Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2095 for Friday, December 22, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2095 with a release date of Friday, 
December 22, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A ham radio operator's killer gets prison. Hams 
in Hong Kong mark an important anniversary - and Dayton Hamvention's 
getting a whole lot more space. All this and more as Amateur Radio 
Newsline Report 2095 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
PRISON FOR ILLINOIS HAM'S KILLER

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week brings a conclusion to a gruesome 
case, the killing of an amateur radio operator more than two years ago 
in rural Illinois. The killer has been sentenced, as we hear from Paul 
Braun WD9GCO.

PAUL: The man who killed amateur radio operator Henry Murphy WB9TFX of 
Rockford, Illinois after robbing him, shooting his golden retriever and 
setting his home on fire in 2015 has been sentenced to 90 years in prison.

Delano Foreman was convicted this past summer of fatally shooting Henry 
Murphy, a 67-year-old Army veteran. He also shot and killed the ham 
radio operator's dog, Shelby.

According to the Rockford Register Star, Delano Foreman's attorney had 
urged Circuit Judge Ronald White to impose the minimum sentence of 20 
years. The attorney, Erin Hannigan, asked the court to consider 
Foreman's difficult upbringing with a drug-addicted mother and a father 
in prison.

The judge, however, said the killing reflected [quote] "a complete 
disregard for human life." [endquote]

The attorney plans to file a motion for the sentence to be reconsidered.

According to the Rockford Star Register, prosecutors had requested a 
100-year prison sentence for the killer, saying he had a criminal record 
dating to 1996 in juvenile court and had been a gang member since the 
age of 10.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS, ROCKFORD STAR REGISTER)

**
HAMVENTION'S NEW HOME GETTING AN OVERHAUL

JIM/ANCHOR: May will be here before you know it and that means 
Hamvention 2018. It looks like Ohio's Greene County Fairgrounds will be 
providing hams with a whole lot more space, as we hear from Neil Rapp 
WB9VPG.

NEIL: There is some building-up and some rearranging planned for the 
Greene County Fairgrounds in Ohio and much of it is being done with 
Hamvention 2018 in mind. The fairgounds, which made its debut in May as 
the new home of Hamvention, is getting a new Expo Center. Hamvention 
organizers announced on Wednesday, Dec. 20 that construction will begin 
soon and the project is moving forward with the goal of accommodating 
Hamvention 2018 this spring. Hamvention will also gain use of another 
building that is being vacated by longterm tenant Fairgrounds Furniture.

The furniture store, which lost its lease in August, had been a fixture 
on the site and did business
there for more than 40 years. Owner Melissa Smith told the Dayton Daily 
News that a major liquidation sale was under way. At the time the 
fairgrounds board of directors elected to end the store's lease, board 
president Jerry Liming was quoted in news reports as saying that 
negotiations to relocate the store to accommodate Hamvention had been 
unsuccessful. The store has until April to vacate.

No details about the additional square footage available to Hamvention 
were given at the time this news was released but Hamvention organizers 
said they were assured that the additional floorspace will exceed the 
area of the tents that housed activities this past spring.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG

(DAYTON HAMVENTION, DAYTON DAILY NEWS)

**

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE IN HONG KONG

JIM/ANCHOR: If you happen to be DXing and you hear a call sign with the 
prefix VR20, listen up! Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains:

JEREMY'S REPORT: The call sign prefix VR20 is an important one for hams 
in Hong Kong: it marks the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

On July 1, 1997, Britain ended its rule in Hong Kong and the former 
crown colony was reunified with the mainland. The British had acquired 
Hong Kong from China in 1842 at the conclusion of the first Opium War. 
By 1949, the island became a sanctuary for refugees fleeing communist 
rule. In 1984, after years of discussion, Britain and China finally came 
to terms with the fact that at some point Hong Kong should be handed 
back. That became a reality in 1997.

So naturally the hams in Hong Kong are marking this important 
anniversary. They're able to use the new prefix on a purely voluntary 
basis through the 30th of June 2018. Be listening!

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

SILENT KEY: MARGARET 'HOLLY' BEVAN N3MB

JIM/ANCHOR: In Maryland, amateurs have been grieving the loss of a 
one-of-a-kind YL who had a major voice in the hobby. Kevin Trotman N5PRE 
tells us more.

KEVIN'S REPORT: If you're a ham in the Maryland area, you have likely 
heard of The Holly Net. The Anne Arundel Radio Club's on-air gathering 
was run by Holly Bevan N3MB. The retired teacher was a lifetime member 
of the club, and at 101 years of age, the Extra Class licensee was a 
respected veteran YL.

Holly became a Silent Key on the 9th of December. Her decades of 
activity with the amateur radio club included her work as a Volunteer 
Examiner and her work as a Field Day ambassador for the yearly event. On 
the occasion of her 100th birthday in March of 2016, she told the 
Capital Gazette newspaper that she had become a ham at a time when fewer 
YLs were involved in the hobby than they are today. The newspaper noted 
that she began studying for her license in 1979 at the encouragement of 
her son Michael who was serving the Navy on board a ship and wanted to 
stay in touch.

She herself was a military veteran and became part of the first group of 
enlisted Navy WAVES in 1942. It was during her time in the service that 
her first name, Margaret, was substituted with the nickname "Holly," 
short for Holloway, her last name at the time.

According to Mark Bova W2PAW, Holly Bevan's voice on the Davidsonville 
AARC repeater could be heard weekday mornings starting at 6 a.m. and 
earned her a following throughout the region.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(DX News; Reddit.com)

**
SILENT KEY: ROLAND PEDDLE VE6RL

JIM/ANCHOR: In Canada, the amateur radio community has lost a beloved 
Hall of Famer. Ed Durrant DD5LP has that story.

ED's REPORT: Just weeks after his induction into the Canadian Amateur 
Radio Hall of Fame, Roland Peddle VE6RL has become a Silent Key. Roland, 
who had also held the call sign VO1BD, had most recently been honored on 
November 28th at his induction ceremony in Lethbridge Alberta.

A native of St. John's, Newfoundland, the retired high school teacher 
began his radio experience as a shortwave listener before becoming 
licensed as a ham in 1952. His first call sign was VO1D which later 
became VO1BD after Newfoundland and Labrador reorganized their call signs.

He had been president of the Newfoundland Radio Club, editor of their 
newsletter, emergency coordinator for the Amateur Radio Emergency Corps 
and assistant Atlantic Director for Radio Amateurs of Canada and its 
predecessor, the CRRL.

His book "Marconi to the Mobile Age: A History of Amateur Radio in 
Newfoundland and Labrador" is scheduled for publication in 2018.

Upon learning earlier in the month of his Hall of Fame induction, Roland 
told Radio Amateurs of Canada [quote] "Amateur Radio is a wonderful 
activity and especially for young people learning new technology 
[endquote.] He said that [quote] "the best part is the people you'll 
meet along the way." [endquote]

Roland died Dec. 7 at the age of 86.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

**

CLARIFYING NEWSLINE'S NEW BRUNSWICK STORY

JIM/ANCHOR: Last week's Newsline report included a story about 
distracted driving regulations in the province of New Brunswick. Kent 
Peterson KC0DGY has an update as the nature of this story evolves.

KENT: Radio Amateurs of Canada Atlantic Director Dave Goodwin VE9CB took 
exception to a number of points in a Newsline story released on December 
15th on distracted driving regulations in New Brunswick Canada. Newsline 
has requested clarification on the driving regulations from the New 
Brunswick attorney general and will be preparing a follow-up story.  
Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Petereson KC0DGY.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the 
KJ3LR repeater in Bradenton, Florida, on Fridays at 10 p.m.

**
DISTRACTED-DRIVING LAW EXEMPTION EXTENDED IN ONTARIO

JIM/ANCHOR: In more distracted-driving newss---In Ontario, officials are 
giving ham radio operators a break behind the wheel. With those details, 
here's Heather Embee KB3TZD.

HEATHER: Mobile ham radio operators in the Canadian province of Ontario 
are going to get the break they were seeking: Ontario's Ministry of 
Transportation has announced that it is extending the current exemption 
from its distracted-driving law for another three years, beginning 
January first. This means that amateurs will be able to drive while 
making use of handheld two-way radios in Ontario. Until now, that right 
was granted under a five-year exemption that would otherwise have 
expired on the first day of the new year.

RAC Directors Phil McBride, V-A-3-Q-R, told Amateur Radio Newsline on 
December 15th that the extension was granted after much hard work and 
negotiation. Phil and Allan Boyd, V-E-3-A-J-B had been working with 
Ontario Transportation officials to see that some kind of exemption was 
preserved.

It will now stay in place until January first, 2021.

Although the RAC's goal is to achieve a permanent exemption, the group 
praised the MTO's action as being helpful. The RAC said it was 
nonetheless committed to achieving a more permanent solution for the 
province. It is important to note however that the use of handheld 
two-way radios by drivers is a permission granted by governments in each 
province and is does not fall under Canada's overall regulatory system.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Heather Embee KB3TZD.

(RAC)

**
NEW SCHOLARSHIP FOR YOUNG WISCONSIN HAMS

JIM/DAMRON: If you're young, smart and live in Wisconsin - or know of a 
young ham who is - this next story from Geri Goodrich KF5KRN is for you.

GERI'S REPORT: The Ozaukee Radio Club W9CQO in Wisconsin has funded a 
new ARRL Foundation scholarship to help a qualifying amateur radio 
operator who is a full-time undergraduate at a four-year degree-granting 
school. Applicants should be younger than 26 and must be U.S. citizens 
and residents of Wisconsin. The students applying should show a high 
academic level of performance in their studies, which can be in any 
field. The $2,000 scholarship from the Cedarburg, Wisconsin club will be 
administered by the ARRL foundation and can be used toward books, 
tuition, on-campus housing, school fees and any other costs related to 
the winner's college education. Applicants also need to submit 
recommendations and personal statements.

The ARRL Foundation was established in 1973 and administers programs 
funded by radio amateurs and friends.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Geri Goodrich KF5KRN.

**
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO COURT CRACKS DOWN ON UNLICENSED OPERATION

JIM/ANCHOR: An amateur radio operator in Trinidad and Tobago will learn 
in just a few weeks what the courts have in store for him, as we hear 
from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: The courts in Trinidad and Tobago are expected to rule in a little 
more than a month on sanctions being taken against a ham radio operator 
there who was transmitting without a license.

The courts found Desi-Lee Bonterre guilty of operating without a license 
from his home in Point Cumana in Carenage in 2007. He was charged in 
September of that year. The Telecommunications Authority, TATT, 
eventually did grant him a license and his attorney Sastri Roberts 
requested leniency on behalf of Bonterre, saying that he was active in 
radio emergency response. Southgate Amateur Radio News notes that 
Bonterre is listed as an Extra class licensee in the U.S. and that he is 
a member of Radio Emergency Association Citizen Team, or REACT, and an 
American Red Cross volunteer. There is also a record of him holding a 
U.S. call sign in 2008.

His QRZ profile lists him as an ARRL member, a resident of Brooklyn, New 
York and a master certified electronics technician.

During his trial, Bonterre testified that he had told police, when they 
visited his home and found the transmitters, that he was repairing some 
of them at the time. The courts are set to make their ruling on his 
punishment in February.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(SOUTHGATE)

**
FCC PROPOSES FINE AGAINST MANUFACTURER

JIM/ANCHOR: An Atlanta company faces a stiff penalty from the Federal 
Communications Commission for failing to comply with technical 
regulations. Skeeter Nash N5ASH has those details.

SKEETER: The FCC has proposed a $25,000 fine against a Georgia-based 
maker of fluorescent lighting ballasts for failing to label them as 
required by Part 18 rules in effect at the time of manufacture. The FCC 
said that the ballasts, two models in 2006 and one since 2009 - were 
required to have the FCC logo attached.

At the time the models were manufactured, the logo was mandatory as a 
way of letting buyers know that the device had undergone compliance 
testing. Compliance with the rule has since become voluntary.

The FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability against Acuity Brands Inc. 
of Atlanta on November 21st.

The FCC said it raised its initial proposed penalty because Acuity 
continued to sell two of the models for a six-month period after it 
first notified the company of alleged noncompliance.

The FCC noted that devices that are not in compliance with the agency's 
technical rules are capable of causing unwanted interference.

A report on Southgate Amateur news said Acuity did submit test reports 
showing two of the ballast models met technical requirements but the 
company did acknowledge that for nearly a decade, three models of the 
ballasts were missing the FCC logo.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash N5ASH.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

WORLD OF DX


Be listening through December 29th for Mauri, AG1LE operating as E51DXX 
from Rarotonga in the South Cook Islands. He is working holiday style on 
the HF bands using SSB, PSK31 and FT8.  QSL to his home call.

In the Solomon Islands, listen for Shane, VK4KHZ who is operating as 
H44DA until early January 2018. Listen for Shane on 80 to 10 meters, and 
satellite SO-50, but with a primary emphasis on 6
meters.  QSL direct to home call.

Rieder, HB9FIH is in the Canary Islands operating as EA8/HB9FIH until 
the end of March 2018.  Be listening on 80 to 10 meters, and possibly 6 
meters, where Rider will be using CW, RTTY, PSK and some SSB.  QSL to 
home call.

From the Republic of Korea, you can hear Special Event station DT23WOP 
who started their operation on December 1st. celebrating the Winter 
Olympic Games. They will run until February 28th of 2018. Send QSLs via 
HL1IWD.


**

FLORIDA 'SANTA-HAM' SHOWS HOSPITAL BEDSIDE MANNER

JIM/ANCHOR: Just when you thought there couldn't possibly be one more 
ham radio story about Santa Claus, along comes this report from Tampa, 
Florida, where a group of young hospital patients got the kind of 
medicine that can only be delivered via antenna and radio receiver. 
We'll let Mike Askins KE5CXP take it from here:

MIKE: At this time of the year, almost all children want a little magic 
but perhaps no kids want it more than those who are in the hospital. 
Inside St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, the Child Life team partnered 
with the Bay Area Emergency Amateur Service for Santa to make a house 
call....er, a hospital call.

In this case, the North Pole was a lot closer than you might think: the 
hams' station is actually housed inside the hospital's emergency 
communications center where it operates with the call sign W4TCH. That's 
where the hams are based all year long but at this time of year, for 
nine years counting, it has been turned into Santa Net Control.

The Bay Area hams' coordinator Christopher Perry KJ4JHT said he never 
tires of the smiles it brings, not to mention the sense of reassurance 
to the kids that although they are hospitalized, they aren't forgotten.

Radio: It's just what the doctor ordered. And at this time of the year, 
no one has a better bedside manner than Santa himself.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.

(PR NEWSWIRE)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the Associated Press; CQ 
Magazine; the Dayton Daily News; Dayton Hamvention; DX News; the FCC; 
Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; PR Newswire; Radio 
Amateurs of Canada; Reddit.com; the Rockford Star Register; Southgate 
Amateur Radio News; Space.com; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Wireless 
Institute of Australia; WTWW Shortwave; and you our listeners, that's 
all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our address 
at newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur 
Radio Newsline's only official website at www.arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW in Charleson, West 
Virginia saying 73...and continued Christmas and New Year's Best Wishes. 
As always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.


***

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