ARRLWeb: In Brief - Dec 7, 1999

AMSAT Journal offers new service: AMSAT Journal Editor Russ Tillman, K5NRK, invites Internet users to try out a new service soon to be featured on the AMSAT-NA Web site, http://www.amsat.org. It's a listing of URLs that have appeared in Journal articles. Tillman said the Journal acted on a suggestion from AMSAT-NA member, Jeff Davis, N9AVG. Via the Web site, Journal readers will be able to easily go to an article URL without having to retype the address into their browser. The service starts with the November/December 1999 issue, scheduled for delivery in mid-December.--AMSAT News Service

Antarctic satellite DXpedition: Ronald Ross, KE6JAB, is scheduled to visit a mountainous area in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, during December. It will be a cross-country skiing/camping trip, pulling sledges from mountain to mountain. Ross will pack his Amateur Radio satellite station and will use pacsats--including the new SUNSAT bird--to transmit text messages and images from Antarctica to a Web site in San Francisco. Ross offers a mailing list too. Visit http://www.thistle.org/subscribe.htm. For more information about his trek, visit http://www.thistle.org/ --Ronald Ross, KE6JAB; Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS5AKV

ARRL insurance administrator changes name: A.H. Wohlers and Company, which has administered the ARRL Ham Radio Equipment Insurance Program for many years, is getting a new name, but the insurance program remains the same. The company will become known as Seabury and Smith, but incorporation of the new name won't be completed until the middle of 2000. Personnel, management, location and telephone numbers will remain the same. For additional information, contact Seabury and Smith, 1440 N Northwest Hwy, Park Ridge, IL 60068; toll-free 800-323-2106; cusv@ahw.com. For information about the ARRL All Risk Ham Radio Equipment Insurance Plan, click here. --Seabury and Smith news release

Elser-Mathes Cup

Elser-Mathis Cup

Elser-Mathes Cup awaits: All the news about the Mars probe (that has apparently been lost) has renewed interest in the Elser-Mathes Cup. Visitors to ARRL HQ may recall having seen the unusual trophy on display. It's intended to mark the occasion of the first two-way Amateur Radio contact between Earth and Mars. (The actual bowl of the cup is borne by images of beings that only coincidentally resemble the large-eyed hominids of alien abduction lore--although that was not the intention.--Ed) The story of the Elser-Mathes cup appeared in the November 1969 issue of QST. In his article, "That Planet Mars QSO Cup," Col Fred Johnson Elser, W6FB, recalled meeting League founder Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW, in the 1920s. He learned that Maxim had an interest in Mars and even owned a globe of "The Red Planet." Later, back in The Philippines--in 1928 under US jurisdiction--Elser was inspired by a visit with Philippines SCM Lt Cmdr Stanley Mathes, K1CY, to offer "a unique trophy" for the first two-way communication with Maxim's "pet planet," Mars. The actual trophy selected by Elser and Mathes during a trip to Baguio is an example of Igorot native woodcarving. "The base symbolizes Earth and the seated figures are its inhabitants," Elser explained in QST. "The bowl is Mars, and the standing men are the amateurs who bridge the gap of space." The plate fastened to the cup includes space for the names, call signs, and dates of those who will fulfill the cup's eventual destiny. (In the meantime, if you'd like to send your name to Mars, visit http://spacekids.hq.nasa.gov/2001/ .)

Extreme antenna launching:Hams have their favorite ways to launch antennas into trees. They include slingshots, fishing gear, bow and arrow, and now 12-gauge shotgun--a method developed in Montana (and maybe one of the few places where you might get away with it--Ed). One of our correspondents tells of a ham in Big Sky Country who is into cartridge reloading. He's also a retired military weapons guy, so we can't recommend this approach as something to actually try. This is for your information only! We understand that this ham loads 12-gauge rounds in such a manner as to fire a fiberglass baton that pays out line from a fishing reel affixed to the shotgun's barrel. The usual "Don't try this at home" proscriptions apply, but it's said there is not a tree too tall to not serve as an antenna attachment point. Now, we also understand there's a ham in Virginia who uses a military grenade-launcher attachment for his M-1 to get his wires into the sky. But that's all we can say on that subject. Just listen for a big signal on the low bands.

FCC reaffirms antenna rights for viewers: The FCC had denied petitions from the Community Associations Institute and others that would have restricted the rights of tenants who install outdoor antennas. The Order on Reconsideration denied three petitions for reconsideration "because the parties presented no new arguments or facts," the FCC said in a news release. In an Order on Reconsideration released November 24, the FCC reaffirmed the Over-the-Air Reception Devices (OTARD) rule concerning governmental and nongovernmental restrictions on viewer's ability to receive video programming signals from direct broadcast satellites (DBS), TV stations and wireless cable video providers. The rule prohibits restrictions that impair the installation, maintenance or use of antennas used to receive video programming. The CAI had argued that the OTARD rule was too expansive and that allowing tenants to install over-the-air reception devices without permission from their local community associations might cause unnecessary property damage. The FCC said the OTARD rule applies to restrictions on video antennas installed where the viewer has an ownership or leasehold interest in the property and that is within the viewer's exclusive use or control. "The rule applies to restrictions in condominiums, cooperatives or rental buildings as long as the viewer installs the antenna in an area where the viewer has exclusive use, such as a balcony or patio," the FCC said.--FCC

FCC Technological Advisory Council to meet: The FCC's Technological Advisory Council, a Federal Advisory Committee comprised of a broad array of well-known technologists, holds its third meeting Monday, December 13, 1999 from 10 AM to 3 PM in the Commission meeting room, 445 12th Street SW, Washington, DC. The Council helps provide technological insights to the FCC on innovations and new developments in the communications industry. Issues to be discussed include: (1) ways to investigate noise floor levels, and ways to facilitate experimentation, including possible improvements in the FCC experimental licensing procedures; (2) ways the FCC might best communicate to designers of emerging telecommunications network architectures the requirements for accessibility; and (3) the telecommunications common carrier network interconnection and broad band access scenarios that are likely to develop, and the effect of current technologies such as DSL and cable modems on the deployment of fiber to the home. Members of the general public may attend the meeting. Admittance will be limited to the seating available. There will be no public oral participation, but the public may submit written comments before the meeting. For further information, contact Kent Nilsson at 202-418-0845; knilsson@fcc.gov. RealAudio access to the meeting and other information about the Technological Advisory Council may be obtained through the Commission's TAC web site at http://www.fcc.gov/oet/tac/ --FCC

FCC warns against nonamateur use of modified gear: The FCC has told the ARRL that police, public safety agencies, and others may not legally use equipment--such as modified Amateur Radio gear--that has not been FCC certified to transmit in services requiring FCC-certified equipment. The use of a modified Amateur Radio transceiver on police frequencies would be contrary to Part 90 of the rules because the equipment would not be FCC certified, an FCC official explained. In 1996, the FCC reminded manufacturers and users that transmitters intended for operation on frequencies allocated to any FCC-authorized radio service except the Amateur Service must be type-accepted (now called FCC certified) for the particular radio service prior to marketing and use. The use of such equipment could subject the licensee and user to penalties and forfeitures, as appropriate. The FCC said anyone selling such equipment also risks FCC sanctions.

Geneva to host ITU TELECOM World 2003: The International Telecommunication Union has announced that Geneva will host the ninth World Telecommunications Exhibition and Forum. Geneva also was the site of the eighth ITU TELECOM World 1999, held in October. For more information, visit http://www.itu.int/telecom .--ITU news release

Ham radio chat site: Ham Chat/Ham Radio Online at http://www.sfwest.com/Hamchat/Hamchat.html is a project of Canadian and US amateurs to promote Amateur Radio. The site was established by Keith McConachie, VA3KMC. The site's main feature is HAMCHAT, a full-featured, user-friendly chat room. There's a simple, free registration process. SWLS or those interested in the hobby are welcome. Plans call to expand the site with additional features and resources. For more information, contact Keith McConachie, VA3KMC, hamchat@home.com or Thom Peluso, KF3V, tfp@tsil.net --Thom Peluso, KF3V

Hams aboard Hubble mission: Mir veteran Mike Foale, KB5UAC, will be one of three hams aboard when the space shuttle Discovery blasts off December 11 (a new launch date, but "under review") on a Hubble Space Telescope repair mission. Foale will be making his fifth flight into space. He spent more than four months aboard the Russian Mir space station and was aboard when a Progress supply rocket rammed Mir causing serious damage. Astronauts will conduct four space walks during the STS-103 service mission. The flight will be the 96th space shuttle mission and the last for 1999. An international crew of seven astronauts will replace the telescope's six gyroscopes, a fine-guidance sensor, a transmitter, a spare solid-state recorder and a high-voltage/temperature kit to protect the batteries from overheating. In addition, the crew will install an advanced computer. Commanding Discovery's 27th flight will be Air Force Col Curt Brown; Navy Lt Cmdr Scott Kelly will serve as the pilot. In addition to Foale, mission specialists for STS-103 are Steve Smith; John Grunsfeld, KC5ZTF; and Claude Nicollier and Jean-Francois Clervoy, KC5WKG, of the European Space Agency.--NASA

Hams help following 911 outage: Amateurs in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, area mustered November 30 to assist the Lehigh County Emergency Management Agency following a four-hour outage of the County's 911 telephone and radio systems. Lehigh County EMA notified the RACES net control station of the situation and requested an emergency communications network be established to support county functions. Bruce Hull, KA3ONZ, established a directed net on 2 meters. All incoming 911 call were routed to the Allentown City 911 Communications Center, and backup communication was put in place to support the county fire, emergency medical, and police radio and telephone answering services. From the Lehigh County EOC Chris Kelly, N3RPV, stood ready to relay traffic from amateur operators in the field to a makeshift dispatch center at the County transmitter site. Key RACES team members were assigned to locations in the County. County Emergency Management Specialist Chris Post, N3SIG, relocated to the transmitter site and relayed traffic via the County's public safety frequencies and coordinated with the RACES operators in the field. Joining Post at the transmitter site were Jeff Kelly, N3MFT, and a dispatcher from the county 911 center. While the 911 center was not functioning, the transmitters still worked, and N3MFT and N3SIG used the local control microphones to operate the high-power public safety transmitters.--Chris Post, N3SIG

IARV team off to Mauritania: Eight members of the International Amateur Radio Volunteers will once again go to Mauritania. They will be working on an emergency medical radio network in some remote cities in this West African nation. The group will be there from December 13-20 and has been authorized to operate as 5T5U. A spokesman for the group said the team will operate mainly in the so-called WARC bands, including 10 MHz, as well as FM on 29.260 MHz and on 6 meters. QSL via JA1UT.--The Daily DX/Bernie McClenny, W3UR

JAWSAT launch delayed: The launch of ASUSat, JAWSAT, STENSAT, and OPAL have been delayed until January 22, 2000, due to technical difficulties. The launch, which had been set for December 8, was to be the first from the new California Commercial Spaceport at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Reportedly, an electrical problem has necessitated destacking the stages of the Minotaur launcher, causing the schedule slip. Launch information is available at http://www.eas.asu.edu/~nasasg/asusat/launchcampaign/launchcampaign.html--Assi Friedman, KK7KX/4X1KX, via SpaceNews; Eric Lemmon, WB6FLY

Leslie Schmarder, WA2AEA, SK: Past Northern New York Section Manager Les Schmarder, WA2AEA, of Elizabethtown, New York, died December 4 after an illness. He was 52. Schmarder only recently had stepped down as NNY SM due to ill health, and former SM Chuck Orem, KD2AJ, was named to complete his term. Schmarder succeeded Orem as SM in 1997 after Orem stepped down, and was elected to the post in his own right a year ago. Schmarder was a volunteer examiner and treasurer of Digital Operators Emergency Radio Service and involved in emergency communication in Essex County. A graduate of the University of Buffalo, he had been employed by the Essex County Department of Public Health. A memorial service was scheduled for December 8, 11 AM, at the United Church of Christ in Elizabethtown. Survivors include his wife, Mary Lou Morgan, and four sons. Friends may write the family at Route 1, Box 236, Elizabethtown, NY 12932.

Mars Polar Lander team plays "last ace" : The last realistic opportunity to contact the silent Mars Polar Lander ended December 7 with no sign of life from the missing spacecraft, all but ending hope that the $165 million mission can be saved. "After four increasingly difficult days, the Mars Polar Lander flight team played its last ace," a somber Richard Cook, the spacecraft's operations manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said. Engineers reportedly have eliminated any simple explanations for NASA's inability to contact or hear from the spacecraft since it descended onto Mars December 3. Two microprobes that were to have landed separately also were lost. The Mars Polar Lander is the second spacecraft to be lost over Mars in less than three months. As with the Mars Climate Orbiter, investigators and experts will go over every detail of the project for clues as to what happened. --Associated Press

New Swedish contest, special event prefixes: In Sweden 2x1 and 2x2 contest calls now are being issued in the following series: SK0A-SK8Z; SL1A-SL8Z; SM1A-SM8Z; 7S1A-7S8ZZ; and 8S1A-8S7ZZ. For special event stations: SI0AA-SI9ZZZ; 7S0AAA-7S7ZZZ; and 8S0AAA-8S7ZZZ. For more information, visit http://www.sk3bg.se/contest/ . Information in Swedish can be found under "SSA-bulletinen" at http://www.svessa.se . Karl-Olof Wiman, SM6HCJ, explains that, in Sweden, the third position in the call sign represents the district number, 0-7. For SI and for 2x3 7S and 8S call signs, the numbers 8 and 9 also may be used (traditionally "8" denotes an Amateur Radio station on board a Naval vessel). Special event call signs with nontraditional numbers have been issued as well, such as SI75HQ. --Karl-Olof Wiman, SM6HCJ

NWS-ARRL event deemed a success: Scott Mentzer, KB0WPY, of the National Weather Service has expressed appreciation on behalf of the NWS to those who participated in the Amateur Radio special event November 27. "Although there were a few minor bumps, the vast majority of operators felt the event was fun and informative," he said. Thousands of QSOs were completed. Mentzer says the NWS has received some 300 requests for certificates, including a few from DX stations. "So far, no amateur has yet qualified for the top F5 Tornado certificate," he said. That certificate goes to anyone working at least 50 of the NWS-based special event stations. Mentzer says the Web site at http://www.crh.noaa.gov/gld/radio.htm will be updated to show stations requesting certificates and a summary of logs received from NWS stations. To receive a QSL certificate for the NWS-ARRL Special Event, send a SASE to: National Weather Service Special Event, 920 Armory Rd, Goodland, KS 67735. Include a summary sheet listing the NWS offices contacted. For more information, contact Scott Mentzer, KB0WPY, scott.mentzer@noaa.gov; 785-899-2360 or visit http://www.crh.noaa.gov/gld/radio.htm.

OMNI VI Plus control software project: Art Harding, K5YEF, is developing software to control the Ten-Tec OMNI VI Plus and has made a freeware version available for use and comments. For more information on the Ham Radio CAT564 Project, or to download the latest version of the software, visit http://www.qsl.net/k5yef .--Art Harding, K5YEF

PBS to air documentary on ISS construction: The Public Broadcasting System will air a two-part documentary on the design and construction of the International Space Station. The program is scheduled to air December 14 and 21; check local listings for time and station. The documentary includes work done by Boeing in Huntsville at the Marshall Space Flight Center and elsewhere. According to Boeing, the program presents a behind-the-scenes look at what went into creating the ISS. "It follows engineers, scientists, managers and astronauts from 16 nations, led by NASA, as they navigate the financial, technical and political challenges of creating the International Space Station," a Boeing news release said. For more information, visit http://www.pbs.org/spacestation/ --Boeing news release

QRZ.com partners with Jotter Technologies: QRZ.com has joined forces with Jotter Technologies to create a new software package that puts Amateur Radio news and the QRZ call sign database lookup toolbar on your desktop. The Jotter microportal includes a preset search of QRZ.com, Amateur Radio news in a ticker-style stream, and an automatic link to the QRZ Web site, http://www.qrz.com. "Realtime availability of information is very important to Amateur Radio operators," QRZ President Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, said in a news release. "Jotter brings them closer to that information--faster." For more information and to download a free copy of the software, visit the QRZ Web site, http://www.qrz.com .--Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ

QSL cards makes round trip: With apologies to the Grateful Dead, "What a long, strange trip it's been" might be the lyric sung by the QSL card Jack McClain, AE4Q (ex-W4KNW), sent to VE2UM back in 1949. Current postal rates aside, for two one-cent stamps (yes, it cost just $0.02 to send a QSL card to Canada in 1949), the card managed to find its way back to the sender's old hometown 50 years later. McClain, who now lives in Georgia, says he recently attended a retirees' luncheon in Alabama. There he ran into a old ham friend who'd told him he spotted--and bought--an old W4KNW QSL card from a postcard vendor at a flea market (not a hamfest). Somehow, the W4KNW QSL had found its way back to Alabama via the vendor from Georgia. The VE2UM call sign apparently is no longer assigned.--Bill Ronay, KM4LS

QST Cover Plaque Award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for November was Evhen Tupis, W2EV, for his article, "An Automated Meteor-Scatter Station." Congratulations, Ev!

SWS severs ties with Agrelo: SWS Security has terminated its relationship with Agrelo Engineering, and Agrelo Engineering apparently is out of business. SWS had taken over early this year as exclusive distributor for Agrelo's direction finding and transmitter products, but the partnership apparently has soured. Agrelo Engineering was run by Joe Agrelo, N2OOC; SWS Security is operated by Steve Uhrig, WA3SWS. "We no longer have any involvement with Agrelo Engineering, Joe Agrelo, or any products manufactured or sold by him," Uhrig said in an open letter on the SWS Web site. "Everything now is in the hands of the lawyers." The SWS Security Web site is at http://www.swssec.com/

Tennessee honors amateurs: The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency has honored a group of Amateur Radio operators for providing invaluable assistance during last January's tornado strike in Clarksville, Tennessee. TEMA Director John White presented a framed certificate signed by Gov Don Sundquist to the Clarksville Amateur Transmitting Society emergency services group in early November. Accepting the award were CATS Disaster Team Leaders Hank Koebler Jr, N3ORX; Albert Furlow, KA1FFO, and club President Jerome Warburton, KB0OTW, as well as team members Jack Byrd, AA4TA, and Hank Koebler III, KF4UXR. White said when disaster strikes and knocks out communications, "You turn to dedicated people like the members of this group." He said some 90 hams put in some 1200 hours of volunteer service in a nine-day period, making it possible for first responders, volunteer organizations like the Red Cross and victims to communicate with each other. Amateur Radio was the only reliable means of communication for the first 12 hours or so after the tornado struck. Members staffed the Montgomery County EOC for the first 72 hours and shadowed responders. In addition, CATS members assisted in storm cleanup and aided the Red Cross in damage assessments.--thanks to Jerome Warburton, KB0OTW; TEMA

Tristani to stay on FCC: FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani reportedly plans to remain at the FCC instead of running for the US House of Representatives from New Mexico Tristani is a Democrat appointed by President Clinton. Had she left, the FCC would have been divided 2-2 between Democrats and Republicans, making it tough for Chairman William Kennard to advance his agenda.--press reports

ULS Step-By-Step available on ARRLWeb: Simple, step-by-step instructions on how to register for the FCC's Universal Licensing System.

US-UK expand agreement on brief third-party exchanges: At the request of the Radiocommunications Agency in the UK, the US State Department has agreed to a proposed expansion in the US-UK agreement that permits brief third-party exchanges via Amateur Radio involving unlicensed parties. Under the relaxed agreement, supervision of such third-party exchanges no longer will be restricted to Amateur radio clubs and special event stations, and each person will be permitted to send more than one message to each station. In addition, the RA requested extending the duration of messages from two to five minutes. The US Department of State agreed October 20 to the proposed changes, requested by the RA to "facilitate the development of a short conversation so that the individual has a chance to really experience Amateur Radio." Such operation would remain under the direct supervision of an Amateur Radio operator. The change could help to enhance the flow of conversation between unlicensed third parties during such events as Scouting's annual Jamboree on the Air--or JOTA.

USTTI Class of 1999: Students from Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, and Tanzania attended the United States Telecommunications Training Institute/International Amateur Radio Union course on Amateur Radio administration earlier this year at ARRL HQ. The program, coordinated by USTTI and presented jointly by IARU and ARRL staffers, covered the International Telecommunication Union and ITU regulations, the IARU, spectrum management, Amateur Radio operations, international licensing, disaster communication, amateur satellites and other topics. The trainees also constructed a simple 40-meter receiver in the ARRL Lab.

Bitsiet Amare, G7VXK, of the Ethiopian Amateur Radio Society, works on her 40-meter receiver project during the USTTI training program at ARRL HQ.[photo by Rick Lindquist, N1RL]	In class (l-r): Bitsiet Amare, Ethiopia; Ahmadou Bah, Guinea; Wallace Essah, Ghana; and Selemani Ibwe, Tanzania. [photo by Rick Lindquist, N1RL]
USTTI Class of 1999 and program leaders outside ARRL HQ (l-r): Ken Pulfer, VE3PU, of RAC and IARU, who sat in on the classes; ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo, W4RI; Ahmadou Bah; Bitsiet Amare; Wallace Essah; ARRL Technical Relations Specialist Walt Ireland, WB7CSL; Selemani Ibwe. [photo by Rick Lindquist, N1RL]

Bob Baird, W9NN (left), who turns 94 next February 18, and W9DXCC Committee Chair Bill Smith, W9VA, at the W9DXCC Convention and Banquet.

W9NN looks ahead to 80 years on the air: During 2000, Bob Baird, W9NN, of Wisconsin--a well-known presence on the CW bands--will mark 80 years as a ham and 94 years on Earth. A co-founder of the W9DXCC organization, Baird recently was among the honored guest's at the group's 47th annual DX Convention and Banquet in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, sponsored by the Northern Illinois DX Association. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Baird was first licensed as a youngster in 1920 as 8BTI. He later became 8CWR and was among those attending the second ARRL National Convention in Chicago in 1923. He went on to become engineering supervisor for WGN radio in Chicago (where he acquired 9NN in 1927), retiring after 36 years of service. He's on the QCWA Honor Roll. Baird also is a member of the ARRL, the Old Old Timers' Club, and the First-class CW Operators Club.

WX3MAS special event: The Delaware-Lehigh Amateur Radio Club will operate the Christmas City ARC station WX3MAS from Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley December 18-20, offering greetings from the Christmas cities of Nazareth and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Frequencies are 7.270; 14.265; 21.365; 28.465 MHz. A certificate is available from Christmas City ARC/DLARC, Greystone Bldg-Gracedale Complex, RR 8, Nazareth, PA 18064.--Clarence Snyder, W3PYF

WY2OOO operation set: Members of the Carolina DX and Roswell (North Carolina) DX Associations will be on the air as WY2OOO during January. Operation begins January 1, 2000, at 0000 UTC on 160-2 meters. QSL to K4MQG. An SASE is requested; all cards received through the Bureau will answered.--Ted F Goldthorpe, W4VHF

YA4A a probable slim: K5MA reports he is not the QSL manager for YA4A (presumably Afghanistan). A station identifying by that call sign was on the air during the CQ Worldwide CW DX contest the weekend of November 27-28. The station is considered a likely pirate.