INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
January, 1989
(for reprint by anyone)
GLASNOST VIA AMATEUR RADIO
Here is a report on the work we were doing with emergency traffic in
Soviet Armenia.
This work continues to the present writing. Chuck
Sheffer made a second trip back to the Soviet Union on Jan. 20, 1989.
Did I say back in the Soviet Union?
You read that correctly.
To
continue our exciting ham radio story of incredible international diplomacy, you will remember that both KJ4TY and W9ELR were sent home
from Moscow a few days after they arrived.
The Soviets then had a
change of heart and invited us back.
There were quite a few apparent
flip flops of position, but essentially we worked out quite an
arrangement far exceeding our wildest expectations.
On January 3, 1989 I appointed Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, as I A R N
Soviet Director.
He accepted right away and has been doing a great
job, taking the bull by the horns.
Equipment being held up in Moscow
has been shipped to Yerevan and Victor, armed with the authority he
needed from both I A R N and his own government is bringing the feuding ham radio related factions in the Soviet Union together.
Chuck
Sheffer took with him letters of introduction for himself and for
Victor which spell out Victors's far ranging authority as I A R N Dir
ector and Chuck's role as an advisor to Victor and Ambassador representing I A R N World Headquarters in the U.S.
Victor and Chuck
met in Moscow on January 21, 1989 and an initial meeting was held with
Victor, UB5WE; Leonid Labutin, UA3CR (the Canadian ski trec coordinator); Andrey Federof, RW3AH (official government amateur station EO1)
and Alexander Revkin who is the high Young Communist League official
in charge if this matter and also involved with the Canadian ski trec.
Chuck did not attend this meeting.
The next meeting was with Chuck, KJ4TY; Victor, UB5WE; Willy, UZ9AYA;
and Karen, UZ6GAT.
After this meeting Victor flew to Yerevan at 1900
on January 21st and Chuck followed at 1300 UTC on January 22nd. In
Yerevan, Chuck and Victor will meet with various hams and officials
and supervise installation of I A R N equipment there.
Then back
to Moscow to present a comprehensive plan to the Secretary of Konsomol
Central Committee, one of the top Young Communist League officials. A
written agreement will be drafted and submitted to I A R N Headquarters for approval.
The main items covered in this agreement will
be:
. Cooperation between I A R N and the Soviet Union during international communications emergency.
.
Installation of permanent link between I A R N
Communist League.
and the Young
.
Full recognition of UB5WE as I A R N
Soviet Director.
.
UB5WE to have position on Soviet emergency committee.
.
Young Communist League to take responsibility for I A R N
equipment while in the Soviet Union.
.
Soviet I A R N to participate in deployment to any part
of the world during future emergencies.
.
I A R N to take responsibility for assistance in training
Soviet I A R N according to world standards.
Chuck Sheffer also carried with him official charters for International Amateur Radio Clubs in Moscow, Lvov, Chelyabinsk, and
Ulianovsk.
The Lvov Chapter will receive the Tandy 1000 HX computer
and a AEA PK-232 and has proposed to establish a permanent link
between Lvov and I A R N Headquarters in Belgrade Lakes, Maine. This
proposal has been approved and the link will be set up soon.
The
computer, which required a special export license secured for I A R N
by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, is being shipped this week
as this goes to press.
All in all, the events taking place are extraordinary.
Glasnost via
amateur radio to be sure and ham radio at its very best.
I A R N
NEWSLETTER
FOR FEBRUARY 1989
GLASNOST VIA AMATEUR RADIO PART II
Last month I reported the work we were doing with emergency traffic in
Soviet Armenia.
This work continues to the present writing and now
there has been another earthquake in TADZHIKISTAN, 1600 kilometers due
east of Yerevan, the Capitol of Soviet Armenia.
The I A R N is back
in mode 2 or full activation around the clock with our daily broadcast
moved to 14.265 MHz.
All this while our own Chuck Sheffer, KJ4TY, is
back in the Soviet Union, having arrived January 20, 1989.
Did I say back in the Soviet Union?
You read that correctly.
To
continue our exciting ham radio story of incredible international diplomacy, you will remember that both KJ4TY and W9ELR were sent home
from Moscow a few days after they arrived.
The Soviets then had a
change of heart and invited us back.
There were quite a few apparent
flip flops of position, but essentially we worked out quite an
arrangement far exceeding our wildest expectations.
On January 3, 1989 I appointed Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, as I A R N
Soviet Director.
He accepted right away and has been doing a great
job, taking the bull by the horns.
Equipment being held up in Moscow
has been shipped to Yerevan and Victor, armed with the authority he
needed from both I A R N and his own government is bringing the feuding ham radio related factions in the Soviet Union together.
Chuck
Sheffer took with him letters of introduction for himself and for
Victor which spell out Victors's far ranging authority as I A R N Dir
ector and Chuck's role as an advisor to Victor and Ambassador representing I A R N World Headquarters in the U.S.
Victor and Chuck
met in Moscow on January 21, 1989 and an initial meeting was held with
Victor, UB5WE; Leonid Labutin, UA3CR (the Canadian ski trec coordinator); Andrey Federof, RW3AH (official government amateur station EO1)
and Alexander Revkin who is the high Young Communist League official
in charge if this matter and also involved with the Canadian ski trec.
Chuck did not attend this meeting.
The next meeting was with Chuck, KJ4TY; Victor, UB5WE; Willy, UZ9AYA;
and Karen, UZ6GAT.
After this meeting Victor flew to Yerevan at 1900
on January 21st and Chuck followed at 1300 UTC on January 22nd. In
Yerevan, Chuck and Victor will meet with various hams and officials
and supervise installation of I A R N equipment there.
Then back
to Moscow to present a comprehensive plan to the Secretary of Konsomol
Central Committee, one of the top Young Communist League officials. A
written agreement will be drafted and submitted to I A R N Headquarters for approval.
The main items covered in this agreement will
be:
. Cooperation between I A R N and the Soviet Union during international communications emergency.
.
Installation of permanent link between I A R N
Communist League.
and the Young
.
Full recognition of UB5WE as I A R N
.
UB5WE to have position on Soviet emergency committee.
.
Young Communist League to take responsibility for I A R N
equipment while in the Soviet Union.
.
Soviet I A R N to participate in deployment to any part
of the world during future emergencies.
.
I A R N to take responsibility for assistance in training
Soviet I A R N according to world standards.
Soviet Director.
Chuck Sheffer also carried with him official charters for International Amateur Radio Clubs in Moscow, Lvov, Chelyabinsk, and
Ulianovsk.
The Lvov Chapter will receive the Tandy 1000 HX computer
and a AEA PK-232 and has proposed to establish a permanent link
between Lvov and I A R N Headquarters in Belgrade Lakes, Maine. This
proposal has been approved and the link will be set up soon.
The
computer, which required a special export license secured for I A R N
by Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, is being shipped this week
as this goes to press.
All in all, the events taking place are extraordinary.
Glasnost via
amateur radio to be sure and ham radio at its very best.
More next
month right here.
I A R N
Newsletter March, 1989
As a result of our written agreements with the Soviets we have already
implemented several active projects. The Young Communist League (YCL)
in Moscow asked I A R N on February 27, 1989 to track down tall ship
"Pogoria" since Soviet parents hadn't heard from them lately and were
concerned.
We made contact quickly and began to handle messages
between the ship and Moscow and the United States.
Thus I A R N got
involved about half way into this project.
This voyage is one of international good will sponsored by the Polish
Maritime League, private U.S. citizens in Alabama and Tennessee, and
the Young Communist League.
There are 10 American boys, 12 Soviet
boys, and 10 Polish boys on the trip which began in Poland December
14th.
Also two each of instructors from the U.S., the U.S.S.R., and
Poland. On board they study five hours per day and speak Russian and
English.
The Theme of the trip is "Let's learn to live and work together."
They have sailed through two hurricanes and had to go
around Cape Horn.
The trip has included Argentina (where they met
the Vice President), Peru, Panama, and Cuba (where the met the Soviet,
Polish and American Ambassadors.)
Then Miami, Jacksonville and a bus
trip to Washington, D.C.
After that, back to Jacksonville, Disneyworld, etc.
Finally, a sail to Leningrad, visit to Moscow to see Mr.
Gorbachev and ending in Poland May 19, 1989.
All peaches and cream right?
Well not quite.
The ship's Captain is
a ham, SP5ATV, and thus the use of ham radio.
He is also a died in
the wool sailor with his own set of priorities.
While this trip of
international good will was teaching those on board to live and work
together, those of us who were supposed to be inspired by all this
high minded cooperation between different cultures were discovering
that it all isn't quite that simple.
The organizers of the trip had
hoped for a visit by the boys with the President of the United States.
This was hard to arrange and instead we got the sincere interest of
Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell to meet with and be photographed with the boys at the U.S. Capitol.
A very tight schedule was
set with little allowance for unavoidable delays.
Coming into Miami
from communist Cuba caused some problems.
Miami is a hot bed of anti
communist sentiment and the Pogoria was asked to take down the Soviet
flag "for their own safety."
Nobody asked that the U.S. flag be
taken down while the group was in Cuba.
How would you have felt if
you were one of the Soviet boys?
Two Soviet reporters from Cuba were
on board to capture this embarrassing episode for sending back to
Moscow.
With the trip behind schedule now, the trip to Washington
and meeting with Senator Mitchell was scrubbed, not Disney World or
something else seemingly less important than the Washington visit.
The Senate Majority Leader is the third most important official
in the U.S. Government.
The Captain never could understand why the
U.S State Department wouldn't sponsor the U.S. share of the trip.
On
the other hand, the U.S. has nothing like the Young Communist League.
Is it any wonder that our societies don't get along?
We don't understand each other.
While we deeply offend each other in our mutual
ignorance, the purpose of the trip is nevertheless and unwittingly
accomplished.....we are forced to get off our bottoms and begin to
do some homework about how the other side really lives and thinks. It
goes far beyond "See Disney World, isn't America great?"
Well we all
have our strong points and weak points on both sides.
This is the
bitter yet needed lesson of the Pogoria trip.
We can use this story and example time and time again in our quest to
truly improve international good will.
Amateur radio and the
historic agreements between the USSR and I A R N will continue to
play a part in this worthwhile process.
And all you hams out there
can help.
When you are chatting with radio amateurs on the other
side of the globe, dig for deeper understanding and don't get fooled
by the superficial stuff which the experience of the Pogoria has highlighted so well.
ARE YOU GOING TO DAYTON ?
I A R N has reserved a block of rooms for I A R N members and
friends.
If you are interested, contact the Net Manager.
We have
a map available to make our motel easy to find.
SOVIET I A R N
PROGRESS
We have been talking daily with the I A R N / P O I S K office in
Yerevan, the capitol of Soviet Armenia on HF packet radio.
We prefer AMTOR, but so far, the license of RG8GWS at our office only allows
packet.
We have been relaying via DJ0XC, Bob, in Berlin.
Bob is
President of the I A R N Berlin Chapter.
Our office in Yerevan is
still very busy with work coordinating rebuilding efforts in the earth
quake area.
We will have a more complete report next month.
NEW CHAPTERS
We have two new I A R N Chapters to announce this month.
They are
the International Amateur Radio Club charter number D-35 in Madeira
Island, Portugal.
Jose De Freitas, CT3FF, is club President and the
I A R N Director for Madeira Island.
Second is the Bedminister
Amateur Radio Club in Pluckemin, New Jersey.
Their I A R N Charter
number is N-36 and their President is Ed Guida, W4RNM.
I A R N
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
45 minute broadcasts every day on 3.975 MHz., 14.275 MHz., and 28.475
MHz. at 1200, 1400, 1800, 2200, and 0100 UTC.
Two special programs
on Sunday evenings on high fidelity AM on 3.890 MHz. AM at 2300 and
7.290 MHz. AM at 2400 UTC.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - APRIL, 1989
(For reprint by anyone)
Editorial by Glenn Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
Network Manager
WHO SPEAKS FOR RADIO AMATEURS?
Do our "recognized" national amateur radio organizations really represent amateur radio either nationally or internationally?
I don't
think so.
Is amateur radio in trouble? Yes.
Why?
Simple lack of
leadership, and darn too few Hiram Percy Maxims around to inspire our
hobby to the level it once was and definitely needs to be.
We are
sitting on billions of dollars worth of spectrum and we no longer can
justify this as we could back in the 40's, 50's, and 60's. Our service
has declined into more of a hobby and less of a service. Our national
ham organizations have declined into inept bureaucracies and/or tidy
little publishing businesses masquerading as the truly representative
organizations they once were.
This is true in the United States and
also most other countries I am aware of.
So what is going on here?
If you have not read the number one best seller Megatrends by John
Naisbitt, you really should go to your library or paper back store and
take a look.
This book describes the ten new directions transforming
our lives.
There are ten so called megatrends, and several of them
directly affect amateur radio and explain why our national ham radio
organizations are working against the grain of natural trends in our
new world. Our world is quite new, as compared to when the ARRL, for
example, was formed around the national traffic system.
Back then,
long distance telephone calls were out of the question because of
cost, but now they are very cheap and far less trouble than sending a
message by ham radio. Also, amateur radio is far more diversified now,
and there is no way a single "national" ham organization can represent
the needs of such a diverse group.
Throw in the petty politics of
these organizations, and the inefficiency of the bureaucrats employed
therein, and you have what amounts to gridlock.
In the special field of international emergency communications, a pip
squeak organization like I A R N consistently runs circles around
ARRL, RSGB, Radio Sports Federation, etc., etc.
Should they hang
their heads in shame?
No! No! No!
A thousand times no!
They
should instead carefully redefine their role in the amateur radio service and go with the flow as defined so well in Megatrends .
That
would take guts for ARRL which is enjoying its largest membership
ever; why argue with such obvious success? The reason is that the
large membership is not a true gage of success, but rather an indication of how well they are doing in the business of publishing.
Do you get QST to be a member or to get the well done magazine?
The
fact is, you pay $25 to get the magazine, which is about par for any
magazine these days.
Are you proud to be a League member?
Like most American radio amateurs, I am a member of the American Radio
Relay League; I have been for 33 years, and since I am so familiar
with ARRL and most of its top officials, let's take a look at those
ten megatrends and see how each applies to the League in this editorial:
1.
2.
The industrial societies in the world are moving toward an information society.
Is the League on top of ham information?
.
Information in
QST
is three months old.
.
Information in the ARRL Letter and Field Forum is often
distorted and tainted by fractured politics.
For example,
during the Armenian earthquake, it was reported that League
packet equipment was in Armenia and operating to handle
traffic. At this writing, the gear is still useless, since
the Soviets can't figure how to get a digipeater on the
mountain or how to power it with mostly cloudy days and no
power lines nearby.
.
Information in QST is sanitized, barring many important
amateur factions from its pages, and covering up anything
suggesting that the League isn't all things to all hams.
For example, the April, 1989 issue of QST , makes a hero
out of Leonid Labutin, UA3CR, who was seriously disciplined
for diverting both I A R N and ARRL ham equipment in Moscow away from the emergency.
I A R N , on the other hand,
uncovered the scandal, managed the world wide amateur response to the Armenian earthquake, and was nevertheless
cleansed from QST pages.
No mention at all of the
historic international accords for amateur cooperation
between I A R N and the Young Communist League, or the
U.S. manufacturers who donated $20,000 worth of ham gear to
this effort.
This turns off all, and there are many
around the world, who know better.
.
W1AW bulletins rival Ny Quil - the night time sniffling,
sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever, so you can
rest medicine.
W1AW will put anyone to sleep.
Forced technology is moving toward high tech/high touch.
.
Not enough high touch in the League.
3.
.
Directors
letters.
.
W1AW doesn't carry personal interviews.
The national economy is transforming into a world economy.
.
4.
Not in the League.
Very few people participate in running the League.
Ever hear a League official on the air?
Do they ever take membership wide opinion polls?
Not in the League.
The old hierarchy is still supreme
and ham groups who network run circles around the League.
North is giving way to South.
.
10.
The league claims to represent amateur radio and be
our best hope.
They would be better off giving hams
a true forum (such as in QST ) to work out our own ham
related problems.
Hierarchies are giving way to networking.
.
9.
The League should have several branch offices and
transmitter sites to better serve its members.
Too
much centralization in Newington.
Representative democracy is transforming into a participatory
democracy.
.
8.
Too much emphasis on League matters now and little
vision or leadership regarding where the amateur radio
service is going in the future.
Institutional help is transforming into self help.
.
7.
is tackling amateur radio on a world scale.
Centralization is giving way to decentralization.
.
6.
Only I A R N
Short term is transforming to long term.
.
5.
and staff don't return phone calls or answer
Again, too much in Newington.
would be better.
A couple of branch offices
Either/or is transforming to multiple option.
.
Either you are "in" at the league or not.
Membership
means nothing.
Chuck Sheffer, KJ4TY, is an ARRL EC and
brilliantly negotiated the I A R N - Soviet international
accords in Moscow, and not mentioned, as of this writing,
in QST .
The League should treat all hams equally. Membership should be free, for life, and the magazine $25 extra.
As you can, see some megatrends apply more than others, and you really
should read the book to get good insight into what I am getting at here.
So what to do? What should the League do to fix its problems and use
its tremendous resources?
I would recommend hiring a professional management consulting firm
such as Booz, Allen & Hamilton or McKinsey or the like and have these
objective outsiders come in and look at the organization in terms of
what is their best roll in the new scheme of things and how to market
themselves in this new roll.
What things should be canned and what
new things should be added?
I used to be a consultant with BoozAllen & Hamilton in Chicago and can tell you that a professional study
like this would cost about $300,000, but it would be worth it.
The
ingrown Board of Directors or some committee can't do this kind of pro
fessional study because they are not professionals, and they can't be
objective. Just making the decision to hire a professional consultant
would be difficult enough for the Board of Directors much less implementing their recommendations.
Lots of times consultants recommend doing things you once did and long
ago stopped doing.
Often their recommendations are drastic.
For
example:
1.
Sharply curtail code practice bulletins.
cost effective.
Code tapes are more
2.
Produce a daily radio program on amateur radio to compete with
I A R N daily broadcasts.
Produce more useful audio materials
for blind amateurs.
3.
Add a remote broadcasting site to W1AW to increase flexibility
and solve desensing problems when the Newington station needs
to be on the air during a scheduled broadcast.
4.
Increase W1AW presence on the hf bands by scheduling staff to
operate during coffee and lunch breaks.
5.
Upgrade the job description of the General Manager and give him
much more latitude and authority to set and carry out League
policy.
Double the salary and demand the leadership and executive performance similar to that of the president of IBM or head
coach of a team out for the national championship each year.
6.
Drop many of the membership services, which don't add a lot to
being a member, and trim staff accordingly.
Implement a professionally done job description of each remaining staff position and significantly increase the salary level to be commensurate with national standards.
Add some important services.
7.
Poll the entire membership at least four times a year to see what
they think about policies; just like any other marketing executive would do.
8.
Open up QST and give even handed treatment to all ham radio
organizations within the fraternity.
Make cash grants where
needed to those ham organizations who make a significant contribution to the amateur radio service.
9.
Open up W1AW to public service announcements.
For example, in
hurricane Gilbert, the League refused to announce on W1AW that
14.275 MHz. was still being used for important medical and
health and welfare traffic, and would contesters please take note
10.
Create a grievance committee with rights of appeal to the entire
Board to fairly deal with conflicts.
11.
Pay for arbitration service for amateur groups which are
struggling with each other.
12.
Increase the marketing thrust of ARRL: better written ads and
higher visibility in Boy's Life , Time Magazine , etc., etc.
"Andy is having a ball" ad is extremely unprofessional, and is
not worth the black and white film it was produced from.
13.
The
Make ARRL something for members to be proud of.
This means response to telephone calls and letters, whatever the message, by
Directors and staff, giving the League the appearance of integrity.
These are just some general ideas.
The various organizations around
the world could make similar changes using ARRL as a model.
In
summary, bold and drastic changes, scientifically determined by professional consultants, would strengthen the national ham radio organizations and therefore the amateur radio service.
Who speaks for
amateur radio?
You speak for amateur radio.
We all speak for
amateur radio.
Let me hear from you.
Let the League hear from
you.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
May, 1989
(for reprint by anyone)
Editorial by Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
Registered Professional Engineer
THE NEW 14.313 SERVICE NET
Chaplain Winston Robertson, KB5YX, founded the Maritime Mobile Service
net on January 3, 1967.
This net has served amateur radio with
distinction since that time.
When the Chaplain resigned, he left us
the legacy of "Keep a smile in your voice" and "May God continue to
bless you in and through your service to others."
Chaplain Robertson
also supported the International Amateur Radio Network and I am proud
to have received his blessing when he wrote:
Dear Glenn:
Thank you for the information regarding your great I A R N
service for people in distress, etc.
We appreciate your
outstanding service and the enclosed book marker is forwarded
to YOU to say "Thank you" for your dedication to help others.
Have a good day.
73,
Chaplain Robertson, KB5YX
In 1988, Chaplain Robertson appointed me as a Net Control Station for
the Maritime Mobile Net saying in his letter of appointment:
Dear Glenn:
Welcome to our MMSN Net Control Team.
We have a great group.
The enclosed information should be helpful.
Let me know if
you have any questions.
73,
Chaplain Robertson
Since my appointment as an NCS by Chaplain Robertson in 1988, I have
served the net faithfully.
Chaplain Robertson left us another legacy.
This was a written set of
by-laws and a Board of Directors who's job it is to select new Net
Managers. "Captain Terry" Harrison, KB5UE, was our our next Net Manager and did a wonderful job.
When Captain Terry resigned, an undemocratic process followed whereby the entire Board was asked to
resign, except for WA3HLP, who appointed KA8O as Net Manager, who, in
turn, has appointed a new Board.
KA8O indicated to Florida Skip
reporter, Bob Sherin, W4ASX, on May 13, 1989, that his position
of
Maritime Mobile Service Net Manager is a dictatorship.
Let me quote
from John Stuart Mill in his book titles On Liberty , chapter four:
As soon as any part of a person's conduct affects prejudicially
the interests of others, society has jurisdiction over it, and the
question whether the general welfare will or will not be promoted
by interfering with it, becomes open to discussion....In all such
cases, there should be perfect freedom, legal and social, to do
the action and stand the consequences.
Chaplain Robertson's by-laws specifically provide for NCS termination.
Let me quote from section XII paragraph one:
NET CONTROL TERMINATION
Any net control who has four
consecutive unexcused absences from their scheduled time
will be replaced as net control.
In direct violation of these by-laws, KA8O telephoned me and ordered
me off of 14.313 MHz. on May 8, 1989, during my regular net hour as
assigned by Chaplain Robertson.
I ignored this illegal demand as
any good NCS would ignore any station causing intentional interference.
After the net, off net frequency, I heard NC7G trying to recruit my
replacement "Because of the problem with K1MAN."
The alleged problem
was NC7G interrupting my net on 14.313 and ordering me to read a preamble I had never received.
I informed him that I didn't need a preamble and asked him not to interfere further with the net.
Both he
and KA8O continued to disrupt my 14.313 net during the entire hour.
After the net, I tried to call NC7G, without success, and I finally did
reach KA8O who said that I was one of the worst NCS stations on 14.313
and that further, I was controversial .
Bob Sherin, W4ASX, in writing a story for Florida Skip Magazine,
called KA8O on May 13, 1989.
KA8O refused to be taped for air, refused to discuss K1MAN, and said that he had appointed a new Board
containing seven members.
This was news to me.
Even though I am a duly listed MMSN Net Control
Station, I have never been informed of these secret and undemocratic
inner workings alleged by KA8O.
Also, in direct violation of Chaplain Robertson's written by-laws, N5FX,
was removed from the Board.
He did not resign !
There is no provision in the by-laws for removal from the Board. Another Board member,
W9TC, wrote to me: "...As I mentioned to you, I received a memo from
the temporary Manager, Randy, (WA3HLP) in which he requested all the
Directors to submit their resignations to enable the incoming Manager to
choose his own Directors.
Also requesting that I vote for a new
Manager whose call I had never heard on the net.
I did submit my resignation but did not vote for the suggested manager...."
I support the by-laws set forth by Chaplain Robertson and applaud the
wonderful job he did in developing this net.
I also supported Captain
Terry, KB5UE, who did a terrific job also.
At the April 8, 1989
Orlando Hamfest, Eric (Swede) Hochberg, W4TAH, head of the Amateur
Auxiliary of the FCC Field Operations Bureau, conducted an official
fact finding hearing regarding the complaints of Mr. Herb Schoenbohm,
KV4FZ.
Our net was not even represented at that hearing !
KV4FZ
gave well documented testimony and established excellent credibility
with the FCC while our net lost credibility through lack of proper and
well prepared representatives.
For shame!!!
I deplore the shoddy , undemocratic, and unfair leadership of our M M
Service Net now which has, in my opinion, been taken over by little
more than ignorant, egomaniac bullies who could care less about pre-
serving the heritage and organization set up by Chaplain Robertson.
Well I do care!!
Therefore, in honor of Chaplain Robertson, and to
preserve his legacy of noble objectives, I hereby declare the formation of a new net, the 14.313 Service Net with official beginning date
of May 15, 1989 at 1900 UTC.
Everyone on the KB5UE NCS list plus all other interested parties are
invited to join the 14.313 Service Net as an NCS if you presently have
a 14.313 slot and/or become a Board Member if you wish to serve.
Board members will then vote on and adopt a proper set of by-laws and
the 14.313 Service Net will conduct a proper forum at the Dayton
Hamvention each year.
Until the 1990 Dayton Hamvention, therefore, I
will serve as Acting 14.313 Service Net Manager and possibly seek
election as Net Manager by the 14.313 Service Net Board.
Board
members not able to attend the Dayton Hamvention will be able to vote by
proxy or mail ballot.
Here is my campaign pledge to you:
Order will be restored to 14.313
and problems will be resolved .
If you want to become a net control
station on the new 14.313 Service Net , or if you want to serve on the
Board of Directors, simply fill out the attached form and mail to the
address below.
In the spirit and noble tradition of Chaplain Robertson,
support in bringing order and democracy to our wonderful
14.313 MHz.
Offer your services as a Board Member.
I
and democratic set of by-laws and resolution of problems
our service on 14.313.
I ask for your
service on
pledge a proper
facing
14.313 SERVICE NET
(proposed by-laws)
ARTICLE ONE
The 14.313 Service Net was formed on May 15, 1989 at 1900 UTC on
14.313 MHz. by Acting Net Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, for the purpose
of providing a democratic vehicle for the creation of a common set
of by-laws and competent representation for all operations on 14.313
MHz.
Charter membership on the Board of Directors is open to any
licensed radio amateur who is legally authorized to operate on 14.313
MHz. and who applies in writing to the Acting Net Manager and
supplies twelve self addressed business sized envelopes with return
postage for one ounce.
Charter membership on the Board will close
at midnight on December 15, 1989.
Thereafter, membership on the
Board will be by majority vote by the sitting Board.
ARTICLE TWO
Each Board member shall serve for an indefinite period until such time
as resigning or being removed from the Board by a two thirds vote of
the sitting Board Members.
The Board can have any number of mem-
bers.
ARTICLE THREE
The Board shall elect, by simple majority, a Chairman.
It shall be
the Chairman's duty to preside over any board meetings and to
appoint a temporary Network Manager, if necessary, for any reason.
The Chairman can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the Board.
ARTICLE FOUR
The Board shall elect, by majority vote, a Network Manager who will be
responsible for setting all policy and general management of the net.
He will have absolute authority as long as he is Network Manager, but
can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the Board.
A good
Network Manager will naturally listen to his Board, his NCS stations,
and net members, but in the final analysis it must be the Net Manager
who makes all final decisions.
This quick authority and power is
necessary in order to run the net efficiently and effectively.
The Net Manager can remove a Net Control Station from the NCS roster by
written notification to said Net Control by certified mail which shall
be effective two weeks after receipt if appeal to the Chairman of
the Board is not post marked within that time.
If the Chairman
upholds the action, the Net Control Station has the right to appeal
to the entire board by making written notice to the Chairman and Net
Manager within two weeks of the Chairman's written decision and filing
the appeal in writing within four weeks of the Chairman's decision.
In the appeal to the entire Board, the Chairman's decision can only
be upheld by a two third's majority vote of the sitting Board.
The Network Manager shall be keeper of net monies which shall be used
at his discretion, mostly for postage.
The Net Manager shall appoint
and schedule all Net Control Stations and publish an NCS roster and
mail to each NCS station and Board Member from time to time.
The Net
Manager shall make an accounting to the Board by the end of March each
year of money taken in and expended.
ARTICLE FIVE
The Board shall meet whenever they require to conduct Board business,
either personally or on the air.
Missing Board members shall have a
mail vote on all matters voted on by the Board.
Although up to the
Net Manager, the Board generally acknowledges that on the air NCS
meetings invite disorder and are generally a bad idea because of the
practical nature of managing a volunteer net in the amateur radio
environment.
ARTICLE SIX
It will be the policy of this net to pick up any nets on 14.313 MHz.
in the event of default of another net on 14.313 MHz.
ARTICLE SEVEN
These by-laws can changed at any time by a two thirds majority of the
Board.
ARTICLE EIGHT
The Board Chairman shall appoint a secretary to record, keep, and publish any minutes of meetings as ordered by the Board.
ARTICLE NINE
The 14.313 Service Net shall hold its first annual meeting at the 1990
Dayton Hamvention and elect a Net Manager.
Until then, Glenn Baxter,
K1MAN, will act as acting Net Manager.
(cut here and detach)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 14.313 Service Net
Telephone 207 495
1 Long Point Road
FAX
207 495
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918
Computer 207 495
- - 2215
2069
24 90
To K1MAN, Acting 14.313 Service Net Manager:
Please formally list me as:
O
A 14.313 Service Net NCS during the
time slot.
O
A 14.313 Service Net Board Member.
day/night
Signature
Please mail to the above
address today!
Call
Da te:
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
(for reprint by anyone)
FIVE I A R N
DELEGATES INVITED TO THE SOVIET UNION
JUNE, 1989
Five I A R N delegates from the United States have been officially
invited to visit the Soviet Union for two weeks in October, 1989...
all expenses paid by the Young Communist League in Moscow.
This trip is further implementation of the historic international
accords signed between I A R N and Soviet officials in Moscow on
January 28, 1989.
All of this started in December, 1989 after the
devastating earthquake in Soviet Armenia.
After a full day of offering amateur radio emergency services to the Soviets without much response, the I A R N Network Manager met personally with Unites States
Senate Majority leader George Mitchell, who agreed to make some high
level contacts for us and see what could be done to open up lines of
cooperation.
Senator Mitchell was able to get a special expedited
export license for I A R N equipment.
A special verbal authority
from the Federal Communications Commission for third party traffic
between the U.S. and the USSR was also obtained.
To this date, we
continue to handle official amateur third party traffic between
I A R N , Soviet officials, and various Soviet expeditions.
The purpose of the visit of our I A R N Delegation is to further
develop the many projects underway and to lay the groundwork for
further cooperation in several areas extending beyond the confines
of amateur radio and amateur emergency communications alone.
This
includes exchanges of students between Saint Louis Community College
and other U.S. schools and Soviet schools of higher learning.
Covered in the written accords is the $20,000 of I A R N equipment
loaned to Soviet I A R N and our joint I A R N / P O I S K office in
Yerevan, Capitol of Soviet Armenia.
With this equipment in place,
I A R N has daily contact with our P O I S K (search) office. General supervision of this activity is the responsibility of I A R N
Soviet Director, Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, of Lvov.
A big feature of the trip will be attending the International Digital
Symposium in Minsk where Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, will present a talk
entitled "Digital Communications During International Emergency
Communications Crisis."
I A R N
sent the following letter of acceptance to Moscow:
TO:
Yuri Bondarev, YCL, Moscow
Vladamir Formin, Poisk Program Coordinator
Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, I A R N Soviet Director
FROM:
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, I A R N
Manager
We are pleased to receive radio message, RA 43, dated May 25, 1989 and
heartily accept your invitation for our I A R N delegation of five to
visit the Soviet Union in October, 1989 with air tickets between New
York - Moscow - New York and our expenses in the USSR all paid by the
YCL (Young Communist League).
You can FAX us any time at 207 495 2069 or access our computer any
time at 207 495 2490.
Belgrade Lakes, Maine
A Telex can also be sent addressed to I A R N,
04918 Telephone 207 495 2215.
Our delegation would like to leave New York October 6, 1989 via Aeroflot for Moscow, and return to New York October 19, 1989.
The I A R N
Delegation has been selected as follows:
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, (I A R N Manager)
Bonnie Baxter (Wife of Glenn Baxter)
Bob Sherin, W4ASX (I A R N and Florida Skip Reporter)
Professor Hilliard Goldman, KY0U (I A R N Advisor)
Dave Porter, K2BPP (I A R N Communications Manager on the
Island of Jamaica during Hurricane Gilbert, 1988)
All delegates are non government, private Unites States citizens. We
will send passport numbers and more details as soon as we have them
available.
We would like to set up meetings in Moscow with various groups such as
YCL young people, some of your two and four year technical schools and
universities, the Central Radio Club, Radio Sports Federation, Radio
Moscow, Radio Magazine, and perhaps some highest government officials
such as Mikhail Gorbachev who would be willing to talk with us briefly.
We are all very optimistic and enthusiastic about this coming
trip.
See you soon in Moscow!
Best Regards,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N Network Manager
14.313 SERVICE NET GETS UNDERWAY
The new 14.313 Service Net started its regular operations on Monday,
June 26, 1989. This net will run every day from now on beginning with
the weekly I A R N amateur broadcast on 14.313 MHz. (plus 3.975 and
28.475 MHz.) at 0915 UTC followed by a repeat broadcast at 1000 UTC.
After the repeat broadcast, at 1045 UTC, the live 14.313 Service Net
will begin.
This will be followed by the Intercontinental Net and
then the Maritime Mobile Net.
At 1100 UTC, the normal I A R N
amateur broadcast schedule begins on 14.275, 3.975 and 28.475 MHz. We
feel that this new net and new start up procedure will restore order
to operations on 14.313 MHz. which have been severely disrupted
recently by the Better Amateur Radio Federation whose leader is Herb
Schoenbohm, KV4FZ.
Schoenbohm has been invited to serve on the
14.313 Service Net Board of Directors to afford him a proper and
democratic voice in the management and affairs of 13.313 MHz. So far,
Schoenbohm has declined to serve on the Board.
This brings into
question his sincere desire to improve the amateur radio service.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - JULY & AUG 1989
(for reprint by anyone)
TRIP OF I A R N
DELEGATION TO SOVIET UNION GETS TASS COVERAGE
The following went over the Tass wire throughout the United States and
the Soviet Union ...July 13, 1989:
FIVE U.S. AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS WILL VISIT THE U.S.S.R.
New York July 13, 1989 Tass - Special for Tass by Dawn Smith
Five members
to visit the
and American
Armenia, I A
of the International Amateur Radio Network are preparing
Soviet Union to strengthen ties formed between Soviet
radio operators during the December, 1988 earthquake in
R N Manager Glenn Baxter said in an interview with Tass.
The network, which has about 1600 members in 45 countries, organized
legal third-party communications, or message handling, with its
Soviet counterparts during the Armenian disaster in a effort to assist
those concerned about their relatives' condition and whereabouts.
The I A R N affiliated message center, called "P O I S K," is
located in Yerevan, Soviet Armenia.
Part of this effort included sending two delegates to the Soviet Union
in December, 1988 worth radio equipment valued at $20,000.
Although
the delegates were turned away after three days and the equipment reported missing for weeks, the representatives later returned to the
U.S.S.R. to ratify two I A R N accords - - one with the central
committee of the Young Communist League, and another with the Armenian
Young Communist League.
The upcoming trip, scheduled for mid-October, Baxter said, will be an
attempt to further implement the aspects of the accords, including
negotiations for written agreements legalizing third-party
communications between I A R N member countries and the U.S.S.R.;
recognition of P O I S K supervisor Victor Goncharsky as Soviet
I A R N Director, and, of course, continuation of emergency communications.
Baxter said the October Delegation plans to visit various Soviet
operations such as Radio Moscow, Radio Sports Federation, Radio
Magazine , and, if possible, visit briefly with First Secretary
Gorbachev. He added that the group will also be seeking to establish
programs between Soviet and American universities. "We're not confining ourselves to amateur radio," Baxter said, "We're interested in
other exchanges of ideas." I A R N reporter and delegation member
Bob Sherin said he hoped the visit would not only "propel and forward"
amateur radio communications, but also "Having grown up during the
cold war," Sherin said, "This is a fresh breeze.
This is a trip of
a lifetime for us." End.
I A R N
MANAGER SEEKS UNLIKELY COVERAGE IN QST
Given the lack of coverage in QST of the I A R N Soviet initiative so
far, Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, I A R N Manager makes one last appeal
before pulling the plug on personal membership in ARRL. The following
letter was sent to the League's chief spokesperson:
Mr. David Sumner, K1ZZ
American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, Conn. 06111
31 July 1989
Dear Dave:
In your last letter to me you said that the League believes in "Giving
credit where credit is due." I am wondering if the League considers
it worthwhile to give credit to I A R N for our initiative in the
Soviet Union?
I am willing to have I A R N reporter Bob Sherin,
W4ASX, submit a special report for QST if you wish to cooperate. Your
decision will effect my decision to renew my membership in ARRL which
comes up September 15, 1989.
I must admit that I am seriously considering terminating my ARRL membership and advocating that others do
likewise and, instead, back I A R N which better represents the
slogan "Of, by, and for the Radio Amateur."
I have been a league
member since 1956.
My main reason for writing, however, is to ask you to write a letter
to the Radio Sports Federation of the USSR requesting they issue us
reciprocal licenses.
These would be for K1MAN, W4ASX, KY0U, and
K2BPP.
See details in attached June, 1989 I A R N Newsletter. Our
Soviet Director, UB5WE, has advised me that I should write a letter
to RSF and attach copies of our licenses and a letter from ARRL.
Please send your letter to me so I can forward the entire package to
RSF, Box 88, Moscow.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Sincerely,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E.
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N
I A R N
MANAGER
Network Manager
OFFERS 14.313 MHZ. PROPOSAL
K1MAN has been active recently in trying to solve the problems on the
various 14.313 MHz. nets.
At the urging of I A R N Director, Bob
Sherin, W4ASX, K1MAN pulled out of on the air intervention and then
left behind the following proposal for other 14.313 MHz. net managers
to consider:
To:
Eddie Ricca, K4PT, Manager, Intercon
Walt Donner, KA8O, Manager, Maritime Mobile Service Net
Ray Neves, WA6ZEL, Manager, Seafarers Net
Heinz Gesch, DL3CL, Manager, Intermar Net
Dick Eastman, N5FX, Manager, BARF Traffic Net
From:
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, Manager, 14.313 Service Net
Date:
31 July 1989
Subject:
The "I A R N
14.313 Proposal"
As most of you know, I have recently "pulled out" of the on the air
14.313 controversy.
This has allowed everyone some much needed
breathing room, including myself.
Now I am back with a proposal
which will become known as the "I A R N 14.313 Proposal."
The reason I A R N is involved at all is that I feel strongly that
14.313 operations are very important to the international amateur
emergency response capability.
A 24 hour "watch" on 14.313 MHz. is
important and useful to the amateur radio service in general, and,
I A R N in particular.
In this regard, I have been paying my dues
to the Maritime Mobile Service Net for one and one half years as an
NCS station and so has one of our Directors, KC9RP.
The "I A R N
14.313 Proposal "
What is missing for a solution is mutual
stations involved which will be required
as of September 1, 1989.
Believe it or
who are not cooperating right now.
The
hard time accepting the facts of life:
cooperation among the
by the new FCC rule 97.101(b)
not, it is the Net Managers
Net Managers are having a
1.
No one owns 14.313 MHz.
2.
KV4FZ is here to stay (unless he slips up more than he has so far)
3.
BARF is here, gaining ground, and probably here to stay.
4.
K1MAN will be around for a long time.
5.
Maritime Mobile, Seafarers, and Intermar are here to stay.
6.
The Intercontinental Net is on shakey ground these days.
7. The 14.313 Service Net, managed by K1MAN, can come back strong at
any time.
8.
No one group or collection of groups can handle 14.313 MHz. alone.
Here is the only thing that will work:
A.
All Net Managers must recognize the above facts of life.
B.
All Net managers must agree to share management of nets on 14.313.
C. All Managers must agree on a mutually acceptable operating schedule. For example:
0600
1000
1200
1300
1400
1600
2200
0000
0200
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
1000
1200
1300
1400
1600
2200
2400
0200
0600
UTC..................Intermar
UTC..................BARF Traffic Net
UTC..................14.313 Service Net
UTC..................BARF Traffic Net
UTC..................Intercontinental Net
UTC..................Maritime Mobile Net
UTC..................Intercontinental Net
UTC..................Maritime Mobile Net
UTC..................Seafarers Net
D.
All nets should help the other nets as relays and U & V stations.
E.
No net should compete with another net on twenty meters.
F.
Each net must allow amateur self regulation to come into the
net when violations are being pointed out.
Any station or net manager who refuses to go along with such a plan,
or something similar, will be obviously guilty of violating 97.101(b)
which says:
"Each station licensee and each control operator must
cooperate in selecting transmitting channels and in
making most effective use of the amateur service
frequencies. No frequency will be assigned for
exclusive use of any station."
This means that any one station has, in effect, veto power over the
above schedule.
*
*
*
*
*
*
I hereby lay this proposal on the table and ask each Net Manager to
write me with your acceptance or suggested modifications.
All other
radio amateurs are invited to write with your support or suggestions.
We will soon be able to focus on those who don't wish to cooperate and
97.101(b) will hang over their heads as a threat to their license.
I
plan to petition for modification of licenses that continue to prevent
resolution of this embarrassing problem.
I remind everyone that the
FCC in under a lot of Congressional pressure to act on this matter.
To the intransigent Net Managers I suggest you examine your options
carefully.
Consult an attorney if in doubt.
You don't have a leg
to stand on if you don't cooperate.
Also, you will definitely lose
14.313 if you don't.
Anyone can go in there and grab it as you can
see on a daily basis now.
Your failure to respond to this letter will be equivalent in my mind
to your unwillingness to cooperate and solve the problems on 14.313.
Let me hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E.
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N Network Manager
14.313 Service Net Manager
cc:
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Jeff
Herb
Eric
Dave
Luck
I A R N
Young, FCC
Schoenbohm, KV4FZ
Hogberg, W4TAH
Sumner, K1ZZ, ARRL
Hurder, KY1T, ARRL
BERLIN SPONSORS SOVIET REPEATER IN YEREVAN
Robert Bruce, DJ0XC, President of the I A R N Chapter in Berlin, has
raised $500 for transportation of a repeater from the United States
to the Soviet Union.
I A R N headquarters received a request for a
donated repeater from our joint I A R N / P O I S K (search) office
where station RG8GWS operates daily on AMTOR with equipment loaned
to Soviet I A R N during the Armenian earthquake crisis in 1988.
A
primary reason for the repeater request was the need in the area for
reliable two meter communications over the large mountain range there.
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, I A R N Manager, told officials at I A R N /
P O I S K to apply for a repeater license and he would find a U.S.
donor for the repeater gear.
The Soviet license has now been granted
with receive frequency of 145.200 MHz. and transmit frequency of
145.800 MHz. When found, the donated repeater will be flown to Berlin and
taken by train to Yerevan where DJ0XC will assist with its installation.
I A R N
NEW ZEALAND GETS PERMISSION TO TRANSMIT WEEKLY PROGRAM
John Lane, ZL2ARF, I A R N Director for New Zealand, has just
received special permission from the government there to re-transmit
our weekly 45 minute program.
This will be every Sunday, Monday, and
Tuesday on 14.275 MHz. at 0830 UTC.
This will give the weekly
I A R N program listeners in Japan and China for the first time.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER - NOVEMBER - 1989
I A R N
TRIP TO SOVIET UNION IS CANCELED
The trip of our five member I A R N delegation to the Soviet Union
was canceled at the last minute due to network activation on 14.275
MHz. for hurricane Hugo.
We hope to reschedule the trip some time
next year and I A R N Soviet Director, Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, is
planning to make another attempt to attend the Dayton Hamvention this
year along with I A R N Berlin Chapter President Bob Bruce, DJ0XC.
Meanwhile, the requested I A R N repeater in Yerevan, capitol of
Soviet Armenia, is scheduled for installation in December, 1989, or
January, 1990.
This repeater, financed by I A R N Berlin and I A R N
U.S.A., is designed and built by George Caswell, K1MON.
THE FIRST LADY WRITES TO I A R N
DELEGATE BONNIE BAXTER
The First Lady wrote to the following letter to K1MAN XYL Bonnie,
which speaks for itself:
THE WHITE HOUSE
August 16, 1989
Dear Mrs. Baxter,
We wish you and your husband well on your trip to
the Soviet Union.
With regard to any advice or suggestions I might
have for you in terms of international good will,
it sounds as if you and your husband are already
experts.
I will only say, have a good trip and I wish you
well.
Warmly,
Barbara Bush (Signed)
Mrs. Glenn Baxter
R.R. 1, Box 776 - Long Point
Belgrade Lakes, ME 04918
HURRICANE HUGO
We handled traffic for nineteen different islands and thus nineteen
disasters rolled into one.
I A R N responded with eight jump team
operators deployed to Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Croix, and Culebra.
Two jump team operators are still very busy on St. Croix and St.
Thomas.
Many new modes of communications have been used for the first
time in a full blown emergency including FAX, computer BBS, Packet,
Telex, AMTOR, MCI Mail, along with the usual SSB voice and landline
voice links.
The new combination made use of over two dozen volunteers at I A R N
Headquarters and three Tandy IBM compatible computers.
We now have a
new Q & A data base of all our St. Croix traffic which I A R N St.
Croix Director and Red Cross Communications Officer Dave Moritz,
WB8ZQN, is using to good advantage.
I A R N sent eight synthesized
CB hand held radios, several Cushcraft antennas, and one one MFJ TNC
to the Caribbean for long term service with other gear going and
coming with individual jump team operators.
The big technological star has been AMTOR, which has supplied I A R N
with its long haul links for large volumes of traffic.
All traffic
gathered by I A R N West Coast, Frank Collins, N6TAF, Director, was
transfered by computer BBS.
We expect to be working on Hugo related work through the first of the
year.
The details of our Hugo work have been covered on two I A R N
broadcasts.
For your souvenir copy, send one blank C-90 cassette
along with forty-five cents return postage to: I A R N , Belgrade
Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE
I A R N activated quickly after the earthquake in San Francisco. The
status reports came quickly along with outgoing traffic which ran
throughout the night and around the clock.
K1MAN secured at midnight
and by 4 A.M. WA9F was managing 14.275 MHz. quite efficiently with
traffic flowing into and out of California very quickly.
At about
9 A.M., the morning after the quake, we opened a second frequency on
14.270 MHz.
There was a fair amount of international traffic, most
notably from the Soviet Union...for the first time in history.
The
Soviet traffic was turned around very quickly and large amounts of
traffic were shipped to West Coast I A R N, N6TAF, via computer BBS.
Sixty pages of this, courtesy Bill Pastarnak, WA6ITF. Brian Breton,
a new ham on the way, volunteered full time at I A R N headquarters,
and within several days, the California communications crisis was over
and we were back to full time work on hurricane Hugo with most work
related to St. Croix and our new Q and A data base requested by St.
Croix Director WB8ZQN.
I A R N
SPONSORS FOURTH CHILD'S HEART SURGERY
Taina Bonisue Torres, age six, became the fourth child to receive heart
surgery sponsored by the International Amateur Radio Network.
The
much needed operation at the Debroah Heart Center in Browns Mills, N.J.
was performed with complete success on September 4, 1989.
Taina is
our first girl to benefit from the heart surgery program which was
started during our activation for the San Salvador earthquake in 1986.
I A R N sent nineteen doctors, nurses and radio operators to El Salvador to help in that disaster, and that is when we ran across little
Carlos Lemus, who was dying from a hole between the small chambers of
his tiny heart.
He is fine now and getting to be a big boy, in spite
of the fighting and trouble in El Salvador these days.
I A R N
RECEIVES A GRANT FROM CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES
Last year, Father Mike Mullen, WA2KUX, arranged for I A R N to receive
a grant of $5,000 to be used for setting up needed digital communications links with Soviet Armenia.
This equipment is in place,
including new computer equipment at I A R N Headquarters, and we have
regular AMTOR contact with our POISK search office in Yerevan.
This
same new equipment was used extensively during the Hugo and San
Francisco emergency activations.
Father Mike has now arranged for a
second grant to help pay I A R N telephone expenses as well as other
net expenses regarding hurricane Hugo.
Part of this second $4,000
grant went for a badly needed third computer to enter traffic into
digital form directly off the air.
Now traffic from various sources
such as FAX, BBS, AMTOR, and VHF packet are quickly sent to the
affected area by AMTOR and followed with the same traffic in the new
Q and A data base for infinite flexibility.
Thanks to CRF for this
needed money which will be working hard for years to come.
Thanks
also to MFJ who donated a TNC badly needed on St. Thomas.
I A R N
RECEIVES A LETTER FROM THE FCC
The FCC seeks advice regarding the 14.313 "mess."
letters tell the story:
Mr. Robert H. McNamara, Chief
Special Services Division
Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
The attached
25 October 1989
RE: 7230-J
20 meter on-thedispute
Dear Mr. McNamara:
First, I want to say I appreciate the difficult work done by highly
professional and dedicated people at the Commission.
I know this
from many, many personal experiences.
I apologize for times when
the amateur service becomes a pain for the Commission....most of the
time due to immature and petty squabbling that so many amateurs think
the FCC should be involved in.
I do not, and I feel this is a matter
of educating the amateur public about the role of the Commission in
our government.
I think the matter you write about is a tempest in a
teapot and will (and is already) resolving itself through amateur self
regulation and natural "market forces."
The Commission has gotten away since day one with dealing with mostly
law abiding Americans who have "the fear of God" regarding the FCC,
and as our society has changed, beginning with Viet Nam, Supreme Court
rulings, etc., you have do do more due process and less rule by
intimidation.
This costs money, and you at the Commission find
yourselves in a bind. You are getting grief from congressional people
who are trying to quiet their constituents.
I say hold your course
and let us work out our own problems .
Your point about our bickering
in the international public eye on 20 meters and this hurting our
international good will: well I think it is a great statement about
our country that we are allowed to do this, and that we are, indeed,
a free and dynamic society.
The positive far outbalances the negative here.
The experimental nature of our service is in no way being suppressed
by anything or anyone.
Pure baloney.
We are bigger and better
than ever in this department...the Commission can't even keep up with
our technology.
It takes more brains to operate a modern "store
bought" station today than build one from scratch forty years ago. I
should know...I have done both....now with three IBM compatible
computers, FAX, AMTOR, PACKET and smart people all around.
I love
it and I am proud of the brilliant people in our thriving service.
Just look at what we have done with Hugo & San Francisco. We are
really learning how to apply our new tools and the best is yet to
come.
I have been
same...busy
channel you
much calmed
think it is
involved.
on 20 meters for 34 years and the activity is about the
on weekends and not too busy during the week.
The one
are worried about is peanuts .
The situation is pretty
down now anyway, and even if it flared up again, I don't
any big deal...certainly not worth the commission getting
God help commercial interests trying to exploit ham radio.
They
haven't got much of a chance...that is pretty much in control via
tough amateur self regulation.
As an engineer, I can tell you that
any system will have a loss of 15% due to inefficiency and your figure of 15% for third party does not disturb me at all.
I listen
a lot, and I just don't hear much to gripe about. Third party traffic
is a good exercise, and part of the self training we need in our ser-
vice.
I am against any ban on third party and setting aside any segment
for same.
You are right...it is a drastic action and, in my opinion,
uncalled for.
You should examine the credibility of the amateurs
who favor such a ban...they call themselves the "Better Amateur
Radio Federation."
They did nothing during Hugo and WA2EXQ was a big
problem on St, Croix for our other radio operators there.
Please
look carefully at the credibility of people giving you advice...they
have some kind of axe to grind...mostly due to immaturity.
And the Maritime Mobile Nets?
They have a lot of growing up to do
and their arrogance brings on a lot of their own problems.These things
are certainly nothing for the commission to get involved with. The
FCC rules are just fine.
You may be called on to enforce them in
extreme cases.
I have seen little that calls for enforcement so
far, and when I do, I will ask for same in writing and supported by
affidavit and tapes.
To answer your specific questions by number:
1. There is no real channel plan except for nets which get themselves
established much the same as you get yourself set up when you go to
the beach or find a seat at the movies.
The IARN broadcasts come
on 14.275 MHz. five times daily for 45 minutes each.
Much the same
as the hot dog cart at the beach...usually always found in the same
place by more or less gentleman's agreement.
On upper sideband you need about 2.5 KHz. above and 2 below you. In
emergencies, when copying a weak signal, we need four above and three
below, again, mostly by gentleman's agreement.
If someone refused
to be a gentleman when treated like a gentleman, we might ask the
FCC to monitor and consider possible enforcement.
I find plenty of
room on all the bands except for contests on the weekend much like
you would find at the beach...all a part of life on a busy planet.
2. I don't think there is much third party.
I rarely hear any. The
general nature is mostly personal, sometimes "did you get the check
I sent.." or "how are the kids and the dog?" I have never heard
rank business but assume there is some ordering of steering parts,
etc.
I think the impact on the amateur service is small, and, if
anything, positive since it gives the Maritime groups fodder to keep
the net alive and there for the real emergencies which do come up.
3. Same as above.
The public system would not be used because it
is fun to use ham radio...real simple.
There is probably some real
cheap skates who abuse this and they always get jumped on hard by
other amateurs who hear it.
4.
IARN transmits a well done 45 minute radio amateur informational
program five times every day on 3.975 MHz., 14.275 MHz., and 28.475
MHz at 1100, 1300, 1700, 2100, and 2400 UTC updated every Saturday at
1700 UTC. We estimate some transmissions have 500 to 3500 listeners
and some 5 to 50.
We also transmit Sunday evening on 3.890 MHz. and
7.290 MHz. on high fidelity AM for real good coverage and a feeling
for how people interviewed really sound. The effect of these amateur
transmissions on the amateur service is very positive.
Our mail runs
99% favorable as does general feedback now that hams are used to this
information service.
There have been many complaints about the service being temporarily suspended (about six weeks) for the recent
emergencies.
The reason that amateur digital communications are
not used exclusively for this is that an interview is so easy to
record and rebroadcast as compared to writing or getting the interviewee to write.
The whole program only takes about three hours
to edit each Saturday.
That is 45 X 180 words per minute equals
8100 words...a lot to type.
Also, times 4.3 per month is 34,830
words of free information with no commercial advertising needed to
support it.
And we do have a digital newsletter service every
Monday on 14.075 at 1500 UTC in forward error correcting AMTOR.
Asking if
to asking
sector.
to public
yourself.
such transmissions are necessary or desirable is akin
if any radio or TV programming is needed in the public
The non commercial nature of amateur programming is akin
educational TV. Listen to our programming and judge for
I cannot comment on ARRL bulletins except to say that I don't feel
they are as useful as ours and I would welcome more competition.
Generally, however, you have IARN on HF, Westlink (now Newsline),
Chicago Link, and Air Capitol (Wichita) on 2 meters, 220 MHz. and 440
MHz. and the Gateway Net on 160 meters.
The Rain Foundation makes
programming available free by telephone for other amateur information
services as well as free RP Report interviews on cassette tape.
5. ARRL has extensive cw code practice bulletin broadcasts.
Given
modern code practice tapes and even computer code practice programs,
I personally feel ARRL code broadcasts are not cost effective for
them.
I would manage resources differently if I were the boss at
W1AW.
In summary, I feel the FCC is doing a fine job and should continue to
let amateurs solve amateur problems.
The Commission should not get
involved until there is a solid and documented violation, in which
case enforcement action should be considered.
Respectfully submitted,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E.
Registered Professional Engineer
IARN
cc: Bob Sherin, W4ASX
Network Manager
Hap Holly, KC9RP
I A R N
SSB AND DIGITAL EMERGENCY TRAFFIC PLAN
During a world wide communications emergency, I A R N uses SSB
on 14.275 MHz. as a primary control and logistics frequency, with
14.265 MHz. for voice bulletins, 14.075 MHz. for AMTOR bulletins, and
14.285 MHz. as a secondary SSB frequency for health and welfare
traffic.
I A R N operates on 14.275 MHz. in five modes:
Mode 1
Full activation, continuous traffic,
continuous NCS duty, I A R N broadcast
on 14.265, 3.975, and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 2
Semi activation, intermittent traffic,
continuous NCS duty, I A R N broadcast
on 14.265, 3.975, and 28,475 MHz.
Mode 3
Full alert, continuous monitoring, I A R N
broadcast on 14.275, 3.975, and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 4
Semi alert, general monitoring, I A R N
broadcast on 14.275, 3.975 and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 5
No organized monitoring, I A R N broadcast
on 14.275, 3.975, and 28.478 MHz.
DIGITAL MODES
I A R N uses several digital modes and digital networks to help
support traffic handling.
These include:
1.
Traffic transfer world wide via FAX, especially where third
party restrictions are getting in the way.
2.
Telephone computer file transfer.
3.
Telephone computer BBS.
4.
HF AMTOR file transfer, especially for long haul links between
traffic nodes such as U.K. to U.S., etc.
5.
HF AMTOR BBS.
6.
Normal packet networks.
TRAFFIC NODES AND ORGANIZATION
Where appropriate, certain stations will be designated as a Node
Manager by the Network Manager or Assistant Network Manager.
The
Node Manager is assigned a block of alphanumeric traffic prefix
designators which he assigns to individual stations, including
himself, as official I A R N sanctioned nodes. An I A R N sanctioned
node must meet the following requirements:
1.
The sanctioned node must assign his alphanumeric prefix and a
sequential number to each piece of traffic handled.
2.
The sanctioned node must accept responsibility for making
immediate collect telephone calls to originators for each
traffic response coming back from the affected area.
3.
The sanctioned node must accept responsibility for keeping up to
date on the current status of its outstanding traffic and "killing
it" in the event the traffic becomes complete through some other
communications channel.
Certain Node Managers will be assigned by the Network Manager or
Assistant Network Manager to compile and keep up to date a master
reply list of all traffic in the network.
This redundant coverage
will cover for all traffic in case a Node Manager or Node Station must
drop out from participation.
We now have two IBM compatible programs
available to keep track of traffic.
One, available on four 3 1/2 "
disks, requires a hard drive and the other, available on three 5 1/4 "
disks, does not.
If you want to examine either, send us blank disks
along with return postage: I A R N, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 USA
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
DECEMBER, 1989 THROUGH MAY, 1990
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN
All of us at I A R N are pleased to tie the knot with Radio Scan and
have this fine new magazine as our official United States printed
journal.
The I A R N amateur broadcasts are now the "Voice of Radio
Scan ." The International Amateur Radio Network is the membership
organization with no dues.
We are partners in our common effort to
open a two way dialog, both audio and printed, in our wonderful hobby
and service.
In the magazine, everyone is welcome.
There is a club
corner.
Send in your club reports and articles.
I A R N related
material will be included in this department and other material will
fall in some other part of the magazine.
Material for our amateur
broadcast covers the entire spectrum of serious amateur radio service.
Why not send in a guest editorial?
Radio Scan and I A R N are a
new two way people to people forum.
Take out your tape recorder and
do a taped interview for our broadcast.
Write an article for our
magazine. It is really your magazine and your broadcast.
Make sure
you and several of your friends subscribe today and listen each week.
The daily broadcast schedule is on 3.975 MHz., 14.275 MHz. and 28.475
MHz. at 1100, 1300, 1700, 2100, and 0000 UTC.
A special broadcast is
beamed from Los Angeles to China and Japan at 1200 UTC on 14.275 MHz.
For membership, send a self addressed stamped envelope to: I A R N
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
Tel. 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490 Telex 697 6213 IARN
MCI Mail: K1MAN
Packet
address: K1MAN at WA1IIE.
In Canada, our official printed journal is The Canadian Amateur.
Our
official short wave broadcasting voice is Radio Canada International
with the International Amateur Radio Report airing on Ian McFarland's
popular SWL digest every fourth weekend of the month.
Listen to the
SWL Digest every Saturday on 5.960 and 9.755 MHz. at 0000 UTC and repeated
every Tuesday on 9.635, 11.855 and 17.820 at 1230 UTC. To
write to The Canadian Amateur the address is P.O. Box 356, Kingston,
Ontario, Canada KL7 4W2 Tel. 613 545 9100.
CHINESE
I A R N
DIRECTOR
ZHAU YU-HONG, BZ4CQ
As I write for our new Radio Scan magazine, we are busy getting ready
for the Chinese I A R N Communications conference in Shanghai, China
between May 12, 1990 and May 26, 1990.
This international emergency
communications conference is held at the Shanghai Children's Palace
where the club station call sign is BY4ALC.
This I A R N chapter
and Chinese I A R N will host the meeting where Australian I A R N
Director, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, will present a series of lectures on
experiences in past international emergencies and traffic or message
handling procedures.
Also, Sam will present a solid state transceiver
donated by Australian I A R N and two antennas donated by U.S.
I A R N.
Sam will also visit and address our chapter in Hong Kong.
Since 1964, the Chinese amateur radio group organization was called
the Chinese Radio Sports Association (CRSA).
Now we have thousands
of hams coming into the hobby in 20 provinces and 38 amateur radio
clubs and hams regularly take part in contests.
Chinese prefix range from BAA - BZZ with BY and BZ being used at the
present time. BY means club station. BZ means a private callsign
and divided into four classes.
The first and second classes can use
all bands.
The third class can use 3.5 and 7 MHz.
The fourth class
belongs to short wave listeners (SWL'S).
The prefix BG are stations
under construction with a lot of hams now building equipment and
antennas.
I am sure that the BG prefix will begin to be heard from
Shanghai soon.
QRP and Short Wave Listening have aroused a great deal of interest
in China.
For example, instead of resting or watching TV, more and
more people are becoming active at local schools and clubs and on two
meters for local communications or CQ CQ CQ on 40 meters.
If somebody wants to learn the Chinese language, you can come to
21.290 MHz. on Thursdays at 0430 - 0500 UTC.
On Wednesdays at 0200 0300 UTC on 14.330 MHz. is the Chinese Network. If anyone wants to
visit BY chub stations, you are free to visit and if you want to
operate from one of them, please carry a copy of your license, or get
in touch with the club manager by telephone in advance.
Contact me
at any time: Zhau Yu-Hong, Chinese I A R N Director, Room 502,
Building No. 39, Lane 970, Gong He Xin Road, Shanghai, China.
635 069.
I A R N
Tel.
DELEGATION ATTENDS UNDRO MEETING IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
I A R N was officially invited to participate in the recent International Conference on Disaster Communications in Geneva, sponsored by
the Office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Coordinator (UNDRO).
The the three day meeting was on March 19 - 21, 1990.
Our delegation
consisted of I A R N German Director, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC and Exeter,
England Chapter President David Rowe, G0EUE.
Amateur radio was one
important focus of the meeting and we radio amateurs got the recognition we have earned over the last five years in handling international disaster communications.
One recommendation passed was
amendment to ITU Resolution 640 (International Telecommunications
Union) to allow health and welfare traffic in addition to relief
supply communications during international communications crisis.
The I A R N recommended changes that will be presented to the World
Administrative Radio Conference in Spain during 1992 are as follows:
OLD WORDING FOR PARAGRAPH 2:
"That such use of these bands shall be only for communications
in relation to relief operations in connection with natural
disasters."
RECOMMENDED WORDING:
"That such use of these bands shall be only for communications
in relation to relief operations and health and welfare traffic
in connection with natural disasters."
GERMAN I A R N
DIRECTOR BOB BRUCE, DJ0XC
On December 23, 1989 the German Red Cross requested that a team of
three radio amateurs deploy and establish communications between
German Red Cross Headquarters in Bonn-Meckenheim and Rumania using a
Red Cross owned communications truck.
I A R N team leader Willy
Werbrouck, DJ3EB and team members Johannes Amchewicz, DK8JB and
Mathias Schmitt, DL6KU met in Guederath near Moenchen-Gladbach at
German Red Cross Nordrhein state headquarters.
They started their
trip with the VW-buss and communications vehicle heading for the Rumania
border. At Mako-Nagi they established communications with
headquarters on 13.996 MHz. Several communications outposts were set
up.
Contact was maintained with the Medical Assistance Radio (MAR)
group on 14.332, with International Red Cross in Geneva on AMTOR, and
between Timesuara, Buca and Varna on SSB. I A R N Rumanian Director
Adrian Sinitaru, YO3APJ, was active in all phases of the amateur radio
effort described in his dramatic five page report.
One excerpt:
"We handled thousands of messages to and from private persons
spread all around the world and the country.
While we were
running our national emergency network, some other stations
from Bucharest and all over the country, like YO3JW, YO3YC,
YO3DAD, YO3AMC, YO3CV, YO4PX, YO2BZ,YO2FP, and many others
were keeping contact with IARN on 14.275 MHz. and MAR on 14.332
MHz., conveying messages of maximum importance for different
international aid societies or private persons's."
Our I A R N jump team leader from Germany, Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB,
has been requested by Red Cross to write procedures for having two
teams ready at all times for deployment anywhere in the world. While
at the UNDRO meeting in Geneva, I met with International Red Cross
Officials and discussed further cooperation between I A R N and Red
Cross.
Net Manager's Note:
During Hurricane Hugo, our I A R N Caribbean Manager for jump teams,
Dave Moritz, WB8ZQN, became the American Red Cross communications
officer on St. Croix where he served for both I A R N and Red Cross
on St. Croix for seven weeks and with the first two weeks being in
St. Thomas.
I A R N deployed a total of seven amateurs to the
Caribbean during the Hugo communications disaster. Tex Martin, KE8SQ,
(known in FCC Washington circles as the I A R N countrified ambassador)
met with top American Red Cross communications official Mike Riley,
KX1B, for two hours at the Dayton Hamvention and negotiated further
cooperation between I A R N and American Red Cross.
SOVIET I A R N
DIRECTOR, VICTOR GONCHARSKY, UB5WE
Address to the Dayton Hamvention:
New Trends in Soviet Hamming Activities
"Dear Fellow Hams:
Firstly, I want to say that I am enjoying very much my visit to the
United States and taking part in this Dayton Hamvention, this festival
of ham spirit and unity.
I want to pass to you the warm 73 from the
people of the USSR and especially the part of them called the "Ham
Community.
We all really hope that relations between our two nations
will constantly improving.
For many years, those of us who did not belong to the governing elite,
ham radio was the only possibility of communicating with the outside
world.
Some amateur activities were prohibited and there were regulations containing strong restrictions on communication procedures.
For over 40 years all ham radio activities in the Soviet Union have been
governed by the voluntary society for assisting the Army, Navy, and Air
Force and abbreviates DOSAAF in English which is headed by a Colonel
General of the Red Army.
Krenkel Central Radio Club of the USSR is a
part of the DOSAAF structure and leadership is contained mostly of act-
ing or retired Red Army officers.
The Radio Sports Federation, which
represents Soviet Hams in the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
is fully integrated onto the DOSAAF structure and its secretary gets his
salary from the DOSAAF central committee.
Amateur radio was considered a sport by the Soviet government, therefore, the attention of DOSAAF is mostly on contest related activities.
Senseless taboos against serious communications, introduction of new
modes, etc., permeates Soviet ham radio.
Not so long ago, any amateur
license could be revoked for violation of both Ministry of Communications rules and, in most cases, so called "DOSAAF directive documents."
The only way for us to survive, in my opinion, was to simply
play with our radios and keep our mouths shut.
Fortunately, we have all entered the times of Perestroyka and Glasnost
and Soviet hams are demanding that some of the most obsolete restrictions of the Stalinist era.
Nowadays, Soviet hams can exchange
QSLs, apply for awards, and send contest logs directly.
We can now
become members of foreign clubs and societies as well as have two way
communications with Israel.
We can even transmit on the air QSL
cards.
Another result of changes in our country is a great number of
Soviet DX peditions both inside the country and abroad.
I hope most of you know that the Box 88 Central Radio Club in Moscow
confiscates all the enclosures from foreign envelopes except for the
QSL cards.
I am very proud to say that an amateur from my city of Lvov, Ukraine,
UB5WAD - Vladimir Vakalov, was operating Gunea - Bissau with call sign
J5WAD.
Another very significant piece of good news is that as of March 1, 1990,
Soviet hams with a class A license can now use digital modes such as
AMTOR, Packet, RTTY, and slow scan tv on HF and VHF.
As last year's emergency communications from Armenia showed, AMTOR and
packet are extremely useful for message exchange and third party
traffic. The need for emergency communications also led to the foundation of the Soviet Amateur Radio Emergency Service (SARES) on January
14, 1990. It became the part of the Soviet Salvation Association
founded on March 30, 1990.
This association includes rescue groups
and organizations from all around the USSR.
Four SARES members were
elected into the Ruling Council - Gene Sheillgin, UZ3AU from Moscow,
Jan Brenner, UA4AAW, from Volgograd, UB5JF from Crimea, and George
Chliance, UY5XE, from Lvov.
The new SARES has 30 regional coordinators including four I A R N
officers including Andy Federov, RW3AH, from Moscow, Yuri Katyutin,
UA4LCQ, from Ulyanovsk, RW9LA, and myself.
SARES is a fully independent noncommercial organization which works in cooperation with the
Soviet Red Cross.
SARES has weekly nets on 14.290 at 0100 and 1015
UTC on Saturdays and Sundays.
All important decisions are approved by
the council of regional coordinators during these on the air meetings.
Alex Phnormov, UU3DHH, former C.R.C. employee and Red Cross communications advisor was elected as SARES Federal Coordinator.
Maria
Vodianaya, UZ9CM was elected SARES Secretary.
A SARES Advisory Committee was formed, including a dozen experienced
Soviet Hams.
I am very proud of being elected into this committee.
Both SARES and its regional have bank accounts in rubles and Soviet
I A R N now has a U.S. bank account in dollars.
Each regional branch
is fully independent and autonomous.
The following are SARES goals:
1. To form a reliable emergency network inside the country and abroad
in cooperation with I A R N and other organizations.
2. To form a few amateur radio rapid deployment jump teams and equip
them.
In case of an emergency, both the network and the rapid deployment jump
teams would be ready in a few hours.
The most important thing is that SARES members would have equal status
to rescue workers and would also have full insurance coverage.
This
would also include network operators.
All decisions would be made by
the regional coordinator.
Of course SARES is very young and has a lot
to learn.
The worst problem is lack of suitable equipment in the
Soviet Union.
If you have equipment you can donate, contact me and
we can make arrangements for proper shipping and assignment. A great
tax deduction!!
The world is truly changing and we are finding all kinds of creative
ways to solve previously unsolvable problems.
The Soviet Union has
a lot of very well prepared hams who can become rapid deployment jump
team radio operators.
Our competitions such as VHF field day and the
newly developed HF competition where hams work simultaneously in close
quarters are great emergency training.
We did a pretty fair job
during the Armenian disaster and we are ready to organize our response
for ever improved emergency amateur radio communications.
Contact me at Box 41, Lvov, Ukraine, USSR, 290000
I A R N
tel. 42 00 14
WEST COAST, USA, FRANK COLLINS, N6TAF DIRECTOR
I A R N West Coast has a new Assistant Director, Rick Difiore, N6KIB.
Also our dial up service providing interviews and news from around the
world.
Programs run from about 12 minutes to minimum to 17 minutes
average and updated every Friday morning.
Call 213 478 3711 ext. 5258.
The West Coast I A R N Amateur Radio Media Service is also looking for
your video tapes of anything that is ham related such as field day,
hamvention, TV coverage, club meetings, anything. We are putting
together a 30 minute public access channel amateur television program.
Call us anytime at 213 478 3711 ext. 5230 or write to 1352 Keniston
Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90019.
The I A R N West Coast
broadcast schedule is Monday through Friday at 1545 UTC on 28.670 and
at 2000, 2300, and 0100 UTC on 21.275 MHz.
SOUTH AFRICAN I A R N
HANS VAN DE GROENENDAAL, ZS6AKV, DIRECTOR
At 22:00 UTC march 20, 1990, Namibia became independent and changed
prefixes.
ZS3 full license becomes V51 and ZR3 restricted license
becomes V50.
A special event station was on the air from 22:00 UTC
March 20th until 22:00 UTC March 25, 1990 with callsign V51NAM.
I A R N
CUBA, ARNIE CORO, CO2KK, DIRECTOR
Arnie is News Director for the national network in Cuba and is also
a full Professor at the University of Havana.
More important to us,
however, is his ham radio program "DXers Unlimited" which airs every
Saturday over Radio Havana on 9.710 MHz. and 11.820 MHz. at 0035 after
the newscast and repeated at 0235, and 0435 UTC.
The program is also
beamed to California on 11.835 MHz, at 0635 UTC.
For the first time, four Cuban amateurs were able to use the Soviet
space satellite RS-10.
Arnie was the first of the four.
Congratulations to Arnie!! The others were CO2JJ, George, CO2JA, Jose,
and
CO2VV, Sergio.
Arnie reports:
"The general idea is to try to develop very simple equipment to operate
through satellite of the circular low orbit like the RS-10 and RS-11
and the future RS-12 and RS-13 which will be launched very soon.
RS-10
and RS-11 are almost at the end of their useful life.
With very simple
equipment which comprised vertical ground plane antennas, or vertical
dipoles, for the two meter uplink, running 10 Watts of either single
sideband or CW, and a very simple horizontal dipole for ten meters, we
were able to use the satellite during many orbits starting at the end of
April, 1990.
We had the help of distinguished Canadian DXer, VE1KG,
who very kindly provided the computer program so that we could tell in
advance when the satellite pass would occur.
I think that the development of satellite communications for amateur radio is very important
because it will provide us with non ionosphere dependent communications
media that can be used very successfully during natural disasters and
this is the reason why Cuban International Amateur Radio Network is
interested in this. We think that, for example, satellites of the
elliptical orbit type like the OSCAR 13 can provide very useful service
at a time of ionospheric disturbances that render the low frequency
bands quite useless. If that coincided with an earthquake or hurricane
we would have trouble running our twenty meter net.
It was very interesting how CO2JA adapted a standard FM transceiver to
be keyed and used on CW.
He has done that very successfully and the
keying comes out very clean. I am using myself a very very old CX-700
running less than six Watts because of power supply difficulty, and the
ground plane antenna.
We were surprised to be able to talk among our-
selves, making the first Cuba to Cuba contacts on the satellite and also
with Fred Mason, N2JIA in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The third was
WA8HEM, Ron in Michigan.
We are going to have N2JIA on the air on
Radio Havana, Cuba on our "DXers Unlimited" program May 12, 1990.
CO2VV has been able measure all the telemetry because he has the knowhow
and we have learned that the satellite output power on 28 MHz. is less
that 400 milliwatt.
RS-12 and RS-13 will go up soon piggy back with a navigational satellite.
The circular orbit will be at about 1000 kilometers.
We
have at least four very easy to access passes every day on RS-10 and
if you improve equipment a little bit, at least six useful passes per
day.
We have also been able to communicate with the robot on RS-10 which
automatically gives you a QSO number.
I have been the only one not
able to talk with the robot, perhaps because I am not a very good CW
operator because it requires perfect code, Hi. Write to me at P.O. Box
6240, Havana, Cuba."
I A R N
AUSTRALIA, SAM VORON, VK2BVS, DIRECTOR
We recently sent a volunteer, magazines, and electronic components to
I A R N in Bangladesh.
More about that trip next month.
We raised
$470 over CB radio in Sydney to purchase a 3 element beam for our
I A R N chapter in the isolated village of Buariki in Tarawa where
600 people live.
There is no doctor and the nearest phone is 10
miles away. Next month also, I will report on my trip to China and
the new Chinese Amateur Radio Emergency Service and the Chinese
Amateur Radio Peace Corps.
Write me at 2 Griffith Avenue, East
Roseville 2069, Australia
Tel 407 1066.
I A R N
AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS
The Amateur Radio Peace Corps Foundation is a non profit corporation
which organizes the deployment of skilled radio amateurs between
different countries of the world and lesser developed or developing
nations.
When you reach your assigned situation and set up your amateur
station/computer system, you then attach to various government/private
agencies, schools, etc. and begin to make things happen .
Your
assignment in sharing your communications, computer, and electronics
skills is open ended.
You are only limited by your imagination,
interests, initiative, and energy.
This application is your opportunity to write your own ticket.
If you are accepted, we will pay
you transportation and expenses.
You will receive no salary; just
the self satisfaction of making the world a better place.
I A R N
MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Membership is free.
Send one business sized envelope with enough
return postage for two ounces to: I A R N, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
Tel. 207 495 2215
FAX 207 495 2069 BBS 207 495 2490 MCI Mail: K1MAN
Telex 697 6213 IARN Packet address: K1MAN at WA1IIE
Newsletter:
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BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Daily on 3.975 , 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1300, 1700, 2100 and
0000 UTC.
Also Sundays on 3.890 MHz. AM at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. AM at
2300 UTC.
Monday through Friday beamed to Japan and China from Los
Angeles on 14.275 MHz at 1200 UTC, and beamed stateside on 21.275 MHz.
at 2000, 2300, and 0100 UTC and 28.670 MHz. at 1545 UTC.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - OCTOBER, 1990
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM GOING TO GET SICK TO MY STOMACH (BARF)
The twenty meter controversy still swirls, around and around. Various
outspoken "Activist" amateur radio operators are now clearly showing
their colors as "Radio Terrorists."
These are the guys heard on
14.313 MHz., 14.300 MHz., and most recently on 14.275 MHz., either
interfering with a scheduled I A R N amateur broadcast or serious
emergency communications work.
Now the FCC has fined (issued Notice
of Apparent Liability for $1,000) to defacto group leader Herb Schoenbohm, KV4FZ, and the group's so called Net Manager Dick Eastman, N5FX,
for interference to the Maritime Mobile Service Net. The FCC has also
issued Notices of Violation to other group members Doug Case, WD4PZT,
and Bill Pike, N0DCP, for interfering with I A R N amateur broadcasts.
The FCC is also investigating much more serious complaints of
interference to 97.401(b) emergency communications by several members
of this "Better Amateur Radio Federation," affectionately know by most
hams as "BARF."
Thanks to former Senator Barry Goldwater, K7UGA,
(who was the Republican nominee for President of the United States in
1964, losing to Lyndon Johnson), a law was passed making interference
to emergency communications a felony.
As you can see, BARF is really
playing with fire.
The FCC is slow, but oh what big teeth they have!
Ask Richard Burton, WB6JAC, who has been convicted of operating a
transmitter after his license was revoked in the early 1980's for
various violations of part 97, has served seven months in jail,
and now faces possible fines of $100,000 and/or up
in prison.
His sentencing in U.S. District Court
October, 1990.
I believe the FCC and BARF are on
which will resolve major problems in amateur radio
future.
to two more years
is scheduled for
a collision course
in the very near
HOW DID THE TWENTY METER "NET MESS" GET STARTED?
It all goes back to the formation of the Intercontinental Traffic Net
on 8 September 1960 by seven amateurs, and formation of the Maritime
Mobile Service Net on 27 December 1966 by nine amateurs.
By 1969,
both nets were active on 14.313 MHz., and, by 1980, 14.313 was well
manned 24 hours per day with help from the Seafarers and Intermar
nets.
By then, 14.313 MHz. was known world wide as an emergency
calling frequency.
Net manager and controllers got a bit big for
their britches and somewhat arrogant.
Ordering stations adjacent to
14.313 MHz. to move away didn't set well with some hams and K4MME and
W1GM got real upset in the early 1980's and challenged the operations
on 13.313 MHz. After quite a battle, these two were taken off the air
by the FCC and even Senior Net Control for the Maritime Mobile Net
N5FX got caught up in the return jamming syndrome and had his license
suspended for one year.
In 1985, the Mexico City Earthquake stunned the amateur radio world,
and I A R N showed what really could be done with some lean and mean
management and organization.
A R R L scrambled with their "Blue
Ribbon" Committee to try and figure out how to compete with I A R N,
and the Nets on 14.313 MHz. tried to ignore the new and higher standard
set by the new kids on the block.
Mike Galego, KA4MUJ, became very
critical of emergency traffic bungling on 14.313 as compared to IARN
work on 14.275 MHz. and joined forces with I A R N and even designed
the current I A R N logo on the letterhead.
The 14.313 nets put
tremendous peer pressure on KA4MUJ and drove him underground.
When
he surfaced, he surfaced with KV4FZ, who was snubbed by the 14.313
boys and treated like another K4MME.
The difference is that KV4FZ
and KA4MUJ were far more effective than K4MME and W1GM in that they
claimed the 14.313 MHz. nets were allowing much illegal operation
to go unchallenged.
There was a lot of truth to these claims and the
FCC was not so quick to clamp down this time.
K1MAN was appointed in 1987 as a Maritime Mobile Net Control station
on Mondays at 3 P.M. Eastern in an attempt to bring the 14.313 MHz.
groups and IARN closer together.
During this period, the battle
between the 14.313 nets and KV4FZ/KA4MUJ was gathering momentum. Then
K1MAN spoke out against KV4FZ, and, being controversial as leader of
IARN, was fired from the Maritime Mobile Net by their new Manager
Walt Donner, KA80.
This move of turning against IARN and cozying up
to ARRL was designed to strengthen the opposition to KV4FZ who by this
time had convinced the FCC that he had a legitimate case.
The result
was fatal, and the 14.313 nets were driven off 14.313 MHz. while chaos
prevailed and the FCC watched in horror.
The FCC was in no position
to take sides except to lean in favor of KV4FZ.
Also, Dick Eastman,
N5FX, had a falling out with the Maritime Mobile Service Net since he
was sympathetic to KV4FZ.
THE BETTER AMATEUR RADIO FEDERATION (BARF) IS BORN
The battle raged on and KV4FZ continued to gain momentum.
Bill
Gassel, WB4GDP joined the group and coined the name "Better Amateur
Radio Federation" or BARF, with N5FX as "Net Manager."
It was
mostly a joke but the joke wasn't getting many laughs as the group
gained credibility to the point where FCC Special Services Chief
Robert H. McNamara asked each Net Manager, including ARRL, IARN, and
N5FX of BARF to come together with a joint plan to solve the growing
conflict.
K1MAN proposed formation of the Amateur Radio Council and
a set of resolutions fair to all sides.
There was no interest, and
by McNamara's deadline of July 1, 1990, there was no joint plan.
All the noise by BARF drove any illegal activities of the 14.313 nets
away and this mechanism of self policing solved the problems perceived
by the BARF group.
But they were having too much fun and at some
point got too big for their britches. They needed a new cause besides
illegal phone patches, which had all but dried up, so they went after
I A R N.
On June 27, 1990, KV4FZ and WB4GDP interfered with I A R N
97.401(b) emergency traffic concerning the Iranian Earthquake, and the
fatal mistake of K4MME and W1GM was repeated, but this time worse. In
their infinite wisdom, the FCC knew full well that the real bad guys
would mis step and show true colors.
Now, it is just a matter of
time for the slow administrative legal process to do its work.
AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETINS
DOES THE FCC'S RIGHT HAND KNOW WHAT THE LEFT IS DOING?
WHAT IS LEGAL?
Just what is legal with regard to amateur information bulletins?
The
I A R N has been putting out a well done program of amateur information bulletins on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. for four years now.
Westlink (now Newsline) has been on repeaters around the country for
thirteen years.
ARRL has been putting out voice, RTTY, and CW
bulletins for over 75 years.
Yes, they are all perfectly legal, but
"broadcasting," as narrowly defined by the FCC, is not legal. The FCC
defines "broadcasting" in rule 97.3(10) as:
"Transmissions intended for reception by the
public, either direct or relayed."
general
The key idea there is "intended for the reception by the general
public."
The general public is the guy and gal on the street, most
of whom could care less about amateur radio.
So, amateur bulletins
must pertain to amateur radio to be legal and not construed as "broadcasting" by the FCC.
SOME FCC ENGINEERS-IN-CHARGE DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!
Belfast FCC Engineer in Charge Barry Bohac (not even a ham), sent
K1MAN a notice of Apparent Liability for $1,500 for what he thought
was broadcasting recently.
I called Mr. Bohac, who was very nice,
and read him a letter I have from Robert H. McNamara, Chief of the
FCC Special Services Division of the Private Radio Bureau:
"We are familiar with the nature of the transmissions
by K1MAN and find that they fall in the same category
as the information bulletins transmitted by amateur
station W1AW, which is licensed to the American Radio
Relay League's Headquarters Operator's Club.
Amateur
information bulletins are authorized by Section 97.lll(b)(6)
of the Commission's rules."
Barry Bohac's response was that he had never heard of Robert McNamara!
I then asked about the comparison between K1MAN and W1AW and Mr. Bohac
replied "You are not sending code practice."
I then asked about
Westlink (now Newsline), heard on 2,000 repeaters around the country,
and he said he had never heard it.
I said it was carried every week
on I A R N, and he admitted he had never listened to that either...yet
he was issuing a Notice of Apparent Liability for $1,500!!
Other FCC Engineers-in-Charge are equally ignorant of what is going on
in their jurisdictions.
This is one reason why the so called 20
meter "net mess" got out of hand.
When I complained to Vero Beach,
Florida FCC Engineer-in-Charge Robert McKinney about interference to
97.401(b) emergency communications (a felony), he admitted that he was
not familiar with the rule.
One week later, he again admitted he was
still not familiar with FCC rule 97.401(b).
During Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, hitting Jamaica, I asked yet another
Engineer-in-Charge to declare 14.275 MHz. as an emergency frequency,
which he did, but he failed to notify other FCC field offices.
The
result was mass confusion when amateurs called to verify the emergency
declaration as at least some amateurs are bound to do.
I guess the thrust of this editorial is that I think we should expect
better from career professionals at the FCC Monitoring Stations.
I A R N
AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS, SAM VORON, VK2BVS IN THE MID EAST
King Hussein of Jordan, JY1, invited I A R N to his country to assist
with relief efforts for the refugees in the area.
I A R N sent Sam
Voron, VK2BVS to Amman who was the guest of the King for nineteen
days.
Sam worked with amateurs of the Royal Jordanian Radio Society,
World Vision, Red Cross, the International Organization for Migration,
and top government officials of several countries.
Standing by for
immediate deployment to Amman to assist when needed were two I A R N
Radio Jump Team Operators from the Soviet Union, two from Germany, two
from Australia, and five from India.
Then, as the diplomatic situation heated up, King Hussein changed the role of I A R N in the Mid
East from that of assisting with relief supplies to assisting with a
pseudo diplomatic mission.
In a one and one half hour meeting with King Hussein's Chief of Staff
and top Aide, Colonel Ali Shukri, JY3AK, also a ham, Voron and Shukri
developed a Mid East Peace Initiative to be hand carried by Sam and
delivered to top officials in Israel, Syria, Bangladesh, and Iraq. For
many years there have been no diplomatic relations between Jordan and
Israel, as the two countries had nothing in common.
The I A R N
Peace Initiative would create common goals and divert energy away from
war and toward more constructive goals.
I A R N would provide an important link between peoples who normally
don't talk with each other, and possibly do a great deal of good with
little chance of doing any harm.
It is most interesting to look at FCC Rule 97.1 in this regard of
I A R N serving the new role designated by King Hussein:
"97.1
Basis and Purpose.
The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide
an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as
expressed in the following principles:
.....(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique
ability to enhance international good will."
King Hussein made arrangements for Sam Voron to cross the Jordan Israel border which is normally closed, with provisions to return in
30 days.
In Israel, Sam would he hosted by I A R N Israeli Director Felix Dviravner, 4X4OX.
The plan then called for Sam to fly
to Bangladesh, then Iraq, and finally Syria.
The text of the Peace
Initiative is as follows:
I A R N
Mid East Peace Initiative
"Two nuclear powered desalination plants costing billions of dollars
could be set up near the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to provide
unlimited water throughout the Mid East through a series of pipelines.
A rail network linking the entire Mid East from the Gulf to North
Africa and Israel with its neighbors, radiating West to Morocco and
East to Iran and expanding to bring prosperity and attention into
developing Africa and further east to Bangladesh, the world's fifth
poorest country.
'People can't eat weapons.
It's better to spend money on things like
water and transportation links which can be used by every person.
Israel and the Arabs have nothing in common,' said a Jordanian
official, 'So to achieve the dreams of every person we must develop
visionary goals which will encourage everyone to put in more effort
to solve all our problems.
It is only when all our major problems
are solved that the trust and stability will exist to make these and
other dreams possible.'
Sam Voron commented that 'right now the world could be willing to
finance the billions of dollars needed for such colossal engineering
projects, but only if stability and consensus is established by everyone in the Mid East.'
Sam said he hoped 'that Iraq, Israel, and Lebanon, now the focus in the Mid East, could take the lead to develop
new visions and show the world the Mid East should be the first region
to receive the benefits of such ambitious plans.'
Voron and Shukri also discussed the idea of an embargo on the importation of arms by all mid east countries and perhaps world wide as a
way of building trust and de-escalating conflicts.
World military
forces could take on a new role to bring a new era of stability by
undertaking inspections regionally or worldwide.'
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter argues that
Jordan's King Hussein should play a major role
Time Magazine for October 22, 1990 carried an article by former U.S.
President Jimmy Carter who has much experience with Mid East diplomatic affairs via the Camp David Accords, etc.
President Carter
says in summary:
"Among Arab leaders, King Hussein of Jordan can play a key
role.
He is an honorable and peace-loving man who does not
deserve the harsh treatment he is receiving.
He has supported
U.N. resolutions that demand foreign troop withdrawal from
Kuwait, the return of the Emir and his family, and the
imposition of economic sanctions.
The King made these
decisions even though Jordan shares a vulnerable border with
Iraq and many of his countrymen support Saddam Hussein.
Now
the Jordanian monarch faces the loss of financial assistance
from Saudi Arabia and others.
The very survival of his nation
is endangered.
It would be a tragedy to permit the further
destruction of Jordan.
Even if other intermediaries serve, a
a stable Jordan will be needed in the future.
A much better
alternative would be for King Hussein to be recognized in the
U.S., as he has been in other countries, as a key leader who, at
an early stage, might help bring about a peaceful settlement of
the gulf crisis - when and if it is understood that this is the
only alternative to war."
I A R N
sends second letter to Saddam Hussein
President Saddam Hussein
via Iraq U.S. Ambassador
Mohammed Almashat
1801 P Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel. 202 483 7500
3 October 1990
Dear Mr. President:
The possibility of avoiding war and encouraging necessary compromise
on the part of all parties would be enhanced if you allow us to organize a multinational humanitarian relief effort, properly supervised
by our radio amateurs from several different countries, for those in
need in Iraq.
Our Mid East Director (Sam Voron, VK2BVS, from Sydney, Australia) can
come to Baghdad and meet with your officials to set this program up if
you wish.
He is now in Amman, Jordan, as a guest of King Hussein,
working with World Vision, International Organization for Migration,
United Nations Disaster Relief Organization, and others with regard to
the refugees in the area.
We are a private, non government, non political, organization with a
good track record.
On this end, we are well connected with Senate
Majority Leader George Mitchell.
Please extend an invitation to Mr. Voron and let us assist in developing a viable alternative to war.
Sincerely,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E.
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N Manager
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
cc:
King Hussein of Jordan
Tel. 962 6 646844
FAX 962 6 627421
TELEX 21332 RYL PLC JO
Sam Voron, I A R N Mid East Director
Amman, Jordan
Tel. 660 100 Room 611
FAX 670 100 Room 611
As we go to press in this issue of Radioscan , I A R N Headquarters
remains in touch with Royal Palace in Jordan, most recently FAXing a
copy of President Carter's Time Magazine article (October 22, 1990,
page 43) to King Hussein on October 17, 1990 at 2330 UTC.
I A R N
AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS, DAVID LARSEN, KK4WW IN THE USSR
David Larsen, KK4WW, and XYL Gaynell have just returned from a two
week trip to the Soviet Union.
Here are two reports filed by AMTOR
from the new equipment installed at I A R N Soviet Headquarters in
Lvov, Ukraine, USSR:
IARN REPORT NUMBER ONE FROM LVOV. THIS IS KK4WW/UB5W. ARRIVED MOSCOW
ON SCHEDULE AT 4PM, SEPT. 28.
AFTER A TWO HOUR WAIT AT THE AIRPORT,
ALL BAGGAGE CLEARED CUSTOMS WITHOUT OPENING ANY BAGS AND WE WERE MET
AT THE AIRPORT BY VICTOR, UB5WE; YURI, UA4LCQ; VAL, UA4LM; AND
VLADIMIR, VICTOR'S FRIEND.
WITH THE BAGGAGE AND 6 PEOPLE IN A SMALL
CAR, WE WENT TO RADIO MAGAZINE AND HAD A TWO HOUR INTERVIEW WITH
ANATOLY GOROKHOSKY, EDITOR IN CHIEF.
THEN WE WENT TO VLADIMIR'S HOME
WHERE HIS WIFE, LUIDA, FIXED A WONDERFUL MEAL FOR ALL OF US. WE HAD A
SHORT TIME TO VISIT UZ3AWP WHERE I WAS ABLE TO OPERATE AS KK4WW/UA3A
AND MADE MY FIRST CONTACT WITH 15 WATTS FROM THE SOVIET UNION.
WE MET THE OPERATOR IGOR, RA3ALA AND STATION CHIEF GEORGE, UA3AKR WHO
IS ALSO MOSCOW'S CHIEF OF POLICE.
AFTER A 22 HOUR TRAIN RIDE, WE
ARRIVED IN LVOV AT 6 PM THE 29TH OF SEPT. AND WERE MET BY VLAD, U5WF,
HELEN RB5WA AND A DELEGATION OF LVOV AMATEURS. WE WENT IMMEDIATELY TO
VLAD'S STATION, U5WF, AND MADE 20 METER CONTACT WITH IARN HEADQUARTERS
ON SUNDAY.
HAS BEEN A WONDERFUL DAY.
NOW TESTING AMTOR. DE KK4WW/
UB5W.
IARN REPORT NUMBER TWO FROM LVOV.
HI FROM IARN GANG AT LVOV.
SUNDAY WAS GREAT OUR HOTEL IS VERY NICE AND VIEW IS GOOD, HOWEVER,
SOVIET SHORT WAVE JAMMING TOWERS ARE OUT FRONT ABOUT 100 METERS HIGH.
THEY HAVE NOT BEEN USED FOR SEVERAL YEARS.
WE DID SEE ANTENNA FARM
FOR RADIO MOSCOW FROM THE TRAIN ON SATURDAY - VERY IMPRESSIVE. SEPT.
29 WE TOURED LVOV ON FOOT WITH VICTOR AND JULIA. WALKED ABOUT 10 KM
AND WAS VERY GLAD TO ARRIVE AT 3 PM FOR DINNER AT OLGA'S HOME
(HELEN'S RB5WA MOTHER).
THE MEAL WAS WONDERFUL UKRAINIAN DISHES AND
WE ALL ATE TOO MUCH. HELEN STAYED HOME ALL DAY AND HELPED OLGA
PREPARE THE MEAL. CELEBRATING WITH US WAS OLGA, HELEN RB5WA, VICTOR
UB5WE, VLAD U5WF AND A HAM FRIEND OF VICTOR'S, ANATOLY RB5WV AND HIS
WIFE, NATASHA DESIATUKOV. ANATOLY WAS SO PLEASED THAT WE WERE ABLE TO
COME TO RUSSIA AND SAID THAT A YEAR AGO HE DID NOT BELIEVE SUCH A
DINNER WOULD TAKE PLACE WITH RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN FRIENDS
IN OUR HOMES.
AFTER DINNER WE WALKED TO VLAD'S HOME TO TEST AMTOR
STATION. DURING THE WALK I RECORDED A LONG TALK ABOUT AMERICAN/SOVIET
AMATEUR RADIO WITH VICTOR TRANSLATING FOR RB5WV.
THEY REALLY DON'T
KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO PURCHASE EQUIPMENT READY TO OPERATE AS WE DO.
ALL EQUIPMENT HERE IN RUSSIA HAS TO BE HOMEMADE AND IT IS BEAUTIFULLY
DONE. UPON ARRIVING AT VLAD'S, THE TNC WAS UNPACKED AND ALL
CONNECTIONSCHECKED BY VICTOR AND VLAD. I HAD WIRED ALL CABLES FOR
VICTOR'S IC735 BEFORE LEAVING HOME.WITH MUCH HELP FROM BOB DJ0XC AND
GLENN K1MAN, A SUCCESSFUL IARN REPORT NO. 1 WAS
SENT FROM THE SOVIET
STATION KK4WW/UB5W TO K1MAN.
THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE AFSK LEVEL
ADJUSTMENT ON THE TNC.
AS A FINAL TEST THE SOVIET HI-POWER LINEAR
WAS USED FOR THE LAST AMTOR TEST, WHICH WORKED JUST GREAT.
VICTOR HAS INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS THE FIRST SOVIET AMTOR CONNECT
WITH A US STATION AND THE ONLY DIGITAL AMATEUR AMTOR STATION IN
THE UKRAINE. THE IARN PEACE CORPS FIRST SOVIET TRIP HAS BEEN A
SUCCESS BEYOND OUR BEST EXPECTATIONS FOR THE FIRST THREE DAYS IN THE
SOVIET UNION.
MORE IN NEXT REPORT ABOUT OFFICIAL PRESENTATION OF COMPUTER TO UB5WE
AND HT TO UB5WA, AS WELL AS JOINT PROPOSALS AND COMPUTER WORKSHOPS.
DAVE AND VICTOR, KK4WW/UB5W AND UB5WE.
WORKSHOP ON IBM PC INTERFACING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
One of the main purposes of the trip was for David Larsen to give a
workshop on interfacing IBM PCs to the outside world.
This was
done at the technical institute in Lvov which is run by the Ministry
of Communications and is much like our continuing educations schools.
They had IBM clones,
set up his equipment
two of the engineers
these is a shift key
ATs and XTs, both Bulgarian and Russian.
David
with the Bulgarian computers with assistance from
at the institute and everything worked fine. On
and you can work in either Russian or English.
The Institute Scientific Director also attended the course along with
16 other people.
It went slow because Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, had
to translate everything.
The size of the class grew on the 2nd, 3d,
and 4th days as word got around that there would be Virginia Polytechnic Institute Certificates awarded at the end of the course. This
was probably the first time that any American University awarded continuing education units in the Soviet Union.
As the course got into more and more complex material, people got more
and more excited about the course.
Attending were radio engineers,
electronic engineers, physicists, chemists, all highly trained
soviets. It is interesting that these people don't like Russian chips
which apparently don't work well, or Russian computers.
David also
met the Institute Director and Scientific Director, who also attended
the course.
The size of class got bigger as word got around that Virginia
Polytechnic Certificates would be awarded for the course and also the
technical value of the course itself.
This was perhaps the first
time that any continuing education credits from an American
engineering school were given out in the Soviet Union.
On Friday, October 5, 1990 the students presented David and Gaynell
with a beautifully hand painted wooden tray and teapot after
completion of the workshop.
This represented wonderful artcraft of
the Western Ukraine.
The Soviets are very big on ceremonial things
and David and Gaynell enjoyed it thoroughly.
On Saturday, October 6, 1990 there were graduation ceremonies for the
workshop students where certificates were individually presented complete with handshake and congratulations.
Then there was a two hour
question and answer session.
There were lots of well wishes and
invitations to come back.
There many questions about the electronics
industry, computers, what's available, prices, etc.
They really have
no western technical information with little flow of magazines and
technical books into the Soviet Union, the problems being lack of hard
currency and a past history of isolation which is now changing.
David brought about 25 technical books on computers and communications
as part of the next workshop in a year or so, all to be shared by
interested parties in Lvov in the meantime.
I A R N
MEETINGS AND ACTIVITIES
The second week was busy with meetings and discussion of various
proposals.
The Soviets are anticipating the coming of a free market
economy but have no idea about writing business plans, projecting
sales, how to plan production for "just in time manufacturing" as we
do it here in the United States, etc.
They are very bright and
astute technically but simply lack experience in western ways of doing
things economically and to make a profit.
One important meeting was with Genedy Sudargen who represents a
variety of interests including the SAURUS Fund, the Soviet American
Cultural Initiative Program.
An agreement between them and Virginia
Tech was written and signed to provide more technical training of the
type we had already provided plus other areas of technology.
The
agreement also provided provision for two way loans of equipment plus
bringing technical people to the United Stated for the purpose of
teaching or learning.
A second agreement was signed with the Lvov Technical Institute after
a meeting with their top people including the Director of Scientific
Education and Director of Research.
They agreed to train Soviet students in English for this purpose and
our side would do the same sort of thing.
This program is ideal for
someone who wants to get in on the ground floor of the future of new
economic relations between our two super powers.
Right now, there
are virtually no experts in this area.
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Wednesday night of the first week, David and Gaynell went to a ham
meeting in Lvov and showed some slides and spoke about amateur work in the
United States.
There were lots of questions that David was able
to answer.
The installation and testing of the new Soviet I A R N AMTOR station
and IBM XT computer was a big success.
The connect with K1MAN was
the first AMTOR connect ever between the Soviet Union and the U.S.
and UB5WE is now the first full mode digital communications station
in all of the Soviet Union.
David operated a total of about 20 hours and made 800 to 1000
contacts.
Two nights he operated until 3 A.M.
One night the
conditions were real good and three QRP stations in the U.S. on SSB
using less than three Watts.
KK4WW/UB5 was the first such license
fully authorized by the Ministry of Communications for the Ukraine
and perhaps the first American ever to operate from Lvov.
When
David arrived home, he already had over 100 QSL cards waiting.
RETURN TO MOSCOW
A whole group of hams saw David and Gaynell off at the train station
in Lvov and this was a very emotional affair.
Gaynell was presented
with flowers, showing the class and style of our wonderful hosts.
The 22 hour ride back to Moscow gave plenty of time for discussions
with Victor.
Victor also wrote letters and dictated a personal tape
for each person in the U.S. who contributed or supported this project.
For example, a personal tape to Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell
who wrote a letter of support to Victor which was hand carried to the
Soviet Union by Davis Larsen.
David and Gaynell stayed two nights with Vladimir Stolmov in Moscow
and enjoyed Russian food as compared to Ukrainian dishes in Lvov. They
went to Moscow flee markets (art fairs) sightseeing, etc.
More time
was spent with George, UA3AKR, an I A R N Member and also a Police
Chief in Moscow.
George was presented with an MFJ terminal node
controller donated by Satellite City with assistance from John
Douglas, N0ISL of Control Data Corporation.
They met George's police
dog who was very friendly, but David got the impression that if the
dog were commanded to tear your leg off, it would probably take about
three seconds to do so.
George was pleased with the TNC, and at one
point gave David his Chief of Police hat.
How many of you have that
kind of "QSL" card?
A PK-88 terminal node controller was presented for use by Ulyanovsk
I A R N Chapter President Yuri Katyutin, UA4LCQ.
Also slated for
Ulyanovsk I A R N will be one of the seven IBM PC clones recently
donated to Soviet I A R N with Soviet I A R N Director Victor
Goncharsky, UB5WE, to make all final decisions on where each computer
will go.
Moscow was quite cold, about 35 degrees F.
Saturday, their last
night, was spent with Vladimir Stolmov, where they celebrated and had
a nice Russian meal prepared by his wife Yuda.
David and Gaynell flew home on Sunday, October 14, 1990 without a
hitch.
WHAT IS NEXT?
We plan to follow up on this project with more of the same.
We are
looking for more donations of equipment of all types.
I A R N is
now building a repeater for Lvov similar to the one we built for
Yerevan.
David Larsen, KK4WW made this final comment in his report for Radioscan:
"I fully feel that the amateur radio fraternity, and I A R N in
particular, can have an influence world wide in bringing our countries
and cultures into harmony much quicker than if we did nothing.
In
fact, we can be very instrumental, because we are working at highest
levels in both governments, and with this kind of communication, both
verbal, radio, digital, and personal friendship, we can move our
countries together faster than anything else that could be done. This
is something ham radio operators can do and is a very significant
achievement in terms of world cooperation and world peace.
Any
donations we receive to advance this goal will be put to good use.
In the Soviet Union, equipment is not available, parts are not available, crystals are not available, band switches are not available,
things that we take for granted here.
We can do so much to help out
in this situation."
You can contact David Larsen, KK4WW at the following address:
1970 Palmer Street, Christiansburg, Virginia 24068-2490
Tel. 703 382 4458
FAX 703 231 3255
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
JUNE - AUGUST 1990
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN:
Getting ready for the next "Big One."
At
I A R N
we have no drills.
We simply go from one international communications emergency to the next.
Last years Hurricane Hugo was the most challenging emergency
yet, involving 17 different islands, and traffic pouring in via SSB,
FAX, computer BBS, AMTOR, Packet, TELEX, MCI Mail, Express Mail, and
even hand carried.
Now, at I A R N headquarters, we have three IBM
compatible computers "whirring" at all times, waiting for the emergency "alarm" to go off.
Because of the magnitude of our Hugo operation, our entire traffic system has been reorganized for much more
efficient handling and better tracking of health and welfare messages.
The different modes above are thoroughly integrated now, and our Net
Control Stations will be automatically kept up to the minute on the
status of all traffic and all aspects of network activation.
This
information is all stored on the NCS-INFO and REPLIES files on the
telephone BBS and also available by h.f. AMTOR or even Express Mail
for NCS stations not using a computer.
Once the files are obtained,
they can be kept up to date by each NCS manually or on their computer.
If they fall behind, the up to the second status can be
downloaded from our telephone BBS or we will transfer it anywhere in
the world via h.f AMTOR.
Well the "emergency alarm" went off at 8:25 A.M. EDT on Thursday, May
30, 1990 with a telephone call from R A I N Executive Director Hap
Holly, KC9RP. He reported an earthquake near Bucharest, Rumania that
was as high as 7.5 on the Richter and felt as far away as Moscow.
Worse yet, it might be as bad as the December, 1988 Armenian earthquake killing thousands.
I can't tell you the scare this puts into
the I A R N Network Manager as Mode 2 Activation is implemented.
The phone rings off the hook with calls from the media.
Here are
the I A R N activation modes:
Mode 1
Full activation, continuous traffic,
continuous NCS duty, I A R N broadcast
on 14.265, 3.975, and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 2
Semi activation, intermittent traffic,
continuous NCS duty, I A R N broadcast
on 14.265, 3.975, and 28,475 MHz.
Mode 3
Full alert, continuous monitoring, I A R N
broadcast on 14.275, 3.975, and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 4
Semi alert, general monitoring, I A R N
broadcast on 14.275, 3.975 and 28.475 MHz.
Mode 5
No organized monitoring, I A R N broadcast
on 14.275, 3.975, and 28.478 MHz.
We compiled and shared
Radio Station WEEI and
D.C. Associated Press
The Net on 14.275 MHz.
6Y5GR; and Sam, VK2BVS
information with Gary Beausoleil of Boston
Jack Sheehan of Associated Press In Washington,
kept our FAX machine going with latest reports.
was active world wide with Tex, N5TX; Ashley,
assisting with net control duties.
The first
report from Bucharest came through Deane, N0HSR, who had just received
a pre arranged telephone call at 1357 UTC call from a group of bicyclists
there.
Then, at 1359 UTC, we contacted RW3AH, the I A R N Chapter
President in Moscow, this being relayed through Sydney
Australia by VK2BVS.
There were many check ins including BV2FA from
Taiwan and HL9KL from Korea. Also, DJ0XC from Germany, UB5WE, Victor,
I A R N Soviet Director; RO4OA, Mike and RO5OC, Slava, in Boldavia,
near the Rumanian boarder; and Milen, The I A R N chapter President
in Bulgaria.
Meanwhile, we contacted Adrian, YO3APJ, the I A R N
Rumanian Director through Val, UV3GM in Moscow.
Health and welfare
traffic from USA West Coast I A R N came in by FAX from N6TAF.
YO3APJ advised that he was working with Red Cross and that no foreign
rescue or radio Jump teams would be needed.
Willy, DJ3EB, I A R N
German Jump Team Leader, had already been put on alert by International Red Cross and was ready to move out.
The net was down graded to Mode 4 at 2100 UTC.
So what did we learn?
Well, we were ready!
We were also glad we were not needed to any
great extent.
But we were ready!
All this work, a labor of love
for the past five years, is really paying off.
We have got to be
better and better prepared.
You can do your part.
Join I A R N.
Read up on our simple procedures.
Monitor 14.275 MHz. every day.
Get your computer telephone modem working.
Call our BBS at 207
495 2490 and do a practice download and upload.
The settings are
1200, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit, flow control off.
Get your
AMTOR mode working.
Sign up with MCI so you can send traffic, mail,
TELEX and even FAXES from your computer terminal.
Their number for
information is 1-800-444-6245.
And finally, subscribe to Radioscan.
Participate is our international two way people to people dialog.
Write to me at I A R N,
1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
Tel. 207 495 2215
FAX 207 495 2069 BBS 207 495 2490 TELEX 697 6213 IARN MCI Mail
address: K1MAN Packet address: K1MAN at WA1IIE. See you next month.
EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN :
At 7:15 AM on June 21, 1990, Radio Station WEEI in Boston called
I A R N headquarters and asked about the terrible earthquake measured
by the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center
in Golden, Colorado at a devestating 7,r on the Richter scale.
The
Richter scale is a guage of the energy released by an earthquake, as
measured by the ground motion on a seismograph.
Each 0.1 on the
scale is ten time stronger.
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7 is
capable of widespread, heavy damage, while an earthquake measuring 8
is capable of tremendous damage.
We then talked with Associated
Press in Washgington, D.C. and they FAXED ud their latest report. At
7:45 AM EDT (1145 UTC) we activated the world wide net on 14.275 MHz.
The I A R N Director in Australia, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, immediately
suggested 4 to 8 radio jump team volunteers from Australia, the USSR,
Germany, and the United States.
We put the net into mode 2 (see
above) and net control stations were N4XFX, Chris; K1MAN, Glenn;
VK2BVS, Sam; WD0EGM, Dick; KA1GJJ, Kathy; DJ0XC, Bob; and ; WG9F, Stacey.
On frequency and in high gear in Moscow was Andy Fererov,
RW3AH who is the IARN Moscow coordinator as well as Moscow coordinator
for the new Soviet Amateur Radio Service, now under Rad Cross.
Andy
worked all day at Red Cross Headquarters answereing the phone and
preparing official papers for government approval for this emergency
activation.
This included visas for the large team being assempled
and a new emergency repeater donated by the Alaskan Amateur Radio
Club.
The Soviet Amateur Radio Emergency Service was also active on their
frequency of 14.290 MHz. and 7.070 MHz.
DJ0XC coordinated much of
this on 14.275 MHz. with his beam on Moscow and the U.S. not hearing
or bothering him.
The United Nations station 4U1UN in New York City checked into the net and
then began to consult with I A R N headquarters though many telephone
calls and several FAXES requested from I A R N.
The offer of I A R N
was presented directly to Iranian representatives in New
York and through the very highest diplomatic channels in Washington.
Manager of 4U1UN is Dave Rosen, W2GM.
By Friday afternoon, June 22, 1990, the Soviets were on their way to
Yerevan to pick up a ten man rescue team and taking with them from
Moscow:
Three amateur radio operators includine one parachutist
Their own ten man rescue group
A two member dog team
A six member team of medical doctors
Next stop Terhan.
Meanwhile the I A R N German jump team was put on
pre alert by German Red Cross and plans, as we go to press are for
five or six operators to be deployed.
Also on pre alert, as we go to
press are three radio operators from the United States and two from
Australia.
The delicate negotiations at the highest diplomatic
levels go on and I say that we are simply radio amateurs who want to
help with no political leanings at all.
This is in the finast spirit
and tradition of amateur radio.
More next month.
EARTHQUAKE IN IRAN, PART II:
To finish up our report on our work during the terrible earthquake in
Iran, the final numbers are frightening and support our theme of just
trying to help others through amateur radio regardless of politics.
There were 70,000 officially dead, (100,000 feared); between 100,000
and 120,000 seriously injured; 150 villages 70% destroyed; and dozens
of villages 95 % destroyed.
All of our jump team radio operators
are safely back home as well as all outside rescue teams (including
our 10 man rescue squad from Yerevan, capital of Soviet Armenia).
The radio amateur assigned to this rescue squad was Ruben, UG6GDR/EP.
He was using a 10 Watt transceiver which gave us pretty reliable communications.
Also in the earthquake zone in northern Iran was Gene,
UZ3AU/EP along with Alex, UV3DHH and and Andy, UA6XGL. from our Moscow
Chapter.
They supported various Soviet Red Cross relief activities.
In Teheran, we talked regularly with Hassan, EP2HZ, and David, EP2DL.
Our offer to send an AMTOR station and operator Louis, G4OJW, from
London, to attach to Iranian Red Cross (called Helna Achma in Iran),
was not taken advantage of.
Nor was our offer from a consortium of
German drug companies for massive donations of needed medical supplies
requested through official channels by the Iranian Government.
The
German, U.S., and Australian radio jump teams were ready but never
allowed to deploy to the affected area.
From the United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, some
relief supply aircraft were diverted from landing in the earthquake
zone and asked to unload in Teheran and promptly return home, taking
U.S. rescue and medical personnel with them.
I A R N Belgium
Director Josef Timmermans, ON7KC, helped coordinate two C-130 aircraft with medical supplies from Melbrook, Belgium for arrival in Iran
the evening of June 23, 1990.
Josef, ON7KC, is our quiet but persistent I A R N Director in tiny Belgium; always good for two or
more relief planes in each and every disaster I have ever heard of.
They should get a Nobel Peace Prize and I can tell you that Josef and
his I A R N organization are a model of the highest form of world
citizenship.
My point is that we should all take note of the possibilities made
possible to us through amateur radio.
We feel that is our fellow
world citizens in Iran didn't take full advantage of all offers of
humanitarian assistance, well maybe next time.
A journey of a
thousand miles begins with the first step.
We have taken that step
and then some.
Let's keep going.
Radioscan is solidly behind, even
founded on, this people to people concept.
Let is keep our tiny
candle glowing that can surely light the world.
Net control duties for the duration of our deployment operations were
primarily handled by Sam, VK2BVS; Astley, 6Y5GR; Bill, N0DCP; Bob,
DJ0XC; Andy, RW3AH (I A R N Moscow coordinator); Yuri, UA4LCQ; Dan,
DA1DW; UZ3AYE, and our club station in Yerevan, RG8GWS.
Also filling
in at times, Glenn, K1MAN at I A R N World Headquarters.
It was a
busy operation with Bob, DJ0XC in Berlin and Andy, RW3AH taking as
much pressure as Glenn, K1MAN for a change with regard to management
duties.
Later, we will have reports from these dedicated amateurs
plus the heroic radio jump team operators.
EARTHQUAKE IN THE PHILIPPINES :
IARN activated for the earthquake centered 100 km north of Manila in
the Philippines.
The quake effected Baguio, Cabantanuan City, and
Dagupan City with the death toll well 1000 over people.
It was
reported that rescue workers worked to save hundreds of people trapped
by the earthquake but squads were hampered by lack of equipment and
the training to cope with the disaster.
The U.S. military joined the search for the survivors.
Japan also
sent aid and medical teams. Filipino reporters who visited areas of
major damage said there was little sign of a coordinated, comprehensive government rescue operation. Most rescuers were private citizens
organized by local civic groups and lacked training to deal with the
emergency. Reporters also said rescuers lacked heavy equipment such
as cranes to lift debris.
In the mountain resort town of Baguio, Rep Raul Roco, assistant House
majority leader, stood helpless in front of the Nevada Hotel after
shouting to his wife who was trapped inside.
Frustrated, Roco urged
cadets of the Philippines Military Academy to help him rescue his wife.
"Sir, we want to help you but what can we do? How can we with our
bare hands?" a cadet responded.
The Office of Civil Defense and the Red Cross reported that hundreds
were killed in Monday's earthquake, hundreds injured and thousands
left homeless.
The quake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale and was
centered 60 miles north of the capital Manila.
The military said
it was unable to bring cranes, tractors and other heavy equipment to
Baguio because of landslides triggered by the earthquake.
The
landslides also trapped hundreds of people in passenger busses, trucks
and private cars.
Food and fuel supplies in the Baguio were reportedly running low. Col.
Bienvevido Liclican, spokesman for the military rescue team, said the
search for survivors had to be suspended at night because there was no
electricity to power the searchlights.
He appealed over Manila radio
stations for tools, blood plasma, medicine and doctors to care for the
injured.
Manila radio and television stations appealed to listeners
to contribute to a fund for the victims of the quake.
IARN ACTIVATES ON 14.275 MHZ.:
The earthquake hit at 0707 UTC on Monday, July 16, 1990 and IARN
was activated on 14.275 MHz. by VK6PY at 1600 UTC.
United Nations
station 4U1UN in New York activated at 1700 UTC and designated Hong
Cong IARN Chapter member Graham, VS6VO, to act as a Net Control
Station on 14.190 MHz. IARN Australia, Sam Voron, VK2BVS Director
activated IARN Sydney club station VK2DTN, that's VK2 disaster traffic
network on 14.275 and also worked closely with the United Nations on
14.190.
IARN Australia sent a request to President Aquino for a 3d
party traffic agreement and also offered to deploy IARN jump team
operators.
The third party traffic request was granted at 2200 UTC
on Tuesday, July 17, 1990.
IARN Philippine Director DU4EW checked
into the net and it was reported that four radio amateur jump
operators and a technical engineer were assembled 500 kilometers south
of the disaster zone and could not move out because of lack of transportation.
All roads were closed and a key five span bridge was out
in addition to the airport, leaving only helicopter transportation.
We did have radio contact with hams already in the earthquake zone,
Bill, W0IHG/DU and also DU2AWE.
A list of needed supplies passed
back to IARN includes blood, water purification equipment, anesthesia
equipment and gas, IV equipment and fluids, food, and plasma.
IARN
West Coast Director Frank Collins, N6TAF, activated at 2200 UTC and
was placed in charge of US operations by the IARN Network Manager,
K1MAN, with VK2BVS placed in charge of all foreign I A R N operations.
IARN Headquarters station came on the air at 0745 UTC on
July 17, 1990 in mode 2 with the broadcast moved to 14.270 MHz.
The
next two broadcasts were canceled with IARN going into mode 1 at 0859
UTC. The net handled emergency, priority and health and welfare
massages through Friday, July 20, 1990 and changed to mode 4 on
Saturday, July 21, 1990 at 1300 UTC.
The most notable traffic
handled was from British RAYNET through IARN Plymouth Chapter
President John, G4SCA.
IARN didn't bother with requesting direct third between the United
States and the Philippines since we had a third party traffic routing
through Australia.
IARN DEPLOYMENT TO EARTHQUAKE ZONE:
On July 23, 1990, Australian IARN volunteer Jennifer Abella arrived
at Manila in the Philippines and was met by Tom, DU1TH, President of
the Philippine Amateur Radio Association.
She then was transported
to Baguio.
Her assignment is to assist radio operators in the
affected area and also report directly back to IARN her assessment and
recommendations for further International Amateur Radio Network
assistance.
As we go to press with this special report, we are still
actively handling health and welfare traffic for understandably
worried relatives.
The situation in the earthquake zone is quite
bad and recovery will take quite some time.
More next month.
*
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*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
On another front, IARN Soviet Director Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE has
announced an IARN emergency communications conference to held in the
Soviet Union in conjunction with the Amateur Radio Peace Corps Deployment
of David, KK4WW, and wife Gaynell to that country in late
September, 1990.
IARN will soon be deploying a high school freshman as an IARN Amateur
Radio Peace Corps volunteer for one year.
More about this on a later
broadcast.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - DECEMBER, 1990
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN
IARN went into Mode 4 Alert for possible earthquake activity in the
United States Midwest area during the period between December 1 and
December 10, 1990.
As we go to press, nothing unusual in earthquakes
during the month of December.
We continue to work on emergency communications readiness at IARN headquarters, with improvements in the
new computerized emergency traffic system.
The seventeen islands
served last year by IARN during and after hurricane Hugo really put
our network to the most severe test, and the improved traffic system
will help all Net Control Operators during another communications
emergency as big as that caused by Hugo.
We are doing a complete
rewrite of the IARN Emergency Communications Handbook as well as a
mew edition of the popular training tapes.
Both are available free
from IARN by sending a self addressed envelope with enough return
postage for 5 ounces for the handbook and four ounces for the training
tapes.
Those wanting training tapes should send two blank C-90
cassettes along with your request.
Write to IARN, Belgrade Lakes,
Maine 04918.
For membership in IARN send a self addressed envelope
with enough return postage for two ounces.
During an emergency, we use coded messages to save time.
The most
popular health and welfare messages are ARRL 1 and ARRL 19 listed
below as A1 and A19.
Make a copy of these emergency messages and
post at the operating position of your shack.
The list is also in
the NCS-INFO file on the IARN telephone BBS at 207 495 2490.
IARN MESSAGE NUMBERS
I1
I2
I3
I4
I5
I6
I7
I8
I9
I10
I11
(IARN 1) NO DAMAGE
SLIGHT DAMAGE
MODERATE DAMAGE
HEAVY DAMAGE
TOTAL DESTRUCTION
NO ELECTRICITY
NO WATER
NO FOOD
PLEASE SEND_______________________
ROOF DAMAGED
ROOF GONE
ARRL MESSAGE NUMBERS
A1
A2
A3
(ARRL 1) EVERYONE SAFE HERE. PLEASE DON'T WORRY.
COMING HOME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
AM IN ________________ HOSPITAL. RECEIVING EXCELLENT CARS AND
A4
A5
A6
A7
A8
A9
A10
A11
A12
A13
A14
A15
A16
A17
A18
A19
A20
A21
A22
A23
A24
A25
A26
A53
A64
A65
RECOVERING FINE.
ONLY SLIGHT PROPERTY DAMAGE HERE. DO NOT BE CONCERNED ABOUT
DISASTER REPORTS.
AM MOVING TO NEW LOCATION. SEND NO FURTHER MAIL OR COMMUNICATION.
WILL SEND YOU NEW ADDRESS WHEN RELOCATED.
WILL CONTACT YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PLEASE REPLY BY AMATEUR RADIO THROUGH THE AMATEUR DELIVERING THIS
MESSAGE.
THIS IS A FREE PUBLIC SERVICE.
NEED ADDITIONAL_________________MOBILE OR PORTABLE EQUIPMENT FOR
IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY USE.
ADDITIONAL_______________RADIO OPERATORS NEEDED TO ASSIST WITH
EMERGENCY AT THIS LOCATION.
PLEASE CONTACT__________________.
ADVISE TO STANDBY AND PROVIDE
FURTHER EMERGENCY INFORMATION, INSTRUCTIONS OR ASSISTANCE.
ESTABLISH AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS WITH ____________
ON ___________MHZ.
ANXIOUS TO HEAR FROM YOU.
NO WORD IN SOME TIME.
PLEASE CONTACT
ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY SITUATION EXISTS HERE.
SITUATION HERE BECOMING CRITICAL.
LOSSES AND DAMAGE FROM _______
INCREASING.
PLEASE ADVISE YOUR CONDITION AND WHAT HELP IS NEEDED.
PROPERTY DAMAGE VERY SEVERE IN THIS AREA.
"REACT" COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE. ESTABLISH "REACT"
COMMUNICATIONS WITH _____________ ON CHANNEL___________.
PLEASE CONTACT ME AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT_________________________.
REQUEST HEALTH AND WELFARE REPORT ON__________. (STATE NAME,
ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER.)
TEMPORARILY STRANDED. WILL NEED SOME ASSISTANCE.
PLEASE CONTACT
ME AT _____________________.
SEARCH AND RESCUE ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED BY LOCAL AUTHORITIES HERE.
ADVICE AVAILABILITY.
NEED ACCURATE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT AND TYPE OF CONDITIONS
NOW EXISTING AT YOUR LOCATION.
PLEASE FURNISH THIS INFORMATION
AND REPLY WITHOUT DELAY.
REPORT AT ONCE THE ACCESSIBILITY AND BEST WAY TO REACH YOUR
LOCATION.
EVACUATION OF RESIDENTS FROM THIS AREA URGENTLY NEEDED. ADVISE
PLANS FOR HELP.
FURNISH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT YOUR
LOCATION.
HELP AND CARE FOR EVACUATION OF SICK AND INJURED FROM THIS
LOCATION NEEDED AT ONCE.
RECEIVED YOUR _____________.
IT'S APPRECIATED; MANY THANKS.
ARRIVED SAFELY AT _______________.
ARRIVING __________ON_________.
PLEASE ARRANGE TO MEET ME THERE.
I A R N
AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 0745, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, and 0100 UTC.
Also high fidelity AM transmissions every Sun-
day evening on 3.890 MHz at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
You are
welcome to submit your announcements, editorials, etc. for airing, or
call Headquarters for interviewing on issues and material of interest
to the amateur community.
WEST COAST IARN DIRECTOR, FRANK COLLINS, N6TAF
I will be giving a forum at the 1991 Dayton Hamvention about the
Veterans Administration Hospitals program in amateur radio.
Come
hear about this at the IARN Forum, Friday, April 27, 1991 at 1 P.M. in
room 7.
IARN ASSISTING QUADRIPLEGIC ED STEFANIK, WA1CYK
Jean Stefanik, brother of Ed, WA1CYK, went on the IARN Amateur
Information Bulletin Service during the week of December 8, 1990 and
explained to everyone how quadriplegic Ed plans to get back on the
air after being off for almost nine years.
Now, computer technology
will make this possible.
Ed can only move his chin up and down.
He
will be fitted with a chin strap which will input CW into a Toshiba
computer with a DEC talk speech synthesizer.
So far we have the
chin strap, the computer, and the speak and write software.
Still
needed, as we go to press, is a Hewlett Packard Desk Jet Printer, the
Quick and Easy wheelchair mounting system, and the DEC Talk Speech
synthesizer itself.
Anyone who can help with these bits and pieces
can call Jean Stefanik at 603 647 1063.
Ed was a freshman at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on a full Navy
scholarship when struck by multiple sclerosis.
Later he went back to
school and got an Associate Degree from Holyoke Community College.
He then worked for Digital Equipment Corporation, even after he lost
use of his hands.
He was still able to supervise others and solve
difficult technical problems.
IARN congratulates Ed for having the
courage to press on and we look forward to him being back on amateur
radio.
FROM THE ASSISTANT NETWORK MANAGER, SAM VORON, VK2BVS
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK IN JORDAN, ISRAEL & BANGLADESH
The Mission:
The International Amateur Radio Network contributes to the
humanitarian search for peace and goodwill in the Mideast.
Not just
on air or in theory, but in practice, by going to the scene in the non
political, non religious amateur radio humanitarian spirit.
In this
spirit, with our minds being open to all sides to further the development of solutions to this real life situation we devoted our
efforts.
King Hussein of Jordan is a fellow radio amateur with the call sign
JY1.
He was the lone voice in the world media when everything else
heard in August, 1990 pointed to the coming imminent and terrible
world war.
The IARN wrote to King Hussein.
We recognized him as a
long time radio amateur and statesman who was trying to find peace
almost singlehandedly.
Normally, radio amateurs avoid manmade disasters.
But if World War
III is coming, shouldn't all of us strive for peace, even five minutes
before war breaks out?
So it was that IARN decided to drop the long
standing unwritten law which said: "Help if the disaster is naturally
caused by earthquake, hurricane, or cyclone, but stand back and do
nothing if the disaster is man made. As we stood before the dawn of
a possible world wide catastrophe, we realized that whether a disaster
is manmade or natural, the result is the same: people need help.
So is was that Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Australian Director of the International Amateur Radio Network was sent to Jordan at the request of
King Hussein to represent the IARN Amateur Radio Peace Corps Mideast
initiative.
Our mission was to provide any assistance possible.
Amateur radio volunteers in the Soviet Union, Germany, the United
States, and Australia stood by to deploy if needed.
The Ugandan pilots and the high school son of the Chief pilot who was
on holiday, all became quite fascinated with amateur radio and this
IARN operation.
In Jordan, Sam was introduced to members of the
Baghdad Radio Club on 14 MHz. by Mohammed, Belbisi, JY4MB, Secretary
of the Royal Jordanian Amateur Radio Society at the Amman Radio Club
Station.
From Australia, Sam had no idea that Iraqi radio amateurs
were on the air.
Contacts were also made directly with IARN Headquarters and the IARN Directors in Germany, the Soviet Union, and
India.
Sam also monitored and reported on short wave broadcasts
from Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, the United States, England, and Australia.
Frequent contact and consultations were also maintained with IARN
Headquarters by telephone and FAX.
Interviews with updates on the
current situation were taped by telephone and carried by the worldwide IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service.
In Jordan, Sam felt very relaxed as a guest of the Royal Palace.
is more accustomed to a sleeping bag in the park with a holiday
environment.
Sam
After three weeks of discussions with the Royal Palace and work with
World Vision and International Organization for Migration officials in
Amman Jordan, Sam traveled to the Jordanian - Israeli border carrying
the Amateur Radio Peace Corps proposal worked out with Royal Palace
officials.
See Radioscan for November, 1990, page 51. This proposal
was conveyed to top Israeli officials.
Sam felt some anxiety as he approached the Israeli border which was
strained because he was born in Israel and had left for Australia with
his parents when he was six years old.
He was driven by Royal Palace
officials to the only border crossing between Jordan and Israel and
walked across the bridge with machine guns with machine guns pointing
at the opposite side from each end.
Israel and Jordan have no mail
or telephone links or diplomatic relations whatsoever.
At this
time, Sam Voron, Australian IARN Director, and Assistant IARN Manager
was the only meaningful link between the two troubled countries which
are technically at war.
The welcome and inspection of his passport
at the Israeli - Jordan checkpoint brought his to ease.
The streets
were filled with Israeli holiday makers everywhere enjoying the
summer as if nothing were wrong.
Sam stayed for three days in the home of IARN Israel Director Felix
Dviravner, 4Z4OX who operates every day 1300 UTC on 14.307 MHz. on the
Australia - Israel Traffic Network.
It was a great pleasure to see
him face to face and meet his family half way across the world:
Sam then traveled back to Jordan where more ideas to the Mideast conflict were developed.
After one week of further meetings with
various officials Sam flew to Bangladesh to confer with the IARN
Director there Taimur Rahman.
The IARN Chapter in Dhaka has over 60
members, and we have been working with government officials there to
establish amateur radio which presently does not exist.
During his six week stay in Bangladesh, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, representing IARN International, negotiated and signed an agreement with IARN
Bangladesh and The Hunger Project - Bangladesh, which aimed to make
the future realization of amateur radio relevant to the poor and
chronically hungry people of the sixth poorest country in the world.
In Bangladesh, a country of 123 million people, Sam was the only
foreigner on the street.
Everyone seemed to want him to come to
there home or go to their village and to give him free accommodations.
On the street, people wanted to talk to him and he was very much
impressed by their friendliness and gentleness.
Most days were spent
at the Hunger Project office with people from all walks of life.
Sam made an amateur radio demonstration to the legal advisor of
Bangladesh telephone and telegraph who promised to do all he can to
help legalize amateur radio in that country.
Having returned to Australia, now completely out of funds, Sam said:
"Who cares about money if you have a chance to do something
positive in this world which is more meaningful than perhaps
one has ever done before.
I would it again.
Anyone,
anywhere in this world who needs our help, I am at your
service."
Hams can be found on the International Amateur Radio Network for the
Pacific and Asia at 0830 UTC, 14.275 MHz. plus or minus 15 KHz.
Anyone who would like to share the experience of working with the
friendly, gentle, poor, and hungry people of Bangladesh are invited to
contact IARN for volunteer assignments to that country.
Sam can be
reached at: 2 Griffith Avenue, East Roseville, Australia 2069 TEL.
011 612 417 1066.
IARN AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS LANGUAGE PROJECT, JOHN DOUGLAS, N0ISL
John Douglas is a computer engineer at Control Data Corporation in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet President,
made a visit to Control Data during his last trip to the United
States.
At the request of IARN Amateur Radio Peace Corps Director
David Larsen, KK4WW, Control Data donated five IBM compatible
computers for use by Soviet IARN Chapters.
Douglas made it all
happen by writing one simple memo to upper management at Control Data.
Now John has begun the Peace Corps Language Project.
He is developing a series of tapes to teach amateur radio dialog in English for
Soviet hams and amateur radio dialog in Russian for English speaking
hams.
IARN Soviet Director Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, has suggested
that we expand the project to more than just amateur radio dialog.
This will be done as well as expanding the language project into other
languages.
John wants help with this project and anyone interested
should contact him at 612 441 1522 (home) or 612 482 6668 (work). His
address is 19164 - 147th Street NW, Elk River, Minnesota 55330 USA.
NEW IARN VIDEO SERVICE, DICK DESROSIERS, W1KGZ
When the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA), hosts of the Big
Dayton Hamvention, announced that they would be flying in big name
speakers for their monthly radio club meetings, I got the idea of
starting the IARN Video Service.
VHS video tapes of these talks are
available for your local radio club meetings by simply sending me a
blank VHS cassette and return postage.
Ask for the Dayton Series.
Other video tapes available on the same basis are:
The IARN Story
The New World of Amateur Radio
What Every ham Should Know About Repeaters
New England Hamfests and Conventions of Yesteryear
We are also looking for your video material to add to the IARN
library.
Take your camcorder to the next amateur radio function in
your local area.
We can also sign you up as an official IARN
reporter complete with PRESS CARD and a training tape.
Contact us
for details.
Contact me at 173 Maplehurst Avenue, Manchester, New Hampshire
Telephone 603 668 6868
03104
TEN METER NET FOR MILITARY DEPLOYED, RALPH MYRA, N1FJL
Ralph was a volunteer at IARN Headquarters last year during the busy
activation for hurricane Hugo.
Now, he has formed a net on ten
meters for naval military deployed personnel.
This net operates
every day on 28.380 MHz. beginning at 1200 UTC.
The purpose of the
net is to build morale and pass traffic back and forth from the
states.
"Shore stations like mine are bogged down with traffic.
That's not enough to handle communications that is needed
for our deployed personnel."
Ralph could use help of any amateurs who are interested, particularly
those with phone patch capability.
Ralph can be contacted at 207
445 2021.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - NOVEMBER, 1990
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN
BACK TO NORMAL ON TWENTY METERS
The recent enforcement actions by the FCC Field Operations Bureau seem
to have had a calming effect on twenty meters, and things now seem to
be more or less back to normal.
As you can easily see from Bob
Sherin, W4ASX's interview with FCC Special Services Chief Robert H.
McNamara (below), the Commission seems quite calm, cool, and collected
in the aftermath of much controversy. As we look at the Commission
under a microscope, we discover that they are just people, like us!
We find, however, that we are rubbing shoulders for the first time
with the very highest levels of professionals at the Commission.
However, they don't have all the answers, and are quick to admit this
fact.
Also, like us, they have their own politics and
inconsistencies.
Nobody is perfect.
The breakthrough here is that we can converse and work with the FCC
as never before.
The behind closed doors myth has been totally
shattered.
The system is quite workable.
To be represented at the
Commission, we do not have to rely on ARRL or anyone else.
We can
represent ourselves!
We can solve our own tough problems, and the
Commission seems willing and able to listen, and talk, and let us all
wrestle with the important issues together.
I A R N is developing
quite an expertise in FCC matters, and we are happy to share our experience with you as may be needed.
Call or write I A R N Headquarters any time.
EMERGENCY LOAD LIGHT AT I A R N
HEADQUARTERS
We managed to squeak through hurricane season this year with no repeat
of hurricane Hugo or Gilbert.
Either of those would have been hard
acts to follow and unlikely, but we were fully expecting trouble
nevertheless.
And no major earthquakes either, so we have been
enjoying a little breather and concentrating more on Amateur Radio
Peace Corps long term projects as well as other important things such
as a complete rewrite of the I A R N Emergency Communications Handbook.
To get your copy, send a nine by twelve inch envelope with
enough return postage for six ounces to: I A R N, Belgrade Lakes,
Maine U.S.A. 04918.
Our telephone number is 207 495 2215.
The
FAX is 207 495 2069.
The computer BBS number is 207 495 2490.
I A R N
AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 0845, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, and 0100 UTC.
Also high fidelity AM transmissions every Sunday evening on 3.890 MHz at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
You are
welcome to submit your announcements, editorials, etc. for airing, or
call Headquarters for interviewing on issues and material of interest
to the amateur community.
INTERVIEW WITH FCC SPECIAL SERVICES CHIEF ROBERT H. MC NAMARA AND FCC
COUNSEL TOM FITSGIBBON BY BOB SHERIN, W4ASX
I had the pleasure of interviewing FCC Special Services Chief Robert
H. McNamara and FCC Counsel Tom Fitzgibbon on October 18, 1990 in
Washington, D.C.:
S. First, can you give me any scoops for our readers and bulletin
service listeners?
M. I understand that it looks like a third party agreement and reciprocal licensing agreement with the Soviet Union will be completed by
the end of the year, so we look forward to that.
S.
Where does that information come from?
M. A conversation with a staff member of the State Department this
morning.
That comes from conversations with their counterparts in
the Soviet Union.
S.
Is that the Ministry of Telecommunications?
M. Yes, I believe that is the correct title; I just happened to be
looking at one of your articles about (I A R N activation in) the
Armenian earthquake, and, by coincidence, had a conversation about
this today with the State Department.
We expected completion prior
to this time, but the the Soviet Union has many things occupying
itself right now, and the last we heard is that it will be complete by
the end of the year.
S. What can you talk about on ham radio?
apply?
Do First Amendment rights
M. Well that's a pretty broad question.
Certainly the First Amendment is the law of the land, but the whole communications structure is
set up so that certain parts of the band are provided for certain purposes.
I don't see a conflict with the First Amendment with that
type of spectrum management.
The Communications Act specifically
authorizes and even requires the Commission to use that sort of
structure.
To say prohibition of broadcast, and I am using that
term technically, on the amateur bands would be a violation of the
First Amendment is not accurate.
S. There is a rise in ham radio of information bulletins, and we
would like to know the limits; they are supposed to be ham radio
related - what is ham radio related?
F. Well anything that is reasonably related to ham radio is ham radio
related.
There may be a borderline; there are some things that are
obviously related to ham radio, and other things that are obviously
not.
Then there are things that are in between, and that is where it
may be important how the person, himself or herself, characterizes it.
If it's called broadcasting, then that's going to be a factor.
S. So you are saying that even the use of the word, as many robust
information bulletin services use it, can aggravate the situation.
F. It can effect it.
Obviously, if its a pure information bulletin,
characterizing it as a broadcast is not going to make it a broadcast,
and the other way around; if it's a broadcast, you are not going to
turn it into an information bulletin by characterizing it as one. But
there is a gray area.
One factor in determining which it is, if its
a gray area is how the amateur himself characterizes it.
S. If it's a gray area, who, may I ask, is the final arbiter?
it the Commission or is it the purveyor?
F.
The initial enforcement action would be taken normally by the
Is
Field Operations Bureau, one of their field offices.
S.
They make a judgment call?
F. Yes, they would make a judgment call, and then the next level of
review, if the ham appealed it, would be the Field Operations Bureau
personnel in Washington.
S. I understand.
Can we talk about ham radio related?
I ran a
piece on Citizen's Crime Watch and tied it into a proposed program of
Hams Against Drugs.
The piece was criticized as not being ham radio
related, but I thought it was ham radio related.
I see us hams as
having a foremost responsibility to see that our service is used, if
anything to fight the drug war, and not for the converse.
Is my
thinking correct, or am I off base?
I am not trying to trick anyone
here, if these questions are off base, let me know.
M. No, I think that any question that you have, we'll try the best to
answer off the top of our head.
One of the things with many technical questions, I was a former naval aviator, (Ed. note: also a
graduate of Top Gun) is a check list.
Look at the rules and see what
they really say.
I think you are right, the hobby certainly should
not be used to support drugs. I think, however, if you are just on
the air discussing the drug problem, it's hard to see how that is
related to ham radio in and of itself.
There may be some programs
and activities that some clubs or groups would be involved in would be
a closer question.
To take one example, if you were just on the air
saying how drugs are awful, I would think it would be difficult to
say that this is ham radio related.
S.
But we were tying this into Hams Against Drugs.
M. Your tying it into ham radio on those types of situations; asking
for interpretation, we try and do those only in writing for obvious
reasons.
We started at two extremes; you gave one example and I gave
another.
Now we are moving closer to decide, now which side of the
line are you on?
It's in that gray area.
S. I was very proud of the piece.
Was I opening myself up to the
Commission taking any action against me?
M. Well, certainly, any time you use a radio it's a possibility you
could get a Notice of Apparent Liability from the field office if
they deemed you operating outside of the rules.
If the transmission
is simply a statement about the drug effort, it is conceivable that
somebody, at first blush, would say that this appears to be outside
the rules.
Did you get a Notice of Apparent Liability?
S. No.
it was.
I was just wondering if the piece was appropriate, I thought
F. I've got a comment.
If it's just informational, letting hams
know what's going on on ham frequencies, it's probably all right. But
if its related to law enforcement, then that's a prohibited business
communication.
S. How can you separate law enforcement from part 97.
me that you can't separate it.
It seems to
F. Well information bulletins are just supposed to give information,
they are not supposed to be for the purpose of accomplishing a
business goal and law enforcement business is the same as any other
business.
M. What we are getting here is a frequent problem of how the spectrum
is allocated.
As a relative newcomer to ham radio, I really see this
on many occasions.
The way the spectrum is divided up, certain bands
are provided for certain purposes.
As an example, let's say we have
public safety frequencies used by the police for law enforcement, and
then we have amateur bands among many others.
What happens is we get
many requests, "Gee why shouldn't we use the amateur bands for law
enforcement."
What happens is "Well OK," pretty soon they will be
used for law enforcement, or broadcasting, or fire department, or
forestry, weather warnings, and pretty soon there is no room for
amateur radio.
In the few years that I have been in this office,
I've seen a hundred requests to use amateur radio for this purpose or
that purpose.
S.
How do you handle those?
M. Most of the time the answer is no, but emergencies are always the
exception.
If all those are all granted, pretty soon we don't have
any amateur bands for amateur purposes.
We see hundreds, even one
thousand is not embellishing it in three years, it that occurred, pretty
soon you wouldn't have a hobby; the bands would be used for all these
other activities.
People are well intentioned saying "Gee couldn't
use these bands to help law enforcement in New York City."
If that
happens, pretty soon you wont have any band available in New York.
S. So, the rationale behind the limitations is not to limit us but
to enable our hobby.
M. To enable our hobby to exist.
Not to bring up a sore point, but
we lost part of the 220 band fairly recently.
People are competing
for the spectrum which is a very scarce national resource, and to
just use it for this and use it for that, you would be giving the
bands away.
I A R N JUMP TEAM MEMBER KEN WILSON, KC9AD, PROUD OF SIX YEAR OLD
SON MATT, KB9FLW:
One of the eight Jump Team members deployed to the Caribbean last year
after hurricane Hugo, was Ken Wilson, KC9AD.
This got the rest of
Ken's family interested in ham radio, including his wife Linda, now
KB9EUI, and six year old son Matt, now KB9FLW.
Ken writes:
"Certainly I am a proud dad, and I wrote to the FCC and
asked them how he ranks as being the youngest ham. According
to the letter I received from them, he is the youngest ham for
at least 1990 - - they don't keep such records for any longer
than one year - - and they couldn't remember any one younger
since the mid 1970's when a five year old got his."
We hope Matt has a sleeping bag and portable rig for the next I A R N
deployment- that is if his Kindergarten teacher will let him go. Hi.
Congratulations to six year old Matt, KB9FLW, the youngest ham for
1990!
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - SEPTEMBER, 1990
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
I A R N
IN JAMAICA, ASTLEY REID, 6Y5GR, DIRECTOR:
Astley assisted I A R N during Hurricane Gilbert that hit Jamaica
in 1988.
Shortly after that he was appointed Jamaican Director and
assigned to take charge of I A R N jump team equipment left on the
island which included a complete Collins KWM-2 suitcase station with
tools, portable antennas, and a multimeter.
Also, a twenty meter
beam antenna which was installed at the Sunshine Clinic near Kingston.
Astley is located high in the mountains at mid island and we are now
setting up another center with Carlos "Bunny" Williams near Ocho Rios.
A new portable battery powered hf transceiver (draws only 140 Ma. on
receive) and solar battery recharging panel (devivering 250 to
300 Ma. has just been added to Jamaican I A R N, and plans are now
being made for an emergency repeater to be installed at 6Y5GR (very
high mountain QTH for all island coverage.
Jamaican I A R N has
several Amateur Radio Peace Corps assignments available so contact
GY5GR on 14.275 MHz. of I A R N Headquarters if interested.
Astley
reports this month:
"I can honestly say from the experience of hurricane Gilbert, the good
spirit of amateur radio survived the forces of the hurricane, enenlightened the international world, especially Jamaica.
Due to the
strong forces of the wind, all Jamaicans were effected.
Some water
and government commercial utilities were knocked out as a result of
the storm. Without a doubt, the I A R N activation, working with the
various agencies as a public service, provided the world and people
of Jamaica with the necessary and vital services in the areas of
relief coordination and public needs, facilitating a restoration to
normal life.
The I A I N focus in Jamaica at this time is to
improve the amateur radio response to this kind of emergency.
Many steps have been taken to implement amateur radio in schools,
to share the knowledge of amateur radio in various areas of Jamaica
and to promote good will and education.
Write to me at Richies, P.O.
Clarendon, Jamaica, West Indies, of call me any time on 14.275 MHz."
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA, SAM VORON, VK2BVS:
The members of the International Amateur Radio Club in Sydney,
Australia welcome I A R N Hong Kong Director Richard Ling, VS6XKR.
(See photo left to right: Malcolm Larkin, President; 12 year old
Sasha Baer, Public Relations Officer; Margaret Baer, YL; Richard Ling,
VS6XKR, I A R N Director for Hong Cong, China; Sam Voron, VK2BVS,
I A R N Director for Australia; front James Spenceley, VK2KIW. Photo
by Shoji Miyake, JA6EJL). In honor of VS6XKR, a banquet was held in
Sydney and the group stood up and sang the national anthems of each
country represented which included China, Japan, and Australia. The
club also hosted hams from the United States this summer (their
winter).
The Sydney IARN sent in the following for Radioscan:
Free Accommodation in Sydney Australia! :
The Sydney International Amateur Radio Club wants you to enjoy your
holiday in Sydney.
Many People look at the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and the opera house.
Then they go home.
But visitors don't see the
other 50 percent of Australia - that's its people.
To help you meet
Australians, the Sydney I A R C tries to locate free accommodation for
visitors or very cheap accommodation (e.g. $A16 per night) to help you
stay longer in Sydney - to meet more people and do more things.I A R C
radio club station VK2DTN operates almost 24 hours 7 days and visitors
are welcome to use the club station.
Any Japanese or U.S. (and most
other) radio amateur can get a reciprocal amateur license in Australia.
Bring your license with you and within 20 minutes you will
receive an Australian amateur call sign at the Department of Transport
and Communications in any capitol city ($A36 license fee). Do join
this Amateur Radio Peace Corps program (your friends who are not
radio amateurs are also welcome to enjoy this friendship activity).
Anyone visiting Sydney can contact Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Tel: 61-2-4171066 24 hours 7 days or write to 2 Griffith Avenue, Roseville, NSW,
Australia 2069.
International Disaster Assistance:
Are you available to go overseas to help volunteer medical personnel
and engineers during an earthquake, hurricane, or typhoon?
Can you
and your amateur radio be used to help people when a disaster comes?
Every day, 7 days a week, the International Amateur Radio Network for
the Pacific and Asia meets at 0830 UTC on 14.275 MHz. plus or minus
15 KHz. to exchange disaster reports over the 24 hours and to look at
what the amateur radio response has been.
Whenever a disaster comes,
a worldwide network, I A R N, is activated on 14.275 MHz.
Many stations in Asia can only operate on 21 MHz. so we need volunteers who can set up a daily 21 MHz. net and arrange for someone to
link this net with the worldwide 14 MHz. daily net.
Anyone in Japan
with the time and interest can contact I A R N Assistant Network
Manager and Australian Director Sam Voron, VK2BVS at Tel. 61-2-4171066 or write to 2 Griffith Avenue, Roseville, NSW, Australia 2069.
Japanese - Australian Disaster Assistance Team:
During disasters worldwide there is great scope for joint Australian Japanese coordination in disaster volunteer deployment. Any individuals or organizations who would like to develop a joint Australian - Japanese international assistance team can contact Sam
Voron, VK2BVS at the above address.
It is hoped that we can promote
more Australian - Japan friendship. This process has been slow
because of the language difference and it is hoped that more common
ground and exchanges can be arranged.
Sydney International Amateur Radio Club Sponsors Bangladesh Child:
Working with World Vision of Bangladesh (P.O. Box 5025 New Market, Dhaka,
1205B, Bangladesh), the Sydney IARC is sponsoring fifteen year
old Partha Pratim Dasgupta who wrote us recently:
"Dear Sponsor of International Amateur Radio Club;
Please accept my love.
I was very glad to find you as my sponsor.
My family lives about 23 kilometers from Shitagong Town, but I live
here in the hostel.
There is a river near our home and I like to
swim.
We can see some some boats in the river.
I want to be an
electrician in the future.
I would like to have some cards and pictures of your country.
Please pray for me.
With much love,
Your loving child,
Partha"
Editor's note:
You can also sponsor a child for $A 27 per month.
Vision in your city or in Dhaka at address above.
Contact World
Radio Australia Beams Daily Program to Gulf Region:
Beginning August 13, 1990, Radio Australia is broadcasting a special
two hour program for men and women in the gulf region between 1300 UTC
and 1500 UTC on 17.630 MHz. and 21.775 MHz. daily. Be sure to listen.
If you have messages for loved ones in the gulf, you can call Radio
Australia and give them your request at 011 613 235 2222
CUBAN
I A R N, ARNIE CORO, CO2KK, DIRECTOR:
There are 55 radio clubs on the island of Cuba.
We have just had the
national amateur radio convention.
There has been tremendous
amateur radio growth in the last two years.
After that we had a day
of amateur radio examinations for the whole country.
We work in
Cuba every other Saturday and so we can have amateur exams during a
week where we don't work on Saturday.
The test begins with the Morse code at five words per minute.
You
must try to receive and transmit for one solid minute with no mistakes.
This third category (Novice) license will let you operate
on 160, 80 and 40 meters which we are trying to populate as much as
possible so it will not be taken away at the next World Administrative
Radio Conference.
If you want the second category, you go to ten
words per minute plus the written test and the first category is
fifteen words per minute plus written test.
Also you must pass a
spoken "audition" if you plan to use voice to prevent people who have
problems with expressing themselves from using this mode.
This is
new in this country.
Many handicapped and disabled people are requesting ham licensing through the National Association for Handicapped and disabled and the Cuban Federation For Radio Amateurs.
The hurricane season is now in full swing for the northern Hemisphere.
Cuban amateurs have gone through their second drill of the year.
We
simulated a hurricane and deployed equipment in the field day type
activity.
Also drills were conducted on the use of amateur radio in
the national hurricane emergency command post.
Since these hurricanes seem to affect the Caribbean area, there seems
to be a rather good coordination between radio amateurs in the
Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, and some of the lesser Antilles
islands.
And it works.
You have seen a lot of cooperation also
between Cuban Radio amateurs and Mexican Radio Amateurs here in this
tropical storm season.
Another thing of interest is the Cuban
Amateur Radio Federation is holding its convention, which is held
every four years, in the city of Santiago de Cuba in the eastern part
of the island, in the month of December.
One out of every ten radio
amateurs will participate and all expenses will be covered by the
Cuban Radio Amateur Federation.
We think it will be a most representative meeting.
At the meeting we will discuss the new amateur
radio regulations that have been just released and suggestions for
further improvement.
Also the third world point of view on how extensive and available ham
amateur radio equipment is becoming and what alternatives to this can
be arranged.
Cuban amateurs with very little foreign currency to use
are very worried because we are in the same situation as many other
third world countries.
Commercially built radio equipment is very
very expensive and we think that something must be done to promote how
to build by yourself a very simple piece of radio equipment that can
provide you the pleasure of normal operation and at the same time be
useful for disaster and emergency relief.
This project is well
advanced now and has been dealt with by many different approaches. At
this convention, people will bring in what they done including PC
boards,construction kits, etc. for building receivers and transceivers
with as little supervision as possible.
This meeting will be a very
important opportunity to show what can be done to develop amateur
radio in developing countries.
Radio amateurs from around the world and certainly neighboring
countries are invited to attend and participate in this November, 1990
meeting.
If you are interested, contact Arnie Coro, C02KK, Radio
Havana Cuba, P.O. Box 6240, Havana Cuba.
Home Phone 293738 in
Havana.
NEW AMATEUR RADIO MUSEUM - LEO MEYERSON, W0GFQ
I A R N recently got a call from Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ.
Leo was
founder of World Radio Laboratories which, at one time, was the
largest distributor of ham equipment as well as a manufacturer of
Globe and Galaxy lines of equipment.
When I founded the Pine Tree
Chapter of the Quarter Century Wireless Association here in Maine,
Leo came here, as a personal favor, to help me install the chapter.
We had a great time in the I A R N Museum which has some rare and
classic pieces of amateur equipment including Leo's own Globe Trotter,
a National SW-3 and HRO, and the entire Collins line going back to
the 40's.
Do any of you remember the Globe King (500 Watt AM rig) or
the Globe Scout?
How about the Heathkit AT-1 (30 Watt CW rig)?
The reason for Leo's call this time (we stay in touch several times a
year) was to announce his latest labor of love which is a national
amateur radio museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
This will be housed in a
3,000 square foot section of the Western Heritage Museum which was
formerly the Omaha Union Railway station.
This beautiful building
of art deco style was built in 1931 and was a daring departure from
the usual style of railway station.
Years ago, 10,000 passengers
would arrive and depart daily on sixty-four trains and sixteen
streamliners.
Passenger service ceased on May 2, 1971 and the Union
Pacific Railroad donated the building to the City of Omaha in April,
1973.
The Western Heritage Society was formed six months later and
has operated the Museum ever since.
The Museum has now given Leo 3,000 square feet for a radio exhibit
and Leo has moved his private collection there for public exhibit.
The space is far from being filled, and your donations or loans are
needed.
Leo's vision for the radio section is that it will chronicle
the complete history of amateur radio.
It could be the first display
of its kind in the country. It will have an operating vintage station
set up and this radio section will be a permanent and secure part of
the museum.
Hams that decide to donate equipment or will it to the museum can take
full tax benefit since the museum is non profit.
Another idea is to
loan equipment to the museum for a period of time.
Leo says he will
also purchase needed pieces for reasonable amounts.
Anyone who loans
or donates gear will be recognized with a plaque by the gear. A point
to consider is having your collectible gear somewhere where everyone
can see it.
It will be several months to a year before the exhibit will be open to
the public.
For more information contact Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ at the
following addresses: Winter (November to May) 69911 Via Del Sur,
Cathedral City, Calif. 92234 tel. 619 321 1138
Summer (May to
November) 1210 North 97th Ct., Omaha, Neb. 68114 Tel. 402 392 1708.
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN
COMMUNICATIONS CRISIS IN THE MIDEAST
As soon as the crisis in the Mideast broke out on August 2, 1990, IARN
was deluged by pleas from the media such as CBS News and Associated
Press to do something to establish contact with Kuwait, which had been
cut off from the outside world by the Gulf crisis.
We decided at
first not to activate the world wide network, as requested, for two
reasons. First, we already knew what information the communications
would contain, and second, we did not want to risk the lives of those
in Kuwait passing such information to us.
We knew they were there,
we knew they wanted to come home, and we knew that anything we did at
a premature stage might make matters worse rather than better.
RADIO AUSTRALIA ASSISTS I A R N
IN SENDING MESSAGES TO KUWAIT
Organized by Australian I A R N Director, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Radio
Australia agreed to accept and transmit messages from anyone directed
to their friends and relatives in Kuwait, for obvious security
reasons. The special Radio Australia broadcasts began daily on August
13, 1990 between 1300 and 1500 UTC on 21.775 and 17.630 beamed to the
Mid East.
These transmissions can be heard in North America on
6060, 7205 and 9580 KHz. The numbers to call at Radio Australia are
011 613 881 2222 and 011 613 881 1360 or call I A R N at 207 495
2215. People's actual voices are also being taped for transmitting to
the Gulf region.
The messages are getting through because people
coming out of Kuwait are saying to their families "Why didn't you
send me a message over Radio Australia?"
LETTERS FAXED TO KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN, AMATEUR CALL SIGN, JY1
We also thought of another approach and wrote to King Hussein of
Jordan who, happens to be a Radio Amateur with call sign JY1. The text
of this letter was as follows:
Ambassador to the United Nations for Jordan
Abdullah Salah
For transmittal to King Hussein
Amman, Jordan
FAX 212 826 0830
17 August 1990
Your Royal Highness,
I regret I could not meet you while you were so close, here in Maine,
to discuss a very important matter.
We feel that you need the moral
support of radio amateurs from all over the world in general, and
radio amateurs of the International Amateur Radio Network in particular.
We propose to send a small multi national delegation from our I A R N
Amateur Radio Peace Corps, headed by our Australian Director Sam
Voron, VK2BVS in Sydney, to Jordan to set up a special event station
with the purpose of striking a blow for international friendship and
peace, and to assist with whatever relief efforts may be organized
through our network in this time of need and tension
We, as radio
amateurs, do not take sides politically.
We feel that our mission
of stability and international friendship can make a difference.
Please let us come and offer our assistance to you as a respected
world leader in this cause.
A second letter was conveyed to King Hussein of Jordan though the
Jordanian Embassy in Australia by I A R N Australian Director Sam
Voron, VK2BVS:
"Dear Sir:
I request your help and permission to come to Amman, Jordan, to
arrange for the immediate deployment of the I A R N Amateur Radio
Peace Corps to your country.
These would be private citizens from
all countries and territories in the Middle East and the world:
Moslem, Christian, Jew, and others who come in peace and friendship.
These are people who have never met each other except through the
amateur radio airwaves.
Currently, the governments of the world have massed a great military
potential in the area.
We wish to increase the range of solutions
to the current equation by inviting one or more radio amateurs from
any county, territory, or peoples, to meet in Jordan as non government representatives.
We want to show how the peoples of the region
and the world can talk in friendship and cooperation to counter the
growing feeling of unavoidable war.
To prevent war, our peace force
would meet daily in conference, and through the regional and international media, reflect the cooperation, friendship, and assistance of
all peoples.
In case of war, millions of people would be affected
extremely quickly.
Therefore, the Peace Corps of each country would
enlist volunteer doctors, nurses, engineers, and supplies to provide
humanitarian aid to all sides of any conflict.
Because the problems
in the region have been so persistent, and because the whole world for
the first time is so much involved, focused, and concerned, I believe
this Peace Corps, demonstrating how all peoples are working together,
could have a positive effect.
Firstly, in creating an example of
trust where people from all the region and beyond are cooperating
together; some being citizens of governments who are hostile towards
each other, and secondly, as an example of hope as the regional and
other Peace Corps participants expand to, in effect, balance the
military expansion caused by growing numbers of participating governments. The Amateur Radio Peace Corps is independent in each country,
is not controlled by another country, but carries the ideal to serve
people as outlined in the ideals of amateur radio.
I believe this is
an opportunity we must use to prevent war and prepare to mobilize
assistance to all sides, in its event, and plant the seeds of trust by
citizens working together now, so that the end of this current chapter
can see the hope of new elements.
These new elements are people to
people trust in the region being developed, so that we have the hope
of a better future, a more trusting future, for all the peoples to
move ahead in solving the long standing problems of the middle east
region.
Traditionally, amateur radio has been used for disaster assistance,
however, whether the disaster is man made or natural, the effect is
the same; people need help.
Therefore, International Amateur Radio
Network Australia has taken this decision to initiate and participate.
We have the possibility of citizens of the world doing something,
which, thanks to rapid transport and telecommunications, is possible
today.
The Amateur Radio Peace Corps, being facilitated by the skills of and
ideals of radio amateurs, would be open to all people, not just radio
amateurs, but citizens everywhere who believe in promoting the ideal
of working with, assisting, and befriending all people.
We hope that
through this example in Amman, Jordan, we, the peoples of every nation
in your region and the world, can affect the perception of the governments of the world to see other alternatives.
As well as your help
and permission, I would like to request that Jordan initiate a third
party traffic amateur radio agreement and a reciprocal amateur radio
licensing agreement with Australia identical to that which has long
existed between Jordan and the U.S.A.
Best 73.
Yours faithfully,
Sam Voron, VK2BVS
I A R N Australia Director
Amateur Radio Peace Corps Australia Director
A third letter was sent to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq by Sam
Voron, VK2BVS, through the Iraqi Embassy in Australia:
Dear Sir:
As the Australian Director for the International Amateur Radio Network, I wish to volunteer to come to Iraq with amateur radio communications equipment to provide a way refugees and others can let
their friends and relatives know that they are OK.
Our network is
an non government volunteer effort.
Normally we help during natural
disasters world wide, but I want to help friendship and communications
between all people during this time.
Our network also helps to find
and coordinate private worldwide humanitarian volunteer assistance and
humanitarian supplies.
As well as this work, a second project we
could undertake with your support, is to invite volunteers of all
peoples, territories, and countries; non government citizens: Moslems,
Christians, Jews; peoples of Palestine, Israel, USA, Australia, to
meet in Baghdad, and as citizens, show an example to governments of
the world that we can get together to help each other. If citizens
can help replace fear with trust, this may encourage governments to
find new hope and trust.
If we can help in any way please let me
know.
KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN, JY1, ACCEPTS I A R N
PROPOSAL
On September 12, 1990, at 1300 UTC we got a telephone call from Colonel Shukri at the Royal Palace In Amman, Jordan.
King Hussein was
now ready to accept our delegation.
We discussed the operation plan
of setting up our headquarters at the Jordanian Amateur Radio Club in
Amman, and sending a team to the field where the refugees are.
We
also have a high degree of interest in the project from ABC in New
York and our team leader, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, appeared on Australian
National TV on Good Morning Australia at 2210 UTC on September 13th.
We agreed to keep media visibility high so we could promote a truly
international response and focus on the various problems we were trying to solve.
As we go to press, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, was in route to
Amman and checked into the net at 0800 UTC on September 17, 1990 from
his aircraft carrying World Vision relief supplies and gave us his
latest estimated time of arrival (September 18, 1990 at 3:20 local
Amman time.)
We FAXED this on to the Royal Palace and Sam stayed
on the air from the aeronautical mobile for about one and one half
hours.
On board this Boeing 707 jet cargo plane were: 3700
blankets, 757 tents, 5 metric tons of rice, 5 metric tons of vegatable
oil, 5 metric tons of full cream milk, 6 metric tons yellow split
peas, and another passanger besides Sam, Chris Piper, World Vision
Disaster Relief Manager.
The I A R N Jump Team Plan was summarized
in a FAX to Colonel Shrukri:
Colonel Shukri
Royal Palace
Amman, Jordan
FAX 627 421 or 627 422
13 September 1990
1705 UTC
Dear Colonel Shukri:
Per our telephone conversation this morning, here is our plan.
We
will send the following multi national amateur radio delegation to
Amman as soon as we get visas with your assistance:
1.
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Project Leader
Australian Passport Number JO365478
2.
Yuri Katyutin, UA4LCQ
Soviet Passport Number 3WA523877
3.
Karl Bruhns, DH4LAC
German Passport Number TH2155427
4.
Valentin Kudriavtzev, UA4LM
Soviet Passport Number 1VA 659376
These operators will be followed by others, as needed, but the first
to arrive will get the operation set up and functioning in cooperation
with your Jordanian Amateur Radio Club and our I A R N German Jump
team already in the refugee area headed by Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB.
Our mission will be to organize further international response as well
as interface with existing assistance such as the International Organization for Migration with whom we are already working.
We have a
high degree of media attention such as ABC here in the states and
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, is appearing on Australian national TV (Good morning Australia, channel 10) at 2210 UTC today.
I'm sure we can make a
difference and encourage the spirit of international cooperation.
Please telex your embassies in the above three countries giving the
immediate OK for our radio operators to obtain visas to enter Jordan.
When we get same, I will advise of flight numbers and times of arrival
in Amman.
Best Regards,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N
Manager
There was little time to spare, and the Royal Palace FAXED a visa to
Sam the night before he departed per a request from I A R N headquarters.
Meanwhile, Bob Bruce, I A R N German Director, coordinated our efforts with Herbert Frey, Deputy Head of the Telecommunications International Committee for Red Cross Headquarters in
Geneva.
The other members of our Mid East Jump Team will arrive
after VK2BVS.
I A R N
GERMAN JUMP TEAM GOES TO JORDAN FOR INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
On September 3, 1990, I A R N German Jump Team leader Willy Werbrouck,
DJ3EB, left Germany with one doctor and one logistics expert driving
three ambulances at the request of International Red Cross to go to
the Jordan/Iraq border area on a fact finding mission.
Willy and his
team arrived in Amman September 6, 1990 and then headed for the
boarder area.
They used 14.275 MHz. and single sideband only as
compared to AMTOR and SSB during the relief operation in Rumania last
year and early this year.
Willy will work with the second radio
jump team headed for Amman (See above) as we go to press.
I A R N
REQUESTED TO ASSIST INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION
On September 5, 1990, I A R N headquarters received a telephone call
from Fran Sullivan, Chief of Mission for the Washington office of the
world wide International Organization for Migration, which was given
the responsibility for a massive airlift for evacuating refugees from
the Mideast area.
We sent urgent messages to I A R N in England,
the Soviet Union, Belgium, Australia, Japan, China, and New Zealand.
The response from the Soviet Union and Belgium was immediate.
The
Soviet Union provided their large transport planes (the largest transport in the world...even bigger than the C-5A, and started with evacuation over 3000 people to Bangladesh.
Belgium activated the European Economic Community effort with relief supplies and evacuation in
the same aircraft on the return trip.
I A R N also carried an interview with Ms. Sullivan over the I A R N amateur broadcast appealing
for further international aircraft and financial support.
I A R N will continue to work with the International Organization for
Migration during our relief operation now augmented by the delegation
operating in Amman, Jordan.
The IOM was organized in the forties to
deal with refugee problems and is supported by 36 member countries and
sanctioned by the United Nations.
IOM has offices in each member
country and a total of 700 employees with about a fifty million dollar
per year budget.
AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS TRIP TO SOVIET UNION, DAVID LARSEN, KK4WW
David Larsen, KK4WW, and XYL Gaynell will arrive in the Soviet Union
on September 28th, 1990 and will return October 14th, about the time
you get this issue of Radioscan.
He is bringing along with him an
IBM XT computer with 20 megabyte hard drive for donation by I A R N
to the new state-of-the-art Soviet IARN Headquarters station UB5WE.
The station consists of an Icom 735 which automatically switches the
new Soviet Superpower Linear I which will soon be available in the United
States.
This new linear runs very comfortably at the full US
legal limit and is built for very heavy duty automatic service. Just
what you need in your shack!
Also at this world class emergency
station is an I A R N donated PK-232 and full compliment of beam
antennas.
Also on the trip, David will lecture to several groups in computer
interfacing on IBM-PC Microcomputer Interfacing and Instrument Automation.
More about this trip next month.
HAM RADIO IN THE CLASSROOM, PHILIP DOWNES, KA1UXZ
Educating Students for the Future with Ham Radio
Education is sometimes called "an investment in the future."
What
will students need to succeed in the world in the coming years? Although it is difficult to foresee the future, some things are becoming
clear.
We are moving toward a global society that is undergoing social,
political, and technological change.
The world is shrinking, as
world wide communications and economic independence among nations increases.
We need to think and interact on a global scale.
For
schools, this means that our students will have to have a greater
knowledge and understanding about the nations of the world and their
people.
One of the best ways to develop this is to have personal
experiences with people in foreign cultures.
A global society also
means that people must be able to communicate effectively if we are to
understand and respect each other.
Finally, we are using technology
in more ways to accomplish more tasks than ever before, so it is
important for students to learn about and use technology in school.
What does all this have to do with amateur radio?
Can hams contact
each other on a world wide basis.
Do they use technology? The
answer is yes to all of these questions.
Students at the Bean School in Sidney, Maine will be using ham radio
to develop some of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will
need in the future.
This project is funded through an Innovative
Education Grant from the Maine Department of Education and Cultural
Services.
We will contact throughout the world to practice listening
and communicating with people in remote locations.
Students will
have personal experiences talking with and learning from operators
living in different cultures.
What better way to study geography
than by tying ham contacts and map skills together.
We will be
learning about and using ham radio to increase our knowledge of technology and how it can be used.
Finally, some students may become
interested and become licensed operators themselves.
Schools face many challenges in order to prepare students for the
future.
Amateur radio offers a lot of possibilities for the classroom teacher.
Maybe it is time to put the two together.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - SEPTEMBER, 1990
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
I A R N
IN JAMAICA, ASTLEY REID, 6Y5GR, DIRECTOR:
Astley assisted I A R N during Hurricane Gilbert that hit Jamaica
in 1988.
Shortly after that he was appointed Jamaican Director and
assigned to take charge of I A R N jump team equipment left on the
island which included a complete Collins KWM-2 suitcase station with
tools, portable antennas, and a multimeter.
Also, a twenty meter
beam antenna which was installed at the Sunshine Clinic near Kingston.
Astley is located high in the mountains at mid island and we are now
setting up another center with Carlos "Bunny" Williams near Ocho Rios.
A new portable battery powered hf transceiver (draws only 140 Ma. on
receive) and solar battery recharging panel (devivering 250 to
300 Ma. has just been added to Jamaican I A R N, and plans are now
being made for an emergency repeater to be installed at 6Y5GR (very
high mountain QTH for all island coverage.
Jamaican I A R N has
several Amateur Radio Peace Corps assignments available so contact
GY5GR on 14.275 MHz. of I A R N Headquarters if interested.
Astley
reports this month:
"I can honestly say from the experience of hurricane Gilbert, the good
spirit of amateur radio survived the forces of the hurricane, enenlightened the international world, especially Jamaica.
Due to the
strong forces of the wind, all Jamaicans were effected.
Some water
and government commercial utilities were knocked out as a result of
the storm. Without a doubt, the I A R N activation, working with the
various agencies as a public service, provided the world and people
of Jamaica with the necessary and vital services in the areas of
relief coordination and public needs, facilitating a restoration to
normal life.
The I A I N focus in Jamaica at this time is to
improve the amateur radio response to this kind of emergency.
Many steps have been taken to implement amateur radio in schools,
to share the knowledge of amateur radio in various areas of Jamaica
and to promote good will and education.
Write to me at Richies, P.O.
Clarendon, Jamaica, West Indies, of call me any time on 14.275 MHz."
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA, SAM VORON, VK2BVS:
The members of the International Amateur Radio Club in Sydney,
Australia welcome I A R N Hong Kong Director Richard Ling, VS6XKR.
(See photo left to right: Malcolm Larkin, President; 12 year old
Sasha Baer, Public Relations Officer; Margaret Baer, YL; Richard Ling,
VS6XKR, I A R N Director for Hong Cong, China; Sam Voron, VK2BVS,
I A R N Director for Australia; front James Spenceley, VK2KIW. Photo
by Shoji Miyake, JA6EJL). In honor of VS6XKR, a banquet was held in
Sydney and the group stood up and sang the national anthems of each
country represented which included China, Japan, and Australia. The
club also hosted hams from the United States this summer (their
winter).
The Sydney IARN sent in the following for Radioscan:
Free Accommodation in Sydney Australia! :
The Sydney International Amateur Radio Club wants you to enjoy your
holiday in Sydney.
Many People look at the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and the opera house.
Then they go home.
But visitors don't see the
other 50 percent of Australia - that's its people.
To help you meet
Australians, the Sydney I A R C tries to locate free accommodation for
visitors or very cheap accommodation (e.g. $A16 per night) to help you
stay longer in Sydney - to meet more people and do more things.I A R C
radio club station VK2DTN operates almost 24 hours 7 days and visitors
are welcome to use the club station.
Any Japanese or U.S. (and most
other) radio amateur can get a reciprocal amateur license in Australia.
Bring your license with you and within 20 minutes you will
receive an Australian amateur call sign at the Department of Transport
and Communications in any capitol city ($A36 license fee). Do join
this Amateur Radio Peace Corps program (your friends who are not
radio amateurs are also welcome to enjoy this friendship activity).
Anyone visiting Sydney can contact Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Tel: 61-2-4171066 24 hours 7 days or write to 2 Griffith Avenue, Roseville, NSW,
Australia 2069.
International Disaster Assistance:
Are you available to go overseas to help volunteer medical personnel
and engineers during an earthquake, hurricane, or typhoon?
Can you
and your amateur radio be used to help people when a disaster comes?
Every day, 7 days a week, the International Amateur Radio Network for
the Pacific and Asia meets at 0830 UTC on 14.275 MHz. plus or minus
15 KHz. to exchange disaster reports over the 24 hours and to look at
what the amateur radio response has been.
Whenever a disaster comes,
a worldwide network, I A R N, is activated on 14.275 MHz.
Many stations in Asia can only operate on 21 MHz. so we need volunteers who can set up a daily 21 MHz. net and arrange for someone to
link this net with the worldwide 14 MHz. daily net.
Anyone in Japan
with the time and interest can contact I A R N Assistant Network
Manager and Australian Director Sam Voron, VK2BVS at Tel. 61-2-4171066 or write to 2 Griffith Avenue, Roseville, NSW, Australia 2069.
Japanese - Australian Disaster Assistance Team:
During disasters worldwide there is great scope for joint Australian Japanese coordination in disaster volunteer deployment. Any individuals or organizations who would like to develop a joint Australian - Japanese international assistance team can contact Sam
Voron, VK2BVS at the above address.
It is hoped that we can promote
more Australian - Japan friendship. This process has been slow
because of the language difference and it is hoped that more common
ground and exchanges can be arranged.
Sydney International Amateur Radio Club Sponsors Bangladesh Child:
Working with World Vision of Bangladesh (P.O. Box 5025 New Market, Dhaka,
1205B, Bangladesh), the Sydney IARC is sponsoring fifteen year
old Partha Pratim Dasgupta who wrote us recently:
"Dear Sponsor of International Amateur Radio Club;
Please accept my love.
I was very glad to find you as my sponsor.
My family lives about 23 kilometers from Shitagong Town, but I live
here in the hostel.
There is a river near our home and I like to
swim.
We can see some some boats in the river.
I want to be an
electrician in the future.
I would like to have some cards and pictures of your country.
Please pray for me.
With much love,
Your loving child,
Partha"
Editor's note:
You can also sponsor a child for $A 27 per month.
Vision in your city or in Dhaka at address above.
Contact World
Radio Australia Beams Daily Program to Gulf Region:
Beginning August 13, 1990, Radio Australia is broadcasting a special
two hour program for men and women in the gulf region between 1300 UTC
and 1500 UTC on 17.630 MHz. and 21.775 MHz. daily. Be sure to listen.
If you have messages for loved ones in the gulf, you can call Radio
Australia and give them your request at 011 613 235 2222
CUBAN
I A R N, ARNIE CORO, CO2KK, DIRECTOR:
There are 55 radio clubs on the island of Cuba.
We have just had the
national amateur radio convention.
There has been tremendous
amateur radio growth in the last two years.
After that we had a day
of amateur radio examinations for the whole country.
We work in
Cuba every other Saturday and so we can have amateur exams during a
week where we don't work on Saturday.
The test begins with the Morse code at five words per minute.
You
must try to receive and transmit for one solid minute with no mistakes.
This third category (Novice) license will let you operate
on 160, 80 and 40 meters which we are trying to populate as much as
possible so it will not be taken away at the next World Administrative
Radio Conference.
If you want the second category, you go to ten
words per minute plus the written test and the first category is
fifteen words per minute plus written test.
Also you must pass a
spoken "audition" if you plan to use voice to prevent people who have
problems with expressing themselves from using this mode.
This is
new in this country.
Many handicapped and disabled people are requesting ham licensing through the National Association for Handicapped and disabled and the Cuban Federation For Radio Amateurs.
The hurricane season is now in full swing for the northern Hemisphere.
Cuban amateurs have gone through their second drill of the year.
We
simulated a hurricane and deployed equipment in the field day type
activity.
Also drills were conducted on the use of amateur radio in
the national hurricane emergency command post.
Since these hurricanes seem to affect the Caribbean area, there seems
to be a rather good coordination between radio amateurs in the
Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, and some of the lesser Antilles
islands.
And it works.
You have seen a lot of cooperation also
between Cuban Radio amateurs and Mexican Radio Amateurs here in this
tropical storm season.
Another thing of interest is the Cuban
Amateur Radio Federation is holding its convention, which is held
every four years, in the city of Santiago de Cuba in the eastern part
of the island, in the month of December.
One out of every ten radio
amateurs will participate and all expenses will be covered by the
Cuban Radio Amateur Federation.
We think it will be a most representative meeting.
At the meeting we will discuss the new amateur
radio regulations that have been just released and suggestions for
further improvement.
Also the third world point of view on how extensive and available ham
amateur radio equipment is becoming and what alternatives to this can
be arranged.
Cuban amateurs with very little foreign currency to use
are very worried because we are in the same situation as many other
third world countries.
Commercially built radio equipment is very
very expensive and we think that something must be done to promote how
to build by yourself a very simple piece of radio equipment that can
provide you the pleasure of normal operation and at the same time be
useful for disaster and emergency relief.
This project is well
advanced now and has been dealt with by many different approaches. At
this convention, people will bring in what they done including PC
boards,construction kits, etc. for building receivers and transceivers
with as little supervision as possible.
This meeting will be a very
important opportunity to show what can be done to develop amateur
radio in developing countries.
Radio amateurs from around the world and certainly neighboring
countries are invited to attend and participate in this November, 1990
meeting.
If you are interested, contact Arnie Coro, C02KK, Radio
Havana Cuba, P.O. Box 6240, Havana Cuba.
Home Phone 293738 in
Havana.
NEW AMATEUR RADIO MUSEUM - LEO MEYERSON, W0GFQ
I A R N recently got a call from Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ.
Leo was
founder of World Radio Laboratories which, at one time, was the
largest distributor of ham equipment as well as a manufacturer of
Globe and Galaxy lines of equipment.
When I founded the Pine Tree
Chapter of the Quarter Century Wireless Association here in Maine,
Leo came here, as a personal favor, to help me install the chapter.
We had a great time in the I A R N Museum which has some rare and
classic pieces of amateur equipment including Leo's own Globe Trotter,
a National SW-3 and HRO, and the entire Collins line going back to
the 40's.
Do any of you remember the Globe King (500 Watt AM rig) or
the Globe Scout?
How about the Heathkit AT-1 (30 Watt CW rig)?
The reason for Leo's call this time (we stay in touch several times a
year) was to announce his latest labor of love which is a national
amateur radio museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
This will be housed in a
3,000 square foot section of the Western Heritage Museum which was
formerly the Omaha Union Railway station.
This beautiful building
of art deco style was built in 1931 and was a daring departure from
the usual style of railway station.
Years ago, 10,000 passengers
would arrive and depart daily on sixty-four trains and sixteen
streamliners.
Passenger service ceased on May 2, 1971 and the Union
Pacific Railroad donated the building to the City of Omaha in April,
1973.
The Western Heritage Society was formed six months later and
has operated the Museum ever since.
The Museum has now given Leo 3,000 square feet for a radio exhibit
and Leo has moved his private collection there for public exhibit.
The space is far from being filled, and your donations or loans are
needed.
Leo's vision for the radio section is that it will chronicle
the complete history of amateur radio.
It could be the first display
of its kind in the country. It will have an operating vintage station
set up and this radio section will be a permanent and secure part of
the museum.
Hams that decide to donate equipment or will it to the museum can take
full tax benefit since the museum is non profit.
Another idea is to
loan equipment to the museum for a period of time.
Leo says he will
also purchase needed pieces for reasonable amounts.
Anyone who loans
or donates gear will be recognized with a plaque by the gear. A point
to consider is having your collectible gear somewhere where everyone
can see it.
It will be several months to a year before the exhibit will be open to
the public.
For more information contact Leo Meyerson, W0GFQ at the
following addresses: Winter (November to May) 69911 Via Del Sur,
Cathedral City, Calif. 92234 tel. 619 321 1138
Summer (May to
November) 1210 North 97th Ct., Omaha, Neb. 68114 Tel. 402 392 1708.
FROM THE NETWORK MANAGER, GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN
COMMUNICATIONS CRISIS IN THE MIDEAST
As soon as the crisis in the Mideast broke out on August 2, 1990, IARN
was deluged by pleas from the media such as CBS News and Associated
Press to do something to establish contact with Kuwait, which had been
cut off from the outside world by the Gulf crisis.
We decided at
first not to activate the world wide network, as requested, for two
reasons. First, we already knew what information the communications
would contain, and second, we did not want to risk the lives of those
in Kuwait passing such information to us.
We knew they were there,
we knew they wanted to come home, and we knew that anything we did at
a premature stage might make matters worse rather than better.
RADIO AUSTRALIA ASSISTS I A R N
IN SENDING MESSAGES TO KUWAIT
Organized by Australian I A R N Director, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Radio
Australia agreed to accept and transmit messages from anyone directed
to their friends and relatives in Kuwait, for obvious security
reasons. The special Radio Australia broadcasts began daily on August
13, 1990 between 1300 and 1500 UTC on 21.775 and 17.630 beamed to the
Mid East.
These transmissions can be heard in North America on
6060, 7205 and 9580 KHz. The numbers to call at Radio Australia are
011 613 881 2222 and 011 613 881 1360 or call I A R N at 207 495
2215. People's actual voices are also being taped for transmitting to
the Gulf region.
The messages are getting through because people
coming out of Kuwait are saying to their families "Why didn't you
send me a message over Radio Australia?"
LETTERS FAXED TO KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN, AMATEUR CALL SIGN, JY1
We also thought of another approach and wrote to King Hussein of
Jordan who, happens to be a Radio Amateur with call sign JY1. The text
of this letter was as follows:
Ambassador to the United Nations for Jordan
Abdullah Salah
For transmittal to King Hussein
Amman, Jordan
FAX 212 826 0830
17 August 1990
Your Royal Highness,
I regret I could not meet you while you were so close, here in Maine,
to discuss a very important matter.
We feel that you need the moral
support of radio amateurs from all over the world in general, and
radio amateurs of the International Amateur Radio Network in particular.
We propose to send a small multi national delegation from our I A R N
Amateur Radio Peace Corps, headed by our Australian Director Sam
Voron, VK2BVS in Sydney, to Jordan to set up a special event station
with the purpose of striking a blow for international friendship and
peace, and to assist with whatever relief efforts may be organized
through our network in this time of need and tension
We, as radio
amateurs, do not take sides politically.
We feel that our mission
of stability and international friendship can make a difference.
Please let us come and offer our assistance to you as a respected
world leader in this cause.
A second letter was conveyed to King Hussein of Jordan though the
Jordanian Embassy in Australia by I A R N Australian Director Sam
Voron, VK2BVS:
"Dear Sir:
I request your help and permission to come to Amman, Jordan, to
arrange for the immediate deployment of the I A R N Amateur Radio
Peace Corps to your country.
These would be private citizens from
all countries and territories in the Middle East and the world:
Moslem, Christian, Jew, and others who come in peace and friendship.
These are people who have never met each other except through the
amateur radio airwaves.
Currently, the governments of the world have massed a great military
potential in the area.
We wish to increase the range of solutions
to the current equation by inviting one or more radio amateurs from
any county, territory, or peoples, to meet in Jordan as non government representatives.
We want to show how the peoples of the region
and the world can talk in friendship and cooperation to counter the
growing feeling of unavoidable war.
To prevent war, our peace force
would meet daily in conference, and through the regional and international media, reflect the cooperation, friendship, and assistance of
all peoples.
In case of war, millions of people would be affected
extremely quickly.
Therefore, the Peace Corps of each country would
enlist volunteer doctors, nurses, engineers, and supplies to provide
humanitarian aid to all sides of any conflict.
Because the problems
in the region have been so persistent, and because the whole world for
the first time is so much involved, focused, and concerned, I believe
this Peace Corps, demonstrating how all peoples are working together,
could have a positive effect.
Firstly, in creating an example of
trust where people from all the region and beyond are cooperating
together; some being citizens of governments who are hostile towards
each other, and secondly, as an example of hope as the regional and
other Peace Corps participants expand to, in effect, balance the
military expansion caused by growing numbers of participating governments. The Amateur Radio Peace Corps is independent in each country,
is not controlled by another country, but carries the ideal to serve
people as outlined in the ideals of amateur radio.
I believe this is
an opportunity we must use to prevent war and prepare to mobilize
assistance to all sides, in its event, and plant the seeds of trust by
citizens working together now, so that the end of this current chapter
can see the hope of new elements.
These new elements are people to
people trust in the region being developed, so that we have the hope
of a better future, a more trusting future, for all the peoples to
move ahead in solving the long standing problems of the middle east
region.
Traditionally, amateur radio has been used for disaster assistance,
however, whether the disaster is man made or natural, the effect is
the same; people need help.
Therefore, International Amateur Radio
Network Australia has taken this decision to initiate and participate.
We have the possibility of citizens of the world doing something,
which, thanks to rapid transport and telecommunications, is possible
today.
The Amateur Radio Peace Corps, being facilitated by the skills of and
ideals of radio amateurs, would be open to all people, not just radio
amateurs, but citizens everywhere who believe in promoting the ideal
of working with, assisting, and befriending all people.
We hope that
through this example in Amman, Jordan, we, the peoples of every nation
in your region and the world, can affect the perception of the governments of the world to see other alternatives.
As well as your help
and permission, I would like to request that Jordan initiate a third
party traffic amateur radio agreement and a reciprocal amateur radio
licensing agreement with Australia identical to that which has long
existed between Jordan and the U.S.A.
Best 73.
Yours faithfully,
Sam Voron, VK2BVS
I A R N Australia Director
Amateur Radio Peace Corps Australia Director
A third letter was sent to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq by Sam
Voron, VK2BVS, through the Iraqi Embassy in Australia:
Dear Sir:
As the Australian Director for the International Amateur Radio Network, I wish to volunteer to come to Iraq with amateur radio communications equipment to provide a way refugees and others can let
their friends and relatives know that they are OK.
Our network is
an non government volunteer effort.
Normally we help during natural
disasters world wide, but I want to help friendship and communications
between all people during this time.
Our network also helps to find
and coordinate private worldwide humanitarian volunteer assistance and
humanitarian supplies.
As well as this work, a second project we
could undertake with your support, is to invite volunteers of all
peoples, territories, and countries; non government citizens: Moslems,
Christians, Jews; peoples of Palestine, Israel, USA, Australia, to
meet in Baghdad, and as citizens, show an example to governments of
the world that we can get together to help each other. If citizens
can help replace fear with trust, this may encourage governments to
find new hope and trust.
If we can help in any way please let me
know.
KING HUSSEIN OF JORDAN, JY1, ACCEPTS I A R N
PROPOSAL
On September 12, 1990, at 1300 UTC we got a telephone call from Colonel Shukri at the Royal Palace In Amman, Jordan.
King Hussein was
now ready to accept our delegation.
We discussed the operation plan
of setting up our headquarters at the Jordanian Amateur Radio Club in
Amman, and sending a team to the field where the refugees are.
We
also have a high degree of interest in the project from ABC in New
York and our team leader, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, appeared on Australian
National TV on Good Morning Australia at 2210 UTC on September 13th.
We agreed to keep media visibility high so we could promote a truly
international response and focus on the various problems we were trying to solve.
As we go to press, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, was in route to
Amman and checked into the net at 0800 UTC on September 17, 1990 from
his aircraft carrying World Vision relief supplies and gave us his
latest estimated time of arrival (September 18, 1990 at 3:20 local
Amman time.)
We FAXED this on to the Royal Palace and Sam stayed
on the air from the aeronautical mobile for about one and one half
hours.
On board this Boeing 707 jet cargo plane were: 3700
blankets, 757 tents, 5 metric tons of rice, 5 metric tons of vegatable
oil, 5 metric tons of full cream milk, 6 metric tons yellow split
peas, and another passanger besides Sam, Chris Piper, World Vision
Disaster Relief Manager.
The I A R N Jump Team Plan was summarized
in a FAX to Colonel Shrukri:
Colonel Shukri
Royal Palace
13 September 1990
1705 UTC
Amman, Jordan
FAX 627 421 or 627 422
Dear Colonel Shukri:
Per our telephone conversation this morning, here is our plan.
We
will send the following multi national amateur radio delegation to
Amman as soon as we get visas with your assistance:
1.
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Project Leader
Australian Passport Number JO365478
2.
Yuri Katyutin, UA4LCQ
Soviet Passport Number 3WA523877
3.
Karl Bruhns, DH4LAC
German Passport Number TH2155427
4.
Valentin Kudriavtzev, UA4LM
Soviet Passport Number 1VA 659376
These operators will be followed by others, as needed, but the first
to arrive will get the operation set up and functioning in cooperation
with your Jordanian Amateur Radio Club and our I A R N German Jump
team already in the refugee area headed by Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB.
Our mission will be to organize further international response as well
as interface with existing assistance such as the International Organization for Migration with whom we are already working.
We have a
high degree of media attention such as ABC here in the states and
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, is appearing on Australian national TV (Good morning Australia, channel 10) at 2210 UTC today.
I'm sure we can make a
difference and encourage the spirit of international cooperation.
Please telex your embassies in the above three countries giving the
immediate OK for our radio operators to obtain visas to enter Jordan.
When we get same, I will advise of flight numbers and times of arrival
in Amman.
Best Regards,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
Registered Professional Engineer
I A R N
Manager
There was little time to spare, and the Royal Palace FAXED a visa to
Sam the night before he departed per a request from I A R N headquarters.
Meanwhile, Bob Bruce, I A R N German Director, coordinated our efforts with Herbert Frey, Deputy Head of the Telecommunications International Committee for Red Cross Headquarters in
Geneva.
The other members of our Mid East Jump Team will arrive
after VK2BVS.
I A R N
GERMAN JUMP TEAM GOES TO JORDAN FOR INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS
On September 3, 1990, I A R N German Jump Team leader Willy Werbrouck,
DJ3EB, left Germany with one doctor and one logistics expert driving
three ambulances at the request of International Red Cross to go to
the Jordan/Iraq border area on a fact finding mission.
Willy and his
team arrived in Amman September 6, 1990 and then headed for the
boarder area.
They used 14.275 MHz. and single sideband only as
compared to AMTOR and SSB during the relief operation in Rumania last
year and early this year.
Willy will work with the second radio
jump team headed for Amman (See above) as we go to press.
I A R N
REQUESTED TO ASSIST INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION
On September 5, 1990, I A R N headquarters received a telephone call
from Fran Sullivan, Chief of Mission for the Washington office of the
world wide International Organization for Migration, which was given
the responsibility for a massive airlift for evacuating refugees from
the Mideast area.
We sent urgent messages to I A R N in England,
the Soviet Union, Belgium, Australia, Japan, China, and New Zealand.
The response from the Soviet Union and Belgium was immediate.
The
Soviet Union provided their large transport planes (the largest transport in the world...even bigger than the C-5A, and started with evacuation over 3000 people to Bangladesh.
Belgium activated the European Economic Community effort with relief supplies and evacuation in
the same aircraft on the return trip.
I A R N also carried an interview with Ms. Sullivan over the I A R N amateur broadcast appealing
for further international aircraft and financial support.
I A R N will continue to work with the International Organization for
Migration during our relief operation now augmented by the delegation
operating in Amman, Jordan.
The IOM was organized in the forties to
deal with refugee problems and is supported by 36 member countries and
sanctioned by the United Nations.
IOM has offices in each member
country and a total of 700 employees with about a fifty million dollar
per year budget.
AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS TRIP TO SOVIET UNION, DAVID LARSEN, KK4WW
David Larsen, KK4WW, and XYL Gaynell will arrive in the Soviet Union
on September 28th, 1990 and will return October 14th, about the time
you get this issue of Radioscan.
He is bringing along with him an
IBM XT computer with 20 megabyte hard drive for donation by I A R N
to the new state-of-the-art Soviet IARN Headquarters station UB5WE.
The station consists of an Icom 735 which automatically switches the
new Soviet Superpower Linear I which will soon be available in the United
States.
This new linear runs very comfortably at the full US
legal limit and is built for very heavy duty automatic service. Just
what you need in your shack!
Also at this world class emergency
station is an I A R N donated PK-232 and full compliment of beam
antennas.
Also on the trip, David will lecture to several groups in computer
interfacing on IBM-PC Microcomputer Interfacing and Instrument Automation.
More about this trip next month.
HAM RADIO IN THE CLASSROOM, PHILIP DOWNES, KA1UXZ
Educating Students for the Future with Ham Radio
Education is sometimes called "an investment in the future."
What
will students need to succeed in the world in the coming years? Although it is difficult to foresee the future, some things are becoming
clear.
We are moving toward a global society that is undergoing social,
political, and technological change.
The world is shrinking, as
world wide communications and economic independence among nations increases.
We need to think and interact on a global scale.
For
schools, this means that our students will have to have a greater
knowledge and understanding about the nations of the world and their
people.
One of the best ways to develop this is to have personal
experiences with people in foreign cultures.
A global society also
means that people must be able to communicate effectively if we are to
understand and respect each other.
Finally, we are using technology
in more ways to accomplish more tasks than ever before, so it is
important for students to learn about and use technology in school.
What does all this have to do with amateur radio?
Can hams contact
each other on a world wide basis.
Do they use technology? The
answer is yes to all of these questions.
Students at the Bean School in Sidney, Maine will be using ham radio
to develop some of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they will
need in the future.
This project is funded through an Innovative
Education Grant from the Maine Department of Education and Cultural
Services.
We will contact throughout the world to practice listening
and communicating with people in remote locations.
Students will
have personal experiences talking with and learning from operators
living in different cultures.
What better way to study geography
than by tying ham contacts and map skills together.
We will be
learning about and using ham radio to increase our knowledge of technology and how it can be used.
Finally, some students may become
interested and become licensed operators themselves.
Schools face many challenges in order to prepare students for the
future.
Amateur radio offers a lot of possibilities for the classroom teacher.
Maybe it is time to put the two together.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - APRIL 1991
IARN IN IRAQ ASSISTING WITH KURD HUMANITARIAN AID
IARN German Jump Team leader, Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB, and his group
have picked up their Red Cross communications van in Istanbul, Turkey,
and driven it to the Kurd refugee camp on the Turkey/Iraq border.
There
they are handling essential Red Cross emergency communications
by AMTOR on several frequencies.
They expect to be there for at
least a month.
The twelve IARN peacekeeping volunteers in the Iraq and Jordan are
all back home in England, the U.S.A., Sweden, Australia and New
Zealand.
They have been in the Mideast since January 1, 1991.
A
report of their experience will be given at the IARN forum at the 1991
Dayton Hamvention, Friday, April 26, 1991 at 3:15 P.M. in room 6. IARN
Assistant Mideast Project Manager, Steve Blaire, VK2BZB, is currently
making a speaking tour about the experiences of his group in the Mideast before, during, and after the war.
IARN HEADQUARTERS
IARN is still accepting traffic from all over the world for U.S.
deployed troops.
Traffic to any of the U.S. military deployed
personnel can be sent to: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA, FAXED TO 207 495 2069
Telephone BBS to 207 495 2490 TELEX to 697 6213 IARN, MCI mail to
K1MAN, Voice phone to 207 626 4563.
We have also been quite busy
preparing for the ARRL jury trial scheduled for late Summer, 1991, in
Bangor, Maine Federal District Court.
DAYTON HAMVENTION
We will be at Dayton with bells on.
We have Booth CO3 near forum
room 2.
The IARN Forum is Friday, April 26, 1991, in room 6 at 3:15
P.M.
K1MAN will also participate in Hap Holly KC9RP's "Information
Bulletin Services" forum Saturday at noon to 1:00 P.M. in room 7.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC.
MEMBERSHIP
Simply send a self addressed envelope with enough return postage for
two ounces to: IARN, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918, U.S.A.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - AUGUST 1991
IARN ACTIVATES FOR HURRICANE BOB
As we go to press, hurricane Bob was just beginning to pound Maine.
IARN activated into Mode 3 at 1640 UTC on August 19, 1991.
Traffic
at press time was light.
IARN ASSISTS IN CHINA
The IARN emergency amateur radio jump team, consisting of Sam Voron,
VK2BVS; Ken Fuhrmeister, VK3MDB, and Peter Broughan, VK3JPD, finally
got off to Nanjing China, on August 17, 1991, from Sydney, Australia,
loaded with radio equipment, to assist Chinese IARN with setting up
emergency amateur radio communications links to the flood disaster
area in the Jiangsu province and 96,599 doses of 94 different kinds of
medicine, mostly antibiotics, plus two first aid kits.
The radio equipment, most of which is being donated for permanent use by
Chinese IARN, consists of 1 Honda emergency generator, 3 hf
transceivers, 5 two meter radios, two 2 meter mag mount antennas, one
two meter ringo ranger base station antenna, five power supplies, and
one ten meter ssb base station transceiver.
All these donated items
were accumulated by IARN members in Australia, New Zealand, and the
United States.
The medical supplies were donated by St. Vincent
Hospital, Schering-Plough Corporation, Commonwealth Serum Laboratories, Queensland Red Cross, Dr. Paul Lai, Dr. Pauling, Dr. Silas
Lau, Dr. Paul Lam, Dr. Francis Chung, Dr. Ian Lee, Dr. Teh, Dr. Yap,
Dr. Lou in Australia; Douglas Pharmaceuticals, and Beecham Research
in New Zealand, and the United States firms Upjohn, and Welcome.
Also, large additional amounts medical supplies are available from
firms in Germany and the United states as soon as tricky customs and
delivery problems are worked out.
Civil Aviation Administration of
China, (known as CAAC) have made provisions for free air transport of
these supplies over the national Chinese airline system.
The IARN radio Jump Team will assist and offer trailing to Chinese
IARN members in setting up emergency amateur radio communications
links to the flood disaster area in the Jiangsu province.
These
floods are the worst ever to devastate China, and for the first time
ever, China requested international assistance.
IARN volunteers
have been working around the clock with our International Amateur
Radio Club in Nanjing, Wang Long, BZ4RBX, coordinator, Telephone
300 495 in Nanjing) in cooperation with the Jaingsu Radio Sports
Federation, Wang Wenyu, Foreign Affairs Secretary (Tel. 011 86 25 303
228).
The team will be in China for three to four weeks, is being
met at the airport by the Governor of the affected Jaingsu Province,
and the group will be hosted by various International Amateur Radio
Club members in Nanjing.
Wang Long, BZ4RBX, know by the handle of
"Dragon" can be heard on the IARN net every day at 10:45 UTC on 14.275
MHz. and the team's daily progress will be reported at these times
from the club station there.
Dragon teaches physics at the # 22
Middle School in Nanjing, a city with well over one million citizens,
and about 150 miles North West of Shanghai.
IARN Headquarters has received all the United Nations Disaster
Response Organization's situation reports by FAX from Geneva, Switzerland, and these reports, together with on site reports by IARN members
in China, spell out the worst flood disaster in history with 18
provinces affected (over 50 percent of the total of 30 Chinese
provinces) with 1,729 dead, 32,227 injured (affecting a population of 206
million), 13.9 million people threatened by flood waters, 2,109,
000 houses collapsed, and 4,148,000 houses damaged.
In addition to
IARN, the following have provided substantial assistance to China
regarding the present flood disaster: Swiss Red Cross, German Red
Cross, Church World Service, the United States, Norway, Myanmar,
Italy, Germany, Hong Kong, UNHCR (United Nations), World Vision,
United Kingdom Red Cross, Korean Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross,
Finnish Red Cross, Austrian Red Cross, Australian Red Cross, United
Kingdom, Thailand, Spain, Pakistan, Finland, Canada, World Health
Organization, FAO, Norwegian Red Cross, Japanese Red Cross, Canadian
Red Cross, New Zealand, Netherlands, Japan, Denmark, Australia,
UNICEF, and UNDP, whose personal representative, representing UNDRO,
the United Nations Disaster Response Organization, has just returned
from assessing the affected area.
In addition to the three IARN
delegates, LRCS has sent three people and MSF (Belgium and France)
have sent also sent an exploratory mission to the Anhui Province.
More help is needed.
If you can assist, or if you want to join the
IARN Radio Jump Team in China, contact IARN Headquarters as soon as
possible before September 15, 1991.
Telephone 207 495 2215 or FAX
207 495 2069.
DAVE PORTER. K2BPP, A SILENT KEY
It is with deep regret that we must report that Dave Porter, K2BPP
became a Silent Key on Saturday, July 13, 1991. Dave's passing
resulted from complications subsequent to his injury on Ascension
Island.
Dave first became involved with IARN during Hurricane Gilbert which
slammed into the Island of Jamaica in 1988.
Dave was doing a
satellite installation on Jamaica at the time and quickly became a
focal point of IARN emergency operations on the island during and
after the very destructive storm.
Our first job was to assess the situation with regard to reestablishing telephone communications on the island and we worked
with AT&T engineers via amateur radio and phone patching to get all
this done.
We also patched Dave to CBS in New York for a chilling
eyewitness report which was carried nationally over the evening news.
Next Dave worked all night to bring up the telephone satellite system,
using ham radio back to the Unites States for two way communications
while engineers and technicians on both ends got things going.
Then
there was a true a stroke of ham radio genius.
Dave set up a ham
station at the Montego Bay airport and IARN coordinated all evacuation
aircraft for over 50,000 people on ham radio, on 14.275 MHz. in
cooperation with the FAA.
We then set up the normal IARN emergency
traffic network operations, radio jump teams deployed to the island,
and, of course, the usual health and welfare traffic.
It was a big
IARN operation, and Dave played a very important part.
Highlights of Dave's ham career are over 50,000 phone patches he ran
for the Navy to Antarctica, and his subsequent trip to the South Pole
as a guest of the Navy, and then a ham radio expedition to the North
Pole that he organized.
Regarding third trip, Dave appears on the
cover of April, 1971 QST Magazine.
A short article about Dave and
a picture of him in his shack appears in this issue on page 87.
During the IARN activation for Hurricane Hugo, Dave operated from
K1MAN as Senior Net Control for over two weeks, putting in long 19
hour days.
This was the biggest IARN operation to date, and we had
many volunteers at IARN Headquarters working on that one.
Again,
Dave was a very important contributor.
Dave has also served as an
IARN Director.
Ham Radio has lost a truly dedicated and talented
radio amateur.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215
FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 1991
IARN IN IRAQ
The IARN Amateur Radio Peace Corps group of twelve volunteers in Iraq
are safe and sound at their camp 400 miles south of Baghdad in the
Iraq - Saudi border neutral zone according to CNN reporter Peter Arnet
who is the only reporter in Baghdad.
Led by IARN Mideast Assistant
Project Director Steve Blair, VK2BZB, the group does not have permission to use their radios, and was negotiating for permission for
this from the Iraq government when the war broke out.
IARN offered the group's services through King Hussein, JY1, to
President Saddam Hussein, as an independent observer of the Allied
and Iraqi prisoners of war.
The IARN group consists of volunteers
from England, the United States, Sweden, Australia, and New Zealand.
The offer was not accepted, and the group now preparing to assist
various private humanitarian relief agencies with the growing number
of refugees caused by the war.
The International Red Cross has asked the German IARN jump team headed
by Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB, to stand by with bags packed for deployment
with a fact finding team at any moment.
The group left Germany on
January 26, 1991 with a 70 tractor trailer truck convoy of relief
supplies destined for refugees in the affected area.
The convoy will
arrive in Turkey in about seven days on their way to the zone now
being set up to handle displaced refugees estimated to exceed two
million people.
The IARN amateurs will set up voice communications
on 14.275 MHz. and a direct AMTOR link on Red Cross frequencies with
Red Cross Headquarters in Geneva which worked so well during the
truck convoy operation in Rumania last year.
TRAFFIC TO DEPLOYED ALLIED TROOPS
IARN was requested by the Army National Guard to assist with the
design and installation of a new computerized MARS station at Camp
Keyes in Augusta, Maine.
IARN gathers traffic world wide from the
civilian sector by packet, FAX, telephone BBS, voice phone, TELEX,
and MCI mail for transfer to the Army system by telephone modem. From
there, direct links have been set up for dumping into Saudi.
For
Navy traffic, IARN links to Navy MARS by AMTOR mailbox.
The ships
that are able, from time to time, get this traffic from these
mailboxes.
Traffic to land forces, even if they are on the move,
takes about three days as compared to mail which takes three weeks.
Traffic to any of the U.S. military deployed personnel can be sent to:
K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA, FAXED TO 207 495 2069 Telephone BBS to 207 495
2490 TELEX to 697 6213 IARN, MCI mail to K1MAN, Voice phone to 207 626
4563.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, and 0100 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
UPDATE FOR 7 FEBRUARY 1991
FCC Belfast, Maine Engineer in Charge Barry Bohac has been pulled out
of that office until February 19, 1991 for reasons characterized as
confidential by Acting Engineer in Charge Arthur Hallum on 8 February
1991, in a telephone interview.
K1MAN's written response to a $1600
Notice of Apparent Liability dated January 11, 1991 was due February
17, 1991, 30 day after being served (by Certified Mail) on January 17,
1991. Bohac appears to have been pulled out of Belfast in order to be
away for action on K1MAN's Notice and, in much apparent confusion,
Hallum issued a Notice of Forfeiture on February 6, 1991, before
receiving K1MAN's written response, attached below, which was mailed
Certified on February 7th.
K1MAN received the Notice of Forfeiture
by Certified Mail and signed for it on February 8th.
Also, the
intercept is in error as described below.
Hallum did receive the usual demand for hearing from K1MAN and either
did not read it, or didn't understand that the demand was not a
response to the Notice of Apparent Liabilityt.
In the telephone
interview with Hallum, Hallum explained that he was an engineer and
not a lawyer and not competent to make legal distinctions in these
matters.
Hallum was asked why he thought there was a problem with the K1MAN
bulletins.
He said they started on top of others.
What about
ARRL?
He said they got complaints about K1MAN and not ARRL.
Well
ARRL people are jealous of K1MAN which runs circles around them; they
are a business, K1MAN is not.
Hallum seemed to agree with that
logical explanation.
Well the K1MAN bulletins are long.
But there
is an FCC ORDER on the books denying any restriction on Bulletin
length.
Hallum didn't know this.
Hallum agreed to reconsider the
Notice and look at the K1MAN written response but pretty much said he
couldn't rescind it.
So we have men non competent in legal matters throwing around Notices
and accompanying defamation of character as though they were Federal
Judges ordained by God while covering up with impunity the felony of
interference to emergency communications last summer.
Legal action against the Commission is under way beginning with
subpoena's being issued against Engineer in Charge Barry Bohac and
Field Operation Bureau Chief Richard M. Smith, for deposition, under
oath, on March 6, 1991.
K1MAN declines to disclose any further
details with regard to legal matters in Federal Court, on advice of
counsel, but will continue to disclose details, as before, on
proceedings pending before the Commission itself.
K1MAN's only
comment is that matters with the Commission are very very serious and
that we are not playing games here.
Heads are going to roll.
IARN WAR UPDATE - FEB 28, 1991
IARN IN IRAQ
The IARN Amateur Radio Peace Corps group in Iraq, headed by Steve
Blair, VK2BZB, is with a total group of 70 people staying in the
neutral zone marked on all maps and on the Iraq/Saudi boarder.
The
last report we had on the entire group off of CNN and reported by
Peter Arnet was that the group in the neutral zone is OK.
There
have been no reports that anyone in the neutral zone have been harmed.
The IARN group is listening to our twenty meter nets but are making
no transmissions.
Our offer to use the multi national group to
check on POWs has not been accepted.
For further information on this
you can contact the IARN Mideast Project Director, Sam Voron, VK2BVS,
tel. (direct dial from the U.S.) 011 612 417 1066.
IARN IN IRAN
The U.S. is finding that taking care of Iraqi POWs is becoming a
major problem and the refugees in IRAN, now estimated to go over two
million people, is an even bigger problem, being addressed by our 70
tractor tailor trucks (International Red Cross) loaded with supplies
and headed to the Turkish/Iran boarder area.
Contact with the convoy
is on 14.275 MHz.
IARN expects that humanitarian aid needs overall
will be overwhelming and we are not clear as to the extent that
private efforts will be implemented as the war unfolds over the next
few days.
Coordinating this project is the IARN German Director Bob
Bruce, DJ0XC. Tel. (direct dial from the U.S.) 011 49 30 342 9883.
IARN HEADQUARTERS
The chief activity at IARN headquarters over the last few days has
been dealing with the media, handling traffic for U.S. troops, and
trying to make arrangements with Soviet Red Cross for a little Soviet
girl to come to the United States for emergency medical care and a ten
year old Soviet boy needing open heart surgery.
Writer Don Lewis has begun writing a book about IARN and its Network
Manager (and somewhat controversial figure in many circles!) Glenn
Baxter, K1MAN. The book is aimed at the general public rather than
just at radio amateurs, with the focus on the human interest side of
amateur radio which IARN is attempting to integrate into the fabric of
worldwide society.
Lewis hopes to be finished in 6 months to a year
and has plans for the possibility of the book being made into a movie.
The book will have all the inside story about ongoing matters within
IARN that are not currently being released to the public including
multi million dollar litigation now underway and expected to be
completed concurrent with the release of the book.
The book is
expected to give IARN a major boost as its story finally gets out to
the general public.
Donald R. Lewis is head of Public Relations for
Geiger Brothers who publish the Farmer's Almanac.
He can be contacted at TEL 207 783 2110, FAX 207 783 6418.
The demise of Chicago Link, the weekly bulletin service produced
by well respected amateur journalist Hap Holly, KC9RP, was apparently
over the now hot issue of amateur censorship in particular, and
censorship of IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN in particular.
An
editorial about amateur censorship by Mark Thompson, WB9QZB, was
itself reportedly censored by a trustee of the Amateur Cross Link
Repeater system of six repeaters in Chicago by turning the system off
just before air time on Monday, February 18, 1991.
When asked for
his comment on the bizarre situation, Glenn Baxter, K1MAN said in an
editorial now being aired over IARN that:
"My comment is a very popular summary of the First Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States: 'I may not agree with what you
say, but I will defend with my life (and my pocket book?) your right
to say it.'
We've got some boys and girls (indeed men and women) in
the Mideast right now who are putting it on the line for what we here
in America believe is right, just, and honorable.
Let's not lose
the battle here at home, in Chicago, the heart of America, for the
rights so many have risked their lives to protect and preserve. Let's
find a way to get back on track and make it right.
I'm calling here
and now for a truce between bickering factions in Chicago and a
complete withdrawal from childish ways by noon on Saturday, March 2,
1991."
de K1MAN
NNNN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 1991
Dateline Baghdad, January 11, 1991
The Amateur Radio Peace Corps delegation of twelve people in Iraq lay
their lives on the line in the Mideast by electing to stay in Iraq
past the January 15, 1991 deadline.
Steve Blair, VK2BZB, IARN
Amateur Radio Peace Corps Assistant Manager in Iraq is negotiating
with top officials in Iraq and Jordan to open up lines of amateur
radio communications to enhance international good will, to discourage
war, and to make ready for assisting international humanitarian relief
efforts in case of war.
The delegation consists of 4 Australians, 1
American, 1 Swede, 3 British, and 3 from New Zealand.
They have set
up a camp 640 kilometers from Baghdad, on the Iraq - Saudi Arabia
border, in a zone marked on all Iraqi military maps as a neutral area.
Ten of the volunteers remain at this camp, and two remain in Baghdad,
with a rotation of personnel every two to three days.
Steve Blair, VK2BZB, after conferring with officials in Amman, Jordan,
has hand carried IARN documents to Baghdad for presentation to government officials as well as officials of the Baghdad Amateur Radio
Society.
Also carried to Baghdad, is a QSL card from IARN member Bob
Wieland, N5IER of Dallas, Texas who has been in direct contact with
YI1BGD, the club station in Baghdad.
In the documents, IARN has
offered to supervise the distribution of internationally supplied
humanitarian relief supplies.
Also on the table, is a thirteen point
plan to conduct a privately organized international conference that
would address solving all problems in the region without the necessity
of war.
The very presence of the international delegation in Iraq, regardless
of the obvious dangers involved, is hoped to underscore the desire of
everyone for a peaceful settlement.
At press time, the group has
been granted a welcome to stay by the government of Iraq, but permission to operate amateur radio equipment is still pending.
The
permission, when and if granted, will be FAXED to IARN world
headquarters in Belgrade Lakes, Maine, USA.
IARN Assistant Manager, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, is standing by to return to
the Mideast, following his recent visits to Jordan, Israel, and
Bangladesh.
Because we are so close to the January 15, 1991 deadline, all visa applications are being held up until further notice.
The IARN delegation presently in Iraq arrived on January 1, 1991. More
about this story next month.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - JULY 1991
TANDY CORPORATION DONATES COMPUTER EQUIPMENT TO IARN
During Operation Desert Storm, IARN was flooded with traffic and
activity requiring a fourth computer at IARN Headquarters.
Radio
Shack came to the rescue by immediately "loaning" us the needed
equipment to keep us on line with the expanded work load.
John
Buckoff, Manager of the Brunswick, Maine Radio Shack store and Joe
Green, Manager of the Augusta, Maine Store made it all happen, and
happen fast.
Our troops in the Middle East couldn't wait around for
red tape, and we didn't make them.
Now, Tandy Headquarters has
caught up with corporate red tape and made the "loan" a permanent
gift to IARN, joining IBM Corporation, Control Data, Kenwood, Mosley,
Cushcraft, HAL, AEA, MFJ, Catholic Relief Services, Dick Smith
Electronics in Australia, Telford Aviation, Keyes Fibre Company, the
Dayton Amateur Radio Association, the American Red Cross, Honda, the
Salvation Army, the Deborah Heart Center, Taca Airlines, American
Optical, Calvery Temple, World Vision, King Hussein, Dr. Ernie Adams,
Reverend Keith Munson, the Benedictine Sisters, Dr. Foster Young, Dr.
Gust Stringos, Satellite City, Alnico, Circuit Boards, Inc., Gordon
West Radio School, and many others who have donated at critical times
to our emergency communications operations.
A big thank you goes out
to these fine supporters, particularly Radio Shack, who is always
nearby and ready to help out with technical assistance, maintenance,
or moral support when the going gets rough.
Whether its the FAX
machine, audio decks, answering machines, or computers, we find that
the superb shielding and top quality of Radio Shack gear allows IARN
to operate smoothly where RF problems would otherwise hamper our
important emergency communications work.
Thanks again fellas & gals.
IARN REACHES UNDERSTANDING OF COOPERATION WITH IMRA
As a result of meetings with International Mission Radio Association
(IMRA) Officers at the 1991 Dayton Hamvention and discussions with
Father Mike Mullen, WA2KUX, IARN has reached an agreement of
understanding for mutual cooperation during times of international
communications crisis with IMRA.
The two organizations have worked
together in the past during emergencies, most recently during
hurricane Hugo effecting 17 islands in the Caribbean.
During the
Soviet Armenian earthquake in 1988, Father Mike obtained a $5,000
grant from Catholic Relief Services for IARN to install digital links
in the USSR.
These computer operations are still active and will
provide IARN emergency communications for years to come.
Father Mike and Catholic Relief Services came through again with a
$4,000 grant during our very large hurricane Hugo operation in 1989.
This money went toward telephone, TELEX, and other operational
expenses.
Also IARN sent eight CB radio handhelds and several two
meter beams to St. Croix and St. Thomas during this communications crisis.
The International Mission Radio Association is actively placing
emergency generators in twelve different South American countries in
preparation for any future disaster.
In the meantime, IARN has
completely redesigned its emergency traffic system for better tracking
and easier handling with the new computers at International Amateur
Radio Network Headquarters.
We look forward to many years of
fruitful cooperation with IMRA.
Their net meets daily on 14.280
at 1800 UTC and all those interested are welcome to check in and
participate.
BANGLADESH PROJECT CONTINUES
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, returned to Sydney, Australia from Dhaka on June
14, 1991, after being in Bangladesh since May 7, 1991.
Our long term
project of assistance to Bangladesh continues, and we are looking for
more volunteers to go there and work out of IARN - Bangladesh
Headquarters in Dhaka.
IARN will be supplying donated amateur radio
equipment, and we expect that permanent legalization of amateur radio
will be implemented as a result of the recent disaster and current
proposals we have made to the Bangladesh government.
After the
proposals are accepted, Sam will return to Bangladesh to implement our
national amateur radio disaster organization plan.
If you are
interested in going to Bangladesh to assist, or if you have amateur
radio equipment to donate, contact K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME or 207 495 2215.
In Dhaka, Sam operated for three days (May 16th, 17th and 18th) from
the United Nations offices there under the Swiss call sign SDR (Swiss
Disaster Relief).
IARN Headquarters reported our operations status
to United Nations Station 4U1UN in New York by FAX on May 16th, but
they had closed down their Bangladesh emergency operation on May 4th,
1991, and were therefore unable to respond to our FAX, as requested.
In the early days of the disaster, prior to May 4th, 4U1UN was able
to relay some messages to Dhaka via telephone to Mickey, VU2MKI in
Calcutta, who was able to communicate with Red Crescent operating with
internal forty meter hf equipment, as reported in June, 1991 Radioscan
Magazine.
We congratulate 4U1UN for establishing this early link.
Their UN Radio Readiness Group meets weekly on 14.268 MHz. every
Tuesday night at 23:30 UTC, and all those interested are welcome to
check in.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215
FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - JUNE 1991
IBM CORPORATION DONATES COMPUTER EQUIPMENT TO IARN
In a press release published during the week of May 20, 1991, IBM
Corporation has announced the donation of state of the art lap top
computer equipment to the International Amateur Radio Network for
world wide digital emergency communications operations.
As a direct
result of this press release, the trade journal "Network World,"
with a circulation of 150,000, has featured IARN in an article about
our emergency organization, and focusing on our current world wide
emergency digital communications network.
IARN Press secretary Bob
Sherin, W4ASX, and Network Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN were both
interviewed for this story and the IBM press release.
The original
proposal to IBM was written and submitted by one of our IARN Amateur
Radio Peace Corps Directors, David Larsen, KK4WW, who is currently in
the Soviet Union representing Virginia Polytechnic Institute on a
joint educational project which evolved out of an IARN Peace Corps
organized visit last year. The trade journal "Network World" is free,
and further information about this and the journal can be obtained
from the article's author, Jim Brown, 161 Worcester Road, Framingham,
Mass 01701.
His telephone number is 508 875 6400.
IARN STILL LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEER RADIO OPERATORS FOR BANGLADESH
Dateline Dhaka, Bangladesh, May 25, 1991 0730 UTC.
IARN Radio Jump
Team Leader Sam Voron, VK2BVS, has met with the Bangladesh Prime
Minister's son and other officials at the highest levels of government
to secure special amateur radio privileges on 3, 7, and 14 MHz. with
maximum power of 2,000 Watts.
Approval has been obtained from the
Bangladesh FCC, the Postal and Communications Ministry, as well as
the military and police and applies to the holders of any amateur
license including Novice.
Sam is attempting to also obtain two meter
operating privileges.
These privileges are for one month only and
Sam is lobbying for permanent operations which currently do not exist
in that country.
Final approval for establishing 40 amateur radio
stations in the disaster zones, including isolated islands, is
expected shortly from the Department of Home Affairs.
Sam reports
that the need is real, particularly in light of the fact that U.S.
troops assisting in the disaster areas are leaving May 29, 1991, thus
leaving at least a three month void in that devastated country.
You
can now contact Sam by telephone at IARN Bangladesh Headquarters, 70
Kakrail Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh, TEL. 880 241 2943 FAX 880 288 3194.
Health and welfare traffic for Bangladesh can be sent directly to that
FAX number or to the FAX at IARN World Headquarters.
If you are interested in going to Bangladesh to help with disaster
communications, contact IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine
04918 TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069.
You will need to purchase
your own airfare, and Singapore Airlines will grant a 50% reduction
for IARN deployed amateur radio operators.
You will also need a
passport but no visa will be required.
You will be picked up at
Dhaka Airport by IARN Bangladesh.
If you can go, we disparately need
your amateur radio operating services.
IARN'S RALPH MYRA, N1FJL, HANDLES ALL AMATEUR RADIO FOR U.S FLAG SHIP
IARN's Ralph Myra, N1FJL, and Manager of the Ten Meter Maritime Mobile
Net on 28.380 MHz. (daily at 1200 UTC) was recently a "Tiger Cruise"
guest aboard the Desert Storm Flagship USS Nassau.
This is the same
ship (mini carrier, 820 feet long) which hosted President Bush
and the First Lady just prior to the war, as well as a Tom Brokaw
broadcast on ABC.
Ralph first contacted the vessel's N8MYC, Bob
McGilvry, on August 5, 1990, and was requested to organize a net.
Ralph consulted with IARN Net manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and a
decision was made to do this special net on 28.380 MHz. under the name
"Ten Meter Maritime Mobile Net."
We both knew the true name of the
vessel, but neither of us knew that it was the U.S. Naval Flagship
with all the "brass" aboard. It is just as well that we didn't.
Assisting Ralph on the net was Craig, N4UOG. The radio amateurs in
this project handled over 3000 phone patches and 500 written messages
while the Nassau was deployed for Desert Shield and Desert Shield
operations between 18 August 1990 and 18 April 1991.
There was a
brief radio silence between January 11, 1991 and the end of the war. The
list of participants is quite long.
One day on the net, the vessel's Captain, John I. Dow, came on the
radio and invited Ralph and Assistant Manager Craig, N4UOG, to come
for a "Tiger Cruise." The amateurs were picked up and taken out to
the ship the day before its victorious homecoming back in the United
States, with thousands of loved ones and family members greeting them.
The amateurs, by then, were honorary members of the crew, and most
fitting.
They slept in the crew's quarters and ate in the crew's and
Chief's mess.
The Captain presented them with a special book
containing a letter of commendation, certificate of honorary crew
membership and color photo of the Nassau endorsed by the Captain. They
also received engraved wrist watches, a key chain, hat, and
engraved lighters.
While aboard, they operated from the amateur
radio room running phone patches for officers crew members.
One
Chief, Bill Bird, KC4OQB, is retiring, and has invited Ralph to his
retirement party which he and his wife will attend.
After the
cruise, Ralph spent the weekend with one of the ship's regular
operators, Bob McGilvry, N8MYC, his XYL and daughter.
"This whole
thing was the greatest honor I have ever had in my life.
I still get
choked up about it and how appreciative those men were for our amateur
radio work," said Myra in an interview with IARN.
Ralph first joined IARN as a headquarters volunteer during our major
activation for hurricane Hugo in 1989, receiving the coveted IARN
"Certificate of Appreciation."
Congratulations to Ralph for his
dedicated inovation and hard work.
That "Tiger Cruise" must have
been something else!
Ham radio at its best.
A feature interview
with Ralph about this is on the IARN Bulletin Service program for
the week of May 25, 1991. For your copy, send a blank C-90 to IARN
with enough return postage for two ounces.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - MARCH 1991
IARN IN IRAQ
The twelve IARN volunteers in the Mideast left the neutral zone in
Iraq on the Saudi boarder on 27 February 1991 and are now in Amman,
Jordan.
The group of volunteers from England, the U.S.A., Sweden,
Australia and New Zealand are all OK and now now making preparations
for the post war relief operation phase of IARN participation.
Group
Director, and IARN Assistant Mideast Project Manager, Steve Blaire,
VK2BZB, can be reached at the Amman Training Hotel, room 323, at
telephone 962 667 1133 in Jordan.
Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB, Radio Jump Team Leader of Radio Amateurs
assisting International Red Cross, arrived safely back in Germany
just before the cease fire.
The IARN Radio Jump Team provided
essential communications for the 70 tractor trailer truck convoy of
relief supplies during their trip to Teheran, Iran.
The relief
supplies were delivered to Red Crescent in Iran and will be
distributed to refugees displaced by the war.
Their communications
van is still in Teheran and the jump radio operators might return to
the field in the near future.
IARN HEADQUARTERS
The chief activity at IARN headquarters over the last few days has
been dealing with the media, handling traffic for U.S. troops, and
trying to make arrangements with Soviet Red Cross for a little Soviet
girl to come to the United States for emergency medical care and a 13
year old Soviet boy needing open heart surgery.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK WAR PUBLICITY
IARN has been getting some pretty good publicity lately which has now
gone national and international over the Associated Press wire and
also the International Amateur Radio Network Bulletin service heard
worldwide.
IARN began by offering the massage service to deployed U.S. troops as
announced over its world wide bulletin service heard six times daily
on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. beginning on January 23, 1991:
"IARN was requested by the Army National Guard to assist with the
design and installation of a new computerized MARS station at Camp
Keyes in Augusta, Maine.
IARN gathers traffic world wide from the
civilian sector by packet, FAX, telephone BBS, voice phone, TELEX,
and MCI mail for transfer to the Army system by telephone modem. From
there, direct links have been set up for dumping into Saudi.
For
Navy traffic, IARN links to Navy MARS by AMTOR mailbox.
The ships
that are able, from time to time, get this traffic from these
mailboxes.
Traffic to land forces, even if they are on the move,
takes about three days as compared to mail which takes three weeks.
Then WGME, Channel 13 in Portland, Maine ran a story about this
January 24, 1991.
The Portland Press Herald published a story
January 30, 1991 and Associated Press picked up on this and ran
following over its newswire.
This is expected to be picked up
newspapers all across the country.
on
on
the
by
The Boston Globe went to the Army National Guard station, AAR1NAE, in
Augusta, Maine today, January 30, 1991, taking pictures for an article
which appeared January 31, 1991.
Chief Warrant Officer Bob Welton
is manager of the MARS station in Augusta and is working closely with
IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN and also Rod Godfrey, AAR3NAA, at the
Army National Guard in Delaware.
Godfrey was the IARN German
Director prior to returning to the United States to accept his present
position.
In Saudi Arabia, another IARN officer and Net Control
station during several previous IARN emergency activations, Dan Wolf,
DA1DW, is largely responsible for setting up things on the Saudi end,
having made several trips to Saudi from Germany over the last few
weeks.
Also carrying this story on January 30, 1991 have been radio stations
such as WNED (91.9) FM at the University of Maine at Orono, WTVL AM
and FM in Waterville, WKCG AM in Augusta, and others.
A story about IARN then appeared on the front page of the Lewiston
Sun Journal Sunday on February 17, 1991.
WMTW TV, Channel 8 in
Lewiston did a story that ran the evening of February 24, 1991 and
WEEI radio in Boston did an interview with IARN Manager which ran on
February 25, 1991.
We did another interview which ran over WEEI in
Boston on February 27, 1991.
A NEW BOOK IN THE WORKS
Writer Don Lewis has begun writing a book about IARN and its Network
Manager (and somewhat controversial figure in many circles!) Glenn
Baxter, K1MAN. The book is aimed at the general public rather than
just at radio amateurs, with the focus on the human interest side of
amateur radio which IARN is attempting to integrate into the fabric of
worldwide society.
Lewis hopes to be finished in 6 months to a year
and has plans for the possibility of the book being made into a movie.
The book will have all the inside story about ongoing matters within
IARN that are not currently being released to the public including
multi million dollar litigation now underway and expected to be
completed concurrent with the release of the book.
The book is
expected to give IARN a major boost as its story finally gets out to
the general public.
Donald R. Lewis is head of Public Relations for
Geiger Brothers who publish the Farmer's Almanac.
He can be contacted at TEL 207 783 2110, FAX 207 783 6418.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, and 0100 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
IARN WAR UPDATE - 1 MARCH 1991
Dateline Belgrade Lakes, Maine, U.S.A. 1 March 1991.
The twelve
IARN volunteers in the Mideast left the neutral zone in Iraq on the
Saudi boarder on 27 February 1991 and are now in Amman, Jordan.
The
group of volunteers from England, the U.S.A., Swedan, Australia and
New Zealand are all OK and now now making preparations for the post
war relief operation phase of IARN participation.
Group Director,
and IARN Assistant Mideast Project Manager, Steve Blaire, VK2BZB, can
be reached at the Amman Training Hotel, room 323, at telephone 962 667
1133 in Jordan.
IARN HEADQUARTERS
The chief activity at IARN headquarters over the last few days has
been dealing with the media, handling traffic for U.S. troops, and
trying to make arrangements with Soviet Red Cross for a little Soviet
girl to come to the United States for emergency medical care and a 13
year old Soviet boy needing open heart surgery.
Writer Don Lewis has begun writing a book about IARN and its Network
Manager (and somewhat controversial figure in many circles!) Glenn
Baxter, K1MAN. The book is aimed at the general public rather than
just at radio amateurs, with the focus on the human interest side of
amateur radio which IARN is attempting to integrate into the fabric of
worldwide society.
Lewis hopes to be finished in 6 months to a year
and has plans for the possibility of the book being made into a movie.
The book will have all the inside story about ongoing matters within
IARN that are not currently being released to the public including
multi million dollar litigation now underway and expected to be
completed concurrent with the release of the book.
The book is
expected to give IARN a major boost as its story finally gets out to
the general public.
Donald R. Lewis is head of Public Relations for
Geiger Brothers who publish the Farmer's Almanac.
He can be contacted at TEL 207 783 2110, FAX 207 783 6418.
TRAFFIC TO DEPLOYED ALLIED TROOPS
Traffic to any of the U.S. military deployed personnel can be sent to:
K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA, FAXED TO 207 495 2069 Telephone BBS to 207 495
2490 TELEX to 697 6213 IARN, MCI mail to K1MAN, Voice phone to 207 626
4563.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, and 0100 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
IARN UPDATE - 9 March 1991
THE FCC BLINKS
In an apparent reaction to United States Federal District Court
Subpoenas served on FCC Field Operations Bureau Chief Richard M.
Smith, Belfast Engineer-in-Charge Barry Bohac, and Belfast Engineer
Arthur Hallam on March 1, 1991 by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, Robert
McNamara, FCC Special Services Chief, has officially declared an end
to the so called "Twenty Meter Net Mess." In a letter dated March 4,
1991 to Baxter, McNamara writes:
"Dear Mr. Baxter:
On December 21, 1989, I invited you and other amateur service
licensees to develop a joint plan addressing the underlying causes of
on-the-air disputes that were taking place on the 20 meter amateur
service band.
At your request, I extended the time for developing
the plan from July 1, 1990, until February 1, 1991.
The Commission has received your letter and a letter from G. Robert
Greenberg and informing us that such a plan is now unnecessary because
the controversy has been alleviated.
Mr. Greenberg states that no
problem now exists, no solution from the Commission is required or
desired, and any Commission action will create problems.
He believes
the Commission should declare the case closed, a view you share, and
that the existing rules are adequate to address any operating
violations that may occur.
Based on the views and input from you, Mr. Greenberg, and other
influential members in the amateur community, I can only conclude that
the dispute is no longer a significant problem and that potentially
restrictive rule making can be avoided at this time.
The ability of
the amateur community to address this dispute internally serves as a
model for the resolution of any similar controversies concerning the
amateur service in the future.
I thank you for your patience and contributions in addressing this
controversy and I wish you the best in pursuing the basis and purposes
of the amateur service.
Sincerely,
Robert H. McNamara
Chief, Special Services Division"
Asked to comment on the recent turn of events Baxter said:
-1"My famous Trojan Horse editorial over IARN on August 25, 1990 was
designed to bring this matter to a head, and apparently triggered the
flurry of Notices of Apparent Liability that began the following
Monday.
The previous Sunday, August 26, 1991, Fred Maia called and
gave us an inside tip that the Notices would be coming.
A side
effect of this was $3400 worth of Notices against K1MAN.
These
Notices wouldn't stand up in Court, of course, and the FCC knows it.
Now, the $5,000,000 lawsuit against the ARRL for their various dirty
deeds, and the Subpoenas issued against the FCC, have brought things
to another head, and thus the monumental letter from Special Services
Chief McNamara.
Last summer Fred Maia predicted:
1.
No more Information Bulletins...the demise of K1MAN's service.
2.
No more nets...the demise of Maritime Mobile, etc.
3.
No more phone patching.
Fred's box score so far:
1.
Wrong.
2.
Wrong.
3.
Wrong.
That's zero for three Fred!
While we are not out of the woods yet, the light is visible at the
end of the tunnel.
I say the amateur service is alive and well, and
that the good guys will come out on top in our great and victorious
nation, with equal justice for all who have the guts to stand up and
take some heat."
FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERS THE ARRL LAWSUIT READY FOR TRIAL
A $5,000,000 lawsuit brought against ARRL by K1MAN for various League
dirty deeds will go to trial shortly after August 15, 1991, by ORDER
of a Federal Judge.
The jury trial will be held in Bangor, Maine in
Federal District Court, in the new courtroom first presided over by
Federal Judge George Mitchell, now the United States Senate Majority
Leader.
The Federal District Court Scheduling Order dated March 6,
1991 also specifies that a final demand for settlement must be filed
by K1MAN with the Court by August 1, 1991 and that the ARRL must
respond by August 15, 1991. The presiding Judge will be the Honorable
G. Brock Hornby.
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, on advice of counsel, declined to comment about
any details of the case.
"You can read about it later in the book
coming out about IARN in about a year," Baxter said.
-2THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - MAY 1991
IARN ASSISTS IN BANGLADESH
Dateline Sydney, Australia, May 6, 1991.
At 0415 UTC today, IARN
deployed a Radio Jump Team to Dhaka, Bangladesh to assist with needed
emergency communications related to the cyclone killing at least 125,
000 people.
The team, headed by Sam Voron, VK2BVS, IARN Australian
Director, has available 100 medical volunteers in Australia ready to
travel to the disaster area to help.
Voron held a press conference
just before leaving (covered by channel 10, 9, and 32) and explained
the details of this humanitarian effort.
Sam is hand carrying all
health and welfare traffic accumulated by IARN to date for Bangladesh.
All communications to the country are cut off and the Consulate in
Canberra, Australia, has to communicate via third parties.
The
government of Bangladesh has officially welcomed IARN through this
Consulate and will be at the airport to welcome IARN at Dhaka, along
with the IARN Director for Bangladesh, Taimur Rahman.
This assistance is in accord with agreements that IARN signed with
Bangladesh IARN and the Bangladesh Hunger project during Voron's visit
last year.
See Page 29 of Radioscan Magazine, February, 1991.
We
have been working to establish amateur radio in Bangladesh since the
first IARN visit two years ago.
This emergency will give the establishment of ham radio in that country a big boost.
For this
emergency operation, however, IARN will obtain special opereating
authorization.
The IARN Chapter in Dhaka has over 60 members.
Emergency operations will be on 14.275 MHz., and further details will
be given over the IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service.
When
normal communications is back in service, Taimur Rahman's address and
phone numbers are: 70 Kakrail Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh, TEL. 880 241
2943
FAX 880 288 3194
IARN ASSISTS IN SOVIET GEORGIA
IARN headquarters received a call from CBS in New York on April 29,
1991 requesting information about the earthquake in Soviet Georgia.
IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, was still in Dayton, Ohio, and was
on 14.275 MHz. from KE8SQ and also following sketchy reports of the
situation on CNN.
Soviet IARN was activated immediately, with Alex,
RF0FWW, our coordinator in Tiblisi, Capital of Soviet Georgia.
He is
working out of Red Cross (Red Crescent) Headquarters in Tiblisi.
Four radio operators from Russia arrived quickly in the disaster zone
centered at Kutaisi and Spitak rescue came up from Yerevan, Soviet
Armenia.
The joint IARN/POISK search center in Yerevan is where much
of the equipment we donated during the Armenia earthquake is set up
including packet and AMTOR.
We worked with IARN/POISK and Spitac
Rescue last during the Iranian earthquake last summer.
Also active
in the net are Andy, RW3AH, IARN Moscow coordinator, and the IARN
Soviet Director, Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE in Lvov, Ukraine.
Reports out of the disaster zone grew increasingly worse, and amateur
radio was, and still is, the only communications.
CBS was kept
updated throughout the first day and all through the second day, April
30th.
While returning home on the 29th, IARN Manager Glenn Baxter,
K1MAN, conferred with CBS, IARN Headquarters, and the IARN German
Director, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, by telephone at airport layovers in
Detroit, Philadelphia, and Boston.
IARN was able to plug in Georgian Red Cross with German and
International Red Cross, which otherwise would not have happened.
Without IARN communications, the International Red Cross couldn't
even take the first step.
Also, Israel has deployed an entire plane
load of relief supplies to Georgia.
On May 2, 1991, Alex, RF0FWW,
issued the following message from Georgian Red Cross for public
release:
"Request for humanitarian assistance: On 29 April 1991, a
great tragedy took place in Georgia.
An earthquake hit in
six regions of Georgia.
It was entailed with heavy human
tolls and structural damage.
As of 2 May 1991, we know the
following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
45% to 95% of dwellings, depending on the area, have
been destroyed.
160,000 people total are homeless.
300,000 people are victims of this earthquake.
200 died and many are injured.
Because of the hard economic situation observed in Georgia,
the republic is in great need of disaster relief.
Needed
is medicine, medical equipment, both large and small tents,
and transportation equipment.
H.F. communications equipment
(for 220 volts ac), and ten meter walkie talkies with chargers
or power supplies for 220 volts.
We make a request to all of
you for humanitarian assistance.
Supplies may be sent to:
Georgian Red Cross, Krylov Street 15, 380002, Tiblisi, Georgia
Telex 21 21 67 RED SU.
Signed Nodar Tskitishvizi, President
of Georgian Red Cross."
PS FROM RF0FWW: AT THIS TIME THE ONLY COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE EFFECTED
AREA IS BY HAM RADIO OPERATORS WHICH HAVE COME FROM ALL OVER THE
SOVIET UNION TO ASSIST AND ARE OPERATING ON PRI. 14.275, SOVIET INT.
14.292, 7090, AND 3600.5.
IARN IS ACTIVELY PASSING RED CROSS TRAFFIC
TO CCIR AND OPERATING 14.275.
WE ALSO CHECK IN ON THE MAR NET 14.332
AT 0645Z. 73 DE RF0FWW,
QSP BY DJ0XC IARN-BERLIN K1MAN Note: Most
needed now are water purification tablets and antibiotics especially
those used for amputations related to gangrene.
As we go to press at 1500 UTC on 6 May 1991, there is much official
traffic on 14.275 MHz. between RF0FWW in Soviet Georgia and stations
in Turkey, Israel, Cyprus, and France.
Bob, DJ0XC, in Berlin is
acting as net control and the IARN Information Bulletin Service has
been moved to 14.272.5 MHz. for the 1000, 1100, 1300, and 1700 transmissions.
EARTHQUAKE IN COSTA RICA
At 9:45 P.M. on April 22, 1991, IARN West Coast Director, Frank
Collins, N6TAF, telephoned Headquarters and requested activation of
the emergency net on 14.275 MHz. for an earthquake in Costs Rica
centered at Puerto Limon.
Within minutes the net was activated with
George, TI4NJ, and Frank, TI2FPL, on frequency reporting conditions in
the effected areas and handling health and welfare traffic. Two
hotels had collapsed in Puerto Limon and one hospital was severely
damaged.
San Jose, Costa Rica, although hit severely, survived
without serious damage due to excellent building construction in the
effected area.
Lee, KB4FBX checked in and later became a primary net
control station.
Also Cheryl, HP1XXS, checked in and reported no
damage in Panama City.
She, also, became a net control operator
later.
W4ASX served in a roll of IARN Press Secretary and filed
reports with the media which was carried nationally.
TI2DU reported
that light planes were headed to Puerto Limon to evacuate injured
people.
Steve, WP4CGH checked in from Puerto Rico and assisted
throughout.
Several stations in the net had media visits to their
shacks, such as Bill, WB4DTO, and situation reports over the net were
quite helpful to them.
Most media, including Associated Press in
Washington, just listened and got more than enough information using
this method.
We later got reports that ARRL and American Red Cross
were also listening as IARN was "hours ahead when minutes count."
Many local Red Cross stations checked in.
AA6VY reported that Ed,
PA0MOD/TI mobile would be reporting in from the effected area which he
did.
Due to the collapse of bridges, however, Ed never was able to
get close enough to the disaster zone to give us much help.
The IARN
Director for Israel, Felix, 4X4OX, checked in and relayed a message to
the IARN Australian Director Sam, VK2BVS regarding net operations.
TI2FPL reported that 57 people were being brought to San Jose, Costa
Rica by medivac.
TI2FPL reported that the ocean had receded significantly and had dropped six feet.
Also, a large Diesel tank had
ruptured.
K1MAN secured at 2 P.M. EDT and the net control throughout
the night was handled by IARN West Coast Director Frank, N6TAF. K1MAN
came back up, after 4 1/2 hours sleep, the next morning at 6:30 A.M.
EDT.
Jim, TI2MKK was a big help to the net.
Other net control
stations were Bill, AB4RK; Dave, WB4LHO; Glenn, VE3ECL; and Ray,
WD4MGA.
Bob, W9ARV, assisted and consulted with Carlos, TI0CNE, who
is Coordinator for the Costs Rica Commission For National Emergency
Communications who showed up at out Atlanta NCS station KB4FBX. Carlos
was in the United States on his way to Dayton.
The net was secured
the afternoon of April 25, 1991.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK UPDATE - 9 MAY 1991 - 2147 UTC
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DEPLOYMENT TO BANGLADESH
IARN needs 40 radio amateurs, both U.S. and foreign, for immediate
deployment to Bangladesh, with radio equipment, to provide essential
emergency communications with regard to the recent and devastating
cyclones there.
The Bangladesh government has made this request to
IARN and will issue special emergency operating authorization.
No
visas are required, just a passport.
This emergency communications is covered by ITU resolution 640 and FCC
rule 97.401(b).
You need only to pay for your own round trip ticket
to Dhaka, and Singapore Airlines has granted IARN a 50 % reduction in
fair.
If you can help, call IARN at 207 495 2215 of FAX at 207 495
2069.
The packet address is K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME
ASSISTANCE NEEDED IN SOVIET GEORGIA
de DJ0XC @ DB0GR
\\\K1MAN de RF0FWW
At 1008 local time today, 3 May 1991, a second earthquake occurred
near Oni and Djava, Georgia with a strength similar to the one of
29 April. Also aftershocks have occured during during the night to
the 4th of May.
Immediate needs are for water purification eq. and medicines.
A list of medicines will be forthcoming.
The following amateurs have established the only communications
available with the effected area Georgia.
In the villages of: Iri- UF6FJF Chiatura- UF6DM, RF6FKE, UF6FHQ
Oni- UF6FEH, UF6FJH
Abroli RF6FC, UF6FDR
Sarchere- UF6FBE, RF6FKD, UF6FAL
UF0FWW, IARN Tbilisi has set up a communications center in the
Red Cross Bldg. with coordination with govt. agencies.
73 de RF0FWW IARN Tblisi, Georgia
QSP by DJ0XC @ DB0GR.DEU.EU
de DJ0XC @ DB0GR
\\\de DJ0XC with QSP of earthquake traffic:
>>>ALL
de RF0FWW at Tblisi Red Cross
Medicines needed in Georgia for Earthquake relief:
Needed mostly: **water purification tablets.
Cesamezini
Validol Tab
Nitro Glycerine Amp
Volocardin
Cardiamin
Corvarol
Penacylen Tab 0,5
First aid kits for doctors
Korglukoni Tab
For Gangrine---------Gangrena
Anti-staphila cocgemagobuilin
Tetanusi-antitoxin
Kemakordi
Analgin ampules
Difteria-Antitoxin
Baralgin tab + Amp
Kurantil-tab + Amp
Sinkumari-tab
Pelentani tab
Benalzini
Relaniumi tab
Reogramini tab
Aminoni tab
Reopoliglupini
*Kalimini tab + Amp
Gentamicini tab + Amp
Seduxen amp
*Sokoserili amp
Oxiferis carbon glass
Antibiotic tab u amp Kevzolio
Langocef
Nitrongphorte
Phosphodioni
Phortum
Panangini tab amp
Tramali Amp
Spazmalgoni tab
Proteini
Albuminmi
*Geparini amp
Kontrikali for head
Essencial phorte amp Hopitol tab
Vitamin C tab + amp
Asperin tab u amp
*Kokarboksilaza amp
de RF0FWW Red Cross Tbilisi
DE K1MAN
NNNN
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK UPDATE - 20 MAY 1991 - 1211 UTC
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR DEPLOYMENT TO BANGLADESH
IARN needs 40 radio amateurs, both U.S. and foreign, for immediate
deployment to Bangladesh, with radio equipment, to provide essential
emergency communications with regard to the recent and devastating
cyclones there.
The Bangladesh government has made this request to
IARN and will issue special emergency operating authorization.
No
visas are required, just a passport.
This emergency communications is covered by ITU resolution 640 and FCC
rule 97.401(b).
You need only to pay for your own round trip ticket
to Dhaka, and Singapore Airlines has granted IARN a 50 % reduction in
fair.
If you can help, call IARN at 207 495 2215 of FAX at 207 495
2069.
The packet address is K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA
LATEST DISPATCH FROM JUMP TEAM LEADER SAM VORON, VK2BVS, IN DHAKA
Dateline Dhaka, 19 May 1991 1906 UTC.
I have just ended a three day
project initiated by a request from the Swiss Embassy for me to work
with a professional radio operator, Walter Zimmerli, with the Swiss
disaster relied (group) for establishing urgent radio link from Dhaka
to Chittagong at the United Nations compound.
Operating under Swiss
call sign SDR with approval from Mr. Fisher, Deputy of the UN
compound.
I was able to contact Indian and Japanese radio amateurs
who are standing by to deploy when approval for forty stations in the
disaster area is finalized.
Please keep preparing Australian (and
other) volunteers and materials.
Approval has been given by the
Ministry of Postal Telecommunications and Army Intelligence. Currently
awaiting approval from Ministry of Home Affairs and Police Intelligence.
Two Japanese disaster relief teams arrived; one yesterday and
one today.
The state of emergency continues.
DONATED EQUIPMENT
IARN Australia, Tony Edward, Assistant Director for Foreign Disaster
Relief in Sydney, has obtained donations of five 650 Watt generators
from Honda and two Yaesu transceivers (FT-1000 and FT-747) from Dick
Smith Electronics. The generators have been shipped to Dhaka, two
for IARN at the Hunger Project in Dhaka and three for use by Care
Bangladesh.
Our contact at the Hunger Project is IARN Bangladesh
Director Taimur Rahman, 70 Kakrail Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh, TEL. 880
241 2943
FAX 880 288 3194.
Tony Edward in Sydney is coordinating
all relief activities coming from Australia. His direct dial
telephone from the U.S is 011 61 2 489 0299 FAX 011 61 2 489 7615.
IARN ASSISTS IN BANGLADESH
Dateline Sydney, Australia, May 6, 1991.
At 0415 UTC today, IARN
deployed a Radio Jump Team to Dhaka, Bangladesh to assist with needed
emergency communications related to the cyclone killing at least 125,
000 people.
The team, headed by Sam Voron, VK2BVS, IARN Australian
Director, has available 100 medical volunteers in Australia ready to
travel to the disaster area to help.
Voron held a press conference
just before leaving (covered by channel 10, 9, and 32) and explained
the details of this humanitarian effort.
Sam is hand carrying all
health and welfare traffic accumulated by IARN to date for Bangladesh.
All communications to the country are cut off and the Consulate in
Canberra, Australia, has to communicate via third parties.
The
government of Bangladesh has officially welcomed IARN through this
Consulate and will be at the airport to welcome IARN at Dhaka, along
with the IARN Director for Bangladesh, Taimur Rahman.
This assistance is in accord with agreements that IARN signed with
Bangladesh IARN and the Bangladesh Hunger project during Voron's visit
last year.
See Page 29 of Radioscan Magazine, February, 1991.
We
have been working to establish amateur radio in Bangladesh since the
first IARN visit two years ago.
This emergency will give the establishment of ham radio in that country a big boost.
For this
emergency operation, however, IARN will obtain special overeating
authorization.
The IARN Chapter in Dhaka has over 60 members.
Emergency operations will be on 14.275 MHz., and further details will
be given over the IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service.
When
normal communications is back in service, Taimur Rahman's address and
phone numbers are: 70 Kakrail Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh, TEL. 880 241
2943
FAX 880 288 3194
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC.
IARN HEADQUARTERS INFORMATION
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 USA.
TEL. 207 495 2215
FAX 207 495 2069 BBS 207 495 2490 Packet:
K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA MCI Mail: K1MAN
TELEX 697 6213 IARN.
DE K1MAN
NNNN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER
1991
ARRL ATTEMPT TO MONOPOLIZE HAM CALL SIGN ISSUANCE IS THWARTED
The American Radio Relay League tried to sneak in an amendment to the
1991 Funding Bill, known as HR 1674, that would give ARRL a virtual
monopoly in the issuing of amateur call signs.
Apparently, they
misrepresented facts to the bill's legislative committee, according
to a press release sent to IARN by well known amateur newsletter
editor Fred Maia, W5YI.
Fred writes:
ARRL AMENDMENT TO FCC FUNDING BILL
...BECOMES MAIA AMENDMENT
In August, the American Radio Relay League proposed an
amendment to Congress which would allow them to offer a
specialized amateur radio call sign service. The wording
suggested by the League was incorporated into HR.1674, the
Federal Communications Commission Authorization Act of 1991.
The bill would give the ARRL exclusive authority to provide
the FCC with a callsign service by amending Section 4(f)(4)
of the Communications Act as follows:
"The Commission for purposes of providing specialized,
radio club, and militaryrecreation call signs, may
utilize the voluntary and uncompensated services of an
incorporated association of amateur radio operators with
more than 100,000 dues
paying members representing all
States which has a tax-exempt status under
Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code."
I wrote several members of the House and Senate Committees
considering the FCC funding legislation and pointed out that
"While not mentioning the ARRL by name; the wording is
carefully crafted to preclude all other Amateur Radio
organizations from participating in the special
licensing/call sign assistance program unless they have
100,000 dues-paying members." I explained that this was a
very controversial provision.
I also pointed out that there were several other
national-in-scope Amateur Radio organizations. Among them
are the National Conference of VEC's, the National Amateur
Radio Association, the Society of Wireless Pioneers, the
Radio Club of America, the Quarter Century Wireless
Association ...and others. "Each with several thousand
participants." [I am a member of all of them.]
I explained how the National Conference of Volunteer
Examiner Coordinators is compiling the data for the FCC (at
their direction) on all Technician level amateurs who
upgrade to the next higher operator class by passing a Morse
code examination.
Also pointed out that "Amateur radio is presently enjoying a
fairly large expansion, fueled by the arrival of a new
code-free operator license class earlier this year. Nearly
5,000 new operators are joining the ham operator ranks
monthly. ...With the current pressure on the federal budget
and increasing interest in Amateur Radio, the government may
necessarily be looking to Amateur Radio groups to provide
some of the services that previously was administered by the
Federal Communications Commission. We do not believe that
the FCC should be precluded by law from accepting the
services of other Amateur Radio organizations."
"We believe it would be in the general best interests of the
government and Amateur Radio to change this amendment to
simply read:
"The Commission for purposes of providing specialized,
radio club, and militaryrecreation call signs, may
utilize the voluntary and uncompensated services of
Amateur Radio organizations as determined by the Federal
Communications
Commission.
Telephone call from Washington
On September 25, 1991, we received the following phone call
from David Leach, Legislative assistant (202/225-3147) with
the Energy and Commerce Committee. (Office of Congressman
John Dingell, D-Mich.)
QUOTE:
"Yesterday (September 24, 1991) the House passed the bill
with the change incorporated that your group had suggested.
It is worded exactly like you suggested. We were not aware
that there were other groups out there that were interested
in assisting. We changed the language (of the bill) once we
found out that there is more than one amateur radio
organization.
"I am on the staff of an outfit called the Committee on
Energy and Commerce ...on the House side. I work in
conjunction with Congressman John Dingell from Michigan.
Your letter was well done. We looked at it and tried to
think of a way we could improve on it ...and decided we
couldn't and just decided to use it as is.
"The FCC Authorization Bill has now passed the House of
Representatives as of yesterday afternoon (Sept. 24) about 5
o'clock. The Senate has not yet acted.
[I asked David Leach about the chances of the wording I
suggested being incorporated into the final bill.]
"It is terrific. It will happen," he said. "Had we known
what the ARRL was up to, we would not have accommodated
them. They were apparently 'spitting mad' today when they
looked into the Congressional Record and saw what we had
done. I took a call from a guy here in town about it.
'Look, I told him we can't involve one organization ...and
exclude all others.' That is nonsense! The Congress does
not work that way. Once you were good enough to point out
the problem we were creating ...we just went ahead and fixed
it. I have to thank you ...the system does work. It is
covered in the (Congressional) Record released today. It
will be in most libraries. I will send you a copy. END
QUOTE
- - - - - End of Release - - - - ARRL STEALS CREDIT FOR IARN SOVIET INITIATIVE
In what amounts to some kind of perverted form of plagiarism, misinformation, and fractured politics so characteristic of the American
Radio Relay League these days, the lead story on page 16 of the
October, 1991 issue of QST magazine attempts to rewrite very important
amateur radio history in a manner reminiscent of the Stalinist era,
but right here in the USA. The article is entitled "ARES in the
USSR," and features a color picture of the IARN Moscow coordinator
Andy Federof, RW3AH.
The article calls him the ARES coordinator,
with no mention of IARN's pioneering role in establishing emergency
communications in the Soviet Union.
We should be flattered that our
work in the Soviet Union is considered so important by the League that
it is worth stealing through journalistic highway robbery.
This
editor feels that this plagiarism is the worst mistake ever made by
ARRL, second only to refusing to run a public service announcement
over W1AW before a weekend contest, asking hams to avoid 14.275 MHz.
during the Jamaican hurricane Gilbert crisis, since we were still
running very important medical traffic.
Perhaps trying to interfere
with our deployment of jump radio operators to relieve exhausted Dave
Porter, K2BPP, in Montego Bay after hurricane Gilbert, should top the
list, but the list of ARRL atrocities is getting so long, we need to
be careful about which deed gets our all time booby prize.
IARN activated during the 1988 Armenian earthquake, got on the spot
verbal authority from the FCC, and for the first time in history, ran
emergency, priority, and health and welfare traffic with the Soviet
Union.
We sent donated state of the art radio equipment, and IARN
volunteers, to show our new Soviet friends how to set it up.
We
concluded written accords with the Young Communist Leagues in Moscow
and also in Yerevan.
The mover and shaker in Moscow was Andy, RW3AH,
and on the 14.275 MHz. net, was Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE. RW3AH soon
was appointed IARN Moscow Coordinator, and UB5WE was appointed IARN
Soviet Director.
We also have Directors in other provinces, who are
very active, such as Yuri Katyutin, UA4LCQ, in Ulyanovsk, and Alex
Teimurazon, RF0FWW, in the Republic of Georgia.
Several IARN Directors organized SARES, the Soviet Amateur Radio
Emergency Service.
As the Soviet Union came apart, so did SARES,
with emergency work falling back on the Soviet IARN structure. Andy,
RW3AH, became involved with Moscow Red Cross, and we did a lot of
IARN emergency work with this important new connection.
To fill in
the gap left in the Russian republic, Andy formed the Russian Amateur
Radio Emergency Service, RARES.
Now ARRL is trying to brand it
ARES.
There is no problem with affiliating with ARES, hundreds of
IARN members in the United Stated are ARES members, and we work quite
well together.
But to plagiarize in the way ARRL has here, is a
sham.
When donated American equipment sent to Moscow was ripped off, IARN
went to work to find it (we did), and ARRL tried to cover up the scam.
The Soviet ham involved had his license suspended, and ARRL Counsel
Chris Imlay flew to Moscow to try and get him off the hook.
We finally
got our equipment (including some donated by ARRL) down to
Armenia where it belonged, and later donated a repeater to add to
the joint IARN/POISK headquarters office there.
IARN donated more equipment to our Director's station in Lvov, Ukraine,
and the first Soviet - US Amtor contact was made between
UB5WE and K1MAN in October of 1990.
That Lvov Soviet IARN Headquarters
station is now operating APLINK (an automatic AMTOR BBS)
which is another historic first.
In the Spring of 1991, IARN computers donated by Control Data
Corporation were delivered and installed in Lvov and Moscow.
The
QST Article mentions nothing about any of this, but rather plagiarizes
all of our efforts and takes credit for it all being an ARRL ARES
deal. IBM Corporation has also donated a state of the art laptop
computer to IARN for its world wide emergency digital network and
issued a national press release about IARN which was followed up with
a feature story about our network in Network World on June 3, 1991.
These donations were fraudulently misrepresented by Dave Larsen,
KK4WW, in a September, 1991 QST article, page 79, where he has
concocted a so called Foundation for Amateur International Radio
Service or FAIRS.
We call it unfair and a scam - and ARRL knew
exactly what they were doing when they published the totally
misleading article.
A retraction has been demanded.
The attached series of FAXED letters demonstrates how the
American Radio Relay League squirms when we took them to task on
these frauds they have perpetrated on the amateur world community.
Basically, we gave ARRL an opportunity to come on the IARN Amateur
Information Bulletin Service and out satellite program segment "The
International Amateur Radio Report" (heard on The Radio Channel,
Spanenet 1, Channel 15, every monday night at 10 P.M. Eastern - the
three hour ham show begins at 9 P.M. Eastern).
Dave Sumner, K1ZZ,
promptly declined, giving every excuse in the book.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 1991
IARN CELEBRATES ITS SIXTH BIRTHDAY
IARN, which was born during the September 19, 1985 Mexico City
earthquake, just celebrated its sixth birthday.
Carried over the
IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service for the week of September
21, 1991, was the 1989 W4ASX piece entitled "Cheers From The Kitchen"
- an interview with Farryl Hendserson, who the net assisted greatly by
finding her brother and his family safe and sound in Mexico City
during that communications crisis.
For your copy of this birthday
program, send a blank C-90 cassette and enough postage for two ounces.
IARN ASSISTANCE IN CHINA CONTINUES
IARN Australia sent a second airlift to Nanjing China on September 21,
1991, carrying 22,000 doses of Ibuprofen, 4,351 injection viles of
Garamycin, and 24 other types of assorted medicines.
IARN - USA is
putting together a third airlift from the United States of 1,000
bottles of the broad spectrum antibiotic Cephalexin (100,000 total
doses).
We have been working closely with Mr. Li Tiejun, Chancellor
of the Chinese Embassy on Washington, D.C. for free transport of these
medical supplies on Air China.
The first airlift of medicine from
the United States on Air China left New York October 2, 1991 and more
shipments are planned, as well as more from Australia and New Zealand
for the worst flood devastation in Chinese history.
The IARN - USA jump team to Yantai, China has been selected.
This
city is one of the 14 cities open for special foreign joint ventures,
and their Secretary General, Zhang Feng Jie, (16 Yuhuangding West
Road, Tel 86 535 247 422 244 451 - 112, 433) has invited IARN, all
expenses paid, (including air fare) to come to the city and set up an
emergency amateur radio communications center.
IARN will donate all
the amateur equipment including hf, two meter, antennas, etc.
The
jump team members will be Al Vayhinger, W9ELR, and Chuck Sheffer,
KJ4TY, both of whom represented IARN in the Soviet Union during the
1988 Armenian Earthquake.
Chuck returned to the USSR a second time
and negotiated the door opening written agreements between IARN and
the Young Communist Leagues in both Moscow and Yerevan.
K1MAN TAKES THE ISSUE OF INFORMATION BULLETINS TO THE FULL COMMISSION
In an unprecedented move, FCC field Operations Bureau Chief, Richard
M. Smith, has acted to attempt to stop IARN information bulletins
transmitted by its Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN. Smith, in a four page
letter dated 27 August 1991, affirmed a $1500 monetary forfeiture
imposed on K1MAN last year by the FCC's Belfast, Maine office, for
alleged "broadcasting," and alleged interference caused thereby.
K1MAN requested reconsideration by the Field Operations Bureau,
arguing that the "broadcasts" were, in fact, FCC authorized
information bulletins, and that the alleged interference was no
different than W1AW standard practice, which has been legitimized by
previous Orders of the Private Radio Bureau.
Also, K1MAN argued that
Special Services Chief Robert McNamara ruled formally, in a letter
dated November 3, 1989, that the Private Radio Bureau was familiar
with the K1MAN bulletins, and that they were considered to be similar
to those of W1AW.
Smith disagreed, and upheld the forfeiture.
K1MAN now takes the matter to the full Commission on 27 September 1991
with the formal filing of a six page brief (single spaced) plus
eight exhibits.
This Petition for Review thus passes over from the
Field Operations Bureau to the Private Radio Bureau, who will bring it
in front of the Commissioners, along with their recommendations.
It
is not certain whether they will side for or against K1MAN, in what
appears from the outside to some controversy about the matter within
the Commission itself.
In a nutshell, the FCC is charging K1MAN with coming on frequency per
a published schedule - something ARRL does daily, and targeting non
licensed hams - something ARRL also does with their five word per
minute code practice.
Baxter's brief invokes res judicata (sometimes
known as collateral estoppel) and cites a Supreme Court decision
supporting this position which in non lawyer talk is: "If you have
made it OK for ARRL to do it, the court will not allow the Commission
to stop K1MAN from doing the same thing."
In an interview with K1MAN, Glenn said "We seem to have have the
Commission boxed in at this point. If they don't cancel the $1500
forfeiture, we will take it to the U.S. Court of Appeals, and after
that, the U.S. Supreme Court. At the end of the tunnel, should we
lose in the Supreme Court, is a jury trial here in Maine.
We didn't
realize that part, but one of the cases cited by Mr. Smith, and his
legal staff, cites another case which establishes the law (and this is
no surprise), and that is you can't take $1500 from somebody without
going before a jury and getting them to agree to it.
No jury will
agree that it's OK for ARRL, but that K1MAN has got to pay $1500 for
doing the same thing.
Its really a very simple matter when you look
at it that way.
If the Commission wants to stop the amateur
information bulletins now, they will have to go to rule making, and
shut down W1AW, Westlink and everyone else.
That is unlikely to
happen," Baxter said.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
APRIL THROUGH SEPTEMBER, 1992
IARN REORGANIZATION
IARN is now organized into three ITU Regions.
Region 1 is
coordinated by Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, TEL/FAX number 011 49 30 342 9883;
Region 2 is coordinated by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, TEL 207 495 2215, FAX
207 495 2069; and Region 3 is coordinated by Sam Voron, VK2BVS,
TEL/FAX number 011 612 417 1066.
IARN Directors in each region are
appointed by their Coordinator.
IARN worldwide membership now stands
at 4,500.
Membership is free........simply send a self addressed
business sized envelope with return postage for two ounces to: IARN,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918, USA.
All IARN newsletters to date are
available on our telephone BBS at 207 495 2490.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
APRIL - 1992 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN ASSISTED IN TURKISH EARTHQUAKE - MANY JUMP TEAMS IN ERZINCAN
IARN activated for the 6.8 Richter earthquake that has devastated
Erzincan, Turkey.
IARN Director for Turkey, TA1E, "Aziz," was IARN's
first in the disaster zone, setting up emergency communications on
our net frequency of 14.270 MHz. under the special call TA9EQ (for
"earth quake").
IARN ITU Region I Coordinator, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, has
been managing the open net with a multitude of operators speaking
English, French, Greek, Turkish, and Russian.
Traffic has been
mostly emergency logistical, with aircraft stopping first at Ankara.
The quake hit on Friday the 13th, 1992, with another registering 5.8
at 16:18 on Sunday, 15 March 1992.
The German IARN Jump Team of five radio operators, headed by Willy
Werbrouck, DJ3EB, arrived on Wednesday, March 18, 1992 with 22,000
blankets.
Soviet IARN Moscow Coordinator Andy Federov, RW3AH,
organized another jump team, which arrived with over 10 tons of relief
supplies on the same day.
Also radio amateurs from France, Greece,
and Switzerland have sent radio operators along with rescue units.
Amateur Radio has proved to be the only means of reliable
communications. Call signs on the emergency net on 14.270 and 7.090
are: TA9EQ, "Aziz", IARN Director for Turkey; DJ0XC, Bob, IARN
Director for Germany; RW3AH, Andy, IARN Russian Director; RF0FWW, IARN
Director for Georgia; TA9/DF0AND, Willy, IARN German Jump Team leader;
K1MAN, Glenn, IARN Manager; TA1D, Kadri; F6FMX, rescue group from
France; TA1AZ, Derya; TA8AQ, Osman; SV1VH; SV1EM; TA5C, Can; TA1KA,
Selds; OE6EEG, from Swiss Disaster Relief; UI8AF and UI8BI, from
Turkmenistan
We found upon arrival that we had too many rescue dogs, and no need
for medicine or food.
The greatest need is for blankets, tents,
and sleeping bags.
Temperatures are well below freezing, in the
10's and 20's Fahrenheit.
Much of the city of 150,000 had been rebuilt from the 1939 earthquake
that killed 39,000 people.
The German IARN Jump Team reports from
the effected area as of 22 March 1992 that 19,000 tents have been
erected.
Most of the ones erected by German Red Cross are 20 man
tents.
There are 20,000 people still without housing or tents and
temperatures are dipping into the 10's and 20's Fahrenheit.
We had
an urgent need for 10,000 more small tents, and IARN worked with
Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's office to obtain $300,000
from the U.S. government to quickly purchase and deliver then to the
affected area.
Listed deaths: 500; still listed as injured: 800; missing: 200; saved
by rescue teams: several hundred.
IARN Region I coordinator, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, reports that our Director
for Turkey, Aziz Sasa, TA1E, is doing a superior job in the effected
area and has recommended that Aziz receive IARN's highest award for
emergency service to the public.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
MAY - 1992 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN ACTIVATES FOR GAS EXPLOSION IN GUADALAJARA, MEXICO
From what appears at press time to be gasoline leaking into the sewer
system and then exploding, a 20 square block area in downtown
Guadalajara, Mexico was destroyed on April 22, 1992.
The first of
many explosions occurred at 1:30 P.M. Eastern and Channel 2 in Los
Angeles called IARN West Coast Director Frank Collins, N6TAF, at 1:45
P.M. Eastern.
Collins called IARN Headquarters, and at 4:41 P.M.
Eastern we activated world wide on 14.275 MHz.
There were check ins
from Chapala, Mexico, 20 miles south of the affected area, plus check
ins from all over the U.S., Jamaica, England, Russia, Bulgaria,
Australia, Canada, and others.
Over 200 people were killed and
1,500 injured.
Hospitals were jammed and phone service into and out
of the country was cut off.
IARN began accepting traffic.
There were about 25 pieces collected
on 14.275, and IARN West Coast took about 200 by telephone after a
story that ran on Channel 2 in Los Angeles.
Over 1500 volunteers
were vaccinated and they worked feverishly digging out an area
described by four streets: Gigantes and Revolution running east - west
and Independencia and Ejercito running north - south.
The first
explosion occurred on Wednesday, and by Friday morning some phone
calls were making it into Guadalahajara from the United States.
IARN
downgraded to Mode 4, semi alert, at 12:57 Eastern on Friday, April
24, 1992.
The following radio amateurs deserve special mention in this
operation: Net Control Stations were KA5BAS, Rose; KB4FBX, Lee; N9LUO,
Mike; WA0MTP, Chris; W8BXO, Doc; WB8BHM, Larry; and N1FJL, Ralph.
Relay
stations were: 6Y5GR, Astley; KB5JL, Jim; N6BFH, Nelson; and LZ1BB, Harry.
Our stations in Mexico were: N5RPJ/XE2, Mike; XE1HII, Mitch; and XE1FWY,
Tom in Chapala; and XE1DDH, Ricardo, in Guadalajara.
Other active
stations were:
plus
many others.
There was a very high degree of cooperation among all
radio amateurs in this IARN activation, and no jamming whatsoever.
Congratulations to all of you, and thanks.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
JUNE - 1992 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN WORKS WITH RADIO JAPAN REGARDING THE EARTH SUMMIT
Ian Mc Farland, who used to be an English producer at Radio Canada
International, is now at Radio Japan in Tokyo doing the same thing.
Ian, and IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, co-produced "The International
Amateur Radio Report" as a monthly feature of the well
known "SWL Digest"on RCI in years past.
On June 5, 1992 Radio Japan
and Radio Canada International jointly presented a 27 hour long broadcast marking this United Nations International Year of the Environment
and the Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.
Ian sent several
audio promotions for this event and they were aired over IARN for the
weeks just prior to the broadcast which included live call ins from
all over the globe.
IARN COOPERATES WITH PACIFICA RADIO REGARDING BOUGAINVILLE
While the Republic of Bougainville's representative to the United
Nations was in New York, Pacifica Radio's program manager of WBAI
(99.5 FM), Andrew Phillips, interviewed him for both Pacifica's non
commercial nationwide radio network and IARN's world wide shortwave
bulletin service.
Pacifica has six stations in major cities across
the country and will be working with IARN and sharing programming for
several ongoing projects.
country
IARN VOLUNTEER ATTACKED BY AUSTRALIAN SUPPLIED PNG GUNSHIP
On June 10, 1992, a Papua New Guinea aircraft opened fire on two
unarmed canoes carrying rice and medical supplies along with IARN
volunteer Rosemary Gillespie.
Rosemary and her companions jumped
into the water and swam ashore as the plane circled and continued to
fire on the humanitarian aid volunteers.
They his in the thick
vegetation on shore and when the returned to the boats, one had water
in it caused by the machine gun fire.
The group managed to get to
Kariki village.
After they arrived, a PNG Iroquois gunship helicopter
flew over the village and terrified the villagers.
10 to
15 minutes later, a PNG airplane (supplied by Australia) flew over
quite low and further terrified the villagers
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
JULY - 1992 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN VOLUNTEER ATTENDS SOUTH PACIFIC FORUM
IARN volunteer, Rosemary Gillespie, attended the 23d meeting of the
South Pacific Forum in Honiara (capital of the Solomon Islands) which
began July 8, 1992.
She gave testimony regarding the use of
Australian military aircraft against unarmed civilians in the
Bougainville conflict.
The forum was attended by heads of
government of Australia, New Zealand, and the independent South Pacific
States.
IARN REGION 3 COORDINATOR PROPOSES HUMANITARIAN AID & RADIO LINK
In a bold and dramatic move on July 17, 1992, IARN proposed to the
governments of Papua New Guinea and the Republic of Bougainville to
establish direct radio links between their respective capitols of
Port Moresby and Arawa. IARN has also proposed (1) A peace meeting,
(2) Removal of the blockade of the island of Bougainville by Papua New
Guinea Security forces, and (3) full sanctioning by Papua New Guinea
of IARN volunteer radio amateurs on Bougainville in providing
emergency communications and humanitarian aid for all parties.
IARN has been deeply involved in providing emergency communications
and vital humanitarian aid in the new break away Republic of
Bougainville since November, 1991.
Part of IARN's efforts have been
to establish an amateur radio station, C1A, and also a shortwave
broadcast station called Radio Free Bougainville in Arawa, Capitol of
the new republic, through a Perpetual Charter Agreement which
specifies open access to.all parties.
IARN takes no sides in any
political dispute and is only interested in providing essential
emergency communications and emergency relief medical supplies
regardless of who or what are involved.
IARN has had amateur radio volunteers working continuously on the 160
mile long island of Bougainville, located between Papua New Guinea and
the Solomon Islands since January, 1992 and one IARN volunteer,
Rosemary Gillespie attended the South Pacific Forum in Honiara which
discussed the conflict last week.
The Republic of Bougainville is officially recognized by IARN as an
independent and sovereign country, however, the American Radio Relay
League does not.
The Republic of Bougainville is an official member
of an alternate United Nations called UNPO, however the regular U.N.
in New York is yet to recognize the new nation which is still
struggling for independence much like our struggle in the United
States 200 years ago.
A Bougainville representative attended the
last UNPO meeting in Tallinin, Estonia last January.
IARN MAKES THIRD TRIP TO CHINA
IARN volunteer Ken Fuhrmeister, VK3MBD, and his XYL Janet visited our
International Amateur Radio Club in Nanjing, China on July 18, 1992.
They brought 8 donated transceivers for use by Chinese young people in
the Nanjing area. Ken and Janet were hosted by IARN Nanjing Director,
"Dragon" Long, BZ4RBX.
A fourth trip to China is being planned;
those interested should contact IARN Headquarters.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
AUGUST - 1992
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN ACTIVATES FOR HURRICANE ANDREW
IARN activated for Hurricane Andrew at 1805 UTC on August 23, 1992. We
got immediate check ins from all over the United States, Europe, Cuba,
and even Israel.
Germany officially authorized third party health
and welfare traffic.
Many stations representing the American Red
Cross and the Salvation Army passed traffic into the net as well as
many MARS and other military base stations.
Stacy Garner, WG9J, and Glenn Baxter, K1MAN worked with various Red
Cross and other groups coordinating the deployment of medical
volunteers into the South Florida area.
Gordon, K4RFI was the first
mobile station to be deployed and immediately set up liaison with
Homestead Air Force Base and its Commander Col. Ramos.
4U1UN operated
briefly on 14.268 and N6LSO and KA3SZR organized a useful net
on 14.313 which went for about two weeks and passed a fair amount of
traffic.
Putting in the longest hours on 14.275 MHz. were Dan, DA1DW; Glenn,
K1MAN; Charlie, KN4UN; Astley, 6Y5GR; Linda, N0LKX; Bill, W6HDP;
Gordon, N4RFI; Stacy, WG9J; Ed, KC4OOZ; Gary, KB4IPR; Nancy, N7FAP;
and Joe, WB6OPD.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
SEPTEMBER - 1992 * * * * * * * * * * * * *
IARN ACTIVATES FOR HURRICANE INIKI AFFECTING HAWAIIAN ISLAND KAUAI
Amateur radio operators have responded to Hurricane INIKI which devastated the Hawaiian Island of Kauai on September 11 and 12, 1992.
Kauai is only 30 miles in diameter and has 50,000 inhabitants.
The
island is a popular tourist resort.
IARN activated at 0020 UTC on
September 12, 1992 on 14.275 MHz. and 4U1UN activated on 14.268 MHz.
ABC Radio in New York and Associated Press in Washington, D.C. kept
in constant telephone contact with IARN Headquarters for updates and
both FAXED their latest wire reports to IARN for reading over the
air to interested radio amateur net listeners.
We frequently share
information with major media in this manner during a serious
communications emergency. IARN health and welfare traffic was quite
heavy.
Many IARN stations got significant television publicity, including
San Diego and Chicago.
W9IT was seen on ABC channel 7 in Chicago,
and, as a result, Scot Roskelly of Kauai's Wilcox Hospital (who just
happened to be in in Chicago) called IARN and requested us to set up
our equipment on the island and supply volunteers to operate at
various emergency amateur radio communications center.
We FAXED all our
traffic to date to Scott as he passed through Honolulu, which he
hand carried to Kauai on September 13, 1992.
Sam Voron, VK2BVS, IARN Region 3 Coordinator, arrived on Kauai on
September 15, 1992, and set up IARN's headquarters station at the Waimea
High School Red Cross Operations and Feeding Center 20 miles
from Lihue.
Additional IARN Jump Team operators began arriving in
Lihue on September 18, 1992 with a total of 8 arriving* by Monday,
September 21 and all assigned to provide amateur radio communications
for the five Red Cross Service Centers at the Hanapepe Armory, the
Kalaheo Neighborhood Center, Kapaa Armory, the Lihue Convention
Center, and Princeville Library.
All IARN health and welfare traffic
not hand carried to Kauai on September 13 went through an automatic
digital link (Navy MARS) from K1MAN - Birmingham - Washington state Kapaa, Kauai (John, NNN0EIK); all engineered by Billy, N4WXI.
Ted,
N7RUD, set up a station for Salvation Army H.Q. in Lihue September 26.
On October 2, 1992, IARN secured its emergency operations on Kauai.
Remaining in the island are American Red Cross, Salvation Army, and
about 1000 military personnel.
Stations active on 14.275 MHz. have been K1MAN, Glenn; KN4UN, Charlie;
N0LKX, Linda; WD4MGA, Ray; NC7G, Jim; W9HBI, Bill; K4ADB, Les; KA6SPQ,
Bill; Billy, N4WXI (NNN0HUL), and VK2BVS/KH6, Sam; W6KFV, John (also
West Coast Manager of the 4U1UN - United Nations Radio Readiness
Group); and K6LAE, Richard. Jump Team operators are Sam, VK2BVS
(Manager); Richard, VK3JFK; Richard, KB7IO & XYL Carol; Bruce, K7PXV
and XYL Thelma; Jan, N6USE; Don, N7OGT; and Ted, N7RUD.
In true form, ARRL issued the following W1AW bulletin on September 15,
1992: (Note that the League ignores both operations of IARN on 14.275
MHz. and the 4U1UN Radio Readiness Group on 14.268 MHz.)
"QST DE W1AW...ARRL BULLETIN 89 FROM ARRL HEADQUARTERS NEWINGTON,CT.
SEPTEMBER 15, 1992.
TO ALL RADIO AMATEUR ARRL PACIFIC SECTION
MANAGER ROBERT SCHNEIDER, AH6J, REPORTS THAT THE INITIAL EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS PHASE HAS BEEN CONCLUDED ON KAUAI, AND THE HEALTH AND
WELFARE TRAFFIC PHASE OF THE OPERATION HAS COMMENCED.
THE SM REPORTS
THAT TELEPHONE SERVICE ON KAUAI IS LIMITED TO OUTGOING CALLS ONLY, AND
REQUESTS THAT MAINLAND AMATEURS MONITOR NETS AND PACKET BULLETIN
BOARDS TO HANDLE HEALTH AND WELFARE TRAFFIC.
AMATEURS ARE ADVISED TO
MONITOR THE FOLLOWING: HAWAII EMERGENCY NET (7200 KHZ), PACIFIC
INTER-ISLAND NET (14.215 KHZ), AND ALL NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM NETS
(LOCAL FREQUENCIES)"
IARN BULLETIN SERVICE: Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at
1000, 1100, 1300, 1700, 2100, 0000, and 0200 UTC. Also Sundays on
3890 high fidelity AM at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC.
7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
(One hour later when clocks change)
* Ed, N6GZI, was sent back from Honolulu while Mike Riley, KX1B,
was in Honolulu; Ed, WV7J and Doris, N7OJU were sent back from Lihue
while Riley was there.
When a Red Cross volunteer went to the Kappa
MARS station to pick up H & W traffic and Riley found out it was IARN's,
he "went through the roof" according to Navy MARS Chief James
Dodge in Washington, D.C., and invoked all the political muscle he
could muster to force the Navy to "pull the plug" on IARN.
They
didn't....33% of all IARN traffic comes directly from Red Cross
Chapters all across the country.
Riley also interfered with IARN
volunteers on St. Croix during Hurricane Hugo.
Riley is former
Deputy Manager of ARRL, author of ARRL's Emergency Handbook, and
currently American Red Cross's top emergency communications official.
We hope these petty disruptions will disappear in the future - K1MAN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - APRIL 1992
IARN ASSISTING IN TURKISH EARTHQUAKE - MANY JUMP TEAMS IN ERZINCAN
IARN activated for the 6.8 Richter earthquake that has devastated
Erzincan, Turkey.
IARN Director for Turkey, TA1E, "Aziz," was IARN's
first in the disaster zone, setting up emergency communications on
our net frequency of 14.270 MHz. under the special call TA9EQ (for
"earth quake").
IARN ITU Region I Coordinator, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, has
been managing the open net with a multitude of operators speaking
English, French, Greek, Turkish, and Russian.
Traffic has been
mostly emergency logistical, with aircraft stopping first at Ankara.
The quake hit on Friday the 13th, 1992, with another registering 5.8
at 16:18 on Sunday, 15 March 1992.
The German IARN Jump Team of five radio operators, headed by Willy
Werbrouck, DJ3EB, arrived on Wednesday, March 18, 1992 with 22,000
blankets.
Soviet IARN Moscow Coordinator Andy Federov, RW3AH,
organized another jump team, which arrived with over 10 tons of relief
supplies on the same day.
Also radio amateurs from France, Greece,
and Switzerland have sent radio operators along with rescue units.
Amateur Radio has proved to be the only means of reliable
communications. Call signs on the emergency net on 14.270 and 7.090
are: TA9EQ, "Aziz", IARN Director for Turkey; DJ0XC, Bob, IARN
Director for Germany; RW3AH, Andy, IARN Russian Director; RF0FWW, IARN
Director for Georgia; TA9/DF0AND, Willy, IARN German Jump Team leader;
K1MAN, Glenn, IARN Manager; TA1D, Kadri; F6FMX, rescue group from
France; TA1AZ, Derya; TA8AQ, Osman; SV1VH; SV1EM; TA5C, Can; TA1KA,
Selds; OE6EEG, from Swiss Disaster Relief; UI8AF and UI8BI, from
Turkmenistan.
We found upon arrival that we had too many rescue dogs, and no need
for medicine or food.
The greatest need is for blankets, tents,
and sleeping bags.
Temperatures are well below freezing, in the
10's and 20's Fahrenheit.
Much of the city of 150,000 had been rebuilt from the 1939 earthquake
that killed 39,000 people.
The German IARN Jump Team reports from
the effected area as of 22 March 1992 that 19,000 tents have been
erected.
Most of the ones erected by German Red Cross are 20 man
tents.
There are 20,000 people still without housing or tents and
temperatures are dipping into the 10's and 20's Fahrenheit.
We had
an urgent need for 10,000 more small tents, and IARN worked with
Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell's office to obtain $300,000
from the U.S. government to quickly purchase and deliver then to the
affected area.
Listed deaths: 500; still listed as injured: 800; missing: 200; saved
by rescue teams: several hundred.
IARN Region I coordinator, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, reports that our Director
for Turkey, Axiz Sasa, TA1E, is doing a superior job in the effected
area and has recommended that Aziz receive IARN's highest award for
emergency service to the public.
IARN BULLETIN SERVICE: Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at
1100, 1200, 1400, 1800, 2200, 0100, and 0300 UTC. Also Sundays on
3890 high fidelity AM at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 1992
IARN ASSISTING WITH MASSIVE AID TO A SOVIET REPUBLIC
German Red Cross has asked IARN to provide amateur radio communications in a Soviet republic which will receive over 100 tons of food
and clothing.
Our assignment is to assure proper distribution.
If
we succeed, more supplies will follow, in a long term project lasting
over one year.
IARN German Jump Team Leader Willy Werbrouck, DJ3EB,
is heading the project, and Soviet IARN has arranged for proper in
country licensing.
IARN will release full details over our bulletin
service in mid February.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO COUNCIL (AARC) FORMED - K1MAN EDITORIAL
The rise in prominence of IARN and its Network Manager, Glenn Baxter,
K1MAN, in recent years, has created a myth that both were somehow
offering an alternative to ARRL, the American Radio Relay League. The
IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service, with a broad coverage of
amateur radio related topics, and particularly its editorial content,
has added to the "anti-ARRL" perception.
The fact is that IARN has
had to defend itself, its innovative programs in emergency
communications, its Amateur Radio Peace Corps, and the right to exist
for its bulletin service, by speaking out against ARRL, who has
reacted very negatively to being upstaged by our significant work and
our significant contribution to amateur radio.
The time is long overdue for a clean break between IARN international
work and United Stated/ARRL amateur radio matters.
All the
controversy, although healthy in a free society, is not good for IARN,
which is now managed by 59 Directors in key areas of the world, and
overall coordinators in ITU Regions 1, 2, and 3.
Region 1 in managed by Bob Bruce, DJ0XC; Region 2 by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN; and Region
3 by Sam Voron, VK2BVS.
Accordingly, AARC has been organized, and it does offer an alternative
to ARRL in the United States.
I am running for the office of
Secretary/Treasurer, and elections will be held July 15, 1992. Even
if elected, I will continue, as usual, in my role as IARN manager and
Editor of the IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service.
IARN will
cover news about AARC, of course, as well as news about ARRL, and all
other ham radio organizations world wide.
This newsletter, however,
will stick to IARN matters from now on.
It is hoped that this will
allow The Canadian Amateur, and other fine publications, to cover IARN
without being dragged in to U.S. amateur radio politics.
IARN BULLETIN SERVICE: Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at
1100, 1200, 1400, 1800, 2200, 0100, and 0300 UTC.
Also special high
fidelity AM transmissions Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and
7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 1992
I A R N
PROPOSES NATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO COUNCIL (NARC)
Reply to Art Reis, K9XI's, Editorial in December, 1991 "220 Notes"
by Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN (IARN Manager)
Art Reis, K9XI, is Editor of "220 Notes" and is often heard expressing
his well thought out views on various amateur information bulletin
services, including the one heard worldwide over the International
Amateur Radio Network.
Art is a good man, but this time he is being
duped by the FCC and their sneaky "Trojan Horse" tactics such as the
recent Ralph Haller proposal to "commercialize" amateur radio. The
"Trojan Horse" comparison was first made by Ray Kowolski, former FCC
Special Services Chief, in his brilliant letter of September 23, 1991
to W5YI (See the October 15, 1991 "W5YI Report").
Both the FCC and
ARRL are selling out to land mobile and other money hungry interests,
and legitimate amateur radio activities of genuine public value are at
the opposite end of this tug-of-war.
Art is quite correct when he
suggests that IARN is winning this battle with the FCC and ARRL, but
he is wrong about the nature of IARN's management structure.
He is
also wrong about the impact of IARN on amateur radio, which is
strongly positive, not negative.
IARN has generated millions of
dollars worth good amateur radio publicity over the last few years and
has gained attention and respect from mass media, Congress, and normal
everyday citizens.
IARN is composed of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of
participants during a major emergency activation.
In between each
major international communications crisis, IARN is composed of
4500 members, and over 60 strong and autonomous Directors in ITU
Regions 1, 2, and 3.
These regions are coordinated by Bob Bruce,
DJ0XC, Manager of Region 1; Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, Manager of Region 2;
and Sam Voron, VK2BVS, Manager of Region 3.
We operate under the
principle of teamwork and cooperation.
Strong contributors who are
not good team players don't last very long, by their own choosing,
much the same as a crack volunteer fire department.
We do serious
stuff, and those who are not serious lose interest very quickly.
K1MAN gets more attention than warranted because of high visibility
over the IARN Amateur Information Bulletin Service, and thus an easy
target for critics from the old guard who suffer from a combination of
rigor mortis and simple "professional" jealousy.
When Sam Voron
sent a jump team to Iraq last year, for example, K1MAN got blamed for
endangering people's lives.
K1MAN's job, as IARN Manager, is to
support the work of IARN Directors, offer counsel, and take the heat
when our network of radio amateurs is attacked by outside detractors,
including the FCC.
K1MAN often gets the credit and pressure of a
quarterback, when most of the work is being done by the other team
players and their hard working coaching staff.
The American Radio Relay League, ARRL, has tried their best over the
years to discredit IARN, take credit for IARN work, and has, instead,
self destructed.
The League is, in my opinion, frankly, incompetent.
Their leaders haven't got the slightest idea of what is really
happening in amateur radio, because they are not out here doing it.
They just sit around at board meetings and talk about amateur radio.
Just talk. The same goes for Wayne Green...he just talks.
Many other groups, and highly motivated individuals, have rushed in to
fill the gaping holes that have opened in ARRL's crumbling empire.
Amateur radio is better off, as a result, and the myth of ARRL amateur
representation in Washington has been exposed by W5YI and others,
including myself, as a scam comparable to the total failure of Soviet
communism.
ARRL hit rock bottom when they misrepresented themselves
to Congress and tried to sneak through legislation making them the
only ones who could issue special amateur call signs.
Without W5YI's
vigilance, they would have succeeded.
And the U.S. government isn't perfect either.
Fortunately, our free
press and the First Amendment will clean out the prostitution at the
Federal Communications Commission, and our free market will deal with
ARRL, which is nothing more than a slick and well financed business,
complete with a highly paid Chicago public relations firm.
As a
result of these self cleansing mechanisms and free market forces in
the Unites States, our hobby will emerge stronger than ever.
These
are hard economic times around the world, to be sure, but amateur
radio will survive and even prosper.
The amateur radio manufacturers
and dealers will take a beating in this recession, but amateur radio,
which is non commercial, will thrive.
Art Reis has correctly focused our attention on one major problem,
however, and the solution is obvious.
I propose the formation of the
National Amateur Radio Council (NARC), with one delegate from each of
the major amateur radio organizations recognized in Fred Maia, W5YI's
December, 1991 article in Radioscan Magazine (Page 43).
These
organizations include:
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU)
American Radio Relay League (ARRL)
Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS)
Quarter Century Wireless Association (QCWA)
Society of Wireless Pioneers
Radio Club of America
Chaverim of Delaware Valley
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
Courage Handi-Hams System
National Amateur Radio Association (NARA)
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation
International Amateur Radio Network (IARN)
National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators
Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
Skywarn
Tucson Amateur Packet Radio
Police and Firefighter Hams
Additional delegates will be voted into membership of NARC by simple
majority, and this council will be amateur radio's alternate to ARRL
representation in Washington D.C. and elsewhere.
We will be moving
to get this idea off the ground during 1992.
I hereby volunteer as
temporary Secretary until one among us is elected to serve and Chair
meetings.
I suggest that drafts of proposed by-laws be exchanged,
discussed, and offered for adoption at NARC's first meeting (time and
place to be agreed upon later).
One final note.
Those not liking IARN can resign and even start
their own organizations.
This free market mechanism is the ultimate
in checks and balances which Hap Holly, KC9RP, incorrectly alleges are
missing in the International Amateur Radio Network.
This is America.
Happy new year to everyone around the world.
Text of Art Reis editorial
The name Glenn Baxter has never been seen in these pages because
nothing Glenn Baxter (K1MAN) has done has ever been seen to impact on
220.
That is, until now.
Glenn's continuing war with the FCC, as we see it, is now beginning
having an impact on the way FCC is viewing Amateur Radio, and that
DOES affect 220, and the entire service's image, quite negatively.
That means that it is time to speak out. It has also caused his most
visible supporter to renounce him.
I recently read a very thought-provoking and disturbing editorial by
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Westlink. The editorial dealt with the
issue of possible changes to the Part 97 Rules regarding certain
"business" communications on the Amateur Spectra. In the context of
that editorial, Bill noted the confusion developing within the FCC
over the issue of who represents or speaks for Amateur Radio in the
legislative arena. I might further suggest that this muddling of the
waters could eventually be felt in Congress.
This issue is being
raised by the rise in prominence of the IARN, which is led, as many of
you are aware, by one Glenn Baxter, K1MAN.
No two organizations within Amateur Radio could be more diverse than
the American Radio Relay League and the International Amateur Radio
Network.
IARN tends to "shoot from the hip".
It is a highly mobile
group. That alone has captured the imaginations of a lot of hams in
his country.
The ARRL, on the other hand, works a lot more slowly
and deliberately to accomplish its aims. The IARN's ambience is
nothing if not confrontational. The ARRL, these days at least, is more
diplomacy-oriented. The IARN is in trouble with the FCC, or at least
Glenn Baxter is; the ARRL is not.
But the most important difference between IARN and ARRL lies in the
political structure of the two organizations. The IARN's leadership
direction and personality revolves around exactly one man -- Glenn
Baxter.
I will call that, for lack of a better term, a "Cult of
Personality".
Understand that I do not intend for the word "cult" to
be necessarily used here in its negative religious oriented sense,
though others may choose to do that. Instead, I see Glenn as more of a
"pop-culture" figure in the present chapter of the continuing saga of
the Amateur Radio Service. As mentioned a moment ago, Glenn tends to
excite the imagination of many around him, one way or the other.
The ARRL, on the other hand, is managed by a democratically elected
Board of Directors. It is a REPRESENTATIVE BODY, IF.... IF we choose
it to be. And that has been and continues to be the difference. Both
organizations have their flaws, but their flaws are of a radically
different nature. The League's flaws come about as the result of the
same failure besets many democracies: those of us who are part of it,
and supposed to be doing something about it, don't.
In the main, it seems to many in the positions of power in Washington
(and to a lot of hams as well) that only those members of the League
who are big gun low-band DXers give enough of a damn about their place
within the organization to take an active part in electing the leadership
of the League. Many members fail to even vote for their
Board of Directors member at election time. And, make no mistake, its
the quality of the hams sent to Newington which make the League what
it is, or could be. By the fault of the members of the League who fail
to take in active part in the selection of its leaders, the League's
agenda appears to many to look one-sided, out of kilter.
One the other hand, there is no such structure apparent in the IARN.
What if Mr. Baxter, God forbid, should become a silent key in a car
accident or plane crash or something? What would IARN have left?
Yet, while he's alive, Mr. Baxter is doing everything he can to
upstage the ARRL in Washington. And he IS having some success! That,
in our view, does not bode well for Amateur Radio, if ONLY because it
makes the FCC's work harder where Amateur Radio is concerned. When
that happens, the FCC tends to think of Amateur Radio as being
expendable. The worst of it is, you have virtually nothing to say
about what Mr. Baxter does, because odds are that you have no say in
the conduct of the IARN.
The point being made here is that, in many ways, WE in Amateur Radio
created Glenn Baxter by not giving enough support (sometimes not even
lip service) to the democratic structure of the League. With the
support of that concept thus eroded, the situation has been made
easier for someone lie a Glenn Baxter to make the moves he did and to
make the FCC wish it had never granted him a ham license. The FCC
appears now to be in danger of raising the white flag and, in effect
saying, "OK, Glenn, we're tired of fighting you; we'll give you what
you want." The ARRL is left standing in the wings.
The bottom line is, such a scenario is not good for Amateur Radio. But
the only thing which can be done about it is for hams nationwide to
stand up and repudiate what Glenn is doing, and part of that
repudiation is to become League members.
That done, members MUST become ACTIVE in promoting good leadership for
the League AT THE BOARD LEVEL. In doing so, we of the Amateur Radio
Community will go a long way of SHOWING the FCC that the one truly
democratically elected national organization for Amateur Radio is the
one to which to listen.
(I say this with all respect to QCWA and
AMSAT which, though both democratically elected and fine worthy
organizations, are limited in scope of membership to only a segment of
the Amateur population).
Some time back, I received a call from Glenn, he tried very hard to
persuade me to "join his side" against the ARRL and FCC. I declined.
There's just too much about the IARN which makes me concerned that its
operation is adversely affecting Amateur Radio's future. Thing is that
other Amateurs have been wooed and won by Glenn's very smooth sales
ability, which he does indeed possess in abundance.
I hate to sound apocalyptic, and it's not my intent to be so here, but
the time may come quite soon, for licensees in the Amateur Radio
Service to become much more active in choosing sides in this matter of
K1MAN vs. the ARRL. Fortunately, all one has to do is to get active in
the ARRL and help push for even more thoughtful and competent
leadership at the Board level. At least you can DO that with the
League. That's something you can't do with IARN.
PS. This editorial was written the week that Hap Holly wrote his
resignation letter to Glenn Baxter. Neither of us knew of the other's
action at the time.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, 0100, and 0300 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM
transmissions Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at
2400 UTC.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER - MARCH 1992
IARN GETS MEDICINE TO BOUGAINVILLE THROUGH NEW GUINEA BLOCKADE
Bougainville is a 130 mile long island with 160,000 citizens, north
east of Australia, between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
It declared independence from Papua New Guinea on May 17, 1990 and has
since been blockaded by PNG security forces.
Even International Red
Cross has been denied access to provide humanitarian aid.
The International Amateur Radio Network was asked by the Republic of
Bougainville Interim Government to assist with restoring emergency
communications to the island.
IARN responded by sending our
representative, Sam Voron (VK2BVS) from Sydney Australia, to access
the situation in November, 1991. Sam is IARN Coordinator for ITU
Region 3. (The International Telecommunications Union divides the
world into three different regions.)
Mr. Voron went home to Sydney,
and then returned to Bougainville on December 1, 1991 carrying over
$6,000 worth of IARN amateur radio equipment which "got lost" in
transit.
Official complaints were filed with transportation
officials.
Telephone threats were received at Sam's home in Sydney.
On December 3, 1991, Mr. Voron was issued Bougainville Amateur Radio
License number 1 by the Bougainville Interim Government. On December
11, 1991 Mr. Voron was issued papers authorizing him to grant other
amateur licenses and conduct license test examinations.
Mr. Voron,
in effect, became the Bougainville "Federal Communications
Commission."
Then on December 31, 1991, IARN signed the "Radio Free
Bougainville Perpetual Charter Agreement" with the interim government.
On January 22, 1992, Radio Free Bougainville came on the air for daily
broadcasts which are causing much interest and attracting world wide
listeners on the international short wave bands.
Also, amateur radio station C1A was operated between January 22, 1992
and February 7, 1992, heard and talked to by radio amateurs all over
the world.
On February 3, 1992, Papua New Guinea security forces
began directing mortar bombs and machine gun fire at the island and
also attempted a landing which was repelled.
Sam Voron returned to Sydney, Australia on February 8, 1992 and began
organizing a relief operation to get desperately needed medical
supplies to Arawa hospital in Bougainville where children, women, and
men are dying of ordinary diseases such as meningitis. Radio Free
Bougainville is issuing desperate pleas for medicine on a daily basis.
The Papua New Guinea government has issued press releases to the
effect that there was no need for medical supplies at Arawa Hospital,
so IARN made arrangements for a news team from Sydney Channel 7
"Current Affair" to be smuggled into Bougainville. They arrived
February 27, 1992 and confirmed that Arawa Hospital didn't have as
much as one aspirin.
They returned after one day and their story
aired in Sydney on March 9, 1992.
On March 1, 1992, IARN sent a volunteer to Bougainville with over 100
kilograms of medical supplies, which have been safely delivered.
On the diplomatic front, Bougainville has not been recognized by the
United Nations, but has been accepted for membership in UNPO, an
alternate organization, with other members including Lithuania and
Latvia.
In the United States, Senate Majority Leader George
Mitchell is looking into the matter as a favor to IARN, and there have
been recent press reports that the U.N. Security Council will vote
soon with regard to the PNG blockade.
On February 9, 1992, the Papua New Guinea Amateur Radio Society lodged
a formal complaint by FAX to IARN world headquarters in Belgrade
Lakes, Maine, USA.
They alleged that IARN was violating PNG laws,
and IARN Manager, Glenn Baxter, responded that IARN's interest was
strictly humanitarian and that IARN took no sides politically.
On
February 10, 1992 Baxter invoked the assistance of Senate Majority
Leader George Mitchell and provided the U.S. State Department with
copies of all relevant Bougainville/IARN documents.
In Australia, Foreign Affairs Minister Senator Gareth Evans says that
criminal charges against Voron under the Foreign Incursions Act are
being considered.
Others have accused Voron of being a terrorist.
IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, in the United States, said in a statement:
"We don't consider providing emergency communications and emergency
medical supplies an act of terrorism.
We are radio amateurs responding to a simple and legitimate request for help.
We will deal with
the politicians by exposing their real agenda to the world community
and then take our case to the people.
The mass media are behind us,
and we are clearly saving lives in this daring effort."
HISTORICAL NOTES:
Bougainville was so named by the French explorer Louis de Bougainville
who first sighted the island in 1768.
It was later annexed by the
German New Guinea Company as part of their holdings.
After the
defeat of Germany in the first world war, the German territories,
collectively termed New Guinea, became a part of the League of Nations
Mandate and were placed under Australian administration. At this
stage, Bougainville's leaders began to speak out against being held as
a separate entity from their traditional brothers in the Solomons.
In 1968, elections were held throughout the territory for self
government, and the leaders so elected from Bougainville immediately
called for a referendum on succession.
The matter came to a head in
1975 when Papua New Guinea gained its total independence from
Australia.
Once again, the people of Bougainville made it known that
they did not wish to join the new nation.
They appealed to the
United Nations without result.
Negotiations by Bougainville leaders
resulted in an agreement for "limited autonomy."
The main industry in Bougainville is gold mining, which Papua New
Guinea exploits without returning much to the people on the island.
Bougainvillians do not share the same culture as Papua New Guinea;
they are a different people with different values.
Much fighting
has taken place over the years.
On March 1, 1990, Papua New Guinea agreed to a cease fire, withdrawing
all armed forces, including the police.
They paid off the public
servants and then began to suspend all services to the island.
They
imposed a blockade on April 23, 1990 and then made plans to invade.
On May 17. 1990, Francis Ona, President of the Republic of
Bougainville, issued a unilateral declaration of independence. In
August, 1990, the New Zealand government offered to supply three
naval vessels for the purpose of holding peace talks between the
Bougainville and PNG governments. At these talks it was agreed that
no troops or police from Papua New Guinea would return to the island
pending further negotiations.
PNG has violated this agreement, and
problems have continued up to the time that IARN was asked to help by
President Ona.
IARN's objective is strictly humanitarian; namely
providing communications and emergency medical supplies.
IARN SPONSORING SOVIET CHILD'S HEART SURGERY
After sponsoring four open heart surgery operations for children from
El Salvador, IARN is now expanding its program to the Soviet Union.
Arrangements are now being made for Evgenij Sergeevich Artemov, age 6,
to come to New York where he will be operated on for inherent daldular
disease (criss cross of the heart).
Evgenij is from the Podolsk
region near Moscow, and IARN in Moscow is assisting with logistics.
The
operation is extremely complicated, and doctors from Deborah Heart
Center in Browns Mills, New Jersey are studying X-rays and electrocardiograms supplied by IARN as preparation for this project, which is
expected to span two or three years.
Evgenij has been diagnosed at
the Bakulev Institute of Heart and Vascular in the Moscow, and they
are not able to perform such complicated surgery.
This is why IARN
was asked to help.
Evegenij's father, Sergi, 29 (RA3DOX), is a radio technician at the
Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences in the Russian Federation,
and his mother, Olga, 24 is a hairdresser.
Evegenij's mental
development is good, but he weighs only 16 kilograms.
He likes toy
cars and computer games, according to his father.
IARN undertakes special projects like this for two reasons: (1) We
need to keep our volunteers busy between communications emergencies,
and (2) we have been asked to help.
If there is any way we can
assist, we will try our best.
For more information about our
children's heart surgery program, contact IARN, 1 Long Point Road,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 Tel. 207 495 2215 FAX 2069 BBS 2490
TELEX 697 6213 IARN.
IARN BULLETIN SERVICE: Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at
1100, 1200, 1400, 1800, 2200, 0100, and 0300 UTC.
Also special high
fidelity AM transmissions Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and
7.290 MHz. at 2400 UTC.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 1992 THROUGH MARCH 1993
ALL QUIET ON THE EMERGENCY FRONT
There have been no major communications emergencies since Hurricanes
Andrew and Iniki.
We have been taking a much needed breather and
doing some follow up paperwork and planning for future IARN
operations.
IARN published a nice article, authored by our Region 1
Coordinator, Bob Bruce, DJ0XC, in the United Nations publication called
Stop Disasters, November - December 1992 edition.
For a copy
of this excellent article, send an SASE to IARN Headquarters.
IARN CONTINUES TO SUPPORT BOUGAINVILLE WITH ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS
IARN volunteer Rosemarie Gillespie has just returned to Sydney,
Australia from Bougainville where she has been working to coordinate
delivery of much needed medical supplies to the island of 160,000
people that is being blockaded by Papua New Guinea after they seceded.
IARN Region 3 Coordinator, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, attended and addressed
the Australian initiated Public Enquiry into War Crimes in
Bougainville.
Shortly after the results of this enquiry were
published, the Solomon Islands government passed two United Nations
resolutions regarding war crimes in Bougainville.
Our other main thrust has been to keep Radio Free Bougainville up and
running.
We had to get the exciter power supply repaired and also
send over a new set of finals for the high power linear amplifier.
There have been several nice articles about Radio Free Bougainville
published recently, one in Monitoring Times for February, 1993, P. 16.
K1MAN ADDRESS TO INTERCON - MARCH 13, 1993
Fellow radio amateurs, I was indeed honored when the Intercontinental
Network Manager, Ruth Hoffman, N4LMC, asked me to address this
gathering in honor of Eddie Ricca, K4PT.
The invitation to address
you has unfortunately caused further turmoil on 20 meters and packet
by service net detractors.
We know that service net radio operators
are eventually going to prevail if the opposition has been reduced to
being so petty.
The thing that has held us together so far is the honest intent of
those who are still working on a daily basis with regard to the
genuine service aspects of amateur radio.
Indeed, the people who
really stand out are those with truly noble intent.
Those who are in
this for less than noble purposes have faded away, or are fading fast.
In the long run, what goes around, comes around.
Certainly Eddie
Ricca is one of the very noble ones. (Editor's note: Ricca has just
retired as the Intercon Manager.)
In general, the net (and by this I mean both nets) is healthy and an
invaluable asset to amateur radio.
It tickles me that Nelson, N6BFH,
used to check in with me when I was an NCS, and now he is himself a
mainstay of the system.
Many of you have probably forgotten that I
was appointed by Chaplain Robertson as a Maritime Mobile Net Control,
station, served for 18 months, and was kicked out by Walt Donner,
KA8O, when he took over as Manager.
Our enemies were using the old
divide and conquer trick...and it has worked quite well over the
years.
I don't particularly like Walt Donner, but he is still here and is one
of the noble ones as well.
I admire the genius of Walt staying
aloof to everything while others do battle with our enemies.
Who are our enemies?
All those who lack noble purpose.
Such
scoundrels are in the FCC, the ARRL, all over the bands, and
elsewhere.
But believe me, we are defeating those enemies in a long
war of attrition....so hang in there.
Your biggest problem is
letting corrupt amateur radio politicians drag you down to their low
level and making you play their game...over and over. Just do your
job as best you can....we are winning!!!!
By now many of you have asked yourselves...where does Glenn get this
"we" business?
I get it because my invitation to speak to you is
recognition, finally, that we have always been on the same side....all
fighting the same battle.
The FCC is a dirty political Washington
business. The ARRL is a dirty political book business.
But we are
not a business, and our politics is clean....so hang in there.
Thank you, Eddie, for hanging in there.
Thank you for your
substantial contributions to amateur radio.
Thanks to everyone who supports the service nets...Intercon, Maritime
Mobile, IARN, IMRA....all of them, big and small.
Be professional,
keep your sense of humor, and God bless you all....God bless America!
IARN IN BANGLADESH
The IARN Bangladesh Director, Taimur Ramon, in Dhaka, reported on
March 13, 1993 that our former IARN Soviet Director, Victor
Goncharsky, UB5WE; IARN Ulyanovsk Director Yuri Katutin, UB4LCQ;
American FAIRS Director David Larsen, KK4WW; Larry, N8VA; and three
other radio amateurs are now in Bangladesh giving amateur radio
examinations and operating stations in three different locations on
21.275 and 14.275 MHz., under Taimur's guidance.
This project first came about when IARN Manager Glenn Baxter, K1MAN,
first asked UB5WE in the Ukraine to contact the IARN Bangladesh
Director.
IARN's Region 3 Coordinator, Sam Voron, VK2BVS, asked us
to send along some W5YI amateur testing materials, and Sam himself has
visited Dhaka on several occasions to help lobby Bangladesh officials
to establish amateur radio in that country for emergency
communications purposes.
Taimur reports that they have conducted 30 courses for 30 members and
that 5 licenses have been issued plus 17 people who passed just the
Novice.
Taimur passed the Novice and Technician and hopes to be on
the air within 2 months.
They also organized lots of seminars and meetings with telecommunications ministers and other high officials and have made over
4000 QSO's to date.
One of the stations, N8VA, is in the IARN Bangladesh office using a
dipole installed by IARN,s Region 3 coordinator during his most recent
visit.
Sam, VK2BVS, now in Sydney, Australia, has worked this
station on both 21.275 and 14.275 MHz.
Victor Goncharsky, UB5WE, now the IARN Director for the Ukraine and an
active member of KK4WW,s FAIRS group, has an American Amateur Extra
Class license, which took two trips to the United States to obtain.
He got his Advanced Class license during his first trip, sponsored by
IARN in 1990, and his Extra Class license during his second trip,
sponsored by FAIRS this year.
FAIRS is a spin off group from IARN which specializes in collecting
donated computers and other higher tech amateur equipment in the U.S.
and distributes it to IARN members and other radio amateurs in the
former Soviet Union and similar developing nations.
FAIRS was
organized by former IARN Director, David Larsen, KK4WW, and Larsen was
was forced to split from IARN when it became apparent that he wanted
to include a business and profit motive in his operations.
FAIRS
also fronts for Virginia Polytechnic Institute in developing various
educational interests in backward countries.
IARN applauds the work
of FAIRS as a worthwhile business, but does not approve of how it
mixes these interests with amateur radio.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1100, 1200, 1400, 1800,
2200, 0100, and 0300 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM
transmissions Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2300 and 7.290 MHz. at
2400 UTC.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
xxxxx
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
NOVEMBER 1993 - MARCH 1995
REGULAR NEWSLETTERS
As seen above, there is an apparent gap in IARN newsletters; over a
year.
Actually, there have been numerous editorials and press
releases sent to our subscribers to substitute for it.
Sorry about
that, but things have been hectic here during that period.
We
envision a return to normalcy and some exciting things are in store
for both our members around the world in particular and all radio
amateurs in general.
Your Editor has not been going to Dayton,
either, as we have been busy with a new career in financial planning
for the last three years (Mutual Funds, Annuities, IRA's and Retirement
Plans). It is a great people business and totally compatible with
being the IARN Manager, now that the practice is up and running.
KOBE, JAPAN EARTHQUAKE
IARN activated for the earthquake in Kobe, Japan.
Traffic was light,
but we did institute a new system.
We had the FCC declare 3.975 MHz.
and 14.275 MHz. as emergency frequencies and ran a continuous bulletin
about the operation on there about how to get emergency and H & W
traffic into the system via Packet, AMTOR BBS, Computer BBS,FAX, MCI
Mail, Internet, Telex, and telephone. From IARN Headquarters the
design was a telephone BBS link to Tokyo and 40 and 80 meter links
between Tokyo and Kobe.
The quake took 5,472 lives and caused over
$100 billion in physical damage.
The reason traffic was light is because there were not as many mutual
people involved as with other disasters such as Hurricanes Iniki,
Hugo, and Gilbert.
There was no long haul propagation to Japan from
IARN members in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, or the Philippines.
Necessity being the mother of invention, we invented a new
communications system to handle the problem.
Also, the above system
solved the problem of third party traffic restrictions.
Bottom line:
Get as close as you can to the disaster zone by telephone BBS and
handle the final leg on 40 and 80 meter links.
Have all H & W
traffic come to a single location automatically, and use continuous
bulletins on 14.275 MHz. and 3.975 MHz.to keep everyone informed. All
very efficient.
A COMMON RADIO AMATEUR VIEWPOINT
Bob Nelson, WD9HSE, has been writing to IARN recently.
He writes
well and does express the view of many amateurs.
His letter of 9
March 1995 is reprinted here along with your Editor's response dated
24 March 1995.
Dear Bob,
Your letter to Ralph Myra dated 9 March 1995 is very well written and
does represent how many hams feel.......mis informed hams.
You are right; IARN is "in your face."
This is driven by ARRL
ignoring everything IARN has done since the 1985 Mexico City
earthquake.
The bulletins started when the FCC gave us grief about
allowing CBS to talk to a ham during the San Salvador earthquake.
We
needed a voice.
(The FCC changed the rule on that one in our favor,
and has changed many other rules regarding emergency communications
because of us.)
Bob, when you suppress others, as ARRL does, you generate "in your
face" opposition.
IARN is "in the face" of the typical "Middle
Manager Mental Midget Mentality" in ham radio....you bet we are. Such
radio amateurs are incompetent, in our opinion, and IARN is how we
view an important segment of amateur radio.
This is America, and big
changes are fostered by "in your face" stuff all the time.
Yes, this is America.
W5YI is exercising his right to try and shut
us and W1AW down.
This is how we do things in this great county.
If you don't like it get the hell out.
Don't try and impose your
sanitized and sugar coated theory of the world on me with your emotional
and pompous tunnel vision.
Do something!!!
Come on our talk show and
confront us or shut up.
Support W5YI.
Write your own petition.
Anything.
Just do it and contribute something to our beloved hobby while
you are still healthy.
The W5YI Petition will bring these issues to the forefront.
I
believe it is a tempest in a teapot.
Our bulletins are great and
easy to avoid if you are not interested.
Our impact on amateur radio
(we believe there is a serious side to our service) is hard to avoid.
Our voice is powerful and without commercial or petty amateur radio
influence.
Our issue is basically the First Amendment right to be
heard and not suppressed.
Your letter says there is no precedent for our system. You are right.
We are setting the precedent.
Every precedent has to be set by someone.
If the FCC adopts the W5YI Petition, we will go to the Court of
Appeals and then the U.S. Supreme Court....and win!!
Ralph Myra's Plaintiff appeal to "brother" radio amateurs is futile
when there is so much slime at the League and the FCC.
I have turned
over a few rocks and pointed some of it out to the U.S. Attorney.
I
have put my license and money where my mouth is.
There is nothing
wrong with a good house cleaning in amateur radio.
Thanks for your thoughtful letter, Bob.
material for the IARN Bulletin Service.
This is great editorial
73
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN
cc:
KO4TA, N4LPU, WA4YTP, N4RH, N6WR, W5YI, WA6ITF, K1ZZ, K6DUE,
CQ, KC9RP, K9AQJ, W0GFQ, N1FJL, N4FFF, WB6NOA, WB2MGP, W2NSD,
K1MAN FILES CRIMINAL CHARGES AGAINST THE ARRL AND FCC
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, who heads up the International Amateur Radio
Network (IARN) in Maine has filed formal criminal charges with the
United States Justice Department against both the ARRL and the FCC for
alleged violations of Section 501 of the 1934 Communications Act.
These actions stem from the ongoing controversy on 3.975 MHz. over
the transmission of IARN information bulletins on this frequency for
the last 8 years and interference that southern amateurs claim it is
creating.
Baxter claims that it is the southern amateurs who are
intentionally causing interference to his 45 minute programs that are
transmitted several times each day.
According to Baxter:
"FCC rule 97.101(b) requires each amateur to cooperate in
frequency sharing, but hams in Georgia feel that their use
of 3.975 MHz. for decades gives them certain rights and that
scheduled IARN bulletins are illegal.
As a result, they feel
justified in "talking over" the bulletins when they come on.
Our position is that scheduled bulletins are perfectly legal;
they have to be somewhere, and once established, it is a
violation of Section 333 of the 1934 Act to intentionally
interfere with them.
Violation of Section 333 (fathered
by Barry Goldwater in 1990) is a felony."
Baxter claims he has made good faith attempts to negotiate with the
southern hams on several occasions, in compliance with 97.101(b) which
mandates cooperation, and that each time he has been rebuffed. Baxter
and other IARN members then began filing formal notarized complaints
with the U.S. Attorney in Bangor, Maine, alleging that southern
amateurs were in criminal violation of Section 333.
Copies were
simultaneously filed with John B. Johnston, W3BE, at the FCC.
The
U.S. Attorney in Maine wrote Baxter and advised that their office did
not have prosecutorial jurisdiction over the matter.
See the March 1,
1995 edition of the W5YI report page 6.
Baxter told W5YI:
"She is right.
The U.S. Attorney in Georgia is the one who
would have to prosecute Georgia hams, and the U.S. Attorney in
Tennessee would prosecute Tennessee hams, etc.
We filed in
Maine under the legal theory that the crime against K1MAN
(radio interference) occurred in Maine (by radio), and we
wanted to start a "paper trail" here.
The U.S. Attorney
should accept the formal complaints and then go from there.
But she is wrong in alleging that I represented to amateurs
that her office had instituted proceedings against anybody;
I said no such thing, and she knows it.
What I did say is
that we filed formal charges, not her.
John Greenspan's
(He is in the FCC's General Counsel's office) allegation
that I used his name improperly to threaten other amateurs is
also totally false."
Instead of taking any action, the U.S. Attorney in Maine simply
forwarded the notarized complaints to the FCC and even advised Baxter
to contact Richard Palm, K1CE at ARRL!
Baxter says he always sends
copies of everything to the League.
Baxter became really agitated
when one of the notarized complaint copies sent to John B. Johnson,
W3BE, came back from the FCC unopened and marked "Return to Sender."
Enraged, Baxter filed a Freedom of Information Act Request (FOIA) with
the FCC on December 22, 1994 with a demand to know the whereabouts of
Johnston and what the commission was doing about the formal
complaints.
Regina M. Keeney, Chief of the FCC Wireless
Telecommunications Bureau, responded to the FOIA on February 2, 1995.
She denied any knowledge about the formal complaints forwarded to the
Commission by the U.S. Attorney and advised that Mr. Johnston was
alive and well in the FCC's Private Radio Division.
Baxter claims that Johnston's action of returning his mail unopened
and Keeney's action of denying any knowledge about the formal
complaints are themselves felonies under Section 501 which reads:
"Any person who willfully or knowingly does or causes or
suffers to be done any act, matter or thing, in this Act
prohibited or declared to be unlawful, or who willingly or
knowingly omits or fails to do any act, matter or thing in
this Act required to be done, or willfully or knowingly causes
or suffers such omission or failure, shall, upon conviction
thereof, be punished for such offense for which no penalty
(other than a forfeiture) is provided by this Act, by a fine
of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not
exceeding two years, or both..."
Baxter reasons that the FCC is, in essence, encouraging the illegal
interference by their active inaction and denials. Accordingly, Baxter
filed formal criminal charges with the U.S. Attorney against the FCC
on February 8, 1995.
He says the commission is also in civil
violation of the Freedom of Information Act.
Meanwhile, the ARRL has deleted Sections 333 and 501 from their "FCC
Rule Book."
Baxter claims that this, also, is a violation of Section
501 and filed formal criminal charges with the U.S. Attorney against
the League on January 26, 1995.
Baxter told W5YI that:
"We have information and belief that the ARRL Executive
Committee had a series of high level meetings in Washington
on February 11, 1995 about these serious criminal charges,
and, of course, that is when ARRL President George Wilson,
W4OYI, who is an attorney, had his serious stroke.
I
speculate that there was some finger pointing at George
for allowing the League to get in such an awful mess."
Baxter also said:
"Now you (Fred Maia, W5YI) have petitioned the FCC to
Page 7
eliminate all information bulletins below 30 MHz., including
W1AW, and the plot thickens.
My guess is that ARRL will
oppose the petition and so will I.
You have a perfect right
to file the petition, and we have every right to fight it. I
don't think it will fly, but if it does we will go to court,
in a heartbeat, and win!
This might take years to litigate."
FRED MAIA, W5YI, PETITIONS THE FCC TO CLOSE W1AW, K1MAN, AND WA0RCR
Fred Maia, of the W5YI Report and the W5YI VEC has filed a petition
with the FCC on March 16, 1995 to abolish all one way information
bulletins below 30 MHz.
K1MAN's response was filed on March 25, 1995
and is reprinted below:
=================================================================
Before the
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20554
In the Matter of
Amendment of Part 97 of the
Commission's Rules to Eliminate
Certain One-Way Communications in
the Amateur Radio Service Medium
and High Frequency Bands
)
)
)
)
)
RM No.___________
To: The Commission
K1MAN's OBJECTION TO PETITION FOR RULEMAKING BY W5YI
Frederick O. Maia, by his counsel, has requested that
the Commission amend Part 97 of its rules to eliminate the
provisions which permit Amateur Radio Service stations to
transmit one-way information bulletins and international
Morse code practice below 30 MHz.
He claims that such
transmissions do not comport with normal operating practices
and that, in 1995, they have outlived their usefulness.
Your Respondent, Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN, has held an Amateur
Extra Class License for 31 years and was first licensed as a Novice
in 1956.
Mr. Baxter, also, has had a life long interest in Amateur
Radio, and since the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, has devoted a
great deal of his life to large scale emergency communications
efforts by organizing and operating the International Amateur
Radio Network (IARN).
In Contrast to Mr. Maia, W5YI, IARN is
not commercial in any way.
Maia earns his living through
amateur radio.
Mr. Baxter does not.
IARN has 5000 lifetime members in 80 different countries.
IARN
has done exceptional work in every major communications emergency
for the last ten years, resulting in worldwide recognition for
excellence, and for Mr. Baxter, personally, formal recognition
by the State of Maine Legislature in 1991, and being named as a
Distinguished Alumnus by Vermont Academy in 1993.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has given no credit to IARN
in their journal QST.
IARN needed an outlet and journal of its
own to express its views about amateur radio and also to reach
out to its members and prospective members without the high cost
of mailing out a newsletter.
The IARN Bulletin Service was
created for this purpose in 1987 and has operated daily on 3.975
and 14.275 MHz. since that time.
Your Respondent objects to Maia's proposed rule change:
Mr. Maia is concerned about one-way communications
in the Amateur Service high frequency (hf) bands on two
levels. First, as a licensed Amateur Radio operator, he
is personally distressed at the level of anger that now
exists on these bands.
He says this anger is primarily
caused when one-way, broadcast-type transmissions interrupt
two-way communications that are already in progress.
He
says this anger is manifested by deliberate attempts to
interfere with or "jam" the one-way transmissions.
Your Respondent disagrees.
There are a handful of amateurs who
feel they "own" 3.975 MHz. and that K1MAN's scheduled 45 minute
bulletins are not legal.
These amateurs claim to operate a
so called "2100 Gang" net which traditionally would not come on
until 2130 UTC or frequently 2145 UTC.
With the change of
propagation over the last year, there would be mutual interference
when the scheduled 2200 UTC K1MAN bulletins would begin.
Your respondent, in compliance with 97.101(b), has made several
good faith attempts to cooperate and negotiate a resolution to
the problem.
In 1988, K1MAN was invited to the Atlanta ham fest
to meet in a public forum and seek resolution.
The forum was
canceled and K1MAN was disinvited.
K1MAN has moved frequency
when requested by amateurs during emergency operations on 3.975
Mhz.
K1MAN even moved frequency on his own initiative to avoid
the KO4TA Sunday night talk program which was started on top
of K1MAN's talk program several weeks after its inception.
The
Georgia radio amateurs then took actions to recruit people to
follow K1MAN to the new frequency and cause intentional
interference.
Now KO4TA has moved his talk program to Saturday night (on top
of K1MAN bulletins), and K1MAN has suspended its Saturday night
operations in a third attempt to resolve the conflict.
The anger referred to my Mr. Maia has been caused by the filing
of notarized complaints about interference to K1MAN bulletins
with the U.S. Attorney (under Sections 333 and 501).
Mr. Maia says he is especially concerned about the impact
that this anger and the resulting malicious interference
has on relatively new amateurs who are increasingly
upgrading their Technician VHF Amateur operator licenses
to include the long range high frequency operation. He claims
the intrusion into on-going conversations and the animosity
that one-way communications allegedly engender on supposedly
"congested" HF bands is setting a very bad example to
newcomers and is contributing to a general deterioration
in the quality of communications in the HF Amateur
Service bands.
Your Respondent disagrees.
The animosity is caused by the
wrong perception that K1MAN bulletins are not legal.
Mr.
Maia, himself, came on KO4TA's talk program on 12 February
1995 and advised the southern amateurs that K1MAN was legal.
This made them even madder; to be wrong for so long and to
be humiliated in this unexpected fashion.
It is not the
fault of K1MAN.
In fact, KO4TA has maintained publicly that
FCC EIC's have told him that talking over K1MAN bulletins was
OK.
According to Harry Dannals, W2HD, former ARRL President and QCWA
President, the HF bands are underutilized.
Your Respondent agrees.
How would W5YI know?
He never gets on HF.
Information bulletins
on HF are very efficient, with thousands of listeners, as compared
with hundreds, dozens, a few, or just two amateurs using a given
frequency.
On the contrary, K1MAN bulletins are great for newcomer hams.
Any discredit to amateur radio is caused by FCC inaction and
ARRL and other misinformation spread about K1MAN which encourages
amateurs to cause intentional interference to the bulletin service.
KO4TA even interfered with K1MAN during the Kobe earthquake
emergency.
A formal complaint was filed with the U.S. Attorney
who advises that he has forwarded it to the FCC.
The solution to
all of this is not a rule change; the solution is a single $300
fine against KO4TA.
This would put the fear of God in all of
the blow hards who are making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Mr. Maia defines Permissible One-Way Transmissions:
The international law defines the Amateur Service as
"A radiocommunication service for the purpose of
self-training, intercommunication and technical
investigations carried out by amateurs...."
Article 32
of the international Radio Regulations refers to
"Radiocommunications between amateur stations..." in
other words, two-way exchanges of messages or information
between Amateur stations are the worldwide norm, as
contrasted to one-way "broadcast-type" transmissions.
In the United States, Amateurs generally conduct
two-way communications as stated in Section 97.111(a) of
the Commission's Rules. There are, however, certain
exceptions contained in Section 97.111(b), which permit
one-way transmissions to assist in the learning of the
international Morse code and the dissemination of
information bulletins.
Section 97.3(a)(23) defines an information bulletin
as "A message directed to amateur operators consisting
solely of subject matter of direct interest to the
amateur service." This is a very permissive category
and taken in its broadest context, permits just about
anything to be transmitted that is even remotely
associated with the Amateur Service.
Maia alleges "A Pattern of Growing Abuse"
Over the years certain stations have become
"bulletin stations," transmitting one-way
broadcast-type programs on the 75/80, 40 and 20 meter
bands and other hf bands as well. Although bulletins and
code practice are the exceptions and not the rule, these
bulletin stations regularly broadcast on scheduled
frequencies regardless of any on-going two-way
communications. Maia alleges that bulletin stations are
abusing the privilege. He says many are suffering at the
hands of the few.
Your Respondent disagrees.
There is no "norm" in amateur
radio.
At one time the "norm" was a home brew transmitter
on CW or maybe (wow!!!) AM, and a store bought receiver.
Now
we have SSB, Packet, Satellite, Repeaters, Computers, and yes,
a daily (free!!!!!) bulletin service which uses solid state store
bought $89 tape decks for low cost production, telephone line
transmission of audio (a 12 volt filament transformer works great),
FAX machines, automatic answering machines, recording of forums at
Dayton, recording of Ralph Haller at Miami, Dave Sumner of ARRL
reporting on the condition of George Wilson in the hospital,
interviews of "ordinary" hams on just about anything, Wayne Green
on a live interactive talk program, W5YI (Himself) on a talk
program talking for an hour about "vanity" call signs and another
hour about hanging K1MAN out to dry.
Playing with propagation on 20 and 80 meters, the 7 times daily
bulletins can be heard anywhere on the globe.
The incidental
interference to on-going communications by regular, scheduled
bulletins is minor.
Another great innovation is the VFO knob,
and, when all else fails, the on/off switch.
Talk about self training!!
Radio amateurs involved in producing
information bulletins and live talk programs have taught
themselves how to solve a wide variety of basic communications
problems.
The bulletin format played a major role in the recent
Kobe earthquake where there was otherwise no long haul radio
propagation.
(Computer BBS link between the U.S and Tokyo and
40 and 80 meter links between Tokyo and Kobe.
Traffic came in
to K1MAN by Packet, AMTOR BBS, telephone BBS, FAX, and telephones.
Voice traffic was directed to the Maritime Mobile and Intercon
nets.
Contrary to abusing the privilege, information bulletin stations
are showing great innovation in welding together a very useful
low cost information dissemination system on HF that has the
experts gasping.
1000 Watts on amateur radio (no 100 KW
commercial transmitters to compete with) plus efficient SSB
is on the cutting edge of "broadcast technology."
Where else
can you listen to programming world wide on SSB?
Contrary to many suffering at the hands of a few, we have
thousands benefiting from the work of a few and being
intentionally interfered with by many.
Maia reminds us that the rules clearly state that
"...licensees must cooperate in selecting transmitting
channels..." and "No frequency will be assigned for the
exclusive use of any station." (See 97.101(b)) He says
that bulletin stations recklessly go on the air on "their"
frequencies at "their" scheduled times without the mandated
"cooperation" and without observing the most fundamental
of operating practices, namely, to monitor the frequency
for use before transmitting.
Your Respondent agrees that there must be cooperation.
Just
as with repeaters, conflict should be resolved in a
reasonable manner.
It is reasonable to pick a frequency,
publish a schedule, and stick to it.
If there is a conflict,
it is reasonable for the parties to negotiate a compromise and
settlement.
It is not reasonable to QRZ before every bulletin
and then QSY all over the band.
Most nets start on frequency
and on time, and the same is true with bulletins.
Mr. Maia is
using fuzzy thinking and disjointed logic.
Bulletins are not
a problem.
Petty amateur radio politics is the problem.
Bulletin stations don't use "their frequency."
They share
the frequency with groups who think "they" are the owners.
Bulletins have to be somewhere.
If the other fellows don't
want to sit down and negotiate, a bulletin station might as well
stay put.
When dragged in front of an Administrative Law Judge on a
charge of violating 97.101(b), the Court will look at who
was trying to cooperate and who wasn't.
He will not look
at who was there first, who is smarter, or anything else. He
will rule on who is being the most reasonable.
In this case,
K1MAN is being reasonable and the other side is being unreasonable.
Maia says that the proliferation of bulletin stations has
caused chaos in the amateur community that has now reached
crisis proportions.
Your Respondent disagrees.
The formal complaints to the U.S.
attorney has caused consternation in the amateur community as
well they should.
The crisis is criminal violations of Sections
333 and 501 by many parties who should have known better.
Maia points out that a cornerstone of the Amateur Service is its
"...unique ability to enhance international goodwill." The high
frequency band has world-wide range and the image of United
States Amateurs is being badly tarnished by this on-going tirade.
Your Respondent agrees.
All that is needed is for the FCC to do
its job.
A couple of $300 fines would do the trick.
The
alternative of banishing HF bulletins, shutting down W1AW, the
court challenges, involvement of the U.S. Attorney in serious
formal criminal charges, etc., is preposterous.
W5YI has got
several loose screws on this one.
Maia argues that there was a time in the history of the
Amateur Radio Service when the benefit to be derived from
permitting occasional one-way broadcasts on hf bands
outweighed
the negative impact of operations of this type on ordinary
communications. That time has now passed. Today there are
plenty of other methods of communicating general information to
Amateurs, including Amateur vhf packet networks, on-line computer
services such as CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online and the World
Wide Web pages of the Internet. Similarly, code practice is now
easily accomplished via software training and simulation programs.
Your Respondent argues that there is very little negative impact
by HF bulletins and great benefit.
Information is disseminated
for free and widely at minimum cost.
On-line computer services
such as CompuServe, Prodigy, America Online and the World Wide Web
pages of the Internet all cost money, are not amateur radio, and are
limited to print.
HF bulletins are voice interviews, forums,
speeches, editorials, talk programs; all very easy and efficient
to produce.
Mr. Maia should have his tongue cut out and carry
a keyboard around his neck if he thinks otherwise.
Mr. Maia Concludes:
A major aim of many amateurs is long range
communication or "working DX" as it is called. A second
popular amateur activity on the hf bands is leisure
communications or "rag chewing." The third widespread
pursuit is participating in round-table communications
about a specific interest or "networks."
None of these activities is compatible with
broadcast-type bulletin or code practice stations that
come on an occupied channel without first determining if
the frequency is already in use. Such stations have
outlived their usefulness to the Amateur Radio Service
and should now be prohibited in the hf bands.
Your Respondent concludes: Baloney!!
Mr. Maia is simply
pulling a publicity stunt and/or trying to eliminate his
competition to the W5YI report.
Mr. Maia makes a living
off of amateur radio.
K1MAN doesn't.
K1MAN is a financial
advisor and an NASD Registered Representative.
For K1MAN,
IARN and amateur radio is a hobby.
Pro Se litigation before
the FCC, the Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court is
a hobby; all done for the pure enjoyment of it all.
Allowing bulletins above 30 MHz. is arbitrary.
Dumping a
bulletin on a two meter repeater is worse than on HF because
there are fewer places to go; you must go to another repeater.
This is why it is usually the repeater owner who puts out the
bulletins on "his" repeater coordinated frequency!!
Do you
see the point?
Banning HF bulletins is an attempt to suppress free speech of
K1MAN, and Maia would like to slam ARRL at the same time. ARRL
is also a commercial organization.
Maia and ARRL are in
direct commercial competition.
Amateur radio is a non
commercial hobby.
Wherefore, your Respondent requests that Maia's Petition to
change the rules be dismissed.
Respectfully submitted,
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
____________________________________
Date:
`
March 23 1995
Mailed Certified P 568 314 025 To:
Ralph Haller, FCC
1919 M Street
Washington, D.C. 20554
Page 14
LEO I. MEYERSON AWARD ESTABLISHED
In their December 12, 1994 meeting, the Board of Directors of the IARN
Amateur Radio Peace Corps Foundation, Inc. passed a resolution to
establish the IARN Leo I. Meyerson Award For Excellence In Amateur
Radio.
The honor is to be awarded each Spring of the year to a truly
worthy radio amateur selected by the Board by simple majority vote.
Board member Christopher L. Murdock, WA1HOD, will head the Awards
Committee that will screen all nominations and applications to be
considered.
On March 13, 1991, the State of Maine Senate and House of
Representatives officially recognized the IARN Foundation for its
"Service to Humankind."
The Board felt that IARN, which recently
celebrated its ninth birthday, should seek out and recognize a worthy
radio amateur each year without regard to tainted "establishment"
amateur radio politics.
Nominations for this award will be solicited over IARN's daily
bulletin service throughout the year and also during IARN's weekly
two hour talk program aired Sundays between 8 and 8:45 P.M. Eastern.
Nominations will even be accepted and discussed "live" on the air
during a given talk program.
Mr. Meyerson was selected as a namesake for this amateur radio award
since it is felt that his own service to humankind as a radio pioneer,
radio manufacturer and distributor, his crystal manufacturing
innovations during World War II, and his service as a QCWA Director, among
many other noble and significant achievements, best exemplify
the spirit and honor that the IARN Foundation wishes to encourage in
others.
Mr. Meyerson, W0GFQ, was recently inducted into the QCWA
Hall of Fame and is an active on the air ham.
He and his XYL Helen
reside in California during the winter and in Nebraska during the
summer.
Leo, 84, plays tennis several times a week, and his current
outside labor of love is the giant Meyerson Radio Exhibit at the
Western Heritage Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.
The radio exhibit at
Western Heritage is the largest of its kind in the world. Leo's sense
of humor is still as keen as ever. "Tennis is the only way I know of"
says Leo, "Where you can play with three girls at the same time..."
AMATEUR RADIO'S FIRST INTERACTIVE TALK PROGRAM
IARN's Amateur Radio Talk Program is on the air every Sunday between
8 P.M. and 8:45 P.M. Eastern time.
The live call in telephone number
is 207 495 2215.
The FAX number for written questions or editorial
comments is 207 495 2069.
Why not join us?
Anyone can call in
live and the program is simulcast on 14.275 and 3.975 MHz.
If you would like to be a special guest, call IARN during the week to
make arrangements.
You call us on line 1 and become part of the
program via this remote.
We then take live calls on our main phone
number which consists of two voice lines.
We will also have live
studio guests whenever possible.
Call 207 495 2215 today and become this week's special guest on IARN!
Tapes of these live programs are available from IARN at no charge for
retransmission or personal use.
Send one blank C-90 cassette and a
business sized return envelope with enough postage for two ounces.
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
APRIL THROUGH JULY, 1993
IARN IN SOMALIA
On July 9, 1993, IARN deployed a team of two amateur radio volunteers
to Somalia.
They are the IARN Somalia Director, Abdikarim Nur
Mohamid, and Sam Voron, VK2BVS. Sam, IARN's Region 3 Coordinator, was
issued Somalia Amateur Radio License number 1 on March 29, 1993 with
the call sign 6O0A.
Authorized frequencies include: 1.5 to 1.8 MHz.;
3.850 to 4 MHz.; 7.1 to 7.5 MHz.; 9.3 to 9.5 MHz.; 21.450 to 21.900
MHz.; 25.9 to 26.1 MHz.; 26.960 to 27.410 MHz.; 88 to 108 MHz.; and
476.420 MHz.
Television broadcasts may be conducted on any unused
standard VHF or UHF television channels.
All amateur transmissions
are on a non interference basis.
The mission of the IARN team in Somalia is to provide for emergency
communications in the NER or Northeast Region. We have talked with
Sam and Abdi from their mobile in Somalia and making their way to the
town of Garowe.
They are proceeding south from Garowe to search for
a location appropriate for IARN's Somalia Headquarters.
DARE - THE IARN DOMESTIC AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY ORGANIZATION
The primary outcome of the 1993 IARN World Emergency Communications
Conference, held every second weekend of July in Belgrade Lakes,
Maine, has been the formation of DARE, or the IARN Domestic Amateur
Radio Emergency organization.
The first Director is Gordon Cann,
N4RFI, from Melbourne, Florida.
Gordon deployed as an IARN jump team
operator to South Florida during Hurricane Andrew and brings great
experience, leadership and energy to DARE.
Other directors will be
appointed by IARN both for service in the United States and also in
all other countries of the world.
DARE is an organization within an organization.
The basic idea of
DARE is to maintain a group of radio amateurs scattered around their
own country who have the capability of deploying to an in country
disaster zone on a moment's notice, and either establishing an amateur
radio emergency operation, or assisting local hams with their ongoing
operation.
Sponsored by IARN, the International Amateur Radio
Network, DARE will use the experience, credibility, and resources of
IARN world wide to develop and grow into a major public service.
As with IARN, DARE will avoid the familiar gridlock of conventional
amateur radio groups paralyzed by petty ham radio politics and lack
of aggressive organization and management.
Traditional groups
wishing to cooperate with DARE will be welcome with open arms, but we
will not hold our collective breath.
To become a member of DARE is simple.
You must simply be willing
and able to deploy by airplane or land vehicle to a disaster area
within your own country for at least one week on a moments notice and
at your own expense.
Secondly, you must register with IARN
Headquarters or a DARE Director anywhere in your own country.
If you
want to be appointed as a Director, contact another IARN or DARE
Director or IARN Headquarters.
DARE emergency nets may activate on 14.275 MHz. or nearby frequencies
depending on the circumstances of the amateur radio emergency.
For
more information about DARE contact Gordon Cann, N4RFI, good in the
call book at 286 Cinnamon Circle, Melbourne, Florida 32901, Tel. 407
984 9593
Meanwhile, IARN continues to prepare and make ready for the next major
international communications emergency.
WORLD CONFERENCE ON NATURAL DISASTER REDUCTION
IARN Directors will be attending and participating in this world
conference to be held in Yokohama, Japan between May 23 and May 27,
1994.
The conference is sponsored by the United Nations'
International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR)
headquartered at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Their
publication, called "Stop Disasters," has world wide distribution and
features a major article about IARN in the November - December 1992
issue (page 7).
The conference will be hosted by the government of
Japan.
It will include meetings, forums, exhibits, and social
events.
For more information about this important emergency communications
conference, contact IARN headquarters.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
AUGUST - OCTOBER, 1993
IARN SKATES THROUGH HURRICANE SEASON
IARN members just love it when there are no major emergencies.
This
gives us a chance to charge our emotional batteries and plan for our
next big emergency response.
Last year we had hurricanes Andrew and
Iniki back to back.
Other back to back disasters in the past include
hurricane Gilbert and the Armenian earthquake in addition to hurricane
Hugo (our largest operation) followed by the San Francisco earthquake.
So we can plan on one "big one" per year on the average, often with
two in the same year.
IARN MANAGER NAMED AS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS
Vermont Academy, a medium sized coed prep school in Saxtons River,
Vermont named Glenn A. Baxter, K1MAN, of Belgrade Lakes, Maine as a
Dr. Florence R. Sabin Distinguished Alumnus at a dinner held in his
honor at the school on Friday, October 1, 1993.
The dinner was a
part of the school's annual homecoming weekend activities.
Mr.
Baxter was cited for his work since 1985 in organizing the
International Amateur Radio Network.
The Maine Senate and House of
Representatives also recognized Baxter in 1991 for this work in
emergency amateur radio communications.
Baxter is 51, has an Amateur
Extra Class license, and has been an avid radio amateur since getting
his Novice Class license in 1956.
In 1985, Baxter founded the International Amateur Radio Network (IARN)
which is a world wide volunteer amateur radio emergency communications
system with 4500 members in 80 different countries.
IARN is depended
upon by the International Red Cross, and media such as CBS, ABC, the
BBC, and Associated Press during an international communications
crisis caused by natural disasters such as the Mexico City earthquake,
Columbia volcano eruption, El Salvador earthquake, Hurricane Gilbert,
the Armenian earthquake, the earthquakes in Iran and Soviet Georgia,
hurricane Hugo, and hurricanes Andrew and Iniki.
IARN has also
coordinated ocean rescue operations for the United States Coast Guard
when communications would have been otherwise impossible.
In addition to producing its own shortwave radio programs, broadcast
daily and heard in every corner of the world, Baxter's organization
has set up independent short wave broadcast stations in strife torn
regions of the world such as Bougainville (a republic now seeking
independence from Papua New Guinea) and the North East Region
of Somalia.
The IARN Amateur Radio Peace Corp Foundation has sent
good will delegations all over the world and has ongoing projects in
El Salvador, China, Bangladesh, the former Soviet Union, Somalia, and
Bougainville.
The Distinguished Alumni Program is in honor of Dr. Florence R. Sabin
of the class of 1889, a foremost woman scientist in the field of
modern medical research and a pioneer in public health in the state of
Colorado.
The Sabin Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to
the Vermont Academy graduate "who, by their diligence and efforts,
have utilized the basic academic and life skills acquired at the
Academy to achieve significant success in their professional careers,
or have made outstanding contributions in community involvement,
thereby bringing distinction to themselves and to Vermont Academy."
After graduation from the University of Rhode Island, Baxter worked as
an engineer for the Collins Radio Company in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and
completed business administration graduate studies at the University
of Iowa.
He then organized an electronics manufacturing concern in
North Anson, Maine.
In 1975, Baxter qualified as a Registered
Professional Engineer (P.E.) in Illinois and entered Management
Consulting with Booz, Allen, and Hamilton in Chicago.
In 1977 he
returned to Maine to practice professional engineering and run an
electronics business until 1992 when he joined New Life Financial
Services, Inc., a national investment advisory firm where Baxter
specializes in mutual funds and retirement planning.
IARN INSTALLING AMTOR BULLETIN BOARD AT BELGRADE LAKES HEADQUARTERS
IARN is now installing an AMTOR BBS in a remote ham shack one mile
from K1MAN's primary station facilities.
This will allow
simultaneous operations without mutual interference.
Traffic at the
remote location can be accessed via two meters from K1MAN's primary
location.
Given the world wide AMTOR BBS network now in operation,
this new facility will significantly expand our ability and
versatility in handling emergency traffic.
This is in addition to
our normal packet, a telephone BBS, FAX, MCI mail, and Telex.
IARN AMATEUR INFORMATION BULLETIN SERVICE
Every day on 3.975, 14.275, and 28.475 MHz. at 1000, 1100, 1300, 1700,
2100, and 0000 UTC.
Also special high fidelity AM transmissions
Sunday evenings on 3.890 MHz. at 2200 and 7.290 MHz. at 2300 UTC. In
an emergency activation, the 14.275 MHz. bulletins are moved down
either 2 1/2 or 5 KHz., depending on the conditions.
One hour later
when the clocks change, thus keeping your local reception time
unchanged.
Address: IARN, 1 Long Point Road, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918 U.S.A.
TEL 207 495 2215 FAX 207 495 2069
BBS 207 495 2490
MCI: K1MAN
Packet Address: K1MAN @ WA1IIE.ME.USA.NA
TELEX 697 6213 IARN
THE INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK NEWSLETTER
APRIL 1995 - OCTOBER 1995 (6 OCTOBER 1995)
HAMS ASSIST WITH HURRICANE LUIS AND MARILYN COMMUNICATIONS
As usual, radio amateurs are playing a significant roll with emergency
communications in the Caribbean.
Hurricane Luis loomed as a real
threat around September 3, 1995 and looked like it was a sure bet to
hit major areas such as St. Croix and Puerto Rico.
The U.N. Radio
readiness group on 14.268 MHz. became active about this time with
Senior controllers K4VUD, Charlie; K1WW, Ray; and KE4AMW, Dave.
They
had stations from the affected areas checking in regularly with
situation reports including Dorthea, VP2EE in Anguilla.
IARN, the
International Amateur Radio Network, managed by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN,
activated on September 4, 1995.
Baxter told W5YI that traffic was
light and IARN went in and out of activation several times because of
this.
IARN transmits daily information bulletins on 14.275 and
3.975 MHz. when they are not involved in emergency communications.
Then Luis turned away and thus only affected islands such as Anguilla
and St. Martin. IARN bulletins for the week of September 9, 1995 even
carried an interview with the U.N.'s NCS Dave, KE4AMW.
HURRICANE MARILYN COMMUNICATIONS
24 September 1995 10:20 A.M. Eastern
On September 15, 1995, Marilyn took dead aim at the Caribbean. The
United Nations Radio Readiness Group activated on 14.268 and IARN
activated on 14.275.
The UNRRG concentrated on situation reports and
priority traffic and IARN concentrated on taking Health and Welfare
traffic. "IARN is driven by traffic and the media" according to Glenn
Baxter, K1MAN, IARN's Manager.
"If traffic is light, we don't do
much, but when we get calls from CBS and Associated Press, I know we
are in for a busy time."
On Saturday, September 16, 1995, Baxter was
interviewed by the CBS national radio network and parts of that
interview were carried by CBS throughout the week.
On September 24,
1995 at 7:45 A.M. Baxter was interviewed live by Jerry Tabbatt of
Channel 13, WMBB, in Panama City, Florida.
Baxter says that "Traffic
has been heavy and has come in by Packet, AMTOR, FAX, BBS, E-Mail,
telephone, and SSB."
Interestingly, fairly large amounts of traffic
have been going from KP4DDB, Bill (ARRL's Puerto Section Manager), to
IARN's headquarters on St.Thomas - KV4BA, Tony - (via the IARN AMTOR
BBS in Belgrade Lakes, Maine) where KP4VP, Ramon; WP4MNC, Carlos;
N9FTC, Tim; and other IARN Jump Team operators will serve for many
weeks. KD4TTE, John, was IARN's Jump Team operator on St. Croix where
things are only 30% as bad as on St. Thomas.
He operated on the net
for about 36 hours and then went to St. John via St. Thomas on 24
September 1995. St. John traffic has been light, but they are in dire
need of amateur radio communications.
We have been able to make
routine telephone calls into and out of St. Croix and there are
several other amateur stations on the air throughout the island at the
date and time of this Situation Report.
Carlos, WP4MNC, has a SEL phone which is being used very sparingly to
call back to IARN Headquarters in Belgrade Lakes, Maine.
Carlos
arrived first on St. Thomas and reported on 23 September 1995 that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
There is a 6 P.M. to 6 A.M. curfew
There is marshal law
The FBI is handling security at the airport
The super markets close at 4 P.M.; police can shop between 4 and
5 P.M.
Fast food lines are long (McDonald's is open!)
60 military vehicles are arriving 23 Sept. from Puerto Rico as
well as ships with water
Transportation is a real big problem - Carlos has a motorcycle there are no rental cars
There is no electricity or phones.
Some SEL phones are working,
and recharging batteries is a big problem.
Tony, KP4VA reported on 24 September 1995 that things were a lot worse
than being reported by the Media.
IARN petty cash funds were needed
(and sent along with the shipment listed below) to buy generator gas
which (ARRL donated our generator - a Coleman IC-4000).
The
generator has the small tank rather than the large five gallon
extended operation tank on the top which is well worth the slightly
higher cost.
Mind you, we are not complaining!!
That little
Coleman generator is gold right now.
There is a problem with the
pull starter and we are getting a replacement mechanism from Coleman.
Now we have to use a rope to start the unit.
On September 25, 1995 IARN will ship the following to St. Thomas via
American Airlines:
o
Commercial Motorola repeater (150.000 MHz. transmit 154.5
MHz. receive (including antenna, cables, software, etc.).
o
12 Motorola hand helds.
be given to Red Cross.
Three are for IARN and 9 will
o
2 meter Ringo Ranger
o
Two 2 meter mobile antennas
o
100 feet RG 58 cable and 2 PL-259 connector assemblies
o
HF antenna tuner
o
Gallon of Number 30 oil
o
Five gallon gas container
o
$100 cash
o 10 Ampere 12 volt battery charger
IARN began receiving Health and Welfare traffic from various Red Cross
chapters across the country on September 22, 1995.
Many priority
messages to Red Cross volunteers on St. Croix and St. Thomas have been
passed on the 14.275 MHz. net frequency
According to Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, many shelters on St. Thomas were
destroyed and cannot be used.
At the airport, air traffic
controllers were using binoculars and hand held radios to bring in
aircraft. He says that 16 critical cases in the hospital that was
destroyed on St. Thomas have been evacuated to San Juan. "For
information on these people you can call P.R. Red Cross at 809 725
0121" according to Baxter.
Baxter says that "Thousands of people
scramble for food when it is distributed and it gets quite nasty."
Thanks to to the following for donated equipment and services:
American Airlines, American Express, Motorola, Cushcraft (antennas
left over from Hugo), Regency Hyatt, America on Line, ARRL, and MFJ.
There seems to be a great deal of cooperation among radio amateur
groups and individuals in this communications emergency.
Many TV
crews have descended on ham shacks across the United States, and many
stations are airing IARN numbers for people to call with Health and
welfare inquiries.
These are: K1MAN @ K1RQG.ME.USA.NA; the AMTOR
mailbox is on 14.0762 LSB with SEL call KMAN; the E-Mail address is
K1MAN @ mcimail.com; the FAX number is 207 495 2069; the telephone
BBS is 207 495 2490; and the voice line is 207 495 2215.
6:56 A.M. 28 September 1995
Hurricane Marilyn may be dead, but her memory lives on. We are still
in mode three activation for handling health and welfare traffic, and,
occasionally, priority traffic as well.
Our telephone bbs, fax
machine, and mcimail address continue to receive health and welfare
traffic. We continue to receive some traffic on ssb (14.275) however,
most of our traffic is coming in via fax, bbs, mcimail, and our AMTOR
mailbox on 14.127 Mhz.
Yesterday, Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, put seven
files filled with various types of traffic for the islands on the
Belgrade Lakes, Maine telephone bbs, and Chris Sells, AC4LM in
Alabama, picked them up for editing, then back to Belgrade Lakes and
then to Pittsburgh and in the hands of our next Jump Team operator in
time for his flight down to St. Thomas.
The hand carried traffic is
on disk and also hard copy.
A fair amount of our traffic is from ARRL's Puerto Rico Section
Manager Guillermo Schwarz, KP4DDB, which is uploaded to IARN's
Belgrade Lakes, Maine 24 hour per day AMTOR BBS on 14.170 LSB.
All
current traffic is being hand carried (disk and hard copy) to St.
Thomas with updates via AMTOR beginning in a few days.
A daily SSB
schedule is on 14.275 MHz. at 10 A.M.
So far, we have not been successful in working with some St. Thomas
officials, however, another jump team operator, along with Patty
Crews, our St. Thomas Disaster Coordinator, are on St. Thomas today
and in communications with IARN Headquarters.
Our operation at
KV4BA with Carlos, WP4MNC; Raymond, KP4VP; Tim, N9FTC(1); and John,
KD4TTE was shut down on 27 September 1995.
Five other IARN operators
are booked with flights to St. Thomas later this week and next. They
will be setting up operations (SSB, AMTOR, and a commercial 150 MHz.
repeater) and a headquarters on the Eastern end of the island. The
equipment (10 boxes) sent down by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, is being picked
up by the IARN team today. That being: a Motorola repeater, 12 hand
helds, a generator, two meter antennas, and various other vital tools
and communications materiel.
When the repeater is up and running, we
will offer 8 of the 12 hand helds to Red Cross. If they decline, as
they might, we will offer them to other relief agencies.
We are
currently receiving Red Cross traffic from various chapters around the
country.
Our St. Thomas operations are expected to continue for several weeks.
Photos will be taken by team members and offered to World Radio and 73
Magazine (we won't hold our breath!!).
Since traffic is now light and sporadic on ssb, we are maintaining our
IARN broadcast at its scheduled times. People with any traffic should
do the following: You can send traffic to us via fax at 207 495 2069;
Or by telephone bbs, 207 495 2490; and our packet address is
[email protected].
We are also accepting traffic at our mcimail
address [email protected].
73
Chris Sells, AC4LM
IARN Assistant Continental U.S. Network Manager
(1) Tim Stein, N9FTC intimidated John Green, KD4TTE, (saying it was
illegal for him to keep possession of the phone patch loaned to IARN
by MFJ), and the patch was given to the St. Thomas (ARRL) Amateur
Radio Club FOR STORAGE!!!.
We will hold Mr. Stein responsible for
the safe return of this fine business piece of MFJ equipment.
Mr.
Stein returned to Florida against the request and without the
authority of the Net Manager.
He was originally assigned to set up
an amateur station at the American Express office on St. Thomas and
never showed up.
American Express paid for his airfare.
He even
refused to go to the American Express site before leaving the island
as requested by the Net Manager.
Also, Mr. Stein abandoned 9
boxes of equipment (including the $70,000 worth of loaned Motorola
radio equipment) that was addressed to him C/O American Airlines, St.
Thomas Airport, as directed by the Net Manager, Glenn Baxter, K1MAN.
It was necessary for the Net Manager to FAX a special letter of
authorization to the next Jump Team operator in order for us to claim
our equipment, costing us several days of precious time.
29 September 1995
IARN shipped to St. Thomas a 1250 Watt generator, 50' cord, power
strip, alkaline battery charger, basic radio tool kit, gas funnel, oil
funnel, number 30 oil fill, 300' antenna wire, 300' nylon cord, 4 egg
insulators, tape measure, plastic tape, solder, and a 3/8 " wrench for
the oil plug.
Thanks to Gene Paradis, KA1LWR, and Colgan Airline
for arranging all of IARN's emergency communications equipment (free)
shipments!
9:58 A.M. 30 September 1995
IARN's Disaster Relief Coordinator (State Side), Susie Widmar,
SFCSusie @ AOL.com (TEL 612 688 7309 FAX 612 456 0173), in the Twin
Cities (Minnesota) has lined three more generators that have been
requested by our IARN team on St. Thomas.
These have been donated by
West Marine store, 2300 S. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 305 527
5540 and are being shipped via the same route as our first 10 boxes of
communications equipment which were retrieved in St. Thomas by our
team of 3 presently on the island.
All 12 Motorola hand helds are
programmed and are being used as walkie talkies until we have the
repeater (150 MHz. in 154.5 MHz. out) us up which should be in a
couple of days.
Had Tim Stein not abandoned his post the repeater
would have been up already.
Licensed IARN Jump Team radio operators
on St Thomas as we go to press are: John Maranciak, N3NOR; Larry
Tadlock, KS4BI; and Richard Burdick, KB0PWS. Our IARN team Manager is
Patti Crews, CRYSTALYS @ AOL and two assistants are Les Fagan and Rob
Jones.
As we go to press we are working on setting up a small IARN
free medical clinic.
6 October 1996
12:12 P.M. Eastern
At this time IARN Jump Team Operators Larry Tadlock, KS4BI, and
Richard Burdick, KB0PWS are working on St. Thomas.
We have lost
our AMTOR relay (K4IHP, Joe in Atlanta) but our Belgrade Lakes, Maine
AMTOR mailbox is up and running again after almost one week off the
air due to the need for a hard reset of the software.
Also, we have not
had voice contact on 14.255 MHz. for two running.
The team is
working on setting up the Motorola repeater and there was some
confusion as the paperwork supplied by Motorola engineer, Bob Loving,
K9JU, (708 576 3693) indicated it was a 450 machine rather the the
actual 150 MHz. out 154.5 MHz. in machine which is compatible with the
12 handhelds, also supplied by Motorola.
KS4BI indicated in his
AMTOR message AY-4 to K1MAN dated 10/4/95 1448 GMT that the whip
antenna was missing.
The whip was in box 9 of 9 boxes that IARN
St. Thomas disaster coordinator, Patti Crews, confirmed that the team
had received.
Patti came home for a few days on October 4, 1995
and while at the airport searched for the 1250 Watt generator and
other items shipped in box 10 and also the 3000 Watt generator belonging
to Jump Team Operator Richard Burdick, KB0PWS, that was
shipped by air from Augusta Airport on Tuesday, October 3, 1995
courtesy of Gene Paradis, KA1LWR, and his employer Colgan Airlines.
HURRICANE OPAL
IARN activated for Hurricane Opal early on October 4, 1995 and
continues as of 1:20 P.M. on October 6, 1995.
Traffic has been
light and 100 % by SSB.
We got a situation report on October 5,1995 at
0943 A.M. Eastern from Rob, WB4BZU (emergency generator), and this
was rebroadcast several times throughout the day.
The FCC (Atlanta
Engineer in Charge Fred L. Broce) FAXED a Voluntary Communications
Emergency Declaration to IARN at 11:50 AM. on October 4, 1995
(3945-3955; 3960-3980; 7243; 7254; 7275) which was canceled by a FAX
received at 09:00 A.M. Eastern on October 6, 1995.
Oddly, James C.
Hawkins, FCC Engineer in Charge in New Orleans FAXED IARN at 10:57
A.M. Eastern and rescinded the Voluntary Communications Emergency
Declaration on 3857-3867; 3873; 3925; 3935; 7225; and 7290 KHz.
These frequencies don't jive with anything that IARN was made aware of
by the FCC.
At 12:59 P.M. on October 6, 1995, Stan Bower, KB7ZJU,
from Panama City filed an audio report for rebroadcast by K1MAN. As
we go to press (1:47 P.M. October 6, 1995) our hurricane Opal
operations are essentially over, but we expect to be activated in mode
3 for the aftermath of Hurricane Marilyn for several weeks.
Also
we are in contact with Carlos Rodriguis, WP4MNC, IARN Puerto Rico, in
anticipation of the Pablo storm brewing as we go to press.
SALVATION ARMY JUMP TEAM FROM LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS
On September 20, 1995 at 11:35 A.M. Eastern time, Bob Hancock, KB5IDB,
called IARN Headquarters and offered his Jump Team group including
himself and Dennis Schaeffer, W5RZ; Ray Parker, K5LJC; and Bill
Thomas, AA5YZ to deploy with equipment (including AMTOR) to St.
Thomas.
Bob advised that his group would be ready Thursday evening,
21 September 1995.
Bob then went ahead contacting his people and
called later in the day to advise that the group was ready. IARN then
booked (free - $1,058.50 each for a total of $4,234) four tickets on
American Airlines Flight 3732 to Dallas; Flight 606 to San Juan on
Thursday morning 28 September 1995.
We then made arrangements for
Hyatt Regency to meet the group and put them up (free) over night in
San Juan.
They then were booked on American Eagle Flight 5504
leaving San Juan at 10:00 on 29 September 1995 arriving St. Thomas at
10:38 AM where the IARN team already on the island would meet them and
transport them to Compass Point to set up an AMTOR station and also
install the Motorola repeater.
(All very important work.)
The
entire group was booked to return October 6, 1995 from St. Thomas on
American Eagle Flight 5503 to San Juan; leaving San Juan on Flight 633
to Dallas and then Flight 3565 arriving Little Rock at 4:45 P.M. on
October 6, 1995.
(At this writing it is 11:18 A.M. on October 6,
1995.)
But Bob Hancock, KB5IDB, perhaps the most irresponsible amateur radio
operator in the universe, had another agenda.
IARN called him and
left the flight plan for his group on his answering machine (the one
that says "Barbara and I can't come to the phone right now.....") at
9:47 A.M. on Friday, 22 September 1995.
We called and left a message
several more times during the next few days.
On 25 September 1995
at 10:58 AM we faxed him at 501 753 6214 and requested that he call
IARN 207 495 2215 IMMEDIATELY - URGENT.
He never responded.
On October 5, 1995 at 1918 Eastern N5WUM checked into IARN on 14.275
MHz. and advised that the very same Hancock group had gone to St.
Thomas with the Salvation Army.
K1MAN called Hancock on October 6,
1995 at about 10:00 Eastern and confronted him with the situation. He
stated that he did, in fact, go with Salvation Army and returned on
Wednesday, September 27th, 1995.
K1MAN asked him "What did you do on
St. Thomas?" He Responed "We worked with Salvation Army." K1MAN
asked "Why didn't you check into 14.275?" He stated that he thought
someone in his group did (they didn't) and/or someone called one of
our guys on two meters and advised that their group was on St. Thomas.
K1MAN then asked Hancock why he didn't call IARN on the phone when he
got home.
At this point Hancock said he had the flu and should call
back later.
IARN will, on a recorded line, and Hancock can try to
explain his disreputable conduct, the most unethical behavior IARN has
seen recently, with the exception of Tim Stein, N9FTC, which is
criminal, and formal charges are being filed against Stein with the
U.S. Attorney in Bangor, Maine.
While we aplaud Hancock assisting
Salvation Army, he wasted valuable IARN time and resources by not
keeping us informed.
We canceled his tickets at the last minute and
used them (American Airlines gave us 8) for other IARN people.
IARN USES AMTOR BULLETIN BOARD AT BELGRADE LAKES HEADQUARTERS
IARN is now using an AMTOR BBS in a remote ham shack one mile from
K1MAN's primary station facilities.
This will allow simultaneous
operations without mutual interference.
Traffic at the remote
location can be accessed from K1MAN's primary location.
Given the
world wide AMTOR BBS network now in operation, this new facility has
significantly expanded our ability and versatility in handling
emergency traffic.
This is in addition to our normal voice SSB
packet, a telephone BBS, FAX, Internet, and Telex.
xxx
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - September, 1996
OUR PURPOSE
This is the first issue of AARD since AARA recently went into "high
gear" with the same intensity and fervor as a major IARN emergency
activation.
We expect that our newsletter will continue each month
from here on out.
It is the goal of AARA is to overshadow ARRL in
stature and perceived credibility within 10 years.
The long term
goal of AARA is a 20 year plan to save amateur radio as we know it.
We plan to do this by focusing on the real and serious side of amateur
radio as opposed to the "Alice in Wonderland" candy coated version as
sanitized and printed in QST.
We intend to do things that ARRL can
only pretend to do while they continue to be an ugly money grubbing
publishing empire in the process of abusing and raping our hobby
and fiddling, as Nero did, while Rome burns.
We need your support,
and we need your help.
Send in your $35 and join AARA today. Become
a Section Manager or State Director!
Let's have some fun with this!
IARN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS SHEET
IARN operations in ITU Region II (North and South America) have been
automated and streamlined.
Times have changed and IARN must change
as well.
IARN emergency operations in Region II are driven by traffic.
No
traffic, no activation.
The first warning sign for this is calls to
IARN Headquarters from the media.
If CBS, Associated Press, or the
BBC call we can expect a lot of traffic.
Currently, Red Cross does
not accept Health and Welfare traffic for the first several days of an
emergency.
IARN does.
IARN now goes on the air immediately with a continuous 24 hour per day
announcement on 3.975 MHz. and 14.275 MHz. about the emergency and how
to send Health and Welfare traffic in by E-Mail, Packet, AMTOR, and
computer BBS.
The regular IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show is
discontinued on these two amateur frequencies but continues its normal
high fidelity AM transmissions on 3.890 MHz.
IARN will immediately recruit jump team operators rather than waiting
several days as before.
Jump operators will have to pay their own
way (hurricane Marilyn turned out to be 15 paid vacations for amateur
volunteers who accomplished absolutely nothing).
A jump operator
will download traffic from IARN's computer, carry our traffic to the
affected area as soon as possible, and set up a station if possible.
We will communicate with the jump team(s) on 14.275 MHz. as needed and
appropriate for the situation.
Our 24 hour AMTOR mailbox on 14.127
MHz. LSB (Sel call KMAN) will also be used.
Our jump team will drop
off a copy of the traffic to: 1) Red Cross, 2) The local broadcast
station, and 3) the local newspaper.
When their work is done as well
as is practical for the situation in the affected area, the jump
team(s) will come home and we will close out the traffic as soon as
possible by narrowing it down to the highest priorities by calling all
those on the phone collect who gave us the traffic.
During the early days of the emergency we depend on the UN Radio
Readiness group on 14.268 MHz. to handle most of the real time
emergency communications.
They do a great job.
IARN Net Control
operators should monitor 14.275, 14.268, 14.313, and 14.300 MHz. to
stay on top of things and be ready to help out on 14.275 MHz. when
needed.
Local hams or SWL's should monitor as well and call their local media
and offer to have a news team come out to check out our operations.
The ham or SWL should also offer their telephone number for
publication so that Health and Welfare traffic can be solicited.
The
SWL can use E-MAIL to pass traffic to IARN and hams can also use
Packet and AMTOR.
IARN prefers to accept only digital traffic, but
limited voice traffic will be accepted on 14.275 from time to time
and as the situation dictates.
DARE, the Domestic Amateur Radio Emergency organization
You should also contact Red Cross chapters and set up a home base 75
meter HF station, phone patch, antenna, and emergency power generator
system up for them.
Get hams to donate the equipment, if possible,
and the Red Cross chapter will probably pop for a new generator from
Wal Mart, Sam's Club, Honda, Suzuki, etc.
There should be several 80
meter mobile stations around town ready to go to assist Red Cross in
case the need arises all and the repeaters are out or overloaded with
emergency traffic.
Conduct regular radio check exercises with this
emergency HF mobile system.
A portable rapid deployment field and
base station HF AMTOR capability would also be great; Red Cross just
loves to have stuff in writing!
Start a DARE net.
We DARE you!
DARE is the Domestic Amateur Radio Emergency organization.
Write to
AARA for more information about setting up DARE in your area, funding,
and appointment of DARE Section Managers and DARE State Directors.
K1MAN EDITORIALS - GLENN BAXTER, P.E.
I want to close out my final E-Mail communication with N1MUD recently
with some analysis of what has transpired.
It is at the core of what
is wrong with amateur radio today.
Namely, radio amateurs years ago
were really special and our service really deserved spectrum that was
being better used by us than by essentially non existent commercial
applications.
Now amateurs have declined in their relative value to
society to the status of a fairly routine hobby.
Getting a license
and going on the air now is quite easy; years ago it was fairly
difficult.
You are just a Tech plus and have only been licensed
since June of 1992; you can't see the broad picture.
I have had an
Extra for 32 years and know a thing or two about amateur radio and the
downward trend over the last ten years led by ARRL's short sighted and
highly commercial orrientation.
What you do as an amateur is fairly easy.
What IARN has done since
1985 has been fairly difficult.
Without sending you a box full of
materials to document IARN's accomplishments (I tried that with
WD9HSE, KO4TA and several others with no real results), our very
significant accomplishments can be pretty much summarized by us being
formally honored by the State of Maine Legislature and me being named
as a Distinguished Alumnus of my Prep school, Vermont Academy.
Both
of these honors were unsolicited.
Neither honors have ever been
reported in any amateur radio media including IARN.
I don't always
blow my own horn!
When I do, it is called MARKETING.
I am pretty
sure I have never mentioned these two honors over the air; perhaps I
have.
My point is this.
IARN's thinking and standards for amateur radio
are far higher than that of the general amateur radio community. It
is not popular in any society for this sort of gap to exist.
So, I
have some enemies.
So did Socrates and other people who have ever
diverged from the popular way of thinking.
That is how the game is
played.
(Socrates probably had a big ego as well?!!!
I admit to
having a significant ego, and I am told this is quite healthy.
I may
have gotten bad advice on that one!
What you see is what you get.)
Of course, I didn't realize all of this when I started IARN.
I just
did it and didn't understand why recognition from the amateur radio
community for our accomplishments wasn't forthcoming.
I am human.
The more we were ignored, the greater the incentive was to accomplish
more.
These last 11 years of IARN have been both exciting and fun.
I would do it again the same way.
Any other way would not have
worked.
If everyone thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth, there
is no diplomatic way to tell people the reverse is true.
You have
to say "Hey, the Earth revolves around the Sun....here is the proof"
and then take your lumps.
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, would have ignored
the facts then just as he does now.
In contrast, however, Bill Pasternak knows the difference.
He needs
the support of the amateur radio establishment, so he is forced to
prostitute himself with regard to his true knowledge.
CQ magazine is
supporting his Young Ham of the Year Award, QST prints his name once
in a while, etc.
IARN does not need to prostitute itself to thrive,
and therefore, we don't.
We have our own media and can get along
without the blessings of ARRL, etc.
Now we have our own ARRL called
the AARA.
Hap Holly, KC9RP, also knows the difference, but he is in
pathological denial and is manipulated by Pasternak.
W5YI knows the
difference and has to force himself to fight off journalistic
prostitution.
He covers IARN, K1MAN, and AARA with some bias, but
at least he isn't afraid to report on the facts as best he can get
away with without being stoned to death at ham conventions.
By the way, at Dayton in 1995 I received hundreds of positive comments
by everyone I met.
Not one negative comment!
I was treated like a
celebrity and asked for my autograph by every ham at my banquet
table.
Sure, that was fun; I admit it.
Pasternak was civil to me
and Hap Holly treated me like a combination of dirt and AIDS.
Vern
Jackson, WA0RCR, walked on eggs and ended up running for the exit in
the end.
Poor Vern!
(Vern is the guy who gets all of the Dayton
forums on tape for Hap's excellent RAIN dial up service.
I coined
the name Radio Amateur Radio Network, RAIN, back when Hap and I were
working together, sharing a booth at Dayton, etc.)
However, every
single time I got on the Dayton repeater at the 1995 convention, it
was jammed!
What does that say about the cowards of amateur radio?
My interpretation of all this this is that most common amateurs who
are aware and active on HF admire what IARN does.
There is a
percentage who don't (certainly less than a democratic 50%).
The
rest don't pay much attention, don't know, or don't care.
There are
still quite a few of these.
So what do we have have?
I believe amateur radio needs to hear the
bad news.....the truth.
We radio amateurs are under performing
relative to any chance of keeping our spectrum.
Spectacular
demonstrations by ARRL and the well intentioned and honorable Carole
Perry, WB2MGP, (she was on IARN last week) to school children during
space shuttle flights is not going to cut the mustard because it is a
spectator activity.
We need potential super bowl players and not the
new flock of super bowl spectators being groomed by Ms. Perry.
She
earns a living showing amateur radio to 1,000 kids a year.
I
believe AARA's approach of grooming smaller numbers of higher quality
amateurs will produce better overall results for America than Carol's
approach.
O.K., let's try both!
Let Darwin decide the winners.
IARN is well established.
We have a lot of experience.
We have
many success stories and one monumental failure in our hurricane
Marilyn operation.
We know why Marilyn was a failure and that will
not be repeated.
My focus now is on building AARA, the American
Amateur Radio Association.
AARA deals directly with the public and
does not depend on the wrong direction amateur radio establishment.
One thing is for sure.
We are all in the same sinking boat.
I hope
AARA will make a difference.
I hope the amateur radio leaders
mentioned above plus ARRL and other amateur radio leaders such as
Gordon West, WB6NOA; Dave Miller, NZ9E; Mark Thompson, WB9QZB; Rich
Moseson of CQ; Don Stoner, W6TNS and others will rededicate themselves
to realizing that the world is indeed round and not flat.
Let's try
to set petty ham politics aside and roll up out sleeves for the next
fifteen years and see if we can save our beloved Amateur Radio
Service.
K1MAN EDITORIAL - "Why I do it"
Lately some amateurs have been speculating about what makes K1MAN tick
and why I do what I do.
Ego? Tax advantages?
What?
The beginning of this labor of love (obsession?) was falling into a
scoop quite by accident; the Mexico City earthquake; spending the
first day patching CBS, NBC, ABC, BBC, etc. into Mexico City with my
Collins KWM-380, home brew PL-172 amplifier, and a $10 Heath phone
patch.
We ran traffic as well; doctor to doctor for the 707
flight full of medical supplies, health and welfare traffic, etc.
Pretty exciting stuff over a lousy $10 patch.
It was good for ham
radio too.
The hook was the collect calls between 9 PM and 2 AM every night all
over the world telling people that their loved ones in Mexico City
were alive and well.
Some cried.
All were happy.
From the German
"Vonderbar" to French people who my XYL assisted me with and Spanish
speaking people in K1MAN high school Spanish. "Su familia es all OK!"
After several days of this I took a break and went to Belgrade Lakes'
famous Village Inn restaurant with Bonnie, ordered a Martini, and then
broke down crying in front of everyone.
This little tradition was
later repeated in subsequent IARN emergency operations.
I have never
done drugs, but IARN has been like some kind of wonderful drug all
these years.
Like all drugs, there are side effects.
The Mental
Midgets at ARRL, the FCC, and, to my surprise, throughout the amateur
radio community in dirty little pockets of ignorance and disfunction.
After Mexico City, around Christmas time, I went into a magazine store
and read that John B. Johnston, W3BE, at the FCC was quoted as saying
"All of that was illegal" with clear reference to me.
I walked out
of the store, took a few steps, and then yelled down Main Street in
Waterville, Maine at the top of my lungs "JOHNEEEEEE JOHNSTONNNNNNNNNN
NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn"
Three teen age girls looked back at me as if I were crazy, and of
course, I was, temporarily.
It was illegal.
Now all the rules have
been changed.
QST gave no credit at all, of course, and named a Blue Ribbon
Committee to figure out how to get ARRL in on this stuff next time.
A few months later there was the Columbia volcano eruption and WBZ in
Boston called and said "OK what are YOU going to do about this?"
Here we go again!
ARRL were such jerks about all of this that I realized that we needed
a completely separate organization, and G4BCP and I dreamed up IARN
during a late night telephone conversation.
From that moment IARN
grew in leaps and bounds from emergency operation to emergency
operation until 1990 or so when the FCC (at the behest of ARRL) tried
to shut the whole thing down with a series lasting several years of
illegal and corrupt and very sophisticated litigation maneuvers which
just made IARN stronger but smaller.
The result has been ARRL's worst nightmare; our talk show and AARA,
the American Amateur Radio Association.
AARA will take many years
to mature, just as IARN did.
Things have changed and IARN has
changed.
IARN is almost totally automated now.
So why do I do it?
I love it!
I love to battle the bad guys who
pretend to be good guys.
It gives me a great deal of self
satisfaction to win battles, big and small.
It's fun.
It is
amateur radio at its best.
If I were younger I would want to play
football and butt heads each Saturday with the biggest and the best.
I believe IARN has been very good for amateur radio.
The mass
publicity we have generated for our service has been outstanding.
We have stepped on a lot of toes, of course, but that is how this game
is played.
I believe the element of competition we bring to the
hobby will force ARRL to change dramatically or else be replaced. The
other possibility is that amateur radio will self destruct.
Why do I do it?
I love amateur radio.
I want amateur radio to
re-engineer itself, and I want to be a part of that re-engineering
process. Life is a great experience and we all should do something
constructive and honorable with our blessings and good health while we
have both.
This, then, is why I do it.
73......Glenn Baxter, K1MAN
1997
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
February - 1997
EDITORIAL
We now have two truly national amateur radio organizations, ARRL and
AARA. The first is reactive, and the second is proactive. If ARRL
falls on its face, AARA will be there to pick up the pieces. Both
organizations have quite substantial structure, purpose, presence, and
functions within our beloved hobby and service. If you wish, you can
be a member of both, as I am.
ARRL is all or none. Full membership in ARRL is now $34, which is
generally perceived as subscribing to QST. AARA's full membership
is $35, with no magazine, and the paid in dues going for truly pure
amateur radio activities and services not provided by the League.
Instead of QST, AARA has its free IARN Amateur Information Bulletin
Service. Being heard and voicing your opinions in AARA is fast and
as simple as picking up the phone. Unique with AARA is a nice $10
"supporting membership" which is the price of an official AARA T shirt
or custom ID badge. By wearing either or both, the AARA member is
saying in public that he or she supports amateur radio.
AARA does not have paid advertisers. AARA does not sell equipment
insurance. AARA does not have a QSL bureau. AARA does not give
out DX awards. AARA does not need a staff of 100 plus people. AARA
can function quite effectively and efficiently without ARRL's multi
million dollar budget. In essence, AARA is a downsized and
re-engineered version of ARRL which is consistent with the current
trends of the Twenty First Century.
So what in the world is wrong with this? Absolutely nothing! Some
would argue that AARA will divide amateur radio. I say amateur radio
is already divided into two basic groups - phony and true Radio
Amateurs. We need a new structure for true hams to organize around,
and that new structure is AARA.
Stunned Silence
What is the reaction of the amateur radio media and the amateur radio
"establishment" to the emergence of AARA? Only the W5YI Report and
the Voice of Ham Reason (W9AQJ) have ever reported on even the
existence of AARA. How come; certainly AARA is newsworthy? QST,
CQ, 73, World Radio, Newsline, and RAIN have been stone silent. Why?
With the current and very real threat of amateur radio losing spectrum
to commercial interests and the realization that amateur radio public
credibility is severely diminished by new developments in our modern
world, ARRL has recently picked up on emergency communications as
being very important to our cause. For example, see QST, February,
1997 Page 80:
"....Ham radio continues to play an important role in disaster
relief communications....independent of the telephone network or
other radio services....."
and, Page 89:
"...Several major wide-area disaster operations nets have emerged
in the past years. They need your support. A good example is
the Hurricane Watch Net which meets on 14.325 MHz......"
Wrong! Good examples are the International Amateur Radio Network
(IARN) on 14.275 and the U.N. Radio Readiness Group on 14.268 MHz.
This is exactly what is wrong with amateur radio today. ARRL and the
other amateur radio media promote the trivial and ignore the important
things in our service. This is why new leadership from AARA is
needed! AARA has the courage and vision to promote the important and
ignore the trivial.
Why is this? Because important amateur radio activities sell fewer
magazine subscriptions than trivial activities do - simple as that!
This is why AARA does not depend on subscriptions and the associated
and necessary large numbers.
Amateur radio will restructure itself in accordance with prevailing
market forces. Distributors will fold and empires will crumble. I
have no problem with amateur radio going from 700,000 "ho hum" hams to
100,000 serious radio amateurs. AARA and IARN will do fine, but for
ARRL, this spells disaster. What is important is the best interests
of amateur radio as a serious hobby and service and not ARRL's profits
as an obsolete ham organization turned book and CD publisher. I truly
believe that a few serious and credible radio amateurs can hold our
spectrum better than the many amateurs today who pretend they are
important when they are really glorified CB operators and shallow
ham radio politicians pandered to by ARRL and others in the current
amateur radio "establishment."
If you think you are a big time or credible person in amateur radio,
look into the mirror the next time you comb your hair, or shave, or
powder your nose, or whatever you do when you are in front of a
looking glass. Ask yourself "Is K1MAN right, after all?" Examine
your own credibility regarding amateur radio. Do some soul searching.
The silence about AARA, IARN, and K1MAN in the "establishment" amateur
radio media recently is deafening isn't it? AARA's Twenty First
Century game plan is to ride up the current sun spot cycle (as IARN
did beginning 1985) and shift gears totally from the past struggles
with establishing the International Amateur Radio Network and the
legality and legitimacy of our daily information bulletin service.
Don't count amateur radio out yet. Join us in restructuring a hobby
which is changing just as rapidly as the rest of the world is
changing. If you disagree with this editorial, write your own, and
we will run it over IARN. 73 and GL - Glenn Baxter, K1MAN
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (A JOURNALIST)
- THAT IS THE QUESTION K1MAN EDITORIAL - 2 February 1997
After a lecture last Fall at Northwestern by Wall Street Journal
Editor Robert L. Bartley, I had an opportunity to talk privately with
him for about ten minutes. "Do you think Walter Cronkite is a true
journalist," I asked? He said "Yes." Naturally, I was pleased. We
then discussed concepts of the free press and pressures on the free
press by various conflicting corporate and political interests. In
short, Mr. Bartley felt that the free press in America is alive and
well.
What about a free press in Amateur Radio? In a discussion about this
yesterday, Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, mentioned that his criteria for
true journalism was "If you are getting shots pretty much equally from
both sided of the road about your news coverage, then you are probably
doing a pretty good job of sticking to the middle of the road."
I discussed this once with Fred Maia, W5YI. Fred said that people
pressure him all the time not to mention or cover K1MAN at all in his
W5YI Report. "That's ridiculous, it's news," is Fred's response.
Using this as a guide, Fred is the closest thing we have in amateur
radio to true journalism, and QST magazine is the furthest away. The
other rags and "Amateur Radio Newsline" fall in between but gravitate
toward the QST end of the spectrum. 73 is very biased against K1MAN
and "Amateur Radio Newsline" is moderately biased against K1MAN in the
skimpy coverage given. Most amateur radio media simply ignore K1MAN,
IARN, and AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association.
Amateur radio is really a petty little clique using valuable public
frequency spectrum to further its petty little agendas. Serious
emergency communications work comes in dead last, and vanity call
signs come in first. This is what is wrong with the hobby, and that
is why our spectrum is so vulnerable. We fooled them for all these
years until IARN really did some serious stuff and thus exposed the
sham perpetrated by ARRL for such a long time. I agree that without
IARN, the sham could have continued considerably longer. In this
sense, IARN has, indeed, been harmful to the hobby. It was not
intentional. We never dreamed that ARRL and so many hams were such
total zeros.
Whenever someone comes forward to expose a scam, a sham, or serious
corruption, the other side uses the standard blue print to oppose this
threat: 1) Ignore, 2) Attack credibility, 3) Use a legal defense or
offense, and, finally, 4) Dirty tricks. This is a capsule summary of
K1MAN's relationship with much of the "Establishment amateur radio
community."
And this is exactly why we need IARN, and AARA, the American Amateur
Radio Association. It is the American way and wrapped up in our
system of the free press and checks and balances. Perhaps not
pleasant and comfortable, but that is the rough and tumble way that
things shake out in this particular country.
IARN's bulletin service maintains its balance and middle of the road
journalism by running Newsline and RAIN "as is" and talking about the
other side of amateur radio issues in separate parts of the program.
Secondly, IARN is open to anyone for uncensored input and freely open
discussion. What do you think? 73. Glenn Baxter, K1MAN
AMATEUR RADIO HARD BALL AT
THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL
K1MAN EDITORIAL - 3 FEBRUARY 1997
It is alleged in Amateur Radio Newsline this week that Regina Keeney
has backed away from President Clinton's nomination for her to serve
as an FCC Commissioner "For personal reasons." This is consistent
with her ham radio connections and shows how high up things can go in
our unique system of government with its checks and balances.
There is a thin line between corruption and politics in Washington,
and the FCC is very political. We have alleged time and again over
IARN bulletins that the FCC is very corrupt. Consider the following:
K1MAN was "fined" in 1990 for doing exactly what W1AW had been doing
for over 75 years. The first fine (of three) was appealed all the
way to the Full Commission in a brilliant brief designed by Bob
Sherin, W4ASX and written by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN. Bob is the guy who
beat the state of Florida in a major $300,000,000 computer software
case.
Our strategy was to file the appeal with black Commissioner Ervin S.
Duggan (appointed by President Carter) since he had recently given a
scathing speech to the FCC Bar about "lack of collegiality" (nice term
for corruption) at the Commission. It was sent Certified Mail. It
never showed up. Duggan's secretary (Tony Stevens) swore up and down
that it never arrived. A later Postal investigation showed that Ms.
Stevens had, indeed, signed for it. We also talked at length with
Duggan's legal coordinator, Michelle Farquar, after the appeal was
sent again and successfully hand delivered by Federal Express (harder
to corrupt, apparently, than the FCC post office). The appeal has
never seen the light of day since received by Ms. Farquar. The next
step, had we lost the appeal, was the U.S. Supreme Court, of course.
Remember the Felony Complaint Affidavits filed against Georgia hams
for interference to IARN bulletins? The originals were filed with
the U.S. Attorney in Bangor, Maine and copies with the FCC. When we
pressured the U.S. Attorney for criminal prosecution (under Sections
333 and 501 of the 1934 Communications Act) they wrote that the Felony
Complaints had been forwarded to the FCC. We then filed under the
Freedom of Information Act and asked the FCC what they had done about
the Felony Complaint Affidavits. Regina Keeney wrote to me that the
FCC had no record of receiving them when, of course, they allegedly
had. According to the wording of Sections 333 and 501, Keeney and
others in the FCC had just committed a felony. We immediately filed
formal criminal charges with the U.S. Attorney against the FCC in this
regard. Keeney was immediately promoted and Michelle Farquar took
her old position. By the way, formal criminal charges were also
filed with the U.S. Attorney against ARRL for deleting Sections 333
and 501 from their FCC Rule Book, also a felony according to the
wording of these statutes.
Keeney has been hyped in QST about her high positions at the
Commission and how she became interested in ham radio because her dad
was a ham, etc. Now President Clinton appoints her to become a Full
Commissioner. Can you just imagine us appearing at her Senate
Confirmation Hearing and waiving around these formal criminal charges
against everyone on national TV? In the context of the Whitewater
mentality on Capital Hill, there would be a great deal of interest in
the ham radio connection here. So, Ms. Keeney wisely stepped down.
OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH
K1MAN EDITORIAL - 19 FEBRUARY 1997
Len Winkler, KB7LPW, and I had a nice chat on the phone the other
evening about the status of our beloved hobby of amateur radio. Len
has asked me to be a guest on his national radio talk show, and I have
agreed to appear on March 16, 1997. It should be great fun.
As is quite common, Len is one of those individual hams who has
probably done more that is constructive for amateur radio than 99.9%
of anybody else in our service. The same can be said about other ham
Super Stars such as Bill Pasternak, Hap Holly, Fred Maia, Gordon West,
etc. Then we have the 20 meter service nets, UN Radio Readiness,
IMRA, IARN, etc. The thing that stuck me about Mr. Winkler is that
he is less than pleased with the support he has received from ARRL.
Here is a guy doing a bang up job of marketing amateur radio to the
public and ARRL can't deal with it! My conclusion is that different
factions in amateur radio are commonly 180 degrees out of phase with
with each other for what seems to be mostly petty reasons. If you
have 4.2 GigaWatts of power heading North opposed to 4.2 GigaWatts of
power heading South, some twerp with 100 MilliWatts can blow both of
them out of the water.
Amateur radio is quite powerful, but we are all out of phase. I do
not believe ARRL is a part of the solution but rather a major part of
the problem. Writing a letter to your ARRL Director is little more
than so much random noise.
I also believe that there is a growing realization in hamdom that old
K1MAN is not as crazy as many would have you believe. The various
factions mentioned above, including ARRL, all do their thing, but many
are 180 degrees out of phase with each other and a common positive
direction. OK, the League doesn't want to get in bed with Len
Winkler. Neither does Gordon West. Many don't want to get in bed
with K1MAN; some don't want to even be seen with the guy - he is too
controversial. This if fine! We don't all have to get in bed with
each other to mutually align ourselves in a positive direction for
the best interests of amateur radio. Our diversity is really our
strength.
Let us say, for example, that a good direction for amateur radio is
due North, a heading of 0 degrees. Suppose ARRL is on a heading of,
say, 75 degrees. Should we be afraid to be brutally critical of
them or is it better to bash them on the head and cause them to
improve their course to 70 degrees, etc.? The same goes for all the
other factions in amateur radio including K1MAN. We receive lots of
criticism and make frequent course changes accordingly.
The great myth in amateur radio is that the League is amateur radio.
Baloney! The League is a leading publisher, has a lobbying arm, has
Directors who are mostly petty politicians with very little "hands on"
amateur radio experience, and they often use their jealous muscle and
momentum in very counterproductive ways.
The truth is that amateur radio is ARRL, Dayton, Newsline, WB6NOA,
Newsline, RAIN, AMSAT, Maritime Mobile, Intercon, W5YI, IARN, AARA,
QCWA, 73, CQ, World Radio, Len Winkler, IMRA, ham fests all over the
country, etc., etc., ad infinitum. ARRL is only a small part of the
puzzle.
Hey guys and gals, lets get smart and use our diversity more in phase
and in more of a common positive direction. Who is to say which
direction is best? That is why we have free and open discussions.
The single best thing that QST and all other amateur radio media can
do is scrap being petty and open up their publications to more diverse
viewpoints. If they don't, IARN and AARA will continue to blast
them and forever corner the market on "freedom of speech."
ARRL wants to take a "Retain the Code" position? That's cool! Mr.
Winkler chooses to promote "Get rid of the code." This is also cool!
AARA and IARN have not taken a position on this issue and might not
any time soon.
I am not proposing that we all get in bed with each other. I am not
proposing that we all agree with each other. If necessary, let's
openly and publicly agree to disagree!! I am suggesting that ARRL is
not the only game in town but rather a small faction (and an important
one) in amateur radio. AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association,
is in direct competition with ARRL, and all radio amateurs should
welcome this. It is sort of like Penn State joining the Big Ten.
They are brutal competition, but the net result is good for that
powerful conference and good for college football.
What can you do? Stop being petty and stop being so cliquish. If
you don't, we are going to lose our precious hobby - just like a 100
MilliWatt station blowing away two 4.2 GigaWatt stations 180 degrees
out of phase. The commercial interests who want all of our spectrum
are strong, but we, collectively, are stronger by far. They would
have us default to petty squabbles among ourselves, and we should not
be stupid enough to fall for that old trick.
If you think K1MAN is a bum, say so publicly and explain why. I
think ARRL are bums, and I explain why publicly. Such editorial
activities are good for amateur radio. Such is what makes America so
great. Our diversity is our strength. What do you think? Let us
know, and we will be happy to run your views over IARN. 73 and GL,
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN 207 495 2215 E-Mail K1MAN14274 @ AOL.COM
K1MAN Editorial - 21 June 1997
ARRL's "Democracy" is a Shallow Sham
The following is an editorial by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and does not
necessarilly reflect the views of AARA, the American Amateur Radio
Association or IARN, the International Amateur Radio Network. What
is your response? Your views are welcome and will be aired over this
program, unedited, except for profane language, of course. Our
Telephone number is 207 495 2215. Thats 207 495 2215. Our E-Mail
address is K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com. Thats K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com. Our
mailing address is AARA, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918. Thats AARA,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine. 04918.
The July, 1997 issue of QST is full of talk about "Democracy." On
page 9 is David Sumner, K1ZZ's Editorial claiming that ARRL is a
"Working Democracy." Actually, ARRL's so called "democracy" is a
well managed commercial business which masquerades as a quasi
government or government agency which is a cross between the old
Soviet regime's Polit Bureau system and the "Good Old Boys" gang
mentality we sometimes still see in the southern part of the United
States. More about this later.
Now turn to page 70 of the July, 1997 edition of QST. There we see
coverage of the Great Debate held at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention.
Pictured are the debaters Joe Schroeder, W9JUV and ARRL First Vice
President Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML (formerly WA2DHF), dressed in a nice
suit, white shirt, and wearing tennis shoes. No kidding! Tennis
shoes! I was there, and I taped the whole thing. So did Hap Holly,
KC9RP, Editor of the RAIN Report out of Chicago. And Boy can Hap
edit! And so can ARRL! A better wording would be to surpress
legitimate and constructive opinions and information and rob the truth
from the amateur radio public.
Some more editing by ARRL is that Joe Schroeder properly characterized
the League as being Mug Rumps. You know, a pig with his mug where
his rump should be and hus rump where his mug should be and always
looking backwards. Right on Joe. Here is Joe himself:
" "
Now look at ARRL's overall summary of the Great Debate and their
totally inaccurate and misleading version of Joe's constructive
criticism of the League at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention found on page 70
of the July, 1997 issue of QST:
"Mendeldohn concluded that the League 'was doing all it
can, within financial constraints, to promote the future
of amateur radio,' while Schroeder maintained that there
were 'Still a few areas that need improvement.'"
Baloney! Alice in Wonderland, candy coated, rewriting history to
conform with the League party line of minrepresentation for the
purpose of furthering their commercial and totally obsolete and
dinosaur publishing business baloney. Get out of IARN's way during
the next major international amateur radio emergency activation,
generating more good PR for amateur radio in a week than ARRL could
gererate in 75 years, at zero cost to ARRL; just get out of the way of
genuine radio amateurs who actually get on the air....on HF!!........,
and you will inprove your contribution to amateur radio by five or
six billion percent!! When is the last time you heard an ARRL
bureaucrat actually on the air? I actually did hear an ARRL director
on 20 meters, once, Jim Haynie, WB5JBPB, about five years ago. I
literally could not believe my ears!
ARRL guys walk around ham fests with their little red ARRL ID badges
and generally keep pretty quiet. Then they sit around at Board
meetings in Newington Connecticut, totally isolated from the real
amateur radio world and pontificate about what is best for our great
service and hobby. Give me break.....are you awake...up there in the back
row??!!
The most profound thing that came up at this Great Debate series at
Dayton (hosted by Ham Radio and More's Len Winkler, KB7LPW) was a
suggestion from the floor that ARRL should have a popular election
for President with multiple canditates and open debate. Hap Holly
edited this out of his Dayton coverage and, of course, QST failed to
mention this in their coverage. For shame Hap, zero credibility,
Holly. For shame, negative credibility, ARRL. FOR SHAME! Here is that
segment that I recorded at Dayton and which Hap Holly and ARRL
thought they could surpress and therefore rob from the unsuspecting
amateur radio public:
W3ICM: "I'm Fred, W3ICM. I would like to have the opportunity to
elect the President of the ARRL, and in order to do that you've got to
change the by-laws. I believe if you had multiple candidates running
for the President; each one with perhaps different policies, good ideas,
new ideas; would be a much much healthier organization. I
would like your comments, both of you, on that, thank you."
Mendelsohn: "Well the way to make that happen, the mechanism, is to
get your Director to request the by-law change, and then if the other
Directors go along with it, then its a done deal.:
W3ICM: "Are you for it or against it?"
Mendelsohn: "Am I for it or against it? I don't have a vote. The
Directors........"
W3ICM: "Personally, your opinion!?"
Mendelsohn: "My personal opinion? My personal opinion is that 15
Directors, who answer to the members, are the ones who will decide.
It would be improper for me to without knowing the structure of it."
Schroeder: "All right, well I'll take the counter view, and I think
it would be a good Idea to do that. I think it would give us still a
little more voice in what the League, the direction the League takes.
But as Steve says, it would take a lot of maneuvering to bring that
about."
Oh the ARRL is such a wonderful Democracy, but a popular election for
President with multiple candidates and open debate? Ohhhhhhhh no we
can't do that!! What would happen to our Good Old Boy's Club? How
could we continue to babboozle all radio amateurs world wide for
another 75 years? How can we run a commercial book business if we
have popular elections with multiple canditates and open debate?
The truth is that Steve Mendelsohn and Dave Sumner are the only ones
in ARRL who are allowed to speak out publicly; much like in the old
Soviet regime. And they can utter only the party line; much like the
old Soviet Rrgime.
Am I being critical of ARRL? Yes I am! Steve Mendelsohn told us at
Daytom that ARRL welcomes criticism.....but he was only kidding.
Listen for yourself:
" "
A couple of years ago I said to Steve "Why don't you get rid of Dave
Sumner?" Her said, and this is an exact quote, "That would be like
buying Disney Land and firing Mickey Mouse." He is right; ARRL is,
indeed, a Mickey Mouse outfit and certainly not a Democracy by any
stretch of the imagination. It is a business masquerading as a
democracy. Let me read Dave Sumner's Editorial found on Page 7 of
the July, 1997 issue os QST:
" "
Now let me read you the QST coverage of the Great Debate at the 1997
Dayton Hamvention:
" "
Now let us hear Steve Final summary at the Great Debate:
" "
For Steve Mendelsohn and Dave Sumner to try and pass off ARRL as a
Democracy on the one hand and surpress ideas from the floor of the
public debating room at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention on the other is
hypoctacy to the nth degree. You can fool all of the people some of
the time; you can fool some of the people all of the time; but you
can't fool all of the people all of the time. Heeeeelllllllloooooooo!!
So, once again, here is the most profound thing that came up at the
1997 Dayton Hamvention and which has been suppressed by zero
credibility RAIN producer Hap Holly, KC9RP, and the candy coated,
disinformation, amateur radio fairy land magazine known as QST:
" "
I think it is a good idea. A popular election for the President of
ARRL. We could all have a say, then! There would then be the same
checks and balances as we have is the United States for of Democracy.
ARRL could then compete effectively with AARA which doesn't even claim
to be a Democracy. IBM is not a Democracy. The W5YI Group is not
a Democracy. CNN is not a Democracy. IARN is not a Democracy.
AARA is not a Democracy. All have one thing in common, however.
None falsley claim to be a Demoocracy on the one hane while
simultaneously suppressing truly Democratic ideas on the other. None
intententially try, every time, to screw up large scale amateur radio
emergency operations as ARRL did as recently as Hurricane Marilyn just
over two years ago. Then ARRL, riding on the coatails and work of
IARN, goes to Congress and says "Please save our frequency spectrum,
after all, look at what we do during emergencies!" Hypocricy,
Hypocricy, Hypocricy. If you look up the word "hypocricy" in the
dictionary you will see a beautiful color picture of ARRL's
Headquarters building at 225 Main Street in Newington Conneticut!!
The final image I wish to leave you with is Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML
(formerly WA2DHF) at the 1997 Daytom Hamvention Great Debate. See
Page 70 of the July, 1997 edition of QST. Steve Mendelsohn is First
Vice President and heir apparent to leading ARRL and its 172,000
unsuspecting "members" into the 21st century. (Most ARRL "members"
are just QST subscribers, pure and simple. The thing about 172,000
"members" is a hoax, pure and simple.) There he is, Steve
Mendelsohm, (or is it meddlesome?) neatly dressed in a dark suit and
white shirt and wearing tennis shoes! Looks like a bag lady! No, a
bag man! That's it! Steve Mendelsohn is ARRL's "Bag Man." How
appropropriate! No doubt he is, indeed, head of ARRL's "Dirty Tricks
Department." Defamation, Incorporated. LDI. League Defamation,
Incorporated.
How sad! Steve is a Dayton Ham of the Year. Steve is the "father"
of amateur radio's participation in the huge New York City marithon.
Steve can do better. ARRL can do better. My fello radio amateurs
all over the world, we can all do much better. Too many in the
general public perceive us as "Knuckle Heads." Hap Holly, KC9RP, and
Vern Jackson, WA9RPR, do a truly wonderful job in providing extremely
interesting and pertinemt amateur radio audio material for tens of
thousands of us first class and dedicated radio amateurs to listen to
throughout the year. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, also a Dayton Ham of
the Year, provides amateur radio opererators world wide with a very
professional 20 minute audio capsule of ham news that evryone can hear
each week and enjoy. It is called Amateur Radio Newsline and it is
the bread and butter portion of our program each week. I am telling
you guys and gals, if we don't hang together, and if we don't do it
real soon, we will all hang collectively. Not one at a time; they
have tried that already, and it doesn't work with radio amateurs.
There are sinister forces among us. These are commercial interests
with big money behind the scenes egging us on to fight among
ourselves. A house divided cannot stand and they know it. Don't be
fooled by those greedy commercial slime balls. I was at the 1997
Dayton Hamvention. The cream of the crop from all over the world
goes to Dayton. 99.999% are first class hams and not the knuckle
heads that the public is beginning to think we all are. Wake up
radio amateurs before we lose it everything. Heeeeelllllloooooo!!
The preceeding has been an editorial by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and does
not necessarilly reflect the views of AARA, the American Amateur Radio
Association or IARN, the International Amateur Radio Network. What
do you think? Your views are welcome and will be aired over this
program, unedited, except for profane language, of course. Our
Telephone number is 207 495 2215. Thats 207 495 2215. Our E-Mail
address is K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com. Thats K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com. Our
mailing address is AARA, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918. Thats AARA,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine. 04918. And yes, the pen is, indeed, mightier
than the sword. But the sword (vis a vis criminal and legal process)
does have a quite healthy bite never the less.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
OCTOBER - 1997
TO BE OR NOT TO BE (A JOURNALIST)
- THAT IS THE QUESTION K1MAN EDITORIAL - 2 February 1997
After a lecture last Fall at Northwestern by Wall Street Journal
Editor Robert L. Bartley, I had an opportunity to talk privately with
him for about ten minutes.
"Do you think Walter Cronkite is a true
journalist," I asked?
He said "Yes."
Naturally, I was pleased. We
then discussed concepts of the free press and pressures on the free
press by various conflicting corporate and political interests.
In
short, Mr. Bartley felt that the free press in America is alive and
well.
What about a free press in Amateur Radio?
In a discussion about this
yesterday, Walter Cronkite, KB2GSD, mentioned that his criteria for
true journalism was "If you are getting shots pretty much equally from
both sided of the road about your news coverage, then you are probably
doing a pretty good job of sticking to the middle of the road."
I discussed this once with Fred Maia, W5YI. Fred said that people
pressure him all the time not to mention or cover K1MAN at all in his
W5YI Report.
"That's ridiculous, it's news," is Fred's response.
Using this as a guide, Fred is the closest thing we have in amateur
radio to true journalism, and QST magazine is the furthest away. The
other rags and "Amateur Radio Newsline" fall in between but gravitate
toward the QST end of the spectrum.
73 is very biased against K1MAN
and "Amateur Radio Newsline" is moderately biased against K1MAN in the
skimpy coverage given.
Most amateur radio media simply ignore K1MAN,
IARN, and AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association.
Amateur radio is really a petty little clique using valuable public
frequency spectrum to further its petty little agendas.
Serious
emergency communications work comes in dead last, and vanity call
signs come in first.
This is what is wrong with the hobby, and that
is why our spectrum is so vulnerable.
We fooled them for all these
years until IARN really did some serious stuff and thus exposed the
sham perpetrated by ARRL for such a long time.
I agree that without
IARN, the sham could have continued considerably longer.
In this
sense, IARN has, indeed, been harmful to the hobby.
It was not
intentional.
We never dreamed that ARRL and so many hams were such
total zeros.
Whenever someone comes forward to expose a scam, a sham, or serious
corruption, the other side uses the standard blue print to oppose this
threat: 1) Ignore, 2) Attack credibility, 3) Use a legal defense or
offense, and, finally, 4) Dirty tricks.
This is a capsule summary of
K1MAN's relationship with much of the "Establishment amateur radio
community."
And this is exactly why we need IARN, and AARA, the American Amateur
Radio Association.
It is the American way and wrapped up in our
system of the free press and checks and balances.
Perhaps not
pleasant and comfortable, but that is the rough and tumble way that
things shake out in this particular country.
IARN's bulletin service maintains its balance and middle of the road
journalism by running Newsline and RAIN "as is" and talking about the
other side of amateur radio issues in separate parts of the program.
Secondly, IARN is open to anyone for uncensored input and freely open
discussion.
What do you think?
73.
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN
AMATEUR RADIO HARD BALL AT
THE PRESIDENTIAL LEVEL
K1MAN EDITORIAL - 3 FEBRUARY 1997
It is alleged in Amateur Radio Newsline this week that Regina Keeney
has backed away from President Clinton's nomination for her to serve
as an FCC Commissioner "For personal reasons."
This is consistent
with her ham radio connections and shows how high up things can go in
our unique system of government with its checks and balances.
There is a thin line between corruption and politics in Washington,
and the FCC is very political.
We have alleged time and again over
IARN bulletins that the FCC is very corrupt.
Consider the following:
K1MAN was "fined" in 1990 for doing exactly what W1AW had been doing
for over 75 years.
The first fine (of three) was appealed all the
way to the Full Commission in a brilliant brief designed by Bob
Sherin, W4ASX and written by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN.
Bob is the guy who
beat the state of Florida in a major $300,000,000 computer software
case.
Our strategy was to file the appeal with black Commissioner Ervin S.
Duggan (appointed by President Carter) since he had recently given a
scathing speech to the FCC Bar about "lack of collegiality" (nice term
for corruption) at the Commission.
It was sent Certified Mail.
It
never showed up.
Duggan's secretary (Tony Stevens) swore up and down
that it never arrived.
A later Postal investigation showed that Ms.
Stevens had, indeed, signed for it.
We also talked at length with
Duggan's legal coordinator, Michelle Farquar, after the appeal was
sent again and successfully hand delivered by Federal Express (harder
to corrupt, apparently, than the FCC post office).
The appeal has
never seen the light of day since received by Ms. Farquar.
The next
step, had we lost the appeal, was the U.S. Supreme Court, of course.
Remember the Felony Complaint Affidavits filed against Georgia hams
for interference to IARN bulletins?
The originals were filed with
the U.S. Attorney in Bangor, Maine and copies with the FCC.
When we
pressured the U.S. Attorney for criminal prosecution (under Sections
333 and 501 of the 1934 Communications Act) they wrote that the Felony
Complaints had been forwarded to the FCC.
We then filed under the
Freedom of Information Act and asked the FCC what they had done about
the Felony Complaint Affidavits.
Regina Keeney wrote to me that the
FCC had no record of receiving them when, of course, they allegedly
had.
According to the wording of Sections 333 and 501, Keeney and
others in the FCC had just committed a felony.
We immediately filed
formal criminal charges with the U.S. Attorney against the FCC in this
regard.
Keeney was immediately promoted and Michelle Farquar took
her old position.
By the way, formal criminal charges were also
filed with the U.S. Attorney against ARRL for deleting Sections 333
and 501 from their FCC Rule Book, also a felony according to the
wording of these statutes.
Keeney has been hyped in QST about her high positions at the
Commission and how she became interested in ham radio because her dad
was a ham, etc.
Now President Clinton appoints her to become a Full
Commissioner.
Can you just imagine us appearing at her Senate
Confirmation Hearing and waiving around these formal criminal charges
against everyone on national TV?
In the context of the Whitewater
mentality on Capital Hill, there would be a great deal of interest in
the ham radio connection here.
So, Ms. Keeney wisely stepped down.
OUR DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH
K1MAN EDITORIAL
- 19 FEBRUARY 1997
Len Winkler, KB7LPW, and I had a nice chat on the phone the other
evening about the status of our beloved hobby of amateur radio.
Len
has asked me to be a guest on his national radio talk show, and I have
agreed to appear on March 16, 1997.
It should be great fun.
As is quite common, Len is one of those individual hams who has
probably done more that is constructive for amateur radio than 99.9%
of anybody else in our service.
The same can be said about other ham
Super Stars such as Bill Pasternak, Hap Holly, Fred Maia, Gordon West,
etc.
Then we have the 20 meter service nets, UN Radio Readiness,
IMRA, IARN, etc.
The thing that stuck me about Mr. Winkler is that
he is less than pleased with the support he has received from ARRL.
Here is a guy doing a bang up job of marketing amateur radio to the
public and ARRL can't deal with it!
My conclusion is that different
factions in amateur radio are commonly 180 degrees out of phase with
with each other for what seems to be mostly petty reasons.
If you
have 4.2 GigaWatts of power heading North opposed to 4.2 GigaWatts of
power heading South, some twerp with 100 MilliWatts can blow both of
them out of the water.
Amateur radio is quite powerful, but we are all out of phase.
I do
not believe ARRL is a part of the solution but rather a major part of
the problem.
Writing a letter to your ARRL Director is little more
than so much random noise.
I also believe that there is a growing realization in hamdom that old
K1MAN is not as crazy as many would have you believe.
The various
factions mentioned above, including ARRL, all do their thing, but many
are 180 degrees out of phase with each other and a common positive
direction.
OK, the League doesn't want to get in bed with Len
Winkler.
Neither does Gordon West.
Many don't want to get in bed
with K1MAN; some don't want to even be seen with the guy - he is too
controversial.
This if fine!
We don't all have to get in bed with
each other to mutually align ourselves in a positive direction for
the best interests of amateur radio.
Our diversity is really our
strength.
Let us say, for example, that a good direction for amateur radio is
due North, a heading of 0 degrees.
Suppose ARRL is on a heading of,
say, 75 degrees.
Should we be afraid to be brutally critical of
them or is it better to bash them on the head and cause them to
improve their course to 70 degrees, etc.?
The same goes for all the
other factions in amateur radio including K1MAN.
We receive lots of
criticism and make frequent course changes accordingly.
The great myth in amateur radio is that the League is amateur radio.
Baloney!
The League is a leading publisher, has a lobbying arm, has
Directors who are mostly petty politicians with very little "hands on"
amateur radio experience, and they often use their jealous muscle and
momentum in very counterproductive ways.
The truth is that amateur radio is ARRL, Dayton, Newsline, WB6NOA,
Newsline, RAIN, AMSAT, Maritime Mobile, Intercon, W5YI, IARN, AARA,
QCWA, 73, CQ, World Radio, Len Winkler, IMRA, ham fests all over the
country, etc., etc., ad infinitum.
ARRL is only a small part of the
puzzle.
Hey guys and gals, lets get smart and use our diversity more in phase
and in more of a common positive direction.
Who is to say which
direction is best?
That is why we have free and open discussions.
The single best thing that QST and all other amateur radio media can
do is scrap being petty and open up their publications to more diverse
viewpoints.
If they don't, IARN and AARA will continue to blast
them and forever corner the market on "freedom of speech."
ARRL wants to take a "Retain the Code" position?
That's cool! Mr.
Winkler chooses to promote "Get rid of the code."
This is also cool!
AARA and IARN have not taken a position on this issue and might not
any time soon.
I am not proposing that we all get in bed with each other.
I am not
proposing that we all agree with each other.
If necessary, let's
openly and publicly agree to disagree!!
I am suggesting that ARRL is
not the only game in town but rather a small faction (and an important
one) in amateur radio.
AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association,
is in direct competition with ARRL, and all radio amateurs should
welcome this.
It is sort of like Penn State joining the Big Ten.
They are brutal competition, but the net result is good for that
powerful conference and good for college football.
What can you do?
Stop being petty and stop being so cliquish.
If
you don't, we are going to lose our precious hobby - just like a 100
MilliWatt station blowing away two 4.2 GigaWatt stations 180 degrees
out of phase.
The commercial interests who want all of our spectrum
are strong, but we, collectively, are stronger by far.
They would
have us default to petty squabbles among ourselves, and we should not
be stupid enough to fall for that old trick.
If you think K1MAN is a bum, say so publicly and explain why.
I
think ARRL are bums, and I explain why publicly.
Such editorial
activities are good for amateur radio.
Such is what makes America so
great.
Our diversity is our strength.
What do you think?
Let us
know, and we will be happy to run your views over IARN. 73 and GL,
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN 207 495 2215 FAX 2069 E-Mail K1MAN14274 @ AOL.COM
K1MAN Editorial - 21 June 1997
ARRL's "Democracy" is a Shallow Sham
The following is an editorial by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and does not
necessarilly reflect the views of AARA, the American Amateur Radio
Association or IARN, the International Amateur Radio Network.
What
is your response?
Your views are welcome and will be aired over this
program, unedited, except for profane language, of course.
Our
Telephone number is 207 495 2215.
Thats 207 495 2215.
Our E-Mail
address is K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com.
Thats K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com.
Our
mailing address is AARA, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
Thats AARA,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine. 04918.
The July, 1997 issue of QST is full of talk about "Democracy."
On
page 9 is David Sumner, K1ZZ's Editorial claiming that ARRL is a
"Working Democracy."
Actually, ARRL's so called "democracy" is a
well managed commercial business which masquerades as a quasi
government or government agency which is a cross between the old
Soviet regime's Polit Bureau system and the "Good Old Boys" gang
mentality we sometimes still see in the southern part of the United
States.
More about this later.
Now turn to page 70 of the July, 1997 edition of QST.
There we see
coverage of the Great Debate held at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention.
Pictured are the debaters Joe Schroeder, W9JUV and ARRL First Vice
President Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML (formerly WA2DHF), dressed in a nice
suit, white shirt, and wearing tennis shoes.
No kidding! Tennis
shoes!
I was there, and I taped the whole thing.
So did Hap Holly,
KC9RP, Editor of the RAIN Report out of Chicago.
And Boy can Hap
edit!
And so can ARRL!
A better wording would be to surpress
legitimate and constructive opinions and information and rob the truth
from the amateur radio public.
Some more editing by ARRL is that Joe Schroeder properly characterized
the League as being Mug Rumps.
You know, a pig with his mug where
his rump should be and hus rump where his mug should be and always
looking backwards.
Right on Joe.
Here is Joe himself:
"
"
Now look at ARRL's overall summary of the Great Debate and their
totally inaccurate and misleading version of Joe's constructive
criticism of the League at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention found on page 70
of the July, 1997 issue of QST:
"Mendeldohn concluded that the League 'was doing all it
can, within financial constraints, to promote the future
of amateur radio,' while Schroeder maintained that there
were 'Still a few areas that need improvement.'"
Baloney!
Alice in Wonderland, candy coated, rewriting history to
conform with the League party line of minrepresentation for the
purpose of furthering their commercial and totally obsolete and
dinosaur publishing business baloney.
Get out of IARN's way during
the next major international amateur radio emergency activation,
generating more good PR for amateur radio in a week than ARRL could
gererate in 75 years, at zero cost to ARRL; just get out of the way of
genuine radio amateurs who actually get on the air....on HF!!........,
and you will inprove your contribution to amateur radio by five or
six billion percent!!
When is the last time you heard an ARRL
bureaucrat actually on the air?
I actually did hear an ARRL director
on 20 meters, once, Jim Haynie, WB5JBPB, about five years ago.
I
literally could not believe my ears!
ARRL guys walk around ham fests with their little red ARRL ID badges
and generally keep pretty quiet.
Then they sit around at Board
meetings in Newington Connecticut, totally isolated from the real
amateur radio world and pontificate about what is best for our great
service and hobby.
Give me break.....are you awake...up there in the
back row??!!
The most profound thing that came up at this Great Debate series at
Dayton (hosted by Ham Radio and More's Len Winkler, KB7LPW) was a
suggestion from the floor that ARRL should have a popular election
for President with multiple canditates and open debate.
Hap Holly
edited this out of his Dayton coverage and, of course, QST failed to
mention this in their coverage. For shame Hap, zero credibility,
Holly.
For shame, negative credibility, ARRL.
FOR SHAME!
Here is
that segment that I recorded at Dayton and which Hap Holly and ARRL
thought they could surpress and therefore rob from the unsuspecting
amateur radio public:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
W3ICM: "I'm Fred, W3ICM.
I would like to have the opportunity to
elect the President of the ARRL, and in order to do that you've got to
change the by-laws.
I believe if you had multiple candidates running
for the President; each one with perhaps different policies, good ideas,
new ideas; would be a much much healthier organization.
I
would like your comments, both of you, on that, thank you."
Mendelsohn: "Well the way to make that happen, the mechanism, is to
get your Director to request the by-law change, and then if the other
Directors go along with it, then its a done deal.:
W3ICM:
"Are you for it or against it?"
Mendelsohn: "Am I for it or against it?
Directors........"
W3ICM:
I don't have a vote.
The
"Personally, your opinion!?"
Mendelsohn: "My personal opinion?
My personal opinion is that 15
Directors, who answer to the members, are the ones who will decide.
It would be improper for me to without knowing the structure of it."
Schroeder: "All right, well I'll take the counter view, and I
it would be a good Idea to do that.
I think it would give us
little more voice in what the League, the direction the League
But as Steve says, it would take a lot of maneuvering to bring
about."
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
think
still a
takes.
that
*
Oh the ARRL is such a wonderful Democracy, but a popular election for
President with multiple candidates and open debate?
Ohhhhhhhh no we
can't do that!!
What would happen to our Good Old Boy's Club?
How
could we continue to babboozle all radio amateurs world wide for
another 75 years?
How can we run a commercial book business if we
have popular elections with multiple canditates and open debate?
The truth is that Steve Mendelsohn and Dave Sumner are the only ones
in ARRL who are allowed to speak out publicly; much like in the old
Soviet regime.
And they can utter only the party line; much like the
old Soviet Rrgime.
Am I being critical of ARRL?
Yes I am!
Steve Mendelsohn told us at
Daytom that ARRL welcomes criticism.....but he was only kidding.
Listen for yourself:
"
"
A couple of years ago I said to Steve "Why don't you get rid of Dave
Sumner?"
Her said, and this is an exact quote, "That would be like
buying Disney Land and firing Mickey Mouse."
He is right; ARRL is,
indeed, a Mickey Mouse outfit and certainly not a Democracy by any
stretch of the imagination.
It is a business masquerading as a
democracy.
Let me read Dave Sumner's Editorial found on Page 7 of
the July, 1997 issue os QST:
"
"
Now let me read you the QST coverage of the Great Debate at the 1997
Dayton Hamvention:
"
"
Now let us hear Steve Final summary at the Great Debate:
"
"
For Steve Mendelsohn and Dave Sumner to try and pass off ARRL as a
Democracy on the one hand and surpress ideas from the floor of the
public debating room at the 1997 Dayton Hamvention on the other is
hypoctacy to the nth degree.
You can fool all of the people some of
the time; you can fool some of the people all of the time; but you
can't fool all of the people all of the time. Heeeeelllllllloooooooo!!
So, once again, here is the most profound thing that came up at the
1997 Dayton Hamvention and which has been suppressed by zero
credibility RAIN producer Hap Holly, KC9RP, and the candy coated,
disinformation, amateur radio fairy land magazine known as QST:
"
"
I think it is a good idea.
A popular election for the President of
ARRL.
We could all have a say, then!
There would then be the same
checks and balances as we have is the United States for of Democracy.
ARRL could then compete effectively with AARA which doesn't even claim
to be a Democracy.
IBM is not a Democracy.
The W5YI Group is not
a Democracy.
CNN is not a Democracy.
IARN is not a Democracy.
AARA is not a Democracy.
All have one thing in common, however.
None falsley claim to be a Demoocracy on the one hane while
simultaneously suppressing truly Democratic ideas on the other.
None
intententially try, every time, to screw up large scale amateur radio
emergency operations as ARRL did as recently as Hurricane Marilyn just
over two years ago.
Then ARRL, riding on the coatails and work of
IARN, goes to Congress and says "Please save our frequency spectrum,
after all, look at what we do during emergencies!"
Hypocricy,
Hypocricy, Hypocricy.
If you look up the word "hypocricy" in the
dictionary you will see a beautiful color picture of ARRL's
Headquarters building at 225 Main Street in Newington Conneticut!!
The final image I wish to leave you with is Steve Mendelsohn, W2ML
(formerly WA2DHF) at the 1997 Daytom Hamvention Great Debate.
See
Page 70 of the July, 1997 edition of QST.
Steve Mendelsohn is First
Vice President and heir apparent to leading ARRL and its 172,000
unsuspecting "members" into the 21st century.
(Most ARRL "members"
are just QST subscribers, pure and simple.
The thing about 172,000
"members" is a hoax, pure and simple.)
There he is, Steve
Mendelsohm, (or is it meddlesome?) neatly dressed in a dark suit and
white shirt and wearing tennis shoes! Looks like a bag lady!
No, a
bag man!
That's it!
Steve Mendelsohn is ARRL's "Bag Man."
How
appropropriate!
No doubt he is, indeed, head of ARRL's "Dirty Tricks
Department."
Defamation, Incorporated.
LDI.
League Defamation,
Incorporated.
How sad!
Steve is a Dayton Ham of the Year.
Steve is the "father"
of amateur radio's participation in the huge New York City marithon.
Steve can do better.
ARRL can do better.
My fello radio amateurs
all over the world, we can all do much better.
Too many in the
general public perceive us as "Knuckle Heads."
Hap Holly, KC9RP, and
Vern Jackson, WA9RPR, do a truly wonderful job in providing extremely
interesting and pertinemt amateur radio audio material for tens of
thousands of us first class and dedicated radio amateurs to listen to
throughout the year.
Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, also a Dayton Ham of
the Year, provides amateur radio opererators world wide with a very
professional 20 minute audio capsule of ham news that evryone can hear
each week and enjoy.
It is called Amateur Radio Newsline and it is
the bread and butter portion of our program each week.
I am telling
you guys and gals, if we don't hang together, and if we don't do it
real soon, we will all hang collectively.
Not one at a time; they
have tried that already, and it doesn't work with radio amateurs.
There are sinister forces among us.
These are commercial interests
with big money behind the scenes egging us on to fight among
ourselves. A house divided cannot stand and they know it.
Don't be
fooled by those greedy commercial slime balls.
I was at the 1997
Dayton Hamvention.
The cream of the crop from all over the world
goes to Dayton.
99.999% are first class hams and not the knuckle
heads that the public is beginning to think we all are.
Wake up
radio amateurs before we lose it everything.
Heeeeelllllloooooo!!
The preceeding has been an editorial by Glenn Baxter, K1MAN, and does
not necessarilly reflect the views of AARA, the American Amateur Radio
Association or IARN, the International Amateur Radio Network.
What
do you think?
Your views are welcome and will be aired over this
program, unedited, except for profane language, of course.
Our
Telephone number is 207 495 2215.
Thats 207 495 2215.
Our E-Mail
address is K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com.
Thats K1MAN14275 @ AOL.com.
Our
mailing address is AARA, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
Thats AARA,
Belgrade Lakes, Maine. 04918.
And yes, the pen is, indeed, mightier
than the sword.
But the sword (vis a vis criminal and legal process)
does have a quite healthy bite never the less.
Here is a MEMORANDUM dated 21 June 1997 to all radio amateurs from
Glenn Baxter, K1MAN:
NZ9E, WB9QZB, list 20, Matt Anderson, K1KW, ARRL Directors
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
NOVEMBER - 1997
Editorial
Since AARA had a booth at Dayton, 1997, we have been fine tuning our
organization for maximum efficiency.
We have our 90 minute talk show
broadcasts throughout the day, every day, and our page on the WEB has
had an enormous amount of hits every day.
Membership applications
have been coming in record numbers, and this newsletter is getting to
be very popular with our members. If you have not been getting the
newsletter regularly, let us know.
Some have fallen through the
cracks as we work out the bugs in our computer systems.
Our high fidelity broadcast on 3.890 MHz. went to a daily schedule
two years ago with low power, and this summer we switched to the
Collins KW-1 using the maximum legal limit.
The results of this
change have been dramatic
Also, during future emergency activations,
the bulletin service will continus as usual with the service on 14.275
MHz. moving down to 14.271 MHz.
The live emergency net will operate
on 14.275 MHz.
In previous activations our bulletin service has been
shut down.
We feel that having both a live net and the regular talk
show will be very effective in maintaining continuity and also getting
information out to all radio amateurs in a timely and efficient
manner.
Callers to our talk show radio program come from all over the country
and all over the world.
This trend will continue as the sunspot
cycle increases propagation for the next few years.
We are also
getting a lot of E-Mail from all over the country and all over the
world.
Boy have times changes since IARN started in 1985.
We
believe AARA is right on the cutting edge of our hobby and service of
amateur radio.
Our main claim to fame is we have no commercial interests.
We sell
no advertising whatsoever.
Nobody can tell us what to do or how to
think as with ARRL.
We are not top heavy as with ARRL.
We can turn
on a dime while the League lumbers along between board meetings every
six months attended my hams who have never been on the air. You can
join IARN for free, become a Supporting Member of AARA for $10, become
a Full Member for $35, or a Life Member for $740.
That is quite a
range from 0 to 740!
Want to have your views heard?
Call the talk show any time 24 hours
a day and you will be aired over the next program.
Your mail and
editorials will also be read, but we will not allow degeneration into
endless drivel and personal attacks which serves no reasonable and
constructive purpose or is out of proportion with respect to the interests
of our listeners.
Frankly, people get tired of hearing
turf battle issues cloaked in
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST - APRIL, 1998
AMATEUR RADIO REALITY CHECK
K1MAN Editorial - 13 February 1998
GENERAL CONCEPTS
Politics is everywhere.
At work, at church, at school, and in our
hobbies.
A MARS Director once commented to me "It's people."
Much
in politics is quite petty.
Being petty is focusing on quite minor
issues as sort of a cover for a more major issue.
For example, if
someone is jealous about another person getting credit for something
done significanty well, he or she might might be critical of a very
minor issue in an attempt to bring discredit to that person.
In almost all human affairs, there is a pecking order mechanism at
work that often becomes more important than the job at hand. For
example, you might want to get something quite innocent done but are
afraid to proceed because it might "step on somebody else's toes." As
a result, it doesn't get done, and, after time, nothing seems to get
done.
This is quite common, especially in volunteer organizations.
In the army, a four star general says "do it," and you get fired if
you don't.
The same holds true in a privately owned business.
In a
volunteer organization, you generally can't fire anyone.
This is why
volunteer organizations are generally less efficient than others.
Also important is the size of the organization.
It is called
"Parkinson's Law."
Small organizations are usually more efficient
than large ones because 1) there are less toes to worry about stepping
on and 2) information flows more quickly and more accurately.
AMATEUR RADIO
Amateur radio is riddled with "hobby politics," and this is quite
normal.
You have local radio clubs full of petty politics and the
ARRL which is really three ARRLs.
There is the field organization,
the Board, and the staff.
The staff is a quite efficient publishing
business.
The Board are guys and gals who like to sit around and
Page 2
talk about amateur radio but never get on the air; they are also semi
professional "politicians."
The field organization is an elaborate
structure of local clubs and fancy sounding "do nothing" appointments
such as "Section Manager" and "Emergency Coordinator," etc.
Given the inefficiency inherent in a both volunteer and large
organizations, ARRL doesn't get much done on the local level.
It was
never meant to be and will never be.
This leaves room for
independent efforts and individual efforts.
Some have really
blossomed, such as the Dayton Hamvention, the worlds biggest, and, by
far, the best.
Others include Amateur Radio Newsline, RAIN, etc.
A major problem has evolved with the ARRL mix of things in that when
a local organization does a puny job with something, QST has the
publishing muscle to pump it up and control the problem of whose toes
get stepped and whose don't.
This has gone on for years and has now
deteriorated to a point where the whole thing is on verge of collapse.
IARN
The International Amateur Radio Network was a fluke born out of the
1985 Mexico City earthquake on 14.275 MHz..
An abbreviated emergency
traffic system was improvised by a small group of hams, and the
attention received by the international media was unparalleled in
history.
After all, Mexico City was the largest city in the world
suddenly cut off from all normal outside communications.
The principal in Mexico City was XE1HC who asked K1MAN to be "Net
Controller."
Both logistical and health and welfare traffic was
handled.
Using a $10 Heath phone patch, I allowed doctors in the
U.S. to talk with doctors in Mexico City about a 707 plane full of
medical supplies we were making arrangements for.
On the first day
I allowed CBS, NBC, ABC, AP, BBC UPI, and many others to talk directly
with Carlos at XE1HC.
We handled thousands of pieces of health and
welfare traffic.
All of this, at the time, was illegal.
I
appointed G4BCP in England to coordinate all traffic from Europe into
our system.
Several days into the operation the British government
telegrammed with their official sanctioning of what we were doing, and
this eventually led to ITU Resolution 640 and rewriting of both the
British and then the U.S. ham licenses to legalize these types of
amateur radio emergency operations.
In Arizona, NJ7E, the ARRL Official Observer Coordinator there, could
not get into our busy 20 meter net with his peanut whistle hooked to
a coat hanger antenna.
He had traffic, and he became frustrated. He
jumped on a plane and knocked on XE1HC's ham shack door.
Carlos,
XE1HC, was exhausted and allowed NJ7E to take the controls for a day.
W1OLQ was acting Net Manager at K1MAN that day.
Our well established
Page 3
procedure was to assign a traffic designator to all traffic into
Mexico City, and the replies carried this same designator.
This
increased the efficiency enormously.
For example, traffic gathered
by WA4CQK during his time slot on the 14.275 MHz. net was coded C1,
C1, C3, etc.
So, for example, the message going in was C1, Maria
Gonzalez, 22 Calle Longa, at telephone 22 33 56.
The reply would
come back C1 is all OK.
NJ7E, against instructions from acting Net Manager W1OLQ, took traffic
direct and refused to assign traffic designators.
He turned this
into a DXpedition and took 700 pieces of health and welfare traffic
from 700 different hams all across the U.S.
Now, how do we get the
replies back?
With our new system, all the "C" traffic went back to
WA4CQK, in bulk (for example C1-OK, C2-no answer, C3-OK, etc.), and he
would call everyone belonging to him on the phone collect with the
good news.
We had about 50 such traffic "nodes" in our IARN ststem,
and this, of course, violated every rule in the NTS book. NJ7E thus
"screwed" 700 families out of the comfort of knowing that their loved
ones were alive.
We finally asked him to leave and the net went back
to normal.
NJ7E then went to the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City.
He
was afraid to climb the tower there and string up a dipole.
(His
exact words were "Using discrection over valor.......")
He could not
get out with his KWM-2 and portable coat hanger antenna and could hear
nothing anyway due to all the intermods caused by the embassy hf
transmitters.
In QST, NJ7E was proclaimed a hero for running all of our traffic out
of the embassy, and W1OLQ, XE1HC, and K1MAN were never mentioned. Nor
were the hundreds of other hams and net controllers that were actively
involved on 14.275 MHz.
ARRL then formed their "Blue Ribbon Committee" to make sure they would
never get "skunked" again.
IARN was formally organized as a club.
ARRL sent their IATN Manager to IARN Headquarters in Maine to check us
out.
During the 1987 El Salvador earthquake, IARN "skunked" the League
again.
Their response in QST?
Simple, the earthquake never
happened!!
The same sort of things happened during Hurricane Gilbert
and the Armenian Earthquake in 1988, and also Hurricanes Hugo, Andrew,
Iniki, and Marilyn.
In Hurricane Marilyn, ARRL's Tim Stein, N9FTC,
their Southeastern Emergency Coordinator, sabotaged the repeater we
got donated by Motorola, and this was the last straw.
ARRL needed to
be replaced!
AARA
The American Amateur Radio Association is structured differently from
ARRL to prevent repeating their dismal track record for leadership
Page 4
in amateur radio. See web site at http://www.carte.net/k1man/aara.htm
We are smaller, and we have a free and open talk show broadcast daily
on amateur radio and heard around the world.
This makes it virtually
impossible for painting a "candy land" and sanitized version of
amateur radio as is done regularly in QST.
We talk about everything,
including the "warts" of amateur radio.
OUR STRATEGY
Many people dislike what ARRL is doing to our hobby, but, they are
afraid to speak out against the mighty League.
There are hundreds
and even thousands of toes to step on and even crush here.
We feel
that "pussy footing" around will never work so we are using the "60
Minutes" approach of exposing the "warts' in our hobby and telling it
like we see it.
I gather that we have quite a few people upset.
Good!
We are finding that there is a lot of grass roots support for
what we are doing, and we intend to continue on our present course.
What's Wrong With ARRL?
K1MAN Editorial - 8 March 1998
At the Lewiston, Maine hamfest this weekend, Peter Budnik, KB1HY,
from the ARRL booth, came up to our AARA booth and was quite amiable.
He said he was from "H.Q."
I replied, equally as amiable "I thought
that 'H.Q.' was in Belgrade Lakes, Maine."
We discussed the
situation and agreed that we, that is AARA, the American Amateur Radio
Association, are the the other guys...."We try harder." Hi Hi.
On a deadly serious note, I heard numerous negative comments about
ARRL.
One ham, interested in emergency communications, came to our
AARA booth and complained that ARRL had nothing about emergency
communications at their booth.
They didn't!
The American Radio
Relay League doesn't even like to talk about emergency communications
at a ham fest.
Emergency communications is the corner stone of our
amateur radio service. I commented that emergency communications
doesn't sell very many copies of QST for the League and that is why
they let emergency communications play second fiddle.
At AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association booth, we actually
prefer to talk about emergency communications.
Another ham came over to our booth and pointed out to me that QST
never has a technical article about building things that are also
manufactured by MFJ.
Of course not!
That would interfere with ARRL
advertising sales.
Now I ask you, is this in the best interest of
amateur radio?
Of course not, it is in the best interest of the
League.
AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association, does not sell
Page 5
advertising, and we don't have this problem of a fundamental conflict
of interests.
A couple of years ago Richard Measures, AG6K, was on our talk program
and he told us his story.
He, at one time, wrote the chapter on
linear amplifiers for the ARRL handbook.
He also wrote several
articles for QST on linear amplifiers.
One article was critical of
some of the faulty design features of certain commercially built
amplifiers.
He was promptly fired and lambasted in the next issue
of QST and not allowed a rebuttal.
When Hiram Percy Maxim started
QST in 1914, it was a truly scientific journal about the state of the
radio art.
ARRL was, a long time ago, even handed.
Now, they are under handed,
and wouldn't know how to relay a message if they had to.
ARRL has
become a joke in most ham's opinions, and Mr. Maxim would roll over
in his grave if he knew what it has become.
Sure, there are many
dedicated and well meaning staffers at Newington.
Even a broken
clock is right twice a day.
But, generally, ARRL just doesn't get
it.
Wake up fellas....hellooooooo.....the competition has arrived,
and we mean business.
We want to return amateur radio back to the
high minded and serious side, and no ham radio manufacturer can tell
us any different because we are not paid by them.
We are the ones,
in the final analysis, that are "Of, by, and for the radio amateur."
Who are we?
We are AARA, The American Amateur Radio Association.
We are the other guys and gals, and we really do try harder.
Watch us
grow.
Grow with us.
Let's make ham radio live up to our good
and long standing tradition of competence in radio communications that
often times makes the professionals drool with envy.
The preceding
has been an editorial by K1MAN and does not necessarily reflect the
views of AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association, or IARN, the
International Amateur Radio Network.
E-MAIL FROM PETER J. REA, WZ2X
Date: 98-03-13 23:32:53 EST
From: [email protected] (Peter J. Rea)
Reply-to: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Dear Glen,
I caught the last part of your dialog regarding the AARA and what it
stands for. From what little I heard I couldn't agree more. The League
really doesn't get it!
I really don't think they are in touch with the average ham and
couldn't care less about the problems that face us in our respective
Sections. I have always been an outspoken individual and because of my
Page 6
honesty concerning the problems in the ENY Section have found myself
to be a victim of prejudice and discrimination by local League
Officials. I have never sought out special attention or consideration
but would not stand by while the Bylaws and Rules of the club were
trampled to serve the political agenda of a chosen few.
I have read scathing comments about you from League sources and knew
you must be within your rights if they so vehemently oppose you.
I can't even get a simple rules interpretation from the President,
Rod Stafford. Is it really so difficult to give a "yes" or "no"
answer? I guess it is when the answer would prove that my rights as a
League member have been trampled on and I am left without recourse.
I recently read that approximately two thirds of the general amateur
population do not belong to a club. I can now see why. I know the
average ham is a good fellow and shuns politics in the hobby.
Is AARA what I have been looking for? It sounds like it. I thought
the "big publishing" company was it, I was wrong. Can you believe the
local ARRL Section staff signs its E-mail as the " Only voice of ham
radio" Can you believe the arrogance?
Yes we need a real ham radio PEOPLE organization. Leave the heavy
duty, power politics at the door. I think the little guy is sick and
tired of being lied to.
Would you please send me a written transcript of your discussion so
that I may share this with other disgruntled hams in my area.
I would also like info on how to join AARA, meeting places etc.
I almost jumped out of my chair when I heard you as I have used some
of the very same wording in describing my League experiences to my
friends. You definitely have "guts" to say what needs to be said on
the air. I know what you are going through on a small scale. They
would love to shut you up except for the fact that you speak the
truth. The truth hurts.
Well I have spoken my peace, let me know how to sign up. I hope I can
get a refund from the League. Maybe they prorate.
My E-mail address is:
[email protected]
73' Pete WZ2X
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
AUGUST - 1998
EDITORIAL
NEW AARA VISA CARD
The new AARA VISA card, with your call sign (or "SWL" if you are yet
unlicensed) right under your name, will be available September 1,
1998.
The card has no annual fee, and all AARA card holders get free
shipping at major ham distributors such as Denver Amateur Radio Supply
($50 minimum purchase) and discounts from others such as 5% from
Cleveland Institute of Electronics.
Denver Amateur Radio Supply
already has the best prices in the country that we have found, and
Cleveland Institute has certificate courses for as low as $65 and all
the way up to a first class Associate's or Bachelor's degree by
correspondence.
If you haven't got a lot of money, you can still get
a college degree if you really want one!
Our VISA card holders are also AARA supporting members - for free!
Our daily 90 minute short wave amateur radio talk show, broadcast on
three different frequencies nationally and world wide, covers just
about everything you need to know about what is happening in amateur
radio, and that is also free!
Others can become supporting members
of AARA by purchasing a $10 hat, T-shirt, or customized ID badge.
Full membership in AARA is $35 per year.
Our goal is 200,000 AARA members within five years or less.
Why not?
This Fall alone we will be calling over 72,000 licensed hams on the
telephone to personally offer them their free AARA card, and we also
contact all newly licensed hams (300 - 400 per week) on a daily basis
as soon as they pass their amateur radio exams.
The 72,000 are those
who have passed a preliminary credit screening of every licensed
radio amateurs in the U.S. (720,000).
Amateur radio is changing rapidly and is now going through a major
phase of consolidation, as computers and the internet integrate
themselves into our hobby and service. Bulky ham magazines and paper
dealer catalogs are becoming obsolete.
I called one of the largest
dealers in the U.S. the other day with their latest catalog in hand,
and the radio that I was pricing was already $100 higher than they had
listed and much higher than smaller competitors!
They are literally
killing themselves with higher marketing costs and overhead than
necessary as we enter the internet and information dominated 21st
century.
We envision a major shake out and major reorganization of
values as our hobby changes with the times.
AARA is here to help out
with and even promote this constructive transition.
AARA is truly
"The Future of Amateur Radio."
MANDATORY BAND PLANS?
Phooey!
ARRL recently petitioned the FCC to declare that not
adhering to voluntary band plans is a citable violation of FCC rules.
They urged the Commission to avoid the usual public comment period,
and hams everywhere are outraged.
The FCC did not go along with this
and have issued Public Notice, Report No. 2269, requesting public
comment on the League's proposal.
You can't have it both ways:
either the FCC makes the band plans which are mandatory or radio
amateurs make them, and they are voluntary.
In such matters we need
less government regulation rather than more.
We certainly don't need
ARRL to play any part in regulating our hobby and service.
What do
you think?
Call in to our daily talk show any time at 207 495 2215,
and let everyone hear your opinion.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO FORUM
DISASTER SEASON IS HERE
The last big one for IARN (the International Amateur Radio Network)
was Hurricane Marilyn.
The odds are good that another international
communications emergency is just around the corner.
Get ready!
Get
your emergency generator hooked up and store plenty of gas and oil for
it.
Make up an emergency antenna for storage in a safe place, and
install (80 meter) HF in your car.
We have attached the latest IARN
Emergency Operations Sheet to this month's newsletter.
NOMINATIONS FOR THE LEO I. MEYERSON, W0GFQ, AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
The AARA Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for the 1998
Award For Excellence in Amateur Radio.
Send your entries to: AARA
Awards Committee, Box 440, Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918.
IARN AMATEUR RADIO PEACE CORPS FOUNDATION
The IARN Foundation implemented in July a scholarship program for
international students to study engineering on full scholarship in
the United States.
International students interested in this program
should contact the IARN Scholarship Committee, Box 440, Belgrade
Lakes, Maine 04918.
DAILY IARN BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Simulcast on 14.275 MHz. USB and 3.975
5 PM, and double airings between 8 and
high fidelity AM on 3.890 MHz. at 7:30
midnight.
Call in to the program any
number is 207 495 2215.
MHz. LSB at 6 AM, 9 AM, 1 PM,
PM Eastern local times.
Also
AM, 11:30 AM, 6:30 PM, and 12
time, 24 hours a day.
The
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
SEPTEMBER - 1998
EDITORIAL
It seems that when you tune across 20 meters these days there is not
much going on compared with the last favorable sunspot conditions. The
band is open, however.
One ham dealer told me that the month of
August has been the worst business wise since 1980.
What gives?
blames all this on the internet and cellular phones.
He
With only so much spare time to devote to our hobby, much of it is
absorbed by involvement with computers and the internet.
The edge of
hand held radios is taken away by cellular phones. Amateur radio, as
we have known it, is drastically changing.
Our problem is not losing
spectrum, but, rather, using what we already have more than enough of.
Another problem is band width.
I remember when I thought going from
60 words per minute on RTTY (some 300 baud) to 100 words per minute
was a lightning leap forward.
Even packet radio on two meters is at
a snail's pace when compared to internet based digital communications.
And I get impatient too, on the internet, even at over 26,000 baud!
In total panic, some radio amateurs feel that lowering the code speed
will somehow make everything better again.
My theory is that if you
can pass a 20 wpm code test you are good for 13 wpm on the air.
If
you can pass 13 wpm, you are good for 5 wpm on the air, and if you
pass 5 wpm, you are good for nothing.
Essentially, learning the code
will stop completely if we relax code requirements, and amateur radio
will see no tangible or lasting benefits.
Mark my words.
Rather than running around and wasting energy with phony cures to
perceived problems in our hobby, we should face the music and
rethink the hard realities of the technological revolution we are now
living through.
Perhaps some CW communications on the HF bands will
lower stress and make those hams interested in CW a bit happier.
Could ham radio be viable with just 20, 80, and 2 meters?
Sure it
could!
How about this!
I have far more obsolete computer equipment than SSB
or even AM gear.
In fact, none of my radio equipment is obsolete, be
it tube type holding up to to rigors of our amateur information
bulletin broadcast service, or the 100% solid state radios we have
here controlled by microprocessors.
My mobile HF radio does
everything, is tiny, and runs on easy to find 12 volts.
Amateur radio does not need to be big nor do we need need a lot of
spectrum to be healthy.
We simply need to have fun with what it
really is and stop pretending what it certainly is not.
Amateur
radio needs to go to counseling (collectively) and get back in touch
(OVER)
with reality.
The world will not come to an end if the hobby
consolidates down to those of us who are "real hams" and like to do
our thing on the air or in the shop.
Want to be a real hero?
Put together a mobile HF station and drive
to a disaster zone (after the wind dies down or the shaking stops,
perhaps).
Be self contained with a small generator, gas, oil, food,
water, tent, sleeping bag, etc.
Set up in a public place or at/near
a shelter and solicit outgoing traffic.
Set up an HF station and
emergency power at your local Red Cross and have several mobile HF
stations ready to go at all times. An AMTOR capability is even better.
For example, you can use the amateur radio emergency traffic system
developed by IARN, the International Amateur Radio Network, during the
Kobe, Japan earthquake activation.
Outgoing traffic is solicited at
public places in the disaster zone.
Then, 20, 40, and 80 meter links
on single side band and AMTOR are established to the nearest amateur
station with an operational telephone, where collect calls are made to
each message recipient.
Messages are usually sent over these radio
links in standard ARRL and IARN numbered message format.
This newly
developed IARN system is not net control dependent and therefore very
difficult for disruptive radio amateurs to interfere with.
For crossing international boundaries, where third party traffic
restrictions are a problem, we simply use E-mail and the internet from
just outside the disaster zone to IARN headquarters for central
processing and matching up with incoming traffic.
The three IARN
bulletin service frequencies are used to flexibly and instantly
establish, and widely disseminate, the operational parameters of any
given IARN amateur radio emergency activation as well as recruitment
of radio jump team operators.
Jump team operators must be interested
and available NOW, and that is why they are recruited in real time.
We have had the best experiences (almost 100% good) with jump team
operators who pay their own expenses and almost 100% bad experience
when IARN pays these expenses.
As usual, IARN and AARA are leading amateur radio emergency
communications into the 21st century.
Do not sell the Amateur Radio
Service short; changes are happening very rapidly.
Catch the wave!
Most of all, do some real hard reality based thinking about our
beloved and consolidating hobby and service of amateur radio.
Call
our talk show at any time (207 495 2215) and let us know what you come
up with.
E-mail editorials are also welcome.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO FORUM
COLLEGE STUDENT LOANS
AARA is now sponsoring low rate
consistent with AARA's focus on
on education.
E-mail AARA and
interested in a college student
college student loans.
This is quite
the serious side of amateur radio and
request an application form if you are
loan or know of someone who is.
HURRICANE SEASON IS HERE
As we go to press, IARN is activated for Hurricane Bonnie, and we are
also watching Hurricane Danielle very carefully.
Stay tuned to IARN
bulletins for the latest info during this dangerous hurricane season.
xxxxx
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
(AARD)
May 2001
A timely "cut to the chase" E-MAIL newsletter for the busy
Radio Amateur from the American Amateur Radio Association
(Republication by anyone is authorized)
Visit us at www.K1MAN.org
A GOOD CHANCE THE 40 METER AMATEUR BAND WILL BE REDUCED BY ONE THIRD
according to the FCC's Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, speaking in
Pittsburgh on April 14, 2001.
JUPITER EXPLORERS
NASA's Galileo has been exploring Jupiter and its moons for the past
four years and will be joined by newcomer Cassini to make this the
first ever observation of a planet by two spacecraft.
One will be
inside and the other outside Jupiter's magnetic envelope so powerful
solar winds pressing on the envelope can be observed.
ANOTHER HAM ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION - HIS CALL RS1ISS
HAMS TALK TO DENNIS TITO, KG6FX, ON INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION
He talked with his son on May 1st for about 7 minutes during a 10
minute pass.
This was done through an amateur in Hawaii and then
phone patched.
Miles, WF1F, and Farrell Winder, W8ZCF also talked
directly to Tito on two meters. Farrell also talked with Susan Helms,
KC7NHZ, who is the mainstay for voice operations on the space station.
The main space station call sign is NA1SS.
Using this call, the
pilot, Jeff Ashby, talked with Scott, WA6LIE.
TEXAS HARASSMENT LAW
Texas Senate Bill 139 has been introduced by Representative Barrientos
Carona that would make it a crime to contact anyone by telephone or
any other means including radio to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse,
torment, or embarrass that person.
The law, if passed, could be
challenged in Federal Court.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
May 2001
Page 2
According to W5YI:
SHORT TEXT MESSAGING ON MOBILE PHONES CAUSES 5% DROP IN E-MAIL IN UK
Mobile phone small screens limit messages to short notes.
drop between ages 18 and 24 is 10%.
E-mail
HOME OWNERS WHO COMPLAIN CHARGED (ABOUT $75) IN UK IF INTERFERENCE IS
CAUSED FROM WITHIN
The Regulatory Agency in the UK has a new policy of charging you 50
pounds is they find that interference complained about is not due to
any illegal use of or faulty equipment.
COOKIES ARE PIECES OF ASCII TEXT INFORMATION SENT TO YOU FROM
another Web server and stored in the user's computer with or without
your consent.
They contain information gathered from your PC.
A
good feature is that they allow a website to be customized or
personalized to your needs.
Basically, cookies make use of user
specific information transmitted back and forth from the user's
computer to a website server so that the information is available for
later access.
A remote site gains access to its implanted cookies
whenever the user makes connection to that site.
A normal text based cookie cannot harm your computer or spread any
viruses since it is "non-executable."
The bad news is not what harm
cookies can do to your computer, but what private information they
store, what they pass on to outlying computers...and what they do with
it.
Some sites are members of ad cooperatives (such as Double click,
Focalink, Globaltrack, and ADSmart) that compile information about you
from your cookies so that they can target advertising to you.
To
learn more and how to view and delete unwanted or undesirable cookies
go to www.K1MAN.org and chick on "USEFUL INFORMATION."
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
May 2001
Page 3
POWERLINE COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN 9 KHZ. AND 30 MHZ. IN GERMANY TO BE
operational by July.
This will allow "last mile" high speed broadband communications in residences via existing electric distribution
lines.
Intellon, based in Ocala, Florida has a system that operates
between 4.3 and 20.9 MHZ. for connecting devices through the power
lines within the home or office.
See www.intellon.com and
www.homeplug.com.
CBS SATELLITE PROBLEMS
CBS lost its Telstar VI feed to its affiliates in April 22nd and had
to switch to Telstar IV and V.
No affiliates experiences any
transmission disruption.
FCC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL POWELL NOMINATED TO SERVE A SECOND TERM
Elevated to FCC Chairman earlier this year by President George Bush,
the son of the Secretary of State, if approved by the U.S. Senate,
will serve until June 2007.
Susan Ness will leave the FCC June 1st.
EXPERIMENTAL OPERATIONS FOR AO-40 TRANSPONDER BEGAN MAY 5TH - MAY 15th
The uplinks are 435.550-435.800 MHz. and 1269.250-1269.500 MHz. the
downlink is 2401.225-2401.475 MHz.
Stations should use only SSB and
CW.
If plans work out, AO-14 could inaugurate transponder operation
this summer.
ALASKA GOVERNOR KNOWLES SIGNS AMATEUR RADIO ANTENNA BILL INTO LAW
Effective July 26th, Alaska is the twelfth state to pass similar
legislation.
The law includes a schedule of allowable antenna
structure heights and a grandfather provision protecting existing
towers.
The law requires localities to "reasonably accommodate
Amateur Radio Antennas."
For more information go to www.K1MAN.org
and chick on "USEFUL INFORMATION."
SOLAR ACTIVITY
The average sunspots for this week up 30 points peaking 209.7
There
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
May 2001
Page 4
was a solar flare on April 26th.
The sun is covered by sunspots and
there is a possibility of a flare from sunspot region 9455.
MIKE ALBERS, K0FJ, RECIPIENT OF NOAA 2001 ENVIRONMENTAL HERO AWARD
for outstanding service as the volunteer director of the Thomas County
Kansas SKYWARN network. More info at www.noaa.gov/earthday/heroes.htm
AMATEUR RADIO GROWING FOLLOWING RESTRUCTURING
Licensed radio amateurs has grown 6600 or about 1% since last April
in a post restructuring (eliminating 13 and 20 WPM Morse exams) spurt.
EDITORIAL BY GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, AARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ED010507
Amateur radio is growing again according to recent licensing figures
following restructuring.
Reducing Morse code requirements to 5 words
per minute has opened some doors, for sure, but, Amateur Radio, like
the weather, is much different that just a few years ago. Since radio
spectrum available to amateurs is gradually being reduced, we do not
really need net growth as long as an increasing general population
balances a smaller percentage of the population interested in our
unique service.
Computers have attracted a lot of time and attention
away from our hobby.
Dirt cheap long distance phone cards have taken
much of the glamour away from the Radio Amateur's previous monopoly
over low cost voice communications.
No longer is a ham with a hand
held and auto patch in the lime light of the public.
All this is
hard to swallow for us egotistical hams who like to ham it up in front
of the public.
Ham radio needs to be redefined, and our interests and efforts need to
be renewed and redirected.
Simple as that!
When people ask me
about the big (Hustler) hf (20 meter) antenna on my car, I proudly
explain how I can talk directly to hams in Australia without the use
of satellites.
They appear to be quite impressed with that!
There
are some really cool things about amateur radio that will always be
cool!
Apart from all this, when the luster and novelty of computers and the
internet competing for our time and interest dies down a bit, there
are a wealth of fun things to discover and rediscover in ham radio.
How about going into the shack and start making some serious contacts
on CW again?
Are you man enough or woman enough to get on CW this
summer?
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
(AARD)
June 2001
A timely "cut to the chase" E-MAIL newsletter for the busy
Radio Amateur from the American Amateur Radio Association
(Republication by anyone is authorized)
Visit us at www.K1MAN.org
AMATEUR RADIO USED TO ACCESS 911
Harold, KE4HON (an EMT), and Jim, WB4CTX, recently used their HT's on
440 to respond to serious automobile accidents in a remote area.
THE FCC ASKED TO INVESTIGATE LONG-RANGE CORDLESS TELEPHONE SALES
These long range cordless phones are being marketed on the internet
and cause interference to amateur frequencies such as one unit that
has over 3 Watts near 147 MHz.
Other units operate with up to 35
Watts on VHF and UHF.
ASTRONAUT SUSAN HELMS, KC7NHZ, TALKS TO STUDENTS FROM INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION
On 31 May 2001 she responden to a dozen questions from 8 Kentucky
students.
Helms stated that NASA is making plans for a trip to Mars.
The 10 minute contact was made via AH6NM in Honolulu and phone patched
to the school.
21 HAMS ASSIST WHEN A WATER LEAK DOWNS JACKSONVILLE FIRE-RESCUE PHONE
AND RADIO COMMUNICATIONS
This traffic was handled on the 146.76 repeater for nearly 3 hours.
FCC's RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH, K4ZDH, SPEAKING AT DAYTON
He said that detailed FCC regulation is not in the picture and that
without California, amateur enforcement would be a one day a week job
and that we would not need most of the rules.
He cited "stupidity"
and unlicensed 10-meter operation as providing the grist for most FCC
enforcement.
He brought several articles indicating the thurst of
commercial interests for amateur spectrum.
Hollingsworth said
"Without a national approach, you are a 'sitting duck.'
It is very
important to have a national voice.
You can't survive without it."
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
JUNE 2001
Page 2
KACHINA EXITS THE AMATEUR RADIO HF MARKET
Citing "the slowdown of amateur radio in general and HF in particular"
VP Cameron Earnshaw says that any radio over $1,000 is a hard sell
these days.
He said that Japanese are probably subsidizing their
amateur radio business.
Kachina will continue to provide service and
will honor warranties.
See http://kachina-az.com.
NEVADA GOVERNOR SIGNS AMATEUR RADIO BILL
that requires municipal ordinances to "reasonably accommodate amateur
service communications" and "constitute the minimum level of
regulation practicable to carry out the legitimate purpose of the
governing body."
Nevada is the 13th state incorporate PRB-1 language
into its statutes.
Amateur Radio bills were also approved this year in
Alaska and Idaho with similar measures pending in New York and
Wisconsin.
CANADA MAKES 5 WORDS PER MINUTE OFFICIAL ON MAY 19TH
Any Canadian with 5 WPM credit now have full HF Radio privileges.
FCC RENEWALS AND MODIFICATION CAN BE DONE ON LINE
Go to http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls
days before the expiration date.
You cannot renew sooner than 90
ARRL TO PETITION THE FCC FOR A NEW 150 KHz. 5 Mhz. BAND
This would aid emergency communications by filling the gap between 80
and 40 meters.
In 1998 the ARRL petitioned for a new band around 136
KHz. and another between 160 and 190 KHz.
EIMAC's JACK MC CULLOUGH DIES
EIMAC co-founder Jack A. McCullough, ex-W6CHE, died April 28 at age
93.
He and Bill Eiten founded the company in the 1930's after
building a tube for use as a grounded grid amplifier.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
JUNE 2001
Page 3
500 GHz. TRANSISTORS
Reseasearchers at Osaka University in Japan claim they have a 400 GHz.
transistor and will refine their technology to 500 GHz. devices.
Research Fellow Takashi Mimura, who invented the first high electron
mobility transistor in 1979, says that frequencies can be pushed even
higher than 500 GHz.
ITU (INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPH UNION) 2003 WORLD ADMINISTRATIVE RADIO
CONFERENCE (WARC) TO COMPLETELY REVISE AMATEUR RADIO RULES
In the first top to bottom revision of Amateur Radio in decades, the
Morse code requirement is likely to be dropped as well as a revision
to the 40 meter band.
Another question is whether the ITU should get
rid of the prohibition on third party traffic and the banned country
rule.
WHERE DID "73" COME FROM?
It was part of a shorthand called "Phillips Code" developed by Walter P.
Phillips in 1879 to facilitate newspaper and court reporting transmitted
over electric telegraph landlines.
Enduring today is
"30" for "No more, End," "73" for "Best regards," and "88" for "Love
and kisses."
GEORGE JACOBS, W3ASK, HONORED AT DAYTON AS HAM OF THE YEAR
George has been Propagation Editor for CQ Magazine for 50 years.
WORLD WIDE WEB IS DOUBLING EVERY YEAR
As of April 2001 there were 28,699,939 active web sites world wide.
In April 1997 there were only 1.0 million.
The web will run out of
addresses in 2005.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
JUNE 2001
Page 4
E-MAIL MONITORING
According to the New York Times, the number of companies monitoring
E-Mail has increrased from 25% in 1999 to 40% in 2000
DELL NUMBER 1
Dell Computer Corporation is now the world's number 1 PC maker with
12.8% of the world wide market.
Michael Dell started out in his
college dorm room in 1984. Compaq is 2, HP is 3 and IBM is 4th.
GET FAXES FREE AS E-MAIL
Go to www.eFax.com to sign up.
NEED A JOB?
Go to www.FlipDog.com
EDITORIAL BY GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, AARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ED010612
DO FCC LAWYER RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH, K4ZDH, AND FORMER
DAYTON "HAM OF THE YEAR" BILL PASTERNAK, WB6ITF,
TRULY REPRESENT YOUR BEST AMATEUR RADIO INTERESTS?
We had a target start date for the return of the IARN Amateur Radio
Talk Show to HF on June 1, 2001.
Bill Pasternak gleefully reports
this week on his often biased, impertinent, and misleading "Amateur
Radio Newsline" report, heard on a few repeaters around the country,
that these K1MAN "Information Bulletins" were not heard, and that hams
opposed to the bulletins were intentionally occupying 14.275 and 3.975
MHz. in order to prevent the scheduled event.
Bill further states
(incorrectly) that K1MAN "Information Bulletins" could not legally
come on an already occupied frequency.
If this were true (it is not)
then anyone could also prevent ARRL's W1AW from coming on at any time
and even shut the entire ARRL W1AW operations down if desired. The
fact is that any station control operator on a frequency with the
intent to prevent W1AW or K1MAN from transmitting would be committing
a felony under United States statutes punishable by five years in
federal prison and a $10,000 fine.
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
JUNE 2001
Page 5
So, does the intentionally misleading "independent reporter" Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, represent your best amateur radio interests?
I
think not!
Bill also reports that those who are opposed the IARN Amateur Radio
Talk Show on amateur radio HF have nothing to worry about.
On the
contrary, they have PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT......THE TRUTH!
When the
time is right, K1MAN "Information Bulletins" will return to HF.
The
station is now ready to go, at the flick of a switch, but the time was
just not quite right on our target date of June 1, 2001.
FCC lawyer Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, said at Dayton this year that
hams occupy spectrum worth billions of dollars and that without a
national approach, we were "sitting ducks."
Short of being a valid
candidate for sainthood, would you trust Riley with billions of
dollars of your money?
Our personal experience with Riley is that
he is a totally devious attorney who thinks nothing of tampering with
Certified Mail and has a lack of integrity consistent with the sorry
image that many government officials and federal judges project to the
public these days.
As recently as last night, the popular ABC
program "The Practice" focused on typical government and judicial
corruption that is totally consistent with our common popular
experiences these days.
When the IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show
returns to the air, Riley Hollingsworth and the alleged fraud I know
he is perpetrating on the amateur radio public will be a prime target.
Here is the FCC script.
Hams occupy spectrum worth billions.
True.
Hams occupy this spectrum without cost and without the resources to
pay billions.
away from us?
True.
How do politicians take this valuable spectrum
Here is the FCC plan:
1.
Stop FCC enforcement for a few years (early to mid 1990's) and
let hams naturally degenerate into bad behavior.
This is similar
to a teacher leaving the classroom for a while or the looting one
always sees when natural disaster disrupts a normal police officer
presence in the area.
2.
Then send in the new "Sheriff," Riley Hollingsworth, to "clean up
the town."
Gullible hams hail him as a hero while he also
trashes the U.S. Constitution with his heavy handed tactics during
the "cleanup process."
He is actually carefully documenting the
intentionally created mess that he is finding.
3.
His own words at Dayton this year were "Ham stupidity are the
grist of FCC enforcement problems."
Picture the analogous
school teacher coming back into class after a long absence.
"Boy are these kids stupid............look how they are acting!"
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
JUNE 2001
Page 6
4.
Riley now reports to Congress what he has found and bingo, our
spectrum is taken away!
5.
Riley is sucking up to you, to ARRL, and to gullible people like
Bill Pasternak while he smiles and slits all of our throats.
He
certainly doesn't suck up to AARA.
Ask yourself why?
6.
Hollingsworth brought several articles to Dayton to illustrate how
other interests want our spectrum such as the FAA needing the two
meter band.
Things will go easier if we are given "public need"
reasons for our loss in addition to acting "stupid" (his words) in
the public's eyes.
Riley is carefully preparing the Amateur
Radio community for cooking as your XYL would prepare a big fat
Thanksgiving turkey!
Beware my fellow Radio Amateurs.
Riley Hollingsworth is a wolf in
sheep's clothing, and Bill Pasternak is blinded (by his own petty ham
radio politics) to this absolute truth.
Neither men represent your
best interests in the Amateur Radio Service.
We see the vital role of AARA, the American Amateur Radio Association,
to represent the REAL interests of Amateur Radio.
What are the
chances of ARRL publishing an editorial such as this one? Two. Zero,
and none at all!
Ask yourself why?
You ask yourself the question "What can I do?"
For openers, don't be
duped by the popular "mental midgetry" (as I call it) in Amateur
Radio.
Be a better informed Radio Amateur and be suspicious of those
who would try to suppress open and free discussion and constructive
criticism of certain inept Amateur Radio "leaders" who are taking you
down their misinformed primrose path.
Most of all, question the true
agenda of devious and cunning FCC lawyer Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH.
2001
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
(AARD)
May 2001
FCC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL POWELL NOMINATED TO SERVE A SECOND TERM
Elevated to FCC Chairman earlier this year by President George Bush,
the son of the Secretary of State, if approved by the U.S. Senate,
will serve until June 2007. Susan Ness will leave the FCC June 1st.
AMATEUR RADIO GROWING FOLLOWING RESTRUCTURING
Licensed radio amateurs has grown 6600 or about 1% since last April
in a post restructuring (eliminating 13 and 20 WPM Morse exams) spurt.
EDITORIAL BY GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, AARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ED010507
Amateur radio is growing again according to recent licensing figures
following restructuring. Reducing Morse code requirements to 5 words
per minute has opened some doors, for sure, but, Amateur Radio, like
the weather, is much different that just a few years ago. Since radio
spectrum available to amateurs is gradually being reduced, we do not
really need net growth as long as an increasing general population
balances a smaller percentage of the population interested in our
unique service. Computers have attracted a lot of time and attention
away from our hobby. Dirt cheap long distance phone cards have taken
much of the glamour away from the Radio Amateur's previous monopoly
over low cost voice communications. No longer is a ham with a hand
held and auto patch in the lime light of the public. All this is
hard to swallow for us egotistical hams who like to ham it up in front
of the public.
Ham radio needs to be redefined, and our interests and efforts need to
be renewed and redirected. Simple as that! When people ask me
about the big (Hustler) hf (20 meter) antenna on my car, I proudly
explain how I can talk directly to hams in Australia without the use
of satellites. They appear to be quite impressed with that! There
are some really cool things about amateur radio that will always be
cool!
Apart from all this, when the luster and novelty of computers and the
internet competing for our time and interest dies down a bit, there
are a wealth of fun things to discover and rediscover in ham radio.
How about going into the shack and start making some serious contacts
on CW again? Are you man enough or woman enough to get on CW this
summer?
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST
(AARD)
June 2001
FCC's RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH, K4ZDH, SPEAKING AT DAYTON
He said that detailed FCC regulation is not in the picture and that
without California, amateur enforcement would be a one day a week job
and that we would not need most of the rules. He cited "stupidity"
and unlicensed 10-meter operation as providing the grist for most FCC
enforcement. He brought several articles indicating the thurst of
commercial interests for amateur spectrum. Hollingsworth said
"Without a national approach, you are a 'sitting duck.' It is very
important to have a national voice. You can't survive without it."
WHERE DID "73" COME FROM?
It was part of a shorthand called "Phillips Code" developed by Walter P.
Phillips in 1879 to facilitate newspaper and court reporting transmitted
over electric telegraph landlines. Enduring today is
"30" for "No more, End," "73" for "Best regards," and "88" for "Love
and kisses."
EDITORIAL BY GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, AARA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ED010612
DO FCC LAWYER RILEY HOLLINGSWORTH, K4ZDH, AND FORMER
DAYTON "HAM OF THE YEAR" BILL PASTERNAK, WB6ITF,
TRULY REPRESENT YOUR BEST AMATEUR RADIO INTERESTS?
We had a target start date for the return of the IARN Amateur Radio
Talk Show to HF on June 1, 2001. Bill Pasternak gleefully reports
this week on his often biased, impertinent, and misleading "Amateur
Radio Newsline" report, heard on a few repeaters around the country,
that these K1MAN "Information Bulletins" were not heard, and that hams
opposed to the bulletins were intentionally occupying 14.275 and 3.975
MHz. in order to prevent the scheduled event. Bill further states
(incorrectly) that K1MAN "Information Bulletins" could not legally
come on an already occupied frequency. If this were true (it is not)
then anyone could also prevent ARRL's W1AW from coming on at any time
and even shut the entire ARRL W1AW operations down if desired. The
fact is that any station control operator on a frequency with the
intent to prevent W1AW or K1MAN from transmitting would be committing
a felony under United States statutes punishable by five years in
federal prison and a $10,000 fine.
So, does the intentionally misleading "independent reporter" Bill
Pasternak, WA6ITF, represent your best amateur radio interests? I
think not!
Bill also reports that those who are opposed the IARN Amateur Radio
Talk Show on amateur radio HF have nothing to worry about. On the
contrary, they have PLENTY TO WORRY ABOUT......THE TRUTH! When the
time is right, K1MAN "Information Bulletins" will return to HF. The
station is now ready to go, at the flick of a switch, but the time was
just not quite right on our target date of June 1, 2001.
FCC lawyer Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, said at Dayton this year that
hams occupy spectrum worth billions of dollars and that without a
national approach, we were "sitting ducks." Short of being a valid
candidate for sainthood, would you trust Riley with billions of
dollars of your money? Our personal experience with Riley is that
he is a totally devious attorney who thinks nothing of tampering with
Certified Mail and has a lack of integrity consistent with the sorry
image that many government officials and federal judges project to the
public these days. As recently as last night, the popular ABC
program "The Practice" focused on typical government and judicial
corruption that is totally consistent with our common popular
experiences these days. When the IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show
returns to the air, Riley Hollingsworth and the alleged fraud I know
he is perpetrating on the amateur radio public will be a prime target.
EDITORIAL BY GLENN BAXTER, K1MAN, AARA EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR - ED010416
WHERE DOES AMATEUR RADIO FIT IN?
(Copyright 2005, all rights reserved)
The first human revolution was the Neolithic Revolution about 8000
years before Christ where people began planting and growing for the
production of food rather than hunting and/or gathering it. This
brought men and women together for longer periods of time which then
required the development of more sophisticated cultures and language.
The second revolution was when the Phonecians invented the alphabet
in about 2000 BC to record and communicate within and between
cultures in a twenty six character code that represented how language
actually sounds. One could argue that Eastern cultures such as China
and Japan have done OK without the alphabet, however, I argue that the
alphabet concept is the one that rises to the revolution category.
Next was the Gutenberg's invention of the printing press and movable
type in 1760. The first physicist (and the person who first
discovered electricity), Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), was big into
this type of printing as exemplified by his "Poor Richard's Almanac."
Benjamin Franklin's autobiography, by the way, is highly recommended
reading for anyone.
Then we started the Industrial Revolution with James Watt's invention
of the steam engine in 1769. Many people say that the Information
Revolution came next. Actually, the Information Revolution was well
under way as already begun by Gutenberg. As we should agree, the
Industrial and Information Revolutions are closely intertwined.
The Information Revolution got a big boost with the advent of low cost
paper back books, as both revolutions benefited from the invention of
fractional horsepower motors powered by Thomas Edison's (1847 -1931)
methods for generation and distribution of electricity.
The stage was set for another big boost in both revolutions with
Samuel Morse's invention of the telegraph in 1837 followed by
Alexander Graham Bell's invention of the telephone in 1876. After
the invention of the ENIAC computer at MIT during World War II and
Univac's vacuum tube computer after this war (vacuum tubes invented by
DeForest 1773 - 1961), we had William Shockley's invention of the
transistor in 1947 and Jack Kilby's invention of the integrated
circuit in the mid 1960's. All this makes the internet possible
which is becoming increasingly available to everyone and helped along
by the developments of user friendly software by Bill Gates and
others.
There was also the discovery of radio (mathematically by James Clerk
Maxwell 1831-1879) and its its first use by Marconi in 1895. After
World War II, black and white television became perfected, with color
totally perfected in the 1960's. THIS is where ham radio fits in.
Ham radio deals with communications via waves as opposed to wires.
The paper back book was giant leap forward in making information
available to the masses but is now pretty much over shadowed in many
ways by the internet. But what has the role and impact of amateur
radio been, and what is its role for the future? Good question!
Amateur Radio has served as facilitator in the practical development
of communications in general and radio communications in particular.
Men like Arthur Collins, W0CXX, and inventor Hiram Percy Maxim, W1AW,
were hams, and many scientists and engineers today got their initial
boosts in scientific thinking from Amateur Radio. A recent Nobel
Prize winner in physics is a ham. Amateur Radio was dead center
stage in the 1940's and 1950's. Now, computers are on center stage
along with guys like Bill Gates who, in earlier times, probably would
have been a ham.
Just as it is tough to turn forty and realize you are no longer 20, it
is tough for "die hard" hams to realize that we are no longer on
center stage. We will always have enough people, however, to hold
on to enough radio spectrum to do our thing and continue to make a big
difference in the world. I agree with the IARU's decision to focus
this year on emergency communications. IARN, the International
Amateur Radio Network, has been the world leader in this area for the
last 14 years, and it is time for other amateur radio groups (such as
ARRL) to put some serious efforts into this area for a change. AARA
and IARN would certainly welcome this, since we can't do it all by
ourselves.
We simply need to adapt the new technology now available and
reengineer our efforts to keep wireless, direct, point to point
communications ready to step in when disaster disrupts the phone
systems and/or satellite communications. Amtor, packet, and voice
SSB are slow, but they work without wires, commercial power, or
commercial satellites. When the right disasters come along, as they surely
will, hams will always be able to briefly step out to the very
center of the world stage. Let's do it and be ready for those times!
Go to www.K1MAN.org and find out how IARN
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST UPDATE - 5 DECEMBER 2005
HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM K1MAN
And Jesus said:
"...The sower went forth to sow....." Many seeds did not take
root.
"...and other(s) (seeds) fell upon the good ground
and yielded fruit.."
So we, as Radio Amateurs, sow our seeds of national and international
good will and friendship.
There is a lot of good ground out there
and much rocky soil as well.
Best wishes to all, both friends and enemies, during this 2005 holiday
season.
73 and GL de K1MAN
K1MAN ESSAY - ES051202 Blood is Thicker Than Water
America is all of us.
If you come from another country and/or
another culture, you are welcome by me as we offer you citizenship and
the protections of our precious Constitution.
Those of us who were
born here, however, are willing, by definition, to die in the
protection of our precious birth land and our precious Constitution.
Even though America is all of us, and it is, we will not allow you to
do some quite important things such as being our President if you were
not born here.
There is a damn good reason for this.
If push
comes to shove, we are afraid you might "cut and run." I say "might."
We simply don't want to take this chance, however slight it may be.
In that sense, therefore, those who are not born in America are
"second class" Americans.
Same deal in Maine.
If you were not born in Maine, you are not a
Mainer.
I "deal" with that.
Mainers do cut me SOME slack, however,
since I have been a citizen of Maine for 48 years.
SOME slack, not
very much.
That is just how it is, blood is thicker than water.
America is predominantly Christian, and we do, indeed, have a national
Christmas tree.
That is just how it is, blood is thicker than water.
In this case, we are remembering the holy birth of Jesus and the blood
many of us believe he shed for all of us.
That is just how it is,
blood is thicker than water.
English is the predominant language in America.
Some day there well
might be more Spanish speaking Americans born here than English
speaking Americans born here.
There might well be more "African
Americans" born here that "whites" born here.
Hey man, this is
America; I just love being American!
When the first human, an American, set foot on the moon, a Russian
said to an American:
"It must be great to be an American tonight!"
No, "Ivan:"
"It is great to be an American EVERY night!"
That is just how it is, blood is thicker than water.
If America is threatened or if our Constitution is threatened, you had
better watch out!
I will STAND UP and fight, and if I need help, I
will choose a "kid" born in America, educated in America, who played
sports in America, and who was trained by the U.S Marines, U.S Army,
U.S. Navy, U.S Air Force, the U.S. Military Academy, our Air Force
Academy, Annapolis, etc., etc., over someone else who might just "cut
and run" when push comes to shove, as happened in WWII and countless
other situations that have cropped up over our brief 200 year history.
If your native country got "raped" during WWII, YOU are the ones who
that let it happen, and those kids mentioned above are the ones who
came over to "bail out" your collective asses.
The "goose step" did
not frighten those kids very much.
Americans don't know the total
humiliation of being "raped."
We have NO FEAR of someone coming in
the middle of the night to take one of us away.
Our Constitution
specifically allows us to have guns for just such an occasion if such
ever occurred, however unlikely.
Many Americans have more "fire
power" than the so called "professionals." That is just how it is,
blood is thicker than water.
Be careful!
Don't count America out
yet!
That is just how it is, blood is thicker than water.
May God bless you and your family during this holy season.
73 and GL de K1MAN
Glenn Baxter, P.E.
K1MAN QUERIES DAVE SUMNER, K1ZZ, ABOUT W1AW PROCEDURES - NO REPLY!!!
Dave Sumner, K1ZZ
ARRL Chief Executive Officer
American Radio Relay League
225 Main Street
Newington, Conn. 06111
1 December 2005
Dave,
What is W1AW's current policy with regard to its bulletins, and can
you refer me to the ARRL Board minute which established this policy?
Specifically, does W1AW listen and/or QRZ each published scheduled
frequency before transmitting?
If the frequency is busy, does W1AW
QSY, delay, or even terminate the scheduled bulletin?
The policy published in QST that I have found is to stick to the
published schedule regardless of whether the frequency is busy or not,
just as is the policy of K1MAN for information bulletins, which is
also consistent with many years of W1AW operating practice as well.
You will remember that K1MAN was "fined" in 1990 with regard to this
policy, and my appeal of these "fines" to the full Commission was
"deep sixed" and thus blocking my further appeals to the D.C. Court of
Appeals and the United Stated Supreme Court.
Also, these "fines"
were never litigated in Federal District Court here in Maine, and my
subsequent civil suit to resolve this matter in Federal District Court
against the FCC was dismissed.
My related civil suit in Federal
District Court against ARRL was also dismissed.
My many attempts to
resolve this matter have thus been repeatedly thwarted.
K1MAN was
then "fined" again regarding this same policy in April of 2005, a full
fifteen years after the original FCC action, thus creating a
further legal nightmare for the Commission, of course.
I am a member of ARRL.
Thank you for your attention to this request.
Best personal regards.
73.
(signed)
Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN
AARA Executive Director
IARN Manager
cc:
W. Riley Hollingsworth, Esq.
Distribution
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST – A A R D – 22 October 2009
091023B (6:34 PM DST)
(Note: If you do not wish to receive the AARD by E-mail, let us know, and we will delete you from our
premium Radio Amateur mailing list. Tel. 207 242 2143 [email protected] www.K1MAN.com)
T O A L L R A D I O A M A T E U R S:
Above is the International Amateur Radio Network (IARN) Talk Show and Bulletin Service in MP3 for
your easy and convenient downloading for the week of 17 October 2009. Links to download all other
IARN programs since 1987 are listed below. Perhaps you can take this and an inexpensive CD player to
share the program(s) with some unfortunate radio enthusiast in the hospital or perhaps in jail or
otherwise isolated from HF. If you don’t see the program(s) (going back to 1987) that you want, ask us
and we will E-mail it(them) to you. Just specify the date(s) aired over IARN flagship station K1MAN.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK – IARN – Emergency Activation Status – (Not Activated)
If both the phones and the internet go down during a national and/or international communications
emergency, communicate with IARN’s 24/7 AMTOR mailbox on 14.128 MHz. LSB (sel call KMAN) You
will get a free AARA T-shirt if you connect to our AMTOR mailbox during any non emergency period!!!
So get busy! Be ready. (Please specify S, L, XL, or XXL)
K1MAN transmissions of the IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show and Bulletin Service are on 14.275 MHz.
USB and 3.890 MHz. LSB, plus or minus QRM, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
This schedule will be modified during an emergency IARN activation; such as bulletins on 14.272 MHz.
Amateur Radio News - An excellent link is: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/index.html?issue=2009-10-23
I A R N Bulletin Service MP3 Audio: (We will E-mail any program not seen below that we have aired
since 1987 upon request. Simply state the date the program was on the air.)
Past I A R N and A A R D Newsletters:
www.k1man.com/w
BELGRADE LAKES INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED RESEARCH - SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL:
www.k1man.com/physics
A CAPPELLA
www.k1man.com/w
K1MAN Philosophical Autobiography (in progress):
www.k1man.com/g
PAST IARN MATERIAL
We are getting many telephone calls and E-mails at IARN headquarters these days as amateur radio
seems to be alive and well. There are too few connects with our AMTOR mailbox, and this must
improve if the Amateur Radio Service expects to be ready for a major national/international
communications emergency. There needs to be much more 80 meter HF in the cars out there to
communicate with local Red Cross state wide when the repeaters go down. We noticed an article in
this month’s QST about electromagnetic pulse, so there is concern about hams being ready for the
worst. Maine and Connecticut Senators Collins and Lieberman have even introduced legislation to
have the U.S. Department of Homeland Security do a formal study of potential rolls for Amateur Radio if
something really bad happens. Getting ready for the worst can be fun!
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST – A A R D – 22 October 2009
A091024A (7:47 PM DST)
Edited by Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN, AARA Executive Director and IARN Manager
(Note: If you do not wish to receive the AARD by E-mail, let us know, and we will delete you from our
premium Radio Amateur mailing list. Tel. 207 242 2143 [email protected] www.K1MAN.com)
T O A L L R A D I O A M A T E U R S:
Above is the International Amateur Radio Network (IARN) Talk Show and Bulletin Service in MP3 for
your easy and convenient downloading for the week of 17 October 2009. Links to download all other
IARN programs since 1987 are listed below. Perhaps you can take this and an inexpensive CD player to
share the program(s) with some unfortunate radio enthusiast in the hospital or perhaps in jail or
otherwise isolated from HF. If you don’t see the program(s) (going back to 1987) that you want, ask us
and we will E-mail it(them) to you. Just specify the date(s) aired over IARN flagship station K1MAN.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK – IARN – Emergency Activation Status – (Not Activated)
If both the phones and the internet go down during a national and/or international communications
emergency, communicate with IARN’s 24/7 AMTOR mailbox on 14.128 MHz. LSB (sel call KMAN) You
will get a free AARA T-shirt if you connect to our AMTOR mailbox during any non emergency period!!!
So get busy! Be ready. (Please specify S, L, XL, or XXL)
K1MAN transmissions of the IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show and Bulletin Service are on 14.275 MHz.
USB and 3.890 MHz. LSB, plus or minus QRM, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
This schedule will be modified during an emergency IARN activation; such as bulletins on 14.272 MHz.
Amateur Radio News - An excellent link is: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/index.html?issue=2009-10-15
We are getting many telephone calls and E-mails at IARN headquarters these days as amateur radio
seems to be alive and well. There are too few connects with our AMTOR mailbox, and this must
improve if the Amateur Radio Service expects to be ready for a major national/international
communications emergency. There needs to be much more 80 meter HF in the cars out there to
communicate with local Red Cross state wide when the repeaters go down. We noticed an article in
this month’s QST about electromagnetic pulse, so there is concern about hams being ready for the
worst. Maine and Connecticut Senators Collins and Lieberman have even introduced legislation to
have the U.S. Department of Homeland Security do a formal study of potential rolls for Amateur Radio if
something really bad happens. Getting ready for the worst can be fun!
I A R N Bulletin Service MP3 Audio: (We will E-mail any program not seen below that we have aired
since 1987 upon request. Simply state the date the program was on the air.)
AMERICAN AMATEUR RADIO DIGEST – A A R D – 27 October 2009
A091027A (9:30 PM EST)
Edited by Glenn A. Baxter, P.E., K1MAN, AARA Executive Director and IARN Manager
(Note: If you do not wish to receive the AARD by E-mail, let us know, and we will delete you from our
premium Radio Amateur mailing list. Tel. 207 242 2143 [email protected] www.K1MAN.com)
T O A L L R A D I O A M A T E U R S:
Above is the International Amateur Radio Network (IARN) Talk Show and Bulletin Service in MP3 for
your easy and convenient downloading for the week of 17 October 2009. Links to download all other
IARN programs since 1987 are listed below. Perhaps you can take this and an inexpensive CD player to
share the program(s) with some unfortunate radio enthusiast in the hospital or perhaps in jail or
otherwise isolated from HF. If you don’t see the program(s) (going back to 1987) that you want, ask us
and we will E-mail it(them) to you. Just specify the date(s) aired over IARN flagship station K1MAN.
INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO NETWORK – IARN – Emergency Activation Status – (Not Activated)
If both the phones and the internet go down during a national and/or international communications
emergency, communicate with IARN’s 24/7 AMTOR mailbox on 14.128 MHz. LSB (sel call KMAN) You
will get a free AARA T-shirt if you connect to our AMTOR mailbox during any non emergency period!!!
So get busy! Be ready. (Please specify S, L, XL, or XXL)
K1MAN transmissions of the IARN Amateur Radio Talk Show and Bulletin Service are on 14.275 MHz.
USB and 3.890 MHz. LSB, plus or minus QRM, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
This schedule will be modified during an emergency IARN activation; such as bulletins on 14.272 MHz.
Amateur Radio News - An excellent link is: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/index.html?issue=2009-10-23
I A R N Bulletin Service MP3 Audio: (We will E-mail any program not seen below that we have aired
since 1987 upon request. Simply state the date the program was on the air.)
GUEST EDITORIAL
Greetings from Europe. My name is Anthony Smith, a very active Radio Amateur over here. I have
been listening with interest to K1MAN’s bulletin service since its comeback after almost 4 years of
complete silence. What’s with that? I really don’t wish to engage in the K1MAN debate, but I do
believe Glenn is within his rights. Sure, it’s a big deal to transmit 24 hours per day on an international
band such as 20 meters or even simulcast 80 meters as K1MAN does now, 365 days per year starting last
July. He runs anything available of interest to the Radio Amateur or submitted to K1MAN for airing. If
you write him a nasty e-mail, he sends a nasty e-mail back and asks you be a guest on next weeks
program UNEDITED. Few take him up on the offer. I choose to submit this editorial.
I am a professional broadcaster and can’t help but hold K1MAN to “professional standards” since
K1MAN is heard world wide. Glenn claims that K1MAN is an AMATEUR operation with some special
circumstances that justify less than justify less than a professional standard. Much of K1MAN’s audio is
so called “telephone audio” which drives me up the wall. K1MAN uses unconventional low cost
production methods seemingly inconsistent with an international broadcast station which in fact,
K1MAN is, but without commercial advertising or support from religious groups. But I know of no other
short wave broadcast station that used single sideband. That plus amateur band protection allows
K1MAN to be every bit as effective as mega powerful Voice of America or Radio Moscow. That fact has
raised some eyebrows here in Switzerland.
Now to my point. Given the huge “splash” on the amateur radio scene by K1MAN’s spectacular
comeback using an expired license, you would thing that ARRL or Bill Pasternak’s Amateur Radio
Newsline would report on this and/or comment on this. SILENCE! What’s with that? This is not
newsworthy? This, in my view, is one of the hottest amateur radio news items of 2009. July, 2009 CQ
magazine pictures Riley Hollingsworth inducted into the Hall of Fame along with Texas Instruments
engineer Jack Kilby who invented the integrated circuit. What did Riley do to deserve such an honor?
Oh, he got rid of K1MAN, you say. But K1MAN came back on the air during the very same month of
July. Do you get my drift here?
I understand K1MAN asked for mega powerful United States Senator Susan Collins to ask the FCC why it
is over four years without any action on K1MAN’s FCC license renewal. Her only response was to
introduce a bill in the United States Senate to have the Department of Homeland Security study the
potential role of Amateur Radio during a national emergency in the Unites States, such as the phones
and the internet going down. My guess is that they will not bother to as much as discuss this with
K1MAN, who has an international reputation as being an expert in ”hands on” emergency
communications, but rather discuss this with ARRL bureaucrats who have zero hands on experience
with large scale amateur radio emergency communications. Just a guess, mind you. As before, K1MAN
will probably pull light years ahead while the bureaucrats of ham radio just sit around and talk about
how important they are….certainly too important to report on the spectacular re-emergence of K1MAN
who really seems to be a ray of hope in out beloved but troubled radio hobby. E-mail your comments
to me in care of [email protected]
73!