November 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Amateur Radio repeaters in Germany are disappearing, but not because there is nobody to use them. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the details:

German hams are the unintended victim of denationalization of that nation’s tower site business and the new owners don’t seem to really want radio hams paying little to nothing to use their facilities.
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November 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The evening of November 13 saw the first transatlantic contact on 500 kHz between amateur experimental stations. US experimental station WE2XGR/2 (Jay Rusgrove, W1VD, in Connecticut) and GI4PDE (Finbar O’Connor, EI0CF, in Northern Ireland) communicated by standard-speed CW for about 15 minutes. On that same night, US experimental stations WD2XSH/12 (Mike Mussler, AI8Z, in Colorado) and WD2XSH/20 (Rudy Severns, N6LF, in Oregon) made the first contact in the western half of the USA. Two days later, WE2XGR/2 and GI4DPE repeated their feat and WD2XSH/12 had contacts with WD2XSH/6 (Pat Hamel, W5THT, in Mississippi) and WD2XSH/13 (John Oehlenschlager, K0JO, in Minnesota). The ARRL 500 kHz experimental license, WD2XSH, was issued in September 2006 and has 19 active stations. Fritz Raab, W1FR, of Vermont, serves as experimental project manager for The 500 KC Experimental Group for Amateur Radio.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7868

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November 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

ROTUMA ISLAND, 3D2.

Tony, 3D2AG expects to be QRV from December 3to January 20. QSL to home call.

ANDORRA, C3.

Salvador is QRV as C31CT and has been active on 40meters around 2330z. QSL via EA3QS.

CANARY ISLANDS, EA8.

Jean, ON5JV and Georgette, ON6AK will be QRV as EA8/homecalls from Tenerife, IOTA AF-004, from December 1 to January 31. Activity will be mainly on 40 and 20 meters during their evenings. QSL to home calls.

MAYOTTE, FH.

Alan, F4RPW is QRV as FH1LE and has been active on 20 meters using RTTY around 1640z. QSL via F6BFH.

OGASAWARA, JD1.

Masa is QRV as JD1AHC and has been active on the low bands at various times. QSL via JA1BVA.

FALKLAND ISLANDS, VP8.

Chris is QRV as VP8CXV and has been active on 30 meters using RTTY between 2230 and 2330z. QSL via GM0TQJ.

http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/dx/2007-arld049.html

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November 30, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The 3-letter code for the airport in Sioux City, Iowa, is SUX. Har. Airport authorities have been fighting for years to get it changed to something that does not suck, but they have recently decided to embrace the name, using flysux.com as their website and printing t-shirts and hats with the name on it.

But really, the best part of this story is that the FAA offered them 5 other choices that the airport turned down. The best of those 5? GAY. Now THAT sux.

http://www.onlinetravelreview.com/online_travel_review/2007/10/iowa-airport-su.html

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November 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Thailand’s Intermediate and Advanced class radio amateurs are now
permitted to operate on the so-called WARC bands (10-, 18- and 24-MHz)
as well as in windows in the CW portion of the 80-metre (3.5-MHz) and
160-metre (1.8-MHz) bands on a permanent basis. For the full details, click here.

http://www.rac.ca/news/

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November 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On Nov 15th, WRC-07 considered its agenda for the next conference, currently planned for 2011.
The agenda contains an item to consider an amateur band around 500 kHz.

The exact wording of the item Is:

to consider an allocation of about 15 kHz in parts of the band 415-526.5 kHz to the amateur service on a secondary basis, taking into account the need to protect existing services;

The agenda was approved, and over the next few years, the ITU will be studying the possible impact of a small amateur band at 600 metres.

http://www.rac.ca/news/

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November 29, 2007 by kb3ljm.

As from 24th of November 2007 Spanish amateurs are allowed to use the band 7100-7200 kHz on a secondary basis, with a total radiated power not exceeding 24 dbW.

They have also gained access to the 51-52 MHz band, so they can use 50-52 MHz with a maximum power of 100 W, except in the center of Spain where the power is limited to 10 W.

(Thanks to Jose, EA4BPJ)

http://www.rac.ca/news/

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November 27, 2007 by kb3ljm.

A new antenna made of plasma (a gas heated to the point that the electrons are ripped free of atoms and molecules) works just like conventional metal antennas, except that it vanishes when you turn it off.

That’s important on the battlefield and in other applications where antennas need to be kept out of sight. In addition, unlike metal antennas, the electrical characteristics of a plasma antenna can be rapidly adjusted to counteract signal jamming attempts.
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November 27, 2007 by kb3ljm.

USPacket.org is happy to announce our National Packet Radio Registry.

This is a registry for US Packet operators who would like to exchange Packet mail with other radio hams.
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November 27, 2007 by kb3ljm.

The FCC today released a letter clearing Raymond W. Czyzewski Jr, WA2SEI, of Interlachen, Florida, of allegations he had caused interference and had sent threatening communication. On September 14, the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau notified Czyzewski of a complaint alleging he “interfere[d] on the Six Meter Amateur band on June 19, 2007. The complaint also enclosed a threatening communication apparently from you to the complainant subsequent to the incident.” Czyzewski was given 20 days to respond and was directed to “support your response with a signed and dated affidavit or declaration under penalty of perjury, verifying the truth and accuracy of the information submitted in your response.” Czyzewski replied on September 24, according to the FCC, “and fully explained the operation on the date cited in the complaint. ” The Commission accepted Czyzewski’s response and found “that no enforcement action is appropriate.”

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7864

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