Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2127 for Friday, August 3, 2018

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2127 with a release date of Friday, 
August 3, 2018 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams step up as California wildfires burn. Dave 
Kalter Youth DXers in Curacao release their log's final tally -- and 
South Africa prepares for Youngsters on the Air. All this and more as 
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2127 comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART
**
HAMS STEP UP AS WILDFIRES SWEEP CALIFORNIA

PAUL: We begin this week with a report from California, where officials 
were tallying up the damage from one of California's most devastating 
wildfires. By August 1st, the Carr Fire consumed Shasta County, taking 
with it more than 1,000 homes and at least eight lives at the last count.
As shelters opened and the Red Cross sought out communications help, 
hams with the Shasta Tahama Amateur Radio Emergency Services, assisted 
by hams from Sacramento ARES stepped in. One of them was Gary Sanda 
KI6OMU, the finance manager of Shasta Tahama ARES. As Gary's family was 
being evacuated to stay with friends, he deployed to help with what was 
being called the Carr Fire, the largest of the 17 blazes to have hit the 
state.

GARY: Initially it was a callup of local people from the Shasta Tahama 
ARES or STARES and as the fire grew from one shelter to two shelters to 
maybe five or six now -- and one of the places people were sheltering 
was a casino 40 miles away -- we have been getting assistance from 
Sacramento ARES. So we have been covering most everything. We certainly 
could have used more people but we have all been scrambling to try and 
cover everything we can.

PAUL/ANCHOR: By the first of August the Carr fire was declared 30 
percent contained but people - including Gary's own family - were still 
displaced. The hams were busy providing communications between shelter 
managers and the Red Cross as needed since cell phone service remained 
largely intact, although spotty in some areas.

GARY: The bulk of our communications is WINLINK because we are too far 
north to have any real VHF voice or UHF voice. So we are using WINLINK 
packet.

PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, the fire had swept over 
more than 112,000 acres and the hams were continuing to work their 
shifts, sometimes for days. Gary said that any hams wanting to provide 
assistance can get details by visiting the state's Communications 
Reserve Unit website at acscalifornia dot org (acscalifornia.org)

(CNN, SHASTA TAHAMA ARES)

**

VOIP HURRICANE NET GETS NEW ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: In other areas of ham radio disaster response, the VoIP 
Hurricane Net has someone new to help guide it, as we hear from Bobby 
Best WX4ALA.

BOBBY:  The VoIP Hurricane Net has a new assistant director of 
operations. Debby Gray WX9VOR, has been a part of the operation since 
2016 when she joined the VoIP Hurricane Net as a net control operator. 
Not long after coming on board, her skills were put to the test during 
the historic Atlantic hurricane season in 2017, when she worked numerous 
extended net control shifts and also managed to recruit additional net 
controls – newcomers and veterans – during hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Debby fills the vacancy left after Jim Sellars N0UAM became a Silent Key 
in May. She will be working with Dennis Dura K2DCD.

The announcement of her appointment was made by Rob KD1CY, the VoIP 
Hurricane Net’s director of operations. He noted that Debby’s background 
makes her ideally suited for the job. She has had more than two decades 
experience as an IT consultant, educator and mission critical support 
specialist, work that got her involved in disaster planning. She is also 
emergency coordinator for the ARES group of Kane County Illinois and a 
volunteer sergeant for the Naperville Illinois EMA Communications and 
Weather units.

Debby also works as one of the senior members of the WX9LOT Ham Team 
supporting NWS Chicago and the NWS Chicago SKYWARN program.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Bobby Best WX4ALA

(ROB KD1CY)

**
AT ILLW, AN OLD LIGHT BUT A BRIGHT LIGHT

PAUL/ANCHOR: The International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend has a 
real "OM" among lighthouses registered - it's from the 12th century! 
Here's Jeremy Boot G4NJH with details.

JEREMY: Well before there was the discovery of radio, well before 
Marconi, well before Samuel F.B. Morse and well before such a thing as 
the International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend, there stood a 
lighthouse on Lindau Island in Lake Constance, Bodensee, Germany. The 
structure was built circa 1180 as a fortified tower to protect Lindau 
and, history reports, it also served as a lighthouse. That beacon’s job 
was replaced by a lighthouse on the West mole at the entrance to Lindau 
Harbour in 1856 but both structures are not only still standing – both 
are part of this year’s International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend 
which takes place on August 18th and 19th. They have the honour of 
constituting the 300th entry and, in the case of the 12th century 
structure, being the oldest in the worldwide event. On a personal note, 
our own Ed Durrant DD5LP will be part of the activation along with 
Thomas DK1TK – so be listening!
Organisers for the event said momentum is building for this 
international celebration, which is not a contest. The current leaders 
for registrations are Germany with 55, Australia with 46 and the USA 
with 40. Other interesting lighthouse entrants are Namibia with 2, 
Mexico with 1, Latvia with 2 and Iceland and Gibraltar with 1 each. Many 
more registrations are expected in the next two weeks.
For Amateur  Radio Newsline, I’m Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(KEVIN MULCAHY VK2CE)

**
SOUTH AFRICAN HAMS HAVE THINGS DOWN TO A SCIENCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: In South Africa, there's a growing number of radio science 
citizen investigators. John Williams VK4JJW has that story.

JOHN: If you haven’t yet heard of the Amateur Radio Science Citizen 
Investigation or HamSCI SA, expect to begin hearing more about it soon. 
It’s a new umbrella association being launched jointly by South Africa's 
AMSAT SA and the South African Radio League. It’s an ambitious 
partnership involving cooperation between radio amateurs and 
professional scientists in a variety of research disciplines, including 
physics and electronics. The organisation’s current project is to 
support research into propagation on 5MHz with respect to the noise 
floor and its causes and mitigation. HamSCI SA will not conduct the 
research itself but lend support to the relevant research of others 
where it can. The researchers’ concerns include the very real 
possibility that noise will ultimately disable the weakest of signals on 
the radio spectrum and then, perhaps, even stronger transmissions. The 
new organisation’s work is explained in greater detail in a July 26th 
online magazine story in EngineerIT, written by Hans van de Groenendaal 
ZS6AKV.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I’m John Williams VK4JJW.

(SARL)

***

YOUTH DXers COUNT MORE THAN 6,000 CONTACTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Young hams from the Dave Kalter Youth DX Adventure have 
some numbers to share from their log, and Stephen Kinford N8WB has those 
numbers.

STEPHEN: If you were among the lucky ones to work PJ2Y, the Dave Kalter 
Youth DX Adventure in Curacao, you’re one of 6,261 contacts in the 
team’s log, according to the team’s website. As you can imagine it was a 
busy time for the four youngsters and four adults with them. They often 
didn’t get on the air until 10 in the morning and usually operated until 
about midnight. Team leader Jim Storms AB8YK reports that one of their 
major challenges was a power loss that cost them about eight hours on 
the air – but the rest of the time they were busy operating on SSB and 
CW. They also made an effort to get their FT8 station on the air as much 
as possible. Congratulations to Violetta Latham, KM4ATT of Greencastle, 
Pennsylvania; 13 year old Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX of Normal, Illinois; 14 
year old David Samu, VE7DZO of Prince George, British Colombia; and 15 
year old Mason Matrazzo, KM4SII of Clemmons, North Carolina. The 
DXpedition went off the air on July 23 and if you’re waiting for your 
QSL card, be patient. One is expected to be designed and sent soon. 
Meanwhile, the team’s log is now available on LoTW and Club Log.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Stephen Kinford N8WB.

(DAVE KALTER YOUTH DX ADVENTURE)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur 
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including 
the K7EFZ repeater on Tuesday nights at 9 local time in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

**
RUSSIAN AMATEURS CAMP IT UP WITH CODE

PAUL/ANCHOR: CW operators are getting ready to pack up and head to a 
campground just outside Moscow and Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us why.

JASON: The outdoor assembly of Code enthusiasts in Russia, just outside 
Moscow, may look like Field Day but it’s not. It’s being called the 
International Convention of CW Operators and its organisers are members 
of the U-QRQ-C club. While the very casual three-day event from August 
24th to 27th is free and open to whole families as well as individual 
operators, attendees are being asked to bring their own accommodation 
for sleeping outdoors – and of course, their radios. The location in 
Radograd is the same as for last year’s event. Anyone wanting to attend 
– or needing questions answered - can contact the club via email at 
uqrqc at mail dot ru (uqrqc@mail.ru)
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

**

SOUTH AFRICA BECOMES QTH FOR YOTA PARTICIPANTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Youngsters on the Air 2018 is coming to South Africa and 
Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us what the young hams' week will be like.

JEREMY: Just as it happened in Great Britain last year, South Africa is 
about to become the home QTH for teams of young amateurs from throughout 
Region 1 of the International Amateur Radio Union. Starting on the 8th 
of August, participants in Youngsters on the Air from Europe and Africa 
will arrive for a week of activities that include building radio kits as 
well as building bridges and friendships between nations. The group of 
70 includes hams as young as 16 and as old as 25 representing 30 or so 
different countries. The teams will create a mini Cube Sat and launch it 
into near space using a high-altitude balloon that they will track. 
They’ll build radio kits and, of course, they will put special event 
station ZS9YOTA on the air. There will also be an opportunity to sit for 
the South African Radio Amateur Examination and to work on their 
contesting skills. This is the first time any African nation has hosted 
this programme which will take place in South Africa’s central region of 
Gauteng.
By the 15th of August it will all be done and everyone will be packed up 
for the return home. With the 8th YOTA programme complete, the planning 
begins for the ninth such gathering next year.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I’m Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(SARL)

**

QRZ ANNOUNCES ‘WORLD RADIO FRIENDSHIP AWARD’

PAUL/ANCHOR: Things just got even friendlier on the air with a new 
operating award from QRZ.com. Here’s Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

KEVIN: Awards are one of the extra benefits of being a skilled and 
effective radio operator. QRZ.com has recently announced its newest 
operating award in recognition of its own 25th anniversary. It’s called 
the World Radio Friendship Award. Unlike QRZ’s other awards, such as the 
DX World Award, the United States Award and the World Continents Awards, 
this award is based only on contacts made with other users of QRZ. It’s 
an international award – and to qualify, a ham must have successfully 
logged on-air contacts with 25 QRZ members.
QRZ notes that as of its most recent statistics, its logbooks contain 
more than 245 million QSOs. That stands for a lot of good contacts in 
the three years since QRZ launched its operating awards program. In 
those three years, QRZ has issued more than 64,000 awards.
To determine if you qualify for the World Radio Friendship Award, visit 
QRZ’s Awards Analyzer online.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I’m Kevin Trotman N5PRE
(QRZ)

**
IN MALAYSIA A TRAIL OF HOPE -- AND HAMS

PAUL/ANCHOR: A big fundraising event in Malaysia is still a few months 
away but hams are already putting the pieces together, as we hear from 
Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

JASON: With its long commitment to community service, the Sabah Amateur 
Radio Society is once again among those organizations supporting the 
Salt Trail Challenge, a fundraising run in its fifth year. A lot of 
planning is going into this massive event which will take place in 
October at the historic Crocker Range Park in Malaysia.This year’s 
challenge is the “Trail of Hope,” featuring a 16K and 25K run for both 
men and women. The event is a joint effort of the radio club, Sabah 
Parks and the Pacos Trust. The run supports the activities of the Mercy 
Malaysia Sabah Chapter, which has been a major healthcare provider since 
2003, including helping with disaster relief and water and sanitation 
issues. The Sabah Amateur Radio Society was formed in 1978 and according 
to its website, has an established association with community service 
events such as this.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW

(SABAH AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

**
WORLD OF DX
Be listening through the end of the year for Mike VE2XB who is operating 
on Baffin Island in northern Canada. He is using the callsign VY0BRR. 
The IOTA reference is NA-047.

Listen for Przemslaw SP7VC, visiting two of the British Channel Islands 
from Poland throughout the month of August. He will sign MU/SP7VC from 
Guernsey from 5th – 11th August and the move on to Jersey where he will 
operate as MJ/SP7VC from the 11th – 14th August. Be listening on all 
bands from 160 – 10m and some of the VHF bands.

Listen for Roly, ZL1BQD, on the air as A35RR from Togatapu between the 
8th and 17th of August. He'll be on 160 to 10 meters using mostly JT65 
and FT8. He is not ruling out use of SSB or CW if conditions permit. 
Send QSLs via ZL1BQD.

In Tonga, be listening for Hardy DL7JLL who will operate from the 
Kingdom of Tonga
during the months of August and September. The callsign A35JLL will be 
what he uses in August. Listen on 40/20/15/10 meters. You can expect him 
to operate from August 8th to 15th from Nuku Alofa. QSL via DL7JLL 
direct or by the Bureau.

(IRTS, OHIO PENN DX)


**
KICKER: A HOLIDAY LIKE NO OTHER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Finally, we end this week's report in a holiday mood. Ham 
Holiday descended upon Oklahoma City in late July - and Don Wilbanks 
AE5DW has the details.

DON: There are holidays…and then there are Ham Holidays. One week before 
the YLRL convention touched down in Oklahoma City, 650 hams from 
Arkansas, Kansas, Texas, Missouri and Oklahoma took over the city’s 
Tower Hotel on July 27th and 28th. The educational forums were 
standing-room-only, whether the subject was DMR, youth involvement, 
programming radios or actitivies for YLs. And the banquets were, of 
course, eating-room-only. Special guest Jerry Rosalius WB9Z told 
attendees about his experiences during the recent Bouvet Island 
DXpedition and Valerie Hotzfeld NV9L shared her amateur radio journey 
through contesting, emergency service and her Hurricane Maria deployment 
to Puerto Rico.
Yes, like all major holiday seasons, there were even important rituals 
to be observed, such as the Wouff Hong ceremony.
Perhaps best of all, the crew of Volunteer Examiners oversaw 20 tests 
for 16 candidates -- all without fees. In fact there was a bonus to be 
had in this test session: candidates who passed their first exam got a 
full rebate on their admission ticket to the regional fest. Of course, 
there was one more holiday bonus they got to take home and keep: the 
ability to get on the air.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Don Wilbanks AE5DW.
(MARK KLEINE N5HZR)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; 
CQ Magazine; CNN; Dave Kalter Youth DX Adventure; Hap Holly and the Rain 
Report; Irish Radio Transmitters Society; Kevin Mulcahy VK2CE; Mark 
Kleine N5HZR; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; Sabah Amateur Radio Society; 
Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Rob KD1CY; 
South African Radio League; Shasta Tahama ARES; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana 
saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

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



-- 



73
James-KB7TBT
www.arnewsline.org
www.ylsystem.org




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