eHam.net News

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Empty Stocking Fund: Amateur Radio Society Answer Call to Help:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 04:33 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35773


When Hurricane Hugo tore apart New Orleans and then flooding brought more
havoc, amateur radio operators answered the call. The hurricane's winds
blew cell towers to pieces and these men and women provided one of the only
means of communication in and out of the ravaged region. Members of the
Gaston County Amateur Radio Society like Bill Paczkowski are proud of the
assistance they provide in emergencies. They hold an annual field day each
June to hone their skills, test equipment and emergency preparedness. Over
24 hours, members send and receive messages from several hundred stations
across the world. The Gaston County group also tunes into the need of those
around them through an annual donation to The Gazette Empty Stocking Fund.
Each year, members take up a collection for the campaign that helps the
Salvation Army provide assistance to those who have hit hard times at
Christmas. This year, the group made a $200 contribution. "It's a great
thing you do here and we appreciate it," said Paczkowski of The Gazette's
annual fundraiser.


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The Impact of World War I on Ham Radio:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 04:33 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35772


When America declared war on Germany in 1917, most radio stations came
under government control, reserved for war efforts. On this edition of Up
To Date, we learn why ham radio operators were prevented from broadcasting
during The Great War.


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'Ghost' Satellite from 1967 Is Transmitting Again:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 04:32 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35771


A satellite built at MIT's Lincoln Laboratory and abandoned in 1967 began
transmitting again in 2013, an amateur radio operator found. Vintage News
reported via Southgate Amateur Radio News that Phil Williams, an amateur
radio astronomer in the United Kingdom, picked up on the satellite's signal
in 2013, and confirmed that it was an LES-1, or Lincoln Experimental
Satellite built to test how satellites could communicate from orbit.


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Solar Super-Flare is Possible, but Conditions Required Extremely Unlikely:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 04:32 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35770


After finding a solar super-flare on a star similar to our sun has led
researchers predict that earth's sun is also capable of producing such
super-flare that can prove destructing for earth. Researchers at University
of Warwick located the super-flare on the star, called KIC9655129, using
data gathered by NASA's Kepler space telescope. The researchers noticed
that the burst on the star emitted wave patterns that are similar to flares
emitted by the sun. Mentioning in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, the
researchers have affirmed that the sun is capable of producing a
super-flare, which is 1,000 times stronger than its previous record.
Normal-sized solar flare is capable of releasing energy equivalent to 100
million megaton bombs. But the energy released from a super-flare is
equivalent to 100 billion megaton bombs. "If the Sun were to produce a
superflare it would be disastrous for life on Earth; our GPS and radio
communication systems could be severely disrupted and there could be large
scale power blackouts as a result of strong electrical currents being
induced in power grids", affirmed study's lead researcher Chloë Pugh. Along
with this, Pugh also affirmed that the condition required for super-flare
is highly not possible to happen on the sun. The researchers have based
their predictions seeing the previous observations of solar activity. But
the researchers said that by studying flares taking place on other stars
can help better understand the processes taking place on our solar system.


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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1989, December 11, 2015:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 04:30 PM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35769


The following is a QST. Hams in India struggle to help the nation's flooded
south. The founder of Ham Radio Outlet becomes a Silent Key. Boston area
amateurs are already planning for the city's big marathon. And get ready to
do some real DXing with Pluto, the so-called "dwarf planet." All this and
more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1989 coming your way right now.


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DX News -- ARRL DX Bulletin #49:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:21 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35768


This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by
CO8TW, CT3HF, N2GG, OH9MM, W3IZ, QRZ DX, the OPDX Bulletin, 425 DX
News, The Daily DX, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL
Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.


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Just Ahead In Radiosport:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:21 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35767


Just Ahead In Radiosport:


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IARU Praises WRC-15 Regarding Use of Ham Bands for Non-Amateur Satellites:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:21 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35766


The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) has
welcomed the exclusion of all existing Amateur and Amateur-Satellite
frequency allocations from bands under possible consideration at World
Radiocommunication Conference 2019 (WRC-19) for non-amateur satellite
use. WRC-15 last month in Geneva recommended WRC-19 Agenda Item 1.7
regarding spectrum studies for short-mission satellites; it removes
from consideration the Amateur-Satellite allocations at 2 meters and 70
centimeters.


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MARS-Amateur Radio Exercise an Overall Success:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:21 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35765


A 2-day Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) communications exercise
in early November is being considered an overall success, especially in
terms of MARS-ARES cooperation. The November 8-10 exercise was built
around a scenario of a simulated massive coronal mass ejection (CME)
that disrupts conventional communication systems across the US.


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Amateur Radio Volunteers Respond to Flood Emergency in Southern India:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:20 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35764


In the wake of severe flooding in Southern India resulting from several
days of torrential downpours earlier this month, volunteer radio
amateurs jumped in to provide emergency communication and other
disaster assistance. Amateur Radio Society of India (ARSI) President Gopal
Madhavan, VU2GMN, said hams
swung into action soon after flood waters -- 3 to 4 meters deep in some
places -- overwhelmed India's fourth-largest city, Chennai, and the
surrounding region. Power outages in many parts of the affected area
hampered Amateur Radio relief operations, and some radio amateurs were
caught in the flooding. Hams with emergency power were able to pitch
in, however, via two local repeaters. An HF network remained on
standby.


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ARRL International Humanitarian Award Nominations Due by December 31:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:20 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35763


The deadline to submit nominations for the 2015 ARRL International
Humanitarian Award is Thursday,
December 31. The award is conferred upon an amateur or group of
amateurs who demonstrate devotion to human welfare, peace, and
international understanding through Amateur Radio. The League
established the annual prize to recognize Amateur Radio operators who
have used ham radio to provide extraordinary service to others in times
of crisis or disaster. A committee appointed by the League's President
is now accepting nominations from Amateur Radio, governmental, or other
organizations that have benefited from extraordinary service rendered
by an Amateur Radio operator or group.


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UK Astronaut's 'Principia' ISS Mission to Highlight Educational Activities:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:19 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35762


National pride is at a "Peake" in the UK, as European Space Agency
Astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, counts down the days until he launches
from Kazakhstan to the International Space Station (ISS). The
English-born Peake -- a former British Army Air Corps officer and
helicopter pilot -- will lift off aboard a Soyuz spacecraft on December
15 as part of the Expedition 46 crew.


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Scouting's Jamboree On the Air (JOTA) Participation Dips for Third Year:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:14 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35761


Despite what the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) called "solid results from
an exciting JOTA weekend," Scout participation for the October 2015
event was reported down by 8
percent from 2014, although the number of registered stations and
station reports remained about the same. The BSA said 7117 Scouts took
part in JOTA 2015. The number of visitors, at 5138, was also down by 8
percent. The Boy Scouts said only 60 percent of registered stations --
208 -- filed a station report, so the report may represent only part of
the activity and could be updated if additional information comes in.
The 346 total stations registered for JOTA 2015 represented a slight
improvement from 2014, however.


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Amateur Radio Emergency Service Volunteers Assist Cottonmouth 100 Run in FL

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:13 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35760


Volunteers from Florida's West Panhandle District ARES recently
supported communications for the inaugural Cottonmouth 100, an
"Ultramarathon" 100-mile endurance run. Sixteen Amateur Radio operators
from three Florida counties -- Escambia, Okaloosa, and Santa Rosa --
took part in the event over the November 14-15 weekend.


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The ARRL 10 Meter Contest is on Deck:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:15 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35759


The popular ARRL 10 Meter Contest takes
place over the December 12-13 weekend, offering lots of fun for
operators on any level, and you never know what sort of propagation you
might encounter on 10 meters.


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Polish Radio Ham Traveling to North Korea in Advance of Proposed Operation:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:14 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35758


DXpeditioner Dom Grzyb, 3Z9DX, plans to travel to North Korea later
this month to discuss his proposed Amateur Radio operation from that
country. North Korea (P5), the most-wanted DXCC entity, has not been
activated since Ed Giorgadze, 4L4FN, operated for about a year from the
capital city of Pyongyang in 2001-2002. Grzyb expects to arrive in
North Korea just before Christmas for what are being called "high-level
talks" with government officials regarding his hope to operate from the
secretive communist country in January or February of 2016.


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The Netherlands Opens 100 kHz Band at 5 MHz:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:13 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35757


Just days after delegates to World Radiocommunication Conference 2015
(WRC-15) reached consensus on a new global 15 kHz-wide allocation at 5
MHz, the Netherlands opened a 100 kHz band for Amateur Radio use.
Article 4.4 of the ITU Radio Regulations lets countries authorize frequency
assignments that are contrary to
the international Table of Allocations, but only on a non-interference,
non-protected basis.


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YASME Foundation Announces Excellence Award to Logging Software Team:

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:12 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35756


The Yasme Foundation Board of Directors has
named the N1MM Logger Plus logging
software development team to receive its Yasme Excellence Award. Team
members include Tom Wagner, N1MM; Rick Ellison, N2AMG; Steve London,
N2IC; John Bednar, K3CT; Nikolay Safronov, NA3M; Pete Smith, N4ZR;
Andreas Hofman, KU7T; Larry Gauthier, K8UT, and Richard Ferch, VE3KI.


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Ham Radio Outlet Founder Robert G. Ferrero, W6RJ, (SK):

Posted: 10 Dec 2015 08:11 AM PST
http://www.eham.net/articles/35755


Ham Radio Outlet (HRO) Founder Robert G.
"Bob" Ferrero, W6RJ (ex-K6AHV), of Danville, California, died on
December 4 after a period of ill health. He was 78. An ARRL Life
Member, Ferrero was a California state trooper and US Navy veteran when
he acquired Ham Radio Outlet in Burlingame, California, in 1971. He
characterized the original store as a "little radio emporium on a
wooden train platform." HRO is now the world's largest Amateur Radio
retail chain.