WEEKEND EDITION: Not sure this is real............13 Things You Didn't Know About Roller Derby ......Grab your best dumpster-diving gear: The newest rage in food trends is eating trash fish at restaurants.....

Improved RTTY performance from DXpeditions
A leading DXer in Australia has objectively analysed 36 recent DXpeditions with a total of two million contacts, to find only 6.7 per cent of all QSOs were in RTTY.

Ernie Walls VK3FM, writing in the June edition of the WIA journal, Amateur Radio magazine, is in praise of the good job done by DXpeditions activating far flung DX entities.

However, while most DXpeditions prepare well to service the CW and SSB demands by having good operators, they miss the boat when it comes to RTTY.

He said the mode was arguably the fastest growing on the bands and those using it deserved better from DXpeditions.

Ernie VK3FM claimed that in general DXpeditions don't maximise the mode, place enough resources behind it, and quite often leave it to relatively inexperienced and sometimes those apparently not terribly interested in RTTY.

Only two out the 35 DXpeditions surveyed produced a RTTY ratio above 15 per cent, which Ernie VK3FM suggests indicates the current demand.

He believed it was time that every well planned DXpedition select a skilled RTTY expert to give it the best shot, rather than leaving RTTY as an afterthought.

The full story "Can a 'small pistol' station offer useful advice to a 'big gun' DXpedition?" can be read on pages 32 and 33 of the WIA membership magazine.

Jim Linton VK3PC

 KEEPING HURRICANE NET FREQUENCIES CLEAR
The Atlantic hurricane season officially started on 1st June
and many predictions indicate an above average number of.....
storms this year. And as amateur radio continues to play a
significant role in the gathering and distribution of
information for the weather and emergency services each year
hams in other IARU Regions are being reminded that the same
frequencies may be in use by nets in North and Central
America to track and deal with the consequences of these
severe weather events. As such, it is possible for Region 1
or Region 3 amateur stations to cause unintentional QRM to
these nets. Because of this, hams world-wide are being
asked to please listen carefully if operating near these
frequencies. A full list of which nets are operating on
various frequencies can be found on line at www.iaru-r1.org
(IARU)

HAM MURDERED IN CALIFORNIA SHOOTING SPREE
A ham has been killed in what authorities are calling a
homicide spree by a Los Angeles area resident. The incident
began with a report of shots fired at Santa Monica home
shortly before noon on June 7th. Officers arrived to find
the house on fire and two people later identified as the
shooter's father and brother dead of gunshot wounds inside.
One of those murdered was Samir Zawahri, N6KXL.

The shooter, who police say was wearing what appeared to be
a ballistic jacket, then shot a woman passing by in a car
and carjacked another woman at gunpoint. He directed her to
drive to the college campus, having her stop so he could
shoot along the way. He fired on a city bus where three
women were left with minor injuries. Authorities say that
the gunman also fired on police cars, bystanders and
pedestrians.

From there, he demanded to be taken to Santa Monica College.
In a faculty parking lot he fired on two people in a red
Ford Explorer that crashed through a block wall. Police say
that the driver was killed and a passenger was in critical
condition after undergoing surgery UCLA Medical Center. He
then shot a woman outside the college library before
entering and attempting to shoot students there. Police
said the rampage lasted about 10 minutes and ended when the
shooter, who had been firing a semiautomatic rifle, was shot
and killed on the campus.

Authorities have not officially named the gunman but law
enforcement sources in Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles
have since identified him as 23 year old John Zawahri, the
son of Samir Zawahri, N6KXL. (AC6C, KG6FBM, K6FCC,
published news reports)

OMAHA NB. CITATION FOR SALES OF UNAUTHORIZED
DEVICES
According to the ARRL, the FCC has cited an Omaha, Nebraska
based online retailer for marketing unauthorized RF devices.
These include 10 and 12 meter amplifiers capable of several
thousand watts output in violation of FCC rules.

An FCC Citation dated June 6 orders the Enterprise Group
Inc., doing business as ePowerAmps, to immediately stop
advertising, marketing and selling all unauthorized radio
frequency devices. These include modified CB radios and non-
certified external radio frequency amplifiers for use in the
10 to 12 meter bands.

The FCC warned the Enterprise Group Inc. that continuing to
engage in such conduct could subject the retailer to
substantial fines and seizure of equipment. You can read
more on-line at tinyurl.com/Omaha-amp-citation. (FCC, ARRL)

 CROWD FUNDING SAVES TESLA MUSEUM
Some good news for those working to maintain the history of
communications. This with word that the famed Tesla
Laboratory on New York's Long Island has been saved and is
now in the hands of the non-profit organization that has
been trying to purchase it for the past eighteen years.

It all came about because of the dedication of famed
cartoonist Matthew Inman, who is the creator of "The
Oatmeal." Inman was able to raise $1,370,461 by crowd-
funding to set up a permanent museum honoring the great
scientist.

The purchase price of the former Nikola Tesla laboratory was
$850,000. The remainder of the funds raised by the campaign
will be used to clean up and to begin renovations of the
property.

Although the actual science center is going to take a lot
more time to finance and build, in the interim those
involved in the project are planning on having a celebration
of sorts in Shoreham, New York, hopefully sometime this
summer. That event will focus on science, technology, and
innovation. You can read the entire story on-line at
tinyurl.com/tesla-museum-saved. (Southgate, other published
news reports)

DAYTON HAMVENTION REPORTS SLIGHT RISE IN
ATTENDANCE
According to an announcement posted to the Dayton Hamvention
website, the official attendance figure for this years
gathering was 24,542. This is a very modest increase of 59
attendees over last years 24,483, but is a major increase
over 2007 when only 19,750 showed up.

The all time high took place in 1994. That's when the
Dayton Daily News reported that some 35,000 walked through
the gates at the Hara Arena for that years Hamvention.
(Dayton Hamvention, Dayton Daily News)

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: STRANGE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE INSECT
WORLD
Now here's one for the books. It happened recently when a
75 year woman in a southwestern German town called police at
3 a.m.. Her complaint was that she couldn't sleep because
her doorbell was always ringing.

Police officers dispatched to investigate the cause quickly
tracked down the culprit. It wasn't some form pf
poltergeist or other strange phenomena. Rather ants had
constructed a large nest next to the doorbell. In fact, the
tiny creatures had built such a large home that the nest
pressed the doorbells switching contacts together. That in
turn kept ringing the bell.

Officers silenced the intermittently ringing doorbell by
removing the nest with a knife. Likely much to the dismay
of the ants who had spent the time to build it there.
(Published news reports)

CONTEST CORNER: RULES CHANGES FOR THE 2013 CQ WORLD WIDE
VHF CONTEST
Some new rules are coming to the CQ World Wide VHF Contest.
The 2013 rules reflect changes in the log submission
deadline and the publication date that have been implemented
by the magazine.

In order to be considered for an award, your log must be
received by the robot or postmarked no later than 23:59 UTC
on August 4th. Logs received after that date will still be
listed in the results but will not be eligible for an award.
Extensions may be granted by the director for a valid reason
if you contact that person before the deadline.

The 2013 CQ World-Wide VHF Contest starts at 1800 UTC ob
Saturday July 20th and concludes at 2100 UTC on Sunday July
21st, A detailed set of rules can be found beginning on
page 56 of the June 2013 issue of CQ Magazine. (CQ)


PROPAGATION: NEW 144 MHZ UK TO US BEACON TAKES TO THE AIR
A new Trans-Atlantic propagation beacon has come on the air
from the United Kingdom beaming West over the Atlantic
Ocean.

The GB3WGI Transatlantic 144 MHz amateur radio beacon went
live at 1600 GMT on June 4th. This in time for the peak of
the 2013 Sporadic E season.

GB3WGI runs 100 Watts Effective Radiated Power using both CW
and JT65b modes on 144.487 MHz. It is located in the West
of Northern Ireland in grid square IO64bl and its primary
mission is to provide an early warning of 144MHz
Transatlantic propagation on the Europe to USA path. This
as a way of complimenting the existing 144MHz Transatlantic
beacon network in the United States that provides alerts
when a USA to Europe path is open.

Most current 144 MHz European transatlantic beacons are
located much further to the South and/or East in locations
like Cornwall in the U-K, in France and the Azores. By
contrast, the GB3WGI beacon has a clear sea takeoff to the
eastern seaboard of the United States giving it a distinct
advantage of being heard when the 2 meter band is open
across the great Atlantic pond. (G4BAO)

PROPAGATION: C6AFP 6 METER BEACON TEMPORARILY OFF THE AIR
Steve Rutledge, N4JQQ, reports via the VHF Reflector that
the C6AFP six meter propagation beacon that operates on
50.040 from grid-square FL16 is temporarily off the air.
Steve says that the beacon system which is located at Abaco,
Green Turtle Cay in the Bahamas, developed a significant
chirp that his friend, C6AGN, could not pin down the source
of the problem. So the beacon has been shipped to the
United States for repair.

N4JQQ notes that at the time of its temporary removal for
repair that the beacon was still operating on the six meter
Ringo that John Walker, WZ8D, took down there at least 20
years ago. Steve says that this antenna has been through
many serious hurricanes, has not fallen over and still has
no tuning issues. He calls that "certainly amazing."

N4JQQ says that he hopes to get it fixed quickly and get it
back as soon as possible. He adds that he will advise when
the C6AFP beacon is back on the air or at least headed in
that direction. (N4JQQ)

DX
In DX, word that ZS6RJ will be on a one man DXpedition to
Botswana as A25RJ starting June 15th. Activity will focus
on 80 through 10 meters, CW. QSL direct to his home
address or electronically using Logbook of the World. There
is no bureau service for Botswana.

JH1NBN will be on the air from Bhutan as A52W through June
19th. Activity will be limited to his spare time because he
is there once again on a business trip. He will operate SSB
with 100 watts into wire antennas. QSL via JH1NBN direct.

K9HZ is on the bands as J68HZ from his villa on St. Lucia
operating 160 through 6 meters on CW, SSB and RTTY. He will
be there until June 22nd with a special emphasis on 160 and
80 meters operations. QSL via his home callsign.

EA4GBA, will be operational as C91GBA from Mozambique from
June 27th through December 15th. Activity will be on all H F
bands using SSB with 100 watts into a dipole. QSL direct
via EA4GBA. QSL cards will be answered once he arrives back
in Spain early 2014.

IW2NEF will be operational as 5R8NE from Nosy-Be Island
between July 16th to the 30th. Activity will be on 40
through 10 meters using SSB. QSL via IK2DUW.

Lastly, five operators will be on the air from November 12th
to the 27th using the callsign N8A from the southeast coast
of Tutuila Island. Activity will be on 160 through 10
meters, with a significant effort on 160. QSL this one via
ZL3CW.

(Above from various DX news sources)

THAT FINAL ITEM: A RATHER SPECIAL LIGHTHOUSE
And finally this week, word that over 200 lighthouses and
lightships will be taking part in this years International
Lighthouse and Lightship weekend. Amateur Radio Newsline's
Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, tells us that number 200 is very
special:

"The honor of being the 200th registrant for this years
International Lighthouse and Lhtship weekend goes to the
Whitby High Light in England. Built in 1858, the Whitby
High Light helped ships avoid the Whitby Rock on the Noerh
Yorkshire coast. Its well known as the place that Captain
James Cook became a seaman before leading his epic voyages
of discovery.

"The special event call GB2WHL will be operated from the
lighthouse by the Denby Dale Radio Club. A special QSL is
available on request.

"So far there are registrations from 29 countries. To read
the guidelines for the International Lighthouse ans
Lightship Weekend slated for August 17th and 18th; or to
register a lighthouse, lightship or maritime beacon on line,
please visit illw.net.
 

THURSDAY EDITION: Why the hell did the Patriots sign Tebow ??? .....

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY EDITION: Spending Wednesday at the hospital for blood work, knee surgery workshop, pre-surgery PT, and visit the surgeon...long day .....

FCC Targets Online Retailer in Citation
June 7, 2013 — The FCC this week cited an Omaha, Nebraska-based online retailer for marketing unauthorized RF devices — including 10 and 12 meter amplifiers capable of putting out up to 8200 W — in violation of FCC rules. An FCC Citation and Order dated June 6 orders Enterprise Group Inc, doing business as ePowerAmps, to immediately stop advertising, marketing and selling “all unauthorized radio frequency devices, specifically modified Citizens Band (CB) radios and non-certified radio frequency (RF) amplifiers for use in the 10-12 meter bands.” The FCC said continuing to engage in such conduct could subject the retailer to substantial fines and seizure of equipment.....article

MONDAY EDITION:  Don't mess with her...........Above is a kit offered by Revell in the 60's that featured no soldering, all joints were glued! As a result most never worked and ended up in the trash. Modeled after the classic plug-in coiled Knight Kit Ocean Hopper and updated with a massive slide rule dial decal, Revell's self-styled Styrene Queen of the Shortwaves failed to capture a significant share of the roiling entry-level civilian communications receiver kit market. Word quickly spread among young SWLs and would-be hams that the radio's tiny nosewheel struts were impossible to glue to the plug-in coils, or broke off the first time one changed bands................Good to hear on the news that after spending billions in space adventures, we think Mars once had drinkable water. Still no cure for cancer or the common cold, but some eggheads have deduced there was fricken water on Mars. .........

Today's Complete Asshole Award: TOKYO (AP) — An outspoken nationalist mayor said the Japanese military’s forced prostitution of Asian women before and during World War II was necessary to ‘‘maintain discipline’’ in the ranks and provide rest for soldiers who risked their lives in battle.

The comments made Monday are already raising ire in neighboring countries that bore the brunt of Japan’s wartime aggression and that have long complained that Japan has failed to fully atone for wartime atrocities.

Toru Hashimoto, the young, brash mayor of Osaka who is also co-leader of an emerging conservative political party, also told reporters that there wasn’t clear evidence that the Japanese military coerced women to become what are euphemistically called ‘‘comfort women.’’

‘‘To maintain discipline in the military, it must have been necessary at that time,’’ said Hashimoto. ‘‘For soldiers who risked their lives in circumstances where bullets are flying around like rain and wind, if you want them to get some rest, a comfort women system was necessary. That’s clear to anyone.’’

Historians say up to 200,000 women, mainly from the Korean Peninsula and China, were forced to provide sex for Japanese soldiers in military brothels.

Awareness of audio description increases
Ofcom has published independent research into consumers’ awareness of audio description, which helps people with visual impairments watch TV.

When audio description is switched on, the viewer can hear a narrator describe on-screen action, body language and facial expressions for the benefit of people with visual impairments. Audio description, which is fitted in between dialogue, is available on 10% to 20% of programming on 70 TV channels in the UK.

Most modern television receivers and set top boxes now enable audio description, but research carried out in 2008 found that only 37% of adults were aware of the service. Ofcom asked broadcasters to co-ordinate a campaign to promote awareness of audio description amongst all UK adults – both people with visual impairments, as well as their relatives and friends, who could help them to set up audio description.

As a result of the campaign, which appeared on television during Spring 2012, awareness amongst UK adults rose to 60%.

Claudio Pollack, Ofcom Consumer Group Director, said: “Audio description is an important facility for blind or partially sighted people to enjoy TV and we’re encouraged that consumers’ awareness of it has increased.”

The full research can be found here .

Northern Lights in the USA
Last night, Earth passed through a region of south-pointing magnetism in the solar wind. This triggered a G2-class (Kp=6) geomagnetic storm.

At its peak, the storm spawned Northern Lights in the USA as far south as Kansas.

More auroras are in the offing as a CME is set to deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on June 8-9.

Check http://spaceweather.com for photos and updates

WEEKEND EDITION: The Bruins were something else, I might become a Bruins fan....-Hunger strike, and for good reason......Our government at work..... Splinter group of scientists discover how to make it possible for people to get nutrients from eating wood, hoping it will help turn over a new leaf in our approach to world hunger by getting to the root of the problem......BQT will want of these....You can trust the government to keep you safe. BULLSHIT, it seems to go on and on, this ruling party will not be happy until we are all happy little servants on government assistance. .....Costco is eliminating self checkout after figuring out employee's do a more efficient job..................Today's Goof of the Day.....

THREE SEVERE WEATHER RESEARCHERS LOST IN
OKLAHOMA TORNADO
A ham radio operator, his son and an associate who chased
severe weather to help science better understand Mother
Nature's wrath has been killed by a tornado in Oklahoma.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Burt Hicks has the sad details:

Professional storm chasers Tim Samaras, WJ0G, his son Paul
and fellow investigator Carl Young lost their lives on May
31st when a tornado that they were trailing unexpectedly
changed paths and rammed their vehicle near El Reno,
Oklahoma.

According to news reports it all happened so suddenly that
the three severe weather investigators were unable to escape
the storms wrath. Tim Samaras was found dead in his vehicle
still strapped in his seat belt. Paul Samaras and Carl
Young had apparently been pulled from the vehicle by the
tornado with the remains of one found almost a half mile
away.

Tim and Paul Samaras and Carl Young were not your average
storm chasers. The three were a part of a scientific field
study called TWISTEX or the Tactical Weather Instrumented
Sampling in or Near Tornadoes Experiment. This is a
scientific field research program that had been originated
by Tim Samaras. Its purpose is to better understand the
origin, maintenance and decay of tornadic activity in the
hope of gaining insight and knowledge of the seldom sampled
near surface internal tornado environment. The experiment
was well known in the meteorology community and had been
featured on The Discovery Channel's television program Storm
Chasers.

In a public statement honoring the three, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stated that Tim
Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend of
NOAA who brought to the field a unique portfolio of
expertise in engineering, science, writing and videography.
The NOAA statement went on to say that Samaras work was
documented through an extensive list of formal publications
and conference papers. News reports said that Tim Samaras
held the Guinness World Record for recording the greatest
pressure drop ever measured inside a tornado and was the
only person to ever record video from the interior of a
tornado using special technology that he had developed.

Terry Garcia is the Executive Vice President of the National
Geographic Society. He said that his organization had
provided 18 grants to Tim Samaras for research over the
years for field work like he was doing in Oklahoma at the
time of his death.

WHITE HOUSE GOING AFTER PATENT TROLLS
If you are a ham or other hobbyist who produces a podcast,
listen up. The White House says that its time to end what
the legal world calls patent trolling. And it's taking the
first steps by issuing five executive actions and seven
legislative recommendations designed to protect U.S.
companies and their products from spurious litigation from
Patent Assertion Entities that are more commonly called
Patent Trolls. Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee,
KB3TZD, reports:

According to the National Economic Council and the Council
of Economic Advisors, Patent Trolls are entities that
threaten to sue thousands of companies at once, without
specific evidence of infringement against any of them. They
may also create shell companies that make it difficult for
defendants to know who is suing them and assert that their
patents cover inventions not imagined at the time they were
granted.

Information made public by the two councils say that suits
brought by patent trolls have jumped by nearly 250% in just
the last two years, rising from 29% of all infringement
suits to 62% of all infringement suits. Estimates suggest
that patent trolls may have threatened over 100,000
companies with patent infringement last year alone.

But it does not end there. The U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office says that there is yet another new aspect to this
situation This is where Patent Trolls are increasingly
targeting retailers, consumers and other end-users of
products containing patented technology especially software.

Among the initial steps being taken by the Obama
administration is having the Patent and Trademark Office
begin a rulemaking to require patent applicants and owners
to regularly update patent ownership information when they
are involved in patent proceedings before that agency,
specifically naming who controls the patent. Its also will
give more training to its patent examiners on scrutiny of
functional claims and develop strategies to improve claim
clarity. This in areas where stakeholders remain concerned
about patents with overly broad claims.

Possibly more important to all U.S, citizens is the White
House statement that says end users should not be subject to
lawsuits for simply using a product as it was intended. It
says that citizens need an easier way to know their rights
before entering into costly litigation or settlements with
Patent Trolls.

The Obama Administration says it stands ready to work with
Congress to enact legislation to curb this type of patent
abuse. This could be particularly important to a growing
sector of hams that are producing and posting amateur radio
oriented podcasts to the World-Wide-Web. This is especially
true of the teens and pre-teens whose ham radio oriented
podcasts appear to be the fastest growing segment of all.
(RW, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office)

GOVERNMENT SEIZES UNLICENSED BROADCAST STATION
NEAR BOSTON
It does not happen very often, but in this case the U.S.
Attorney's Office for Massachusetts has seized transmission
equipment from an unlicensed broadcaster operating in the
Boston area. This after the FCC received interference
complaints from a licensed station and tracked the
unauthorized transmissions to the neighborhood of Roslindale
last January. Amateur Radio Newsline's Norm Seeley, KI7UP,
picks up the story:

According to the court documents, upon finding the
transmitters location agents from the commission's
Enforcement Bureau went to the building and posted Notices
of Unlicensed Operation on the station door. These
contained a warning the operator to stop transmitting
without a license. When the agents returned, the notices
were gone, and the station was still putting out a signal on
88.5 MHz.

The FCC escalated the case into a forfeiture action and
that's when the office of the U.S. Attorney for
Massachusetts became involved. And on May 21st Federal
agents raided the station and seized the transmission
equipment.

Carmen Ortiz is a U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts. In a
press statement she said that it is a potential hazard to
public safety for pirate radio stations to broadcast
illegally and interfere with critical radio communications.
She added that the U.S. Attorney's Office will work in
conjunction with the FCC to identify and seize equipment
from these pirate broadcasters.

HAMTV FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE
STATION
The frequencies of 2422.0 MHz and 2437.0 MHz have been
announced for a new ham radio Digital TV transmitter that
will operate as an educational adjunct from the
International Space Station.

The main mission of what's being called Ham TV is to perform
school contacts between the astronauts onboard ISS and
educational institutions on the ground. This by providing
space station to ground video within ARISS program.

To accomplish this, the ISS will host a new S-Band video
transmitting station in addition to the existing VHF FM ham
band transceiver. The new equipment will have the ability
to transmit images from orbit during the school contacts.
It will also be able to broadcast other pre-recorded video
images up to 24 hours a day to allow ground stations tuning.
More information on this new on-orbit service is on the Web
at tinyurl.com/iss-dtv. (IRTS)

LOST MOON DUST FOUND IN STORAGE ON EARTH
And finally this week, several vials of moon dust brought
back to Earth by the first men on the moon have been found
inside a lab warehouse in California. This after sitting in
storage unnoticed for more than 40 years. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Cheryl Lasek, K9BIK, reports:

Many of you likely remember those fuzzy live pictures from
the moons surface when Astronaut Neil Armstrong became the
first human being to set foot on an alien world. We also
watched as Armstrong and Apollo 11 crew mate Buzz Aldrin
collected samples from the Lunar surface before returning
with them to mother Earth. Now some four decades later a
part of the samples that Armstrong and Aldrin brought back
with them were recently rediscovered by an archivist who was
going over artifacts tucked away at the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory.

Karen Nelson, who made the surprising discovery, said in a
statement from the lab that they don't know how or when the
samples ended up in storage. She says that she came across
about 20 vials with handwritten labels dated "24 July 1970,"
packed in a vacuum-sealed glass jar.

Accompanying the jar was an academic paper published in the
Proceedings of the Second Lunar Science Conference in 1971,
titled "Study of Carbon Compounds in Apollo 11 and Apollo 12
Returned Lunar Samples." All of the authors of the paper
were from the University of California, Berkeley's Space
Sciences Laboratory. This included Nobel Prize-
winning chemist Melvin Calvin, who worked with NASA on
efforts to protect the moon from contamination during the
first lunar landing, as well as planning on how to protect
those on Earth from unknown pathogens that might have been
lurking on the Moon's surface.

It turns out that the moon dust samples were supposed to
have been sent back to NASA after the Space Sciences
Laboratory team finished their research on them for some
unknown reason they instead ended up in storage.

After making the discovery Nelson then got in touch with
NASA officials. They in turn permitted her to open the jar
to remove the vials before she returned them to the space
agency and making for a happy ending to a 4 decade old story
that began on the surface of the Moon.

Fridge knocks out cell-phone network
The Herald Sun reports that radio frequency interference (RFI) from a fridge played havoc with a mobile phone network

They say the fridge caused interference to the 850 MHz mobile data network across several neighbourhoods of the town of Wangaratta.

A crew using special "Mr Yagi" antennas (named after their Japanese creator) tracked the interference to a rogue beer fridge in a garage.

Read the story at
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/fridge-fault-causes-telstra-mobile-network-blackouts/story-fni0fit3-1226655474358

Field Day on TSPN TV

John Stettler KI6DWP talked about amateur radio and Field Day (June 22-23) on TSPN TV

On Wednesday, June 5, John appeared on the AM Live show to discuss a few of the activities that will be taking place when the Amador Amateur Radio Club participates in Field Day on June 22-23.

Watch Amateur Radio Club Field Day on AM Live 6-5-13


 

 

THURSDAY EDITION: I have been trying to get all the photo's with the names at the bottom of the page...I am still missing some from the server transfer, if you want your call and photo put up, send it to me and I will do it! If you don't like your photo, send me another one to post.....

Fox-1 Ham Radio CubeSat frequencies announced

The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Frequency Coordination Panel has announced coordinated frequencies for the AMSAT-NA Fox-1 CubeSat

A 1U CubeSat, Fox-1a will serve as a communications relay for radio amateurs worldwide via the onboard FM repeater system. It will also carry an experiment consisting of a 3-axis MEMs gyro developed by Penn State University. The communications and experiment missions will run concurrently.

The uplink will be on 435.180 MHz for FM voice and the downlink on 145.980 MHz with FM voice and an optional sub audible FSK digital carrier channel. Fox-1a will employ passive magnetic stabilization.

For more information see
http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/symposium/2012/2012_Symposium_Fox_Overview.pdf

TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY EDITION: Well it never ends for Glen, K1MAN. Now the State Education Dept. is on his ass for calling himself a university and granting degree's.....

Introducing the Shortwave Radio Audio Archive

I am very happy to announce a project to share and archive our shortwave radio recordings: The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive.

Many of you probably already know that I believe archiving our shortwave radio broadcasts is vital now. Many broadcasters are leaving the air, and many target areas are being removed altogether. Meanwhile, over the past two years there have been new broadcasters coming on the air, often doing test transmissions before beginning broadcasting in earnest. These, too, are significant in radio history.

I have already populated the site with more than eighty recordings, most of which I’ve posted here over the past two years. I still have thirty or more to add. Already in the archive: Radio Bulgaria (now silent), Radio Netherlands Worldwide, The BBC WS special broadcast of the Diamond Jubilee, and a very interesting Vatican Radio broadcast announcing the selection of the new pope.

If you subscribe to the SW Radio Audio Archive’s podcast, you’ll be able to see and download the entire existing collection and new recordings as they are added.

To make this project work, we need your participation! You can help in two ways:
1.Share your shortwave radio recordings!
Simply create an Archive.org account, upload your recording, and share the link with us (we have a nifty web form for submissions). Full details are available on this page.

2.Simply subscribe to the podcast, download the recordings… and save them.
By doing this, you’ll be making an archived copy of all of the recordings. Here are two ways to subscribe to the podcast: ◦Use your podcast application to subscribe to our RSS feed.
Here is the feed URL: http://shortwavearchive.com/archive?format=rss

Donations and radio-related, commercial sponsorships are also welcome.

On the site, we state that “Multiple archives in multiple storage locations ensure the integrity of this collection over time.” This is very true of all archives: the more forms of back up, the better. Especially since archive-quality digital storage does not yet exist. Safety and integrity come with redundancy.

Remember, this project is a collective, community effort, so I hope you will consider sharing your recordings with the rest of the world!

Cheers & 73,

Thomas, K4SWL

The Shortwave Radio Audio Archive
 

MONDAY EDITION: We may bitch and moan about the IRS, but you have to admit they sure know how to party.....

Radio amateur among 3 veteran storm chasers killed by Oklahoma tornado
The three died Friday night near El Reno when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph hit the Oklahoma City area during rush hour.

Veteran storm chaser Tim Samaras WJ0G, his son, Paul Samaras, and another chaser, Carl Young, died.

On Tim Samaras Facebook we realized he was a ham radio operator

There are already some FB pages to honur them https://www.facebook.com/RipTimPaulSamarasAndCarlYoung

Amateur Radio World Castles Award
Hello All!
On the 15th and 16th of June of 2013 will take place the 3rd Worldwide Hams Activity Days from castles and fortresses (World Castles Weekend 2013).
It is a good possibility to work on the air from historical places and fulfil conditions of many awards.
For participation in WCW-2013 will be issued memorable certificate.
More information at WCA website - http://wcagroup.org
We invite to co-operating of radio hams, radio clubs, the organisations ready to take active part in this action.

73 & 11! de Andrew RN1CW

WCA Co-ordinator (World Castles Award)
http://www.wcagroup.org

SWELTERING WEEKEND EDITION: We hit about 85 Thursday here yesterday but a nice ocean breeze kept us pretty cool.....Friday and Saturday has been 90, humid, and no breeze at all. I planted yukon gold potatoes today, and put up the rabbit fence. Anybody do potatoes and can give me any tips? Thanks to Norm for all the growing tips........Crossing salmon and brown trout, what could go wrong? .....Russia to deliver 10 MiGs to Syria. Israeli Air Force prepares for target practice.....Eating a pastry until it is a shape of a gun may get you suspended from school, but it can also get you a lifetime NRA membership..

WTF happened to freedom of speech?????? In its latest effort to protect followers of Islam in the U.S. the Obama Justice Department warns against using social media to spread information considered inflammatory against Muslims, threatening that it could constitute a violation of civil rights.

The move comes a few years after the administration became the first in history to dispatch a U.S. Attorney General to personally reassure Muslims that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is dedicated to protecting them. In the unprecedented event, Attorney General Eric Holder assured a San Francisco-based organization (Muslim Advocates) that urges members not to cooperate in federal terrorism investigations that the “us versus them” environment created by the U.S. government, law enforcement agents and fellow citizens is unacceptable and inconsistent with what America is all about.

“Muslims and Arab Americans have helped build and strengthen our nation,” Holder said after expressing that he is “grateful” to have Muslims as a partner in promoting tolerance, ensuring public safety and protecting civil rights. He also vowed to strengthen “crucial dialogue” between Muslim and Arab-American communities and law enforcement.

Read more: http://freedomoutpost.com/2013/06/federal-attorney-warns-negative-posts-against-islam-could-get-you-prosecution-imprisonment/#ixzz2V3o9BVjr

Radiation measured by NASA's Curiosity on voyage to Mars has implications for future human missions
Measurements taken by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission as it delivered the Curiosity rover to Mars in 2012 are providing NASA the information it needs to design systems to protect human explorers from radiation exposure on deep-space expeditions in the future.

MSL's Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) is the first instrument to measure the radiation environment during a Mars cruise mission from inside a spacecraft that is similar to potential human exploration spacecraft. The findings will reduce uncertainty about the effectiveness of radiation shielding and provide vital information to space mission designers who will need to build in protection for spacecraft occupants in the future.

"As this nation strives to reach an asteroid and Mars in our lifetimes, we're working to solve every puzzle nature poses to keep astronauts safe so they can explore the unknown and return home," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for human exploration and operations in Washington. "We learn more about the human body's ability to adapt to space every day aboard the International Space Station. As we build the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System rocket to carry and shelter us in deep space, we'll continue to make the advances we need in life sciences to reduce risks for our explorers. Curiosity's RAD instrument is giving us critical data we need so that we humans, like the rover, can dare mighty things to reach the Red Planet."

The findings, which are published in the May 31 edition of the journal Science, indicate radiation exposure for human explorers could exceed NASA's career limit for astronauts if current propulsion systems are used.

Two forms of radiation pose potential health risks to astronauts in deep space. One is galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), particles caused by supernova explosions and other high-energy events outside the solar system.
The other is solar energetic particles (SEPs) associated with solar flares and coronal mass ejections from the sun.

Radiation exposure is measured in units of Sievert (Sv) or milliSievert (one one-thousandth Sv). Long-term population studies have shown exposure to radiation increases a person's lifetime cancer risk. Exposure to a dose of 1 Sv, accumulated over time, is associated with a 5 percent increase in risk for developing fatal cancer.

NASA has established a 3 percent increased risk of fatal cancer as an acceptable career limit for its astronauts currently operating in low-Earth orbit. The RAD data showed the Curiosity rover was exposed to an average of 1.8 milliSieverts of GCR per day on its journey to Mars.
Only about 5 percent of the radiation dose was associated with solar particles because of a relatively quiet solar cycle and the shielding provided by the spacecraft.

The RAD data will help inform current discussions in the United States medical community, which is working to establish exposure limits for deep-space explorers in the future.

"In terms of accumulated dose, it's like getting a whole-body CT scan once every five or six days," said Cary Zeitlin, a principal scientist at the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio and lead author of the paper on the findings. "Understanding the radiation environment inside a spacecraft carrying humans to Mars or other deep space destinations is critical for planning future crewed missions."

Current spacecraft shield much more effectively against SEPs than GCRs. To protect against the comparatively low energy of typical SEPs, astronauts might need to move into havens with extra shielding on a spacecraft or on the Martian surface, or employ other countermeasures. GCRs tend to be highly energetic, highly penetrating particles that are not stopped by the modest shielding provided by a typical spacecraft.

"Scientists need to validate theories and models with actual measurements, which RAD is now providing," said Donald M. Hassler, a program director at SwRI and principal investigator of the RAD investigation. "These measurements will be used to better understand how radiation travels through deep space and how it is affected and changed by the spacecraft structure itself. The spacecraft protects somewhat against lower energy particles, but others can propagate through the structure unchanged or break down into secondary particles."

After Curiosity landed on Mars in August, the RAD instrument continued operating, measuring the radiation environment on the planet's surface. RAD data collected during Curiosity's science mission will continue to inform plans to protect astronauts as NASA designs future missions to Mars in the coming decades.

SwRI, together with Christian Albrechts University in Kiel, Germany, built RAD with funding from NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate and Germany's national aerospace research center, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt.

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, Calif., manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project. The NASA Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington manages the Mars Exploration Program.

For more information about the findings and the Mars Science Laboratory mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/msl

HAMS RESCUED FROM FLOODED CAMPGROUND THANKS
TO THEIR HOBBY.....
Two hams have been rescued from a flooded campground thanks
to their hobby. Sunday morning, May 19th at about 4:40 a.m.
Eric Heaton, KF4LJN, and Henry Miller N4VG, were awakened by
a flooding situation at Lake Chinabee in Munford, Alabama
east of Birmingham. The two had been camping when Miller
noticed water getting into his tent.

Miller and Heaton moved their cars several times to stay
above the flooding line. They soon realized that the only
road out of the area was submerged in 2 to 3 feet of water
and impassable. So Miller made contact with a ham in
Talladega, Alabama, over the Mt. Cheaha 147.69/ .09
repeater. That ham in turn notified authorities of the two
trapped radio amateurs.

The Cleburne County Sheriff's Rescue Squad was dispatched
and both Heaton and Miller were soon brought to safety by
boat. There was very poor cellphone coverage in the area
but thanks to ham radio everyone is safe. (KB4KCH)

RADIO POLITICS: REP. GREG WALDEN W7EQI CONTINUES TO LOOK
TOWARD FCC REFORM
House Communications and Technology Subcommittee Chairman
Greg Walden, W7EQI of Oregon has praised interim FCC Chair
Mignon Clyburn. But he also told C-SPAN's "The
Communicators" last weekend he has some concerns about Tom
Wheeler. Wheeler is President Obama's pick for chairman of
the regulatory agency.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Rockefeller has said
he plans to hold nomination hearings in June for Wheeler who
is a former telecommunications industry lobbyist. Walden is
concerned about Wheeler's position on some past
telecommunications deals. He told C-SPAN that the
commission shouldn't use the extraordinary power it has to
approve or deny a merger to exercise market changes it can't
do through a regulatory environment.

Walden has let it be known at Commission reform is still on
his agenda. While he praised former FCC Chairman Julius
Genachowski for some of his moves to modernize the agency he
also noted that the FCC needs more checks to keep it on
schedule and make sure the it doesn't loose sight of the
progress it's made as it transitions to new leadership.

Walden plans to reintroduce an FCC reform measure containing
shot clocks for decisions on proposed transactions and on
other agency processes. He also wants to relax the ban that
prevents all the commissioners from getting together to
discuss pending issues. (RW, C-SPAN)

HAM RADIO IN SPACE: EXPEDITION 36 ARRIVES AT ISS
Three new crew members have arrived at the International
Space Station (ISS) after launching from Kazakhstan.

The Soyuz rocket carrying Fyodor Yurchikhin, Karen Nyberg
and Luca Parmitano, KF5KDP, lifted off from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome at 20:31 GMT on Tuesday, May 28th. They arrived
at the orbiting space outpost five hours and 46 minutes
later.

To speed up their ascent, the Soyuz capsule was using a new
flight profile that dramatically reduces the rendezvous time
from the traditional two days. It is technically more
difficult and requires some very precise orbital
adjustments, but it is deemed to be easier on the crew.
This is because it means they do not have to spend so long
inside the cramped launch vehicle.

Yurchikhin and Nyberg have both been into space before.
Parmitano is a first-timer on-orbit. The trio, whose
designation is Expedition 36, was greeted by the current
three member crew already on the ISS. They are Russians
Pavel Vinogradov and Alexander Misurkin, along with American
Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR. Yurchikhin, Nyberg and Parmitano
will be on the ISS until November. (Published news
reports.)

MAJOR FINES AFFIRMED TO A PAIR OF MIAMI
UNLICENSED BROADCASTERS
Two Miami Florida unlicensed broadcasters have been ordered
to pay some rather stiff monetary forfeitures.  Jim Davis,
W2JKD, reports:

The higher fine was levied against Gary Feldman for
operating an unlicensed transmitter on 97.9 MHz in Miami.
The FCC originally proposed a $25,000 penalty in February
after tracing the source of the unlicensed transmissions to
an FM antenna mounted on the roof of Feldman's residence.
According to the commission Feldman during an inspection
admitted to FCC personnel that he was the only one operating
the station.

But it did not end there.  In June of 2012 FCC agents found
he stopped broadcasting from his home but continued to do so
on 97.9 MHz from a commercial building.  The FCC also dug
through its records and found Feldman had previously been
fined for operating an illegal station in Tampa and had not
paid that $10,000 fine.

The FCC Feldman didn't respond to them about the original
penalty which the agency has now reaffirmed.  And as the
result of the evidence before it the higher amount has been
affirmed as well.

The commission has also upheld a $15,000 fine proposed in
February against Bernard Veargis for operating an unlicensed
station on 91.7 MHz in Miami.  In that case, FCC agents
traced the source of an unlicensed signal to an FM antenna
mounted to the roof of a commercial building.  In response
to a complaint from the FAA about interference to Miami
International Airport departure frequency 119.45 MHz, agents
found the source was the same antenna.

The FCC agents soon linked the transmitter ownership to a
website for "Chico the Leo Grown Folks Radio Miami."  The
site and a Facebook page listed the same number for Veargis
that the property owner had provided to the FCC.  He also
told agents that Veargis installed the transmission
equipment in the building, which Veargis later admitted to
the agents.  However the Enforcement Bureau says Veargis
never respond to the earlier notice, and that's why it
reaffirmed the fine.

Both Feldman and Veargis have 30 days from the May 16th of
release of the orders to pay up or file an appeal.  (FCC)

RADIO BUSINESS:  HEATHKIT LAUNCHES NEW SURVEY
After the apparent final demise of the Heathkit Company last
year hams on several websites are reporting that they were
surprised to learn of a new consumer survey from whomever
now owns the company name.

The fairly lengthy on-line survey asks responders to relate
what is important to them, their kit-building interests,
their thoughts about the many vintage Heathkits and their
interest if any in amateur radio.  It also requests thoughts
and ideas about Heathkit while offering the opportunity to
sign up to join a mailing list.

The opening page instructions note that Customer privacy is
very important to them.  As such that they do not release
personally-identifying customer information outside our
company as explained in it's Privacy Policy.  As such, those
responding to the survey can choose which questions that
they wish to answer.

You can find more on-line at tinyurl.com/new-heathkit-
survey.  (G3ZOD, others)

DIRECT ANTENNA CONTROL FROM QUATTRO
While not directed at the ham radio market, those who run
mega DX and contest stations may find this new product of
interest. The Direct Antenna Control system from Swiss firm
Quattro identifies any type of malfunctioning, even partial
damage, in antenna array systems used for radio and
television broadcasting.

Comprising a series of a series of sensors that are placed
on each branch of an antenna's array, the Direct Antenna
Control system, measures the direct and reflected power
values of the relevant coaxial supply line compared to its
standard levels.

Any deviations from the standard supply values of the direct
power measurement indicate a problem above the sensors
threshold while the deviation of reflected power reveals a
problem below the sensor. A combination of these signals
identifies the part of the antenna that has malfunctioned.
The system then converts the corresponding signals of power
transmitted and power received into lines with low
sensitivity to radiation fields. The lines, which are
protected from external interference, are transmitted by a
unit that collects all of the signals arriving from the
individual sensors of the various antennas.

The unit also collects the pre-processing and formatting
information in order to allow for the transmission through a
network to a router that then renders the data available
both locally and remotely. More information should soon be
available at www.dacsystem.ch. (RW)

HAM HAPPENINGS: INDIA SMALL SATELLITE WORKSHOP FEATURES HAM
RADIO
A Small Satellite Developer Workshop featuring Amateur Radio
is now slated for July 8th to the 13th in Chennai, India.
The amateur radio segment is being conducted by the National
Institute of Amateur Radio with topics to be discussed to
include Software Designed Receiver design and Basics of
Spacecraft Technology among others. Further details are on
the web at www.spaceschool.co.in. (NAIR)

NAMES IN THE NEWS: LOOKING FOR WW2 SWL LOGS
Some names in the news. First up is Helena E. Wright,
Curator of Graphic Arts National Museum of American History.
She reports that David Hochfelder, a Professor of History at
the State University of New York at Albany, together with
his wife Anne Pfau, are searching for letters, or other
documents about American shortwave radio listeners during
WWII. Specifically from those who were hoping for news of
Prisoners of War. The two have already located some radio
logs about listening activities but need much more. If you
can help in this research project, please contact processor
Hochfelder by e-mail to dhochfelder (at) albany (dot) edu.