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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2307 for Friday January 14th, 2022
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2307 with a release date of Friday
January 14th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The pandemic cancels a major DX convention. Amateurs
prep for Winter Field Day -- and an Olympic achievement for amateur radio.
All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2307 comes your
way right now.
**
COVID CONCERNS SCRAP INTERNATIONAL DX CONVENTION
NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with news of yet another pandemic-related
cancellation. Responding to concern over the unprecedented upsurge in COVID-
19 cases, organizers of the International DX Convention in Visalia,
California have called off the annual event which is considered one of the
premier amateur radio DX conventions. It was to have been held beginning
April 8th, hosted by the Southern California DX Club and the Northern
California DX Club. The announcement was made by cochairs Bill Kendrick,
N6RV, and Mel Hughes, K6SY. For details, visit dxconvention.org
(DXCONVENTION.ORG)
**
WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE DEPLOYS KEY REFLECTOR
NEIL/ANCHOR: Anyone watching the progress of the James Webb Space Telescope
now has a whole lot more to see -- and so does the telescope itself! Kent
Peterson KC0DGY brings us up to date.
KENT: Having "unfolded" the reflector that is central to its operation as
history's largest orbital observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope now
waits next to unfold the secrets of the universe. The 00 billion telescope
will use its 21-foot gold-coated reflector to explore the cosmos, most
especially tracing the first stars to form in the hundred million years
following the creation of the universe. NASA heralded it as a "major
milestone."
Saturday's process completed the unfolding, which was done in stages on
January 7th and 8th.
You can see an animation of what occurred in space on YouTube. A link to the
video appears in this week's text version of the Newsline script.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.
[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzGLKQ7_KZQ]
(BBC, SOUTHGATE, NASA)
**
AMATEURS PREP FOR WINTER FIELD DAY
NEIL/ANCHOR: It's January and that means, for those of us in the Northern
Hemisphere, Winter Field Day. Andy Morrison K9AWM explains how to get in on
the action.
ANDY: Get ready for Winter Field Day 2022, which is happening worldwide on
January 29th and 30th. As the organizers state on their website, being ready
for emergency communications isn't just an exercise done when the sun is
shining and the weather is mild. In the Northern Hemisphere, where
temperatures can easily drop below freezing this time of year and snow and
ice can complicate the scenario, hams are preparing to operate using a
variety of permissible modes with CW, SSB, DMR, PSK among them. Winter Field
Day rules prohibit operation on FT8 or FT4, however. QRP and LOW are the
only power category choices this year, with operators using 100 watts or
less. For a look at the rules and the logging instructions, visit
winterfieldday dot com, that's winterfield day - one word - dotcom.
(winterfieldday.com)
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.
**
US TECH CLASS EXAM GETS NEW QUESTION POOL
NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you know someone who is a candidate for the US Technician
Class license? They have until July 1st to test under the current pool of
questions. A new pool of 412 test questions has been released by the
National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators and it takes effect
from that date. The conference's Question Pool Committee decided to reduce
the number of questions by 11, eliminating 62 questions and introducing 51
new ones. These questions will be used for the next four years. The
conference describes the questions' level of difficulty as being more
balanced, adding that updates have been made to questions about certain
techniques and practices.
The questions are available for download as PDF or JPG files on the National
Conference website. Find the URL in the text version of this newscast at
arnewsline.org.
[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: http://www.ncvec.org/page.php?id=373 ]
(NCVEC, SOUTHGATE)
**
SILENT KEY: MIKE SUBOCZ, VK3AVV/VK3JV, DEVELOPER OF LOGGING SOFTWARE
NEIL/ANCHOR: An amateur whose talents and generosity were widely known by
contesters in Australia and beyond has become a Silent Key. We hear about
him from John Williams VK4JJW.
JOHN: Mike Subocz VK3AVV/VK3JV was known locally as an active and valued
member of the Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club VK3ER, where he was
recently awarded a life membership -- but in the larger world of amateur
radio he was appreciated even more for his support of contesters and those
involved in special events everywhere. Mike became a Silent Key on the 5th
of January, as reported by one of his close friends Peter Forbes VK3QI.
Mike was the author of the widely used VKCL contest logging software, a free
program that became a mainstay for a number of events in Australia,
including the VHF-UHF Field Days of the Wireless Institute of Australia. The
program had been in use for more than 20 years. Roger Harrison VK2ZRH,
Australia's Amateur Radio magazine editor in chief recalled how he and Mike
worked side by side since 2014 as managers of those Field Days. The
software's ease of use and versatility made it particularly appreciated by
contest managers as well as participants.
The Wireless Institute of Australia noted on its Facebook page: [quote]
"Mike leaves behind a tremendous legacy of his hard and dedicated work and
his love for Amateur Radio." [endquote]
The Eastern and Mountain District club announced on its webpage that all
stations in the VHF/UHF contest on January 15 will observe a one-minute
silence in Mike's memory. The contest will therefore start at 0101 UTC.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.
(EMDRC WEBSITE, WIA, ROGER HARRISON VK2ZRH)
**
SILENT KEY: SAIF SHAHID, S21A, BANGLADESH LEAGUE FOUNDER
NEIL/ANCHOR: An influential amateur who helped change the role of ham radio
in Bangladesh has become a Silent Key. With that report, here's Jeremy Boot
G4NJH.
JEREMY: The founder of the Bangladesh Amateur Radio League and the first
licensed amateur of that nation has become a Silent Key. Saif Shahid S21A
died on the 10th of January in the United States. He had been diagnosed with
Alzheimer's disease and had other medical issues, according to league
members. In recent years, Saif lived in New Mexico and held the callsign
KF6WJZ. He also held the callsign G1NWJ when he had lived in the UK. He was
75.
Saif led the Bangladesh league which he helped to create in May 1979. In
1991 he successfully pressed the nation's government to support amateur
radio for emergency communications. The league was admitted into the IARU in
1982.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(QRZ, BARL FACEBOOK PAGE)
**
1ST INTERNATIONAL WINNER OF EDUCATOR AWARD
NEIL/ANCHOR: The Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award to be presented at
this year's Orlando HamCation has its first international winner. We hear
more from Jack Parker W8ISH.
JACK: Combining cutting-edge technology with amateur radio, Dick Fijlstra
PA0DFN has a strong reputation for guiding students in electronics and
communication projects. However, the retired school principal has not
limited his work to classrooms in The Netherlands, however. One of his best-
known international school projects is called Communication Helps
International Programs, or CHIP, which has attracted schools throughout
Europe. Dick has also been heavily involved in the transmitter-hunting
activities and competitions of the European Youth ARDF Championships. Dick
himself is an avid participant in ARDF events.
Dick was chosen as the latest winner of the honor, which was created in 2018
to recognize educators whose work promotes amateur radio and radio science.
Carole Perry, WB2MGP, was the first recipient of the award, which bears the
name of the New York-based educator.
Dick will be honored at Orlando HamCation in Florida on February 10th
through 13th. Congratulations, Dick!
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker W8ISH.
(ARRL)
**
CLUB CREATES MAP TO CONNECT HAMS IN CANADA
NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Canada have a new resource to help them locate other
radio operators, as we hear from Sel Embee KB3TZD.
SEL: The Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club VE3OSR in Canada is offering a way
for hams to reconnect with one another through clubs, especially if they
have lost touch during the pandemic. Clubs throughout Canada, from the
Atlantic to the Pacific, are now shown on a colorful map display which is
free online for all hams' reference. The Georgian Bay amateurs are
encouraging other clubs in Canada to add themselves to the map, which can be
done by using the button labeled "CONTACT" on the bottom of the web page
containing the map. Visit gbarc dot ca stroke clubs dot php
(gbarc.ca/clubs.php)
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(GEORGIAN BAY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
**
YOUNG AMATEURS' WINNING ESSAYS AVAILABLE ONLINE
NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Silas Davis, W3SED; Olivia Lee, KD2UYX; and
Isaac Schmidt, K6IAS. The three youngsters wrote the winning essays in the
Intrepid-DX Group's second annual Youth 'Dream Rig' Contest. Hams from
around the United States who are 19 years old or younger were eligible.
Silas, the first place winner, is 9.
This year's contest took place with the help of funding from Amateur Radio
Digital Communications. The youngsters were asked to address the question of
how amateur radio can evolve to remain relevant in the internet age.
You can find the winning essays on the ARDC webpage. The link is provided in
the text version of this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org. In
announcing the winners previously, Paul Ewing, N6PSE, president of the
Intrepid-DX Group, said the essays were [quote] "brimming with enthusiasm to
keep our hobby alive well into the future." [endquote]
[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://tinyurl.com/23paapwp]
(AMPR.ORG)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KB9LPP
repeater in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin on Saturdays at 9 a.m. and on Echolink.
**
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 0,000 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
0.3million 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)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the world of DX, be listening for Felix, DL5XL, who has ben operating as
DP1POL since late December from Neumayer III (NOY-MEYER THREE) Station in
Antarctica. Both Felix and Theresa, DC1TH, will be on the air until mid-
February, mainly on 15 metres and 30 metres, using CW and FT8. The station
is expecting the arrival of Karsten, DM2KX, by the middle of this month.
The Norwegian amateur radio society, the NRRL, is marking its 100 year
anniversary. Be listening throughout the year for operators on the air from
the club station in Totland, to the south east of Bergen, using the callsign
LA100B. Hams will be using a variety of modes on HF and 6m. During contests,
the operators will use the callsign LN1B.
The HD8M DXpedition team has cancelled its trip to the Galapagos Islands
which was scheduled for March. The announcement expressed members' concerns
over the spread of the coronavirus and in particular its impact on Ecuador
and the Galapagos Islands. With many of the operators needing to travel
through various airports and more than one country, the team has opted to
look for another date when conditions are safer.
(DX-WORLD.NET, IRTS)
**
KICKER: WHEN A HAM HAS THE METTLE FOR A MEDAL
NEIL/ANCHOR: With the Winter Olympics only weeks away in Beijing, it's only
natural to think about past challenges and triumphs. We end with a story
about one Olympic event that involved - what else? - amateur radio. Mike
Askins KE5CXP explains.
MIKE: If you called Bob Josuweit WA3PZO an Olympian among amateurs, you
wouldn't be wrong. During the traditional Olympic Torch Relay that heralded
the start of the 1980 Winter Olympics here in the United States, Bob and
Robert Strickland, WA3HWZ, were among the area hams providing local, mid-
range and long-distance communication as the torch made its way north from
Langley Air Force Base in Virginia to the opening ceremonies in Lake Placid,
New York. Bob told Newsline that some hams rode in the vehicles following
the flame's path, ensuring the runners arrived on time at various ceremonies
along the 1,000-mile route. Locally, members of the Holmesburg Amateur Radio
Club were stationed at various locations along that part of the route
through Pennsylvania. In all, he said, there were about 20 hams involved to
meet the challenge of this on-the-road communications network.
Now, Bob didn't play much sports in his younger days and is more accustomed
to the kinds of "relays" you find on an HF Net, but he did receive a Bronze
Participation Medal from the Olympics organizers for his efforts. Then, in
1984, when Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics, he was called upon to
provide technical support there as well. As everyone knows, the best Olympic
coaches are Olympic medalists too.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.
(BOB JOSUWEIT, WA3PZO)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the the ARRL; the BBC; Bangladesh Amateur
Radio League; Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO; Bob Wertz, NF7E; CQ Magazine; David
Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club; HamSCI;
IRTS; NASA; National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators; Pride
Radio Group; QRZ.com; Roger Harrison, VK2ZRH; Southgate Amateur Radio News;
shortwaveradio.de; Wireless Institute of Australia; Winter Field Day; and
you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write
to us at newsline@arnewsline.org. 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.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our
news team worldwide, I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union Kentucky saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 15-jan-2022 11:33 E. South America Standard Time
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