| June, 2008 |  |
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Japanese Amateurs Receive More Privileges on 75/80 Meters
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) announced that Japan's Table of Frequency
Allocations and the Japanese Amateur Bandplan have been amended, giving amateurs in that country more
privileges on certain frequency blocks in the 75/80 meter band. Japanese amateurs are now allowed to
operate the following additional frequencies on the 75/80 meters: 3.599-3.612 MHz, 3.680 to 3.687 MHz,
3.702-3.716 MHz, 3.745-3.747 MHz and 3.754-3.770 MHz.
Italy gets 4m band Italy’s Ministry of Communications has authorised Italian amateurs to use three spot frequencies on the 70MHz band. This experimental allocation runs until 31 December 2008. All modes are authorised at a maximum of 25W EIRP on 70.100, 70.200 and 70.300MHz, plus or minus 25kHz. Further information can be found at www.space.it/70MHz. [RSGB]
New DXpedition to Christmas Island
A major DXpedition to Christmas Island has been announced for 8 to 20 July 2008. The team includes
CT1BWW, EA3GHZ, EA5EOR and EC5BME. Three stations will be active on 160 to 6 metres, using CW,
SSB, RTTY, PSK31 and SSTV. Callsigns will be VK9XWW, VK9XHZ, VK9XOR and VK9XME. More
information can be found on the web at www.dxciting.com/vk9x [RSGB]
Send your name to the moon
NASA is inviting people of all ages to join the lunar exploration journey with an opportunity to send their names
to the moon aboard the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. There appears to be nothing to stop you putting
your amateur radio callsign in as well. Participants can submit their information at
http://lro.jhuapl.edu/NameToMoon, print a certificate and have their name entered into a database. The
database will be placed on a microchip that will be integrated onto the spacecraft. The deadline for submitting
names is 27 June. [RSGB]
First ARRL Book Published in China
The first of several
ARRL books has been translated and published by Posts and
Telecomnunications Press (PTPress) of Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Getting Started with Ham Radio by QST Editor Steve Ford, WB8IMY, will be
available for purchase in China next month. Other ARRL books to be
translated and published in the PRC include The ARRL Handbook, ARRL
Antenna Book, Experimental Methods in RF Design, Understanding Basic
Electronics and Ham Radio on the Move.
Newspaper Reports "BPL plan is dead in Dallas"
The Dallas Morning News has reported that "an ambitious plan for using power lines to deliver fast Internet
service to 2 million Dallas-area homes collapsed Thursday." Current Group, LLC has announced plans to
sell its Dallas BPL network to Oncor, a regulated electric distribution and transmission business, for $90 million.
Oncor reportedly has no plans to offer Internet service but will use the network to detect distribution network
issues. While Current originally touted the network as a way to offer Internet service to consumers and had
entered into a marketing arrangement with DirecTV, the Houston Chronicle quotes Oncor spokesman
Chris Schein as confirming that Oncor will use the network only for monitoring the power grid: "Our business
is delivering electricity, not being an Internet provider or a television provider.” [ARRL Web Extra]
The K7RA Solar Update
Again this week, we saw a new, but brief sunspot, sunspot 993. Judging from the polarity of the spot, it looks to
be from new Solar Cycle 24; this spot was south of the solar equator, so it has the same polarity as any Cycle
23 spot that was north of the equator. After two days it was gone, not from drifting over the edge of the visible
solar disk -- it just disappeared. (K7RA via ARRL Web Extra)
| June, 2008 | |
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