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 Previous: Space&Beyond: Versatile Satellite UO-22 Celebrates 10 Years in Space |  Next: FCC Scrutinizing Georgia ARRL VEC Exam Session |
Aug 1, 2001
(In alphabetical order: )
FCC levies $10,000 fine for unlicensed hamming: The FCC has levied a $10,000 fine on an East Palo Alto, California, man for transmitting without a license on amateur frequencies. Earlier this year, the Commission had proposed forfeitures totaling $17,000 in the case of Joshie Yasin Nakamura Sr, who also is known as "Mervyn Ehambrave" and "Marvin Eugene Barnes." The FCC's Forfeiture Order, released July 6, offered no explanation for the discrepancy in the figures. As Ehambrave, Nakamura was among those receiving an FCC Warning Notice in March 1999 for allegedly operating without a license on the K7IJ repeater system in the San Francisco Bay area. The FCC shut down that repeater system for more than two months, in part because it said the control operator was permitting unlicensed individuals to use the repeaters. The fine stemmed from complaints about Nakamura to the FCC that date back to late January through March of 2000. The Commission says it heard from several Amateur Radio licensees and from members of the ARRL Amateur Auxiliary that an unlicensed station was operating on several amateur frequencies. Nakamura reportedly is being detained by state authorities on unrelated felony charges and did not respond to the FCC's Notice of Apparent Liability.--FCC
Group to put "rare" county, grid on air: A group of California amateurs will activate Alpine County, California, in grid DM08cn from 1800 UTC August 25 until 2100 UTC August 26. The N6DIT operation will include Dennis Bullock, N6DIT; Jack Costa, K6TTT; and Fred Soderer, WB6QVI. Operating frequencies will be 10 kHz above County Hunter frequencies, conditions permitting.--Dennis Bullock, N6DIT
Hams help handle 911 outage: Members of the Stafford County, Virginia, Amateur Radio Emergency Service sprang into action the evening of July 27 after the county's 911 Center lost all incoming telephone trunks. The telephone company re-routed incoming 911 calls to a local high school. Stafford County Emergency Communications Director Linda Goodridge deployed two dispatchers to take calls at the school and alerted the Stafford County Amateur Radio Association to assist. Dualband amateur equipment is permanently installed at the 911 Center. Hams activated an emergency net on the Stafford 2-meter repeater to relay 911 traffic between the high school and the 911 Center. Another radio was set up at the school, which was already equipped with a dualband antenna. Unfortunately, it was away from the front office where calls would arrive. An interim simplex net was established from the front office to a ham stationed outside, who could pass call information to the 911 Center via the repeater. In time, Virginia Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Gregory, N4NW, set up a temporary repeater to allow traffic from the front office to reach the Stafford 440 repeater. The 911 Center then could listen to the call traffic directly, without first having to convert the message to paper. Meanwhile Stafford County EC Emmett Price, K3EP, replaced the radio at the 911 Center that had been experiencing problems. The telephone switch was brought back on line approximately 90 minutes after the disruption had begun. The communications director released everyone by 9 PM, after it appeared the 911 crisis had been resolved. "She was extremely pleased at the response the area hams provided and extended a thank you to all who were involved.--Emmett Price, K3EP
 (L-R) Andrew Jackman, KD7NYQ, Andrew Foster, KC9AAT, and Jonathan Shields, KG4OOX, were among the newly licensed Scouts at this year's National Jamboree. All three received Technician licenses. Foster's father, Michael, also got his ticket. He's now KC9AAS. Another new Jamboree licensee, Kris Halvorsen, KD5PFZ, was unavailable when this photo was taken. [Mike Brown, WB2JWD, Photo] |
Jamboree Scouts/Scouters pass tests, get tickets: For the first time ever, four Scouts or Scout leaders who passed their Amateur Radio examinations at the Boy Scouts' National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia received their call signs while the Jamboree was still in progress. "This is the first time the paperwork flowed fast enough that we could have them in to K2BSA to make their first contacts under their new calls," said Mike Brown, WB2JWD, of the K2BSA Jamboree staff. Brown says that 22 new Scouts and Scouters have been licensed during the Jamboree, which has been offering ham exams since 1993. The Jamboree wraps up this week.
Midland announces name change: Midland Consumer Radio Inc, based in Kansas City, has changed its corporate name to Midland Radio Corporation. This follows Midland's acquisition of the US land mobile radio operations of Securicor Wireless Inc, also based in Kansas City. Midland is the oldest manufacturer of CB radios in the US and an early player in the marketing of Family Radio Service transceivers. Midland has been in the two-way radio manufacturing business since 1959. More information is available on Midland's Web site.
Nevada ARES and RACES members participate in simulated emergency: Hams across northern Nevada came together July 13 in a successful test of their ability to provide communications support for Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief. SBC Disaster Relief workers responded from Reno and Fallon to a simulated emergency in Wells, Nevada, some 340 miles east of Reno along Interstate 80. SBC response to the exercise was initiated by a radio call from the American Red Cross to the Nevada Baptist Convention Offices. Fallon volunteers were advised via Amateur Radio to meet Reno responders at the junction of US Highway 95 and Interstate 80. A ham traveling with the convoy utilized 2-meter and 70-cm repeater systems to report back to Reno on the convoy's position as it traveled across the state and its eventual arrival in Wells. Hams in Lovelock and Paradise Valley filled the gap between repeater systems. The Sierra Nevada Amateur Radio Society's linked repeaters covered the western part of the route, while the Elko Amateur Radio Club's linked 2-meter system covered I-80 from just east of Winnemucca to the Utah line. The WO7I mountaintop repeater facilitated relays across the region between the two club systems. The exercise demonstrated the value of the linked repeater systems in covering the I-80 corridor for emergency communication. "I was very impressed with the professionalism of the hams and with their capabilities," said Tom Bacon, Missions Resources Director for the Nevada Baptist Convention and coordinator for SBC Disaster Relief efforts in the state. Communication for the exercise was coordinated by Northern Nevada Amateur Radio Services--the coordinating body for ARES and RACES in the Washoe County, Nevada area.--Matt Parker, N7TOD
Noted DXer Philip J. Latta, W4GTS, SK: Noted DXer Phil Latta, W4GTS, of Marietta, Georgia, died July 26 after a long illness. He was 85. An ARRL member, Latta was on the DXCC Honor Roll with 356 entities. He belonged to the Southeastern DX Club as well as to the Atlanta and Athens, and Kennehoochee clubs. For many years he served as chairman of the Atlanta Radio Club Scholarship Committee that dispensed thousands of dollars in educational grants to Georgia teenaged hams. Latta also mounted DXpeditions to Navassa Island, Turks & Caicos and the Bahamas among others. ARRL Georgia Section Manager Sandy Donahue, W4RU, said Latta was "a kind and courtly Southern gentleman." Among Latta's survivors is his brother, Bill, W4LH.--Sandy Donahue, W4RU
Pacific Northwest VHF Conference set for September 22: The Pacific Northwest VHF Conference will be held Saturday, September 22, in Tacoma, Washington, at the Best Western Tacoma Inn. The featured speaker, Canadian VHF operator and contester Gabor Horvath, VE7DXG, will talk on "Mountaintops, Meteors and Other Cool Stuff." Other sessions on the schedule include EME Basics, 2-Meter Tropo Activity, Moving Up to the Microwave Bands and Formation of a New Pacific Northwest VHF Society. Registration forms, conference and hotel information are on the Pacific Northwest VHF Conference Web page. For additional information, e-mail Jim Aguirre.
John Core, S21YV, at his station in Dhaka, Bangladesh. |
PSK31 continues to amaze: Steve Melachrinos, W3HF/6, in California, was delighted to hook up July 27 with John Core, S21YV, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on 20-meter PSK31. Both were running low-power (QRP). "Both John and I were amazed at our success in completing a W6-to-S21 QSO QRP," said Melachrinos, who was running a Small Wonder Labs PSK20 at 3 W output. He reports he's up to 98 DXCC entities since last November, all on 20-meter PSK31 using the PSK20. Most were worked from Pennsylvania, where he uses an attic dipole, but he's logged 10 DXCC entities from the West Coast as well, where he has the advantage of the WA6GFY club station's Force12 three-element Yagi at 81 feet. "The S21 is the jewel at this time," he said. For his part, Core--who's KX7YT when he's home in Oregon--was equally thrilled. "I could hardly believe that I was copying you over here in Dhaka," he told Melachrinos. "Just barely had enough signal using my puny half-square wire antenna to get your call and report OK after many tries. Fun stuff!" Core says he'll be back in the US August 5. Melachrinos said he'd seen Core's article in August QST ("A Beginner's Guide to Amateur Radio in Bangladesh") and was hoping he might have a chance to work S21YV while in California on business.
Radio Amateurs of Canada opens convention Web site: The 2002 RAC Convention Web site now is open. RAC's second national convention will be held July 26-28, 2002, in Vernon, British Columbia.
 L-R) REACT International Secretary Lee Besing, N5NTG; David Clark, KB6TAM (seated at radio); Trinidad & Tobago REACT Council President Kenny Jagdeosingh, and Trinidad REACT member David Alexander. |
REACT International conventioneers enjoy visit with David Clark, KB6TAM: Seagoing adventurer-ham David Clark, KB6TAM, regaled members of REACT International with tales of his around-the-world sailing voyage during the organization's 2001 convention in Trinidad. Clark, who's sitting out the 2001 Atlantic hurricane season there, spoke to REACT members attending the Amateur Radio Breakfast. "He suggested that after finishing his trip in the fall, that he would like to supplement his income by becoming a motivational speaker," said REACT International Secretary Lee Besing, N5NTG.
Two Aussie radio magazines merge: The Australian radio hobbyist magazine Radio & Communications has been acquired by Radiomag Pty Ltd, directors of the companies announced this week. "Radio & Communications subscribers will continue to receive the merged publication, as will Radiomag subscribers," said Chris Lambden of Cinch Publishing, which purchased R&C last year. The merged publication will be produced monthly. Lamden called the change "in the long-term interests of both the Amateur Radio and CB industries and those publishing within that sphere for there to be one publication serving the industry." The combined title will publish its September issue in late August.
Vatican Radio heads off shutdown: Vatican Radio has been cutting back both its transmitter power and broadcast day in the wake of an ultimatum from Italian environmental authorities. Vatican Radio says it shut down its medium-wave transmitter during the day and has been gradually reducing its power levels over the past few months until it reaches emission levels agreed to with Italian authorities. Citing measurements showing that emissions from Vatican Radio exceeded permissible maximums under Italian law, Italian environmental authorities had threatened to cut off power to the Vatican Radio site. In a statement, the Vatican said it had "reduced, unilaterally, by 50% the power of medium wave emission from Vatican Radio's Broadcasting Center in Santa Maria di Galeria," since last February and was committeed to reducing the duration of transmissions, taking into account the thresholds established. Vatican Radio also said it would shift its short-wave transmissions to other antennas at its site. Built 50 years ago in a relatively unpopulated area outside Rome, the Vatican Radio transmitters and nearly three dozen antennas now sit in the midst of heavy residential development. Some residents have blamed RF exposure for causing cases of leukemia as well as for widespread RFI.
 The now-cancelled 9CKT license document issued by the US Department of Commerce to 17-year-old Ed Marquart. |
Walter Edward Marquart, W0CKT, SK: Ed "Prof" Marquart of Madison, Wisconsin, died July 13. He was 91. Marquart was issued the first Amateur Radio operator's license in South Dakota in 1926. The then-17-year-old was granted a General class license and the call sign 9CKT by the US Commerce Department. He later became W9CKT and W0CKT. During World War II Marquart was a consultant for radar installations around the world. After his retirement from teaching, he became a missionary and pastor. Survivors include his wife, Mabel.--David Marquart, W7VT.
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