The following is a Q-S-T.  The Dayton Hamvention announces
its 2012 award winners, the Sun erupts with a massive C-M-E
hurled toward Earth,  Brazil bans DXpedition operations from
Saint Peter and Saint Paul, new rules now in effect for U-S
hams on 60 meters, and a new movie about going into space
from Richard Garriott, W5KWQ.  All this and more on Amateur
Radio NewslineT report number 1804 coming your way right
now.


(Billboard Cart Here)


**

RADIO HONORS:  HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES 2012 AWARD WINNERS

Its honors time in amateur radio.  This as the Dayton
Amateur Radio Association announces the names of these years
Hamvention Award winners.  Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, is in the
newsroom with more:

--

This year the Dayton Hamvention Awards Committee has gone
world wide in choosing who would receive the Hamvention's
2012 honors.  Named as Radio Amateur of the Year award
recipient is Mr. S. Suri, VU2MY, of Hyderbad, India.  Mr.
Suri can be described as the Hirum Percy Maxim of that
nation.  Among his numerous achievements, VU2MY was
instrumental in establishing the art and science of amateur
radio in India as well as leading the effort to establish
the world acclaimed National Institute of Amateur Radio.
Staying with his avocation, Mr. Suri has lead search, rescue
and recovery efforts in many natural emergency events
throughout India and elsewhere.

Technical Achievement Award recipient Joel Hallas, W1ZR, of
Westport, Connecticut, is likely best known for his monthly
QST column titled "The Doctor Is In."  This ongoing series
is designed to answer many of the basic and not-so-basic
technical questions of ham radio that readers may have on
their minds.  More important, W1ZR responds to these
questions in an easy to read format that might best be cited
as having a unique appeal especially to newcomers to the
hobby.

In addition to his writing for QST, W1ZR is the author of
several well read books.  These include such titles as Basic
Radio, Basic Antennas, The ARRL Guide to Antenna Tuners,
Care and Feeding of Transmission Lines and Understanding and
Using Your Antenna Analyzer.  He has also garnered many
technical awards and remains one of the top technical
authors in the field of amateur radio.

This years Special Achievement Award recipient is Steven
Betza, WZ2V, of Endicott, New York. According to the Awards
Committee, Betza enjoys teaching students by using live
experiments and missions.  Through a project called "Blue
Horizon," WZ2V has already licensed 38 new hams, set the
world record for the highest amateur balloon at 125,000
feet, and demonstrated many technical feats relating to that
record breaking flight.  He also has contributed in a major
way to college and high school education programs in
Electronic Engineering.

Last but by no means least, the annual Club of the Year
Award goes to Deutsche Amateur Radio Club.  Better known by
its initials DARC, the group has organized Germany into one
unified national radio society that can easily be compared
to the ARRL here in the United States.  The DARC provides
educational and technical support for radio amateurs and
shortwave listeners.  Prior to formal regulations in
Germany, the DARC provided guidance in terms of frequency
and power management.  Today, in addition to all of its
other responsibilities, the DARC plays a major role in
training and licensing across Germany and is well respected
throughout the European Union.

With our sincere congratulations to all of this years
Hamvention Award winners, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in the
newsroom in Los Angeles.

--

The winners will receive their honors at the 2012 Dayton
Hamvention. Its scheduled for May 18th to the 20th at the
Hara Arena in the Dayton suburb of Trotwood, Ohio.  Amateur
Radio Newsline plans to be there to bring you all the sound
of this years Dayton Hamvention event.
(Hamvention 2012)

**

PROPAGATION:  SUN EJECTS LARGE CME

The largest solar flare in five years began racing toward
Earth on Wednesday March 7th, threatening to unleash a
torrent of charged particles that could disrupt
communications world-wide.

As this report is being prepared, the government's Space
Weather Prediction Center had issued a warning that the
effects of the Coronal Mass Ejection or CME were expected to
begin around 7 a.m. Eastern time on Thursday, March 8th.
Forecasters say the flare was growing as it sped outward
from the sun.

Joseph Kunches is a scientist for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.  He said that this particular
solar storm was likely to last through Friday morning, March
9th but warned that the region of the Sun that erupted can
still send more CME's our way.  Kunches noted that another
set of active sunspots is ready visible on the solar disk
and that these could also erupt and send more CME's our way.

This latest solar storm comes on the heels of an earlier and
weaker solar eruption happened Sunday, March 4th.   For
updates on this and other solar flare-ups please keep an eye
on www.spaceweather.com.  (Spaceweather, NOAA, others)

**

BREAKING DX NEWS:  BRAZIL BANS PY0S DX OPERATIONS

The Southgate News reports that radio amateur are now
prohibited from operating DXpeditions from the Brazilian
Archipelago of Saint Peter and Saint Paul also known as
PY0S.  This is a remote group of islands near the equator
whose maximum elevation is only 18 about meters above sea
level.  It's also the nearest point of Brazil to Africa,
lying about 1820 kilometers from Guinea Bissau.  St. Peter &
St. Paul was rated number 16 in 2011 DXCC list of most
wanted entities.

In a report credited to PS8RF and the Brazilian Amateur
Radio League and some DX groups in Brazil have shown their
displeasure with this government ban in postings on various
social websites.  PS8RF told Southgate that there is already
a major mobilization by the Brazilian ham community aimed at
urging the nations Senators and Federal Representatives to
reverse the decision on the to ban.  PS8RF notes that the
biggest concern among Brazilian hams is that this decision
could open unheard restrictions to other entities in Brazil
as in other parts of the world where there is no amateur
radio activity.  More on this breaking news item is on-line
at www (dot) teresinadxgroup (dot) com.  (Southgate, PS8RF)

**


RADIO LAW:  NEW US 60 METER RULES NOW IN EFFECT

Effective Monday, March 5th United States radio amateurs
were granted  new operating privileges on the 60 meter band.
In addition to an increase in effective radiated power from
50 to 100 watts, hams can now transmit CW and PSK31.  More
information on what modes can be used on what frequencies is
on-line at the ARRL website.  The quick link to it is
tinyurl.com/60-meters-now.  (ARRL)

**

RADIO LAW:  OTTAWA CANADA LOOKS AT BIG HAM ANTENNA
RESTRICTIONS

Ottawa Canada's proposed rules for where private radio
operators can put their antennas need another look.  This
according to the City Council's Rural-Affairs Committee
which met two days after the city's Planning Committee
reached a similar decision.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Don
Carlson, KQ6FM, reports:

--

According to the on-line Ottawa Citizen, the regulations are
aimed at restricting big and intrusive antenna installations
while staying out of the way of small ones.  But Ottawa area
hams have warned City Councilors that they do not agree with
the way that they are written,.

Under the rules, antennas on residential properties would be
exempt from public consultations as long as they are under
15 meters in height and at the back of a house.

Radio amateurs counter that this type of a regulation would
leave little room for a working antenna above many trees and
roof lines.  Also that it unduly restricts unobtrusive
antennas that would be less visible in front yards than
telephone wires, and it doesnt distinguish between an urban
house and a rural one, where neighbors might be much too far
away to care which yard has an antenna in it.

Like the Planning Committee the Rural-Affairs Committee
approved the rules their staff had made up, but nevertheless
asked for tweaks and improvements to be made before the
issue heads to City Council for a final vote on March 28.

The Canadian Province of Ottawa is home to about 1,400
amateur radio operators.  City Council members have already
been told that ham radio operators comes are a vital
resource during rare disasters like extended power
failures.  Amateur radio enthusiasts were instrumental in
setting up communications during the 1998 ice storm,
particularly on the hard-hit South Shore of Montreal.

For the amateur Radio Newsline, Im Don Carlson, KQ6FM, in
Reno.

--

According to the March 1st story, the city of Ottawa cannot
actually control the placement of private or commercial
antennas.  That's the purview of Canadian federal
telecommunications regulator Industry Canada.  However
Industry Canada  does give municipalities a chance to
comment when it's making decisions so that citizens can
express what a city thinks is right for them. Now the Ottawa
City Council must convince Industry Canada to adopt them.
(ottawacitizen.com)

**

BREAK 1

From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world
including the WA4TEN repeater serving the city of Knoxville,
Tennessee.

(5 sec pause here)


**

RESCUE RADIO:  TRAINED EMCOMM OPERATORS NEEDED IN WAKE OF
INDIANA TORNADO

Ham radio operators were activated after a rash of tornadoes
hit in several states.  We have more in this report:

--

Trained ham radio communicators are needed in Clark County,
Indiana following tornadoes that devastated the area on
March 2nd.

In a posting to the Indiana Ham remailer picked up on
QRZ.com, Jeff Brady, N9WSV, who is the Assistant Emergency
Coordinator for  Clark County, Indiana, says that more
operators are needed to assist in recovery efforts Brady
says that they could use additional operators to man various
posts even if its only for a few hours a day.

But do not just show up on site.  Rather, if you can assist
first contact N9WSV  by phone at 502-777-7304 or e-mail to
n9wsv (at) arrl (dot) net.  If you are in the area he is
monitoring the146.94 repeater which requires a 67hz sub-
audible access tone.

N9WSV adds that the local team of ham radio operators have
put in many hours and any relief is greatly appreciated.

--

More on this story in future Amateur Radio Newsline reports.
(W8ISH, IN_HAM, QRZ.com)

**

PUBLIC SERVICE:  BOSTON AREA HAMS NEEDED FOR 44TH PROJECT
BREAD WALK FOR HUNGER EVENT

The 44th running of the Boston, Massachusetts area Project
Bread Walk for Hunger takes place on on Sunday, May 6th.
Communications planners say that they licensed radio
amateurs to provide communications support for the Project
Bread Staff and volunteers along the 20 mile walk.  If you
are interested in helping out this year, please take your
web browser to www.mmra.org/wfh to log in and fill out the
signup form.  Questions go to wfh12 (at) mmra (dot) org.
(KA1NCF)

**

RADIO POLITICS:  A TINY MOVE TOWARD CONFIRMING NEW
COMMISSIONERS

There could be some movement on the stalled FCC nominee
front, but not very much.  Amateur Radio Newsline's Cheryl
Lasik, K9BIK, reports:

--

According to a spokesperson for Senator Charles Grassley his
staffers met with those of Commerce Committee Chairman
Senator Jay Rockefeller on Monday February 27th to discuss
the senator's hold on two pending FCC Commissioner
nominations. These are Jessica Rosenworcel and Ajit Pai.

The Grassley spokesperson called the meeting a "development"
rather than "progress." She added that she would not further
characterize the meeting beyond saying it was about the
nominations, Senator Grassley's hold threat and a possible
resolution.

The Grassley warning stems from his request for documents
related to the FCC's LightSquared waiver. These are
documents that the FCC has refused to provide based on the
agency's claim that Senator Grassley is not the chair of a
relevant committee. That decision by the FCC to effuse the
request has sparked a confrontation between the senator and
the regulatory agency.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Cheryl Lasik, K9BIK, in
Zion, Illinois.

--

The FCC has been without a full complement of commissioners
since last spring, when it was reduced to four by the exit
of Meredith Attwell Baker. It has been at three since the
retirement of Michael Copps at the end of last year.  (B&C)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  FLORIDA CB OPERATOR ORDERED TO PAY A REDUCED
$450 FINE

The FCC has affirmed a reduced fine of $450 issued to a
Florida C B radio operator based only on his proven
inability to pay a much higher $10,000 Notice of Apparent
Liability to Monetary Forfeiture.  In ordering Michael W.
Perry of Cross City to pay the reduced amount, the
commission turned away his claim that he was not using a non-
certified transmitter or an external power amplifier on the
11 meter band.

In its order, the FCC indicated that there was ample
physical evidence in this case and that the $10,000 fine was
being reduced solely based on Perry proving that the fine
would be a financial hardship on him.  However it also
cautioned Perry that a party's inability to pay is only one
factor in its forfeiture calculation analysis. The FCC
stated that it has it has previously rejected inability to
pay claims in cases of repeated or otherwise egregious
violations. Therefore, future violations of this kind may
result in significantly higher forfeitures that may not be
reduced due to Perry's financial circumstances.

Perry was given the customary 30 days from the date that the
Forfeiture Order was affirmed to pay the $450.  If he fails
to do so the matter could be turned over to the Department
of Justice for collection.  (FCC)

**

ENFORCEMENT:  NO STAFF AND YOU GET A FINE

The FCC issued a notice of apparent liability to Taylor
Broadcasting, which owns WJTB AM in Elyria, Ohio.  This for
allegedly failing to maintain management and staff presence
at its main studio.

In issuing the proposed $10,000 fine the FCC said that its
agents visited WJTB to inspect it in March 2010 but found
the main studio locked and apparently empty.  According to
the FCC, a person who identified herself as Ms. Taylor drove
up and them and said that they would have to talk to a Mr.
Taylor.  She gave the agents a phone number  but even armed
with that contact information the agents were unable to
reach him or gain access to the studio.

Later, after the FCC wrote a letter of inquiry, the company
replied that its personnel do not work specific days and
times, but rather are scheduled as needed.  It also said
that that the agents should have pushed the entry buzzer.
But when FCC agents returned in August, they again found the
door locked, with no one answering knocks, and no entry
buzzer button to press.

In issuing the proposed fine, the FCC says that Taylor
Broadcasting's claim that station personnel are scheduled as
needed has not resulted in a meaningful management and staff
presence at its main studio. The base fine for such cases is
$7,000 but the commission set the penalty at $10,000, saying
Taylor's continued failure to comply with the commission's
main studio requirements even after being advised of this
demonstrates a deliberate disregard for the rules.

Taylor Broadcasting was given the customary 30 days from the
date the Notice of Apparent Liability was issued to pay it
or to file an appeal.  (FCC)

**

RADIO WEATHER:  HIGH WINDS SHUT DOWN ILLINOIS TV STATION

Dual station WTVO and WQRF in Rockford, Illinois was forced
off the air on Friday, March 2nd and staff evacuated from
the building.  This as heavy snow and low altitude winds
caused guy wires on the stations 700 foot high tower to whip
around wildly.

The stations Chief Engineer Mike Real.  In a media interview
he said that in all the years that he has been at WTVO and
WQRF that he has never seen the tower guy system reacting in
that way.  He noted that the swaying guy wires had the
ability to actually start shaking the tower down, or cause
damage to the it which is what we wanted to check on.
Because of this the station stayed off the air as crews
examined the tower over the weekend.

In addition to the evacuation at WTVO and WQRF, 12 homes
near the tower were evacuated Friday night.  After the
inspection was completed, WTVO-WQRF resumed broadcasting on
Sunday night, March 4th.  (WTVO-WQRF)

**

HAM RADIO ON THE WEB:  A VIDEO TOUR OF W1AW

In case you missed the live web tour of the February 12th
of ARRL headquarters' flagship station W1AW you can now
watch the 18 minute video on the ARRL website.  In the show
W1AW Station Manager Joe Carcia, NJ1Q, led Geoff Fox, K1GF,
on a tour of the famed station.  Al Petrunti, KA1TCH, of
the New Day Group recording it for future netcasting.  You
can view that video tour at www.arrl.org/w1aw.  It's at the
bottom of the page.  (ARRL)

**

HAM HAPPENINGS:  MARTLESHAM MICROWAVE ROUND TABLE APRIL 28-
29

The 2012 Martlesham Microwave Round Table takes place April
28th and the 29th.  This year's venue is the BT Adastral
Park, Martlesham Heath, in the United Kingdom near the city
of Suffolk.

Speakers scheduled so far include J.R. Miller, G3RUH; Andy
Talbot, G4JNT; B.R. Coleman, G4NNS, and a number of other
well known U-K microwave experimenters.  The United States
will be represented by well known author Kent Britain,
WA5VJB of Grand Prairie, Texas.

This promises to be one of the best Martlesham Microwave
Round Table in history.  More information is on-line at
mmrt.homedns. org.  (UK Microwave Group)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS:  VE3CGN APPOINTED RAC ONTARIO SEC

Some names in the news.  Fist up is Scott Carter VE3CGN who
has been appointed as the new Section Emergency Coordinator
for A-R-E-S in Ontario, Canada.  According to Radio Amateurs
of Canada, Carter was the former District Emergency
Coordinator for the Tecumsah District and holds many
certifications in emergency management. He is also very
active with the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network.
His appointment was effective on March 1st.  (RAC, VE3AJB)

**

NAMES IN THE NEWS: W5LFL AND W5KWQ - MAN ON A MISSION - THE
MOVIE

And next we travel back in time to 1983.  That's when then
NASA astronaut and ham operator Owen Garriott, W5LFL, made
the first manned amateur radio transmission from space.  His
pioneering effort from flight STS-9 paved the way for todays
International Space Station ARISS program.

Several decades later, Owen's son Richard, W5KWQ, would fly
to the ISS and use the same method to talk to his dad and
many others here on planet Earth.  Now, these historic
moments have been captured in the exciting new documentary
titled Man on a Mission.  A film that reveals Richard
Garriotts quest to become the first second generation
American in space.

In a note to Amateur Radio Newsline via First Run Features,
both W5LFL and W5KWQ ask that hams spread the word about
this documentary to your club members and associates in the
amateur radio community.  Currently, Man on a Mission is
available nationwide via Video on Demand.  A DVD release is
planned for May 2012.  More about this documentary is on-
line at firstrunfeatures.com/manonamission.  The films
trailer ca ne seen at tinyurl.com/garriott-film.  (Firstrun
Features)

**

BREAK 2

This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur.  From the
United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline
with links to the world from our only official website at
www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer
services of the following radio amateur:

(5 sec pause here)

**

WORLDBEAT:  UK SPECIAL 600 METER PERMITS EXTENDED

United Kingdom Notices of Variation to amateur radio
licenses for special research permits to operate in the band
501 to 504 kHz have been extended to December 31st 2012.
This as telecommunications regulator Ofcom has begun
discussions with the Radio Society of Great Britain about
the timetable for implementing the new secondary allocation
to the amateur service, 472 to 479 kHz that was recently
approved at WRC-12.  The agreed upon availability date for
this band to begin to become available for administrations
world-wide to begin proceedings to open to their ham radio
communities is effective as of January 1st, 2013.  A United
Kingdom Notices of Variation is the equivlant to an FCC
issued Special Temporary Authority or STA grant here in the
USA.  (RSGB)


**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  HAMSAT VO-52 GOES SILENT

The HAMSAT VO-52 amateur radio satellite that suddenly
ceased operating last month could return to the air.
According to V-U-2-W-M-Y, the satellite is in what he calls
"excellent health" following recovery efforts and is
currently under observation by ground controllers in India.

By way of background, on February 28th all transmissions
from HAMSAT VO-52 ceased.  Since then neither its beacon nor
it's 435 to 145 MHz linear transponder had been heard by
stations on the ground.  However it now looks as if the bird
is back to life, but there is one caveat.

VU2VMY notes that HAMSAT VO-52 is actually the property of
the government of India.  Therefore unlike other amateur
radio satellites that are owned, operated and maintained by
non-governmental agencies, detailed information on HAMSAT VO-
52 cannot be shared with anyone in accordance with the
prevailing governmental regulations.  However VU2WMY adds
that a decision about switching its transponder back on is
pending clearance.

VU2WMY adds that this is the first ever interruption in the
services of the bird since HAMSAT VO-52 was commissioned on
May 5th of 2005.  (VU2VMY)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  VA3OOG TO BE FIRST CANADIAN TO COMMAND
THE ISS

The BBC reports that astronaut Chris Hadfield, VA3OOG, who
also holds the U-S call KC5RNJ will be the first Canadian to
command the International Space Station.

According to the news report, Hadfield will begin his
journey when he launches to the ISS on board a Russian Soyuz
lift vehicle near the end of this year.  For his first three
months on-orbit the 52-year-old ham radio operator will
serve as a flight engineer in the Expedition 34 crew.  Then,
in March 2013, he will assume command of Expedition 35 for
three months before returning to Earth.

This will not be Hadfield's first trip into space.  On past
missions to orbit he became the first Canadian to undertake
a spacewalk and was the first and only Canadian to board the
Russian Mir space station.

VA3OOG  was also the first Canadian to operate his country's
major contribution to the space shuttle program.  That being
its famed robotic arm that was used in numerous space
experiments, on-orbit repairs and to help build the ISS.

You can read more about Chris Hadfield, VA3OOG, and his
coming trip to the ISS on line at tinyurl.com/va3oog-on-
orbit.  (BBC, Space Today)

**

WORLDBEAT:  TOKYO JAPAN HOME TO WORLDS TALLEST BROADCAST
TOWER

A ceremony to mark the completion of the world's tallest
freestanding broadcasting tower was held in Tokyo on Friday,
March 2nd.  Construction on the Tokyo Sky Tree tower began
in 2008.  It was completed a few days prior to its
dedication ceremony.

The Sky Tree stands 2,080 feet tall and is claimed to be the
tallest structure of its type ever built.  It will
eventually be the home of most broadcasting and two-way
radio operations in that city.

Video of the new tower and the dedication ceremony is on-
line at tinyurl.com/tall-tokyo-tower.  And before you ask if
will also be the home of any sort of ham radio relay
operation we can only say that your guess is as good as
ours.  (RW)

**

WORLDBEAT:  DRM COMING TO INDIA

All India Radio has outlined its digitization plan.  This
during the 18th Annual Broadcast Engineering Society of
India event.

According to All India Radio Director General, a pair of one
megawatt  transmitters at Rajkot and Kolkata are likely to
be operational by the end of March and an additional 72
Digital Radio Mondiale transmitters would be commissioned
between June of this year and March 2013.

The ongoing rollout by All India Radio has gained the
interest of receiver manufacturers, who were present at the
event with their latest products. Digital Radio Mondiale
member companies Nautel, Digidia, Fraunhofer, Harris and
Thomson Broadcast attended the conference this year.  (Radio
Magazine)

**

ON THE AIR:  FLEMISH RADIO AMATEURS COMMEMORATE THE SINKING
OF THE TITANIC 100 YEARS AGO

Three special call signs will be activated from April 1st to
the 30th from Belgium by the Flemish Radio Amateurs
organization.  This to honor those who perished 100 years
ago in the sinking of the steam ship Titanic.

OO100MGY by operated from the city of Antwerp.  OR100MGY
will take to the air from Knokke-Heist while OT100MGY will
be on from Londerzeel.

During the weekend of April 14 through April 15, all three
stations will be active during a marathon session from 12:00
Saturday until 16:00 Sunday UTC.  Each of these stations has
a special and unique QSL card available so that three
different styles can be acquired. (FRA)

**

DX

In DX, word that the AX stroke VK0TH operation from
Macquarie Island, the December 2011 and January 2012 9U3TMM
DXpedition to Burundi and the 2011 6-Oh-Zero M operation
from Somalia have all now been approved for DXCC credit.
Also approved is the current T6BP operation from
Afghanistan,  If you had any of these operations rejected in
a recent application send a note to bmoore (at) arrl ()dot)
org to have your record updated.  Moore notes that the AX
stroke VK0TH operation is in addition to the VK0TH that has
already been approved for DXCC recognition.

On the air look for the E51M DXpedition that is going to
North Cook Islands.  Its now announced that it will also be
active as E51MCW from Rarotonga, South Cook Islands between
April 11th and the 14th.  Operations will be on all bands,
including 60 meters using CW, SSB and the Digital modes.
QSL via DJ8NK, direct or via the bureau.

AG1LE will be active stroke KP2 from the Radio Reef Contest
Station KP2M on St. Croix between April 4 to the 11th.  QSL
as directed on the air.

Lastly, F8FGU will be active as CN2RN from High Atlas,
Morocco between April 3rd and the 30th.  His operations will
be on the High Frequency bands using CW and SSB.  QSL via
his home callsign, either via the bureau or direct.

(Above from various DX news sources)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  PHILADELPHIA JOURNALISTS HONOR A FAMOUS
RADIO AMATEUR

And finally this week, a special honor has been bestowed on
a broadcast journalist who is considered to be the driving
force that put manned amateur radio operations into space.
He was truly a broadcast pioneer and a part of the Amateur
Radio Newsline family as well.  Mark Abramovich, NT3V, is
here with the details:

--

Many Newsline listeners recognize the name Roy Neal - the
space voice of NBC News for many years and a big contributor
to Newsline.

Well, what most may not know is the late Roy Neal, K6DUE,
actually grew up here in Philadelphia and got his start in
the broadcasting business right here.

A few months back, the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia,
inducted Roy Neal into their Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Gerry Wilkinson, chairman of the board of the Broadcast
Pioneers of Philadelphia, says Roy Neal got his start in the
early days of radio and TV in Philadelphia.

"He was public affairs/news director at WIBG," Wilksinson
says. "Then, he went over to WPTZ, Channel 3, which is now
KYW-TV. It was owned by Philco and for four or five years he
did television programs for them."

Wilkinson says Neal was bitten by the space bug early and
there was no doubt that's what he wanted to talk about and
cover the most.

And, Wilkinson says, he had the privilege over the years of
keeping in touch with Neal - even after his retirement from
the broadcast business.

"When you talked to him on the phone there was just story,
after story, after story that he would tell you and he was
just really a remarkable gentleman," Wilkinson recalls.

Wilkinson says Roy Neal never forgot his roots.

"He still loved Philadelphia," Wilkinson says. "The first
three chapters of his book all deal with Philadelphia and he
certainly never forgot Philadelphia."

Book you say?

Don't bother looking. Roy never finished that book. But sent
several of his close friends, including Wilkinson, the first
three chapters.

You can read it at the Broadcaster Pioneers website by going
to the web address inserted in the text version of this
story on our website arnewsline.org.

Finally, Wilkinson says while it took some time to getting
Roy into the Philadelphia Hall of Fame, it was an honor well-
deserved.

"He's one of us," Wilkinson says. "He's from Philadelphia.
And, we really believed that what he did in Philadelphia and
then later on in his career that he deserved to be honored."

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V,
in Philadelphia.

--

For us here at Amateur Radio Newsline its hard to believe
that Roy has been gone some nine years.  It seems like only
yesterday when his signature sign off would end one of these
newscasts.  (Link to Roy Neal's book:
http://www.broadcastpioneers.com/roynealbook.html) (NT3V)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX
Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the Southgate
News and Australia's WIA News, that's all from the Amateur
Radio NewslineT.  Our e-mail address is newsline(at)
arnewsline (dot) org.  More information is available at
Amateur Radio Newsline'sT only official website located at
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A reminder that the nominating period for the 2012 Amateur
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award is now open.
Full details and a downloadable nominating form are on our
website at arnewsline.org/yhoty.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk,
I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.