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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2411 for Friday January 12th, 2024

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2411 with a release date of Friday
January 12th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Students build their way to a direct contact
with space. A six-month extension for hams on some bands in Germany
--and a moment of honor for SOTA on the islands of Scotland. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2411 comes your way
rightnow.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
TECH-SAVVY TEENS SCORE A DIRECT CONTACT WITH ISS

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a story that captivated the
national media here in the United States and social media everywhere:
It was a contact made barely a month ago between Pennsylvania high
school students and astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
This was a contact, however, with something that set it apart from
many. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us how it happened.

KENT: Like so many other of the hundreds of contacts that have been
made over the years between students and ISS astronauts, the
well-publicized QSO with Harbor Creek High School near Erie,
Pennsylvania relied on the support of the volunteers and staff who are
part of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. They assisted
with scheduling and helped coordinate the contact with NASA mission
control in Houston. This was a very different QSO, however: About three-quarters of the participating high school students were licensed
amateur radio operators - young hams who developed, built, installed
and operated the radio systems in preparation for this high-profile
contact. They even assembled the antennas that were installed on the
school building's roof.

In other words, this was a direct contact between the school and the
ISS, with no telebridge or phone patch to serve as the customary
go-between.

This kind of hands-on student involvement is uncommon in the long
history of ARISS and its 1600 or so educational contacts, according to
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, executive director of ARISS-USA. He told Newsline
in an email that ARISS strongly encourages this kind of hands-on
student involvement but doesn't see it often. He told Newsline: [quote]
"It is a rarity to be celebrated." [endquote]

Frank said that, working with education lead and assistant principal
Drew Mortensen AC3DS, the teens in the Harbor Creek Advanced
Technologies Group handled the ISS satellite operations on their own.
Watching the contact happen, ARISS technical mentor Gordon Scannell,
KD8COJ, told the local newspaper: [quote] "They've done this, they know
how to do this." [endquote]

The result was a QSO with Commander Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ. It was
arranged by ARISS and NASA, but made by students -- and this was a
contact the nation, if not the world, got to watch.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FRANK BAUER, KA3HDO, THE TODAY SHOW)

**
PRESENTATIONS NEEDED FOR EARTH-MOON-EARTH CONFERENCE

JIM/ANCHOR: If you regularly promise yourself the moon for many of your
radio contacts, you may have something to offer to fellow hams
attending the next Earth-Moon-Earth communications conference later
this year. Sel Embee KB3TZD has those details.

SEL: Organizers of the 20th International Earth-Moon-Earth
Communications Conference have chosen the campus of the College of New
Jersey as the host site on August 9th through 11th but they still need presenters to discuss advancements in the mode. Although the conference
focuses on operations at 432 MHz and above, amateurs with experience
and expertise on 50 MHz, 144 MHz and 222 MHz are also welcome.
Presentations can range from 25 minutes to 50 minutes long and can
cover such topics as issues and procedures for EME options, unusual
equipment, software and, of course EME operating experiences.

The New Jersey campus, just outside of Trenton, is central to
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. A new feature this
year will be a live course called EME 101 for operators who are looking
to get started in EME or want additional tips on gear or techniques for
the different bands. This one-day class is separate from the EME
conference and takes place on Friday, August 9th. Registration fee is
$50 but attendees at the three-day conference will be able to attend
EME 101 class at no extra charge.

See the website in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org for additional details. If you wish to be a presenter at
the conference, you will find more information about what the
organizers need in advance.

[DO NOT READ: https://eme2024trenton.org/ ]

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(EME CONFERENCE)

**
GERMAN AMATEURS GET 6-MONTH EXTENSION ON 160, 6 AND 4M

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Germany who have been enjoying temporary privileges
on some bands will be able to use them for six more months, as Jeremy
Boot G4NJH tells us.

JEREMY: Amateurs in Germany who are using temporarily allocated
frequencies on 160 metres, 6 metres and 4 metres - as well as Class E
licence holders being allowed to use the 13cm and 5 cm bands - have
been given a six-month extension from the telecommunications regulator
BNetzA.

The announcement was made in late December in the regulator's
newsletter which noted that the extension expires on the 30th of June.
Until then, all licence, class, polarisation and power restrictions
remain in place and use continues to be on a non-interference basis.

The extension permits the use of 1.8 and 2.0 MHz on weekends for
contests. It also grants continued use of 50 to 52 MHz and 70.150 to
70.210 MHz.

In the meantime, German amateurs who want to test for the new
entry-level Class N licence later this year are advised to monitor the
D A R C website at Five Zero Oh H M dot de (50ohm.de) for updates on
the exam syllabus, which is considered compatible with the requirements
for the CEPT entry-level licence.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(BNETZA)

**
SILENT KEY: MARTIN ENGSTROM, N1ARY, MAINE'S "MARTY ON THE MOUNTAIN"

JIM/ANCHOR: A ham radio operator who was best known as a beloved TV
weatherman -- even after his retirement 22 years ago -- has become a
Silent Key. We hear about him from Andy Morrison K9AWM.

ANDY: Marty Engstrom, N1ARY, was forever known as "Marty on the
Mountain" among viewers of Maine's TV station WMTW, Channel 8. His real
job from atop Mount Washington -- New England's highest peak -- was to
keep the station's transmitter on the air from there. Marty reluctantly
agreed to read the regional weather report on camera as well, despite
having no background in meteorology -- and until his retirement in
2002, his folksy delivery, awkward smile and his clip-on tie became his trademark. In 2019, he was inducted into the Maine Association of
Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Marty died on January 4th at his home in Maine after a brief illness,
according to local news reports. He was 86.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(WMTW, WJBQ)

**
SILENT KEY: EAST COAST REFLECTOR'S TOM MOLYNEAUX JR., KE3GK

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams on the Late Night and East Coast Reflectors are
missing a good-natured, good-humored member of their community. We hear
about him from Dave Parks WB8ODF.

DAVE: Tom Molyneaux Jr., KE3GK, was an avid contester on both SSB and
CW and had the awards hanging all over his shack walls to prove it. He
was a member of the North East Maryland Amateur Radio Club. Licensed
since 1991, Tom served as an influence and example for hams and
non-hams alike - but was perhaps proudest of the ham radio interest he
sparked in one of his five grandchildren, his grandson, Grayson.

Tom became a Silent Key on the 9th of January. Recalled by his radio
friends as friendly, funny and always willing to help newcomers, he was
also an eager volunteer, brainstorming ideas to keep his fellow
amateurs engaged. His more popular ideas included a Saturday 9 a.m. net
on 40 meters and East Coast Reflector Net also at 9 a.m., Monday
through Friday, known as The Second Cup.

A veteran of the US Navy, he leaves behind his family, including his
wife Phyllis, who he had known since he was 7 years old.

Tom was a friend of mine.

He was 66.

I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF

**
GRANT TO FUND AMATEUR TRAINING IN TECH SECTORS

JIM/ANCHOR: It's going to be a busy year for the Ham Radio Village,
K0HRV, helping nurture and create new licensed hams. George
Zafiropoulos KJ6VU has the details.

GEORGE: Members of the Maker communities as well as people involved in
STEM and STEAM activities will be getting enhanced access to the path
to prepare for an amateur license with the help of an $18,000 grant
from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The funds are being given to
the Ham Radio Village K0HRV, a Colorado-based nonprofit that has been advocating for more individuals in various technical fields to get
their amateur radio licenses. As always Ham Radio Village intends to
provide these communities with hands-on experience, expertise on
amateur-radio issues and to lead license-testing both online and in
person.

Ham Radio Village is known for its presence at DEFCON, a hacker
convention held every year in Las Vegas, and hopes that this grant
money will take its efforts beyond there. The outreach will include
such other conferences as GRCon, Maker Faires and the IEEE
Communications Conference.

This is George Zafiropoulos, KJ6VU.

(ARDC)

**

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.
localtime.

**
NEWEST SATELLITES TO ENABLE EXPERIMENTAL TEXTING VIA SPACE

JIM/ANCHOR: New Starlink satellites have been launched in preparation
for the start of experimental texting via space. Kent Peterson KC0DGY
brings us up to date.

KENT: SpaceX has announced that the recent launch and deployment of six Starlink satellites is expected to enable texting from space this year
on an experimental basis for mobile phones in its partnership with
cellular operators. SpaceX has partnered with T-Mobile USA to conduct
the initial tests and also has agreements with providers in
Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan, Canada and Chile.

The company is hoping the satellites will help eliminate cellular dead
zones, enabling users to send text messages even when they are in
regions outside the T-Mobile network. The Starlink model differs from
the service provided to Apple's iPhones, which use an Emergency SOS via satellite utilizing Globalstar satellites to establish a connection
between the iPhones and ground stations.

These six new satellites have greater optical reflectivity than other
Starlink broadband satellites. During the webcast of the January 2nd
launch, SpaceX said they plan to consult with astronomers to determine
what impact, if any, these new direct-to-cell satellites' will have on observatories so SpaceX can make any necessary orbital adjustments.

Starlink has told the US Federal Communications Commission that its
ultimate plan is to deploy 840 such satellites for direct-to-cell
communication during the next six months. Voice and data services are
not in its plans until sometime in 2025 and Starlink must first get
regulatory permission for commercial use.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(CNET, SPACENEWS)

**
HAMCATION 2024 ANNOUNCES AWARD-WINNERS

JIM/ANCHOR: As amateurs prepare to pack up and travel to Hamcation in
Orlando, Florida, organizers of the annual event have announced winners
of two major awards to be presented there next month: The Carole Perry
Educator of the Year Award and the Gordon West Ambassador of the Year
Award. Jack Parker W8ISH has that story.

JACK: Lewis Malchick, N2RQ, a cofounder of the ARRL School Club Roundup
and an active participant in this event for more than 25 years, will
receive the 2024 Carole Perry Educator of the Year Award at Hamcation.
The honor recognizes educators for their contributions to advancing
amateur radio among students. Lew is a former chemistry teacher at
Brooklyn Tech High School in New York, where he is an advisor to the
school's ham radio club, W2CXN. Lew also serves as a trustee for the
ham club at Stuyvesant High School, W2CLS, in Manhattan. He is also
chairman of the Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club's Education
Committee which has sponsored five student contacts with Amateur Radio
on the International Space Station.

The Gordon West Ambassador of the Year award recipient is being shared
by Fred and Anita Kemmerer. Fred, AB1OC, and Anita, AB1QB, promote STEM education, amateur radio instruction and youth outreach through the
Nashua Area Radio Society in New Hampshire. They are also the creators
of Ham Bootcamp, which helps new licensees and prospective hams upgrade
their skills. Fred is director of the ARRL's New England Division and
Anita is an assistant division director for mentoring and the
development of new hams.

Hamcation is being held from the 9th to the 11th of February, when the recipients will be honored.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(MICHAEL CAULEY, W4ORL)

**
HAMS PROVIDE MISSING-PERSONS RESOURCE AT RELIGIOUS PILGRIMAGE

JIM/ANCHOR: The religious pilgrimage that began on January 8th in India
is known as the Ganga Saga Mela -- and it is known for many things but
sadly, the annual gathering of tens of thousands of worshippers from
around the nation is also known for more than its share of people who
go lost or missing. This year a group of amateurs specializing in
reuniting families has taken the proactive approach with a new online
resource. Jason Daniels VK2LAW explains.

JASON: Tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims travel from around India to
West Bengal for an annual festival of spirituality and renewal known as
the Ganga Saga Mela. They arrive in pursuit of a dip into the waters at
the confluence of the Bay of Bengal and the Ganges River - but many of
them end up in pursuit of family members who have somehow wandered off.
Ham radio operators with the West Bengal Radio Club have developed a
specialty over the years in facilitating many kinds of reunions for
missing persons and this year the hams have introduced a web portal
that will help the lost become found. The website enables people to
upload pictures of the person they are looking for, eliminating a
longstanding issue of language barriers at such a large event.

The West Bengal Club's secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, said the
website myham dot in (myham.in) will display photos along with
information about each person and their last known location.

The mela is scheduled to conclude on the 17th of January.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(INDIATV.COM, THEPRINT.COM)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Chris, WA7RAR, operating as 8P9CB from
Barbados, IOTA Number NA-021, until the 25th of January. Many of his
activation sites are also POTA sites. Listen on 20-10m where he will be
using CW and SSB. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Bob, W9XY, and Ken, K4ZW, are on the air from the ET3AA club station at
Addis Ababa University's Institute of Technology until the 20th of
January. They will concentrate on using the high bands. QSL via N2OO (N
Two Oh Oh).


(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: PAYING TRIBUTE, ONE SCOTTISH ISLAND SUMMIT AT A TIME

JIM/ANCHOR: SOTA summits have always been a special destination for
those of us who embrace the wilderness of the airwaves in combination
with the wilder spots here on earth. For our final story, Jeremy Boot
G4NJH tells how enthusiasts in Scotland have been celebrating the life
of one amateur who embraced both pursuits in different countries for
many of his 80 years.

JEREMY: The islands of Scotland, with their varied landscapes and
promise of adventure, called to Andre Saunders, GM3VLB. Starting in the
1960s, he distinguished himself through a variety of portable
operations and specialised aerial designs, concentrating later on the
islands of his own home Scotland. When he became a Silent Key in 2019
he left a means for the Lothians Radio Society to encourage amateur
activity on those same islands that had served him so well. The
society, which launched an awards scheme in 2022, recently announced
the 2023 winners of the GM3VLB SOTA Islands Award - Ben Lloyd, GW4BML,
in first place, and Paul Hodgkinson, G4IPB, in second place. The
society also honoured Gus, W9SSN, for successful activations farthest
from his home QTH.

The award has just entered its third year and anyone in the world can
help pay tribute to Andre through a series of valid activations from
any SOTA summit in the GM/SI Scottish Islands region. You simply have
to be willing to travel to the islands, then climb or walk - sometimes
through deep bogs - in Andre's footsteps.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ANDY, MM0FMF, THE SOTA REFLECTOR)

**
DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

If you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would
be interested in, 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, if you're feeling even a
little bit poetic, visit our website to learn more about the Amateur
Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We have started a new year - and a new challenge! Use the entry form on our website and please follow the
rules for the proper number of syllables when writing your three-line
haiku --and be sure to check out our previous winners!

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; Amateur Radio
Digital Communications; ARRL; CQ Magazine; CNET; David Behar K7DB;
DXWorld; EME Conference; Frank Bauer, KA3HDO; 425DXNews; India.TV;
Michael Cauley, W4ORL; QRZ.com; shortwaveradio.de; the SOTA Reflector; SpaceNews; ThePrint.com; WMTW, WJBQ; 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 2024. All rights reserved.

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