Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1983 October 30 2015
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1983 with a release date of
Friday, October 30, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams in India prepare to aid Afghan earthquake
victims. A look at hams' response to Mexico's Hurricane Patricia. The
Fox 1-A transponder is back! And Puerto Rico may ask for a DXers'
island paradise to be returned. All this and more in Amateur Radio
Newsline report 1983 coming your way right now.
(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)
**
URGENCY AFTER EARTHQUAKE
Amateur radio operators in India are preparing to step in quickly to
provide help across the ravaged landscape in northeastern Afghanistan,
which suffered a deadly 7.5 magnitude earthquake on Monday, Oct. 26.
The tremors were so strong, in fact, they rumbled across Pakistan and
north India as well. The team of experienced rescue operators from the
West Bengal Radio Club is the same group to provide critical support
during operations after last spring's quake in Nepal.
Ambarish Nag Biswas, the West Bengal club's secretary, tells one
newspaper in India, QUOTE "Communication is key to running rescue
operations but in such cases, cellphone networks and services collapse.
Our job is to set up a parallel network."ENDQUOTE As of Wednesday, Oct.
28, the amateurs were awaiting the official OK from the Indian
government before departing for Kabul.
(THE DECCAN HERALD, THE TIMES OF INDIA)
***
HAMS PREPPED FOR PATRICIA
[ANCHOR]: Amateur communications also played a paramount role in the
Americas, when the most powerful storm ever to hit the western
hemisphere struck the Pacific coast of Mexico a week ago. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, has the details:
[JIM]: Amateur radio emergency frequencies are back to normal, although
it will take a while to recover from the flooding, downed trees and
other damage Hurricane Patricia inflicted last week in western Mexico.
Hams, however, did their part. Mexico's amateur radio association,
FMRE, reported on Monday, Oct. 26, that the nation's emergency net
frequencies, including 7.060 MHz, were finally clear of traffic that
responded to the weekend's Category 5 hurricane. The National Hurricane
Center considered the storm the strongest tropical cyclone ever
recorded in the western hemisphere.
Mexico's National Emergency Net was activated as Patricia approached
land and winds ripped through the country at just below 200 miles an
hour. Emergency coordinators were at the ready, as were those in the
southwestern United States.
The hurricane coincided with an already intense time on the HF bands,
as the CQ WorldWide SSB DX Contest was getting under way. That prompted
a plea from the International Amateur Radio Union on Friday, Oct. 23
for hams to keep the emergency frequency open, and prepare as well to
clear additional frequencies on both 40 and 80 meters if needed. The
State of Guanajuato Amateur Radio Association used social media,
announcing on its Facebook page where frequencies needed to be cleared
on 80, 40 and 20 meters.
The National Hurricane Center in Miami had called the storm
"potentially catastrophic." It was finally downgraded on Saturday, Oct.
24. By Monday, Oct. 26, storm-induced downpours had begun drenching
much of the Gulf Coast region and the South, as the now-weakened
weather system made its way east. In the end, tens of thousands had
been evacuated in Mexico, where the government reported an apparent
death toll of zero.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West
Virginia.
(ARRL, SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS, CNN, THE WEATHER CHANNEL)
**
THE FOX RETURNS, SAREX MAKES AN EXIT
Speaking of things getting back to normal, the Fox-1A (AO-85)
Transponder is back in business. Launched on Oct. 8, it proved to be
popular immediately with radio amateurs, who made ample use of its
transponder until it was taken out of service for a period of testing
and evaluations on Oct. 19. It is back as of Friday, Oct. 23. AMSAT
Vice President for Engineering Jerry Buxton, N-ZERO-J-Y (N0JY) reports
that version 1.01 of the FoxTelem telemetry software is also available
as a patch release. The patch and the full FoxTelem program are
available in Windows, Mac, and Linux versions. Download of the software
are available at www.amsat.org
Meanwhile, AMSAT'S SAREX reflector will be closed as of Sunday, Nov. 1,
according to AMSAT Vice President for Human Spaceflight Frank Bauer,
KA3HDO. SAREX's functions will be folded into the AMSAT-BB list.
Amateurs subscribed to both SAREX and AMSAT-BB need to take no action
but existing SAREX-only subscriptions will not automatically be carried
over. (AMSAT, ARRL)
**
PARADISE LOST?
Desecheo Island, 14 miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, has held a
longstanding spot on the radio amateur's list of Most Wanted DXs. Part
of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wildlife Refuge
System, the island, known to amateurs as KP5, has been a notable part
of the KP1-5 Project's successful DXpeditions for years.
Now, it seems, the island is also most wanted by the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico. According to a published report, Puerto Rico's House of
Representatives has approved two measures requesting the island's
release from United States jurisdiction.
The news of the vote was reported in the Oct. 26 edition of the Puerto
Rican newspaper, El Nuevo Dia. Hernandez Lopez's remarks to fellow
lawmakers, translated in the newspaper's online story, say in part:
QUOTE"Our desire is to provide the additional space western area for
sightseeing, this time, environmental tourism that allows people to
enjoy the natural attractions."
The measures were approved in the House, 27-21. Puerto Rico's Senate
will now consider the matter. As for the world's DXers, they'll be
listening too.
(EL NUEVO DIA, ANGEL SANTANA-DIAZ, WP3GW)
**
TEAMWORK FOR THE TRIBES
[ANCHOR}: A collective of groups and individuals specializing in
helping American Indians, Alaskan natives and other tribal people
through disasters and emergencies is meeting in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The
focus will be sharing tools, techniques and tactics to help respond to
and manage a crisis. The organization is called the Tribal Assistance
Coordination Group, and while the "A" in its name stands for
assistance, on Thursday, Nov. 5, it will also stand for Amateur Radio.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Mike Askins, KE5CXP, gives us the details:
[MIKE]: It takes more than 45 minutes to explain why amateur radio is
such a critical tool when disaster strikes and communication networks
are down, but Lloyd Colston, KC5FM, the ARRL's Oklahoma Section
Manager, is more than up to the task. His 45-minute talk at the
national Tribal Assistance Coordination Group workshop in Tulsa will
cover all the essentials. Colston, who is also vice president of the
Virtual Emergency Management Association, as well as the Emergency
Management director for the City of Altus, Oklahoma, will explain how
the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service, the Military Auxiliary Radio Service, and SKYWARN can assist
tribes when disasters strike. And he will even touch on social media
and its complementary role.
Amateur radio will share the spotlight at the wide-ranging conference
with other emergency responders, including the Red Cross, FEMA,
FirstNet, the Department of Homeland Security and the Oklahoma
Inter-Tribal Emergency Management Council. Steve "Sid" Caesar, NH7C,
the chief of the division of emergency management in the Bureau of
Indian Affairs, told Amateur Radio Newsline that amateur radio already
enjoys an established presence at these national workshops. But its
role has largely been showcased through informal meetings and on-site
tabletop exercises. He said that Colston's talk on Thursday, Nov. 5
constitutes the first official, formal amateur radio presentation at
the national workshop. Caesar said: QUOTE"With the inclusion of Amateur
Radio - the intention was to raise awareness of the capabilities of
Amateur Radio, specifically with the federal, state, Local, Tribal,
NGO, and private sector partners. We hope that the outreach to Tribes
will increase the numbers of Amateur Radio operators in Tribal
communities, making for safer and better prepared Tribal
communities."ENDQUOTE That's certainly making the most of 45 minutes.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP, in Shawnee,
Oklahoma.
(LLOYD COLSTON, KC5FM, STEVE CAESAR, NH7C)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the Utah Amateur Radio Club repeater, N7HVF, in Salt Lake City.
** **
CME: THIS IS ONLY A TEST BUT . . .
Imagine a massive coronal mass ejection and an equally massive impact
on the HF bands. A blackout, even. It's only an exercise, but it could
just as easily happen, and between Nov. 7 and Nov. 10, hams will be
dealing with just that disaster scenario. The Military Auxiliary Radio
System will work with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service during a similated CME event, helping
radio operators train for a major CME and how to handle its impact on
HF propagation.
Army MARS Program Manager Paul English, WD8DBY, told the ARRL that the
exercise scenario will simulate a CME event and focus on actions that
radio operators should take prior to and following such an event.
English said some active duty military groups will join about 50
ARES/RACES affiliates for the drill, which will not only include a
blackout of the radio bands but infrastructure damage. Radio amateurs,
as well as ARES and RACES teams, can contact MARS if they wish to
participate. Emails can be directed to MARS at
(ARRL, MARS)
**
AN OREGON CITY'S TOWERING ISSUE
The Brookings, Oregon City Council was poised to give its expected
approval of taller ham radio towers in the city's residential
neighborhoods, but the definitive vote has instead been postponed. The
proposed ordinance permitting towers as tall as 70 feet was high on the
published agenda for lawmakers' Monday, Oct. 26 meeting. But Joyce
Heffington, city recorder, told Amateur Radio Newsline in a recent
phone call, QUOTE"It was delayed until the council has an opportunity
to review a letter we received from a legal firm."ENDQUOTE Area
residents have raised objections to the ordinance allowing taller
towers, citing what they call safety and aesthetic reasons. City
Attorney Martha Rice has said previously, in published reports in the
Curry Coastal Pilot newspaper, that Oregon law doesn't prohibit
communications towers simply because of their appearance. The Council
had recently given the measure its tentative approval. Heffington said
the formal vote will be placed back on the Council agenda as soon as
the city's attorney has had a chance to review the letter and report
onit.
(AMATEUR RADIO NEWSLINE, JOYCE HEFFINGTON, CURRY COSTAL PILOT)
**
DICTIONARY WANTS TO FIND THE RIGHT WORDS If you speak Afrikaans, the
South African Radio League would like to have a word or two with you.
Actually, the league would like to have a few hundred words or more
with you. There's a project underway to compile an Afrikaans dictionary
for those radio amateurs who speak the language, and volunteers are
needed to provide expertise and help compile it. Anyone wanting to help
put the project together should email Etienne Naude, ZS6EFN, at
(THE SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE)
**
LOOKING UP TO "FUNFLIGHT"
Australia's national FunFlight Day being held on Sunday, Nov. 8 reaches
out to disadvantaged kids by giving them wings to fly: Pilots and
flying clubs provide free flights and access to the planes for
youngsters at the event. The Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Club
will also be putting kids on the air - using radios instead of
airplanes. They're setting up an amateur radio station at the Bendigo
Flying Club and by tuning into 40 meters, other radio clubs will be
connecting with the FunFlight station and the kids. For more
information on FunFlight, go to www.funflight.org (SOUTHGATE AMATEUR
RADIO NEWS, WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA)
**
NAMES IN THE NEWS
It's not surprising that Larry Lambert, N-ZERO-L-L (N0LL), and Lance
Collister, W7GJ, might just believe in magic. The two are the latest to
qualify for the ARRL's Fred Fish Memorial Award, an honor conferred on
amateurs who work and confirm all 488 Maidenhead grid squares in the 48
contiguous states - working them all on 6 meters. The award is named
for the late Fred Fish, W5FF. One of Fish's accomplishments, before
becoming a Silent Key in April of 2010, was to make and confirm those
488 contacts himself. Collister and Lambert are the first since 2011 to
receive the 6-meter achievement award for duplicating the noted VHF
operator's efforts on the so-called "Magic Band."
(ARRL)
**
SPECTRUM SPECULATION
In the UK, Ofcom has announced plans to auction part of the radio
spectrum formerly used for ham radio. Their hope is that part of the
band could be utilized by ever-growing high-speed mobile broadband
services.
The auction won't happen until early 2016, and includes a total of
190MHz of high-capacity spectrum on 2.3 GHz and 3.4 GHz.
(SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS)
**
THE WORLD OF DX
Saty, JE1JKL, will be working the HF bands as 9M6NA from Labuan Island
between November 26 and 29th. He will also be active in the CQWW DX CW
Contest on November 28 and 29th as a Single- Op/All-Band entry. QSL via
his home callsign or Logbook of the World.
Gary, K9AW, will be active as J6/K9AW from St. Lucia (NA-108) between
November 24th and December 7th and will also participate in the CQWW DX
CW Contest on November 28 and 29th). QSL via K9AW, direct or by the
Bureau.
Bill, K-H-6-OH-OH (KH6OO), is celebrating his 60 years as a licensed
radio amateur by operating as T32DX from Kiritimati Island in East
Kiribati through November 3. He will be joined by his sons Will,
W-ZERO-Z-R-J (W0ZRJ) and John N-ZERO-P-J-V (N0PJV). They will work all
the bands from 10 meters to 40 meters on SSB, CW and RTTY.
Three Japanese operators are active from the island of Palau through
November 5. Their call signs are T88ZE, T88KK and T88SH and they will
be working all bands 160m to 6m on CW, SSB and RTTY.
(IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTER SOCIETY)
KICKER: HAMS AGAINST HALLOWEEN HUMBUG
And finally, Happy Halloween. As spooky as the celebration can get
sometimes, hundreds of hams in New York are working with State Troopers
to make sure this late October holiday doesn't turn into a real
horrorshow.
The hams, along with citizens band radio operators, are volunteers in a
public-service project known as the Pumpkin Patrol. On the evenings of
Friday, Oct. 30 and Saturday, Oct. 31, they'll hit the road to make
sure the pumpkins don't.
Dispatching hams and citizens band operators in their personal
vehicles, the patrol and communications network, overseen by the state
police, hopes to ensure that pumpkins don't have a ghost of a chance of
being tossed from any overpasses along the 570-mile-long New York State
Thruway. Members of the Liverpool Amateur Radio Club, the
Madison-Oneida Amateur Radio Club and the Rochester Amateur Radio
Association are among those providing volunteers. In fact, almost every
county throughout New York State has had hams involved.
The effort began in 1976 with a Montgomery County, New York woman who
was talking on her citizens band radio with a truck driver as a tossed
pumpkin shattered his window, injuring him. The state police have been
overseeing the effort since 1990.
Hopefully, the only thing smashing on Halloween Evening and Night will
be this effort's success. Which only goes to prove that when you find
hams on the air, you won't find pumpkins IN the air.
(UPSTATEHAM.COM, NEW YORK STATE THRUWAY AUTHORITY)
** **
NEWSCAST CLOSE With thanks to Alan Labs; AMSAT; the ARRL; CQ Magazine;
CNN; El Nuevo Dia; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; The Irish Radio
Transmitter Society; MARS; NYS Thruway Authority; the Ohio-Penn DX
Newsletter; Angel Santana-Diaz; The South African Radio League;
Southgate Amateur Radio News; the Times of India; TWiT TV; The Weather
Channel; UpstateHam.Com; and you our listeners, that's all from the
Amateur Radio Newsline. Our email address is .
More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official
website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or
support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa
Clarita, CA 91350.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW in Picayune,
Mississippi, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2015. All rights reserved.