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 Previous: The Amateur Amateur: The Junkman Cometh, Part III |  Next: Hams Continue to Aid Claudette Relief, Cleanup Efforts |
July 17, 2003
(In alphabetical order: )
Federal court orders civil judgment against alleged unlicensed broadcaster: The US Middle District of Florida, Orlando Division, has granted judgment in favor of the government's efforts to collect a $10,000 civil penalty against Richard I. Rowland of Florida for allegedly transmitting without a license. US District Judge Gregory A. Presnell also ordered Rowland to pay court costs. The judgment resulted from an investigation that began in May 2000 when the FCC's Tampa Field Office received a complaint of an unlicensed broadcast station operating in the Longwood area. The FCC says its agents determined that Rowland had operated an unlicensed "pirate" radio station on 97.1 MHz from Longwood on numerous occasions in 2000. The unlicensed radio operation led to the 2001 seizure by US Marshals and Commission agents of his radio station equipment and the imposition of the $10,000 fine for multiple violations of the Communications Act. The FCC says it filed suit in federal district court after Rowland refused to pay the fine. Operators of unlicensed stations may be subject to civil monetary forfeitures of up to $11,000 per single violation or per day of a continuing violation not to exceed $87,500 for continuing violations. In addition, unlicensed operators may be subject to criminal sanctions, including a maximum $10,000 fine and up to one year imprisonment for a first offense.
First US mainland-to-Wake Island 6-meter QSO reported: Friday the 13th turned into a lucky day for some 6-meter ops. The first reported QSO between the US mainland and Wake Island in the Pacific occurred Friday, June 13, at 1904 UTC. Well-known West Coast DXer Bob Magnani, K6QXY, in Santa Rosa, California, completed an SSB QSO with retired US astronaut Chuck Brady, N4BQW/KH9, on Wake Island. He subsequently worked Brady on CW. TJ Cantrell, K7CD, atop 8300-foot-high Fort Fox Mountain in Nevada for the ARRL June VHF QSO Party, also worked N4BQW/KH9.
Grid Dip PSK-RTTY Shindig announced: The Troy (New York) Amateur Radio Association (TARA)--a leading sponsor of PSK and RTTY contests--has announced the inaugural Grid Dip PSK-RTTY Shindig. The HF contest, which takes place August 2 from 0000 to 2359 UTC, combines PSK and RTTY (all forms of both modes) and uses Maidenhead grid squares for multipliers. Complete information is on the TARA Web site.
Kentucky, Brazil amateur clubs partner: The Murray State University Amateur Radio Club in Kentucky and the Radioamateurs do Japy in Jundiai, Sao Paulo, Brazil, have established a relationship as sister clubs. The two clubs completed a contact July 12 via EchoLink that brought together 10 stations on K4SDI-L using simplex VHF. Bill Slayman, KY4NU, who helped forge the cooperative arrangement last February, expressed thanks to Flavio Arkangelo, PY2ZX, in Brazil, and Mark Garland, K4SDI, who provided the gateways for the first scheduled "radio-to-EchoLink-to-radio" hookup between the clubs. "Our first impression of your US community was wonderful, even though some of our operators had few words to say," Arkangelo said. "It shows that radio does extend geographic frontiers across many different cultures." Since February, Slayman and other operators have exchanged technical advice, printed materials and over-the-air expertise in order to further the agreement's principles of "forming a union to provide mutual assistance" so that both organizations "will strive to live up to the ideals of the Amateur Service to set the best examples." Stations checked in from the US, Canada and Brazil. Providing moral support and--where needed--translation services was Slayman's wife, Cristina Panizza Slayman, formerly of Jundiai. Part of the July 12 QSO was in Portuguese. Slayman said the language differences were the main barrier but added, "as we proved this weekend, they can be overcome."--John Dillon, K4JFD/Murray State ARC
KG4PDA is new SATERN Southern Territory Coordinator: Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) National Director Pat McPherson, WW9E, has named Mike Patterson, KG4PDA, of Pineville, North Carolina, as SATERN's Southern Territory Coordinator. An ARRL member, Patterson, who has been Disaster Services Coordinator for the Carolinas, coordinated the response to Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and was a principal in The Salvation Army's role at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. "He has integrated Amateur Radio in dynamic fashion with his disaster services responsibilities and will well fulfill the tasks presented him in his new role as Territorial SATERN Coordinator," McPherson said.
New satellites launched: Several new satellites carrying Amateur Radio payloads were launched on July 1. From the University of Tokyo CubeSat team--XI and CUTE. Beacons are on 436.8475 MHz and 436.8375 MHz, respectively. Quakesat was also launched on the same rocket and can be monitored on 436.675 MHz transmitting FSK and 9600-baud AX25 packet every 10 seconds. Also onboard was the University of Toronto CanX-1 payload, operating at 437.88 MHz sending a digital signal consisting of two tones--one at 1.2 kHz and another at 1.8 kHz.--Bruce Paige, KK5DO
New York City ARES obtains distinctive call sign: New York City Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) now has its own vanity call sign, WC2WTC, to commemorate the September 11, 2001, activation following the World Trade Center terrorist attack. "This special call sign also reflects on those who were affected by the devastation," said New York City District Emergency Coordinator Charles Hargrove, N2NOV. "For those of us who worked at the World Trade Center, this call sign will forever remind us and others why NYC ARES exists--to aid our community in times of need, with specialized skills in a professional manner." Hargrove, who worked at various jobs in the World Trade Center for 16 years, says the WC2WTC call sign will be used during special events, emergency operations or other activities "that warrant the need for listeners to know that NYC ARES is on the air providing a much-needed service."
 Sheriff Roger Edwards, WB8WJV, cuffs prisoner (and Ohio SM) Joe Phillips, K8QOE, and puts him behind bars at the Michigan Family Outing July 13. |
Ohio Section Manager wins release from "jail": ARRL Ohio Section Manager Joe Phillips, K8QOE, found himself briefly behind bars last weekend, but it was all in fun and part of the fifth annual Michigan Section Family Outing at the Woodlands Conference Center and Campgrounds in Lupton, Michigan. Sheriff Roger Edwards, WB8WJV, was arresting people whose names were drawn from a bucket of tickets they'd filled out upon registration. The guise was Win a Free Trip. What they didn't know was that it was a free trip to jail. The detainees were held until they could contact someone on the radio and send a properly formatted National Traffic System message to gain their release. If they did not know how to do it, Edwards, an avid traffic handler, was only too happy to teach them. Phillips' was the first name drawn, and he had no problem winning his release from the slammer.--Dick Mondro, W8FQT
Revised edition of The ARRL FCC Rule Book now available: The 13th edition of The ARRL FCC Rule Book--your complete guide to FCC Amateur Radio Service rules and regulations, edited by John Hennessee, N1KB, now is available. This edition has been updated to reflect recent changes to the Amateur Service rules. The Rule Book includes the entire text of Part 97 with easy-to-read explanations plus the new 60-meter allocation rules. New sections guide you through the FCC Universal Licensing System and make license modification a breeze. Other new information discusses the use of the Internet and Amateur Radio as well as repeaters, public service and interference issues. The ARRL FCC Rule Book is $12.95. To order, visit the ARRL Web catalog.
The W5YI Report to QRT: The W5YI Report, dubbed "America's Oldest Ham Radio Newsletter," has announced that it's ceasing publication with its July 15 issue. Begun some 25 years ago by Fred Maia, W5YI, as a service to the Richardson (Texas) Wireless Club, The W5YI Report evolved into a twice-monthly paid-subscription compilation of ham radio and--more recently--electronics industry and Internet-related news printed on distinctive pink paper. Maia, 68, sold his company, W5YI Group, which included The W5YI Report and the W5YI-VEC, to Larry Pollock, NB5X, in 2000. Maia agreed to continue editing the newsletter for another three years, but now he wants to give it up, although he will continue his monthly column in CQ. Current subscriptions to The W5YI Report will be fulfilled with CQ subscriptions starting with the August issue.
 TV reporter Lisa Martin of KRDO-TV operates the K0USN GOTA station at the Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association Field Day site while control operator Mike Anderson, WV7T (center), Colorado SM Jeff Ryan, K0RM (right) and other club members look on. [Tomas Dawson, KC0NRZ, Photo] |
Turnabout is fair play: After KRDO-TV (Colorado Springs, Colorado) reporter Lisa Martin had interviewed members of the Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association AF0S Field Day Team, ARRL Colorado Section Manager Jeff Ryan, K0RM, figured turnabout was only fair play. "She was going to put us on the air; I felt it was only proper that we put her on the air," Ryan said. Encouraged by control operator Mike Anderson, WV7T, Martin obliged by operating the GOTA ("Get on the Air") station at the Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association Field Day. A two-minute feature segment on Field Day by Martin aired on KRDO-TV's evening and late night news on Sunday, June 29.--Jeff Ryan, K0RM
Victory to exit NTIA post: According to Wireless Week The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Nancy Victory will leave her post as Assistant Commerce Secretary for Information and Administration. Victory, who's been at NTIA for almost two years, reportedly plans to leave in mid-August. No replacement has been named, and Victory has not indicated her plans for the future. The NTIA administers radio spectrum allocated to the federal government.
Vote on QST Cover Plaque award: The winner of the QST Cover Plaque Award for June was Bill Wageman, K5MAT, for his article, "The Transverter--An Introduction to a Useful Device." Congratulations, Bill! The winner of the QST Cover Plaque award--given to the author--or authors--of the best article in each issue--is determined by a vote of ARRL members. Voting takes place each month on the QST Cover Plaque Poll Web page. Cast a ballot for your favorite article in the July issue of QST. Voting ends July 31.
 2003 Young Ham of the Year Jay Thompson, W6JAY. |
W6JAY named Newsline Young Ham of the
Year: Jay E. Thompson, W6JAY, of Santa Ana,
California, has been named Amateur Radio
Newsline's Young Ham of
the Year (YHOTY) for 2003. Thompson, a 17-year-old Amateur Extra class licensee
and ARRL Life Member, has earned a favorable reputation within the Amateur Radio
Direction Finding (ARDF) community and has competed internationally in
foxhunting events. He's also heavily involved in emergency communications and
is a member of the Orange County Hospital Disaster Support Communications
System (HDSCS). ARRL
Southwestern Division Vice Director Tuck Miller, NZ6T, called Thompson "a
magnet for other young hams to become actively involved." Thompson also is the
youngest person to ever become certified as an ARRL Official Observer in the 50
years the League has administered the program (he was 15 at the time). The son
of Richard (WA6NOL) and Phung Lai Thompson, Jay Thompson plans to attend the
University of California at Irvine in the fall. In addition to his Amateur Radio
accomplishments, he's received numerous academic awards including Most
Outstanding Mathematics and Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) Student, the
California Scholarship Federation Seal and the US Marine Corps Scholastic
Excellence Award. The Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the
Year award will be presented August 16 at the Huntsville (Alabama) Hamfest.
He'll receive a gift of Yaesu ham gear as well as an expenses-paid week at
Spacecamp Huntsville, courtesy of CQ. Receiving YHOTY runner-up awards and
certificates of appreciation were Evan Anderson, KC0CWP, ARRLWeb youth columnist
Andrea Hartlage, KG4IUM, Matt Lechliter, W6KGB, Christopher Mayrose, KD5QBS,
and Matthew Jenkins, KG4IPX.
| Previous: The Amateur Amateur: The Junkman Cometh, Part III | Next: Hams Continue to Aid Claudette Relief, Cleanup Efforts |
