Volume 18, Number 10 (March 5, 1999)

The ARRL Letter Index
ARRL Audio News

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IN THIS EDITION:

+Available on ARRL Audio News

AMATEUR RADIO SPECTRUM PROTECTION ACT OF 1999 INTRODUCED

It's round two in Congress for the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act. At the request of the ARRL, Rep Michael Bilirakis introduced the 1999 version of the proposed legislation, HR 783, on February 23.

The bill is aimed at ensuring the availability of spectrum to Amateur Radio operators. It would protect existing Amateur Radio spectrum against reallocations to or sharing with other services unless the FCC provides "equivalent replacement spectrum" elsewhere. Bilirakis, a Florida Republican, also sponsored last year's measure, which attracted upwards of 83 cosponsors on both sides of the aisle. Rep Frank Pallone Jr, a New Jersey Democrat, is the initial cosponsor of the 1999 bill.

ARRL Legislative and Public Affairs Manager Steve Mansfield, N1MZA, says the 1999 bill "is largely the same as last year's HR 3572." The major difference is that the 1999 version adds "Amateur Satellite Service" frequencies to "Amateur Radio Service" in detailing the frequencies that would be afforded protection under the act.

Specifically, HR 783 would amend the Communications Act to require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to Amateur Radio and the Amateur Satellite Service in the event of a reallocation of primary amateur allocations, any reduction in secondary amateur allocations, or "additional allocations within such bands that would substantially reduce the utility thereof" to amateurs.

Mansfield said it's too soon to predict how HR 783 will fare in the new Congress, but said the fact that it has been introduced so early in the session "bodes well for our prospects." He said that a number of the cosponsors from last year already have indicated an interest in signing on again, "so I think we'll have a lot of support."

Mansfield also hopes the bill can take advantage of a desire on the part of the House leadership to move a lot of legislation through this year. "I'm hoping our bill will get caught up in their enthusiasm," he said.

A copy of the measure is available via the Thomas Web site, http://thomas.loc.gov/

BAY AREA REPEATER SHUT DOWN AFTER FCC ORDER

The San Francisco area's K7IJ Grizzly Peak repeater system is off the air in the wake of an FCC shut-down order, and the FCC's amateur radio enforcer Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, says he's been in touch by telephone with the repeater's licensee and owner, Bruce Wachtell of Carson City, Nevada. Citing what it called "an alarming and unacceptable lack of control over the operations of these repeaters," the FCC had notified Wachtell that it was ordering his system shut down for 120 days as of midnight, February 28. The K7IJ system includes repeaters for the 146, 222, and 440 MHz bands.

Wachtell, 64, a shipboard operator on a container vessel, has been at sea in the Pacific and did not receive the FCC's notification. Subsequent efforts to reach him by satellite telephone proved unsuccessful. On March 2, after he had not heard from Wachtell and was unable to contact him, Hollingsworth got the repeater site owner to shut down the four K7IJ machines and lock out access. Hollingsworth said he considered the K7IJ system "a runaway repeater" since the licensee apparently was not in control and was unavailable to the FCC.

Hollingsworth said that while he and Wachtell had a generally fruitful conversation, the repeater will remain shut down, and the FCC still expects Wachtell to respond fully and in writing to FCC inquiries. In his letter to Wachtell, Hollingsworth requested a reply within 30 days as to "any detailed steps you may propose to take to correct the operational problems with your repeater system and in regard to the control operator."

In the meantime, the FCC continues to look into "actions and omissions" of the individual identified as the K7IJ control operator, Blake B. Jenkins, N6YSA, as well as the conduct of an alleged secondary control operator Steven R. Rossi, KE6LNH. Hollingsworth said the FCC has information indicating that Jenkins "invited unlicensed operators to use the repeater, encouraged jamming, and has otherwise taken no action to control the repeater systems to ensure compliance with our rules."

The K7IJ shutdown has put some repeater operators into a panic, Hollingsworth said. "There is no general cause for alarm," he advised. The only repeater owners who need to be worried are those who fail to maintain control over their repeaters, he said.

In a related move, the FCC also set aside recent license grants or upgrades of four operators while it continues its investigation. The FCC said three of the four--James C. Walker, KF6VAA; Michael J. Nichols, KF6UAS; and Eric B. Shuler, KF6BMG (ex-KF6UJU)--used the K7IJ system before obtaining their amateur licenses. The Commission said it had evidence that the fourth operator, Gordon B. Reese III, KF6QKA, was "engaging in rebroadcasts of cordless telephone calls and other broadcasting, along with profanity & obscenity." The FCC has permitted Reese, who had just upgraded to Tech Plus, to retain his Technician operating privileges for now. Hollingsworth said he's been in touch with all four individuals and will carefully consider their written explanations.

The FCC also issued warnings to Mervyn Ehambrave about alleged unlicensed operation on the K7IJ repeater, and to Timmy O Sheen Sr, N6MZA, about alleged jamming and rebroadcasts of cordless phones.

HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES 1999 AWARD WINNERS

Kenneth M. Miller, K6IR, of Rockville, Maryland, has been named the Dayton Hamvention's 1999 Amateur of the Year. Miller was cited for "leadership, vision and dedication exhibited during his nearly 60 years of continuous involvement in Amateur Radio." Miller says he was very surprised and honored when he got the word from Hamvention Awards chair Cathi Hoskins, N8ZCQ.

First licensed in 1940 as W9NQT, Miller has remained an active amateur and premier Honor Roll DXer. He's a member of the Potomac Valley Radio Club and the National Capital DX Association as well as a Director of the Radio Club of America. Now retired, he once headed Penril Corp, a multimillion dollar international manufacturer of modems and other electronic devices. He also is a former executive with LearJet and Wilcox Electronics.

The Hamvention's Technical Excellence award will go to Alfonso R. Torres, KP4AQI, of Huber Heights, Ohio, recognized for "his numerous designs and inventions that have enhanced the art and science of Amateur Radio operations."

Special Achievement Award winner Paul D. Lieb, KH6HME, of Hilo, Hawaii, was cited for "his pioneering and record-setting work in tropospheric ducting and VHF, UHF and microwave communications." Miller and Lieb are ARRL life members. The award winners were announced March 1. The awards will be presented at the 1999 Dayton Hamvention banquet May 15.--Dayton Hamvention

HAARP TO CONDUCT LISTENING, AMATEUR TESTS

The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility in Alaska, will conduct a second HAARP Listening Test in late March. HAARP also will conduct an Amateur Radio experiment earlier in the month.

HAARP will transmit March 26 0800-0830 UTC and March 27 0700-0730 UTC, seeking reports from hams and SWLs in Alaska and in the "Lower 48." The HAARP facility rarely transmits, but its previous listening test in March 1997 was so successful that it has decided to conduct another one.

The listening test transmissions will be on or about 3.4 MHz and 6.99 MHz. HAARP will send a CW message and request signal strength reports. HAARP's Ed Kennedy, K3NS, points out that the test times are early ones for those on the East Coast, but he says they represent the best chance for listeners in that part of the world to hear HAARP. "They lost out last time due to poor propagation conditions," he said.

The 1999 listening test will begin on the hour on 6.99 MHz with an ID, followed by three four-minute periods of carrier only for signal-strength measurements, then a CW message. A somewhat shorter test will begin at 20 minutes past the hour on 3.39 MHz, with an ID, followed by one four-minute carrier and a CW message. QSLs will be available only for reports mailed to HAARP, PO Box 271, Gakona, AK 99586

HAARP also will conduct what Kennedy calls "a true Amateur Radio experiment" in conjunction with the March research effort. The ham experiment, March 20, 2200-2400 UTC, is being organized by Ed Cole, AL7EB, with cooperation from several participants in Alaska and Canada. As Kennedy explains it, "HAARP will attempt to generate field-aligned irregularities in the F-region over the HAARP facility, and the participants will attempt to establish communication links by scattering VHF signals off the FAI."

Each HAARP transmitter can produce 10 kW of RF output between 2.8 and 10 MHz. For the listening test, HAARP will use all 48 available antenna elements but run transmitters at half power, around 480 kW. During the Amateur Radio test on March 20, HAARP will run full power--960 kW.

HAARP's stated scientific purpose is to study "the properties and behavior of the ionosphere, with particular emphasis on being able to understand and use it to enhance communications and surveillance systems for both civilian and defense purposes." For more information, see "The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program" (QST, Sep 1996, p 33) or visit the HAARP Web site.

A panoramic view of the HAARP antennas. [HAARP photo]

WRTC 2000 SITE, SCHEDULE, TEAM ALLOCATIONS SET

The site, schedule, and team allocations have been announced for the next World Radiosport Team Championship. The international Amateur Radio competition will be held in the tourist city of Bled, Slovenia, July 8-9, 2000, concurrent with the IARU HF World Championship event. The 2000 event will be sponsored by The Slovenia Contest Club, which sent a large group of contesters to the last world event, WRTC 96, in the San Francisco Bay area. The top-scoring team from that event--Jeff Steinman, N5TJ (ex-KR0Y) and Dan Street, K1TO--will defend their title in next year's WRTC as one of two special teams.

WRTC 2000 Organizational Committee member Tine Brajnik, S50A, said 15 teams have been allocated to North America--12 US, 2 Canadian, and 1 wild-card. Europe will field 25 teams, including five wild-card teams, while Asia gets six, South America three, and Africa and Oceania one each, both selected as wild cards by the WRTC organizer. As WRTC 2000 organizer, the Slovenia Contest Club will field a second special team for the event.

Branjik said the national team allocations were based upon the number of contest logs that beat respective continent-average scores in different categories. Wild-card teams will be picked from the list of applicants, he said. He invited applications via e-mail to scc@bit.si or via mail to Slovenia Contest Club, Saveljska 50, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

While the on-air competition will cover only July 8-9, the official WRTC 2000 events schedule begins July 5 with the opening of the contest office and a picnic for competitors and concludes with a closing ceremony, dinner, and awards July 10. For more information, visit the official WRTC 2000 site.

VELCRO TO HOLD FIRST ISS HAM HARDWARE

Velcro will be used to hold initial Amateur Radio gear in place aboard the gravity-free environment of the International Space Station. Since the Russian-built Service Module lacks rack space for amateur equipment, the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station ham gear will be attached to the wall using Velcro. The use of Velcro to keep tools and equipment in place has become widespread over the years on the space shuttles as well as aboard the Russian Mir space station.

ISS Amateur Radio equipment development by ARISS volunteers continues in the wake of January meetings in Houston of most ARISS partners. During the gatherings at NASA's Johnson Space Center, ARISS Hardware Team leader Lou McFadin, W5DID, said initial development of Amateur Radio for the ISS supports the start-small-and-get-bigger approach to Amateur Radio deployment on the ISS recommended by ARISS-Russian's Sergej Sambourov, RV3DR.

Sambourov confirmed that four dual-use antenna feedthroughs have been installed on the Russian ISS Service Module. Plans call for these feedthroughs to support both Amateur Radio operations and ISS proximity video capability during Russian and US spacewalks. Cables have been installed internal to the Service Module to attach the four feedthroughs to the ARISS-coordinated Amateur Radio station.

ARISS Hardware Team members also have agreed on antenna design concepts, including a VHF/UHF antenna for 2 meters and 70 cm, and a flat, spiral antenna that will serve for an amateur radio L and S-band antenna. Yet to be defined is an antenna for HF. Sambourov says the antenna systems would be mounted on handrails near the back of the Service Module during spacewalks. Antennas would be secured using a clothespin-type clamp provided by Energia. The ARISS US and Italian teams will supply the antennas, diplexer, and mounting plate.

The ARISS team will provide training hardware for the equipment to be housed in the Service Module as well as antennas and antenna mockups for EVA training in Russia.

AMATEUR RADIO FORUM SLATED FOR HURRICANE CONFERENCE

A ham radio forum is on the schedule for this year's National Hurricane Conference, March 29 to April 2 at the Omni Rosen Hotel, Orlando, Florida. The forum, "The Role Of Amateur Radio In Hurricane Communications," takes place March 30, from 1 until 5 PM.

"This is a great opportunity for emergency planners and amateur licensees alike to gain a fuller understanding of Amateur Radio in the context of major hurricane disaster planning and operations," said ARRL Field Services Manager Rick Palm, who will be among the presenters. "The programs have been well-received at past conferences."

The program, moderated by conference vice chairman T. Michael Carter, N3PDK, features segments on Amateur Radio operations in support of state and local disaster relief, wide-area Amateur Radio hurricane operations, and a roundtable discussion on the future of Amateur Radio emergency communications.

In addition to Palm, presenters include National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio coordinator John McHugh, KU4GY, and Hurricane Watch Net Manager Jerry Herman, N3BDW.

Discussion topics include an overview of Amateur Radio disaster operations, Amateur Radio operations in the Florida Keys, panhandle, and Caribbean during Hurricane Georges; the role of ARRL Headquarters; the Hurricane Watch Net; National Hurricane Center operations; and National Red Cross Disaster Operations Center Amateur Radio operations.

All hams are welcome at the forum and do not have to register for the conference. For more information, contact Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce@arrl.org.

1999 YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS OPEN

Nominations are due May 30, 1999, for the Amateur Radio Newsline 1999 Young Ham of the Year (YHOTY). Now in its second decade, the YHOTY award goes each year to a US amateur 18 or younger who has used Amateur Radio to significantly contribute to the benefit of the hobby, to the state of the communications art, to the community or to the nation.

To obtain an official application, send an SASE to 1999 Young Ham of the Year Award, Newsline, 28197 Robin Ave, Santa Clarita, CA 91350. Nomination applications also are available at http://www.arnewsline.org.

The award presentation is scheduled take place at the 1999 Huntsville Hamfest in August. The 1999 Young Ham of the Year also will spend a week at Spacecamp in Huntsville.

Newsline editor Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, says the purpose of the YHOTY Award is "to highlight the accomplishments of the nation's many young radio hobbyists, and to encourage the entry of more young people into the exciting and rewarding hobby of Amateur Radio." Corporate sponsors include Yaesu USA and CQ magazine. The 1998 YHOTY was Richard Paczkowski Jr, KF4BIA, of Edgewater, Florida.--Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF

SOLAR UPDATE

Solar solon Tad Cook, K7VVV Seattle, Washington, reports: Average sunspot numbers for the past week were up when compared to the previous week, while average solar flux was down. How could this be? If you look at a graph of the two indices at http://www.dxlc.com/solar/ or http://www.wm7d.net/hamradio/solar/, you can see that a recent minimum followed by a rise in solar flux lagged sunspot numbers. So the minimum solar flux of 115.1 occurred during the past week, while the minimum sunspot number of 38 was during the previous week.

Geomagnetic conditions have been active, with A indices in the double-digits over most of the past week. The worst day was March 1, when the planetary A index was 33 and the K index was four or five for most of the day. This is generally bad for HF, but often provides interesting VHF propagation. N5JHV received television signals from New Zealand, and V73AT was hearing California Highway Patrol around 42 MHz on Monday.

For the ARRL International DX Phone Contest this weekend, look for improving conditions with a rising solar flux of 150, 158 and 165 March 5-7. Geomagnetic conditions should settle down, indicated by a falling planetary A index of 18, 15 and 9 for those same days. The first day of the contest may be a little rough, with geomagnetic conditions possibly unsettled to active.

After the weekend expect the solar flux to peak near 200 around March 13, then drop below 170 five days later, then down to 130 on March 21, and 120 from March 23 until the end of the month. Days with possible unsettled to active geomagnetic conditions are March 10 and 11 and 27 and 28.

Sunspot numbers for February 25 through March 3 were 66, 70, 93, 145, 127, 143 and 148 with a mean of 113.1. The 10.7-cm flux was 119.5, 115.6, 115.1, 123, 120.2, 129.9 and 137, with a mean of 122.9. The estimated planetary A indices were 7, 3, 5, 14, 33, 18 and 15, with a mean of 13.6.

In Brief:

This weekend on the radio: The ARRL International DX Contest (SSB) is the weekend of March 5-7. See December 1998 QST, page 97, for details. Just ahead: The QCWA QSO Party, the Missouri QSO Party, the Wisconsin QSO Party, the World Wide Locator Contest, and the RSGB Commonwealth Contest (CW) are March 13-14. The CLARA and Family HF Contest is March 16-17. See March QST, page 96, for details on most of these events.

Vanity update: The FCC reports it has processed vanity call sign applications received through February 12. On March 4, the FCC granted 99 applications. Another 115 applications landed in the work-in-process (WIPs) stack.--FCC

Wireless Privacy bill passes House: HR 514, the Wireless Privacy Enhancement Act, passed the US House on a vote of 403 to 3 (with 28 not voting). The bill passed by a similar margin last year, but the Senate never acted on it. But for one line, HR 514 is identical to the amended version of last year’s HR 2369. The new line, the product of a floor amendment, clarifies that if one "discloses" protected communication without being aware that it was illegally obtained, one cannot be held culpable under the law. HR 514 was introduced by Rep Heather Wilson of New Mexico. It now goes to the Senate.

Texas PRB-1 bill reported out of committee: The Texas amateur antennas bill, HB 1345, has jumped through its first hoop, receiving a favorable recommendation March 1 from the Texas House Land and Resource Management Committee. The committee okayed the bill without amendment on a vote of 8 in favor and 1 absent. About a dozen hams turned out for the hearing to support the bill. The measure now goes to the House floor, probably within the month.--thanks to Karl Silverman, N0WWK, Alan Wormser, N5LF, and Tom Blackwell, N5GAR

E44DX log search: The historic first DXpedition to E4 by W3UR, OH1RY, OH2TA and OH2BH, ended up putting nearly 34,000 contacts in the log during seven days of operation in February from Gaza City, Palestine. QSL E44DX via OH2BN. An online log search now is available at the official E44DX Web site. The same log search database also may be searched via e-mail. Send a message to e44dx-log@n4gn.com with your call sign at the beginning of the Subject line. The body of the message should be blank.--thanks to Tim Totten, N4GN

New Alabama Section Manager: Alabama has a new Section Manager. The appointment of Bill Cleveland, KR4TZ, of Mobile, was announced March 1 by ARRL Field Services Manager Rick Palm, K1CE. Cleveland's appointment is effective immediately. He replaces Scott Johnston, N4YYQ, of Vincent, who resigned. Members may contact Cleveland at bill@taprov.com.