XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.policy, rec.radio.info   
   From: newsline@arnewsline.org   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2447 for Friday September 20th, 2024   
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 with a release date of   
   Friday, September 20th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a QST. Icom issues warnings about counterfeit products   
   in the wake of deadly HT explosions in the Middle East. An influential   
   group weighs in on the proposed privatization of 900 MHz - and three   
   hams have an eyeball QSO that creates some inspiring harmony.  All this   
   and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 comes your way   
   right now.   
      
   **   
   BILLBOARD CART   
      
      
   **   
   ICOM ISSUES STATEMENT ON COUNTERFEIT RADIOS AFTER EXPLOSIONS   
      
   PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, Icom Japan issued a   
   statement regarding its IC-V82 handheld radio, a discontinued model   
   that some reports say may have been counterfeited in connection with   
   deadly explosions in Lebanon. The company statement did not directly   
   address those explosions by name but said that the radios and   
   batteries, which were manufactured and exported between 2004 and 2014,   
   went to markets that included the Middle East between 2004 and 2014.   
      
   Ray Novak, N9JA, senior sales manager for Icom America's amateur radio   
   division, expressed certainty that the radios in question were   
   counterfeit. Attending a Rhode Island trade show, he told the   
   Associated Press: [quote] "I can guarantee you they were not our   
   products."   
      
   Acknowledging the relative ease with which unauthorized radios can be   
   duplicated, Icom's website also includes detailed information showing   
   how consumers are able to determine whether or not their radio is a   
   counterfeit.   
      
   For a link to that part of the company website, see the text version of   
   this newscast at arnewsline.org   
      
   [DO NOT READ: https://www.icomjapan.com/explore/genuine_info/ ]   
      
      
   (ICOM AMERICA, ASSOCIATED PRESS)   
      
   **   
   INFLUENTIAL GROUP WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED PRIVATIZATION OF 900 MHz BAND   
      
   PAUL/ANCHOR: An influential group in the US has weighed in on the   
   proposed privatization of the 900 MHz band, just as the clock winds   
   down on sending comment to the FCC. Kent Peterson KC0DGY explains the   
   issue - and the concerns.   
      
   KENT: The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit group in the US   
   advocating for freedom in the use of technology, has added its voice to   
   the chorus urging the FCC to keep the 900 MHz band accessible to   
   amateur radio operators, industrial, scientific and medical devices and   
   unlicensed consumer electronics. Those frequencies are being eyed by   
   NextNav, a geolocation technology company, which made a request earlier   
   this year to the FCC for exclusive rights to the part of the spectrum   
   between 902 and 928 MHz.   
      
   The private company's stated intent has been to have these frequencies   
   privatized for use by 5G cellular communications and a positioning,   
   navigating and timing network to be used in the US as a backup for GPS   
   navigation. The ARRL and a number of other amateur organizations have   
   already spoken out urging the FCC to turn the proposal down. In its   
   response to the FCC, the ARRL argued that the move would pose a risk to   
   public service because it would edge ham radio operators out of a part   
   of the spectrum that is well-used.   
      
   The period for comments to the FCC on this proposal closed on Friday,   
   the 20th of September.   
      
   This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.   
      
   (ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION, ARRL, FCC)   
      
   **   
   UK PROVIDERS ROLL OUT SHARED RURAL NETWORKING   
      
   PAUL/ANCHOR: In the UK, amateurs using mobile phones to self-spot on   
   the clusters while operating portable got some good news recently from   
   cellular companies, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   JEREMY: Hams operating portable from summits and parks in the UK may   
   find it easier to announce their activations on the various spotting   
   networks with the help of a Shared Rural Network being created by all   
   of the UK's cellular providers. Absence of 4G coverage in rural areas   
   has been a stumbling block for cellular communications in those   
   underserved areas. An agreement was signed in 2020 between Ofcom and   
   the four cellular service providers to fill that need. The regulator   
   announced recently that Vodafone, O2 and EE have fulfilled their   
   commitment to bring 4G coverage to 88 percent of the UK's landmass by   
   this past June but that the fourth cellular provider, "3", did not meet   
   that deadline. Ofcom said that "3" believes that it has met its   
   commitment as of the 22nd of August. The deadline for the network's   
   completion is the end of January 2027.   
      
   This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   (OFCOM)   
      
   **   
   DAB+ RECEIVERS TO DELIVER IMPROVED EMERGENCY ALERTS   
      
   PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, outside the US, users of DAB+ [D A B Plus]   
   technology will be seeing some improvements in the delivery of   
   emergency alerts. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what's going on.   
      
   GRAHAM: The delivery of improved emergency alerts and communication is   
   expected next year for users of the newest DAB+ receivers, which are in   
   wide use in Australia and many parts of Europe and Asia. According to a   
   report on the Radio World website, the radios will be able to respond   
   instantly for emergency transmissions, switching the receiver to the   
   station transmitting the details and displaying text information on the   
   screen. The technology also enables temporary radio channels to be   
   established for the delivery of information. The standard is known as   
   Automatic Safety Alert, or ASA, and ASA-equipped receivers are also   
   capable of being turned on automatically to receive these emergency   
   messages.   
      
   The technology was developed by WorldDAB in partnerhip with   
   Digitalradio Deutschland, working with the chipmaker Frontier Smart   
   Technologies. The initiative went forward with manufacturers such as   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)