From August 2015
HAMS AND HOAs: In 1995, Barry Gorodetzer purchased a home directly from the developer of Emerald Estates, a newly-opened Jacksonville subdivision off Normandy Blvd. west of Cecil Field.
Gorodetzer said a salesman working for the developer told him that antennas were allowed.
So he installed four back yard antennas ranging in height from 13 to 23 ft. The tallest antenna extended 2 or 3 feet above the roofline. For a couple of years, there were no repercussions.
In most new housing developments, home owner associations (HOAs) are organized and controlled by developers until a certain percentage of lots are sold or until a specified amount of time elapses. Then HOA control transfers to a board of directors chosen by residents.
After control of his home owner association transferred to residents, things turned sour for Gorodetzer.
He received a letter stating that he was causing television interference and that his antennas were installed without architectural review or approval. The association demanded immediate removal of Gorodetzer's antennas. According to the association, Gorodetzer did not respond to that letter and two more follow-up letters.
The third letter threatened a $25 per day fine if the antennas were not removed within a week. It cited association rules specifying that "no material improvements...visible from the exterior of a Home shall be constructed, erected, removed, planted, or maintained... until the plans and specification showing the nature, kind, shape, height, materials, floor plans, color scheme and the location of the same shall have been submitted to and approved in writing by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC)."
Gorodetzer removed his antennas and notified the association that he desired to appeal. The association board requested he file an architectural review application requesting permission to re-install the antennas. The application included details about placement, location, size and permanence of the proposed antennas.
Gorodetzer's application was denied but he was invited to appear at a board meeting to discuss possible modifications to his antenna request. Gorodetzer and his attorney attended and made a presentation.
A few weeks later, he received another letter denying his application. Gorodetzer then filed a declaratory action in circuit court, accusing the association of unreasonably rejecting the application to re-erect the four antennas. He requested the court to enter judgment affirming his right to erect his antennas.
The case went to trial where Gorodetzer admitted he never filed a formal written application prior to originally erecting the antennas in 1995. He stated he had asked the developer's salesperson if erecting ham radio antennas would be okay to which the salesperson responded it would "not be a problem." An attorney representing the association introduced so-called expert testimony from an electronic engineer which addressed possible interference concerns and proposed aesthetic alternatives to the antennas that Gorodetzer sought to erect. This alternative proposal called for "one or two thin suspended wire antennas" which would extend from the roof of the house to Gorodetzer's back fence.
The lower court entered final judgment in favor of Gorodetzer on two independent theories: (1) that the association did not act reasonably in rejecting Gorodetzer's 1999 application, and (2) that the originally erected antennas were "grandfathered" when control of the association was turned over to homeowners.
The court ruled that Gorodetzer was entitled to erect either the grandfathered vertical antennas or the suspension antennas recommended by the engineer.
The association appealed this outcome and the Florida Fourth District Court of Appeals found the lower court's reasoning and decision erroneous in multiple regards. In reversing, the appeals court stated the lower court's interpretation was faulty. Since association restrictions did not forbid all outside antennas and that since antennas would be allowed if approved by architectural reviewers--adequate accommodation was offered. Consideration and approval of proposed antennas can be subject to "certain objective criteria, i.e., the installations comply with safety restrictions as to location and height, as well as being in compliance with local codes."
The appeals judge also rejected the lower court's finding that the original antennas had been grandfathered stating that Gorodetzer's "mere act of asking a salesperson whether antennas would be okay, and receiving a verbal response that it would 'not be a problem,' clearly falls short of the formal written approval process outlined in the Declaration" (covenants and restrictions).
Gorodetzer should have filed a written application and received written approval from the developer-controlled association at that time, the appeals court stated. Gorodetzer admitted not filing a formal application and also admitted reading the pertinent documents containing subdivision restrictions before purchasing the home in Emerald Estates.
The appeals court concluded that attorneys fees awarded Gorodetzer as the prevailing party are also reversed and granted the association's motion for appellate attorneys fees. Read more by accessing http://www.ccfj.net/FCChamantcourt.htm
TWO LESSONS LEARNED: Antenna rights are not unlimited. Do not rely on oral promises.
TEN MILLION TROLLS: A Yahoo columnist estimates that Internet trolls number at least 10 million--"a swarm of gnats the size of an aircraft carrier."
From October 2015
SEPTEMBER MEETING: Bill Grove, Norm Vincent, Toby Dowdy, Johnny Tillotson, Jimmy Strickland, Dick Stratton, Virginia Atter, Hilda the artist....these were among prominent early Jacksonville television broadcasters remembered by speaker Harry Reagan at the September 10th NOFARS meeting. He recalled afternoon test patterns, the roving studio camera, Darts & Laurels, Ranger Hal, Channel 4 and Channel 36. Harry is Director of the Jacksonville Broadcasters Association. He came to Jacksonville from the Miami Herald in 1967 and retired in 1990 from WJXT.
The group plans an exhibit at the Jacksonville Museum of Science and History next year. They want ideas for themes and displays. They are especially interested in artifacts and scrapbook items that can be loaned for use in the exhibit. Their web site is http://jaxbroadcasters.org/
INTENTIONALLY BAD GROUNDING?: An NFL memo suggests that grounding problems caused interference to its coaches headset communications system during a recent football game.
Grounding inconsistencies, exacerbated by rain, likely resulted in an FM play-by-play radio broadcast of a game infiltrating the coaches headset communication system. Subsequent reports indicate that similar interference problems occur occasionally at other stadiums.
Along with football inflation pressure, grounding will be under increased scrutiny at NFL games this season. An NBC Sports item concludes "moving forward, the NFL likely will be more vigilant in checking the grounding, especially if there’s a grounding requirement that teams aren’t fulfilling, accidentally or otherwise."
In its memo, the NFL reminded all 32 teams of proper grounding procedures. A 120-volt, 10-amp AC power connection box with ISO ground circuit and circuit breaker is placed in a “securable wall cabinet” located in each coaches’ booth and near the 50-yard line behind each bench.
NFL instructed stadium staff to do "regular preventive maintenance to ensure that all grounding connections are functioning." It recommended "grounding filters."
Hams at the Jacksonville Super Bowl
U. S. POSTAGE STAMPS RELATED TO AMATEUR RADIO, COMMUNICATIONS & ELECTRONICS: Via Bob Harder W0BH, comes this listing of electronic and radio-related postage stamps:
1940 Samuel F.B. Morse (2 cents): Samuel Morse, working with Joseph Henry and Alfred Vail, publically demonstrated the first single-wire electric telegraph on January 11, 1938.
1964 Amateur Radio (5 cents): issued on the 50th anniversary of ARRL to honor Amateur Radio operators who provided emergency communications during the Alaskan earthquake earlier that year
1965 International Telecommunications (11 cents): the Morse Code on the stamp also spells ITU. Founded in 1869 as the International Telegraph Union, the ITU coordinates our radio spectrum.
1967 Voice of America (5 cents): commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Voice of America short-wave broadcasting stations.
1973 Progress in Electronics (6 cents): featuring Marconi's wireless spark gap transmitter with a range of 1 1/4 miles in 1895.
1973 Progress in Electronics (15 cents): featuring various early radio components. In 1973, this stamp would send an international surface letter or an international air mail post card.
IRONSIDES ON TV WITH 80 METERS: Despite Tom T Hall's musical verse, Raymond Burr's character was a singular, Ironside, and "The Countdown" is the title of a rerun (Season 6/ #11) from 1972. Jackie Cooper plays a scientist who becomes locked into an explosive belt around his waist which is programmed to explode unless members of an evil group called ARP are satisfied. They demand ransom and an escape plane at a nearby "air park."
Ironside and his entourage set up a "short wave radio" in their office to communicate with perpetrators on 3.8 MHz. Suddenly, "Caesar to Ironside" comes through the speaker. When Ironside hears sparks infiltrating ARP's transmissions, he realizes that Caesar, ARP's leader, is operating mobile.
One of Ironside's sidekicks describes the criminals as "short wave hams." To develop a suspect list, he searches the "short wave license data base" and a list of certified pilots. Meanwhile, Ironside rails rhetoric and a technician uses tweezers and dental picks to de-construct a mock-up of the explosive belt.
A detective speeds over to Caesar's apartment but Caesar is gone. The landlord gripes about Caesar and his radio's interference that caused complaints from neighbors. Police analysts decide that he is paranoid with delusions of grandeur.
Eventually, Caesar heads to the air park while one of Ironside's assistants pulls out an HT to better communicate on 3.8 MHz with Caesar who is enroute to the airport in an old Volkswagen van with a whip antenna on top. After a game of chicken, police subdue the ARPers and deactivate the explosive belt.
PAPA WAS A ROLLING STONE: This happened not on the Third of September but on New Years Eve. Death, Lies & Security Tape is the title of an "Elder Skelter" episode (Season 1, #2) running on cable TV. The first part details the demise of Walter Farley, K4QE of Lakeland.
Walter, age 93, was a World War II radio man and longtime Amateur Radio operator. Scenes include a re-creation of his ham radio set-up.Walter's son, Bob, fatally shot him on December 31, 2008 as fireworks blasted away.
Bob partied most of the evening at the Red Rose Inn but apparently snuck away long enough to pump Walter with lead. Seems Bob wasn't happy with his treatment after moving into Dad's house.
A "true crime" web site claims a video of Bob and his wife dancing to "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" at the Red Rose.
http://www.truecrimereport.com/2009/01/weirdness_alleged_father-kille.php
Bob's attempt to blend in a little murder with New Year celebrations resulted in a life sentence.
BOGUS HAM: Several explanations about the origin of the term "ham" have surfaced over the years. Most have been debunked. One false explanation often cited that sounds good goes "in 1908, three Harvard members started one of the first wireless stations. The members, Albert Hyman, Bob Almy, and Poogie Murray, first used all three last names spelled out to identify their station. Tapping this in code got laborious so they shortened their call sign to 'HYLAMU' but this became confused with the Mexican steamship 'HYALMO' so they decided to use only the first letter of their last names. The 'HAM' station was later called to testify before Congress and the name stuck."
This Harvard tale has been put forth in various versions for decades but has no basis in fact. I remember publishing a version of it in the NOFARS Balanced Modulator during the 1980s and quickly receiving a note from ARRL Southeastern Director (later ARRL President) Larry Price, W4RA.
My best guess is that the term "ham" was coined by professional radio operators in the early days to distinguish amateurs (non-paid operators) from commercial operators. While probably meant in a derogatory manner, hams eventually embraced the term.
From 2013
ED BELL OBERLE: Though he apparently let his Amateur Radio license lapse, Jacksonville radio broadcaster Ed Oberle was W4LLT for decades. Known as Ed Bell, he died earlier this week at age 100. He arrived in town shortly after World War II to open an FCC commercial license "cram school" near 8th & Main streets in Springfield. With many returning veterans using their VA benefits, Ed prospered.
In 1950, Ed bought WIVY radio, the first non-network station in town. The main studio was located near downtown. In addition, Ed installed and linked a remote studio from his home on the St. Johns River. This was not an easy accomplishment before Marti wireless systems, affordable audio equipment and high bandwidth telephone hookups.
In later years, most radio listeners associated Ed Bell with "beautiful music." But during the 1950s and early 1960s, Ed was upbeat and uptown announcing and producing a Sunday afternoon pop music countdown show from his home. This was years before Casey Kasem. WIVY pulled good audience estimates despite being a daytime-only AM station. But WAPE and its 50 kilowatts came to town and WIVY's musical fortunes sagged.
In the mid 1960s, Ed started WIVY-FM while WIVY AM became the "Talk of Jacksonville" and the first all-talk station in town. Marquee national stars on WIVY included the irascible Joe Pyne with his syndicated radio show, Barry Farber and Jean Shepherd--a ham licensed as K2ORS. Radio veteran Jack Wheeler headed the local talk lineup.
Ed planned to sell both stations to Wheeler and his partners. After dragging on for several years, apparently the deal fell through when the all-talk format didn't sell well to advertisers. Wheeler moved to KDKA in Pittsburg where he hosted talk radio shows for decades.
Ed finally sold WIVY FM & AM to a group headed by Jacksonville attorney Tom Kirby in 1970. Kirby shifted to progressive rock and then gradually into top 40. Eventually, WIVY drove the Big Ape out of the top 40 business and into playing country music--the white flag from a legendary rock and roll station.
After selling WIVY, Ed Bell moved to the Jones College stations (1220 AM and 96.1 FM). Ed's nemesis was Tommy Tucker, General Manager of city-owned WJAX which was Jones College radio's arch-competitor. Tommy was my boss at WJAX. His former role at TV channel 17 as Mr. Fortune on Dialing For Dollars magnified his broadcasting fame. Most importantly in Jacksonville, Tommy was the ring announcer for weekly professional wrestling matches in the Coliseum that attracted standing-room-only crowds.
He would ham it up with the wrestlers and I expected Tommy to turn the Great Malenko, Haystacks Calhoun or Eddie Graham loose on Ed Bell at any time.
Ed was best known on Jones College radio for his commentaries that aired several times each day. Sometimes, he developed his broadcasts using articles from the Balanced Modulator. NOFARS was the topic on Oct. 9, 1986. Ed Bell said "as they quietly serve the community, the North Florida Amateur Radio Society is one of our most important assets."
And finally this month, thanks to NOFARS member Yisrael Freedman, KA4PNE--station manager, engineer and chief announcer for WROS radio. Yisrael voices and schedules NOFARS meeting and hamfest announcements on WROS.
WROS is known as the "Rose of Jacksonville" with religiousprogramming. It operates sunrise to sunset on 1050 KHz.--the same dial frequency as Ed Bell's WIVY in 1950.
WAYBACK FCC:Those who took FCC exams, especially commercial tests, in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, often traveled to FCC field offices in Miami, Atlanta and other large cities where exams were administered several times each week by FCC Chief Engineers and their assistants.
Some FCC engineers and inspectors became legends feared by hams, CB operators and broadcasters as they made the rounds in their districts looking for violators. In Florida, Jack May and Art Gilbert worked out of Miami. Based at the Atlanta FCC office was Angelo Ditty who passed away recently at age 87.
TALKING NASTY TO THE BREVARD COUNTY JAIL ON THEIR FREQUENCY: Last year, a foul-mouthed man interfered with the Brevard County prison communications system on 465.3 MHz by transmitting vulgar language, sound effects, previously recorded prison communications and threats to prison officials.
FCC agents used direction finding techniques to trace the source of the transmissions to a house in Cocoa. FCC busted Terry Van Volkenburg, KC5RF of Cocoa, Florida. Agents from the Tampa Office inspected radio stations in Mr Van Volkenburg's residence. Agents recognized Van Volkenburg's voice as the one interfering with the prison's communications system.
The FCC charges that Van Volkenburg "apparently willfully and repeatedly violated Sections 301 and 333 of the Communications Act of 1934, by operating a radio transmitter without a license on 465.300 MHz and for interfering with licensed communications."
Van Volkenburg stated that he chose 465.300 MHz because the prison's transmissions on that frequency were strong and that he was only using 300 milliwatts. Because of his low power level, he apparently did not think that he "could talk over anyone and therefore wasn't interfering with anyone."
Van Volkenburg's response did not satisfy FCC. "The totality of the evidence convinces us that it was Mr Van Volkenburg who was operating the unlicensed transmitter from his residence that was causing interference to the prison communications systems over at least a two-month period," the FCC stated in a violation notice. It added "because Mr Van Volkenburg consciously operated the station and did so on more than one day, the apparent violations of the Communications Act were both willful and repeated.
FCC proposes a $25,000 fine."
From 2012
WILL THE WORLD BLOW UP THIS MONTH? DOOMSDAY RADIO ON AMATEUR BANDS: The world is predicted to end in December. The date varies according to interpretations of old Mayan calendars but Dec. 21st, the arrival of winter, seems to be the most designated date for Doomsday.
As the world shakes, you can tune in via Amateur Radio. Special event station N0D (Now Zero Days) will operate on 10 through 80 meters and on satellite "for three days during and after(?) the end of the world."
According to N0D organizers, "December 20th will be a celebration day. December 21, the day of destruction, we will be on the air as long as possible. December 22nd, that is a little iffy right now. Amateur radio stations around the crumbling globe are invited to contact N0D, who will be operating from a secret, undisclosed location. The operating schedule may be a little erratic as destruction rains down upon us and as long as our antennas hold out. Those of you who may be looking skyward for the end of the world, N0D will be operating on several satellite passes."
N0D invites hams to "celebrate Doomsday by contacting N0D directly on the air." Amateurs can also become Official Doomsday Stations (ODS) by registering on the N0D website www.nowzerodays.com
Registrants will be issued a number and authority to identify as "Official Doomsday Station." These stations also get a Doomsday Station Certificate.
QSL may be available via KK5W. "If Doomsday actually does happen, we regret that a QSL will not be possible so hold on to your SASE until the 22nd at least. Check out our website for a preview of the N0D QSL card."
According to N0D, it is not entirely clear exactly how the end will happen. "Will it be a cataclysmic shift in the earth's magnetic field, global Warming on steroids, earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, global thermonuclear war, meteor collision, the 10 plagues of Egypt or UFO invasion? Who knows?"
Contact N0D On Dec. 21, 2012. It might be your last 73.
CHASING THE WOW! SIGNAL: NOFARS member James New, KJ4OEN is building a system to beam in on the Wow! signal. This mysterious transmission from deep in the Sagittarius region attracted attention of scientists in Ohio on August 15, 1977.
Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI) participants and others interested in deep space communications monitor the 1420.4 MHz Wow! frequency searching for more signals from afar.
For his system, James is acquiring a Down East Microwave DEM 1296LNA lOW noise amplifier (LNA). It is weatherproof for attachment to a dish antenna and uses 12 volts DC. According to manufacturer, the unit provides 16 dB gain over 800 to 2500 MHz.
James also bought a bench model frequency counter last month. He is constructing a plasma ion chamber for his experiments using the Wow! signal--1420.4 MHz.
VANISHING ISLANDS: Two Italian islands that were accredited for Amateur Radio awards have disappeared! The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) sponsors the Islands On The Air(IoTA) program.
RSGB says "In a previous news item we reported that, following information received from a local operator in Italy, that the only two islands listed as qualifying for EU-155, Baron and Scanno di Piallazza, no longer existed, we would not be accepting for credit any new operations claiming to take place from EU-155 pending a final check. This has now been carried out and it confirms the report. Under IOTA rules we have no option but to withdraw EU-155 from the list of valid IOTA groups and to amend scores down. However we have noted that the Po Delta is a remarkably fragile natural environment with a varying sedimentation rate influenced by river flow, tide and storm and have not ruled out the possibility of one of the islands reforming in time."
TAPE THE WINDOWS?: A great program by TV 30/47 Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh at the June meeting. Mike has spoken to us for six years and each time he has given us an outstanding presentation. Around 60 attended this year. By the end of the meeting, heavy rain was coming down but it was well worth enduring to hear Mike speak.
Mike mentioned putting masking or duct tape on windows when hurricanes approached. I remember this being common in Jacksonville during the 1960s. Mike said the tape does very little good and is a hassle to remove after a storm passes.
In Vietnam during the war, the military apparently thought that taping windows was beneficial when buildings shook. At AFVN, the broadcast network serving US troops, the radio master control room in Saigon had large picture windows so that announcers and producers could use hand signals to communicate with those in the "news tank" and adjacent studios during newscasts and other program segments.
Nearby ammo dumps occasionally exploded and shook the building as did nearby rocket attacks. Or a taxi loaded with dynamite detonated on the street outside. One newscaster had a stray bullet come through the wall and pierce the news copy that he was reading.
Fortunately, while I was at AFVN Saigon, there were no opportunities to validate or disprove the effectiveness of that tape.
FCC TESTING OVER THE YEARS: Amateur testing has changed over the decades. When regulation of communications began in the 1910s and 1920s, radio transmissions and proper supervision of signals was viewed to be almost as critical as working with explosives in a crowded venue!
To earn a license, prospective Amateur Radio and Commercial operators were required to appear before FCC engineers who quizzed them arbitrarily on whatever the FCC guy deemed to be important.
Usually, applicants were required to draw diagrams and explain each component. Failure rates were high and it could take half a dozen or so appearances to earn a license.
As years passed, electronic communications became more established. License requirements were lightened. The scope of study of testing topics was narrowed by a published syllabus. After WWII, questions became multiple choice. No diagram drawing was required. Entry-level license classes were introduced.
Most applicants for higher grade licenses still were required to attend FCC testing sessions, either at an FCC field office (Savannah, Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, etc.) or at semi-annual testing days in Jacksonville. Correctly copying Morse Code in the old downtown armory was a sizeable feat in itself. Poor acoustics and no slack by examiners.
As a result of multiple-choice testing, stern FCC engineers were replaced by GS-7 or so clerks but there was no public question pool. One studied all they could based on topics in the syllabus and hoped they got questions they could answer correctly.
Then in the 1970s and 1980s, advance knowledge of specific questions on FCC exams increased. First came the Dick Bash publications which were de-facto question pool listings followed by public questions pools and volunteer examiners.
Some say that licensing standards were indeed much higher in the "old days." This is true. The further you go back, the tougher it was to pass an Amateur Radio or Commercial exam. Both a written exam and a performance test (Morse Code) was required.
Radio communications, whether commercial broadcasting or Amateur Radio, were taken more seriously then by regulators. They were frightened by the potential for harm by signals from drifty, misadjusted transmitters.
In the 1960s and 1970s, I remember doing broadcast radio shows sitting between two turntables in a control room with racks of equipment and rows of meters that had to be read and logged every 30 minutes.
The huge Gates and RCA control boards were masterpieces costing thousands of dollars and requiring regular maintenance. I had to fire off every program element (song, jingle, commercial, etc.) by manually activating a sound source.
A six-hour shift could be exhausting having to jump from one source to another forty or fifty times each hour. Thank goodness for songs like American Pie, Stairway to Heaven, that long 20+ minute version of "Get Ready" and also for NBC Monitor on weekends!
Today, one can buy a $50 mixer that has superior performance to those Gates and RCA audio control boards of the 60s and 70s. Computers operate a commercial station for days without human intervention. Transmitters are much more efficient, stable and foolproof. Studios are not much larger than closets.
As technology advanced and the perceived potential for harm from misadjusted transmitters decreased, exam requirements were lightened. Pass rates increased.
Commercial FCC license were effectively phased out. If not for volunteer examiners, I believe Amateur Radio would now be an unlicensed service a la Citizens Band.
RFI CURES: Radio Frequency Interference levels have increased over the past several decades. Besides electrical lines, light bulbs and more sophisticated appliances are among contributers to noise pollution.
From John Fallows, VE6RY: Earlier this year, I published a series of articles on my web site called Noise Cancellers - RFI Survival Guide. The purpose of this information was to help hams and shortwave listeners lower their local HF noise floor and improve reception.
RFI from neighbors is a constant challenge. Properly set up, noise cancellers are amazingly effective in cleaning up or reducing RFI. Success depends on understanding what kind of noise you can fight, how noise cancellers work, and most important, designing and installing noise probe antennas around your location.
This five-article series does just that. It also includes a detailed video demonstrating effective noise cancellation.
The URL is http://play.fallows.ca/wp/series/noise-cancelers-rfi-survival-guide/