SB NEWSLIN @ ALLBBS $NLIN.899 Amateur Radio Newsline #899 06 Nov 1994 Amateur Radio Newsline is produced as an audio service by Newsline, a service of the Westlink Radio Netowrk. The transcribed version is produced by Dale Cary, WD0AKO from materials provided by Newsline. and is jointly distributed to online services and bulletin board networks by Steve Coletti and Dale Cary. Copyright owner is Newsline. Permission to reuse all or part of either this written or the audio form requires that the item be taken in it's entirety, not be subject to any further editing or commentary, and that full credit given to Newsline as the source. Permission is granted to all amateurs who want to transmit the audio version in it's entirety over nets or repeaters. The text version may be used for packet distribution as long as it is sent in its entirety and the BIN header is kept intact. 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E-Mail - 3241437@mcimail.com or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com Phone/Fax - +1 805 296-7180, fax senders wait for voice prompt. - - - - - - NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #899 - POSTED 11/07/94 (***************************************************************) (* *) (* * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *) (* ** * * * * * * * ** * * *) (* * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *) (* * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *) (* * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *) (* *) (* **** * **** ***** *** *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* **** ***** * * * * * *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* * * * * **** ***** *** *) (* *) (***************************************************************) 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 CompuServe/HamNet...................... Coming Soon! 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 questions or comments about the text version, contact me at D.CARY@GENIE.GEIS.COM on the Internet. 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!!! (**************************************************************** Note from Dale - WD0AKO, Hardcopy distribution. Please accept my apologies for the delay in getting this out. I was out of town this weekend and did not get it finished before I had to leave. Thanks for your patience. [899] (* * * * C L O S E D C I R C U I T A D V I S O R Y * * * * (* * (* The following advisory is not for transmission over * (* amateur radio. This is just a reminder that the address * (* for the Newsline Support Fund is Newsline, in care of * (* Randy Hammock, KC6HUR, Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, * (* California 91102. Again, and as always, we thank you. * (* That ends the closed circuit with Newsline report * (* number 899 for release on Friday, November 4, 1994 to * (* follow. * (* * (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following is a QST President Clinton signs the ham radio support bill into law, the FCC says it won't use the VEC system to temporarily license foreign hams and the National Amateur Radio Association has a new leaders. Find out who on Newsline report number 899 coming your way right now. (***** PRESIDENT SIGNS PRO HAM BILL The ARRL supported joint resolution favoring Amateur Radio was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 22. Now known as Public Law 103-408, it was the result of a joint congressional resolution supporting Amateur Radio was successfully passed through both houses of Congress in the wee hours of the morning of October 7. The language of the new law supports "reasonable accommodation" in the operation of Amateur Radio stations in homes, automobiles and public places. Getting the measure passed through congress was a last ditch effort by Senators Charles Robb, Wendell Ford and Alan Simpson to make Senate Joint Resolution 90 a reality. The bill passed on the floor of the Senate under unanimous consent at 12:10 AM on October 7th. From there it then went to the House of Representatives where it was brought up by Congressman Al Swift and passed unanimously at 2:45 AM. Patricia Spurlock, a staffer for Senator Robb, and Stephanie Vance, a staffer for Congressman Mike Kreidler, worked overtime on the bill. You may remember that it was Kreidler introduced the original House version. More information on this successful League initiative appeared in the September, October, and November issues of the ARRL's QST magazine. (***** FCC ABANDONS RECIPROCAL LICENSING DOCKET The FCC has abandoned a proceeding aimed at using the all volunteer testing program to certify foreign hams for operation in the United States. Private Radio Docket 92-167 proposed that Volunteer Examiners inspect credentials and administer brief examinations to visiting foreign amateurs as a basis for the granting of temporary FCC operating permits to hams from countries which do not have reciprocal operating agreements with the United States. In its comments on the FCC proposal, filed in 1992, the ARRL had said there were better ways to achieve the objective of the proceeding. The League suggested that the US take the lead in establishing a universal worldwide license. It urged the FCC to abandon its proposal and consider alternative steps leading in that direction including US participation in a European CEPT license arrangement. Now, the FCC has decided not to amend its current rules regarding visiting hams. Instead, it has noted the suggestions in the comments for alternative means of licensing visiting foreign amateurs. It says it will continue to explore other options for meeting this need and will work to ensure the reciprocal treatment of US amateurs overseas. (***** TEXAS FLOOD RECOVERY As Texans recover from massive flooding two weeks ago, the Amateur Radio response to this disaster continues. 7180 kHz has been a central frequency during the day for handling Health and Welfare messages into and out of the stricken areas of the state Also, the coordination of disaster relief supplies is also taking place on 7180 kHz and in the evening, on-air activity shifts to 3873 kHz. The 7290 Traffic Net on -- obviously found 7290 kHz, the Texas CW Traffic Net on 3643 kHz, and the Texas Traffic Net on 3873 kHz are also providing support along with the National Traffic System. When checking into these nets, please follow the Net Control Station's direction. Also, a clear frequency is also very much appreciated by those hams not taking part in the communications operations. (***** SET-94 When hams in Alabama started looking for a scenario to pick for this year's Simulated Emergency Test held a few weeks ago, they didn't have to look far. Instead of dreaming up a completely imagined disaster... they re-enacted a real emergency that happened about 18 months earlier. The simulated traffic being relayed sounds straight out of March 1993. That's when Alabama and the eastern United States were paralyzed by a record shattering winter storm. The real storm closed roads, schools and businesses. The simulated storm causes the same problems. At one point, only repeaters with emergency power are allowed to operate. This is the first chance some hams get to relay traffic. From HF to UHF, ham bands are active with SET traffic. Hams set up one station at the National Weather Service Forecast Office. Meteorologist-in-Charge Garry Petti is impressed with what he saw and heard. Hams taking part in the SET agree. The exercise is an excellent way to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in emergency communications systems. They also have praise for the job done by SET coordinator Mark Parmley, WA4UHC. He gets the credit for helping hams better prepare for what history proves can happen. Part of the plan for the Alabama SET was not to rely on any one band or mode. Communications were set up not just on 2 meter voice. But on 80 meters and 6 meters, on packet, and using remote base systems to link voice repeaters together. (***** ARRL - LAMBDA SETTLEMENT COST Newsline has received word from the ARRL that its insurance and not the leagues operating budget paid most of the cost of its recent legal settlement with the Lambda Amateur Radio Club. As previously reported, the two groups have announced an out of court settlement to Lambda's discrimination claim. Part of the compromise included an agreement for the League to pay Lambda's legal fees pegged at $25,000. We at Newsline also speculated that the ARRL itself had probably shelled out another $25,000 in its own defense. But as it turns out this is not the case. This is because the ARRL happens to have insurance to cover these kinds of situations. According to the League's Executive Vice President, Dave Sumner K1ZZ, the settlement of Lambda's administrative complaint did not cost the League any more than if the ARRL had gone into the hearing and had won. Sumner says that by settling the league was able to avoid the distraction of a hearing and to continue concentrating on what he termed as the important Amateur Radio issues. Sumner noted that he did not think it is appropriate to discuss the details of the League's insurance coverage. He did say that speculation about the cost to the League is inaccurate and must be corrected. (***** NARA CHANGES PRESIDENTS The nations "other" national ham radio society has a new leader. Joseph Condron AA5LD of Arlington, Texas has replaced Donald Stoner W6TNS as the President of the National Amateur Radio Association. According to Stoner, Condron was elected at a recent meeting of the N.A.R.A. Board of Directors. W6TNS describes Condron as a hard working and loyal person who has the time and energy to put into making Nara expand. After electing Condron as its new President, the old N.A.R.A. board then resigned to permit Joe to appoint his own board in the Arlington area. All three former board members were in the Seattle area and with Stoner a resident of Florida. Stoner says that he is still involved and supplying help and assistance to the National Amateur Radio Association, but nothing with any deadline connected to it. At airtime, there has been no announcement as to the make-up of the new NARA board. (***** 30M BAND FOR BRASILIAN HAMS Brazilian hams now have access to the 30 meter band. On September 1st 1994, the Brazilian Ministry of Communications has granted PY prefix Class A license holders permission to use 30-meters on a secondary basis. According to P2WWV, this new band is shared with the fixed service. Amateurs are limited to non voice modes and to the frequencies from 10 dot 138 to 10 dot 150 MHz. Transmitter power output to 200 Watts. For those of you not aware, the Class "A" is the highest class of ham radio operator license offered in Brazil. (***** WEBERSAT WO-18 PROBLEM NOTED The Webersat WO-18 ham satellite is in trouble. Controllers say that A problem seems to have developed on WO-18 making it difficult to copy packets from the satellite. Controllers say that they do not yet have a handle on the cause. As we go to air they are in the process of getting some test equipment into the ground station to get a look at the signal. Telemetry does not indicate anything wrong and to the ear, WO-18 sounds essentially as it always has. It is not yet impossible to copy, but data quantities received during a pass are reduced about 30% -- and that's only if one "tweaks" the IF shift on his receiver. With no special tuning efforts, results seem worse. (***** AMSAT-OSCAR-10 Also, several observer stations have reported that Amsat Oscar 10's downlink is FMing once again. Downlink frequency instability is due to low and varying battery voltages. Controllers say that this is a very dangerous condition for the ageing bird. They say it is important that all ground stations curtail transponder operations when the frequency of the downlink becomes unstable. This, to reduce the drain on AO-10's batteries and to allow them to recharge. (***** IARU APPOINTS ZS5AKV SATELLITE ADVISER The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union has appointed Hans van de Groenendaal ZS5AKV to the newly created post of IARU Satellite Adviser. Hans main task will be to keep the Administrative Council informed on all technical and operational aspects of the Amateur Radio Satellite Service. This, to enable the Council to adopt appropriate policies to advance the interest of the Amateur Satellite Service before the ITU and Regional Telecommunications Agencies. ZS5AKV is the Immediate Past President of Southern African Amsat and Executive Committee member of IARU Region 1. He brings with him many years of satellite experience to the job. His appointment is a direct result of recommendations made to the Administrative Council by the IARU ad-hoc Satellite Advisory Committee. As long-time listeners know, ZS5AKV is also a regular contributor to Newsline. (***** COMPUTER HACKER INDICTED A computer hacker with alleged ties to the criminal underworld has been indicted by the federal government on multiple charges of cellular telephone fraud. Federal authorities in San Francisco accuse Clinton Lee Watson of being a one-man illegal electronics factory supplying the underworld. Authorities say that technology developed by Watson has allowed high-tech thieves to literally steal cellular telephone codes out of the air for installation on other so-called "clone" phones. Cloned cellular telephones are units who's destination telephone number duplicates that of a legal user who gets dinged for all of the calls made on both phones. Authorities say that Watson's alleged underworld connections span the nation from San Francisco to New York. (***** DX - CHAMPIONSHIP In DX, word that the deadline for applications from teams for the 1995 World Radiosport Team Championship has been extended to February 28, 1995. This, as the Washington, DC, organizers continue to weigh suggestions and iron out details of the event. (***** DX - AH1A Also, N3SL reports that anyone still needing an AH1A QSL card should resubmit now. The Mile Hi DX Association will close the post office box effective February 1, 1995. All unclaimed U.S. and JA QSL's were sent to the respective bureaus nearly a year ago, so check there first. After February 1st, K1ER and N3SL will have the logs. (***** HOT BEADS MISSING If someone at a swapmeet or hamfest offers to sell you 600 little glass beads that glow in the dark run to the nearest phone and call the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. No, we are not kidding since these beads contain a radioactive material missing in Grand Rapids Michigan. The Associated Press reports that the NRC is scrambling to find the beads that were taken by a temporary worker from a Michigan company. A detective told the news service that the worker took the beads used to make military compasses because he thought they were -- and we quote --"cool" to look at. The worker then gave some of the beads to a friend, who passed some on to friends and so on. Half of the 12-hundred beads taken are missing. The Radioactive material in the beads cause them to glow yellow in daylight and green in the dark. Nuclear Regulatory Commission officials say the beads, filled with radioactive tritium gas, could cause only minor radiation contamination if broken. But they want the beads returned, no questions asked. (***** And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at: Amateur Radio Newsline Post Office Box 463 Pasadena, California 91102 (* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *