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PY2BIL > ARNR 29.01.21 21:05z 375 Lines 16636 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2257 for Friday January 29th 2
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2257 for Friday January 29th 2021
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2257 with a release date of Friday
January 29th 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The Bouvet Island team is on track. COVID safety is
a priority for Europe's major ham radio convention - and NASA's probe has
close encounters of the solar kind. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2257 comes your way right now.
***
BILLBOARD CART
**
REBEL DX GROUP POISED FOR BOUVET ISLAND
PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story brings an update on the Bouvet Island 3Y0I
Dxpedition. All of the team are pushing to make it happen in 2021! John
Williams VK4JJW has that story.
JOHN: Paperwork and equipment checks have kept some members of the Rebel DX
Group occupied since their arrival in Cape Town, South Africa in early 2021.
The team writes on the DX News website and their Facebook page: [quote] "The
Bouvet trip is on track!" [endquote] They report that they are going forward
with a 2021 DXpedition in spite of not yet having the full operating budget,
noting that they are not applying to any DX foundations or clubs for
assistance. Polish DXpeditioner Dom 3Z9DX has organised this trip, which is
the team's second attempt at the sub-Antarctic island, one of the most
coveted DXs on the planet. The expeditioners' first attempt in 2019 was
scrapped by the ship's captain after a severe cyclone swept in, damaging the
vessel and making a safe landing unlikely.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.
PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile there are reports in the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin that
Dom, 3Z9DX, has been heard on the air from South Africa recently, operating
from Cape Town as ZS/3Z9DX. He has been heard on 80/20/17 meters. QSL via
ClubLog's OQRS.
(DX NEWS, FACEBOOK, OHIO PENN DX)
**
INTREPID-DX GROUP SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR INTREPID SPIRIT AWARD
PAUL: Speaking of DX and DXpeditions, there is still time left to nominate
candidates for the Intrepid Spirit award given annually by the Intrepid-DX
Group. This award is presented to an individual or a group and it honors
those who have activated rare, difficult and often dangerous places, showing
courage, generosity and dedication in their activities.
Deadline for the 2020 nominations is February 15th. Submit nominations via
email to intrepiddxgroup@gmail.com. The award will be presented in May. It
is given in memory of James McLaughlin WA2EWE/T6AF. James was a retired
lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He was shot to death in April of 2011
while working as a contractor for the U.S. government in Kabul Afghanistan.
(INTREPID-DX GROUP)
**
HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN OUTLINES COVID PRECAUTIONS
PAUL/ANCHOR: Not all organizers of amateur radio events are looking to
cancel their plans for 2021. With COVID-19 precautions in place, Europe's
major gathering is feeling optimistic about its summer plans. Ed Durrant
DD5LP tells us more.
ED: Mark your calendars for now: A COVID-19 safety and hygiene plan has been
drawn up to enable Ham Radio Friedrichshafen to take place between June 25th
and 27th in Germany. Details have been released by organisers and the DARC
who are hoping to avoid the second cancellation of the largest amateur radio
convention in Europe. The safety procedures are outlined on the event
website and give details about mask and disinfectant use as well as
cleaning, distancing and contact tracing that will be taking place. The
procedures also outline other ways to avoid contact, which include the
absence of greeting rituals and cashless payment for anything purchased.
For a link to an online PDF outlining the precautions, see the printed
version of this week's ARNewsline script. The information will be updated in
the weeks ahead.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: tinyurl.com/yxnl9kg9
(HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN)
**
FIRST DIGITAL SYSTEM OPERATIONAL IN NORTH DUBLIN
PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams using digital modes in one part of Ireland have something
to be grateful for, as Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us.
JEREMY: In Ireland, hams in North Dublin who use the digital modes are
celebrating the area's first digital system, which was put into use on the
19th of January. The C4FM Wires-X Gateway became operational thanks to the
efforts of Ger EI4HOB and the North Dublin Radio Club EI0NDR. With the call
sign EI2PMD, it is available to local hams at 144.825 MHz. The repeater is
linked to the CQ-IRELAND Room, as are systems from Galway, Limerick, and
Northern Ireland.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(IRTS)
**
QCWA IN SEARCH OF TREASURER
PAUL/ANCHOR: The Quarter Century Wireless Association is looking for an
amateur radio operator who doesn't just love radio but has a talent for
finance and numbers too. In short, the nonprofit group is in search of a
treasurer to fill the post left vacant last year. The treasurer is
responsible for preparing the proposed operating budget for approval by the
Board of Directors. The treasurer also provides the Board with quarterly
income statements along with a year-end income statement and balance sheet.
The treasurer's responsibilities also include preparing the necessary
paperwork at tax time, which includes the proper documents for employees and
contract workers and the federal tax return, among other forms.
Members who are interested should contact Ken VE6AFO at president@qcwa.org.
(QCWA)
**
SKYWARN PREPS FOR SEASON'S STORMY WEATHER
PAUL/ANCHOR: Stormy weather is a reality this time of year in many parts of
the world. In the U.S., a special group of hams is always preparing for it,
as we learn from Randy Sly W4XJ.
RANDY: While we normally think of Skywarn activations during tornadoes and
hurricanes, winter storms also require “ground truth,ö actual reports from
the field to confirm what meteorologists are observing on radar and with
other instruments. While spotters can report by phone, email or online,
those from the Amateur Radio community can also communicate such things as
snow depth and ice accumulation to meteorologists quickly and efficiently
through local repeater nets connected to the weather services office.
Christopher Strong, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the
Baltimore/Washington Weather Forecast Office, states, “Reports of snow and
ice are vital to keeping the forecast on track. Automated reporting stations
are great at detailing temperatures, rainfall, and winds, but do not report
snow and ice accumulation. So, spotter reports really help us see how much
is accumulating and match it up with how much we expected through that
time.ö
Reports from radio amateurs and other spotters help the National Weather
Service save lives and property in the community and minimize the impact of
severe weather on the public. To find out more about becoming a Skywarn
Spotter, please visit the Skywarn page on the National Weather Service
Website and click on the link to contact the Warning Coordination
Meteorologist in your area.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Randy Sly, W4XJ.
**
CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE SOLAR KIND
PAUL/ANCHOR: In the U.S., the Parker probe sent up by NASA has just made a
close encounter of the solar kind. Kent Peterson KC0DGY gives us the
details.
KENT: For the first time since last September, NASA's Parker Solar Probe
spacecraft made a close approach to the sun just as solar activity began to
kick into high gear.
From a distance of 8.4 million miles, or 13.5 million kilometers, the probe
made its approach on Sunday, January 17th. There's plenty of data for it to
collect, especially with Solar Cycle 25 now well under way. Last November,
the sun had its first major flare in three years.
NASA has planned four close approaches to the sun this year along with two
flybys of Venus, with the first one happening on February 20th. After that,
it's back to the sun for another close look on April 29th.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.
(SPACE.COM)
**
FRENCH MILITARY SEEKS RADIO RECEIVERS, JAMMERS
PAUL/ANCHOR: When is jamming a signal actually desirable? When it's The
French military. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has more on the story:
ED: The French Defence Ministry has a tender out for radio jammers that can
be drone-mounted The government's Defence Innovation Agency has put out a
request for proposals in search of a small, low-power warfare device that
can find radio communication transmitters while mounted on a fixed or
rotary-wing drone and possibly disable the signals through jamming.
Proposals were due no later than the 18th of January and demonstrations of
prototypes will follow over the course of the next seven months.
The devices are expected to be capable of detecting any number of
transmitters operating between 30 MHz and 6 GHz and able to transmit their
findings in real-time to a receiving station on the ground. Bidding is being
limited to companies within the European Union.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(UPI, THE DEFENSE POST)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KB3AWQ
repeater in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Thursdays at 9 p.m. local time.
**
YOTA MONTH ACTIVATIONS TOP TOTALS FROM PREVIOUS YEAR
PAUL/ANCHOR: The numbers are in: The total contacts made by young amateurs
during December YOTA month outpaced those made the previous year. Sel Embee
KB3TZD tells us more.
SEL: For the 24 young amateur radio operators in the Western Hemisphere who
were part of December YOTA Month, the numbers added up in a big way. The
Youth on the Air operators logged 14,699 QSOs while calling QRZ with special
event callsigns. The contacts, made using SSB, CW, digital modes and
satellites, dramatically topped the previous year's total of 12,487. Some of
the operators, such as Michael W3MLJ, said his favorite part of the
activation was being able to run five radios at the same time, all logging
contacts on digital modes such as FT-8. Calin K8MTJ got a special kick out
of working ZR1ADI in South Africa using FT8.
The hams, all younger than 26, had their efforts coordinated by Bryant
Rascoll KG5HVO who worked with YOTA month manager Tomi HA8RT. The event was
a prelude to the first YOTA camp to be held in the Western Hemisphere this
summer. That's planned for July 11th through 16th.
Meanwhile, more than 2,100 operators of all ages received awards based on
the number of YOTA Month contacts they'd made. Unclaimed awards can be
downloaded at events dot ham hyphen yota dot com. (events.ham-yota.com)
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(YOTA)
**
MICHIGAN AMATEUR ISSUES PLEA FOR KIDNEY
PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime radio amateur in Michigan has been reaching out on
social media for a life-saving donation. Don Wilbanks AE5DW tells us about
him.
DON: Philip Ross AB8PR, who has been a licensed ham since 1971, has been
looking lately for something a whole lot more than some rare DX or a good
signal report. The Michigan grandfather learned recently he has end-stage
kidney disease and needs a living donor to make a transplant possible. He
tells his story on various social media sites and his own website
papaphilcan dot com (papaphilcan.com) in the hopes that someone will come
forward to help him. He notes that dialysis - his only other option - is not
a cure but a form of disease management that leads to a shorter life with
greatly lessened quality. His website reads: Papa Phil Can; His Kidneys
Can't. Even if AB8PR is not in your logbook, if you think you can include
him in your own plans to help, visit his website to learn more. That's
papaphilcan dot com.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW.
**
MARKING 100 YEARS OF NEW ZEALAND HAM RADIO
PAUL/ANCHOR: Having survived earthquakes and other challenges, one club in
New Zealand is celebrating its centennial with a special event activation.
Jim Meachen ZL2BHF clues us in on how to work them.
JIM: What began in 1921 as the Radio Society of Christchurch is now a robust
club of enthusiasts known as the Christchurch Amateur Radio Club ZL3AC. The
club has traveled a long road, displaced by earthquakes in 2010 and 2011,
but is now happily ensconsed in Fendalton. Members are marking their 100-
year journey by operating as ZL100RSC throughout February and offering an
informal award to anyone who contacts the station on VHF/UHF or HF or
through digital voice reflectors, repeaters, EME and satellites.
For the award, hams must contact ZL100RSC, which is worth 25 points. Ten
points may also be earned by contacting the club station ZL3AC; individual
Christchurch club members are worth five points each. February 15th is a
bonus day. That's the 100th anniversary of the club's first meeting and on
that day, all points earned are being doubled. For more details, visit the
QRZ page for ZL100RSC.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(SOUTHGATE)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the world of DX, be listening for Tom, 9A2AA, is using the special event
callsign 9A64AA until the end of the year, marking 64 years as a ham radio
operator. QSL via his home
callsign.
In Bulgaria, George, LZ2VP, is operating special event station LZ190FT until
the 31st of December, celebrating the 190th birthday of the Bulgarian
Revolutionary Filip Totyu. Listen for him on the HF bands. QSL via LZ2VP.
Another special event - this one in Peru - will be on the air throughout
2021, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Peru's independence. There are
four special event callsigns, each with a single suffix spelling the word
PERU. Listen for OC200P, OC200E, OC200R, and OC200U. Send QSLs via OA4O.
(Oh-Ay-Four-Oh).
(OHIO PENN DX)
**
KICKER: IN SWEDEN, A CENTURY OF WISDOM
PAUL/ANCHOR: Our final story this week is a lesson in surviving isolation.
Sweden's most senior radio operator learned long ago that being a ham means
you're never alone - not even in a pandemic. Here's Ed Durrant DD5LP with
his story.
ED: As the oldest active amateur radio operator in Sweden, Tage (pronounced:
TAW-GUH) Karlsson SM7ALI has the wisdom befitting his 101 years.
Even with the constant companionship of his loyal cat Hubert, Tage (TAW-GUH)
knows the best way to beat the loneliness of life in a desolate forest near
Hässleholm is to key the mic and call QRZ. For the past year, amateur radio
has brought the world to his cottage door while the coronavirus pandemic has
kept people worlds apart.
A recent report about him on National Swedish Television described how he
was a young radio enthusiast who successfully completed his licence test
after World War II.
Mats Gunnarsson SM7BUA told AR Newsline that Tage (TAW-GUH) has been on the
air almost non-stop since the sixties. Mats is one of 20 or so amateurs who
enjoy daily fellowship with Tage (TAW-GUH) each morning when they gather on
the air.
As Tage (TAW-GUH) himself said on the TV news report: [quote] "The fun is
all the friends you get." [endquote] Over the years he has lost the exact
count of how many friends he has made - but one thing is certain. While it
took a pandemic for the world to learn what amateur radio can do, Tage (TAW-
GEH) has been celebrating that gift over much of his 101 years
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(MATS GUNNARSSON SM7BUA, HANS LARSSON)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; CQ Magazine;
David Behar K7DB; the Defense Post; Hans Larsson of Swedish National
Television; Intrepid DX Group; Irish Radio Transmitters; Mats Gunnarsson
SM7BUA; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; QCWA; QRZ.com; Southgate Amateur Radio
News; shortwaveradio.de; Southgate; Space.com; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show;
UPI; the Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW Shortwave; YOTA; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana 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 29-jan-2021 18:02 E. South America Standard Time
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