This Week in Amateur Radio: North America's Amateur Radio News Magazine. Articles on amateur radio and news stories in the media featured here. http://www.twiar.org 2010 en-us Wed, 16 May 2012 02:19:01 -0400 w2xbs@twiar.org (George Bowen) Wed, 16 May 2012 02:18:37 -0400 webmaster@twiar.org (Greg Williams) FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.3.1) http://www.feedforall.com http://www.twiar.org/images/twiarlogowhite.jpg http://www.twiar.org TWIAR Dish Logo 109 113 As we approach the next peak of solar activity expected in 2013, our Nation faces multiplying uncertainties from increasing reliance on space weather-affected technologies for communications, navigation, security, and other activities, many of which underpin our national infrastructure and economy. We also face increasing exposure to space weather-driven human health risks as trans-polar flights and space activities, including space tourism and space commercialization, increase. http://bit.ly/KsbFSh E12B6759-BE4F-450B-AA95-117A6515F02F Wed, 16 May 2012 02:18:37 -0400 On Monday, May 14, Jessica Rosenworcel, and Ajit Pai, were sworn in by FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski as FCC Commissioners. For the first time in almost a year, the Commission is once again at full strength. Rosenworcel, a Democrat, fills the seat vacated by Michael Copps who retired from the Commission earlier this year; her term runs through June 30, 2015. Pai, a Republican, replaces Meredith Attwell Baker, who left the FCC in June 2011; his term runs through June 30, 2016. http://bit.ly/KsboPl A2C10A54-9FF5-4100-A607-1002112B1809 Wed, 16 May 2012 02:15:27 -0400 Local governments marked National Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6-12) by introducing a new communications trailer. Customized with countless donations and volunteer hours for just $26,000, the District 69 Emergency Communications Team can tow it to any secure location, unlock the door, turn on the battery, generator or plug it in and be relaying life saving information back and forth to the world in minutes. http://bit.ly/JK3RZH 551E7926-CF56-48BF-86DF-F7FB22C902E3 Wed, 16 May 2012 02:09:12 -0400 Crews over the weekend tore down a small piece of the Valley's technology history. The old Motorola radar tower at Elliot Road and Loop 101 was demolished to prepare the site for the Discovery Business Campus, a 136-acre mixed-use office park. http://bit.ly/Kex1gi 804F2F87-2FC0-4F80-88A7-AF0C699E612B Wed, 16 May 2012 02:09:11 -0400 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. http://bit.ly/Kewhrw 8EF21D93-3FAD-4722-9C12-857CA39AEE97 Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:26 -0400 BALLYMENA Amateur Radio Club has been transmitting since 1947 and last week they were officially recognised by Ballymena Borough Council for their 65 years of service to the community. Last Wednesday night members of the club were invited to the Mayor’s parlour to be presented with a plague for their achievement. Chairman Aubrey Kincaid gave a short speech to Mayor Hubert Nicholl explaining the club’s history. http://bit.ly/JopbVQ 5C88B3A9-76E8-49C3-AE7E-25D76F9E218F Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:26 -0400 ...And it's not just Chinese fishermen who have been affected by Manila's growing interest in the region. Disputes over Huangyan Island first made global headlines in May 1997, when Philippine military jets and gunboats harassed and cut short an expedition to the shoal by a group of amateur radio enthusiasts from around the world. "They said it was in their EEZ. But we were carrying maps from the Philippines, that indicated that Huangyan is part of China," recalled Chen Ping, 63, a member of the ill-fated group. His older brother Chen Fang had also led a group of radio enthusiasts to the island on earlier expeditions in 1994 and 1995. http://bit.ly/JSdneo D4F6EE32-AD33-467D-B285-98A321159FFE Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:26 -0400 So what happens if all that fancy communications technology we depend on crashes when a major earthquake or some other catastrophe hits? Surrey's civic government, RCMP, firefighters and Emergency Health Services have that problem covered, with a cheap and relatively low-tech solution: amateur radio. http://bit.ly/LQyCfO 7C27E0DF-00E2-4228-9814-844555FBBB88 Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:25 -0400 As I was researching a specific tidbit of radio history a few weeks back, I happened upon some intriguing stories about the early days of student radio at Georgia Tech. Today Georgia Tech is home to the 100,000 watt college radio station WREK at 91.1 FM; but back in the 1940s, plans were underway for its campus-only predecessor WTYJ. http://bit.ly/Ks9NJc 0057E505-CC83-4C9E-A15D-FAEBA2C870B9 Wed, 16 May 2012 02:00:25 -0400 A website claims correspondance between the Philippine Amateur Radio Association and the ARRL supports Beijing's territorial ambitions in Scarborough Reef. Scarborough Reef, also known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc is located between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon Island of the Philippines. It has seen several major DXpeditions over the years. http://bit.ly/K53Mi9 697E8C85-D81C-47F3-AC1D-026CEEFAB5DC Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:03 -0400 He hadn't planned on being the club's guest speaker Monday, but then George Shields hadn't planned on being an amateur radio operator until his high school physics teacher suggested it. Sometimes, things just happen. http://bit.ly/LQxdWx 9CDB43DA-EDA1-4ACB-A38B-4EAACE507A81 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:03 -0400 A group of St. Paul students got to speak to an astronaut at the International Space Station Monday. The kids from Farnsworth Aerospace Magnet Middle school used a HAM radio to talk to astronaut Don Pettit. To prepare for this, they've been tracking the ISS and learning about the people on board. http://kare11.tv/JolBuQ 20E5F9C5-1ED5-401D-B8FE-5BA0F655A269 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:03 -0400 Local amateur radio operators participated Friday and Saturday in a simulated emergency drill involving emergency management offices and state emergency operations centers in Texas and five other states. http://bit.ly/Ks8J8a 59EC07EF-6036-41F7-87AD-EB2D0C069533 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:03 -0400 Fulton - The members of the Oswego Emergency Communicators/RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) provide much more than emergency communications on amateur radio bands to the local community, Patricia Egan, Director of the Oswego County Emergency Management Office, told the group recently. http://bit.ly/JixXQI 3B8F4D88-B7AB-4E8C-BF76-F61B9C7E84B7 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:02 -0400 Reynold L. Nitsch of Spartanburg was presented with the national George Hart Distinguished Service Award Saturday for a lifetime of service to amateur radio. The award is given annually by the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) to an amateur radio licensee who best exemplifies the principles of amateur radio. http://bit.ly/KZPn63 C8BF661F-1F1B-433F-9C73-248FCC6D297D Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:02 -0400 MY dad (god rest his soul) had three obsessions: rock 'n' roll, The Prisoner television series and amateur radio. Consequently, the soundtrack to my childhood was a heady mix of "C'mon Everybody" ( Eddie Cochran) "I am not a number, I am a free man" (Patrick McGoohan/Number Six and "Dit dit dah dah" (Morse code), all reverberating throughout the house. http://bit.ly/L9xAyN 4687A083-DAD5-4DD4-8038-03EC6E611B03 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:01 -0400 BROKEN ARROW - A new digital radio system using "OpenSky" technology has cleared the way for a greatly improved ability for police and fire departments to communicate with other jurisdictions. But the public is excluded from hearing any dispatch scanner feeds because of its digital encryptions. http://bit.ly/JuI63g 9F29B318-3865-41C2-89A7-C5320E2E1DC1 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:01 -0400 As we approach tornado season it is a good time to take a look at the National Weather Services’ (NWS) SKYWARN program. In DuPage County, the job is performed by trained volunteers with the DuPage Amateur Radio Club (DARC). http://exm.nr/IXeYf4 71345728-9374-44B1-A888-164D83E13EAF Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:01 -0400 A group of Ridgeland middle schoolers are taking learning to new heights. Recently they conducted an experiment that is quickly gaining them attention, and almost a world record. On March 3, students in the science and the radio and technology club, and their teachers launched a giant weather balloon, with experiments and a digital camera, into the air in Gluckstadt. http://bit.ly/L9wjrv 2B0C986F-12D2-4E26-B8D6-CFF412B7FFD1 Wed, 16 May 2012 01:28:00 -0400 NASA is now accepting proposals from US schools, museums, science centers and community youth organizations to host an Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact between November 1, 2012 and May 1, 2013. To maximize these radio contact opportunities, NASA is looking for organizations that will draw large numbers of participants and integrate the contact into a well-developed education plan. Proposals are due July 2, 2012. http://bit.ly/ILmv6l 0244A4AE-3B9D-492F-A6D6-A66DF18E809F Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:01 -0400 Fred Kleber, K9VV, has been appointed as Section Manager of the Virgin Islands Section beginning May 1, 2012. Kleber, of Christiansted, is taking the reins from John Ellis, NP2B, who is planning to move out of the Section soon. Ellis has been Section Manager of the Virgin Islands since 1996. Kleber has served as the Section Emergency Coordinator of the Virgin Islands this past year. http://bit.ly/IIQbA6 25AFEEF8-235A-4B39-B80F-D0F117438A5F Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400 The Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard are co-sponsoring the annual Military/Amateur Radio Crossband Communications Test in celebration of the 62nd anniversary of Armed Forces Day (AFD). Although the actual Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May -- May 19 in 2012 -- the AFD Military/Amateur Crossband Communications Test will be conducted on May 12 to prevent conflict with the Dayton Hamvention, scheduled for May 18-20. http://bit.ly/IyQnkg 16A829CC-A291-4855-A825-FBA539197C24 Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400 There wasn’t exactly a "wave" of people participating in the tsunami emergency drill in Seaside Wednesday, but those who did hike to the hills said it was a worthwhile exercise. About 45 people, plus 337 students from Broadway Middle School, walked to designated assembly areas on high ground after emergency sirens went off at 11 a.m. http://bit.ly/J4IanW 410A991A-2614-404E-9ACF-E49DA00AC4A4 Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400 The article that appeared in this magazine and in EDN last year about ham radio in the 21st century generated a lot of interest and a lot of questions about various aspects of the hobby. This article grew out of that interest, but is not strictly about ham radio. It is about the design tradeoffs that engineers make every day in designing all kinds of electronic equipment. HF transceivers are used as an illustrative example. http://bit.ly/IqlmfR 571F7EC9-C760-4C3C-9303-6D6454773E8E Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400 The Anacapa Near Space Exploration Club (ANSEC) at Anacapa School will reach for the stars once again with its second near space probe, Anacapa Amateur High-Altitude Balloon 2 (AAHAB-2). Last year, the high school club sent a payload of sensors and a camera to 91,122 feet above California's Central Coast and recovered it successfully. This year, the team has set even more ambitious goals including a live video downlink, high-definition recording, radiation sensors and live radio telemetry. http://bit.ly/KikdvY 7594803A-88C3-43FA-AA76-C30E917B722F Thu, 3 May 2012 21:52:00 -0400 Bay Village resident and auxiliary police officer Jim Kettren remembers the great Northeast blackout of 2003, and he hopes a new organization will help avoid some of the panicked feelings people experienced when communications went silent. http://bit.ly/IINqyN 24BBD87D-C6D6-467E-9AB1-4779A28B38B6 Thu, 3 May 2012 21:51:59 -0400 TEENAGERS are making waves at a new Hebburn-based radio club. The North East Amateur Radio Club meets at Wardles Bar in Albert Street, Hebburn, between 7pm and 9pm each Monday. http://bit.ly/JXfZsx 57DE76D6-701D-4B4D-8C47-9A97D96E3F73 Thu, 3 May 2012 21:51:59 -0400 Remember the Northeast Blackout of 2003? No lights, refrigeration, gas pumps or computers, jammed cell phone lines - until the towers fail, along with weakening water pumps. In an extended power outage there would eventually be no way besides radio to communicate across town or across the region. http://bit.ly/Iwcwkp 66630893-C9BB-4B83-AEE9-3F9BD9E8DA7C Thu, 3 May 2012 21:51:59 -0400 HUNDREDS of people turned out to see a genuine Titanic-type radio room and witness how life-saving messages are beamed round the globe to mark 100 years since the disaster. Almost 500 people went to the International Marconi Day celebrations at Chelmsford council's industry museum, Sandford Mill, on Saturday. http://bit.ly/IIUUiN 72CCD4E9-BCC8-4C2C-A86C-285813B8FB5C Thu, 3 May 2012 21:51:58 -0400 Ham radio operator Joe McCready said he attached a camera to a kite and made a video of the park. McCready said during better weather he can attach a wire to a high-flying kite that enables him to speak to other hams in far away places. http://bit.ly/JUEK6T 0D2459D2-3716-4346-87B4-4A87C4C85964 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:32 -0400 More than four years after the Great Coastal Gale of 2007, and in the wake of the 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami, Lee and a small cadre of amateur radio junkies are preparing for the worst and having a great time doing it. With concerns growing over the dangers posed by the Cascadia Subduction Zone, where shifting tectonic plates pose the risk of creating huge earthquakes along the western seaboard, Lee figures that when the inevitable strikes, people can either be part of the solution or part of the problem. http://bit.ly/IiSs56 F19970CC-0F6B-4D06-B0A4-CCA02386B694 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:32 -0400 Radio historian Jim Hilliker sent some new material after last week's column regarding the 90th birthday of KHJ (930 AM) and KFI (640 AM). It appears there is some documentation of KFI's first broadcast after all. The Los Angeles Times ran a story in the April 15, 1922, edition that centered mainly on the Times-owned KHJ and its first broadcast - complete with a mention that the opening-day program on April 13 was "heard clearly in Montana." http://bit.ly/J3mRAI 52E78088-E324-4810-B662-93EEE86F41EE Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:32 -0400 For the past 11 years, the US Office of Personnel Management has designated the ARRL to participate in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC), the annual giving campaign for federal employees. In that time, this campaign for federal government civilian employees, US Postal Service workers and members of the military has generated almost $192,000 for ARRL programs. The CFC provides an easy way to support the ARRL’s effort to represent its members and all radio amateurs. http://bit.ly/IMCMFW AE0EDBC5-04F7-4CA1-A021-C649D28033C7 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:31 -0400 Rex Harper is the kind of do-it-yourselfer who likes to tinker with things. A native of Cape Elizabeth, he taught himself computer programming, and made a good living for a while running the first retail computer store in Maine, back when Apple was just bursting onto the scene. http://bit.ly/JV2AlK 6F3A7ED5-3065-4960-B9FA-6818D78402F8 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:31 -0400 Amateur radio operators can be Rossmoor's link to the outside, if there's a catastrophe. There's no telling when disaster may strike and who may be ready to respond, said Rossmoor resident Tom Martin. He is specially trained in disaster preparedness and is a member of the Citizen's Emergency Response Team (CERT). He's also the designer and builder of a portable amateur radio station. http://bit.ly/IH3Tio A2D02CEA-E219-479C-A9B6-17E5C1118B38 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:31 -0400 The Memorandum of Understanding sets a framework for mutual co-operation in the interest of public safety. On the 16th of April British APCO President Alan House and The Network Chairman Cathy Clark signed an MOU that recognised the common objectives of both organisations in the promotion and influencing of public safety, civil contingency, information management and communications technologies. http://bit.ly/KoBa2f 8502192B-29E7-4440-9875-BE7101DEC0AA Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:31 -0400 Calling all hams. A new website dedicated to severe weather and ham radio needs help from hams. Hams are encouraged to provide photos, links, articles etc. pertaining to ham radio as it is used to assist during severe weather. Also of interest to others would be modes of communication during severe weather events. If it is related to severe weather and amateur radio, we are interested in your input. http://www.wx4usa.com 0A91B0EF-E977-4CFC-A9A6-0EEFD0826F50 Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:30 -0400 When modern communications systems in Nebraska were knocked out by recent tornadoes and severe storms, local officials had no way of calling for help or reporting damage. That’s where amateur radio, or HAM operators stepped in. Tom Reis, a Skywarn coordinator for the National Weather Service, says HAM operators are a valuable asset who can get out messages that help save lives. http://bit.ly/JkqTmd 71210BEE-F3E9-4254-97D0-77756683DC6A Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:42:33 -0400 On April 14, a string of tornados swept through the Central US and Great Lakes Region, including an EF2 tornado in Creston, Iowa, causing severe damage to the Greater Regional Medical Center and the Southwestern Community College campus. Prior to the tornado, radio amateurs in Creston reported storm observations directly to the National Weather Service. After the storm forced the evacuation of the hospital, hams provided communications support to local officials. http://bit.ly/Iy8zIY 51F21A9E-332B-4A90-99CE-A9AE91306206 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:24 -0400 After a life changing injury aboard the tugboat I captained, I was told I would never be able to return to the job I so loved. I felt like the whole world had just ended. After many months of recovery, I had to say my farewells and deal with the loss of the use of my right arm. I found myself beached for the rest of my life. http://bit.ly/Jk8J5L 4CF45B06-BED7-4550-A45A-AE65733E2AFA Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:23 -0400 When a string of tornadoes hit the Central U-S and Great Lakes Region the weekend of April 14th, communications in some of those areas was knocked out, leaving local officials with no way of calling for help or reporting damage. That’s where HAM radio operator’s stepped-in. http://bit.ly/JyOP9e 02C3BD64-1E32-4E2C-A48D-5C1185C23955 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:23 -0400 When some modern communications systems were knocked out recently by storms, local officials had no way of calling for help or reporting damage. That’s where amateur radio operators stepped-in. Tom Reis, SKYWARN Coordinator for the Des Moines National Weather Service Office, says HAM operators reported storm observations just before an EF-2 tornado hit Creston, causing severe damage to the hospital and other structures. Reis says they’re a valuable asset to discerning information that could help save lives. http://bit.ly/IKmpae 391D236A-4AC6-4A18-A372-3A540DE82DC6 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:22 -0400 RADIO equipment dating back to the 1930s was on display at HJ Daley Library at Campbelltown last month. The Fisher’s Ghost Amateur Radio Club hosted an exhibition featuring a variety of radio and transmission devices. http://bit.ly/J3zI3J C0A533CD-EB36-40E0-AA9B-7B313CF0ADD2 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:22 -0400 I’ve gotten to do a lot of, what I consider, very interesting stories lately. The latest one was one about Dick Zehr hooking his Ham radio up in his room at the Good Samaritan Home in Flanagan. I got the call Monday morning from an employee at the nursing home, asking if we would consider running the story. Of course we would! I saw my dad later that night. I haven’t ever talked to anyone about a story I was working on, especially before it was printed, but this time, I asked my dad if he remembered Mr. Zehr. My dad did remember he and his wife both, as the couple had worked at Flanagan schools while my dad was in school there (for the record, his wife still worked at the school my first couple of years in attendance, too). My dad recounted how he was part of a group of guys that learned Morse code from Dick. When my dad got older and had kids, he took my brother’s Scout troop to visit Dick and they all learned how to use the Ham radio. I remember that trip. My brother thought that was the coolest thing in the entire world! http://bit.ly/JoBqC4 42191EEC-DD0C-4738-8147-13830123C943 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:22 -0400 The ARRL has finalized its planning to bring its large exhibition -- ARRL EXPO -- to Dayton Hamvention, May 18-20. The ARRL EXPO has been a mainstay at Hamvention since 2005, serving as the centerpiece for most of the League’s activities at the country’s largest Amateur Radio convention. http://bit.ly/IopOfr 775B0EB1-6620-453F-83F3-6A00BF69F897 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:22 -0400 Wood County officials plan to be ready. "Listen, Act and Live" is the theme for the 2012 Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness week, which runs through Friday. At 1 p.m. today, Tornado Awareness Day, a mock tornado watch (a watch means conditions are right for a tornado to form) will be followed by a mock tornado warning (a warning means a tornado has been reported or Doppler radar indicates one is possible) starting at 1:45 p.m. in Wood County. http://wrtnews.co/JiMY8X 85205014-8280-46BE-A873-362AB86DB1BD Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:21 -0400 The Raspberry Pi is a miniature ARM-based computer board which is sure to find many applications in Amateur Radio, however, there may be concerns about Radio Pollution in amateur radio usage if the unit is left uncased. Possible amateur radio applications include satellite tracking, SSTV, image processing, digital modes, CW and antenna polar plots. http://bit.ly/HUIMK0 E7B6794A-CBFE-4EA6-8E67-4BDE8B9AB30F Sun, 22 Apr 2012 23:06:21 -0400 After five years of being packed away, Dick Zehr’s Ham radio has made its way back to him at Good Samaritan Home, Flanagan. Zehr, who will be 91 April 28, and his wife, Lois, are both residents at Good Sam and have been licensed to use the radio since 1953. http://bit.ly/I4W61c A980393A-FC83-486B-9B07-D163E811AD0D Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:24 -0400 Forecasters used some unusually strong words and phrases to warn Iowans and others in the Midwest about the potential for severe weather this past weekend. National Weather Service meteorologist Jeff Johnson says the Storm Prediction Center, two days prior to storm, stated there was a "high risk" for damaging storms. http://bit.ly/IKjJcG 28783145-5540-48CE-B59F-8F78BE260FCB Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:23 -0400 The Tuscaloosa Amateur Radio Club will be operating a special event station on April 28 in remembrance of the 53 people that died as a result of the April 27 tornado. The station will be active on April 28 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and will be operating from the top of the western parking deck at the DCH Regional Medical Center. http://bit.ly/Jk51ct 2DC9C2BC-C2BB-494C-B621-7EC65626443B Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:23 -0400 Wires were strung from tree to tree and from pole to pole at Brewton City Park Saturday when the Brewton Amateur Radio Union (WB4ARU) set up for broadcasting and demonstrations. Several members of the ham radio organization gathered in the park to broadcast and advertise the fact that they were having a radio party in the park. Godwin, who was the main force behind the forming of the original club and who built the first repeater. Godwin died just before the repeater became operational. http://bit.ly/I3HL69 0B0F70CA-5D39-493D-808C-4C31C547A29E Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:22 -0400 As the story explains, the curator of a local museum recently discovered that a local amateur radio operator helped the Mail get the story correct before most other papers did. The operator is unnamed in the Mail story, but the curator, Andrew Lound, explained how critical his role was at the time in helping the Mail’s predecessor, the Gazette: http://bit.ly/I3GvA7 FB9600A2-36CE-4487-B0D0-17B1A181A812 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:22 -0400 Maryport was the birthplace and childhood home of Thomas Henry Ismay, who founded the White Star Line. On Saturday, members of a local amateur radio club will be sending signals from a replica of the liner's radio room, set up as part of a special exhibition. http://bbc.in/JiLJ9Q 6A341A89-632C-409F-909D-EA42A1A0C6C8 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:22 -0400 Amateur radio operator Frank Conrad 8XK established the concept of radio broadcasting. Frank first became interested in radio in 1912 when, in order to settle a bet on the accuracy of a watch, he built a radio in order to hear time signals from the Arlington, Virginia Naval Observatory. He then constructed, in his garage, a new transmitter, licensed in 1916 as 8XK, whose signal could be heard throughout the Pittsburgh area. In response to popular demand, Frank began broadcasting for two hours each Wednesday and Saturday night. http://bit.ly/I2ZeZS 87107C55-EF0F-4A77-8898-E271301F1F57 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:22 -0400 "If this had been an actual emergency," John Davis, a Lawrenceville ham operator explained, "we'd be ready." That was the main point Saturday during a natural disaster simulation and training event at Snellville United Methodist Church. Around 200 volunteers representing more than a dozen groups of emergency responders and volunteers attended the all-day event, which exposed would-be rescuers what to expect and do after a natural disaster. http://bit.ly/JoscFZ 066BC2B8-5BDB-4D32-ADAE-C89BF65A1329 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:21 -0400 Life is busy for VT Sadasivan (78), a retired physics professor based in Madurai. He is teaching batches of students the nuances of amateur radio communications. After the teaching sessions, Prof Sadasivan tunes in to his Ham Radio transceiver communicating with friends across the globe. http://bit.ly/Jk418i F0B0728F-9C84-44B4-9E90-6BDF9FC3D40C Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:21 -0400 Video might have killed the radio star, but radio amateurs are alive and well in Bendigo. Yesterday was a national amateur radio field day. Across Australia clubs promoted the hobby under the banner ‘tune into the world’. http://bit.ly/I7FUwR A4FFC552-89C5-4805-8798-3C5B68C12A4B Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:21 -0400 A museum in Godalming, England, mounts an exhibit on the centennial of the Titanic sinking to honor senior telegraph officer Jack Phillips, whose calm under pressure saved hundreds of lives. http://lat.ms/Iy1oQZ FC374CB9-C3FB-44D4-9395-CF235536279B Sun, 22 Apr 2012 22:36:21 -0400 Without the tireless work of the RMS Titanic's two radio operators, the toll on that night 100 years ago would have been far worse. At the same time, had more effective communication procedures between ships been in force, the tragedy might have been averted. http://bit.ly/IwXom7 2074ED83-6999-43DE-85F1-6A188EF05FE6 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:38 -0400 Almost 2,000 people have now seen the Titanic exhibition at Maryport’s Wave Centre. By Easter Sunday, 1,400 people had passed through the doors. On Easter Monday, there were 200 visitors and on Tuesday, 168. Staff said the Irish Street venue had never been busier. From Maryport to Titanic was created by the town’s maritime museum. John Whitwell, a museum director, said he was proud of what had been achieved at the exhibition, which will continue to May 13. http://bit.ly/HSDsow 90F19091-D908-4BE2-9AD3-DF51FB65B9CE Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:38 -0400 A MILL in Pontllanfraith where an amateur radio enthusiast picked up the SOS from the stricken Titanic 100 years ago will be the venue for a special exhibition. Gelligroes Mill in Pontllanfraith will be honouring the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic this week, with an exhibition dedicated to an unlikely association that connects the Mill with the catastrophe that took place in the middle of the Atlantic. The Mill is the location where Artie Moore, an amateur radio broadcaster, picked up the SOS signal sent from the Titanic as she started her descent into the Atlantic, over 3000 miles away. http://bit.ly/HSCHff 959C9E43-3497-4999-A59A-F8D766103C27 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:37 -0400 On April 3, 2012, perfect conditions conducive to tornado activity converged on North Texas. A slow moving front, combined with abnormally warm temperatures and moist air coming in from the south, produced large hail, numerous funnel clouds, and tornados. As the weather worsened, hams in North Texas activated ARES and RACES nets. Spotters reported their observations to their local Emergency Operations Center, which acted on that information in a timely manner to inform the public of the approaching storms, giving them time to get to safety. A total of 21 confirmed tornados -- including one EF3 and two EF2 twisters -- swept through the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex during the seven hour storm. http://bit.ly/HHbXVl 00F87E00-8F47-49A5-8F04-2A4124502667 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:37 -0400 The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is deploying a new generation of Common Air Route Surveillance Radar (CARSR) that has some implications for the use of the 1240-1300 MHz (23 cm) band by amateurs. The Amateur Service allocation in this band is on a secondary basis, with aeronautical radionavigation and several other services primary in the United States Table of Frequency Allocations. The FCC rules require that amateur stations operating in the 23 cm band may not cause harmful interference to stations in the radionavigation-satellite service, the aeronautical radionavigation service, the Earth exploration-satellite service (active) or the space research service (active). One case of harmful interference in Southern California has been reported. http://bit.ly/HKbttr C7850A92-E620-460E-AAD5-7585781FCF96 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:37:34 -0400 In a video made in 2003 for the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the late journalist Walter Cronkite spoke about the public service done by amateur radio, or "ham radio" operators, during the dark day in our nation’s history that was September 11, 2001. http://bit.ly/IHwbd5 DE270355-1CA3-420E-8706-DC9CB3B43790 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:37 -0400 It’s serious business, this being a ham. Sixth- through eighth-graders at Two Rivers School learned the intricacies of ham radio during a two-day, hands-on activity that turned part of the school into an amateur radio studio. Stephen Kangas, a longtime ham radio aficionado, along with teacher Joe Burgener and his assistant Denise Atkinson, hosted the School Club Roundup. http://bit.ly/HELczQ EB17C80B-0CE3-463F-BA11-08D28F95473D Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:36 -0400 Here’s a summary of FCC enforcement actions during the past quarter (January-March 2012): Repeater-related cases: 1. General infractions (including unauthorized operation): 10. Power-line cases: 0. http://bit.ly/Hy2LxV F74C0464-0550-4129-948A-40DE2AA8F1E2 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:36 -0400 Amateur radio (HAM) operators swung into action immediately when they heard news about earthquake and tsunami. When all modes of communication, including cellphones got jammed due to hyper activity of the people, HAMs started to contact other operators in various parts of the state to help them to pass messages to their near and dear ones in the vicinity. http://bit.ly/ID65wz 9CC8DA47-AABD-470E-94B7-BB37C1654EC0 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:36 -0400 Did you know that several amateur radio enthusiasts took part in Wednesday disaster drill exercise throughout Eastern Idaho? You probably know them better as ham radio operators, but do you know what’s special about the hobby? http://bit.ly/HFm0tc 4397ABA0-4007-436F-8C6B-0DAF277A1091 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:35 -0400 Inside Jim Ridgley's living room in Frederick, Md., the fire station scanner chatters nonstop and the AM radio buzzes with weather reports. A hand-held ham radio sits by the easy chair in case Ridgley needs to radio in severe weather alerts to the National Weather Service's Skywarn network. http://to.pbs.org/HHdFWX 850F2C69-941C-4F2F-A20A-1772E49E6FA6 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:23:35 -0400 In honor of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic this week, a museum in Wales is presenting an exhibit focused on amateur radio operator Artie Moore, the man who first transmitted messages about the sinking of the Titanic to local residents. At the time, his messages were met with disbelief since he was thousands of miles away from the Titanic. http://bit.ly/HBtjNu F664A700-4931-4C2F-8AFE-B9D1BEB4158D Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:55 -0400 The Titanic’s radio had been down and there was a backlog of messages from Cape Cod - "See you soon," "Pick you up in New York" - waiting to be delivered. While radio operators in nearby ships took off their headphones and went to bed late on April 14, 1912, a Marconi employee on one of those vessels, the Carpathia, sent a message to the "unsinkable ship" reminding them of the growing pile of correspondence. http://bit.ly/HHQKbM 11A31A8D-B598-4808-9427-BFD746330492 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:55 -0400 The first quarter of 2012 (January-March) saw a high level of Amateur Radio license exam sessions, producing an elevated influx of applications for new licensees. According to ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, these numbers outpaced the 2011 first quarter results by 30 percent. This uptick does not only apply to new applications; there was a 6 percent increase in the number of upgrades, too. http://bit.ly/IGG2Cj 16D4C0B0-3C9F-4458-B2FA-97ED24736200 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:54 -0400 Since 2004, the Lewes Amateur Radio Society has been embracing and promoting short-wave communication in the Lewes community and beyond. What was a five-member group of local amateur radio operators at its inception has expanded to 41. http://bit.ly/HHcOFK 13AD101D-7F84-4E89-BE31-99059F167575 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:54 -0400 Licensed amateur radio users in Ashland, Richland and Huron counties are preparing for nearly three feet of snow this Saturday. They're expecting power outages, cars stranded along highways and communications to be down. A lot of people may find the scenario familiar. http://ohne.ws/HHQidy D673F0D5-8BD6-4B13-9634-D0CC2011679E Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:53 -0400 Here is a pastime that has been around for years but is now experiencing a renaissance primarily due to the wide variety of technologies to play with. http://bit.ly/IQWigD 2EDF8CDF-C59E-4EE4-BF63-1DBB959E5C3D Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:53 -0400 The weather in Baton Rouge, Louisiana may not be that different from Decatur, Alabama's, but men still like to talk about it, especially if the men are two ham radio operators. http://bit.ly/ID1QB0 191A0748-14A5-45FB-87F5-5BAA4F728014 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:58 -0400 Gary KN4AQ talks to Jeff Parker WA1WXL, who works for Motorola Solutions. They sell the MotoTRBO brand of DMR equipment that's become popular in ham radio DMR systems. http://bit.ly/ImLxDR C7B199EF-3121-4ED5-B6A3-DEA6D6E02AFB Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:53 -0400 Amateur radio operator KB3QIH Michael Anthony Merchant, 22, of Millsboro signed off his final radio call Thursday, April 5, 2012 after succumbing to injuries sustained in an automobile accident. http://bit.ly/INE8RI FFBDF040-BB73-4E69-865C-797E87E93DEC Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:53 -0400 A special radio that will help emergency communications is being installed at Cumberland Falls State Park this summer. The Military Auxiliary Radio System repeater station will be placed atop the park's water tower, which should assure that it gets good signal and links to the state Emergency Management headquarters in Frankfort. Park official Pam Gibson told The Times-Tribune of Corbin (http://bit.ly/HfFS3K) that a test of the MARS repeater found that radio operators could receive the signal as far south as Knoxville, Tenn. http://bit.ly/HHaiir 44765F16-B170-428F-91E6-C7C8283EA2D7 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:05:52 -0400 It appears hams are finally going to get some respect. The FCC is considering formally including the amateur radio service in its emergency communications planning. Amateur radio operators have a history of helping those in need when other forms of communications are down. Two recent examples, according to the American Radio Relay League, are hams providing storm observations and damage reports to the National Weather Service when tornados moved through Arkansas and Alabama in January and providing communications to Alaskan villages along the Bering Sea when a November 2011 severe winter storm knocked out power lines and communications. http://bit.ly/HkQ50Q 55C75DEC-9A10-4C78-AEDF-4CF0A3FA5FA1 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 20:17:42 -0400 Did you know Mayor Michael Bloomberg has an engineering degree and built a ham radio as a child? The mayor talks about his passion for science and how it shapes the way he thinks. He also discusses plans for an applied sciences campus in New York and potential spin-offs from the project. http://bit.ly/HophcO 1281904F-CEED-49CF-9EA5-04F05122257A Fri, 6 Apr 2012 20:17:40 -0400 A few months ago, the ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee asked the Amateur Radio community about current, planned and projected uses of the amateur bands between 902 MHz-3.5 GHz. The response was beyond our expectations, with hundreds of comments and suggestions received. Thanks to all of you who took the time to share information with us. http://bit.ly/HR3Emb 9DCD4625-1253-4D7A-993D-E8E5A910CA23 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 20:17:40 -0400 In response to the Congressional directive to prepare a study to assess Amateur Radio’s role in emergency and disaster communications and the impact of private land use regulations on the amateur community’s ability to provide such communications, the FCC issued DA 12-523 soliciting comments from the public. The period for public comment runs until May 17, 2012. http://bit.ly/I3dNv0 3D1BC4C0-91EF-4098-802C-E1F2D219B969 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 20:17:39 -0400 As the Titanic was sinking in the North Atlantic, its more than 2,000 passengers and crew scrambling in the dark for lifeboats, a young man far away in Wales heard the ship’s distress calls on his homemade radio. http://wapo.st/HkOFPo 540BD302-3C1D-401C-84ED-8BF9BBF99CD3 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:33 -0400 An exhibition opens in Caerphilly county this weekend in honour of an amateur radio enthusiast who picked up the distress signal from the stricken Titanic after it hit an iceberg and sank 100 years ago this month. Arthur 'Artie' Moore (pictured), from Gelligroes Mill, near Pontllanfraith, and Richard Jenkins experimented with wireless technology in the early 1900s at Mr Moore's makeshift radio workshop. http://bbc.in/HmNODh 7AF898A4-FBAE-41D8-9C70-75C769B41F51 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:33 -0400 Many people think they know what happened the night the Titanic sank at sea. Or at least, how the events played out according to James Cameron. Dramatic (fictional) love story or not, 700 passengers were saved that night, and it’s thanks largely in part to the radio. The National Capital Radio & Television Museum (2608 Mitchellville Road, Bowie, Md.) is commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking with two events that explore the part that radio played in the rescue. http://bit.ly/Hk79zh 804C644D-F5AC-48F4-A8C9-5586FC79BBB9 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:33 -0400 Members of a radio society are celebrating after winning a grant which will help to secure the group’s future, the Rotherham Advertiser reports. Mexborough and District Amateur Radio Society has been presented with £5,000 from The Coalfield Regeneration Trust. http://bit.ly/HtED13 3A72DC87-36C9-4661-B77D-4F3A67353A6D Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:33 -0400 Members of the Sun City Amateur Radio Club may not be able to change the weather, but many of them - along with neighbors - join the National Weather Service in helping to make the predictions both more accurate and informational. The hams will host a SKYWARN training at 7 p.m. Thursday in Pinckney Hall. http://bit.ly/HkUy3R 4E02F520-B17B-42B9-BDA2-FDD4D4AC2974 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:33 -0400 One of the gateway drugs into electronics has traditionally been ham radio. In the past I’ve commented on its decline. But things have changed. The ARRL (www.arrl.org) reports that as of late last year there are now 700,000 licensed hams in the United States, an all-time high. That’s up from 285,000 in 1971. http://bit.ly/HmN0OT 41DC2275-0182-4F94-B3BE-D8156264FF60 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:32 -0400 Sea Research Foundation's Mystic Aquarium presents "Titanic Week" Thursday, April 12 through Wednesday, April 18. Opening on April 12, guests will be among the first people to experience "Titanic " 12,450 Feet Below, the Northeast’s largest, most captivating, permanent exhibit marking the centenary of Titanic. http://bit.ly/HmMRuH 5EF6BAD6-53A4-4AA3-A195-B8FD76003F52 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:32 -0400 A 40-minute European tourism film made on the Isle of Man is expected to reach about 500,000 German viewers. The holiday programme, called MareTV, focuses on areas around the world which have a strong sea tradition and has been running for more than 12 years. The island film features horse trams, basking shark researchers and amateur radio enthusiast Ronnie Allcote. http://bbc.in/HtDDtP FD20ECC9-5936-4468-8257-4A79B8112EF1 Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:32 -0400 All eight students attending the St. Croix Valley Radio Amateurs licensing class in Baldwin on March 23-25 passed the exam. They have now received their call signs from the FCC, and are officially recognized to transmit. Ham radio operators enjoy a fun hobby, and many volunteer their services in disasters and emergencies, as back-up communications. http://bit.ly/Hk65eQ 276BA1BB-0ABE-4E86-A14F-A0E0CDC16B2F Fri, 6 Apr 2012 19:54:30 -0400 Like a lot of other Americans, Bill Isles bought Mega Millions lottery tickets on Thursday. Later he joked with a friend that he had a better chance of getting struck by lightning than winning the record jackpot. That night, Isles walked out into his backyard and got struck by lightning. http://bit.ly/H9plyu B348E4C3-6E86-4004-8F8F-B87A172FAF26 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:09 -0400 CQ columnist Fred Maia, W5YI, a leading amateur radio journalist, educator and pioneer of volunteer examining, passed away on March 28 after a battle with cancer. Maia, 76, published "The W5YI Report," dubbed "America's Oldest Ham Radio Newsletter," from 1978 to 2003, and has been a CQ contributing editor since 1985. His regulatory affairs column, first titled "Ticket Talk," then "Washington Readout," offered news and perspective on FCC and ITU (International Telecommunication Union) actions, and helped untold numbers of hams wend their way through often-confusing mazes of the volunteer examining and vanity call sign systems. http://bit.ly/H3YcOk B99260A4-434A-42D9-B776-0E1DCF4D8C39 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:08 -0400 The RMS Titanic and the Marconi wireless station on Cape Cod crossed paths a century ago on a dark day for history. At Cape Cod National Seashore, where the site of that wireless station remains, the sinking of the Titanic will be commemorated during a weeklong affair. The Titanic with her 2,240 passengers and crew set out from Southhampton, England, for what was expected to be a five-day crossing of the Atlantic to the Port of New York. But four days after departing on April 11, 1912, the Titanic plunged to the ocean floor after striking an iceberg in the North Atlantic. http://bit.ly/HFb1uv 31045D89-B1F5-4CE7-BEEB-E2DCC895C40F Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:10 -0400 NEXT week an exhibition featuring a radio operator who received the SOS signal from the Titanic, will be shown in New Tredegar. The County Borough museum, the Winding House in New Tredegar opens its fascinating new exhibition on Friday April 6. The Titanic, the Mill and the Signal: Artie Moore and Titanic’s SOS, focuses on amateur radio enthusiast, Artie Moore from Gelligroes Mill, who received RMS Titanic 's SOS signal, on his home-made radio receiver. The new exhibition will also explore the story of Titanic and some local links in this 100th anniversary year of her sinking. http://bit.ly/HrMJK8 555321E8-7270-4D18-8BAB-6D8824D2FBAE Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:08 -0400 In view of all the restrictions associated with publicising the Olympics, members have been asking what wording may they use on QSL cards associated with the Olympic special prefixes. Through the RSGB the Olympic Brand office has confirmed that the phrase; "Amateur radio special event station to celebrate the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games" is quite acceptable to use on ordinary QSL cards such as those associated with GOyxxx call and G2012xxx series. http://bit.ly/HrRD9T A3B3A6A6-9C5F-4695-9BBF-F19166ECA99C Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:08 -0400 At 22, Herb Weiner was running a machine lathe at Westinghouse Electric in Essington, Pa., just outside of his Philadelphia hometown, when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. It was 1942, and Weiner was assigned to the Army Airways Communications System as a radio operator in the Arctic during World War II. After two years of service, he returned home, married and entered the family furniture business, Weiner & Co. Now 91, Weiner lives in Sarasota with his wife, Betty, of 68 years. http://bit.ly/HE8LFf FA25CBE1-3178-4288-BA52-2C6DCF256EF1 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:08 -0400 The Weather Amateur Radio Network held a "Weather Spotters Class" Friday to educate and train people to be severe weather reporters. "We saw an up tick in registrations after the March 2nd tornado outbreaks," said Mike Nie, the Public Information Officer for W.A.R.N., "We got up to a point where 160 people are registered which is almost double what our normal attendance is." http://bit.ly/H5RVDz 3D3A2CAE-6C13-426B-9663-A99BDFC944DC Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:08 -0400 A Wichita man is recovering after he survived a lightning strike. "I don't think it was a direct strike because I didn't get any burns. It's not a feeling or something I'd want to go through again," said Bill Isles. The 48-year-old man is a volunteer storm spotter. On Thursday night, he was standing in his backyard and thought the lightning was far away from his home in Southeast Wichita. "In the distance, I would hear thunder and see lightning. I didn't think anything was quite that close," said Bill. "And it came as quite a shock." http://bit.ly/HFevxi 6BC3B8AD-304C-46E2-BCA7-AFE1E9A9AC07 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:07 -0400 Become a licensed amateur radio operator and tune in the world! The Yucaipa Valley Amateur Radio Club is sponsoring a ham radio class series to prepare anyone who wants to take the Federal Communications Commission license exams. http://bit.ly/HE5OVf 65B81EE7-6AF1-412B-8885-1A7D0DC6E41B Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:07 -0400 The Capital Area Amateur Radio Emergency Response Team (CAARERT) was formed in direct response to the events of September 11th, 2001. Comprised of amateur radio operators, the volunteer group's sole purpose is to organize for emergency response. A part of that commitment is to provide storm spotting operations, called SKYWARN for Sangamon and Menard counties. John Anderson (W9TRC) is the current president of the organization. http://bit.ly/HtTREH DACE9FCB-0C13-41AB-97CA-3CF5C783C367 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 12:11:07 -0400 When severe weather hits, maintaining lines of communication between responders is vital, but what if the towers are down, the cellular networks are compromised and the electrical power is out? When all else fails, amateur radio operators step up to the plate and get the messages through. Arlin Bradford, president of the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club and assistant emergency coordinator with the Knox County Amateur Emergency Radio Service talked with the News about the roles amateur radio operators "called hams" play in the event of a natural disaster. http://bit.ly/HtugXt 77D27F4E-9A7C-452A-9DCC-E5EF9F1EFC3B Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:19 -0400 A compromise between the city and amateur radio enthusiasts means they’ll get a bit more freedom to put up private antennas on their houses and in their yards, city council agreed Wednesday. The city doesn’t directly regulate antennas on private property: that’s Industry Canada’s job, but the federal department gives municipalities a chance to say what they think. http://bit.ly/HwURa7 D861E10C-480D-4040-9AA8-833461B203AF Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:19 -0400 The men and women at the Grand Prairie Ham Radio Operators Club don’t start with their names when they introduce themselves. They start with their call signs. "KC5YHQ, Bob Glover." "K5NDX, Randy Geater." Long before there were cell phones, the Internet or e-mail, there was Ham radio, amateur radio operators who communicated worldwide. But even with all these breakthroughs in modern communications, Ham radio is still around, and there are ardent practitioners in Arkansas County. http://bit.ly/HrJsdF 63352053-42E6-4B74-A8FD-8D53C4C46C81 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:18 -0400 Eight Lucas County Hospitals are receiving a total of 12 upgraded two-way radios for emergency communications. The new radios replace single band units currently in use with dual band ones and allow the added option of digital communications. http://bit.ly/HavJ55 B276EA8F-7673-4933-B35E-5078950E9CAB Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:17 -0400 Storm spotters provide a crucial link in tracking severe storms. A team of meteorologists from the National Weather Service will provide free training in Macomb. http://bit.ly/HaEP5H 3D83B167-EFC4-495E-AABF-065333FF8DD4 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:16 -0400 In times of emergencies, seconds and minutes matter. It’s especially true in an area where vast forests, high ridges and low-lying areas can cripple normal radio and cell phone reception. And in turn, delaying or losing contact can be the difference between life and death. That’s about to change at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park, thanks to a United States Army MARS radio repeater which will be permanently installed within two to three months. The repeater will be placed on top of the park’s water tower, which is located near the Dupont Lodge. http://bit.ly/HrIcHD 93CB9CF4-3468-426A-9D40-4DB7A109B58B Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:15 -0400 Reading a storm can be like reading a confusing sentence. Even though each word’s definition may be known, the sentence itself could still have an unclear meaning. A National Weather Services Weather Spotting class seeks to make its students literate in reading the skies. By identifying storm and cloud structures, teachers and past students say they know what a storm means and is capable of doing. http://bit.ly/HwSyDY 11ED2398-1E1D-499E-99F0-C45815298D5B Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:14 -0400 While the multitudes muddle along with traditional information sources (newspapers, television, radio stations, or their dot-com equivalents), while the rest of us cop that next fix from the billion-brained beasts of Facebook and Twitter, the few, the proud, the very, very skeptical prefer to get their news in a somewhat less-conventional way. By eavesdropping on the cops. http://bit.ly/GZS4nE 9125DF84-3A1B-48CA-B077-221B42033517 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:13 -0400 The signal seemed too good to be true. Visitors to the Appalachian Exposition of 1910 thought they heard a hoax. They didn't believe Powell May, a Western Union telegraph operator, when he broadcast a welcome message from President William Howard Taft over a wireless telegraph for the Exposition's opening. http://bit.ly/Htqn4H 91195151-9CCE-4350-94B8-29DAFCDF69C4 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:12 -0400 Our lives are filling up with more and more devices as the post-PC era takes a firm hold, as all of our devices are connected to each other and to the internet, wirelessly. The problem is, we are not all professional radio engineers or even amateur radio operators. Most of us are not familiar with how various radio frequencies penetrate. The following will help anyone with a WiFi network understand where and why their devices are not connecting to the network. http://bit.ly/HaDoED 50B95439-81F2-48F7-91C4-FEAFAF7C8843 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:12 -0400 The Ham Nation show visited the studios where the 'Last Man Standing' TV comedy featuring amateur radio is made. http://bit.ly/GZR3fd BE908193-C401-4FB8-ABD6-420F6960F2B1 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:38:20 -0400 They don't play Words With Friends, but some have friends across the world. Their electronic accessories don't begin with "i." In the event of an actual emergency, you would be glad to have one for a neighbor. http://bit.ly/HtMLjf C0102127-9F42-40C5-8098-B8C355A7ACE4 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:31 -0400 A buddy of mine isn’t very political. He’s so busy earning a living he can’t spend his hours listening to talk radio, watching cable news or even reading the opinion pages of newspapers and the web. Yesterday he sent me an alarmed email. My friend is a ham radio operator. He has also been involved in emergency communications in an advisory capacity for decades. Someone in one of his radio clubs sent him the details from an Executive Order signed last Friday by President Obama. My friend isn’t quite so sure he trusts the President and all the President’s men in taking over all communications and Internet traffic during an emergency. My friend once worked at an alphabet TV news network and has been up close and personal with many government power players. He knows these people aren’t gods, no matter how many political staff, Hollywood entertainers and Washington Post newspaper columnists insist it’s the case. http://bit.ly/HwOa7P 751CBDEA-9D45-441C-832A-73BDEE3652CF Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:31 -0400 The Shelby County Office of Preparedness Reserve Program, under the leadership of Community Emergency Response Team coordinator Eugene Jones, recently honored two of its outstanding members -- Willie Hollinger of Cordova and Alexander "Ham" Hilliard of Bartlett. http://bit.ly/HtLUPJ 42C05846-783C-4FC1-BF4D-D6F05F2AA412 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:30 -0400 In Ogilvy On Advertising David Ogilvy claims there are three magic words in the ad world. Put one in the headline of your ad and people will read it. The magic words are new, free, and sex. But the one sure way to get my attention when flipping through a magazine is to have a schematic diagram. Any kind. A radio. Vacuum tube circuits. Logic. Piles of op amps. For some reason I find schematics arresting and always stop and take a closer look. http://bit.ly/HaC2cW 5FEDBAC1-A97B-4363-ADD6-019E1729273F Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:30 -0400 Is it ever OK for the government to silence the public's electronic communications? The Federal Communications Commission is looking into that question, after a protest in San Francisco turned into a debate over free speech rights -- and over limiting those rights for the public good. http://fxn.ws/GZPnT4 CBDF1159-4DB8-44AE-9E4F-F9A4C9CC0119 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:29 -0400 In an emergency, fire, police and rescue responders need information - even when power is gone, phone systems are dead or the Internet is down. At those times, Parsippany's Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service exists to make sure that no matter what, comunications go on so that citizens can be protected. http://bit.ly/HariqK 11C51AD0-1B7D-449E-AD32-40D224FAE3B7 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:29 -0400 The television band is a prominent target for spectrum repurposing to meet the demand for mobile broadband, and now it has company on the spectrum dartboard. The FCC is seeking 40 MHz from that allocated to the Mobile Satellite Service in the 2 GHz band. All three sitting commissioners backed the plan. http://bit.ly/HtJpwN 8E967DF2-731D-4B35-9F23-B7443803D4EF Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:28 -0400 The role of ham radio in emergency communications continues to grow, and will become even more vital in the future. That was the message from Wayne Gronlund, Connecticut Section Emergency Coordinator, at the annual meeting of Connecticut ARES over the weekend. http://exm.nr/H5XWR7 B1CA4CD2-C607-486C-BD76-AE40A6F5530C Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:28 -0400 Thousands of public and commercial mobile radios in the Dayton area are being reprogrammed or replaced to meet federal mandates intended to reduce harmful interference to public safety communication systems and make more efficient use of radio frequencies. http://bit.ly/HDTV1u 6FDE5506-5FEC-44C7-A76B-15FDC475296B Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:27 -0400 The Federal Communications Commission Wednesday opened a proceeding on how to open up satellite spectrum in the 2 GHz band for mobile terrestrial use, one of the proposals in the National Broadband Plan and yet another element of the commission's multipart strategy to free up spectrum from broadcasters and others for mobile broadband. http://bit.ly/Huqyyj 5B1CB6D7-FDB9-4221-A7C5-1CB732493AA2 Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:15:27 -0400 The DX Century Club (DXCC) is the premier Amateur Radio operating award. Available to hams around the world, tens of thousands of awards have been issued since 1945 under the modern award program. In 2012, the DXCC program is not only still thriving, but it is growing, both in participation and in numbers of award options. The addition of Logbook of the World (LoTW) and soon, the addition of an Online DXCC Application utility, will continue to help the program grow. Effective Monday, April 2, the way DXCC fees are assessed will change. These changes will include both rate increases and rate decreases. http://bit.ly/zGo3S1 825D8B10-F1FF-46B7-ACE9-6326E7DE3947 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:55 -0400 On March 15, the FCC issued an Order Proposing Modification, seeking to change the license class of Todd Wilson, WH6DWF, of Honolulu, Hawaii, from General to Technician. The FCC stated that granting General class Amateur Radio operator privileges to Wilson was "improper." http://bit.ly/xJLADC 7751D788-4C3F-45C7-AFDD-503407C46685 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:54 -0400 A national mandate by the Federal Communications Commission will call for a change in the way departments, such as the Hastings Fire Department, communicate via radio. http://bit.ly/FPtdkZ 412FD173-8490-4049-8D91-6C484DBAAFE0 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:54 -0400 The Fulton Amateur Radio Club is presenting an interesting program presented by the Reverend George DeMass at its 7 p.m. monthly meeting on March 28. It will cover descriptions of the wireless radio technology onboard the ill-fated Titanic, officers’ dispositions, and dialogues that were sent for help moments before the liner sank. http://bit.ly/FPpGHO 279D6EFF-9A4A-4287-8755-249CB53B3ED6 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:54 -0400 "CQ, CQ Celebrating National Public Health Week!" "CQ, CQ Celebrating National Public Health Week!" If you're an aficionado of amateur radio -- or ham radio as it's also known -- this is the call you might hear coming out of Oklahoma City on April 6. In layman's terms, it means "Calling all stations, calling all stations! Celebrating National Public Health Week!" http://bit.ly/FPy3TR B15F5170-83A3-4253-819C-47DEBF62555B Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:53 -0400 Jones County said farewell to a true American patriot last week with the death of WWII and Pearl Harbor veteran John Harvey Chase. The veteran died March 6. He was 96 and remained vibrant and active until his final days. Chase lived in Jones County since 1970 and was always ready to share his experiences at Pearl Harbor. He was in the first group of veterans interviewed and recorded in 2008 for Jones County’s Veterans Appreciation Day. http://bit.ly/wPLf3V 03408045-0AFF-46AD-ABF6-1AC390510076 Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:53 -0400 A proposed policy outlining the city's involvement in situating cell-phone towers and antennas didn't pass muster at the city's agriculture and rural affairs committee last week. The city doesn't have any authority over where the towers will be placed - that's the responsibility of Industry Canada, a federal agency. But the city can put together a protocol for how it will advise Industry Canada on proposed towers and that policy is something two city committees considered last week. http://bit.ly/FPyGO3 AFBC4986-9EE8-4F54-8A4A-FCB274E26D7C Sun, 18 Mar 2012 22:33:53 -0400 On March 5 amateurs were granted new privileges on the 60 meter band. The effective radiated power level was increased from 50 to 100 W, along with the ability to use CW and the digital modes PACTOR III and PSK31. http://bit.ly/zNGHcV 0684F814-0AA0-4C86-A23D-B0A209DB18D2 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:38:59 -0400 A few months ago, the ARRL UHF/Microwave Band Plan Committee asked the Amateur Radio community about current, planned and projected uses of the amateur bands between 902 MHz and 3.5 GHz. The response was beyond our expectations, with hundreds of comments and suggestions received. Thanks to all of you who took the time to share information with us. http://bit.ly/z0Mi4F BE0DC8FB-92EF-4F26-A332-B4380894A879 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:38:59 -0400 In November 2011, the FCC issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture (NAL) in the amount of $10,000 to Michael Perry of Cross City, Florida. In a Forfeiture Order released on March 6, the FCC reduced the forfeiture that Perry must pay to $450. Perry was accused of operating a radio transmitter without the requisite FCC authorization and his failure to operate a Citizens Band station, "willfully violat[ing]" Section 301 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended and Sections 95.409 (by operating an unlicensed and non-certificated CB transmitter) and 95.411 (by operating an unlicensed radio transmitter with two amplifiers) of the FCC’s rules. http://bit.ly/wQJhAy A48AAB96-DFA4-4BC1-8362-739711FE9906 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:38:58 -0400 A devastating storm system moved across the United States on March 2, spawning a slew of tornadoes that contributed to at least 28 fatalities in Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio. These tornadoes followed an earlier outbreak that began on February 28 and left 13 dead across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee and battered parts of Kentucky. The Clark County (Indiana) Emergency Management Agency activated the local RACES team to help provide communications support, hams in Eastern Kentucky set up SKYWARN nets to assist the local National Weather Service office and Cincinnati-area hams supported the National Weather Service and the American Red Cross. http://bit.ly/xondWg E4C76154-D4AB-4696-A4CB-A1707F0E6567 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:37:47 -0400 After a unanimous House vote, Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter's pen stroke is all that stands between finally declaring the telegraph obsolete in Idaho. Tuesday's 63-0 vote is part of the Idaho Supreme Court's annual effort to excise archaic language from state code. http://bit.ly/yRByfF 1E3C8FCF-83A0-4CAB-A5F8-AD6DCF064D49 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:06:12 -0400 Technology, schmectology. For all the gadgets that weather forecasters have at their fingertips, the high-tech equipment still has its limitations. Nothing beats having trained weather eyes on the ground that can spot severe weather as it’s happening and provide early warnings that can help save lives. That’s where Skywarn training comes in. http://bit.ly/x5Y6yW 52D06D46-AFE0-4C03-86F9-B07B71175D19 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:06:11 -0400 James Stiles doesn't hunt, fish, bird watch or yet dig for dinosaur bones - the typical hobbies that draw people to North Dakota. He's moving to the state to increase his stock as a ham radio operator. http://bit.ly/yAk9VN 918A7944-EF9D-4540-A163-52652E462ECD Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:06:09 -0400 James Stiles doesn't hunt, fish, bird watch or yet dig for dinosaur bones - the typical hobbies that draw people to North Dakota. He's moving to the state to increase his stock as a ham radio operator. The 57-year-old Stiles, retired for five years from a career as a computer whiz with the U.S. Department of Defense, recently bought with his wife Sue a house sight unseen - on the Internet auction site eBay, no less - in the small southeastern North Dakota town of Edgeley. http://ohne.ws/w6HC5A 058E7744-F949-4C2C-A685-123F11A5CE48 Thu, 15 Mar 2012 01:06:09 -0400