Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2005, April 1, 2016

Amateur Radio Newsline report number 2005 with a release date of
Friday, April 1, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Radio amateurs reach out in supportfriendship
to terrorist-hit Brussels. Hams share their memories of a childhood
radio colleague, the late comic actor Garry Shandling. Georgia prepares
for its 55th annual QSO Party. And oh yes, it's April 1, and that means
our special correspondent, Pierre Pullinmyleg, is back with some big
news. That is, if you can believe it. All this and more in Amateur
Radio Newsline Report 2006 coming your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)

**

BRUSSELS BOMBING

JIM: We open this week's newscast with two stories in the aftermath of
the deadly blasts in Brussels on March 22. In the first report, from
Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, we hear how one radio
amateur's life was touched - almost too closely - by the tragic events.


JEREMY: Longtime contester and DXpeditioner Olivier, ON4EI, has faced a
number of challenges during his more than 20 years on the air, but
perhaps the greatest challenge in the Belgian ham's life came during
his moments off the air in Ireland on Tuesday, the 22nd of March. That
day, his wife phoned him in Ireland from the family's home city of
Brussels to say she and the couple's 8-year-old twins had been just a
short distance away from the deadly bombs detonated a short time
earlier at the Brussels Airport. The family ran to safety just in time
as the second blast went off.

Olivier's wife and daughters were not injured but he left Ireland for
Brussels the next day to bring his family back to Ireland with him on
Friday, the 25 of March, for the Easter holiday.

Olivier then announced on his QRZ page that he would still proceed with
his plans to operate as EI1A during the WPX contest that weekend - the
26 and 27 of March - writing that his decision [quote] "represents the
resistance and a beacon signal of liberty in memory of Brussels
bombings victims on 22 March 2016." [ENDQUOTE]

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

JIM: The Brussels bombings also spurred a heartfelt note of sympathy,
from one longtime ally to another: Belgium and Australia have been
closes since their soldiers fought together during World War I. Amateur
Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us more.

GRAHAM: A message from Fred Swainston, vice president of the Wireless
Institute of Australia, has assured colleagues in Belgium that the WIA
stands in sympathy with the nation, a longtime ally, and most
especially with the Royal Belgian Amateur Radio Union.

The letter says, in part [quote] "We are saddened to hear the news of
the terrorist attacks in your country. This short note is to say that
our thoughts and prayers are with you, the Belgian people and those who
have been lost or injured by these despicable acts." [ENDQUOTE]

The Belgian radio union was an active participant in the WIA's recent
ANZAC 100 program marking the centenary of the Australian and New
Zealand Army Corps. The two nations' enduring, close relationship will
again be marked on ANZAC Day, Monday the 25 of April, in Belgium at the
Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, just south of Zonnebeke.
Cemetery markers represent some 2,108 Commonwealth servicemen, who are
either buried or commemorated there, from the first World War.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(SOUTHGATE, BELGIUM EMBASSY IN AUSTRALIA)

**

A TRIBUTE TO GARRY SHANDLING, WA7BKG/KQ6KA

JIM: Late last month, the entertainment world lost a major talent with
the death of Garry Shandling. But the news also hit hard for many in
the amateur world, especially those who knew Shandling as a young ham.
We hear from two of them: First from a New Yorker with whom he
developed a long-lasting, long-distance friendship. He spoke with
Amateur Radio Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

KENT:The news of the sudden passing of actor and comedian Garry
Shandling, had a very special significance to one person in the ham
community, Alan Davis K2WS

ALAN: It started in the fall of 1965, I was a fairly active ham radio
operator. it was just serendipity. We got to be friends. I have my old
log books in front of me, we'd talk weekly.

KENT: Shandling's call back then?

ALAN: WA7BKG

KENT: That's right, Gary Shandling was a ham radio operator who had
regular QSOs with Davis over 40 years ago. They developed a long
distance ham radio friendship

ALAN: At one point Garry said why don't you come out to the house? And
I told him that I have a disability and he said, "no problem, we'll
take care of you."

KENT: Davis said Shandling was a jokester right from the start.

ALAN: I know he had a sense of humor, Garry had his dad print up this
award, the Dipple Award, dated February 1966, "for his oustanding
display of ignorance beyond the capability of any other radio amateur
for causing undue interference on the amateur radio spectrum. Keep up
the bad work." And on the lower left hand side was Garry Shandling's
signature, "Chief of Dipple Registration." He wouldn't send these
things out. It was just a joke. We all knew that. But it was hilarious.

KENT: Four years later Davis once again paid Shandling a visit.

ALAN: And at that time he told me he was doing gigs in Las Vegas .. I
didn't get it.

KENT: But Shandling did go on to a successful career as a comedian,
actor and writer, winning five Emmy awards.

ALAN: He could joke around, but on the inside he as a great guy. I'm
getting a little emotional.

That's Alan Davis K2WS recalling his old ham radio friend Garry
Shandling WA7BKG and later KQ6KA who passed away after suffering an
apparent heart attack on March 24th. Shandling was 66.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

JIM DAMRON: Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Massara, N2EST, spoke with one
longtime friend of the Shandling family in his Arizona hometown where
his young friends knew him as a good pal and a jokester.

JIM MASSARA'S REPORT:

Garry Shandling grew up in Tucson, Arizona. As a teenager, that's where
he earned his first ham-radio license in 1964 -- first as a Novice,
WN7BKG, and later as WA7BKG when he upgraded to General.

An old family friend who asked not to be identified tells Newsline that
Shandling was part of a group of teens who all got their tickets at the
same time. Once licensed, they would hang out together, sometimes at
Garry's shack, which his parents had built for him in the family
carport. There, they'd get on the air and make contacts, mostly on 40
and 20 meters.

Shandling and the other teenagers also hung out at a local ham-radio
club, where they were most definitely noticed. "We would go to the
local club in Tucson, sit in the back, and make fun of the old hams,"
according to the family friend. It got them kicked out of meetings more
than once. Shandling, no doubt, was practicing for a future career.

A few years later, Shandling enrolled at the University of Arizona,
where he first majored in electrical engineering but later completed
his degree in marketing. That led to post-grad studies in creative
writing and later a move to Los Angeles, where the rest, as they say,
is history.

Although many of those teenaged hams are still hams and still friends,
over the years Shandling fell out of touch with most of them, and
eventually he let his license lapse. But Shandling's old family friend
says a mutual acquaintance was very close to getting Garry to take the
Tech test and get back on the air. The only problem? As a celebrity,
Shandling was a very private person, and he was always concerned that
his distinctive nasal voice would be immediately recognized on the air.

Reporting from Atlanta for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim
Massara,N2EST.

**

BREAK HE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W9EAR,
the EARS Wide Area Repeater Network, in Vincennes (Vinn SENNS) Indiana,
on Mondays at 8:30 p.m.

**

ONE HAM'S DESIGNS ON NATIONAL PARKS

National Parks on the Air is a big deal event for the Department of the
Interior, but also for Quentin Gardner, WQ7G, of River Heights, Utah.
He's been busy designing special QSL cards for each activation in his
plans, beginning with the Pony Express Trail, TR15, southwest of Salt
Lake City. Listen for him on the air on Tuesday, April 5 at 2000 UTC
until Wednesday, April 6, 0200 UTC. He also plans to activate the
Golden Spike National Historic Site, NS31, in May, marking the 147th
anniversary of the completion of the first Transcontinental
Railroad.Yes, there's a custom-designed card for that too - so listen
for him from 2000 UTC on Tuesday, May 10 through 0200 UTC on Wednesday,
May 11.

His other intended sites include Mormon Pioneer National Historic
Trail, the Fossil Butte National Monument, the California National
Historic Trail and the Craters of the Moon National Monument. You might
say these national parks aren't just in his plans - they're in
thecards.

(QRZ.COM)


FOOLS RUSH IN - OR MAYBE NOT - IN PECULIAR, MISSOURI

JIM: In Missouri, the Southside Amateur Radio Club has been making it
clear that their special event station on April 1 is anything but a
prank. Amateur Radio Newsline's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, explains.

SKEETER: It's Peculiar.....And that's exactly what it's supposed to be.
The QTH, in fact, is Peculiar, Missouri and the operators are hams from
the Southside Amateur Radio Club. Now, these amateurs are no fools;
they're marking April 1 by going on the air from Peculiar's Fire
Protection District Station on South Main Street, starting Friday,
April 1 at 1900 CDT right through 1700 CDT on Saturday April 2.

Work one of them successfully and you'll get a custom QSL card
celebrating yet another April Fool's ham radio event.

To hear them, start listening on 80 meters, around 3920 kHz, on 40
meters, around 7220 kHz, on 20 meters around 14220 kHz and on 17 meters
around 18120 kHz. They'll also be on 15 meters around 21320 and 10
meters around 28420 kHz - all plus or minus 20 kHz.

Listen carefully - or your attempt at an April 1 QSO might just end up
being a fool's errand. And that's no joke.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH in Topeka, Kansas.


(SOUTHSIDE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB

**

RADIO'S OLD TIMERS: LIVE LONG AND PROPAGATE

Ham radio helps you live longer, right? Well, Laurie, G2BUP and Fred,
G6YUY are two amateurs in the UK who won't dispute that notion. They're
the very newest among the newscomers to join the Radio Amateur Old
Timers Association's 40 meter net, and their appearances on the band on
Thursday, March 24 marked a special occasion: Both had turned 100 years
old in recent weeks.

The RAOTA, of course, is not taking any chances on missing this
opportunity talk up the participation of these most senior junior
members.

The association wrote on its website, "although there is no direct
evidence of casuality, perhaps being part of RAOTA increases your life
expectancy. Why risk it? Join now!"The club is open to anyone who has
been actively involved in Amateur Radio for more than 25 years, whether
licensed or not.

(WWW.RAOTA.ORG)

**

SK: ELMER "BUD" FROHARDT JR., AN ELMER'S ELMER

Bud Frohardt Jr., W9DY, wasn't just called an inspiration - he was
called an Elmer. In fact, his name was Elmer, and the Madison,
Wisconsin ham is widely believed to have been the very Elmer people had
in mind when they affectionately referred to the beloved mentors who
are the guiding spirits for new licensees.

Frohardt, who was a veteran DXer as well as a champion of young
licensees, became a Silent Key on March 22.

His renown as the ultimate Elmer Among Elmers has its origins in 1971
when the late Rod Newkirk, W9BRD, invoked his name in a column in QST
Magazine about such mentors. It seemed fitting.

A life member of the ARRL, Elmer "Bud" Frohardt Jr. was 93.

(ARRL)

**

GEORGIA QSO PARTY PLANNING

Fifty-five years after their first Georgia QSO Party, the Southeastern
DX Club and the South East Contest Club, are prepping for another
which, this year, will happen on Saturday, April 9 through Sunday,
April 10. Organizers are expecting all or nearly all of the state's
159 counties to be on the air and ready for contacts. As before,
individual awards and certificates will be awarded, along with two club
awards: engraved gavels.

Computer logging is required and logs should be submitted in Cabrillo
format.

For more details, visit the website, georgiaqsoparty.org


(Chaz Cone, W4GKF)

**

WORLD OF DX

These are the last days for DXers to catch Makoto, JA7FGI, who is
active until April 4 as XW7FG from Vientiane in Laos. Makoto is working
on 80-6 meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK31, with a focus on the higher
bands. QSL via JA7FGI, by the Bureau or eQSL.

Mike, VO1OK, will be active as V31OK from Belize City between April 24
and 27 and from Ambergris Caye Island between April 28 and May 3. Mike
will be on 40/20/10 meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign using
LoTW or eQSL.

Led by Yuris, YL2GM, their team leader, operators will be working as
EP2A from the Gilan Province in Iran between April 16 and April 25.
They can be heard on 160-6 meters -- but not 60 meters -- and will be
using CW, SSB and RTTY. They will have four stations on the air. QSL
via YL2GM or by ClubLog's OQRS, either direct or Bureau.

(OHIO PENN DX BULLETIN)

**

KICKER: PIERRE PULLINMYLEG'S SPECIAL APRIL 1 REPORT


[ANCHOR/JIM]: The centennial of the nation's parks has opened up new
operating challenges to amateurs from coast to coast - and beyond.
Honoring the annual tradition of providing an April 1 report each year
for Amateur Radio Newsline, our roving correspondent Pierre
Pullinmyleg, returns to share this account on his very unpredecented
way of working in one of the nation's foremost national parks
-Wyoming's Yellowstone.


[PIERRE] Zere is nothing like making ham radio history when you are
marking 100 years of America's national parks. And never has zere been
a ham radio mode such as what I am working now. I, Pierre Pullinmyleg,
am the creator of such a special event mode. It is not PSK or JT-65.
Ziss is Geyser Mode. My antenna izz actually zee historic geyser
herself, Old Faithful. Zee spouting water, oh she has become my
vertical antenna. And that is, shall we say, so very magnifique.
[Mmmmmmwwwwwwwah!] Because of zee minerals in ziss water, she transmits
my 100-watt signal and zere is very little loss. Well no - zere is
actually water loss - lots of splishy splashy so I must wear zee
protective plastic trenchcoat during QSOs. And zee park rangers, they
think I am maybe Inspector Jacques Clousseau. Ridiculous! Now I have
been able to tune ziss geyser to 15, 20 and 40 meters but I am having
no luck with contacts. I suspect malicious interference. In fact,
reports from zee tourists here say zere is another ham's National Parks
station and he is operating above something called a supervolcano here
in Yellowstone. Mon Dieu! He is using ziss volcanic hotspot to power
his linear amplifier. Sacre bleu! Ziss lid, he is jamming my signal! I
wanted to make history and now instead I must make zee complaint. I
must call zee FCC. Mais, non, I must call zee park rangers!!!!
Zutalors!

I am Pierre Pullinmyleg at the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone, for
Amateur Radio Newsline. 73 and a bientot.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to ABC.NET Australia; Alan Labs; the ARRL;
the Belgian Embassy in Australia; Chaz Cone, W4GKF; CQ Magazine;
DX.NET; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Irish Radio Transmitter Society;
the Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QSL.NET; QRZ.COM., Radio Amateur Old Timers
Association; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Southside Amateur Radio
Club; TWiT TV; Wireless Institute of Australia; 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 Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West
Virginia, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

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