Welcome to Ham Radio's only Free R-Rated Daily Newsletter

    Email Me                    Links                    Censorship                    Ham Links

New Flex Radio...............starting to look like a Video game box.....

WEEKEND EDITION: Damn, what was Paul-IOM on today while down on 3864?? He crawled up and down a guy's ass and gave him hell....3864 sounded like 3910 for a while......He needs a break, he has 30 kids.....If you grunt so loud on the toilet that your neighbors call the police, it may be time to increase the fiber in your diet ....

30 Meter Beacon Rides Again
by NØSAP and WØERE
Amateur Radio is a fun hobby to do some weird experimental things with radio. For the second year Amateur Radio Operators Al Gallo W0ERE and David Beckler, aka “SAP” N0SAP will be operating a 30 Meter Mobile Beacon on 10.129.25. This is the second time we will attempted a mobile beacon that will give update information on grid squares during our travel.

Our trip begins on Thursday, May 17th at approximately 1300 hrs UTC or eight o’clock AM CDST. The rig will be a Yaesu FT-817 running 2 watts with a quarter wave trailing wire made of Litz wire. The wire will be about eight feet high off the front end of the SUV (“SAP” Urban-Assault Vehicle). A Hustler mast with a tri-mag mount and a spring mounted at the top is where the Litz wire attachment is made within the spring. At 58 MPH, the wire launches in the air and generally oscillates in a horizontal plane from left to right. It does not impede the vehicle behind, as most do not notice the wire dancing in their face.

The message will be WØERE/M/B; the MB is for Mobile Beacon, and then the current grid square 2 wts. On our return trip Monday 21st, we will be on the air at the same time of 1300 hrs until we reach the QTH in Nixa, MO.

Al and “SAP” will be operating SSB on 7.265 and 14.265 plus or minus 3 Kcs. We look forward having you send us signal reports on the beacon from your location with contacts on SSB, emails at erecom@hotmail.com and/or audio files. Hope to see you in Dayton.

 

CANADIAN HAMS MAY SOON GET 60 METER PRIVILEGES
Canadian hams may soon be heard on the 5 MHz band. This as
telecommunications regulator Industry Canada has posted the
request from Radio Amateurs of Canada for access to 60
Meters and opened a window for anyone to file comments on
the proposal. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,
reports:

By way of background, back in 2010, Radio Amateurs of Canada
approached Industry Canada and requested the use of five
center frequencies in the 5 MHz band. Specifically 5332,
5348, 5358.5, 5373 and 5405 kHz.

The national society stated that the use of these
frequencies would allow for more reliable communications
during emergency operations. It noted that the propagation
characteristics in the 5 MHz frequency range allow for both
local and inter-provincial communications.

Radio Amateurs of Canada also noted that the U.S. amateur
radio community has access to these frequencies and that
harmonizing frequency use would allow Canadian radio
amateurs to conduct regional emergency communications on a
coordinated basis with U.S. radio amateurs. The society
noted that many administrations around the world have
authorized radio amateurs to use the frequency 5405 kHz.

At the same time, Radio Amateurs of Canada also requested
the use of two additional frequencies, 5319 and 5329 kHz,
for Canadian domestic use. However, after conducting a
review of domestic and international use of 5319 kHz,
Industry Canada determined that this frequency is
unavailable for use by the amateur radio service in Canada.

The proposal still needs to complete the entire Canadian
rule making process. Canadian hams and other citizens have
until June 12th to file comments on this matter.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in
Los Angeles.

  HAM RADIO BEING DRAWN INTO DISPUTE OVER
OWNERSHIP OF SCARBOROUGH REEF
Ham radio is being drawn into a dispute over the territorial
ownership of Scarborough Reef.  This as a website pops up
claiming correspondence between the Philippine Amateur Radio
Association and the ARRL supports mainland China's
territorial claim in regard to the land mass that's also
known as as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

The report on the Sina website relating to amateur radio
says that back in 1990, the then Philippine ambassador to
Germany indicated clearly in his letter to a German radio
amateur on February 5th that, Scarborough was not within the
Philippine territory and sovereignty.  This,  according to
the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of
the Philippines.

The documents issued by the National Mapping and Resource
Information Authority of the Philippines and the Philippine
amateur radio organization to the American Radio Relay
League on October 18 and November 18, 1994 had also are
claimed to confirm that the Philippine territorial limits
and sovereignty was stipulated by the Article 3 of the
Treaty of Paris way back in the year 1889.

Scarborough Reef is located between the Macclesfield Bank
and Luzon Island of the Philippines.  Over the years it has
seen seen several major DXpeditions and still ranks high as
a wanted entity by DXers world wide.  .

You can read the entire claim for yourself on-line at
tinyurl.com/Scarborough-Reef.

HAM HAPPENINGS:  HAM NATION DAYTON BROADCAST TO BE AIRED BY
THE TECH GUY ON THE PREMIERE RADIO NETWORK
And speaking of Hamvention 2012, Bob Heil, K9EID, of Heil
Sound tells us that satellite service Via Sat is installing
its new Exede high speed internet service on site at the
Hara Arena for the entire Hamvention weekend.

Bob that the plan is to initially site the equipment at Tom
Medlin, W5KUB's streaming video booth in the Flea Market for
all to use.

On Saturday, the 19th Via Sat will move the system outside
the doors of the Hamvention's Audio Alley for a live
broadcast into Leo Laporte, W6TWT's "The Tech Guy" radio
show from around 2 to 3 p.m. Eastern Time.  This means that
170 stations on the Premiere Network will have a live report
form the Dayton Hamvention with Bob, along with co-hosts
Gordon West, WB6NOA and George Thomas, W5JDX, originating
from the Ham Nation booth for that broadcast.

Leo Laporte's "The Tech Guy" airs from 2 to 5 p.m. Eastern
Time every Saturday.  To find a station airing it where you
live please visit techguylabs.com on the World-Wide-Web.
(K9EID)

RESCUE RADIO:  THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN REPORTING
EMERGENCIES TO THE PUBLIC
"Emergency Management Without Social Media.Fail" is the
title of a very interesting op-ed article by author Tim
Burrows posted across several social media websites.  In it,
Burrows looks at both the positive and negative effects on
the public that social media can have in attempting to
disseminate and update information of a disaster, accident
or other event that the public needs to know.

Whether you agree or disagree with Burrows assessment of the
role of social media in regard to the accuracy of the
information being made public, his article is a very
interesting evaluation for anyone involved in the world of
emergency communications.  You can read the entire story on-
line at tinyurl.com/emergency-social-media. (Wordpress.com)


ENFORCEMENT:  CONNECTICUT HAM RADIO OPERATOR HELPS LOCATE
AND CONVICT PERSON WHO STOLE FROM NATIONAL ARCHIVES
J. David Goldin ,WB1EZA, is being hailed as a hero by the
United States National Archives.  This after helping to
solve exposed what authorities have called one of the most
egregious instances of theft of historic materials from
where the government preserves its historic documents,
photographs and recordings.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl
Lasek, K9BIK, has the details:

According to news reports when J. David Goldin, WB1EZA, saw
a recorded interview of baseball great Babe Ruth for sale on
eBay he knew something was wrong.  That's because there was
only one original record of that 1937 interview of Ruth on a
hunting trip, and Goldin had donated it to a government
archive more than 30 years ago.

So Goldin, who is described as an avid record collector,
launched his own investigation that lead directly to
uncovering the person now believed responsible for stealing
close to 1000 artifacts from the National Archives.

Goldin began his sleuthing by purchasing a different
recording from the same on-line seller.  When the deal was
complete he recognized the name of the seller as being the
same National Archives employee who had received the Babe
Ruth and other historic recording that Goldin had donated
thirty years earlier.

Goldin then took his findings to federal investigators.
They in turn obtained a search warrant and raided the home
of retired National Archives employee Leslie Waffen.  There
authorities carted away two truckloads of materials.  Now,
after pleading guilty, a judge in Maryland has sentenced
Waffen, to an 18 month prison term and fined him $10,000.

Before retiring, Waffen had worked at the National Archives
for 40 years.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, in
Zion, Illinois.

United Stares Inspector General, Paul Brachfeld, whose
office investigated the theft, says that he plans to honor
Goldin.  He told the press that there are some people who
give tips who are just passive.  He said that J. David
Golden wasn't like that.  He called Goldin a sentinel.
(QRZ.com, other media reports)

SPRING 2012 TAPR OSR JOURNAL NOW ON LINE
The spring issue of the free TAPR P-S-R Journal edited by
Stan Horzepa, WA1LOU, is now available to download.  This
quarterly Journal is full of technical, non-technical and
user supplied digital information and articles. Previous
issues are also available free from the TAPR website.  Its
all in cyberspace at www.tapr.org.  (TAPR)

HAM HAPPENINGS:  DIGIFEST 2012 - JUNE 2-3
The annual "Digifest" will be held the weekend of June 2nd
and 3rd. The popularity and peculiarity of this contest is
the great variety of different categories of the
participants using various digital modes.  These include
RTTY, BPSK, MFSK, HELLSCHREIBER, OLIVIA.  Complete rules are
on line at tinyurl.com/digifest-2012.  (Digifest)

TRACKING MANTA RAYS BY SATELLITE
An international team of researchers have used radio beacon
transmitters and satellite technology to track the movements
of giant Manta Rays.

According to a Times news report, a team headed by Rachel
Graham of the Wildlife Conservation Society in Punta Gorda,
Belize, attached transmitters to six Rays off the coast of
Mexico's Yucatan peninsula. They reported in the journal
PLoS One that they monitored the rays for periods ranging
from 27 to 64 days.  Their preliminary findings for the
Atlantic mantas showed that they traveled as far as 680
miles over a one to two month period searching for food most
of the time staying close to the coastline. They also found
that Rays spent considerable time in shipping lanes, which
rendered them vulnerable to being hit by freighters.

The full in-depth text of this very interesting use of radio
tracking can be found on-line at tinyurl.com/manta-ray-
tracking (Science Times)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  FM INTERFERENCE TO SSB/CW SATELLITES
INCREASING
Interference by terrestrial FM operators to ham radio
satellites is a growing problem.  This according to
Alexandru Csete, OZ9AEC who made this recording of FM
interference to the FO-9 ham radio bird on Saturday, May
5th.  A QSO that seemed to revolve around chocolate:

Actual interference QSO recorded off FO-29

OZ9AEC says that to an FM operator, the spectrum from 145.8
to 146.0 MHz may seem empty, but it isn't.  These
frequencies are used by weak signal SSB and CW satellite
transponders and even a few watts of FM can cause severe
interference.

Some FM operators are unaware that if they use these
frequencies their local chat across town will be heard
thousands of miles away.  Nor do they realize that in
holding their point to point terrestrial FM chats in this
spectrum that they block the satellite from others to use.
The use of FM on an SSB/CW linear transponder satellite also
reduces the lifetime of both the satellite's batteries and
the transponder itself.  (OZ9AEC, Southgate)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  THREE MORE HAMS LAUNCH TOWARD THE ISS
If all went as planned, several new ham radio operators
should now be on board the International Space Station.
NASA Flight Engineer Joseph Acaba, KE5DAR, and his two
Russian Cosmonaut crewmates, Gennady Padalka, RN3DT, and
Sergei Revin, RN3BS, were scheduled to launch toward the ISS
on May 14th.

The new crew members should have arrived at the I-S-S on May
16th.  They will join Expedition 31 Commander Oleg
Kononenko, RN3DX, Flight Engineer Don Pettit, KD5MDT, and
Flight Engineer Andrei Kuipers, PI9ISS.

Padalka, Acaba and Revin will transition to the Expedition
32 crew in July and return to Earth this coming September.
(NASA, ESA)

DX
In DX, word that XX9E is the callsign for the 17th-23rd May
DXpedition to Coloane Island, Macau. A large team will be
active on 160 through 6 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY with
at least three stations. QSL to EB7DX, direct or
electronically via Logbook of the World.

VE1AWW is on the air stroke CY0 from Sable Island.  He will
be there for at least the next two months and operational on
30, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters.  He will also be coming to
6 meters as soon as he completes installing an antenna for
that band.  QSL to his home callsign, direct or via the
bureau.

Lastly, MM0SSG is now operational from Angola as D2SG.
While he will be there through the end of October his
operating time is limited because he is there on a work
assignment on an off-shore oil platform.  Operations will
only take place when he is on land.  If you work him, QSL
via GM4FDM, direct or by the bureau.

(Above from various DX news sources)

WIREBOOK V is here!
Its content is similar to WB IV, but with old errors corrected and new ones included (Errors?), since we’re subject to Murphy’s Law! All of the material has been and will continue to be based on queries directed to us by hams, old and new, for over 35 years, and the answers have come from fellow hams, the manufacturers of the goods we handle, and our own experience.

Many of the marvels in communication today were born due to the curiosity of guys with callsigns, with and without formal education or laboratory facility at hand. Their stories are the “meat and potatoes,” and we’re proud to still have used them as the outline and framework of WIREBOOK V. You’ll see a number of great antenna experiences that might help you with your next project.

So, continue to try anything in the field that stirs your interest. That's what the hobby is all about. Let what you see, read, try and find out for your selves be your guide and enjoy all of the joys of the greatest hobby in this world and beyond!

And, if you don’t find what you had hoped for in WB V, drop us a line and tell us about it. We’ll try to add it to WIREBOOK VI for all to share.

$12.00

PS....kidding aside, It's a great book, k1tp!

 

THURSDAY EDITION: Tiny radio transmitter fitted to a beetle, studying big bugs, having solved all the other major problems in the world today....Partial eclipse to mark end of Dayton

Transit of Venus Special Event June 6, 2012
For the 7th time in human history and last time this century, Venus will pass in front of the sun on June 6, 2012. WB4APR is encouraging radio hams to join up with astronomers and observers in public places to share in this event

It is observable worldwide except the center of the Atlantic (eastern S.America and western Africa) Everywhere else can see parts of it.
It lasts 5+ hours and is fully visible around the Pacific Rim.

All previous centuries were before the discovery of radio and so sailing ships were dispatched around the globe to time the event. From these times, the size of the Solar System could be calculated. It took months if not years to get the data back. Now we can do it in 0.05 seconds with Ham radio.

See if you can contact hams at other Transit of Venus sites from your public observing site. Here are the suggested calling frequencies.

We don't want contest-style pileups nor home stations. We just want a place where similar public setups can contact like minded other public viewing sites via ham radio and make their reports.

See the web page: http://aprs.org/VenusTransit2012.html

We are suggesting these calling frequencies:
40 Meters - 7180 KHz
20 Meters - 14240 KHz
17 Meters - 18140 KHz
15 Meters - 21240 KHz
12 Meters - 24940 KHz
10 Meters - 28340 KHz

VHF - APRS on the local national calling channel. Send APRS messages as noted on the web page.

*** TAKE ALL IMPORTANT SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN VIEWING THE SUN!!! ***

Google for Techniques.

Bob Bruninga, WB4APR (will be observing in Japan with a Japanese (TBD) callsign)

APRS Venus Transit 2012
http://aprs.org/VenusTransit2012.html

The end of the Dayton Hamvention on May 20 will be marked by a partial eclipse of the Sun.
Sky and Telescope says "People with clear skies across most of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will experience a partial eclipse of the Sun late this Sunday afternoon (May 20, 2012). Only those near the Eastern Seaboard will miss out.

And, if you happen to be in a swath of land running from Northern California to Texas, you'll also get a very special kind of partial eclipse: an annular eclipse, in which the rim of the Sun becomes a brilliant ring completely encircling the black silhouette of the Moon."

Partial and Annular Eclipse of the Sun to Sweep North America Sunday, May 20th

 

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Chatham Marconi Maritime Center.....Free OJ........Who knew, a new cut of beef.....

Tiny radio transmitter fitted to beetle
Dr. Erin McCullough used minature radio transmitters fitted to beetles to track their movements.
Details of her work in Taiwan in 2009 can
be read at
http://www.umt.edu/urelations/vision/2009/student%20scientist.html
The story has just been reported on BBC News see
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18065116

 

I figure if the 110 volt power cord  laying in the water while standing on an aluminum submarine doesn't kill this moron,
 the cigarette should when he turns the oxygen on inside....

ON0EME 1296 MHz Moonbounce Beacon
This is possibly the first amateur radio beacon to beam signals off the Moon. It's aim is to encourage people to try and receive EME signals.

According to a report in 432 and Above EME News the idea started in Orebro, Sweden during the EME meeting in May 2011. After about 11 months of intensive work by ON7UN, HB9BBD and ON4BCB the beacon ON0EME started transmitting on 1296.000 MHz in the direction of the Moon.

ON0EME’s total EIRP is about half a megawatt. The antenna is a solid 3.7 m dish and it is active when the Moon is >10° at its location.

The system is completely automatic. The beacon starts when the moon is on the east side +10 degrees, by turning the antenna from the point where it stopped the last Moon pass (Moonset at +10°).

The frequency is GPS locked at 1296.000 MHz with an accuracy of 3 x 10-11. The timing is also GPS controlled. The beacon will start transmitting at the minute. The amplitude of the signal is constant within ± 0.2 dB. Antenna pointing is updated every 0.4°. There is complete remote monitoring and control of the beacon with indication of voltages, power and temperatures.

Reports have been received from some small stations receiving the beacon. Please post reports on "moon" or the "moon-net" reflectors.

The beacon is located in the north of Belgium and has good Moon visibility at both high and low declination for the complete Moon pass.

Users can check the operational status and beacon parameters at the ON0EME Status Page http://www.on0eme.org

Student’s project could go into space
GoErie reports on the work of students from Penn State Behrend who developed a super-capacitor based energy storage device to replace the silver–zinc battery on ARISSat type satellites.

The report says:

The trio speaks the language of supercapacitors and charges cycles, and they offer informed views on how circuit boards can shed excess heat.

When David Jesberger, Kathleen Nicholas and Jacob Sherk graduated May 4 from Penn State Behrend, they left speaking the language of engineers. But they also left behind a finished senior project that could soon be headed into outer space.

Senior engineering students at Behrend pitch ideas each year for projects they would like to tackle in their final year. Nicholas said she, Jesberger and Sherk all bid for a chance to be part of a project for the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).

Read the full story by Jim Martin at
http://www.goerie.com/article/20120512/NEWS02/305129968/Behrend-engineers%27-project-could-go-into-space

TUESDAY EDITION: "Apparently, I'm supposed to be more outraged by what Mitt Romney does with his money than by what Barack Obama does with mine.".....

Its time once again for our live broadcast of the Dayton Hamvention.
You are receiving this email because you are registered with us at http://w5kub.com
broadcast.
This year will be better than ever as we are having a private Ka Band internet satellite
uplink installed for High Def video from our fleamarket space.
In addition to the great video and special guests, we will be giving out over $8000 in
prizes to lucky viewers. All you have to do to be eligible for prizes is be logged in to
our chat room and answer when your name is called. See the prizes at
 
Last year we had over 50,000 followers in over 150 countries. We hope to greatly exceed
that this year.
Join in on the fun and chat in the chat room with us or each other. Also ask questions to
vendors and special guests.
Our schedule:
Wed May 16th
Go live for a 550 mile drive from Memphis, TN to Dayton, OH at 0800 Central time (1300
UTC)
 
Thurs May 17th
Broadcast our shelter set up in fleamarket starting at 0900 Eastern time (1300 UTC)
 
Fri, Sat, Sun, May 18-20
Hamvention live broadcast from approx 0800-1800 Eastern or (1200-2200 UTC)
 
Broadcast Hamvention Sunday morning, then our live 550 mile drive back to Memphis.
Please help us spread the word to all hams.
Also, for the first time in 10 years of broadcasting, we are asking for your help. Please
consider donating by the link on the website. Every dollar donated will go directly to
keeping these broadcast going.
See you soon at http://w5kub.com
 
73, Tom W5KUB
 
ps for those who liked it in previous years, the birdcam is back and the eggs will be
hatching in the next few days. http://tmedlin.com/birdcam2.html



New England Hams you might run across on 3864 or 3910.........

K1TP- Jon....Editor of As The World Turns....
W1STS- Scott...philosopher, hat connoisseur,
NIEDU- Dave.... Asst. manager at HRO's Salem store and for some unknown reason rides his cycle year round..
KB1JXU- Matthew...75 meter regular...our token liberal Democrat out of VT
KA1BXB-Don....75 meter Regular......residing on the Cape of Cod, flying planes and playing radio
KMIG-Rick....75 Meter Regular....teaches the future of mankind, it's scary!
W1PNR-Mack....75 meter Regular...wealth of ham knowledge....
W1GWU-Bob....one of the Hosstrader's original organizers, 75 meter regular
W1TCS- Terry....75 meter regular, wealth of electronic knowledge...
K1PV- Roger....75 meter regular, easy going guy...
K1PEK-Steve..Founder of Davis-RF....my best friend from high school 
K9AEN-John...Easy going ham found at all the hamfests
WB1DVD- Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy going, computer parts selling, New England Ham..
W1OKQ- Jack....3936 Wheeling and Dealing......keeping the boys on there toes....
K1JEK-Joe.........Easy going, can be found at every ham flea market in New England ...Cobra Antenna builder..
K1BXI- John.........Dr. Linux....fine amateur radio op ....wealth of experience...
KA1GJU- Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who cooks on the side at Hosstrader's...
KB1CJG-"Cobby"- Low key gent can be found on many of the 75 meter nets.........
N1XW.....Mike- claims to have been abducted by aliens......Temper!
W1XER...Scott....easy going guy
K1BQT.....Rick....very talented ham, loves his politics, has designed gear for MFJ...
W1KQ- Jim-  Retired Air Force Controller...told quite a few pilots where to go!
N1OOL-Jeff- The 3936 master plumber and ragchewer...
K1BRS-Bruce- Computer Tech of 3936...multi talented kidney stone passing ham...
WB1AAZ- Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts truck driver-retired
K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod, construction company/ice cream shop, hard working man....
W1VAK- Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience in all areas, once was a Jacques Cousteus body guard....
KD1ZY- Warren....3910 regular
N1IOM- Paul.....3910 test king....testing......
N1YSU- Bob,  easy going, kind of like Mr. Rogers until politics are brought up then watch out...
K1BNH- Bill- Used to work for a bottled gas company-we think he has been around nitrous oxide to long .
 Silent Key N1SIE- Dave....Loves to fly
Silent Key:N1WBD- Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10", of the 3864 group and owner of Peanut (silent key)- mascot....
 Silent Key: W1FSK-Steve....Navy Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned every radio ever built!
Silent Key: W4NTI-Vietnam Dan....far from easy going cw and ssb op on 14275/313
 Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill- Loved ham radio........Ham Radio Ambassador!
 Silent Key: K1GAR- John- Very colorful character!......claims to an appointed "hambassador" by Gordon West.....
 Silent Key: N1GXW-Frank-Mellow Mainer..........
Silent Key:W1JSH-Mort- Nice fellow to talk to on 3936 on the early afternoon session
 Silent Key: K4WHO-Kerry-Mellow ham, professional musician, one of the nice guys on 20 meters..........