November, 2006

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Japanese University Launches Amateur Radio CubeSat
Hokkaido Institute of Technology's HIT-SAT satellite has joined several other CubeSats carrying Amateur Radio payloads in space. The tiny satellite launched successfully September 23 (Japan Standard Time) from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japan, and its CW telemetry was copied around the world on the satellite's initial orbits. Over the weekend, HIT-SAT's CW telemetry was halted as a power-saving measure during attitude control procedures, but the satellite remained silent after attitude control should have ended.

Motorola unveils cellphone 'vending machines'
Consumers needing a cellphone or accessories on the run have a new option now that Motorola has rolled out a series of what the company calls "robotic stores." The vending machine-like stores unveiled Wednesday will carry about 30 products, initially including 12 phones and 18 accessories, said Bob Many, Motorola's director of automated retailing. The "Instantmoto" will go into 20 malls and airports nationwide as part of a pilot program. Chicago has three outlets operating, including one in the Macy's store downtown. The program will be expanded depending on its success, Many said. Phone customers will be able to purchase mid- to high-end =models, including the Razr and the Q, and can buy with or without a service plan. Motorola says it is the first retailer to sell electronic gadgets this way. The robo-stores are operated by San Francisco-based Zoom Systems. Zoom "doesn't consider this vending," said Gower Smith, the company's chief executive, but vending machines are precisely what the stores resemble. Unlike vending machines, however, they don't drop the products from their racks. Instead, the products are gently delivered to consumers by a robotic arm. And the stores are run from a central location, much the same way that automated teller machines are operated. Schaumburg-based Motorola is the world's second-largest mobile phone maker behind Finland's Nokia.

Wireless spreads to more campuses
More than one-third of U.S. college campuses have Wi-Fi, giving their students blanket wireless broadband access at school, according to data released today by the non-profit Campus Computing Project. The annual survey for 2006 found that 35.9% of colleges are totally wireless, compared with 29% last year. Also, 68.8% of participating campuses have a strategic plan for wireless, which is up from 64% in 2005. The study found that 60.5% of colleges and universities increased their information technology budgets for wireless for the current school year. The Campus Computing survey also found that security incidents and threats declined. The survey, which began in 1990, is a continuing study of computing and information technology in U.S. higher education. It's based on data just collected in September and October from 540 campuses.

AMSAT announces 2006 Board of Directors election results
AMSAT-NA has announced the results of its 2006 election for Board of Directors. Elected as directors were Tom Clark, K3IO, with 800 votes; Lou McFadin, W5DID, with 652 votes, and Bob McGwier, N4HY, with 647 votes. Lee McLamb, KU4OS, got 321 votes to be first alternate, while Paul Shuch, N6TX, picked up 312 votes to be second alternate. Directors serve two-year terms. AMSAT Manager Martha Saragovitz reports that members cast a total of 937 votes.--AMSAT News Service

Digital pioneer TAPR celebrates 25th anniversary at DCC
Some 100 communication enthusiasts gathered in Tucson, Arizona, September15-17 for the TAPR/ARRL Digital Communications Conference (DCC). This conference marked the 25th anniversary of the formation of TAPR – Tucson Amateur Packet Radio -- one of the driving forces behind the packet radio revolution that began in the middle 1980s. TAPR continues to be at the cutting edge of Amateur Radio innovation. QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY,represented ARRL Headquarters at the conference. Other ARRL family Members on hand included Southwestern Division Vice Director Ned Stearns, AA7A, Arizona Section Manager Tom Fagan, WB7NXH, and ARRL Honorary Vice President Fried Heyn, WA6WZO. Conference topics included progress reports on the status of the Eagle Project, the next high-altitude satellite planned by AMSAT-NA, as well as developments in software-defined transceivers and APRS. During the event, Kenwood displayed a new 2meter/70 cm transceiver, which will come on the market early next year and does not yet have a model number.

November, 2006

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