Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1996 with a release date of Friday, January 29, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. The ARRL picks a new CEO. Ham radio operators answer the call along a snowbound East Coast. Ham radio breathes new life into a vintage broadcast booth. And guess which TV sitcom just got its own ham radio club? All this and more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1996 coming your way right now. (Billboard Cart Here and Intro) ** HAM RADIO AT THE READY IN EAST COAST STORM DON/ANCHOR: Our lead story this week is the historic East Coast snowstorm. Because if there's anything that can match the power of fierce winter weather, it's amateur radio. Of course, hams did what hams do best, even when they were simply on standby. Our roundup comes from two Amateur Radio Newsline correspondents, Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in the northeast, and Jim Damron, N8TMW, in the southeast. First, here's Heather's report: [HEATHER'S REPORT:] Power outages and snowdrifts of 3 and a half feet or more left the New York area and points west immobilized and, in many spots, without power. Nevertheless, the area's hams were ready. The ARRL's Hudson Division Director Mike Lisenco, N-2-Y-B-B, reported on the ARRL website that even as he stood by, awaiting reports from Emergency Coordinators and Section Managers, he himself had to shovel out several times on Saturday, January 23. Record snow fell in New York City's Central Park and much of the surrounding area. ARRL's NYC/Long Island Section Manager Jim Mezey, W-2-K-F-V, reported approximately 2 feet of snow with some local flooding throughout the region. ARES members were active in net operations as well as SKYWARN. VHF and UHF repeaters were used for communication while 40 meters was used to transmit weather information using digital modes. John Melfi, W-2-H-C-B, the Babylon Emergency Coordinator on Long Island, told the ARRL that the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club, which comprises the town’s ARES team, was involved as well in various storm-related operations on Long Island, where the governor declared a travel ban on many of the roads, including one major route, the Long Island Expressway. The National Weather Service's Upton location said ham radio spotters checked in with accumulation reports from Passaic and Bergen counties in New Jersey, as well as from Westchester, Suffolk, and Orange counties in New York, and in Connecticut's Fairfield County. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD, in Berwick, Pennsylvania. [DON/ANCHOR:] Further south, the picture was just as challenging, as we hear from Jim Damron, N8TMW. [JIM'S REPORT:] The recent historic winter storm left its mark on the South, where the Appalachian Region was considered among the hardest hit. West Virginia reported more than 40 inches of snow. The governor declared a state of emergency on January 22 and nets were activated on 75, 40 and 2 meters by the Kanawha County ARES. ARRL West Virginia Section Manager Phillip Groves, N8SFO, told the ARRL that the area got lucky - lots of snow, he said, but with only a few outages in some areas, there were also QUOTE "a lot of hams with nothing to do but talk on the radio." ENDQUOTE Kentucky's governor also declared a state of emergency as thousands of motorists along parts of Interstate 75 were left stranded. Kentucky Public Information Officer Greg Lamb, W0QI, told the ARRL that the Kentucky Emergency HF Net activated on 75 meters and a SKYWARN net was activated on January 22 in anticipation of the storm and remained active for 12 hours. In Virginia, Steve Crow, KG4PEQ, the National Weather Service Wakefield SKYWARN Amateur Radio Coordinator, said his team was active from early Friday, Jan. 21, through late Saturday, Jan. 22. The Wakefield office serves parts of central and southeastern Virginia, northeastern North Carolina, and eastern Maryland. Also in Maryland, Harford County RACES reported to the county's Emergency Operations Center and worked Friday, Jan. 22 continuously through Sunday, Jan. 24, mostly on a standby basis, checking into the Maryland Emergency Phone Net and Baltimore Traffic net. A little north of there, in Delaware, the ARRL's Section Manager, Bill Duveneck, KB3KYH, reported that most communications services were operational throughout the storm, and he said, QUOTE "This made for a very routine and uneventful ARES activation…just the kind we always hope for.”ENDQUOTE For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West Virginia. DON/ANCHOR: As the various regions put this massive storm behind them, we'd like to add, Good job, everyone, for helping keep people safe and for showing how amateur radio can shine, even when the skies are darkened by the worst weather. (ARRL, HARFORD COUNTY MARYLAND RACES) ** STORM SHUTDOWN FOR VP8STI Stormy weather also wreacked havoc with one important DXpedition. Operators on the VP8STI DXpedition team were forced to break down operations and return to their transport vessel, the R/V Braveheart, after declaring an emergency on Monday, Jan. 25 as a result of the fierce South Atlantic storm near their camp site on Southern Thule Island. They were forced to leave their gear and personal belongings on the island but hope to return to collect their equipment, and then decide whether to continue with the South Georgia operation as VP8SGI. (ARRL) ** ARRL CHOOSES NEW CEO There's big news inside ARRL's Connecticut headquarters as Tom Gallagher, NY2RF, prepares to succeed David Sumner, K1ZZ, as the ARRL's chief executive officer on April 18. The West Palm Beach, Florida, amateur will come on board as CEO-Elect on Feb. 29 to begin the transition. Gallagher, who takes over at the Newington, Connecticut headquarters as the ARRL begins its second century, is a former broadcast cameraman and technician who later worked as an international investment banker and financial services executive. He has been a licensed amateur since 1966 when he got his ticket in Pennsylvania as WA3GRF. Gallagher describes himself as an QUOTE "incurable HF DXer and inveterate tinkerer." ENDQUOTE Amateurs from all over will get to meet him - and perhaps congratulate him themselves - at the ARRL National Convention, hosted by the Orlando HamCation, running February 12 through 14. And we here at Amateur Radio Newsline also welcome him and wish him the best. (ARRL) ** TWO SPRING HAMFESTS FOR NY'S HUDSON VALLEY Looking forward to spring? The hams in New York State's Hudson Valley region have good reason to be planning ahead. The Orange County Amateur Radio Club has set the date for their Spring Hamfest on Sunday, April 24. The hamfest will be held at the Wallkilll Community Center, just north of the Route 17 Quickway. As plans develop further, be sure to check into the club website at www.ocarc-ny.org. And just two months later, the Mt. Beacon Amateur Radio Club will be hosting its "Beaconfest." Doors open at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 5, in the Quality of Life building on Red Schoolhouse Road, just east of Downstate Correctional Facility in Fishkill. (ORANGE COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, STUART BALLINGER, WA2BSS) ** TAKING A 630 METERS FOR A TEST DRIVE It's the debut of an experimental event and hams in the U.S. and Canada are on board: The first Midwinter 630 Meter Activity Weekend will kick off at 0000 UTC on February 6 and continue through 2359 UTC February 7. The activities on the MF spectrum will allow amateurs to engage in crossband operation, with Canadian amateurs on 630 meters, their newest band. The event follows a similar one last November that engaged Canadian and U.S. hams as well as the Maritime Radio Historical Society. The ARRL's 600 Meter Experimental Group Coordinator Fritz Raab, W1FR, said QUOTE "Much of the interest is in response to the strong likelihood of U.S. amateurs receiving access to the band in the near future, while Canadian hams are eager to learn more about the present level of amateur radio activity on their newest ham band." ENDQUOTE A number of Canadian stations will work two-way crossband on CW. Operation will be from 472kHz to 479 Khz in various modes. (ARRL, eHAM.NET) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W7TA, the Sierra Nevada Amateur Radio Society in Reno, Nevada on Sunday mornings and Monday evenings. ** WHERE BENNY, JOLSON AND CROSBY ONCE BROADCAST DON/ANCHOR: California amateurs Tom McLean, KJ6DZT, and Glenn Morrison, WB6RLC, have something in common with entertainment legends Al Jolson, Jack Benny and Bing Crosby, among others. They've all gone on radio from a small broadcast booth inside the American Legion Hall in Palm Springs. Almost 70 years later, that booth has been restored to its glory and is the new home of the post's amateur radio club. Amateur Radio Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, tells us what the club's got planned next. [KENT'S REPORT]: [DON/ANCHOR:] And now with K6TAL firmly established, you don't need to be a legend to get on the air - just an FCC licensee. ** IN SOUTH AFRICA, LEAP TO THE CHALLENGE Start training now for the big Leap Year Challenge that's barely a month away: The South African Radio League is inviting amateurs to work as many stations as possible on Monday, Feb. 29 - Leap Day - on all bands and in all modes. The only restriction is that you can work a station only once, regardless of band, mode or call sign. Logs should be submitted via email by Wednesday, March 2, and the ham who totals the most QSOs wins a membership in the league for the year 2016 to 2017. Don't waste any time getting ready - if you miss this, you will have to wait until the next leap year in 2020 -- and remember, you'll be four years older then! (SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE) ** UK HAMS GET BRAGGING RIGHTS DON/ANCHOR: Not every ham radio club gets to be known as Club of the Year. And that's why the Radio Society of Great Britain is looking for the best of the best to honor for their performance in 2015. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has more: JEREMY'S REPORT: If you're a ham in the UK, it's time to express a little pride in your club - for once, it's OK to boast. The Radio Society of Great Britain has extended the deadline for entries into its competition for Club of the Year 2015 until midnight of 29 February. This year's theme is "Promoting Amateur Radio." Judges will consider contenders in two categories: RSBG-affiliated clubs or groups with fewer than 25 members, and affiliates with 25 or more members. And the judges will want to hear the details about the various clubs' initiatives, from community outreach to special events and anything else that the members may have done to raise the profile of ham radio in the public eye. Entries must point to activities that took place between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2015. Regional winners will be announced at the RSGB annual general meeting in April and national winners will be honored at the Hamfest in Lincoln on 1 October. The competition is sponsored by Waters and Stanton. So if your club has been promoting amateur radio, now is the time to promote your club! For rules about submitting entries, visit the RSGB website at rsgb.org. Only one entry is allowed per club. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK. (RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN) ** THE WORLD OF DX The Amateur Radio Team of Aegina Island is active as SX8KAP until Feb. 5. The operation is being undertaken to honor the late Ioannis Kapodistrias, the island's first governor under the modern Greek state. QSL via bureau, SV8UM (d), LoTW, eQSL. Jean- Pierre, F6ITD, is active as FG/F6ITD, from Deshaies (Basse-Terre) until Feb. 2, and then from Desirade Island between Feb. 3 and March 8. He will work SSB and digital modes on HF bands. During the weekend and during contests he will sign TO6D. Jean-Pierre also plans to work 6m. QSL via F6ITD (d), LoTW. Peter, DC0KK, is working as 4S7KKG from Moragalla, Sri Lanka, until April 3, mainly on CW and the Digital modes. He is focusing on 20 meters through 10 meters. QSL via DC0KK, by the Bureau, which he prefers, or direct. LoTW will be used on request. All QSLs will be sent via the Bureau. Alan, G4DJX, plans to be active as C5DX in Gambia between February 12 and 19th. His activity will be limited, since this is a school trip, but look for him on 40 meters through 10 meters, operating in CW and SSB. QSLs should be sent via LoTW. (OHIO PENN DX, DEUTSCHER AMATEUR RADIO CLUB) ** KICKER: A 'FIRST' FOR 'LAST MAN STANDING' And finally, if you're a fan of TV's "Last Man Standing," you can forget about Nielsen ratings. When you're talking about the Friday night sitcom on ABC, what you really hope to measure is the RST. After all, who wouldn't want good ratings on a QSO with Tim Allen, KK6OTD, who stars as TV ham Mike Baxter, KA0XTT? So devoted is this show to the authenticity of its amateur radio connection that Tim Allen got his ticket last year - and now, he's getting his own amateur radio club. Well, OK......the cast and crew together are the ones getting the club. The QTH is right there on the set in Studio City, California. So be advised: The Last Man Standing Amateur Radio Club, KA6LMS, is now QRV, complete with a new club station QSL card, ready to mail to any contacts when the crew, or selected guest operators, are on the air. KA6LMS can be heard calling on 20 meters or 40 meters between 0000 and 0100 UTC, Mondays and Tuesdays during dinner breaks on days episodes are being shot. The show's producer, John Amodeo, NN6JA, told Amateur Radio Newsline that the club is the outgrowth of repeated inquiries from hams wanting to know how they can contact the stage. Well, now they know. And now they can. Let the pileups begin! (JOHN AMODEO, NN6JA) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; American Legion Post 519 Amateur Radio Club; John Amodeo, NN6JA; the ARRL; Stuart Ballenger, WA2BSS: CQ Magazine; The Desert Sun newspaper; Deutscher Amateur Radio Club; DX.NET; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Harford County Maryland RACES; the Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ.COM, South African Radio League; Southgate Amateur Radio News; David Stansbury, KB3KAI; TWiT TV; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Our email address is newsline@arnewsline.org. 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, Miss.,saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.
QUOTE "a lot of hams with nothing to do but talk on the radio." ENDQUOTE Was ham radio really shining or dressed up with nowhere to go. It sounds like, the later.
