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Subj: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2438 for Friday July 19th, 202
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2438 for Friday July 19th, 2024
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2438 with a release date of Friday,
July 19th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The ARRL provides details about the recent
cyberattack. NASA discovers a possible new factor causing radio signal
disruptions -- and a tribute to the Apollo 11 mission promises hams the
moon. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2438 comes
your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
ARRL: RANSOMWARE ATTACK EXPOSED EMPLOYEES' SENSITIVE DATA
JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week revisits the security breach at ARRL
headquarters this past spring. The ARRL has provided a public official in
New England with more details about what happened and Andy Morrison K9AWM
shares them with us now.
ANDY: In a letter that appears on the attorney general's website for the
state of Maine, the ARRL has acknowledged that the attack on the league's
computer systems this past spring was accomplished through the use of
sophisticated ransomware that gained access to the personal and confidential
data of as many as 150 of its employees.
The letter said the ransomware was deployed by an "unauthorized third
party," which the letter did not identify. The data breach was described as
having left the league's computer systems encrypted.
The message from league CEO David Minster, NA2AA, appears as a downloadable
file on the attorney general's website. The website lists July 1st as the
date of the CEO's letter. His letter recaps the hacking incident that
occurred in mid-May, noting that the league took its affected systems
offline, secured its network and called in forensic specialists. Although
the ARRL does not store personal or credit card data from league members,
the CEO acknowledged that staffers' personal information, including their
Social Security numbers, may have been exposed. Saying that [quote] "data
security is one of our highest priorities," [endquote] the letter offered
employees 24 months of identity monitoring services at no charge.
The league assured employees, however, that there was no evidence so far
that any of their personal data has been misused.
This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.
(AMATEUR NEWS DAILY, MAINE ATTORNEY GENERAL)
**
FCC CHARGES 13 LANDOWNERS IN CONNECTION WITH PIRACY
JIM/ANCHOR: The FCC has charged 13 landlords in the NYC area in connection
with illegal radio broadcasting. Sel Embee KB3TZD has that report.
SEL: Thirteen New York area property owners have been put on notice by the
Federal Communications Commission which is charging them with permitting
individuals to engage in illegal radio broadcasts. The properties were
identified by the FCC as being in Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Spring
Valley which is north of New York City. The FCC also sent notices to land
owners in Newark and Irvington, New Jersey, to the city's immediate west.
The enforcement action taken on July 11th was done under the PIRATE Act
which strengthens the agency's powers of sanction and sets higher penalties
for violations. An FCC press release said that if the property owners
continue to permit illegal radio activity, they could face fines of as much
as .4 million.
The acronym stands for Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement
Act, which took effect in April of 2021.
This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.
(FCC)
**
SILENT KEY: MAINSTAY OF PENNSYLVANIA EMCOMM, FRANK COLE N3TN
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in western Pennsylvania are mourning the death of a key
member of the emergency communications system who was also a friend and
mentor. We have details about his life and contributions from Travis Lisk
N3ILS.
TRAVIS: A devastating tornado charted the course of the amateur radio career
of John Franklin Cole, N3TN, who was known to his friends as Frank. The
tornado swept through Beaver County, Pennsylvania in 1985, three years after
Frank became licensed. That same tornado swept Frank's radio future in the
direction of community service and he devoted himself to helping get the
word out in emergencies.
Frank became a Silent Key on Wednesday the 10th of July.
Throughout his years on the air, Frank served as the ARES Emergency
Coordinator for Beaver County and was active as a RACES officer.
He belonged to the Beaver Valley Amateur Radio Association and the Triple
“Aö Amateur Radio Association, Inc. His longtime friend Eddie KB3YRU said
that his deep, resonating voice could be heard often on many nets throughout
the region.
A final radio call for Frank was held at the start of the Western
Pennsylvania Phone Traffic Net on Friday the 12th of July.
Eddie told Newsline: "Frank always had a story to tell and now we will carry
his stories on as we share them with others."
Frank was 77.
This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.
(EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU)
**
DAVE KALTER YOUTH DX GROUP JOINS IOTA CONTEST
JIM/ANCHOR: A new adventure will begin on the 27th of July for the young
radio operators who are part of the Dave Kalter Memorial Youth DX
Adventure.The young amateurs will be using the special event callsign K3Y on
the HF bands during the RSGB IOTA contest that weekend. For the second
consecutive year, they will be hosted by the K3LR Contest Group station in
western Pennsylvania - one of the world's largest contest stations. The
youth team will be Ian, KI8NA, and Lily, W8LIL. They will be accompanied by
youth mentors Katie, KE8LQR and Grace, KE8RJU. A press release from the
Youth DX Adventure organization said that there were housing issues this
year for the team's planned international trip.
For details, visit youthdxa dot org (youthdxa.org)
(JIM STORMS, AB8YK)
**
VIDEO OFFERS DEEPER LOOK AT OFCOM LICENCE CHANGES
JIM/ANCHOR: Although new ham license conditions have been in effect in Great
Britain since February, some of the regulator's changes are still baffling
to many amateurs Jeremy Boot G4NJH has a report about a new video designed
to make things clearer.
JEREMY: Five months ago, Ofcom put new licence conditions in place for radio
amateurs in the UK, affecting a range of factors including callsigns and
power limits. Hams who are still uncertain about the impact of these changes
can get a fuller explanation by watching a new video summary released by the
Radio Society of Great Britain. Available on both the website and the
YouTube channel of the RSGB, the video looks at changes for Foundation
licensees, including the ability to operate their stations remotely via the
Internet -- and the privilege granted to unlicensed persons to operate under
supervision of a licence holder.
The three-minute video also explores the next changes Ofcom has planned.
Follow the links in this week's ARNewsline script to see the video.
This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(RSGB)
[DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hv_sYPZ9T18
https://rsgb.org/main/news/special-focus/licence-review/ ]
**
POTA'S SUPPORT YOUR PARKS WEEKEND ARRIVES
JIM/ANCHOR: Parks on the Air's summer edition of Support Your Parks weekend
arrives on the 20th and 21st of July and the bands are likely to be busy
with activators and chasers. This is one of POTA's five official events
conducted throughout the year. The next Support Your Parks weekend will be
on October 19th and 20th. Participants in Support Your Parks weekend events
are eligible for downloadable certificates.
(POTA)
**
NASA: IONOSPHERE'S PLASMA 'BUBBLES' TIED TO INTERFERENCE
PAUL/ANCHOR: We amateurs aren't the only people who sometimes scratch our
heads over the bizarre behavior of the ionosphere. Even the experts at NASA
have their moments of doubt. Kent Peterson KCØDGY tells us why.
KENT: The images of two oddly shaped ionospheric plasma "bubbles" ave been
captured by a NASA spectrograph project and scientists are saying that they
may be tied to disruptions in radio communications. They are hoping for a
better understanding of these electrically charged shapes - and why they
occur - in their search for clues into how to make radio communications more
resilient during disturbances such as major solar storms.
The images of these rarely seen shapes were captured by a NASA mission known
as Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk, known by the acronym
GOLD. GOLD is a two-channel spectrograph launched six years ago with the
mission to capture images of ionospheric weather.
NASA scientists believe that storm activity in the ionosphere created the
oddly shaped plasma bubbles that they saw. GOLD has captured them previously
but only during extreme space or terrestrial disturbances. They are shaped
like the letter "C"-- or its reverse -- and sometimes the letter "X.." They
typically form near the magnetic equator of our planet. Normally, plasma
bubbles are long and straight, leading scientists to believe these odd
shapes are the result of forces such as terrestrial winds.
This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.
(POPULAR MECHANICS, SCIENCE.NASA.GOV)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the K7ECI
repeater of the Elmore County Amateur Radio Club in Mountain Home, Idaho on
Wednesdays at 8 p.m. local time.
**
FROM HACKERS TO HAMS? SURE!
JIM/ANCHOR: Ham radio lecturer and educator Dan Romanchik KB6NU came to New
York City to help those in the hacker and STEM/STEAM community blaze a trail
into amateur radio. By the time he had finished teaching his one-day course,
"Ham Radio for Hackers," on July 13th, 25 hackers had passed the Technician
test. The Hackers On Planet Earth, or HOPE, conference turned out to be a
ripe place for nurturing amateurs along this nontraditional path to radio.
Ed, N2XDD and Nicole, AD2IM, who were part of the Volunteer Examiner team,
told Newsline that the new licensees included a 9-year-old girl. They said
they shared Dan's hope that the worlds of hackers and hams will continue to
merge successfully.
(ED, N2XDD, NICOLE, AD2IM; BLOG OF DAN KB6NU)
**
NEW ZEALAND CW OPS TO DEMONSTRATE BASIC SENDING
JIM/ANCHOR: CW op in New Zealand are getting ready for a repeat performance
of a successful public demonstration held last year. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF
tells us what they've got planned.
JIM: Based on their successful demonstration of a CW radio station last year
at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Western Springs, members of the
Franklin Amateur Radio Club and the NZ Net are planning to do it again. When
the visitors get on the air on the 18th of August, under the supervision of
licensed hams, the message they will send will be a simple one: their own
names, which they will send using a Morse key. As the signal goes out on
40m, Neil ZL1NZ, and Paul, ZL1AJY, will be listening and will respond by
sending the person's name back to them.
Peter Henderson, ZL1PX, president of the Franklin Amateur Radio Club, told
Newsline that the popular event grew out of a request from the museum itself
after staffers noticed that the most popular exhibit in the Telecom
Exhibition Centre was the Morse code key and buzzer. The museum had told
Peter last year that many families stopped to try it out and to practice
sending messages. That's what inspired the idea of a live, on-the-air event.
Peter reported about the last year's event in the NZ Net newsletter of the
New Zealand CW Net, saying[quote] "I can't think of a nicer way to spend a
Sunday." [endquote] With luck, this year's event will be a repeat of another
nice Sunday.
Meanwhile, he said, a much larger version of the event is in the planning
stages for October at a steam-train attraction.
This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.
(FRANKLIN AMATEUR RADIO CLUB)
**
TEAM PREPS FOR ST. PAUL ISLAND DXPEDITION
JIM/ANCHOR: A DXpedition team is getting ready to operate from Canada's St.
Paul Island - and it might be the last visit for a while, according to Dave
Parks WB8ODF.
DAVE: A wind-swept, environmentally sensitive, treeless island in Canada is
about to become home to a team of 10 DXpeditioners. They will be getting on
the air on the 26th of August and remain until the 5th of September. This is
the St. Paul Island CY9C DXpedition, which has been granted access to the
island by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans for this short
window of time.
The island, which is off the coast of Nova Scotia in the Cabot Strait, has
designations in three award schemes: POTA, as CA-0122; Lighthouse, STP-002;
and IOTA, NA-094. This is a return trip for many on the team, who will be
focusing on CW but also operating SSB, FT8 and RTTY. There will also be
satellite and moonbounce operation.
The hams received a grant from the Northern California DX Foundation to help
sponsor this DXpedition, which is still raising funds. According to the
team, this is the most expensive CY9 DXpedition to date. The team writes on
its web page: [quote] "This could well be the last CY9 St. Paul Island
operation for many years to come." [endquote]
For details about the DXpedition, visit QRZ.com
This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.
(QRZ.COM)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, listen for Haru, JA1XGI, operating as JA1XGI/6 from
Minami Daito Island, IOTA Number AS-047, from the 21st through to the 23rd
of July, using CW and FT8 on 40, 30, 20, 15 and 10 metres. He will also be
operating via the GreenCube satellite. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log.
Listen for special event station CR6B which will conclude operation on the
21st of July, marking the 42nd International Motorcycle Rally in Faro,
Portugal. Listen on 160-6 metres for CW, SSB and the digital modes. QSL via
CT1EHX.
Ennio, IW1RBI [EYE W ONE R B EYE] is using the callsign IS0/IW1RBI from
Arbus, Sardinia, IOTA Number EU-024, until the 25th of July. Ennio is
operating holiday style and can be heard mainly using SSB on 80-6 metres.
QSL via home call.
A team of five operators plans to be on the air as MMØUKI from the
uninhabited group of Flannan Islands, IOTA Number EU-118, starting on 1
August. If weather permits, they will be returning around the 4th of August.
They will be on 40-6 metres operating CW and SSB with three stations.
Operators are Nobby GØVJG, John G4IRN, Paul G4PVM, Mike GM5AUG and Jamie
MØSDV. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: SSTV TRANSMISSIONS PROMISE - AND DELIVER - THE MOON
JIM/ANCHOR: Our final story celebrates the triumph of landing astronauts on
the moon. These hams marked the occasion by landing images on the moon, as
we hear from Graham Kemp VK4BB.
GRAHAM: Every year since 2019 - the 50-year anniversary of the Apollo moon
landing - the EME SSTV moon landing QSO party has celebrated the achievement
by transmitting and bouncing images off the surface of the moon. Doing EME
on Slow Scan TV poses challenges: radio operators need a strong signal and
are always battling fast fading on the EME path, which results in missing
pixels on the moonbounced image.
Jan, PA3FXB, who was part of team PI9CAM, told Amateur Radio Newsline:
[quote] "That's part of the fun." [endquote]
This year's PI9CAM moonbounce party was held on Saturday the 13th of July
using a 25m dish at the C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station in the
Netherlands. That date was chosen instead of the actual July 21st
anniversary because the moon's position was more advantageous for EME
contacts.
Moon-related images that were sent by the station included a portrait of the
Apollo 11 crew, their launch and the lunar rover. Perhaps the most special
image of all was that of a man who made it to the moon via radio long before
Apollo 11: Allen Katz, K2UYH. Al, a founding father of moonbounce and the
longtime publisher of the monthly EME Newsletter. He became a Silent Key on
June 20th at the age of 81. Jan told Newsline: [quote]: "He will be deeply
missed." [endquote]
The transmission of the tribute to the moon mission and Al were a success.
Jan said the images were received by the 5m dish antenna of IØNAA.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(JAN PA3FXB)
**
DO YOU HAIKU?
Don't forget the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. If you're not too
busy tuning your antennas or chasing the latest DXpedition, pick up a pencil
and share your experience by sending an original haiku to us here at
Newsline. Use the entry form on our website, arnewsline.org and please
follow the rules for writing your three-line haiku -- sorry but we cannot
accept any entries that aren't written in traditional haiku form. Share with
fellow listeners the poetry that is inspired by your ham radio experience!
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Daily; AMSAT; Blog of Dan
Romanchik, KB6NU; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DXWorld; Ed Wilson, N2XDD;
Eddie Misiewicz, KB3YRU; 425DXNews; FCC; Franklin Amateur Radio Club; Jan
PA3FXB; Jim Storms, AB8YK; Maine Attorney General; Nicole Adams, AD2IM;
QRZ.com; Radio Society of Great Britain; shortwaveradio.de; 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.
73 de Bill, PY2BIL
PY2BIL@PY2BIL.SP.BRA.SOAM
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------+
BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 19-jul-2024 07:55 E. South America Standard Time
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