[amsat-bb] Houston AMSAT Net and TWIAR distribution threatened -- Your help is needed!

["Eric A. Cottrell" <eac@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

Your listening days may be numbered if you listen to the Houston AMSAT Net
or This Week In Amateur Radio over your local repeater, another repeater
while traveling, or on the TVRO (Big) Dish.  I doubt alot of hams know how
the repeater gets the program's audio and that it may go off the air
at the end of August.

For years many repeaters provided these programs to hams via dedicated
volunteers who retransmitted the audio from TVRO Satellite.  The W0KIE
sattellite network provides time on their audio subcarrier for North
American coverage of these programs.  W0KIE also carries programs about
computers, media, and handicap issues.  It is a grassroots type of network
run by volunteers.  The name of the network W Zero K I E is the ham
call of the founder of the network, Mike Reynolds.

W0KIE does not own the audio subcarrier.  W0KIE contracts with the
Oxygen Network for the audio subcarrier in a barter arrangement.  It seems the
only feedback that Oxygen received about W0KIE was negative so they decided
to end the contract.  This is against W0KIE and not against the Houston AMSAT
Net or TWIAR.

Unfortunely closure of W0KIE will mean the end of the era of hobbyist-oriented
programing on TVRO.  The founder of W0KIE is willing to keep W0KIE on but
not to start it again.  The situation is like that of launching Amateur
Satellites, the 'free rides' are almost gone.

I realized I ommented on W0KIE programs to W0KIE and people involved
in producing the program.  I took for granted Oxygen's support.  Fortunely
Oxygen has given W0KIE an extension of one month.  This gives hams time to
express positively how Oxygen's support of W0KIE is a good thing.  This
is not the time to flame Oxygen 8->.  It is more helpful to briefly mention
that you support programs on W0KIE and appreciate Oxygen's support of
W0KIE.  Please send you cards and brief letters to:

  Ms. Barbara Shulman
  Senior Vice President
  Business and Legal Affairs
  Oxygen Media, LLC
  75 Ninth Avenue
  New York, NY 10011.

Check the W0KIE website of updates. The URL is http://www.w0kie.com

Thanks and 73 Eric WB1HBU
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