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| The award-winning monthly publication of The Baltimore Radio Amateur Television Society P.O.Box 5915 Baltimore, MD 21282-5915 |
August, 2009
W1AW to Add New Digital Modes to Transmission Schedule
On August 17, W1AW, the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, will replace
its AMTOR and ASCII transmissions with PSK31 and MFSK16, respectively. RTTY (Baudot) will continue to be the first
digital mode used in the transmission schedule. The frequencies used by W1AW for all its digital transmissions will
remain the same. “All regular 6 PM and 9 PM (ET) digital transmissions will begin with RTTY,” said W1AW Station Manager
Joe Carcia, NJ1Q. “PSK31 and MFSK16 will be sent as time allows. The Tuesday and Friday Keplerian data bulletins will
be sent using RTTY and PSK31.” The W1AW operating schedule
-- complete with times and frequencies -- can be found on the ARRL Web site.
Three More Representatives Sign On for HR 2160
On July 13, three more Congressmen -- John Boozman (AR-3), Bob Filner (CA-51) and Dennis Moore (KS-3) -- pledged
their support for HR 2160,
The Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Enhancement Act of 2009. This brings the total number of co-sponsors to
18. Originally sponsored by Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee
(TX-18), HR 2160 is also sponsored by W. Todd Akin (MO-2), Michael Arcuri (NY-24), Roscoe Bartlett (MD-6),
Madeleine Bordallo (Guam), Bart Gordon (TN-6), Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Michael Honda (CA-15), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15),
Zoe Lofgren (CA-16), Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-9), Thaddeus McCotter (MI-11), Charlie Melancon (LA-3), Bennie Thompson
(MS-2), Peter Welch (VT) and David Wu (OR-1). Click here for
information on how to encourage your Congressional representative to sponsor HR 2160.
Attention All Amateurs ...
FCC Continues BPL Debate
On July 17, the FCC issued a Request for Further Comment and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(FNPRM),
addressing the issues remanded to them by the US Court of Appeals. In October 2007, the
ARRL took the Commission to court concerning the
Commission's Orders adopting rules governing broadband over power line
(BPL) systems. In April 2008, the
Court agreed with the ARRL on two major points
and remanded the rules to the Commission. Writing for the three-judge panel of Circuit Judges Rogers, Tatel and
Kavanaugh, Judge Rogers summarized: "The Commission failed to satisfy the notice and comment requirements of the
Administrative Procedure Act ('APA') by redacting studies on which it relied in promulgating the rule and failed
to provide a reasoned explanation for its choice of the extrapolation factor for measuring Access BPL emissions."
BRATS Hamfest Huge Success!
Sunday, July 19 saw beautiful bright sunshine; crisp temperatures in the low 80’s and a generally gorgeous day at
the Howard County Fairgrounds for the 2009 edition of the BRATS Maryland Hamfest and Computer Fest . Tailgaters
plied their wares while buyers kept coming in. Thanks to all who worked so hard to help make this year’s event
one of the best yet! We look forward to the third Sunday in July next year!
| August, 2009 |  |
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