Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/HAM/NEWSLINE.ZIP/NEWS0129.TXT

Text File | 1994-02-06 | 16KB | 329 lines

The electronic publication of the Amateur Radio Newsline is distributed
with the permission of Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, President and Editor of
Newsline.  The text is transcribed from the audio service by Dale Cary and
is first published on Genie.

Editorial comment or news items should be E-mailed to [e-mail]
or [e-mail]. Voice or FAX to [phone].

All other information and disclaimers are in the text header below.

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 NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #109 - POSTED 01/29/94

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    The following is late news about Amateur Radio for Radio
 Amateurs as prepared from NEWSLINE RADIO scripts by the staff of
 the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, INC. -- formerly the WESTLINK RADIO
 NET
 CBBS twice monthly.  For current information updates, please call

      Los Angeles............................ [phone]
      Los Angeles (Instant Update Line)...... [phone]
      Seattle................................ [phone]
      Seattle................................ [phone]
      Tacoma................................. [phone]
      Louisville............................. [phone]
      Dayton................................. [phone]
      Chicago................................ [phone]
      New York City.......................... [phone]
      Melbourne, FL.......................... [phone]

    For the latest breaking info call the Instant Update Line listed
 above.  To provide information please call [phone].  This
 line answers automatically and will accept up to 30 minutes of
 material.

    Check with your local amateur radio club to see if NEWSLINE
 can be heard weekly on the air in your area.

    Articles may be reproduced if printed in their entirety and
 credit is given to AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE as being the source.

    For further information about the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE,
 please write to us with an SASE at P.O. Box 463, Pasadena, CA
 91102.

                                              Thank You
                                              NEWSLINE

 *****************************************************************

 Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...

 WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY
 KU8R N8DTN W9JUV KC9RP K9XI KB5KCH KC5UD KC0HF G8AUU WD0AKO DJ0QN
 and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!

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 [859]

 * * * *   C L O S E D   C I R C U I T   A D V I S O R Y   * * * *
 *                                                               *
 *     The following is a closed circuit advisory and is not for *
 *  air over amateur radio.  Repeat, not for broadcast.  This is *
 *  just a reminder that the address for the Newsline Support    *
 *  Fund is Newsline, in care of Dr. Norm Chalfin, K6PGX, Post   *
 *  Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102.  Again, and as always,   *
 *  we thank you.  That ends the closed circuit with Newsline    *
 *  report number 859 for release on Friday January 28, 1994.    *
 *                                                               *
 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                       The following is a QST

    The ARRL files against an instant ham radio ticket and the Red
 Cross asks hams for help.

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                 ARRL FILES AGAINST INSTANT LICENSE

    The ARRL said that it would challenge any move toward the
 creation of an instant ham radio license and it has now put its
 words on paper and sent them off to the FCC.  This, in comments
 opposing the commission generated proposal to grant immediate on
 the air privileges to amateur examinees before a license is
 issued by the Commission.
    The League says that it stands by its previous statement in
 opposition to a petition for rule making that resulted in the
 FCC's proposal, in PR Docket 93-267.  At that time, the ARRL said
 in response to a petition by the Western Carolina Amateur Radio
 Society VEC that such a system was both unlawful and a would be
 detrimental to enforcement.  The League said that the FCC had,
 as recently as 1987, denied such a concept and that the absence
 of an up to date database of such temporary call signs would make
 both self regulation by amateurs themselves and rules enforcement
 by the Commission more difficult.
    The League now says that suggestions in the NPRM that
 precedents for such a plan exist in other services are incorrect
 and has reiterated its opinion that such a plan is inconsistent
 with the international radio regulations.  Instead, the ARRL has
 emphasized that electronic filing of applications with the FCC
 would accomplish the same goal.  This, of reducing the wait to
 get on the air, while maintaining total FCC oversight of
 licensing.
    As we've reported, AMSAT North America is in full agreement
 with the ARRL but the rival National Amateur Radio Association,
 many VEC's and several prominent radio clubs have gone on the
 record of favoring an instant licensing plan.  NARA and a number
 of radio clubs say that in lieu of self assigned call signs, each
 VEC should have a previously assigned block of calls that it can
 issue on the spot.  Most of those in favor of instant licensing
 are however demanding that the FCC include better safeguards
 against bootlegging than are in the original commission proposal.
 The reply comment cutoff date for this proposal is February 10th.
 Look for a decision on this one fairly early.

 *****
                ARRL BOARD MEETING HELD RECENTLY

    A frigid Hartford, Connecticut was the scene for this years
 first annual meeting of 1994 for the ARRL's Board of Directors.
 The temperature was below freezing outside, but not so in the
 meeting hall itself.
    Board members spent their meeting covering a variety of topics
 affecting amateur radio.  A League committee will look into the
 possibility of offering group legal defense insurance to league
 members involved in lawsuits over antennas and rfi.  The league
 wants to loosen some of the rules governing spread spectrum
 techniques.  In fact the ARRL says it will file a petition for
 rulemaking seeking to remove overly restrictive rules concerning
 the use of spread spectrum communications.  Board members adopted
 an interim report and band plan recommendation for amateur use
 219 to 220 Mhz.  That one mhz slice has been proposed for limited
 amateur use including packet communications.  And the first steps
 may be starting to change the 40m novice subband.  A League
 committee will consider possibly relocating that band.  The
 committees report is due in July.  You will be getting a reminder
 from League when your license is about to expire.  That new
 practice will also include sending a 610 form to help encourage
 amateur radio license renewal.
    A lot of what the ARRL board decided last week will definitely
 affect your day to day ham radio operations for years to come.

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       LEAGUE AT THE NAT

    The ARRL is inviting Broadcast professionals and others to
 visit its booth at the annual convention of the National
 Association of Broadcasters, to be held March 21st through the
 24th at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
    The booth, manned by ARRL Public Information Manager Steve
 Mansfield, N1MZA, has in past years attracted several hundred
 amateurs and former amateurs.  Steve will be on hand to field
 questions from those in broadcasting who are interested in
 Amateur Radio.  The League will be in Booth number is 2703.

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                      RED CROSS NEEDS HAMS

    In the wake of the January 17th Northridge earthquake, the
 Los Angeles chapter of the Red Cross says that it is in very
 desperate need of hams to provide help on weekdays and weekday
 evenings filling shifts in its quake relief shelters.  Weekdays
 pose a real problem for the Red Cross as many of their volunteers
 have regular jobs.  If you are coming to Los Angeles, have a two
 meter hand-held and have at least six free hours, please call Jim
 Prince at area code [phone].  This Red Cross says that
 this work is vital to those made homeless by the recent quakes,
 so please consider donating some time.

 *****
            WESTLINK REPORT NEWSLETTER ISSUE DELAYED


    The Northridge earthquake has taken yet another toll.  This,
 in the ability of a popular ham radio newsletter to get its next
 edition in the mail.
    If you are a subscriber to the Westlink Report ham radio
 newsletter, you may be wondering where edition number 665 is.
 While it is true that Publisher Burt Hicks, WB6MQV is looking to
 sell the publication, that's not the reason for the delay in your
 getting the latest work.  Hicks says that last weeks California
 earthquake is to blame.

    "While I was sitting at the keyboard at 4:30 in the morning
 when the quake hit.  It's only by the grace of God that I wasn't
 killed as things came flying off the tops of bookcases and
 speaker shelving.  The computer was hit and sent flying.  It took
 me a couple of days to find it after unburying it.  Yes, the
 issue will come out.  But, it is going to be a couple of weeks.
 My apologies to our readers."  Burt Hicks, WB6MQV, Editor of
 Westlink Report.

    While we had Burt on the phone we also asked why he has
 decided to bow out of the ham radio publishing arena after
 fourteen years.

    "It has become quite a burden on us with my work schedule
 shift at a Hollywood TV station.  I work all night five days a
 week.  Then I have four children to keep me awake the rest of the
 time.  It's becoming increasingly difficult, I don't know maybe
 it is just old age.  I still love the newsletter, but at a
 certain point your body can only handle so much."  Burt Hicks,
 WB6MQV,  Editor of the Westlink Report.

    Hicks says that he plans to continue publishing the Westlink
 Report until a suitable buyer comes along.  He says that he will
 only sell out to an individual or group that promises to uphold
 the same commitment to moral and journalistic integrity started
 by his predecessor Joe Schroeder, W9JUV, in his HR Report.  Hicks
 adds that the next edition will soon be in the mail.

 *****
                 THIS WEEK IN AMATEUR RADIO UPDATE

    A quick correction.  A few weeks ago we reported on the return
 of This Week in Amateur Radio to the satellite bands.
 Unfortunately we got the transponder wrong.  This Week in Amateur
 Radio can be found on Galaxy 3 Transponder 17 with 5.8 MHz audio,
 not on Transponder 19 as reported.

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                         NO DAYTON BUSSES

    If you are planning to attend the 1994 Dayton Hamvention,
 better plan to drive your car out to the Hara Arena convention
 venue.  This is because Hamvention planners have announced that
 they will not be providing free bus service to hotels and motels
 this year.
    The problem is simply one of cost.  Dayton first began
 providing the free bus service after land adjacent to the Hara
 Arena was made off limits for parking.  Over the years, the cost
 of providing the free bus service has soared until it topped the
 ninety thousand dollar mark.  That's simply more than the
 Hamvention can afford to pay.
    But over the past twelve months, much of the old parking
 adjacent to the Hara Arena became available once again.  Its now
 privately owned, so there will be a nominal daily charge to be
 decided by the owner of each lot.
    Getting the parking spaces back means that the Hamvention can
 cut back this expensive transport service, Now it needs to
 provide shuttles only to outlying parking facilities such as the
 Salem Mall.  According to Hamvention General Chairman Dave Grubb,
 KC8CF, this will be a savings of over forty-five thousand
 dollars.  Money that can better be spent on improving other
 aspects of this yearly event.
    Grubb adds that the Hamvention Planning Committee is also
 working with the Dayton Chamber of Commerce and the city's
 Convention and Visitors bureau.  This, to see if either will help
 to underwrite the cost of running busses from the various hotels.
 In lieu of that, the Hamvention is also trying to get the hotels
 and motels to provide this service for their guests.
    The bottom line is that a few out of town visitors who fly to
 Dayton for the Hamvention may be inconvenienced by this change,
 but the enhanced on-site parking may make things a lot easier for
 the vast majority of Hamvention attendees who drive.

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                           TAPR MEETING

     Tucson Amateur Packet Radio better known as TAPR has
 scheduled its annual meeting for March 4th to 6th at the Best
 Western Inn at the Airport in Tucson.  The meeting will feature
 presentations and papers on several new hardware projects,
 discussions, and hands-on demonstrations.  The afternoon session
 on Saturday will feature a mini-symposium on future directions in
 amateur packet radio.  For more information contact Program
 Chairman Keith Justice, KF7TP, at [phone], or contact
 TAPR at 8987-309 East Tanque Verde Road, Unit Number 337, Tucson,
 Arizona 85749.  Their voice mail system number is [phone]
 and the fax line is [phone].

 *****
                         QSL STATISTICS

    In DX, the ARRL says that its members in 1993 sent about 7
 and a quarter tons of QSL cards to the ARRL Outgoing QSL Bureau,
 and the Bureau shipped them out.  This was a total 2,182,000
 cards for DX destinations.
    The US Incoming QSL Bureau's volunteers sorted just over two
 million cards in 1993, as well.

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                            QSL ROMEO

    Cards for the 9D0RR operation should be sent to Edward
 Kritsky, Box 715, Brooklyn, New York 11230.  The former address
 of Box 776 belongs to Romeo Stepaneko and is now being used
 only for his personal business.  The change applies only to 9D0RR
 cards.  All other cards for Romeo still go to the Box 766
 address.

 *****
                           VIDEO WINNER

    Emmy award winning producer Rich Moseson, NW2L has won yet
 another honor.  The ARRL reports that his video titled Ham
 Radio Horizons was a finalist in the New York Festivals
 International Non-Broadcast Media competition for 1993.  The
 awards were presented January 14th in New York City.
    The 49-minute program introducing non-hams to Amateur Radio is
 part of the CQ Communications video library, which also includes
 videos on satellite operation, DXing, contests, and packet radio.
 Executive producer Rich Moseson is also ARRL Section Manager for
 Northern New Jersey.

 *****

    For this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
 You can write to us at Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102.

 * * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *