FCC Enforcement Against Marriott International

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The hotel group Marriott International is to stop jamming WiFi units

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into the hotel's practices in March 2013 after being contacted by a hotel guest who said they had been unable to connect to the net via a mi-fi device at Marriott's Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center.

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“Consumers who purchase cellular data plans should be able to use them without fear that their personal Internet connection will be blocked by their hotel or conference center,” said FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Travis LeBlanc. “It is unacceptable for any hotel to intentionally disable personal hotspots while also charging consumers and small businesses high fees to use the hotel’s own Wi-Fi network.

Marriot pay $600,000 to resolve WiFi-blocking investigation - http://www.fcc.gov/document/marriott-pay-600k-resolve-wifi-blocking-investigation


CQ DX Hall of Famer Bob Schenck, N2OO, named CQ DX Editor

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Veteran DXer, DXpeditioner and QSL manager Bob Schenck, N2OO, of Tuckerton, New Jersey, has been named CQ magazine's DX Editor, magazine Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU, has announced. A 2008 inductee into the CQ DX Hall of Fame, Bob succeeds Wayne Mills, N7NG, who has stepped down to pursue other ham-related interests.

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Originally licensed in 1965 as WN2RJJ, Bob's introduction to ham radio was the annual Novice Roundup contest, and he has been hooked on DXing and contesting ever since. A veteran of more than two dozen DXpeditions to over a dozen countries, he is currently part of the K1N team planning to activate Navassa Island in early 2015. Bob is the team's QSL manager, another major part of his ham radio activities. He has served as a QSL manager for over 100 DX stations and another 100-plus DXpeditions for more than 35 years and is the founder of the QSL Managers Society, which serves as a single point of contact for stations seeking a QSL manager, works to preserve old DX and DXpedition logs, and promote a code of ethics among QSL managers.

Bob is also on the board of directors of the International DX Association (INDEXA), president of the South Jersey DX Association, a charter member of the Old Barney Amateur Radio Club (also in New Jersey) and trustee of a local repeater. He lives in Tuckerton, New Jersey, with his wife, Beth, KF2BQ, and is a father and grandfather. 

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with Bob, His dedication to the DXing portion of our hobby is unparalleled, not only in terms of his on-air activities but of the all-important ‘final courtesy’ of QSLing as well.”
— CQ Editor Rich Moseson, W2VU
“This will be a new challenge for me! I look forward to joining the CQ staff and working with my friends in the DX community as well!””
— Bob Schenck, N2OO

Schenck will begin writing the CQ DX column as of the magazine's January/February 2015 issue - CQ's 70th anniversary edition.

New World Record Claimed on 10 GHz

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A 10 GHz contact by Rex Moncur VK7MO and Derek Zeck VK6DZ over an astounding distance of 2,732 km is a new record for the 10Ghz band

The contact took place on January 5, 2015 during a tropo opening across the Great Australian Bight using the JT4f data mode as well as SSB.

VK6DZ was portable at Torbay Hill, 24 km west of Albany, Western Australia. He was running 10 W to a 60 cm dish. VK7MO was portable Cape Portland in northeastern Tasmania, running 50 W to a 77 cm dish.

Read the full ARRL story - http://www.arrl.org/news/view/new-world-record-claimed-on-10-ghz