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PY2BIL > ARNR 30.09.22 13:13l 363 Lines 17240 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2344 for Friday September 30th
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2344 for Friday September 30th, 2022
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2344 with a release date of Friday
September 30th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams take to the airwaves for Hurricane Ian. A new
report offers insights into the collapse of the Arecibo radio telescope --
and radio rides along for a bicycle climb up an iconic mountain. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2344 comes your way right
now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
HAMS MUSTER SUPPORT DURING HURRICANE IAN
JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week looks at amateur radio's response as a
life-threatening hurricane brought destruction in the southern United
States. Randy Sly W4XJ brings us those details.
RANDY: As Hurricane Fiona left Canada's Maritime provinces as a tropical
depression, another hurricane was beginning to form in the Caribbean
tracking toward western Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the western shores of
Florida. The handoff between the two storms gave little time to relax for
amateur radio operators working with the Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP Net,
Salvation Army Emergency Radio Network and emergency communications groups,
such as ARES.
By the time Ian reached the Florida coast near Fort Myers, it was a Category
4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour. This catastrophic
storm caused significant damage along with storm surge, torrential rains,
flooding, power outages, and spin-up tornadoes.
Bobby Graves, manager of the Hurricane Watch Net, said that the net would
remain in full emergency mode to assist with any emergency, medical, or
priority traffic as well as working with SATERN, the Salvation Army's
network, to help in handling any outgoing health and welfare traffic. The
net was to remain active after Ian's downgrade so hams could assist with
post-storm reports for the National Hurricane Center. The FCC has also
adopted a 60-day waiver that permitted hams to use a higher symbol rate for
data transmissions - above the legal limit of 300 baud -- when assisting
Hurricane Ian traffic.
This is Randy Sly, W4XJ
**
REPORT PINPOINTS FACTORS IN ARECIBO COLLAPSE
JIM/ANCHOR: A new report has pinpointed some contributing causes behind the
collapse of what was once the largest radio telescope in the world. Kent
Peterson KCØDGY brings us up to date.
KENT: Engineers have identified a number of key factors that led to the 2020
collapse of the Arecibo Telescope, once the world's largest radio telescope.
A forensic examination by the New York-based firm Thornton Tomasetti
identified issues that included design of the cable system with relatively
low safety factors for gravity loads as well as the force of naturally
occurring events in the environment. Those included Hurricane Maria in 2017
and the January 2020 earthquake tremors in Puerto Rico where the telescope
was located. The report said that despite having a hurricane-resistant
design, Arecibo's cable system had already led it to suffer stress under its
own weight whenever storms hit. The engineers recommended higher safety
factors for cable systems under such conditions.
Although the investigators said they found the telescope to be generally
well maintained, they did note in their report that they found that moisture
had intruded, paint had degraded and individual wires had broken within the
cable system.
This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.
(THORNTON TOMASETTI, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION)
**
AMATEURS HELP WITH REUNION ACROSS BORDERS
JIM/ANCHOR: A family in Bangladesh has been reunited with a long-missing
relative thanks to hams on both sides of the border with India. Graham Kemp
VK4BB gives us the rest of this story.
GRAHAM: It took 12 years and, ultimately, two groups of amateur radio
operators to return a man to his home and his family in Bangladesh. The
reunion took place on September 21st, allowing the man to leave the state-
run home in Kolkata where he had been following a lengthy hospitalization.
His family reported that he had gone missing a dozen years ago. He had
apparently crossed the border into West Bengal.
Press accounts in the Millennium Post and other media outlets described the
27-year-old man as mentally challenged and thus unable to provide
information about his origins either to hospital personnel or later to those
at the state home. Authorities at the home contacted the West Bengal Radio
Club. Club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, visited the man and
determined he was from Bangladesh. He reached out for help to Anup Bhowmick
[ANOOP BOWMICK], S21TV, secretary of the Amateur Radio Society of
Bangladesh. The two clubs arranged for a video call between the man and his
family and after that, details were worked out for his return home.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(MILLENNIUM POST, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)
**
TENNESSEE AMATEURS DONATE RADIO BOOKS TO LIBRARY
JIM/ANCHOR: Nothing can compare with the gift of knowledge and that's what a
group of hams in Tennessee recently gave to their local library - ham radio
knowledge, of course. Skeeter Nash N5ASH picks up the story from here.
SKEETER: The Andrew Johnson Amateur Radio Club may not have written the book
on amateur radio but its members recently showed they know how to share the
wealth of radio knowledge contained in some valuable volumes. The Tennessee
club has donated a collection of new and used ham radio-related volumes to
the Greeneville-Greene County Public Library.
A press release from the club said the gift was part of the group's mission
to provide community service and advocate for radio knowledge and education.
The group thanked the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in Greene County for a
00 donation that helped the club compile the book collection. The books
were presented to the library by president Ian Bible KE4EAC and
secretary/treasurer Larry Whiteside KN4MVH.
The books include “Ham Radio for the New Ham,ö by Stan W. Merrill; two
copies of “Ham Radio for Dummies,ö by H. Ward Silver and “The World of Ham
Radio, 1901-1950: A Social History.ö For tinkerers there is “Antique Radio
Restoration Guide,ö by David Johnson; and "Antique Radio Repair and
Restoration,ö (4th edition) by Alfred Corbin, which discusses vacuum tube
radios. A number of ARRL publications are also in the collection, including
a digital handbook and a license manual.
This is Skeeter Nash N5ASH.
(THE GREENEVILLE SUN)
**
AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS INVITE THE WORLD TO PORTABLE EVENT
JIM/ANCHOR: A club in New South Wales, Australia, has big plans for some
outdoor operation - and everyone is invited. John Williams VK4JJW tells how
you can attend.
JOHN: The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club in New South Wales is hoping
everyone can join them at their next outing, a portable-op-and-picnic event.
Yes, this means hams in Europe. This also means hams in North America. The
club is setting up a big festive gathering on the 15th of October at
Terrigal Haven on Australia's South Pacific coastline where members will
socialize with one another while promoting amateur radio to strangers. Of
course, if there is an ocean or a continent - or both - in the way of your
being there, that's no excuse for not participating. Starting at 11:30 a.m.
local time and going through at least until 4 p.m., radio operators at the
outing will have a path on 20M into New Zealand, North America and as the
day wears on, signals will be favoured into Europe. Listen for the club call
signs VK2AFW and VK2WFD.
As with any picnic and any radio activation, everyone will keep an eye on
the weather -- terrestrial as well as solar.
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(CCARC)
**
ACMA SEEKS INPUT ON NEW LICENCE CLASS
JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, as Newsline went to production, the Australian
Communications and Media Authority announced it was asking for amateurs to
comment on the proposed class licence for non-assigned amateur and outpost
stations. The ACMA is also reviewing issues related to higher-power
operations. This process is part of the ACMA's ongoing five-year spectrum
review. The ACMA website at acma dot gov dot au (acma.gov.au) is accepting
submissions until the close of business on the 29th of November.
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline
heard on bulletin stations around the world including D-STAR Reflector 91C
on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. local time in Melbourne, Australia.
**
FAMILY OF HAMS LAUNCHES EDUCATION PROGRAM IN ROMANIA
JIM/ANCHOR: A new amateur radio education project in Romania has begun
reaching thousands of students -- as well as their families. Ed Durrant
DD5LP tells us more.
ED: Enjoying amateur radio is a family priority for Petrica (Patricka)
YO9RIJ, his wife, Alina (R-leen-A) YO9RYJ and their son Rares (raresz), a
short-wave listener with the call sign YO9 -001. Since the spring, however,
spreading the word about amateur radio has become an additional priority.
Alina (R-leen-A), a college professor, believes that the science of radio is
an important part of students' education, inspiring Petrica (Patricka) to
develop an educational curriculum with lessons mixing science and amateur
radio. Called RadioScience 2.0, it was one of six projects to win funding
from the Romanian American Foundation this past spring. By May, students
were receiving lessons in the schools and even in the parks, with hams from
the Romanian Contest Team participating to share their experiences too.
Petrica (Patricka) told Newsline in an email that nearly 5,000 youngsters
and teenagers - and even parents and grandparents - have since attended
classes to learn and to explore kit-building. Most recently, more than 50
young people took their ANCOM exam a little more than a week ago, testing to
earn their licence.
Petrica (Patricka) said this is just the beginning. His dream is to build a
ham radio science centre in Buzau (BuzzOw) City. He said it is: "A real
challenge but we have hope!"
This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.
This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.
**
AM QSO PARTY CELEBRATES ORIGINAL VOICE MODE
JIM/ANCHOR: The annual AM QSO Party sponsored by the Antique Wireless
Association isn't so much a contest as a challenge: It invites hams to get
on the air using radio's original form of voice communication: amplitude
modulation. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us about this year's event.
ANDY: Ron Skipper, W8ACR, coordinator of the AM QSO Party for the Antique
Wireless Association, considers this year's event a success. The weekend
operation introduced hams to amplitude modulation - or reminded long-timers
that AM is still a viable option. During the two-day activity on September
24th and 25th, Ron himself made 40 or so contacts during the QSO party. He
told Newsline that three of those operators he logged said they were
experiencing either their first or second time using AM mode.
Ron told Newsline [quote] "I think that once a ham operator uses AM
successfully, he realizes that it is a viable alternative to SSB, and not
just an outdated mode of communication." [endquote]
Ragchews were encouraged and, for others, so was simply listening. Ron
reminds hams that there's plenty of time now to prepare for the next AM QSO
Party. If your rig already has AM mode, try it out. If have vintage gear at
home, dust it off. Or, if you are a home brewer, get busy.
This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.
(RON SKIPPER, W8ACR)
**
RSGB UNVEILS UPDATED TOOL TO MEASURE EMF
JIM/ANCHOR: To help amateurs in the UK comply with EMF exposure limits, the
Radio Society of Great Britain has updated its calculator - and is also
looking for input on the changes. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us the details.
JEREMY: An updated tool has become available to help hams comply with Ofcom
licence requirements to monitor their stations' electromagnetic field
exposure. The Radio Society of Great Britain has made changes to both its
online calculator and web app and are seeking feedback on the new versions,
which have been launched on a trial basis. The new calculators enable hams
to determine EIRP as well as compliance distances. According to the RSGB
website, the updated calculators no longer have the previous versions' 10
MHz minimum frequency restriction or the minimum separation of the near
field boundary. They recommend a compliance distance of 2.4 metres to keep
people from coming into contact with the antenna. The new version also
calculates limits set by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing
Radiation Protection for 1998 and 2020.
Additional details are available on the Society's website at rsgb.org
This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(RSGB)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, listen for the special call sign TM1ØKIY (TM one zero
Kay eye why), marking the 10th anniversary of the Radio Club du Pays de Nied
through until October 7th. Club members will be on various HF bands using
CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and FT8/FT4. QSL via F4KIY, through the Bureau or
direct.
In Guadeloupe, listen for Sigi, DL7DF, Manfred, DK1BT, Wolf, DL4WK, Annette,
DL6SAK, Tom, DL7BO and Frank DL7UFR operating as TO2DL between the 10th and
23rd of October. Guadeloupe has the IOTA designation of NA-102. Operators
will be on various HF bands using different modes. QSL via DL7DF, direct or
through the DARC Bureau. The full logs of the DXpedition will be uploaded to
LoTW six months after the team has returned.
Members of the Calabria DX Team will be active as ID9Y from Vulcano Island,
IOTA number Vulcano Island, IOTA EU-017, between October 5th and 9th. They
include Alex, IK8YFU, Domenico, IW8RAO, Sal, IZ8CZR and Luigi/IU8GUK. Listen
on various HF bands where the operators will be using CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8.
QSL only via LoTW or eQSL.
Marco, ISØBSR, and a number of other amateurs will be using the call sign
IMØB from San Pietro Island, IOTA number EU-165, between October 22nd and
November 5th. QSL only via LoTW.
(OHIO PENN DX)
**
KICKER: RADIO RIDES ALONG FOR MOUNT WASHINGTON HILLCLIMB
JIM/ANCHOR: For our final story, we visit Mount Washington in the United
States, a summit known to pose a challenge to anyone who wants to get to the
top. Amateur radio helped make that triumphant trip safer recently for some
bicyclists, as we hear from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
RALPH: There's no question in anyone's mind that New Hampshire's Mount
Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States, presents a
climb to remember, whether by car, by foot or even by bicycle. The summit of
6,288 feet - or nearly 2 km -- is hardly a challenge for radio waves, which
is why hams from clubs and emergency service units throughout the state and
other parts of New England were on hand a few weeks ago for the 49th annual
Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb.
More than 500 cyclists turned up for the event, which is the largest
fundraising event held by the Tin Mountain Conservation Center, a
environmental education group in New Hampshire. Riding up what is considered
by experts to be one of the world's toughest hill climbs, cyclists were
assisted only by their own stamina and muscle power -- and of course the
power of amateur radio.
It was a particularly big day for one cyclist, a four-time winner who not
only regained his title but set a new record of 50 minutes and 38 seconds.
The ride itself raised more than 0,000 for the nonprofit group. It was
also a big win for the hams who were given a big share in everyone's
victory. Race director Erin Holmes told the competitors afterward [quote]:
"We could not do this event year after year without teams at the Mount
Washington Auto Road and the Central New Hampshire Amateur Radio Club as our
eyes on the mountain to keep you all safe." [end quote]
In that respect, everyone crossed the finish line together.
I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
(CONWAY DAILY SUN)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA; the ARRL;
Central Coast Amateur Radio Club; the Conway Daily Sun; CQ Magazine; David
Behar K7DB; Millennium Post; National Science Foundation; Ohio Penn DX;
QRZ.com; Radio Society of Great Britain; Ron Skipper, W8ACR; Southgate
Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Thornton Tomasetti; 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 30-set-2022 08:01 E. South America Standard Time
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