Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1939 - October 10 2014 Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1939 with a release date of October 3rd 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. The IARU Administrative council meets to plan for WRC 2015; a California radio amateur shares the Nobel Prize in Chemistry; ham radio moon mission payload on its way to China and a British floater balloon is still circling the world. Find out the details are on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1939 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here) ** RADIO POLITICS: IARU ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL PLANS FOR WRC- 15 The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union has released the minutes of its annual meeting on September 27th and 28th in Bulgaria. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the newsroom with the details: -- The meeting began with the Administrative Council reviewing the International Amateur Radio Union's positions on each of the 2015 World Radiocommunications Conference agenda items that relate to amateur radio or may have an impact on amateur radio. The Council then made a number of modifications to the paper related to justifications for the IARU positions which in turn were to be forwarded to all member-societies. The gathering then reviewed the participation of IARU at the upcoming 2015 World Radiocommunications Conference after which President Tim Ellam, VE6SH announced the members of the team that will represent the organization at the WRC 2015 gathering. The Council also adopted a system to provide more efficient remote monitoring of certain ITU meetings that may impact on amateur radio. In other actions, the Council expressed its support for a Region 1 effort to obtain a European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations or CEPT proposal for a number of post-WRC-15 conference agenda items. These include worldwide harmonization of 160 meters and 6 meters as well as an allocation at 3.4 GHz. The Council also adopted the IARU Emergency Telecommunications Guide for use by member-societies to strengthen amateur radio disaster preparedness, response and mitigation. It also approved various strategies to promote the role of amateur radio in these activities to government and non-government organizations as well as to the general public In relation to ham radio space based operations, the Council expressed the importance of obtaining the ITU Advance Publication Information numbers from administrations for satellite projects operating in the amateur and amateur satellite bands. This in order to keep track of operational satellites to help in frequency coordination and for resolving interference issues. This is only a part of what transpired at the meeting. The full minutes are available at www dot iaru-r1 dot org. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles. -- The Administrative Council is responsible for the policy and management of the IARU and consists of the three IARU international officers and two representatives from each of the three IARU regional organizations. It's next scheduled in-person meeting will be held in Indonesia, in October, 2015 in conjunction with the IARU Region 3 Conference. (IARU) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: RADIO AMATEUR ONE OF THREE RESEARCHERS TO WIN THE NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMESTRY A ham radio operator is one of three scientists named by the Royal Swedish Academy to receive the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Stanford University news says that William Moerner, who holds the call WN6I and who is a chemistry professor at Stanford will share the award for his work in high- resolution nanoscopy with fellow researchers Eric Betzig of Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Stefan Hell of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry in Germany. The article notes that the ability to dive deeper and deeper into human biology and visualize the inner workings of cells at a molecular level is central to modern research and medicine. It also quotes Stanford President John L. Hennessy as saying that the path-breaking work of Professor Moerner and his colleagues has made a major contribution to the ability to observe molecules at the smallest scales, opening up new possibilities for discovery in areas ranging from disease management to drug development. More on the Nobel Prize in Chemistry winners is at tinyurl.com/nobel- 2014-chemestry. The winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics was also announced and we will have that story later on in this weeks newscast. (Nobelprize.org, Stanford University News) ** HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DATE ANNOUNCED FOR 4M-LXS LUNAR HAM RADIO MISSION The launch of the China's 4M LXS fly-by ham radio moon mission is now slated for liftoff in a narrow window around 17:59 UTC on Thursday, October 23rd with the Lunar flyby is to occur on Tuesday, October 28 at 00:33 UTC. Ghislain Ruy, LX2RG reports via the Southgate News that the 4M LXS Lunar flyby amateur radio payload departed Luxembourg for China's Satellite Launch Center on Sunday, October 5th. Once there it will be transferred to the launch vehicle. LX2RG says that the lifetime of 4M LXS ham radio payload is an unknown. That it may be as short as 100 hours ounce it reaches the Moon but could extend for some weeks if the host spacecrafts attitude is favorable. As reported last August by AMSAT-UK, China is planning to send the lunar orbiter around the Moon carrying, among other experiments, a battery powered ham radio payload known as 4M LXS. The amateur radio system will transmit a JT65B signal on 145.990 MHz which can be decoded by radio amateurs here on Earth using the free WSJT software. LX2RG also reports that the ham radio team is currently in the process of setting up its ground station network. They are especially looking for southern hemisphere stations as they will be very much needed to provide first hand reports for the early hours of the mission. Those wishing to volunteer should e-mail ruy (at) luxspace (dot) lu with the words 4M Amateur in the subject line. This flight is one of several planned as a precursor to China's future Chang'e 5 lander mission which is hopes will land safely on the Moon, collect samples and return them safely back to Earth. (Southgate, LX2RG) ** HAM RADIO BALLOONING: M0XER B-64 BALLOON STILL FLOATING AROUND THE WORLD The B-64 balloon launched at 06:51 GMT on July 12th from the United Kingdom is still aloft and on air transmitting on 434.500 MHz. This, using both Contestia 64/1000 and APRS. On October 3rd Phil Heron MI0VIM reported decoding data from B-64 while it was over the North Atlantic ocean, coming up to 6th time it would pass the United Kingdom on it's continuing journeys around the world. B-64 was built by Leo Bodnar M0XER, who made both the plastic foil envelope and the solar powered transmitter payload which weighs just 11 grams. You can see its track at tinyurl.com/b64-continues-journey. Be sure to give the page about 15 to 20 seconds to fully load. (B-64 Team) ** HAM RADIO BALLOONING: 8 APRS LAUNCHED AT ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FESTIVAL Jay Miller, W5WHN, reports that eight gas filled balloons departed the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta on Monday, October 6th. Each balloon carried an APRS beacon with the call signs K5GAS-1 through K5GAS-8 respectively. Jay said that tracking of each of the balloons was accomplished in part using the apr.fi website and entering the callsign of each of the individual balloon. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta ran from October 4th to the 12th. ( W5WHN via QRZ.com) ** DX UP FRONT: LAMU ISLAND THROUGH OCTOBER 19 In DX up-front, word that DJ4EL will be operational stroke 5Z4 from Lamu Island, Kenya, until October 19th. Activity will be on 40 through 10 meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the bureau or electronically using Logbook of the World. (OPDX) ** DX UP FRONT: MARCUS ISLAND THROUGH MID DECEMBER JG8NQJ plans to operate portable JD1 from Marcus Island in the Minami Torishima group from mid-October until mid- December. Activity will be limited to his spare time concentrating on 17 meters but he does plan to also use 15, 10 and 12 meters as well. All of his airtime will be CW only. QSL via JA8CJY direct or via the bureau. (OPDX) ** DX UP FRONT: GUATAMALA OPERATION JANUARY TO FEBRUARY 2015 And VE7BV will once again be active stroke TG9 from Guatemala between January 22nd and February 17th of 2015. He plans a holiday style operation on 20, 17 and 15 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via his home callsign, direct, by the bureau or electronically using Logbook of the World. (OPDX) ** BREAK 1 Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WM7K repeater serving Grants Pass Oregon. (5 sec pause here) ** RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO IN THE YUKON WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS A pair of radio amateurs in the Yukon Territory recently used ham radio to get information from a Search and Rescue campsite to the command center in one of those situations where all else failed. The situation was that Terry Hauff, VY1MAP, was a member of a Search and Rescue team that was on an active hunt for a missing teenager. The command center they had setup was approximately 22 miles north of the city of Whitehorse at Lake Laberge. The location put them out of cellphone coverage and the satellite phone they had with them was not working. As such, there was no way to call for additional resources or send status reports. Enter ham radio. At this point VY1MAP used his mobile ham station to contact Ray Fugard VY1RF, in Whitehorse using a local 2 meter repeater that covered both areas. During that QSO Hauff was able to pass some important traffic to and from the Search and Rescue command center. Soon after the missing young man was found and all ended well. (RAC, YARA, VE3XU) ** RESCUE RADIO: VOIP HURRICANE WATCH NET CHANGES Some changes and non-changes are coming to an important rescue radio information net. Here are the details. While much of the U.S. returns to Standard Time at 2 am local on Sunday, November 2nd the VoIP Skywarn Hurricane Prep Net won't make any time change. Because of this, in both Arizona and for those stations that use UTC, starting with the November 8th gathering the start time will be one hour later. All the rest of the U.S. time zones that observe Daylight Savings Time will not see a change in the start time for the net. There will be a single one exception. On Saturday December 6th the start time for the net that night only will be one hour earlier beginning immediately at the conclusion of Skywarn Recognition Day activities. Also from December, through May the net will meet only on the first Saturday of the month. Weekly nets will resume in June, 2015, when the new hurricane season begins. (Daryl Stout, WX1DER) ** ENFORCEMENT: MARRIOTT TO PAY $600,000 FOR BLOCKING WI FI The FCC says that Marriott International Corporation will pay a $600,000 forfeiture. This, to resolve an investigation by that agency into whether a hotel's employees blocked customers from using their personal Wi-Fi networks and then charged them to use the hotel network. Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has more: -- The FCC claims that employees at Marriott's Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee disabled Wi-Fi networks established by consumers at its conference facilities. They then allegedly charged guests from $250 to $1,000 per device for access to the hotel network. The investigation began after a March 2013 on complaint from someone who attended a function at the resort. According to the FCC, that person alleged that the hotel was jamming mobile hotspots. The FCC says its investigation found that employees used features of a Wi-Fi monitoring system at the Gaylord Opryland to contain and or de- authenticate guest created Wi-Fi hotspot access points in the conference facilities. In addition to paying the fine, the FCC says that Marriott must institute a compliance plan and file compliance and usage reports with the regulatory agency every three months for the next three years. These reports must include information documenting any use of access point containment features at any United States property that Marriott manages or owns. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, reporting. -- While Marriott apparently will pay the fine, the company contends that it believes the actions of employees were lawful. It adds that it will continue to encourage the FCC to pursue a rulemaking in order to eliminate the ongoing confusion resulting from action taken and to assess the merits of its underlying policy. (FCC, published news reports) ** ENFORCEMENT: PUERTO RICO COMPANY FINED $25000 FOR INTERFEREING WITH FAA WEATHER RADAR A follow-up on a story we first reported earlier this year. The FCC has affirmed a penalty of $25,000 against CMARR, Incorporated of San Juan, Puerto Rico. This for its alleged willful interference to with Federal Aviation Administration weather radar in San Juan, by operating radio transmitters without a license. This past June 24th the Enforcement Bureau's San Juan Office issued the Notice of Apparent Liability to CMARR for operating an intentional radiator without a license. To date, CMARR has not filed a response to the proposed fine. Based on the information before it, the FCC now says the proposed fine stands and has given the company the customary 30 days to pay or to file an appeal. In its October 1st order affirming the fine, the FCC noted that given the risk to public safety created by CMARR's unlicensed operations, and the fact that the company had already received a warning for similar violations, that these actions warrant a significant penalty. (FCC) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: MICROWAVE UPDATE APRIL 23 - 25 Microwave Update 2014 is slated for October 23rd to the 25th at the Rochester Airport Marriott Hotel in Rochester, New York. Nicknamed MUD, Microwave Update is an annual conference dedicated to microwave equipment design, construction, and operation focused on, but not limited to, amateur radio on the microwave bands. More information about this years gathering can be found on-line at www dot rvhfg dot org/mud2014. (Microwave Update) ** NEW GEAR: UNDER $13 UHF HT BEING SOLD INTO THE UK The price of a bare bones entry level 70 centimeter hand held has fallen to a new low. At least it has over in the United Kingdom where you can how get one for about 8 Pounds which equates to around $13 in United States currency. The radio in question is the Baofeng/Pofung model BF-888S that covers 400 to 470 MHz that is being sold on eBay by one retailer for just a few pennies under the $13 mark and shipped to the purchaser from Singapore. Unlike the slightly more expensive UV-3R dual band series, the BF888S is limited to only16 programmable channels within the 70 centimeter frequency range. However it does come with a 1500 milliamp hour battery, a battery saver function, an emergency alarm, VOX function, a built-in flashlight and is computer programmable. So as to ask a rhetorical question: Who ever thought we hams would be around to see what amounts to a throw away when it breaks, HT. (Southgate) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: IARU REGION 1 MEDALS AWARDED The IARU Region 1 Medal has been awarded to seven radio amateurs. This for what is being called their meritorious service and their valued contribution to and support of Amateur Radio. Those named are Hani Raad, OD5TE; Andreas Thiemann, HB9JOE; Panayot Danev, LZ1US; Nikola Percin, 9A5W; Michael Kastelic, OE1MCU; Martin Harrison, G3USF, and Hans Blondeel Timmerman, PB2T. Timmerman, is a past IARU Region 1 President. (IARU Region 1) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: ROY STEVENS G2BVN TROPHY AWARDED TO GASTON BERTELS ON4WF The Region 1 Roy Stevens, G2BVN, Memorial Trophy has been awarded to Gaston Bertels, ON4WF. This, in recognition of his meritorious service to amateur radio over many years. Bertels, age 87, served as the chairman of the Eurocom Working Group and then became the chairman of the Amateur Radio Space Exploration or ARSPEX Working Group of IARU Region 1. He was also was instrumental in getting Digital ATV antennas for 1260 and 2400 MHz installed on the International Space Station. Bertels received a standing ovation when the award was announced. (AMSAT-UK) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: THREE RESEARCHER AWARDED NOBEL PRIZE IN PHUSICS FOR DEVELOPING BLUE LED Three researchers, one from the United States and two from Japan, have been awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics. This for their roles in developing light emitting diodes that produce a blue glow. Isamu Akasaki, with Meijo University and Nagoya University, Hiroshi Amano, of Nagoya University, and Shuji Nakamura, with the University of California at Santa Barbara California are the 20 14 recipients. They will be sharing the $1.1 million prize for choosing materials and developing the techniques that have made possible the blue toned Light Emitting Diode. The trio's collective breakthrough have led to lamps that last for decades and consume far less power than either incandescent or fluorescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light. The blue LEDs have made possible today's flat- panel, full-color computer monitors and TV screens, and are used in lasers for Blu-ray DVD players and higher density data storage using Blu-Ray DVD units. It was also noted that Blue-emitting LED's combined with storage batteries and solar charging panels could eventually allow more than 1 billion people worldwide to move from no lighting at all to electric lighting without using local gas or diesel generators or regional power plants to provide it. The three researchers will receive their award at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden, on December 10th. (Nobelprize.org, other published news reports) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: BOB HEIL K9EID, TO SPEAK AT RAC 2014 AWARDS BANQUET Ham radio's "Mr. Audio," Bob Heil, K9EID, will be the keynote speaker at the 105th Radio Club of America Anniversary Awards Banquet. This, slated for November 22nd at the New York Athletic Club in Manhattan, New York. In addition to his work in binging a new age of superior audio to the ham radio bands, K9EID, is best known for his many contributions to the world of professional live sound. He established Heil Sound in 1966, which went on to create high power touring sound systems for such famed bands such as The Grateful Dead and The Who. Bob is also the inventor of the Heil Talk Box which is used by musicians such as Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh and Richie Sambora in live and recorded performances. As a result of his numerous contributions to the art of sound reinforcement his is the only company invited to exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. More information on this year's Radio Club of America banquet can be found in PDF format at tinyurl.com/rca- gathering-2014. (RCA) ** BREAK 2 This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of the following radio amateur: (5 sec pause here) ** WORLDBEAT: SOME FISHY INTERFERENCE FROM DOWN-UNDER Turning to news from around the world, here's one might call some fishey business down-under. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the rest of the story: -- Recently Christchurch, New Zealand radio inspectors were involved with a commercial interference case affecting a major microwave link in the upper South Island. The microwave link's operator was able to identify that the system was only being affected when the same fishing vessel crossed its path in the Cook Strait. This led the inspectors to realize that the only possible way to determine the interference source was to position themselves on a hilltop overlooking the Strait. Using a microwave dish and sufficient gain they were able to see the interfering signals radiating from one particular fishing boat. By utilizing the Automatic Identifying System vessel tracking website the position was verified. It was now obvious that the fishing boat was the cause of the interference because the radio frequency signature of the noise looked to be very similar to the S Band radar aboard most such vessels. What was not known was why it was emitting these spurious signals. The first order of business was for New Zealand's telecommunications administrator Radio Spectrum Management calling the fishing company and requesting that the S Band radar on that vessel be turned off. Immediately the noise ceased. A subsequent letter sent to the fishing company led to the S Band radar's magnetron final tube was replaced. Yes, it was just a rather expensive final amplifier tube, gone bad. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New Zealand. -- Some good electronic sleuthing by the engineering inspectors at Radio Spectrum Management, down-under. (RSM New Zealand) ** WORLDBEAT: ANOTHER SHORTWAVE BROADCASTER GOES QRT Radio Exterior de Espa¤a also known as REE apparently abandoned shortwave on October 1st. Its reported that on the mailbag portion of the stations English language service there was an announcement made that Radio Exterior de Espa¤a will cut all shortwave radio broadcasts as of that date. Until its exit from the shortwave bands, REE's English language broadcast service operated Sunday mornings on 6 dot 055 MHz at 00:00 UTC. (K4SWL via Southgate) ** ON THE AIR: K6S NORTH DAY SCIENCE FESTIVAL NOV 1 On the air, listen out on November 1st for the special callsign K-6-S. This station will be operating live from the North Bay Science Day in Santa Rosa, California which is listed as being a part of the Bay Area Science Festival. K6S plans to operate from 1700 to 2300 hours UTC. QSL as directed on the air. (KI6MSP) ** ON THE AIR: COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS OF VOICE OF MONGOLIA And keep an ear open for Mongolia special event station JU50VOM to be active until October 31st. This operation is to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the foreign language radio "Voice of Mongolia". QSL via JT1BV, direct, Logbook of the World or eQSL. (OPDX) ** DX In DX, VK3GK is currently on the air as A35RT from Eua Island and will be there through October 13th. His time to operate is limited due to his involvement in a Rotary International Humanitarian project. As time permits you will find him on 80 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and possibly RTTY. QSL via his home callsign, direct or by the bureau. JA8COE will be active portable 5 from Shodo Island October 16th and the 19th on 80 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and the digital modes. QSL via JA8COE, direct, via the bureau or the oQRS on ClubLog. F4HEC will be active as JD1BOX from Chichijima Island Tokyo Prefecture, between December 4th and the 12th. Reports indicate that he is one of very few European operators to ever receive a JD1 callsign. Operations will take place on 80 through 10 meters using SSB only. QSL via F4HEC, by the bureau or direct. Lastly, JR3MVF, F5RPB, ET9ESZ and DJ6US will be operating as V84YL from Darussalam, Brunai starting on November 5th and running through until the 10th or the 12th. Their activity will be on all High Frequency bands using CW and SSB. QSL via DJ6US either direct or via the bureau. (This weeks DX report courtesy of the Ohio Penn DX Newsletter) ** THAT FINAL ITEM: ITS TIME FOR JOTA 2014 And finally this week, the 2014 Scouting Jamboree on the Air, known by its acronym JOTA will take place the weekend of October 18th and the 19th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramovich, NT3V, brings us the details: -- This is the single-biggest annual international Scouting event. And, the numbers back up the claim. "Seven-hundred-thousand Scouts get on the air from 150 countries across 12,000 stations and nearly 22,000 amateur radio operators. It's a big deal!" That's Jim Wilson, K5ND, who's the USA national Jamboree on the Air organizer and a member of the World Jamboree on the Air team. Wilson says the event gives amateur radio operators the chance to share the brotherhood of the hobby with the brotherhood of Scouting. More than 300 stations already have signed up to take part in the U.S. and there's still time to get in on the fun, Wilson says. "A lot of the stations that have registered this year really fire up Saturday morning and run all day Saturday. But there's a lot of stations, too, that are on the air Friday evening," Wilson says. Wilson says this is the 57th year for JOTA activity on the bands and it also marks a first for the event - at least in the U.S. "This is the first year that K2BSA/1, 2, 3, 4 and so on, will be on the air from every call sign area in the continental USA," he says. "Here in Texas, K2BSA/5 will be on the air from the National Scouting Museum." Wilson says it's not a contest in the traditional sense - but really a worldwide gathering of Scouts and their leaders on the air, sharing things about themselves such as their Scouting ranks, their experiences in Scouting, things like that. Many of the stations are set up at Scout camps or Scout camporees. The idea is to get the boys, and on the international side - girls as well - talking on the air. "What they're looking for are conversations," Wilson explains. "It's not about making 100 contacts an hour or something like that. It's just about getting the Scouts in front of the microphone and having conversations. "So, anybody can do that and we really appreciate the amateur radio operators who are tuning across the bands, come across somebody calling 'CQ JOTA.' Answer back, engage. Tell 'em about when you earned Radio merit badge or when you got your amateur radio license." Wilson offers one caution. Be careful to follow those third- party agreements. "We're open to so many countries and we can get on the air and let the Scouts get on the air use the microphone," Wilson advises. "But in other countries, there are restrictions and the ARRL keeps a wonderful list of those third-party agreements." Wilson says you can learn more about JOTA activities or sign up by going to K2BSA.net. K2BSA, by the way, is the call sign awarded to the Boy Scouts of America by the FCC. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in Philadelphia. -- JOTA was first held in conjunction with the fiftieth anniversary of Scouting and was devised by the late Les Mitchell, G3BHK, who became a Silent Key on October 6th. It is now considered the largest yearly event scheduled by the World Organization of the Scout Movement held annually and an ongoing tribute to its creator. You can read the story of how it came about at tinyurl.com/jota-beginnings. (NT3V, ARNewsline) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Rain, the RSGB, the South African Radio League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Our e-mail address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350.. For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, saying 73 from Berwick, Pennsylvania and as always, we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.