Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1934 - September 5 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1934 with a release date of September
5th 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. Japan's upcoming space mission to an asteroid
will carry a ham radio satellite; a new study in the United Sates challenges
the so-called broadband spectrum crunch; a DXpedition to Navassa Island will
take place within the next 18 months; AMSAT North America adds an auction at
its upcoming space symposium and pirate radio causing aviation safety
concerns in China. All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline report number
1934 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: JAPANESE ASTEROID MISSION TO CARRY AMATEUR RADIO
A news report out of Japan says the asteroid mission called Hayabusa 2 with
a planned launch this December will also carry the amateur radio satellite.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD has the details:
--
Shin'en 2 will be among the first ham radio satellite go into orbit outside
the influence of the Earth's gravity. The relatively small bird will be put
into an elliptic orbit around the Sun and travel to an orbit between Venus
and Mars. Its inclination will be almost zero degrees, which means Shin-en 2
will stay in the Earth's equatorial plane. Its distance from the Sun will be
between 0.7 and 1.3 Astronomical Units. An Astronomical Unit is 149,597,871
km which equates to about 92,955,807 miles.
Looking at its technology, Shin'en 2 is described as a polyhedron measuring
490×490×475 mm and weighing 17 kilograms. It was built in Japan by students
at Kyushu Institute of Technology and carries a Mode J linear transponder for
amateur radio communications along with CW and WSJT beacons.
The satellite will operate on 437.505 MHz for its CW beacon and 437.385 MHz
for the WSJT telemetry. The inverting C-W and SSB transponder will uplink on
2 meters from 145.940 to 145.960 MHz using Lower Sideband. The downlink will
use 435.280 to 435.260 MHz on upper sideband. All in all a very ambitious
project for ham radio in space.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reporting.
--
Another amateur radio satellite called ARTSAT 2 DESPATCH will also be
carried into space on the same launch. More is on the web at
tinyurl.com/ham-radio-orbital-mission. (Southgate, Kyushu Institute of
Technology)
**
RESTRUCTURING: NEW STUDY CHALLENGES SPECTRUM CRUNCH CLAIMS
There may not be as much of a spectrum crunch as broadband providers and
government officials claim. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF,
is in the newsroom with the details:
--
J. Armand Musey is the managing director at Goldin Associates, and Aalok
Mehta is a doctoral candidate at the University of Southern California and
the two have authored a new paper on the so-called spectrum crunch. In it
the two researchers find that estimates of future demand for wireless
spectrum use made by the FCC and other government agencies have been clearly
overstated. None the less, they have remained the basis for policy direction
on this issue.
The paper points to the National Broadband Plan's spectrum shortage estimate
of 275 MHz by the end of 2014 and an ITU Radio-endorsed estimate of a
spectrum shortage of 1,280MHz to 1,720MHz by 2020 as two examples of
overstated demand. The paper continues by saying the potential for the
persistent bias in these projections may allow policy errors based on these
data sources to compound over time as opposed to self-correct.
One source the FCC relied on to help advance its broadband plan was Cisco
Corporation's forecasts of mobile traffic in North America. But the research
paper claims that the last seven Cisco forecasts have made overestimates
nearly twice as often as underestimates and that the magnitude of
overestimates is greater than that of the underestimates.
Given the unreliability of demand projections for wireless spectrum, the
paper says that regulators should focus on spectrum policy decision that
maximize reversibility and/or flexibility. This so that they can make timely
and proportional adjustments to allocations.
This study is important to the ham radio community because several UHF and
microwave allocations could be adversely affected by whatever happens in
spectrum reallocation over the next several years.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles
--
The research paper carries the title "Overestimating Wireless Demand: Policy
and Investment Implications of Upward Bias in Mobile Data Forecast. It will
be presented later this month at the 42nd Telecom Policy Research Conference
to be held in Washington, D.C. You can find the entire text on the web at
tinyurl.com/no-spectrum-crunch. (TV News Check and other published reports)
**
DXCC APPROVAL : FOUR NEW DXCC APPROVALS
Some news from the ARRL DXCC Desk. ARRL Staff Liaison Dave Patton, NN1N
reports that A52JR, 4W/HB9FLX, 4W/N1YC and 4W/PE7T have all been approved for
DXCC credit. If you have had cards for these operations rejected in a recent
application, please send an E-mail to the ARRL DXCC Desk at dxccadmin (at)
arrl (dot) org and you will be placed on the list for an update. (ARRL)
**
BREAKING DX NEWS: NAVASSA ISLAND WITHIN 18 MONTHS
The KP-5 Project has announced that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have
agreed to allow an amateur radio operation from Navassa National Wildlife
Refuge. This, to occur within the next 18 months as coordinated with the
agency's work flow.
According to a press release, over the past year, the KP-5 Project had
numerous meetings with various levels of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
management. As with the Desecheo operation in 2009 the service has requested
proposals for the amateur radio operation from those individuals and groups
that have already applied for such a Special Use Permit in the past.
The KP-5 Project says that it will be submitting a proposal and hoping to be
selected. Updates will be posted at kp1-5.com (OPDX)
**
HUMANERIAN EFFORTS: JH1AJT TO ERITREA ON MISSION FOR THE FOUNDATION FOR
GLOBAL CHILDREN
Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT, will be visiting the State of Eritrea with a member
of Japan's House of Representatives and several others. This from September
15th until the 22nd as a part of a mission for the Foundation for Global
Children.
During their time in Eritrea the group will have meetings with that nations
Ministries of Health, Transportation, Communications, Education, Foreign
Affairs, Information, and the Eritrean Sports Commission. Eritrea's
Ambassador to Japan will also be at the meetings.
One of the main objectives of this trip is to finalize a draft Memorandum of
Understanding regarding the Eritrea and Japan Sports Collaboration that will
run through the year 2020. Through this project both nations will make
efforts to promote sports for the handicapped in Eritrea and to improve the
environments such events are held in. The Foundation will also support
activities for the betterment of education and sanitation for the children of
Eritrea.
During the stay, JH1AJT says that he will try to get on the air but that his
time for operating will be very limited. If he does make it to the airwaves
he says to listen out for him after Thursday, September the 18th mainly on
SSB and CW. As we go to air the call sign he will use is still unknown.
(JH1AJT Press Release via OPDX)
**
DX-UP FRONT: K2HVN FIRST DX ADVENTURE TO BERMUDA
K2HVN will be active stroke VO9 from Bermuda from November 3rd to the 10th.
He plans to operate 17 and 20 meters using CW and SSB and 30 meters on CW
only. While not a truly rare location, this operation marks the first DX
adventure for K2HVN and we know that you will join us in wishing him all the
best. And if you do make contact, please QSL via his home address.
(OPDX)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KD8KCF repeater
serving Toledo, Ohio.
(5 sec pause here)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC PROPOSES $22000 FINE AGAINST NY CB OPERATOR
The FCC has proposed a fine of $22,000 against James Engle, of Lewiston, New
York. This, for allegedly operating a radio transmitter without the
requisite Commission authorization and causing interference to other users of
Channel 32 in the 11 meter Citizens Radio Service. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, reports:
--
The story goes back to October 23rd of 2013. That's when agents from the
FCC's Philadelphia office, responding to a complaint from a CB operator on
27.325 MHz tracked the interfering transmissions to James Engle's location.
During their monitoring the agents say that they heard a person that they
claim was Engle repeatedly interrupt the transmissions of another CB
operator.
On October 24th, the agents returned and inspected Engle's CB station. At
that time they discovered two non certified linear amplifiers. The FCC said
Engle admitted that he used one of the power amplifiers during his operations
the previous evening. An on-site test showed that the amplifier in question
was capable of 148 watts output and there-by making the CB radio station
non-compliant with Commission Part 95 regulations.
Now in issuing the $22,000 Notice of Apparent Liability, the Commission
notes that the base forfeiture for operations without authorization is
$10,000 and the base forfeiture amount for interference to radio
communications is $7,000. However the agency retains the legal right to
upwardly adjust the proposed fine based on various factors in a given case.
Noting that prior to October 23, 2013 that Engle had received two written
warnings from the Enforcement Bureau advising him that operating a linear was
against its Part 95 rules, that his case warrants an upward adjustment in the
forfeiture amount of $5,000.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.
--
This $5000 upward adjustment brings the total proposed fine to the $22,000
mark to which Engle was given the customary 30 days to pay or to file an
appeal. (FCC)
**
ENFORCEMENT: TEXAS MAN ACCUSED OF ASSAULT AND CRIMINAL MISSCHIF TO HAM
RADIO OPERATOR
An Austin, Texas man is facing assault charges after police say he tossed a
drone aircraft and an amateur radio transceiver over the fence because he was
tired of his neighbor getting in his head.
According to the arrest affidavit filed by Austin Police, Steven Anthony
Garza stormed into Matthew Hammons' yard while Hammons was using his amateur
radio equipment to talk with his father. Hammons who holds the call KE5WRU
told police Garza charged him while making gestures indicating he was looking
to fight.
Hammons then told officers Garza first broke his radio's antenna and then
head butted him. At this point KE5WRU went inside his home from where he
watched as Garza allegedly threw Hammons' Yaesu transceiver and a personal
DJ- Phantom drone over the fence causing an estimated $4,000 in damage.
Garza claimed to the officers Hammons was using the equipment to spy on him
and using triangulation to speak to him in his head. Garza was taken into
custody and booked into the Travis County Jail on charges of assault, causing
bodily injury and criminal mischief. At last report he was still being held
in lieu of $10,000 bond. (Statesman.com, KXAN, others)
**
RADIO LAW: BROADCASTERS SUE FCC OVER SPECTRUM AUCTION RULES
The broadcasting community has sued the Federal Communications Commission
over rules for an upcoming spectrum reallocation bid as we hear from Amateur
Radio Newsline's Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
--
On Monday August 18th television and radio broadcasters filed a lawsuit
against the regulatory agency over its rules for an upcoming spectrum auction
in 2015.
Next year's auction which was ordered by Congress forces the FCC buy back
portions of what is now broadcast spectrum and then resell it to wireless
broadband providers. The latter are companies that are in need of added band
space to meet subscribers' demands for added data and numerous streaming
services.
In the suit, the National Association of Broadcasters argues that the FCC's
rules for next year's auction would allow fewer people access over the air
stations while at the same time forcing broadcasters to spend hundreds of
millions of dollars out of their own pockets in a process known as repacking.
Repacking is a fancy way of saying that stations would have to once again
change frequency and in some cases may have share a channel with other
broadcasters.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
--
An FCC spokesperson said in a statement that the commission was confident
that its plan fulfills the mandates established by Congress on this complex
matter. More is on the web at
http://thehill.com/policy/technology/215439-broadcasters-sue-fcc-over-airwave-
auction (The Hill)
**
HAM READING: FREE SEPTEMBER 2014 CQ-DATV NOW AVAILABLE
The September 2014 issue of the free amateur television magazine CQ-DATV is
now available for download. This months issue contains articles on the
MAX7456 OSD Computer USB Controller; the DATV Express Project update and the
latest Digital amateur television news. You can download your copy as a PDF
file at tinyurl.com/cq-datv-september (CQ-DATV)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: OH-KY-IN AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY HAMFEST RETURNS SEPTEMBER 21
After several years in limbo after loosing its site the OH-KY-IN Amateur
Radio Society Hamfest is back. According to Bruce Vanselow, N8BV, the new
Hamfest will take place on Sunday, September 21st at the Aiken High School in
Cincinnati, Ohio from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Eastern time. According to N8BV this
is an air-conditioned indoor venue so the Hamfest will take place be it rain
or shine. (N8BV)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: 15TH ANNUAL ROUTE 66 ON THE AIR
It's time once again to 'Get Your Kicks On Route 66.' This as the annual
Route 66 on the Air operation takes place from September 6th to the 15th.
Route 66 is the famed 2451 mile highway opened back in 1926 connecting
Chicago, Illinois with Los Angeles, California. It was immortalized in the
1960's with the television show of the same name.
With the introduction of the Interstate Highway System Route 66 began its
decline and was eventually replaced by new super highways. On June 27, 1985
the government decertified the highway and U.S. 66 ceased to exist.
Now in 2014, some twenty one special event stations located city's along the
route will join together for the 15th annual Route 66 on the Air. Operations
are planned for all bands using all modes. A certificate will be available
to those who work at least one of these stations. Complete information is
available on the Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club website at www.w6jbt.org.
(N7UR)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: AMSAT SPACE SYMPOSIUM AUCTION ANNOUNCED
In preparation for its upcoming 2014 Space Symposium, AMSAT North America is
seeking donations of specialty items for a fund raising auction to be held at
the event. Proceeds from the auction will help supplement the FOX satellite
and Amateur Radio on the International Space Station and other AMSAT
projects. Donated items should have a minimum value $100 and are not
necessarily limited to amateur radio. If you have something to donate to the
Symposium auction, please send an e-mail to Frank Bauer at ka3hdo (at)
verizon (dot) net. This years AMSAT Space Symposium will be in Baltimore,
Maryland, from October 10th to the 12th. More information is at
www.amsat.org. (ANS)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: K3LR RELEASES DAYTON ANTENNA FORUM SLIDES
Some names in the news. First up is Tim Duffy, K3LR. He has announced that
the 2014 Dayton Hamvention Antenna Forum slide presentations in PDF format
are now posted on line at www.k3lr.com. To download and view them simply
click on the left side box marked Dayton Antenna Summary. In addition to the
latest set of presentations, those going back as far as 2004 are also
available. (K3LR.com)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: OE1WHC RELEASES SEVERAL FRIEDRICHSHAFEN POWERPOINT FORUMS
Wolf Harranth, OE1WHC of the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation has informed
the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter that several of the 2014 Friedrichshafen Ham
Radio convention Powerpoint lectures are now available on-line. These
include such topics as Yagi and Quad antennas for High Frequency Shortwave by
Martin Steyer, DK7ZB; The Enigma and Others famous Cipher Machines that was
presented by Tom Perera, W1TP and the FT5ZM Amsterdam Island DXpedition by
Ralph Fedor, K0IR. Look for them at www.dokufunk.org/talk. (OPDX)
**
BREAK 2
This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at
www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of the
following radio amateur:
(5 sec pause here)
**
WORLDBEAT: CHINA FACING PIRATE RADIO PROBLEM ON ITS AVIATION BAND
The United States is not the only place where pirate broadcasters appear to
be thriving. Now comes word out of China that law enforcement agencies there
have uncovered unlicensed stations operating in some cities and provinces
that could and have disrupted communications between pilots and air traffic
controllers. But not for political or anti-government purposes.
According to a news report, these are mostly home grown FM commercial
stations whose transmitters have already caused problems for airports in some
locations. A commercial airline pilot was quoted as saying that his
in-flight navigation system and communications with control towers was often
disturbed by these unlicensed radio broadcasts.
The Beijing Municipal Bureau of Radio and Television recently uncovered a
pirate radio station that was transmitting advertisements. These stations
try to sell ads for escort agencies, medical products and other services.
The bureau recently seized a 2,000 watt transmitter whose signal could reach
most parts in that city.
A more in depth look at this problem and what authorities in China are doing
to try to combat it as at tinyurl.com/pirate-radio-in-china ( SCMP.com,
South China Morning Post)
**
WORLDBEAT: FRENCH SUBTITLED VERSION OF TX FACTOR NOW AVAILABLE
The United Kingdom produced television show the TX Factor is now available
in a version especially for French speakers. TX Factor is the only European
television program devoted exclusively to ham radio. Episode 1 is now
available with French subtitles thanks to the work of F6FVY, F8BXI and F8GQH.
That same team plans to do the same with the rest of the shows episodes. To
view the TX Factor with or without the French sub titles simply take your web
browser to www.txfactor.co.uk. (TXFactor)
**
RADIO FROM SPACE: ROSETTA ARRIVES AT COMET 67P
After a decade long journey the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft
carrying three NASA instruments became the first to rendezvous with a comet.
This following the last of a series of 10 rendezvous maneuvers that began in
May to adjust Rosetta's speed and trajectory to gradually match those of
comet 67P. These trajectory adjustments proved successful even though the
comet and spacecraft were some 252 million miles from Earth at that time.
At last report, Rosetta is some 62 miles above the comet's surface. Its
first mission will be to fly a number of triangular-shaped trajectories in
front of 67P which will likely have been completed by the time this newscast
goes to air. Meantime, the spacecraft's instruments will provide a detailed
scientific study of the comet while scanning its surface to identify a target
site for its lander named Philae.
As many as five possible landing sites will be identified before the primary
site is identified in mid-September. The final timeline for the sequence of
events for deploying Philae will be confirmed by the middle of October.
Meantime, the latest images of the comet taken by Rosetta are available to
view at www.nasa.gov/rosetta (NASA, JPL)
**
ON THE AIR: SPAIN SOCCAR AWARD SEPTEMBER 9 TO 29
On the air, Spain's Football League Teams' ham radio awards and trophies
will be available to any licensed radio amateur worldwide. This, by
providing proof of valid contacts made with the 20 special event stations
using the special EG prefix between September 9th to the 29th. The full list
of EG stations and other pertinent information on this award program is
on-line at www.eafltaward.com. (EAF release)
**
ON THE AIR: MALAYSIAN NATIONAL FIELD DAY SEPTEMBER 15 - 16
The Malaysian Amateur Radio League will be sponsoring that nations 2014
National Field Day for 24 hours beginning from Monday, September 15th
September and concluding on Tuesday the 16th. Like other Field Day
operations around the world, all of those participating in this event are
requested to use only batteries or a generator to power their stations
equipment. An overview of this years Malaysia National Field Day is at
www.marl.org.my/download/nfd2014.pdf (MARL, QRZ.com)
**
DX
In DX, five operators will be operational as BO0D from Tung Yin Island
between September 13th and the 20th. Activity will be on all HF bands using
CW, SSB and the Digital modes. QSL via the BV Bureau.
JI3DST will be active stroke 5 from Shodo Island in the Kagawa Prefecture
between September 20th and the 22nd. Operations will be on 40 through 6
meters using CW, SSB, FM and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign direct or via
the bureau.
LU5BE, LU8EFF and LU3AAL will be active stroke T from Purmamarca Jujuy
region in Argentina from September 24th through the 30th. Operations will be
80 through 10 meters using CW, SSB, PSK31 and SSTV. They will also try to
have a beacon on 6 meters. QSL via LU8EFF.
Depending on transportation, G4DBW should be active as ZD8RH from Ascension
Island between September 22nd to the 30th. Operations will be mainly on CW.
QSL direct via G4DBW or via RSGB Bureau. But be aware that bureau replies can
take up to 18 months.
IZ1MHY will be operational as 5H1MD from Zanzibar Island between September
28th and October 10th. Activity will be on 20 through 6 meters using CW, SSB
and the Digital modes. QSL via home call, the bureau or direct. See his
listing on QRZ.com for more details.
Lastly, KC9W, will be active stroke HH5 from Haiti between January 11th and
February 3rd, 2015. As of airtime his operations will be on 160, 80 and 40
meters using CW only. QSL direct via KC0W.
(This weeks DX news courtesy of OPDX)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: VOYAGER 1 - WHERE ARE YOU
And finally, last year the Voyager One mission control team announced that
the spacecraft had reached interstellar space but many in the academic
community remained skeptical. Now, two researchers working with the
spacecraft are looking to put any doubt to rest with a new test designed to
show conclusively whether or not Voyager One has made it into interstellar
space. Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has the details:
--
According to The Space Reporter, the test will determine whether the
spacecraft is inside or outside the heliosphere. That's the so-called bubble
of solar particles and magnetic fields that the sun creates around itself.
The researchers who developed the test believe that Voyager 1 will cross out
of its current layer of the heliosphere within the next year or two. When
that occurs, astrophysicists expect to see a reversal in the magnetic field
around the spacecraft. The lack of a reversal would show that Voyager 1 is
still inside the heliosphere.
That said, other information already in the hands of researcher's points to
the fact that Voyager One has already left the heliosphere. After gathering
data from a solar eruption that shook particles around the probe, scientists
determined that the density of the spacecraft's surroundings was much higher
than the figures taken in earlier measurements when Voyager One had yet to
cross into interstellar space. It currently takes radio signals from Voyager
One take over 17 hours to reach Earth.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, reporting.
--
Voyager One and Voyager Two were both launched in 1977. Their initial goal
was to simply study the planets of our solar system. Now, a quarter of a
century later both probes are still operational. Predictions are that
Voyager Two will likely follow Voyager One and enter interstellar space in a
few years. A more detailed look at this experiment is on the web at
tinyurl.com/latest-on-voyager-one. (SpaceReporter, Wikipedia)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio
Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the South African Radio
League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News and you our
listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail
address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available
at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at
www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm), 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350..
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Davis,
W2JKD, in Vero Beach, Florida, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
***
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