SB NEWSLIN @ ALLBBS $NLIN.904 Amateur Radio Newsline #904 10 Dec 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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(RIME users can RO mail to ->35, Fidonet users can Netmail to 1:278/307) - - - - - - NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #904 - POSTED 12/10/94 (***************************************************************) (* *) (* * * ***** * * **** * ***** * * ***** *) (* ** * * * * * * * ** * * *) (* * * * *** * ** * *** * * * * * *** *) (* * ** * * ** * * * * * ** * *) (* * * ***** * * **** ***** ***** * * ***** *) (* *) (* **** * **** ***** *** *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* **** ***** * * * * * *) (* * * * * * * * * * *) (* * * * * **** ***** *** *) (* *) (***************************************************************) 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............................ 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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!!! (**************************************************************** [904] (* * * * 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 necessarily for trans- * (* -mission 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 904 for release on Friday, 12-11-94 to * (* follow. * (* * (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The following is a QST A ham radio repeater council election in California could affect repeater coordination nationwide. This is because it appears that packet radio and not repeater owners decided the outcome. Also, Israel readies for the launch of its first ham satellite and the busses are back! Find out where exclusively on Newsline report number 904 coming your way right now! (***** PACKET RADIO RE ELECTS INCUMBENTS IN VOICE REPEATER COUNCIL The votes of at least four dozen packet radio operators was responsible for the re-election of Sidney Radus, N6OMS as President of Southern California's Two Meter Area Spectrum Management Association. This, in the most hotly contested election in the history of that group. And the outcome of this election impacts on all of the nations frequency coordinators. It spells an end to the separatism that has developed between the two modes over the past decade. Radus says that the outcome of this election is a sign for all modes to start cooperating fully with one another: "We have to cooperate all the way across the band. And to know that these people are interested in us, in repeater coordination to help re-elect a group that will try to protect coordinations and work cooperatively with them I think is to everyones advantage. We certainly appreciate the support they gave us." Radus, N6OMS Radus and his slate of candidates, with the support of area packet operators were able to push back a challenge mounted by the San Diego based Committee for Better Amateur Radio. C BAR as it calls itself had fielded a slate of candidates headed by attorney Rick Anglin, N6KUB. While Anglin and the C BAR backed candidates almost all political unknowns, did rack up an impressive 252 votes it was not enough to best the 290 votes that Radus and his slate pulled in. But the key to Radus win was not as much a vote of confidence by repeater owners. Rather a large turnout of repeater users and packet radio operators who saw Radus as more willing to cooperate with them to a greater degree than the San Diego based challengers. Just weeks before the election, some of the key political leaders in the Southern California Packet Radio community pledged their support to N6OMS. They then sent out area wide packet messages urging area packeteers to join TASMA, pay their dues and cast their votes for N6OMS. We have been told that the meeting room in Carlsbad, California that was jammed to the rafters for the December 3rd meeting. It was filled with hams involved in both modes, but even they only accounted for a third of those who voted. The other two thirds voted by proxy. None the less, with over 540 votes cast, it's the heaviest turnout for a Southern California repeater council election in history. Radus says that it is a clear mandate for Tasma to move forward with its plans: "During the next year we're going to implement the work of our interference committee to insurance that repeaters are operating within their parameters. If there are interfering repeaters or other interference with repeaters that we can make our recommendations to the FCC on a solid basis. With good technical data." Radus. One side note. Reports to Newsline indicate that the people most affected by the outcome of this election did not bother to show up. The majority of the area's repeater owners were definitely conspicuous by their absence at the Carlsbad meeting. The bottom line. The outcome of this election is bound to impact on repeater councils nationwide. This is because California has long been considered one of the political trend setters in FM and repeater issues, and has been since the first repeater went on the air from a California hilltop back in the late 1940's. And from now on its not going to be easy for repeater coordinators to tell packet radio to go it alone. Packet has proven that it has the political clout to leave its mark wherever it wants. More on this part of the story in future Newsline reports. (***** DELAY OF VANITY Do not look for any action on vanity ham radio call signs until the second quarter of 1995. KO6AN reports via packet radio that he personally called the FCC about the pending issue a month ago. At that time, Jerry said that was told that the issue is still under consideration and they expect something out in the spring. Translate that to mean the commission will probably announce its decision the last weekend in April. Making such announcements at the Dayton Hamvention Forum has become sort of a tradition with the FCC. (***** FCC CHANGES AFFECT HAM RADIO Major changes in the structure of the Federal Communications Commission will definitely affect Amateur Radio. Come 1995 it will be a radically different FCC. Many old faces will be gone. Other unknown names will be taking their place as ham radio moves to the jurisdiction of the new Wireless Communications Bureau. The FCC's effort to get up to speed on the information superhighway includes creation of the new Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Ralph Haller, a key agency contact on ham radio issues is now a deputy chief. "The new Wireless Bureau encompasses a much larger scope, if you will, from what the Private Radio Bureau encompassed. Basically my duties are unchanged." Haller. Haller sez the new bureau groups the various wireless services differently, with the same people in the same specialties. "The structural change at the commission, but in terms of the day to day operation of the commission with regard to amateurs, I think they are going to see a lot of the names that they are familiar with." For the amateur community we might see more responsiveness at the commission. "The new bureau is receiving some resources we didn't have in the past. We have better computer equipment and we will have a few more people in the bureau. So, I think if anything it should be viewed as fairly positive effects on the amateur community." Haller. In the mean time the FCC's agenda for regulating ham radio has not changed under the reorganization. "One big concern of ours right now, is the integrity of the license and the licensing processes. And we are monitoring that very closely with the cooperation of the volunteer exam coordinators. So I think that's one of the major areas. The other area that we are concentrating on tremendously right now is trying to implement the specialty or vanity callsign program." Haller. And while other communications modes push technology ahead more quickly than ham radio operators, Haller says there is no way they will be lost in the shuffle. "I don't think that there is much chance of that happening. First of all the amateurs have a long standing history for being the first on the scene in times of disaster. I think that is very well know here at the commission, it is very well known in congress." Haller. Haller did say rival services looking for frequency spectrum will continue their focus on VHF and above. "We have a proceeding in the 902 to 928 Mhz band which allows would allow some additional sharing with automatic vehicle locations systems and part 15 devices like cordless telephones. But the amateur service has a good reputation for being able to share with other services. So while we might see some additional sharing on some of the bands in the future, I don't think that the amateurs are going to lose bands." Haller. Ralph Haller at the FCC's new Wireless Communications Bureau saying he is optimistic the agency and amateur radio operators will continue their long standing cooperation. (***** BUSSES BACK AT DAYTON HAMVENTION A Newsline exclusive. Word that the busses will be back at the 1995 Dayton Hamvention. This, according to the event's General Chairman Ken Allen, KB8KE. Allen says that the Hamvention is responding to the needs of those who attend the show, but it won't be for free: "As everyone is going to find out when they get their flyer, the Hamvention flyer that is coming out next week. We're announcing that the busses are back. We've made a deal with the bus company this year. What we are going to do is, the majority of the hotels, and there will be a list of hotel names in the flyer, will be selling tickets for the bus trip. Any hotel selling tickets, we will pick up, the buses will pick up in front of that hotel and take the people to the arena for the show and return them." Allen. The cost of a round trip to and from the Hara Arena will be two dollars. Allen says that the decision to re-instate the bus service was based on the willingness of the ham radio public to help defray the cost: "It was strictly a monetary thing last year when we trimmed back on the buses. With the cooperation of the hotels and the small fee for a round trip which we heard everyone saying they would be glad to pay. We decided to re-instate the buses this year." Allen. On a related note, Ken Allen also says that nominating period is now open for the 1995 Dayton Amateur Radio Associations' prestigious "Radio Amateur of the Year," "Specific Achievement" and "Technical Achievement" awards. Presentation of these awards will be made at the annual Dayton Hamvention Banquet, Saturday night April 29th. For further information or to file a letter of nomination please write to the Dayton Hamvention, Awards Committee, P.O. Box 964, Dayton, Ohio 45401. (***** YOUNG HAM of the YEAR HOME The Westlink Report Young Ham of the Year youth award is looking for a convention to host the recognition ceremony in 1995. Now entering its 9th year, the Westlink Report Young Ham of the Year honors a ham age 18 or younger who has made a significant contribution to the service. For further information on the award or to apply to sponsor the 1995 award presentation please write to the Westlink Report Young Ham of the Year, 28197 Robin Avenue, Saugus, CA 91350. (***** HPM-95 The ARRL's Membership Services Committee says that it will recommend that the highly success Hiram Percy Maxim 125th Birthday Celebration be reprised in 1995. The celebration of the birth of the man who founded the American Radio Relay League took place last September. It was immensely popular among members of the ham radio community and the committee says that it wants to see it happen again in 1995. Look for ARRL Board approval to be granted in January. (***** ARCHIE The ARRL Foundation has agreed to match individual and club donations to a fund raising drive to print another series of Archie ham radio comic books. The foundation will match up to $10,000 of the $19,000 needed for the next reprint run of this recruitment tool. Donations to this fund are tax deductible, according to foundation sources. (***** ISRAELI HAMSAT LAUNCH SET Some good news on the ham radio satellite scene. The launch of the Gurwin One, Israel's first Amateur Radio satellite is now set for March 25th, 1995. 4X1AS who is a member of the Gurwin One launch team tells Newsline that orbital details are not available, but the satellite will be flying piggyback on a Russian remote sensing flight. Gurwin One will carry a 9600 baud BBS "Pacsat-style" transponder with a 70 cm downlink and six uplinks, three on 2 meters and three in the 23 centimeter band. (***** VOA-RIP A part of shortwave history has disappeared from the radio waves. Radio Netherlands reports the demise of the Voice of America relay station in Bethany, Ohio. Bethany is located just north of Cincinnati. It made its last broadcast on November 15th. Radio Netherlands says that the federal government intends to use the land for other purposes and the former VOA transmitters are headed for a new home in Sri Lanka. (***** GO-LIST TO CONTINUE The GO-LIST of ham radio QSL managers will continue, but under new management. Jay and Jan O'Brien who have been the publishers of the "The W6GO and K6HHD QSL Manager List" have decided to retire after a decade and a half of service to ham radio. Jay has announced that Paul, N4FFO and Nancy, KB4RGW Smith, will be taking over the QSL Manager List including DX-BBS and the PacketCluster SYSOP interface. (***** NCJ Also word that Bruce Draper, AA5B of Albuquerque, New Mexico has been selected as the new editor of the National Contest Journal. Draper replaces Trey Garlough, WN4KKN who retires in January. (***** DX In DX, word that SM5MX who is now active from Hanoi signing XV7SW says that new legislation on amateur radio in the form it is known in other ITU countries is expected to be passed in Vietnam in 1995. In the meantime, he has been granted a license to operate as XV7SW on certain fixed frequencies. Listen for Rolf on 28.016, 28.019, 21.016, 21.019, 14.016, 14.021, 7.033 and 3.505 MHz. And sincere there is no QSL service in Vietnam Rolf will handle this chore as well. His address is Rolf T. Salme, Embassy of Sweden, Box 9, Hanoi, Vietnam. (***** ROBOT RADIO And finally this note from down under. It seems that two years ago a computer temporally took over from the human disk jockey at Sydney Australia AM station 2SM. This, following a corporate takeover by a new ownership company. After a transition period of a few weeks the humans returned, and 2SM was reborn with a new program format. Then something interesting happened. What broadcasters around the world call "the book" came out. The book is the ratings report on station listenership and guess what it showed. That's right, during the time that the computerized disk jockey was on the air the station's ratings had jumped upward by an amazing 40 per cent. (***** And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at: NEWSLINE Post Office Box 463 Pasadena, California 91102 (* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *