May 31, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Press Release:
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DEMONSTRATION.
Using improvised antennas and off-grid power, members of the Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society and the Baltimore Amateur Radio Club rehearse for the next “big one.” Make a contact or two yourself, possibly on another continent. Learn about a great family hobby. Morse code is no longer required. Computer skills can be helpful. 1-5 Saturday, June 23, at Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company, 5 miles west of Beltway Exit 18 next to the water tower.

Posted in Miscellaneous, Meetings | Comments Off

May 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Travel Weekly (free registration) reports that a new tool “for business travelers now enables them to book air, hotel and car reservations from mobile devices.” The TripSync mobile booking tool, produced by a company called Portaga, integrates “with Microsoft Outlook, enabling groups of travelers at a corporation to view and coordinate itineraries through the e-mail calendar,” according to Travel Weekly. The TripSync tool will soon switch from the Sabre global distribution system (GDS) to Galileo for inventory access.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/05/tool_allows_fli.html?csp=34

Posted in Travel | Comments Off

May 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Starting next month, passengers on Finland’s Finnair will be able to send mobile text messages and e-mails on some of the carrier’s flights to Asia, The Associated Press reports. “The service will become possible on satellite telephones provided at each seat of the airline’s new Airbus A340 aircraft, to be delivered in June. It will first be available on routes from Helsinki to the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Nagoya, and Shanghai. Passengers will be able to read and answer messages and mail sent from the ground. Each sent or received message will cost $2, the Finnish carrier said. Passengers will be able to call each other during flights,” AP writes.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/05/finnair_to_offe.html

Posted in Travel | Comments Off

May 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

From N3EZD: Video Shows for Hams:
http://www.amateurlogic.com
Thanks, Mike…..

Posted in Miscellaneous | Comments Off

May 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

In accordance with an agreement between Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) and Industry Canada — that country’s telecommunications regulatory agency — special authorizations allowing some Canadian radio amateurs to conduct experiments at 136 kHz and 5 MHz will terminate June 30. “These experiments have had, as one objective, the provision of data that would support the objectives of RAC and the IARU for possible new allocations to the Amateur Service at these frequencies,” the RAC said. Future special authorizations will depend on the outcomes of World Radiocommunication Conference 2007 (WRC-07), which gets under way October 22, the RAC added. New, worldwide, secondary amateur allocations at 135.7 to 137.8 kHz and in the 5 MHz range are up for possible consideration at WRC-07. RAC Newfoundland-Labrador Section Manager Joe Craig, VO1NA, described some of his LF experiences in “The Transatlantic on 2200 Meters,” which appeared in July 2005 QST. Craig also has been in the forefront of 60-meter experimentation in Canada through the Marconi Radio Club of Newfoundland. In 2003, club station VO1MRC worked N1RL in Massachusetts for the first Canada-US two-way amateur contact on 60 meters. There’s more information on the VO1MRC 5 MHz Experiment Web pages.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7491

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Sony says it will introduce its first HD Radio products in July, joining the growing group of companies seeking to make the next-generation digital radio technology a standard feature in audio products over the next several years.
HD Radio is a new form of digital radio broadcasting that allows radio stations to deliver extra music content on up to four side channels that piggyback on the frequency it already uses. So far, more than 1,200 radio stations nationwide have adopted the technology, according to the HD Digital Radio Alliance, a group of broadcasters promoting the new format.

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/2007-05-28-sony-hd-radio_N.htm?csp=34

Posted in USA Today | Comments Off

May 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The AMSAT booth enjoyed a visit from Bill McArthur, KC5ACR, ISS Expediton 12 Commander who was at the Hamvention in support of planned ARRL activities. The first speaker was Rick Hambly, W2GPS, President, AMSAT-NA who presented the “Summary of AMSAT-NA Activities in 2007″.Rick reminded everyone in attendance of AMSAT’s vision of HEO Satellites are our primary mission. AMSAT will assist LEO efforts undertaken by the educational community and other amateur radio groups. Rick continued with a list of achievements for 2006 including the following:

• AO-51 has now passed 2 years of continuous operation. Software upgrades and testing are now in progress to further improve this satellite and the operator’s experience.
• SuitSat-1 captured the world’s attention and helped promote amateur radio.
• SuitSat-2 development is currently underway and will feature an SDR transponder.
• AMSAT-NA support for AMSAT-DL’s P3E provides funding, and staffing for design, testing, and integration.
• Eagle satellite development is on-going concurrently with P3E and the satellites will both share common modules and software.
• AMSAT’s education outreach provides mentoring to students who are designing, building, and launching satellites.
• The AMSAT Lab in Maryland was opened. The clean room equipment is currently being installed.

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/news/

Posted in AMSAT | Comments Off

May 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

June 23-24

ARRL Field Day

July 1

RAC Canada Day Contest

July 4-5

MI QRP CW Sprint

July 8

DARC 10-Meter Digital

July 14

FISTS Summer Sprint

July 14-15

IARU World Championship

July 21-22

CQ WW VHF Contest
NA QSO Party, RTTY

July 22

BRATS HAMFEST

July 28-29

RSGB IOTA Contest

Aug. 4-5

10-10 Int’l Summer, SSB
NA QSO Party, CW
ARRL UHF Contest

August 5

SARL HF Phone Contest

http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/index.html

Posted in WA7BNM Contest Calendar | Comments Off

May 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

An Amateur Radio antenna bill has made it through the Oklahoma legislature and now awaits the signature of Gov Brad Henry. Securing passage of the essence of the limited federal preemption known as PRB-1 was no mean feat, however. Proponents of the legislation had to switch to Plan B after House Bill 1037 (HB 1037) failed to make the House calendar for a vote after getting a “do pass” recommendation in the General Government and Transportation Committee. Supporters of the measure were successful in getting the language of HB 1037 attached to Senate Bill 426, which involves municipal annexations. SB 426 passed the Senate 45-2 and the House 90-5.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/05/23/103/?nc=1

Posted in ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off

May 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The FCC has called on BPL equipment manufacturer Ambient Corporation to demonstrate that it’s complying with all terms of its Part 5 Experimental license or face possible enforcement action. Ambient operates the Briarcliff Manor, New York, BPL pilot program under Experimental license WD2XEQ. In a May 21 letter to Ambient Chief Engineer Yehuda Cern, FCC Spectrum Enforcement Division Chief Kathryn S. Berthot noted that the FCC is investigating ARRL complaints dating back to 2006 that Ambient’s Briarcliff Manor BPL system has caused and continues to cause harmful interference to Amateur Radio stations. She said Ambient’s most recent six-month report failed to address one condition of its Part 5 license relating to emission measurements to prove compliance.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/05/23/104/?nc=1

Posted in BPL, ARRL Web Extra | Comments Off