Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1954 February 27 2015

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1954 February 27 2015



Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1954 with a release date of Friday, February 27th, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.


The following is a QST. Ham radio responds as a pair of tropical cyclones hit Australia; the FCC and the Food and Drug Administration look the future of medical remote electronics; printed FCC issued ham licenses come to an end; stunning images received from the latest ISS slow scan television experiment and the nominating period opens for the 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award. Find out the details on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1954 coming your way right now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


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RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO RESPONDS AS TWO CYCLONES HIT AUSTRALIA


Hams down under offered up a quick response after a strong cyclone came ashore. Here is Graham Kemp VK4BB with more;


[GRAHAM:] Amateur Radio volunteers with Australia's Central Queensland Amateur Radio Association called up emergency response nets on both the High Frequency and VHF bands in the wake of category 5 cyclone Marcia that came ripping ashore the weekend of February 20th. After making landfall, Marcia swept across Queensland state leaving 1,500 homes damaged, while downing trees and power lines. Upward of 50,000 residents were without electrical mains power and the cyclone also interrupted several normal lines of communications including telephone service. Also impacted was the Optus wireless mobile network in some cyclone affected areas of Queensland.


Ham radio was quick to respond with volunteers from the Central Queensland Amateur Radio Association reported active on 40 meters at 7098 KHz and on 2 meters. At the same time, several Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network or WICEN groups were on stand-by alert to assist emergency responders if called on to do so. The nature of traffic being passed was not specified.


News reports say that Marcia which packed winds of up to 155 miles an hour when it made landfall was one of two cyclones which hit northern Australia within hours of one another. The first was tropical cyclone Lam. It impacted remote communities in the Northern Territory near Elcho Island, some 300 miles east of the city of Darwin. Cyclone Lam was soon downgraded to a tropical depression.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB reporting from Queensland, Australia.


[JIM:] If there is any good news out of all of this, it is that no deaths were reported as a result of either storm, but clean-up efforts and the restoration of electricity in a number of storm ravaged areas will likely take some time. (VK3PC, sunshinecoastdaily.com, gizmodo.com)


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REGULATORY: FCC AND FDA TO HOLD JOINT WORKSHOP ON USE OF WIRELESS MEDICAL DEVICE TEST BEDS


The Federal Communications Commission and the Food and Drug Administration will join forces on March 31st to host a public workshop on the role of wireless medical test beds and their influence on the development of converged medical technology for clinical and non-clinical settings. We get more on the story from Heather Embee KB3TZD:


[HEATHER:] A wireless test bed is an environment where devices can be evaluated across a range of interference scenarios. As the rapid pace of innovation blurs traditional boundaries between consumer health technology, medical devices, and communications, the two agencies seek to better understand how wireless test beds can be used and configured to meet the challenges and to take advantage of the opportunities this convergence presents. Consumers are increasingly using wireless health and care management tools at home and the emergence of the hospital in the home concept opens new areas of medical technology innovation that must take into account the need for wireless devices to co-exist.


The workshop is another step in the ongoing Federal Communications Commission and Food and Drug Administration collaboration in promoting innovative medical technologies and is being organized by the Connect 2 Health FCC Task Force, the FCC Office of Engineering and Technology, and the F-D-A Center for Devices and Radiologic Health. Topics may include the need for and scope of wireless medical device test beds, an overview of current public and private test bed programs and initiatives, a discussion of ideal features, functions and gaps of such programs, and how best to drive innovation and safe co-existence of wireless medical technologies.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee KB3TZD in Burwick, Pennsylvania.



[JIM:] Since exact spectrum that might be used to implement some of these wireless medical test beds is not yet a part of the discussion, the way in which decisions made at this and any future gatherings might impact on bands assigned to use by amateur radio cannot be speculated. But with all spectrum from DC to light under intense scrutiny by numerous interests it will be important for the political leaders of the ham radio community to keep a close eye as this issue. (Adapted from FCC Press Release)


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RADIO LAW: NO MORE PRINTED AMATEUR RADIO LICENSES BEING ISSUED BY FCC


In case you have not yet heard, waiting to receive your ham license in the mail is now a thing of the past, unless you have specifically requested it. As of February 17, the FCC stopped routinely issuing paper license documents to amateur licensees, noting that inclusion in the Commission's online database has for several years been the official record of a ham's authorization to operate.


Amateur radio licensees may print out official copies as well as unofficial "reference copies" of their licenses via the FCC's Universal Licensing System database or may request the issuance of a paper document.


In its commentary filing while the matter was in its proposal stage, the ARRL had asked that new licensees continue to receive paper licenses, along with instructions on how to set up their Universal Licensing System accounts for future license renewals and upgrades. But the FCC declined, saying applicants or licensees who include e-mail addresses with their applications will receive an official electronic authorization via e-mail. '


The Commission says the change will save it over $300,000 a year. (CQ)


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HAM RADIO IN SPACE: STUNNING IMAGES RECEIVED FROM ISS SSTV


The latest International Space Station Slow Scan Television transmissions have already produced some great pictures!


[DON:] According to a posting on the AMSAT Bulletin Board, Greg Dolkas, KO6TH, of Auburn, California, says that he never received a clearer SSTV picture from anywhere, let alone outer space.


The transmitter on the ISS uses 5 kHz deviation FM. If your radio has selectable FM filters make sure you choose the wider setting designed for 20 or 25 kHz channel spacing, usually marked FM or FM Wide. Most newer FM transceivers contain this feature. The Slow Scan mode used PD180, with a three minute off time between transmissions.


At least a dozen different images depicting Yuri Gagarin who was the first human to orbit Earth were transmitted on 145.800 MHz during this test. According to Clint Bradford, K6LCS, also writing on the AMSAT Bulletin Board, receiving SSTV from the ISS really can be simple. Bradford noted that for his first time ever, he simply fired up a $3 iOS application and held his iPod Touch near a Yaesu FT-60R's speaker. That in turn let him download one of the images from the ISS.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW in South Mississippi.


[JIM:] Pictures received so far by radio amateurs world-wide can be viewed on-line at tinyurl.com/february-ariss-sstv. This is a stunning display of the best that Slow Scan Amateur Television has to offer. (Southgate, AMAT-BB, spaceflightsoftware.com)


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DX UP FRONT: EI8A FROM IRELAND MARCH AND APRIL


IN DX up Front, word that ON4EI will be in Ireland from March 2nd through the end of April where he will use the call EI8GQB, He will also be on the air as E-eye-one-A during the ARRL International DX SSB, the Russian DX and CQ World Wide contests. QSL's go direct or via the bureau. For electronic QSL's file via Logbook of the World. (OPDX)


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DX UP FRONT: VK2IAY/9 FROM LORD HOWE ISLAND IN DECEMBER


And G0UIH who also holds the callsigns VK2IAY and 3D2FE will be operating holiday-style from Lord Howe Island as VK2IAY/9 from December 16th to the 23rd. He plans to use SSB only on 20, 17, 15 and 10 meters, although other bands could be added. On returning to Australia in January of 2016 there is a good chance of him activating other Islands on the Air references, although nothing has yet been confirmed. A special QSL sponsored by Vortex Antenna Systems will be available in early 2016. QSL is via G0UIH direct or via the bureau. (Southgate)


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BREAK 1


Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KD2SL repeaters serving Syracuse, New York.


(5 sec pause here)


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WITH NEWSLINE; NOMINATING PERIOD OPEN FOR 2015 YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR AWARD


Amateur Radio Newsline is seeking nominations for its 2015 Young Ham of the Year Award. For consideration, a nominee must have used amateur radio in some way that has benefited his or her community or encouraged technological development directly or indirectly related to communications.


Nominees must be 19 years or younger, and reside in the United States including Hawaii, Alaska, and Puerto Rico, or any of the Canadian Provinces.. The individual must also hold a currently valid United States or Canadian Amateur Radio license.


This award is not a contest. The person selected as Young Ham of the Year is judged on his or her overall accomplishments and contributions. Any prizes awarded are secondary in nature.


For example, a youngster whose only claim to fame is that of being licensed as an extra at age 5 would not necessarily be judged as having made a significant contribution to the Amateur Radio Service. On the other hand, a 14 or 15 year-old Technician running a Net during a major disaster or whose experimentation has advanced the state of the art in science or technology would definitely be given consideration.


The deadline for submitting an application is May 30th 2015 and the decision of the judging committee is final. To obtain an application, send a self addressed, stamped envelope to 2015 Young Ham of the Year Award c/o Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Ave. Santa Clarita, CA 91350. You can also download a form in Microsoft Word format at www.arnewsline.org/yhoty/ and clicking on the word "here." Instructions on what documentation is required and how to file is included on the nominating form. (ARNewsline)


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ENFORCEMENT: FCC SAYS NO TO VENUES BLOCKING WI FI HOTSPOTS


The Federal Communications Commission has issued an Enforcement Advisory stating that venues blocking Wi-Fi in hotels is unequivocally prohibited. Stephan Kinford N8WB has more:


[STEPHAN:] In its release, the regulatory agency said that its Enforcement Bureau has seen a disturbing trend in which hotels and other commercial establishments block wireless consumers from using their own personal Wi-Fi hot spots on the commercial establishment's premises. As a result, the Bureau is protecting consumers by aggressively investigating and acting against such unlawful intentional interference.


The statement issued in late January is a definitive one that leaves no room what so ever for interpretation, It bluntly states that persons or businesses causing intentional interference to Wi-Fi hotspots are subject to enforcement action.


As previously reported, in October of 2014 the FCC fined Marriott $600,000 for blocking customers personal Wi-Fi hotspots at a Nashville, Tennessee, branch. Although Marriott paid the fine it also filed a request for rulemaking with the commission, asking that Wi-Fi blocking be permitted. Marriott's reasoning was that it could better manage the security of its own network if it blocked unauthorized Wi-Fi broadcasts.


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


[JIM:] The entire FCC order is at tinyurl.com/p67lveu


(FCC)


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RESCUE RADIO: WASHINGTON DC MAYOR ORDERS FIRE RADIOS OPERATE UNENCRYPTED


Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered the D.C. fire department to stop encrypting its emergency radios. The order came on February 12th in the wake of the deadly smoke incident aboard a Metro train last month, but the mayor said that the order was not in reaction to the incident.


Metro officials and firefighters had stated previously that there were communication problems. According to the firefighters union, the encryption system played a part in those issues.


However, Mayor Bowser's administration says that the radio system was under review before her inauguration weeks before the incident at Metro. But the radios came under intense scrutiny when firefighters at the scene of the incident inside the Metro station couldn't communicate with crews above the ground. The radio communications are now open to the public, according to the mayor's spokesperson. (EMSI, other published news reports)


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EDUCATION: MOUSER TEAMS WITH TI TO SPONSOR INNOVATION CHALLENGES FOR UNIVERSITY ENGINEERING STUDENTS


Mouser Electronics has announced that for the third year in a row the company will sponsor Texas Instruments Innovation Challenge European Design Contest. This is a competition to encourage engineering students in specific parts of the world to submit design projects that utilize Texas Instruments technology. First prize is $10,000 with the second place winner receiving $5000. Prizes will be awarded to the best entries as determined by the judges.


The contest is open to individuals and teams of up to five undergraduate and graduate students at all accredited universities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. To compete, students must use two or more Texas Instruments analogue ICs and a Texas Instruments Processor in their design project. Entries will be judged on five criteria. These are originality and creativity of design, real world application, level of engineering analysis, usage of Texas Instruments ICs and processors and a working demonstration of design in a video.


Mouser is also sponsoring the Texas Instruments Innovation Challenge North American Design Contest. This competition which has similar rules is open to students at all accredited universities in Canada, Mexico and the United States including Puerto Rico. It has a $10,000 first prize, a $7500 second place prize and a $5000 third place award. Complete information on the North American competition including an on-line registration form and a video explaining the contest is on the web at tinyurl.com/mouser-ti-innovation-challenge (Power Systrems Design)


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ON THE WEB: NEW INTERVIEW ABOUT CQ MAGAZINE ON HAM RADIO NOW


“CQ Comes Clean” is the title of a video interview conducted at the recent Orlando Hamcation by Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, of Ham Radio Now with the magazine's editor Rich Moseson, W2VU. In it, Moseson very candidly talks about the current status of CQ explaining the publication problems the company has faced, and what's being done to catch up on delivery of the print edition of
the magazine.


[W2VU] “We are this close to getting ourselves on schedule. We do encounter a new obstacle every now and then that throws us back a step but we are reaching closer as we go there.”


Moseson and Pearce also delve into the problems facing virtually every publication attempting to enter the digital world.


[W2VU] “It's been a very challenging year. Its a tough time tough time to be in the publishing business. Nothing of whats going on is unique to us. Its an experience that's being shared by publishers of magazines being published all over the place.


“So its a very tough time to be in the magazine business. Print is having its difficulties but digital isn't really catching fire to compensate for it both in terms of people wanting to read magazines on their digital devices or in terms of advertisers wanting to advertise in a digital only format.”


[Jim] The two also discuss those now coming into amateur radio and finding ways to try and get them to try other aspects of the hobby other than the singular interest that brought them in.


The interview runs just a bit over an hour and is episode 190 at the Ham Radio Now website. The direct link is tinyurl.com/CQ-video-update. (HRN, Southgate)


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HAM READING: FREE CQ-DATV 20 MAGAZINE OUT NOW


The latest issue of the free electronic amateur television magazine CQ-DATV is now available. Included in the latest issue are articles dealing with DATV on 2 meters, Known DATV DX Records, SSB with a 10 GHz Low Noise LNB amplifier plus the latest DATV news. To download your copy simply go to tinyurl.com/cq-datv-20, (Southgate)


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RADIO EDUCATION: HAM RADIO SATELLITE TUTORIAL VIDEOS RELEASED


David Casler, KE0OG, has released a series of tutorial videos for the US Extra class license two of which cover amateur radio satellites. The first deals with Orbital Mechanics and the second covers the radio aspects of amateur satellites. You can see these and all the others on-line at tinyurl.com/dave-casler-video (Southgate)


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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)


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HAM HAPPENINGS: SOUTH EAST VHF SOCIETY CONFERENCE IN APRIL


The 2015 Southeastern VHF Society conference will be held April 24th and 25th at the Morehead State University Space Science Center in Morehead, Kentucky. Conference registration form, hotel information, call for papers and other information can be found at svhfs.org. (W4KXY)


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HAM HAPPENINGS: UK 6 METER GROUP CREATING GLOBAL 6 METER REPEATER LIST


The United Kingdom Six Meter Group is expanding its current 6 meter repeater list to include 50 MHz repeaters operating anywhere in the world. As such, it is looking for a volunteer in each nation that permits 6 meter amateur radio operations to gather this information and collate such a list for their country. Once completed, the information should be sent by e-mail to G8FXM at webmaster (at) uksmg (dot) org. More is on line at uksmg.org/landing.php (G8FXM)


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HAM HAPPENINGS: K5B TO COMMEMORATE BATAAN DEATH MARCH


Special Events Station K5B will be in operation on March 22nd. This operation will be for the 26th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March Marathon event and held at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The event honors the victims and survivors of the Bataan Death March that took place in the Philippines during World War II and will operate from several different locations in the Las Cruces area. More information is available on the web at www.bataanmarch.com (WB4AEJ)


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NAMES IN THE NEWS: FCC CHAIRMAN TOM WHEELER TO ADDRESS 2015 NAB SHOW


Some names in the news. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler will speak at the 2015 National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Wednesday, April 15th His address will take place from 9 to10 a.m. local time where Wheeler is expected to provide insight into the FCC's policy and regulatory objectives related to broadcasting, technology and communications law generally. Tom Wheeler became the 31st Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission in November of 2013. (Broadcast Quarterly)


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NAMES IN THE NEWS: RECORD HOLDING US ASTRONAUT HAM RENEWS LICENSE


Astronaut Michael Fincke, KE5AIT recently renewed his Amateur Radio license through February 18, 2025. Fincke served on ISS Expedition 9 from April 18th to October 23rd of 2004 as well as Expedition 18 that began on October 12, 2008 and ended April 8th 2009. His last venture into space was on the STS-134 flight of the space shuttle Endeavor. That mission ran May 16th to June 1st, 2011 and delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and an ExPRESS Logistics Carrier to the International Space Station. As such, at 381.6 days, KE5AIT currently holds the American record for the most time in space. (ANS, Wikipedia, NASA)


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NAMES IN THE NEWS: N1UL TO RECEIVE I.I. RABI AWARD FROM IEEE


And congratulations to Dr. Ulrich Rohde, N1UL, on his being named by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers to receive the prestigious I. I. Rabi Award for 2015. The award recognizes outstanding contributions related to the fields of atomic and molecular frequency standards, and time transfer and dissemination. Dr. Rohde, who is the chairman of Synergy Microwave Corporation and President of Communications Consulting Corporation, will receive the Rabi Award at the 2015 Joint Conference of the IEEE International Frequency Control Symposium and European Frequency and Time Forum, held April 12th through the 16th in Denver, Colorado. (IEEE, ARRL)


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RADIO FROM SPACE: JPL PLANS 2401 MHZ LUNAR RANGING EXPERIMENT MARCH 3


NASA's Pasadena, California-based Jet Propulsion Lab will transmit a narrow band signal at about 2041 MHz to illuminate a spot on the moon probably centered on the Tycho crater. The experiment will take place early in the morning of March 3rd between about 06:30 to 09:00 UTC.


JPL will be transmitting about 20 kilowatts from a 34 meter aperture antenna. They are planning to have three distinct transmission modes. Two will be a CW carrier, and a third will include a PN ranging code on the signal, probably changing every 45 minutes. The signals should be easy to detect with even a small receive antenna. (ANS)




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ON THE AIR: ERITREA PROJECT 2015 FROM MARCH 6 To 17


On the air, the SEISA Foundation for Global Children has announced that its next operation will be Eritrea Project 2015. As part of this project, the group will conduct a DXpedition from Asmara, Eritrea, from March 6th to 17th. A multi-national team consisting of Team Leader Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT, and eight other operators will use four transceivers with ACOM amplifiers. Antennas will be beams on the higher bands with verticals on 160 through 30 meters. Their callsign will be assigned on their arrival in Asmara. QSL's go via M0URX. (JA1TRC)


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DX


In DX, A Uruguay DX Group will be operating from the Red Cross Headquarters in St. Maarten as PJ7C through March 9th. Activity will be holiday style with 2 stations running 500 watts into 3 elements plus 1/4 wave verticals on lower bands. Modes will be CW and SSB, and on 80 through10 meters. QSL via the operations manager EB7DX.


HB9EBT will be active as D44TEG from Tarrafal, Sao Tiago Island between March 15th to the 27th. Operations will be on 40 through 10 meters CW only. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the bureau.


NL8F will be active stroke from HP3AK QTH in Chiriqui, Panama through March 9th. Operations will be on the High Frequency bands only. QSL via K8NA


WS5K is active as PJ4F from Bonaire until March 15th. Activity is on the various HF bands. QSL via M0URX or electronically using Logbook of the World.


(This weeks DX news courtesy of the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter)


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THAT FINAL ITEM: VOA RADIOGRAM HAS BROADCAST ITS 100TH PROGRAM


And finally this week, if you just happen have access to an older analog shortwave broadcast transmitter and are wondering what to do with it, just ask the Voice of America. That's because its found a novel use of one of its own and created a program for it as we hear from Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB:




[KIM:] VOA Radiogram has broadcast its 100th program. VOA Radiogram is an experimental Voice of America program on which digital text modes familiar to amateur radio are transmitted on a 50-year-old analog AM shortwave broadcast transmitter in North Carolina. The half-hour show is on the air four times each weekend.


The idea is that shortwave radio can be used to communicate text and images when the Internet is disrupted by dictators, disasters, or other factors.


In the early weeks of VOA Radiogram, digital modes were tested side by side, including the various flavors of BPSK, QPSK, MT63, Olivia, and Thor. Reports have been received from shortwave listeners and radio amateurs throughout Europe and North America, as well as Latin America and Asia, and even from New Zealand, 14000 kilometers from the transmitter.


Ultimately, it was MFSK that worked best on the shortwave broadcast transmitter. Specifically, MFSK32 so far provides the best combination of speed, 120 words per minute, and performance under typical shortwave reception conditions. Furthermore, MFSK can be used to transmit images as well as text.


Digital text works on any existing shortwave transmitter, with no modifications necessary. And it can be received on any radio, including cheap portables with no sideband capability.


The results show that digital text via analog shortwave transmitter often results in 100 percent copy even in conditions where voice broadcasts are difficult to understand. Digital text via analog shortwave has even been effective against jamming.


For more information about the program, including the transmission schedule, visit the website voaradiogram.net.


For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kim Andrew Elliott, KD9XB, in Arlington, Virginia.


[Jim]: Again, the website for more information about VOA Radiogram is at voaradiogram.net.


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NEWSCAST CLOSE


With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, 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 Newsline. Our e-mail address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350.


For now, for producers Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF in Los Angeles and Skeeter Nash, N5ASH in Topeka, plus our news team world wide, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West Virginia, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.


Amateur Radio Newsline is copyright 2015 and all rights are reserved.