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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2445 for Friday September 6th, 2024
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2445 with a release date of Friday,
September 6th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams assist during deadly floods in Bangladesh. Two
special events reflect on key moments in US history -- and some
electrifying news about honeybees. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2445 comes your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
INFORMAL RADIO NETWORK AIDS BANGLADESH FLOOD RESCUE
JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Bangladesh where one amateur's
distress call led to an informal but highly effective network of rescue
communicators. Graham Kemp VK4BB describes the scene.
GRAHAM: In Bangladesh, an informal group of community-based hams mobilised
to provide vital communication in the region surrounding Feni district
following deadly floods that began on the 19th of August. Hams in the
capital city of Dhaka rallied to assist after hearing from a fellow amateur
via social media that he was trapped by rising water levels with no
emergency response in sight. Abdullah Al Fahad, S21AF, stayed in touch with
the amateur and monitored his situation while alerting other area hams. He
said in an email: [quote] "We knew we had to act quickly." [endquote]
Traditional means of communication were down.
By the 22nd of August, the team's base station was set up at a 15-story
building in Feni and a control room established at the office of Feni's
deputy commissioner. There, the first group of amateur radio responders
coordinated with the office of the deputy commissioner to help in the
deployment of rescue and relief teams. Many hams continued to join the
effort, bringing along their own personal equipment so the response network
could extend its reach. Stations were set up at two army camps so that the
deputy commissioner had communication with the army and field rescue teams.
Fahad said that another base was set up at a scout headquarters in Dhaka and
still another at his QTH.
Over a four-day period the hams kept communication open across a 70-
kilometer radius. It was estimated that they helped bring more than 375
rescue operations to fruition - some in remote areas.
With flood water receding, authorities in Bangladesh have since turned their
attention to the spread of waterborne illnesses. Some of the hams moved on
to assist the flood situation in Noakhali. Fahad told the website,
tbsnews.net [quote]: "Even though we weren’t under any official banner, just
a group of friends doing what we could, we made a real difference."
[endquote] The amateur who had sent out the original distress call to Fahad
was rescued after four days.
This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.
(TBS NEWS NET, INDIA TODAY, ABDULLAH AL FAHAD S21AF)
**
RASPBERRY PI SEEN AS KEY IN UNDERWATER TRANSMISSION
JIM/ANCHOR: Scientists are hopeful that a Raspberry Pi may be a key
component in making underwater communication more effective. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH has that story.
JEREMY: A Raspberry Pi is being used as one of three main components of a
modem that is under development by researchers in Italy to make underwater
communications more effective and less expensive.
As described in a recent article in the IEEE (EYE Triple E) Spectrum, the
Raspberry Pi is the modem's base. There is also a sound card hardware
attachment which generates and records audio signals. For undersea
operations, most modems use acoustical signals instead of radio because
despite the slower rate at which they move, these signals can cover greater
distances. Researchers at the University of Padova believe the modem will be
a much more affordable alternative for communication with submarines,
sensors or other entities. According to the Spectrum article, current modems
typically cost at least ten thousand US dollars.
The researchers, Filippo Campagnaro and Michele Zorzi, are also developing a
transducer for conversion of energy into acoustic signals and back again.
Their more-affordable device is a modification of something typically used
to monitor the sounds of marine mammals and costs hundreds, instead of
thousands, of US dollars.
By making this technology more affordable, the scientists believe its uses
can be extended beyond the military or the offshore oil and gas industries
into the realms of biodiversity studies and climate change.
This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(IEEE)
**
SILENT KEY: RICHARD RYBA, WQ3Q, ADVOCATE FOR CANCER RESEARCH, PATIENT
ASSISTANCE
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Pennsylvania and beyond are grieving the loss of a
friend who was an advocate for cancer research and cancer patient
assistance. We hear about him from Travis Lisk N3ILS.
TRAVIS: A little more than a year ago, Richard Ryba, WQ3Q, put out a call to
his fellow hams asking for them to join the on-air team for N3P, a special
event station to raise awareness and donations for pancreatic cancer
research.
On Thursday, September 5th, the Skyview Amateur Radio Society issued another
call during their 2-metre evening net on Richard's behalf. It was a final
call: Richard became a Silent Key on the 31st of August, five years after
being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the same illness that took the life
of his younger brother years earlier. An advocate for supporting research,
Richard had been the driving force behind an annual special event station
that went on the air throughout the US in conjunction with a Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania walk-a-thon to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
He was well-known for his devotion to radio as a member and former officer
of the Skyview Amateur Radio Society and the Breezeshooters Club of Western
Pennsylvania. He recently joined the Southwestern Pennsylvania SKYWARN and
the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network.
Richard was known as the designer of the QSL card for K2M, the Pennsylvania
colony of the annual 13 Colonies Special Event station, for each of the past
four years. He also had a unique way of identifying himself: Because his
callsign contained the character combination "Q3Q," he often referred to his
QTH as the "shack of quack."
Eddie Misiewicz KB3YRU, net control for the Skyview Thursday night net,
said: [quote] "His hope and his positive attitude will continue in all of
us." [endquote]
Richard, who had been licensed since 2013, was 74.
This is Travis Lisk, N3ILS.
(EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU)
**
SILENT KEY: PAUL GRAVELINE, K1YUB, AMSAT JOURNAL ASSISTANT EDITOR
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams are also mourning the loss of the assistant editor of the
AMSAT Journal. We hear more about him from Neil Rapp WB9VPG.
NEIL: As both an editor and contributor, Paul Graveline, K1YUB, began his
seven-year tenure as an assistant editor for the AMSAT Journal with the
publication of the July/August 2017 issue. His deep involvement with AMSAT
included being a member of the CubeSatSim Educational Materials Team that is
part of AMSAT's educational relations program, using the CubeSat simulator
as a learning tool.
Paul, who was born in 1947, became a Silent Key on the 19th of August.
His ham radio career had its roots in his activities as an enthusiastic
shortwave listener starting in 1960. Three years later he became an amateur
radio operator with a special interest in CW. His love for short-wave
listening was undiminished and with a friend he later assisted in the
rejuvenation of the listeners' group known as the Boston Area DXers.
Paul wrote about Dr. Tamitha Skov, WX6SWW, for a January/February 2022 cover
story in the AMSAT Journal. He was also coordinator for her Super Community
Project, which seeks to spread a better understanding of space weather.
This is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.
(AMSAT NEWS)
**
ACMA BEGINS FEE COLLECTION FOR CALLSIGNS WITH 12-MONTH ASSIGNMENT
JIM/ANCHOR: Some hams in Australia may have already noticed some new fees
associated with their callsigns - John Williams VK4JJW is here to explain
them.
JOHN: Beginning on the 1st of September, hams in Australia will be paying a
new fee of ABFSL2HM$4 for some special types of callsigns that have a 12-month
assignment period. Those receiving a contest callsign will be charged 05.
Those transferring a callsign to another amateur will be charged 05. Hams
with a VK9 or VKØ callsign representing Australian external territories are
the ones who will pay ABFSL2HM$4. The ACMA will send these callsign holders a
reminder to renew after the 12-month period; otherwise, the callsign will be
made available for re-allocation on the registry.
Meanwhile, hams having two-letter, three-letter and F-series call signs are
required to confirm active use of their call every five years but there are
no longer any annual fees involved.
An explanation of the new fees and policy from the Australian Communications
and Media Authority can be seen on their website in the amateur radio
callsign policy document. See the link in the text version of this week's
Newsline script.
[DO NOT READ: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/Amateur%
20radio%20call%20sign%20policy_September%202024.pdf ]
This is John Williams VK4JJW.
(ACMA)
**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WBØQXW
repeater in St. Louis, Missouri, following the Monday night net at 7 o'clock
Central Time.
**
ROUTE 66 AND 9/11 SPECIAL EVENTS ON THE AIR
JIM/ANCHOR: Two special events are on the air marking very different
occasions in US history. The 2024 Route 66 On The Air special event will be
active September 7th through to the 15th, celebrating the highway known as
the Mother Road. Listen for twenty-three 1x1 callsigns that begin with
"W6." From September 8th through to the 12th, hams are marking a more somber
moment in history with the K4A Special Event, commemorating the terror
attacks on September 11th, 2001. See QRZ.com for details of both events.
**
DIGITAL RADIO INTRODUCED FOR NEW ZEALAND EMERGENCY RESPONSE
JIM/ANCHOR: New Zealand is taking the first steps in providing digital radio
service for its emergency response teams. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us up to
date.
JIM M: A digital radio service for emergency responders has begun its
rollout in New Zealand, putting four of the nation's emergency service
agencies on the same network for the first time in history. The
transmissions on the new Land Mobile Radio network will be used by police,
fire and emergency, Wellington Free Ambulance and Hato Hone St. John
Ambulance. The push-to-talk transmissions will be fully encrypted.
The rollout of the LMR network will begin in Canterbury, Wellington and
Auckland in 2025 and the goal is to ultimately serve 11 regions across New
Zealand by 2026.
LMR becomes part of the Public Safety Network, joining cellular roaming,
which has been in service for the responders since July 2023. The Public
Safety Network is spending 10 years and 0.4 billion to bring new devices
into play for emergency response.
The announcement by Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden did not
mention other emergency responders such as LandSAR, the Coast Guard or Civil
Defence. According to Next Generation Critical Communications, which is
developing New Zealand's Public Safety Network, there is room for other
government agencies to come on board later.
This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
(NZ NET NEWSLETTER, NEXT GENERATION CRITICAL COMMUNICATIONS)
**
FREE ONLINE STUDY GUIDES AVAILABLE FOR US TECH, GENERAL LICENSE
JIM/ANCHOR: If you're looking to upgrade your license - or to simply make a
start as a Technician - a new online resource has become available, and it's
free. We hear the details from Stephen Kinford N8WB.
STEPHEN: Hopeful candidates for the US Technician and General amateur radio
licenses can now turn to a free, self-paced study guide being made available
on the educational platform known as SuperKnova. The courses were developed
by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory with the help of a grant from
Amateur Radio Digital Communications. Both the Technician course and the
upgrade to General Class focus heavily on the fundamentals of the
electromagnetic spectrum and the basics of radio waves and propagation. The
observatory said that this makes the material valuable for those in
disciplines outside amateur radio too, such as individuals involved in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers. The coursework makes use
of license study materials from the ARRL.
Jesse Alexander, WB2IFS, the project instructor, said in a press release
that [quote] "This is a great opportunity to share amateur radio with a new
generation of potential ham radio enthusiasts. We’ve designed this course to
introduce learners to the electromagnetic spectrum while developing radio
skills and knowledge.ö [endquote]
This is Stephen Kinford N8WB.
(ARDC)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX, be listening for Col, MMØNDX and Steve, MMØSAJ using the
callsign 3A/MMØNDX and 3A/MMØSAJ from Monaco until the 9th of September.
They are focusing on the low bands during their evening hours and on 6
metres QSL both calls via EB7DX and LoTW.
Michele [pron: MEE-KELL], IZ8PWN is active holiday style as 8Q7WN from the
Maldives, IOTA number AS-013, through to the 13th of September, using SSB
and FT8 on 40-10 metres. QSL via I8KHC.
Listen for Greg, N9GB will be active holiday style as J3/N9GB from Grenada
through to the 10th of September using CW and SSB on 40-10 metres and some
operation on 6 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.
A team of operators using the callsign EJ7NET (namely EI3HA, EI3ISB, EI5KO,
EI6FR and EI9JF) will be on the air from the 7th through to the 11th of
September from Inis Mor, Aran Islands, IOTA Number EU-006. They will be
using CW, SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. QSL direct to EI6FR.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: AN ELECTRIFYING DISCOVERY ABOUT BEES
JIM/ANCHOR: For our final story, the buzzword is "electricity" - and it
really, really, IS the BUZZWORD, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
JEREMY: The University of Bristol's Botanic Garden in Stoke Bishop was all
abuzz with bees on the 24th and 25th of August as visitors learned about the
importance bees have as pollinators and agents of change in the overall
environment. It was not so long ago, though, that the university's
researchers made a sweet and surprising discovery about something else: They
found that swarms of honeybees are capable of generating electrical charges
in the atmosphere, ones that rival those of thunderstorm clouds. In fact,
the more dense the swarm, the bigger the electrical charge.
The scientists recorded currents from swarms passing over a campus field
station during 3-minute intervals. They recorded as many as 1,000 volts per
metre.
The research was published nearly two years ago in the Smithsonian magazine
and the journal, iScience. Don't get too excited about applying bee power to
any amateur radio operation going portable in the vicinity of an apiary.
According to an article in the magazine, Popular Science, 50 billion bees
would be needed to provide power to an LED light. That means even the
smallest of the small rigs could not even hope to get on the air, operating
Q R Bee.
This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.
(PLANETBEE.ORG, SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE)
**
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 Abdullah Al Fahad S21AF; Amateur Radio
Weekly; Amateur Radio Digital Communications; AMSAT News; ARRL; Australian
Communications and Media Authority; David Behar K7DB; Eddie Misiewicz,
KB3YRU; 425DXNews; IEEE; India Today; Next Generation Critical
Communications; NZ Net Newsletter; PlanetBee.Org; QRZ.com; Smithsonian
Magazine; TBT News Net; 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
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BBS: PY2BIL - Timed 06-set-2024 08:05 E. South America Standard Time
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