HAGAL INTERNATIONAL
April 1997 - Vol.11 No.4

ISRAEL HAM NEWS
by
Ahron Kirschner 4X1AT, Joseph Obstfeld 4X6KJ and Ron Gang 4X1MK


Items of this month:

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(The material herein may freely be reproduced by all Amateur Radio publications on the condition that we are credited as the source of the information. We would appreciate receiving a copy of your publication quoting us.)
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THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW IARC COUNCIL

On March 16, at 2000 hours local time, 4X4KK Micky Minzari, in his capacity as head of the Watchdog Committee, opened the meeting. In short speech he praised Yossi 4X6KJ for his 8 years of service to the IARC. As per the bylaws, he asked the audience of the newly elected members of the Vaad (council) to nominate a chairman of the IARC. Unanimously, Eli Stern 4Z5IS, a lawyer by profession, was asked to be the new chairman. He accepted the call and took his place at the head of the table. Eli then proceeded to appoint the other officers to the various posts:

Deputy Chairman : Michael Ben-Tovim 4X6PZ

Treasurer : Ricardo Boskovoinic 4Z5BR

Co-opted official: Ron Carmel 4X6YJ (He is not a council member but will assist the Vaad)

Legal Adviser : Eitan Haberman 4Z7EEE (He is not a council member but will assist the Vaad)

Secretary : Yechiel Amir 4X6YA , assisted by Orly Sela 4X6WM

Liaison to the Ministry of Communications : Yaacov Sela 4X6WP and Nimrod Lindner 4Z4PE

Repeaters: Itzik Merkado 4X6ZH and Israel Berko 4X1OM

Social events and Inventory : Paul Gross 4X6UU

Digital Communication : Tidhar Teucher 4Z5CA and Doron Lindner 4Z4PE

Attached to the Vaad were two members Ahron Kirschner 4X1AT for assistant to Foreign Affairs and 4Z9ACF who will be the coordinator to the hams in the South of the country.

Then, before scores of other members of IARC members were reinstated in the various positions in which they've served over a long time, the new honorary president and chairman emeritus, 4X6KJ Joseph Obstfeld, began a series of welcome speeches. Joseph, first of all handed the chairman's gavel, engraved with the new chairman's name and call. He wished the Eli Stern much luck while pointing out that 8 years, he headed the IARC were certainly enough and he was happy to hand the hammer over to Eli. He hopes to be a god president to the IARC.

This was the opportunity for the outgoing honorary president Yankele Yitzhaki 4X1AH to express his thanks to all the members of IARC for the confidence in him for the over 10 years he had held that post and extended his best wishes to his successor. He pointed out that the Vaad is looks most promising, many of its members are professionals that should know how to 'work' because that is most important for the body which is composed entirely from volunteers. Professionals should know how to deal well with the donations received from by the authorities for the benefit of all members.

Tuvia Greengroz 4X4GT pointed out that this would be an important year of the IARC because the this was its 50th .

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FORTNIGHTLY NET UTILISES REPEATER LINKING

Shlomo 4Z4JO's once-every-two-weeks Saturday HaGal-On-The-Air net has taken advantage of the new link between the R0 Mount Giloh (Jerusalem) and Mount Canaan (Upper Galilee) repeaters. Most of the hams in the country can now participate due, to the increased coverage afforded by these two excellent repeaters now working in tandem. The last edition dealt with many interesting issues, including a talk kindling interest in satellite communications.

It is worthwhile to point out that this net is nearing the completion of its second decade. It's inceptor was Naftali 4Z4RM who faithfully for years kept it going weekly as "Gal HaTsafon" (the Northern Wave). For many years there was a 40 metre relay to afford national coverage, but alas this became erratic due to the need for manual operation a volunteering HF station. The net was originated on the Haifa repeater and, due to the characteristics of VHF propagation, could not be heard much further south than Tel-Aviv.

Although the move to other repeaters has irked a few Haifa amateurs (who remain within the coverage are of the net), it would seem that the change is much for the better and will in little time meet acceptance by all. Judging by their record, there is little doubt that the IARC repeater crew will expand the linking of repeaters, so that there will not be a ham in the country who won't be able to participate in the Net.

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THE NEW CHAIRMAN STARTS VIGOROUSLY

Eli started with much impetus. One could feel that the new 'broom' had brought with him much zest to do the job. He requested that all the members of the Vaad should do their share of work. They should, as the situation may demand, co-opt aides, and he himself would co-ordinate this. He then explained his plan for the coming year. The long neglected Packet Radio must be dealt with vigorously. Much money had been spent in the past without the desired results. That should be rectified as soon as possible.

He would like to get the Amateur Radio classes into the schools. Commercial firms, who are interested in the advancement of the youngsters, should sponsor the courses. The IARC should get a cadre of tutors who should be the lecturers.

Eli Stern also wants to establish a smooth working Emergency Communication group. Many times this had been proposed by previous councils in the past but never been accomplished. With the energy brought by Eli to the Vaad it has a god chance to become reality. At least four Field days will be planned or the running year. One of the has already a fixed date. A Field Day will be held on the 22nd of October 1997 at the Silent Key Forest. After many years of neglect, Short Wave Listeners should get much more attention. They are the future of Amateur Radio and therefore should get our unlimited aid.

To keep the momentum, and not to wait for another month to discuss his proposals, the next meeting was already scheduled for Monday the 24th of March. So you see - the matters are on the move!

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PIRATE BROADCASTERS AGAIN....

A few months ago we reported that the control tower closed down Tel-Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport because of interference to their frequencies from spurious emissions from pirate broadcasters on the FM band. The same problem came to a head once again in March with the air controllers limiting their air space to only TWO international flights at one time in order to prevent a collision. Sometimes the interference can be so bad, that the aircraft won't hear the control tower's request to move to another frequency.

In one 24 hour period, Ministry of Communications inspectors closed down the same pirate broadcaster TWICE (!!), each time confiscating the transmitter and associated equipment. An unofficial report says that there are more than a hundred illegal broadcasters operating in Israel in the FM broadcast-band. Their poorly-constructed transmitters spew out all kinds of emissions, often interrupting the airport control tower's communications, which could effect a tragedy, Heaven forbid. It seems that this time the Ministry of Communications is getting tough with them, but alas, only time will tell.

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LOCAL QRM by SHLOMO MUSSALI

(translated from the Hebrew HaGAL Magazine)

Tidhar 4Z5AC gave a lecture to the hams attending at the IARC offices, demonstrating a connection to the Internet via Packet Radio. Arieh 4X4OA borrowed for us from Motorola a projector working straight from the computer's screen. Anyone with ideas for future lectures is requested to get in touch with Tuvia 4X4GT or Ziv 4X1UK. A paid amateur radio instructor is needed for a school near the IARC's offices in Tel-Aviv. Details are available from 4X4OA or 4X1UK. Operators holding at least a Class "B" licence (who will receive monetary compensation for their time) are needed for the station at the National Science Museum on Mount Carmel. They must be able to demonstrate and explain radio contacts with an aim to bring visitors at the museum closer to the hobby. Contact Ziv Tal at 03-6741536.

PACKET RADIO
The HF Gateway, in memory of Zvi Pomer 4X1KT of blessed memory, has ceased operation on SSB. Corrinne 4X6VT who has been running it has asked to step down. On this opportunity we thank her for her faithful service. Soon there will be an attempt to operate the HF-VHF gateway. In the meantime, thanks to Ronen 4Z4ZQ who took it upon himself to pass the traffic through the Internet gateway.

IDEAS NEEDED
There's a proposal to the inheritance fund put at the IARC's disposal to set up scholarships for needy students implementing projects for amateur radio. Others with proposals as how to use the fund for the good of amateur radio are requested to contact the IARC council.

TECHNODA IN HAIFA
The Museum received a donation of a complete ham station from the parents of Yehuda Kleinman 4X6UK of blessed memory. A ceremony took place with the family making the presentation to the representatives of the museum, with IARC functionaries present.

HAM RADIO COURSE
Due to the few applications, a course did not open this season at 4X4HQ, the Tel-Aviv Youth Centre. However, the IARC decided to take on the running of the course by itself. However, the 3 applicants DID NOT SHOW UP, yet tens of others who heard about the course from 4X4OA did come to the course. The students are from the Bloch School, 4X4OA's son along with five of his friends and even older Motorola employees. This activity fits the criteria for receiving financial aid [from the sources made available to the IARC as a non-profit organisation].

MORE PACKET EXPENDITURES
The IARC purchased 486 mother-boards for the Packet BBS's with the generous aid of David 4X1WA. The HF station will apparently resume operation after Yaacov 4Z5AY repaired the shot TNC. But nonetheless, Packet mail is still not getting out of the country.

SCIENCE MUSEUM
Hams holding a 1997 IARC membership card are given free entrance to the Science Museum and a discount on special events there. Thanks to Moshe 4Z1PF and Ziv 4X1UK who were instrumental in the setting up of the ham station there. Ziv continues to contribute to the museum activities and had the IARC added to the list of the Friends of the Museum.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES
have been requesting copies of our "HaGAL" ham magazine. The editor along with the IARC council are making the magazine available, attaching to it application forms to the IARC in each issue, just in case that someone browsing through it will want to join. A certain ham received a QSL card that he had sent in 1984 to Venezuela bearing a stamp "NOT A MEMBER". All in all 13 years for the QSL to make the round trip.

THE 1997 HOLYLAND CONTEST
will be held on April 19th. Let's hope that this year we wont have to share the bands with another contest and that the conditions will be good. [See contest rules in the March "Israel Ham News."]

73 de Ron, Joe and Ahron

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Note to Internet Readers:

If you have any comments, feedback, or just want to let us know that you've been reading our newsletter, we'd love to hear from you.

E-Mail addresses:

rongang@inter.net.il
4x1mk@4z4aaa.ampr.org

(The first address is generally the most reliable as long as I continue to pay the server, the second works through the 4X Packet-Internet Gateway, which is back up and running at this time, but is not guaranteed as 100% reliable, due to the fallabilty of the national Packet system.)

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This page was edited by Yossi Sharon 4X1BQ, Nov 1996.

Thanks to Ron Gang 4X1MK who helped with this page.