Apr 17 2002
(In alphabetical order: )
Atlantic Division ARRL Director gets Scouting award: ARRL Atlantic Division Director Bernie Fuller, N3EFN, has received the District Award of Merit from the French Creek Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Fuller was recognized for his work with the Venturing program of the Boy Scouts in his capacity as Venturing Chairman of the council's Oliver Perry District. The District Award of Merit is the highest award that a district can bestow upon a volunteer. The Venturing program of the French Creek Council was recognized recently as second in the nation during the past year in terms of increased participation and number of new Venturing Crews. Fuller also has been elected Vice President-Venturing of the French Creek Council Executive Board. In his new volunteer position, he is responsible for the Venturing program for the entire Council, one of the largest in the US. The Venturing arm of the Boy Scouts of America is composed of young men and women ages 14 through 20. A number of Venturing Crews who have chosen to concentrate their activities around Amateur Radio. These include Venturing Crew 599 of the Park Lodge Amateur Radio Club in Pennsylvania and Venture Crew 510 (that's "DX" in Roman numerals) of the Hampden County Amateur Radio Association in Massachusetts.
DXCC elder statesmen work Ducie for number 390: According to Steve Adell, KF2TI, of the North Jersey DX Association, old timers Howard Wolfe, W2AGW, and Ben Stevenson, W2BXA, put Ducie Island into the log for number 390 during the recent VP6DI DXpedition. These two top-notch DXers have only missed three DXCC entities over the years--North Korea (P5), French Indochina (FI8) and Damao Diu (CR8)--the last two now on the deleted list. Wolfe, who turns 95 this month, and Stevenson, 88, still were looking for a QSO with Ed Giorgadze, P5/4L4FN. Ed Hawkins, K6ZO, who also worked Ducie Island, and the only DXCC entities the 87-year-old DXer never got into his logbook are French Indochina and Minerva Reef (1M).--The Daily DX
Evan Nepean, G5YN, SK: London Times reports that Sir Evan Nepean, G5YN, ex-AC4YN, died March 11. He was 92. Nepean was active from Tibet as AC4YN from 1936-1939. The Times said that Nepean was the longest-serving member (75 years) of the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB). According to the newspaper account, Nepean packed a transmitter and home-built receiver across the 14,600-foot Natu La pass from India into Tibet. The engine running the battery charger would not work at Tibet's altitude, so a hand-cranked charger was built in India and carried back to Tibet, the newspaper said. An AC4YN QSL card recently sold on an Internet auction site for more than $1100.--contributed by John Warren, NT5C
FCC approves geographic area AMTS licensing, agrees to consider ARRL's 219-220 MHz request: The FCC has approved proposed rules allowing geographic-based licensing of coast stations in the Automated Maritime Telecommunications Service (AMTS), the primary user of the 219-220 MHz band. The Commission also agreed to consider an ARRL petition for changes in the rules governing the secondary amateur allocation at 219-220 MHz. Amateur use of the band within 80 km of an AMTS coast station is currently requires permission from the AMTS licensee, and industry practice has been to routinely deny such requests, regardless of channel separation. The FCC will consider whether AMTS licensees denying permission should be required to give a technical justification for the denial in conjunction with the ongoing 3G proceeding (ET Docket 00-221) that's considering use of 216-220 MHz for new technologies.
First trans-Tasman WSJT contact reported: Increased activity between Australia and New Zealand using the WSJT software developed by Nobel laureate Joe Taylor, K1JT, is being credited with facilitating what is believed to be the first random meteor-scatter mode 2-meter contact between two countries. Rex Moncur, VK7MO, and Bob McQuarrie, ZL3TY, on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, made the contact on April 13. The distance was estimated at 1950 km. The WSJT program for weak-signal communication has recently gained popularity Down Under, and a number of experimenters have been using it regularly to achieve meteor-scatter contacts on VHF. "While there have been a number of SSB meteor scatter contacts from VK to ZL at the time of the Leonids meteor shower, the contact with ZL3TY would be the first VK-ZL MS contact on random meteors," Moncur said. "It should open the possibility of VK-ZL 2 meter contacts on a regular basis without waiting for tropo openings or meteor showers--but, we need to do a lot more tests before we know." VK7MO and ZL3TY used FSK441, which employs four-tone frequency shift keying at 441 baud. Moncur said it took 45 minutes to complete the QSO. Further details on WSJT activity in that part of the world is available at the VK7 Wireless Institute of Australia Web site. Click on "WSJT Activity in Australia."--Jim Linton, VK3PC
 Dick Dillman, W6AWO, who goes by "RD" in commercial telegraph circles, operated K6KPH from the former KPH coast station during Straight Key Night 2000. |
Former coast station KPH operators schedule K6KPH International Marconi Day special event: Maritime Radio Historical Society members will operate special event station K6KPH April 27 (starting at 1700 UTC) to commemorate International Marconi Day. International Marconi Day takes place each year on a weekend close to the birthday of radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi. K6KPH will use the original transmitters, receivers and antennas of ex-RCA coast station KPH. K6KPH transmitting frequencies will be 7050, 14,050 and 21050 kHz and occasionally 3545 kHz. Transmitting antennas are double extended Zepps on 3.5 and 7 MHz and "H over 2s" on 14 and 21 MHz. Commercial practices and procedures will be used on all frequencies to give amateurs the experience of working a real coast station. Messages will be on hand in the message rack for those stations that inquire QRU? during their contact. K6KPH QSLs and reception reports may be sent to D.A. Stoops, PO Box 381, Bolinas CA 94924-0381. KPH and K6KPH are operated by the Maritime Radio Historical Society in cooperation with the Point Reyes National Seashore, part of the US National Park Service.--Dick Dillman, W6AWO
Indian pirate alert issued: Sahruddin, VU2SDN, President of the Amateur Radio Society of India, reports that India's QSL Bureau has been receiving a lot of QSL requests for contacts apparently made by bootleggers using VU call signs. Sahruddin explains that call signs that begin with VU2 followed by two or three letters or with VU3 followed by three letters are the only valid call signs. Contest call sign prefixes include AT0, AT2 and AT3, followed from one to three letters. "Since there is a blanket ban on operations from Andaman, Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands, VU4 and VU7 call signs have not being assigned to any one since 1992," he said. He points out that call signs with prefixes AU to AW as well as VT, VV to VW and 8T to 8Y are invalid. He also noted that some major VU DXers do not accept cards sent via the QSL bureau.--The Daily DX
New Hampshire SATERN volunteers honored: Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network volunteers Steve and Kim Merrill, KB1DIG and KB1GTR, have received a certificate of appreciation from their state's chief executive, New Hampshire Gov Jean Shaheen. The Merrills were among the amateurs who turned out in New York City to help in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. "We are proud of your representation of New Hampshire following the tragedy of September 11th," the certificate reads. "You are among the many Amateur Radio operators from around the country whose participation in the rescue efforts will never be forgotten." Attending a March 20 presentation were ARRL New Hampshire Section Manager Alan Shuman, N1FIK, as well as Tom Andrews, W1VVV, and Joe Kramas, K1JEK, of the Saddleback Repeater Association. "The knowledge gained through participation as net control operators for the SRA was indispensable," said Steve Merrill. "Functioning effectively at the NYC/WTC would have been difficult without this type of social practice in communication." The Merrills credit Shuman and the SRA for making it possible for them to become Amateur Radio licensees.
New QSL address for HC8N: The new QSL route for HC8N is via Randy Becnel, W5UE, PO Box 170, Kiln, MS 39556-0170 USA. Previous QSL manager Derek Wills, AA5BT, has stepped down after 10 years and 50,000 QSL requests answered. "Thanks to Derek for the man-years of work he has invested in answering cards for the past 10 years, and thanks also to W5UE and the Magnolia DX Association for stepping forward to take over the job," said HC8N chief op Trey Garlough, N5KO.
P5/4L4FN QSL cards imminent: Bruce Paige, KK5DO, the QSL manager for Ed Giorgadze, P5/4L4FN in North Korea says he expects to receive the first printing run of P5/4L4FN QSL cards this week and hopes to have all QSLs out by May 1. Paige said that any stateside operator who mails for a QSL after May 15 must include 37 cents postage to cover the new first-class mail rate going into effect June 30. "I have 2900 requests for cards," he said. P5/4L4FN has made more than 6000 QSOs, and his stay in North Korea has been extended until June 2003. Only SSB contacts with P5/4L4FN have been approved for DXCC credit. He said P5/4L4FN continues to frequent 21.225 MHz. Paige gets a new log file every couple of days, and he uses the log data to create the on-line log that's available on his AMSAT Net Web site. Prior to mailing, he will verify valid QSLs with a stamp. Daughter Mahana, W5BTS, will help to stuff and seal the return envelopes. He does not plan to mail cards until he has fulfilled all current requests, however. Paige said P5/4L4FN will be on a trip to Vietnam and Thailand from April 23 until May 4 and may also be on the air from those countries.
Pharmacist-hams form group: A group of pharmacists who also are Amateur Radio operators recently formed their own organization--the International Pharmacists Ham Group (IPHG)--under the leadership of pharmacist Andrea Pagliula, IZ7ECB. The organization, which got started with a nucleus of approximately 25 members worldwide, aims to promote Amateur Radio and ham radio initiatives, establish friendships and provide or coordinate pharmaceutical aid to those in need. --Bill Baker, N5UMH
Radio Austria International to field Marconi Day special event: Radio Austria International will operate special event station OE1M to commemorate International Marconi Day on April 27. For details visit the Radio Austria International Web site. Current working frequencies will be announced on the Web site. Operators entering their call signs in the "QRZ" field will immediately get a call on the band from OE1M.
United Arab Emirates team invited to WRTC 2002: The WRTC 2002 Organizing Committee has invited a team from the United Arab Emirates to be the representative of the contesting community in the Middle East. While Team UAE will be led by Ali Al-Futtaim, A61AJ, the two team members are well-known US operators--Jeff Briggs, K1ZM, and Phil Goetz, N6ZZ. "In the spirit of the games, a team has been selected that is representative of the current A61AJ operating roster," the committee said in announcing the special team selection.
Visalia DX dinner set: The Northern California Contest Club Presents the fourth annual International DX Convention Contest Dinner Friday, April 26, 7 PM. The dinner is in conjunction with the 53rd International DX Convention, April 26-28 in Visalia, California. Details are available on the International DX Convention Web site. Tickets are available from Tom Taormina, K5RC, Productivity Resources, PO Box 1126, Virginia City NV 89440; k5rc@aol.com; 775-847-7929; FAX 775-847-7930.
 Wisconsin Gov Scott McCallum signs AB-368. Looking on are Wisconsin SEC Stan Kaplan, WB9RQR (left) and ARRL Wisconsin SM Don Michalski, W9IXG. [Joe Sienkiewicz, W9ER, Photo] |
Wisconsin
governor acknowledges amateurs' support for antenna bill: Wisconsin Gov Scott McCallum has acknowledged letters and e-mail
messages he received in support of the Amateur Radio antenna bill--Assembly
Bill 368--which he signed into law April 2. The measure requires political
subdivisions to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio communication and not
unnecessarily hamper the placement or height of Amateur Radio antennas and
towers. "Wisconsin's Amateur Radio operators . . . provide a valuable backup
for traditional public safety communications systems," the governor wrote. He also
noted that hams have worked closely with the Red Cross, The Salvation Army,
local emergency governments and law enforcement agencies following emergencies
and disasters. "It was my pleasure to sign AB 368 into law," McCallum
concluded. "Thank you again for taking the time to contact my office."
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