Experimental Radio News 11
Predicting earthquakes hours in advance - by radio; digital shortwave stations newly licensed; robotic satellites for in-space servicing - and more, in ERN 11.
A novel earthquake prediction system will use ionosondes – ionospheric measuring stations – in Merced, Jamul, Winterhaven and Perris, CA. The FCC licensed this experiment as WY9XKB, in ten high-frequency HF bands.
Ionoterra US Survey LLC said, “In theoretical scientific research conducted by our CTO Prof. Nathan Blunstein for three decades, he proved that earthquakes can be predicted by a set of certain phenomena in the ionosphere measured algorithmically hours before the earthquake using several ionosondes arranged in a certain configuration.
“In an initial limited proof of concept we conducted back in 2019, we showed that we can predict earthquakes hours in advance. Last year we obtained a patent for our technology in the US and in Japan.
“We have proposed Los Angeles as the location of our research because Los Angeles is prone to earthquakes with 82 reported earthquakes of 3 and above magnitude during 2023. Our proposed research, which will be conducted together with the Civil and Environmental Engineering department at UCLA, is developing the ability to predict earthquakes hours in advance, and will provide the opportunity to react and prepare in a timely manner in order to evacuate the population (buildings, schools, etc.), cut off gas and electricity, warn and stop trains, airports, bridges and tunnels [and] initiate emergency protocols at nuclear facilities.”
Ionoterra earthquake prediction
The invention is based on the discovery that the ionosphere becomes more inhomogeneous above the epicenter in the 12 to 16 hours before the earthquake. The inhomogeneities are believed to be produced by acoustic-gravity waves associated with the buildup of strain in the Earth’s crust.
FCC grants three new HF broadcast licenses
In the waning hours of the Biden administration, the FCC issued regular, non-experimental licenses to three peculiar and longstanding applicants for HF international broadcast stations.
Meanwhile, other experimental HF operations continue, while the FCC contemplates a petition to expand shortwave radio to include data links.
DPA Mac LLC
The FCC licensed San Francisco entrepreneur Seth Kenvin’s DPA Mac, a shortwave applicant covered in previous issues of this newsletter. The FCC withheld permission, however, for DPA Mac to operate as intended. The station aimed to transmit market instructions to foreign exchanges while presenting as a radio broadcaster, in order to secure a conventional license.