Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2117 for Friday, May 25 2018 Audio - https://www.arnewsline.org/s/Report2117.mp3 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2117 with a release date of Friday, May 25 2018, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. Hamvention 2018 has come and gone. North Carolina amateurs go mobile in an ambulance -- and there are new hams in China and South Africa. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2117 comes your way right now. ** BILLBOARD CART ** HAMVENTION: MORE THAN FAIR AT THE FAIRGROUNDS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With Hamvention 2018 a memory, plans for next year have already begun - but first, Kevin Trotman N5PRE takes stock of this year's experience. KEVIN: Are you ready for Hamvention 2019? OK - not so fast - it's only days since the big gathering in Xenia wrapped things up. General chair Ron Cramer KD8ENJ told Newsline the final attendance count wasn't in yet, but he expected this year's attendance to top the nearly 30,000 amateurs who visited the fairgrounds in 2017. The theme of "Amateur Radio, Serving the Community" didn't just find its way into various award ceremonies and forums but even turned up in informal gatherings near the food trucks where hams from Puerto Rico and other storm-ravaged places enjoyed eyeball QSOs for the first time with hams who shared last year's storm assistance efforts with them. Ron said some of the greatest strengths of the weekend event were the new weather-resistant tents and the 767 volunteers who came in from around the world to keep operations running smoothly. Meanwhile there were special hours at the Voice of America Museum in nearby West Chester Ohio which opened its doors to more than 250 hams from around the world who got immersed in broadcast history and even got on the air. To quote Ron, when Newsline asked him about the overall positive feedback so far: "If you have any complaints about Hamvention 2018 you probably weren't there." For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE. (RON CRAMER KD8ENJ) ** NEW CQ HALL OF FAMERS INDUCTED AT HAMVENTION STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Their contributions to the amateur community landed 11 notables in the limelight at Hamvention. Mike Askins KE5CXP has those details. MIKE: The CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame inducted 11 new members during Hamvention, including Silent Keys ranging from the late actor Marlon Brando FO5GJ to the three astronauts killed in the Challenger shuttle disaster of 2003: Laurel Clark KC5ZSU, David Brown KC5ZTC and Kalpana Chawla KD5ESI. The list also includes open-source QRP kit designer Ashhar Farhan VU2ESE, Silent Key Grady Fox W4FRM, one of the pioneers of SSB; African-American broadcaster and college radio supporter Wendell King, a Silent Key who was formerly 2ADD and Fred Lloyd AA7BQ who founded QRZ.com. The list also included well-known educator and youth advocate Carole Perry WB2MGP; cybersecurity's Mark Pecen KC9X/VE3QAM and U.S. Army photographer Ed Westcott W4UVS. The Hall of Fame was created in 2001 by CQ Magazine and has since inducted 321 members. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP. (CQ MAGAZINE) ** THIS "HAMBULANCE" ANSWERS THE CALL STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Going mobile is part of the amateur radio experience - and is there any better vehicle for public service than a refurbished ambulance? One club doesn't think so and Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us why. KENT The Johnston County North Carolina ham club does what many clubs do. They have around 65 members who support hurricane evacuees when they come inland. They run and support a repeater. They participate in field day. And they have their very own "hambulance." MARK: Somebody called it a hambulance (chuckles). KENT That's right. They have a converted ambulance which once belonged to the county. Club member Paul Dunn KD4BJD spotted an unused ambulance as club president Mark Gibson N4MQU explains. MARK: He kept seeing this ambulance parked and saw grass growing over it they just weren't using it and he started asking asking questions one thing led to another and Johnston County donated the ambulance. KENT Mark says its still a work in progress, but currently has two operating positions. The truck has some Icom HF gear as well as the ability to monitor public safety frequencies. MARK The first part of April we put 10 mounts up on top and we can add more operating positions if we need to. KENT And the hambulance has also been tasked with educational outreach. MARK:The general public doesn't know anything about communication and that's the vision for the truck. We had some elementary school students who have a ham radio club and they took a tour in the truck and were fascinated by it. KENT And they've driven it to a truck and tractor show to showcase amateur radio as well. MARK His vision is to help any community who needs it and we should be able to hook up into their system, we're just excited as a club to help them out with that. KENT For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY ** AMATEUR EXAMS ARE A FIRST FOR ST. JOHN STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Another way to respond to emergencies effectively is to Elmer candidates who want their licenses. That happened recently, for the very first time, on the Island of St. John in the Caribbean. Here's Andy Morrison K9AWM with more. ANDY: There are many things the U.S. Virgin Islands are known for - blue skies and clear water among them but - ham radio operators? Guess again. The Island of St. John has doubled its modest amateur radio population following the island's first VE session held May 6 in cooperation with St. John Rescue and the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas. After September hurricanes Irma and Maria knocked out communications for the remainder of 2017, Jennifer and Larry Pruss believed the island needed more than 10 active hams. Motivated by last year's 100 days of post-storm outages, there are now 18. JENNIFER: "We had complete loss and blackout of all power and communication services. So I think that made everyone heightened to the fact that ham radio is extremely useful when all else fails." ANDY: That was Jennifer Pruss who took - and passed - both her Technician and General that day. She and her husband Larry NP2LP are proud that their 12-year-old daughter, Skylar, got her Tech ticket that day too. Larry says many of the hams expect to become active and useful to St. John Rescue, which is providing the new hams with free radios. LARRY: "My wife and I are both members of St. John Rescue and we were going to do this regardless of their help however they stepped up and offered to help pay for materials and ultimately they are going to pay for radios. They have given us a grant to pay of $4,000 for us to buy handheld transceivers so people who have taken the study courses and successfully passed are going to get a radio compliments of St. John Rescue." ANDY: With the help of volunteer examiners from sister islands as well as the area ARRL section coordinator, Larry and Jennifer know this won't be the only VE session ever to be held on the island. LARRY: "The next step is to get them their radios and get the radios distributed and programmed and to teach the General exam. Concurrent with all that is to get the ARRL section coordinator to come over from St. Croix. He has put together a grant for I think about $25,000 to get some repeaters because our repeater system was damaged pretty severely during the storm so we are going to be putting up new repeaters as well. ANDY: They expect to have a lot more General class licensees by the time storm season rolls around this year. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM. ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N50ZG repeater in New Orleans, Louisiana on Sundays at 8 p.m., following the net. ** YOUNG HAMS PREP FOR DAVE KALTER MEMORIAL DX ADVENTURE STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's going to be a great summer for a group of young amateurs. They're headed to Curacao and Neil Rapp WB9VPG tells us what they're up to. NEIL: Four young hams have been selected for the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure this summer. This group will be headed to the famous PJ2T contest station in Curacao from July 19th through July 24th. Each year, a small group of young people and a parent travel to an exotic location to be the DX, and work the pileups. Leading the team will be Jim Storms, AB8YK and Ron Doyle, N8VAR. Jim tells us about what they hope to accomplish. JIM: What we want them to do is actually experience being the DX. We call it an adventure, because we dont take everything... we stay in hotels and we fly in. But, we want them to be the DX, hear that first pile up, and it is so much fun to watch their eyes when they hear it the first time. And then start beating through it. And then watch as they grow and learn how to do pileup management and how to pick the right antennas and point the right areas at the right time. Thats what we try to do is help them grow in their radio knowledge plus give them a great experience and hopefully light that fire to actually be on a DXpedition sometime in the future. NEIL: This year's youngsters include 13 year old Violetta Latham, KM4ATT of Greencastle, Pennsylvania; 13 year old Dhruv Rebba, KC9ZJX of Normal, Illinois; 14 year old David Samu, VE7DZO of Prince George, British Colombia; and 15 year old Mason Matrazzo, KM4SII of Clemmons, North Carolina. Mason tells us about finding out that he was selected for the trip. MASON: They sent me an email, the YDXA people, and it was like 11 oclock at night. I was just checking my email one more time before I went to bed. And it came through right as I was about to close the computer, and literally did a happy dance and kinda ran a couple of laps around the bedroom and things like that. I was definitely extremely excited when I found out. NEIL: When I asked Mason what part of the trip he's looking forward to the most, this is what he had to say: MASON: I'm pretty much looking forward to everything down there, especially getting to operate from such a nice station as PJ2T is. I hear them in contests all the time, and they always have one of the big signals on the band so being able to operate from that kind of station is going to be super exciting. And, there will be quite sizable pileups Im sure... and I kind of have an addiction to running pileups so thats going to be extremely enjoyable to say the least. NEIL: Listen for these young hams running the pileups this summer from Caracao, and be sure to give them a call. It will be an experience of a lifetime. Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG ** NEW BANDS FOR AMATEUR USE IN IRELAND STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Things are about to get a little roomier on the amateur bands for radio operators in Ireland, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH. JEREMY: Hams in Ireland are looking forward to making use of two new ham radio bands and a lot more spectrum under a new band plan being worked out by the Irish Radio Transmitters Society. The proposal would create 8 metres between 30 and 49 MHz and 5 metres between 54 and 69.9 MHz. Digital television would also be accommodated, among other modes, on the expansive 5 metre band. The IRTS calls the draft plans a focus for input and discussion on the national use of the expanded bands and welcomes views and suggestions. Those thoughts can be sent via email to newspectrum at irts dot ie (newspectrum@irts.ie) up until the 30th of June. Meanwhile, effective immediately, use of the 4 metre band has been extended making 69.9 MHz to 70.5 MHz available for amateur use. This also establishes an FM calling channel of 70.450 MHz. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (IRTS) ** VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR SPECIAL OLYMPICS IN CALIFORNIA STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're within easy traveling distance from Long Beach, California, the organizers and athletes in the Special Olympics could use a little - or a lot - of your time. For that story, here's Jack Parker W8ISH, the newest addition to our Newsline family. JACK: Let the games begin - but not without amateur radio operators! The Special Olympics Summer Games are set to kick off in Long Beach, California on June 9th and 10th on the campus of California State University. Hams are needed to assist with 2 meter communications on both days between 8 am and 4 pm. Even if you can only cover for half a day, you are welcome to volunteer. The organizers are looking to provide communications coverage for events such as track and field, flag football and swimming along with Games headquarters as well as medical and supply sites. If you're a first-timer at passing messages at these kinds of events, same-day training will be provided. It's a good chance to learn emergency and event communications and experience what it's like working in a high-traffic controlled net. Hams will be covering routine communications as well as any more urgent needs. For details contact ke6tnm at scran dot org (ke6tnm@scran.org) For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker W8ISH. (MARK LIDIKAY KE6TNM) ** NEW LICENSEES GET ON THE AIR IN CHINA AND SOUTH AFRICA STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Licensing exams were held recently in China and South Africa and Ed Durrant D5LP has the results. ED'S REPORT: China's first Class C licensing exam has been held for amateurs, resulting in 35 new holders of the license, which is the highest class in the nation. Class C licensees are permitted as much as 1 kW of power on frequencies below 30 MHz and 25 watts on higher bands. The Chinese Amateur Radio Club administered the test to a total of 56 candidates. The organizers report that the exam marked the first use of an identification card image recognition system to verify the test-takers' identities. Meanwhile, in South Africa, there are 17 new young licensees. The South African Radio League reports that 17 youngsters from the Bhisho Scout Group who attended a boot camp have successfully tested in that rural community. They are now holders of the Class B license, which is an introductory level license carrying a ZU prefix and is the equivalent of the Foundation license in the UK. It is issued to amateurs younger than 25. Congratulations to everyone. For Amateur Radio Newsline this is Ed Durrant DD5LP. ** WORLD OF DX: In the world of DX, Mike, VK4DX, will be active as VK4DX/P from Russell Island in the Southern Moreton Bay Islands, between June 1-3rd. Listen for him on 80-20 meters where he will be using CW and SSB. QSL via VK4DX, direct, LoTW or OQRS. Listen for Eric, K0EAP, Eric, active as KH6/K0EAP from the Big Island of Hawaii through June 2nd. He is on 40/30/20/15 meters using CW and SSB and has plans to activate at least 1 SOTA and WWFF. QSL via LoTW, QRZ, by the Bureau or Direct. On Bonaire Island, Lauren/W0LD and Jon/N0JK will be active on 6 meters with a special PJ4 callsign from the PJ4G station during the ARRL VHF Contest which is June 9 and 10th). Before and after the contest, find them on HF and 6m using CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via W0LD. (OHIO PENN DX) ** KICKER: THEIR FAMILY HOME IS THEIR FAMILY SHACK STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast with the story of a ham family adventure. You'll recognize one of the names in this report - Neil Rapp WB9VPG mentioned her in his report just a few minutes ago. Now let's hear the rest of the story from Don Wilbanks AE5DW. DON'S REPORT: It seems the Latham family almost didn't need to leave their home to attend Hamvention in nearby Ohio. Every day at their house in Greencastle, Pennsylvania is Hamvention. Of the seven children, six have licenses as do parents Rachel KM4ATS and Shannon KA8JRQ. The Lathams were all at Xenia together recently and Violetta, KM4ATT, who is 13, spoke at the Saturday morning Youth Forum. The family's youngest ham is Aaron KM4LEJ, who's 10 but has had his ticket for two years. Ohio, however, is a short trip compared to one of their next journeys - they're heading to Curacao. Don't expect to find the Lathams lounging on the beach, however. They're going on DXpedition and the only waves they'll be surfing are radio waves. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW. (SOUTHGATE) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; Dayton Hamvention; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Mark Lidikay KE6TNM; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; Ron Cramer KD8ENJ; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; the Wireless Institute of Australia; 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 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
