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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2314 for Friday March 4th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2314 with a release date of Friday
March 4th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Medium and shortwave carry messages into
embattled Ukraine. A transatlantic triumph for a replica transmitter
-and what lengths would you go to with a portable antenna? All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2314 comes your way
rightnow.

**
BILLBOARD CART HERE

**
MEDIUM and SHORTWAVE CARRY MESSAGES TO EMBATTLED UKRAINE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to the medium wave and shortwave bands, where broadcasters are responding to the ongoing
crisis in Ukraine. Kevin Trotman N5PRE brings us those details.

KEVIN: With amateur radio banned in Ukraine following the Russian
invasion, broadcasts on the medium wave radio frequencies have taken on increasing importance in the past week. In the US, the Miami, Florida commercial shortwave station WRMI has been carrying broadcasts six days
a week of Radio Ukraine International, the official overseas service of
Ukraine radio on 510 kHz. There are no Friday broadcasts. The schedule
can be found on the website at wrmi dot net.

There are also reports that the BBC World Service has begun carrying
shortwave broadcasts directed towards Ukraine. According to the website hfunderground dot com, those broadcasts began on February 24th,
covering news events.

In Italy, the NEXUS International Broadcasting Association, an
apolitical, global organization, announced on its website that it has
increased its transmitter power on 1323 kHz medium wave into Central
and Southern Europe and has a good reach into the area of conflict as
well as Poland, Romania, Belarus and Western Russia. A note on the
website says: [quote] "We have increased our special news coverage,
adding repeats of the most informative and inspirational programs in
English to support displaced people and cover the latest events in
Ukraine and nearby countries." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(WRMI, HFUNDERGROUND, SWLING POST, NEXUS-IBA)

**
IARU REGION 1 EMERGENCY TEST TAPS INTO SATELLITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In an environment of global challenges, emergency
communication becomes even more critical. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us
about an international exercise that succeeded recently in sharpening
ham radio's preparedness.

JEREMY: IARU Region 1 conducted its first test of the newest tool in
its emergency communications toolbox on the 26th of February. Stations representing 14 countries around the region included use of the
geostationary satellite QO-100 as part of their response to a simulated
global emergency. There were 22 stations in all demonstrating how the
amateur radio community can be effective, passing messages despite the inevitable language barriers and equipment failures. According to Greg
Mossop, G0DUB, the IARU's emergency communications coordinator, the
exercise was a success, underscoring how amateur radio stations can
respond across a region that stretches from South Africa north through
to Europe and into the United Kingdom. The next test is planned for
October.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB)

**
HAMS IN EMCOMM GROUP FEAR NEW FEE WILL HAMPER OPERATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A proposed fee to be levied on communications equipment
in federal forests is a major concern for one group of hams in
Michigan. Christian Cudnik K0STH has that story.

CHRISTIAN: Hams in Michigan who provide emergency communications have
told local officials that because they rely on the use of a tower
located inside a national forest, they may now face a new fee of $1,400
to operate. According to a report in the Manistee News, the Manistee
County Amateur Radio Operators Club received notice from the US Forest
Service that there might be a fee for their use of the tower. Forest
Service officials announced in December that they have proposed such
fees for any communications users, including cellular phone providers, maintaining permanent equipment on Forest Service land.

The agency has reopened the public comment period on the proposal
through March 31st. Comments can be posted online at federalregister
dot gov (federalregister.gov)

The American Radio Relay League has filed comments asking for hams
radio operators to be exempt from the fee.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Christian Cudnik K0STH.

(MANISTEE NEWS)

**
TRANSATLANTIC TRIUMPH FOR REPLICA TRANSMITTER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A transmitter that was built to honor the one used 100
years ago during the famous Transatlantic Tests scored big during
brief QSO Party on Saturday, February 26th. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells
us about it.

KENT: It was a memorable moment as the 100-year-old vacuum tubes inside
a replica of the Transatlantic Test transmitter powered a signal that
once again spanned an ocean -- and perhaps even time. For three hours,
three museum volunteers put callsign W2AN/1BCG on the air, marking the successful completion of repairs done since the replica's activation
for the December centennial of the historic December 1921 test. Ed
Gable, K2MP, Peter Schuch, WB2UAQ and Bill Hopkins, AA2YV, operated for
three hours from upstate New York feeding a T-antenna with lots of
radials. The moment seemed right: Ed told Newsline that [quote] "a very
nice thing happened." [endquote] He said operators crowding the bands
in the weekend's 160m SSB contest appeared to move aside and make room
for the important 375-watt transmission. Some high points:Reaching
farther west in the US to log W8KGI in New Mexico -- and crossing the
ocean once more, logging OH1XX in Finland and YO2VG in Romania. Ed, the museum's curator emeritus, said this ends the 100-year-celebration. He
said [quote] "The transmitter now goes into display mode at the museum
and will wake up sometime in someone else's future." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(ED GABLE, K2MP/W2AN)

**
GERMAN YL BECOMES NEW YOUNGEST ADVANCED LICENSEE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The newest advanced class license-holder in Germany is
a YL barely in her teens. Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us about her.

ED: A 13-year-old girl in Germany can now join the rest of her family
on the air and celebrate her recent achievement: Congratulations to
Frederike DÃPara.tsch, DH9FD, who has become the country's youngest
person to currently hold a Class A radio amateur licence. She follows
in the footsteps of another bright YL, Laura Bergmann, DL2JJ, who was
only 10 years old in 2017 when holding her previous callsign of DO9JJ,
upgraded her licence from novice to full, joining both her parents on
the air.

Frederike passed her license exam administered by BNetzA, the Federal
Network Agency and now joins her parents and her grandfather as active
hams. According to a press release from the DARC, she has been a member
of the German amateur radio club since late last year. With her new
advanced level of licence, she is permitted to transmit on all ham
radio frequencies in Germany. Be listening for her on the air.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(DARC)

**
NEWSLINE'S YHOTY 2022 NOMINATIONS OPEN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Online nominations are now being accepted for the Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year
award. Newsline's Mark Abramowicz (pronouncer- Abram-uh-vich) NT3V is
the chairman of the YHOTY award committee and has this report.

MARK: Our founder, the late Bill Pasternak WA6ITF, established this
award 45 years ago to recognize the outstanding achievements of young
people - boys and girls - through amateur radio. It brought him great
joy to read the many nominations he forwarded to a select group of
judges to choose the winner. He insisted an independent panel of
amateur radio's best to pick from the nominees. I can tell you, Bill
was always thrilled with the results. I know this because Bill asked me
to fill a board vacancy and serve as the chairman of the award and
judging committee in 2002. I was honored when Josh Abramowicz KB3GWY,
now KK4WDP, my son, was nominated by a fellow Scouter to receive the
award and we met in Huntsville where Bill presented it. We lost Bill in
2015. However, his legacy lives on as the Amateur Radio Newsline staff unanimously agreed to attach his name to the award to honor his memory.
Now, it's up to you! We here at Newsline need your help to identify a
young person 18 years or younger living in the Continental USA to
nominate for the 2022 award. The nomination form and details are
available on our website - arnewsline.org. We only accept online
nominations to speed the process and make it easier for you to compile
photos, letters, emails, and anything else you can think of to help us
get to know the young person you're endorsing. The most important link
right now in all of this is you. Don't wait until the last minute
because a good nomination packet takes time to prepare. The deadline
for nominations is May 31.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V.

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the N7OEI repeater in Navajo and Apache counties, Arizona, on Thursdays
at 7 p.m. local time.
**
IN NEW ZEALAND, GOING TO ANY LENGTH FOR A QSO

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Many, many amateurs search for the "Biggest and best
antenna." At their recent field day, however, some hams in New Zealand
proved they would go to ANY lengths - and we do mean ANY lengths. Jim
Meachen ZL2BHF brings us that story.

JIM: "That's not an antenna ! THIS IS AN ANTENNA!" Chris ZL4RA led a
group on the South Island of New Zealand, looking to try something
"different" in the 2022 Jock White Memorial Field Day on the last
weekend in February.

Chris had scouted out a ZL3 SOTA Summit. He, Russ ZL4JW, and Jim ZL4JI
had a plan: operating portable with a quarter-kilometre long-wire. Yes, portable. The antenna was to cross a gully pointing north-northeast to
cover NZ and perhaps into VK as well. That's three wavelengths on 80
metres and six on 40 metres! Or, as Chris describes it, "ridiculously
long." It took some effort to install the 20-foot masts in the wind and
rain and to run the wire. One back stake support was a problem due to
the strain on it from this length of wire, but it survived."

The results? Success, even with just 100 watts maximum power. Although
the antenna bandwidth was a bit narrow, both transmit and receive
signals were strong. Saturday brought some unexpected QRM but by Sunday
the antenna was truly "going the distance." And that's the long and
short of it!

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(CHRIS RIO ZL4RA)

**

REGISTRATION OPENS FOR SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE SYMPOSIUM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If the technical side of amateur radio interests you,
this next report from John Williams VK4JJW might be of special
interest.

JOHN: Registration has begun for the South African Radio League's
technical symposium, which will explore amateur radio technology. The
virtual event is being held on Saturday the 9th of April on the
Bluejeans platform. Presenters include Sylvain Azarian, F4GKR,
president of IARU Region 1, who will talk about software defined radio
and various ham radio applications. Cor Rademeyer, ZS6CR, will discuss
ways to analyse GPS position data to detect RF propagation
disturbances. Brian Jacobs, ZS6YZ, will update everyone on the
league's next-generation beacon project. Other discussions will cover
the AMSAT-South Africa AfriCUBE satellites and SARL100 project, which
is preparing for the league's centennial celebration.

The symposium is free for members of SARL and AMSAT-South Africa. Find
the link to register in this week's text version of this Newsline
report.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: ttps://tinyurl.com/rapc2kdu ]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE)

**
THOUSANDS MAKE CONTACT DURING PLUTO SPECIAL EVENT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The pileups have quieted down and it's all over but the counting after the Pluto Anniversary Special event held last month.
Randy Sly W4XJ has the numbers.

RANDY: Over 6,500 hams reached for the stars last month but were happy
to reach a dwarf planet instead. From February 14th to the 21st,
amateur radio operators celebrated the discovery of Pluto by contacting
W7P and W7P/0 for the Pluto Anniversary Special Event. This annual
countdown will last until the centennial of the discovery in 2030. Most
of the operation took place from a trailer at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff Arizona where Clyde Tombaugh changed the understanding of our
solar system on February 18th, 1930.

Held in conjunction with the "I Heart Pluto Festival" at the
observatory, the event is in its second year, organized by the Northern
Arizona DX Association, under the coordination of Bob Wertz, NF7E.

The final tally may show as many at 7,500 contacts logged by the 18
operators on W7P and the five operators on W7P/0, which was led by Doug Tombaugh, N3PDT, nephew of the famed astronomer. The team was contacted
by stations from all 50 US states and 57 countries. For QSL
information, look up W7P on QRZ.com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**
ACTIVATORS GET TO NAME NEW UNNAMED SUMMITS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you claim it and it has no name, you name it: that's
the concept behind a new challenge from managers of the international
HEMA summit awards scheme. Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us what's going on.

ED: The Southern Bavaria Association of HEMA added 101 summits to its
list of those that can be activated under the award scheme on February
the 26th. HEMA summits have a prominence of between 100 and 150
metres. They all have a code with a latitude and longitude designation
but several are lacking a name. The new option allows the first
activator of any summit currently described as "No Name" to give that
summit a name within the HEMA system. The name cannot be rude,
slanderous or contain any words that are trademarked. Otherwise, use
your best operating strategy when you're on the summit and then....come
back down and use your imagination: Submit your log, along with a
proposed name.

For details of the scheme, visit HEMA dot ORG dot UK.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(DD5LP ASSOCIATION MANAGER HEMA DL)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, there's less than a year to go for the 3Y0J Bouvet
Island DXpedition, according to an announcement from the team.
Operators have confirmed that January 6 2023, is their scheduled date
to leave Cape Town, South Africa for their destination aboard the
vessel SV Marama. The DXpedition is expected to be active for 44 days
in all. The operators are building in a contingency week. Bouvet is the second-most-wanted DXCC entity.

Be listening for Wies, SP1EG; Hans, DK8RE; Frank, DM5WF; and Hans,
DL8UUF operating as OH0EG from Fasta Aland, the largest island in the
Finnish archipelago. They will be on the air between April 1st and 9th, operating on 160 through 10 metres. Station OH0EG will participate in
the Polish SP DX Contest on April 2nd and 3rd, using CW and SSB during
the contest. Outside of the contest, operators may also use the
callsigns as OH0/DM5WF and OH0/DK8RE.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: IN AUSTRALIA, A WATERBORNE CONTEST STAYS AFLOAT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Last week we ended our newscast with a story about boat anchors. This week, Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us something about some
other boats that occasionally become useful to hams in Australia: the
ferries in Sydney.

JASON: Now here's an amateur radio contest that has managed to stay
afloat for a number of years but, let's face it, these hams have
traditionally had a bit of help: They have boarded ferries in and
around Sydney Harbour for what has customarily been a six-hour
competition on UHF and VHF with their HTs. This year's event by the
Waverley Amateur Radio Society is still afloat, of course, but the
pandemic has taken it mostly to dry dock and shortened it to a
four-hour contest. Hams, as always, adapt to circumstances. Competitors
for the Sunday March 6th event were asked to operate on land or their
own boats within sight of the harbour and to avoid mingling with ferry passengers. The contest rules allow operators to use repeaters or to
make their contacts simplex. The rules even permitted operating from
home or a mobile station.

In the tricky waters of this global pandemic, the Waverly Club has
adjusted, realising that what works is whatever floats your
boat....ornot.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(SOUTHGATE, WAVERLY AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the Antique Wireless Museum; ARRL; the
BBC; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; the DARC; Ed Gable, K2MP/W2AN;
NEXUS-IBA; Ohio Penn DX; QRZ.com; the Radio Society of Great Britain;
South African Radio League; Southgate Amateur Radio News;
shortwaveradio.de; SWLing Post; Waverly Amateur Radio Society; WRMI;
YouTube; 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 you all.

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. As always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

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