Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2007, April 15, 2016


Amateur Radio Newsline report number 2007 with a release date of
Friday, April 15, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Amateurs recall their roots with Marconi Day. A
Washington State ham inspires his daughters' invitation to the White
House. The IARU gets a new satellite adviser. And in Thailand, the
Southeast Asia Net is back on 20 meters. All this and more in Amateur
Radio Newsline Report 2007 coming your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)

**

AMATEURS MARK MARCONI DAY

STEPHEN: We begin this week's newscast with a reminder of our origins
as amateur radio operators. Where would any of us be, for instance,
without Guglielmo Marconi? So every year, for the past 29 years, hams
set aside one day in April to get on the very same airwaves discovered
so long ago by this physicist, inventor and important communicator.

JEREMY: Happy Birthday Guglielmo Marconi. The birth of the pioneering
wireless scientist is recorded as April 25, 1874 -- but amateur radio
operators around the world, wanting to make the festivities a little
more inclusive and global, are again taking part in International
Marconi Day on Saturday, the 23rd of April.

The 24-hour-long event has its roots not just in the birth of Marconi
but the heart of one of the celebration's founders, Norman Pascoe,
G4USB, former president of the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, who became a
Silent Key earlier this year. The annual celebration has drawn
participation, in some years, by as many as 60 stations, including
those in South America, Australia, South Africa, Spain, Germany,
Portugal and the United States. This year, the Cornish amateurs are
making an extra effort for a successful event to honor, not just
Guglielmo Marconi, but Norman as well.

Steve, G7VOH, Vice Chairman of the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, wrote
recently about Norman on the DXCoffee website: QUOTE "He will be missed
by us all from all over the world. This is truly a major event in
Amateur Radio and we, the Cornish Radio Amateur Club, will be doing our
very best to keep it running as smoothly as Norman did, for many years
to come." ENDQUOTE

The Cornish club, GB4IMD, will be operating from the Stithians
Showground in Cornwall, and will be joined by stations around the world
on the bands. International Marconi Day awards will be given to
qualifying operators.

For a list of confirmed stations visit gx4crc.com/imd-stations

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


(CORNISH RADIO AMATEUR CLUB, DXCOFFEE, FACEBOOK)



**

LONGTIME HAM A MAJOR LEAGUE HONOREE


STEPHEN: He still holds the Mets and the Yankees in his heart but The
Seattle Mariners might just make a fan of this New York transplant yet.
Washington amateur Lester Kahan, K2ENC, was among the group of World
War II veterans honored at a recent home game. Here's Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG.

NEIL: Right before the Seattle Mariners took on the Oakland Athletics
at Safeco Field on Saturday, April 9, Lester Kahan, K2ENC, found
himself playing in the big leagues too.

It was the Salute to Armed Forces Night for the Seattle baseball team
and Lester, a licensed ham since 1952, is also an Army veteran, having
served in World War II in the Pacific theater. The 88-year-old former
New Yorker, who moved to Washington State with his family in 2003, was
honored with other veterans during the Mariners' program that
celebrates vets for their service. He had been nominated for the honor
by the American Legion Post 161. And his wife Phyllis, WA2FAQ, was
there to share the moment.

Meanwhile, back on Long Island, New York, another home team was
cheering for him too. In Lindenhurst, New York, members of the Great
South Bay Amateur Radio Club, which Lester had helped charter and
found, couldn't be happier for him. Back in the day, Lester had been
mayor of Lindenhurst, New York, as well as the village's Traffic Court
Judge. But the lifelong ham is just as proud of having been an Elmer to
many local amateurs as well.

And clearly, the stadium ceremony left him feeling like Most Valuable
Player.

The Athletics, unfortunately, beat the Mariners, 6 to 1.

Reflecting on the day's big score though, Lester noted, somewhat
gratefully: QUOTE "I did a lot better than they did." ENDQUOTE

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG


(GREAT SOUTH BAY AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, LESTER KAHAN, K2ENC, AND PHYLLIS
KAHAN, WA2FAQ)

**
WHITE HOUSE VISIT FOR HAM'S DAUGHTERS

STEPHEN: The amateur radio activities of one Seattle area father has
clearly had an impact on his elementary school-age daughters. They
aren't hams yet but they definitely like getting on the air - just in a
different way - and it's landed them at the White House. Here's Amateur
Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: Inspired by their amateur radio father, two young Seattle,
Washington sisters are having a positively Presidential Moment
thismonth.

Rebecca Yeung, age 10, and Kimberly Yeung, age 8, the daughters of
Winston Yeung, KI7CSK, are fascinated with the study of science and
space. Last year, accompanied by their father and mother, they visited
a local lake in central Washington to launch a small spacecraft they
designed and built, with encouragement on the project from their dad.
At the lake, the APRS-equipped craft went 78,000 feet up and attracted,
not just local media, but eventually the White House.

An invitation to the White House Science Fair came not long afterward.
That fair was held Wednesday, April 13. In a blog post, Amanda Stone,
White House Senior Program Manager in the Office of Digital Strategy
wrote: QUOTE "Kimberly and Rebecca hope to show other children that
science and engineering is not only interesting and accessible for
kids, but a lot of fun as well." ENDQUOTE

It helps of course to have an amateur radio operator as a father,
someone who looks skyward much of the time. Although the sisters note
that dad's full-time job is a little more grounded: He works for
T-Mobile's Legal Department.

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

(GEEK WIRE)


**

IARU ANNOUNCES NEW SATELLITE ADVISER

STEPHEN: There's a changing of the guard at the International Amateur
Radio Union. A new satellite adviser is taking the helm to handle all
things relating to satellite communication - on the ground and, of
course, way above it. We hear more from Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham
Kemp, VK4BB:

GRAHAM: Many 'Hans' make satellites work. IARU announces its new
Satellite Adviser

The International Amateur Radio Union has appointed Hans Blondeel
Timmerman, PB2T, as the new IARU Satellite Adviser.

The position represents the IARU to the satellite community and
performs satellite frequency coordination. In addition it has
responsibility for maintaining correspondence, reporting to the IARU
Administrative Council, and if requested provide technical and
operation advice. The Satellite Advisor is assisted by a panel of
volunteer satellite advisory members.

Hans Blondeel Timmerman PB2T was first licensed in 1980, carrying out
many roles including being the IARU Region 1 President from 2008
to2014.

He replaces Hans van de Groenendaal ZS6AKV, who has served as IARU
Satellite Adviser since 1994. During his time he established many of
the procedures used for amateur satellite frequency coordination today,
and the IARU extends its gratitude for the excellent work. He will
remain as special advisor to the satellite committee.

I'm Graham, VK4BB, reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, from Australia

(Wireless Institute of Australia)

**

BREAK HE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the
WD9HSY repeater of the Tri-Town Amateur Radio Club in Hazel Crest,
Illinois, on Wednesdays.


**

SHAKESPEA WHEREFORE ART THOU, QSOs?

William Shakespeare never wrote an Ode to a Linear Amplifier or a
Sonnet to a Hex Beam but there might be some hams in the bard's old
neighborhood of Stratford-Upon-Avon who'd be willing to give it a try
after the Shakespeare 400 Special Event station gets on the air on
April 23. The "400" marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death,
and the station will be operating on the main HF bands with the call
sign GB2WS.

To learn more, visit the Stratford-Upon-Avon & District Radio Society
website at www.stratfordradiosociety.org.uk

The special event station is hoping for a few hams - and perhaps even a
few "Hamlets" - from around the world.


(SOUTHGATE ARC)

**


NURTURING NEW HAMS IN INDIA

Rajesh Vagadia, VU2EXP, knows how much fun it is to be a young, new
ham. He was 18 in 1991 when he got his first license, a dream he'd had
since the age of 15. Now he's helping others do the same. On Saturday,
April 2, Rajesh presented a full-day program called "Ham Radio for
Gen-X" at the Gardi College of Engineering and Technology in the state
of Gujarat (GOO-JUH-ROT) in India.

More than 200 engineering students turned up for his presentation and
as well as his demonstrations of Slow Scan TV and Morse Code -- which
included receiving and then decoding messages. He also treated his
audience of young hopefuls to a video documentary about amateur radio.

A member of a ham radio family in Gujarat, Rajesh is also a ham radio
educator, and has made presentations at other schools in Gujarat.

(SOUTHGATE ARC, QRZ.COM)


**


SILENT KEY: HAM RADIO 'GODMOTHER' YOLANDA BASTIDAS, YV6BJ

In Venezuela, they called her the godmother of amateur radio
enthusiasts. And it is clear, from recent posts on social media and in
a one-minute video tribute, that her colleagues loved and respected
her. Yolanda Bastidas, YV6BJ, of Venezuela has become a Silent Key.

The video tribute, posted on Facebook on April 7, shows her at various
activities through the years with the Venezuelan radio club. Earlier
posts on Facebook had reflected the fact that she'd been hospitalized
within the last year and in poor health.

No other information was immediately available.


(FACEBOOK, QRZ.COM)


**

SEANET REACTIVATED IN THAILAND

Thailand's national amateur radio society, RAST, has put the Southeast
Asia Net, known as SEANET, back on the air, inviting hams to check in
on a country-by-country basis on 14.320 MHz, twice a week -- Mondays
and Fridays. And later this year, plans are set to hold a SEANET
Convention in the Thai Gulf resort area of Pattaya.

The 20-meter SEANET has a long history, starting its operation in 1963.
The first SEANET Convention was not held until 1971. For this year's
convention, registration information and other details can be found on
the website www.seanet2016.com.

The Radio Amateur Society of Thailand has also been busy with the first
Thai ham radio satellite, JAISAT-1 Cubesat, which is being built by
Innovative Solutions in Space under RAST sponsorship.

To the relief of many hams, the Thai radio society is also preparing to
offer the country's first Advance Class license examination in June.
Although Advanced level licenses have been permitted since 1987, no
exam existed until now. The only holder of an Advanced level license in
Thailand was the King of Thailand, who received his ticket in the1980s.

(RAST VICE PRESIDENT TONY WALTHAM, HS0ZDX)


**

UK CLUB JOURNAL IS NOT QUITE 'QRV'

QRV usually means you're ready. But the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio
Sociewty feels anything BUT ready with regard to its newsletter. which
it calls "QRV." The journal has a vacancy for its post of editor for
quite some time and the radio society wrote recently on its website
that the need to fill that position has now become urgent.

The editor should ideally be a member of the radio society but also be
knowledgeable in the use of Desk Top Publishing and MS OFfice or a
similar program. The editor will also be responsible for working with
the printers who design the pages using photographs and articles
provided. The club will provide assistance proofreading the version
before going to press.

If you'd like to produce QRV for the society, contact chairman Richie
Judson, G0RHJ, via email at .

(RAFARS WEBSITE)

**

WORLD OF DX

Svein, LA9JKA, is operating on Jan Mayen Island, on all HF bands, until
early October. He is using the call sign JX9JKA. Send QSLs to his
homecall.

Tom, KC0W, will is active for several months as KH8/KC0W from American
Samoa using CW only. Send cards to his home QTH in the United States.

Members of the Palos Verdes Amateur Radio Club will be working as
K6PV/6 from Santa Catalina Island from April 28 to May 1. Look for them
operating SSB, CW, RTTY and PSK31 on 80 through 10 meters. Send QSL
cards via K6PV. Doug, VK4ADC, is working holiday style as VK9NU from
Norfolk Island, starting April 23, through May 2. He will only be
working SSB. Look for him on 80 meters through 6 meters. Send QSL cards
via home call (direct or bureau). You may also use eQSL and LoTW.

Alex, W1CDC, is on the bands as 8R1A from Guyana until April 24,
holiday style. Listen for him on 80m to 10m, mainly working CW. QSL to
his home call.

(IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTER SOCIETY)

**

KICKER: DOG CATCHER NEEDED FOR MISSING ASTRONAUT POOCH

STEPHEN: We close this week with a cautionary tale from a group of
schoolchildren in the UK: Think twice before sending your dog - even a
toy dog - into space. We hear more from Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim
Damron, N8TMW.

JIM: "FIND SAM" -- Those words, preceded by a hashtag, signal the
world's focus, on social media, on the intense search efforts by some
London primary school students on locating the plush toy they launched,
with a helium balloon, into space. Sam, the toy dog, was equipped with
a GoPro camera and GPS tracking equipment. But when the balloon popped,
15 miles above the Earth, and everything that went up, eventually came
down, Sam was nowhere to be found. They did not, after all, equip Sam
with a map.

Radio amateurs, of course, can relate. Trackers, transponders, balloons
and often, ground searches, are part of the amateur experience for many
who enjoy this kind of experimentation.

Now, it's unlikely Sam met with the same fate as Laika, the Soviet
space dog who orbited the Earth in 1957 and failed to survive, but the
question remains - where in northwest England could Sam have landed?
The world asks "Have you seen this dog?" Even a local hotel that
helped sponsor the project is offering a free stay to Sam's finder.

For the students, this was supposed to have been a lesson in astronomy
and physics. But perhaps the teacher should have also thrown in some
studies of animal husbandry or at least dog breeding. The kids might
have decided they'd be better off using a retriever.

For Amateur Radio newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.


(CNN, TWITTER, NATURE WORLD NEWS, USA TODAY)


**


NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; Cornish Amateur
Radio Club; CNN; CQ Magazine; DX.NET; Facebook; Geek Wire; Great South
Bay Amateur Radio Club; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Irish Radio
Transmitter Society; Nature World News; the Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin;
QSL.NET; QRZ.COM., Radio Amateur Society of Thailand; Royal Air Force
Amateur Radio Society; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Southside Amateur
Radio Club; TWiT TV; Twitter; USA Today; 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.

We also remind our listeners that there's still time to nominate
candidates for the 2016 Bill Pasternak Young Ham of the Year Award.
This honor recognizes licensed amateurs who are no older than 19 and
living in the U.S., Puerto Rico or Canada, and who have made
significant contributions to ham radio and their community. To download
an application form and learn how to qualify for the honor, visit our
website, www.arnewsline.org, and click on the tab for "Y-H-O-T-Y."
Completed forms and supporting documentation should be sent to: The
Young Ham of the Year Award, in care of Amateur Radio Newsline Inc.,
Editorial Office, P.O. Box 451, Huntington Station, New York 11746.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB, in Wadsworth,
Ohio, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

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