Volume 17, Number 7 (February 13, 1998)

The ARRL Letter Index
ARRL Audio News

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IN THIS EDITION:

+ Available on ARRL Audio News

US TO PARTICIPATE IN CEPT GUEST LICENSE ARRANGEMENT

US amateurs soon will not need to apply for reciprocal licenses in order to operate during short visits to most European countries. While an official announcement still may be a few weeks away, it's been learned the US request to participate in the European guest license arrangement has been approved. Similarly, most European hams visiting the US no longer will have to submit FCC Form 610A.

Last September, the US State Department applied for US participation in the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) Amateur Radio licensing system. A holders of a CEPT license can operate in CEPT-participating countries without having to apply for a reciprocal license.

Approval of the US request came in late January at a meeting of the CEPT Radio Regulatory Working Group (WGRR), in Groningen, The Netherlands. The European Radiocommunications Office (ERO) has been instructed to officially notify the FCC of the decision approving US participation.

The State Department's action came at the urging of the ARRL that the US take advantage of the CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 arrangements and issue a license that would be recognized by CEPT-participating administrations and would be valid for brief visits.

Also last fall, the FCC proposed amending the Amateur Radio rules to make it easier for hams holding a CEPT license or an International Amateur Radio Permit (IARP) to operate during short visits to the US.

Under the soon-to-be-implemented arrangement, a US Technician license would be recognized as a CEPT Class 2 (VHF-only) license, with full privileges above 30 MHz. Holders of Tech Plus through Extra tickets would be given a CEPT Class 1 license, with full privileges on HF and VHF. Novice licensees would not be eligible for a CEPT equivalent license since most CEPT countries don't offer a license of this type.

Once the ERO formally advises the FCC of the decision, the FCC must complete the steps to implement the participation before CEPT licensing can become effective.

"We've been urging the Commission to do this since 1991," said ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ. "Now that CEPT has given the green light, we hope the FCC will step on the gas."

HAMS HELP IN WEST COAST FLOODING

Amateur Radio has been very active in the San Francisco area, assisting emergency officials in coping with the disastrous effects of heavy rains in recent days. ARRL San Francisco Section Manager John Wallack, W6TLK, reports that floods and mudslides have closed many roads and isolated smaller communities, especially along the coast.

"With more rain forecast for this week, flooding along the Russian River here in Sonoma County may enter a second week," Wallack says. In six canyons along the river, 400 homes are at risk of sliding down muddy slopes.

Hams have been stationed in the affected areas at shelters and EOCs since the disaster started on February 3. In Mendocino, Lake, Humboldt and Marin counties hams have also been active in supporting emergency activities. Wallack says he worked at the Sonoma County EOC February 6 and 7. "I had a chance to see the excellent response by the emergency ham radio teams in assisting emergency officials in responding to the serious needs of our community," he said. "Amateur Radio has again proved to be a valuable resource."

ALL'S QUIET ON THE MIR FRONT

Things are quiet aboard Mir, now that US astronaut Andy Thomas, KD5CHF/VK5MIR, is settling in with his new Russian crewmates, Talgat Musabayev, RO3FT, and Nikolai Budarin, RV3FB (ex-RV3DB/R4MIR), and French researcher Leopold Eyharts. Maybe too quiet, as ham radio activity from Mir has hit a lull. But it's also pretty crowded aboard the Russian space outpost, as cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyov and Pavel Vinogradov remain aboard. They and Eyharts will return to Earth in about a week.

So far, Thomas has not been active on ham radio. MIREX reports the Mir crew "has just been too busy with other higher priority projects" to make needed parameter adjustments to the packet TNC, although the information now is in the hands of the crew. As it now stands, the TNC "thinks" the channel is busy. Some stations have had success "broadcasting" messages via R0MIR using the "UNPROTO" mode, but uploading messages to the mailbox is not possible right now. The SAFEX II repeater aboard Mir has temporarily been turned off.

Miles Mann, WF1F, of MIREX, says it's possible that the crew still might turn on the ham gear to make some random contacts, however.

For more information, see the MIREX Web site at http://www.geocities.com/~ik1sld/mirex.htm.

CUSHCRAFT CONTINUES IN HAM MARKET; HIRES NEW VEEP

Cushcraft says reports of its demise in the ham radio market have been greatly exaggerated. Cushcraft Production Manager Art Hambleton, K1ART, says the New Hampshire antenna manufacturer is still very much a part of the Amateur Radio antenna industry. Rumors that Cushcraft was exiting the ham market apparently mushroomed when word spread of some layoffs at Cushcraft.

Hambleton confirmed that a couple of people had been let go and that Cushcraft had cut back on its advertising in ham radio publications, and he attributed the moves to budgetary cutbacks. But he said "1997 was not a bad year" for the company. And Cushcraft has just hired another ham in a key position.

Hambleton announced this week that Cushcraft has hired Adam Alevy, N1FXT, of Amherst, New Hampshire, as its vice president of engineering. Alevy was previously with Atlantic Microwave of Bolton, Massachusetts. At Atlantic he designed VHF through millimeter wave antennas for communications and tracking applications.

As director of engineering at Cushcraft, Hambleton said, Alevy, 34, will manage the engineering group and design antennas in both commercial and amateur radio markets.

Cushcraft recently announced its X7 and X9 tribanders as part of its "Big Thunder" series.

WORLD WAR II HAM RADIO MONITORS SOUGHT

A Delaware man is looking for hams and shortwave listeners who monitored enemy radio broadcasts during World War II. Frank Davis, who was captured by Germany during WWII, wants to formally recognize those who monitored radio broadcasts for information about German prisoners of war. "I'm hoping to get them a presidential citation and maybe even a monument," he told the Wilmington News Journal last month.

Davis, a retired civil engineer, says he was captured by the Germans near the end of the War. An Army Airborne paratrooper, he had been wounded and hospitalized near Bastogne, Belgium, and was caught up in the desperate German offensive that became known as the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Davis says he and the other captives were used as slave labor.

His family, frantic to find out what had happened to him, was only told that Davis was missing in action. But then, mail and even telegrams began to arrive at his family's home saying that Frank Davis was a POW, and, despite being wounded, was alive and well. Davis says his parents got 38 cards, letters and telegrams--all of them from hams or shortwave listeners who had monitored German broadcasts and relayed the news they heard about POWs.

After the War, Davis took up an engineering career, got married, and raised a family.

It wasn't until two years ago that Davis--who'd earned a Purple Heart and the Combat Infantryman's Badge--decided to find the hams who had alerted his parents during the War. He wrote letters to all 38 individuals and heard back from three, with whom he now corresponds. Now, he'd like to hear from others. To contact Frank Davis, write PO Box 6207, Stanton, DE 19804; fax 302-994-0109.

WEST COAST ICE STORM EFFORT EARNS KUDOS FOR HAMS

The Northeast was not the only region to suffer ice storms this winter. Hams in Oregon also were called into action in mid-January when an ice storm knocked out power and telephone service, putting much of the Portland area into a bind. ARES members were called in to help handle communication tasks for local emergency agencies.

Ironically, Kevin Hunt, WA7VTD, John Williams, WB7SJL, and Billy Toman, N7WXD, formed the Oregon City Amateur Radio Emergency Service Club just a week before the ice storm hit. Williams says the club has nearly 30 members.

The hams' ice storm activities garnered great publicity for the hobby in an article in the January 23, 1998, edition of the Oregonian newspaper. The article quotes Oregon City Fire Chief Jim Davis as a strong advocate for ARES. It also mentions other past emergencies in the Northwest where hams were able to provide a helping hand.

1998 AMSAT ANNUAL MEETING AND SPACE SYMPOSIUM

The three-day 1998 AMSAT Annual Meeting and Space Symposium will kick off October 16 in Vicksburg, Mississippi (at the Park Inn International). The Vicksburg Amateur Radio Club is this year's host.

The deadline to make room reservations is September 14, 1998. The Park Inn also will provide shuttle transportation service between Jackson International Airport and Vicksburg. Conference registration information will be ready for distribution in July. A call for papers will go out next month.

Room rates for the conference will be $52 single and $62 double with a complimentary breakfast buffet and evening cocktails. For room reservations, call the Park Inn toll-free at 800-359-9363 or 601-638-5811.

Additional information about the 16th Space Symposium and Annual AMSAT Meeting-- including airline access to Vicksburg--is available at http://pages.prodigy.com/DXHF93A. --AMSAT News Service/Eddie Pettis, N5JGK

CANADIAN BROWNIES AND GIRL GUIDES TO TAKE TO AIRWAVES

Be listening for some young, female voices from North of the Border during the weekend of February 21 and 22. Lloyd Blazs, VE7LWB, in British Columbia, Canada, reports that the 32nd North Shore troop of the Brownies and possibly some Girl Guides--girls between the ages of 7 and 13--will visit his QTH for their first time on Amateur Radio. February 21 and 22 is the weekend of the Canadian Guides of the Air (GOTA) event (see February 1995 QST, page 95). "This is this first time the Brownies and Girl Guides locally have ever tried Amateur Radio, to the best of my knowledge," he said. "So I am looking for as many hams as possible that may wish to take part."

Blazs says the youngsters will be on the air from morning until evening. They will use the call sign VE7QRO, primarily on 80 and 40 meters, but with additional bands available. "I am looking for as many stations as possible to for the girls to QSO," he said.

Blazs asks hams interested in taking part--and especially those with youngsters between 7 and 16--to get on the air with their kids if possible. "I am looking to make this into a DX pileup," he said. Interested hams should e-mail VE7LWP at novatech@mail.direct.ca, and tell him which bands, days, and times work best for you. --Lloyd Blazs, VE7LWB

SOLAR UPDATE

Solar scribe Tad Cook, K7VVV, Seattle, Washington, reports: Solar activity continued very low last week, with the solar flux below the 90-day average of 96 on every day. Average solar flux for the week was down about six points from the previous week's average. Geomagnetic conditions were mostly quiet until February 11 and 12, when the planetary K index went as high as four and the high-latitude K index went to six. This was probably due to a small coronal hole in the southwest quadrant of the solar disk.

The recent 27-day projection by the NOAA Space Environment Center forecasts continued solar flux values in the low to mid-80s, rising to 90 around February 22 and 23. But it is now evident that a new active region has rotated into view. Solar flux jumped from 86.2 to 90.6 from Wednesday to Thursday, and for Friday through Sunday the projected solar flux is around 94. Given the progress of this young solar cycle compared to previous ones, we can only hope that shortly we will see a jump in solar activity.

Cary Oler of Solar Terrestrial Dispatch (http://holly.cc.uleth.ca/solar/index.html) predicts a surge in solar activity over the next few months, with a vigorous and energetic upswing in solar indices corresponding to the beginning of accelerated sunspot growth. He thinks we may see solar flux values around 120 in the next two or three months.

Conditions should be good for the RTTY contest this weekend. With higher solar flux, look for more daylight openings on 15 meters.

Sunspot numbers for February 5 through 11 were 40, 41, 27, 37, 34, 62, and 63 with a mean of 43.4. The 10.7-cm flux was 85.5, 84.2, 83.1, 83.6, 83.7, 83.7, and 86.2, with a mean of 84.3. Estimated planetary A indices were 3, 3, 3, 7, 8, 8, and 13, with a mean of 6.4.

AMSAT NEWS SERVICE EDITOR BJ ARTS, WT0N, SK

AMSAT News Service Bulletin Editor Bernard J. "BJ" Arts, WT0N, of Hibbing, Minnesota, died unexpectedly on February 9, 1998. He was 37.

Arts took over the handling of the weekly AMSAT Bulletin a couple of years ago, according to AMSAT-NA President Bill Tynan, W3XO.

Tynan expressed shock at Arts' untimely passing. "He certainly was a big help to AMSAT," he said. "He will be missed by all of his friends around the world."

AMSAT-NA Executive Vice President Keith Baker, KB1SF, expressed similar sentiments. "This is a real shock for me personally, as I just spoke with BJ at about noon on Sunday via AO-27."

According to fellow club member Gregg Mihelich, AA0DX, Arts was hospitalized after complaining of flu-like symptoms and died a short time later.

Arts was an active VHFer and satellite op. A broadcaster, he had been employed at WDIO-TV in Duluth, Minnesota, and at KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, where he'd won an Emmy Award. He also worked as an announcer on WMFG radio in Hibbing.

BJ Arts was a life member of the ARRL, a member of AMSAT, and president of the Midrange Amateur Radio Club. He also was an Official Observer, Assistant Emergency Coordinator in Northern St Louis County, and a Skywarn volunteer. He was also active in Army MARS as AAR5EL.

Survivors include his mother an a sister. Services were February 11 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Hibbing.

It's anticipated that Dan James, NN0DJ, will take over as AMSAT Bulletin Editor--at least on an interim basis. James and Arts already had been working closely on the weekly bulletins, and James has been listed as Assistant Bulletin Manager on recent postings.

In Brief:

  • This weekend on the radio: The FISTS Novice Roundup, the PACC Contest, the World Wide RTTY WPX Contest, and the YL-OM Contest (SSB) all are set for this weekend.

  • KA1T steps down as New England Vice Director: Don Haney, KA1T, of Harvard, Massachusetts, has resigned as ARRL New England Division Vice Director, effective February 15. Haney is moving to Wausau, Wisconsin, and will no longer be eligible to serve. Haney, 58, was appointed as Vice Director in July 1996 and later was elected in his own right to the 1997-1998 term. No one has been named yet to fill the vacancy.

  • Vanity update: The FCC in Gettysburg has processed all vanity applications received through January 5, 1998. In the last run, the FCC reported 184 grants and 192 work in process (WIPs). During January, the FCC received 226 paper vanity applications and 885 electronic vanity filings.

  • 50 years for W6OWP practice sessions! Fifty years ago this month, Bart, W6OWP, began the West Coast code practice and qualifying runs. The first official announcement appeared in the June 1948 edition of QST. Congratulations, Bart, and thanks!

  • AMSAT International Net to air from Phase 3D Lab: AMSAT-NA Vice President of Operations Keith Pugh, W5IU, will host the weekly 20-meter International AMSAT Net from the AMSAT P3D Integration Lab in Orlando, Florida, Sunday, February 15. The net meets on or about 14.282 MHz at 1800 UTC. The ANS Bulletin Session follows at 1900 UTC. Wray Dudley, W8GQW, in Tubac, AZ, will simultaneously read the ANS Bulletins on 15 Meters at 21.280 MHz. Depending upon the success of this experiment, the 15 meter AMSAT Net may be reactivated on a regular basis. This AMSAT Net session will include an up-to-date report on Phase 3D.

  • East Coast AMSAT NCS change: After eight years of service as net control station of the East Coast 75-meter AMSAT Net, Ron Long, W8GUS, has "retired" to pursue other activities. His successor, Al Tribble, W3STW, had previously served as Assistant NCS. The East Coast 75 meter AMSAT Net meets on or about 3.840 MHz Tuesdays at 2100 Eastern Time. It's followed by the Mid-America AMSAT Net at 2100 Central Time, and the West Coast AMSAT Net at 2000 Pacific Time.

  • BSRG, ATV, APRS, and Balloon Web sites change: The Web address for several popular ham radio organizations has changed. Ralph Fowler, N4NEQ, reports the new address, http://www.BSRG.org, is the new home for The Big Shanty Repeater Group (BSRG), the Atlanta Balloonatics, the Atlanta Amateur Television Network (AATN), and the Atlanta APRS Network. Intercept links will continue to operate at the old Web addresses for several months.--Ralph Fowler, N4NEQ