eHam.net News

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Scouting Around: Murphy Scouts Connect With World At Jamboree:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 05:11 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37820


Murphy Boy Scout Troop 400 and Cub Scout Pack 400 met at Konehete Park on
Friday afternoon for Jamboree on the Air, a worldwide weekend-long event
that gives children in all forms of Scouting the opportunity to connect via
amateur radio.
To help the local Cubs and Scouts, ham radio operators Phil Rifice,
Dick Leineke, Kevin Heyboer and Charlie Earl brought their equipment and
taught the boys about the equipment, even coaching them with what to say.
"CQ, CQ, CQ -- that means calling all stations," Leineke said to a
group of Cubs. As they stayed quiet and listened, he explained they next
had to see if anyone calls back. "That's how amateur radio works."
Ken Koch, the Murphy Cubmaster, said learning about amateur radio is
important for his Cubs and the older Scouts to learn because it is vital
for communication, especially in natural disasters, like flooding in the
eastern part of the state.
"A lot of these people have made their hobby a communication effort,"
he said.
However, that wasn't the only reason the event was important.
"It was important to me because it was something we've never, ever
done, and, No. 2, because we can talk to Scouts all over the world," Koch
said.
"We're opening up the world to them."


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ACMA Reports Increased New Radio Amateurs:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 05:11 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37819


The Wireless Institute of Australia which provides the ACMA services had
1,271 exams, made 1,119 callsign recommendations, and issued certificates
of proficiency. In a break-down table, the ACMA reports an increase in new
licences all amateur grades being issued in the 12 month period. These were
the Foundation Licence at 397, Standard Licence Standard 108, and the
Advance Licence at 89, with an overall increase of 45. The ACMA had a fall
of 77 amateur licences on issue to 15,065 at June 2016, but reports a trend
that each type of its 153,000 apparatus licences also declined in the last
two years. The timing of the WIA reporting period produces some variation
when compared to ACMA licence numbers, and is mostly due to some problems
with the new computerised SPECTRA licence database system. Also there have
been those who qualify through an assessment, obtain a WIA callsign
recommendation, but have not been Granted an ACMA amateur station licence,
due to non-payment of the invoice.


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VK6WIA -- NewsWest, 23 October 2016:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 05:02 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37818


In the news this week we focus on radio nets
with updates about the Shaver's Net, F-troop,
the Southern Cross DX net, WICEN, the
Australian Satellite Net and many others.


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Foundations of Amateur Radio -- Episode 72:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 05:01 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37817


Why do amateurs keep banging on about their
antenna? What is there to learn that can't be
described in the first 30 seconds of your on-
air adventure?



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ARISS Radio Failure Prompts Shift to Russian Service Module Ham Gear:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 10:41 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37816


The VHF handheld transceiver that the Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station (ARISS) program has used to connect
students worldwide with astronauts on board the International Space
Station (ISS) for more than 16 years has begun to display an error
message and is unusable at this time. While the ARISS technical team
evaluates the best path to restore
operation from the ISS Columbus module, ARISS contacts will be
supported using the Kenwood radio in the Russian Service Module.


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Propagation Forecast Bulletin #43 de K7RA:

Posted: 21 Oct 2016 10:40 AM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37815


Over the past reporting week (October 13-19) compared to the
previous seven days average daily sunspot number declined from 55 to
31, while average daily solar flux dropped from 101.9 to 83.4.