Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2309, for Friday, January 28th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2309 with a release date of Friday, January 28th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. There's progress in restoring some of Tonga's communications. Researchers create a new transistor that uses sound
waves - and hams in the UK prepare for the Queen's platinum jubilee. All
this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2309, comes your
way right now.

**

PROGRESS IN RESTORING TONGA'S COMMUNICATIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to the struggling
island nation of Tonga, which is still cut off from the world following back-to-back natural disasters. Hams continue to keep a watchful eye.
Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, picks up the story from here.

JIM: Efforts have been ongoing to restore communications to Tonga, where
an undersea volcano left a vital fibre-optic cable broken beneath the
ocean, isolating the island nation. According to a BBC report, 2G
wireless service has been set up on the archipelago's main island with
the help of a satellite dish from the University of the South Pacific.
Other than the intermittent service of satellite phones, however,
outside contact has been limited as the country struggles with a
contaminated water supply and other concerns brought on by a subsequent tsunami.

Tonga apparently has no active amateur radio operators and hams in the immediate Pacific region have reported that the amateur HF bands are
presently unusable. Some marine VHF bands are said to be active. Hayden Honeywood, VK7HH, is among those amateurs using YouTube and other social
media channels to provide updates whenever possible. One of Hayden's
most recent accounts came from Roly, ZL1BQD, whose friend in Tonga
operates a 1-kilowatt broadcast radio station at 91.3 FM. The station
was unaffected by the tsunami and is carrying public service messages.

0Meanwhile, New Zealand's ministry of foreign affairs estimate it will
take at least a month, if not more, before the cable can be fixed.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(HAYDEN HONEYWOOD VK7HH, BBC)

**

FAA SETTLES INTERFERENCE ISSUE WITH MAJORITY OF AIRCRAFT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The US FAA has made major progress on the issue of interference between 5G transmissions and airline altimeters. Kent
Peterson, KC0DGY, brings us this update.

KENT: For some models of Boeing, Airbus and Embraer aircraft, radio interference isn't just an annoyance; it has the potential for deadly consequences. That was at the root of the US Federal Aviation
Administration's concern about 5G cell phone signals, which use the same C-band spectrum as some of the airliners' altimeters.

The FAA said planes landing in low-visibility conditions risked
interference from mobile phones, naming Verizon and AT&T as two of the carriers. Now, in a dramatic turnaround of its position, the FAA has
said that more than three-quarters of planes have altimeters that can
filter out 5G transmissions and are in the clear. Some telecom and
consumer advocates, such as attorney Harold Feld, publicly criticized
the FAA for taking too long to evaluate altimeters after the FCC
approved the cellular carriers' use of the C-band in 2020.

According to an article on the ArsTechnica website, the FAA only began
vetting the altimeters in February 2021 once the FCC had auctioned off
the spectrum to the carriers. The ArsTechnica article said that in 40
other countries where C-band spectrum is in use for cellular service,
there have been no reports of 5G causing trouble with altimeters.

In the US the FCC standards place a 200 MHz guard band between the
cellular carriers and the frequencies used by the altimeters.

More approvals are expected soon.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(ARS TECHNICA)

**

PORTUGAL CRACKS DOWN ON RADIO INTERFERENCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the Portuguese communications regulator
cracked down late last year on what it called abuse and interference on
a number of frequencies, including maritime mobile and amateur bands.
IARU Region 1 reported that ANACOM, the Portuguese Communications
Authority, in partnership with the Maritime Police, sought to verify the proper and legal use of radios by conducting inspections on vessels
between the ports of Caminha and Peniche. According to the report, unauthorized use of frequencies was the most common violation. The
report indicated that such practices, in addition to being illegal, can
cause interference, especially to radios being used for emergency
response. ANACOM noted in the report that it was leaving the matter of sanctions to the Maritime Police.

(SOUTHGATE, IARU REGION 1)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2310, for Friday, February 4th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2310 with a release date of Friday, February 4th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Radio adventure in the sea north of Russia. Japan reaches out to young amateurs -- and hams honor one of America's best-
known presidents. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2310, comes your way right now.

**

PLANS ARE ON ICE (AND SNOW) FOR RUSSIAN ISLAND ACTIVATION

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a tale of adventure. While many of
us in the Northern Hemisphere may be bitterly complaining about winter's
bite, here are some amateurs who are actively seeking out the most wintry
of winters -- north of Russia. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

JEREMY: It is little more than a month before a team of six adventurers
from the Russian Robinson Club departs for Rykachev Island in the Kara
Sea. The island, which is number AS-104 in the Islands on the Air awards scheme, bears the name of the late Russian meteorologist who was devoted
to the study of Russia's northern seas. The team departs on March 3rd,
and will travel to their activation site by snowmobile, setting up camp,
and using the call sign R150WS. The call sign is a nod to the 150 years
that have elapsed since Rykachev Mikhail Alexandrovich and other
scientists founded the Russian weather service. According to a Twitter
posting by Andy, EU7A, the team may also try to operate enroute from
Isachenko Island, IOTA number AS-050. If they are successful, they will
be active there as RI0BI. This adventure is the sixth in the club's
series of "Legends of the Arctic" DXpeditions. According to the club's
website, they are also planning a video documentary similar to those
created on previous Dxpeditions.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RUSSIAN ROBINSON CLUB, OHIO PENN DX)

**

CARIBBEAN ISLAND HAMS MARK 27 YEARS SINCE CLUB'S FOUNDING

DON/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, in the much warmer Caribbean, amateurs are
marking nearly three decades of success for their club in Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines. John Williams, VK4JJW, has that report.

JOHN: The view of Mount St. Andrews could not have been more perfect
for members of the Youlou Radio Movement in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines. On January 22nd, members of the ham radio organisation
and their families gathered within view of that important summit to
mark 27 years since the group was founded atop that peak -- 2,000 feet
above sea level -- by five amateurs. Known originally as the Rainbow
Radio League, its purpose remains the same today: providing a team of volunteers available for disaster communications by radio. Sean
Patterson, J88CU, one of the original five, spoke at the recent
celebration, sharing the story of the hams' first portable operation
as a formal group in 1995. The anniversary celebration, included the
induction of two honoured guests - Ira Harris, VP2EIH, from Anguilla,
and Donald Howe, 9Z4FV, from Trinidad - as Youlou members. The next day,
the celebration continued as some of the hams visited Mary Barnard,
J88AM, and Martin Barnard, J88AA, to thank the two longtime hams for
their years of personal assistance to Youlou. Moving forward, the
group's next step is to consider a name change to the Youlou Amateur
Radio Association, and make plans for several SOTA and POTA activations
this year.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.

(SOUTHGATE, YOULOU RADIO MOVEMENT, SEARCHLIGHT NEWSPAPER)

**

STRAIGHT KEY MONTH MARKS 16TH YEAR OF SPECIAL EVENT

DON/ANCHOR: CW enthusiasts: Were you busy with your straight key for
the first few weeks of the year? You're likely in the log for a very
successful event by the Straight Key Century Club. Randy Sly, W4XJ,
is here to tell us more.

RANDY: "The Party's Over," says the welcoming message on the Straight
Key Century Club website. That means that January's Straight Key Month,
the club's 16th annual event, ended in a flurry of final contacts fast approaching a total of almost 50,000, according to their website. In
addition to congratulating all club members who signed up to be operators
for this special event, the club also thanked Justin, KF0GZB, for
submitting the design that is being featured in this year's Straight
Key Month QSL card. The event also marked the 16th anniversary of the
Straight Key Century Club, which encouraged all operators to celebrate
the original tools of the early days of radiotelegraphy by using straight
keys, bugs or cootie keys during their shifts on the air. Official
stations operated in all 13 US regional call areas. Separate stations
were on the air from six IARU continental regions along with those in
Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ, operating this year as
K3Y/0.

(SKCC)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2311, for Friday, February 11th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2311, with a release date of Friday, February 11th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A peak moment for a SOTA activator in Argentina. A preeminent microphone company changes hands -- and an APRS pioneer becomes
a Silent Key. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2311, comes your way right now.

**

ONE HAM'S HF RADIO 'FIRST' ON HIGHEST PEAK IN THE AMERICAS

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with the story of a ham who has
just achieved a peak experience atop another peak - this one in South
America. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us about him.

ED: An Argentine amateur radio operator has accomplished the first HF activation of the highest peak in the Summits On the Air programme,
fulfilling a long-standing goal. On January 10th, Diego Lizarraga, LU9MZO, operated from Aconcagua (Pron:a.kon.ta.gwa), which at nearly 7,000 metres
high and is also the highest peak in the Americas. This is the first time
any amateur radio operator has made contacts from Aconcagua using one of
the HF bands (the previous and first activation in 2019 was executed using
2 metres FM). According to reports, he spent an hour and a half on the air using 40 metres and found time as well to work some stations on VHF and
UHF. His total for the day was 64 contacts, with 15 of them on HF. He was heard as far away as Buenos Aires, San Luis (Pron:San Luise), Mendoza provinces in Argentina as well as into Chile. His dream of operating from there on HF had been a few years in the planning and the timing worked out well for him. As he descended from the peak to a base camp some 4300
metres below, snow had already begun to fall. On January 12th, he returned
to the entry of Aconcagua Park where he was cheered on by friends and relatives.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(SOTA, THE YL BEAM)

**

PROMINENT US MIC COMPANY HEIL SOUND IS SOLD

JIM/ANCHOR: In the United States, Heil Sound, which has been run by Bob
Heil, K9EID, and his wife, Sarah, for decades, has been sold. The Heils announced the purchase of the well-known professional microphone company
by Ash Levitt and Steve Warford. Ash, the company's president and CEO, and Steve, director of operations, are veterans of the business, having worked with Bob since they were teenagers. Bob will remain with the company as founder and CEO emeritus, continuing to do product design for the amateur radio market. Heil Sound has been in business since 1966.

(HEIL SOUND)

**

INDIA'S NEWEST HAMS PREP FOR DISASTER

JIM/ANCHOR: In India, a group of newly licensed hams is about to prep for
the worst with a mock disaster drill. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has those
details.

GRAHAM: Civil defense volunteer Dipak Giri is awaiting his new call sign
and a new assignment. He was recently among the more than two dozen
volunteers who successfully completed the three-month amateur radio
training course online with the Indian Academy of Communication and
Disaster Management in West Bengal. Rinku Nag Biswas, VU2JFB. secretary of
the academy, is proud of all the graduates, who like Dipak, now face their next challenge: a mock disaster drill that will be held in March by the
local government to test their capabilities in handling real-life crises.
In a real disaster, such as a tornado, earthquake or cyclone, they would
be the first responders in an area near the Sundarbon Forest which has no internet or mobile phone service. According to Ambarish Nag Biswas,
VU2JFA, many of the academy's students received their field training
during January's Ganga Sagar Mela, a religious pilgrimage that draws
thousands to West Bengal from across India. Ambarish Nag Biswas is
secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club whose hams have traditionally
provided emergency communication during this massive gathering.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WEST BENGAL RADIO CLUB)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2312, for Friday, February 18th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2312, with a release date of Friday, February 18th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Police identify the body of an Australian
amateur. New insights into an RFI mystery -- and there's still time for a contact with Pluto...the special event, that is. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2312 comes your way right now.

**

AUSTRALIAN HAM'S BODY IDENTIFIED IN DOUBLE MURDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with the tragic conclusion to a missing persons story reported here on Newsline on two years ago. The
bodies of an amateur radio operator and his companion have been
positively identified. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, brings us that story.

GRAHAM: Russell Hill, VK3VZP, and Carol Clay, disappeared two years ago
in the Victorian bushland where the two had gone camping. The last
message heard from Russell was on March 20th of 2020 when he made a QSO
on one of the HF bands, reporting his location at Wonnangatta Valley in
the Victorian Alps. No one heard from them again. One day later, campers discovered the radio operator's vehicle, and the couple's campsite
destroyed by fire.

Forensic testing has now confirmed the identity of remains found last
November as those of the radio ham and his friend. A pilot who worked for Jetstar Airways -- and who had been camping nearby -- was arrested last November and charged with two counts of murder. The pilot, Greg Lynn, 55,
is due in court in May.

Police have described the couple's disappearance as one of their most high-profile cases.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(THE NEW DAILY, SKYNEWS.COM)

**

RFI ISSUES TIED TO PLANES' OLDER ALTIMETERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: A further look into airliners' RFI problems following the
recent launch of 5G service by US cellphone carriers has turned up an interesting technical finding. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has that update.

KENT: Despite a protective guard band to separate frequencies used by cellphone carriers and airliners, signals from newly deployed 5G wireless service in the US are still capable of compromising commercial airplane
safety in aircraft using older altimeters lacking filters, an expert
witness told US lawmakers in Washington, DC. Dennis Roberson (ROE-BURR-
SON) told a subcommittee in the US House of Representatives that older
radio altimeters lack filters that prevent that kind of risky signal
conflict that can interfere with critical navigation, especially during landing. His testimony came following airlines' decision to ground or
redirect some of their flights scheduled to land in airports near 5G
cellphone towers. Carriers including AT&T and Verizon now operate on the C-band spectrum between 3.7 and 3.98 GHz. Altimeters are designed to
operate on frequencies between 4.2 GHz and 4.4 Ghz. Roberson said this
kind of interference is not believed to have been a factor in any crashes
but the potential does exist because older altimeters are capable of
picking up transmissions outside of their assigned band, such as those
used by 5G service. He said that a guard band provided a "large cushion" between the carriers' and the altimeters' allocations on the spectrum,
but nonetheless, without filters in place on the altimeters, signal
conflicts could still occur.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(URGENTCOMM)

**

SILENT KEY: HAMVENTION VOLUNTEER GREGORY DEAN, N9NWO

PAUL/ANCHOR: This year's Hamvention will be going forward in Xenia, Ohio without one of its dedicated volunteers. He became a Silent Key this
month, as we hear from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

KEVIN: A well-respected volunteer at the annual Hamvention in Xenia has
become a Silent Key. Greg Dean, N9NWO, died on February 5th in a
Lafayette, Indiana hospital. According to QRZ.COM, Greg was a veteran of
the US Army National Guard and Army Reserve with tours in Desert Storm, Bosnia, the Gulf War and Afghanistan. Licensed since 1968, he belonged to
the Quarter Century Wireless Association and the Straight Key Century
Club. Friends posted on his Facebook page, praising his volunteer work at Hamvention and the regular help he provided with QSLs for the W9IMS
event.

Greg was 71.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(QRZ, FACEBOOK, HIPPENSTEEL FUNERAL SERVICE)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2313 for Friday February 25th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2313, with a release date of Friday, February 25th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Ukraine bans ham radio before Russian invasion.
An amateur in Pennsylvania faces criminal charges -- and a historic
Marconi hut goes digital in England. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2313, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

UKRAINE BANS AMATEUR RADIO AS PART OF STATE OF EMERGENCY

NEIL/ANCHOR: A decree by Ukrainian officials imposing a state of
emergency, including a ban on amateur radio operation, took effect on Thursday, February 24th. Officials had announced the previous day that
they would do so in anticipation of a Russian military invasion. The
decree can last as long as 30 days, with an option to be extended.

The International Amateur Radio Union was monitoring the events. Greg
Mossop, G0DUB, IARU Region 1's emergency communications coordinator, told Newsline in an email [quote] "The events in Ukraine are obviously fast
moving and although there were early reports of telecommunications
failures it appears these may have been due to the volume of calls on the networks. Webcams in the area are functioning and people do seem to be
able to make calls. Sadly, the Ukrainian National Society has reported
that a ban on the operation of amateur stations in Ukraine has been put
in place for 30 days commencing February 24th. IARU Region 1 and its
member societies are monitoring the situation closely but remind all
amateur radio operators they must follow their national laws and
regulations." [endquote]

The US news website Politico quoted Oleksiy Danilov, Secretary of
Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, describing the actions
as [quote] "preventive measures to keep calm in the country." [endquote]

The declaration is not in effect in the political subdivisions of eastern Donetsk and Luhansk, which have been occupied by Russian-backed
separatists since 2014.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB; IARU REGION 1; POLITICO)

**

PENNSYLVANIA HAM CHARGED WITH FALSE INFORMATION, BOMB THREATS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In the United States, a ham faces serious criminal charges
for on-the-air activities. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has that story.

SEL: An amateur radio operator in Erie, Pennsylvania has been charged
with transmitting false weather emergencies on the radio and making bomb threats, according to published reports.

The Erie Times-News identified the ham as Richard L. Wagner, whose call
sign is listed as N3BWG on QRZ.COM. The newspaper said that Erie County detectives charged him with reporting bogus weather emergencies while on
the air and with making threats against other hams who told him to stop.
The news report said that a criminal complaint was filed on Monday,
February 14th, alleging that between the 19th of December and February
13th, he went on air with threats to bomb public buildings, including the
city police station and the county courthouse.

There were no details about any involvement in the case by the US Federal Communications Commission.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 3rd.

(ERIE NEWS-TIMES)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2314, for Friday, March 4th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2314, with a release date of Friday, March 4th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Medium and shortwave carry messages into embattled Ukraine. A transatlantic triumph for a replica transmitter - and what
lengths would you go to with a portable antenna? All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2314, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

MEDIUM and SHORTWAVE CARRY MESSAGES TO EMBATTLED UKRAINE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to the medium wave and shortwave bands, where broadcasters are responding to the ongoing crisis
in Ukraine. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, brings us those details.

KEVIN: With amateur radio banned in Ukraine following the Russian
invasion, broadcasts on the medium wave radio frequencies have taken on increasing importance in the past week. In the US, the Miami, Florida commercial shortwave station WRMI has been carrying broadcasts six days a
week of Radio Ukraine International, the official overseas service of
Ukraine radio on 510 kHz. There are no Friday broadcasts. The schedule can
be found on the website at wrmi dot net.

There are also reports that the BBC World Service has begun carrying
shortwave broadcasts directed towards Ukraine. According to the website hfunderground dot com, those broadcasts began on February 24th, covering
news events.

In Italy, the NEXUS International Broadcasting Association, an apolitical, global organization, announced on its website that it has increased its transmitter power on 1323 kHz medium wave into Central and Southern Europe
and has a good reach into the area of conflict as well as Poland, Romania, Belarus and Western Russia. A note on the website says: [quote] "We have increased our special news coverage, adding repeats of the most
informative and inspirational programs in English to support displaced
people and cover the latest events in Ukraine and nearby countries."
[endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(WRMI, HFUNDERGROUND, SWLING POST, NEXUS-IBA)

**

IARU REGION 1 EMERGENCY TEST TAPS INTO SATELLITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In an environment of global challenges, emergency communication becomes even more critical. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us
about an international exercise that succeeded recently in sharpening ham radio's preparedness.

JEREMY: IARU Region 1 conducted its first test of the newest tool in its emergency communications toolbox on the 26th of February. Stations representing 14 countries around the region included use of the
geostationary satellite QO-100 as part of their response to a simulated
global emergency. There were 22 stations in all demonstrating how the
amateur radio community can be effective, passing messages despite the inevitable language barriers and equipment failures. According to Greg
Mossop, G0DUB, the IARU's emergency communications coordinator, the
exercise was a success, underscoring how amateur radio stations can
respond across a region that stretches from South Africa north through to Europe and into the United Kingdom. The next test is planned for October.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB)

**

HAMS IN EMCOMM GROUP FEAR NEW FEE WILL HAMPER OPERATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A proposed fee to be levied on communications equipment in federal forests is a major concern for one group of hams in Michigan. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that story.

CHRISTIAN: Hams in Michigan who provide emergency communications have told local officials that because they rely on the use of a tower located
inside a national forest, they may now face a new fee of $1,400 to
operate. According to a report in the Manistee News, the Manistee County Amateur Radio Operators Club received notice from the US Forest Service
that there might be a fee for their use of the tower. Forest Service
officials announced in December that they have proposed such fees for any communications users, including cellular phone providers, maintaining permanent equipment on Forest Service land.

The agency has reopened the public comment period on the proposal through March 31st. Comments can be posted online at federalregister dot gov (federalregister.gov)

The American Radio Relay League has filed comments asking for hams radio operators to be exempt from the fee.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(MANISTEE NEWS)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2315 for Friday March 11th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2315 with a release date of Friday,
March 11th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A look at receivers' role in rejecting RFI. A
ham is killed in war-torn Ukraine -- and Hawaii needs amateurs for a
statewide emergency drill. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline,
Report Number 2315, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

FCC TO STUDY RECEIVERS' ROLE IN REJECTING RFI

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story is about the ongoing issue of RFI that
plagues us all. In the US, the head of the FCC recently announced a new approach to studying it, as Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, tells us.

SKEETER: The chairwoman of the US Federal Communications Commission has pledged that the agency will take a closer look at the role receivers
play in rejecting the increasing levels of RF interference. Speaking at
the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on March 1st, Chairwoman
Jessica Rosenworcel said that until now, most discussions of RFI have
focused predominantly on transmitters, with rules put in place regarding transmitter performance to remove RFI. She said this approach was being rethought at the FCC, adding [quote] "wireless communications only
exists when transmitters are connected to receivers. Both are vital.
Both matter. And going forward policymakers need to consider both
transmitting and receiving. Not just the former at the expense of the
latter." [endquote]

She said she expected to move forward on an inquiry into receiver
performance next month. The goal is to explore regulations, guidelines
and incentives for better performance on specific frequencies or across
all bands. She said she is seeking [quote] "a more transparent and
predictable radiofrequency environment for all spectrum users - new and
old." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.

(FCC)

**

HAMS AFFECTED BY WEST BENGAL INTERNET OUTAGES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in the Indian state of West Bengal are adapting to the temporarily intermittent use of internet-assisted radio modes. Jim
Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: Hams throughout West Bengal state in India are experiencing limited access to Echolink and other internet-assisted amateur radio services
through the 16th of March. The hams are among hundreds of others
affected after the state government announced the restrictions to
contain what they called illegal activities on the internet. News
reports gave no specific details beyond the announcement itself. The
report on the India TV News website quoted an official in the Home and
Hill Affairs Department in announcing that [quote] "The government has received intelligence reports that unlawful activities can be carried in certain areas over internet transmissions and voice over internet
telephony and hence restrictions are being imposed on the use of the internet." [endquote]

Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club,
told Newsline that daytime use of the internet is off limits, but there
is still access in the evenings. He said everyone in West Bengal state
has been affected.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA, INDIA TV NEWS)

**

SILENT KEY: IVAN LYSENKO UR8GX, POPULAR DXER

NEIL/ANCHOR: The global amateur community has been rocked by the tragic
death of a well-known ham in Ukraine. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us about
him.

JEREMY: A popular DXer and CW enthusiast known for his expeditions with
his fellow hams in the Ukraine has become a Silent Key. DXWorld.net has reported that Ivan Lysenko, UR8GX, was killed in his home city of
Kherson amid the fighting following its invasion by Russian troops.
Ivan's many adventures included the expedition in the summer of 2019 to
the Kalanchakskiye Islands for the IOTA contest. He participated with
fellow members of the Ukrainian Radioclub Sputnik UR6GWZ. Ivan also
served as the QSL manager for UR1G, the callsign for the club's team of operators. His death was reported on the Facebook page of DXWorld.net, prompting hams from around the world to post their condolences and
remember their QSOs with him, particularly his many DX contacts.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(DXWORLD.NET, FACEBOOK, QRZ.COM)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2318, for Friday, April 1st, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2318, with a release date of Friday,
April 1st, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A DXpeditioner and humanitarian becomes a Silent
Key. Radio triumph atop the Caribbean's highest point -- and special
report from Newsline's April Fool's Day correspondent, Pierre Pullinmyleg.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2318, comes
your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

SILENT KEY: YASUO "ZORRO" MIYAZAWA, JH1AJT, DXPEDITIONER AND HUMANITARIAN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with news of the death of a beloved DXpeditioner who touched the world in more ways than by radio. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has that story.

ED: Hams around the world are grieving the death of the noted DXpeditioner
and humanitarian known as Zorro, JH1AJT. Zorro, whose name was Yasuo
Miyazawa, { pronounced Ya Su oh Me ah za wa } became a Silent Key at 72
years of age on March 22nd. He had been diagnosed with cancer. Known as
much for his optimistic outlook on life and his generous heart, Zorro was
a key part of DXpeditions in Yemen, Laos, Ethiopia, and Bhutan, to name a
few. In 2015, Zorro received the Intrepid Spirit Award from the Intrepid
DX Group for his achievements in Eritrea, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. His
many humanitarian efforts include the establishment of a prep school in
Japan that specializes in the education of students with special needs,
and his gifts of thousands of dollars to programmes in Myanmar to serve
the nation's medical and educational needs. Zorro also created and endowed
the Humanitarian Aid Fund of the International DX Association.

A statement from one of that association's directors, Ralph Fedor, K0IR, lauded Zorro as a skilled operator who mentored and encouraged less experienced operators. The statement also praised him for his humanity.
The statement said [quote] "Through his schools and his humanitarian
trips in Asia and Africa he brought a better life to all of those he
touched." [endquote] The statement went on to add: [quote] "The world
lost a great man...he was truly a brother to us all." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(INTREPID DX GROUP, OHIO PENN DX, PAUL EWINGX N6PSE, RALPH FEDOR, K0IR)

**

SHORTWAVE STATION SENDS MUSIC, MESSAGES TO COMFORT UKRAINE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Shortwave radio signals coming from the United States
have been sending comfort in the form of music and recorded messages of
hope to people in Ukraine and Russia. We hear those details from Skeeter
Nash, N5ASH.

SKEETER: Using the power of a 100,000-watt shortwave transmitter in
Tennessee, two radio amateurs are using the additional power of rock and
roll to send some upbeat moments to the people of Ukraine and Russia.

Ted and Holly Randall, WB8PUM, and KG4WXV, operate short-wave AM
Broadcast station WTWW located in a warehouse building from their nearby
home. The transmitter is overseen by the couple's son, David, KG4WXW.

Music isn't the only thing the couple has been transmitting. They are broadcasting recorded messages left by callers to the radio station
carrying messages of hope and encouragement to be received on the small shortwave receivers many of the Ukrainian listeners have. Ted Randall
told the local TV station WVLT: [quote] "These people are listening in bunkers. They are listening in shelters and those little radios, that's
the type of radio they are listening on." [endquote]

As a ham, Ted also recognizes that radio's power goes beyond any mere measurement in wattage. He told the TV station: [quote] "If we can touch
lives through radio, then that’s our responsibility.” [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.

(WVLT-TV, SOUTHGATE, NBC PHILADELPHIA)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2319, for Friday, April 8th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2319 with a release date of Friday,
April 8th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Two hams face criminal charges in the US and
France. The FCC clarifies its new license fees -- and get ready for
World Amateur Radio Day. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2319, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

FRENCH AMATEUR SENTENCED FOR ON-AIR THREATS

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with two stories about amateur radio
operators charged with using their licenses for criminal purposes. The
first story comes to us from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, and concerns a radio
amateur in France.

JEREMY: A French radio amateur was found guilty of making threats,
insults and homophobic remarks on the air, has been sentenced to a year
in prison suspended for two years and put on probation, according to
various reports in the French media. He was also ordered off the air and
to pay a fine of �5,000, and further pay compensation to two plaintiffs.

The ham, who is 65 years old, was identified only as "G�rard" in the
news reports. His callsign, which he had apparently used on the air to identify himself, was not provided. The court of Versailles sentenced
him on Monday the 28th of March. The complaints against him included
both death threats and a false report of someone's death. He had been
arrested a number of times, going back to late 2020 when his radio
equipment was seized. But according to news reports, he then went on to purchase yet more radios.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(OUEST FRANCE, SOUTHGATE)

**

PENNSYLVANIA AMATEUR FACES NEW CRIMINAL CHARGES

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile in the United States, a ham charged earlier this
year with using the airwaves for criminal activity is back in the news
with new charges filed against him. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has the details.

SEL: Richard Wagner - the Erie, Pennsylvania radio amateur charged with
making bomb threats and bogus weather reports over the air late last
year and earlier this year - faces new charges of again using the
airwaves for criminal purposes. According to a report in the ERIE TIMES-
NEWS, detectives in Erie County filed charges on Tuesday, March 29th,
saying the radio amateur used emergency frequencies in late March to
make threats against witnesses, victims and a judge who had presided
over his earlier criminal cases. Richard Wagner's callsign is listed as N-3-B-W-G on Q-R-Zed-dot-com.

Meanwhile, all but two of the 37 criminal charges in those earlier cases
had been dropped on March 3rd and the bond money holding him in prison
was substantially reduced.

In the latest development, detectives claim that Wagner made the new threatening transmissions over frequencies used by the county Emergency Management office and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. He
was arrested and placed in Erie County Prison on $175,000 bond, and now
faces charges of bomb threats and retaliation against a prosecutor or
judicial official.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(ERIE TIMES-NEWS)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2320, for Friday, April 15th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2320 with a release date of Friday,
April 15th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. New software for the world's largest radio
telescope. Young hams start thinking about amateur radio camp - and the amateur community gives advice to one YL in these troubling times. All
this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2320, comes your
way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

SOFTWARE PROJECT TO GUIDE WORLD'S LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a story that doesn't get much
bigger than this: the world's largest radio telescope, an array of
antennas and dishes that spans the hemispheres, is getting software to
help in its operation. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, picks up the developments
from here.

JEREMY: Prototype software for the world's biggest radio telescope will
be built by a group of universities and labs in the UK with money just released by the UK government's Science & Technology Facilities Council (SFTC). The software for the Square Kilometre Array, or SKA, will direct
the telescope's gaze at the sky, translate its signals into data and
diagnose issues. BBC news reported that on Monday, the 11th of April,
the Council released 15 million pounds, the equivalent of more than
$19.5 million in US currency for the work that will involve teams at
Oxford, Cambridge and Manchester universities as well as those at the
STFC's own labs in Edinburgh, Daresbury, and Harwell.

The SKA is an array of 197 dishes and 130,000 antennas in both Australia
and South Africa, and the software will allow astronomers to interpret
what is received by the SKA, at an intensely high resolution and it is a
most sensitive radio signal receiving device.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(BBC)

**

GET READY FOR WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: Events, on and off the air, are marking the global
celebration that is World Amateur Radio Day on the 18th of April, the
date the IARU was founded. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has that roundup.

JIM: April 18th will be a day of pile-ups and celebration for hams
around the world marking World Amateur Radio Day. In Denmark, hams are activating the callsign 5P0WARD. They are also making special awards
available for contacts with stations having different suffix extensions.
This year's global celebration also marks the return of the TEN-TEC
Legacy Nets, which will be posting operating schedules on their
groups.io page. A Clean Sweep endorsement is available for check-ins on
all three bands. The South African Radio League will be issuing a commemorative certificate to radio amateurs who make QSOs on April 18th
and submit a log sheet. In India, meanwhile, more than 65 new license
holders are expected at a VHF/UHF disaster operations workshop cohosted
by the West Bengal Radio Club and the Indian Academy of Communication
and Disaster Management. Attendees will build antennas and use them
afterwards in a fox hunt. Also don't forget the World Amateur Radio Day VOIP/Echolink Net. Using the callsign W2W, the 16-hour global net starts
at 9 a.m. US Eastern Daylight Time on April 18th on the ROC-HAM Echolink Conference node 531091. A special QSL card will be available to hams who
send a stamped self-addressed envelope. Details are available at r o c
hyphen h a m dot net (www.roc-ham.net)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY WEBSITE)

**

DX MARATHON IN SEARCH OF NEW MANAGER

NEIL/ANCHOR: CQ magazine's popular DX Marathon is looking for a new
manager to help things run smoothly. Jack Parker, W8ISH, asks: Could
this be you?

JACK: It is time to pass the torch for the CQ magazine DX Marathon and
its longtime manager, John, K9EL, is looking for a successor. John has
been at the helm of the contest since its creation in 2005 is hoping to
find someone who can infuse the competition with a fresh look, and new
tools to encourage this pursuit of DX. In a special statement on the DX Marathon website, he wrote that the marathon has reached a turning point
and many of the processes that have supported it all these years need to migrate away from being handled manually. He wrote: [quote] "In summary,
the DX Marathon needs a fresh look, some updated tools, and some serious
work on evaluating submitted logs." [endquote] This is John's final year managing the marathon. The search is on for an individual or group to
carry this popular contest forward. For additional details, visit dxmarathon.com

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(DXMARATHON)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2321 for Friday April 22nd, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2321 with a release date of Friday,
April 22nd, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Ham radio's solo crossing of the Pacific.
Amateur radio gatherings prepare in Germany, Australia and Dayton, Ohio
-- and special event stations mark a moon-landing anniversary. All this
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2321 comes your way
right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

**

HAM RADIO GOES SOLO ON THE HIGH SEAS OF THE PACIFIC

SKEETER/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with a story of ham radio
and high adventure on the open seas. Japan's most well-known yachtsman,
an octogenarian adventurer, is hoping to become the oldest person to
cross the Pacific Ocean alone - with a radio, of course. Jim Meachen,
ZL2BHF, catches us up on his journey.

JIM: In 1962, Kenichi Horie became the first man to cross the Pacific
Ocean alone, nonstop. He was 23 when he ended his journey from Japan 94
days later, docking his yacht in the US city of San Francisco. Now at
the age of 83, the seasoned sailor is on his way - and ahead of schedule
- to becoming the oldest person to cross that ocean again. Sixty years
later, he is making the trip in reverse. He left San Francisco on March
26th on a yacht measuring 19 feet, or 5.8 metres, stocked with food,
water, a satellite phone and his preferred method of communication, an
amateur radio. Although no call sign was listed for him on QRZ.com,
Southgate Amateur Radio News reported it as JR3JJE. According to a
report in the Asahi Shimbun, the prospect of a contact with him had
amateurs back home in Japan adding extra large antennas in the hopes of scoring some big DX. According to news reports, propagation has been
something of a challenge for most. There's still time for a QSO,
however: Kenichi was spotted near Hawaii on April 17th -- and he doesn't expect to arrive home until early June.

Track his progress on a map you'll find on his website. The address
appears in the text version of this week's newscast script at
arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY: furuno.com/special/jp/horie-challenge/ ]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(THE ASAHI SHIMBUN, US NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, SOUTHGATE)

**

TESLA CENTER HOSTS WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY FORUM

SKEETER/ANCHOR: The next best thing to talking ON radio is to talk ABOUT
radio - and that's how one group of hams marked World Amateur Radio Day.
Jim Damron, N8TMW, has that report.

JIM: A celebration of all things wireless, from Marconi and Tesla to
modern times, graced the screens of viewers on YouTube and Facebook as
the Tesla Science Center on Long Island, New York marked World Amateur
Radio Day, Monday April 18th. For nearly an hour and a half three
active, prominent amateurs on different life paths shared their personal experiences and their hopes for radio's future with viewers and program
host, Marc Alessi, the center's executive director. Ed Wilson, N2XDD,
vice president of the Suffolk County Radio Club; Ted Rappaport, N9NB, developer of 5G wireless communications; and Major League Baseball
legend Joe Rudi, NK7U, described why they prized radio for its emergency capabilities, its role as a spark for experimentation and for the
environment it creates to educate the next generation.

The Tesla Science Center is named for inventor Nikola Tesla, whose lab
was once located there. The center has been giving special priority to promoting the vast still-untapped potential of radio. Ed told Newsline
that he is helping jump-start an amateur radio group based at the center
with a focus on attracting younger operators.

Beyond the hams' personal stories of rescue by radio and their hopes for future projects, they shared their enthusiasm for getting more people on
the air. When Marc Alessi noted he is not presently a ham, Ed quickly
jumped in to say [quote] "Not yet Marc, not yet." [endquote]

To view the recorded program on YouTube, use the link that appears in
this week's text version of the newscast on our website arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://youtu.be/d0JdUKWRot4]

(YOUTUBE, GROUPS.IO)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2322, for Friday, April 29nd, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2322, with a release date of Friday,
April 29th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An earthquake in Bosnia brings rapid radio
response. The FCC takes a fresh look at receiver interference -- and a ham radio workshop in India covers the basics. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2322 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE


**

BOSNIA'S EARTHQUAKE BRINGS RAPID RADIO RESPONSE

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a deadly earthquake in the Balkans -
and a rapid response from area amateurs. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has that
report.

ED: Hams responded quickly in Bosnia-Herzegovina following a deadly
earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 that struck late on Friday, April 22nd.
As hundreds fled their homes, one person was reported dead and at least
three others were injured, according to some news reports. IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications Coordinator Greg Mossop, G0DUB, reported that
within minutes, the Association of Radio Amateurs of Bosnia and
Herzegovina activated its emergency communications service and hams were mobilised. E70ARA established digital connections between Sarajevo and
Zenica using Winlink and also set up a network using UHF and VHF repeaters including portable cross-band equipment. On HF, digital and voice modes
were being used on 80m and 40m.

Meanwhile, ongoing reports on the situation were sent via Winlink using
the IARU message format. The emergency networks stayed in place until the danger from aftershocks had passed.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(IARU REGION 1, SOUTHGATE, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**

FCC SEEKS COMMENT ON IMPROVING RECEIVERS' REJECTION OF RFI

DON/ANCHOR: In the US, regulators are looking at ways to improve radio receivers' rejection of RFI. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, brings us up to date.

SEL: The US Federal Communications Commission is asking for public input
on ways to achieve RF interference immunity in receivers of radio signals.
In a notice of inquiry adopted this month, the FCC has committed itself to explore options for improvement in this area. The commissioners are
seeking comment on such things as recent technical advancements in the
design of receivers; better ways to assess and rate receiver performance parameters; and insights into industry standards for these measurements
that may have been created by the IEEE (I Triple E), ANSI, 3GPP and other standardization organizations.

Until now, most FCC spectrum management efforts have concentrated on regulations governing transmitter performance. The FCC said in a press
release that its goal is [quote] "to lay the foundation for future actions that could help create a more transparent and predictable radio frequency environment for all spectrum users." [endquote] The commission has
expressed its concern most recently as new wireless services are added
around the United States, making it all the more critical that service receivers already in place are capable of rejecting signals from outside
their intended frequency band. One such ongoing case involves the Federal Aviation Administration's attempts to prevent 5G wireless transmitter
towers from interfering with airplane navigation systems.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(FCC)

**

FCC CRACKS DOWN ON 'HAZARDOUS' DRONE TRANSMITTERS

DON/ANCHOR: In other actions by the same agency, commissioners are
cracking down on what they say are drone transmitters that pose a hazard.
Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, picks up the story from here.

KENT: The US Federal Communications Commission is claiming that public
safety could be imperiled by the operation of unauthorized drone
transmitters and is seeking more than $3-million in combined fines from
the devices' distributor. The agency's complaint, filed in US District
Court in Portland, Oregon, charges that at least 65 models of the
transmitter were never FCC certified. Certification would have ensured its
RF signals did not interfere with the Federal Aviation Administration's aeronautical radar systems or any government transmissions. The FCC's
civil complaint against the distributor, Hobby King, states that at least
15 of the transmitters [quote] "created a threat to public safety."
[endquote]

The FCC also said that the devices do not serve a legitimate amateur radio purpose.

According to a report posted on the Oregon Live website, Hobby King has
told the FCC that it believed no marketing rules exist specifically for
this kind of equipment, which is capable of transmitting on amateur and non-amateur frequencies. The FCC countered, however, that its rules forbid radio frequency devices to be sold without first being labeled and
authorized, consistent with its rules.

The agency is asking for $2.8-million from Hobby King for its violations.
It is also seeking an additional $39,278 plus interest for Hobby King's failure to respond to earlier orders. Hobby King has stated that a
required response from the company would have violated its Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(OREGONLIVE)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2325, for Friday, May 20th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2325, with a release date of Friday,
May 20th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The US military expands its use of HF. Get ready
for a hurricane readiness test -- and a new challenge for entry level
hams in the UK. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2325, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

US MILITARY EXPLORES WIDER USE OF HF IN INDO-PACIFIC

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Our top story this week puts HF radio in the spotlight
with some new recognition for its increased importance in national
defense. In the United States, the military is exploring ways to expand
its use of the HF bands in one region of the world. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE,
has that report.

KEVIN: HF radio is making a comeback for the United States military,
which has been struggling with reliable means of over-the-horizon communication in the Indo-Pacific. That massive region's communications
needs are served largely by undersea fiber cables and satellites, both of which are deemed vulnerable to both deliberate and accidental damage. The
U.S. Defense Information Systems Agency is eyeing HF as a reliable backup should an interruption occur in either of the other two delivery modes.

Officials acknowledge that HF's slower data transmission rate and the military's use of a smaller bandwidth would not make HF ideal for
fulltime connectivity but it is nonetheless a viable alternative when no
other option exists.

According to an article in Signal, a publication of the nonprofit AFCEA, testing is already underway in the part of the Pacific that includes
Malaysia, Australia, Fiji and Singapore. The Indo-Pacific Command's
relief network has been testing HF out as part of its humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief work, using a transmitter in Oahu.

Meanwhile, a combat communications squadron of the United States Air
Force, based in Guam, is working with the single sideband shortwave transmitters of the Air Force High Frequency Global Communications System
for voice communications.

Elsewhere, modes used in the annual Pacific Endeavor interoperability
exercise are being widened to include newer HF technologies for basic
data communications. One official told the Signal website that these
actions are being taken to expand the mode's reliability.

Beyond compensating for satellite and fiber optic vulnerability,
officials say they also look forward to the next generation of HF
technology which will allow higher speeds and wideband transmission,
making full-motion video possible for surveillance, airborne intelligence
and related activities from the air.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(THE AFCEA SIGNAL)

**

AMATEURS IN US PREP FOR HURRICANE READINESS TEST

SKEETER/ANCHOR: If you live in a hurricane-prone part of the United
States - or you are interested in being of assistance, this next report
from Sel Embee, KB3TZD, is for you.

SEL: The National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida and the VoIP
Hurricane Net will be conducting a test on May 28th that is designed to
let amateurs everywhere evaluate their shack's storm-readiness.
Propagation permitting, the Hurricane Watch Net W-X-4-N-H-C will be on
the air on 7-decimal-268 MHz and 14-decimal-325 MHz from 1300 UTC to 2100
UTC. Postings on the spotting networks will indicate if operators need to
QSY. The VoIP Hurricane Net will be active from 2000 UTC to 2100 UTC on I-R-L-P Node 9219 and EchoLink Conference Node 7203.

Atlantic hurricane season begins on the United States' East Coast on June
1st and continues through November 30th. During the test, operators will exchange signal reports, location information, and basic weather data.

W-X-4-N-H-C will also be on the air on VHF, UHF, 2- and 30-meter APRS,
and Winlink with the email address w x 4 n h c at winlink dot org (wx4nhc@winlink.org) The subject line must contain stroke stroke W L Two
K ("//WL2K"). Contacts will also be made on Florida's Statewide Amateur
Radio Network, the SARNet.

QSL cards will be available from Julio Ripoll, W-D-4-R.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, K-B-3-T-Zed-D.

(WX4NHC)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2329 for Friday June 17th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2329, with a release date of Friday,
June 17th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams help reunite a family in India. A disaster
drill goes forward in Washington State -- and German amateurs roll out a national emergency-response plan. All this and more, as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2329, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

DISASTER-RESPONSE PROGRAM DEBUTS IN GERMANY

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with disaster preparedness. As the world focuses increasingly on changing weather and geologic hazards, a disaster-response program with wide-ranging potential has made its debut
in Germany. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, brings us the details.

ED: Germany's amateur radio community is launching a wide-ranging
programme of disaster response. The pilot project is being led by the
German Amateur Radio Club, the DARC, in cooperation with Notfunk
Bodensee, a Lake Constance radio response group. The need for broader and improved response was underscored recently by the devastating floods in
the Ahr Valley. The new network has started to be rolled out near Lake Constance in Markdorf, where a donated emergency communications vehicle
is being put into service. Organisers say that the effective radio
response during the 1999 avalanche in Galtür proved to be a good model
for Germany's amateur radio response but in the intervening years, communications capability has progressed even more. The initiative is
expected to expand next into Ravensburg and Lindau. Greater detail will
be unveiled at Ham Radio Friedrichschafen on Friday, June 24th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

**

HAMS PLAY PROMINENT ROLE IN WASHINGTON STATE EMERGENCY DRILL

DON/ANCHOR: Meanwhile in the US, a disaster drill switched formats and reported some rewarding results. The Cascadia Rising prepareness exercise
in the Pacific Northwest region tests emergency response by government, business and volunteers in the face of an earthquake and subsequent
tsunami. This year's exercise, however, was unprecedented: With the
region's resources stretched from historic wildfires, periods of intense
rain and the ongoing pandemic, organizers opted to hold this year's
Cascadia Rising as a discussion-based drill. It was conducted virtually
on Microsoft Teams rather than as the customary simulation of previous
years. Robert Sabarese, assessment and exercise programs supervisor with
the Washington State Emergency Management Division, told Newsline that
during the drill, which ran from June 13th to 16th, amateur radio emerged
with even greater potential for deeper involvement. He said there was new clarity in how hams can be further deployed beyond their critical early
roles aiding transportation and resource-delivery to disaster victims.

(ROBERT SABARESE)

**

WEST BENGAL HAMS REUNITE FAMILY AFTER 2 YEARS

DON/ANCHOR: In West Bengal, India, a hospitalized woman was reunited with
her family in Bangladesh nearly two and a half years after falling ill
and becoming separated from them - and amateur radio provided the vital connection. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has that story.

JIM: When authorities contacted members of the West Bengal Radio Club in
India several months ago to assist a hospitalised woman in the city of Jhargram, the hams knew they would have to accomplish something they'd
done so many times before: reunite a family with a missing member.
According to a news report in the Millennium Post, a woman who was found
by the side of the road 30 months earlier was found to be suffering from
a mental condition and was hospitalised to begin a lengthy course of treatment. She was unable to provide information on the whereabouts of
any family members. Local officials reached out to the radio amateurs and asked them to get involved. After eight months of searching, they finally located the woman's brother in Bangladesh. The woman confirmed that she
knew him and expressed a desire to return home. This month, three of the
hams who were able to accompany her to the border of the two countries to reunite with her brother. Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, the club's
secretary, identified the hams as Nirmalendu Mahato, VU3IQW, Parimal Roy, VU3ZIM, and Sujata (soo-JOTTA) Goswami (Ghos-WAMMI), VU3XBR.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(MILLENNIUM POST)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2331, for Friday, July 1, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2331, with a release date of
Friday, July 1, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams gather for Field Day in North America
and for Friedrichshafen in Germany. A special event honors an
amateur radio humanitarian -- and look, up in the air, it's Kite
POTA! All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2331, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

AMATEURS IN US, CANADA, GET OUTDOORS FOR FIELD DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week remembering Field Day. From the
Ramona Outback Amateur Radio Society in California to the Great
South Bay Amateur Radio Club in New York, and all points in between,
plus in Canada, the ARRL Field Day lit up the bands on June 25th and
26th. As always, Field Day put amateur radio on display to the
public as visitors everywhere stopped by where clubs and individuals
were operating outdoors, curious to learn about the equipment and
the antennas, or to watch Morse Code and phone operators in action.

In central Florida, the Lake Monroe Amateur Radio Society got an
extra boost from the efforts of a station set up for use by club
members who are blind, specifically to make as many CW contacts as
possible. The ARRL noted on its website that operators could receive
100 bonus points simply by sharing their details in posts on the
ARRL Field Day Facebook Group or elsewhere on all social media by
using the hashtag #ARRLFD.

Regardless of the score, for everyone everywhere, it was a day for
learning, and for fellowship.

The ARRL had set a deadline for logs to be submitted by July 26th so
watch for the results.

(WESH CHANNEL 2, RAMONA SENTINEL, ARRL WEBSITE)

**

HAM RADIO EXPO RETURNS TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Europe, Ham Radio Expo made a triumphant return, and Newsline's Ed Durrant, DD5LP, was there.

ED: Last weekend saw the 45th Ham Radio Expo in Friedrichshafen, the
first after three years of lockdowns and two cancelled events. All
were eager to get back to the "Neue Messe" in Friedrichshafen on
Lake Constance in the south of Germany.

Turnout was expected to be around 10,000 compared to just under
14,000 in 2019. After the effects of the pandemic and with the
current inflation levels this is not a bad showing. While the main
hall seemed a little less full than normal due to the stands of
Kenwood and Yaesu not being there along with the large WIMO
retailer, the flea market in its two Zeppelin-sized halls was fuller
than in 2019.

Talking with dealers and manufacturers, I learned they were all glad
to have, it seems, come through the pandemic. Several, however,
said it was close and another lockdown would have meant the end of
their businesses. Many are worried about parts supply and while most
have stockpiled components, their stock is dwindling.

Talking with the national societies and the IARU, I learned there is
concern on how we will keep our band allocations especially in the
microwave frequencies and a need is seen to have the hobby change
and be open to new technologies and possibilities to attract more
people.

There were positive notes too: The Austrian national society's
president, Michael Zwingl, OE3MZC, was very enthusiastic over
several new projects.

An institute will be a platform for hams, makers and professionals
to work together on new technology projects in Austria.

WRAN, will supply a way for access from 6 metres, 2 metres and 70
centimetres into the Europe-wide HamNet, which is a 2.4 and 5 GHz
ham radio high-speed RF data network.

A Lora-based network linking low power IOT devices using the QO-100
satellite will enable data communications between devices across a
third of the world's surface.

Overall, there was a very positive feel at HAM RADIO 2022 and as
this year's motto said, it was indeed "A reunion with friends."

On Amateur Radio Newsline, we can only bring you a brief overview of
the event. For a more detailed report with interviews take a listen
to our friends at ICQPodcast.com for their coverage.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed, DD5LP.
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2337, for Friday, August 12th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2337 with a release date of
Friday August 12th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An amateur satellite built by Indian
schoolgirls suffers a failed deployment. A South African ham
offers a rare chance for an EME contact with Angola -- and ooops,
that James Webb telescope image isn't what it seems. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2337, comes your
way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

STUDENTS' AMATEUR SATELLITE SUFFERS FAILED LAUNCH

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week was supposed to be a success
story for India's new satellite launch vehicle, which had on
board a small ham radio satellite built by schoolchildren.
Something went wrong in its deployment, however, as Graham Kemp,
VK4BB tells us.

GRAHAM: Failure and disappointment marked the debut of India's
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle which lifted off on Saturday
August 6th only to deploy two satellites into the wrong orbits.
One of the satellites was a much-anticipated project built by 750
schoolgirls in India as part of SpaceKidz India. It carried an
amateur radio payload.

The Indian space agency said that the satellites were sent into
an elliptical orbit instead of the intended circular orbit 356
kilometres, or 221 miles, above the Earth. The elliptical orbit
meant that at some point the satellites' orbits would come as
close to earth as 76 km, or 47 miles.

Officials from the ISRO said the error was caused by a sensor
failure that could not be detected in time. Five hours after
liftoff, the mission was declared a failure.

The maiden voyage of the launcher was a much-celebrated event
which also commemorated India's 75th year of independence.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(SPACE.COM, THE HINDU)

**

ANGOLA DXPEDITION PROMISES AMATEURS THE MOON

NEIL/ANCHOR: The activation of Angola using EME this month has
been years in the planning for one South African amateur. It's
expected to be a major first. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us
what's in store.

JASON: Going on the air as D2TX from Angola as a portable EME
operator is expected to be an unprecedented experience. Bernie,
ZS4TX, told Newsline in an email that he is unaware of any of the
popular EME bands having been used to activate Angola, as he is
doing on 2 metres between the 12th and 16th of August. It's a
long road trip - more than 2800 kilometres over the course of
four days. The final 220 kilometres is on dirt roads and will
take six hours. Bernie said the advantage is road travel means
the station will be able to use a larger-than-usual array of 2-
by-18 element M2 Yagi antennas. Bernie also said that stations
with a 12-element Yagi, 250 watts and a decent low-noise
amplifier can likely work him and that recent developments in
digital modes available from WSJTX may make it possible for even
the most modest stations. With a couple of moon passes, Bernie
hopes to be able to work 300 or so stations.

Licensed since the age of 17, Bernie learned about 2-metre EME
from Hal, ZS6WB, and Chris, ZS6EZ, in the early '90s when he and
Chris worked Dave, W5UN, on CW EME from Botswana during a VHF
expedition trip. He later worked W5UN from Lesotho for one of his
last entities for the first 2M DXCC award ever issued.

Bernie urges EME enthusiasts to listen for him. He said [quote]
"Use this opportunity. It may be a very long time before Angola
is activated again. It could be the chance of a lifetime."
[endquote]

This is Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you are new to working EME, there is some helpful
guidance on W7GJ's website, including detailed instructions on
how to set up your station and make contacts. Find the link in
the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY: http://www.bigskyspaces.com/w7gj/emetips.htm ]

(BERNIE VAN DER WALT ZS4TX)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2338 for Friday, August 19th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2338, with a release date of
Friday, August 19th, 2022, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The International Space Station operates voice repeater and APRS at the same time. Young hams take an inaugural
activity global -- and an 8-year-old girl in England has a dream QSO.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2338, comes
your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

ARISS OPERATES ON VOICE REPEATER, APRS AT SAME TIME

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story of the week looks skyward. There is a bit
of celebration going on inside the International Space Station, where
the ARISS Voice Repeater and digital APRS communications are operating simultaneously. It is a big development, as we hear from Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG.

NEIL: It's taken the ARISS teams from Russia and the US several weeks
of collaboration to prepare the Service Module radio for APRS
operations but APRS packet operation is now happening at the same time
as transmissions on the space station's voice repeater. According to an
ARISS press release Sergey Samburov, RV3DR, was the team lead
coordinating with mission control to get the service module radio ready
for APRS. Voice repeater transmissions are being made with a JVC
Kenwood D710GA in the Columbus module. The same model radio is being
used for APRS packet operation in the service module. Packet operations
are on 145.825 MHz.

The call sign in the Columbus Module is NA1SS. The Service Module radio
is using RS0ISS. Both radios will be operating full-time except when
ARISS is making contacts with schools, or during dockings, undockings
and EVAs.

Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, ARISS international chairman called the
development [quote] "a key element of our ARISS 2.0 initiative,
providing interactive capabilities 24/7 that inspire, engage and
educate youth and lifelong learners — especially life-long learning in
ham radio operations.” [endquote]

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(ARISS)

**

INAUGURAL EVENT FOR WORLDWIDE YOUNG AMATEUR CLUB

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Get ready for an inaugural event by a group of young
radio amateurs who are launching it globally next month. Sel Embee,
KB3 T Zed D, has the details.

SEL: The Young Amateurs Radio Club, which was founded in 2017 on a
server of the Discord app, has grown to be an international gathering
of younger operators that is recognized by the FCC as an amateur radio
club.

Using the call sign WY4RC, operators from all 10 US call zones will be
on the air from September 1st through the 15th, inviting hams to accept
the challenge of working all Young Amateur Radio Club zones. This is
the club's inaugural "worked all zones" event and organizers are
looking for young operators or other clubs who would like to join them
on the air, activating the callsign in September. The callsign will be
WY4RC with a stroke mark, followed by the operator's region. Operators
must use a minimum of 20 watts during the event.

Visit the website y a r c dot world (yarc.world) and click on the link
to "events" for additional details.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(YOUNG AMATEURS RADIO CLUB)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2347 for Friday, October 21st, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2347, with a release date of
Friday, October 21st, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An emerging science and technology center gets
a major financial boost. A new book takes a deeper look at QSL cards --
and some surprises for Halloween, as the holiday approaches. All this
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2347, comes your way
right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

BOOST FOR MAKING TESLA LAB A GLOBAL SCIENCE CENTER

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with news that the former
laboratory of inventor Nikola Tesla has received major funding to
further its development into a major science and technology center.
Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, has that story.

KEVIN: Designed by the noted architect Stanford White at the turn of
the previous century and a welcoming place today for scientists,
historians and amater radio operators, the former laboratory of 20th
century innovator Nikola Tesla has been chosen to receive a $500,000
grant from the National Parks Service and the National Endowment of the
Arts. The funds will be used to help pay for restoration of the Long
Island, New York property and transform it into a museum and educational science center honoring the spirit of Tesla's groundbreaking work.

Known as Wardenclyffe Lab, it became the home to many of Tesla's
discoveries in radio and other aspects of technology. He had created
the Long Island lab as a kind of "radio city" with the goal of
transmitting electricity and information wirelessly. The site was
especially well-known for a transmitter tower that was 187 feet high
above ground and reached 120 feet below ground level. That tower is
long since gone.

This is Tesla's only surviving laboratory and it is a landmark, having
been added to the US National Historic Register in 2018. Amateur radio
has an active interest in the property as well and the site recently
hosted the 75th anniversary celebration and special event station of
the Suffolk County Radio Club.

I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(LONG ISLAND BUSINESS.COM)

**

BOOK SHOWCASES QSL CARDS' DESIGN AND TYPOGRAPHY

JIM/ANCHOR: If you enjoy sending and receiving QSL cards, you're not
alone. This next story from Jack Parker, W8ISH, celebrates the art of
those still-popular cards.

JACK: The legacy of Charles Hellman, W2RP, continues. At the time
Charlie became a Silent Key in 2017, the 106-year-old New York amateur
was considered the oldest amateur in the US and likely the longest
licensed. Active almost right up to the year he died, Charlie amassed a collection of QSL cards that, so many years later, is now carrying a
different message to the world, one about graphic design and
communication between people.

One hundred fifty cards in Charlie's collection, which were later
purchased by a designer visiting a local antique shop, are now the
subject of a soon-to-be published book on typography and graphics. Its
title: "QSL: Do you Confirm Receipt of My Transmission?" The
collection's owner, Roger Bova, made the cards available to Standards
Manual, an independent publisher in Brooklyn, New York that specializes
in books about design history. The book features the simple, bold
design of the card from RBØHZ, confirming a 1986 contact on 20m, SSB.
In contrast, there is a whimsical, cartoonish card from DM3EJ for a
1979 SSB contact on 10m. Many of the pages are full and rich and
colorful.

The publisher's cofounder, Jesse Reed, told PrintMag.com in a recent
interview that the cards are as much a study in design as in
communication in the age before the internet took hold. They are
presented, in the book, in chronological order.

No doubt Charlie, a retired New York City educator, might be pleased to
know he is still providing a means for people everywhere to expand
their knowledge.

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(STANDARDS MANUAL, PRINTMAG.COM, QCWA)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2360, for Friday, January 20th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2360 with a release date of
Friday, January 20th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Ten meters wakes up in time for popular
events. Puerto Rico gets new tools for disaster communications --
and get ready for Bouvet Island on the air. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2360, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

BOUVET ISLAND ON THE HORIZON

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this report with encouraging and long-awaited
news for DXers. The latest report from the Bouvet Island DXpedition,
3Y0J [THREE WHY ZERO JAY], is that radio operations could start
sometime between the 27th of January, and the 4th of February. The
team intends to stay on the remote island for three weeks. According
to a post on DX-World.Net, Kenneth Opskar, LA7GIA, has reported that
the sail from Port Stanley began on the 17th of January, just one day
behind schedule. The operators said they are not planning any /MM
activity on the way; however you can track them using the Garmin link
shown on the Newsline website.

[DO NOT READ:https://share.garmin.com/3y0j ]

**

THINKING AHEAD TO THE 2026 CHAMPIONSHIP

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, even with the big world radio championship
coming to Italy later this year, the event's organizing committee
is already looking for host venues for 2026. Graham Kemp, VK4BB,
tells us what's involved.

GRAHAM: While much of the amateur radio world awaits the start of the
World Radiosport Team Championship in Bologna, Italy this coming July,
the WRTC Sanctioning Committee is already looking forward to hearing
from prospective host sites for this prestigious event to be held in
2026.

Groups interested in serving as hosts for WRTC 2026 should submit
a summary proposal and a letter of intent. The information should
include details about principals in the committee making the
proposal and a description of how the competition will be conducted,
including the number of entrant teams to be allowed and the means by
which competitors will be chosen. Details must also be provided about
housing arrangements available, travel options and a tentative
schedule. Although it is not yet necessary to submit a budget,
prospective hosts should provide an outline of expenses, and their
fundraising plan. The proposal should also discuss the means by which
the event will be publicized, and what kind of regional support the
event will have from regulators as well as amateur radio organisations
in the area.

The deadline to submit letters of intent is March 31st. Send details
directly to Tine Brajnik, S50A, by email. The address is tine dot
brajnik at gmail dot com (tine.brajnik@gmail.com)

The committee hopes to announce the venue for the 2026 event at the
conclusion of the competition in Bologna.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WRTC)

**

TWO PROMINENT INDIAN AMATEURS ARE SILENT KEYS

JIM/ANCHOR: In India, the ham radio community has lost two well-
respected veteran hams who became Silent Keys this month. Jason
Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us about them.

JASON: Two amateurs in the Indian radio community have become
Silent Keys. S. Venkataraman, VU2SV, was described in many online
tributes as a "homebrew legend." People posting their condolences
in a number of online forums expressed their gratitude for the
assistance he gave them in many of their own projects and for
serving as an inspiration. A ham since 1962, he died on January 3rd
at the age of 88.

Amateurs in India and Sri Lanka were also grieving the loss of
"Sun" Shanmugasundram, VU2FOT. A well-known amateur, he was part
of the team that created a popular Sunday morning net in 1988. In
the beginning it was known as the SWL DX Net but on its tenth
anniversary was renamed the BC DX Net, a name that continues to
this day. He died on January 12th at the age of 61.

This is Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(YOUTUBE, QRZ.COM, FACEBOOK)

**

FROM DRILL TO REAL-LIFE DISASTER

JIM/ANCHOR: Disaster drills are supposed to prepare radio operators
for the real thing - so imagine how hams felt in one California
county when one of their more recent drills played out as a real-life emergency. Randy Sly, W4XJ, shares that experience.

RANDY: When Sacramento County ARES was invited to participate in
an in-person training exercise last summer, they had no idea that
a few months later the drill would play out as a real-life event.
Most in-person emergency training had come to a halt nationwide
over the past few years due to the pandemic, but Sacramento County
emergency managers wanted to return from table-top scenarios to
in-person training with deployed incident command posts. This in-
person drill focused on the levee system of the delta for the
Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers. At one point, there was a
simulated communications blackout and ARES was called in to
establish contact between the EOC, command posts and people in the
field using FM and Winlink.

Now fast forward to early January. This time, what was happening
was not a training exercise: a winter storm with pounding rain was
wreaking havoc throughout the coastal counties of central and
southern California. Sacramento County activated and included ARES
to assist in reporting flooding of the rivers, particularly in the
delta region. Sacramento County EC, Jay Ballinger, N6SAC, told AR
Newsline that, thanks to the drill, the familiarity the hams had
gained with roads around the river region as well as with county
emergency management allowed ARES to effectively deploy and
report.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2362, for Friday, February 3rd, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2362 with a release date of Friday, February 3rd, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A ham club honors a combat casualty from the
Vietnam War. Artificial intelligence gets on the air -- and it's time at
last to chase the Bouvet Island DXpedition! All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2362, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

GET READY TO WORK BOUVET ISLAND 3Y0J

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Bouvet Island. DX chasers - your
ship has come in. That would be the sailing yacht known as the Marama,
which inspite of windy, rainy conditions, stood by while a Zodiac made a difficult but successful landing on Bouvet Island with the 3Y0J team. As Newsline went to production, the team was setting up. Now it's time to
start listening for signals from the second most wanted DXCC entity. In addition to the main 3Y0J station, you may want to listen for limited operation of four additional callsigns - 3Y7GIA, 3Y7THA, 3Y/LB5GI and
3Y/LB1Q. For updates, see QR-Zed dot com and DX-world.net.

(DX-WORLD.NET, 3Y0J WEBSITE)

**

FCC DEBUTS MAP, DATABASE OF PIRACY ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission
has finally put a piracy enforcement resource online that the agency says
is late because of delays in funding. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, brings us
that story.

KENT: A database and map displaying pirate radio enforcement actions
taken by the FCC has gone live as part of an overall response to the
Pirate Act passed by Congress.

The database shows the agency's actions over the past three years
following the act's passage and includes consent decrees, landlord notice letters and the $10,000 forfeiture associated with pirate operations. The
FCC said that it was delayed until now in implementing the Pirate Act
because of funding delays and challeges posed by the pandemic. The
funding covers the cost of other actions, including enforcement sweeps
and in-person investigations. To comply with that mandate, the agency
needs to hire additional field agents and buy a half-dozen mobile direction-finding vehicles . Although the FCC has already posted openings
for five agents and a field counsel, its purchase of six mobile- direction-finding vehicles has been delayed, because much of the funding remains delayed.

Implementation of the Pirate Act was expected to cost $11-million,
according to the Congressional Budget Office. Funds were not provided
until last March and only $5-million was available to the FCC at the
time. The Pirate Act mandates enforcement sweeps in the top five markets.
The act also strengthened the agency's enforcement abillity, permitting
it to take action against those landlords and managers who permit pirate operations on their properties.

For a link to the map and database, see the text version of this newscast
at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://opendata.fcc.gov/stories/s/wgq8-eb5c ]

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(RADIO WORLD, FCC)

**

AMERICAN LEGION RADIO CLUB HONORS COMBAT CASUALTY

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham radio club in one South Carolina town is honoring a
Vietnam War combat casualty by ensuring his name is never forgotten. We
hear those details from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

KEVIN: In the combat jungles of Vietnam, he was a link to the outside
world for his fellow Marine infantrymen. William Hunter Kilburn of Aiken, South Carolina, was a radio telephone operator carrying a radio and an
antenna for vital communications. In May of 1970 another Marine tripped a
wire attached to a Viet Cong booby trap and the Aiken High School
graduate, who had been walking behind him, was killed.

His hometown remembers him well but even more than that the American
Legion Radio Club, W4RTO, has chosen to honor him. The ham club,
established at the post less than a year ago, now carries the Marine's
name. There is a plaque at the post's headquarters identifying the site
as the home of Private First Class William H. Kilburn Post 26 American
Legion Radio Club. On January 24th, the club members also approved
William Kilburn as an honorary member. The military had earlier awarded
him a medal posthumously for combat valor. Now he serves as an
inspiration in his home community where club members help youngsters
study to get their radio license and where many members are looking for
ways to deepen their own commitment to service in their own way.

From Aiken, South Carolina, this is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(NEWSBREAK AIKEN)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2364, for Friday, February 17th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2364, with a release date of Friday, February 17th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Goodbye, Bouvet Island. A wake-up call for
weather preparedness in Texas -- and Brazil says goodbye to a noted DXer
and DXpeditioner. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2364, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

BREAKING NEWS: AMATEUR BALLOON'S FATE A MYSTERY

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the latest chapter in the story of mystery balloons being shot down over North America by US military
planes. The first and most famous, of course, was a suspected Chinese spy balloon. The audio of the Air Force pilots' communications was recorded successfully by an aviation enthusiast and radio buff during the downing
of the balloon.

However, as Newsline went to production, questions were being raised
about the whereabouts of an amateur radio balloon with the callsign
K9YO-15 launched last October by a group known as the Northern Illinois Bottlecap Balloon Brigade. Unconfirmed reports say the 32-inch sphere
carrying a 10-gram payload may be the same one that was shot down over
the Canadian Yukon. Lightweight and relatively inexpensive to build, its payload, with a solar panel package and a tracker in the middle,
transmitted APRS telemetry on HF at very low power.

Cary Willis, KD9ITO, a member of the group, said the balloon has been
declared missing in action and is considered lost.

According to a post on the website RTL-SDR.COM, a memo from the US
Pentagon said an object was shot down over Canada that appeared to be a
"small metallic balloon with a tethered payload." [endquote] The
description closely fits that of K9YO-15.

Cary told Newsline in an email: [quote] "I suppose anything is possible." [endquote] He said FBI agents visited the balloon program's website and
spent time with members of the group on a conference call. Cary said:
[quote] "I shared that besides having fun, we're here to teach others how
to build and launch Pico Balloons legally, following the Code of Federal Regulations relating to balloons." [endquote] He said he told others on
the balloon team that they should be proud of the project and what it has accomplished.

He added [quote] "Personally, I believe that if we were shot down, what a wonderful way to end our flight." [endquote]

(RTL-SDR.COM, CARY WILLIS, KD9ITO)

**

DXPEDITIONERS LEAVE BOUVET ISLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: We move next to Bouvet Island, where the 3Y0J DXpedition is history, as we hear from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Goodbye-Bouvet Island. Goodbye from the DXpedition team Three Why
Zero Jay, which departed on Tuesday, February 14th after striking down
camp. Goodbye too to the chasers who, whether they were disappointed or
not, have turned to other pursuits. As Newsline went to production, team leader Ken LA7GIA announced that with all equipment and team members on
board, the sail would commence onwards to Cape Town, South Africa, where
they expected to arrive on or about the 23rd of February. There was a possibility of /MM operation while enroute. Team members do not have
access to the log, which will be handled by QSL Manager M0OXO.

I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(DX-WORLD.NET)

**

WAKE-UP CALL FOR WEATHER PREPAREDNESS

PAUL/ANCHOR: The tragic death of an older man in fast-moving flood waters prompted emergency responders in Texas to review their weather spotting
and communications strategies. Randy Sly, W4XJ, explains what they did.

RANDY: In late January, Hunt and Rockwell counties in North Texas
received a "wake-up call", when an elderly man died after his SUV was
swept away by flood waters. In the wake of that deadly flooding, Bianca Garcia, from the National Weather Service, held Skywarn training in the
city of Greenville, at the invitation of the Hunt County Office of
Homeland Security/Emergency Management and the Greenville Fire-Rescue Department. The seminar covered the various threats posed by severe thunderstorms, severe weather safety and storm reporting. Even with radar
and satellite imaging, Garcia emphasized the import role spotters play.
She told the audience, "You guys are presenting that special set of human
eyes for us on the ground."

Many of the attendees were members of the Sabine Valley Amateur Radio Association, which provides trained spotters to the National Weather
Service and emergency management agencies. Following the meeting, a three-night course was also offered on how to become an amateur radio operator. The wake-up call was heeded and those North Texas counties are
now more storm ready.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2366 for Friday March 3rd, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2366, with a release date of Friday, March 3rd, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Caribbean island communities strengthen their emergency networks. Hams are asked to join a solar-eclipse study -- and Hamvention organizers announce this year's award winners. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2366, comes your way right
now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

ISLANDS RECEIVE RADIO DONATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

NEIL/ANCHOR: An Australian company's donation of HF radios and antennas
is moving amateurs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines closer to the
development of improved islandwide HF emergency response -- an important element in an area often battered by hurricanes. Graham Kemp, VK4BB,
brings us that report.

GRAHAM: When emergency radio equipment from Barrett Communications
arrived from Australia on the 14th of February, the director of the
Rainbow Radio League/Youlou (YOO LOO) Radio Movement noted that the date
was Valentine's Day and declared the delivery [quote] "a gift of love." [endquote] Donald DeRiggs, J88CD, said he was grateful for the donation -
the third of its kind provided by Barrett for emergency use in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines. The equipment is not only a useful way to
bolster communications during hurricane season but a way to safeguard
areas such as those that were left vulnerable during the eruption of the volcano, La Soufriere in 2021.

The Australian company has taken an active role in helping the island communities. Previous donations by Barrett were used to assist the island
of Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Donald said that
as soon as this new equipment can be programmed and deployed there will
be drills in May or early June to prepare for the coming hurricane
season.

The latest shipment was transported to Kingstown from the air cargo
facility by Leslie Edwards J88LE. It included HF radios, portable solar panels, spare microphones, a portable antenna mast and broadband dipoles.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(DONALD DE RIGGS, J88CD)

**

SENSORS ON BOARD ISS TO STUDY IONOSPHERE

NEIL/ANCHOR: The US military is getting ready to do some intense testing
on the ionosphere, via the ISS. We have those details from Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

KENT: Two ionospheric sensors will be tested on board the International
Space Station this spring in an experiment designed to ultimately improve
HF radio communications for the US Department of Defense. The website, Breaking Defense, reported that the sensors are to be sent to the ISS in March. The US military has been revisiting the importance of HF radio as
an alternative to satellites, having realized that US satellites could
become compromised or destroyed by enemy attack. HF bands are already
being used by the three branches of the US military for some long-range communications.

Andrew Nicholas, one of the lead researchers on the sensor project, told
the Breaking Defense website that the sensors will be measuring
ionospheric particle density and its impact on the radio waves passing
through it.

He said the data from the tests will help in the development of better ionspheric monitoring models. Eventually the military might even consider creating satellites that would constantly monitor such important
ionospheric changes to assist in the performance of HF communication.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(BREAKING DEFENSE.COM)

**

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HAMSCI STUDY OF SOLAR ECLIPSES

NEIL/ANCHOR: As any ham knows, signal reports matter. Well, they're about
to matter even more for those radio enthusiasts who are participating in
a citizen science project taking place during two solar eclipses, this
year and next year. For that story, we turn to our newest correspondent Patrick Clark, K8TAC, who was also Newsline's Young Ham of the Year in
2001.

PATRICK: There will be a little bit of competition and a whole lot of
research going on later this year for participants in a QSO party
organized by Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, or HamSci.
Volunteer radio operators and shortwave listeners will join researchers
at a number of US universities sending, receiving and recording signals
during the October 14th solar eclipse. The data will be collected and
used for testing computer models of the ionosphere to assess its
variability. This is the first of two eclipses over North America that
HamSci will be studying. The second one is on April 8, 2024.

Both Solar Eclipse QSO Parties encourage the use of CW, SSB and digital
modes on 160-6 meters. At the same time, hams who operate CW and digital beacons, WSPR and FST4W, will be able to take part in the Gladstone
Signal Spotting Challenge.

Registration starts in July. Organizers stress the importance of this opportunity. As they say on the project's website [quote]: "If we miss
the chance to collect meaningful data in 2023 and 2024, it will be
decades before North American hams and researchers get another
opportunity." [endquote] For details, visit hamsci dot org [hamsci.org]

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

(HAMSCI)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2367, for Friday, March 10th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2367, with a release date of Friday, March 10th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A trio of hams arrives aboard the ISS. Digital
Voice technology gains big financial support -- and get ready for the
"Nervous Novices Net." All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2367, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

GRANT WILL ADVANCE FREEDV HF TECHNOLOGY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is about a boost for cutting-edge amateur radio. A major open-source ham radio technology for HF digital
voice has received a major grant to advance its development. Kevin
Trotman, N5PRE, has that report.

KEVIN: The FreeDV Project, an open-source software initiative created by
an international team of hams, has received $420,000 from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The team plans to use that money to help bring
FreeDV into the mainstream.

According to an ARDC press release, the goal is to [quote] "open the path
to widespread adoption of a truly open-source, next-generation digital
voice system for HF radio." [endquote]

Some of the funds will go towards the hiring of digital signal processing developers to work alongside FreeDV volunteers to improve the readability
of digital voice carried over SSB under poor HF conditions. The plan is to improve low signal-to-noise ratio operation and improve speech quality.
The team also hopes FreeDV can also be embedded in some more commercial radios. Towards that end, specialists will work alongside some commercial
HF radio engineers.

The FreeDV website mentions some versions of the technology that are
already in use, including the special version in use over the QO-100 geostationary satellite. FreeDV is also being employed to overcome poor propagation through experimental combinations of internet and HF radio.
FreeDV encompasses the Codec 2 speech codec/modem and all are open source.

This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(ARDC, Dan Romanchik, KB6NU)

**

COMPETITION FOCUSES ON VISION FOR HAM RADIO'S FUTURE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in Region 1 of the IARU are being asked to brainstorm
in a competition envisioning amateur radio's future, as we hear from
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Hams in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Northern Asia are
being asked to take the challenge of seeing into the future. Region 1 of
the International Amateur Radio Union is inviting teams and individuals to engage in two types of brainstorming as part of the region's HamChallenge competition. Both challenges are designed to inspire projects that
increase awareness of amateur radio's vitality and relevance today.

The first challenge asks hams to create projects that reach out to people
who do not have a radio licence. The project could be a social media
campaign, a video, a storyboard or some other creative venture that
showcases the power ham radio has in building friendships and expanding scientific knowledge.

The second challenge focuses on a project that reaches out to other hams showing the way amateur radio might look in 10 years. Entries in this part
of the challenge can be a technology project, an experiment or something
else.

All ideas should be sent to the IARU Region 1 by July. Proposals should be sent by email to hamchallenge at iaru hyphen r1 dot org.

(hamchallenge@iaru-r1.org)

There are monetary prizes and a chance for the winners to carry their
message to a wider audience.

I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(IARU REGION 1)

**

TRIO OF HAMS ARRIVE ON BOARD THE ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Four astronauts are now on board the International Space Station. The crew includes the first astronaut from the United Arab
Emirates to fly aboard a commercial mission. He also happens to be an
amateur radio operator. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, has that story.

PAUL: Four astronauts, three of them licensed amateur radio operators,
arrived on the ISS on Friday, March 3rd, for a six-month stay in orbit.
One of them, astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV, is also making his first
trip into space.

The Crew-6 launch took place a day earlier from the Kennedy Space Center
in Florida. The other members of the team are mission commander Stephen
Bowen, KI5BKB, pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, KB3HTZ, and Roscosmos
cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who - like Al Neyadi - is making his first space flight. The crew will conduct a variety of experiments including a study
of the way certain materials burn in microgravity and an examination of microbial samples collected from outside the spacecraft.

This is NASA's sixth crew to use the commercial SpaceX transport system.

I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(CNBC)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2368, for Friday, March 17th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2368, with a release date of Friday,
March 17th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Severe weather strikes the US on both coasts. A two-year DXpedition sets sail with two missions -- and when line-of-sight communication can serve as a lifeline. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2368, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

SEVERE WEATHER UNDERSCORES HAMS' OF VITAL ROLES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story brings us tales of extreme weather on both
coasts of the United States. These severe conditions have served as a
reminder of hams' vital roles during these challenging times. Randy Sly,
W4XJ, brings us up to date.

RANDY: With life-threatening floods, heavy rain and snow in California
and severe winter storms barreling through the Northeast, amateurs
involved in emergency communications in the United States were hard at
work recently providing support to emergency management officials and
other organizations such as the Red Cross.

While offering assistance to served agencies, these hams were also
bringing about an additional benefit: increasing confidence in the
amateur radio service. For example, in the San Joaquin Valley area of California, the Tuolumne County Amateur Radio Emergency Services was
asked to assist in passing traffic via ham radio in the Emergency
Operations Center. Daniel Sohn, WL7COO, San Joaquin Valley Section
Emergency Coordinator, told AR Newsline that the group was invited to
assist as a "work in progress" training exercise to distribute
announcements on the air and solicit Situational Awareness as eyes and
ears of the EOC. He also reported that Amateur Radio Service volunteers
have been alerted for potential deployment by either the Sheriff's
Office or County OES Officers in other counties as well.

In addition, hams across the Northeast, if not working in SKYWARN nets,
were self-activating in order to provide reports of strong winds,
snowfall, and damage reports to the National Weather Service.

Remembering the health and safety of "Self and Family First," amateurs on
both coasts are proving their worth now, and for the future during severe weather events.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.

(DANIEL SOHN, WL7COO, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE)

**

2-YEAR ADVENTURE TESTS OUT 'REMOTE' DXPEDITIONING

PAUL/ANCHOR: A two-year journey is well under way for two hams from the
US on board a catamaran crossing the South Pacific Ocean. They have two missions to accomplish, and Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us what they are.

KEVIN: George Wallner, AA7JV, and Michael Snow, KN4EEI, left Costa Rica
in late February, setting sail and getting on the air as KH7Z/MM - the callsign for the Dateline DX Association. They are on board George's
yacht, Magnet. Using their personal calls as well as the DX association
call, the two are active on HF as well as 6m. They will be on the
Marquesas islands through to the end of the month, then head to the
Tuamotu Archipelago, IOTA number OC-066, where they hope to be on the air
from late March to the 5th of April.

This is a two-year journey with two goals: The hams are activating grids
on their journey in the Pacific and they are testing out the possibility
of remote operations for DXpeditions. Their stops include various rare or semi-rare DXCC entities as the opportunity allows They also have three stations. Two of them are 100-watt remotely operated Radios in a Box, or
RIBS, that will be operating FT8. A Radio in a Box contains a transceiver
and amplifier, along with cooling and control systems, all inside a
waterproof case. Using their third station, the two are operating on HF
using CW and SSB.

This is the latest remote-operation test undertaken by George and Michael
on their travels. George writes on his page on QRZ: [quote] "The goal is
to develop the capability for future DXpedtions to have remote operators, working from home or wherever."

This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(QRZ.COM)

**

MICROWAVE ENTHUSIASTS PREPARE FOR CONFERENCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're interested in exploring the microwave part of the spectrum, you're about to get your chance. Jack Parker, W8ISH, tells us
about an international conference devoted to just that.

JACK: In less than a month, microwave enthusiasts will be getting
together in Connecticut to share ideas, equipment design and operating
stories at the first Microwave Update Conference to be held since the
pandemic was declared in 2020. The international conference at the Hilton Garden Inn at Bradley Airport in Windsor, Connecticut will include the
46th Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference. It will be held on April 14th
and 15th and will be hosted by the North East Weak Signal Group, a
regional group in Massachusetts devoted to operations on 50 MHz and
above.

Although speakers and activities will focus on operations on the
microwave bands, discussions are not limited to that part of the radio spectrum. Talks will center on circuit design, the latest microwave
devices, software-defined radios, small-dish EME and microwave
propagation, among other topics.

At the Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference, speakers will discuss
antennas, propagation, roving, SDRs, digital modes and activity nights. Additional activities are planned for this conference on April 13th and
16th.

For details, visit the website microwaveupdate - that's one word - dot
org. (microwaveupdate.org)

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(MICROWAVEUPDATE.ORG)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2369 for Friday March 24th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369, with a release date of Friday, March 24th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Fire destroys an important lifesaving repeater in Oklahoma. The Dayton amateur radio community loses a leader -- and a
victory atop an Australian summit for one young operator. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369, comes your way right
now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FIRE DESTROYS VITAL REPEATER IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA

NEIL/ANCHOR: A vital repeater in southern Oklahoma has literally gone up
in smoke, leaving a region without an important emergency communications resource. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: Fire has destroyed the W5BLW repeater in southern Oklahoma, taking
down a critically important resource for SKYWARN, the Red Cross and local emergency operations in five counties of the region. According to Vance
Smith, KE5BAL, of the Ardmore Amateur Radio Club, it will be a slow road
back for the repeater, which stood for more than 16 years.

Vance told Newsline that the repeater was consumed by a controlled burn
that went the wrong way on the private ranch property where the repeater
stood. By the time the damage was noticed on the mountaintop, it was too
late.

Now the scrambling - and the hard work - begins so that emergency communications can resume when needed.

Vance said he has an old repeater that can be put up temporarily on
another site, but it will be a while before a full power repeater will
be back in action at the site on top of Arbuckle Mountain. He told
Newsline [quote] "We have a lot of work to do up at the site. We are
going to need a tower climber to do work up top, and along the side of
the tower." [endquote]

The Ardmore Amateur Radio Club repeater bears the name and callsign of
Ardmore club member Charles M. Dibrell who became a Silent Key in 1998.
He had been a licensed ham since 1929.

Vance told Newsline: [quote] "This is a very important piece of radio equipment for southern Oklahoma."[endquote]

This is Ralph Squilllace, KK6ITB.

(VANCE SMITH, KE5BAL; QRZ: LLOYD COLSTON, KC5FM)

**

FCC SEEKS GUIDELINES FOR CELLPHONE SATELLITE OPTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: A recent move by the FCC means that increasing numbers of smartphone users may discover what hams already know: that when there's
no terrestrial service, additional coverage is readily available from satellites. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, has the details.

DAVE: Smartphones may soon have a direct connection to satellites when necessary, following a move by the US Federal Communications Commission
to set out guidelines for such service. While space-based connections
are already a reality on a limited basis with Apple phones and are in
the works for T-Mobile, SpaceX, Qualcomm and Iridium, guidelines are
still needed to sort out the rules for broader implementation. A recent
draft document by the FCC seeks to explore this kind of supplemental
service and how it would work.

The FCC said in a news release that this would require agency
authorization for terrestrial-based providers, so they could provide
licensed operation on a part of the spectrum reserved for them. Phones
would switch to the satellite signal when no other signal is available.

This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(TECH CRUNCH)

**

SILENT KEY: HAMVENTION'S RON CRAMER, KD8ENJ

NEIL/ANCHOR: A leader in the Dayton, Ohio amateur radio community, and
a force in the annual Dayton Hamvention, has become a Silent Key. We
hear more from Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

PATRICK: Amateurs in Dayton, Ohio and beyond often looked to Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, for leadership. He was the vice president of the Dayton Amateur
Radio Association, which he had one time serve as president, and he was
general chairman of Dayton Hamvention. Ron became a Silent Key on Saturday, March 11th, after a brief illness.

His skills at organizing and leading especially came to the forefront as
part of the group that worked to provide Hamvention with a smooth
transition to the Greene County Fairgrounds after more than five decades
at Hara Arena.

In a message on the ARRL website, DARA president Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT,
described Ron as [quote] "a hardworking, dedicated, wonderful person who
had a positive impact on everyone he encountered. His only fault was, he
would never say no." [endquote]

Ron Cramer was 75.

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

(DAYTON DAILY NEWS, ARRL)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2370 for Friday, March 31st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2370, with a release date of Friday,
March 31st, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams step up for storms in the US Southeast. The
first 3-D printed rocket crashes after launch -- and our once-a-year correspondent, Piere Pullinmyleg, has some news about Bouvet Island. All
this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2370, comes your
way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

HAMS STEP UP IN SOUTHEASTERN US STORMS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the deadly storms and tornadoes
that pounded southeastern states in the US. Randy Sly, W4XJ, tells us
that If hams could get to their radios, they did. Here's his report.

RANDY: At least 26 people have died in the wake of powerful storms and tornadoes that swept through the southeastern United States on Friday
evening, March 24. Mississippi was hardest hit, as an EF-4 tornado
carved a 100-mile path of deadly destruction, leaving the towns of
Rolling Fork and Silver City in ruins, along with several others.

Robert Hayes, KC5IMN, Amateur Radio Emergency Service section emergency coordinator for Mississippi, told Amateur Radio Newsline that the
Jackson Amateur Radio club activated a SKYWARN net early in the
afternoon as did the Central Mississippi ARES Group with their linked
repeaters covering the periphery of the Jackson metro area. In addition, Vicksburg/Warren County ARES was also up and running, as were several
non-ARES affiliated nets across the state. He summarized the weather
event by saying that after the initial reports of the three major
impacts, almost every operator who could get on the air was on the air
if they were in a coverage area.

Hayes noted that just prior to the storm, the section was about to
initiate a request from the three NWS offices that cover the state
to talk about SKYWARN requirements and standards in order to be more
effective as spotters. This storm, he believes, provides even greater motivation to accomplish this.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.

(AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE)

**

FIRST 3D-PRINTED ROCKET CRASHES AFTER BRIEF FLIGHT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The launch of the first 3-D printed rocket didn't
result in the successful flight that was envisioned by the company
that created it but they are still encouraged. Paul Braun, WD9GCO,
has those details.

PAUL: When the first rocket to be created by 3D printing lifted off
from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 22nd, it was a successful
launch, but a failed flight. The creators of Terran 1, however, are
encouraged by the late March blastoff, which was intended to send
the rocket 200 kilometers, or 125 miles, into orbit for a few days.
The California company known as Relativity Space had printed 85
percent of the rocket's metal components, including its engines, as
a means of making the costs of space travel less prohibitive.

After three minutes of flight, however, the uncrewed Terran 1 crashed
into the ocean after one of its nine engines appeared to lose ignition.
In an interview with National Public Radio conducted prior to the launch,
the company's CEO, Tim Ellis, had said that he would still consider the
mission a success if the rocket were simply capable of surviving the
rigors of a launch. A company executive said during the launch webcast
that she believed enough data had been gathered to demonstrate that 3D-
printed rockets can be viable in space.

According to the NPR report, yet another rocket is already in the
design stages for launch next year and the company ultimately hopes
to create a rocket in which 95 percent of its parts are created through
3D printing. The startup venture has entered the market, hoping to be
able to help send even more satellites into orbit around the Earth.

This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(SPACE.COM, NPR)

**

CYCLONE DRILL PREPARES INDIAN HAMS FOR THE WORST

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's not yet cyclone season in India, but for amateurs
on the east coast of that nation, it's always a good season to be
prepared. As you'll hear in this story from Graham Kemp, VK4BB, the
West Bengal Radio Club was prepared.

GRAHAM: The tropical cyclones that have struck eastern India over the
years have been deadly. However, none of those cyclones could compare
to the one that hams responded to on March 23rd in the state of West
Bengal. This was a mock cyclone and so at 9 'clock that morning, when
the region went into high alert, and hams responded, it was only a
drill. The drill had been organised by the National Disaster Management
Agency, and arranged by the government of West Bengal's Disaster
Management Department. The club station quickly established
communications throughout the villages and 25 licenced hams from the
club kept the lines of communication open.

This kind of readiness remains critical in India but especially in the
eastern coastal area, where states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh,
Tamil Nadu, and Odisha, feel the brunt of the damage, and share the
difficult cyclone season with nearby Bangladesh.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WEST BENGAL RADIO CLUB, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2373, for Friday, April 21st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373 with a release date of Friday,
April 21st, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. In the US, the FCC commits itself to managing satellites more effectively. Two losses hit the World Radiosport Team Championship -- and Nokia and NASA look at putting wireless on the moon.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373, comes
your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FCC COMMITS TO IMPROVING SATELLITE MANAGEMENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where two new
FCC offices are taking a closer look at how to better handle all those satellites in orbit high above our planet. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, brings
us up to date.

ANDY: Hoping to get a better handle on regulating satellites and reducing
the effects of orbital debris, the US Federal Communications Commission
has added two new departments under its umbrella: the Space Bureau and
the Office of International Affairs. The move replaces the agency's International Bureau, which handled licensing and regulation of satellite programs and international telecommunications.

The FCC's announcement did not specify what impact, if any, this move
would have on amateur radio satellites.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said at an opening event for the new departments that they would [quote] "promote long-term technical capacity
to address satellite policies and approve our coordination with other
agencies on all of these issues." [endquote]

The departments are expected to coordinate their efforts in such areas as
the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The conference will take
place in Dubai starting on November 20th.

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(FCC, NEXTGOV.COM)

**

AGENCY SEEKS STRATEGY FOR REPURPOSING SPECTRUM

NEIL/ANCHOR: Another US government agency is taking a look at whether
some frequencies need to be reallocated as more and more wireless devices
get on the air. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, brings us that story.

STEPHEN: In the United States, an increasing appetite for spectrum from wireless services has spurred the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to find at least 1,500 MHz of the radio
spectrum to meet that demand.

The NTIA is looking for input from the public to identify which bands
could be repurposed under this new spectrum strategy. The agency said on
its website that the strategy is [quote] "a government-wide approach to maximizing the potential of our nation's spectrum resources." [endquote]
The NTIA shares spectrum-allocation duties with the Federal
Communications Commission.

In the United States, hams already share many UHF and microwave bands
with government users.

To learn more, follow the link in the text version of this week's
Newsline script.

This is Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://ntia.gov/issues/national-spectrum-strategy ]

(NTIA, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)

**

NOKIA AND NASA TO PUT WIRELESS SERVICE ON THE MOON

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, a whole new wireless network of sorts is being
looked at - for the moon! Let's hear more from Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

KENT: An LTE/4G network destined for the moon is expected to launch on
board a SpaceX rocket later this year, according to plans from the
Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia. According to reports on CNBC,
it's part of a partnership with NASA that envisions the creation of the
first colony on the lunar surface.

A message on Nokia's webpage states that the network will be designed to support the transmitting of telemetry, biometrics, and sensing
applications and will also be available for HD video and robotics. Nokia states that the high-bandwidth network will be a vital tool in NASA's
plan for so-called "sustainable exploration" of the moon.

NASA chose the Finnish telecommunications company in 2020, announcing
Nokia's role in the Artemis lunar program to return a human presence to
the moon -- this time for extended operations by the end of the decade. According to the Nokia website, the network will include an LTE Base
Station with integrated Evolved Packet Core functionalities, LTE User Equipment and RF antennas. The system will have hardware redundancy and through its software, the capacity for remote operation.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(NOKIA, CNBC)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2374, for Friday, April 28th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2374, with a release date of Friday,
April 28th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC's new Space Bureau releases its first set
of rules for satellites. ARRL members: Look for a possible hike in dues
soon -- and a new micro-supercapacitor could be a game changer. All this
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2374, comes your way,
right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

NEW SATELLITE BUREAU PRODUCES SPECTRUM RULES

PAUL/ANCHOR: A newly created bureau of the FCC has just produced its
first set of rules governing satellites. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, tells us what
this means.

SEL: Just days after the US Federal Communications Commission announced
the creation of its new Space Bureau on April 11th, the fledgling
department has already adopted new rules for spectrum-sharing among
satellites in non-geostationary orbit. The rules require operators with licenses for these satellites to avoid interference with one another. According to a report on the spacenews.com website, future licensees must demonstrate how they will coordinate with their predecessors and protect
them from interference.

The FCC is asking licensees to coordinate their systems [quote] "in good faith," [endquote] meaning that they are expected to share information,
even with competitors in the marketplace.

The regulator will be looking for comments from the public.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(SPACENEWS.COM)

**

ARRL INVITES COMMENTS ON INCREASE IN DUES

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you are a member of the ARRL, it's time to let them know
what you think about their proposal to increase membership dues. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells us how to get your message across.

PATRICK: The ARRL is making an online survey available starting on May
1st, inviting all league members to share their thoughts on membership benefits and the prospect of higher dues. In delivering his message in
the April issue of the ARRL magazine QST, CEO David Minster NA2AA
stressed the importance of participation by every ARRL member.

Before members can do so, however, they also need to review their
accounts on the league website to ensure it is still valid. On May 1st
you will be able to share your thoughts when the survey goes live. Please
see the text version of our newscast at arnewsline.org for a link you can follow for more details.

The ARRL encourages members who are having difficulty with their log-in process to call the league at 860-594-0200 or send an email to membership@arrl.org

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

[DO NOT READ: https://www.arrl.org/dues-survey ]

(ARRL)

**

UAE ASTRONAUT HAS 1ST QSO IN NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: Students enjoyed an amateur radio contact with an ISS
astronaut who, like them, is from the United Arab Emirates. It was a
"first" for a new educational program. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, shares the details.

JIM MEACHEN: Twenty-five students from a number of schools in the United
Arab Emirates got a chance to connect over amateur radio with ISS mission specialist Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV. The call on April 18th was the first
of 10 scheduled educational sessions being arranged with the
communications engineer by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai
and the Emirates Literature Foundation in collaboration with the Emirates Amateur Radio Society.

It was the first ham radio contact through this programme for the
astronaut, who is the second from the United Arab Emirates. As the ISS
passed over the region, the call utilised the Centre's ground station to
make the contact.

Like the international ham radio programme known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, ELF in Space provides a window
into life aboard the space station and the various challenges and
projects undertaken by those on board. Perhaps just as importantly for
some, it also provides an amateur radio experience.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(GULF NEWS, EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2375, for Friday, May 5th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2375, with a release date of Friday,
May 5th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams in Australia have only another month to weigh
in on a new class license. The FCC proposes changes to the 60 metre band
-- and a controversial bill about RF emissions has hams in Maine worried.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2375, comes
your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

PLAN TO STUDY 5G IN MAINE WORRIES STATE'S AMATEURS

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to the state of Maine, where
hams are expressing concern over a telecommunications bill that proposes a study on radio frequency emissions. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, has an update.

ANDY: Ham radio operators in the state of Maine are keeping an eye on a
bill in which lawmakers call for a study of radio frequency radiation emissions and the environmental impact of 5G technology. The bill is
stalled for now in the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology but according to a recent story in the Maine Monitor, hams in the state are concerned that such a study of 5G holds the potential for unintended restrictions of frequencies shared by amateur radio operators. Phil
Duggan, N1EP, the ARRL section manager for Maine, told Newsline in an
email that amateurs are seeking wording to be added to the bill that
exempts amateur radio and public safety communications. Phil said that
ARRL New England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, had advised hams
to be on the alert as anti-5G bills are introduced in a number of state legislatures, with wording that could impact ham radio.

The bill in Maine, introduced by Republican lawmaker Tracy Quint, targets
the telecommunications industry specifically and its language does not
mention amateur radio. Hams nonetheless have submitted written testimony protesting the bill, noting that hams are already required to conduct evaluations of their radio frequency radiation in compliance with FCC regulations that ensure safety.

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(NEWS CENTER MAINE, MAINE MONITOR)

**

FCC PROPOSES CHANGES TO 60 METER BAND

JIM/ANCHOR: The US Federal Communications Commission has changes planned
for the 60m band and wants to hear from you. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells
us more.

PATRICK: Following the lead set at the World Radiocommunications
Conference in 2015 and adopted most recently by Canadian regulators, the
US Federal Communications Commission has proposed changes to the 60m band
that would allocate 15 kHz of contiguous bandwidth between 5351.5 and
5366.5 kHz for amateur radio on a secondary basis.

US General, Advanced and Extra Hams presently have five channels available
to them between 5332 and 5405 kHz - also on a secondary basis - with an effective radiated power limit of 100 W PEP The proposed new bandwidth
would set a limit of 15 watts EIRP.

The FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was released on April 21st and
aligns itself with terms advocated for by the ARRL.

The band's primary user in the US is the federal government.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration favors
adoption of the new proposed bandwidth, with hams losing the ability to
use four of the five permitted channels. The remaining channel would be included within the new contiguous portion of the 60m band.

The ARRL, however, previously asked the FCC to keep the four 60-meter
channels that fall outside the new band and to retain the 100w power
limit.

The notice is to be published in the Federal Register in May and comments
from the public are due no later than 60 days after the notice appears.

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

(FCC, ARRL)

**

AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR MOVES AHEAD ON NEW CLASS LICENSE

JIM/ANCHOR: The Australian communications regulator is moving ahead with a proposed new class license. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us what's involved.

GRAHAM: Amateurs with a VK license have until Thursday the 1st of June to
have their say on proposed changes by the Australian Communications and
Media Authority that would create a class license with considerations for
a staged implementation of higher power authorization. The ACMA states on
its website that intends to implement the proposed class licensing arrangements starting on the 1st of July and expects to give the amateur community ample notice before this change comes into effect.

The ACMA also says that the revised class license proposal was created by incorporating suggestions from representative bodies, amateur radio clubs
and individual amateurs.

The Wireless Institute of Australia does not support this change, however, saying it could only support the change on a "no disadvantage" basis.

On May 1st, the ACMA website published submissions from the public that
were not made anonymously.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur satellite and SHF enthusiasts in Australia can expect
to lose all or part of the 9cm band under another proposal by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority. The regulator has been
looking at the frequencies between 3.4 GHz and 3.6 GHz for possible use in long-term earth station protection zones. As with other ACMA proposals,
the deadline for public comment to the regulator is July 1st.

(ACMA)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2376, for Friday, May 12th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2376, with a release date of Friday,
May 12th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams in the Caribbean gear up for storm season. Amateurs help a woman in India reconnect with her family -- and the ARRL offers US hams assistance in evaluating their RF emissions. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2376 comes your way right
now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

CARIBBEAN REGION HAMS GEAR UP FOR STORM SEASON

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the Caribbean, where hams await
the storm season ahead with formal training and an emerging disaster
response network. John Williams, VK4JJW, brings us those details.

JOHN: With the approach of this year's hurricane season in the Caribbean region, emergency training exercises have got underway again for amateurs
in the Youlou Radio Movement/Rainbow Radio League in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

As always, amateurs will be relying largely on HF communications because
the mountainous terrain of the islands in the region provides challenges
for successful VHF signal paths. Youlou has been in the process of growing
its emergency network and now has 10 stations based on the main island, including one near the airport.

The league's director, Donald de Riggs, J88CD, told local media outlets
that the hams are closer than ever to creating the island-wide HF
emergency network they have long envisioned. They are also looking to
support a more robust maritime rescue and air response network for
disasters throughout the region.

New equipment has been donated and one of their biggest benefactors has
been Australia-based Barrett Communications. The most recent of three shipments from that company arrived in February, bringing SDR transceivers
and sturdy antennas, hopefully capable of surviving the coming season of storms.

This is John Willliams, VK4JJW.

(THE VINCENTIAN, AIR FORCE TECHNOLOGY)

**

WEST BENGAL AMATEURS RECONNECT FAMILY AFTER 10 YEARS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It took 10 years for a woman in India to find her way back
to the family she left behind when she married. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells
us how hams assisted her in her journey.

JIM: An early marriage and separation from her family kept Rubina Begum
apart from her family in Bengal for more than a decade. With the help of police and the West Bengal Radio Club, the relatives have found one
another again.

According to reports in the Times of India and the Millennium Post, the National Commission for Women, a government entity that advocates for
women, had been trying to assist her in tracing the family she had lost
touch with after marrying into a Kashmiri family at the age of 14. The
media reports said that the woman, who is now 24 years old, was originally brought to the Baramulla sector in Jammu and Kashmir to be married because
her father was unable to bear the expense of raising four children at
home.

The woman's brother, Hassan Ali Sheikh, told the Times of India that in
the ensuing years they believed she was lost to them forever. But he spoke with her, at long last, on Wednesday, May 3rd, after the women's
commission contacted state police who reached out to the hams in West
Bengal. The club has a long track record of facilitating such reunions.
After contacting the woman with the phone number provided, club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, reached out to a colleague proficient in
Hindi and Kashmiri and details of her story finally emerged. Her brother
is expected to travel and bring her home to Bengal soon to be with the
family she has missed so much.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(TIMES OF INDIA, MILLENNIUM POST)

**

ARRL OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO HAMS FOR RF COMPLIANCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you haven't already checked your station to evaluate
its compliance on RF exposure, the ARRL is offering some help. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, has that story.

DAVE: The ARRL has reminded amateurs in the United States that it is
making its resources available to help licensees comply with FCC rules on
RF exposure limits. Those limits went into effect in 2021 and a two-year transition period was granted to permit hams to conduct evaluations and
make necessary changes for stations that do not conform to the exposure
rules.

The ARRL issued its reminder to hams just as the transition period ended
on May 3rd. Hams are not exempt from conducting such evaluations even if
they transmit at very low power.

The league's resources include a video about RF exposure and evaluation;
an RF exposure calculator and an RF safety section excerpted from the ARRL Handbook.

Perhaps most importantly, the league is encouraging all hams to make use
of these resources whether or not they belong to the ARRL or have
established a website account.

Visit arrl.org for more details.

This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(ARRL)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2377, for Friday, May 19th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2377, with a release date of Friday,
May 19th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. US hams prep for hurricane season. Getting a
stubborn folding antenna to unfold - in space! And an early net marks
24,000 mornings of check-ins. All this and more, as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2377, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

HAMVENTION IS HAPPENING IN XENIA, OHIO

DON/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, hams from all over the world
were converging on a busy fairground in the US state of Ohio for
Hamvention. Be sure to listen to our newscast next Friday, May 26th, for
a Hamvention wrap up.

**

IT'S ONLY A TEST (FOR NOW) AT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with - what else? - the weather. It's
storm season in many parts of the world and here in parts of the United States, amateurs are checking their hurricane season preparedness. We
hear more about that from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: It's that time of year again, when amateurs check out their
equipment, and get ready for a new season of storms and storm-related activity. This is especially important for such stations as WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in Florida. Their annual on-the-air
communications test will take place on Saturday, May 27 from 9 a.m. until
5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, says that the
purpose of the event is to test the station’s equipment and antennas as
well as operators' home equipment prior to the 2023 Hurricane Season
which runs from June 1st through November 30th.

The station will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF, including 2 and 30-
meter APRS and Winlink.

Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, net manager of the Hurricane Watch Net, told AR
Newsline that they will be active during that time, on or near their
standard frequencies of 14.325 and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation.
The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate that day too from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Look for WX4NHC on the air or posted on DX Cluster. For more information,
you can visit wx4nhc.org.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**

SILENT KEY: PETER STUART, PA3EPX, FORMER VERON BOARD MEMBER

DON/ANCHOR: A ham who helped build enthusiasm for homebrew and other
amateur radio practices in The Netherlands has become a Silent Key. We
hear more details about him from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Peter Stuart, PA3EPX, was well-known for his enthusiasm and
creative spirit within the leadership and membership of VERON, the Dutch amateur radio society. Peter, who first became active in VERON at the end
of the 1970s, became a Silent Key on the 16th of April.

He was remembered by colleagues as an advocate for teaching fox hunting
and for his service on the VERON board as its secretary. An avid do-it- yourselfer, he was also a proponent of homebrew equipment and he
encouraged others to build a variety of projects including an ATV
transmitter.

Peter was 71.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(VERON)

**

JUPITER SPACECRAFT RESOLVES ANTENNA ISSUES

DON/ANCHOR: There's antenna work..........and then there's antenna work.
If your antenna is a folding antenna that won't unfold - and it's out in
space - you're gonna need to do a little more than just climb up the
tower to fix it. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us what happened.

GRAHAM: With the launch last month of the European Space Agency's JUICE mission - short for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer - hopes were high for its antenna, which had been folded up inside the spacecraft ready for its
eventual full deployment. The 16-metre-long antenna, known as RIME - for
Radar for Icy Moons Exploration - was to completely unfold in its first
week after the launch date and it did - that is, all but one final part.

According to various media accounts, a variety of remedies were tried
without success until the flight control team finally freed the remaining
part by delivering a shock that moved a tiny stuck pin that had left the antenna section jammed in its folded position. The shock came via a
device known as a nonexplosive actuator that was located inside the
bracket. What happened was disruptive enough to shake things up.

May 12th brought freedom as the stuck part became unstuck.

Now the antenna should be ready for an even bigger challenge - the moons around the giant planet Jupiter. The mission will use the antenna to
study those icy moons as far down as 9 km, analysing both the surface and subsurface. What unfolds there may possibly deliver some shocks of its
own.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, DIGITAL TRENDS)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2378, for Friday, May 26th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2378 with a release date of Friday,
May 26th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Deadly floods ravage a region in Italy. Hamvention 2023 is just a memory now -- and a tragic antenna accident claims a noted contester's life. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2378, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FLOODS RAVAGE REGION OF ITALY HOSTING WRTC

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Italy where deadly floods
in one region have displaced and disrupted lives and the economy. This is
to be the location of the World Radiosport Team Championship later this summer, as we hear from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Besieged by flooding that displaced more than 36,000 people and
killed at least 14, Italy's Emilia-Romagna region has received some
limited support from amateur radio. Greg Mossop, G0DUB, emergency communications coordinator for IARU Region 1, told Newsline that hams made
use of local VHF repeaters to resume communications within affected towns until mobile and landline phone networks could be put back into service.
He said the failures were not severe enough for local authorities to ask regional ham radio emergency networks to activate. Hams did remain on
standby, ready to use HF, VHF and digital voice if necessary.

Greg said the IARU received the information from Alberto Barbera IK1YLO
(Eye Kay Won Why El Oh) of the RNRE radio communications network. Alberto
said the affected area asked for additional support from other countries
in the region to provide extra pumping capacity and those teams made use
of VHF/UHF commercial communications supported by Starlink satellite terminals.

Separately, organisers of the World Radiosport Team Championship, to be
held this summer in Bologna - in this flood-impacted region -- were
keeping an eye on the challenging conditions. Luca Aliprandi, IK2NCJ, who handles media and communications for the event, said on the WRTC Groups.io list that if some sites for WRTC are unusable, competitor stations may
need to be relocated farther north of Bologna. He wrote [quote] "Our will
and dedication to organising WRTC2022 will be stronger than any adversity." [endquote]

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB, IARU REGION 1)

**

ACMA, COLLEGE END RELATIONSHIP FOR AMATEUR LICENSING

NEIL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, the Australian Maritime
College announced that it was severing its relationship with the
Australian regulator for providing amateur licensee services. The college
and the Australian Communications and Media Authority will go their
separate ways in February 2024. Before the college's selection in 2019, services such as exams and callsign recommendations were provided through
the Wireless Institute of Australia. The ACMA is to take the role of call
sign allocation and examination syllabus control "in-house" to go with the licensing role which it already fulfills -- and to do this under the new
class license framework. The ACMA said it would release a consultation on
the new accreditation scheme this coming August at the same time as the
new class licensing arrangements take effect.

(ACMA)

**

FCC TO REVISIT SPECTRUM ALLOCATIONS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In the US, the FCC has a busy June ahead of itself: It's
taking a second and perhaps a third look at spectrum allocations -- and there's a new candidate nominated to join them, as we hear from Paul
Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: In June, the US Federal Communications Commission will revisit ways
the radio spectrum can be utilized more efficiently and study the propose testing of a few uses on part of the 42 GHz band in the so-called
"greenfield spectrum." Greenfield spectrum refers to the part of the
spectrum that is unutilized. The FCC's focus has been intensifying on this along with other parts of the spectrum because of the growing demand for
its use by emerging wireless services -- and limited places to authorize
their operation.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced this plan in the commission's June agenda, posting her message on the agency website on May 17th. She
said the 42 GHZ band was an apt place for conducting experiments with
various spectrum-access models because of the absence of licensed users
there.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has nominated a longtime telecom lawyer
for the government, to join the FCC. Anna Gomez must still be confirmed by
the Senate. The president's previous nominee, Gigi Sohn, withdrew from consideration several months earlier.

This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(FCC)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2379, for Friday, June 2nd, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2379, with a release date of
Friday, June 2nd, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The Rockall Island DXpedition is on the air
and rocking! A supernova sends a message to earth by radio -- and one
CW enthusiast goes from pounding the brass to winning it. All this,
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2379, comes your way
right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

ROCKALL DXPEDITION ACTIVATES IN NORTH ATLANTIC

JIM/ANCHOR: The big challenge is on!! Our top story takes us to the uninhabitable granite islet in the North Atlantic Ocean known as
Rockall Island, which is being activated by two amateur radio
operators. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, takes us there.

ED: As Newsline went to production, two hams were on the air, and the competition for contacts was predictably intense. It's a challenge
for chasers around the world. For the hams, the challenge is even
bigger: Emil Bergman, DL8JJ, and Nobby Styles, G0VJF, hope to break
the record of a 46-day stay on the rock set in 2014. The pair, and
their expedition leader, Cam Cameron, plan to stay on the rock for
as long as 50 or 60 days and raise �50,000 for charity. This coveted
DX is designated IOTA Number EU-189 and is a most-wanted location. Be
listening for MM0UKI - and cross your fingers that they are listening
for you!

This is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(ROCKALL EXPEDITION WEBSITE, MARK FELTON PRODUCTIONS, QRZ)

**

RADIO WAVES CARRY MESSAGE FROM A SUPERNOVA

JIM/ANCHOR: Radio waves have been known to carry some important messages
over the years, but one recent message, received by a research team, led
by scientists at Stockholm University, contained a cosmic message. Here's
Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, with that story.

RALPH: Scientists have picked up radio waves revealing the presence of
an unusual type of supernova, a thermonuclear supernova, the kind used
by researchers to measure the expansion of our universe. Not long after
the supernova's discovery, scientists at the W.M. Keck Observatory in
Hawaii detected helium emissions, another significant marker.

According to Sci Tech Daily, the discovery of this type of supernova,
known as Type 1a (ONE A), is the first to be accomplished via radio
waves. The presence of helium emissions is seen as evidence that an
exploding compact white dwarf star had pulled helium from the outer
layer of a companion star - the donor star - while the supernova was
being triggered. That material is more commonly hydrogen.

The discovery is an accomplishment on another level too, according to researcher Erik Kool of the Stockholm team. He told the Journal Nature
that astronomers have been trying to accomplish this kind of detection
by radio for decades.

This is Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(SCI TECH DAILY, SCIENCE NEWS, NATURE)

**

HURRICANE WATCH NET NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

JIM/ANCHOR: In some parts of the US, where it's nearly hurricane season,
it's also the season for volunteering to look out for them, as we hear
from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: For 59 straight seasons, the Hurricane Watch Net has been
activating for any hurricanes that make landfall, as well as helping
those in any affected areas before, during, and after a hurricane.
Just ahead of this year's season, the word is going out in the Southern
and Eastern United States and the Caribbean - the HWN needs you! They
are looking for more people who can get on the air from the areas hit
by the storms.

Net manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, quickly offered cautionary words,
telling AR Newsline, "Of course, priority number one for anyone is to
do all you can to protect your property, home, family, and yourself.
It's always safety first." However, if hams are safe at home, or in
a storm shelter, where a portable station can be set up, the net would
like to hear from them. Every piece of weather data, measured or
estimated, is considered to be important information by the forecasters
at the National Hurricane Center.

The Hurricane Watch Net covers the Caribbean, Central America, Eastern
Mexico, Eastern Canada, as well as the US Atlantic and Gulf Coast States.
Hams normally operate on 14.325 MHz by day, and 7.268 MHz by night. In
addition to taking storm reports, they also stand ready to relay any
emergency or health and welfare traffic, as well as relaying the latest information about storms in English and Spanish.

For more information about the Hurricane Watch Net, please visit their
website, www.hwn.org (www.hwn.org).

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2380, for Friday, June 9th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2380, with a release date of Friday,
June 9th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The World Radiosport Team Championship is going forward despite floods. Hamvention organizers report "record" crowds for
Xenia -- and amateur radio comes to a key region within India's protected wilderness. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2380, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

WRTC TO GO FORWARD IN ITALY DESPITE FLOODS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There's some encouraging news from the flood-stricken
region in Italy where the World Radiosport Team Championship is to be
held next month. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us the latest report.

JEREMY: Despite flood damages that have devastated Italy's Emilia Romagna region, the World Radiosport Team Championship will go forward in July, organisers have said. Luca Aliprandi, IK2NCJ, the WRTC's spokesman, said
the organising committee has found replacement sites for stations whose original operating locations near Bologna have become unusable. In all,
the region has suffered losses costing in excess of 5 billion euros, organisers said.

Reporting on the WRTC's reflector, Luca said that the committee hopes to
have 100 percent of the replacement sites tested and approved well in
advance of the event. He said that the site organiser, Claudio, I4VEQ,
was optimistic, citing the new locations' low noise levels. Some of the
sites have already granted permission for antennas to be installed to
enable the setup teams to do field practice.

Organisers have also begun seeking additional funds because of the extra
costs incurred after the flooding. He said he expected the result of all
these efforts to produce [quote] "an unforgettable and successful competition." [endquote]

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(WRTC2022 REFLECTOR)

**

"RECORD" ATTENDANCE AT HAMVENTION 2023

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, Hamvention organizers are calling this year's
crowd a "record attendance" since the move to Xenia. Just a handful of
weeks after Hamvention, the tally shows 33,861 people were at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Ohio, a total number topping last year's by more
than 2,000. Hamvention's media chair, James Gifford, KD8APT, released the numbers, saying that the total surpasses the previous attendance record
at the fairgrounds, set before the pandemic, at 32,472. Hamvention will
be held again next year on May 17th, 18th and 19th. Save the dates!

**

NEW MOMENTUM TO KEEP AM BROADCAST RADIO IN US CARS

STEPHEN: The struggle to keep AM broadcast radio in cars in the US
continues. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has an update.

KENT: The move to retain AM broadcast service in vehicles sold in the US gained even more momentum recently as state broadcasting associations
passed a resolution of support that underscored AM's role in carrying emergency messages from the federal government during a national crisis;
its ability to carry other messages during extreme weather events and
AM's robust nature among underrepresented communities, such as minorities
and individuals who do not speak English. The association represents all
50 of the US states as well as Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico and it
supports the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, a bipartisan bill passed
recently in Congress.

Although many manufacturers of electric cars claim RF interference to be
an issue between AM broacast radio and the vehicles' electronic systems,
Ford Motor Company recently reversed its decision to do away with the
service in its Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

In a related move the National Association of Farm Broadcasting has also launched a website advocating for the retention of AM service,
reiterating the importance AM has in rural communities.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(RADIO WORLD)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2381, for Friday, June 16th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2381, with a release date of Friday,
June 16th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A youth DXpedition sets its sights on Guyana. Satellites get in the act on Field Day -- and ham radio aids in a
dramatic rescue in Idaho. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2381, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

YOUNG DXPEDITIONERS SET SIGHTS ON GUYANA

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Guyana - that's the
location a young quartet of DXpeditioners has its collective eye on. We
hear about their plans from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Their trip has been years in the making and now, with the travel precautions of the pandemic behind them, a team of DXpeditioners -- all
in their 20s -- is finally free to travel to their destination: Guyana.
Four friends, Jamie, M0SDV, Philipp, DK6SP, Tomi, HA8RT, and Sven, DJ4MX,
are young: Sven is 21, team co-leader Jamie is 22; Tomi is 24 and co-
leader Philipp is 25.

Their youth hasn't stopped them from becoming veteran DXpeditioners.
Jamie told Newsline: "We have been fortunate enough to visit some amazing locations worldwide." Now they putting together their plan to operate in Guyana between the 14th and the 24th of next February, operating CW, SSB,
FT8, and RTTY, on the HF bands.

They have not yet been assigned a callsign.

The Northern California DX Foundation said it has given the team a $5,000 grant as a way of encouraging the next generation of adventuring
amateurs.

Jamie said that the group's website will be updated regularly to keep DX hunters apprised and, of course, to encourage others to support the activation.

See the text version of this week's newscast on our website,
arnewsline.org, to find a link to the DXpedition. The team will also be releasing a separate website dedicated to the DXpedition itself and will communicate with chasers via social media.

[DO NOT READ: www.8R-2024.com]

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(GUYANA DXPEDITION WEBSITE, JAMIE MØSDV)

**

HAM RADIO PLAYS PIVOTAL ROLE IN SEATTLE DRILL

PAUL/ANCHOR: Residents in the city of Seattle take the notion of being neighborly quite seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they regularly
hold disaster drills to practice ways to help one another out. Of course,
it involves amateur radio. Here's Jack Parker, W8ISH, with a report on
the latest exercise, which was held on June 11th.

JACK: The disaster scenario in the city of Seattle, Washington, was
simulated but there was nothing fictional about the scene of neighbor
helping neighbor. On June 11th, the city's Emergency Communication Hubs rehearsed the all-important coordinated response that everyone would have
in the event of a citywide power outage -- from neighbors to local authorities.

The exercise was called Power Down. Twenty-five hams from the Auxiliary Communications Service of Amateurs were dispatched to transmit messages
using voice and digital modes, such as Winlink and Fldigi. The hams
worked at one of the city's 10 participating hubs, at rally points for
city workers, or in the radio room of the city's Emergency Operations
Center. Many of the hams were asked to move between the various locations
to help balance out resources. Most of the hams communicated via nets
using repeaters that have power generators on site.

According to Susanna Cunningham, WB7CON, the public information officer
for the ACS, the exercise was a successful demonstration of cooperation
but unearthed some challenges: There were coverage issues with repeaters
that are used less frequently -- and hams making use of Winlink did not
always succeed in getting all the ICS forms submitted from the Hubs to
their targeted locations. Susanne said that these issues and others will
be evaluated at the July meeting of the ACS on July 8th.

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(SUSANNA CUNNINGHAM, WB7CON)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2382 for Friday, June 23rd, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2382, with a release date of Friday,
June 23rd, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams get on the air as a cyclone hits India; the
FCC's systems go back online -- and get ready to chase the 13 Colonies
Special Event stations. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2382, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

HAMS MOBILIZE TO ASSIST DURING CYCLONE BIPARJOY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to India where hams played a
crucial role in public safety and communication as a cyclone enveloped
the region. More on that from Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

JIM: Amateur radio operators in western India were deployed and kept on
high alert as Cyclone Biparjoy closed in on the western shore near the
port of Jakhau on Thursday, June 15th, tearing roofs off houses, and
leaving thousands without power.

Local news reports from the Indian state of Gujarat said that the state's Disaster Management Authority responded to power outages and other damage
by deploying six ham radio teams, two of them in the district near the
port of Jakhau, as well as a number of mobile units. Pakistan and India
had already moved an estimated 173,000 people to shelters in preparation
for the storm's arrival.

The deadly cyclone killed at least two people in India before weakening
and heading toward Pakistan's southern coastal areas. The name of the
Cyclone - Biparjoy (Bipper Joy) - means "disaster" in Bengali.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS, TIMES OF INDIA)

**

FCC REPORTS ITS ULS BACK ONLINE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the United States, the FCC reported an end to the long shutdown of some of its systems, much to the relief of hams and others
needing to file documents. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, brings us that report.

PAUL: The Federal Communications Commission's nearly month-long outage of
its Universal Licensing System and related systems has ended. The systems
came back on line, on a limited basis, on Wednesday, June 21st. A public announcement by the FCC alerted users to the remaining unavailability of
the systems' query download function, which permits search results to be
saved as text files.

The shutdown put the brakes on amateur radio filings and other FCC applications that were facing immediate deadlines, causing widespread frustration and much wider speculation as to the cause behind the
shutdown. The FCC's public announcement did not address the cause and
despite repeated requests from Amateur Radio Newsline to clarify what had occurred, the agency referred only to the announcement on its website.
The announcement cited [quote] "technical issues." [endquote] It was not possible to determine specifically where those issues occurred - or why
they occurred - and whether there had been a security breach or if any presumed built-in redundancies failed to operate properly.

The FCC said it has provided deadline extensions for filings that were affected by the shutdown and that it expects high traffic on its systems
in the days to come. Those ULS applications that were impacted will not
need to pay waiver fees, seek waivers, or provide any special attachments.

The FCC said that the deadline extensions and other relief measures only
apply to those filings between the outage period of June 9th to June
29th.

This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(FCC)

**

WRTC GAINS SUPPORT FROM ITALIAN OFFICIALS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The World Radiosport Team Championship, which is about to
open shortly near Bologna, Italy, has gained the official patronage and support of the Ministry of Enterprises and the Made in Italy initiative.
The competition is being held in a region of Italy known as an economic
engine because of the strength of its business ventures in technology and craftsmanship. This recognition adds a much-needed boost, following the devastating floods that swept through the region, challenging the
organizers of the event which takes place July 4th through July 11th.

(WRTC 2022 REFLECTOR)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2383, for Friday, June 30th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2383, with a release date of
Friday, June 30th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Ofcom proposes sweeping license changes in the
UK. The QSO of a lifetime makes one ham's Field Day unforgettable --
and meet Amateur Radio Newsline's Young Ham of the Year for 2023.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2383, comes
your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

OFCOM PROPOSES SWEEPING CHANGES FOR UK LICENSES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the UK, where Ofcom is
proposing a major overhaul of amateur radio licensing and
operations. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us those details.

JEREMY: Stating it wants to provide amateurs in the UK with greater
access to licences while delivering greater operating freedom, the communications regulator Ofcom is proposing sweeping changes to its
ham radio licence framework.

None of these changes affects the frequencies or bands amateurs
can use but it does increase the maximum permitted power for
transmitting across the three classes of licence. The proposed
maximum allowances are 20 watts for Foundation; 100 watts for
Intermediate in most bands and 1,000 watts for Full licence
holders who are operating where ham radio has a primary
allocation. Ofcom is also proposing low power airborne
transmission on some bands.

Beacons, repeaters and gateways would no longer require a Notice
of Variation in most cases -- the holders of a Foundation licence
would be permitted on the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Foundation
licence holders would also be allowed to build their own
equipment.

In another change, hams advancing to a higher class of licence
would be required to surrender their lower-level licence and call
sign, holding only a single personal licence. This requirement
would not apply to clubs.

This is just a sample of what Ofcom is suggesting. The regulator
is seeking feedback and has set a deadline of the 4th September
for comment. For a link to the document please see the text
version of this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

[FOR PRINT ONLY:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-2/ updating-amateur-radio-licensing-framework ]

(above URL all on one line)

(OFCOM, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

**

OH BABY! WHAT A GREAT FIELD DAY!

NEIL/ANCHOR: So you think you had a great Field Day? Sorry....but
no matter how amazing a time you had, no matter how many QSOs you
and your club logged, it can never compare to the experience of
one amateur in Alabama who helped organize his club's big weekend.
Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us more.

JIM: Patrick Nagle, N4GLE, was ready. Field Day weekend couldn't
come soon enough for this member of the Muscle Shoals Amateur
Radio Club. Patrick has been part of the organizing committee for
the club's Field Day for the past three years and everyone was
ready to put the club callsign, W4JNB, on the air.

This year, Rhett Allen Nagle was also ready. In fact, on June 23,
2023, just as Field Day prep was under way, he was so ready that
he was born. With the doctor's help, Rhett's mother, Kaitlyn
Hendrix Nagle, brought him into this world, and into Patrick's
arms.

Patrick told Newsline that he and his wife had hoped for Rhett's
birth to take place a few days after Field Day but the doctor
wasn't available on their chosen date of June 26th. So June 23rd
it was going to be! Holding strong at the Field Day site was
brand-new grandfather, Papa Roy Nagle, KI4UX, who kept things
running smoothly, and stayed in touch with his son.

The happy new father may have been away from the club's operating
site this year, but he told Newsline he knows he had the best QSO
of Field Day weekend. While it may not have been made over the
air, he said that all those eyeball QSOs with his new son included
plenty of snuggles.

This is Jim Damron, N8TMW.

NEIL/ANCHOR: Newsline offers the Nagle family all the best. We
can't wait to hear that Rhett has received his callsign.

(PATRICK NAGLE, N4GLE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2384, for Friday, July 7th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2384, with a release date of Friday,
July 7th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Gains in attendance at Europe's largest hamfest.
Sri Lanka loses a respected member of the amateur community -- and there
are big plans ahead for radio at Scout camps. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2384 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

GAIN IN ATTENDANCE AT HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Germany. With Ham
Radio Friedrichshafen (Pron: Freed Ricks Harfen) completing two weeks
ago, the attendance figures have been announced and there's some good
news. Over to our European Correspondent Ed Durrant, DD5LP, who attended.

ED: This year's attendance at Ham Radio, Europe's largest Hamfest, was up
by 10% to 11,100 and the number of traders by 15% compared to last year, despite predictions that Hamfests may suffer due to the increase in
online sales during and following the pandemic.

It was clear there was an increase in the number of people both at the
indoor flea market halls and in the main trader and exhibitor hall.
While there were no new major radio announcements -- other than we
already know of from Hamvention -- it was good to see Kenwood back with a stall but a shame that only Yaesu's agents represented them. ICOM was
there with their usual impressive large display area and competing in
size was a new company to the amateur radio market - Aaronia a
manufacturer of high quality test equipment.

All in all, it was a very uplifting event.

Just as important was the announcement that the required legislative
document had just been signed to implement the new German entry level "N class" amateur radio licence. The regulations will come into force on the
21st of June 2024, the week before next years "Ham Radio" event between
the 28th and 30th and indeed the very first examinations for this new
class of licence will take place at "HAM RADIO 2024." The new licence
will allow access to 70cm, 2m and 10m running a maximum of 10 watts and
will conform to CEPT specifications for an entry level licence.

This is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

**

FCC SEEKS INPUT ON COMMERCIAL USE OF HF SPECTRUM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Following years of experimental use of the frequencies
between 2 and 25 MHz - a range the FCC considers underutilized - members
of the Shortwave Modernization Coalition have asked the agency for rule changes that would permit fixed, long-distance, time-sensitive
transmission of data by commercial entities. The FCC is requesting public comment on the proposed rule change, which the Commission said would not
have an impact on that part of the spectrum used exclusively by amateur
radio, maritime or aeronautical services.

A rule change would make the frequencies available to regular commercial operations. At present only 61 of the 21,507 active licenses for
frequencies between 2 and 25 MHz are for industrial and business use, according to the FCC.

The businesses seeking access have relied until now on satellite, fiber, microwave and millimeter wave wireless transmissions.

Shortwave Management Coalition members, who include such entities as
companies in the financial markets, believe a rule change could widen
access to other industries such as mining, petroleum and manufacturing.

Comments are due to the FCC within the month.

(FCC, SWLING POST)

**

FCC TO CONSIDER KEEPING FM6 RADIO FOR LOW-POWER TV

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In other action in Washington, it is shaping up to be a
busy month for the Federal Communications Commission, which is
considering whether low power analog TV stations that have a Channel 6 allocation can continue to broadcast analog FM radio. Kevin Trotman,
N5PRE, tells us what's behind the issue.

KEVIN: In a small number of US markets, FM broadcast audio has long been available from TV stations making use of a subcarrier 250 kHz from the
top of the Channel 6 frequencies. At the FCC's open meeting on July 20th,
the FCC will look at an option it favors: permitting these low-power TV stations to continue this practice as a supplementary service even after
the TV stations' conversion to digital.

The FCC believes that preserving the operations for those 13 low-power stations would benefit the public interest, noting as well that there is
no record of TV interference with the adjacent FM channels, known as FM6 stations. The FCC wrote in a fact sheet on its website that it has not received complaints with credible evidence showing anything to the
contrary.

FM6 radio is permitted to operate only on 87.75 MHz and the service may
only be offered within the low-power TV station's coverage area and on a non-interference basis.

This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(FCC)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2385 for Friday July 14th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2385, with a release date of
Friday, July 14th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The World Radiosport Team Championship heads to
the UK. Campers prepare for Youth on the Air camp in Canada -- and
calling QRZ among a universe of UFOs. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2385 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

UK CHOSEN TO HOST WRTC 2026

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the World Radiosport Team
Championship. The prestigious international competition wrapped up in
Italy on July 9th and the winners were announced -- including the venue selected to host the competition in 2026. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us
that report.

JEREMY: The World Radiosport Team Championship - a high profile
competition often viewed as the Olympics of amateur radio - has
declared the United Kingdom the winner in the selection process to be
host site for the next international contest. The English counties of
Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk - all in East Anglia - were selected
by the Sanctioning Committee to serve as home to the 50 operating
locations for the competing two-person teams.

In an interview with ICQ Podcast presenter/technical editor Martin
Butler, M1MRB, WRTC 2026 President Mark Haynes, M0DXR, said organisers
are going to rely heavily on amateur volunteers throughout the UK to
provide technical help and support during setup and operation.

Meanwhile, as WRTC 2022 concluded, the top three winning pairs - among
the other victorious operators - were identified as UW7LL and VE3DZ for
first place; DJ5MW and DL1IAO, second place; and 9A7DX along with 9A3LG, third. For a full list of winners and their scores, visit the WRTC 2022 website at wrtc2022 dot it (wrtc2022.it).

Newsline would also like to congratulate our colleagues at the ICQ
Podcast, which has been chosen as a media partner, providing updates as
the organising progress goes forward. The announcement was made on the podcast's website on 10th July by its founding editor, Colin Butler,
M6BOY.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(ICQ PODCAST, WRTC 2022, WRTC 2026)

**

STUDY CONFIRMS EMISSIONS FROM SATELLITE CONSTELLATIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: According to a new study, those tiny low-earth orbit
satellites may be delivering something unwanted and much less attractive
than broadband internet access. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: Large satellite constellations that provide detailed Earth imagery
as well as broadband internet access to some regions have been shown to
emit unintended electromagnetic radiation that may prove a challenge to radioastronomers' research. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for
Radio Astronomy in Germany report that interfering signals appear to
come from the electronics on board a number of SpaceX satellites.
Writing in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the researchers said
they made the discovery using the facility's Low Frequency Array
telescope. They drew their conclusions after observing 68 of the
satellites in low earth orbit.

The report's lead author, Federico Di Vruno, said [quote] "This study represents the latest effort to better understand satellite
constellations' impact on radio astronomy." [endquote] The scientist
said that the most recent observations confirm there is a measurable
existence of the radiation.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(PHYS.ORG)

**

SILENT KEY: RUSSIAN ROBINSON CLUB'S GEORGE CHLIYANTS, UY5XE

PAUL/ANCHOR: The DX community is grieving the loss of an influential
amateur who helped organize and promote DXpeditions in the polar
regions. We hear more about him from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: George Giorgiy Chliyants, UY5XE, was a friend and an advocate to
many. A number of reports say that George recently became a Silent Key.
He has clearly left his mark: In 1993, while attending the IOTA
convention in Spain, George encouraged the creation of what became the
Russian Robinson Club, a group of adventurous amateurs who would come to operate out of particularly challenging locales in the polar regions.
He later became QSL manager for many of the Russian expeditions in bot
h the Antarctic and the Arctic. He had also served as the president of
the UDXC and vice president of the Robinson club. One of his DXpeditions
was EM20YU, in which he activated the Chernobyl exclusion zone in 2006
with Boris, UT7UT.

Licenced in 1966, he was an active ham whose contesting activity had won
him many awards and plaques. He was also a published author and had been
a correspondent for a number of amateur radio magazines, including Radio
and RadioMir, both in Moscow and RadioHobby, in Kyiv.

George was 75.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WORLDWIDE ANTARCTIC PROGRAM, UT7UT.COM, UY5XE HOMEPAGE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2386, for Friday, July 21st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2386, with a release date of Friday,
July 21st, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Changes in band access await hams in Australia. A much-loved electronics supplier is closing after 50 years -- and a ham
marks a DXCC achievement of two lifetimes. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2386 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

BAND-ACCESS CHANGES AWAIT AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS

JIM/ANCHOR: There are gains and losses for amateurs in Australia, as the nation's regulator moves ahead with proposed changes to spectrum access. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has that story.

GRAHAM: Advanced amateurs in Australia and overseas equivalents will be
losing their access to frequencies between 3.4 and 3.6 GHz, which have been identified for reallocation to commercial interests and for use by earth station protection zones. While proposing those changes, the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expanding standard amateurs and
overseas equivalents access to frequencies between 50 and 52 MHz, in
addition to the current 52 to 54 MHz. These modifications are contained in
the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions Omnibus Amendment Instrument
2023, Number 1.

The ACMA took its action following the submission of public comments to the consultation. The regulator said it received only six such comments, with
the majority supporting the changes.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(ACMA)

**

RSGB VIDEO EXPLAINS SWEEPING CHANGES AT OFCOM

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile in the UK, hams are getting some help in
understanding the changes that Ofcom has in the works. We have those
details from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: As Ofcom undertakes the first sweeping changes in ham radio
licensing and call sign policy in 25 years, the Radio Society of Great
Britain has been hoping to make things simpler. The society is offering guidance on this consultation through a variety of materials that include a newly released video by Murray Niman, G6JYB, the society's spectrum and licensing expert.

The RSGB is hoping that clubs will share the video at their meetings and assist hams in understanding the work underway. The video can be found on
the RSGB's YouTube channel or on the consultation web page of the society
at the link found in the text version of this week's newscast.

The regulator is seeking feedback and has set a deadline of the 4th
September for comment.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

[DO NOT READ: rsgb.org/licencereview ]

**

SILENT KEY: COMPUTER HACKER KEVIN MITNICK, N6NHG

JIM/ANCHOR: A computer hacker who was once on the FBI's "most-wanted" list
- and who described himself as possessing the world's most expensive
amateur radio license, has become a Silent Key. Here's Sel Embee, KB3TZD,
to tell us about him.

SEL: Kevin Mitnick, N6NHG, whose computer-hacking skills landed him a
federal prison term with hundreds of supporters pressing for his freedom,
has become a Silent Key. Kevin died on Sunday, July 16th, of pancreatic cancer.

According to several online obituaries, by the time he was 16 years old,
Kevin had already sharpened his software skills, gaining unauthorized
access to computer systems. Ultimately, it was his illegal download of software from Digital Equipment Corporation in the 1980s that led to a
massive manhunt, his conviction and five-year prison term.

Having become a ham radio operator at the age of 13, he wished to return to the air once he was released from prison and spent more than $16,000 in
legal fees to petition the FCC for a license renewal. He succeeded, saying afterward that, as a result, he possessed the most expensive amateur radio license in the world.

Kevin was 59.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2387, for Friday, July 28th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2387, with a release date of Friday,
July 28th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams call QRZ to help a flood-damaged region of
Italy. Dangerous conditions cancel a second activation on Rockall -- and a successful orbit for CubeSATS from the Philippines. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2387 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

CALLING QRZ TO RESTORE FLOOD-DAMAGED EMILIA-ROMAGNA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Italy's flood-devastated region of Emilia-Romagna faces a
long period of reconstruction and hams are involved in providing their own kind of support. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us the details.

JEREMY: Although some hams may be more familiar with the Emilia-Romagna
region of northern Italy as the host of the recent World Radiosport Team Championship, it is actually now in the amateur radio spotlight for another reason. Remember the callsign 1A0C (One Ay Zero C). Hams will be calling
QRZ until the 2nd of August to focus attention on the charitable work being done there by the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta, focusing on
the badly damaged Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The historic deadly
floods in May displaced thousands of families, destroyed communities and threatened to wreck many local industries. A multinational team of amateurs will be on the air from the radio station at the Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill. The Order of Malta's humanitarian projects are known
throughout the world, assisting 120 nations with medical, social and humanitarian needs. The operators include Fernando EA5C, Simone IK5RUN, Jun JH4RHF, Dmitry RA9USU and others.

At the time Newsline was being produced, the team's website was under construction. Visit the QRZ.com page of 1A0C for updates.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(425 DX BULLETIN, QRZ, ORDER OF MALTA)

**

A TRIBUTE TO BELOVED SOTA SILENT KEY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: SOTA activators are planning an international tribute to recall the treasured friendship of a ham who became a Silent Key last year.
Ed Durrant, DD5LP, gives us the details.

ED: From his shack in Poland, Jarek SP9MA, is leading the way among his
fellow SOTA supporters. He has issued a call to all friends of the beloved
ham known as Guru who became a Silent Key in March of 2022. Jarek wrote on
the SOTA reflector that he will begin using the callsign SP59GURU on
January 11th of next year, which would have been Guru's 59th birthday. The callsign will remain active through to March 11th, the anniversary of his death. The loss of Jose-Antonio Gurutzarri Jauregi EA2IF to cancer rocked
the SOTA community last year, most especially in Europe, where his
commitment to radio on the summits began in his native Spain in 2013.

Jarek has put out a call to SOTA activators worldwide to join him in this special event activation and to start making plans now, well in advance of January.

Though there will be no diplomas or awards for QSOs, Jarek believes the contact itself will provide a memorable moment. In that way, Guru, who left his mark also as a top contester and CW operator, will get another moment
with his SOTA brothers and sisters.

Or, as Jarek wrote on the SOTA reflector: [quote] "I just think that as
many hearts as possible would connect with the Guru at that time."
[endquote]

This is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

DANGEROUS CONDITIONS CANCEL REPEAT ROCKALL ACTIVATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Radios and other equipment remain on Rockall Island, where
a second attempted activation has failed. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us up
to date.

JEREMY: A second - and very brief - activation of the remote granite islet known as Rockall was called off after hazardous conditions in the North Atlantic had forced the team to return to the mainland.

Cam Cameron, Emil Bergmann, DL8JJ, and Nobby, G0VJG, set sail on the 16th
of July, only to turn back three days later after making several passes at Rockall. The hams were hoping to have a second activation - three hours of
CW and SSB - during their return trip.

The trio was traveling to recover radio equipment left there during the
June activation of MM0UKI. Emil and Nobby had called QRZ for several days before their departure, leaving Cam on Rockall. In a challenge to benefit charity, Cam was hoping to break the previous 45-day stay record set in
2014. He had called for rescue in late June after 32 days of exhaustion and hypothermia.

Describing the team's failed attempt to return, Emil wrote on the Rockall DXpedition's Facebook page: [quote] "Nature has said NO. We reach[ed] the Rockall without difficulty, but the waves [were] extremely high. That's the way of life." [endquote]

Don't be discouraged: The team plans another recovery attempt.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(FACEBOOK, DX-WORLD.NET)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)