wheatley@inuxi.UUCP (Steven Wheatley) (09/27/85)
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THE / R R \ LETTER
VOLUME 4 \ / NUMBER 19
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September 19, 1985
The ARRL Letter is published bi-weekly by the Information
Services Department of the American Radio Relay League, 225 Main
St., Newington, CT, 06111; (203) 666-1541. Larry E. Price, W4RA,
President; David Sumner, K1ZZ, Executive Vice President; Dave
Newkirk, AK7M, Editor; Debra Chapor, Circulation Manager.
Information from The ARRL Letter may be reproduced in whole
or part in any form including photoreproduction and electronic
databanks, providing credit is given to The ARRL Letter and to
the American Radio Relay League.
The ARRL Letter is available in printed form from ARRL.
Subscriptions, limited to ARRL Members, are $19.50 (U.S. funds)
per year for First-Class Mailing to the U.S., Canada, and
Mexico. Overseas air mail subscriptions are available at $31
(U.S. funds) per year. Sample copies are available for an
s.a.s.e.
In this issue:
o HAMS IN SPACE AGAIN
o FCC ON RADAR DETECTORS
o 902-928 MHz OPENING IMMINENT
o ...and much more!
FLASH! HAMS IN SPACE AGAIN -- NEXT MONTH!
In October, the Federal Republic of Germany will have the first
scientific manned space mission of her own: the D1 mission.
German science astronauts Dr. Ernst Messerschmid, DG2KM, and Dr.
Reinhard Furrer, DD6CF, will carry out experiments on board the
Spacelab, carried into orbit by NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia.
They'll also operate an Amateur Radio station aboard Columbia --
DP0/SL.
During this Spacelab mission, scheduled to last seven days,
startup of Amateur Radio activity is planned for mission day 3,
continuing until about 12 hours before touchdown -- this means a
stretch of as many as five days during which DG2KM and DD6CF may
activate DP0/SL during their free time. As a rough estimation,
six shuttle passes, each offering a maximum of 12 minutes of
possible contact time, may be expected per day.
DP0/SL's ham-in-space activity will be focused on Europe --
but astronaut-amateurs Messerschmid and Furrer intend to to
attempt contacts with other parts of the world, as far as mission
parameters and spacecraft flight attitude (among other factors)
may permit.
During DP0/SL's operating stint in the sky, calls of
responding ground stations will be recorded on tape for post-
mission evaluation -- to be confirmed by the Deutscher Amateur
Radio Club (DARC) with special QSL cards.
When DD6CF and DG2KM are unable to undertake voice
communication via DP0/SL, their rig may be operated as a recording
beacon: an automatic CQ would be transmitted, followed by a one-
minute listening period during which responses would be recorded
on tape, with this cycle automatically repeated. Callsigns
identified on this tape will also be confirmed by DARC. The
DP0/SL transceiver may also be operated as a normal beacon:
continuous transmission with callsign inserted, but without
receiving periods. This mode may be used for VHF propagation
measurements.
The Rig Itself
The DP0/SL transceiver is a special development, designed and
constructed by BOSCH/Germany according to the D1 Mission
specifications, using components from BOSCH's mobile transceiver
program. It contains a built-in microcassette recorder. RF
power output of the rig is 10 watts; this is reduced to one watt
for automatic (beacon) operation. Frequency coverage is 144 to
146 MHz, using F3E (FM voice) and F2A (FM Morse) emissions.
DP0/SL is equipped to receive in the band 430 to 440 MHz.
Receiver sensitivity for a 12dB S+N/N ratio is 0.45 microvolts.
Selection of operating frequencies is made from ROM,
programmed for 4 VHF transmitting frequencies and 6 UHF receiving
frequencies on 25 kHz channel spacing.
And the Frequencies Are...
Channel Downlink Uplink
0/ 145.450 MHz 437.125 MHz
1 145.475 MHz 437.175 MHz
2 145.550 MHz 437.225 MHz
3 145.575 MHz 437.275 MHz
4 --- 437.325 MHz
5 --- 437.375 MHz
Ground stations transmit on the uplink since DP0/SL listens
there; ground stations listen on the downlink, since DP0/SL
transmits there. Uplink and downlink channels may be "mixed and
matched" -- for example, downlink Ch 2 (145.550 MHz) might be
paired with uplink Ch 1 (437.175 MHz), the resultant pair being
termed "2/1."
It's recommended that circularly polarized antennas,
adjustable in azimuth and elevation, be used. Maximum tracking
velocity to follow Columbia's orbit: approximately 1.5 degrees
per second. At least for receiving, manual steering of the
antennas is sufficient, since only low-gain antennas (3dB gain)
are required to receive signals from DP0/SL.
An effective radiated power (EIRP) of 20dBW is recommended
for contacts with Spacelab. This means, for instance, that a 70-
cm transmitter with a power output of 10 watts, combined with an
antenna providing 10dB gain, would be a good choice.
How DP0/SL May Operate
Astronauts Messerschmid and Furrer may use any of the
following operating modes:
1) Ham rig "OFF"
2) Beacon operation with inserted
callsign, no receive
3) Beacon operation with automatic
recording of incoming calls.
In this mode, the transceiver
transmits a CQ in Morse (F2A):
"CQ DE DP0/SL RECORD ON
TAPE K", followed by one min-
ute of receiving time with
automatic recording of calls.
Responses to DP0/SL during
such operation must be made
using F3E (FM voice)
4) Two-way voice QSO operation us-
ing F3E
The normal channel pair will be 3/3 (145.575 MHz downlink,
437.275 MHz uplink). In the event of heavy pileups, the
astronauts will change their receiving frequency without notice.
In such cases, terrestrial stations will have to choose one of
six uplink frequencies with equal likelihood of being heard --
reducing the pileup density for the astronauts by a factor of
six.
More Information on DP0/SL
At this writing, German stations DF0/VR, DF0/LRK, DK0/UB and
DK0/EK will issue daily information on the mission using 2 and 80
meters, but no real-time information service is in place outside
Europe. A 20-meter service is a possibility. Closer to home for
most ARRL members, W1AW and The ARRL Letter will provide further
details as they become available. (tnx DARC)
902-928 MHz BAND OPENING IMMINENT
Remember -- we've got it as of 0001 UTC September 28, 1985.
It's available to all radio amateurs under FCC jurisdiction in
ITU Region 2 holding Technician class licenses and above.
Amateur use of the band must proceed on a secondary, non-
interference basis; we must not interfere with and must accept
interference from the Fixed and Radiolocation Services, and
industrial, medical and scientific (ISM) devices there.
An in-depth report on the how, what and why of the 902-928
MHz band appears in October QST. But now hear this, especially
amateurs in Colorado and Wyoming: "In the 902-928 MHz band,
amateur radio stations shall not operate within the States of
Colorado and Wyoming, bounded by the areas of latitude 39 degrees
to 42 degrees North, and longitude 103 degrees West to 108
degrees West. The band is allocated on a secondary basis to the
amateur service subject to not causing harmful interference to
the operations of Government stations authorized in this band or
to Automatic Vehicle Monitoring (AVM) systems. Stations in the
amateur service must tolerate any interference from the
operations of industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) devices,
AVM systems and the operations of Government stations authorized
in this band" -- this the text of added Limitation 14 to Section
97.7 of the FCC Rules, in addition to the restrictions on
operation and output power imposed in and around the White Sands
Missile Range for this band (see the Letter, August 15, 1985);
otherwise, the usual restriction of 1500 watts PEP output power
applies. Emissions authorized are N0/N, A1A, A2A, A2B, A3E, A3C,
A3F, F1B, F2B, F3E, G3E, F3C, F3F, F8E and P0/N.
The interim 902-928 MHz band plan appears in the FCC Rule
Book, the 1985-86 Repeater Directory and in the August 29 Letter.
One more thing. Among the ISM devices authorized for use in
the band (at 915 MHz) are microwave ovens. This is a broad-as-a-
barn-door hint that caution is needed if you're going to be
getting close to radiated 902-928 MHz energy in your Amateur
Radio pursuits. So -- be careful out there.
LAST CALL FOR 420-430 MHz ABOVE LINE A
We lose a little as we gain 902-928 MHz, as reported in the
August 15 Letter: also at 0001 UTC, September 28, l985, the 420-
430 MHz segment is whisked out of the Amateur Service "above Line
A." See December 1984 QST for a detailed description of the
Line; October 1985 QST carries the story in detail, complete with
a map showing the position of the Line.
COURT TOLD OF FCC'S INTEREST IN PRB-1
Federal preemption in amateur antenna and tower matters is of
high interest to amateurs anywhere. But especially it is running
high in Kentucky. The case of Thernes vs. City of Lakeside Park
was to be heard September 19, 1985, in the U.S. Court of Appeals
for the Sixth Circuit. The "fact pattern" of the case is as good
as any to come along in years: the city denied Thernes' (WM4T)
application for a tower simply because amateur towers were not on
the list of permitted accessory uses. Thus, the case is a good
example of why the Federal Government should establish some
degree of preemption in such matters. If PRB-1 were to be
successfully completed before the oral argument September 19, it
is virtually certain that the amateur would prevail. Without any
input from Washington, DC, however, an unfavorable judgment was
almost guaranteed.
Energetic work by ARRL's General Counsel and its Washington
Area Coordinator got results on August 20. In a letter to the
U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Cincinnati, FCC General
Counsel Jack D. Smith referred to Case No. 84-6009, John Thernes
v. City of Lakeside Park, Kentucky, et al.:
"This office is informed that the above-referenced case,
calendared for oral argument on September 19, 1985, concerns
municipal regulation of amateur radio antenna structures.
"The Federal Communications Commission presently has before
it a request for declaratory ruling delineating the limitations
of local zoning and other state regulatory authority over
federally-licensed radio facilities, File Number PRB-1. The
staff has completed its analysis of the comments, and it is
anticipated that the Commission will take some action by the
fall.
"You may wish to consider the pendency of this proceeding in
establishing the Court's own procedural timetable in Case No. 84-
6009."
Aside from any effect it may have in the Thernes case,
should positive action on PRB-1 be a cause for immediate
celebration everywhere? Not necessarily. The preemption issue
is a labyrinth, and variations in local law abound. How PRB-1
should be viewed at this point was perhaps best stated at Minute
27 of the ARRL Board's July meeting in Hartford: "It should be
regarded as providing a useful legal tool, rather than a panacea
to solve all problems."
FCC SAYS IT DOESN'T REGULATE SPEED-RADAR DETECTORS
In a Public Notice dated August 1, 1985, FCC reminds us that
they're not in the radar-detector-regulation business:
"Traffic radars used by police to enforce highway speed
limits are transmitters. As such, they are type-accepted and
authorized by the FCC under Parts 2 and 90 of its rules. These
rules permit any state or local government with an FCC license
for its radio communications system to operate speed radars
without getting separate licenses for them. The radar
frequencies and number of units do not have to be shown on the
license itself.
"FCC rules spell out how radars may be operated as
transmitters but not how they may be used by police to measure
vehicle speeds. The FCC has no jurisdiction over the calibration
of radars or over the reliability of their readings.
"[The U.S. Department of Transpor-tation's National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency
concerned with the enforcement of highway speed limits and with
the operation of police radars as enforcement tools. For more
information, write to NHTSA's Office of Enforcement and Emergency
Services, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington DC 20590. Or call
the state or local police department for information about how
radar is used in a particular area.]
"Radar jammers are transmitters tuned to interfere with
('jam') a radar signal. The intentional use of jammers is
considered 'malicious interference,' which is strictly prohibited
by the Communications Act of 1934, as amended by FCC rules.
Anyone using a jammer risks such penalties as losing any FCC
licenses, paying a fine, or even facing criminal prosecution.
"Radar detectors are radio receivers popularly known for
being tuned to receive police radar signals...[for the purpose
of] warn[ing] motorists of radar 'traps' ahead of them. In this
regard, the FCC regulations pertaining to receivers are limited
in scope and, as currently drafted, do not address the subject of
radar detectors. The use of radar detectors by members of the
public, therefore, does not constitute in itself a violation of
FCC rules. The FCC is aware that other agencies have addressed
the subject of radar detectors, but the FCC has not, to date, and
has no future plans to address the activities of these other
agencies.
"In summary, the FCC regulates transmitters, but exercises
only limited jurisdiction over receivers, with the subject of
radar detectors not being addressed in the FCC Rules. From a
policy standpoint, the FCC favors authorizing the use of radio,
including radars, to promote safety on the public highways and
elsewhere."
[Editor's comment: note well the warning concerning the
possible loss of any FCC licenses if you're cited for radar
jamming. We understand, for instance, that this has already come
up in cases of "pirate" broadcasters who were also licensed as
radio amateurs. Understandably, FCC takes the position that
being licensed to operate a transmitter in one service implies
that you "know better" than to operate an illicit transmitter in
another.
[In some instances, operation of a VHF or UHF transceiver in
the vicinity of a police radar can result in erroneous
estimations of vehicle speed. ARRL Hq. can provide a letter of
assistance in such cases where police radar may have been at
fault because of VHF/UHF interference. (If you were speeding,
though, better 'fess up!)]
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE DELIBERATES ON DOCKETS 85-215, 85-196, 85-231
-- AND PRB-2
The ARRL Board's Executive Committee met in Scottsdale,
Arizona, on August 24, 1985. Consideration of the League's
position in regulatory matters will result in the filing of
comments in opposition to PR Docket 85-215, Auxiliary Operation;
in the EC's view, auxiliary operations should be conducted only
on frequencies above 220.5 MHz. The ARRL's position in PR
Docket 85-196, "Maintenance of Question Pools in the Volunteer
Examiner Program...," remains that FCC should retain maintenance
of the examination pool and that only VECs should be permitted to
design exams from questions in the pool. In General Docket 85-
231, concerning field disturbance sensors at 54-72 and 76-88 MHz,
ARRL will file in support of FCC's decision to disallow the
devices in the 50-54 MHz band as requested by the original
petitioner, Control Data Canada, Ltd. In PRB-2, a request for a
waiver of amateur rules to allow use of Amateur Radio frequencies
for newsgathering, Counsel was ordered to file comments opposing
"in the strongest possible terms" the unwarranted intrusion of
broadcasting into an amateur band.
ARRL INTERNATIONAL DX CONTEST TOP TEN SINGLE OPERATOR SCORES
Call Score
| K1RX 1,291,059
| K1AR 1,277,460
P W3BGN 1,096,710
H N2LT 912,114
O K2BU 902,388
N W2RQ 841,572
E NA5R (K5GN) 801,810
| W9RE 787,788
| K1VR 775,008
| KS1L 717,408
| K1AR 1,893,105
| N2LT 1,770,018
| W3GRF (K0/DQ) 1,668,025
| K1TO 1,584,243
C K1BW 1,556,820
W W3BGN 1,446,660
| K1EA 1,410,270
| N4AR 1,404,054
| K3ZO 1,378,134
| W9RE 1,256,073
*eof