Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2060 for Friday, April 21, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2060 with a release date of Friday, 
April 21 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. VHF's back on board the International Space 
Station. Australia prepares for a new shortwave service -- and YLs in 
Japan are marking a milestone event. All this and more as Amateur Radio 
Newsline Report 2060 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART HERE

****
VHF PACKET DELIVERS ON THE SPACE STATION

PAUL/ANCHOR: We open this week's report with cause for rejoicing to the 
skies. So if you follow the International Space Station - or are hoping 
for a contact someday with one of its astronauts - listen carefully to 
this report from Amateur Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

NEIL: There's good news from outer space!  The International Space 
Station is back on the air on VHF from the Columbus module!  After a 
failure of a VHF handheld in October, a UHF replacement was retrieved 
from storage and put into use temporarily.  Because failure is not an 
option, the ARISS team began the process of getting the 17-year-old 
replacement handheld radio up to the space station until the new mobile 
radio is ready and certified.  At the end of February, the SpaceX 10 
launch vehicle, Dragon, flew to the ISS with the HT on board. On Friday, 
April 14th, it was finally unpacked.  Rosalie White, K1STO, ARISS 
International Secretary, shared the good news with us the day it happened.

ROSALIE:  The ARISS team was notified this morning that the radio was 
set up and turned on to 145.825 as the crew just found time finally 
after unpacking that 5,500 pounds of cargo that got delivered.  So we're 
back in business again!

NEIL: Followers of ISS Fan Club have already posted that they've heard 
and used VHF packet and are thrilled to have it again! Rosalie reminds 
us that they don't know how long the radio will last and work is still 
progressing on a permanent replacement.

ROSALIE:  The Ericsson that we sent up was the very last one that was in 
storage at Houston.  It's only 6 watts, and our new system that we're 
developing is 25 watts.  It's going to make it so much nicer.  The audio 
will be so much better for the school kids.  And that system is in the 
works.  We've got the Kenwoods, but the power supplies are in the 
process of being built, and because they have to be space-certified 
parts inside, they are extremely expensive.  So if anyone is interested 
in helping out with some of those costs, they can go to the AMSAT 
website www.amsat.org or the ARISS www.ariss.org site and contribute.  
If you are enjoying the use of the packet, we hope to be able to 
continue that for you and could sure use a hand.

NEIL:  So if you need your space... consider donating to the cause.  
Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

**
IN CORNWALL, FROM TITANIC TO MARCONI

PAUL/ANCHOR: As hams in Cornwall, England prepared for International 
Marconi Day on Saturday, April 22nd, they were already deeply involved 
in operating for another on-air commemoration: the 105th anniversary of 
the sinking of the Titanic, the ill-fated ocean liner that had a Marconi 
station on board. Amateur Radio Newsline's Ed Durrant DD5LP worked 
Cornwall special event station GB2GM and shares this report.

ED'S REPORT: April 22nd is a very special day in the world of radio. 
It's the day that we celebrate the birth of the great inventor, Marconi, 
without whom radio communications would not be what it is today.
There are many stations around the world who will take part in 
INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY. One of those stations I happened to come 
across on Good Friday commemorating another historical event where 
Marconi radio operators were involved. The sinking of the Titanic 
happened when it hit an iceberg 105 years ago. GB2GM is the special 
event station run by the Poldhu Radio Club from the Marconi Centre in 
Poldhu, Cornwall, England. Here's my short conversation with Malcolm 
GM0DBW while he was operating the club station.

------ Audio clip from IC-7300 of QSO in here------

ED: So, when tuning around on April 22nd if you hear GB2GM GB2 Golf Mike 
on the bands give them a call and you'll be talking to the museum 
located in the old Marconi station hut in Poldhu, Cornwall, the site of 
the first ever transatlantic wireless communication! Full information 
about the Poldhu Radio Club can be found on their web site at GB2GM.ORG.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

**

NO SHORTAGE OF SHORTWAVE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Shortwave service is back in Australia but it's not what 
you think. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp.

GRAHAM: With Radio Australia having ended its shortwave transmissions in 
January, some of the gap is about to be filled by a North Queensland 
radio operation starting in May. Radio 4KZ Innisfail will run its 1.5 
thousand watts into an inverted V antenna and will simulcast station 4KZ 
which is an AM/FM operation. The shortwave simulcast will be on 5055kHz 
seven days a week between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. local time. The new 
shortwave service was reported on the website SWLING.COM and credited 
the general manager of NQ Radio, Al Kirton, VK4FFKZ, with creating this 
to provide service to some areas left without radio when Radio Australia 
went off the shortwave bands earlier this year. Meanwhile in Parliament, 
there's a measure by Senator Nick Xenophon which would reinstate Radio 
Australia's shortwave service if it passes.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB

PAUL/ANCHOR: Al Kirton VK4FFKZ told Amateur Radio Newsline in an email 
that listeners will receive an attractive QSL card if they send in 
reception reports. He said the first two weeks of shortwave will be a 
trial-run operation.

(WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA, Al KIRTON VK4FFZ, SWLING.COM)

**
STILL TIME TO NOMINATE YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: And now, another reminder that nominations are open for our 
Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Young Ham of the Year Award. What 
does it all mean? Let's hear from a past winner.

CHRISTOPHER: I'm Christopher Arthur NV4B, the 2000 Newsline Young Ham of 
the Year. Being chosen Young Ham of the Year remains one of the greatest 
honors I have ever received. It showed me that the amateur radio 
community appreciates leadership among the youth in our hobby. My early 
success in amateur radio has translated to a ten-plus-year career in 
computer engineering. I have remained active in the hobby since I won 
the award and I am currently an active member of the Muscle Shoals 
Amateur Radio Club where I am involved in technical projects and 
presentations, Field Day, VHF contesting and education and testing of 
new hams. The yaesu FT-847 I was awarded has been used to make over 20 
thousand QSOs since 2000. I hope that number continues to grow as I 
remain active in the years to come. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm 
Christopher Arthur NV4B.

PAUL/ANCHOR: If there is a young radio operator who particularly 
impresses you, visit our website for details at arnewsline.org. Find 
application forms under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations close May 31. Yes, 
that's barely a month away!

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur 
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including 
W3BN, the 2-meter repeater of the Reading Radio Club in Reading, 
Pennsylvania on Friday evenings at 8 p.m. local time.

**
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE TECH

PAUL/ANCHOR: Girls are very much the focus of the International 
Telecommunications Union, which is getting ready to mark yet another 
International Girls in Information and Telecommunication Technologies 
Day. That would be April 27. The annual program is the UN agency's 
global effort to open up the world of science and tech to girls who 
might someday be employed in the sector. Companies, schools, government 
agencies and other ICT affiliates aroudn the world will be hosting 
workshops, career fairs and hands-on activities. The daylong event 
acknowledges amateur radio as one gateway into the sector and encourages 
girls' involvement.

Since ICT Day's establishment in 2011, more than 240 thousand girls and 
young women haave been involved in 7,200 events in 160 countries around 
the world, according to the ITU.

(ARRL, ITU)

**

TIME TO PARTY IN NEW ENGLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: The New England QSO Party is coming up fast, and organizers 
are asking hams to come out and represent their counties. We hear more 
from Amateur Radio Newsline's Geri Goodrich KF5KRN.

GERI'S REPORT: If you can't visit New England, the next best thing is to 
WORK New England, and you'll get your chance on the 6th and 7th of May 
during the New England QSO Party. Organizers are working hard to get 
every county in every New England state represented. So if you're 
already in New England, consider this your invitation to the 
20-hour-long party, for however many hours you can participate. Yes, 
there will actually be a sleep break between 1 a.m. Sunday and 9 a.m. 
Sunday local time to relax and recharge. The rest of the time hams can 
operate using CW, SSB and digital modes on 80/40/20/15 and 10 meters.

Last year the party had a turnout to be proud of: 179 stations in New 
England and 300 more participating from around the country and the world.

If you're in New England, register by emailing info-at-neqp.org

If you're anywhere else, be ready starting Saturday May 6 at 20:00 UTC. 
Visit neqp.org for more details.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Geri Goodrich KF5KRN.

(NEW ENGLAND QSO PARTY)


**

GETTING LUCKY IN KENTUCKY

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're proud to drive a vehicle that has your callsign 
on its license plate, you'll understand why hams in Kentucky want to 
give their own state license plates a second look. Amateurs there are 
considering a remake that perhaps offers a little higher wattage. This 
report comes to us courtesy of Amateur News Weekly's Jack Prindle AB4WS.

JACK'S REPORT: In Kentucky, our amateur radio vehicle registration 
plates are very plain: a white background and your call sign in blue and 
the words "amateur radio" make up the plates. Many would like to see the 
commonwealth update these plates. What do YOU think? Please email your 
ideas and opinions to arrlky@yahoo.com

Covering your amateur radio news in the Greater Cincinnati area and the 
commonwealth of Kentucky for Amateur News Weekly, this is Jack Prindle 
AB4WS in Big Bone Kentucky.

PAUL/ANCHOR: That report was from Amateur News Weekly. To hear more news 
serving hams in Kentucky and the Greater Cincinnati area, visit 
amateurnewsweekly.com

(AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY)

**
THE WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, the Tortugas CW Group will be operating as ED9T for 
the King of Spain CW Contest on May 21st and 22nd from the Spanish 
external territory of Melilla on the North African coast. They will 
mostly operate on CW however you may also hear them operating as EG9TOR 
on SSB and digital modes outside of the contest. QSL via EA4PN or use 
OQRS for a direct, LoTW, eQSL or bureau card.

Listen for David, OK6DJ and Petr, OK1FCJ operating as 5V7P from Togo 
between April 21st and the 28th. Find them on 160 to 10 meters using CW, 
SSB and digital modes.  QSL via OK6DJ, ClubLog's OQRS or
LoTW.

Next month, Tim LW9EOC will be operating as HC8/LW9EOC from the 
Galapagos Islands between May 15th and May 29th on 160 meters through 6 
meters. He will focus mainly on 30, 17 and 12 meters using SSB, CW and 
RTTY. QSL via his home call, direct or LoTW.

Listen also for Pasi, OH3WS, on the air as OJ0W from Market Reef on May 
6th and 7th. Find Pasi on 20 to 6 meters using CW and SSB. Pasi will 
also try 60 meters on both CW and SSB, on 5354 kHz.  QSL via his home call.

Finally, despite likely very average propagation and busy bands with 
contests, the SOTA operators have planned their next Europe-to-North 
America - Summit to Summit activity for Saturday May 13th between 12:00 
and 18:00 UTC. Likely bands are 20m and 17m CW and SSB; as always 
realtime spotting will be available at sotawatch.org.

**

KICKER: HERE'S TO THE NEXT 60 YEARS IN JAPAN

PAUL/ANCHOR: And finally, we look forward - and we look back - with a 
60-year-old club for YLs in Japan. The Japan Ladies Radio Society has 
something special going on, as we learn in this week's final report, 
from Amateur Radio Newsline's Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

CARYN: Special event station 8N60JLRS began operating in Japan on April 
1 and the celebration won't stop until next March. What's going on? The 
Japan Ladies Radio Society is marking the long life it has enjoyed since 
three pioneering female amateurs founded it in 1957 to help that 
nation's small but rapidly growing population of YLs enjoy life on the 
amateur bands. According to Yukiko Maki 7K4TKB it was quite an adjustment.

YUKIKO: Once YLs in Japan started to call CQ there were always huge 
pileups and heavy QRM and it wasn't easy and comfortable for them to 
have a relaxing conversation with other YLs in Japan. It was very 
difficult to do so at the time. That was the reason this club was 
founded. It was meant to be the place for Japanese YLs to meet and enjoy 
talking with other YLs.

CARYN: Yukiko, who chairs the radio society's DX operations, said the 
group has 160 domestic and 40 DX members. She said the special event 
station is just one of many activities the YLs have had: there are two 
annual contests, there's an awards program and over the years, there's 
been some adventure.

YUKIKO: The first one was a DXpedition in Maldives near India using 
callsign 8Q7YL in 1985 with 9 members and more than 23 thousand QSOs 
were made during the 5-day stay. Another one took place in 2007 to 
celebrate our fiftieth annivesary and at the time the QTH for this Dx 
was in the Palau Islands in the Pacific Ocean. We used our call sign was 
T80J with 18 members and at the time we did more than 2700 QSOs.

CARYN: The group's 60th anniversary will also be celebrated at the 
general meeting of the Japan Ladies Radio Society in Tokyo this summer. 
Yukiko said it's going to be great catching up with everyone. If you 
can't get to Tokyo, there's always special event station 8N60JLRS now 
through March of 2018. The YLs will be calling CQ -- and listening.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; Al Kirton VK4FFZ; Amateur News 
Weekly; the ARRL; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Japan Ladies Radio 
Society; New England QSO Party; QRZ.COM; QST Magazine; Southgate Amateur 
Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Summits on the Air; 
SWLING.COM; Tufts University; WTWW Shortwave; and you our listeners, 
that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our 
address at newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at 
Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at 
www.arnewsline.org.

Also -- if you've going to Hamvention this year -- you can contact us in 
person! Just look for the Newsline crew at the HamNation booth in Xenia. 
We'll be wearing our distinctive blue polo shirts. We'd love to meet our 
listeners.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso, 
Indiana saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.


***

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