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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2396 for Friday September 29th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2396 with a release date of Friday September 29th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A special event station focuses on a rare
medical concern. In Tennessee, amateur radio training gives new skills
to the Medical Reserve Corps -- and hams in North Carolina celebrate a
beloved ham's 106th birthday. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2396 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SPECIAL EVENT HIGHLIGHTS RARE MEDICAL CONDITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week highlights a very public
special event inspired by a ham's very personal story. A special-event
callsign is often used to celebrate or honor a person or a cause - but
this callsign is going on the air very soon in Australia to educate.
The subject is a rare and troublesome medical condition. We hear more
from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: In 1989, Bernie Terry, VK4KX, was diagnosed with acromegaly, a
rare condition resulting from an overproduction of growth hormones in
the pituitary gland.Other health problems, such as diabetes and
cardiomyopathy, can accompany it. Bernie writes on his QRZ.com page
that although surgery can help some patients, it did not resolve things
for him. He decided that, even as he attempts to manage the condition
and its various related issues, he will be on the air as VI4ACRO
throughout the month of November. His goal is to raise awareness about
this condition and to encourage people to learn more about it.

Bernie said he will have the assistance of at least one other operator
with the condition, Eric, VK4XR, and he is hoping to find other hams
willing to take time to get on the air. The callsign will be active
only during the month of November, kicking off on the first of the
month, which is International Acromegaly Awareness Day.

See the QRZ.com page for VI4ACRO for additional QSO details - or to
contact Bernie if you can operate during the month.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(WIA, QRZ.COM)

**
CROATIA READY TO HOST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It took a few years of planning - and then a three-year interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic - but now an international
conference of amateurs is preparing to gather again in Croatia, as we
hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Inspired by the Radio Club Porec 9A1P - which takes its name
from the Croatian town on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, - the second
Istria Contest Conference is scheduled for October 6th, 7th and 8th and
has been attracting a lot of attention. The pandemic called everything
to a halt and organisers waited years for last year's inaugural
gathering to happen. Already next month's second such event is drawing international attendance to the Croatian region known as Istria. One of
the organisers, Mirko 9A6KX, told Newsline that hams have already
reserved spots from New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Austria, Italy,
Hungary and much of the rest of Europe.

Not surprisingly, the programme material is not limited to contesting. Presenters include the popular YouTube channel producer and blogger
Raisa R1BIG/OH7BG, who will speak on YLs' prominent roles in amateur
radio; and a number of youth-related forums. There will also be live
video calls with two DXpeditions, the 5W0LM operation on Samoa, and W8S
on Swains Island.

For details, visit the link that appears in the text version of this
week's newscast at ARNewsline.org

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

https://icc2023.9a1p.com/index.html

(MIRKO, 9A6KX)

**
HAMS ENJOY A "SOTA ECLIPSE"

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With the hope for clear skies on Saturday, October
14th, a small group of SOTA enthusiasts in Oregon will be climbing the
peaks - not just for a chance at Summit-to-Summit contacts but to stop
long enough to experience a total eclipse of the sun from an elevation.
Andy Morrison K9AWM has that story for us.

ANDY: Hams who are also fans of SOTA activations and camping out don't
really need an excuse like an eclipse to make a big weekend event
happen but Tim N7KOM and his friends are seizing the moment anyway in
Oregon The state's southeastern region is in the path of totality for
the annular (an-yuh-lerr) eclipse and that is as good an occasion as
any for a hike up to Drake Peak, SOTA designation W7O/CE-002 (W Seven
OH stroke CE Zero Zero Two), and Light Peak, W7O/CE-004 (W Seven Oh
stroke Zero Zero Four). Writing on the SOTA Reflector, Tim announced
his own plans to camp at Mud Creek Campground and arrive on one of the
summits by 9:20 local time. His rig and of course his camera will be
ready. Any operators wanting to contact him in advance should email him [email protected]. He is willing to bulk-order viewing glasses to
wear so everyone can safely view the event.

The weekend doesn't end when the eclipse is gone, however: Tim expects
to keep getting more summits right up through Sunday afternoon.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

**

AMSAT ANNOUNCES KEYNOTERS AT SPACE SYMPOSIUM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: AMSAT has announced two keynote speakers for the 41st
annual Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, as we hear from
Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

KEVIN: Two notable radio amateurs will be presenting at the banquet
being held at the AMSAT Space Symposium in Texas on October 20th and
21st. AMSAT has announced that the keynote speaker will be Bob Twiggs,
KE6QMD, who was a co-inventor of the form factor for the popular
miniature satellites known as CubeSats. He will be joined by Nick Pugh,
K5QXJ. A telecommunications technology specialist, Nick's notable
efforts have included the help he has given the college team at the
University of Louisiana Lafayette to be the first campus team of its
kind to build and launch satellites.

Meanwhile, if you want to be a presenter at the symposium, AMSAT is
still accepting papers on topics that are related to amateur
satellites. Final copies of symposium papers are due by the 12th of
October but in the meantime, AMSAT would like to receive a tentative
title for the talk. Send abstracts and papers to Dan Schultz, N8FGV, at
n8fgv at amsat.org ([email protected])

October promises to be a busy time for satellite enthusiasts
everywhere. Just a week before the symposium in Texas, AMSAT-UK will be
holding its 2023 Colloquium on the 14th and 15th of October in Milton
Keynes, alongside the Radio Society of Great Britain's convention. The
weekend will include the annual general meeting of AMSAT-UK and, of
course, the gala dinner. For details visit the website that appears in
the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

[DO NOT READ: https://amsat-uk.org ]

**
NEW HAMS ADD SKILLS TO TENNESSEE MEDICAL RESERVE CORPS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Tennessee, some newly licensed hams are adding vital
skills to the state's Medical Reserve Corps. Skeeter Nash N5ASH has
those details.

SKEETER: Andrew Albertson KN4CTG has a little extra pride in his voice
when he talks about the latest group of Technician class amateurs who
passed their license exam in Tennessee. That's because they are
graduates of a class he taught. So they're not just new hams but
volunteers with the Tennessee Medical Reserve Corps, which began
offering the classes last year. The MRC is giving a new priority to
encouraging members to get their amateur radio licenses. The Tennessee
MRC, which is overseen by the Tennessee State Department of Health, is
part of a national network of more than 200,000 volunteers. Andrew told Newsline that he began teaching the classes last year after Melanie
Grant, KQARE, coordinator for the MRC's South Tennessee area, asked if
he would be willing to help expand the volunteers' skill set in that
region to include communications.

Since then he has also taught classes in Tennessee's MRC in the nearby
Upper Cumberland Region. The goal, he said, is to have a total of 50 to
60 volunteers licensed between the two regions to provide what he
called an "organic capability" in communication within the ranks of the volunteers. The MRC does not replicate the work of ARES or RACES. Its
mission is to be part of a larger public health response in the event
of a crisis.

Andrew told Newsline in a phone interview [quote]: "By offering this we
can have a more capable MRC without having to rely on other groups."
[endquote]

He said he will be gearing up shortly for the next classes, which are
free and use a modified curriculum based on ARRL materials. The 16-hour
course is offered over a three-day span. The Technician license test is
given at the conclusion. Andrew said that anyone interested in joining
the Tennessee Medical Reserve Corps should visit the website. You can
find a link in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org.

This is Skeeter Nash N5ASH.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/cedep-emergency-preparedness/informatio n-management/volunteer-mobilizer/medical-reserve-corps.html ]

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
WA5AIR, the Texas Link System which carries Newsline on seven repeaters
on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. local time.

**
WORKSHOPS UNITE HAMS AT INDIAN EPICENTER OF EDUCATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams of all ages spent two days at a beautiful World
Heritage Site in India where they devoted their efforts to the
advancement of science and the art of radio. We have those details from
Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: More than 200 radio amateurs came to West Bengal, India from
around the world for two days of sessions and workshops designed to
expand skills and knowledge in the ever-evolving science of ham radio.
The OSCAR Amateur Radio Convention was held on September 23rd and 24th,
at the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as Santiniketan [pronounced
SHON-TEE NUH KAY-TIN], considered an epicenter of education and
literature. Special sessions were devoted in particular to engaging
more YLs and more youth in amateur radio. Steve Chafe, KN6TKO,
presented a forum introducing digital radio. Satellite enthusiasts got
a chance to experience amateur satellite communication via the
geostationary satellite QO-100 as contacts were logged between Qatar
and India.

One of the core presentations focused on nurturing the spirit of experimentation among high school students. The session was called
"Maximizing High Frequency DXing Success: Antennas, Propagation,
Etiquette, and Planning."

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(SAQUIB AHMED, VU3HZW)

**
US MARINE CORPS NEEDS HAM SUPPORT AT MARATHON

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The United States Marine Corps is inviting hams to get
in the running and support one of the nation's largest marathons
-without even lacing up their running shoes. Patrick Clark K8TAC
explains how.

PATRICK: It's called the Marine Corps Marathon but it is also known as
the People's Marathon. Running through Washington DC and nearby
Arlington County, Virginia, the race is a showcase of discipline and
physical fitness - the kinds of traits espoused by the United States
Marines. The organizing team needs an estimated 150 ham radio operators
at the event to help ensure the runners stay safe as they make their
way through the nation's capital on Sunday, October 29th. More than
29,000 runners are expected to participate.

To volunteer for this important event, you can sign up online, select
what assignment you want, and then create your profile. Hams who
volunteer will be part of a critical communication network designed to
ensure safety among runners, spectators and even fellow radio
operators. Hams will need to attend one training session before the
race and have access to an HT with VHF capacity and enough battery
power to last about 12 hours.

For other details or to volunteer, see the link in the text version of
this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: hamcommunity.com/clubs/page/1-first-steps/ ]

**
ARRL FOUNDATION MARKS 50th YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the ARRL Foundation, which is
celebrating a half-century of philanthropic work on behalf of the
amateur radio community. The foundation, which operates in partnership
with the ARRL, provides grants to club, scholarships to students and
gives other gives in support of keeping ham radio vibrant for the next generation of operators.

According to the ARRL website, the nonprofit organization reported in
its most recent annual audit that it had $8 million in assets. It has
been a long journey for the small charity that had simple beginnings in September of 1973, when it was formed with $1,000 and the efforts of a
number of members of the league's board of directors. Larry Shima,
W0PAN, is the sole surviving member of the original board of the
foundation. He says on the ARRL website that he is particularly proud
of the scholarship recipients that the foundation has been able to
support over the years. The ARRL said it expects to award more than 100 scholarships next year, in amounts ranging from $500 to $25,000.

(ARRL)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Elvira, IV3FSG, operating as
6W/IV3FSG from Senegal between the 26th of September and the 16th of
October. She is operating SSB and the digital modes in her spare time.
See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Seppo, OH1VR, is on the air as SV9/OH1VR, from Crete, IOTA number
EU-015, from the 28th of September to the 3rd of October. Seppo will be operating mainly CW and can be found on 160 through 6 metres. QSL
direct to his home call.

Be listening for Maurizio, IK2GZU, operating as 5H3MB from Tanzania
from the 8th of November until the 8th of December, in between doing
volunteer work at a local orphanage. He will be operating SSB, CW and
the digital modes on 80-10 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

The Wireless Institute of Australia is celebrating the milestone of 90
years of publishing its official journal, Amateur Radio. The WIA has
reserved the special event callsign VK90AR (Vee Kay Nine Zero Ay R)
that any WIA member or affiliated club can use through December 31st to
help with the celebration. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: AT 106, THE WISDOM OF THE AGES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast with a party. It's a
birthday party for a ham who has just turned 106 years old - and you're invited! Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

RALPH: Three years ago, when he turned 103, Oscar Norris, W4OXH, (W 4
Oh Ex H) had to settle for a celebration that amounted to being a
drive-through birthday party. It was the middle of the pandemic and to
keep everyone safe, well-wishers' cars rolled past the North Carolina
assisted living center where Oscar lives and kept the party moving
-literally. This year, as the oldest active ham in the state - and
perhaps even the nation - welcomed the age of 106, he was finally able
to welcome his guests in person. His ham friends and his church friends
mingled and celebrated the man everyone calls "grandpa." Two days
before his actual birth date, he was already doing one of the happiest meet-and-greets of a lifetime.

For many of those attending, it has indeed been a lifetime - and more.
Tony Jones, N4ATJ, president of the Gaston Radio Club in Gastonia,
North Carolina, was a 14-year-old boy when Oscar handed him a book and encouraged him to study for his license. When Tony later got another
license - the one that put him behind the wheel of a car - he would
drive a lot with Oscar, who became blind after an eye infection more
than 70 years ago.

Tony told Newsline [quote] "Oscar is a legend here." [endquote]

If you couldn't get to Courtland Terrace Assisted Living for the party
on the 23rd of September, you can still join the celebration - wherever
in the world you may be - by listening for the callsgn N1O (En One Oh).
North Carolina's biggest ham radio fans of Oscar Norris are using that
callsign until the 1st of October - working from their home QTH or even
going to activate a POTA station.

Tony said it is because Oscar has been a friend and an Elmer to
everyone throughout his exceptionally long life.

He said: [quote] "This is all to honor our beloved Oscar. He is one of
a kind and means the world to all of us." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(TONY JONES N4ATJ, GASTON GAZETTE)

**
DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

If you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would
be interested in, send it on! We are not talking about advertising your
club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that
is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact
page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover
it, we'll get back to you for more details.

Meanwhile, give some thought to the true poetry of amateur radio and
let your literary self shine through. Visit our website to learn more
about the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. Use the entry form on
our website and please follow the rules for the number of syllables you
must use to write your three-line haiku.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; Andrew Albertson,
KN4CTG; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; Enigma Reloaded; 425DXNews;
Facebook; Gaston Gazette; Intrepid-Dx Group; Mirko, 9A6KX; QSO Today;
Saquib Ahmed, VU3HZW; shortwaveradio.de; Tony Jones, N4ATJ; Wireless
Institute of Australia; 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

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