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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2339 for Friday August 26th, 2
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2339 for Friday August 26th, 2022
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2339 with a release date of Friday
August 26th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Experts call a national emergency alert system
vulnerable to hackers. Students in Romania return from a four-day SOTA
outing -- and Amateur Radio Newsline goes to Huntsville, Alabama to present
its Young Ham of the Year Award. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2339 comes your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
US EMERGENCY BROADCAST NETWORK DEEMED VULNERABLE TO HACKERS
JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is about a word of warning experts have
issued to the US Emergency Broadcast Network, calling it vulnerable to
hackers. Andy Morrison K9AWM brings us those details.
ANDY: The United States' national broadcast network which transmits child
abduction alerts and severe weather warnings - is becoming increasingly
vulnerable to fake alerts from hackers unless state and local governments
fix security weaknesses in devices that connect to that system.
That was the warning delivered recently by the nation's Department of
Homeland Security, which repeated its cautionary message about the US
Emergency Alert System at a recent session of DEFCON, a major hacking
conference held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Homeland security officials said that ongoing vulnerabilities in the
encoder/decoder devices enable hackers to transmit the bogus warnings over
radio and TV stations. Cybersecurity researcher Ken Pyle, who is credited
with discovering the vulnerability, told reporters recently that without a
necessary software update for these devices, hackers can pre-empt broadcast
signals, exploit web servers and disrupt the legitimate system. He said the
problem has existed for several years and has gone uncorrected.
Reporting on this issue, Cable News Network asked the Federal Communications
Commission for a tally of how many devices are running the vulnerable
software. The FCC had no immediate response.
This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.
(CNN, ARSTECHNICA)
**
NEWSLINE PRESENTS YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR AWARD IN HUNTSVILLE
JIM/ANCHOR: The Huntsville, Alabama Hamfest is history now and Newsline was
happy to be there to meet with this year's Young Ham of the Year Award. Don
Wilbanks AE5DW tells us all about it.
DON: "Good afternoon everyone, it is a little after two o'clock on Saturday
at Huntsville, that means it is time for the Young Ham of the Year Award.
My name is Don Wilbanks AE5DW, I'll be presenting the Young Ham of the Year
this afternoon to Audrey McElroy KM4BUN. We're so proud of her, and first
off I want to say that after two years of being away, it is so good to be
back at Huntsville, Alabama at the hamfest!"
That was how the first in-person Young Ham of the Year presentation in two
years began Saturday, August 20th on the main stage at the Huntsville
Hamfest. I read off a short list of the many accomplishments that earned
Audrey this honor and then the floor was hers.
"Hello everybody, I am so happy to be here! Huntsville Hamfest is
definitely my favorite place to be! I'm sure a lot of you can agree. I'm
very honored to receive this award! My brother and I have worked in amateur
radio for many years now but I can't not thank the people who helped me
throughout this. Of course, my parents Tom McElroy and Janet McElroy along
with others like Carole Perry WB2MGP, Bill Brown who is right there, WB8ELK,
and tons of other people who have been mentors to me and helpers to me
because if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to do the things I'm able
to do. And so I hope in the future I can continue pushing for bringing more
youth into amateur radio as well as bring more women into STEM and the
wonderful world of amateur radio. So, thank you all again."
Representatives from CQ Communications, Yaesu USA, Heil Sound, RadioWavz
Antennas and GigaParts had remarks and gifts for Audrey. Of course, we
mentioned the last two honorees, Christopher Brault KD8YVJ from 2020 and
Faith Hannah Lea KD3Z from 2021 who were presented their awards virtually
online. Sadly, neither could attend live this year due to prior school
commitments.
All of us at Newsline including our awards committee and judges wants to
congratulate Audrey. She is a shining example of why Bill Pasternak was so
committed to honoring the amazing young people in this hobby and service.
She carries the torch high.
If you would like to hear the entire, unedited presentation audio you can
find it on our Extra page at arnewsline.org.
Speaking for our Young Ham of the Year committee chairman Mark Abramowicz
NT3V and our panel of judges, we can't wait for next year! See you there.
I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW.
**
ROMANIAN STUDENTS RETURN FROM 4-DAY SOTA EXPEDITION
JIM/ANCHOR: Students in an amateur radio club in Romania have returned home
with full hearts and full logbooks after four days of activating the
countryside's beautiful mountains. More on their trip from Ed Durrant DD5LP.
ED: Accompanied by their teacher Adrian YO5IA, and other mentors, a group of
young amateurs from the school radio club YO6KGS in Romania set out from
Rāciu Village in late July for their latest adventure, a four-day SOTA
expedition in the Giumalau Mountains. After watching demonstrations by
Csaba, YO6PIB, and Eva, YO6EVA, who activated their first summit, Giumalau
Peak, the students joined them on 20m and 17m. Ranging in age from 12 to 20,
many of the students had gone on previous activations with the school club
and their advisors. Mihaela, YO5MCM, could not be there in person this time
but made sure to chase the group from her QTH in Cluj about 200 km away.
There was also a family reunion, ham radio style, as Nico YO6YLJ, made a
summit-to-summit contact with his father, Mihai YO6SM, who was operating
from Norway using the call sign LB9HI. Mihai was able to give the other
students their chance for a summit-to-summit contact too. Everyone spent
comfortable nights in a mountain cottage and by the final night they had
earned some bragging rights: The whole team had activated Giumalau summit,
YO/EC-007, and logged summit-to-summit QSOs from Muncel, YO/EC-527, to
Giumalau on VHF and UHF. Daria YO6CDC wrote in her online diary that until
the next time: [quote] "We have the radio waves, the contests, the radioclub
where we meet, while the memories last forever." [endquote]
This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(ADRIAN YO5IA)
**
TOP HONORS FOR CALIFORNIA AMATEUR'S DOCUMENTARY AT LOS ANGELES FILM FEST
JIM/ANCHOR: A documentary film celebrating the spirit of invention has just
won top honors at a Los Angeles Film Festival. Not surprisingly, the film's
creative team included a ham. We hear more from Mike Askins KE5CXP.
MIKE: "Pathways to Invention," a newly released documentary film directed
and coproduced by a Santa Barbara, California amateur radio operator, has
been chosen as Best Documentary Feature at the Los Angeles Independent Film
Festival Awards. Levi C. Maaia, K6LCM, is both a teacher and a tinkerer who
believes that technology can be a driving force to power education. A
proponent of the Maker movement, Levi and his production partner Noah G.
Mark follow 10 emerging innovators on their journeys to become inventors.
The film was made with the support of the Lemelson Foundation. At the
festival, the film also received awards for best producer, best original
music score and best director of a documentary feature. The film is to
premiere this year.
Levi has been active on the education committee of Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station. He is also a life member of AMSAT and a board
member of the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club.
I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.
(LEVI C. MAAIA, K6LCM)
**
INDIAN AMATEURS MARK NATION'S 75 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE
JIM/ANCHOR: India has just marked its 75 years of independence and hams have
been busy celebrating on the air. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us some of the
ways they're marking the occasion.
JIM: Amateurs throughout India and beyond have been marking that nation's 75
years of independence with special event stations and commemorative nets.
Special event station AT75CW will be on the air using CW from September 1st
trough October 2nd from northern India. Rajesh, VU2CW, is the same operator
who activated AT75RADIO earlier this month on SSB.
Meanwhile, the Indian YL Net on the India Conference Server on Echolink
marked the nation's independence with a series of guest net control
operators during the week of Monday, August 15th. Guests net controllers on
this daily net included Dr. S. Sathyapal, VU2FI, director of the Indian
Institute of Hams, using the call sign AU75IIH, and Omprakash Khiyani,
VU2KOC, who runs a popular net in India. He used the call sign AU75KOC.
India officially marked its independence on Monday, August 15th.
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(QRZ, INDIAN YL NET)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, like the George
County ARES repeater in Lucedale, Mississippi Wednesdays at 7:37 p.m. local
time.
**
ITCHING TO WORK THE SCRATCHIN' POST QSO PARTY
JIM/ANCHOR:If you want to have a QSO party, all you need is a reason. Much
like the World's Largest Teapot event that recently concluded, this ARES
special event station is just dripping in Southern charm.
DON: In coastal Mississippi exactly 40 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico and
10 miles west of the Alabama state line lies the friendly little town of
Lucedale, Mississippi, founded in 1901, population 24,762. Right in the
heart of downtown Lucedale on the corner of Mill and Main you'll find a
four-by-four wooden notched post known as The Scratchin' Post. From 1937
until 1993 there was a very popular 24-hour restaurant at that site known as
The Coffee Pot, renowned for its 5-inch tall merengue pies. The restaurant
is long gone, a victim of progress and rerouted highways, but The
Scratchin' Post still stands tall. And on Saturday, September 3rd, George
County ARES will put it on the amateur radio map with The Scratchin' Post
QSO Party. You may be asking why is it called The Scratchin' Post? It was
a tradition when entering and exiting the restaurant to scratch your back
against the post. Several famous spines found comfort in rubbing up against
that hunk of wood. Baseball legend Dizzy Dean. Country music legends
Tennessee Ernie Ford and Ernest Tubb. Actors Kirk Douglas, Gene Autrey and
Roy Rogers. Even Ronald Reagan in his Hollywood days as well as Tom Lester,
"Eb" on "Green Acres." You can scratch that radio itch by listening for K5K
on 20 and 40 meters phone as well as FT4 and FT8. Operating hours are 1300
to 2300 UTC on Saturday, September 3rd. They will be operating Field Day
style from the downtown City Park. If you're in that neck of the woods,
stop by and enjoy some fine Southern hospitality. Everything you need to
know, as well as a picture of The Scratchin' Post, can be found on the K5K
QRZ page. Sounds like the perfect excuse for a QSO party.
I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.
**
VOLUNTEER MONITORS SEND HAMS COMMENDATIONS, NOTICES
JIM/ANCHOR: A recent trip to the mailbox brought surprises for some hams -
some pleasant surprises, others not-so-pleasant. Sel Embee KB3TZD explains.
SEL: The Volunteer Monitor Program, begun in 2020 as a cooperative effort
between the FCC and the ARRL, recently released its report for July of this
year. The program delivers commendations as well as notices of improper
operation to hams as a way of boosting compliance with amateur radio license
regulations.
The latest commendations include a ham in Columbia, South Carolina for
helping amateurs complete programs for the Community Emergency Response Team
and for assisting those involved in the county's Emergency Operations
Center. Commendations were also given to hams in Poughkeepsie (poo-KIPP-See)
New York for conducting the community bulletin board on a local repeater.
Hams in Roslyn, Pennsylvania were also given commendations for involving the
Phil-Mont Mobile Radio Club in Field Day and MESH operations.
Meanwhile, notices for unlicensed operation were sent to logging companies
in Washington state for their use of 2-meter amateur frequencies. Another
notice for unlicensed operation was sent to an operator in Indian Hills,
California for operating 2m simplex APRS during a high-altitude balloon
flight, one year after the operator's license had been cancelled by the FCC.
Notices for operating FT8 outside license privileges were issued to a
Technician class operator in Martinez, California and a General-class
operator in Trenton, New Jersey. Notices for operating on SSB outside their
General class privileges were issued to hams in Massapequa (massa-PEE-KWAH),
New York, and Trenton, New Jersey.
This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(ARRL)
**
SPECIAL 9/11 EVENT MARKS TERROR ATTACKS' 21st ANNIVERSARY
JIM/ANCHOR: Recalling the difficult day that was September 11th, 2001, a
group of US amateurs is marking that grim anniversary with a special event
starting very soon. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us what their plans are.
JACK: Members of the Alabama Contest Group will be carrying the message
"Nine Eleven, Remembered Once More," during a special event being activated
to honor the victims of terrorism who perished 21 years ago in New York
City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Stations will be
using the callsign K4A starting at 0001 UTC on September 8th and running
through to September 12th, operating on all bands and using CW, SSB, FT8 and
RTTY. Organizers are expecting many hams to be calling in with stories of
remembrances from September 11th, 2001.
Planners have been busy on the Discord chat app making a schedule that will
be accessible to amateurs worldwide. An extra effort will be made on CW and
FT8 to help Pacific DX operators, especially in VK and ZL, make contacts.
Certificates will be available in addition to QSL cards. QSOs are needed on
four bands in any combination of modes to qualify for a certificate. Outside
of North America, only three bands are needed.
According to the QRZ page for K4A, this event recognizes "peace-loving
people all over the world." Visit the page for K4A or WA1FCN for more
details.
This is Jack Parker W8ISH
(ALABAMA CONTEST GROUP)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, members of the Zagreb Amateur Radio Association will
activate the special callsign 9A24ZRF during the 24th ZagrebRadio Fest on
September 2nd and 3rd. QSL via the Bureau or LoTW.
In Malaysia, the Taiping Amateur Radio Club and the Malaysian Amateur Radio
Transmitter Society (MARTS), will be using the callsign 9M65MA from August
30th through to September 1st. This is to mark the 65th anniversary of
Malaysia's independence. Listen on various HF bands for operators using CW,
SSB, FM and the Digital modes. QSL via 9M2OHM direct.
Trinidad and Tobago will be marking the 60th anniversary of their
independence with an amateur radio special event operated by members of the
Trinidad and Tobago Amateur Radio Society. They will be using the callsign
9Y60TT between the 26th of August and the 2nd of September. Listen on HF as
well as the VHF bands where operators will be using CW, SSB, Slow Scan TV,
Digital Modes and Moonbounce. They will also be making use of satellite
contacts and APRS via the International Space Station. Be listening as well
on DMR, C4FM, D-Star and EchoLink. QSLusing LoTW, ClubLog or QRZ.com.
(OHIO PENN DX)
**
KICKER: ONE ANTENNA THAT'S A-MAIZE-ING
JIM/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with a story about field day. No, not
THAT field day. For this story, we're going straight to the field - the corn
field, that is. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB brings us some kernels of wisdom.
RALPH: If you're stalking the newest and most unusual kind of antenna, look
no further than the two 8-foot-tall green stalks that Kevin KŲKLB harvested
recently in an Iowa cornfield to create the homebrew vertical he called the
CornTenna. Relying on the combination of two stalks plus their inherent
conductive moisture, Kevin had a hunch that by joining them and adding a
copper wire, mounting them on a wooden batten and adding radials, he might
get an SWR acceptable enough for some QSOs on 20m. With a little adjusting,
the CornTenna tuned right up in the field and, well, things were soon
popping. Operating at 5w QRP, he logged two contacts in Texas and had a few
other contacts that almost made it into the log. Not quite smooth as silk,
but for a Corn-Tenna? Downright a-maize-ing. You can see Kevin and the
CornTenna in action on YouTube at the link in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org. He's got a real antenna farm and yes,
he's having a field day.
Meanwhile, one lingering question remains: Whether this innovative vertical
can hold its own in a real amateur radio DX CORNtest. We're all ears.
This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
[FOR PRINT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG1e1K1RR-s&t=165s ]
(YOUTUBE)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the Alabama Contest Group; the ARRL;
Arstechnica; CQ Magazine; CNN; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; Indian YL
Echolink Net; Levi C. Maaia, K6LCM; Ohio Penn DX; QRZ.com; Southgate Amateur
Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; YouTube; 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 Jim Damron N8TMW
in Charleston West Virginia 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 26-ago-2022 10:43 E. South America Standard Time
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