Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1910 - March 21, 2014
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1910 with a release date of March
21 2014 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a Q-S-T. Hams asked to assist in the hunt for
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH 370; Ukraine and Russia bring intruding
signals to some High Frequency ham radio bands; hams in France get new
band allocations; FCC invites public comment on proposal to restructure
the 10 Gigahertz band; an Ohio radio club to celebrate Earth Day and it
might not be long before you can take a vicarious ride into space. Find
out how on Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1910 coming your way
right now.
(Billboard Cart Here)
**
RESCUE RADIO: HAMS ASKED TO HELP LOCATE MALAYSIA AIRLINES FLIGHT MH370
Ham radio operators in a number of nations are now being asked to
assist in the search for Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen, Zed-L-2-B-H-F, is here with the details.
--
The Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society is calling ham
radio operators in a number of nations to participate in the search for
the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.
The twin-engine Boeing 777-200ER airliner bearing registration 9M-MRO
disappeared without a trace on March 8th. This, after its various
position signaling systems were turned off at about 1:20 a.m. local
time while the aircraft was believed to have been North of the
Malaysian coastline enroute to Beijing, China.
Now, the Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society says that
ham radio operators in several geographic areas can play an important
part in the search. It particularly singles out radio amateurs in
India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Mauritius and the Seychelles as
being in a crucial position to assist.
Daily reporting nets have been established on 14.250 and 21.250 MHz
from 13:00 to 15:00 U-T-C. Any urgent message beyond the specified
session times can be sent via email to emergency (at) mares.org.my. All
information obtained from the ham radio community will be forwarded to
the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation and Malaysian National
Security Council.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Nelson, New
Zealand.
--
At airtime it's not known if the request for ham radio assistance came
from the Malaysian government or is a volunteer effort on the part of
the Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service Society. Also, on
Thursday, March 20th Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced
that two objects that could be wreckage from Malaysia Airlines Flight
370 had been seen by satellite off its western coast. Meantime some 25
nations are in some way involved in the search for the missing plane.
(9W2FG, Southgate, other news reports)
**
INTRUDER WATCH: UKRANE STATION SZRU ACTIVE ON 20 METERS
The IARU Monitoring System newsletter reports the Ukraine foreign
Intelligence Service SZRU has been active every Wednesday on 14.280 MHz
at 1010 UTC running full carrier AM. Reports say that a female voice
spelled numbers and encrypted messages. The exact location is believed
to be near Rivne.
The newsletter also says that REA4 which is a call used by the Russian
Airforce in Moscow was still active on 7 dot 018 MHz with Frequency
Shift Keying at 100 Baud and a 1000 Hz shift. Harmonics could be
measured on 14 dot 036, 21 dot 052 and 28 dot 072 MHz on February 28th
at about 10:50 UTC.
If you hear or are bothered by these or any other illegal user of ham
radio spectrum, please report these incidents to the Intruder Watch
Coordinator for your nation. Here in the United States that would be
The American Radio Relay League. (IARU R1 Newsletter)
**
WORLDBEAT: NEW SPECTRUM AWARDED TO HAMS IN FRANCE
French radio amateurs have gained access to 472 to 479 kHz with 1 watt
output in I-T-U Region 1 and French territories in Region 2. Also,
435 to 438 MHz is now allocated to the Amateur-satellite service in
France for both Earth-to-Space and Space-to-Earth in the same
geographic areas. Due to a previous error in the national frequency
table, French amateurs did not have Space-to-Earth privileges for this
band in their licenses.
Still with space related matters, the 2400 to 2415 MHz band is now
allocated to radio stations in the Amateur-satellite service in French
territories in Region 2.
Regarding the 1.2 GHz band the national society questioned if Europe's
new Galileo Global Positioning satellite system may call into question
the future of this allocation for use by ham radio. Galileo downlinks
across 1260 to 1300 MHz band. France's telecommunications regulator
said that it would review this matter and provide a response at some
future date.
These changes are the result of a meeting between French
telecommunications regulator the Autorit‚ de R‚gulation des
Communications �lectroniques et des Postes and the French national
amateur radio society R-E-F that was held on March 7th. Discussions
also covered the possibility of a future amateur band across the whole
of 1.8 to 2.0 MHz spectrum and possible allocations at 5.5 MHz and 70
MHz. The R-E-F report also noted that the regulatory body has also
shown an interest in ARISS school contacts which both groups believe
have a high educational value.
The complete minutes in Google English is on the web at
http://tinyurl.com/REF-ARCEP-Minutes-2014-03-07 (REF, Southgate)
**
WORLDBEAT: NEW BRUNSWICK CANADA CONFIRMS DISTRACTED DRIVING EXEMPTION
FOR HAM RADIO OPERATORS.
Some good news for hams living in New Brunswick, Canada. Radio Amateurs
of Canada has announced that New Brunswick has passed new legislation
to provide an exemption to that province's distracted driving law for
ham radio mobile operations.
The announcement was made at the Legislature in Fredericton on Tuesday
March 19th. A number of Canadian radio amateurs were in attendance at
the invitation of Minister of Justice's Troy Lifford.
At the same session, Radio Amateur of Canada member Alan Thurber,
VE1AKT, was formally recognized in the Legislature for his extensive
involvement in amateur radio, in various other groups and the community
in general. (RAC)
**
RESTRUCTURING: FCC INVITES PUBLIC COMMENT ON 10-10.5 GHZ PETITION
Back here in the United States, the FCC has invited public comment on a
Petition for Rule Making titled RM-11715. This is a proposal that
would make a significant portion of the 10.0 to 10.5 GHz band available
for wireless broadband services while to some extent protect amateur
radio terrestrial and space operations from interference.
According to the ARRL the petition by Mimosa Networks Inc. proposes a
band plan for the spectrum from 10.0 to 10.5 GHz that the petitioner
says would protect frequencies most often used by radio amateurs. The
proposal would specify 10.350 to 10.370 GHz as an "Amateur Calling
Band," and 10.450 to 10.500 GHz for Amateur-Satellite operations. This
would be in the midst of 21 wireless broadband channels and a small
guard band.
The success of the Mimosa petition hinges on FCC adoption of rule
changes that would put the 10 GHz band under Subpart Z of the
Commission's Part 90 rules. Subpart Z currently sets out regulations
governing wireless licensing, technical standards, and operational
standards in the 3650 to 3700 MHz spectrum.
Interested parties may comment on RM-11715 using the FCC's Electronic
Comment Filing System. You can read the entire proposal at
http://www.tinyurl.com/kvbqshn (ARRL, Southgate)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: OSCAR-11 / UOSAT-2 CELEBRATES 30 YEARS ON-ORBIT
UOSAT-OSCAR-11 has now been in orbit for 30 years and remarkably its
signal on 145.826 MHz FM is still being received. UOSAT-2, was
designed and built by a team of engineers at the University of Surrey
in Guildford, Surrey, UK as the successor to UOSAT-1. It was placed
into orbit on board a Delta rocket from the United States Western Test
Range at Vandenberg Air Base, in California on March 1, 1984.
OSCAR-11 was the most rapidly designed ham radio satellite going from
inception to launch in only five months. It was also the first amateur
satellite to carry a digital communications package into Earth orbit,
and the first to be controlled by a Central Processing Unit running
software written in the high-level programming language "Forth". The
bird originally carried three beacons but only the 2 meter unit is
currently operational. (AMSAT-UK)
**
DX UP FRONT: MARION ISLAND ACTIVATIONS
In DX up front, several sources are reporting that ZS1KX, will be
leaving South Africa on April 2nd for the Marion Island. He has
requested the callsign ZS8KX and expected to be active from the island
in May. QSL direct to Gerard de Jong, P.O. Box 744, Wellington, 7654,
South Africa.
Also from Marion Islands comes word that a female operator signing
ZS8A, has been showing up on 28.650 MHz between 14:20 to16:00. Reports
are that she handles QSLing via ClubLog.
Marion Island lies in the Southern Indian Ocean and is part of a two
island group. It is only about 12 miles long by 7 1/2 wide, and the
two islands have a combined area of 196 square miles. Politically they
form part of South Africa's Western Cape Province. (OPDX, Wikipedia)
**
DX UP FRONT: 6 METERS FROM GRENEDA IN JUNE
And if you are an aficionado of the 50 MHz band, then listen up. W9DR
will be active on 6 meters as J38DR from Grenada between June 19th and
July 1st. This operation will be located on the north shore of the
island for a great launch angle to North America and Europe over the
Atlantic Ocean. Operating frequencies will be 50.115 MHz SSB, 50.115.6
MHz CW as well as a breakable Beacon on 50.115.6 MHz running when no
stations heard. Gear for this DXpedition will be a FlexRadio SDR-1500
driving a home built solid state water-cooled amplifier into a 5
element Yagi. If you manage to work him, QSL to W9DR at his home
address. And we will have more DX news for you later on in this weeks
newscast. (Various Sources)
**
BREAK 1
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
KC6OCA repeater serving Lake Isabella California.
(5 sec pause here)
**
ENFORCEMENT: FCC ISSUES PROPOSED $25000 FINE FOR PART 15 VIOLATIONS
The FCC has issued a Notice of Apparent Liability in the amount of
$25,000 to Internet Service Provider Winchester Wireless of Winchester,
Virginia. This for its alleged operation of intentional radiators not
in accordance with Part 15 of the Rules and doing so without a license.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Stephan Kinford, N8WB, has the details:
--
Part 15 devices are license free but must be operated at what amounts
to micro power so as to cause minimum interference to other Part 15
units sharing the same spectrum. So it was that on May 10, 2011, in
response to a complaint, an agent from the Enforcement Bureau's
Columbia Maryland Office inspected a transmitting device operated by
Winchester Wireless on the roof of an area residence. During the
inspection, the agent determined that a legal Motorola Canopy System
was connected to two external RF Linx 900 MHz amplifiers that in turn
were individually fed into two separate antennas.
When the agent later interviewed Winchester Wireless owner David
Williamson at the company's main office, Williamson admitted to using
the amplifiers. The agent subsequently reviewed the FCC rules for the
Motorola Canopy System, which indicated that it is not certified for
use with external amplification.
On August 11, 2011, the Columbia Office issued a Notice of Unlicensed
Operation to Winchester Wireless regarding its unauthorized use of the
external amplifiers at the inspected location. On August 29th the
company responded to the Notice. At that time it reported that the
amplifiers had been removed but did not provide any information
regarding Winchester Wireless's operations at other locations.
Jump ahead almost two years. On May 29, 2013, in response to
additional complaints, an agent from the Columbia Office inspected two
transmitter sites operated by Winchester Wireless. At both locations,
the agent observed signals emanating in the 902 to 928 MHz band. The
agent observed the same Motorola Canopy System and RF Linx equipment
that he had seen during the 2011 inspection.
On July 29, 2013, the Columbia Office issued a Notice of Unlicensed
Operation to Winchester Wireless regarding its continued unauthorized
use of external amplifiers. On July 31, 2013, Winchester Wireless
responded to the Notice indicating that it would inspect the two
transmitter sites for compliance with the Part 15 Rules.
Now in issuing the proposed fine, the FCC says that Winchester Wireless
had the same type of violation less than two years earlier and that the
2011 Notice expressly warned that the equipment certification for the
Motorola Canopy System did not authorize the use of such external
amplifiers. With the second violation the FCC says that Winchester
Wireless's actions demonstrate a deliberate disregard for the
Commission's requirements and as such a forfeiture of $25,000 is
warranted.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephan Kinford, N8WB, reporting.
--
In addition to the proposed fine the FCC directed Winchester Wireless
was ordered to submit a statement signed under penalty of perjury
stating that it is currently operating its Wireless Internet Service in
compliance with FCC rules and applicable authorizations. The company
was given 30 days from the March 11th release of the Notice to respond
to this demand as well as to appeal the proposed $25,000 fine. (FCC)
**
RESCUE RADIO: UNDERWATER WI-FI MAY HELP PREDICT TSUNAMIS
Researchers are in the process of testing a new underwater wi-fi - like
network in an attempt to create what amounts to a deep-sea internet.
One that researchers claim could help detect tsunamis and there by
offer a more reliable warning system.
Unlike traditional wi-fi which uses radio waves, the submerged
technology utilizes sound waves. This is because radio is able to
penetrate water to some degree, but with severely limited range and
stability. But the research team from the University of Buffalo notes
that sound waves provide a better option as demonstrated by many
aquatic species such as whales and dolphins.
Wireless communication underwater has been possible for some time, but
the problem lies in getting separate systems used by different
organizations to communicate with each other. The United States
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does use acoustic waves
to send data from tsunami sensors on the sea floor to buoys on the
surface. However due to infrastructure differences, this data cannot be
shared quickly with other information gathered by other agencies such
as the US Navy. For that reason the University of Buffalo researchers
are attempting to create a shared standard to make interaction and
data-sharing and public warning more reliable.
More can be found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24550015
(BBC)
**
RADIO CRIME: COPPER THIEVES TAKE WASHINGTON STATION OFF THE AIR
Listeners to KLOG radio in Kelso, Washington tuned into dead air early
on Wednesday March 12th. This after thieves stole a small amount of
copper wire from the stations transmitting site situated along
Interstate Route 5.
Station Owner Joel Hanson said he found out about it at around 3:30
a.m. Hanson found wire cutters at the site and evidence that someone
may have gotten a rather nasty shock.
KLOG was off the air for about 12 hours but station was able to heard
online. Kelso police are investigating but so far they have no
suspects. (RW, other news reports)
**
NAMES IN THE NEW: KA2HPG NAMED NEW RACES OFFICER FOR OSWEGO COUNTY NY
Fred Koch, KA2HPG, has become the new Radio Officer for the Oswego
County New York Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service. Koch received
the RACES Service Award in 2013 for his service to the organization
that began back in 1996. He has participated in all aspects of the
communications systems used by the group and has obtained certification
in the Incident Command System. Koch replaces John Darling, K2QQY, who
recently resigned after holding the post for more than 20 years.
(Oswego County Today)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS: K6LCS INVITED TO MEET ASTRONAUT LUCA PARMITANO AT
ESA ITALY
According to a posting on Facebook, Clink Bradford, K6LCS, is among
those chosen to spend an afternoon with Italian Astronaut Luca
Parmitano for an afternoon on April 11th. The event will take place at
the European Space Agency's facility in Frascati, Italy which is about
12 miles South-East of Rome. Bradford is very well known for his ham
in space related activities including coordinating contacts between
schools in California and the ham radio operators on board the I-S-S.
He also owns several websites including one of which contains
information on how to start working FM satellites with equipment you
probably already own. More information and links are under K6LCS on
QRZ.com. (ARNewsline from Facebook)
**
HAM RADIO BUSINESS: JK ANTENNAS AND 2X ARRAYS ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC
PARTNERSHIP
JK Antennas and 2X Arrays have announced a strategic partnership which
will combine both design and manufacturing processes between the two
organizations.
JK Antennas has fundamentally focused on producing high quality long
boom mono-band and duo-band antenna designs that are mechanically
robust, with quick time to market of both new and custom designed
models directly from their in-house manufacturing facility.
2X Arrays has been focused on developing proprietary antenna design
processes ranging from electrical optimization to physical model
electrical testing and tuning.
As part of this strategic partnership, the 2X Arrays antenna line will
now be manufactured at the JK Antennas facility in Connecticut, USA. JK
Antennas will also sell and distribute both lines through its direct
sales and distributorship. For more information please visit JK
Antennas on Facebook. (JK Antennas, 2X Arrays)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: OHIO RADIO CLUB TO CELECRATE EARTH DAY
The Parma Radio Club in Parma, Ohio will be conducting its Second
Annual Earth Day Special Event Station on Saturday, April 19th.
Operating from a historic urban farm, the club's Earth Day Special
Event station, W8PRC will be on 40, 20, and 15 meters SSB near the
bottom of each General segment. A beautiful special QSL card will be
available.
Earth Day is intended to encourage everyone to be mindful of our
magnificent planet. Other clubs and individual hams are urged to
celebrate in this unique way and join with more than 500 million people
in 192 countries in observing this very special remembrance each year.
While the actual date for Earth Day in the United States is April 22nd,
schools and other groups celebrate a week or more prior to the actual
day. More information is posted on the club's web site at
parmaradioclub.webs.com (K8CMD)
**
ANNUAL EASTERN VHF/UHF/MICROWAVE CONFERENCE
This years Eastern VHF - UHF and Microwave Conference is slated for
April 11th to the 13th at the Baymont Suites in Manchester,
Connecticut. Among those scheduled to present talks are Fred Stefanik,
N1DPM, on a Fresh Approach to a Multiband Microwave Station; Roger
Rehr, W3SZ, speaking about Aircraft Scatter; Phil Theis, K3TUF, on
Advances in Smart Software Defined Radio Operations and many others.
Full information is on the web at www.newsvhf.com/vhfconf.html (VHF
Reflector)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: ARRL - TAPR DCC IN AUSTIN TEXAS IN SEPTEMBER
The 33rd annual ARRL and Tucson Amateur Packet Radio Digital
Communications Conference will take place September 5th to the 7th in
Austin, Texas. This year's conference will feature two days of
technical forums on Friday and Saturday along with a concurrent
Introductory Forum on Saturday. Those who submit Technical Papers for
inclusion in the Conference Proceedings will receive preference for a
forum, however anyone can propose to present a session without
submitting a technical paper. Updated information will be made
available on the web at www.tapr.org/dcc (ARRL - TAPR DCC)
**
HAM HAPPENINGS: CHANGES FOR THE 2014 SAN BERNADINO MICROWAVE CONTEST
The rules for the 2014 San Bernardino California Microwave Society 2.3
GHz and Up Contest have been revised. Among the significant changes is
that there is now individual categories as well as the traditional club
competition. All-band and single band scores will be posted along with
the club aggregate scores. Also stations may be re-worked for
additional distance points when either end of the contact moves at
least 10 miles from any previous location, measured in a straight line.
The contest is slated this year for May 3 and 4 from 6 a.m. Saturday to
midnight Sunday, local time. All the changes and complete rules are on
the web at www.ham-radio.com/sbms (N6NB, VHF Reflector)
**
BREAK 2
This is ham radio news for today's radio amateur. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline with links to the world from our only official website
at www.arnewsline.org and being relayed by the volunteer services of
the following radio amateur:
(5 sec pause here)
**
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD: SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO PIONEER DAVE LARSEN
ZS6DN - S.K.
South Africa has lost one of its best known and most dedicated radio
amateurs. His name was Dave Larsen, callsign ZS6DN and as amateur
Radio Newsline's David Conradie, ZR6DHC tells us, he was truly a ham
that gave to his community, to his nation and the world:
--
Driving between Pretoria and Johannesburg, in Gauteng South Africa,
many a traveler has been intrigued by a farm of antenna masts on the
hill overlooking the main road to the O.R. Tambo International Airport.
Turning off the main road down a narrow farm track one finds the sign
"S.A.L.B.U." the home, the office and also the research laboratories of
Dave Larsen, ZS6DN, until recently South Africa's living legend of
radio, who's key become silent on 26 February 2014 at the age of 81.
During his life time Dave worked in the interest of radio and amateur
radio technology development. He installed and maintained a 5 five
band HF beacon as part of an international Amateur Radio propagation
research program. The multi-band HF beacon is operational from
S.A.L.B.U., replacing the 14100 kHz beacon of which Dave has been the
custodian since the inception of the program many years ago. The beacon
operates on 14100, 18110, 21150, 24930 and 28200 kHz.
During the seventies Dave and his team evolved an HF frequency hopping
system. The concept was initially rejected by the experts at the time
however some 15 years later the authoritative publication, Janes
Defense weekly wrote in their 11 July 1987 edition : "Frequency hopping
is probably the most popular spread spectrum technique. Claimed to have
been pioneered in South Africa, it now appears in tactical equipment
manufactured by most of the major international radio communication
companies."
It also needs to be noted that Dave Larsen was heavily involved in the
development of Single Side Band communications. In 1989 Dave Larsen,
then ZS5DN was awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa Grand
Officer in recognition of his contribution to electronics.
We salute Dave Larsen, ZS6DN not only for the work he has done in radio
but also for the tremendous amount of time and effort he spent in
making amateur radio better for all of us. Our sincerest condolences
to his family and friends.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm David Conradie, ZR6DHC, in
Rustenberg, South Africa.
--
If you would like to find out more about Dave Larsen and his
contributions to radio you can visit http://www.tinyurl.com/zs6dn
(ZR6DHC)
**
HAM RADIO IN SPACE: FUNCUBE-1 TRANSPONDER TO BE TESTED MARCH 22
A full scale test of the United Kingdom's FUNcube One microsat's 435 to
145 MHz transponder was slated for Saturday, March 22nd at
approximately 09:30 UTC.
When in sunlight FUNcube-1 is normally in what's known as its
Educational Mode. This means the transponder is off but the high power
beacon transmitting. If the test has gone as planned, the tiny bird
will be switched to Amateur Mode with the cross-band transponder being
turned on and the beacon placed in into low power out.
Initial plans were to keep FUNcube-1 in this mode for at least one
orbit in order to evaluate the effect on the satellite of continuous
Amateur Mode operation especially in regard to battery temperature.
Results of this test will likely be made known after complete
evaluation of the telemetry received by controllers on the ground.
(FUNcube Group, Southgate)
**
RADIO FROM SPACE: CURIOSITY NOW HAS THE ABILITY TO TAKE SELFIES
NASA has installed an upgrade operating system on its Curiosity Martian
rover and in the process it has given the far off explorer the ability
to take selfies.
For those few of you who may not have ever heard the term, selfie is
slang for a picture that one takes of him or herself and usually posts
to some social media website. And while the rover now has the ability
to take selfies, NASA explained the rational behind this move is to
permit it to examine the effects of wear-and-tear on the rover's wheels
through photos radioed back to Earth.
Jim Erickson is with NASA's Jet Propulsion Center in Pasadena,
California. He says that the reason for making this self photographic
system available is to help to better understand the impact that the
Martian terrain type has on the rovers wheels to help with planning
future drive systems.
The upgrade is the third such for Curiosity, which NASA says remains in
working condition. Once the update is fully tested NASA says it will
order the rover to do a series of test drives in smooth dirt to
determine exactly how much wear the wheels are experiencing. (NASA)
**
PROPAGATION: KJ6KO BEACONS RETURN TO SERVICE
Greg Stahlman, KJ6KO, of Diamond Springs, California, has announced
over the VHF Reflector that all five of his VHF and UHF propagation
beacons that originate from Grid Square CM 88 WS are back on the air.
The operating frequencies are 144.2824, 222.0110, 432.2812, 903.2961
and 1296.2612. All are operated using a common identifier that signs
de KJ6KO/B CM88WS. Stahlman had taken the beacons down for a short
wile to do some repairs and improvements to the overall beacon system.
(VHF Reflector)
**
DX
In DX, word that The Czech DXpedition team has organized an expedition
to Togo. Preliminary date is near the end of September for
approximately for 10 days. Activity will be on 160 through 10 meters
using CW, SSB and the digital modes. Operation during the CQ World
Wide DX RTTY Contest on September 27th and 28th will be a part of the
operation. QSL via OK6DJ either direct, via the bureau, eQSL, Logbook
of the World or using the OQRS on ClubLog. Bill Moore, NC1L, at the
ARRL Awards Desk says that the current T6DD from Afghanistan has been
approved for DXCC credit. You can now begin claiming credit for this
one. JH3A-F will once again be active as A52EQW from Dochula Resort in
Bhutan at the end of August or in early September. Other operators with
him may include JH3AEF who will operate as A52AEF and JA3IVU with the
call A52IVU. No modes or operating times were mentioned. QSL via each
operator via his home callsign.
F5MNW will be operating stroke FR from Reunion Island through April
8th. Activity will be on the High Frequency bands using CW only. QSL
via his home callsign either direct or via the bureau.
PD7YY and PE1GNP will be active as PH38EU from Terschelling Island
Between April 11th and the14th. Activity will be on 40 through 10 plus
2 meters using SSB. QSL via PD7YY or PE1GNP, either direct or via the
bureau.
JG7PSJ will be active as JD1BMH from Chichijima Island between April
27th and May 11th. Operations will be on 40 through 10 meters using
CW, SSB and RTTY. QSL via the bureau to JD1BMH or direct to JG7PSJ
Lastly, UA3AA is on the air from Nepal using the call 9N7AA until May
23rd. Activity has been on 160 through 10 meters using CW only.
Unfortunately his current location suffers from some serious RFI issues
that affect his ability to hear the calling stations. QSL direct only.
(Above from OPDX and other DX news sources)
**
THAT FINAL ITEM: VIRTUALLY TRAVEL TO SPACE FOR ONLY $70
And finally this week, researchers from the Surrey Space Centre in
England have launched a unique campaign that will enable members of
the public including radio amateurs a chance to make a virtual trip
into space for only about $70 United States dollars. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD, has the details:
--
The Surrey Space Center Virtual Ride to Space ride will use
cutting-edge virtual technology and a specially designed spacecraft to
deliver a three-dimensional, immersive experience that will allow
everyone to see what astronauts experience on their way to space.
The experience will be created by capturing High Definition video
footage collected using a weather balloon which will carry a cluster of
twenty-four cameras to a height of about 65,000 feet. During ascent
these cameras will capture panoramic footage of the balloon's journey
to space.
Following the flight and retrieval of the camera payload a specialized
software package will be used to stitch this footage together to
recreate a panoramic view of the space trip. The subsequent space ride
will then be viewed using a state-of-the-art virtual reality
head-mounted display. This system is designed to deliver high
definition three dimensional virtual environments that can be explored
by the wearer, as if they are in space themselves.
Dr. Aaron Knoll is the lead researcher from the University of Surrey.
He indicates that the Surrey virtual Ride to Space will give all
aspiring astronauts the chance to be a virtual passenger, riding the
balloon into space at far less cost than actually making such a trip
for in any other way.
For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick,
Pennsylvania.
--
The $50,000 project will be funded by public contributions through the
crowd-sourcing Kickstarter website. The project team is also
developing a smartphone application that will allow users to experience
the journey using the phones' built-in gyroscope and accelerometer
data, as well as a computer program that will allow people to
experience space via their own PC's.
The fund raising campaign and view the demonstration video on line at
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...ide-to-space-u
sing-the-oculus-rift (University of Surrey, International Science
Times, others)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs, AMSAT, the ARRL, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the
Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB, the South
African Radio League, the Southgate News, TwiT-TV, Australia's WIA News
and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline(tm).
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For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors' desk, I'm Don
Wilbanks, AE5DW, in Southern Mississippi saying 73 and we thank you for
listening.
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