Monster Media 1994 #1/monster.zip/monster/HAM/NEWSLINE.ZIP/NEWS860.TXT

Text File | 1994-02-18 | 13KB | 240 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].

Notes: 1- The regular transcribed version was not available this week, so
           I'm doing it myself.  Pardon the typos.
        2- Because of earthquake related mail delays, this weeks audio
           report, (860), that this version is made from, was to be
           aired the previous week.  For that reason, one of the stories
           which was outdated, is not included here.

       *************************************************************
        From around the world, this is NEWSLINE.  Amateur Radio's
              independent, on the air, bulletin service.
       *************************************************************
Edition #860, Reporter: Roy Neil, K6DUE

                        Closed Circuit Advisory

        A reminder.  The address for the NEWSLINE Support Fund is;
        Newsline, C/O Dr. Norm Chalfin, K6PGX, Post Office Box 463,
        Pasadena, CA 91102.  Remember, we need your support to keep
        NEWSLINE, online.

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                               Headline

        The following is a QST
        Ham Radio ticket, and a court says a Ham does have a right to
        a tower, and antenna.

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                      ARRL Suggests Lifetime Ham License

        The ARRL has petitioned the FCC to make Amateur Radio operator
        licenses valid for life.  In its petition, the League says
        that there in nothing in the Communications Act of 1934, that
        would prevent such a license term for radio amateurs.  It
        wants a lifetime operators license to allow inactive amateurs
        to return to the service at the same class of license without
        the necessity of retesting. This proposal would apply only to
        operator licenses. Amateur radio station licenses would, by
        law, still be limited to a 10 year term.  A person with a
        lifetime operator license, but no station license, would not
        be permitted to operate a station of his own, but would be
        able to operate from the station of another amateur.

        The League says that nothing in this proposal should have any
        effect on the FCC's call sign issuance program as it currently
        exist, or as proposed in the vanity callsign program.  The
        ARRL says at this time it is not proposing to make this rule
        change retroactive, rather, it suggests the easiest way to
        implement it, is simply to extend currently held operator
        licenses from 10 years to life.  No rule making number has yet
        been assigned to this ARRL regulatory change request.

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                ARRL Asks For Vanity Comment-Date Extension

        Word from Newington, CT., that the ARRL is asking the FCC for
        an extension to the Comment Cutoff deadline, on the
        Commission's proposal to establish a Vanity callsign system.
        The FCC's notice of proposed rule making, known as Personal
        Radio, Docket: 93-305, was released December 29, 1993, it has
        a comment deadline of March 7, 1994.  The League said that it
        immediately decide to publish the text of the rule making
        proposal, in it's entirety, in the Feb. 1994, issue of it's
        QST

        ARRL says it also is asking its members to make their views on
        the matter, made known to their elected representatives, but
        in its request for an extension of the filing deadline, until
        April 21st, the ARRL says that because the matter of issuing
        preferred call signs involves a scarce resource, the question
        of maintaining fairness in all aspects of the program must be
        addressed. The League also says that the March 7th comment
        deadline, simply does not allow enough time for ARRL members
        to express their views on the proposal. Nor will it let the
        ARRL board formulate a position, based on membership input, as
        to what position it should take.  It's now up to the FCC to
        decide on this ARRL time extension request, we'll let you know
        when the Commission decides. (Reported by David Black, KB4KCH)

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                    Court Finds In Favor Of Ham Antenna

        A federal appeals court has found in favor of a Minnesota ham
        in the latest round of a 3 year battle to install a tower and
        antenna.  Back in January of 1991, Sylvia Pentel, N0MRW,
        applied to the city of Medota Heights for a zoning variance
        for a 68 ft. crank-up tower.  At the time she was using a roof
        mounted vertical, which, she was unaware, violated the city's
        zoning rules.  The city denied her application for a tower,
        but did grant Pentel a special use permit to allow here to
        keep the vertical, but that did not satisfy N0MRW.

        Pentel sued the city in U.S. district court.  Her attorney,
        John B. Bellows Jr., K0QBE, argued that the ordinance
        restricting her tower and antenna was preempted by federal
        law.  A law known as PRB-1, which requires a reasonable
        accommodation of radio amateurs.  The U.S. Court of Appeals for
        The 8th Circuit, has ruled that in establishing PRB-1, the FCC
        was attempting to strike a balance between the interests of
        municipalities and ham radio operators.  The court noted that
        granting a special use permit for Pentel's vertical was not an
        acceptable accommodation to the radio amateur under the terms
        of PRB-1 and ordered the city to try again.  The court did put
        some limit on it's decision.  It said the finding does not
        mean the city must necessarily grant Pentel's application for
        a tower.  Rather it stated the Mendota Heights, MN, must make
        a reasonable accommodation to insure her interests as a radio
        amateur are protected.

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              Ham Convicted of Harassing McDonalds Customers

        A United States district court in Texas has written an end to
        the story of Terry VanSikle, WB5WXI, by sentencing him to 90
        days of home confinement, 3 years probation, fining him $1000,
        and ordering that he undergo a group counseling program as
        directed by the probation office.  VanSikle is a TV news
        cameraman at station WFAA who had been accused by the FBI of
        harassing customers at a McDonalds restaurant drive-through
        window in the Dallas area.  He initially protested his
        innocence last summer.  One newspaper even ran a 2 column
        feature about VanSikle, quoting him as saying that the
        frequencies used by McDonalds are posted on computer bulletin
        boards, and anyone could have been responsible.

        But on the 18th of October, Terry VanSikle changed his story.
        He pleaded guilty to one count of violating Title 47, section
        333 of the U.S. code by willfully and maliciously interfering
        with radio communications.  Sentencing was set for early
        January, and that time he faced a maximum term of 1 year in
        prison and $100,000. fine.  The lighter sentence of 90 days
        home confinement and probation falls under federal sentencing
        guide lines.  It's mitigated by the fact that VanSikle has
        already has lost some $15,000. worth of scanners, two way
        radios, and other gear confiscated when he was detained.

        Still, VanSikle's troubles may not be over.  There's a
        likelihood of FCC administrative action to strip him of any
        federally issued radio licenses.  And also there's the
        possibility of civil action against him by the McDonalds
        Corporation to recoup any losses incurred as a result of his
        jamming their radio system.

*****
                    ARRL Reacts To NJ RF Fee Proposal

        Officials of the American Radio Relay League have told the New
        Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy that
        a State proposal to register and impose fees on radio
        transmitters, and other sources of RF, was contrary to federal
        law; at least as the law is related to radio amateurs.  The
        New Jersey proposal exempted amateur radio stations at this
        time, but leaves the door open for future regulation of hams
        and imposition of fees.  But ARRL general counsel, Chris
        Imlay, N3AKD, says that only the FCC has the power to license
        and regulate radio transmitters.  Imlay says that applying the
        proposed regulations to amateurs would effectively preclude
        amateur radio communications in New Jersey.  The NJ Dept. of
        Environmental Protection And Energy has extended the deadline
        for comments on the proposal until February 22nd.  Hams in NJ,
        and the surrounding States, are being encouraged to write the
        NJ Legislature in opposition to the radio tax proposal.

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                                DXpediton

        In DX, word that the LAMBDA Amateur Radio Club, LARC, will
        sponsor it's 3rd expedition from March 5th to the 10th.  LARC
        members are planning to operate on HF and OSCAR 13, mode "B"
        and mode "S" from the Caribbean Island of Anguila in the
        British West Indies.  The operators making the trip will be
        Jim Kelly - KK3K, Don Bledsoe - WB6LYI, Mark Wilcox - KC3XC,
        Tom Hendrix - KI4ZN, Howard Wyman - W9BVD, Norm Gray - KF7IK,
        James Keis - AF9A, and Wayne Shuller - AI9Q.  A QSL for all
        operators is direct to their current call book addresses.
        This may well be the first OSCAR 13, mode "S" expedition for
        the record books.

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                             Free QRP Info

        Two QRP nets, located in the Pacific Northwest, are now
        available to help you meet other low power enthusiasts
        throughout the country.  The Northwest QRP Club meets every
        Monday evening at 0300 UTC on 10.123 Mhz.  The Northwest QRP
        Club Saturday Morning Net can be found at 0730 UTC on 3.561
        Mhz. If you're interested in receiving a free copy of their
        NWQ newsletter, please send an SASE to Bill Todd, 4153 49th
        Ave. S.W., Seattle, WA 98116.

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                            Exam Dates Set

        Two ARRL national exam days have been set for 1994, May 14th
        and October 29th.  Details will be in the February Issue of
        QST

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                             Marathon Ham

        A ham who ran in the New York City Marathon last November, to
        raise money for Cancer research, will be doing it again soon
        on the West Coast.  Fred Dube, AA8FQ, has announced that he
        will run in the March 6th Los Angeles Marathon and will be on
        the air before and during the race.  With backing from ICOM
        America, Dube says that he will hold as many QSO's as he can
        while running the course.  He says he plans to use repeaters
        on 145.200Mhz, 146.925Mhz, 445.325Mhz, and 447.235Mhz.  Fred
        also will try his luck on the national SIMPLEX calling
        frequency, 146.52.  His frequency coordination is being
        handled by the Baldwin Hills ARC.  If band conditions warrant,
        he also plans to try some 20 meter remote base operations.
        Look for him on 14.295Mhz.

        AA8FQ's participation in the New York City Marathon raised
        about $2500. that was donated to the Sloan-Kettering Memorial
        Cancer Center.  This time the proceeds of sponsored miles will
        benefit the Los Angeles Childrens' Cancer Research Fund.  That
        organization is considered one of leading pediatric cancer
        research organization in the country.  Ham's interested in
        sponsoring miles to be run by Fred can contact him at (216)
        721-2466.  Meanwhile we at NEWSLINE wish Fred Dube, AA8FQ good
        luck in his next run to save lives.

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

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