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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2308 for Friday January 21st, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2308 with a release date of Friday
January 21st, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Disaster and a communications blackout in
Tonga. Preserving DX access on remote central Pacific Islands -- and an
online museum with some very old and very rare QSL cards. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2308 comes your way
rightnow.

**
DISASTER CUTS TONGA'S COMMUNICATIONS WITH REST OF WORLD

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a developing story. As Newsline
went to production, relief and communication efforts were coming slowly
to the island nation of Tonga, which was left cut off from the rest of
the world after two consecutive natural disasters. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF
fills us in.

JIM MEACHEN: The eruption of an underwater volcano triggered a deadly
tsunami that devastated the nation of Tonga, throwing the Pacific
island chain into a communications blackout. While military relief
efforts struggled to bring clean water and basic supplies from
Australia and New Zealand to residents, Tonga's apparent lack of active
amateur radio operators spelled silence on those frequencies. As
Newsline went to production amateurs in New Zealand who are also active
first responders awaited word on what help was needed - by radio or
other means. Don Wallace ZL2TLL, a director of IARU Region 3, told
Newsline in an email he and Andrew Bate ZL1SU, manager of the New
Zealand Red Cross IT & Telecom Emergency Response Unit, were among
those awaiting word on whether they would be deployed. Don said the Red
Cross itself was already providing aid. In a public posting on
Facebook, Mark Hanrahan, VK4DMH, president of the Gold Coast Amateur
Radio Society VK4WIG, said the only communications available from Tonga appeared to be via a few satellite phones, which were proving
unreliable.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(BBC, DON WALLACE ZL2TLL; ANDREW BATE, ZL1SU, FACEBOOK)

**
RESEARCHERS BUILD WORLD'S SMALLEST ANTENNA USING DNA

PAUL/ANCHOR: While we hams work with conductive metal wire when we set
out to build the best antenna for our purposes, a group of researchers
in Canada used something else: DNA. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has that story.

JEREMY: Researchers in chemistry at the University of Montreal have
created what they call the world's tiniest antenna, one they have
engineered using DNA to let them study structural changes that occur
within proteins.

This nanoantenna uses light instead of the radio frequencies we hams
are so accustomed to. Researcher Scott Harroun said in a report
[quote]: "The DNA-based nanoantennas can be synthesised with different
lengths and flexibilities to optimize their function." [endquote]

He added later: [quote]"By carefully tuning the nanoantenna design, we
have created a five nanometre-long antenna that produces a distinct
signal when the protein is performing its biological function."
[endquote]

The researchers reported their findings recently in the journal Nature
Methods. They compared the fluorescent nanoantenna's performance to
that of a repeater: It receives light in one wavelength and transmits
back at another, depending on what behaviour it detects in the protein.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (TECHEXPLORIST.COM)

**
ISRAELI STUDENTS' SATELLITES ENTER ORBIT

PAUL/ANCHOR: Students in Israel recently experienced the thrill of
seeing amateur radio satellites of their own design....sent into space!
Jason Daniels VK2LAW has more on that story.

JASON: Eight satellites designed and built by students throughout
Israel were sent into space on January 13th aboard SpaceX's FALCON
launcher. The eight satellites, Tevel 1 through 8, have amateur radio
FM transponders and beacon transmitters, all operating on the same
frequency. They entered their planned orbits about 90 minutes after
departing the launcher. The beacon transmissions can be heard on
436.400 MHz. The FM transponders are using an uplink frequency of
145.970 MHz and a downlink frequency of 436.400 MHz. The mission also
carried AMSAT-EA's HADES and EASAT-2 satellites. HADES is using the
callsign AM6SAT and EASAT-2is using the callsign AM5SAT.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(OBSERVATORIAL.COM, AMSAT)

**
DXERS PUSH TO RETAIN ACCESS TO ISLAND GROUP

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument is on
the map for many avid DXers. Now they're working to make sure those
islands get to stay there. Ralph Squillace KK6ITF explains what's
happening.

RALPH: Imagine logging a DX contact from any of the seven islands and
atolls in the central Pacific Ocean managed by the US Fish & Wildlife
Service. This group is known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine
National Monument. DXpeditions don't happen often there -- in fact it's
been almost four years since a five-member team from the Northern
California DX Foundation landed on Baker Island using the callsign
KH1/KH7Z. The foundation's Don Greenbaum, N1DG, is now leading an
effort to open the islands up for more DXers to have the kind of
experience he and his teammates had on Baker Island in 2018. The US
Fish & Wildlife Service, along with the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, have received public comment on the
proposal, which has the support of the Foundation. As a new management
plan is being drafted for the islands, DXers want to be confident it
will ensure continued occasional access there. The comment window
closed on January 20th but the Foundation is hopeful. It said in a
statement: [quote] "Ham radio was used by the early colonizers of
Howland, Baker and Jarvis Islands in the mid 1930s. It is a tradition
that extends to today with the 2018 Baker Island radio expedition."
[endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB

(OHIO PENN DX, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA DX FOUNDATION)

**
ONLINE DX MUSEUM PRESERVES RARE AND VINTAGE QSLs

PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of DX, many of us would agree, DX never gets old,
even if those cards from far-away locations become vintage. Ed Durrant
DD5LP tells us about a unique online museum of sorts that preserves QSL
cards for sharing...we hope, forever.

ED: Jean Michel, F6AJA, has thousands and thousands of QSL cards, some
from rare DX entities, and he didn't even have to turn his rig on once
to get them. Jean Michel has created an online gallery of images of
nearly 20,000 QSL cards sorted into different albums, including an
assortment of the 10 most wanted DXCC entities, spanning the years 2011
to 2020. The collection contains more than 500 cards from contacts on
rare French Pacific Islands, more than 1,000 from the various research
bases in Antarctica and commemorative stations for the IARU and the
ITU. That collection has more than 900 cards. Hams collecting DX from
the United States have contributed images from each of the states, all
dating before 1945. The site is in French but is available as an
English translation. We are including the address in the text version
of this week's newscast. You'll also find Jean Michel's email address.
He's always looking to add to his collection and you can write to him
if you're interested in contributing some of your own cards.

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: http://LesNouvellesDX.free.fr ]

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: LesNouvellesDX@free.fr ]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**

CLUB CREATES MAP TO CONNECT HAMS IN CANADA

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in Canada have a new resource to help them locate
other radio operators, as we hear from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: The Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club VE3OSR in Canada is offering a
way for hams to reconnect with one another through clubs, especially if
they have lost touch during the pandemic. Clubs throughout Canada, from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, are now shown on a colorful map display
which is free online for all hams' reference. The Georgian Bay amateurs
are encouraging other clubs in Canada to add themselves to the map,
which can be done by using the button labeled "CONTACT" on the bottom
of the web page containing the map. Visit gbarc dot ca stroke clubs dot
php (gbarc.ca/clubs.php)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(GEORGIAN BAY AMATEUR 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
the KD5DMT repeater in Benton County Arkansas on Saturdays at 7 p.m.
local times during the Amateur Radio Information Net on the Benton
County Radio Operators' Repeater System.

**
AUSTRALIAN CLUB BEGINS DISASTER COMMUNICATION SESSIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: It's only a beginning, but one amateur radio club in
Australia has taken the important first steps in helping residents in
local districts, or shires, to communicate better during disasters.
Graham Kemp VK4BB brings us that story.

GRAHAM: Radio's resiliency during trying times has become the focus of
a new Special Interest Group convened by the Bendigo Amateur Radio and Electronics Club. The group held its first meeting on Saturday, January
15th, focusing on needs in the Shire of Mt. Alexander. Using the Zoom
platform, the meeting drew representatives from a disaster-preparedness
group, other amateur radio clubs in Victoria and a number of candidates studying for their amateur radio licence.

Coordinator Tony Falla VK3KKP told Newsline that there were even some
attendees who are not intending to become hams but nonetheless want to
be able to listen to the amateur frequencies and pass along messages,
sometimes by citizens band radio, when disaster strikes. Tony is
calling the special interest group the Mt. Alexander Radio Watch and
said its purpose is to create a network of listeners, not to launch a
rescue group. He said the Bendigo club is also working with the Greater
Bendigo Council to create a mechanism to link area residents with the
local council if they experience difficulties during disasters.

Tony said the process will be ongoing in Mt. Alexander and that other
special interest groups are being organised shire by shire. Meanwhile
he said he hopes other shires will set up similar groups of their own
and perhaps send a representative to the next Mt. Alexander meeting.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(TONY FALLA, VK3KKP)

**
SVALBARD ACTIVATION TO INCLUDE SATELLITE CONTACTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Braving the cold, a group of DXpeditioners is heading to
the Arctic Ocean for an island activation that includes some hoped-for satellite contacts. John Williams VK4JJW brings us that report.

JOHN: Svalbard, which is considered the world's northernmost habitable
place, is home to about 2,000 residents and - for better or worse -more
than 3,000 polar bears. In April it will also become home to a team of
amateur radio operators who are launching the first DXpedition from
that location to make use of the QO-100 satellite. According to the
team's website, although it will prove daunting enough to operate CW,
SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8 following a snowmobile trip to their location in temperatures as cold as minus 25 degrees Celsius, the team will face
the bigger challenge of completing QSOs via satellite. The team's
website states that this region is on the very edge of the satellite's footprint and permits a view of QO-100 at only 3 degrees above the
horizon. Erik de Mey, ON4ANN, and Max van Rymenant, ON5UR, considered
such a challenge early last year with Svalbard in mind. The team will
be using the callsign JW100Q0 for its satellite contacts between April
22nd and 24th. HF contacts will be made with the callsign JW0X between
April 19th and 26th. Mark your calendar.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(AMSAT, DX ADVENTURE WEBSITE))
**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Neville, G3RFS, on the air as 6Y5FS from
Jamaica where he will be for the next two months. He has been heard on
20 metres using CW. QSL via LoTW, ClubLog's OQRS, or via G4BWP.

Oliver, DJ5QW, will be using the callsigns D4CW and D44DX from Santa
Maria village, Sal Island, Cape Verde, between February 19th and March
2nd. Listen for him on 80-10 metres where he will be using CW and SSB.
QSL to his home callsign direct or via the DARC Bureau.

Slavo, SP2JMB, and his XYL Dorota, SP2TO will be on the air as 3B8GY
from Mauritius between February 5th and 25th. Be listening on various
HF bands and in various modes. QSL to SP2JMB direct.

Operators John, AF3K, and Ross, W2TT, who cancelled their operation
last year due to Covid, will be active as VP5/AF3K and VP5/W2TT,
respectively, from Providenciales Island (NA-002) between March 23 and
March 31st. Listen for them as well in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest on
March 26th and 27th where they will use the callsign VP5P. Send QSLs to
N2OO or QSL via ClubLog's OQRS. All logs will be uploaded to LoTW, eQSL
and ClubLog

(OPDX)

**
KICKER: A MODERN TRIBUTE TO AN ANCIENT WALL

PAUL/ANCHOR: Special Event Stations often connect radio amateurs to
great moments in history, whether it's the discovery of a planet, a
celebration of statehood or some other major event. Randy Sly W4XJ and
Jeremy Boot G4NJH bring us the details about a year-long special event
in England.

RANDY: Throughout 2022, hams will have an opportunity to connect to
some ancient history in commemorating 1900 years since the building of Hadrian's Wall across England. I asked Amateur Radio Newsline
Correspondent, Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, to tell me a little bit more about
the history that inspired two hams, Austin Vaughan, M0MNE and Roy
Nicholson, M0TKF to operate their stations near the wall.

JEREMY: In A.D. 43 after years of struggling, the Romans conquered the
southern portion of the British Isles. Since the area to the North was inhabited by primitive Celtic tribes and never fully settled, Hadrian's
Wall was built, spanning 118 kilometres, from coast to coast, as a
defensive fortification for the southern, "Roman" Province of
Britannia. In addition to its place in history, Arthur, the legendary
Celtic king is said to have fought in battle against the invading
Anglo-Saxons in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall. Parts of Hadrian's Wall
still remain today.

RANDY: Amateurs from around the world should point their antennas
toward England this year and listen for the two special event stations
GB1900HA and GB1900HW on the HF and VHF bands in voice, CW and digital
modes. Be sure to check out the QRZ pages for GB1900HA and GB1900HW.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly W4XJ with Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE, QRZ.COM)
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to AMSAT; Andrew Bate, ZL1SU; the ARRL; the
BBC; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; Don Wallace, ZL2TLL; DX-World.net;
the DX Adventure website; Georgian Bay Amateur Radio Club; the Northern California DX Foundation; Observatorial.com; QRZ.com; Southgate Amateur
Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; TechExplorist.com; Tony Falla VK3KKP;
Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from
the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at
newsline@arnewsline.org. 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 youall.

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 2022. All rights reserved.

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