ARRL Hudson Division
December 2002
Hudson Division Beacon - e-mail edition
By Frank Fallon, N2FF, Director, Hudson Division, ARRL
30 East Williston Avenue, East Williston, NY 11596
(516) 746-7652
n2ff@arrl.org
Hudson Division Home Page - http://www.hudson.arrl.org
 
ARRL Members
 
Please continue to spread the word to others that may want to receive
this information that they will need to access the ARRL members only web
site. After becoming a member they must edit their profile and elect to
receive bulletins from the Section Manager and Director. If you are
already a member on the ARRL site (http://www.arrl.org) from the
"Members Only" box click on "members data page" and then under email
notification options set "Division/Section notices" to YES. You will
receive the next bulletin sent.
 
The Best of Holiday Wishes from the Fallon Family to your family. We
hope that 2003 will be a good year for us all - health, peace and plenty
of good ham radio experiences. We are a little bit late in getting this
issue to you as we have been having too much fun entertaining our four
year old granddaughter on her visit from the UK.
 
Thanks to the following clubs for your invitations and hospitality: Mt.
Beacon ARC, 10-70 Repeater Association, Cherryville Repeater
Association, North Jersey DX Association, and Long Island Amateur Radio
Club. It was nice to be able to so many of you during the holiday
season.
 
May 2003 be a good year for us all and our projects and endeavors be
successful. Continue to enjoy our great hobby/service Amateur Radio in
2003!
 
ALERT: The ARRL RTTY Roundup will take place January 4 and 5 (before the
next issue of Beacon). Please work me in that contest if you operate. 
It's an opportunity to get WAS on RTTY.
Hamfest are over until next year. The first event will be HRU2003 on
Sunday January 19, 2003. It is an interesting event now in its fourth
year and well worth a visit - see info on the final page.
 
> A DX LEGEND PASSES..... NJDXA LOOSES FOUNDING MEMBER - Howard Wolf,
W2AGW SK
 
The NJDXA recently lost one of its founding members and the DX world
lost one of its finest operators when W2AGW recently became a silent
key.
 
Howie was at the top of the DXCC list (391) having worked and confirmed
VP6 and P5 just this past year.
 
Several years ago at Dayton, Howie was standing in line for over an hour
to get his Chesterfield card from Martti Laine. When Martti saw Howie's
callsign and found out how long Howie waited, Martti replied, "You
waited for me? I should be waiting for you."
 
Several years ago Howie told me that he had once run for Hudson Division
Director and tied in that race with Harry Dannals. It was the only time
in ARRL history when there has been a tie in a director election. In
the run off, Howie lost by twelve votes. Howie with a smile on his face
said, "I always wanted to know who those twelve guys were," And after a
pause he added, "..... so I could thank them." 
 
Howie was a true gentleman, both on the air and off. It is the end of
an era and those of us who knew him will miss him.
 
>NEW JERSEY TOWER BILL INTRODUCED
 
Matt Ahearn. KB2PNN, New Jersey Assemblyman sent an e-mail announcing
that he has submitted
our Bill into the Assembly as Bill A-3065! Matt's initiative has saved
us months of work. We still need a sponsor in the Senate which we have
to work toward. We are still looking for a Senate sponsor. E-mail me
if you have any NJ Senate contacts, please. Stand by for directions as
to how you can help. It's too early in the process to begin letter
writing.
 
I am thrilled to bits that we now have bills in both New Jersey and New
York. It's been my goal for years. Our NJ PRB-1 Task force met over a
number of months earlier this year to write a bill and we thought we had
a good one. When I announced in the monthly Hudson Division e-mail
Beacon that we had a bill and were looking for sponsors I had an e-mail
from Matt Ahearn, KB2PPN, saying he would like to sponsor the bill - he
was a ham, an ARRL members and a NJ Assemblyman. Good qualifications!
Matt had gone ahead and put his own bill together. His bill is actually
better in some respects than what we came up with in that it gets the
height of 70 feet into the bill in a less confrontational fashion. We
decided to submit Matt's bill instead of the one our committee had
written. Matt wants to get the bill passed. We are very lucky to have
him in the New Jersey Assembly and I have a very good feeling about the
bill's chance of passage this year in Trenton. 
 
I must admit that I feel very good that we now have efforts going for
antenna rights in both New Jersey and New York. It's a goal I have been
striving toward for many years. Let's keep our fingers crossed in 2003
for a double win in both states.
 
>WRC-03 CONFERENCE PREPARATORY MEETING EXPANDS 40-METER OPTIONS
 
Participants at the recent Conference Preparatory Meeting (CPM) for
World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 heard just five ways to fix 40
meters, plus a sixth that would just leave things as they are.
 
"The five options for change all represent improvements in the amateur
band, although two fall short of fulfilling the 300-kHz worldwide
requirement," said ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ. He
attended the Geneva gathering in his role as International Amateur Radio
Union (IARU) secretary. "All six options maintain the existing 300-kHz
exclusive amateur allocation in Region 2."
 
The objective of the CPM was to complete work on a 700-plus page
extensive technical CPM Report, which outlines methods to address the
more than three dozen items that are on the WRC-03 agenda. As for
amateur issues, Sumner says 7-MHz realignment or harmonization "is one
of the most difficult issues facing WRC-03." As he explains the
situation, three major interests--amateurs, shortwave broadcasters, and
users, mainly military, of the fixed and mobile services--have a stake
in the outcome.
 
The IARU is on record as supporting a 300-kHz worldwide amateur
allocation in the vicinity of 7 MHz. Sumner said achieving this would
require the fixed and mobile services to make room for broadcasters and
for the broadcasters to change their operating frequencies. The five
methods for change the CPM Report describes include a variety of
transition schedules to ease the impact on these other services.
 
* Method A would shift Region 1 and 3 broadcasters up by 200 kHz to
7300-7550 kHz in two stages and would provide the same band for
broadcasting in Region 2.
 
* Method B is similar but would have amateurs in Regions 1 and 3 sharing
the upper 100 kHz of their newly expanded band with fixed and mobile. 
 
*Method C would provide just 200 kHz for amateurs in Regions 1 and 3. 
Amateurs in Region 2 would continue to contend with broadcasting
interference from Regions 1 and 3 in the 7200-7300 kHz segment.
 
* Method D, proposed by Canada at the CPM, would provide 300 kHz
worldwide for amateurs by shifting broadcasters in Regions 1 and 3 up by
200 kHz but would not expand the Region 2 broadcasting allocation. This
plan would minimize the impact on fixed and mobile services in Region
2.
 
* Method E, proposed by the Republic of Korea at the CPM, would provide
amateurs in Regions 1 and 3 with an additional 100 kHz shared with fixed
and mobile (7100-7200 kHz). As with Method C, however, Region 2 amateurs
would continue to face broadcasting interference from Regions 1 and 3 in
the 7200-7300 kHz segment.
 
* Method F, proposed by Australia at the CPM, would simply maintain the
status quo. This plan reflects concerns about the impact of realignment
on military and national security communications capabilities.
 
"There is no guarantee that proposals will be limited to the six methods
described in the CPM Report," Sumner said.
 
Sponsored by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the CPM
drew more than 1000 participants to Geneva during the last two weeks of
November. Over the next three months, regional telecommunications
organizations and groups (CEPT, CITEL, and Asia-Pacific Telecommunity,
the
African Telecommunications Union, and Iran and the Arab States) as well
as individual administrations will be developing their proposals for
WRC-03, which takes place in Geneva next summer. 
(from ARRL Letter)
 
>FIRST AMATEUR TRANSATLANTIC HF DIGITAL VOICE QSO REPORTED
 
Radio communication pioneers Ten-Tec and Thales have announced that
they've used an Amateur Radio linkup to span the Atlantic on HF digital
voice for the first time. Ten-Tec's Doug Smith, KF6DX, and Thales'
Didier Chulot, F5MJN, successfully transmitted and received HF digital
speech signals November 22 between Paris, France, and Ten-Tec's
Sevierville, Tennessee, headquarters.
 
"We view this as a significant accomplishment," said Smith. "Amateur
Radio has long been at the forefront of technological development. It's
nice to be able to show that our legacy is alive and well." Tests are
being conducted under the auspices of ARRL's Digital Voice Working
Group, which Smith chairs. A written report on the tests is due in
January.
 
Calling it "a major breakthrough," a Ten-Tec news release said the two
amateur stations "demonstrated the advantages of digital audio during
the conversation, including noise-free, FM-like reception and the
potential for simultaneous voice and data." The feat was accomplished on
15 meters using Ten-Tec transceivers and Thales Communications Skywave
2000 digital audio software. Operating as F8KGG, Chulot spoke with Smith
for several minutes over the HF digital link, operating within a 3-kHz
bandwidth.
 
Smith said he and F5MJN used unmodified Ten-Tec transceivers in
upper-sideband mode, although AM or FM mode also would work. No
additional hardware was required beyond the cables connecting the
transceiver and the microphone to the PC sound card. Smith said audio
quality was roughly the same as a conventional telephone circuit. An
Amateur Radio version of the Thales system is expected to appear on the
market early next year. "At this stage, the system is experimental-only
for ham radio, but it looks like it's going to take off," Smith
predicted.
 
In terms of Amateur Radio, Alinco was the first manufacturer to come out
with a digital voice option for some of its transceivers. ICOM debuted
its D-Star digital "concept radio" system last May at the Dayton
Hamvention--where Smith chaired the Digital Voice Forum--and
demonstrated it at the ARRL-TAPR Digital Communications Conference in
September. The unit, which operates on 1.2 GHz, was scheduled to hit the
ham radio market this fall.
 
Technical details of the Thales system will appear in an article
"International Digital Audio Broadcasting Standards: Voice Coding and
Amateur Radio Applications" in the January/February issue of QEX, which
he edits. The article is available on the ARRL Web site 
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/x0301049.pdf>. He also has authored
two articles on digital voice in QST: "Digital Voice: The Next New
Mode?"
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/0201028.pdf> in the January 2002
issue, and "Digital Voice: An Update and Forecast"
<http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/0202038.pdf> in the February 2002
issue.
 
Additional images and background are available on the TAPR Web site
<http://www.tapr.org>. Look for the Digital Voice Forum page and the
presentation by Cédric Demeure.--Ten-Tec news release; Doug Smith,
KF6DX. (from ARRL Letter)
 
* RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA DINNER
 
ARRL was represented at the annual Radio Club of America Banquet at the
New York Athletic Club on Friday, November 22. Mary Hobart joined Hudson
Division Director Frank Fallon, N2FF, and ARRL Assistant Director Jerry
Agliata, W2GLA, and their wives at the dinner honoring many pioneers in
wireless communications. Especially important was news that the Radio
Club is considering an annual grant to ARRL to support the Education &
Technology Program, based on preliminary contacts made by Walt Stinson,
W0CP, and President Jim Haynie, W5JBP.
 
At the event Robert G. Buus, W2OD, of Holmdel, New Jersey was inducted
as a fellow in RCA. Bob is a long time member of the Garden State
Amateur Radio Club and past director of QCWA. Congratulations Bob.
 
The Radio Club of America announced at the club's 93rd annual banquet
that it would give at least $6500 this year to the ARRL's Education and
Technology Program, and hopes to increase that amount next year. ARRL
Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, said she was thrilled with
the gift. "This means that we'll be able to add three more schools to
the project, serving up to 100 more children," she said. 
 
The Radio Club of America, officially founded in 1909 in New York City
as "the world's first radio communications society," was involved with
some of the earliest defenses of Amateur Radio before the U.S. Congress
in the 1910s. One of its early members, Paul Godley, was involved with
the ARRL's 1921 Transatlantic Tests. Perhaps the RCA's most famous
member was Edwin H. Armstrong, the father of the regenerative circuit
and FM radio. 
 
For more information about The Radio Club of America see
<http://www.radio-club-of-america.org/> 
More information on "The Big Project" is available on the ARRL Web site
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/tbp/>.
 
> THE DIAMOND CLUB - Charter Member Deadline nears........
 
If you become a charter member by December 31, 2002 ARRL will send you
an additional gift -- an ARRL lanyard -- to say thank you. And when
your friends ask, we hope you'll tell them about the wonderful new
benefits you're enjoying as a member of ARRL's newest recognition club.
 
 
The introductory level benefits of The Diamond Club begin at just $75 a
year ($50 for Life Members). Life Members and ARRL members may receive
additional benefits available at higher club levels for larger
contributions. Recognition for increased annual support in The Diamond
Club includes all the benefits of ARRL membership plus new pins and
certificates for every level, special Diamond Club car window decals,
publication discounts, new QST delivery options and recognition
opportunities, including a Donor Recognition event ...all designed and
selected with you in mind. You select the contribution level that fits
your budget and ARRL will do the rest. Membership in The Diamond Club is
a one-year commitment and is renewable each year. Each year you can
decide what level of contribution best fits your budget and
circumstances. Before your Diamond Club membership expires we will send
you a notice so that you can tell us what level of commitment you want
to make for the coming year. And remember, your Diamond Club
contribution is tax deductible to the extent permitted by law, as are
all contributions to ARRL above and beyond basic membership. 
 
* FIELD DAY RESULTS CORRECTIONS
 
Small print and old eyes led to a number of clubs being left out of last
month's list. Sorry about that!
Every year when I attempt to report Field Day results the small type
gets to me and there is a goof or two. This year the dubious honor goes
to Larkfield in NLI which should have been shown in the 3a catagory as
follows.
 
Larkfield ARC W2LRC+KC2IKT (NLI) 871
 
Larkfield was in 1st place in the 3A category with 871 QSO's and 4100
points.
 
Thanks to Chuck Hartley, N2JIY, LARC VP, Huntington EC, RO Field Day
Coordinator for spotting that one.
 
Also left out were my good friends at the American Red Cross (Queens)
who provided a great "surf and turf" meal in a beautiful setting. I
know I am in for small portions next year!
 
In 2A The American Red Cross Emergency Communications Service using the
call WB2QBP plus K2ARC was in fifth place in the division with 1616
QSO's and 30 operators placing a lot higher than they did last year. A
very good showing for 2002.
 
We missed the Putnam Valley Long Wave Radio Society..... SORRY
 
1A Putnam Valley Long Wave Radio Society (ENY) W2DC 350 
 
Mike W2AG (LM, VE) let us know about that omission.
 
> THE METROPLEX REPEATER RETURNS 
The Metroplex Repeater, a twenty-five year tradition in the New York
City Metropolitan Area, is alive and well, and preparing for a full
schedule of events for 2003. The two-meter machine (145.450, -.600KHZ,
P.L. 100.0) and the 440 machine (443.950, +5.000MHZ, P.L. 141.3)
transmit from Fort Lee, New Jersey.
Now known as the Metroplex Amateur Radio Club and transmitting as the
KC2KCL Repeater, the club meets every Saturday afternoon, between 1:00
PM and 5:00 PM, at the Red Oak Diner, in Fort Lee. Prospective members
and all hams are invited to have lunch and "rag-chew" in person, with
the club members.
 
Current officers are President Tom Bennett, N2IMG; Vice-President Armand
Lucchesi, WA2SHA; Nick Bernice, W2NAB; George Lafasakis, N2ROI; Dominic
Benjamin, AB2BW; and Frank Ferrer, KB2VVP, Trustees. Charter members are
John Acovino, KB2VVO; Paul Lynch, KB2WEE; John Ludewig; and Simon
Taylor, Unlicensed.
 
Michael Adams, WA2MWT, Government and Public Relations Coordinator,
stated: "Emergency Communications will be a priority with the Metroplex
ARC. We will be affiliating with the Bergen Emergency Communications
Association (KC2FTL) and the Bergen Emergency Weather Association
(KC2KBM)."
 
Membership dues are $20.00 a year and membership applications can be
downloaded from the group's website at www.metroplex.org. and inquiries
may be made to webmaster@metroplex.org/ Most of the club's members
belong to the American Radio Relay League and encourage participation in
that organization.
 
President Tom Bennett sums up the philosophy of the KC2KCL: "We like to
think that the present-day Metroplex Amateur Radio Club is making its
MARC in the metropolitan area. We are a friendly and diverse bunch of
amateur radio operators and are currently looking to expand our
membership."
Submitted by Michael Adams, WA2MWT 
 
> LIGHOUSE ACTIVITY -- 12/21/2002: Warren, WM2Z, will activate the
following lighthouses on
Eastern Long Island (NA-026), New York during the Lighthouse Christmas
Lights event (December 21/02 - January 5/03): Horton Point Lighthouse
(USA-387, Suffolk county), Long Beach Bar (Bug) Lighthouse (WLHA
LH-2151, USA-448, Suffolk county), Orient Point Lighthouse (WLHA
LH-0205, USA-663,
Suffolk county) and Plum Island Lighthouse (WLHA LH-1401, USA-606
Suffolk county). Activity will be intermittent during daylight hours
only and on the usual ARLHS frequencies in the 40 through 10 meter
bands, but 20 meters will be the primary band. QSL direct to WM2Z, with
SASE, for QSL card with color
photo of respective lighthouse(s). [tnx WM2Z]
 
> NEW YORK STATE VANITY PLATES
 
New York is among a select number of States offering Ham Radio specific
plates for Amateur Radio operators. Illinois is the most recent State to
recognize Amateur Radio operators by adding a Ham plate program in
November 2002. In New York, there is an initial fee of $18.00 to have
the plates issued, plus a recurring $5.00 annual fee. Note, these fees
are in addition to the normal two-year registration fees. To apply, you
must complete and submit the MV-411. A copy of your Amateur Radio
License must accompany the MV-411 registration form. Forms can be
downloaded from the NYSDMV website
http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/emerg.htm#FORM . For more information, you
may also call the NYSDMV at 1-800-364-7528 M-F between the hours are
8:00 am - 4:30 PM. 
from MBARC Repeeper
 
> NEW YORK LEGISLATIVE SESSION ......
 
The New York Legislature is spending four days back in session in
December. Although in session on December 17 and 18, as expected, they
did not pass our bill. 
 
At a lunch time meeting in New Rochelle on Monday, December 2 with
Assemblyman Tocci we learned that Speaker Silver does not plan to pass
any more bills this year. We spent most of our meeting discussing
strategy for passage in 2003. As "legislative history" is important for
any bill, the fact that the Senate passed the bill in 2002 will make it
easier to move the bill through committees next year. 
 
We have been in contact with our Senate Sponsor, Dale Volker, and he
plans to introduce the bill again early in 2003. We expect the bills to
be reintroduced early in 2003 and receive new numbers.
 
> 10-70 REPEATER ASSOCIATION ELECTS NEW OFFICERS FOR 2003
 
The 10-70 Repeater Association, Inc. a 229-member club from Northern New
Jersey held elections for its 2003 club officers at the Holiday Potluck
Social on Wednesday, December 4, 2002. The slate included: Paul
Beshlian - KC2CJW for President, Joyce Birmingham - KA2ANF for Vice
President, Patrick Sawey - WA2PFS and Carollee Ognibene - W2NLX for
Treasurer. In attendance that evening was Hudson Division Director,
Frank Fallon - N2FF.
 
Highlights of the evening included a potluck dinner prepared by the
members and desserts provided by 10-70. There was a farewell speech,
complete with Presidential pardons from outgoing President, Frank
Occidentale - N2ZNF who held office for 3+ years after the sudden
passing of Andy Birmingham - WB2RQX. Frank, who also serves as Assistant
Director to the Hudson Division was invaluable in helping the club
obtain the "Club 2000" award. The club officers presented Frank with a
plaque honoring his years of service along with a symbol of the club
gavel. 
 
During the evening, the Metroplex Amateur Radio Club was welcomed at an
official ceremony from the board of 10-70 reinstating the 145.45 machine
back to them. The 145.45 machine was obtained by 10-70 after the
passing of their President, Alex Magosi - W2OV. We are glad to have the
MARC as another viable club in the Hudson Division and will continue to
support them as they grow. Congratulations to their new officers, Tom
Bennett, N2IMG - President, Dominick Benjamin, AB2BW - Vice President,
Armand Lucchesi, WA2SHA - Trustee and their board of directors.
 
Howard Holden, WB2AWQ was on hand to present certificates to those
operating from the submarine, USS Ling in Hackensack, NJ on November 16,
2002 commemorating the 2nd anniversary of the NX2ND callsign. 
 
The first ever "Andrew Birmingham, Ham of the Year Service Award" was
presented to Paul Beshlian, KC2CJW for all his hard work and dedication
to the club. He's always there to help out those in need and is
committed to the 10-70 club and all it's members. He was presented with
a plaque sponsored by 10-70 and a gift certificate from the Birmingham
family - Joyce, KA2ANF, Krista, KB2MER and Holly, KB2ZMM. 
 
The evenings festivities were further heightened by the showing of the
10-70 "Year In Review" video presentation, by club member, Dan Roman -
N2MFC. 
 
The 10-70 Repeater Association, Inc. hosts monthly meetings at the
Clifton VFW on Valley Road in Clifton, New Jersey. For more
information, call the hotline at 201-445-5172 or visit our website: 
http://www.10-70.org Submitted by Joyce Birmingham, KA2ANF
 
>>>>>APPROVED HAMFESTS: none until HRU on January 19th in Oyster
Bay....
 
Ham Radio University 2003 will take place Sunday, January 19, as part of
the ARRL New York City-Long Island Section Convention in Oyster Bay, New
York (East Woods School, 31 Yellow Cote Road). Billed as a day of
education about Amateur Radio, this year's event will feature new
forums--including sessions for nonhams as well as for experienced
operators. The focus will be hands-on, with special event station W2V on
the air and day-long demonstrations of digital communications, satellite
communications, low-power operating, emergency communications and other
modes and activities. Featured guest speaker and forum leader will be
Gordon West, WB6NOA. HRU 2003 will include an Amateur Radio examination
session. HRU 2003 is sponsored by the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio
Club and is a cooperative effort among more than 20 clubs and
organizations in the New York City-Long Island area. Admission is open
to all ($2 donation), and refreshments will be available. Talk-in is on
the W2VL 146.85 and 147.210 repeaters. For more information contact ARRL
NYC-LI SM George Tranos, N2GA, or visit the ARRL New York City-Long
Island Web site.
 
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ARRL Hudson Division
Director: Frank Fallon, N2FF
n2ff@arrl.org
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