Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2405 for Friday December 1st, 2023

[Amateur Radio Newsline]

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2405 for Friday December 1st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2405 with a release date of Friday
December 1st, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A massive fire ravages Nikola Tesla's last
remaining laboratory. Hams in India help track down a child's
lifesaving but unavailable medicine -- and if you believe in Santa, you
may just hear him on the air. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2405 comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
FIRE SWEEPS THROUGH NIKOLA TESLA'S LAST REMAINING LAB

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with news of a fire that
nearly destroyed a historic landmark with a longstanding connection to
radio and innovation. Kevin Trotman N5PRE has the details.

KEVIN: In New York, a raging fire swept through the last remaining
laboratory of Nikola Tesla, where a massive redevelopment began three
years ago to create a science center and a hub of amateur radio
activity and education. Marc Alessi, the nonprofit center's executive
director, said at a press conference on November 28th that authorities
have ruled out arson and are still investigating the cause.

The historically significant laboratory building itself, set on a
15-acre site on Long Island, sustained damages of at least $3-million
from the November 21st fire. A worldwide fundraising effort on
indiegogo has begun for the lab, which the Serbian-born scientist used
in the early 1900s. This fundraising is separate from the already
$20-million raised for the renovation - an effort that is still
$6-million short of its goal.

Amateur radio club N2TSC will be housed in the visitors center - a
different building from the devastated lab. Ed Wilson, N2XDD, the
club's president, told Newsline that the visitors centre was not
damaged by the blaze, which drew the response of more than 100
volunteer firefighters from the surrounding community. Plans continue
to go forward for the site's overall redevelopment as an educational
and community resource, but it is not clear how far back the original
opening date of late 2025 will be delayed.

I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE. (ED WILSON, N2XDD; CBS; PATCH.COM)

**
HAMS HELP TRACK DOWN LIFESAVING MEDICINE FOR ILL CHILD IN INDIA

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in India raced the clock to help locate and deliver
medicine in short supply to a critically ill little girl. John Williams
VK4JJW tells how they did it.

JOHN: Working under a critically short deadline and across the borders
of several nations, hams in India were able to locate a medicine that
is vital to a 7-year-old girl in neighbouring Bangladesh who was
hospitalised for a neurological disorder. The medicine was in her
doctor's hands within 48 hours of being found.

The girl's parents had been told by doctors at Dhaka Medical College
and Hospital that they were in short supply of the anti-viral drug that
was successfully treating their daughter and that no stock of the drug
could be found elsewhere in the country at present. The girl's father
told The Times of India that he promptly launched a search by
contacting Rahat Khan, S21DI, an amateur radio operator in Bangladesh.
Rahat put out a call to his network of ham contacts in neighbouring
countries, all to no avail. In India, hams in the West Bengal Radio
Club found an alternative of the brand in the state of Kerala but it
was not clear whether the girl would respond to that drug. The
necessary brand was at last located in New Delhi by one of the newest
members of the club, Naendraath Jana, a student in the Indian Academy
of Communication and Disaster Management. According to the club's
secretary, Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, the hams then tracked down
someone at the New Delhi airport who was preparing to return home to
Bangladesh - and who agreed to transport the medicine. The girl's
father met the passenger at the airport in Dhaka. The girl received the
treatment on Friday, November 24th.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(THE TIMES OF INDIA, THE STATESMAN)

**
FCC SEEKS COMMENTS ON PROPOSALS FOR 2200 and 630 METERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: There is still time to comment on an FCC proposal that
would remove the baud rate limitation for the 2200 meter band and the
630 meter band. The agency has said it would like input on what
appropriate bandwidth limitation might be set instead. In making this
proposal, FCC acknowledges previous comments that have been received,
underscoring public-safety benefits for radio communications during
emergencies, such as natural disasters.

The FCC is also proposing to maintain existing bandwidth limitations on
the VHF and UHF bands.

This is the latest action by the commission, which recently established
a bandwidth limitation of 2.8 kHz for digital transmissions on certain
amateur radio HF bands, eliminating the longstanding baud rate
limitation on those bands.

(FCC)

**
SPACEX ASSURES FCC: NO RADIO INTERFERENCE FROM STARLINK

PAUL/ANCHOR: In other news in Washington, D.C., the FCC has received a
document from SpaceX in which the company gives assurances that its
cellular Starlink system does not pose a hazard to other radio signals.
More on that from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Responding to an FCC request for details about radio interference
hazards posed by its Starlink system, the company has submitted a
16-page document to the agency explaining why ground-based and
satellite services will not face interference from its operation. The
FCC had requested the detailed analysis. SpaceX said that its
direct-to-cell system uses software that prevents radio interference
and, in any case, transmissions can also still be individually turned
off if it occurs.

The Starlink system of satellites has been compared to cellular towers
in orbit. T-Mobile is its first partner in the venture and will be
using frequencies between 1.91 GHz and 1.995GHz for customers'
transmissions.

Questions about interference have been raised before. An
Australia-based astronomy team recently published a study that they say
links unintended emissions from the SpaceX array of satellites to
interference with the low-frequency VHF radio antennas used to study
the universe.

I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(PC MAGAZINE)

**
NASA RELEASES NEW VERSION OF ISS-SPOTTING APP

PAUL/ANCHOR: Are you looking out for the International Space Station?
NASA has just made it even easier. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us how.

ANDY: If you've got the International Space Station in your sights
-figuratively, of course - because you're hoping for a contact, there's
a new option to help you spot the ISS more easily. NASA has released a
new version of their Spot the Station mobile application that is
downloadable from either Google Play or the Apple Store. If the station
is passing overhead, you'll get notified in time to try for the APRS or
voice repeater in time. Although NASA is still sending alerts by email
and text messages, the new app allows users to see predictions of
visible passes. You can also set alarms that allow you to be on time
to catch the ISS when it arrives in sight.

Visit spotthestation.nasa.gov for more details.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM

(NASA, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

**
YOUTH ON THE AIR APPLICATION PERIOD IS OPEN

PAUL/ANCHOR: It may be December but it's not too early to start
thinking about July -- because that means Youth on the Air camp, and
this year the young amateurs are heading to Nova Scotia, Canada. Jack
Parker W8ISH shares the details.

JACK: Even though the temperatures are dropping and snow has already
fallen in some parts of the world, young radio amateurs in North,
Central and South America are getting ready for warmer days ahead at
Youth on the Air Camp. It's taking place July 7th through July 12th at
the Mount Saint Vincent University campus in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The
camp is being hosted by Radio Amateurs of Canada.

The application period is now open. Licensed amateurs between the ages
of 15 through 25 are being encouraged to complete the application form
online by the 15th of January. It can be found at YouthOnTheAir.org

Campers will be notified of their selection by the 1st of February.
There are allocated slots for applicants in each of the Americas to
encourage as wide an attendance as possible. Any remaining free places
after the January deadline can still be applied for up until the 31st
of May.

As many as 50 campers will be accepted. Because COVID is still a
concern, organizers will be monitoring changes in guidelines for
masking and vaccinations.

For details about costs, travel arrangements and other details, visit
the Youth on the Air camp website or contact camp director Neil Rapp
WB9VPG at director at youthontheair dot org
(dire...@youthontheair.org)

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.


PAU: There's still plenty for youngsters to do on the air in the
meantime. Starting December 1st, hams around the world who are age 25
and younger will be marking YOTA month by using callsigns ending in "Y
O T A," trying to beat last year's final tally of 107,845 QSOs. As the
month wraps up, don't miss the YOTA Contest on December 30th. For
complete details visit the website events dot ham hyphen yota dot com
(events.ham-yota.com)

**
NEWSLINE TO ANNOUNCE INT'L NEWSMAKER AWARD WINNER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Be listening next week when Amateur Radio Newsline
announces this year's recipient of the International Newsmaker of the
Year award. We launched this award in 2019 with our editorial staff
recognizing the individuals, groups or formal clubs who have spent the
previous year bringing amateur radio into the spotlight showing its
positive values and contributions to the community. We are broadening
the award's scope this year by acknowledging that the dissemination of
information to the public about amateur radio's impact no longer relies
solely on mainstream media. We are very proud of this year's winner,
who you will get to meet very soon.

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the WB ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through
Allstar, in Morrisville Pennsylvania and Fall River Massachusetts.

**
FCC OKS CROSS-BAND OPERATIONS WITH MILITARY FOR PEARL HARBOR
REMEMBRANCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: With the help of a waiver from the FCC, hams in the US
will be able to contact military stations in an exercise marking Pearl
Harbor Remembrance Day. Kent Peterson KC0DGY has that story.

KENT: In the United States, hams have been granted an opportunity to
mark National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by communicating directly
with stations of the US military through cross-band operations. The FCC
has issued a waiver to permit such radio communication from December
6th through to the 9th, on the occasion of the 82nd anniversary of the
attack on Pearl Harbor during World War Two.

Legal two-way communication with federal stations is highly unusual for
amateur radio. FCC regulations typically permit this on only one other
occasion, the annual Armed Forces Day Communications Test.
Participating hams will be monitoring three federal frequencies but are
to respond on parts of the bands assigned to amateurs.

In approving the request from the ARRL, the FCC said the waiver serves
an important purpose on a day of great historical significance. The FCC
said [quote] "This day has a historic significance and emphasizes the
importance of reliable communications and the need to be vigilant in
our national defense." [endquote]

To see a link to the FCC's limited waiver, follow the link in the text
version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-23-1108A1.pdf
]

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(RADIO WORLD)

**
HISTORIC TRANSMITTER IN SWEDEN TO TRANSMIT TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS
MESSAGE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Christmas time is a time of tradition and for radio
enthusiasts in Sweden, there are few traditions more loved and
anticipated than hearing a Christmas message sent via a transmitter
that is fast approaching its 100th year. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains.

JEREMY: The pride of the pioneering Swedish engineer Ernst Alexanderson
- his 200kW high-frequency alternator built in 1924 - has a Christmas
message to deliver to the world this year, as in previous years. On
Christmas Eve morning, Sunday 24 December, the radio station in
Grimeton with the callsign SAQ, will deliver the words in the holiday
spirit in CW at 0800 UTC at 17.2 kHz. Those of us who cannot be present
can still watch the historic transmitter and hear its message being
sent during a livestream on the SAQ Grimeton YouTube channel. The
transmitter's startup will also be livestreamed, starting half an hour
before the message.

There are also many ways to listen but because there are few radios
capable of directly receiving the transmitter's frequency, there are
internet receivers and other options available. See the link in the
text version of this week's newscast to discover other ways to tune in.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

[DO NOT READ:
https://alexander.n.se/en/the-radio-station-saq-grimeton/lyssna-pa-saq/
]

(THE ALEXANDER ASSOCIATION)

**
AUSTRALIA'S TECHNORAMA UNITING HAMS, BROADCAST COMMUNITY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Australia's robust universe of community radio stations
teaches through a volunteer organization known as Technorama, which
provides a solid footing in broadcast technology to those working
behind the scenes. Technorama is now hoping to expand its historical
partnership with amateur radio - and it's considered a natural,
mutually beneficial relationship, as we hear from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Technorama has big plans that don't end when its annual
three-day gathering in Sydney concludes on December 3rd. The broadcast
skill-building nonprofit organisation is cultivating a partnership
between Australia's more than 460 community broadcasting stations and
the country's amateur radio operators. Broadcast engineer John Maizels,
VK2JPM, a Technorama founder and immediate past president, says the
unifying elements between the two worlds - such as transmitters,
antennas, generators, RF - mean that hams and these broadcasters have
much to offer one another.

There is a history of cross-pollination here that dates back to
community radio's birth in the 1970s, when hams assisted the burgeoning
broadcasters, and John believes that relationship will go much farther.
Technorama is already planning to hold its first formal radio tech
training sessions in more than three decades, inviting radio amateurs
to join the broadcasters to sign up to learn - and to be among those
teaching. He says that community radio stations are [quote] "just like
amateur radio, just on steroids." [endquote] Likewise, he said, ham
radio classes can benefit community broadcasters.

He told Newsline in a phone call that it's been "a squandered
opportunity." He said that building stronger bridges in both directions
can fill the needs of both communities.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WIA, JOHN MAIZELS, VK2JPM)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, fans of the world's longest-running science fiction
TV show "Doctor Who" will be listening for special callsigns starting
with GB0WHO through GB9WHO until the 20th of December. The cult series
marked its 60th anniversary on the 23rd of November. The show's
original 694 episodes ran steadily until 1989 but it was revived - much
to fans' delight - in 2005. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

We remind listeners that the Advent Award for Bunkers on the Air in the
UK is now under way until the 25th of December. Activators as well as
hunters, including shortwave listeners, are eligible. Participants need
to use the special Advent Calendar Award Claim Tracker to be eligible.
See the website bunkersontheair.org under the downloads tab for more
details. That's "bunkers on the air" - one word.

(425 DX BULLETIN, BUNKERS ON THE AIR)

**
KICKER: HAMS GET ON THE AIR FOR A GOOD CLAUS

PAUL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we look at Santa Claus. OK, if you're
a grownup he's not really big news - or news at all - but if you're a
youngster or even grownup who loves a little holiday magic, you'll be
listening for Santa on the Air. Here's Jim Damron N8TMW to help us tune
him in.

JIM: Like radio waves themselves, Santa Claus is everywhere. While you
can't see him, you can definitely hear him - or one of his helpers - as
amateurs around the world return this year with a different kind of
on-the-air scheme - Santa on the Air.

Hams in the Longmont Amateur Radio Club and the Northern Colorado
Amateur Radio Club are giving local kids a chance to visit with Santa
through the 10th of December, every night between 0000 and 0200 UTC on
a number of local repeaters. Lucky kids will be able to log a contact
with Mrs. Santa. Both Mr. and Mrs. Claus are using the callsign N0P.

In Ireland, the Shannon Basin Radio Club is putting Santa on the air on
Saturday, December 9th on the EI2SBC repeater. At this time of the
year, the callsign stands for Echo Icicle Two Santa Before Christmas.

Santa is also on the HF bands. Check-ins begin on the Santa Net every
evening at 7 p.m. Central Time on 3.916 MHz, ending on Christmas Eve.
The net is operated by the 3916 Nets. Their website, cqsanta.com has
additional information about how to check in before the net gets
started.

A little closer to the North Pole, OH9SCL has turned its toy workshop
into a shack in northern Finland to prepare for QSOs from around the
world. All the HF bands are expected to light up like, well, a
Christmas tree. As they have done since 1986, local hams will be on the
air calling QRZ from Lapland.

As always, check the QRZ.com page for any of these callsigns to get QSL
information and other details. The magic of radio is about to add to
the magic of the season -- and, let's face it, it's all for a
goodClaus.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW.

**
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
page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover
it, we'll get back to you for more details. Meanwhile, if you're
feeling even a little bit poetic, visit our website to learn more about
the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; ARRL; CQ Magazine;
David Behar K7DB; Ed Wilson W2XDD; FCC; 425DXNews; John Maizels,
VK2JPM; QRZ.com; PC Magazine; Radio World; shortwaveradio.de; The
Statesman; The Times of India; Wireless Institute of Australia;
YouTube; Youth on the Air; 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.