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 Previous: Amateur Radio Today Sent to Members of Congress |  Next: FCC Declines to Grant Amateur LF Allocation; 5-MHz Access to be Channelized |
May 14, 2003
(In alphabetical order: )
Amateur News Weekly
QRT: Phil Thomas, W8RMJ, has announced that ill health has forced him to
cease production of Amateur
News Weekly after some 25 years. Thomas says medical problems
and declining health have taken their toll and have kept the Amateur Radio
Webcast on hiatus since early February. "I kept hoping that my health issues
would improve," Thomas said in announcing his decision to discontinue ANW.
"That's not the case." In addition to Amateur News Weekly, Thomas founded
West-Central Ohio ARES and established, edited and produced DAYTON-LINK
(initially with Steve Ford, WB8IMY--now QST editor--as the newscaster).
Amateur Radio operators among NOAA Environmental Hero Award winners: Ham radio operators were among the 36 winners of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Environmental Hero Award winners for Earth Day 2003. Established in 1995 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Earth Day, the Environmental Hero Award is presented to individuals and organizations that volunteer their time and energy to help NOAA carry out its mission. This year's winners included Eastern Massachusetts District Emergency Coordinator for SKYWARN Rob Macedo, KD1CY, of New Bedford, Massachusetts. Macedo has been the Skywarn Coordinator for NWS Taunton office since 1994. He has helped the program grow from 800 weather spotters to 3500. Also recognized was the Alabama Emergency Response Team (ALERT). The group of mostly Amateur Radio volunteers has put in hundreds of hours of time over the past eight years in support of severe-weather operations in central Alabama. ALERT members staff radio equipment in the NWS Birmingham office to maintain direct contact with storm spotters and emergency management officials in the field. Its president is Chuck Arthur, KF4SSX. Another award winner was Don McFarland, W5WD, of the Alamo Area Council of Governments in San Antonio, Texas. He was cited for contributing significant improvement to public safety for south-central Texas over the past decade by obtaining funds for a NOAA Weather Radio, expanding Amateur Radio SKYWARN spotter capabilities, receiving and retransmitting warnings through EMWIN, and acting in numerous life-threatening situations as a SKYWARN spotter and net control. NOAA also honored Carl Ojala of Eastern Michigan University for volunteering his time to conduct NWS SKYWARN spotter training seminars every spring since 1994, training some 400 volunteers each year. He also has maintained the National Weather Service Cooperative Weather Station at Eastern Michigan University since 1986. While not a ham, Ojala has trained many amateur SKYWARN volunteers in his classes.
ARRL, IARU presidents help Radio Amateurs of
Canada mark 10th anniversary: Radio Amateurs of Canada
(RAC) directors and the RAC Executive marked the organization's 10th
anniversary when they attended the 2003 annual board meeting at the NavCanada
Training and Conference Centre in Cornwall. The agenda included final approval
of a corporate business plan and budgeting for an improved RAC Internet
Services Management structure, a 2003-2004 RAC membership recruitment and
retention campaign and a RAC youth education program. Following the board
meeting, RAC's 2003 Annual General Meeting of members convened. In addition to
financial statements and audit reports, the President's narrative report to
members was presented. Members were provided an opportunity to ask questions
and express concerns. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, was on hand at both meetings.
International Amateur Radio Union President Larry Price, W4RA, and RAC VP for
Government and International Affairs, Ken Pulfer, VE3PU, outlined preparations
leading up to World Radiocommunication Conference 2003. Price's appearance
marked the first time an IARU president attended an RAC annual meeting. Minutes
and reports of both meetings will appear in a future edition of The Canadian
Amateur magazine and on the RAC Web
site.
California ham radio antenna bill set for Senate hearing: The California Senate's Local Government Committee will hear public comment on the state's pending Amateur Radio antenna legislation, Assembly Bill 1228. The hearing is set for Wednesday, May 21, at 9 AM PDT. ARRL staffer and antenna expert Dean Straw, N6BV, is scheduled to testify on behalf of the proposed legislation. The measure would incorporate the essence of the limited federal preemption known as PRB-1 into California's statutes and require localities to "reasonably accommodate" Amateur Radio communication. The bill cleared the California Assembly April 10 on a 67-0 vote. California is home to nearly 15 percent of the nation's Amateur Radio population. The bill's sponsor, Assemblyman Bob Dutton, is inviting letters of support to The Honorable Bob Dutton, State Capitol PO Box 942849, Sacramento, CA 94249-2063 (fax, 916-319-2163). Correspondents are requested to fax a copy to Peter Detwiler at the Senate Local Government Committee, 916-322-0298.
DXCC Desk approves operations for credit: The ARRL DXCC Desk has approved these operations for DXCC credit: Iraq--YI/ON6TT, YI/SM7PKK, YI/S53R, YI/S57CQ, YI/F5ORF, YI/ON4WW, YI/VK4KMT, YI/EK6KB, YI/EK6DO and YI/ON5NT; Market Reef--OJ0/OE1ZKC, OJ0/JH1ARJ, OJ0/AH7X and OJ0/JR4PMX, which took place July 12-16, 2001.
 Ed Bissell, W3AU, during the 1969 CQ World Wide CW contest. [K7SV Photo Collection] |
Ed Bissell, W3AU, SK: Well-known contester Ed Bissell, W3AU (ex-W3MSK), of Brooksville, Florida, died May 10. He was 83. The Daily DX reports that in his heyday Bissell, an ARRL Charter Life Member, ran the world's top multi-multi contest station in Accokeek, Maryland, on the shore of the Potomac River just south of Washington, DC. Many of the top contesters in the US got their start in serious contesting at W3MSK/W3AU. The Daily DX says the list includes K1AR, K3EST, N4IN, K7SV, N4KG, W8CQN, W3TMZ, N4RV and K3RV, among others. Contester and former ARRL Midwest Division Director Lew Gordon, K4VX, called Bissell "certainly a force in contesting for decades." Remarked Larry Schimelpfenig, K7SV, who honed his contesting skills at W3MSK/W3AU, "I don't know if contesting would have the same place in my heart if it hadn't been for the time Ed allowed me to spend with him and the crew. He was a great man and a great friend." Photos of the station in operation in the 1960s from the K7SV collection are available on the Potomac Valley Radio Club Web site. A service was set for Saturday, May 17, 2 PM, at Merritt Funeral Home, US 41 and Lemon Avenue, Brooksville, Florida. Condolences go to Grace Bissell, 7080 High Corner Rd, Brooksville, FL 34602.
 Hank Greeb, N8XX (left), receives his 50-year ARRL membership plaque from Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE. |
Great Lakes Division assistant director marks 50 years of ARRL membership: ARRL from Great Lakes Division Director Jim Weaver, K8JE, recently presented Hank Greeb, N8XX, of Cincinnati, Ohio, with a plaque honoring Greeb's 50 years of consecutive League membership. Greeb also received a framed certificate recognizing his service as an active Assistant Director in the Great Lakes Division. Greeb, 65, became an ARRL member in 1952 while still a Novice licensee (WN0FVD) under a family membership. He's now a Full Charter Life Member of ARRL and belongs to the A-1 Operator Club. The presentations were made May 9 at the monthly meeting of the Queen City Emergency Net in Cincinnati.
Kenwood names new Communications Division vice president: Kenwood USA Corporation President Mori Tamura has announced that Steven P. Henke, W9SH, has been appointed vice president and general manager of Kenwood USA Corporation's Communications Division. An ARRL member, Henke has more than 30 years' experience in the two-way radio industry, including 20 years as vice president and chief engineer at Ritron Inc and most recently with Xelatec LLC, his own communications engineering firm. Henke will head Kenwood's operations in Suwanee, Georgia, and will oversee sales and marketing of Amateur Radio, Land Mobile and other products.
Lee Kitchens, N5YBW, SK: Lee Kitchens, N5YBW, of Ransom Canyon, Texas, died unexpectedly May 12. He was 73. An ARRL member, Kitchens served as ARRL West Texas Section Manager from July 2001 until October 2002. ARRL Field Organization/Public Service Team Leader Steve Ewald, WV1X, said he was "surprised and saddened" to learn of Kitchens' death and noted that Kitchens had attended an SM Workshop at ARRL Headquarters in August 2001. ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Rosalie White, K1STO, said Kitchens "was dedicated to communicating important news to the ARRL West Texas Section hams, helping them be more active in the volunteer activities they enjoyed, and increasing the number of ARRL members." Bill Ricker, N1VUX, a long-time family friend, called Kitchens "an inspiration to me as a youngster, long before either of us were licensed as hams." Ricker said Kitchens took him into work with him at Texas Instruments and introduced him to the world of engineering. Kitchens only became licensed after he retired, however. Ricker said Kichens also was an influential figure in the organization Little People of America (LPA), a nonprofit organization that provides support and information to people of short stature and their families. Kitchens was a past president of LPA, a foundation trustee, founder of the West Texas LPA chapter and an organizer and registrar for an upcoming LPA conference. He was LPA's vice president of membership at the time of his death. Following his career at Texas Instruments, which included the era of the Bomar Brain and TI pocket calculators and the Silent 700 portable computer terminal, Kitchens built "Kitchens' Karts" for the disability-mobility community. Kitchens also was a past president and long-time board member of the Human Growth Foundation and a past mayor of Ransom Canyon, where the city hall is located on Lee Kitchens Drive. He also was a member of Lubbock County RACES/ARES and trustee of a local repeater. A sister, grandchildren and in-laws survive. The family invites memorial donations to the LPA's newly established Lee Kitchens Memorial Fund, PO Box 65030, Lubbock, TX 79464-5030.--Bill Ricker, N1VUX
 At Jackson Amateur Radio Club's W5JWX, net control op Terry Drake, KD5JPB, points out a recently issued weather warning to Greg King, KD5HDZ, as District Emergency Coordinator Ron Brown, AB5WF (left), looks on from the HF position. [Ben Jones, AC5SU, Photo] |
Mississippi hams have busy April: It was a busy couple of weeks in April for the Jackson Amateur Radio Club in Mississippi. With tornado conditions looming, JARC opened SKYWARN operations April 6 at the Jackson Forecast Office of the National Weather Service, continuing throughout the day and into the next morning. Ninety-one operators checked into HF and VHF/UHF weather nets. As tornadoes touched down in Hinds County, members of Metro-Jackson ARES accompanied Red Cross personnel on preliminary damage assessments and investigation of a possible F1 tornado in Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. Unprecedented flash flooding occurred in Jackson and Meridian counties after 10 inches of rain fell in 10 hours, affecting almost 1000 homeowners and apartment dwellers. Working with members of the Mississippi State Guard, ARES teams in Jackson conducted street-by-street and apartment-by-apartment damage assessments. Hinds-Madison-Rankin Emergency Coordinator Ben Jones, AC5SU, said the disaster was a big mess. "It seems we had it all in just one day," Jones said. Terry Drake, KD5JPB, who coordinated the local damage assessment effort, called the effort monumental. "Just when you think you've got it done, another report comes in from a different area," he said. On April 24, another storm system moved across Mississippi, leaving the Jackson area with even more destruction. JARC once again staffed SKYWARN positions. On the strength of ham radio storm-spotter reports, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Hinds and Madison Counties. An F0 tornado damaged a few homes in the Jackson suburb of Clinton; later that evening, an F3 tornado struck the suburb of Brandon, damaging or destroying more than 400 houses. More than 70 participated in an emergency net. Drake again coordinated damage assessment activities with local hams working with Red Cross volunteers.
National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC announces 2003 on-the-air test: The National Hurricane Center's Amateur Radio station, WX4NHC (formerly W4EHW), will conduct its 2003 hurricane season on-the-air station test Sunday, June 1, 1300-2200 UTC. The event will mark the first time the NHC uses its new WX4NHC call sign. WX4NHC Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, KU4GY, says the purpose of the annual station test is to check out all of the WX4NHC radio, computer and antenna equipment using as many modes and frequencies as possible. Some RFI monitoring also will be done. "We will also be testing some new antennas and equipment that are being installed for this coming season," McHugh said. "A few new operators will receive hands-on training." WX4NHC will operate on HF, VHF and UHF. HF operation will use this schedule: 1300 UTC--3.911 and 7.268 SSB and VHF/UHF FM; 1400 UTC--14.325 MHz SSB, VHF 147.000 repeater/UHF 442.350 repeater; 1500 UTC--144.200 MHz SSB, 14.070 MHz PSK31; 1700 UTC--14.325 and 21.325 MHz SSB, VHF/UHF IRLP Node 9210; 1800 UTC--21.325 and 28.525 MHz SSB; 2000 UTC--14.325 and 144.200 MHz SSB. CW operation will be on 14.035, 21.035 and 28.035 MHz (times will vary). Stations working WX4NHC are asked to provide a signal report, location and brief weather report. Non-hams are invited to submit their actual weather using the On-Line Hurricane Report Form. QSL cards are available via W4VBQ. Include an SASE with all requests.
New DX books to be available at Hamvention: Idiom Press has announced publication of two new books of interest to DXers. The first is the new third edition of The Complete DX'er by Bob Locher, W9KNI. The latest edition of this classic is what its author calls "a fascinating diary of a serious DX chaser" as well as a tutorial on successful DXing. The second book is Up Two--Adventures of a DXpeditioner, by Roger Western, G3SXW. It describes Western's operation from 22 different countries, many of them quite rare. Both books will be available during Hamvention at the Idiom Press booth (No 7) in Hara Arena, and the authors will be on hand to autograph copies. ARRL plans to offer The Complete DX'er for sale via its on-line catalog.
QRP WARC-Speed DX Challenge announced: Danny Eskenazi, K7SS, Ward Silver, N0AX, and the Western Washington DX Club--with the assistance of Bruce Horn, WA7BNM--have announced the year-long QRP WARC-Speed DX Challenge. The objective is to work as many DXCC entities as possible using low power (QRP) on the so-called "WARC bands," 30, 17 and 12 meters. The Challenge starts at 0000 UTC June 1, 2003, and ends at 2359 UTC May 31, 2004. For the purposes of the Challenge, QRP is defined as 5 W or less output on digital modes or CW and 10 W PEP on SSB. (AM or FM operators also are welcome.) Certificates will be awarded for the top three totals from each CQ Zone in each of several categories for working 100 entities on any single band. Results will be posted monthly in the following categories: 17-meter CW, 17-meter phone, 17-meter digital, 17-meter total, 12-meter CW, 12-meter phone, 12-meter digital, 12-meter total, 30-meter CW, 30-meter digital, total CW, total phone, total digital, total overall. Participants may enter as many or as few categories as they wish. The Challenge involves no QSL cards or cumbersome paperwork. At the end of each month, WA7BNM will post a score submittal form on the 3830 Score Submittal Web page. Participants will enter their totals and updated totals will be posted to the 3830 contest score reflector and CQ-contest reflectors (and be forwarded to the DX and QRP reflectors, as well). At the end of the year, participants will be able to download a nice certificate! The honor system rules, Silver said, and he notes the Challenge is not a contest. For more information, contact Ward Silver, N0AX.
Special event set to highlight missing children: A public special event to highlight missing children will be held May 26, 2003, 1500-2000 UTC, on the common in W Brookfield, Massachusetts. The third annual Ham Radio Special Event Station (KB1HGK) is designed to call attention to the more than 2300 children reported missing each day. This event is sponsored by Lyceum Press and Gifts, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the National Missing Child Organization and the Center for Missing Adults, Turley Publications and the Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Association. Anticipated operation will be on 7.225, 14.250 and 21.325 MHz, with SSTV on 20 meters. Participation by nonhams is invited under the supervision of a licensed operator. Each child operating will receive a special event patch. For more information, visit the Third Annual Missing Children's Day Ham Radio Special Event Web site or contact Sheree Greenwood, K1SQ.
Special prefixes permitted for Canadian anniversary event: Industry Canada has authorized the use of a special event prefix for the 50th anniversary of the National Library of Canada. From May 24 until July 27 Canadians may use these optional prefixes: CK for VE, CJ for VA, CY for VO and CZ for VY stations.--The Daily DX
Saint Petersburg, Russia, special event: Special event station RL1A is active until May 31 to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the city of Saint Petersburg. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using SSB. QSL via RA1AG.
Texas club announces scholarship winner: Midland (Texas) Amateur Radio Club has announced that the winner of its 2003 scholarship is Elizabeth Baker, a senior at Midland High School. She plans to attend Texas A&M University this fall to major in biology and Spanish. Baker is president of the Spanish Honor Society and a member of Texas Scholars and the National Honor Society. She also ranks in the top four percent of her graduating class and has participated in a combined medical, dental and optical mission trip to Costa Rica the last three summers. The Midland Amateur Radio Club's $500 scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior from one of the six Midland County high schools. Applicants must have already been accepted by a college or university that they plan to attend. This year, 17 students applied for the scholarship, which is funded by the sale of the club's coffee mugs at its annual St Patrick's Day Hamfest. The recipient is selected on the basis of academic ability, economic need and a personal interview. Elizabeth Baker is the club's eighth scholarship recipient.
Virginia "Big Project" school students thank
Joe Walsh, WB6ACU: Students at Blacksburg Middle
School (K4BMS), an ARRL Education and Technology Program ("The Big Project") pilot school in Southwest Virginia,
recently expressed their appreciation to rock star Joe Walsh, WB6ACU (The
Eagles, The James Gang and solo artist), for his generous contribution last
December to The Big Project. Walsh said he hoped his donation would spur others
to contribute to ARRL's Education
and Technology Fund. Their teacher and mentor is Rich Beamish, K4FCP, a
sixth-grade math and science teacher. ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary
Hobart, K1MMH, said the significant gift through the Joseph F. Walsh Foundation
permitted funding an additional eight pilot schools in the ARRL Education and
Technology Program.
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