DELARANEWS

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

N.W.S. Weather Spotter Training

[Editor’s note: We’re repeating this since there are still times left to participate!] The National Weather Service will not be able to conduct in person spotter training classes this winter and spring due to restrictions associated with COVID-19. They will be holding virtual spotter training classes. They are open to the public and free of charge. Below are the links to the 6 scheduled classes: -Sandy N8YS Spotter Webinar 5: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 (6 PM - 8 PM): https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/82575130571625 42350 Spotter Webinar 6: Saturday, March 27, 2021 (12 PM - 2 PM): https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/56877586699803 29230

Video Documents Removal,

Preservation of 250 kW Voice of

America Transmitter

With the former Voice of America Delano relay site in Central California scheduled for eventual demolition for resale, the Collins Collectors Association (CCA), in association with the Antique Wireless Association (AWA), came up with a plan in 2014 (working, among others, with past ARRL Midwestern Division Director Rod Blocksome, K0DAS, a former Collins engineer) to retrieve one of the Collins 821A-1 250 kW HF transmitters from the site and put it on display at the AWA museum in Bloomfield, New York. The Delano site went on the air in 1944 with a 170-foot rhombic antenna. The Collins 821 A-1 transmitter was autotuned and could shift frequencies between 3.95 and 26.5 MHz in 20 seconds. The transmitter and its associated components represent an era when equipment was large and heavy. The Delano site, now owned by the General Services Administration (GSA), remains with antennas still standing and buildings in place and demolition on hold, because it was discovered to be the habitat for an endangered species of shrew. A video presentation featuring Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, describes and illustrates the entire removal and relocation effort, and offers some background on the VOA. On the continental US, the only remaining VOA site is the Edward R. Murrow Greenville Transmitting Site in North Carolina.

Want a better signal?

Dale’s going to run right out and try this: a 2000’ dipole. Yup- 1000 ft either side. Here’s how it’s done:

Action required for radio frequency

device listings on Amazon.com

This article was originally published February 1, 2021, and it has been adjusted to reflect a new estimated date for this change. As part of our ongoing efforts to protect our customers and enhance the customer experience, Amazon is updating the requirements to offer radio frequency devices. This will affect some products you offer or have previously offered. Starting in Q2 2021, in order to create new listings or update existing listings of radio frequency devices you will need to fill in the FCC Radio Frequency Emission Compliance attribute. In the attribute, you must do one of the following: Provide evidence of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorization – either an FCC certification number or contact information for the Responsible Party, as defined by the FCC. Certify that the product is exempt from FCC requirements. As a reminder, per Amazon policy, all radio frequency devices must comply with FCC regulations and all applicable state and local laws, including registration and labeling requirements. Amazon also requires you to provide accurate information about your products on the product detail page. You may not be aware that you are selling products the FCC considers radio frequency devices. The FCC broadly classifies as radio frequency devices any electronic or electrical product that is capable of emitting radio frequency energy. According to the FCC, almost all electronic or electrical products are capable of emitting radio frequency energy. Examples of products that are regulated by the FCC as radio frequency devices include, but are not limited to: Wi-Fi devices, Bluetooth devices, radios, broadcast transmitters, signal boosters, and devices with cellular technology. FCC guidance on what is considered a radio frequency device can be found on the Equipment Authorization – RF Device page on the FCC website. We will follow-up with additional information, including a help page, closer to attribute launch. For more information, see Amazon’s Radio Frequency Devices policy. You can also bookmark this article for future reference. Some are saying that this is an effort to control the sales of Baofengs. Others point to other radiators, such as LED lights and solar charge controllers. The reddit discussion of this new policy pretty much dismisses this new policy. One comment notes, “This has nothing at all to do with buying radios, it’s just Amazon trying to cover their @$$es over the likes of ‘Rugged radio'(and others) selling uncertified radios as something they’re not.” I think that this could be interesting if Amazon really got serious about this. I’m not sure that even Amazon has the wherewithal to really do this kind of policing, though. -Dan, KB6NU -
DELARANews

Ham Radio News

…because we don’t live in a vacuum

N.W.S. Weather Spotter Training

[Editor’s note: We’re repeating this since there are still times left to participate!] The National Weather Service will not be able to conduct in person spotter training classes this winter and spring due to restrictions associated with COVID-19. They will be holding virtual spotter training classes. They are open to the public and free of charge. Below are the links to the 6 scheduled classes: -Sandy N8YS Spotter Webinar 5: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 (6 PM - 8 PM): https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/82575130 57162542350 Spotter Webinar 6: Saturday, March 27, 2021 (12 PM - 2 PM): https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/56877586 69980329230

Video Documents Removal,

Preservation of 250 kW Voice of

America Transmitter

With the former Voice of America Delano relay site in Central California scheduled for eventual demolition for resale, the Collins Collectors Association (CCA), in association with the Antique Wireless Association (AWA), came up with a plan in 2014 (working, among others, with past ARRL Midwestern Division Director Rod Blocksome, K0DAS, a former Collins engineer) to retrieve one of the Collins 821A-1 250 kW HF transmitters from the site and put it on display at the AWA museum in Bloomfield, New York. The Delano site went on the air in 1944 with a 170- foot rhombic antenna. The Collins 821 A-1 transmitter was autotuned and could shift frequencies between 3.95 and 26.5 MHz in 20 seconds. The transmitter and its associated components represent an era when equipment was large and heavy. The Delano site, now owned by the General Services Administration (GSA), remains with antennas still standing and buildings in place and demolition on hold, because it was discovered to be the habitat for an endangered species of shrew. A video presentation featuring Dennis Kidder, W6DQ, describes and illustrates the entire removal and relocation effort, and offers some background on the VOA. On the continental US, the only remaining VOA site is the Edward R. Murrow Greenville Transmitting Site in North Carolina.