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Subject: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2447 for Friday September 20th, 2024
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Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2024 08:00:08 EDT
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2447 for Friday September 20th, 2024
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 with a release date of
Friday, September 20th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Icom issues warnings about counterfeit products
in the wake of deadly HT explosions in the Middle East. An influential
group weighs in on the proposed privatization of 900 MHz - and three
hams have an eyeball QSO that creates some inspiring harmony.  All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 comes your way
right now.

** 
BILLBOARD CART


**
ICOM ISSUES STATEMENT ON COUNTERFEIT RADIOS AFTER EXPLOSIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, Icom Japan issued a
statement regarding its IC-V82 handheld radio, a discontinued model
that some reports say may have been counterfeited in connection with
deadly explosions in Lebanon. The company statement did not directly
address those explosions by name but said that the radios and
batteries, which were manufactured and exported between 2004 and 2014,
went to markets that included the Middle East between 2004 and 2014. 

Ray Novak, N9JA, senior sales manager for Icom America's amateur radio
division, expressed certainty that the radios in question were
counterfeit. Attending a Rhode Island trade show, he told the
Associated Press: [quote] "I can guarantee you they were not our
products."

Acknowledging the relative ease with which unauthorized radios can be
duplicated, Icom's website also includes detailed information showing
how consumers are able to determine whether or not their radio is a
counterfeit.

For a link to that part of the company website, see the text version of
this newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://www.icomjapan.com/explore/genuine_info/ ]


(ICOM AMERICA, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**
INFLUENTIAL GROUP WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED PRIVATIZATION OF 900 MHz BAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: An influential group in the US has weighed in on the
proposed privatization of the 900 MHz band, just as the clock winds
down on sending comment to the FCC. Kent Peterson KC0DGY explains the
issue - and the concerns.

KENT: The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit group in the US
advocating for freedom in the use of technology, has added its voice to
the chorus urging the FCC to keep the 900 MHz band accessible to
amateur radio operators, industrial, scientific and medical devices and
unlicensed consumer electronics. Those frequencies are being eyed by
NextNav, a geolocation technology company, which made a request earlier
this year to the FCC for exclusive rights to the part of the spectrum
between 902 and 928 MHz.

The private company's stated intent has been to have these frequencies
privatized for use by 5G cellular communications and a positioning,
navigating and timing network to be used in the US as a backup for GPS
navigation. The ARRL and a number of other amateur organizations have
already spoken out urging the FCC to turn the proposal down. In its
response to the FCC, the ARRL argued that the move would pose a risk to
public service because it would edge ham radio operators out of a part
of the spectrum that is well-used.

The period for comments to the FCC on this proposal closed on Friday,
the 20th of September.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION, ARRL, FCC)

**
UK PROVIDERS ROLL OUT SHARED RURAL NETWORKING

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the UK, amateurs using mobile phones to self-spot on
the clusters while operating portable got some good news recently from
cellular companies, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Hams operating portable from summits and parks in the UK may
find it easier to announce their activations on the various spotting
networks with the help of a Shared Rural Network being created by all
of the UK's cellular providers. Absence of 4G coverage in rural areas
has been a stumbling block for cellular communications in those
underserved areas. An agreement was signed in 2020 between Ofcom and
the four cellular service providers to fill that need. The regulator
announced recently that Vodafone, O2 and EE have fulfilled their
commitment to bring 4G coverage to 88 percent of the UK's landmass by
this past June but that the fourth cellular provider, "3", did not meet
that deadline. Ofcom said that "3" believes that it has met its
commitment as of the 22nd of August. The deadline for the network's
completion is the end of January 2027.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(OFCOM)

**
DAB+ RECEIVERS TO DELIVER IMPROVED EMERGENCY ALERTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, outside the US, users of DAB+ [D A B Plus]
technology will be seeing some improvements in the delivery of
emergency alerts. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what's going on.

GRAHAM: The delivery of improved emergency alerts and communication is
expected next year for users of the newest DAB+ receivers, which are in
wide use in Australia and many parts of Europe and Asia. According to a
report on the Radio World website, the radios will be able to respond
instantly for emergency transmissions, switching the receiver to the
station transmitting the details and displaying text information on the
screen. The technology also enables temporary radio channels to be
established for the delivery of information. The standard is known as
Automatic Safety Alert, or ASA, and ASA-equipped receivers are also
capable of being turned on automatically to receive these emergency
messages.

The technology was developed by WorldDAB in partnerhip with
Digitalradio Deutschland, working with the chipmaker Frontier Smart
Technologies. The initiative went forward with manufacturers such as
JVC Kenwood and Technisat on board.

DAB+ radio is not in use in the United States but proved especially
useful in Australia in 2011 during the floods that overtook Brisbane,
Queensland. The deadly flooding killed dozens of people, forced massive
evacuations and ultimately cost $2.38 billion, according to the
Insurance Council of Australia.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(RADIO WORLD, WORLDDAB.ORG)

**
SILENT KEY: MICHAEL VALENTINE, W8MM, ENTREPRENEUR, HAMVENTION VOLUNTEER

PAUL/ANCHOR: A familiar face at Hamvention, a beloved member of the
Dayton Amateur Radio Association - and generous benefactor to ham radio
- has become a Silent Key. Michael Valentine, W8MM, died on the 17th of
September.

A former engineer for Drake and Cincinnati Electronics, Michael was
well-known for his inventive, entrepreneurial spirit and his generosity
to the amateur community. He was well-known too for his later work with
radar detectors. In Jack's announcement of Michael's passing, he
acknowledged Michael's belief in giving back to the community. He was
involved in a number of University of Cincinnati scholarships and was a
major supporter of ARRL initiatives as a member of the ARRL's Hiram
Percy Maxim Society. He served on the league's Second Century Campaign
Committee in 2014, on the occasion of the ARRL's centennial, and
launched the Valentine Challenge Fund, matching contributions
dollar-for-dollar.

Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, DARA's past president, said in an email to
association members: [quote] "Michael, you will be missed. Until we
meet again in that big "Ham Shack in Heaven."

Michael was 74.

(FACEBOOK; RIA JAIRAM, N2RJ; DARA)

**

SRI LANKA'S SEANET24 EVENT MOVES TO OCTOBER 3RD

PAUL/ANCHOR: There's been a change in plans for SEANET24, the three-day
========== REMAINDER OF ARTICLE TRUNCATED ==========