Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jul 02 2021 02:45:42

AMSAT-SOUTH AFRICA HOSTING SPACE SYMPOSIUM

PAUL/ANCHOR: A global community of experts will weigh in at the
space symposium being hosted by AMSAT-South Africa this month.
Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM M: An array of international speakers will be presenting lectures
at the 2021 Space Symposium of AMSAT-South Africa on the 10th of July.
The event, which is called "Unlocking Amateur Space Technology," is
being held virtually on the BlueJeans platform.

Featured speakers will include Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, of HamSCI,
and Burns Fisher, WB1FJ, of AMSAT-North America. Hannes Coetzee,
ZS6BZP, and Anton Janovsky, ZR6AIC, will bring attendees up to date
on the AfriCube project's progress.

The keynote address will be given by Val Munsami, CEO of SANSA, the
South African National Space Agency.

Members of the South African Radio League and AMSAT-SA can attend for
free, as can qualifying students. For more details on how to register,
visit amsatsa.org.za.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(AMSAT-SA)

**

NETS OF NOTE: LADIES DIGITAL ROUNDTABLE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our occasional series, Nets of Note, looks at ways hams
get together on the air formally, whether to ragchew, prepare for
emergencies or help one another with technical issues. This week, we
visit with the Ladies Digital Roundtable ,and Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has
that report. 

SEL: The YLs who check into the Ladies Digital Roundtable say they're 
grateful to have a safe spot they can get access to with a hot spot.
The women, who are married to amateur radio operators, first began
meeting in February of 2020, after realizing that many of the more
technical nets populated by men were a bit intimidating, even to YLs
who'd had their licenses for a long time. Lana, N7WST, conceived the
net to encourage them to get on the air and feel more comfortable.

Each Monday evening at 0100 UTC, a dozen or more YLs meet in Southwest
USA on WIRES-X Room 43197 or Yaesu System Fusion Reflector 73102. YLs
using DMR are able to operate cross-mode to enter. Lana told Newsline
that instead of antennas and amps, the women talk about their lives,
their childhoods, their families, and a number of less technical
topics. She said [quote] "We speak about a chosen weekly topic, and
whatever else is on our minds, or going on in our lives." [endquote]
She said that all the while, the women are sharpening their operating
skills too. Most of the women are in the southwestern United States
but she said some regulars have been checking in from New York,
Virginia, Indiana - and at least one DX member in the Philippines.

Of course, there have been some off-the-air benefits as well: Many
of the local members who live in Arizona have since gone on camping
trips together near the Grand Canyon, and stay in touch in between
nets through the roundtable's Facebook page.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

**

FCC UPHOLDS $2.8M PENALTY OVER DRONES

PAUL/ANCHOR: The FCC has denied a request to reconsider the
$2.8-million fine levied against the seller of a drone TV
transmitter model found to operate near amateur radio frequencies
as well as within bands used for the nation's air-traffic control
system.

The enforcement against HobbyKing was initiated by a report to the
agency from the ARRL in 2017, based on findings by the league's
Electromagnetic Compatibility Committee. The ARRL told the agency
HobbyKing was selling a product that was [quote] "blatantly illegal
at multiple levels." [endquote] According to the complaint, the
transmitters were shown to operate near the 1.3 GHz amateur band,
and were capable of transmitting on frequencies used to ensure flight
navigation and safety. According to the ARRL website, the FCC also
found that a number of the devices' power levels were excessive.

The fine upholds the amount set in a June 2018 Notice of Apparent 
Liability. The agency noted that it found 65 models of the devices
being sold without the mandatory certification from the FCC.
According to the ARRL website, HobbyKing has said it no longer
markets those 65 models. An FCC statement said: [quote] "HobbyKing
has a continuing obligation to market only radio frequency equipment
that is properly authorized. We therefore remind HobbyKing that
continuing to market noncompliant radio frequency devices could
result in further significant forfeitures." [endquote]

(ARRL, FCC)
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