Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1998, February 12, 2016

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1998 with a release date of
Friday, February 12, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Tragedy strikes Taiwan - and hams are ready!
The ARRL renews its long relationship with the American Red Cross. A
hospital in Brazil, Indiana, prepares to go on the air. And World Radio
Day is coming: what are YOUR plans? All this and more in Amateur Radio
Newsline Report 1998 coming your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)

**
AMATEUR RADIO RESPONDS TO TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE

SKEETER: This week's newscast opens with yet another reminder of the
life-saving work that radio amateurs can do by stepping in to assist in
natural disasters. We hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp,
on the latest following the deadly earthquake in Taiwan.


GRAHAM: Sitting on what is known as the "Pacific Rim of Fire," another
earthquake - this one, with a magnitude of 6.4 - has rocked the island
of Taiwan on Saturday, Feb. 6, It set off the collapse of several
buildings, a signal went out from the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio
League, asking that several voice frequencies be kept clear.

The Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society reported that they
heard it - as a weak transmission - but it was nonetheless heard.
Locally, hams were responding to the arduous rescue that would follow,
amid the rubble, in the southwest coastal city of Tainan. Frequencies
in Taiwan were to be kept clear on 7.060 MHz with backup 7.050 MHz and
3.560 MHz. Short range frequencies were being used as well on VHF
andUHF.

And then came the aftershocks, and tremors were felt even in the
capital city of Taipei, on the other side of the island from the
stricken city.

Ultimately more than 350 people were rescued in the aftermath, but more
than 500 were reported injured, according to the state-owned Central
News Agency in Taiwan. Numerous individuals remained trapped inside
buildings and rescuers searched for them in the ruins, often by hand.
The death toll, by midweek, had risen to nearly 20, and the developers
of one residential building in the city were facing charges of
professional negligence for alleged shoddy construction.


For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp. VK4BB, on the East Coast
of Australia, part of the Pacific Rim of Fire.

(CNN, SOUTHGATE, BBC)

**

ARRL RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH RED CROSS

SKEETER: Because emergency preparedness is vital every place disaster
strikes, the ARRL and the American Red Cross have a working
relationship here in the U.S. It's a relationship they recently
reaffirmed, as Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, reports:

JIM: The ARRL and the American Red Cross have signed a new memorandum
of understanding that spells out their relationship when disaster
strikes and when radio operators are called up for emergency response.
The document succeeds the agreement the two organizations signed in
2010 and renews their cooperative relationship.

According to the memorandum, ARES personnal are to be deployed in
keeping with a pre-arranged plan in order to keep communications open
during emergencies. The document also encourages both organizations to
communicate with state and local agencies and to share information
regarding disasters and disaster operations.

The ARRL commits to a role encouraging ARES units to work with Red
Cross chapters to create plans for disaster relief and emergency
response. And, likewise, the Red Cross field units are being encouraged
to communicate in planning with ARRL's field units.

The new document also makes it clear that for ARES volunteers to assist
the Red Cross, they do not need to undergo a prior background check
even if they are not registered Red Cross volunteers. However, hams who
are registered Red Cross volunteers must abide by the background check

The document was signed on Jan. 22 and is place for another five years.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West
Virginia.

(ARRL)

**

A MONUMENTAL ACTIVATION IN A PARK

Washington State amateur Clark Johnson, K7LRK, plans to be at the Casa
Grande Ruins National Monument on Wednesday, Feb. 17. In fact, you will
find him in the parkland's picnic area. But you will also find him on
the amateur bands, running 10 watts out of an 18-ounce portable rig.
Because Johnson isn't there for a picnic. He's there to activate the
site as part of the ARRL's year-long National Parks on the Air event.

There's one other way to communicate with Johnson, however: Non-hams
and hopeful hams can observe him and learn more about amateur radio. He
will be there with the Center for Amateur Radio Learning and the
Arizona Science Center, and they'll be doing public education and
outreach during the event, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time.

Come to think of it, that might just make for a nice picnic, after all.

(NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE)

**

A RUNNING NEED FOR HAMS

It's not too early to think "marathon." OK, so the Boston Marathon is
still several months away but marathon preparation is going on now -and
hams in the Boston area are needed to help with communication for a
runners' event, a 13.1-mile race called the Marathon Park Prep. It will
be held on Saturday, March 19, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The race follows a
Figure 8 course through the Town of Ashland, Massachusetts, about 25
miles west of Boston. Runners consider it good training for the big
event in the fall.

For more information, email David Wolfe, KG1H, at

(DAVID WOLFE, KG1H)


**

CAROLINA ON THEIR MINDS

The weekend of Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 has been renamed The Carolina
Weekend, with the north and the south getting into the act. The South
Carolina QSO Party kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 27, followed by the
North Carolina QSO Party the next day. The North Carolina Party will
feature a new bonus station, W1VOA, The Voice of America, as well as
two new bonus counties, Swain and Warren.

There's a free barbecue dinner riding on it, as well, with log entries
to be put in a random drawing for a dinner featuring the famous flavors
of both states. Let's get this party started. In fact, let's get them
both started.

(ARRL, RALEIGH AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

**

EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AT INDIANA HOSPITAL

SKEETER: In one Indiana community, a hospital isn't just helping people
respond with an ambulance. Now they'll have radios. Amateur Radio
Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, explains:


PAUL: The newest operating room inside St. Vincent Clay Hospital in
Brazil, Indiana will only be used for emergency operations - but no one
will need to scrub up before stepping inside.

The operating equipment here will consist of two-way radios and other
components, and the operations will be conducted by the hams who belong
to the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.

The hospital-based radio center is being underwritten by a grant of
nearly $2,000 from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. Clay
County's Emergency Management Director, Bryan Husband, applied for the
grant, with the support of the Clay County Commissioners. The
volunteers are to provide assistance during natural disasters and
extreme weather events.

Husband was quoted in a recent article in the Brazil Times as saying
that the radio shack would be able to communicate, during these
emergencies, with other radio operators outside the county, on behalf
of the emergency management office. Seems it's just what the doctor
ordered, after all.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun,WD9GCO, in Valparaiso,
Indiana.

(THE BRAZIL TIMES)

**

WELL-GROUNDED GROUNDHOG

SKEETER: Punxsutawney Phil will never be a ham radio operator. He's a
groundhog, after all. But then, he doesn't need a license. He has a
devoted group of local hams who go on the air for him. Here's that
story from Amateur Radio Newsline's Heather Embee, KB3TZD.

HEATHER'S REPORT:

While a certain famous groundhog may have put Punxsutawney,
Pennsylvania on the map, it took a special event station to put
Punxsutawney on the air.

While weather-watchers everywhere sat tight for the arrival of Tuesday,
Feb. 2, when the legendary rodent emerged from his burrow, hams got a
jump on things a few days earlier with QSOs celebrating the
time-honored tradition that takes place at Gobblers Knob.

On Saturday, Jan. 30, six members of the Punxsutawney Area Amateur
Radio Club and three of their guests, went deep into their own burrow
-in this case, the radio shack at the Punxsutawney Airport. But the
hams there did anything but hibernate: The operators of K-3-H-W-J
worked busy conditions on three bands; 20, 40 and 2 meters.

Club President Steve Waltman, K-B-3-F-P-N told Amateur Radio Newsline
that, although lots of activity on the bands made for challenging
contacts this year, there were about 100 QSOs by day's end - a
respectable number.

Waltman said this is a longstanding annual tradition for the club
-though clearly the annual gig by Punxsutawney Phil predates this one
by a couple of decades, and predates the age of radio itself by two
years. Still, as even the groundhog would tell you - assuming you even
asked -there's nothing wrong with working in the shadow of a celebrity,
especially a weathercaster like Punxsutawney Phil.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD in Berwick,
Pennsylvania.

**


BREAK HE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
WR9ARC repeater of the Riverland Amateur Radio Club in LaCrosse,
Wisconsin on Sundays.


**
HAM RADIO MOVIE GETS TV PILOT

The hottest thing on TV these days might just turn out to be radio -ham
radio, to be exact. Just as TV's "Last Man Standing" has given viewers
a sampling of what goes on inside a ham shack, the CW Network has
announced it plans a pilot for the 2000 movie, "Frequency," from New
Line Cinema. In that sci-fi thriller, the son of a deceased New York
City firefighter, makes radio contact with his dad over the father's
old ham radio equipment after an aurora borealis alters band conditions
across time.

The TV pilot recasts things with a new twist. It follows a female
detective who uses her ham radio to communicate with her detective
father, who'd died 20 years earlier. If all goes well, the producers
may end up being more concerned about RSTs than Nielsens.

(TVLINE.COM, The CW TELEVISION NETWORK)

**
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS

We also note some recent changes in the lives of some notable amateurs:

Randy Thompson, K5ZD, is stepping down as the director of the CQ WW
Contest, and the search is on for his replacement. Thompson has been
director since September 2012, taking on the responsibilities of
appointing the contest committee and organizing work that involves
log-checking, creating the rules and producing the results, Interested
candidates should apply by email to . Or send related
inquiries directly to CQ Amateur Radio's publisher, Dick Ross, K2MGA,
at . Thompson will stay on until he is
replaced.

ARRL President Emeritus Harry Dannals, W2HD, of Charlottesville,
Virginia, was recently honored by the Quarter Century Wireless
Association for his 70 years as a ham. The association's chapter in his
hometown held a luncheon for him on Feb. 3. Dannals, who is in his late
80s, is the oldest living former president of the ARRL and the only
person to have been president of both the ARRL and the Quarter Century
Wireless Association, which he served from 1989 to 1994.

And finally, Matt Holden, K-ZERO-B-B-C (K0BBC), has been appointed as
the ARRL's Dakota Division Vice Director as of Feb. 4. The Minnesota
resident, an ARRL Life Member, succeeds Kent Olson, K-A-ZERO-L-D-G
(KA0LDG). Among his other many amateur radio activities, Holden is ARES
Emergency Coordinator for the City of Bloomington and a Minnesota
Section Public Information Officer. He will serve out the remaining
term of the current office, which concludes on Jan. 1, 2017.

(ARRL)

**

ANTIQUE WiRELESS IN ACTION

It's all over but the counting! The Antique Wireless Association of
Southern Africa, Z-S-ZERO-A-W-A (ZS0AWA) is giving participants in its
recent CW Activity Day, held on Feb. 7, until Tuesday, March 1, to
submit their logs, either by email or postal service. Certificates will
be sent to those who are in first, second and third place, and to the
amateur with the highest single band score. Email logs to
or mail to the association at Post Office Box
12320, Benoryn, 1504.

(SOUTHGATE)

**
SK: VIRGIN ISLANDS WEATHER NET FOUNDER

In 1994, George B. Cline, KP2G, of St John, Virgin Islands, began an
effort to provide critical weather details and updates for the greater
Virgin Islands community via amateur radio. The Virgin Islands Weather
Net was born. Cline had a longtime interest in the weather, and often
responded during hurricane disasters as a member of the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service.

The New York native died on Jan. 11 at the age of 79. He had been a
member of the St. John Amateur Radio Club and had served as a radio
dispatcher for St. John Rescue. His many efforts also included leading
a team that placed repeaters on St. John Island and throughout the
Caribbean for emergency radio communications.

(ARRL)

**
GET READY FOR WORLD RADIO DAY

Informally, the theme for this year's World Radio Day on Feb. 13 might
be "radio to the rescue." But formally, this international event is
called "Radio in Times of Emergency and Disaster." Indeed, the need for
communications certainly keeps hams busy.

Created by the UN's Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization,
known as UNESCO, the event recognizes that the immediate access to
radio frequencies is essential in saving lives, and should be protected
so they are available in times of emergency. World Radio Day began
in1946.

A number of amateur radio clubs will be marking the occasion in their
own way. In the UK, the Phoenix Amateur Radio Club will be on the air
on Feb. 13 and Feb. 14 helping honor British Scientists, a
commemoration that is part of the official World Radio Day program.
UNESCO has asked that groups in all countries mark the day by planning
activities in partnership with regional, national and international
broadcasters, non-governmental organizations, national authorities, the
media and the public.

So while it isn't a real holiday, it is certainly reason to celebrate.

(UNESCO)

**

THE WORLD OF DX

Michael, DF8AN, will be active from Iceland from Feb. 26 to March 1 as
TF/DF8AN. QSL via his home call sign.

Gildas, F6HMQ, and Michel, F6GWV, will be active again from Guadeloupe
Island, beginning Feb. 26 to March 14 as TO66R, FG/F6HMQ and FG/F6GWV.
Send QSL cards via F6HMQ/

In a special event marking the visit of Pope Francis to Mexico, members
of the Federacion Mexicana de Radio Experimentadores (FMRE) are using
the special callsign 6D0F through Feb. 18. Send QSL cards via XE1LM.

Masato, JA0RQV, will be active as 6Y5/JA0RQV mainly from the Hotel in
Kingston, Jamaica, starting Feb. 21 through April 17. Activity will be
mostly on the weekend and spare time. He will work 160-10 meters using
CW and SSB. QSL via M0OXO (ORQS) or LoTW.

(OHIO PENN DX BULLETIN, DXCOFFEE)


**

KICKER: THE RADIO VOICE OF A CENTURY

Fred Crockford, who lives in the Borough of Brentwood, recently told
his local newspaper in the UK, "I have been retired longer than some
people have been at work."

In fact, Fred, G6YUY, has also likely been on the air longer than many
people have been on the planet.

The retired trolley bus driver first went on the amateur bands in the
1920s, when radio operations were governed, he said, by the post
office. Now he's not just a licensed ham but a centenarian ham, having
just celebrated his 100th birthday.

He said radio has made every one of his many days an adventure. And he
told the newspaper the fun is in the surprise discovery of who is
available to talk from anywhere in the world. He said: "We talk to
whoever happens to be out there on that particular spot and at that
particular moment." A 70-foot-long-horizontal aerial carries his voice
everywhere - even to Australia.

Fred told the newspaper he still sets aside about two hours every
evening to reach out, via radio, to the world. And whether he lands in
the United States, New Zealand or Australia, the thrill of DXing is no
less a thrill to him at 100 than it was when he was a young man.

It seems that, at 100 years of age, his most treasured birthday gift of
all has been the gift of time.


For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham,
theUK


(THE BRENTWOOD GAZETTE)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; The Brazil Times;
The Brentwood Gazette; the BBC; CNN; CQ Magazine; the CW TV Network;
David Wolfe, KG1H; DXCoffee; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; the India
Times; the Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; the Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio
Club; QRZ.COM.the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society; Southgate Amateur
Radio News; TVLine,com; TWiT TV; UNESCO; and you our listeners, that's
all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Our email address is
. More information is available at Amateur Radio
Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, in Topeka,
Kansas, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.