Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2369 for Friday March 24th, 2023

[Amateur Radio Newsline]

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2369 for Friday March 24th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369 with a release date of Friday
March 24th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Fire destroys an important lifesaving repeater
in Oklahoma. The Dayton amateur radio community loses a leader -- and a
victory atop an Australian summit for one young operator. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369 comes your way
rightnow.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FIRE DESTROYS VITAL REPEATER IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA

NEIL/ANCHOR: A vital repeater in southern Oklahoma has literally gone
up in smoke, leaving a region without an important emergency
communications resource. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB has that story.

RALPH: Fire has destroyed the W5BLW repeater in southern Oklahoma,
taking down a critically important resource for SKYWARN, the Red Cross
and local emergency operations in five counties of the region.
According to Vance Smith, KE5BAL, of the Ardmore Amateur Radio Club, it
will be a slow road back for the repeater, which stood for more than
16years.

Vance told Newsline that the repeater was consumed by a controlled burn
that went the wrong way on the private ranch property where the
repeater stood. By the time the damage was noticed on the mountaintop,
it was too late.

Now the scrambling - and the hard work - begins so that emergency
communications can resume when needed.

Vance said he has an old repeater that can be put up temporarily on
another site but it will be a while before a full power repeater will
be back in action at the site on top of Arbuckle Mountain. He told
Newsline [quote] "We have a lot of work to do up at the site. We are
going to need a tower climber to do work up top and along the side of
the tower." [endquote]

The Ardmore Amateur Radio Club repeater bears the name and callsign of
Ardmore club member Charles M. Dibrell who became a Silent Key in 1998.
He had been a licensed ham since 1929.

Vance told Newsline: [quote] "This is a very important piece of radio
equipment for southern Oklahoma."[endquote]

This is Ralph Squilllace KK6ITB.

(VANCE SMITH, KE5BAL; QRZ: LLOYD COLSTON, KC5FM)

**
FCC SEEKS GUIDELINES FOR CELLPHONE SATELLITE OPTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: A recent move by the FCC means that increasing numbers of
smartphone users may discover what hams already know: that when there's
no terrestrial service, additional coverage is readily available from
satellites. Dave Parks WB8ODF has the details.

DAVE: Smartphones may soon have a direct connection to satellites when
necessary, following a move by the US Federal Communications Commission
to set out guidelines for such service. While space-based connections
are already a reality on a limited basis with Apple phones and are in
the works for T-Mobile, SpaceX, Qualcomm and Iridium, guidelines are
still needed to sort out the rules for broader implementation. A recent
draft document by the FCC seeks to explore this kind of supplemental
service and how it would work.

The FCC said in a news release that this would require agency
authorization for terrestrial-based providers so they could provide
licensed operation on a part of the spectrum reserved for them. Phones
would switch to the satellite signal when no other signal is available.

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(TECH CRUNCH)

**
SILENT KEY: HAMVENTION'S RON CRAMER, KD8ENJ

NEIL/ANCHOR: A leader in the Dayton, Ohio amateur radio community and a
force in the annual Dayton Hamvention has become a Silent Key. We hear
more from Patrick Clark K8TAC.

PATRICK: Amateurs in Dayton, Ohio and beyond often looked to Ron
Cramer, KD8ENJ, for leadership. He was the vice president of the Dayton
Amateur Radio Association, which he had one time serve as president,
and he was general chairman of Dayton Hamvention. Ron became a Silent
Key on Saturday, March 11th, after a brief illness.

His skills at organizing and leading especially came to the forefront
as part of the group that worked to provide Hamvention with a smooth
transition to the Greene County Fairgrounds after more than five
decades at Hara Arena.

In a message on the ARRL website, DARA president Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT,
described Ron as [quote] "a hardworking, dedicated, wonderful person
who had a positive impact on everyone he encountered. His only fault
was, he would never say no." [endquote]

Ron Cramer was 75.

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(DAYTON DAILY NEWS, ARRL)

**
PEI AMATEUR HONORED FOR LIGHTHOUSE ACTIVITY

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to George Dewar, VY2GF, of Prince Edward
Island, Canada, on being chosen Activator of the Year for 2022 by the
Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society. George is being celebrated for his
numerous activations at the region's lighthouses and for promoting the
activity in the media. Society president John Huggins, KX4O and Tim
Hijazi, KB3K, said that George was selected for having [quote] "set a
high bar not just with quantity of lighthouse activations and logged
QSOs but equally with quality." [endquote]. All the best, George!

**

A SPACE JOURNEY OF EXPLORATION

NEIL/ANCHOR: Amateur radio communication is just one part of the
outer-space experience one ISS astronaut is sharing through a new
website. Here's John Williams VK2JJW with that report.

JOHN: The website is known as ELF in Space, and it has been created by
the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai and the Emirates
Literature Foundation as a communications tool about technology and the
space programme. It features Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV, the second
astronaut from the United Arab Emirates. The communications engineer is
on board the ISS for the longest Arab space mission to date. The
website's debut was announced on March 10th. Al Neyadi is giving its
visitors a window into his six-month experience on board the
International Space station. His is not the only voice to be heard.
There will be input from some very terrestrial voices, such as authors
and space experts. Other UAE astronauts such as Hazzaa Al Mansoori and
Nora Al Matrooshi will join him.

The website has a strong tie-in to the classroom experience and each
week new topics will be released discussing the challenges and
discoveries of space travel. There are also classrooom-based activities
for educators to download for their students.

As part of a 20-week learning programme, students around the world will
watch each episode as it is released with subtitles

A link to the first episode is in the text version of this week's
newscast at arnewsline.org

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

[DO NOT READ: https://elfinspace.ae/exercise-in-space/ ]

(GULF NEWS, WIA, MOHAMMED BIN RASHID SPACE CENTRE)

**
AUTISM AWARENESS SPECIAL EVENT BEGINS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that the worldwide special event for
Autism Awareness is on the air March 25th through April 2nd, sponsored
by the Ten Mile River Scout Camp Amateur Radio Club. Listen for call
signs from an international team of operators including W2A, GB2AA,
GB2AAW, GB0AAW, 8A0RARI, 4X0AAW, HI0AUT, S76A and VC2AA.

(QRZ.COM)

**

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE SUN

NEIL/ANCHOR: Scientists have found the source of a mysterious radio
signal from the sun that sounds curiously like a heartbeat. Kent
Peterson KC0DGY takes the pulse of this remarkable research.

KENT: When a recent C-class solar flare more than 5,000 kilometers
above the sun sent out a radio signal in a heartbeat-like pattern,
scientists began work to unlock the reason behind it. The international
team went in search of the origin of this pattern, known as a
quasi-periodic pulsation, or QPP.

Studying observations captured in 2017 by a radio telescope in
California that detects microwave frequencies, the researchers began
studying a heartbeat-like pattern that repeated every 10 to 20 seconds.
Then they unearthed something unexpected: a secondary signal, which was
weaker and could be discerned every 30 to 60 seconds.

According to their recently published study, they have been able to
determine that the so-called heartbeats are triggered by disruptions
known as "magnetic islands" which form in sheets of rapidly moving
plasma from the sun.

At the heart of the matter is what this research may ultimately reveal:
Writing in the journal Nature Communications, one researcher said the
answer was key to a fuller understanding of the scope of the damage
that solar storms can do when their energy is released.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, SCI TECH DAILY)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the K2JJI repeater of the Tryon Amateur Radio Club, which is
celebrating its 50th anniversary this year in upstate New York.
Newsline is heard Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. before the ARES/RACES net, and
on Echolink node 845553, with a live audio feed on Broadcastify
underK2JJI.

**

A VIRTUAL VISIT TO BOUVET ISLAND

NEIL/ANCHOR: The Northern Illinois DX Association hosted the first
presentation by a Three Y Zero Jay team member on what it was like to
live on and activate Bouvet Island. DXpeditioner Adrian KO8SCA provided
a one-hour talk, complete with dramatic photographs, on the Zoom
platform earlier this month. He described the team's 10-day effort to
maintain a delicate balance of food and fuel supplies as they scheduled
precious time to operate on the air - at first using CW and SSB and
later FT8. They also kept an eye on storm systems. As Adrian told his
viewers [quote] "Mother Nature is never doing things in your favor."
[endquote] The DXpedition left the island on February 14th after making
more than 19,000 QSOs.

Whether you worked Bouvet Island or not, you can still view Adrian's
talk which is now available to everyone on YouTube on the Northern
Illinois DX Association channel. You can also find a link to it through
the Northern Illinois DX Association website at nidxa dot org
(nidxa.org).

(YOUTUBE, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)

**
FOR YOUNG ACTIVATOR IN AUSTRALIA, A PEAK AT GLORY

NEIL/ANCHOR: A very young amateur in Australia has completed a summit
activation that he's likely never to forget. Graham Kemp VK4BB shares
his victory with us.

GRAHAM: First-time summit activator Emile, VK5WWW, has now earned one
point in the SOTA awards scheme for each year of his life: The
10-year-old Australian amateur successfully activated Mount Wellington
in Tasmania with an HT and a lot of hope on Tuesday, March 21st shortly
before 9:30 am local time.

The summit is 1,270-metres, or 4,167 feet, high.

Operating at VK5WWW/7 he logged six contacts in the Hobart area on 2m.
One-half hour later, it was a done deal. Emile's first solo act was a
success.

His proud father, John VK5HAA, who is also an activator, reported his
son's SOTA success on the Australian SOTA activators' groups.io
emaillist.

Congratulations on reaching new heights, Emile. Good on ya!

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(GROUPS.IO)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, the Sable Island DXpedition CY0S is under way in
Nova Scotia, Canada until the 30th of March and will include 2M EME
operation. Operators will also use the HF bands plus 6 metres. Modes
will include CW, SSB and FT8 in fox-hound mode. Contacts also count
for Parks on the Air, for Park VE-0210, the ARLHS Lighthouse Award, for
Lighthouse SAB-002, and IOTA for Island Number NA-063. QSL via WA4DAN.

Listen for Miguel, CT1EBM, who is using the callsign CN2EBM from the
26th of March to the 9th of April during a 5,000-kilometre tour through
Morocco. He is using SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. He will be operating
via the QO-100 satellite on SSB. For details, see QRZ.com.

Philippe FK4QX, Yves FK4RD and Michel FK8IK are using the callsign TX5L
from Lifou Island, IOTA Number OC-033, in New Caledonia from the 27th
through to the 31st of March. They are operating CW and SSB on 40-10
metres, QSL via F4FTV.

Pista, HA5AO, will be on the air as 5X2I on the shores of Lake Victoria
in Uganda from the 24th of April to the 10th of May. He will operate
CW, SSB and FT8 in fox/hound mode on 40-10 metres. QSL request to OQRS
or send your card direct or via the bureau to HA5AO. The complete log
will be uploaded to LoTW six months after the expedition.

Be listening for Janusz, SP9FIH, who is operating as E51WEG and for
Leszek, SP6CIK, operating as E51CIK from Rarotonga, IOTA number OC-013,
in the South Cook Islands. They will be there from the 13th to the 28th
of April, operating CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8 on 40-10 metres. QSL via Club
Log's OQRS.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: HE HAS MASTERED THE CODE OF LONGEVITY

NEIL/ANCHOR: For our final story we ask: Can you imagine being 101
years old and still on the air, sending and copying CW? We visit with
one man in Iowa who doesn't have to imagine it because he is living it!
Jim Damron N8TMW tells us about him.

JIM: Just like the Morse Code he loves to send, the 101 years of Lowell
Dibble, W0TER, have been a continuous wave.

The lowa man turned 101 years old on St. Patrick's Day and according to
several press reports and a video on YouTube his longevity and
enthusiasm - like his ability to send CW - transmit a powerful message
on a daily basis.

Lowell has a long history on the air. He served as a radio officer with
the Merchant Marine during World War II. An Amateur Extra Class
operator, he has regular QSOs with his friends using CW and keeps
active at the retirement community where he lives. His mental workouts
with Code are complemented by his daily routine of physical workouts
that start his day.

His son Mark told TV station KCRG in an interview just days before his
father's birthday that what keeps him going is [quote]: "the excitement
of just wanting to do things, get up in the morning...It's not 'what am
I going to do??' It's 'What of all of these things am I going to do
today?'" [endquote]

Dibble told the TV station that although he credits good genes, having
a positive outlook is also a definite plus -- and he plans to keep
riding the excitement of that continuous wave.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW.

(KCRG TV)

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NOMINATE OUR NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

NEIL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the
continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they
aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur
Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award.
Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or
younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the
spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website
arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open and
close on May 31st.

**

DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think
Newsline would be interested in? 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 page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to
cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; ARRL; CQ Magazine;
David Behar K7DB; Dayton Daily News; DX-World.net; FCC; 425 DX News;
Groups.IO; Gulf News; KCRG.TV; Lloyd Colston, KC5FM; Mohammed Bin
Rashid Space Centre; New Jersey Institute of Technology; QRZ.COM;
Sci-Tech Daily; shortwaveradio.de; Tech Crunch; Vance Smith, KE5BAL;
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 Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union Kentucky saying 73. As always
we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright
2023. All rights reserved.