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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2344 for Friday September 30th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2344 with a release date of Friday September 30th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams take to the airwaves for Hurricane Ian. A
new report offers insights into the collapse of the Arecibo radio
telescope -- and radio rides along for a bicycle climb up an iconic
mountain. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2344 comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
HAMS MUSTER SUPPORT DURING HURRICANE IAN

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week looks at amateur radio's response
as a life-threatening hurricane brought destruction in the southern
United States. Randy Sly W4XJ brings us those details.

RANDY: As Hurricane Fiona left Canada's Maritime provinces as a
tropical depression, another hurricane was beginning to form in the
Caribbean tracking toward western Cuba, the Cayman Islands and the
western shores of Florida. The handoff between the two storms gave
little time to relax for amateur radio operators working with the
Hurricane Watch Net, VoIP Net, Salvation Army Emergency Radio Network
and emergency communications groups, such as ARES.

By the time Ian reached the Florida coast near Fort Myers, it was a
Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 155 miles per hour. This catastrophic storm caused significant damage along with storm surge,
torrential rains, flooding, power outages, and spin-up tornadoes.

Bobby Graves, manager of the Hurricane Watch Net, said that the net
would remain in full emergency mode to assist with any emergency,
medical, or priority traffic as well as working with SATERN, the
Salvation Army's network, to help in handling any outgoing health and
welfare traffic. The net was to remain active after Ian's downgrade so
hams could assist with post-storm reports for the National Hurricane
Center. The FCC has also adopted a 60-day waiver that permitted hams to
use a higher symbol rate for data transmissions - above the legal limit
of 300 baud -- when assisting Hurricane Ian traffic.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

**
REPORT PINPOINTS FACTORS IN ARECIBO COLLAPSE

JIM/ANCHOR: A new report has pinpointed some contributing causes behind
the collapse of what was once the largest radio telescope in the world.
Kent Peterson KC0DGY brings us up to date.

KENT: Engineers have identified a number of key factors that led to the
2020 collapse of the Arecibo Telescope, once the world's largest radio telescope. A forensic examination by the New York-based firm Thornton
Tomasetti identified issues that included design of the cable system
with relatively low safety factors for gravity loads as well as the
force of naturally occurring events in the environment. Those included Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the January 2020 earthquake tremors in
Puerto Rico where the telescope was located. The report said that
despite having a hurricane-resistant design, Arecibo's cable system had
already led it to suffer stress under its own weight whenever storms
hit. The engineers recommended higher safety factors for cable systems
under such conditions.

Although the investigators said they found the telescope to be
generally well maintained, they did note in their report that they
found that moisture had intruded, paint had degraded and individual
wires had broken within the cable system.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(THORNTON TOMASETTI, NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION)

**
AMATEURS HELP WITH REUNION ACROSS BORDERS

JIM/ANCHOR: A family in Bangladesh has been reunited with a
long-missing relative thanks to hams on both sides of the border with
India. Graham Kemp VK4BB gives us the rest of this story.

GRAHAM: It took 12 years and, ultimately, two groups of amateur radio
operators to return a man to his home and his family in Bangladesh. The
reunion took place on September 21st, allowing the man to leave the
state-run home in Kolkata where he had been following a lengthy hospitalization. His family reported that he had gone missing a dozen
years ago. He had apparently crossed the border into West Bengal.

Press accounts in the Millennium Post and other media outlets described
the 27-year-old man as mentally challenged and thus unable to provide information about his origins either to hospital personnel or later to
those at the state home. Authorities at the home contacted the West
Bengal Radio Club. Club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, visited
the man and determined he was from Bangladesh. He reached out for help
to Anup Bhowmick [ANOOP BOWMICK], S21TV, secretary of the Amateur Radio
Society of Bangladesh. The two clubs arranged for a video call between
the man and his family and after that, details were worked out for his
return home.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(MILLENNIUM POST, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)

**
TENNESSEE AMATEURS DONATE RADIO BOOKS TO LIBRARY

JIM/ANCHOR: Nothing can compare with the gift of knowledge and that's
what a group of hams in Tennessee recently gave to their local library
- ham radio knowledge, of course. Skeeter Nash N5ASH picks up the story
from here.

SKEETER: The Andrew Johnson Amateur Radio Club may not have written the
book on amateur radio but its members recently showed they know how to
share the wealth of radio knowledge contained in some valuable volumes.
The Tennessee club has donated a collection of new and used ham
radio-related volumes to the Greeneville-Greene County Public Library.

A press release from the club said the gift was part of the group's
mission to provide community service and advocate for radio knowledge
and education. The group thanked the Wal-Mart Distribution Center in
Greene County for a $500 donation that helped the club compile the book collection. The books were presented to the library by president Ian
Bible KE4EAC and secretary/treasurer Larry Whiteside KN4MVH.

The books include "Ham Radio for the New Ham," by Stan W. Merrill; two
copies of "Ham Radio for Dummies," by H. Ward Silver and "The World of
Ham Radio, 1901-1950: A Social History." For tinkerers there is
"Antique Radio Restoration Guide," by David Johnson; and "Antique Radio
Repair and Restoration," (4th edition) by Alfred Corbin, which
discusses vacuum tube radios. A number of ARRL publications are also in
the collection, including a digital handbook and a license manual.

This is Skeeter Nash N5ASH.

(THE GREENEVILLE SUN)

**
AUSTRALIAN AMATEURS INVITE THE WORLD TO PORTABLE EVENT

JIM/ANCHOR: A club in New South Wales, Australia, has big plans for
some outdoor operation - and everyone is invited. John Williams VK4JJW
tells how you can attend.

JOHN: The Central Coast Amateur Radio Club in New South Wales is hoping everyone can join them at their next outing, a portable-op-and-picnic
event. Yes, this means hams in Europe. This also means hams in North
America. The club is setting up a big festive gathering on the 15th of
October at Terrigal Haven on Australia's South Pacific coastline where
members will socialize with one another while promoting amateur radio
to strangers. Of course, if there is an ocean or a continent - or both
- in the way of your being there, that's no excuse for not
participating. Starting at 11:30 a.m. local time and going through at
least until 4 p.m., radio operators at the outing will have a path on
20M into New Zealand, North America and as the day wears on, signals
will be favoured into Europe. Listen for the club call signs VK2AFW and
VK2WFD.

As with any picnic and any radio activation, everyone will keep an eye
on the weather -- terrestrial as well as solar.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(CCARC)

**

ACMA SEEKS INPUT ON NEW LICENCE CLASS

JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, as Newsline went to production, the Australian Communications and Media Authority announced it was asking for amateurs
to comment on the proposed class licence for non-assigned amateur and
outpost stations. The ACMA is also reviewing issues related to
higher-power operations. This process is part of the ACMA's ongoing
five-year spectrum review. The ACMA website at acma dot gov dot au (acma.gov.au) is accepting submissions until the close of business on
the 29th of November.

**
BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including D-STAR
Reflector 91C on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. local time in Melbourne,
Australia.

**
FAMILY OF HAMS LAUNCHES EDUCATION PROGRAM IN ROMANIA

JIM/ANCHOR: A new amateur radio education project in Romania has begun
reaching thousands of students -- as well as their families. Ed Durrant
DD5LP tells us more.

ED: Enjoying amateur radio is a family priority for Petrica (Patricka)
YO9RIJ, his wife, Alina (R-leen-A) YO9RYJ and their son Rares (raresz),
a short-wave listener with the call sign YO9 -001. Since the spring,
however, spreading the word about amateur radio has become an
additional priority. Alina (R-leen-A), a college professor, believes
that the science of radio is an important part of students' education, inspiring Petrica (Patricka) to develop an educational curriculum with
lessons mixing science and amateur radio. Called RadioScience 2.0, it
was one of six projects to win funding from the Romanian American
Foundation this past spring. By May, students were receiving lessons in
the schools and even in the parks, with hams from the Romanian Contest
Team participating to share their experiences too. Petrica (Patricka)
told Newsline in an email that nearly 5,000 youngsters and teenagers
-and even parents and grandparents - have since attended classes to
learn and to explore kit-building. Most recently, more than 50 young
people took their ANCOM exam a little more than a week ago, testing to
earn their licence. Petrica (Patricka) said this is just the beginning.
His dream is to build a ham radio science centre in Buzau (BuzzOw)
City. He said it is: "A real challenge but we have hope!"

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

**
AM QSO PARTY CELEBRATES ORIGINAL VOICE MODE

JIM/ANCHOR: The annual AM QSO Party sponsored by the Antique Wireless Association isn't so much a contest as a challenge: It invites hams to
get on the air using radio's original form of voice communication:
amplitude modulation. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us about this
year'sevent.

ANDY: Ron Skipper, W8ACR, coordinator of the AM QSO Party for the
Antique Wireless Association, considers this year's event a success.
The weekend operation introduced hams to amplitude modulation - or
reminded long-timers that AM is still a viable option. During the
two-day activity on September 24th and 25th, Ron himself made 40 or so
contacts during the QSO party. He told Newsline that three of those
operators he logged said they were experiencing either their first or
second time using AM mode.

Ron told Newsline [quote] "I think that once a ham operator uses AM successfully, he realizes that it is a viable alternative to SSB, and
not just an outdated mode of communication." [endquote]

Ragchews were encouraged and, for others, so was simply listening. Ron
reminds hams that there's plenty of time now to prepare for the next AM
QSO Party. If your rig already has AM mode, try it out. If have vintage
gear at home, dust it off. Or, if you are a home brewer, get busy.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(RON SKIPPER, W8ACR)

**
RSGB UNVEILS UPDATED TOOL TO MEASURE EMF

JIM/ANCHOR: To help amateurs in the UK comply with EMF exposure limits,
the Radio Society of Great Britain has updated its calculator - and is
also looking for input on the changes. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us the
details.

JEREMY: An updated tool has become available to help hams comply with
Ofcom licence requirements to monitor their stations' electromagnetic
field exposure. The Radio Society of Great Britain has made changes to
both its online calculator and web app and are seeking feedback on the
new versions, which have been launched on a trial basis. The new
calculators enable hams to determine EIRP as well as compliance
distances. According to the RSGB website, the updated calculators no
longer have the previous versions' 10 MHz minimum frequency restriction
or the minimum separation of the near field boundary. They recommend a compliance distance of 2.4 metres to keep people from coming into
contact with the antenna. The new version also calculates limits set by
the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection for
1998 and 2020.

Additional details are available on the Society's website at rsgb.org

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RSGB)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for the special call sign TM10KIY (TM one
zero Kay eye why), marking the 10th anniversary of the Radio Club du
Pays de Nied through until October 7th. Club members will be on various
HF bands using CW, SSB, RTTY, SSTV and FT8/FT4. QSL via F4KIY, through
the Bureau or direct.

In Guadeloupe, listen for Sigi, DL7DF, Manfred, DK1BT, Wolf, DL4WK,
Annette, DL6SAK, Tom, DL7BO and Frank DL7UFR operating as TO2DL between
the 10th and 23rd of October. Guadeloupe has the IOTA designation of
NA-102. Operators will be on various HF bands using different modes.
QSL via DL7DF, direct or through the DARC Bureau. The full logs of the DXpedition will be uploaded to LoTW six months after the team has
returned.

Members of the Calabria DX Team will be active as ID9Y from Vulcano
Island, IOTA number Vulcano Island, IOTA EU-017, between October 5th
and 9th. They include Alex, IK8YFU, Domenico, IW8RAO, Sal, IZ8CZR and Luigi/IU8GUK. Listen on various HF bands where the operators will be
using CW, SSB, RTTY and FT8. QSL only via LoTW or eQSL.

Marco, IS0BSR, and a number of other amateurs will be using the call
sign IM0B from San Pietro Island, IOTA number EU-165, between October
22nd and November 5th. QSL only via LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX)
**

KICKER: RADIO RIDES ALONG FOR MOUNT WASHINGTON HILLCLIMB

JIM/ANCHOR: For our final story, we visit Mount Washington in the
United States, a summit known to pose a challenge to anyone who wants
to get to the top. Amateur radio helped make that triumphant trip safer recently for some bicyclists, as we hear from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

RALPH: There's no question in anyone's mind that New Hampshire's Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States,
presents a climb to remember, whether by car, by foot or even by
bicycle. The summit of 6,288 feet - or nearly 2 km -- is hardly a
challenge for radio waves, which is why hams from clubs and emergency
service units throughout the state and other parts of New England were
on hand a few weeks ago for the 49th annual Mount Washington Auto Road
Bicycle Hillclimb.

More than 500 cyclists turned up for the event, which is the largest fundraising event held by the Tin Mountain Conservation Center, a
environmental education group in New Hampshire. Riding up what is
considered by experts to be one of the world's toughest hill climbs,
cyclists were assisted only by their own stamina and muscle power --and
of course the power of amateur radio.

It was a particularly big day for one cyclist, a four-time winner who
not only regained his title but set a new record of 50 minutes and 38
seconds. The ride itself raised more than $20,000 for the nonprofit
group. It was also a big win for the hams who were given a big share in everyone's victory. Race director Erin Holmes told the competitors
afterward [quote]: "We could not do this event year after year without
teams at the Mount Washington Auto Road and the Central New Hampshire
Amateur Radio Club as our eyes on the mountain to keep you all safe."
[end quote] In that respect, everyone crossed the finish line together.

I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(CONWAY DAILY SUN)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA; the ARRL;
Central Coast Amateur Radio Club; the Conway Daily Sun; CQ Magazine;
David Behar K7DB; Millennium Post; National Science Foundation; Ohio
Penn DX; QRZ.com; Radio Society of Great Britain; Ron Skipper, W8ACR;
Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Thornton Tomasetti;
and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We
remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer
non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued
operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star
rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray
KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm
Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West Virginia saying 73. As always we
thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2022.
All rights reserved.

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