Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2369 for Friday March 24th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369, with a release date of Friday, March 24th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Fire destroys an important lifesaving repeater in Oklahoma. The Dayton amateur radio community loses a leader -- and a
victory atop an Australian summit for one young operator. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2369, comes your way right
now.

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FIRE DESTROYS VITAL REPEATER IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA

NEIL/ANCHOR: A vital repeater in southern Oklahoma has literally gone up
in smoke, leaving a region without an important emergency communications resource. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: Fire has destroyed the W5BLW repeater in southern Oklahoma, taking
down a critically important resource for SKYWARN, the Red Cross and local emergency operations in five counties of the region. According to Vance
Smith, KE5BAL, of the Ardmore Amateur Radio Club, it will be a slow road
back for the repeater, which stood for more than 16 years.

Vance told Newsline that the repeater was consumed by a controlled burn
that went the wrong way on the private ranch property where the repeater
stood. By the time the damage was noticed on the mountaintop, it was too
late.

Now the scrambling - and the hard work - begins so that emergency communications can resume when needed.

Vance said he has an old repeater that can be put up temporarily on
another site, but it will be a while before a full power repeater will
be back in action at the site on top of Arbuckle Mountain. He told
Newsline [quote] "We have a lot of work to do up at the site. We are
going to need a tower climber to do work up top, and along the side of
the tower." [endquote]

The Ardmore Amateur Radio Club repeater bears the name and callsign of
Ardmore club member Charles M. Dibrell who became a Silent Key in 1998.
He had been a licensed ham since 1929.

Vance told Newsline: [quote] "This is a very important piece of radio equipment for southern Oklahoma."[endquote]

This is Ralph Squilllace, KK6ITB.

(VANCE SMITH, KE5BAL; QRZ: LLOYD COLSTON, KC5FM)

**

FCC SEEKS GUIDELINES FOR CELLPHONE SATELLITE OPTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: A recent move by the FCC means that increasing numbers of smartphone users may discover what hams already know: that when there's
no terrestrial service, additional coverage is readily available from satellites. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, has the details.

DAVE: Smartphones may soon have a direct connection to satellites when necessary, following a move by the US Federal Communications Commission
to set out guidelines for such service. While space-based connections
are already a reality on a limited basis with Apple phones and are in
the works for T-Mobile, SpaceX, Qualcomm and Iridium, guidelines are
still needed to sort out the rules for broader implementation. A recent
draft document by the FCC seeks to explore this kind of supplemental
service and how it would work.

The FCC said in a news release that this would require agency
authorization for terrestrial-based providers, so they could provide
licensed operation on a part of the spectrum reserved for them. Phones
would switch to the satellite signal when no other signal is available.

This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(TECH CRUNCH)

**

SILENT KEY: HAMVENTION'S RON CRAMER, KD8ENJ

NEIL/ANCHOR: A leader in the Dayton, Ohio amateur radio community, and
a force in the annual Dayton Hamvention, has become a Silent Key. We
hear more from Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

PATRICK: Amateurs in Dayton, Ohio and beyond often looked to Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, for leadership. He was the vice president of the Dayton Amateur
Radio Association, which he had one time serve as president, and he was
general chairman of Dayton Hamvention. Ron became a Silent Key on Saturday, March 11th, after a brief illness.

His skills at organizing and leading especially came to the forefront as
part of the group that worked to provide Hamvention with a smooth
transition to the Greene County Fairgrounds after more than five decades
at Hara Arena.

In a message on the ARRL website, DARA president Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT,
described Ron as [quote] "a hardworking, dedicated, wonderful person who
had a positive impact on everyone he encountered. His only fault was, he
would never say no." [endquote]

Ron Cramer was 75.

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

(DAYTON DAILY NEWS, ARRL)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2372, for Friday, April 14th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2372, with a release date of Friday,
April 14th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. US-made vacuum tubes prepare to make a comeback.
NASA names a trio of hams for the next Artemis mission -- and meet a YL
who is Poland's youngest SOTA operator. All this and more, as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2372 comes your way right now.

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VACUUM TUBE-MAKING ON THE COMEBACK IN THE US

DON/ANCHOR: American-made vacuum tubes are poised to make a comeback onto
the market this summer. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, tells us what's been going
on.

KENT: As the rising cost of vacuum tubes manufactured mostly in China and Russia increasingly cramps audiophiles, musicians and others seeking a particular audio quality, one factory in the US southeast is preparing to bring tube-manufacturing back home.

With assembly line workers getting down to business inside his Western Electric plant in Rossville, Georgia, entrepreneur Charles Whitener
expects to restore American-made vacuum tubes to the worldwide market in
just a few months. According to reports on such websites as wired.com and audioexpress.com, Whitener's goal is to resume production of the single-
ended triode tube known as the 300B, a design that dates back to 1938.
His plant, known as the Rossville Works, is home to the Western Electric vacuum tube brand which Whitener bought in 1995 from AT&T.

This summer he expects to introduce a reimagined version of the audio
vacuum tube known as the 12AX7, a dual triode tube commonly found in amplifiers for guitars. According to Wired.com, it will be the first US-
made tube in decades and it is expected to be followed by numerous other US-made models. The Wired.com report said: [quote] "If all goes to plan,
the US could once again dominate vacuum tube manufacturing." [endquote]

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(WIRED, AUDIOXPRESS.COM, HACKADAY)

**

THREE HAMS CHOSEN FOR ARTEMIS MOON MISSION

DON/ANCHOR: The next NASA radio amateurs in space are preparing to be
part of a four-person team flying near the moon for the first time in
more than 50 years. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, tells us who they are.

ANDY: NASA and the Canadian Space Agency have announced the members of
the Artemis II crew comprising NASA's first crewed mission to establish a presence near the moon next year. Three members of the four-person team
are amateur radio operators: commander Reid Wiseman, KF5LKT, pilot Victor Glover, KI5BKC, and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, KF5LKU. The other mission specialist is Christina Hammock Koch. The mission is scheduled
for November of 2024. The previous mission, Artemis I, was not crewed.

This will be a flight test lasting about 10 days and will validate the life-support systems of the Orion spacecraft, along with other
demonstrations.

Unlike his fellow crew members, Hansen is making his first trip into
space. He is a Canadian citizen and is the first Canadian to train
astronaut candidates from both Canada and the US.

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(NASA, AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**

GET ON THE AIR FOR WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

DON/ANCHOR: It's the QSO Party to end all other QSO parties: World
Amateur Radio Day, April 18th, the day amateurs participate in a global celebration of the founding of the International Amateur Radio Union. Be listening on HF as the IARU and its member societies get on the air with special events through the 25th of April. There will be more than 50
special event stations around the world with callsigns ending in W A R D,
for World Amateur Radio Day. They include TM98WARD, 9Y4WARD, OT23WARD and
a host of others.

Here in the States and over in the UK, the ROC-HAM Radio Network is contributing to the festivities by hosting a 12-hour birthday net. Listen
for John, W2JLD, and Dave, GW8SZL, who will be marking the occasion on
the VOIP/ECHOLINK *ROC-HAM* Conference node #531091, as well as various Allstar Nodes, the DMR TGIF Talk Group 2585 and Extended Freedom SIP
Portal 2585. John will be on the air during that time too, operating on
10, 20, and 40 metres, using the callsign W2W.

For more details, visit IARU.org.

(IARU, QRZ.COM)
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* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2374, for Friday, April 28th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2374, with a release date of Friday,
April 28th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC's new Space Bureau releases its first set
of rules for satellites. ARRL members: Look for a possible hike in dues
soon -- and a new micro-supercapacitor could be a game changer. All this
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2374, comes your way,
right now.

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NEW SATELLITE BUREAU PRODUCES SPECTRUM RULES

PAUL/ANCHOR: A newly created bureau of the FCC has just produced its
first set of rules governing satellites. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, tells us what
this means.

SEL: Just days after the US Federal Communications Commission announced
the creation of its new Space Bureau on April 11th, the fledgling
department has already adopted new rules for spectrum-sharing among
satellites in non-geostationary orbit. The rules require operators with licenses for these satellites to avoid interference with one another. According to a report on the spacenews.com website, future licensees must demonstrate how they will coordinate with their predecessors and protect
them from interference.

The FCC is asking licensees to coordinate their systems [quote] "in good faith," [endquote] meaning that they are expected to share information,
even with competitors in the marketplace.

The regulator will be looking for comments from the public.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(SPACENEWS.COM)

**

ARRL INVITES COMMENTS ON INCREASE IN DUES

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you are a member of the ARRL, it's time to let them know
what you think about their proposal to increase membership dues. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells us how to get your message across.

PATRICK: The ARRL is making an online survey available starting on May
1st, inviting all league members to share their thoughts on membership benefits and the prospect of higher dues. In delivering his message in
the April issue of the ARRL magazine QST, CEO David Minster NA2AA
stressed the importance of participation by every ARRL member.

Before members can do so, however, they also need to review their
accounts on the league website to ensure it is still valid. On May 1st
you will be able to share your thoughts when the survey goes live. Please
see the text version of our newscast at arnewsline.org for a link you can follow for more details.

The ARRL encourages members who are having difficulty with their log-in process to call the league at 860-594-0200 or send an email to membership@arrl.org

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

[DO NOT READ: https://www.arrl.org/dues-survey ]

(ARRL)

**

UAE ASTRONAUT HAS 1ST QSO IN NEW EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: Students enjoyed an amateur radio contact with an ISS
astronaut who, like them, is from the United Arab Emirates. It was a
"first" for a new educational program. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, shares the details.

JIM MEACHEN: Twenty-five students from a number of schools in the United
Arab Emirates got a chance to connect over amateur radio with ISS mission specialist Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV. The call on April 18th was the first
of 10 scheduled educational sessions being arranged with the
communications engineer by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in Dubai
and the Emirates Literature Foundation in collaboration with the Emirates Amateur Radio Society.

It was the first ham radio contact through this programme for the
astronaut, who is the second from the United Arab Emirates. As the ISS
passed over the region, the call utilised the Centre's ground station to
make the contact.

Like the international ham radio programme known as Amateur Radio on the International Space Station, or ARISS, ELF in Space provides a window
into life aboard the space station and the various challenges and
projects undertaken by those on board. Perhaps just as importantly for
some, it also provides an amateur radio experience.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(GULF NEWS, EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2375, for Friday, May 5th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2375, with a release date of Friday,
May 5th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams in Australia have only another month to weigh
in on a new class license. The FCC proposes changes to the 60 metre band
-- and a controversial bill about RF emissions has hams in Maine worried.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2375, comes
your way right now.

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PLAN TO STUDY 5G IN MAINE WORRIES STATE'S AMATEURS

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to the state of Maine, where
hams are expressing concern over a telecommunications bill that proposes a study on radio frequency emissions. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, has an update.

ANDY: Ham radio operators in the state of Maine are keeping an eye on a
bill in which lawmakers call for a study of radio frequency radiation emissions and the environmental impact of 5G technology. The bill is
stalled for now in the Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology but according to a recent story in the Maine Monitor, hams in the state are concerned that such a study of 5G holds the potential for unintended restrictions of frequencies shared by amateur radio operators. Phil
Duggan, N1EP, the ARRL section manager for Maine, told Newsline in an
email that amateurs are seeking wording to be added to the bill that
exempts amateur radio and public safety communications. Phil said that
ARRL New England Division Director Fred Kemmerer, AB1OC, had advised hams
to be on the alert as anti-5G bills are introduced in a number of state legislatures, with wording that could impact ham radio.

The bill in Maine, introduced by Republican lawmaker Tracy Quint, targets
the telecommunications industry specifically and its language does not
mention amateur radio. Hams nonetheless have submitted written testimony protesting the bill, noting that hams are already required to conduct evaluations of their radio frequency radiation in compliance with FCC regulations that ensure safety.

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(NEWS CENTER MAINE, MAINE MONITOR)

**

FCC PROPOSES CHANGES TO 60 METER BAND

JIM/ANCHOR: The US Federal Communications Commission has changes planned
for the 60m band and wants to hear from you. Patrick Clark, K8TAC, tells
us more.

PATRICK: Following the lead set at the World Radiocommunications
Conference in 2015 and adopted most recently by Canadian regulators, the
US Federal Communications Commission has proposed changes to the 60m band
that would allocate 15 kHz of contiguous bandwidth between 5351.5 and
5366.5 kHz for amateur radio on a secondary basis.

US General, Advanced and Extra Hams presently have five channels available
to them between 5332 and 5405 kHz - also on a secondary basis - with an effective radiated power limit of 100 W PEP The proposed new bandwidth
would set a limit of 15 watts EIRP.

The FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was released on April 21st and
aligns itself with terms advocated for by the ARRL.

The band's primary user in the US is the federal government.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration favors
adoption of the new proposed bandwidth, with hams losing the ability to
use four of the five permitted channels. The remaining channel would be included within the new contiguous portion of the 60m band.

The ARRL, however, previously asked the FCC to keep the four 60-meter
channels that fall outside the new band and to retain the 100w power
limit.

The notice is to be published in the Federal Register in May and comments
from the public are due no later than 60 days after the notice appears.

This is Patrick Clark, K8TAC.

(FCC, ARRL)

**

AUSTRALIAN REGULATOR MOVES AHEAD ON NEW CLASS LICENSE

JIM/ANCHOR: The Australian communications regulator is moving ahead with a proposed new class license. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us what's involved.

GRAHAM: Amateurs with a VK license have until Thursday the 1st of June to
have their say on proposed changes by the Australian Communications and
Media Authority that would create a class license with considerations for
a staged implementation of higher power authorization. The ACMA states on
its website that intends to implement the proposed class licensing arrangements starting on the 1st of July and expects to give the amateur community ample notice before this change comes into effect.

The ACMA also says that the revised class license proposal was created by incorporating suggestions from representative bodies, amateur radio clubs
and individual amateurs.

The Wireless Institute of Australia does not support this change, however, saying it could only support the change on a "no disadvantage" basis.

On May 1st, the ACMA website published submissions from the public that
were not made anonymously.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur satellite and SHF enthusiasts in Australia can expect
to lose all or part of the 9cm band under another proposal by the
Australian Communications and Media Authority. The regulator has been
looking at the frequencies between 3.4 GHz and 3.6 GHz for possible use in long-term earth station protection zones. As with other ACMA proposals,
the deadline for public comment to the regulator is July 1st.

(ACMA)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2377, for Friday, May 19th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2377, with a release date of Friday,
May 19th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. US hams prep for hurricane season. Getting a
stubborn folding antenna to unfold - in space! And an early net marks
24,000 mornings of check-ins. All this and more, as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2377, comes your way right now.

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**

HAMVENTION IS HAPPENING IN XENIA, OHIO

DON/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, hams from all over the world
were converging on a busy fairground in the US state of Ohio for
Hamvention. Be sure to listen to our newscast next Friday, May 26th, for
a Hamvention wrap up.

**

IT'S ONLY A TEST (FOR NOW) AT THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with - what else? - the weather. It's
storm season in many parts of the world and here in parts of the United States, amateurs are checking their hurricane season preparedness. We
hear more about that from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: It's that time of year again, when amateurs check out their
equipment, and get ready for a new season of storms and storm-related activity. This is especially important for such stations as WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in Florida. Their annual on-the-air
communications test will take place on Saturday, May 27 from 9 a.m. until
5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Assistant Amateur Radio Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R, says that the
purpose of the event is to test the station’s equipment and antennas as
well as operators' home equipment prior to the 2023 Hurricane Season
which runs from June 1st through November 30th.

The station will be operating on HF, VHF and UHF, including 2 and 30-
meter APRS and Winlink.

Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, net manager of the Hurricane Watch Net, told AR
Newsline that they will be active during that time, on or near their
standard frequencies of 14.325 and 7.268 MHz, depending on propagation.
The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate that day too from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

Look for WX4NHC on the air or posted on DX Cluster. For more information,
you can visit wx4nhc.org.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**

SILENT KEY: PETER STUART, PA3EPX, FORMER VERON BOARD MEMBER

DON/ANCHOR: A ham who helped build enthusiasm for homebrew and other
amateur radio practices in The Netherlands has become a Silent Key. We
hear more details about him from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Peter Stuart, PA3EPX, was well-known for his enthusiasm and
creative spirit within the leadership and membership of VERON, the Dutch amateur radio society. Peter, who first became active in VERON at the end
of the 1970s, became a Silent Key on the 16th of April.

He was remembered by colleagues as an advocate for teaching fox hunting
and for his service on the VERON board as its secretary. An avid do-it- yourselfer, he was also a proponent of homebrew equipment and he
encouraged others to build a variety of projects including an ATV
transmitter.

Peter was 71.

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(VERON)

**

JUPITER SPACECRAFT RESOLVES ANTENNA ISSUES

DON/ANCHOR: There's antenna work..........and then there's antenna work.
If your antenna is a folding antenna that won't unfold - and it's out in
space - you're gonna need to do a little more than just climb up the
tower to fix it. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us what happened.

GRAHAM: With the launch last month of the European Space Agency's JUICE mission - short for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer - hopes were high for its antenna, which had been folded up inside the spacecraft ready for its
eventual full deployment. The 16-metre-long antenna, known as RIME - for
Radar for Icy Moons Exploration - was to completely unfold in its first
week after the launch date and it did - that is, all but one final part.

According to various media accounts, a variety of remedies were tried
without success until the flight control team finally freed the remaining
part by delivering a shock that moved a tiny stuck pin that had left the antenna section jammed in its folded position. The shock came via a
device known as a nonexplosive actuator that was located inside the
bracket. What happened was disruptive enough to shake things up.

May 12th brought freedom as the stuck part became unstuck.

Now the antenna should be ready for an even bigger challenge - the moons around the giant planet Jupiter. The mission will use the antenna to
study those icy moons as far down as 9 km, analysing both the surface and subsurface. What unfolds there may possibly deliver some shocks of its
own.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY, DIGITAL TRENDS)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2373, for Friday, April 21st, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373 with a release date of Friday,
April 21st, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. In the US, the FCC commits itself to managing satellites more effectively. Two losses hit the World Radiosport Team Championship -- and Nokia and NASA look at putting wireless on the moon.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2373, comes
your way right now.

**

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**

FCC COMMITS TO IMPROVING SATELLITE MANAGEMENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Washington, D.C., where two new
FCC offices are taking a closer look at how to better handle all those satellites in orbit high above our planet. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, brings
us up to date.

ANDY: Hoping to get a better handle on regulating satellites and reducing
the effects of orbital debris, the US Federal Communications Commission
has added two new departments under its umbrella: the Space Bureau and
the Office of International Affairs. The move replaces the agency's International Bureau, which handled licensing and regulation of satellite programs and international telecommunications.

The FCC's announcement did not specify what impact, if any, this move
would have on amateur radio satellites.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said at an opening event for the new departments that they would [quote] "promote long-term technical capacity
to address satellite policies and approve our coordination with other
agencies on all of these issues." [endquote]

The departments are expected to coordinate their efforts in such areas as
the 2023 World Radiocommunication Conference. The conference will take
place in Dubai starting on November 20th.

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(FCC, NEXTGOV.COM)

**

AGENCY SEEKS STRATEGY FOR REPURPOSING SPECTRUM

NEIL/ANCHOR: Another US government agency is taking a look at whether
some frequencies need to be reallocated as more and more wireless devices
get on the air. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, brings us that story.

STEPHEN: In the United States, an increasing appetite for spectrum from wireless services has spurred the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration to find at least 1,500 MHz of the radio
spectrum to meet that demand.

The NTIA is looking for input from the public to identify which bands
could be repurposed under this new spectrum strategy. The agency said on
its website that the strategy is [quote] "a government-wide approach to maximizing the potential of our nation's spectrum resources." [endquote]
The NTIA shares spectrum-allocation duties with the Federal
Communications Commission.

In the United States, hams already share many UHF and microwave bands
with government users.

To learn more, follow the link in the text version of this week's
Newsline script.

This is Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://ntia.gov/issues/national-spectrum-strategy ]

(NTIA, AMATEUR RADIO WEEKLY)

**

NOKIA AND NASA TO PUT WIRELESS SERVICE ON THE MOON

NEIL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, a whole new wireless network of sorts is being
looked at - for the moon! Let's hear more from Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

KENT: An LTE/4G network destined for the moon is expected to launch on
board a SpaceX rocket later this year, according to plans from the
Finnish telecommunications giant Nokia. According to reports on CNBC,
it's part of a partnership with NASA that envisions the creation of the
first colony on the lunar surface.

A message on Nokia's webpage states that the network will be designed to support the transmitting of telemetry, biometrics, and sensing
applications and will also be available for HD video and robotics. Nokia states that the high-bandwidth network will be a vital tool in NASA's
plan for so-called "sustainable exploration" of the moon.

NASA chose the Finnish telecommunications company in 2020, announcing
Nokia's role in the Artemis lunar program to return a human presence to
the moon -- this time for extended operations by the end of the decade. According to the Nokia website, the network will include an LTE Base
Station with integrated Evolved Packet Core functionalities, LTE User Equipment and RF antennas. The system will have hardware redundancy and through its software, the capacity for remote operation.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(NOKIA, CNBC)
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2376, for Friday, May 12th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2376, with a release date of Friday,
May 12th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams in the Caribbean gear up for storm season. Amateurs help a woman in India reconnect with her family -- and the ARRL offers US hams assistance in evaluating their RF emissions. All this and
more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2376 comes your way right
now.

**

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**

CARIBBEAN REGION HAMS GEAR UP FOR STORM SEASON

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to the Caribbean, where hams await
the storm season ahead with formal training and an emerging disaster
response network. John Williams, VK4JJW, brings us those details.

JOHN: With the approach of this year's hurricane season in the Caribbean region, emergency training exercises have got underway again for amateurs
in the Youlou Radio Movement/Rainbow Radio League in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

As always, amateurs will be relying largely on HF communications because
the mountainous terrain of the islands in the region provides challenges
for successful VHF signal paths. Youlou has been in the process of growing
its emergency network and now has 10 stations based on the main island, including one near the airport.

The league's director, Donald de Riggs, J88CD, told local media outlets
that the hams are closer than ever to creating the island-wide HF
emergency network they have long envisioned. They are also looking to
support a more robust maritime rescue and air response network for
disasters throughout the region.

New equipment has been donated and one of their biggest benefactors has
been Australia-based Barrett Communications. The most recent of three shipments from that company arrived in February, bringing SDR transceivers
and sturdy antennas, hopefully capable of surviving the coming season of storms.

This is John Willliams, VK4JJW.

(THE VINCENTIAN, AIR FORCE TECHNOLOGY)

**

WEST BENGAL AMATEURS RECONNECT FAMILY AFTER 10 YEARS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It took 10 years for a woman in India to find her way back
to the family she left behind when she married. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells
us how hams assisted her in her journey.

JIM: An early marriage and separation from her family kept Rubina Begum
apart from her family in Bengal for more than a decade. With the help of police and the West Bengal Radio Club, the relatives have found one
another again.

According to reports in the Times of India and the Millennium Post, the National Commission for Women, a government entity that advocates for
women, had been trying to assist her in tracing the family she had lost
touch with after marrying into a Kashmiri family at the age of 14. The
media reports said that the woman, who is now 24 years old, was originally brought to the Baramulla sector in Jammu and Kashmir to be married because
her father was unable to bear the expense of raising four children at
home.

The woman's brother, Hassan Ali Sheikh, told the Times of India that in
the ensuing years they believed she was lost to them forever. But he spoke with her, at long last, on Wednesday, May 3rd, after the women's
commission contacted state police who reached out to the hams in West
Bengal. The club has a long track record of facilitating such reunions.
After contacting the woman with the phone number provided, club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, reached out to a colleague proficient in
Hindi and Kashmiri and details of her story finally emerged. Her brother
is expected to travel and bring her home to Bengal soon to be with the
family she has missed so much.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(TIMES OF INDIA, MILLENNIUM POST)

**

ARRL OFFERS ASSISTANCE TO HAMS FOR RF COMPLIANCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you haven't already checked your station to evaluate
its compliance on RF exposure, the ARRL is offering some help. Dave Parks, WB8ODF, has that story.

DAVE: The ARRL has reminded amateurs in the United States that it is
making its resources available to help licensees comply with FCC rules on
RF exposure limits. Those limits went into effect in 2021 and a two-year transition period was granted to permit hams to conduct evaluations and
make necessary changes for stations that do not conform to the exposure
rules.

The ARRL issued its reminder to hams just as the transition period ended
on May 3rd. Hams are not exempt from conducting such evaluations even if
they transmit at very low power.

The league's resources include a video about RF exposure and evaluation;
an RF exposure calculator and an RF safety section excerpted from the ARRL Handbook.

Perhaps most importantly, the league is encouraging all hams to make use
of these resources whether or not they belong to the ARRL or have
established a website account.

Visit arrl.org for more details.

This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(ARRL)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2378, for Friday, May 26th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2378 with a release date of Friday,
May 26th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Deadly floods ravage a region in Italy. Hamvention 2023 is just a memory now -- and a tragic antenna accident claims a noted contester's life. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2378, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

FLOODS RAVAGE REGION OF ITALY HOSTING WRTC

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Italy where deadly floods
in one region have displaced and disrupted lives and the economy. This is
to be the location of the World Radiosport Team Championship later this summer, as we hear from Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Besieged by flooding that displaced more than 36,000 people and
killed at least 14, Italy's Emilia-Romagna region has received some
limited support from amateur radio. Greg Mossop, G0DUB, emergency communications coordinator for IARU Region 1, told Newsline that hams made
use of local VHF repeaters to resume communications within affected towns until mobile and landline phone networks could be put back into service.
He said the failures were not severe enough for local authorities to ask regional ham radio emergency networks to activate. Hams did remain on
standby, ready to use HF, VHF and digital voice if necessary.

Greg said the IARU received the information from Alberto Barbera IK1YLO
(Eye Kay Won Why El Oh) of the RNRE radio communications network. Alberto
said the affected area asked for additional support from other countries
in the region to provide extra pumping capacity and those teams made use
of VHF/UHF commercial communications supported by Starlink satellite terminals.

Separately, organisers of the World Radiosport Team Championship, to be
held this summer in Bologna - in this flood-impacted region -- were
keeping an eye on the challenging conditions. Luca Aliprandi, IK2NCJ, who handles media and communications for the event, said on the WRTC Groups.io list that if some sites for WRTC are unusable, competitor stations may
need to be relocated farther north of Bologna. He wrote [quote] "Our will
and dedication to organising WRTC2022 will be stronger than any adversity." [endquote]

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB, IARU REGION 1)

**

ACMA, COLLEGE END RELATIONSHIP FOR AMATEUR LICENSING

NEIL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, the Australian Maritime
College announced that it was severing its relationship with the
Australian regulator for providing amateur licensee services. The college
and the Australian Communications and Media Authority will go their
separate ways in February 2024. Before the college's selection in 2019, services such as exams and callsign recommendations were provided through
the Wireless Institute of Australia. The ACMA is to take the role of call
sign allocation and examination syllabus control "in-house" to go with the licensing role which it already fulfills -- and to do this under the new
class license framework. The ACMA said it would release a consultation on
the new accreditation scheme this coming August at the same time as the
new class licensing arrangements take effect.

(ACMA)

**

FCC TO REVISIT SPECTRUM ALLOCATIONS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In the US, the FCC has a busy June ahead of itself: It's
taking a second and perhaps a third look at spectrum allocations -- and there's a new candidate nominated to join them, as we hear from Paul
Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: In June, the US Federal Communications Commission will revisit ways
the radio spectrum can be utilized more efficiently and study the propose testing of a few uses on part of the 42 GHz band in the so-called
"greenfield spectrum." Greenfield spectrum refers to the part of the
spectrum that is unutilized. The FCC's focus has been intensifying on this along with other parts of the spectrum because of the growing demand for
its use by emerging wireless services -- and limited places to authorize
their operation.

FCC chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced this plan in the commission's June agenda, posting her message on the agency website on May 17th. She
said the 42 GHZ band was an apt place for conducting experiments with
various spectrum-access models because of the absence of licensed users
there.

Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has nominated a longtime telecom lawyer
for the government, to join the FCC. Anna Gomez must still be confirmed by
the Senate. The president's previous nominee, Gigi Sohn, withdrew from consideration several months earlier.

This is Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

(FCC)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2379, for Friday, June 2nd, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2379, with a release date of
Friday, June 2nd, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The Rockall Island DXpedition is on the air
and rocking! A supernova sends a message to earth by radio -- and one
CW enthusiast goes from pounding the brass to winning it. All this,
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2379, comes your way
right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

ROCKALL DXPEDITION ACTIVATES IN NORTH ATLANTIC

JIM/ANCHOR: The big challenge is on!! Our top story takes us to the uninhabitable granite islet in the North Atlantic Ocean known as
Rockall Island, which is being activated by two amateur radio
operators. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, takes us there.

ED: As Newsline went to production, two hams were on the air, and the competition for contacts was predictably intense. It's a challenge
for chasers around the world. For the hams, the challenge is even
bigger: Emil Bergman, DL8JJ, and Nobby Styles, G0VJF, hope to break
the record of a 46-day stay on the rock set in 2014. The pair, and
their expedition leader, Cam Cameron, plan to stay on the rock for
as long as 50 or 60 days and raise œ50,000 for charity. This coveted
DX is designated IOTA Number EU-189 and is a most-wanted location. Be
listening for MM0UKI - and cross your fingers that they are listening
for you!

This is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(ROCKALL EXPEDITION WEBSITE, MARK FELTON PRODUCTIONS, QRZ)

**

RADIO WAVES CARRY MESSAGE FROM A SUPERNOVA

JIM/ANCHOR: Radio waves have been known to carry some important messages
over the years, but one recent message, received by a research team, led
by scientists at Stockholm University, contained a cosmic message. Here's
Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, with that story.

RALPH: Scientists have picked up radio waves revealing the presence of
an unusual type of supernova, a thermonuclear supernova, the kind used
by researchers to measure the expansion of our universe. Not long after
the supernova's discovery, scientists at the W.M. Keck Observatory in
Hawaii detected helium emissions, another significant marker.

According to Sci Tech Daily, the discovery of this type of supernova,
known as Type 1a (ONE A), is the first to be accomplished via radio
waves. The presence of helium emissions is seen as evidence that an
exploding compact white dwarf star had pulled helium from the outer
layer of a companion star - the donor star - while the supernova was
being triggered. That material is more commonly hydrogen.

The discovery is an accomplishment on another level too, according to researcher Erik Kool of the Stockholm team. He told the Journal Nature
that astronomers have been trying to accomplish this kind of detection
by radio for decades.

This is Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(SCI TECH DAILY, SCIENCE NEWS, NATURE)

**

HURRICANE WATCH NET NEEDS VOLUNTEERS

JIM/ANCHOR: In some parts of the US, where it's nearly hurricane season,
it's also the season for volunteering to look out for them, as we hear
from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: For 59 straight seasons, the Hurricane Watch Net has been
activating for any hurricanes that make landfall, as well as helping
those in any affected areas before, during, and after a hurricane.
Just ahead of this year's season, the word is going out in the Southern
and Eastern United States and the Caribbean - the HWN needs you! They
are looking for more people who can get on the air from the areas hit
by the storms.

Net manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, quickly offered cautionary words,
telling AR Newsline, "Of course, priority number one for anyone is to
do all you can to protect your property, home, family, and yourself.
It's always safety first." However, if hams are safe at home, or in
a storm shelter, where a portable station can be set up, the net would
like to hear from them. Every piece of weather data, measured or
estimated, is considered to be important information by the forecasters
at the National Hurricane Center.

The Hurricane Watch Net covers the Caribbean, Central America, Eastern
Mexico, Eastern Canada, as well as the US Atlantic and Gulf Coast States.
Hams normally operate on 14.325 MHz by day, and 7.268 MHz by night. In
addition to taking storm reports, they also stand ready to relay any
emergency or health and welfare traffic, as well as relaying the latest information about storms in English and Spanish.

For more information about the Hurricane Watch Net, please visit their
website, www.hwn.org (www.hwn.org).

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2380, for Friday, June 9th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2380, with a release date of Friday,
June 9th, 2023, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The World Radiosport Team Championship is going forward despite floods. Hamvention organizers report "record" crowds for
Xenia -- and amateur radio comes to a key region within India's protected wilderness. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2380, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

WRTC TO GO FORWARD IN ITALY DESPITE FLOODS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There's some encouraging news from the flood-stricken
region in Italy where the World Radiosport Team Championship is to be
held next month. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, brings us the latest report.

JEREMY: Despite flood damages that have devastated Italy's Emilia Romagna region, the World Radiosport Team Championship will go forward in July, organisers have said. Luca Aliprandi, IK2NCJ, the WRTC's spokesman, said
the organising committee has found replacement sites for stations whose original operating locations near Bologna have become unusable. In all,
the region has suffered losses costing in excess of 5 billion euros, organisers said.

Reporting on the WRTC's reflector, Luca said that the committee hopes to
have 100 percent of the replacement sites tested and approved well in
advance of the event. He said that the site organiser, Claudio, I4VEQ,
was optimistic, citing the new locations' low noise levels. Some of the
sites have already granted permission for antennas to be installed to
enable the setup teams to do field practice.

Organisers have also begun seeking additional funds because of the extra
costs incurred after the flooding. He said he expected the result of all
these efforts to produce [quote] "an unforgettable and successful competition." [endquote]

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(WRTC2022 REFLECTOR)

**

"RECORD" ATTENDANCE AT HAMVENTION 2023

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, Hamvention organizers are calling this year's
crowd a "record attendance" since the move to Xenia. Just a handful of
weeks after Hamvention, the tally shows 33,861 people were at the Greene County Fairgrounds in Ohio, a total number topping last year's by more
than 2,000. Hamvention's media chair, James Gifford, KD8APT, released the numbers, saying that the total surpasses the previous attendance record
at the fairgrounds, set before the pandemic, at 32,472. Hamvention will
be held again next year on May 17th, 18th and 19th. Save the dates!

**

NEW MOMENTUM TO KEEP AM BROADCAST RADIO IN US CARS

STEPHEN: The struggle to keep AM broadcast radio in cars in the US
continues. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, has an update.

KENT: The move to retain AM broadcast service in vehicles sold in the US gained even more momentum recently as state broadcasting associations
passed a resolution of support that underscored AM's role in carrying emergency messages from the federal government during a national crisis;
its ability to carry other messages during extreme weather events and
AM's robust nature among underrepresented communities, such as minorities
and individuals who do not speak English. The association represents all
50 of the US states as well as Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico and it
supports the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, a bipartisan bill passed
recently in Congress.

Although many manufacturers of electric cars claim RF interference to be
an issue between AM broacast radio and the vehicles' electronic systems,
Ford Motor Company recently reversed its decision to do away with the
service in its Ford and Lincoln vehicles.

In a related move the National Association of Farm Broadcasting has also launched a website advocating for the retention of AM service,
reiterating the importance AM has in rural communities.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(RADIO WORLD)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2381, for Friday, June 16th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2381, with a release date of Friday,
June 16th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A youth DXpedition sets its sights on Guyana. Satellites get in the act on Field Day -- and ham radio aids in a
dramatic rescue in Idaho. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline
Report Number 2381, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

YOUNG DXPEDITIONERS SET SIGHTS ON GUYANA

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Guyana - that's the
location a young quartet of DXpeditioners has its collective eye on. We
hear about their plans from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Their trip has been years in the making and now, with the travel precautions of the pandemic behind them, a team of DXpeditioners -- all
in their 20s -- is finally free to travel to their destination: Guyana.
Four friends, Jamie, M0SDV, Philipp, DK6SP, Tomi, HA8RT, and Sven, DJ4MX,
are young: Sven is 21, team co-leader Jamie is 22; Tomi is 24 and co-
leader Philipp is 25.

Their youth hasn't stopped them from becoming veteran DXpeditioners.
Jamie told Newsline: "We have been fortunate enough to visit some amazing locations worldwide." Now they putting together their plan to operate in Guyana between the 14th and the 24th of next February, operating CW, SSB,
FT8, and RTTY, on the HF bands.

They have not yet been assigned a callsign.

The Northern California DX Foundation said it has given the team a $5,000 grant as a way of encouraging the next generation of adventuring
amateurs.

Jamie said that the group's website will be updated regularly to keep DX hunters apprised and, of course, to encourage others to support the activation.

See the text version of this week's newscast on our website,
arnewsline.org, to find a link to the DXpedition. The team will also be releasing a separate website dedicated to the DXpedition itself and will communicate with chasers via social media.

[DO NOT READ: www.8R-2024.com]

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(GUYANA DXPEDITION WEBSITE, JAMIE MØSDV)

**

HAM RADIO PLAYS PIVOTAL ROLE IN SEATTLE DRILL

PAUL/ANCHOR: Residents in the city of Seattle take the notion of being neighborly quite seriously. So seriously, in fact, that they regularly
hold disaster drills to practice ways to help one another out. Of course,
it involves amateur radio. Here's Jack Parker, W8ISH, with a report on
the latest exercise, which was held on June 11th.

JACK: The disaster scenario in the city of Seattle, Washington, was
simulated but there was nothing fictional about the scene of neighbor
helping neighbor. On June 11th, the city's Emergency Communication Hubs rehearsed the all-important coordinated response that everyone would have
in the event of a citywide power outage -- from neighbors to local authorities.

The exercise was called Power Down. Twenty-five hams from the Auxiliary Communications Service of Amateurs were dispatched to transmit messages
using voice and digital modes, such as Winlink and Fldigi. The hams
worked at one of the city's 10 participating hubs, at rally points for
city workers, or in the radio room of the city's Emergency Operations
Center. Many of the hams were asked to move between the various locations
to help balance out resources. Most of the hams communicated via nets
using repeaters that have power generators on site.

According to Susanna Cunningham, WB7CON, the public information officer
for the ACS, the exercise was a successful demonstration of cooperation
but unearthed some challenges: There were coverage issues with repeaters
that are used less frequently -- and hams making use of Winlink did not
always succeed in getting all the ICS forms submitted from the Hubs to
their targeted locations. Susanne said that these issues and others will
be evaluated at the July meeting of the ACS on July 8th.

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(SUSANNA CUNNINGHAM, WB7CON)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/9)