Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2088, for Friday, November 3, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2088, with a release date of
Friday, November 3, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams in Pennsylvania and California give
priority to disaster preparedness. In the UK, the last of the
Bletchley Park listeners has died -- and Jordan prepares to launch
its first CubeSat. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report 2088, comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SPECIAL REPORT: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS ON CAMPUS

PAUL/ANCHOR: We open this week's newscast with a three-part special
report on disaster preparedness. You've heard these past few weeks
about amateur response to the challenges of Atlantic hurricane season.
But, what about earthquakes, or even a nuclear power plant accident?
Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, starts us off with the story of how a college radio
club is teaching students to prep for the worst.

NEIL'S REPORT: Ham radio is alive and well on the campus of California
State University-San Bernardino, as California prepares for potential earthquakes, loss of electricity, and other disasters. Located directly
on the San Andreas fault, students in the CSU-SB amateur radio club are
working on several projects, tying together disaster assessment,
communications and of course, radio. Dr. Vincent Nestler, KK6WJU, is
the sponsor of the group and a professor of cybersecurity at the school.
The club has several projects, like detecting Bluetooth signals under
collapsed buildings, to estimate the number of people that need to be
rescued. He tells us about some of the other projects.

VINCENT: We have a disaster preparedness project where we have students
that are practicing "grid down." We have a tent with a generator, a
small computer that acts as a server to collect up all the data, and
charge up radios. We're working on some cool stuff like getting the
school as part of the broadband mesh that's out here. Again, if the
grid is down, and we can keep the mesh up, that allows us to have
digital communications in real time. One of the cooler things we're
trying to do is, in our simulation of grid down is, send up drones.
One drone will have a relay doing cross-banding. So that this way we
whoever can hit the drone from line of sight will be able to communicate further, and maybe get to the repeater that they may not be able to get
to otherwise. So we want to send out drones to survey the area, send
that information back via the broadband mesh, so that anybody that's
on the mesh can see that video. We can send up the drone, and have it
show real time footage of "ok, this building collapsed; this building
is on fire".

NEIL: The club has licensed around 30 people. Vincent says that the
time for ham radio is now.

VINCENT: There's never been a better time for ham radio to get big.
Why? Two hurricanes, category whatever four and five, gone through
Puerto Rico; that whole island is a case in point, right? You have,
you know, the shooting in Las Vegas. Ham radio may not necessarily
be the case for that exactly; but, the world is on fire, right? You
got the crazy wild fires in [northern California]. The shooter was
shooting people. At what point are they going to be shooting power
grids? You know, terrorism strikes. So people are starting to
understand that we're going into crazy times, and that little extra
bit of security where it's like... OK, even if everything shuts down,
I have a radio, and I can get to people, and people can get to me.
Now's the time to push that; to say, look. The world is on fire. Get
a ham radio, get licensed, and learn how to communicate, so that if
you need it, you'll have it.

NEIL: Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.



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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2089, for Friday, November 10, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2089, with a release date of
Friday, November 10, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The Baker Island DXpedition gets a big
boost. Morse Code averts a boating tragedy -- and Pope Francis
makes a heavenly contact - via satellite feed! All this and more,
as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2089, comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART HERE

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BIG BOOST FOR BAKER ISLAND DXPEDITIONERS

JIM/ANCHOR: If you like chasing DX -- really challenging DX -- our
top story this week is for you, and it comes to us courtesy of the
HamTalk Live podcast. Here's Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

NEIL'S REPORT: A team heading to Baker Island for a DXpedition in
June, just received a major boost. The team of eleven people will
be heading to the Pacific, to the small island located between
Hawaii and Australia, for the first activation since 2002.

DON: Baker Island is currently number four on the wanted list, and
it's going to be number three on the list after the folks going to
Bouvet get done.

NEIL: Like most DXpeditions, the expenses for the trip are extensive.

DON: Any large, far away place requires a lot of money because it's a
long sail from anywhere. All your equipment has to be frozen, has to
be purchased new. We are not taking any chances of bringing any
invasive species or new bugs onto the refuge. We hope to make lots of
Qs. So, when people work us, and request a QSL card, they put in a
little tip for our good efforts. We just started the fundraising,
because we only got permission to go a couple of months ago, and then
we had to negotiate with the Fish and Wildlife Service on the actual
operating conditions, and had to find a boat.

NEIL: The cost of the trip is in excess of $430,000. Team members are
paying for about half of the cost, while the other half must come from contributions from individuals and foundations. A major donation was
just announced last week by team leader Don Greenbaum, N1DG, on Ham
Talk Live!

DON: We've applied to the Northern California DX Foundation for support.
They let us know this morning, that we will be receiving a grant of
$75,000. To put that into perspective, it's the second largest grant
ever given by NCDXF, the biggest one being $100,000 to the upcoming
Bouvet. So we're honored they had so much faith in this group, that the
wallets were opened in quite a substantial way.

NEIL: For more information about the KH1 Baker Island DXpedition, or
to make a contribution, be sure to visit baker2018.net, and their
Facebook group.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(HAM TALK LIVE)

**

JAMBOREE STATIONS START REPORTING IN

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, radio scouts are back on the air as results pour
in from the recent worldwide Jamboree on the Air, as we hear from Bill
Stearns, NE4RD.

BILL'S REPORT: This week in radio scouting, we have one activation from
Scout Camps on the Air, and we check up on our Jamboree on the Air
Reports.

BSA Troop 20 Amateur Radio Club, WS5BSA, will be on the air from John
Nichols Scout Ranch in Mustang, Oklahoma, on Saturday, November 11th,
from 8am to 5pm Central Standard Time. They will operate SSB on 40m
through 10m, and VHF/UHF FM on the WX5LAW and KB5LLI linked repeater
systems throughout the day.

With over 12,000 locations registered for JOTA-JOTI world-wide,
including an astonishing 990 from the United States, we need reports
from all those locations, to determine the number of Scouts, amateur
radio operators, and guests, in attendance.

Here's a couple of the great reports we've received so far:

William Mitchell, W0WMM, from their station from WoodSmoke in Gibson
Island, Maryland, reports that the scouts enjoyed DXing, and making
contacts with Spain, Argentina, Brazil and the UK. The highlight of
the event, was when they talked to scouts on the Nuclear Submarine
Savannah in the Baltimore harbor.

Jeremy Brown, KA7BIF, with the K7MVA activation from the Snake River
Boy Scout Council in Twin Falls, ID, reported that this was their
first time doing JOTA, and that they had a blast, and can't wait for
next year. With the local Council's help, it was a success, and we
helped 22 boy scouts earn their Radio Merit Badge.

For more information on radio scouting, and to file your JOTA report,
please visit our website at www.k2bsa.net.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association,
this is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.



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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2090, for Friday, November 17, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2090, with a release date of
Friday, November 17, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A court dismisses a defamation suit against
the ARRL. A pioneer of software-defined radio dies -- and a Special
Event station in India prepares to honor a 19th century "father of
wireless." All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2090,
comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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COURT DISMISSES HAM'S SUIT AGAINST ARRL

NEIL/ANCHOR: In our top story, a federal appeals court has ruled in
a defamation lawsuit filed against the ARRL. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY,
has those details.

KENT: A U.S. district court has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed
against the American Radio Relay League by its former Eastern
Pennsylvania Section Manager, Joseph Ames, W3JY. The suit was filed
last year, after an article appeared, explaining his dismissal in
June of 2016.

The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on the 13th of November,
found the ARRL's contention to be true -- that the Malvern,
Pennsylvania amateur had improperly conducted disaster planning
directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The ARRL said
Joseph Ames had violated ARRL bylaws, which state that the league is responsible for its own representation with government agencies, such
as FEMA. The ARRL argued that the arrangement was thus unauthorized.

According to the court papers the three-judge panel found [quote]
"Ames treated NTS like a separate entity from ARRL by making decisions
on policy issues, issuing press releases, doing government advocacy,
and giving NTS volunteers the false impression that NTS is separate
from ARRL." [endquote]

Ames had been chairman of the ARRL National Traffic System's Eastern
Area, when he was voted out by the executive commmitte. He had sued the
ARRL and three of its officers. The NTS was created by the league in
1949.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(LAW 360, ARRL, U.S. COURT OF APPEALS THIRD CIRCUIT)

**

SOFTWARE PIONEER VANU BOSE DIES

NEIL/ANCHOR: The man behind the first FCC-certified software-defined
radio has died. We hear more from Jim Damron, N8TMW.

JIM DAMRON's REPORT: The chief executive of the first company to be
certified by the FCC for software-defined radio, died suddenly in
Massachusetts on Nov 11. The death of software executive Vanu Bose
was announced on the website of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, where he was an alumnus, and member of the MIT Corporation.
Bose's company Vanu Inc., uses technology he developed while a graduate
student at MIT, and now provides wireless infrastructure around the
world.

The company also used its technology for humanitarian causes, most
recently assisting with communications in Puerto Rico, following the devastating hurricane.

In 2004, Bose's company made news when it won the first FCC approval
of Vanu's Software Radio GSM Base Station, which was capable of being
modified without changes to its hardware. It was heralded as a major
advance in wireless communications.

Vanu Inc. was also the developer of cellular repeater stations, capable
of running on solar power, enabling communications in remote areas of
the world, including developing countries.

He was the son of the late Amar G. Bose, who was the founder of the
Bose Corporation.

Vanu Bose died of a pulmonary embolism. He was 52.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

(MIT)

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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2091, for Friday, November 24, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2091, with a release date of
Friday, November 24, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC commits to streamlining its approvals
for wireless advances. Youngsters On the Air operators prepare for
worldwide contacts -- and the youngest competitor in 2018's World
Radiosport Team Championship, shares holiday inspiration. All this,
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2091, comes your way,
right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FCC CHAIRMAN COMMITS TO FEWER DELAYS

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's newscast with good news for
impatient innovators in the world of wireless. FCC chairman Ajit Pai
has pledged to change the FCC's longstanding reputation for long
delays in approving new technology, especially in the field of wireless.

Approval often takes years, but in a speech he gave Nov. 17 in New York,
the chairman said decisions for such approvals would now be made within
a year.

Pai said that his priority for the past 10 months at the FCC has been
to review regulations, so they reflect the market, even if that means streamlining or even eliminating some rules. He said the purpose of the
move is to get government out of the way of private enterprise and
innovation.

He said [QUOTE] "one of the most powerful forces in government is
inertia. To ensure that innovators don't get sandbagged, we're
implementing a new process. If someone seeks approval of a new
technology or service that falls within our jurisdiction, we'll make
a decision within one year." [ENDQUOTE]

In other words, there will be less waiting for everyone - or so we hope.

(FCC, SOUTHGATE)

**

ONE MORE LOOK BACK AT JAMBOREE ON THE AIR

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our radio scouting report this week includes a top
performing station during Jamboree on the Air. Here's more from Bill
Stearns, NE4RD.

BILL: This week in radio scouting, we have one activation of the K2BSA callsign, one activation from Scout Camps on the Air, and congratulations
to the team at K4V.

Timothy Shoemaker, AK4ZZ, will be activating K2BSA/4 at the Central
Florida Council Scouting Jamboree from Osceola Heritage Park in
Kissimmee, FL, on from December 1st through the 3rd. This event is
described as an event like no other! Live Bands Friday and Saturday
night, awesome interactive and hands-on program all day Saturday,
Inflatables, demonstrations, career encounters, and much more! It can
only get better with an amateur radio demonstration station.

Charles McBride and the rest of the group from the BSA Troop 20 Amateur
Radio Club WS5BSA, are at it once again from Camp George Thomas, in
Boone, OK, on December 9th. They'll start the morning on 40m, and work
their way up the bands as propagation changes through the day. They'll
also be on VHF/UHF on the WX5LAW and KB5LLI repeaters, and on EchoLink
via N4RDB repeater connected to the *JOTA-365* node. Look for this
active group on the bands.

Jamboree on the Air Reports hit the closing date for the compilation
of the annual report. Initial numbers are showing a decrease in
participation, although the traffic on the bands didn't quite feel like
it. As well, Icom America's ID-51A Plus handheld was awarded to the K4V
group. K4V was on the air from Louisville, TN and the Great Smoky
Mountain Council. They've shared a few photos of their operation, along
with a delightful video that captures the excitement of getting on the
air during JOTA. You can find links to the video and images on our
website. Congratulations to George Shields and Stephen Carpenter of K4V
for conducting a great Jamboree on the Air operation, and in winning the
HT for filing their station report.

For more information on radio scouting, please visit our website at www.k2bsa.net.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association,
this is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.

**

NEIL and BRYANT CARDS

PAUL/ANCHOR: A 13-year old ham radio operator has come up with a creative approach to his next big challenge, as we hear from Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

NEIL: The World Radiosport Team Championship is coming up soon, and one
newly upgraded to Extra class ham is excited about the opportunity to
compete. Bryant Rascoll, KG5HVO, tells us about the trip.

BRYANT: So WRTC is the World Radio Team Championship. It is held every
four years. It's where two-person teams compete for 24 hours, all in one location. It's a level playing field, because all the stations and
competitors have the same terrain, region, power level, and antenna
setup. Next year, WRTC will be held in Wittenberg, Germany. I was chosen
to compete in one of the three youth teams. I am the youngest competitor
and the only youth from North America.

NEIL: It's not easy to afford to get there, especially when you're 13
years old. So he came up with a creative solution.

BRYANT: In order to help cover some of the travel and equipment costs,
I have created some Christmas themed ham radio postcards that can be used
as a Christmas QSL card, or a personal greeting card. If you are
interested in purchasing any of these fun postcards, please look me up
on QRZ.com for more information.

NEIL: The cards combine some holiday cheer with ham radio. For example,
a reindeer with some yagis and a Buddipole for antlers! And a barn with
a manger complete with a tower on top of the barn. For all the info,
check out KG5HVO on QRZ.com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2092 for Friday, December 1st, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2092, with a release date of
Friday, December 1st, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. SKYWARN Recognition Day celebrates amateur
response to weather. NASA prepares for a year of marking milestones --
and here come those Santa Nets! All this and more, as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report 2092, comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY WEATHERS THE STORMS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As we reach the end of a particularly challenging
hurricane season in the U.S., SKYWARN Recognition Day on December 2nd
takes on particular significance. The event shows just how valuable
hams are to The National Weather service. Here's broadcast
meteorologist Bobby Best, WX4ALA, with that story.

BOBBY'S REPORT: Many people, in both the general public, and more than
you might expect in the amateur radio community, do not realize just
how valuable NWS Trained SKYWARN Spotters, especially those that are
amateur radio operators, are to the warning process at local National
Weather Service Offices' level. Recently, I spoke with Clay Barnes, a
former amateur radio operator, who allowed his license to expire. He
has learned just how valuable both NWS-trained SKYWARN spotters are in
the field to the National Weather Service. He especially saw this,
sadly for the first time, first hand, six years ago, when a powerful
EF-4 tornado tracked literally miles from his own home, North of
Birmingham, Alabama.

Clay, tell us, how do you see the need for more NWS/SKYWARN trained
eyes in the field, and specifically, what made you choose to go back
to scratch, getting your expired ham radio license back, please.

CLAY: Honestly, the total devastation that Alabama took during the
generational tornado outbreak, on April 27th, 2011, and how we saw
first-hand, how that not only had power outages across the state,
but also the severe devastation also knocked out emergency repeaters
for law enforcement, fire/rescue and EMS, just to name a few, and the
quickest of restoring communications was through emergency agencies
cooperating with members of amateur radio.

There's no doubt in my mind, that were it not for ham radio that day,
Alabama would have seen more deaths. It was safer after that day.
That's when I began to re-consider re-taking the test, and getting my
ham license back, so that I could be of emergency communications
assistance to friends, family, and neighbors.

BOBBY: If you're a ham operator who has let your license expire, or a
non-ham who is interested in how you can be of great support to your
community during times of crisis, like during weather outbreaks, that
fall under The SKYWARN umbrella of amateur radio operations, contact a
ham radio club near you today.

Reporting from Gardendale, Alabama, for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm
Bobby Best; WX4ALA.

**

SANTA NET ARRIVES ON 80 METERS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our favorite ham radio stories this time of year are
about the magic of Santa Nets. Our first story comes from Kevin
Trotman, N5PRE.

KEVIN: As any kid will tell you, the best kind of Santa is one who
doesn't make you wait until December 25th, right? Well, we've got one
Santa who is already here: The nightly Santa Net went on the air on
Friday, the 24th of November, and will be available every night at
7:30 p.m. Central Time through Christmas Eve. The tradition is into
its 12th year, and is operated by the 3916 Nets, the Rag Chew Crew,
the Tailgaters, and the Freewheelers. Pre-net check-ins begin nightly
at 7:15 p.m. Central Time, and are also accepted on the Santa Net's
Facebook page. Find Santa each night on 3.916 MHz. No milk and cookies
needed - but don't be on the naughty list: please observe all FCC rules regarding third party traffic.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, in Aiken, South Carolina, I'm Kevin
Trotman, N5PRE.

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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2240, for Friday, October 2nd, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2240 with a release date of
Friday, October 2nd, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC weighs in amateur access to the 3.4
GHz band. A satellite marks 27 years in orbit -- and a celebration for
a ham of the century. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2240 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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THE FCC WEIGHS IN ON AMATEUR ACCESS TO USE OF 3.4 GHz BAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, hams were waiting to
hear the outcome of an FCC meeting on whether to eliminate amateur
radio access on the 3.4 GHz band. The ARRL has urged the FCC once
again to preserve hams' secondary status on the 3.4 GHz band rather
than proceed with its proposal to remove amateur activity. In a recent
phone call with FCC staffers, the ARRL reiterated the argument it had
made earlier this year in formal comments filed with the commission.
The ARRL has maintained that preserving secondary use by radio
amateurs will not have a negative impact on any primary licensees in
the future, including those providing 5G services.

The FCC was to meet on Wednesday, September 30th on the matter. There
was no indication when that decision was to be made public. Please
visit Newsline's Twitter feed and Facebook page for updates.

(FCC, ARRL)

**

SINGAPORE HAMS OFFER ONLINE COURSE FOR LICENSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Good news for hams in Singapore: It's now easier to
prepare for the full licensing exam thanks to a good friend in the UK.
Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us more.

JASON: Hams in Singapore have received a big assist from an amateur in
the UK who has created a free online training course to prepare them
for their 800-watt amateur licence, a level equivalent to the UK Full
licence.

Peter Pennington, G4EGQ, has established a page on the website of the Singapore Amateur Radio Transmitting Society offering educational .PDF
files and sample questions to prepare candidates for the test.

Before candidates sit for the test by the Infocomm Media Development Authority, they can review the 14 sections on the website, become
familiar with the operating procedures outlined, and then challenge
themselves with the sample questions.

The page containing links to the course and the IMDA Amateur Handbook
are on the Singapore group's website at sarts dot org dot sg
(sarts.org.sg) A note on the website reports that the Radio Amateur Examination has resumed its normal schedule, allowing two candidates
per session to safely observe COVID-19 precautions.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(SINGAPORE AMATEUR RADIO TRANSMITTING SOCIETY, SOUTHGATE)

**

SOUTH DUBLIN LECTURE SERIES GOES VIRTUAL

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: What if a club scheduled a lecture series and no one
showed up? Actually that would be just fine - that's how it was
designed by one club in South Dublin. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains.

JEREMY: The South Dublin Radio Club, EI2SDR, is hosting a Tuesday
night lecture series on amateur radio, Science Technology Engineering
and Mathematics. Organisers hope the series will be so popular that no
one shows up -- except on Zoom. The lectures kicked off on September
29th with a discussion about Summits on the Air by Albert, EI6KO, one
of Ireland's most prominent SOTA operators. The 20-minute
presentations are followed by a 10-minute Q&A session.

Anyone interested in attending or contributing a topic for a future presentation is welcome to contact the club or follow updates to their accounts on Twitter and Facebook. The club's webpage can be found at southdublinradioclub dot weebly dot com

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(IRTS, SOUTH DUBLIN RADIO CLUB)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2241, for Friday, October 9th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2241, with a release date of Friday, October 9th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Orlando Hamcation is cancelled. Scouts prep for Jamboree on the Air -- and radio ambassadors reach out to kids in
California. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2241, comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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ORLANDO HAMCATION 2021 CANCELLED

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with word that Orlando HamCation has become
the latest in a long line of cancelled amateur radio events around the
world. The news came in a joint statement from the ARRL and HamCation organizers on the ARRL website and on Twitter on Monday, October 5th. The annual event, which was also to be the ARRL National Convention, has been moved to February 2022. Tickets already purchased can be used for
HamCation 2022, can be donated to the Orlando Amateur Radio Club or can be refunded. Meanwhile, the in-person event is being replaced by a variety of webinars, a QSO party and some prize drawings for 2021. The event in
central Florida is among the nation's largest gathering points for hams. Reported attendance for this year was 24,200 over the course of the three days.

(HAMCATION, ARRL)

**

FCC REMOVES AMATEUR ACCESS TO 3.4 GHz BAND'S FREQUENCIES

JIM/ANCHOR: In a move that was not unexpected, the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission has eliminated amateur radio use on the 3.4 GHz band. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has that report.

KENT: Amateur radio will no longer have use of the frequencies between 3.3
and 3.55 GHz. The FCC has acted to reallocate that portion of the spectrum
for use of 5G services. Its action during the meeting on September 30th is part of the broader plan to make more of the spectrum available to
commercial users by eliminating secondary user allocations such as ham
radio operators. Hams and other users are being relocated to a band
between 2.9 and 3.0 GHz on a secondary basis to federal government service operators.

The FCC is now seeking comment on how to sunset amateur use on 3.3 to 3.55
GHz and proceed with the relocation. The agency noted in a press release
that its action is another move toward fulfilling a directive from
Congress to free up spectrum for commercial and other purposes. The ARRL
and AMSAT were among those who had spoken up against the move.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(SOUTHGATE, FCC)

**

IARU REGION 2 ANNOUNCES PROCEDURAL CHANGES

JIM/ANCHOR: The IARU Region 2 has made changes in how it will be handling
band plan changes, approving a process that lets the plan be updated more efficiently. Changes can now be made in response to adjustments in
operating practice - in consultation with member societies. Previously,
all band-plan changes required approval at a General Assembly, which is
held only once every three years.

The new plan also includes the addition of an amateur satellite uplink sub-band between 21.125 MHz and 21.450 MHz on a non-exclusive basis,
matching the band plans in IARU Region 1 and 3.

Finally, the revised band plan added wording to make it clear to national regulators that compliance with the document is voluntary and some nations
may adjust their practices based on their nation's requirements.

(SOUTHGATE, IARU REGION 2)

**

AUSTRALIAN SCOUTS ACTIVATE FOR SPECIAL EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: The Jamboree on the Air is coming up fast but some Scouts
living Down Under got a head start on the excitement. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us about them.

GRAHAM: Scouts in Australia who were growing a bit impatient for the start
of the worldwide Jamboree on the Air this month received a sampling a few weeks early of the friendship and communications ham radio is known for. Scouts in Australia who were enjoying school holidays were able to connect across the country as part of a special Echolink event held from Sunday
the 27th of September to Sunday the 4th of October.

The JOTA special event took place on the SCOUT-VK conference server which
was established earlier this year by the Victorian Scout Radio &
Electronics Service Unit. The conference server has also been a place for Scouts to host nets.

Now with the special event concluded, Scouts await the Jamboree on the Air
and Jamboree on the Internet. That's coming up fast: It takes place from
the 16th to the 18th of October.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WIA, SCOUTS AUSTRALIA)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2242, for Friday, October 16th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2242, with a release date of Friday, October 16th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. NASA astronaut Kate Rubins is back on the ISS. A
ham in the Netherlands pays tribute to guitarist Eddie Van Halen -- and license exams are suspended in Belgium. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2242 comes your way, right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

HAMS IN SPACE: ANOTHER TRIP TO THE ISS

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week by saying "welcome back to the ISS" for
NASA astronaut Kate Rubins KG5FYJ, who joined two Russian cosmonauts on
the launch pad in southern Kazakhstan Wednesday October 14th, bound for
the International Space Station.

Kate and her fellow travelers will spend six months aboard the ISS. Their
stay in space will coincide with the 20th anniversary of a continuous
human presence on the ISS - an occasion being marked on the 1st of
November.

(CNN)

**

MID-ALTITUDE BALLOONS BEGIN JOURNEY EAST

PAUL/ANCHOR: Something else went up into the sky recently. They looked a little like party balloons but they weren't. It was a nationwide mid-
altitude ham radio balloon launch and it was festive even if it wasn't a
big party. Jack Parker, W8ISH, explains.

JACK: Fans of amateur radio balloons are reliving the moments of the
October 9th launch of 11 mid-altitude balloons as they floated up and
began their journey from various launch sites across the United States. As they headed east to begin their two-week trip around the globe, the event
was livestreamed on Facebook by the Smithsonian National Air and Space
Museum.

Each helium-filled Mylar balloon is equipped with APRS on both 144.390 MHz
and 144.340 MHZ, and travelling at about 20,000 feet above the Earth.

Students, teachers and other balloon fans are tracking the balloons via amateur radio and looking online for updates on their locations by
visiting aprsdirect dot com (aprsdirect.com). The balloons were launched
by students and their teachers in Washington, D.C., Alaska, Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah, Minnesota and Kansas. If you'd like to follow along and
track them, you can find their call signs on the link provided in this
week's printed script of this newscast at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ:

https://airandspace.si.edu/events/live-balloon-launch-across-america]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM)

**

PAUL/ANCHOR: The man arrested in Denver Colorado in connection with the
fatal shooting of a Navy veteran on Saturday, October 10th, during two opposing political rallies downtown, is an amateur radio operator. The arrested man was identified in news reports as Matthew Dolloff KE0NKL, who
is said to have been working without a license as a Pinkerton security
guard for a local TV station. The 30-year-old man is suspected of killing
Lee John Keltner, a military veteran attending the protest. Witnesses said
the two men were arguing when Keltner used a pepper spray on Dolloff.
Keltner was then fatally shot. The incident was captured on video by CBS Denver Channel 4 and on cellphone video, and the scene has been widely
viewed on the internet.

**

SPECIAL TRIBUTE STATION TO EDDIE VAN HALEN

PAUL/ANCHOR: Rock legend Eddie van Halen, who died earlier this month, was
the pride of The Netherlands, where the guitarist was born 65 years ago.
Now, as his distinctive sounds resonate for his fans listening to
commercial radio stations around the world, one additional station joins
them - on the amateur radio frequencies - to pay tribute. Special event station PA5150EVH will be on the air from October 28th until January 31st, 2021 -- a few days past the musician's birthday on Jan. 26th. The special event is being activated by Frank, PF1SCT, a civil engineer who is also a guitarist himself - and needless to say, a Van Halen fan. A limited number
of QSL cards are available for contacts and those making successful
contacts should QSL to Frank's call sign by the bureau only.

(QRZ.COM, SOUTHGATE)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2243, for Friday, October 23rd, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2243, with a release date of Friday, October 23rd, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC invites comments on its proposed license
fee. A ham is assaulted while operating portable in the UK -- and young hams pass the baton of leadership in Europe. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2243 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FCC OPENS COMMENT PERIOD FOR $50 FEE PROPOSAL

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with word that the comment period has opened for the FCC's much-talked-about fee proposed for amateur radio licenses. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, has more.

STEPHEN: The comment period has opened for amateur radio operators and
others in the United States to weigh in the FCC's proposal to charge a $50
fee for license applications and renewals due every 10 years. In its notice published in the Federal Register, the FCC states that licenses, such as
those for amateur radio, are mostly automated processes not requiring staff review. As such, the FCC is calling the proposed fee "nominal," saying it covers the costs of routine ULS maintenance, the automated process itself
plus any occasional instance requiring staff input. Comments are due no
later than the 16th of November. Reply comments can be made on or before November 30th.

To file your comments visit the webpage for the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System at fcc dot gov stroke ecfs stroke (fcc.gov/ecfs/)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

NEIL/ANCHOR: There's one more address for the FCC that hams in the U.S. need to be aware of too -- and it's not on the internet. It's at 45 L Street NorthEast, Washington, D.C. 20554. That's the new location of the agency's headquarters. The FCC is finally in its new offices after a delay in the spring caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

(FCC)

**

NEW LEADERSHIP FOR IARU REGION 1 YOUTH

NEIL/ANCHOR: In IARU Region 1, the chair of the Youth Working Group has
passed the baton, as we hear from Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: By the time the IARU Region 1 Virtual General Conference closed on
Friday October 16th, the leader of the organisation's Youth Working Group
had passed the baton to the next generation. The youth group's chair, Lisa Leenders, PA2LS, ended her tenure, which had begun when the region-wide working group was formed in 2014. Lisa, who was 24 at the time, steps aside for two new leaders elected by the member societies at the conference:
Philipp Springer DK6SP, the new chair, and Markus Gro�er, DL8GM, the vice chair. Philipp, who is 22 years old, has been a ham since he was 10. In August, he joined the board of directors of the nonprofit World Wide Radio Operators Foundation.

The two new Youth Working Group leaders committed themselves to continuing
the Working Group's programmes and moving them forward. They pledged to
expand the YOTA program as well and help grow youth activities in the IARU's two other regions.

Region 1 represents international amateur radio societies in Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Congratulations to Philipp and Markus.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR)

**

WORLD'S YOUNG AMATEURS PREP FOR YOTA MONTH

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the world's young amateurs have been busy. We are
just about a month away from December, but it's worth planning ahead for
this event - it involves the world's youngest radio amateurs and they're looking for your show of support and your entry in their logbook. December
is YOTA Month - that means Youngsters on the Air. It's time for young people to experience their first DX, their first pileup or to show some of their friends who aren't yet licensed amateurs how much fun it is to key that mic.

YOTA is asking radio operators around the world to be listening for such stations as HA6YOTA, GB20YOTA, DB0YOTA, HS9YOTA and others who will be using the YOTA suffix and one by one callsigns ending in Y, O, T, and A from the United States. You can be a youngster OR an oldster. Just be listening!

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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2244, for Friday, October 30th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2244, with a release date of
Friday, October 30th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A repeater is vandalized in the midst of a
raging wildfire. New Zealand hams lose the 5 MHZ band -- and setting
new distance records via satellite. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2244, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

VANDALS DESTROY FIREFIGHTERS' RADIO REPEATER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Colorado wildfires have been big news here in the
United States, and we open our newscast with that story. As firefighters struggled to contain one sprawling blaze, a critical radio repeater was destroyed by what authorities believe to be malicious vandalism. Jack
Parker, W8ISH, picks up the story from here.

JACK: A portable radio repeater, being used by firefighters at the
massive Williams Fork Fire in Colorado, has been vandalized. The United
States Forest Service is investigating, after one of its temporary
repeater sites was destroyed in early October, rendering the radios of firefighters useless, as they struggled against the blaze, which is
believed to have been started in August as a result of human activity.
The firefighters were using the radios to communicate with their command
post.

The fire burned more than 14,000 acres, but no evacuation orders were
given.

According to news reports, firefighters found the repeater in pieces,
with the guy wires cut. The antenna had been snapped off. Replacement
parts were found, and repairs were made, but the forest service is
continuing its probe.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(NBC CHANNEL 9, FOX NEWS 31)

**

NEW ZEALAND AMATEURS LOSING 5 MHz BAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Bad news for hams in New Zealand, who have been logging contacts on 5 MHz. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells us what's happening.

JIM: Amateur access to the 5 MHz band was just a trial, and now, that
trial is coming to an end. Hams have gone off the air on the band, as of midnight on Saturday, the 24th of October. The New Zealand Association
of Radio Transmitters informed the amateur community that the New Zealand Defence Force was unwilling to grant yet another renewal for amateurs to continue the trial operation. The defence force needs this part of the HF spectrum for tactical radio equipment, refurbished HF site equipment, and
its various new platforms.

According to NZART, discussions will continue with the nation's regulator,
the RSM, to explore other ways that amateurs may be given access to those frequencies. Hams had been operating on 60 metres after access was renewed
for three more months this past July.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(SOUTHGATE, NZART)

**

RESEARCHERS DEVELOP 'GAME-CHANGING' SOLAR PANEL

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you enjoy operating portable with the help of a solar
panel or two, you might find this report particularly promising. Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH, shares the news.

JEREMY: Researchers are calling the work of scientists at the University
of York a potential "game-changer" in the world of solar panels. By
putting a checkerboard design on the panel's face, the researchers have upgraded its ability to absorb light by 125 percent. According to a
report posted on the website GoodNewsNetwork.org, the panel could
possibly be developed to absorb far more solar energy than today's
panels.

Replacing the traditional flat panel surface with a checkerboard design
is said to increase the diffraction rate, and thus the likelihood that
more light can be absorbed. The research team believes this could also
result in panels that are thinner, lighter, and more flexible.

The team's findings were published recently in the Journal Optica.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(GOODNEWSNETWORK.ORG)

**

VERMONT AMATEUR PREPARES TO DEFEND REVISED TOWER PLAN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our next story revisits a local battle against radio
towers. Newsline reported in July about the challenge facing a Vermont
ham, who had plans for two towers on his property. He has responded to neighbors' objections, and the next step comes in a few days, as local officials weigh in. Here's Andy Morrison, K9AWM, with an update.

ANDY: Addressing neighbors' concerns, Zach Manganello, K1ZK, has
downsized his original proposal for two 84-foot towers in his Vermont
backyard, and now hopes to get the nod from local officials for his
modified plan: a 36-foot antenna attached to his house, and a
freestanding 50-foot tower. On Thursday, November 12th, the
Telecommunications Review Board will hold a hearing to review his
changes, and the result of a visual impact test he did in October, a
balloon float designed to show what Zach has in mind will not block
neighbors' views of the Green Mountains.

Zach, who has been a ham since he was 14 years old, told Newsline in
an email, that he hopes to receive a decision before construction begins
in 2021.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(ZACHARY MANGANELLO K1ZK)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2245, for Friday, November 6th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2245, with a release date of Friday, November 6th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A triumph across seven summmits for Tokyo's Ham
Fair. The ISS crew has reason to celebrate - and Peru's selling part of its amateur spectrum. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2245 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

JAPAN'S HAM FAIR OFFERS REAL-TIME SOTA EXPERIENCE

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with yet another story of amateur persistence. Never let it be said that hams ever let their goals be
thwarted, even after COVID-19 cancelled such core events as Dayton
Hamvention and Ham Radio Friedrichshafen this year. The massive Tokyo Ham
Fair was also a casualty, but like so many others, the show went on - virtually. Here's John Williams, VK4JJW, with those details.

JOHN: The virtual doors were open in Tokyo on November 1st, as planned,
even though no one was physically present at the Tokyo Hamfair 2020 for the seminars and workshops. The presentations went forward, and one of them
turned out to have a respectable showing "in person": It was the ham fair's scheduled in-depth look at Summits on the Air, or SOTA. Fortunately, SOTA,
by virtue of its portable and socially distant operating environment, could keep things real. The programme included live-streamed video from seven
SOTA summmits throughout Japan, where hams were busy making activations.
Toru JH0CJH predicted that this activity would lead to many hams becoming
new SOTA enthusiasts in Japan.

Meanwhile, the Japan Amateur Radio League is back at work, making plans and deciding on dates for 2021, hoping for the best in the year ahead.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.

NEIL/ANCHOR: For a look at some of the SOTA activations, follow the YouTube link posted on our Newsline website arnewsline.org in the printed version
of this script.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCPnFma21Uk&feature=youtu.be]

(SOTA REFLECTOR, TOKYO HAMFEST)

**

SPACE STATION MARKS 20 YEARS WITH ONBOARD CREW

NEIL/ANCHOR: Happy anniversary to the International Space Station, which on November 2nd marked 20 years of having a crew on board continuously. This
is an occasion being celebrated by the five space agencies involved in the
ISS project: NASA, Roscosmos, ESA, JAXA, and CSA. Of note is the role that amateur radio has played up there through the ARISS program. Amateur radio
was already part of the Expedition One crew who arrived on board on
November 2nd, 2000: Commander William Shepherd, KD5GSL, Soyuz Commander
Yuri Gidzenko and Flight Engineer Sergei Krikalev, U5MIR.

(ARISS)

**

NY HAM CLUB DONATES TO HOSPITAL FOR COVID RESPONSE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams who have their go-kits at the ready know what it's like
to respond to a crisis. So this next gesture of appreciation by one New
York ham club shows particular understanding of vital emergency response. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us more.

KEVIN: On Long Island, New York, where the COVID-19 pandemic hit hard,
members of the Radio Central Amateur Radio Club W2RC decided that medical responders and their support teams needed a show of support for their
service.

The club took up a collection from among its 40 members for a donation to
the local hospital, St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson. In an article posted in the QRZ.COM forum, the club's president, Neil Heft, KC2KY, says: [quote] "We Wanted to do something more than just putting up a thank you sign." A one-thousand dollar donation was presented recently to the
hospital in recognition of the hard work by its doctors, nurses, security officers, medical support staff, and facility personnel.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2246, for Friday, November 13th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2246, with a release date of Friday, November 13th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A proud moment for satellite designers in Israel. Low-band operating loses a beloved leader -- and a net in Australia gets a
bit poetic. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2246, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

A SATELLITE 'FIRST' FOR UNIVERSITY TEAM IN ISRAEL

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin with a proud moment among students and faculty at Tel Aviv University in Israel. Their interdisciplinary effort will help launch a tiny satellite next year and yes, hams will play a part, as we hear from
Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

NEIL: Amateur radio will be on board early next year when the first nanosatellite designed, built and tested independently in a university
setting in Israel heads to the International Space Station.

The research satellite, known as TAU-SAT1, is in Japan undergoing pre-flight testing before it is taken to the U.S. for its ride on a resupply spacecraft to the ISS next year. It is designed to fly in low earth orbit measuring cosmic radiation in space and conducting other experiments. The small satellite, which is the creation of the new Nanosatellite Center in Tel
Aviv, will orbit the earth every 90 minutes at a speed of 27,600 kilometers or 17,150 miles per hour.

It will transmit its data to a satellite station on the roof of the campus' engineering building each time it makes a pass over Israel. Much of that
data will facilitate the design of improved protection for astronauts and space systems.

According to an article in The Times of Israel, the satellite will also be accessible to amateur radio operators around the world before it burns up in the atmosphere. Its orbit is expected to last several months.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(THE TIMES OF ISRAEL)

**

FREQUENCIES ON 3 GHZ BAND FACE AUCTION IN UK

JIM/ANCHOR: Increasing portions of the 3 GHz band continue to be made available to 5G wireless companies, with the UK planning their own auction soon. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has that story.

JEREMY: Ofcom has announced that it is ready to begin its auction of 120 MHz of bandwidth which it hopes to provide to 5G companies in the UK. This
section of the band is located above the UK's amateur 9 centimetre band at 3.40-3.41 GHz.The frequencies being offered for sale are between 3.6 GHz and 3.8 GHz, known as the midband region. It is also outside of the IARU region
1 9cm allocation of 3.4-3.475 GHz

The move in the UK differs from auctions in some other nations in that the UK's sale will avoid the frequencies used by amateur radio. Bidding is to commence in the UK in January 2021 and Ofcom stated that applications will
be received on the 2nd and 3rd of December.

In the U.S., the FCC awarded more than 20,000 licences for midband 3.5 GHz spectrum in August. Chile delayed its plan for an August auction and the telecommunications regulator Subtel expects to hold the sale this month. In Portugal, the regulator Anacom expects to award licences in February and
March of 2021 following that nation's 5G mobile telephony auction. India is also among those nations planning an auction and telecommunications
officials there hope to hold that sale in the first quarter of 2021.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE, CNET, TELECOMPAPER)

**

ARRL DEFENDS SECONDARY USE ON MICROWAVE BANDS

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile in the U.S., the ARRL has reaffirmed the need for amateurs' secondary use on some of the microwave frequencies. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, gives us those details.

ANDY: The ARRL has weighed into the World Radiocommunication Conference 2023 agenda for the microwave bands, reaffirming the need for amateur radio to
have secondary allocations there.

The league wants frequencies identified in the 3.3 GHz to 3.4 GHz and 10.0
GHz to 10.5 GHz bands, stating that hams continue to experiment there and
have designed systems that protect the bands' primary users, with no reports of interference. The League advises that WRC-23 not consider changing their secondary allocation.

The league's remarks were contained in two draft recommendations for WRC-23.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(ARRL)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2247, for Friday, November 20th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2247, with a release date of Friday, November 20th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An all-ham launch to the ISS. A propagation
experiment needs your help -- and 'Get on the Air for Christmas' debuts
in the UK. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2247, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FOUR AMATEURS IN SPACEX CREW DRAGON LAUNCH

DON/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is the launch of the SpaceX Crew
Dragon capsule from the Kennedy Space Center. On board? A crew of four,
all amateur radio operators. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, has the details.

DAVE: Four amateur radio operators launched into space on Sunday night, November 15th, bound for their destination aboard the International Space Station. Seated inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, astronauts Michael Hopkins, KF5LJG, Victor Glover, KI5BKC, Shannon Walker, KD5DXB, and
Japanese Space Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi, KD5TVP, comprised the
first fully operational mission for the private SpaceX company. The
Falcon 9 rocket launched with the capsule, named Resilience, at 7:27 p.m. Sunday night.

The quartet's 27-hour journey marked the second manned launch of Crew
Dragon from Florida's Kennedy Space Center. A test mission that went up
in May sent NASA's Doug Hurley, and Bob Behnken, KE5GGX, into history as Dragon's first space passengers, and the first NASA astronauts to launch
from American soil since 2011.

The four amateur radio operators are expected to remain on the ISS for
the next six months.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(CNN, NASA, NYTIMES)

**

AMATEUR INPUT SOUGHT FOR PROPAGATION EXPERIMENT

DON/ANCHOR: Hams, if you love experimenting - and who doesn't? - this
might just be something to get involved in. HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, needs amateurs around the world who can help
collect propagation data during the eclipse happening across South
America on December 14th. To do this, you'll need to have a computer
connected to your HF radio.

Hams are being asked to record data between the 9th and the 16th of
December so that there is plenty of control data gathered for this
experiment. There will be two 24-hour practice runs beforehand: one on
the 21st of November, and the other on the 5th of December.

Visit the Newsline website at arnewsline.org to find the link to the
webpage containing further details about the experiment. Instructions are
in English, Spanish and Portuguese. If you're interested in signing up, contact Kristina Collins at kd8oxt at case dot edu (kd8oxt@case.edu)

[DO NOT READ, FOR PRINT ONLY: hamsci.org/december-2020-eclipse-festival- frequency-measurement]

(KRISTINA COLLINS KD8OXT)

**

PROMINENT CROATIAN AMATEUR DIES OF COVID-19

DON/ANCHOR: A prominent ham in the Croatian amateur radio community has
become a Silent Key. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us about him.

ED: One of the founders of the Croatian Flora Fauna program, and the
president of the Croatian Flora Fauna amateur radio club, has become a
Silent Key. Emir Mahmutovic (MAH-MYU-TO-VICH), 9A6AA, died on November
13th of COVID-19, according to a report in DXNews. Although hams in
Croatia knew him well from his work with the Flora Fauna program, hams
around the world also logged their contacts with him as an active
contester and DXer.

Emir also served, between 1994 and 2009, as the first award manager for
the Islands of Croatia Award program, according to Neno, 9A5N. Neno said
the program had been the vision of three other radio amateurs in 1991 but
was not put into place until after the war in Croatia. In 1994, Emir
helped Daki, 9A2WJ, with the launch.

According to Mark, 9A8A, his friend of more than 40 years, and his former co-worker, Emir spent the last two or three years devoting himself to
helping young radio amateurs, working with Ivica, 9A2HW, to teach the
children the basics of radio technology. He also helped at school competitions. Mark said in an email "he had incredible energy."

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(MARK 9A8A, NENO, 9A5N)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2248, for Friday, November 27th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2248 with a release date of Friday, November 27th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. New satellite access for emergencies in India.
Hams in Israel plan 9 nights of special activity -- and Ham Radio
University goes virtual. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2248, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

INDIAN EMERGENCY OPERATIONS GAIN SATELLITE ACCESS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story brings word of a major step forward in communications for eastern India, where cyclones often rip through,
destroying communities and communications. Amateur radio operators there
have gained access to a major asset-in-the-sky to help them with
emergency communications. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the details.

GRAHAM: The West Bengal Radio Club and the Indian Academy of
Communication and Disaster Management have installed the capability to communicate with amateur radio satellites from the club station in
India. The radio club's secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, reported
that hams recently used the setup to contact many amateurs in Southern
India as well as in more than 15 countries.

He said the capability will be especially important during natural
disasters such as cyclones, when hams generally use VHF and HF radios
but often face propagation issues during these emergencies.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, who is also chairman of the disaster management
academy, writes: [quote] "It is the first satellite communication setup
in our entire eastern India," [enquote] and he called it a success of
the team of the two organisations working together.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA)

**

HAM RADIO UNIVERSITY GOING VIRTUAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the U.S., organizers of Ham Radio University, who have
been preparing for the 22nd annual all-day event in January, are taking
the program online instead. We have details from Jim Damron, N8TMW.

JIM: With COVID-19 restrictions preventing the annual gathering of
amateur radio operators on Long Island, New York, the Ham Radio
University organizers are adapting the agenda to take place as a virtual conference. Ham Radio University will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on
the 9th of January, 2021 as a GoToWebinar video conference on the
internet. HRU will also serve as the online convention of the NYC-Long
Island section of the ARRL.

The agenda features 14 presentations, from the basics of remote-station operation over the internet, to software-defined radios, emergency communications and the nuts and bolts of HF operating. This year's HRU
is being presented in memory of its founder Phil Lewis, N2MUN, who
became a Silent Key earlier this year.

Advance registration begins on December 15th. For additional details,
visit hamradiouniversity dot org.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

**

UNIVERSAL RADIO CLOSING ITS DOORS

PAUL/ANCHOR: A store that was an Ohio mainstay with a specialty in
shortwave radio equipment is closing its doors. Stephen Kinford, N8WB,
has more details.

STEPHEN: Owners Fred Osterman, N8EKU, and Barbara Osterman, KC8VWI, have announced their retirement, and the closing of their longtime business, Universal Radio, which they operated for nearly 4 decades. A report in
the SWLing Post noted that the couple were big supporters of amateur
radio clubs, and other nonprofit organizations over the years.

The company website posted a message from the couple, which notes that
even though their current location in Worthington, Ohio, is closing on November 30th, the company will fulfill all existing orders, and
continue to close out its inventory. The company will also maintain its website for the meanwhile.

The message concludes by saying that between operations at Universal
Radio and, before that, Radio Shack: [quote] "It has been a privilege to
have a continuous career in the fascinating field of radio since 1969." [endquote]

Universal was founded in 1942 by F.R. Gibb, W8IJ, in downtown Columbus,
Ohio and was known as a specialist in shortwave and amateur equipment, including Millen, Drake, Collins and Hammarlund. Barbara and Fred became
the third owners in 1982, after buying Universal from Thomas Harrington, W8OMV, who had acquired it after F.R. Gibb became a Silent Key.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

(SWLING POST, UNIVERSAL RADIO WEBSITE)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2249, for Friday December 4th, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2249 with a release date of
Friday, December 4th, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A collapse destroys the Arecibo radiotelescope. Welcome to December - YOTA month! And meet Newsline's winner of this
year's International Newsmaker Award. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2249, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

COLLAPSE DESTROYS NOTED ARECIBO RADIOTELESCOPE

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with news that the noted Arecibo radiotelescope, famous in groundbreaking scientific research and seen
in a number of Hollywood movies, is no more. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY,
has the details.

KENT: The historic Arecibo radiotelescope in Puerto Rico, once the
largest in the world, has collapsed before its scheduled demolition
could begin. The telescope, which had been shut by the U.S. National
Science Foundation following storm damage, was credited with unlocking
numerous astronomical mysteries for more than 50 years.

On Tuesday, December 1st, the telescope's 900-ton receiver platform
fell 400 feet, landing on its reflector dish. It was the final blow to
the radiotelescope, where an auxiliary cable had snapped in August,
causing damage to the reflector dish and receiver platform. Then last
month, a main cable broke.

Built in the 1960s, the telescope was part of a 1974 research project
into gravitational waves that led to a Nobel Prize in Physics in 1993.
The telescope also followed asteroids on their earthbound paths but
became quite an attraction itself, drawing some 90,000 visitors a year.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(GUARDIAN, NOBELPRIZE.ORG, NPR)

**

WELCOME TO DECEMBER - IT'S YOTA MONTH

JIM/ANCHOR: Nothing speaks so well to the future of ham radio than
hearing young voices calling QRZ. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, lets us in on
what's happening.

JASON: If you listen on the air through the month of December, you'll
be hearing the voices of the future. December is YOTA Month -
Youngsters on the Air - and teams of operators younger than 26 are
hoping for pileups. They're calling from Pakistan, Serbia, Iceland,
Sweden, Bulgaria and places beyond. Each team carries the suffix
"Y O T A", along with the hope that their logs will be filled with
call signs from around the world. This is a chance to showcase amateur
radio for the unlicensed, and help those newly licensed to gain
confidence.

Stations include TF3YOTA in Iceland, DB0YOTA in Germany, GB20YOTA in
the UK and II1YOTA in Italy. You will hear them on HF, repeaters and
even satellites. Because so many YOTA summer camps were cancelled in
response to the COVID-19 pandemic, these young operators are more eager
than ever to show what they can do.

Support the world's future amateur community and who knows? You may
become eligible for a bronze, silver, gold or platinum award just for
working as many YOTA stations on as many bands and modes as you can.
The teams have their own collective goal as well: to beat last year's
total of 130,000 QSOs logged by 47 participating stations.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

JIM/ANCHOR: Also be listening for Youth on the Air stations in the
United States, where the call signs will be K8Y, K8O, K8T, and K8A.
For more information about Youth on the Air in the Americas, visit the
website youthontheair dot org (youthontheair.org)

(YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR)

**

FCC CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI STEPPING DOWN IN NEW YEAR

JIM/ANCHOR: Here in the United States, Ajit Pai, who has been chairman
of the Federal Communications Commission since 2017, has announced he
will be stepping down on January 20th, the day President-elect Joe
Biden is inaugurated.

Pai served the commission for five years as an appointee of then-
President Barack Obama previous to being named commissioner by
President Donald Trump. He was hailed as the first Asian-American
chairman of the agency. His term was scheduled to expire in June of
2021. His announcement, made on Monday November 20th, comes as the FCC
reviews its proposal to charge a $50 fee for each application for an
amateur radio license.

(CNBC)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2253, for Friday, January 1st, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2253 with a release date of Friday, January 1st, 2021, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A satellite 'first' for a small island nation.
A California community rallies around a damaged radio tower - and hams
in the US face new fees for their licenses. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2253 comes your way right now.

**

HAM RADIO IS PART OF MAURITIUS' FIRST SATELLITE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to a small island nation
in the Indian ocean that is poised to enter the world of amateur radio satellites in the new year. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the details.

GRAHAM: Get ready for a history-making satellite to launch in February
of 2021: Mauritius is preparing to send MIR-SAT1, the nation's first
CubeSat, to the International Space Station. The nanosatellite will be carrying an amateur radio digipeater and a whole lot of national pride.
It is the creation of a team of engineers from Mauritius working with a
ham radio operator from the Mauritis Amateur Radio Society. The project
was also a collaboration with AAC-Clyde Space UK. "MIR" stands for
Mauritius InfraRed satellite.

According to the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council, the
satellite will use the digipeater to enable experimental communication
with other islands via the satellite, both for emergency purposes and scientific research. The CubeSat will also collect land and ocean data. Management of ocean resources is a top priority of the government of
the Republic of Mauritius.

It is expected to be deployed in May or June from the Japanese
Experimental Module on board the ISS. MIR-SAT1 has an expected lifetime
of between two and three years and during that time it is expected to
make ground contact with Mauritius four to five times daily.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(AFRICA NEWS, MAURITIUS RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COUNCIL)

**

NEW FCC FEE REQUIRES US HAMS TO PAY $35

PAUL/ANCHOR: In an action that many hams throughout the US had been
watching closely for months, the Federal Communications Commission is
now requiring amateurs to pay a $35 application fee for new licenses, renewals, and vanity call signs. The controversial move by the agency
is a modification of its earlier proposed fee of $50. The FCC announced
its decision on December 29th, after reviewing nearly 4,000 public
comments submitted. Commissioners said they determined that amateurs,
who previously paid no fees for their licenses, were not considered
exempt from such payments. In another action, US hams are also being
required to post their email addresses in the FCC's Universal Licensing System, or ULS, enabling the agency to email their licenses to them.
Hams may either log into the ULS itself or apply for an administrative
update through a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. This change is an
important step for hams, because the FCC plans to use email for all notifications to licensees.

(FCC)

**

COMMUNITY RALLIES TO REPAIR CALIFORNIA RADIO TOWER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Efforts are under way to help rebuild a California radio
tower that was devastated by wildfires in the summer of 2020. Ralph
Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: When wildfires ignited by lightning swept through northern
California this past summer, they consumed more than 86,000 acres in
San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties. The fires also left another
casualty: the Empire Grade Radio Tower and its equipment. The tower
provided critical connections for firefighters, hams and Community
Emergency Response Teams. The Community Foundation of Santa Cruz has
pledged $25,000 from its Fire Response Fund to the restoration of this important radio tower and is using the pledge to match donations, many
of which are being collected via the GoFundMe site.

The nonprofit organization wrote on the fundraising site: [quote] ôThe
loss of this tower has impacted several community organizations. Fire departments relying on the Alertwildfire camera; community fund-raisers
like bike and horseback rides that rely on the ham radio communicators
who used repeaters at the tower site; and emergency preparedness, like
the CERT teams and equine evacuation teams that also relied on the communication resources made possible by this tower.

According to the Salinas Valley Repeater Group website, the tower's destruction impacted the W6WLS 2 meter repeater, the W6DXW 70 cm
repeater, and the WB6ECE 70 cm simulcast repeater. The website said
that the W6WLS repeater returned to the air in October with a temporary
setup in the Santa Cruz mountains, running analog only and on battery
or generator power.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2254, for Friday, January 8th, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2254 with a release date of
Friday, January 8th, 2021, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC looks to add coordinators for increased license-testing. Japan studies satellites made of wood - and a probe
into the collapse of the Arecibo radiotelescope. All this and more, as
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2254, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FCC EYES ADDING VOLUNTEER EXAMINER COORDINATORS

STEPHEN: Our top story this week finds the Federal Communications
Commission asking: Is 14 enough? That's the current number of Volunteer Examiner Coordinator organizations who oversee VEs, or volunteer
examiners, hams who administer the US license exams. In a notice posted
on January 5th on the FCC website, the Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau announced it would like public input on whether it should
authorize additional coordinators - as many as five - to support the
volunteer examiners' ongoing work. Since 1983, VE coordinators have
overseen the accreditation of the volunteer examiners, managing
administrative tasks connected to the exams they give, and coordinating
when the tests are given.

The scene changed last year when new rules took effect in July
permitting VE Coordinators to conduct remote exam sessions. They did so
most recently this past December in Antarctica.

The FCC notice said: [quote]: "The Commission has long maintained 14
VECs, and now seeks to consider whether they continue to serve the
evolving needs of the amateur community, or whether there are unmet
needs that warrant considering expanding the number of VECs." [endquote]

Comments are due by the 4th of February. Details about filing
electronically or on paper are available on the FCC website.

(FCC.GOV)

**

BREXIT DOESN'T CUT ALL UK TIES TO EU SATELLITES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A late-December agreement has preserved the UK's
involvement in some European satellite programs, post-Brexit. Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH, picks up the story from here.

JEREMY: An agreement between the UK and the EU has clarified the post-
Brexit relationship between the two with regard to scientific research, permitting the UK's continued participation in Copernicus, the EU's
Earth monitoring programme. The deal also ensures that the UK and a
number of private satellite operators based there will also retain
access to the Space Surveillance and Tracking Programme established by
the EU for space situational awareness.

The deal, however, does not provide the UK with access to encrypted or
secure services on Galileo, Europe's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Galileo was established to assist emergency response-services on Europe's roads making railways and roads safer. Although smartphone
users may not notice any difference, the UK itself will no longer have
access to the satellite services for defence or national infrastructure.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(GOV.UK, AMSAT, SCIENCEBUSINESS.NET)

**

WOODEN SATELLITES SEEN AS FIX TO 'SPACE JUNK'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: How do you build a satellite that is kinder to the environment? A partnership in Japan is exploring the answer - and Graham
Kemp, VK4BB, has those details.

GRAHAM: Solutions to the growing problem of "space junk" don't grow on
trees - or do they? Perhaps yes: In Japan, a forestry company has
partnered with Kyoto University to work on building a robust and
resilient satellite out of wood - something that would be Earth-friendly
as well as space-friendly. Their goal is to have one such satellite
ready for launch by 2023. The experimental work includes exposing
different varieties of wood to extreme temperature changes and sunlight,
to see how a wooden satellite might behave in space. An added plus: Upon re-entry, wooden satellites could return to Earth without releasing
harmful substances or debris on the way down.

Kyoto University professor Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut, told the
BBC: [quote] "We are very concerned with the fact that all the
satellites which re-enter the Earth's atmosphere burn and create tiny
alumina particles which will float in the upper atmosphere for many
years." [endquote]

He said the next step is to develop the engineering model of the
satellite and after that, a flight model.

The BBC reports that nearly 6,000 satellites are now orbiting the Earth, according to figures from the World Economic Forum. Some 60 percent of
them are considered "space junk," meaning they are no longer in use.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(BBC)

**

SEA-PAC ANNUAL CONVENTION CANCELLED

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: COVID-19 precautions have led to the cancellation of yet another major amateur radio gathering. SEA-PAC, the 2021 ARRL
Northwestern Division Convention, has been called off as an in-person
event in Oregon where it was scheduled to be held in June. Chairman John Bucsek, KE7WNB, said alternative activities online, and on the air were
being explored.

(SEA-PAC)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2255, for Friday, January 15th, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2255 with a release date of
Friday, January 15th, 2021, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hamvention is cancelled for the second time.
Spain's satellite launch is postponed -- and propagation research gets
a new tool in Finland. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2255, comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

*****

HAMVENTION 2021 CANCELLED

JIM/ANCHOR: With distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine falling behind
schedule in the U.S., organizers of Hamvention 2021 have called off
the annual event for the second consecutive year. The executive
committee posted the news on various social media outlets on Monday,
January 11th, citing several setbacks related to the pandemic, with
the vaccine delay named among them.

The posting said: [quote] "We make this difficult decision for the
safety of our guests and vendors. Those who had their tickets deferred
last year will be deferred again." [endquote]

The theme for this year's Hamvention was to have been "The Gathering." Instead, a Hamvention QSO Party is planned instead on the dates the
event was to have taken place.

The organizers added: [quote] "We'll be back next year!!!"

(HAMVENTION)

**

IARU EVENT ADOPTS THEME SPURRED BY PANDEMIC

JIM/ANCHOR: The same pandemic that has forced cancellation of so many
events has also given radio amateurs a reason to step up their game on
the air. One of the next big events has been announced by the
International Amateur Radio Union. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, has those
details.

JASON: The COVID-19 pandemic has provided inspiration for a World
Amateur Radio Day theme similar to a popular campaign in the UK. The
IARU has chosen the theme of "Home But Never Alone" when World Amateur
Radio Day kicks off on Sunday, April the 18th. The theme also carries
forward the activities that sprang up around the world last year, from
special event stations that reminded people to stay home and safe, to
local wellness nets where the elderly and others in isolation could
check in regularly.

According to the IARU, on-the-air activity reached unprecedented
levels and participation in major contests soared in 2020.

World Amateur Radio Day is observed every year on the 18th of April to
mark the date in 1925 that the International Amateur Radio Union was
formed in Paris.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(IARU, SARL)

**

EARLY-BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR QSO TODAY'S 2ND VIRTUAL EXPO

JIM/ANCHOR: Early bird tickets have become available for the second
QSO Today Expo, which is being held online on March 13th and 14th.
Forty-eight hours of panel discussions, kit-building workshops and an
array of new speakers will be part of the experience, which is being
organized in partnership with the ARRL in the United States. The wide
range of topics includes 3D printer basics; Arduino in the shack; and DXpeditioning to the DXCC's Most Wanted locations.

Early bird tickets are $10. During the event itself, the tickets will
be $12.50. Tickets to the live event include access to the 30-day on-
demand period that follows, continuing until April 12.

The first QSO Today Expo held last August attracted more than 16,000 participants.

To register visit qsotodayhamexpo.com.

(QSO TODAY)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2256, for Friday, January 22nd, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2256, with a release date of
Friday, January 22nd, 2021, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Will Arecibo rebuild its radiotelescope? A call
sign backlog nears its end in Australia - and American TV's 'Last Man
Standing' plans a lasting farewell. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2256, comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**

U.S. RESEARCHERS ENVISION AN ARECIBO REPLACEMENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week asks: Is an Arecibo replacement a
dream or a reality? With the ruins of the historic Arecibo telescope
still fresh in people's minds, there's already a movement to rebuild
one that's bigger and better. Jack Parker, W8ISH, picks up the story
from here.

JACK: Researchers have presented the National Science Foundation with
a proposal for a $400 million replacement of the Arecibo telescope - on
the same site where its iconic predecessor suffered its fatal collapse
late last year in Puerto Rico.

Speaking in a January 14th post on the Science Magazine website, the
scientists described what they said would be a system that would prove
useful to astronomers, as well as researchers who study the planets,
and the atmosphere.

Anish (Ah-NEESH) Roshi, head of astrophysics at the observatory,
outlined the scope of the proposed replacement, known as the Next
Generation Arecibo Telescope. It was described as a flat,
300-meter-wide, rigid platform, bridging the sinkhole, and studded
with more than 1000 closely packed 9-meter dishes. Hydraulics would
make the telescope's disk steerable, tilting it more than 45 degrees
from the horizontal. Modern receivers would be built into each dish,
covering a broader frequency range than that of the previous telescope.
It would be designed to have almost twice the sensitivity of the original telescope, and four times the radar power.

The project would, of course, need funding from the U.S. Congress -- and
as the Science Magazine article points out, Puerto Rico's representative
in Congress is a nonvoting member. Nonetheless, engineer Ramon Lugo said:
"We have to be optimistic that we will make this happen." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(SCIENCEMAG.ORG)

**

ACMA REPORTS PROGRESS ON CALL SIGN BACKLOGS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Officials have encouraging news for hams Down Under who are awaiting call sign changes. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, gives us more details.

ROBERT: The Australian Communications and Media Authority has announced
that processing backlogs affecting amateur radio call signs, are close to
being resolved. The Australian Maritime College, which handles these
changes for the ACMA, was challenged by disruptions caused by COVID-19,
as well as a large influx of requests for call sign changes. The wave of requests followed an announcement by the ACMA that hams would be permitted greater flexibility in call sign choice. The changes included permitting Foundation licensees, the option of a three-letter call sign, instead of
one with four letters, making the callsigns more compatible with the
protocols of digital communiciation.

The AMCA writes in a recent bulletin: [quote] "We understand that the AMC
has almost cleared the backlog of applications, and will revert to normal processing times shortly. We will continue to monitor processing times,
and work with the AMC to ensure qualifications and call sign services are provided for the benefit of the amateur radio community." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(ACMA)

**

AMSAT CUBESAT PART OF UNUSUAL VIRGIN ORBIT LAUNCH

NEIL/ANCHOR: An unlikely launch system, one using a 70-foot rocket fired
from a converted jumbo jet, sent 10 small satellites into low-earth orbit
on Sunday, January 17th. One of those cubesats was AMSAT's RadFxSat-2/Fox
1E, the fifth and final FOX-1 satellite built by AMSAT. It was constructed under a partnership between AMSAT and Vanderbilt University, and carries a radiation effects experiment. Hams will be able to decode data from
telemetry, and experiments using FoxTelem version 1.09 or later.

The cubesat launch was a demonstration flight staged by billionaire
Richard Branson's California-based company, Virgin Orbit. The successful launches from the Boeing 747 took place almost eight months after the
failed try last May.

(WALL STREET JOURNAL, CNBC)
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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)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2258, for Friday, February 5, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2258 with a release date of Friday, February 5, 2021, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. In Canada, a microwave solution for EmComm needs. Restoration begins on wartime code machines -- and the space station
contact that wasn't. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2258, comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**

TECHNICAL TROUBLES FOIL ARISS SCHOOL CONTACT

JIM/ANCHOR: January 28th was supposed to be a day to remember for students
in Newcastle, Wyoming: They had an on-air date with the International
Space Station. It never happened due to technical troubles, however,
making it a day to remember for the crew and the ARISS program. Paul
Braun, WD9GCO explains.

PAUL: As students at Newcastle High School in Wyoming waited for their
chance for radio contact with the ISS, Jan, (YON) ON7UX, the Telebridge station in Belgium, called as ON4ISS as the spacecraft came up on his
horizon -- but only noise came back. Several minutes passed as Jan kept trying; still nothing. Science teacher Jim Stith, KI7URL, had helped prep
the students on radio protocol in anticipation of their questions to Mike Hopkins, KF5LJG. Ultimately, however, that contact never happened.

ARISS executive director Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, said in a press release
later that a technical problem had apparently taken the ISS radio out of service. He said additional troubleshooting was needed but possibilities
point to trouble with the new external RF cable recently installed or
related to the interior coax cable. The press release said that NASA has opened a Payload Anomaly Report for the issue. In the meantime, ARISS has asked Sergey Samburov, who heads the Russian team, whether the Russians'
radio can be used for school contacts until the problems can be resolved.
The Wyoming students have been told that their contact will be
rescheduled.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(ARISS, YOUTUBE)

**

FRENCH AMATEUR RADIO SATELLITE PART OF SPACEX RECORD LAUNCH

JIM/ANCHOR: The SpaceX launch late last month set records for the number
of satellites aboard but hams are especially interested in one, as Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us.

JEREMY: When a record number of small satellites left earth aboard a
SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday January 24th, France's UVSQ-SAT satellite carrying an FM amateur radio transponder was among them. The satellite is focusing on broadband measurements of Earth Radiation Budget and on Solar Spectral Irradiance in the Herzberg continuum. Amateur radio operators are being encouraged to contact the satellite as well. Toward this end, AMSAT-Francophone is providing hams with software to receive,interpret and upload telemetry to the AMSAT-F server or the SatNOGS database. The
software runs on both Linux and Windows platforms.

The satellite, designed by LATMOS, has had its frequencies coordinated by
the IARU. The Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Radio-Club F6KRK was also involved
in the project.

It was among the 143 satellites carried on SpaceX's first dedicated
SmallSat Rideshare Program mission, which broke the previous record of 104 simultaneous launches aboard an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in
2017.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SPACEFLIGHT NOW, AMSAT, LATMOS)

**

DEVICE PREVENTS 'SPACE JUNK' BY ALTERING SATELLITE ORBITS

JIM:/ANCHOR: Let's face it, no one likes clutter: not in the shack and certainly not out in space where CubeSats and other amateur radio
satellites keep us connected. Well, help with cleanup has arrived. Neil
Rapp, WB9VPG, has the details.

NEIL: It's called the Iodine Thruster, and it hates "space junk" so much
that it's helping prevent it, using an unconventional, nontoxic
propellant: Iodine. The electronic thruster is being used to control a satellite's height above the Earth.

That means that when a satellite reaches the end of its mission, it can be sent down into the atmosphere where it can safely burn up rather than add
more dead clutter to the skies.

The device has already proven its worth: It successfully changed the orbit
of a commercial research nanosat that was launched last November.

Iodine is seen as an ideal propellant to use for this technology because
it is solid at room temperature and pressure, becoming gas when it's
heated without having to liquefy first. It also only takes up a small
space onboard on the satellite. This technology isn't just for dead and
dying satellites, however; experts speculate it can help small CubeSats
extend their mission lifetimes before dying because the thruster can raise
the satellites' orbits if they start to drift back toward earth.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(SOUTHGATE)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2259, for Friday, February 12, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2259, with a release date of Friday, February 12, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A local EmComm conference goes virtual and
possibly global. Hams in Austria challenge proposed rule changes -- and
can spinach transmit wirelessly? All this and more, as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2259, comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**

PANDEMIC GIVES LOCAL EMCOMM CONFERENCE INTERNATIONAL REACH

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Regrouping to accommodate the pandemic, a respected
emergency communications event has been able to extend its reach far
beyond the Pacific Northwest. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, tells us what's happening.

CHRISTIAN: For the first time in its 20 years, Communications Academy is
going global. The pandemic has turned the two-day emergency preparedness conference in Pacific Northwest into a live online event with
possibilities for international participation. It's being held this year
on April 10th and 11th. Although it attracts a sizable number of hams, attendees needn't be amateur radio operators. In fact many of the
presenters are hams, including Tom Cox, VE6TOX, ICS Consultant for Alberta Emergency Management Agency; Jason Biermann, KI7KVP, director of
Snohomish, Washington's Department of Emergency Management; and Ward
Silver, N0AX, who will present on station grounding and bonding.

If you're anywhere in the world and want to sharpen your emergency communications skills, this is a free opportunity to receive training
while getting realtime access to presenters. Although the presentations
will be recorded, the experts will be available for live chat with
attendees in question-and-answer sessions.

Tim Helming, WT1IM, told Newsline in an email that Comm Academy is the
only surviving significant event in Washington state and was made possible
by switching to a virtual event. He said: [quote] "It promises to be a
great training Opportunity for all of us in Washington state and perhaps beyond." [endquote] Tim said graduates of the two-day academy often go on
to do good work, putting their knowledge into action - which is of course
what it's all about.

For details or to register, visit commacademy dot org (commacademy.org)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(TIM HELMING WT1IM)

**

HAMS SEE THREAT IN PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO AUSTRIAN TELCOM LAW

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Austria's main amateur radio society is fighting back
against proposed laws it considers unfriendly to hams. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, brings us that story.

ED: The Austrian Amateur Radio Society, OVSV, is challenging proposed regulation changes by Parliament that the amateurs say would diminish privileges and spectrum allocations. Society president Mike Zwingl,
OE3MZC, told Newsline that a pending amendment to the Telecommunications
Act of 2020 contains language that would erode previous gains made by
radio amateurs, and fail to protect their licences.

Mike said that the new law's language institutes measures which would
impede hams' roles in emergency communications and passing welfare
traffic. The change would also raise costs for licences and impose larger fines for violations. The amendment also would leave amateurs with no protection against harmful interference. With lifetime licences abolished,
all new licences being issued would expire after 10 years. The radio
society would also lose the ability to administer license exams.

Mike told Newsline that hams enjoyed robust activity following the passage
in 2003 and 2007 of amateur radio laws favouring experimentation and new technologies.

He said a change in government in 2018 led to a new more complex Telecomms
Law that took over the administration of amateur radio laws as well.

The Austrian ham organisation is encouraging amateurs to contact the
ministry and telecommunications authority indicating their support for the group's position. Mike said the society had filed its comments earlier
with Parliament.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(MIKE ZWINGL OE3MZC)

**

FIELD DAY RULES MODIFIED AGAIN THIS YEAR FOR PANDEMIC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: To ensure that clubs and individuals have adequate
planning time for Field Day this year, the ARRL has announced that the
same modified rules from last year's pandemic plan will be in place this
year, along with new power limits for Class D and Class E stations. Both
are home stations, with Class E operating on emergency power. Both will
have a limit of 150 watts PEP. As with last year's scoring, club scores
will be a sum of all individual entries attributing their points to a
club.

Field Day will be held on June 26th and 27th. Additional updates are
available on the Facebook page of the ARRL and the ARRL's own Field Day
page on its website arrl.org.

(ARRL)
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