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Text File | 1994-06-29 | 20KB | 394 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].
You can contact Newsline at [phone].  It is a combination answering
and FAX machine, if you have a FAX to send, wait for the voice prompt and
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 - - - - -
NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #129 - POSTED 06/17/94

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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

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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
      Delphi.................................
        In the ham radio conference
      Internet...............................
        In the rec.radio.info newsgroup
        FTP: oak.oakland.edu, archive: pub/hamradio/docs/newsline
      Fidonet, RIME, Intellec, I-Link........
        In the Ham Radio conferences on those networks

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                                             NEWSLINE

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Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...

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 and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!

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

[879]

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 (*  report number 879 for release on Friday, June 17th 1994.     *
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                      The following is a QST

   Hams react in the wake of a major earthquake disaster in
 Columbia, punitive action seems likely in the alleged California
 VE testing scam and the FCC reacts on appeals two a pair of fines.
 Find out what Washington did on Newsline report number 879 coming
 your way right now!

(*****
               US HAMS AID IN COLOMBIAN QUAKE RELIEF

   Hams in South Florida operating under the banner of the
 Sociadad International de Radioafficianados are working with hams
 in Columbia to provide emergency communications for relief efforts
 in the wake of a violent earthquake that shook that nation at 3:47
 pm local time on June 7th.  The quake which registered 6.6 on the
 Richter scale shook the city of Bogota, the Province of Canca, and
 Neiva for a period of about 25 seconds. The epicenter was located
 in the zone of Torino in or about 6 to 10 kilometers in depth.
   Initial reports said that the trembler killed at least 64
 people and left up to 500 missing.  Those numbers rose sharply in
 the days following the trembler after it was discovered that the
 area near the quakes epicenter had caused mud-slides and many
 people are presumed drowned.
   Estimates of the final toll from the disaster, which hit the
 remote Paez river valley about 180 miles from Bogota varied wildly
 because of the difficulties in reaching the area.
   The shanty towns of San Jose, Santa Martha, and Mosoco were
 completely wiped off the face of the earth.  A wall of rocks and
 mud destroyed the unpaved road linking the mainly Indian area to
 the outside world.  Using Amateur Radio, local officials appealed
 for helicopters, medicines, food and tents to help the homeless
 and those hurt.
   Presently, there are several nets working with Colombia quake
 relief.  The Red Colombian de Emergencia with HK3HLR and, WA4ZZG
 can be found on 14.153 MHz.  The Red de Emergencia de Caliy
 Popayan Net with HK4BTV and HK4RCA is on 7.085 MHz also serving as
 relief coordination stations to the area.

(*****
                   ACTION EXPECTED IN LA VE PROBE

   The inquiry of alleged cheating and fraud in California's all
 volunteer ham radio testing system has taken and important new
 direction.  One that almost certainly indicates punitive action
 against those accused is about to begin.
   Newsline has learned that FCC Private Radio Branch Chief, John
 B. Johnston, W3BE, has replaced attorney Thomas Fitz-Gibbon as
 the lead investigator in the case.  Johnston is well known to most
 hams as the man at the FCC who oversees the Part 97 amateur
 service rules.  His plain language rewrite of Part 97 brought him
 the Dayton Radio Amateur of the Year award in 1991.  In short,
 John B. Johnston probably understands the ham radio rules and
 regulations far better than any other person alive.
   And knowing Part 97 this well also makes W3BE a skilled
 investigator in any issue dealing with regulatory violations.  In
 fact, it was an inquiry headed by W3BE of an earlier testing
 fraud case in Puerto Rico that lead to numerous license
 revocations several years ago.  This, after Johnston proved that a
 for profit license scam existed in that territory.
   And if word on the street is correct, John has not wasted any
 time.  The usually reliable Washington rumor mill has it that
 Johnston has already sent out letters to a number of applicants
 and suspect VE's.  Letters that basically say that the recipient
 of the note has lied in previous correspondence with the
 commission.  That the FCC does not believe his or her story.
 That telling the truth now will be easier than telling it later
 under oath.
   The fact that Johnston is now leading the California VE probe
 indicates to those that know the FCC that the agency intends to
 make examples of those volunteer examiners who may have
 profiteered from the licensing of hams.  While license suspensions
 and revocations are likely, there is now a good chance that the
 Department of Justice will also take up the matter.  If this
 happens then you may eventually see some bad VE's and examinees
 hit with some very stiff fines or doing hard time behind prison
 walls, after they have their day in court.

(*****
                          VEC MEETING

   Almost ironically, the FCC will hold its annual meeting with
 the nations Volunteer Examination Coordinators on Friday, June
 24th in Gettysburg Pennsylvania.  There will be numerous items
 discussed not the least of which will be tightening up overall
 security in the wake of the wide spread ham radio testing
 corruption alleged to have taken place throughout the state of
 California.  Also on the agenda will be items surrounding question
 pools an testing methodology.  Newsline will bring you a full
 report on the FCC and VEC gathering.

(*****
                        CONGRESSIONAL HAM

   Dan Rudd, WB4PRX, an Extra class ham from the 6th district
 in Tennessee has announced his intention to run for congress.  The
 June 1st W5YI Report says that Rudd, a Democrat is a physician
 lives Murpheesboro.  He obtained his Novice ticket while still in
 grade school.  After upgrading he was active during the Vietnam
 War running phone patches for servicemen overseas.
   According to W5YI, Rudd is a conservative Democrat who
 believes that the ham radio bands must be protected from further
 encroachment by outside interests.  Rudd also feels that volunteer
 examiners must be protected by federal law from any claims of
 liability incurred in the course of the ham radio related testing
 activities.  If elected, Dan Rudd will be the first ham elected to
 a congressional seat since the retirement of Senator Barry M.
 Goldwater, K7UGA.

(*****
                         FCC CANCELS FINE

   The FCC has canceled a $2000 fine issued against a Florida
 woman for alleged unlicensed operation.  The May 1993 Notice of
 Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture was against Margaret
 Taylor of Windmere Florida who had been charged with operating on
 145.53 MHz without the benefit of being licensed.
   According to the ARRL Letter, Taylor appealed the fine on the
 grounds that she should have received a warning notice before
 being issued the NAL.  She also claimed that she was unable to
 pay the forfeiture due to her age and financial condition.
   The FCC said that Taylors response was more than satisfactory.
 It issued an order canceling the fine because of the proof Taylor
 supplied, the convincing nature of her arguments and that she had
 no previous FCC violations.

(*****
                         FCC UPHOLDS FINE

   In another action, the FCC has upheld an action against Joseph
 Sawchuck, W3OLN, of Pompano Beach Florida to cancel his Commercial
 license and to fine him $5000.  Sawchuck had served as the sole
 radio operator on the vessel Patriot.  The FCC regulations require
 at least two radio officers on board unless the radio officer has
 received a service endorsement to his First Class Radiotelegraph
 Operators Certificate.  Sawchuck did not have this endorsement but
 had argued that the fine imposed was to high in light of the FCC's
 downward adjustment criteria.  Without comment, the FCC denied the
 seventy-six year old Advanced Class operators appeal.

(*****
                  FCC CLARIFIES NEW DIGITAL RULES

   In response to a request from the ARRL and inquiries from
 others, the FCC's Private Radio Bureau has clarified new rules
 that went into effect on June 1, 1994.  The new rules do not
 remove the restriction against automatic control of digital and
 RTTY transmitting below 50 MHz.
   The new rules, resulting from action in PR Docket 93-85, relax
 the Amateur Service rules regarding the responsibility for the
 content of messages on high-speed digital networks.  The
 Commission amended Section 97.109(e), to allow a forwarding
 station in a message forwarding system to be automatically
 controlled while transmitting third party communications.
   But, the Commission pointed out in a June 2 statement, Section
 97.109(d), which was not amended, still limits automatic control
 of stations transmitting RTTY or digital emissions to frequencies
 above 50 MHz.
   The FCC currently has under consideration two petitions for
 rule making, RM-8218 and RM-8280, that address this subject.  The
 petitions were submitted by the ARRL and by the American Digital
 Radio Society.

(*****
                 SENATE CONFIRMS TWO FCC MEMBERS

   The Senate has confirmed Susan Ness and Rachelle Chong as
 members of the Federal Communications Commission. The action came
 Thursday night by voice vote.  Ness is a former media investment
 banker with ties to the Democratic Party and President Clinton.
 Chong, a Republican, is a telecommunications attorney from San
 Francisco.

(*****
                         AMBASSADOR AWARD

   Advanced Electronic Applications has named Jim Stafford W4QO
 as the winner of its 1994 Amateur Ambassador Award.  Stafford was
 selected as this years winner based on his work with the Radio
 Active Schools program in the Atlanta Georgia area.  Radio Active
 Schools provides teachers and students with a chance to get
 hands-on experience in electronics and science through the use of
 Amateur Radio.  W4QO has also been instrumental in helping
 several teachers to become licensed hams.
   Jim Stafford W4QO received the Amateur Ambassador Award
 along with a check for $1000 at the ARRL National Convention in
 Dallas Texas.

(*****
                          STS-60 RESULTS

   The folks who sponsor the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment
 flights have some good news.  They report that the robot packet
 station counter aboard the STS-60 mission back in February clicked
 over more than 4000 connects with amateurs on the ground.

(*****
                          COPYRIGHT WIN

   Software developer Brian Beezley, K6STI says that he has
 settled copyright infringement actions against two CD Rom
 distributors.  According to Beezley's May 24th press release, two
 companies have signed --- and we quote -- "have signed agreements
 to cease and desist from unauthorized distribution of copyrighted
 antenna analysis and optimization software written by K6STI" --
 end quote.
   Beezley says that he has now been forced to copy protect his
 latest software releases.  K6STI adds that he hopes that news of
 this legal action will make the overall software market a safer
 place for the products of all software writers, especially those
 serving the Amateur Radio marketplace.

(*****
                            DX - CHAD

   In DX,  word that yet another new station has shown up from
 Chad signing F5LGF/TT8.  No other information is available at
 this time other than the operator's name is Chris.  This station
 has only been heard on 20 meters CW between 20:00 and 22:00z.

(*****
                           DX - ANGOLA

   Antonio, D2EGH, says that he will be signing D3X for the next
 three weeks.  There was no reason that was given for the special
 callsign, but his daily activity has been on 14.195 MHz, between
 20:00 hours and 01:30 UTC.  You can QSL D3X via CT1EGH.

(****
                      YOUNGEST DXCC RECORD

   Also word that nine year old Casey Haley, AB5RG has received
 has made DXCC.  Casey, who lives in Houston Texas received his
 DXCC certificate in mid April.  He is believed to be the youngest
 person ever to attain the DXCC.  Casey was also a speaker at the
 Dayton Hamvention Youth Forum on Saturday April 30th.

(*****
                    NEW CARY / THIRD HARMONIC

   And finally, our congratulations to Dale Cary, WD0AKO and his
 wife Kay on the latest addition to the family.  A baby girl named
 Jamie Alexis Kay Cary that arrived at 5:55 pm on Monday, May 23rd.
 Jamie weighed in at 7 pounds 2 ounces and was 18.5 inches at
 birth.  Dale, who volunteers his time to post Newsline scripts on
 various ham radio and public bulletin board networks like Genie
 tells us that Jamie's older siblings Alyssa and Briana are both
 proud big sisters.

(*****

   And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
 You can write to us at:
                        NEWSLINE
                        Post Office Box 463
                        Pasadena, California
                        91102

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