[ ANARTS - Australian National Amateur Radio Teletype Society ] ANARTS RTTY News Bulletin 825 4th September 1994 Relay frequencies ----------------- 3.545 MHz 0930 UTC VK2BQS (Jim) 7.045 MHz -3 0030 UTC VK2CTD (Col) 14.070 MHz (amtor/fec) 0030 UTC VK2DPM (Alan) 14.091 MHz 0030 UTC VK2BQS (JIM) 146.675 MHz 0030/0930 UTC VK2JPA (PAT) 144.850 MHz (ax25 bbs) VK2JPA AT VK2RWI (or VK2AAB) 146.675 MHz (rtty mmbbs/repeater) VK2RTY U.S. Government picks up millions of dollars on frequency sale -------------------------------------------------------------- You have probably read recently about the sale of frequencies that the FCC has auctioned off to the private sector. The bids were far beyond anything the FCC has anticipated. In fact, millions of dollars over their estimates. A recent newspaper article quoted the government gain in the area of 1 (one) billion dollars. No doubt our Senators and Congressional people will be watching this action very closely. I hope you read between the lines here. If frequencies are in such demand and worth such huge amounts of money, what's next, we may wonder. I'm concerned that maybe one day these independent sources are going to be looking at the amateur service with the thought of maybe reducing our frequency spectrum. On the other hand, what if the government should decide one day to start charging Amateurs a yearly licensing fee. A little simple mathematics here would indicate Big Brother could pick up a couple of billion dollars every year. Oh, you're not worried! ... Okay, maybe not today but, look- out big business is just around the corner watching everyone and looking everywhere for frequencies. Besides, don't forget the recent loss in the 220 MHz band. Also keep in mind that in some countries around the world it is common to charge a yearly licensing fee t0 amateurs. Please don't think that I'm an alarmist. My only intent is to alert you that these are important issues everyone must keep in mind. The old cliche -- Use it or lose it -- that has been applied to our frequencies so many times still holds true. At all times we must demonstrate the usefulness of our fraternity and be ever alert to any invasion thereof. de Dale Sinner W6IWO From the September 1994 ARDS Digital Journal editorial Comment: Well, as you well know, we are one of those countries where amateurs pay a yearly fee for the privilege of getting on air. The Callbook-on-disc in the copy I have says there are 19,133 registered callsigns in Australia. Let's round that up to 20,000 and see how much we pay the government for the provilege. That's only 700,000 dollars -- small bickies, don't you think? If some commercial party threatens our frequencies, while the government is bound by international agreements to let amateurs use defined frequencies, who is to say that they may not try to milk this cow some more and put up the licence fees to make up for the fact that they really cannot legally take the frequencies away to earn large amounts of money? A small licence fee in a small amateur population is no protection. We must be seen to be making good use of the spectrum and also to be of assistance to the community, as has been shown in recent years in earthquake, storm and fire. Keep the community side of Amateur Radio to the fore, and keep telling the public about the hobby and how it can be both enjoyment and provide service in times of need. de Pat VK2JPA Broadcast Officer --------------------------------------------- CQ/RTTY Journal WW RTTY Contest (part 1) ------------------------------- September 24-25 Sponsored by CQ Magazine and ADRS RTTY/Digital Journal NOTE: Major change in this year's rules; NO rest periods required. CONTEST PERIODS: STARTS at 0000 UTC Saturday, and ENDS at 2400 UTC Sunday, a total of 48 hours. NO REST PERIODS REQUIRED for any entries. Bands: 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10M. (five bands) OPERATOR CLASSES: There is a High Power category (more than 150 watts) and a Low Power category (less than 150 watts). ONLY Single Op, All Band entries, and Multi-Op single transmitter entries are eligible to enter the High or Low Power categories. Enter one or the other, and so note in your log. Single band Assisted and Multi-multi entries are not eligible to enter these categories. A) Single Op, All Band and Single Band. One person performs all operating and logging functions. Use of Spotting Nets, DX Alert Packet Systems, telephone, etc., is NOT permitted. B) Single Op, Assisted, All Band Only. One person performs all operating and logging functions. However, the use of DX Spotting Nets or sny other form of DX alerting assistance IS allowed. The operator can change bands at any time. Single op stations are allowed only one transmitted signal at any given time. C) Multi-Op, Single Transmitter. All band entry only. More than one person operates, logs, checks for dupes, use of spoting, etc. NOTE: Only one (1) transmitter and one (1) band permitted during the same period (defined as ten (10) minutes). Once the station has begun operation on a given band, it MUST remain on that band for 10 minutes; listening time counts as operating time. EXCEPTION: One, and only one, other band may be used during the same time period if, and only if, the station worked is a new multiplier. Logs found in violation of the ten minute rule will be automatically reclassified as multi-multi to reflect their actual status. D) Multi-Op, Multi-Transmitter. All band entry only. No limit to number of transmitters, but only one (1) signal per band permitted. All transmitters must be located within a 500 meter diameter, or within the property limits of the station licensee's address, whichever is the greater. The antennas must be physically connected by wires to the transmitter. More next week ------------------------------------------------ IPS weekly report ----------------- 26 August - 1 September 1994 Issue No 35 Date of issue: 02 September 94 INDICES: Date 26 27 28 29 30 31 01 10cm 72 71 71 78 83 82 86 A 8 8 7 4 3 6 (10 estimated) T 26 19 25 21 28 25 24 SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY Solar activity was moderate on 30th August, with 2 M1 flares, low on 1st Spetember, and very low for the remainder of the period. The geomagnetic field at Learmonth (WA) was quiet 26th and 30th August, and quiet to unsettled otherwise. Ionospheric F2 critical frequencies at Sydney were near pre- dicted monthly values with enhancements of up to 30 per cent on 29th, and up to 50 per cent on 30th August. FORECAST FOR THE NEXT WEEK (2 - 8 September) SOLAR: Moderate to low (isolated fadeouts possible). GEOMAGNETIC: Quiet to unsettled, until 6 September then increasing to active levels with possible minor storm periods during local night. IONOSPHERIC: Near predicted monthly values, until 6 September after which degraded conditions are expected. Courtesy of IPS Radio and Space Services, Sydney --------------------------------------- There are no VK2SG Rtty DX Notes available for the last week in August so unfortunately we will have to wait for further information until next week. But in the meantime we have : ARLD053 DX news The items in this week's bulletin are courtesy of Jim, AD1C, Doc, K0HTF, Len, W7MCU, Bob, W5KNE, the QRZ DX bulletin, Chod, VP2ML, The DX Bulletin and the Yankee Clipper Contest Club PacketCluster network. Thanks. THAILAND. Fred, K3ZO, is in Thailand until October 10 and will be signing HZ0ZAR. Check 20 meters between 1130 and 1400z. He plans to give 40 meters a try for stateside Qs. Sunrise in Bangkok is at 2307z and sunset at 1119z. Plans also call for a trip to Singapore to attend the IARU Region 3 Conference there. QSL via K3ZO. NEPAL. Kyoko, NH6RT, is active as 9N1KY. Check 14184 kHz at 1648z and 14270 at 1700. QSL via Kyoko Yamakami, Box 3, Tokaimura, 319-11, Japan. RWANDA. Both VE3MJQ and PA3DZN should be active any day now from Kigali. In the meantime, try working 9X5/F5PGP on 14195 kHz at about 2030z. MONGOLIA. Members of the Japan UNICEF Ham Club should be on the air as JU1HC through the end of the month. There have been no PacketCluster spots for this one in New England as we approach bulletin time. Howe6Pr, try JT1KAA on 14021 kHz around 0210z. UGANDA. Paul, WF5T, plans to return to Uganda and operate as 5X1XT, concentrating on CW and RTTY. QSL via his home call. CHAGOS. Pete, VQ9TP, aka N5TP, has been busy on his favorite mode, CW. Check 18083 kHz from 1345 to 1600z. Pete operates almost exclusively between the hours of 1230 and 1630:, Tom, VQ9TT, has been worked on 14014 kHz at 1300z. CHINA. Len, W7MCU, called ARRL Hq recently to report that BY1QH is back on Oscar 13. QSL via the 1994 CBA. ARUBA. Contest station P40W will be rebuilt at a new location just prior to the CQWW SSB contest in October. John, W2GD, will be doing both the rebuilding and operating. -------------------------------------------- Society information The Society may be contacted at : PO Box 860, Crows Nest 2065 Australia, for such matters as membership and general enquiries. Enquiries can also be made by packet to the President (Col) VK2CTD, or the Secretary (Pat) VK2JPA at VK2RWI. News items may be sent to Broadcast Officer PO Box 60 Blacktown 2148 Australia, or by packet to VK2JPA at VK2RWI. Email addresses for the Broadcast Officer are : patl(at)pitt.conmusic.su.oz.au The Society welcomes news items on any digital subjects from anywhere in the broadcast coverage area. We know we reach New Zealand and many South Pacific islands, and we were reaching as far north as Japan when conditions were right. We are looking forward to news from your areas to let other amateurs know what you are doing in the hobby. Hope to hear from you. 73s de Pat VK2JPA Broadcast Officer That concludes the broadcast for this morning/evening.