Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2447 for Friday September 20th, 2024 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 with a release date of Friday, September 20th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. Icom issues warnings about counterfeit products in the wake of deadly HT explosions in the Middle East. An influential group weighs in on the proposed privatization of 900 MHz - and three hams have an eyeball QSO that creates some inspiring harmony. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2447 comes your way right now. ** BILLBOARD CART ** ICOM ISSUES STATEMENT ON COUNTERFEIT RADIOS AFTER EXPLOSIONS PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, Icom Japan issued a statement regarding its IC-V82 handheld radio, a discontinued model that some reports say may have been counterfeited in connection with deadly explosions in Lebanon. The company statement did not directly address those explosions by name but said that the radios and batteries, which were manufactured and exported between 2004 and 2014, went to markets that included the Middle East between 2004 and 2014. Ray Novak, N9JA, senior sales manager for Icom America's amateur radio division, expressed certainty that the radios in question were counterfeit. Attending a Rhode Island trade show, he told the Associated Press: [quote] “I can guarantee you they were not our products." Acknowledging the relative ease with which unauthorized radios can be duplicated, Icom's website also includes detailed information showing how consumers are able to determine whether or not their radio is a counterfeit. For a link to that part of the company website, see the text version of this newscast at arnewsline.org [DO NOT READ: https://www.icomjapan.com/explore/genuine_info/ ] (ICOM AMERICA, ASSOCIATED PRESS) ** INFLUENTIAL GROUP WEIGHS IN ON PROPOSED PRIVATIZATION OF 900 MHz BAND PAUL/ANCHOR: An influential group in the US has weighed in on the proposed privatization of the 900 MHz band, just as the clock winds down on sending comment to the FCC. Kent Peterson KCØDGY explains the issue - and the concerns. KENT: The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a nonprofit group in the US advocating for freedom in the use of technology, has added its voice to the chorus urging the FCC to keep the 900 MHz band accessible to amateur radio operators, industrial, scientific and medical devices and unlicensed consumer electronics. Those frequencies are being eyed by NextNav, a geolocation technology company, which made a request earlier this year to the FCC for exclusive rights to the part of the spectrum between 902 and 928 MHz. The private company's stated intent has been to have these frequencies privatized for use by 5G cellular communications and a positioning, navigating and timing network to be used in the US as a backup for GPS navigation. The ARRL and a number of other amateur organizations have already spoken out urging the FCC to turn the proposal down. In its response to the FCC, the ARRL argued that the move would pose a risk to public service because it would edge ham radio operators out of a part of the spectrum that is well-used. The period for comments to the FCC on this proposal closed on Friday, the 20th of September. This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY. (ELECTRONIC FRONTIER FOUNDATION, ARRL, FCC) ** UK PROVIDERS ROLL OUT SHARED RURAL NETWORKING PAUL/ANCHOR: In the UK, amateurs using mobile phones to self-spot on the clusters while operating portable got some good news recently from cellular companies, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH. JEREMY: Hams operating portable from summits and parks in the UK may find it easier to announce their activations on the various spotting networks with the help of a Shared Rural Network being created by all of the UK's cellular providers. Absence of 4G coverage in rural areas has been a stumbling block for cellular communications in those underserved areas. An agreement was signed in 2020 between Ofcom and the four cellular service providers to fill that need. The regulator announced recently that Vodafone, O2 and EE have fulfilled their commitment to bring 4G coverage to 88 percent of the UK's landmass by this past June but that the fourth cellular provider, "3", did not meet that deadline. Ofcom said that "3" believes that it has met its commitment as of the 22nd of August. The deadline for the network's completion is the end of January 2027. This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (OFCOM) ** DAB+ RECEIVERS TO DELIVER IMPROVED EMERGENCY ALERTS PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, outside the US, users of DAB+ [D A B Plus] technology will be seeing some improvements in the delivery of emergency alerts. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what's going on. GRAHAM: The delivery of improved emergency alerts and communication is expected next year for users of the newest DAB+ receivers, which are in wide use in Australia and many parts of Europe and Asia. According to a report on the Radio World website, the radios will be able to respond instantly for emergency transmissions, switching the receiver to the station transmitting the details and displaying text information on the screen. The technology also enables temporary radio channels to be established for the delivery of information. The standard is known as Automatic Safety Alert, or ASA, and ASA-equipped receivers are also capable of being turned on automatically to receive these emergency messages. The technology was developed by WorldDAB in partnerhip with Digitalradio Deutschland, working with the chipmaker Frontier Smart Technologies. The initiative went forward with manufacturers such as JVC Kenwood and Technisat on board. DAB+ radio is not in use in the United States but proved especially useful in Australia in 2011 during the floods that overtook Brisbane, Queensland. The deadly flooding killed dozens of people, forced massive evacuations and ultimately cost $2.38 billion, according to the Insurance Council of Australia. This is Graham Kemp VK4BB. (RADIO WORLD, WORLDDAB.ORG) ** SILENT KEY: MICHAEL VALENTINE, W8MM, ENTREPRENEUR, HAMVENTION VOLUNTEER PAUL/ANCHOR: A familiar face at Hamvention, a beloved member of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association - and generous benefactor to ham radio - has become a Silent Key. Michael Valentine, W8MM, died on the 17th of September. A former engineer for Drake and Cincinnati Electronics, Michael was well-known for his inventive, entrepreneurial spirit and his generosity to the amateur community. He was well-known too for his later work with radar detectors. In Jack's announcement of Michael's passing, he acknowledged Michael's belief in giving back to the community. He was involved in a number of University of Cincinnati scholarships and was a major supporter of ARRL initiatives as a member of the ARRL's Hiram Percy Maxim Society. He served on the league's Second Century Campaign Committee in 2014, on the occasion of the ARRL's centennial, and launched the Valentine Challenge Fund, matching contributions dollar-for-dollar. Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT, DARA's past president, said in an email to association members: [quote] "Michael, you will be missed. Until we meet again in that big "Ham Shack in Heaven." Michael was 74. (FACEBOOK; RIA JAIRAM, N2RJ; DARA) ** SRI LANKA'S SEANET24 EVENT MOVES TO OCTOBER 3RD PAUL/ANCHOR: There's been a change in plans for SEANET24, the three-day regional radio event held in Sri Lanka. John Williams VK4JJW brings us up to date. JOHN: The date for SEANET24, a three-day event organised by the Radio Society of Sri Lanka, has been moved from September 21st to the weekend of October 3rd. Sri Lanka is poised to hold its first presidential election on the 21st of September and in case a curfew is imposed, the society thought it best to move the date for the amateur radio gathering. The society is urging all those hoping to attend SEANET to update their hotel reservations. This is John Williams VK4JJW. (YL BEAM, RADIO SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA) ** CINCINNATI HAMFEST SEEKS NOMINEES FOR 2 'CLUB OF THE YEAR' AWARDS PAUL/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) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WR6AAC repeater in Lake Forest, California on Tuesdays at 6:45 p.m. local time. ** HAM RADIO HELPS ONE MAN'S HOMECOMING AFTER A HALF-CENTURY PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in India played a crucial role in helping a man return home after more than a half-century. John Williams VK4JJW has that dramatic story. JOHN: An abused child who was sold by his father and stepmother 52 years ago in India has been able to return home to the property he inherited from his late father in Odisha with the help of amateur radio. According to various Indian media reports, the man, who is now in his 60s, was living in a state-run home whose administrators contacted the West Bengal Radio Club. The West Bengal amateurs are contacted often by local authorities because of the hams' wide network of contacts. The news report said that more than five decades ago, the man's family had taken him to Delhi and sold him when he was about 8 years old. There was no other information available about what happened to him after that or how he ended up living in a state home. Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the radio club, told local media that the man's younger brother was unable to recognise him after so many years but finally made positive identification after viewing the scars on the man's back that had been inflicted by years of childhood beatings. The news report said that initially the younger brother did not want his sibling returned because he would have had to share the inheritance of the property with him. The hams intervened and secured support from the district magistrate and other authorities on the matter. The elder brother was returned home and district administrators are taking measures to provide him with his inheritance. This is John Williams VK4JJW. (MILLENNIUM POST) ** AMATEURS RECEIVE HONORS FROM RADIO CLUB OF AMERICA PAUL/ANCHOR: Five prominent amateur radio operators are among the 13 award recipients to be honored in November by the Radio Club of America, which has also announced its incoming class of 2024 fellows. That class of eight includes two hams. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us who all of these noted amateurs are. JACK: Congratulations to physicist and radio astronomer Nathan "Chip" Cohen, W1YW, who will receive the Dr. Arno Penzias Award for Contributions to Basic Research in the Radio Sciences. Chip is known as a pioneer in the area of fractal antennas. Congratulations also to Tucker Dunham, KD2JPM, who is receiving the Carole Perry Young Professional Award for his work advancing amateur radio digirepeaters for emergency use. Tucker is studying microelectronic engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology. James Breakall, WA3FET, will receive the Dr. Ulrich Rohde (ROADY) Award for Innovation in Applied Radio Science and Engineering. An RCA Life Fellow, he is known for his work in numerical electromagnetics and antenna design. The Edgar F. Johnson Pioneer Citation is being given to Stanley Reubenstein, WA6RNU, for his contributions to the success of the RCA and the industry. The late electrical engineer, radio personality and leader of the Maritime Mobile Service Net, René Albert Stiegler III, K4EDX, is being honored posthumously with the Barry Goldwater Amateur Radio Award. Meanwhile, Michael Kalter, W8CI, and Howard Rosen, VE2AED, have been named RCA fellows for 2024. Michael is well-known for his leadership of Dayton Hamvention. Howard, an inventor with more than 83 patents to his credit, is an innovator in RF technology, electronics and medical systems. This is Jack Parker W8ISH. (RADIO WORLD) ** HURRICANE FRANCINE KNOCKS LOUISIANA RADIO STATIONS OFF AIR PAUL/ANCHOR: Although radio operators on the amateur and commercial side all take pride in the medium's resilience, several broadcast radio stations in Louisiana were not so fortunate during the recent arrival of Hurricane Francine. The Desk, an industry website, reported that FCC disaster-related reports showed that the Category 2 hurricane took at least five radio stations in the state off the air - both AM and FM broadcasters. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has often underscored the importance of local radio stations in delivering emergency alerts during disasters. The critical role AM radio has played for decades in communicating these messages in the US has been part of a robust debate to retain AM radios in newly manufactured vehicles. (THEDESK.NET) ** WORLD OF DX In the World of DX, be listening for Lucy, AB3MY, operating as DU1/AB3MY on Luzon Island, IOTA number OC-042, in the Philippines until the 24th of September. Listen for her using SSB and possibly some FT8 on 40, 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10 metres. QSL via her home call. Her activity is to honor her late father, Percy Tence, PY2PD. Listen for Michal, OM2DX, using the callsign TO2DX (TEE OH TWO D X) from Reunion Island, IOTA number AF-016, from the 27th of September through to the 7th of October. He will operate CW, RTTY and FT8 on 60-10 metres. Listen for him as well in the CQ World Wide RTTY DX Contest on the 28th and 29th of September. QSO to his home call. (DX-WORLD.NET, 425 DX BULLETIN) ** POUNDING - AND SOUNDING - THE BRASS, NASHVILLE STYLE PAUL/ANCHOR: In our final story, we learn about three avid contesters who traveled recently to Nashville, Tennessee where they learned they could make beautiful music together. Skeeter Nash N5ASH introduces us to them. SKEETER: Jim Green, KØXV; Lonnie Craven, K4KZ and Dave Needham, AA4VT, are veteran HF operators whose finely tuned skills at sending code demonstrate how well each one knows his way around a CW key, especially during a contest. Never having met one another until this past summer, there was no way these hams could have known that they also share an enviable proficiency in another mode - a mode that also relies on keys, but in this case, musical keys. They all play the French horn and like the CW key, this brass instrument is also capable of creating a powerful message. It did just that when the men joined the Celebration Orchestra for a performance in late June in Nashville, Tennessee. The orchestra is part of the Global Missions Project that uses the power of Christian evangelical music to transmit a message of faith. After three hours of rehearsal on the morning of June 21st, the curtain went up on the orchestra that same afternoon. Jim told Newsline in an email that Dave and Lonnie have traveled internationally on missions with the music ministry but this was his first time with the Celebration Orchestra. The last thing he expected was an eyeball QSO. Jim told Newsline: [quote] "Imagine my absolute surprise to learn that there were two horn players who were also radio amateurs." [endquote] Now they can listen for one another, whether they are pounding - or sounding - the brass, As Jim told Newsline: [quote] "Whether we perform together again remains to be seen. If we register for a trip, then we will make music together again." [endquote] To hear the concert, follow the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org [DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pnbHFitJ74 ] This is Skeeter Nash N5ASH. (QRZ.COM, JIM GREEN, KØXV) ** HAIKU FOR YOU Don't forget the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. Share with fellow listeners the poetry that is inspired by your ham radio experience! 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. NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Weekly; AMSAT News; APRSFoundation.org; ARRL; Cincinnati Hamfest; David Behar K7DB; Electronic Frontier Foundation; Franklin Amateur Radio Club; FCC; 425DXNews; Jim Green, KØXV; Ofcom; QRZ.com; Radio Society of Sri Lanka; Radio World; shortwaveradio.de; TheDesk.Net; WorldDAB.org; YL Beam; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.