Executive order: Obama grabs communications

There is this report from the Canada Free Press by: Doug Hagmann & Joseph Hagmann

In the event you missed the Friday news dump, Barack Hussein Obama issued yet another executive order. Titled “Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Communications Functions,” it may be read in its entirety on the White House website here. At first blush, it appears that the order modernizes previous communications functionality, particularly as it relates to the continuity of governmental communication during wartime or national crisis as defined by Obama.

The text of the order itself consists of 2,205 words and seven-(7) sections and multiple subsections. The policy statement (section one) seems innocuous and actually beneficial to the continuity of communications within the U.S., until one begins to dissect the order and consider it in context with other Obama issued directives. Extensive analysis of this order, in tandem with other recent Obama orders and signed legislation, suggests a disconcerting pattern of potential overreach by Obama into the area of normal and customary commercial communication systems.

Based on our analysis of this order, it would appear that the implementation of emergency communications by Obama, using all forms of wired and wireless communication systems, is redirected through the Executive branch and could expand such takeover abilities beyond the limits of an actual act of war, national emergency, or other event impacting the national security of the U.S. The order also mandates that the Department of Homeland Security develops and submits such a plan to Obama within sixty-(60) days of this order (section 5.2(h)).

You can read the entire Executive Order at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/06/executive-order-assignment-national-security-and-emergency-preparedness-

Top Secret America- A hidden world, growing beyond control

If you think you know all there is to know about the U.S. government and its various federal agencies, think again. The government that we knew prior to 9/11 has changed dramatically since that faithful day in 2001.

For instance, it has been interesting to stand on the edges and see changes in military communications since that day. We have seen a major overhaul in the VHF/UHF spectrum subbands that is used by the DoD. The 225-400 MHz bandplan from several years ago is not what we observe today.

If you would like to learn more about the hidden world of our government, I highly recommend you visit the Washington Post website and read the online article - Top Secret America- A hidden world, growing beyond control by Dana Priest and William M. Arkin.

Priest and Arkin conducted a two-year investigation for The Washington Post that discovered what amounts to an alternative geography of the United States, a Top Secret America hidden from public view and lacking in thorough oversight. After nine years of unprecedented spending and growth, the result is that the system put in place to keep the United States safe is so massive that its effectiveness is impossible to determine.

The investigation's other findings include:

* Some 1,271 government organizations and 1,931 private companies work on programs related to counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in about 10,000 locations across the United States.

* An estimated 854,000 people, nearly 1.5 times as many people as live in Washington, D.C., hold top-secret security clearances.

* In Washington and the surrounding area, 33 building complexes for top-secret intelligence work are under construction or have been built since September 2001. Together they occupy the equivalent of almost three Pentagons or 22 U.S. Capitol buildings - about 17 million square feet of space.

* Many security and intelligence agencies do the same work, creating redundancy and waste. For example, 51 federal organizations and military commands, operating in 15 U.S. cities, track the flow of money to and from terrorist networks.

* Analysts who make sense of documents and conversations obtained by foreign and domestic spying share their judgment by publishing 50,000 intelligence reports each year - a volume so large that many are routinely ignored.

There is also a very interesting online database that as a Milcom monitor you will find very interesting and useful at http://projects.washingtonpost.com/top-secret-america/

I will have more on this from a monitors point of view in an upcoming issue of Monitoring Times magazine in my monthly Milcom column.

A Great Friend and Milcom Monitor Has Passed Away

Photo courtesy of Kevin Burke

Donald G. Edwards Jr. of Northville, passed away suddenly at home after a short battle with cancer on June 28, 2012.

Don was born on April 6, 1954. He was an avid musician playing in many local bands: BlackRiver for 20+ years and more recently Steel Heart. He was also an accomplished Photographer with pictures published in Monitoring Times Magazine. He enjoyed listening to and taking photos of Military aircraft and he was a Licensed Ham Radio operator call sign N2NUM.

Don worked at Coleco industries for many years and at Universal Custom Mill Work.

Don is survived by his wife, Nancy Louer Edwards; daughter Niki (Stephen) Schaffer, son Shaun (Stephanie) Edwards, two beloved grandchildren: Lily Ana Schaffer & Colin Edwards. A brother Harold Tabor and many nieces.

Don was predeceased by his parents Lillian Miller Edwards & Donald Edwards Sr., and two sisters Donna & Audrey.

Family and friends can gather to remember Don at the house : 332 Fourth St, Northville Monday Afternoon, July 2, at 4pm. Arrangements are by the Northville Funeral Home. Condolences may be made to the family online at www.northvillefuneralservice.com.

With deepest sympathies to Nancy and the family.

Smoke off my friend.

New Multipsk Software Package Released

If you are looking for a good and useful sound card digital decoding program, I would suggest you give Multipsk a look. It is a package we use here on the Btown radio ranch. And now Multipsk just got better. I just received the following release from our friend Patrick Lindecker regarding the latest software release of his popular Multipsk sound card decoding package.

Hello to all Ham and SWL,

The new releases of MultiPSK (4.21.1), Clock (1.9.1) and Multidem (2.4.1) are on my website (http://f6cte.free.fr). The main mirror site is Earl's, N8KBR: http://www.eqth.info/multipsk/index.html (click on "United States Download Site"). Another mirror site is Terry's: http://g90swl.co.uk/multipsk/

Multipsk associated to Clock are freeware programs but with functions submitted to a licence (by user key).

The possibility to export TCP/IP data at 48000 Hz has been added to Multidem 2.4.1.

The main improvements of MULTIPSK 4.21.1 are the following:

* In GMDSS, addition of a "Traffic" window: this function permits to display all the last received GMDSS messages, collected by a specific GMDSS WEB server.

The "Traffic" button permits to display all the last GMDSS received messages, collected by a specific GMSS WEB server. In that case, Multipsk will transmit all the messages received by the user (Ham or SWL) to a WEB server. Multipsk will fetch and display all the collected Lentus messages during minutes 0, 5, 10...55. This function permits to follow ships route, beyond one's own distance of reception, to cover large areas.

Note 1: To avoid broadcasting unreliable pieces of information, only messages with correct CRC will be sent to the GMDSS server.

Note 2: GMDSS server files can be supplied (through an exchange of mails with the author) to constitute private GMDSS listening nets.

* In ACARS and HFDL, addition of a "Traffic" window: this function permits to display all the plane position messages, collected by a specific WEB server (ACARS or HFDL).

Note: ACARS or HFDL server files can be supplied (through an exchange of mails with the author) to constitute private ACARS or HFDL listening nets.

* In Lentus, addition of a "Traffic" window: this function permits to display all the last received and transmitted Lentus messages, collected by a specific Lentus WEB server.

* In DGPS, addition of information about the Station number and possibility of automatic switching to the DGPS detected speed ("Automatic" button).

* in the QSO window, possibility to find a word in the text.

* Possibility to receive TCP/IP data at 48000 Hz (to interface SdR programs, for example).

* In APRS, GMDSS, ACARS and HFDL, there is a better display on Google Earth and local maps with dashes between dots, only if the "Display all" button is pushed.

Miscellaneous

The paper "Lentus easy with Multipsk.doc" has been updated and is available on my website: http://f6cte.free.fr/LENTUS_easy_with_Multipsk.doc.

Note about translation of Multipsk.exe and Clock .exe: the 4.21 version of Multipsk/Clock has been completly translated to Spanish by Joachin (EA4ZB), from French. The translation file is on my Web site (http://f6cte.free.fr/Translation_files.htm).

Beginners Guide to Trunking Basics

If you are new to scanning or public safety trunking has just become active in your area. be sure to check out A Basic Guide to Trunking wriiten by Uniden's Paul Optiz. It is available in Adobe pdf format by clicking here.

Murphy VIPER TRS Site Operational

The new VIPER TRS Site 45 located in Murphy is now operational. Caught my first TG on it this morning 57392 which is a P25 digital TG within the VIPER Medical TG series. It is assigned to Murphy Medical Center (VMB5) and was being used by a Cherokee EMS unit with an enroute patient report.

In order to monitor this TRS system, you will need a digital trunking scanner (we have them in stock at Grove Enterprises http://www.grove-ent.com).

Local VIPER TRS frequencies
Murphy Site (Cherokee Cty) SysID C92D Site ID 045 (2D)
866.0875 866.3375 866.9000 867.2000a 868.8375c 868.9125

In addition to state agencies, it is my understanding that County agencies will also migrate to this system in the future. Looks like Cherokee Co EMS has started to make their move.

I also have a report that Clay County is using VIPER now. Probably from Wine
Springs but maybe also from Joanna Bald.

Joanna Bald (Cherokee Cty) SysID C92D Site ID 008 (8)
866.8250 867.0750 867.8250 868.1750a 868.3250c

Wine Springs (Macon Co) SysID C92D Site ID 010 (A)
866.1375 866.3875 867.3375 868.1125a 868.8750c

So let the fun begin.

MT 2012 Annual Air Show Guide Now Available Online

Monitoring Times magazine, the world's leading radio hobby communications magazine has just posted to their website the Annual Air Show Listening Guide in pdf format for download. And the cost is right - free!

You can download your copy by clicking here.

Space-X Dragon downlinks

Our good friend PJ Marsh posted the following to the Hearsat newsgroup.

"Here is a quick summary of the downlinks detected so far from Space-X / Dragon (All freqs in MHz);

2205.5 Mhz Dragon narrow band telemetry

2216.0 MHz TLM downlink via directional s-band antenna 20W, FFT http://pjm.dyndns.org/twtr/spacex.jpg

2265.0 MHz Dragon wide band telemetry FFT http://pjm.dyndns.org/twtr/spacex4.jpg and
http://pjm.dyndns.org/twtr/spacex5.jpg

2287.5 MHz Reflection of ISS uplink to TDRSS, presumably off Dragon.

The 2287.5 signal is interesting to watch in FFT as you can see significant phasing effects, probably due to the multitude of reflections since the antenna on the ISS will be pointing up to a TDRSS."

Thanks for sharing Paul.

Strange English OM Voice Loop in 6950 kHz

As originally reported on the UDXF newsgroup, a strange English OM voice loop has popped up, first on 6990 kHz USB then yesterday moved to 6950 kHz USB. The loop is sending the following continuously: "She had your dark suit in greasy wash water all year. Don't ask me to carry an oily rag like that. They used an aggressive policeman to flag thoughtless motorists."

You just have to love shortwave for the wonderful and strange things you will hear. Now we need Yosemite Sam to make an appearance.

DC Embassies Open House This Weekend

Chinese Embassy in Washington DC.
(Photo courtesy of Chinese diplomatic service)

Our friend Allan Henney on the Scan-DC list posted the following:

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"It's May -- that time of year for the embassy open houses! This Saturday and the following Saturday 70 embassies will host opening houses. Some use two-way radios, and I've been fascinated by the legal ramifications. If you go, please bring your scanner and share your close-call hits or at least note which embassies have radios and what type/band. Here are a few notes I have captured in past years and would appreciate further confirmation:"

Australia 171.950? Also had a brief close-call hit on 160.08. They used Motorola EX500/600 series.

Canada 463.5250r/s [d306] and 464.6750r/s [d306] (used in past, repeater and simplex)

French had an FRS-style radio in the guard shack, but was not in use.

Germany 160.270 [156.7] odd one, huh? Also 171.7625 and 172.5625 both freq counter hits (not confirmed) and 468.4125 catering (not confirmed)

Iraqi had a Motorola FRS/GMRS radio (not in use).

Italy 461.1125s [67.0], was: 464.5500s [67.0]

Saudi Arabia 468.6500s [141.3] and maybe 466.0625s

Slovak 462.675s(?) [hired security]

Sweden, House of 464.325s(?)

I expected to see some high-end gear last year, at least from the super powers, but mostly saw old analog Motorola business-style radios. One guard at the British Embassy had an old Motorola GP300 or GP350. Would love to pin down their frequency!

Does anybody have other embassy frequency finds to share?

See these Websites for the participating embassies:

May 5: http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/things-do-see/passport-dc/participating-embassies
May 12: http://www.euopenhouse.com/plan-your-trip
______________________________________________________________
Scan-DC mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/scan-dc

Discovery flies for last time, ends chapter in aerospace history

A NASA Shuttle Carrier Aircraft carrying the space shuttle Discovery performs a fly-by, April 17, 2012 at Joint Base Andrews, Md. The aircraft landed at Washington Dulles International Airport in Sterling, Va., before its transfer to the National Air and Space Museum. Discovery completed 39 missions, spent 365 days in space, orbited the Earth 5,830 times, and traveled 148,221,675 miles .(U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Katie Spencer)

Blog Editor Note: Those that follow me on my twitter account got quite a bit of timely monitoring info during this event. For future events along this line, be sure to follow me on my twitter account: @MilcomMP.

by Airman 1st Class Alexander W. Riedel, Defense Media Activity

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- After almost 27 years and 39 flights in Earth's orbit, the space shuttle Discovery arrived at Dulles Airport in Washington, D.C., April 17 on its way to its final resting place.

The last moments in the air for Discovery began at Kennedy Space Center, Fla., mounted on top of a modified Boeing 747. The retired spacecraft will take final residence in a hangar at the Smithsonian's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center April 19, in Chantilly, Va.

At its new home, Discovery will stand on the same spot the shuttle Enterprise occupied since the center's opening in 2003, according to Dr. Valerie Neal, the curator at the National Air and Space Museum. Unlike Discovery, Enterprise was only a test vehicle and was never used for space flight, making it a less significant artifact to experts. Therefore, it was moved to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York.

On duty since 1984, Discovery was the third orbiter that was built and is now the oldest shuttle remaining in the fleet.

"Because it started service so early, it flew all different types of missions shuttles were assigned," said Neal. "In our view, it's the champion of the shuttle fleet and really helps tell the story of the shuttle era."

Most visitors will be shocked by the immense size of the orbiter, which on TV often seemed dwarfed by its external tank and booster rockets, Neal said. Others may wonder about the shuttle's outer condition. Its exterior is well worn and the black tiles of its heat shield show the scars that earth's atmosphere inflicted.

"We asked NASA not to clean the exterior or repaint it," Neal said. "We wanted Discovery to be as it was after it flew its last mission."

Changes to the orbiters were minor, Neal said, but included required deinstallation of maneuvering pods, which contained traces of hazardous fuels, and the removal of the shuttle's main engines, which NASA is planning to reuse in the future.

As the shuttle takes its place among the Enola Gay and other iconic aircraft, it also puts a close to a chapter of Air Force history.

"The intention in the 1970s was to put all missions, civil and military, on the shuttle once it became operational," said Rick Sturdevant, the deputy director of history at the Air Force Space Command. "It was supposed to become the only launch vehicle for the U.S., but a lot of Air Force personnel doubted it was a good idea to put all of our eggs in one basket."

"However, as the shuttle approached, Air Force planning intensified with the construction of a shuttle launch complex at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and a Shuttle Operations and Planning Center at Shriever Air Force Base, Colo.," Sturdevant said. "One of the primary reasons for the creation of what was later to become Air Force Space Command was the intention of administrating and planning shuttle operations for the Department of Defense."

While much of these installations were never used to full capacity, the Air Force provided services, such as range support during launches and tracking of orbital debris in protection of the shuttle.

Sturdevant said he believes the shuttle caused Air Force leadership to think more operationally about space and what the Air Force could do to use space in support of war-fighting capabilities. The shuttle was supposed to become essential in transporting those war-fighting assets into orbit.

"For 30 years, it was the premier aerospace vehicle in the world," said Tom Jones, a former shuttle pilot. "It was the most complex machine ever built and had capabilities in space that have yet to be matched, thirty years after it came onto the scene."

The shuttle established a semblance of routine space flight, Neal said. Space flight seemed like it was no longer going to be extraordinary, but that it was becoming a normal enterprise of the United States.

Two of the originally five sister-ships were destroyed during operations. In 1986, Challenger exploded shortly after take-off, and in 2003, Columbia was torn apart during re-entry into earth's atmosphere. During both accidents, all seven crew members were lost.

"In many ways, the orbiter left a bitter taste in the mouth of many senior Air Force officials," said Dwayne Day, a senior program officer with the National Research Council. "It helped develop a number of important technologies, and delivered numerous important scientific and national security payloads."

But the military did not get as much out of the program as hoped, and stopped DoD shuttle operations after the Challenger tragedy.

"People died in very public ways," said Day, who worked on the Columbia accident investigation board in 2003. "There were no ejection seats, no escape pods," Day said. " If the vehicle was damaged, the crew was doomed. It was a bad situation."

"The shuttle educated the military about having a distributed way of getting into orbit," said Jones. "Challenger only exposed the vulnerability of having only one way of getting your payloads into space."

The Air Force quickly responded and broadened its base, said Jones.

"What the orbiter did gain for the military was cutting-edge experience on human operations in space," explained Jones. "Now, with the classified X 37, which is sort of a derivative of the shuttle, the Air Force is taking full advantage of the lessons learned."

It took a lot more maintenance than was anticipated, said Neal, and maintenance took a long time in between flights, so the shuttle never deployed as routinely as desired.

"It was a very expensive vehicle," said Day. "It was so expensive that it made it difficult to find funding to develop a replacement vehicle."

Retired Air Force Col. John Casper, a former shuttle pilot, said the shuttle lasting legacy will be its contribution to building the International Space Station.

"Sixteen different nations are involved, forming what is often called the largest international program since the cooperation of the Allies in WWII," said Casper. "Another legacy is the Hubble Space telescope, which the shuttle carried into orbit."

For Casper, the transition, from an Air Force squadron to the astronaut corps, was an easy one.

"There is real joy in working as a team and experience tremendous teamwork with people that are very dedicated, very much like it was the Air Force," said Casper about shuttle crews. "It was a talented, educated and disciplined team, that was very passionate about what they do."

Like many missions in the Air Force, shuttle operations called for precision, professionalism and complete immersion in the job, said Jones.

Memories of experiences with the shuttles will always stay with the astronauts, they said.

"To look down onto our home - this great, beautiful planet - was very fulfilling," said Jones. "It is so lovely that tears came to your eyes when you get a chance to reflect upon what you are seeing."

For Casper, flying the shuttle was unlike anything possible on earth.

"The shuttle was not like a fighter. The only time you really flew it like a plane was the landing," said Casper. "And then it could only glide back to earth. There was no way to try the landing again - you only got one chance."

After the Columbia accident, Casper became NASA's Mishap Investigation Team's deputy for the debris recovery operation. While the nation was in shock, he said he lost friends.

"The community of astronauts is very small. We all know each other. Some even flew together in the Air Force," said Casper. "I guess it was also in the Air Force that you find out what happened, try to correct the problem and get back to the mission."

"You can't let it stop you," said Casper. "You can't stop flying planes in the Air Force and you can't stop exploring in space."

But the shuttle mission is over and new technology is needed to move onto bigger and better things, said Casper. But a certain sadness remains for the astronaut and space enthusiasts alike.

"Most shuttles have about 25 to 35 flights," said Casper. "But they were built for 100 flights each. So they're in pristine shape."

Thinking that the shuttles were old and decrepit is a common misconception, said Neal.

"The fleet has, in fact, been constantly updated, to the point that the shuttles that flew in 2011 were hardly the same as in 1984," said Neal. "It was the same airframe, but a lot of the technology inside was new," said Neal.

For Casper, now an assistant for program integration for NASA's Orion program, a strong space program is an essential political and military tool of the future, he said.
"Venturing into space is a demonstration to the world that we have the ability and the will to do so," he said. "It is a necessary extension of aerospace power and the Air Force's mission."

One important mission for the shuttle will continue even at the museum - it will continue to inspire.

"Seeing the U.S. Flag hanging on the hangar wall behind the shuttle, just like it did when it was in its assembly and servicing hangar, you realize that the shuttle is an icon for the United States," Neal said.

Neal's team wanted to make the arrival at the museum as accessible as possible, she said. The transfer from NASA was free to the museum and seeing the shuttle will be free to the public -after all it was the public that has supported and financed the shuttle program all along, Neal insisted.

"This is the spacecraft of your generation, it is an American icon." said Neal. "If you never made it to a launch or landing, you really owe it to yourself to see how the U.S. went into space during your lifetime. Come and take pride and ownership in it."

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located a few miles south of Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Virginia. It is open from 10:00 am - 5:30 pm seven days a week, with the exception of Christmas Day. Admission is free, parking is available for a $15 fee.

The last flight of the space shuttle Discovery flies over Joint Base Andrews, Md. on April 17, 2012. Discovery piggy -backed a ride on a jumbo 747 from NASA KTTS Landing Facility (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sophia Piellusch)

MT March 2012 Air Show issue now available for Kindle

No other issue of Monitoring Times magazine is more popular than our annual air show issue that is released in March of each year.

As a leader in the radio hobby publishing world, Grove Enterprises and the Monitoring Times magazine staff is pleased to announce that the March 2012 air show issue is now available in the Kindle reader format from Amazon.com at a price you just can not beat - $0.99. Now you can take our most popular issue of MT with you to the air show as a ready reference.

And no need to worry if you do not own a Kindle reader. You can still read our new Kindle electronic reader edition or any Kindle book anywhere with Amazon's free reading apps.

There are free Kindle reading apps for Smartphones (iPhone & iTouch, Android, Windows Phone 7, and Blackberry); Computer platforms (Windows and Mac); Tablets (iPad and Android Tablet), and of course the Kindle readers including the new Kindle Fire that will be reviewed in the June issue of Monitoring Times. You can get more detail on these apps by clicking here.

MT March 2012 Product Description
Monitoring Times Xpress digital edition, March, 2012. Monitoring Times magazine is the leader in radio communications for the world of radio. Each issue is packed with shortwave, scanner and other radio reviews, features and columns. Now in our 31st year, MT is better than ever offering a print edition, PDF version (full color and graphics) and now the MT Digital Reader edition. This is our test of the digital version of the magazine for e-readers. It contains no graphics and no ads. We want to see your response as the reader whether this is worth pursuing as a monthly subscription. Please give us your thoughts and comments.

Bill Grove
Art Director, Monitoring Times Magazine
bill at grove-ent.com

This is an offer to good to pass up. You can purchase your 99 cents MT Annual Air Show edition in Kindle format by clicking here.

1912 - Titanic Centenary - 2012

From our friend Tom Rosner and the UDXF newsgroup (thanks for sharing Tom):

A special broadcast on longwave 147,3 kHz & amateur crossband event will be held in memoriam of the sinking of RMS "Titanic"

on 14th April 22:30 GMT until 15th April 02:00 GMT with NWS transmitter DDH47 on 147,3 kHz in Morsecode only During 'silence periods' (red sectors of radio clock) of former maritime radio service the names of radio officers will be sent in qrss3 ( 1 dot in 3 seconds !)

Calls from amateur radio on hf will be answered by DL0SWA & DDH47

Event hosted by Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) & employees of TI33, Pinneberg & amateur radio group Seewetteramt & friends of Prof. Braun Day

Wallops Launched Cancelled for Tonight

Thanks to my old friend Keith Stein and the Scan-DC listserv:

NASA has scrubbed tonight's launch attempt for the ATREX mission
because of a payload problem. Next attempt no earlier than Friday night.

Mission information:
http://www.examiner.com/dc-in-washington-dc/video-nasa-studies-earth-s-high-altitude-super-wind-from-virginia

Details on Tonight's Five ATREX/Cloud Release Launches from Wallops

Courtesy of Cmdr Jaycee and the Seesat-L listserv

For those along the US East Coast, NASA is planning to launch five Terrier - Malemute sounding rockets over a five minute span tonight (sometime between midnight to 1:30 AM, EDT) from Wallops Island, Virginia.

"As part the mission, the five rockets will release a chemical tracer that will form milky, white clouds that allow scientists and the public to “see” the winds in space. These clouds may be visible for up to 20 minutes by residents from South Carolina to southern New Hampshire and Vermont."

For more, see:

NASA Jet Stream Study Will Light up The Night Sky
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/missions/atrex-nightlight.html

NASA - Anomalous Transport Rocket Experiment (ATREX)
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sunearth/missions/atrex.html

NASA to Launch 5 Rockets to Study Jet Stream | ATREX Mission | Space.com
http://www.space.com/14792-nasa-5-rocket-launches-edge-space.html

Breaking News: X5 Flare

GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE: A CME propelled toward Earth by this morning's X5-class solar flare is expected to reach our planet on March 8th at 0625 UT (+/- 7 hr). Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, who prepared the CME's forecast track, say the impact could spark a strong-to-severe geomagnetic storm. Sky watchers at all latitudes should be alert for auroras.

Firmware Update Coming

Paul Opitz at Uniden posted the following announcement on Valentines Day:

Uniden expects to release a firmware update for the BCD396XT and BCD996XT near the end of February. This update is intended to improve reception and decoding of APCO 25 systems on many systems.

We've been developing and testing this update for a while, and are quite pleased overall with the improvements achieved.

Looking forward to getting this into your hands.

New Rules for 5 MHz (60 Meters) To Go Into Effect March 5

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB002
ARLB002 New Rules for 5 MHz (60 Meters) To Go Into Effect March 5

ZCZC AG02
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 2 ARLB002
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT February 3, 2012
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB002
ARLB002 New Rules for 5 MHz (60 Meters) To Go Into Effect March 5

On November 18, the FCC released a Report and Order (R&O), defining new rules for the 60 meter (5 MHz) band. These rules are in response to a Petition for Rulemaking (PRM) filed by the ARRL more than five years ago and a June 2010 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). In the February 3 edition of the Federal Register, the FCC announced that these new rules will go into effect on March 5, 2012.

Details can be found at,
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/02/03/2012-2477/amateur-radio-use-of-the-allocation-at-5-mhz

In summarizing the new rules, the FCC explained that the new rules amend the current rules to facilitate more efficient and effective use by the Amateur Radio Service of five channels in the 5330.5-5406.4 kHz band (the 60 meter band): "Specifically, and
consistent with our proposals in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in this proceeding, the Commission replaces one of the channels with a less encumbered one, increases the maximum authorized power amateur stations may transmit in this band and authorizes amateur stations to transmit three additional emission designators. The Commission also adopts an additional operational rule that prohibits the use of automatically controlled digital stations and makes editorial revisions to the relevant portions of the Table of Frequency Allocations and our service rules."

The Amateur Radio Service in the United States has a secondary allocation on 60 meters. Only those amateurs who hold General, Advanced or Amateur Extra class licenses may operate on this band. Amateur stations must not cause harmful interference to -- and must accept interference from -- stations authorized by any
administration in the fixed service, as well as mobile (except aeronautical mobile) stations authorized by the administrations of other countries.
NNNN
/EX

USFS Southern Area Helibases

The following is a list of USFS Southern Area Helibases and frequencies.

State Base Name Frequency Latitude/ Longitude Agency Location Airport Identifier
AL Andalusia 169.325tx Tn.123.0 168.725rx 31 18.5 / 86 23.6 NF in Alabama Andalusia, AL 79J

AR Mena 168.650 Tn.110.9 34 32.7 / 94 12.2 Ouachita NF Mena, AR M39

AR Mt. Ida 168.650 Tn.110.9 34 31.8 / 93 31.6 Ouachita NF Mt. Ida, AR 7M3

AR Clarksville 168.650 Tn.110.9 35 28.2 / 93 25.6 Ozark NF Clarksville, AR H35

FL Ocala 169.175 Tn.131.8 29 06.3 / 81 37.8 Ocala NF Altoona, FL OCF

FL Tallahassee 164.125tx 164.825rx Tn.136.5 30 23.7 / 84 20.9 Apalachicola NF Tallahassee, FL TLH

FL Big Cypress 171.625tx 172.425rx Tn.103.5 25 51.27 / 81 02.04 Big Cypress NP Big Cypress, FL 9FL7

FL Everglades 171.625tx 172.525rx 35 23.28 / 80 41.09 Everglades NP Homestead, FL HST

FL Lake City 164.125tx 164.825rx Tn.167.9 30 10.8 / 82 34.5 Osceola NF Lake City, FL LCQ

FL Merritt Island 166.725tx 165.450rx 28 64.03 / 80 73.07 Merritt Island NWR Titusville, FL X21

GA Pogo 163.150tx 164.625rx tn.103.5 30 44.3 / 82 07.6 Okefenokee NWR Folkston, GA 3GE1

GA Glassy Mountain 168.650 tn.136.5 34 50.42 / 83 30.02 Chattahoochee NF Clayton, GA

GA Rock Eagle 168.150tx 171.975rx tn.186.2 33 24.3/83 22.54 Chattahoochee/Oconee NFs Rock Eagle Work Center

KY Big Swag 171.525 36 52.5 / 84 25.4 Daniel Boone NF Somerset, KY SME

LA Alexandria 168.650 Tn.110.9 31 19.6 / 92 32.9 Kisatchie NF Alexandria, LA AEX

MS Wiggins 168.750 30 50.6 /89 09.6 Desoto NF Wiggins MS M24

MS Forest 168.675 32 21.2 / 89 29.3 Bienville NF Forest, MS 2M4

NC Woodlawn 168.650 Tn.110.9 35 46.1 / 82 02.1 Pisgah NF Marion, NC

NC Cheoah Airport 168.650 Tn.110.9 35 20.2 / 83 49.5 Nantahala NF Robbinsville, NC

NC New Bern 168.650 Tn.110.9 34 59.4 / 76 58.9 Croatan NF New Bern, NC EWN

NC Alligator River 35 57.1 / 75 52.4 Alligator River NWR Manteo, NC MQI

NC Rich Mtn. 168.650 Tn.110.9 35 05.9 / 83 13.7 Nantahala NF Highlands, NC

SC Seed Orchard 164.125tx 168.675rx tn.136.5 33 06.48 /79 46.48 Francis Marion & Sumter NFs Huger, SC

SC Greenwood 164.125tx 168.675rx tn.123.0 34 14.9 / 82 09.5 Francis Marion & Sumter NFs Greenwood, SC GRD

SC Savannah River 168.650 Tn.110.9 33 21.57/81 41.05
Savannah River New Ellenton, SC AGS

TN Copperhill 169.925 tn.103.5 35 0.16 / 84 34.5 Cherokee NF Ducktown, TN 1A3

TN Greenville 169.875 tn.100.0 36 12 / 82 49 Cherokee NF Greenville, TN GCY

TN Bowman 169.875tx tn.100.0 36 10.33/82 31.33 Cherokee NF Jackson Farm, TN

TN Sevierville 168.650 Tn.110.9 35 51.5 / 83 31.7 Great Smoky Mts. NP Sevierville, TN GKT

TX Lufkin 168.750 tn.110.9 31 18.66/94 49.3 NFs in Texas Lufkin, TX LFK

VA Abingdon 171.575 36 41.2 / 82 02.0 GW/Jeff NFs Highland, VA VJI

VA Weyers Cave 171.525 38 15.8 / 78 53.8 GW/Jeff NFs Shenandoah Valley, VA SHD

A common fixed wing aircraft that I see on my Mode-S box from the USFS is N182Z
USDA Forest Service Southern Region Becch 200 N182Z A14A59

Russian Satellite Debris

The Phobos-Grunt That Wasn't A Roscosmos rendering of Phobos-Grunt approaching Mars and its moon Phobos. Roscosmos

Courtesy of Harry Baughn:

"As of Wednesday morning, the fragments of Phobos-Grunt are expected to fall January 15, 2012. The final date could change due to external factors," said spokesman Alexei Zolotukhin, quoted by the Interfax news agency.

In an embarrassing setback, the $165-million probe designed to travel to the Mars moon of Phobos and bring back soil samples, blasted off on November 9 but failed to leave the Earth's orbit.

Click here for the Space.com story