Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1991, December 25, 2015

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1991 with a release date of Friday, 
December 25, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A California amateur faces a $25,000 fine from 
the FCC. Field Day is coming - yes, Winter Field Day. A DXer surprises 
the world from North Korea.  And a survey says older contesters are 
still going strong. All this and more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 
1991 coming your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)

**

CALIFORNIA AMATEUR MAY FACE $25,000 FINE

[DON/ANCHOR:] We open this week's newcast with the story of a California 
radio amateur who has just learned the high price of interference and 
other inappropriate transmissions on the bands. Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Jim Damron, N8TMW, has more:

[JIM:]

In what ends a protracted FCC case against a ham for intentional 
interference, a California radio operator faces a fine of as much as 
$25,000.

William F. Crowell, W6WBJ, formerly licensed as N6AYJ, had received 
warnings from the agency's Enforcement Bureau about intentional radio 
interference as early as 2000. The Diamond Springs ham, whose license 
expired in 2007, was nonetheless permitted to continue operating after 
the FCC in 2008 designated his license renewal application as pending 
and subject to a hearing. The FCC had flagged that renewal application 
following complaints that he had been interfering with other amateurs, 
interrupting communications, playing music and transmitting obscenities.

The latest action by the FCC came this past Dec. 18, with the release of 
its Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture.  The notice, from the 
office of FCC San Francisco District Director David K. Hartshorn, was 
spurred by reports from the Western Amateur Radio Friendship 
Association, whose members claimed direct interference from Crowell 
during their Net in August. An investigation by the Enforcement Bureau 
followed and it details its findings in the Notice.

The FCC Notice says, in part, that Crowell "repeatedly interrupted other 
amateurs using noises, recordings and music, in addition to talking over 
amateurs affiliated with the WARFA Net, so as not to allow them to 
transmit on the frequency. His transmissions and recordings included 
racial, ethnic and sexual slurs and epithets."

The FCC Enforcement Bureau, which was monitoring the transmissions, 
noted too that the interference did not stop until it had shut the Net 
down.

The FCC says Crowell acknowledged operating on 3908 kHz on most nights, 
and that he was on the air the evening of August 27, when the 
interference was reported.

He has been given 30 days from the release of the Notice to pay the 
forfeiture or to file in writing seeking reduction or cancellation of 
the proposed penalty.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, 
West Virginia.

(ARRL, FCC.GOV)

**

HUMANITARIAN FUND LAUNCHED BY DX ASSOCIATION

It looks like the giving spirit of the holiday season is going to last 
quite a bit longer, thanks to a new fund known as "Hams with Hearts."

The fund is being launched by the International DX Association, with a 
starting contribution from the fund's founder Zorro Miyazawa, JH1AJT. 
"Hams with Hearts" aims to provide funding to humanitarian projects 
undertaken by DXpedition teams and expects to begin providing these 
grants in just a few weeks - as early as mid-January.

DXpeditioners who apply for the grants are being asked to provide a 
detailed and clear plan of what project they plan to undertake, and must 
substantiate the benefits the project will create for the local 
population. But the applicants must meet certain standards. Projects 
that simply leave behind radio equipment, teach Amateur licensing 
classes or create a video will not qualify. Projects that provide First 
Aid equipment, water purification and medical supplies, as well as 
educational materials and clothing are more suited for grants from "Hams 
with Hearts."

Releasing its announcement this month, INDEXA cautioned that startup 
will be gradual. The announcement said, QUOTE "In the early years of 
this fund, it is likely that grants will be modest. We therefore will be 
seeking low-cost but high-impact projects." ENDQUOTE.

The announcement also said QUOTE "With this new fund we hope to benefit 
humanity and enhance the image of Amateur Radio around the world." More 
details can be found at www.indexa.org

(INDEXA)

**

A FIELD DAY WHERE ICE IS NICE

DON/ANCHOR: The idea of participating in Field Day next month might just 
leave you cold - but that's the whole point. Winter Field Day is coming 
- and it will be here the last full weekend in January. Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Kent Peterson, K-C-ZERO-D-G-Y, talked to organizers of this 
alternative annual event:

[KENT'S REPORT]

**

SILENT KEY: REMOTE PICKUP PIONEER GEORGE MARTI

The ham radio community mourns the death of George Marti, W5GLJ, a 
pioneer in the manufacture and deployment of remote pick-up broadcast 
technology. He became a Silent Key on Dec. 13.

Marti's work not only enabled radio stations to originate broadcasts 
away from the studio but succeeded in getting the FCC to authorize its 
use. An early Marti remote pick-up unit of his is on display at the 
Smithsonian's National Museum of American History.

As the owner of a local radio station, Marti developed his first remote 
pick-up unit to enable the broadcasting of local high school sports back 
to the radio studio, without having to rely on phone lines. A veteran of 
the Marines and a man of varied interests, he had been licensed as a ham 
since his teens. He later founded Marti Electronics, which he sold in 1994.

George Marti was 95 and was the mayor of Cleburn, Texas, where he died.

(ARRL)

**

CONTESTS PUT THE "O" in "OM"

Participants in the CQ World Wide Contest may be young at heart, but 
according to recently released survey results, they're older than you 
may think. Preliminary survey results posted by the contest committee 
reveal that young competitors were far outnumbered by much older amateurs.

Doug Zwiebel, KR2Q, who prepared the analysis, reported QUOTE "This is 
especially true when we look at the age distribution in North America. 
There is very little survey participation in North America from those 
under 40 years of age. More than 900 of the nearly 1500 respondents from 
North America were at least 60 years old." ENDQUOTE

The survey drew 5117 responses from around the world, with the largest 
number - 2,600 - from Europe. The good news for younger hams comes from 
Europe, however: CQ said the age curve showed participants there to be 
about 10 years younger.

The other good news comes from fans of CW: Without exception, Morse Code 
remains the most popular operating mode, especially among contesters age 
40 and older.

(ARRL)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the 
WR9ARC repeater of the Riverland Amateur Radio Club in LaCrosse, 
Wisconsin on Sundays.

**

A SURPRISE FROM NORTH KOREA

[ANCHOR/DON]: Fighting some of the worst HF conditions in recent days, a 
Polish DXer has put North Korea back on the air. Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details:

[JEREMY:] It was a triumph of history, meteorology, international 
politics and most especially radio when DXer, Dom Gryzb, 3Z9DX, fired up 
his rig and began making the first of what was to become a few hundred 
QSOs from North Korea, beginning the 20th of December at 0000 UTC. 
Working both 20 meters and 15 meters SSB as P5/3Z9DX, his transmissions 
put that nation back on the amateur airwaves for the first time since 2002.

It was, by most accounts, a surprise. the Polish radio amateur had been 
meeting with North Korea officials working out the details for next 
year's planned operation from what is the world's most-wanted DXCC 
entity. Pileups of anxious amateurs rallied around his call, and a few 
hundred stations eagerly jumped in and made contact. North Korea had 
been off the bands since the conclusion of the 2001-2002 operation by 
4L4FN.

While it all caught the rest of the world quite unexpectedly, North 
Korean officials were, of course, privy to what was going on: Gryzb took 
to the bands to demonstrate for them what it would be like in February 
2016, during his longer, hoped-for operation there.

The sun, it turns out, proved to be the biggest obstacle in play, as a 
huge coronal mass ejection raised the A index to 66 and the K index to 
6, producing some of the worst HF conditions recently. By the dawn of 
Monday, the 21 of December, conditions had grown less favorable. Gryzb 
is now working out the remaining logistics in preparation for February 
when, hopefully, the sun will cooperate too.

In the meantime, stations were being advised to keep contacts short out 
of courtesy to other operators.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK.


[DON/ANCHOR]: In the latest news reports, Gryzb was heading back to 
Poland for Christmas and to make preparations to return to Korea for his 
2016 DX adventure.


(ARRL, DX.NET)

**

IRELAND'S COMPETITIVE COUNTIES

Friday, Jan. 1, doesn't just mark New Year's Day: In Ireland, it is also 
"80 Meters Counties Contest Day" for radio amateurs. The wide-ranging 
contest has both fixed stations and portable sections, with SSB only or 
mixed modes. The competition runs from 1400 to 1700 UTC, using 32 EI and 
GI counties as multipliers.

Good news for operators who enjoy CW: to encourage more CW in the mixed 
mode sections, organizers are giving a bonus of 1,000 points to any 
entry that includes at least 10 valid QSOs done in CW with an EI or GI 
station. The contest has also set 3522 kHz as its suggested "center of 
activity" for CW.

May the best contesters win.

(IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTERS SOCIETY)

**

NEW TOOL FOR DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS

It's still more than a year away, but researchers at the Hume Center for 
National Security and Technology are very excited about the 2017 launch 
of an amateur radio transponder with a special disaster mission.

The geosynchronous satellite amateur radio payload is being dispatched 
to assist in emergency communications, according to the center's 
Director of Research, Bob McGwier, N4HY. McGwier described the ambitious 
goals for the payload by saying QUOTE "It will allow rapid deployment to 
disaster areas and support long-haul communications for first 
responders," ENDQUOTE It would become the first amateur payload in a 
geosynchronous orbit.

The Hume Center has been working with Federal Emergency Management 
Agency officials on the project. We expect to hear more over the next 
year as efforts go forward.

(SOUTHGATE ARC)

**


PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

The ARRL's Alaska Section welcomes its new manager, Ray Hollenbeck, 
K-L-ONE-I-L (KL1IL), of Wasilla, Alaska, who has been appointed to 
succeed Jim Larsen, AL7FS.
Hollenbeck, who begins his term on Jan. 1, has been an ARRL Emergency 
Coordinator for almost 7 years.

Larsen, who is from Anchorage, has served as section manager for the 
past eight years and decided not to seek another term. Hollenbeck was 
appointed by ARRL Manager of Field Services and Radiosport Dave Patton, 
NN1N, in consultation with Northwestern Division Director Jim Pace, 
K7CEX, and Larsen.

Larsen, who will complete his fourth term as Alaska SM at year's end, 
decided not to run for another term after serving for the past 8 years.

(ARRL)

**

LESSONS IN ALASKA TAUGHT BY RADIO

In one school in a remote Alaskan Eskimo village, ham radio has 
graduated with honors.

With support from the local district, the Pilot Station School recently 
made amateur radio an integral part of its curriculum. The Pilot Station 
School Radio Club, WL7CXM, is now moving from simply being an 
after-school program to a serious during-school offering.

The club was created by fifth grade teacher, Donn Gallon, KL7DG, with a 
variety of goals: to teach geography, to help students' command of the 
standard English language, to give them confidence by expressing 
themselves on a microphone, and also to help them read and be more social.

Gallon said QUOTE "Many of the kids have trouble imagining the world 
beyond our region or Alaska as a whole. They are excited to pull down 
the globe off the shelf and find the places we are talking or listening 
to. This has helped them in social studies as they are getting their 
world view expanded by radio." ENDQUOTE

The club, which began as an informal, after-school activity, now is a 
district-sanctioned educational program. The club has already 
participated in the School Club Roundup, where it achieved its Worked 
All States award by landing its 50th contact - an amateur in Oklahoma.

Gallon said his next goal is to set up a team to work with the Amateur 
Radio Emergency Service. That would put Alaska's youngest amateurs, not 
just in the classroom itself, but unquestionably at the head of the class.
(ARRL)

**

THE WORLD OF DX

Henrik, OZ6TL, is active as E51TLA from Raratonga Island (OC-013) 
through January 9th. He is working holiday style on the HF bands, 
usually mainly CW and RTTY on 30 and 20 meters. QSL via his home 
callsign or LoTW.

Hardy, DL7LL, is also active on Raratonga Island. He is working as 
E51LLA through December 28. He did not indicate what bands or modes, 
however, but be listening. QSL via DL7LL.

Jean-Pierre, F6ITD, will be active as FG/F6ITD from Guadeloupe and two 
of its islands between January 20th and March 28th. These islands 
include Basse Terre Deshaies (main island, between January 20th and 
February 2nd) and La Desirade Island (between March 3-8th). He will work 
all HF bands, both on SSB and in digital modes. Listen for the callsign 
TO6D. QSL via his home callsign, direct or LoTW.

Bill, K9HZ, is working as J68HZ from his villa at Labrelotte Bay, 
Castries, St. Lucia through January 3rd, with activity mostly on 160-2 
meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. He will emphasize 160 and 80 meters on 
all modes. QSL via his home callsign, although he will also use LoTW, 
ClubLog and eQSL.

(OHIO PENN DX NEWSLETTER)

**

NEWSLINE ALUM MERT GARLICK, N6AWE - SK

One final sad note.  Longtime Newsline listeners will remember the voice 
of Mert Garlick, N6AWE.  We're saddened to report that Mert became a 
silent key Wednesday December 23rd.  Mert was an engineer with Fox 
Television in Los Angeles from 1966 until his retirement in 2003.  He 
worked with the late Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF at Fox 11. Over the years he 
did every job a broadcast engineer could perform at a television 
station.  From manning the transmitter atop Mt. Wilson to microwaving 
signals back from the scene of a breaking news story to covering the 
annual Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Mert did it all and then 
some.  The funeral will be held December 30th in Long Beach, California 
and he will be buried alongside his late wife in Wyoming.  Sadly, she 
just passed 4 months ago.  He is survived by 3 children, 2 of which are 
also hams.  Mert Garlick, N6AWE was 75.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; DX.NET; Hap Holly and 
the Rain Report; The Hindustan Times; Irish Radio Transmitters Society; 
INDEXA; the Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; Southgate Amateur Radio News; TWiT 
TV; weather.com and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio 
Newsline. Our email address is newsline@arnewsline.org. More information 
is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located 
at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur 
Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91350.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Picayune, 
Mississippi, wishing you the merriest of Christmases and happiest of 
Holidays.  73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.


***

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