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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2370 for Friday March 31st, 20
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2370 for Friday March 31st, 2023
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2370 with a release date of Friday
March 31st, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams step up for storms in the US Southeast. The
first 3-D printed rocket crashes after launch -- and our once-a-year
correspondent Piere Pullinmyleg has some news about Bouvet Island. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2370 comes your way right
now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
HAMS STEP UP IN SOUTHEASTERN US STORMS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the deadly storms and tornadoes that
pounded southeastern states in the US. Randy Sly W4XJ tells us that If hams
could get to their radios, they did. Here's his report.
RANDY: At least 26 people have died in the wake of powerful storms and
tornadoes that swept through the southeastern United States on Friday
evening, March 24. Mississippi was hardest hit as an EF-4 tornado carved a
100-mile path of deadly destruction, leaving the towns of Rolling Fork and
Silver City in ruins, along with several others.
Robert Hayes, KC5IMN, Amateur Radio Emergency Service section emergency
coordinator for Mississippi, told Amateur Radio Newsline that the Jackson
Amateur Radio club activated a SKYWARN net early in the afternoon as did the
Central Mississippi ARES Group with their linked repeaters covering the
periphery of the Jackson metro area. In addition, Vicksburg/Warren County
ARES was also up and running as were several non-ARES affiliated nets across
the state. He summarized the weather event by saying that after the initial
reports of the three major impacts, almost every operator who could get on
the air was on the air if they were in a coverage area.
Hayes noted that just prior to the storm, the section was about to initiate
a request from the three NWS offices that cover the state to talk about
SKYWARN requirements and standards in order to be more effective as
spotters. This storm, he believes, provides even greater motivation to
accomplish this.
This is Randy Sly W4XJ.
(AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE)
**
FIRST 3D-PRINTED ROCKET CRASHES AFTER BRIEF FLIGHT
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The launch of the first 3-D printed rocket didn't result in
the successful flight that was envisioned by the company that created it but
they are still encouraged. Paul Braun WD9GCO has those details.
PAUL: When the first rocket to be created by 3D printing lifted off from
Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 22nd it was a successful launch but a
failed flight. The creators of Terran 1, however, are encouraged by the late
March blastoff, which was intended to send the rocket 200 kilometers, or 125
miles, into orbit for a few days. The California company known as Relativity
Space had printed 85 percent of the rocket's metal components, including its
engines, as a means of making the costs of space travel less prohibitive.
After three minutes of flight, however, the uncrewed Terran 1 crashed into
the ocean after one of its nine engines appeared to lose ignition. In an
interview with National Public Radio conducted prior to the launch, the
company's CEO Tim Ellis had said that he would still consider the mission a
success if the rocket were simply capable of surviving the rigors of a
launch. A company executive said during the launch webcast that she believed
enough data had been gathered to demonstrate that 3D-printed rockets can be
viable in space.
According to the NPR report, yet another rocket is already in the design
stages for launch next year and the company ultimately hopes to create a
rocket in which 95 percent of its parts are created through 3D printing. The
startup venture has entered the market hoping to be able to help send even
more satellites into orbit around the Earth.
This is Paul Braun WD9GCO.
(SPACE.COM, NPR)
**
CYCLONE DRILL PREPARES INDIAN HAMS FOR THE WORST
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's not yet cyclone season in India but for amateurs on the
east coast of that nation, it's always a good season to be prepared. As
you'll hear in this story from Graham Kemp VK4BB, the West Bengal Radio Club
was prepared.
GRAHAM: The tropical cyclones that have struck eastern India over the years
have been deadly. However, none of those cyclones could compare to the one
that hams responded to on March 23rd in the state of West Bengal. This was a
mock cyclone and so at 9 'clock that morning, when the region went into high
alert and hams responded, it was only a drill. The drill had been organised
by the National Disaster Management Agency and arranged by the government of
West Bengal's Disaster Management Department. The club station quickly
established communications throughout the villages and 25 licenced hams from
the club kept the lines of communication open.
This kind of readiness remains critical in India but especially in the
eastern coastal area, where states like West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu and Odisha feel the brunt of the damage and share the difficult cyclone
season with nearby Bangladesh.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(WEST BENGAL RADIO CLUB, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)
**
NEW AUSTRALIAN LICENSE PUT ON HOLD
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The long-awaited new amateur license class is coming to
Australia - but not as quickly as many had hoped. John Williams VK4JJW
brings us up to date.
JOHN: Hams in Australia who have been waiting for the introduction of the
new amateur class licence on July 1st are going to have to wait a little
longer. The Australian Communications and Media Authority has announced that
it must make certain determinations concerning the licence's operational
policy arrangements and to further clarify the implementation of higher
power authorisation.
According to the ACMA website, that includes call sign administration,
public register options, amateur operating procedures, arrangements for
amateur club and international reciprocity for Advanced amateurs traveling
overseas.
The ACMA's review also includes, among other things, its proposed access for
standard-level amateur licensees for the 50–52 MHz band.
The ACMA said it will provide an update in the second quarter of this year.
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(AMCA)
**
ANOTHER VOICE WEIGHS IN TO KEEP AM RADIO IN US CARS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Another voice has weighed in on the battle to keep AM radio
in cars used in the United States. Kent Peterson KCØDGY has that update.
KENT: A New Jersey lawmaker has added his voice to the growing call in the
United States asking that AM radio become a required safety feature for all
automakers including electric cars being manufactured in the US market.
Congressman Josh Gottheimer said he believes that some carmakers' plans to
discontinue AM radio in cars and trucks will post an unnecessary danger
during national emergencies when many alerts are transmitted over broadcast
AM frequencies. He compared AM radio to other minimum safety requirements
provided in cars, including seatbelts, airbags and brakes.
The lawmaker said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has an
obligation to put AM radio on that list of minimum standards. He spoke at a
press conference in late March in New Jersey, accompanied by Jordan Walton,
the executive director of the New Jersey Broadcasters Association.
A number of carmakers have said that AM radio transmissions are disrupted by
noise generated by electric vehicles, making signal reception poor.
There has been a growing call recently to keep AM radio for motorists in the
US. The most recent voices have been those of seven former officials of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.
This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.
(RADIO WORLD)
**
SILENT KEY: EMERGENCY RESPONDER DANIEL RAYMOND, KC1PGR
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams and firefighters alike are mourning the death of a
colleague in Caribou, Maine. Daniel Raymond, KC1PGR, became a Silent Key on
March 23rd following an automobile accident. Dan had been involved in rescue
and firefighting for much of his adult life. In 1995, he became a career
firefighter for the Caribou Fire and Ambulance Department, eventually
attaining the rank of captain. A devoted public servant on many levels, Dan
was active in community life and taught public-safety education. He was
charter member of the Caribou Emergency Amateur Radio Service and an active
operator with the Caribou Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.
Dan was 57.
(T.H. MERRITT, KL5YJ)
**
THE ART OF ANTENNA EXPERIMENTATION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine an antenna that stands seven stories tall, is 30
feet wide and contains 110 tons of stainless steel, bronze and steel. Well,
it's not really an antenna - it's a sculpture on the campus of a university
in New York State - but for just one day in March, it helped log a contact
on 20 meters. Sel Embee KB3T Zed D explains.
SEL: The sculpture is called "The Sentinel" and by all accounts it is the
largest sculpture to stand on any university campus in the United States. It
recently morphed into a 20m antenna that helped log a successful contact
using FT8 on 5 watts. Experiments are a way of life at the Rochester
Institute of Technology in upstate New York and so members of the amateur
radio club, K2GXT, couldn't resist giving in to their long-simmering
temptation to turn "The Sentinel" from a symbolic campus guardian into a
somewhat artful messenger. The hams first checked the setup with a NanoVNA
and then let those 5 watts loose, keeping onlookers at a safe distance while
they transmitted. A report by one of the club members on Reddit said:
[quote] "With help from our university's health and safety team, we did this
today.....We were able to be heard almost across the entire eastern half ot
the US, at least according to PSKReporter, despite some less-than-amazing
band conditions." [endquote]
While this is the first such attempt by the club - and happily a successful
one - the story doesn't end here. The club members wrote: [quote] "We're
really impressed with the results and we hope to do this again with better
band conditions." [endquote]
The sculpture cost (sal061)00,000 when it was installed 20 years ago. It might be
more cost-effective next time to just toss a wire into the trees,
This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(HACKADAY, AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY, RIT, REDDIT)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W4HPL
repeater in Cookeville, Tennessee on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. local time.
**
COME TO OUR TOWN HALL FORUM AT HAMVENTION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're heading to Hamvention in Xenia, Ohio, here's
something to put on your calendar for that weekend: The Amateur Radio
Newsline Town Hall Forum is back. This popular and lively 90-minute session
was discontinued after the death of Newsline co-founder Bill Pasternak
WA6ITF in 2015. It returns on Friday May 19th from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
local time with Mark Smith, N6MTS, cohost of the Ham Radio Workbench podcast
who will discuss the proposed Open Headset Interface Standard; Riley
Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, former FCC amateur radio enforcement director who
oversees the ARRL's Volunteer Monitor Program. We will also be hosting IARU
president Timothy Ellam, VE6SH, who will give an overview of issues the IARU
is reviewing that affect hams worldwide. See you there!
**
TEMPORARY UK CALLSIGN PREFIX OK'D FOR CORONATION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in the UK have already planned a variety of events to
mark the King's coronation in May. They've just received approval for yet
another way to mark the occasion. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has those details.
JEREMY: Ofcom has approved the use of the letter "R": as a regional
secondary locator prefix for callsigns used during the Coronation of the
King and the Queen Consort. Hams will need to apply for a Notice of
Variation, known as an NoV, and can do so through the Radio Society of Great
Britain website. Use of this special prefix is approved for use during May
and June. To apply, hams must provide their callsign and their email address
as well as the number of their amateur radio licence. The application form
is available at rsgb dot org. The Coronation of King Charles III and Queen
Camilla will take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday the 6th of May.
(RSGB)
**
IN PURSUIT OF STOATS AND QSOS ON SECRETARY ISLAND
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: New Zealand's Secretary Island is traditionally a haven for
native wildlife, especially birds, and is prized for having a splendid
ecosystem. One amateur radio operator recently combined his work as a
conservationist there with his pursuit of QSOs. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us
of his adventures.
JIM M: For five days, Matt Briggs, ZL4NVW, was both the hunter and the
hunted. He spent five days on Secretary Island, helping the Department of
Conservation trap stoats, predators that made it across the sound to invade
this pristine island ecosystem. But Secretary also carries the island
designation of ZLI/SL-253, (Pronounced: Zed Ell Eye Slash Ess Ell 253) in
the ZL-On-The-Air_scheme, so not all of the gear Matt carried was used for
trapping these carnivorous mammals. He was looking to catch some QSOs -- and
he did, on several SOTA summits. He started with SOTA summit ZL3/FL-728,
known as The Hub and went on to hut, Mount Grono Biv, designated ZLH/SL-142.
He wrote on the SOTA Reflector that his first day on the island was a
productive one: He brought in 10 SOTA contacts and - oh yes - four stoats.
It was a good beginning.
Later he was to tackle SOTA summit Mount Grono, ZL3/FL-616. In between
checking the stoat traps, he made good contacts from this 4-point summit,
which is the island's highest. Despite some weather challenges, his good
fortune continued right up to the final day on the island.
Matt didn't just leave with a log; he has pictures too. You can share his
experience virtually by going to the SOTA Reflector. The link appears in the
text version of this week's script at arnewsline.org
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://reflector.sota.org.uk/t/secretary-island-
conservation-and-radio-do-mix/31910 ]
(SOTA REFLECTOR)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, a DARC team has activated the special event callsign
DA23WARD in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day. The station will be on
the air through to the 18th of April. The bureau will automatically confirm
all contacts. Direct QSLs should be sent via DL2VFR. Another station marking
World Amateur Radio Day is the UBA special event station in Belgium using
the callsign OT23WARD. This station will be on the air from the 1st through
to the 30th of April. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, LoTW, eQSL. A certificate
will be available.
Be listening for 3A8AB from Monaco between April the 1st and the 30th. The
activation commemorates the 100th anniversary of the first transatlantic
two-way contact via amateur radio between Leon Deloy, F8AB, and Fred
Schnell, 1MO. Leon became a Silent Key in 1969 in Monaco and bequeathed his
fortune to a variety of philanthropic organizations. QSL via LoTW.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: FOR PIERRE PULLINMYLEG, BOUVET ISLAND IS FOR THE BIRDS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our final story of this week tells about a very new club. In
fact, it's one of the most remarkable clubs to ever come into being. It's
based in a most unlikely - and very remote - location: Bouvet Island. Our
April Fool's Day correspondent, Pierre Pullinmyleg, tells Newsline listeners
about the new Bouvet Island Amateur Radio Club and its highly unusual
members. Remember you heard this story first on Amateur Radio Newsline.
Pierre?
PIERRE: After saying goodbye to ze 3YØJ DXpedition only a few weeks
earlier, ze local residents were inspired. They knew it was time for Bouvet
Island to have its own amateur radio club. So one was hatched, just like so
many of its members. Yes, hatched - because zeese members you see, zay are
zee penguins native to this South Atlantic Island. Zese birds are so very
intelligent and zey had very carefully watched from afar as ze team of
operators called CQ. Zey learned just enough CW along the way to try and
operate! AHA! So just maybe did you bust one of zose pileups? Maybe you
ended up working a penguin -- and you didn't know it? Well, now zese birds,
zay have developed zere own digital mode of operating to make things easier.
It is called Pen-Gweeno. Pen-Gweeno is good because ze birds found zat CW,
she is nice enough but is too hard: ham radio operators with wings, mes
amis, cannot possibly hope to have a good fist.
So be listening for low-power, highly efficient transmissions of Pen-Gweeno
on ze HF bands. Listen for ze club callsign 3Y2PENG. Please remember too
that just because zese birds cannot fly, it does not mean they can't get on
zee air.
Zis has been Pierre Pullinmyleg saying "au revoir, mes amis."
**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the
continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't
already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline
Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an
amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent,
promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms
on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now
open and close on May 31st.
**
DO YOU HAVE NEWS?
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think
Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your
club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is
out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at
arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get
back to you for more details.
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; ARRL; Australia
Communications and Media Authority; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-
World.net; FCC; 425 DX News; Hackaday; National Public Radio; QRZ.COM; Radio
Society of Great Britain; Radio World; Reddit; Rochester Institute of
Technology; SOTA Reflector; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; West Bengal Radio
Club; Wireless Institute of Australia; World Wide Flora & Fauna; and you our
listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our
listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit
organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish
to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we
appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our
newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For
now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news
team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8TMW in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright
2023. All rights reserved.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 31-mar-2023 08:38 E. South America Standard Time
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