• Amateur Radio Newsline (B)

    From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Thu Feb 9 19:35:47 2023
    PROTOTYPE WIRELESS SYSTEM CALLED 'POWER-FREE'

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine being able to transmit without having to rely on a battery or some other external power source. Well, a group of researchers
    in Washington State did more than imagine it. We hear the details from Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

    KENT: A research team in Washington state has developed a prototype of wireless communication that enables a signal to be transmitted by relying
    on a byproduct of its circuitry's electrical resistance instead of any external source of power. This new system differs from previous so-called passive wireless and backscatter communication systems because unlike its predecessors, it does not need to make use of sunlight, broadcast TV
    signals or ambient temperature differences to provide it with power. The electrical resistance it uses instead is known as "Johnson noise," the name given to the charge that electrically conductive materials generate within themselves. The University of Washington prototype, like its predecessors,
    can function on very little power. The wireless - and power-free - transmission occurs through the opening and closing of a switch - a
    transistor - that connects the antenna to a resistor.

    Findings by the university development team were released by the university and published as well on the Hackaday website and by the news organization known as The Conversation. The researchers write on the university website: [quote] "Our system, combined with techniques for harvesting energy from
    the environment, could lead to all manner of devices that transmit data, including tiny sensors and implanted medical devices, without needing batteries or other power sources. These include sensors for smart
    agriculture, electronics implanted in the body that never need battery changes, better contactless credit cards and maybe even new ways for satellites to communicate." [endquote]

    This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

    (UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, THE CONVERSATION.COM)

    **

    ARDC REPORTS ON $8 MILLION IN GRANTS GIVEN IN 2022

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Grant money helped amateur radio grow in new directions
    last year. Here's a short accounting from Sel Embee, K B 3 T Zed D.

    SEL: The private foundation known as Amateur Radio Digital Communications continued to spread its support for ham radio and broader communication science and technology during 2022. According to the annual report released
    at its community meeting on January 21st, ARDC distributed 101 grants
    totaling $8 million last year. It expanded support across international borders, with 13 percent of that grant money going to programs outside the United States. Meanwhile, ARDC's plans for the year ahead include providing funds for 95 scholarships; thirteen of those will be going to support women who are pursuing degrees in STEM studies.

    ARDC's 2022 survey of 44Net usage drew a response that exceeded its expectations, more than 1700 replies. The system, also known as the AMPRNet
    or Amateur Packet Radio Network, is an internet network often used for scientific and digital purposes.

    ARDC also introduced its new technical director. Jon Kemper K-A-6-N-V-Y
    came on board at the ARDC in October of 2022. The California amateur brings
    a strong background of engineering management experience.

    This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    (ARDC)

    **

    SKYWARN TEAM OPTS FOR SURPRISE IN NEXT DRILL

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Western Pennsylvania, some emergency responders are in
    for a big surprise - and that's the whole idea behind their next exercise.
    We find out why from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

    RANDY: As amateur radio operators. we are supposed to plan for emergencies, but we can never plan on emergencies. That's why such events as the ARRL Simulated Emergency Tests, or SETs, are good, but participants still know ahead of time when and where an activity will take place.

    So, the Southwest District Skywarn Team Of Western Pennsylvania is building the element of surprise into their upcoming training exercise. Sometime
    before the next SET on April 1st, they will have an unexpected weather exercise initiated by the Pittsburgh National Weather Service Office. When SKYWARN is activated, they will then be told how serious the weather event
    is, whether there is internet or cell service and the status of power. From then on, spotters will be deployed and begin their work just as in an
    actual emergency. Eddie Misiewicz (Mi-shŠ -vitz - short e), KB3YRU,
    president of the group, told AR Newsline that the unexpected is always part
    of a normal activation and that hams will be better prepared for an actual emergency when their training begins with "Surprise! This is a test."

    This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.

    **

    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.
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Fri Feb 17 14:00:40 2023
    HAMS ADD MOMENTUM TO PANCREATIC CANCER EVENT

    PAUL/ANCHOR: A call has gone out for operators across the United States
    to participate in a one-day special event, carrying a message of hope and support on behalf of pancreatic cancer patients. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells
    us how to get involved.

    JIM: When supporters in 30 US cities step off for a Walk-a-thon on
    Saturday, April 29th to support the nonprofit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, the event will be gaining some added momentum: Just as the
    walkers take strides on the ground, special event station N3P will be
    taking strides on the air.

    Hams for PanCan, as the event is known, is an expansion of last year's
    first effort with a dozen or so members of the Skyview Radio Society near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, according to organizer Rich Ryba, WQ3Q. Rich
    hopes that news about resources available to pancreatic cancer patients
    and their families can go an even greater distance this year -- coast to coast. The event has special significance for Rich. He lost his younger brother to the disease and is a pancreatic cancer patient himself.

    Speaking to Newsline on the phone, he said that the QSOs aren't typical special-event exchanges: [quote] "People want to talk, want to share
    their experiences with their family. We told our operators to sit and
    listen. It doesn't matter how long the contact takes if it serves a
    purpose of helping." [endquote]

    Operators are needed in all 50 states. Rich can be contacted directly at
    his email address r-y-b-a-r at nb dot net (rybar@nb.net).

    The QRZ.com page for N3P has additional details for clubs or individual operators who want to participate. QSL cards and certificates will be
    made available for successful contacts.

    This is Jim Damron, N8TMW.

    (RICH RYBA, WQ3Q)

    **

    SYDNEY HAM RADIO CLUB MARKS 100TH YEAR

    PAUL/ANCHOR: There is cause for celebration in Sydney, Australia, where
    one amateur radio club is marking a milestone. Here's Richard, VK2SKY, a member of that club, with his special report.

    RICHARD: G'day Amateur Radio Newsline listeners, this is Richard VK2SKY,
    for the Manly-Warringah Radio Society in Sydney, Australia. February 26
    this year is a big day for us.

    That date marks 100 years since the first meeting of the Manly and
    District Radio Club, in 1923. That club eventually became the Manly-
    Warringah Radio Society.

    To celebrate, we'll be activating the Special Event Station V I 100 MB,
    on the day, and throughout 2023.

    To find out more, check out Victor India One Hundred Mike Bravo on
    qrz.com, and visit the Society's web site at mwrs.org.au, that's Mike
    Whiskey Romeo Sierra dot org dot au.

    Hope to catch you on the bands!

    For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the Manly-Warringah Radio Society in
    Sydney, Australia, I'm Richard, VK2SKY.

    **

    SILENT KEY: DXER, DXPEDITIONER MAMIRO YOSHIZAWA PY2DM

    PAUL/ANCHOR: A respected DXer and noted DXpeditioner from Brazil has
    become a Silent Key, as we learn from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

    JEREMY: Mamiro Yoshizawa, PY2DM, was well-known among Brazilian amateurs
    as a radio operator with an enthusiasm for DX and a special affinity for
    using the 50 MHz band. He was a familiar presence in national and international contests and had been a key operator during the T30PY and
    T30SIX DXpedition to Western Kiribati in 2012. Mamiro became a Silent Key
    on the 5th of February. According to a report that appears on QRZ.com, Mamiro's home QTH in the Brazilian city of Mogi das Cruzes had one of the best-equipped stations for DXing in the nation

    Mamiro Yoshizawa was 83.

    This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

    (QRZ.COM)

    **

    OFCOM APPROVES SPECIAL CALLS FOR 2 MORE DX CONTESTS

    PAUL/ANCHOR: In the UK, Ofcom has added two more DX contests to its list
    of events qualifying for special call signs. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that report.

    JEREMY: Two UK and Ireland DX contests have been added to the list of
    events that qualify for special contest callsigns from Ofcom. The
    callsigns are administered by the Radio Society of Great Britain on
    behalf of the regulator and hams are advised to visit the RSGB website if
    they wish to apply. They are available to any holder of a UK Amateur
    Radio Full Licence or Full Club Licence and the contests can last no
    longer than 48 hours. The list of qualifying contests can be seen on the
    RSGB website. Calls will begin with the letter "G" or "M" followed by a numeral and a one-letter suffix. See the link in the text version of this week's Newsline script to learn more and to see the contest list.

    This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

    [FOR PRINT ONLY: tinyurl.com/b6srkkhu ]
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Thu Mar 23 22:03:03 2023
    PEI AMATEUR HONORED FOR LIGHTHOUSE ACTIVITY

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to George Dewar, VY2GF, of Prince Edward
    Island, Canada, on being chosen Activator of the Year for 2022 by the
    Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society. George is being celebrated for his
    numerous activations at the region's lighthouses, and for promoting
    the activity in the media.

    Society president John Huggins, KX4O and Tim Hijazi, KB3K, said that
    George was selected for having [quote] "set a high bar, not just with
    quantity of lighthouse activations and logged QSOs, but equally with
    quality." [endquote].

    All the best, George!

    **

    A SPACE JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Amateur radio communication is just one part of the
    outer-space experience one ISS astronaut is sharing through a new
    website. Here's John Williams, VK2JJW, with that report.

    JOHN: The website is known as ELF in Space, and it has been created
    by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai and the Emirates
    Literature Foundation as a communications tool about technology, and
    the space programme.

    It features Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV, the second astronaut from the
    United Arab Emirates. The communications engineer is on board the ISS
    for the longest Arab space mission to date. The website's debut was
    announced on March 10th. Al Neyadi is giving its visitors a window
    into his six-month experience on board the International Space station.
    His is not the only voice to be heard. There will be input from some
    very terrestrial voices, such as authors and space experts. Other UAE astronauts such as Hazzaa Al Mansoori, and Nora Al Matrooshi, will
    join him.

    The website has a strong tie-in to the classroom experience, and each
    week, new topics will be released, discussing the challenges and
    discoveries of space travel. There are also classrooom-based activities
    for educators to download for their students.

    As part of a 20-week learning programme, students around the world will
    watch each episode as it is released with subtitles.

    A link to the first episode is in the text version of this week's
    newscast at arnewsline.org

    This is John Williams, VK4JJW.

    [DO NOT READ: https://elfinspace.ae/exercise-in-space/ ]

    (GULF NEWS, WIA, MOHAMMED BIN RASHID SPACE CENTRE)

    **

    AUTISM AWARENESS SPECIAL EVENT BEGINS

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that the worldwide special event for Autism Awareness is on the air March 25th through April 2nd, sponsored by the Ten Mile River Scout Camp Amateur Radio Club. Listen for call signs from an international team of operators including W2A, GB2AA, GB2AAW, GB0AAW,
    8A0RARI, 4X0AAW, HI0AUT, S76A, and VC2AA.

    (QRZ.COM)

    **

    GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE SUN

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Scientists have found the source of a mysterious radio signal from the sun that sounds curiously like a heartbeat. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, takes the pulse of this remarkable research.

    KENT: When a recent C-class solar flare more than 5,000 kilometers above
    the sun sent out a radio signal in a heartbeat-like pattern, scientists
    began work to unlock the reason behind it. The international team went in search of the origin of this pattern, known as a quasi-periodic pulsation,
    or QPP.

    Studying observations captured in 2017 by a radio telescope in California
    that detects microwave frequencies, the researchers began studying a heartbeat-like pattern that repeated every 10 to 20 seconds. Then they unearthed something unexpected: a secondary signal, which was weaker and
    could be discerned every 30 to 60 seconds.

    According to their recently published study, they have been able to
    determine that the so-called heartbeats are triggered by disruptions
    known as "magnetic islands", which form in sheets of rapidly moving
    plasma from the sun.

    At the heart of the matter is what this research may ultimately reveal: Writing in the journal Nature Communications, one researcher said the
    answer was key to a fuller understanding of the scope of the damage that
    solar storms can do when their energy is released.

    This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

    (NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, SCI TECH DAILY)
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Fri Apr 14 12:45:44 2023
    RADIO WAVES LEAD TO DISCOVERY OF NEW EXOPLANET

    DON/ANCHOR: Radio waves have led astronomers to an exoplanet - a planet
    beyond our solar system - and it's likely the same size as Earth. Dave
    Parks, WB8ODF, gives us the details.

    DAVE: Repeating radio signals have led astronomers to a rocky exoplanet
    that is the same size as our own Earth and, like the Earth, it orbits a
    star -- one known as YZ Ceti. Further studies of the signal suggest that
    the planet may also have an atmosphere and a magnetic field. Writing in a recent issue of the journal, Nature Astronomy, the researchers have named
    the planet YZ Ceti b. The scientists say that the magnetic field's interactions with the star are the likely cause of the radio signals.

    The signals were picked up in New Mexico by the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array of telescopes. The star and exoplanet are 12 light-years away from Earth.

    Of course, this is not the first finding of its kind. Last year, the
    James Webb Space Telescope discovered its first exoplanet which is also believed to be rocky and almost as big as the Earth. That planet, called
    LHS 475b, is 41 light years away. The research team, which announced the discovery this past January, is trying to learn more about the star it
    orbits and whether the planet has an atmosphere. That work is set to be
    done this summer.

    This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

    (CNN, JENNY TUPPER, NASA)

    **

    ISS ASTRONAUT TO SET NEW SPACE RECORD

    DON/ANCHOR: A new record is about to be set in space by an ISS astronaut.
    We hear more about him from Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

    PAUL: NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, KG5GNP, won't be a record-holder for
    much longer. He made news after logging the most days in space for a US astronaut -- 355 days -- aboard the International Space Station in 2022.
    Now, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio is right behind him and gaining. He's
    been on the ISS since September 21, 2022 and his mission has grown beyond
    its original six months. He's now scheduled to leave aboard a Russian
    Soyuz spacecraft by September 27th, meaning his 371 days will eclipse the
    one set by Vande Hei. However, even with that accomplishment, he will
    still be leaving the world record intact. That was set by the late
    Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov, who logged an unprecedented 437 days
    aboard Russia's Mir space station in 1994 and 1995. The cosmonaut died
    last year at age 80.

    This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

    (SPACE.COM)

    **

    GIVING AMATEUR RADIO A GOOD RIDE IN AUSTRALIA

    DON/ANCHOR: In Melbourne, Australia, one ham whose love for his bicycle
    rivals his love for his radio is giving them both a good ride. Here's
    more about him from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

    GRAHAM: As a bicycle enthusiast and ham, Stuart, VK3UAO, is accustomed to doing things his own way. As a machinist, he fabricates many of his own
    parts to be used with his radio equipment. As a ham, he carves out his
    own trail to destinations for portable operating. He is presently riding
    his bicycle from Melbourne to the Pilliga park-fest, pedaling his way on
    a journey of more than 1,000 km over the course of three weeks. He has
    his portable shack in his backpack.

    The park fest will be held between April 29th and 30th, and he hopes his
    route there will include as many park activations as possible.

    The park fest itself is a modest-sized gathering of hams with an
    enthusiasm for fellowship and the outdoors. So there is certain to be
    even more operating once he arrives.

    Meanwhile, if you're interested in his journey but would rather not try
    it out yourself on a bicycle of your own, you can ride along with Stuart. Visit his page on QRZ.com, which offers a link to his APRS tracking --
    and be listening for him on the air.

    This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

    (WIA, QRZ)

    **

    BREAK HERE:

    Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W8WKY repeater
    in Doylestown, Ohio, on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. local time, right before the weekly SARA net at 8 p.m.
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu Apr 27 22:08:30 2023
    INDIAN RESEARCHERS DEVELOP MICRO-SUPERCAPACITOR

    PAUL/ANCHOR: When it comes to super-capacitors, scientists in India are calling their new development the smallest-of-the-small. We hear about it
    from Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

    JASON: Scientists in India say that they have created the smallest micro- supercapacitor to date, developing it out of two-dimensional materials: graphene and molybdenum disulfide. This is considered significant because
    as electronic devices continue to shrink - as is the case with wearable sensors and smart devices - their energy storage devices must be just as small. Supercapacitors are considered ideal for this task because they
    not only store energy but can handle the kind of rapid charge-discharge
    cycles beyond the ability of conventional chemical batteries.

    Misra said that she and her colleagues used two-dimensional materials for
    the ultramicro-supercapacitor because they are semiconductors. Each of
    the multi-layer electrodes acts as a field-effect transistor.

    She told the IEEE Spectrum that the tiny device has a remarkably high capacitance and an easy ability to integrate with electronic chips
    because of its use of a gel electrolyte instead of a liquid.

    The researchers are not stopping there, however. Their next challenge is
    to create devices out of other two-dimensional materials in an attempt to boost capacitance even further.

    This is Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

    (IEEE SPECTRUM)

    **

    SILENT KEY: CALGARY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATOR JASON LOW, VE6SRT

    PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in the amateur radio community - and the community-at-
    large - in Calgary, Alberta, are grieving the loss of a devoted public servant. Here's Andy Morrison, K9AWM, to tell us about him.

    ANDY: It is difficult for those who knew him to imagine the emergency communications community without Jason Low, VE6SRT, being there. Jason
    had served Redwood Meadows Emergency Services in Calgary as a
    firefighter, EMT and fire communications officer. Jason became a Silent
    Key unexpectedly on April 15th.

    According to the Redwood Meadows Emergency Services website, Jason could
    not be revived despite the best efforts of his colleagues and emergency medical personnel. Chief Rob Evans wrote on the website that the team was "devastated."

    According to Vince d'Eon, VE6LK, and Ian Burgess, VA6EMS, Jason - known
    to everyone as Jay - worked tirelessly to ensure the quality of emergency communications and shared his expertise in radio as well as the computer dispatch system.

    Ian told Newsline that Jay was a lifelong radio enthusiast who was
    introduced early on to the hobby by his scanner. He later got his ham
    license and used his skills to help communities in the Calgary area
    connect to the fire department's dispatch.

    Vince wrote in an email: [quote] "Jay was generous with his time and expertise, offering solutions across the province, the country, and the continent. There is no way to know how many people were safer and better
    cared for thanks to Jason." [endquote]

    Jay was 50.

    This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

    (VINCE D'EON, VE6LK; IAN BURGESS, VA6EMS)

    **

    SILENT KEY: STEVE SZABO, WB4OMM

    PAUL/ANCHOR: Amateurs in the Florida community and beyond are mourning
    the death of a leader and an Elmer whose deep involvement in ham radio
    touched many lives over the years. We hear about him from Kevin Trotman,
    N5PRE.

    KEVIN: Well-known for his enthusiasm for QRP, Steve Szabo, WB4OMM, served
    as a powerful influence on the many amateurs he knew personally or had
    come to know on the air. Steve, a past president of the North American
    QRP CW Club, became a Silent Key on April 23rd. He had been diagnosed
    with lung cancer.

    His involvement with amateurs ran deep throughout his years on the air.
    He was a Life Member of the AARL, which he served as a volunteer examiner
    and QSL card checker and he had been Northern Florida Section Manager for
    four years. Steve also belonged to the Quarter Century Wireless
    Association, and numerous local and national clubs, including the Dayton
    Beach Amateur Radio Association, where he held numerous leadership roles. According to a post by Kevin, KK4BFN on QRZ.com, Steve started the
    Daytona Beach CERT Amateur Radio Team Group in 2005 and served as its president until illness earlier this year compelled him to step down.

    Steve was 70.

    This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    (QRZ, WB4OMM WEBSITE, DIGNITY MEMORIAL)

    **

    BREAK HERE:

    Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the AH6LE repeater
    in Beavercreek and Wilsonville, Oregon, on Sundays at 6 p.m. local time.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu May 4 18:05:59 2023
    GRANT FUNDS STUDENT COURSE ON SPECTRUM AT OBSERVATORY

    JIM/ANCHOR: The National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia, is offering a select group of young students an opportunity to
    study the electromagnetic spectrum, as we hear from Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    SEL: Twenty science-minded students between the ages of 18 and 20 are
    being given an opportunity to enroll in an intensive course about the electromagnetic spectrum being hosted by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. This is the second year the observatory has conducted the course, which begins in September of this
    year and runs through May of 2024. The program is being overseen by the observatory's director of Diversity & Inclusion and is funded by a grant
    from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. A special effort is being made
    to find enrollees who are Black, indigenous or people of color as well as students from the LGBTQIA community who wish to gain experience,
    particularly as it applies to amateur radio and any future careers in
    science, technology, engineering and math. Students accepted into the 40-
    week program will receive a stipend of $4,000.

    Lyndele von Schill, director of Diversity & Inclusion, can be reached for questions at her email address at lvonschi@nrao.edu

    The observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation.

    This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    (ARDC)

    **

    SILENT KEY: JOHN KNIPPING, AA9KC, OF THE 'FREEWHEELERS NET' ON 80M

    JIM/ANCHOR: A founding member of a popular net that is a fixture on 80m
    has become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    KEVIN: John Knipping, AA9KC, was one of the original "Freewheelers" on
    3916 kHz. In November of 1998 he answered a call put out by Ken Odom,
    W4FCW, on 3916 kHz and out of that early QSO bloomed a friendship and ultimately a popular net where everyone was welcome.

    John became a Silent Key on April 29th at the age of 92.

    According to his online obituary he was a Korean War veteran, a musician
    and a member of the Egyptian Radio Club.

    The tradition of easy camaraderie lives on, however: The net continues
    making new friends and welcoming old ones every night on 80m, starting at
    10 pm Eastern Time.

    This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    (LEGACY.COM, 3916 FREEWHEELERS NET)

    **

    JOIN US AT THE NEWSLINE "TOWN HALL FORUM" IN DAYTON

    JIM/ANCHOR: Just a reminder to our listeners that there's more to Amateur Radio Newsline this month than just this newscast. If you're going to
    Xenia, Ohio for Hamvention, be sure to stop in Forum Room 2 on Friday, May 19th, starting at 11:35 a.m. local time. The popular Town Hall forum is
    back after many years, and we have three guests. Riley Hollingsworth,
    K4ZDH, will take questions about the ARRL Volunteer Monitor Program. IARU President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, will discuss issues facing the IARU that
    affect amateurs worldwide -- and Mark Smith, N6MTS, will take questions
    about a proposal to standardize headset connectors for interoperability.
    Come along and join us!

    **

    BREAK HERE:

    Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard in bulletin stations around the world including the shortwave
    broadcast station of shortwaveradio.de in Lower Saxony, Germany on 6160
    kHz AM. The station's European summer schedule will be 07:00 to 17:00 UTC
    on weekends, 15:00 to 17:00 UTC Monday to Friday. Broadcasts can also be
    heard from 17:00 to 23:00 UTC daily on 3975 kHz AM.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu May 18 19:01:52 2023
    BILL REINTRODUCED TO PROPOSE HF DIGITAL CHANGES

    DON/ANCHOR: In the United States, an Arizona lawmaker has renewed hope
    for changing what many consider outdated rules by the FCC for digital communications. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has those details.

    SEL: A bandwidth limit would replace symbol rate limit for HF digital operations under a bill known as the Amateur Radio Communications
    Improvement Act. The bill was introduced on May 11 by Arizona
    congresswoman Debbie Lesko, a Republican, and is similar to a bill she
    had introduced last year, hoping to update rules by the FCC that focus on symbol rates. The bill, which is now in the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, would set a bandwidth limit of 2.8 kHz instead. US advocates of
    the bill, including the ARRL, have long argued that a bandwidth limit was necessary because of crowded conditions on the HF bands. They have been concerned that protocols might be developed in the future that would
    possess wider bandwidth protocols than necessary.

    The lawmaker said in a statement that updating the rules to accommodate
    modern technology is especially important in times of natural disasters,
    such as forest fires, floods and hurricanes, when messages need to be
    sent and received efficiently. Faster protocols already accomplish this
    in other countries.

    This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    (ARRL, REP. DEBBIE LESKO)

    **

    FORMER FCC CHAIRMAN NEWTON MINOW DIES AT 97

    DON/ANCHOR: Newton Minow, who had been appointed chairman of the Federal Communications Commission by President John F. Kennedy in the 1960s, has
    died. The attorney, who was a vocal critic of the emerging content of broadcast television in the US, died Saturday, May 6th, at the age of 97.
    He was also well-known as an advocate of the US space program. It was
    during his tenure in 1962 that the world saw NASA's launch of Telstar 1,
    the first communications satellite, developed by the American Telephone
    and Telegraph Company, better known as AT&T.

    (NPR)

    **

    POPULAR SATELLITE DECAYS FROM ORBIT

    DON/ANCHOR: A popular ham radio satellite launched a little less than
    eight years ago from China has left its orbit. Stephen Kinford, N8WB,
    brings us that report.

    STEPHEN: Satellite enthusiasts have one fewer satellite to rely on now.
    The orbit has decayed for the popular linear transponder satellite known
    as XW-2A. The satellite was sent into space in September of 2015 from
    China's Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center. The satellite does not leave
    space without sharing a little bit of glory: In August of 2022, two
    amateurs used XW-2A to achieve communication over a record distance for
    the 25 kg microsat. It was a transatlantic QSO between EA4NF in Spain and VE1CWJ in Nova Scotia, a memorable distance of 4,751 km.

    This is Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

    (AMSAT NEWS SERVICE, CAMSAT)

    **

    HAMS, START YOUR ENGINES FOR THE BIG RACE

    DON/ANCHOR: Hams, start your engines. A big race - and a big special
    event station - is getting under way in Indianapolis, Indiana. Jack
    Parker, W8ISH, has the details.

    JACK: Now that the dust has settled from the Indy Grand Prix race,
    members of the W9IMS Special Event Station are gearing up for another
    week of logging contacts leading up to the 107th running of the
    Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, beginning May 22nd.

    This is the 20th year for the W9IMS team to reach out and let ham radio operators be a part of the racing season in Indianapolis. For two
    decades, they have logged over fifteen thousand contacts a year for the
    three race series at Indy. That is a lot of QSL cards.

    Check the W9IMS page at QSL.com for more information.

    Reporting from Indianapolis, this is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

    **

    TRY NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE

    DON/ANCHOR: If a great QSO feels like poetry to you, you might enjoy this
    new challenge from Amateur Radio Newsline. We're inviting listeners to
    channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the
    form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a
    submission form for sending your most inspired offering. All haikus must follow the traditional form to qualify: The first line is five syllables,
    the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has
    another five syllables.

    Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
    syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? Glory,
    of course! We will share our favorite haiku of the week on the Amateur
    Radio Newsline website.

    **

    BREAK HERE:

    Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline
    heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the AH6LE repeater
    on Sundays at 6 p.m. in Beavercreek and Wilsonville Oregon.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Fri Apr 21 08:34:30 2023
    SILENT KEY: CONTESTER, WRTC 2022 REFEREE RICHARD KING, K5NA

    NEIL/ANCHOR: The World Radiosport Team Championship is going forward this summer in Bologna without one of its key referees, who has become a
    Silent Key. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us about him.

    GRAHAM: The World Radiosport Team Championship Committee is grieving the
    loss of a fellow contester and avid DXer from Texas, Richard King, K5NA. Richard had been chosen to be a referee for the WRTC 2022 event in
    Bologna in July.

    According to a report on the Daily DX, Richard was electrocuted on April
    12th while he was assisting another ham taking down a 40-meter antenna.
    The report goes on to say: [quote] "Richard jumped in at the last minute
    to try and keep the antenna from getting snagged on a guy wire. The
    antenna hit a nearby powerline." [endquote] Two nurses who live in the neighborhood began CPR until emergency services could arrive but Richard
    died shortly thereafter. He and his wife Susan, K5DU, are well-known as serious contesters and DXers.

    WRTC 2022 organisers issued a statement saying "Richard's contributions
    to the sport of amateur radio will not be forgotten and his legacy will continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come." Richard belonged
    to the Central Texas DX and Contest Club.

    This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

    **

    WRTC CHAMPIONS WITHDRAW FROM COMPETITION

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the defending championship team from Lithuania
    has announced that they will not defend their title when the World
    Radiosport Team Championship goes forward in July.

    The international high-profile contest was postponed from last year
    because of the pandemic.

    The withdrawal announcement by defending championship team members
    Gedimas, LY9A, and Mindaugas, LY4L, was posted on the WRTC 2022
    Reflector, citing a number of frustrations and deeper differences with
    the organisers that they said will be keeping them at home.

    (WRTC 2022 REFLECTOR, WRTC WEBSITE)

    **

    NEW COURSE IN 'LEARNING HOW TO LEARN' CW

    NEIL/ANCHOR: A free course in Comprehensive Instant Character Recognition
    is being offered by CW Innovations with the goal of helping active CW operators learn ways to increase their proficiency. The 10-week classes
    focus on teaching operators how to help themselves learn Morse Code, addressing the mental and emotional roadblocks that have typically halted learners' progress. The class is designed for hams who can currently copy
    10 to 15 words per minute, and are already actively on the air having
    QSOs. Visit cwinnovations.net for details. The website includes an
    application form.

    (CWINNOVATIONS.NET)

    **

    GRANT ALLOWS YOUTH ON THE AIR AMERICAS CAMP TO EXPAND

    NEIL/ANCHOR: What's better than having one great summer camp experience
    on the air? Having more of it, of course! That's about to become
    possible, as we hear from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    KEVIN: Just as young amateurs prepare for this summer's Youth on the Air Americas camp in Canada, camp organizers themselves learned that their
    summer experience for young hams has received a $125,000 grant from
    Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The funds now assure that the camp experience will continue through 2025 and that each session will become
    open to more campers than before. The current threshold of 30 will
    increase to 50 in the two years ahead. So pack your bags if you're going
    this year: Camp starts on July 16th. And if you want to learn more or
    plan ahead for next summer, visit youthontheair.org

    This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    (ARDC, YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP)

    **

    SCIENTIST TEAM EYES EARLIER MAXIMUM FOR SOLAR CYCLE 25

    NEIL/ANCHOR: If you've been wishing for solar maximum to come sooner
    rather than later in the current cycle, you might just get your wish, according to a group of solar physicists. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, has that story.

    PATRICK: The end of this year - or sometime next year, could bring
    maximum sunspot activity for Solar Cycle 25, according to Scott McIntosh
    of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder, Colorado and
    a team of solar physicists. The team presents its findings in a paper in
    the January edition of Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences.

    In the paper, the solar scientists make use of a terminator event during
    the previous cycle - sometime in mid-December 2021 - to project the
    maxima of Solar Cycle 25 and to forecast the cycle's amplitude.

    Although some might project differently for the future, this team
    believes it's best to keep your eye on the skies during the fourth
    quarter of 2023 and thereafter into the new year.

    This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

    (FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES)
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Fri May 12 00:02:07 2023
    DAVE KALTER MEMORIAL YOUTH DX ADVENTURE CANCELLED

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: This year's Dave Kalter Memorial Youth Adventure has been cancelled. Organizers at the Dayton Amateur Radio Association said there
    was insufficient time for the kind of planning that would have allowed everyone to obtain their necessary passports. No other details were immediately available and there was no indication when the next trip would
    be scheduled. This year's DX adventure was to have taken place in Curacao.

    The annual trip, which has brought young amateurs to the Dutch Caribbean, Costa Rica and Curacao, is named in memory of Dave, KB8OCP, who became a Silent Key in November of 2013.

    (DARA)

    **

    SILENT KEY: ARGENTINA'S PIONEERING YL, AZUCENA ALBARRACIN, LU9OY

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular, lively voice in amateur radio in Argentina has become a Silent Key. We learn more about her from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

    GRAHAM: In the final year of her life Azucena Albarracin, LU9OY, was no
    longer able to be on the air -- but until then, the 95-year-old was a well-known and well-recognised voice in her home country of Argentina, as
    well as in Chile and Uruguay. She became a Silent Key on Thursday, the
    13th of April at her home.

    According to a news article in the YL Beam newsletter, she was an almost constant presence on the air during the last 50 years and many heard her exchanging greetings and information on 20 meters. Her introduction to
    amateur radio came during the early 1960s and she embraced operating on
    AM. She and another amateur Nelly Lopez, LU5OX, now a Silent Key, were considered pioneers in being the first women amateurs in the region. By
    the time she retired as a teacher, she had become a major presence on
    sideband where she was well-respected as an operator.

    According to the news article, her 90th birthday was a great occasion inspiring amateurs who had worked her from DX locations to travel and
    attend the celebration.

    This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

    (YL BEAM)

    **

    AMSAT PRESIDENT'S CLUB RELEASES COMMEMORATIVE COIN

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: AMSAT supporters who are deepening their commitment to
    amateur radio in space by joining the President's Club have a special commemorative coin that says "thank you." We hear more from Neil Rapp,
    WB9VPG.

    NEIL: The AMSAT President's Club has released its commemorative coins for 2023, with this year's coin marking the 40th anniversary of the launch of
    the AMSAT OSCAR 10 satellite. The German amateur radio microsatellite took
    to the sky from French Guiana aboard an Ariane 1 rocket on June 16th,
    1983. According to the AMSAT-DL website, the star-shaped satellite had an elliptical orbit that made it possible for radio communications of several hours' duration to take place around the world.

    Members of the AMSAT President's Club will be receiving the coin along
    with other recognition, including mention in the AMSAT Journal. The President's Club is an annual membership organization and each year'S
    2-inch metal coin honors a different OSCAR satellite.

    Visit amsat.org and look for details about the President's Club.

    This is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

    (AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

    **

    NETS OF NOTE: APRS THURSDAY

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: This week, in our occasional series, Nets of Note,
    Newsline takes a look at one net that provides an opportunity for all
    licensed hams anywhere in the world to learn more about APRS. Patrick
    Clark, K8TAC, has that story.

    PATRICK: For one very enthusiastic group of amateurs worldwide, every
    Thursday is net day. Check-in time on that day between 0000 and 2359 UTC
    and ensures that every amateur will receive all APRS net traffic from any stations checking in during the 24-hour period that follows their own check-in.

    Organizers call it APRS Thursday, and it's been going strong since
    December of last year. The net is conducted over the Announcement server service of KJ4ERJ, and it is managed by Michael, KC8OWL, and Angelo DU2XXR/N2RAC. Angelo, in the Philippines, is also the net manager of a separate net, known as the APRSPH net.

    Both Michael and Angelo hope that the Thursday check-ins will increase familiarity with APRS for hams and grow this kind of message activity
    around the world.

    If you're curious about APRS or want to learn more, you can email Michael
    at kc8owl@yahoo.com

    This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

    (APRS NET)

    **

    NOMINATE NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The deadline is coming up fast for a chance to nominate
    your choice for Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak Young Ham of the
    Year award. Candidates must reside in the continental United States and be
    a licensed ham 18 years of age or younger. We are looking for someone who
    has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu May 25 21:52:33 2023
    A SUCCESSFUL HAMVENTION 2023 IS IN THE LOG

    NEIL/ANCHOR: This year's Dayton Hamvention was another success, with
    several vendors returning after an absence along with some great weather.
    The rain was mostly overnight on Friday and caused minimal disruptions.
    The main buzz was about 2 new handheld radios being announced, one from
    ICOM America and another from JVC/Kenwood who returned to Hamvention after being absent since the start of the pandemic.

    2023 Hamvention Amateur of the Year Carsten Dauer, DM9EE, received a
    standing ovation in front of a large crowd attending his forum about his
    work to house evacuated Ukrainian family members as well as shipping
    donated radio gear, power banks, solar panels, and first aid kits for use
    to assist operators despite the partial Russian invasion.

    Steve Morgan, W4NHO, was recognized with the Spirit of Amateur Radio award
    for his work in coordinating disaster relief communications during the
    recent Eastern Kentucky flooding. The Voice of America Museum in nearby
    West Chester, Ohio, had expanded hours during Hamvention and reported
    record attendance of nearly 400 visitors.

    The youth socials at the YOTA booth were standing room only. And, many
    hams were greeted by the first known live duck to attend Hamvention,
    Mochi, accompanied by Junie, N1DUC, who was promoting her new YouTube
    channel, and educating people about domesticated ducks.

    Finally, 2023 marked the return of our own Newsline Town Hall. Attendees
    heard international updates from Tim Ellam, VE6SH, the president of IARU. Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, returned to the town hall to talk about the
    ARRL Volunteer Monitoring program, while Mark Smith, N6MTS, proposed a new open headset interconnect standard to assist with group activities and
    EMCOMM.

    **

    US AUTOMAKER WON'T ELIMINATE AM RADIO IN NEW CARS

    NEIL/ANCHOR: AM radio isn't quite dead yet among those selling cars in the
    US. One carmaker has shifted gears into reverse - literally. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with an update.

    KENT: In the United States, the Ford Motor Company has reversed an earlier decision to eliminate AM radios in its new cars, trucks and SUVs. The carmaker's announcement was made on Tuesday, May 23rd, on the heels of a bipartisan bill introduced in Washington, D.C., pressing for AM broadcast radio's retention as a public safety measure.

    Ford CEO Jim Farley announced on social media that the reversal comes came after discussions with government policy leaders who believe the
    elimination of AM broadcast radio in vehicles will cut motorists off from essential emergency alerts transmitted on those frequencies.

    The CEO wrote on Twitter that all 2024 Ford and Lincoln vehicles would
    include AM radio. He added: [quote] "For any owners of Ford's EVs without
    AM broadcast capability, we'll offer a software update." [endquote] The
    update would restore AM functionality.

    The US Federal Communications Commission has also thrown its support
    behind the proposed legislation that seeks to halt the trend toward automakers' removal of AM broadcast in US vehicles. The bill, introduced
    May 17th, is known as the "AM for Every Vehicle Act." The FCC cannot
    regulate what automakers do, but was nonetheless vocal about the value AM radio has to motorists who may need to receive emergency alerts while on
    the road.

    Other manufacturers, including Volvo, Tesla and BMW, have indicated they
    were dropping AM radio from their new electric cars because of
    interference between the vehicles' electrical operating systems and the AM broadcast band. The Associated Press did not immediately receive comment
    from the other carmakers.

    The bill's opponents, including The Alliance for Automotive Innovation,
    which represents US automakers, called the AM radio proposal unnecessary.
    They said that the US warning system, operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, can also deliver safety warnings by other means, such
    as FM broadcast, satellite and cellular networks.

    This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

    (ASSOCIATED PRESS, HOUSE.GOV, INSIDE RADIO, VARIETY)

    **

    EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION RANGE EXPANDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA

    NEIL/ANCHOR: Emergency preparedness got a needed boost in South Carolina
    and Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, has those details.

    KEVIN: Dorchester County, South Carolina is getting ready for hurricane
    season on the ground and in the air. High atop a 226-foot tower, members
    of the county's emergency management office have been installing an
    antenna system that will allow the county's amateur radio response team a wider communication range with first responders during emergencies. The
    hams are members of DART, or the Dorchester Amateur Radio Team.

    County officials told the local CBS TV station that the installation is designed to close a communications gap between Columbia and as far away as Charleston, South Carolina - a need that became apparent after Hurricane
    Ian struck the region last autumn. As storm season approaches again, the emergency management office is supplementing this antenna work high in the
    air by taking on some serious training on the ground. Emergency officials
    will soon be teaching classes to help get more volunteers prepared for
    their amateur radio technician license.

    This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

    (NEWS2)
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu Jun 1 20:29:01 2023
    HAMS CLAIM DISTANCE RECORD FOR SATELLITE

    JIM/ANCHOR: Two satellite enthusiasts recently logged a contact that they
    claim has set a new record. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, brings us more.

    NEIL: Two satellite enthusiasts are claiming a new QSO distance record
    with the SO-50 satellite in a May 24th contact that covered 5,584 km -
    the distance between Michigan and Northern Ireland.

    Joe, KE9AJ, notes on his QRZ.com page that he has long had a particular enthusiasm for extreme distance satellite QSOs. He and George, M0ILE,
    were able to log one another, and claim bragging rights to having beaten
    the previous record by 61 km. That record was set in 2018 by Jerome,
    F4DXV, and Scott, N1AIA, between France and Maine.

    This is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

    (AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, AMSAT)

    **

    SILENT KEY: HALL OF FAME MEMBER, CONTESTER, CHIP MARGELLI, K7JA

    JIM/ANCHOR: The amateur radio community has been shaken by the loss of
    someone who was a familiar face, a familiar voice, and a friend to
    many -- including those of us at Amateur Radio Newsline. Chip Margelli,
    K7JA, has become a Silent Key. We hear more about him from Don Wilbanks,
    AE5DW.

    DON: Chip Margelli, K7JA, was many things to many of us: A top-notch
    contester in numerous ARRL and CQ magazine competitions; a Silver
    Medalist at the 1990 World Radiosport Team Championship; and a polished operator of CW, who was admitted into the First-Class CW Operators' Club.
    Chip, who became a Silent Key on May 25th, even achieved national
    notoriety outside the amateur radio community, when he appeared on a US
    late night talk show, with TV host Jay Leno 2005, in an on-screen rivalry
    that pitted his CW proficiency against the speed of the US champion in
    fast cell phone text-messaging.

    A recipient of the E.T. Krenkel Medal in 2021, Chip was also listed in
    the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame. Over the years, he worked for such
    companies as Yaesu USA, Heil Sound, Ham Radio Outlet, and for CQ magazine.
    He was a personal friend to many of us at Amateur Radio Newsline. Chip
    was present in 1986 with Newsline cofounder, and treasured friend, the
    late Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the first ceremony introducing the Young
    Ham of the Year Award, and at subsequent ceremonies at the Huntsville
    Hamfest.

    Rest well, Chip. You leave many grieving friends behind.

    This is Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

    **

    RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN SEEKS EDITOR

    JIM/ANCHOR: If you are a member of the Radio Society of Great Britain,
    and have strong skills in writing and editing - plus technical knowledge relevant to electronics and amateur radio - this job might just suit you. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

    JEREMY: Lee Aldridge, G4EJB, the editor of RadCom Basics, has announced
    his retirement later this year, and the RSGB is seeking a replacement.
    RadCom basics publishes material focusing on new amateurs, and those who
    want to develop greater skills in the fundamentals. A successful
    applicant will assign articles, and work with authors in developing them,
    and will be responsible for writing additional articles. There are also
    editing responsibilities that include handling copy sent in by regular contributors and others.

    The RadCom Basics editor reports to RadCom's managing editor. For details
    about the job, including salary range being offered, send an email to
    radcom at rsgb dot org dot uk. (radcom@rsgb.org.uk)

    This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

    (RSGB)

    **

    BREAK HERE:

    Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
    heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the N5OZG repeater
    of the Crescent City Amateur Radio Group in Metairie, Louisiana,
    following the net on Sundays at 8 p.m.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Thu Jun 8 22:22:33 2023
    SILENT KEY: JERRY OWENS, W3GHO, VOICE OF W. PENNSYLVANIA NETS

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular and active voice on the air has gone silent in western Pennsylvania. We hear about him from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

    RANDY: A final call went out on Friday, June 2nd, during the Western Pennsylvania Phone Traffic Net for Jerry Owens, W3GHO. It was followed by
    a moment of silence. Jerry, a popular longtime presence on many area
    nets, became a Silent Key on the morning of Wednesday, May 31st, in
    Corry, Pennsylvania.

    His enthusiasm and active participation in nets and other activities left their marks everywhere in the region. A licensed ham for 67 years, Jerry
    was a member of the Union City Amateur Radio Club and served as net
    control station for the Army Military Auxiliary Radio System. He was also active in the National Traffic System, handling Radiogram traffic for the daily Western Pennsylvania Phone Traffic Net on 80 meters.

    To those who knew him - or even knew OF him - Jerry was the voice of
    Corry, Pennsylvania, serving as the official snow measurer for that city
    for the National Weather Service Office in Cleveland, Ohio, just on the
    other side of the border between the two states. Weather stories in
    newspapers and on TV would often quote his snow statistics.

    Jerry had also been deputy radio officer and a net control station representing Erie County, Pennsylvania, in the Western Pennsylvania PEMA
    ACS RACES Net. His other net control duties included the Western
    Pennsylvania Health and Wellness Net on weekdays and the Western
    Pennsylvania ARES net on Saturdays.

    In 1960, he joined the Old Buzzards Amateur Radio Club and was net
    control for them on Monday mornings on 80 meters.

    His friend, Eddie Misiewicz, KB3YRU, who gave the final call, speaks for
    many when he told Newsline [quote] "I will miss him greatly." [endquote]

    An Ohio native, Jerry was 85 years old.

    This is Randy Sly W4XJ.

    (EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU)

    **

    CENTRAL STATES VHF SOCIETY CONFERENCE RETURNS TO ARKANSAS

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Central States VHF Society is bringing its annual conference back to Arkansas, where it was held more than two decades ago. Here's Andy Morrison, K9AWM, with that story.

    ANDY: Much has changed since the Central States VHF Society last held one
    of its annual conferences in Arkansas. That was in 1997, a year in which
    tube amplifiers with high-voltage power supplies were still widely used.
    It was also before the advent of the WSJT suite of software - or even computers in the shack.

    After years of being in other locations, the conference returns to
    Arkansas next month. The 55th annual conference meets in Little Rock, and
    the agenda, including the technical presentations, will reflect the
    changing landscape of VHF operation during the past 26 years.

    Organizers are encouraging hams to bring their families with them and has scheduled a variety of family-oriented activities on July 27th, 28th and
    29th, even as the board meeting, the business meeting and other VHF-
    sessions take place.

    Visit the website that appears in the text version of this week's
    newscast for information on how to register. The roster of attendees is growing every day.

    [for PRINT ONLY: http://2023.csvhfs.org]

    This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

    (AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, CENTRAL STATES VHF SOCIETY)

    **

    ARRL JOINS PROGRAM TO ENHANCE NATIONAL SAFETY

    STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The ARRL has joined a program designed to help in the emergency response during a national crisis. Sel Embee, KB 3 T Zed Dee,
    has more.

    SEL: Created in 2018 to enhance security and emergency communications in
    the United States, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
    has welcomed the American Radio Relay League, the ARRL, into its SAFECOM program. The ARRL's involvement ensures that amateur radio will flourish
    as a strong presence in the nation's response in times of crisis. Josh Johnston, K-E-5-M-H-V, the ARRL's director of emergency management, said
    on the ARRL website that amateur radio's resources will gain even more interoperability with emergency responders and will have a voice in the development of a more comprehensive blueprint for keeping the nation safe
    and its communications intact. That includes enhancing the connections
    between emergency responders and helping build out the network for the
    future.

    In making its announcement on Friday, June 2nd, the ARRL said it expects
    its new role to bring increased involvement for such groups as ARES, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, and other ARRL emergency programs.

    This is Sel Embee, K-B-3-T-Zed-D.

    (CISA, ARRL)
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)
  • From Daryl Stout@316:36/9 to All on Fri Jun 16 02:36:05 2023
    SATELLITE QSOS TO FLY HIGH FOR FIELD DAY

    PAUL/ANCHOR: In the US and Canada, almost everyone is getting ready for
    Field Day - and that includes satellite enthusiasts. We hear about their
    plans from Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    SEL: In case you've been wondering, Field Day is for the birds! Once
    again, just as the ARRL sponsors the 23-hour exercise known as Field Day
    for hams throughout the US and Canada, AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, takes this test of emergency communications to the skies.
    For satellite users, this will be a 27-hour period between 1800 UTC on Saturday the 24th of June through to 2100 UTC on Sunday the 25th.

    Satellite users are advised to check the AMSAT status page for what will
    be available. AMSAT has said there will be more than 10 transponders and repeaters available during that weekend. FM voice satellites will include SO-50, AO-91, PO-101, the International Space Station and possibly
    LilacSat for those in search of bonus points. Ops are advised to be aware
    of congestion on FM low earth orbit satellites. The rules set a limit of
    one QSO per FM satellite, including the ISS.

    The exchange is the traditional ARRL Field Day Exchange.

    This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

    (AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

    **

    NEWSLINE'S NEIL RAPP WB9VPG RECEIVES YASME EXCELLENCE AWARD

    PAUL/ANCHOR: Newsline is always pleased to share news of radio amateurs
    who have received recognition for their contributions to the community.
    But we are never more proud than when one of those being honored is a
    member of our own team. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, an anchor and correspondent
    for Newsline, has received the Yasme Excellence Award from the Yasme Foundation for his years of work with the next generation of ham radio operators. Neil provided the initial radio club sponsorship for the
    Region 2 YOTA camps, which he now serves as manager, providing
    administrative assistance for the camps as a nonprofit. He has also
    served as manager of Hamvention's Ham Radio 2.0 showcase. The foundation
    board of directors issued a statement saying that "recruiting young
    operators is key to the survival of amateur radio and his tireless
    efforts are appreciated." [endquote] The award consists of an engraved
    crystal globe and a cash grant of $500. Neil, we here at Newsline can
    only add our own congratulations and sincere appreciation for all that
    you do.

    (YASME FOUNDATION)

    **

    HAM RADIO HELPS IN DRAMATIC RESCUE IN IDAHO

    PAUL/ANCHOR: In Idaho, amateur radio played a role in the dramatic rescue
    of an 80-year-old man in a rocky wilderness region. Dave Parks, WB8ODF,
    has the details.

    DAVE: Members of Scout Troop 77 from Eagle, Idaho were well-prepared for
    their canoeing trip into Hells Canyon just a few weeks ago and took along
    a few hand-held radios, a satellite communications device and a ham
    radio. They were soon to encounter another adventurer, an 80-year-old
    retired judge who had at one time been a Scoutmaster in his home state of Oregon, which borders the canyon. This man was not so prepared: He had
    lost his balance while taking photographs in the region and fell 60 feet
    down a rocky riverbank on the Snake River, sustaining serious injuries to
    his neck, back, ankle and lower leg.

    The Scouts were canoeing when they were flagged down by a woman who heard
    the calls for help from the man, Eric Valentine, who was in serious pain. Henry Cavanagh, KJ7QJU, used his radio to contact the adults who were
    with the other Scouts. Henry's father, Brian, KJ7QJT, an assistant
    Scoutmaster and a wilderness first-responder, was among those arriving to
    tend to the man. Others arrived and stabilized him while the assistant Scoutmaster reached out to emergency dispatch services from his satellite communicator. Members of the area utility, Idaho Power, were able to help
    move the injured man by jet boat to a campground where a helicopter could safely land to transport him to a local hospital.

    Returning home to Oregon late last month, Eric was recovering and already planning his next hike. He told the Baker City Herald website, however,
    that he will no longer hike alone in Hells Canyon.

    This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

    (SCOUTING MAGAZINE, THE SEATTLE TIMES)

    **

    TRY NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE

    PAUL/ANCHOR: Here's a homebrew challenge for you: Write your own ham
    radio haiku! We're inviting listeners to channel their most creative
    selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our
    website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your
    most poetic offering. Be sure you follow the traditional form to qualify:
    The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and
    the finishing third line has another five syllables. Be sure to follow
    that form.

    Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
    syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? Fame
    and glory, of course -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. Visit our website at arnewsline.org to see this
    week's winning haiku.
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)