MEETING OF SILVER SPRINGS

RADIO CLUB, INC.

April 19, 2004

The meeting was called to order by President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, at 7:30 p.m. Present at the meeting were Officers, President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, Vice President Tony Blalock, K4OCF, Secretary Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA, Treasurer Johnny Williams, K4ANJ, and Board Member Richard Cardinali, KG4TLE and Ernie O'Berry, K4OSM. There were 43 in attendance, including 37 members and six visitors. A quorum was present.

The invocation was given by Walt Schuler.

The membership recited the pledge of allegiance, led by the Board..

The membership introduced themselves.

Upon motion made, seconded and adopted, the Minutes of the March General Membership Meeting and April Board Meeting were approved as published in The Oracle.

Upon motion made, seconded and adopted, the Treasurer's report was approved as published in The Oracle.

MEMBERSHIP: Membership applications of Henry Kling, KI4DRQ, and Carol Kling, KI4EQY, were submitted and unanimously approved.

MARS: Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, asked Johnny Williams to report on MARS, and Johnny reported that a few phone patches are being run.

WALK-AMERICA: President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, reported that the March of Dimes Walk-America, would take place Saturday, April 24, 2004.

TECHNICIAN'S CLASS: The Technician's Class is nearing completion, with final examination (Technician's Exam) scheduled for May 10, 2004.

MS-150 BIKE-A-THON: The MS-150 Bike-A-Thon will take place on May 1 and 2, 2004.

ARISS: Larry Phelps, K4OZS, announced that the grant for Romeo Elementary's program for Amateur Radio in Space had been approved in the amount of $1,000.00.

FIELD DAY: The Annual Field Day event will utilize the MARS Station. Plans for the event will be finalized at the next two club meetings.

CHRISTMAS PARTY: Suggestions were submitted that the club consider holding the Annual Christmas Party at the Shriners. Investigation will be made to determine whether this is feasible.

TAIL GATE/HAMFEST: Silver Springs Radio Club will conduct a Tail Gate/Hamfest event the second Saturday in December. Plans will be finalized in the coming months.

PROGRAM: Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, announced that he had been approached by someone wanting to present a program to the membership on reverse mortgages. The membership unanimously rejected such a program.

NEW BUSINESS:

MERT DRILL: MERT will conduct a hurricane drill commencing Tuesday, May 4, and concluding on Wednesday, May 5, 2004.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA, Secretary

MINUTES OF GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

MEETING OF SILVER SPRINGS

RADIO CLUB, INC.

May 17, 2004

The meeting was called to order by President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, at 7:30 p.m. Present at the meeting were Officers, President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, Vice President Tony Blalock, K4OCF, Secretary Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA, Treasurer Johnny Williams, K4ANJ, and Board Member Richard Cardinali, KG4TLE. There were 18 members in attendance, and two visitors. A quorum was present.

The invocation was given by Walt Schuler.

The membership recited the pledge of allegiance, led by the Board..

The membership introduced themselves.

There were no minutes of the April General Meeting available, and The Oracle was not published in May.

The May Board Meeting Minutes were prepared but were not available at the meeting.

Upon motion made, seconded and adopted, the Treasurer's report was read and approved.

MARS: Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, asked Johnny Williams to report on MARS, and Johnny reported that a few phone patches are being run. Bill also reported on donations received from the Salt Spriings VFW Auxiliary and the Salt Springs VFW for the MARS Station. Bill also announced that an inquiry had been made as to the cost to replace the losses sustained by the MARS Station from the lightning strike in March. Those losses were estimated at $2,000.00.

WALK-AMERICA: President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ, reported that the March of Dimes Walk-America, took place Saturday, April 24, 2004. Bill recently received the plaque for 2004 and picked up the 2003 plaque.

TECHNICIAN'S CLASS: The Technician's Class is complete. The Technician's Examination was administered Monday, May 10, 2004. There were ten examinees, with a 50% pass rate.

MS-150 BIKE-A-THON: The MS-150 Bike-A-Thon took place on May 1 and 2, 2004. There were three amateur radio operators, which proved to be sufficient.

FIELD DAY: The Annual Field Day event will utilize the MARS Station. Plans for the Annual Field Day event have been finalized. There will be a cook-out for those in attendance.

CHRISTMAS PARTY: Barbara Million, KE4ZTW, will contact the Shriners to determine the feasibility and/or possibility of holding the Club's Annual Christmas Party at that facility.

TAIL GATE/HAMFEST: Silver Springs Radio Club will conduct a Tail Gate/Hamfest event the second Saturday in December. Plans will be finalized in the coming months.

MERT DRILL: The MERT Drill demonstrated a definite need for further training and organization.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m.

Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA, Secretary

June 2004

Compiled by Bill Britton KB4VOL/AAM4AFL

July 10
Largo, at Chester's Electronic Supply, 311 Missouri Avenue North, INFO: Len, K4BDP, len@ij.net

July 23/24 (NEW DATE)
Milton, at Santa Rosa Auditorium, On 191A, Old Bagdad Hwy., Talk-in on 145.490, INFO: Walt, WA4TFR (850) 994-7335

Aug 21
Ft. Pierce, INDOORS at Indian River Community College, on Route 70, Talk-in on 147.345 (PL 107.2), INFO: Bill, N4XEO (772) 461-7275

Aug 28
Tampa at TAMPA ARC Clubhouse, 7801 North 22^nd Street, INFO: Biff, K4LAW (813) 265-4812

Sept 11/12
Melbourne, at Melbourne Auditorium, 625 Hibicus Road, Talk-in on 146.850m INFO: Tim, KI4TG (321) 724-9339

Sept 11
Largo, at Chester's Electronic Supply, 311 Missouri Avenue North, INFO: Len, K4BDP, len@ij.net

Sept 25
(NEW DATE) New Port Richie, at Recreational Center, 6630 Van Buren Road; INFO: Ron, N9EE (727) 365-6575

Sept 25
Orlando, at Bahia Shrine Center, 2300 Pembrook Drive, Talk-in on 147.39 (PL 103.5), INFO: Warren, W4WHH (407) 365-6682

For a complete listing of Hamfests in Florida, please visit the Florida Ham Website at its new location, Florida Ham Website.

NTIA CLAIMS BPL COULD HELP

ALLEVIATE POWER LINE NOISE

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's comments <

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/new.html> in the BPL Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) more clearly reveal the political face of an agency eager and determined to sell the technology's viability, no matter what its own scientists have concluded. The NTIA is the principal White House adviser on telecommunications policy and administers federal government radio spectrum. Its largely scientific Phase 1 report, which clearly established BPL's interference potential, already is part of the proceeding. The agency's formal comments, filed June 4, take pains to depict the technology not only as workable but desirable to all--provided that BPL operators and utilities are willing to jump through additional NTIA-recommended hoops. At one point, the NTIA calls BPL "a win-win proposition," claiming that its widespread deployment could lead to a reduction in power line noise.

"Substitution of BPL emissions for the strong, much wider-bandwidth power line noise emissions will broadly reduce risks of interference to radio communications," the agency asserts. The NTIA says it's measured power line noise levels that are higher than the proposed BPL emission limits. Existing power line noise poses "greater local interference risks" than BPL would. The agency qualified its remarks, however, saying that while it doesn't expect a net, nationwide reduction of interference risks, it believes there will be "at least partial offsetting" of BPL's interference risks.

The NTIA called reduction of strong power line noise "a basic technical requirement" for acceptable BPL performance at the field strengths the FCC has proposed and the NTIA has endorsed.

Nowhere does NTIA acknowledge that power line noise interference to licensed radio services already contravenes FCC Part 15 rules regulating unintentional radiators--the same rules that apply to power line carrier and BPL systems.

The agency does come close to recommending a limit on BPL signal power to compensate for variations in power line noise, however. "Because radio noise on power lines can vary by upwards of 20 dB throughout a day," the comments said, "a rule should require adjustment of BPL signal power to preclude unnecessarily high levels of radiated emissions." The NTIA said reducing Access BPL emissions by about 20 dB (a factor of 100) when noise is at relatively low levels "will substantially reduce interference risks."

Addressing BPL's interference potential is a persistent theme throughout the agency's remarks, and sometimes the NTIA's stance verges on the defensive. In an over-the-top example of "suspected" versus genuine interference, the agency raised the specter of coax-munching rodents. "For example, rodents sometimes chew coaxial cables or twin-lead transmission lines and cause significant reductions or complete loss of the desired signal power that should reach the receiver," the NTIA said. "In many other cases, interference is realized but not caused by the suspected device."

To reduce BPL's interference risks, the NTIA comments recommend "several new BPL rule elements" to augment the FCC's proposals. "These rules also help ensure that interference from BPL systems would be eliminated expeditiously with little effort needed on the part of any radio operator," the NTIA predicted. Its recommendations, the agency says, shift emphasis away from eliminating interference and toward preventing it--something it says BPL operators have a strong incentive to do.

"NTIA believes that BPL operators, as the parties responsible for eliminating harmful interference, will voluntarily implement equipment, organizational elements, and installation and operating practices that prevent interference and facilitate interference mitigation," the agency states. "Market appeal of BPL could quickly evaporate if BPL systems were to endemically cause interference and have to be shut down with operating authorizations swiftly revoked if necessary."

The NTIA's comments also include some key findings of the agency's pending Phase 2 BPL study, set for release later this year. The FCC has extended the reply comment deadline to June 22 to allow stakeholders time to review the NTIA's comments.

For additional information, visit the "Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio" http://www.arrl.org/bpl> page on the ARRL Web site. To support the League's efforts in this area, visit the ARRL's secure BPL Website ARRL's secure BPL Website.

The above article was reprinted from the ARRL Newsletter.

EDITORIAL

A SILENT KEY

This is emotionally the most difficult editorial I have ever written. It's difficult because my husband of 40 + years and Phil's father is a Silent Key.

On April 22, 2004, at 1:30 a.m., Ken suffered a severe hemorrhagic stroke - he departed this world on May 3, 2004.

You, the members of Silver Springs Radio Club, have been phenomenal. You were there in large numbers at the services for Ken on May 8. The cards you sent have provided great comfort and encouragement. I truly never realized how much a card encourages its recipient.

Phil and I have always known that Ken was a wonderful husband and father, and we've always known that he was well-liked. He had a ready smile for everyone. We miss him so very much.

But, you have all been a wonderful source of love, comfort and support. Thank you so very much for your prayers. You folks are the greatest friends we could ever have.

Jeanette and Phil Frantz

ARRL TAKES ISSUE WITH PUBLIC

FUNDING OF NEW YORK

BPL PROJECT

The ARRL has questioned the propriety of a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) grant from public funds to promote a broadband over power line (BPL) project. The project is believed to be the BPL field test now under way in Briarcliff Manor. The Westchester County community is just north of New York City. ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ, on June 10 faxed a strongly worded letter to NYSERDA President Peter R. Smith asserting that acknowledged interference from the Briarcliff Manor installation clearly violates the Communications Act of 1934.

"We respectfully suggest that this violation of federal law is relevant to the question of whether such a grant of funding is in the public interest," Sumner told Smith. He said both fixed and mobile stations operated by the nation's 680,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the US "are entitled to absolute protection from harmful interference from unlicensed emitters such as PLC/BPL systems."

Utility Consolidated Edison and Ambient Corporation on June 8 announced the award of NYSERDA funding, pending final contract negotiations, "to enhance their PLC pilot in Westchester County." The announcement from Ambient says the Con Edison-Ambient proposal "was favorably reviewed by a technical evaluation panel and NYSERDA management." The authority will provide up to $200,000 of the $480,000 project.

Smith said NYSERDA was "excited about the potential PLC technology has to improve system reliability and power quality for business and residential customers in New York." Ambient says the project will enable Con Edison to monitor two overhead distribution circuits via Ambient's utility applications as well as provide a backbone to deliver high-speed Internet service. "To gain the support of a government agency such as NYSERDA, is a further testament to the potential of Ambient's technology," the news release said.

Silver Springs Radio Club, Inc.

CLUB MEETINGS are the third Monday of each month 7:30 PM at Green Clover Hall in the Marion County Government Complex on Southeast 25th Avenue. Coffee & Doughnuts are available.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS meetings are the first Monday of each month, 7:30 PM at Marion County Facilities Management Office.

K4GSO, club station, Green Clover Hall, is available to all members. Phone number is 620-7210. Contact Ken, KF4QID at 489-0571.

MARS, club station located at 161 Oak Circle, Silver Springs Shores. Phone number is 680-1528. Contact Bill KQ4UJ, at 694-1605.

LICENSE TESTING, on the second Monday of each odd number month, except July, 7:30 PM at Green Clover Hall. Call Jack Scott at 622-4447.

RADIO NETS are conducted over the club repeater, K4GSO, on 146.610 MHz (-600).

LADIES AUXILIARY. Sunshine - Provides flowers and get-well cards for members or members' family. Also orders SSRC logo shirts and caps, Barbara Million, KE4ZTW, 694-5744.

NOTE: For change of address or corrections (with SSRC) contact the Membership Chairman.

SSRC NET, every Tuesday at 7:30 (local time). Contact Jeanette at (352) 489-0571.

MERT (Marion County Emergency Radio Communications Team) NET, every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. LOCAL time. Contact Charlie Lord, NR2F at (352) 489-9185.

Repeater Trustee,(146.610)Bill KQ4UJ, at 694-1605;

President Bill Britt, KQ4UJ 694-1605

V. President Tony Blalock, K4OCF 685-2028

Secretary Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA 489-0571

Treasurer John O. Williams, K4ANJ 685-2028

Trustee Bill Britt, KQ4UJ 694-1605

Board Members:

Richard Cardinali, KG4TLE 690-7500

William Miller, N6WGM 873-2017

Ernie O'Berry, K4OSM 732-0374

Oracle Editor: Jeanette Frantz, KG4DJA 489-0571

Oracleeditor@prodigy.net

Membership Phillip Frantz, KF4QIC 489-0571

Ladies'

Auxiliary Barbara Million, KE4ZTW 694-5744

Email: funyet2@earthlink.net

Silver Springs Radio Club Website:

Silver Springs WebSite

Ocala Radio Amateur's Candid Letter of Enlightenment

SILVER SPRINGS RADIO CLUB

P.O. BOX 787

SILVER SPRINGS, FL 34489

May - June 2004