Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1964 May 8 2015
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1964 with a release date of Friday, May
8th, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1,
The following is a QST. Amateur radio continues its work in earthquake
ravaged Nepal; temporary access to 4 meters made available in Germany for
sporadic E season; the digital Ham TV transmitter comes alive from the ISS;
Congress continues pressing the FCC on proposed Field Bureau closures and
radio back on the farm. All this and more on Amateur Radio Newsline report
number 1964 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO EFFORTS CONTINUE IN WAKE OF NEPAL EARTHQUAKE
Ham radio continues to provide service to the people of Nepal in the wake of
the devastating earthquake that hit back on on Saturday, April 25th. So far
more than 7,500 people are reported dead with at least 14,500 injured and
10's of thousands left homeless. Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, has the latest:
--
[WA6ITF] The pace of emergency communications has not slowed on most of
the international links which have functioned since the first hours of the
disaster.
Operations are taking place on a number of frequencies in the 40, 20 and 15
meter bands with 9N1SP specifically maintaining contacts with the United
States MARS or Military Auxiliary Radio System. 9N1AJ is another station
identified as providing the Nepal end of the MARS radio path. It is expected
that this circuit will eventually be reduced to a periodic schedule to keep
the lines of communication open.
Two amateur radio stations appear to have started operating from some of the
hard to reach rural areas of Nepal. They are identified as 9N3AA in Damauli
and 9N1SD at Sindhupalchowk. These locations are reportedly a four to five
day trek from the capital city of Kathmandu. Operators are reported on their
way to other devastated regions with some expected to take to the airways by
the time you hear this newscast.
Also, a repeater donated by the group CAN-USA that had been held up by
Nepal's customs is now reported by 9N1SP as released and ready for
deployment. It will compliment the current 9N1KS 70 centimeter to 2 meter
cross-band repeater set up in 2012.
Many countries radio amateurs remain active in the area as the post
earthquake communications needs have not significantly diminished. Nepal has
very few licensed amateur radio operators, which is why hams from other
countries have traveled to it to provide their help.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles.
--
Hams world-wide are reminded that Nepal emergency traffic may be heard on any
frequency in the amateur bands as it is not always possible for that nations
hams to operate on the IARU Emergency Center of Activity frequencies. If you
hear the words emergency communications please stand by or move to a
different frequency so as to give the rescue radio operators room to work.
(ARNewsline, VK3PC, IARU-R1, Southgate, MARS, ARRL, CAN-USA )
**
RESCUE RADIO: INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO BRING AMATEUR RADIO TO NEPAL PAYS OFF
IN THE AFTERMATH OF EARTHQUAKE
Over the past several years an international team of radio amateurs have been
working to spur amateur radio growth in Nepal. There are few hams in that
nation and this effort was put to the test in the aftermath of the recent
earthquake that struck near the capital city of Kathmandu.
Led from the United States by a group called Radio Mala under the guidance of
Suresh Ojha, W6KTM, the team has been working with government officials and
universities in Nepal to promote acceptance of amateur radio by a government
that has traditionally not allowed licensing by average citizens.
Historically the area around Kathmandu has experienced a major earthquake
about every 75 years, and the last major quake occurred over 79 years ago.
To help support disaster response communications in the wake of the latest
earthquake Radio Mala's volunteers lobbied the Nepal government to open ham
radio to all citizens and helped get Nepalis trained and licensed.
David Witkowski, W6DTW, is a Strategic Adviser to Radio Mala. He said that
in the days after the earthquake communications into the Kathmandu Valley
area were sporadic. There was some cellular data but the system was
overloaded. Wired Internet was mostly working into the area, and although
slow communication via e-mail, text messaging, and Twitter was possible.
According to W6DTW the repeater system activated last year in Kathmandu has
seen heavy use for civil disaster relief coordination. Dr. Sanjeeb Panday,
9N1SP, has been using an H F station donated by Radio Mala to Tribhuvan
University in Kathmandu to pass High Frequency communications traffic with
relief operators in the Middle East.
This effort is continuing and you can find out more at facebook (dot) com /
hamradio (dot) mala. (W6DTW)
**
PROPAGATION: SOLAR FLARE CAUSES RADIO BLACK
Sunspot AR2339 unleashed an intense X2-class solar flare on May 5th at
approximately 22:11 UTC. Radiation generated caused strong radio blackouts
on the Pacific side of Earth, interfering with communications at frequencies
below 20 MHz. The blast also hurled a Coronal Mass Ejection or CME into
space, but not toward Earth. This event could herald a sustained period of
high solar as AR2339 is beiher.com.ng described as both appears to be large
and explosive. More information can be found at spaceweather.com.
(Spaceweather)
**
TEMPORARY RESTRURING: 70 MHZ ACCESS FOR GERMAN RADIO HAMS FOR SPORADIC E
SEASON
The Deutscher Amateur Radio Club reports that hams in Germany will have
access to 70.150 MHz to 70.180 MHz in the 4 meter band during the Sporadic-E
season. This after publication of an announcement in the Official Journal of
Communication on April 29th.
Holders of that nations class A license are able to use a limited portion of
the band from from now until August 31st. Maximum transmission power is 25
watts Effective Radiated with a maximum bandwidth of 12 kHz and horizontal
polarization. Since Amateur Radio is a secondary user of that spectrum it
has to ensure the protection of the other primary radio services. (DARC,
Southgate)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: AMATEUR VIDEO NOW TRANSMITTING FROM ISS
As of Friday May 1st the Ham Video transmitter on board the Columbus module
of the International Space Station is powered on and is transmitting in its
Blank Transmission or BT mode. In this mode the transmitter is operated
without camera but the digital TV signal is fully formatted. From a
technical perspective, the BT signal is all that is needed for testing and
fine tuning ground stations.
To that end, a European network of chained ground stations is nearly
complete. Six stations span the continent in "X" formation. For each
ascending and descending pass over Europe, four of these stations provide
about ten minutes of solid copy. The chained ground stations are streaming
to the British Amateur Television Club server which has set up a multi viewer
page at www dot batc dot tv. This web page shows all six streams with
each view having the ability to be maximized to full screen.
This operational mode is dubbed ARISS Ham TV. The video transmitter will
stay on as long as orbit operations permit. When the ground stations are
operating reliably, the transmitter will be used to enhance ARISS school
contacts. Uplink for audio will remain VHF only. More information is
available at www.ariss-eu.org/columbus.htm (ON4WF)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the including the WC8OH
repeater serving Kettering Ohio.
(5 second pause)
**
MILITARY RADIO: ARMY TO QUIT TEACHING MORSE CODE AT FORT HUACHUCA
The US Army will quit teaching Morse code to soldiers at its training center
at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.
The Army has used the code since shortly after its invention by Samuel Morse
in 1844. During the Cival War both the Union and Confederate armies heavily
relied on Morse code. But its use decreased significantly since World War
II. These days the military has satellites and other channels of
communications that offer voice services and text messaging on the
battlefield.
But for the overall military Morse is not completely going away. Because
some forces still use the code troops that need to know it will have the
option of going to an Air Force sponsored course taught in Texas.
(Gazelle.com)
**
RADIO LAW: CONGRESS PRESSES FCC ON PROPOSED CLOSURE OF FIELD OFFICES
A follow up to last weeks story on congressional reaction to the proposed
closure of FCC field offices by the agency's Enforcement Bureau. Amateur
Radio Newslines Stephen Kinford, N8WB, has the latest:
--
[N8WB] Several lawmakers have asked FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler about the
agency's plan to downside the agency's Enforcement Bureau field offices
during a recent House Communications and Technology Subcommittee hearing on
increasing transparency at the agency.
Among those posing the questions was Missouri Representative Billy Long. He
asked why if the bureau plans to close just over half of the field offices
that there were eight top managers in 2009 growing to 16 now. Wheeler said
that was unrelated to the plans to retain only eight and reduce the field
agents from just over 60 to just over 30.
Wheeler went on to described the costs for operating the field offices as
being off the chart and much higher than the average total operating cost of
$272 per square foot for the Washington office. He said that the average
total cost for operating the Houston office is $620 per square foot while
that figure rises to $2,000 for Portland, Oregon.
Representative Bill Johnson of Ohio summed up data supplied by the
commission. He said it indicates the field offices take the majority of
enforcement actions. He credited the figures at 88% in 2011, 76% in 2012 and
89% in 2013. Given that, he asked Wheeler how would the agency continue that
level of enforcement activity from the few remaining offices. To which
Johnson added that if he were to read between the lines, aren't you really
talking about a wholesale retreat from the type of enforcement actions
undertaken by the field like interference resolution, and abandonment of the
pro-active enforcement work the field performs? Wheeler replied that there
are too many field offices with good people, but they're not being
effectively applied.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen, Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth,
Ohio.
--
Several members of the subcommittee, led by Chairman Greg Walden, W7EQI, of
Oregon have asked for any of the material related to the agency's closure
plans. Wheeler assured that information would be forthcoming, noting that
personal identification information is being removed first. (Radioworld)
**
RADIO SAFETY: WHISTLER RECALLS SOME JUMP AND GO POWER UNITS
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that the The Whistler
Group, Inc., of Bentonville, Arkansas, is recalling some of its its "Jump&Go"
Portable Jumpstart and Power Supply units. This due to a potential fire
hazard from overheating.
The recall involves more than 10,000 of the pocket-sized devices,
manufactured in China. The notice says that the unit's lithium battery has
the potential to overheat causing it to melt and ignite nearby items, posing
a fire hazard to consumers. .
The recall involves 12 V Jump and Go units with model numbers starting with
WJS-3000. According to the ARRL some ARES and RACES participants use these
units as a portable 12 volt DC source.
More information on both the device and the action to take if you own one is
at tinyurl.com/jump-and-go-recall (CPSC, ARRL)
**
RADIO LAW: NO EXEMPTION FOR HAM RADIO IN PROPOSED SOUTH BEND INDIANA
CELLPHONE BAN
It will be several weeks before the South Bend Indiana Common Council
considers a proposal banning the use of cell phones and other hand-held
electronic devices while driving. This after members of the Health and
Public Safety Committee recently tabled the proposal amid questions about
cost, implementation and enforcement.
Introduced by Common Council member Henry Davis Jr., the proposal would ban
the use of cellphones and other hand-held electronic devices while driving.
Hands-free devices would be allowed and the ban would not apply to first
responders, fleet management systems, dispatching devices, music players, CB
radios or emergency situations.
The American Radio Relay League voiced concern over the absence of an
exemption for amateur radio operators in the proposal. Joseph Lawrence,
K9RFZ is the league's Section Manager for Indiana. He noted amateur radio
operators assist with emergency dispatch functions and act as weather
spotters.
The Health and Public Safety Committee will discuss the possible ban further
at a special meeting on May 18th. (Southbend Tribune)
**
RESCUE RADIO: HAM RADIO OPERATORS SERVE AS EYES ON THE GROUND FOR THE NWS
Chicago Radio station WBBM recently reported on the role played by radio
amateurs in helping the National Weather Service during severe weather. Bill
Nelson, Observation Program Leader for the National Weather Service office in
Romeoville, Illinois, said when severe weather hits, ham operators are our
eyes on the ground, as they can reach out to other hams, and tell us what's
actually going on out in the real world.
Nelson went on to note that when severe weather is in the area at least one
amateur radio operator sets up in the National Weather Service operations
room right next to the coordinator and communicates with ham operators in the
field. He added that it completes the picture of what we do see on radar and
gives us ground truth.
You can listen to the WBBM report on ham radio severe weather assistance to
the National Weather Service at tinyurl.com/pjskdqb (WBBM, Southgate)
**
RADIO READING: LATEST FREE 5 MHZ NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE
The latest edition of the 5MHz Newsletter is now available for free download,
This copy features 5 MHz news from the Czech Republic, the U K, Uruguay,
South Africa and Australia , Also included is the official International
Telecommunications Union agenda booklet for the 2015 World Administrative
Radio Conference and an article on the the HB9AW Receiver Project. You will
find it in pdf format at tinyurl.com/q7uqrqw (RSGB)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: DAYTON TOPBAND DINNER MAY 15 IN OHIO
Turning to the ham radio social scene, the annual Dayton Topband or 160 meter
operators dinner will be held Friday evening, May 15 at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel in Dayton, Ohio. This years special guest speaker is Bob Allphin,
K4UEE, preesenting a program on the 160 meter experiences from Navassa Island
during the recent K1N Dxpedition. For more details go to topbanddinner.com
(K3LR)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: DAYTON CONTEST DINNER MAY 18 IN OHIO
And Contesters from all over the world are planning to attend the annual
Dayton Contest Dinner will be held on Saturday night May 16th also at the
Crowne Plaza Hotel. This years special guest speaker will be ARRL President
Kay Craigie, N3KN with noted contester John Dorr, K1AR, as the Master of
Ceremonies. Also the CQ Contest Hall of Fame class of 2015 will be announced
by CQ World Wide Contest Director Randy Thompson, K5ZD. More information
about this years gathering is on the web at contestdinner.com (K3LR)
**
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)
**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: SOLAR ELECTRIC PROPULSION ENGINE'S IONIZING HALL
THRUSTER
Engineers at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, are working on
a Hall Thruster based propulsion system. One that will propel the first ever
mission to redirect an asteroid for astronauts to explore in the 2020's.
Amateur Radio Newslines Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, reports:
--
[KK6ITB] NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission will test a number of new
capabilities like advanced Solar Electric Propulsion or SEP needed for future
astronaut expeditions deeper into deep space. To do this the space agency is
taking another look at a device called the Hall Thruster.
The Hall Thruster is part of an S-E-P system that uses 10 times less
propellant than equivalent chemical rockets. Hall thrusters work by trapping
electrons in a magnetic field and use them to ionize the onboard propellant.
The˜ magnetic field˜ also generates an electric field that accelerates the
charged ions creating an exhaust plume of plasma that pushes the spacecraft
forward. This method delivers cost effective, safe and highly efficient
in-space˜ propulsion˜ for long duration missions.
In a recent test, engineers from the Glenn Research Center and the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory used a vacuum chamber to simulate the space
environment. They then successfully tested a new, higher power Hall thruster
design, which is more efficient and has longer life. In doing so they proved
that the latest thruster can process three times the power of previous
designs and increase efficiency by 50 percent.
I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
--
In addition to propelling an asteroid mission, this new thruster could be
used to send large amounts of cargo, habitats and other final frontier
research including a human one to Mars. More is on the Web at
tinyurl.com/solar-tlectric-space (phys.org)
**
EMERGING TECHNOLOGY: HAM DESIGNS STATE-OF-THE-ART TORNADO SIMULATOR
A new tornado simulation technology developed by a ham radio operator and
other researchers has brought scientince a step closer to understanding
twisters and how to better prepare for them.
Professor Leigh Orf, KG4ULP, and other researchers at Central Michigan
University have been working the project for almost a decade. The modeling
program uses equations and data gathered from studying storm. Running on a
supercomputer it then recreates the right conditions for a big tornado to
form.
According to Professor Orf, what he and his associates have done is to use a
modeling program that takes the laws of physics and turns them into something
a computer can solve. In doing so it's helped to make it easier to
understand what makes these severe weather events to happen. (9 and 10 News)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: DELFI-C3 HAS BEEN IN ORBIT 7 YEARS
As of April 28th the Delfi-C3 HM satellite has been in orbit 7 years. Wouter
Weggelaarb, PA3WEG, reports that the satellite still remains healthy and
strong. He says that in all those years there have been very few days where
no telemetry was decoded and submitted. He added that Delfi-C3 has been
praised numerous times as the ideal example of a cooperation of radio
amateurs and an university. (ANS, PA3WEG)
**
DX
In DX, DL5DI will be active portable 6Y5 from Jamaica between May 22nd and
June 2nd. Activity will be holiday style on the High Frequency bands using
FT-897 transceiver and dipole antenna. QSL via his home callsign via the
Bureau or electronically using eQSL or Logbook of the World.
W5JON tells Newsline that he will once again be on the air as V47JA from his
vacation home on St. Kitts from June 13 until July 22nd. He plans to be
active on 160 through 6 meters using SSB only. QSL's direct toW5JON or
electronically using Logbook of the World.
F5LIT will be active stroke TF from Iceland between May 24th and the 30th.
This operation will be holiday style mainly on 20 and possibly 40 meters SSB.
QSL using Logbook of the World only.
(This weeks DX news courtesy of the Ohio-Penn DX Newsletter and W5JON)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: STUDY FINDS MORE THAN 8 IN 10 FARMERS DEPEND ON FARM RADIO
REPORTS
And finally this week, a study by IPSOS Research for the National Association
of Farm Broadcasting says that farmers still rely on farm-format radio, with
strong listening from the morning through the close of the markets.
The study, conducted during the 2014 harvest season says that 84% of
respondents called local farm radio broadcasting and information important in
their daily operation decisions. Among the reasons given for listening were
getting prices, following markets, getting local information, news, and
weather, and convenience.
The National Association of Farm Broadcasting Director is Tom Brand. He
says that there is a strong connection to the everyday tasks farmers and
ranchers perform to the daily programming of farm broadcasters. Brand notes
that member stations and networks develop programming based on audience needs
in their listening area. That is the power of radio and farm broadcasting."
IPSOS Research is a global market research company with worldwide
headquarters in Paris, France. Details of the report in PDF format can be
found at tinyurl.com/farm-radio (allaccess.com)
**
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. 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.
Before we go, a reminder that Amateur Radio Newsline is seeking nominations
for its 2015 Young Ham of the Year Award. For consideration, a nominee must
have used amateur radio in some way that has benefited his or her community
or encouraged technololical development directly or indirectly related to
communications.
Nominees must be 19 years or younger, and reside in the United States
including Hawaii, Alaska and Puerto Rico, or any of the Canadian Provinces.
The individual must also hold a currently valid United States or Canadian
Amateur Radio license.
The deadline for submitting an application is May 30th 2015 and the decision
of the judging committee is final. To obtain an application, send a self
addressed, stamped envelope to 2015 Young Ham of the Year Award, in care of
Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Ave. Santa Clarita, CA 91350. You can
also download a form in Microsoft Word format at www.arnewsline.org/yhoty,
clicking on the word "here" and saving the file to print at a later time.
Presentation of the 2015 Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year Award
will take the weekend of August 15 and 16 at the Huntsville Hamfest in
Huntsville Alabama.
For now, with producers Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, in Los Angeles, Skeeter Nash,
N5ASH, in Topeka, plus our news team world wide, I'm Fred Vobbe, W8HDU, in
Lima, Ohio, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.
***
As a Service to the HAM Radio Community and HAM Operators all over the
world, this Amateur Radio Newline(tm) message has been gated from the
internet and posted to you by Waldo's Place USA, fidonet node 1:3634/12.
We hope you enjoyed it!
Please address all comments and questions to the ARNewsletter editor as
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hamfdn(at)wpusa.dynip.com.
Thank you and good day!
-73- ARNTE-0.1.0-OS2 build 42
(text/plain utf-8 base64)
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