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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2280 for Friday July 9, 2021
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2280 for Friday July 9, 2021
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2280 with a release date of Friday July
9, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Ham radio at the top of the world: the North Pole. A
powerful radiotelescope spans two continents — and a California man's mobile
antenna takes him down the road to trouble. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2280 comes your way right now.
***
BILLBOARD CART
**
DXPEDITION TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week combines science, art, adventure and
amateur radio as a Russian artist, writer and Russian Orthodox archpriest
sets sail to activate a polar station adrift in the Arctic Ocean. Graham
Kemp VK4BB has that story.
GRAHAM: Imagine an ice floe more than 3 meters thick set up as a shack for
the multi-purpose amateur radio DXpedition. The Poseidon Expeditions team
sets sail on July 11th with Russian writer and artist Fedor Konyukhov R0FK
on board. Fedor is making his fourth trip to the North Pole, where he will
study ice-melt patterns and drift routes and perform other scientific
observations with the help of equipment from the Institute of Oceanology of
the Russian Academy of Sciences and other organisations.
Using 100 watts, Fedor will also activate R0FK/POLE on 20 meters and hopes
to transmit on or around 14.333 MHz. Details about his activation schedule
can be obtained from the RA5G Club Station.
In translation from Russian, the 69-year-old traveler writes on his website
[quote] "The station will allow me not only to do science, but also I will
paint pictures, keep a diary. I love our planet." [endquote]
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(DX-WORLD.NET)
**
OBSERVATORY RADIOTELESCOPE TO SPAN TWO CONTINENTS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: So you think you've got a top-notch antenna farm. Try
matching your collection of towers, beams and long wires to this work-in-
progress. Jason Daniels VK2LAW has the details.
JASON: The Square Kilometer Array Observatory has been 30 years in the
planning stage and now work has commenced to build it as the world's largest
radiotelescope comprising a network of dishes and antennas on two
continents. Two different parts of the telescope - the SKA Low Array and the
SKA Mid Array are under construction in Australia and South Africa,
respectively. The South African site will have 200 large dish receivers and
western Australia will be home to more than 131,000 small antennas spread
throughout the region north of Perth.
When completed, the telescope's collecting area will be 1 square kilometer
with the ability to receive signals in the range between 70 MHz to at least
25 GHz. Chiara Ferrari, who is director of a French organisation involved in
the project, called the radio telescope "a game-changer in many different
fields." She said: [quote] "It will be uniquely positioned to answer some
outstanding questions about the evolution of galaxies and offer us a unique
opportunity to start studying the raw material behind the formation and
evolution of bright sources from the cosmic dawn to current years."
[endquote]
The announcement of its progress was made recently at the annual meeting of
the European Astronomical Society. Scientists claim it will study the
universe at a depth never before achieved by any radio telescope.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW
ANCHOR: Scientists have followed up with this announcement by acknowledging
what they call "an extremely concerning threat" of radio frequency
interference from many of the new satellite constellations such as StarLink
and OneWeb and China's proposed Chinese Guowang constellation. Philip
Diamond, the observatory's director general, said that discussions were in
progress with the satellite operators for mitigation measures.
(SPACENEWS.COM, SPACE.COM, INDIA TODAY)
**
SILENT KEY: IARU's FAISAL AL-AJMI 9K2RR
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateurs in Region 1 of the International Amateur Radio
Union are grieving the loss of an influential ham from Kuwait. Ed Durrant
DD5LP tells us about him.
ED: An influential and well-respected leader in IARU Region 1 has become a
Silent Key. Faisal Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR, had been the region's vice president
since the General Conference in 2014. He died from COVID-19 following a
lengthy hospitalisation.
Known as an accomplished contester and an advocate for amateur radio in the
Arab world, he was the voice of the IARU at ITU World Radio Conferences and
in Arab Spectrum Management Group meetings. According to his QRZ page, he
was also vice president of the Gulf Amateur Radio Union and the Kuwait
Amateur Radio Society, also serving as licence examiner and a trainer in CW.
He was a team leader during the World Radiosport Team Championship in
Russia in 2010. Faisal was also the creator of the 9KCC HF contest in the
Arab world. He held the US callsign W2RRR.
IARU Region 1 president Don Beattie G3BJ issued a statement remembering him
as a "valued member of the executive committee and of the Region 1 team."
Vale Faisal Al-Ajmi, 9K2RR.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(IARU, QRZ)
**
SILENT KEY: INDIA'S MAHABALA HEGDE VU2HEG
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A ham considered a pioneer in amateur radio in his part of
India has become a Silent Key. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us about him.
JIM: Mahabala Hegde was known as a teacher, a tinkerer and an amateur radio
mentor to many in coastal Karnataka, India. The retired senior bank manager,
who was 83, died at his home on Friday, July 2nd, of old age, according to a
report in the Mangalorean News. A veteran of the Indian Air Force, he had a
lifelong interest in radio that began with shortwave listening. A life
member of the Amateur Radio Society of India, he got his license in 1978 and
operated for four decades, most recently with the call sign VU2HEG. He also
inspired his son Abhay VU2ABU to become licensed. Through his interest in
supporting other hams, especially the next generation, he cofounded the
Mangalore Amateur Radio Club, where he was a life member, and he supported
the VU2REC Ham Radio Club at the National Institute of Technology in
Karnataka.
In a condolence message posted on the Mangalorean News website, Mahesh Raj
Malpe VU3FDT, a member of the Mangalore club, referred to him as a father
figure who taught communication and etiquette for hams operating on the HF,
VHF and UHF bands.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(MANGALOREAN NEWS, QRZ)
**
NEW SUNSPOT EXPLOSION CAUSES SHORTWAVE BLACKOUT
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you happened to notice some unusual propagation on July
3rd, you can look to the sun, of course, for the reason behind it. According
to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, a new sunspot exploded, ionizing the
top of the Earth's atmosphere. The C-7 class solar flare also created a
blackout on the shortwave frequencies over the Atlantic Ocean. If you were
among those operating just below 30 MHz at around 14:29 UTC, you likely
noticed it. You were in good company: so did those at sea, those piloting
planes and even the operator of a space weather observatory in Norway, who
said the flare disturbed all his instruments.
According to a report at the Spaceweather.com website, the un-numbered
sunspot, which is near the sun's northwestern limb, continues to grow.
(SPACEWEATHER.COM)
**
SPAIN'S AMATEUR MAGAZINE MAKES DIGITAL ARCHIVE AVAILABLE
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're saving a collection of older editions of your
favorite amateur radio magazine and have run out of shelf space, you may be
interested in learning about a new option for hams in Spain. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH tells us more about it.
JEREMY: Imagine having more than 70 years' worth of amateur radio magazines
at your fingertips while still having plenty of room on your bookshelves.
Spain's national amateur radio society, URE, has just made that possible for
their amateurs. The organisation has digitised issues from 1949 to 2020 and
created PDFs that are downloadable from their website. Each PDF of the
Spanish magazine is approximately 200 megabytes. The files are readily
available if you live in Spain or are simply interested in their amateur
radio history.
The URE website says that by making the archives available in this way it
hoped that its history would gain greater visibility. The next step is to
create an index and search system to locate the various articles.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(URE 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 W8WKY
repeater in Doylestown, Ohio on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. local time, right
before the weekly SARA net at 8:00 p.m.
**
PLUTO SPECIAL EVENT IS BACK IN ORBIT
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Whoever said there was no such thing as a second chance
obviously hasn't heard this next report about a special event station that
was held earlier this year and is coming back, for a few days, in just a few
weeks. Randy Sly W4XJ explains.
RANDY: Is Pluto still in your orbit? Did you participate in the special
event in February that launched the 10-year countdown to the 100th
anniversary of Pluto's discovery? Or did you mean to....and just never got
around to it? According to Bob Wertz NF7E, one of the organizers, the event
was such a success that not everyone got to work W7P this year so the
special event is getting back on the air for three more days. On Friday
August 6th through Sunday August 8th, the Northern Arizona DX Association is
putting W7P back on the air to mark the anniversary of Pluto's discovery by
Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Just as in February, you will also have a chance to work the late
astronomer's nephew, Doug Tombaugh who'll be using the callsign W7P/0.
After that, be listening each year on the Saturday preceding February 18th.
The special event will conclude in 2030, which marks 100 years since the
discovery. For details about QSL cards and certificates, visit the
association website at n a d x a dot com. (nadxa.com)
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Randy Sly W4XJ.
(NADXA, BOB WERTZ NF7E)
**
ONLINE EDITION UPDATED FOR FRENCH AMATEUR DIRECTORY
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Radio operators looking for the most up-to-date information
about French amateurs have just received a new resource. Jeremy Boot G4NJH
explains.
JEREMY: France's National Frequency Agency has published the latest edition
of its online directory of radio amateurs, enabling users to locate radio
club addresses, find managers of repeaters and search regular and special
event callsigns throughout France.
A search tool enables users to filter criteria for more exact results.
In making the announcement the agency said that the directory complies with
the General Data Protection Regulation that allows amateurs to not be
included in the list by registering to opt out. Hams will also be able to
dispute any information on their listing that they challenge as inaccurate.
The website provides a link through which hams can send an email to correct
their information.
The URL for the online directory appears in the printed version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline dot org.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://annuaire-amateurs.anfr.fr/ ]
(ANFR)
**
LIGHTHOUSE SOCIETY HONORS 3 WITH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to three hams who have received the Lifetime
Achievement Award of the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society: Jim Buffington
K5JIM, Jim Elliott KA3UNQ and Dan Hatcher KD3CQ. Jim Buffington has had a
long career in professional broadcasting and has served the lighthouse
society as vice president and chairman. He has activated lighthouses along
the US East Cast and Gulf Coast Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf Coast. He
activated his first lighthouse in Biloxi in 2001.
Jim Elliott has activated more than 200 East Coast lighthouses and has
chased and contacted more than 1,450 others. He received the society's first
Activator of the Year award in 2009. He also developed a weekly chat room on
the society webite.
Dan has activated 178 lighthouses in 15 states, with 72 of them being first-
time activations. He has also chased and confirmed almost 1,800 lighthouses
in the US, Canada and in DX locations. Dan belongs to the society's Advisory
Council.
The society was founded in 2000 by Jim Weidner, K2JXW.
(AMATEUR RADIO LIGHTHOUSE SOCIETY)
**
WORLD OF DX
Listen for Frank, K3TRM, operating as VP2V/K3TRM from Tortola, British
Virgin Islands until the 17th of July. Be listening on 40-6m where he will
be using SSB, RTTY, FT8 and also on the satellites. QSL via his home call.
Be listening between July 17th and 25th for members of the Quito Radio Club
who will be on the air as HD1QRC90. The club is marking its 90th
anniversary. They will be on the air on all bands and all modes. QSL via
EA5GL.
A Russian Robinson Club IOTA/RRA Expedition will be using the callsign
RI0FWA (R Eye Zero F W A) between July 24th and 29th from Kunashir Island,
IOTA AS-025. Their activation will include the RSGB IOTA contest. Send QSLs
to R Zed 3 F W (RZ3FW), who is a member of the team.
(DX-WORLD.NET)
**
KICKER: MOBILE ANTENNA HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with the story of a mobile antenna
and traveling down the road to trouble. Mike Askins KE5CXP tells us how it
happened.
MIKE: There's nothing like the freedom of having a mobile antenna and many
hams who have at least one will tell you it's a game-changer when they're on
the road. But when is an antenna TOO MUCH antenna?
According to the California Highway Patrol, it's too much antenna when it's
a satellite dish attached to the hood of your car. On July 2nd, a motorist
with just that configuration was pulled over by an officer who identified it
as a [quote] "visual obstruction." The police said the dish seemed to be an
antenna like those that connect to the Starlink service which SpaceX
introduced in its beta stage late last year.
According to news accounts in the New York Post newspaper and CNBC, the
motorist explained to the officer that the antenna was used for business and
it provides a necessary Wi-Fi connection for the car. When the officer asked
whether it impeded driving in any way, the motorist reportedly said that
visibility was an issue only when making right turns.
He was given a ticket for a moving violation. A post on the highway patrol's
Facebook page for Antelope Valley, recounted the story too, citing a section
of the California Vehicle Code which makes the mounting of visual
obstructions on the hood of a vehicle to be illegal.
That apparently applied to this vehicle, which was a red Toyota Prius.
Perhaps the driver would have had better luck if he'd been driving something
older, say, one from the 1960s or 1970s. We're thinking of one Chrysler
Motors model in particular: It was called the Plymouth Satellite.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.
(NYPOST and CNBC)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; Amateur Radio Lighthouse
Society; the ARRL; Bob Wertz NF7E; CNBC; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-
World.net; IARU; India Today; the New York Post; QRZ.com; Radio Society of
Great Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com;
Spacenews.com; Spaceweather.com; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; WTWW
Shortwave; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's
all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at
newsline@arnewsline.org. For more information or to support us visit our
official website at arnewsline.org. Be sure to follow some of these stories
as they get a more indepth look on the YouTube Channel of 100 Watts and a
Wire. Search for the video segment with the title "Two Stories."
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our
news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73.
As always we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 09-jul-2021 11:04 E. South America Standard Time
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