Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2446 for Friday September 13th, 2024
  
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2446 with a release date of Friday, September 13th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Scientists study a new way of looking at solar storms. The APRS Foundation seeks members to help carry on its work -- and an award-winning SOTA experience for one YL.  All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2446 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SCIENTISTS TO REVISE SOLAR STORM ASSESSMENT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with solar storms, something we amateurs have had more than our share of this year. In the US, scientists are looking to update the way they assess solar weather's impact here on Earth and even in space. Travis Lisk N3ILS has those details.

TRAVIS: US scientists in the Space Weather Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are collaborating with the National Weather Service to update the way solar storms and other space weather is classified.
According to an article on the space.com website, the scientists recognize that new knowledge about geomagnetic storms and recent advances in technology require them to revisit ways they look at space weather and its impact on the Earth and human space travel.

The Space Weather Prediction Center's program coordinator, Bill Murtagh, explained the need for change during an interview with space.com, saying [quote] "The user base and needs have changed, the capabilities, the science and our understanding of the science  —  a lot has changed. And the scales for all practical purposes have not changed, and they need to." [endquote]

Some current scale categories for geomagnetic storms reflect impact on power grids and spacecraft operations, for instance, and others focus on the radio blackouts that have a serious impact on HF radio and navigation systems.

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(SPACE.COM)

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LAUNCH DELAYED FOR AMSAT-DL'S ERMINAZ PAYLOAD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The launch of AMSAT-DL's latest payload was delayed until next year because the original first stage of the rocket unexpectedly became compromised. We hear the details from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The launch of AMSAT-DL's ERMINAZ payload has been moved to next year, following what is being called a "serious anomaly" that resulted in a loss of the first rocket stage. The incident took place on the 19th August during the test by Rocket Factory Augsburg at the SaxaVord Spaceport on the Shetland Islands. Rocket Factory Augsburg said it would take time to work on a new first rocket stage after repair work, fault analysis and qualification.

AMSAT-DL, AMSAT-EA and the Libre Space Foundation are working together on the mission. The payloads include two PocketQubes from AMSAT-EA. The satellites will be using the amateur callsign AM1HAD allowing hams around the world to make contacts on FM or digital modes such as FT-4, FT-8 and AX.25/APRS.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(AMSAT NEWS)

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PENNSYLVANIA HAM CLUB MARKS CENTENNIAL OF HISTORIC RAILROAD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A radio club in eastern Pennsylvania plans to make some history of its own as it celebrates a very special centennial involving
an iconic name recognized by railroad buffs around the world. Mark Abramowicz NT3V(Abram-o-vich) has the story from Reading [REDDING], Pennsylvania.

MARK: The Reading Radio Club is preparing to honor the 100th anniversary of the historic Reading Railroad with two special event stations on Saturday, September 21st.  For the first time ever, the group will activate club call signs W3BN and W3CCH simultaneously in separate operations 25 miles apart. The big, daylong celebration will see club members use W3CCH on two HF stations set up inside two retired passenger railroad cars parked outside the Reading Railroad Heritage Museum in Hamburg, Pennsylvania. Another group of club operators and friends will use W3BN on two HF stations that belonged to longtime contester Steve Dobbs NE3F in Spring Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania.
Regrettably, Steve – who was extensively involved in the planning for the celebration using his station and array of towers, beams and wire antennas
– died on August 30th following a short illness. It was his family’s wish that the event still proceed from his QTH. Activity on all four HF radios will be on 10, 15, 20, 40 and 80 meters with frequent spots on the DX clusters.  The railroad earned its place in history starting in the 1830s as the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad. 

For more on this special celebration and the available certificate, check out details at either W3BN or
W3CCH on QRZ-dot.com.

I'm Mark Abramowicz NT3V

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CANADIAN TEENS GAIN LICENSES AFTER HAM RADIO COURSEWORK

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In many parts of the world, school is back in session and regular lessons have resumed. Even before regular classes began, however, 21 teenagers in British Columbia, Canada, were already entrenched in some pretty important homework - or should we say hamwork? Andy Morrison K9AWM has those details.

ANDY: Adam, VE7ZAL, and John, VE7TI, believe that their recent course on radio frequencies and electronics may well be unprecedented for secondary school students in Canada. That was what John wrote in the September/October issue of The Communicator, the magazine of Surrey Amateur Radio Communications. John and Adam, a robotics teacher at Kwantlen Park Secondary school in Surrey, British Columbia, teamed up to help nearly two dozen 13- through 17-year-olds get a better grasp on the principles behind amateur radio and pass the gift of radio on this next generation. By the time the course concluded, the students were able to sit the exam for the Canadian Amateur Radio Certificate.

John wrote that Adam had proposed the idea for the course earlier in the year and that while the instruction progressed, the students' enthusiasm grew gradually with each session. He wrote: [quote]: "Throughout the course, we witnessed students experiencing significant revelations about the pervasive role of radio in our daily lives." [endquote] POTA, satellite communications and high-altitude balloons were - literally - among the high points of the lessons. When the sessions ended, the tradition of a Thursday night "Get on the Air" net kept the momentum going for the graduates.

John and Adam hope to repeat the course next year.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(THE SARC COMMUNICATOR)

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AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM REOPENS AS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SHOWCASE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A museum in Australia that once gave history lessons about the evolution of the telephone is preparing to reopen as a showcase of telecommunications. Jason Daniels VK2LAW takes a look inside for us.

JASON: In Melbourne, a 1939 building that once housed a telephone exchange and, in 2003 a telecommunications museum, is reopening this month as the National Communications Museum at Hawthorn.

The big day is the 21st of September. When the doors open, visitors will get a vast range of the past and present technologies used in communications throughout Australia. The building had formerly been home to the Victorian Telecommunications Museum, which was run entirely by volunteers from the Australian Historic Telephone Society until the museum's closure in 2019. According to its website, the new museum has inherited some of its collection from its predecessor. Emily Siddons, co-CEO and artistic director, writes on the website that the genesis of the building's design and planning occurred during COVID lockdown with the purpose of exploring human relationships with technology. She writes: [quote] "Ethical exploration of the development of new technologies has never been more urgent, especially given the rapid pace at which they are developing." [endquote]

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW

(WIA, NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS MUSEUM WEBSITE)

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SRI LANKAN GIRL GUIDES FIND POWER IN HAM RADIO

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Girl Guides in Sri Lanka got some guidance themselves recently from the Radio Society of Sri Lanka, which helped them get on the air. John Williams VK4JJW tells us how it happened.

JOHN: The International Girl Guide Camp that concluded on the 23rd of August left a lasting mark on two thousand Girl Guides from Sri Lanka's nine provinces and showcased the power of amateur radio for them all. The Radio Society of Sri Lanka was there in Ceylon to conduct demonstrations and to help the girls' hands-on experience with radio.

Society volunteers ensured there would be radio capability by setting up for HF, VHF and Echolink communications. The radio society considered it a milestone for the camp with the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association getting on the air with an amateur radio club licence of its own through the help of society secretary Victor 4S7VK. The Girl Guides were calling QRZ as 4S7GGA.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(YL BEAM, RADIO SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA)

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BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the N2JDW repeater in New York City on Monday nights at 8 local time, just before the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service Net.

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WEST BENGAL HAMS HELP PREPARE POLICE FOR DISASTER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Police personnel in West Bengal, India sharpened their disaster-communications skills recently with the help of some seasoned amateur radio mentors. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us that story.

JIM: Kolkata police and more than two dozen sub-inspectors of state received an introduction to the ways amateur radio can assist them when catastrophic events leave conventional means of communication disabled. The one-day session in late August at the police training centre in Salt Lake was taught by hams from the West Bengal Radio Club. The session was part of a broader three-day training program on disaster management for police personnel. 

The officers also learned what laws govern amateur radio activities and how the laws would apply to their on-air activities. They were reminded that hams need a licence from the Ministry of Telecommunication. More training programmes will be scheduled for the police personnel to bring them closer to getting that licence.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(MILLENNIUM POST)

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NOMINATIONS NEEDED FOR HONORS AT CINCINNATI HAMFEST

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you know of a club in the Great Lakes Region or the Ohio Valley region of the US that has distinguished itself in support of amateur radio, now is the time to let everybody know. Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us how.

DAVE: The next Cincinnati Hamfest is still almost a year away but organizers are wasting no time in finding a deserving group of amateurs to receive the award for Great Lakes Region Club of the Year. To be eligible, a club must be located within the Great Lakes region of Kentucky, Ohio or Michigan. Most importantly, clubs that are nominated must demonstrate a passion for amateur radio and be active in its advancement. Cincinnati Hamfest also presents an award for Club of the Year among nominees located within the Ohio Valley region of Indiana, Kentucky or Ohio. Nomination forms for both awards are available at the hamfest website, cincinnatihamfest - that's one word - dot org. (cincinnatihamfest.org)

Cincinnati Hamfest won't be happening until August 9th, 2025 but the months ahead will go quickly, so consider who you might want to nominate for these honors.

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(QRZ.COM, CINCINNATI HAMFEST)

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WORLD OF DX

Two separate activations are on the air in the UK from Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands. Tev, TA1HZ, is active as MJ/TA1HZ through to the 16th of September and will participate in the WAE DX SSB Contest on the 14th and 15th. See QRZ.com for QSL details, Meanwhile, listen as well for the two-person team of Peter, ON8ZZ and Fred, ON8ZL, on the air from the 13th through to the 15th of September. Their call sign is MJ/OT9Z. The pair will be calling on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. Fred will participate in the  WAE DX SSB Contest . QSL via ON8ZL.

Listen for 4V1SAVANNAH, the callsign being used by the Radio Club d'Haiti  to commemorate the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Savannah in 1779, during the American Revolution. Hundreds of volunteers from the French colony that later became Haiti fought alongside members of the colonial military against the British Army. The special event will take place from the 16th of September through to the 20th of October.  QSL via N2OO (EN TWO OH OH),

The Belgrade Amateur Radio Club is using the callsign YT 100 RB to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Radio Belgrade. A certificate is available. Visit the website yu1ano [Y U One A N O] dot org (yu1ano.org) for details.

(425 DX BULLETIN, WIA)

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KICKER: A NEW JEWEL IN A SOTA QUEEN'S CROWN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our final story is about SOTA -- Summits on the Air -- and the achievement that became possible this summer for one YL -- in memory of another. We hear about them both from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

RALPH: In a recent posting on the SOTA Reflector, Amy AG7GP, shared a thought from Ron Burns, NR3E, as he described his late wife's can-do attitude: [quote] "There are no real hurdles in life, only those that you imagine. Liz was proof that you can do anything you want, no matter what life hands you." [endquote] Ron and his wife, Liz K1LIZ, shared many challenging SOTA activations and hunts until she became a Silent Key in February of 2022. Liz, who was blind for more than three decades, had recently achieved the coveted SOTA standing of Mountain Goat.

The organizers of the inaugural Queens of the Mountains YL SOTA event this past June have added a new jewel to the crown of one Queen of those same mountains: They call the honor the K1LIZ Memorial Achievement Award. It was conferred recently on Lorene W6LOR. Announcing the honor on the SOTA Reflector in a September 7th post, Amy AG7GP praised Lorene for her events during that June weekend. Lorene was presented with a personalized beverage glass. Amy wrote that the honor was being given [quote] "in memory of Liz's indomitable spirit that inspired so many." [endquote]

Queen Lorene's glass is not half-full - it is brimming over with the spirit of a beloved fellow activator who knew that summits were never meant to be hurdles, only opportunities to showcase excellence.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

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HAIKU FOR YOU

Don't forget the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. If you're not too busy tuning your antennas or chasing the latest DXpedition, pick up a pencil and share your experience by sending an original haiku to us here at Newsline. Use the entry form on our website, arnewsline.org and please follow the rules for writing your three-line haiku -- sorry but we cannot accept any entries that aren't written in traditional haiku form. Share with fellow listeners the poetry that is inspired by your ham radio experience!

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Weekly; Amateur Radio Digital Communications; AMSAT News; ARRL; Australian Communications and Media Authority; David Behar K7DB; 425DXNews; Millennium Post; QRZ.com; National Communications Museum; Radio Society of Sri Lanka; the SARC Communicator; SOTA Reflector; shortwaveradio.de; SPACE.com; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline.  We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.