The questions are available on the internet (as are LOTS of other ham-related sites). AA9PW's Amateur Radio Exam Practice Page is the best I've found: http://www.biochem.mcw.edu/Postdocs/Simon/radio/exam.html

(this is a test...had to kill this topic in another conf, wanted to make sure it still worked in here...)

But isn't there a difference between amateur radio and trucker's ole ham radio?

You mean CB, good buddy! Yep, they're night and day. CB is noisy, crowded, rude, boisterous, profane and crude. Ham (amateur) radio is much more civilized.

I know amateur radio well (didn't know amateur=ham). My grandfather was a very enthusiastic Amateurfunker. Did you see the B92 topic? Got a contact to them; wonder if that would be topic for somebody in Austin? What do you think?

Mel Riser is getting his ham ticket, he's our guy at DDC who keeps our network up and running.

ZCZC AG03 QST de W1AW ARRL Bulletin 3 ARLB003 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT January 14, 2000 To all radio amateurs SB QST ARL ARLB003 ARLB003 Question Pool Committee Eyes February 1 Release Date A revised Amateur Radio question pool that reflects the April 15, 2000, restructuring rules could be out by February 1. Chairman Ray Adams, W4CPA, of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators' Question Pool Committee says workable question pools for the new Technician, General and Amateur Extra written exams will be made public by February 1 or ''very shortly thereafter.'' Adams says that a Technician class syllabus already has been drafted and approved. The various QPC members have been keeping in touch by telephone and e-mail since the FCC announced the restructuring rules December 30. Adams says that the QPC plans to further refine and update the newly configured pools in the future, after it has an opportunity to meet and formulate a plan. He said the revised question pools will follow the established format. After April 15, 2000, the FCC will only issue Technician, General, and Amateur Extra class licenses. Novice and Advanced licensees will retain current operating privileges and may renew indefinitely. Applicants desiring HF privileges will only have to pass a 5 WPM Morse code test. Current Amateur Radio study materials remain valid at least until the new rules become effective in April. There are four examination elements in the new licensing system. Element 1 is the 5 WPM Morse code test; Element 2 is a 35-question Technician test; Element 3 is a 35-question General test, and Element 4 is a 50-question Amateur Extra test. Frequently Asked Questions and other information on restructuring is available on the ARRL Web site. NNNN/EE 

From Mobile Aeronautics Education Laboratory WHAT ARE KEPLERIAN ELEMENTS? Satellite-tracking computer software use Keplerian elements (also known as "orbital" or "tracking" elements) to pinpoint the location of a satellite at any given time. The Keplerian elements provide the software with a snapshot of a satellite's orbital track, which the computer uses to calculate the future whereabouts of the satellite. Using such a computer tracking program allows an observer to determine when a satellite is to appear about his or her horizon. AMSAT The AMSAT News Service publishes weekly bulletins containing information of interest to amateur satellite operators, including Keplerian element postings for the shuttle and popular amateur satellites. These bulletins are distributed electronically through amateur satellites, the terrestrial amateur packet radio network, and through various landline networks. Their World Wide Web site is: http://www.amsat.org. AMSAT also maintains public mailing lists (email) to deliver Keplerian elements and other information. To subscribe to one or more mailing lists from AMSAT, send a message with your request to listserv@amsat.org. Be sure to include your call sign (if any), your correct email address, and the proper names (shown below) of the mailing lists you wish to receive. Put the word "subscribe" followed by one of the following in the text of the message (not the subject line): ANS - AMSAT News Service AMSAT-BB - AMSAT Bulletin Board KEPS - Keplerian Elements mailing list NASAINFO - NASA related information mailing list SAREX - Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment mailing list Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) This ftp site is available 24 hours a day with current satellite keplerian elements and software. The latest elements are available in: ftp://archive.afit.af.mil/pub/space/tle.new Format of the 2-line keplerian element files can be found in their tle.doc file. NASA Spacelink NASA's electronic information system, Spacelink, carries current shuttle mission status reports and Keplerian elements for low earth orbit satellites. The internet site name is "spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov" with TCP/IP address 192.149.89.61. Access can be gained through any of the following: World Wide Web: http://spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov/Instructional.Materials/Software/Tracking.Ele ments This site also has Gopher, Anonymous FTP, and Telnet access. Modem line (205) 895-0028, Terminal emulation VT-100, Data format 8-N-1 Goddard ARC The Goddard Amateur Radio Club, WA3NAN, maintains a BBS which carries Keplerian orbital elements updated daily, and daily SAREX bulletins and space shuttle mission information. Modem line (301) 286-4137 telnet: telnet://wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov TCP/IP address 128.183.105.17 Packet radio - WA3NAN on 145.090 MHz in the Maryland/DC area Johnson Space Center ARC The Johnson Space Center Amateur Radio Club maintains a BBS with the latest element sets available during a shuttle flight. Modem line (713) 244-5625 Celestial BBS Current orbital elements for SAREX and other Amateur Radio satellites are carried on the Celestial BBS. Keplerian elements are updated daily, when possible. Documentation and tracking software are also available on this system. Modem line (205) 409-9280

I posted last week's Keplerian numbers on the Short Wave topic.

ARLX001 Hedy Lamarr, actress and inventor, SK. Hedy Lamarr, the sultry, sexy screen star of the 1930s and 1940s who also conceived the frequency-hopping technique now known as spread spectrum, has died. Lamarr was found dead in her suburban Orlando, Florida, home January 19. She was believed to be 86. Born Hedwig Kiesler in Austria, Lamarr came to the US in 1937 after being signed by MGM. Among her most successful films was the 1949, directed Cecil B. DeMille classic, Samson and Delilah. In her 1992 book Feminine Ingenuity, Lamarr described how she came up with the idea of a signaling device for radio-controlled torpedoes that would minimize the danger of detection or jamming by randomly shifting the frequency. She and composer George Antheil developed the concept and received a patent for it in 1942. The concept was not developed during World War II, but when the patent expired, Sylvania put the idea to use in satellites. Spread spectrum also has found applications in wireless telephones, military radios, wireless computer links, and Amateur Radio experimentation. A more-detailed version of Lamarr's role in spread spectrum is described in the IEEE book Spread Spectrum Communications, published in 1983. NNNN /EX

Virginia General Assembly praises hams The Virginia General Assembly has approved a joint House-Senate resolution praising the Amateur Radio response to Hurricane Floyd. The resolution unanimously passed both chambers on January 27. A signing ceremony has been set for February 17, 11:30 AM, at the Capitol in Richmond. The resolution praises the work of Virginia's ARES/RACES members last September when Hurricane Floyd totally isolated the City of Franklin, and rising flood waters forced city officials to abandon their Emergency Operations Center, forcing the city to rely completely on Amateur Radio for communication with the outside. ''With traditional lines of communication inoperable, the Amateur Radio operators, members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), provided the only reliable communication into and out of the flood-ravaged Franklin area,'' the resolution says. According to the resolution, the Hurricane Floyd activation was ''the widest geographical and longest-running ARES/RACES activation in Virginia's history'' and involved nearly 150 ARES/RACES volunteers who put in some 9500 hours of duty to help coordinate emergency operations in Franklin. ''Due to the tireless efforts of amateur radio volunteers, the tragic effects of Hurricane Floyd were mitigated, the lives of those in the flood zone safeguarded, and the suffering of Franklin's residents alleviated,'' the resolution said in expressing the General Assembly's ''admiration and gratitude for the vital contributions of Virginia's amateur radio operators.''

My ISP was created by Hams during Hurricane Iniki which devastated Kauai. It was the only means of getting information in and out of the mess the storm left until the military managed to get in some days later. I know some of these men, personally!

Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will be active during the 14th Annual School Club Roundup, February 14-18. This event is geared towards young amateurs, and school clubs. Certificates are available for various entry levels. Complete information can be found on the ARRL Web site, http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/00/scr.html. W1AW also will participate for the first time in the annual Guides on the Air (GOTA) event, February 19-20. During GOTA, Canadian and US amateurs help young women learn about Amateur Radio by making it possible for them to get on the air and communicate with their peers via Amateur Radio. Although this event originated in Canada, it has gained popularity in the US. Invite a few Girl Scouts (Daisy Scouts to Senior Girl Scouts and leaders) to your shack for that weekend. GOTA stations will be using all HF bands plus 2 meters on frequencies that end in ''33'' and ''88.'' More information on GOTA is available on the web at http://www.guidezone.skl.com/i_ha_index.htm.

Georgia Amateurs Respond to Tornado Disaster Amateur Radio operators are responding in force in the wake of tornadoes that struck rural extreme southwestern Georgia this week, killing more than a dozen people and injuring many more. Georgia Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Rogers, KR4OL, reports that hams from nearby communities including Moultrie and Albany have turned out to help. Twisters late Sunday and early Monday leveled a housing development in the town of Camilla, in Mitchell County. The town was one of the worst-hit areas. The storm also tore roofs from houses and flattened mobile homes. The storm caught many residents by surprise since warnings were not issued until after they'd already gone to bed for the night. Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes has declared a state of emergency in Colquitt, Grady, Mitchell and Tift counties. Georgia Emergency Management Agency reports emergency shelters have been set up in Camilla and Moultrie. ''Shelters are open, and the Georgia Baptist Hams are setting up feeding locations and assisting with the cleanup,'' Rogers said. An HF emergency net is running on 3975 kHz to coordinate activities. Rogers advised all participating stations to monitor that frequency. If relief operators are requested, operators should coordinate through the emergency net on 3975 kHz before attempting to enter the disaster area. Thousands were left without power in Georgia and elsewhere. The storm that wreaked havoc on Georgia was part of a system that also struck Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi and Alabama before moving into Georgia, Northeastern Florida and the Carolinas.

Phase 3D Could Launch in July! The Phase 3D next-generation Amateur Radio satellite has been tentatively scheduled to launch in late July. The launch is listed in the ''Provisional Ariane Launch Manifest'' for February through July of this year appearing in the February edition of the Arianespace newsletter, (http://www.arianespace.com/news_espace.html). If the schedule holds, the Phase 3D satellite would be sent aloft on Ariane 507, flight V132. A specific date in July was not available. The Phase 3D satellite now is at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Phase 3D will be stored in its shipping container, housed in an air-conditioned integration building at the launch complex until launch preparations commence. All systems have been shut down and the batteries left uncharged. A launch contract accepting Phase 3D as a payload for the first suitable Ariane 5 launch vehicle was signed last October. For more information about Phase 3D, visit the AMSAT-NA Web site, http://www.amsat.org/. NNNN

What's this bird going to do specifically for hams?

Good question. I'll check and get back to you. Apparently it is (Having checked the website) it carries dial-up bulletin boards and other things exclusively for hams like packet transmissions. If you are not into those...you probably will not make much use of it. There are excellent links listed in the URLs in my last post above.

ARRL invites input on new Certification and Continuing Education Program ARRL members are invited to offer their suggestions on the shape and scope of the new ARRL Certification and Continuing Education Program. A Web-based forum now is ''live'' to collect member input on how the program should be designed and what it should include. ARRL Educational and Technical Advisor L.B. Cebik, W4RNL, is serving as interim forum moderator-facilitator. The forum site is http://www.arrl.org/members-only/forums/index.php3. It's being moderated to ensure that all member input is acknowledged and integrated as fully as possible into the developing program. Members are being asked to suggest specific programs and areas of study or skills development they would like to see as part of the Certification Program. The ARRL Board of Directors approved the development and implementation of the self-education program for radio amateurs at its January meeting. The program is aimed at inspiring amateurs to continue acquiring technical knowledge and operating expertise beyond that required to become licensed. The League will roll out the initial phase of the Certification and Continuing Education Program later this year.

ARRL Bulletin 22 From ARRL Headquarters Newington CT April 19, 2000 FCC says Generals not allowed in Advanced subbands The FCC says newly upgraded General class licensees may not operate in the current Advanced class subbands under the new amateur rules. Bill Cross, W3TN, of the FCC's Public Safety and Private Wireless Division notes that no privileges changed for any license class. The Advanced class license continues to exist under restructuring, which became effective April 15, although the FCC no longer accepts applications for Novice or Advanced class licenses. Current Generals do not earn Advanced class privileges until they upgrade to Amateur Extra class, when they earn both Advanced and Extra privileges. The FCC also says General class operators may hold only Group C (1x3) or Group D (2x3) call signs, as it was under the old rules. Generals remain ineligible to apply for or hold Group B (2x2) call signs. Newly upgraded licensees were cautioned to check the revised Part 97 rules carefully to make sure they're not operating beyond their privileges. FCC Part 97 rules are available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/field/regulations/news/part97/. The FCC today released the Errata to its December 30, 1999, Report and Order on restructuring. The Errata incorporate minor errors contained in the original R&O and already made in the version of the new rules that appeared in The Federal Register earlier this year.

Not good news, for a potential upgrader like me. I was hoping to get all those extra class freqs without much sweat.

Waited to long, Huh?! Hustle and take the exam before it goes into effect...

OK!

Wish I could be of more help than to cheer you on. It is a very hard row to hoe by yourself. I know...!

You can help if you run across a url to the question pool for going from general to extra.

Gotch. I just might search for it...Google came up with all sorts of pool questions just by putting arrl pool questions on the search for line. http://www2.arrl.org/arrlvec/advanced.html is one I found...

"Last updated 10:37 AM EDT on 04/19/96 " A bit old, eh?

Of course, and I noted that before I posted it. I also commented that there are so many urls listed...I'll do better nex time... How often do they update the question pool? (going back to search for updated questions)

This is the url you want http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools.html This is for use after April 15, 2000 for Extra class license http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/El4-2000.txt

Thanks, I'll go there and see if I know the stuff.

Good - I'll keep checking for updates, but that seems to be the current one.

Thanks for the heads up.

FCC opens ULS to Web applications Amateurs now can file ULS applications via the Web. The FCC opened ULS to Internet filers on April 29 and formally announced the system this week. FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Chief Thomas Sugrue announced that ULS users now can file applications and notifications via the Internet for all services previously only available by dial-up connection to the Commission's Wide Area Network. To access the new capability, visit the ULS home page at http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls and click on ''Online Filing.'' The ULS--the FCC's interactive on-line licensing application, modification and renewal system for wireless telecommunications services--was deployed for the Amateur Service last August 16. Sugrue noted that many ULS users had requested the ability to access ULS through the Internet in order to utilize their high speed Internet connectivity. He also addressed concerns about the security of transactions handled via the Internet. ''We now have the technology in place that assures the integrity and security of data transmitted over the Internet along with high speed connectivity,'' he said. ''This is another step forward in the expanding functionality of ULS.'' The FCC says that to make online payments requires that users be running the 128-bit encryption version of Netscape, Ver 4.73. The FCC currently supports only recent versions of Netscape for online filing tasks but says that support for other browsers and platforms is in the works and should be available shortly. Dial-up access continues to be available.

New Mexico amateurs assisting in evacuation Hams in the Los Alamos, New Mexico, area are assisting local authorities and relief agencies in a mass evacuation as a result of wind-driven wildfires. ARRL New Mexico Section Manager Joe Knight, W5PDY, in Albuquerque reports the National Forest Service advised the City of Los Alamos and Los Alamos National Lab on May 10 to evacuate Los Alamos city limits by 5 PM Mountain Time. Knight was not sure how many hams were directly involved in the fire emergency response at this point. ''This affects approximately 12,000 to 15,000 people who will require immediate shelter,'' Knight said. The Red Cross is requesting additional medical personnel, as the evacuation includes hospital patients and staff. Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service personnel in Los Alamos have been activated for the past three days as a result of the ongoing fire situation. Knight said three repeaters in the fire zone have been put into use to handle emergency traffic, although the W5PDO Los Alamos Amateur Radio Club repeater at the fire station apparently has been shut down. ARES and RACES teams elsewhere in New Mexico are on standby to assist if needed. Knight reports that winds in the vicinity are currently gusting to 40 MPH and the flames are jumping treetop-to-treetop. ''It's a firestorm,'' Knight said. ''It's a bad situation.'' Standby emergency personnel from the Albuquerque Fire Department have been called to immediate duty, Knight reports, to assist in Los Alamos some 80 miles away. Meanwhile, Knight says the City of Alto, northeast of Ruidoso, already has been evacuated, and a number of houses east of Alto reportedly have been consumed by flames. The fire is spreading rapidly northeast of Ruidoso and already has consumed more than 6000 acres of forest. Citizens have been placed on alert in the Ruidoso area. ARRL Amateur Radio emergency and section personnel will continue to monitor the fire situation in New Mexico.

FCC says ULS registration can protect license record Registering now on the FCC's Universal Licensing System can benefit amateurs, even if they have no plans to file an application anytime soon. FCC staffer Steve Linn, N4CAK, says that ULS registration ''protects your call sign within the system'' and could prevent it from inadvertently being deleted or reissued due to a filing error. Linn also pointed out that amateurs filing for a change of address should file an ''administrative update'' (AU) and not request a ''modification.'' The ULS will not renew an amateur's license unless it is within the 90-day window of expiration or within the two-year grace period after expiration. The same applies for those upgrading under restructuring. Linn said the FCC continues to work out the bugs in the ULS. He said that support for the Mac platform and other browsers, such as Internet Explorer, should be available soon. The FCC in late April opened the ULS to Web filing. Linn advised filers to use the on-line system whenever possible, since it helps users to avoid errors that will not get trapped when filing on paper and could lead to delays or errors in your FCC record. Visit http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls for more information or to access the ULS.

Tentative Phase 3D Launch Date Reset The Phase 3D Amateur Radio satellite will not launch until September at the earliest. Under the latest tentative Arianespace launch schedule, P3D now could go up on the Ariane Flight 507 as early as mid-September, but the launch could be as late as the end of October. Arianespace recently announced a resumption of Ariane flights. Flight 507 had been on the schedule to go into space in July, but concerns over potentially defective thrusters had caused some major customers to delay flight preparations. AMSAT-NA President Keith Baker, KB1SF, called the Arianespace announcement ''very good news'' for the Phase 3D program. The Phase 3D satellite is at the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, awaiting the start of its launch campaign. Arianespace representatives met recently with Phase 3D representatives at AMSAT-DL headquarters in Marburg, Germany, to discuss preparations for the P3D launch campaign. The exact date of the Phase 3D mission's launch depends on the Ariane 506 launch, set for July, and the availability of the other satellites flying with P3D. A launch contract accepting Phase 3D as a payload for the first suitable Ariane 5 launch vehicle was signed last October.

RF safety rules now in force for all amateurs ARRL Bulletin 37 - September 1, 2000 Starting September 1, every US amateur is required to fully comply with the FCC's RF exposure guidelines. The regulations, which went into effect January 1, 1998, require US Amateur Radio operators to read and understand the rules and, where necessary, perform technical evaluations to determine that their stations are compliant with the new regulations. Up until now, only hams who have had to file an Amateur Radio application with the FCC have had to certify compliance with the RF exposure rules. As of September 1, all amateurs must comply. Under the regulations, an amateur station must not exceed the maximum permissible exposure limits for transmitter operation. ''These regulations are not a major burden on the Amateur Radio Service,'' said ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI. ''Most hams are already in compliance with the MPE requirements; some hams will need to conduct a simple station evaluation.'' A complete description of the rules is available on the ARRL Web site at http://www.arrl.org/news/rfsafety/. The site also contains resources to make your station evaluation quite painless. Address questions about RF safety and the FCC exposure guidelines to ARRL Lab Supervisor Ed Hare, W1RFI, ehare@arrl.org.

Marcia, you gonna radio me in Mali???

Alas, m'love I am a listener, not a transmitter. I climb the trees to put the antennas up and help wind transformers. However, there must be a way to interface with the internet. We MUST talk!!!

Amateur Morse Testing Changes Effective July 1, 2001 New Morse code exam standards go into effect July 1 for all Volunteer Examiner Coordinators. The new standards call for Farnsworth character speed in the 13-to-15 WPM range and the end of multiple-choice questions for routine Morse code exams. In the wake of restructuring and the establishment of 5 WPM as the sole amateur Morse requirement, the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators voted last July to set up the revised standards for the administration of Morse code examinations in the US. ARRL VEC Manager Bart Jahnke, W9JJ, points out the required change to the Farnsworth protocol replaces the 18-WPM character speed ARRL VEC has used since 1989. ''Standard 5 WPM messages with 5 WPM characters are available as an accommodation,'' he said. ''Standard (non-Farnsworth) speed messages are available upon special request from the ARRL VEC for ARRL VE teams.'' In addition, the Morse exam audio frequency range should be between 700 and 1000 Hz for routine exams. Consistent with the revised standards, Jahnke said, ARRL VEC has set 15-WPM characters as its Farnsworth setting and 750 Hz as its audio-frequency standard. Code practice transmissions from Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will reflect the new Farnsworth standard. W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, says transmissions using the new protocol will begin Monday, July 2. Code transmissions at speeds below 18 WPM will drop from 18 WPM to 15 WPM character speed. W1AW Web code practice files, at http://www.arrl.org/w1aw/morse.html, will mirror the new standards too. The new Morse examination standards also affect test administration. After July 1, Morse examinees will have to supply fill-in-the-blank answers for the 10-question Element 1 quiz. Multiple-choice type examinations no longer will be acceptable. Under the new testing regime, Morse code examinees must either correctly answer seven of the ten fill-in-the-blanks questions or correctly copy 25 consecutive characters. Changes are on the horizon for the written examinations as well. Revised Amateur Extra question pool will go into effect July 1, 2002. Reworked Technician and General question pools will become effective on July 1 2003 and 2004 respectively.