The electronic publication of the Amateur Radio Newsline is distributed with the permission of Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, President and Editor of Newsline. The text version is edited from the original scripts and transcribed from the audio reports by Dale Cary, WD0AKO, and is first published in The Radio & Electronics Round Table on the Genie Online System. If you have any comment, suggestion, or news item you would like to submit, send them via E-Mail to 3241437@mcimail.com or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com. You can contact Newsline at +1 805-296-7180. It is a combination answering and FAX machine, if you have a FAX to send, wait for the voice prompt and press your fax-send button. All other information and disclaimers are in the text header below. - - - - - NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #122 - POSTED 04/30/94 (***************************************************************) (* *) (* * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *) (* ** * * * * * * * ** * * *) (* * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *) (* * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *) (* * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *) (* *) (* **** * **** ***** *** *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* **** ***** * * * * * *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* * * * * **** ***** *** *) (* *) (***************************************************************) The following is late news about Amateur Radio for Radio Amateurs as prepared from NEWSLINE RADIO scripts by the staff of the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, INC. -- formerly the WESTLINK RADIO NETWORK. For current information updates, please call Audio Version of Newsline ========================= Los Angeles............................ (213) 462-0008 Los Angeles (Instant Update Line)...... (805) 296-2407 Seattle................................ (206) 368-3969 Seattle................................ (206) 281-8455 Tacoma................................. (206) 927-7373 Louisville............................. (502) 894-8559 Dayton................................. (513) 275-9991 Chicago................................ (708) 289-0423 New York City.......................... (718) 353-2801 Melbourne, FL.......................... (407) 259-4479 Electronic Hardcopy Version of Newsline ======================================= GEnie (RTC Bulletin Board)............. m345;1 GEnie (File Library)................... m345;3 Dallas Remote Imaging BBS (DRIG)....... (214) 492-7573 In bulletin number 36 The Midwest Connection BBS............. (701) 239-2440 In bulletin number 6 of the ham radio conference Delphi................................. In the ham radio conference Internet............................... In the rec.radio.info newsgroup FTP: oak.oakland.edu, file: pub/hamradio/docs/newsline Fidonet, RIME, Intellec, I-Link........ In the Ham Radio conference of those networks For the latest breaking info call the Instant Update Line listed above. To provide information please call (805) 296-7180. This line answers automatically and will accept up to 30 minutes of material. Check with your local amateur radio club to see if NEWSLINE can be heard weekly on the air in your area. Articles may be reproduced if printed in their entirety and credit is given to AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE as being the source. For further information about the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, please write to us with an SASE at P.O. Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102. Thank You NEWSLINE (**************************************************************** Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO... WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY KU8R N8DTN W9JUV KC9RP K9XI KB5KCH KC5UD KC0HF G8AUU WD0AKO DJ0QN and many others in the United States and around the globe!!! (**************************************************************** [872] (* * * * C L O S E D C I R C U I T A D V I S O R Y * * * * (* * (* The following is a closed circuit advisory and is NOT * (* for transmission over AMATEUR RADIO. According to Newsline * (* Support Fund administrator Norm Chalfin, K6PGX, the funds * (* needed to keep Newsline in operation are once again low. * (* According to Norm, it now costs a bit over $850 a month to * (* pay the telecommunications and equipment supply bills. * (* That's up over $150 from the same time last year. * (* For those of you unaware, Newsline pays the cost of three * (* telephones including the one used for news gathering. We * (* also pay for several electronic news and information * (* services, we pay for electronic mail, for raw tape stock and * (* the cost of repairing and updating our production * (* facilities. * (* Right now, Newsline has enough funds to carry it through * (* to the end of April, but that's it. Therefore we are once * (* again appealing to all of our listeners to assist in any way * (* that you can so that Newsline can continue to being you * (* these weekly ham radio news bulletins. Our address is the * (* Newsline Support Fund, Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA * (* 91102. * (* Again, and as always, we thank you for your ongoing * (* interest and support. And that ends the closed circuit * (* advisory with Newsline report number 872 for release on * (* Friday, April 29, 1994. * (* * (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following is a QST The FCC says that there will no fee for a basic ham radio license, an unlicensed broadcaster is told to pay up and Dayton '94 is on! These stories and more on Newsline report number 872 coming your way right now. (***** LICENSE FEE NPRM RELEASED Basic ham radio licensing will remain free but there definitely will be a nominal charge to hams who want a special vanity call sign. This is the just of an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making aimed at implementing the new fee assessments for various licensees that were authorized under the 1993 US Budget Act. It's item number fifty-nine that is of interest to the Amateur Radio service. It proposes a specific fee structure for amateur "vanity" call signs if the Commission's proposal for a plan to offer such call signs eventually is approved. The FCC's current proposal is to assess a fee of $70. That's actually seven dollars a year for the ten year term of an Amateur Radio license. The good news in all of this? There are no other government fees being proposed for any other aspect of the ham radio licensing process. (***** YODER An unlicensed broadcaster has been told to pay a hefty fine. The FCC says that it is denying Andrew R. Yoder's Application for Review of his $17,500 penalty for allegedly and repeatedly operating an unlicensed broadcast station. The FCC categorically rejected Yoder's argument that the evidence against him was purely circumstantial and insufficient to establish that he was legally in control of the so called pirate station. On February 22nd and 23rd 1992, FCC engineers monitored transmissions from an unlicensed broadcaster on 7.415 Mhz. The station identified itself s Radio USA. The transmissions were eventually traced to Yoder's parents home in Springs, Pennsylvania. When FCC investigators arrived they found Yoder's car parked in the driveway and attempted to make a station inspection. But they were barred from entry by Yoder who says that he is in no way obligated to allow Commission personnel to inspect his station. While the FCC never did see the alleged pirate broadcast station, they say that the station and operator were positively identified by both voice and close-in direction finding. Later, audio tape analysis and voice printing indicated that Yoder's voice was the same as that monitored on the Radio USA broadcasts. As previously reported, on May 21st 1992, the Laurel, Maryland FCC Field Operations Bureau issued Yoder a $17,500 Notice of Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture. The NAL was converted to a fine after the FCC rejected Yoder's response. Yoder was ordered to pay the fine before April 11th 1994 or face further punitive action. (***** INVESTIGATION EVIDENCE Still with FCC regulatory issues, word that the investigation of irregularities in numerous California VE test sessions is still ongoing and the government is seeking evidence in the case. The feeling among Washington insiders is that the investigation may soon expand outside of California. Some believe that there is the possibility of ties to VE teams in other states including south Florida and Texas and areas in the Caribbean. If you have any information that you feel might help in this or any other alleged licensing fraud case there are a number of ways to get it to the investigators handling the matter. After looking at all the possible avenues it is our conclusion that the best one of all is to contact Bart Jahnke, KB9NM who runs the American Radio Relay League's VEC operation. Bart has been handling the current investigation for the American Radio Relay League and in our view he is an excellent person to channel any facts concerning this matter to the FCC. There is no way that Bart or anyone else can promise you anonymity, but Bart can be reached at the ARRL VEC, area code (203) 666-1541. If you would rather write, his address is Bart Jahnke, in care of the ARRL VEC, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut 06111. (***** FCC ORDERS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RETESTS Here is a late breaking story. Word that Fifty nine Southern California hams have been ordered by the FCC to stand for retesting or face the possibility of further punitive government action. The FCC says that all fifty nine are hams who passed at examination sessions conducted by the ARRL VEC in 1992 and 1993. They say that the examinations and the administering Volunteer Examiners that gave them are now under intensive scrutiny by the Commission and other government agencies. In its letter to those being ordered retested, the FCC flatly accused the applicants examined at those exam sessions of cheating. The letters say in part: "...the irregularities on your examination papers indicate that you were apparently given access to the exact (answer) key used by the volunteer examiners." The commission has given the fifty-nine applicants exactly sixty days in which to retake any disqualified examination element at a session being conducted by the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group VEC. Failure to pass a retest will result in license class downgrade, loss of call sign or loss of license entirely, as deemed appropriate by the FCC. In issuing the retesting order, the FCC also mandated that no volunteer examiner who was present at the suspect session, regardless of whether or not he administered test elements at those sessions, would be permitted to attend or administer a re-examination. So far almost three dozen VE's throughout California have been suspended on FCC orders to the Volunteer Examination Coordinators under whom they serve. The bulk of these being in the southern half of the state and to mandated retesting order by the FCC is viewed as another step that could lead to criminal charges being filed against volunteer examiners that the FCC believes aided and abetted applicants to obtain amateur radio licenses or upgrades through fraudulent means. (***** EDITORIAL NOTE: EXAM CHEATING If we may be permitted a brief editorial opinion. Be it California, Florida, Texas, New York or anywhere else, there is simply no place in ham radio for those who may be profiteering by bringing in people who do not meet the minimum criteria for entry. We at Newsline have made exposing those behind any testing scam a number one priority. This is one matter that we at Newsline will not let die in the Washington bureaucratic red tape. (***** DAYTON '94 As this newscast goes to air, the 1994 Dayton Hamvention is just getting underway. Reports from Dayton's Hara Arena say that '94 may be the best Hamvention in years. Newsline will have a complete wrap-up on Hamventon '94 next week. (***** MOTOROLA SUIT A name well known to radio amateurs is Motorola. The company pioneered two way FM communications. Many an early FMer started out with a single channel 80 D or Motrac in the trunk of his car. The HT 220 hand held is a legend to FMers and it was Motorola that supplied the handie talkies used on all of the SAREX space shuttle missions. But now Motorola is in trouble with its competitors who are claiming unfair business tactics. The city of Birmingham, Alabama wants to upgrade its police and fire rescue radio system. Motorola submitted a bid of nearly $11.5 million for an 800 Mhz trunked system. That's near a million dollars more than the bid submitted by Erickson GE Mobile communications. None the less the city signed a contract with Motorola. Erickson GE accused the city officials of violating state bid laws. The company has filed suit against the city in Federal Court. Counsel member Jimmy Blake opposed giving the contract to Motorola. He said the city did not follow proper bid procedures. The next step is up to a Federal Judge. If one prediction comes true, Motorola will still wind up the winner. There is speculation that city leaders will throw out the proposals and solicit a new set of bids. If that happens the city could make the bid specifications so strict that only one companys system can be considered. (***** CALIFORNIA HERO Amateur Radio recently made headlines in Acton, California when 36 year old Chris Killian, N7IOV, helped in the capture of two robbers. According to the Antelope Valley News of Lancaster, California Killian was approached by an armed man in a McDonald's restaurant. The alleged felon inquiring about Killian's Hand-held radio. When the man and an accomplice left the eatery, Killian, who is a reserve deputy, followed and relayed their route to another ham who contacted sheriff's deputies. The two suspects were picked up that night and charged in the hold-up. Killian told the News that he ordinarily doesn't carry a radio with him but that he'd been using the hand-held the previous weekend to test several area repeater stations. (***** MISSISSIPPI ICE STORM The massive ice storm that hit much of the U.S. on in February was especially damaging in Mississippi, and was the worst there in more than 40 years. This, according to Hank Downey, K5QNE. Downey, writing in The Magnolia Report ham radio newsletter says that the State's Amateur Radio disaster relief efforts were led by Jim Porter, W5HTV. Porter is Director of Communications for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. He and Larry Clark, WB5AKR who is that groups statewide liaison to the Amateur Radio community directed traffic handling while also sending amateurs to areas of greatest need. Porters just released report says that several amateurs were able to set up from mobile and portable, emergency-powered sites and to activate the Magnolia Net. This is the Mississippi Section phone net and its key operators included among its members was net manager Al Sudduth, WA5TPM. Al operated mobile after his home antennas came down in the ice. Porter also writes that the Jackson Amateur Radio Club activated W5PFC, their permanent station at the State Headquarters of the American Red Cross in the capital city, to coordinate with Red Cross offices around the state. As we go to air, its reported that many hams in this same area have just completed handling communications for the recent flood emergency. You have seen the pictures on CNN and other television news services. That story as soon as the ham radio details are known. (***** HERTZBERG OBIT The changing of the guard in Amateur Radio continues with the sad news that Joe Hertzberg, N3EA has died. The ARRL reports that Hertzberg passed away in Silver Spring, Maryland at age 86. Joe was previously known as K3JH and was first licensed in 1926. During World War Two he was involved in the development of electronic navigation systems. His work brought him wide acclaim and he was decorated by both the U.S. and England. After the war Hertzberg went to work for RCA and in 1956 was named RCA Man Of The Year. He ended his career as a corporate vice president of RCA. In the late 1960s, he became active in Amateur Radio once again and his station included a full-size 80 meter cubical quad on a 115 foot Telrex "Big Bertha" rotating pole that was featured in a 1970 QST. He put his station to good use following several natural disasters, including a 1972 earthquake in Nicaragua. Joe Hertzberg, N3EA dead at age 86. (***** TV ENGINEER KILLED ON REMOTE A television remote pick-up broadcast engineer was on assignment for CNN was electrocuted while in a broadcast van outside a federal courthouse. Al Battle, 37, was part of a technical crew from Potomac Television Services Corp., which provides services to the Cable News Network. Battle was inside the van raising the antenna mast when the microwave dish hit a wire on February 22. He was at the courthouse for a story about a CIA official and his wife who were charged with spying. As far as we can determine Al Battle was not a radio amateur. (***** MIR / SAREX LINK The space shuttle and the Russian Mir space station have QSO's by ham radio. On April 13th astronaut Jay Apt, N5QWL, contacted Rita Iaquinto, VK3CFI, in Melbourne, Australia. At the same time Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, U3MIR, hooked up with Graham Ratcliff, VK5AGR, in Adelaide. The Australians then used a telephone link to connect the two spacecraft as both passed over Australia, at 5:36 PM Australia time. The Shuttle to Mir contact was arranged by the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment Working Group. (***** BAKER TO NEW ZEALAND Finally, NASA Astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker KB5SIX, is soon to journey down-under. Dr. Baker was flying near New Zealand in the space shuttle when she expressed a desire to see that country close up. In 1992 NASA Astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker, KB5SIX orbiting in the space shuttle Columbia was on a ground track slightly to the north of New Zealand. She spoke with many New Zealand radio amateurs, one of whom was Adrian Watkins, ZL2UGK. Dr. Ellen Bakers 1992 wish to visit New Zealand has come true. On June 7th this year KB5SIX is to be guest speaker at the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters Annual conference in New Plymouth. A city in the New Zealand north province of Taranaci. From flying high in the space shuttle Columbia to visiting down under, a dream has come true. And all from and idea in the mind of conference organizer Adrian Watkins, now sporting the callsign ZL2JPL. Adrian says using amateur radio connection in the U.S.A. they tracked down Dr. Baker and invited her to the conference as guest speaker. Her initial reaction, "Is this a friend playing a practical joke?" She was overwhelmed when she realized it was for real. Dr. Baker says she enjoyed speaking with many ham radio operators in New Zealand during her last flight aboard the Columbia and is looking forward to meeting her friends from the airwaves. Dr. Bakers trip to New Zealand will take a bit longer this time. She is traveling by commercial airliner at about 500 miles an hour. That's a lot slower than the 17,000 miles per hour speed of a shuttle orbiter. (***** And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102. (* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *