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 Previous: Registration Opens for ARRL Emergency Communications Course |  Next: The Radio Association of Erie |
December 13, 2000
(In alphabetical order:)
[Radio magazine Photo] |
ARISS engineering pass from the Russian side: Russian Cosmonaut Musa Manarov, U2MIR, took a turn at the mike at RK3DZB in Star City, Russia, during the first Amateur Radio test contacts with the International Space Station. During the initial two passes in mid-November, Expedition 1 crew members also spoke with Russian ARISS delegate Sergej Samburov, RV3DR, and Vladimir Zagainov, UA3DKR, at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center ham shack. Subsequent QSOs with the NN1SS station at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and W5RRR at Johnson Space Center in Houston were equally successful.
Bradford M. Erickson, N1SGL, SK: Eastern Massachusetts National Traffic System veteran and ARRL ORS Brad Erickson, N1SGL, died December 8. He was 60. Erickson was an active NTS traffic handler and was net manager of the Cape and Islands Traffic Net. A Yarmouth police officer, Erickson died when he was knocked down and run over by a truck working a paving project on Cape Cod. He had served as a Yarmouth patrol officer for 28 years and was a few months away from retirement. Eastern Massachusetts Section Traffic Manager Bill Wornham, NZ1D, called Erickson as "a dynamite guy." Erickson's wife, Stephanie, N1SGK, and two daughters survive.
DXCC update: The ARRL DXCC desk reports that for the week ending December 10, it continues to operate with a backlog of eight weeks. The DXCC crew had 1449 applications pending and was entering cards received October 11. The mailroom has processed all DXCC mail. The Millennium DXCC Award count stands at 1969.
Hamvention award nominations deadline is January 31: The Dayton Hamvention is accepting nominations for its Amateur of the Year, Special Achievement, and Technical Excellence Awards until January 31, 2001. All amateurs are eligible for these awards that are aimed at recognizing outstanding Amateur Radio operators. Awards are determined by the Awards Committee based, in part, on the information accompanying nominations. Magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper clippings, videos and other documentation can better inform the Awards Committee of a nominee's particular accomplishments. The Amateur of the Year Award goes to a well-rounded licensee who is committed to the advancement of Amateur Radio and has made an outstanding contribution. The Special Achievement Award typically goes to an individual who has spearheaded a significant Amateur Radio project. The Technical Excellence Award recognizes outstanding Amateur Radio technical advancement. Nominations go to Hamvention Awards, PO Box 964, Dayton, OH 45401-0964.--Dayton Hamvention
Intel unveils world's smallest transistor on a chip: Intel has taken the wraps off what it's calling the world's smallest working transistor on a chip. The achievement could give the company a two-year lead over competitors, sparking a race among chipmakers and researchers to topple Intel's lead. The tiny size should enable the company to make microprocessors containing more than 400 million transistors within four years. For comparison purposes, Intel's top-end Pentium 4 has about 42 million transistors. A microprocessor with smaller transistors is faster because the electrons have a shorter path to travel, but placing several hundred million transistors on a chip can lead to problems with power leakage and heat dissipation. For the full story, visit the Financial Times Web site.--reported by Financial Times
Iridium flying higher with Defense Department contract: In what could prove to be a big boost to the faltering Iridium satellite system, the US Department of Defense, through its Defense Information Systems Agency, has awarded Iridium Satellite LLC a $72 million contract for 24 months of satellite communications services. The contract would provide unlimited airtime for 20,000 government users over the Iridium satellite network. The contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $252 million and extend the pact through 2007. The DoD says it took the action because the Iridium system offers state-of-the-art technology, offering on-satellite signal processing and inter-satellite crosslinks allowing satellite-mode service to any open area on Earth. Iridium also provides mobile, cryptographically secure telephone services to small handsets anywhere on the globe, pole-to-pole, 24 hours a day. The DoD says Iridium will provide handheld service currently not available. Iridium Satellite LLC is purchasing the operating assets of Iridium LLC and its existing subsidiaries, pursuant to a November 22 order of a US Bankruptcy Court. Under the agreement, Iridium Satellite LLC will purchase all of the existing assets of Iridium LLC, including its constellation of low-orbiting satellites and its satellite control network, and will have Boeing operate the system.
JARL offers 21st Century Dream Award: To commemorate the beginning of the 21st century, The Japan Amateur Radio League has announced the JARL 21st Century Dream Award for amateurs and SWLs. The award will be issued for stations making contact with more than 21 different amateur stations on a single band--including satellite communications--or single mode (contacts with the same station on different bands will not qualify). Applicants should submit a list of contacts--no QSLs are necessary--including call signs of stations worked or heard, dates, bands and modes. The fee for overseas applicants is eight IRCs or $10. Only contacts (or reception) from January 1 through December 31, 2001 will be accepted. JARL will start accepting applications on April 1, 2001. Endorsements are available for bands (including satellite) modes, and QRP, plus user-defined "custom endorsements." Contact Japan Amateur Radio League--Award Desk, 1-14-5 Sugamo, Toshima, Tokyo 170-8073, JAPAN; oper@jarl.or.jp; intl@jarl.or.jp.--Mitsu Sugawara, JN1LQH/JARL
Maryland Special Event to honor Fessenden achievement: The Charles County Amateur Radio Club and the Southern Maryland Amateur Radio Club will operate as W3T and W3F respectively from Cobb Island, Maryland (IOTA MD020R), December 16 from 1500 to 2300 UTC. The operation will celebrate the centennial of the first radiotelephone transmission by Reginald Aubrey Fesseden from Cobb Island in 1900. Fessenden--assisted by Frank W. Very--and Alfred Thiessen made radio contact over a distance of one mile. "One, two, three, four. Is it snowing where you are Mr. Thiessen?" were the first words sent by voice using a radio transmitter--in this case an AM-modulated spark gap--on December 23, 1900. "Yes, it is," Thiessen responded using Morse code--marking, as well, the first cross-mode QSO. Fessenden's spark gap transmitter, powered by a steam-driven generator, ran at 10,000 interruptions per second and is said to have sent raspy but intelligible speech. Two 50-foot masts placed one mile apart served as antennas.--J.D. Delancy, W3SMD
Mir to be deorbited in late February: According to press accounts, Russia plans to deorbit the Mir and send the space station on a re-entry trajectory that will put it into a desolated part of the South Pacific. The deorbit and re-entry is scheduled to take place in the February 26-28 time frame--14 years plus one week from the day the initial Mir module was put into orbit in 1986. The more than 130-ton spacecraft, on which several US astronauts served tours of duty with Russian cosmonauts, will be pushed out of Earth orbit using Progress rockets. Amateur Radio aboard Mir became a primary source of communication in the wake of a near-disatrous fire aboard the craft. It also allowed the crew members to speak with schoolchildren on Earth. Space debris experts are estimating that as much as 50 tons of space junk are likely to survive re-entry in Earth's atmosphere and--assuming all goes as planned--land in the Pacific. NASA Chief Daniel Goldin says he salutes Russia's decision to dump Mir in the interests of safety. One Progress rocket already is docked at Mir. Another Progress loaded with propellant will join it next month. It will take several days of "phasing burns" to position Mir for deorbiting.--from press reports
More on postal rates for DXers: The cost of an international Reply Coupon (IRC) will increase from $1.05 to $1.75 on January 7. A one-ounce letter sent via air mail to anywhere in the world (except Canada and Mexico) will cost 80 cents. A two-ounce air mail letter will cost anywhere from $1.55 to $1.70, depending on where it's going. The complete rate schedule is available on the USPS Web site.--Dennis Egan, NB1B, via Bernie McClenny, W3UR
NASA ISS page outlines ham radio presence in space: NASA's Human Spaceflight site includes an "International Space Station Reference" page on ham radio aboard Space Station Alpha. The site lists the tentative Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) frequencies and call signs and outlines some future plans.
"Sojourners" announce President's Award for Potluck Excellence winners: David Thorne, K6SOJ, reports that the ARRL-affiliated State of Jefferson Operators' United Relay Network and Emergency Radio Society (W6SOJ) held its "first annual" meeting in October at Emigrant Lake in Jackson County, Oregon. The event included a contest for the President's Award for Potluck Excellence.
Winners were (left to right) Jessica Light, xyl of K7NCE, for her fajitas en nopales y handmade flour tortillas; Tom "Fergy" Ferguson, N6SSQ, Modoc California ARES EC, and wife, Donna, N6SVV, for their abalone chowder; and Bev Hamilton, N7LAW, for her banana split cake. Each winner received an official State of Jefferson chef's apron. For more information, visit the club's Web site.--David Thorne, K6SOJ
Trojan horse program link posted via Usenet groups: Rick Ruhl, W4PC, reports that a "Trojan horse" program recently was posted as a "freeware ham program" on many Usenet groups, including rec.radio.amateur.dx. The program apparently is designed to grab passwords and possibly other confidential information from the computer of a person who downloads and runs the program. Those who checked it out report the program, once executed, will dial into the Internet and upload passwords and possibly other data from the user's computer. The individual posting the message, apparently from Sweden, identified himself as "Jonas." The questionable file was said to be on the "27 MHz WorldWide" home page but the file was unavailable as of December 12.
UK drops hands-free recommendation for cellphone users: The Times of London reports the British government has allocated $10 million to study possible health hazards related to cellular telephones. Citizens of the UK already have received leaflets instructing them to keep calls short and to check the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) on a particular handset before buying it. The flyers also outline possible health problems related to wireless usage. In addition to the study, the Radio Communications Agency says it will audit the placement of wireless transmitters, especially those near schools, for any problems with radiation. Meanwhile, Newsbytes reports that the British government also plans to withdraw its recommendation that cellular telephone users switch to hands-free units. Liam Donaldson, the UK's chief medical officer, says the government's decision to remove the health approval on hands-free kits followed a number of investigations that claim hands-free devices may even channel radiation to the user's head. Tests are ongoing.
| Previous: Registration Opens for ARRL Emergency Communications Course | Next: The Radio Association of Erie |
