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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2342 for Friday September 16th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2342 with a release date of Friday September 16th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Some US satellites may face stricter disposal
rules soon. Researchers work to make smaller antennas with bigger
performance - and German regulators look to add a new class of amateur
license. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2342
comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART
**
US FCC SEEKS STRICTER DISPOSAL PLAN FOR SATELLITES

DON/ANCHOR: The US Federal Communications Commission wants to put
domestic satellites on notice - at least, some of them - regarding
their eviction from space once the satellites no longer function. Kent
Peterson KC0DGY explains.

KENT: In an effort to clean up space junk in low Earth orbit, the FCC
hopes to act this month in setting a deadline that would require dead non-geostationary satellites to be removed from space within five
years. The proposal shortens the period established by NASA guidelines
setting a 25-year period, which is voluntary, for such satellite
disposal.

The new regulation, if approved, would not apply to any domestic
satellites already in orbit. It would also give some breathing room to organizations whose satellite launches have already been approved so
those groups can have a disposal plan in place before the launch date.

The FCC is proposing a two-year grandfathering period that would begin
on Sept. 29, the day the FCC has scheduled its vote. In response to
NASA's concerns about the potential impact on CubeSats, the FCC said it intended to grant waivers on a case-by-case basis.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a post on Twitter [quote]
"Our space economy is moving fast. For it to continue to grow, we need
to do more to clean up after ourselves so space innovation can continue
to expand." [endquote]

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(ENGADGET, TWITTER)

**
SMALLER ANTENNAS, BIGGER PERFORMANCE

DON/ANCHOR: Just how small can a small antenna be? Researchers in the
US are studying that challenge now, hoping to accomplish an antenna
that offers economy in space without compromising performance. Neil
Rapp WB9VPG gives us the details.

NEIL: A United States agency has begun tackling a longstanding
challenge that comes with the use of electrically small antennas. While
these antennas are space-saving assets that are noticeably shorter than
the wavelengths of the signals they handle, the antennas themselves
have significant limitations. As they get smaller, they lose bandwidth
and radiation efficiency. These antennas have been in use for many
decades and can be found, for instance, on satellites.

Researchers with the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects
Activity agency have begun a four-year project to surpass these kinds
of limitations. The initiative is called the Effective Quantitative
Antenna Limits for Performance program.

Program manager Paul Kolb told the IEEE Spectrum magazine that within
three years, the teams must show that they have an actual antenna with
a 6-dB gain in performance over existing electrically small antennas.
The ultimate goal is to establish a 10-decibel gain in antenna
performance in the HF and UHF bands. Kolb told the spectrum that in the
last year of the project, researchers will be required to produce an
antenna with the sought-after 10-db gain.

The teams are being required to validate all results with independent
labs. Kolb said such antennas aren't likely to become viable for the
commercial market.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(IEEE SPECTRUM)

**
REPEATER DEDICATED TO 6 WHO DIED ON 9/11

DON/ANCHOR: While much of the United States marked Sunday, Sept. 11th,
in solemn public ceremonies remembering the terror attacks of 2001, the
New England Emergency Communications Network dedicated a new digital
repeater site in memory of six broadcast engineers who died that day in
New York City. Jim Damron N8TMW has that story.

JIM: The New England Emergency Communications Network, which links 90
amateur radio service repeaters in the northeastern United States,
brought a new digital repeater on the air on Sunday, September 11th.
The date is not insignificant. As he put the 2-meter repeater into
full-time operation on the air, Andrew N1MYY read a statement
acknowledging the anniversary of the terror attacks. A broadcast
engineer himself, Andrew dedicated the repeater to the six broadcast
engineers who died that day when the World Trade Center was destroyed.
They were Donald DiFranco of WABC-TV; Bob Pattison and Isaias
[eye-say-us] Rivera, both of WCBS, and three hams who became Silent
Keys that day: Steven Jacobsen, N2SJ, of WPIX-TV; William Steckman,
WA2ACW, of WNBC; and Rod Coppola, KA2KET, of WNET-TV.

The repeater's full-time operation now adds to the network's strength
for public service and emergency preparedness in the region. This is
Jim Damron N8TMW.

(ANDREW DENONCOUR N1MYY; NYRADIOWORLD, SOUTHGATE)

**
RSGB CANCELS JUBILEE ACTIVITIES AFTER QUEEN'S DEATH

DON/ANCHOR: In Great Britain, Jubilee activities have been halted on
the air during the somber time following the death of Queen Elizabeth
II. Jeremy Boot G4NJH is here with that report.

JEREMY: The Radio Society of Great Britain has halted its Jubilee
activities as a mark of respect for the Queen following her death. The
Society has updated its website to reflect this and has cancelled its Innovation 70 award for creative and innovative design. Meanwhile,
amateurs who collected QSOs for the Jubilee Award 70 during the month
of June may still apply for the award before the 31st of October. See
the RSGB website for details at rsgb.org.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RSGB)

**
ACCESS TO 60M BAND GROWS ON AFRICAN CONTINENT

DON/ANCHOR: An increasing number of hams are getting access to 60
meters, including the latest group of nations in southern Africa. Jason
Daniels VK2LAW brings us that report.

JASON: Hams in various parts of southern Africa have gained access to
the 60 metre band recently. The South African Radio League reports that
South Africa is permitted the range of frequencies from 5.350.0 to
5.450.0 MHz on a non-interference basis at a maximum output power of
100 watts EIRP and 5.290 MHz for WSPR beacons. Namibia, eSwatini,
Mozambique and Zimbabwe have been given the WRC-15 allocation from
5.351.5 to 5.366.5 MHz with 15W EIRP. Kenya has 5.275 MHz to 5.450 MHz
on a secondary basis with 400 watts. The league wrote on its Facebook
page that it is still awaiting official confirmation from Botswana,
Lesotho, Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(FACEBOOK SARL)

**
GERMANY PROPOSES ENTRY LEVEL AMATEUR CLASS LICENSE

DON/ANCHOR: There may be big changes ahead in Germany later this year
for people hoping to get an entry-level amateur license. We learn more
from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Germany is hoping to make it easier for people to get involved
in amateur radio by adding a third class of licence at the entry level,
with low power and restricted operations. Germany's Federal Ministry
for Digital Affairs and Transport said in a press release that the
proposed N-class licence would have a greatly simplified test
concentrating on regulations, operations and basic technology.
Germany's other two classes are the A, or Full class, and the E, which
is Novice - or intermediate - class.

A report on the ICQ podcast noted that N class licensees will have
access to 2m and 70cm, using no more than 10 watts EIRP. Ronny Jerke,
DG2RON, said in the report that the beginner class is designed to
comply with international requirements. N class holders will also be
permitted to use hotspots and other radio devices they have built
themselves.

According to the Federal Ministry, the new regulation could be in place
as early as November of this year.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ICQ PODCAST, FEDERAL MINISTRY FOR DIGITAL AFFAIRS AND TRANSPORT)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the Elmore County Amateur Radio Club's K7ECI repeater in Mountain Home,
Idaho on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. local time.

**
CANADIAN LICENSE-HOLDERS ASKED TO WEIGH IN ON CALLSIGNS

DON/ANCHOR: Radio Amateurs of Canada is hoping to push for some changes
that affect license-holders' callsigns and the group is asking for
input. We hear the details from Andy Morrison K9AWM.

ANDY: Radio amateurs who hold a Canadian Certificate and have a
Canadian callsign are being asked to complete a survey for Radio
Amateurs of Canada, which wants to advocate for changes in policies
regarding Canadian callsigns. The results of the survey will be used by
the RAC to come up with proposals to show Innovation Science and
Economic Development Canada, the governmental regulator.

According to the RAC website, hams are being asked to weigh in on
questions about special-event callsign authorisations, two-letter
suffixed callsigns, the handling of callsigns for Silent Keys; and
various special prefix authorisations. The survey will also explore
whether it should be mandatory for hams to change their callsigns if
they relocate to another region in Canada. Hams are also being asked
whether callsigns with one suffix letter should be issued as permanent
personal call signs.

This is just a sampling of the issues included in the survey, which
opened on the 5th of August and will remain accessible to hams until
the 30th of September. Though the questions are thorough, they take no
more than 10 or 15 minutes to complete. The survey was created by Dave
Goodwin, VE3KG, the RAC's regulatory affairs officer.

Amateurs holding Canadian callsigns wishing to take part in the survey
can do so by using the link in the text version of this week's newscast
at arnewsline.org

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

[FOR PRINT ONLY:
https://www.rac.ca/canadian-amateurs-call-sign-policy-survey/ ]

(RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA)

**
ARRL GRANT MAKES ARKANSAS SCHOOL CLUB A REALITY

DON/ANCHOR: School is only back in session barely a week for many
youngsters in the United States but one group of teenagers already has
some serious homework to do. Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us about their
assignment.

DAVE: It's official: Cave City High School in Arkansas, has its own
radio club at last. The club recently received its charter from the
American Radio Relay League along with an $8,000 grant from the ARRL's
Grant Foundation. Those funds will be used to purchase and install
radio equipment, including a local repeater. Science teacher Lynn
Williams, N5TLW, told the Guard On Line that the club received lots of
support from the Batesville Area Radio Club whose members helped the
high school club's president, Ithyca Bacon, KI5QOS, get things in
motion. The students are hoping their station and the repeater will be
on the air within the next few months. In the meantime, the school club
is going to host a number of informational meetings for community
members who want to learn more.

The achievement is bittersweet for many involved in setting up the new
club. The president of the Batesville area amateurs, Steve Shelton,
AE5RU, became a Silent Key on the 27th of August. Lynn, who is a member
of the Batesville club, said on the Batesville club's Facebook page
that the success of the students' efforts to form the Cave City High
School Amateur Radio Club comes in large part due to Steve's dedication
to that effort. He wrote: [quote] "The current and future students in
the club will benefit from his influence." [endquote]

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.


(GUARDONLINE, FACEBOOK)

**

CHINA RESCHEDULES LICENSE EXAMS FOR 'C' CLASS

DON/ANCHOR: Candidates for the top-level amateur license in China have
a few more weeks to wait to take their exam, which has been postponed.
Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has that story.

JIM: Amateurs in China will soon sit for a technical proficiency
assessment being given for those seeking the highest class of the
nation's amateur radio licence - the "C" class. C class hams are
permitted up to 1 kW of power on bands below 30 MHz and 25 watts above
30 MHz. The exam will be held in Beijing on November 5th and will be
overseen by the Beijing Radio Association.

The announcement came from the Chinese Radio Amateurs Club, the
national ham radio association, which said that the assessment had
originally been scheduled for October 22nd but had to be rescheduled.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(CRAC, SOUTHGATE)

**

EQUIPMENT SETS SAIL FOR PALAU DXPEDITION

DON/ANCHOR: It won't be long now before 15 hundred pounds, or 680
kilograms, of equipment for the T88WA DXpedition arrives at its
destination: The Republic of Palau in the western Pacific Ocean. The
ship set sail on the 7th of September. The operators, members of the
Western Washington DX Club, are to leave the United States at the end
of October: Justin, K5EM; Jack, N7JP; Rob, N7QT; Brian, N9ADG; and
Robin, WA7CPA, the only YL in the group. The expedition will take place
inside an operating bungalow between November 2nd and 14th using three
stations and six antennas. One hexbeam will be pointed towards Europe
and another towards North America. The group writes on their page on
QRZ.com that they are hoping to make the first activation of 60m from
Palau and be lucky enough to give EU contacts on the low bands.

(QRZ)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Stephen, VK3SN, on the air from
Christmas Island for a week beginning the 24th of September. He is a
member of the Christmas Island Amateur Radio Club and will use the
club's call sign, VK9XX. Be listening during the afternoons and
evenings local time when he will be using SSB and FT8 on the HF bands.
For details visit the club website at c i a r c dot org dot au
(ciarc.org.au)

Be listening for Pablo, LU7MT, operating as 5K0C; Daniel, LU9FHF,
operating as 5J0DX, Jose Louis, LU1FM, operating as 5K0T, and
Alejandro, LU8YD, operating as 5K0YD, from San Andres Island, IOTA
number NA-033, from September 16th through to the 25th. Listen on the
HF bands as well as 6m. The hams will also be making use of various
satellites. They will be using CW, SSB and FT8/FT4. For QSL
information, check the QRZ.com pages for the individual calls.

Listen for Kevin, 2E0KKV, Peter, G4UIX, Stuart, M0SGV, and Ray, M0XDL
using the callsign GB0IOW from the Island of Wight, through the 23rd of September. This is a trip by the South Dorset Radio Society. Listen on
the HF bands where operators will be using SSB and various digital
modes, especially FT8. QSL via eQSL or LoTW. For direct QSL, send
toM0XDL.

Special event stations 7Z92ND, 8Z92ND and HZ92ND are now active until September 25th in Saudi Arabia to mark the 92nd anniversary of the
"Unification Day for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" and "Saudi N ational
Day." Free electronic awards are available at the level of gold, silver
and bronze for hams who request them by email. QSL all callsigns via
HZ1SAR, the Saudi Amateur Radio Society.

In Northern Ireland, Pastor Brian Madden, GI0RWO, will be using the
special callsign GB0KC to celebrate the new King Charles the Third, as
well as remembering the passing and the exemplary service of Queen
Elizabeth the Second. There were no details about modes but the DX
clusters have shown him on 20 and 40 meters SSB. QSL via E-mail. Send
details of your QSO to him at pastorbrianmadden at me dot com (pastorbrianmadden@me.com)

(OHIO PENN DX, VK3SN)

**
KICKER: HISTORIC PAGODA IN PENNSYLVANIA COMES ALIVE WITH RADIO

DON/ANCHOR: For our final story, we ask: What does a Japanese-style
pagoda that became a historical landmark for a Pennsylvania community
have to do with a radio club's centennial anniversary? Amateur Radio
Newsline's Mark Abramowicz (Abram-o-vich) NT3V takes us on a journey
for the answer.

MARK: To residents of the town of Reading, Pennsylvania, The Pagoda
here atop Mount Penn has been a part of the skyline since the early
1900s. It has become the most recognizable tourist attraction and
symbol for Reading for more than 100 years.

Local historians say it was built to cover up a developer's gravel
quarry damage to the mountain overlooking this city. The seven-story
structure, modeled after an actual Japanese pagoda, was supposed to
become a luxury hotel.

But the history books say its owner failed to get Pennsylvania's
permission to serve alcoholic beverages there. The owner claimed his
pagoda never realized its full potential and he went bankrupt.

By 1911, the city officials bought The Pagoda for a dollar and opened
it to the public as a local attraction. More than 60 years later, it
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Pagoda became a natural symbol for the emblem adopted by the
Reading Radio Club, which is marking its 100th anniversary this year.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the club will be on the air from The Pagoda as a
special event station using the club call sign W3BN.

Three other HF stations using W3BN also will be on the air from the
Reading area for 12 hours to give amateurs an opportunity to join the
party and earn a keepsake color certificate featuring a photo of
Reading's historic Pagoda.

You'll find more on the Reading Radio Club's Facebook page or on
QRZ.com, search W3BN.

I'm Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, in Reading, Pennsylvania.

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the ARRL; CQ Magazine; the CRAC; David
Behar K7DB; Engadget; Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and
Transport; GuardonLine; ICQ Podcast; IEEE Spectrum; Ohio Penn DX;
QRZ.com; Radio Amateurs of Canada; Reading Radio Club; South African
Radio League; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; 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
Don Wilbanks AE5DW in Picayune Mississippi saying 73. As always we
thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2022.
All rights reserved.

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