Amateur Radio Newsline™ Report 1910 – March 21, 2014 Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1910 with a release date of March 21 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a Q-S-T. Hams asked to assist in the hunt for Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370; Ukraine and Russia bring intruding signals to some High Frequency ham radio bands; hams in France get new band allocations; FCC invites public comment on proposal to restructure the 10 Gigahertz band; an Ohio radio club to celebrate Earth Day and it might not be long before you can take a vicarious ride into space. Find out how on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1910 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here) ** RESCUE RADIO: HAMS ASKED TO HELP LOCATE MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370 Ham radio operators in a number of nations are now being asked to assist in the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, is here with the details. -- The Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society is calling ham radio operators in a number of nations to participate in the search for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. The twin-engine Boeing 777-200ER airliner bearing registration 9M-MRO disappeared without a trace on March 8th. This, after its various position signaling systems were turned off at about 1:20 a.m. local time while the aircraft was believed to have been North of the Malaysian coastline enroute to Beijing, China. Now, the Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society says that ham radio operators in several geographic areas can play an important part in the search. It particularly singles out radio amateurs in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mauritius and the Seychelles as being in a crucial position to assist. Daily reporting nets have been established on 14.250 and 21.250 MHz from 13:00 to 15:00 U-T-C. Any urgent message beyond the specified session times can be sent via email to emergency (at) mares.org.my. All information obtained from the ham radio community will be forwarded to the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation and Malaysian National Security Council. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New Zealand. -- At airtime it’s not known if the request for ham radio assistance came from the Malaysian government or is a volunteer effort on the part of the Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society. Also, on Thursday, March 20th Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that two objects that could be wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 had been seen by satellite off its western coast. Meantime some 25 nations are in some way involved in the search for the missing plane. (9W2FG, Southgate, other news reports) ** INTRUDER WATCH: UKRANE STATION SZRU ACTIVE ON 20 METERS The IARU Monitoring System newsletter reports the Ukraine foreign Intelligence Service SZRU has been active every Wednesday on 14.280 MHz at 1010 UTC running full carrier AM. Reports say that a female voice spelled numbers and encrypted messages. The exact location is believed to be near Rivne. The newsletter also says that REA4 which is a call used by the Russian Airforce in Moscow was still active on 7 dot 018 MHz with Frequency Shift Keying at 100 Baud and a 1000 Hz shift. Harmonics could be measured on 14 dot 036, 21 dot 052 and 28 dot 072 MHz on February 28th at about 10:50 UTC. If you hear or are bothered by these or any other illegal user of ham radio spectrum, please report these incidents to the Intruder Watch Coordinator for your nation. Here in the United States that would be The American Radio Relay League. (IARU R1 Newsletter) ** WORLDBEAT: NEW SPECTRUM AWARDED TO HAMS IN FRANCE French radio amateurs have gained access to 472 to 479 kHz with 1 watt output in I-T-U Region 1 and French territories in Region 2. Also, 435 to 438 MHz is now allocated to the Amateur-satellite service in France for both Earth-to-Space and Space-to-Earth in the same geographic areas. Due to a previous error in the national frequency table, French amateurs did not have Space-to-Earth privileges for this band in their licenses. Still with space related matters, the 2400 to 2415 MHz band is now allocated to radio stations in the Amateur-satellite service in French territories in Region 2. Regarding the 1.2 GHz band the national society questioned if Europe’s new Galileo Global Positioning satellite system may call into question the future of this allocation for use by ham radio. Galileo downlinks across 1260 to 1300 MHz band. France’s telecommunications regulator said that it would review this matter and provide a response at some future date. These changes are the result of a meeting between French telecommunications regulator the Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes and the French national amateur radio society R-E-F that was held on March 7th. Discussions also covered the possibility of a future amateur band across the whole of 1.8 to 2.0 MHz spectrum and possible allocations at 5.5 MHz and 70 MHz. The R-E-F report also noted that the regulatory body has also shown an interest in ARISS school contacts which both groups believe have a high educational value. The complete minutes in Google English is on the web at tinyurl/REF-ARCEP-Minutes-2014-03-07 (REF, Southgate) ** WORLDBEAT: NEW BRUNSWICK CANADA CONFIRMS DISTRACTED DRIVING EXEMPTION FOR HAM RADIO OPERATORS. Some good news for hams living in New Brunswick, Canada. Radio Amateurs of Canada has announced that New Brunswick has passed new legislation to provide an exemption to that provinces distracted driving law for ham radio mobile operations. The announcement was made at the Legislature in Fredericton on Tuesday March 19th. A number of Canadian radio amateurs were in attendance at the invitation of Minister of Justices Troy Lifford. At the same session, Radio Amateur of Canada member Alan Thurber, VE1AKT, was formally recognized in the Legislature for his extensive involvement in amateur radio, in various other groups and the community in general. (RAC) ** RESTRUCTURING: FCC INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT ON 10-10.5 GHZ PETITION Back here in the United States, the FCC has invited public comment on a Petition for Rule Making titled RM-11715. This is a proposal that would make a significant portion of the 10.0 to 10.5 GHz band available for wireless broadband services while to some extent protect amateur radio terrestrial and space operations from interference. According to the ARRL the petition by Mimosa Networks Inc. proposes a band plan for the spectrum from 10.0 to 10.5 GHz that the petitioner says would protect frequencies most often used by radio amateurs. The proposal would specify 10.350 to 10.370 GHz as an “Amateur Calling Band,” and 10.450 to 10.500 GHz for Amateur-Satellite operations. This would be in the midst of 21 wireless broadband channels and a small guard band. The success of the Mimosa petition hinges on FCC adoption of rule changes that would put the 10 GHz band under Subpart Z of the Commission’s Part 90 rules. Subpart Z currently sets out regulations governing wireless licensing, technical standards, and operational standards in the 3650 to 3700 MHz spectrum. Interested parties may comment on RM-11715 using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System. You can read the entire proposal at tinyurl/kvbqshn (ARRL, Southgate) ** HAM RADIO IN SPACE: OSCAR-11 / UOSAT-2 CELEBRATES 30 YEARS ON-ORBIT UOSAT-OSCAR-11 has now been in orbit for 30 years and remarkably its signal on 145.826 MHz FM is still being received. UOSAT-2, was designed and built by a team of engineers at the University of Surrey in Guildford, Surrey, UK as the successor to UOSAT-1. It was placed into orbit on board a Delta rocket from the United States Western Test Range at Vandenberg Air Base, in California on March 1, 1984. OSCAR-11 was the most rapidly designed ham radio satellite going from inception to launch in only five months. It was also the first amateur satellite to carry a digital communications package into Earth orbit, and the first to be controlled by a Central Processing Unit running software written in the high-level programming language “Forth”. The bird originally carried three beacons but only the 2 meter unit is currently operational. (AMSAT-UK) ** DX UP FRONT: MARION ISLAND ACTIVATIONS In DX up front, several sources are reporting that ZS1KX, will be leaving South Africa on April 2nd for the Marion Island. He has requested the callsign ZS8KX and expected to be active from the island in May. QSL direct to Gerard de Jong, P.O. Box 744, Wellington, 7654, South Africa. Also from Marion Islands comes word that a female operator signing ZS8A, has been showing up on 28.650 MHz between 14:20 to16:00. Reports are that she handles QSLing via ClubLog. Marion Island lies in the Southern Indian Ocean and is part of a two island group. It is only about 12 miles long by 7 1/2 wide, and the two islands have a combined area of 196 square miles. Politically they form part of South Africas Western Cape Province. (OPDX, Wikipedia) ** DX UP FRONT: 6 METERS FROM GRENEDA IN JUNE And if you are an aficionado of the 50 MHz band, then listen up. W9DR will be active on 6 meters as J38DR from Grenada between June 19th and July 1st. This operation will be located on the north shore of the island for a great launch angle to North America and Europe over the Atlantic Ocean. Operating frequencies will be 50.115 MHz SSB, 50.115.6 MHz CW as well as a breakable Beacon on 50.115.6 MHz running when no stations heard. Gear for this DXpedition will be a FlexRadio SDR-1500 driving a home built solid state water-cooled amplifier into a 5 element Yagi. If you manage to work him, QSL to W9DR at his home address. And we will have more DX news for you later on in this weeks newscast. (Various Sources) ** BREAK 1 Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KC6OCA repeater serving Lake Isabella California. (5 sec pause here) ** ENFORCEMENT: FCC ISSUES PROPOSED $25000 FINE FOR PART 15 VIOLATIONS The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability in the amount of $25,000 to Internet Service Provider Winchester Wireless of Winchester, Virginia. This for its alleged operation of intentional radiators not in accordance with Part 15 of the Rules and doing so without a license. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has the details: -- Part 15 devices are license free but must be operated at what amounts to micro power so as to cause minimum interference to other Part 15 units sharing the same spectrum. So it was that on May 10, 2011, in response to a complaint, an agent from the Enforcement Bureau’s Columbia Maryland Office inspected a transmitting device operated by Winchester Wireless on the roof of an area residence. During the inspection, the agent determined that a legal Motorola Canopy System was connected to two external RF Linx 900 MHz amplifiers that in turn were individually fed into two separate antennas. When the agent later interviewed Winchester Wireless owner David Williamson at the company’s main office, Williamson admitted to using the amplifiers. The agent subsequently reviewed the FCC rules for the Motorola Canopy System, which indicated that it is not certified for use with external amplification. On August 11, 2011, the Columbia Office issued a Notice of Unlicensed Operation to Winchester Wireless regarding its unauthorized use of the external amplifiers at the inspected location. On August 29th the company responded to the Notice. At that time it reported that the amplifiers had been removed but did not provide any information regarding Winchester Wireless’s operations at other locations. Jump ahead almost two years. On May 29, 2013, in response to additional complaints, an agent from the Columbia Office inspected two transmitter sites operated by Winchester Wireless. At both locations, the agent observed signals emanating in the 902 to 928 MHz band. The agent observed the same Motorola Canopy System and RF Linx equipment that he had seen during the 2011 inspection. On July 29, 2013, the Columbia Office issued a Notice of Unlicensed Operation to Winchester Wireless regarding its continued unauthorized use of external amplifiers. On July 31, 2013, Winchester Wireless responded to the Notice indicating that it would inspect the two transmitter sites for compliance with the Part 15 Rules. Now in issuing the proposed fine, the FCC says that Winchester Wireless had the same type of violation less than two years earlier and that the 2011 Notice expressly warned that the equipment certification for the Motorola Canopy System did not authorize the use of such external amplifiers. With the second violation the FCC says that Winchester Wireless’s actions demonstrate a deliberate disregard for the Commissions requirements and as such a forfeiture of $25,000 is warranted. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Stephan Kinford, N8WB, reporting. -- In addition to the proposed fine the FCC directed Winchester Wireless was ordered to submit a statement signed under penalty of perjury stating that it is currently operating its Wireless Internet Service in compliance with FCC rules and applicable authorizations. The company was given 30 days from the March 11th release of the Notice to respond to this demand as well as to appeal the proposed $25,000 fine. (FCC) ** RESCUE RADIO: UNDERWATER WI-FI MAY HELP PREDICT TSUNAMIS Researchers are in the process of testing a new underwater wi-fi – like network in an attempt to create what amounts to a deep-sea internet. One that researchers claim could help detect tsunamis and there by offer a more reliable warning system. Unlike traditional wi-fi which uses radio waves, the submerged technology utilizes sound waves. This is because radio is able to penetrate water to some degree, but with severely limited range and stability. But the research team from the University of Buffalo notes that sound waves provide a better option as demonstrated by many aquatic species such as whales and dolphins. Wireless communication underwater has been possible for some time, but the problem lies in getting separate systems used by different organizations to communicate with each other. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does use acoustic waves to send data from tsunami sensors on the sea floor to buoys on the surface. However due to infrastructure differences, this data cannot be shared quickly with other information gathered by other agencies such as the US Navy. For that reason the University of Buffalo researchers are attempting to create a shared standard to make interaction and data-sharing and public warning more reliable. More can be found at bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24550015 (BBC, Southgate) ** RADIO CRIME: COPPER THIEVES TAKE WASHINGTON STATION OFF THE AIR Listeners to KLOG radio in Kelso, Washington tuned into dead air early on Wednesday March 12th. This after thieves stole a small amount of copper wire from the stations transmitting site situated along Interstate Route 5. Station Owner Joel Hanson said he found out about it at around 3:30 a.m. Hanson found wire cutters at the site and evidence that someone may have gotten a rather nasty shock. KLOG was off the air for about 12 hours but station was able to heard online. Kelso police are investigating but so far they have no suspects. (RW, other news reports) ** NAMES IN THE NEW: KA2HPG NAMED NEW RACES OFFICER FOR OSWEGO COUNTY NY Fred Koch, KA2HPG, has become the new Radio Officer for the Oswego County New York Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. Koch received the RACES Service Award in 2013 for his service to the organization that began back in 1996. He has participated in all aspects of the communications systems used by the group and has obtained certification in the Incident Command System. Koch replaces John Darling, K2QQY, who recently resigned after holding the post for more than 20 years. (Oswego County Today) ** NAMES IN THE NEWS: K6LCS INVITED TO MEET ASTRONAUT LUCA PARMITANO AT ESA ITALY According to a posting on Facebook, Clink Bradford, K6LCS, is among those chosen to spend an afternoon with Italian Astronaut Luca Parmitano for an afternoon on April 11th. The event will take place at the European Space Agency’s facility in Frascati, Italy which is about 12 miles South-East of Rome. Bradford is very well known for his ham in space related activities including coordinating contacts between schools in California and the ham radio operators on board the I-S-S. He also owns several websites including one of which contains information on how to start working FM satellites with equipment you probably already own. More information and links are under K6LCS on QRZ. (ARNewsline from Facebook) ** HAM RADIO BUSINESS: JK ANTENNAS AND 2X ARRAYS ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP JK Antennas and 2X Arrays have announced a strategic partnership which will combine both design and manufacturing processes between the two organizations. JK Antennas has fundamentally focused on producing high quality long boom mono-band and duo-band antenna designs that are mechanically robust, with quick time to market of both new and custom designed models directly from their in-house manufacturing facility. 2X Arrays has been focused on developing proprietary antenna design processes ranging from electrical optimization to physical model electrical testing and tuning. As part of this strategic partnership, the 2X Arrays antenna line will now be manufactured at the JK Antennas facility in Connecticut, USA. JK Antennas will also sell and distribute both lines through its direct sales and distributorship. For more information please visit JK Antennas on Facebook. (JK Antennas, 2X Arrays) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: OHIO RADIO CLUB TO CELECRATE EARTH DAY The Parma Radio Club in Parma, Ohio will be conducting its Second Annual Earth Day Special Event Station on Saturday, April 19th. Operating from a historic urban farm, the clubs Earth Day Special Event station, W8PRC will be on 40, 20, and 15 meters SSB near the bottom of each General segment. A beautiful special QSL card will be available. Earth Day is intended to encourage everyone to be mindful of our magnificent planet. Other clubs and individual hams are urged to celebrate in this unique way and join with more than 500 million people in 192 countries in observing this very special remembrance each year. While the actual date for Earth Day in the United States is April 22nd, schools and other groups celebrate a week or more prior to the actual day. More information is posted on the clubs web site at parmaradioclub.webs (K8CMD) ** ANNUAL EASTERN VHF/UHF/MICROWAVE CONFERENCE This years Eastern VHF – UHF and Microwave Conference is slated for April 11th to the 13th at the Baymont Suites in Manchester, Connecticut. Among those scheduled to present talks are Fred Stefanik, N1DPM, on a Fresh Approach to a Multiband Microwave Station; Roger Rehr, W3SZ, speaking about Aircraft Scatter; Phil Theis, K3TUF, on Advances in Smart Software Defined Radio Operations and many others. Full information is on the web at newsvhf/vhfconf.html (VHF Reflector) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: ARRL – TAPR DCC IN AUSTIN TEXAS IN SEPTEMBER The 33rd annual ARRL and Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Digital Communications Conference will take place September 5th to the 7th in Austin, Texas. This year’s conference will feature two days of technical forums on Friday and Saturday along with a concurrent Introductory Forum on Saturday. Those who submit Technical Papers for inclusion in the Conference Proceedings will receive preference for a forum, however anyone can propose to present a session without submitting a technical paper. Updated information will be made available on the web at tapr.org/dcc (ARRL – TAPR DCC) ** HAM HAPPENINGS: CHANGES FOR THE 2014 SAN BERNADINO MICROWAVE CONTEST The rules for the 2014 San Bernardino California Microwave Society 2.3 GHz and Up Contest have been revised. Among the significant changes is that there is now individual categories as well as the traditional club competition. All-band and single band scores will be posted along with the club aggregate scores. Also stations may be re-worked for additional distance points when either end of the contact moves at least 10 miles from any previous location, measured in a straight line. The contest is slated this year for May 3 and 4 from 6 a.m. Saturday to midnight Sunday, local time. All the changes and complete rules are on the web at ham-radio/sbms (N6NB, VHF Reflector) ** BREAK 2 This is ham radio news for today’s radio amateur. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of the following radio amateur: (5 sec pause here) ** THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO PIONEER DAVE LARSEN ZS6DN – S.K. South Africa has lost one of its best known and most dedicated radio amateurs. His name was Dave Larsen, callsign ZS6DN and as amateur Radio Newsline’s David Conradie, ZR6DHC tells us, he was truly a ham that gave to his community, to his nation and the world: -- Driving between Pretoria and Johannesburg, in Gauteng South Africa, many a traveler has been intrigued by a farm of antenna masts on the hill overlooking the main road to the O.R. Tambo International Airport. Turning off the main road down a narrow farm track one finds the sign S.A.L.B.U. the home, the office and also the research laboratories of Dave Larsen, ZS6DN, until recently South Africas living legend of radio, who’s key become silent on 26 February 2014 at the age of 81. During his life time Dave worked in the interest of radio and amateur radio technology development. He installed and maintained a 5 five band HF beacon as part of an international Amateur Radio propagation research program. The multi-band HF beacon is operational from S.A.L.B.U., replacing the 14100 kHz beacon of which Dave has been the custodian since the inception of the program many years ago. The beacon operates on 14100, 18110, 21150, 24930 and 28200 kHz. During the seventies Dave and his team evolved an HF frequency hopping system. The concept was initially rejected by the experts at the time however some 15 years later the authoritative publication, Janes Defense weekly wrote in their 11 July 1987 edition : Frequency hopping is probably the most popular spread spectrum technique. Claimed to have been pioneered in South Africa, it now appears in tactical equipment manufactured by most of the major international radio communication companies. It also needs to be noted that Dave Larsen was heavily involved in the development of Single Side Band communications. In 1989 Dave Larsen, then ZS5DN was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa Grand Officer in recognition of his contribution to electronics. We salute Dave Larsen, ZS6DN not only for the work he has done in radio but also for the tremendous amount of time and effort he spent in making amateur radio better for all of us. Our sincerest condolences to his family and friends. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Im David Conradie, ZR6DHC, in Rustenberg, South Africa. -- If you would like to find out more about Dave Larsen and his contributions to radio you can visit tinyurl/zs6dn (ZR6DHC) ** HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FUNCUBE-1 TRANSPONDER TO BE TESTED MARCH 22 A full scale test of the United Kingdom’s FUNcube One microsat’s 435 to 145 MHz transponder was slated for Saturday, March 22nd at approximately 09:30 UTC. When in sunlight FUNcube-1 is normally in what’s known as its Educational Mode. This means the transponder is off but the high power beacon transmitting. If the test has gone as planned, the tiny bird will be switched to Amateur Mode with the cross-band transponder being turned on and the beacon placed in into low power out. Initial plans were to keep FUNcube-1 in this mode for at least one orbit in order to evaluate the effect on the satellite of continuous Amateur Mode operation especially in regard to battery temperature. Results of this test will likely be made known after complete evaluation of the telemetry received by controllers on the ground. (FUNcube Group, Southgate) ** RADIO FROM SPACE: CURIOSITY NOW HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE SELFIES NASA has installed an upgrade operating system on its Curiosity Martian rover and in the process it has given the far off explorer the ability to take selfies. For those few of you who may not have ever heard the term, selfie is slang for a picture that one takes of him or herself and usually posts to some social media website. And while the rover now has the ability to take selfies, NASA explained the rational behind this move is to permit it to examine the effects of wear-and-tear on the rover’s wheels through photos radioed back to Earth. Jim Erickson is with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Center in Pasadena, California. He says that the reason for making this self photographic system available is to help to better understand the impact that the Martian terrain type has on the rovers wheels to help with planning future drive systems. The upgrade is the third such for Curiosity, which NASA says remains in working condition. Once the update is fully tested NASA says it will order the rover to do a series of test drives in smooth dirt to determine exactly how much wear the wheels are experiencing. (NASA) ** PROPAGATION: KJ6KO BEACONS RETURN TO SERVICE Greg Stahlman, KJ6KO, of Diamond Springs, California, has announced over the VHF Reflector that all five of his VHF and UHF propagation beacons that originate from Grid Square CM 88 WS are back on the air. The operating frequencies are 144.2824, 222.0110, 432.2812, 903.2961 and 1296.2612. All are operated using a common identifier that signs de KJ6KO/B CM88WS. Stahlman had taken the beacons down for a short wile to do some repairs and improvements to the overall beacon system. (VHF Reflector) ** DX In DX, word that The Czech DXpedition team has organized an expedition to Togo. Preliminary date is near the end of September for approximately for 10 days. Activity will be on 160 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and the digital modes. Operation during the CQ World Wide DX RTTY Contest on September 27th and 28th will be a part of the operation. QSL via OK6DJ either direct, via the bureau, eQSL, Logbook of the World or using the OQRS on ClubLog. Bill Moore, NC1L, at the ARRL Awards Desk says that the current T6DD from Afghanistan has been approved for DXCC credit. You can now begin claiming credit for this one. JH3AEF will once again be active as A52EQW from Dochula Resort in Bhutan at the end of August or in early September. Other operators with him may include JH3AEF who will operate as A52AEF and JA3IVU with the call A52IVU. No modes or operating times were mentioned. QSL via each operator via his home callsign. F5MNW will be operating stroke FR from Reunion Island through April 8th. Activity will be on the High Frequency bands using CW only. QSL via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau. JG7PSJ will be active as JD1BMH from Chichijima Island between April 27th and May 11th. Operations will be on 40 through 10 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via the bureau to JD1BMH or direct to JG7PSJ Lastly, UA3AA is on the air from Nepal using the call 9N7AA until May 23rd. Activity has been on 160 through 10 meters using CW only. Unfortunately his current location suffers from some serious RFI issues that affect his ability to hear the calling stations. QSL direct only. (Above from OPDX and other DX news sources) ** THAT FINAL ITEM: VIRTUALLY TRAVEL TO SPACE FOR ONLY $70 And finally this week, researchers from the Surrey Space Centre in England have launched a unique campaign that will enable members of the public including radio amateurs a chance to make a virtual trip into space for only about $70 United States dollars. Amateur Radio Newsline’s Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the details: -- The Surrey Space Center Virtual Ride to Space ride will use cutting-edge virtual technology and a specially designed spacecraft to deliver a three-dimensional, immersive experience that will allow everyone to see what astronauts experience on their way to space. The experience will be created by capturing High Definition video footage collected using a weather balloon which will carry a cluster of twenty-four cameras to a height of about 65,000 feet. During ascent these cameras will capture panoramic footage of the balloon’s journey to space. Following the flight and retrieval of the camera payload a specialized software package will be used to stitch this footage together to recreate a panoramic view of the space trip. The subsequent space ride will then be viewed using a state of the art virtual reality head-mounted display. This system is designed to deliver high definition three dimensional virtual environments that can be explored by the wearer, as if they are in space themselves. Dr. Aaron Knoll is the lead researcher from the University of Surrey. He indicates that the Surrey virtual Ride to Space will give all aspiring astronauts the chance to be a virtual passenger, riding the balloon into space at far less cost than actually making such a trip for in any other way. For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania. -- The $50,000 project will be funded by public contributions through the crowd-sourcing Kickstarter website. The project team is also developing a smartphone application that will allow users to experience the journey using the phones’ built-in gyroscope and accelerometer data, as well as a computer program that will allow people to experience space via their own PC’s. The fund raising campaign and view the demonstration video on line at https://kickstarter/projects/1592839372/virtual-ride-to-space-using-the-oculus-rift (University of Surrey, International Science Times, others) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the South African Radio League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australias WIA News and you our listeners, thats all from the Amateur Radio Newsline™. Our e-mail address is newsline (at) arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newslines™ only official website located at arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline™, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita California, 91350. For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors’ desk, I’m Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Southern Mississippi saying 73 and we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline™ is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 13:59:14 +0000
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