Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline To : ALL From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Jul 15 2005 04:20 am Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1457 - July 15, 2005 CLOSED CIRCUIT ADVISORY - PAY PAL IS ON LINE The following is a closed circuit advisory. Ladies and Gentlemen, with an announcement many have waited for, here is our Support Fund Administrator, Andy Jarema, N6TCQ: -- Many of you asked for it. Some of you all but demanded it. And now, it's online for you to use to donate to us. Of course, I am talking to all of you who asked us to create a way so that you could support Amateur Radio Newsline using Pay Pal. For technical reasons, it was close to impossible at our old website. But, thanks to the fine folks at Alan Labs, and a lot of hard work by our own Dale Cary, WD0AKO...not only is our brand new website look on line, so is our ability to provide you with a one click link to the Pay Pal site. It's right there near the top of the page at www.arnewsline.org. It's there to help you contribute to us to keep these newscasts coming your way. Just click the Pay Pal logo, and follow the signs. For those of you who prefer the old way, we can still accept donations by mail to the Amateur Radio Newsline Support Fund, P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia California 91066. We thank you for your generosity and ongoing support. I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ. -- Thank you Andy. Now, Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1457 with a release date of Friday, July 15, 2005 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a Q-S-T. Jack Gerritsen gets his day in court, and another 120 in jail for threatening a ham on the air. Philippine hams may lose the 70 centimeter band, and a big cash infusion from Google into B-P-L. All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1457 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here) ** ENFORCEMENT: JACK GERRITSEN GUILTY OF TERRORIST THREATS AGAINST ANOTHER HAM Alleged Southern California repeater jammer Jack Gerritsen will be spending some time behind prison bars. This, after being convicted in a California state court of making terrorist threats against a repeater user and the mans daughter. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennnant, K6PZW, starts our team coverage: -- The jury deliberated less than 30 minutes before rendering its verdict. Guilty as charged. And in its guily verdict, the jury affirmed the prosecution claim that back on April 8, Gerritsen made verbal threats against the life of Ronald J. Stucker, W6RJS, and Stucker's daughter. Stucker was on the N6USO two meter repeater when the threat was made. He says that he left the system and made a complaint to the local Sheriff's Department, which led to Gerritsens being charged. Gerritsen, who for a short time held the call letters KG6IRO, was into immediate custody and set his bail at $100,000. Sentencing took place on Wednesday, July 13th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, was there, and has this eye witness account... Andy. -- In a standing-room only courthouse packed with hams, Judge Craig Mitchell stated that he did not buy Gerritson's claim of his 1st amendment rights, and instead called him a "grown-up schoolyard bully". Maximum penalty by law is 6 months in prison. However, this reporter listened as the District Attorney's recommended sentence was pronounced: 4 months prison with 3 years probation, restraining orders protecting the victims, $1000 fine and court costs of another $3400. The shorter sentence allows the court to monitor Gerriston during this entire 3 years. A condition on the probation was that he not possess ham radio equipment, nor operate on the bands without a license. Amid chuckles in the courtroom, the judge was quick to point out to D.A, Rusty Moore that he was sure that the ham radio community would be very quick to contact him should Gerritson transmit. Following sentencing, repeater owner Burt Brink, N6USO, gathered the dozens of hams present to thank them for making such a great showing, and stated his appreciation for the tremendous job D.A. Rusty Moore had done, as well as the FCC's Steve Pierce. One observer said we finally got "Jack in the box." Next up for Gerritson are federal charges of transmitting on MARS frequencies, in Los Angeles Federal court in October. From the County Courthouse in El Monte, CA, I'm Andy Jarema, N6TCQ, with Bruce Tennant, K6PZW. -- Gerritsen had been free on a $250,000 secured bond after being arrested in early June on federal charges of interfereing with a number of communications services. This included alleged jamming of a United States Coast Guard operation, and interfereing on a frequency that resulted in the cancellation of a Homeland Defense military exercise. If convicted on all of those counts, he could face an additional 11 years behind prison bars. (ARNewsline (tm)) ** RESTRUCTUROING: PHILIPPINES HAMS MAY LOSE 70 CM Hams in the Philippines are wondering how long it will be before they are ordered off of the 70 centimeter band. This, after that nations National Telecommunications Commission announces the inclusion of all of that band in spectrum it is considering being made available for broadband wireless networks. The regulatory agency made the suggestion in a Memorandum titled "Frequency Band Allocations for Broadband Wireless Access." The surprise was the inclusion of 410 to 495MHz in nine bands. This includes the Amateur and Amateur Satellite spectrum, including the internationally agreed to allocations. Jose Mari Gonzalez, DU1JMG, is the Manilla based president of PARA, which is the Philippines national Amateur Radio society. He says that PARA opposes both the memorandum and the potential loss of 70 centimeters. He notes that 430 to 440 MHz includes the international amateur satellite band. He says that if and when the Philippines National Telecommunications Council decides to remove 70 centimeter access from ham radio, that his organization will file an official complaint to the IARU. This would likely lead to a complaint by the IARU to the International Telecommunications Union, that would hopefully warn the NTC not to change the internationally agreed frequency allocations. For its part, the Philippines National Telecommunications Council says it proposes to reallocate spectrum for broadband wireless networks in line with the thrust of the government to promote and facilitate the development of information and communications technology. Right now, only about 5% of the population in The Philippines has access to the Internet, much less broadband, and this is partly due to the lack of infrastructure. (WIA. VK3PC) ** THE BPL FIGHT: BPL GETS A $100 MILLION BOOST BPL has been handed a major infusion of cash to get it to into the homes of the American public. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has more: -- The Google search engine folks, Goldman Sachs Corporation and the Hearst Corporation have announced an investment of $100 million into promoting Broadband Over Powerline technology. This by putting their trust with the Current Communications Group, in the hope of rapidly expanding the reach of broadband throughout the country. Current Communications is a Germantown, Maryland based company, providing Broadband Over Powerline Internet. A spokesman for the company says that the infusion of capital will help Current to roll out BPL services more quickly to provide voice, video and data services. Several market watchers have expressed opinions that the Google, Goldman, and Hearst investment of $100 million to the technology means that interest in BPL is likely to gain quick momentum. This they say is especially true in rural areas where DSL and cable service are not available alternatives. Ham radio operators say that this is not good news for the hobby. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the Newsline studios in Los Angeles. -- There is one flaw with this theory. The real money to be made by BPL providers is in big cities with highly concentrated population in need of broadband, and not in the hinterlands where customers will be few and far between. (Published reports) ** EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTIONS ON THE INCREASE In a related item, the FCC has released new data on high-speed Internet connections in the United States. Overall, during 2004, high-speed lines serving residential, small business, larger business, and other subscribers increased by 34% to 37.9 million. Breaking it down a bit, for that same period asymmetric digital subscriber line or A-D-S-L increased by 45%, while high-speed cable modem service grew by 30%. For reporting purposes, high-speed lines are defined as connections that deliver services at speeds exceeding 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction. This includes DSL, ADSL and cable modems at this time, but not BPL. (CGC) ** Break 1 From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the N9QIP linked repeater system serving the greeat state of Wisconsin. (5 sec pause here) ** ENFORCEMENT: YOU CAN'T LET THEM DO THAT ON THE AIR If you own and operate a repeater, listen up. An Ohio repeater operator has been asked to explain why he has permitted his system to allegedly be in violation of several FCC Part 97 rules. This, regarding the material that it has retransmitted. George T. Case, K8CLA, of Cincinnati, was sent a letter in early June. With it, came recordings of his 145.35 MHz repeater, purportedly showing that he permitted users of the machine to transmit interference, music and obscenity this past March. In some cases, by stations that failed to identify. It should be noted that the FCC has always had the right to hold a repeater owner operator fully responsible for anything retransmitted over his or her repeater. And, since the middle 1980's, the agency has also taken the position that the system owner and the users share equal responsibility for policing the content of the material that gets retransmitted. In this case, it was the system owner that has been asked to explain why the retransmission took place. He was also told that the information he submits will be used to determine what enforcement action, if any, might be taken in this matter. The FCC says that this could include a monetary forfeiture, the removal of automatic control privileges from your repeater, or revocation of Case' license for K8CLA. (FCC) ** ENFORCEMENT: KEEP YOUR TEETH OFF 6 METERS And you might want to call this next one a warning to keep matters dealing with teeth off of the ham radio airwaves. The FCC's Daryl Duckworth, explains: -- Duckworth: "An inquiry into business use of an Amateur station went to David Frankenfield, N3LWY, of Easton, Pennsylvania. Recordings submitted indicate the scheduling of appointments and the providing of billing information as part of a dental repair service occurring on the 6 meter band. This has been Daryl Duckworth, NN0W." -- Frankenfield was given 20 days from the date of the FCC's May 18th letter to respond. The FCC has not yet made his reply public. (FCC, RAIN) ** ENFORCEMENT: FLORIDA ARRESTS TWO ALLEGED RADIO PIRATES Using a new Florida law that took effect on July 1st, state investigators aided by Federal authorities have shut down two pirate broadcasters and arrested two men they said were interfering with licensed radio stations. Agents from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the FCC acted on the complaint that had been filed by WKPX FM against the unlicensed operations. The Miami Herald says that on Tuesday, July 5th, authorities tracked the two pirate stations to a Fort Lauderdale apartment, where a coaxial cable was found running to a pair of antennas mounted on the building's roof. Agents raided the site where they seized a 10 kW transmitter, the antennas, a mixing console, a computer, phones, and other equipment. They also placed the alleged operators of the stations under arrest. Authorities believe the incarcerations are the first under Florida's new anti-pirate radio law legislation that we described two weeks ago. This law prohibits anyone from making an unauthorized transmission that might interference with licensed radio stations. (Miami Herald, RW ONLine, others) ** ENFORCEMENT: NO LICENSE, SO STAY OFF 2 METERS Two West Virginia business owners have been warned to keep themselves and their unlicensed employees off of the two meter band. On June 2nd, the FCC wrote to Robert Defibaugh, who runs the Defibaugh Sawmill in Mill Creek...and Matt Higgins of Middle Mountain Archery, Inc. in the town of Elkins. Both were told essentially the same thing. That being the FCC has evidence that they or their employees have been operating radio-transmitting equipment on two meters without a license. Defibaugh and Higgins were told that the frequencies in question are allocated for licensed users in the Amateur Radio service. They were warned that continued unlicensed operation will subject those caught to a fine or imprisonment. Fines for unlicensed operation normally range from $7,500 to $10,000. (FCC) ** RADIO LAW: FCC SAYS TO USE NEW FORM 605 AFTER JULY 18 The FCC has issued a revised version of its Form 605 that must be used for all non-electronically filed applications, and changes as of July 18th. Called the "Quick-Form Application for Authorization in the Ship, Aircraft, Amateur, Restricted and Commercial Operator, and General Mobile Radio Services," the new version adds a single question regarding station ownership that is really not germane to the Amateur Radio service. While the FCC has not really provided any guidance to the ham community on how to answer this question, it would seem logical to say "no", since one cannot sell ones ham radio license to another person. Keep in mind that you cannot bypass answering the new question as doing so could result in the application being returned as incomplete. The best way to avoid the problem created by the new Form 605 is to avoid using it and do all your business with the FCC using the Universal Licensing System on the World Wide Web. (FCC) ** ELECTRONICS SAFETY: TWO BATTERY RECALLS FROM THE CPSC If you use batteries, and who doesn't these days, then listen up. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced two voluntary recall alerts on batteries. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, has the details: -- The first involves Hi-Capacity (r) brand lithium ion rechargeable batteries are used with various well-known, brand-name notebook computers. The C-P-S-C says that an internal short can occur and cause the battery cells to overheat, posing a fire hazard to consumers. The importer of these cells is Battery-Biz Incorporated of Newbury Park, California. The C-P-S-C advises that consumers stop using the recalled batteries immediately, and contact Battery-Biz to arrange for a replacement battery free of charge. Also involved in a C-P-S-C sponsored voluntary recall is a battery pack sold with a Global Positioning System Navigation System. According to a C-P-S-C announcement, certain Belkin Corporation batteries can overheat, expand, and possibly rupture, creating a possible fire hazard. A commission spokesperson this recall involves 10,300 Li-Polymer battery packs sold with the device. It urges those in need of further information to call them at area code 301 504-7800 or check on-line at www.cpsc.gov -- Again, if you are in need of further information on either battery recall, please contact the Consumer Products Safety Council at area code 301 504-7800, or check on-line at www.cpsc.gov (CPSC) ** THE SOCIAL SCENE: OH-KY-IN HAMFESY JULY 23 Turning to the Amateur Radio social scene, the OH-KY-IN Hamfest is slated for Saturday, July 23rd at the Diamond Oaks Career Development Campus in Cincinnati, Ohio. Doors open at 8 a.m. local time with talk-in on the clubs 147.67 MHz repeater. For more information please e-mail hamfest@ohkyin.org ** BREAK 2 This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. From the United States of America, 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) ** CHANGING OF THE GUARD: HOLLYWOOD LEGEND ERNEST LEHMAN, K6DXK - S.K. Some sad news to report. Hollywood producer, director and writer, Ernest Lehman, K6DXK, became a Silent Key on July second. While best known for his screenwriting for such musical films as "The Sound of Music", "The King and I", and "Hello, Dolly", K6DXK was also acclaimed in the world of screen drama. In that genre, he was responsible for scripting Oscar nominated films such as "North by Northwest", "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", and "Portnoy's Complaint". That one, he also produced and directed in 1971. And in 1979, his novel "The French Atlantic Affair" was brought to the small screen by writer-director Douglas Heyes. "The French Atlantic Affair" mini-series starred Jose Ferrer, Jean-Pierre Aunont, and Carolyn Jones. It also featured ham radio in a leading role as the secret communications tool used to save a highjacked ocean liner and its passengers. In 2001, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science honored K6DXK with its lifetime achievement award. The honorary OSCAR was presented by actrsss Julie Andrews, who had played the lead role of Maria von Trapp in "The Sound of Music". Ernest Lehman, K6DXK, was 89. (ARNewsline (tm), IMDB, others) ** HAM RADIO IN SPACE: STS-14 FEATURES A 6 HAM CREW Amateur Radio operators make up 6 of the 7 crew members of the STS-114 Space Shuttle mission crew. They are Mission Commander Eileen Collins, KD5EDS; Mission Specialist Wendy Lawrence, KC5KII; Mission Specialist Charles Camarda, KC5ZSY; Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP; Mission Specialist - Andrew Thomas, KD5CHF and Pilot James Kelly, KC5ZSW. Also carried on the STS 114 mission is the PC SAT2 ham radio satellite. It will not become operational until it has been mounted on the outside of the I-S-S. A spacewalk to do this is scheduled to take place on July 21st. A presentation on PCSAT2 will be held at the AMSAT-UK International Space Colloquium in Guildford, England from July 29th to the 31st. (M5AKA, AMSAT-UK) ** RADIO IN SPACE: SENATE APPROVES TOURISM BILL Space could become the final frontier of tourism under recently passed legislation by the Senate to regulate commercial human spaceflight. The bill, approved by Congress, would authorize the Federal Aviation Administration to issue permits allowing private spacecraft operators to take paying passengers into space. The agency would also regulate the young space tourism industry, which was invigorated by the successful flights of a privately financed manned rocket over California's Mojave Desert in October of 2004. Just last week, Russia's space agency announced that United States entrepreneur Gregory Olsen will be the third tourist to visit the International Space Station. According to the Interfax News Agency, a contract has been signed between Olsen and Russia's Roscosmos federal space agency. This has resulted in Olson being added to the crew of the ninth expedition to the I-S-S and he is expected to operate the ARISS ham radio station while on board. (Published reports) ** OPERATING SCENE: IN CELEBRATION OF LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE On the air, mark July 23rd to the 24th for ham radios participation in the annual Laura Ingles Wilder "Little House On The Prairie" Pageant. The event takes place in De Smet, South Dakota, with the Huron Amateur Radio Club, and Lake Area Radio Klub operating as W0NOZ from 1800 U-T-C on the 23rd through 2200 UTC on the 24th on 21.365, 14.265 and 7.265 MHz. If you work W0NOZ, send your QSL for a commemorative certificate to HARC, PO Box 205, Huron, South Dakita, zip 57350. More information is on the web at www.huronarc.info (Via E-Mail) ** OPERATING SCENE: COMMEMORATING THE ARIZONE CODE TALKERS And the Navajo Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring Special Event station N-7-C. This, in honor Arizona Code Talkers Day. For ham radio, this is actually a two day event on August 13th and 14th. For those not aware, the Code Talkers were members of the Navajo nation who took part in every assault the U.S. Marines conducted in the Pacific during World War 2. They served in all six Marine divisions, Marine Raider battalions, and Marine parachute units...transmitting messages by telephone and radio in their native Navajo language. This was a code that the Japanese command could never break. Now, in 2005, N7C will take to the air both days from 1400 U-T-C through 2400 U-T-C on 14.265 and 7.265 to honor thir contribution during World War 2. If you make contact, QSL with an SASEto Herb Goodluck, N7HG, c/o Navajo Amateur Radio Club, P.O. Box 3611, Window Rock, Arizona, 86515. (Press release) ** DX In D-X, news that HB9FBO, will be active from Tonga as A35BO from October 24th to December 1st. Activity will be on 160 through 10 meters, including the WARC bands. Modes scheduled for use are CW, SSB and PSK31. QSL via info on QRZ.com. (GB2RS) And FR5ZL, will be active from Wallis and Futuna through August 14th as FW5ZL. Activity will be on 40, 30, 20 and 15 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, and PSK31. QSL direct to FR5ZL at his callbook address. (OPDX) ** THAT FINAL ITEM: A MOUSE DOWN-UNDER ROARS And finally this week, we all remember the 1959 Peter Sellers movie called "The Mouse That Roared". That's the story of a very tiny fictitious nation that decides to flex its muscle with some rather comic results. Well, ham radio may soon have its own roaring mouse...but unlike the movie, this one is for real. Its called the Hutt River Province, but in a few years, you may be operating from it. This is because Hutt River plans to become a ham radio and broadcasting paradise. Jim Linton. VK3PC, is in Forest Hill, Australia, with the details: -- The Hutt River Province Principality is a self-proclaimed independent territory on Australia's mainland. And now, it has announced plans to begin short-wave broadcasts and also seek amateur radio DXCC entity status. Located just north of Geraldton, Western Australia, the Hutt River Province claimed self-government 35 years ago, and survives on a tourist based economy. Unfortunately, for Hutt River, the Australian Government does not recognize its claim of independence. No matter. The Hutt River Province Director-General, Ministry of Electronic Communications, Eddie DeYoung, has announced plans to set up a short-wave broadcast station possibly to be called Hutt River Radio. DeYoung says the stations programs will be primarily replays of old radio drama shows, music from yesteryear, readings from the world's newspapers for print handicapped listeners, and provide time-slots to non-government humanitarian aid organizations. And here is where ham radio operators will want to take note. DeYoung says that the Hutt River Province is trying to gain United Nations recognition. In turn, this would enable the International Telecommunications Union to issue it with a block of radio callsigns. DeYoung adds that a written application has already been sent to the ITU seeking the H5 callsign block to be issued. But that's not all. DeYoung adds that a body to represent the interests of amateur radio has been formed. It's called the "Royal Amateur Radio Society", and it is seeking membership of the International Amateur Radio Union for Region 3 and also for DXCC status. DeYoung says that according to the ARRL's DXCC rules, Hutt River would appear to qualify for separate country status because it meets the rule for sovereignty. DeYoung says that once Hutt River gains 'New Country' status, it is anticipated that a large number of DXers and Contesters will be eager to operate from it. DeYoung adds that applications are now open for non-resident founding charter members of the local radio clubs, and the Royal Amateur Radio Society, with membership privileges to include a single-letter suffix callsign. And, one other very important thing about Hutt River. It will remain a BPL free zone. This is because Broadband over Powerlines technology has been banned by the Hutt River Province so there will definitely not be harmful radio interference radiating from within its borders. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Linton, VK3PC. -- For information about the Hutt River Province Principality, an insight into it's 35-year history of independence please visit its website. You will find it at www.hutt-river-provence.com on the World Wide Web. ** NEWSCAST CLOSE With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB and Australia's W-I-A News, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's(tm) only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us, or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066. For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim Davis, W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening." Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. --- þ OLX 1.53 þ More Ham Radio/Square Dance Info: www.wx1der.com/ham.htm þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org .