Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2097 for Friday, January 5, 2018

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2097 with a release date of Friday, 
January 5 2018 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A licensing exam puts more than 100 new hams on 
the air in Cuba. An Australian amateur group marks 60 years -- and a 
veteran grid square chaser recalls his successes! All this and more as 
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2097 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
ARRL'S INTERNATIONAL GRID CHASE HAS BEGUN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: As hams start the new year learning the ins and outs of 
the Maidenhead grid squares that mark locations for U.S. contacts, one 
longtime radio operator in Texas recalls his own chase across the grid 
and the hard-won success it ultimately brought him. Jim Damron N8TMW has 
that story.

JIM: The dawn of a new year has brought the ARRL International Grid 
Chase, which is challenging hams to operate on any band except 60 meters 
in pursuit of as many different Maidenhead grid squares as they can 
possibly work. Newsline managed to catch up with a veteran of this kind 
of grid square victory - Pat Rose, W5OZI, of Junction, Texas. In 2010, 
Pat became the second recipient of the ARRL's Fred Fish Memorial Award. 
The award is given to hams who successfully work all 488 grid squares in 
the contiguous United States. Pat became the first ham to replicate on 6 
meters what Fred Fish himself had accomplished before becoming a Silent 
Key.

Pat told Newsline that he once believed working all 488 grids was 
impossible. He said because it was a new award at the time he thought it 
would be fun to try. He wrote in his email to us: [quote] "I had no 
strategy, but I thought that with a good antenna and with a kilowatt 
from a home-built linear amp I would have a chance at competing against 
some big-time six-meter ops."

He even ended up working some rare grids. He told us in his email: 
[quote] "I finally worked KB8U, Russ in CM79 on June 17, 2010 for the 
last one when he went back-packing there. I worked him I think the 
second day he was there.  It was a  big surprise and I have thanked him 
over and over again for his trip." [endquote]

So as you consider this year's event, remember Pat's success and know 
that persistence surely pays off: Pat has been licensed since 1948. He 
was 17 years old when he hitchhiked from Austin, Texas to Dallas that 
year to take the test. That was the first of his many successes since.

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

**
DX CONVENTION GOES THE DISTANCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: April will be here before you know it - and so will the 
International DX Convention, as we hear from Heather Embee KB3TZD.

HEATHER: If you're wanting an early seat at the table for the 
International DX Convention, you can secure yourself a spot in just a 
few days. Registration opens on the 15th of January for the 69th annual 
event.

The convention is sponsored by the Southern California DX Club and is 
being held April 20th to 22nd at the Visalia Convention Center. The 
keynote speech at Saturday's banquet will focus on the Bouvet Island 
DXpedition 3-Y-0-Z. The team of hams is scheduled to leave later this 
month for the rare island, which is second on the DXCC most-wanted list. 
Other activities at the California weekend convention will feature talks 
by some of the world's most accomplished DXpeditioners, sharing their 
tips and their stories. To get more details visit their website 
dxconvention dot org (dxconvention.org).

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Heather Embee KB3TZD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An important part of that weekend's event is the 
Intrepid Spirit Award conferred by the Intrepid-DX Group. It is named in 
memory of Silent Key James McLaughlin WA2EWE/T6AF. James was among a 
number of Americans killed in April of 2011 after an Afghan military 
pilot opened fire. McLaughlin was working as a flight instructor in 
Kabul at the time of his death.

Nominations for this year's award winner are being accepted through the 
15th of January. The award will be given on April 21st at the 
International DX Convention.

Send nominations by email to intrepiddxgroup at gmail dot com 
(intrepiddxgroup@gmail.com).

**

CUBAN AMATEURS SCORE HIGH MARKS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The latest licensing exam in Cuba has produced plenty of 
new amateurs and quite a few impressive upgrades, as we hear from Kevin 
Trotman N5PRE.

KEVIN: Radio amateurs in Cuba have proven themselves to be scholars. The 
FRC, the Cuban Radio Federation, reports that 98 percent of the 
candidates taking the licensing test on December 16th have passed. That 
means Cuba will have 103 newly licensed hams, gaining call signs with a 
CL prefix and 100 others qualified for upgrades to higher levels of 
licensing, with call sign prefixes of CM and CO.

The FRC reports that this rate of success surpasses performance on the 
previous exam by 8 percent.

The FRC announced that it was pleased with these latest test results and 
hopes the addition of new licensed amateurs will increase radio access 
to regions of Cuba that are mountainous and otherwise inaccessible. The 
FRC is also reaching out increasingly to youngsters and YLs.

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

(SOUTHGATE)

**

K2BSA ACTIVATION STARTS RADIO SCOUTS' NEW YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The new year is only a few days old but already radio 
scouts have a busy agenda. We get those details from Bill Stearns NE4RD.

BILL: This week in Radio Scouting we have one activation of the K2BSA 
callsign, the votes for officers are in at K2BSA, and we're looking at 
Radio Scouting Awards.

Chris Clark, W6CBC, will be activating K2BSA/6 at Polar Camp in 
Idyllwild, CA, on Saturday January 13th.  Polar Camp will include more 
than 250 Cub Scouts participating in winter activities. Chris will set 
up a Radio Scouting station where Scouts can learn how to include Ham 
Radios in all of their scouting adventures.

The K2BSA organization had its biannual voting of officers this winter 
and the following will be the new leadership moving forward for a 2 year 
term as soon as the voting is approved:  Jim Wilson, K5ND, will remain 
President,  Bill Stearns, NE4RD, will become Vice President, Donald 
Sonnefeld, KD2FIL, will remain Secretary, and Mike Crownover, AD5A, will 
become Treasurer.

Amateur Radio continues to be relevant in Scouting through awards that 
Scouts can earn in their various programs:

Cub Scouts can use Amateur Radio for a component of their Arrow of 
Light, by communicating with a Scout in another country.  This can be 
done at any time or during Jamboree on the Air.

Girl Scouts can earn the Radio and Wireless Technology Patch. With this 
program and award, young women can learn about radio fundamentals, 
community service, and careers in radio.

Boy Scouts can earn the Radio Merit Badge which teaches them about 
wireless technologies, Amateur Radio direction finding and modern 
methods of broadcast transmissions.  In addition to the merit badge, Boy 
Scouts can earn the Morse Code Interpreter Strip by showing proficiency 
in CW by copying and sending a message at 5 words per minute.  If a 
scout earns their amateur radio license, they can get an Amateur Radio 
Operator strip for their uniform as well.  Amateur Radio Operators 
interested in helping scouts earn these awards, contact your local 
council, chapter, and district leadership.

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

**

AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS PREP FOR 60th FIELD DAY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Australia, one amateur radio club is marking 60 years 
of being on the air by celebrating in a big way. For that story, we turn 
to Ed Durrant DD5LP.

ED'S REPORT: Sunday February 25th, 2018 will see the 60th CCARC field 
day (Hamfest) at the Wyong horse racing course in New South Wales, 
Australia. The Central Coast ARC itself celebrated being 60 years old in 
2017 and now "the largest gathering of Radio Amateurs in the Southern 
Hemisphere" will hit its 60th edition in seven weeks' time.

The racecourse is now owned by Racing New South Wales and a large high 
quality, air conditioned marquee will be available to house all of the 
commercial traders with the old under cover concourse area being 
available for flea market (car boot) sellers, so come rain or wind, 
visitors will be able to view goods undercover.

As always there is a full and overflowing lecture program and attendance 
from the national society, the WIA and the QSL card bureau as well as 
other local radio clubs.

The local "50-plus" radio station will be covering the event from an 
on-site installation.

A big hit from last year, the drone flying demonstrations is being 
brought back and this year the drones, which will also be available for 
sale will be the "First Person View" type meaning the person flying the 
drone sees what the drone sees.

The racecourse is conveniently located near to the main-line Wyong 
railway station and there is even a free courtesy bus from the station 
to the racecourse.

For the 60 years young Central Coast Amateur Radio Club, this is Ed DD5LP.


**
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.

**
HAM GRANTED PATENT FOR "INVISIBILITY CLOAK"

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's no secret that hams are inventive. Paul Braun 
WD9GCO tells us about one ham in New England whose latest invention has 
won him yet another U.S. patent.

PAUL: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted a Massachusetts 
radio amateur a patent for an invisibility cloak that provides 
deflective electromagnetic shielding for ships, spacecraft, antennas, 
satellites, rockets, towers and other structures.

Inventor Nathan Cohen W1YW, the founder of Fractal Antenna Systems Inc. 
issued a statement saying that while the company's previous patent 
covers an invisibility cloak itself, this technology can deflect 
electromagnetic waves, leaving an object invisible to those waves. The 
camouflage occurs at the level of heat and radio wavelengths. A press 
release from the company noted that the cloaking is possible even over a 
wide bandwidth. It can be used for defense and intelligence but also has 
commercial applications for towers and antennas.

According to his QRZ profile, Nathan isn't just a fractal antenna 
specialist but an enthusiastic DXer.

This is the latest patent to be granted to the firm.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(BUSINESS WIRE, QRZ)

**
MARKING ONE SHIP'S TRAGIC SINKING

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Special Event stations exist to remind us of important 
moments in world history. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about one such 
station operating in Ireland to honor those who died aboard a torpedoed 
World War I ship.

JEREMY: If you hear the callsign EI100MCV anytime between now and the 
end of the year, you are hearing a tribute to a World War I tragedy that 
is marking 100 years. More than 500 people died after the Royal Mail 
Ship Leinster was struck by a U-boat's torpedoes just off the Irish 
coast on the 10th of October in 1918. The ship's sinking 15 miles from 
Kingstown resulted in the most lives lost in the Irish sea. Many of 
those who were not killed immediately by the torpedoes died in the 
waters awaiting rescue. The Leinster was armed and its list of 
passengers included soldiers who were heading back to the war.

The special station call sign contains the original call sign "MCV" from 
the ship. Amateur radio operators will be on all bands but are operating 
on or close to all amateur frequencies ending in the number 18. On 80 
meters that would include 3.518, 3.618 and 3.718 and on 160 meters that 
would include 1.918.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IRTS, THE JOURNAL.IE)

**
SOUTH AFRICAN AMATEUR RADIO LEAGUE SEEKS AWARD NOMINEES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The South African Radio League is preparing for its 
convention in Pretoria and it's looking to honor deserving amateurs at 
the gathering this April in Pretoria. Here's more from John Williams 
VK4JJW.

JOHN'S REPORT: In preparation for its national convention in April the 
South African Radio League is accepting nominations for awards, as well 
as nominations for council positions and motions for discussion. The 
convention is being held on April 13th through 15th and is being hosted 
by the Pretoria Amateur Radio Club.

All nominations are due by the 31st of January and should be sent to the 
secretary via the email address secretary at sarl dot org dot za 
(secretary@sarl.org.za.)

SARL is also reminding its members that the new editions of its Blue 
Book and Diary of Events can be downloaded from the League's website at 
sarl dot org dot za (sarl.org.za). Since some contest rules have changed 
and a new VHF/UHF contest has been introduced, it's important to have 
the most up-to-date edition. The Diary of Events will contain full 
information about Summits on the Air, the Fauna and Flora program, SARL 
awards and IARU awards.

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

(SARL)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for the special call sign HH70A. The 
Radio Club of Haiti is operating with that call sign to celebrate its 
70th anniversary, which it is marking on March 29. Be listening on all 
bands. Send QSLs via W3HNK.

Adrian EA1CYK is using the call sign OD5/EA1CYK while in Lebanon as a 
member of the Spanish UNIFIL contingent. He will be there until May. His 
QSL Manager is EA7LS.

Be listening for Pat N2IEN operating as A52PD from Bhutan from the 
second to the fourteenth of January. QSLs go via NR6M.

Jim, WB2TJO, is active as 3D2JS from Fiji through mid-March. Listen for 
Jim on 40-15 meters using CW, SSB and digital modes. Send QSLs via his 
home callsign.

Alex UA1OJL is on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands where 
he is active as RI1ANO until the 31st of March. Listen for him using the 
special callsign RI50ANO to celebrate the 50th anniversary of 
Bellingshausen Base where he is stationed. QSL Manager is RN1ON via Club 
Log OQRS.

(OHIO-PENN DX)

**
KICKER: OUR AULD LANG SYNE-OFF

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Finally, should old acquaintances be forgot? Not in 
amateur radio, where eyeball QSOs and on-air contacts always keep us 
connected. So as we begin 2018, let's consider some of the top stories 
we connected you with during the past year. Here's Don Wilbanks AE5DW.

DON: What a year: Dayton Hamvention made its debut in a new location in 
Xenia, Ohio. Pilot Brian Lloyd WB6RQN circled the globe calling QRZ in a 
tribute to Amelia Earhart. TV's "Last Man Standing" aired its final 
sitcom episode about a ham radio family. A bankrupt Radio Shack closed 
more than a thousand stores in the U.S. In the UK, Radio Caroline, the 
former pirate broadcaster, went legit and got licensed. Radio Australia 
ended its shortwave service. In the U.S., the Amateur Radio Parity Act 
of 2017 was introduced on Capitol Hill where it remains stalled. Hams 
responded to three major storms during Atlantic hurricane season as well 
as earthquakes and wildfires around the world. Hams also tracked the 
first total solar eclipse in more than three decades. Where will 2018 
take us? Keep listening - and we'll explore that answer together. 
Meanwhile, we wish you, our listeners, a Happy New Year.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; Business Wire; CQ 
Magazine; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; the IARU; the Irish Radio 
Transmitters Society; the Intrepid DX Group; the Journal; K2BSA; 
Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; South African Radio League; Southgate 
Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Wireless Institute of 
Australia; 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 at www.arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio 
saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.


***

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