SPECIAL REPORT: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Now, what happens if the amateurs happen to be older -
a whole lot older - than college students? There's a very unique
team of trained hams helping to safeguard their California community
too - and it include retirees well into their 90s. Caryn Eve Murray,
KD2GUT, has that story.

CARYN'S REPORT: The operators of amateur station AI6PV are not your
typical rookies. In fact, many have waited a lifetime - a long
lifetime - to get their tickets. These hams are in their 70s, 80s,
and even their 90s. Their shack is hardly typical either: It's located
at Plymouth Village, a continuing care retirement community on a
sprawling 37 acres in Redlands, California.

Keith Kasin, AI6BX, executive director of Plymouth Village, said the
3-year-old station, started with a singular mission.

KEITH: We got into it a lot for the disaster preparedness. We live
right on top of the San Andreas Fault, so we kicked a lot of it off,
as part of our emergency communication for the disaster preparedness
team. People have taken to it, and they are doing more of it on their
own. I have had residents come to me and say "I am getting ready to
take a trip to see children or grandchildren. Can you help me identify
some repeaters along the way?"

CARYN: The 32 licensed hams are part of a 64-member resident disaster
response team connecting to staff administrators, as well as area
hospitals, city agencies, and other organizations. Whether they live independently on the grounds, or receive nursing or assisted living
care, almost every resident can have a role.

KEITH: Most, yes, are in the residential area, but here's one of the
best ones - and to me, this is a great success story - about how
amateur radio kept someone socially connected to his friends: He had
a situation, and needed to go to our skilled nursing facility, and he
became a permanent resident there. He took his HT, and he would be
rolling down the hallway in his wheelchair, talking to friends on the
radio. His great-grandson would come in and say 'Great grandpa, what's
that? Tell me about it' and he would get him engaged. This is someone
who had been licensed years ago when he was a storm chaser, and
relicensed when he got to our community. It is disaster preparation,
it is a new social engagement. I have heard residents calling each
other to set up a game of ping pong on their radios.

CARYN: The hams have begun upgrading their licenses, and studying to
become Volunteer Examiners. Others spend time DXing on HF. Meanwhile,
other facilities including Plymouth Village's sister locations in
Arizona and Washington State, are interested in replicating the model.
His advice?

KEITH: Find a couple of residents if you can who were hams, and would
be interested in getting back into it. Look for those retired from the
military who were radio officers -- and make it fun.

CARYN: Amateur station AI6PV: making it fun and keeping it safe. For
Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT.

**

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: BRACING NEAR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

PAUL/ANCHOR: For the final part of our report, we look to Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania, where hams are gearing up for a drill this month
to ensure safety surrounding a local nuclear power plant. We hear more
from Heather Embee, KB3TZD.

HEATHER'S REPORT: In Pennsylvania, the Reading Radio Club is preparing
to take part in the Limerick Power Plant Exercise on Tuesday, Nov. 14th,
and is looking for 18 to 24 radio operators to assist, starting at 5 p.m.
The Limerick Generating Station in Limerick Township, Pennsylvania is a
nuclear power plant, that can produce enough electricity for more than
1 million homes - but its presence also produces concerns about public
safety in the surrounding 10-mile emergency planning zone.

The amateur radio club provides communications support for these tests
every two years. Since the exercise covers a number of different municipalities, the club is hoping to have two or three hams stationed
at each location, as well as some assigned to the Montgomery County EOC.
Hams who are participating for the first time will be paired up with an
amateur who has assisted in the exercise before. Food will be provided
at each location.

For more details, send an email to Don, WA1ELA, at joni hyphen don at
att dot net (joni-don@att.net). Joni is spelled "j o n i."

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD.

**

DEATH OF A BLETCHLEY PARK 'LISTENER'

PAUL/ANCHOR: A woman who used her mastery of Morse Code to help make
World War II history, has died. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us her story.

JEREMY'S REPORT: One of the heroic Bletchley Park "listeners" of World
War II, has died. Alison Robins, who taught herself both Morse Code,
and German, during the war, and intercepted messages from U-boats around
the coast of Britain, was instrumental in passing along those messages
to Allied codebreakers at Bletchley Park. Her assignments placed her at
various coastal listening stations.

She was described in various newspaper reports as the last surviving
secret listener of that era.

Alison had been in the Women's Royal Naval Service during the early
part of the war, and also worked at the Royal Naval College.

Her daughter, Jill Hazell, told the Mirror newspaper, that the Royal
Navy Wren, spoke very rarely about her wartime experiences, which
involved monitoring communications late into the night. Her husband,
Maurice, who also spoke German, was sent to that nation before the
Nuremberg Trials to help with translations.

Alison Robins was 97. She died on the 15th of October, in the Westbury
Nursing Home in Bristol, where she was receiving care for dementia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(FORCES NETWORK, THE MIRROR, DAILY MAIL)

**

BREAK HERE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W6ZN Repeater
Group in Palomar Mountain, California, on Tuesdays, at 7:30 p.m. local
time.



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COMMEMORATING A DOOMED GREAT LAKES FREIGHTER

JIM/ANCHOR: Two special event stations have been marking a Great Lakes
tragedy that happened 42 years ago. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, has that
story.

KEVIN's REPORT: It's a tragedy that still captures the American
imagination: the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald 42 years ago in the storm-tossed waters of Lake Superior. The entire 29-person crew was
lost on November 10th, 1975, shortly after the Great Lakes freighter
passed the Split Rock Lighthouse. Minnesota's Stillwater Amateur Radio Association kept the HF bands busy November 3rd, 4th and 5th, as
operators made contacts from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park during
a Special Event Station, that it has organized for 13 years.

Hams who missed making contact with W0JH get to try again, though.
Special Event Station W8F is also commemorating the sinking. In
Michigan, the Livonia Amateur Radio Club's station goes on the air
on Sunday, November 12th, at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Belle
Island in Detroit. Even if you're not able to work W8F on that Sunday,
stay tuned to the HF bands anyway. Members of the club are operating
from their own QTHs, and keeping the Special Event Station going right
through the 20th of November.

For Amateur Radio Newsline in Aiken, South Carolina, I'm Kevin Trotman,
N5PRE.

(STILLWATER ARA; LIVONIA ARC)

**

MORSE CODE TO THE RESCUE

JIM/ANCHOR: Another boating story - one that didn't end in tragedy -
comes to us from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. It happened in late October.

JEREMY'S REPORT: Now here's a twist on the saying: "When all else
fails, there's amateur radio." This version says: "When all else
fails, there's Morse Code."

A yacht sailing off the coast of Cornwall recently was observed as
being on a collision course with the Dales rocks, which are submerged
at high tide, and not visible. The rocks posed a definite risk for
grounding. A watchkeeper at the National Coastwatch Institute at Bass
Point, however, could not reach the crew. They did not have an
Automatic Identification System beacon, and could not be reached on
VHF radio to be warned of the danger ahead.

The watchkeeper turned to an old relic - an Aldis lamp, which emits
pulsing light, and he flashed the crew a Morse Code message - the
letter "U" - which warns of danger. The craft had come within 10 boat
lengths of the rocks, when it was seen to respond by changing its
course to head south, where it resumed its journey to Falmouth.

Bass point NCI station manager Peter Clements was quoted in news
reports afterward, as saying that such flashing lamps are more
commonly seen these days in vintage movies about the Second World
War. But in this case, an old wartime tool turned out to take on a
hero's role in peacetime too.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(CORNWALL LIVE)

**

SILENT KEY: MARIO AMBROSI I2MQP

JIM/ANCHOR: The president of the Italian radio association, and a CQ
amateur Hall of Famer, has become a Silent Key. We hear more from Ed
Durrant, DD5LP.

ED'S REPORT: Hams are grieving the loss of a noted DXer, and active
member of Italy's amateur radio community. Mario Ambrosi, I2MQP, has
become a Silent Key. Mario, who was inducted into the CQ Amateur Radio
Hall of Fame in 2005, was president of the ARI - the Italian amateur
radio association. He had a lifelong love of radio that began at age
14, when he heard the first Sputnik satellite broadcasts using homemade equipment.

On Oct. 25, 1975, Mario made his first QSO - that was just the
beginning. At the time of his death, he had logged more than 222,000
QSOs in 352 countries, and collected numerous top awards, including
those given for operation in CW and RTTY.

Mario had been president and secretary of the A.R.I. - the Italian
radio amateur association - a director of Radio Rivista, a writer for
the DX News Bulletin, and a QSL card checker for the DXCC, and WAS
programs of the ARRL, as well as several programs for CQ Amateur Radio.

Mario Ambrosi died on November the 6th. Vale Mario, I2MQP.

JIM/ANCHOR: Thanks for that report Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(FILIPPO RICCI IK7YCE)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
Lookout Mountain Amateur Radio Club's W4EDP Repeater in Chattanooga,
Tennessee, on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.



---
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FUNDRAISING A TOUGH NUT TO CRACK

NEIL/ANCHOR: Want a creative way to raise money for your club's needs?
Squirrel away this idea, as we hear from Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

MIKE: What gets busy every fall collecting nuts, with an eye toward
saving for the future? If you answered "squirrels," you'd be right, of
course. But if you answered the "Cleveland Amateur Radio Club" you'd
be right too. The club recently completed its big annual fundraiser -
the incredibly popular nut sale considered its primary way to raise
money outside of membership dues. The sale was launched several years
ago by Edith Derrick, KG4BDQ, now a Silent Key, and her husband, Bill,
KF4OZO, the club's treasurer, and it has become a family tradition in
their honor, according to Buddy Kimsey, WA4NIV, who has been Nut
Chairman for the past two years.

Indeed, the 42 offerings seem as hard to resist as a flea market at a
hamfest: cashews, walnuts, chocolate-coated nuts, spicy and salty nuts,
and the top-seller, pecans. Enthusiasm builds right up into the weeks
before Thanksgiving. Buddy said 630 bags were pre-sold and 108 extra
bags were ordered, and the club is expecting a sellout!

The nut money goes toward a good cause: The hams are looking to expand
their existing club house, an expense expected to run about $100,000. Meanwhile, business has been brisk, said Buddy, as both hams and
non-hams have been placing their orders. Now if only they can capture
that squirrel market....

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

**

NETS OF NOTE: THE TYPOCHONDRIACS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In this next report, we present the latest in our
occasional series "Nets of Note." Paul Braun, WD9GCO, introduces us to
a net, especially for fans of CW and, of all things, old typewriters.

PAUL: Hams, by and large, have a fascination with old gear. We spend
hours and untold amounts of money restoring and using 70-year-old rigs.
We wax rhapsodic about the warm glow of tubes. We converse in Morse
Code using World War II-era telegraph keys.

So, we should easily identify with a group of people that love to write
things on the word-processing equivalent of a Heathkit DX-100b - the
manual typewriter. And there is an HF net dedicated to just that - The Typochondriacs Net. I recently spoke with Fred Beihold, NV1N, about the
net:

BEIHOLD: Well, I was reading Richard Polt's website, and he wrote the
book "The Typewriter Revolution" - he's just really into manual
typewriters. And I still had my manual typewriter from college, and I
read about these gatherings all over the world, where people get
together at cafes, and type on manual typewriters. I talked to a ham
on 40 meters on CW, and he said the only two items left from his
original station were his manual typewriter, and his telegraph key.

So I thought "why not combine the two?" I'm a traffic handler, and I
always thought a RadioGram looks best when it's typed up on a manual
typewriter on an official RadioGram form - looks really smart.

So I started this about two years ago, and I haven't done much with it,
but recently, I picked up the ball again, and I'm looking for some ways
to stir up some interest for this. I think it has two goals that it
could achieve - it could be fun, and it could really serve a useful
purpose.

PAUL: The net meets on the third Thursday of the month at 8pm Eastern
time on 7054 Kilohertz. I asked Beihold about how the net would run:

BEIHOLD: To start with, just a little bit of ragchewing - not too
much - and we'll go from there. Anybody can join - I mean, we might
even provide services to people who don't care at all about manual
typewriters - but the net will be tailored to serve the manual
typewriter crowd.

PAUL: So, if you feel like getting together with some fellow vintage
gear junkies, the Typochondriacs Net might just be for you. For
Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

NEW EDITORS AT NATIONAL CONTEST JOURNAL

NEIL/ANCHOR: There are new voices, and a new guiding hand at the
ARRL's National Contest Journal, as we hear from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

KEVIN'S REPORT: A new editorial team will be guiding the editorial
content of the ARRL's National Contest Journal, beginning with the January/February 2018 issue. Dr. Scott Wright, K0MD, an active
contester, and DXer, from Rochester, Minnesota, will be taking over
as editor.

Scott will be joined by Fred Regennitter, K4IU, as Deputy Editor. All
of the contributing editors will remain, and there will be several
new ones: Amateur Radio Newsline's own Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, host of
Ham Talk Live, will serve as "Next Gen Contesters" contributing editor.
Dr. John Thompson, K3MD, will serve as Contributing editor for Contest
Surveys and Book Reviews, and the past Editor Pat Barkey, N9RV, will
remain doing periodic interviews and feature stories.

Congratulations everyone!

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

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
Greensboro Amateur Radio Association's W4GSO repeater, in Greensboro,
North Carolina, on Sunday evenings, following the 8:30 p.m. net.

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■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org

DO DROP IN SANTA ON CHRISTMAS EVE

PAUL/ANCHOR: In keeping with the holiday spirit of Bryant's cards, we
also bring you this report from.....well........I guess from Santa. Are
you there Mr. Claus?

SANTA: HO HO HO, well boys and girls, it's my favorite time of the year
again - it's time for the Santa Watch Net!

DON: That's right, Santa will be making his rounds, and once again for
the seventh year in a row, the gang at the Do Drop In, will be watching
the radar. Join the Santa Watch Net starting at 1800 hours Eastern Time

SANTA: HO HO HO, and my little elf Dave N3NTV ... ooooooh he is such a
cute little fellow! (I think he may have put on some weight.) He's going
to be calling the net, and keeping track of old Santa's location.....er, QTH........

DON: And just like last year, Santa has a radio in his sleigh and yeah,
he'll chat with the kids again.

SANTA: Oh that's right. Bring all the little ones, and let's get them
checked in. HO HO HO third party traffic is always on the 'nice' list.

DON: Once again it's the Santa Watch Net, Christmas Eve, 1800 hours
Eastern on the Do Drop In EchoLink Conference Server, Node Number
355800.

SANTA: HO HO HO Merry Christmas from me, old Santa and all my little
elves here at the Do Drop In, HO HO HO.

(DAVID VOWELL N3NTV)

**

YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR PREPARES FOR DECEMBER

PAUL/ANCHOR: The arrival of December means a lot of things to people -
but if you're a young ham radio operator, it means "get ready for
action," as we hear from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: While most youngsters may anticipate December, because it brings Christmas, and a break from school, young amateur radio operators in
IARU region 1, know what it means for them: The annual Youngsters on the
Air, or YOTA activity, takes place where youngsters work the bands to
make as many contacts around the world as they can with one another.
Most countries have special YOTA stations. You'll know them when you
hear them - their call signs will have Y-O-T-A as their suffix. You
don't need to be in your 20s, or even younger, to make a contact. It
might even make some OMs feel young again.

Registered special calls already include South Africa ZS9YOTA, Russia
R17YOTA, Sweden SH9YOTA and Slovakia OM9YOTA. If you're a young Ham and
not yet registered, there is still time to get on the list - at least
until December. Visit ham hyphen yota dot com (ham-yota.com) to register
your call sign on-line.

While it's not considered a contest, there are definitely prizes - new
friends, a new experience and a sense of accomplishment among them.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(YOUNGSTERS ON THE AIR)

**

D-STAR RADIO WITHOUT THE RADIO? SURE!

PAUL/ANCHOR: In Kentucky, one amateur radio operator has created an
opportunity for others to try D-STAR. This report by Jack Prindle, AB4WS,
comes to us courtesy of Amateur News Weekly.

JACK PRINDLE'S REPORT: There are probably some of you out there who have
heard about all the interesting things happening on the Kentucky D-STAR
system, and are interested in listening to the reflector 56 Bravo, but
you don't have a D-STAR radio. Now there is a way to monitor D-STAR
Reflector 056 Bravo, thanks to Ray, KI4BM, the owner of Kentucky D-STAR Reflector 56. There's now a Broadcastify feed set up with the feed number
26910 or just go to broadcastify dot com and browse the feeds for Kentucky
and Boyle County and you'll see the Reflector 56B feed. It is also
available on Android and IOS apps which carry Broadcastify feeds. This
will also help you listen to the Kentucky D-STAR Reflector 56 Bravo Net,
which is held every Thursday evening at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. You can
also get the latest information on the Kentucky D-STAR scene via Facebook. Barry, K4MNF, created and administers the Kentucky D-STAR Facebook group.
Send a friend request to join the group today.

Covering the Amateur Radio News in the Greater Cincinnati Area, and the Commonwealth of Kentucky for Amateur News Weekly, this is Jack Prindle,
AB4WS, in Big Bone Kentucky.

PAUL/ANCHOR: For more news in the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana, visit amateur
news weekly dot com.

(AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY)

**

BREAK HERE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Muncie Area
Amateur Radio Club's WB9HXG repeater in Muncie, Indiana during the weekly
net on Sundays at 9:30 p.m.

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IN COLORADO, A NEW SANTA IN TOWN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Looks like there's also a new Santa in town, as we
hear from Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT.

CARYN: Like department store Santas, and even sidewalk Santas, amateur
radio Santas will soon be out there. These much-loved seasonal
celebrities bring extra magic to an already enchanted medium. One of
the newest Special Event Santas, N-ZERO-P, comes to us from the Park
County Radio Club in Colorado. This Santa is giving the gift of radio
-- and like the terrestrial Santa, this radio Santa seems to be
everywhere.

DAN: We can do it through EchoLink, we have AllStar available. For our
locals, we have VHF and UHF frequencies available, as well as HF, and
the DMR Channel on TalkGroup 3100 USA.

CARYN: That was Dan Kern, W-ZERO-DFU, who said club volunteers will be
suiting up as the bearded superstar, and his wife, starting December
10th. They will be taking calls on 20 and 40 meters, as well as digital
modes such as PSK-31, and Mrs. Claus will be reachable through DMR.
Best of all, even kids who are in hospitals, or are hearing-impaired
can talk to Santa on the radio too.

DAN: So, we are also offering the ability to communicate via text and
email, but it wouldn't be our standard format using the computer. We
would be sending those texts and emails through our radio via APRS. We
thought with the hearing impaired, it would be a neat way for them to understand they were on ham radio - and that might also promote ham
radio, where they might not be aware they can go digital with packet,
or PSK-31, and still be on ham radio.

CARYN: This club is spreading good will and good cheer, along with the
good word about amateur radio - that it's a holiday gift that's
accessible to everyone, and can be enjoyed all year round, not just in
a ragchew with Santa. For times, frequencies and other operating
details through Christmas Eve, visit N-ZERO-P's page on QRZ.

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT.

**

NETS OF NOTE: SOUTHCARS IS A NET ON THE MOVE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our occasional series, Nets of Note, returns this week,
with a look at a group of amateurs who are less about ragchewing, and
more about mobile stations on the move. Here's Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

NEIL: This week, we feature a long standing net on 7.251. SOUTHCARS
is one net of a family of nets, that is intended for mobile stations.
I had a chance to talk to the Net Manager, Rick Hatalski, ND4Z, about
the focus of the net.

RICK: We work on a list of check-ins, which a lot of people aren't
familiar with. We take the suffix only of the call, and establish a
list, and go down one at a time. Mobiles always have priority. We
kind of cater to mobiles, and QRP stations, because mobiles generally
are in a predicament. They on the way to work, they get there, they go
into tunnels, so I think they should have priority. On all the CARS
nets, mobiles have priority.

NEIL: The net has been on the air for 51 years, and has changed to
accommodate more people.

RICK: We find ourselves to be a very busy net. We try to not ragchew a
lot, because we have a real lot of customers. We used to be more of a
ragchew. We had more time to talk. But with the traffic we have, we try
to cut it short, and please everybody. And, we really really have a lot
of check-ins, probably more than most nets.

NEIL: Aside from mobiles and the occasional emergency, the net has also
been a gathering place.

RICK: Well I think we're a little unique in the fact that we really
dwell on helping out people, especially shut-ins. We tend to be an
older net, kind of an old codger net. We really like young people. We
know that young people are crucial. So we'd really like to have more
young people. But the nature of our net, is we have a lot of shut-ins
and handicapped people, who check in with us. Some of them check in all
five sessions every day, seven days a week. So, we really take pride on
trying to make people who are shut-ins, and handicapped, have a place to
go on amateur radio, where everybody's friendly. We're more of a
friendly net, trying to help other amateur radio operators. That's kind
of our goal.

NEIL: And SOUTHCARS even knows how to party!

RICK: We have luncheons and get-togethers. We generally have things like
the Golden Corral, and restaurants like that, where we have a free
tailgate for people to buy, sell and trade ham gear. Then, we usually go
into the restaurants, and have a nice meal. We do this several times a
year. We have a picnic in the mountains of North Georgia once a year.
So, we have a lot of fun. We have a lot of good fellowship on SOUTHCARS.

NEIL: You can find SOUTHCARS on 7.251, and online at southcars.com. With
this week's "Net of Note", I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, reporting for Amateur
Radio Newsline.

**

BREAK HERE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the North Coast
Amateur Radio Club's K8SCI repeater, in Brunswick, Ohio, on Sundays at
9 p.m. during the weekly info net.

---
■ Synchronet ■ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org

HOSPITAL HELPS WASHINGTON HAMS EXPAND EMCOMM COVERAGE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: When it comes to planning for emergency coverage,
hospitals and hams are a natural team. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, tells
us about one such effort in Washington State.

CHRISTIAN: With the help of a local hospital, hams in Clallam County, Washington are hoping to provide the county with a security blanket of
RF coverage. Their effort has been a two-year project between the
Clallam County Amateur Radio Club and Forks Community Hospital.
According to club member Joe Wright, KG7JWW, who is also an area
emergency coordinator for ARES in Forks, the goal is to establish
"operational areas" throughout the county including the vast prairie
and serve those areas with more radios and repeaters. While standard communication will continue to rely on the VHF repeater and vertical
antenna, the goal is to extend the range, linking to UHF repeaters
beyond.

Joe credited the hospital for having established an on-site amateur
radio station after 9/11 for Clallam County ARES. He said the hospital
has also assisted in other ways, including with installation of a
repeater and equipment for an emergency radio site on Gunderson
Mountain, just outside of town.

He told Newsline "the new repeater location has significantly
increased our coverage" and other expansions are in the planning
stages. One of them is for a location that will cover the county's
farthest northwest areas and cross over to Vancouver Island, British
Columbia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(THE FORKS FORUM)

**

AMATEUR TO CAST HER ABSENTEE BALLOT FROM ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Although more voters than ever in the U.S. are
expected to use absentee ballots in November's presidential election,
one amateur radio operator will be casting her ballot from space. Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has those details.

DON: Astronaut Kate Rubins, KG5FYJ, has a few important things on her
agenda following her mid-October launch from Russia to the
International Space Station. Once there, she will begin her research
using the Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS. She will also work on a
cardiovascular experiment.

And, she plans to cast an absentee ballot, and vote in the United
States presidential election. According to Space.com, her vote will
take the form of a secure electronic ballot which gets transmitted to
Mission Control, and sent on from there to the county clerk back home
in Texas.

Of course, high-flying absentee ballots are nothing new for her.
According to the Associated Press, she and fellow astronaut Shane
Kimbrough, KE5HOD, voted for president the same way in 2016, hoping
their votes would go the distance.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

(SPACE.COM, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
N9EOC repeater of the Central Indiana Amateur Radio Association in Noblesville, Indiana, on Sundays at 8 p.m. local time.

**

AMATEUR SATELLITE MARKS 27 YEARS IN ORBIT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine 27 years on the job: The team behind a
satellite called AMRAD-Oscar 27 has no trouble imagining it at all.
The satellite just marked its birthday in space, as Neil Rapp, WB9VPG,
tells us.

NEIL: Happy 27th birthday to the satellite that was launched from
French Guiana in September of 1993 and is still on the job. Hams
around the world have made contacts with AMRAD-Oscar 27, which has
also been used for a successful D-STAR mode satellite QSO. Even after
a temporary outage in 2012, the team behind the project couldn't be
prouder of the satellite's longevity and its reputation for being
relatively easy to work. AO-27 was built by the Amateur Radio Research
and Development Corporation (AMRAD) in McLean, Virginia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

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ON-AIR EXCITEMENT FOR WORLD'S LARGEST SCOUTING EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: Yes, it's almost time for Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on
the Internet. Bill Stearns, NE4RD, gives us those details.

BILL: Radio Scouters are getting ready for the world's largest scouting
event just one week away, Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet
on October 16th through the 18th local times. With current COVID-19
guidelines varying from state to state and country to country, this year's event will no doubt be somewhat of a challenge.

With the guidelines in place, we have definitely seen a decrease in
planned participation and as such we only have 4 call areas with reserved K2BSA callsign usage.

Mark Hughes, KG4VWE, will be activating K2BSA/4 in West Point, GA, at the Chattahoochee Council Fall Family Camp.

David Mulvey, K5DCM, will be activating K2BSA/5 in San Angelo, TX, with a location of To Be Determined.

Brandon Arias, KM6WZP, will be activating K2BSA/6 in Riverside, CA, at
Mount Rubidoux.

Lori Abraham and Robert Crow, KA8CDC, will be activating K2BSA/8 in
Wheeling, WV, at the Sandscrest Scout Reservation.

Registration for JOTA/JOTI is located at jotajoti.info this year. Please communicate your intentions for your activity with your local district and council for any approvals needed under the current guidelines in your
area.

For more information on this and radio scouting, please visit our website
at k2bsa.net.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association, this
is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.

**

HAMS ON HIGH ALERT DURING SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams around the United States were on high alert on Saturday October 3rd, and if the situations they faced felt a little unreal, that's because they were: The carefully scripted emergencies were part of a drill
for the Simulated Emergency Test of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that story.

CHRISTIAN: From Bedford County, Pennsylvania to Cherokee County, Georgia -
and beyond - emergencies suddenly seemed real as first responders and
amateur radio operators played it for keeps in the Simulated Emergency
Test. The scenario there was a search for missing hikers in the woods.

Lloyd Roach, K3QNT, public information officer of the Bedford County
Amateur Radio Society, told WTAJ news that it was a chance to polish coordination skills with the area's firefighters, fire chiefs, police and
even the search-and-rescue teams.

Hams in Northern Florida responded to a simulation in which excessive heat taxed the power grid, prompting the state to begin rolling blackouts. The focus there was on response to heatstroke patients and individuals with critical needs requiring hospital transport.

In Georgia, the Cherokee ARES group tackled a simulated earthquake rocking
the state. Hams in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, responded to flooding
evacuations and illness from polluted water, ARES members in Hawaii
deployed EmComm stations for a simulated hurricane, communicating with shelters providing assistance.

In the days following the Simulated Emergency Test, organizers are
expected to assess the activity and uncover any weaknesses in procedures
and communications to better prepare for the real thing.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(WTAJ, WQOW, ARRL NORTHERN FLORIDA, CLAY TODAY)

**

SILENT KEY: ARRL NNJ SECTION MANAGER STEVE OSTROVE K2SO

JIM/ANCHOR: A New Jersey amateur radio operator who was a leader in the
radio community has become a Silent Key. Steve Ostrove, K2SO, Northern New Jersey Section Manager, died of cancer on October 2nd.

Steve became section manager in 2019, and had previously served in the position from 2016 to 2017.

Steve Ostrove was 74.

(ARRL)

**

RESEARCHERS CLAIM 'LIMITLESS' LOW-VOLTAGE POWER SOURCE

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams who operate portable, and even those who don't, are
always in search of the "perfect" power source. Researchers are too - and Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us about some findings from scientists in Arkansas.

KEVIN: Physicists at the University of Arkansas have created a circuit
that they say can harvest the thermal motion inside graphene - an
electrically conductive form of elemental carbon - and turn it into low- voltage electrical current to power sensors or small devices.

They also say the power is clean and limitless. They created the circuit
by using two diodes to convert AC into DC. The pulsing DC current performs work on a load resistor.

The researchers claim the diodes have a symbiotic relationship with the graphene and increase the circuit's power. They believe that this project
has proven that grapheneÆs thermal motion at room temperature induces an alternating current in a circuit -- an achievement that some physicists
have said is not possible.

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

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HAMS PREP TO COMMUNICATE WITH HAWAIIAN RESEARCH SATELLITE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Elsewhere in the sky, and a bit higher up, there are plans
for hams to be part of a satellite mission that began as a project in
Hawaii. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, explains.

NEIL: The Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory has plans to collaborate with
amateur radio operators to communicate with its Neutron-1 satellite to
send and receive messages after the satellite is released in November from
the International Space Station. Neutron-1 is carrying an FM repeater with
a downlink on 435.300 MHz and an uplink on 145.840 MHz. It is expected to
be in space for about one year.

The satellite will be controlled through a ground station at a local
community college. The space flight lab will control the Neutron-1 via the GlobalStar network.

The Neutron-1 was launched aboard an NG-14 rocket from Virginia on Friday October 2nd as part of a resupply mission to the ISS. It is a project involving students, volunteers, faculty and staff at the University of
Hawaii. Its mission is to measure neutrons in space and radiation coming
from the sun.

The satellite is the space flight lab's second completed spacecraft. In
2016, the failure of a suborbital rocket after launch caused the loss of
the first iteration of the Neutron-1 payload.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT)

**

CLASSES BEGIN (VIRTUALLY) AT ARES ACADEMY

PAUL/ANCHOR: School is in session for the New England ARES Academy in the
U.S. but not the way it was originally planned. Heather Embee, KB3TZD, explains.

HEATHER: The Northeast HamXposition/ARRL New England Division Convention
was supposed to be hosting classes for the first New England ARES Academy
but the current pandemic called everything off. Well, almost. Academy
classes have still been going forward but now they are virtual. The
coursework is being offered instead on the Zoom platform. The courses accommodate beginners with five Basic Track classes and work with more advanced amateurs in additional sessions and workshops. One-hour classes
are being held on weeknights, and two-hour workshops take place on
Saturday mornings.

The courses provide additional guidance in the ARRL's ARES training
standards. The newly created New England ARES Academy grew out of the successful New Hampshire-ARES Academy program, which held classes for
eight years at the New Hampshire State Fire Academy.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD.

(SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION)

**

BELGIUM HALTS HAM RADIO EXAMS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Not everything can be done remotely, however, Amateur radio candidates in Belgium may have to wait a little longer to take their
tests. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

JEREMY: While many organisations around the world have gone online to administer amateur radio exams safely to candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic, Belgium has announced all testing must be halted.

The communications regulator BIPT said its decision was made out of
concern for the health and safety of BIPT staff and licence candidates. As
a result, testing has been suspended temporarily.

Belgium's national amateur radio society said that the BIPT will contact
the interested parties when examinations can return to normal. Candidates
who have already registered and paid for the test will be able to re-
register without incurring extra costs and will receive priority for
testing.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

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BALLOONS ARE JAMBOREE HEADLINERS FOR INDIANA SCOUTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Remember last week's big balloon launch by students from around the United States? Well those balloons just gained some company up in the
sky. Boy Scouts in Indiana did a launch as part of Jamboree on the Air - and Andy Morrison, K9AWM, shares those details.

ANDY: Boy Scout Troop 1 in Jeffersonville Indiana places a special emphasis
on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills. So when the scouts
hosted their local council's Jamboree on the Air event on Saturday, October 17th, they naturally had everything down to a science. Or perhaps - UP - to
a science is a more accurate description: In addition to making HF contacts, fox-hunting and playing Morse Code games, the scouts launched lightweight helium balloons, each carrying a payload of no more than 13 grams. Now
they're tracking them using APRS in the hopes they can follow the planned circumnavigation of the Earth in the jet stream. Using the callsign N9BWT-
12, the balloons transmit their location every two minutes.

The project is nothing new to this science-minded group of scouts. During
last year's JOTA event, the lightweight balloon made its way around the
world one and three-quarter times before it was lost in a thunderstorm
in southern California.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(STEVEN DRIVER N9BWT)

**

COMPETITION IS IN THE CARDS FOR STRAIGHT KEY CENTURY CLUB

NEIL/ANCHOR: For members of the Straight Key Century Club, the competition's
in the cards - the QSL cards, that is. Skeeter Nash N5ASH explains.

SKEETER: CW enthusiasts who've had their fill of sprints, QSO Parties, marathons, and other on-air contests, are being invited to take their competitive spirits off the air for a little while, and express themselves
with something other than their straight keys. This is a QSL Card contest,
and it's for members of the Straight Key Century Club, which is marking
its 15th anniversary in 2021.

Members are being asked to provide designs for QSL cards to be used during
the club's annual Straight Key Month, which begins on January 2nd, 2021. The call sign for the event is, once again, K3Y.

If you belong to the club and have an idea for a catchy card, submit your entry no later than December 14th. Members will vote online for their
favorite designs starting on December 15th. The most popular design is the
one that gets the distinction of being the official K3Y QSL card for
Straight Key Month. Even if you don't win the top honors, if your QSL card lands among the top 12 in popularity, it will be among those featured in the club's printed calendar for the new year.

Members of the Straight Key Century Club should send their images to Drew at AF2Z at skccgroup.com (drew@skccgroup.com)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.

**

THE LAST OF TV'S 'LAST MAN STANDING'

NEIL/ANCHOR: Attention TV fans, Tim Allen, KK6OTD, is going QRT on the Fox Network. The American TV sitcom "Last Man Standing" will begin its ninth and final season on the network early next year. The Fox network has carried the series since May 2018, following its cancellation by ABC a year earlier. The show features Tim as amateur radio operator Mike Baxter, KA0XTT.

Producer John Amodeo, AA6JA, told Newsline in an email that cast and crew
are now in the process of shooting 21 shows to begin airing in January. All
is not lost, however: As John noted, even after Season 9 is done, the show's 194 episodes will live on in syndication.

(TV LINE)

**

DEADLINE APPROACHES TO APPLY FOR ARISS CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Only a few weeks remain for teachers and other educators to be
a part of the next series of radio contacts with the International Space Station. Here's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, with those details.

PAUL: If you are an educator or part of an educational organization, this is
a reminder that you only have a little more than a month to apply for a ham radio contact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The proposal window closes on the 24th of November. Contacts are now being
planned to take place between July 1st and December 30th of next year. ARISS is looking in particular for organizations that will attract a high number
of participants and intend to use the experience as part of a larger
education plan.

Visit the website ariss dot org (ariss.org) for more details and to find a proposal form.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
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BUSINESSMAN CLOAKS ANTENNAS SPROUTING UP IN NETHERLANDS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you think the next news item could be a great
opportunity for someone to help hams living in restrictive communities
to hide their towers and antennas, you're right. In fact, an
entrepreneur has done just that - in the Netherlands -- only he gets
hired mostly by telecomm companies. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the rest
of that story.

GRAHAM: The Dutch company appropriately called Camouflage BV, is in the business of making it seem like all those antennas have gone away. The company's chief, Anton Hermes, is an expert at hiding them.

Hermes has earned the nickname "Antenna Man" for good reason. He's
helping cloak many of the tens of thousands of antennas cropping up in
The Netherlands, including the new influx serving the growing 5G networks.

Antenna cloaking no longer means just pretending they are part of some
very tall trees. Hermes takes a more creative approach, using objects that resemble a church spire, fake windows, or the roof of a clock tower. The
only catch is that the camouflage must be crafted of polyester, since
many building materials block radio waves.

Although these antennas are for commercial ventures, hams can relate to
what he recently told a reporter for the online newsletter Vice
Netherlands. Hermes said: "This war against antennas upsets me."

Hams might say he has plenty of company.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(VICE NETHERLANDS)

**

THE GERATOL NET IS BACK FOR WINTER OPERATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The GERATOL Net is back. A new season of operating has
begun on this Worked-All-States Net. Extra Class operators in the U.S.
gather on 3.668 MHz every evening starting at 0100 UTC. Visit their
website at geratol.net - spelled G E R A T O L - and then plan to check
in. Newcomers as well as old members are welcome.

(GERATOL.NET)

**

FRENCH AMATEUR LOGS RECORD CONTACTS VIA SATELLITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There have been some new records set for satellite
contacts logged - and Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, is here to tell us about them.

NEIL: Two thousand twenty has turned out to be a record year for Jerome LeCuyer, F4DXV, and his satellite contacts. He and Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ,
told AMSAT that they have set a new record via the RS-44 satellite. On
October 19th, the French amateur completed a QSO of 8,402 km -- or 5,220
miles -- with Casey in Idaho. This broke the previous record of 8,357 km -
or just under 5,200 miles - set in May between a ham in Germany, and a
ham from Louisiana.

Meanwhile, Jerome reported another record-setting contact - this one on
AO-27, working Michael Styne, K2MTS, in New York. The distance of this
QSO was 5,904 km -- or 3,668 miles -- beating the previous record of
5,682 - or a little more than 3,500 miles - set in June between operators
in Russia and Thailand.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT)

**

SILENT KEY: CLIFF KAYHART W4KKP

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A ham radio operator who had just turned 109, has become
a Silent Key. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, shares this remembrance of him.

PAUL: Back in 2016 my editor, Caryn Eve Murray, gave me an assignment to contact and interview a man, who was believed to be the oldest living ham.

Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP was 104 years old at the time and had been a licensed, active ham for 79 years. He was an absolute delight to talk to, bright and sharp, and still active on the air. Our conversation was mostly about his
age and activity, but that story led to talk about World War II, and his experiences before, during, and after the war. As Newsline went to
production on Thursday, Oct. 29th, we learned that Cliff had become a
Silent Key on Oct. 26th, just a few days past his 109th birthday. Our condolences to his family and all who knew him.

After our Newsline report ran, we posted an extended version of my
interview with Cliff on our website as an "Extra." You can listen by
following the link in the text version of this newscast.

[[https://www.arnewsline.org/extra/2016/9/1/amateur-radio-newsline-report- 2027-extra.html?rq=cliff%20kayhart]]

(above URL all on one line)

On a personal note, the phone call I had with him remains one of the
highlights of my career with Newsline, and one of the most memorable of
my life. W4KKP has gone QRT one last time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WA2EHL
repeater in Burlington, New Jersey, on Fridays at 7 p.m. local time.
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SILENT KEY: JIM TIEMSTRA K6JAT, ARRL PACIFIC DIVISION DIRECTOR

NEIL/ANCHOR: A prominent radio amateur on the U.S. West Coast has become a Silent Key. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: ARRL members on the West Coast have lost a leader: The ARRL's
Pacific Division Director, Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, has become a Silent Key.
The Oakland, California amateur died on October 30th.

Before becoming director in 2018, Jim had served as vice director from 2009 through 2017. He also served on a variety of committees and had a number of board assignments. An ARRL Life Member, Jim became a ham in 1970 in his Chicago, Illinois hometown where with the call sign WN9ELU he was president
of his high school radio club. Jim was best known for his enthusiasm for contesting and DXing and his commitment to public service and emergency response. He belonged to the Oakland Amateur Radio Emergency Service Group
and was part of the team responding in 1989 to the Loma Prieta earthquake
and in 1991 to the Oakland Hills firestorm.

Jim, a retired attorney, was the first president of the Oakland Radio Communication Association, which he incorporated in 1998 and served as a founding director. He was trustee of the club's call sign WW6OR.

Jim Tiemstra was 65.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(ARRL)

**

TURNING TO VINTAGE PUBLICATIONS ABOUT VINTAGE GEAR

NEIL/ANCHOR: Because radio waves are as old as nature itself, even the
oldest books rarely go out of style - just out of print. However one ham in Romania is making them available as free digital downloads. Ed Durrant,
DD5LP, picks up the story from here.

ED: There are hams who enjoy vintage rigs and antique straight keys but how about hams who appreciate historic publications about radio? Iulian Rosu, YO3DAC / VA3IUL, an accomplished QRP contester in Romania who loves
homebrew in addition to QRP operating, is one of those enthusiasts. Now he
is sharing free downloadable PDFs of some old books about radio that date
back as much as 100 years.

The titles include "The Wireless Experimenters Manual," by E. Bucher, published in 1920, and "Radio, Miracle of the 20th Century," by F. Drinker
and J. Lewis, published in 1922. He also has a collection of old radio magazines in downloadable format - publications such as the archive
collection of Radio Times, dating to 1923 and The Wireless Constructor,
from 1926. There's even a General Electric handbook on sideband, first published in 1961.

They are all there -- for the curious as well as the collector -- the
website URL appears in the printed version of this newscast on our website
at arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: DO NOT READ - https://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Files/Old_Radio_Frequency_Books.htm]

(SOUTHGATE, QSL.NET)

**

FCC OKS DIGITAL OPERATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL AM RADIO

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams who have great enthusiasm for various modes of digital operation are getting some more company on the air - just in a different
part of the spectrum. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has told commercial AM radio stations that they will be allowed to convert to an all-digital broadcast if they are presently using analog or a hybrid of
analog and digital signals. The stations' changes are to be voluntary.

The FCC's late October announcement clears the way for AM stations to
provide an all-digital signal that gives better coverage over a wider area
of listeners and enables the signal to carry additional information, such
as the title and artist for a particular song -- details that are visible
on a compatible digital radio receiver.

The stations are required, however, to notify the FCC at least 30 days
before making their change. They are still required to be a part of the Emergency Alert System.

(FCC)

**

IRELAND'S 1st SATELLITE SEEKS AMATEUR RADIO INPUT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Ireland takes particular pride in the fact that it is
launching its first satellite in 2021 - but the team behind it is looking
for some amateur radio help. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, to explain.

JEREMY: The Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 or EIRSAT-1, will be launched sometime early next year, carrying three science experiments on behalf of students at University College Dublin and other researchers. The
Low Earth Orbit CubeSat was designed by engineering and space science
students and academic staff as part of the European Space Agency's Fly Your Satellite programme.

Hams are being asked to help out with signal acquisition shortly after the satellite's launch on the Vega rocket. Hams, scanner, listeners and others
are being asked to help with ground station operations. In a recent visit
to the South Dublin Radio Club, David Murphy EI9HWB, and Fergal Marshall of the EIRSAT-1 team explained the satellite's operations and how hams can assist. Their talk is available on YouTube where the two explain the uplink and downlink schemes and the role amateurs can play.

To see the video, visit the club's website at southdublinradio club dot
weebly dot com (southdublinradioclub.weebly.com). Then get ready for the
new year when Ireland's first satellite will make history.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE, EIRSAT-1)
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SILENT KEY: NOTED LOW-BAND DXER JOHN DEVOLDERE ON4UN

JIM/ANCHOR: A noted DXer, a leader in low-band operations, and a friend to amateurs worldwide, has become a Silent Key. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us
about him.

ED: Many amateurs in the DXing world are grieving the loss of a friend, a mentor and a guiding spirit: John Devoldere, ON4UN, became a Silent Key on
the 9th of November. According to a post from his daughter Marleen on DX- World, John had been in poor health for sometime. His daughter said he died peacefully at his home in Belgium.

A prominent figure in low-band communications, he was celebrated by many for his friendship, his enthusiasm and his willingness to share what he knew. Known for his extensive writing, his popular book, "Low-Band Dxing," was the guide for many amateurs. He was elected to the CQ magazine Contest Hall of Fame in 1997 and the CQ DXing Hall of Fame in 2008.

John wrote on his QRZ page that he was a proud amateur for 59 years, having first been licenced in 1961 at the age of 20.

His daughter said a digital farewell ceremony was being planned for Saturday the 21st of November, and that details would follow. She said anyone with questions can email her directly at ON4UN dot SK at gmail.com (ON4UN.SK@gmail.com)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(DX-WORLD, QRZ)

**

HAMS HELP CHILDHOOD FRIENDS HAVE ONLINE REUNION

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur radio is all about making connections -- and in India,
two long-lost childhood friends who aren't hams learned they could rely on radio to bring them together, at least virtually. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells
us how it happened.

GRAHAM: It is said that amateur radio is one of the best places to meet new friends. But a ham radio club in the northeastern state of Tripura recently showed that amateur radio is also one of the best ways to meet up with old friends.

Just ask Chandana Basu and Sabita Roy. The two women were schoolmates 40
years ago in northern India, but after Chandana's family moved to West
Bengal in 1981, the friends lost touch. They both kept their childhood memories but also held onto hope they might see one another again someday.

That "someday" happened recently after Chandana acted upon her long-held
wish to see her friend. She learned that the Tripura Ham Radio Club had members who might be willing to assist.

She gave them her friend's old address, and club members eventually tracked Sabito to the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, another northern state in India. This isn't the end of the story, however.

The two women finally had the first face-to-face communications in four decades, arranged by the Tripura Ham Radio Club and the Calcutta Ham Radio Club. The reunion took place over a video conference which, at least for non-hams, is the closest thing to a meaningful QSO as one can get.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(NORTHEAST NOW)

**

NEW MARIANAS ISLANDS CLUB HAS AMBITIOUS AGENDA

JIM/ANCHOR: One of the newest clubs in the Marianas Islands is small - but
it hopes to be mighty. Here's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, with the details.

JIM: The Radio Amateur Marianas DX Club has only had its licence since September but they are making up for lost time. Cris Francisco Jr., club president, told the Saipan Tribune in a recent news article that the club expects to be busy in this disaster-prone Pacific island commonwealth which was devastated after Super Typhoon Yutu struck in 2018 with rebuilding work continuing for months afterward.

Cris told the newspaper that a ham radio club would also enable better communications with the American Red Cross and other humanitarian aid
groups.

The 20 or so members also hope to be available for larger-scale events that are more upbeat, such as triathlons and other public events.

Cris said that ham radio is nothing new in the region and said many of the club members had belonged to organisations that are now gone. The club recently bought a repeater, which has the call sign WH0ACH.

He said there hasn't been an operating repeater in the Marianas since the typhoon destroyed the single repeater serving the region at that time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(SAIPAN TRIBUNE)
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REALTIME SPECIAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS VIRTUAL SCI-FI CONVENTION

DON/ANCHOR: When COVID-19 turned a popular sci-fi convention into a
virtual, socially distant event, some Chicago area hams got creative with
some plans of their own. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, explains.

ANDY: In the Chicago suburbs, what started out as science fiction ended
up as science fact. WindyCon, the well-attended annual science fiction convention had to be scrapped due to COVID-19 - but the event went
forward anyway as a virtual convention known as Breezycon, on November
13th through 15th. While sci-fi enthusiasts enjoyed panels, music and
gaming during those three days, with socially distant chatter on the
Discord app, hams from the DuPage Amateur Radio Club W9DUP showed their support as well. Taking their cue from Breezycon's change in plans - the
move from in-person to virtual - special event station W9W got on the air
too, just as scheduled -- and just as it had done in previous years for Windycon.

As things turned out, its operation was a virtual success: Using SSB, CW
and FT-8, DuPage Amateur Radio Club hams operated their personal stations
and paid tribute to sci-fi fans who were attending the big event from a
safe distance.

Some might say this is truly the stuff of sci-fi. But for those radio operators among us who already lost this year's in-person opportunities
at Hamvention, Friedrichshafen and the big Tokyo Ham Fair, this was
simply ham radio, doing what it does best.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

DON/ANCHOR: According to club vice president Daniel Gunderson, N9MUF, the
four operators logged 149 contacts over the weekend -- 93 SSB, 49 FT8,
and 7 CW. Well-done.

(QRZ.COM, WINDYCON, DANIEL GUNDERSON N9MUF)

**

FLORA & FAUNA ACTIVATIONS SWEEP AUSTRALIA

DON/ANCHOR: Whether you're an activator or a chaser, you don't want to
miss Australia's World Wide Flora & Fauna activation this month. Here's
Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, to tell us more.

ROBERT: Hams in Australia are getting ready for their big World Wide
Flora & Fauna activation weekend on the 28th and 29th of November. They
are registering their call signs and locations with Paul, VK5PAS, the
national coordinator. Paul is keeping track of amateurs who are involved
so he can prepare a report at the conclusion of the event, and send out Activation Participation certificates.

The many sites include Cape Blanche Conservation Park, Mornington
Peninsula National Park, Murray Sunset National Park and Echo Sugarloaf
State Reserve. There are more than 680 national parks throughout
Australia so there's plenty to choose from.

By the way, if you're planning to chase the activators, they will be
posting alerts to spot their operations on the website parksnpeaks.org

You can also consult the DX cluster at wwff dot co slash dx hyphen
cluster (wwff.co/dx-cluster)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(WWFF AUSTRALIA)

**

ON-AIR TRIBUTE BEGINS TO INDIA'S PIONEER BOSE

DON/ANCHOR: How do you pay proper tribute to an early pioneer of wireless communication? You go on the air, of course -- and that's what is
happening now in India, as we hear from John Williams, VK4JJW.

JOHN: He is honored by many in India - and well beyond - as the father of wireless communication. There is no question that Jagadish Chandra Bose,
who was born on the 30th of November in 1858, left a sizable legacy to
radio when he died in 1937. Every year for the past 15 years, Datta
VU2DSI has gone on the air as a reminder to hams everywhere that we owe
much to this progressive-thinking 19th century born man of science and
his experiments, including communication in the microwave frequency range using a Galena crystal in his 60 GHz receiver.

This year, Datta will honor Bose by operating with the call sign AU2JCB, between the 20th of November and the 15th of December. He will be joined
by a number of other stations operating as well with JCB in the suffix.

For more details visit the QRZ.COM page for AU2JCB, and be listening.

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

(DATTA VU2DSI, QRZ.COM, BRITTANICA)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W4HPL repeater of the Cookeville Repeater Association in Cookeville, Tennessee,
on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Central Time.
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EVENT HONORS HAMMARLUND RADIO'S FOUNDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of Hammarlund radios, do you remember them?
Perhaps you even own and still use one. This next story - from Mike
Askins, KE5CXP - is for you.

MIKE: By the time the Hammarlund Radio Hullabaloo special event station
W4H went off the air, the 11 operators from the High Appalachian
Mountain Amateur Radio Society had logged contacts and countless
stories. The three-day event between the 19th and 21st of November was a celebration of the November 19th birthday of company founder Oscar
Hammarlund in 1861. The operation also gave a respectful nod to the
presence of Hammarlund's radio factory right there in Mars Hill, North Carolina, between 1951 and 1973.

Mostly, however, the special event was a celebration of the famous
Hammarlund radios, some of which were pressed into service to make
contacts during this successful special event. According to Ralph,
W4RRJ, one operator was even using a Hammarlund SP-600 JX-17 receiver
and a Johnson Viking 2 when he made his contacts using AM mode. This
wasn't the only vintage equipment: Ralph said that about one-third of
the SSB contacts were made by operators using a Collins KWM-2.

Ralph told Newsline that the most common stories operators heard were
from hams who'd regretted having sold their old Hammerlund radios years
ago when they drifted away from amateur radio, not knowing they'd return someday. Another ham recalled growing up near the Mars Hill factory and remembering the silver dollars the company gave employees on the
business' tenth anniversary.

The special event also called for contacts on the Mt. Mitchell 2-meter repeater, the highest repeater east of the Mississippi River, so that
hams unable to get on HF could still check in. Ralph said next year's
plans are even bigger: it will be the 140th anniversary of Hammarlund's
birth and the 70th anniversary of the factory's move to Mars Hill.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

PAUL/ANCHOR: Ralph told Newsline that in all there were 975 contacts in
49 states, 11 provinces, and 30 foreign countries.

(RALPH ROGNSTAD JR W4RRJ, HIGH APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN AMATEUR RADIO
SOCIETY)

**

GOING OFF ROAD AND ON AIR IN KENTUCKY

PAUL/ANCHOR: You don't always need to script a simulated emergency to
sharpen your emergency prepardness. One ham radio club in Kentucky demonstrated that recently by going on-air when a group of Jeep
enthusiasts went off-road. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, tells us what
happened.

CHRISTIAN: Members of the Lake Cumberland Amateur Radio Association
partnered in early November with the Somernites Cruise organization for
the inaugural Jeep Nationals Trail Event in the back woods of Kentucky. According to Chris Perry, KY4CKP, while 38 Jeeps had off-road adventures
in a local state park a number of LCARA operators were at remote support locations with access to the 2-meter repeater as well as to their EmComm trailer.

During the three-hour event, club members tracked the progress of the
event and were prepared to summon help if any vehicles broke down or any medical issues arose. Chris said the trail ran through an area where
cell service is practically nonexistent so the presence of the hams was
vital.

A YouTube video of the adventure, narrated by Brian Perry, KY4BDP,
summed up the point of the whole exercise. Brian says: "It doesn't have
to be an emergency, you can practice your emergency communication
procedures in a fun event where everybody has a good time." Video of the
event can be seen on the LCARA channel on YouTube.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(CHRIS PERRY KY4CKP)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
WA7ABU repeater in Salem, Oregon, on Saturdays at 6 p.m. local time.
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DISCOVERY EXTENDS LIFESPAN OF SOLAR PANELS

JIM/ANCHOR: There's some good news for hams who use solar panels when
they operate portable. Well, it's good news - but it's still in the
future. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have announced
their discovery of a means of extending the lifespan of perovskite-
based solar cells, using a method that is also environmentally
friendly.

Perovskite, which is used as a semiconductor, is light-sensitive
material that degrades over time.

The researchers are calling their finding a cost-saving measure because
it allows perovskite-based cells to be recycled. The process renews the
cells' ability to absorb light by restoring a panel's photovoltaic
capability.

One of the PhD students on the research team in the Department of
Applied Physics told the Jerusalem Post that the key is the use of a
layer of stable oxides. The student, Avi (Ah-Vee) Schneider said the
layer [quote] "acts as an electrode of the cell but it's also a stable material that allows for us to be able to remove any degraded
perovskite." [endquote]

He said that perovskite is the most sensitive component in the solar
cell and the most likely to suffer damage over time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(JERUSALEM POST)

**

MARKETER OF MOBILE RADIOS AND HTS CHARGED BY FCC

JIM/ANCHOR: The FCC has cracked down on a California-based company,
saying it sold radios capable of transmitting illegally. Jack Parker,
W8ISH, tells us more.

JACK: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has charged a radio
marketer with the sale of six models of mobile and handheld two-way
radios that allowed transmission outside authorized frequencies. The
November 24th action by the agency's Enforcement Bureau notified Rugged
Race Products, also known as Rugged Radios, that the California company
must immediately stop selling the radios in the U.S. or face fines.
According to the FCC citation, the agency's inquiry of the company's
marketing dates back to its initial contact in August of 2018 in
response to complaints.

The citation says Rugged Radios acknowledged that it marketed each of
the six models identified in the letter of inquiry, dating as far back
as February 2014.

The citation further says: [quote] "Rugged Radios acknowledged that all
six models were 'sold with the capability of being face-programmable to
allow a user to enter new operating frequencies' and that the
associated manufacturer or supplier delivered the radio to the Company
with this capability." [endquote]

The FCC acknowledges, however, that after the first letter of inquiry,
Rugged Radios did take steps to comply with agency rules and halted its marketing of four of the six models and later ensured that new models
included the appropriate FCC ID and labeling information. The company
also made firmware changes that disabled face-programming changes on
the two remaining models, but ultimately pulled them from the market as
well in May of 2020.

The FCC has given the company 30 days to respond to the citation.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(FCC)

**

CHANUKAH SPECIAL EVENT LIGHTS UP THE AIRWAVES

JIM/ANCHOR: If you're looking to grab some DX from Israel, you'll have
nine special days and nights in December. John Williams, VK4JJW, has
that story.

JOHN: Get ready for a number of Israeli radio amateur stations to light
up the airwaves throughout Chanukah, the festival of lights, for nine
days beginning at 1400 UTC on December 10th. The special event stations
will include 4X1C, which will be activated by a team of hams as the
first candle of the holiday is lit. On the next night, 4X2H, will join
4X1C on the air as the second candle is lit. Subsequent activations
will be by 4Z3A, 4X4N, 4X5U and others, with the number in each call
sign representing the number of candles to be lit on that day. All new stations will join the ones previously activated.

The team activating 4X0NER will be on for the duration of the special
event. Be listening on all the HF ham bands including the WARC bands
and the QO-100 satellite.

Operations end at 2159 UTC on December 19th. There are special
certificates available for Israeli amateurs, European amateurs and hams
from outside Europe. The certificates are digital downloads provided by
the Israel Amateur Radio Club. The club is also offering a prize for
best menorah and invites hams to email pictures of menorahs in and
around their QTH from their part of the world.

For details about the certificates and the photo contest, visit the
club website at iarc.org/iarc.

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

(ISRAEL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
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PROJECT KUIPER UNVEILS ANTENNA DESIGN

PAUL/ANCHOR: As any ham will tell you, when it comes to a good signal
it's all about the antenna. That wisdom is also a guiding principle for Project Kuiper, the Amazon satellite constellation designed to provide internet access from space. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with that
report.

KENT: Following development and testing this past fall, Amazon has
unveiled its single aperture phased-array design antenna it plans to
use on customer terminals with the company's Project Kuiper satellite constellation. The details were made public on December 16th, revealing
a small, light antenna no more than 12 inches across and with the
capacity of a maximum throughput of as much as 400 Mbps. The small size
has been designed to keep production costs low.

Amazon's planned deployment of the 3,236 low-earth orbit satellite
group got the go-ahead this past summer from the Federal Communications Commission. The project's goal is to provide low-latency broadband
internet access with a focus on serving communities in remote regions
without traditional high-speed internet access.

The project's senior manager of hardware and antenna development, Nima Mahanfar, has said in published reports that the single-aperture
antenna design is unprecendented for the Ka-band, which is in the
microwave range where the transmit and receive frequencies are very far
apart. Project Kuiper boasts a major advancement here, combining
transmit and receive phased-array antennas into one aperture.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(THE VERGE, SATELLITE TODAY, AMAZON)

**

SILENT KEY: TORONTO'S ALBERT VANDERBURG VE3ARV

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham who made many contributions to amateur radio in the
Toronto, Canada, area has become a Silent Key. Dave Parks, WB8ODF,
tells us more about him.

DAVE: Albert Vanderburgh, VE3ARV, who was known in the ham community as
Van, was described as one of the core members of the Toronto FM
Communications Society. Paying tribute in his post on Ham Radio
Canada's Facebook page, Michael Walker, outlined some of Van's further accomplishments. He said Van had also been part of a group that
designed a repeater-linking controller in the 1970s that was so
advanced at the time that the professional engineering association, the
IEEE (Eye Triple E) wrote about it.

In the mid-1960s, Van had been a partner in a startup tech company
called Teklogix. It was there that he helped develop wireless
controlled conveyor systems and handheld devices used to manage
inventory back in the days before electronic barcodes came on the
scene.

Van was 96.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(LEGACY.COM, FACEBOOK)

**

SILENT KEY: CW MENTOR ROY CLAYTON G4SSH, SOTA MAINSTAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: The SOTA community is grieving the loss of one of its
mainstays and mentors. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us about him.

JEREMY: Roy Clayton, G4SSH, has become a Silent Key. According to a
notice on the SOTA Reflector, Roy died on Christmas Day, another
casualty of COVID-19.

In posting the memorial to Roy, John, G4YSS, recalled that Roy had been
a ship's op on Shell Tankers and other marine radio shacks and the UK's
chief Morse Examiner for a good decade. Roy excelled in CW and John
described him as a CW mentor to many, including to himself.

He was also devoted to the mentoring of the next generation. As John
wrote: [quote] "It was Roy's idea. The Scarborough Special Event Group
gave a lot of pleasure and enjoyment over the years as avid collectors
of a series of colourful QSL cards will testify. It also taught several youngsters how to run a GB station and handle a pile-up, some of which
were massive." [endquote]

John wrote that Roy's affections also extended to Citizens Band radio,
where he ran The Chairman Network near Scarborough on Channel 17-FM.
John said: "He would give advice and loan equipment there too, even
sending around a monthly news-letter and was very much looked up to." [endquote]

Roy was 84.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

'GET ON THE AIR' CW KEY AUCTION BENEFITS UK CHARITY

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Get on the Air to Care campaign in the UK, which won
this year's Amateur Radio Newsline International Newsmaker Award, has
won another victory for encouraging increased radio contacts during
lockdown. The Radio Society of Great Britain, which partnered with the
UK's National Health Service in this campaign, has raised more than
2,000 pounds - or nearly $2,800 in equivalent US currency, following
its charity auction. An anonymous CW enthusiast made the winning bid of 1,025.99 pounds for a handcrafted Bug CW Key made by Roy Bailey, G0VFS.
The RSGB is matching the funds and donating the sum to the NHS
Charities Together fund. Meanwhile, the related campaign, Get on the
Air for Christmas, continues until January 9th, encouraging holiday
QSOs as a way to ease isolation.

(RSGB)
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LAWMAKERS SEEK PROBE INTO ARECIBO COLLAPSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, Congress is taking a second look at the
collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Paul Braun, WD9GCO,
tells us more.

PAUL: Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., plan an investigation into the
December collapse at the Arecibo Observatory, just weeks after Puerto
Rico's outgoing governor committed $8 million in resources to rebuild
its historic radiotelescope.

In the December 1st collapse, the dish was gashed beyond repair
following the crash of a 900-ton instrument platform. The telescope, a
valued cornerstone in modern astronomy, was being decommissioned by the
US National Science Foundation following other damage that occurred
weeks earlier. At the time of the final collapse, it had been earmarked
for dismantling.

Congress has requested a report by the end of February.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO

(SPACE.COM)

**

IOWA STUDENTS' BALLOON CIRCLES EARTH A THIRD TIME

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The world has kept turning into the new year and so too
has one Iowa amateur radio club's balloon project. Jack Parker, W8ISH,
has that story.

JACK: Three circumnavigations after its launch, the Pella Amateur Radio
Club's APRS balloon was still the pride of the Jefferson Intermediate
School fifth graders who'd helped launch it back in November. It ended
the year 2020 as a success in the sky. Transmitting on 144.39 MHz with
the callsign WB0URW-8, the helium-filled balloon had completed three
trips around the world since its November 5th launch and seemed
unstoppable. It was still making its rounds as 2021 dawned, according to
radio club member Jim Emmert, WB0URW. Jim told KNIA-KRLS radio that in
its third trip around Planet Earth, the balloon passed over Canada,
Greenland, Portugal, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia - among many
other places. Powered by solar panels, the balloon can be tracked by
following the link that appears in this week's script on our website at arnewsline.org.

[for print only, do not read: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FWB0URW- 8&timerange=604800&tail=604800]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: According to a January 6th report by the radio station,
the balloon has since completed its fourth trip - a journey that takes
about two weeks. The students have reason to be proud.

**

PROJECT EYES DIRECT WAY TO GATHER SOLAR POWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine collecting the solar power you need from a spot
much, much closer to the sun. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about a
project that's doing more than just imagining.

JIM: The US Air Force Research Laboratory is hanging its hopes on
something called Helios. It's a key component named after the Greek sun
god and is part of an experiment known as Arachne (Uh-RACK-Knee)
expected to be launched into space in 2024. The formal name of the
project is the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research
solar beaming project.

What's that? The Air Force lab describes it as a project that will
explore a way to harvest solar energy directly from space, where
sunlight is more potent outside the Earth's atmosphere and where solar
panels have more hours of exposure. Through use of something called
"sandwich tiles" and other systems, the experiment will convert the
collected energy to radio waves for beaming back to Earth as usable
power.

Helios, which is being supplied by Northrup Grumman, will house the
platform on which these solar beaming experiments occur. Northrup
Grumman's role has left the Air Force lab free to concentrate on
acquiring a spacecraft where it might all begin to happen.

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

(CLEAN TECHNICA, POPULAR MECHANICS, US AIR FORCE)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WB
ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through Allstar, in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Fall River, Massachusetts.
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REVERSE BEACON NETWORK ADDS NODE IN FINLAND

JIM/ANCHOR: Researchers whose studies focus on propagation have gained
a new tool in their arsenal. It's in Finland - and Ed Durrant, DD5LP,
tells us about it.

ED: A new node has become active in northern Finland as part of the
Reverse Beacon Network, thanks to the support of the Yasme Foundation.
The new node was set-up at Radio Arcala OH8X, near the Lapland border
to help in the study of a propagation mode known as the Polar Path.
This propagation occurs in northern Europe during winter. At night,
the Polar Path provides several hours' worth of coverage over North
America.

Radio Arcala's node will become one of the research tools being used
by the researchers in that part of the world. The Yasme Foundation's
grant programme was announced last year, providing grants to regions
studying reception reports and conducting geophysical research. A
Yasme-funded node was installed last October in Tunisia, bolstering
the Reverse Beacon Network's presence in northern Africa.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(WIA, EHAM.NET)

**

POPULAR TV PERSONALITY GETS HAM RADIO LICENSE

JIM/ANCHOR: It seems that "Last Man Standing" actor Tim Allen isn't
the only main player on a TV show to get a ham radio ticket. Meet
Donna Snow, who has been a fixture on a popular DIY Network program in
the U.S. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, introduces her to us.

KEVIN: Donna Snow of the long-running reality show "Texas Flip 'N
Move" recently became Donna Snow, W5SML. Although her call sign is a
lot newer than the name she made for herself on the popular home-
makeover series, she is hoping for changes in her own shack soon.
Inspired by her ham radio mentor Rex King, W5EAK, a Vietnam veteran
and a former Navy radioman and officer, Donna is exploring ways to use
ham radio as a tool to connect veterans struggling with life after
military service. She has already accomplished that through renovation projects that included making a bathroom safer for a Vietnam vet, and repairing a flood-damaged American Legion Post. She is presently
redoing the yard outside the home of a widow of a veteran who fought
at Iwo Jima.

While studying to upgrade to General class, she is also making plans
for a TV show featuring amateur radio and, of course, the veterans
themselves. Her progress reports appear every week on her QRZ page.

Donna told Newsline in an email: [quote] "I am on a mission to tell
everyone about ham radio and the benefits it offers to all, no matter
their age." [endquote] She said she is living the spirit of her vanity
call sign W5SML - SML for "Snow Much Love."

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

**

LAUNCH OF SPAIN'S HAM RADIO SATELLITE POSTPONED TO MARCH

JIM/ANCHOR: Two ham radio satellites from Spain have had their
launches put off for a few more weeks. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains.

JEREMY: A delay by SpaceX has postponed Spain's scheduled amateur
radio satellite launch on January 14th. The departure of the EASAT-2
and Hades satellites is now on the calendar for sometime in March to
coincide with the Starlink mission.

According to the AMSAT-EA website, both satellites are carrying an FM
/ FSK repeater and are capable of voice and digital communications.
EASAT-2 is assigned the callsign AM5SAT and Hades is assigned AM6SAT.

SpaceX is to launch the satellites via the in-space transportation
provider Momentus aboard the Falcon 9 Launcher.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(AMSAT-EA, SOUTHGATE)

**

SPACECRAFT COPIES FM SIGNAL NEAR JUPITER'S MOON

JIM/ANCHOR: Think of this as perhaps the world's tiniest space QSO.
NASA reports that its Juno spacecraft which is orbiting Jupiter copied
an FM radio signal from its largest moon, Ganymede (GANNY-MEED). It
turns out that the radio emissions were the result of electrons
oscillating at a lower rate than they were spinning, causing them to
amplify radio waves. Juno picked it up as it was passing by a polar
region of Jupiter where the magnetic field lines connect to Ganymede.

It's called "cyclotron maser instability" and it's a natural
occurrence. The excitement only lasted 5 seconds -- but it was a
first.

(EOS.ORG)
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CITY ANTENNA LAW UPTURNED BY FCC RULING

NEIL/ANCHOR: The FCC has invalidated one U.S. city's law challenging
satellite antenna installations. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, has the details.

ANDY: The FCC has declared that federal law protects the right of
property owners and tenants to install and use satellite dish antennas,
even if the antennas are visible from the street. The panel's ruling
on January 11th, invalidates an ordinance in the city of Chicago,
Illinois, that restricts such installations. The FCC says that its
rule - known as the Over the Air Reception Devices rule, or OTARD -
protects the antennas' use, and allows video consumers greater choice
of content. Chicago had argued that its law, enacted in 2012, was put
in place to enforce "aesthetic standards", and that the measure does
not violate the federal ruling. The petition had been brought by the
Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association, DirecTV, and the
DISH Network.

The Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule does not apply, however, to
AM/FM radio, CB radio, or amateur radio.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(FCC)

**

PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT JAPAN'S STUDENT RADIO OPERATORS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Students in Japan could get more opportunities in amateur
radio, if a requested change in national regulations wins approval.
Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has that story.

GRAHAM: Elementary and junior high school students in Japan can expect
greater opportunities in amateur radio. This, under a proposal from the
Japan Amateur Radio League. League president Yoshinori Takao, JG1KTC,
has asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, for
changes in regulations that would create greater chances for students interested in volunteering activities, especially disaster communications.
The change, if approved, would require a partial amendment to the Radio
Law Enforcement Regulations. In a translation from the Japanese, posted
on various news websites, Yoshinori said: [quote] "We would like to
nurture a wide range of amateur radio operators, who will lead the next generation." [endquote] The initiative is being undertaken, in
cooperation with the Japan Amateur Radio Development Association.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(SOUTHGATE, JARL)

**

FCC REMINDER ISSUED DAYS BEFORE U.S. INAUGURATION

NEIL/ANCHOR: With fears of further civil unrest in Washington, D.C. at
the presidential inauguration on January 20th, the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission issued a warning several days earlier, in the
form of an enforcement advisory to all licensed and unlicensed radio
services, stating that providing any support to such activity could be considered a criminal act. The advisory was directed at amateur radio operators, operators on the General Mobile Radio Service, Family Radio
Service radios, and Citizens Band. The advisory noted that this applies
as well to messages that are encoded to mask their meaning. The advisory states: [quote] "Individuals using radios in the Amateur or Personal
Radio Services in this manner may be subject to severe penalties,
including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and, in
some cases, criminal prosecution." [endquote]

(FCC)

**

GOLD RUSH SPECIAL EVENT STATION IS MINING FOR CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In California, a special event station, marking America's
Gold Rush is mining for contacts, as we hear from Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

MIKE: You might say this event is as good as gold and, well, you wouldn't
be exaggerating. The El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club is marking the discovery of gold in 1848 at Sutter's Mill -- a discovery which most
students of American history know sparked the Gold Rush the following
year. This year, the mad rush on January 23rd and 24th will be on the HF
bands. As hams look to strike QSO gold using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK-31, and
JS8, they will be digging deep through all those pileups, and hoping to
log the club call sign AG6AU. By the way, it's no exaggeration to say
you'll strike gold if you get a valid contact. The callsign suffix "AU"
means gold on the periodic table of elements.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

(EL DORADO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, and now being heard as well
on the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club's W2GSB and WB2QGZ repeaters,
on Saturday mornings at 8, following the 7 a.m. check-ins of the club's
new "Newsline With a Cup of Joe" Net. Newsline is also heard on Monday
nights at 8 p.m. after the club's Info Net.
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FIRST DIGITAL SYSTEM OPERATIONAL IN NORTH DUBLIN

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams using digital modes in one part of Ireland have
something to be grateful for, as Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us.

JEREMY: In Ireland, hams in North Dublin who use the digital modes are celebrating the area's first digital system, which was put into use on
the 19th of January. The C4FM Wires-X Gateway became operational thanks
to the efforts of Ger EI4HOB and the North Dublin Radio Club EI0NDR.
With the call sign EI2PMD, it is available to local hams at 144.825 MHz.
The repeater is linked to the CQ-IRELAND Room, as are systems from
Galway, Limerick, and Northern Ireland.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(IRTS)

**

QCWA IN SEARCH OF TREASURER

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Quarter Century Wireless Association is looking for an amateur radio operator who doesn't just love radio but has a talent for finance and numbers too. In short, the nonprofit group is in search of a treasurer to fill the post left vacant last year. The treasurer is
responsible for preparing the proposed operating budget for approval by
the Board of Directors. The treasurer also provides the Board with
quarterly income statements along with a year-end income statement and
balance sheet. The treasurer's responsibilities also include preparing
the necessary paperwork at tax time, which includes the proper documents
for employees and contract workers and the federal tax return, among
other forms.

Members who are interested should contact Ken, VE6AFO, at
president@qcwa.org.

(QCWA)

**

SKYWARN PREPS FOR SEASON'S STORMY WEATHER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Stormy weather is a reality this time of year in many parts
of the world. In the U.S., a special group of hams is always preparing
for it, as we learn from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: While we normally think of Skywarn activations during tornadoes
and hurricanes, winter storms also require ΓÇ£ground truth,ΓÇ¥ actual
reports from the field to confirm what meteorologists are observing on
radar and with other instruments. While spotters can report by phone,
email or online, those from the Amateur Radio community can also
communicate such things as snow depth and ice accumulation to
meteorologists quickly and efficiently through local repeater nets
connected to the weather services office.

Christopher Strong, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Baltimore/Washington Weather Forecast Office, states, "Reports of snow
and ice are vital to keeping the forecast on track. Automated reporting stations are great at detailing temperatures, rainfall, and winds, but
do not report snow and ice accumulation. So, spotter reports really help
us see how much is accumulating and match it up with how much we
expected through that time."

Reports from radio amateurs and other spotters help the National Weather Service save lives and property in the community and minimize the impact
of severe weather on the public. To find out more about becoming a
Skywarn Spotter, please visit the Skywarn page on the National Weather
Service Website and click on the link to contact the Warning
Coordination Meteorologist in your area.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, IΓÇÖm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**

CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE SOLAR KIND

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the U.S., the Parker probe sent up by NASA has just made
a close encounter of the solar kind. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, gives us the details.

KENT: For the first time since last September, NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft made a close approach to the sun just as solar activity began
to kick into high gear.

From a distance of 8.4 million miles, or 13.5 million kilometers, the
probe made its approach on Sunday, January 17th. There's plenty of data
for it to collect, especially with Solar Cycle 25 now well under way.
Last November, the sun had its first major flare in three years.

NASA has planned four close approaches to the sun this year along with
two flybys of Venus, with the first one happening on February 20th.
After that, it's back to the sun for another close look on April 29th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(SPACE.COM)
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RESTORATION BEGINS ON WORLD WAR II ENIGMA MACHINES

JIM/ANCHOR: If restoring old boat anchors, or even making ancient straight keys usable, is a challenge that appeals to you, consider this monumental
task being undertaken in Germany right now. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us
about it.

ED: It looks like restoration experts at Germany's State Archaeological
Museum in Schleswig-Holstein are looking at additional work. After
starting the one years desalination and restoration work on a World War II enigma machine found in the Baltic Sea off the north east coast of Germany
in December last year, another six units have been found. Unfortunately
many of this find had been made unusable before they were thrown into the
sea from German Warships at the end of the second world war.

The machines, which resemble old typewriters, have inner workings that
include three interchangeable rotors used to scramble messages. These
messages were then sent using Morse code to another ship or land station
that had another enigma machine to decode the message.

Restored enigma machines have been shown and operation demonstrated both
at Friedrichshafen, and Dayton Hamfests.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(LIVESCIENCE, PHYS.ORG)

**

HAMS IN INDIA HELP ID MISSING MAN AS AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur radio operators in India are being credited with
helping make an important contact in Australia but the communication here
has nothing to do with DXing. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us what
happened.

JASON: A man who had been found wandering disoriented on the streets of Kolkata, India several weeks ago has been identified as an Australian
citizen with the help of local amateur radio operators. According to a
report in the Times of India, the 69-year-old man, who is of Indian
origin, is from Sydney, Australia. He has been in one of the local state-
run hospitals since he was found.

The West Bengal Amateur Radio Club intervened at the request of local
health department officials who wanted the man's family located and knew
the club has a long track record of helping reunite families.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, club secretary, said that although there were still many missing details, paperwork found in the man's possession
indicated he was residing in Sydney but had formerly owned property in
India. The newspaper report said the man speaks English but appears to
have some kind of mental disorder. The Australian Deputy High
Commissioner's Office in Kolkata told the newspaper that efforts are under
way to contact his family members.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(TIMES OF INDIA)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K3ALG repeater
in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. local time.
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YOUNG CALIFORNIA AMATEUR WINS CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the California ninth grader and
amateur radio operator who is among those students to win the prestigious Congressional App Challenge. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, has the details.

NEIL: Sean Donelan, KM6NGN, is the author of an amateur radio app for
mobile devices that simplifies coordination tasks for net controllers overseeing hams in the field at public service events. The app, NetHam,
was the top winner in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in his home
state's 11th congressional district. The United States House of Representatives established the nationwide award eight years ago to
inspire students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math. The award is being given out this year in 308 of 435 congressional districts.

The app makes use of a Raspberry Pi4B, an Arduino, and a Nextion HMI
Touch Display. To see it in action, watch Sean's demonstration video
at the web address you'll find in this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org. Well done, Sean!

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: vimeo.com/454747550]

(PATCH, SOUTHGATE)

**

QSO PARTY BRINGS ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES IN MINNESOTA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The biggest challenge of a QSO Party isn't necessarily
the propagation. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with the story of one
group of hams who found that out.

KENT: Members of the Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association were up
for the challenge of the Minnesota QSO Party and hoped their brand-new
Mobile Communications Bus was too. The hams crossed the state border from their Wisconsin home into a Minnesota county that is considered rare in
these operating events. Using CW and phone, they joined the action from a parking lot at a high point in Houston County for the February 6th
contest. They used the call sign Whiskey Zero Minnesota (W0M). Vice
president Bill Kleinschmidt, N9FDE, told Newsline that 11 hams
participated, two serving as the main ops while others filled in and
provided support.

Bill said Mother Nature was ready for the QSO Party too - in a different
way. He told Newsline: [quote] "She dumped six inches of snow on us just before the contest, then to add insult, she dropped the temperature ten to twenty below zero for setup and takedown operations." [endquote] The bus passed the test and kept everyone warm for the full 10 hours. The club did well too with a total score of 203,392, combining the 1,816 QSO points to
the state, province, country and DX scores.

Bill told Newsline the real challenge of the day came later, when the bus brakes failed just as the hams prepared to drive down from the hill. The brakes had begun to leak.

The hams made one final call of the day: to Craig, N9ETD, who runs a
towing business. Bill told Newsline that repairs were under way, and the
club should be back on the road soon for new adventures. Next up: their
home state Wisconsin QSO Party on March 14th and 15th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(BILL KLEINSCHMIDT N9FDE)

**

MARS MEMBERS AND HAMS PREP FOR INTEROPERABILITY EXERCISES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Members of the Military Auxiliary Radio System will have
their first interoperability exercise with the amateur radio community on February 23rd through the 27th. Exercises will begin on Channel 1, the
initial calling channel on 60 meters, but may not necessarily be limited
to that channel.

US Army MARS Chief Paul English, WD8DBY, issued a statement saying that
ICS 213 messages will be passed in both voice and digital modes. Radio operations will also take place in the usual voice modes.

Following this month's exercise, the next one will be held from March 1st
to March 7th.

(MARS)

**

U.S.-BUILT RF JAMMERS TO ASSIST AUSTRALIA'S MILITARY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An American-built RF-jamming system is about to begin production to help the military in Australia. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW,
explains what it will do.

JASON: Australia's military is expected to benefit from the protective
power of RF jammers under a system being developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation in the United States. The system of open-architecture RF
jammers will be built by electronic warfare experts to provide protection
from radio-controlled improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. The system
is designed to minimise disruption to communications systems while establishing a protective barrier for the warfighters and their equipment.

The $329.9 million order for the system, which is designed to protect foot soldiers, vehicles and permanent structures, according to officials of the United States Naval Sea Systems Command, which announced the order. Work
will be done in San Diego, California and is expected to be ready for
delivery to Australia by December of 2022.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(MILITARY AEROSPACE.COM)
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