November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

On December 9, 2003, Dr. Bob Bennett, W3WCQ passed away in his sleep. Bob was 67. It is hard to believe that it is now 4 years since that sad and shocking day. The ATV repeater and our ATV nets continue as a legacy to Bob. He would be very happy to know that we continue to function and carry out his dreams, not only with ATV, but with our public service activities as well……
We miss you, Bob….
73, Mayer, W3GXK

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, keeps a DXCC Blog on the ARRL Web site http://www.arrl.org/blog/DXCC%20Dialog. In it, he posts news and updates to the ARRL DXCC program. Moore notes that there is a link on the DXCC Web page to a text version of the DXCC list. “To help facilitate those who design programs and databases to track and report DXCC, I have added a new field to this list designated ‘Entity Code.’ This is the 3-digit code currently used in the computer system to
assist in designating entities,” he said. To find out more about the ARRL DXCC program, please see the DXCC Web page http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/. If you have any questions concerning DXCC or any other ARRL award program, e-mail the DXCC Desk DXCC@arrl.org.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/1109/

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

• John, G7HIA and Robert, G8ATE announced this week that an award certificate is available to all Stations that have worked GB5OSO for the 50th Anniversary of SPUTNIK-1. Additional information can be found at: http://www.turlington.supanet.com. Over 300 contacts in 33 DXCC countries on AO7, AO27, SO51, AO51 and VO52. More than 170 stations were logged and many were worked on more than one satellite. Two stations were worked on all 5 birds: G1OCN and ON5NY. JA0CAW and JH1EKH organized a conection via EchoLink to SO50 and AO51 over Japan. Read the rest of this entry »

  Posted in AMSAT | Comments Off

November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

After being off the air for several months, I’m happy to announce that AO-16 has been partially recovered and is transmitting on 437.026 Mhz. The satellite was recovered to the boot loader by Mark Hammond N8MH with guidance from Bruce Rahn WB9ANQ and others. Further reloading of the satellite is underway. The AO-16 team could use your help collecting the binary MBL telemetry for now, and the regular telemetry once the reload is completed.

If you receive any telemetry from AO-16, please submit it (preferably as a .KSS file attachment) to telemetry AT quagliana DOT com and put the words “AO-16 Telemetry” in the subject of your email. Please include your callsign (if any), your latitude/longitude (or grid square), and the date and time when the telemetry was collected.

73, Drew KO4MA
AMSAT-NA VP Ops

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

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Amateur Radio and the ARRL received a significant public relations boost from the AARP this week. Promoting life-long learning for their members, Susan Ayers Walker wrote “Finding Your Hobby Online” for the AARP Web site. What’s the first and most prominent activity listed to keep the mind active and functional? Amateur Radio! Here’s what the article had to say: “Long before the internet was created, the Amateur Radio network was the way people from all over the world could connect. Amateur, or ham, Radio operators created vast social networks by talking long distances to other radio enthusiasts, making distant friends and exchanging calling cards. It is this linkage of radio enthusiasts that is ready to help communication flow in case of a disaster or weather emergency. The ARRL, the National Association for Amateur Radio, has an informative website with lots of news and information, plus info on getting started or finding a chapter in your area.” You can read more at
<http://www.aarp.org/learntech/computers/life_online/finding_your_hobby_online.html>.

http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/07/1109/

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

US Airways claims it is the first airline “to implement technology to offer on-demand flight status and frequent flier registration via Text Message.” In a press release, US Airways says if customers want “to check the status of their flight(s), they simply text their flight number to TEXTUS (839887) and US Airways will text back with real-time flight information, including arrival, departure times and gate information.” Customers who can also in US Airways frequent-flier program by texting their names, e-mail addresses and zip codes to TEXTUS (839887). US Airways say “those customers enrolling at the airport” will get “the advantage of automatically receiving miles for the flight that same day.”

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/11/us-airways-flie.html

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Four 3 kHz channels at 5 MHz are being granted to Irish amateurs, according to the Irish Radio Transmitters Society (IRTS), Ireland’s IARU Member-Society. These frequencies are centered on 5.280, 5.290, 5.400 and 5.405 MHz (the suppressed-carrier frequency for USB is 1.5 kHz lower). This follows extensive contacts with the military authorities and with the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) by the IRTS (Ireland’s equivalent of the FCC). The facility will be available for an initial trial period of a year and individual application is required. The power allowed will be 23 dBW (200 W) to an antenna with not more than 0 dBd gain (e.g. a dipole). Some or all of these channels are also in use in the UK, Iceland, Finland, Norway, Canada and the US. Some administrative details remain to be attended to by ComReg but it is anticipated that the first variations of licenses could be issued at the end of November or early December. The IRTS stresses that individuals must apply to operate at these 5 MHz frequencies. Permission for a 5 MHz beacon has been granted; a call sign and frequency are in the works.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7844

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November 14, 2007 by kb3ljm.

Diya Sayah, YI1DZ, President of the Iraqi Amateur Radio Society (IARS), announced today that effective November 20, all Amateur Radio activity will be “back to normal” in Iraq. Sayah said, “All Amateur Radio operators in Iraq who carry a valid Iraqi license will be able to use their radios according to regulations of IARU Region 1 and the IARS.” Amateur Radio activity in Iraq was suspended in March of this year, with the suspension affecting both Iraqi citizens as well as any foreigners — including military personnel and contractors — who have been on the air from Iraq. The request to halt all ham radio activity and the issuance of licenses in Iraq originated with a letter from the Iraqi Ministry of Defense to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki as part of a new security plan, Sayah said.

http://www.arrl.org/?artid=7846

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