EHAM      QTH     QRZ     ARRL      HRO      ICOM      KENWOOD    YAESU  ELBO ROOM

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Nearfest starts for some today....camping open today in the afternoon and you can camp within the fairgrounds, that is a big change and will only happen this time and not in the fall. The hamfest starts tomorrow and ends on Friday at noon.

TUESDAY EDITION: Weather still looking good for Thursday and Friday at Nearfest ham fest....my son and famaily went to Hilton Head with a bunch of friendsfor vacation week. One of his friends got bit by a copperhead while they walking down the street. She spent two days in the hospital being treated....you never know!

The club has 3- 35 amp Astron linear power supplies that need repair. They are not tht hard to repair and fairly easy to troulbe shoot. Pass transistors, bridge rectifier or the chip on the regulator board are usually the culprit. If it blows fuses, usually the bridge rectifier or sometimes a bad capacitor....wonky voltage, the regulator board....I just can't get motivated and changing the bridge rectifiers are a PITA...

Pennsylvania Trolley Museum to ‘dial back the decades’ in vintage communications weekend

The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum will be hosting its first-ever vintage communications weekend. On May 4 and 5, visitors will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich history of communications technology. The weekend will showcase how communication has evolved, with antique telephones, telegraphs, typewriters, phonographs, radios, printing presses and other devices that have shaped how we connect with one another. Long-distance amateur radio operators can take part in the event by working the weekend’s special event station. Visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at sending Morse code messages, listening to radio broadcasts from antique radios, and even making a souvenir on a printing press.

MONDAY EDITION: We spent time at the repeater site this morning and replaced rhe 440 repeater amplifier power supply with an Astron linear 70 amp unit, hopefully this will end the problem with 30 amp switching supplies that can't handle the continous duty cycle and fail....I can see another 70 amper being ordered from HRO, Salem, NH soon for the 2 meter amplifier when we get the new antenna up at the site...

WEEKEND EDITION: We are installing the two meter Henry amplifier to the 2 meter repeater system this morning. It just came back from Henry for a repair and will get us back up to 90 watts out.....as soon as we complete the new antenna install...

QST de W1AW
Propagation Forecast Bulletin 16 ARLP016
From Tad Cook, K7RA
Seattle, WA April 19, 2024
To all radio amateurs

SB PROP ARL ARLP016
ARLP016 Propagation de K7RA

Solar activity increased dramatically this reporting week (April 11-17), and thirteen new sunspot groups emerged. One appeared on April 11, two more on April 13, three more on April 14, another two on April 15, one more on April 16 and another two on April 17. On April 18 an additional two sunspot groups emerged, and the daily sunspot number increased to 247.

The daily sunspot number was 199 on April 17, the highest value since July 12, 2023 when it was 219. On April 18, when the sunspot number was 247, it was the highest sunspot number since July 6, 2014 when it was 256. That was back in Solar Cycle 24, so 247 is a new record for Solar Cycle 25.

Average daily sunspot numbers jumped from 67.9 to 142.7, and average daily solar flux from 123.2 to 177.4.

Predicted solar flux over the near term is 225 on April 19, 220 on April 20-21, 215 and 205 on April 22-23, 190 on April 24-25, then 140, 130, 125 and 120 on April 26-29, then 125 on April 30 to May 6, and 130, 140, 150, 160 and 175 on May 7-11, then 180 on May 12-14, 175 on May 15, 170 on May 16-17, then 167 and 165 on May 18-19, 160 on May 20-21, then 155, 140, 135, 125 and 120 on May 22-26.

Predicted planetary A index is 6, 10, 12 and 8 on April 19-22, 5 on April 23-27, 8 on April 28-29, 7 on April 30, 10 on May 1-3, 5 on May 4, 8 on May 5-7, 5 on May 8-11, 10 and 8 on May 12-13, then 5 on May 14-24, and 8 on May 25-26.

"Weekly Commentary on the Sun, the Magnetosphere, and the Earth's Ionosphere - April 18, 2024:

"Over the past weekend, active sunspot regions began to emerge on the eastern limb as expected. Curiosity about what we would actually see was heightened because their flare activity during the last rotation was somewhat higher than usual. Therefore, the CME from a moderate eruption in the northern hemisphere of the Sun on April 11 with a maximum at 1706 UTC was not a surprise. The arrival of the particle cloud on April 14 was therefore expected, but it missed the Earth.

"Another CME was ejected towards Earth on 12 April. Although neither CME was particularly strong, a G1 class geomagnetic storm was expected. This occurred on 16 April, so either the particle cloud moved more slowly or traveled along a longer path toward the Earth. Either way, the disturbance worsened shortwave propagation on April 16. But the improvement was rapid, starting as early as April 17. The credit for this goes to the increasing solar radiation coming from the active regions we can observe on the Sun this week and next.

"Another weak CME left the Sun on April 15, and the Earth's impact was calculated for April 18. However, all predictions of disturbances at the current stage of the 11-year cycle are unreliable. They are usually either late (by a day or so) or not at all. The important thing is the result - due to the relatively high solar activity and at the same time the small number of geomagnetic disturbances, the shortwave propagation conditions are mostly above average. F.K. Janda, OK1HH."

Check out these videos and an article on flare activity from EarthSky:

https://bit.ly/3W4GTID

On April 16, Samuel, K5KJ called ARRL headquarters about unusual propagation he experienced.

He said flare activity caused a radio blackout, and on 40 meters he could not hear any local or regional signals.

But he noticed foreign broadcast stations from Asia with good signals.

He said this is just the opposite of what he expected during a blackout.

Durango Herald article about sunspots and prominences:

https://bit.ly/3Q3VDnh

NASA on Space Weather:

https://go.nasa.gov/49YFhDX

From Science.Nasa.gov, Solar Moss:

https://go.nasa.gov/4b3n4Wn

See sunspots with eclipse glasses:

https://bit.ly/4cXc5Qp

I tried this, but had no luck, as the images were too tiny.

The latest video from Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, for April 14:

https://youtu.be/Z1OClNvDg2o

Send your tips, reports, observations, questions and comments to k7ra@arrl.net.

For more information concerning shortwave radio propagation, see http://www.arrl.org/propagation and the ARRL Technical Information Service web page at, http://arrl.org/propagation-of-rf-signals. For an explanation of numbers used in this bulletin, see http://arrl.org/the-sun-the-earth-the-ionosphere.

Also, check this article from September, 2002 QST:

https://www.arrl.org/files/file/Technology/tis/info/pdf/0209038.pdf

An archive of past propagation bulletins is at http://arrl.org/w1aw-bulletins-archive-propagation. More good information and tutorials on propagation are at http://k9la.us/.

Monthly propagation charts between four USA regions and twelve overseas locations are at http://arrl.org/propagation.

Also, check this QST article about Solar Indices:

https://bit.ly/3Rc8Njt

Sunspot numbers for April 11 through 17 2024 were 81, 83, 115, 152, 193, 176, and 199, with a mean of 142.7. 10.7 cm flux was 143.7, 151.5, 161, 178.4, 191.9, 198.7, and 216.5, with a mean of 177.4. Estimated planetary A indices were 6, 7, 5, 6, 8, 31, and 7, with a mean of 10. Middle latitude A index was 6, 6, 6, 5, 7, 17, and 8, with a mean of 7.9.
NNNN
/EX

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

SIMULATED CRISIS DRAWS ROBUST RESPONSE IN OREGON

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a story of a disaster-preparation drill in one part of Oregon where living on a floodplain means always being vigilant. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us how things played out.

RALPH: The disaster scenario was a simulated emergency test, or SET, in Crook County, Oregon, but the response was very real on Saturday, April 13th, as radio amateurs and others responded from Crook County Emergency Management, the sheriff's Search and Rescue team and the county's auxiliary communication team. The amateur radio station at the area hospital was activated and communications went out over the Grizzly Mountain Repeater and on 2-metre simplex.

In this simulated scene across the region's floodplain, the reservoirs had reached capacity after abundant winter snowfall. A nearby river below a major dam threatened to rise and cause flooding. Residential areas faced further dangers as a major creek began to swell.

The drill's organizer, Jim Burge, KB7SHT, told Newsline that 26 hams were mobilized, and four others checked in from their home QTH. The drill also became a training exercise for newcomers, who were paired with more experienced hams and took an active part in learning how to call the net.

Dave, W7KFO, said that simplex coverage was also provided at all critical points, such as the hospital and the EOC.

He said that with most of Crook County's population in Prineville, which is built on a flood plain, a high-water simulation such as this carries special urgency. There have been real-life deployments too, even when flooding is not the central worry.

Jim told Newsline that hams were involved in all 38 missions conducted last year, using both simplex frequencies and area repeaters. No, these instances were not simulated. Jim said: [quote] "Four of those missions were truly life-saving missions and ham radio was our only means of communication." [endquote]

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(JIM BURGE, KB7SHT)

**
DXPEDITIONERS REASSESS BOUVET PLANNING FOR 2025

JIM/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, contributions to next year's Bouvet Island DXpedition were put on hold - for now. Graham Kemp VK4BB picks up the story for us.

GRAHAM: The 3YØK Bouvet Island DXpedition set for January 2025 has suspended its acceptance of donations temporarily while the team reassesses its financial picture. The DXpedition made the announcement on its website 3YØK dot com (3yØk.com).

DX-World.net posted a statement made on social media by Ken, LA7GIA, who explained: [quote] "Unfortunately, the financial risk for the small team is too high and we will spend the next few weeks in April assessing the situation and deciding what to do. We will explore all possible options and will return with more information once we have reached a conclusion." [endquote]

According to the DXpedition website, the team has secured 80 percent of its $400,000 budget but was still needing $75,000. The 21-day DXpedition is to have three operators and a four-person support team.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(DX-WORLD.NET, 3YØK WEBSITE)

**
SILENT KEY: ELPIDIO "PETE" COBIAN, N6VJD, FORMERLY OF THE BAND SWEETWATER

JIM/ANCHOR: A musical talent whose group was a headliner at the Woodstock Music Festival in the 1960s has become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Paul Braun WD9GCO.

PAUL: On the opening day of the Woodstock Music Festival in upstate New York in 1969, Elpidio Cobian, N6VJD, enlivened the music of the group Sweetwater with his conga playing, as he always did. A gifted musician, he later made a career change into the film industry, where he became a part of different movie set crews. According to his longtime friend, Leo, KJ6HI, one of the big joys in his life was amateur radio - and his amateur radio friends. Known to almost everyone as Pete, he died of natural causes on the 6th of April.

Leo remembered his friend of more than 40 years as someone who made - and kept - lasting friendships on and off the air. He told Newsline: [quote] "He was an unselfish operator and was always available to assist other hams." [endquote] He said Pete was a fixture on 40 and 75 meters where he inspired everyone with his upbeat and endearing personality.

Leo told Newsline: [quote] "We are going to miss him dearly." [endquote]

Pete was 90 years old.

This is Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(LEO, KJ6HI, SWEETWATERBAND WEBSITE, FACEBOOK)

**
SILENT KEY: LARRY STAPLES, WØAIB, FOUNDER/EDITOR OF LARRY'S LIST

JIM/ANCHOR: A central figure among Kansas City area radio amateurs has become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Randy Sly, WX4J.

RANDY: As an active and involved ham for six decades, Larry Staples, WØAIB, was well-known among other amateurs in the Kansas City metro area -- but he was perhaps best known as publisher of Larry's List. The popular email message center dispatched ham radio-related emails relevant to its nearly 2200 subscribers and was considered a mainstay for radio amateurs in the region.

Larry, who had been a ham since 1960, died on the 17th of April.

In addition to his varied other activities, public service was close to Larry's heart. He could be counted on to play Santa Claus for mentally challenged youngsters or to coordinate radio assistance, as he did for more than three decades, with what was then known as the March of Dimes Walk-a-Thons.

73’s my friend, you will be missed. This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

**
NASA CONFIRMS ISS DEBRIS HIT FLORIDA HOME

JIM/ANCHOR: NASA has confirmed the claims of a Florida homeowner who said his house was struck by debris from the International Space Station which had jettisoned old batteries. The space agency came to that conclusion after examining it at Kennedy Space Center where it had been taken after the damage was discovered on March 8th. According to various news reports, the homeowner had been away at the time but discovered that part of the ceiling and floor had been damaged.

No one was reported injured.

(SPACE.COM, NBC NEWS)


**
AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK LOGS MORE THAN 17,000 QSOS WORLDWIDE

JIM/ANCHOR: If you were lucky enough to score a QSO with W2A here in the United States or any other callsigns that were part of the recent global Autism Awareness Week, join the crowd. Organizer James KB2FMH reported that logs collected as of April 15th reflect a total of 17,129 QSOs. Contacts were made across 50 US states, 44 Canadian provinces, 146 countries and 6 continents. James said that this translates into having radio signals travel nearly 83 million miles to carry the message from 45 volunteer operators worldwide that "it's OK to be different." Congratulations to the special event team!

(JAMES GALLO, KB2FMH)

**
POTA EVENT SHOWCASES TOP OPERATORS IN PA REGION

JIM/ANCHOR: In what is being described as a first-of-its-kind event, four top Parks on the Air activators from eastern Pennsylvania will be setting up stations in a state park in suburban Philadelphia to showcase one of the fastest-growing activities in amateur radio today to other hams. Mark Abramowicz (pronouncer – Abram-o-vich), NT3V, has more from Collegeville, PA.

MARK: Walt Skavinsky KB3SBC, a veteran POTA activator and hunter himself, came up with the idea for the activation set for Sunday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Evansburg State Park, just outside Philadelphia.

WALT: “They’re the League of Extraordinary POTAMEN. And, they’re going to come share their superpowers with you because they’re all unique and you have an opportunity to learn from each one of them.”

MARK: Skavinsky says the goal is to demonstrate to hams across the region how to activate a POTA station, perhaps without much of an investment in special gear.

WALT: “They can see what equipment that others have already tried and worked. They might even see equipment they already own."

MARK: The four POTA veterans are Pete Kobak K0BAK, Greg Malone WA3GM, Joel Rubincam NF3R, and Bill Hewitt W3FRB. Their goal is to showcase the symbiotic relationship that makes POTA work.

WALT: “The activators can’t do their jobs and have fun without the hunters at home. And, you participate where you can. I tell you a lot of hunters have become activators and a lot of activators have become hunters because I want to support my fellow activators out there."

MARK: Skavinsky says whether you’re new, experienced or just interested in exploring it, POTA is one of the places where you can pretty much do it your own way.

WALT: "Your skill is very important...You have to deal with the elements. It encompasses everything I find challenging in amateur radio

**
NOTED SCIENTIST HONORED FOR IONOSPHERIC RESEARCH

JIM/ANCHOR: A noted scientist in the UK has been honored for his contributions to ionospheric research. We hear about him from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: His use of the digital protocol FST4W for ionospheric research has earned Gwyn Griffiths G3ZIL the Les Barclay Memorial Award from the Radio Society of Great Britain. Gwyn has been an active contributor to HamSCI, the citizen science investigation group, best known for its studies of the impact solar eclipses have on the ionosphere. Gwyn, who has also been honoured as a recipient of the Member of the British Empire, has utilised the digital protocol to investigate different aspects of propagation. FST4W is mostly used on the LF and MF bands using 4-GFSK modulation.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ED EFCHAK, WX2R, RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN)

**
COURAGE KENNY HANDIHAM MARKS 57 YEARS

JIM/ANCHOR: The Courage Kenny Handiham program is celebrating 57 years of service with a QSO Party, as we learn from Dave Parks WB8ODF,

DAVE: Congratulations to the Courage Kenny Handiham Program, which is marking 57 years of providing service, training and experience to disabled amateur radio operators. In celebration of the program's longevity and success, the Handiham Radio Club is holding a 48-hour QSO party and all currently licensed program members are encouraged to get on the air. The action starts at 1900 UTC on Friday the 26th of April and continues through 1900 UTC on Sunday the 28th of April. Operators will be on all amateur bands using all modes, including digital and VOIP to spotlight the Minnesota-based program and the club.

Operators will be calling CQ Handiham 57. Logs are required and due no later than June 1st. Contacts can request an anniversary QSL card by QSLing directly to the program. See details at handiham dot org. (handiham.org)

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(HANDIHAM)

**
AO-109 CUBESAT EXPECTED TO REENTER ATMOSPHERE

JIM/ANCHOR: The AO-109 CubeSat is expected to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere soon, as we hear from Patrick Clark K8TAC.

PATRICK: Welcomed into service in low Earth orbit in July of 2021, AMSAT's AO-109 CubeSat, known as Fox 1E, is ending its successful run. The satellite is expected to re-enter the atmosphere very soon. This fifth-generation Fox 1-U CubeSat is perhaps best known for having had the longest CPU uptime, operating continuously for more than 18 million seconds in the period since September of last year. Hams have been able to make use of the satellite's 30kHz wide linear transponder.

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY, AMSAT)

**
NOMINATE NEWSLINE'S NEXT YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: We're getting closer to the deadline time for this year's Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year award. Let Newsline know of any promising young amateurs who are deserving of this honor. Candidates must live in the continental United States and be 18 years of age or younger. Tell our judges about your nominee's talent, promise and commitment to the spirit of ham radio. This is your chance to help honor and acknowledge that person who will, no doubt, go on to teach and inspire others. Find the nomination form on our website arnewsline.org under the "AWARDS" tab. Nominations close on May 31st.YHOTY

**
HAMS PREPARE FOR SOS RADIO WEEK

JIM/ANCHOR: When does a special event week last a whole month? When it's SOS Radio Week in the UK. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us more.

JEREMY: Throughout the month of May, when the Royal National Lifeboat Institute conducts its annual fundraiser, "Mayday," hams throughout the UK will be on board. In recognition of all lifeboat crews, including independent ones and coastal watch keepers, hams will be getting on the air at various times between the 1st and 31st of May. Listen for special event station GBØFLB which will be on the air from Fleetwood lifeboat station on the 4th and 5th of May. The station is being run by Thornton Cleveleys Amateur Radio Society based in Lancashire and is one of many getting involved. Be listening too for MXØKWA, which is being operated by the Kent Weald Radio Club at various times from the Kent/East Sussex coast. For more details about SOS Radio Week and a full list of stations, visit the link in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

[DO NOT READ: https://www.sosradioweek.org.uk/ ]

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, time is running out to work Kevin, N4DVR, who is on the air as V6DVR from Chuuk, IOTA Number OC-Ø11, in Micronesia. He is using SSB on 20 through 10 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Listen for Tom, NL7RR, from Wake Island, IOTA Number OC-053, until the 15th of May. He will be on the air on or around 14.200 MHz using the callsign KH9/NL7RR, See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Listen for OT2Ø24EPIC (OH TEE TWO ZERO TWO FOUR EPIC), the special callsign for the Antwerp Port Contest Club, ON8APC. The group is on the air until the 19th of May to promote the seventh edition of the Antwerp Port Epic cycling race. The race is being held on May 19th. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Seven radio amateurs from Belgium will be active as 5P5LI from Lolland Island, IOTA Number EU-029, until the 6th of May, operating CW, SSB and the digital modes on 160-6 metres. QSL via ON6EF, direct or bureau.

(425 DX BULLETiN)

**
KICKER: WHEN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION ITSELF IS THE CRISIS

JIM/ANCHOR: This week's newscast ends with the story of a beginning: a new amateur radio club in Indiana is being born in response to a crisis: what local hams see as a shortfall in the region's disaster communications. Andy Morrison K9AWM has that story.

ANDY: It's just a beginning for the Martin County Amateur Radio Club but Cory, KD9SHS, sees the growing group as the source of a much-needed capability in disaster reporting and emergency communications. Cory, the president of the new group, said he got the idea, drawing on his background as medical and safety officer for a local fire departmet and a deputy director of county emergency management. Cory is also a volunteer with the Civilian Crisis Response Team, or CERT, which is a trained disaster response group.

He told Newsline that 15 hams met with him one recent evening in response to a Facebook post he made looking for interested radio operators. The hams suggested that a club be formed first, giving members the option later to deepen their involvement by joining ARES or RACES. Since then, he and the club's vice president, Reuben KA9RCM, have not only seen the group grow but have attracted support from area clubs. One of the first projects will be to restore the full operation of a local repeater which has been performing poorly. He told Newsline that being in a rural county makes access to all corners of the county even more important.

He told Newsline: It's going to be a great thing for the community. In fact, he can't wait to look back a year from now to see how things have grown.

FRIDAY EDITION: Lot's of questions about nearfest due to the changed days, camping, tickets. etc. on the 3833 New England group yesterday. Luckily, Joe, K1JEK, who was sandbagging (like me) had the answers as he is the guy in charge of camping, etc. for Nearfest. First of all the event is running on Thursday all day and Friday until noon, it usually is held Friday and Saturday, but due to a scheduling conflict, the spring fest days are different. 1. You need ticketes to get into the fest early at 7am Thursday morning, if you have no ticket you wait in line like in the past and get in later. 2. If you arrive for camping Wednesday night, you will camp INSIDE the fest area and not in the parking lot! No ticket, no problem, they will track you down in the morning for the money....MORE good news...

Windows 11 is receiving some flak for its reportedly poor show in terms of the performance of the OS on the desktop, where some interface elements are running pretty sluggishly – or even getting to a ‘comically bad’ state of affairs as one user describes it.

This isn’t just any user, but an ex-Microsoft employee, Andy Young, who was a senior software engineer at the company for 13 years, and shared some observations (noticed by Neowin) about Windows 11 performance on X (formerly Twitter). STORY

Going the extra mile: the radio operators who connect all 26.2 miles of the Boston Marathon (Massachusetts)

Early in the morning April 15, thousands of volunteers and athletes began to check-in and start the race that constitutes one of the biggest days in sports: the Boston Marathon. Among them were a cadre of unseen — but vital — amateur radio operators who kept a constant loop of communications for the duration of the race. 

More than 9,000 volunteers support the Boston Marathon every year “working in all areas including packet stuffing, medical … start line, finish line and everything in between,” according to the Boston Athletic Association, or BAA, website. Of those 9,000, around 300 are amateur radio volunteers, a position that requires a license from the Federal Communications Commission. 

The volunteers are responsible for maintaining constant radio communications, connecting all points of the course with a main radio hub, Boston Fire, EMS and police. Fifteen members of NU Wireless, Northeastern’s amateur radio club, will be represented among the volunteers, said Garrett Compston, a third-year computer science and music combined major at Northeastern and president of NU Wireless. 

Many Northeastern students run in and volunteer for the marathon every year, but it was Marty Sullaway, a fourth-year electrical and computer engineering combined major, who first recruited people from Northeastern to be amateur radio operators.

Read more – The Huntington News: https://bit.ly/49DIp7X