Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2022, July 29, 2016 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2022 with a release date of Friday, July 29, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. News reports again raise questions about Hamvention's future at Dayton's Hara Arena. Amateurs discover different ways to help in wildfire country. Get ready for a one-man National Parks marathon -- and at long last, Thailand administers its Advance Class radio test. All this and more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2022 coming your way right now. *** BILLBOARD CART HERE *** BREAKING NEWS: MORE HARA ARENA QUESTIONS SKEETER/ANCHOR: We begin this week with breaking news. Reports surfaced at Newsline's press time that Hara Arena is unable to sign leases with Dayton's professional hockey team, the Dayton Demolition, as well as other tenants, and the team will be idle for the 2016-2017 season. Coach Joe Pace Sr. broke the news in a public letter to fans on the team's website, where he wrote QUOTE "Unfortunately, due to circumstances out of my control Hara Arena is unable to sign leases not only to myself but to other tenants." ENDQUOTE Hara Arena is home to Dayton Hamvention and it was not immediately clear what impact, if any, the absence of lease agreements could have on next year's Hamvention, which is scheduled for May 19th to 21st. Hara Arena's marketing director Karen Wampler did not immediately return Amateur Radio Newsline's calls for comment, nor did Hamvention's sponsor, the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. WDTN-TV Dayton reported that Hara Arena expects to make an announcement in August. (WDTN-TV Dayton, DAYTON PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY WEBSITE) ** HAMS' WILDFIRE WORK, OFF THE AIR SKEETER/ANCHOR: We look again now at the wildfires that have been raging this season, mostly in the American West. With so much attention given to the important work hams do in disaster communication, we look now at other ways hams are contributing - off the air. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY. KENT Newsline has been following a number of wildfires this season. A significant fire broke out in late June near Weldon California where The Sequoia Amateur Radio Group were preparing for their field day. But a lot of the hams didn't get involved on the radio, rather they went out and physically assisted setting up shelters and emergency supply centers. MIKE Most of the ARES people up here we didn't get involved on the radio we ended up physically ended up physically doing things. KENT That's Mike Higgins KA6IYS MIKE Helping with setting up the shelters, working at the distribution points for emergency supplies. We had people displaced from over 300 homes that burned and people displaced. KENT Mike told me the volunteer spirit exists throughout their group. MIKE All of us have been active in communities our whole lives. I think it is just the way our group is KENT They were able to identify a few weak areas MIKE We gave some message handling training at one time. That's one of the weak areas we found this time. We had a shelter full of people and we had people wanting to know who was in there. We didn't really have anything set up to handle health and welfare traffic. That's one of the things we will get taken care of. KENT The local government services appreciated the help from the hams MIKE They knew we had our act together. We work very closely with the Kern county fire department office of emergency services. We've got antennas up antennas out at at various locations. All these new buildings are RF tight. We're going to get antenna drops in buildings which will be used for shelters. KENT Mike says everything came together this time MIKE We're fortunate. We have a community that's got a lot of background training that can do just about anything. Very versatile. What we've preached all along. You take care of your self and your family first. When you've got that stable then you see what you can do for somebody else and that's basically what everyone did. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY ** ONE HAM'S NATIONAL PARKS MARATHON SKEETER/ANCHOR: Imagine going on the air from one of our nation's national parks during this year's centennial celebration. Now, imagine going on the air from a whole collection of national parks - one right after the other - in 24 hours! Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun WD9GCO spoke with one ham who's doing just that. PAUL'S REPORT: The A-Double-R-L’s National Parks on the Air program has certainly raised a lot of interest and excitement this year. There have been many interesting activations, unique operations… but probably few as ambitous as the one that Vance Martin, N3VEM has His goal? VANCE: About a month to two and a half months ago, I found out I had to make a work trip to Lexington for a training thing I am going to be involved in and they allotted us a whole day to travel so I said, well, instead of flying there, I'll drive and see how many parks I can hit in between so that's kind of where it all started. PAUL: Martin, who lives in Pennsylvania, loves these sort of events. Especially this one: VANCE: At the end of 2015, when they made the announcement about National Parks on the Air I was actually pretty excited about it because I kind of like that type of thing. So when they made the announcement I said "well that's awesome, I travel all around all the time for work anyway so as I travel for work I'll see how many of these parks I can hit." My primary goal is to hit all 12 within that 24-hour period. So that's kind of what I wanted to do, get 12 in a single day. You know, as I'm at each park, I kind of blocked out a chunk of time so I'll stay there as long as I need to, to get the minimum number of contacts. But I plan to stay at each for 30 to 40 minutes. Based on past experience in other parks I have activated, I can usually rack up 30 to 60 contacts in about 30 or 40 minutes. PAUL: He said operating portable is no big deal for him: VANCE: Most of my operations have always been portable because my house has been under construction for a year and a half. So I don't have a proper shack in the house. So everything I have been doing has been portable. PAUL: Martin is optimistic about his chances: VANCE: I don't know if I'll actually get to all twelve but I presume if my plan goes as planned and propagation cooperates I should be able to do it based on past activations....My plan is to get through as many as I possibly can. PAUL: If you want to follow him, go to his blog at triple-w dot n3vem dot com. This is one man who is truly excited by the phrase, “Road Trip!” For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Paul Braun, WD9GCO. SKEETER/ANCHOR: The big day for Vance's NPOTA marathon is Monday, August 1. So if you want to go along for the ride via radio, be listening starting at 0922 UTC. ** SNOWBOUND AND BOUND FOR CONTACTS ANCHOR: Not all the excitment these days revolves around summertime activations. In southeastern Australia, where it's winter, a small group of amateurs has an equally abitious agenda for the snowy, hilly landscape there. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB. GRAHAM: If you're an amateur planning to operate from a remote snowbound location in Victoria in southeastern Australia, what could be more important than having a good dipole? Try a good ski pole! A group of adventurous amateur radio outdoorsmen, led by Gerard VK3GT and Stephen VK3SN, has been ready this kind of winter action for some time. For four days, beginning Friday the 29th of July, the team is embarking on a cross-country ski trip that will cover the remote Bogong High Plains but also cover the bands -- 160m all the way to 70cm. They'll be operating QRP using lightweight solar-powered rigs and homebrew antennas. In some spots, the trip promises to be a slippery slope indeed. Actually, it is expected to be several slippery slopes: team members will ascend at some points to more than 1800 meters above sea level. If you're hoping to contact them, be listening on 40m in the afternoons, and on 80m in the evenings -- that's VK time! -- and even on your local repeaters. The team is hoping to break the ice, so to speak, with other radio operators while calling CQ. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB. (WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA) ** HAMFESTERS RADIO CLUB HOSTS 82nd ANNUAL HAMFEST SKEETER/ANCHOR: What are you doing on Sunday, August 7th? Well if you're in the Chicago area, you might just want to head down to the Will County Fairgrounds. Amateur Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, tells us why. NEIL: When the hosting club is named the Hamfesters, how can anyone resist attending - what else but - the club's annual hamfest? The all-day gathering hosted by the appropriately named Hamfesters Radio Club, W9AA, takes place at the Will County Fairgrounds in Peotone, Illinois, on Sunday, August 7th. The gates open at 6 a.m. and the main hall, home to 14,200 square feet of exhibitors, opens at 8 a.m. This is the 82nd year for this Chicago-area hamfest. The club, founded in 1933, has enjoyed a history as interesting as its parade of hamfests, club visitors and members, including radio pioneers Lee De Forest and Wes Schum W9DYV. Advance tickets are $8; or $10 at the door. Kids younger than 12 are admitted free. Please note that license testing by VEs will take place at the hamfest, starting at 8 a.m. and running through 10:30 a.m. -- for those folks who'd like to take home a shiny new license along with all that nice radio and computer equipment from the massive flea market. For more information, visit their website, hamfesters dot org. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG. (HAMFESTERS RADIO CLUB) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W9EAR, the EARS Wide Area Repeater Network in Vincennes, Indiana, Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ** CALIFORNIA AMATEUR SANCTIONED BY FCC SKEETER/ANCHOR: The FCC has charged California amateur Philip Beaudet, N6PJB, with malicious interference, transmitting music and failure to identify, following complaints of interference on 80 meters filed last year. A Notice of Violation was sent to him after agents, using direction-finding, tracked the signal to his Burney, California home. The FCC reports that its agents confirmed the violations in August and October of 2015. The agency has asked him to respond in writing within 20 days of the notice, which was issued on July 13. The FCC is asking him to explain each violation and its circumstances and offer what remedial actions were taken. The Enforcement Bureau indicated that a Notice of Violation could lead to stronger action, such as a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture, if warranted. ** IARU QUESTIONS BAHRAIN HAM GROUPS SKEETER/ANCHOR: Who represents amateur radio operators in Bahrain? That's a good question. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, reports on the confusion there. JASON: The website of the International Amateur Radio Union listed the Amateur Radio Association of Bahrain (A.R.A.B) among its member societies earlier this week although the Bahrain organization has now been suspended. According to minutes of the IARU Region 1 Executive Committee meeting held in early May, upon inquiry the Bahrain authorities told the IARU that the radio society was not authorized as an international representative of Bahrain amateurs. In the meeting's minutes, committee chairman Don Beattie, G3BJ, indicated that the Bahrain amateurs' group would first need to make a formal application for membership to the IARU and, until such time, its activity with the Union would be suspended. The minutes, published on the IARU website, explained that the Bahrain group's initial inclusion in IARU member listings was based on the Bahrain authorities' previous confirmation that the group was indeed authorized as an international representative. As of now however the IARU will await further word from Bahrain on its status and wait for a formal nomination and application for the amateur radio society. The Bahrain group, A92C, posted a notice on its website saying that "meetings are currently suspended until further notice." The IARU executive committee secretary, Dennis Green, ZS4BS, also indicated he would be asking another group, the Bahrain Amateur Radio Group, A92AA, (B.A.R.G) to remove the IARU's logo and as well as an on-line statement that this group is a member society. The minutes state that until an appropriate amateur radio entity submits a valid application, there will be no member society representing Bahrain. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW. (WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA) ** ADVANCING THE LICENSE IN THAILAND SKEETER/ANCHOR: In Thailand, there are a number of proud new Advanced Class licensees. They're the country's first since the King himself became licensed. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's John Williams, VK4JJW. JOHN'S REPORT: Looks like the King of Thailand, whose Advanced license call sign is HS1A, has finally got plenty of company: This summer, 171 hopeful Intermediate licenced hams attended and 155 passed Thailand's first ever Advanced Class amateur exam, which was given on June 18th. They will be upgrading their licenses, as well as their power on HF -- all the way to 1 kilowatt. These applicants were not all OMs either - some of the YLs taking the exam, were the Thai 100 Watts Magazine Editor Thida, HS1ASC, RAST Treasurer Nong Ee, HS0VDX and RAST Registrar J.C. Goi, E20NKB. Advanced Class is nothing new to Thailand radio, of course - not if the King himself is the holder of such a license. It has been in the nation's radio regulations since 1987, but the two-hour exam was never made widely available until now. Thailand has about 108,000 amateur radio licensees, down significantly from its peak years when licensed hams totaled about 248,000. Advanced Class wasn't the only category to ever be challenged by a longtime lack of examinations. Amateurs weren't able to take their Intermediate exam in Thailand for eight years until that exam became available again in May 2012. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW. (SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS) ** THE WORLD OF DX Laigu, F5IRO, will be on a DXpedition from Sao Miguel Island in the Azores, working as CT8/F5IRO between August 5th and August 19th. Be listening on the HF bands for CW and some SSB. Find QSL info on F5IRO's QRZ page. Take (TAH-KAY), JG8NQJ, is active for the next few months as JG8NQJ/JD1 from Marcus Island in the Minami Torishima. He will be on the air in his spare time, mainly on 17 meters but you may also find him on 20/15/12/10/6 meters working CW. Send QSLs to JA8CJY or via the Bureau to JG8NQJ. Members of the Japan Amateur Radio Development Association will be using the call sign JD1YBV while on the air from Chichi Jima Island next month. The hams are celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the radio association. Be listening between August 23th and August 28th on 40 through 6 meters for operators using CW, SSB and RTTY. (OHIO PENN DX, IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTERS SOCIETY) ** KICKER: BUMPY, BUT NOT GRUMPY SKEETER/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with the story of a pair of radio operators in the UK whose outdoor expedition hit a bump. Well, they were SUPPOSED to hit the bump. Their plan was to treat that bump as if it were a miniature - a very miniature - Summit on the Air - and activate it. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. JEREMY: Take THAT, Summits On the Air! On Tuesday the 19 of July, Jim Bacon G3YLA and Steve Nichols G0KYA ascended to a new accomplishment in amateur radio by climbing a modest incline and activating a clump of land in North Norfolk. They were barely 63 meters, or 207 feet, above sea level. The duo named their slightly elevated spot the Beeston Bump, after its location at the Beeston Hill "Y station," once a World War II listening post that would intercept code and relay it to Bletchley Park to be decoded. For this operation, the hams' low elevation was matched by even lower power: The pair worked the HF bands using Morse Code and at QRP power levels. In keeping with the theme of being low profile, the amateurs also issued no special QSL cards, no certificates, no awards and used no special call sign. They took particular pride in calling themselves BOTA - for "Bumps On the Air." Sure, they could have opted for a higher spot nearby - Beacon Hill, after all, is 103 meters, or 338 feet. But as Steve wrote in his blog: QUOTE "I don't want to overstretch myself! Anyway, the view is better at Beeston and there are more ice cream shops nearby." ENDQUOTE He concluded his blog entry by acknowledging the good work of Summits on the Air amateurs, and extended an apology to that group for his variation on their lofty theme. It was obvious however that, even at barely 200 feet up, the amateurs were still paying them a high compliment. To avoid confusion this new BOTA is not that other fun award scheme - Beaches on the Air. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH (BUMPS ON THE AIR) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; Bumps on the Air; CQ Magazine; Dayton Demolition Hockey; the FCC; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Hamfesters Radio Club; Irish Radio Transmitter Society; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Wireless Institute of Australia; WDTN-TV; WTWW Shortwave; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our address at newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH in Topeka, Kansas saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.
BREAKING NEWS: This weeks report has been updated! Please visit http://www.arnewsline.org/news/2016...ewsline-report-2022-july-29-2016-updated.html
