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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2473 for Friday, March 21st, 2025 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2473 with a release date of Friday, March
21st, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The Voice of America and other international
news services are being dismantled. The stranded NASA astronauts are
home at last -- and New Zealand gets a new mobile emergency operations
center for disaster response. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2473 comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
US GOVT TO SHUT VOA AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL NEWS SERVICES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where the
US Agency for Global Media has been marked for defunding. Voice of
America, Radio Free Europe, Radio Free Asia and Radio Marti are among
the international news services that the White House says it is
preparing to dismantle. Kent Peterson KC0DGY gives us the details.

KENT: Voice of America, a shortwave service launched in 1942 during the
Second World to bring news to countries under authoritarian control, is
among US-based news programming for overseas audiences targeted in a
deep cut by the Trump administration. According to various media
reports, VOA employees have been notified that they were all being
placed on paid administrative leave with full benefits - effective
immediately. Cuts to VOA, as well as Radio Free Europe, Radio Free
Asia, Radio Marti and others are the result of reductions taking place
inside the US Agency for Global Media, where these programs originate.
These cuts are part of the ongoing down-sizing of the US government.
The agency operates with congressional funding to deliver news in 64
languages to listeners around the world via six networks, some of which
were created during the Cold War. VOA's first broadcast, made in 1942,
was in German and was transmitted to German listeners to counter Nazi propaganda.

The Agency for Global Media's mission statement reads [quote] "to
inform, engage and connect people around the world in support of
freedom and democracy." [endquote]

On Friday the 15th of March, Trump signed the executive order for the
cuts, noting in the language of the order itself that the services
earmarked for reduction have been deemed [quote] "unnecessary."
[Endquote]

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(ASSOCIATED PRESS, CNN)

**
FCC SEEKS PUBLIC SUGGESTIONS ON POSSIBLE DEREGULATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In related news, the FCC is looking for public input on
what rules, regulations or other forms of guidance should be eliminated
as part of the commission's efforts at deregulation. A public notice
has set a deadline of Friday, April 11th for initial comments. Reply
comments are due by Monday, April 28th. The commission is hoping to
hear recommendations based on changes in technology and the market, cost-benefit considerations and regulations that are a barrier to entry
in the communications marketplace. All filings must reference Docket
Number 25-133. On its website, the FCC refers to the document as the
"Delete, Delete, Delete" docket.

(FCC)

**
STRANDED NASA ASTRONAUTS RETURN TO EARTH FROM ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Tuesday night, March 18th, brought a safe splashdown at
long last for Suni Williams KD5PLB and Butch Wilmore, the two NASA
astronauts left stranded on the International Space Station for nine
and a half months after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft
malfunctioned. They splashed down inside the SpaceX Dragon Freedom
capsule off the coast of Florida along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague
KG5TMV and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The 17-hour flight
home ended a saga that began with what was supposed to have been only a
short test flight aboard the Boeing Starliner in June.

(ABC NEWS, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**
YOUNG AMATEURS PREPARE FOR DX YOUTH ADVENTURES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Two trips are planned this year for young radio
operators who are accepted into the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX
Adventure, as we hear from Sel Embee, KB3 T Zed D.

SEL: The adventure promises to be twice as big for young amateurs
participating in the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure experience
in June and July. There are two trips planned.

The first trip takes a group of youngsters to one of the top contesting stations here in the US. The young hams will serve as a team operating
special event station W-3-Y from June 13th to the 15th, hosted by the
K-3-L-R Multi/Multi Contest Station in Pennsylvania.

In July, other young participants will be going to Curaçao to another super-contesting station to operate as P-J-2-Y. The program is being
hosted for the fourth time by the Caribbean Contesting Consortium,
P-J-2-T. This four-day activation will take place from the 17th through
the 22nd of July.

Be on the lookout for applications for both of these trips. In the
meantime, you can visit the team page to get more information. The
website is youthdxa dot org. That's youthdxa - all one word - dot org.

These adventures reflect the spirit and support given the program by
Dave Kalter, K-B-8-O-C-P, the youth adventure's cofounder. Dave became
a Silent Key in November of 2013.

This is Sel Embee, K-B-3-T-Zed-D.

(DAVE KALTER MEMORIAL YOUTH DX ADVENTURE)

**
SILENT KEY: WALTER CARLINGTON, VP9KD, FORMER NET DIRECTOR FOR
CARIBUSNET

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Members of the ham radio community in Bermuda and
beyond are grieving the loss of a friend and active operator. We have
details from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: The callsign of Walter Carlington, VP9KD could be heard often
at the family home in Bermuda when his son, Scott, was growing up.
Walter, who became licensed in March of 1978, became devoted early on
to operating in CW but soon added the joys of SSB to his repertoire.

Walter became a Silent Key at home on the 11th of March. According to
his son, he had been diagnosed with cancer. The retired mechanical
engineer belonged to the Radio Society of Bermuda, the International
Sideband Society and the OMIK [OH MIKE] Amateur Radio Association,
where his fist and his voice were well-known on a number of the group's
nets.

He had also been net director for the Friendly CARIBUS Connection Net
on 2 metres. Walter was 81.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(QRZ.COM, SCOTT CARLINGTON)

**
WORK AT REPEATER SITE COSTS WEST COAST HAM HIS COUNTY JOB

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

GEORGE: Repair work that a ham radio operator and fellow club members
conducted on a shared repeater site in Washington State has cost the
ham his government job.

Asotin County officials said that Russell Pelleberg KA7MPX was not
authorized to give the other members of the Hells Gate Amateur Radio
Club access to the secure site and that their work caused a
communications outage and a power meter disturbance for other users of
the site. County agencies operate two nearby radio repeaters and the
local utility, Clearwater Power Co., also has facilities.

According to a report in the Lewiston Tribune, Pelleberg said he had
discussed the work with county commissioners and they appeared to be supportive. He told investigators that he had even written a resolution
for the county to vote on but there were delays producing the document.
The newspaper report said he has apologized on behalf of the club for proceeding ahead of the necessary vote and that the hams meant no harm.

No criminal charges were filed or recommended. Pelleberg, who has
worked in government for 35 years, was terminated from his job as the
county's public works director in late January.

This is George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU.

(YAHOO NEWS, LEWISTON TRIBUNE)

**
NOMINATE THE NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they
aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur
Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award.
Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or
younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the
spirit of ham radio. Newsline was proud last year to honor Grace Papay,
K8LG, of Holland, Michigan, with this special award. Do you know
someone who might qualify to receive this year's honor? Find
application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open. We are accepting nominations through May31st.

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the K5DUR repeater in Rowlett Texas on Sundays at 7 p.m. local time.

**
US NAVY COMMUNICATORS LOOK TO HAM RADIO TECHNOLOGY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateur radio is showing its strengths inside one
division of the US Navy, as we hear from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

RALPH: Amateur radio has provided the inspiration for a new initiative
within the Resilient Communications program at the US Naval Undersea
Warfare Center Division in the state of Washington. Organizers in
Keyport, Washington, are working to use ham radio's reliability as the
backup for its emergency communications when there are disruptions to
the Internet, computer function or mobile phone services.

Eric Seeley, the division's director of innovation in Keyport, said
that the program embraces the technology of ham radio for this purpose
and will be establishing a network of licensed hams to make use of
amateur radio frequencies when the need arises. Organizers have also
been encouraging nearby naval bases to join in their effort.

The Keyport team is reaching beyond the military too. Everyone needs an
Elmer, so organizers have contacted local ham radio clubs as well as
emergency responders to help with training the new operators to grow
the network. Some members of the team have already obtained their GMRS
license, for General Mobile Radio Service, but acknowledge that the
next step is the FCC's Technician test to become a ham.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(DEFENSE VISUAL INFORMATION DISTRIBUTION SERVICE)

**
SPECIAL EVENT STATION MARKS POLIO VACCINE ANNIVERSARY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams throughout the US are getting on the air to mark
the anniversary of a groundbreaking vaccine that gave hope in the fight
against polio seven decades ago. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us more.

JACK: Members of the Narwhal Amateur Radio Society are marking the 70th anniversary of the approval of the vaccine against polio, which was
developed by the American physician and researcher, Dr. Jonas Salk. On
April 12th, 1955, the US government permitted the use of Salk's
injectable vaccine, which contains inactive forms of the virus. There
had been several epidemics at the time of polio, a paralyzing virus
also known as poliomyelitis.

Radio operators in a number of locations around the US will be calling
"QRZ Salk" or "Polio on the Air" from the 5th through to the 19h of
April and to ensure that everyone has a chance to make contact with the
special event stations, they will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF.
Operators will be using SSB, FT4, FT8, EchoLink and AllStar. The hams
will be using callsigns that spell out the word "Polio," so listen for
W7P, W7O, W7L, W7I and W7O. Each station will be sending out individual
QSL cards so there's an opportunity to collect all five.

The Narwhal operators are also looking for volunteer operators. Anyone
who wants to participate or has questions about the event should send
an email to the address found in the text version of this week's
newscast at arnewsline.org

[EMAIL ADDRESS IS nars@narwhal.be ]

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(NARWHAL AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

**
EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FROM NEW ZEALAND'S NEW MOBILE EOC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A new mobile operations center has just become
available in New Zealand to be deployed for emergency communications
when disaster strikes. We have details from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM: The new mobile Emergency Operations Centre of the Manawatū
District Council was years in the making. Recently unveiled to the
public at Family Fun Day in Victoria Park, Feilding, the EOC was a
concept in administrators' minds for quite some time. They recognised
for a long time that a transportable EOC was essential for Civil
Defence emergencies in a region that has a large rural population.
Until now, the district's urban-based EOC was all everyone had.

The mobile EOC can be trailered from place to place and set up quickly
- usually within a half hour. Once in place, it can accommodate as many
as 40 people and shield them well from winds of up to 100km per hour,
or about 62 miles an hour.

When discussions began years ago, Cyclone Gabrielle was on people's
minds. Hawkes Bay, which is also on the North Island, suffered terribly
during the 2023 storm but mobile coordination centres responded quickly
there, creating a tent city for communications and other assistance.

The NZ Net newsletter quoted Mayor Helen Worboys, who praised the new
EOC and the promise it brings in times of crisis. She said [quote]: "In
times of emergency, every second counts, and having a mobile, highly
equipped response unit like this will make a tremendous difference in
our ability to coordinate effectively and deploy resources quickly."
[endquote]

As the newsletter editors also noted in their report, the new mobile
EOC will be ideal for next year's Field Day operations.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(NZ NET)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, members of A R I Sondrio, IQ2UL, will be on the air
in Italy as special event station II2AUT [EYE EYE TWO A U T] from the
27th of March through to the 10th of April for World Autism Awareness.
QSL via IK2WAD.

Ishmael, 8P6PE is on the air as J87PE from St. Vincent Island until the
30th of March This is a POTA vacation for Ishmael, who can be spotted
in POTA parks on 40 through 6 metres using SSB. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.

Heath, VK3TWO, will be active holiday style as 3D2TWO from Vanua Levu,
IOTA number OC-016, and possibly from Viti Levu, IOTA number OC-016,
in Fiji until the 27th of March. Heath is using SSB and FT8 on 40-6
metres. QSL via his instructions.

Gary, KC9EE, will be active as PJ7EE from Saint Maarten, IOTA number
NA-105, from the 26th of March through to the 6th of April. He will
also participate in the CQ WW WPX SSB contest. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: FOR AM RADIO, SIGNOFF IS A SIGN OF THE TIMES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our last story is a sad postscript that relates to the
debate of AM broadcast radio and perhaps even its relevance. The giant
Cumulus Media has already pulled the plug on AM radio stations such as
KZAC in California, WRIE in Pennsylvania and KPUR in Texas, among many
others. Now one small independent station in New York State has
decided that it too it has had enough. Andy Morrison K9AWM has
thatstory.

ANDY: The website for New York radio station W I R Y-AM, screams:
[quote] "Hometown radio. Playing all the hits from yesteryear to
today." Now after 75 years, however, there will be no hits played for
any tomorrows. The upstate New York State broadcaster has announced it
is going silent, the result of a changing audience and a changing media environment.

Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., are presently debating whether a law is
needed to ensure that carmakers keep AM radio in vehicles sold in the
US -- but for this broadcaster, a locally owned station in the
Champlain Valley, the argument is over and AM radio has lost. WIRY made
its announcement earlier this month. The announcement did not specify
the last day before its transmitter would go silent.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(WPTZ, RADIO INSIGHT)

**
Have you sent in your amateur radio haiku to Newsline's haiku challenge
yet? It's as easy as writing a QSL card. Set your thoughts down using traditional haiku format - a three-line verse with five syllables in
the first line, seven in the second and five in the third. Submit your
work on our website at arnewsline.org - each week's winner gets a
shout-out on our website, where everyone can find the winning haiku.


NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to ABC News; Associated Press; Amateur News
Daily; CNN; Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX Adventure; David Behar K7DB;
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service; FCC; Lewiston Tribute;
Narwhal Amateur Radio Society; NZNet.com; QRZ.com; Radio Insight; Radio
World; Scott Carlington; shortwaveradio.de; Wireless Institute of
Australia; WPTZ Plattsburgh; YahooNews; 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73.
As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

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