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WEEKEND EDITION: Enjoy Father's Day, we earned it....

Foundations of Amateur Radio

Here be Dragons, venturing into uncharted territory ...

Sometimes when you head into uncharted territory, you gotta laugh at yourself from time to time. Last weekend I participated in a contest, something I enjoy doing as you might recall. To simplify the process of setting up in a vehicle I'd proposed a bold plan to save space and reduce complexity. I was anxious about reducing the amount of technology because I'd come up with a plan to use a paper log to track my contest contacts.

I had visions of operating for the best part of 24 hours and making hundreds of contacts. This was based on the fact that in 2016 I'd done this same contest on my own and made a 138 contacts and scored 18221 points, having moved 17 times.

I'd also done the contest in 2018 and for reasons I don't recall, I made one contact over 8 hours.

That right there should have been a warning sign that I might not quite get the result I'd been fearful of.

Blissfully unaware of the adventure that was unfolding, after driving to the first location, I called CQ for the better part of an hour. Then I called some more. When I was done with that, I called CQ more. 90 minutes in, I made my first contact.

That pretty much set the pattern for the next nine hours. At one point we feared that the radio had packed up, but then I made a 2900 km contact with the other side of the country between me in Perth in VK6 and Catherine VK7GH in Tasmania.

Around five pm we packed up, having moved location six times, making eight contacts and claiming 64 points, having worked three of the six states I heard.

Talk about overblown fears.

Looking back, even documenting 138 contacts on paper doesn't seem nearly as daunting after the fact, but that's for another day. I did learn some other things too.

I was worried about logging the band correctly, since using a computer that's not connected to the radio requires an extra step when you change band. Using paper the issue wasn't the band, it was remembering to record the time.

We didn't have the opportunity to test all the gear before the contest. I was bringing in some extra audio splitters, which didn't work with the set-up we had, testing before hand would have revealed that. We knew that there was a risk associated with not testing before and decided that in the scheme of things it didn't matter and we were right. It didn't.

We hadn't much planned for food and pit-stops, but having a GPS and an internet connection solved all those issues almost invisibly. Of course that wouldn't work in an unpopulated area, but we were well inside the metropolitan area of a big city, well, Perth.

Using a head-set worked great, though it didn't have a monitoring feature, so my voice got louder and louder and Thomas VK6VCR who took on the tasks of navigating and driving became deafer and deafer as the day progressed.

I keep coming back to wanting a portable voice-keyer, a device that you can record your CQ call into and then at the press of a button, play it back so you don't lose your voice whilst calling CQ hour after hour. The challenge seems to be that you need to find a way to incorporate it into the existing audio chain so it doesn't introduce interference.

Winning a contest requires contacts and that can only happen if there are other participants. This time around there didn't seem to be that many on air making noise. I think I heard a grand total of 13 stations. Some of that was due to propagation conditions which were nothing like I've ever heard before, but perhaps if I stick around for another solar cycle, that too will become familiar. Atrocious is one word that comes to mind.

Continuing our learning, the weather, not just space-weather, actual earth weather, snow, rain, hail and in our case sun. Neither of us thought to bring a hat since the forecast was for intermittent rain. We had no rain, instead had the opportunity to bask in the winter sun. Yes, it's winter here in Oz when it's Summer in Europe. As it happens, our winter temperatures are like your summer ones, but I'll leave it to you to confirm that for yourself.

Finally, we have a local phenomenon in VK6. When the sun goes down, the 40m band comes alive with the sounds of Indonesia. Among the radio amateurs are plenty of pirate stations with massive AM transmitters enjoying the conditions, chatting, chanting and what ever else comes to voice. Not conductive to being on-air and making noise, but as far as I can tell, not commonly heard outside of VK6.

That said, the Indonesian radio amateur community must have the patience of saints putting up with the interference that their non-licensed countrymen cause on a daily basis. My hat off to you!

As I've said all along, this radio thing is about getting on air and having fun and I can tell you, we did.

What did you get up to?

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

3Y0J BOUVET ISLAND DXPEDITION CANCELLED

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week marks the end of a DXpedition dream: The Intrepid-DX Group has called off its planned activation of Bouvet Island. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us those details.

JIM: The RV Braveheart, the sailing vessel that has carried many DXpeditioners to remote and challenging destinations, is being sold and the Three Y Zero J (3Y0J) Bouvet Island DXpedition has been cancelled. The Braveheart was to have taken members of the Intrepid-DX Group to Bouvet in 2023. It was a trip that had been in the planning stages since 2016, following the team's DXpeditions to South Sandwich and South Georgia Islands.

Writing on the group's webpage, Paul Ewing, N6PSE and Kenneth Opskar LA7GIA said the ship will be sold as a result of a downturn in the charter vessel business—a direct result of the pandemic. Paul and Kenneth are advising donors that their contributions are being returned to them by the same method in which they were received and it will take several weeks.

The hams wrote: [quote] "We will continue to research other ships and possibly find another suitable vessel for a future project." [endquote]

Based in New Zealand, the Braveheart was the vessel of choice for numerous DXpeditions, including the Perseverance DX Group's VP8PJ DXpedition to South Orkney Island in 2020 and the VP6D Ducie Island DXpedition in 2018. Its skipper is Nigel Jolly, K6NRJ, a member of the CQ DX Hall of Fame.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(INTREPID DX GROUP)

**
SUSPECTED CYBERATTACK AT RESEARCH FACILITY SITE

PAUL/ANCHOR: A major player in the realtime mapping of changes in the ionosphere was suddenly shut down following a suspected cybersecurity attack at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where the facility is based. The UMass Lowell Center for Atmospheric Research was among those services impacted by the outage that resulted. The campus was shut down on Tuesday June 15th and an investigation began. The university posted a note on its website saying "UMass Lowell continues to retain control over its IT infrastructure and is working with a leading cyber forensics firm to identify, evaluate and eliminate any issues that are discovered." [endquote] The school established a temporary website for information at umasslowell dot com (umasslowell.com)

(UMASS LOWELL, NBC)

**
UK'S NATIONAL HAMFEST POSTPONED UNTIL 2022

PAUL/ANCHOR: Those waiting to attend the biggest radio rally in the UK will have to wait one more year, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The National Hamfest, considered the premier radio rally in the UK, has been postponed until September of 2022. Organisers made the announcement on their website and Twitter account on Friday, June 11th. They said that a number of factors were making it impossible to predict whether the event can be safely held in September of this year as scheduled. With at least three months' worth of planning involved in staging the hamfest, they determined it was wiser to wait another year. The announcement said: [quote] "The organisers not only wish to act in a responsible way towards the large team of volunteers who staff the event and make it possible every year but also the visitors and the partner organisations, all of whom make the event a success each year."[endquote] The show was to be held as always at the Newark & Nottinghamshire Showground.

The rally is held by National Hamfest (Lincoln) in association with the Radio Society of Great Britain.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(NATIONAL HAMFEST)

**
SLOVENIAN INDEPENDENCE EVENT RUNS THROUGH END OF YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: The celebration of Slovenia's independence isn't a small one so ham radio operators have been making big plans. Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us about them.

ED: Hams in Slovenia are inviting amateurs from around the world to join them in celebrating 30 years of Slovenian independence. They're doing that by activating a special event around the number 30.

Beginning on Saturday, June 26th at 0000 UTC and running through to the end of the year, Slovenian amateur radio stations will be able to add the number 30 to the suffix of their S5 callsigns. Any foreign radio operator contacting 30 Slovenian hams are eligible for a special award. At least 10 of the Slovenian contacts must contain the special callsign suffix 30 but the rest can be regular S5 callsigns. Hams may make the contact using any band and any mode.

For more details, visit the Slovenia Contest Club website whose URL appears in the printed version of this script on our ARNewsline website at arnewsline.org

Awards will be downloadable as PDFs from the club website.

The independent Republic of Slovenia was created on June 25, 1991, when the Slovene Parliament adopted the declaration of independence. Slovenia had been a part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

[for print only, do not read: http://lea.hamradio.si/scc/]

(SLOVENIA CONTEST CLUB)

**
FRENCH HAMS OPERATE NEW BONUS STATION FOR 13 COLONIES EVENT

PAUL/ANCHOR: On this side of the Atlantic, another celebration of independence is about to kick off. It's the popular 13 Colonies Special Event and it's back this year with a new bonus station on board. Sel Embee KB3TZD has those details.

SEL: When the colonial army fought for American independence in 1776, the French became the soldiers' primary allies. Now the French are offering another gesture of support to the 13 Colonies — and this time, by 13 Colonies, we mean the annual special event by that name. As the event kicks off on July 1st, French radio operators will be adding a new bonus station: TM13COL will join bonus stations GB13COL in England and WM3PEN in Philadelphia.

This year also marks the 13th year for the 13 Colonies Event, which will be on the air through July 7th. It marks America's Independence Day, which is observed on July 4th. Last year, event operators made more than 202,000 contacts. This year, the improved band conditions have organizers feeling optimistic that they can beat that total, especially with some stations operating via satellite and at least two bonus stations using digital voice. All stations will be on HF. So be listening for K2A through K2M and work toward your certificate and the individual QSL cards which this year will feature a ship associated with each colony, city, or country.

For more details, visit QRZ.com, the 13 Colonies Special Event page on Facebook, or the event website at www.13colonies.us.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(BOB JOSUWEIT WA3PZO)

**
SWEDEN'S ALEXANDERSON TRANSMITTER PREPARES FOR JULY 4 MESSAGE

PAUL/ANCHOR: The fourth of July is a big day in Sweden this year too -- and anyone with access to a VLF receiver can be part of the action. Jeremy Boot G4NJH gives us those details.

JEREMY: There's another big event coming up that's also traditionally connected to July 4th: It's the annual transmission of the old Alexanderson alternator SAQ at the historic site in Grimeton Sweden. The radio event marks July 4th as Alexanderson Day, named for the Swedish radio engineer Ernst Fredrik Werner Alexanderson. If you have a compatible receiver, be listening on the VLF frequency 17.2 kHz CW for the call sign SAQ.

There will be two transmissions in CW. One begins with a tuneup at 0830 UTC followed by a transmission of a message at 0900 UTC. The second one will have a tuneup at 1130 UTC with a transmission of a message at 1200 UTC. Both transmission events will be livestreamed on YouTube, beginning five minutes before the tuneup. The only people present during the event will be those on staff, in order to comply with pandemic safety restrictions.

At the same time, the Amateur Radio Station SK6SAQ will also be on the air looking for contacts. Be listening on 3.535 MHz for CW or on 7.140 kHz SSB for phone transmissions.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(THE ALEXANDER GRIMETON ASSOCIATION)

**

WIA ASKS AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR TO REVIEW EXAMS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Is ham radio as accessible as it can be to newcomers in Australia? The country's largest amateur radio society is asking a few questions about that and hopes the nation's regulator will have some answers. Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us more.

JASON: The Wireless Institute of Australia has asked for a review of the ham radio licence exam and the management of the amateur operator's certificate of proficiency in response to what the WIA deems stagnant growth in the country's newly licensed operators. The WIA is concerned that even as pandemic conditions inspired many new hams in other nations to become licensed, the number of hams in Australia has shown no growth, particularly throughout 2020. The WIA report did not cite specific numbers in the news report on its website, calling it only [quote] "a lack of growth." [endquote]

The WIA is asking the Australian Communications and Media Authority to review the amateur service examination system and find a new model for managing the certificate of proficiency's syllabus to encourage more amateur involvement. At the same time, the WIA continues to press for standard class licensees, the equivalent of the US General or UK Intermediate licences, to be given access to the six metre band between 50 MHz and 52 MHz in addition to the 52-54MHz that they already have. Advanced licensees already have access to the full 4 MHz.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(WIA)

**

ISS PREPS TO DEPLOY CUBESAT FROM MAURITIUS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Satellite-watchers, the small island nation of Mauritius is about to have its proud moment. John Williams VK4JJW tells us more.

JOHN: The first amateur radio CubeSat from Mauritius is about to be deployed from the International Space Station where is being carried in the Japanese Experimental Module. MIR-SAT1 (Meer-SAT-ONE) was sent on June 3rd from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and is scheduled for deployment on Tuesday, June 22nd. Its initials stand for Mauritius Imagery and Radiotelecommunication Satellite 1 and it is a creation of researchers from the Mauritius Research and Innovation Council. The project went forward with support from the local amateur radio society and experts from technology provider AAC-Clyde Space UK.

The CubeSat's missions include engaging in experimental satellite communication with other islands using an amateur radio digipeater. The V/U 9600bps GMSK digipeater will be available to hams around the world when the satellite is not in use for this or any other of its other missions. There is a downlink on 436.925 MHz. Decoders to be downloaded for free by schools and the world's amateur radio community were developed by Chris AC2CZ and Daniel EA4GPZ. Visit the AMSAT bulletin board and the Space Mauritius website for links.

MIR-SAT1 has an expected lifetime of between two and three years and during that time it is expected to make ground contact with Mauritius four to five times daily.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(AFRICA NEWS, MAURITIUS RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COUNCIL)

**
REVIEW: 'HAM RADIO FOR DUMMIES' BY WARD SILVER N0AX

PAUL/ANCHOR: Still confused by a few things in this hobby called amateur radio? Ward Silver N0AX has updated a book he wrote to serve as a guide to hams at all levels of proficiency. Neil Rapp WB9VPG has read the book and brings us this review.

NEIL: The fourth edition of “Ham Radio for Dummies” is now available. Ward Silver, N0AX, is once again the author. Since the previous edition, a lot has happened in ham radio. Every chapter has been updated in some manner. Many topics have been added and updated including software defined radios, many new digital modes and digital voice modes, and remote license testing.

This book is not meant to be a study guide. Rather, it’s a written reference Elmer. The book contains a lot of information, but broken up into small chunks for easier comprehension. “Ham Radio for Dummies” is a great introduction to ham radio for those who might be interested or just getting started. But, there’s also some things for the experienced ham as well.

Some of my favorite parts of reviewing this book were the labeled photos of all kinds of connectors, from RF to audio. The pictures and diagrams in this book are a huge help for those learning about ham radio for the first time. Also, the book is jam packed with quality hyperlinks to web sites with more information on the topics than will fit into a single book. It also has an extensive glossary.

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Neil Rapp, WB9VPG in Union, Kentucky.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for Simone, IK5RUN and Carlo, IK5MES using the callsigns IG9/IK5RUN and IG9/IK5MES, respectively, from Lampedusa Island until June 25th. They will be operating holiday style on 40-6 meters using SSB. QSL via their home callsigns, direct
or by the Bureau.

Members of the Royal Omani Amateur Radio Society will be on the air as A43MI from Masirah Island, Oman, between July 22 and 27th. They will also use the callsign A44M during the RSGB IOTA Contest being held July 24 and 25th). QSL both callsigns via ClubLog's OQRS, LoTW or eQSL.

Be listening for Luca, IK5AEQ and Franco, IZ5IUY operating as IL7/IK5AEQ and IL7/IZ5IUY from San Domino Isle until July 8th. Be listening on various HF bands. QSL via their home callsign direct or via LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: A FATHER, A SON AND A REPEATER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our final story comes to us this week just in time for Father's Day which in many parts of the world, is being celebrated this year on Sunday, June 20th. One ham in Pennsylvania is marking his second holiday without his father. But there are a few ways amateur radio is letting him keep his father close by. Here's Dave Parks WB8ODF with this story of father and son.

DAVE: The callsign W3NTT and the repeater W3NTT are now assigned to Aaron Groover but as far as this Pennsylvania amateur radio operator is concerned, part of both still belong to his father, James. A veteran of the US Navy, James Groover became a Silent Key on June 10, 2020 at age 62. He had been the inspiration for his son who at the time of his father's death, held the callsign K3ALG.

Now operating with his dad's call, Aaron runs the repeater they had dreamed of building and running together. Aaron fulfilled that dream alone atop from Pimple Hill, Pennsylvania, for the both of them and getting it on the air for him is as much a source of pride as a gesture of love and respect. He told Newsline [quote] "it's making fantastic QSOs and became one of the most used repeaters around." He added: "I figured he would love this."

Aaron has also been busy with the gift his father bought for him just before his passing. Knowing his son's affinity for PiStar and DMR gateways, he'd surprised him with an OpenSpot, a gift Aaron received only after his father was gone. He uses it today, he said, in his memory.

On June 10th of this year, the first anniversary of James Groover's death, Aaron went on the air and gave a call for him in his memory, a proper Silent Key notice. It went out from a repeater that stands now on a hilltop as a symbol of the bond between father and son. Aaron told Newsline: "Everytime I key it up, I will forever think of my father."

 

FRIDAY EDITION: Why the new FTC chair is causing such a stir ...What’s the difference between a sports car, a supercar, and a hypercar? ...

THURSDAY EDITION: Nice day again on the island...This is a vision of the future with the world's smallest single-chip system, a complete electronic circuit that technicians could one day inject directly into the body to monitor and diagnose certain health conditions. ...Best cheap cellphones.....A New Space Force Satellite Just Took Off for Space—From a Plane ....

Why Operate QRP Portable?...Good question....

Thomas K4SWL is a very active QRP portable enthusiast. He created a website QRPer.com where he shares his adventures. Like so many other portable radio fans, Thomas enjoys SOTA, POTA, Field Day and many other activities that center around operating portable QRP. Join us as we get to know Thomas a little better and find out why he advocates for QRP portable in this episode of the All Portable Discussion Zone “AP/DZ”.

Thomas's Website https://qrper.com/

Podcast version of this show https://anchor.fm/nj7v

Family Comes First during Hurricane Preparation for Home and Station

Slow-Scan TV Event from International Space Station Set

 

WEDNESDAY EDITION: I believe it was Monday night I listened to he "thick as a brick" net on 75 mters. Not a bad listen....How to attach radials to a vertical.....

X6100 is an ultra-portable shortwave transceiver, and adopts the SDR software radio platform architecture of excellent performance, which carries powerful baseband and RF unit, and integrates rich and diversified operating functions, bringing you a brand-new recognition and experience on amateur radio. With its compact structure and tiny appearance, you can immediately set forth on a journey with it, get close to nature, and enjoy the fun of
outdoor communication.

TUESDAY EDITION: The world's first wooden satellite will launch this year ...We are giving away millions of dollars of covid shots all around the  world, how many did Russia and China throw in? ....Michael Mitchell, a teacher at Samuel Walker Houston Elementary School, is helping local students earn their HAM technician license in hopes that the children can operate on some HF frequencies and utilize voice communications or phone bands. Phone bands will allow them to send data packages, emails and text messages using radio waves as opposed to using a cellular device or WIFI....

Y0J DXpedition to Bouvet Island Cancelled

Navajo Code Talkers special event

Look for Special Event Station (SES) N7C to be active between August 10-14th.

Activity is the 17th annual special event station's celebration of the 'Navajo Code Talkers', normally from Window Rock, AZ.

However, because of the continued closure of the Navajo Nation due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the SES will be on the air from the home stations of Ray-W7USA, Bob-K7BHM, John-W5PDW, and Herb-N7HG (who's father was a Code Talker).

QSL to N7HG or N7C at the QRZ.com address.

Navajo Code Talkers special event

Look for Special Event Station (SES) N7C to be active between August 10-14th.

Activity is the 17th annual special event station's celebration of the 'Navajo Code Talkers', normally from Window Rock, AZ.

However, because of the continued closure of the Navajo Nation due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the SES will be on the air from the home stations of Ray-W7USA, Bob-K7BHM, John-W5PDW, and Herb-N7HG (who's father was a Code Talker).

QSL to N7HG or N7C at the QRZ.com address.

MONDAY EDITION: Band conditions improving with lots of activity on 6 and 10, nice to see....A 76-year-old man believed to be the head of the world's largest family has died in India's Mizoram state....

CHIME telescope detects more than 500 mysterious fast radio bursts in its first year of operation

Observations quadruple the number of known radio bursts and reveal two types: one-offs and repeaters.

To catch sight of a fast radio burst is to be extremely lucky in where and when you point your radio dish. Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are oddly bright flashes of light, registering in the radio band of the electromagnetic spectrum, that blaze for a few milliseconds before vanishing without a trace.

These brief and mysterious beacons have been spotted in various and distant parts of the universe, as well as in our own galaxy. Their origins are unknown, and their appearance is unpredictable. Since the first was discovered in 2007, radio astronomers have only caught sight of around 140 bursts in their scopes.

Now, a large stationary radio telescope in British Columbia has nearly quadrupled the number of fast radio bursts discovered to date. The telescope, known as CHIME, for the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, has detected 535 new fast radio bursts during its first year of operation, between 2018 and 2019.

Scientists with the CHIME Collaboration, including researchers at MIT, have assembled the new signals in the telescope’s first FRB catalog, which they will present at the American Astronomical Society Meeting.

The new catalog significantly expands the current library of known FRBs, and is already yielding clues as to their properties. For instance, the newly discovered bursts appear to fall in two distinct classes: those that repeat, and those that don’t. Scientists identified 18 FRB sources that burst repeatedly, while the rest appear to be one-offs. The repeaters also look different, with each burst lasting slightly longer and emitting more focused radio frequencies than bursts from single, nonrepeating FRBs.

These observations strongly suggest that repeaters and one-offs arise from separate mechanisms and astrophysical sources. With more observations, astronomers hope soon to pin down the extreme origins of these curiously bright signals.

“Before CHIME, there were less than 100 total discovered FRBs; now, after one year of observation, we’ve discovered hundreds more,” says CHIME member Kaitlyn Shin, a graduate student in MIT’s Department of Physics. “With all these sources, we can really start getting a picture of what FRBs look like as a whole, what astrophysics might be driving these events, and how they can be used to study the universe going forward."

Seeing flashes

CHIME comprises four massive cylindrical radio antennas, roughly the size and shape of snowboarding half-pipes, located at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory, operated by the National Research Council of Canada in British Columbia, Canada. CHIME is a stationary array, with no moving parts. The telescope receives radio signals each day from half of the sky as the Earth rotates.

While most radio astronomy is done by swiveling a large dish to focus light from different parts of the sky, CHIME stares, motionless, at the sky, and focuses incoming signals using a correlator — a powerful digital signaling processor that can work through huge amounts of data, at a rate of about 7 terabits per second, equivalent to a few percent of the world’s internet traffic.

“Digital signal processing is what makes CHIME able to reconstruct and ‘look’ in thousands of directions simultaneously,” says Kiyoshi Masui, assistant professor of physics at MIT, who will lead the group’s conference presentation. “That’s what helps us detect FRBs a thousand times more often than a traditional telescope.”

Over the first year of operation, CHIME detected 535 new fast radio bursts. When the scientists mapped their locations, they found the bursts were evenly distributed in space, seeming to arise from any and all parts of the sky. From the FRBs that CHIME was able to detect, the scientists calculated that bright fast radio bursts occur at a rate of about 800 per day across the entire sky — the most precise estimate of FRBs overall rate to date.

“That’s kind of the beautiful thing about this field — FRBs are really hard to see, but they’re not uncommon,” says Masui, who is a member of MIT’s Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research. “If your eyes could see radio flashes the way you can see camera flashes, you would see them all the time if you just looked up.”

Mapping the universe

As radio waves travel across space, any interstellar gas, or plasma, along the way can distort or disperse the wave’s properties and trajectory. The degree to which a radio wave is dispersed can give clues to how much gas it passed through, and possibly how much distance it has traveled from its source.

For each of the 535 FRBs that CHIME detected, Masui and his colleagues measured its dispersion, and found that most bursts likely originated from far-off sources within distant galaxies. The fact that the bursts were bright enough to be detected by CHIME suggests that they must have been produced by extremely energetic sources. As the telescope detects more FRBs, scientists hope to pin down exactly what kind of exotic phenomena could generate such ultrabright, ultrafast signals.

Scientists also plan to use the bursts, and their dispersion estimates, to map the distribution of gas throughout the universe.

“Each FRB gives us some information of how far they’ve propagated and how much gas they’ve propagated through,” Shin says. “With large numbers of FRBs, we can hopefully figure out how gas and matter are distributed on very large scales in the universe. So, alongside the mystery of what FRBs are themselves, there’s also the exciting potential for FRBs as powerful cosmological probes in the future.”

This research was supported by various institutions including the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Toronto, the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, McGill University and the McGill Space Institute via the Trottier Family Foundation, and the University of British Columbia.

https://news.mit.edu/2021/chime-telescope-fast-radio-bursts-0609

MIR-SAT1 to deploy from ISS

The first amateur radio CubeSat from Mauritius is expected to be deployed from the International Space Station on June 22

The IARU Satellite Frequency Coordination page reports:

MIR-SAT1 is a 1U CubeSat mission with the following objectives:

1. Verify the performance of the on-board subsystems by receiving telemetry from the satellite and establish communication to and from the satellite (command and control).
2. Collect images of Mauritius and the Mauritian EEZ for capacity, building, experiment and research.
3. Experimental communication with other islands via the satellite (for scientific and/or emergency purposes), through a Radio Amateur digipeater payload.
4. V/U 9600bps GMSK digipeater may be open for Radio Amateur communication worldwide when the satellite not used for all above.

A downlink on 436.925 MHz has been coordinated. Decoders for the amateur radio community and schools have been developed by Chris AC2CZ and Daniel EA4GPZ and will be available in the public domain on their WEB sites/Github, Links will be provided before launch on Tweeter, AMSAT-BB and Space Mauritius, see
https://spacemauritius.com/#telemetry

 

WEEKEND EDITION: So some guy in Provincetown, MA on the Cape says he was swallowed by a fricken whale, yah right?......Up in Maine: Bopping through the wild blue, Amateur Radio Field Day makes a connection. The Kennebunk-based New England Radio Discussion Society facilitated a talk between Sea Road School students and an International Space Station in January. ...Field Day in Detroit....A 16-year-old entrepreneur reportedly brought in $1.7 million reselling video games, outdoor heaters, and above-ground swimming pools at sky-high prices during the pandemic .....Telescope detects hundreds of mysterious radio bursts from faraway galaxies ...I would not want to have been in this situation....

The Termination Event

Something big may be about to happen on the sun. It's called the 'Termination Event' and it could kickstart Solar Cycle 25 into a higher gear.

A handful of solar physicists are bucking conventional wisdom to promote this idea--and we will soon find out if they are correct.

Full story @ Spaceweather.com.

A 'tall story' from Turkey

The Çamlca TV-Radio Tower in Istanbul stands 369 meters tall, a futuristic, state of the art structure being heralded as the tallest telecommunications tower in all of Europe.

At its inauguration, the Turkish President praised the high-tech structure for its ability to carry 100 FM
broadcasts simultaneously, noting that it replaces numerous outdated facilities that had previously stood on the same hill. The mass of older towers had long been criticized as marring the city's skyline.

The tower is located on the Asian side of the city and its highest point is more than 580 meters above sea level.

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

ISS CROSSBAND REPEATER READY FOR FIELD DAY OPERATORS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week may just help you prepare for Field Day. If you're looking to score some bonus points during those two days, try making a contact via the International Space Station. The InterOperable Radio System on board the ISS will remain in crossband repeater mode during Field Day on the 26th and 27th of June. This is a change from the original plan to switch operation from crossband back to APRS packet during the second week of June. That changeover has been postponed until after Field Day.

By using the repeater, you don't just get a Field Day QSO point but bonus points. In fact, crossband repeater contacts can also be used that same weekend for AMSAT Field Day for satellite operations. The repeater frequencies are 145.990 MHz FM up, 67 Hz tone and 437.800 MHz down. ARISS recommends pre-Field Day practice sessions for any hams who've never used the repeater before.

(ARISS)

**
NASA TO TEST DATA TRANSFER VIA LASER COMMUNICAIONS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you're interested in an alternate communications mode, consider the option that NASA is exploring. Kent Peterson KC0DGY brings us those details.

KENT: Welcome to the age of optical communications. This month NASA is launching the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration or LCRD, as a payload on a US satellite in geosynchronous orbit some 22,000 miles from Earth. This demonstration will test higher bandwidth transfer using optical communications which may supplement traditional data transfer using radio.

The infrared light used for laser communications differs from radio waves because the laser packs the data into significantly tighter waves increasing the data throughput 10 to 100 times more than that of radio frequency systems. Laser communications systems are also smaller and weigh less. The LCRD is expected to use a data rate of 1.2 gigabits per second in its communications with ground stations in California and Hawaii.

NASA said on its website that radio technology's limits are being challenged by newer technologies. At this data rate, one could download a two-hour movie in about 20 seconds.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(NASA, PHOTONICS.COM)

**
PRIDE RADIO GROUP PROJECT HELPS SHACK STARTUP COSTS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: For some hams in Australia, the cost of starting in amateur radio just got a little easier. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us why.

GRAHAM: In Australia, the Pride Radio Group is working to take the financial sting out of becoming a ham. The group is making free kits with basic equipment available to Pride members who qualify for the assistance and live in Australia. Pride is also providing tutorials on how to get started with the kits. The kits contain, in part, an FM/DMR Handie Talkie, a NanoVNA with RF Demo board, a hotspot, cables and adapters along with several other basic essentials.

Michaela Wheeler, VK3FUR/VK4XSS, the group's founder, said this is one way to offset the high cost of starting in amateur radio in Australia, an effort that can carry a price tag of about $195 Australian dollars. Pride Radio Group, which was formed last year as a welcoming organisation for amateur radio operators in the LGBTQ community, has shown a consistent growth in membership and now has a roster of 241.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(MICHAELA WHEELER, VK3FUR/VK4XSS)

**
NEW UK HAM CLUB SCHEDULES FIRST IN-PERSON MEETING

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: For one of the newest clubs in the UK, the next meeting will not only be in person meeting but will be their first. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains.

JEREMY: Even as the pandemic was forcing people into isolation last year, one of the newest amateur radio clubs in the UK was making plans to bring radio operators together — at least in spirit if not in person.

Paul M0XZT and Andi 2E0GGX started up the East Ardsley Radio Society G3EAR to fill a need for local hams wanting to be together. Now the newly created club, known informally as "EARS," is preparing for its first in-person meeting on 25th June at the East Ardsley Cricket Club.

The painting and redecorating have already been done and, as Paul told Newsline [quote] "We are ready to open for our first proper club meeting." [endquote]. If government restrictions are not lifted by that time, Paul said, the hams will meet outside the club shack instead for a bit of socialising. That's likely to be a lot easier than the Facebook messenger chat they've been using all this time.

Paul and Andi hope to be joined by fellow founders Bob 2E0RMW, David G1NYN, Marc 2E0VTN, Darren 2E0VBL and Mick M6MWP.

Paul told Newsline the long term goal is to cater to local hams at all levels of experience and open their doors to anyone wanting to try for a contact on HF, DMR, D-STAR, Fusion or someone perhaps wanting to learn Morse.

First, however, they simply look forward to opening their doors.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(PAUL DRIVER M0XZT)

**
DATA NETWORK GROUP CHALLENGES FCC BID TO TAKE SPECTRUM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An FCC move that would take an amateur emergency network off part of the 5 GHz band is getting some pushback. Andy Morrison K9AWM brings us up to date.

ANDY: The Amateur Radio Emergency Data Network has taken the next step in its challenge to an FCC order that would eliminate the network's access to the upper part of the 5 GHz band. The FCC intends to allocate those frequencies instead for intelligent transportation systems and for unlicensed use such as Wi-Fi.

On June 2nd, the network filed comments with the agency, reaffirming radio operators' critical need to retain use of the band between 5.895 GHz and 5.925 GHz. The AREDN's attorney filed the comments one month after submitting a petition asking the FCC to withdraw the order. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking dates to December 2019 when the FCC announced its intention to reassign the band's upper 30 megahertz.

The AREDN is a high speed data network supplying public safety agencies with digital communications support through its email, text and audio-video capabilities. It relays messages in emergencies such as forest fires and natural disasters and has also been used in public service events.

Meanwhile, the FCC is also seeking comment on its proposal to give additional spectrum to private space launch companies on the amateur radio frequencies between 420 and 430 MHz and 5.65 to 5.925 GHz. Hams have a secondary allocation on these frequencies on the 70cm and 5cm bands, respectively. The 70cm frequencies are widely used by hams for repeater links and amateur television and a portion of the 5 GHz spectrum is used by the AREDN.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(FCC, PAUL STRAUSS, WD6EBY)

**

MUSEUM SHIPS WEEKEND SAILS TO SUCCESS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The annual Museum Ships Weekend was a scaled-down event due to propagation and the pandemic but there was nothing scaled-down about its success. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us about it.

KEVIN: Having long since traded their military careers for roles as public museums, an international array of battleships, aircraft carriers, minesweepers, destroyers and cargo ships was determined to have fun in spite of challenging conditions. That's just what they did for 48 hours on June 5th and 6th. The annual Museum Ships Weekend got on the air with hams calling QRZ from the Netherlands to Australia all the way to Camden, New Jersey, home of the Battleship New Jersey Amateur Radio Station, the event's sponsors. Although pandemic precautions reduced the number of participating ships to 81, radio operators were busy nonetheless. Harry Bryant AA2WN, the club president, said preliminary results showed on the New Jersey ship alone, the 9 operators -- operating two at a time -- logged 554 HF contacts from 10 countries and 38 states. Using one of the ship's satellite antennas as an enclosure for a 2m/440 antenna array, the operators also were able to make contacts on VHF for the first time. Harry said that band conditions were less than optimal for this year's event but the hams made the best of 40, 30 and 20 meters operating as NJ2BB.

Harry said that despite the pandemic and propagation [quote] "We still had a fun and satisfying event. We are ever hopeful that normalcy will prevail next year with many more ships, operating hours, operators and better band conditions." [endquote]

These ships, after all, have seen greater challenges.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(HARRY BRYANT AA2WN)

**
HAMVENTION FORUM VIDEOS AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hamvention—had it happened—would have lasted two to three days. You are now able to participate in two highlights of that weekend held virtually in May by spending a little more than eight hours on YouTube. Contest University, held May 20th, and many of the Hamvention Forums, held May 21st, are now available on YouTube. They include the CQ Contest Hall of Fame presentation by John K1AR; youth in contesting, presented by Phillip DK6SP, contesting from Russia by Willy UA9BA; "There is Nothing Magic about Propagation" by Jose CT1BOH, and a memorial reading of the Silent Keys.

(YOUTUBE)

**
FOUNDATION GRANT WILL HELP EUROPEAN HAMNET TO GROW

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A high-speed amateur network in Europe has just become the first international recipient of a grant from a California foundation. Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us about their plans.

ED: Amateur Radio Digital Communications, a private foundation based in California, has provided its first international grant to assist in expansion of the European HAMNET, a high-speed amateur radio multimedia network. The funding, which will go through the Deutscher Amateur Radio Club in Germany, will provide sponsored hardware for radio links to make use of the Amateur Packet Radio Network IP space in Europe.

With this grant, DARC becomes the first non-US organisation to be given an ARDC grant.

ARDC president Phil Karn KA9Q issued a statement saying that ARDC's goal has long been to give grants like this to qualifying non-profit organisations outside the US. DARC president Christian Entsfellner DL3MBG issued a statement adding [quote]: "We are highly excited that with this grant we can give the European HAMNET project a huge boost.” [endquote]

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

(ARDC)

**
SILENT KEY: ARECIBO'S GORDON PETTENGILL W1OUN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A noted educator, researcher and amateur radio operator who specialized in radar as a tool for space exploration has become a Silent Key. Here's Jim Damron N8TMW to tell us more.

JIM: Many on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and beyond are mourning the death of professor emeritus and radio astronomy pioneer Gordon Pettengill W1OUN. He had been director of the then-new Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico before stepping down in 1970. At MIT he became a professor of planetary physics and director of the MIT Center for Space Research. Gordon's work also involved repurposing military radar technology for science and space exploration. At MIT he also used the Lincoln Laboratory Millstone Hill radar to create the first two-dimensional radar map of the moon. The map was a critical component used by NASA in its plans for the Apollo moon landings that were to come later.

Gordon was an avid ham radio operator throughout his life, starting with his high school years. Gordon was a World War II veteran and after the war ended, he continued his involvement in communications through his assignment to the US Army's Signal Corps, stationed in Austria.

He died in May at the age of 95 of congestive heart failure.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron N8TMW.

(MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Adrien, F4IHM, who is using the callsign 5UAIHM until June 27th from Niger. He is on 40m and 20m using CW and SSB. QSL to F4IHM, direct or by the Bureau.

Be listening for the callsign GB1ORC, a special event callsign of the Online Amateur Radio Community. OARC is marking the one-year anniversary of its founding as an online amateur radio club based in the UK. GB1ORC will be on the air until June 20th. The club will also use GB0ARC until June 24th.

In Scotland, listen for Paul, G4PVM, using the callsign GM4PVM from the Isle of Lismore (IOTA EU-008) between June 29th and July 4th. Paul will be on the air holiday style using 40m to 10m, both CW and SSB. Send QSLs via LoTW, eQSL or ClubLog for IOTA.

Listen for the special event callsign TM57COV between the 15th and 29th of June. A team of French amateur radio operators will be on the air to pay tribute to those who have died from COVID-19 or are currently struggling to recover. The station also pays tribute to the caregivers who are working with COVID cases. For QSL details visit the station's page on QRZ.com

(OHIO PENN DX, SOUTHGATE)

**
KICKER: TAKING MANY SMALL STEPS TO FOLLOW SOME BIG FEET

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: What is better than a rare DX? How about scoring a rare sighting right where you've set up your portable station? Mike Askins KE5CXP has that report for us.

MIKE: When the hams in the Bigfoot Radio Net go on a field expedition, as they did just a few weeks ago in the Ouachita National Forest in Oklahoma, they're looking to log a big contact. You might say a big-footed contact. To some he's known as Bigfoot. To others, Sasquatch. On everything from weeklong special events to overnight solo investigations, Brent Boydston KF5THB has been on the hunt since 2016 for the legendary creature. No, Bigfoot doesn't have a callsign—at least not yet—but then this part of the hunt doesn't happen while they're on the air or cooking under the canopy of stars. Brent says that when not calling QRZ, he looks for the classic oversized muddy footprint or certain rock formations said to comprise his habitat.

Brent told Newsline that while in Oklahoma's Winding Stairs Mountains recently, he and his brother [quote] "looked for Bigfoot, we listened for Bigfoot and we smelled for Bigfoot." [endquote] The expeditions are the natural spinoff of the weekly Bigfoot Radio Net on Wednesdays at 2000 Central Time on 7.155 MHz. He said ham radio and Bigfoot go together because the ragchew topics are usually about someone's close encounters.

Quoting Brent: "Calling CQ means never knowing what you may find. Similarly, looking for a mythical creature in a vast wilderness means the same." [endquote] That turns every adventure into a sasq-WATCH.

Separate SATERN Nets Now Operational

WSJT-X version 2.4.0 Now Generally Available, Version 2.5.0 on the Horizon

Solar storms more likely at solar cycle peaks

The 'New Scientist' magazine reports that researchers at the University of Reading in the UK have been investigating the extremes of space weather. Using statistical analysis of modelling and observational data they determined that rather than randomly occurring, big solar storms are more likely to occur around the peak in a solar cycle.

And strangely, the researchers' analysis also suggests these extreme solar events may be more likely during odd-numbered solar cycles. As we are now in Cycle 25 stay tuned for some rough space weather in a few years time…

 

THURSDAY EDITION: Well, the heat wave left overnight, what a relief it is...Report of what is the best waterproof smart watch.....Watch a fighter jet and drone make 'wet contact' for the first time ...Today's dumbass: Rep. Gohmert asks whether federal agencies can fix climate change by altering orbit of the Earth and moon ...Everything you need to know about the size of pig and cow brains.....

International Space Station to be in Cross-Band Repeater Mode for Field Day

WEDNESDAY EDITION: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Summer vacation is here for some schools across the Valley, and one school has started a camp that will help its students listen to radio signals from across the planet.  ....Alaska Airlines is using artificial intelligence to craft flight plans that save fuel—and time ....Should you be worried about privacy with Amazon Sidewalk? Yes and no.

RS0ISS Will Transmit Slow-Scan TV Images from the ISS on June 9 - 10

Canadian researchers concern about overcrowded orbits.....no kidding?

A new report by two Canadian researchers is highlighting the growing hazard of space debris. It warns that the new mega-constellations of tens of thousands of communication satellites could pose a new kind of danger that could ultimately threaten other satellites, astronauts, our ability to use space and could even have an impact on the climate.

Recently, that uncontrolled fall from space of a large Chinese rocket booster gained worldwide attention as no one could predict where it would come crashing to Earth. Fortunately, it came down in the Indian Ocean and no one was injured.

That was just one booster.

But the amount of stuff satellites, discarded boosters and other debris in Earth orbit is huge. And this new report warns that with projects like the SpaceX Starlink satellite constellation, the issue of space debris could approach a critical turning point.

TUESDAY EDITION:  Another warm day, keep them coming...Amateur radio event takes place aboard USS Lexington ...Robots building shelters on MARS....Only in West Virginia would they fire up a flamethrower for a vets cookout....70% here on the island are vaccinated and no active cases here in town....

If you ever owned a bulldog, you would know this is a true story....

ISS repeater remaining on until after Field Day

The International Space Station crossband FM repeater should remain active until after the Field Day weekend of June 26-27

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) has decided to keep its ARISS InterOperable Radio System (IORS) in crossband repeater mode until after ARRL Field Day ends. The IORS ham station is located in the Columbus Module of the International Space Station.

ARRL HQ Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, has confirmed that successful radio contacts made through the ARISS IORS, in crossband repeater mode, will count for an ARRL Field Day QSO point, but also for Field Day bonus points! Another fun opportunity for points. Don’t forget the rule limiting stations to 1 QSO per any single channel FM satellite.

On-orbit astronauts always have very busy schedules, but if a voice contact were to be made with them, it would count for QSO credit but not for satellite bonus points. Only an ARISS crossband repeater QSO qualifies for the bonus. Crossband repeater contacts are also valid for AMSAT Field Day for satellite operations, held concurrently with the ARRL event.  

Frequencies for ARISS crossband repeater operation are as follows: 145.990 MHz up, 67 Hz tone and 437.800 MHz down. If you haven’t used the ISS repeater yet, be sure to practice with it before Field Day (June 26-27, 2021). These contacts can be tricky, but hams can practice right now…can you do it?

ARISS had planned a mode switch to APRS packet during the second week of June. Now, ARISS is targeting the switch by the astronauts to packet after the first ARISS school contact following ARRL Field Day. In more news for ARISS supporters: the astronauts will power down the ARISS radio station during USA spacewalks on June 16 and June 20, 2021.

Kyrgyzstan latest to arrive on 60 m/5 MHz

The Union of Radio Amateurs of Kyrgyz Republic (ARUKR) announced that on 4^th June 2021, the Kyrgyzstan Telecommunications Regulator made the new WRC-15 Amateur Secondary Allocation of 5351.5 – 5366.5 kHz available to Kyrgyz hams at a maximum power of 100W.

Other Secondary allocations made available at the same time were 472 – 479 kHz at 1W, 122.25 – 123 GHz and 134 – 141 GHz both at 100W.

MONDAY EDITION: COVID-19 turnabout—pandemic in Japan unexpectedly revives, instead of exterminates, a dying art ...The coolest science-themed destinations in all 50 states .....Meet the Rimac Nevera, the 1,914-horsepower hypercar named after a Mediterranean storm and destined to demolish speed records around the world......

Setting up the IC-7300 for FT8

In this video Hayden VK7HH shows how to setup the IC-7300 for the WSJT digital modes FT8 and FT4

YouTube Description:
Got a Icom IC-7300 you want to use on digital? I will show you exactly how to setup your Icom IC-7300 for use with WSJT-X and other digital modes such as FT8. These are my settings on my radio that work perfectly for WSJT-X.

Timestamps
0:00 Icom IC-7300 SETUP for WSJT/Digital Modes
1:26 Settings in the IC-7300 that need changing
4:29 Switching between SSB and DATA modes
5:15 Configuring WSJT-X for use with the IC-7300
7:43 Adjusting audio level in WSJT-X tips

Watch Icom IC-7300 SETUP for WSJT/FT8 Digital Modes (Easy and Simple)

TIP: Don't park on the drain grate....

ARISS SSTV transmissions

MAI-75 will be conducting their experiment of transmitting SSTV images from the International Space Station over specific orbits that overfly Moscow on June 9 and 10.

Amateurs along the ground track of these orbits should have the opportunity to receive these images as well. Modes and targeted transmission periods are listed below.

SSTV images will be transmitted at 145.800 MHz using a Kenwood TM-D710 transceiver. They are expected to use the PD-120 SSTV format.

Wed 2021-06-09: 09:35 to 13:50 UTC
Thu 2021-06-10: 08:55 to 15:50 UTC

For more information on ARISS SSTV, please visit:
https://www.spaceflightsoftware.com/ARISS_SSTV/

About ARISS

Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is a cooperative venture of international amateur radio societies and the space agencies that support the International Space Station (ISS). In the United States, sponsors are the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation(AMSAT), the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the ISS National National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The primary goal of ARISS is to promote exploration of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics by organizing scheduled contacts via amateur radio between crew members aboard the ISS and students. Before and during these radio contacts, students, educators, parents, and communities learn about space, space technologies, and amateur radio. For further information, please see www.ariss.org.

WEEKEND EDITION: I guess we have 90 degree weather for days ahead. Wee usually 10 degrees cooler here on the ocean, we will see.....Elon Musk Alert: Brazil really Sent Bitcoin (BTC) By Radio Waves to the Moon ....

ISS SSTV 145.800 FM June 9-10

Russian cosmonauts on the International Space Station (ISS) are planning to transmit Slow Scan TV images on 145.800 MHz FM using the SSTV mode PD-120.

The transmissions are part of the Moscow Aviation Institute SSTV experiment (MAI-75) and will be made from the amateur radio station RS0ISS in the Russian Service module of the ISS using a Kenwood TM-D710 transceiver.  

June 09, 2021 (Wednesday) from 09:35 GMT until 13:50 GMT*
June 10, 2021 (Thursday) from 08:55 GMT until 15:50 GMT*

EURAO Party - Summer 2021:
CB QSL Party....your kidding?

The European Radio Amateurs' Organization, supporting the initiative of its member association Federación Digital EA, announces a new party on the air, this time with the motto: "CB QSL Party".

Remember this is not a contest, it is just a radio meeting with a few simple 'rules', better to call them recommendations.

The party will be held for three months, from June 1st to September 30th, 2021, 00:00-24:00 UTC.

Read more. https://www.eurao.org/en/node/1195

Amateur Radio Operator and Prolific Author Don Keith N4KC Publishes 36th and 37th Books  

 Active amateur radio operator Don Keith, N4KC has released his 36th and 37th published books, one fiction and the other non-fiction. Warshot, the sixth book in The Hunter Killer Series of submarine/Navy SEAL thrillers, was co-written by Keith and former submarine skipper George Wallace. The title book in the series, Hunter Killer, was the basis for the major motion picture of the same name, starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. Warshot is published by Severn River Publishing.   Keith’s latest non-fiction work is Only the Brave, which tells the story of the World War II battle for Guam, in the Marianna Islands. While it was a key conflict in the Pacific Theater, few are aware of the scope of the battle or its effect on the natives of the island, the Chamorros. Only the Brave is published by Dutton, an imprint of Penguin/Random House. Both books are available in all formats wherever books are sold.   Keith holds the Amateur Extra license and is a member of the ARRL. He has also published four books about amateur radio. For more on all of N4KC’s books, visit www.donkeith.com or www.n4kc.com.  

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

ISS GETTING FIRST EUROPEAN WOMAN COMMANDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Italy's first female astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti IZ0UDF, has also become the first European woman chosen to command the International Space Station. The European Space Agency announced the former fighter pilot's selection on Friday, May 28th. She is to launch in 2022 with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS [Kay Oh 5 EM Oh Ess] and Bob Hines aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This will be her second stay on board the ISS where she will become the fifth ESA astronaut to serve as its commander.

(BRUSSELS TIMES, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY)

**'

AMATEURS IN INDIA HELP COORDINATE CREMATORY LOGISTICS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in India have taken up a grim but important responsibility as people throughout that nation continue to count the deaths from COVID-19. Jason Daniels VK2LAW has that report.

JASON: In India, where crematoriums and graveyards are pushed beyond capacity to keep pace with the surges in death from COVID-19, amateur radio operators have stepped up to help provide some coordination amidst the chaos.

The Indian Institute of Hams has created a communications network connecting 16 crematoriums, according to a news report in the Bangalore Mirror. More than 30 hams have been working around the clock to ensure proper and dignified handling of cremations as a reassurance to families, the report said. The institute's director, S. Sathyapal VU2FI said, hams who are particularly experienced in crisis management have been visiting crematoriums at random, gathering details about any problems that have arisen.

S. Sathyapal told the Banglore Mirror: [quote] "Any disturbances reported at the crematoriums will be brought to the notice of officials and we will alert the task force to inspect them immediately. Our aim is to see that a dignified farewell is given to the deceased without any hassles." [endquote]

The hams' efforts are part of a greater nationwide network of volunteer response from individuals and nongovernmental organisations attempting to help funeral professionals at crematoriums and burial grounds.

A report in the New York Times said that an average of 217,638 COVID-19 cases per day were reported in India in the last week, although some reports indicate the numbers of cases and deaths has begun to decline in recent days.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(BANGALORE MIRROR, NYTIMES)

**

FCC MAY CONSIDER NEW LOW-POWER FM LICENSES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Make room on the bands - maybe - for some new low-power FM stations. The US Federal Communications Commission is considering rule changes that would pave the way for approval of new low-power FM licenses. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the matter is on the agenda at the commission's June 17th meeting. The move follows actions the commission took last year to modify engineering rules for low-power FM stations.

(FCC, RADIOWORLD)

**

SILENT KEY: AMSAT's ANDY MAC ALLISTER, W5ACM

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime friend of AMSAT and a noted satellite enthusiast has become a Silent Key. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us about him.

KEVIN: The ham described by some as the Voice of the Houston AMSAT Net and the King of the South Texas Balloon Launch Team has become a Silent Key. Andy MacAllister W5ACM died on Wednesday, May 19th at his home in Texas. Andy, who became a licensed amateur radio operator in high school, was a former member of the AMSAT Board of Directors and had been a liaison for SAREX, that allowed students to speak to astronauts onboard the Shuttle spacecraft.

Andy's many jobs included working as a chief operator and technician at KTRU, the student-run radio station at Rice University in Houston. According to his online obituary he also worked for two years for Lockheed at NASA, designing space shuttle simulators and was in charge of technical manuals and certifications for more than 20 years at Daniel Measurement and Control. Andy was also known as one of the columnists at 73 magazine, where he wrote about amateur radio satellites.

Andy was 68.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(AMSAT, BERESFORD FUNERAL SERVICE)

**
ACTIVATION TO BENEFIT NY STATE'S BANNERMAN ISLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: Now here's an island activation with a dual purpose: Successful radio contacts get a certificate—and the island itself gets hoped-for funding to help restore its use as a park. As Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us, it's going on in New York State's Hudson Valley region.

DAVE: The chance to activate a castle or an island has always ignited the imaginations of many hams—but the activations taking place near Bannerman Castle on New York's Bannerman Island on Saturday, June 12th have less to do with imagination and more to do with a real-life goal. Radio operators who are part of the Hudson Valley Digital Network are hoping to make contact worldwide from locations along the Hudson River to bring attention to the need to restore Bannerman Island and its buildings for visitors' safe use as a public park. Bannerman Island is not part of the Islands on Air awards program: It belongs to the New York State Park system and is one of six islands in the Hudson River. Eight amateur radio stations will be on the air between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time—one of them from the island itself, using the callsign N2B. The stations are activating under the sponsorship of the Hudson Valley Radio Relay. Operators logging these stations will receive a commemorative certificate and information on how to contribute to the fundraising campaign to help the nonprofit Bannerman Castle Trust restore the historic island. So be listening for N2B along with stations operating nearby: N2H, N2U, N2D, N2S, N2O, N2N and N2V. They will be using various modes, including CW, SSB and the digital modes.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(EAST GREENBUSH AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION, HUDSON VALLEY DIGITAL NETWORK BLOG)

**
GERMAN AUTHORITIES CLAMP DOWN ON SOLAR PANEL COMPANY

PAUL/ANCHOR: We all struggle with RF interference and so much of it is preventable. In Germany, authorities are taking steps to ensure some of that RFI doesn't come from certain solar panels. Ed Durrant DD5LP gives us those details.

ED: The manufacturer of a solar panel optimiser has been restricted from doing business in the German market because of concerns over RF interference. The German regulator, BNetzA, has said that it has taken the action against SolarEdge because some of its optimisers cause levels of RF pollution that do not comply with directives set by the EU. The company, which has offices around the world, describes itself as a leading manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters for solar power systems.

According to a translation from VERON, the largest amateur radio association in The Netherlands, SolarEdge's representative in Germany has four weeks to correct the problem before the regulator prohibits the products' national sale altogether. According to reports, the restriction applies only to Germany, despite the RF-pollution directive setting an EU-wide standard. The company's website did not contain a statement responding to the German regulator's actions.

SolarEdge's optimiser is not the only product by any manufacturer that the German regulator has noted as being out of compliance. Recent study results published by BNetZa have shown that 75 percent of solar panel installations and 25 percent of LED lights studied failed to meet EU standards.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP

(SOUTHGATE, VERON)

**
HAMSCI SEEKING AMATEUR INPUT DURING 'ECLIPSE FESTIVAL'

PAUL/ANCHOR: The citizen scientist organization HamSCI is looking for amateur input worldwide during its "eclipse festival" this month. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us how to get involved.

JACK: Hams and shortwave listeners around the world have been invited to the latest solar eclipse festival being held by HamSCI to gather data using their HF radios and a computer running open-source software. Radio operators are being being asked to record time-standard stations during the annular solar eclipse across the Arctic Circle, in an experiment that runs from the 7th to the 12th of June. The annular phase of the eclipse will be visible from parts of northern Canada, Russia and Greenland; a partial eclipse is likely to be visible, weather permitting, in Europe, northern Asia and the United States. The crowd-sourced data from citizen scientists will help researchers study the superimposed effects of auroral particle precipitation and the eclipse on HF Doppler shift. Radio operators around the world are invited to sign up and take part. All participants will receive QSL certificates as well as the findings of the data's analysis. The primary beacon for the experiment will be the Russian time standard station RWM on 9.996 MHz. If your radio cannot receive this frequency, try 10 MHz WWV or another station listed on the HamSCI website.

Instructions on how to participate in this festival of frequency measurement can be found at hamsci dot org. (hamsci.org)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jack Parker W8ISH.

(HAMSCI)

**
TURKEY'S NEW COMMUNICATIONS TOWER CALLED EUROPE'S TALLEST

PAUL/ANCHOR: As so many hams know, a soaring new tower isn't always the most welcome sight in some neighborhoods. Of course, if the neighborhood happens to be the largest city in Turkey, that's a different story. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us why.

JIM: The Çamlıca [pronounced: CHAM-LEE-CHA] TV-Radio Tower in Istanbul stands 369 meters tall, or 1,210 feet tall, a futuristic, state-of-the-art structure being heralded as the tallest telecommunications tower in Europe. At its inauguration in late May, Turkish President Erdoğan [pronounced: AIR-DOO-WAN], praised the high-tech structure for its ability to carry 100 FM broadcasts simultaneously, noting that it replaces numerous outdated facilities that had previously stood on the same hill. The mass of older towers had long been criticized as marring the city's skyline and posing health risks for city residents. Construction began on the new tower in 2016 in the hopes it would also be a magnet for tourism in the city. The tower is located on the Asian side of the city and its highest point is more than 580 meters, or 1,900 feet, above sea level.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(HURRIYET DAILY NEWS, DAILY SABAH)

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IRISH AMATEURS ASKED TO CHECK IN AT WISCONSIN FESTIVAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: An invitation has been extended to hams in Ireland to attend an Irish festival in Wisconsin—via radio—and the guests' replies are starting to come in. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us up to date.

JEREMY: The popular Irishfest in La Crosse, Wisconsin is making a comeback this August and this year the festival will be bringing Ireland to Wisconsin in a new way: The Riverland Amateur Radio Club W9UP has invited a number of Irish amateur radio clubs to join in the activity on the Mississippi Riverfront. Irishfest trustee Shawn Hicks KD9KGQ, a board member of the Riverland club, told Newsline he has already gotten a positive response from the Shannon Basin Radio Club and the East Leinster Amateur Radio Club. He said while Irish music, games and storytelling will be part of the usual attractions, festival attendees will also get an opportunity to hear from hams in Ireland and experience amateur radio.

In his invitation sent to various ham clubs based in Ireland, Shawn wrote: [quote] "Our radio club members will be more than eager to make DX contacts in Ireland but we would like for our hams to partner with a fest attendee and give them an opportunity to chat with you. This would give them a chance to learn a little bit about the region in Ireland you live in and a chance for you to learn about us as well." [endquote] The club will be on the air at the festival on August 14th from 1600 to 2200 UTC on 14.260 MHz and will also conduct QSOs with the hams in Ireland via Yaesu Fusion Wires X Room 63956. Shawn said if clubs want to meet in a different Wires X room that will be possible too.

Hams in Ireland may contact Shawn at e i s t i m 6 8 at gmail dot com (eistim68@mail.com)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SHAWN HICKS KD9KGQ)

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HAWAIIAN AMATEURS CELEBRATE ISLANDS' 19th CENTURY KING

ANCHOR: A special event station is about to get under way in Hawaii, marking the legacy of a beloved monarch. John Williams VK4JJW explains.

JOHN: The 19th century Hawaiian king, Kamehameha, who is celebrated for having united the islands of Hawaii in 1810, would no doubt appreciate the spirit of the day on Friday June 11th. On that day, amateur radio operators will be working in unison as special event station K6K, honoring the leader, warrior, businessman and diplomat whose vision for the islands kept Western explorers from encroaching on their territories.

As envisioned by Michael Miller KH6ML, the special event station will carry the king's story around the world as operators on the various islands make as many contacts as possible. This is not a contest and there are no paper QSL cards. However, downloadable certificates will be available. For more details visit the QRZ page of K6K.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

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RSGB TO EXPAND NEWS-READER TEAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Radio Society of Great Britain wants new team members on its news service to read reports from around the UK and the world for local hams. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us how to get involved.

JEREMY: One of the latest news items from the Radio Society of Great Britain is about ham radio news itself: The Society is looking for amateurs who would like to join their team of news readers, sharing updates on events, solar forecasts and issues of concern to hams throughout the UK and around the world. A new video on the Society's website and on their YouTube channel explains the news readers' roles with the GB2RS news service. The Society currently has more than 100 news readers delivering transmissions every week on Sunday—a tradition that began in September of 1955.

The news reports are heard on HF, analogue and digital VHF AND UHF repeaters as well as through amateur TV transmissions. Reports are also transmitted via the QO-100 satellite. Hams with online access can hear the reports via podcasts and video presentations.

For more details, or to watch the video, follow the link in this week's printed script of this newscast at arnewsline.org.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: rsgb.org/gb2rs-manager]

(RSGB)

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FOX MIKE HOTEL CHALLENGE

Wherever you are in the world, get ready for the return of the Fox Mike Hotel Portable Ops Challenge coming September4th and 5th. The contest is designed to create equal operating conditions between portable and fixed stations. For details visit foxmikehotel dot com.


(OHIO PENN DX)

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KICKER: RADIO'S BLASTS, NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE PAST

PAUL/ANCHOR: Finally, we ask: Do you love solving a good mystery? Scientists think they may be getting ready to do just that. They're hot on the trail of some mysterious—and intensely fast—radio signals. Here's Neil Rapp WB9VPG with the details.

NEIL: Fast radio bursts: No, that's not the enviable signal report you dream of getting from that rare DX somewhere in the Antarctic. These are the formerly mysterious deep space signals astronomers have been tracking using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Notice we said "formerly" mysterious. For years scientists have scratched their heads over the source of these 1,000 or so powerful blasts, which began showing up in 2001. They are, however, so fast that they're here and then....they're not. According to a report in CBS News, scientists have traced only 15 of them and they apparently came from distant galaxies. New findings about to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, track five of the most recent radio blasts to the so-called "spiral arms" of the galaxies, the places where stars form - but not from ' young stars exploding and dying. Rather, the blasts' origins appear to be from neutron stars, young magnetars that have powerful magnetic fields. While this doesn't completely solve the mystery, it does narrow things down quite a bit and that's no small task. This is the kind of power we hams can only envy: in the one-thousandth of a second it takes these flares to erupt, they create as much energy as the sun does in a year.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(CBS)

FRIDAY EDITION: The K7RA Solar Update ....Today's Dumbass Award goes to.....Congrats to Pelosi's most expensive gas station....

Interactive LightCube Satellite Set to Launch in Late 2022

THURSDAY EDITION: Good morning hamsters, another pretty day here on the rock....Not too much news to report but I will update as I find things...Our government decides to piss away another 500 million per flight to investigate Venus....Microsoft is planning to detail its “next generation of Windows” at an event later this month. The software giant has started sending invites to media for a Windows event on June 24th.

New store: Welcome to Ham Radio Outlet Sacramento!

CW Field Day

IRTS CW Field Day takes place this weekend the 5th and 6th of June. This contest is for portable stations and is on the CW contest preferred segments of the contest bands from Top Band to 10 metres. It runs for 24 hours from 1500 UTC on Saturday 5th June and there is a 24 hour section and a restricted 6 hour section.

The first weekend in June is when a number of IARU Region 1 societies would normally run CW Field Day contests and has always been a good opportunity for European CW operators test their skills in a portable environment. The covid pandemic has affected field day and other contests over the past year and no IRTS field day events were held in 2020. Following improvements in the public health situation in recent months, we decided to proceed with our field day events this year, subject to restrictions and precautions that have been inserted into the contest rules.

We note that DARC, the German national society, has decided to cancel its CW Field Day this year; while it acknowledges the improved health situation, it is concerned that regulations or restrictions may not be uniform throughout the country. The RSGB CW Field Day contest is going ahead, so we can expect plenty of activity from UK portable stations.

Towers...

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Beatuful day here on the island....The RSGB has released a video about the GB2RS news service which is broadcast in many amateur bands and even via the QO-100 geostationary satellite transponder.....Bladeless wind technology...Captain of Boeing 777 shoots incredible time-lapse from cockpit....Only in West Viginia would they give you a gun as an incentive to get the Covid shot...

Clinton Engineer Works, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 1944. "Calutron Girls -- Gladys Owens (foreground), one of the workers monitoring 'Calutron' mass spectrometers at the Y-12 uranium isotope separation and enrichment plant. Like many of these women, she did not realize the significance of her work in the development of the first atomic bomb until long after the war had ended."

Spanish submarine special event

Members of the Radio Club of Torrevieja (EC5RKT) will participate in the Museum Ships Weekend 2021 from the submarine S-61 "Delfin" in Torrevieja.

Operators are Georgette ON6AK/EA5HZC, Jean ON5JV/EA5HZB, and Paco ON6LP/EA5GVJ.
QRV as EH5SUB on HF.

Vermont Station Celebrates Transition to Public Ownership

Nearly 50 years after its first broadcast, a Vermont community radio station has announced that is officially owned by the public — a rare feat in the annals of radio ownership transition.

Station WGDR/WGDH was built and operated by Goddard College in Plainfield, Vt., as a college and community radio station. In 2020, the newly established nonprofit Central Vermont Community Radio (CVCR) was gifted the radio station from the college, making it the only full-power community owned and operated noncommercial station in Vermont.

The transfer represents “a huge milestone nationally for the public and community radio industry,” the station said in a release. The move is noteworthy, especially for a college station, since university- and college-owned stations across the country are often sold to meet budget shortfalls, the station said.

TUESDAY EDITION: It was strange not having a parade yesterday, just doesn't seem right.....Is our sun going into hibernation?.....America's first bomber......Coming soon, planes with no pilots......When will a baby be born in space?