The ARRL Letter Vol. 13, No. 11 June 15, 1994 ARRL ATLANTIC DIVISION HONORS THREE AMATEURS The ARRL Atlantic Division "Amateur of the Year" for 1994 is Bob Bennett, W3WCQ, of Towson, Maryland. Among his many contributions to Amateur Radio, Bennett, 58, co-anchors the "Answer Man Net" on the Baltimore Amateur TV Society repeater. After serving for nearly 10 years as the Atlantic Division representative to the ARRL UHF/VHF Advisory Committee, in 1993 Bennett was named chairman of the new ARRL Spectrum Committee. The Division's Technical Achievement award was won jointly by Bill Ferguson, WA3BXW, of Bristol, Pennsylvania, and Charles "Jim" Smith, K3ATI, of Newportville, Pennsylvania. Together, they operate and maintain a system of voice repeaters and packet nodes known as the Bristol Emergency Amateur Radio Service, linking New York City, the Philadelphia area, and parts of Delaware and the New Jersey shore. And the "Grand Ole Ham" is 94-year-old Dean Wallace, K2ANM, of Herkimer, New York. Dean was first licensed in 1919, as 8AAF. The awards were announced at the ARRL Atlantic Division Convention, held in conjunction with the Rochester (New York) Hamfest, on May 21, 1994. Cubans, Americans in joint contest operation By Joe Lynch, N6CL What is probably the first ever joint Cuba-USA operation took place on Cuban soil between June 2 and 9, 1994, with participation in the ARRL June VHF QSO Party. Packaged with this were a few VHF-and-above firsts, including the first-ever Cuban 222 MHz and 1296 MHz contacts, both of which were with the US. In addition, the first DX rover operation was conducted during the contest. Operators from the US included Lauren Libby, KX0O; Joe Lynch, N6CL; Chip Margelli, K7JA; and Janet Margelli, WA7WMB. In Cuba, they traveled to Bellomonte, a site overlooking a tourist area about 15 miles east of Havana. There they teamed up with a group of Cuban hams that included Oscar Morales, CO2OJ; Piro Pirole, CO2PL; Pedro Hernandez, CO2KG; Jose Amador, CO2JA; Mario Rodriguez, CO2YY; and Arne Coro, CO2KK, to operate CO0FRC as a multiop entry and CO2OJ/rover during the contest. Before the contest the US operators worked the HF bands, using their stateside call/CO2. Several hundred contacts were made, principally by Janet, who became the groups unofficial marketing director by announcing the VHF operating frequencies often during her HF contacts. Owing to (1) an American saying that It is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission, and (2) enough extra equipment, the author convinced his friend Oscar Morales to have a go at a rover operation. While following my advice not to seek additional permission for operations from the first two grid locators, the Cubans thought it might not be wise for an American to be seen traveling through the streets of Havana in the back seat of a van, wearing headphones! So, subsequent permission was sought and received while the group was on its way to the third grid locator. Encouraged by all this, two other special stations were activated: CO0BGG (operated by CO2JA, CO2PX, CM3CD, and CM2WZ) entered the limited multiop category. CO0EGZ, operated by Leo, CM3ZD, entered the single band QRP category by running an 8 watt battery-powered radio into a three-element beam on 6 meters. Additionally, some six other Cuban amateurs activated their 6-meter stations. To go along with the ARRL contest, the Federacion de Radioaficionados de Cuba (FRC), the national amateur radio organization, sponsored a national 2-meter simplex contest. Operators from this contest provided many additional 2-meter QSOs for the CO0FRC, and CO2OJ/rover operations. Many stateside stations remarked that they had never heard so many Cuban stations on the air during a contest. Highlights for the CO0FRC operation include contacts with Ott Fiebel, W4WSR, and John Meleski, KQ4PI, for the first two Cuba-US (and the first ever Cuban) contacts on 1296 MHz, and a QSO with Charles Barber, WA4CHA, for the first Cuba-US 222 MHz contact. Additionally, a contact with Dave Blaschke, W5UN, provided CO0FRC with an EME QSO on 2 meters. Unofficial tallies for the different stations are: CO0FRC, 34.4k; CO2OJ (rover) 14.5k; and CO0EGZ, 5.3k. After the contest On Monday following the contest, FRC President Pedro Rodriguez, CO2RP, arranged for Carlos Martinez, the director of frequency management of the Ministry of Communications (their equivalent of the head of the FCCs Private Radio Bureau) to come to a meeting at the FRC headquarters, to answer my specific questions concerning Amateur Radio license suspensions. These questions had arisen following a visit in February 1994. Martinez explained that 36 Cuban hams have had their licenses suspended for between 30 days and two years for handling traffic for compensation, which, as he pointed out, is against ITU regulations. Martinez said that he was not concerned with the one-time use of Amateur Radio to request medicines. However, he said there were documented cases where hams had either received in kind compensation from the person sending the material from the States or actually received compensation in dollars from the Cuban requesting the assistance. It is important to note, though, that Martinez used his contact with a US Amateur Radio operator (the author) as an opportunity to level criticism against the FCC for its lack of enforcement in cases of alleged deliberate interference to internal Cuban communications. He said that he had sent countless telexes to the FCC from his monitoring of these incidents. The next day, as a way of demonstrating how much the Cuban hams wanted me to feel welcomed back to Cuba, they took me on a trip to Cifuentes so that I could visit ham radio and church friends. Upon arrival, Lauren and I were treated to a reception by many of the local hams. Following visits with Joes friends and a meeting with a municipal official, the entourage went to Santa Clara for a lunch hosted by Julio Perez, CO6JP, the president of the regional Amateur Radio club, and Joel Carrazana, CO6JC, the deputy vice-president. After lunch the group made a spontaneous decision to go to Falcon, a small town south of Santa Clara, to visit Francisco Rodriguez, CO6RL, the net manager of the national traffic net. Panchito, as he is called, is known by most hams in the country for his dedication to the hobby. Despite being blinded 50 years earlier by a lye explosion at the age of seven, he maintains an optimistic attitude toward life. Among his many ham radio accomplishments is being the Elmer to 21 hams in his town. It was reported the day after the groups visit to his home that Panchito took seven minutes of net time to tell about the visit of those very important Americans. Throughout the trip we found the Cuban hams deeply caring and hospitable. Despite their economic circumstances, the Cubans went out of their way to make the Americans feel at home. Permanent friendships were made across the boundaries. And both sides remarked how important ham radio diplomacy was to making the trip and even future people-to- people (nonham) contacts between the two countries successful. FCC CLARIFIES ACTION ON MESSAGE RELAYS In response to a request from the ARRL and inquiries from others, the FCC's Private Radio Bureau has clarified new rules that went into effect on June 1, 1994. The new rules do not remove the restriction against automatic control of digital and RTTY transmitting below 50 MHz. The new rules, resulting from action in PR Docket 93-85, relax the Amateur Service rules regarding the responsibility for the content of messages on high-speed digital networks. The Commission amended Section 97.109(e) to allow a forwarding station in a message forwarding system to be automatically controlled while transmitting third-party communications. But, the Commission pointed out in a June 2 statement, Section 97.109(d), which was not amended, still limits automatic control of stations transmitting RTTY or digital emissions to frequencies above 50 MHz. The FCC currently has under consideration two petitions for rule making, RM-8218 and RM-8280, that address this subject. The petitions were submitted by the ARRL and by the American Digital Radio Society, respectively. More information is in June 1994 QST, page 81. AMSAT CALLS FOR PAPERS FOR ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM The 1994 AMSAT-NA Annual Meeting and Space Symposium will be held October 7 to 9, in Orlando, Florida. AMSAT seeks papers for the symposium and can provide authors with help in editing and graphics, if needed. Papers are welcome even if the author is unable to attend the symposium. Topics for all amateur satellite disciplines are sought, including introductory tutorials, satellite operations, Phase IIID design and development, and new applications and techniques. Sign up now and request an author's kit, then compose a short abstract by July 1. Final drafts are requested on or about August 26. Direct inquiries to Steve Park, WB9OEP, 12122 99th Av North, Seminole, FL 34642. Tel 813-391-7515. SECTION MANAGER ELECTION RESULTS Ballots have been counted in the Section Manager election for the Vermont Section. Justin Barton, WA1ITZ, was elected with 213 votes over Mitch Stern, WB2JSJ (139 votes). His term of office begins July 1, 1994. Seven other Sections were not contested and the following were declared elected: Alaska: Larry Flanagan, NL7XG. Illinois: Bruce Boston, KD9UL. Indiana: Peggy Coulter, W9JUJ. Maine: Michelle Mann, WM1C. Northern Florida: Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP. Oregon: Randy Stimson, KZ7T. Wisconsin: Richard Regent, K9GDF. July QST solicits SM nominations for the Eastern Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New York-Long Island, South Carolina, Southern New Jersey, and Western Pennsylvania ARRL Sections and resolicits for Santa Clara Valley. PETER I OPERATOR PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD Robert Wilber, N4GCK, one of the operators on last Februarys Dxpedition to Peter I Island (3Y0PI), has pleaded guilty to bank fraud and mail theft, according to a report in the Ann Arbor News. Under a plea agreement he will receive 24 to 37 months in federal prison and be subject to three to five years of federal supervision following his release. The paper said Wilber took checks totaling some $113,000 from the mailbox of a University of Michigan professor and cashed them. He was photographed at an automatic teller machine and his photo appeared in the paper on December 20, 1993. At that time he knew he was caught, the News said. Wilber, 35, of Ypsilanti, Michigan, avoided arrest long enough to join the expedition to Peter I. He surrendered upon his return, having spent all the stolen money, the News said. Another participant in the expedition was astounded at the news. We had no idea, he said. But Bob was very quiet under close quarters and it was obvious to all of us that something was troubling him. SOFTWARE WRITER SETTLES WITH CD-ROM DISTRIBUTORS Antenna-design software publisher Brian Beezley, K6STI, has settled copyright infringement actions against two distributors of CD-ROMs: Buckmaster Publishing and CDRP Inc. Both companies agreed to cease and desist from unauthorized distribution of copyrighted antenna analysis and optimization software written by Beezley. The companies were distributing older software, written by Beezley in the late 1980s, before he began copy-protecting his products. "I didn't want this old software out there," Beezley said, "because it is really primitive compared to current software and because it had some bugs. It is important to keep this outdated software from being circulated." Beezley, who currently sells the programs AO 6.0 and YO 5.0, also said that although his early work was not copy-protected, neither was it "shareware." Buckmaster and CDRP routinely add shareware to CD ROMs they sell in order to "fill them out." Beezley, who asked for no monetary damages from the two companies, said he hoped his action would "give pause" to software pirates. "Many software developers have no defense against the widespread software piracy that occurs in the Amateur Radio market," he said. "I hope news of this legal action will make the market a safer place for their products." BRIEFS * The League's volunteer Public Relations Committee met at Headquarters on June 4; attending were members Rich Moseson, NW2L; Dennis McAlpine, K2SX; David Greer, WE4K; Dave Bell, W6AQ; and Evelyn Gauzens, W4WYR (along with staff members Steve Mansfield, N1MZA and Jennifer Hagy). * The 1994 Microwave Update Conference will be held September 22 to 24 in Estes Park, Colorado, and the ARRL will publish the proceedings. Get more information and a registration form from Bill McCaa, K0RZ, PO Box 3214, Boulder CO 80307, tel (days) 303-441-3069. * Westlink Report has named 15-year-old Allison D. Zettwock, KD4CKP, its 1994 Young Ham of the Year. Allison lives in Louisville and is the daughter of Larry Zettwock, KR4IF. She is active in the Amateur Radio Transmitting Society of Louisville. She received her award June 4 at the Sea-Pac Convention in Seaside, Oregon. * More than 100 clubs entered the 1993 annual newsletter competition of the Amateur Radio News Service (ARNS). 27 were rated "superior," with the top three The Atlanta Ham, edited by James Massara, N2EST for the Atlanta Radio Club; The Readout, by Clarence Pinheiro, WA6ZLO for the Stanislaus (CA) ARA; and (once again) The W3OK Corral, by Clarence Snyder, W3PYF for the Delaware-Lehigh ARC. The ARNS is an organization of Amateur Radio newsletter editors and publicists. For more information contact ARNS Secretary Pam Myers, N8IAK, 510 West Harrison, Alliance OH 44601. * Nets have until September 6, 1994, to register in the 1995-96 ARRL Net Directory. This new edition will not carry over information from previous directories, so you must send a registration card (Form FSD-85, available from HQ) to Headquarters. * A case involving a California amateur has led some to ask "Is it legal to own equipment capable of out-of-amateur-band operation?" The answer is yes, but it is not legal to transmit out of band, unless the communication is made in connection with the immediate safety of human life or the immediate protection of property, when no other means of communication is available (Section 97.403, FCC Rules). * Expirations of the first 10-year amateur licenses, issued in 1984, continue to take their toll. In March the FCC "deleted" 3744 station licenses, while adding 3010. * Attention 75-meter DXers: as of May 20, 1994, Japan has a new subband, from 3747 to 3754 kHz, in addition to the two existing bands at 3500 to 3575 kHz and 3791 to 3805 kHz. * Our summertime Headquarters tour guide this year is Ramona Mansfield, a May graduate of Central Connecticut State University. Ramona majored in geography and minored in fine arts and in the fall is going to visit Iceland "because I always wanted to." She plans to follow that up with a swing through Germany; one of her first tours was for several visiting German amateurs. Ramona's father is ARRL Manager of Legislative and Public Affairs Steve Mansfield, N1MZA. Our summer tour guide of the past couple of years, John Evanson, WJ1U, continues his undergraduate work at the University of Connecticut and is working this summer for IBM in Rochester, New York. * Two clarifications about the ARRL Incoming QSL Bureaus from Don Haney, KA1T, manager of the First Call Area bureau. Keep your bureau stocked with envelopes addressed to you but only attach one unit of first class postage to each; paper-clip more stamps so the bureau can use them as needed. And some bureaus accept money, from which they provide envelopes and postage back to you. Check with your bureau or individual sorter to see what their policy is. * He never held a transmitting license, but Geoff Watts was one of the most famous of DXers. Watts, an avid shortwave listener, died in England in May at age 75. He founded the Islands on the Air (IOTA) award, in 1964, as well as the RSGB DX News Sheet, a weekly newsletter which he edited from 1962 to 1982. The 1994 IOTA Honor Roll and Annual Listing, published in the June edition of Radio Communication, shows a 43% increase over 1993, with 509 stations participating. At the top is F9RM, followed by I1ZL and I1HYW. * Space shuttle mission STS-65 is on schedule for a July 8 launch with Mission Specialist Donald A. Thomas, KC5FVF, in charge of SAREX activity. This will be a 14-day mission. Astronaut Robert Cabana awaits his amateur license. As on all SAREX missions, the crew will use separate receive and transmit frequencies. Please do not transmit on the shuttles downlink frequencies. Voice downlink (worldwide): 145.55 MHz. Voice uplink: 144.91, 144.93, 144.95, 144.97, and 144.99 MHz. Voice uplink (Europe): 144.7, 144.75, 144.8 MHz. Packet downlink: 145.55 MHz. Packet uplink: 144.49 MHz. The Goddard Amateur Radio Club (WA3NAN) in Greenbelt, Maryland, retransmits shuttle communications on 3.860, 7.185, 14.295, 21.395, and 28.659 MHz, as well as on 147.45 MHz. 10 years ago in The ARRL Letter The ARRL expected the FCC to adopt expense recoupment rules for volunteer examinations in mid-July, at which time the League planned to sign an agreement with the Commission to become a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. The ARRL/VEC expected to begin coordinating exams at conventions and hamfests by the first of September, and other sessions about two months after that. The FCC had accepted proposals from potential VECs in five call areas. An ARRL/VEC training manual was in the works and more than 6000 amateurs had signed up as "potential volunteer examiners." The FCC turned down an ARRL request for a waiver of its rules that would have allowed paid W1AW operators to make two-way contacts when the station was not transmitting code practice or bulletins; the first anniversary of the ARRL Special Service Club program was noted, 105 clubs having signed up; the call sign for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles was assigned (NG84O); and the first cross-country hand-held to hand-held QSO was announced (through 2-meter HF gateways in West Virginia and California). Peter I book in print This is a sales pitch, but theres nothing in it for us! Last February, as most of the eastern half of the US was moaning about the Winter of 94, a group of nine men, eight of them hams, were basking in the summertime of Peter I Island. This was just another DXpedition except that, among other things, it was judged as highly successful (if you didnt work them you werent on the air), and within three months a book on the project was published (3Y0PI, Peter I Island, Antarctica). We received a copy just in time to briefly mention it in our last issue but had not finished reading it. And now we have. Chod Harris, VP2ML, editor of The DX Bulletin, calls this the best ham radio DXpedition book ever written, and we agree. It is a marvelous mix of real life, human interest information and ham radio. And author Bob Schmieder, KK6EK, mercifully has written his book in English, without the DXSpeak that has permeated too much DX writing in the last decade (The Deserving, and so on). I read the book with my logbook at hand, so I could correlate days with the contacts I made (and to see how I missed them on some bands). Reading this book will make you feel like you were there. Highly recommended! ($20 plus $2 s/h US, $15 s/h elsewhere, from Robert Schmieder, 4295 Walnut Blvd., Walnut Creek CA 94596. -- Jim Cain, K1TN