OSCAR Meeting
The next regular OSCAR meeting is 09-Jul: 09:00 AM (local time) at Hardees in Owatonna.

Field Day
The summary page for KCØBXJ Includes the following statistics:

• 15 participants operating 2A at Crane Creek School Park.
• 634 QSO points, virtually all on phone.
• Battery power, less than 150 watts, multipliers, bonus points calculate up to a claimed score of 1268.

Thanks to Kris KCØREO for heading up this year's event. The bands did not cooperate, but the weather held the rain off for most of the operating time. Pictures will be posted when the editor has some more time, probably next week.

Public Service Opportunities W5YI.org
The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network is seeking amateur radio operators to provide emergency communications support for the Salvation Army operations in local, regional, and international disaster and emergency situations. No experience is required. SATERN provides periodic training, through both local and regional seminars, in disaster preparedness and emergency communications procedures. They also conduct periodic desktop and field drills to test their systems, equipment and operators. Contact Major Patrick E. McPherson, WW9E at ww9e@aol.com .

Technician Class
The Viking ARC (Waseca) is having a Technician Class this month. The class schedule is:

• 15-Jul, Fri: 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
• 16-Jul, Sat: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• 22-Jul, Fri: 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM.
• 23-Jul, Sat: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.
• 29-Jul, Fri: 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM - Review Session.

Contact Keith WA0JGT (WA0JGT@arrl.net, 507-833-2304) for more information and class registration. Classes will be held in the basement of the Waseca EOC. The current class size is estimated to be about 12. Registration is encouraged to ensure the reading materials are available for the first day of class. My understanding is they will be teaching using a video tape series by the ARRL, but will NOT be using Now You're Talking.

Good luck to instructors and participants on a successful class.

St. Paul Yard Sale
Shane WØNKA passed along this late information on a yard sale in St. Paul on 30-Jul. The second annual MAGIC REPEATER yard sale is at the QTH of Art KA0JLB at 37 Hatch Street in St. Paul. I-35E to Maryland Ave, west to Sylvan and finally south to Hatch. Talk-in is 145.170 with free coffee and admission. Questions can be directed to n0sbu@arrl.net.

FCC E-Mail Offer From Newsline
The FCC's Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau is launching a new Consumer Information Registry. The Registry is an Internet database that can be customized to deliver information on Amateur Radio, digital television, telephone, telecommunications, or other issues in the communications field. Sign-up at FCC and indicate the subjects you wish to receive information about.

Digital TV Deadline From KAAL-TV
The Federal Communications Commission voted to require that all medium-sized televisions, those with screens from 25 to 36 inches, be capable of receiving both digital and traditional analog signals by March first. That's four months earlier than the commission had mandated three years ago. Regulators also retained a requirement that half of all new mid-size televisions have the capability by July first. The lack of digital-capable television sets has been a major roadblock to Congress' tentative deadline late next year to complete the transition from traditional analog TV signals to digital. The law setting that deadline permits it to be extended in any market until 85 percent of the homes have a digital TV.

Ham Radio Spectrum Protection From ARRL Letter
A US Senate version of the Amateur Radio Spectrum Protection Act of 2005 was introduced in the 109th Congress. S 1236 is identical to the House version, HR 691, introduced earlier this year. Like previous versions of the proposal, the House and Senate measures would require the FCC to provide "equivalent replacement spectrum" to the Amateur Radio and Amateur-Satellite services in the event of reallocation to other services of primary amateur spectrum or the diminution of secondary amateur spectrum. The bill also would cover additional allocations within Amateur Radio bands that "would substantially reduce" their utility to Amateur Service licensees.

No GPS Retransmissions From Newsline
The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau has sent citations to a group of retailers for selling the a device kbnown as a GPS re-radiator Antenna. This is a combined an antenna and amplifier which can either connect directly to a GPS unit and boost the signal, or re-transmit it. For automotive use, it could be mounted outside the car and retransmit into the GPS unit inside. GPS operating frequencies fall into the restricted frequency bands of the FCC's Part 15 rules for unlicensed intentional radiators. Only low level signals caused spurious emissions may be unintentionally radiated in these restricted bands. Therefore, this type of a device could not be in compliance with FCC's rules and receive a certification grant.

Rohn Tower CD From ARRL Letter
The legendary Rohn catalog. It's chock full of products, specs, and drawings for their popular guyed and self-supporting towers. Even if you don't put up a Rohn, its a great resource. You can get your own free copy on CD from the Rohn website. Go to 'Register' on the top toolbar and sign up for one.

Australian Over-The-Horizon Radar From Newsline
The Australian Government launched a trial of the new early warning system to boost protection of its northern borders from drug runners, disease, illegal immigration and unlicensed fishing. Some believe that the new radar could be the source of objectionable interference to ham radio operations on 40 and 80 meters. A government release that says the new radar system can detect surface vessels and low-flying aircraft beyond the visible horizon. It has the potential to deliver 24-hour wide-area coastal surveillance of aircraft, ships and boats travelling in the Torres Strait.

IBOC Interference From CGC Communicator
In-Band/On-Channel (IBOC) is a digital broadcast system for the AM bands. Some broadcast stations are experiencing reduced coverage areas and interference due to sidebands being generated by the digital transmitter. One St. Louis station is reportedly causing to the signals of other broadcasters that St. Louis area listeners regularly tune in. This includes the signals of WHB on 810 Kiloherrtz in Kansas City; KOTC on 830 Kilohertz in Kennett, Missouri; WINU on 870 Kilohertz in Shelbyville, Illinois; WCBW on 880 Highland, Illinois and powerhouse WLS on 890 Kilohertz in Chicago

OnLine Design Tools From ARRL Contest Rate Sheet
Visit National Semiconductor WEBENCH® ONLINE DESIGN TOOLS for help in designing active filters, amplifier circuits, power supplies, and other types of circuits. The tools guide you through each step of your design to get an optimized prototype faster than ever.

Japan Goes Slow-Code From Newsline
Japan's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications indicates that applicants for Japan's 1st and 2nd class licenses need only pass a 5 wpm Morse test with for two minutes of solid copy to attain full access to the H-F bands. Previously these two license classes required 12 and 9 word per minute Morse speeds respectively. Code test requirements for a third class license will be eliminated. It has required that an applicant pass a 5 word per minute Morse test. The changes take affect 01-Oct.

On The BPL Front From Various Sources
Republican Congressman Pete Sessions introduced the Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005. The primary aim of the bill is to prohibit state and local governments from providing any telecommunications or information service that is substantially similar to what is provided by private companies. HR 2726, is aimed at fending off municipally-run wireless networks. Telecomm operators say that such government networks pose unfair competition while municipalities claim the services promote business and close the gap between those who have digital access and others who cannot afford the access fees currently charged.

Texas Senate Bill 1748 encourages the deployment of BPL by electric utilities but failed to pass. The measure got stalled in the Texas House of Representatives where it was grafted onto two other bills, but died when House and Senate leaders were unable to resolve their differing versions.

In Nebraska, legislature passed a bill that bans "agencies, political subdivisions and public power suppliers" from providing any broadband, Internet, telecommunications or video services.

San Diego Gas & Electric Company indicate they are only about 30 days from lighting up the first public test of Access Broadband Powerline technology. The location for the expereiment has already been chosen and will be released shortly. So far, the American Radio Relay League, XETV television, Communications General Corporation and a number of public safety agencies plan to make interference tests.

Rep Mike Ross, WD5DVR, of Arkansas, sponsored House Resolution 230 (HRes 230) calling on the FCC to comprehensively evaluate BPL's interference potential incorporating. HRes 230 asks for"extensive public review and comment," then to "reconsider and review" the BPL rules in the light of that public input. While HRes 230 does not specifically address the BPL concerns of the Amateur Radio community, the concerns are BPL's implications for the public safety community.