January 31, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Sponsored by the ARRL Education and Technology Program and funded by ARRL members, the ARRL Teachers Institute is building on five years of success, offering 72 teachers the opportunity to explore and experience wireless technology basics, teaching of basic electronic concepts integral to micro controllers and robotics, bringing space technology into the classroom, radio astronomy basics, building a radio telescope, building and programming a robot and more.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/01/30/100/?nc=1

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January 31, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Veteran meteorologist Bill Read, KB5FYA, was named the new director of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Tropical Prediction Center, which includes the National Hurricane Center (NHC) earlier this month. Read had served as the Center’s acting deputy director since August 2007. The NHC has a dedicated amateur station on-site — W4EHW — and has worked closely with hams for decades. In announcing Read’s appointment to head the Center, NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher cited Read’s three decades of experience with the agency and of his reputation as “a trusted consultant to emergency managers” in the Houston area.

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/01/30/100/?nc=1

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January 31, 2008 by kb3ljm.

On January 30, the Regional Director of the Western Region of the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau issued a Forfeiture Order to James J. Grinton, K7VNI, of Bellingham, Washington in the amount of $7000 for “for willfully and repeatedly violating Section 97.113(b) and Section 97.119(a) of the Commission’s Rules (’Rules’). The noted violations involve Grinton engaging in the transmission of one-way communications and his failure to transmit his assigned call sign in the Amateur Radio Service.”

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2008/01/30/102/?nc=1

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January 30, 2008 by kb3ljm.

German nudists will be able to start their holidays early by stripping off on the plane if they take up a new offer from an eastern German travel firm. Travel agency OssiUrlaub.de said it would start taking bookings from (today) for a trial nudist day trip from the eastern German town of Erfurt to the popular Baltic Sea resort of Usedom, planned for July 5 and costing $735. ‘It’s expensive, I know,’ managing director Enrico Hess told Reuters by phone. ‘It’s because the plane’s very small. There’s no real reason why a flight in which one flies naked should be more expensive than any other.’ The 55 passengers will have to remain clothed until they board, and dress before disembarking, said Hess. The crew will remain clothed throughout the flight for safety reasons.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2008/02/bonus.html

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January 30, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Productivity-minded travelers at Denver International can work at new self-service kiosks equipped with word-processing, spreadsheet and presentation software. Marketed by Louisville, Colo.-based Zoox Stations, the four office-service kiosks feature an Internet connection, laser printers, USB ports, laptop-charging outlets and booths for privacy. Cost: 25 cents a minute. Video game enthusiasts can also get their fix at the 64 game stations the company has installed throughout the airport.

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-01-27-check-in-denver_N.htm

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January 30, 2008 by kb3ljm.

Continental will add live television programming and onboard e-mail and instant messaging capabilities on some of its aircraft beginning next year, the airline announced today. The airline says it’s offerings will include 36 channels of live television, The Associated Press reports. The Houston Chronicle says “first-class customers will get free access to the entertainment system, while other passengers will have to pay a $6 fee. … The service will be installed aboard Continental’s new Boeing 737s and Boeing 757-300s.”
Read the rest of this entry »

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January 29, 2008 by kb3ljm.

On 23 January 2008, Gilbert Restiaux, VE4GIL learned that the City of Winnipeg had dropped their objections to his tower. In 2002, Gil moved to a new neighbourhood. After checking with planning authorities in the city, he received their verbal agreement to erect a 48-foot tower and HF yagi in his back yard. Five years later, one of Gil’s neighbours complained to municipal authorities because he “did not like” the appearance of Gil’s tower.The neighbour lodged complaints by telephone twice a day every day for several months. The City of Winnipeg eventually laid two charges against Gil of violating Winnipeg’s zoning by-law. Gil hired a lawyer, did a great deal of research, and enlisted the help of Tim Ellam, VE6SH ofRAC’s Antenna Structures Committee. Tim provided Gil and his lawyer with documentary references that were of assistance to Gil’s lawyer in arguing that the city’s attempts to regulate Gil’s Amateur Radio antennas were beyond municipal jurisdiction. On 23 January, the day before Gil was scheduled to attend court on the matter of his tower, Kerri Tymchuk, a solicitor for the City of Winnipeg wrote to Gil’s lawyer informing him that the city “will not be pursuing this prosecution.” Although Not clearly stated in Tymchuk’s letter, Gil’s lawyer suggested that the City of Winnipeg understands it does not have jurisdiction over Amateur Radio antennas.

http://www.rac.ca/news

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January 29, 2008 by kb3ljm.

On January 24, 2008 AMSAT President Rick Hambly W2GPS testified before the Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of Senate Bill 80 that would prohibit “homeowners associations from restricting or prohibiting the design, placement, screening, height, or use of specified amateur radio equipment.” It is hoped that we will also get a hearing before a House committee in a few weeks. There was no opposition to this bill during the hearing, unlike previous years. For more information see: http://mlis.state.md.us/2008rs/billfile/sb0080.htm and http://n3ij.home.comcast.net/. [AMSAT]

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January 29, 2008 by kb3ljm.

11 AM ; At Pioneer Hall , Historical Electronics Museum,
1745 W. Nursery Rd. Linthicum MD. Talk-in 146/76/R
(PL 107.2) Talks, demos, tutorials, socializing

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January 29, 2008 by kb3ljm.

ARRL DXCC Manager Bill Moore, NC1L, reports that there has been some confusion circulating regarding the current processing time and how it is affecting the addition of St Barthelemy (FJ) to the DXCC list and Logbook of The World. Before processing 2008 applications (containing St Barthelemy cards), DXCC must complete and close out all 2007 applications. The pace of the current application processing allows an estimated completion period of late March. Upon completion of 2007 applications, we shut DXCC down for about a day while we run all of the yearly lists. Only after these lists are completed can we add FJ to the DXCC List and in turn, Logbook of The World. DXCC staff is working hard to reduce the turnaround time, and we appreciate your patience and understanding while we work to get caught up. You can help by planning your submissions wisely and taking steps to make sure your applications are prepared according to the instructions posted on the DXCC application form and as noted in the FAQ http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/faq/ . There will be plenty of time for everyone to have their Honor Roll submissions in place by December 31, 2008. For more information on the DX Century Club program, please see the DXCC Web site http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/ [ARRL LETTER via eham.net]

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

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