HOSPITAL HELPS WASHINGTON HAMS EXPAND EMCOMM COVERAGE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: When it comes to planning for emergency coverage,
hospitals and hams are a natural team. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, tells
us about one such effort in Washington State.

CHRISTIAN: With the help of a local hospital, hams in Clallam County, Washington are hoping to provide the county with a security blanket of
RF coverage. Their effort has been a two-year project between the
Clallam County Amateur Radio Club and Forks Community Hospital.
According to club member Joe Wright, KG7JWW, who is also an area
emergency coordinator for ARES in Forks, the goal is to establish
"operational areas" throughout the county including the vast prairie
and serve those areas with more radios and repeaters. While standard communication will continue to rely on the VHF repeater and vertical
antenna, the goal is to extend the range, linking to UHF repeaters
beyond.

Joe credited the hospital for having established an on-site amateur
radio station after 9/11 for Clallam County ARES. He said the hospital
has also assisted in other ways, including with installation of a
repeater and equipment for an emergency radio site on Gunderson
Mountain, just outside of town.

He told Newsline "the new repeater location has significantly
increased our coverage" and other expansions are in the planning
stages. One of them is for a location that will cover the county's
farthest northwest areas and cross over to Vancouver Island, British
Columbia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(THE FORKS FORUM)

**

AMATEUR TO CAST HER ABSENTEE BALLOT FROM ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Although more voters than ever in the U.S. are
expected to use absentee ballots in November's presidential election,
one amateur radio operator will be casting her ballot from space. Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, has those details.

DON: Astronaut Kate Rubins, KG5FYJ, has a few important things on her
agenda following her mid-October launch from Russia to the
International Space Station. Once there, she will begin her research
using the Cold Atom Lab aboard the ISS. She will also work on a
cardiovascular experiment.

And, she plans to cast an absentee ballot, and vote in the United
States presidential election. According to Space.com, her vote will
take the form of a secure electronic ballot which gets transmitted to
Mission Control, and sent on from there to the county clerk back home
in Texas.

Of course, high-flying absentee ballots are nothing new for her.
According to the Associated Press, she and fellow astronaut Shane
Kimbrough, KE5HOD, voted for president the same way in 2016, hoping
their votes would go the distance.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Don Wilbanks, AE5DW.

(SPACE.COM, ASSOCIATED PRESS)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
N9EOC repeater of the Central Indiana Amateur Radio Association in Noblesville, Indiana, on Sundays at 8 p.m. local time.

**

AMATEUR SATELLITE MARKS 27 YEARS IN ORBIT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine 27 years on the job: The team behind a
satellite called AMRAD-Oscar 27 has no trouble imagining it at all.
The satellite just marked its birthday in space, as Neil Rapp, WB9VPG,
tells us.

NEIL: Happy 27th birthday to the satellite that was launched from
French Guiana in September of 1993 and is still on the job. Hams
around the world have made contacts with AMRAD-Oscar 27, which has
also been used for a successful D-STAR mode satellite QSO. Even after
a temporary outage in 2012, the team behind the project couldn't be
prouder of the satellite's longevity and its reputation for being
relatively easy to work. AO-27 was built by the Amateur Radio Research
and Development Corporation (AMRAD) in McLean, Virginia.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

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ON-AIR EXCITEMENT FOR WORLD'S LARGEST SCOUTING EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: Yes, it's almost time for Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on
the Internet. Bill Stearns, NE4RD, gives us those details.

BILL: Radio Scouters are getting ready for the world's largest scouting
event just one week away, Jamboree on the Air and Jamboree on the Internet
on October 16th through the 18th local times. With current COVID-19
guidelines varying from state to state and country to country, this year's event will no doubt be somewhat of a challenge.

With the guidelines in place, we have definitely seen a decrease in
planned participation and as such we only have 4 call areas with reserved K2BSA callsign usage.

Mark Hughes, KG4VWE, will be activating K2BSA/4 in West Point, GA, at the Chattahoochee Council Fall Family Camp.

David Mulvey, K5DCM, will be activating K2BSA/5 in San Angelo, TX, with a location of To Be Determined.

Brandon Arias, KM6WZP, will be activating K2BSA/6 in Riverside, CA, at
Mount Rubidoux.

Lori Abraham and Robert Crow, KA8CDC, will be activating K2BSA/8 in
Wheeling, WV, at the Sandscrest Scout Reservation.

Registration for JOTA/JOTI is located at jotajoti.info this year. Please communicate your intentions for your activity with your local district and council for any approvals needed under the current guidelines in your
area.

For more information on this and radio scouting, please visit our website
at k2bsa.net.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association, this
is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.

**

HAMS ON HIGH ALERT DURING SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams around the United States were on high alert on Saturday October 3rd, and if the situations they faced felt a little unreal, that's because they were: The carefully scripted emergencies were part of a drill
for the Simulated Emergency Test of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that story.

CHRISTIAN: From Bedford County, Pennsylvania to Cherokee County, Georgia -
and beyond - emergencies suddenly seemed real as first responders and
amateur radio operators played it for keeps in the Simulated Emergency
Test. The scenario there was a search for missing hikers in the woods.

Lloyd Roach, K3QNT, public information officer of the Bedford County
Amateur Radio Society, told WTAJ news that it was a chance to polish coordination skills with the area's firefighters, fire chiefs, police and
even the search-and-rescue teams.

Hams in Northern Florida responded to a simulation in which excessive heat taxed the power grid, prompting the state to begin rolling blackouts. The focus there was on response to heatstroke patients and individuals with critical needs requiring hospital transport.

In Georgia, the Cherokee ARES group tackled a simulated earthquake rocking
the state. Hams in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, responded to flooding
evacuations and illness from polluted water, ARES members in Hawaii
deployed EmComm stations for a simulated hurricane, communicating with shelters providing assistance.

In the days following the Simulated Emergency Test, organizers are
expected to assess the activity and uncover any weaknesses in procedures
and communications to better prepare for the real thing.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(WTAJ, WQOW, ARRL NORTHERN FLORIDA, CLAY TODAY)

**

SILENT KEY: ARRL NNJ SECTION MANAGER STEVE OSTROVE K2SO

JIM/ANCHOR: A New Jersey amateur radio operator who was a leader in the
radio community has become a Silent Key. Steve Ostrove, K2SO, Northern New Jersey Section Manager, died of cancer on October 2nd.

Steve became section manager in 2019, and had previously served in the position from 2016 to 2017.

Steve Ostrove was 74.

(ARRL)

**

RESEARCHERS CLAIM 'LIMITLESS' LOW-VOLTAGE POWER SOURCE

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams who operate portable, and even those who don't, are
always in search of the "perfect" power source. Researchers are too - and Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us about some findings from scientists in Arkansas.

KEVIN: Physicists at the University of Arkansas have created a circuit
that they say can harvest the thermal motion inside graphene - an
electrically conductive form of elemental carbon - and turn it into low- voltage electrical current to power sensors or small devices.

They also say the power is clean and limitless. They created the circuit
by using two diodes to convert AC into DC. The pulsing DC current performs work on a load resistor.

The researchers claim the diodes have a symbiotic relationship with the graphene and increase the circuit's power. They believe that this project
has proven that graphene�s thermal motion at room temperature induces an alternating current in a circuit -- an achievement that some physicists
have said is not possible.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

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HAMS PREP TO COMMUNICATE WITH HAWAIIAN RESEARCH SATELLITE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Elsewhere in the sky, and a bit higher up, there are plans
for hams to be part of a satellite mission that began as a project in
Hawaii. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, explains.

NEIL: The Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory has plans to collaborate with
amateur radio operators to communicate with its Neutron-1 satellite to
send and receive messages after the satellite is released in November from
the International Space Station. Neutron-1 is carrying an FM repeater with
a downlink on 435.300 MHz and an uplink on 145.840 MHz. It is expected to
be in space for about one year.

The satellite will be controlled through a ground station at a local
community college. The space flight lab will control the Neutron-1 via the GlobalStar network.

The Neutron-1 was launched aboard an NG-14 rocket from Virginia on Friday October 2nd as part of a resupply mission to the ISS. It is a project involving students, volunteers, faculty and staff at the University of
Hawaii. Its mission is to measure neutrons in space and radiation coming
from the sun.

The satellite is the space flight lab's second completed spacecraft. In
2016, the failure of a suborbital rocket after launch caused the loss of
the first iteration of the Neutron-1 payload.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT)

**

CLASSES BEGIN (VIRTUALLY) AT ARES ACADEMY

PAUL/ANCHOR: School is in session for the New England ARES Academy in the
U.S. but not the way it was originally planned. Heather Embee, KB3TZD, explains.

HEATHER: The Northeast HamXposition/ARRL New England Division Convention
was supposed to be hosting classes for the first New England ARES Academy
but the current pandemic called everything off. Well, almost. Academy
classes have still been going forward but now they are virtual. The
coursework is being offered instead on the Zoom platform. The courses accommodate beginners with five Basic Track classes and work with more advanced amateurs in additional sessions and workshops. One-hour classes
are being held on weeknights, and two-hour workshops take place on
Saturday mornings.

The courses provide additional guidance in the ARRL's ARES training
standards. The newly created New England ARES Academy grew out of the successful New Hampshire-ARES Academy program, which held classes for
eight years at the New Hampshire State Fire Academy.

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

(SOUTHEASTERN MASSACHUSETTS AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION)

**

BELGIUM HALTS HAM RADIO EXAMS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Not everything can be done remotely, however, Amateur radio candidates in Belgium may have to wait a little longer to take their
tests. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

JEREMY: While many organisations around the world have gone online to administer amateur radio exams safely to candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic, Belgium has announced all testing must be halted.

The communications regulator BIPT said its decision was made out of
concern for the health and safety of BIPT staff and licence candidates. As
a result, testing has been suspended temporarily.

Belgium's national amateur radio society said that the BIPT will contact
the interested parties when examinations can return to normal. Candidates
who have already registered and paid for the test will be able to re-
register without incurring extra costs and will receive priority for
testing.

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

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BALLOONS ARE JAMBOREE HEADLINERS FOR INDIANA SCOUTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Remember last week's big balloon launch by students from around the United States? Well those balloons just gained some company up in the
sky. Boy Scouts in Indiana did a launch as part of Jamboree on the Air - and Andy Morrison, K9AWM, shares those details.

ANDY: Boy Scout Troop 1 in Jeffersonville Indiana places a special emphasis
on Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills. So when the scouts
hosted their local council's Jamboree on the Air event on Saturday, October 17th, they naturally had everything down to a science. Or perhaps - UP - to
a science is a more accurate description: In addition to making HF contacts, fox-hunting and playing Morse Code games, the scouts launched lightweight helium balloons, each carrying a payload of no more than 13 grams. Now
they're tracking them using APRS in the hopes they can follow the planned circumnavigation of the Earth in the jet stream. Using the callsign N9BWT-
12, the balloons transmit their location every two minutes.

The project is nothing new to this science-minded group of scouts. During
last year's JOTA event, the lightweight balloon made its way around the
world one and three-quarter times before it was lost in a thunderstorm
in southern California.

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

(STEVEN DRIVER N9BWT)

**

COMPETITION IS IN THE CARDS FOR STRAIGHT KEY CENTURY CLUB

NEIL/ANCHOR: For members of the Straight Key Century Club, the competition's
in the cards - the QSL cards, that is. Skeeter Nash N5ASH explains.

SKEETER: CW enthusiasts who've had their fill of sprints, QSO Parties, marathons, and other on-air contests, are being invited to take their competitive spirits off the air for a little while, and express themselves
with something other than their straight keys. This is a QSL Card contest,
and it's for members of the Straight Key Century Club, which is marking
its 15th anniversary in 2021.

Members are being asked to provide designs for QSL cards to be used during
the club's annual Straight Key Month, which begins on January 2nd, 2021. The call sign for the event is, once again, K3Y.

If you belong to the club and have an idea for a catchy card, submit your entry no later than December 14th. Members will vote online for their
favorite designs starting on December 15th. The most popular design is the
one that gets the distinction of being the official K3Y QSL card for
Straight Key Month. Even if you don't win the top honors, if your QSL card lands among the top 12 in popularity, it will be among those featured in the club's printed calendar for the new year.

Members of the Straight Key Century Club should send their images to Drew at AF2Z at skccgroup.com (drew@skccgroup.com)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.

**

THE LAST OF TV'S 'LAST MAN STANDING'

NEIL/ANCHOR: Attention TV fans, Tim Allen, KK6OTD, is going QRT on the Fox Network. The American TV sitcom "Last Man Standing" will begin its ninth and final season on the network early next year. The Fox network has carried the series since May 2018, following its cancellation by ABC a year earlier. The show features Tim as amateur radio operator Mike Baxter, KA0XTT.

Producer John Amodeo, AA6JA, told Newsline in an email that cast and crew
are now in the process of shooting 21 shows to begin airing in January. All
is not lost, however: As John noted, even after Season 9 is done, the show's 194 episodes will live on in syndication.

(TV LINE)

**

DEADLINE APPROACHES TO APPLY FOR ARISS CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Only a few weeks remain for teachers and other educators to be
a part of the next series of radio contacts with the International Space Station. Here's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, with those details.

PAUL: If you are an educator or part of an educational organization, this is
a reminder that you only have a little more than a month to apply for a ham radio contact with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The proposal window closes on the 24th of November. Contacts are now being
planned to take place between July 1st and December 30th of next year. ARISS is looking in particular for organizations that will attract a high number
of participants and intend to use the experience as part of a larger
education plan.

Visit the website ariss dot org (ariss.org) for more details and to find a proposal form.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
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BUSINESSMAN CLOAKS ANTENNAS SPROUTING UP IN NETHERLANDS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: If you think the next news item could be a great
opportunity for someone to help hams living in restrictive communities
to hide their towers and antennas, you're right. In fact, an
entrepreneur has done just that - in the Netherlands -- only he gets
hired mostly by telecomm companies. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has the rest
of that story.

GRAHAM: The Dutch company appropriately called Camouflage BV, is in the business of making it seem like all those antennas have gone away. The company's chief, Anton Hermes, is an expert at hiding them.

Hermes has earned the nickname "Antenna Man" for good reason. He's
helping cloak many of the tens of thousands of antennas cropping up in
The Netherlands, including the new influx serving the growing 5G networks.

Antenna cloaking no longer means just pretending they are part of some
very tall trees. Hermes takes a more creative approach, using objects that resemble a church spire, fake windows, or the roof of a clock tower. The
only catch is that the camouflage must be crafted of polyester, since
many building materials block radio waves.

Although these antennas are for commercial ventures, hams can relate to
what he recently told a reporter for the online newsletter Vice
Netherlands. Hermes said: "This war against antennas upsets me."

Hams might say he has plenty of company.

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

(VICE NETHERLANDS)

**

THE GERATOL NET IS BACK FOR WINTER OPERATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The GERATOL Net is back. A new season of operating has
begun on this Worked-All-States Net. Extra Class operators in the U.S.
gather on 3.668 MHz every evening starting at 0100 UTC. Visit their
website at geratol.net - spelled G E R A T O L - and then plan to check
in. Newcomers as well as old members are welcome.

(GERATOL.NET)

**

FRENCH AMATEUR LOGS RECORD CONTACTS VIA SATELLITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There have been some new records set for satellite
contacts logged - and Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, is here to tell us about them.

NEIL: Two thousand twenty has turned out to be a record year for Jerome LeCuyer, F4DXV, and his satellite contacts. He and Casey Tucker, KI7UNJ,
told AMSAT that they have set a new record via the RS-44 satellite. On
October 19th, the French amateur completed a QSO of 8,402 km -- or 5,220
miles -- with Casey in Idaho. This broke the previous record of 8,357 km -
or just under 5,200 miles - set in May between a ham in Germany, and a
ham from Louisiana.

Meanwhile, Jerome reported another record-setting contact - this one on
AO-27, working Michael Styne, K2MTS, in New York. The distance of this
QSO was 5,904 km -- or 3,668 miles -- beating the previous record of
5,682 - or a little more than 3,500 miles - set in June between operators
in Russia and Thailand.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT)

**

SILENT KEY: CLIFF KAYHART W4KKP

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A ham radio operator who had just turned 109, has become
a Silent Key. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, shares this remembrance of him.

PAUL: Back in 2016 my editor, Caryn Eve Murray, gave me an assignment to contact and interview a man, who was believed to be the oldest living ham.

Cliff Kayhart, W4KKP was 104 years old at the time and had been a licensed, active ham for 79 years. He was an absolute delight to talk to, bright and sharp, and still active on the air. Our conversation was mostly about his
age and activity, but that story led to talk about World War II, and his experiences before, during, and after the war. As Newsline went to
production on Thursday, Oct. 29th, we learned that Cliff had become a
Silent Key on Oct. 26th, just a few days past his 109th birthday. Our condolences to his family and all who knew him.

After our Newsline report ran, we posted an extended version of my
interview with Cliff on our website as an "Extra." You can listen by
following the link in the text version of this newscast.

[[https://www.arnewsline.org/extra/2016/9/1/amateur-radio-newsline-report- 2027-extra.html?rq=cliff%20kayhart]]

(above URL all on one line)

On a personal note, the phone call I had with him remains one of the
highlights of my career with Newsline, and one of the most memorable of
my life. W4KKP has gone QRT one last time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WA2EHL
repeater in Burlington, New Jersey, on Fridays at 7 p.m. local time.
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SILENT KEY: JIM TIEMSTRA K6JAT, ARRL PACIFIC DIVISION DIRECTOR

NEIL/ANCHOR: A prominent radio amateur on the U.S. West Coast has become a Silent Key. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has that story.

RALPH: ARRL members on the West Coast have lost a leader: The ARRL's
Pacific Division Director, Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, has become a Silent Key.
The Oakland, California amateur died on October 30th.

Before becoming director in 2018, Jim had served as vice director from 2009 through 2017. He also served on a variety of committees and had a number of board assignments. An ARRL Life Member, Jim became a ham in 1970 in his Chicago, Illinois hometown where with the call sign WN9ELU he was president
of his high school radio club. Jim was best known for his enthusiasm for contesting and DXing and his commitment to public service and emergency response. He belonged to the Oakland Amateur Radio Emergency Service Group
and was part of the team responding in 1989 to the Loma Prieta earthquake
and in 1991 to the Oakland Hills firestorm.

Jim, a retired attorney, was the first president of the Oakland Radio Communication Association, which he incorporated in 1998 and served as a founding director. He was trustee of the club's call sign WW6OR.

Jim Tiemstra was 65.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(ARRL)

**

TURNING TO VINTAGE PUBLICATIONS ABOUT VINTAGE GEAR

NEIL/ANCHOR: Because radio waves are as old as nature itself, even the
oldest books rarely go out of style - just out of print. However one ham in Romania is making them available as free digital downloads. Ed Durrant,
DD5LP, picks up the story from here.

ED: There are hams who enjoy vintage rigs and antique straight keys but how about hams who appreciate historic publications about radio? Iulian Rosu, YO3DAC / VA3IUL, an accomplished QRP contester in Romania who loves
homebrew in addition to QRP operating, is one of those enthusiasts. Now he
is sharing free downloadable PDFs of some old books about radio that date
back as much as 100 years.

The titles include "The Wireless Experimenters Manual," by E. Bucher, published in 1920, and "Radio, Miracle of the 20th Century," by F. Drinker
and J. Lewis, published in 1922. He also has a collection of old radio magazines in downloadable format - publications such as the archive
collection of Radio Times, dating to 1923 and The Wireless Constructor,
from 1926. There's even a General Electric handbook on sideband, first published in 1961.

They are all there -- for the curious as well as the collector -- the
website URL appears in the printed version of this newscast on our website
at arnewsline.org

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

[FOR PRINT ONLY: DO NOT READ - https://www.qsl.net/va3iul/Files/Old_Radio_Frequency_Books.htm]

(SOUTHGATE, QSL.NET)

**

FCC OKS DIGITAL OPERATIONS FOR COMMERCIAL AM RADIO

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams who have great enthusiasm for various modes of digital operation are getting some more company on the air - just in a different
part of the spectrum. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has told commercial AM radio stations that they will be allowed to convert to an all-digital broadcast if they are presently using analog or a hybrid of
analog and digital signals. The stations' changes are to be voluntary.

The FCC's late October announcement clears the way for AM stations to
provide an all-digital signal that gives better coverage over a wider area
of listeners and enables the signal to carry additional information, such
as the title and artist for a particular song -- details that are visible
on a compatible digital radio receiver.

The stations are required, however, to notify the FCC at least 30 days
before making their change. They are still required to be a part of the Emergency Alert System.

(FCC)

**

IRELAND'S 1st SATELLITE SEEKS AMATEUR RADIO INPUT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Ireland takes particular pride in the fact that it is
launching its first satellite in 2021 - but the team behind it is looking
for some amateur radio help. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, to explain.

JEREMY: The Educational Irish Research Satellite 1 or EIRSAT-1, will be launched sometime early next year, carrying three science experiments on behalf of students at University College Dublin and other researchers. The
Low Earth Orbit CubeSat was designed by engineering and space science
students and academic staff as part of the European Space Agency's Fly Your Satellite programme.

Hams are being asked to help out with signal acquisition shortly after the satellite's launch on the Vega rocket. Hams, scanner, listeners and others
are being asked to help with ground station operations. In a recent visit
to the South Dublin Radio Club, David Murphy EI9HWB, and Fergal Marshall of the EIRSAT-1 team explained the satellite's operations and how hams can assist. Their talk is available on YouTube where the two explain the uplink and downlink schemes and the role amateurs can play.

To see the video, visit the club's website at southdublinradio club dot
weebly dot com (southdublinradioclub.weebly.com). Then get ready for the
new year when Ireland's first satellite will make history.

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

(SOUTHGATE, EIRSAT-1)
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SILENT KEY: NOTED LOW-BAND DXER JOHN DEVOLDERE ON4UN

JIM/ANCHOR: A noted DXer, a leader in low-band operations, and a friend to amateurs worldwide, has become a Silent Key. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us
about him.

ED: Many amateurs in the DXing world are grieving the loss of a friend, a mentor and a guiding spirit: John Devoldere, ON4UN, became a Silent Key on
the 9th of November. According to a post from his daughter Marleen on DX- World, John had been in poor health for sometime. His daughter said he died peacefully at his home in Belgium.

A prominent figure in low-band communications, he was celebrated by many for his friendship, his enthusiasm and his willingness to share what he knew. Known for his extensive writing, his popular book, "Low-Band Dxing," was the guide for many amateurs. He was elected to the CQ magazine Contest Hall of Fame in 1997 and the CQ DXing Hall of Fame in 2008.

John wrote on his QRZ page that he was a proud amateur for 59 years, having first been licenced in 1961 at the age of 20.

His daughter said a digital farewell ceremony was being planned for Saturday the 21st of November, and that details would follow. She said anyone with questions can email her directly at ON4UN dot SK at gmail.com (ON4UN.SK@gmail.com)

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

(DX-WORLD, QRZ)

**

HAMS HELP CHILDHOOD FRIENDS HAVE ONLINE REUNION

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur radio is all about making connections -- and in India,
two long-lost childhood friends who aren't hams learned they could rely on radio to bring them together, at least virtually. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells
us how it happened.

GRAHAM: It is said that amateur radio is one of the best places to meet new friends. But a ham radio club in the northeastern state of Tripura recently showed that amateur radio is also one of the best ways to meet up with old friends.

Just ask Chandana Basu and Sabita Roy. The two women were schoolmates 40
years ago in northern India, but after Chandana's family moved to West
Bengal in 1981, the friends lost touch. They both kept their childhood memories but also held onto hope they might see one another again someday.

That "someday" happened recently after Chandana acted upon her long-held
wish to see her friend. She learned that the Tripura Ham Radio Club had members who might be willing to assist.

She gave them her friend's old address, and club members eventually tracked Sabito to the city of Udaipur in Rajasthan, another northern state in India. This isn't the end of the story, however.

The two women finally had the first face-to-face communications in four decades, arranged by the Tripura Ham Radio Club and the Calcutta Ham Radio Club. The reunion took place over a video conference which, at least for non-hams, is the closest thing to a meaningful QSO as one can get.

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

(NORTHEAST NOW)

**

NEW MARIANAS ISLANDS CLUB HAS AMBITIOUS AGENDA

JIM/ANCHOR: One of the newest clubs in the Marianas Islands is small - but
it hopes to be mighty. Here's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, with the details.

JIM: The Radio Amateur Marianas DX Club has only had its licence since September but they are making up for lost time. Cris Francisco Jr., club president, told the Saipan Tribune in a recent news article that the club expects to be busy in this disaster-prone Pacific island commonwealth which was devastated after Super Typhoon Yutu struck in 2018 with rebuilding work continuing for months afterward.

Cris told the newspaper that a ham radio club would also enable better communications with the American Red Cross and other humanitarian aid
groups.

The 20 or so members also hope to be available for larger-scale events that are more upbeat, such as triathlons and other public events.

Cris said that ham radio is nothing new in the region and said many of the club members had belonged to organisations that are now gone. The club recently bought a repeater, which has the call sign WH0ACH.

He said there hasn't been an operating repeater in the Marianas since the typhoon destroyed the single repeater serving the region at that time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(SAIPAN TRIBUNE)
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REALTIME SPECIAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS VIRTUAL SCI-FI CONVENTION

DON/ANCHOR: When COVID-19 turned a popular sci-fi convention into a
virtual, socially distant event, some Chicago area hams got creative with
some plans of their own. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, explains.

ANDY: In the Chicago suburbs, what started out as science fiction ended
up as science fact. WindyCon, the well-attended annual science fiction convention had to be scrapped due to COVID-19 - but the event went
forward anyway as a virtual convention known as Breezycon, on November
13th through 15th. While sci-fi enthusiasts enjoyed panels, music and
gaming during those three days, with socially distant chatter on the
Discord app, hams from the DuPage Amateur Radio Club W9DUP showed their support as well. Taking their cue from Breezycon's change in plans - the
move from in-person to virtual - special event station W9W got on the air
too, just as scheduled -- and just as it had done in previous years for Windycon.

As things turned out, its operation was a virtual success: Using SSB, CW
and FT-8, DuPage Amateur Radio Club hams operated their personal stations
and paid tribute to sci-fi fans who were attending the big event from a
safe distance.

Some might say this is truly the stuff of sci-fi. But for those radio operators among us who already lost this year's in-person opportunities
at Hamvention, Friedrichshafen and the big Tokyo Ham Fair, this was
simply ham radio, doing what it does best.

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

DON/ANCHOR: According to club vice president Daniel Gunderson, N9MUF, the
four operators logged 149 contacts over the weekend -- 93 SSB, 49 FT8,
and 7 CW. Well-done.

(QRZ.COM, WINDYCON, DANIEL GUNDERSON N9MUF)

**

FLORA & FAUNA ACTIVATIONS SWEEP AUSTRALIA

DON/ANCHOR: Whether you're an activator or a chaser, you don't want to
miss Australia's World Wide Flora & Fauna activation this month. Here's
Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, to tell us more.

ROBERT: Hams in Australia are getting ready for their big World Wide
Flora & Fauna activation weekend on the 28th and 29th of November. They
are registering their call signs and locations with Paul, VK5PAS, the
national coordinator. Paul is keeping track of amateurs who are involved
so he can prepare a report at the conclusion of the event, and send out Activation Participation certificates.

The many sites include Cape Blanche Conservation Park, Mornington
Peninsula National Park, Murray Sunset National Park and Echo Sugarloaf
State Reserve. There are more than 680 national parks throughout
Australia so there's plenty to choose from.

By the way, if you're planning to chase the activators, they will be
posting alerts to spot their operations on the website parksnpeaks.org

You can also consult the DX cluster at wwff dot co slash dx hyphen
cluster (wwff.co/dx-cluster)

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.

(WWFF AUSTRALIA)

**

ON-AIR TRIBUTE BEGINS TO INDIA'S PIONEER BOSE

DON/ANCHOR: How do you pay proper tribute to an early pioneer of wireless communication? You go on the air, of course -- and that's what is
happening now in India, as we hear from John Williams, VK4JJW.

JOHN: He is honored by many in India - and well beyond - as the father of wireless communication. There is no question that Jagadish Chandra Bose,
who was born on the 30th of November in 1858, left a sizable legacy to
radio when he died in 1937. Every year for the past 15 years, Datta
VU2DSI has gone on the air as a reminder to hams everywhere that we owe
much to this progressive-thinking 19th century born man of science and
his experiments, including communication in the microwave frequency range using a Galena crystal in his 60 GHz receiver.

This year, Datta will honor Bose by operating with the call sign AU2JCB, between the 20th of November and the 15th of December. He will be joined
by a number of other stations operating as well with JCB in the suffix.

For more details visit the QRZ.COM page for AU2JCB, and be listening.

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

(DATTA VU2DSI, QRZ.COM, BRITTANICA)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the W4HPL repeater of the Cookeville Repeater Association in Cookeville, Tennessee,
on Tuesdays at 8:30 p.m. Central Time.
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EVENT HONORS HAMMARLUND RADIO'S FOUNDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of Hammarlund radios, do you remember them?
Perhaps you even own and still use one. This next story - from Mike
Askins, KE5CXP - is for you.

MIKE: By the time the Hammarlund Radio Hullabaloo special event station
W4H went off the air, the 11 operators from the High Appalachian
Mountain Amateur Radio Society had logged contacts and countless
stories. The three-day event between the 19th and 21st of November was a celebration of the November 19th birthday of company founder Oscar
Hammarlund in 1861. The operation also gave a respectful nod to the
presence of Hammarlund's radio factory right there in Mars Hill, North Carolina, between 1951 and 1973.

Mostly, however, the special event was a celebration of the famous
Hammarlund radios, some of which were pressed into service to make
contacts during this successful special event. According to Ralph,
W4RRJ, one operator was even using a Hammarlund SP-600 JX-17 receiver
and a Johnson Viking 2 when he made his contacts using AM mode. This
wasn't the only vintage equipment: Ralph said that about one-third of
the SSB contacts were made by operators using a Collins KWM-2.

Ralph told Newsline that the most common stories operators heard were
from hams who'd regretted having sold their old Hammerlund radios years
ago when they drifted away from amateur radio, not knowing they'd return someday. Another ham recalled growing up near the Mars Hill factory and remembering the silver dollars the company gave employees on the
business' tenth anniversary.

The special event also called for contacts on the Mt. Mitchell 2-meter repeater, the highest repeater east of the Mississippi River, so that
hams unable to get on HF could still check in. Ralph said next year's
plans are even bigger: it will be the 140th anniversary of Hammarlund's
birth and the 70th anniversary of the factory's move to Mars Hill.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

PAUL/ANCHOR: Ralph told Newsline that in all there were 975 contacts in
49 states, 11 provinces, and 30 foreign countries.

(RALPH ROGNSTAD JR W4RRJ, HIGH APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN AMATEUR RADIO
SOCIETY)

**

GOING OFF ROAD AND ON AIR IN KENTUCKY

PAUL/ANCHOR: You don't always need to script a simulated emergency to
sharpen your emergency prepardness. One ham radio club in Kentucky demonstrated that recently by going on-air when a group of Jeep
enthusiasts went off-road. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, tells us what
happened.

CHRISTIAN: Members of the Lake Cumberland Amateur Radio Association
partnered in early November with the Somernites Cruise organization for
the inaugural Jeep Nationals Trail Event in the back woods of Kentucky. According to Chris Perry, KY4CKP, while 38 Jeeps had off-road adventures
in a local state park a number of LCARA operators were at remote support locations with access to the 2-meter repeater as well as to their EmComm trailer.

During the three-hour event, club members tracked the progress of the
event and were prepared to summon help if any vehicles broke down or any medical issues arose. Chris said the trail ran through an area where
cell service is practically nonexistent so the presence of the hams was
vital.

A YouTube video of the adventure, narrated by Brian Perry, KY4BDP,
summed up the point of the whole exercise. Brian says: "It doesn't have
to be an emergency, you can practice your emergency communication
procedures in a fun event where everybody has a good time." Video of the
event can be seen on the LCARA channel on YouTube.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH.

(CHRIS PERRY KY4CKP)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
WA7ABU repeater in Salem, Oregon, on Saturdays at 6 p.m. local time.
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DISCOVERY EXTENDS LIFESPAN OF SOLAR PANELS

JIM/ANCHOR: There's some good news for hams who use solar panels when
they operate portable. Well, it's good news - but it's still in the
future. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, has the details.

JIM: Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have announced
their discovery of a means of extending the lifespan of perovskite-
based solar cells, using a method that is also environmentally
friendly.

Perovskite, which is used as a semiconductor, is light-sensitive
material that degrades over time.

The researchers are calling their finding a cost-saving measure because
it allows perovskite-based cells to be recycled. The process renews the
cells' ability to absorb light by restoring a panel's photovoltaic
capability.

One of the PhD students on the research team in the Department of
Applied Physics told the Jerusalem Post that the key is the use of a
layer of stable oxides. The student, Avi (Ah-Vee) Schneider said the
layer [quote] "acts as an electrode of the cell but it's also a stable material that allows for us to be able to remove any degraded
perovskite." [endquote]

He said that perovskite is the most sensitive component in the solar
cell and the most likely to suffer damage over time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(JERUSALEM POST)

**

MARKETER OF MOBILE RADIOS AND HTS CHARGED BY FCC

JIM/ANCHOR: The FCC has cracked down on a California-based company,
saying it sold radios capable of transmitting illegally. Jack Parker,
W8ISH, tells us more.

JACK: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has charged a radio
marketer with the sale of six models of mobile and handheld two-way
radios that allowed transmission outside authorized frequencies. The
November 24th action by the agency's Enforcement Bureau notified Rugged
Race Products, also known as Rugged Radios, that the California company
must immediately stop selling the radios in the U.S. or face fines.
According to the FCC citation, the agency's inquiry of the company's
marketing dates back to its initial contact in August of 2018 in
response to complaints.

The citation says Rugged Radios acknowledged that it marketed each of
the six models identified in the letter of inquiry, dating as far back
as February 2014.

The citation further says: [quote] "Rugged Radios acknowledged that all
six models were 'sold with the capability of being face-programmable to
allow a user to enter new operating frequencies' and that the
associated manufacturer or supplier delivered the radio to the Company
with this capability." [endquote]

The FCC acknowledges, however, that after the first letter of inquiry,
Rugged Radios did take steps to comply with agency rules and halted its marketing of four of the six models and later ensured that new models
included the appropriate FCC ID and labeling information. The company
also made firmware changes that disabled face-programming changes on
the two remaining models, but ultimately pulled them from the market as
well in May of 2020.

The FCC has given the company 30 days to respond to the citation.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(FCC)

**

CHANUKAH SPECIAL EVENT LIGHTS UP THE AIRWAVES

JIM/ANCHOR: If you're looking to grab some DX from Israel, you'll have
nine special days and nights in December. John Williams, VK4JJW, has
that story.

JOHN: Get ready for a number of Israeli radio amateur stations to light
up the airwaves throughout Chanukah, the festival of lights, for nine
days beginning at 1400 UTC on December 10th. The special event stations
will include 4X1C, which will be activated by a team of hams as the
first candle of the holiday is lit. On the next night, 4X2H, will join
4X1C on the air as the second candle is lit. Subsequent activations
will be by 4Z3A, 4X4N, 4X5U and others, with the number in each call
sign representing the number of candles to be lit on that day. All new stations will join the ones previously activated.

The team activating 4X0NER will be on for the duration of the special
event. Be listening on all the HF ham bands including the WARC bands
and the QO-100 satellite.

Operations end at 2159 UTC on December 19th. There are special
certificates available for Israeli amateurs, European amateurs and hams
from outside Europe. The certificates are digital downloads provided by
the Israel Amateur Radio Club. The club is also offering a prize for
best menorah and invites hams to email pictures of menorahs in and
around their QTH from their part of the world.

For details about the certificates and the photo contest, visit the
club website at iarc.org/iarc.

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

(ISRAEL AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
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ARISS CONTACT TOUCHES DOWN IN OKLAHOMA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In a part of Oklahoma with a proud space legacy, a new generation is touching the sky, this time via amateur radio. Here's
Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

MIKE: There's been a nice bit of astronaut history going on for years
in Tucumseh, Oklahoma, and perhaps no one knows that better right now
than the students in the Tecumseh High School Amateur Radio Club,
K5THS. On Friday, December 4th, they added themselves to that local
history book when they spoke over amateur radio with ISS astronaut
Shannon Walker, KD5DXB. The nine-minute Q&A happened over a 2-meter
station built by 20 ham radio operators. Teacher Bill Crow, K5LUO, led
the group in its effort to get the station, with its beam and
rotators, up and running.

One by one, the students quickly stepped up to the microphone inside
the school auditorium to deliver their questions to Shannon Walker,
who this year became the first woman to fly inside a SpaceX Crew
Dragon capsule. You can see a video of the exchange in the printed
version of this report's script on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. [arnewsline.org]

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: https://tinyurl.com/y3kofh36]

Making space history seems to be a natural for this part of Oklahoma.
Gordon Cooper, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, was a native
of nearby Shawnee, and attended Shawnee High School, where he played
on the school's football team. Gordon Cooper Drive is named for the
space pioneer, and it runs between Shawnee and Tecumseh.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

(MARK KLEINE N5HZR, W5NOR.ORG)

**

'12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS' RETURNS FOR 3RD YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In just a few days, the 12-day countdown to Christmas
begins - and so does a popular holiday special event. Jim Damron,
N8TMW, tells us how to get involved.

JIM: If Salli Rosato, K2RYD, is feeling a little bit like Mrs. Santa
Claus right now, there's good reason: For weeks now, she's been
getting wish lists from hams everywhere, and it seems they're all
asking for the same present: Another chance to work the operators in
the Annual 12 Days of Christmas Special Event. Well, that wish has
been granted. The third annual special event begins on December 14th
at 00:00 UTC, and runs until Christmas Day at 23:59 UTC. Operators
from the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club on Long Island will be
back on the air, as will operators from Michigan, Arizona, and
Virginia. As you've all been good little OMs and YLs, you're getting
an extra special present: Some of the operators will be calling QRZ
with two call signs - so you can grab your French hens, and your
turtle doves at the same time, and qualify more easily for that Clean
Sweep certificate. Be listening on 10 through 160 meters on SSB and
CW. There will also be satellite operations. The party, however,
doesn't end there. On Christmas Day, get back on the air, and work K2B,
the Christmas Birthday Special Event, and celebrate with three amateur
radio operators who will be a year older on December 25th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

**

CHRISTMAS EVE A SILENT NIGHT FOR SAQ TRANSMITTER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: COVID precautions have cancelled the traditional
Christmas Eve transmission from Grimeton (pronounced: GRIMMA-ton)
Sweden by the Alexander Association. The SAQ transmitter's message is
sent every year on 17.2 kHz. The association website posted a notice
saying: [quote] "We find it sad to have to make this decision, but see
it as a necessary measure to protect everyone involved." [endquote]
The website directs fans of the historic transmitter to clips on
YouTube where previous transmissions can be heard.

(GRIMETON WORLD HERITAGE FOUNDATION)

**

FORMER HAM IN ILLINOIS GETS PRISON FOR CHILD PORN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A judge has ordered an 80-year-old former ham radio
operator who was also a Scout leader to prison. Andy Morrison, K9AWM,
has the rest of the story.

ANDY: A former amateur radio operator and Scout leader in Illinois,
who had helped more than 300 young men attain the rank of Eagle Scout
over 40 years, has been sentenced to prison for child pornography,
according to various news reports.

A U.S. District Court judge ordered Milton Forsberg, formerly K9QZI,
to prison for 6 and a half years, a shorter sentence that the judge
said takes into account his age and poor health. Forsberg pleaded
guilty in August of this year.

A report in the News-Gazette said that Forsberg told the judge, during
a sentencing done via video, that he was ashamed of himself. The
prosecutor said police had also received tips about inappropriate
behavior when he was a Scout leader but he has not been criminally
charged.

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

(NEWS GAZETTE, WCIA)
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VIDEOS AVAILABLE FROM QRP VIRTUAL CONVENTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you weren't able to attend the convention of the G-QRP Club this past September, there's still time to attend - virtually. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us how.

JEREMY: The G-QRP Club, which devotes itself to low-power ham radio, is
making presentations from its two-day Virtual Convention available on its
new YouTube channel and on the 9th of December began uploading videos of
the various sessions.

Welcoming visitors to the opening session, Nick Bradley, G4IWO, called the virtual event "a first for the QRP community" and called the attendance overwhelming. It was a new experience for the club, which was founded in
1979 by the Rev. George Dobbs, G3RJV. George became a Silent Key in March
of 2019.

The club's call sign is G5LOW. Its virtual convention was the concept of
club chairman Steve Hartley, G0FUW, who said during the opening session [quote] "I am proud we have been able to do something and see everyone turn out." [endquote] This was one of the ham radio events to take its
activities online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presentations covered such topics as HF propagation tools, going portable
QRP with SDRs, battery technology for QRP use and the FT4 and FT8 modes.

To find the archived presentations from the convention, visit the G-QRP
Club channel on YouTube.

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

(G-QRP CLUB)

**

SOLAR CELL SETS UNPRECEDENTED EFFICIENCY

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you make use of solar energy when doing portable
operations, this next story may be a ray of sunshine - literally. Here's
Ed Durrant, DD5LP, with the details.

ED: An international team headed by scientists has announced the
development of a solar cell that has beat the world record for efficiency.
The research center Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin said that the development of a perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell has created a 29.15 percent
efficiency, pushing it ahead of the existing maximum of 28 percent. This is
an important increase in the amount of energy produced using the same
amount of sunshine hitting the same surface area. The efficiency rating
means that these panels convert 29.15 percent of the incident light into electrical energy.

The researchers are encouraged that they will reach their long-range target
of more than 30 percent.

Silicon cells are the global standard used in solar farms and it has been developed separately from perovskite as a semiconductor for solar panels.
The researchers' published paper on the development calls the tandem solar cells "a promising option." The researchers also noted that combining the
two semiconductors doesn't notably increase the cost of the panels' manufacture.

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

(SCIENCE ALERT, SCIENCE MAGAZINE, HZB)

**

CHANGES TO NEW ZEALAND'S GENERAL USER RADIO LICENSE

NEIL/ANCHOR: In New Zealand, there have been some changes to the General
User Radio License, Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, gives us the details.

JIM: Recent changes by New Zealand regulators to the General User Radio Licence now permit the use of an increased number of unlicenced low-power wireless devices across frequencies that include the HF spectrum. The
changes permit the use of wireless microphones and Radio Frequency Identification transmitters in the gigahertz bands and Radio Spectrum Management is now allowing frequencies starting with the AM medium wave
band right up to 10 metres to be used for other low-power purposes, such as wireless charging devices.

The devices must be used in a manner that does not cause interference to licensed radio services, such as military, broadcast or amateur radio. If
that happens, the user must stop using the device.

The GURL requires use of equipment that complies with radio standards and
the technical parameters of the licence and mandates that each device carry
a label saying it is RSM-approved.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE, SOUTHGATE)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KV3B repeater in Rockville, Maryland, on Sundays after the net at 7:30 p.m. local time.
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PROJECT KUIPER UNVEILS ANTENNA DESIGN

PAUL/ANCHOR: As any ham will tell you, when it comes to a good signal
it's all about the antenna. That wisdom is also a guiding principle for Project Kuiper, the Amazon satellite constellation designed to provide internet access from space. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with that
report.

KENT: Following development and testing this past fall, Amazon has
unveiled its single aperture phased-array design antenna it plans to
use on customer terminals with the company's Project Kuiper satellite constellation. The details were made public on December 16th, revealing
a small, light antenna no more than 12 inches across and with the
capacity of a maximum throughput of as much as 400 Mbps. The small size
has been designed to keep production costs low.

Amazon's planned deployment of the 3,236 low-earth orbit satellite
group got the go-ahead this past summer from the Federal Communications Commission. The project's goal is to provide low-latency broadband
internet access with a focus on serving communities in remote regions
without traditional high-speed internet access.

The project's senior manager of hardware and antenna development, Nima Mahanfar, has said in published reports that the single-aperture
antenna design is unprecendented for the Ka-band, which is in the
microwave range where the transmit and receive frequencies are very far
apart. Project Kuiper boasts a major advancement here, combining
transmit and receive phased-array antennas into one aperture.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(THE VERGE, SATELLITE TODAY, AMAZON)

**

SILENT KEY: TORONTO'S ALBERT VANDERBURG VE3ARV

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham who made many contributions to amateur radio in the
Toronto, Canada, area has become a Silent Key. Dave Parks, WB8ODF,
tells us more about him.

DAVE: Albert Vanderburgh, VE3ARV, who was known in the ham community as
Van, was described as one of the core members of the Toronto FM
Communications Society. Paying tribute in his post on Ham Radio
Canada's Facebook page, Michael Walker, outlined some of Van's further accomplishments. He said Van had also been part of a group that
designed a repeater-linking controller in the 1970s that was so
advanced at the time that the professional engineering association, the
IEEE (Eye Triple E) wrote about it.

In the mid-1960s, Van had been a partner in a startup tech company
called Teklogix. It was there that he helped develop wireless
controlled conveyor systems and handheld devices used to manage
inventory back in the days before electronic barcodes came on the
scene.

Van was 96.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(LEGACY.COM, FACEBOOK)

**

SILENT KEY: CW MENTOR ROY CLAYTON G4SSH, SOTA MAINSTAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: The SOTA community is grieving the loss of one of its
mainstays and mentors. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us about him.

JEREMY: Roy Clayton, G4SSH, has become a Silent Key. According to a
notice on the SOTA Reflector, Roy died on Christmas Day, another
casualty of COVID-19.

In posting the memorial to Roy, John, G4YSS, recalled that Roy had been
a ship's op on Shell Tankers and other marine radio shacks and the UK's
chief Morse Examiner for a good decade. Roy excelled in CW and John
described him as a CW mentor to many, including to himself.

He was also devoted to the mentoring of the next generation. As John
wrote: [quote] "It was Roy's idea. The Scarborough Special Event Group
gave a lot of pleasure and enjoyment over the years as avid collectors
of a series of colourful QSL cards will testify. It also taught several youngsters how to run a GB station and handle a pile-up, some of which
were massive." [endquote]

John wrote that Roy's affections also extended to Citizens Band radio,
where he ran The Chairman Network near Scarborough on Channel 17-FM.
John said: "He would give advice and loan equipment there too, even
sending around a monthly news-letter and was very much looked up to." [endquote]

Roy was 84.

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

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

'GET ON THE AIR' CW KEY AUCTION BENEFITS UK CHARITY

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Get on the Air to Care campaign in the UK, which won
this year's Amateur Radio Newsline International Newsmaker Award, has
won another victory for encouraging increased radio contacts during
lockdown. The Radio Society of Great Britain, which partnered with the
UK's National Health Service in this campaign, has raised more than
2,000 pounds - or nearly $2,800 in equivalent US currency, following
its charity auction. An anonymous CW enthusiast made the winning bid of 1,025.99 pounds for a handcrafted Bug CW Key made by Roy Bailey, G0VFS.
The RSGB is matching the funds and donating the sum to the NHS
Charities Together fund. Meanwhile, the related campaign, Get on the
Air for Christmas, continues until January 9th, encouraging holiday
QSOs as a way to ease isolation.

(RSGB)
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IN AUSTRALIA, SPORADIC-E GOES THE DISTANCE

SKEETER: Two meters has been going the distance recently in Australia.
John Williams, VK4JJW, picks up that story for us.

JOHN: A remarkable opening recently on 144 MHz helped radio amateur transmissions in Australia span 3,200 km, or not quite 2,000 miles on
the 15th of December. According to a report on the EI7GL blog, summer Sporadic-E season takes the credit for the big opening in which WSPR
signals from John, VK2IJM, and David, VK2DVM, in Sydney, were copied in Western Australia near Perth by Peter, VK6KXW. One-hop Sporadic-E is
typically limited to a distance of 2,300 kms, or 1,429 miles.

The blog post goes on to say that the amateurs believe this distance
was perhaps accomplished with two Sporadic-E hops. They noted that it
is rare for this to occur at 144 MHz and more commonly seen on the 6
metre band.

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

(EI7GL BLOG)

SKEETER: From that same EI7GL blog comes another bit of news -- this
time by way of meteor scatter. During this year's Geminid meteor
shower, a 144 MHz signal from Jon, OY9JD, in the Faroe Islands was
heard 3,075 kms - or 1,910 miles -- away in Bulgaria by Stamen,
(pronounced STAMMIN) LZ1KU. The blog notes that typically meteor
scatter contacts' maximum distance is about 2,300 kms, similar to that
of Sporadic-E. So the contact couldn't be attributed to one-hop meteor scatter. According to the blog, it's now believed that Jon's signal may
have bounced off the International Space Station as it passed over
Europe.

**

EXTENSIONS GRANTED FOR GERMAN RADIO OPERATORS

SKEETER: German authorities have granted extensions to temporary
operations on various bands for radio amateurs - and they did it right
on deadline. Here's Ed Durrant, DD5LP, with the details.

ED: Just a little more than a week before a December 31st expiration
date, the German regulator BNetzA has extended the temporary use of a
number of bands for amateur radio operators and increased weekend top
band power levels, ensuring continued operations there through until
the end of 2021.

The IARU Region 1 website reports the weekend power increase to 750
watts output for class A and 100 watts for class E operators on the
1850-2000 kHz part of the German 160 metre band at which time contest
stations are allowed to use the band.

The regulator is also extending temporary use for 2320-2450 MHz (13cm), 5650-5850 MHz (5cm), 50-52 MHz (6m) and 70.150�70.200 MHz (4m) bands.

Amateurs in Iceland have also received a renewed authorisation for the
use of 1850-1900 kHz in international contests in the new year. The
national group - Icelandic Radio Amateurs or IRA received the approval
on December the 4th from the Post and Telecom Administration (PTA). The
use is subject to the same requirements as use of the frequency range 1810�1850 kHz.

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

(SOUTHGATE, IARU REGION 1)

**

AUSTRIAN HAMS GAIN ACCESS TO 60 AND 630 METRE BANDS

SKEETER: There's more room on the bands as well for amateurs in
Austria. Hams now have access to the 60 metre band from 5351.5 to
5366.5 kHz with a maximum EIRP of 15 watts and to 472 � 479 kHz at 1W
EIRP. This is consistent with other countries 60 metre access under the
ruling made at the ITU's World Radio Conference in 2015 and 630 metre
access from the ITU's WRC in 2012. Hams are secondary users on both 60
and 630 metres in countries where the bands are available.

(SOUTHGATE, SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

WHEN MORSE CODE GROWS ON TREES

SKEETER/ANCHOR: You may remember Newsline's story earlier this month
about London's Shard building sending Morse Code holiday messages from
its uppermost lights. In a similar way, a market town in Cheshire
England is using the lights on this season's Christmas tree to send the
dits and dahs of CW. Here's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, to decode that tale.

JEREMY: This Christmas, the residents of Macclesfield are learning what
many military and ham radio operators have known all along: if you want
to ensure that a message gets out, send it in Morse Code. That's
particularly true this year with the town's Christmas tree. The tree
has traditionally been decorated with paper stars bearing handwritten
messages - but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the
town council had a bright idea - an idea as bright as the lights on the Macclesfield tree itself. The council commissioned a local art
collective to install holiday lights that would be able to flicker
messages sent in CW. People now send those messages by texting to a
dedicated phone number and they are converted into the flickering
language of illuminated dits and dahs.

The installation is being called Message in Lights, and it is designed
to encourage appreciation of the tree for everyone from a safe
distance. Who knows? It might also encourage appreciation of Morse
Code, too.

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

(SOTA REFLECTOR)
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LAWMAKERS SEEK PROBE INTO ARECIBO COLLAPSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, Congress is taking a second look at the
collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Paul Braun, WD9GCO,
tells us more.

PAUL: Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., plan an investigation into the
December collapse at the Arecibo Observatory, just weeks after Puerto
Rico's outgoing governor committed $8 million in resources to rebuild
its historic radiotelescope.

In the December 1st collapse, the dish was gashed beyond repair
following the crash of a 900-ton instrument platform. The telescope, a
valued cornerstone in modern astronomy, was being decommissioned by the
US National Science Foundation following other damage that occurred
weeks earlier. At the time of the final collapse, it had been earmarked
for dismantling.

Congress has requested a report by the end of February.

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

(SPACE.COM)

**

IOWA STUDENTS' BALLOON CIRCLES EARTH A THIRD TIME

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The world has kept turning into the new year and so too
has one Iowa amateur radio club's balloon project. Jack Parker, W8ISH,
has that story.

JACK: Three circumnavigations after its launch, the Pella Amateur Radio
Club's APRS balloon was still the pride of the Jefferson Intermediate
School fifth graders who'd helped launch it back in November. It ended
the year 2020 as a success in the sky. Transmitting on 144.39 MHz with
the callsign WB0URW-8, the helium-filled balloon had completed three
trips around the world since its November 5th launch and seemed
unstoppable. It was still making its rounds as 2021 dawned, according to
radio club member Jim Emmert, WB0URW. Jim told KNIA-KRLS radio that in
its third trip around Planet Earth, the balloon passed over Canada,
Greenland, Portugal, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia - among many
other places. Powered by solar panels, the balloon can be tracked by
following the link that appears in this week's script on our website at arnewsline.org.

[for print only, do not read: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FWB0URW- 8&timerange=604800&tail=604800]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: According to a January 6th report by the radio station,
the balloon has since completed its fourth trip - a journey that takes
about two weeks. The students have reason to be proud.

**

PROJECT EYES DIRECT WAY TO GATHER SOLAR POWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine collecting the solar power you need from a spot
much, much closer to the sun. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about a
project that's doing more than just imagining.

JIM: The US Air Force Research Laboratory is hanging its hopes on
something called Helios. It's a key component named after the Greek sun
god and is part of an experiment known as Arachne (Uh-RACK-Knee)
expected to be launched into space in 2024. The formal name of the
project is the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research
solar beaming project.

What's that? The Air Force lab describes it as a project that will
explore a way to harvest solar energy directly from space, where
sunlight is more potent outside the Earth's atmosphere and where solar
panels have more hours of exposure. Through use of something called
"sandwich tiles" and other systems, the experiment will convert the
collected energy to radio waves for beaming back to Earth as usable
power.

Helios, which is being supplied by Northrup Grumman, will house the
platform on which these solar beaming experiments occur. Northrup
Grumman's role has left the Air Force lab free to concentrate on
acquiring a spacecraft where it might all begin to happen.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

(CLEAN TECHNICA, POPULAR MECHANICS, US AIR FORCE)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WB
ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through Allstar, in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Fall River, Massachusetts.
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REVERSE BEACON NETWORK ADDS NODE IN FINLAND

JIM/ANCHOR: Researchers whose studies focus on propagation have gained
a new tool in their arsenal. It's in Finland - and Ed Durrant, DD5LP,
tells us about it.

ED: A new node has become active in northern Finland as part of the
Reverse Beacon Network, thanks to the support of the Yasme Foundation.
The new node was set-up at Radio Arcala OH8X, near the Lapland border
to help in the study of a propagation mode known as the Polar Path.
This propagation occurs in northern Europe during winter. At night,
the Polar Path provides several hours' worth of coverage over North
America.

Radio Arcala's node will become one of the research tools being used
by the researchers in that part of the world. The Yasme Foundation's
grant programme was announced last year, providing grants to regions
studying reception reports and conducting geophysical research. A
Yasme-funded node was installed last October in Tunisia, bolstering
the Reverse Beacon Network's presence in northern Africa.

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

(WIA, EHAM.NET)

**

POPULAR TV PERSONALITY GETS HAM RADIO LICENSE

JIM/ANCHOR: It seems that "Last Man Standing" actor Tim Allen isn't
the only main player on a TV show to get a ham radio ticket. Meet
Donna Snow, who has been a fixture on a popular DIY Network program in
the U.S. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, introduces her to us.

KEVIN: Donna Snow of the long-running reality show "Texas Flip 'N
Move" recently became Donna Snow, W5SML. Although her call sign is a
lot newer than the name she made for herself on the popular home-
makeover series, she is hoping for changes in her own shack soon.
Inspired by her ham radio mentor Rex King, W5EAK, a Vietnam veteran
and a former Navy radioman and officer, Donna is exploring ways to use
ham radio as a tool to connect veterans struggling with life after
military service. She has already accomplished that through renovation projects that included making a bathroom safer for a Vietnam vet, and repairing a flood-damaged American Legion Post. She is presently
redoing the yard outside the home of a widow of a veteran who fought
at Iwo Jima.

While studying to upgrade to General class, she is also making plans
for a TV show featuring amateur radio and, of course, the veterans
themselves. Her progress reports appear every week on her QRZ page.

Donna told Newsline in an email: [quote] "I am on a mission to tell
everyone about ham radio and the benefits it offers to all, no matter
their age." [endquote] She said she is living the spirit of her vanity
call sign W5SML - SML for "Snow Much Love."

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

**

LAUNCH OF SPAIN'S HAM RADIO SATELLITE POSTPONED TO MARCH

JIM/ANCHOR: Two ham radio satellites from Spain have had their
launches put off for a few more weeks. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains.

JEREMY: A delay by SpaceX has postponed Spain's scheduled amateur
radio satellite launch on January 14th. The departure of the EASAT-2
and Hades satellites is now on the calendar for sometime in March to
coincide with the Starlink mission.

According to the AMSAT-EA website, both satellites are carrying an FM
/ FSK repeater and are capable of voice and digital communications.
EASAT-2 is assigned the callsign AM5SAT and Hades is assigned AM6SAT.

SpaceX is to launch the satellites via the in-space transportation
provider Momentus aboard the Falcon 9 Launcher.

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

(AMSAT-EA, SOUTHGATE)

**

SPACECRAFT COPIES FM SIGNAL NEAR JUPITER'S MOON

JIM/ANCHOR: Think of this as perhaps the world's tiniest space QSO.
NASA reports that its Juno spacecraft which is orbiting Jupiter copied
an FM radio signal from its largest moon, Ganymede (GANNY-MEED). It
turns out that the radio emissions were the result of electrons
oscillating at a lower rate than they were spinning, causing them to
amplify radio waves. Juno picked it up as it was passing by a polar
region of Jupiter where the magnetic field lines connect to Ganymede.

It's called "cyclotron maser instability" and it's a natural
occurrence. The excitement only lasted 5 seconds -- but it was a
first.

(EOS.ORG)
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CITY ANTENNA LAW UPTURNED BY FCC RULING

NEIL/ANCHOR: The FCC has invalidated one U.S. city's law challenging
satellite antenna installations. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, has the details.

ANDY: The FCC has declared that federal law protects the right of
property owners and tenants to install and use satellite dish antennas,
even if the antennas are visible from the street. The panel's ruling
on January 11th, invalidates an ordinance in the city of Chicago,
Illinois, that restricts such installations. The FCC says that its
rule - known as the Over the Air Reception Devices rule, or OTARD -
protects the antennas' use, and allows video consumers greater choice
of content. Chicago had argued that its law, enacted in 2012, was put
in place to enforce "aesthetic standards", and that the measure does
not violate the federal ruling. The petition had been brought by the
Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association, DirecTV, and the
DISH Network.

The Over-the-Air Reception Devices Rule does not apply, however, to
AM/FM radio, CB radio, or amateur radio.

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

(FCC)

**

PROPOSAL TO SUPPORT JAPAN'S STUDENT RADIO OPERATORS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Students in Japan could get more opportunities in amateur
radio, if a requested change in national regulations wins approval.
Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has that story.

GRAHAM: Elementary and junior high school students in Japan can expect
greater opportunities in amateur radio. This, under a proposal from the
Japan Amateur Radio League. League president Yoshinori Takao, JG1KTC,
has asked the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, for
changes in regulations that would create greater chances for students interested in volunteering activities, especially disaster communications.
The change, if approved, would require a partial amendment to the Radio
Law Enforcement Regulations. In a translation from the Japanese, posted
on various news websites, Yoshinori said: [quote] "We would like to
nurture a wide range of amateur radio operators, who will lead the next generation." [endquote] The initiative is being undertaken, in
cooperation with the Japan Amateur Radio Development Association.

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

(SOUTHGATE, JARL)

**

FCC REMINDER ISSUED DAYS BEFORE U.S. INAUGURATION

NEIL/ANCHOR: With fears of further civil unrest in Washington, D.C. at
the presidential inauguration on January 20th, the U.S. Federal
Communications Commission issued a warning several days earlier, in the
form of an enforcement advisory to all licensed and unlicensed radio
services, stating that providing any support to such activity could be considered a criminal act. The advisory was directed at amateur radio operators, operators on the General Mobile Radio Service, Family Radio
Service radios, and Citizens Band. The advisory noted that this applies
as well to messages that are encoded to mask their meaning. The advisory states: [quote] "Individuals using radios in the Amateur or Personal
Radio Services in this manner may be subject to severe penalties,
including significant fines, seizure of the offending equipment, and, in
some cases, criminal prosecution." [endquote]

(FCC)

**

GOLD RUSH SPECIAL EVENT STATION IS MINING FOR CONTACTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: In California, a special event station, marking America's
Gold Rush is mining for contacts, as we hear from Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

MIKE: You might say this event is as good as gold and, well, you wouldn't
be exaggerating. The El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club is marking the discovery of gold in 1848 at Sutter's Mill -- a discovery which most
students of American history know sparked the Gold Rush the following
year. This year, the mad rush on January 23rd and 24th will be on the HF
bands. As hams look to strike QSO gold using CW, SSB, RTTY, PSK-31, and
JS8, they will be digging deep through all those pileups, and hoping to
log the club call sign AG6AU. By the way, it's no exaggeration to say
you'll strike gold if you get a valid contact. The callsign suffix "AU"
means gold on the periodic table of elements.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

(EL DORADO AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, and now being heard as well
on the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club's W2GSB and WB2QGZ repeaters,
on Saturday mornings at 8, following the 7 a.m. check-ins of the club's
new "Newsline With a Cup of Joe" Net. Newsline is also heard on Monday
nights at 8 p.m. after the club's Info Net.
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FIRST DIGITAL SYSTEM OPERATIONAL IN NORTH DUBLIN

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams using digital modes in one part of Ireland have
something to be grateful for, as Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, tells us.

JEREMY: In Ireland, hams in North Dublin who use the digital modes are celebrating the area's first digital system, which was put into use on
the 19th of January. The C4FM Wires-X Gateway became operational thanks
to the efforts of Ger EI4HOB and the North Dublin Radio Club EI0NDR.
With the call sign EI2PMD, it is available to local hams at 144.825 MHz.
The repeater is linked to the CQ-IRELAND Room, as are systems from
Galway, Limerick, and Northern Ireland.

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

(IRTS)

**

QCWA IN SEARCH OF TREASURER

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Quarter Century Wireless Association is looking for an amateur radio operator who doesn't just love radio but has a talent for finance and numbers too. In short, the nonprofit group is in search of a treasurer to fill the post left vacant last year. The treasurer is
responsible for preparing the proposed operating budget for approval by
the Board of Directors. The treasurer also provides the Board with
quarterly income statements along with a year-end income statement and
balance sheet. The treasurer's responsibilities also include preparing
the necessary paperwork at tax time, which includes the proper documents
for employees and contract workers and the federal tax return, among
other forms.

Members who are interested should contact Ken, VE6AFO, at
president@qcwa.org.

(QCWA)

**

SKYWARN PREPS FOR SEASON'S STORMY WEATHER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Stormy weather is a reality this time of year in many parts
of the world. In the U.S., a special group of hams is always preparing
for it, as we learn from Randy Sly, W4XJ.

RANDY: While we normally think of Skywarn activations during tornadoes
and hurricanes, winter storms also require “ground truth,” actual
reports from the field to confirm what meteorologists are observing on
radar and with other instruments. While spotters can report by phone,
email or online, those from the Amateur Radio community can also
communicate such things as snow depth and ice accumulation to
meteorologists quickly and efficiently through local repeater nets
connected to the weather services office.

Christopher Strong, Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Baltimore/Washington Weather Forecast Office, states, "Reports of snow
and ice are vital to keeping the forecast on track. Automated reporting stations are great at detailing temperatures, rainfall, and winds, but
do not report snow and ice accumulation. So, spotter reports really help
us see how much is accumulating and match it up with how much we
expected through that time."

Reports from radio amateurs and other spotters help the National Weather Service save lives and property in the community and minimize the impact
of severe weather on the public. To find out more about becoming a
Skywarn Spotter, please visit the Skywarn page on the National Weather
Service Website and click on the link to contact the Warning
Coordination Meteorologist in your area.

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

**

CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE SOLAR KIND

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the U.S., the Parker probe sent up by NASA has just made
a close encounter of the solar kind. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, gives us the details.

KENT: For the first time since last September, NASA's Parker Solar Probe spacecraft made a close approach to the sun just as solar activity began
to kick into high gear.

From a distance of 8.4 million miles, or 13.5 million kilometers, the
probe made its approach on Sunday, January 17th. There's plenty of data
for it to collect, especially with Solar Cycle 25 now well under way.
Last November, the sun had its first major flare in three years.

NASA has planned four close approaches to the sun this year along with
two flybys of Venus, with the first one happening on February 20th.
After that, it's back to the sun for another close look on April 29th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(SPACE.COM)
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RESTORATION BEGINS ON WORLD WAR II ENIGMA MACHINES

JIM/ANCHOR: If restoring old boat anchors, or even making ancient straight keys usable, is a challenge that appeals to you, consider this monumental
task being undertaken in Germany right now. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells us
about it.

ED: It looks like restoration experts at Germany's State Archaeological
Museum in Schleswig-Holstein are looking at additional work. After
starting the one years desalination and restoration work on a World War II enigma machine found in the Baltic Sea off the north east coast of Germany
in December last year, another six units have been found. Unfortunately
many of this find had been made unusable before they were thrown into the
sea from German Warships at the end of the second world war.

The machines, which resemble old typewriters, have inner workings that
include three interchangeable rotors used to scramble messages. These
messages were then sent using Morse code to another ship or land station
that had another enigma machine to decode the message.

Restored enigma machines have been shown and operation demonstrated both
at Friedrichshafen, and Dayton Hamfests.

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

(LIVESCIENCE, PHYS.ORG)

**

HAMS IN INDIA HELP ID MISSING MAN AS AUSTRALIAN CITIZEN

JIM/ANCHOR: Amateur radio operators in India are being credited with
helping make an important contact in Australia but the communication here
has nothing to do with DXing. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us what
happened.

JASON: A man who had been found wandering disoriented on the streets of Kolkata, India several weeks ago has been identified as an Australian
citizen with the help of local amateur radio operators. According to a
report in the Times of India, the 69-year-old man, who is of Indian
origin, is from Sydney, Australia. He has been in one of the local state-
run hospitals since he was found.

The West Bengal Amateur Radio Club intervened at the request of local
health department officials who wanted the man's family located and knew
the club has a long track record of helping reunite families.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, club secretary, said that although there were still many missing details, paperwork found in the man's possession
indicated he was residing in Sydney but had formerly owned property in
India. The newspaper report said the man speaks English but appears to
have some kind of mental disorder. The Australian Deputy High
Commissioner's Office in Kolkata told the newspaper that efforts are under
way to contact his family members.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(TIMES OF INDIA)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K3ALG repeater
in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, on Sundays at 4:30 p.m. local time.
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YOUNG CALIFORNIA AMATEUR WINS CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the California ninth grader and
amateur radio operator who is among those students to win the prestigious Congressional App Challenge. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, has the details.

NEIL: Sean Donelan, KM6NGN, is the author of an amateur radio app for
mobile devices that simplifies coordination tasks for net controllers overseeing hams in the field at public service events. The app, NetHam,
was the top winner in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in his home
state's 11th congressional district. The United States House of Representatives established the nationwide award eight years ago to
inspire students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and
Math. The award is being given out this year in 308 of 435 congressional districts.

The app makes use of a Raspberry Pi4B, an Arduino, and a Nextion HMI
Touch Display. To see it in action, watch Sean's demonstration video
at the web address you'll find in this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org. Well done, Sean!

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: vimeo.com/454747550]

(PATCH, SOUTHGATE)

**

QSO PARTY BRINGS ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES IN MINNESOTA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The biggest challenge of a QSO Party isn't necessarily
the propagation. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with the story of one
group of hams who found that out.

KENT: Members of the Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association were up
for the challenge of the Minnesota QSO Party and hoped their brand-new
Mobile Communications Bus was too. The hams crossed the state border from their Wisconsin home into a Minnesota county that is considered rare in
these operating events. Using CW and phone, they joined the action from a parking lot at a high point in Houston County for the February 6th
contest. They used the call sign Whiskey Zero Minnesota (W0M). Vice
president Bill Kleinschmidt, N9FDE, told Newsline that 11 hams
participated, two serving as the main ops while others filled in and
provided support.

Bill said Mother Nature was ready for the QSO Party too - in a different
way. He told Newsline: [quote] "She dumped six inches of snow on us just before the contest, then to add insult, she dropped the temperature ten to twenty below zero for setup and takedown operations." [endquote] The bus passed the test and kept everyone warm for the full 10 hours. The club did well too with a total score of 203,392, combining the 1,816 QSO points to
the state, province, country and DX scores.

Bill told Newsline the real challenge of the day came later, when the bus brakes failed just as the hams prepared to drive down from the hill. The brakes had begun to leak.

The hams made one final call of the day: to Craig, N9ETD, who runs a
towing business. Bill told Newsline that repairs were under way, and the
club should be back on the road soon for new adventures. Next up: their
home state Wisconsin QSO Party on March 14th and 15th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(BILL KLEINSCHMIDT N9FDE)

**

MARS MEMBERS AND HAMS PREP FOR INTEROPERABILITY EXERCISES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Members of the Military Auxiliary Radio System will have
their first interoperability exercise with the amateur radio community on February 23rd through the 27th. Exercises will begin on Channel 1, the
initial calling channel on 60 meters, but may not necessarily be limited
to that channel.

US Army MARS Chief Paul English, WD8DBY, issued a statement saying that
ICS 213 messages will be passed in both voice and digital modes. Radio operations will also take place in the usual voice modes.

Following this month's exercise, the next one will be held from March 1st
to March 7th.

(MARS)

**

U.S.-BUILT RF JAMMERS TO ASSIST AUSTRALIA'S MILITARY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An American-built RF-jamming system is about to begin production to help the military in Australia. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW,
explains what it will do.

JASON: Australia's military is expected to benefit from the protective
power of RF jammers under a system being developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation in the United States. The system of open-architecture RF
jammers will be built by electronic warfare experts to provide protection
from radio-controlled improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. The system
is designed to minimise disruption to communications systems while establishing a protective barrier for the warfighters and their equipment.

The $329.9 million order for the system, which is designed to protect foot soldiers, vehicles and permanent structures, according to officials of the United States Naval Sea Systems Command, which announced the order. Work
will be done in San Diego, California and is expected to be ready for
delivery to Australia by December of 2022.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(MILITARY AEROSPACE.COM)
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