[Attachment(s) from James KB7TBT included below]
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2105 for Friday, March 2, 2018
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2105 with a release date of Friday,
March 2 2018 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Bouvet Island DXpeditioners extend some
friendship and a special invitation. Dayton Hamvention is offering a new
way for attendees to stay in touch -- and it's time to think about
nominating the 2018 Young Ham of the Year. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report 2105 comes your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
UPDATE: R.S.V.P. REQUESTED FOR BOUVET ISLAND
JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week's newscast with yet another update on
plans to activate Bouvet Island. There's speculation this adventure
could become an even bigger team effort, as we hear from Jim Meachen
ZL2BHF.
JIM MEACHEN: In the spirit of cooperation so characteristic of amateur
radio, the organizers of the 3Y0I Bouvet Island Expedition have extended
an invitation to the team members from the recently scrapped 3Y0Z Bouvet
expedition to operate together from the coveted DX location. The
Polish-led team issued a statement in late February saying [quote] "we
are fully aware and full of sympathy of their disappointment."
[endquote] The team said it believes the shared operation will not only
keep costs down for both teams but provide more opportunity to the
global ham community. Although there has not yet been any response from
the 3Y0Z team, it should be noted that their radio equipment meanwhile
remains in storage in South Africa.
Meanwhile, another team - the Saint Brandon Island DXpedition 3B7A --
has announced that they expect to reach their Indian Ocean destination
by early April. The eight-member team expects to be active from the 5th
to the 17th of April. Saint Brandon Island is Number 28 on the DXCC
most-wanted list.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
**
YOUNG HAMS INVITED TO DX ADVENTURE IN CURACAO
JIM/ANCHOR: Another DX adventure awaits too - this one specifically for
young amateurs. It's in Curacao and, as we hear from Kevin Trotman
N5PRE, the window to accept applications is getting ready to shut.
KEVIN: If you're a young amateur with your sights set on big DX this
summer, you have a few more days to apply for acceptance to this year's
Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure. The destination this year is
the PJ2T contest site in Curacao. Three young amateurs between the ages
of 12 and 17 will be accepted for the trip. They're to be accompanied by
a parent or legal guardian who needn't be a licensed ham. All
participants should have a valid passport and be a U.S. resident.
The purpose of the trip is to teach young operators the best way to
handle pileups, to learn how to optimize gray line propagation and, of
course, to work as much DX as possible. This year's trip will take place
July 19th through 24th.
Application deadline is Saturday, March 17. A downloadable application
form is available at qsl dot net slash n6jrl (qsl.net/n6jrl)
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.
(YDXA)
**
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC HIGHLIGHTS YL'S SPACE RECORD
JIM/ANCHOR: Space is the ultimate DX, and one astronaut with a special
claim to fame in the sky just got her own cover story here on Earth.
Here's Heather Embee KB3TZD with that report.
HEATHER: Even though she no longer has an active ham radio license,
research biochemist Peggy Whitson has something that's perhaps just as
good - a national record. The March edition of National Geographic
magazine celebrates the International Space Station astronaut who last
April surpassed the record for spending the cumulative time in space. In
April 2017 she bested astronaut Jeff Williams' record of 534 days. Peggy
also has the distinction of being the first woman to serve twice as
commander of the ISS.
The Iowa native, who turned 58 on February 9th, had been a Technician
class operator, with the call sign KC5ZTD, until its expiration, which
the FCC website lists as 2007.
She remains, however, the longest-serving American in space -- and that
record is expected to last quite some time.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Heather Embee KB3TZD.
(NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC)
**
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY A GLOBAL HAM EXPERIENCE
JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, YLs back here on Earth are turning on their rigs
for a major celebration. We hear more from Ed Durrant DD5LP.
ED: March 8th once again marks the International Women's Day, a time to
formally recognize the accomplishments of women around the world, be
they political, academic, economic, social or cultural. It's a tradition
that has its roots in a gathering more than 100 years ago with its
earliest observers in Germany, Australia, Denmark, the US and Switzerland.
For the past five years, the YL group of the Deutscher Amateur Radio
Club, or DARC, has joined with Sophie F4DHQ to increase amateur radio
participation in this global event. On that day, for four hours between
18:00 UTC and 22:00 UTC, YLs are encouraged to be as active as possible
on the air on 20m, 40m and 80m using SSB and CW. Yes, this is a contest.
OMs are welcome to participate but - needless to say - contacts with YLs
are worth more points.
Hams in Germany should send their logs to Heike, DL3HD at dl3hd at darc
dot de while participants from other countries should email their logs
to Sophie F4DHQ at orange dot fr. Logs should be in chronological order
and include date, time (in UTC), band, mode, call of QSO partner, name
of the YL, RST and the points claimed. Submission deadline is May 1st.
For more details and rules simply search for F4DHQ on qrz DOT com.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(DARC)
**
HAMVENTION-BOUND? TEXT TO KEEP IN TOUCH
JIM/ANCHOR: Are you heading to Hamvention this year? Neil Rapp WB9VPG
tells us a new way to stay in touch - and plan for the trip.
NEIL:The Dayton Hamvention has added yet another way to communicate the
more time-sensitive types of information: text alerts. According to the
hamvention.org web site, hams can sign up for text alerts from the
official Hamvention staff and National Weather severe weather watch and
warning service. To sign up for the text alert service, text
Hamvention18 to 888777. Once again, that's Hamvention18 to the text
number 888777. Once you successfully sign up, you'll receive a
confirmation text welcoming you to the service. When I signed up a few
days ago, 123 people had already registered. There's no charge for the
service, but as always message and data rates may apply depending on
your cell phone plan.
Counting down the days until Hamvention, this is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG
reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline.
(DAYTON HAMVENTION)
**
NATIONAL RADIO CENTRE ADDS HOURS OF OPERATION
JIM/ANCHOR: If you're in the UK, you're in luck: the National Radio
Centre has more isiting hours. Here's Jeremy Boot G4NJH with the details.
JEREMY: The National Radio Centre, an educational showcase at Bletchley
Park in Buckinghamshire, will be open to visitors six days a week
effective Monday the 2nd of April. The centre's hours of operation will
be the same as the Bletchley Park museum, opening at 9:30 a.m., and
closing at 4 p.m. in the winter and 5 p.m. in the summer.
The centre traces the development of radio technology from the pioneers
in the late 19th century. Best of all, there's a state-of-the-art
amateur radio station GB3RS available to hams who want to get on the air.
Admission is free to members of the Radio Society of Great Britain.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
N5OZG repeater in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sundays at 8 p.m.
**
AUSTRALIAN HAMS HARBOR HOPES FOR GOOD CONTACTS WITH FERRIES
JIM/ANCHOR: What could be better than a day on board a boat? Try adding
radio. John Williams VK4JJW tells us about some hams who are doing just
that.
JOHN'S REPORT: Amateurs in and around Sydney, Australia are getting
ready for a field day without an actual field. For the third year,
they're using ferries instead as they float through Sydney's harbor
aboard one of the city's historic ferries on March 11.
The UHF-VHF event is organized by the Waverley Amateur Radio Society
VK2BV in the hopes that hams will use their handheld transceivers to
make as many contacts as they can from the ferries or the wharves over
the course of six hours, starting at 10 am local time. Contacts may be
on simplex or through a repeater and in any mode the operator wishes.
Mobile operators are encouraged to activate wharves and home-based hams
are invited to work any of the harbor stations.
Hams looking to operate from ferries and who have a New South Wales
Transport Opal card have just the ticket - the maximum fare on a Sunday
is $2.60 and it's money well spent for a day of smooth sailing.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams VK4JJW.
(WAVERLEY AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)
**
RADIOS BECOME THE TEACHERS IN SCOTTISH CLASSROOM
JIM/ANCHOR: Radio doesn't just promise the magic of communication, it
also offers the magic of education. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has this story
from Scotland.
JEREMY: For a group of young schoolchildren in Scotland, a lesson on
basic electronics combined with a taste of amateur radio has brought
history to life in a very personal way. The CQScotland group was
wrapping up the final session in its four-part series of visits to two
Hamilton Schools on behalf of the South Lanarkshire Council. The
students, who had earlier explored electronic circuits and components,
turned their attention on the 20th of February to Morse Code by building
a simple sender and learning a little CW. Then Roy Kavannah GM4VKI of
the GQRP club showed his collection of radio equipment that had been
used in clandestine operations. The youngsters, already intrigued by the
notion of secret codes, grew wide-eyed.
The power of radio was also driven home by Tony Miles MM0TMZ, Scottish
Region 1 manager of the Radio Society of Great Britain. He told the
children that both his father and grandfather used equipment similar to
Roy's whilst working for the UK clandestine special operations during
both world wars.
That's when one of the visiting parents stepped forward and declared he
too had been a radio operator involved in such operations: He had been
in the Soviet Navy!
According to David Searle MM0HQD, the next series of workshops will be
held for older students at the secondary school level.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH
(DAVID SEARLE MM0HQD)
**
SOTA ACTIVATORS PREPARE FOR LONG PATH PROPAGATION
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Europe and the Asian Pacific region are planning to
climb high and aim even higher, as we hear from Ed Durrant DD5LP.
ED'S REPORT: In Summits on the Air (SOTA), one of the more difficult and
therefore challenging actions is to communicate from one summit to
another usually using low power and a simple antenna at both ends. Add
to that distance and poor propagation and the challenge is enormous.
This will not deter over 30 SOTA activators who are planning to climb
again this year to summits in Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia,
New Zealand and Japan on Saturday the 10th of March. In time for long
path propagation between Europe and Asia Pacific.
The summit to summit (or S-2-S) event will start around 0630 UTC � for
Long Path between Europe and Australia over the following 90 minutes or
so. Despite predicted poor propagation there are from time to time
openings even at the bottom of the solar cycle.
It is the first time that South Africa is joining in and while contacts
from there to Europe are unlikely contacts over to Australia may take
place.
The organisers � Mike 2E0YYY, Andrew VK1AD and Ed DD5LP are hopeful that
as well as several S2S contacts within the regions, contacts between
regions will be possible. The best chance will be stations using CW
however those using SSB will be trying hard as well.
For anyone wanting to join the party, either as an activator on a summit
or a chaser, home station, discussions can be found on the "reflector
(dot) sota (dot) org (dot)uk" web site.
These events are organised by individuals within the SOTA community, so
it just shows how much fun can be had based simply on an idea, choosing
a date and a loooong walk up a hill on possibly a freezing morning!
This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, Dom, M1KTA, is operating as C6AKT from Eleuthera
Island between the 8th and 17th of March. He is operating mainly QRP
using CW on 80/40/20/15/10 meters. He expects to participate in the
Commonwealth Contest on March 10th and 11th. Visit his QRZ page for his
contest schedule. QSL via his call sign M1KTA, direct, by the Bureau,
ClubLog's OQRS
or LoTW.
Listen for Hardy/DL3KWF and YL Rosel/DL3KWR operating as CT9/DL3KWF and
CT9/DL3KWR respectively from Madeira between the 8th of March and the
5th of April. They expect to spend the most time on 30/17/12 meters and
will be using CW. You can also try listening for them on 60 meters. QSL
via home call signs, direct, by the Bureau (also via E-mail request),
eQSL or LoTW.
Later this month, be listening for Hartwig, DL7BC, who will arrive in
French Guiana around the 12th of March. He will be active as FY/DL7BC/p
after that and most likely will return home on the 26th of March. Listen
for him as TO2BC during the BARTG HF RTTY contest on March 17-18th and
the CQWW WPX SSB on March 24th and 25th. Outside the contests, his call
sign will remain FY/DL7BC/p on 40 through 10 meters. QSL via his home
callsign, direct, by the Bureau, Club's OQRS or LoTW.
(OHIO PENN DX)
**
KICKER: APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR
JIM/ANCHOR: Finally, Amateur Radio Newsline would like to remind
listeners that the nomination period has opened for this year's Bill
Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Although we accept
nominations through May 31, don't wait too long to download your
application from our website and get your documentation together to
support your nominee. Young Ham candidates must be 18 or younger and be
a resident of the United States, its possessions or any Canadian
province. Application forms are available on our website arnewsline.org
under the "YHOTY" tab. Please read the rules carefully. Applications are
being accepted from now until May 31. The award will be presented in
August at the Huntsville Hamfest in Huntsville Alabama. Join us in
helping celebrate young, talented, community-minded amateurs by
nominating a youngster you admire.
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; David
Searle MM0HQD); Dayton Hamvention; Deutscher Amateur Radio Club; Hap
Holly and the Rain Report; the Irish Radio Transmitters Society;
National Geographic; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; the Radio Society of
Great Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio
Show; the Waverley Amateur Radio Society; 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 Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West
Virginia saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
***
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