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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=PT link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>RADIO POLITICS: WORLD ECONOMIC RECESSION TAKES PORTUGUESE REPEATERS OFF THE AIR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Several of Portugal's amateur radio repeaters appear to be the latest casualties of the current world economic crisis. In a message to Southgate News, Miguel Andrade, CT1ETL says that all the repeaters and Echolink nodes located near of Spanish border are off line. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>Andrade says that the reason for the blackout is related to the lack of financial support in order to keep these devices working. In other words, the funds are not there at the moment to maintain these systems for their user base. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>CT1ETL notes that Jaime Pinheiro, CT2GPZ, is the technical manager for some of these systems. He is reportedly trying to develop partnerships and sponsors to bring the systems back on the air. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>So far it is still not possible to predict the date if or when some or all might return to normal operation. As we go to air, art least five of Portugal’s amateur radio repeater systems on 2 meters and 70 centimeters are down for the count. (CT1ETL, Southgate)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>From the United States of America, We are the Amateur Radio Newsline.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=EN-US>ARNewsline Report 1783 – Oct 14 2011 ( <a href="http://www.eham.net/articles/26962">http://www.eham.net/articles/26962</a> )</span><span lang=EN-US><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>