The Amateur Radio Newsline™ FAQ
About Us
Q: What is the Amateur Radio Newsline?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ is a free service to the amateur radio community. We produce a weekly audio news bulletin called a “QST” or “bulletin of interest to radio amateurs” that is delivered by a downloadable MP3 audio file from our website or through a podcast subscription. Operations are supported primarily by voluntary donations from individual amateurs and amateur radio clubs. We are a 501(c)(3) Federal tax-exempt corporation and most contributions made to us are tax deductible. (Please check with your tax advisor if you have any questions regarding such donations.)
Q: Whom are you associated with?
A: We are totally independent. Amateur Radio Newsline™ is not directly associated with the former Westlink Report Newsletter (no longer in production), the ARRL Letter, or any organization or amateur radio lobby group.
Q: Tell me about your newscast.
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ produces a weekly newscast of interest to radio amateurs worldwide. The bulletins conform to all sections and codes as outlined under the United States FCC Part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules regarding the legal means of amateur radio operators issuing “QST’s” or “Bulletins of Interest to All Amateurs.” We differ only in format and follow a more traditional radio “spot news” format. Whenever possible, we attempt to bring you the voices of those in the news.
Q: Who are the people we hear in your newscast?
A: All participants in the production of the Amateur Radio Newsline™ bulletins are professionals or trainees in the news media who have volunteered their time and skills to help prepare each weekly bulletin.
Financial Matters
Q: How is Amateur Radio Newsline funded?
A: As noted above, Amateur Radio Newsline™ is a 501(C) (3) tax-exempt corporation operating as a public service. It primarily survives on contributions made by listeners (and readers of the text version) such as you. Any shortfall has traditionally been paid out of pocket by our team members.
Q: How big of a paid staff do you have?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ has no paid staff and all funds donated go directly to the defraying operating costs.
Production Format
Q: What is the “style” of your audio newscast?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ stories include the voices of the newsmakers themselves when possible so that you can more easily understand the effect that the story will have on all radio amateurs. The scope of our coverage ranges from the serious to the fun. The only requirement is that it have some connection to Amateur Radio.
Distribution
Q: When do you transmit Amateur Radio Newsline on the air?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ does not directly sponsor any on-air operation. We have no transmitting facilities of our own on any band: HF or VHF / UHF. We are producers/ distributors only.
Q: If you do not transmit your news bulletin, how can I hear it?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ is delivered primarily by MP3 Internet Audio at our http://www.arnewsline.org website. Amateur Radio Newsline™ is also available as a podcast subscription through most major podcast providers.
Since some Amateur Radio Newsline™ bulletins contain a lead message to the issuing bulletin station called a “Closed Circuit Advisory,” we recommend that bulletin stations pre-record the bulletin and retransmit only that part which constitutes the text of the bulletin itself. This is easily accomplished by either downloading the MP3 file at www.arnewsline.org and recording Amateur Radio Newsline™ for delayed retransmission on your local repeater (or net frequency.) This also permits easy integration of Amateur Radio Newsline™ into an already established net or on-air amateur radio information service.
Newscast Release Schedule
Q: When do you update your newscast?
A: The website audio and text feed is usually updated late Thursday or early Friday of each week – Eastern time (EST or EDT depending on time of year.)
Technical Stuff
Q: What are your technical parameters?
A: The weekly Amateur Radio Newsline™ Amateur Radio bulletin is formatted and engineered primarily for distribution on VHF / UHF amateur repeaters and by FM simplex bulletin stations. Audio processing is specifically contoured for these delivery media, and was not meant for distribution using SSB.
Q: Do you have a shorter or longer version of your weekly bulletin to fit our particular needs?
A: No. We produce a “one size fits all” audio bulletin. We also produce a short video “headline” report designed for the Ham Nation Internet TV program.
Legal Stuff
Q: Who can retransmit the ARNewsline audio?
A: In the United States, ARNewsline can be re-transmitted by any licensed radio amateur as long as his/her station operation conforms to Sections 97.111 and 97.113 regarding one-way transmissions. ARNewsline may be retransmitted by commercial and non-commercial FCC licensed broadcast entities. It may also be retransmitted over the Internet as long as the actual audio file used is the one on our website.
Q: Can I excerpt an ARNewsline bulletin?
A: No, all bulletins must be retransmitted in their entirety with the exception of any “Closed Circuit Advisory” at the beginning or end of a given newscast. A “Closed Circuit Advisory” is a message to the bulletin station replaying the news bulletin and is not necessary to on-pass to the wider audience.
Q: I'm a skilled audio editor. Can't I shorten the newscast to fit our repeater (or net) Needs?
A: No. Downloading ARNewsline is an acceptance of our copyright and usage agreement, which states that ARNewsline must be used in its entirety as produced. It’s a way of protecting all from frivolous litigation if, in the process of re-editing a story, the meaning or intent of a story is changed.
Other Things Amateur Radio Newsline™ Does
Q: Tell me about the Young Ham of the Year Award that you sponsor.
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™, along with Yaesu USA, CQ Publishing, Heil Sound Ltd. And RadioWavz is a co-sponsor of the Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award program. The award was created in 1986 by ARNewsline™ founder Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. Full information on this program is here.
Q: What is your connection to the Roy Neal K6DUE Amateur Radio Mentoring Project?
A: Amateur Radio Newsline™ created and co-sponsors with the Quarter Century Wireless Association the Roy Neal K6DUE Amateur Radio Mentoring Project. This is a program designed to take newly licensed radio amateurs and place them one-on-one with veteran hams so that they may learn the traditions and operating skills that no classroom or home-study environment can teach.
Q: Do you supply speakers for radio clubs or conventions?
A: Yes. We do supply speakers and/or structured programs on a variety of topics including explaining who we are and how we produce our newscasts.
Q: How much do you charge to come to our club or convention?
A: Only expenses for travel, food, lodging and miscellaneous expenses. There are no honorarium fees. It may also be possible for one of us to make a presentation to your organization via Skype.
Contact Information
To contact Amateur Radio Newsline, please click on the “CONTACT” tab.
Thank You
We hope that you and all amateur operators in your area will enjoy Amateur Radio Newsline™. Please let us know how we can serve you better. E-mail your suggestions to newsline@arnewsline.org
