Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1947 - December 5 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1947 with a release date of December
5th 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. CEPT recommends new testing procedures for people
with disabilities; the mysteries of NVIS propagation being studied
down-under; the Japan asteroid recovery mission carrying two ham radio
satellites is launched and graphene is in our future. Find out the details
are on Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) report number 1947 coming your way right
now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RESTRUCTURING: NEW CEPT EXAM RECOMMENDATION FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
A new recommendation adopted by the Electronic Communications Committee of
the European Conference of Postal and Telecommuncations Administrations or
CEPT seeks to ease the access of persons with disabilities to license
examinations for the Amateur Radio Service. Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather
Embee, KB3TZD has the details:
--
Electronic Communications Committee Recommendation 1405 was drafted by the
IARU Region 1 Regulatory Affairs Coordinator and was adopted by the committee
back on October 10th. This was followed a consultation process with several
administrations providing comments.
The recommendation notes that for persons with disabilities, participating
in the amateur service it is not only an important means of technical
self-qualification by setting and achieving goals, but is also a way of
integration into society by communicating with other persons of like
interests. However, license examinations designed for non-disabled candidates
can prove to be a significant impediment in obtaining the necessary
qualifications to operate a station.
Several administrations of CEPT member countries have already adopted
practices to adapt amateur radio license examinations to the specific needs
of candidates with disabilities. For other administrations E-C-C
Recommendation 1405 provides a framework for action.
The document states that the examination syllabus should be identical for
all candidates but that testing procedures take into account the individual
disability of candidates as confirmed by an official document. Such
procedures can include individual testing where appropriate and/or providing
reasonable additional examination time. Tests with diagram-free questions
for the visually impaired could be replaced questions provided in Braille.
Lastly, Examinations conducted in the home of candidates with severely
limited mobility would be instituted.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, reporting.
--
How this procedure might be phased in not explained in the press
announcement. A link to this new recommendation in the CEPT database in PDF
format is at tinyurl.com/new-cept-testing-proposal. (IARU Region 1)
**
RADIO RESEARCH: RESEARCHING THE MYSTERIES OF NVIS
Near Vertical Incidence Skywave propagation, better known as NVIS, is
turning in some rather interesting mysteries as well as solving others as we
hear in this special report from VK2LAW of the Wireless Institute of
Australia:
--
One of the most interesting findings in the results of Near Vertical
Incidence Skywave propagation, comparing a communications path between two
amateur stations ZS6KN and ZS6KTS over a distance of 51 kilometers it is
interesting to note that on June 20 2014 there was a good communications path
from approximately 05:00 to 16:30 after which the signals disappeared. The
pattern was the same for July but the signals were considerably stronger than
August or September. Suring September a strong dip in signal strength can be
seen.
The other interesting observation from the graph is that propagation opens
earlier and closes later as we go into summer which indicates variations in
the D layer of the Ionosphere as the Sun rises earlier and sets later.
Not enough data has been collected to make any meaningful conclusions. If
the path was pure groundwave the signals would have been more or less
constant throughout the day or night.
--
Obviously its going to take a few more seasons of research to truly find the
limitations of NVIS propagation as well as to fully understand its
characteristics. (WIA News)
**
HRIS: SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF ASTEROID RETURN MISSION
Japan has successfully launched its round trip Hayabusa 2 asteroid
sample-return mission with a pair of amateur radio payloads along for part of
the ride as we hear from Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF:
--
The mission was carried into space on board a Japan Aerospace Exploration
Agency launch vehicle on December 3rd. The primary payload is the Hayabusa 2
spacecraft on the first leg of its exploration and recovery journey to
Asteroid 1999 JU3.
Along for the ride into the final frontier are two amateur radio satellites
named Shin'en 2 and ARTSAT 2 Despatch.
The Shin'en 2 carries a one tenth of a watt CW beacon downlinking on 437.505
MHz and a telemetry downlink on 437.385 MHz. Also on board is a digital
store-and-forward transponder with an uplink of 145.942 MHz and a micro power
downlink at 435.270 MHz.
ARTSAT2:DESPATCH carries a 7 watt Morse transmitter on 437.325 MHz. Its
controllers say that they are seeking the assistance from hams here on Earth
as part of a global monitoring system that it calls a cooperative diversity
communication experiment. This effort will attempt to intercept signals from
the spacecraft by properly equipped radio amateurs around the world in
addition to those heard and recorded at the mission control center in Tokyo.
This in the hope of reconstructing the original data transmitted from the
spacecraft.
Each payload has its own website with tracking and other technical details.
Shin'en 2 is at tinyurl.com/sinen-2-online. ARTSAT2:DESPATCH can be found at
inyurl.com/artsat-2-in-space.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles.
--
We will have more ham radio space related news later on in this weeks
report. (AMSAT-UK, others)
**
DX UP FRONT: COCOS ISLAND IN FEBRUARY 2015
In DX up front, 3Z9DX, K7CO and TI2HMJ will be active as TI9A from Cocos
Island between February 16th and the 23rd of 2015. It has been 6 years since
the last TI9 operation, and because of this Cocos is ranked 26th on the most
wanted list.
The boat trip to the island will begin on February 14th 2015, and it takes
30 hours from Costa Rica. Their Radio Permit is issued for 7 days only.
That means they can operate for only about 6 days but are also in possession
of the second permit, which allows them to stay on the island overnight and
there-by 24 hour a day operation. They will be using two radios on 80
through 10 meter CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via 3Z9DX as directed at
www.nielsen.net/ti9a (OPDX)
**
DX UP FRONT: BEAR ISLAND THROUGH MAY 2015
Also, LA9JKA will be on Bear Island for a work assignment until May 2015.
In his free time he plans to operate on all HF bands and 6 meters. QSL via
LA9JKA direct only. (Facebook DX)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the Radio Society of
Okinawa Emergency Services Net.
(5 sec pause here)
**
ENFORCEMENT: RADIO STATION EMPLOYEE CHARGED WITH ALLEGED ARSON OF STATION
A Stafford, Arizona radio station is back on the air after an employee of
KJIK-FM allegedly set the station in early November and then stuck around to
watch it burn. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, has more:
--
Shortly after 1 a.m. local time, Graham County Dispatch received an
anonymous call about a structure fire at the radio station. When officers
arrived, they noticed smoke pouring out of the building and a man, later
identified as Scott Louis Welbaum, standing in the parking lot watching.
Welbaum was told to leave the area but informed officers he was an employee
of the station and there was a significant amount of expensive equipment
inside. The Safford Fire Department then responded to the scene and
extinguished the fire.
According to reports, Safford Fire Chief Clark Bingham advised the fire was
possibly arson. Officers then learned the anonymous phone call had been
placed at a pay phone at Walmart across the highway. A Thatcher officer
responded to review surveillance footage from the store and saw a man he
believed to be Welbaum approach and use a pay phone at the time of the tip.
The subject was also wearing the same clothes as Welbaum.
The suspect and two other employees who also have keys to the building were
then taken to the Safford Police Department to be interviewed. During his
interview, Welbaum allegedly became hostile toward the officers. When
presented with a warrant to search his vehicle which was also parked at the
scene, police say that Welbaum acted as though he was going to throw a
computer and had to be talked down by an officer pointing his TASER at him.
After a short struggle, Welbaum was handcuffed and transported to the jail,
where a search revealed he was in possession of five green-tipped wood
matches. He was then booked on a charge of alleged arson. KJIK-FM was back
on the air by noon the same day.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, reporting.
--
More is on the web at tinyurl.com/radio-station-arson-ch (Eastern Arizona
Courier, Inside Radio, other published reports)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: EXPLORE 30 METER DIGITAL PARTY
The European Radio Amateurs' Organization, together with the 30 Meter
Digital Group, announce a new QSO party with the motto: 'Be digital, explore
30 meters." The party will be held the weekend December 20th and 21st from
00:00 to 24:00 UTC. This is not a contest but rather a radio meeting with a
few simple recommendations to follow. You can find them at
tinyurl.com/explore-30-meters. (ERAO)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: NEW FT4TA TROMELIN SLIDESHOW ON LINE
F5CWU reports that a slide show covering the 2014 Tromelin Island FT4TA
operation is now available for viewing on the World Wide Web. The show is
made up from the selected photos out of the thousands that were taken
beginning with the approach by air to the island. You can see them with
either French or English captioning at tinyurl.com/tromelin-2014-photos. A
video of the expedition is being edited and will hopefully be available in
early 2015. (Press Release)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: DECEMBER IS YOTA MONTH
During the entire month of December, Youth on the Air or YOTA is growing
quickly with it being reported that every week more youngsters are asking to
participate. YOTA stations will be trying to make many contacts, so take
this opportunity to connect young amateurs in their teens and 20s with their
peers on the air. To quote the Radio Society of Great Britain, by making
YOTA popular, we can all help to get more youngsters active in amateur radio.
(GB2RS)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: M0PHI NEW CHAIR OF RSGB TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
The Radio Society of Great Britain has announced the appointment of Philip
Willis, M0PHI as the new Chairman of its Training and Education Committee
Willis succeeds Steve Hartley, G0FUW.
(GB2RS)
**
SWL CORNER: GERMAN LONGWAVE TO CEASE BY YEARS END
The German national public broadcasters Deutschlandfunk and Deutschlandradio
Kultur will disappear from longwave at the end of this year. According to
Bulgarian DX Blog, the money saved will be invested in digital terrestrial
radio such as DAB+. At the end of 2015 the mediumwave transmitters of
Deutschlandfunk will also close.
Deutschlandfunk still broadcasts on longwave at 153 and 207 kHz. It also
maintains seven medium wave frequencies including 1269 and 549 kHz.
Deutschlandradio Kultur broadcasts by means of the longwave frequency 177
kHz. Their mediumwave frequency 990 kHz went off last year. (Bulgarian DX
Blog)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: QRZ.COM INSTITUTES SUBSCRIBER REWARDS PROGRAM
The QRZ.com callsign lookup and general ham radio discussion website has
announced its new Subscriber Rewards program. According to the websites
managers, Subscriber Rewards is their way of saying thanks their subscribers
upon whose support they depend to keep the site running.
Every Wednesday QRZ will choose a subscriber to win a free prize. All
current QRZ subscribers are eligible, regardless of their subscription plan.
If your callsign page has a QRZ Subscriber badge, then you're eligible to
win.
QRZ.com will announce each week's new winner on its home page, in the Ham
Radio News forum. They will also keep you posted on Facebook and Twitter.
(QRZ)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: DECEMBER 31 CUTOFF DATE FOR ARRL INTERNATIONAL AWARD
The ARRL says that the deadline to accept nominations for its 2014
International Humanitarian Award is December 31. This award is conferred on
an amateur or amateurs who demonstrate devotion to human welfare, peace, and
international understanding through Amateur Radio.
Nominations should include a summary of the nominee's qualifying actions and
statements from at least two people having first-hand knowledge of the events
warranting the nomination. These verifying statements may be from an
official of a group such as an emergency management agency that benefited
from the nominee's particular Amateur Radio contribution. Nominations should
include the names and addresses of all references.
All nominations and supporting materials must be submitted in English to the
ARRL International Humanitarian Award, 225 Main St, Newington, Connecticut
06111.
The League says that it established this annual prize to recognize
individuals who have used Amateur Radio to provide extraordinary service to
others in times of crisis or disaster. (ARRL)
**
BREAK 2
This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline with links to the world from our only official website at
www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of the
following radio amateur:
(5 sec pause here)
**
RADIO IN SPACE: SPINSAT SUCCESSFULLY DEPLOYED FROM ISS
SpinSat was successfully deployed from the International Space Station on
the afternoon of Friday, November 28th.
Developed by the Naval Research Laboratory, SpinSat is a 56 cm sphere
weighing 57 kg that has 12 Electronically-controlled Solid Propellant
thrusters spread in pairs throughout the surface of the satellite. They will
be fired in pairs to spin the spacecraft.
SpinSat's primary mission will be to calibrate the Space Surveillance
Network. Lasers will be fired at SpinSat from the ground. The light
reflected back will be measured to determine where in time and space the
satellite is passing overhead. SpinSat will also model the density of the
atmosphere.
The IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination Panel report that SpinSat carries
a 2 watt RF output 9600 bit per second AX.25 packet radio store and forward
system on 437.230 MHz. The Cyclops deployment system was used to release the
satellite from the airlock of the Japanese Experiment Module. With just
primary batteries for power and only 4.8 grams of fuel the spin-up phase may
last between three to six months. (Published news reports)
**
HRIS: DHRUVA SPACE SIGNS DEAL WITH AMSAT INDIA TO DEVELOP HAMSAT II
Dhruva Space, a two-year-old startup co-founded by technologist Sanjay
Nekkanti, VU3ISS, has sealed a deal with AMSAT India to develop HAMSAT II.
This as a successor to HAMSAT VO-52 which went silent on July 11th most
likely due to the failure of it's on-board lithium ion batteries.
Dhruva's satellites are expected to be launched on Indian Space Research
Organisation Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle. Nekkanti said his team are
working closely with the space organization for design approvals and testing
of the planned new satellite. (AMSAT India, Southgate)
**
HRIS: SURREY SPACE CENTRE TO DEVELOP SME-SAT
The United Kingdom's Surrey Space Centre is developing a 3 unit sized
CubeSat called SME-SAT that it expected to launch into a 550-620 km orbit in
the not to distant future. The primary objective of this project is to
involve small to medium size enterprises from the terrestrial sector on a
space project and allow them to space qualify their technology.
SME-SAT brings together one of the largest small to medium based consortiums
ever to develop advanced space technologies based on terrestrial
applications. This will enable them to fully space qualify their
technologies within 3 years of the mission start date.
This project represents a unique, unprecedented space mission, fostering a
new alliance between smaller companies, universities and a large scale space
integrator in which high risk technologies will be developed and fully tested
in space using cubesats. The satellite will provide beacons for amateur
radio satellite users worldwide to be able to receive. More is on the web
at tinyurl.com/sme-sat-uk (SME-SAT - University of Surrey)
**
RADIO FROM SPACE: GALILEO SATELLITE RECOVERED AND TRANSMITTING NAVIGATION
SIGNALS
Europe's fifth Galileo satellite, one of two delivered into a wrong orbit by
a Soyuz-Fregat launcher last August, has transmitted its first navigation
signal in space on Saturday 29 November 2014. It has reached its new target
orbit and its navigation payload has been successfully switched on. A
detailed test operation is under way now the satellite has reached a more
suitable orbit for navigation purposes. (Southgate)
**
DX
In DX, YB4IR will be active stroke 8 from Bandaneira Island between December
22nd and the 27th. Operations will be on 80 through10 meters using CW, SSB
and RTTY. QSL via his home callsign direct or via the bureau. For
electronic QSL use Logbook of the World or Clublogs Oh QRS.
DG1SGW will be active stroke PJ4 from Bonaire between March 1st to the 12th.
Activity will be holiday style on the 160 through 6 meters using SSB and the
digital modes. QSL via his home callsign, direct, by the bureau or Logbook
of the World.
N7XR will be active as VQ9XR for his operations in 2014 and 2015. These
were to have started on or about December 3rd for approximately 3 weeks on
160 through 10 meters with a focus on CW, SSB and RTTY. He may use the
callsign V92XR instead, which gives the prefix hunters a new one to go after.
Either way, please QSL via his home callsign direct only.
3W3B who lives in Da Nang has announced that he will be active during the
ARRL International
DX CW Contest February 21st and 22nd as a Single-Op/All-band/High-Power
entry. QSL via E21EIC or Logbook of the world.
Lastly, DL2GAN will be visiting Nepal for a short term operation as 9N7CB
from Kathmandu scheduled for end of December. His plan is to be operational
on Christmas Eve which would be 8 am to 12 noon UTC on December 24th.
Depending on propagation, bands of operation will be 14 and / or 21 MHz SSB
or CW if propagation is poor. QSL via his home callsign, direct or via the
bureau.
(This weeks DX report courtesy of OPDX)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: SIMPLY GRAPHENE
And finally this week, while only a few nanometers thick, Graphine is being
touted by some in the scientific world as the new steel of the 21st century.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephen Kinford, N9WB, reports:
--
Introduced to the world about a decade ago, graphene is a multi-layered
material that is somewhere between 10 and 100 nanometers thick. This makes
the material more like a very thin sheet of carbon. As a matter of fact, the
material is so thin that it appears to be more like a sheet of paper but
thinner.
But even at that extreme thinness, graphene can hold weights that are 100
times heavier than steel. And graphene is an extremely good conductor of
both heat and electricity. But the most important aspect found so far is
that graphene can dissipate huge amounts of energy.
Jae-Hwang Lee, of the University of Massachusetts Department of Mechanical
and Industrial Engineering is a graphene researcher. He and his team say
that the ability of graphene to dissipate energy is due to a high degree of
stiffness combined with low density. This means that energy can move through
it very quickly.
What might this mean to those involved in emergency response work? Many
things including something as simple dropping a hand held radio onto concrete
and it not even being scratched. More important is that it continues to work
as if nothing at all had happened.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.
--
More about this latest scientific advance is on the web at
wikipedia.org/wiki/Graphene
(University of Manchester; Electronics Weekly, New Scientist, others)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio
Penn DX Bulletin, Rain, the RSGB, the South African Radio League, the
Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News and you our listeners, that's
all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm). Our e-mail address is newsline (at)
arnewsline (dot) org. More information is available at Amateur Radio
Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also
write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue,
Santa Clarita California, 91350..
For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Jim Davis,
W2JKD, saying 73 and we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.
***
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