Subj : Newsline Part 1 To : ALL USERS From : DARYL STOUT Date : Fri Dec 18 2015 04:46 am Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1990, December 18, 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1990, with a release date of Friday, December 18, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. A gun battle in Afghanistan kills a ham, another typhoon hits the Philippines, the new and improved FCC website goes live, it's almost time for Quartzfest, an update for Newsline's EchoProducer users, and part 2 of our remembrance of Bob Ferrero, W6RJ. All this, and more, in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1990 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here and Intro) ** RADIO AMATEUR KILLED IN KABUL VIOLENCE DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with word that a ham from Spain has become a Silent Key, following a gun battle inside the Spanish Embassy in Kabul. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details: [JEREMY]: Isidro Gabino San Martin Hernandez, EB1BT, from Leon, Spain, was working as part of the Spanish Embassy's security team in Kabul when he, another police officer, and numerous others on the diplomatic staff, were killed during an extended shootout inside the embassy early Friday evening, Dec. 11. The shootout closely followed the explosion of a car bomb, believed to have been set by Taliban suicide bombers, outside the Embassy's guest house gate. A group of gunmen then entered the embassy compound and a 9-hour gun battle ensued. According to an account posted in The Spain Report, all the attackers were ultimately killed by the Afghan Police Special Forces. A statement released by the Spanish Home Office said the Home Secretary had offered the King's and the Prime Minister's condolences to Gabino's widow, and ordered Spanish flags flown at half-mast for three days on police buildings. Hernandez, the father of four, was 48. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, UK. ** FLORIDA HAM AGREES TO PENALTY In a consent decree with the FCC, Thomas J. Warren, K3TW, of Lecanto, Florida, has agreed to pay a $3,500 civil penalty for failing to identify while transmitting on 20 meters. The consent decree, issued Dec. 9, says in part: QUOTE "In response to complaints that an unidentified station was transmitting on an Amateur Radio frequency at 14 MHz, FCC agents determined that the transmissions were coming from Mr Warren's residence. To settle this matter, Mr. Warren admits that he failed to transmit his assigned call sign, violated the Commissions rules, will report any noncompliance with rules governing the Amateur Radio Service, and will pay a $3500 civil penalty." The decree traces the case back to June 25 of this year, when, the agency says, Warren acknowledges he may have failed to transmit his station identification as required. The decree went on to say that Warren's transmissions QUOTE "related to an ongoing dispute with another amateur radio operator, whose intentional interference had allegedly disrupted communications on the American Foreign Service Net that operates weekly on 14.316 MHz." ENDQUOTE With the issuance of the decree, the agency has concluded its investigation of Warren. (ARRL, FCC) ** HELPING BRACE UP SOUTH BENGAL A team of radio amateurs from Chennai, Bangalore and Kerala are traveling to south Bengal to assess the communications infrastructure, and other assets that would help the state brace for any disaster, such as the cyclone that struck in May 2009. The hams' main challenge is to study what kind of shelter is available in the region, the state's disaster-management plan if any, and the feasibility of creating a series of amateur radio communication bases. The hams will take into account the area's access to the Internet, even in remote areas. (HINDUSTAN TIMES) ** TACKLING THE PHILIPPINES' TYPHOON A weather disaster in another part of the world - the Philippines - had ham radio operators mobilizing well before it made landfall. And then, as Typhoon Melor approached, the Philippine Amateur Radio Association activated its Ham Emergency Radio Operations, or HERO. By the time it hit on Monday, Dec. 14, the typhoon swept through the central part of the nation, cutting power for millions, and leaving at least six dead, one of them a child. The Philippine government reported that more than 90,000 homes were damaged, at least 8,000 beyond repair. In addition, mudslides and landslides left roads blocked. HERO has been making use of 7.095 MHz, lower side band, as its calling frequency for emergency traffic, requesting that all amateurs keep the frequency clear. The hams are utilizing backup power, and plan to continue operations as the typhoon makes landfall throughout the archipelago. (CHANNEL NEWS ASIA, SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS, WEATHER.COM) ** FCC WEBSITE UPGRADE For ham radio operators, not every long-awaited launch necessarily involves a CubeSat. On Dec. 9, the FCC set course on a new trajectory with a website designed for improved access and navigation. A statement from the Commission describes the new website as featuring QUOTE "a more responsive design, a new site navigation structure, and an improved search capability." ENDQUOTE The site also provides a friendlier interface for display on mobile devices, tablets, and other platforms beyond the desktop environment. The site includes some big plusses for hams: There is now the ability to link hams directly to the Universal Licensing System from the homepage, and also access a direct link to the Electronic Comment Filing system, which is used for input in official proceedings. Project Manager Deanna Stephens also notes, in an agency blog online, that the site's ability to offer navigation by toggling permits browsing by Categories or by Bureau and Office -- hopefully providing more responsiveness to user preferences. (ARRL, FCC) --- BgNet 1.0a12 - The Thunderbolt BBS wx1der.dyndns.org Little Rock, AR .