Amateur MF Allocation Moves a Step Closer

Amateur Radio has moved a step closer to a medium frequency (MF) allocation below the AM broadcast band. During the first week of the Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) for the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12) of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), held in Geneva February 14-25, delegates completed the drafting of nine pages of analysis of the technical and regulatory issues related to WRC-12 Agenda Item 1.23: consideration of a possible secondary allocation to the Amateur Service of about 15 kHz somewhere between 415 and 526.5 kHz. Two possible methods of satisfying the agenda item, along with the possibility of there being no change (and therefore no allocation), are set out in the CPM Report, along with the advantages and disadvantages of each.

No HF Frequencies Being Used in New Zealand Earthquake Operations

The ARRL has just received word from the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters (NZART) — that country?s IARU Member-Society — that amateurs there providing communications support in the aftermath of the 6.3 earthquake are using 2 meters (144 MHz). No HF frequencies are being used.

Ham Radio Is More Than a Hobby For NMARES Club (Washington)

Bob Putman has been an amateur radio hobbyist since he was a child. He started with a short-wave receiver and was licensed in 1957. He has since made friends around the world.

Ham Radio Is More Than a Hobby For NMARES Club (Washington)

Bob Putman has been an amateur radio hobbyist since he was a child. He started with a short-wave receiver and was licensed in 1957. He has since made friends around the world.

The FCC hunts down a Los Angeles pirate

This pirate wasn’t operating in a cave in the middle of nowhere: He set up shop in an office building on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. The FCC tracked down the pirate signal originating on 101.5 in the Wilshire Westlake Building. While they could not locate the operator, the FCC did issue a “notice of unlicensed operation” warning the owner of the building, which could be followed up with a $10,000 fine unless the pirate broadcasts end. The signal was directly interfering with Pepperdine University’s low-power KWVS-LP and Clear Channel’s KGB-FM (101.5), which originates in San Diego but can be heard in some areas of Los Angeles.

GOP Targets Public Radio, Amateur Radio, and PBS

House Republicans are proposing to defund National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting (PBS) and auction off the 420-440 MHz band of the Amateur Radio spectrum to the highest bidder.

NPR is no surprise, as the right has tried to smear it as a liberal organization. That’s the trouble with reporting facts: reality has a well-documented liberal bias. The selling of part of the Amateur Radio spectrum (HR 607) is a surprise to me, as historically both parties have been good about protecting the Amateur Radio Service.

SVUSD looks to amateur radios for emergencies (Arizona)

It?s 12:30 p.m. on a Monday when the earthquake strikes. You?re at work in Victorville, your 8-year-old is at Lewis Elementary School, land lines and cell phones are cut off and Fort Irwin Road is closed.

Realizing that traditional lines of communication could be cut off in a disaster, Silver Valley Unified School District officials bought amateur radios for each of its schools and the district office. About 28 teachers, principals and community volunteers spent Thursday and Friday learning to operate them. Each person will take a test needed to earn a radio operating license next Saturday.

Oceanside adopts ham radio ordinance (California)

The Oceanside City Council this week unanimously approved an ordinance regulating amateur radio operators.

Under the new regulations, amateur, or ham radio operators, could erect radio antennas as tall as 51 feet without obtaining a city permit. Antennas taller than 51 feet would require a $500 administrative permit. In addition, radio operators would have to notify property owners within 300 feet of the antenna site of any structures taller than 51 feet.

Solar flare causing no issues locally (Missouri)

Despite the potential for causing an assortment of headaches, a large solar flare that erupted earlier this week is causing no problems locally.
The solar flare, reportedly the largest of its type since December 2006, occurred Monday, according to scientists. When the particles unleashed by a solar flare interact with the Earth?s magnetic field they have the potential to cause problems in electronics, power and communications. According to one wire service report, radio communication in China was disrupted.

He?s still getting the word out (Alabama)

How many men in Baldwin County almost sunk a U.S. Navy submarine?

Dennis Goodwin displays some of the vintage equipment in his radio shack. The retired Navy man is an amateur radio operator, and he and other Baldwin County enthusiasts (hams) provide emergency communication when conventional methods have ceased to function, such as in the aftermath of a hurricane. Staff photo by Donna Riley-Lein.

Being in a submarine led to one of Dennis Goodwin?s many funny stories. It seems that the other enlisted members of the crew allowed the Bay Minette resident to control the sub?s diving planes – things that controlled how deep the submarine would go. Goodwin was off from his regular duties and the situation was normal and safe. Goodwin stressed that if there had been any danger, the appropriate person would be at the controls.

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• KR9RK

  The Lakeshore Repeater Association operates the VHF 2 Meter KR9RK repeater on 147.270 MHz (+600 kHz) with CTCSS tone of 127.3 Hz. and the 70 centimeter KR9RK repeater on 442.00 MHz (+ 5.0 MHz) with a CTCSS tone of 127.3 Hz.

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