Los Angeles.
>
> --
>
> Kind of reminds us of the words of Mark Twain who once sent
> a telegram to the press all across the United States.
> This, after an erroneous obituary about him had been
> published. That cable simply said: "The reports of my
> death are greatly exaggerated." (RAC, others)
>
>
>
> HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DONATIONS NEEDED FOR NEW ARISS STATION
>
> The European Space Agency has agreed to an amateur radio
> station being installed onboard the Columbus module, the
> new space laboratory that will be attached to the
> International Space Station at the end of the year. As
> part of the station a series of antennas developed at
> Poland's Wroclaw University of Technology will be attached
> to the panels that protect Columbus's hull from meteorite
> debris.
>
> The cost of installing the antennas will amount to more
> than 100,000 Euros which is in the area of $120,000 in U-S
> dollars. ARISS-Europe is the amateur radio group which is
> organizing the project. It is calling on radio amateurs
> around the world with an interest in space communications
> to provide financial support.
>
> Although work is progressing well on the antennas, money is
> still needed to build the amateur radio equipment onboard
> Columbus. You can find out how to donate to the project on
> the web at www.ariss-eu.org/donations.htm. (ARISS-EU)
>
>
>
> DX
>
> In DX that's on the air, word that Clive Penna, GM3POI, has
> become the second ham to achieve 9 band DXCC using only
> Logbook of The World electronic QSL confirmations. John
> Sluymer, VE3EJ, in Ontario, Canada was the first.
>
> Also, news that DL9MWG, will be active from Malta as
> 9H3RT. This, from April 28th through May 11th. Activity
> will be on the High F requency bands mainly on C-W. Q-S-L
> via DL9MWG.
>
> PA5CW, will be active portable YB9 from Bali from April 25th
> to May 10th. No other info provided at this time.
>
> Lastly, keep an ear open for DL2GAC in the Solomon Islands
> who is once again active as H-44-M-S. Bernhard is expected
> to be there until April 25th. The "DX Newletter" reports
> that he is collecting QSLs for his U.S. Counties
> Award as well as 5 Band Worked All States from there. His
> activity is mainly on 80, 40 and 20 meters. QSL direct or
> via the bureau to DL2GAC.
>
> (From various DX news sources)
>
>
>
> THAT FINAL ITEM: HAM RADIO AND FURSUITS - AN APRIL 1st
> REPORT FROM THE ROAD
>
> And finally this week, a question. What do ham radio, fur
> and the YouTube website have in common? Well if you said
> hidden transmitter hunting, you would be pretty much
> correct. Here's our roving reporter Pierre Pullinmyleg
> with his annual early April report:
>
> --
>
> Zee Hyena is zee very interesting anna-mil. Zay are
> moderately large and are native to Africa and India. So,
> it iz very rare zat you find one on zee streets of a town
> in zee U-S-A much less one zat likes to go on zee
> transmitter hunt. But if you go to zee YouTube dot com
> website you just might run into a ham radio operator
> dressed in zee Hyena costume who talks about finding zee
> elusive hidden T: Ok, it is a human in a Hyena suit who is
> also a ham:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "My name is Julie Fraedrich, I currently live in
> Streetboro, Ohio, and my callsign is KD8AYJ."
>
> --
>
> Ah, you are surprized zat it's a young lady zat is wearing
> zee Hyena costume? Well, if you get to talk with Miss
> Julie, she will tell you zat zee video was fun to make:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "At the time, I had just gotten my brand-new new
> Samsung Mini-DV camera and I just had to have an excuse to
> play with it. I put on my Hyena costume because I saw
> another video on YouTube of a group of people who are
> actually fox-hunting in animal costumes. I said that this
> is 'so cool' so I put on my animal costume and I decided to
> talk about fox hunts."
>
> --
>
> Zats right. Zere really is a convention where hams go to
> T-hunt dressed up as annna-mals. It is called Anthrocon
> and Miss Julie sez zat zere are really similarities between
> making zee annamal costume and being zee ham radio
> operator. She says zat both are challengzes:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "Ham radio like animal costuming is a challenge in
> itself. Some are in ham radio to get that optimal signal.
> Sometimes you are in it just to see how you can operate ham
> radio with the very basic or primitive tools in situations
> such as Field Day."
>
> "I think that I was drawn to animal costuming and to do
> Amateur Radio in the animal costumes just from the
> challenge of the two. If you were to look at it from an
> event diagram perspective, both incorporate challenges.
> Some people build their own Amateur Radio gear and some
> people like to build their own animal costumes. I think
> that people who like to do both -- you know -- fox hunts
> and animal costumes -- like at Anthrocom, they just have
> overlapping similarities."
>
> --
>
> And where can you wear ze anna-mal costume and mingle with
> other radio amateurs?
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "Anthrocon is a convention that features and bases
> itself on people who come from all over the world to wear
> their costumes for an (extended) 4 to 5 day weekend. And,
> of coarse they do have fox-hunts there. They have a mobile
> fox-hunt and a stationary fox-hunt where people wear their
> costumes doing -- which is pretty neat and is one of the
> things that drawed me to make my own animal costume in the
> first place."
>
> --
>
> A very fun story, no? Yes? And remember zat zee Hyena
> always has zee last laugh.
>
> On zee road, I am Pierre Pullinmyleg, reporting for zee
> Amateur Radio Newsline.
>
> --
>
> If you want to see Miss Julie and her Hyena costume that
> she calls Jixser, just go to www.youtube.com and search for
> "What happens when you combine fursuits and amateur radio?"
>
> And if you want to hear more about how she got interested
> in costuming and Amateur Radio, tune into this weeks RAIN
> Report for part one of an in-depth two part interview with
> her. Its on line now at www.therainreport.com and on the
> phone at 773-249-0720.
>
> And oh yes. Happy April 1st.
>
> Story links:
> KD8AYJ as Jixser - Part 1:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?vlPMQTQs9RM
> KD8AYJ as Jixser - Part 2:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v
news:E1HXJvC-000373-QL@elasmtp-galgo.atl.sa.earthlink.net...
> Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1546 - March 30, 2007
>
> Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1546 with a release
> date of Friday, March 30th, 2007 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
>
> The following is a Q-S-T. The ARRL kind of changes its
> mind on Regulation by Bandwidth, European hams get
> interference protection from ultra wideband operations,
> Scouts world-wide plan to celebrate 50 years of their
> Jubilee On The Air and our annual April 1st report from
> roving reporter Pierre Pullinmyleg. All this and more on
> Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1546 coming your way
> right now.
>
>
> (Billboard Cart Here)
>
>
>
> REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH: THE ARRL VS THE BLOGGERS
>
> The ARRL has partially changed its mind on Regulation by
> Bandwidth. It now suggests confining these changes to 10
> meters and above. But even this has not placated the
> detractors of both the League and the proposed rules
> change. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramovich, NT3V.
> reports:
>
> --
>
> The ARRL says in the wake of the recent changes to the Part
> 97 Amateur Radio rules, it has revised its regulation by
> bandwidth proposals to the FCC.
>
> The League says this is being done to avoid some unintended
> consequences and temper some of the controversy the
> original petition had aroused.
>
> But bloggers on QRZ dot com and elsewhere in cyberspace
> seem to consider the revision nothing more than a smoke-
> screen.
>
> Some look at it as a sellout by the national organization
> to the proponents of digital communications to the
> detriment of all others in the hobby.
>
> The bloggers also say that almost any form of digital ham
> radio will disrupt most or all of the current
> communications on all bands and therefore must remain
> segregated into subbands of its own.
>
> By way of review, back in November 2005 the ARRL filed a
> Petition for Rule Making dealing with the concept of
> Regulation by Bandwidth.
>
> RM-11306 requested the FCC replace the current segregation
> of modes by subbands with a regulatory scheme that would
> segment bands by necessary bandwidths ranging from 200 Hz
> to 100 kHz rather than by emission mode.
>
> This proposal immediately brought the wrath of the high-
> frequency ham radio community.
>
> Through filings to the FCC and by numerous cyberspace web
> postings, the ham radio community told the ARRL and the FCC
> that regulation by bandwidth was simply not wanted.
>
> Now the ARRL appears to be capitulating.
>
> At least to the extent where the high frequency bands below
> 28 Mhz are concerned.
>
> In a statement published in the ARRL Letter, League
> Executive Vice President Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, said that:
>
> Regulation by bandwidth rather than by mode of emission
> remains controversial below 28 MHz because of its perceived
> potential impact on established operating patterns, so
> these proposals were removed from the list with one narrow
> exception.
>
> The ARRL now is urging the FCC to adopt what it terms a
> "subset" of the rules contained in its original petition
> that largely affects only the amateur bands at 28 MHz and
> above.
>
> If the FCC adopts the League's revised proposals, the 10, 6
> and 2 meter amateur bands would be segmented into subbands
> allowing maximum emission bandwidths of 200 Hz, 500 Hz, 3.0
> kHz 16 kHz or 100 kHz.
>
> The only exception would be for double-sideband, full-
> carrier AM phone.
>
> This modified proposal is already drawing fire from several
> factions in ham radio.
>
> First are the proponents of weak signal communications on 6
> meters and above.
>
> They fear that the introduction of any form of wideband
> modes close by weak signal segments will spell disaster.
>
> They contend it will raise the ambient noise floor of the
> bands, rendering it impossible to detect the minute traces
> of RF that they are searching for.
>
> As one post on QRZ put it: "Digital 100 khz wide signals
> thousands of them 100 kHz wide only 175 kHz from the 6
> meter calling frequency and 100 kHz from 2 meters and the
> noise floor will go through the roof."
>
> Also not happy are the operators of FM repeaters on 2
> meters.
>
> They point to the already overcrowded conditions in both of
> the repeater subbands.
>
> They also ask the rhetorical question of how and where can
> numerous 100 kHz wide digital modes be shoehorned in
> without degrading the performance of existing analog FM
> communication?
>
> Most believe that wideband digital and 2 meters simply do
> not mix. Others do not want them on any band below 1 point
> 2 Gigahertz.
>
> On the other side are the proponents of digital on the High
> Frequency bands.
>
> They believe that the ARRL is caving in to pressure brought
> by current H-F spectrum users.
>
> Some involved in rescue radio operations have already
> warned that in the near future emergency communications
> systems used by the agencies that they serve will go to
> wideband data-based communications systems.
>
> They warn that for ham radio to continue to serve its
> emergency communications clients, the rules must be changed
> so that Amateur Radio is fully compatible with that
> technology.
>
> Another bone of contention is why the ARRL continues to
> pursue any form of bandwidth-based regulation in the face
> of across-the-board opposition from the ham community.
>
> Dave Sumner seems to address this in his comments in the
> ARRL Letter:
>
> Regulation by bandwidth provides a better regulatory
> framework, not only for the introduction of future digital
> emissions but for the protection of traditional narrowband
> modes as well.
>
> Unfortunately for the ARRL, not everyone agrees.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V,
> in Philadelphia.
>
> --
>
> K1ZZ has expressed the hope that the subset of RM-11306
> modifications offers an alternative that will make it
> easier for the FCC to move at least part of the way in that
> direction. Even so, the analog ham radio world appears to
> be gearing up for a fight to maintain the status quo.
> (ARNewsline(tm) with input from numerous sources including
> ARRL Letter, QRZ.com, eHam.net, VHF Reflector, others.)
>
>
>
> REGULATION BY BANDWIDTH: AN ARNEWSLINE ON-LINE POLE
>
> So what's your thought about the idea of converting from
> the current subband system to regulation by bandwidth? To
> get an idea we have set up a pole on our website at
> www.arnewsline.org. Just go there, scroll down and watch
> for the word "Polls" on the left hand side of the page.
> Then click on the box that is closest to your view.
>
> The nice part about the software we use is that the results
> are instant. As soon as you cast your vote you will see
> the result.
>
> And before we get a horde of e-mails from those who need to
> point out the flaws of electronic polling, we freely admit
> that this poll is not very scientific. In fact it is
> easily subject to multiple voting from those with a
> personal ax to grind for or against regulation by
> bandwidth.
>
> That said, after a few weeks the cumulative results will at
> least give the ham radio community an idea on the way the
> majority feels on this subject. One that can and likely
> will affect the day to day operation of every radio
> amateurs across the United States. (ARNewsline(tm))
>
>
>
> THE BPL FIGHT: SUPPORT NEEDED FOR HR-462
>
> Supporters of congressional measure HR 462 are fearful that
> the recently announced the IEEE Broadband Over Powerline
> Standards Project announced last week could hamper efforts
> to get the measure enacted.
>
> HR-462 is better known as the Emergency Amateur Radio
> Interference Protection Act of 2007. If passed, it would
> require a study by the Federal Communications Commission on
> interference caused by broadband internet transmission over
> power lines.
>
> The measure is currently before the House Energy and
> Commerce Committee. Proponents say that the IEEE project
> seems to give the aura of respectability to BPL which they
> feel is not deserved. They believe only legislative
> pressure can force BPL providers to use non-interfering
> technology. They also urge all hams to write their
> political leaders in support of HR-462.
>
> The March issue of QST Magazine has the full background on
> this bill. (K2IVX)
>
>
>
> RADIO RULES: EUROPEN HAMS TO BE PROTECTED FROM UWB
> INTERFERENCE
>
> The European Commission has decided to impose more
> stringent rules on the use of ultra wide band equipment on
> frequencies below 6GHz. In essence that protects hams from
> interference the mode might cause. Jeramy Boot, G4NJH, is
> in Nottingham in the UK with more:
>
> --
>
> The decision is a victory for a host of amateur radio
> groups which have been fighting for greater regulation of
> ultra wide band.
>
> Amateur radio organizations including the Radio Society of
> Great Britain, the UK Microwave Group, AMSAT-UK, BATC and
> the Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society have put in a lot of
> work over the last two years making the case for protection
> of the amateur bands from ultra wide band devices. The
> European Commission appears to have listened.
>
> In an official statement published on the web, the
> Commission said: "The conditions in the 4.2 to 4.8GHz band
> for ultra-wideband technology should be time limited and be
> replaced by more restrictive conditions beyond December
> 2010."
>
> The statement went on to say that in the long term ultra
> wide band equipment should be restricted to operating above
> 6GHz.
>
> Jeramy boot, G4NJH
>
> --
>
> A link to the statement can be found on the RSGB website.
> Its in cyberspace at www.rsgb.org (GB2RS)
>
>
>
> RESTRUCTURING: THAI HAMS GET CONTEST ONLY PRIVELEGES
>
> E21EIC and others report that the Radio Amateur Society of
> Thailand has received authorization from that nations
> telecommunications regulator for Thai operators to operate
> on 80 and 160 meters during 2007 contest periods. During
> those periods Thai operators may operate their stations on
> CW and SSB from 1.800 to 1.825 MHz and 3.500 to 3.536 MHz.
> Split operation has also been authorized.
>
> Stations in Thailand currently can only operate on 40, 20,
> 15 and10 meters. They are barred from 30, 17, 12 and 6
> meters, however, activity on the WARC bands and 6 meters is
> sometimes granted with special permission. (OPDX, others)
>
>
>
> Break 1
>
> From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
> Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
> including the VE6YTV repeater serving Langdon, Alberta
> Canada
>
> (5 sec pause here)
>
>
>
>
> RESCUE RADIO: CLUB EXPANDS SKYWARN IN INDIANA WITH CLASS
>
> Amateur radio operators in Monroe County, Indiana have been
> turning the annual National Weather Service's severe
> weather spotter training program into a public outreach
> event. Jack Parker W8ISH has this report.
>
> --
>
> Severe weather spotter training in Monroe county, Indiana
> has been taken to the next level. Through radio,
> newspapers and the internet the Bloomington Amateur Radio
> Club has expanded training to include emergency
> professionals and the general public. This years Severe
> Weather Training had over one hundred and thirty people in
> attendance.
>
> Each year Monroe county hams schedule the class on the
> first Friday in March. That coincides with the start of
> Severe Weather Prepardness Week in Indiana.
>
> History has shown Bloomington and Monroe county to be a
> prime target for tornadoes. Getting the general public,
> government officials and first responders trained can only
> add to the number of eyes and ears needed to warn the
> public of a severe weather outbreak.
>
> This years class was followed up with a series of radio
> interviews on WHCC radio in Bloomington. Radio
> personality and self proclaimed "weather junky" Rick
> Evans, invited amateur radio storm spotters to talk about
> their chasing experiences during Severe Weather Week. The
> interviews aired live during the morning commute. The
> early bird reports included severe weather safety tips and
> background on the role amateur radio plays in emergency and
> public service events.
>
> Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jack Parker
> W8ISH
>
> --
>
> This years class included 2004 ARRL Educator of the Year
> award winner Neil Rapp WB9VPG and Indiana State
> Representative Matt Pierce N9VKU. (KB9WVI)
>
>
>
>
> RESCUE RADIO: NPSTC AND ARRL SIGN MOA
>
> The ARRL and the National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council have signed a Memorandum of Agreement. As
> reported on the ARRL's website, under the pact the League's
> Chief Technology Officer Paul Rinaldo, W4RI, will
> participate in meetings and serve on committees and working
> groups. The League also has agreed to provide other
> expertise, advice and resources to further the goals of the
> Memorandum of Agreement.
>
> For its part, the National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council has agreed to provide a National Support Office.
> Among other things, it will coordinate its outreach
> activities and provide national level technical assistance
> to the public safety telecommunications community.
>
> The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council is a
> federation of public safety organizations. It serves as a
> forum for the exchange of ideas and information for
> effective public safety telecommunications in the US and
> abroad.
>
> The ARRL is a National Public Safety Telecommunications
> Council member. The Memorandum of Agreement culminates
> efforts begun in 2003 to formalize the relationship between
> the two organizations. The full story is on-line at
> www.arrl.org (ARRL)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: STAY OFF UNTIL YOU RENEW YOUR LICENSE
>
> The FCC has written to a now former ham to tell him that
> his license has expired and that he must go Q-R-T. That
> February 28th note went to Thurland Bristol Jr. Of Orange,
> Connecticut. In it the FCC says that Bristol's license and
> K1ACD callsign expired back on July 5th of 2005 and that
> operation without a valid license could bring with it some
> severe penalties. As his ticket is within the Commission's
> two year grace period all he needs to do is to renew it to
> bring it current once again. (FCC)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: TO MANY CALLSIGN CHANGES
>
> The FCC wants to know why a Texas ham has filed over two
> dozen applications that first request and then cancel four
> specific callsigns. That's the question that they ask of
> Barney Boone, NO5R in a letter to him dated February 28th.
>
> The note to Boone asserts that May of 2000, he has filed 25
> or more applications with the regulatory agency regarding
> the calls W5JB, AI5L, KC5KJG and KJ5AE that either
> requested or cancelled one of those calls. The FCC says
> that 10 of those applications were filed in 2006.
>
> The FCC says that once requested and cancelled, the calls
> were made unavailable to anyone else for a period of two
> years. The agency says that this appears to be an abuse of
> the agency's application process and gave Boone 30 days
> from receipt of its inquiry letter to respond and explain
> his actions. He was also told to choose which one of the
> call signs that he wanted to keep. (FCC)
>
>
>
> ENFORCEMENT: KIT BUILT TRANSMITTERS BRING $7000 NAL
>
> The FCC says that Richard Mann who does business as The
> Antique Radio Collector in Toledo, Ohio is apparently
> liable for a $7000 forfeiture. This for allegedly
> marketing of uncertified AM radio transmitters in repeated
> violation of the Communications Act and of the Commission's
> Rules. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeff Reinhart, AA6JR,
> reports:
>
> --
>
> On November 15, 2006, the FCC's Spectrum Enforcement
> Division issued a Letter of Inquiry to Richard Mann and The
> Antique Radio Collector. This, in response to a complaint
> alleging that the was marketing fully-assembled S S TRAN
> model AMT3000 AM transmitters.
>
> In a reply dated November 25, The Antique Radio Collector
> indicated that it was not aware of a certification
> authorizing a fully assembled AMT3000 transmitter. The
> response indicated that Mann had purchased the transmitters
> in kit form from a third party and assembled the them in
> his residence. Mr. Mann advertised the assembled
> transmitters for sale online at www.oldtimeradio.com and
> had sold a number of completed units to end users since
> December 2003.
>
> But the FCC says that buying a banned radio transmitter as
> a kit and building it expressly to sell it for profit is
> the sane as marketing a fully factory assembled unit. It
> says that Section 302(b) of the Communications Act provides
>that no person shall manufacture, import, sell, offer for
> sale, or ship devices or home electronic equipment and
> systems, or use devices, which fail to comply with the
> agency's regulations. As such it would be Mann's
> responsibility to obtain FCC certification before offering
> any units for sale which he did not do.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeff Reinhardt, AA6JR,
> in Los Angeles.
>
> --
>
> Mann and The Antique Radio Collector were given the normal
> 30 days to pay the fine or to file an appeal. (FCC)
>
>
>
> HAM RADIO AND SCOUTING: AROUND THE WORLD IN 50 HOURS
>
> Around the World in 50 Hours will be the theme of this
> years Scouting Jamboree On The Air. JOTA as it is better
> known, is an annual event in which about 500,000 Scouts and
> Scout Guides all over the world make contacts with each
> other by means of Amateur Radio.
>
> The idea of the 50 hour operating schedule is to honor the
> golden-jubilee of the Jamboree by extending it two hours.
> One hour for every year that it has existed. As a result,
> this years 50th JOTA will run from October 19th at 22:00
> hours to October 21st at 24:00 hours your local time.
>
> An official start will be given by the World Scout Bureau
> radio station in Geneva, Switzerland on October 19th at
> 21:00 h GMT with a transmission in the 20 and 80 meter
> bands and on Echolink. (WIA, GB2RS, Southgate)
>
>
>
> EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: NEW DIGITAL HAM RADIO REMAILER FORMED
>
> A new cyberspace remailer dedicated exclusively to the
> emerging world of digital Amateur Radio communications has
> been formed on Yahoogroups. This reflector will primarily
> discuss the use of digital voice and data communication
> techniques on the VHF and UHF bands. Technology to be
> addressed will include D-STAR, APCO P25, packet radio
> including APRS, High Speed Multi Media, Wi-Fi, P-S-K and
> F-S-K. To join the group just take your web browser to
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/illinoisdigitalham/ and
> follow the sign up instructions. (WB9QZB)
>
>
>
> HAM HAPPENINGS: PAPERS SOLOICITED FOR ARRL AND TAPR
> DIGITAL CONFERENCE
>
> Technical papers are solicited for presentation at the 26th
> Annual ARRL and TAPR Digital Communications Conference to
> be held September 28th to the 30th in Hartford, Connecticut.
> These papers will also be published in the Conference
> Proceedings.
>
> Authors need not attend the conference to have their paper
> included in the Proceedings. Papers will be published
> exactly as submitted and authors will retain all rights.
> The submission deadline is July 31, 2007. Please send
> papers to Maty Weinberg , at the ARRL , 225 Main St ,
> Newington, Connecticut, 06111. Submissions can also go by
> e-mail to maty@arrl.org (ARRL)
>
>
>
> HAM HAPPENINGS: THE 12th ANNUAL IOTA DINNER IN APRIL
>
> The 12th annual Islands On The Air or IOTA Dinner will be
> held on Friday, April 27th, in the Birch Room of the
> Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center in Visalia,
> California. This, in conjunction with the 58th annual
> Visalia International DX Convention.
>
> Reservations for this event are not required and attendees
> will pay as they enter at the door. Admission is free for
> those wishing only to watch the programs without dining.
> As usual, seating will be first come, first seated.
>
> For additional information regarding this event, please
> contact Jim Zimmerman, by e-mail to jimzim1@mindspring.com
> (Press release)
>
>
>
> SPECIAL EVENTS: HAMS CELEBRATE THE TITIANIC'S 95th
> ANNIVERSARY
>
> Ham radio will help to memorialize one of the greatest
> tragedies ever to happen on the high seas. To commemorate
> the 95th anniversary of the sinking of the luxury liner
> Titanic, radio amateurs worldwide will be mounting an
> operation originating from the Titanic Museum Attraction in
> Branson, Missouri. That's where members of the Nixa
> Amateur Radio Club will be making contacts world-wide using
> the special event callsign W-Zero-S.
>
> Three stations will operate simultaneously using SSB, and
> CW. Trhere will also be operation using Echolink. All
> stations will be manned by operators from a consortium of
> clubs and non-club members from across Southwest Missouri,
> as well as licensed visitors from outside the area.
>
> Operations beginn at 8 a.m., Saturday, April 14th, and
> concluding at 7p.m., Sunday, April 15th. The W-Zero-S call
> being used which stands for White Star. White Star the
> name of the company that built the Titanic.A U-K group is
> also expected to be active during that same time as GB6MGY.
> That reportedly was the actual call sign of the Titanic.
> More information is on-line at www.nixahams.net (W7ZVD)
>
>
>
> 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)
>
>
>
> A WORD OF THANKS FROM THE SUPPORT FUND WITH ANDY JAREMA
> N6TCQ
>
> Ladies and gentlemen, with a word of thanks to those who
> contributed to the Newsline Support Fund in April of 2006,
> here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Support Fund Administrator
> Andy Jarema, N6TCQ.
>
> --
>
> In the month of April we heard from Regular contributor
> Benton Bonney, W4PE of Orlando , The Potomac Highlands ARC
> of Moorefield, WV, The Cookville, TN Repeater Association,
> W4HPL, monthly contributor Joseph Bartzi, Jr., KC8DKF of
> Columbus, OH and monthly contributors William Walters,
> WA2IBM, and Scott Hensley of the Area Communications Team,
> both in San Jose, CA, and the South Orange Amateur Radio
> Association
>
> Via PayPal we heard from C Mark Burlingame, KB6TVD of
> Northlake, IL and Stuart Cole, N5LBZ of Gulfport, MS.
>
> Month in and month out Newsline takes an average of $1000
> to put the latest news of Amateur Radio on the air- it
> doesn't come to us- we have to go get it. With no
> advertising, we depend on you- our loyal listeners. Our
> website- arnewsline.org has all the info you need to
> contribute, including a quick link to PayPal. Or there's
> our address: Newsline Support Fund, PO Box 660937, Arcadia,
> CA 91066. That address will be repeated at the end of the
> newscast. Thanks for your help.
>
> I'm Andy Jarema. N6TCQ.
>
> --
>
> Thank you Andy. (ARNewslineT)
>
>
>
>
> RADIO OPPS: PETER THOMAS VE7PT IS NOT A SILENT KEY
>
> If you happen to be a fan of the British comic group Monty
> Python then the line "I'm not dead yet, I'm just resting"
> will have a great deal of meaning. And it's also what may
> be going through the minds of the editorial staff at The
> Canadian Amateur magazine after it learned that it made a
> big oops in reporting the departure from life of a Canadian
> ham. Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, is here with the rest of the
> story:
>
> --
>
> Well it happened this way. The March/April 2007 issue of
> The Canadian Amateur carried a listing in the Silent Key
> column saying that Peter Thomas, VE7PT, had passed on. Only
> one problem about this for the magazine. It seems that
> Peter was and is definitely not a Silent Key.
>
> It was all explained in a March 19th special bulletin issued
> by Radio Amateurs of Canada which publishes The Canadian
> Amateur. It seems that the mix-up came about when an
> obituary in local newspapers was spotted for a "Philip
> Thomas" in which it was stated that his interests included
> ham. It also listed his callsign as being VE7PT. And
> dutifully, the information was re-reported by the Canadian
> Amateur magazine but did not bother to check on the
> accuracy of the initial report.
>
> Well the good news is that the real VE7PT is very much
> alive. In fact, the R-A-C release describes him as an
> active 86 year-old living in British Columbia and a 25 year
> retiree who still enjoys being active in the hobby. He is a
> member of the Westcoast Amateur Radio Association, the
> Victoria Area Packet Association, and he particularly
> enjoys training new hams by having them visit his shack.
> And although VE7PT is no longer sailing the high seas,
> Peter is an honorary member of the Blue Water Cruising
> Association. A very active radio amateur indeed.
>
> Radio Amateurs of Canada has apologized to VE7PT and to his
> many friends and family for the error.
>
> For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
> in Los Angeles.
>
> --
>
> Kind of reminds us of the words of Mark Twain who once sent
> a telegram to the press all across the United States.
> This, after an erroneous obituary about him had been
> published. That cable simply said: "The reports of my
> death are greatly exaggerated." (RAC, others)
>
>
>
> HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DONATIONS NEEDED FOR NEW ARISS STATION
>
> The European Space Agency has agreed to an amateur radio
> station being installed onboard the Columbus module, the
> new space laboratory that will be attached to the
> International Space Station at the end of the year. As
> part of the station a series of antennas developed at
> Poland's Wroclaw University of Technology will be attached
> to the panels that protect Columbus's hull from meteorite
> debris.
>
> The cost of installing the antennas will amount to more
> than 100,000 Euros which is in the area of $120,000 in U-S
> dollars. ARISS-Europe is the amateur radio group which is
> organizing the project. It is calling on radio amateurs
> around the world with an interest in space communications
> to provide financial support.
>
> Although work is progressing well on the antennas, money is
> still needed to build the amateur radio equipment onboard
> Columbus. You can find out how to donate to the project on
> the web at www.ariss-eu.org/donations.htm. (ARISS-EU)
>
>
>
> DX
>
> In DX that's on the air, word that Clive Penna, GM3POI, has
> become the second ham to achieve 9 band DXCC using only
> Logbook of The World electronic QSL confirmations. John
> Sluymer, VE3EJ, in Ontario, Canada was the first.
>
> Also, news that DL9MWG, will be active from Malta as
> 9H3RT. This, from April 28th through May 11th. Activity
> will be on the High F requency bands mainly on C-W. Q-S-L
> via DL9MWG.
>
> PA5CW, will be active portable YB9 from Bali from April 25th
> to May 10th. No other info provided at this time.
>
> Lastly, keep an ear open for DL2GAC in the Solomon Islands
> who is once again active as H-44-M-S. Bernhard is expected
> to be there until April 25th. The "DX Newletter" reports
> that he is collecting QSLs for his U.S. Counties
> Award as well as 5 Band Worked All States from there. His
> activity is mainly on 80, 40 and 20 meters. QSL direct or
> via the bureau to DL2GAC.
>
> (From various DX news sources)
>
>
>
> THAT FINAL ITEM: HAM RADIO AND FURSUITS - AN APRIL 1st
> REPORT FROM THE ROAD
>
> And finally this week, a question. What do ham radio, fur
> and the YouTube website have in common? Well if you said
> hidden transmitter hunting, you would be pretty much
> correct. Here's our roving reporter Pierre Pullinmyleg
> with his annual early April report:
>
> --
>
> Zee Hyena is zee very interesting anna-mil. Zay are
> moderately large and are native to Africa and India. So,
> it iz very rare zat you find one on zee streets of a town
> in zee U-S-A much less one zat likes to go on zee
> transmitter hunt. But if you go to zee YouTube dot com
> website you just might run into a ham radio operator
> dressed in zee Hyena costume who talks about finding zee
> elusive hidden T: Ok, it is a human in a Hyena suit who is
> also a ham:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "My name is Julie Fraedrich, I currently live in
> Streetboro, Ohio, and my callsign is KD8AYJ."
>
> --
>
> Ah, you are surprized zat it's a young lady zat is wearing
> zee Hyena costume? Well, if you get to talk with Miss
> Julie, she will tell you zat zee video was fun to make:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "At the time, I had just gotten my brand-new new
> Samsung Mini-DV camera and I just had to have an excuse to
> play with it. I put on my Hyena costume because I saw
> another video on YouTube of a group of people who are
> actually fox-hunting in animal costumes. I said that this
> is 'so cool' so I put on my animal costume and I decided to
> talk about fox hunts."
>
> --
>
> Zats right. Zere really is a convention where hams go to
> T-hunt dressed up as annna-mals. It is called Anthrocon
> and Miss Julie sez zat zere are really similarities between
> making zee annamal costume and being zee ham radio
> operator. She says zat both are challengzes:
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "Ham radio like animal costuming is a challenge in
> itself. Some are in ham radio to get that optimal signal.
> Sometimes you are in it just to see how you can operate ham
> radio with the very basic or primitive tools in situations
> such as Field Day."
>
> "I think that I was drawn to animal costuming and to do
> Amateur Radio in the animal costumes just from the
> challenge of the two. If you were to look at it from an
> event diagram perspective, both incorporate challenges.
> Some people build their own Amateur Radio gear and some
> people like to build their own animal costumes. I think
> that people who like to do both -- you know -- fox hunts
> and animal costumes -- like at Anthrocom, they just have
> overlapping similarities."
>
> --
>
> And where can you wear ze anna-mal costume and mingle with
> other radio amateurs?
>
> --
>
> KD8AYJ: "Anthrocon is a convention that features and bases
> itself on people who come from all over the world to wear
> their costumes for an (extended) 4 to 5 day weekend. And,
> of coarse they do have fox-hunts there. They have a mobile
> fox-hunt and a stationary fox-hunt where people wear their
> costumes doing -- which is pretty neat and is one of the
> things that drawed me to make my own animal costume in the
> first place."
>
> --
>
> A very fun story, no? Yes? And remember zat zee Hyena
> always has zee last laugh.
>
> On zee road, I am Pierre Pullinmyleg, reporting for zee
> Amateur Radio Newsline.
>
> --
>
> If you want to see Miss Julie and her Hyena costume that
> she calls Jixser, just go to www.youtube.com and search for
> "What happens when you combine fursuits and amateur radio?"
>
> And if you want to hear more about how she got interested
> in costuming and Amateur Radio, tune into this weeks RAIN
> Report for part one of an in-depth two part interview with
> her. Its on line now at www.therainreport.com and on the
> phone at 773-249-0720.
>
> And oh yes. Happy April 1st.
>
> Story links:
> KD8AYJ as Jixser - Part 1:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?vlPMQTQs9RM
> KD8AYJ as Jixser - Part 2:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v