BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the N2JDW repeater
in New York City, on Mondays at 8 p.m. local time, just before the New
York City Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service net.

**

CQ MAGAZINE NAMES NEW CONTESTING EDITOR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The September issue of CQ magazine will feature the
debut column of CQ's new Contesting Editor, Tim Shoppa, N3QE. The
magazine has named him as the successor to Dave Siddall K3ZJ, who
wrote the monthly contesting column for the magazine for five years.
According to a CQ press release, Dave has stepped down, to tend to
increasing work responsibilities.

Tim, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, and is secretary of the Potomac
Valley Radio Club, is an active and seasoned contester, and a top
winner consistently, in the USA Tri-Bander/Wires category of the
CQ WPX contests. He said in the press release that he hopes his column
will provide encouragement for individuals and clubs, and inspire them
to improve their skills and stations through contesting. Tim has been
licensed since the age of 10.

(CQ MAGAZINE)

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE BBC BROADCASTERS NET

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In our occasional series Nets of Note, Newsline visits
with groups of hams who share a special bond or interest. This week,
that common thread is the BBC and broadcasting - and Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
has the story.

JEREMY: It doesn't require too much effort for BBC professionals to get
on the air, especially if these are broadcast professionals, who also
happen to be hams. So you can expect the BBC Broadcasters Net to offer
some pretty lively chat. Retirees, as well as those currently working
as engineers and broadcasters, join Giles Herbert, G0NXA, on Tuesdays
at 0900 British Summer Time, on or near 3.700 MHz. Giles, a former
engineer, whose parents also worked for the BBC, told Newsline that the
monthly net has become a weekly one, since the start of the COVID-19 restrictions. Now, he's hoping it will expand beyond its BBC connections,
and include people who have worked in the British Independent TV Sector,
and Cinema as well.

He said that with the roster growing, new voices and new stories are
heard every week. There are no YLs yet among the group of cameramen,
studio electricians, sound operators, engineers, and researchers, but,
he is hopeful. He said one of the more familiar voices is that of Jim
Lee, G4AEH, who is also heard reading the news on BBC Radio 4.

It isn't all shop talk, Giles said. The net also takes some lively turns
toward the subject of life after retirement, and of course, current events.

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

**

INTREPID-DX GROUP HOLDING YOUTH ESSAY CONTEST

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you want to know how to attract more young hams to
amateur radio, you have to ask the experts. The experts, in this case,
are the young people themselves. That's the rationale behind a youth
essay contest, launched by the Intrepid-DX Group. Organizers are asking
U.S. licensees age 19 or younger, to write a two-page essay about their personal ham radio goals, and their thoughts on attracting more young
amateurs. Author of the best essay will receive an ICOM IC-7300.
Deadline for entries is July 31st, and winners will be announced on the
DX group's website, and Facebook page, on August 10th. Entries should
be sent in text format, or as an MS Word attachment, to intrepiddxgroup
at gmail dot com (intrepiddxgroup@gmail.com)

(INTREPID DX GROUP)

**

USING PUBLICITY TO BOOST AMATEUR RADIO

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Publicity can be magical, and when it comes to ham
radio, it's great magic. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us how one amateur
in the UK, used newspaper publicity to boost ham radio's profile,
during the pandemic.

JEREMY: Have you ever wished your local community understood more about
amateur radio? Well, why not do what one enterprising ham did, and
contact your regional newspaper? Phil, G4OBK, lives in the North of
England, out in a country area, and he contacted the Rydale Gazette
Herald, and let them know about what radio amateurs are doing during
the COVID-19 lockdown, giving them as reference an article from the
national society, the RSGB, but also offered to add to it with local
content.

The newspaper jumped at the offer, and the result can be seen at the
newspaper reference given in our newscast notes on our website
arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY:

https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/18518331.radio-enthusiast-making- waves-nearly-40-years/ }

(above URL all on one line)

Perhaps a benefit from the publicity may be an easier time for amateurs
in the area applying for planning permission for new antenna masts when
the community understands more what amateur radio is?

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
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KIDS' CW CLUB GETS VANITY CALL SIGN

JIM/ANCHOR: Although Amateur Radio Newsline typically doesn't run birth announcements, this one's a little different. We are happy to report the
birth of a new call sign, K2LCW, granted recently to the Kids LICW Club.
The club's very young members have been learning Morse Code from the Long Island CW Club in New York, an especially welcome activity during the
long quarantine. The Long Island CW Club - also known as W2LCW - is the
proud parent, and according to instructor Robb, K2MZ, is now in search of
a suitable logo. According to the Long Island CW Club website, since their launch earlier this year, the kids' classes have attracted students from
31 U.S. states, and four countries.

(GROUPS.IO)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WB5ITT repeater
of the Triangle Repeater Association in Houston, Texas, on Mondays at 7:30
p.m.

**.

NEW ARES TO SERVE RURAL WEST VIRGINIA

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in one West Virginia county have been busy preparing for disaster, whenever it comes. Jack Parker, W8ISH, has the details.

JACK: West Virginia is getting a new amateur radio emergency network. Hams
in the Morgan County region have formed the Morgan County Amateur Radio Emergency Service as a way of providing backup to first responders, and
other service organizations, in times of crisis in the isolated rural area. According to an article in the Morgan Messenger, the group is expected to supplement official communications among police, firefighters, EMA units,
and 911 operators.

The effort is being coordinated by John Petersen, WQ0J, his group of 60
or so amateurs believe the new network will be a plus for emergency
response in the eastern panhandle county, where some communities are cut
off from the mainstream by a mountain.

Tyler Murphy, of the Morgan County Rescue Squad, told the website that emergency responders welcome the addition of the ARES group, particularly
if the mainframe system fails, phones are out, and the squad's radios
aren't working.

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

(THE MORGAN MESSENGER, LOCALDVM.COM)

JIM/ANCHOR: John told Newsline that 23 hams turned up at the organizing
meeting last month, and the next session will be at the end of July. We're looking forward to watching this life-saving effort grow.

**

IARU NAMES NEW COORDINATOR OF ELECTROMAGNETIC COMPATIBILITY

JIM/ANCHOR: A leading amateur radio operator in the UK has become the new coordinator of electromagnetic compatibility concerns at the International Amateur Radio Union. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.

JEREMY: Martin Sach, G8KDF, has been named global Electromagnetic
Compatibility Coordinator for the IARU, according to a posting on the
website of the Radio Society of Great Britain. Martin succeeds Tore Worren, LA9QL, of Norway, who has served as coordinator since 2017.

Martin has been the RSGB's liaison to the IARU on electromagnetic
compatibility issues. Last year, he received the Wortley-Talbot Trophy
from RSGB president Dave Wilson, M0OBW, for his efforts in developing
software that could identify VDSL2 interference.

The EMC coordinator is responsible for seeing that international standards bodies take radio amateurs' needs into consideration in their actions, particularly with respect to unwanted interference. The coordinator deals
with such bodies as the CISPR, the International Special Committee on
Radio Interference, and the ITU, along with numerous regional
telecommunication organisations. Martin will have the assistance of experts
on the subject who are volunteering their time and insights.

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

(RSGB, IARU)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W2GSB repeater
in Lindenhurst, New York, and WR2UHF, in Farmingville, New York -- both
on Mondays at 8 pm, after the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club Info Net.

**

NEW ZEALAND RADIO OPERATORS FIND BIG POWER IN QRP

PAUL/ANCHOR: In New Zealand, low-power operators are getting ready for
their next event, which is high power only in its level of excitement.
Here's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, with the details.

JIM: Three years after a group of six low-power operators was first
organised in New Zealand, more than 100 members of the New Zealand
QRPers Group are now familiar faces on the hiking trails, and at
campsites around the country. Organiser Wayne Jacobsen, ZL2OZ, believes
that group members can achieve more with less, in their portable
operations. He encourages participation in the weekly 80m QRP Net on
Thursday evenings, and fosters enthusiasm for the various awards the
group presents. They include the Parks Award, the Pacific Islands Award,
and the Offshore Islands Award. Members are now getting ready for their
next big monthly "Go QRP Night," which will be held on the 25th of July, starting at 8pm local time. Wayne himself takes the concept of doing
more with less quite seriously: Although he often uses an FT817, he told Newsline his favourite rig is a very small 'QRPver 1v3', 80m monobander.
He operates it with an End fed half wave antenna, with a ZM-2 QRP ATU,
and three lithium ion rechargeable batteries. He told Newsline: [quote]
"All that gear fits nicely into a less-than-1-square foot by 4-inch thick
bag, and weighs less than 2 pounds." [endquote]

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

**

AMSAT-DL EYES EUROPEAN MOON LANDER FOR TRANSPONDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Will a ham radio transponder end up on the European Moon
Lander now under development? Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us about one
such proposal.

ED: The European Space Agency has received a proposal from
AMSAT-Deutschland to include an amateur radio transponder, known as
LunaART, on board the Large European Lander, now under development
for a moon mission. AMSAT-DL says that inclusion of the LunaART
platform, would permit additional radio science experimentation
globally, on amateur radio frequencies, and provide a backup
communications option during a crisis, or when the ESA network is
busy. The goal would be for the LunaART, and its payloads, to interact
with international AMSAT groups, as well as schools, and STEM
organisations around the world.

In its formal proposal to the ESA, AMSAT-DL writes: [QUOTE] "Such a
challenging project will certainly motivate especially the next
generation to achieve personal goals in education, science, engineering,
and beyond." [ENDQUOTE)

The European moon lander is currently under development by ESA engineers,
and is envisioned as a multi-purpose project, ranging from supplying
cargo, to supporting further human exploration of the moon's surface.

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

(EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY)

**

TWO EVENTS OFFER HAMS A VARIED VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that there are two virtual ham expos coming
up fast on the calendar. As previously reported on Newsline, the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo, will be held on the 8th and 9th of August, and U.S. hams
who register by July 24th, will be eligible for early bird prizes. This
free 48-hour event was organized by the QSO Today podcast, hosted weekly
by Eric Guth, 4Z1UG. Details are available at qsotodayhamexpo dot com. (qsotodayhamexpo.com)

For those who can't wait until August, a virtual hamfest and DX Academy
will also be held on Saturday, July 25th, hosted by DX Engineering.
Hamfest speakers will touch on such topics as public service, youth in
amateur radio and satellites. The DX Academy will be held in the
afternoon, and will include a discussion of the recent DXpedition to
Pitcairn Island. Details are available about this free event on the DX Engineering website.

**

SILENT KEY: MICHAEL JOHN CALHOUN KI4KIC

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham radio operator with a long history in commercial radio
in New England, and Washington, D.C., has become a Silent Key. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about him.

JIM: A Florida amateur radio operator, who also enjoyed a long career in broadcast radio and journalism, has become a Silent Key. Michael John
Calhoun, KI4KIC, started as a disc jockey at two Vermont radio stations,
while still a student in high school and college, but eventually, broke
into news reporting at other stations in the state. He served as press secretary to Senator Patrick Leahy in 1978, becoming part of the campaign
that led to Leahy's re-election in 1980. He moved to Washington, D.C.,
where he became a reporter, and then a news director at WRC radio there.

He combined print and broadcast journalism with radio station management
in subsequent jobs, but in his spare moments, he enjoyed amateur radio,
and held a General Class license. Michael was also an experienced sailor,
and once he retired from broadcasting, he became a volunteer trainer for
the American Red Cross.

Michael, who died on July 8th, was 68.

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

(VTDIGGER)
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SILENT KEYS: TWO FROM LONG ISLAND MOBILE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A valued longtime member of the Long Island Mobile
Amateur Radio Club, Bill Capitman (CAP IT MIN), WB2CUK, has become a
Silent Key. Bill was a valued member of the New York group, and was
perhaps most well-known for his leadership for three decades of the
weekly Swap-n-Shop on Thursday nights on the club's repeater. Licensed
since 1964, he was also a familiar face at regional hamfests, in and
around New York, where he and his wife, Gail, KA2RYE, also a Silent Key,
were known to be fixtures. Until 2002, the couple were also regular
visitors to Dayton Hamvention.

Bill had been challenged by a variety of physical problems, which kept
him bedridden for some time, according to members of the club. He
became a Silent key on Sunday, July 19th, at the age of 74.

The club has also suffered a second loss: Harry Schrader, WB2H, who was
a past board member, and had served as vice president. In addition to
LIMARC as his amateur radio family, he leaves behind his wife, Diane,
N2DMS, daughter Heidi, KC2GRL, and son Christopher, KC2GRM.

(RICHIE CETRON K2KNB, QRZ.COM)

**

LOCKDOWN BOOSTS ROSTER OF HAMS IN UK

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Perhaps one of the very few benefits to emerge out of
the global crisis with COVID-19 is - more hams! Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
tells us about all the new licenses in the UK.

JEREMY: Lockdown has been so favourable for amateur radio in the UK
that, at the latest count, in the last three months, more than one
thousand new licensees have taken their examinations online, and
passed, according to the Radio Society of Great Britain.

As the number of licensed radio operators now begins to exceed 75,000,
the RSGB is taking special pride in the newcomers, who have worked hard
for their achievement, in spite of the restrictions of the pandemic.

To celebrate their success, and to inspire others, it has created a
new web page sharing their stories, as part of the society's campaign,
"Get on the Air to Care." One of the newest Foundation licensees is a 10-year-old boy, living on England's north west coast. You can find the
link on the society website at rsgb.org.

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

(RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN)

**

HAM RADIO ASTRONAUTS TAKE 300th U.S. SPACEWALK

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Chris Cassidy, KF5KDR, and Robert
Behnken, KE5GGX, the NASA astronauts who completed the 300th spacewalk
by U.S. astronauts, on Tuesday, July 21st, working outside the
International Space Station, on a station system upgrade.

The five-and-a-half-hour task, involved various upgrades to the space
station's power system. For those of us back here on Earth, the event
was covered by NASA Television.

(NASA)

**

AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS PUBLISH FREE DOWNLOADABLE E-MAGAZINE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Even if you're not in Australia, the latest free
electronic magazine published for amateurs there, might be of interest
to you too. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells us about it.

JIM: When a ham sends "QTC" it means "I have a message for you." With
that very Q-Code, the Radio Amateur Society of Australia, launched its
first issue of QTC, the organisation's free magazine, which is readable
as an e-Zine online. The magazine's move to a full e-Zine platform means
that the PDF of the Winter Edition is readable from a browser from a
computer, a tablet, or even a smartphone.

The 25-page issue includes articles on how to kill QRM at the home
station, and an array of tips for avid DXers.

Find a link to the July/August issue in the printed version of this
week's Newsline script on our website arnewsline.org

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

[for print only, do not read: https://online.fliphtml5.com/tpcis/warq/]

(RASA)

**

NO RE-ELECTION BID FOR ARRL GREAT LAKES DIVISION EXEC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There will be changes when the Great Lakes Division of
the ARRL holds its next election. Phil Thomas, W8RMJ, tells us more.

PHIL: After serving for the past six years, Tom Delaney, W8WTD, ARRL
Great Lakes Division vice director, has announced that he will not
run for re-election.

W8WTD, in a short statement, released on Sunday, July the 19th, stated
that it had been a privilege to serve as vice director for the Great
Lakes Division of the ARRL. Tom Delaney went on to say that he remains committed to the ARRL, and its goals for amateur radio. W8WTD, in
closing, said that he thanks all who have shown him the support and encouragement over the past six years.

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Phil Thomas, W8RMJ.
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K7MMA repeater
in Spokane, Washington, on Fridays at 5 p.m. local Pacific time.

**

CHANGES MADE TO AUSTRALIAN CALL SIGNS

JIM/ANCHOR: Australian call signs are undergoing some changes. John
Williams, VK4JJW, tells us what they are.

JOHN: The Australian Communications and Media Authority has made some administrative changes to call signs, which the authority says is
designed to give more flexibility, and options to amateurs who are being
given a more active role in managing their own call signs.

All licenced hams will have the ability to obtain a three-letter call
sign. This change removes the association between the call sign suffixes
and amateur qualifications, whether the licence is for foundation,
standard, or advanced level. The result is that a ham can now have a
call sign to last their lifetime. This includes any moves the amateur
may make from one state or territory to another - a change that formerly required a change in call sign.

The changes are also designed to make access to digital modes easier for foundation licensees. The foundation call sign structure has not been compatible with all modes of digital operation.

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

(ACMA)

**

2ND SATELLITE JOINS EUROPEAN DATA RELAY SYSTEM

JIM/ANCHOR: The European Data Relay System just got a bit of a boost
with a new satellite in its network. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.

JEREMY: Almost a year after its launch, a second European Data Relay
System satellite has become operational, on a laser communication
network, that speeds the data flow between Earth-observing-satellites
and Earth itself.

The EDRS-C satellite, launched on August 6th, 2019, has entered full
service after a user-commissioning review, and joins the network's
first satellite EDRS-A. It is in geostationary orbit, about 36,000
kilometers, or more than 22,000 miles, above the Earth.

The two EDRS satellites are part of the EU's Copernicus program, and
join two other Sentinel satellites, that assist in the transmission
of images and other data gleaned from monitoring vegetation, waterways,
and soil. The satellites can also be used to relay data in emergency situations.

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

(SCITECH DAILY)

**

MAINE TO GET STATE'S FIRST CUBESAT

JIM/ANCHOR: They're calling it MESAT1, and it's going to become the
first CubeSat produced in the U.S. state of Maine. The University of
Maine Wireless Sensing Laboratory has signed an agreement with AMSAT
for the construction of the small satellite. It will carry an amateur
radio payload, along with a variety of science payloads. The launch is
still about three years away, and will take place under NASA's CubeSat
Launch Initiative. Amateurs around the world are expected to be able to
make use of MESAT1, once it is commissioned. It will carry a VHF/UHF
telemetry beacon, command receiver, and linear transponder.

(UNIVERSITY OF MAINE, AMSAT)
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EARLY REGISTRATION FOR 2021 YOTA CAMP IN THE AMERICAS

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you're between the ages of 15 and 25, and live in the
Americas, start thinking about getting on the air at camp next summer.
Jack Parker, W8ISH, explains.

JACK: Although the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled plans for the first Youth
on the Air Camp in the Americas this past June, young amateur radio
operators can look forward to July of 2021. Organizers have announced
that campers from North, Central, and South America, will be able to
attend camp sessions that have been rescheduled for July 11th through
16th next year. The activities will take place in West Chester Township
in Ohio, at the National Voice of America museum of Broadcasting.

Early registration is being granted for campers who had been accepted to
this year's camp. Once that is complete, new registrants will be permitted
to sign up. The camp can accommodate as many as 30 youngsters. Licensed amateurs who are 15 through 25 years of age will get on the air during a week-long special event station.

This year, a virtual YOTA Day was held on Zoom, and streamed on YouTube
in place of this year's on-site camp. The day's activities can be viewed
on the Youth on the Air YouTube channel.

For more details about next year's camp, visit YouthOnTheAir dot org (YouthOnTheAir.org) or write to camp director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, using
the email director at youthontheair dot org (director@youthontheair.org)

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

(YOUTH ON THE AIR)

**

HE'S LICENSED FOR A LIFELONG LOVE OF RADIO

NEIL/ANCHOR: The youthful love of amateur radio grows up and matures, but
for many of us, it doesn't go away - at any age. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITF,
tells us about one very special new licensee, whose love dates back to
World War II.

RALPH: The first time Bryan Knight got his amateur radio license, he was
11 years old. The world was living under the shadow of World War II, when Bryan, who was growing up in the UK, became the proud holder of a "G3"
call sign.

Now a retired aerospace engineer, Bryan just got a new call sign again -
this time after testing with the Bledsoe County Amateur Radio Club in Tennessee, where he lives. On July 11th, he earned his General Class
ticket at age 93.

The Bledsoe County Club was celebrating its first anniversary, when Bryan stopped by Field Day in June. His fate was sealed: in July, he sat for his exam.

Now he's back on the air as KO4FHG. It's not his first U.S. call sign. A veteran of the Royal Air Force, he moved to the U.S,. and after gaining citizenship, got his license as a young man. But - as he told Newsline
recently -- life happens and licenses lapse.

Well, no more: KO4FHG is back to ragchewing on the local repeaters, and
is getting ready to return to HF. He's also polishing his CW.

Andrew Albertson, KN4CTG, club trustee, and a founding member, told
Newsline: "This is what we got into it for, to promote the hobby, and
bring back some of the life into the hobby."

At 93 years of age, Bryan couldn't agree more about great new beginnings.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

**

THE MILLENNIUM NET GOES QRT

NEIL/ANCHOR: A popular net with an easygoing roundtable format has gone
QRT, as we hear from Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

ANDY: It was called the Millennium Net, but in its formative years, it
was The Net on Six, because that was the band where it began. On
Wednesday evenings, hams gathered there to toss around topics ranging
from music to astronomy to, of course, ham radio.

The Millennium Net would have been scheduled to meet again on Aug. 19,
but there will be no more check-ins for the group. The net has gone QRT.

The one-hour net, which more recently moved to EchoLink instead, grew
in popularity with its casual roundtable format. Then a few years ago,
one of its founders, Mike Thurlow, NJ2BA, became a Silent Key. The net
went silent, too. Net cofounder Gary Wilt, N2NJY, decided to revive it
after a few weeks', but by 2019, the lack of check-ins and a general
weariness had pretty much sealed its fate.

There is, however, a legacy the net leaves behind. Longtime net member
Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, said one evening's discussion on the net inspired
his creation of a comprehensive reference list of about 150 nets, split
between D-STAR, EchoLink, and other linked nets. That list is still
available by writing wx4qz at arrl dot net. This net, however, has run
its course.

Daryl told Newsline "while the net is no more, the memories will live
on forever."

For Amateur Radio Newsline,I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(DARYL STOUT WX4QZ)
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PORTABLE OPERATIONS CONTEST LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Whether you're a big station or a little station, get
ready for a contest later this year, that's about to level the playing
field. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, has those details.

PAUL: Now this is a first: It's being called the Fox Mike Hotel -
Portable Operations Challenge, and this contest is making its debut
this year, by posing one question: "Can the Super Station contester
best the Little Pistol portable operator?"

October may seem like a long way off but it's not - and that means the
question will be answered on October 3rd and 4th, the weekend of the
challenge, which uses scoring methods to level the operating field for
both portable and home based stations. Organizers compare it to golf,
which uses handicapping to equalize players facing different courses
and different challenges. The scoring metric uses the distance-per-power
value with multipliers for portable operations and transmission mode.

Frank Howell, K4FMH, created the concept based on his own portable ops
team's contest participation competing against bigger stations. The
challenge's sponsors are the South African Amateur Radio League, the UK
DX Foundation, the ARRL's National Contesting Journal, and the Hellenic
Amateur Radio Association of Australia.

For more details, visit foxmikehotel dot com slash challenge (foxmikehotel.com/challenge). No golf clubs required, but participants
will need to be "on-the-ball" in October.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(FRANK HOWELL K4FMH)

**

WHITE HOUSE PULLS NOMINATION OF FCC COMMISSIONER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the U.S., the White House has pulled its nomination
of an FCC commissioner, who has served on the panel since 2013. Here's
Heather Embee, KB3 T Zed Dee, with the details.

HEATHER: The White House has withdrawn its nomination of FCC Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, who has served on the panel since 2013. O'Rielly has
been praised by FCC Chairman Ajit Pai (PIE), for his work on issues related
to the 3.5 GHz spectrum and related policies.

O'Rielly, who was first appointed to the panel by President Barack Obama, recently spoke out against President Donald Trump for an executive order
that would limit social media companies' liability protections. Trump did
not give any reason for his withdrawal of the nomination, but according
to various published reports, the White House and others on the political
right have said that social media's practice of moderating content is
biased against conservative views.

Before his nomination was withdrawn, O'Rielly, who like Trump is
Republican, would have faced Senate confirmation for a term that ended
in 2024.

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

(DEADLINE.COM, FCC.GOV)

**

SOTA ACTIVITY WEEKEND ATTRACTS HAMS IN ENGLAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As challenging as this year has been for many of us, if
you're an enthusiast of Summits on the Air, or SOTA, things are always
looking up. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us about an upcoming activity weekend specifically for amateurs in the southeast of England.

ED: If you've never operated from a summit before - and especially if you
have - you might want to put your hiking shoes on during the weekend of
August 22nd and 23rd, and head to one of 15 summits in the southern
England region. That's the area from Wiltshire in the west, to Kent in the
east and south, to the Isle of Wight and the South Downs.

The organisers, Tim Price, G4YBU, and Richard Perzyna, G8ITB, have
suggested these two days - which coincide with the ILLW weekend, be
considered an activity weekend for SOTA activators.

Individual operators are free to choose whatever bands and modes they
please, but organisers are hoping there will also be 2-metre activations
among the more typical HF activity.

If this is to be your first activation, it might prove useful to visit www.sotadata.org.uk , where there are resources to guide you on
recommended routes, available parking and other details.

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

(ICQ PODCAST)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Potomac
Highlands Amateur Radio Club's N8VAA repeater, in Moorefield, West
Virginia, on Mondays, at 8 p.m. local time.

**

ARRL BOARD SELECTS NEW CEO

NEIL/ANCHOR: A prominent New Jersey radio amateur has been chosen as the
new chief executive officer of the ARRL. David Minster, NA2AA, of Wayne,
New Jersey, was chosen by the league's board of directors to succeed
interim CEO Barry Shelley, N1VXY. A CW operator and seasoned contester,
David also belongs to AMSAT, the Straight Key Century Club, the Frankford
Radio Club, and the North American QRP CW Club. His tenure begins
September 28th.

(ARRL)

**

ANOTHER HAM JOINS STARLINER MISSION TO ISS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, who will be making
her first space flight next year, as part of the Boeing Starliner-1
mission to the International Space Station. She will join a six-month expedition that includes two other hams - Sunita Williams, KD5PLB, and
Josh Cassada, KI5CRH, who were both chosen for the mission in 2018. This
is to be the first operational crewed flight of Starliner. The mission
will be the first as well for John Cassada, but it will be the third for Sunita Willliams, who has been on two previous expeditions to the ISS.

(SOUTHGATE, NASA)

**

HAMS HELP SHARE EXCITEMENT OVER INDY 500 RACE

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Indianapolis, hams went the distance recently to keep up
the excitement for an iconic 500-mile auto race, as Jack Parker, W8ISH,
tells us.

JACK: While the Indianapolis 500 mile race ran without fans in the stands, thousands of amateur radio operators from around the world were still able
to reach out, and touch history in the making.

During the week prior to the 104th running of the Indy 500, members of the W9IMS special event station, ran their own 7-day marathon to log contacts
in honor of the 500-mile race.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, the race was moved from Memorial Day weekend to August 23rd, to allow pandemic issues to run its course. Track officials
had to ban fan participation at the last minute, and only allowed race
crews and officials, inside the two and a half mile oval. That didn't deter
the W9IMS special event club. Despite poor band conditions, they
successfully operated for seven days, taking check-ins on most of the HF bands. The 500-mile race stats are not in yet, but the crew reported over 5,200 contacts for the first two races earlier in the spring.

W9IMS normally operates three weeks of special event stations, starting in May, with the Indy Grand Prix, then the Indy 500, and then in July for the Brickyard 400.

This year, every station who contacted W9IMS for all three races, will
receive a special certificate or QSL card. Check out the details on the
W9IMS, QRZ page.

Reporting from Indianapolis, for Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jack
Parker, W8ISH.

**

WYOMING CLUB EVENT SAYS 'COME AND GET US'

NEIL/ANCHOR: Who says ham radio operators don't know how to recycle creatively? The Shy-Wy Amateur Radio Club had reserved the special event
call sign W7Y for the Wyoming ARRL Section Convention the club was
scheduled to host in Cheyenne -- but the pandemic prompted the
convention's cancellation.

The call sign, however, is going to be as active as ever. It's been repurposed. Be listening on various bands, and in various modes, including digital and satellite, for W7Y between September 6th and September 15th.
The club is calling this its "Come and Get Wyoming" event. All logs will
be uploaded to Logbook of the World, and there are additional details on
the special event page on QRZ.com

Meanwhile, the club is also putting out a special request to any and all Wyoming amateur radio operators to please join them on the air. Contact shywyevents at gmail dot com (shywyevents@gmail.com) and ask to be put
on the schedule.

Remember, you'll have 10 days to get Wyoming in your logbook, just in
case you need it for that Worked All States Award. Come and get it!

(R.J. BRAGG WY7AA)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the K4EX repeater in Dade City, Florida, on Tuesdays, after the 7pm
net.

**

COVID-RELATED RULES CHANGE FOR LIGHTHOUSE EVENT

PAUL/ANCHOR: Although there have been some changes in the guidelines
for participants, entrants are operating from 43 countries during the
23rd International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend on the 22nd and 23rd
of August. Organizer Kevin, VK2CE, reports that despite the changes
in venue in many instances, radio operators can expect to benefit
from some flexibility regarding use of the special event call signs
associated with the annual event. If a lighthouse or lightship has
been shut due to COVID-19 restrictions, stations are expected to
inform their contacts that the operators are not at the lightouse,
but in proximity to it, or within line-of-sight if that is the case.

Kevin writes: [quote]: "Participation from home or club rooms is
encouraged, even if it is only to offer support for those who have
made the effort to set up at, or near a lighthouse. Hopefully, 2021
will see some kind of normality return to the planet." [endquote]
He was pleased to report, however, that the number of participants
is far greater than had been anticipated under the circumstances.

We'll report more about this event later in the newscast in our
World of DX segment.

**

PRISON FOR HAM AFTER GUILTY PLEA TO PORN CHARGES

PAUL/ANCHOR: An Illinois amateur radio operator, and a former longtime
Boy Scout leader, has pleaded guilty to trafficking in child
pornography. Milton Forsberg, K9QZI, had been indicted on the charges
in November of 2019. He pleaded guilty in federal court in Urbana,
Illinois, and under a plea agreement worked out between his attorney
and the assistant U.S. attorney, the 80-year-old man will serve a
prison sentence of six and a half years, and pay a special assessment
of $10,200.

According to published reports, Forsberg had been affiliated for more
than 40 years with the Boy Scouts. The case against him opened, and
grew after police received charges in September of 2019, saying that
he had sexually abused a 13-year-old boy in 1965.

(CHAMPAIGN-URBANA NEWS GAZETTE)

**

COURT UPHOLDS FCC FEE EXEMPTION TO WIRELESS CARRIERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: The FCC will be permitted to exempt wireless carriers from
$2 billion in fees, despite a challenge by numerous cities around the
U.S. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, brings us those details.

STEPHEN: A United States Court of Appeals judge has declared that the
Federal Communications Commission can pre-empt an estimated $2 billion
in local fees that would have been imposed on wireless carriers, and
their 5G networks. Dozens of cities went to court to try and block a
previous vote by the FCC, that favored such carriers as AT&T, T-Mobile,
and Verizon. Major cities around the U.S. sued the FCC following that
vote, but the recent decision by the Court of Appeals in the 9th Circuit upholds most of the FCC's actions. Judges did overturn part of the
agency's ruling, that sought to restrict what cities and towns can
impose on the carriers, regarding the aesthetics of their setups.

The cities losing the case included Washington, D.C., Boston, New York
City, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco, along with Portland,
Oregon, and Austin, Texas.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

(ARSTECHNICA)

**

CALIFORNIA HAM CLUB REJUVENATING MEMBERSHIP ONLINE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Online is the place to be, it seems, if you're looking to
breathe new life into your old ham club - and one group in California
is trying to make that happen. Here's Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

RALPH: There's a long history behind the Palisades Amateur Radio Club
in southern California, but it looks like recent history has got in
the way of much of the club's activities - as it has for most anything amateur-radio related these days.

Once among the largest clubs in the region during the 1960s and 1970s,
the Palisades Amateur Radio Club of Culver City was home to more than
300 hams in the region.

Now the club is saying "welcome home" - not just to current members,
but anyone anywhere who may have ever been a member. The club is
rejuvenating its membership and activity - this time on the weekends
on the Zoom platform - and is inviting all radio operators with ties
to the club, to please join them. The details are available from Dick
McKay, K6VGP, at his email address Dick at McKay dot org (Dick@McKay.org)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(BART PULVERMAN WB6WUW)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the K6TZ repeater, in Santa Barbara, California, on Wednesdays at
7pm Pacific Time.

**

STUDENTS CHALLENGED TO BUILD CUBESATS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Now here's a challenging homework assignment some
young hams might just be impatient to get started on. Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG, explains.

NEIL: The start of the school year heralds the beginning of CTE
Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge from the United States
Department of Education, asking students to design and build CubeSat prototypes. The multi-phase exercise is designed to help students
develop technical skills for careers in the space research industry,
and related fields. Schools are being asked to form teams, and develop
a mission proposal, which needs to be submitted no later than October
16th. Teams should submit their information online, with school
information, project proposal, details about the team, and a
description of the learning outcomes expected. For support, students
and teachers can refer to the CubeSat resource hub on the challenge
website.

Phase 2 of the challenge runs from January to May 2021, and as many as
five finalists will be chosen from the first phase to participate in
next year's activities. Finalists will each receive a portion of the
$25,000 cash prize pool, and a variety of kits used in satellite
development, along with related hardware and software.

Up for the challenge? Visit ctemissioncubesat dot com. That's
ctemissioncubesat - that's one word! - dot com. (ctemissioncubesat.com)
A virtual information session was held online on September 1st, but
there are more details online. Recognizing the difficult conditions
under which schools must operate during the COVID-19 pandemic, the
department says it acknowledges schools' needs for flexibility in this collaborative effort.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT)

**

AUSTRIAN AMATEUR CLUB GETS READY FOR FIELD DAY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Austria, radio amateurs are preparing for a big
Field Day event, that will include a display of some of their favorite equipment. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has that story.

ED: Some amateurs in Austria are going ahead with their plans for a
Field Day on Saturday, the 12th of September. Amateur Radio Club
Gmunden will be hosting their event in Vochdorf, and expect to be on
the air starting at 10am local time. Hams wanting to be a part of
the event are asked to let the club know, by contacting Alfred, OE5CTL,
for pre-planning details. His address is S E N (dot) A (dot) brunbauer
(at) A O N (dot) AT (sen.a.brunbauer@aon.at).

According to the club website, the Field Day will also be an opportunity
for radio enthusiasts to have their radio equipment on display, ranging
from home-brew transceivers to mobile antennas.

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

(AMATEUR RADIO CLUB GMUNDEN)

**

SPECIAL EVENT MARKS BATTLE OF BRITAIN ANNIVERSARY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the UK, hams are on the air, giving a history lesson
about the Battle of Britain, which was 80 years ago this month. Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.

JEREMY: September is under way, and so is a special event station,
GB80BOB, marking the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. It's
on the air until the 28th of the month, with hams from the Royal Air
Force Amateur Radio Society, commemorating the conflict that took place
between July and October of 1940.

The activation will include operation on the 15th of September, which
in 1940, was proclaimed Battle of Britain Day, and marks the RAF
Fighter Command's victory over the German Luftwaffe.

Because COVID-19 restrictions are still in effect, radio operators
will be on the air from their homes, thanks to Ofcom relaxing its rules
around special event station locations. Visit the Royal Air Force
Amateur Radio Society website, for a complete list of operators, and
the postcode locations from which they are operating. The website is
located at rafars dot org. (rafars.org)

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

(SOUTHGATE)
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UK NET FOR BLIND VETS ADDS DIGITAL OPTION

JIM/ANCHOR: In the UK, an amateur radio group for blind veterans
isn't letting the HF's noise get in the way of their regular net.
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.

JEREMY: When increasing noise began disrupting their mornings four
days a week on 80 metres, the Blind Vets UK Amateur Radio Society
didn't go QRT: Instead, they got creative and found a new mode they
could add as an alternative. Encouraged by longstanding member Doc
G4ZJO, the group secured the help of the North West Fusion Group, one
of the UK's biggest clubs. The Fusion Group, which maintains a
network of repeaters and gateways, set up and began hosting a Yaesu
System Fusion reflector for use by the blind amateurs. According to
Douggie, G7CDA, one of the Fusion Group administrators, a WiresX room
is now bridged to the YSF reflector around the clock. He said the
network has become a busy place, where Doc chairs the regular 10 a.m.
daily nets. Douggie told Newsline that the WiresX Room is being used increasingly by both blind and sighted hams, as well as members and non-members of the Blind Vets UK organisation. It's growing, he said,
"at some rate of knots."

Don't worry, there is plenty of room for even more hams to join in.
WiresX Room 44222 is called BLIND-VETS NWFG, and the reflector is YSF
number 42233 which is called GB-BLIND-VETS. The North West Fusion
Group also has a presence in the United States and at least one
gateway there is usually connected to the group network.

Douggie told Newsline: "Anyone can call in the network or join the
nets where they will be made most welcome."

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

(DOUGGIE LANCASTER G7CDA)

**

POPULAR DIGITAL NET MOVES TO NEW TIME SLOT

JIM/ANCHOR: In the U.S., the popular net known as the All Things
Digital After Net is on the move. It's staying on Reflector 58 B, but
will now meet at 6 p.m. Central Time in the U.S. on Tuesdays. The
change is being made to accommodate a work-schedule conflict. The net
control is El Erby, K4DJL. All hams with an interest in any digital
radio mode are welcome to check in.

(DARYL STOUT WX4QZ)

**

SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCES 119 NEWLY LICENSED HAMS

JIM/ANCHOR: After several months of delays in testing, South Africa
has finally welcomed some new hams to the bands. John Williams,
VK4JJW, tells us about them.

JOHN: Congratulations to the 119 new amateur radio operators in South
Africa. The new hams have successfully completed the recent Radio
Amateurs Exam, a 60-question test held for the Class A licence on the
29th of August, following a delay from May as a result of the
pandemic.

Relaying the details given by Noel Hammond ZR6DX, the South African
Radio League said that 124 tests were given at 27 exam centres under
special COVID-19 protocols that included holding a morning and an
afternoon session.

The 119 successful candidates have since been emailed the results.
Before taking the written test, the candidates were required to
complete a Practical Operating Assessment and evaluated by two HF
Assessors, carefully done in accordance with pandemic restrictions.

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

(SARL, SOUTHGATE)

**

ARKANSAS HAM OFFERS NEW AMATEUR RADIO TV CHANNEL

JIM/ANCHOR: There are many conventional ways to promote amateur
radio: workshops, hamfests, YouTube videos and of course Elmering.
But how about a ham radio channel on the Roku digital media player?
Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, tells us about one ham who's making it happen.

SKEETER: As the administrator and creator of Ozark Digital, a digital
ham radio network based in Arkansas, Curtis, N9INK, is always looking
for ways hams can expand their reach. Hoping to promote the hobby
across generations - and even geography - through creative TV
programming, he has secured a channel on the Roku streaming TV
player. The noncommercial channel is called Amateur Radio Today, and
Curtis is looking to provide viewers with free content - ultimately
around the clock - on anything and everything amateur radio-related.

Curtis told Newsline that what he needs now are more programs. He has
a few pre-recorded videos already up there to get things started, but
he is hoping to fill the schedule of the Amateur Radio Today channel
with how-to videos, interviews, discussions, and maybe - down the
line - a live feed from a DXpedition, whenever that may be
technically possible.

Subject matter can range from digital operation and hotspots, to boat
anchors. There are, of course, technical requirements. Videos should
be in high-definition MP4 format. All content must be reviewed by him
first. He said that live feeds are also possible, but will be carried
with a three-minute delay.

Curtis said his goal isn't just to provide ham radio programming, but
to help provide the hobby with a future filled with enthusiastic,
inquisitive amateurs.

Amateurs interested in providing content should write him at
curtg49@yahoo.com

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

(CURTIS N9INK)
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BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the K7ECI repeater in Mountain Home, Idaho, on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
local time.

**

IN THE UK, A 'VIRTUAL' SUCCESS

PAUL/ANCHOR: One of the newest clubs in the UK has never gathered its
members for a meeting - and that's apparently just fine with
everyone, as we hear from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: It's no secret that virtual amateur radio clubs work. In the
UK, Essex Ham has been successfully doing this since 2011. Now
they've got some company, largely as a product of the COVID-19
pandemic. The Online Amateur Radio Community Club came into being
this past spring following discussions between Francis Hennigan,
M0UKF, and four or five other hams.

Francis tells the club's story on YouTube in an interview with Callum McCormick, M0MCX, noting that the need for a virtual club became
apparent to him in March when he volunteered to assist with remote invigilation of licence exams.

The Online Amateur Radio Club evolved from there. Although it is
predominantly a UK-focused club, membership is not necessarily
limited geographically. Francis told Callum that the club, which has
about 130 members, is hoping especially to reach into the community
of younger hams. Weekly nets are already being held on the digital
modes, including DMR, D-STAR, Echolink, and Fusion.

He said there are no fees, because there are no costs. Even though
the club is only a few months old, organisers are already setting up
a ‘buddy system’ to support new members. The club begins its
intermediate level training course on the 28th September.

For more details about the Online Amateur Radio Community Club, visit
their Twitter feed, which is, “@M0OUK.”

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

(CALLUM MCCORMICK M0MCX ON YOUTUBE)

**

CHECK-IN OPPORTUNITIES EXPAND FOR BLIND HAMS DIGITAL NET

PAUL/ANCHOR: Check-in opportunities have expanded for the Blind Hams
Digital Net which has added a network bridge - and a whole lot more.
Jack Parker, W8ISH, gives us the details.

JACK: The Blind Hams DMR Net had a quiet beginning but now its voices
are everywhere. On that first day - April 7, 2018 -- only three
amateurs checked in. The net was simply an idea that grew out of an
online discussion hams were having on a mail server but it was soon
to grow to be even more.

It is now known as the Blind Hams Digital Net, and has an
international reach with an average of 50 check-ins, a group that
sometimes climbs to 76. The establishment of the Blind Hams Network
Bridge gave more room to grow, and there are now eight nets on the
bridge. The hams also have a presence on Brandmeister TalkGroup
31679. Thanks to Patrick KE4DYI, the connections support DMR, D-STAR,
Fusion, AllStar, EchoLink, Peanut, and Wires-X.

More recently, the group added a YouTube channel that includes a
roundtable discussion called "CQ Blind Hams," and a podcast of the
same name has also been created.

The blind hams group has a strong advocacy voice off the air as well.
Roger Clark, VK3KYY, and a team of programmers pressed for the use of
open GD77 firmware and programming software to make a Radioddity HT
more easily programmable by blind users. In Germany, Ian, DJ0HF,
created MP3 tutorials, and PDF files to guide users.

No radio? No problem! Even without a radio, hams can still be part of
the action. Hams who are not on the air can join via the Peanut
smartphone App, or just listen to the chatter using their Alexa
device, or they can stream audio from the bridge using their
computers.

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

(JOEL CASE W0CAS)

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE HOTSPOT, PI, SBC AND ZOOM NET

PAUL/ANCHOR: In our occasional series Nets of Note, shining a
spotlight on nets of particular interest, Newsline looks this week at
one net that functions as a digital helping hand to demystify the
various modes. It's called the Hotspot, Pi, SBC, and Zoom Net. Hams
check in on Mondays at 10 p.m. Eastern Time on the QuadNet Array.

The net was created as the Raspberry Pi Net to assist with setup and operation, using Single Board Computers like the popular Raspberry
Pi. Daryl, WX4QZ, and Steven, KC9SIO, are serving temporarily as net
control stations, standing in for Ted VE7LEE. It's all about
camaraderie, communications, and of course, questions and answers.

(DARYL STOUT WX4QZ)
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CITIZEN SCIENCE CONTRIBUTES TO SPACE WEATHER STUDY

NEIL/ANCHOR: When it comes to predicting coronal mass ejections,
occasionally it's better NOT to be a scientist. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
tells us why.

JEREMY: Citizen science has proven invaluable to researchers at the
University of Reading in their search for a more accurate way to
forecast coronal mass ejections. Thousands of volunteer participants
in the Stormwatch citizen science project have been sending
researchers their observations about previous CME images captured by
special wide-angle cameras on spacecraft since the project began in
2010. The scientists then combined these observations with their own forecasting methods, making use of the additional information.

According to an article in Science Daily, this model increased
accuracy of solar storm predictions by 20%, supporting researchers'
theory that the inclusion of imaging cameras on future space weather monitoring missions by ESA and NASA would be beneficial. The team also
found that forecasts' uncertainty was reduced by 15 percent as a
result of the volunteers' input which provided a better sense of the trajectory and shape of the solar storm.

The results of the study were originally published in AGU Advances.

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

(SCIENCE DAILY)

**

CW CONTEST IS SLOW SPEED BUT FAST-GROWING

NEIL/ANCHOR: What are you doing on Sunday nights? Try slowing down!
Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, explains.

KEVIN: The K1USN Radio Club doesn't believe good things should be
rushed - not even contests. That's why their new slow-speed CW contest
- known as the SST - will go at as leisurely a pace as radio operators
need it to be. Based on feedback from its inaugural one-hour event
held on September 13th, the contest is being held every week at 0000
to 0100 UTC Mondays, which in the United States takes place from 8
p.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays. According to the club website,
the leisurely pace also allows for friendly greetings between
operators and not just a hasty exchange of information.

The nonprofit club comprises civilian radio enthusiasts, as well as
former and active members of the military. The contest is designed to
be especially welcoming to those who are new at CW.

For more details visit triple w dot kay one you ess en dot com
(www.k1usn.com)

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

(K1USN)

**

NEW AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS GET NEW ONLINE RESOURCE

NEIL/ANCHOR: There is a new resource in Australia for licensees who
have more questions than answers right now. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, picks
up the story from here.

JIM: Newcomers have more questions than answers when they first get
their licence to get on the air and clubs can't be everywhere,
offering the one-on-one support most newbies need. The Radio Amateur
Society of Australia has made an online collection of knowledge-based
articles available to newcomers, hoping it will help fill the support
gap many of them encounter.

The free resource is called the Amateur Radio Tech Support Service,
and it offers detailed information on how to set up a station, how to understand what kind of antenna you may need, DXing, complying with regulations and of course dealing with interference. There is also an
online guidebook for newcomers called "Welcome to Amateur Radio."

The website notes that the service is presently in the pilot stage and
if it proves successful, it may be expanded. Look for the link to this
tech support service in the printed version of this script on our
website, arnewsline.org

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

[PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: https://amateurradiotechsupport.freshdesk.com/support/home ]

(SOUTHGATE)
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DELAYED LAUNCH OF 2 CHINESE AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, if you were awaiting the scheduled launch
of the latest two Chinese Amateur Radio satellites, it looks like
you'll be waiting until spring of next year. CAMSAT, the Chinese
Amateur Satellite Group, has announced that CAS-7A has been postponed
until May and CAS-5A won't launch until June. The delay is the latest
in a series for CAS-7A.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

TELEPHONE PIONEERS DIAL UP ENTHUSIASM FOR QSO PARTY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: This month you'll get an opportunity to operate by
phone - but it's not what you think. Jack Parker, W8ISH, explains.

JACK: It pays to be an amateur radio operator who has also worked for
one of the telephone-related businesses in the United States. These
hams get to operate phone while celebrating phones. On Monday, the
19th of October, the Telephone Pioneer QSO Party will be getting on
the air for eight hours, beginning at 1800 UTC for their 56th annual
event.

You don't need to be affiliated with any of the phone companies to
score a contact. Operators will be using all modes, including the
digital modes. In fact, for the first hour, the only contacts
happening will be on FT-8, with that hour reserved exclusively for
this digital mode.

For more details, visit the website tpqso dot com (tpqso.com). Whether
you once worked for the phone company - or still do - and even if you
never have, listen for someone calling QRZ and with any luck, you
won't hear a pileup or a busy signal.

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

(TELEPHONE PIONEERS)

**

WISCONSIN HAM CLUB's MOBILE UNIT GOES PUBLIC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In LaCrosse, Wisconsin, one ham club was inviting
everyone to "get on the bus" by rolling out their new emcomm unit.
Here's Dave Parks, WB8ODF, with that report.

DAVE: When does an open house party become an open BUS party? When the location is a new mobile communications unit for a ham radio group and
the vehicle happens to be a bus. The Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association, W9MVA, in LaCrosse, Wisconsin welcomed visitors to its
new shack on wheels, which serves as an emergency communications unit.
It also functions as a kind of school bus because it demonstrates
radio technology to youngsters.

Although the mobile unit was active in June when some of the hams
participated in Field Day, it received hams and other visitors
formally during its more low-key public rollout at the open house held
by the club on Saturday September 26th.

The custom-made bus has UHF, VHF and HF beam antennas, as well as
dipoles and can also operate in conjunction with two portable antenna
towers.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(WKBT)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Adrien, F4IHM, is using the call sign 5U4IHM, from
Niger where he is on a mission assignment. He will be mainly on 40 and
20 metres, using CW and FT8. Send QSLs to his home call, direct or via
the REF Bureau.

From Kuwait, be listening for Abdallah, 9K2GS, who will use the call
sign 9K2K during the CQWW DX SSB Contest on October 24th and 25th.
Send QSLs to EC6DX or by LoTW.

Listen for the special event call sign EN100LT, being used by hams in
Ukraine to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Kharkiv Theater for
Children and Youth. The special event began in September, and will
continue until March 31st of 2021. Send QSLs to UT5LU. There is an
award available. For details see QR Zed.com

(OHIO PENN DX)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K2ADA repeater
in Ocala, Florida, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. local time.

**

RSGB VIDEOS GO BACK TO BASICS FOR NEWCOMERS

JIM/ANCHOR: Newly licensed hams in the UK are finding videos to be an increasingly valuable tool in shack lately. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has more
on that story.

JEREMY: The Radio Society of Great Britain is taking amateur radio back to basics in the hopes of helping beginners. The society has produced a six-
part series of videos for the thousands of new Foundation licence-holders
who were successfully tested via remote invigilation but were not required
to take practical assessments.

That's where the videos come in with their practical advice and a look at
how to do things, hands-on.

Amateurs such as Rob, M0VFC, Bob, G0FGX, and Dan, M0WUT, take the
beginners through the basics of setting up a station, and making that
first contact on FM and on SSB. Other videos show how to adjust an
antenna's length for the lowest SWR and how to use an antenna matching
unit or tuner. Another video introduces the digital modes.

For hams who would prefer to view all the basics in one sitting, the
society has also produced a full 30-minute video highlighting all six
skills. All the videos can be seen at rsgb.org/foundation-practicals.

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

(HEATHER PARSONS, RSGB)

**

HAM'S CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE MARTIAN KIND

JIM/ANCHOR: There's something to be said for proximity. The planet Mars is approximately 38.59 million miles from Earth, according to NASA, its
closest approach until 2035. That means NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter
is close by too - relatively speaking. The orbiter, which flies just 274
km, or 170 miles, above the surface of the planet, communicates with Deep Space Network antennas on the earth via radio. Recently, however Scott
Tilley, VE7TIL, reported he picked up its signal too, using a 60 cm dish
in his backyard in British Columbia.

Tilley, who is also a satellite radio enthusiast who hunts lost "zombie" satellites and spy satellites, is calling it a close encounter of the best kind.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

THAILAND'S KING GETS LICENSE, SHACK AND ON THE AIR

JIM/ANCHOR: If you find yourself feeling a bit like royalty when you're in your shack, consider the king of Thailand. He *is* royalty - and now he's feeling like an amateur radio operator - because he is one! Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, has that story.

JASON: Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn, officially known as King Rama
X, received his crown in May of 2019. Now he's also got an amateur radio callsign. On the air, His Majesty is known as HS10A.

At a ceremony held recently in Bangkok in the Dusit Palace, the king
received donations of an ICOM IC-7300 transceiver for HF and an Icom-9700
for VHF/UHF. He also received a variety of antennas and other equipment
for the royal shack.

The advanced class licence and the callsign became his on Sept. 24 at a ceremony attended by the nation's communications regulator, the NBTC Secretariat, represented by General Sukit Khamasundara, and the Radio
Amateur Society of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of His Majesty the
King, led by its president, Jakkree Hantongkom, HS1FVL.

Be listening on the air for the callsign HS10A. That's not just the king
of Thailand, but the patron of the nation's radio society.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

CALIFORNIA CLUB SERVES AS RADIO AMBASSADORS

JIM/ANCHOR: Sometimes the best introduction to ham radio is....non-ham
radio! One club in California is counting on that, as Ralph Squillace,
KK6ITB, explains.

RALPH: The El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club hopes that having a booth
at the recent National Night Out in Pollock Pines, California was
compelling enough to give people a good impression about ham radio. But
just in case, the club brought along something perhaps even more
compelling: some radios to give away. No, these weren't amateur radios.
They were the low-power, license-free Family Radio Service, or FRS,
handhelds used often by hikers and campers and - the club hopes - kids. Youngsters won the radios in drawings the club held at the October 3rd
event and were soon on the air, spelling out their names in the
International Phonetic Alphabet. These are the same kind of handhelds used
in combination with GMRS radios in the local Neighborhood Radio Watch
public safety program the club implemented.

The club's public information officer Alan Thompson, W6WN, told Newsline
that its Neighborhood Watch has - quite unexpectedly - become a potent recruiting tool for new hams. Sometimes, after all, starting with low
power can make a high-power impression, especially with the youngest
future radio operators.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(ALAN THOMPSON W6WN)
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HISTORIC TRANSMITTER TO MARK UNITED NATIONS DAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're interested in history, you might want to tune in to 17.2 kHz a little later this month. There's a special international
message headed your way from Sweden. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, picks up the story from here.

ED: If you're capable of receiving 17.2 kHz and you know CW, there's a
message waiting for you on October 24th. It's being transmitted from the Alexanderson Alternator SAQ in Grimeton, Sweden and it's being sent in
honour of United Nations Day. UN Day marks the creation in 1945 of this international body to promote world peace.

The very low frequency transmitter is far older than the UN. It was built starting in 1922 and is the last surviving example of Anderson Alternator technology that works. The transmitted message will begin at 1500 UTC. QSL reports can be made online using a form that will be open from October
24th until November 6th.

Meanwhile, if you'd rather make contact on the HF bands, listen for
amateur radio station SK6SAQ which will be on the air sending CW on 7.035
MHz and 14.035 MHz. Of course if you don't know CW you can make contact on
SSB on 3.755 MHz. QSLs can be sent via email to info at alexander dot n
dot se (info@alexander.n.se), via the bureau or by mail to the address on their QRZ page.

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

(SOUTHGATE)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WR6AAC repeater
in Lake Forest, California, on Tuesdays at 6:45 p.m. local time.

**

HAMS IN AUSTRALIA MARK POLIO'S END IN AFRICA

PAUL/ANCHOR: A successful public health initiative is something to
celebrate - especially now - and hams in Australia are doing just that.
Here's Graham Kemp, VK4BB, with the details.

GRAHAM: In Australia, amateur radio operators are marking an
accomplishment that takes on special meaning in these pandemic times: the eradication of the polio virus throughout Africa. The World Health Organisation declared Africa's 25 nations, states and territorities to be polio-free as of August 25th.

Lee Moyle, director of the Wireless Institute of Australia, said the activation will begin on the 24th of October, marking World Polio Day. The special event station VK65PFA, will continue until the 24th of November.

For Lee, this takes on special significance because he is also a member of Rotary International which has given high priority to the campaign to wipe
out polio. Rotary members who are also amateur radio operators are also invited to join ROAR, Rotarians of Amateur Radio.

Meanwhile, visit the QRZ page of VK65PFA, for operating and QSL details.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, past president of Brisbane's Mid-City Rotary Club, and VK4BB.

(WIA)

**

AUSTRALIA MAKES CHANGES IN AMATEUR RADIO SYLLABUS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Australia is also making some notable changes in its amateur radio syllabus. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, shares that report.

ROBERT: As part of its latest update to the amateur radio syllabus, the Australian Communications and Media Authority is now giving amateurs the ability to transfer their call sign to another licensee simply by
completing a call sign transfer form online. This permission is granted to
any amateur of any licence class who holds a three-letter call sign. The change is expected to give hams more options and flexibility in managing
call signs and would clearly be useful within families where more than one member is a ham. The application form needs the signature of both parties, however, before it goes to the ACMA. The syllabus changes also remove some
of the historical restrictions on the Foundation licensees from the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K8SCH repeater of the OH-KY-IN Amateur Radio Society, in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. local time. Newsline has played during the TechTalk net for more than
35 years!

**

ASSAULT IN UK AMATEUR OPERATING PORTABLE

NEIL/ANCHOR: In the UK, authorities are looking for four men who assaulted
an amateur operating portable. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: Police in Gloucestershire are looking for information about the assault on a ham who was operating portable last month near Cheltenham. The amateur, whose name and call sign were not made public, was attacked by four men who accused him of spying on them and recording them. A report in the Gloucester Echo said the ham was operating portable from Cleeve Common near Cheltenham at 9:20 on the evening of September 8th.

The report did not say whether the man, who is in his fifties, required medical attention. Police said the assailants left the scene in a Land
Rover.

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

(SOUTHGATE, GLOUCESTER ECHO)

**

NO RESISTANCE TO THIS NEWFOUND SUPERCONDUCTOR

NEIL/ANCHOR: Most of us know about electrical conductors, such as cables and electrical lines. They carry electricity but, of course, it comes at a
price: some of that energy is lost due to resistance. Now a group of New
York researchers is saying things don't necessarily have to be that way. Scientists at the University of Rochester say they have created a superconductor that has no resistance - and unlike most other
superconductors, can operate at room temperature instead of needing to be cooled.

According to an October 15th article posted on the Popular Mechanics
website, this superconductor combines the right amount of pressure with the elements that bond readily. The scientists have squeezed sulphur, carbon,
and hydrogen�carbonaceous sulphur hydride in a diamond anvil, which exerts nearly 300 gigapascals of pressure. Therein lies the catch: that pressure is the equivalent of about 3 million times the Earth's ambient air pressure.

The researchers next task, then, is to tinker with the chemical mix and see
if they can take some of that pressure off.

(POPULAR MECHANICS)

**

AN ECHOLINK NET CELEBRATES ACTRESS HEDY LAMARR

NEIL/ANCHOR: Actress Hedy Lamarr was as noted for her performances as her penchant for inventing in the realm of radio. There's a party for her on Echolink - and Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about it.

JIM: Among radio enthusiasts and fellow tinkerers, the late actress Hedy Lamarr deserved her name up in lights for reasons that had nothing to do
with Hollywood. An inventor with a penchant for technology the star is credited with helping develop a patented radio signaling device used during the Second World War that years later led to GPS, Bluetooth, increased security on mobile phones and Wi-Fi. In 1997 - just three years before her death at the age of 85 - she was given the Electronic Frontier Foundation's Pioneer Award.

On Monday, November 9th, which would have been her 106th birthday, the Echolink ROC-HAM Conference Server is hosting Hedy Lamarr Day with a four-
hour net. Four YL net controllers will be taking check-ins and celebrating
her accomplishments. The net will also be accessible on the DODROPIN Conference Server Node 355800.

For just a short while, Hedy Lamarr will also be back on the screen - the small screen in this case. Organizer John DeRycke, W2JLD, told Newsline that the event will be streamed on YouTube's World Amateur Radio Day channel. It will also be heard on Broadcastify.

Be watching Netlogger - and be listening on EchoLink -- for the call sign
N9H, and visit the QRZ page for details about a special event QSL card.

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

**

RSGB ANNOUNCES NEW UK HAMS, UPGRADES ACHIEVED REMOTELY

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the newest hams across the Pond in the UK. A Twitter announcement by the Radio Society of Great Britain reports that
2,000 hams have passed their Foundation exams via remote invigilation. Big congrats as well to the 268 amateurs who were able to upgrade to
Intermediate level in the same manner. The remote exams were put in place in April in response to the pandemic.

(SOUTHGATE, TWITTER)
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GERMAN TOWN PREPARES FOR 'GOLDEN ANTENNA' HUMANITARIAN AWARD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: One town in Germany is preparing to recognize an amateur
radio operator for extraordinary humanitarian efforts. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, brings us that story.

ED: Who wouldn't wish for a golden antenna? In this case, it's the name
of an award, not the description of a high-end Yagi or beam atop some
lucky ham's tower. The town of Bad Bentheim in Germany has a 50-year
tradition of recognizing the great public service ham radio provides
to the community, and in the past, it has hosted Deutsch-Niederl�ndische Amateurfunker Tage (DNAT), or German-Dutch Amateur Radio Days.

This year, the mayor is taking things a step further because of the extra challenges posed by COVID-19. The Golden Antenna Award, a humanitarian
award known locally as Gouden Antenne, will be presented by the mayor,
and awards committee to the ham or hams who have answered amateur radio's highest calling.

In 2018, Mayor Volker Pannen presented it to Johan Jongbloed, PA3JEM, recognising his rescue work as part of an international amateur radio
team assisting after the devastating Nepal earthquake.

Nominations can be made until April 1, 2021. The award will be presented
in August, and the winner will be invited to Bad Bentheim. As Johan said
during the 2018 ceremony "when the going gets tough, hams get going."

Links and addresses for submissions appear in the printed version of this script on our website and arnewsline.org.

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

[FOR PRINT ONLY: Mail nominations to Stadt Bad Bentheim, P.O. Box 1452,
D-48445 Bad Bentheim, Germany. Email nominations to juerriens@stadt-badbentheim.de]

(SOUTHGATE, TWITTER, ARRL)

**

TIME FOR HAMVENTION AWARD NOMINATIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Speaking of awards, if you've already got Hamvention 2021
on your mind - and who doesn't? - it's OK to start thinking about
Hamvention awards right now. Phil Thomas, W8RMJ, explains.

PHIL: Nominations for awards at Hamvention 2021 are set to open this
Sunday, November the 1st.

The awards committee will be accepting nominations for "Club of the Year," "Technical Achievement,"Special Achievement," and the prestigious "Amateur
of the Year Award."

The nomination period for each award will be open until Monday, February
the 15th, 2021.

Hamvention awards have been held since 1956.

Of note, the Dayton Hamvention was first held in 1952.

Entry forms are available on the Hamvention website at: hamvention.org

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Phil Thomas, W8RMJ.

**

YL CONTEST HONORS MEMORY OF BELOVED SILENT KEY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the spirit of friendship and remembrance, an
international group of YLs is running a contest in memory of the
Silent Key, who died before she could see it come to fruition.
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: November 3rd will mark one year since the death of Carine DuBois, F5ISY, who was part of a circle of YLs around the world, who were close
despite geographical distance. On the weekend of November 7th and 8th,
Carine's friends are running a contest, The Day of the YLs, on the HF
and VHF bands, to promote the kind of YL activity Carine herself
encouraged. Operating modes will be CW, SSB, FT8, and RTTY. YLs, OMs, and shortwave listeners are encouraged to participate. Logs must be submitted
no later than the 16th of November. Awards will be given to all
participants who collect at least 33 points for contacts with YLs.

For details, visit the Day of the YLs Facebook page.

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

(JENNI JONES M0HZT)

**

PENNSYLVANIA AMATEURS CELEBRATE PROFESSIONALS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's time for radio amateurs to celebrate radio
professionals. In the U.S., hams are marking the 100th anniversary
of commercial broadcast station KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us more.

KEVIN: Pennsylvania AM radio station KDKA has been on the air
continuously since reporting the presidential election results of
the 1920 contest between Warren G. Harding and James Middleton Cox.
Ham clubs in the Pittsburgh area are marking the occasion, with a
full month of special-event activations. There's an especially good
reason hams take a special interest in KDKA. It first went on the air
as an amateur radio station in 1916, using the call sign 8XK, and was
operated by Frank Conrad, assistant chief engineer of Westinghouse
Electric and Manufacturing Company.

Be listening all month for special-event stations from Pittsburgh area
clubs such as the North Hills Amateur Radio Club, the Panther Amateur
Radio Club, the Steel City Amateur Radio Club and the Wireless
Association of South Hills. Beyond Pittsburgh, hams will be
participating from the Skyview Radio Society, the Butler County
Amateur Radio Public Service Group, and the Washington Amateur
Communications Radio Club. Be listening for such call signs as K3A,
K3D, K3K, and W8XK.

A full schedule and other details can be found on the QRZ.COM page for
W8XK or at kdka100.org.

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

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K3ALG repeater
in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. local time.

**

PERU SELLING AMATEUR RADIO FREQUENCIES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Peru has become one more nation to sell off part of the
spectrum used by radio amateurs so it can be used for 5G mobile technology. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: Amateur radio operators and other users of the 3.5 GHz spectrum in
Peru are losing access to the frequencies in the range between 3.3 GHz and
3.8 GHZ.

The MTC, Peru�s transport and communications ministry, will instead permit
the frequencies to be used by telecom operators who want to provide such mobile broadband services as 5G. The decsion was made in October but the spectrum sale for 5G technology is not expected until the first half of
2021. Frequencies between 24.2 GHz and 25.5 GHz will also be tendered.

Jos� Aguilar, MTC�s general director of communications policies and regulation, issued a statement saying: [quote] �Now there is a possibility
of making better use of this band, which will benefit more Peruvians with modern services and will encourage private investment in the sector." [endquote]

The 3.5 GHz frequencies presently used by Peruvian hams is the frequency 5G services are being assigned by regulators worldwide.

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

(WIA, BNAMERICAS)

**

HAM RADIO CYCLING ENTHUSIASTS RAISE FUNDS FOR RESEARCH

NEIL/ANCHOR: A group of Austrailian hams went bicycle mobile for a worthy cause. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, has that story.

ROBERT: Members of the Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Group VK3CMZ
are counting the dollars raised last month when the BAREC Pedal Radio Group took on the challenge to raise money to help the Children's Medical
Research Insitute fight childhood cancer. The hams' participation in the
Great Cycle Challenge in October brought in about $700 and covered more
than 250 kilometres.

Graeme Knight, VK3GRK, said that the Pedal Radio Group grew out of club members who share another great interest beyond radio: cycling for health, fitness and social activity. Graeme said that the group is also a great way
to increase awareness about amateur radio because the cyclists are out and about in the community and are highly visible.

Ah, but don't forget radio here: During the October event, in between their rides, the hams had QSOs on some of the local nets to let listeners and
other club members know that they were on their cycles - and they were on a roll!

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(BAREC)

**

FLYING PIGS QRP CLUB HOSTS 'RUN FOR THE BACON' CONTEST

NEIL/ANCHOR: Every month a group of CW operators engage in some friendly competition. Some might say they're....pig-headed about it. Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, explains.

SKEETER: With the arrival of November, it's almost time again for what CW enthusiasts are calling PIG-nacious fun: It's the monthly "run for the
bacon" QRP contest. Held on the third Sunday night of each month, it's a source of pride for its organizer, the appropriately named Flying Pigs QRP Club International W8PIG. This high-energy contest has a low-power requirement: Contacts must be made using 5 watts or less. Competitors are encouraged to go whole hog: Working 50 or more piggies qualifies you for a multiplier of two. That's not so difficult, really: It's OK to work the
same contact on different bands for credit toward the multiplier. The two-
hour contest begins at 2300 UTC. For more details visit
qrpcontest.com/pigrun/

Pigs may not be able to fly yet, but at least they can get on the air.

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

(FLYING PIGS QRP CLUB)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K5DUR repeater in Rowlett, Texas, on Sundays at 7 p.m. local time.

**

FLORIDA CLUB'S HOMEBREW PROJECT IS ITS TRAILER

JIM/ANCHOR: If an emergency trailer is considered home to amateurs who
belong to ARES, then this next story is surely about a home-improvement project. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, explains.

KEVIN: The latest homebrew project by members of Clay County Amateur Radio Emergency Services isn't a custom rig or a special antenna. The Florida ARES group is busy refurbishing its radio shack on wheels, a communications
trailer that was donated to them after it was retired from service by the county's Emergency Operations Center.

Clay ARES members have been spending time outfitting the trailer with their own state-of-the-art communications equipment, and transforming it into a command center that will also accommodate hams' overnight stays in extreme emergencies.

Scott Roberts, KK4ECR, the public information officer for Clay ARES, told
Clay Today Online that while the trailer can be deployed if necessary to
help in emergencies, the hams want to enhance its capabilities in voice, satellite, digital communications, email and texting over the air. The
trailer will also be used to train new and future hams.

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

(CLAY TODAY ONLINE)

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE AUSTRALIAN CULTURE NET, 'DINKY DI'

JIM/ANCHOR: In our occasional series, Nets of Note, which looks at
interesting and creative ways amateurs gather on the air, we visit a group
of radio operators in Australia whose thoughts - and words - have been
turning to poetry lately. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, picks up the story from
here.

JASON: Sunday nights will never be the same in VK2. For the past two months, amateurs have been getting on the air at 1900 hours Australian Eastern Standard Time to read poetry to one another. It's not just a Sunday night poetry fest but a time for jokes, yarns, quizzes, and memorable stories from history. The inspiring force behind this so-called Dinky Di (pronounced:
DIE) or Culture Net is Peter O'Brien, VK2DIE, a fan of Australian Bush
Poetry who one night shared the classic work, "The Man from Snowy River," by poet Banjo Paterson, during a Snowy Mountains Amateur Radio Club net. That
got things rolling.

Angelo, VK2NWT, told Newsline that poetry has now been happening on the air regularly -- with rhyme and with reason: The net has begun to grow in popularity in the New South Wales Far South Coast and Monaro region. It
lasts about an hour, and Peter coordinates the discussion. So if you're not averse to a little verse, consider joining the net on VK2RSE at 147.375 MHz, VK2RFS 146.760 MHz or VK3RDH at 146.625 MHz. None of the repeaters require a tone. If you're not local but have access to IRLP, join in via Node 6211.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(WIA, ANGELO GIUFFRE VK2NWT)

***

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, a disappointment for DX chasers. The KX0X DXpedition to Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean has been cancelled. Clublog lists the Norwegian volcanic island as the 75th most wanted DX in its recently updated list. The team announced on DX-World that it will be refunding donors' contributions shortly.

However, Erik, LA2US, who has been active on Jan Mayen Island as JX2US since mid-October, has logged more than 6,200 QSOs. He is operating CW and some
FT8 in F/H submode through March 2021. QSL only via ClubLog OQRS. He will upload to LoTW after his return home in April.

Be listening for the callsign DP0GVN from the German Antarctic research station Neumayer-III, where Theresa, DC1TH, will soon be on the air. Theresa will be making QSOs via the amateur radio transponder on board the QO-100 geostationary satellite. The ground station for the satellite was provided last year by AMSAT-DL. QSL to DL5EBE, direct or via the DARC QSL bureau.
Logs are also uploaded to LotW intermittently.

Finally, in case you had plans to listen for David, F8AAN, operating as FS/F8AAN from St. Martin Island starting November 18th, be advised he has cancelled his plans because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(SOUTHGATE, DX-WORLD)
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UK 'CARE' CAMPAIGN ADDS FOCUS FOR HOLIDAY SEASON

DON/ANCHOR: What's the best gift you can give a ham for Christmas this
year? A campaign in the UK called "Get on the Air To Care," has a
suggestion. It's "Get on the Air for Christmas" -- and Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
has the details.

JEREMY: Organisers are calling it "Get on the Air for Christmas" and the campaign is an offshoot of the highly successful "Get on the Air to Care" joint programme of the National Health Service and the Radio Society of
Great Britain.

While "Get on the Air to Care" was a special plea to amateurs to step up
their on-air activities during the first pandemic lockdown to ease the situation for lonely amateurs, the focus during the holiday period will
be to bring some good cheer if the lockdown is extended, as it will
surely curtail celebrations between friends and family. Organisers want
hams to be extra active during the holiday period between Saturday, the
19th of December, and Saturday, the 9th of January. The radio society's website will be posting the schedules and information about special nets
being held on Christmas Day and Boxing Day in particular - or at any
other time during the season - and is asking for clubs to email their
details as soon as possible. The nets will also be publicised in the next issue of RadCom and in the GB2RS news broadcasts.

The email address is radcom at rsgb dot org dot uk (radcom@rsgb.org.uk).

Get on the Air for Christmas has also launched two Christmas Hope QSO
Parties, one that begins on Monday the 21st of December and another that begins on Monday the 4th of January. Look online for hashtag G O T A 4 C
to follow this campaign.

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

(SOUTHGATE, RSGB)

**

COLORADO HAM CLUB HOSTS FIVE DAYS OF SANTA

DON/ANCHOR: In Colorado, one radio operator who has as much heart as
holiday spirit is reprising a role he played once - many years ago --
only this time he's going on the air to make it happen. Jack Parker,
W8ISH, tells us about him.

JACK: It's been a long time since Chuck K0ITP (K ZERO I T P) put on a
Santa suit. That was years ago at an event at a country club in Peoria, Illinois. This year, however, the president of the Longmont Amateur Radio
Club in Colorado is hopping back on the sleigh to bring Santa to children
via amateur radio. He plans to be on the air on the club repeaters
between 6 and 7 p.m. Mountain Time on December 1st through 5th. Licensed
hams are invited to share their shack with a youngster - perhaps a child
or grandchild - who will likely be missing out on some of the traditional events or seeing Santa in person because of the COVID-19 precautions.
Chuck said he will make sure they still have a chance to talk to Santa by getting on the air with a licensed amateur.

Chuck told the local newspaper, the Times-Call, that the club is hosting
this event for the first time because members are also hoping to give
children an early holiday gift: the gift of an interest in amateur radio.
He said it will give parents a chance to hear what their kids want to
find under the tree.

Local hams can visit the club website for repeater information at W Zero
E N O dot org (w0eno.org) The repeaters are also on EchoLink Node 8305.

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

(CHUCK POCH K0ITP, THE TIMES-CALL NEWSPAPER)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, it seems the world's most remote island will remain inaccessible for a bit longer to amateur radio. The Rebel DX Group had
hoped to activate Bouvet Island as Three-Y-Zero-Eye (3Y0I) by the end of
this year but operators are unable to travel because of COVID-19
restrictions. The group said on its website that their equipment remains
in South Africa, and if restrictions are lifted before the conclusion of
the Antarctic summer they hope to be ready. For updates visit the website bouvetoya.org

Time is running out to work Mike, VK4DX, as VK4DX/P on Russell Island.
His activation ends on November 24th. Be listening on 40-15 metres where
he will be operating SSB and CW using 100 watts and wire antennas. Send
QSLs via the bureau, ClubLog, Logbook of the World or direct mail.

Be listening for special event stations 7Z20G, 8Z20G, and HZ20G, being activated by members of the Saudi Amateur Radio Society during the G20
Riyadh summit in the capital city of Saudi Arabia. The summit began Nov.
13th and will conclude on the 23rd. QSL via LoTW or direct to the Saudi Amateur Radio Society.

In Indonesia, listen on various HF bands and modes for special event
station 8A10N to celebrate that nation's "National Heroes Day 2020." The station is being operated by YH3BHL through December 10th. Send QSLs via
LoTW or eQSL.

(OHIO PENN DX, REBEL DX GROUP, VK4DX website)
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IOWA STUDENTS TRACK BALLOON'S GLOBAL TREK

PAUL/ANCHOR: Youngsters in Iowa got a lesson in world travel and amateur
radio recently, thanks to an adventurous balloon they launched as a
science project. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: A group of science students in Pella, Iowa feel like they've been around the world - and in a way, they have. It took 13 days, 2 hours and
8 minutes for the 150 fifth-graders from the Jefferson Intermediate
School to complete the journey on November 18th that involved crossings
over the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Yellow Sea and the
Pacific Ocean.

The students stayed home, of course, but their hearts and minds traveled
with a helium-filled scientific balloon they'd launched with support
from the Pella Amateur Radio Club. It was launched carrying a SkyTracker
with APRS that had been designed and built by Bill Brown, WB8ELK. The
Near Space balloon transmitted on 2 metres as it carried the callsign
WB0URW-8 around the world as the students kept tabs on it on their
computers and smartphones.

Jim Emmert, WB0URW, said that with financing from local foundations, the
Pella club has been working with students at the school for a while now, presenting various lessons in the fields of earth science and amateur
radio technology. The balloon - the latest such venture - was a success.

Not one to rest on its helium-filled laurels, the balloon returned home, according to Jim, only to embark on its second such journey.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(JIM EMMERT WB0URW)

**

ISS PREPS FOR SLOW-SCAN TV TRANSMISSION

PAUL/ANCHOR: Get ready for some Slow-Scan TV. The International Space
Station is scheduled to have an SSTV transmission on Tuesday, December
1st starting at 12:30 UTC until 18:25 UTC. There will be a second
transmission on Wednesday, December 2nd from 11:50 UTC until 18:25 UTC.
Listen for SSTV signals to be downlinked at 145.800 MHz +/- Doppler
shift. The mode of transmission is expected to be PD 120.

You will be able to post your images in the online ARISS SSTV gallery.
For updates on this event, follow the Twitter account with the handle at-symbol ARISS underscore status (@ARISS_status).

(AMSAT)

**

AM ENTHUSIASTS IN EUROPE SET DATE FOR QSO PARTY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Organizers of this next event in Europe aren't calling it a contest but a celebration. It's all about AM, as Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
explains.

JEREMY: The coming winter just become a little warmer in Europe. The
Facebook group known as AM Amateur Radio Europe is putting the final
touches to plans for its Winter 2021 AM QSO Party. It will run from
Friday the 22nd of January at 1800 UTC until Sunday the 24th of January
at 1759 UTC. Organisers stress that although points and certificates
will be awarded, this is not a contest; it is designed to encourage conversation between amateurs using the original ham radio voice mode.

Points are awarded for each QSO, and each new DXCC worked, and there are
power categories that accommodate each level of the UK licence.

For details, visit the AM Amateur Radio Europe group's Facebook page.

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

(FACEBOOK)

**

SOTA ACTIVATION, WYONG FIELD DAY ON AUSTRALIA'S HAM CALENDAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: It looks like 2021 is almost here - and with it, two big
events in Australia. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, has those details.

ROBERT: There's good reason hams in Australia can't wait to put 2020
behind them: Plans are already in the works for a SOTA summit activating
event in the Mount Hotham Ski region. This would be the fifth such event
and organisers are looking for expressions of interest from SOTA
members. The event would take place between the 5th and the 8th of
February 2021. No event was held this year because of the bush fires in
the North East and Gippsland. Brian, VK3BCM, asks that interested SOTA activators email him at bcmcdermott at tpg dot com dot au (bcmcdermott@tpg.com.au)

It will be a big month as the Wyong Field Day is happening on Sunday the
28th of February. The 62nd annual event in New South Wales is the
Southern Hemisphere's largest amateur radio event. Radio enthusiasts
from around Australia and from overseas are expected to be there.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(SOTA REFLECTOR, CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
K6SOA Repeater in Laguna Beach, California, on Tuesdays at 8 p.m.
local time.

**

MEET ARN'S INTERNATIONAL NEWSMAKER AWARD WINNER FOR 2020

JIM/ANCHOR: Last year, Newsline conferred its inaugural International Newsmaker of the Year Award with great pride to the West Bengal Radio
Club in India. This year, we are pleased to present it to a team
comprising health service workers and amateur radio operators in the
UK, all responding together to the COVID-19 crisis. Here's Ed Durrant,
DD5LP, who shares our pride in making this announcement.

ED: The winner of Newsline's second annual International Newsmaker of
the Year Award is the Get on the Air to Care project, conceived of by
Paul Devlin G1SMP and operated jointly by the UK's National Health
Service and the Radio Society of Great Britain. Created in response to
the COVID-19 pandemic, the campaign has decreased social isolation in
the UK and around the world by encouraging amateurs to Get On The Air 2
Care - with inactive hams returning and those who always wanted to,
becoming newly licenced amateurs. It also gave rise to this season's
Get On the Air 4 Christmas initiative. Most importantly, though,
#GOTA2C has accomplished something amateurs work so hard to achieve:
the campaign has placed amateur radio front and centre in such
mainstream media channels as the BBC, ITV Wales and major newspapers,
raising amateur radio's profile and attracting new licence-holders even
in this era of remote-testing.

Congratulations to Paul Devlin, G1SMP, who conceived of the idea as
part of the NHS England Emergency Care Improvement Support Team and to
the Radio Society of Great Britain and the National Health Service who
have implemented it. You'll be hearing more from Paul Devlin next week
when Newsline chats with him.

Meanwhile, the RSGB and the NHS have added yet another element to their campaign: an NHS Charity auction beginning December 9th and ending
December 19th at the start of the Get on the Air for Christmas
campaign. One item for auction should surely help amateurs get on the
air to care, even after the holidays. It is a Morse Code key
handcrafted and donated by Roy Bailey, G0VFS, of Trowbridge and
District Amateur Radio Club. Having based his design on the noted semi-automatic Vibroplex, he has dubbed his creation the Virus-
PerpleXed Bug and an engraved decal bears its name. If you wish to participate, visit the Society's website for details. The URL appears
in the printed version of this script on the arnewsline website.

[DO NOT READ, FOR PRINT ONLY: rsgb.org/gota4c]

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

(RSGB)

**

IN LONDON, A TOWER OF GRATITUDE

JIM/ANCHOR: How do you say "thank you?" Try sending Morse Code, as
London's tallest building is doing. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, to tell
us more.

JEREMY: The Shard building, which defines the London skyline, has been
the symbol of the city since its completion seven years ago. It
recently became transformed into a symbol of gratitude - in a way that
ham radio operators, more than most people, can comprehend. At 306-
metres in height, it is the UK's tallest building, which makes its
important message - flashing in blue and white LED lights at the very
top - hard to miss. That message is in Morse Code.

The 575 lights flash, spelling "Thank You," two words directed to the
National Health Service workers whose efforts have helped protect the
British public since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. City dwellers
and visitors have stopped to marvel at the light show since it began on
the night of Thursday, November 26th.

But even London's tallest building isn't above needing a little help.
That help came from the Radio Society of Great Britain. The RSGB
stepped in to verify that all those high profile dits and dahs were
indeed being sent correctly, ensuring that the message's delivery
enjoyed a towering triumph.

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

(SOUTHGATE)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
VK8MA repeater in Australia's Northern Territory on Sundays at 7 p.m.
local time.

**

AMSAT IRELAND SEEKING MEMBERS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With a new callsign and an ambitious agenda, AMSAT
Ireland has launched itself. Here's more from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: After years of planning and waiting, AMSAT Ireland has
announced that its organisation is complete and it has become active
with a callsign of EI2SAT. AMSAT Ireland is now seeking ham radio
operators and other enthusiasts to become members. The organisation is
part of the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, which was
created in the United States in 1969 to support ham radio's
involvement in space research and communication.

The emergence of AMSAT Ireland comes as Ireland prepares for the
launch of its first satellite, EIRSAT-1, the Educational Irish
Research Satellite 1. It is being designed by a team of students in
University College Dublin and academic staff is designing the 2U
CubeSat as part of the European Space Agency's Fly Your Satellite
programme.

Interested hams are asked to visit the website at www amsat dot ie (www.amsat.ie)

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

(SOUTHGATE)

**

CALIFORNIA CLUB NURTURES NEW, RETURNING AMATEURS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Because all hams need mentors, including those
returning to the hobby after many years, one club in California has
devoted itself to the task. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, tells us about them.

PAUL: One of the hot topics in any discussion today about the future
of amateur radio is always, "How do we get more people interested?"
Another is, "Once we get them licensed, how do we keep them
interested?"

One club in California was formed specifically to find some answers to
those questions. Called GOTA Hams, they're a fairly new organization
but they are very active and growing.

I spoke with Vice President Mark Arlotti, KM6AHY, about what the
club�s goals were:

ARLOTTI: GOTA Hams Amateur Radio Club is an active club. We wanted to
put together a group that would be able to put new hams on the air and
even get other hams that maybe had their callsign a while back active
again.

PAUL: Arlotti spoke about club activities. One thing is a regular
�Radio in The Park� event to raise public awareness. Their other
activities are more challenging:

ARLOTTI: We also like to do field ops which is kind of like "Radio in
the Park" but a little more distance. Like we'll go out to the desert
or up to the mountains - we'll do a camping trip and set up a mobile
station totally with batteries and solar panels. Next month in January
we plan on going out to Quartzfest in Arizona.

PAUL: The club also has a very active net on a local repeater:

ARLOTTI: On a nightly basis, we do a ham net at 8PM on the WA6FZH
repeater here in Southern California, and we do a roundtable where we
answer questions and we talk about other things besides ham radio just
to keep people together. We always ask for first-time callers, you
know, and it�s a good opportunity for them to feel free to get on the
air and talk and practice their skills.

PAUL: The club's website is at gotahams dot com - that's G O T A hams
dot com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for members of the ARI Club of
Grosseto, IQ5GR, on the air as IO5CNPP, until the 20th of December.
They are activating in remembrance of the Heroes of the 1986 Chernobyl
Nuclear Power Plant disaster. QSL direct to the address on Q R Zed
.com or by the Bureau to IZ5RHU. A "Heroes of Chernobyl Diploma" is
available. For more details, see Q R Zed .com.

Listen for a group of Senegalese operators on the air as 6V1A from
Goree Island between December the 18th and 20th. They will be on CW
and SSB on all HF bands. QSL using LoTW. If you want a direct QSL
card, you can cover the costs via PayPal at 6 v 1 a dot a r a s at
gmail dot com. (6v1a.aras@gmail.com)

In Bolivia, Antonio, EA5RM, will be active as CP1XRM, between January
9th and 26th, working as a Solidaridad Medica and Radio-amateurs
Without Frontiers NGO volunteer. He will be on the air on SSB and in
the digital modes during his spare time. QSL via LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX)
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SILENT KEY: COLIN HORRABIN G3SBI

NEIL/ANCHOR: A well-known innovator, and the creator of a low-noise receive mixer known as the H-Mode mixer, has become a Silent Key. Jeremy Boot,
G4NJH, tells us about him.

JEREMY: Colin Horrabin, G3SBI, an amateur radio operator known for his development of the H-Mode mixer used in many HF radios, died in late
November at his home in the UK, one month after being diagnosed with
cancer. Colin, who was employed by the Daresbury Nuclear Physics Laboratory before retiring, had been a licenced ham since the age of 16. He held his current call sign since 1963. He notes on his profile page on QRZ.com that although he was enthusiastic about operating mobile SSB, his bigger
interest was in CW, particularly on the LF bands.

The board of the Radio Society of Great Britain awarded him the Bennett
Prize in 1994 for his innovative contributions to the art of radio.

According to the RSGB, his H-Mode mixer formed the core of the CDG2000 high-performance transceiver he co-designed with Dave, G8KBB, and George, G3OGQ. That design was recognised with the Ostermeyer Trophy from the RSGB
in 2003.

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

(RSGB, ARRL, QRZ.COM)

**

REMEMBERING FIRST HAM RADIO SATELLITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Happy 59th birthday OSCAR 1! OSCAR, which stands for Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio, became the first ham radio satellite following its launch on December 12th, 1961. Its orbit was a brief one, lasting only 22 days, but it was embraced by hams around the world. Though
its orbit decayed quickly, more than 570 hams in 28 nations still had time
to report their observations to AMSAT's predecessor, known as Project
OSCAR.

(AMSAT)

**

NEW VHF HANDBOOK AVAILABLE FROM IARU

NEIL/ANCHOR: A new edition of the International Amateur Radio Union's VHF Handbook has recently been published, and it's downloadable as a PDF. This
is version 9 of the handbook and it is based on the actions taken at the
2020 IARU Region 1 virtual General Conference. It contains all the
decisions made regarding the bands at VHF and higher. The handbook's band
plan also shows changes made to 436-438 MHz and covers 145 MHz satellite allocations.

You can find the link for downloading the handbook in this newscast's
printed script at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY: DO NOT READ] https://tinyurl.com/ANS-341-Handbook

(AMSAT-UK)

**

BRAZILIAN REGULATOR CLARIFIES EQUIPMENT APPROVALS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Brazil who enjoy operating with vintage equipment are likely to breathe a sigh of relief at the latest government announcement. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, explains.

JASON: Regulators in Brazil have assured amateur radio operators that an approval process is in place to permit the continued use of older radio equipment past the end-of-year deadline. ANATEL, the national regulator,
had been asked by Brazil's amateur radio organisation, LABRE, to ensure
that an approval process will still continue after this year's December
31st deadline. Hams were concerned that no time period had been identified
for that process. The fate of such equipment became unclear because in some cases, such radios and other devices lack an FCC-ID and are not included on the government's approved list.

In a translation provided on Southgate News, LABRE wrote: [quote] "We now
have the guarantee that old equipment will continue to be type approved in
the current way indefinitely." [endquote] The approval process includes presentation of the manual for any equipment that lacks international certification.

In making the announcement, LABRE reminded all operators that effective January 1st, everyone must still receive approval for continued use of
older equipment.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(SOUTHGATE, LABRE)
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SOMETIMES SATELLITES GROW ON TREES TOO

SKEETER: Another Christmas tree - this one in Canada - is sending its
holiday message via satellite. Well, sort of. It was a project of one
amateur radio club in British Columbia. For that report, we turn to
Newsline's newest team member, Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: The Gulf of Georgia Cannery is a museum in a 19th century
building that highlights the history of the fishing industry on
Canada's West Coast. Inside the building, one of the Christmas trees on display for the cannery's holiday festival puts a spotlight on amateur
radio, using ornament designs that represent CubeSats, transmitted
signals and amateur radio operators themselves. The Richmond Amateur
Radio Club calls its tree "Communicating to One World" and its message
is that amateur radio is a universal experience that uses high tech to
connect people. In keeping with ham ingenuity, many of the ornaments
were homebrew. Club members created them from coasters, printer
cartridges, parts of ballpoint pens, pull tabs from canned food and
other household items.

Although the festival and display ended on December 24th, the interest
in the trees will continue through to the end of the holiday season.
Visitors to the cannery as well as people viewing the trees on Facebook
and Instagram, were encouraged to vote for their favourite tree. The
club is, of course hoping its tree will get a good signal report.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

(RICHMOND NEWS)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station, we are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
K7EFZ repeater in Idaho Falls, Idaho, on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. local time,
after Eagle Rock Emergency Practice Net.

**

EUROPE PREPS FOR SATELLITE CONSTELLATION

SKEETER: Will the new year bring Europe its own system of low-earth
orbit satellites? Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, explores that possibility.

RALPH: With 2021 about to get underway, officials in a number of
European Union nations will begin a feasibility study for a
constellation of low-earth orbit satellites similar to the Starlink
project under way by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Europe's version of the U.S. satellite constellation is envisioned as being able to give people in
isolated areas access to the internet and permit more secure
communications for governments. It would reportedly cost $7.3 billion
in U.S. currency or 6 billion euros.

The development could lead to a rivalry in space broadband coverage as SpaceX's own beta version is said to begin service to Europe by
February or March of 2021. Starlink's goal has been to deploy as many
as 42,000 satellites to bring high-speed internet to different parts of
the globe. Its public beta service presently serves only the northern
U.S. and southern Canada.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(BUSINESS INSIDER, YAHOO)

**

CHINA'S RADIOTELESCOPE WELCOMES THE WORLD

SKEETER: With the Arecibo Observatory gone following its tragic
collapse, China's Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or
FAST, is quickly opening its doors to the world's astronomers. FAST is
the world's largest radiotelescope, taking that status from Arecibo
after its construction was completed in 2016.

According to the French news agency AFP, China's giant telescope is
taking on another role once associated with Arecibo. It is giving the international community of astronomers access to its antennas and radio receivers so they can study radio waves emitted from black holes,
galaxies and stars and even transmit and reflect signals to see what
bounces back.

(AFP, SPACE.COM)

**

RADIO EQUIPMENT STOLEN FROM RUSSIAN 'DOOMSDAY' PLANE

SKEETER/ANCHOR: As hams, we can sympathize with anyone who's got a
serious craving for good radio equipment, but there are times when that craving can go to extremes. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, explains.

ED: The disappearance of military radio equipment at an airfield in the southern region of Rostov, Russia, remains a mystery. All that is known
is that thieves broke into an airplane that was there undergoing
repairs and stole electronics, that included five radio boards and
other equipment.

Perhaps more significantly, the aircraft was a highly classified
Ilyushin Il-80, known as the "doomsday plane." It is one of four such
planes designed to be used in the event of nuclear war. That means that
it would serve as an airborne post for the Russian president who could
get on the air and order the launch of intercontinental ballistic
missiles or issue other orders.

The theft is believed to have occurred sometime between the 26th of
November during the plane's last inspection, and the 4th of December
when the theft was reported to local police.

Further details have not been publicly disclosed about the stolen
equipment but investigators collected shoeprints and fingerprints from
the plane's interior for a possible criminal investigation.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(BBC, SOUTHGATE)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
K3ALG repeater in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, on Sundays at 4:30 p.m.
local time.

**

JAPAN'S HAM COMMUNITY SHRINKS BUT SOUTH AFRICA GAINS NEWCOMERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: It's been a discouraging year for amateur radio in Japan
-- but in South Africa, new amateur radio operators are celebrating
their new privileges. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, reports on both stories.

JASON: The number of licenced amateur radio stations has decreased once
again in Japan, according to Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. There were 389,343 licenced hams this past December, a
drop of 12,837 from December 2019 figures. In that month, there were
402,180 licensed stations but that number as well signified a drop of
about 15,000 from the previous year.

The majority of Japanese radio operators hold a Class 4 licence, which
was introduced as an entry level licence in the 1950s.

Meanwhile, a new group of licenced amateurs is ready to get on the air
in South Africa. Test results are in and the South African Radio League reports there was a 95 percent pass rate for those who sat for the
exam. That means 81 new hams. Two of the candidates took the exam for a
Class B licence, which is the entry level license and is assigned a ZU
prefix.

The next radio amateur exam will be given on May 22, 2021.

Congratulations to all the new hams.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(SARL, HIDEO KAMBAYASHI JH3XCU)

**

SWISS REGULATOR CHANGES LICENSE PROCEDURES

PAUL/ANCHOR: The new year brings some changes for amateur radio
operators in Switzerland but it's mostly procedural. Ed Durrant, DD5LP,
has that story.

ED: In Switzerland, changes have been made under the new
Telecommunications Act affecting the administration of amateur radio operations and related costs. The Swiss regulator Ofcom is moving to a licence-exempt model that will require hams to have a certificate of
ability after passing a qualifying examination. Hams will be charged
110 Swiss francs, or about $122 in US dollars for call sign issuance.
Swiss hams will be required to pay an reduced annual fee of 50 Swiss
francs, or $55 in US dollars, down from 96 Swiss francs for their
annual license. Repeater and remotely operated stations continue to
need to be registered and they will pay a one-time fee of 70 Swiss
francs, or nearly $78 dollars. The same one-time registration fee
applies to systems operating above 1 GHz such as those hams wishing to
use the QO-100 satellite system.

In short, many procedures remain largely unchanged, according to
Switzerland's national amateur radio society. The USKA said in an announcement: [quote] "The path to amateur radio is still the same and
for the already active radio amateurs everything remains as it was.
Only the management of frequencies and the associated terms have been rearranged." [end quote] The changes are in effect beginning January
1st, 2021.

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

(SOUTHGATE, USKA)

**

SWLs AND HAMS AWAIT YOTA AWARDS

PAUL/ANCHOR: December YOTA Month is over and now the wait begins for
the awards. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, picks up the story from here.

ANDY: Youngsters on the Air closed out a very active December YOTA
Month by announcing some good news for hams and shortwave listeners who
chase YOTA stations. YOTA is now providing awards for SWLs as well as transmitting hams. SWLs need to register on the YOTA event website
where they can log QSOs they heard on the air, qualifying them for
awards at bronze, silver, gold and platinum levels. SWLs are also able
to use the website to request QSL cards after entering data about the
QSO they heard. To receive these cards, listeners must have an SWL
callsign and belong to a national society to use its QSL service.

Meanwhile, as December YOTA Month wrapped up its activity, organizers announced that award plaques were going to be presented in seven
categories: Most Stations Contacted in CW; Most Stations Contacted in
SSB; Most Stations Contacted in Digital and Most Stations Contacted.
Awards will also be given to Best Overall Score OM; Best Overall Score
YL and Best Overall Score Youngster for operators younger than 26.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(YOTA)
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SILENT KEY: JAMES GOLDEN KD0AES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular net control operator with the Handiham Program
for disabled amateurs has become a Silent Key. Christian Cudnik, K0STH,
tells us about him.

CHRISTIAN: James Golden, KD0AES, a Life Member of the Handiham Program,
was perhaps best known as net control for the Tuesday Handiham Radio
Club net, a busy gathering place for disabled amateurs like him.
According to his obituary in the Nevada Daily Mail, the Nevada, Missouri
radio operator, who had cerebral palsy, brought such enthusiasm to his
on-air responsibilities that at one point he served as net control for
three nets a week. Grateful for his skill in handling busy traffic in an always-polite manner, a number of amateurs pooled their money to
purchase a Handiham Life Membership for him.

James continued with his activity until two weeks before his death on
December 9th. James Golden, who was 46, died of COVID-19.

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

(HANDIHAM, NEVADA DAILY MAIL)

**

SILENT KEY: LOGGING SOFTWARE DEVELOPER DAVE PRUETT K8CC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We also report the death of NA Contest Logging Software Developer Dave Pruett, K8CC. Dave became a Silent Key on the 29th of
December. A chairman of the Michigan QSO Party and a log-checker for the ARRL's 10-meter and 160-meter contests, Dave's most widely known
contributions were perhaps in the area of contest log development. Early
on, he was the developer of a program for RadioShack computers that
checked logs for duplicate contacts. He also created the NA contest
logging software which is capable of handling a number of contests. He
was also a former editor of the National Contest Journal.

Dave was 66.

(ARRL)

**

SILENT KEY: FORMER RAC PRESIDENT FARRELL (HOPPY) HOPWOOD VE7RD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An influential member of the Canadian Amateur Radio
Community has become a Silent Key. John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us about
his long career.

JOHN: Farrell Hopwood, VE7RD, who had been president of RAC, and a
member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, has become a Silent
Key. Known as Hoppy, he died on December 8th. The son of a telegrapher
father and a Teletype-operator mother, Hoppy began his long career in telecommunications in his native British Columbia in 1948. In 1955,
Hoppy became an amateur radio operator with the call sign VE7AHB. Those
who attended Expo 86 in Vancouver saw the amateur radio station and
exhibit there that was created by Hoppy and his team. An avid DXer, he
was also involved in VHF/UHF linking and packet.

Hoppy became an early member of the Canadian Radio Relay League and the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation, rising through its ranks into
leadership. He also became involved in key discussions to merge the two organisations into the RAC. Hoppy later became president of the RAC,
retiring from the post in 1998 after serving three terms.

He was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

Hoppy was 91.

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

(RAC)

**

NOVA SCOTIA CONTEST WEATHERS THE STORM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A recent winter contest hosted by one Canadian amateur
radio club turned out to be a disaster -- and the members couldn't have
been happier. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, has those details.

KEVIN: The Halifax Amateur Radio Club called their contest the "2-Meter
Get on the Air Winter Event," and it was designed to challenge the hams' ability to stay connected in the face of an emergency. For four hours on January 2nd, it was a dry run for disaster for John Bignell, VE1JMB, the club's director-at-large, and 50 or so other club members. It also
turned out to be a frozen run: the contest went forward despite a heavy snowfall that covered much of Nova Scotia. John, who is also an EHS
Advance Care Paramedic, said the contest underscored the need for hams
to have a reliable communications network when disaster strikes, as it
did in 2017 when Bell Aliant suffered a connection outage of landlines
and cellphones in Eastern Canada.

John told the Saltwire Network website that the contest was also about
having fun but it's important to remember too that when the Red Cross,
rescue teams or ground-search personnel need communications backup, hams should be there and ready. That makes everyone a winner in every
contest.

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

(JOHN BIGNELL VE1JMB)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
N2XPM repeater in Cedarhurst, New York, on Saturdays, at noon local
time.

**

HAMCATION NAMES NEIL RAPP WB9VPG 'EDUCATOR OF YEAR'

JIM/ANCHOR: This next story is a personal one, celebrating one member
of our Newsline family. Our anchor and correspondent, Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG, who teaches high school chemistry in Indiana, has been named
Carole Perry Educator of the Year by Orlando HamCation. Newsline
editor Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, spoke to Neil about his commmitment
to amateur radio education.

CARYN: Licensed since the age of 5, Neil Rapp knows better than most
of us that ham radio is the best teacher.

NEIL: Especially when I got into high school, ham radio helped me
understand science. When I got to Chemistry, when everybody else was
having a hard time, I already knew my metric system, when I got to
Physics, I already knew Ohm's law -- because I did all of that when I
was 5.

CARYN: Those early lessons became the foundation for the path his life
took as sponsor of school ham clubs, in the ARRL Teacher Institute and
as one of the founders and camp director of Youth on the Air for IARU
Region 2. For Neil, ham radio doesn't get old -- it gets YOUNG.

NEIL: Yeah, we do have youth in ham radio, and we do have kids doing
great things with it. There are some opportunities to make sure this continues. It amazes me that the kids that are really into CW at a
time when a lot of people didn't want to learn CW and that's what kept
them out of the hobby. They're also into all these cool new digital
modes that are becoming more efficient and setting the pace for the
commercial radio industry and cell phones and public service and all
the digital stuff. A lot of that came from ham radio.

CARYN: His next project? A Youth on the Air mini-camp that mixes
science with the science of socializing.

NEIL: What we are trying to do is build some of those social
connections between the kids and that's why there is a lot of YOTA
time that's at an amusement park, at Dave & Buster's, at this place
and that place that may not have a thing to do with ham radio because
it's social interaction time. The whole YOTA thing isn't just learning
about radio and learning about technology; it's getting the social
aspect there so that kids know other kids. We have seen in Europe that perpetuates the hobby. That keeps the kids in the hobby.

CARYN: So congratulations Neil. Your well-deserved Carole Perry trophy
will now sit beside your autographed oscillator from Carole's Youth
Forum at Hamvention.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT.

**

COUNTDOWN TO PLUTO'S BIG ANNIVERSARY

JIM/ANCHOR: Whether or not you still think of Pluto as a planet, its
discovery is still something to celebrate. Randy Sly, W4XJ, tells us
why.

RANDY: The Northern Arizona DX Association is about to launch the
first event in its 10-year special event countdown to the 100th
anniversary of its discovery in the Kuiper (KY-PURR) Belt. Be
listening for club members operating between February 13th and the
21st as W7P. They'll be at the Lowell Observatory from which Pluto was
first spotted and their home QTHs. One of the operators will be Doug
Tombaugh, N3PDT, nephew of Pluto's discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh. He will
operate as W7P/0.

There will be special QSL cards each year leading up to the 100th
anniversary event. A certificate with endorsement stickers for each of
the 10 years of the special event and for a contact with Doug and his
team will be available later as well, Visit the QRZ.COM page for more
details.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

(QRZ)
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UK TV CHANNEL RECOUNTS AMATEUR'S NOTORIOUS, BRUTAL KILLING

NEIL/ANCHOR: The notorious killing of an amateur radio operator in the
UK was revisited recently, for TV viewers of a special three-part series. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us about it.

JEREMY: The brutal murder story, broadcast over a three-day period on the
UK's ITV channel, was no fictional drama. The episodes, which were
transmitted between Monday 11th and Wednesday 13th January, recount the
killing in June 1989 of Oxfordshire radio amateur Peter Dixon, G0HFQ,
and his wife, Gwenda. The couple were on holiday in Pembrokeshire, South
West Wales, where Peter had been operating as GW0HFO/M.

The two were found dead, shot at point-blank range within half a mile of
their campsite on 5th July. The Radio Society of Great Britain was asked
by police to put out a QST, asking amateurs to check their logbooks
between the 29th June, and the 5th July, police believing that Peter had
made a contact with another mobile station on 28 MHz on the morning of Wednesday 28th June. They were looking for clues, any clues at all.

Still, it took years of detective work, before the case ended with an
arrest and conviction: John Cooper, a former farm labourer, was found
guilty of the killings in 2011. In an odd twist to the story, Cooper
himself had appeared on ITV on a popular game show - just days before
robbing and shooting the ham radio operator and his wife.

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

(ITV WEBSITE, 73 MAGAZINE/OCTOBER 1989)

**

CALIFORNIA HAMS DEDICATE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY

NEIL/ANCHOR: In California, one amateur radio club gave a big thank-you
to one of their own, in the form of a special honor. Ralph Squillace,
KK6ITB, tells us what happened.

RALPH: The Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club values its resources: They
include a state-of-the-art communications facility atop a reservoir in
Santa Barbara County, California - and they include Bill Talanian, W1UUQ,
the ham who helped secure funding to make it a reality. Bill, a former
trustee of the 150-member club, has been doing that kind of volunteer
work for more than four decades.

Earlier this month, the club held a formal dedication of the facility,
naming it the Talanian Communications Facility. Such a facility provides
the kind of ability club members need to respond to communities in
crisis, as they did in 2017, when the Thomas Fire ripped through Ventura
and Santa Barbara Counties. Club members helped pass traffic for
emergency responders. The club also has a mobile rover vehicle, as well
as emergency radio communications stations at the Santa Barbara chapter
of the American Red Cross, and the Santa Barbara County Office of
Emergency Management.

Club members told the website Noozhawk that Bill played a key role in
securing funds for the facility atop the Vic Trace Reservoir. Hams have considered it the hub of their communications network since 2011.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(NOOZHAWK)

**

HAMS SUPPORT COMMUNICATIONS AT INDIAN RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGE

NEIL/ANCHOR: An annual religious pilgrimage in India once again had the
support of a local amateur radio club which, this year, also made use
of a satellite. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, gives us that report.

JIM: The callsign AT2GSI wasn't your average DX. It was being used
between the 9th and the 19th of January, by members of the West Bengal
Radio Club in India, where hams were calling QRZ from Sagar Island,
designated IOTA AS-153. There was a lot more to this activation,
however. The hams were also present on the island, as they always are
during the annual Hindu pilgrimage, to where the Bay of Bengal meets the
river Ganges. Using HTs and a ground station for the Qatar OSCAR 100
satellite, made them even more capable this year of keeping emergency
support communications open. More than 700,000 pilgrims had already
arrived there by January 14th.

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

(MILLENIUM POST)

**

RSGB NOMINATIONS DUE BY JAN. 31

NEIL/ANCHOR: Time is running out for nominations for the Radio Society
of Great Britain's elections. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: Changes are ahead for the Radio Society of Great Britain, which
is accepting nominations for its elections. The society is seeking
candidates for president, one elected board director, and one
representative each, in Regions 2, 6, and 12. Results will be announced
at the annual general meeting on April 24th, where President Dave Wilson,
M ZERO OBW (M0OBW) is to retire, following three years in that post
during his current tenure, which is his second term. That meeting will
be held virtually.

The RSGB positions are voluntary. Interested amateurs can learn more
about these positions, or how to nominate a candidate, by visiting the
website rsgb dot org stroke election (rsgb.org/election). Nominations
are due no later than January 31st.

Meanwhile, the RSGB board has appointed veteran BBC broadcaster Steve
Richards, G4HPE, to fill the vacant post of GB2RS News Broadcast
manager. Steve's voice is familiar to many listeners as a newsreader on
the GB2RS report.

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

(RSGB)
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FRENCH MILITARY SEEKS RADIO RECEIVERS, JAMMERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: When is jamming a signal actually desirable? When it's The
French military. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has more on the story:

ED: The French Defence Ministry has a tender out for radio jammers that
can be drone-mounted The government's Defence Innovation Agency has put
out a request for proposals in search of a small, low-power warfare
device that can find radio communication transmitters while mounted on a
fixed or rotary-wing drone and possibly disable the signals through
jamming. Proposals were due no later than the 18th of January and demonstrations of prototypes will follow over the course of the next
seven months.

The devices are expected to be capable of detecting any number of
transmitters operating between 30 MHz and 6 GHz and able to transmit
their findings in real-time to a receiving station on the ground.
Bidding is being limited to companies within the European Union.

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

(UPI, THE DEFENSE POST)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
KB3AWQ repeater in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Thursdays at 9 p.m.
local time.

**

YOTA MONTH ACTIVATIONS TOP TOTALS FROM PREVIOUS YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: The numbers are in: The total contacts made by young
amateurs during December YOTA month outpaced those made the previous
year. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, tells us more.

SEL: For the 24 young amateur radio operators in the Western Hemisphere
who were part of December YOTA Month, the numbers added up in a big way.
The Youth on the Air operators logged 14,699 QSOs while calling QRZ with special event callsigns. The contacts, made using SSB, CW, digital modes
and satellites, dramatically topped the previous year's total of 12,487.
Some of the operators, such as Michael, W3MLJ, said his favorite part of
the activation was being able to run five radios at the same time, all
logging contacts on digital modes such as FT-8. Calin K8MTJ got a
special kick out of working ZR1ADI in South Africa using FT8.

The hams, all younger than 26, had their efforts coordinated by Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO, who worked with YOTA month manager Tomi, HA8RT. The
event was a prelude to the first YOTA camp to be held in the Western Hemisphere this summer. That's planned for July 11th through 16th.

Meanwhile, more than 2,100 operators of all ages received awards based
on the number of YOTA Month contacts they'd made. Unclaimed awards can
be downloaded at events dot ham hyphen yota dot com. (events.ham-
yota.com)

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

(YOTA)

**

MICHIGAN AMATEUR ISSUES PLEA FOR KIDNEY

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime radio amateur in Michigan has been reaching out
on social media for a life-saving donation. Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, tells
us about him.

DON: Philip Ross, AB8PR, who has been a licensed ham since 1971, has
been looking lately for something a whole lot more than some rare DX or
a good signal report. The Michigan grandfather learned recently he has end-stage kidney disease and needs a living donor to make a transplant possible. He tells his story on various social media sites and his own
website papaphilcan dot com (papaphilcan.com) in the hopes that someone
will come forward to help him. He notes that dialysis - his only other
option - is not a cure but a form of disease management that leads to a shorter life with greatly lessened quality. His website reads: Papa Phil
Can; His Kidneys Can't. Even if AB8PR is not in your logbook, if you
think you can include him in your own plans to help, visit his website
to learn more. That's papaphilcan dot com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.
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CLUB OFFERS MICROWAVE NETWORK TO BOOST BRITISH COLUMBIA EMCOMM

JIM/ANCHOR: For one ham club in Canada, emergency response doesn't just consist of HTs, repeaters and HF radios. Radio operators there are hoping
they can soon assist local responders by getting their microwave network
in the game. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that story.

CHRISTIAN: The Kamloops Amateur Radio Club, which already provides
emergency support on the ground throughout its region in British Columbia, sees even more potential in their mountaintop-to-mountaintop broadband network. They're offering to open its use to the TNRD, the regional
governing body, in the hopes that the microwave links' internet
connectivity and large data bandwidth can provide an additional resource
for local Emergency Operations Centres in the case of wildfires or other calamities.

Club president Myles, VE7FSR, said the idea of providing the TNRD, or Thompson-Nicola Regional District, with a higher level of assistance was inspired by a 2017 wildfire in the region. He and some friends in the
British Columbia Wireless Amateur Radio Network recalled how the blaze had hampered the Emergency Operations Centers' abilities to communicate vital information.

Myles told Newsline that for the region's various municipalities to
utilize the club's high speed microwave system, they'd need to first
establish that they have line-of-sight with the mountaintops and then
install dishes there to connect with the EOCs below. Myles said this sort
of operation has come of age. EOCS, he said, are more dependent than ever
on internet access because the data bandwidth is so much greater there
than on VHF, UHF and especially HF.

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

(MYLES BRUNS VE7FSR)

**

GEORGIA AMATEURS DEMONSTRATE RADIO SCIENCE ON FIELD DAY

JIM/ANCHOR: Winter Field Day was a little bit different this year for some hams in Georgia. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us how they spent it.

KEVIN: The Macon, Georgia shopping mall known as the Shoppes at River
Crossing became part of a Winter Field Day activity � and even the mall's security department got in on the action. Hams were using the occasion to demonstrate analog and digital HF operations as well as UHF/VHF and D-
STAR. According to David Johnson, KF4ALH, emergency coordinator for Macon-
Bibb ARES, this field day activity was more about scoring big points on education and public relations instead of points in a contest. Hams from Macon-Bibb County ARES were joined by the Macon-Bibb County EMA Volunteer Group, Macon Amateur Radio Club, the Monroe County ARES Group and the
Monroe County Amateur Radio Society.

The hams gave science lessons and history lessons, along with a basic look
at how amateur radio works and the role it plays when hurricanes sweep through.

David said a few visitors seemed interested in learning more and doing
more. He added: "If even one new person gets the Amateur Radio bug from
our event, I consider that a bonus."

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

(DAVID JOHNSON KF4ALH)

**

SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS MARK ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE CENTENARY

JIM/ANCHOR: A special event is celebrating 100 years since the creation of
the Royal Australian Air Force. Robert Broomhead has that story.

ROBERT: A call has been put out for enthusiastic recruits to serve the
Royal Australian Air Force -- no, not for military duty but to become
airborne nonetheless via the radio as part of one of two special event stations marking the 100th anniversary of the RAAF.

Hams will be using the call signs VI100AF and VK100AF from the 1st of
March to the 29th of May, for 100 days. The Air Force's actual birthday is March 31st. On that date in 1921, the RAAF became an independent service
from the Army. It is the world's second-oldest air force. Its roots are
with the Australian Flying Corps, which sent troops during World War I to serve in the Middle East and European theatres.

Activations can be done at the home QTH, at a club or even a park or SOTA location. There are plans to operate from four Air Force Bases as well.

Time for Aussie hams to register is short. Organisers are hoping to
release the roster for both call signs sometime around the 5th of
February.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, AIRFORCE.GOV.AU)

**

OFCOM CLARIFIES LICENSE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VP8 HAMS

JIM/ANCHOR: Word from Ofcom in the UK has clarified some longstanding confusion over licensing responsibilities in the British Antarctic
territory region. Hams seeking new VP8 licences to operate in the
Antarctic and South Georgia have learned they will only be able to use
those licences on the Falkland Islands. On the other hand, hams with
existing VP8 calls may use them temporarily in the British Atlantic Territories, South Sandwich and South Georgia as well as in the Falklands until the licensing responsibilities are better defined.

Ofcom noted that the British Atlantic Territories, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands cannot lissue their own licences or assign call signs.

Ofcom left the option open for those locales to ask the Falkland Islands
to administer licensing and call signs on their behalf as had been the
case up until early 2020.

(OPENFALKLANDS.COM)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Utah Amateur
Radio Club's W7SP repeater, on Sundays as part of the club's 9 p.m. net.

**

HAMSCI PROPOSAL DEADLINE APPROACHES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Organizers are still looking for amateurs' ideas for presentations at next month's HamSCI Workshop – but the deadline is
almost here. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, explains.

SEL: With this year's HamSCI Workshop coming up on March 19th and 20th,
the deadline is approaching fast for hams, scientists and other experts to submit presentation abstract proposals. This year's theme is midlatitude ionospheric sensing but presentations are not required on that subject.
The workshop will again be held virtually on Zoom, as it was last year, in cooperation with the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania and sponsored
by the National Science Foundation.

A team meeting will also be held for HamSCI's Personal Space Weather
Station project. This project's goal is the creation of a citizen science instrument that enables space weather to be studied right from your QTH.

Abstracts for presentations are due by the 15th of February. They can be
sent via the conference webpage at hamsci dot org (hamsci.org), that's ham-s-c-i-dot-org.

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

(HAMSCI)

**

AUSTRALIA'S WYONG FIELD DAY REPLACED BY 'MAYHAM' EVENT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The popular Wyong Field Day in Australia has been
cancelled due to COVID precautions, but Ed Durrant, VK2JI, tells us what
will be happening in its place.

ED: In light of the recent new COVID events across Australia and the situation's changeable nature at present, the executive committee of the Central Coast ARC, with input from a survey of club members, has decided
not to run the Wyong Field Day 2021 which was planned for Sunday the 28th
of February. This is a decision that was not easy, and was taken
considering the safety of the club members, traders and those who attend
the day.

However, open your calendar's as the club wishes to announce the Central
Coast Amateur Radio Club "Mayham" event which will be held on Sunday the
30th of May 2021 at the Wyong Race Course. We would like to see this one-
time event attract as many visitors as the Field Day does every year, who knows, this could be the largest gathering of radio amateurs in the
Southern Hemisphere this year!

Traders have already been contacted and informed of the new date and we
expect the exhibitor and lecturer variety to be just as broad as was
planned for the 2021 Field Day.

Full details and information regarding this event will be updated on the
clubs website at ccarc (dot) org (dot) au and through social media as it becomes available.

Looking forward to NO MAYHEM at the MayHam event, For the Central Coast
ARC, this was Ed, VK2JI.

(CCARC)

**

CANADIAN SATELLITE CONSTELLATION WOULD PROVIDE NEW INTERNET ACCESS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A Canadian satellite operator has become the latest player
to join the low-earth orbit action over Earth's skies. The company Telesat announced on February 9th that it intends to build a constellation of 300 satellites in order to deliver high-speed internet worldwide in the next
two years. Known as Lightspeed, it will be designed to serve fixed and
mobile network operators, aeronautical and maritime users, enterprise customers, and governments. Consumers wishing to use Lightspeed's services would purchase their service from one of Lightspeed's direct customers.

The company said financing still needed to be finalized. If Telesat is successful, that would make the company the latest seeking to offer satellite-based internet services. The most well-known one perhaps is
SpaceX's Starlink service which is already serving parts of North America. Project Kuiper (KIE-PURR) has also announced it is moving forward but has
had no launches yet.

(FORTUNE MAGAZINE)

**

RSBG ANNOUNCES AWARD-WINNERS

STEPHEN:/ANCHOR: The Radio Society of Great Britain has announced the
winners of its construction competition held during lockdown and Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH, has the results.

JEREMY: The Radio Society of Great Britain has announced the winners of
the construction competition held for projects created during the autumn
2020 lockdown, the Christmas and New Year holiday period and the early
part of this year.

Response exceeded the society's expectations and the decision was made to
name four winners instead of one.

Congratulations to: first-prize winner Gordon Lean, G3WJG ; runner-up Paul Graham, M0PGX; third-prize winner Laurence Fletcher, G4SXH, and to Robert Lynch, M0NVQ, who was chosen as highly commended.

Learn more about their projects in the April RadCom, and on the RSGB
website at the URL given in the written text on the arnewsline.org
website.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ:

www.rsgb.services/gota2c-construction-competition].

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
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YOUNGSTERS' FORUM IN IARU REGION LOOKS AT SOTA, IOTA, WWFF

PAUL/ANCHOR: Who doesn't want to get outdoors? Young hams in IARU Region 1
are making plans to do just that and holding an online forum, as we hear
from Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: Summits on the Air, Islands On the Air, Worldwide Flora and Fauna and other radio-friendly outdoor activities will be the focus of discussion
among young amateurs during the next YOTA Online session this month. It's being held by the Youth Working Group of IARU Region 1. The programme will begin at 1900 UTC on Thursday, the 25th of February. This episode is
called "Gone exploring" and shares different ways to enjoy outdoor activations. The Youth Working Group Chair Philipp Springer, DK6SP, writes
on the ham-yota.com website that, as with previous episodes in the series, there will be a question-and-answer period afterwards.

YOTA Online is a monthly presentation by Region 1's youngest amateurs. The events are livestreamed on YouTube, Twitch and Facebook and the organisers
are also hoping to stream the proceedings via the QO-100 geostationary satellite in DATV mode.

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

(IARU REGION 1 WEBSITE)

**

U.S. HAMS RESPOND TO WINTER WEATHER EXTREMES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Recent weather extremes throughout much of the United States
put hams' preparedness to the test, as we hear from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: Sleet, winter storms and other severe weather systems plus power
and telecommunications outages challenged hams across the nation, even as temperatures fell to record lows in parts of the U.S. South. Arctic
conditions prevailed through much of the central region of the country as well. The ARRL's emergency response director Paul Gilbert, KE5ZW, reported
on the league website that an ARES net was set up in Texas to track
rolling blackouts taking place as the power grid there became overwhelmed
by customer demand. The net also handled health and welfare needs and
vehicle accident reports. Hams responded to similar conditions as well in Alabama where the Section Emergency Coordinator David Gillespie, W4LHQ,
also reported on the league website that the region was dealing with power outages and temperatures below freezing. Although not every region
activated an ARES group, hams were standing by just in case as the threat
of the return of severe weather hung over many regions.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

(ARRL)

**

AUSTRALIAN HAM GROUP HELPS MEMBERS SOLVE ACMA ADDRESS REQUIREMENT

PAUL/ANCHOR: In Australia, one radio group has directed its problem-
solving toward hams unable to fulfill the regulator's requirement for a permanent address. Here's Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, with more.

ROBERT: The ACMA's requirement that hams in Australia provide a public
postal address to be certified and licensed left some amateurs with a
dilemma: they do not have a fixed address at the moment because they have
been traveling or are perhaps in a vulnerable segment of the population.
Leave it to amateur radio ingenuity and problem-solving to resolve this
issue. The Pride Radio Group, created last year as a welcoming
organisation for amateur radio operators in the LGBTQ community, has
arranged a free mail redirection service for its members in Australia. It provides a post box address that can be publicly listed and is separate
from the address of the ham's QTH. The radio group's founder Michaela (Mick-EYE-ALE-A) Wheeler VK3FUR/VK4XSS, said Pride is providing the mail redirection service free to its members with the help of the provider HotSnail. Michaela said members receive an address to use on their registration paperwork. If mail arrives at that address, HotSnail scans it
and forwards it to the email address the ham has provided. While this
service cannot be used for QSL cards, Michaela said it does solve the
address problem for the ACMA's required paperwork.

Michaela said that because Pride Radio Group operates as a virtual entity, using HotSnail made the most sense because the service can be managed remotely.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(MICHAELA WHEELER VK3FUR/VK4XSS)

**

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP SENSITIVE, EFFICIENT TERAHERTZ DETECTOR

PAUL/ANCHOR: Researchers in Moscow have developed a terahertz detector
with unprecedented sensitivity and it shows promise in several areas of science. Jack Parker, W8ISH, has the details.

JACK: A development from researchers in Moscow has presented what
researchers consider good prospects for radio astronomy, wireless communications, medical diagnostics and security systems. It involves the
use of something called quantum-mechanical tunneling in graphene. The scientists have used it to create a highly sensitive terahertz detector.
This solves the problem of inefficiency when mobile systems make use of extremely high frequencies beyond the traditional ones used today. Most transistors in use today in typical wireless receivers aren't fast enough
to recharge at those frequencies: Wi-Fi receivers typically use signals at about 5 GHz and 5G mobile can transmit as high as 20 GHz - but going much higher usually poses a challenge.

What researchers in Moscow and the University of Manchester have created
is a device much more sensitive to those in commercial use now, which are based on semiconductors and superconductors. In this new development, the application of even very low voltage to the control contact or gate in a tunneling transistor aligns energy levels of the source and channel, permitting current to flow.

On the website Phys.Org, one of the Moscow researchers, Dennis Bandurin writes: [quote] "The current characteristics give rise to great hopes for
the creation of fast and sensitive detectors for wireless communications." [endquote]

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

(PHYS.ORG)
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TOWERING VICTORY FOR VERMONT AMATEUR

DON/ANCHOR: A New England ham's battle to put up radio towers is over and
at last, he can start construction. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, tells us what
it took for him to win his case.

KENT: Zach Manganello, K1ZK, may well consider himself the recipient of a towering victory in every sense of those words. The longtime amateur spent
the greater part of 2020 defending his proposal to install two radio
towers on his property the rural part of Vermont. Last summer, neighbors objected to his original proposal for the 84-foot towers saying they were
too high and were damaging to their views. Zach downsized his plans and
tried again.

He even conducted visual impact tests floating a balloon to simulate the height of the tower to ensure neighbors' views would remain unaffected.
This month, the Telecommunications Review Board of the Town of Shelburne granted Zach the right to go ahead with two towers, one at 40 feet and the other 60 feet, both supported by guy wires.

According to a report in the Burlington Free Press, the local board
decided to give its support to Zach's tower project after being convinced
that having backup emergency communications in the neighborhood was a
local asset. The report said the panel was impressed as well by Zach's willingness to share the educational aspects of amateur radio with the
greater community.

All of this came as the hoped-for good news for Zach, a lifelong radio enthusiast since his childhood in Maine and a ham since the age of 14.

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

(BURLINGTON FREE PRESS)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WD8IIJ repeater
of the Steubenville-Weirton Amateur Radio Club on Fridays at 8 p.m. local
time in the hometown of the late great Dean Martin, Stuebenville, Ohio.

**

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION FOR HAMSCI SPACE WEATHER PROJECT

DON/ANCHOR: The space weather project launched by the HamSCI collective
has been getting some pretty prominent notice. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, is
here with the details.

ANDY: Amateur radio's volunteer space weather watchers have been getting
some recognition from the pros lately. A February 9th article in "Eos:
Earth & Space Science News" gives a respectful nod to the space weather
sensor network created worldwide by Ham Radio Science Citizen
Investigation, or HamSCI, a collective created by Nathaniel Frissell,
W2NAF.

The article praises the crowdsourced data hams are able to collect from
radio signals as those signals are influenced by changes in ionospheric propagation. It was co-written by Nathaniel along with David Kazdan, AD8Y,
and Kristina Collins, both of Case Western Reserve University, W8EDU. Eos
is a publication of the American Geophysical Union.

The authors discuss how hams monitor what responses the Earth's atmosphere
has to different solar activity and the activity's impact on telecommunications and electrical utilities, among other things. The
article advocates increased reliance on what hams and their amateur
stations can offer. [quote] They write: "With open-source instrumentation cheaper and more plentiful than ever before, the time is ripe for amateur scientists to take distributed measurements of the ionosphere — and the amateur radio community is up for the challenge.” [end quote]

With support from the National Science Foundation, HamSCI has launched a Personal Space Weather Station project to support hams who wish to collect such data to be used in space science research. Publication of the article comes just weeks before HamSCI's virtual workshop which is being held on
March 19th and 20th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(EOS: EARTH & SPACE SCIENCE NEWS)

**

YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP BEGINS PRIORITY REGISTRATION

DON/ANCHOR: If you know a young radio amateur who can't wait for camp
season, Jack Parker, W8ISH, has some good news for you.

JACK: Organizers have reaffirmed their commitment to hosting this year's
Youth on the Air camp, even as campers from across the Americas who were accepted into last year's cancelled camp are completing priority
registration now. The camp is scheduled to be open in Ohio from July 11th
to the 16th with COVID-19 safety restrictions in place.

Camp director Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, said in an announcement that a final
decision will be made in April about whether the camp must be postponed
for another year. In the meantime, applications will be accepted in March
for any prospective campers who were not a part of last year's group. The
camp will host a maximum of 30 youngsters.

Neil wrote: [quote] "We are truly hopeful that we can proceed with the
camp this summer. We have some exciting plans! We are also looking at an operating event in the summer. Stay tuned." [endquote]

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

(YOTA AMERICAS CAMP)
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SARL PARTNERSHIP TO ASSIST KENYA'S NEWEST HAMS

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in South Africa are partnering with hams in Kenya to
help that nation's newest amateurs. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, brings us that
story.

JIM: The Communication Authority of Kenya has approved a memorandum of understanding that will allow the South African Radio League to assist
the Radio Society of Kenya by administering the technical parts of the
amateur licence exam. Regulator approval of the agreement was announced
in late February. The memorandum outlines how the Kenyan radio society
will continue to administer the regulations and operating procedure
portions but states that the South African group will conduct online
courses for training of the Kenyan amateurs and provide the training
manuals and presentation material as well. The arrangement, which had
been worked out during the past six months, can now go forward. SARL has similar agreements in place with Namibia and Botswana.

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

(SARL NEWS BULLETIN)

**

AMSAT-DL TRACKS MARS SPACE PROBE

DON/ANCHOR: When it copied signals recently from two space probes near
Mars, AMSAT Germany was listening for a special reason. Ed Durrant,
DD5LP, explains.

ED: AMSAT-DL, which has a long-term goal to launch a space probe to Mars,
has been listening meanwhile to probes from China and the Emirates that
are in orbit around the planet. Using the Bochum Observatory dish at the Sternwarte Bochum Institute, the German AMSAT organisation has copied
signals from Tianwen-1 and EMM/Hope, both of which are transmitting on
8.4 GHz. AMSAT-DL makes use of the dish on a regular basis to receive transmission from the NASA/NOAA weather satellites.

Built in 1965 to provide ground support for the Apollo missions, the dish
was renovated in 2003 with the help of amateur radio operators who added phase-locked receivers in the 2.3 GHz, 5.8 GHz and 10.4 GHz amateur
bands, along with the 8.4 GHz receiver. The dish also has an S-band, 2.4
GHz amateur transmitter with 250 watts PEP output. The dish, which is 20 -metres, or 65.6 feet, in diameter, copied signals from Voyager 1 in
2006.

AMSAT Germany's plan for a probe of its own dates to 2002, when
preparations began for a way to circle Mars, conduct experiments and
leave a payload on the planet's surface. Scientists hope the German P5-A
probe will be capable of transmitting on amateur radio frequencies
receivable on Earth using a 2- to 3-metre parabolic antenna.

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

(AMSAT-DL)

**

HAMS IN BRAZIL CHALLENGE REGULATOR'S LACK OF RESPONSE

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in Brazil have challenged the nation's regulator, saying
its lack of response is keeping hams off the air. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has
that story.

JEREMY: Brazil's amateur radio society LABRE has told the nation's communications regulator ANATEL that problems communicating with them and their website have been standing in the way of many who wish to operate legally on the ham bands.

In a letter dated the 23rd February, the radio organisation LABRE
acknowledged that the recent introduction of online licence testing had
eased some of the difficulties in getting on the air but hams are now
thwarted by the bureaucracy they face in order to complete the process.
The letter cited excessive days waiting and a lack of communication from ANATEL. LABRE said that these difficulties have been reported by newly licensed amateurs as well as those qualifying for upgrades.

In a report of the letter, which appeared on Southgate Amateur Radio
News, there had been no immediate response from the Brazilian regulator.

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

(SOUTHGATE)

**

OPEN REGISTRATION BEGINS FOR YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP

DON/ANCHOR: It's time to think about amateur radio camp - and the
application period is now open for young hams throughout North, Central,
and South America. The Youth on the Air camp will take place from July
11th through July 16th at the National Voice of America Museum in West Chester, Ohio and will welcome as many as 30 campers ages 15 through 25. Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the $100 camp fee.
The window to apply closes on March 21st at 2359 UTC. For details or to download a brochure visit YouthOnTheAir.org

Organizers will announce in April whether camp needs to be rescheduled in response to COVID-19 restrictions but for now the plans are going
forward.

**

NOMINATE A YOUNG HAM FOR NEWSLINE'S AWARD

DON/ANCHOR: Speaking of young hams, we have opened the nomination period
for our annual Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline
Young Ham of the Year award. Think of a young amateur whose commitment to community and whose enthusiasm for radio has inspired you and others and submit their name. Nominees must 18 or younger living in the United
States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable nomination forms can be found on our website arnewsline.org
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COVID CONCERNS MODIFY IARU REGION 1 YOUTH EVENTS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Concerns over COVID-19 have altered some plans for
young amateurs in IARU Region 1, as we learn from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: While planning remains carefully optimistic in the United
States for the first youth ham radio camp in the Americas, organisers
elsewhere in IARU Region 1's Youth Working Group have announced a
modified schedule in response to COVID-19 measures. In-person IARU
Region 1 youth events on the calendar before the end of June will
not take place, and any activities set for later in the year are
subject to review as conditions evolve. Youngsters on the Air in
Region 1 has meanwhile been hosting a number of online workshops
including a recent session on SOTA, WorldWide Flora and Fauna, and
other outdoor operating activities.

The announcement by Alex, IV3KKW, on the IARU Region 1 website,
noted that the rollout of vaccines will be monitored, as will the
development of further variants of the coronavirus. Events on the
calendar for the second half of the year will remain in place for
the time being.

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

(IARU, SOUTHGATE)

**

SPECIAL EVENT STATION TO HELP AILING AMATEUR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In a special event station getting under way on
March 13, hams are reaching out to help one of their own. Dave
Parks, WB8ODF, tells us about it.

DAVE: Amateur radio operators around the country are joining
Christian Cudnik, K0STH, and Alexander Valladares (pronounced:
Via - dar - us), W7HU, in a seven-day special event on the bands
to highlight the urgent need facing fellow amateur Phil Ross,
AB8PR, who is in need of a kidney from a live donor.

Special event station K4P - which stands for Kidney For Phil -
will be operating on 17, 20, 40, and 80 meters, from March 13
to March 20, sharing the story of the Michigan grandfather,
who is in end stage renal failure. The hams will be calling QRZ
on single sideband and in FT8. Special event QSL cards and a
downloadable digital certificate will be available for confirmed
contacts.

Phil has been told that unless a matching kidney can be located
from a living donor soon, he will require dialysis, a time-consuming intervention that is not considered a cure. For details on the
special event, visit the QR Zed page for K4P. Cudnik and Valladares
have also been focusing attention on Phil's situation on their
respective YouTube channels, "100 Watts and a Wire" and "W7HU Alex."

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

**

HAMVENTION AWARD-WINNERS ANNOUNCED

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Hamvention Awards Committee has announced this
year's honorees and one of our Newsline colleagues is a recipient.
Here's Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, with the details.

KEVIN: Congratulations to Newsline's own Science Editor, Tamitha
Mulligan Skov, WX6SWW, winner of the Technical Achievement award
from the Hamvention Awards Committee. Tamitha was among those chosen
for this year's honors by Hamvention co-chairs Michael Kalter, W8CI,
and Frank Beaford, WS8B, who called her [quote] "a real space pioneer." [endquote]

Newsline listeners know her from her solar weather reports here, as
well as on HamNation, YouTube, the Weather and History channels, and
for her work in the MIT Technology Review and in Popular Science
magazine. Licensed since 2018, Tamitha is a research scientist for
the Aerospace Corporation, and has also been an instructor at Contest University numerous times. The Hamvention co-chairs wrote: [quote]
"She is always seeking new ways to bring an awareness of Space Weather
and its effects into the mainstream, and hopes to herald in a new era
of TV weather broadcasting before the end of Solar Cycle 25."
[endquote]

Honors are also being given to Wesley Lamboley, W3WL, who is
receiving the Special Achievement Award for his work in youth
coaching, membership recruiting and technical problem assistance.
Angel M. Vazquez, WP3R, is receiving the Amateur of the Year Award,
for his work as one of the principal support engineers at the Arecibo
parabolic dish antenna that was operational in Puerto Rico until its
collapse late last year. Club of the Year has been given to the Vienna
Wireless Society, K4HTA, for its educational efforts and public service
for 58 years in the Washington, D.C. area.

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

(HAMVENTION.ORG, QRZ.COM)

**

GRANTS AVAILABLE FROM CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateur Radio Digital Communications, a California
nonprofit foundation that supports technical innovation, is
encouraging individuals and organizations with projects involving
digital communication and amateur radio to apply for grants.

Executive director Rosy Wolfe, KJ7RYV, said philanthropic grants
are given to schools, universities, public charities, and others
involved in nonprofit endeavors, who submit a request. The subject
areas may also also include internet technologies, and the
communication sciences. Past recipients have included the Foundation
for Amateur Radio, the Chippewa Valley Amateur Radio Club, the ARRL
Foundation, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe.

For more details, visit the website ampr.org

(AMPR)
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STARLINK FLEET ADDS 60 NEW SATELLITES

NEIL/ANCHOR: High up above the Earth, the Starlink fleet of satellites is growing, and Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells us about the newest additions.

JIM: Sixty additional internet satellites were added to the Starlink fleet after a March 11th launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. The
satellites, however, weren't the only things of interest on board. A number
of radio enthusiasts have been reporting on reddit.com, Hackaday and
similar websites that they were able to receive the Falcon 9 spacecraft's telemetry downlink on 2232.5 MHz. Some of the innovators reported that they were able to demodulate the signal, convert it into binary data and then
plain text. Two hackers in particular were reported to have received the transmissions using a repurposed satellite dish and an open source SDR peripheral known as a HackRF.

Of course, while they were all listening and decoding, most of the rest of
us were simply waiting to learn that in the skies just 180 miles south of
New Zealand, 60 newcomers now raised the total of the Starlink fleet to
total to 1,265 satellites.

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

(HACKADAY)

**

CONTACT THE 'LAST MAN STANDING' SPECIAL EVENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Just a reminder: Don't forget to get on the air between March 24th and March 30th as the amateur radio community says "thanks" and
"goodbye" to American TV's popular "Last Man Standing" show which put
amateur radio back in prime time with main character Mike Baxter, KA0XTT.

The show is ending its 9-year run. Be listening for special event station KA6LMS as operators coast-to-coast in the U.S. and in Canada call QRZ. If you're near your radio anywhere in the world be listening on SSB, CW, FT8, DSTAR, DMR, YSF, Satellite, Echolink, AllStar and more. For details visit
the website g s b a r c dot o r g slash l m s (gsbarc.org/lms)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K6SIS repeater
in Siskiyou County, California on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. local time.

**

RADIO PROVIDES TRAFFIC REPORTS FOR COVID VACCINATIONS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you remember last week's report about a Washington, D.C., Traffic Information Station that was broadcasting a highway advisory that
was 8 years old? We are happy to report this week that a similar low-power
AM radio station in another U.S. city was used to broadcast an especially timely message, directing people to a drive-through clinic to get their COVID-19 vaccine. The message went out on 1630 AM in Denver, Colorado, transmitting prerecorded information in English and Spanish. It helped thousands of older Colorado residents arrive for their appointments at
Coors Field, where 10,000 doses were given out.

(RADIO WORLD)

**

UK AMATEURS QUICK TO WELCOME 'SLOW CW'

NEIL/ANCHOR: A group of hams in the UK believes that slow CW provides the
fast track to improving skills in code. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains.

JEREMY: Their numbers are not quite 500 strong but these CW enthusiasts are hoping to attract new members and change all that: They are radio amateurs living primarily in the UK — and when they send CW, they send it slowly.
The group is known on Facebook as "SLOW CW UK" but despite its base of operations in the UK, anyone from anywhere in the world is welcome to join.

The hams meet most evenings on or near 3.555 MHz between 1930 and 2030 UTC
and can often be heard calling "CW SLOW," sending at about 10 words per minute. Their goal isn't just to have a QSO but to improve sending and communications skills.

Visit the Facebook page "SLOW CW UK" for more details.

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

(FACEBOOK)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K6TZ repeater
in Santa Barbara, California, on Wednesdays, at 7 p.m. local time.

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE FOOD NET

JIM/ANCHOR: Our occasional series, Nets of Note, turns to another popular obsession among amateur radio operators. You guessed it: food. Here's Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: This time on "Nets Of Note," we bring you the Food Net, started by
Daryl Stout, WX4QZ. As evidenced by the fact that any time a group of hams
get together, there will be food involved, this is one net that should
appeal to all of us. I asked Stout to tell me more.

STOUT: Food Net was founded on the premise that "H.A.M." stands for "Have Another Meal" and you don't call us Late For Dinner. And on some nets when some hams talk about what's cooking...invariably, one will chime in with something like, "I'll be there in 5 minutes!!"

Before COVID-19, food was a major part of hamfests and Field Day, and hopefully these activities will be able to resume.

The net itself discusses cuisines, recipes, meals, cooking methods, et
cetera. The bottom line is that everyone has to eat.

One ham said his wife marinated pork chops in an Instant Pot with Coca-Cola and cooking them. He said they were the best pork chops he had ever eaten.

The Net meets on the Quadnet Array on the 3rd Saturday of each month at 4PM Eastern. For details go to https://openquad.net for connection options via D-Star, DMR, WIRES-X, and Fusion.

PAUL: The next net will be on Saturday, April 17th. Stout said that if you
go to the website referenced on his QRZ page, you can find spreadsheets
with information on many other nets that he's involved with.

Now, please excuse me while I go eat dinner. For Amateur Radio Newsline,
I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

HAMS TO ASSIST AT POLLING STATIONS IN REMOTE AREAS

JIM/ANCHOR: In West Bengal, India, amateurs will be bringing their radios
to some polling stations at election time. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells us
why.

JIM M: Just as they did in 2016 and 2019, amateur radio operators in West Bengal, India are assisting at polling stations in remote locations to help with reporting votes to the Election Commission. The commission has
accepted the offer from the West Bengal Radio Club to relay results in
areas lacking a strong mobile communications network. The hams' involvement recently won approval from the Wireless Planning and Communication Wing of
the Department of Telecommunications located within the Ministry of Communications. Amateur radio is regulated by the ministry. According to
club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, 30 hams will be deployed to a total 130 polling stations in the Sunderbans area which is a remote part of Bengal. They will be using the special call sign AU2ECI, between March 29th through to April 1st. All the participants assisting with communications
have received training from the Indian Academy of Communication and
Disaster Management. Votes are to be counted on May 2nd.

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

(AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA, TIMES OF INDIA, MILLENNIUM POST)

**

SUMMIT AWARD SCHEME EXPANDS TO SOUTHERN GERMANY

JIM/ANCHOR: If you're hearing this newscast this in southern Germany, get ready for a new operating challenge coming your way starting April 5th. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has those details.

ED: The mountain award scheme known as HEMA is about to arrive in southern Germany. Created 10 years ago in the UK, it appeals to hams interested in
the range of operating challenges that exist between the Global Mountain
Award and Summits on the Air schemes. In fact, HEMA hams are more
interested in achieving interesting contacts with or between summits than merely collecting points. Inclusion of the new Alpine "DL" area means that
any hams interested in getting their first contact as a chaser or activator should be near their radios on Easter Monday, the 5th of April onwards. For rules, see the HEMA webpage at hema dot org dot uk (hema.org.uk)/ where you can register and access the spotting page. Then, keep your eye out for activations of those newly authorised summits.

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

**

SOYUZ ROCKET DEPLOYS NEW AMATEUR SATELLITES

JIM/ANCHOR: Fourteen new amateur radio satellites are in orbit following
their launch on March 22nd from Kazakhstan. They were deployed by a Soyuz rocket. All are operating on bands allocated to the amateur satellite
service and have been coordinated by the IARU Satellite Frequency
Coordination Panel. Three other satellites launched with them: KMSL from Korea, UNISAT-7 and WildTrackCube-Simba from the University of Rome -- do
not have amateur missions.

(SOUTHGATE, AMSAT-UK)
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AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR SEEKS INPUT ON 5-YEAR PLAN

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you have an opinion on radio spectrum use in Australia?
The Australian Communications and Media Authority wants to hear from you. Here's John Williams, VK4JJW.

JOHN: The ACMA is looking for input on a draft of its five-year spectrum
plan, a key document that will guide its priorities in allocating and
managing frequencies in the years ahead. The proposed changes are being
drawn up in consultation with members of the telecommunications industry, radio hobbyists and others in the community. This is the first such draft
to be created under the Radiocommunications Legislation Amendment (Reform
and Modernisation) Act 2020.

Priorites are expected to be heavily impacted by the ACMA's goal to support deployment of 5G services throughout Australia. A review is also ongoing to replace apparatus licences with non-assigned amateur licensing arrangements
as a way of keeping licensees' costs affordable and to reduce the burden on regulators. The ACMA has a number of options for replacing the current apparatus licence but prefers the establishment of non-assigned amateur and outpost stations under a class licence. The agency also plans to review the prospect of creating licences for higher-power operations and intends to consult with the amateur community on this issue.

Feedback may be submitted to the ACMA no later than April the 28th.

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

(ACMA)

**

UTAH AMATEURS CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL

NEIL/ANCHOR: The Ogden Amateur Radio Club, one of Utah's oldest ham radio clubs, bears the call sign of its founder Dr. W. Glen Garner, W7SU. He
became its first president shortly after its founding 100 years ago this
May.

The club is marking its centennial with an array of activities, including a special event station in May and a centennial QSL card contest for its members. Newsline congratulates the Ogden amateurs on 100 great years.

(OARC WEBSITE)

**

IARU REGION 1 EYES INVOLVEMENT BY YOUNGER GENERATION

NEIL/ANCHOR: IARU Region 1 is assessing its future and hoping for a younger perspective. Here's Ed Durrant, DD5LP, to tell us what's up next.

ED: Faced with eroding enrollment in many of its member societies, IARU
Region 1 has begun organising a workshop on keeping amateur radio vibrant
as its licensees age. Discussions about the workshop were held at its
General Conference on March 24. The workshop itself will be held in October
of this year, hosted by the Serbian Amateur Radio Society. If COVID restrictions are still in place at the time, the workshop will be conducted virtually instead.

Participants are particularly concerned about the lack of top leadership
among amateurs 35 and younger. The committee wrote on the IARU website: [quote] "The IARU Region 1 Executive Committee shares that it's time for change and we need to start moving forward. Working together and changing
the current trends. We need to focus our thinking and way of operating." [endquote]

Towards that end, the committee said it was committed to bringing new
people into the discussion.

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

(IARU REGION 1)

**

MISSILE RANGE DEEMED VULNERABLE TO INTERFERENCE

NEIL/ANCHOR: RF control links being used at 420 and 430 MHz to set up a
linked repeater system in New Mexico are being cited as potential sources
of interference to critical systems at the nearby White Sands Missile
Range, the largest open air test range of the United States Department of Defense. The department's Regional Spectrum Coordinator, the FCC and the
ARRL worked together to track down the amateur radio communications, which were discovered to come from the repeater system's RF control links on 70 centimetres. Amateur radio is a secondary service on the band. The owners
of the control links have been asked to re-coordinate the frequencies by
May 31st.

(SOUTHGATE, ARRL)

**

NEW ZEALAND YOUTH NET EXPANDS ITS REACH

NEIL/ANCHOR: A popular net among the youngest amateurs in New Zealand just
got a little bigger and a little more ambitious. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells
us how they're growing.

JIM: Like everything that starts out in life young and small, the net
formerly known as Young Transmitters New Zealand has grown up. It has rebranded and expanded to become the YOTA Oceania Net. The net's founder Thomas Bernard, ZL3TOM, announced the change in a recent newsletter,
telling Newsline that the net is now run in partnership with Youngsters on
the Air, recognising that participants hope to connect with other hams in
more regions than before. The net is held Mondays at 0600 UTC on All-Star
and Echolink. Tom uses the special event callsign ZL6YOTA during the net to encourage more young amateurs to check in.

For more information about the net, and ways to join this growing
community, visit his website at zl3tom dot com [zl3tom.com]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
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CONTEST FOR YOUNG HAMS MAKES DEBUT IN REGION 1

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Youth Working Group of the IARU Region 1 has announced a
new contest, as we hear from Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: Young amateurs in IARU Region 1 are hoping for a big turnout in May
for the debut of the YOTA contest, an initiative designed to get more young amateurs on the air around the world. The 12-hour competition will be held three times a year, with the first one happening on the 22nd of May. There
are eight categories, including ones for hams 25 and younger and the
contest exchange will be the operators' ages.  Activity will be on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10-metre bands in CW and SSB modes. The later contests will be
in July and December.

The Youth Working Group has arranged the event with the cooperation of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society. Details are available on the website shown
in this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org.

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

PRINT ONLY: https://ham-yota.com/contest

(YOUTH WORKING GROUP IARU REGION 1)

**

ECHOLINK NET TO MARK WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of the IARU, it's almost time to mark its 96th anniversary. The worldwide celebration includes this one happening on Echolink. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us about it.

KEVIN: Like the International Amateur Radio Union itself, one net
celebrating the IARU's founding has undergone plenty of changes since its inception. The net began modestly on Echolink in 2015 when John DeRycke
(Duh Rikey) W2JLD said he noticed there were no celebrations being held in that mode to mark the IARU's founding in Paris in 1925. It has grown in subsequent years to include other modes and extended hours of operation.
This year's net will span 16 hours with 10 to 12 net controllers from
around the world and the special event call sign W7W. Hams will be checking
in on the ROC-HAM Echolink conference node 531091 and on Allstar 2585.
Other conferences will be linked in including the *DODROPIN* NODE 355800, WALES NODE 485040 and the South Wales Digital Group node 676659. Users of
DMR, and the Hamshack Hotline will also be able to check in.

For full details of the celebration, visit the QRZ page for W7W, and to
view the QSL card marking the event.

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

**

TWO-WAY RADIOS HELP NEW ZEALAND SEARCH AND RESCUE

PAUL/ANCHOR: In New Zealand, there's promise for extra search-and-rescue success using drones outfitted with two-way radio. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF,
tells us more.

JIM: Take a highly directional microphone array and processor, a team of drones and a wild landscape with the potential for the danger of getting
lost and you have a promising search-and-rescue communications tool.

At least that's what executives at Dotterel, a company in Auckland, New Zealand are hoping. Outfitting drones with this kind of audio payload is providing two-way radio capability that can conduct search-and-rescue over large areas by hearing people's cries for help. This adds one more tool to
the versatile toolbox of public safety operations which already contains
the ability to use thermal imaging, cellphone signals and visual imagery. According to an article in DroneLife, this radio installation will permit two-way communications with people on the ground calling for aid and who
can provide details of their injuries..

Shawn Edlin, the company's CEO, said in a press release that the
microphones are able to receive highly directional audio on the ground as
the signal remains uncompromised by drone propeller noise and other sounds.

Brandon McCarthy, Auckland search and rescue leader, said audio will
provide an extra capability for the team's operations going forward.

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

(DRONELIFE)

**

CONTEST UNIVERSITY TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY AGAIN

PAUL/ANCHOR: With Hamvention being held virtually again this year, there
are two programs figuring prominently on the calendar. We hear about them
from Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

STEPHEN: Hamvention's Contest University will be held virtually again this year, just like Hamvention itself. Classes get under way at 9 a.m. Eastern Time, or 1300 UTC, Thursday May 20th on Zoom. Registration is free and you
can start signing up from the 20th of April.

Please check contestuniversity.com for updates and a course outline.

Lessons of a different sort continue the next day as Hamvention's 2021
Award winners make 45-minute presentations followed by a Q&A - again, all conducted virtually on Zoom. Presenters are Newsline's science editor
Tamitha Mulligan Skov (SKOVE) WX6SWW, winner of the Technical Achievement Award; Wesley Lamboley W3WL, winner of the Special Achievement Award; Angel Vazquez, WP3R, Amateur of the Year; and the Vienna Wireless Society K4HTA
Club of the Year.

Don't forget the Hamvention QSO Party on Saturday, May 22nd from 8 a.m. to
8 p.m. Eastern Time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, K8WB.

(HAMVENTION)
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WSPR SIGNALS CONFIRM DOOMED AIRLINER'S ROUTE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you think Weak Signal Propagation Reporting is of
great benefit only to hams, guess again - and listen to this story
from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: The memory of the doomed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is
seared into the memory of many who recall the ill-fated Boeing 777.
The Beijing-bound aircraft vanished somewhere over the Indian Ocean
on the 8th of March in 2014 with 239 people on board. Two separate
searches for wreckage and clues came up empty, although more than 30
pieces of debris have turned up in various places.

Now radio, in the form of Weak Signal Propagation Reporting, or
WSPR, may be offering some clues to its flight path. Hams, of
course, often make use of this one-way, low power transmission mode
created by Princeton physicist Joe Taylor, K1JT to test propagation.
Now it is being used by aviation expert Richard Godfrey of The
Independent Group in the search for the long-missing plane. He said
recently that he believes the aircraft set off eight WSPR tripwires
over the Indian Ocean validating previous flight-path analyses of
drift modeling and Inmarsat satellite data.

According to various news reports, MH370's final moments were in the
southern part of the Indian Ocean, in a spot that can now be more
precisely identified.

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

(SPUTNIK NEWS, AIRLINE RATINGS WEBSITE)

**

COMM ACADEMY'S VIRTUAL CONFERENCE A HIT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A free emergency communications training conference
went virtual for the first time this year and the response was
overwhelming. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that report.

CHRISTIAN: Comm Academy, the free annual training conference for
emergency communicators, exceeded its geographic boundaries this
year and in doing so, exceeded expectations. This month's two-day
conference marked the first time it has been held virtually,
allowing for worldwide participation. According to Tim Helming,
WT1M, the number of viewers watching live often exceeded 1400 and
never dropped below 950. The format offered pre-recorded
presentations with live Q&A afterward. Going online allowed the 20-
year-old conference to expand its more traditional regional reach
within the Pacific Northwest community out to a worldwide audience.

Tim told Newsline: [quote] "It was a vast amount of work, but we're
all really pleased with how it came out." [endquote] Although
organizers hope to return to the in-person format next year, Tim
said there is no turning back now on inviting the world to attend
once again and organizers are exploring various options. He told
Newsline: [quote] "It's clear that there's a big hunger out there
for this kind of training and community." [endquote]

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

(TIM HELMING WT1IM)

**

TOP HONORS IN GERMANY FOR PIONEER IN HF, SDR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A businessman, ham radio operator and pioneer in software-defined radio has been honored in Germany for his
achievements. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, gives us the details.

ED: Ulrich Rohde, developer of the SDR technology, has been
recognised in Germany for advancing the use of microwave and high
frequency radio. He has been given the Order of Merit of the Federal
Republic of Germany on the recommendation of Markus S�der,
Minister-President of Bavaria. Ulrich holds the call sign DJ2LR in
Germany, and N1UL in the US.

Ulrich, a respected professor, is a partner in the Munich-based
technology company, Rohde & Schwarz, which deals in HF technologies.
According to the biography on his company website, his many previous
honours include the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Radio Club
of America, the Industrial Pioneer Award of the IEEE and the IEEE
Region 1 Award for his work in the design and use of RF technology.

He has been granted numerous honorary professorships and doctorates
around the world. Last year in Germany, a special call sign DL35SDR
was issued, recognizing his presentation 35 years ago of SDR
technology at a conference in 1985. He has also been a leader at
numerous US-based companies, serving as president of the Rohde &
Schwarz USA subsidiary in Fairfield, New Jersey and creating the New Jersey-based Synergy Microwave Corporation in 1985.

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

(DARC, ROHDE & SCHWARTZ WEBSITE)

**

NORWAY AMATEUR LEAGUE HOLDS DIGITAL GENERAL MEETING

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Presentations by radio experts are the highlight of
a convention being hosted virtually in Norway. Let's hear more from
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: A digital HamConvention will be under way between the 18th
and 26th of April in connection with the digital general meeting of
Norway's national amateur radio society, the NRRL. The eight-day
programme includes lectures from amateur radio experts, including
various technical subjects and a presentation on the NRRL's role in
a rescue operation during the December 2020 landslide in a Norwegian
village. For the more adventurous radio operators, there is also a
how-to session from a team of Norwegian DXpeditioners. Additional
details are available in Norwegian on the league's website nrrl.no.

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

(SOUTHGATE)
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SEEKING NOMINATIONS FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

JIM/ANCHOR: You have until May 31st to nominate a talented young radio
amateur for the Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline
Young Ham of the Year award. Think of a young amateur whose commitment to community and whose enthusiasm for radio has inspired you and others and submit their name. Nominees must 18 or younger living in the United
States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable nomination forms are due no later than May 31st and can be found on our website arnewsline.org

**

DISCOVERING SIMPLEX IN 'LIGHT UP 2 METERS' EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: One of the best ways to get hams on the same band, in the
same mode at the same time is to organize an event. Sunday April 25th is
the date for 'Light Up 2 Meters Night,' a very local event for
participating hams who are encouraged to get on the air using 2 meters
simplex from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time. The event is the creation of
Joseph Durnal, NE3R, who stresses that this isn't a contest; just an
operating activity to bring hams together and explore the possibilities
of operating simplex. The primary operating frequency will be 146.52 MHz,
but other simplex frequencies may also be available in different
locations.

(JOSEPH DURNAL NE3R)

**

STRAIGHT KEY CENTURY CLUB PREPS FOR SPRINTATHON

JIM/ANCHOR: Fifteen years of sending CW with a straight key is no small achievement. Randy Sly, W4XJ, is here to tell us how one group has been
making every contact a celebration for all those years.

RANDY: The Straight Key Century Club is celebrating its 15th anniversary.
It all began with a simple post in the QRZ.com forum about the ARRL
Straight Key Night after it ended in 2006. Tom Peterson, KC9ECI, wanted
to see the event extended. He wrote:"Do it the 1st of each month. Start
your own SKCC club. One hundred Qs with a straight key in a year gets a certificate. Ah, the heck with it ...I'm officially starting the SKCC
club..." Since that day, the club has grown to over 24,000 members who
are taking to the airwaves with straight keys, sideswipers and semi-
automatic keys.

Tom told Newsline that he never thought the club would get this big. In
fact, he's amazed. He said: "The success of the SKCC has less to do with
me and everything to do with a great bunch of operators who were willing
to step up. I just provided the 'spark' of an idea."

Members can work toward awards and participate in many activities,
including a monthly Sprintathon. The May Sprintathon, which starts at
1200Z on May 8, offers bonus points for a contact made with any member
who joined during the first year, those with a number lower than 2545.

For more information and to register for a free membership, visit skccgroup.com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Randy Sly, W4XJ, SKCC number 616S.

**

SWISS AMATEUR SOCIETY SEEKING MENTORS

JIM/ANCHOR: Recognizing that amateur radio isn't an activity we engage in alone, the national amateur radio society in Switzerland is asking
members to take things one step further: They want seasoned hams to
consider mentoring newcomers. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: The USKA, the Swiss national amateur radio society, has put out a
call to its members asking them to consider offering encouragement,
support and expertise to new and prospective amateurs. The national
society is in the process of putting together a mentoring system and
hopes hams will offer their time and commitment to meet with newcomers,
either virtually or in person. Their responsibilities will include
helping to answer questions on either the Ofcom HB3 Novice licence or the
HB9 (CEPT Class 1) certificate. Other mentors are being asked to serve as instructors, provide advice for participation in contests and other
events as well as demonstrating certain basic skills. Willi, HB9AMC, who coordinates youth training for the society, said [quote] "The activity is fully worthy of the ethos of amateur radio.' " [endquote]

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

(SOUTHGATE)

**

AMATEUR RADIO CENSUS PROBES RELEVANT ISSUES

JIM/ANCHOR: Was there ever a ham radio operator who didn't want to be
heard? Well, one amateur in Maryland is giving hams around the world an opportunity for just that, even without benefit of a rig, an antenna or a linear amp. Jim, K3MRI, has launched a new effort called Ham Census,
which he said is inspired by the newest licensees who have entered the worldwide community. The Census presents questions about the future of
amateur radio, personal views on regulations, operating preferences, gear
and organizations. The six-part census takes about 40 to 45 minutes to complete and it is available online at hamcensus.org. There is no cutoff
date for responses. Jim said results are available to all respondents in
the hopes that a better-informed amateur community can more effectively influence laws, practices and the future of amateur radio in general.

(HAM COMMUNITY.ORG)
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100 WATTS AND A WIRE MARKING EPISODE 300

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We here at Newsline want to take time out to
congratulate our colleague Christian Cudnik, K0STH, at 100 Watts
and a Wire. The show, which began in 2015 as an audio podcast, is
marking Episode Number 300 on Saturday, May 15th. The show can be
seen on YouTube or heard on the 100wattsandawire.com website.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
KD2SL repeater in Syracuse, New York at 8 p.m., following the Monday
Night Hobby and Information Net.

**

OHIO CLUB HONORED AS ARRL 'SPECIAL SERVICE CLUB'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: When the Highland Amateur Radio Association got
together recently for brunch in a local park in southern Ohio, they
were marking two occasions: it was the first time members were able to
be together in a long time for a "meet and greet" -- and they were
receiving special recognition from the ARRL as a Special Service Club.
ARRL officials attended the event too and presented the honor
formally. Special Service Clubs are defined as groups leading the way
in training, publicity and community support to improve the interests
of amateur radio. The club in southern Ohio is one of only a dozen in
the state to be given this designation.

(HIGHLAND COUNTY PRESS)

**

HISTORY LESSON HIGHLIGHTS ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST NOTABLE HAMS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Arizona Historical Society has an online history
lesson scheduled. Its topic is a lawmaker who was also one of the most high-profile American hams. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, explains.

KEVIN: The late United States Senator Barry Goldwater was also known
by his callsign K7UGA. History has recorded his many contributions as
a lawmaker to the evolution of amateur radio in the US. The Arizona
Historical Society is presenting a virtual event on Wednesday, May
19th that explores the life of the state's most notable amateur radio
operator who, during the war in Vietnam, was instrumental in
organizing volunteers to connect families via ham radio with their
relatives serving overseas during the conflict. The Society, based in
Tucson, houses much of the senator's longtime shack in its collection.
The presentation by Arizona State University history professor Eric
Nystrom will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time - or 0100 UTC.
A donation to the museum is requested for anyone attending the
discussion, which will be held on Zoom.

A link to register for the event can be found in the script of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org

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

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://bit.ly/3mRPwTz]

(ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY)

**

DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that we are fast approaching the May
31st deadline to nominate the next Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial
Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year. If you know a dedicated
radio operator 18 or younger who embodies the spirit of experimentation, community service and communication, they are eligible. Think of
nominating them for this honor. The award will be presented in August
at the Huntsville Hamfest. Candidates should be living in the United
States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable forms
are available on our website arnewsline.org
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
KD5DMT Benton County Radio Operators' Repeater System in Arkansas, on Saturdays at 1900 Central Time during the Info Net.

**

VIRGINIA EMCOMM STARTUP TO COVER 4-COUNTY REGION

DON/ANCHOR: Disasters can - and do - strike at all times of the year.
In one rural region of Virginia, radio operators have developed a plan
that musters enough communications strength to cover the emergency needs
of four rural counties. For that report, we turn to Christian Cudnik,
K0STH.

CHRISTIAN: The group of hams is small but their agenda is ambitious:
They are organizing so they can assist with hazard mitigation in four
small counties located less than 75 miles southeast of Washington, DC.
In this mostly rural area, hurricanes, ice storms and flooding are all realities - as is the Lake Anna Nuclear Power Plant. R3EMCOMM, as this
startup group is known, has a core group of about a dozen volunteers
working closely together. Many are also members of the Culpeper Amateur
Radio Association. Their goal is to keep an eye on Culpeper, Orange,
Madison and Rappahannock (Rap-a-HANNOCK) counties.

Program director for administration Mike Murphy, KD7PUF, told Newsline
that members are asked to use the ARES Task Book as a guide in their
planning but adapt it to the special needs of their communities. Mike
said [quote] "We want to reinvent what we do - providing service,
education, and training to a larger community than just those who want
to be hams." [endquote] Toward this end, the group has also begun
working with Culpeper County Civil Defense. With the help of Al Swann,
KN4AAA in that office, the hams hope to coordinate with radio operators
using FRS, MURS, and GMRS systems. The group also has the support of Ed
Gibbs KW4GF, assistant section manager for the ARRL in Virginia, who has
been with them since the earliest planning began two years ago.

Mike said: [quote] "We are learning, one day at a time, and hoping to
grow." [endquote]

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

(R3EMCOMM)

**

ICELAND OFFERING NEXT LICENSE TEST ON JUNE 5

DON/ANCHOR: The Post and Telecom Administration in Iceland has set
Saturday, June 5th as the date for the next amateur radio licensing
exam. The agency put it on the schedule at the request of Iceland's
national amateur radio society, which had to delay its teaching sessions
this past spring as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Test preparation
was able to resume earlier this month to get candidates ready for the
exams which most likely will be held at Reykjavik University.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SUPPORT INDIANAPOLIS 500 RACE

DON/ANCHOR: Hams, start your engines....or at least your rigs. There's a special event getting under way for the big car races in Indianapolis.
Jack Parker, W8ISH, has those details.

JACK: When it comes to special events, the W9IMS special event station
for the Indianapolis 500 mile race is second to none. For the 18th year
in a row, the W9IMS team is tuning up and listening for contacts for the
three Indianapolis races.

The Amateur Radio race team will be active on 20 and 40 meters for the
105th running of the Indianapolis 500 mile race May 30th. They will be
on the air beginning May 23rd through Race Day. The eager guys and gals
just finished a week logging contacts for the Indy Car Grand Prix. In
August, they will fire up the radios for another week of sideband
contacts leading up to the Brickyard 400.

Making contact with the W9IMS special event station will get you an
original designed QSL card. If you make contact for each race you are
also eligible for a special race certificate. For more details, check
out W9IMS on qrz.com

Reporting from Indianapolis, home of the famed two and one half mile
oval, this is Jack Parker, W8ISH

**

QSO TODAY VIRTUAL EXPO NEEDS PRESENTERS

DON/ANCHOR: The organizers of the next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo are
looking for radio operators with tips to share to help beginners sharpen
their operating skills or to learn the basics of building. The online
expo will take place on August 14th and 15th and presenters are needed.
Each presenter will be able to create a pre-recorded lecture which will
be added to the virtual platform for playback during the event. Speakers
will then be available in a moderated Zoom room afterward for a Question
and Answer period. To submit an application visit qsotodayhamexpo.com.

Application deadline is June 15th.

(QSO TODAY)
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2020's YHOTY CHRIS BRAULT KD8YVJ WINS ARDC SCHOLARSHIP

JIM/ANCHOR: Congrats to Amateur Radio Newsline's Young Ham of the Year
for 2020, Chris Brault, KD8YVJ. The ARRL announced that he was among the
more than 200 deserving winners of scholarships through the ARRL
Foundation. Chris is the recipient of a $10,000 Amateur Radio Digital Communications scholarship. Chris will be attending St. Louis University
with a major in Aeronautics and a minor in computer science. He's also
weeks away from earning his private pilot license. We here at Newsline
wish this deserving young amateur all the best.

**

DEADLINE CLOSING FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

JIM/ANCHOR: Speaking of the Young Ham of the Year Award, May 31st at
midnight Eastern time is the deadline to submit your nominations for this year's recipient. If you know of an outstanding licensed radio amateur
under the age of 18 in the US, Canada or any of the US possessions,
please download the nomination form from our website, complete it and
email it back to newsline@arnewsline.org

The award will be presented at the Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama in
August.

**

CALIFORNIA AMATEURS LAUNCH BOATS ON THE AIR

JIM/ANCHOR: What's better than having boats in the water? Try having
Boats on the Air. Well, one group in California is making it happen. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, explains.

DAVE: In the same tradition as POTA, SOTA, and IOTA, now there's BOTA --
that is, Boats on the Air, an activation that its organizers hope will
set sail as an activity worldwide. The inaugural Boats on the Air is
leaving the dock on Saturday, June 5th, and operators from the San
Francisco Amateur Radio Club will be activating watercraft of all kinds.
For the organizers, including Kent Carter, AJ6NI, the floating shack will
be a sailboat called the Auriah (AH-RYE-AH). Part of the challenge, he
said, is to bring mobile ham radio gear into a marine environment and get
on FM, AM, CW, SSB, digital voice, or digital data modes.

Chasers and activators will be on the air for three hours beginning 2000
UTC. A boat is considered to be activated if it completes four QSOs. The
event website says: [quote] "Join us to activate any moving floating
object on any body of water." [endquote]

In short, that means the boat can be powered by motor, by sail -- even by human effort or....well, use your imagination. In other words, whatever
floats your boat.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(KENT CARTER AJ6NI)

**

RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN CHANGES 50MHz AWARDS

JIM/ANCHOR: Changes are coming to some awards being given by the Radio
Society of Great Britain. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, gives us the details.

JEREMY: The RSGB will be merging the 50MHz 2-Way Countries award and the
50MHz DX Countries award soon, having determined that the two awards significantly duplicate one another. The new award will be released as
the 50MHz Countries award and it will retain the incremental levels of
award present in the two it will replace. Hams who have been working
towards either of the current 50MHz awards will have until the end of
this year to complete them while the RSGB works toward launching the new award.

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

(RSGB)

**

POPULAR D-STAR NET CHANGES CHECK-IN TIME

JIM/ANCHOR: Here in the US, a popular D-STAR Net is starting check-ins
two hours earlier, and has big plans to get involved in emergency
response. Here's Andy Morrison, K9AWM, with those details.

ANDY: The Illinois D-STAR Net is on the move. Starting on Wednesday, June
2nd, it is starting two hours earlier. Hams will be able to check in at 7
p.m. Central Time. Net control Steven Reiners, KC9SIO, told Newsline that
there are two benefits to moving the time of the Net, which meets on
Reflector 51 D. Steven said he is hoping that the move will attract new members, bring back many of the original ones, and fulfil the Net's
original mission to foster conversation among stations throughout the
state. He said the other goal of the move is to have the Net join a
statewide system for emergency communications, eventually attracting the participation by hams in all 102 counties.

Meanwhile, the KB0ZSG International D-Star Net continues to take check-
ins on Sundays at 7 p.m. Central Time in the US on Reflector 91C. The net carries the name and callsign of founder Connie Ballantyne, who became a Silent Key in February, 2020.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(STEVEN REINERS KC9SIO)

**

GET READY FOR 'TUNE-UP' EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: If you can't wait for ARRL Field Day, you don't have to. The
100 Watts and a Wire community is encouraging hams to go portable on June
11th through June 13th as part of the annual Tune-Up Activity. It's a way
to test your portable antennas and stations in preparation for the big
event. If you don't have a portable station, you can still get on the
air. Work as an individual or as part of a team, operating on any band
and in any mode. The exchange is your Call sign, your 100WattID if you
have one, your state, province or DX Country and a true signal report.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

POSTAL OFFICIALS SAY: HERE COMES THE SUN

DON/ANCHOR: With the help of the United States Postal Service, the sun
is finally enjoying its day in.....the sun. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells
us what's happening.

JIM: We hams aren't the only ones keeping a close watch on the various activities of the sun. It seems the US Postal Service has taken an
intense interest too, so much so that it is issuing a set of stamps
bearing images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. The stamps
feature 10 images received at the observatory, including plasma blasts,
solar flares, coronal holes, coronal loops and those all-important
sunspots.

NASA launched its Solar Dynamics Observatory in 2010 to collect solar
data, including details about the sun's magnetic field and activity
on the sun's surface.

On Friday, June 18th, the post office issued the stamps during a
ceremony in Greenbelt, Maryland.

Thomas Marshall, the postal service's general counsel and executive
vice president, issued a statement saying: "We hope these amazing
stamps will help generate the same sense of wonder and curiosity about
our star that inspired our ancestors, and the scientists at NASA to
want to better understand the sun, space, and the myriad of
possibilities that exist in our solar system, in our universe and
beyond."

Dean Pesnell, project scientist for the observatory, said the
observatory has given us [quote] "the ecology of the sun.... It's
giving us the big picture, one detail at a time."

That means that we hams, of course, can now celebrate Solar Cycle 25
one stamp at a time, with each QSL card we send.

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

(CNN)

**

GET READY FOR VIRTUAL HAM EVENT IN FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

DON/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that even as hams in North America get
ready for Field Day, one of the world's largest amateur radio events,
Ham Radio Friedrichshafen, continues this year as a virtual event.
The fair is taking place from June 25th to June 27th, with lectures
in German and English. The 2-Dimensional virtual fairgrounds is based
on the original one in Germany, and will feature exhibitors and special-interest groups who are able to interact with visitors through
video chat.

(HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the K8QIK repeater in Lancaster, Ohio on Mondays at 8 p.m.

**

AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS MEDAL

DON/ANCHOR: A prestigious medal has been awarded to one amateur radio
operator in Australia whose name is already well-known to a group
there known as the Old Timers. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, has the
details.

ROBERT: Congratulations to Bill Roper, VK3BR, who received the Order
of Australia Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. The award
was given for his service to amateur radio. Bill, who was recognised
on June 14th, was among 1,190 Australians honoured on the list.

Since the late 1990s, Bill has been the editor of Old Timers News,
the Radio Amateurs Old Timers Club of Australia's journal, published
twice a year. He is a life member, and membership secretary of the
club, and a former president and secretary. Bill also has a long
history of service to the Wireless Institute of Australia, serving
as treasurer of the Victorian Division from 1962 to 1972, and federal
office manager from 1989 to 1993.

Well done, Bill.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(WIA)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

FCC OKS EXPERIMENTAL 40 MHZ STATION FOR HAM IN GEORGIA

PAUL/ANCHOR: The FCC has given the go-ahead to an amateur in Georgia who
is operating an experimental station on 40 MHz. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE,
brings us those details.

KEVIN: For the next two years, anyone tuning to the frequency 40.662 MHz
is likely to hear a two-minute Weak Signal Propagation Reporter
transmission coming from an omnidirectional antenna in Atlanta, Georgia
in the United States. Experimental station, WL2XUP, went on the air in mid-July under an experimental license granted through July 1st, 2023 by
the FCC. Gregory Holcomb, NI4Y, who is assigned the new callsign, will be conducting tests on the band and his two-minute transmissions occur every
10 minutes. He is permitted a maximum output of 400 watts Effective
Radiated Power.

Details about the station were reported in the EI7GL blog, where the
author, John wrote: [quote] The really big challenge now is trying to
raise awareness amongst the amateur radio community in North America and making them aware of the 40 MHz band and the activity on it. [endquote]

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

(EI7GL BLOG)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W4EDP and
N4LMC repeaters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Fridays at 7:30 p.m. local
time.

**

COMMERCIAL TELEVISION INDUSTRY RETIRES LAST NTSC TRANSMITTER

PAUL/ANCHOR: The commercial TV industry has retired the last of its transmitters employing the original system used for black-and-white and
early color TV. Jack Parker, W8ISH, gives us the details.

JACK: Those of us who love our straight keys, our boat anchors, our tube radios and other parts of early ham radio have it easy. We can still use
the technology from which our roots have sprung. Television, however,
recently hit a milestone in the United States, where the industry retired
the last few remaining commercial transmitters that use the system
developed by the National Television Standards Committee. The NTSC
system, which first defined black-and-white transmissions and later
color, generated pictures comprising 525 lines displayed at nearly 30
frames per second. This produced the familiar analogue TV broadcasts that delivered programming to American audiences for more than 70 years. Now,
in an age of digital and HDTV, NTSC screens have gone dark.

The Hackaday blog, which reported the development in its July 14 post,
wrote: [quote] "We have to admit to being sorry to see the passing of
analogue TV, it was an intricate and fascinating system that provided a testbed for plenty of experimentation back in the day. Perhaps as we see
it slip over the horizon it's worth pondering whether its digital
replacement will also become an anachronism in an age of on-demand
streaming TV. " [endquote]

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

(HACKADAY)

**

ARRL REOPENS CONNECTICUT HEADQUARTERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: The ARRL's headquarters is back in business. Sel Embee,
KB3TZD, gives us the details of the ceremonial reopening of the doors.

SEL: The doors are open again in Newington, Connecticut, home to the
American Radio Relay League. The ARRL hosted a rededication ceremony
there on July 15th to coincide a return to business as usual as pandemic restrictions have eased. Members of the ARRL's board of directors were in
town from around the country to attend board and committee meetings and
were present at the ceremony.

The league shut its building at the close of the day on March 23, 2020 in response to the governor's executive order for businesses. It was just
days after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a global pandemic. Many ARRL staffers worked remotely instead. Other services,
such as the W1AW bulletin and the code-practice transmissions continued.

ARRL CEO David Minster, NA2AA, said he was pleased to see the league's services and staffing bounce back. He said [quote] "This speaks to the resilience and dedication of our staff, board members and volunteers." [endquote]

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

(THE BRISTOL PRESS, ARRL)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
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QSO TODAY VIRTUAL EXPO RETURNS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Get ready for the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. It's back
after retooling its platform and as Stephen Kinford, N8WB, tells us, organizers are optimistic.

STEPHEN: The QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo is returning on the 14th and
15th of August, and will be based on the original platform used for the successful expo held in August of 2020. Organizer Eric Guth 4Z1UG, host
of the QSO Today podcast, said the move back to a single-platform
experience will avoid the widespread problems reported previously when
the conference attempted to integrate two virtual convention platforms provided by different vendors.

Eric said the platform, known as vFairs, has implemented such upgrades
as a video meeting lounge, and said he anticipates what he is calling a "flawless user experience." He said he hopes to exceed the expectations
of the more than 14,000 attendees at the live online event. He said a
preview of the platform will be made available from 8 a.m. Pacific Time
on August 1st through 5 p.m. Pacific Time on August 3rd so that
prospective attendees can experience the environment without cost. The
URL for the preview is in the printed script of this week's Newsline
report at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://qsotest.vfairs.com ]

Eric said the platform will have a lobby, auditorium, exhibit hall, and lounges, as well as a variety of speaker presentations.

For ticket information or to register, visit qsotodayhamexpo.com

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
K7MMA repeater, in Spokane, Washington, on Fridays at 5 p.m. Pacific
Time.

**

VP4 PREFIX REPORTEDLY CONSIDERED FOR FORMER FALKLANDS DEPENDENCIES

NEIL/ANCHOR: The dilemma over assigning prefixes to amateurs operating
from certain locations near the Falklands Islands continues. We have an
update from Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: The Falklands government, which no longer issue new VP8 licences for amateur operation from the former Falkland Islands Dependencies,
including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, is reportedly favouring the assignment there of the VP4 prefix formerly used in
Trinidad and Tobago. According to various reports, the prefix would be
used in the remote regions by subdividing the suffix with VP4 Axx for
South Georgia and South Sandwich and VP4 Bxx for British Antarctic Territories. The VP8 prefix ceased to be used in those regions recently
as a result of new communications legislation in the Falklands.

VP8 licences were formerly used by DXpeditioners wishing to activate
South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands as well as the Antarctic peninsula, South Orkneys and South Shetlands. There has been no public consultation sought by the Falkland Islands Communications Regulator on
this issue. The British Antarctic Territories, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands cannot issue their own licences or assign call signs.
Ofcom in the UK has left the option open for those locales to ask the
Falkland Islands to administer licensing and call signs on their behalf
as had been the case up until early 2020.

The report, which appeared on several news websites, is credited to DXpeditioner Alan Cheshire, VK6CQ/VP8PJ.

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

(SOUTHGATE, OHIO PENN DX)

**

NAVAJO CODE TALKER EVENT MOVES TO OPERATORS' QTHS

NEIL/ANCHOR: The annual Navajo Code Talker special event is going
forward in spite of a COVID-19 closure of their usual site, the Navajo
Nation itself. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has those details.

RALPH: Although the Navajo Nation in Arizona remains closed as a result
of COVID-19 precautions, the annual special event station honoring the
Navajo Code Talkers of World War II will be on the air as scheduled
between the 10th and 14th of August. This is the 17th annual celebration
of the Native American members of the military who thwarted Japanese interception of their messages by using their language in their coded transmissions in the South Pacific.

THe special event station N7C will operate instead from the home QTHs of
Ray, W7USA, Bob, K7BHM, John, W5PDW, and Herb, N7HG. Herb's father. John Goodluck, was among the original 29 Code Talkers in the United States
Marine Corps who developed the code. John Goodluck died in 2000 at the
age of 76.

Be listening for N7C on 40, 20 and 17 metres. For additional details and
QSL information, visit the station's page on QRZ.COM.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

SPACEX ACQUIRES FIRM COFOUNDED BY RADIO AMATEUR

JIM/ANCHOR: A firm cofounded by a radio amateur has just merged with
the SpaceX technology giant. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has more on that.

SEL: SpaceX, Elon Musk's giant California-based space technology
company, has acquired a satellite communications company cofounded by
an amateur radio operator. The merger makes Swarm Technologies a wholly
owned subsidiary of SpaceX. Swarm, which specializes in Internet-of-
Things technology and low-cost satellite connectivity, has asked the
Federal Communications Commission to transfer control of its earth and
space station licenses. Swarm was founded in 2016 by Ben Longmier, K-
F-5-K-M-P and Sara Spangelo. In 2020, the company launched its first
dozen commercial satellites, established ground stations in Alaska, New Jersey, Washington State, Guam, the Azores and elsewhere and began
expanding market access. Swarm is licensed in non-voice, non-
geostationary mobile satellite service, operating in the bands between 137-to-138 MHz and 148-to-149-decimal-95 MHz.

In 2020, Swarm Technologies placed second in the most Innovative Space Companies list created by Fast Company. The top spot went to SpaceX.

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

(SPACE EXPLORED.COM, FASTCOMPANY.COM)

**

HOMEBREWERS IN HYDERABAD HELP QO-100 SATELLITE USERS

JIM/ANCHOR: Two inventive amateurs in India have come up with a clever
way to communicate with the QO-100 satellite. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN,
tells us about their accomplishment.

ROBERT: Hams in Hyderabad have found a homebrew solution to make
communication via the QO-100 satellite easier for other amateurs. They
have designed prototype converters that will enable the hams to use the transponders on board the geosynchronous satellite. The prototypes
include both up converters and down converters. Homebrewers Sasi
Bhushan, VU2XZ, and A. Amarendra, VU2AAP, told the Telangana Today
newspaper that the converters eliminate the need for such expensive
equipment as software-defined radios. They said the system works in a
way similar to a TV set-top box that receives programmes beamed from satellites, converting radio waves into signals for the TV. The circuit
boards within the converter are designed to communicate via the 10 GHz frequency for downlink and the 2.4 GHz frequency for uplink.

Sasi said the first hams to be given the opportunity to use the
converters are members of the Lamakan Amateur Radio Club in Hyderabad.
A transverter is also in the works, combining uplink and downlink
capability.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(TELANGANA TODAY)

**

RULE CHANGES PERMIT SCOUT, GUIDE GROUPS IN YL CONTEST

JIM/ANCHOR: The youngest of the YLs will be getting in on the action
this year as women in Australia get ready for a big annual contest. We
hear more from Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

JASON: A change in rules this year is permitting some new first-timers
to get on the air for the 41st annual contest of the Australian Ladies
Amateur Radio Association this month. The newest entrants are YLs who
are in Scout and Guide groups and they'll be using their club's
equipment and callsign. Lynda, VK7QP, writes in the ALARA newsletter,
"The YL Beam," that the event on August 28th and 29th is [quote] "a
friendly contest and a chance to start learning how to operate a
contest." [endquote] YLs of all ages will clearly have the run of the
field here. YLs get to work everyone; OMs are only eligible to work
YLs. The 24-hour event will offer a combination of SSB and CW contacts. Contacts over Echolink will be accepted and all other operations will
be on the HF bnds except for 160 metres and the WARC bands. All
licensed operators around the world may enter.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(YL BEAM)

**

UK BROADBAND SERVICES PLAN NEW CONNECTIONS VIA WATER PIPES

JIM/ANCHOR: A change is afoot in how companies in the UK deliver
broadband services and it might just make ham radio operators happy
too. Here's more from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: There's encouraging news for broadband subscribers in rural
areas of the UK: communications companies have been given the official go-ahead to use water pipes instead of having to dig new trenches to
connect homes and businesses to the internet using fibre optic cable
services. According to the government website, gov.uk, the rollout is
expected to take place throughout the UK, ending in March 2024, with an emphasis on rural areas.

Stephen Unger, commissioner at the Geospatial Commission, issued a
statement saying: [quote] "Our ambition must be for reliable broadband
to become as easy to access tomorrow as drinking water is today."
[endquote]

The announcement is good news to those concerned about the traditional installation where roads and land are dug up. It is also good news for
amateur radio operators who may have reported RFI from broadband's
copper wires carrying VDSL Broadband services.

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

(GOV.UK)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K4LYL repeater
in Bedford, Virginia on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.
local time.

**

WEST BENGAL HAMS MARK 100 YEARS OF RADIO

PAUL/ANCHOR: This year has brought double the celebration for hams in
India. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us there's still time to attend
some of the programs - virtually.

JASON: Indian amateurs aren't just marking 100 years of ham radio;
they're also celebrating 75 years of their nation's independence.
A full weekend of celebration was hosted by the West Bengal Radio
Club on August 14th and 15th, highlighted by an online tech talk
with noted home brewer Ashhar Farhan, VU2ESE, creator of the Bitx
and micro BITX open source transceivers. The programme, hosted by
Saborni Nag Biswas, VU2JFC, was followed by a webinar on the first
century of Indian amateur radio led by S. Ram Mohan, VU2MYH, and
Sriramamurthy Suri, VU2MY, both of the National Institute of Amateur
Radio and S. Satyapal, VU2FI, of the Indian Institute of Hams.

Both events were livestreamed. If you were unable to attend virtually
while the programmes were taking place, they are available for viewing
on YouTube. The links appear in the script of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekQe98ccurM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQpy1t-xLoE

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(WEST BENGAL RADIO CLUB)

**

ACMA SEEKS INPUT ON 2x1 CALLSIGNS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Australian officials are looking for hams' input on their
review of 2x1 callsigns. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, has more.

ROBERT: The Australian Communications and Media Authority is asking
hams to share their thoughts on allocation arrangements for 2x1
callsigns. The callsign allocations are to be handled by the
Australian Maritime College, which already manages allocations for
amateur beacons, repeaters, special event callsigns, and normal
callsigns. The ACMA have posted a survey, and are interested in
hearing hams' thoughts on the issue and use of the two-by-one
callsigns. The authority wants to know, for instance, whether the
callsigns should be made available only to clubs and Advanced level
amateurs, or whether any level of licence can have access.

Hams have until the 31st of August to complete the short five-question
survey. According to the authority, hams will be able to use the 2x1
callsigns without having to get a new licence, or make changes to their existing licence.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(ACMA)

**

ACMA REVIEWS ARRANGEMENTS FOR AMATEUR REPEATERS, ASSIGNED BEACONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: The authority is also reviewing its plans for assigned
amateur beacon and repeater stations. More details on that from Graham
Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: The Australian Communications and Media Authority is in the
middle of sorting through more than 800 responses to its consultation
on a review of non-assigned amateur and outpost licensing arrangements.
The ACMA's review is also taking a look at accreditation for repeater
and amateur beacon assignments.

The ACMA has been trying to implement a licensing procedure that will
minimise the burdens of regulation, and allow benefits for hams to
continue at an affordable price.

According to the consultation paper outlining the proposed changes
earlier this year, three options are under consideration. In the
first, the ACMA would not change apparatus licensing arrangements
and conditions. In the second, the authority would simplify existing
licensing arrangements and licence conditions. In the third, which is
the preferred option for the AMCA, operation of non-assigned amateur
stations would be authorised for holders of Foundation, Standard, and
Advanced level qualifications through a class licence, rather than an
apparatus licence. This would involve creation of an amateur class
licence authorising amateur station operation by those holding
Foundation, Standard, or Advanced level qualifications, and would
include individuals visiting Australia, and having overseas equivalent qualifications or licences.

Meanwhile, operation of assigned amateur beacon and repeater stations
would remain authorised under apparatus licensing arrangements.

In a recent advisory, the ACMA has indicated it will provide updates
via its e-bulletin.

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

(ACMA)
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SILENT KEY: NEWSLINE'S ROBERT SUDOCK WB6FDF

JIM/ANCHOR: The next story is a personal one. One of the earliest members
of the Newsline family, has become a Silent Key. Here's Don Wilbanks,
AE5DW, with some memories of him.

DON: We've just learned of the passing of one of our Newsline family. One
that dates back to the very beginnings of Newsline. Robert Sudock,
WB6FDF, passed away on July 7th, in Long Beach, California at the age of
74. He had been in poor health for some time.

Bob was there when Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, and Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP, formulated the idea to drive to the top of a mountain, and report on the
state of the Westlink 220 repeater system in the Los Angeles area. That
became the Westlink Report, and you know it now as Amateur Radio
Newsline.

Bob, like Bill Pasternak, hailed from Brooklyn, New York. When a young
Bill Pasternak, then WA2HVK, moved to LA, Bob was one of his first
contacts. Their lifelong friendship began with that first contact. He had
a long career in broadcast engineering including stops at KZH channel 31,
and KLON radio in Long Beach, and KTTV channel 11 in Los Angeles. It was
there where he worked alongside Bill Pasternak. He served on the board of
the Southern California Frequency Coordinating Committee. From 1974 to
1976, Bob edited and reported the Mt. Wilson Repeater Association news
and was an original member of Newsline. Bob subbed for Newsline's Graham
Kemp, VK4BB, as anchor of the Wireless Institute of Australia's "News"
when Graham went on holiday. Bob was heard often on Newsline, and when
Bob Heil began Ham Nation, he asked Newsline to be part of the show. Bob Sudock was the original news presenter on Ham Nation. When he fell ill, I filled in for him, firmly expecting to just keep his seat warm. That was
10 years ago.

Bob and I sat down via Skype a few years ago, and we had a long
conversation about the beginnings, and little-known facts of Newsline for report #2000. You can find that on our website, arnewsline.org under the
Extra tab. Scroll about halfway down for that audio.

I never met Bob Sudock, but we talked on the phone many times. He was a
gentle soul with a big heart, and a deep, resonant voice. After Bill
passed away, he was invaluable in helping us pick up the pieces, and keep Newsline going. Robert Sudock was truly one of The Good Guys.

Good DX, Bob. Tell Bill hello for us.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

**

NORTH CAROLINA RADIO MUSEUM MARKS 20 YEARS

JIM/ANCHOR: How do you mark 20 years of devotion to radio? If you happen
to have your very own museum, you broadcast your joy with a party. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us about the celebration.

KEVIN: On Saturday, September 11th, everyone is invited to the Asheville
Radio Museum in North Carolina to help it mark two decades of preserving
radio history. What grew into a regional home for radio history of all
kinds began with founders Clint Gorman, K4KRB, and the late Carl Smith,
N4AA. Carl and his wife, Miriam, rescued a 1930s-era radio receiver in
need of a fix-up. Miriam, who was also a ham, then suggested they add to
their collection, with the help of some other ham radio operators. Out of
that grew an exhibit that became the Southern Appalachian Radio Museum.

Now the museum, located on a college campus, showcases all facets of
radio technology, from cellphones and Bluetooth to GPS and, of course,
vintage commercial and amateur radios. There is even an early 1900s spark
gap transmitter for Morse Code.

The public celebration is from noon to 3 p.m. on the campus of the Asheville-Buncombe Technical College, and details are available on the museum's website which is a v l radiomuseum.org.

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

**

HAMS RAISE PROFILE OF GROUP THAT AIDS DISABLED VETERANS

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Illinois are getting on the air to support a group
that aids disabled veterans. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, tells us about their special event station.

ANDY: Disabled US military veterans have found a friend in an
organization known as Healing Of Our American Heroes, or HOOAH. For
years, an Illinois organization known as HOOAH Deer Hunt for Heroes has provided wounded former soldiers with access to outdoor activities and
paid all their expenses. The Illinois program will gain even more
momentum on September 4th, 5th and 6th because they too have found a
friend: the Chicago Suburban Radio Association, W9SW, which is showing
its support by activating a special event station during the group's fundraiser. The hams will be on the air calling W4V - We're 4 Veterans -
from Hickory Hills campground.

Ron Delpiere-Smith, KD9IPO, the club's vice president, said those dates,
which mark Labor Day Weekend, will be the club's first special event for
the veterans group. Be listening on 10 through 80 metres.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(RON DELPIERE-SMITH, KD9IPO)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

IN SWITZERLAND, HIGH-FLYING QSOS IN HOT AIR BALLOON

DON/ANCHOR: Hams who are up for some high adventure in Switzerland
are taking their ambitions seriously by operating from a hot-air
balloon. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us about their plans.

ED: Plans for the Helvetia Telegraphy Club's next big activation are
up in the air. In fact, the radio operators hope to get up in the
air and stay there for at least two hours aboard a hot-air balloon.
Their scheduled launch date is the 14th of September when they hope
to start operating sometime after 0530 UTC. The callsign HB9HC/AM
will be activated by members of the USKA/HTC National Mountain Day
Commission as hams ascend to the sky over Switzerland, operating all
the while on 40m, 30m and 20m. They will be transmitting with 15
watts of CW power, making use of vertical dangling antennas. If
you're interested in a contact, watch the Reverse Beacon Network or
the DX clusters. You can also use APRS if you're interested in
tracking the balloon's exact position. Are the radio operators'
hopes perhaps a bit overinflated? Probably not: They're already
advising everyone to get familiar with such important Q codes as QAH
for Altitude, and QAL for Landing.

All details are on their website at the URL given in the script on
our arnewsline.org website.

(DO NOT READ:
https://hb9htc.clubdesk.com/hb9htc5/aktivitaeten/hb9hcam_on_air)

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

(QRZ.COM, SOTA REFLECTOR, HELVETIA TELEGRAPHY CLUB)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
K7MMA repeater in Spokane, Washington, on Fridays at 5 p.m. Pacific
time.

**

BBC INTERVIEWS DEVELOPER OF WORLD'S FIRST MICROSATELLITE

DON/ANCHOR: If you're a satellite enthusiast, you owe a bit of
thanks to one notable homebrewer, tinkerer and distinguished
professor in the UK. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us about a recent BBC
interview with him.

JEREMY: With an imagination fueled by NASA's Apollo missions a
decade earlier, Martin Sweeting, G3YJO, went on to launch a new era
in space himself: the age of microsatellites, which began as a
homebrew project built partly at home and partly on the University
of Surrey campus. That first, very basic microsatellite - U0Sat-1,
the granddaddy of all that would come later - was eventually
launched by NASA in 1981. Martin, an amateur radio operator since
his student years, recalls in a new interview with the BBC what it
was like being the creator of the first microsatellite in a pre-
internet era. More than amateur radio communications tools, today's microsatellites aid the world in navigation, scientific research,
weather and environmental monitoring. As satellite mega-
constellations now revolutionize communications yet further, Martin,
a Distinguished Professor of Space Engineering at the university,
also makes a plea to clean the skies of the hazard of space junk.
The BBC posted the half-hour interview on its website.

That URL is available in the script of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org

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

[FOR PRINT: DO NOT READ www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct2h26]

(BBC SOUNDS)

**

YL AWARDS INTRODUCED INTO OCEANIA DX CONTEST

DON/ANCHOR: The Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association is
introducing a new twist or two on an old favorite DX contest now in
its 76th year. With those details, here's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

JIM: If you're looking for contacts with stations in the Oceania
region and you happen to be a YL, you're in luck. The Oceania DX
Contest is taking place on two consecutive weekends - October 2nd
and 3rd for phone and October 9th and 10th for CW - and this year,
the spotlight includes two awards being introduced specifically for
YLs. Both awards, sponsored by ALARA, the Australian Ladies Amateur
Radio Association, are being given to a single-operator YL who
achieve the highest combined score in phone and CW. YLs inside the
Oceania region are eligible for the Florence McKenzie Award, named
for Australia's first known licensed female ham radio operator who
received the callsign A2GA in 1925. YLs in the rest of the world are
eligible for the Austine Henry Award, named for a prize-winning
homebrewer who was a member of the YASME Foundation, the RSGB, NZART
and the ARRL. She became Australia's third licensed YL in 1930 when
she received the callsign VK3YL.

YLs who want to be considered for either award should select the YL
box on their entry form when they submit their log.

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

(YL BEAM)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

REPLICA TRANSMITTER BEING PREPPED FOR DECEMBER EVENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Big plans are being made to mark the day radio
amateurs proved they could send signals across the Atlantic. Jack
Parker, W8ISH, tells us what's happening.

JACK: December 11th, 1921 was a significant day for amateur radio:
It was the day of the Transatlantic Test Project, when hams'
shortwave frequencies showed themselves to be capable of
transatlantic radio communications, even at 200 meters or less.
The experimental transmission of station 1BCG, using a tube-based
transmitter, was conducted by the Radio Club of America on 1.3 MHz
and resulted in successful reception in Scotland.

One hundred years later, December 11th, 2021 will be an equally
significant day. A replica of that transmitter will be used to
re-enact that CW transmission on 160 meters not far from the spot
in Connecticut from which the original CW transmission was sent.
Longtime Antique Wireless Association member Bob Raide, W2ZM, now
a Silent Key, (SK) built the replica for a special event 25 years
ago. AWA volunteers have spent lots of time lately refurbishing
it, wiring a plate supply, building a filament power supply and
sorting out usable tubes.

For a day that comes along once every hundred years, radio
operators -- and the transmitter -- need to be ready.

AWA trustee, Joe Stoltz, K2AEI, told Newsline: [quote] "We have
had the transmitter powered up and are able to get 350 watts RF on
160 meters with one amplifier tube. The next step is to construct
a 160 meter antenna so we can do some actual on-air testing before
December." [endquote] Then be listening for the contact of the
century.

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

(ANTIQUE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION, JOE STOLTZ K2AEI)

**

US, UK STATIONS ALSO MARK TRANSATLANTIC ANNIVERSARY

NEIL/ANCHOR: Some equally important modern-day contacts are being
planned for the big anniversary and they involve radio societies
in the US and the UK. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, with those
details.

JEREMY: The Radio Society of Great Britain also has big plans for
the centenary of the first transatlantic personal message between
radio amateurs. Nick Totterdell, G4FAL, the society's HF contest
committee chairman, told Newsline that the ARRL and RSGB members
are organising a number of activities surrounding the anniversary.
There will also be a Transatlantic QSO Party to be held on the
13th and 14th of November, being sponsored by the Radio Club of
America. Nick said other activities will be disclosed soon on the
society's website and will appear in the society's RadCom
magazine. The society is hoping to maximise participation in the
US and the UK and increase worldwide awareness of this achievement
100 years ago.

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

**

POTA ADDS MORE THAN 1,000 PARKS TO ITS SYSTEM

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you activate or even chase Parks on the Air,
you'll want to hear the first of this new monthly POTA report from
Vance Martin, N3VEM.

VANCE: This month in Parks on the Air news, we have two exciting
updates to share with everybody. Our first: We are excited to
announce that we have recently added over 1,000 parks to the Parks
on the Air System. For the last several months we've had a small
contingent of volunteers combing through user requests to add
additional parks, validating that those requested parks meet the
criteria for inclusion in POTA and formatting the list so they
can be added to the system. After hundreds of volunteer hours the
lists are now in the system and ready for you to go activate.
Check out the maps and search pages at the POTA.APP website to see
if any of these new units are in your area.

Also in POTA news, we are excited to share that we are formalizing
a Parks on the Air support desk. You can always continue to get
community support via the Facebook group or via the POTA Help
Channel in the POTA Slack Group. But we have a small group of
volunteers who have agreed to be on a rotating schedule to help
you with your official technical support questions. To reach the
official POTA support desk, all you need to do is send an email to help@parksontheair.com

We have coverage for most days of the week so you will usually get
a response within 24 hours but no worse than 48 hours based on our
volunteers' schedules. We won't solve every problem that fast but
you'll know that we're on it. Issues requiring Level 2 support are
generally resolved within the week.

This is N3VEM. Be sure to visit Parks On the Air dot com for more
info about the program and POTA.APP for spotting, park
information, leaderboards and more.

(VANCE MARTIN, N3VEM, POTA)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
linked repeaters of the Desert Amateur Radio Club KK7AJB, in La Paz
County, Arizona, on Fridays at 7 p.m. and Sundays at 6:45 p.m. local
time.

**

NATIONAL HURRICANE CONFERENCE POSTED ON YOUTUBE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're devoted to weather-watching, you might want
to take a look at the 2021 Virtual National Hurricane Conference
Amateur Radio Workshop. It was held in June, and is now posted on
Youtube. The conference lasts four hours and eight minutes, but if
there's a particular workshop you're interested, you can find an index
and the approximate start times below the video on the site. Workshops
include a discussion of surface reports; overviews of the National
Hurricane Center and the Hurricane Watch Network; and best practices in SKYWARN for tropical systems.

Find the link to the video in the script of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ecZRKVgIG0]

(LLOYD COLSTON KC5FM)

**

IARU REGION 1 HONORS SIX FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Six prominent radio amateurs in IARU Region 1 have been recognized for their years of contributions. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells
us about them.

JEREMY: Six hams in Region 1 of the International Amateur Radio Union
have been awarded medals for their years of work contributing to the
IARU. They are Tore Worren, LA9QL, who recently stepped down as Region
1 EMC Committee Chairman but remains on the committee. Tore is being recognised for bolstering IARU's presence in electromagnetic
compatibility matters. Medal recipient Jacques Verleijen, ON4AVJ, is
being recognised for developing the Contest Working Group and
coordinating work on VHF, including revision of the handbook. He is a
member of the Political Relations Committee and secretary to the VHF
Plus (VHF+) committee. Hans Welens, ON6WQ, is being honoured for
supporting smaller societies, most especially in Africa and creating
the concept of Support to the Amateur Radio Service, or STARS, which he chaired until 2011. The medal to Dave Court, EI3IO, celebrates his work
on the Spectrum and Regulatory Liaison Committee which he chaired until recently. His work, among other things, helped lead to the regionwide allocation to the amateur service of a 2 MHz segment at 50 MHz. Hilary Claytonsmith G4JKS, is being credited for the region's successful work
in EMC matters. Hilary is an EMC committee member and served as its
secretary for nearly 25 years. A medal was also given to Peter Jost,
HB9CET, deputy coordinator for the IARU Monitoring System, for his work
with the monitoring system's newsletters.

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

(SOUTHGATE, DON BEATTIE, G3BJ)

**

POPULAR HAMFESTS HOSTED AGAIN WITH CAUTION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you've been in the mood for a hamfest lately, and
you're going to be in the area just north of New Orleans, Don Wilbanks
AE5DW, has a recommendation for you.

DON: Two busy days of amateur radio activities are on tap for attendees
of the Slidell (SLY-Dell) EOC Hamfest sponsored by the Ozone Amateur
Radio Club. It's going to be held in the Slidell Auditorium with doors
opening at 2 p.m. on Friday, October 8th and at 8 a.m. on Saturday,
October 9th. Entrance for the public is through the lobby doors.
Hamfest chairman Dave Hartley, K5OZ, reminds everyone that masks are
mandatory for all indoor activities in Louisiana so they will be
required to attend the hamfest.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

(DAVE HARTLEY K5OZ)

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, even as hams in Louisiana prepare for their hamfest, members of the Peoria Area Amateur Radio Club in Illinois are celebrating the fact that they just finished enjoying the return of
their Superfest. It took place on September 18th and 19th, and according
to news reports, there are two other reasons to feel encouraged: The
club also saw an uptick in membership, especially among YLs.

(PAARC)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

APPALACHIAN TRAIL ACTIVATIONS LIGHT UP AIRWAVES

JIM/ANCHOR: When POTA, SOTA and Worldwide Flora and Fauna operators
activated sites along the Appalachian Trail in the eastern United States recently, the airwaves above apparently blazed a few trails of their own.
Dave Parks, WB8ODF, brings us that report.

DAVE: Saturday, October 2nd, was a busy day for Appalachian Trail
activations, as more than 60 stations called CQ from points along more
than two thousand miles of trail. David, ND1J, and Mike, KB7THL, operated
POTA stations in North Carolina and Pennsylvania, respectively, and
Jonathan, W4UYE, and Bob, AC1Z, activated SOTA summits in Georgia and Virginia, respectively. According to organizer Mike, WB2FUV, the day ended with at least 25 unique SOTA summits activated and at least 26 POTA
partipants in 11 of the 14 states. Mike himself was operating QRP CW on
West Mountain along the original section of the trail and logged 77
contacts. He said many SOTA stations were also making summit-to-summit contacts with W7A SOTA stations on the 10 point peaks in Arizona.

The event marked the trail's 100th anniversary. But the celebration
extended beyond the US: Preliminary results on the event website showed
that the farthest DX went to Heinz, OE5EEP/p in the Austrian mountains. He broke through the stateside pileups to work two SOTA stations on the
trail.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(MICHAEL MORAN WB2FUV)

**

RESULTS ARE IN FOR PORTABLE OPERATIONS CHALLENGE

JIM/ANCHOR: The results are in for the Portable Operations Challenge held
in Sepember. Here's Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: The Portable Operations Challenge 2021 took place on September 4th and
5th and the overall winner showed what can be done from a great portable location and using very low power. With just six contacts and running at one-watt CW on twenty metres, Jack Haefner, NG2E, took out the top spot
with a grand total of 615,924 points. His six contacts were from all
around the US, plus one that went all the way from his Hogback Mountain
SOTA summit W4V/SH-007 in Virginia to French SOTA chaser Christian,
F4WBN, near the French/Spanish border. All contacts took place within 32 minutes of operating, in session two of the contest.

The most efficient contact measured in kilometres per watt used was that
same Virginia - France contact with 6,340 kilometres per watt achieved.

So, this year both the overall winner and the furthest km/watt contact
title go to one person - Jack Haefner, NG2E. WELL DONE, Jack!

The number of entrants was a little disappointing. There were only
eighteen, far more had been hoped for in this, the second year, of the challenge.

Of those entering however, there were a wide variety of power levels and
modes both from home and portable locations.

Of the eighteen entrants, fifteen were from the US, two from Europe and
one from Australia.

For the portable operations challenge, and ARNewsline, this has been Ed,
DD5LP.

**

CHINA ANNOUNCES LOSS OF SATELLITE

JIM/ANCHOR: China had great hopes for a satellite launched late last month
but following a malfunction, has declared it lost. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW,
has that story.

JASON: China's Shiyan-10 satellite was declared lost shortly after its
launch on Monday, September 27th. In releasing the news, Chinese state
media reported that the spacecraft did not function properly despite
having had a normal flight one day earlier. A report on Twitter said a
flash was seen in the sky above New South Wales, Australia. According to SpaceNews, the flash was believed to be a sign that the launch was on
course and that this was a visible burn of the upper stage of the Long
March 3B rocket that carried the satellite as payload. The satellite was
to have entered a geosynchronous orbit around Earth. It was said to have malfunctioned during the launch and by Tuesday, September 28th, was
officially declared a failure.

Shiyan-10's launch closely followed the liftoff of China's Jilin-1 Gaefen
02D satellite, which was reported to have achieved successful orbit.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(SPACE.COM, SPACENEWS)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the VK8MA 2-meter repeater in Australia's Northern Territory on
Sundays at 7 p.m. local time.

**

ALL EYES ON WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S FIRST HOMEMADE CUBESAT

DON/ANCHOR: In Western Australia, all eyes are on the state's
first homemade Cubesat. John Williams, VK4JJW, tells us what
happens next.

JOHN: Students at Curtin University in Western Australia proudly
watched as their homemade satellite, Binar-1, was sent into Low
Earth Orbit from the ISS in early October. Now the Cubesat has
other work to do.

Ben Hartig, Binar's program manager, said that the amateur radio
community is expected to make use of the satellite on the UHF
frequencies between 430 MHz and 440 MHz. Students will also be
listening and decoding signals the satellite is sending to
determine the satellite's location and performance. The satellite,
which has two cameras on board, is circling Earth once every hour
and a half at a distance of 400 kilometres, or nearly 250 miles,
above the Earth.

Phil Bland, director of the university's Space Science and
Technology Centre, said that as Western Australia's first
homegrown spacecraft, Binar-1 has a key role in the centre's space
programme, which includes getting six more satellites launched
during the next 18 months.

A statement on the BinarSpace website declares its mission. It
says [quote]: "As Western Australia's first spacecraft, this marks
the start of our state's journey into space. The use of amateur
frequencies on this satellite forms the backbone of an exciting
opportunity to engage the community and STEM students. Our
outreach program aims to inspire bold projects in space
exploration." [endquote]

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

(PHYS.ORG, BINAR SPACE WEBSITE)

**

RADIO CLUB ARGENTINO MARKS CENTENNIAL WITH SPECIAL EVENT

DON/ANCHOR: The world's third amateur radio association marked its
centennial on the 21st of October. Listen on the air for special
event station L21RCA -- and listen to this report from Jason Daniels,
VK2LAW.

JASON: Members of the Radio Club Argentino have a number of
reasons to be proud. The national amateur radio society of
Argentina was the sole Latin American organisation to be in Paris
in 1925 when the International Amateur Radio U nion was created.
When the IARU's Region 2 came into being, the radio society had a
presence in Mexico City in 1964 and became a part of that historic
moment. The Argentine radio society turns 100 years old this year
and its web page offers a retrospective in photographs of its
evolution over the years.

Licenced Hams aren't the only radio enthusiasts who can enjoy
being part of this year's big celebration. The society's
Centennial Certificate Program has opened its awards program to
shortwave listeners as well. For information on how to qualify,
visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org

[PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: https://www.lu4aa.org/wp/certificado- del-centenario-para-radioescuchas/ ]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

DON/ANCHOR: According to association secretary Carlos Beviglia,
LU1BCE, special event station L21RCA had already made more than
100,000 QSOs by October 25th.

(RADIO CLUB ARGENTINO, CARLOS BEVIGLIA, LU1BCE)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the AH6LE repeater
in Beavercreek and Wilsonville, Oregon, on Sundays at 6 p.m. local time.

**

SOUTH AFRICAN WEATHER BALLOON FLIES HIGH

SKEETER/ANCHOR: In South Africa, a high-flying balloon carried some
projects - and some high hopes - into the sky, as we hear from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Under the sunny skies of South Africa on the 30th of October, the Secunda Radio Club, ZS6SRC, released a high-altitude weather balloon that
was ultra-light but carried some heavy-duty payloads. Among those sharing
the trip into near space were a variety of experiments, a crossband FM repeater, Slow Scan TV, and the new AMSAT-SA AfriCUBE linear transponder,
with APRS and a CW beacon on 2m.

This was the latest of the club's projects known by the acronym BACAR, for Balloon Carrying Amateur Radio. The club's ongoing weather balloon
initiative has been heralded in the past for its contributions to STEM education through the programme's cooperation with local schools.
According to the club website, the curriculum includes programming of microcontrollers, digital electronics and, of course, radio
communications.

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

(GERT BOTHA ZS6GC, SECUNDA RADIO CLUB WEBSITE)

**

COMMENTS SOUGHT FOR NEW VP0 PREFIX IN BRITISH TERRITORY

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Regulators are looking for comments on use of a new prefix
in the British Antarctic Territory. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: While formal details are still being worked out with respect to the
new Victor Papa Zero callsign prefix for hams operating in the Antarctic region, the government of the British Antarctic Territory is seeking input
no later than November 10th on draft legislation specific to the British Antarctic Territory which includes the South Orkney and South Shetland
islands as well as the mainland sector of the Antarctic continent.

The Victor Papa Zero prefix is also to apply to hams operating on the
British sector of the Antarctic mainland and the South Sandwich Islands
but authorities have not yet determined how the transition will be made
there from existing VP8 licences.

The recent announcement of the new prefix for these former Falkland
Islands Dependencies was heralded as a welcome development for
DXpeditioners and chasers after the use of VP8 licenses was no longer permitted there.

To see the consultation and find out how to comment, visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ:

https://britishantarcticterritory.org.uk/consultation-amateur-radio-
licensing/ ]

(above URL all on one line)

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

(OHIO PENN DX)


**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for the Eureka Amateur Radio Club VY0ERC
on the air from the Eureka weather station in Nunavut on Canada's
Ellesmere Island, IOTA NA-008. Operators will be calling QRZ until the
22nd of November on all HF Bands. Send QSLs to M0OXO (Em Zero Oh Ex Oh),
Club Log's OQRS and Logbook of The World.

Remo, HB9SHD, is using the callsign 8Q7RM from the Maldives, IOTA AS-013, throughout November. Listen for him on FT8. He will also be using slow CW
and SSB on the bands from 6m to 40m. Send QSLs to his home call, either
direct or via the bureau, Club Log’s OQRS and Logbook of the World.

Ken, LA7GIA, the noted DXpeditioner, is operating from Bangui in the
Central African Republic as TL7M until the 15th of November. He will be operating on all bands and all modes. According to the QRZ page for TL7M
he will also make the first activation of 60m in the Central African
Republic under a special permit. Send QSLs to M0OXO.

(IRTS, DX-WORLD.NET)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K9DEW repeater
in Warsaw, Indiana, on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.

**

HEDY LAMARR SPECIAL EVENT SHOWS STAR QUALITY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The late American actress Hedy Lamarr is apparently still
a big star as far as the world's amateur radio operators are concerned.
The sixth annual Hedy Lamarr Day Net, N9H, drew 190 check-ins from around
the world. The special event was held on November 9th on Echolink on what would have been the actress' 107th birthday. Organizer John Derycke (duh-RYE-Key), W2JLD, called it the most successful Hedy Lamarr event to
date. Hedy Lamarr was being celebrated for her on-screen talents but most especially for her role as co-inventor of a frequency hopping system that prevented jamming of radio signals to torpedos and now forms an important
part of today's cell-phone and WiFi networks.

**

POPULAR DATV MAGAZINE ENDS PUBLICATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The digital amateur TV magazine known as CQ-DATV, has published its final issue. Geri Goodrich, KF5KRN, has that story.

GERI: In a publishing lifetime that lasted for eight years with 100
issues, the amateur television magazine CQ-DATV filled a gap left by the demise of two earlier ATV magazines and had been widely read among enthusiasts. That era has ended with the publication of its latest - and
last - issue, released in October. The production team's Trevor Brown
G8CJS writes in this 100th issue: [quote] "All good things must come to
an end and CQ-DATV is no exception." [endquote] The digital-only
publication reports that it received more than 500,000 downloads during
its lifetime and was welcomed by readers who had lost "Der TV Amateur," published in Germany and "Repeater" published in the Netherlands. CQ-DATV credits Ian Pawson G0FCT who introduced the magazine in 2013 as a digital publication and served as its editor. The magazine, which also became available as a PDF edition, is making all of its 100 issues available for download. They can be obtained by visiting the link that appears in the
text version of this week's newscast script on our website arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Geri Goodrich, KF5KRN.

(SOUTHGATE, CQ-DATV)

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ" https://cq-datv.mobi/ebooks.php ]

**

IRELAND AND INDIA JOIN PARKS ON THE AIR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Portable radio enthusiasts are thrilled with the news
that Parks on the Air has added two new countries. Here's Vance Martin,
N3VEM, with the latest.

VANCE: In Parks on the Air News, in October we welcomed Ireland and India
to Parks on the Air! So please join me in saying dia duit and namaste to
our newest POTA friends! October was another record-setting month, with
an all-time high for both number of activators and number of QSOs, with
1,630 activators making a combined 329,019 QSOs.

In our last news item for the month, POTA is excited to officially
announce that for our 2022 summer plaque event, we will be adding several plaques for DX QSOs. There will be up to 6 DX plaques available, pending sponsorship - one each for the most QSOs made as an activator outside of
the continental United States for IARU Regions 1, 2, and 3, and 1 each
for hunters who make the most QSOs with activators in those same regions.
If you or your organization is interested in sponsoring one of these new
DX plaques in 2022, please send an email to n3vem@parksontheair.com for details.

This is November 3 Victor Echo Mike with your October Parks on the air
Update. Be sure to visit parksontheair.com for information about the
program, and pota.app for spotting, park information, leader boards, and
more.

(PARKS ON THE AIR)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KA1AAA
repeater and Echolink Conference server in Bradenton, Florida, on Sundays
at 0000 UTC.

**

FRANCE DROPS FEE FOR AMATEUR EXAM

DON/ANCHOR: There is some good news for candidates for the amateur radio
exam in France: They can put away their wallets. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH,
gives us the details.

JEREMY: Candidates for the amateur radio exam in France no longer pay a
fee for the test and the operator certificate. France's National
Frequency Agency made the announcement recently on its website, advising
hams who have already paid that they may be eligible for reimbursement.
The qualifying terms of that reimbursement will shortly be posted on the agency's portal. Letters will also be sent out to qualify amateurs,
enabling them to apply for a return of the fees.

This announcement is the latest reduction in costs for ham radio
operators in France. In 2019, the ANFR removed the annual fee for the
radio licence itself.

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

(SOUTHGATE, ANFR, ICQ PODCAST)

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE ILLINI NET'S BUSY WITH POSTGRADUATE ACTIVITIES

DON/ANCHOR: Our occasional series, "Nets of Note," looks at how and where
hams gather on the air. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, introduces us to a dedicated collective of university alumni with an especially dedicated net control.

PAUL: We love to celebrate our seniors in the hobby, and Earl Finder
W9CGZ, at 98 years old, definitely qualifies. Yes, he's been licensed
since 1947, but what brought him to our attention was the fact that he's
been running the Illini Net out of Champaign/Urbana, Illinois daily since 1976! According to Finder, it all started when he retired:

FINDER: When I retired, I made arrangements with a ham who had lived here
but moved to California to get on the air the next day. And we did - we thought we’d just get on the air once in a while, but eventually it got
to the point where we were on there every day!

Eventually it got pretty widespread around the country with a lot of
people from Champaign/Urbana, Illinois where I live, and graduates from
the University of Illinois, and people who were stationed at Chanute
Field for many years and little by little it just grew until we had quite
a few people from all over the country who would check in.

PAUL: Finder told me it's not just for U of I graduates or people from
that area:

FINDER: We have all kinds of people - we have PhDs, research scientists,
NASA engineers, we've had people contact us while flying airliners over
the US, military pilots while they were in the air, people on ships and on-the-road truck drivers, too. All kinds of people.

PAUL: If you want to check out the Illini Net, it starts every day at
11:30 AM Central on 14.320MHz, plus or minus. Sounds like a great way to
meet a wide variety of hams.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for the callsign HF150KCH and 3Z150PO
(Three Zed One Fifty Pee Oh), activated by the Klubu (Clue-Boo) Lacznosci (Watch-Nawgee), SP2KFQ, from their club station until November 30th. The activation is part of the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the
first railway line in Chojnice (Hoy-Kneetsuh), where their club station
is located. QSL to the PZKBureau OT09 to SP2KFQ. See the club's QR Zed
webpage for details on how to apply for the award for the 150th
anniversary of the railway line.

Be listening for Vladimir, OK2WX, who is on the air as 5H3WX from
Zanzibar until the 3rd of December. Listen on 80 through 10 metres where
he will be using CW and SSB. Send QSLs to HA3JB.

Listen for John Paul, KN6NNF, in Uganda where he is using the callsign
5X3Z on 20 and 10 meters using FT8. QSL to 5X3Z via LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

IARU GIVES HIGH HONORS TO THREE FOR LEADERSHIP

JIM/ANCHOR: It's not every year that the International Amateur
Radio Union's Administrative Council honors a ham with an award
bearing the name of a much-admired and respected Silent Key. This
year, however, there is a recipient - and two other honorees.
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

JEREMY: IARU Region 1 president Don Beattie, G3BJ, a former
president of the Radio Society of Great Britain, has another title
to his name now: Recipient of the Michael J Owen VK3KI Award,
recognizing volunteer contributions that the IARU called
reflective of the spirit of Michael Owen's four decades of
service.

The IARU also chose two recipients for its Diamond Award, another
honour reflecting unwavering service. They are Gopal Madhavan,
VU2GMN/M0GDB, and Ken Yamamoto, JA1CJP. Gopal was selected based
on his service on Region 3's executive committee which he has
chaired at times. Likewise, Ken has served as its secretary and
its chairman.

Michael Owen, who had served as president of the Wireless
Institute of Australia, had also been a director and the chairman
of IARU Region 3 and held numerous other roles over the years,
contributing to the World Administrative Radio Conference in 1970
and the World Radiocommunication Conference in 2003. He became a
Silent Key in September 2012.

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

(SOUTHGATE, IARU)

**

YOUNGEST AMATEURS READY FOR YOTA MONTH

JIM/ANCHOR: With the arrival of December, some of the youngest
voices in amateur radio will be calling QRZ. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG,
tells us what's happening.

NEIL: The calendar may show that next month is December but the
amateur radio calendar calls it something else: YOTA month. Next
month's 31 days are devoted to encouraging youngsters around the
world to get on the air using the letters Y O T A as their suffix
in their callsigns. International YOTA stations will be calling
QRZ with operators in their teens and early 20s. Be listening for
ZS9YOTA from South Africa, 5B4YOTA from Cyprus, OD5YOTA from
Lebanon and K8Y, K8O, K8T, and K8A from the US. There are many
others and the bands are expected to be busy as the young radio
operators vie for various awards and plaques.

Hams making contacts with these YOTA stations are advised, as
always, to remember that they might just be that young radio
operator's first contact -- so make it memorable.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(YOTA)

**

RECORD DEAL IS MUSIC TO HAM'S EARS

JIM/ANCHOR: An English rock musician who also happens to be a ham
has just signed a record deal that's music to his ears. Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH, brings us that story.

JEREMY: As a ham, Dave Rowntree, M0IEG, is used to being in the
shack, operating solo.

Now he's getting a chance to make a solo debut on the air in a
different way. Known as the percussionist with the English rock
group Blur, Dave has just been signed by a recording label for a
debut solo album.

Dave has already done a number of film and TV scores, including
those for Netflix and the BBC, but the album's release next year
on the label Cooking Vinyl is going to be all his own show.

Music Week reported the deal on November 17th on its website,
where Dave said [quote]: "As a kid I used to spend hours spinning
the dial on my radio, dreaming of escape to all the places whose
exotic stations I heard. I've tried to make an album like that -
tuning through the spectrum, stopping at each song telling a story
about a turning point in my life, then spinning the dial and
moving on." [endquote]

Congratulations, Dave.

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

(MUSICWEEK.COM, SOUTHGATE)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

SUCCESS WAS IN THE (QSL) CARDS

NEIL/ANCHOR: For one ham club in Massachusetts, a recent QSL sorting party became a celebration party. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, shares the details.

ANDY: The recent QSL sorting party of the Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio
Club was anything but routine. As they handled the coveted confirmations
of DX contacts, preparing the cards to be sent to their recipients, the volunteer crew found itself on the receiving end of something as well: The Massachusetts club was presented with a plaque from the ARRL's DX QSL
Bureau System for the group's 25 years of service to the ARRL regional
bureau. Club president Bruce Blain, K1BG, accepted the honor on behalf of
the club from the bureau's comanager, Eric Williams, KV1J.

With hams enjoying a better sunspot cycle now, there's likely to be lots
more DX on the horizon so the club can look forward to sorting many more
of those cards for the foreseeable future.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(JOE REYNOLDS KA1GDQ)

**

CHANGES COMING FOR AUSTRALIAN LICENSEES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Australia's regulator is seeking input on two proposed
changes affecting amateur radio licensees. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, brings us
that story.

GRAHAM: Australia's communications regulator has proposed syllabus changes impacting the Advanced, which is the Full amateur licence and, in a
separate move, seeks to restrict further issuance of two callsign suffixes associated with emergencies.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority's proposal for the
Advanced licence would adopt the exam syllabus from the CEPT
Recommendations, making the certificate of proficiency fully compatible
with CEPT HAREC.

Separately, the regulator is seeking to drop callsign suffixes SOS and PAN from future allocations because of their association with international emergency and distress calls. Hams with callsigns already containing these suffixes will not be affected. Going forward, the suffixes will be added instead to a list of reserved call signs.

The regulator invites comments on both of these proposals and asks hams to respond no later than the close of business, Australia time, on Monday,
the 13th of December. A link to the survey is in the text version of this newscast on our website arnewsline.org.

In another move, hams have been notified that the ACMA now requires all equipment sold or imported into Australia to comply with ARPANSA's electromagnetic energy exposure levels, simplifying the mandatory testing procedure for most amateurs.

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

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ:
https://tinyurl.com/yc7w3hz8 ]

(ACMA)

**

SPECIAL ACTIVATION MARKS PEARL HARBOR'S BOMBING

NEIL/ANCHOR: The US Battleship Iowa's original Navy callsign, NEPM, will
be heard on the air on Tuesday, December 7th, marking the anniversary of Japan's surprise aerial bombing of the US naval base at Pearl Harbor in
1941. That attack spurred the United States' entry into World War II.

The US Navy's Third Fleet Spectrum Manager has authorized the callsign's activation by the Battleship Iowa Amateur Radio Association and the Iowa's Innovation and Engineering Team. The hams will be operating split; be listening for them on 14.781.5 MHz and answer their call using 14.343 MHz.
The activation will take place between 1600 and 2359 UTC.

For more details, visit the QRZ.COM page for NEPM.

(BATTLESHIP IOWA AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

WEBINAR CELEBRATES INDIA'S WIRELESS PIONEER BOSE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in India gathered recently to celebrate one of radio's pioneers and to share his story. John Williams, VK4JJW, brings us that
report.

JOHN: Celebrated for his studies into transmitting and receiving on
radio's shortwave frequencies - and for his spirit of experimentation -
the pioneering Indian scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose was the focus of a webinar held by the West Bengal Radio Club. The one-hour webinar took
place on November 30th but is now available for viewing on the club's
YouTube channel. The programme opens with a presentation by biophysicist Gautam Basu who told attendees [quote] "He took a road that no one took
before and that is why we should remember him." [endquote] The scientist,
who died in 1937, was born in what is now Bangladesh. He is credited with developments that eventually led to Guglielmo Marconi's creation of the wireless receiver.

For a link to the YouTube channel, and the webinar, see the text version
of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

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

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h35q4xPskFM]

(YOUTUBE)

**

FCC NIXES HAM CLUB'S EDUCATIONAL FM CHANNEL PROPOSAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: A Seattle, Washington area amateur radio club had its applications for noncommercial educational FM channels tossed out by the
FCC, which told the club there were too many technical defects in the proposal. According to a Report in Radio World, the Fort Ward Amateur
Radio Club on Bainbridge Island had a number of issues that needed
addressing, including what the FCC cited as failure to comply with interference treaty agreements between the US and Canada.

The FCC allows unsuccessful applicants to reapply with an amendment fixing
the issues, provided they do so within 30 days of the rejection.

(RADIO WORLD, SOUTHGATE)

**

QSO TODAY VIRTUAL HAM EXPO SEEKS PRESENTERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you have a skill to share, an insight to explain or some
other contribution you'd like to make to the world's amateur radio
community, you may want to offer a presentation at the next QSO Today
Virtual Ham Expo, which is taking place on the weekend of March 12th and
13th, 2022. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, has details.

STEPHEN: With the new year just around the corner, planning is already
well under way for the next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. Hams and other presenters are being asked to consider sharing on various aspects of the
hobby in which they have expertise. According to the QSO Today website,
the ongoing search is an international one, with hams being asked to
present from around the world to the thousands who attend the virtual
two-day conference. Presentations are generally recorded for playback
during the event, followed by a live question-and-answer period. Accommodations can be made for presentations in languages other than
English.

The QSO Today website has an online application for prospective speakers.
If you wish to apply, follow the link included in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

https://www.qsotodayhamexpo.com/speakercall.html

(QSO TODAY)

**

POTA PLANNING TWO WINTER EVENTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Parks chasers and activators are looking forward to two
winter events. With that report is Vance Martin, N3VEM.

VANCE: In Parks on the Air News: As the seasons start to change we at POTA would like to remind you of two upcoming winter events. The first is the Annual "New Beginnings / New Year's" certificate. To Earn one of these certificates, simply make at least one contact as a POTA Activator or
Hunter, in the first week of 2022. We can't think of a better way to ring
in the New Year, than by doing so with Parks on the air. Also landing in January is our next "Seasonal Support Your Parks Event." The first
seasonal event of 2022 is on January 15th and 16th, which gives you a
great opportunity to do some wintertime POTA. For those of you in the
north, just remember to dress warm, fire up your portable heaters if
you’re lucky enough to have them, and stay safe! Lastly, be sure to tune
in to your favorite ham radio media outlets in early January, as next month’s POTA update will include not only the December release, but the year-end summary for 2021 as well. We look forward to having you join us
as we celebrate a spectacular year of Parks on the Air.

This is November 3 Victor Echo Mike, with your Month Ending November 2021 Parks on the air Update. Be sure to visit parksontheair.com for
information about the program, and pota.app for spotting, park
information, leader boards, and more.

(POTA)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

HANDBOOK'S 76TH EDITION TO BE ITS FINAL ONE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A treasured broadcast handbook will soon be out of
print. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that report.

JEREMY: The World Radio TV Handbook an invaluable guide to broadcast
radio around the globe, has ceased publication. The publisher has
announced that its soon-to-be-released 76th edition will be its last.

A statement from the publisher, Nicholas Hardyman, read: [quote]
"This has been an extremely difficult decision, and was only made
after a lot of thought and discussion. We know that many people rely
on WRTH, and greatly enjoy getting the new edition every year. We
realise that this news will be disappointing for many people."
[endquote]

The directory, with more than 600 pages of listings and maps, was
valued as a comprehensive compendium of medium wave, shortwave, and
FM broadcasts, and included a section on clandestine broadcasters.
Based in the UK, but providing global coverage, it has long been
considered a reliable guide for DXers and devoted radio listeners.

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

(YOUTUBE, EI7GL BLOG)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the K5VOM repeater in Greenville, Texas, on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

**

KIDS GIVE SANTA 10 OVER ON THESE NETS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Santa Net, hosted by the hams of the 3916 Nets,
is back on the air in the United States through December 24th. Radio
operators are providing youngsters with this on-air opportunity to
let Santa know what their top two or three gift wishes are. Hams are
asked to please remember to ensure the contact is in compliance with
all FCC Rules and Regulations governing third party traffic. Check-ins
start at 7 p.m. Central Time on 80 metres. You can also reserve a spot
by visiting the website www.cqsanta.com where you'll find videos of
past QSOs with Santa.

Meanwhile, on Echolink, the 11th annual Santa Watch Net will take place
on Christmas Eve on the DoDropIn channel starting at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.
As the four-hour net gets under way, David, N3NTV, will be using NORAD
radar to track Santa. For details visit the website dodropin.net

(DODROPIN, 3916 NETS)

**

HOP ABOARD THE CHRISTMAS TRAIN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Another favorite holiday special event is already well
under way. Hope aboard the Christmas Train. Here's Jim Damron, N8TMW,
with details.

JIM: The special event Christmas Train may have its station in West
Virginia, but this is a train that can cross the United States and
even pull into some DX locations on a moment's notice. The HF bands
are its express tracks. Listen for the Christmas train, callsign K8C,
on 80, 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 meters, using both SSB and CW. The
train is making stops right up through Christmas Day, when it will
operate on a partial schedule. You already have your ticket: so....
hop aboard the train!

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

(QRZ)

**

FINNISH HAMS PUT OF9X AND HIS 'ELVES' BACK ON THE AIR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: At this time of the year, we need to ask: do you
believe in the magic of DX? There are few DXes more elusive or rare
than this one. Here's Ed Durrant, DD5LP, to tell us about it.

ED: Are you ho-ho-hoping to score one big DX, before 2021 shuts its
door? The Finnish Amateur Radio League, S.R.A.L., may be able to help
make that happen. The league has been on the air as OF9X and OF2YOTA
since early this month, and will continue through to the end of
December. Here's a hint: OF9X is compiling his log and checking it
twice -- and his phonetics are "Old Father Nine Christmas." Are you
feeling the holiday spirit yet? Even if you only believe in the powers
of CW, SSB, or Digital, you can still add OF9X to your wish list of
contacts. You can also work his elves who are using the callsign of
OF2YOTA. The league is marking its centennial year, so that means you
get an extra present under your tree: Both callsigns, along with the
callsign OI3AX, active earlier this month, count toward the S.R.A.L.
Jubilee award.

Send QSL cards for OF9X to OH2BH. Send QSL cards for OF2YOTA to OH5CZ.

Now get on the air, and let your rig's screen light up like a Christmas
tree.

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

QRZ.COM
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

DUTCH REGULATORS CRACK DOWN ON ANTI-5G DEVICES

DON/ANCHOR: Fearing radioactive transmissions from 5G mobile networks'
towers, people in the Netherlands may have placed themselves in greater
danger by wearing what they believe to be protective devices. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: The very devices such as necklaces, bracelets and sleep masks that have made claims to shield people from what some fear is radioactivity from
5G mobile networks' towers, according to Dutch officials, have themselves
been emitting ionising radiation at hazardous levels.

A report in the BBC says that the Dutch authority for nuclear safety and radiation protection (ANVS) have issued a warning about the products,
telling people there could be long term hazardous effects. The agency has ordered a halt to the sale of these devices.

The BBC report quoted the World Health Organization's assertion that like amateur radio signals, 5G mobile networks make use of non-ionising radio
waves that do not pose a danger, adding that they are similar to the 3G and
4G networks already in use.

Some people fear damage to their DNA from such transmissions and in extreme cases, this has led to attacks on the transmitters and towers.

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

(BBC)

**

ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS IS SOME DX

DON/ANCHOR: A father and son in Washington State have been celebrating the holiday season, ham radio style. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that report.

RALPH: There's little question what might have been on Jacob Hoschar's Christmas list this year. The Washington State youngster had already celebrated having his first wish fulfilled: getting upgraded from
Technician to General Class. That made KY7HAM a very happy 11-year-old
indeed. Now he's ready for the world of HF and all of its adventures. The journey began a year ago when Jacob's school was shut during the pandemic.
He and his father, Andrew, studied together to become hams together and got their licenses one week apart from one another. Their father-son journey is documented on the YouTube channel set up by proud father, K7OWN. One of the videos shows Jacob making his first contact via satellite. Now with his appetite sufficiently whetted for DX, he's ready to cross oceans and continents via radio and start filling that log. For this freshly minted General Class operator, the world is his, this holiday season.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, members of the Welland Valley Amateur Radio Society in
the UK are using the following special callsigns to celebrate Christmas in Market Harborough and saying farewell to 2021. They'll be on the air
through December 31st. Be listening for GB1XMS on 30 meters using CW;
GB2XMS, on HF using SSB and FT8; GB5XMS , mainly using Data as well as CW
and SSB; and GB9XMS, using mainly FT8. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Be listening throughout January for special event station OZ50Q. Danish
Radio Amateurs will be marking the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty
Margrethe II, the Queen of Denmark's, accession to the throne. Send QSLs to OZ1ACB, ClubLog's OQRS, eQSL or LoTW.

Get ready for an international radio marathon called Russian New Year 2022. The Russian Union of Radio amateurs, the Miller-DX-Club and the
HAMLOG.ONLINE portal will begin the marathon starting at 0000 UTC on
December 25th and finish at 2100 UTC on January 14th. Callsigns include,
but are not limited to, RG22NY, RJ22NY, RK22NY, RL22NY and RM22NY. For the full list see the website mdxc.ru. The QSL manager for all the special callsigns is RQ7L.

Bob, PY6TV, and a small team of Brazilian radio operators will be using the callsign ZY6A from Friars Island, Brazil, between January 20th and the
23rd. Listen on all HF bands for all modes.

(OHIO PENN DX)
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

PARKS ON THE AIR TALLIES UP ITS 2021 CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Parks on the Air activators and chasers had a busy year
in 2021. Vance Martin, N3VEM, gives us the year's numbers.

VANCE: In Parks on the Air News, with 2021 now in the books, Parks on
the Air would like to thank the nearly 4,000 activators, and 122,000
hunters who combined forces to make over 2.6 million contacts from
over 10,000 parks in 45 different DXCC entities for 2021.

Of particular note, we would like to congratulate Bill, K4NYM, who
completed 1,260 activations for the year and David, NG5E who activated
421 different parks. Congratulations are also due to Gene, NT2A, who
hunted 5,458 parks, and Joe, N3XLS, who made 11,467 hunter QSOs in
2021.

We also want to give special acknowledgment to two hunters, N5HA,
Kenneth Bailey, and W9AV, Clint Sprott, who managed to hunt at least
one park every day in 2021. There are several folks including myself
who are going to attempt the same feat in 2022, so stay tuned to the
monthly POTA updates to see how the 2022 Bailey-Sprott Park-a-Day
challenge is progressing, or follow along on twitter on instagram
using the hashtags #baileysprott and #parkaday

This is November 3 Victor Echo Mike with your 2021 December and Year
End Parks on the Air Update. Be sure to visit parksontheair.com for
information about the program, and pota.app for spotting, park
information, leader boards, and more.

(POTA)

**

PRIDE RADIO GROUP TO HOST FIRST CONTEST

NEIL/ANCHOR: Pride Radio Group, an Australian group with an
international membership, is getting ready to host its first
contest. Luke Erlacher, VK3UKW, brings us that story.

LUKE: Pride Radio Group has been a home and a champion for
underrepresented groups in amateur radio for a little more than
a year, and we are now planning our first contest.

The international CQ Pride contest will run through the first weekend
of June to celebrate Pride Month 2022.

The contest is open to all amateurs worldwide as single or multi
operator entries, with bonus points for working diversity oriented
amateur radio groups, newly licensed amateurs, and low-power operation.

Some details such as log submission are still being finalised, but mark
June 4 to June 6 on your calendars.

Pride Radio Group is an international group that aims to further
acceptance and inclusion for underrepresented groups in amateur radio.

This has been Luke, VK3UKW, for Pride Radio Group, VK3PRG.

NEIL/ANCHOR: Find the contest rules in the text version of this week's
Newsline script.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: https://prideradio.group/contest]

(PRIDE RADIO GROUP)

**

DXING COMES TO THE DESERT AT QUARTZFEST

NEIL/ANCHOR: As amateurs gear up for the big Quartzfest gathering in
Arizona, some hams are ready to go the distance -- the biggest
distance they can. Here's Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, with the details.

RALPH: Think of the upcoming competition as "DXing in the desert,"
because that's just what it is -- and think of two of the contest's
past winners, such as Fred Scully, K0VK, and Richard McGaver, NK9G,
as being ready to rumble later this month. It's all friendly fun,
really, which is what amateur radio and camping out in Arizona's
Sonora Desert should be. During the one-week ham radio event known
as QuartzFest, a small but active club known as the Northern Arizona
DX Association is challenging everyone there to see just how far their
signals can reach while operating out among the tall cacti. The founder
of the Distance Challenge, Bob Wertz, NF7E, said this will be the DX challenge's third year: He was inspired to suggest it after he attended QuartzFest in 2018, and with the help of co-chairman Ron Gerlak, KG7OH,
the club made it happen. This year, QuartzFest takes place between the
23rd and the 29th of January. The challenge itself will take place on
the three days: Monday, January 24th; Tuesday, January 25th; and
Thursday, January 27th. Be there - or at least, be listening. You could
be the next big DX that makes someone a winner.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(BOB WERTZ, NF7E)

**

HAMSCI WORKSHOP GETS GRANT, SEEKS PRESENTERS

NEIL/ANCHOR: The National Science Foundation has just given a grant to
HamSCI, which is meanwhile looking for presenters for its March workshop. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, brings us that story.

KEVIN: Congratulations to Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, founder of the Ham
Radio Science Citizen Investigation, or HamSCI, on being selected to
receive a National Science Foundation grant of nearly $50,000 toward
HamSCI's next workshop in March. The workshop will be held at the US
Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama on the 18th and 19th of
March, and will feature in-person as well as virtual activities. Its
focus this year is HamSCI's Personal Space Weather Station project,
which was previously granted $1.3 million from the National Science
Foundation. One of the project's goals is to gauge the impact weather
has on upper levels of the Earth's atmosphere. The findings are expected
to rely heavily on input from amateur radio operators.

Meanwhile, the workshop is calling for abstracts from prospective
presenters. Abstracts should be submitted no later than February 1st,
and successful speaker candidates will be notified by February 16th.
To submit an abstract, upload the document using the button that can
found at hamsci dot org stroke hamsci2022 (hamsci.org/hamsci2022)

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

(HamSCI)
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AUSTRALIAN CLUB BEGINS DISASTER COMMUNICATION SESSIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: It's only a beginning, but one amateur radio club in
Australia has taken the important first steps in helping residents
in local districts, or shires, to communicate better during
disasters. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, brings us that story.

GRAHAM: Radio's resiliency during trying times has become the focus
of a new Special Interest Group convened by the Bendigo Amateur
Radio and Electronics Club. The group held its first meeting on
Saturday, January 15th, focusing on needs in the Shire of Mt.
Alexander. Using the Zoom platform, the meeting drew
representatives from a disaster-preparedness group, other amateur
radio clubs in Victoria and a number of candidates studying for
their amateur radio licence.

Coordinator Tony Falla, VK3KKP, told Newsline that there were even
some attendees who are not intending to become hams but nonetheless
want to be able to listen to the amateur frequencies and pass along
messages, sometimes by citizens band radio, when disaster strikes.
Tony is calling the special interest group the Mt. Alexander Radio
Watch and said its purpose is to create a network of listeners, not
to launch a rescue group. He said the Bendigo club is also working
with the Greater Bendigo Council to create a mechanism to link area
residents with the local council if they experience difficulties
during disasters.

Tony said the process will be ongoing in Mt. Alexander and that
other special interest groups are being organised shire by shire.
Meanwhile he said he hopes other shires will set up similar groups
of their own and perhaps send a representative to the next Mt.
Alexander meeting.

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

(TONY FALLA, VK3KKP)

**

SVALBARD ACTIVATION TO INCLUDE SATELLITE CONTACTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Braving the cold, a group of DXpeditioners is heading
to the Arctic Ocean for an island activation that includes some
hoped-for satellite contacts. John Williams, VK4JJW, brings us that
report.

JOHN: Svalbard, which is considered the world's northernmost
habitable place, is home to about 2,000 residents and - for better
or worse - more than 3,000 polar bears. In April it will also
become home to a team of amateur radio operators who are launching
the first DXpedition from that location to make use of the QO-100
satellite. According to the team's website, although it will prove
daunting enough to operate CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8 following a
snowmobile trip to their location in temperatures as cold as minus
25 degrees Celsius, the team will face the bigger challenge of
completing QSOs via satellite. The team's website states that this
region is on the very edge of the satellite's footprint and permits
a view of QO-100 at only 3 degrees above the horizon. Erik de Mey,
ON4ANN, and Max van Rymenant, ON5UR, considered such a challenge
early last year with Svalbard in mind. The team will be using the
callsign JW100Q0 for its satellite contacts between April 22nd and
24th. HF contacts will be made with the callsign JW0X between April
19th and 26th. Mark your calendar.

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

(AMSAT, DX ADVENTURE WEBSITE))
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SILENT KEY: SPACE ADVOCATE CHUCK BIGGS SR., WA5GNB/KC5RG

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A Texas amateur known for his devotion to NASA programs
and to the Military Auxiliary Radio System, or MARS, has become a Silent
Key. Chuck Biggs Sr., WA5GNB and KC5RG, died on January 18th in hospice
care in Houston. The Arkansas native was a US Air Force veteran who took
a civilian position with NASA's then-new Manned Spacecraft Center, which
was later to be renamed the Johnson Space Center. His three decades of
effort with NASA led him to ultimately become vice president of the
Manned Space Flight Education Foundation. Chuck had also been involved
in SAREX, the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment and OSCAR, the Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio programs. The Space Center named him
ham radio operator of the year in 1987.

A bronze plaque hangs at the Space Center today, bearing his name and likeness. Chuck was 84.

(LEGACY.COM)

**

RESEARCHERS' TRANSISTORS OPERATE USING SOUND WAVES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine a transistor that uses sound waves. Researchers
have done more than imagine it: they've created it. Andy Morrison,
K9AWM, explains.

ANDY: They're called acoustic topological transistors and unlike devices presently in use, they operate using sound waves, not electrons.
Researchers say that one of the transistors' key assets is its ability
to function with almost no dissipation of energy. The electrons are
designed to flow with no resistance.

According to a January 19th post on the IEEE Spectrum website, the
creation of these transistors was made possible with the use of
acoustical topological insulators. This follows the development in 2007
of something related: electronic topological insulators. These
insulators protect electrons' flow from any disturbances. Oxford
University researcher Harris Pirie said the development of these newest transistors will find applications in such fields as one-way acoustic propagation, ultrasound imaging, acoustic noise reduction, echolocation, acoustic cloaking and acoustic communications.

He said that because the physics of sound waves and the physics of light
waves are so alike, the same design principles that scientists used for creating acoustic topological transistors would be useful as well for
similar devices using light.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(IEEE SPECTRUM)

**

CYBERATTACK HITS GERMANY RADIO CLUB WEBSITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in Germany are being reassured that their personal
data has not been affected by a cyberattack on the DARC website. Ed
Durrant, DD5LP, tells us more.

ED: The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club is reassuring hams in Germany that
a cyberattack on the group's website, which exploited the vulnerability
of a plug-in, does not appear to have compromised any members' data. The
DARC said it successfully halted the January 15th attack and will not
restore the full website to online status until it is convinced the site
is completely secured again. A statement by the DARC board reaffirmed to members that their personal data is kept in folders that are distinct
from the website and members' passwords to the website itself are stored encrypted. The board said it believed the attack was automated and was
not launched specifically to collect members' data. Meanwhile, an IT
company has been asked to conduct a forensic investigation.

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

(DARC)

**

NORDIC RADIO SOCIETY PLANS FOR LATEST HF CONFERENCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Nordic Radio Society's HF Conference promises to be
an international event, as we hear from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Thirty-three years after their first HF Conference, the Nordic
Radio Society is preparing to host a return to F�r�, [pronounced:
Foor-� ] the small Swedish island in the Baltic Sea where all previous
such events have taken place.

This year's conference is scheduled from 15th to 17th August and should,
as usual, draw a substantial international attendance; they have been
held consistently every three years. Organisers note on their webpage
that the popularity of the programme has grown substantially since the
first in 1986, the agenda now including exhibits and talks, with
participants from all around the world. The society encourages
interested attendees to submit presentation papers now, the deadline
being 15th February. Previous conferences have addressed such subjects
as propagation, building resiliency for HF networks, achieving higher efficiency using low bandwidth links, and robust communications through
HF skywave channels using a filter bank spread spectrum technique.

To learn more about the conference, visit the link that appears in the
text version of this week's newscast.

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

(NORDIC RADIO SOCIETY)

[Note: link is missing - will be re-added later -- the editor has been
emailed. DS]
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AMATEURS CLAIM NEW QSO DISTANCE RECORDS USING SATELLITES

DON/ANCHOR: Some new long-distance records are being claimed for contacts using amateur radio satellites. Congratulations to Juan Felipe, A65GC, and Jerome, F4DXV, for their QSO on HO-113 made on the 13th of January between
the United Arab Emirates and France. Their contact at 1952 UTC reportedly spanned a distance of 5,298 km, or nearly 3,300 miles. Jerome, F4DXV, also reported a contact with Sergei, ES4RM, which would be a new record for AO-
109.

That contact between Estonia and France on the 22nd of December last year, they believe covered 2,445 km, or 1,500 miles, setting a new record for
that satellite. Their contacts were reported on the AMSAT News Service.
Well done!

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**

SPECIAL EVENT MARKS 90 YEARS OF AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORP

DON/ANCHOR: Australian amateurs are paying tribute to nine decades of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. They're doing it by - what else? - getting on the air. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has those details.

JIM: Just weeks after hams in the UK began operating with a special
callsign marking the 100th anniversary of the British Broadcasting
Corporation, similar on-the-air festivities are taking place Down Under:

Ham radio operators in Australia are using the callsign VK90ABC to mark
the 90-year anniversary of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It's
a nod to that memorable moment when the nation's airwaves came alive on
the 23rd of November in 1923, with Australia's first licensed public
radio broadcast, which featured the St. Andrews Choir. All amateur radio operators throughout Australia will be eligible to use the callsign, but
must apply for it first through an email to info at vk 90 abc dot net. (info@k90abc.net)

According to the callsign's QRZ page, there will be no QSLs sent direct
or by the bureau. Contacts are to be confirmed via LoTW and eQSL, with
logs uploaded once a month.

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

(VK90ABC.NET)

**

SPECIAL EVENT STATION BEING HELD AT LINCOLN HISTORIC SITE

DON/ANCHOR: Another special event, this one in the US, marks the life
of an American president, as we hear from Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.

SKEETER: There's a lot of history in the logs of the log cabin in Lerna, Illinois, home of the Lincoln Log Cabin State Historic Site. The cabin
was home to Thomas Lincoln and Sarah Bush Lincoln, father and stepmother
of Abraham Lincoln, the lawyer who was to become the 16th president of
the United States. The National Trail Amateur Radio Club is marking
Lincoln's February birthday by putting two callsigns on the air between February 7th and 13th. Be listening for K9L, which will be used by
members operating from their home QTH; and W9L which will be used at
the historic site itself.

There will be commemorative QSL cards for successful contacts on all
bands in all modes. The 86-acre historic site is no stranger to
important moments in history, and this amateur radio event expects to
be one of them. To learn more about how to get in the log - the radio
log, in this case - visit the QRZ page for either call sign.

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

(NATIONAL TRAIL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)

**

MYSTERIOUS PULSES DETECTED BY AUSTRALIAN RADIO TELESCOPE

DON/ANCHOR: What's that up in the sky? A radio telescope in Australia
has picked up some unusual signals and Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what
they might just be.

GRAHAM: We've all heard strange transmissions on the air but perhaps
none as strange as these: A radio telescope in Western Australia has
been picking up highly polarised signals in a repeating series of
pulses, suggesting that the bright object which appears to be its
source possesses a strong magnetic field. The scientists at the
International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research are detecting the
radio waves at a rate of three times an hour. An astrophysicist at
Curtin University believes this might be a magnetar, something that
only existed in theory until recently. Researchers have known about
the bright object since it was first seen in March of 2018.

The more than 4,000 low-frequency antennas of the Murchison Widefield
Array are picking up transmissions, which originate some 4,000
light-years away from Earth. Curtin University astrophysicist Natasha Hurley-Walker has stated that no, this isn't coming from aliens. To
solve the mystery, researchers at the Pawsey Supercomputing Center in
Perth will be exploring data from similar pulsing objects to compare
to this one.

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

(INTERESTINGENGINEERING.COM)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the W8GK repeater in Charleston, West Virginia on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. local time after check-
ins during the Kanawha Amateur Radio Club Two Meter Net.

**

TIME TO APPLY FOR YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP

JIM/ANCHOR: It's time to apply for Youth on the Air camp. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, explains how.

STEPHEN: The application period has opened for the Youth on the Air camp
being held June 12th through June 17th. Young amateurs in IARU Region 2
who are ages 15 through 25 are welcome to attend this year's camp which
will take place again at the National Voice of America Museum of
Broadcasting in West Chester Township, Ohio. Application deadline is March
1st and the application process is free. Campers will be notified by March 15th if they are accepted, and those accepted will need to send a $100 deposit. The camp is encouraging young amateurs to attend from different
areas of North, Central and South America. For information about
scholarships, waivers and travel assistance, visit the website YouthOnTheAir.org

If there are changes in the COVID-19 pandemic status or CDC guidelines, organizers are committed to notifying everyone as much in advance as
possible if that has an impact on the camp.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

(YOUTH ON THE AIR)

**

CONTEST SEEKS YOUNG AMATEURS WITH COMMUNITY SPIRIT

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, a special honor is awaiting a young amateur who has shown extraordinary care and initiative in helping the community on and
off the air. The Young Ham Lends a Hand Contest is being by Carole Perry, WB2MGP, director of Youth Activities for the Radio Club of America. It is sponsored by the RCA and the Quarter Century Wireless Association. Any
young amateur can be nominated for their volunteer efforts, whether the youngster has aided someone in the military, the community, a senior -- or even has acted as a mentor to other amateurs. The application forms are
due in by the first of April and the winner receives a $100 stipend.

The winner will be announced at the Youth Forum held at Hamvention in
Xenia, Ohio. For details contact Carole Perry at wb2mgp@gmail.com

(CAROLE PERRY, WB2MGP)

**

RSGB PUBLISHES NEW BAND PLANS

JIM/ANCHOR: If you're in the UK, look for the release of the new band
plans. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us more.

JEREMY: The band plans published each year by the Radio Society of Great Britain are now available.

They are based on the band plans of IARU Region 1, but allow for national variations and special amendments. The 2022 plans can be found in the
February edition of RadCom, the RSGB's magazine. There is also a master version published online as an Excel file which includes all the notes of changes made.

Acting on feedback from amateur radio operators, the Society has added new tabs in the Excel version, labelled by frequency, but hams who prefer the earlier version of labelling by wavelengths retain that option too. The
band plan is expected to be reviewed during the course of the year.

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

(RSGB)
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BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KB3AWQ
repeater in Williamsport Pennsylvania on Thursdays at 9 p.m. Eastern
Time.

**

REGISTER NOW FOR ST. PATRICK'S SPECIAL EVENT

PAUL/ANCHOR: February is a short month so it's not too early to start
thinking about St. Patrick's Day - and that's just what some hams around
the world have been doing. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, with the details.

JEREMY: Amateurs and shortwave listeners around the world have signed up
to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day and vie for special awards during the 48 hours between the 16th and 18th of March. Organisers of the special St. Patrick's Awards event have created a web page with details that include categories in which radio operators and listeners can compete -- and explanations of how they can qualify for awards. All participants need to visit the web page and register if they plan to apply for an award. All
awards are available as downloadable PDFs after the event has concluded.

Stations in Ireland, Canada and the United States are among those who
have already begun registering. The website lists when they will be on
the air and in what modes, including DMR, PSK and even on the Hamshack Hotline.

The website is stpatricksaward dot com - that's stpatricksaward - all one
word - dot com. (stpatricksaward.com)

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

(ST PATRICK'S AWARD)

**

AMSAT SEEKS VOLUNTEER ENGINEERS FOR PROJECTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're an engineer with some free time to devote to two
of AMSAT's projects, you might just be one of the volunteers they're
looking for. Jack Parker, W8ISH, brings us the details.

JACK: If you're interested in being part of AMSAT's all-volunteer team
working with its FOX-Plus and GOLF CubeSat programs, AMSAT is interested
in hearing from you. The FOX-Plus program needs an electrical engineer
with RF experience who can help design and build the RF communications
for the low-earth orbit CubeSats. Candidates should be familiar with
analog and digital communications protocols and will be working with
digitally synthesized audio for FM modulated VHF/UHF/SHF voice and
telemetry channels. The FOX-Plus and GOLF CubeSat programs also need mechanical engineers whose responsibilities may include analysis of
thermal characteristics of the CubeSat and oversight of the environmental testing procedure. AMSAT requires US citizenship or proof of permanent residency for all candidates for these volunteer positions. CubeSat
experience and a ham radio license is also preferred but not necessary.
For details, send an email to volunteer at amsat dot org. (volunteer@amsat.org)

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

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**

TIME TO SIGN UP FOR ARDF YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP

PAUL/ANCHOR: There's a big contest planned in Romania to test youngsters' amateur radio direction finding skills -- and the time to sign up is now.
Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us how.

ED: Letters of intent are due soon for teams wanting to participate in
the 4th IARU World Youth Amateur Radio Direction Finding Championship
being held this summer in Romania. The event is being hosted by the
Romanian Federation of Radio Amateurs. All letters of intent must be
received no later than March 1st at the email address wyac2022 at gmail
dot com (wyac2022@gmail.com).

The championship will take place June 29th through to July 3rd and will include hunts on 80 and 2m along with an 80m sprint. Saturday will see an awards ceremony and a hamfest.

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

(IARU)
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VOICE OF AMERICA EVENT LOGS 3,665 QSOs

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the organizers of the Voice of America
80th anniversary special event station. Operators logged 3,665 QSOs at stations W3V, W8O and W4A, according to Jocelyn Brault KD8VRX/VA2VRX of
the West Chester Amateur Radio Association. He said that all digital
cards have been sent and certificates will be emailed shortly. Paper QSLs
are expected to be sent out sometime in March.

**

HISTORIC MARCONI HUT DEPICTED IN VIRTUAL 3D MODEL

NEIL/ANCHOR: In England, radio is about to embrace one digital mode yet unknown on the amateur bands: Digital art. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that
story.

JEREMY: Hams in the UK have played a big role in celebrations of the
BBC's centenary this year. The most recent special event station was
heard on the 14th of February as radio operators in Chelmsford called QRZ
as station GB100 2MT [pronounced as GB100 2MT], marking the historic
first transmission from the Marconi Company's Writtle Hut there. The hut
is now going digital with the help of an artist who is creating a digital model of it for inclusion at the Chelmsford Museum. The artist, Sian Fan,
and the museum are calling the exhibit Forecast22 - the Birth of British Broadcasting. The virtual 3D model will include a replica of the 2MT transmitter as well as contents of the building. The exhibit opens in
October.

If you can't get to Chelmsford to take a step inside history, don't
worry. You can take part in the Forecast22 on your mobile phone wherever
in the world you might be. It's a different kind of 'digital DXing' but a fitting option for a celebration that changed the shape and the sound of British broadcasting.

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

(CITYLIFE CHELMSFORD)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the word, including the K5DUR repeater
in Dallas, Texas, on Sundays at 7 p.m. local time.

**

AUSTRALIA PREPARING FOR A WHOLE LOT OF 'MAYHAM'

NEIL/ANCHOR: There are big happenings planned for hams in New South
Wales, Australia. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, brings us that report.

JASON: Mayham, the largest amateur radio gathering in the Southern
Hemisphere, has an equally large and ambitious agenda for Sunday the 1st
of May. In addition to planning the usual activities, such as pedestrian
and mobile fox hunts, organisers from the Central Coast Amateur Radio
Club are looking for lecturers to deliver talks on a variety of subjects.
Each 45-minute presentation will be followed by no more than 15 minutes
of questions and answers. Formerly known as Wyong Field Day, it has run
over 60 years without a break, even through these COVID years. Mayham is scheduled to be held at the customary location of the Wyong race course.
If you have a presentation you'd like to share with some of Australia's
most enthusiastic radio amateurs, contact Col, VK2ZCO, by emailing ccarc
at ccarc dot org dot au (ccarc@ccarc.dot.org.au) and describe your
proposed lecture. If you're looking to upgrade - or even get - your first licence, contact education coordinator of the club at education at ccarc
dot org dot au (education@ccarc.dot.org.au)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)

**

ARISS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR ISS CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you're interested in learning more about setting up,
hosting and participating in a contact with the ISS through Amateur Radio
on the International Space Station you may want to attend an introductory webinar being hosted by ARISS. It will be held on UTC March 4th - which
is the evening of March 3rd for attendees in North America. The webinar
will help give schools, science centers, museums and other institutions information they need to apply for a contact with the space crew.
Registration for the seminar is required.

Applications for a space-crew contact should be submitted no later than
the 31st of March. Such a contact would ideally draw a large number of attendees and participants and be included in an educational plan
focusing on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Visit the ARISS-USA website for more details. All contacts are being scheduled for January the 1st through June 30th of 2023.

(ARISS-USA)
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