RESTRUCTURING – ISRAELI STYLE

The last issue of HAGAL contains a letter from Mr. Daniel Rosenne, director of the Ministry of Communications. There has been a major revamp of priveleges for the different licence classes in Israeli amateur radio.

Whereas we had expected to see an easing of the Morse requirements in line with the U.S.A., U.K. and Canada who have lowered the examination code speed to 5 words per minute, this has not happened. Thus Grade A’s are still 16 w.p.m., B’s at 12, and C’s the new D+’s need to pass 6 w.p.m. But this is still not the last word, and changes in this regard may still occur. And now the main points:

Grade C (Novice): Operation on the entire CW subbands of 14 and 28 MHz have been added to the already existing 7 and 21 MHz bands, with a new maximum power output of 100 watts (up from 15 watts). Digital communications have been authorised on 28 MHz. All-mode 2 metre and 70 centimetre priveleges remain at 25 watts output maximum. The novices have for sure come a long way since their narrow subbands on 7 and 21 MHz, when they were only allowed crystal-controlled transmitters.

Grade B (General): HF maximum power output has been upped to 250W, and 6 metres (50 – 50.2 MHZ) is permitted at 25 watts out. Output has been increased to 25 W on some of the microwave bands, and the some the frequency ranges increased to bring them up to par with the grade A’s. There are no more Grade B subbands on HF, putting them on an equal footing in this respect with the Grade A’s.

Grade D (Code-Free Technical): Extension of frequency priveleges to include 6 metres, 1.2 and 5.6 GHz.

Grade D+ (NEW CLASS): Intended for Grade D’s who pass the 6 w.p.m. code test. These amateurs will have, in addition to the Technical VHF-UHF priveleges, all the HF priveleges afforded to the Novice, Grade C, licence.

Grade A (Advanced-Extra): Already enjoying maximum power and frequency priveleges, there was nothing else to give to these 4X1 and 4Z1 people exept the use of ISM on 2.4-2.45 and 5.275-5.875 GHz with the maximum EIRP of 100 milliwatts.

It now remains to be seen if these changes will do anything to change the downward trend in general interest in ham radio in this country. Since, at least at this time, one still needs 12 w.p.m. of Morse proficiency to get on HF voice, these changes may be too little and too late.
 
 

MILLENNIUM AWARD

The latest in the series of Israel awards is the the 4X2K award to promote historical sites related to the beginning of Christianity in the Holyland. Its goals are: to enhance and develop historical sites in the Holyland; help aforesting and development of nature and recreational areas around the historical sites; to promote historical awareness of the region; to encourage portable and mobile HF operations; to establish contacts with amateurs from all over the world; to encourage foreign amateurs to come and operate from these historical sites.

Operations for the 4X2K award will take place from Jan. 1st 2000 until Dec. 31st the same year. Each amateur must work within his license conditions and Ministry of Communications restrictions.

All bands including WARC, and all modes are permitted (Relays and cross modes are excluded).

SWL's are also encouraged to work the award.

Seven major historical sites related to the life of Jesus were selected each designated by a number:

1. Bethlehem region, 2. Nazareth region, 3. Jerusalem area, 4. Tiberias and Sea of Galilee, 6. Galilee (excluding Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee), 6. Samaria region, and 7. for the Judea region.

One must earn a minimum of 300 points and also work at least 5 of the major historical sites.

A QSO with a station operating from a major historical site gives 5 points, a Holyland station located outside the major historical area gives 1 point. A special station 4X2K will operate as /area number throughout the year. A QSO with this station gives 20 points. i.e, if 4X2K/3 operates from Jerusalem, then a QSO with this station gives 20 points, and a credit of area 3 for Jerusalem. Each area may count only once for the award.

All QSO's made during the Holyland contest will count for double points: i.e., a QSO with a station

operating from a major historical site during that time credits 10 points. A station operating from a specific major historical area counts only once. The same station may be worked again only from another major historical area. The same rule applies for stations operating outside the major historical areas.

The QSO exchange must include callsign and the major historical area number, and RST report. For stations located outside the major historical areas the exchange includes just callsign and RST.

The basic fee is the price of one tree to be planted by the Forestry Department in one of the

major historical areas (10 USD or equivalent or 12 IRCs). A certificate will be issued in the name of the amateur that contributed the fee. Special certificates are also available for 10 trees or more.

Logs must include callsign, RST reports, date, time (UTC) and major historical area. Also all

calculations for credit must be clearly specified on the log. Operator callsign, name, country/state, address/mail address and zip code must be clear on the log form. No QSLs are required.

All logs must be sent before 3/3/2001 to the award manager either via bureau or via home address:

Yoram Gottesman 4Z1GY, 1 Kehilat Jitomir St., Neot Afeka, Tel Aviv 69410, ISRAEL e-mail: high_test@ibm.net
 
 

PIRATE BROADCASTING, continued

While this is an amateur radio newsletter, just a few more points to add to last month’s article on this subject: Last month there was a Ministry of Communications raid on the “Arutz Seven” radio station in Bet El to confiscate its inland transmitting equipment. After the Ministry officers were surrounded by a huge crowd of “Arutz Sheva” supporters and some feverish messages from the government’s direction were exchanged, the station’s equipment was returned and their transmissions renewed. No comment.

Abie Nathan, former “peace pilot” who made a solo flight into Nasser’s Egypt in 1966 and founder of the now-defunct very first pirate station, The Voice of Peace, has left Israel for India. Having suffered two massive strokes, Abie has flown away to be with his guru, whom he hopes may cure or at least ease his sad condition.
 
 

NEWS BRIEFS

* The Annual IARC Membership Assembly will be held on the evening of the 24^th of this month at the Mikve Israel agricultural school in southern Tel-Aviv.

* The IARC Repeater Committee under the able leadership of Itzik 4Z4ZH is working on a project that will allow the 2-way linking of ALL 2 metre repeaters in the country.

* IARC membership dues remain as they were last years. No inflation here. Please pay up.

* Licence periods have been extended into 2000. Those who have not sent in a photo of themselves are requested to do so, as the new licenses will be on plastic cards that may be carried around like a driver’s licence.

* 4X 0 A in Akhziv Island was activated again by 4X1VF, 4Z4KX, 4X4FJ, 4Z4FL and 4Z5DW. 2,040 contacts were made with 76 countries.
 
 
 

The following is the way each of us sees things – based on our own outlooks on life and amateur radio. We digress from the normal format fo this newsletter, and as you can see. We each hold somewhat different views while still maintaining a common ground. Let these following epistles speak for thmselves:

SOME MILLENIUM THOUGHTS by 4X1AT

We crossed the threshold to the new millennium in calm, watching TV  broadcasts from all over the world. Many people tried to cash in on the occasion while others spent a lot of money just to 'feel good'. At the age of 73 (4X1AT) one is more settled....hi.

There are lots of countries who spent millions to have a splashy fireworks display. In many countries people are waiting anxiously for medication and their government can't find the necessary budgets but enough millions to push them into the skies. We live in a world that lost many of its ethical values and nobody seems to mind. Let's live today and not care about tomorrow .....

The problem of Global Warming. Spillage of many thousands of tons of heavy oil by badly (by today's standards) constructed tankers - just now near France were till now 300,000 Seabirds lost their lives. Greenpeace is doing its utmost to stop the killing of whales - and not many seem to mind.

I could go on quoting many more ills. Sorry to feel a little pessimistic at the break of a new millennium. We are millions of Radio Amateurs around the world, we could unite and act in fervour, or rather against, of one or the other ills of the present world - and to my best knowledge do nothing. We can not organise a field-day because nobody wants to lend a hand! Is that the time to rejoice, the time we were waiting for?

Please think - Do you, our readers, believe that we should do something about it or let things just go on? Anyway I wish you and yours all the best for the new millennium - may it bring us a better world.

- Ahron Kirshner 4X1AT

4X1MK writes…

Thanks, Ahron,

There is nothing new under the sun....
Ein hadash metahat lashemesh-
Olam keminhago noheg…
The world according to its customs acts.

 Nothing is new - the world goes on as it has, and people for the most part have not improved all that much in what they do. Very few of us are outwardly directed and we spend our energies on self-gratification.

The same is true of amateur radio. Is collecting certificates and making radio contests and stations with special callsigns activating "special areas" doing anything for humanity other than giving more excuses for people to play more games with their radios?

If you really want to do something for the world, it's probably best to give up ham radio, and do charitable work for poor unfortunate people. Devote yourself to some idealistic cause, which is admirable, but let us have no illusions about amateur radio.
 
Amateur radio is FUN - that's what it's all about. The only altruistic things we do is to share our fun with other people - and that's very good. You (Ahron) have been opening the door for many many people over the years so that they may enter that great FUN world, ham radio, and in such you have been enriching their lives!

Amateur radio is a HOBBY, not a religion. It is one of the greatest hobbies I know of, if not the best. It used to be the only way to make contact around the world... and we did good work for people passing messages and phone patches. Now that telecommunications have advanced, we are not needed any more, except for emergencies when everything else breaks down. So we now have just fun. Nothing wrong with that.

Things in this world change, nothing stands still. The world has been around for millions of years. Humanity has been a around a long time. Radio has been around just 100 years. Just as we can't hang on to our lives and possessions ("you can't take it with you"), so we can't hang on to ham radio forever.

Be happy for the good times there were - but don't try to hold on to anything! Everything changes - change is the only thing that is constant! There are unknown adventures ahead, and since they are unknown, there is nothing to do! Do not be like Lot's wife – do not look back, and turn into a pillar of salt.

Ron Gang 4X1MK
 

Until next time, 73 de Ahron and Ron