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Text File | 1994-06-18 | 21KB | 409 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 version is edited from the original scripts and
transcribed from the audio reports by Dale Cary, WD0AKO, and is first
published in The Radio & Electronics Round Table on the Genie Online
System.

If you have any comment, suggestion, or news item you would like to submit,
send them via E-Mail to [e-mail] or [e-mail].
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 - - - - -
NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #127 - POSTED 06/05/94

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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
 NETWORK.  For current information updates, please call

                    Audio Version of Newsline
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             Electronic Hardcopy Version of Newsline
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      Dallas Remote Imaging BBS (DRIG)....... [phone]
        In bulletin number 36
      The Midwest Connection BBS............. [phone]
        In bulletin number 6 of the ham radio conference
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        In the ham radio conference
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        In the rec.radio.info newsgroup
        FTP: oak.oakland.edu, archive: pub/hamradio/docs/newsline
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                                             NEWSLINE

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Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...

WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY
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 and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!

(****************************************************************

[877]

(* * * *   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 transmission over amateur radio.  As you heard last     *
 (*   week Newsline Support Fund administrator Norm Chalfin,      *
 (*   K6PGX says that the funds needed to keep Newsline in        *
 (*   operation are so low that Newslines operation could be      *
 (*   terminated at any time without notice.  According to Norm,  *
 (*   at times it costs up to $1000 a month to pay the            *
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 (*   that we have to raise at least seven thousand dollars just  *
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 (*   our producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF will be contributing to *
 (*   make up the current shortfall, but they cannot be asked to  *
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 (*   advisory with Newsline report number 877 for release on     *
 (*   Friday, June 3 1994 to follow.                              *
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 (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                    The following is a QST

   The United States Supreme Court rules that complaints about
 indecent broadcasts can't be pursued past the FCC, AMSAT says no
 to the NTIA and a ham is knighted.  Find out why on Newsline
 report number 877 coming your way right now!

(*****
          SUPREME COURT SAYS NO TO LISTENER COMPLAINTS

   The Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that bars members of
 the public who are upset over what they feel are legally indecent
 broadcasts from asking federal courts to revive complaints that
 the FCC has dismissed.  This by refusing, without comment, to
 review a ruling that says listeners generally don't have the
 proper legal standing to pursue such complaints beyond the Federal
 Communications Commission.  The decision not to act could make it
 very difficult to take potty-mouth hams off the air.
   The case involves a complaint filed before the FCC by Peter
 Branton of Chattanooga, Tennessee.  Branton filed his complaint
 after listening to a National Public Radio news program on radio
 station WSMC-FM the evening of Feb. 28, 1989.  He claimed that
 the program contained a report on reputed New York mobster John
 Gotti, and that it included a tape-recorded telephone conversation
 between Gotti and an associate that was used as trial evidence.
   Branton says that he was offended by the language.  He filed a
 complaint with the FCC's Mass Media Bureau, requesting commission
 sanctions against NPR.  But the commission refused his demand. It
 ruled that the report was part of a bona fide news story being
 reported nationwide.  So the Chattanooga resident then sought help
 from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of
 Columbia but that three-judge panel of that court dismissed
 Branton's appeal last June.  In fact, that court went so far as to
 say that Branton actually lacked the legal standing to file it.
   Branton then went to the United States Supreme Court.
 Ironically, his appeal was supported in a friend-of-the-court
 brief submitted by two advocacy groups, People for the American
 Way and the Washington Area Citizens Coalition Interested in
 Viewers' Constitutional Rights.  The brief was an unusual one,
 because the advocacy groups said they oppose Branton "on the
 merits of his indecency complaint."
   But lawyers for NPR and other broadcast organizations that
 intervened in the case urged the justices to reject Branton's
 appeal.  This is exactly what they did in turning away the Branton
 appeal.
   What does this mean for ham radio?  The FCC does not always
 act on complaints about the operations of potty mouth hams.  In
 the past, if the problem was truly bad enough the Amateur Radio
 community would seek alternatives including taking the matter to
 other government agencies or approaching congressional leaders for
 intervention to the FCC.  That road may no longer be open since
 the Supreme Court feels that the average person is not legally
 astute in determining what is and is not legally indecent.

(*****
                    AMSAT COMMENTS TO NTIA

   In comments filed with the National Telecommunications and
 Information Administration in response to the agency's Preliminary
 Spectrum Reallocation Report, AMSAT-North America has asked for
 wider amateur and amateur-satellite service bands at 13 cm.  The
 NTIA's Preliminary Report, published in February, proposed to cut
 U.S. amateur 13 cm allocations in half, from the present 2300-2310
 and 2390-2450 MHz to 2400-2402 and 2417-2450 MHz.
   AMSAT has instead proposed a primary allocation of 2400-2410
 MHz to be shared by the amateur and amateur-satellite services, in
 addition to the 2417-2450 MHz proposed by NTIA.  In support of
 this request, AMSAT cited the likelihood of greatly increased
 demand for amateur satellite operations in the 13 cm band in
 coming years, far more than can be accommodated within 2400-2402
 MHz.  It also noted the unsuitability of 2417-2450 MHz for
 amateur satellite downlinks because of interference from such
 devices as microwave ovens and the need to coordinate
 amateur-satellite allocations internationally so that they
 are available on a global basis.
   AMSAT has also proposed that a narrow band of 1-2 MHz,
 somewhere between 2300 and 2400 MHz.  This to be allocated to the
 amateur service to accommodate the experimental weak-signal tropo
 and EME work now carried out around 2304 MHz.  Under NTIA's
 proposal, this would be displaced.
   The NTIA's Preliminary Spectrum Reallocation Report was
 prepared pursuant to Title VI of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
 Act of 1993.  The same act also requires that comments from
 interested parties such as AMSAT be reviewed by FCC and NTIA
 before any final decision is taken.

(*****
             FCC DENIES MORE RULES CHANGE REQUESTS

   The FCC has denied two petitions for reconsideration that
 sought a broader definition of permissible communications by
 amateurs.  The petitions by David Popkin, W2CC, and Rolland D.
 Cummings, WA0EDA, sought expansion of FCC rules changes that went
 into effect in September 1993, in Personal Radio Docket 92-136.
 The two petitions sought permission for amateurs to retransmit
 certain US government broadcasts, such as time signals.  Popkin's
 petition also sought a wording change to the new rules, from
 ''classroom instruction'' to ''instructional activity.''
   These new rules which were the result of an ambitious rewrite
 of Section 97.113.  These changes gave amateurs greater
 flexibility in providing noncommercial communications for public
 events and permitted paid teachers to use Amateur Radio in their
 classrooms.  They also allow such personal communications such as
 making appointments and ordering pizza over an autopatch.
   In denying the requests the FCC said that the ideas expressed
 in the petitions already had been aired and considered during the
 public comment period for PR Docket 92-136.

(*****
                         THE REASON WHY

   The FCC is with more and more regularity turning down what it
 seems to view as pointless and mundane technicalities in rules
 changes.  It says that a goodly number are filed for no purpose
 other than trying to solve a dispute that has arisen between one
 or two hams.  This the Commission says is something that the FCC
 is not about to do.  At the recent Dayton Hamvention the FCC's
 John B. Johnston, W3BE explained why minor rules changes are
 becoming harder:

   "One approach that we try very hard to use is to avoid what we
 call 'How to' rules.  These are rules that specify just how you
 are to do something.  And you ask for a lot of 'How to' rules.
 But they seem to always make for problems sooner or later.  When
 you have a 'How to' rule your probably trying to solve a problem
 with an existing system.  Sooner or later that system is going to
 become passe.  But rules seem to have a habit of taking on a life
 of their own and get in the way of new systems."  John B.
 Johnston, W3BE.

   As far as mundane and non essential changes are concerned, the
 FCC is not going to get involved.  They say its a waste your time
 and theirs.  And that more than explains why the Popkin and
 Cummings rule change requests were unceremoniously turned away.

(*****
                 NEWSLINE FINANCIAL CRISIS UPDATE

   The latest on the financial crisis facing Newsline we reported
 last week.  The good news is that you are hearing us this week.
 All we can say is that we hope we are able to be on next week as
 well.  Call back in 7 days and we will all know more by then.

(*****
     AMATEUR RADIO TO ASSIST OAKLAND CA DURING EMERGENCIES

   The City of Oakland California and the Oakland Fire Department
 have entered into a partnership with the Oakland Amateur Radio
 Emergency Services Organization.  The Oakland City Council has
 voted a resolution which directs the City Manager to enter into a
 letter of understanding with the Oakland Amateur Radio Emergency
 Service and designate them as a Radio Amateur Emergency Civil
 Emergency Service during any locally declared disaster.
   Members of Oakland ARES will respond to the City's Emergency
 operation Center following any disaster or emergency which may
 threaten life and property in Oakland.  They will then disburse to
 assist with the communication needs of emergency operations
 throughout the city.
   The Oakland City Council says that Amateur Radio Operators
 have always been recognized by Oakland as being an effective means
 of providing critical back up communication links during
 emergencies.  They note that Amateur Radio Operators have been on
 the scene of virtually every recent major disaster whether in the
 United States or abroad, in some cases they provided the only
 communication with the outside world.

(*****
               Long Island NY Tower Case Update

   Mark Nadell, NK2T says that he has received a favorable
 decision by the New York State Supreme Court in his antenna battle
 with the Town of Hempstead Long Island, but the victory will
 probably be short lived.  This is because Hempstead has filed a
 motion to re-argue the case. The motion was filed on the May 10th
 and that forced NK2T to file a cross motion to re-argue his side.
   Nadell believes that Hempstead will probably get a
 clarification of the original finding.  This was a court decision
 that annulled the towns order for him to take down his tower and
 antenna.
   If a clarification is granted then Hempstead will almost
 assuredly file a formal appeal.  As such, the case could go on for
 years, possibly ending up in the United States Supreme Court if
 both sides decide to wage the legal battle to its ultimate end.

(*****
                         20,000 REPEATERS

   On a brighter note, can you believe that there are now over
 twenty thousand FM coordinated repeaters, packet bulletin boards
 and propagation beacons on the air in the United States?  Well
 those are the numbers contained in the new edition of the ARRL
 Repeater Directory that made its debut at the Dayton HamVention
 four weeks ago.
   1994-95 edition of the ARRL directory has been reorganized for
 easier use on the run.  The Leagues says that this makes it easier
 to find the listings of the coordinated and registered FM relay
 devices nationwide.  The new directory does not contain an
 estimated 5000 to 10,000 more uncoordinated repeaters and unlisted
 packet BBS that are also believed to exist.

(*****
                 FOUR HAMS JOIN CQ HALL OF FAME

   CQ magazine has inducted four amateurs into its halls of fame.
 Joining the CQ Contest Hall of Fame is John Thompson, W1BIH also
 known a PJ9JT; Atilano de Oms, PY5EG; and the late Herb Becker,
 W6QD.
   Thompson, 79 and licensed since 1930, is well-known as both a
 DXer and contester.  For more than 20 years he has operated from
 his winter home on Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles.
   De Oms is credited with encouraging contest operations all
 over South America, is an active contester, and has one of the
 most potent stations on the continent.  He also is at the top of
 both the Mixed and Phone DXCC Honor Rolls.
   Herb Becker, W6QD, was one of the handful of DX and contest
 operators who conceived, in the late 1940s, the idea of the CQ
 Worldwide DX Contests.  The basic rules he helped write more than
 40 years ago have remained essentially unchanged.
   Charlie Mellen, W1FH, is this years loan entry into he CQ DX
 Hall of Fame.  A DXCC member before World War 2, he started over
 in 1945, climbed to the top of the DXCC ladder, and stayed there
 through most of his career.
   The ceremony inducting the four took place at the recent
 Hamvention in Dayton, Ohio.

(*****
                    DX - SAINT PAUL ISLAND

   In DX, word that Saint Paul Island with operators KW2P, WA4DAN,
 AA4VK, N0TG and possibly W0RJU plan to be active for the first
 week of July.  This is the same group operated from KP1 and KP5 in
 1992 and 1993.  Landing permission and transportation for Saint
 Paul has already been received.

(*****
                        SCOTTISH DISTRESS

   Did you hear a strange signal on 14.001 MHz which sounded like
 a distress signal?  GM3YEH did.  He says that It appeared in
 Scotland on the 2nd of April around 14:00 UTC.
   The Scottish Coast Guard Rescue service in Greenock were
 alerted.  In short order they reported back that it is not a
 distress signal but faulty equipment being tested in Florida.
 They would not elaborate further or indicate who the transmitter
 belonged to.  But they did indicated that it could take a while
 for engineers to get the signal off the air.

(*****
                            PLUMBING

   Our heartiest congratulations to Andy Watts, G4VIW, on being
 named as a "Member of the British Empire" in the 1994 New Years
 Honors List.
   We have been told that being named as a Member of the British
 Empire is akin to knighthood.  Andy, who is Chief Executive and
 Secretary of the Institute of Plumbing in Hornchurch Essex was in
 effect knighted for his -- and we quote-- his "Services to
 Plumbing."
   And no this is not a joke.  The honor is for real.  The
 British do things in a slightly more formal way then we do here in
 their former colonies.

(*****
   And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
 You can write to us at Post Office Box 463 in Pasadena, CA 91102.
   Next week tune in for coverage of the Westlink Report Young Ham
 of the Year Award presentation in Seaside Oregon.


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