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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2263 for Friday March 12 2021
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2263 for Friday March 12 2021
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2263 with a release date of Friday
March 12 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. A digital amateur TV experiment soars in Australia.
Big changes for ham tests in France -- and hams troubleshoot an inoperable
radio on the Space Station. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2263 comes your way right now.
***
BILLBOARD CART
**
EXPERIMENTERS LAUNCH AN EYE IN THE SKY
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the story of a long-awaited
accomplishment: a successful high-flying experiment conducted by a group of
innovative amateurs in Australia. Graham Kemp VK4BB has that story.
GRAHAM: Members of the Amateur Radio Experimenters Group in Adelaide,
Australia are celebrating the much anticipated launch of Horus 55, a high-
altitude balloon sent aloft on the morning of March 7th with a digital
amateur radio TV transmitter as its payload. As the balloon soared skyward,
after a brief launch delay due to rain, it relayed its TV signal to YouTube
in a livestream that was broadcast worldwide.
The TV transmitter payload, which was the main experiment, required
extensive testing before launch day, especially with regard to its tolerance
for low temperatures. It utilised a Raspberry Pi Zero W which captured and
compressed video for the modulation of a 445 MHz DVB-S transmission
generated by a LimeSDR Mini.
Team members Mark VK5QI, Matt VK5ZM, Pete VK5KX and Grant VK5GR shared the
triumph of the project. According to the AREG website, the challenges
included devising a transmitter system that could provide sufficient signal
and still withstand the thin atmosphere at high altitudes. There was also
the small detail of getting the signal from the high-performance receive
system uploaded to the internet.
Shortly into the one-hour flight, signal reports arrived from receiving
stations from around the region, including Ian VK5ZD near Kapunda and Joe
VK5EI in Adelaide.
Horus 55 also carried an experimental LoRaWAN tracking payload transmitted
position data into TTN, the Things Network, which has receiver stations
across Australia. It too was a success, according to the AREG website. Built
by Liam VK5LJG, its performance exceeded expectations.
To watch the experiment unfold and soar, visit the YouTube site that appears
in the script of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.
[FOR PRINT: DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vYcVRWrdhs]
(AREG)
**
ARISS RADIO TROUBLESHOOTING CONTINUES
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, astronauts aboard the
International Space Station were preparing for two spacewalks to
troubleshoot and restore the full functionality of the Columbus
Interoperable Radio System for ham radio contacts. Technical issues - what
ARISS is calling a "radio anomaly" – turned up on January 28th after a
failed radio contact with students in Wyoming.
At a press conference on Wednesday, March 10th, ARISS' Frank Bauer KA3HDO
and Oliver Amend DG6BCE outlined in detail how the investigation identified
three probable areas where the failure may have occurred, including a break
in one of the cables, trouble with one of the connectors or improper
alignment of the connector with the system itself. Michael Hopkins, KF5LJG
and Victor Glover, KI5BK were scheduled to continue the troubleshooting
outside the ISS on Saturday, March 13th and Sunday March 14 – work that was
to include reinstalling the cable that had been swapped out during the
January 27th spacewalk.
Frank said that if there were still problems after the weekend, there were
other options to investigate, including another possibly suspect cable or
the radio itself.
(ARISS)
**
FRANCE OVERHAULS AMATEUR RADIO TESTING
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Regulators in France have announced major modifications to
the nation's amateur radio exam. Ed Durrant DD5LP has the details.
ED: There are big changes in amateur radio testing in France. The
government's official journal has released an outline of the changes, which
were eight years in the making. France's radio exam contains 40 questions
with a total time limit of 45 minutes, combining technical theory with rules
and regulations. The material in France's only level of Amateur radio
licence is compatible with CEPT HAREC full licence requirements and a recent
addition to the syllabus are questions on digital signal processing.
Candidates need to get at least half of the questions correct in both the
technical theory segment and the rules and regulations segment before they
can attain a pass.
The changes do not take effect for another three months.
Meanwhile in the Netherlands, radio exams are returning for the first time
since November of last year. The Radio Exams Foundation is permitting the
tests to go forward. News reports say there is a backlog of about 200
candidates waiting. We wish them all luck.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(SOUTHGATE)
**
VIDEO TRAINING GIVES BASIC SKILLS TO UK HAMS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: School is in session in the UK for hams who believe that in
radio, the learning never stops, even if your classroom is a remote one.
Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about the lessons they're taking.
JEREMY: University students and young schoolchildren aren't the only ones
learning new skills remotely. Hams at all levels of licence in the UK are
being introduced to common amateur radio construction basics through a new
video series from the Radio Society of Great Britain. The videos are part of
the society's "Get on the Air to Care" campaign to highlight amateur radio's
abilities to reduce social isolation. They are also being released in
conjunction with British Science Week which spotlights the importance of
science, technology, engineering and math skill. This year's annual event
began on the 5th March and runs on to the 14th. The videos, which grow
increasingly ambitious as the series goes forward, demonstrate ways to tune
a dipole using a NanoVNA, how to build a simple balun as well as a more
ambitious project: creating an audio interface between the transceiver and
computer to permit operation in the popular data modes.
To see the videos, visit the RSGB's channel on YouTube or its website.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(RSGB)
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Society has also announced a record number of hams
passing their Foundation license exam taken remotely during the past year.
In a message on shared on Twitter, the RSGB said 3,000 people have passed
the exam since April of last year. The society compared that with the
previous average of only 1,350 people a year.
**
YLS BEING CHALLENGED TO SHARE RADIO STORIES
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're a YL with a radio story to tell, listen carefully
to this next report from Sel Embee KB3 T Zed D.
SEL: Grassroots Emergency Communications Operations and Greg Lee KI6GIG are
challenging the world's YLs — and the world's would-be YLs. Greg has
announced an activity called "Choose to Challenge," on the occasion of
International Women's Day on March 8th. Women who are amateur radio
operators, or interested in becoming hams, are being asked to tell their
stories. It's that simple: why they became hams, the challenges they faced
and, of course, their successes. They're being asked to share advice for
other women and young girls — and even for men — and to offer ideas that
will encourage others to study and become licensed. Although responses in
languages other than English are welcome, Greg said those submissions will
be run through Google translate. The organization plans to run responses in
its newsletter, "Sticky Notes." Greg said all responses should be sent via
email to gecoradio@gmail.com, that's spelled g e c o radio at gmail dot com.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(GREG LEE KI6GIG)
**
SPECIAL NET IN INDIA MARKS INT'L WOMEN'S DAY
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Another event celebrating women worldwide was a net based in
India. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has more.
JIM M: In India, four YLs helped the West Bengal Radio Club mark
International Women's Day by serving as net control operators during the
March 8th VHF-Echolink net on the VU2WB repeater. The 90-minute net had 112
check-ins who will each receive a special eQSL card marking the occasion.
The net control operators were Rinku VU2JFB, Saborni VU2JFC, Sangita VU3ZIH
and Amrita VU3ZHH. Saborni is the daughter of club secretary Ambarish Nag
Biswas VU2JFA who said this was the first year the club was hosting the
special net.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard of bulletin stations around the world including the Kanawha
(kuh-NAW-uh) Amateur Radio Club Two Meter repeater W8GK in West Virginia
during the club's Sunday net at 8:30 PM Eastern time.
**
COVID CONCERNS MODIFY IARU REGION 1 YOUTH EVENTS
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Concerns over COVID-19 have altered some plans for young
amateurs in IARU Region 1, as we learn from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
JEREMY: While planning remains carefully optimistic in the United States for
the first youth ham radio camp in the Americas, organisers elsewhere in IARU
Region 1's Youth Working Group have announced a modified schedule in
response to COVID-19 measures. In-person IARU Region 1 youth events on the
calendar before the end of June will not take place and any activities set
for later in the year are subject to review as conditions evolve. Youngsters
on the Air in Region 1 has meanwhile been hosting a number of online
workshops including a recent session on SOTA, WorldWide Flora and Fauna and
other outdoor operating activities.
The announcement by Alex, IV3KKW on the IARU Region 1 website, noted that
the rollout of vaccines will be monitored as will the development of further
variants of the coronavirus. Events on the calendar for the second half of
the year will remain in place for the time being.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(IARU, SOUTHGATE)
**
SPECIAL EVENT STATION TO HELP AILING AMATEUR
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In a special event station getting under way on March 13,
hams are reaching out to help one of their own. Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us
about it.
DAVE: Amateur radio operators around the country are joining Christian
Cudnik K0STH and Alexander Valladares (pronounced: Via - dar - us) W7HU in a
seven-day special event on the bands to highlight the urgent need facing
fellow amateur Phil Ross AB8PR, who is in need of a kidney from a live
donor. Special event station K4P – which stands for Kidney For Phil — will
be operating on 17, 20, 40 and 80 meters from March 13 to March 20, sharing
the story of the Michigan grandfather, who is in end stage renal failure.
The hams will be calling QRZ on single sideband and in FT8. Special event
QSL cards and a downloadable digital certificate will be available for
confirmed contacts. Phil has been told that unless a matching kidney can be
located from a living donor soon, he will require dialysis, a time-consuming
intervention that is not considered a cure. For details on the special
event, visit the QR Zed page for K4P. Cudnik and Valladares have also been
focusing attention on Phil's situation on their respective YouTube channels,
"100 Watts and a Wire" and "W7HU Alex."
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF,
**
HAMVENTION AWARD-WINNERS ANNOUNCED
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Hamvention Awards Committee has announced this year's
honorees and one of our Newsline colleagues is a recipient. Here's Kevin
Trotman N5PRE with the details.
KEVIN: Congratulations to Newsline's own Science Editor, Tamitha Mulligan
Skov WX6SWW, winner of the Technical Achievement award from the Hamvention
Awards Committee. Tamitha was among those chosen for this year's honors by
Hamvention co-chairs Michael Kalter W8CI and Frank Beaford WS8B, who called
her [quote] "a real space pioneer." [endquote] Newsline listeners know her
from her solar weather reports here as well as on HamNation, YouTube, the
Weather and History channels and for her work in the MIT Technology Review
and in Popular Science magazine. Licensed since 2018, Tamitha is a research
scientist for the Aerospace Corporation and has also been an instructor at
Contest University numerous times. The Hamvention co-chairs wrote: [quote]
"She is always seeking new ways to bring an awareness of Space Weather and
its effects into the mainstream and hopes to herald in a new era of TV
weather broadcasting before the end of Solar Cycle 25." [endquote]
Honors are also being given to Wesley Lamboley W3WL, who is receiving the
Special Achievement Award for his work in youth coaching, membership
recruiting and technical problem assistance. Angel M. Vazquez WP3R is
receiving the Amateur of the Year Award for his work as one of the principal
support engineers at the Arecibo parabolic dish antenna that was operational
in Puerto Rico until its collapse late last year. Club of the Year has been
given to the Vienna Wireless Society K4HTA for its educational efforts and
public service for 58 years in the Washington, D.C. area.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
(HAMVENTION.ORG, QRZ.COM)
**
GRANTS AVAILABLE FROM CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateur Radio Digital Communications, a California nonprofit
foundation that supports technical innovation, is encouraging individuals
and organizations with projects involving digital communication and amateur
radio to apply for grants.
Executive director Rosy Wolfe KJ7RYV said philanthropic grants are given to
schools, universities, public charities and others involved in nonprofit
endeavors who submit a request. The subject areas may also also include
internet technologies and the communication sciences. Past recipients have
included the Foundation for Amateur Radio, the Chippewa Valley Amateur Radio
Club, the ARRL Foundation and the Hoopa Valley Tribe.
For more details visit the website ampr.org
(AMPR)
**
13 COLONIES ADDS NEW BONUS STATION
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Fans of the popular 13 Colonies Special Event will be happy
to learn there's a new bonus station and a new design for the QSL cards. Jim
Damron N8TMW tells us more.
JIM: France, which played a key role in the American Revolution as the
Continental Army's primary ally, will also provide some major assistance in
this year's 13 Colonies Special Event. Ken Villone, KU2US, manager of the
popular on-air celebration, has announced that TM13COL will be operating
from France and joining the other stations as one of the bonus contacts. Ken
said Didier (deed-yay) F5OGL asked whether he could represent France in the
July event and said five other hams will also be willing to become on-air
allies. They are joining the other overseas bonus station GB13COL which is
always popular with operators in the U.S. and Europe.
QSL cards are also getting a different look this year. They will feature
ships, a popular image used about eight years ago. U.S. bonus station
WM3PEN, operating for its 11th year, will feature the USS United States, one
of the first frigates built in Philadelphia for the US Navy. Each state will
select a Colonial-era ship relevant to their history. The QSL card for
Massachusetts will feature the USS Boston and the card for New York will
have an image of the USS Niagara. The overseas bonus stations will feature
the Hermoine (Her-MINEY) and the HMS Victory.
The event will be held from July 1st to July 7th. A certificate will also be
available for successful contacts. That success comes in big numbers too:
Last year more than 202,000 QSOs were made.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron N8TMW.
(KEN VILLONE KU2US)
**
KICKER: LOW-POWER STATION GOES DX-ING THROUGH TIME
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week with a story of DXing — not across a
distance of geography but across a distance of time: eight years' time, to
be exact. Don Wilbanks AE5DW explains.
DON: Listeners to a radio message in the Washington, D.C. area had come to
call it the "ghost radio broadcast." Heard faintly amid the static on 1650
AM, the low-power transmission was the same Department of Transportation
traffic report that first announced road closures in 2013 for the second
presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. It's unknown why this so-called
forgotten message persisted for so long on the Traffic Information System
transmitter — but according to various websites, after Georgetown University
faculty member Matt Blaze called public attention to it on his Twitter
account, the seemingly never-ending message was turned off on March 3rd.
Ah but it's not quite silent. Matt Blaze, a computer and network security
expert and a past recipient of the Electronic Frontier Foundation award,
created an mp3 where the traffic report lives on. Like so many old radio
stations, it's simply playing on the internet now.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wlibanks AE5DW.
(SWLING POST, GIZMODO, THE DRIVE)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the Amateur News Weekly; Amateur Radio
Digital Communications; Amateur Radio Experimenters Group; the ARRL; CQ
Magazine; David Behar; The Drive; Gizmodo; Greg Lee KI6GIG; Hamvention.org;
IARU Region 1; Ken Villone KU2US; Ofcom; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; QRZed.com;
SWLing Post; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; SPACE.com; Ted
Randall's QSO Radio Show; the Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW
Shortwave; YouTube; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio
Newsline. Please send emails to our address at newsline@arnewsline.org. More
information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website
at arnewsline.org.
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 12-mar-2021 10:31 E. South America Standard Time
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