Ria's Ham Shack News - June 12
Hamvention attendance up, ARRL VHF contest brings e-skip, ARRL Hudson Division gets a new Vice-Director, wildfire smoke, FCC proposes Millimeter wave access, Ukraine gets a new coach and more...
Here, your news tips will live in infamy, rather than just dying out on that 75 meter roundtable - email ria@n2rj.com
In this issue:
Hamvention attendance is up
ARRL VHF contest brings e-skip
ARRL Hudson Division gets a new Vice-Director
Wildfire smoke and ham radio
FCC proposes Millimeter wave access
CB operator gets fined, claimed “it wasn’t me”
UT5UDX appointed head Football (soccer) coach in Ukraine
Hamvention attendance is up
Dayton Hamvention has posted its attendance figures. They are reporting a total of 33,861 which exceeds last year’s attendance and is 2,000 more than the 2022 attendance. This number also exceeds the pre-pandemic attendance record of 32,472 since the event moved to Xenia.
General Manager Jim Storms said, “Things went very smoothly due to the dedication and hard work of close to 700 volunteers.”
Hamvention 2024 will be held from May 17-19, 2024.
ARRL VHF contest brings e-skip
Do want to open the bands and make propagation? Have a contest.
Amateur radio operators, especially across the USA were delighted to work sporadic E propagation and make long distance contacts, especially on 6 meters. From my home here in New Jersey I was able to work stations as far as Utah and Texas, and a few stations in Europe.
ARRL Hudson Division gets a new Vice-Director
Following the Vice-Director vacancy in the ARRL’s Hudson Division, Ed Wilson, N2XDD of Shirley, NY was appointed Vice-Director of the ARRL Hudson Division. Ed was appointed by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, after being recommended by Director Nomar Vizcarrondo, NP4H. Ed is also a retired first responder in New York City after 23 years.
Ed is active in several radio clubs in New York and is involved with the M17 Project, an open source digital radio system. He first became interested in radio when his uncle gave him a 5 channel crystal controlled scanner. He used this scanner to listen to the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). From there, he moved onto a Bearcat Programmable desktop scanner and began to explore more frequencies in New York City. He soon became an avid listener of various New York Police Department (NYPD) frequencies.
Wildfire smoke and ham radio
In this week’s “Ria’s Ham Shack” radio show, I talk about the recent wildfires, wildfire smoke and how we can help.
FCC proposes new Millimeter wave access
In WT Docket No. 23-158, GN Docket No. 14-177, the FCC has proposed shared access of the 42-42.5 GHz Band. The goal of opening access to this band is to enable smaller providers to gain access to millimeter wave spectrum.
“Our goal here is to come up with a new model to lower barriers, encourage competition and maximize the opportunities in millimeter wave spectrum,” - Jessica Rosenwercel, FCC Chair
From the NPRM, potential spectrum sharing mechanisms may include:
A nationwide non-exclusive licensing approach, in which licensees would apply for such a license with the Commission, and then coordinate and register specific deployment sites with a third-party database;
A site-based licensing approach, in which licensees would apply for each deployment site directly with the Commission; and
A technology-based sensing approach, in which operators would employ certain technologies to avoid harmful interference from one another without the use of a registration database.
Additionally, the FCC seeks comment on other aspects of implementing a potential shared licensing approach, including potential coordination mechanisms, first-in-time protections, buildout requirements, technical rules, and potential synergies with the sharing approaches being considered for the Lower 37 GHz (37-37.6 GHz) band.
The FCC also proposes to license the 42 GHz band as five 100 megahertz channels.
The FCC also proposes to protect radio astronomy services in the adjacent 42.5-43.5 GHz band by requiring that operators in the 42 GHz band ensure that power levels near radio astronomy sites not exceed certain thresholds.
CB operator fine
The FCC Enforcement Bureau proposed a $25,000 fine to Jayme John Leon for unauthorized operation of a CB station in Rockford, Illinois. The FCC cited violations of section 301 of the Act, and willful or malicious interference with other CB stations, violating section 333 of the Act.
Between December 2021 and June 2022, the FCC received complaints from several CB users in the Rockford, IL, area alleging that someone had been making multiple one-way transmissions for extended periods of time.
The transmissions included recorded comedy routines, air raid siren sounds, and digital noises.
The FCC sent a field agent to investigate. The agent observed a continuous data transmission on CB channel 39, which sounded like unintelligible, data-like noise. The transmission continued for over half an hour. Agents used direction finding techniques to track down the signal to Leon’s home, and confirmed that he was at the home via the registration of the vehicle in his driveway.
Leon stated that “someone had placed a milk crate containing a battery-operated transmitter at a corner near his house, and that he had found similar items on prior occasions.” The Regional Director advised Leon to send photographic evidence of same. None was produced. A follow up visit by a field agent found similar transmissions but no milk crate.
Leon has “a history of noncompliance with Commission regulations” including a $14,000 fine in 1999 for the transmission of “obscene, indecent or profane words, language or meaning.”
(h/t Michi Bradley from FCC Today).
UT5UDX appointed head Football (soccer) coach in Ukraine
Serhei S. Rebrov, a Tottenham and West Ham striker has been appointed as the new head coach of the national Football team in Ukraine until 2026. Rebrov is well known by radio amateurs as UT5UDX, M0SDX (in the UK) and several other callsigns. Rebrov is an avid contester in amateur radio contesting.
“Football means emotions for me. Emotions are missing in our country, among our people. Everyone is looking at the news during the war, at what is happening, including us,” - Serhei S. Rebrov, UT5UDX
Special news report from Europe coming up!
Starting on June 22, I will be in the Federal Republic of Germany, covering Ham Radio Friedrichshafen. I would love to hear your story! Email ria@n2rj.com if you are coming and would like to tell your story.
73 ES CUL
Ria, N2RJ