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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2347 for Friday October 21st, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2347 with a release date of Friday
October 21st, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An emerging science and technology center gets
a major financial boost. A new book takes a deeper look at QSL cards
--and some surprises for Halloween, as the holiday approaches. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2347 comes your way
right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
BOOST FOR MAKING TESLA LAB A GLOBAL SCIENCE CENTER

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with news that the former
laboratory of inventor Nikola Tesla has received major funding to
further its development into a major science and technology center.
Kevin Trotman N5PRE has that story.

KEVIN: Designed by the noted architect Stanford White at the turn of
the previous century and a welcoming place today for scientists,
historians and amater radio operators, the former laboratory of 20th
century innovator Nikola Tesla has been chosen to receive a $500,000
grant from the National Parks Service and the National Endowment of the
Arts. The funds will be used to help pay for restoration of the Long
Island, New York property and transform it into a museum and
educational science center honoring the spirit of Tesla's
groundbreaking work.

Known as Wardenclyffe Lab, it became the home to many of Tesla's
discoveries in radio and other aspects of technology. He had created
the Long Island lab as a kind of "radio city" with the goal of
transmitting electricity and information wirelessly. The site was
especially well-known for a transmitter tower that was 187 feet high
above ground and reached 120 feet below ground level. That tower is
long since gone.

This is Tesla's only surviving laboratory and it is a landmark, having
been added to the US National Historic Register in 2018. Amateur radio
has an active interest in the property as well and the site recently
hosted the 75th anniversary celebration and special event station of
the Suffolk County Radio Club.

I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(LONG ISLAND BUSINESS.COM)

**
BOOK SHOWCASES QSL CARDS' DESIGN AND TYPOGRAPHY

JIM/ANCHOR: If you enjoy sending and receiving QSL cards, you're not
alone. This next story from Jack Parker W8ISH, celebrates the art of
those still-popular cards.

JACK: The legacy of Charles Hellman, W2RP, continues. At the time
Charlie became a Silent Key in 2017, the 106-year-old New York amateur
was considered the oldest amateur in the US and likely the longest
licensed. Active almost right up to the year he died, Charlie amassed a collection of QSL cards that, so many years later, is now carrying a
different message to the world, one about graphic design and
communication between people.

One hundred fifty cards in Charlie's collection, which were later
purchased by a designer visiting a local antique shop, are now the
subject of a soon-to-be published book on typography and graphics. Its
title: "QSL: Do you Confirm Receipt of My Transmission?" The
collection's owner, Roger Bova, made the cards available to Standards
Manual, an independent publisher in Brooklyn, New York that specializes
in books about design history. The book features the simple, bold
design of the card from RB0HZ, confirming a 1986 contact on 20m, SSB.
In contrast, there is a whimsical, cartoonish card from DM3EJ for a
1979 SSB contact on 10m. Many of the pages are full and rich and
colorful.

The publisher's cofounder, Jesse Reed, told PrintMag.com in a recent
interview that the cards are as much a study in design as in
communication in the age before the internet took hold. They are
presented, in the book, in chronological order.

No doubt Charlie, a retired New York City educator, might be pleased to
know he is still providing a means for people everywhere to expand
their knowledge.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(STANDARDS MANUAL, PRINTMAG.COM, QCWA)

**
LATEST HONOR CONFERRED FOR WORKED ALL BRITAIN FOUNDERS BOWL

JIM/ANCHOR: Of course, some amateurs' collections extend beyond QSL
cards. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about one ham in England who just
added to a different kind of collection.

JEREMY: Some amateurs are proud of their collection of QSL cards. Karl
Kruger 2E0FEH takes special pride in his collection of trophies. The
latest conferred upon him is the inscription of his name on the
Founders Bowl from Worked All Britain for 2021. The award not only
recognises him as a high-scoring chaser for a half-decade but
acknowledges the articles he has written for the Worked All Britain
magazine and his support and advice given to operators.

Chasers face the seemingly daunting task of hunting all kinds of
locator squares throughout Britain, starting with the 100km big squares
and then 10km smaller squares within them. Karl's efforts include
helping chasers locate and work portable stations that operate from
squares where there are no resident hams. There are, of course, other
types of ways to earn points, with coastal squares, islands,
lighthouses and waterway lights.

Karl has been involved in these big and small chases for quite
sometime.

He told Newsline [quote] "the best bit after a period of time, [is
when] you start collecting trophies. I have quite a collection now in
my cabinet. It's taken a few years to do and a lot of air time but
trust me, it's worth it." [endquote]

Karl said the awards scheme is open to Shortwave Listeners and even
overseas operators, who might actually find the collection easier from
a QTH outside Britain. He told Newsline [quote]: "Be warned. It is
addictive." [endquote]

I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

**
SPECIAL EVENT STATION COMMEMORATES LAKE SUPERIOR TRAGEDY

JIM/ANCHOR: Even if you're not in the United States, you may have heard
of the tragedy of the freighter that sank during a storm in 1975 in one
of the Great Lakes. The vessel's story is being told again with the
help of a special event station, as we hear from Sel Embee KZ3TZD.

SEL: In the state of Michigan, the story of the tragedy cannot be told
enough: On November 10th, 1975, an American freighter, the SS Edmund
Fitzgerald was sent to the bottom of Lake Superior. The crew of 29 lost
their lives that day. That story will be shared once again between
October 30th and November 13th by members of the Livonia Amateur Radio
Club, K8UNS, as they operate as special event station W8F. On Saturday, November 5th, the operation will also be at the Dossin Great Lakes
Museum from 1600 to 2030 UTC. This is also a POTA activation and an
entity in the US Islands Awards scheme. The museum and the Detroit
Historical Society are hosting the event, hoping that amateurs from
around the world will make contact and that visitors to the museum will
observe the portable ham station on its day of operation there. Hams
who log W8F as a contact will be issued a confirmation certificate.

See the QRZ.com page for special event station W8F for more details.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(QRZ.COM)

**

NO BARE-BONES OPERATION FOR HALLOWEEN

JIM/ANCHOR: Here in the United States, as Halloween approaches, people
have been growing increasingly creative in the ways they decorate their
homes for the holiday. Meet one ham in Denver, Colorado, who carries
the theme way above all the others - way, way above - because it's on
his roof. Neil Rapp WB9VPG gives us the details.

NEIL: If you look at the photos on his page on QRZ.com, you'll notice
right away that Keifer Hunniford, K3IFR, doesn't exactly have a shack
that you'd call a bare-bones operation. Well, Halloween has changed all
that. His wife, Ari, is a big fan of the holiday and recently brought
home nine skeletons from the local Home Depot. Some of them are now
scattered around the couple's yard and a few are hanging off the roof
of their house in various poses. The luckiest skeleton of the bunch got
the highest visibility of all: Keifer has him mounted on his antenna,
and the installation required - you guessed it - only a skeleton crew.
Keifer zip-tied that festive bunch of bones into place to keep him
secure through the end of the month.

We're not sure whether its presence has an impact on Keifer's SWR
-that's Skeleton-Wave-Ratio - but we do know it has scared up a lot of
interest locally and on Facebook too, where he posted a picture. It has
turned their house into quite a haunt - and if any neighbors should try
to compete with it... let's just say.....they don't stand a ghost of a
chance.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

**
BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
WB0QXW repeaters in St. Louis Missouri on Monday nights following the
World Friendship Net which begins at 7 p.m. local time on EchoLink.

**
NEW YOUNG AMATEURS LICENSED IN SOUTH AFRICA

JIM/ANCHOR: Here at Newsline we always celebrate the licensing of new
hams, especially among the younger generation. Graham Kemp VK4BB is
here with some more reasons for us all to celebrate.

GRAHAM: The Hammies Amateur Radio Club, ZS6ZU, is celebrating yet
another graduation. The latest group of youngsters who'd been studying
to sit for their Class B - the entry-level licence - passed their
recent examinations. The club, a member of the South African Radio
League, has prospective licence-holders work with volunteer tutors
learning theory and completing hands-on projects. The youngsters are
usually between the ages of 9 and 15. Congratulations to everyone for a
job well done.

I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

**
HAM RADIO ARCHIVE TO DIGITIZE CLUB, PERSONAL DOCUMENTS

JIM/ANCHOR: Is it possible to digitize amateur radio history? Well, the Internet Archive is planning to do just that - and it needs your help.
Andy Morrison K9AWM explains.

ANDY: If you want to be a part of history, here's your chance. The
Internet Archive is asking ham radio operators to look in their
collections of printed and digital materials as well as any personal
materials for inclusion in a digital library providing a window into
the history of the amateur radio community. The library is especially interested in collecting material that documents contributions by any
groups who historically may have been marginalized in the ham
community, such as women and people of color.

A recent grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications is
underwriting the development of the library, which will give open
access to educators, students, researchers and members of the public.
The library is called the Digital Library of Amateur Radio and
Communications. Print materials, such as newsletters, pamphlets and
journals, will be digitized for easier access. To enrich the collection further, developers of the library are hoping to conduct oral histories
of influential individuals active in amateur radio.

If you think you have materials that could be useful for the library,
email Kay Savetz, K6KJN, the program manager of special collections.
Writing on the Internet Archive blog, Kay noted that he was especially interested in obscure materials, including locally produced ham radio newsletters and small magazines. Kay can be reached at kay@achive.org

I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(GIZMODO, HACKADAY, INTERNET ARCHIVE BLOG)

**

WEST VIRGINIA STUDENTS FORM COLLEGE HAM CLUB

JIM/ANCHOR: The newest team on the campus of Marshall University in
Huntington, West Virginia isn't involved in varsity sports but amateur
radio. Sharing the same name as the school's athletes, the Thundering
Herd Amateur Radio Club is getting a foothold with a core group of six
members, including founder Jacob Wriston, KE8PWC. Jacob is a pre-med
student majoring in biology and a ham for two years. He told Newsline
that one of the most immediate things on the club's agenda is to help unlicensed members study for the FCC exam and to grow the size of the
club. There's lot of studying to be done and of course some paperwork
too so the club can apply for a callsign and establish a shack on
campus.

Meanwhile, Jacob has been exploring the HF bands and perfecting the art
of antenna-building. He told Newsline that hands-on projects are
perhaps his favorite part of the hobby. It looks like one of those
projects, the Thundering Herd Amateur Radio Club, is coming to
fruition.

(JACOB WRISTON, KE8PWC)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Dan, K6ZO, operating from Malawi
as 7Q6M until the end of November. He is on 160-6m and will be
participating in the CQWW SSB and CW contests. QSL to his home
callsign.

The Qatar Amateur Radio Society is activating a number of special event stations until the 18th of December marking the FIFA World Cup in
Qatar, where 32 teams will compete across 64 matches. Amateur radio
stations will be using all modes on all HF bands and the QO100
satellite. Operators at the Qatar ham group headquarters and at Doha
Corniche will be using the call sign A722FWC. Eight other stations will
also be operating as World Cup Stadium stations. They begin with the
call sign A71FIFA and continue in numerical order through to A78FIFA.
QSL via the QARS bureau or direct by instructions on QRZ.com. Logs will
be uploaded to LoTW once the event is over.

Listen for Jaap PA7DA, operating from Aruba with the call sign P40DA
from November 13th through to the 27th. QSL via the Dutch QSL Bureau to
his home call sign. For direct QSL information, see his QRZ.com page.

Listen for Oleg, ZS1ANF, who hopes to be on the air as ZS7ANF at Wolf's
Fang Runway in Antarctica starting on November 1st. QSL details are on
QRZ.com

(DX-WORLD.NET)

**
KICKER: HAMS' HALLOWEEN RADIO PLAY HAS JUST THE SPIRIT

JIM/ANCHOR: Finally, many of us know the unexpected problems -- and the
perks -- of operating portable. What if you are a ham who also works in commercial radio and dreams up a different kind of portable operation
for Halloween? One from a spooky old house? Ralph Squillace KK6ITB ends
our newscast with a story about this thriller.

RALPH: Ken Alan, WU6I, is haunted by radio wherever he goes. If he's
not on the air as an amateur Extra Class operator, he's recording
voiceovers and involved in other commercial projects. During this
Halloween season however, the spirits moved him to cross over into the
Great Beyond, that ethereal space somewhere between the F-layer of the ionosphere and the rest of eternity, the ancient realm known as radio
drama. His 40-minute radio play "Sparks & Baxter Spend the Night in
Murder Mansion" takes portable to a whole new level of activation.

The plot? A popular radio morning team sets up a remote broadcast on
Halloween Eve and experiences the kind of radio interference the FCC
can't help them with. There's even a seance, the equivalent of calling
QRZ on the spirits' frequency.

With mostly original sound effects and ghoulish music, the drama
presents a chance for Ken and another amateur radio friend to be hams
of a different sort. You can conjure it all up on the 'Ken Alan Voices'
YouTube channel but not until Halloween Eve at midnight Pacific Time.
It promises to be....a scream.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.....or, call me Baxter.

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the ARRL; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; Facebook; Gizmodo; Hackaday; Internet Archive Blog; Jacob Wriston, KE8PWC; Karl Kruger, 2E0FEH; Ohio Penn DX; QRZ.com; Southgate
Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Standards Manual; Printmag.com;
Worked All Britain; 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 Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West Virginia saying 73.
As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

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