Friday, December 6, 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1895 - December 6 2013

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1895 with a release
date of December 6 2013 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST.  Four youngsters get their names in
space thanks to ham radio; the ARRL files erratum to its
"symbol rate" rule making petition; The Department of
Homeland will be giving emergency communications training at
Hamvention 2014; VHF Communications magazine ceases
publication after 45 years and its Youngsters on the Air
Operating month in IARU Region One.  Find out the details
are on Amateur Radio NewslineT report number 1895 coming
your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  NAMES OF FOUR PRE-TEENS NOW ON-ORBIT

The names of four pre-teens from the town of North Pole,
Alaska, have been sent into space, and its all thanks to ham
radio.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with the
story of how it came about:

--

North Pole, Alaska is just outside of the city of Fairbanks
and its where Daniel Perry, age 10, Derik Perry, 9, Riley
Perry, 9, and Kailey Perry, 5 all live.  But these four
youngsters now have something very special in their lives
because their names are orbiting some 400 miles above the
Earth on a microsat and its all because of friendship
between to ham radio operators.

The honor comes courtesy of their grandfather, Mike Perry,
AL7F, who became caretaker to some satellite-monitoring
equipment about a year and a half ago.  This happened after
he became close friends with Mark Kanawati, N4TPY of Space
Quest Ltd, which is a technology company based in Fairfax,
Virginia.  AL7F says it all came about because of a note to
the local ham radio club:

--

AL7F:  "The way this all got started was that Mark, the
owner of Space Quest, being a ham radio operator got in
touch with the Arctic Amateur Radio Club here in Fairbanks
and had a letter posted to our membership site looking for
someone who had some property or knew of somebody who had
some property that would be a good location for him to
install a satellite tracking station.  I own some property
right off the side of the highway that's sub-divided into
lots and I offered to let him put his tracking station on
one of the lots."

--

This lead to a close friendship developing between AL7F and
N4TPY and in turn to Kanawati offering to fly the names of
Perry's grandkids on a satellite that was to be launched
this past November.

--

AL7F:  "I was more than happy to have my grandkids names put
into the satellite.  It just launched on the 21st of
November on a Russian ICBM from Kazakhstan and there were
quite a few ham radio cube-sat satellites along with his and
several different university cube-sats that went up also."

--

But the Perry kids are not the only people whose names have
flown in space.  Putting names or initials on vehicles bound
for the final frontier is believed to be something of an
unwritten tradition in the space launch industry.  One
apparently dating back to its earliest days.  But according
to newsminer.com at SpaceQuest, the practice has reached a
new level. It says that photos and names are commonly tucked
inside the company's micro-satellites and N4TPY personally
speaks to school classes about space.  He says that putting
children's names on-orbit is one way to spark their
interest.

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

--

According to AL7F, the youngsters don't quite realize how
rare it is to be part of an orbiting satellite.  But he adds
that will likely appreciate it a lot more as they get older.

(ARNewsline, Newsminer.com)

**

BREAKING NEWS:  REWRITE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT ANNOUNCED

Some breaking news out of the nation's capital.  This with
word that House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman
Michigan Representative Fred Upton and Technology
Subcommittee Chairman Oregon Representative Greg Walden,
W7EQI, plan to update the Communications Act.

Making the announcement on Google Hangout the committee
leaders and former FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell outlined
the need to adapt the law to today's marketplace.  Upton
termed the project a multi-year effort that will be focused
on updating the communication laws to fit the Internet age.

Meantime Walden noted that the Communications Act is now
painfully out of date.  He said that when the Act was last
revised nearly 18 years ago, the 56 kilobits-per-second via
dial-up modem was state of the art.

The actual revision will involve a series of white papers
asking questions about what to do to improve the laws
governing the communications marketplace.  These will also
seek to learn the best way to a robust conversation using
digital media platforms.

To make it easier for the public to participate in this re-
write, you can follow the event on Twitter using the hashtag
#CommActUpdate.  (RW)

**

RADIO RULES:  ARRL FILES ERRATUM TO "SYMBOL RATE" PETITION
FOR RULE MAKING

The ARRL has filed an Erratum or modification of its request
with the FCC.  This to correct an error in its "symbol rate"
Petition for Rule Making filed November 15 and put on public
notice for comment as RM-11708 a few days later.

The League's petition asks the FCC to delete the symbol rate
limit in part 97.307(f) of its Amateur Service rules and
replace it with a maximum bandwidth for data emissions of
2.8 kHz on amateur frequencies below 29.7 MHz.

The Erratum, filed November 26, removes an erroneous
reference in the appendix at 97.307(f)(3) to "unspecified
digital codes" and includes a corrected appendix.  The
revised proposed 97.307(f)(3) will read: "Only a RTTY or
data emission using a specified digital code listed in
97.309(a) of this part may be transmitted.  The authorized
bandwidth is 2.8 kHz."  (ARRL)

**

RESCUE RADIO:  DHS TO PROVIDE EMCOMM TRAINING WITH
HAMVENTION 2014

The Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency
Communications will be on hand at Hamvention 2014 to conduct
its nationally recognized emergency communications training
course.  The purpose of this program is to educate qualified
amateur radio operators so they may assist their local,
county and state governments with backup communications if
requested to do so.

The training will be held in the Dayton area on May 13th to
the 15th.  These are the three days prior to the start of
Hamvention 2014.  Registration will begin on February 1st.
More information is on the front page of the Dayton
Hamvention website at hamvention.org.  (Dayton Hamvention)

**

WORLDBEAT:  SOUTH AFRICA ONE YEAR HAM LICENSE RENEWALS DUE

South Africa's telecommunications regulator ICASA has
advised the South African Radio League that hams who hold
one-year amateur radio license should re-apply for renewal
before 31 December 31st.

ICASA notes that South Africa Telecommunications Regulation
9 stipulates that radio amateurs must reapply annually for a
license renewal unless they have opted for a multi-year
license.  In that case they only need to reapply when their
license is about to expire.

According to the regulatory agency, to date over 300 have
already submitted their applications.  (SARL)

**

DXCC UP FRONT:  DXCC 2013 DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 31

In DX up-front, Bill Moore, NC1L, who is the ARRL Awards
Branch Manager wants to remind to all DXCC program
participants that the deadline for the 2013 calendar year
ends on Tuesday December 31st.  Moore says that in order to
appear in the Annual Listing published in the electronic
version of the DXCC Yearbook, you must have your submission
postmarked no later than that date.  Since the DXCC workload
usually peaks around this time each year, Moore recommends
that applicants not wait until the last minute to get their
submissions in.  Complete details are posted on the web at
arrl.org/dxcc-blog.  And we will have more DX news later on
in this week's newscast.  (ARRL DXCC)

**

BREAK 1

Time for you to identify your station.  We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the Golden Empire Amateur Radio Club's W6RHC
repeater serving Chino California.

(5 sec pause here)


**

ENFORCEMENT:  ILLINOIS MAN CHARGED WITH RACIAL SLURS OVER
POLICE RADIO

A Waukegan, Illinois man who may be a former ham was
arrested on Tuesday, November 26th.  This after authorities
allege that he breached security on a Lake County Sheriff's
Office radio communications system and transmitted racially
offensive language.

according to Sara Balmes of the sheriff's office,  24 year
old Raymond J. Kelly was charged with two counts of
tampering with jail communications.  HE also faces one count
of harassment through electronic communications,

According to news reports, officers allegedly heard Kelly
repeatedly using a racial epithet over the communications
system overnight on the previous Saturday and Sunday.
Officials said that during a search of Kelly's residence,
authorities seized radio and other electronic equipment.

While several news reports referred to Kelly as a ham radio
operator a check of the Universal Licensing System shows
that he is not licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission at this time.  However there are indications that
at one time he did hold an amateur radio ticket.
(Published news reports)

**

RADIO LAW:  BROADCASTERS SUED OVER USE OF HD RADIO STANDARD

Yet another patent infringement lawsuit is in the offering.
This one aimed at broadcasters who use what commonly known
as HD radio.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeff Clark, K8JAC,
has the details:

--

In a major lawsuit a large number of radio broadcast groups
have been sued alleging patent infringement for using its
technology for their H-D Radio broadcasts.  The filing by
Wyncomm LLC and Delaware Radio Technologies claims the
broadcasters are using In-Band On-Channel or IBOC technology
and therefore infringing on U.S. patent no. 5,506,866 or
simply 866 as well as several other associated patents.

The '866 patent is titled "Side-Channel Communications in
Simultaneous Voice and Data Transmission."  It was applied
for in 1993 and granted in 1996 and originally assigned to
AT&T by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.  The
patent specifically describes radio transmission techniques
used in the In Band On-Channel standard adopted by the
National Radio Systems Committee in 2005.

The litigation lists Delaware Radio Technologies as the
exclusive licensee for the technology.  HD Radio developer
iBiquity Digital is not named nor identified in any of the
lawsuits.  That company licenses the HD Radio technology
used by the radio broadcasters.

This is Jeff Clark. K8JAC, reporting.

--

How the broadcast community will respond to this latest
patent infringement claim is not known as we go to air.
(RW)

**

LAW:  ANTI-PATENT TROLL MEASURE PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE AS
ASSERTION COMPANIES READY TO FIGHT BACK

A law against patent trolling is making headway in Congress,
but the trolls appear organizing to fight back.  Amateur
Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has more in this
report:

--

The House Judiciary Committee passed a bill to curb patent
abuse by so-called patent trolls, officially known as Patent
Assertion Companies that buy patents, not to make anything,
but to sue end-users.

The committee sent to the full House a measure titled the
Innovation Act of 2013. Sponsored by Committee Chair
Virginia Republican Bob Goodlatte, the bill seeks to curb
vague demand letters trolls send to end-users that place the
burden on users to prove they're not infringing on a patent,
rather than on the sender to prove they are.

Among other things, the bill requires lawsuit plaintiffs to
specify which patents are at issue and what products
allegedly infringe. The Innovation Act also allows a court
to require the loser in a patent case to pay the winners
costs if the case was not reasonably justified.

But the so-called patent trolls are not sitting idly by
waiting for the end to come.  With millions if not billions
of dollars in future income at stake may have are reported
to be taking on a new role.  This, by doubling as government
lobbyists for their patent-assertion companies.

The newsletter Politico reports that one of America's
largest patent-assertion entities, is investing in lobbying
help to protect its interests on Capitol Hill by pushing
back against legislation designed to curb patent trolls
ability to extract rents from other companies.  Unnamed
sources also told Politico that several patent-assertion
entities are even trying to create their own advocacy group
to give them a larger voice in Washington.  The prospects of
this actually happening are at this point in time unclear.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm, Stephen Kinford, N8WB,
in Wadsworth, Ohio.

--

"Patent Trolls" is an informal term for firms whose only
business is acquiring patents and using them as a basis to
sue other companies even though they don't actually produce
any products based on the patented technology.  And if
congress passes laws to restrict these patent assertion
companies, it's very likely that they will challenge such
regulations all of the way up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
(RW, Politico, BGR)

**

RADIO BUSINESS:  VHF COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE CLOSES

The famed United Kingdom publication VHF
Communications magazine is closing after 45 years of
continuous publication.  A message on the magazine website
says that by the end of 2013 the number of subscribers was
not sufficient to support the magazine.  Also the supply of
articles had become difficult because a lot of good articles
are published direct to the Internet.

From 1969 to 2013, VHF Communications was one of the
foremost construction oriented publication for radio
amateurs and professional RF communications engineers. A DVD
containing the complete collection of magazines is
available.  More is on the web at www.vhfcomm.co.uk
(Southgate)

**

RADIO READING:  ONE FREE ARTICLE FROM QST PER MONTH TO HELP
WITH OUTREACH

The ARRL has a deal that you can't refuse.  This according
to the League's Contact public relations newsletter that
notes that one QST article a month will be made available
free of charge to non League members and the general public.

Traditionally, content from QST has been available only to
members, who have access to the print and digital editions
of the ARRL membership journal.  According to the Contact
article, this has hampered the ARRL's ability to send
articles to the non-amateur community, and consequently,
impacting on other efforts.

Beginning with the December 2013 issue, one QST article per
month from each issue will be made available in PDF format
on the "This Month In QST" page of the ARRL web site.  The
December 2013 article will be on the Colorado flooding of
2013 and Amateur Radio's role in the disaster.  You will
find it at www.arrl.org/this-month-in-QST.  (ARRL)

**

PUBLIC SERVICE:  HAM RADIO VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR 2014 BOSTON
MARATHON

Registration to be a 2014 Boston Marathon ham radio
communications volunteer is now open.  If you'd like to help
out as a radio operator at the Marathon on Monday April 21st
or the smaller races on Saturday April 19th, you can
register at marc.mmra.org.

One note.  Due to security issues, volunteer signup will end
in early March and organizers will not be able to accept
volunteers up to the last minute as has been the case in
years past.  So if you wish to volunteer, please do so as
soon as possible.

Again that URL to volunteer is marc.mmra.org.  (K1IW)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  W5KUB LIVE WEBCAST FROM R & L CUSTOMER
APPRECIATION DAY

W5KUB.COM will be webcasting live the R and L Electronics
Customer Appreciation Day from Hamilton, Ohio on Saturday,
December 14th.   In addition to the actual event, Tom will
also stream forums on D-Star and another by ham radio's Mr.
Audio Bob Heil, K9EID.

The Netcast will begin on Friday December 13th where you can
follow Tom and his crew on their 500 mile trip from Memphis,
Tennessee, to Hamilton, Ohio.  During their airtime from R
and L, there will be a number of special guests.  Those
tuning in and joining the chat room will be eligible for
prizes.  It will all be on-line at w5kub.com.
(W5KUB)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  FCC CHAIR APPOINTED DEFENSE COMMISSIONER

Some names in the news.  FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler has yet
another duty as he is appointed as the Commission's Defense
Commissioner. This position is purely procedural in nature
and pertains to internal organization and delegations of
authority within the structure of the FCC.  The Defense
Commissioner directs the homeland security, national
security and emergency preparedness, and defense activities
of the Commission.  (FCC)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM OF BROADCASTING
NAMES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

John T. Dominic has been named executive director of
the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in West
Chester, Ohio.  This, effective March 1, 2014.

Dominic is a 38-year broadcast veteran, serving as a station
manager at WCET and at Cincinnati Public Television, where
he was instrumental in the consolidation of WCET in
Cincinnati and ThinkTV in Dayton.  He will retire as WCET
executive vice president and station manager in February.

The exhibits at the museum feature the Voice of America at
the VOA-Bethany Ohio station, Media Heritage's Greater
Cincinnati Museum of Broadcast History, the Gray History of
Wireless Museum and the West Chester Amateur Radio
Association.  The museum is also implementing a docent
program and seeks volunteers to learn about the museums and
help lead tours.  (Press release)

**

BREAK 2

This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur.  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)

**


WORLDBEAT:  TOKYO'S FAMED "THE RADIO STORE" CLOSES AFTER 64
YEARS

One of the landmarks that helped to create Tokyo Japan's
famed Akihabara electronics district has closed its doors
for good.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD,
is here with the details:

--

On Saturday evening, November 30th local time the business
known as The Radio Store ceased operations after 64 years.

The Radio Store building opened on March 8, 1950.  It was
the first of Tokyo's electronics superstores, built by ten
of the prominent vendors at the time.

The building originally housed only those first ten stores
but it lead to the creation of business area that eventually
became home to hundreds of other electronics retailers and
gained recognition world-wide.  Its said that The Radio
Store was responsible for giving this area of Tokyo its
Electric Town nickname

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD,
in Berwick, Pennsylvania, here in the USA.

--

The complete story of The Radio Store's rise to fame and its
decision to close can be read at tinyurl.com/Tokyo-Radio-
Store-Closes.  (Southgate, others)

**

WORLDBEAT: CANADIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND HAM
RADIO STUDY GUIDES

The Canadian National Institute for the Blind has recently
confirmed to Radio Amateurs of Canada that it still has
amateur radio study guides and other resources available in
various formats for those who are blind or vision impaired.
If you live in Canada and wish to avail yourself of these
services, please contact Radio Amateurs of Canada which will
assist you in contacting the Canadian National Institute for
the Blind to obtain the assistance that you desire.  (RAC,
VA3GX/ VE2HHH)

**

WORLDBEAT: INTERNATIONAL MUSEUMS WEEKEND 2014 TO GO WORLD
WIDE

John O'Toole, M0HEM, reports that the 2014 International
Museums Weekends will take place on June 14th through the
15th and again on June 21st through the 22nd.

For well over a decade the International Museums Weekend has
been growing particularly in the United Kingdom, but with
only a few radio amateurs taking part from the rest of the
world.  So for 2014 the event administrators are hoping to
turn it into a truly international experience.  As such
stations can be set up from absolutely any type of location
which might be broadly classified as a museum.  This might
include air, railway, radio, agricultural and doll museums.
Even entities such as preserved jails and warships will
qualify.

O'Toole who is the Public Relations manager for the event
says that there is absolutely no cost involved for taking
part, nor is there any charge for any of the International
Museums Weekend Awards.  More details about the event, its
history and how to register can be found at tinyurl.com/imw-
2014.  (M0HEM, Southgate)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  LIVE ISS VIDEO STREAM VIA N2YO.COM

If life aboard the International Space Station interests
you, then listen up.  The N2YO satellite tracking website
also provides limited live video streaming from the
International Space Station.

The Ustream video is available only when the orbiting
complex is in contact with the ground through its high-speed
communications system via NASA's Tracking and Data Relay
Satellite or TDRS System.  During loss of signal periods,
you will see a blue screen.

Since the station orbits the Earth once every 90 minutes, it
sees a sunrise or a sunset every 45 minutes.   When the
station is in darkness and there is established contact, an
external camera video has the ability to provide spectacular
views of city lights below if any are in range.

The URL for live video stream from the ISS can be found at
www.n2yo.com/space-station.  (Southgate)

**

ON THE AIR:  CELEBRATING MONACO HAM RADIO SOCIETY AT 60

On the air, members of the Monaco Ham Radio Society will
celebrate the clubs 60th anniversary by signing 3A60ARM
through December 31st.  Activity is on all bands and modes.
A special QSL card to confirm all contacts will be sent
after March 2014 via bureau.  Sorry but there will be no
electronic QSLing available for this event.  (Press release)


**

ON THE AIR:  VX9MRC TO BE ON 472-479 KHZ DECEMBER 14 - 15

The Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland's Experimental
station VX9MRC has been issued a two-day temporary authority
by Industry Canada.  This to transmit on 472 to 479 kHz on
December 14 and 15th.  The purpose of this special permit is
to call attention to the possible creation of a new amateur
service radio band in Canada while also highlighting the
role ham radio plays in emergency communications.  (RAC)

**

DX

In DX, W8YCM, is currently on his annual trip to Jamaica and
will be active as 6Y5/W8YCM until the new year.  His
operations are mostly on 17 meters using SSB. QSL via his
home callsign.

G0KOK, is currently active as 8P9CC from Barbados and will
be there through mid December.  He uses a FT897D into a
dipole antenna.  QSL via G0KOK.

8P9JB will be operational QRP from Barbados beginning at
1400 UTC on December 13th.  Radio gear consists of an Alinco
DX-70 at 5 to 10 watts out to verticals and wire antennas.
QSL as directed on the air.

F5MCC, will be active stroke FM from Martinique Island
through December 21st. Operations will be on 40 through 10
meters using CW and SSB.  Hewill also activate 4 lighthouses
on the island.  QSL via the bureau to his home callsign.

F5PLC, is currently operational stroke FR from  Reunion
Island. The length of his stay is not known. Activity will
be on the HF bands only QSL via his home callsign, direct or
by the REF Bureau.

K9EL will operate stroke FS from St. Martin between June 8th
to the 27th of 2014. Activity is usually on 160 through 10
meters using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY.  Daily uploads to
ClubLog and LoTW are planned.  QSL via his home callsign.


**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  DECEMBER IS IARU REGION HAM RADIO YOTA
MONTH

And finally this week, following on the heels of the success
of last summers European Youngsters on the Air operating
events comes Youngsters on the Air Operating month. This as
several nations in IARU Region one band together to get
stations on the air with youngsters operating throughout the
month of December and using the YOTA as a suffix in their
callsign.

Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, is the IARU Region 1 Youth
Coordinator.  She tells Amateur Radio Newsline that part of
the event is to break the ice for some already licensed
youngsters by simply getting them to take a microphone in
the hand:

--

PA2LS:  "Now that it's getting bigger, it gives them a
chance to speak with people of their own age"

--

According to Leenders, over the years she has seen both
youth in ham radio as well as the Youngsters on the Air
group growing with more young people participating in the
hobby.

--

PA2LS:  "The youngsters who already have their licenses are
getting more active on the bands and there are also more
youngsters getting ham licenses.  We are also seeing this
with YOTA getting more and more youngsters (taking part)
from all of the countries in Europe."

--

And if this growth keeps up, maybe one-day YOTA could become
a world-wide operating event.

--

PA2LS:  "We would like to grow bigger.  It's now in Europe
but we want to expand it into all of (IARU) Region 1 and
later to the U.S. and to the rest of the world."

--

A truly noble goal but for this year there are only some 17
stations from 14 countries with young operators active using
YOTA suffix calls.  If you hear any of them on the air
please take a moment and give them a QSO.  Remember that its
today's young hams from around the world that will be the
future developers of technologies of tomorrow.  They will
also be the ones carrying on the traditions of amateur radio
for decades to come.

More information about Europe's Youth on the Air program is
on the web at www.ham-yota.eu  (Southgate, PA2LS)

**


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, TWiT-TV and Australia's WIA News, 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

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

Amateur Radio NewslineT is Copyright 2013.  All rights
reserved.