Monster Media 1996 #15/Monster Media Number 15 (Monster Media)(July 1996).ISO/ham/arrl.zip/ARRL0412.TXT

Text File | 1996-04-18 | 28KB | 484 lines

The ARRL Letter
Vol 15, No 4
April 12, 1996
_____________________________

INSIDE:

* FCC okays special Olympic call signs for Georgia
* FCC says interference starts at the factory
* FCC suspends Louisiana ham's license
* FCC busts ham back to Novice
* Ham twins to be on Turning Point
* Ham radio has role in musical event
* TWIAR down again
* Sun spotless
* ARRL WRC-99 team named
* Study looks at public service motivation
* Long-distance rescue
* Teen ham handles emergency response
* Collins exhibit to open
* Milt Chaffee, W1EFW, SK
* In Brief: Special event station marks OK City bombing;
   Lucid on Mir; 4X6KJ visits ARRL HQ; OEM1M
   commemorates International Marconi Day;
   RF Design moves; Pupils mark decade of
   School Club Roundup; 1996 AMSAT confab set
___________________________

FCC OKAYS OLYMPIC CALL SIGNS FOR HAMS OPERATING IN GEORGIA

Hams operating within the state of Georgia may use special call signs from
April 15 until August 31, 1996, to commemorate the 1996 Olympics, under a
Special Temporary Authority issued by the FCC. Here's how it works: An
FCC-licensed radio amateur operating in Georgia with a "4" in his or her
call sign may replace that number with "96" (representing the year) or "26"
(commemorating the 26th Olympiad) during the period of the STA. Hams with
any number in their call signs and operating within the State of Georgia may
add "00" to the existing number (to mark the centennial year of the Olympic
Games). So, WA4BKD in Georgia also could identify as WA96BKD, WA26BKD or
WA400BKD, while NG3K, when operating in Georgia, could identify only as
NG300K or as NG3K. The Olympics start in July. The STA stemmed from an
initiative by James Altman, N4UCK, of Atlanta and the Georgia Amateur Radio
Operators Group he organized, with the support of ARRL.

FCC: INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS OFTEN START AT THE FACTORY

The FCC says it cannot resolve most of the thousands of complaints of
interference to TVs, radios, stereos and televisions "because the cause of
this interference is the design or construction of these products and not a
violation of any FCC rule." The FCC points out that basic consumer
information concerning interference solutions now is available on the
Internet through the FCC Compliance and Information Bureau's home page at
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Compliance/WWW. The list also is available
through the Commission's Fax on Demand service at 202-418-2830. Request
document 6904.

The basic information includes the CIB Interference Handbook and the CIB
Telephone Interference Bulletin, among others. The Telephone Interference
Bulletin states: "Interference occurs when your telephone instrument fails
to 'block out' a nearby radio communication. Potential interference problems
begin when the telephone is built at the factory." The Interference Handbook
includes a list of equipment manufacturers who provide specific assistance
with interference problems. "Involving dealers and manufacturers in the
resolution process should give them knowledge of the problems and provide
both the opportunity and incentive to protect their products through
customer service," the FCC said in a recent Public Notice.

The Commission emphasized, however, that its Compliance and Information
Bureau "will continue to take appropriate enforcement action where it has
been determined that the interference is caused by violations of the
Communications Act or the Commission's rules or policies."--FCC

FCC SUSPENDS LOUISIANA HAM'S LICENSE, MULLS FINE

The FCC has suspended the Technician Plus license of Irvin J. Foret Jr,
KB5UJD, of Metairie, Louisiana, after receiving numerous complaints about
interference to Amateur Radio operations in the New Orleans area. The action
came April 5, 1996 after Commission personnel monitored and documented
Foret's transmissions in December 1995 and January 1996. The FCC said some
of Foret's transmissions on January 29, 1996, "constituted willful or
malicious interference to the transmissions of other Amateur Radio
stations," in apparent violation of FCC rules.

The FCC also contended that, during an inspection of his station, Foret "was
lacking in candor and misrepresented material facts" to Commission personnel
by stating that he did not make the transmissions the Commission observed.
The FCC also said some of Foret's transmissions were unidentified, included
music or were obscene or indecent, the alleged indecent transmissions
occurring at a time when there was a reasonable risk that children were in
the audience.

The FCC suspended Foret's license for two years, and ordered a final
determination based on the issues in the case and whether to impose a fine
against Foret. If he files a timely request for a hearing or a written
statement, the suspension of his operator license will be held in abeyance
pending a Commission decision. Otherwise, the suspension order takes effect
within 30 days of his receipt of the FCC's order.--FCC

FCC BUSTS WASHINGTON HAM BACK TO NOVICE CLASS

Arthur P. Baumgarden of Bingen, Washington, won't be KI7CW much longer. In a
case that hinged in part on Baumgarden's claimed driving skill, the FCC
concluded that he obtained his Advanced class license improperly and refused
to review that decision. Baumgarden, 62, said he successfully upgraded to
Advanced during a 1991 test session in Carson, California, a round trip of
more than 2000 miles from his home. According to the FCC, however, he later
told a Commission informant that he obtained his upgrade "through payment of
money, without passing the required examinations." When the FCC questioned
Baumgarden, he denied the allegations. The FCC asked Baumgarden to take the
test again under another Volunteer Examination team, but he refused and
appealed.

FCC records indicate that Baumgarden changed his story after the FCC first
took issue with his version of events and especially with the travel times
he supplied. In part, the Commission expressed disbelief that Baumgarden
could have driven to Carson, California, and back in the times he claimed
and called the alleged travel schedule "impossible to achieve within the
speed limit." Baumgarden said he made the journey in his RV. The fact that
Baumgarden later changed his story "damages rather than enhances his
credibility, the FCC said." The Commission also noted that Baumgarden failed
to corroborate his tale or to adequately explain why he provided two
versions of events.

Although Baumgarden continues to deny he obtained his amateur license
improperly, the FCC concluded on March 18, 1996, that "his denials are not
credible" and refused to review the case on both procedural and substantive
grounds. The Commission ordered that because Baumgarden declined to appear
for retesting, his operator license would be reduced to Novice and his call
sign changed to one appropriate for that license class.--FCC

HAM RADIO TWINS TO APPEAR ON TURNING POINT

Twin brothers Keith Heitzmann, KK5FE, and Jake Hellbach, KK5HY, will appear
on the ABC Television news magazine Turning Point May 3. Jake and Keith, who
live in Louisiana, were put up for adoption at birth. Adopted by different
families, they lived only 15 miles apart, unknown to each other, until they
met for the first time some 15 years ago at the home of Keith's adoptive
parents. "As you can imagine, it was a very emotional meeting," Jake said.
The brothers have been part of the Minnesota twin study that is looking into
genetic versus environmental influences on separated twins.

Jake reports the two studied together, passed their Technician tests at the
same session, and later upgraded to General and Advanced about the same
time. Both work in the computer field and used to work for the same company,
which led to lots of confusion, Jake said.

Among other things, the Turning Point crew shot film of the pair attending
the Lafayette (Louisiana) Hamfest. "You get some pretty good prices when a
television camera is over your shoulder!" said Jake. Of all the film that
was shot, Jake said he hopes the program uses at least some of him and his
brother on the radio. "I was glad that when it was my turn, I contacted a
fellow in Cuba, so at least there was some DX on that night," he said.

HAM RADIO HAS PART IN NATIONAL MUSICAL ARTS EVENT

Amateur Radio will play a role at a musical and historical event April 12-14
at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, DC. Special event station
W3A starts operation at 0000 April 13 and continues for the next 48 hours.
Run by members of the Potomac Valley Amateur Radio Club, W3A plans to
operate 47 kHz up from band edges.

The event is in conjunction with National Musical Arts end-of-the-season
concert, "Radio and Music," set for April 14. The concert commemorates the
95th anniversary of Gugliemo Marconi's first transatlantic radio
transmission and the 70th anniversary of NBC. The musical program includes
the work "Radio Music," by John Cage, as well as compositions by Paul
Schonfield and Peter Schickele, otherwise known as P.D.Q. Bach.

Leonard Schachter, N3RPQ, has loaned part of his vintage radio collection
for the presentation of "Radio Music," to be performed by Schickele, Nobel
laureate Joseph H. Taylor Jr and National Academy of Sciences President
Bruce M. Alberts. Frank Turano, KA3GAL, will display Marconi memorabilia,
including a magnetic detector, spark transmitter, receiver and telegraph
key. Representatives of the ARRL will host an informational Amateur Radio
exhibit during the event.

THIS WEEK IN AMATEUR RADIO DOWN BUT NOT OUT

This Week in Amateur Radio, a three-year-old weekly audio news magazine
service, is once again off the satellite airwaves. The program, produced in
Albany, New York, by Community Video Associates Inc., had been piggybacking
for the past several weeks on the Tech Talk Network, uplinked via Skyvision
on Telesat Canada Anik E2. When Tech Talk Network dissolved earlier this
month, TWIAR was back to square one, explained Stephan Anderman, WA3RKB, the
executive producer. "Needless to say, we are very discouraged," Anderman
said, adding that he'd hoped the arrangement to use Anik E2 would give the
program a C-band home for several years to come.

The demise of Tech Talk Network also put the Houston AMSAT Net off the air,
AMSAT reports.

Eleventh-hour efforts to secure transponder space for TWIAR on Anik E2
failed, Anderman said. He and the others involved with the service are
seeking a new satellite home. "Discussions with other satellite carriers for
the donation or lease of satellite space continue in earnest," he said in a
letter to affiliates. TWIAR relies on donations from Amateur Radio clubs and
individuals to meet production and transmission expenses.

Last fall, the program went dark as a result of the shutdown of Telstar 302.
TWIAR averages 75 minutes of news, carries ARRL and RAC bulletins, contest
and convention information and propagation forecasts, as well as offerings
from the Radio Amateur Information Network and Amateur Radio Newsline. The
program was fed to over 100 nets and repeaters throughout North America
every Saturday at 8 PM. TWIAR continues to be heard locally in the Albany
area on the WA2OQE repeater (145.33 MHz) and on the "Gateway 160 Meter Net"
(1860 kHz) from WA0RCR. The Houston AMSAT Net also will air on the Gateway
net.

OL' SOL MAINTAINS A SPOTLESS REPUTATION

>From solar observer Tad Cook, KT7H, in Seattle, Washington, comes the
now-familiar word that solar activity remains very low. The sunspot count
was zero on March 30 and 31. Over the next few weeks, Cook says we can
expect solar flux to remain near 70, with possible mild geomagnetic
disturbances centered around April 17. On the air, 20 meters should be the
best daytime band, but solar activity is expected to be too low to sustain
much propagation on 15 meters or above. For worldwide communication at
night, 40 meters is the top choice, but the low solar activity makes this
the best time of the solar cycle for 160 meters, too.

The latest projections, based on current conditions and previous solar
cycles, suggest that we will be at the sunspot number minimum for the next
few months. The minimum is centered around April through June of this year,
with sunspot numbers in February 1997 reaching fall 1995 levels. Previous
forecasts have mentioned a 10.7-cm solar flux minimum centered around spring
of 1997, but the latest projection moves that period up a bit. What it shows
is a minimum based on an average flux of 72 for October 1996 through
February 1997, with the flux also averaging 72 for June 1996.

Spring of 1998 should present a radically different picture. By then, the
average flux will climb toward 100, and 10, 12 and 15 meters should be alive
with activity again. By April 1999, the average solar flux is projected to
be 158, rising to 192 a year later! The next cycle is projected to peak near
the turn of the century--in August 2000.

ARRL WRC-99 CONFERENCE PREPARATORY COMMITTEE APPOINTED

ARRL President Rod Stafford, KB6ZV, has appointed the members of a committee
to advise the Board of Directors on policies for the 1999 World
Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-99). The Board established the committee
at its 1996 Annual Meeting, and set its first task as defining the process
by which membership input should be solicited and the opinions of the
membership objectively determined.

The ARRL WRC-99 Committee is chaired by Dakota Division Director Tod Olson.
K0TO. Also named to the committee were First Vice President Steve
Mendelsohn, WA2DHF; Midwest Division Director Lew Gordon, K4VX; Southwestern
Director Fried Heyn, WA6WZO; Northwestern Division Vice Director Greg
Milnes, W7AGQ; ARRL members Ken Kopp, K0PP, of Anaconda, Montana, Tuck
Miller, KC6ZEC, of San Diego, California, and Glen Whitehouse, K1GW, of
Amherst, New Hampshire; and ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner,
K1ZZ.

The committee is expected to complete its work by mid-December 1996.

AMATEUR RADIO GOES TO GRAD SCHOOL

Graduate student Bella Romain, N4ILQ, of Carrollton, Georgia, has a healthy
curiosity. For a while now, she's been wondering what makes hams willingly
go out of their way to help during emergencies. Combining avocation and
academe, Bella has made that question the focus of her master's degree
thesis in psychology at West Georgia College in Carrollton. "The fact that
the FCC mentions public service as part of the reason for Amateur Radio's
existence is obviously not the whole story," she said. "It is not easy to
leave the comfort and security of a warm bed to drive out into a storm to
help set up an emergency shelter."

A ham for more than 25 years, Bella speaks from some experience. Since she
and her husband, Stewart, KF4WC, moved to Carrollton 13 years ago, they have
become active in the public service sphere of Amateur Radio. They took a
first-responder course, as well as numerous Red Cross disaster-training
classes "so that if we are in the field providing emergency communications,
we will be better prepared to handle any kind of emergency," she explained.
She reports her Amateur Radio club, the West Georgia Amateur Radio Society,
works closely with emergency-management agencies, the Red Cross, and the
National Weather Service "as the need arises." Club members worked with the
Red Cross to provide damage assessments and communication following
Hurricane Opal. They also helped with emergency shelter operations.

Bella says it's not easy to endure the tedium of long hours at an emergency
communication headquarters, nor to give up leisurely weekends and evenings
to take courses to be better prepared for emergencies. She says she began to
wonder "what hams experience and feel during the times they participate in
providing emergency help, and what some of their thoughts and reasons were
for doing this." To find out, as part of the information-gathering phase of
her research project, Bella is asking hams to fill out a questionnaire.
She'll then select a number of hams for in-depth follow-up interviews. Among
other things, the questionnaire delves into respondents' emergency
communication experiences and asks them to rate both their level of personal
comfort and personal safety while responding during an emergency.

For more information, or to obtain a copy of the survey to complete, contact
Bella Romain, N4ILQ, 285 Timber Ridge Trail, Carrollton, GA 30117-8884; tel
770-834-5674; fax [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

LONG-DISTANCE RESCUE MISSION SUCCESSFUL

Collins enthusiast Bob Karon, AA6RK, of Encino, California, was checking out
some repairs and modifications to his vintage gear around midnight March 18
when a routine evening of radio suddenly turned dramatic. While working a
Florida station using his Collins setup, Karon heard the distress call from
the 44-foot Canadian yacht Cambria, which had run aground and was sinking in
the Caribbean Sea, some 150 miles southwest of Jamaica. "The signal was weak
and fading," Karon reports. "I had to hold my breath sometimes to hear it."
The Cambria's skipper, Kenneth Cunningham, told Karon the vessel was almost
on its side and the antenna nearly in the water. When Karon discerned the
vessel's position, he telephoned the US Coast Guard. The Coast Guard could
not hear the Cambria's weak signal, but was able to contact a merchant
vessel 25 miles away from the distressed craft. Karon, a freelance musician,
stayed on the air for the next three hours, the only connection between the
merchant ship and the Cambria. "I reassured the panicky crew that help was
on the way and relayed instructions from the Coast Guard and the rescue
ship," he said. The merchant ship eventually was able to dispatch a lifeboat
to the Cambria and rescued all four crew members. Captain Robert C. Gravino,
chief of the US Coast Guard's Search and Rescue Branch, cited Karon for
"professional and humanitarian actions assisting mariners in distress. A job
well done."--Harvey Laidman, N6HL

13-YEAR-OLD HAM HANDLES EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Vince Bernotas III, N2WXE, an active member of Burlington County (New
Jersey) ARES/RACES, turned out to be in the right place at the right time on
March 17, and a dirt-bike racer is glad he was. Vince, 13, and his parents
were among those helping to provide communication for the 1996 Sandy Lane
Motorcycle Enduro, a 100-mile dirt bike endurance race through the South
Jersey pine barrens. After an Enduro rider hit a tree a mile from Vince's
checkpoint, N2WXE assisted in locating the paralyzed rider, believed to have
a fractured back, then coordinated response of an ambulance and emergency
vehicles, including a rescue helicopter. Complicating matters was a
catastrophic radio failure in both the ambulance and state police cruiser.
Amateur Radio saved the day when N2WXE forwarded urgent information about
the patient's location and condition to net control Doug McCray, K2QWQ, who
relayed the vital information to dispatchers. The rider is reported to be
recovering. An active ARRL member since he got his ticket three years ago,
Vince is net control for the K2AA/South Jersey Radio Association's Hams R Us
Kids Net (see QST Nov 94, p 69).--Vince Bernotas II, N2WXF

"STEPS TOWARD MORE PERFECT COMMUNICATION" EXHIBIT TO OPEN

The story of Arthur Collins, W0CXX, and the Collins Radio Company is one of
genius, vision, dedication and hard work--an inspiration for anyone with an
interest in radio and electronics. Starting May 4, the public will be able
to get a better understanding of the man, his company and accomplishments
through an exhibit, "Steps Toward More Prefect Communication," at the Linn
County History Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where Collins was
headquartered. The exhibit will point up the value of Collins Radio Company
and Art Collins to the local area and the world between 1923 and 1969. The
exhibit is designed to impart to visitors--especially youth--a sense of the
values and tenacity Art Collins exemplified, and how--through hard work and
application of knowledge--dreams can be realized.

Photographs, print materials, equipment displays, audio recordings of
historic radio transmissions and other historical memorabilia will tell the
Collins story, which is broken down into several exhibit topics. These
include Teenage Wizard, 1925-1930; A Business from a Hobby, 1931-1933;
Radios for Soldiers: World War II; Post-War Diversification (which chronicle
the company's Amateur Radio, broadcasting, avionics, military and computer
efforts); To the Moon in a Volkswagen and The Legacy Lives On.

The exhibit draws on the resources of retired Collins Radio Company and
Rockwell Collins employees, the Collins Museum at the Rockwell Collins
facilities in Cedar Rapids, The Collins Collectors Association, The Cedar
Valley Amateur Radio Club, the Collins Amateur Radio Club and the book, The
First Fifty Years, by Ken C. Braband.

The exhibit draws its name from a statement by Art Collins, then age 16, in
Radio Age magazine for May, 1926:

The real thrill in amateur work comes not from talking to stations in
distant lands, nor from receiving multitudes of QSL cards from all the
world, although these are things to stir your imagination, but from knowing
that by careful and painstaking work and by diligent and systematic study,
you have been able to accomplish some feat or establish some fact that is a
new step toward more perfect communication.

The Linn County History Center is at 101 Eighth Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. The
exhibit will remain open 10 AM to 4 PM Tuesdays through Saturdays until
February 15, 1997.--Rod Blocksome, K0DAS

MILTON E. CHAFFEE, W1EFW, SK

Past New England Division Director Milton E. Chaffee, W1EFW, of Southington,
Connecticut, died April 8, 1996. Milt was 83. He served as director from
1957 through 1964. Milt was a long-time ARRL member and official, and served
in many League capacities, including assistant section manager and section
traffic manager in Connecticut. He was an active CW and traffic enthusiast.
He also served on the QCWA board of directors.

Connecticut Section Manager Betsey Doane, K1EIC, called Milt's passing "the
end of an era." ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, added:
"Milt was a stalwart traffic handler who set and maintained the standards
for the rest of us for more than 40 years."

A memorial service for Milt Chaffee was held April 14 in Southington,
Connecticut.
______________________________

IN BRIEF:

* A special event station to mark the first anniversary of the bombing of
the Murrah Federal Building will be put on the air by the Oklahoma City
Autopatch Association, in cooperation with the Salvation Army. The station,
N5FM, will take to the air at 9:02 CDT on Friday, April 19, 1996, and stay
on the air at least for the next 24 hours. The initial operating frequency
will be 3900 kHz. Activity will move to other bands as conditions require or
permit. N5FM will transmit a packet message from the bombing survivors
association to the citizens of the world at 9:03 CDT.--Thomas M. Webb,
WA9AFM (PIC, Oklahoma Section)

* Astronaut Shannon Lucid is now a member of the Mir crew for the next four
months. The Russians have approved her use of the Mir radio on 2 meters,
with the call sign R0MIR. Look for her on 145.55 MHz, FM simplex. Dave
Larsen, N6JLH, is now the US QSL manager only for current R0MIR and R0MIR-1
contacts. QSLs must include date, time, and mode. N6JLH will not handle SWL
reports. For contacts with the Mir packet radio personal message system,
include the message number issued by the PMS on the QSL card. QSLs must be
sent along with a business-sized sase. (A "green stamp" to cover postage
also would be appreciated.) QSLs should be sent to: N6JLH, PO Box 1501, Pine
Grove, CA 95665. QSLs for previous Mir contacts may be sent to: RV3DR, Chief
of Cosmonaut Amateur Radio Department, NPO Energia, PO 141070, Box 73,
Kaliningrad, 10 City, Moscow Area, Russia.--AMSAT SAREX bulletin; Space News

* The president of the Israel Amateur Radio Club, Joseph Obstfeld, 4X6KJ,
visited ARRL Headquarters on April 1. During his stay, he and ARRL Executive
Vice President Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, discussed the upcoming IARU Region 1
Conference, which will be hosted by the Israel Amateur Radio Club in Tel
Aviv the week of September 30, 1996.

* A special event station, OEM1M, to commemorate International Marconi Day
will be in operation April 20, 000-2400 UTC on SSB, CW and via Amateur Radio
satellite (OSCAR 10 and 13 preferred). OEM1M will operate from the Radio
Austria International broadcasting center in Vienna. Hams can register for a
contact with OEM1M via e-mail at [e-mail] or http://www.ping.at/rai/
on the World Wide Web. Then, during the three live broadcasts of RAI's
Shortwave-Panorama program that day (at 0905, 1205 and 1605 UTC), hams on
the list will be invited to call OEM1M immediately on a given ham radio
frequency. The program will relay the transmissions to its worldwide
shortwave audience. A special QSL is available for QSOs.--RAI

* RF Design magazine has moved its offices. The new phone number
303-793-0448, and the new address is 5660 Greenwood Plaza Blvd, Suite 350,
Englewood, CO 80111. Editor Gary Breed, K9AY, has departed the magazine to
become president of Noble Publishing in Atlanta, Georgia.

* Pupils at Leo A. Savoie Elementary School in Woonsocket, Rhode Island,
this year marked 10 years participation in the School Club Roundup,
sponsored each year by the Council for the Advancement of Amateur Radio in
the New York City Schools, the ARRL and its Hudson Division Education Task
Force. The idea behind the event is to foster contacts with and among school
radio clubs. Principal Bob Jones, WB1P--with help from several members of
the Blackstone Valley Amateur Radio Club--set up a station in the school's
library for the event, February 12-16.--Rick Fairweather, K1KYI

* The 1996 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium is November 8-10, at the
Holiday Inn, City Center, Tucson, Arizona. The symposium has issued its
first call to authors who wish to submit papers for this event.  The scope
of the papers should be on topics of interest to the amateur satellite
service. The symposium organizers also are soliciting topics from the AMSAT
community. Abstracts from authors should be submitted by June 15, 1996.
Final versions of all papers should be received by August 15, 1996.
Submissions and inquiries go to Dave Burnett, WD8KRV, 4809 E Pima, No. 223,
Tucson, AZ 85712; e-mail [e-mail].--AMSAT News Service

===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
St, Newington, CT 06111; tel [phone]; fax [phone]. Rodney J.
Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail
[e-mail].
Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail [e-mail].

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest
to active, organizationally minded radio amateurs faster than it can be
disseminated by our official journal, QST. We strive to be fast, accurate
and readable in our reporting.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any
form, including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, provided that
credit is given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.