-
Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Mar 23 22:03:07 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K2JJI repeater
of the Tryon Amateur Radio Club, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary
this year, in upstate New York. Newsline is heard Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
before the ARES/RACES net, and on Echolink node 845553, with a live audio
feed on Broadcastify under K2JJI.
**
A VIRTUAL VISIT TO BOUVET ISLAND
NEIL/ANCHOR: The Northern Illinois DX Association hosted the first presentation by a Three Y Zero Jay team member on what it was like to
live on, and activate Bouvet Island. DXpeditioner Adrian, KO8SCA,
provided a one-hour talk, complete with dramatic photographs, on the
Zoom platform earlier this month. He described the team's 10-day effort
to maintain a delicate balance of food and fuel supplies as they
scheduled precious time to operate on the air - at first using CW and
SSB and later FT8. They also kept an eye on storm systems. As Adrian
told his viewers [quote] "Mother Nature is never doing things in your
favor." [endquote] The DXpedition left the island on February 14th,
after making more than 19,000 QSOs.
Whether you worked Bouvet Island or not, you can still view Adrian's talk
which is now available to everyone on YouTube on the Northern Illinois DX Association channel. You can also find a link to it through the Northern Illinois DX Association website at nidxa dot org (nidxa.org).
(YOUTUBE, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)
**
FOR YOUNG ACTIVATOR IN AUSTRALIA, A PEAK AT GLORY
NEIL/ANCHOR: A very young amateur in Australia has completed a summit activation that he's likely never to forget. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, shares
his victory with us.
GRAHAM: First-time summit activator Emile, VK5WWW, has now earned one
point in the SOTA awards scheme for each year of his life: The 10-year-old Australian amateur successfully activated Mount Wellington in Tasmania
with an HT, and a lot of hope on Tuesday, March 21st, shortly before 9:30
am local time.
The summit is 1,270-metres, or 4,167 feet, high.
Operating at VK5WWW/7, he logged six contacts in the Hobart area on 2m. One-half hour later, it was a done deal. Emile's first solo act was a
success.
His proud father, John, VK5HAA, who is also an activator, reported his
son's SOTA success on the Australian SOTA activators' groups.io email
list.
Congratulations on reaching new heights, Emile. Good on ya!
This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
(GROUPS.IO)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, the Sable Island DXpedition CY0S is under way in Nova Scotia, Canada until the 30th of March and will include 2M EME operation. Operators will also use the HF bands plus 6 metres. Modes will include CW,
SSB and FT8 in fox-hound mode. Contacts also count for Parks on the Air,
for Park VE-0210, the ARLHS Lighthouse Award, for Lighthouse SAB-002, and
IOTA for Island Number NA-063. QSL via WA4DAN.
Listen for Miguel, CT1EBM, who is using the callsign CN2EBM from the 26th
of March to the 9th of April during a 5,000-kilometre tour through Morocco.
He is using SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. He will be operating via the
QO-100 satellite on SSB. For details, see QRZ.com.
Philippe FK4QX, Yves FK4RD and Michel FK8IK are using the callsign TX5L
from Lifou Island, IOTA Number OC-033, in New Caledonia from the 27th
through to the 31st of March. They are operating CW and SSB on 40-10 metres, QSL via F4FTV.
Pista, HA5AO, will be on the air as 5X2I, on the shores of Lake Victoria
in Uganda from the 24th of April to the 10th of May. He will operate CW,
SSB, and FT8, in fox/hound mode on 40-10 metres. QSL request to OQRS, or
send your card direct or via the bureau to HA5AO. The complete log will
be uploaded to LoTW six months after the expedition.
Be listening for Janusz, SP9FIH, who is operating as E51WEG and for Leszek, SP6CIK, operating as E51CIK from Rarotonga, IOTA number OC-013, in the
South Cook Islands. They will be there from the 13th to the 28th of April, operating CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on 40-10 metres. QSL via Club Log's OQRS.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Apr 14 12:45:49 2023
AUTISM AWARENESS EVENT GOES GLOBAL
PAUL: Special events are becoming more and more popular in our hobby.
Often they’re organized by a club or group that is tied to a specific
event or place. But in the case of one ham, James Gallo, KB2FMH, he
simply found a cause that was important and created a global event to celebrate it.
GALLO: I do a lot of special events, because I find them interesting. So
we found Autism Awareness and I thought, "That's an interesting subject.
A lot of people in our hobby have a position somewhere on the autistic spectrum in some way or another, and I know that from talking to people
over the years. So we decided to make a special event for that."
PAUL: Gallo started to plan the event, and then his girlfriend came up
with a great idea:
GALLO: "And then as I'm putting it together, my girlfriend, who's my muse
in radio business, said, ''Why don't you invite other operators - you'll
get a bunch of operators from around the country.'' And then I thought,
"Well, it's considered 'World Autism Awareness Day', so let me reach out
to a few friends globally that I've met over the years, and see if
they're interested." And it started to grow.
PAUL: And grow it did. The event was a big success, and drew in a large
number of participants:
GALLO: "I think we had 80-something volunteers across 26 states and 24 countries."
PAUL: Gallo is planning on running the event again next year, so keep an
eye out for an announcement if you wish to participate or even just
chase. It's all for a good cause.
This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
**
RSGB SEEKS TECHNICAL EDITOR FOR RADCOM MAGAZINE
DON/ANCHOR: The Radio Society of Great Britain is looking to hire a new technical editor, as we hear from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
JEREMY: RadCom, the magazine of the Radio Society of Great Britain, is
saying goodbye to Matthew Smith, M0VWS, who is leaving his role as
technical editor. The team is looking for a new technical editor with a
strong background in electronics and the technical side of amateur radio.
The ideal candidate should also be capable of writing and editing
articles and working with authors from whom articles have been
commissioned. The technical editor will also read and edit copy from contributors and columnists and assist volunteers with the RSGB Technical Forum. This is a salaried staff position.
For a full description of other responsibilities visit rsgb.org/careers.
Although there is an opportunity to occasionally work from home, the
technical editor will be based at RSGB's headquarters which is near
Bedford. For queries or to submit a CV, contact the managing editor
Edward O'Neill at
edward.oneill@rsgb.org.uk.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(RSGB)
**
MARYLAND SCIENTIST HONORED FOR EMERGENCY PREP WORK
DON/ANCHOR: A scientist and radio amateur in Howard County, Maryland, has
been recognized for his many hours of helping others prepare for
disaster. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, tells us more about him.
SEL: Congratulations to Dan Wilt, WB6FLL, who has been named Emergency Management Volunteer of the Year from officials in Howard County,
Maryland. Dan leads the Howard County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service and is a member of the Columbia Amateur Radio Association.
Dan is a device physicist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
in Laurel, Maryland. According to a press release on the webpage of Johns Hopkins lab, Wilt spent more than 150 volunteer hours supporting RACES
events and activities last year at public service events and during
snowstorms and hurricanes. He has also assisted RACES in the creation of guides to help fellow operators during emergencies so communication can
become easier for first responders. As a member of the Columbia Amateur
Radio Association, K3CUJ, he has coordinated exercises to help prepare
his fellow club members for future incidents.
During the awards ceremony, Mike Hinson, director of the county's Office
of Emergency Management, praised Dan for [quote] "a willingness to help
others learn and a desire to serve whenever and however possible."
[endquote]
This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.
(JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, PATCH.COM)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Apr 21 08:34:35 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the N0LAR repeater,
of the Lamar Area Amateur Radio Club in southeast Colorado, or on FM radio station KRHJ on 88.3 MHz on Fridays at 5 p.m.
**
HUNGARIAN HAMS' SURVEY EXPLORES YOUTH, OTHER ISSUES
NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Hungary's national ham radio society want to hear
from you. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us why.
JEREMY: Hams around the world are being invited to provide their views
and share their experiences about amateur radio through an online survey
from the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society. The short survey asks questions about your personal preferences and radio history but also wants to know
what your priorities are -- whether it is your operating preferences,
your expectations from membership in a national society or the roles you
think a local club should have. There are also questions about whether
you know very many active younger operators. The society is interested in having the survey responses in time for the Youngsters on the Air Region
1 camp which it is hosting from the 5th to the 12th of August in Hungary.
The group would also like to present the survey results at the IARU
general conference in November.
A link to the survey appears in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ:
https://mrasz.org/state-of-hamradio ]
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(HUNGARIAN AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)
NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in the US may notice when they take the survey that the question about license class does not include the option to select the
level of FCC license. The creators of the survey recommend that US hams
use HAREC for Extra, NOVICE for General and other classes and ENTRY for Technician.
**
NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM EXPANDS HOURS FOR HAMVENTION
NEIL/ANCHOR: One of the biggest ham radio weekends in the United States
is about to get a little bigger. Here's Jack Parker, W8ISH, with that
update.
JACK: If Hamvention doesn't give you a big enough dose of amateur radio
when you're in Xenia next month, take a side trip to the National Voice
of America Museum of Broadcasting in nearby West Chester, Ohio. The
museum expands their hours for visitors during Hamvention and features
new exhibits including a dedicated room for shortwave equipment and
amateur radio. Other exhibits include a complete collection of R.L. Drake
Ham Radio equipment that was originally in the lobby of the R.L. Drake
Corp. in Miamisburg, Ohio.
The on-site WC8VOA ham shack has new, updated equipment and yes, the
station will be on the air for guest operators. The museum's expanded
hours are Thursday May 18th and Friday May 19th from 1 to 9 p.m.;
Saturday May 20th from noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday, May 21st from noon to 5
p.m. so that you can plan on a weekend of total radio immersion.
You can find more details on the museum website at voamuseum.org
This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.
(JOCELYN BRAULT, KD8VRX/VA2VRX; VOICE OF AMERICA MUSEUM)
**
GRIDTRACKER TEAM WINS SOFTWARE AWARD
NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams who are fans of Gridtracker will be happy to learn
they're not alone: Its development team just won a major award. Here's
Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, with the details.
RALPH: Congratulations to Stephen Loomis, N0TTL, and the team that
produced Gridtracker.org, for becoming recipients of the fourth annual
Amateur Radio Software Award. This international honor recognizes free,
open projects developed in the spirit of sharing to enhance amateur radio operations everywhere. According to the award website, Gridtracker was
chosen for its ability to focus on visualizing radio traffic on FT8 and
other modes, simplifying the process of tracking contacts, especially in contests.
In the same spirit of sharing that helped create Gridtracker, Stephen,
who lives in Oregon, has asked the awards committee to provide a $300
grant to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon. The nonprofit advocacy, resource and educational organization works to help those who
have mental illness and assists their families.
This is Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
(AMATEUR RADIO SOFTWARE AWARD, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY, GRIDTRACKER)
**
BOUVET DXPEDITION VETERAN TO ACTIVATE IN FIJI
NEIL/ANCHOR: One member of the team is back home from the recent Bouvet
Island 3Y0J DXpedition but not for long. John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us
what he's got planned next.
JOHN: Cezar, VE3LYC, is getting ready to put one of the Fiji islands back
on the air after too many years of things being quiet there. Yanuca
Island, IOTA Number OC-189, was activated first in 1993 and again in 2007
- but there's been no radio operation there since then. Cezar will be on
the air May 1st through the 5th using the callsign 3D2LYC. DX World.net reports that his goal is to log 4,000 QSOs with 2,500 unique stations on
six continents. He will be on most of the HF bands and will operate both
CW and SSB.
While not as harsh an environment as the one found on remote Bouvet
Island, Yanuca does not have any visitor accommodation. Cezar said he has
been able to locate a generator and gas as well as food and water to use during his stay.
This is John Willliams, VK4JJW.
(DX WORLD.NET)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Apr 27 22:08:36 2023
NETS OF NOTE: THE HOUSTON AMSAT NET
PAUL/ANCHOR: A devoted group of satellite enthusiasts in Houston, Texas,
has something to celebrate. Their weekly 2-meter net, has surpassed the
1500 mark. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, tells us more about the group.
NEIL: On the Houston AMSAT Net, talk usually centers around satellites
and balloons but soon migrates to other topics. It's a long-running conversation that dates back to before the 1990s. In recent years the net
has gained even more participants by being carried on Echolink on the
AMSAT Conference Node. It is also available as a livestream while the net
is in progress at amsatnet.com. There is also a link to nets recorded
during the previous four weeks. You have even more ways to listen than
that: the net is available as a podcast on popular services such as Apple Podcast and on 1860 kHz AM.
The AMSAT News Service recently recognized the group for having held its 1,506th net. Keep the conversation going!
This is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.
(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)
**
BOOK REVIEW: "THE CW WAY OF LIFE," BY CHRIS RUTKOWSKI, NW6V
PAUL/ANCHOR: Sometimes, the only thing that comes close to being on the
air is ... reading about being on the air. Here's one of our occasional
book reviews -- it's from Randy Sly, W4XJ, and it's all about CW.
RANDY: Whatever your level of CW proficiency, Chris Rutkowski, NW6V has something for you. Chris recently released a great book about Morse Code called "The CW Way of Life." He provides 232 pages full of meaningful and entertaining content that is well written. With each page, all I could
think about was that familiar phrase, "and there's more!"
Chris first takes us through the basics of CW and operating with a
straight key...and there’s more! He talks about how we approach process
and understand Morse Code. Do you want to explore a unique approach to strengthening your copy skills, try his chapter on Code Talking...and
there's more! He gives us a special way to notate code, some drills, and
a whole section on Morse Code lingo, including standard exchanges,
protocols, and operating etiquette...and still there's more! Finally, he
leads us through advanced key training, looking at bugs, paddles and the
rest.
Available through Amazon, this is a great book for hams or non-hams
interested in the original digital. I give it a 5 9 9.
This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
**
HAMS WORLDWIDE MARK WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY
PAUL/ANCHOR: This year's World Amateur Radio Day celebrated the 98th anniversary of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union,
using the theme Human Security for all. Around the world, hams in every nation marked the day in their own way. John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us
more.
JOHN: For hams in South Africa, World Amateur Radio Day - officially the
18th of April - turned into a month-long celebration. Amateurs in the
South African Radio League activated the special event callsign ZS9WARD
from the first day of April and will continue to do so until the last. In Canada, the theme was "Get on the Air on World Amateur Radio Day" and
Radio Amateurs of Canada's official stations operated from one coast to
the other with numerous callsigns such as VA2RAC, VE4RAC, VO1RAC, and
VY1RAC.
The IARU webpage acknowledged the participation of stations around the
world on the big day itself. Hams in Denmark used the callsign 5PØWARD,
in the United States the calls were NU1AW, W1W, W4A, K4A, and N4A, Belgium
had OT23WARD and Slovenia had S50ARD.
In India, the celebration took on an added level of meaning as one ham,
Hari, VU3UCR, announced that on World Amateur Radio Day he accomplished
the first-time activation of Bandipur National Park in Karnataka for
Parks on the Air India. He announced on Facebook this also makes him the
third person in India to activate a national park in POTA, an awards
scheme that is still new and growing in popularity in that nation.
This is John Williams, VK4JJW.
(FACEBOOK, IARU, SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE)
**
NOMINATE NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'
PAUL/ANCHOR: There is only a month left to nominate your choice for
Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak Young Ham of the Year award. Candidates must reside in the continental United States and be a licensed
ham 18 years of age or younger. We are looking for someone who has
talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find
application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu May 4 18:06:05 2023
MILLING ABOUT ON THE AIR FOR A SPECIAL RADIO EVENT
JIM/ANCHOR: In Australia and in the UK, hams will be milling about -
literally - for this outdoor special event. We learn the details from John Williams, VK4JJW.
JOHN: There's more to mills than wheat, corn or flour. Some mills can
produce QSOs. Well, at least that's going to be the case in Australia
during the Mills on the Air radio event being held in conjunction with the Mills on the Air taking place at the same time in the UK. That would be
the 13th and 14th of May. Hams are on the air activating the mills and
also hoping to score points at the same time for SOTA, POTA and World Wide Flora and Fauna. The Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Club is proud
to be the first to get things started in 2017 with the activation of
Andersons Mill in Smeaton, Victoria - but now mill activation are grinding along quite nicely throughout Australia.
They will be joining more than 300 windmills and watermills being
activated throughout the UK to celebrate its industrial heritage. If you
wish to receive a certificate from the Denby Dale Amateur Radio Society,
which organises the event in the UK, be sure to register there at the link
in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ: www.ddars.net/register.html ]
This is John Williams, VK4JJW.
(DDARS.NET, MILLS ON THE AIR)
**
CELLPHONE USERS LOG DIRECT CONTACT VIA SATELLITE
JIM/ANCHOR: A space-based cellular phone network that relies on satellites instead of towers may not be so far off as you think. Kent Peterson,
KC0DGY, has that story.
KENT: Imagine being able to have a cellphone signal delivered directly to
your mobile device from space instead of from a cell tower. Two smartphone users reported recently that they had just that experience. A call between
a phone user in Texas, and another in Japan was reportedly routed through
a low Earth orbit satellite manufactured by AST SpaceMobile. These were standard, unmodified smartphones: a Samsung Galaxy S22 in Texas and an
iPhone in Japan. The BlueWalker3 satellite that made the call possible is powerful enough to pick up cellphone signals from over 1,000 miles away
thanks to an array of 100,000 individual antenna elements on board.
Smartphones and satellites typically do not share the same part of the spectrum for direct communication, leaving phones to rely on local cell
towers instead. According to an article in The Verge, AST SpaceMobile was
able to adapt its network architecture so it was similar to 3rd Generation Partnership Project, or 3GPP, standard that cell networks use.
Some smartphones are already capable of message-based satellite routing solutions in emergencies but a full-service call with a voice connection
like this is said to be breaking new ground. The article said there will
be further testing.
This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
(THE VERGE)
**
UK HAMS MARK ANNIVERSARY OF 'DAM BUSTERS RAID'
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in the UK are marking the 80th anniversary of the famous World War II "Dam Busters Raid," and Jeremy Boot ,G4NJH, tells us what's involved.
JEREMY: The Royal Air Force sent a squadron of bombers into the night to complete a mission known as Operation Chastise, but better known as the
Dam Busters Raid. Its targets, in the heart of industrial Nazi Germany’s Ruhr Valley, were three dams for destruction, but which were heavily
protected from any underwater or air assault.
The successful mission, which set off on the 16th of May in 1943, is being commemorated from the 14th to 16th of May this year by the Stockport Radio Society with the callsign GB0DBA.
Stockport is an industrial town in Greater Manchester, a region with
strong ties to the mission that employed the now-famous "bouncing bombs."
The planes, modified to carry the bombs, were manufactured at Chadderton
and assembled at Woodford. The aircrew trained over the Derwent Reservoir.
Manchester University has a building dedicated to Barnes Wallis, the
creator of the bouncing bomb -- and to Wing Commander Guy Gibson, who was later proposed as a candidate for the UK Parliament.
Listen on the HF bands, with a focus on 20 and 40 metres, for operators
using SSB, CW and RTTY. There will also be radio activity on VHF using FM, C4FM and FT8 on 2 metres, and SSB and CW using the QO-100 satellite.
Please visit the QRZ.com page of GB0DBA for QSL details.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(QRZ.COM)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri May 12 00:02:13 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K3PSG repeater
in Butler, Pennsylvania, at 2 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Tuesdays.
**
DIGITAL LIBRARY OF HAM RADIO EXPANDS COLLECTION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The numbers just keep growing into the tens of thousands
in the Internet Archive's Digital Library of Amateur Radio And
Communications. Jack Parker, W8ISH, gives us those details.
JACK: It's a virtual bookshelf of radio that seems to go on into infinity:
The addition of new documents from the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club in
Alaska, the Worldwide TV-FM DX Association, the Irish Radio Transmitters Society and the Pikes Peak Radio Amateur Association in Colorado has
expanded a digital collection of shortwave and amateur radio history to
more than 75,000 items. This is the work-in-progress known as the DLARC
Radio Library. The library also contains more than two dozen episodes of
the RAIN Report that were believed to have been lost. Yes, you will also
find archived newscasts from Amateur Radio Newsline.
Program manager of special collections Kay Savetz, K6KJN, said the most
recent additions include recorded presentations and talks, including those from the MicroHams Digital Conference and the Radio Amateur Training
Planning and Activities Committee, known as RATPAC. The library is
especially pleased to have added episodes of International Radio Report
dating back 23 years. The collection also features Continent of Media,
which focuses on the range of media throughout the American Continent.
Many amateur clubs' newsletters which were never posted online before are
now available and are full text-searchable and available for download. The library, which was created with a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications, is always looking for new material to add to the
collection. See the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org
This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.
(KAY SAVETZ, K6KJN)
[DO NOT READ:
https://archive.org/details/dlarc ]
**
NEW HAM RADIO MUSEUM OPENS IN OHIO
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Ohio's new amateur radio museum. It's
the Waller-McMunn Museum in Cambridge that has opened to visitors in a restored radio station building after years of work by volunteers
assembling the collection of ham radio gear and related items. The museum
is the pride of the Cambridge Amateur Radio Association, W8VP. The name of
the museum honors Homer McMunn who built the first radio receiver in
Cambridge in 1912; it also pays tribute to his brother-in-law, Roy Waller
who is credited with being the first to copy signals from a US Navy
station operating in Arlington, Virginia that year. The two men were known
as experimenters who built receivers and transmitters and operated a
wireless station in town. Their enthusiasm eventually led to the creation
of the Wireless Association of Cambridge.
(THE DAILY JEFFERSONIAN, GYPSY ROAD TRIP.COM)
**
RESEARCHERS CREATE THINNER, DENSER COMPUTER CHIPS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Researchers in the United States have created thinner,
denser computer chips with big possibilities. We learn more from Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
KENT: Denser and more powerful computer chips may soon be possible thanks
to findings in a laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Researchers there have developed a means of working with 2D materials so slender that they are no more than three atoms thick. By layering them
atop a fully fabricated silicon chip, they are able to create a denser integration.
According to the MIT news website, this low-temperature growth and
fabrication technology does not result in damage to the chip. Damage was a major concern during previous attempts to achieve this integration atop a silicon CMOS wafer because the process customarily requires temperatures
of 600 degrees Celsius. Temperatures above 400 degrees Celsius could cause
the transisitors and circuits to break down.
The news website also reported that this technology reduces the growth and integration process on an 8-inch wafer from more than a day to less than
an hour. A shortened growth time is seen by researchers as particularly attractive for industrial fabrications because of its efficiency.
Researchers also said they want to explore use of this process for such flexible surfaces as textiles, polymers or papers, raising the prospect of integrating semiconductors into clothing, paper notebooks and other
everyday items.
This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
(MIT)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu May 25 21:52:38 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KJ3LR repeater
in Bradenton, Florida, on Fridays at 10 p.m.
**
SILENT KEY: CONTESTER, DXER, BERNHARD "BEN" BUETTNER, DL6RAI
NEIL/ANCHOR: An antenna accident has claimed the life of another ham - a well-known DXer and contester. We have those details from Jeremy Boot,
G4NJH.
JEREMY: A noted DXer, contester and CW enthusiast from Germany has become
a Silent Key. Bernhard Buettner, DL6RAI, who was known to everyone as Ben,
was killed following an accident while doing antenna work at his QTH in
Aruba. Writing about his friend's death, Martin DL5RMH, said that they
were working together to prepare to change one of the antenna masts when
the mast Ben was tending to buckled unexpectedly and Ben fell to the
ground. He could not be revived despite immediate first aid and the work
of an ambulance rescue crew.
Ben's own account of his ham radio life reflects a long and enduring love
for active radio operation around the world. He fell in love with CW as a shortwave listener in 1978 after decoding a message he copied from a local ham. He worked to gain proficiency in Morse and by March of 1980, the 16- year-old radio enthusiast passed his license test, qualifying at 12 words
per minute.
An avid traveler, he operated from at least 45 countries around the globe
and became a serious contester using CW, RTTY and the digital modes.
Between 2002 and 2005, he was the WAE DX contest manager for the DARC.
From 2007 to 2019 he was president of the prestigious Bavarian Contest
Club.
He purchased the QTH in Aruba in 2014 from another ham and was operating
from there intermittently as P4/DL6RAI or P44X. His widow, Luise, is also
an amateur, with the callsign DL2MLU.
This is Jeremy, Boot G4NJH.
NEIL/ANCHOR: Newsline takes this opportunity to remind listeners to please follow safety precautions always when doing antenna work, or any other
radio activity, that presents a potential hazard such as this.
(SOTA REFLECTOR, QRZ.COM)
**
MASSACHUSETTS HAMS STEP UP FOR 'RELAY FOR LIFE'
NEIL/ANCHOR: In one Massachusetts community, amateur radio is helping
shine a brighter spotlight on a public event for cancer-awareness. We have those details from Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
ANDY: While participants in the annual Relay for Life take thousands of
steps around a college athletics track during a two-day fundraiser for
cancer research, the Mohawk Amateur Radio Club will be taking steps too:
These Massachusetts amateurs will be on the air as the two-day event steps
off on Friday, June 9th, at 6 p.m. local time. They will be on the campus
of the Mount Wachusett Community College, reaching out globally over the airwaves to raise awareness of the lifesaving work of the American Cancer Society.
The hams will be on 20 and 40 meters during the day and will switch to 80 meters at night.
As in the past, many of those answering the call of station N1WW are
likely to have cancer survival stories of their own -- and some of the operators, such as Jack Burgoyne, W1PFZ, will be sharing theirs.
Jack, and club president Kevin Erickson, N1ERS, spoke to the Gardner News website recently about the event and the club's history of providing
support to it.
With a big turnout of spectators expected as individuals and teams in the relay make their rounds on the track, the ham club will also be raising
its own profile. Kevin said the club hopes people will take a moment to
visit the club trailer and check out the radios that are carrying that important message around the world.
This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
(AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, THE GARDNER NEWS)
**
QRP DAY COMES TO IARU REGION 3
NEIL/ANCHOR: The power of QRP isn't always measured in watts or even milliwatts. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, explains.
JIM M: It started as a long-ago suggestion from the New Zealand
Association of Radio Transmitters, which suggested to IARU Region 3 in
1997 that QRP operation be given its day in the sun - literally. Since
then, Region 3 societies have helped advance involvement in such QRP activities as QRP field days, QRP contests, instructions for QRP kit-
building and publication of articles about QRP operating. That's all
about to get even more intense on June 17th, which will once again be
QRP Day throughout IARU Region 3.
Writing to IARU member societies' directors and liaison officers, Yuki
JH1NBN, Region 3 secretary, encouraged promotion of QRP operation, particularly when it is highlighted on that day. He wrote in his letter
that QRP [quote] "offers advantages concerning, among others, the
reduction of QRM on the amateur bands." [endquote]
The day promises a powerful outcome.
This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
(IARU REGION 3)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Jun 1 20:29:07 2023
TRY NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE
JIM/ANCHOR: What's almost as good as perfect propagation? How about....a
ham radio haiku! We're inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves, and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our
website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your
most poetic offering. Be sure you follow the traditional form to qualify:
The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables, and
the finishing third line has another five syllables.
Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
syllable rule, and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize?
Fame and glory, of course -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the
Amateur Radio Newsline website. Visit our website at arnewsline.org to
see this week's winning haiku.
**
CALIFORNIA AMATEUR FACES $24,000 FINE
JIM/ANCHOR: A California amateur is facing a $24,000 fine from the FCC,
which has charged him with deliberate interference with a regularly
scheduled 80 meter net, held by the Western Amateur Radio Friendship Association. Philip J. Beaudet, N6PJB, is said to have repeatedly
interfered with the net, and failed to identify himself by his callsign.
They released a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture on May 30th, outlining the case against him. The agency said that last November and December, an agent from the San Francisco Field Office used direction
finding on 3.908 MHz, and on both occasions, was able to identify the
ham's Burney, California, home as the source of the interference cited
in repeated complaints to the agency.
The notice states that Beaudet has 30 days to respond, either with payment,
or a written statement seeking a reduction or cancellation of the proposed forfeiture.
(FCC, RADIO WORLD)
**
BELGIAN HAMS GAINING 8M BAND ACCESS
JIM/ANCHOR: Some new space on the spectrum awaits amateurs in Belgium,
and Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.
JEREMY: Hams in Belgium will soon be enjoying the privileges enjoyed
by those in South Africa, Slovenia, and Ireland, by gaining access to
the 8-metre band. The UBA, the Royal Belgian Amateur Radio Union, has
proposed giving hams with a Class A operating certificate, a HAREC full licence, the ability to get on the air with as much as 5 watts ERP, and
a bandwidth limit of 3 kHz. Permission is to be granted to individuals following approval from the Belgian regulator BIPT.
The frequency range being authorised is between 40.660 and 40.690 MHz.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)
**
HOSPITALIZED CHILDREN HAVE ARISS QSO WITH SPACE STATION
JIM/ANCHOR: Hospitalized children outside Washington, D.C., were given
a chance to talk with an ISS astronaut recently on amateur radio.
Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells us how things went.
PATRICK: Having fulfilled the first part of his space mission a few
days earlier - to arrive on board the ISS - astronaut John Shoffner,
KO4MJC, got under way with one of his next goals: to share the joys
and opportunities of STEM studies as an educator. On May 26th, he
shared that view from space through a QSO with youngsters at the
Children's Inn in Bethesda, Maryland. It was a telebridge contact that
made use of a ground station in Belgium with the callsign ON4ISS. The youngsters at the Children's Inn learned about life in space, and got
a closer look too, at the way amateur radio can connect people. The
Children's Inn provides a free residential environment to children and
young adults who are patients at the National Institutes of Health as a
means of reducing stress on the young patients, and furthering the
institutes' clinical research. With the help of ARISS and amateur radio,
the youngsters also got a view of the great things that can happen beyond
the bounds of planet Earth.
This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.
(ARISS, FACEBOOK)
**
NEW SITE CONSOLIDATES HAM CLUBS' NEWS
JIM/ANCHOR: We were saddened some time ago by the passing of Richard,
G4TUT, whose Southgate Amateur Radio News website served as a reliable
global bulletin board for many, including amateur radio podcast teams.
This badly missed resource is now being revived, and provided by Cale,
K4HCK, through his new "Amateur Radio Daily" website. Once the domain
name is transferred from Southgatearc, its URL will also route you there.
This is a new resource available for hams and clubs looking to get word
out about their activities. So, if you want other hams to see what your
club is up to, visit Amateur Radio Daily at daily.hamweekly.com or simply
send the story directly to Cale via email to K4HCK (at) hamweekly (dot)
com. Cale's new website will display the submitted stories, and provide
an RSS feed to receive daily updates automatically as they arrive, and
are posted.
(CALE, K4HCK)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Jun 8 22:22:39 2023
TRY NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Whether you find sunspots to inspire you or whether Morse
Code lifts your spirits, you might enjoy trying your hand at a ham radio haiku! We're inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your most
poetic offering. Be sure you follow the traditional form to qualify: The
first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. Be sure to follow that
form.
Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? Fame
and glory, of course -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. Visit our website at arnewsline.org to see this
week's winning haiku.
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Utah Amateur
Radio Club's 2-meter repeater on Sunday nights at 9 p.m., as part of the club's weekly Information Net.
**
HAM RADIO CELEBRATES THE LEWIS & CLARK TRAIL
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you've always wanted to combine amateur radio with a journey on a trail, but you're not the outdoorsy type, here's your
chance. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells us how.
PATRICK: You don't need to do one single bit of hiking along the historic Lewis and Clark trail in the United States to make some interesting radio contacts there anyway. The 4900-mile trail covers the route taken by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the 19th century expeditioners who traveled into the new western territory of the still-growing United
States.
To honor the explorers, ham radio clubs in 16 states along the path of
that trail are on the air, and will remain active through to the 18th of
June, using CW, SSB, FM and FT8 with the hope of helping chasers contact
a club in each of the 16 states. The special event is in its second year
and is organized by the Clark County Amateur Radio Club. Stations
contacting all of the states will receive an Expedition Partner
certificate. Stations working 1 through 15 states may request a Trail Companion certificate. Chasers need not submit logs; activating stations
are keeping track of each of the contacts.
All requests for certificates are due by the 31st of August.
For details visit the event website at lctota dot org (lctota.org)
This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.
**
RADIO PROTECTION COMES TO IMPERILED FOREST
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In India, an important cyclone-prone forest is getting
extra protection - from radio! John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us how.
JOHN: India's Sunderbans forest region, a heavily populated area near the
Bay of Bengal, is now home to a permanent amateur radio station that can
be activated during times of disaster. India's Meteorological Department
has noted that the region, which has numerous inhabited islands and is
home to a number of endangered species, is also prone to cyclone
activity. A civil defence volunteer, Debobroto Mondal, VU3FAE, will be
the main operator at the station. He received his disaster-response
training through the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster
Management. The station equipment was donated and installed by members of
the West Bengal Radio Club. Communication has historically been
challenging in the Sunderbans when cyclones strike, leaving many of the inhabitants cut off from communication for extended periods of time.
This is John Williams, VK4JJW.
(AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA, THE HINDU)
**
ORGANIZERS CHOOSE SITE IN GUJARAT FOR HAMFEST INDIA
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The big national convention known as Hamfest India has
chosen its location for this year's event. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, gives us
the details.
JIM: Hamfest India, the largest gathering of amateur radio operators in
that nation, has selected Ahmedabad Science City in the state of Gujarat
for the convention, which is taking place on the 25th and 26th of
November. Organisers consider the venue to be an ideal site for Hamfest
India because the facility is rich with science-related exhibits, virtual reality activity centres, an energy park, robotics gallery and an IMAX 3D theatre. The hosting organisation is the Gujarat Institute of Amateur
Radio. Registration has already begun.
Hamfest India has taken place since 1991 and its programme of events also includes a trade show and flea market. It was held virtually in 2021 and
last year it took place in Karnataka. An estimated 600 ham radio
operators from around India are expected to attend this year.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
(AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, FACEBOOK, HAMFEST INDIA WEBSITE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu May 18 19:02:00 2023
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR AMSAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
DON/ANCHOR: If you're active in AMSAT, and know someone who shows promise
in the organization's leadership, consider nominating them for a spot on
the board of directors. Four incumbent seats will soon expire and voting
will be held in the third quarter of this year. Terms are for two years.
As many as two alternate directors may be chosen to serve one-year terms.
For nominations to be considered, they must be in writing and should be submitted by either one member society or five individual members who are
in good standing. The nominee's name, callsign and contact information
should be provided along with the same information for those individuals submitting the candidate. Email nominations are acceptable when sent to
jdavis@amsat.org - otherwise postal mail may be used. Send to Jeff Davis, KE9VPO, Post Office Box 11, Yorktown, Indiana 47396.
The nomination deadline is the end of the day on June 15th. The four incumbents leaving behind vacancies are Jerry Buxton, N0JY (En Zero Jay
Why), Joseph Armbruster, KJ4JIO, Robert Bankston, KE4AL, and Zach
Metzinger, N0ZGO (En Zero Zed Gee Oh).
(AMSAT NEWS)
**
KEEP LISTENING FOR CORONATION STATIONS
DON/ANCHOR: If you're still feeling festive after the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, offers some ways to keep celebrating.
JEREMY: Coronation weekend has come and gone in the UK, but the Radio
Society of Great Britain believes in keeping a good moment alive. Special event callsigns are still on the air through to the end of June.
Individual radio amateurs and clubs are eligible to use the GB23C
callsign which was used first by the Cray Valley Radio Society which
activated it in Greenwich. Information on how to obtain and use the call
on the RSGB website.
Hams are also being encouraged to use one of hundreds of callsigns Ofcom
is making available to celebrate the historic fire beacon network
throughout the UK. Callsigns such as GB23BIR was activated by the Furness Amateur Radio Society and according to RSGB district representative
Martyn, M0TEB, it was quite popular as a contact.
Visit rsgb.org/coronation for other details and to find out more about
getting a Coronation QSL card or one of three RSGB Coronation awards.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(RSGB)
**
AUSTRALIAN HAMS OFFER A QSO WITH A 'VAMPIRE'
DON/ANCHOR: Ever have a QSO with a vampire? It's not so hard as you might think. Richard, VK2SKY, brings us this story about an Australian warship
that makes it possible.
RICHARD: G'day, Amateur Radio Newsline listeners, this is Richard,
VK2SKY, in Sydney, Australia, with a little vampire story for you. Yes, I know, Halloween is months away, but I think you'll like this story
anyway.
A team of amateurs, led by Colin VK2JCC, has set up shop in the radio
room aboard HMAS Vampire. "HMAS" stands for His Majesty's Australian
Ship, and the Vampire is located at the Australian National Maritime
Museum here in Sydney. The radio room is part of the museum, and thus
open for visitors to learn about the importance of radio communications,
both in wartime and in peace.
The Vampire team has been active for a few weeks now, using the callsign Victor Kilo Two Victor Mike Papa (VMP - Vampire, get it?). If you've
never worked a warship before, now is a great time to start!
So far, eight amateurs are on the roster to keep Vampire on the air,
using CW and Sideband on 20 and 40 metres, and the station is now a
permanent fixture on the ship.
But wait, there's more! Over the weekend of the 3rd and 4th June, the
Vampire will be active for 24 hours for a special event, Museum Ships on
the Air. You’ll find the station on or near 14.250 MHz. Vampire will join many other ships around the world for this fun event.
So, listen out for Victor Kilo Two Victor Mike Papa on board HMAS Vampire
in Sydney, Australia. And check out the VK2VMP page on qrz.com. Hope to
catch you on the air!
(AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM, MANLY WARRINGAH RADIO SOCIETY)
**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'
DON/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that you still have an opportunity to nominate a promising young radio amateur - but time runs out at the end
of this month. Young hams who live in the continental United States have
an opportunity to make news of their own in the world, if they aren't
already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio
Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Think of an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has
talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. This is your chance to help honor and acknowledge that person who will, no doubt, go
on to teach and inspire others. Find the nomination form on our website arnewsline.org under the "AWARDS" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Jun 16 02:36:12 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the 2-meter
repeater of the Bluegrass Amateur Radio Society in Lexington, Kentucky
every Friday at 9 p.m.
**
RADIO CONTESTER TAKES TOP FOOTBALL COACHING JOB
PAUL/ANCHOR: A prominent radio contester is taking a top spot in another competitive field - European football. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, gives us the details.
JEREMY: You may not find Serhiy Rebrov, 5B4AMM, on the field of any high- profile radiosport event this year, but the former Tottenham football
striker does have his eyes set on next year's European Championship - as
the first permanent head coach of Ukraine's team.
The active radio contester is well-known throughout Europe for his career
with West Ham, Tottenham and Dynamo Kyiv and he also coached in the Saudi Arabian, Ukrainian and Hungarian leagues.
He recently signed a three-year contract with Ukraine's team, keeping his
eye on the European Championship qualifiers against North Macedonia and
Malta.
As a licensed ham and contester, he has also been heard on the air as
UT5UDX, M0SDX, TA2ZF and UT0U.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(QRZ.COM, ASSOCIATED PRESS)
**
RSGB TO RECEIVE UK STATION USED BY KING HUSSEIN JY1
PAUL/ANCHOR: Any ham who remembers hearing - or perhaps working the
callsign JY1 - King Hussein of Jordan - will enjoy hearing this next
story. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.
JEREMY: The UK radio equipment once used by King Hussein of Jordan, JY1,
is being donated to the Radio Society of Great Britain by Her Majesty
Queen Noor of Jordan. King Hussein became a Silent Key in 1999 at the age
of 63. The RSGB said the collection will be on permanent display at the
RSGB's National Radio Centre to inspire others and promote friendship and understanding across cultures. They said in a statement [quote]: "His
Majesty was a great ambassador for amateur radio and, whenever his
official duties allowed him, his radio call sign JY1 could be heard on
the amateur bands. His Majesty always operated modestly, never announcing himself as King Hussein, always just 'Hussein from Jordan'". [endquote]
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(RSGB)
**
PRESENTERS NEEDED FOR GRCON23 IN ARIZONA
PAUL/ANCHOR: Organizers are looking for presenters for the next GNU Radio Conference, known as GRCon23. This is the 13th annual conference for the community, which unites users and developers in the field of software
radio. Presenters and attendees are typically members of the academic community, government, industry and of course hobbyists.
The deadline for submission of abstracts to present at the conference is
June 23rd. The conference itself will take place from September 5th
through to the 9th. It is being held at Arizona State University's Center
for Wireless Information Systems and Computational Architectures in
Tempe, Arizona.
Details can be found on the website gnuradio.org
(GNURADIO.ORG, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)
**
BILL CHALLENGES PRIVATE LAND RESTRICTIONS ON ANTENNAS
PAUL/ANCHOR: Lawmakers in two US states have reintroduced a bill to
protect hams from private land-use restrictions that keep them from
installing antennas at home. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, brings us up to date.
KEVIN: The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act is back for
consideration on Capitol Hill in Washington DC. The measure, first
introduced by Congressmen Bill Johnson of Ohio and Joe Courtney of
Connecticut last December, is designed to ensure that hams everywhere can
get on the air, especially in instances where there is a need for
emergency communications, such as in natural disasters.
No votes were taken when the bill was introduced toward the end of the
last session of Congress. It is being reintroduced in response to the
rapid growth of private residential areas that have these restrictions on
the use of land. The bill would amend the Communications Act of 1934 by prohibiting land-use restrictions from halting the installation and use
of amateur radio antennas.
This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.
(REP. BILL JOHNSON WEBSITE, GOVTRACK.US., ARRL)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Jun 23 06:18:06 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KD2SL repeater
in Syracuse, New York at 8 p.m., following the Monday Night Hobby and Information Net.
**
JAPAN'S HAM FAIR 2023 RETURNS TO TOKYO VENUE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Japan's Ham Fair, continues to be the largest Hamfest in
the world and the Japan Amateur Radio League has high hopes that at the
2023 event visitors will enjoy a new era in amateur radio this coming
August. In fact, that new era is the very theme of the two-day event -
August 20th and 21st - at Tokyo's Big Sight Convention Center.
This will be the 45th year for the league's ham fair, which was cancelled
in 2021 due to concerns about the pandemic.
Before Japan's HamFair however, the weekend of the release of this
newscast, Europe's largest Hamfest, the 46th HAM RADIO event in Friedrichshafen was getting underway in the new messe (Pron: Mess Ah)
expo centre.
(JARL, WIA)
**
FCC POLICY RESPONDS TO GROWTH IN WIDEBAND DEVICES
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Washington, D.C., the FCC's policy on wideband devices
has once again responded to changes in the market. We have details from
Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
KENT: The FCC's policy concerning ultra-wideband devices appears to be broadening to allow for expanded growth in the way the technology is
used, according to a recent report.
A June 13th posting written by Venable LLC, and posted on the website JDSupra.com noted that the agency granted a waiver of Part 15 rules to
the Schlage Lock Company LLC to enable the security firm to put one of
its ultra-wideband home security locks on the market. The report said it
was the first waiver of its kind to be granted this year but the action appears to show that the FCC is continuing on a 20-year trajectory to
relax its permissions for ultra-wideband technology. Nearly 20 such
waivers have been granted over the years for this unlicensed use of low
power RF signals, generally employed for security uses, medical imaging
and even robotic lawn mowers. The Schlage company made the request on
behalf of its smart residential door locks which make use of ultra-
wideband signals in combination with Bluetooth.
The website's report notes that the Commission bases its approval of a
waiver request if it determines that licensed radio services would not
face harmful interference when such a device is in use. The Commission's Office of Engineering and Technology concluded that there was a low
likelihood of harmful interference in this case, especially with
transmissions taking place in a small space relatively close to the
ground.
The Venable article did say, however, that the FCC has not indicated it
was considering a policy change or any kind of overall update for ultra- wideband technologies.
This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
(VENABLE, LLC)
**
JOIN NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Are you enjoying Newsline's weekly ham radio haiku? Join
our challenge! We're inviting listeners to share the joy of amateur radio
in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your most creative offering. Be sure you
follow the traditional form to qualify: The first line is five syllables,
the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has
another five syllables. Be sure to match that format to qualify.
Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize?
Bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur
Radio Newsline website. Meanwhile, visit our website at arnewsline.org to
see this week's winning haiku.
**
RSGB SEEKS IDEAS FOR NATIONAL CODING WEEK
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In amateur radio, there's Code, as in Morse Code, and
then there's coding, the kind of coding some hams use in programming for
their equipment. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us how the Radio Society of
Great Britain has big plans for newcomers to coding.
JEREMY: Ham radio learning has been transformed by the BBC Micro:bit and
the Arduino and hams attracted to the kind of coding involved are rapidly gaining enthusiasm. The Radio Society of Great Britain is preparing for National Coding Week, which takes place during the third week of
September and is looking for volunteers who can help develop activities
to encourage newcomers to coding - newcomers of all ages - to explore
this new experience. The RSGB will be putting an extra emphasis on coding skills during the third week of September and hopes hams will offer some creative approaches for amateurs of all ages. If you have an idea, please contact John Hislop, G7OHO, of the Exam and Syllabus Review Group. You
can find his email in the text version of this week's Newsline script.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
[JOHN'S EMAIL:
g7oho@rsgb.org.uk ]
(RSGB)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Jun 30 14:24:57 2023
CHINESE TEAM DEVELOPING NEW LUNAR-ORBIT SATELLITE
NEIL/ANCHOR: In China, a development team is working hard on the
next satellite destined to enter lunar orbit with an amateur radio
payload. John Williams, VK4JJW, explains the project.
JOHN: The creators of the first amateur radio satellite to operate
in lunar orbit are in the process of developing a second one with
the hope of launching it in 2024 from Wenchang, China. The
development team consists of students at the Harbin Institute of
Technology in China and ham radio operators from around the world.
Known as Lunar OSCAR II, it will have telemetry, a digipeater with
a JT4G uplink and downlink along with a digital image downlink
from an infrared camera.
The satellite will also be useful for various amateur radio orbit determination experiments and communications relay research.
Harbin Institute students built the first ham radio satellite to
operate in lunar orbit in May of 2018. The tiny satellite had a
big following among hams around the world who used it to download
images of the Earth and the moon.
This is John Williams, VK4JJW.
(AMSAT NEWS)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the N8NC repeater of the North Coast Amateur Radio Club in
Brunswick, Ohio, on Sundays at 8 p.m. during the weekly
information net.
**
FOLLOW THE RULES FOR NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE
NEIL/ANCHOR: We hope our listeners have been enjoying the Amateur
Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We certainly have! In the spirit
of fun and perhaps a little bit of literary adventure, we've been
inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share
the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website,
arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your
most poetic offering. To qualify, you need to follow traditional
haiku form: The first line is five syllables, the second line is
seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five
syllables. We cannot accept any other formats.
Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize?
For now, bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on
the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you
at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at
arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning ham radio haiku.
**
US NAVY TO UPGRADE HF RADAR SYSTEM
NEIL/ANCHOR: The US government's long-range surveillance system,
which operates on the HF bands, is in line for a major upgrade.
Andy Morrison, K9AWM, tells us to get ready.
ANDY: The United States Navy knows what almost every amateur radio
operator knows too: that sometimes the software that enhances your transmissions on HF needs a major upgrade. In this case it's a
$87.5-million upgrade for the Navy and the work will be done on a
long-range surveillance system by Raytheon Technologies Corp. The
system is known as ROTHR, which is short for Relocatable Over-
the-Horizon Radar, and it detects and tracks surface ships and
aircraft by using long-range radar in the HF part of the spectrum.
The four-year contract will provide software enhancements,
maintenance, installation, removal, integration and testing, among
other things, and will be conducted mainly in Chesapeake,
Virginia, and Marlboro, Massachusetts.
Unlike hams, the Navy puts the ROTHR systems on the air for an
important enforcement mission: the systems have been used to track drug-smuggling and are, in fact, considered the government's
primary form of surveillance in the war on drugs.
This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
(MILITARY & AEROSPACE ELECTRONICS, ZACKS INVESTMENT RESEARCH)
**
40 YEARS FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF AMATEUR RADIO
NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the National Institute of Amateur
Radio, which marked its 40th anniversary with a big celebration in
its Hyderabad (hydra-bod) headquarters. The NIAR is a non-
governmental organisation that holds training sessions and
workshops and advocates for India's radio amateurs. Founded on
June 21st, 1983, it is also home to an active club station VU2NRO,
which participates in contests and special events. The NIAR plays
a big role in helping individuals and learning institutions in
forming their own ham radio clubs throughout India. All the best
from us at Newsline for the next 40 years - and beyond.
(NIAR)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Jul 7 07:23:31 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the IRLP Western Reflector Channel 9258 on Mondays at 7 p.m.
**
PROGRAM ROLLOUT FOR SCOUT CAMPS ON THE AIR
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A sweeping new program is in the works to encourage hams everywhere to make contacts with young hams involved in Scouting. Think
of it as a push for hams to do a bit of scouting for Scouts.
It's called Scout Camps on the Air and it started as the dream of Matt
KR8E. He saw it as a way for the ham population to have QSOs with Scout stations - stations based on camps that are owned or leased by the
Scouting organization or those not at any camps but still known as Scout Stations on the Air.
Though the program is still a work in progress, the committee has added
three active scouts who are deeply involved in amateur radio, hoping to
add to the momentum. The committee has been asking Scout councils to
provide input. Organizers are meanwhile developing an multi-level awards program to recognize licensed hams worldwide everywhere who have
successful radio contacts with the Scouts.
You can follow the progress of Scout Camps on the Air, or get involved,
by following the program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. See the text version of this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org for the Twitter
and Instagram handles of Scout Camps on the Air.
[DO NOT READ: Twitter handle is @SCOTA_k2bsa
Instagram handle is scota_k2bsa ]
(SCOUT CAMPS ON THE AIR)
**
WEST BENGAL HAMS ASSIST IN MISSING MOTHER'S RETURN
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateur radio operators in India have once again used
their extensive network of contacts to bring about a family reunion.
Graham Kemp, VK4BB, gives us their story.
GRAHAM: A mother in India who went missing at a fair 17 years ago while
her three children were on an amusement ride is heading back home to
Bihar thanks to local radio amateurs. Following the separation, the
children had come to believe their mother had long since died. Their
fears were proven wrong, however, after police enforcing the recent
COVID-19 lockdown saw her wandering the streets outside her home village, unable to speak. They took her for hospital evaluation. From there she
was transferred to the Missionaries of Charity Home where she remained
until the home asked the West Bengal Radio Club for assistance. Ambarish
Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, the club's secretary, told the website etvbharat.com
(E TEE VEE BARRAT DOT COM) that the radio club sent pictures to amateur
radio operators they know throughout India. A reply ultimately came from
the woman's daughter in Bihar, though the hams there. The daughter told
the West Bengal hams she had been seeking her mother for years and that
she was feared dead. At the time the family's story appeared in the local media, a reunion was being planned.
This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
(ETVBHARAT.COM)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, be listening for Rag, LB3RE, operating on 40-6 metres
as DU1/LB3RE from Luzon Island, IOTA number OC-042, until the 18th of
July. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
Be listening for a six-member team of activators using the callsign RI1OR
(R Eye One Oh R) from Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, IOTA number EU-066, from
the 25th to the 29th of July. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes
on 160-10 metres. Send QSLs via RZ3EC.
Chasers of World Wide Flora & Fauna activations may want to listen for
Bruno, F4JIK. He is touring Finland in his camper van and is on the air
as OH/F4JIK/p until the 13th of July. Listen for him on SSB on 40, 20
and 15 metres from several Finnish Flora & Fauna locations.
Listen for Ben, PE5B, who will be active as PJ7/PE5B from Sint Maarten,
IOTA number NA-105, from the 7th to the 14th of July. He will be
operating SSB and RTTY while doing training and demonstrations of ham
radio and HF EmComm to local groups. QSL via LoTW.
(DX WORLD.NET, 425 DX BULLETIN)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Fri Jul 14 12:59:01 2023
RADIO CAMP NEAR PRAGUE WELCOMES THE VERY YOUNG
PAUL/ANCHOR: In the Czech Republic, some of the youngest of the young
are getting a chance to be involved in an amateur radio camp later this
year. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us that report.
JEREMY: The campers may be as young as 10 and no older than 15 but they
will benefit from a lifetime of radio experience from those who guide
them in learning radio operating skills and getting on the air. This is
the KOTA Subregional Camp at Castle Trhanov, outside Prague and it will
take place from the 15th to the 17th of September. KOTA stands for "Kids
on the Air" and the goal is to serve this very young age group as part
of a pilot project.
The weekend is being organised by the Czech Radio Club with assistance
from the IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group. The future of such a
programme is on the agenda for discussion at the IARU Region 1 General Conference taking place in November in Serbia.
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(YOTA, IARU REGION1, WIA)
**
O CANADA! TIME FOR YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP
PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, camp is getting under way in Canada for
youngsters who are from North, Central and South America. They have a
full agenda, as we hear from Patrick Clark, K8TAC.
PATRICK: Young amateurs in the Americas are getting ready for an out-of- this-world experience at the Youth on the Air camp in Ontario, Canada
between July 16th and the 21st: The campers have a scheduled contact
with the International Space Station on Tuesday, July 18. Meanwhile,
they'll also get to experience the thrill of being chased by callsign
hunters by activating VE3YOTA. They go on the air starting Sunday July
16th and don't go QRT until Friday July 21st. There's also a satellite
station for them to operate and they'll be on the air to experience
contact with the birds on Wednesday July 19th.
Parks on the Air activity is expected to play a big role for the kids
too: Fifteen QRP stations will be on the air on Tuesday, July 18th from
1900 UTC to 2100 UTC and Thursday July 20th from 1300 UTC to 1600 UTC.
They will activate a two-for-one POTA location, the Central Experimental
Farm National Historic Site, VE-5095, and the Rideau Canal National
Historic Site, VE-4882.
Don't forget to catch the opening day ceremonies via their webstream on
Sunday July 16th at 2100 UTC, featuring keynote speaker Phil McBride,
VA3QR, president of the Radio Amateurs of Canada.
Further details about these activities can be found at Youthontheair dot
org. That's Youthontheair - one word - dot org.
This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.
(YOUTH ON THE AIR)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, listen for Mauro, IW2KVT, operating holiday style as IH9/IW2KVT from Pantelleria Island, IOTA number AF-018, until the 14th
of July. He is using SSB on the HF bands and 6 metres.
A team of hams will be operating as IP1X from Gallinara Island, IOTA
number EU-083, on the 29th and 30th of July. Listen for them using CW
and SSB on 80-10 metres. They will also participate in the IOTA Contest.
See QRZ.com for QSL details.
Special event station CR6J is on the air from the 17th to the 23rd of
July for the 41st International Motorcycle Rally in Faro, Portugal.
Listen on 80-6 metres for operators using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL
via CT1EHX.
Listen for Dirk, DL1KVN, operating holiday style as F/DL1KVN/p from Noirmoutier Island, IOTA number EU-064, from the 15th to the 28th of
July. Dirk will be using CW and SSB on 40-10 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Jul 20 17:32:37 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K4EX repeater in Dade City, Florida, on Tuesdays after the 7 p.m. net.
**
OFCOM SEEKS COMMENT ON 'HYBRID SHARING' FOR UPPER 6 GHZ BAND
PAUL/ANCHOR: If you have a UK amateur license, you may want to weigh in on this issue affecting the 6 GHz band. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains the
proposed changes.
JEREMY: Ofcom is exploring a system of what it calls "hybrid sharing" of
the upper portion of the 6 GHz band to accommodate both licenced mobile use and low-power licence-exempt Wi-Fi in the UK. The regulator wants to find
an appropriate system that would increase capacity successfully because of industry interest in supporting an ongoing growth in traffic.
Ofcom believes that because Wi-Fi routers are based indoors and mobile transmitters are mostly outdoors, hybrid-sharing mechanisms can and should
be developed that allow the users to coexist. The regulator also believes there is also potential for what it calls international harmonisation of hybrid sharing on the band.
Industry members or others with a stake in the use of this band can submit comments to Ofcom no later than the 15th of September.
See a link to the full article in the text version of this week's newscast
at arnewsline.org
[DO NOT READ:
https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2023/sharing-6-ghz-spectrum-for-wi-fi- and-mobile ]
(above URL all on one line)
This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(OFCOM)
**
FCC TO VOTE ON POWER INCREASE FOR DIGITAL FM
JIM/ANCHOR: In the US, the Federal Communications Commission is getting
ready to consider a request from broadcasters to permit the highest
allowable power for digital FM stations. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has that story.
KENT: The FCC is preparing to vote early next month on permitting some
digital FM stations to broadcast using the highest allowable power levels
by adopting a change in the way such levels are determined on the upper and lower digital sidebands.
The request for change is being made by the National Association of Broadcasters, a trade group representing radio and TV entities and Xperi,
the company that developed and licenses HD Radio technology. Xperi
estimates that there are 2,600 stations in the US that use HD Radio technology.
Both the NAB and Xperi say their goal is to improve the digital signals' quality and coverage. They are petitioning for the acceptance of a new
formula that would permit an increase over the present level, currently authorized at a digital ERP of -14 dBc, or decibels relative to carrier.
The approved increase would not require prior FCC authorization.
Although a number of major media groups support the petition, saying it is good for businesses as well as listeners, Press Communications LLC in New Jersey has told the FCC that a power increase could pose difficulties for smaller FM stations and LPFM, low-power FM service.
The vote is expected to take place on August 3rd.
This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
(RADIOWORLD)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, Giuseppe, IK5WWA, is on the air as IM0C [pronounce: EYE EMM ZERO SEA] from San Pietro Island, IOTA number EU-165, until the 30th of July. Listen for him on 40-2 metres and perhaps on 80m. QSL via his home
call.
Jarno, OH6NJ, will be active as OH6NJ/8 from Hailuoto Island, IOTA number EU-184 between the 24th and 31st of July. He will be using CW, SSB and FT8 mainly on the higher bands. QSL via his home call.
In Guatemala, Dennis, KT8X, will be active holiday style as TG4/KT8X from
the 23rd of July to the 4th of August. He will be using CW, FT8 and
possibly some SSB on 40-6 metres. QSL via LoTW only.
Listen for Ron, DL1RNW, operating as OZ/DL1RNW from Sandkas, Maidenhead
Square JO75jg on Bornholm Island, IOTA number EU-030. He will be on the air from the 23rd of July to the 5th of August on 6 metres and the HF bands.
QSL via eQSL.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)
-
From
Daryl Stout@618:250/33 to
All on Thu Jul 27 18:37:20 2023
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K9DEW repeater
in Warsaw, Indiana, on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.
**
DO YOU HAIKU? ROGER ROGER!
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: What's the one ham radio competition you can enter without turning your rig on? The Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We've been inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy
of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you
will find a submission form. Follow traditional haiku form and send in your entry: The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. We cannot accept
any other formats.
We will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5 syllable rule
and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? For now, bragging
rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning
ham radio haiku.
**
'MOON DAY' PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON HAM RADIO
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Although the event at the Frontiers of Flight Museum was called "Moon Day," amateur radio shared the spotlight with the help of
AMSAT and two area ham clubs. Moon Day was held at the Dallas, Texas museum
at Love Field on July 22nd - the anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in
1969. The educational event celebrated ham radio communications through satellites while acknowledging the great strides that have been made since that historic lunar landing. AMSAT ambassador Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, told Newsline in an email that AMSAT's presentations focused on amateur radio in space and with the help of AMSAT's Virginia Smith, NV5F, Calvin Gluck,
W7KYG and Tony Medina, NT5TM, guests learned about the technology behind
these communications. The keynote speaker was retired NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD.
Working alongside AMSAT, the Dallas Amateur Radio Club, W5FC, demonstrated
the use of repeaters, Morse Code and the HF bands. A number of young Scouts were able to work toward their radio and exploration merit badges. This was the 15th annual Moon Day held at the museum, and Tom told Newsline it will
be back again next year.
(TOM SCHUESSLER, N5HYP)
**
RADIO 'BUMBLEBEES' TAKE FLIGHT USING CW
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Sunday, July 30th, has been set aside for bumblebees. Those the the radio operators who'll be operating QRP as they call CQ. Randy Sly, W4XJ, tells us how to "BEE" ready for them.
RANDY: The Adventure Radio Society is hoping for a swarm of bumblebees on Sunday, July 30th -- or at least, that's the buzz. For the four-hour period between 1700 and 2100 UTC, the organizers of a casual CW contest called The Flight of the Bumblebees are encouraging portable operators to walk,
bicycle, row - using any means of engine-free travel - and set up at a
field site. There, they will call CQ with their callsign and a unique identifying Bumblebee Number assigned to them. For bumblebees, being in the field is important. The society, which was created in 1996, tries to foster the practice of radio operations in an ecologically responsible manner.
Now remember: bumblebees are small, so this is going to be a QRP event and
no one will be transmitting more than 5 watts. Typically, these radio bumblebees can be found on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, around standard QRP frequencies. Who'll be looking for them? Other bumblebees, of course, but home-based stations who are also operating QRP can chase the bees or one another.
For details, rules and other information, visit arsqrp dot blogspot dot com (arsqrp.blogspot.com). Bumblebees and home-based stations will be eligible
for commendations based on points, but additional recognition will be given
to those busy bees who operate from attractive sites, have an unusual adventure, or perhaps operate with some notable equipment.
As with previous such contests, this one is sure to create a hive of
activity.
This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
(ADVENTURE RADIO SOCIETY, MONITORING TIMES 1999)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)