
SB NEWSLIN @ ALLBBS $NLIN.903
Amateur Radio Newsline #903 07 Dec 1994

Amateur Radio Newsline is produced as an audio service by Newsline, a
service of the Westlink Radio Netowrk.  The transcribed version is produced
by Dale Cary, WD0AKO from materials provided by Newsline. and is jointly
distributed to online services and bulletin board networks by Steve Coletti
and Dale Cary.

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full credit given to Newsline as the source.  

Permission is granted to all amateurs who want to transmit the audio
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used for packet distribution as long as it is sent in its entirety and the
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Editorial comment, news items and all other business should be directed to
     Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, Newsline's Producer and Editor-In-Chief.
     E-Mail -  3241437@mcimail.com or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com
     Phone/Fax - +1 805 296-7180, fax senders wait for voice prompt.

Text Version information:
     America Online - tstader@aol.com (Terry Stader, Sysop) or
                      D.CARY@genie.geis.com
     Compuserv, Delphi, Genie - D.CARY@genie.geis.com
     Usenet - david@stat.com (David Dodell - Moderator rec-radio-info)
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     Internet mailing list (individuals) - bigsteve@.dorsai.org
     Internet mailing list (re-distributors) - D.CARY@genie.geis.com
     BBS Networks - Steve Coletti (within the conference/echo) or
                    bigsteve@dorsai.org via Internet.
                    (RIME users can RO mail to ->35,
                    Fidonet users can Netmail to 1:278/309)

- - - - - -

NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #903 - POSTED 12/05/94
 
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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
 
                    Audio Version of Newsline
                    =========================
     Los Angeles............................ (213) 462-0008
     Los Angeles (Instant Update Line)...... (805) 296-2407
     Seattle................................ (206) 368-3969
     Seattle................................ (206) 281-8455
     Tacoma................................. (206) 927-7373
     Louisville............................. (502) 894-8559
     Dayton................................. (513) 275-9991
     Chicago................................ (708) 289-0423
     New York City.......................... (718) 353-2801
     Melbourne, FL.......................... (407) 259-4479
 
             Electronic Hardcopy Version of Newsline
             =======================================
      GEnie (RTC Bulletin Board)............. m345;1
      GEnie (File Library)................... m345;3
      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
        FTP: oak.oakland.edu, archive: pub/hamradio/docs/newsline
      Fidonet, RIME, Intellec, I-Link........
        In the Ham Radio conferences on those networks
      CompuServe/HamNet...................... Coming Soon!
 
   For questions or comments about the text version, contact me at
 D.CARY@GENIE.GEIS.COM on the Internet.
 
   For the latest breaking info call the Instant Update Line listed
 above.  To provide information please call (805) 296-7180.  This
 line answers automatically and will accept up to 30 minutes of
 material.
 
   Check with your local amateur radio club to see if NEWSLINE
 can be heard weekly on the air in your area.
 
   Articles may be reproduced if printed in their entirety and
 credit is given to AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE as being the source.
 
   For further information about the AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE,
 please write to us with an SASE at P.O. Box 463, Pasadena, CA
 91102.
 
                                             Thank You
                                             NEWSLINE
 
(****************************************************************
 
Some of the hams of NEWSLINE RADIO...
 
WA6ITF WB6MQV WB6FDF K6DUE W6RCL N6AHU N6AWE N6TCQ K6PGX N6PNY
 KU8R N8DTN W9JUV KC9RP K9XI KB5KCH KC5UD KC0HF G8AUU WD0AKO DJ0QN
 and many others in the United States and around the globe!!!
 
(****************************************************************
 
 
(* * *  Very Sorry for the delay.  Putting in many long days and
 lack of sleep finally caught up with me.  Am some what operation
 now.  Thanks for your patience.  73.  Dale Cary - WD0AKO   * * *)
 
 
 
[903]
 
 (* * * *   C L O S E D   C I R C U I T   A D V I S O R Y   * * * *
 (*                                                               *
 (*      Newsline report number 903 for release on Friday,        *
 (*   December 2, 1994 to follow.                                 *
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 (* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 
                      The following is a QST
 
   Economics takes its toll on a ham radio satellite.  Russia
 confirms that it has turned off the Oscar 21 satellite for
 financial reasons.  Also a teenager is nabbed as a jammer in
 Arizona and a powerful democrat wants a republican returned to the
 FCC!  Find out who's backing who on Newsline report number 903
 coming your way right now.
 
(*****
                        AO-21 GONE FOREVER
 
   It's official.  Sources inside Russia have confirmed what
 Newsline reported in early October.  They say that the very
 popular Amsat Oscar 21 satellite is off the air for good.  That
 the main reason for it going away is a lack of funding to keep it
 and its host satellite on the air.  Here are the details.
   Leonid Labutin, UA3CR is a ham radio satellite coordinator
 inside Russia.  He tells AMSAT North America and Newsline that the
 operation of OSCAR-21, which is also known as RS-14, was
 terminated as a result of the shutdown of its parent spacecraft
 known as Informator One.  On or about September 16th both
 satellites suddenly went silent.  A few days later Labutin says
 that the Space Flight Control Center near Moscow informed
 AMSAT-Russia that the radio control of Informator One was switched
 off, ending all on-board experiments.
   For those not aware, AMSAT-OSCAR-21 was a piggy-back
 transponder on the Informator One.  In turn, Infromator One was an
 experimental satellite that was built under the order of the
 Ministry of Geology.  Both birds came into being only because the
 geologists could not find a professional organization to make the
 transponder fit their groups requirements.  The problem was solved
 when the Amateur Radio society AMSAT-U-ORBITA accepted the
 responsibility.  As a payment for their work, the geologists
 agreed to install the Radio Amateur transponder on board
 Informator One.  An agreement between AMSAT-Russia and the
 Russian space center was made early on for joint control of both
 satellites.
   But it was the beleaguered Russian economy that spelled the end
 of OSCAR 21.  As a result of financial difficulties of the Defense
 Ministry for continuing the joint control of both Amateur and
 Commercial payloads, it was simply decided to shut both off.  The
 result is that Informator One and OSCAR 21 have gone silent.
 Leonid Labutin says that there is little chance that either of
 these transponders will ever be brought on line, ever again.
 
(*****
                    ARIZONA TEEN JAMMER CITED
 
   The family of an Arizona teenager will soon be shelling out a
 lot of money because their kid decided to play radio jammer.  The
 youngster may have thought it was all in fun but the FCC did not
 quite look at it the same way.
   In Southeast Arizona an unidentified 17 year old has been
 cited for malicious interference to sheriff and police
 frequencies in Cochise County and Sierra Vista Police.
   Over a two week period the FCC received reports from the
 Cochise County and Sierra Vista Police Departments of malicious
 interference over their dispatch frequencies.  Apparently, this
 teenager thought he would have fun transmitting foul language and
 music.
   The Federal Communications Commission from Douglas, Arizona
 traced the signals to the boy's home and apparently found him
 there.  He has now been fined $1000 as of November 5th.
   As usually happens, there will be a thirty day window for an
 appeal, but it will have to be filed by the youngsters family
 because the teenager is legally a minor.
 
(*****
                          OMAHA RFI
 
   In Nebraska, it was ham radio that helped to solve the problem
 of some strange RFI that show up in and around Omaha.
   It seems that owners of Sears brand garage door openers began
 bombarding the FCC office with complaints that they were able to
 close the doors but not open them.  The FCC says that several
 Omaha hams heard about the problem and offered to investigate it.
 They then assisted Commission staffers in locating the
 interference source.
   The offending signal turned out to be a brand new air to
 ground communications system at nearby Offut Air Force Base that
 was operating on a frequency very close to that of the Sears
 garage door openers.  The Air Force contractor agreed to solve the
 problem by changing the new radios to another frequency.  Garage
 door openers are now functioning properly and ham are heros in
 Omaha.
 
(*****
                             TASMA
 
   Will packet radio determine who becomes the next president of
 one of the nations leading coordination councils?  That could be
 the outcome of the upcoming election of officers for Southern
 California's 2 meter Area Spectrum Management Association.  This
 is because the Southern California packet community has openly
 thrown its support behind one of the two slates of candidates
 running for the office.
   Several bulletins forwarded to Newsline are urging packet
 radio operators to turn out in droves to the December 3rd TASMA
 meeting in Carlsbad, California.  Packeteers are being told by
 their political leaders to join Tasma and to vote in favor of the
 re-election of incumbent TASMA President Sidney Radus, N6OMS.
   Radus who had been reported ready to stand aside has decided to
 run for re-election.  He and the rest of his ticket are being
 challenged by a slate of candidates put up by a San Diego repeater
 group calling itself C Bar.  Its nominee for the TASMA presidency
 is also an attorney; Rick Anglin, N6KUB.
   How much backing C Bar can generate is not known, but the TASMA
 election rules do permit any ham to join the organization, even on
 the day of an election and to vote for candidates of his or her
 choice.
   The packet community says it favors Radus because of his
 position in favor of working closely with their special interest
 group.
   With packet operators seemingly more politically motivated
 than the average repeater user, it may well be packet operators
 who determine the future of two meter FM voice in the nations
 most populous repeater area.
   The meeting takes place about the time this newscast goes to
 air.  Since what happens out in California could impact on
 coordination councils nationwide, will have the results and an
 analysis of this crucial vote next week.
 
(*****
    DEMOCRAT TO THE WHITE HOUSE:  RETAIN REPUBLICAN ON FCC
 
   Democratic Senator Paul Simon from Illinois has sent a strong
 letter to the White House urging President Bill Clinton to
 renominate Andrew Barrett to another five-year term at the Federal
 Communications Commission.  The Associated Press says that
 Barrett, a Chicago native, is one of two Republican commissioners
 at the FCC.  He has served at the agency since 1989 and is term
 expires in June.
   There has been much speculation inside the Washington political
 arena as to whether Barrett, who has been quiet about his
 intentions, will seek another FCC term.  He says that he has not
 seen the Simon letter, but says that he believes he will also have
 the support of Senator Carol Moseley Braun should he pursue a
 renomination.
   Barrett said he spoke previously with Simon and Moseley Braun
 about garnering their endorsements.  In the event he does seek
 another term if he says that he will first inform the White House
 and FCC chairman Reed Hundt.  Since Barrett initially was named to
 the FCC by President Bush, it is unclear whether Clinton will
 stick with Barrett or look elsewhere to fill the post.
 
(*****
                       CONELRAD REBORN
 
   The Federal Communications Commission has adopted a new
 emergency broadcast system for TV, radio and, for the first time,
 cable television systems.  The system, which is to provide TV
 viewers and radio listeners with warnings on everything from
 approaching tornadoes and flooding to chemical spills, will be
 more advanced than the current system, which is more than 40 years
 old.  The system will have a louder warning tone and text in large
 letters for those who can't see or hear well.
   Stations and cable outlets using the new system will also have
 the capability of providing warnings in a variety of languages.
 And for the first time, the warning system will permit these
 outlets to send as well as receive alert information.
   Thousands of broadcast stations and most, if not all, of the
 nation's 11,000 cable systems must have the new system in place by
 1996 and 1997 respectively.
 
(*****
                          DETROIT EIC
 
   Also from the FCC, word that forty-four year old James
 Bridgewater, AA8JD has been named as the new Engineer in Charge of
 the FCC's Detroit, Michigan field office.  Bridgewater holds an
 Extra class ham ticket along with both BSE and BSEE degrees from
 Purdue University.  He began his career with the FCC back in 1977.
 
(*****
                         JY1 QSO's 4X4
 
   His majesty King Hussein, JY1 is bringing the new peace accord
 with neighboring Israel to a level that even includes ham radio.
 The Israeli ham radio publication Ha Gal International reports
 that the Jordanian monarch recently held his first recorded
 contact with an Israeli youngster whose call sign is 4Z9FHB.  Ha
 Gal also reports that the thawing of relations between the two
 countries has already lead to discussions between their respective
 Amateur Radio societies on matters of technical cooperation and
 DXpedition planning.
 
(*****
                              DX
 
   In DX we have two quick items this week.  First is word that
 Iraqi operator YI9CW has applied for authorization to operate on
 30 meters. If granted it will be a first for that war torn nation.
 
   Also, DL2VK says that he will be signing /HS0 for about 6
 months during his tour in Thailand.  Most activity will be CW,
 though packet, AMTor, PacTOR and SSB may be used if time permits.
 
(*****
 
                   NEWSLINE STORY:  PART 4
 
   And finally, for the past three weeks we have been taking a
 look back at the early days of Newsline.  The era when we were
 known as the Westlink Radio Network.  That was some seventeen
 years ago, and while it is nice to reminisce, the real challenge
 is
 in the future.  How will you be getting your ham radio news a
 decade from now?  We put that question to former Newsline
 anchorman Alan Kaul, W6RCL.  In real life, Alan is a producer with
 NBC Network news where he specializes in matters of future science
 and technology.  We asked Alan to take a look ahead:
 
   "Every man, every ham, every woman.  They all have the ability
 to be the producer of this newscast or any other newscast.  I
 presume someday a service like Netcom or Compuserve or America
 Online for example will have something called the Newsline list.
 Anybody who wants to file to that, can file to it.  Anybody that
 wants to make use of that, receiving the e-mail in his or her mail
 box for example, could put together a newscast and read it on his
 or her repeater.  And so that each newscast would be custom made
 for each area.  In stead of having one newscast that sort of
 disseminated to the entire world, using the e-mail server list one
 comprehensive battery of information could be disseminated to the
 entire world.  And anyone that wants to be his or her own editor,
 his or her own producer could pick and choose that news the he or
 she thinks is relevant and serves his or her geographical
 listening area."  Kaul, W6RCL.
 
   For those of you not aware, Newsline is already active on two
 popular public bulletin boards.  You can reach us on the Genie and
 America Online systems in their ham radio bulletin areas.  Also,
 Newsline scripts are posted each week by Dale Cary, WD0AKO and
 Steve Coletti to numerous bulletin boards and to the Internet.
 Alan Kaul says that more of this kind of diversity is what the
 future probably has in store:
 
   "I think that's the way we are going.  We're into an area of
 narrower and narrower and narrower casting.  It's the things you
 and I are interested that used to be, in the professional world,
 broadcasting.  Ninety percent of us used to tune in.  Now there
 are so many things that are available for us to tune in to.  The
 broadcast news media, for example, once had ninety to ninety five
 percent of the audience.  We're down to fifty to forty seven
 percent of the audience.  That's how it is going.  There are so
 many things we can all, sort of, be interested in.  We can pick.
 We can choose.  And I see programs like Newsline or any other
 similar news service sort of disseminating until there are a
 million hams.  For example in the United States there may be a
 million different markets for the news.  People will pick and
 choose their own."  Kaul, W6RCL.
 
   To sum it all up.  Newsline is already a part of the
 Information superhighway.  As it expands, we intend to grow with
 it and we hope to meet many of you there as well.
 
(*****
 
   And for this week, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.
 You can write to us at:
                        Newsline
                        Post Office Box 463
                        Pasadena, California
                        91102
 
(* * * Newsline Copyright 1994 all rights are reserved. * * *
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