Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2373 for Friday April 21st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373 with a release date of Friday April 21st, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. In the US, the FCC commits itself to managing satellites more effectively. Two losses hit the World Radiosport Team Championship -- and Nokia and NASA look at putting wireless on the moon. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FCC COMMITS TO IMPROVING SATELLITE MANAGEMENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where two new FCC offices are taking a closer look at how to better handle all those satellites in orbit high above our planet. Andy Morrison K9AWM brings us up to date.

ANDY: Hoping to get a better handle on regulating satellites and reducing the effects of orbital debris, the US Federal Communications Commission has added two new departments under its umbrella: the Space Bureau and the Office of International Affairs. The move replaces the agency's International Bureau, which handled licensing and regulation of satellite programs and international telecommunications.

The FCC's announcement did not specify what impact, if any, this move would have on amateur radio satellites.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said at an opening event for the new departments that they would [quote] "promote long-term technical capacity to address satellite policies and approve our coordination with other agencies on all of these issues." [endquote]

The departments are expected to coordinate their efforts in such areas as the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The conference will take place in Dubai starting on November 20th.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(FCC, NEXTGOV.COM)

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AGENCY SEEKS STRATEGY FOR REPURPOSING SPECTRUM

NEIL/ANCHOR: Another US government agency is taking a look at whether some frequencies need to be reallocated as more and more wireless devices get on the air. Stephen Kinford N8WB brings us that story.

STEPHEN: In the United States, an increasing appetite for spectrum from wireless services has spurred the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to find at least 1,500 MHz of the radio spectrum to meet that demand.

The NTIA is looking for input from the public to identify which bands could be repurposed under this new spectrum strategy. The agency said on its website that the strategy is [quote] "a government-wide approach to maximizing the potential of our nation's spectrum resources." [endquote] The NTIA shares spectrum-allocation duties with the Federal Communications Commission.

In the United States, hams already share many UHF and microwave bands with government users.

To learn more, follow the link in the text version of this week's Newsline script.

This is Stephen Kinford N8WB.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://ntia.gov/issues/national-spectrum-strategy  ]

(NTIA, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)

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NOKIA AND NASA TO PUT WIRELESS SERVICE ON THE MOON

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, a whole new wireless network of sorts is being looked at - for the moon! Let's hear more from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

KENT: An LTE/4G network destined for the moon is expected to launch on board a SpaceX rocket later this year, according to plans from the Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia. According to reports on CNBC, it's part of a partnership with NASA that envisions the creation of the first colony on the lunar surface.

A message on Nokia's webpage states that the network will be designed to support the transmitting of telemetry, biometrics, and sensing applications and will also be available for HD video and robotics. Nokia states that the high-bandwidth network will be a vital tool in NASA's plan for so-called "sustainable exploration" of the moon.

NASA chose the Finnish telecommunications company in 2020, announcing Nokia's role in the Artemis lunar program to return a human presence to the moon -- this time for extended operations by the end of the decade. According to the Nokia website, the network will include an LTE Base Station with integrated Evolved Packet Core functionalities, LTE User Equipment and RF antennas. The system will have hardware redundancy and through its software, the capacity for remote operation.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(NOKIA, CNBC)

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SILENT KEY: CONTESTER, WRTC 2022 REFEREE RICHARD KING, K5NA

NEIL/ANCHOR: The World Radiosport Team Championship is going forward this summer in Bologna without one of its key referees, who has become a Silent Key. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us about him.

GRAHAM: The World Radiosport Team Championship Committee is grieving the loss of a fellow contester and avid DXer from Texas, Richard King, K5NA. Richard had been chosen to be a referee for the WRTC 2022 event in Bologna in July.

According to a report on the Daily DX, Richard was electrocuted on April 12th while he was assisting another ham taking down a 40-meter antenna. The report goes on to say: [quote] "Richard jumped in at the last minute to try and keep the antenna from getting snagged on a guy wire. The antenna hit a nearby powerline." [endquote] Two nurses who live in the neighborhood began CPR until emergency services could arrive but Richard died shortly thereafter. He and his wife Susan, K5DU, are well-known as serious contesters and DXers.

WRTC 2022 organisers issued a statement saying "Richard's contributions to the sport of amateur radio will not be forgotten and his legacy will continue to inspire and guide us in the years to come." Richard belonged to the Central Texas DX and Contest Club.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

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WRTC CHAMPIONS WITHDRAW FROM COMPETITION

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the defending championship team from Lithuania has announced that they will not defend their title when the World Radiosport Team Championship goes forward in July.

The international high-profile contest was postponed from last year because of the pandemic.

The withdrawal announcement by defending championship team members Gedimas, LY9A, and Mindaugas, LY4L, was posted on the WRTC 2022 Reflector, citing a number of frustrations and deeper differences with the organisers that they said will be keeping them at home.

(WRTC 2022 REFLECTOR, WRTC WEBSITE)

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NEW COURSE IN 'LEARNING HOW TO LEARN' CW

NEIL/ANCHOR: A free course in Comprehensive Instant Character Recognition is being offered by CW Innovations with the goal of helping active CW operators learn ways to increase their proficiency. The 10-week classes focus on teaching operators how to help themselves learn Morse Code, addressing the mental and emotional roadblocks that have typically halted learners’ progress. The class is designed for hams who can currently copy 10 to 15 words per minute and are already actively on the air having QSOs. Visit cwinnovations.net for details. The website includes an application form.

(CWINNOVATIONS.NET)

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GRANT ALLOWS YOUTH ON THE AIR AMERICAS CAMP TO EXPAND

NEIL/ANCHOR: What's better than having one great summer camp experience on the air? Having more of it, of course! That's about to become possible, as we hear from Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

KEVIN:  Just as young amateurs prepare for this summer's Youth on the Air Americas camp in Canada, camp organizers themselves learned that their summer experience for young hams has received a $125,000 grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The funds now assure that the camp experience will continue through 2025 and that each session will become open to more campers than before. The current threshold of 30 will increase to 50 in the two years ahead. So pack your bags if you're going this year: Camp starts on July 16th. And if you want to learn more or plan ahead for next summer, visit youthontheair.org

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(ARDC, YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP)

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SCIENTIST TEAM EYES EARLIER MAXIMUM FOR SOLAR CYCLE 25

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you've been wishing for solar maximum to come sooner rather than later in the current cycle, you might just get your wish, according to a group of solar physicists. Patrick Clark K8TAC has that story.

PATRICK:  The end of this year - or sometime next year, could bring maximum sunspot activity for Solar Cycle 25, according to Scott McIntosh of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder, Colorado and a team of solar physicists. The team presents its findings in a paper in the January edition of Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences.

In the paper, the solar scientists make use of a terminator event during the previous cycle - sometime in mid-December 2021 - to project the maxima of Solar Cycle 25 and to forecast the cycle's amplitude.

Although some might project differently for the future, this team believes it's best to keep your eye on the skies during the fourth quarter of 2023 and thereafter into the new year.

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(FRONTIERS IN ASTRONOMY AND SPACE SCIENCES)

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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 NØLAR repeater of the Lamar Area Amateur Radio Club in southeast Colorado or on FM radio station KRHJ on 88.3 MHz on Fridays at 5 p.m.

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HUNGARIAN HAMS' SURVEY EXPLORES YOUTH, OTHER ISSUES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in Hungary's national ham radio society want to hear from you. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us why.

JEREMY: Hams around the world are being invited to provide their views and share their experiences about amateur radio through an online survey from the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society. The short survey asks questions about your personal preferences and radio history but also wants to know what your priorities are -- whether it is your operating preferences, your expectations from membership in a national society or the roles you think a local club should have. There are also questions about whether you know very many active younger operators. The society is interested in having the survey responses in time for the Youngsters on the Air Region 1 camp which it is hosting from the 5th to the 12th of August in Hungary. The group would also like to present the survey results at the IARU general conference in November.

A link to the survey appears in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://mrasz.org/state-of-hamradio ]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(HUNGARIAN AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams in the US may notice when they take the survey that the question about license class does not include the option to select the level of FCC license. The creators of the survey recommend that US hams use HAREC for Extra, NOVICE for General and other classes and ENTRY for Technician.

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NATIONAL VOA MUSEUM EXPANDS HOURS FOR HAMVENTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: One of the biggest ham radio weekends in the United States is about to get a little bigger. Here's Jack Parker W8ISH with that update.

JACK: If Hamvention doesn't give you a big enough dose of amateur radio when you're in Xenia next month, take a side trip to the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in nearby West Chester, Ohio. The museum expands their hours for visitors during Hamvention and features new exhibits including a dedicated room for shortwave equipment and amateur radio. Other exhibits include a complete collection of R.L. Drake Ham Radio equipment that was originally in the lobby of the R.L. Drake Corp. in Miamisburg, Ohio.

The on-site WC8VOA ham shack has new, updated equipment and yes, the station will be on the air for guest operators. The museum's expanded hours are Thursday May 18th and Friday May 19th from 1 to 9 p.m.; Saturday May 20th from noon to 9 p.m. and Sunday, May 21st from noon to 5 p.m. so that you can plan on a weekend of total radio immersion.

You can find more details on the museum website at voamuseum.org

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(JOCELYN BRAULT, KD8VRX/VA2VRX; VOICE OF AMERICA MUSEUM)

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GRIDTRACKER TEAM WINS SOFTWARE AWARD

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams who are fans of Gridtracker will be happy to learn they're not alone: Its development team just won a major award. Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB with the details.

RALPH: Congratulations to Stephen Loomis NØTTL and the team that produced Gridtracker.org, for becoming recipients of the fourth annual Amateur Radio Software Award. This international honor recognizes free, open projects developed in the spirit of sharing to enhance amateur radio operations everywhere. According to the award website, Gridtracker was chosen for its ability to focus on visualizing radio traffic on FT8 and other modes, simplifying the process of tracking contacts, especially in contests.

In the same spirit of sharing that helped create Gridtracker, Stephen, who lives in Oregon, has asked the awards committee to provide a $300 grant to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Oregon. The nonprofit advocacy, resource and educational organization works to help those who have mental illness and assists their families.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(AMATEUR RADIO SOFTWARE AWARD, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY, GRIDTRACKER)

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BOUVET DXPEDITION VETERAN TO ACTIVATE IN FIJI

NEIL/ANCHOR: One member of the team is back home from the recent Bouvet Island 3YØJ DXpedition but not for long. John Williams VK4JJW tells us what he's got planned next.

JOHN: Cezar, VE3LYC, is getting ready to put one of the Fiji islands back on the air after too many years of things being quiet there. Yanuca Island, IOTA Number OC-189, was activated first in 1993 and again in 2007 - but there's been no radio operation there since then. Cezar will be on the air May 1st through the 5th using the callsign 3D2LYC. DX World.net reports that his goal is to log 4,000 QSOs with 2,500 unique stations on six continents. He will be on most of the HF bands and will operate both CW and SSB.

While not as harsh an environment as the one found on remote Bouvet Island, Yanuca does not have any visitor accommodation. Cezar said he has been able to locate a generator and gas as well as food and water to use during his stay.

This is John Willliams VK4JJW.

(DX WORLD.NET)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Harry, JG7PSJ, who is on the air as JD1BMH from Ogasawara between April 24th and May 5th. Listen for him on 40-10m where he is using CW, SSB and RTTY. For QSL and other details follow the link on QRZ.COM to the JD1BMH webpage and monitor Twitter for updates.

(DX-WORLD.NET)

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KICKER: SOTA "MOUNTAIN GOAT" SAYS "TAG, YOU'RE IT"

NEIL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we catch up with a very grateful SOTA activator who has this important message for all those hams who, like him, achieved the coveted status of Mountain Goat: "TAG - You're It!" Jim Damron N8TMW tells us his story.

JIM: Dave Altman, KO4YLZ, is looking for a few new goats. Actually, he's looking for a few old goats too. None of this has anything to do with age - it's a reflection of pride in Dave's recent accomplishment. The SOTA activator achieved Mountain Goat status in the Summits on the Air awards scheme on March 30th, 11 months after making his first successful SOTA activation.

When his informal mentor Dean, K2JB, celebrated his new status by saying "welcome to the herd," Dave felt inspired to give something back to colleagues in his own region. What better way to identify a local goat than with a genuine ear tags, the kind of tags Dave sees often on some of the local livestock?? Using the SOTA logo with permission, Dave had the durable plastic tags laser-printed for all those in the W4 region of SOTA who attained the necessary 1,000 points for Mountain Goat status. He's giving them as gifts to fellow members of the herd and no, he doesn't expect anyone to attach the tags to their ears. These are for bags used on SOTA outings.

Dave said in a recent email to Newsline that he had already given out seven but has many more. Using the SOTA Reflector and the groups.io board for his local region, he has told fellow Mountain Goats to either email their name, callsign and mailing address or, better still, meet up with him sometime fon an activation. Picture it: Just a couple of Mountain Goats climbing their next summit together. That would not be so BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW.

(SOTA REFLECTOR, DAVE ALTMAN, KO4YLZ)

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NOMINATE OUR NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

NEIL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open and close on May 31st.

DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Software Award; Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; CQ Magazine; CNN.COM; Dave Altman, KO4YLZ; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; 425 DX News; Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences; Hungarian Amateur Radio Society; Jocelyn Brault, KD8VRX/VA2VRX; NASA; National Telecommunications and Information Administration; NOKIA; QRZ.COM; shortwaveradio.de; SOTA Reflector; Voice of America Museum; 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 Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union Kentucky saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.