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Jun. 9 2004 NTIA files additional comments on FCC BPL proposals
The US government National Telecommunications and Information Administration has published additional comments on the FCC BPL proposed emission limits for broadband signals carried on medium voltage power lines.
In particular, the NTIA proposes a more accurate method of measuring potential interference from power lines to HF receivers, and also assesses the risk of interference caused by long distance ionospheric propagation of BPL radiated signals.
The NTIA also proposes that certain frequencies and locations of particular importance to US government users be protected from BPL interference.
The comments are backed by a 55 page technical appendix showing the results of computer simulations of electric fields in the vicinity of power lines carrying HF signals.
The comments and the technical appendix can be found on the NTIA web site at: www.ntia.doc.gov/new.html
(RAC News Service)
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Jun. 19 2004 Great Britain...Radio Communications Foundation to Provide Bursaries for Students
The Radio Communications Foundation, or ‘RCF', has joined forces with the Arkwright Trust to provide bursaries to Sixth Form students who elect to take maths and a science-based subject at GCE ‘A' level. Recipients must have an interest in radio communications and must apply through their schools' Design and Technology departments. Applicants have to sit a formal examination which is set by the Arkwright Trust and attend an interview. The bursary, which is £800 per year, is split into two halves: £400 going to the school and £400 to the student. The money is to be used for educational purposes. The RCF will provide one bursary in 2004 and from 2005 three bursaries annually.
Website: www.commsfoundation.org
(RSGB)
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Jun. 19 2004 RSGB Scottish Region Changes
Major changes to the two RSGB Scottish Regions have been approved. Region 1, previously known as Scotland West and the Western Isles, becomes Scotland South and the Western Isles, while Region 2, previously known as Scotland East and the Highlands becomes Scotland North and the Northern Isles. As a result, two new districts will be added to Region 1: District 15, Lothians and District 16, Borders. The Deputy Regional Manager for District 15 is Dave Stockton, GM4ZNX, whose address is correct in the RSGB Yearbook .
A Deputy Regional Manager is to be appointed for District 16. Anyone interested should contact Gordon, GM3ULP, whose e-mail address is: gm3ulp@qsl.net
Fife will become part of District 23 in Region 2. The Regional Managers for both Regions remain unchanged. The Regional Manager for Region 1 is Gordon Hunter, GM3ULP, and the Regional Manager for Region 2 is Peter Thomson, GM1XEA. Both Gordon's and Peter's addresses can be found in the RSGB Yearbook .
(RSGB)
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Pending 40-Meter changes will enhance Spectrum Efficiency
The FCC says pending changes in the 40-meter amateur band as a result of World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03) will improve spectrum efficiency. The Commission's remark came in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) in ET Docket 04-139, which seeks public comments on proposed rule changes to complete domestic implementation of various WRC-03 allocation decisions. The NPRM primarily affects Parts 2, 25 and 73 of the FCC's rules.
"We anticipate that administrations in Regions 1 and 3 will in the near future authorize phone emissions in the segment 7150-7200 kHz," the FCC predicted in the NPRM, "and we note the ARRL has requested that the [US] frequency segment for phone emissions be expanded to 7125-7300 kHz." The FCC said authorizing phone in the 7150-7200 kHz segment of the band would permit same-frequency US-to-DX contacts, resulting in increased spectrum efficiency. Amateurs in the Region 1 countries of Norway, Croatia and San Marino already have been granted access to 7100 to 7200 kHz on a secondary, non-interference basis.
Under the present regime, most amateur stations in Regions 1 and 3 use 7075-7100 kHz for phone. Since the US phone band is 7150 to 7300 kHz, this means most US-to-DX operation requires "split" operation. The band 7000-7300 kHz is allocated to the Amateur Service on a primary, exclusive basis in Region 2, but that is not the case in much of the rest of the world.
Effective next January 1, WRC-03 allocated the band 7100-7200 kHz to the Amateur Service in Regions 1 and 3 on a co-primary basis with broadcasting. After March 29, 2009, 7100-7200 kHz will be allocated to the Amateur Service on an exclusive basis throughout the world, except in some Region 1 and Region 3 countries.
"As such, Amateur Service use of this 100 kilohertz will be on a de facto secondary basis in Regions 1 and 3 until the broadcasting service vacates the band 7100-7200 kHz at the conclusion of Schedule B in 2009," the FCC noted. "This means that amateur stations in Regions 1 and 3 will shortly be permitted to transmit in the band 7100-7200 kHz, if they can find a frequency that is not being used by an international broadcast station."
The FCC said it doesn't think it needs to update its Part 97 Amateur Service rules until administrations in Regions 1 and 3 implement changes to allow amateurs to transmit in the 7100-7200 kHz segment.
"As a practical matter, we do not believe that the Amateur Service can make use of the band 7100-7200 kHz in Regions 1 and 3 in advance of HF broadcasting stations vacating the band because of the great power disparity between amateur stations and international broadcast stations," the FCC concluded.
The NPRM also addresses the deployment of Earth Exploration Satellite Service-Active (EESS-Active) spacecraft in the 70-cm band. The FCC said it "tentatively" finds that any secondary EESS-Active allocation at 432-438 MHz should be limited to federal government use. The Commission said operation in that allocation "should not cause harmful interference to, nor claim protection from, any other services allocated in the band in the United States, including the Amateur-Satellite service."
Comments in the proceeding are due July 16, with reply by August 2. Interested parties may view the entire NPRM, file comments and view comments filed in ET Docket 04-139 via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs
(ARRL News Service)
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SARL to Launch its Radio Technology in Action Programme on Aug. 21 2004
The South African Radio League will be launching its Radio Technology in Action programme on August 21 with a huge Hamfest at the National Amateur Radio Centre in Gauteng.
Making the announcement SARL President Graham Hartlett ZS6GJH said that the aim of the programme is:
Expanding on the 21 August Hamfest he said that the lecture programme will be presented in three streams focusing on technology, amateur radio in action and amateur radio in education. The technology slot focuses on digital, satellite and weak signal communication. The aim of the Amateur radio in Action stream is to showcase DXing, Contesting and general operating activity. The third stream will be a workshop on taking amateur radio to the youth of South Africa.
Besides the lecture programme there will be displays, demonstrations, on the air activity and a flea market.
The SARL is calling for papers to be presented in the three slots. Send a brief synopsis to RTA@sarl.org.za before 27 June after which the full lecture programme will be announced.
"Listen weekly to SARLNews and Amateur Radio Mirror International for updates and interviews on this exciting programme", Graham said". Also visit the SARL web at www.sarl.org.za often."
(SARL)
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New Zealand
The amateur licence itself may disappear and a GURL ("General User Radio Licence") introduced for New Zealand amateur radio stations. This is just one of many possibilities awaiting our service in ZL as they themselves await the full outcome of their Ministries review of the Amateur Service in ZL.
New Directions in Amateur Radio Licensing in New Zealand
The changes started on 17 June when a new revised Schedule 3 attached to the ZL licence comes into effect. Other changes will take effect over the next 18 months or more. The news is all good. Many long-standing problems are being eliminated. Some of the changes are believed to be world firsts.
There is only one grade of amateur operator licence in New Zealand, the General Amateur Licence. The word "General" must continue meantime because it is hard-entered in the Ministry's existing database.
All existing Limited Amateur licensees automatically became General Amateur licensees on 17 June 2004 irrespective of what is written on their existing licences.
A change of callsign can be requested following the existing rules. There being only one licence grade, licences will no longer indicate a grade.
All amateur bands remain the same but the LF band is being listed for the first time as an allocated amateur band and is extended from 130 to 190 kHz.
The permitted maximum transmitter power output for an amateur station is quoted with one figure: 500 watt PEP. This is defined in the ITU RR 1.157 (see Appendix following). With only one figure, it is now mode-independent.
Licensed overseas visitors, i.e. persons holding a current amateur certificate of competency, authorisation, or licence issued by another administration, may operate an amateur station in New Zealand under a General User Radio Licence (GURL) with similar privileges to a ZL resident station for a period not exceeding 90 days, provided the certificate, authorisation or licence meets the requirements of Recommendation ITU-R M.1544, or CEPT T/R 61-01, or CEPT T/R 61-02, and is produced at the request of the Chief Executive.
The present country-to-country reciprocal licence agreements will disappear in time as more countries directly recognise the licences issued by other administrations. Cross-border travel by radio amateurs will become easier.
The callsign to be used by a visitor from overseas will be the home-country callsign as allocated by the other administration with an added prefix "ZL" or an added suffix "ZL" which is to be separated from the national callsign by the character "/" (telegraphy), or the word "stroke" (telephony).
With one examination, with only one licence grade, and with new and simplified procedures, New Zealand amateur radio is positioned for an exciting future.
Appendix: Extract from The ITU International
Radio Regulations: fa.. peak envelope power (of a radio transmitter): The
average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter
during one radio frequency cycle at the crest of the
modulation envelope taken
under normal operating conditions.
(QNews)
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Jun. 15 2004 Spam Blocking is now in place on callsign@rac.ca e-mail addresses
As previously announced, spam scanning software (SpamAssassin) has been installed on the RAC e-mail forwarding service, and was enabled at 0:00 Newfoundland Daylight Time, June 15th
All of the latest plug-ins have been included to make SpamAssassin is as effective as possible. The reject level can be raised or lowered server wide to reduce false positives or increase effectiveness.
On the RAC server the installation is different from standard SpamAssassin setups. When a message arrives, it is scanned immediately and the sending server is either notified that it is OK or rejected before the connection between the two servers is closed. If RAC rejected the message, the sending server will usually notify the sender of the message that it has been rejected.
What this means is that the message has been blocked, but at least the sender knows it has been blocked,
Please report any problems to: aliashelp@rac.ca
(RAC News Service)
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Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Needs You!
As we approach the summer season, we should remember that tornadoes forest fires are a possibility in summer. There is also the possibility of power outages as we had last summer and of course emergencies that nobody can predict. With these types of events, amateur radio and most specifically the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) may play a part.
All Communications systems can fail. Commercial systems can be overloaded, disaster can damage infrastructure but should not be complacent, this can also happen to Ham Radio.
Without Ham volunteers, ARES can also be overloaded during an emergency. Hams often need to operate in shifts. Work and family commitments as well as the limits of being human, restrict all of us. To avoid overloading the ham community, we need volunteers. We also need volunteers to fill gaps when repeaters are damaged or systems that were there yesterday, now are gone. Our strength is our flexibility to meet the need. However, we only have that strength if we have trained and prepared volunteers ready for the challenge.
If you have never joined ARES remember that our ability to provide emergency communications is probably the main reason that our access to the radio spectrum is still here 91 years after the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) formed the first national amateur radio society 91 years ago. Many others would love to have the spectrum we use, and there are probably lots of worthwhile uses for it. It would be hard to replace the Emergency Capabilities of ARES with the other systems that would like our spectrum access but if we don't provide a service, and we are called the "Amateur Radio Service," then it will be hard to keep our access to the frequencies over the long run.
Many hams say that they will be there if needed and many do turn out. But do they train? do they know how to operate the Radio in the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) or local Hospital? Do they even know how to find it? Can they handle formal traffic on voice, CW or digital modes? Is their emergency equipment up to snuff? Do they even know the ITU phonetic alphabet and not some 'made up' version that will cause confusion during an emergency? These are but a few of the things a good emergency communicator needs to know and most of these things are not in the Basic or Advanced Study Guides. There is much to learn other than what is needed for their license. Many things need to be relearned to keep us up to date.
RAC ARES also provides for a system of communication across the continent through both ARES and the National Traffic System (NTS) that is designed to make long distance communication a simple process for the local ARES group. No other continent wide system via strictly ham radio is structured for this purpose.
If you are an amateur operator in Ontario who would like the challenge of helping your community in times of need, please visit www.aresontario.ca to find the Emergency Coordinator (EC) in your area, they would be happy to hear from you.
If you are an EC, I encourage you to go to the local club(s) meetings in your area and talk to the hams, encourage their participation, get on the local nets and discuss ARES with local amateur operators. Perhaps the local club will let you talk to students taking a Ham radio course leading to the Basic exam. New hams are often the most enthusiastic ARES members you will ever meet.
Paul Davidson
VE3UUM
Ontario
Section Emergency Coordinator.
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Jun. 26 2004 Geocachers “Meet & Greet Saturday"
The Truro Area Geocachers would like to invite all fellow geocachers and interested parties to search us out at our first ever “Meet & Greet Saturday" to be held from 3pm-8pm Saturday June 26, 2004. The meet can be logged as an event cache, and a new permanent cache will be hidden nearby for your enjoyment and demonstration to interested parties. Also in the community but not a part of our group, though we share some mutual members, the Truro Amateur Radio Club will be conducting a Field Day of Amateur Radio and visitors are welcome at their site also. A BBQ will be available to cook on should you wish to bring lunch, and a tent is available in the event of foul weather.
For full details visit: www.brillig.com/geocaching/nova_scotia.shtml
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Jun. 21 2004 West Island Amateur Radio Club Meeting
Meetings are on the 3rd Monday of each month at 7pm (official start is 7:30). We meet at the Lakeside Heights Baptist Church 275 Braebrook in Pointe-Claire (western end of the Island of Montreal). The club welcomes all visitors, so if you are going to be in Montreal and have some time, come down and join us.
Club Website: http://shell.pubnix.net/~wiarc
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July 10 2004 Ontario Hamfest 2004
The Burlington Amateur Radio Club extends a warm welcome to attend their 30th annual Ontario Hamfest, at the Milton Agricultural Fairgrounds, located in the Town of Milton.
General Admission: $ 6.00
per person - Children 12 or under admitted free with adult accompaniment
Inside Vendors: $ 6.00
per person plus $10.00 per table - Contact: Norm Friedin, VE3CZI for registration
Tailgate Vendors: $
6.00 per person plus $ 5.00 per single
Features:
3 LARGE BUILDINGS WITH INSIDE VENDORS
LARGE OUTDOOR TAILGATE FLEAMARKET
$1,200 GIFT CERTIFICATE SUPERPRIZE
COLD DRINKS
GREAT DOOR PRIZES
FREE COFFEE SERVICE TO EARLY ARRIVERS
FREE BOTTOMLESS COFFEE POT
DONUTS, HOTDOGS, AND HAMBURGS
Full details can be found on the BARC website: http://home.cogeco.ca/~barc
RAC Ontario Section News
Ontario Phone Net Manager Resignation / Appointment
Due to personal reasons Jean VA3FW has resigned as Net Manager for the OPN effective June 14, 2004. Jean has done an excellent job managing the net these past six month. On behalf of the Ontario Section RAC Field Organization and participants on the OPN many, many thanks to Jean for all her hard work and dedication to the NTS.
Congratulations to George VE3BDM who has agreed to pick up the reigns. George is an out standing Amateur Radio operator, a skilled traffic handler and an experienced net controller. Having been involved with the NTS for over two decades, I am confident that George will do an excellent job managing the net. Congratulations once again and welcome to the RAC Field Organization.
More information about the Ontario Phone Net can be found online at www.hfradio.net/opn
Rose Scholtyssek,
VE3RIS
RAC Ontario
Section Manager
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May 20 - June 22 2004 Special Event Callsign VC6X
Authority has been granted by Industry Canada to Mr. Bill Metcalfe of Beaumont, AB to use the Special Event Callsign VC6X to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Lieutenant Alexander Roberts Dunn (1833-1868) who is the the first to receive the Victoria Cross for his military heroism during the Crimean War of 1854-1856.
(RAC)
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Cold Lake Amateur Radio Association Event
The Cold Lake Amateur Radio Association will be providing support for the Cold Lake International Air Show on July 17 & 18, 2004. They are asking for help from ARES members and hams from other areas to cover their given tasks. The Sask Alta Radio Club has agreed that as many members as possible will join in.
For registration form and full
details visit: www.lloydminster.org/sarc/fancy
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Jun. 18 2004 Tad Cook K7RA Solar Update
Several large sunspot groups now pepper the earth-facing side of the sun, and sunspots are also detected on the sun's far side. Daily sunspot numbers rose this week to a high of 113, although the weekly average was down a few points from last week. Average daily solar flux numbers rose this week over eight points. Geomagnetic conditions were fairly quiet, with the most active day on Tuesday, June 15.
The current forecast shows solar flux up around 110 over the weekend, June 18-20, then dropping to 100 by June 25. Conditions don't look bad for this weekend's All Asian DX CW Contest.
As the current solar cycle slowly
declines, it is interesting to anticipate how long it might be past the
solar minimum for sunspot activity to rise again to current levels. A prediction
from NOAA, seen at http://sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/weekly/Predict.txt
shows the
solar minimum around December 2006.
The furthest out the chart projects is December 2007, with a predicted
sunspot number around 21.3. The same chart predicts a level near that value
around December 2004. This means that after December 2004, conditions won't
rise again to that level until three years later.
To look at historical charts of previous solar cycles, check www.qsl.net/w3df/sfarch.html and www.wm7d.net/hamradio/solar/historical.shtml
For more information concerning propagation and an explanation of the numbers used in this bulletin see the ARRL Technical Information Service propagation page at www.arrl.org/tis/info/propagation.html
Sunspot numbers for June 10 through 16 were 50, 45, 28, 55, 77, 87 and 113 with a mean of 65. 10.7 cm flux was 82.5, 83.9, 88, 95.2, 99.9, 109.4 and 111.5, with a mean of 95.8. Estimated planetary A indices were 11, 10, 7, 4, 11, 16 and 7, with a mean of 9.4. Estimated mid-latitude A indices were 8, 5, 5, 3, 9, 14 and 7, with a mean of 7.3.
(W1AW)
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Jun. 19 2004 GB2RS solar data and propagation forecast.
Solar activity has been low or very low, with only an occasional minor flare. The solar flux recovered from 88 units on the 12th to 112 on the 16th, then fell back to 108 on the 19th. The average, 103 units, was unchanged. The 90-day average is down a point at 102. Average X-ray flux increased from A7.2 to B2.4. The geomagnetic field was mostly quiet-to-unsettled, though a high-speed coronal stream brought active periods on the 14th and 15th. The highest daily reading was 16 Ap units on the 15th. Solar wind speeds at the ACE satellite ranged between 299 km/sec on the 13th and 586 km/sec on the 15th. Particle densities were mostly low, falling below 1 per cubic centimetre at times.
HF band conditions remained flat, with long periods with little F-layer propagation above 18MHz. Most of the better openings were during the evening, when absorption levels were lower. Some days produced good signals from southern Africa and South America as high as 28MHz. On the higher bands, the best day was the 15th, when sporadic-E crammed 50MHz with strong European signals for much of the evening. There was also a good 70MHz opening to Slovenia and Croatia between 1600 and 1900 UTC, with UK signals also reported from Poland, Sicily and the Czech Republic. Around 1900 UTC there was a brief 144MHz opening to Hungary and Slovenia.
The coming week looks likely to bring more of the same. However, two fairly substantial sunspot groups now on the solar disk may produce more substantial flares than we have seen in recent weeks. Whether they will do so in ways that affect the radio weather is as yet unclear. The solar flux looks set to decline slowly. Geomagnetic activity will be quiet-to-unsettled for the next day or so but may be more unsettled later in the week. MUFs at equal latitudes should be around 22MHz in the south and 19MHz in the north. Darkness hour lows will be around 13MHz. Paths to South America should have a maximum usable frequency of around 25MHz. However, the optimum working frequency, at which there should be a ninety per cent chance of a contact will be around 20MHz. The best time to try the path will be between 1600 and 2100UTC, occasionally later on the better days.
The next week or ten days have in the past often produced the most interesting VHF sporadic-e, particularly multiple-hop to the Middle East or North America. Unfortunately, this mode of propagation eludes specific prediction. Although this has so far been a rather disappointing season it will nevertheless be worth keeping a sharp ear on the relevant bands.
Your reporters
were Neil, G0CAS, and Martin, G3USF
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Space Station Field Day 2004 Operation Possible
The crew of the International Space Station--astronaut Mike Fincke, KE5AIT, and cosmonaut Gennady Padalka, RN3DT--could be on the air for Field Day 2004. ISS Ham Radio Project Engineer Kenneth G. Ransom, N5VHO, says he's sent Field Day operating instructions and pass times to the ISS support team at Johnson Space Center for relay to Fincke this week.
"Those instructions state that Mike should be operating as NA1SS, '1 Alfa ISS,'" Ransom said. "Mike was also notified that anytime he is over North or South America would be a chance to operate." Ransom says that if Padalka gets on the air, he'll identify as RS0ISS and give the same exchange. Fincke and Padalka would use the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) radio gear aboard the spacecraft.
Since most ISS passes over North America will already have occurred by the time Field Day gets under way at 1800 UTC on June 26, the ideal pass times sent to Fincke are for the following day. Here's the pass schedule for Sunday, June 27--all times UTC: Southern and northeastern US: 0753-0811; Western US: 0927-0947; Northwestern US: 1103-1123; Northeastern US: 1415-1435; Central US: 1551-1611; and Southwestern US: 1727-1743.
"As with any Amateur Radio operation aboard the ISS, the crew gives of their free time to participate, and, as such, may not be available on every pass," Ransom said, adding that it's also possible that "more pressing events" may preclude Field Day participation altogether.
Ransom pointed out that a space walk is scheduled for just a few days before Field Day, and the crew "will still be in the process of getting back to a normal schedule when Field Day is in full swing," he said.
The tentative plan calls for Fincke to be on FM using the standard ISS voice frequencies for contacts in ITU Region 2--144.49 MHz up and 145.80 MHz down. Ransom said that if Padalka also participates, he would operate on the same 2-meter frequency pair, and the Expedition 9 crewmates would likely trade off on passes.
Since ARISS has two radios aboard, it's possible that both Fincke and Padalka could get on the air at the same time. If that happens, one would be on 2 meters while the second would operate 437.55 MHz FM simplex. Ransom cautions, however, that Doppler shift in the 70-cm band is significantly greater than on 2 meters.
If it turns out that the Expedition 9 crew cannot participate in Field Day 2004, Ransom says the RS0ISS packet station should be on and available for ground stations to work each other via the packet digipeater using "ARISS" as the alias for the call sign in UNPROTO mode. Frequencies are 145.99 MHz up and 145.80 MHz down.
ARRL Contest Branch Manager Dan Henderson, N1ND, says he was happy to hear that hams aboard the ISS may once again be on the air for Field Day. "We look forward to seeing lots of reported QSOs with Mike--and perhaps Gennady--during Field Day 2004."
Henderson notes that ISS voice or packet contacts do not count for bonus satellite contact points because the ISS is not an "Amateur Radio satellite," as event rules specify. Field Day has no specific rules relating to ARISS operation because there's no guarantee that the crew will be able to get on the air for the annual exercise.
In 2001, astronaut Susan Helms, KC7NHZ, thrilled Field Day participants by showing up unexpectedly on the air and working several dozen stations. ISS crew members have participated in the event each year since.
ARISS is an international educational
outreach with US participation by ARRL, AMSAT and NASA. www.rac.ca/ariss
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Jun. 28 2004 ECHO Prepared for Launch
The soon to be launched ECHO ham radio satellite has arrived safely at the launch complex in Russia and is being made ready for launch. This, according to Chuck Green, N0ADI, who is traveling with the bird to the launch facility.
According to Green, once he and the team arrived at the launch site, the satellite shipping containers were opened and placed in the clean room. ECHO was taken out of it's shipping case and set up for completion. The bottom antennas were then installed. So was the bottom solar panel, magnets, and corner reflectors.
ECHO was then powered on and the team successfully communicated with it over a hard wire connection from a computer. The four two meter receivers and the two 70 cm transmitters were all successfully tested. And that's good news for everyone waiting for the new hamsat to take its ride into space.
Currently the planned launch period for ECHO is four weeks beginning June 28th. Once in orbit the command teams will be working together to assure everything is working OK and get ECHO into its initial 'normal' modes as quickly as possible. After that it will be open to the users in the ham radio community.
(AMSAT)
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Note: "Hams
in Action" is a new area in the bulletin and is in need of articles and
stories of events from your local club or ARES Group.
Submission
to Hams in Action: Bulletin Editor:
va3ku@rac.ca
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Jun. 17 2004 Massachusetts Division Emergency Exercise
Be Prepared. Every ham involved with Scouting as a youngster remembers that motto.
Well the Massachusetts Division of the Salvation Army, along with its supporting SATERN Group, and members of the Boston Amateur Radio Clubs Emergency Response Team (BERT) are another great example of those believing in Being Prepared.
To begin their story, be aware that numerous warnings have and continue to be posted relating to a fear of terrorist activities occurring this summer in Boston , during the Democratic National Convention scheduled for late July. While the Mass. Div. of the Army has participated in surrounding communities Terrorist and HazMat Drills, it was the Emergency Disaster Services and SATERN members who benefited from these earlier training exercises.
In order to expose more of the Mass. SA Officers, staff, and volunteers to some hands on disaster training, the Mass. Division leadership formed an internal, statewide Disaster Service Organization. (DSO) The Officers and staff they assigned to this DSO were then ordered to complete courses in the Incident Command System, and a volunteer specialist was then asked to design a drill that would first test the groups response to the emergency scene as a Disaster Relief Agency, and then to examine their ability to coordinate the SA relief operations throughout the drill.
Sounds like any other staged drill doesn't it. Well, the Division Commander went a step further, he said the drill had to be designed to utilize ONLY radio communications. No phones, cell phones, fax machines, email, or any other means of commercial communications. (he and many others in the Division are veterans of WTC service.)
This brings us to the real meat of the story. The preliminary drill scenario was designed and then dropped in the lap of their Emergency Service Coordinator, Bill Foley, kb1glf, who in turn called on me as the Mass. SATERN Coordinator, for support. We were directed to come up with a communications plan that not only permitted legal radio communications for the non-ham officers and volunteers to communicate, but to also insure that if they couldn't do it effectively, we had a backup communications plan in place. Now the simple solution for backup would be to enlist aid and support from the ARES group, which in Eastern Mass. is a model for many to follow.
Instead, since this was a closed SA agency drill, we chose to really test the Army system. The Mass. SA Disaster Rehab/Canteens had all been radio equipped utilizing a business band repeater, we had a dozen Vertex 160 hand-helds, both a Divisional EOC and a backup EOC at Camp Wonderland in Sharon, Ma. (. . this is a town located outside of the Boston area which was to be the drill site location .) both of these EOC's have all band radio equipment installed, and we also had a recently completed ( but yet untested) communications vehicle.. ( a local University had donated a modern ambulance to SATERN that we had just completed the installation of VHF/ UHF/ 6mtr/CB/GMRS/FRS/Busn Band and HF radios and antennas, a Honda generator, and finally an inverter for the onboard laptops ). In addition, the same University donated a dozen Motorola Saber handhelds with spare batteries and chargers, formally used by their Police Dept., and we had these radios cached onboard the new Comm. Unit. The picture began to form, but we were still missing something.
Well we had plenty of equipment, so now what. After some discussions with the drill designer, Al MacLeod, we knew that one business repeater frequency would never handle the traffic expected, nor could we expect to see the necessary radio operating skill and discipline from those SA non-hams involved, in such a short training window. We also assumed that in any major Boston incident it would be very likely that our SA Business repeater could go down. We really needed some additional talk-power, and earlier HazMat experiences made FRS out of the question in the city.
A search of the FCC database, and a verification call to WW9E, Maj. Pat Mc Phersen, the SATERN National Coordinator, assured us that the Salvation Army has a nation-wide transient business frequency pair. We monitored these frequencies for 3 weeks and heard a one time 30 second casual non-identified transmission. Our decision then was to use 3 business band simplex frequencies for the SA non-hams, selected vhf simplex frequencies for the hams involved, and one local ham repeater for any real life emergency traffic. The SA command business frequency would be completely open and free to the SA IC staffs usage, while the secondary tactical and traffic frequencies along with the ham shadow operations, would utilize a Net Control Operator.(ham) We then added the SA transient frequencies to all the SA hand radios, (25) and received permission from the ham repeater trustee to use the local repeater. Memos were sent to the two coordinated local area FCC licensee?s of the transient frequencies, explaining our intention to use them on simplex on our drill date. We had a Communications Plan ( all of the SA frequencies and the ham simplex frequencies are now a permanent part of the Divisions Response Radio Plan )
THE DRILL This first drill's design did not directly involve local first response agencies, although they really did want to fully participate with all their resources. We promised a combined drill at a later date. In fact, since the drill was designed to test only SA internal relief operations, volunteers were recruited to simulate these groups. However, we did have a number of official observers: Sharon Fire Chief, Hingham Fire Dep.Chief, and Boston Fire Dep.Chief, Sharon Police, State and local Emg.Mgr's, Mass.Fire Chaplin's, MIT Univ.Police Radio Officer, the E. Ma. ARES SEC, Boston DEC, and local EC's, all who actively participated by monitoring our ICS and radio operations.
The scenario was a Boston rehab canteen arriving to support the town of Sharon Fire Dept. during a large warehouse fire. As the fire escalated, the first arriving canteen team leader radioed for an additional canteen to respond. However, before its arrival, explosions at the warehouse spread the fire to surrounding woodlands and quickly threatened a nearby housing development. As the first houses were enveloped, resulting in evacuees and injuries; the first responding canteens team leader, acting as the SA IC immediately made a call to Div.Headquarters requesting deployment of the DSO. ( this callout not only calls for the SA DSO personnel to respond, but also calls out all available canteens and support vehicles, Ministry, pre-registered disaster volunteers, the communications command vehicle, as well as SATERN/BERT members necessary to man the EOC and Comm Van . The SATERN leader also alerts the EMa SEC )
Up to this point everything went as planned. Our first problem occurred at the Stage Area as the first DSO and ham shadows arrived. I was busy establishing the EOC operation with the Satern members who responded first from the nearby R.I. area, Bill was busy positioning canteens around the fire zone, and we neglected to assign a 'take charge' ham to dispense and instruct those inexperienced first responding DSO personnel, as well as issuing them radios and ham shadows. As I thought about it later, all of our ARES drills, ham supported PS events, etc; have been well rehearsed over the years, usually planned to the last detail. We always have well experienced NC operators, the frequency list has usually been distributed earlier for convenience of pre-programming our radios, experienced hams are placed in critical positions, site locations documented and usually mapped and distributed. Most of this will have to be done on the fly at a real life event, because you don't know what hams will respond, or when. We got it straightened out, but lost valuable time. [ Something for all to keep in mind , graciously accept assistance from one of the first knowledgeable responding hams, or offer to assist if your that knowledgeable early arrival .] Another mistake pointed out was in having two NC operators, one in the EOC, and another to handle traffic/ messages in the field Comm. Unit. Having the two operators was fine, but having them in different locations proved un-manageable. They should both have been located at the EOC working closely with each other, and the SA Incident Commander and the Division staff. (. . other problems reported by the observers, or voiced by the hams in the After Action Meeting are listed at the end .)
As far as the DSO personnel went, they did an outstanding job for their first time working together, and the first time using the Incident Command System,. While some liberties were taken from a strict ICS structure, the key observances from the knowledgeable ICS observers present was; 'the SA Operations Chief attempted to do everything himself', next was the lack of visual identification of key IC leaders. ( . some discussion of this occurred prior to the drill, but since we are a support agency, we are not the Incident Commander, Op's Chief, etc, so it was agreed that we would not purchase these readily available vests, but instead later find an outlet to design an easily identifiable Salvation Army ID responders vest .)
I did catch a few on their cell phones, and they were immediately beaten with my trusty 'wouffe hong'.
The drill was finally completed in late afternoon after having tested all of the designed elements/activities. The conclusion was: 'The exercise was an exceptional success.' We, and the observers are confident that this Massachusetts Division is more ready today to respond as a team to any local major event, and we know that our performance will be note worthy. Yes, we still have a lot to work on, based on lessons derived from this self-test, but we're confident that we will get it done. In fact, we were working on it the next day.
As for the 25 supporting hams, I had email on my computer when I finally got home that day asking; ' What is the date for the next drill?' What a group! None complained about the 90 plus degree heat, the long day, or the miles of walking they endured as shadows over that 110 acre site. They made me proud to be a ham and have them as friends and fellow volunteers. In addition to the hams volunteering themselves, some also had wives and family accompanying them, and they were trained in Disaster Relief skills, while others were actors/ actresses for the day as triage victims, evacuees, and grieving relatives.
A special thanks must go out to the Pennsylvania SA Disaster Services Group for bringing up that magnificent Eastern Territory 's 40 foot Disaster Field Kitchen trailer and its supporting crew. Oh, did I mention that we had over 250 participants at the drill, or that they were all fed a delicious dinner from that kitchen at the end of the day. Also, groups of volunteers were trained on-site in the operation of that kitchen trailer, and it was those volunteers who helped prepare the evening meal. ( lunch was provided to all while in the field and served from all the canteens as a drill segment )
There is no greater reward than that of helping a person in need. We learn this as children in Scouting, church youth groups, later as hams, and are reminded again so vividly when we assist at a real life disaster as adults. Please don't waste your precious time, talent and ability. Join us by actively participating in SATERN and the Emergency Disaster Services of the Salvation Army nearest your home. Help us to help others.
Frank Murphy N1DHW
Massachusetts SATERN Coordinator
n1dhw@ema.arrl.net
William (Bill) Foley KB1GLF
Salvation Army ? Boston, Massachusetts
Emergency Disaster Services ? State
Coordinator
Bfoley@USE.SalvationArmy.org
Blake Haskell K1BTH
Boston Emergency Response Team Leader
VP Boston Amateur Radio Club
k1bth@arrl.net
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Jun. 17 2004 Birmingham Disaster Services at Scene of Police Officers Shooting
June 17, 2004 Birmingham (Alabama) in the low-income neighborhood of Jefferson County, a site known for drug dealing, three police officers went to a house to make an arrest and were shot to death.
After the shootings dozens of officers -- some wearing body armor and carrying shotguns and rifles -- swarmed around the house and went door-to-door in the neighborhood for witnesses.
The Police Department called Birmingham Area Command earlier this afternoon to request personnel and the Emergency Canteen to attend the scene of a shooting in which three Birmingham Police Officers were killed. The police officers had been attempting to serve misdemeanor-type warrants.
Ricky Connell and Captain Matt Riley (Birmingham Citadel) served over 150 police (many in full body armor) and emergency personnel in 90-degree heat. Water was requested most. Captain Matt Riley also offered his pastoral services along with other local ministers at the local police precinct.
(WW9E)
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Haliburton Forest Ultra Marathon Sept. 10 & 11 2004
The Minden club needs help to support the runners in a 100 mile, cross country race. We start our shift work after the runners have been going for twelve straight hours. We keep track of their locations after sundown, and on to the end of the race at noon the next day. It's a great opportunity to use your equipment, batteries and skill to assist this group in a forest area that has no cell phone or telephone service.
Further information is posted at: www3.sympatico.ca/ghewit/ve3gih/ultramarathon
To volunteer for this great event, or get answers to specific questions, email Len Foster VE3LGF lfos@sympatico.ca
Gord VE3GIH
District Emergency Coordinator Scugog
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A SEARCHABLE CQ MAGAZINE ARCHIVE
Finding an article or an advertisement in a back issue of CQ Magazine is about to become only a mouse click away. This, as CQ Communications and Buckmaster Publishing announce plans to create a searchable on-line archive of CQ magazines back issues.
Buckmaster, which produces the Hamcall CD has for decades filmed issues of CQ onto microfiche for use by researchers and hobbyists. Buckmaster also provides advanced scanning and searching technology for on-line posting of documents for major corporations. Now this same technology will be applied to back issues of CQ.
As currently envisioned, searches will be free, while access to reading and printing specific pages will require a subscription at a nominal fee. Eventually Buckmaster plans to have every issue of CQ available dating back to the magazine's first issue in January 1945.
A beta test version covering CQ from
1990 to 2002 is already on-line.
The archive may be accessed at:
http://hamcall.net/cgi-bin/cqcgi
(CQ)
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Did you know ?
That the International Morse symbol for / (forward slash) used in Web site addresses is:
_.._. (dah dit dit dah dit) or the letters TF run together ?
This symbol is amongst many that are included in ITU Recommendation M.1677 entitled "The International Morse Code" recently approved by the International Telecommunications Union.
In the same Recommendation, the symbol AC or ._ _._. to represent the character @ or "at" used in all e-mail addresses, was approved.
Watch here for more information about little used Morse Symbols
(VE3PU)
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Spammer gets jail time
A New York state man who sent out millions of "spam" e-mails has been sentenced to three and a half to seven years in prison. This according to a May 27th news release from that states Attorney General's office which said that Howard Carmack, known as the "Buffalo Spammer," received the maximum sentence for 14 counts of identity theft and forgery.
A spokesman for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said that Carmack sent out hundreds of millions of bulk e-mail messages. That he flooded inboxes and saddled Internet providers with millions of dollars in costs. But it was his use of stolen identities and forged addresses that caused action by state prosecutors. New York has no state laws specifically dealing with spam. Carmack was found guilty of violating state forgery and identity-theft laws in April.
Internet provider EarthLink Inc. won a $16.5 million judgment against Carmack last year, and EarthLink officials testified in the criminal trial as well.
(Published news reports)
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ARRL Field Day--1800Z Jun 26 to 2100Z Jun 27 see: www.arrl.org/contests/rules/2004/rules-fd-2004.html
His Majesty King of Spain Contest-SSB--1800Z Jun 26-1800Z Jun 27 (see May QST, p 99).
QRP ARCI Milliwatt Field Day--1800Z Jun 26-2100Z Jun 27. Follows ARRL Field Day rules, see http://2hams.net/ARCI/mwfd.htm for more information.
Marconi Memorial HF Contest-CW--sponsored by ARI from 1400Z Jun 26-1400Z Jun 27. Frequencies: 160-10 meters, according to IARU band plan. Categories: SO -LP (<100 W) and -QRP (<5 W), and MO. Exchange: RST + serial number. QSO points: 1 pt/QSO. Score: QSO points × DXCC entities counted once per band. For more information: http://www.qsl.net/ik6ptj/marconi.htm Logs due 30 days after the contest to ik6ptj@qsl.net or ARI sez. di Fano, PO Box 35, I-61032 FANO (PS), Italy.
UK DX Contest--SSB, sponsored
by the Scottish-Russian ARS from 1200Z Jun 26-1200Z Jun 27. Frequencies:
160-10-meters. Categories: SOAB and SOSB (HP, LP <100 W, QRP < 10
W), MS, MM. Exchange: RST and serial number, UK stations send UK region
code. QSO points: Own DXCC entity--1 pt, same continent--2 pts, different
cont--3 pts, UK stations--5 pts. Score: QSO points × UK regions + DXCC
entities on each band. For more information: http://www.srars.org/ukdxcruleseng.pdf
Logs due 30 days after the contest to ukdxssb@srars.org or Scottish- Russian
ARS, PO Box 7469, Glasgow, G42 0YD, Scotland, UK.
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Rock Island, IL: Green River Valley Amateur Radio Society, K9G. 1800Z Jun 23-1800Z Jul 4. Grand Excursion 2004--150th anniversary of America's first railroad connection to the Mississippi River. 14.270 21.305 7.260. QSL. Peter Beedlow, NN9K, 741 Greenway Ave, Colona, IL 61241. www.grandexcursion.com .
Boston Harbor area, MA: USS LST-325 Amateur Radio Club, W2T. Jun 26-Jul 1. USS LST-325 46-day, 4119 mile trip up the east coast of the United States. All amateur bands. QSL. Robert Wilder, AF2HD, 6032 Idlemoore Ct, Theodore, AL 36582-4036. Trip begins May 24; WW2LST/MM will also be used.
Landrus, PA: Nessmuk Amateur Radio Association, W3BGK. 1500Z-2100Z Jun 26. 1890 coal mine ghost town of Landrus, first electric coal mine in area. 14.240 7.240. Certificate. Nessmuk ARA, W3BGK, PO Box 101, Wellsboro, PA 16901.
Los Alamos, NM: Los Alamos Amateur Radio Club, W5PDO. 1500Z-1800Z Jun 26. Earthwatch Institute's Student Challenge Awards Program from Fenton Hill Observatory. 28.450 21.350 14.250. Certificate. Don Casperson, AA5PA, 984 Nambe Loop, Los Alamos, NM 87544. http://laastro.lanl.gov/earthwatch
Rocky Mount, NC: Castalia Island DX Association, K4UP. 1800Z Jun 26-1800Z Jun 27. Annual emergency communications readiness demonstration. 14.225. QSL. K4UP, PO Box 3, Castalia, NC 27816. www.qsl.net/w4rmt/fieldday.shtml
Green Bay, WI: Green Bay Mike and Key Club, K9EAM. 0100Z Jun 19-1800Z Jul 2. In celebration of Green Bay's Sesquicentennial. 21.245 14.245 7.245 3.845. QSL. Green Bay Mike and Key Club, PO Box 13351, Green Bay, WI 54307.
La Crosse, WI: Riverland Amateur Radio Club, W9L. 1500Z-2200Z Jul 2. The Grand Excursion recreating the 1854 steamboat expo. 21.280 14.280 7.280. Certificate. Roger Reader, KA9BKK, 526 13th Ave N, Onalaska, WI 54650.
Ashland, OH: Ashland Area Amateur Radio Club, W8O. 1400Z Jul 2-2200Z Jul 3. Ashland BalloonFest 2004. 7.275 7.235 3.975 3.935. Certificate. W8RPS, 834 CR 30A, Ashland, OH 44805. www.summermotion.com
Brookings, SD: Brookings Amateur
Radio Research Club, W0BXO. 1400Z Jul 2-0001Z Jul 3. The 125th
Anniversary of the City of Brookings, SD. 28.450 21.350 14,260 7.260.
QSL. W0XO, 307 Third Ave, Brookings, SD 57006. www.qsl.net/
brrc/
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July 10-11 2004 The Morris Canal Special Event
July 10th and 11th are the dates when New Jersey's Nutley Amateur Radio Society activates station W2GLQ. This, for the first ever Historic Morris Canal Special Event. Stations will operate from various locations along the 109 miles route of he canal from 1300 to 2200 U-T-C. Operations will continue thru 2005.
More information is on the Nutley Amateur Radio Society website at: www.hometown.aol.com/kc2aup
(Press release)
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Aug. 21-22 2004 International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend 2004
This highly popular annual August event attracts hundreds of amateur radio stations at lighthouses and lightships (369 in 48 countries for the 2003 weekend .)world-wide. It is organised by Mike, GM4SUC, and Kevin, VK2CE is the web-master. This year the period of the event is from 0001 UTC on Saturday 21 August until 2359 UTC on Sunday 22 August 2004.
The event is NOT a contest. It is a special event weekend when amateur radio stations are established at lighthouses or lightships, they do not have to be adjacent to salt water, and each group decides how it will operate the station with regard to modes and bands. Participants are not committed to being on the air during the entire period - operate as much as you can. There are no restrictions on aerials or power. We wish operators to enjoy themselves and have fun while making contact with as many stations as possible whilst giving priority to other lighthouse/lightship stations. Please take some time to work the slow operator, the newly licensed and QRP stations.
As available space in many lighthouses is filled to capacity, participation in this activity does not have to take place inside the tower itself. Field day type set-up at the light or other buildings next to the light or adjacent field is OK. Permission MUST be obtained from any interested parties.
The International Lighthouse/Lightship Weekend is used to obtain maximum exposure for our hobby. We invite the press and, QTH permitting, also the public and try to underline the parallel between the international aspects in lighthouses, lightships, and amateur radio. As from last year, the World Lighthouse Day is held on the Sunday of the event and lighthouse keepers/managers/caretakers all around the world open their lighthouses to the public. www.lighthouse.fsnet.co.uk/events/intlighthouseday.html
We use the event segment of the 5 Classic bands, consider the following as a range of suggested frequencies.
CW
80m: 3.510 - 3.540 kHz
40m: 7.005 - 7.035 kHz
20m: 14.010 - 14.040 kHz
15m: 21.010 - 21.040 kHz
10m: 28.010 - 28.040 kHz
PHONE
*80m: 3.650 - 3.750 kHz
*40m: 7.040 - 7.100 kHz
20m: 14.150 - 14.290 kHz
15m: 21.150 - 21.250 kHz
10m: 28.300 - 28.400 kHz
* Some of the frequency ranges listed above are NOT legal in the United States of America. As a substitute, USA operators should consider these alternatives.
USA PHONE
80m: 3.950 - 3.990 kHz
40m: 7.250 - 7.290 kHz
However because the ILLW is NOT a contest, you can operate on any authorised QRGs as per your licence, including the WARC bands. Please be sure to observe band limits for your class of licence and your country.
To assist other stations in the identification of lighthouse/lightship stations, we request that participating stations using CW add LS after their callsign at a lightship and LT at a lighthouse. SSB and other modes should use LIGHT, LGT, LIGHTHOUSE or LIGHTSHIP after their call. UK stations normally obtain a GB callsign with the letter L in the suffix and USA stations can request a Special Event callsign from the ARRL.
A list of the lighthouses/lightships of the world, currently 10,764 in 209 DXCC countries, plus their Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS) Number can be found at http://arlhs.com/awards/arlhs-numbers.html The list is constantly being updating and added to as more data become available. You can help: If you see a correction or an addition needs to be made, please send an e-mail with the information to K2JXW@arrl.net
If you decide to join us, please register on-line at http://illw.net/index.html with details of your name, callsign to be used, lighthouse/lightship, Country, qsl route etc. Although registration is not compulsory, doing so enables us to maintain a detailed list of participants at http://illw.net/2004.htm showing QSL address, web site and any special event calls they may be using. E-mail addresses will be modified with unicode to minimise harvesting by spammers.
So come and join us in the fun of the weekend, already 78 stations have confirmed their participation, establish a station at a lighthouse, lightship or maritime beacon. If you are unable to find a lighthouse/ship you can still join in the fun by contacting the special lighthouse/ship stations. The more the merrier.
73 Mike GM4SUC
gm4suc@compuserve.com
gm4suc@btinternet.com
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July 24 2004 Special Event station VE3BPQ
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the Elvis Festival In Collingwood Ontario Canada on Saturday July 24 2004. The Collingwood Elective Radio Teaching School and Collingwood Amateur Radio Club would like you to contact us on: 7.180 and 14.180 or alternate Frequencies of 3.780 and 28.360, between 8am and 6pm local time. Certificates are available by sending your QSL Card and a SASE - Prepaid 9x11 envelope to address below.
VE3BPQ
248 Birch Street
Collingwood Ontario
Canada
L9Y 2V6
Larry, VE3SPQ
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Jun. 17 2004 ARLD024 DX News
This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by UT3UZ, the OPDX Bulletin, The Daily DX, 425DXnews, DXNL, WA7BNM and Contest Corral from QST. Thanks to all.
FIJI, 3D2. Laurence, KL1X/5 will be active as 3D2KL from Viti Levu and Vanua Levu Islands, IOTA OC-016, and possibly other islands in the group from June 21 to July 9 on all HF bands and 6 meters. His radio activity will be limited since he is volunteering time here. QSL to home call.
OMAN, A4. Chris, A45XR has been QRV using PSK on 17 meters around 1420z. He has also been active using RTTY on 20 meters around 2100z. QSL to home call.
SOUTH SHETLAND ISLANDS. Oleg, CE9/R1ANF is working from the Ardley Bay on King George Island, IOTA AN-010. QSL via RK1PWA. Meanwhile, Oleg, UA1PBA, Slava, UA1PAI and Aleksei, UA1PAW are QRV as R1ANF from the Bellinghausen Base. QSL via RK1PWA.
IRELAND, EI. EJ7NET is QRV from Inis Mor in the Aran Islands, IOTA EU-006, until June 22. QSL via EI6FR.
ETHIOPIA, ET. ET3TK has been QRV using RTTY on 17 meters between 1700 and 2000z. QSL via OK1CU.
MARIANA ISLANDS, KH0. JA6CNL is QRV as KH0N from Saipan for the All Asian DX CW contest, and is here until June 22. Outside the contest, look for him to be active on the newer bands using CW. QSL via JA6CNL.
ANTARCTICA. LU4ZS is currently active from Seymour Island, IOTA AN-013. QSL via LU4DXU.
POLAND, SP. Special event station 3Z0BLY is QRV until July 31 from the ORP Blyskawica Battleship Museum in Gdynia. Activity is on all bands. QSL via SP2PMW.
SUDAN, ST. Michael, PA5M and Dane, S57CQ are both working for the World Food Programme in Khartoum and are QRV as ST2DX and ST2T, respectively. They are here for a few weeks. QSL via PA7FM and S57DX, respectively.
CHAD, TT. Francisco, TT8FC is often QRV on 15 meters around 1530 to 1700z. QSL via EA4AHK.
COTE D'IVOIRE, TU. TU5KG has been active on 15 meters around 1800z, and 40 meters around 0300z. QSL via F4EFI.
ASIATIC RUSSIA, UA0. A group of 8 operators will be QRV as RK9KWK/p from Litke Island in the Marresalskiye Koshki islands, IOTA AS-089, from June 22 to July 1. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via UA4RC.
UKRAINE, UR. Members of the EM0U team will be QRV as UT7UZZ/p from the Ivankiv and Poles'ke regions of Kiev from June 18 to 20. Activity will be on 80 to 6 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via UT3UZ.
ANGUILLA, VP2E. Jim, WB2REM is QRV as VP2EREM until June 27. Activity is on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL to home call.
BERMUDA, VP9. Tom, VP9/W9AEB is QRV until November 6. QSL via WF9V.
AFGHANISTAN, YA. Sada, YA1D/YA0J will soon be leaving here. He plans to participate in the All Asian DX CW contest. QSL via JG1OWV. Meanwhile, Daniel, DL5SE is QRV as YA0Y from Kabul until September. QSL to home call.
IRAQ, YI. Richard, YI9KT will soon be QRV near the city of Al Hillah. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters. QSL via SP8HKT.
ALBANIA, ZA. During the first Albanian DX Convention, club station ZA1UT will be inaugurated from the Technical University. The station will be active until June 23. QSL via operators' instructions.
THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. Kid's Day Operating Event, SARL Kid's Day, NCCC Sprint, All Asian DX CW Contest, SMIRK Contest, West Virginia QSO Party, AGCW VHF/UHF Contest and the Quebec QSO Party will certainly keep contesters busy this weekend. Please see June QST, page 98 and the ARRL and WA7BNM contest websites for details.
(W1AW)
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June 19 2004 425 DX News
9H - Jun, OE1ZKC (JH4RHF) will be active as 9H3RH from Malta (EU-023) from 25 July to 8 August. He plans to operate on 40-10 metres SSB, CW, RTTY and SSTV on request. QSL via OE1ZKC. [TNX OE1ZKC]
EA - Paco, EA1YY and Carlos, EA1ABS will participate in the IOTA Contest as EA1YY/P and EA1ABS/P from Isla de la Deva (EU-142). They plan to concentrate on 20 and 40 metres SSB. QSL via home calls. [TNX EA5KY]
EA8 - The Gran Canaria DX Group will operate SSB and CW as ED8GCR from Roque del Burrero (AF-004, DIE S-349) on 20 June for the DIE Contest. QSL via bureau to EA8AKN. [TNX EA8AKN]
EA8 - Special event station ED8ERC will be activated by EA8ZS and others on 3-10 July to celebrate the second Canarias HamRadio Meeting (Encuentro de Radioaficionados de Canarias). Activity will be on all HF bands SSB, CW and possibly PSK/RTTY and there will be one APRS station on air. [TNX EA8CAC]
F - Special station TM0GP will be aired (on 10-80 metres CW, RTTY, PSK31 and SSB) from 20 June through 4 July for the Formula 1 Grand Prix at Magny-Cours. QSL via bureau to F5KCH. [TNX F5JFU]
F - Derek, F5VCR and other operators from F6KHM Amateur Radio Club will participate in the IOTA Contest from Ouessant Island (EU-065) as TM4Z. [TNX F5VCR]
FO - FO5RN is the callsign issued to Vincent, F5MJV [425DXN 683]. He is in the French Navy and will be touring the Pacific for one year starting on 1 July. Until mid September he will operate as FO5RN/p from Tahiti (OC-046), French Polynesia. Then he will visit East Kiribati - T32 (Christmas Island, OC-024), Hawaii - KH6 (OC-019), the Marshall Islands - V73 (Majuro, OC-029), Micronesia - V6 (Pohnpei, OC-010), the Philippines - DU (Luzon, OC-042), Palau - T8 (Koror, OC-009), West Kiribati - T30 (Tarawa, OC-017) and American Samoa - KH8 (Tutuila, OC 045). He will return to Tahiti around Christmas. QSL via F5NQL, direct or bureau. [TNX F5NQL]
G - The RSGB HQ station will again operate in the IARU Radiosport contest (10-11 July) from 10 different locations around the UK, looking to improve on last year's second place. Awards can be gained by working GB5HQ on a minimum of 3, 6, 9 or all 12 band/modes. Further details can be found at http://www.gb5hq.com. QSL via G3TXF [TNX G4BUO]
GM - Andre, GM3VLB (http://www.gm3vlb.com) and Alex, GM0DHZ will visit and operate from several islands in the Outer Hebrides (EU-010) starting on 22 June until around 7 July. Side trips to the Monach Islands (EU-111) and St. Kilda (EU-059) are also planned, but it is impossible to give precise details or dates as operations will depend on availability of transport and above all on weather conditions. QSL direct only to home calls. [TNX GM3VLB]
HL - Operators from HL0C (Hanyang University Wave Research Club) will be active (on 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres CW, SSB and RTTY) as HL0C/4 from Cheju Island (AS-026) on 21-26 June. QSL via HL0C. [TNX HL1UVH]
I - Roberto/IK8BIZ, Salvatore/IZ8CLM and Alfonso/IZ8EFK will operate (on HF and 6 metres SSB, CW and RTTY) as IF9/IQ8BI from Levanzo Island (EU-054, IIA TP-009, MIA MI-050) on 18-20 June. QSL via IQ8BI or IZ8CLM, direct or bureau. [TNX IT9DAA]
KH0 - Look for Jim, KG8RP/KH0; Nao, NA8O/KH0; Yutaka, KH0/JQ2GYU; Koko, KH0/JM1MAC and Tomi, WH6CZC/KH0 to be active (on 40-6 metres) from Saipan, Northern Marianas (OC-086) on 9-12 July. QSL KG8RP/KH0 via 7K4QOK, NA8O/KH0 via JK1FNL, WH6CZC/KH0 via JF1UMK, others via home calls. [TNX JJ1BDX]
OJ0 - A group from the World Wide Young Contesters (WWYC) will be active as OJ0YC from Market Reef (EU-053) on 23-26 September. The operators will be OZ1AA, OH6GDX, SM3WMV and KU5B; they plan to operate on all bands and modes and to participate in the SAC (Scandinavian Activity Contest) SSB. QSL via OH6GDX (Patrik Willfor, Langviksgatan 24 B13, FI - 65100 Vasa, Finland). Full details on the operation are available at http://oj0yc.m3php.net/ [TNX OH6GDX]
OZ - Jakob, OZ7AEI (http://oz7aei.qrz.dk) will operate as OZ7AEI/P from both the Sillerslev lighthouses (DEN-064 and DEN-065) on Mors Island (EU-171, DIA NJ-002) on 20 June. Look for him on 40 and 20 metres starting around 9 UTC. [TNX OZ7AEI]
SM - Martin, SM0DTK will be active as SM0DTK/1 from Gotland Island (EU-020) from 24 June until 22 August. Skeds are accepted at sm0dtk@passagen.se [TNX SM0DTK]
SM - Thomas, DL5MO (http://www.dl5mo.de) reports he will operate holiday style as SM6/DL5MO from EU-043 on 12-23 July. He plans to focus on 40, 30 and 20 metres. QSL via home call.
SM - Kjell, SM4DDS will be active (on 10-80 metres, CW and SSB) as 7S5A from Stora Alo island (EU-177) on 21-28 July, IOTA Contest included. QSL via SM4DDS, direct or bureau. [TNX SM4DDS]
ST - Michael, ST2DX (PA5M) will be leaving Sudan on 10 July. He is using a 10-element log periodic for 30-6m metres and a long wire for 40-160m. Michael is having problems with his keyer and therefore operates more SSB than CW. QSL via PA7FM (direct requests from outside Europe should include 1 IRC or 2 USD); on-line log at http://www.pa7fm.nl/ [TNX PA7FM]
SV - Daniele, IK0REH will operate (on 10-80 metres mainly CW) as SV8/IK0REH/P from Zakynthos (EU-052) until 1 July. QSL via www.qrz.com [TNX IK0REH]
UA - UE4LKW and UE4LPR will be aired from 18 June to 2 July during the "Volga Cup" sailing regatta (http://www.volgacup.ru). There are also plans to visit and operate from a few islands located in the river Volga. QSL via UA4LCH. [TNX UA4LCH]
UA - Dima/RA0LQ, Oleg/RW0LL and Mike/UA0MF will operate as UE0LLH from the lighthouse (LH-2159) on Askol'd Island (AS-066, RDA PK-39) on 2-5 July, WLH Contest included. [TNX UA0MF]
UA - Nick, RA1QQ and Dmitrij, RW1ZZ plan to operate as RA1QQ/1 and RW1ZZ/P from a few islands (possibily including Sosnovets, EU-161) and lighthouses in the Barents Sea in early July. QSL via home calls. [TNX RA1QHJ]
UR - UT3UZ, UT3UV, UT4UO, UT7UW, UT5UAE, UT4UAA and UT4UBS will be active (on 80-6 metres CW and SSB) as UT7UZZ/p from Ivankiv (URDA KO-16) and Poles'ke (URDA KO-25) districts on 18-20 June. QSL via UT3UZ. [TNX UT3UZ]
UR - UT0VE, UR5VAK, UR5VQG, EW2GI plan to operate from the Ukrainian islands of Zmytnycia (UIA DN-119) and Lypivski (UIA DN-044) between 19 and 25 June. [TNX UX2VZ]
VE - Nenad, VE3EXY will operate as VE3EXY/2 from Zone 2 on 17-20 June and again on 1-4 July. He will participate in the All Asian CW Contest and in the Quebec QSO Party. Suggested frequencies are 3510, 7010, 10107, 14025, 18077, 21025, 24897, 28025 kHz (CW) and 14090, 21090, 28090 kHz (RTTY). On 21-30 June he will be active (on or around 7010, 10107, 14025, 18077, 21025 kHz CW and 14260, 21260, 7060 kHz SSB) as VE2/VE3EXY/P from Anticosti Island (NA-077, CISA QC-001), which is not located in Zone 2. QSL via home call. [TNX VE3EXY and OPDX Bulletin]
VK - The Central Goldfields ARC will operate special event station VI3JA from 8 July to 8 August to celebrate 150 years of the naming of the Township of Maryborough, Victoria. QSL via VK3JA or VK3PA. [TNX VK3PA]
VP5 - Dave, AH6HY (http://www.qsl.net/ah6hy) will be active on 10-20 metres SSB as VP5/AH6HY from Salt Cay in the Turks Islands (NA-003) from 23 September to 2 October. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [TNX AH6HY]
VP9 - Kyle, WA4PGM will operate (on 160-6 metres CW, SSB, RTTY). as VP9/WA4PGM from Bermuda (NA-005, FM72) on 9-19 July, IARU and NAQP RTTY Contests included. QSL direct to P.O. Box 127, Farmville, VA 23901, USA. [TNX WA4PGM]
VU - Rainy season permitting, Basappa/VU2NXM and possibly others will be active again as AT0BI from Elephanta Island (AS-169) on 23-28 July, IOTA Contest included. [TNX VU2NXM]
W - Eight members of the Tennessee Valley DX Association (namely WA4RMC, W4KRY, KOMAI, K4VCM, WA4NFO, AB4GG, K4KWK and WA4AA) will operate as W4D from Dauphin Island (NA-213) from 19 UTC on 24 September till the 27th. The group will use 100w transceivers with various antennas and plans to be active on 80-10 metres SSB. QSL via WA4AA or bureau. [TNX WA4AA]
YA - Sada, YA1D/YA0J will be leaving Afghanistan by the end of this month. He will take down his antennas immediately after the upcoming All Asia CW contest. QSL via JG1OWV. [TNX JG1OWV]
YI - Kaspars, YL1ZF/YI9ZF expects to leave Baghdad on 1 July after almost six months and some 42,000 QSOs (so far), mainly on CW. QSL via SM1TDE. Logs will be uploaded to LoTW and are available at http://www.qsl.net [TNX SM1TDE]
ZA - ZA1DX will be aired through 23 June for the DX Convention which is taking place in Tirana. QSL via OH2BH.
ZL - Ed, G3SQX will participate in the IOTA Contest as ZL/G3SQX in the CW section from Waiheke Island (OC-201). QSL via home call; e-mail requests for bureau cards can be sent to ed@g3sqx.net [TNX G3SQX]
PACIFIC IOTA TRIP ---> Following
on from the VK IOTA DXpeditions of 2002 and 2003, Steve, G0UIH (www.rsgbiota.org
webmaster) has announced his plans for his third trip to the Pacific. He
will operate as 3D2FI from the Fiji Islands as follows:
Viti Levu (OC-016)
28 November (7-14 UTC)
Nacula Isl. (OC-156)
from 29 November (6 UTC) to 5 December (14 UTC)
Viti Levu (OC-016)
6 December (8-15 UTC)
Beachcomber Isl. (OC-121)
from 7 December (6 UTC) to the 10th (14 UTC)
Viti Levu (OC-016)
11 December (4-10 UTC)
He will also be active as
VK2IAY/4 from one of the Queensland IOTA groups (details
to be announced). The operation is likely to be around 14260
and 21260 kHz and there may also be some 17m SSB. QSL via G0UIH,
direct or bureau. Details and updates at http://www.percy.me.uk [TNX G0UIH]
Good to Know
5X1CW ---> Christian, F6GQK/5X1CW reports he went QRT from Uganda on 12 June and will be back to France in July. More than 14000 QSOs have been logged and QSL processing is under way. His current address is listed at www.qrz.com
MIA CONTEST ---> The Mediterranean Islands Contest, organized by the Mediterraneo DX Club, will take place from 12 UTC on 18 September to 12 UTC on the 19th. Rules can be found at http://www.mdxc.org/contestmia/rules.htm
QSL 3B9C ---> A large number of cards are already in the mail, with over 11,000 QSOs already confirmed. It is expected that all direct cards received to date will have been answered and mailed by late June. Electronic QSL requests received via the expedition's web site (www.3b9c.com) are being dealt with and the complete 3B9C log will be uploaded to the ARRL's Logbook of the World in good time for the September DXCC annual deadline. 3B9C made a grand total of 153,113 QSOs (CW 77610, SSB 66826, RTTY 5280, PSK-31 2172, others 1225), of which well in excess of 130,000 were unique band/mode slots. Unique calls in log are 37,040. The band breakdowns are as follows: 160m = 2288, 80m = 7509, 40m = 18366, 30m = 11375, 20m = 21594, 17m = 20154, 15m = 29920, 12m = 16858, 10m = 23535, 6m = 1448, 70cm EME & Satellite = 66. [TNX G3XTT]
QSL 3D2XX ---> This was the
call used during the first DXpedition to Rotuma (22 October - 5 November
1988) and the original holder was Eddie, VK4AN. This callsign has been
reissued to Clark Straw, N5XX. Obviously VK4AN can QSL only
for the 1988 operation; cards for
contacts made with 3D2XX operated by Clark go to W6YOO (direct) or
N5XX (bureau).
QSL 4C2X ---> The QSL manager for this station, which was active on 12-13 June, is Hector, XE2K. He advises that direct cards should be sent to his address in the US: Hector Garcia, 317 Heffernan Ave., PMB 12924, Calexico, CA 92231, USA.
QSL 9H3MM ---> Con, DF4SA participated in the CQ WPX CW Contest 2004 as 9H3MM. All QSOs will be confirmed automatically via the bureau. Those who need a direct card please note that 2 USD are needed for destinations autside Europe. His address is Cornelius Paul, Adelberger Weg 3, D-73104 Breech, Germany. [TNX DF4SA]
QSL EU-042 ---> The QSL cards for DL9HO/p, DK1IP/p and DN0IU/p (CQWPX SSB 2004) from Hallig Groede Island (EU-042, GIA N-21) have been printed and requests are being processed right now. Please note that direct requests from outside Europe must include 2 USD or 1 new IRC. Bureau cards are accepted. [TNX DL9HO]
QSL II7ANT ---> Cards for this special event station, which was active during the Antarctica Activity Week (22-28 February) should be sent to IZ7AUH, direct or bureau.
QSL OD5UE ---> Effective 17 June, Antonio, IZ8CCW is the new QSL manager for Hussein, OD5UE. Antonio is trying to recover Hussein's old logs.
QSL T49C ---> Al Bailey, K8SIX is the QSL manager for the T49C operation during last weekend's VHF QSO Party. Please do not send cards to SM5KCO for this operation. [TNX K8SIX]
QSL VIA PA0RRS ---> Richard,
PA0RRS reports that direct cards for his past operations
(9M6/PA0RRS etc) continue to arrive to his old address at Alphen
which he left five years ago. The correct address is Richard Smeets,
Schoorveken 100, 5121NM Rijen, The Netherlands.
___________
Jun. 19-26 2004 I.C.P.O. Bulletin Islands, Castles & Portable Operations - I.C.P.O.
19/06/2004: Francois, F5JNE will be active June 19th as F5JNE/p from the Trucy l'Orgueilleux Castle (DFCF reference 58059 for the French Castles Award, Canton of Clamecy, DDCF 5805 and Zip code 58460). Activity will be on CW and SSB, bands being propagation dependent. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
19/06/2004: Patrick,
F5MQW/p will be QRV the morning of June 19th until the evening of June
20th from the following references for the French Castles Award
(DFCF): The Castle of Baudinard (DFCF 83072, CP 83630, Village de 130 Hab;
The Castle of Verignon (DFCF 83073, CP 83630, (Village de 16 Hab); The
Castle of Locquier (DFCF 83074, CP 83630,
(Aups); and The Castle of Cresson
(DFCF 83075, CP 83630, (Aups). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx
EA4AAA]
19/06/2004: Look for Mike AD5A/VO2 and Michael AB5EB/VO2 to be QRV June 19th to 21st from Battle Island (IOTA NA-044, CIsA NF-049). They will have two stations with amplifiers and verticals and will be active on 80 through 10 meter CW and SSB. QSL via N6AWD. [Tnx 425DXN]
19/06/2004: Vanni, IK4RUX reports he will operate (HF bands SSB) as IF9/IK4RUX from Favignana (IOTA EU-054, IIA TP-011, MIA MI-025) between June 19th and 26th. Side trips to other islands in the Egadis as well as lighthouse operations are also possible. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]
19/06/2004: Salvatore, IK1AWV will be QRV June 19th, weather permitting, using the special call IR1CL from the Castle of Andora Paraxo (DCI reference SV-028, for the Italian Castles Award) and the Tower of Andora (DCI SV-029). Both references are located in the Region of Liguria, Province of Savona (SV), ITA Award reference A278 and WW Locator JN43BW. Activity will on 40 and 20 meter SSB only, starting on 40 meters at 07:00 UTC. QSL IR1CL via IK1AWV, direct or through the bureau. [Tnx IK1AWV]
19/06/2004: Mauro, IW1RHG, reports that he will be QRV June 19th and 20th from inside the Portofino lighthouse (WAIL reference LI-008, ARLHS reference ITA-131, WW Loc. JN44OG) using the special call IR1PL. QSL via IW1RHG, direct or bureau. [Tnx IW1RHG]
19/06/2004: Igor, UA3EDQ will be active June 19th as UA3EDQ/4/m from the following areas in the Republic of Mordovia (MD), for the Russian districts award: MD-22, MD-20, MD-21, MD-27 and MD-11. He will also activate the following references in the Ulyanovskaya oblast (UL): UL-06 Dimitrovgrad City, UL-23, UL-11, UL-13, UL-25, UL-27 and UL-14. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx RX3RC]
19/06/2004: The Bruce Amateur Radio Club (VE3RCR) is planning on activating the Lighthouse at Kincardine Ontario (CAN-264) Saturday June 19, 2004, between 13:00 and 20:00 UTC. QSL via Bruce Amateur Radio Club, R.R. #2, Tiverton, ON N0G 2T0. [Tnx VE3TPZ]
19/06/2004: Look for WA3WSJ/p to be active June 19th from Turtle Rock lighthouse (ARLHS reference USA-1088). Activity will be SSB only. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx DL2VFR]
20/06/2004: Scott, AC3A, will be QRV June 20th to 24th as CE0/AC3A from Easter Island (IOTA SA-001). He will be concentrating on 6 meters if the band cooperates. Scott will also be on HF during his evenings. QSL via home call (QRZ.com). [Tnx ARRL DX News]
20/06/2004: URE Madrid
is going to take part in the DIE contest (June 20th) as ED4MAD from Alfalfa
Island (DIEI reference M-020). The operators will be EA4DQX, EA4YF
and EA4AAA. Look for them on all bands and modes. QSL cards will be automatically
sent via the bureau. If you are not a bureau member, send your QSL direct
to: S.L. URE Madrid
EA4RCU, Av. de Monteigueldo,102-2ª
Planta, 28053 MADRID - ESPAÑA. [Tnx EA4AAA]
20/06/2004: The Grupo DX Gran Canaria will be QRV June 20th as ED8GCR from the Roque del Burrero (DIE reference S-349 for the Spanish Islands Award, DME 35011). Activity will be on 80 through 10 meter CW and SSB. QSL via EA8AKN, direct or through the URE bureau. [Tnx EA8CAC]
20/06/2004: F5IYU/p will be active during the national mills day (June 20th) from the Skylark Mill (DMF reference 89024 for the French Mills Award, town of Chatel Censoir, DDFM 89, Zip code 89260). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
20/06/2004: F5JNE/p will be active during the national mills day (June 20th) from the Berthier Mill (DMF reference 89025 for the French Mills Award, town of Chatel Censoir, DDFM 89, Zip code 89260). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
20/06/2004: Radio club F5KAI will be QRV June 20th from the mill d'Audenfort (DMF 62092 for the French Mills Award, DDFM 62, WW Loc JO00xs). QSL via F8DKG, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
20/06/2004: F5KHG/p will be active during the national mills day (June 20th) from the mill of Pacherotte (DMF reference 47009 for the French Mills Award, DDFM 47). QSL via F2FZ. [Tnx F2FZ]
20/06/2004: F5JNE/p will be active during the national mills day (June 20th) from the Chatel Mill (DMF reference 89026 for the French Mills Award, town of Chatel Censoir, DDFM 89, Zip code 89260). QSL via F3GJ. [Tnx F5NQL]
20/06/2004: F6KHT/p will be active during the national mills day (June 20th) from the mill of Saint Wolf (DMF reference 47010 for the French Mills Award, DDFM 47). QSL via F2FZ. [Tnx F2FZ]
20/06/2004: The Castle of Monteforte Irpino (DCI reference AV-034 for the Italian Castles Award, ITA F506) will be activated June 20th by the following amateurs: IZ8GCD/p, IZ8FCX/p, IW8DQY/p, IW8DGS/p, IK8UHA/p, IW8FBO/p, IW8FBG/p and IK8TLX/p. Activity will be on 40, 20, 15, 10, 6 and 2 meters. QSL via home calls, direct or bureau. [Tnx IZ8GCD]
20/06/2004: Look for IU7I/p to be QRV June 20th from Isola Grande di Porto Cesareo (IOTA EU-091, IIA LE-002, MIA MI-040). QSL via IK7JWX, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]
20/06/2004: Andre, F5PEZ will be QRV June 20th as TM1JNM from The Old Mill (Brehat) (DMF reference 22005, for the French Mills Award). QSL via F5PEZ, direct or via REF bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
21/06/2004: From June 21st in the evening to June 29th in the morning, Norbert, F6AXX/p will be activating the following castles in the Luberon Area, Department of Vaucluse (84) and Province Côte d'Azur: Chateau d'Agoult in Lourmarin (DFCF reference 84020 for the French Castles Award, Canton 8408, Zip code 84160) and the Chateau Malconseil in Cadenet (DFCF 84021, Canton 8408, Zip code 84160. QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5NQL]
21/06/2004: Nenad, VE3EXY will spend part of his holidays on the Island of Anticosti (IOTA NA-007, CIsA QC-001) in the second half of June. Note that the Island of Anticosti is NOT in Zone 2. His operation from Anticosti Island will be between June 21st (about 1300z) and June 30th (1300z). The callsign to be used is VE2/VE3EXY/P. QSL via VE3EXY. The sunrise/sunset times are: 0742z/2345z. His suggested frequencies are: CW - 7010, 10107, 14025, 18077, 21025 kHz; SSB - 14260, 21260, 7060 kHz (USA split included). He will always work split (2 kHz CW, 5-10 kHz SSB). QSL via home call, direct or bureau. [Tnx OPDX]
22/06/2004: Laurence, KL1X/5 (GM4DMA) will be active on HF and 6 metres as 3D2KL from Viti Levu and Vanua Levu (OC-016), and possibly other Fijian islands, between June 22nd and July 8th. He is working for a voluntary organization and time for amateur radio may be limited. QSL via QRZ.com. [Tnx 425DXN]
22/06/2004: UA9KM Nikolai, UA9KB Sergey, RA9KM Andrey, UA9KGH/1 Mikhail, UA9LAC Boris, RV6LFE Timothy, UT7CR Valerie and UT9IO (ex.UA9KO) Mikhail will be QRV June 22nd to July 1st as RK9KWK/p from Litke Island (RRA RR-06-02, RDA JN-14, Yamalo-Nenetsky Autonomous Okrug [JN]) located in the Marresal'skiye Koshki group (IOTA AS-089). They plan to have 3 stations set up and will operate all bands, including WARC. QSL via UA4RC. [Tnx UA9KM]
22/06/2004: Serge, F6AUS
will be active June 22nd to July 23rd as TK/F6AUS from Corsica (IOTA
EU-014, DIFM TK-001). He also plans to operate from Corsica's Coastal Islands
(IOTA EU-164) for one or two weekends and from the Cerbicales Islands (IOTA
EU-100) for a few days. When he is not on the main island, Serge will sign
TK/F6AUS/p. QSL via
home call. [Tnx 425DXN]
23/06/2004: A group of radio amateurs will be QRV between June 23rd and 27th as UE6EWX and homecall/p from the Zelenchuksky area (RDA reference KC-04, for the Russian Districts Award). There is the possibility that they will also activate the Karachaevsky area (RDA KC-05). QSL via RW6HKF, direct or bureau. [Tnx RX3RC]
25/06/2004: Ken, G3OCA, and Peter, G6KUI, will be QRV as GH8KGC from Les Minquiers Islands (EU-099) between June 25th and 29th. QSL via G3OCA, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]
26/06/2004: Look for IU7I/p to be QRV June 26th and 27th from Isola Grande di Porto Cesareo (EU-091, IIA LE-002, MIA MI-040). QSL via IK7JWX, direct or bureau. [Tnx 425DXN]
LOOKING AHEAD
28/06/2004: Look for K4T to be QRV June 28th to July 1st from Garden Key (USI FL-013S), Dry Tortugas (IOTA NA-079, Monroe county, WW Loc. EL84) and from the Fort Jefferson lighthouse (ARLHS USA-316), Florida. Activity will be on 80, 40 and 20 meters, with a concentration on 6 meters. The 20 meter frequency will be 14.260 MHz, 6 meter beacon on 50.098 MHz. QSL K4T via KC4PX (QRZ.com). [Tnx KC4PX]
23/07/2004: As you may
recall, Basappa (VU2NXM) and Arasu (VU2UR) have earlier indicated their
intention to return to Elephanta Island (IOTA AS-169). They received
written permission to operate from the island and will attempt to do so
sometime between July 23rd and 28th. They will use the same callsign used
during their first activation, AT0BI. They want
to be on the air during the IOTA
Contest (July 24-25th), but the time on the island will depend on the local
weather conditions. Heavy rain is a factor that may affect their plans
and, under severe conditions, cancel the trip all together. QSL via operator's
instructions. [Tnx VE3LYC]
24/07/2004: The radio club F6KHM will be active from Ile D'Ouessant (IOTA EU-065, DIFM AT-001, WW Loc. IN78li) for RSGB IOTA Contest (July 24-25th) as TM4Z. They will particpate in the MOABHP category. QSL via F6KHM, direct or bureau. [Tnx F5VCR]
28/08/2004: The Roanoke Valley Amateur Radio Club W4CA will activate Christmas Tree Island (USI VA-New), located on Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia. Activity will be on 80, 40 and 20 meters, starting 11:00 UTC August 28th and ending 23:00 UTC August 29th. Look for the Station on or about 14.270, 7.270 and 3.860 MHz. QSL via CBA for a nice color QSL card from RVARC. [Tnx USI]
73 and Good
Hunting!
Dave Raycroft
- VA3RJ
Home of
ICPO: www.qsl.net/va3rj
Mirror:
http://webhome.idirect.com/~va3rj
Join ICPO
e-Group: www.qsl.net/va3rj/icpo.html
E-mail:
va3rj@rac.ca
________
Note: A complete list of
Prefixes assigned by International Telecommunications Union can be found
on the Trans Provincial Website: www.tpn7055.ca/callsign.html
|
|
Jun. 18 2004 Commission adopts Spectrum Sharing Plan for L and S Band
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a spectrum sharing plan for low earth orbit satellite systems in the 1.6 GHz and 2.4 GHz bands. The so-called Big Leo birds. And here's how it will work
In the 1.6 GHz or "L-band," mobile-satellite service operators with satellite systems that utilize code division multiple access and time division multiple access technologies will share 3.1 megahertz of spectrum at 1618.25 to 1621.35 MHz. At "S-band," the Commission allocated the 2495 to 2500 MHz band to fixed and mobile except aeronautical mobile services, in order to provide additional spectrum and to accommodate the relocation of Multipoint Distribution Service channels 1 and 2.
The commission says that its new spectrum sharing plan will further the agency's goal of efficient frequency utilization by increasing the number of providers offering services to consumers over the same spectrum. It will promote the deployment of more innovative services to consumers.
(FCC)
_________
IOWA HAM IS BPL INTERFERENCE "POSTER CHILD"
The ARRL has weighed in on behalf of Iowa amateur and ARRL member Jim Spencer, W0SR, of Cedar Rapids, who has suffered severe broadband over power line (BPL) interference for more than two months. A formal complaint to FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief David H. Solomon calls on the Commission not only to order Alliant Energy's BPL field trial system to shut down but to fine the utility $10,000 for violating the Communications Act of 1934 and FCC Part 15 rules. Alleging "ongoing harmful and willful interference to one or more licensed radio stations," the ARRL asked Solomon to intervene "on an emergency basis." ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, who signed the letter of complaint, said Alliant Energy has been aware since March 30--the date it installed Amperion BPL equipment in Spencer's neighborhood--that the BPL system was causing harmful interference.
"It's simply unacceptable for Alliant Energy to continue to cause interference while they're trying to solve the problem," Sumner said. While the utility has been cooperative, mitigation efforts have been only marginally successful. The BPL system continues in operation, Sumner notes, despite repeated requests to eliminate the interference or shut the system down.
The complaint cites the Commission's own Part 15 rules prohibiting harmful interference from the operation of an unlicensed intentional, unintentional or incidental radiator to a licensed radio service. "If harmful interference is caused, the radiator may not operate," the complaint says. "There is simply no room for interpretation that would lead to such harmful interference being permissible for any period of time--certainly not 10 weeks."
The letter of complaint summarizes
and culminates a series of exchanges and actions in an unsuccessful effort
to resolve Spencer's BPL interference. Sumner said the League got specifically
involved in Spencer's case after United Power Line Council [ http://www.uplc.org
] President William R. Moroney invited the League in mid-March to keep
his organization in the loop on any cases of BPL interference that were
not being satisfactorily addressed. When Spencer's case arose, Sumner said,
the League considered it "a good
place to start."
Among other approaches, Alliant Energy has tried notching out the HF amateur bands. After notching attempts in late May, Spencer--a retired engineer and former Collins Radio employee--still reported "significant levels" of BPL interference on some bands and power line noise on 160 meter and 80 meters.
An Amperion contractor indicated that the notching--or "power masking" remains a "beta procedure" as well as "somewhat labor intensive." The contractor, Tom Luecke, indicated to Spencer in early April that he had cranked down the BPL system's gain "a notch below where I would like to have them" on three units closest to Spencer's home.
Although claiming Amperion's equipment to be FCC Part 15 compliant, "We are not a radio silent technology, nor do we claim to be," Luecke conceded. "Put another way, you can hear our signal, but we strive not to interfere with ham operators on the ham bands." He said his company has a good track record with the amateur community and "would like to think that the majority of apprehension about Amperion's technology lies in misinformation."
Sumner said UPLC representatives have made good-faith efforts to persuade Alliant Energy to comply with the FCC rules. Spencer "has cooperated fully and patiently" with Alliant Energy's and Amperion's fruitless efforts to eliminate the interference, the complaint notes. The BPL partner companies' best efforts to date notwithstanding, Sumner said, the time had come to say enough is enough.
"The situation in Jim's case is egregious, and it's been going on for 10 weeks," he said. "If this is the best we can expect when a BPL system causes interference, then the only answer is to prevent them from being deployed."
The letter of complaint calls on the FCC to notify Alliant Energy "immediately to cease operation of their BPL devices in accordance with §15.5(c), and to follow up that notification with a Notice of Apparent Liability."
For additional information, visit the "Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio" page on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Web site.
(ARRL News Service)
|
( Deadline Saturdays 10:00 A.M.) |
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Acknowledgments
RAC, ARRL, RSGB, SpaceRef.com,
SM3CER, ICPO, ODXA, DX Listening, CBC News, GB2RS, ARISS, NASA, AMSAT,
Daily Press,
ARES Ontario, Amateur
Radio Newsline, QRZ News, 425 DX News, CGC, Amateur Radio Club Members
, Published News Reports