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WEEKEND EDITION: A new method for predicting the 11-year solar cycle strength ...

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

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AMATEURS IN US, CANADA, GET OUTDOORS FOR FIELD DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week remembering Field Day. From the Ramona Outback Amateur Radio Society in California to the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club in New York and all points in between plus in Canada, the ARRL Field Day lit up the bands on June 25th and 26th. As always, Field Day put amateur radio on display to the public as visitors everywhere stopped by where clubs and individuals were operating outdoors, curious to learn about the equipment and the antennas or to watch Morse Code and phone operators in action.

In central Florida, the Lake Monroe Amateur Radio Society got an extra boost from the efforts of a station set up for use by club members who are blind, specifically to make as many CW contacts as possible. The ARRL noted on its website that operators could receive 100 bonus points simply by sharing their details in posts on the ARRL Field Day Facebook Group or elsewhere on all social media by using the hashtag #ARRLFD.

Regardless of the score, for everyone everywhere it was a day for learning and for fellowship.

The ARRL had set a deadline for logs to be submitted by July 26th so watch for the results.

(WESH CHANNEL 2, RAMONA SENTINEL, ARRL WEBSITE)

**
HAM RADIO EXPO RETURNS TO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Europe, Ham Radio Expo made a triumphant return and Newsline's Ed Durrant DD5LP was there.

ED: Last weekend saw the 45th Ham Radio Expo in Friedrichshafen, the first after three years of lockdowns and two cancelled events. All were eager to get back to the "Neue Messe" in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance in the south of Germany.

Turnout was expected to be around 10,000 compared to just under 14,000 in 2019. After the effects of the pandemic and with the current inflation levels this is not a bad showing. While the main hall seemed a little less full than normal due to the stands of Kenwood and Yaesu not being there along with the large WIMO retailer, the flea market in its two Zeppelin-sized halls was fuller than in 2019.

Talking with dealers and manufacturers, I learned they were all glad to have, it seems, come through the pandemic. Several, however, said it was close and another lockdown would have meant the end of their businesses. Many are worried about parts supply and while most have stockpiled components, their stock is dwindling.

Talking with the national societies and the IARU, I learned there is concern on how we will keep our band allocations especially in the microwave frequencies and a need is seen to have the hobby change and be open to new technologies and possibilities to attract more people.

There were positive notes too: The Austrian national society's president, Michael Zwingl, OE3MZC, was very enthusiastic over several new projects.

An institute will be a platform for hams, makers and professionals to work together on new technology projects in Austria.
WRAN, will supply a way for access from 6 metres, 2 metres and 70 centimetres into the Europe-wide HamNet, which is a 2.4 and 5 GHz ham radio high-speed RF data network.

A Lora-based network linking low power IOT devices using the QO-100 satellite will enable data communications between devices across a third of the world's surface.

Overall there was a very positive feel at HAM RADIO 2022 and as this year's motto said, it was indeed "A reunion with friends."
On Amateur Radio Newsline we can only bring you a brief overview of the event. For a more detailed report with interviews take a listen to our friends at ICQPodcast.com for their coverage.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed DD5LP.

**

SILENT KEY: ALPHA AMPS' RICHARD EHRORN W4EA/W4ETO

NEIL/ANCHOR: The man behind the highly successful company Ehrhorn Technological Operations has become a Silent Key. Dick Ehrhorn W4EA/W4ETO started the company in 1970 and began production of the line of high-power Alpha RF amplifiers so popular in the amateur radio community. Dick was a lifelong ham. Mary Bittner WBØPXM, told Newsline that Dick and her late husband, the Rev. Paul Bittner, who had held the call sign WØAIH, had been friends since their Minnesota high school days when they met through a school amateur radio club. She described Dick as a good friend and a man of faith.

She said Dick, who was in failing health, died on Sunday, June 26th in Virginia. He was 88.

(EHAM.NET, MARY BITTNER WB0PXM, FACEBOOK)

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SPECIAL EVENT STATION TO HONOR DXPEDITIONER, HUMANITARIAN ZORRO

NEIL/ANCHOR: A special event is under way to celebrate the life of a ham known globally as a man of adventure and compassion. That story comes to us from Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

JASON: The gifts of friendship, humanitarian gestures and good DX that filled the life of Zorro Miyazawa JH1AJT are being celebrated by operators of a month-long special event station, 3D2AJT, in Fiji through to late July. Zorro, who had cancer, became a Silent Key in March of this year. Throughout his long amateur radio career, his DXpeditions helped put notable and coveted DXs in the logbooks of hams around the world. Zorro was also known for his charitable work on behalf of children in Cambodia, Bangladesh, Japan and elsewhere. The special event operators will be on the air using CW, SSB, FT4, FT8 and varAC HF digital chat until the 27th of July, which would have been his 73rd birthday. According to the station's page on QRZ.com, the final day on the air will be marked with a farewell party organised by Zorro's widow at one of the schools her husband founded in Fiji.

QSL via ClubLog.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(DX-WORLD.NET, QRZ.COM)

**
TRANSMITTER TO REMAIN OFF THE AIR ON ALEXANDERSON DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Sweden, the Grimeton Radio Station is opening its doors to visitors at last this year but its historic transmitter must stay off the air. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has those details.

JEREMY: For the first time since the pandemic began, the Alexander Association in Sweden will be welcoming visitors to Alexanderson Day on Sunday, 3rd July at the World Heritage Grimeton Radio Station.

Unfortunately, the 98-year-old mechanical transmitter will be unable to get on the air. A note on the association website reports that a shortage of components prevents this Alexanderson Day tradition from happening.

The 200 kW transmitter with the call sign SAQ will be started up twice and visitors to the radio station can be present but no transmission will be made into the top-loaded vertical antenna customarily used for 17 kHz transmissions. The transmitter was developed by the radio pioneer Ernst Alexanderson of Sweden who was an engineer at General Electric in the United States. It first went on the air in 1924.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

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THIRTEEN COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT RUNS THROUGH JULY 8TH

NEIL/ANCHOR: Get ready for the annual mad dash for a Clean Sweep with the 13 Colonies Special Event. Jim Damron N8TMW brings us that report.

JIM: The Thirteen Colonies Special Event, one of the amateur radio calendar's most popular activities, starts calling QRZ starting Friday, July 1st at 1300 UTC. Operators will be based on each of the original 13 US colonies and at bonus stations in England, Pennsylvania and France. The event runs through July 8th at 0400 UTC. The event honors the original 13 colonies that fought for American independence and honors military veterans and those still active in the service.

This 14th annual nonprofit event is also dedicated to Tom Francis, W1TEF, who had served as the state manager for South Carolina, which is using the special event call sign K2L. Tom became a Silent Key in March of 2020.

For further details on the event, including the modes being used, visit the website www.13colonies.us - that's w w w numeral ONE, numeral THREE colonies dot us. You can also visit the QRZ page for any of the colonies or for bonus station TM13COL in France, GB13COL in England and WM3PEN in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron N8TMW


(13 COLONIES SPECIAL EVENT)

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SHOPPING FOR QSOS AT WALMART

NEIL/ANCHOR: One of the more zany on-the-air events is back for its third run. WalMart Parking Lots on the Air will be held on July 2 from 0000Z to 2359Z to coincide with the birthday of the famous chain of American stores.  The exchange must take place on an amateur radio satellite and include the callsign and either the WalMart store number or grid square.  Activators -- or "associates" as they are called by the event organizers -- are asked to use the store number to reduce duplicate contacts.  Rules and award information are online at wmplota.org.  So don't miss out on bonuses like the birthday special or the MacGyver. Put on your pajamas and aluminum foil hat, grab the rig, and head to a store parking lot near you.

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SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCES NEWEST LICENSEES

NEIL/ANCHOR: South Africa has announced its newest licensed radio amateurs. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has that report.

JIM: South Africa has welcomed its newest amateur radio operators, following exam sessions for Class A and B licences that were held recently. Seventy-four who took the Class A exam on May 21st successfully completed its 60 multiple-choice test questions, according to the South African Radio League.The Class A licence permits a maximum of 400 watts of power.

A Class B exam was held on the 11th of June hosted by the ZS3ZU Hammies. All seven young operators who took the 30-question exam passed. To mark the occasion, three of the new amateurs took part in the Hammies Sprint being held the next day - Sunday the 12th of June - running the ZS3ZU station. The Class B licence, issued to operators younger than 21, permits a maximum output of 100 watts of power on HF, VHF and UHF bands. The licence is only valid until holders reach their 25th birthday..

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(SOUTHGATE, SARL)


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WORKSHOP EXPLORES DISASTER COMMUNICATION AND THE PRESS

NEIL/ANCHOR: A workshop held jointly by groups in India and Japan took an in depth look at communicating with the press during disasters. We have more details from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: Amateur radio operators were among those in attendance during a disaster-risk workshop held jointly on Friday, June 24th, by organisations in India and Japan. Attendees were there to tackle the challenge of communicating with the press about disasters. Specialists from Japan and India teamed up for the full day of presentations hosted by the Press Club of Kolkata. Both nations' governments gave their support to the event, which also marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and India. Described as a media sensitisation program, it united responders, government agencies and media managers to discuss various aspects of handling information and news coverage about risks during disasters.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(ASIAN COMMUNITY NEWS, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Rafael, NN3RP will be active from Granada, Nicaragua as YN2RP during July 5. He will be operating on the HF bands, FM satellites, and will be using FT8/FT4, CW, RTTY, VarAC, and SSB. QSL via LoTW and eQSL.

Be listening for Pete, ZL4TE, operating as E51RMP from the Cook islands during July 14th through 21st. Although he will be mainly on Rarotonga, he will make a side trip Aitutaki, IOTA number OC-083, on July 18th and 19th. Be listening on the HF bands. He will be QRP. QSL to Pete's home call.

FIrst-time contest participant VK5KI will be on the air for the Radio Society of Great Britain's IOTA Contest from Kangaroo Island, IOTA number OC-139, off South Australia's coast, from Friday July 29th to Sunday July 31st. The station will operate in CW and SSB. Before the contest, be listening on 80m through 10m. During the contest, be listening on 80/40/20/15/ and 10m. QSL via Charles MØOXO.

Be listening also for KL7RRC from Kiska Island, NA-070, during the RSGB IOTA contest on July 30th and 31st. Send QSLs to N7RO.

(DX-WORLD.NET)

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KICKER: GETTING A STRING OF CONTACTS WITH A KITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we introduce a radio amateur who is lucky enough to have found a way to combine two things she really loves - amateur radio and flying kites. Mike Askins KE5CXP tells us about her adventures in Kite POTA.

MIKE: Lisa Neuscheler (Newsh-Lurr) KC1YL has found a way to string together her Parks on the Air contacts from as close to her Florida home as Texas and as far away as the western states, the Caribbean and Europe. That's because the string she uses is the string of a kite. The kite enthusiast launched her first high-flying ham radio antenna in October of last year on Florida's east coast with friends. Back home on the west coast near Tampa, she and her small team have done eight kite activations since that time. This past March, she was on Florida's Honeymoon Island when she achieved her first POTA kite-to-kite contact with another team that also brought their kite there.

Lisa told Newsline that she credits Kourt de Haas, KB5PRZ, with inspiring her lofty goals after she learned that the Texas amateur accomplished his QSO with her in 2016 - while she was still living in Connecticut - using an antenna on a kite over the Gulf of Mexico. Now she runs along the Florida beaches with a POTA kite team of her own, including Julie NF1T, Jack W1BBU and others.

Her next challenge is a longer-distance POTA kite-to-kite contact with her friend Paul W1IP in Connecticut. Their first attempt on June 13th was scrapped by insufficient wind on Paul's local beach. Lisa made 95 regular POTA contacts that day using her kite antenna but none were made with Paul. So they're trying again on July 11th.

Lisa told Newsline: [quote] "You have to be happy when you are holding a kite string." [endquote] No doubt she'll be even happier if on that day the wind helps carries her ambition to reality. You might even say it will be uplifting.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2022. All rights reserved.

ARRL Represented at International Amateur Radio Exhibition in Germany

ARRL Field Day 2022: 500,000 Contacts Already Reported

FRIDAY EDITION: It is supposed to be humid and hot today, we will see. Band conditions were not great yesterday afternoon, I thought my antennas had dropped to the ground.......

Have you ever ever jumped into something and realized you  made a big mistake?

THURSDAY EDITION: Early start today, had the AC unit installed before breakfast, we ony need it a few days a summer with the cool ocean breeze across the street...

No, it’s not some massive conspiracy, and yes, the space above our planet is getting increasingly and worryingly crowded with satellites and space junk. It’s just that humans and the things we build are tiny compared to the vastness of our planet. There are about 4,256 human-made satellites orbiting the Earth, of which about 1,149 are still working. Most of these are fairly small, ranging from tiny CubeSats that are only four inches on each side to communications satellites that can be over 100 feet long.

That’s still tiny when you consider that the Earth is 7,917.5 miles across.

Even our space station is puny when compared to our planet. Measuring 357 feet end-to-end, the International Space Station (ISS) is by far the largest human-made object orbiting the Earth. Even that isn’t large enough to register on Earth-observing instruments such as the DSCOVR satellite’s EPIC camera, which takes absolutely gorgeous pictures of the Earth from a million miles away.

Jay Herman, the lead scientist of EPIC, says that the smallest objects EPIC’s camera can make out are about eight to 10 kilometers wide. At that range, the ISS wouldn’t even register as a blip in an image of the Earth.

ven satellites with closer vantage points and higher resolutions are out of luck. NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites carry the MODIS (or Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument and operate only about 440 miles above the Earth’s surface.

“With the MODIS satellite, which has a resolution of one kilometer, you’d probably barely be able to make out something like the ISS,” says Herman. “If it did pass through the field of view, you might see a bright spot, but you wouldn’t see many details, so it would be really hard to identify.” And that’s only if the ISS and Terra or Aqua happened to be in the same area.That’s not to say that there are no orbiting observatories capable of taking images of other satellites or space junk. “Some of the commercial high-resolution satellites would be able to see the ISS and probably even smaller spacecraft,” Herman says.

But even then, it’s a matter of perspective and position. Satellites are designed to not crash into each other, which means that it’s very rare that their paths cross, and many of them operate at different altitudes. The ISS orbits at a height of around 250 miles, for example, while other satellites orbit closer to Earth or much further away. “The commercial satellites would be able to see the ISS, which is in a fairly low orbit,” Herman says. “But they wouldn’t be able to see MODIS, which is in a higher orbit than the commercial high-resolution satellites.”

“The ISS is in an equatorial orbit, so it goes north and south of the equator, but not all the way to the poles,” Herman says. Many other satellites, including the commercial satellites, he says, orbit the Earth on a polar orbit, heading North to South. “The probability of a satellite [like the ISS] being in the field of view is not zero, but it’s small, because they’re in almost perpendicular orbits.”

And even if it seems invisible in the wide-angle images of Earth, that doesn’t mean that space junk isn’t a highly visible problem to people involved in spaceflight. Infographics show how very crowded the space around our planet has become.

“There’s a lot of space junk up there,” says Herman. “In fact, the ISS has to maneuver occasionally to get out of the way of stuff that NORAD tracks with radar.” Much of that space junk is small, ranging from paint chips to baseball-sized pieces of debris that were once part of Chinese, Russian, or American satellites. These pieces wouldn’t be immediately visible in images, but they still have the potential to cause real problems in space. “The velocities are so high that if a little piece of junk hit you it would do a lot of damage,” Herman says. Just last spring, an errant fragment chipped a window of the ISS.

But for many people, seeing is believing. There is one way to spot the denizens of Earth’s orbit, but it doesn’t involve radar tracking, satellites, or photographs. Just go outside on a clear night with little moonlight, find a spot with minimal light pollution and look up at the stars. Once your eyes adjust, you should be able to see small pinpricks of light moving steadily across the sky, smaller and steadier than an airplane. Those are some of the hundreds of satellites that are large and low enough to be spotted from Earth. While the smaller objects that make up the majority of items floating around our planet are far too tiny to ever be seen with the naked eye, there are enough large satellites orbiting the Earth that you should be able to spot at least a few. All you have to do is look up.

WEDNESDAY EDITION: I cannot find a lot of info on setting up an endfed dipole. I have a Balun Design 9-1 Unun and put the balun a foot above ground and slope 53 feet (suggested length)  of antenna wire up to 30' in the air. I fed the setup with 73 feet of coax running under the sloping wire. It worked but are there better options? Should I run the wire up 30 feet vertically  (I have a 30 foot telescoping pole) and slope the rest of the antenna wire down? Should the unun be up 30 feet and run wire out vertically or sloped? Any ideas? I use this antenna only as a backup or for portabe ops, it is not my main antenna.....TRIVIA: There are about 3 million amateur radio operators worldwide, including more than 700,000 licensed operators in the United States alone. Amateur radio operators are also known as radio amateurs or hams.

It's CLE time once again. This is a challenge for all newcomers to NDB listening and the ultimate test of your medium frequency receiving capabilities. Can you meet the challenge?

MONDAY-TUESDAY EDITION: Not much in the way of ham news. I think everyone is hammed out after the weekend. I only operated for a few contacts and listened to propagation on all the bands.....What is it like driving on the moon?...Why the US Army wants an ‘aerial tier network’ for better communications .....

Larry- AJ1Z operating FD in Rockport, MA

Larry's solar array to keep things charged

Rich-  W1FSR running his 7100

WEEKEND EDITION: Almost out the door to setup for Field Day in Rockport with the Cape Ann Amateur Radio Club..The ghostly radio station that no one claims to run...

PORT CITY RADIO ARC SETS UP...NH

Here's our days work...
Monoband beams for 40M (3 element wire), 20M (3 elements), 15M (4 elements), 10M (4 elements), 6M (4 elements)
Inverted Vee at 65' for 75/80M     Cobra Senior (GOTA station)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

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BRINGING AMATEUR RADIO TO A MORE DIVERSE COMMUNITY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a look at a special project that is creating amateur radio opportunities for a more diverse community of enthusiasts, starting with the very youngest among them. We hear from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB how this initiative is putting ham radio — and science — into the hands of children of color in lower-income neighborhoods.

RALPH: Get ready for Jasmine and Jose, two school kids who fell in love with amateur radio after visiting a family friend who's a ham. Now the friends want to build a simple radio of their own. While these two children are fictional characters in a book that tells their story in both Spanish and English, the magnetic - or should we perhaps say electromagnetic? - draw of kids to amateur radio is very real. That's why the science educators at the California-based nonprofit group, Science is Elementary, is preparing to publish this tale of the youngsters' amateur radio journey as a book in their new series. "Jasmine and Jose Build a Radio" is geared to 7-year-old readers and will be produced with accompanying kits for 2,240 youngsters. The project is being funded with a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The grant will include publication of companion readers for adults and will cover the costs of school-based activities in which the kids build radios of their own. The books and kits will be provided free to youngsters attending school in low-income communities in the San Francisco Bay area. If you don't live in the region, take heart: Everyone else will be able to download the book and the adult reading companion for free as PDFs.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(DAN ROMANCHIK, KB6NU)

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CARRIERS DELAY PART OF 5G ROLLOUT AFTER INTERFERENCE CONCERNS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Concerns about radio interference have prompted two US wireless carriers to delay part of the rollout of their 5G service. Kent Peterson KCØDGY brings us that report.

KENT: Despite findings from the Federal Communications Commission that 5G wireless service poses no risks to aircraft sharing different parts of the same C-band, two major US cellular carriers have announced they are delaying their 5G rollout near airports with regional carriers. The Federal Aviation Administration announced on June 17th that Verizon and AT&T have agreed to postpone parts of the rollout to enable airlines to assess whether their altimeters are free from interference and undertake any necessary upgrades. Aviation experts have said that some altimeters, particularly those used by regional aircraft, could be vulnerable to interference without a retrofit of RF filters on existing altimeters or installation of newer ones. The agreement delays the completion of the rollout until July of 2023. An article in Aviation Today said that a number of altimeter manufacturers are presently working on the development and testing of filters and installation kits.

The trade group, Airlines for America, criticized the agreement for setting what it called an "arbitrary deadline" and expressed concern over what might happen if the altimeter modifications were not available by July of next year. The CEO of the trade group, Nicholas Calio, told the FAA's acting administrator Billy Nolen that he considered the agreement a [quote] "rushed approach to avionics modifications amid pressure from the telecommunications companies." [endquote]

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


(ASSOCIATED PRESS, AVIATION TODAY)

**

WRTC ORGANIZERS DONATE EQUIPMENT FOR NEXT YEAR'S EVENT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The spirit of "paying it forward" is alive and well among organizers of the World Radiosport Team Championship - and Ed Durrant DD5LP has this story about a gift to help with next year's big event.

ED: Operating tips and the wisdom of experience aren't the only things being dispensed at the Contest Forum during HAM RADIO in Friedrichshafen, Germany starting on the 24th. Organisers of 2018's World Radiosport Team Championship will be at the forum on June 25th to present funds and important equipment for use during the world championship to take place in July of 2023 in Bologna, Italy. The gift will include 70 kits of emergency and monitoring equipment that had been used during WRTC 2018 in Germany. Each kit has a DCF77 radio-controlled clock, power sensor for two radios, an SCC score-collecting computer and a Nokia cell phone. The donation from the 2018 event will be presented by WRTC 2018 president Chris DL1MGB.

Writing on the WRTC 2022 reflector, committee member Claudio Veroli I4VEQ, thanked the benefactors from the German event, calling the donation "a huge help to the organisation of WRTC 2022."

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.


(WRTC 2022 REFLECTOR)

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BALLOON LAUNCH TO FEATURE CROSSBAND REPEATER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Amateurs in Kansas have rescheduled the launch of a high-altitude balloon with a crossband repeater on board and they're hoping to keep it busy making contacts. Jack Parker W8ISH has those details.

JACK: Good things are worth waiting for and members of the Independence Amateur Radio Club, NØID, only have to wait a little bit longer for the rescheduled launch of the high-altitude balloon they are sending skyward with a crossband repeater and APRS on board. The Kansas hams are especially excited because the launch, rescheduled from earlier this month, will coincide with the Great Plains Super Launch on July 16th. The Super Launch is a wide-ranging event in which a number of similar balloons will be launched at sites throughout the Midwest. Stan Pierson, AEØLM, secretary of the Independence club, told Newsline that during the club balloon's expected two-hour flight over southeast Kansas, it will communicate with one of the Super Launch balloons flying high over Wisconsin. Using a common downlink, but separate uplinks, the balloons will permit radio operators in both areas to talk to one another using VHF/UHF radios. The crossband repeater has an uplink on 147.91 MHz and a downlink on 449.01 MHz. Stan said that the repeaters will be configured to work bidirectionally so that anything received on the VHF frequency is repeated on the UHF frequency - and vice versa.

Those who cannot be on site at Riverside Park for the launch or reside out of the area and wish to track the balloon can follow its journey following the 8 a.m. launch that day at www dot aprs dot fi (www.aprs.fi)

Additional details are available at the club website at nØid.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jack Parker W8ISH.

(SUPERLAUNCH.ORG, STAN PIERSON, AEØLM)

**
JUST FOR FUN: A NOT-SO-TRIVIAL QUIZ

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Now here's something that's just for fun: If you think you know ham radio, play along with two teams during a trivia quiz you'll be able to watch online starting Tuesday June 28th. As we hear from Paul Braun WD9GCO, one team's members are very familiar to Newsline listeners.

PAUL: A team from Amateur Radio Newsline took part in an event that was was both trivial and non-trivial at the same time.

The Newsline team, consisting of captain Paul WD9GCO, Neil WB9VPG, Kevin N5PRE, Andy K9AWM, and Dave WB8ODF squared off against a team from the Ham Radio Workbench podcast led by team captain George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU in an amateur radio trivia contest hosted by Kyle Krieg AAØZ.

The two teams fought four rounds featuring questions that ranged from general ham radio knowledge to specialized technical topics. We can say that the teams were very evenly matched, but we won’t tell you who won - that would spoil all the fun, wouldn’t it?

The competition will be released in two different forms on Tuesday, June 28th — in video on Kyle’s YouTube channel and in audio format on the Ham Radio Workbench feed. You will find links to both in the text version of this newscast on our website.

According to all who participated, it was a lot of fun and both sides made new friends, as should happen in ham radio events. And we’re ready for a rematch any time they’re ready.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Paul Braun, WD9GCO

[FOR TEXT VERSION OF NEWSCAST - LINKS ARE https://www.youtube.com/c/KyleAA0Z

hamradioworkbench.com ]

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including WW7SEA, the Columbia Center Repeater in Seattle, Washington at 444.550 MHz on Mondays at 9 pm local time.

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SWEDISH HAM RADIO OPERATOR TO BECOME ARCHBISHOP

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There are many prominent positions radio amateurs have achieved over the years, from United States Senator, to the monarchy in nations like Jordan or Thailand. In Sweden, Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist holds the amateur radio callsign SM4HCF. Now you can add the Church of Sweden's incoming archbishop to that list, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The Church of Sweden has elected Martin Modeus SM5LVQ to be the 71st Archbishop of the Church of Sweden. According to the Swedish Society of Radio Amateurs, Martin already serves the church as bishop of the Diocese of Linköping, the fifth largest city in Sweden, located in the south of the country. Martin will be received as archbishop during a service to be held in December at Uppsala Cathedral, which has been the see of the Church of Sweden's archbishop since the 12th Century. Martin is to succeed Antje Jackelen, Sweden's first female archbishop, who is retiring.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SWEDISH SOCIETY OF RADIO AMATEURS)

**
SPECIAL EVENT IN AUGUST TO HONOR ABANDONED, ABUSED PETS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you think amateur radio is going to the dogs, you're right - but those dogs are getting plenty of company, as we hear from Ed Durrant DD5LP.

ED: The dog days of August will soon be upon us and so too will August 26th, known as International Dog Day. A number of hams around the world have decided to run with the pack by getting special event call signs and getting on the air to publicize the needs of abandoned and abused pets who have ended up in shelters - dogs as well as cats. Hanz, YL3JD, wrote in a QRZ.com forum that he will be operating CW from his shack in Latvia using the call sign YL1DOG starting on Monday the 22nd of August until the 26th. Hanz wrote: [quote] "I feel obligated to give exposure to this. In my power as a radio amateur and animal lover bringing attention to these abandoned pets is the least I can do." There are plans for other call signs to be on the air too, including Joop PG4I, signing as PF6DOG, and Edwin, PDØSOT, signing as PD6DOG. International Cat Day is being celebrated on August 8th. Yevgeny, YL2TD, will be among those on the air from the 7th until the 9th of August. He will be using the call sign YL1CAT.

The list is growing but organizers are looking for even more operators to call QRZ on behalf of shelter animals. Visit the website catsanddogsontheair.com to get the details. Then email Hugo CT7AOV to have your station included on the list.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(QRZ, CATSANDDOGSONTHEAIR.COM)

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TWO GRANTS SUPPORT OPEN-SOURCE PROJECTS FOR HAM RADIO

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Two grants have strengthened the practice of sharing and experimenting through open-source programs used for amateur radio. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us what's going on.

ANDY: Amateur Radio Digital Communications has announced two grants supporting open-source initiatives in amateur radio. One is a grant focusing on software-defined radios, designed to help simplify the use of the open-source software development kit, GNU Radio, on Windows computers. The grant is also being given to support an upgrade of GNU Radio's graphical user interface, known as GNU Radio Companion. These funds will permit the hiring of developers, including a usability expert to improve the experience of using GNU Radio Companion. Other expected improvements include better documentation for GNU Radio, easier installation on MacOS and Windows computers and easier installation of out-of-tree modules. The contract workers will receive guidance from volunteer mentors who are with the GNU Radio group.

The other grant will support experiments by students at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, who are experimenting on the 33 cm band, developing an open-source 915 MHz digital transceiver system. Both the hardware and software are open-source and the design supports multiple FSK/ASK modulation standards. According to the ARDC, the project will permit low-cost experimentation with digital protocols on this underutilized band and will fill a need that exists for available open-source and open-hardware modules for digital radio modes.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(DAN ROMANCHIK KB6NU)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, there are a few days left to work members of the Russian DX Team operating with the call sign Z21RU from Harare, Zimbabwe. They are on the air until June 29th, operating on 160 through 6 meters and on the QO-100 satellite. They are using CW, SSB and the Digital modes. QSL via R7AL, ClubLog or LoTW.

Two special-event call signs are on-air from operators in Algeria. Listen for Kamel, 7X2GK, operating as 7R19MG; and the Djefa Amateur Radio Club, 7X2VFK, using the call sign 7Y19MG. They are active between June 25th and July 5th for the 19th Mediterranean
Games being held in Oran, Algeria. QSL 7R19MG via IK2DUW and 7Y19MG via 7X2VFK.

Listen for Alex, AK4AM, operating as AK4AM/p from Emerald Island, IOTA NA-112, between July 3rd and 9th. He will be calling QRZ on 160-10 meters. QSLs only using LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX)

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KICKER: TIME TO READ MORE THAN JUST YOUR S-METER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Finally, in this part of the world where we produce Amateur Radio Newsline, summer has arrived - and for many that means it's time to read something more than just your S-meter. Randy Sly W4XJ shares some suggestions.

RANDY: It’s that time of year when some amateur radio operators abandon their shacks and head outdoors for the lazy crazy hazy days of summer. Whether you’re sitting quietly on a beach, enjoying a mountain view or taking your hobby with you at a POTA station in a park, there may be times when you say, “What else can I do?” Well, when you're not operating ham radio, how about reading about ham radio? Not one of those technical manuals or heavy theory books, but a book about radio, about communicating, and all the fascinating and dramatic stories that go with it.

With the help of Russell Calabrese, KR2NZ, the book club moderator for the Long Island CW club, I came up with a list of books that may make good summer reading for those moments when you're off the air. If you enjoy history, how about the “The World of Ham Radio,” covering amateur radio in the early 20th century. Or try “Code Girls, The Untold Story of American Women Codebreakers of WWII.” There's also “Brass Pounders, Young Telegraphers of the Civil War.” Want to know how single sideband started? You can read “Wes Schum, Amateur Radio’s Unsung Hero.” Then there's the book by Don Keith, N4KC, “Riding the Shortwaves,” which contains some how-tos, along with fun anecdotes, stories and personal advice. For these and other recommendations, check our longer list in the the text version of this week’s newscast at arnewsline.com.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Randy Sly, W4XJ

[FOR PRINT ONLY: ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING]

“The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950” - Richard Bartlett
“Wes Schum: Amateur Radio’s Unsung Hero” - Dominic Tusa
“Code Girls: American Women Codebreakers of WWII” - Liza Mundy
“Brass Pounders: Young Telegraphers of the Civil War” - Alvin F. Harlow
“Riding the Shortwaves: Exploring the Magic of Amateur Radio” - Don Keith, N4KC
“Playing with Meteors” - Eric Nichols, KL7AJ (CQ books)
“The Collected Works of Professor Emil Heisseluft” (Humor) - Dr. Theodore J. "Ted" Cohen, N4XX (CQ Books)
“Secret Wireless War” - Pidgeon, Geoffrey (ARRL books)
“Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio 3rd Edition” - Michael Correy, W5MPC, Victor Morris, AH6WX (ARRL books)
“The life of St. Maximilian Kolbe: Apostle of Mass Communications” - William L LaMay, K3RMW
“200 Meters and Down” - Clinton DeSoto
“The Land God Gave to Cain” - Hammond Innes

FRIDAY EDITION: Get well quick to Chris W1TAT now at the Addison Gilbert Hospital in Gloucester..Nancy Polosi's husband arrested for drunken driving again in his new Porsche, who wouldn't drink married to her? ...

2022 ARRL Field Day Weekend -- Are You Ready?

The Space Weather Woman

The latest space weather forecast from Dr Tamitha Skov WX6SWW

Portugal takes action against illegal communications equipment

Portugal's communications regulator ANACOM reports it inspected 26 vessels with the Maritime Police

A translation of the ANACOM post reads:

ANACOM carried out, during May 2022, together with the National Maritime Authority (Maritime Police) and, in some cases, the Authority for Working Conditions (ACT), various inspection actions on vessels. In total, ANACOM supervised 26 vessels, including fishing grounds and tourist vessels.

On 26 and 27 May, the actions involved the three authorities and took place in the fishing ports of Nazaré and Peniche, and the legality of the means of communication installed on board six coastal fishing vessels (two in Nazaré and four in Peniche) was verified. The radio stations were installed and operating in accordance with the legislation in force.

Between 17 and 20 May, ANACOM carried out an action with the Maritime Police in the Autonomous Region of Madeira, and a total of fourteen vessels were inspected, including fishing vessels (five) and maritime-tourist vessels (nine). Nine of the fourteen vessels were first inspected. All vessels surveyed presented radio stations accordingly.

On May 10, an ANACOM inspection action was carried out with the Maritime Police in the Port of Leixões, to six fishing vessels. In this case, an illicit transceiver of the land mobile service was seized.

These actions aim to verify the status, operability and correct use of radio communications equipment installed on board vessels.

If they are not being used in proper conditions, or malfunctioning or in inadequate spectrum ranges, this equipment may interfere with other services and may hinder the proper functioning of emergency communications.

THURSDAY EDITION: A chilly start but a great day...

AMSAT Field Day 2022 on the Satellites

It’s that time of year again; summer and Field Day! Each year the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) sponsors Field Day as a 'picnic, a campout, practice for emergencies, an informal contest and, most of all, FUN!' The event takes place during a 23-hour period on the fourth weekend of June.

For 2022 the event takes place during a 27-hour period from 1800 UTC on Saturday June 25, 2022 through 2100 UTC on Sunday June 26, 2022. Those who set up prior to 1800 UTC on June 25 can operate only 24 hours. The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT) promotes its own version of Field Day for operation via the amateur satellites, held concurrently with the ARRL event.

This year should be as easy as last year since we have more than 10 transponders and repeaters available. Users should check the AMSAT status page at http://www.amsat.org/status/ and the pages at https://www.amsat.org/two-way-satellites/ for what is available in the weeks leading up to field day. To reduce the amount of time to research each satellite, see the current FM satellite table at https://www.amsat.org/fm-satellite-frequency-summary/ and the current linear satellite table at https://www.amsat.org/linear-satellite-frequency-summary/

If you are considering ONLY the FM voice satellites, there are ISS, SO-50, AO-91, PO-101 and possibly LilacSat. It might be easier this year to make that one FM contact for the ARRL bonus points with so many FM birds. The congestion on FM LEO satellites is always so intense that we must continue to limit their use to one-QSO-per-FM-satellite. This includes the International Space Station. You will be allowed one QSO if the ISS is operating Voice.

It was suggested during past field days that a control station be allowed to coordinate contacts on the FM satellites. There is nothing in the rules that would prohibit this. This is nothing more than a single station working multiple QSO’s. If a station were to act as a control station and give QSO’s to every other field day station, the control station would still only be allowed to turn in one QSO per FM satellite while the other station would be able to submit one QSO.

The format for the message exchange on the ISS or other digital packet satellite is an unproto packet to the other station (3-way exchange required) with all the same information as normally exchanged for ARRL Field Day,

e.g.:
W6NWG de KK5DO 2A STX
KK5DO de W6NWG QSL 5A SDG
W6NWG de KK5DO QSL

If you have worked the satellites on Field Day in recent years, you may have noticed a lot of good contacts can be made on some of the less-populated, low-earth-orbit satellites like FO-29, AO-7, EO-88 or the XW satellites. During Field Day the transponders come alive like 20 meters on a weekend. The good news is that the transponders on these satellites will support multiple simultaneous contacts. The bad news is that you can’t use FM, just low duty-cycle modes like SSB and CW.
More information may be found at https://bit.ly/39nefgb. Rules in downloadable format: https://bit.ly/3QpJc44. The fillable scoresheet is included in the Rules download.

Bruce Paige, KK5DO
AMSAT Director of Contests & Awards

Lesotho

Mark, KW4XJ, who previously operated as 9L1YXJ from Sierra Leone, has now moved on to Lesotho's capital Maseru and is signing 7P8AB.

His equipment is an IC-7300 and a vertical antenna. Activity will be on various HF bands using CW, SSB, and the Digital modes.

His wife Arina, KO4PZT, holds the callsign 7P8NB.

QSL 7P8AB via KW4XJ, direct or by the Bureau. QSL 7P8NB via KO4PZT, direct or by the Bureau.

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Last day of work and last time I will ever teach again. Some of you know I got a call to come back in November and teach voke after a teacher was let go. I couldn't believe they couldn't find another teacher but that was the case. It was quite an experience to say the least, the kids are nothing like the kids I left 18 years ago (I retired from teaching at 57 and went on a building spree with my partner). We built three spec homes a year and developed a few parcels of land as well as flipped a dozen homes over the years. It was fun and I am done!. I am looking for a home on a lake in NH as a vacation spot for the family.....

TUESDAY EDITION: Trying to write this blog with a 4 month old springer spaniel wanting to play is no easy feat....Some dope at the gas station said to me, it could be worse, they pay a lot more in other countries. I don't give a shit what they pay overseas. It cost me 120 bucks to fill my truck up, half that a year ago. How much longer can we afford to be "Riding with Biden?"...2022 W1AW and K6KPH Field Day Bulletin Schedule ...40 meters was great last night, quiet, and lots of dx on ssb. A ham in Serbia was coming in S8 with no preamp on.....