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PY2BIL > ARNR 25.08.23 13:16l 393 Lines 18311 Bytes #106 (0) @ WW
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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2391 for Friday August 25th, 2
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2391 for Friday August 25th, 2023
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2391 with a release date of Friday
August 25th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. AM Radio to the rescue in Maui. Hams hack a
government satellite - and Hamvention loses a longtime team member. All
this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2391 comes your way
right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
MAUI EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS TUNE IN TO AM RADIO
PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Hawaii and focuses on the resilience
and relevance of AM broadcast radio, which was recently earmarked by some
automakers in the US for elimination from cars. AM radio's relevance is
certainly not in doubt on Maui, where AM broadcast equipment is being put to
work for wildfire emergency communications. Kent Peterson KCØDGY brings us
up to date.
KENT: The Federal Communications Commission has granted the state of Hawaii
the right to emergency use of four portable emergency advisory radio
systems. The stations -- which include police and fire stations and a
checkpoint -- can be used on 1620, 1650, 1670 or 1700 kHz. The state
purchased the four 10-watt transmitters from Information Station
Specialists, a Michigan manufacturer that provides transmitters for highway
advisories and travelers' information. The systems include a transmitter, a
digital message player, an audio mixer and a foldout high-efficiency antenna
system.
Timely communication has been an issue during the wildfire crisis on Maui.
Published reports noted that the island's emergency officials failed to warn
residents and tourists of the dangers by failing to use a system of outdoor
sirens. There were also reports that agency alerts were never delivered to
cellphone users.
One of the key arguments made by defenders for keeping AM broadcast in cars
has been AM's reliability in delivering emergency information in a crisis.
This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.
(RADIO WORLD, NEW YORK TIMES)
**
HAMS JOIN GOVERNMENT SATELLITE HACKING EXERCISE
PAUL/ANCHOR: Can amateur radio expertise help hack a government satellite -
all in the name of helping the United States tighten up its cybersecurity?
Neil Rapp WB9VPG tells us about some hams who did just that.
NEIL: Some of the world's top hackers worked their way into an orbiting
cubesat known as Moonlighter to help the US Air Force and US Space Force
expose vulnerabilities that could pose cybersecurity threats. The global
competition, known as Hack-A-Sat 4, recently announced the winners following
the Finalist rounds held in August. A team from Italy, known as HACKeroni
captured the top honors.
With skills in RF communications, reverse engineering, satellite operations
and vulnerability research paramount to success, a group of 40 full time
Northrop Grumman employees - known as SpaceBitsRUs (Space Bits Are Us) took
up the challenge too, landing the fourth-place spot. A number of hams were
on the team, including Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF, and Wyatt Neal, KD8AQS, the
team hacking lead.
Brian, who is a satellite enthusiast, a former AMSAT member and a recipient
of the Satellite VUCC award, told Newsline in an email that being a ham
helps deliver relevant skills for this kind of challenge. He said [quote]:
"Operators gain expertise in radio wave propagation, modulation, and antenna
design, allowing them to understand satellite communication protocols and
frequencies. Additionally, knowledge of software-defined radio technology
enables intercepting, decoding, or modifying satellite signals." [endquote]
It has clearly paid off, not just for the government-sponsored contest but
for the Northrop-Grumman team as well, which placed second in the Finals for
Hack-A-Sat 3. The real prize, however, is awareness. As Brian told Newsline,
this serves as: [quote] "a wake-up call to the industry. Obscurity does not
equal Security." [endquote]
This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.
(BRIAN WILKINS, KO4AQF; HACK-A-SAT WEBSITE)
**
INDIA MARKS SUCCESSFUL LUNAR LANDING
PAUL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to India which is celebrating a successful soft
landing of a rover on the moon's surface. Graham Kemp VK4BB has that story.
GRAHAM: Amateur radio operators joined the Indian Space Research
Organisation and the rest of the nation in marking the arrival of the
Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft near the moon's south pole on the 23rd of August.
India's delivery of a rover to the lunar surface follows its 2019 attempt
which crashed. Shortly after this successful landing, four radio amateurs in
India proudly got on the air calling QRZ with the callsign AT2ISRO. They
were being heard on HF, VHF and UHF as well as on Echolink, through the 25th
of August. According to Arunava Dey, VU3XRY, who was one of the activators,
this use of the ISRO callsign - like the moon landing - was a first for
India.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(CNN, ARUNAVA DEY, VU3XRY)
PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, if you have access to Echolink, continue to
celebrate the moon landing's success with the West Bengal Radio Club-SAARC
ECHO VHF Net until the 30th of August. Be listening for the special callsign
VU2WB3CY at 15:30 UTC each day on Echolink node VU2WBR-R
**
SILENT KEY: HAMVENTION'S JIM TIDERMAN, N8IDS
PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime mainstay of Dayton Hamvention has become a Silent
Key. We hear more about him from Skeeter Nash N5ASH.
SKEETER: Jim Tiderman, N8IDS, was not just a proud member of the Dayton
Amateur Radio Association but was deeply involved for years with Hamvention,
dating back to the days when it was held at Hara Arena. Jim became a Silent
Key on Wednesday, August 16th. His Hamvention roles included two years as
the event's co-chairman and two subsequent years as its chairman. He also
served as the advisor to Hamvention's special event station which used the
DARA callsign W8BI.
Announcing Jim's death on the club's Facebook page, DARA's Michael Kalter,
W8CI, said [quote[ "He was loved and respected by the club, his family, and
community. Jim will be missed." [endquote]
Jim was 81.
This is Skeeter Nash N5ASH.
(NEWCOMER-KETTERING CHAPEL, FACEBOOK)
**
HAMS PREPARE FOR FIRST WORLD HEMA DAY
PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're not up to climbing difficult mountains and hill
walking is more your thing, combining it with portable radio operations
through an expanding award scheme might just be what you're looking for.
Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us the details.
JEREMY: The first World HEMA Day is to take place on September 1st and 2nd,
bringing with it an opportunity for light exercise, fresh air and perhaps
some DX radio contact firsts that can qualify you for various certificates
in the HEMA awards scheme. This summit awards scheme started in the UK but
has spread across Europe, into Australia and is growing in Asia, Canada and
Oceania.
HEMA summits are open 24/7 but this special day from 1200 UTC on Friday
September 1st to 1200 UTC Saturday September 2nd gives the added advantage
of concentrating the activity with the possibility of HEMA to HEMA contacts
perhaps with new DXCCs in the scheme and certainly with some never before
activated summits. Visit www.hema.org.uk to get the full details of this
event and all of the other HEMA awards but most of all, if you can, get out
and enjoy being on the air in the fresh air!
I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(HEMA.ORG)
**
RADIO OPERATORS CALL ATTENTION TO ABANDONED PETS
PAUL/ANCHOR: Animal rescue advocates have been on the air to make sure every
dog has their day - or, in this case, their week. We hear about this special
event from Ed Durrant DD5LP.
ED: Dogs are an integral part in the physiotherapy practice that Hanz Van de
Pol, YL3JD, and his wife, Sandra, operate in Latvia. The family dogs greet
and cheer all the couple's clients when they arrive, putting them at ease.
Dogs also play a major role for Hanz at this time of year through the
special event station YL1DOG, which Hanz activates annually in August in
honour of International Dog Day on the 26th of the month. He is joined this
year by two hams in the UK - Chris, G5VZ, and David, G4YVM. They are
operating as GBØDOG and GB4DOG, respectively.
The three have been on the air using CW since Monday, August 21st. The
special event concludes on Saturday, August 26th. Hanz said he was inspired
by a special event held three years ago marking International Cat Day.
Hanz told Newsline in an email he is raising awareness of the need to help
pets who need homes. He said "In my power as a radio amateur and an animal
lover, bringing attention to these abandoned pets is the least I can do. In
countries all over the world, the animal shelters are packed with cats and
dogs and I feel obliged to expose this."
It's no surprise that the couple's dogs are former shelter animals they
adopted almost immediately after immigrating to Latvia from The Netherlands.
It's also no surprise that next year, Hanz plans to be back on the air with
even more special-event operators around the world.
This is Ed Durrant DD5LP
(HANZ VAN DE POL, YL3JD)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K4GCC
repeater of the Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System in
Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Mondays at 7 pm local time.
**
YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR HONORED IN HUNTSVILLE
PAUL/ANCHOR: Well, we're back from the Huntsville Hamfest and Newsline has
one very happy Young Ham of the Year. Let Don Wilbanks AE5DW tell us more.
DON: The 2023 Young Ham of The Year presentation was held on Saturday,
August 19th at the Huntsville Hamfest in Huntsville Alabama and a very large
crowd gathered for the annual 2 p.m. presentation at the main stage.
Nineteen-year-old Kees Van Oosbree, W0AAE joined me on stage. Here are some
of his remarks.
"I want to thank two people; Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. I contacted him three years
ago and he's pushed me to be my best and has connected me with so many
people. The second is all the people in Minnesota, the Minnesota Wireless
Association. Of course, they' re not here right now because they're all
contesting in the North America QSO Party, but they helped me set up my
first HF station four years ago and have pushed me to operate CW. CW is my
one passion right now. Just a week ago they helped me put up a Yagi antenna
in my backyard, that I never thought was possible. I just want to thank them
and Neil Rapp. That's all I have to say. Thank you!"
Kees is a very impressive young man and he fully represents the people who
will be running the planet in a very short few years. Congratulations again,
Kees. Welcome to the Newsline Young Ham family. The nominating period for
the 2024 Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Young Ham of The Year award opens March 1st
and the presentation will be August 17th, 2024 at the Huntsville Hamfest.
Our thanks to CQ Communications, Yaesu USA, Heil Sound and RadioWavz
Antennas for their corporate assistance. You can hear the complete
presentation on our website, arnewsline.org under the Extra tab.
I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.
**
ARECIBO IS CLOSED BUT REVIEWING PROPOSALS
PAUL/ANCHOR: As expected, research halted on August 14th at the US National
Science Foundation's Arecibo Observatory. The agency is now hoping to keep
the site alive by selecting one of several proposals submitted earlier this
year for the development of an educational center at the site in Puerto
Rico. Sel Embee KB3TZD has the details.
SEL: The doors to research at the world-renowned Arecibo Observatory have
been shut, more than two years after the collapse of the facility's 305-
metre-wide dish - an instrument that once tracked asteroids, gravitational
waves and exoplanets. The site's conversion into a STEM Education and
Research Center, was originally planned for this year but has taken longer
than expected. Proposals were invited in late 2022, with the agency setting
a February 2023 deadline for all those interested. So far, no decision has
been announced.
In the months following the collapse in 2020 of its iconic radio telescope,
the observatory reopened its visitor center and observation deck. Scientists
continued their research with other tools at the facility. All that has
ceased as Arecibo, the site where the first binary pulsar was discovered,
now ponders its future.
This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, NATURE.COM, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)
**
NETS OF NOTE: THE HAMABLE NET HELPS OVERCOME OBSTACLES
PAUL/ANCHOR: A Sunday night net held every week on Echolink is all about
letting nothing get in your way of your time on the air - whether it's a
physical challenge or the restrictions of a homeowners' association. Stephen
Kinford N8WB has that story.
STEPHEN: Greg Miller KD9VPJ wants to help other hams make things happen on
the air - even if there are obstacles of any kind that might make things
more difficult. So he launched the Sunday night net known as the HamABLE Net
just a few days ago. Check-ins for this weekly net begin on Sunday nights at
6 p.m. Central Time on Echolink. In a posting on one of the QRZ.com forums,
Greg writes that this a directed net designed to attract hams who [quote]
"may be dealing with both seen and unseen disabilities." [endquote] He told
Newsline in an email that no one should be hindered from enjoying amateur
radio on account of what they believe are limitations, whether it is a
neighborhood issue or a medical condition they are trying to manage.
The Chicago-based radio operator serves as net control, overseeing the
roundtable ragchew format that has two rounds. If you're interested joining
the group and checking in, search on Echolink for KD9VPJ or use direct node
number 934347.
This is Stephen Kinford N8WB.
(QRZ.COM, GREG MILLER, KD9VP)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, be listening for Alan, VK1AO, operating as 4W/VK1AO from
East Timor, IOTA Number OC-148 until the 30th of August. He is mostly using
FT8 on 40-12 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
Four radio operators are operating as E51D from the North Cook Islands until
the 10th of September. They are AA7JV, HA5YD, HA7RY and KN4EEI. They are
setting up on the island with Radio in a Box stations and will have remote
operators worldwide. Listen for them on 160-6 metres using CW, SSB and FT8.
See QRZ.com for QSL details.
Three members of the Czech DXpedition Group are using the callsign 5X3K from
Uganda between the 28th of September and the 7th of October. They will
operate CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on 160-10 metres. For QSL details see QRZ.com
Be listening for Jon, W5JON, using the callsign V47JA from St. Kitts, IOTA
number NA-104, between the 28th of August and the 12th of September. He will
be on the HF bands and 6 metres using SSB and FT8. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: A QSO WORTH WAITING A HALF-CENTURY FOR
PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with the story of an overdue QSO - a
long overdue QSO. Overdue, in fact, by more than 50 years, as we hear from
Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
RALPH: More than a half-century has passed since Jess, W6LEN, and Ron,
K6PAM, had their first CW QSO as new Novice class operators. The two
teenagers became junior high school classmates and friends in 1953 and
studied for their tickets together. Jess received the callsign KN6QQB and
Ron's was KN6PAM.
They had studied Morse Code together, grew up together, were best men at one
another's weddings. Life moved on: There was college, military service,
family life. Ron, meanwhile, had gone off the air. The friends' CW ragchews
had long since gone silent -- at least until recently. At Jess'
encouragement, Ron purchased a "cobweb" antenna, put up a 40 meter longwire
and bought a rig. In a gesture of both faith and generosity, Jess then sent
him one of his old paddles. That, it seems, was all it took: Jess' telephone
rang one night recently and there was Ron, inviting his old friend to meet
him on 40 meters.
Ron told readers on Facebook: [quote] "His CW is coming back and we had a
nice relaxed long QSO."
While Jess' life is now filled with chasing and activating parks and going
after some big DX, the best QSO of his life for the moment is the one that
reconnected him on the air with the childhood friend who lived just two
blocks away.
This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.
(FACEBOOK, JESS GUADERRAMA, W6LEN)
**
DO YOU HAVE NEWS?
If you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be
interested in, send it on! 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 pag e at
arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get
back to you for more details. Meanwhile, visit our website to learn more
about the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge.
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF;
CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; 425DXNews; Facebook; FCC; Greg Miller, KD9VP;
Hanz Van De Pol, YL3JD; HEMA.ORG; Jess Guaderrama, KD9VP; New York Times;
National Science Foundation; Nature.com; QRZ.COM; Radio World;
shortwaveradio.de; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana saying 73. As always we thank
you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights
reserved.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 25-ago-2023 08:05 E. South America Standard Time
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