IN THIS EDITION:

PHASE 3D LAUNCH PENCILED IN FOR MID-APRIL

The launch of the Ariane 502 that will carry AMSAT's Phase 3D amateur satellite aloft has been tentatively set for mid-April 1997. That announcement came recently from Jean-Marie Luton, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), and Alain Bensoussan, Chairman of CNES (the French Space Agency), during a joint ESA-CNES press conference at ESA Headquarters in Paris. Other payloads include a pair of technological measurement packages for validation of the launch vehicle's ability to place two satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit.

The press conference also outlined the two agencies' respective plans to correct deficiencies in the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, in response to a report submitted in July by the Ariane 501 inquiry board that's been looking into the loss on launch of the first Ariane 5 booster in early June. In their announcement, Luton and Bensoussan outlined several specific actions that ESA and CNES are taking to assure the correction of software contained in the Ariane 5 inertial reference system. Software errors were cited as among the primary causes of the Ariane 501 failure. Other changes will mean that all of the launch vehicle's software will be subject to qualification reviews in which outside experts will take part.

AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan, W3XO, confirmed outside reports that the launch delays will cost AMSAT-NA and AMSAT-DL approximately $300,000. AMSAT originally had budgeted about $4.5 million for the construction, launch and operation of the AMSAT Phase 3D satellite. It's now seeking additional contributions to help pay the extra costs associated with the launch delay.--AMSAT News Service

VANITY CALL SIGN PROCESSING UPDATE

In the three weeks since Gate 2 opened on September 23, the FCC's Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, office, has worked its way about halfway through the stack of 4527 first-day applications. At this point, Commission personnel are only entering application data in preparation to grant applications, a process an FCC spokesman said would take approximately four weeks. No license grants have been made under Gate 2. Since most of the applications have included the maximum 25 call sign choices, keying each one into the computer has been a painstaking process. The FCC said it would ignore illegible choices in the list.

The FCC will not start making any grants for first-day filers until all day-one applications have been entered into the FCC's computer. Then, applications will be processed randomly by the computer from among those that arrived on September 23, 1996.

About 7% of Gate 2 applicants have been using the FCC's new on-line electronic filing system, available via the FCC's Web page at http://gullfoss.fcc.gov/vanity.prod/vanity.htm. Paper and electronic applications have equal weight in terms of processing, but electronic applications don't have to be manually transcribed into the FCC's computer. Electronic payment is not yet available.

If your application cannot be granted for any reason, the FCC will dismiss and return it. But to get your $30 back, you must request a refund in writing. The FCC has not announced opening dates for Gates 3 and 4.

Vanity program applicants are advised to refrain from calling the FCC for the latest information on application processing and, instead, to check the latest vanity program information on the ARRLWeb page at http://www.arrl.org/fcc/vanity.html or to listen to W1AW bulletins. The KI4HN Web page lists vanity assignments at http://www.webbuild.com/~ki4hn/vanity.htm. This address was still working on October 10, but KI4HN reports he's changing Web servers and the new address will be http://www.mindspring.com/~ki4hn. Another good source of the latest FCC grants is the CallBook Server (CBS) Summary at http://www.lantz.com/htbin/cbs_today. CBS lists all transactions that result in call sign changes.

ARRL/TAPR 15TH DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE A HIT!

Some 140 amateur digital communication enthusiasts gathered September 20-22 in "sunny Seattle" for the 15th annual Digital Communications Conference, now sponsored jointly by the ARRL and Tucson Amateur Packet Radio (TAPR). Hosted by the Puget Sound Amateur Radio TCP/IP group and the Boeing Employees Amateur Radio Society (BEARS), the 15th DCC proved to be one of the best yet.

Conference highlights included presentations and demonstrations of the latest developments in Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) applications for the Macintosh, Windows and in the Java language; high-speed digital radio systems; HF digital communication developments; and the potential for use of Part 15 systems, such as wireless modems and LANs, in Amateur Radio.

This year also featured the Conference's first awards for papers contributed by students, with awards going to Marc Normandeau and Michelle Toon, KC5CGH. These awards will be given annually. Proceedings of the conference are available from the ARRL for $12, plus shipping. Order no 5684; e-mail pubsales@arrl.org or call 888-277-5289 (toll-free).--Jon Bloom, KE3Z

Award-Winning Students-At the 15th TAPR/ARRL Digital Communications Conference in Seattle, Michelle Toon, KC5CGH, and Marc Normandeau were presented with the first annual conference student paper awards by ARRL President Rod Stafford, KB6ZV (left), and Gerald Knezek, KB5EWV (right), co-chairman of the Conference Student Award Papers Committee. Their papers are included in the conference proceedings, available from ARRL.

IARU ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL MEETS IN ISRAEL

The Administrative Council of the International Amateur Radio Union met in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 6-8, after the IARU Region 1 conference there. The council took the following actions:

  • After consulting with the International Secretariat, the council identified the ITU meetings during the coming year that require IARU representation, and the president announced the appointment of representatives.

  • The council agreed on instructions to be given to the IARU 1997 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-97) delegation. The International Secretariat will update this material as new information becomes available. The delegation will consist of IARU Vice President Michael Owen, VK3KI; Region 1 Vice Chairman Wojciech Nietyksza, SP5FM; and ARRL International Affairs Vice President and IARU Secretary Larry Price, W4RA.

  • The council adopted a budget for 1997-1999, as submitted by the International Secretariat. The budget provides for financial contributions from the three regional organizations to defray a portion of the expenses that are assumed by the International Secretariat beyond its constitutional obligation.

  • The council received a comprehensive report from the 7 MHz Strategy Committee, and updated the strategies guiding IARU preparations for the possible consideration of related allocations issues at WRC-99. The approved action plan will be distributed to member societies.

  • The council updated the IARU Strategic Plan for the Development of Amateur Radio. In recognition of the special circumstances in Africa, the council created a special committee under the chairmanship of Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS5AKV, to develop a plan to marshal global resources to enhance the position of Amateur Radio in Africa.

  • The council reviewed and updated present and anticipated future requirements for radio spectrum allocations to the Amateur and Amateur Satellite Services, particularly with regard to the low-frequency (LF) range, the 7-MHz band, the lower VHF range, and the microwave allocations.

  • The council began planning for IARU participation in the next world TELECOM (Geneva, 1999). The council also received reports from Regions 1 and 3 on their preparations for Amateur Radio participation in Asia TELECOM 97 in Singapore and Africa TELECOM 98 in South Africa, being organized by the respective regions in accordance with IARU policy.

  • The council received a report from the Future of the Amateur Service Committee (FASC). The Committee has completed a review of comments on its initial discussion document and is preparing a further paper on the subject of possible revisions to Article S25 of the international radio regulations, which is expected to be considered at WRC-99.

  • An extensive report on the utility of beacon stations in the Amateur Service was received from an ad hoc committee, and recommendations adopted.

  • The Ad Hoc Communications Planning Committee submitted a detailed report, which recommended increased emphasis on explaining the work of the IARU. A Public Relations Committee will be appointed to carry out this work.

  • The council reappointed to new terms the international coordinators and advisers who report to it on specialized areas of interest. They are: Robert E. Knowles, ZL1BAD, IARU Monitoring System; John G. Troster, W6ISQ, IARU Beacon Project; Hans van de Groenendaal, ZS5AKV, IARU Satellite Adviser; and Christian M. Verholt, OZ8CY, IARU EMC Adviser.

  • The council reversed its previous decision to decouple its meetings from regional conferences, and decided that its next regular meeting would be held in Beijing, China, September 13-15, 1997, following the Region 3 conference.

  • The council confirmed that theme for World Amateur Radio Day, September 20, 1997, will be "35 Years of Amateur Radio in Space."

  • The International Secretariat reported on the status of the IARU Web site, http://www.iaru.org, which is now functionally independent of the ARRLWeb site. The three regional organizations announced plans to establish Web sites of their own, linked to that of the IARU and of those member-societies in the respective regions that have established a Web presence.

The members of the Administrative Council are IARU President Richard Baldwin, W1RU; IARU Vice President Michael Owen, VK3KI; IARU Secretary Larry Price, W4RA, and regional representatives PA0LOU, SP5FM, VE3CDM, YV5BPG, 9M2SS, and HL1IFM. Additional regional observers invited to be present were 6W1KI, ZS5AKV, VP9IM and JJ1OEY.

PRESIDENT CLINTON RECOGNIZES AMATEUR RADIO

President Bill Clinton has sent greetings to Amateur Radio during the week leading up to the October 12-13 Simulated Emergency Test. The President's greeting refers to the week as "Amateur Radio Week." The White House faxed a copy of the president's message to ARRL member Darlana Mayo, KB2EPU, of Mt Vernon, New York, who's been working with the White House for several months to get the acknowledgement. Mayo said she wanted the president to "be aware of our value to the community--particularly in emergencies." Mayo--a ham for 10 years--is a member of ARES and RACES, and serves as an assistant director and an assistant emergency coordinator in the Hudson Division.

Here's the text of the White House statement, which was signed by President Clinton:

    Warm greetings to everyone observing October 7 through 13, 1996, as Amateur Radio Week.

    In the past century, the medium of radio has changed the way we live and the way we view our world, and Amateur Radio operators have played a vital role in this communications phenomenon. Sharing knowledge and technological expertise, connecting computers via radio equipment, and linking people all across the globe, ham radio operators have helped to make our world a true global village. But even more important, they have provided a crucial lifeline of relief in times of disaster and hardship, ensuring that hope and help are on the way to those in need.

    Amateur Radio Week offers us a welcome opportunity to thank our nation's amateur radio operators for their commitment to excellence and their willingness to work for the well-being of others.

    Best wishes for a wonderful week.

FCC ISSUED CALL SIGN UPDATE

The following is a list of the FCC's most recently issued call signs as of October 1, 1996.

DistrictGroup A - ExtraGroup B - AdvancedGroup C - Tech/GenGroup D - Novice
0AB0CWKI0EP++KB0YOV
1AA1QPKE1GDN1XXLKB1BZV
2AB2CDKG2IM++KB2ZXJ
3AA3OZKE3XON3YCJKB3BQL
4AE4YGKT4WL++KF4MIE
5AC5JUKM5DV++KC5WIR
6AC6XRKQ6JS++KF6GOG
7AB7SQKK7BP++KC7SVE
8AA8YAKG8YX++KC8EYJ
9AA9TJKG9ID++KB9OPS
HawaiiAH7EAH6OUKH7BMWH6DCV
Alaska#AL7QSKL0AVWL7CTY
Virgin IsWP2XKP2CJNP2JLWP2AIG
Puerto RicoKP3VKP3ANNP3GJWP4NMM

# New prefixes are available for this block, but no call signs have been issued.

++ All call signs in this group have been issued in this area.

ANOTHER SPOTLESS WEEK

Propagation guru Tad Cook, KT7H, of Seattle, Washington, reports that On October 2, we completed a second full week of no visible sunspots. Average solar flux was about the same as the previous week, and was below the average for the past 90-day average, which is 71. "It looks like conditions related to the next cycle are not about to turn up yet," he said. Over the month of October solar flux is expected to hover around 70 or below, as solar activity continues to stay very low. The geomagnetic field is expected to become unsettled to active due to recurring coronal holes during the periods October 7-9, 17-20 and 23-25.

Sunspot numbers for September 26 through October 2 once again were 0 across the board. The 10.7-cm flux was 70, 69.8, 71, 70.1, 69.5, 69.5 and 69.7, respectively, for a mean of 69.9.

ALPHA/POWER SPINS OFF FROM ETO

Dick Ehrhorn, W4ETO, and Dave Wilson, AA0RS/G3SZA, have acquired the ALPHA amplifier business from ETO, which had merged with Applied Science and Technology (ASTeX) last December. In a news release, Wilson and Ehrhorn said the new company, to be known as ALPHA/POWER, "will honor all ETO/ALPHA commitments, including new amplifier pricing, delivery priorities, and, in particular, warranty and after-warranty service on all ALPHAs." The new company will relocate to its own facility in Colorado in the near future. In the meantime, ALPHA sales and service will continue through the old ETO address and telephone numbers.

Ehrhorn founded ETO in 1970 and designed all the early ALPHA linears. By 1995, it was a $20-million company. For more than a decade, ETO has been the world's largest manufacturer of 5 to 30-kW linear RF amplifiers for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. More recently, ETO has become an important supplier of RF power to the microchip industry. Wilson joined ETO earlier this year, specifically to prepare the ALPHA business for independence. He has extensive experience in digital technology and RF. Wilson is president of ALPHA/POWER; Ehrhorn serves as chairman of the board.

JAMBOREE ON THE AIR '96 IS OCTOBER 19-20

This coming weekend, Amateur Radio will provide a venue for a virtual campground as the 39th annual Jamboree on the Air (JOTA) gets under way. On October 19-20, JOTA '96 will give Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Cubs, Brownies, Explorers and Guides from across town, across the country and around the world a chance to get acquainted via ham radio. It's also a great opportunity to spark interest in the hobby among nonham participants (See QST, Oct 96, p 49). JOTA starts October 19 at 0001 local time and ends October 20 at 2359 local time, so some activity spills over from Friday to Monday because of time differences around the world.

But JOTA is not just for Scouts. If you'd like to get involved in JOTA '96, there's still time. Contact your local Scout leaders. Loan some equipment, help set up a station, or invite Scouts to use your station for the event. It's an ideal way for clubs to generate interest in ham radio and to "do a good turn" for scouting. You might recruit a few candidates for your next licensing classes.

JOTA participation also is a public relations opportunity for clubs. Contact local news media (newspaper, radio, television), explain how JOTA brings together young people from around the world via Amateur Radio, and invite them to visit.

When JOTA '96 is over, we'd like to hear what you did. Send a brief summary of your Jamboree activities and be sure to include action photos. Your JOTA could show up in QST next year. And afterward, ask the ARRL Educational Activities Department for information on starting a license class for interested scouts. Call EAD at 860-594-0301, or e-mail ead@arrl.org. For the latest information on JOTA, check out http://www.arrl.org/ead/jota.html on the World Wide Web.

Scouts around the world hope you'll pitch in to help with JOTA '96. Let's make this year's event the biggest and best ever.

NEWSLINE TO CELEBRATE NEWSCAST NUMBER 1000

On Friday October 11, 1996, the Amateur Radio Newsline (formerly The Westlink Radio Network) will release its 1000th consecutive week of informational programming to the worldwide Amateur Radio community. Newsline will also make available a 30-minute special audio presentation, "Newsline 1000," that tells the Newsline story.

Tony Valdez, KC6LXQ, of KTTV television, will be the host. Guests will include Westlink Radio Network/Newsline cofounder/producer Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, also of KTTV, and other notable ham-broadcasters. Taped segments will include such well-known Newsline personalities as Alan Kaul, W6RCL; Jim Davis, KU8R; Roy Neal, K6DUE; South-East Bureau Chief David Black, KB4KCH; and the other half of the Westlink Radio/Newsline founding "team," Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP.

Newsline came into being in 1977 as The Westlink Radio Network. It was started as a simplex bulletin service on the 222-MHz band in Southern California. The first newscast was transmitted from a motorcycle mobile station parked atop a 3800-foot mountain to a small audience of Los Angeles hams.

In addition to the weekly newscast, Newsline--with corporate underwriting from Yaesu USA Corporation and CQ--also sponsors the annual "Young Ham of the Year Award." Look for a two-part story on the establishment of Newsline in the October and November 1996 issues of Worldradio magazine.

NOEL B. EATON, VE3CJ, SK

International Amateur Radio Union President-Emeritus Noel Beattie Eaton, VE3CJ, died at his home in Waterdown, Ontario, Canada, September 28, 1996. He was 86.

A memorial service for family and friends was held October 9 in Waterdown, Ontario.

First licensed in 1937, Eaton served as IARU president from 1974-1982. He also was the ARRL Canadian Division Director from 1960 until 1974, and was inducted as a member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in 1993. Eaton was a life member of the ARRL, and served as a League vice president from 1974 until 1982.

A World War II Royal Canadian Air Force veteran, Eaton retired in 1959 as President and General Manager of the Eaton Knitting Company of Hamilton, Ontario.

Upon learning of Eaton's passing, IARU Region 2 President Tom Atkins, VE3CDM, called him "a highly respected and widely known personality in the international Amateur Radio community."

In remembering Eaton, Rob Ludlow, VE3YE, editor of The Canadian Amateur called him "probably the greatest ambassador for Amateur Radio in the world. He was first and foremost a gentleman, always an avid Amateur, and a very warm individual." Ludlow said that, for many years in Canada and around the world, Eaton's name was synonymous with Amateur Radio. "He worked tirelessly for the betterment of radio amateurs everywhere."

In Brief:

  • Congratulations! Country music singer Patty Loveless, KD4WUJ, was named as the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year during the 30th annual CMA awards October 4. Last year, she won the CMA's Album of the Year award. Loveless--whose real name is Patty L. Ramey--holds a Novice ticket. Her husband is record producer Emory Gordy Jr, W4WRO. The couple lives in Dallas, Georgia.

  • Elmer redux: Clarence Snyder, W3PYF, reports that the Delaware Lehigh Amateur Radio Club (DLARC) in Pennsylvania celebrated its 50th anniversary with a banquet October 5. The guest speaker was Jim Chiddix, senior vice president of technology for Time-Warner, to whom Snyder had administered a Novice exam some 30 years earlier. Chiddix let his ticket expire in the intervening years, but after he accepted the DLARC invitation, he went out and passed his Technician Plus test. He's now KB0YMS.

  • K2BSA/6 JOTA e-mail: The K2BSA/6 JOTA site in California, will have e-mail capability via 2-meter packet, which might be useful for overseas stations wanting to arrange schedules. Send e-mail October 19 between 1700 and 2400 UTC to kd6hpx@jpl-gw.w6vio.ampr.org. Allow a couple of hours for e-mail delivery. Stations wanting to set up a sked to receive the K2BSA/6 QSL certificate can send e-mail. K2BSA will be set up at the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in San Diego County, California. It's expected that 375 Scouts will participate. Frequencies: 40-meter SSB, 14.290 and 21.360 MHz.--Mel Goldberg, KO6TF

  • SAREX in the news: There is a SAREX story on the Los Angeles Weekly Web site, http://www.laweekly.com/. It includes interviews from Francisco Costa, CT1EAT, and Pat Kilroy, WD8LAQ.

  • STS-78 QSLs: QSL cards from shuttle mission STS-78 have not yet been distributed. It usually takes about six months to develop the QSL artwork, get the QSL approved by the astronauts, then print them up and send them out.--AMSAT News Service

  • ARRL drops two on-line accounts: Because of a precipitous drop in use by our members, ARRL will close its accounts on GEnie and Prodigy as of November 1. Pointers to sites still offering our services--such as ARRLWeb, InfoServer, CompuServe and America Online--will be posted on both Prodigy and GEnie, including instructions on how to subscribe to W1AW bulletins. For more information, contact Mary Carcia, N7IAL, 860-594-0230; e-mail mcarcia@arrl.org.

  • New net for hams with disabilities: Bob Mauro, KZ2G, has started a Monday net for Internet hams with disabilities. If you'd like to discuss disability and the Internet, check in on 14.265 MHz, Mondays at 1830 UTC. Or you can contact him via e-mail at mauro@chelsea.ios.com.

The ARRL Letter

The ARRL Letter is published by the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main St, Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259. Rodney J. Stafford, KB6ZV, President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President.

Electronic edition circulation, Kathy Capodicasa, N1GZO, e-mail kcapodicasa@arrl.org.

Editorial, Rick Lindquist, KX4V, e-mail rlindquist@arrl.org.

Visit the ARRLWeb page at http://www.arrl.org.

The purpose of The ARRL Letter is to provide the essential news of interest to active, organizationally minded radio amateurs faster than it can be disseminated by our official journal, QST. We strive to be fast, accurate and readable in our reporting.

Material from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form, including photoreproduction and electronic databanks, provided that credit is given to The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League.