The electronic edition of Amateur Radio Newsline is transcribed from source
material by Dale Cary.  Newsline is reprinted here courtesy of Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, Editor of Newsline.   Editorial comment should be
E-mailed to newsline@mcimail.com or B.PASTERNAK@genie.geis.com.  Voice or
FAX to +1 805-296-7180.


 NEWSLINE RADIO - CBBS EDITION #98 - POSTED 11/13/93

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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.  The electronic version of newsline is posted on this
 CBBS twice monthly.  For current information updates, please call
 (213) 462-0008, (407) 259-4479, (708) 289-0423, (513) 275-9991,
 or (718) 353-2801.  For the latest breaking info call the Instant
 Update Line at (805) 296-2407.  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

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 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!!!

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 [848]

 * * * *   C L O S E D   C I R C U I T   A D V I S O R Y   * * * *
 *                                                               *
 *     The following is a closed circuit advisory and NOT for    *
 *  transmission on amateur radio.  We have received word from   *
 *  our support fund administrator that the monies needed to     *
 *  pay the our monthly bills is still dangerously low.          *
 *     Yes, there are many sources of ham radio news, but for    *
 *  the past sixteen and a half years, nobody has been able to   *
 *  bring you this news as quickly and as accurately as          *
 *  Newsline. The ham magazines have a two to four month lead    *
 *  time.  The various ham radio newsletters are at least a      *
 *  week or two behind what's happening.  While the ARRL has a   *
 *  very fine audio news dissemination operation with it's W1AW  *
 *  Official Bulletin Station, it is primarily geared to high    *
 *  frequency operation.                                         *
 *     Only Newsline brings up to the minute ham radio news      *
 *  direct to you over your favorite repeater.  That means you   *
 *  can listen to it at home, in your car or even walking down   *
 *  the street on your hand held radio.                          *
 *     But doing this costs money.  It takes over $700 a month   *
 *  to keep Newsline alive.  Recognizing this Dr. Norm Chalfin,  *
 *  K6PGX established the Newsline Support Fund.  It's kept      *
 *  separate from Newsline and exists only to pay the week to    *
 *  week operating expenses of the operation.  It again needs    *
 *  the support of all of you who want to see Newsline survive   *
 *  so that these weekly bulletins can continue to air.          *
 *     The address for the Newsline Support Fund is Post Office  *
 *  Box 463, Pasadena, California 91102.  Your assistance is     *
 *  needed as soon as possible.  We thank you all for your       *
 *  ongoing generosity and support.                              *
 *    That ends the closed circuit.                              *
 *                                                               *
 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

                  REPEATER OWNER FINE QUESTIONED

    There are some significant new developments in the case of New
 Jersey repeater owner Bill Krause WA2HDE.  He's the ham who was
 issued a five thousand dollar fine because the FCC says that his
 Manhattan, New York repeater transmitter was heard on a frequency
 in an aeronautical communications band.
    As we reported last week, the FCC claims that on August the
 30th, its New York City Field Office received a complaint from
 the Federal Aviation Administration about a signal on 243 MHz
 that had appeared on receivers at two airports over the previous
 five days.  Subsequent investigation by Engineer Alexander Zimney
 determined that the repeater was being operated by WA2HDE.  The
 commission says that it issued the Notice of Apparent Liability
 to Monetary Forfeiture -- the FCC's term for a fine -- because
 of the potential of interference to aircraft emergency
 communications.
    But there is something that the FCC's Zimney did not do.  He
 issued the fine before bothering to notify Krause that he might
 be in violation of Part 97 rules.  In other words, its possible
 that a commission employee in his apparent eagerness to please
 the FAA may have violated the federal governments own
 Administrative procedures Act.  Rules that specifically call for
 a Notice of Violation to be issued and time given for a response
 before any punitive action is taken except in truly egregious
 cases.  Note that the terms willful and malicious interference
 were not used by the FCC and therefore the incident cannot be
 legally interpreted as egregious.  This is extremely important as
 you will hear.
    To complicate matters even further, it turns out that Bill
 Krause is a person well known to the FCC.  William A. Krause is
 one of the nations most respected broadcast engineers.  He is the
 Chief Engineer of WABC AM, the clear-channel flagship station of
 the American Broadcasting Systems radio network.  His repeater is
 also well known in that it is dedicated to public service work
 and is a very popular spot for communications for these kind of
 events.
    The FCC said that it had no way to reach Krause when its
 engineers discovered that it was his radio system that was
 interfering with the air-band radio system on 243 MHz, but as the
 chief engineer of a radio station Krause must deal regularly with
 the New York City FCC Engineer Alexander Zimney.  Its a safe bet
 that Zimney has all the telephone and FAX numbers needed to
 contact Bill Krause sitting in the phone book on his desk.
    We can't end without mentioning what the technical problem
 was that lead Zimney to issue the five thousand dollar NAL.
 Newsline has learned that the transmitter in Krause's Spectrum
 Communications repeater had malfunctioned.  The result was a 700
 milliwatt spur that occurred only when the transmitter was key
 up.  That's right, 700 milliwatts and only in key up when the
 transmitter was not technically even on the air!
    By now you must realize that there would be absolutely no way
 for Bill Krause or anyone else to know that the transmitter was
 putting out a spur unless someone notified him of the problem.
 Zimney could have called Krause on the phone and asked that he
 assist in solving the problem.  Instead, the New York City FCC
 engineer acted in a way that has made him rather unpopular with
 the tri-state area's ham radio community.
    Meantime, Krause filed a reply to the NAL.  In it he says that
 at the time of the incident his repeater appeared to be operating
 normally.  He tells the FCC that he had no reason to believe
 that it was producing unwanted spurs outside of the 222 MHz
 amateur radio band.
    Nobody is saying that the unintentional interference by
 Krauses repeater transmitter to the 243 MHz aeronautical channel
 is insignificant, but there is a big question regarding the way
 in which the New York City FCC Field Office reacted to the
 situation and the level of the punitive action imposed.
    The next move is up to FCC Engineer Alexander Zimney.  We will
 keep you posted on this one.

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                 HAM ADMITS JAMMING THE BIG MAC

    Terry Van Sickle, WB5WXI has pleaded guilty in federal court
 to one count of willful and malicious interference to the two way
 radio system at a Dallas Texas Mc Donalds restaurant.  Van Sickle
 is the former WFAA television news photographer who the FBI
 questioned on August 22nd after they found him parked in his van
 near the fast food restaurant.  The FBI was attracted to the
 vehicle after its investigators noted a large number of antennas
 on it.
    As previously reported, the FBI interrogated Van Sickle and a
 friend for about three hours before releasing them.  At that time
 no charges had yet been brought.  Van Sickle even claimed his
 innocence by way of an article appearing in the September 30th
 issue of the Dallas Observer newspaper.  He even told the
 Observer that it is a common practice for electronic enthusiasts
 to talk to fast food restaurants over the radio relay food
 ordering systems.  He said that these same radio buffs regularly
 post the frequencies of fast-food restaurant radio systems on
 computer bulletin boards and that the frequencies used by the Mc
 Donald's was readily accessible to almost anyone.
    But on October the 27th that all changed when WB5WXI was
 charged by the government as being the source of the interfering
 signal.  At a hearing, Van Sickle admitted his guilt and entered
 into an settlement, apparently to avoid a lengthy trial.
    In the plea agreement, Van Sickle guaranteed to fully
 cooperate with any further investigation of the matter, to
 surrender all interest in the thousands of dollars worth of his
 two way radio equipment and computers that the government had
 ceased as evidence in the case, and on demand of the court to
 submit to interviews by the United States Attorneys office
 regarding his ability to satisfy any fines or restitution order
 that might be imposed.
    Van Sickle has been ordered back to court on January 12th,
 1994 for sentencing.  At that time he could face up to a year in
 prison, a fine of up to one-hundred thousand dollars or both.  In
 addition he can be ordered to pay restitution to the Mc Donalds
 for any damages and loss of income that his actions may have cost
 the company and could also face a civil suit if Mc Donalds eels
 that the compensation awarded it was insufficient.
    Finally, as is usually the case, the FCC will probably begin
 its own investigation of Van Sickle's activities.  If they find
 him in violation of their rules he could loose any radio licenses
 he now holds.  Van Sickle could also face thousands of dollars in
 additional fines as well.

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                           PHONE OUT

    This note to all of you who get the newscast by calling into
 our area code (805) 296-2407 automatic telephone delivery
 number.  Please be advised that the equipment on that line will
 be down for maintenance from late on Tuesday November the 16th
 till about 01:00 Eastern Time on Monday November the 22nd.  For
 that six day period we ask that you call area code (213) 462-
 0008, (708) 289-0423 or the regional newsfeed line serving your
 area.  We thank you for your understanding and cooperation during
 this short duration of service interruption to the 805 area code
 line that will last less than one week.

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                       VE TEST FEE INCREASE

    The cost of getting a ham license is going up in 1994.  The
 FCC has announced that effective January 1, 1994, the maximum
 allowable reimbursement fee for an amateur operator license
 examination will be $5.75.  That's up fifteen cents from the
 current $5.60.
    As before, volunteer examiners and volunteer examiner
 coordinators may charge examinees for out-of-pocket expenses
 incurred in preparing, processing, administering, or coordinating
 examinations for amateur operator licenses.  The amount of any
 such reimbursement fee from any one examinee for any one
 examination session, regardless of the number of elements
 administered, must not exceed the maximum allowable fee.  Where
 the VE and the VEC both wish to be reimbursed, they must
 jointly decide on a fair distribution of the fee.
    The ARRL VEC says that will begin charging $5.75 after the
 new FCC allowable fee becomes effective and other VEC's are
 expected to do the same.

 *****
                       EARTHWINDS DELAYED

    Problems with its mooring assembly has delayed the launch of
 the ham radio equipped Earthwinds Hilton balloon from an airfield
 near Reno, Nevada.  Earthwinds was scheduled for a launch attempt
 on Saturday, November 6th at 14:00 UTC but bolts anchoring the
 craft failed as the top balloon was being filled with helium gas.
 It will now be at least six to eight weeks before another launch
 attempt will be made.
    By way of background, the manned balloon will carry 2-meter
 equipment for communicating with the Amateur Radio community and
 the ham operators aboard the Mir space station.  All
 communications will be conducted on 2-meters simplex, 145.55 MHz.
    Eathhwinds planners hope that the balloon will circumnavigate
 the globe at nearly 35,000 feet above and near the 45th parallel.
 Saturday's flight path would take the balloon from Reno, Nevada
 to New Mexico.
    If Earthwinds ever does make it into the air and on the air,
 QSL cards will go via Gordon West, WB6NOA.

 *****
                     DOVE RETURNS TO THE AIR

    After a long absence, the Dove OSCAR 17 satellite is back on
 the air.  It is presently sending packet telemetry and short text
 bulletins on 145.825 MHz FM. DOVE's transmissions can be copied
 by anyone with a 2-meter FM receiver and a standard packet radio
 TNC.  More work is required to get the satellite fully
 operational, but this is a major step in getting Dove fully back
 on line.

 *****
                          RFE LAYOFFS

    Radio Free Europe will lay off more than half its employees
 and leave its Munich base by 1996.  The headquarters for the
 radio services that for decades given eastern Europeans
 uncensored news with a decidedly anti-Communist slant will move
 either to Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, or Washington,
 D.C..
    Getting down from the current annual budget of $210 million to
 the $75 million mandated by President Clinton also will mean
 closing the New York office and moving its research center out of
 Munich These are two  of the world's most expensive cities.
    Radio Liberty, which broadcasts to Russia and other former
 Soviet republics, will be unaffected by the cuts and
 consolidation given the continued political instability in the
 region.

 *****
                          DX - LESOTHO

    In DX, prefix hunters should note that in commemoration of the
 27th anniversary of Lesotho independence, a special prefix will
 be used until mid November.  7P27LI will be on 14.010 to 14.025
 MHz, and on 21.010 to 21.025 MHz from 10:00 hours to 14:00 hours
 UTC.  QSL to Ray Shankweiler, Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho.

 *****
                        POSTING NEWSLINE

    This note to all who are getting the printed version of
 Newsline by packet radio or other data postings.  Over the past
 month we have received numerous calls from individuals who have
 downloaded our material from various services and who think that
 they need our permission to repost it to packet, use it for code
 practice or whatever.
    The answer is that you do not need any specific permission as
 long as you do not change the content of the material in any way.
 Newsline is not mode specific.  We do not care how you
 re-distribute it just so long as you do not add or delete
 anything.  Leave it as it is and use it as it is.
    Oh, we have no objection to your deleting the closed circuit
 lead message, but anything else must be retransmitted or
 reposted exactly as you receive it, including the closing credits
 and the text of any of the interviews that are a part of the
 newscast.
    We also hope that this clarifies things for those of you who
 have questions.  If not, please contact us by regular US mail or
 Electronic mail only.  The cost of returning telephone calls is
 prohibitive.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 *                                                               *
 *     For this week that is all from Newsline.  You can write   *
 *   to us at:                                                   *
 *                          Newsline                             *
 *                          PO Box 463                           *
 *                          Pasadena, CA                         *
 *                          91102                                *
 *                                                               *
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 * * * Newsline Copyright 1993 all rights are reserved. * * *
