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 #133 - POSTED 07/17/94 (***************************************************************) (* *) (* * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *) (* ** * * * * * * * ** * * *) (* * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *) (* * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *) (* * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *) (* *) (* **** * **** ***** *** *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* **** ***** * * * * * *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* * * * * **** ***** *** *) (* *) (***************************************************************) 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, archive: pub/hamradio/docs/newsline Fidonet, RIME, Intellec, I-Link........ In the Ham Radio conferences on 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!!! (**************************************************************** [883] (* * * * 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 air over amateur radio. Repeat, not for broadcast. * (* This is just a reminder that the address for the Newsline * (* Support Fund is Newsline, in care of Dr. Norm Chalfin, * (* K6PGX, Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, California 91102. * (* Again, and as always, we thank you. That ends the closed * (* circuit with Newsline report number 883 for release on * (* Friday, July, 15, 1994 to follow. * (* * (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following is a QST Hawaii to the mainland on VHF and UHF, floods in Georgia and a ham on the run. These stories and more on Newsline report number 883 coming your way right now! (***** HAWAII TO MAINLAND ATV The United States mainland and the island state of Hawaii have been joined by several modes including amateur television. The DX event began on Monday July the 11th and is continuing as we go to air. Gordon West, WB6NOA literally put a contact on hold to file this report: "In the background is Paul Lieb, KH6HME. That is pouring it on two meters, 432, 1296. If fact, the first ever video from Hawaii to California was received right here at our station, WB6NOA. P4 good quality video showing the KH6HME beacon on Mauna Loa. This is the first time in amateur television that we have had such a long distance video received. Right during the long haul troppo from California to Hawaii was a sporadic E opening. So California was working Hawaii and then they were working British Columbia and Washington all on two meters. I'm working Hawaii right now." Gordon West, WB6NOA VHF and UHF DXers are saying that this is the best opening in years. Most say that they think its the signal for a hot DX summer to come. (***** ILLEGAL BROADCAST IN PUNA Still in Hawaii, word that the Honolulu FCC Office has busted another unlicensed broadcaster. This, after it received a fax of an advertisement for "Masters of the Symphony," broadcast by Classical Radio Puna on 89.9 MHz. Puna is an area on the Big Island of Hawaii to the south of Hilo. The flyer indicated the station operated on weekends from 8 PM to midnight. Since there is no FCC authorization for an FM broadcast station on 89.9 MHz in Hawaii, Honolulu agents John Raymond and Jeffrey Guerpo traveled to the Big Island and located the pirate broadcast station in a residence in Hawaiian Paradise Park. This is a rural subdivision in the Puna district with over 130 miles of unpaved roads, no street lighting, and no mail delivery. The station operator turned out to be retired and disabled individual who readily admitted to operating the station without authorization from the FCC. In fact, he told the agents that God had revealed to him that his life mission was to make classical music available to unserved communities. After giving the matter careful consideration and in view of the alleged offenders medical and financial status, issuance of a Notice of Apparent Liability was not deemed worthwhile. The unnamed subject later indicated to the FCC that he had thought again about what he had been doing. After considering the matter he sent the FM transmitter to South America to be used by his missionary friend. The Honolulu FCC office has not received any reports of further activity by Classical Radio Puna since then. (***** SAREX SAREX STS-65 is in orbit and on the air. The Space Shuttle Columbia roared into the blue skies of the Kennedy Space Center on Friday, July 8th to begin the second International Microgravity Laboratory Mission. The near flawless countdown resulted in an on-time launch of the mission at 16:43 UTC. The seven member crew of STS-65 is now half-way through its planned 14 days on-orbit. Two of the crew members on board Columbia are ham radio operators. They are the newly licensed Shuttle Commander Robert Cabana, KC5HBV and Astronaut Don Thomas, KC5FVF. Both are operating the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment from the orbiters mid-deck. Ground based amateur radio operators can communicate with the two astronaut hams through packet radio and, when time permits, make voice contacts as well. In addition, thirteen scheduled school group contacts with students in the United States, Germany, and Japan are also planned. Amateur Astronomers who say their frustrated at not being able to see the astronomically event of the century say they plan now to hook up radios and listen to it instead. So, thousands of astronomers soon will become SWL's and join the many hams how will also be listening in as the Shoemaker Levy 9 comet slams into Jupiter to meet a fiery end. Astronomers will not actually be able to see the collision which is expected to have a considerable effect on the gassy planets atmosphere because it will occur on the far side of Jupiter away from the earth. But it turns out Jupiter emits radio waves at frequencies between 500 kHz and 40 MHz. Scientists think these signals are caused by electrons breaking free of a magnet bond between the planet and its moon Io. On an earth based shortwave radio they sound like waves crashing on a beach. The New Scientist Magazine says that groups of radio enthusiasts will listen for changes in the sound when the comet Shoemaker Levy 9 collides with Jupiter starting on July 16th. (***** GEORGIA FLOOD One of the largest amateur radio emergency communications efforts ever is underway in the southeastern U.S. Amateur radio operators are assisting officials throughout southern Georgia. That's the area devastated from flooding caused by Tropical Storm Alberto. Jim Altman, N4UCK, is the ARRL's Section Manager for Georgia: "There are several hundred amateurs currently in the field. Basically, like in any disaster such as Andrew or Hugo or similar. Amateurs have been involved in initially primary data gathering. And then as the even progresses we have been involved in coordination of disaster relief for the Red Cross and Salvation Army and the other agencies FEMA and GEMA to provide them with coordination information primarily." Jim Altman, N4UCK. To give you an idea how severe and widespread the damage is, 31 Georgia counties have been declared federal disaster areas. More than 20 people are dead. 600 bridges have been swept way and nearly half a million acres of croplands have been turned into a swamp. "You've got shelters open all across south GA. There are tens and tens of thousands of people displaced from their homes. Half the City of Albany is under water. The City of Bainbridge, if it is not under water yet, is about to be. And these relief centers are coordinating, via amateur radio, as well as other communications methods in order to achieve the delivery of things like meals. So we are handling the traffic from how high the river is now to where's the coffee." Altman, N4UCK. Altman tells Newsline most communications are by voice, but packet is also in use. The exact number of amateurs assisting is not available. But it's believed to number well into the hundreds. "I know that one of the net controls on the HF net told me that he had 90 pages of notes at this point. I have probably have two or three hundred callsigns on my lists and pieces of paper of people who have been checking. Now over the last three or four days, the scope of this event is absolutely massive. I was at a meeting earlier today with the Federal Emergency Management and State Emergency Management. They were saying that this is worse than what happened in Iowa last year. We've got literally hundreds of communities that have become isolated with no way in or out of them." Altman, N4UCK. Altman sez amateurs from other states including Alabama and South Carolina have arrived to help with the effort. "Georgia has a large number of counties. It has over 159 counties. And I would estimate that we're providing services in probably 45 to 50 of those at this time. Altman, N4UCK. As we go to air, Altman expected the need for amateur communications services to be levelling off as floodwaters begin to recede. More on this story in upcoming Newsline reports. (***** N6NHG WANTED BY POLICE Kevin David Mitnick, N6NHG, of Van Nuys, California is reportedly on the run once again. Mitnick is the legendary computer hacker who first gained infamy for breaking into a Department of Defense computer in the 1980's. CBS news reported on Monday, July 11th that authorities believe the thirty year old Mitnick has been using tele-computing to again breach the security of a number of heavily guarded computer and communications networks. These include computers used by Pacific Telephone and the California State Department of Motor Vehicles. Police believe that Mitnick may possibly be trying to create a total new identity for himself. Authorities told the Los Angeles Times that Mitnick was last spotted at a shop in Studio City, California. They say he attempted to pick-up some fax'ed documents belonging to the Department of motor Vehicles. When police moved in, they claim he threw the papers at them and ran. A warrant has been issued accusing Mitnick of violating his parole on a previous computer hacking conviction. One of the terms of his parole forbid him from using a computer for any illegal purpose. (***** ARNS AWARDS The Amateur Radio News Service has announced the winners of its 1993 ham radio newsletter awards. More than 100 clubs entered the annual newsletter competition. Twenty seven were rated "superior," with the top three being The Atlanta Ham edited by James Massara, N2EST for the Atlanta Radio Club; The Readout by Clarency Pinheiro, WA6ZLO for the Stanislaus, California Amateur Radio Association and once again the W3OK Corral by Clarence Snyder, W3PYF for the Delaware - Lehigh Amateur Radio Club. Congratulations to all of the winners. (***** UK INTERFERENCE The United Kingdom's Radiocommunications Agency has had to investigate interference from unattended operation of digital modes on 144 and 432 MHz. In several instances it had to find a way to gain access to an unattended transmitter site when the operator was not present. While British license holders are not required to notify the local Radio Investigation Service for such operation, British hams have been asked to give thought as to how their station could be closed down in their absence if problems arise. (***** DX - SVALBARD In DX, word that LA4LN and LB3RC, will sign JW4LN and LB3R/JW respectively from the western coast of Vest-Spitsbergen from August 1st to the 20th. This is a scientific expedition to Svlbard and not a DXpedition. Even so, they will be operating all bands 160-10 meters with special attention to the WARC frequencies. Activity will be on CW, SSB and the digital modes in the mornings, evenings and when the weather is bad, and also when they do not have to chase away the dangerous polar bears! QSL direct only with an SASE and return postage to the respective operators home calls. (***** NET REGISTRATION This reminder from ARRL headquarters. Nets have until September 6, 1994, to register in the 1995-96 ARRL Net Directory. The new edition will not carry over information from previous directories, so net managers must send a registration card known as Form F S D 85 to Headquarters. The address is 225 Main Street in Newington, Connecticut 06111. (***** ZL CEPT A recent report in the W5YI ham radio newsletter says New Zealand has joined the growing number of nations adopting the pan-European CEPT ham radio license. Well the story is correct but it is a bit late. Actually it is about a year late according to Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF who is the President of the New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitting Society. The NZART is New Zealand's national ham radio society. Kind of the ARRL of New Zealand. As such it was directly involved in backing the adoption of CEPT. Meachen says that the CEPT universal ham radio license has been well received by that nations amateur radio community. (***** And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at Post Office Box 463 in Pasadena, California 91102. (* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *