Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2257 for Friday January 29th 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2257 with a release date of Friday
January 29th 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The Bouvet Island team is on track. COVID
safety is a priority for Europe's major ham radio convention - and
NASA's probe has close encounters of the solar kind. All this and more
as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2257 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART
**
REBEL DX GROUP POISED FOR BOUVET ISLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story brings an update on the Bouvet Island 3Y0I
Dxpedition. All of the team are pushing to make it happen in 2021! John
Williams VK4JJW has that story.

JOHN: Paperwork and equipment checks have kept some members of the
Rebel DX Group occupied since their arrival in Cape Town, South Africa
in early 2021. The team writes on the DX News website and their
Facebook page: [quote] "The Bouvet trip is on track!" [endquote] They
report that they are going forward with a 2021 DXpedition in spite of
not yet having the full operating budget, noting that they are not
applying to any DX foundations or clubs for assistance. Polish
DXpeditioner Dom 3Z9DX has organised this trip, which is the team's
second attempt at the sub-Antarctic island, one of the most coveted DXs
on the planet. The expeditioners' first attempt in 2019 was scrapped by
the ship's captain after a severe cyclone swept in, damaging the vessel
and making a safe landing unlikely.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.


PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile there are reports in the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin
that Dom, 3Z9DX, has been heard on the air from South Africa recently,
operating from Cape Town as ZS/3Z9DX. He has been heard on 80/20/17
meters. QSL via ClubLog's OQRS.

(DX NEWS, FACEBOOK, OHIO PENN DX)

**
INTREPID-DX GROUP SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR INTREPID SPIRIT AWARD

PAUL: Speaking of DX and DXpeditions, there is still time left to
nominate candidates for the Intrepid Spirit award given annually by the
Intrepid-DX Group. This award is presented to an individual or a group
and it honors those who have activated rare, difficult and often
dangerous places, showing courage, generosity and dedication in their
activities.

Deadline for the 2020 nominations is February 15th. Submit nominations
via email to . The award will be presented in
May. It is given in memory of James McLaughlin WA2EWE/T6AF. James was a
retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He was shot to death in
April of 2011 while working as a contractor for the U.S. government in
Kabul Afghanistan.

(INTREPID-DX GROUP)

**
HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN OUTLINES COVID PRECAUTIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Not all organizers of amateur radio events are looking to
cancel their plans for 2021. With COVID-19 precautions in place,
Europe's major gathering is feeling optimistic about its summer plans.
Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us more.

ED: Mark your calendars for now: A COVID-19 safety and hygiene plan has
been drawn up to enable Ham Radio Friedrichshafen to take place between
June 25th and 27th in Germany. Details have been released by organisers
and the DARC who are hoping to avoid the second cancellation of the
largest amateur radio convention in Europe. The safety procedures are
outlined on the event website and give details about mask and
disinfectant use as well as cleaning, distancing and contact tracing
that will be taking place. The procedures also outline other ways to
avoid contact, which include the absence of greeting rituals and
cashless payment for anything purchased.

For a link to an online PDF outlining the precautions, see the printed
version of this week's ARNewsline script. The information will be
updated in the weeks ahead.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: tinyurl.com/yxnl9kg9

(HAM RADIO FRIEDRICHSHAFEN)

**
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
.

(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)


**

FRENCH MILITARY SEEKS RADIO RECEIVERS, JAMMERS

PAUL/ANCHOR: When is jamming a signal actually desirable? When it's The
French military. Ed Durrant, DD5LP, has more on the story:

ED: The French Defence Ministry has a tender out for radio jammers that
can be drone-mounted The government's Defence Innovation Agency has put
out a request for proposals in search of a small, low-power warfare
device that can find radio communication transmitters while mounted on
a fixed or rotary-wing drone and possibly disable the signals through
jamming. Proposals were due no later than the 18th of January and
demonstrations of prototypes will follow over the course of the next
seven months.

The devices are expected to be capable of detecting any number of
transmitters operating between 30 MHz and 6 GHz and able to transmit
their findings in real-time to a receiving station on the ground.
Bidding is being limited to companies within the European Union.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(UPI, THE DEFENSE POST)

**

BREAK HE Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the KB3AWQ repeater in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on Thursdays at 9
p.m. local time.

**
YOTA MONTH ACTIVATIONS TOP TOTALS FROM PREVIOUS YEAR

PAUL/ANCHOR: The numbers are in: The total contacts made by young
amateurs during December YOTA month outpaced those made the previous
year. Sel Embee KB3TZD tells us more.

SEL: For the 24 young amateur radio operators in the Western Hemisphere
who were part of December YOTA Month, the numbers added up in a big
way. The Youth on the Air operators logged 14,699 QSOs while calling
QRZ with special event callsigns. The contacts, made using SSB, CW,
digital modes and satellites, dramatically topped the previous year's
total of 12,487. Some of the operators, such as Michael W3MLJ, said his
favorite part of the activation was being able to run five radios at
the same time, all logging contacts on digital modes such as FT-8.
Calin K8MTJ got a special kick out of working ZR1ADI in South Africa
using FT8.

The hams, all younger than 26, had their efforts coordinated by Bryant
Rascoll KG5HVO who worked with YOTA month manager Tomi HA8RT. The event
was a prelude to the first YOTA camp to be held in the Western
Hemisphere this summer. That's planned for July 11th through 16th.

Meanwhile, more than 2,100 operators of all ages received awards based
on the number of YOTA Month contacts they'd made. Unclaimed awards can
be downloaded at events dot ham hyphen yota dot com.
(events.ham-yota.com)

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

(YOTA)

**
MICHIGAN AMATEUR ISSUES PLEA FOR KIDNEY

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime radio amateur in Michigan has been reaching out
on social media for a life-saving donation. Don Wilbanks AE5DW tells us
about him. DON: Philip Ross AB8PR, who has been a licensed ham since
1971, has been looking lately for something a whole lot more than some
rare DX or a good signal report. The Michigan grandfather learned
recently he has end-stage kidney disease and needs a living donor to
make a transplant possible. He tells his story on various social media
sites and his own website papaphilcan dot com (papaphilcan.com) in the
hopes that someone will come forward to help him. He notes that
dialysis - his only other option - is not a cure but a form of disease
management that leads to a shorter life with greatly lessened quality.
His website reads: Papa Phil Can; His Kidneys Can't. Even if AB8PR is
not in your logbook, if you think you can include him in your own plans
to help, visit his website to learn more. That's papaphilcan dot com.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW.

**
MARKING 100 YEARS OF NEW ZEALAND HAM RADIO

PAUL/ANCHOR: Having survived earthquakes and other challenges, one club
in New Zealand is celebrating its centennial with a special event
activation. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF clues us in on how to work them.

JIM: What began in 1921 as the Radio Society of Christchurch is now a
robust club of enthusiasts known as the Christchurch Amateur Radio Club
ZL3AC. The club has traveled a long road, displaced by earthquakes in
2010 and 2011, but is now happily ensconsed in Fendalton. Members are
marking their 100-year journey by operating as ZL100RSC throughout
February and offering an informal award to anyone who contacts the
station on VHF/UHF or HF or through digital voice reflectors,
repeaters, EME and satellites.

For the award, hams must contact ZL100RSC, which is worth 25 points.
Ten points may also be earned by contacting the club station ZL3AC;
individual Christchurch club members are worth five points each.
February 15th is a bonus day. That's the 100th anniversary of the
club's first meeting and on that day, all points earned are being
doubled. For more details, visit the QRZ page for ZL100RSC.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for Tom, 9A2AA, is using the special
event callsign 9A64AA until the end of the year, marking 64 years as a
ham radio operator. QSL via his home callsign.

In Bulgaria, George, LZ2VP, is operating special event station LZ190FT
until the 31st of December, celebrating the 190th birthday of the
Bulgarian Revolutionary Filip Totyu. Listen for him on the HF bands.
QSL via LZ2VP.

Another special event - this one in Peru - will be on the air
throughout 2021, celebrating the 200th anniversary of Peru's
independence. There are four special event callsigns, each with a
single suffix spelling the word PERU. Listen for OC200P, OC200E,
OC200R, and OC200U. Send QSLs via OA4O. (Oh-Ay-Four-Oh).

(OHIO PENN DX)

**

KICKER: IN SWEDEN, A CENTURY OF WISDOM

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our final story this week is a lesson in surviving
isolation. Sweden's most senior radio operator learned long ago that
being a ham means you're never alone - not even in a pandemic. Here's
Ed Durrant DD5LP with his story.

ED: As the oldest active amateur radio operator in Sweden, Tage
(pronounced: TAW-GUH) Karlsson SM7ALI has the wisdom befitting his
101years.

Even with the constant companionship of his loyal cat Hubert, Tage
(TAW-GUH) knows the best way to beat the loneliness of life in a
desolate forest near Hässleholm is to key the mic and call QRZ. For
the past year, amateur radio has brought the world to his cottage door
while the coronavirus pandemic has kept people worlds apart.

A recent report about him on National Swedish Television described how
he was a young radio enthusiast who successfully completed his licence
test after World War II.

Mats Gunnarsson SM7BUA told AR Newsline that Tage (TAW-GUH) has been on
the air almost non-stop since the sixties. Mats is one of 20 or so
amateurs who enjoy daily fellowship with Tage (TAW-GUH) each morning
when they gather on the air.

As Tage (TAW-GUH) himself said on the TV news report: [quote] "The fun
is all the friends you get." [endquote] Over the years he has lost the
exact count of how many friends he has made - but one thing is certain.
While it took a pandemic for the world to learn what amateur radio can
do, Tage (TAW-GEH) has been celebrating that gift over much of his
101years

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(MATS GUNNARSSON SM7BUA, HANS LARSSON)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; CQ
Magazine; David Behar K7DB; the Defense Post; Hans Larsson of Swedish
National Television; Intrepid DX Group; Irish Radio Transmitters; Mats
Gunnarsson SM7BUA; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; QCWA; QRZ.com; Southgate
Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Southgate; Space.com; Ted
Randall's QSO Radio Show; UPI; the Wireless Institute of Australia;
WTWW Shortwave; YOTA; and you our listeners, that's all from the
Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our address at
. More information is available at Amateur Radio
Newsline's only official website at arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and
our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.