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 - - - - -
 
 NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #122 - POSTED 04/30/94

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    The following is late news about Amateur Radio for Radio
 Amateurs as prepared from NEWSLINE RADIO scripts by the staff of
 the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, INC. -- formerly the WESTLINK RADIO
 NETWORK.  For current information updates, please call

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              Electronic Hardcopy Version of Newsline 
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     Dallas Remote Imaging BBS (DRIG)....... (214) 492-7573
        In bulletin number 36
     The Midwest Connection BBS............. (701) 239-2440
        In bulletin number 6 of the ham radio conference
     Delphi.................................
        In the ham radio conference
     Internet...............................
        In the rec.radio.info newsgroup
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 Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...

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 and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!

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 [872]

 (* * * *   C L O S E D   C I R C U I T   A D V I S O R Y   * * * *
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 (*  for transmission over AMATEUR RADIO.  According to Newsline  *
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 (*  advisory with Newsline report number 872 for release on      *
 (*  Friday, April 29, 1994.                                      *
 (*                                                               *
 (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                      The following is a QST

    The FCC says that there will no fee for a basic ham radio
 license, an unlicensed broadcaster is told to pay up and Dayton
 '94 is on!  These stories and more on Newsline report number 872
 coming your way right now.

 (*****
                     LICENSE FEE NPRM RELEASED

    Basic ham radio licensing will remain free but there definitely
 will be a nominal charge to hams who want a special vanity call
 sign.  This is the just of an FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making
 aimed at implementing the new fee assessments for various
 licensees that were authorized under the 1993 US Budget Act. 
    It's item number fifty-nine that is of interest to the Amateur 
 Radio service.  It proposes a specific fee structure for amateur 
 "vanity" call signs if the Commission's proposal for a plan to
 offer such call signs eventually is approved.  The FCC's current
 proposal is to assess a fee of $70.  That's actually seven dollars
 a year for the ten year term of an Amateur Radio license.  
    The good news in all of this?  There are no other government
 fees being proposed for any other aspect of the ham radio
 licensing process.

 (*****
                              YODER

     An unlicensed broadcaster has been told to pay a hefty fine.
 The FCC says that it is denying Andrew R. Yoder's Application for
 Review of his $17,500 penalty for allegedly and repeatedly
 operating an unlicensed broadcast station.  The FCC categorically 
 rejected Yoder's argument that the evidence against him was purely
 circumstantial and insufficient to establish that he was legally
 in control of the so called pirate station.  
    On February 22nd and 23rd 1992, FCC engineers monitored 
 transmissions from an unlicensed broadcaster on 7.415 Mhz.  The 
 station identified itself s Radio USA.  The transmissions were 
 eventually traced to Yoder's parents home in Springs,
 Pennsylvania.  When FCC investigators arrived they found Yoder's
 car parked in the driveway and attempted to make a station
 inspection.  But they were barred from entry by Yoder who says
 that he is in no way obligated to allow Commission personnel to
 inspect his station.   
    While the FCC never did see the alleged pirate broadcast 
 station, they say that the station and operator were positively 
 identified by both voice and close-in direction finding.  Later,
 audio tape analysis and voice printing indicated that Yoder's
 voice was the same as that monitored on the Radio USA broadcasts. 
    As previously reported, on May 21st 1992, the Laurel, Maryland
 FCC Field Operations Bureau issued Yoder a $17,500 Notice of
 Apparent Liability to Monetary Forfeiture.  The NAL was converted
 to a fine after the FCC rejected Yoder's response.  Yoder was
 ordered to pay the fine before April 11th 1994 or face further
 punitive action.

 (*****
                      INVESTIGATION EVIDENCE

    Still with FCC regulatory issues, word that the investigation 
 of irregularities in numerous California VE test sessions is
 still ongoing and the government is seeking evidence in the case. 
 The feeling among Washington insiders is that the investigation
 may soon expand outside of California.  Some believe that there is
 the possibility of ties to VE teams in other states including
 south Florida and Texas and areas in the Caribbean.  
    If you have any information that you feel might help in this or
 any other alleged licensing fraud case there are a number of ways
 to get it to the investigators handling the matter.  After looking
 at all the possible avenues it is our conclusion that the best one
 of all is to contact Bart Jahnke, KB9NM who runs the American
 Radio Relay League's VEC operation.  Bart has been handling the
 current investigation for the American Radio Relay League and in
 our view he is an excellent person to channel any facts concerning
 this matter to the FCC.  
    There is no way that Bart or anyone else can promise you 
 anonymity, but Bart can be reached at the ARRL VEC, area code
 (203) 666-1541.  If you would rather write, his address is Bart
 Jahnke, in care of the ARRL VEC, 225 Main Street, Newington,
 Connecticut 06111.

 (*****
              FCC ORDERS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA RETESTS

    Here is a late breaking story.  Word that Fifty nine Southern
 California hams have been ordered by the FCC to stand for
 retesting or face the possibility of further punitive government 
 action.  The FCC says that all fifty nine are hams who passed at 
 examination sessions conducted by the ARRL VEC in 1992 and 1993. 
 They say that the examinations and the administering Volunteer
 Examiners that gave them are now under intensive scrutiny by the
 Commission and other government agencies.
    In its letter to those being ordered retested, the FCC flatly 
 accused the applicants examined at those exam sessions of
 cheating.  The letters say in part: "...the irregularities on your
 examination papers indicate that you were apparently given access
 to the exact (answer) key used by the volunteer examiners."
    The commission has given the fifty-nine applicants exactly
 sixty days in which to retake any disqualified examination
 element at a session being conducted by the Greater Los Angeles
 Amateur Radio Group VEC.  Failure to pass a retest will result in
 license class downgrade, loss of call sign or loss of license
 entirely, as deemed appropriate by the FCC.
    In issuing the retesting order, the FCC also mandated that no 
 volunteer examiner who was present at the suspect session,
 regardless of whether or not he administered test elements at
 those sessions, would be permitted to attend or administer a
 re-examination.  
    So far almost three dozen VE's throughout California have been 
 suspended on FCC orders to the Volunteer Examination Coordinators 
 under whom they serve.  The bulk of these being in the southern
 half of the state and to mandated retesting order by the FCC is
 viewed as another step that could lead to criminal charges being
 filed against volunteer examiners that the FCC believes aided and
 abetted applicants to obtain amateur radio licenses or upgrades
 through fraudulent means.

 (*****
                   EDITORIAL NOTE: EXAM CHEATING

    If we may be permitted a brief editorial opinion.  Be it 
 California, Florida, Texas, New York or anywhere else, there is
 simply no place in ham radio for those who may be profiteering by
 bringing in people who do not meet the minimum criteria for entry.
    We at Newsline have made exposing those behind any testing scam
 a number one priority.  This is one matter that we at Newsline
 will not let die in the Washington bureaucratic red tape.

 (*****
                             DAYTON '94

    As this newscast goes to air, the 1994 Dayton Hamvention is
 just getting underway.  Reports from Dayton's Hara Arena say that
 '94 may be the best Hamvention in years.  Newsline will have a
 complete wrap-up on Hamventon '94 next week.

 (*****
                           MOTOROLA SUIT

    A name well known to radio amateurs is Motorola.  The company 
 pioneered two way FM communications.  Many an early FMer started
 out with a single channel 80 D or Motrac in the trunk of his car. 
 The HT 220 hand held is a legend to FMers and it was Motorola
 that supplied the handie talkies used on all of the SAREX space
 shuttle missions.  But now Motorola is in trouble with its
 competitors who are claiming unfair business tactics.  
    The city of Birmingham, Alabama wants to upgrade its police and
 fire rescue radio system.  Motorola submitted a bid of nearly
 $11.5 million for an 800 Mhz trunked system.  That's near a
 million dollars more than the bid submitted by Erickson GE Mobile
 communications.  None the less the city signed a contract with
 Motorola.  Erickson GE accused the city officials of violating
 state bid laws.  The company has filed suit against the city in
 Federal Court.  
    Counsel member Jimmy Blake opposed giving the contract to
 Motorola.  He said the city did not follow proper bid procedures. 
 The next step is up to a Federal Judge.  
    If one prediction comes true, Motorola will still wind up the
 winner.  There is speculation that city leaders will throw out the
 proposals and solicit a new set of bids.  If that happens the
 city could make the bid specifications so strict that only one
 companys system can be considered.  


 (*****
                          CALIFORNIA HERO

    Amateur Radio recently made headlines in Acton, California when
 36 year old Chris Killian, N7IOV, helped in the capture of two 
 robbers.  According to the Antelope Valley News of Lancaster,
 California Killian was approached by an armed man in a McDonald's
 restaurant.  The alleged felon inquiring about Killian's Hand-held
 radio.   
    When the man and an accomplice left the eatery, Killian, who is
 a reserve deputy, followed and relayed their route to another ham
 who contacted sheriff's deputies.  The two suspects were picked up
 that night and charged in the hold-up.  Killian told the News that
 he ordinarily doesn't carry a radio with him but that he'd been
 using the hand-held the previous weekend to test several area
 repeater stations. 

 (*****
                       MISSISSIPPI ICE STORM

    The massive ice storm that hit much of the U.S. on in February
 was especially damaging in Mississippi, and was the worst there in
 more than 40 years.  This, according to Hank Downey, K5QNE.  
    Downey, writing in The Magnolia Report ham radio newsletter
 says that the State's Amateur Radio disaster relief efforts were
 led by Jim Porter, W5HTV.  Porter is Director of Communications
 for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency.  He and Larry
 Clark, WB5AKR who is that groups statewide liaison to the Amateur
 Radio community directed traffic handling while also sending
 amateurs to areas of greatest need.  
    Porters just released report says that several amateurs were
 able to set up from mobile and portable, emergency-powered sites
 and to activate the Magnolia Net.  This is the Mississippi Section
 phone net and its key operators included among its members was net
 manager Al Sudduth, WA5TPM.  Al operated mobile after his home
 antennas came down in the ice. 
    Porter also writes that the Jackson Amateur Radio Club
 activated W5PFC, their permanent station at the State Headquarters
 of the American Red Cross in the capital city, to coordinate with
 Red Cross offices around the state.  
    As we go to air, its reported that many hams in this same area 
 have just completed handling communications for the recent flood 
 emergency.  You have seen the pictures on CNN and other television
 news services.  That story as soon as the ham radio details are
 known.

 (*****
                           HERTZBERG OBIT

    The changing of the guard in Amateur Radio continues with the
 sad news that Joe Hertzberg, N3EA has died.  The ARRL reports 
 that Hertzberg passed away in Silver Spring, Maryland at age 86. 
    Joe was previously known as K3JH and was first licensed in 
 1926.  During World War Two he was involved in the development of 
 electronic navigation systems. His work brought him wide acclaim
 and he was decorated by both the U.S. and England.   
    After the war Hertzberg went to work for RCA and in 1956 was 
 named RCA Man Of The Year.  He ended his career as a corporate
 vice president of RCA.  In the late 1960s, he became active in
 Amateur Radio once again and his station included a full-size 80
 meter cubical quad on a 115 foot Telrex "Big Bertha" rotating pole
 that was featured in a 1970 QST.  He put his station to good use
 following several natural disasters, including a 1972 earthquake
 in Nicaragua.
    Joe Hertzberg, N3EA dead at age 86. 

 (*****
                    TV ENGINEER KILLED ON REMOTE

    A television remote pick-up broadcast engineer was on
 assignment for CNN was electrocuted while in a broadcast van
 outside a federal courthouse.  Al Battle, 37, was part of a
 technical crew from Potomac Television Services Corp., which
 provides services to the Cable News Network. 
    Battle was inside the van raising the antenna mast when the 
 microwave dish hit a wire on February 22.  He was at the
 courthouse for a story about a CIA official and his wife who were
 charged with spying.  As far as we can determine Al Battle was not
 a radio amateur.

 (*****
                         MIR /  SAREX LINK

    The space shuttle and the Russian Mir space station have QSO's 
 by ham radio.  On April 13th astronaut Jay Apt, N5QWL, contacted 
 Rita Iaquinto, VK3CFI, in Melbourne, Australia.  At the same time 
 Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov, U3MIR, hooked up with Graham 
 Ratcliff, VK5AGR, in Adelaide.  The Australians then used a 
 telephone link to connect the two spacecraft as both passed over 
 Australia, at 5:36 PM Australia time.  The Shuttle to Mir contact
 was arranged by the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment Working
 Group. 

 (*****
                       BAKER TO NEW ZEALAND

    Finally, NASA Astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker KB5SIX, is soon to
 journey down-under.  Dr. Baker was flying near New Zealand in the 
 space shuttle when she expressed a desire to see that country
 close up. 
    In 1992 NASA Astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker, KB5SIX orbiting in the
 space shuttle Columbia was on a ground track slightly to the
 north of New Zealand.  She spoke with many New Zealand radio
 amateurs, one of whom was Adrian Watkins, ZL2UGK.
    Dr. Ellen Bakers 1992 wish to visit New Zealand has come true. 
 On June 7th this year KB5SIX is to be guest speaker at the New
 Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters Annual conference in New
 Plymouth.  A city in the New Zealand north province of Taranaci. 
    From flying high in the space shuttle Columbia to visiting down
 under, a dream has come true.  And all from and idea in the mind
 of conference organizer Adrian Watkins, now sporting the callsign
 ZL2JPL.  
    Adrian says using amateur radio connection in the U.S.A. they
 tracked down Dr. Baker and invited her to the conference as guest
 speaker.  Her initial reaction, "Is this a friend playing a
 practical joke?"  She was overwhelmed when she realized it was for
 real.  
    Dr. Baker says she enjoyed speaking with many ham radio
 operators in New Zealand during her last flight aboard the
 Columbia and is looking forward to meeting her friends from the
 airwaves.    
    Dr. Bakers trip to New Zealand will take a bit longer this
 time.  She is traveling by commercial airliner at about 500 miles
 an hour.  That's a lot slower than the 17,000 miles per hour speed
 of a shuttle orbiter.

 (*****

    And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
 You can write to us at Post Office Box 463, Pasadena, CA 91102. 

 (* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *
