Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2022, July 29, 2016

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2022 with a release date of
Friday, July 29, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. News reports again raise questions about
Hamvention's future at Dayton's Hara Arena. Amateurs discover different
ways to help in wildfire country. Get ready for a one-man National
Parks marathon -- and at long last, Thailand administers its Advance
Class radio test. All this and more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2022 coming your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART HERE

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BREAKING NEWS: MORE HARA ARENA QUESTIONS

SKEETER/ANCHOR: We begin this week with breaking news. Reports surfaced
at Newsline's press time that Hara Arena is unable to sign leases with
Dayton's professional hockey team, the Dayton Demolition, as well as
other tenants, and the team will be idle for the 2016-2017 season.

Coach Joe Pace Sr. broke the news in a public letter to fans on the
team's website, where he wrote QUOTE "Unfortunately, due to
circumstances out of my control Hara Arena is unable to sign leases not
only to myself but to other tenants." ENDQUOTE

Hara Arena is home to Dayton Hamvention and it was not immediately
clear what impact, if any, the absence of lease agreements could have
on next year's Hamvention, which is scheduled for May 19th to 21st.
Hara Arena's marketing director Karen Wampler did not immediately
return Amateur Radio Newsline's calls for comment, nor did Hamvention's
sponsor, the Dayton Amateur Radio Association. WDTN-TV Dayton reported
that Hara Arena expects to make an announcement in August.

(WDTN-TV Dayton, DAYTON PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY WEBSITE)


**

HAMS' WILDFIRE WORK, OFF THE AIR

SKEETER/ANCHOR: We look again now at the wildfires that have been
raging this season, mostly in the American West. With so much attention
given to the important work hams do in disaster communication, we look
now at other ways hams are contributing - off the air. Here's Amateur
Radio Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

KENT Newsline has been following a number of wildfires this season. A
significant fire broke out in late June near Weldon California where
The Sequoia Amateur Radio Group were preparing for their field day. But
a lot of the hams didn't get involved on the radio, rather they went
out and physically assisted setting up shelters and emergency supply
centers.

MIKE Most of the ARES people up here we didn't get involved on the
radio we ended up physically ended up physically doing things.

KENT That's Mike Higgins KA6IYS

MIKE Helping with setting up the shelters, working at the distribution
points for emergency supplies. We had people displaced from over 300
homes that burned and people displaced.

KENT Mike told me the volunteer spirit exists throughout their group.

MIKE All of us have been active in communities our whole lives. I think
it is just the way our group is

KENT They were able to identify a few weak areas

MIKE We gave some message handling training at one time. That's one of
the weak areas we found this time. We had a shelter full of people and
we had people wanting to know who was in there. We didn't really have
anything set up to handle health and welfare traffic. That's one of the
things we will get taken care of.

KENT The local government services appreciated the help from the hams

MIKE They knew we had our act together. We work very closely with the
Kern county fire department office of emergency services. We've got
antennas up antennas out at at various locations. All these new
buildings are RF tight. We're going to get antenna drops in buildings
which will be used for shelters.

KENT Mike says everything came together this time

MIKE We're fortunate. We have a community that's got a lot of
background training that can do just about anything. Very versatile.
What we've preached all along. You take care of your self and your
family first. When you've got that stable then you see what you can do
for somebody else and that's basically what everyone did.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY

**

ONE HAM'S NATIONAL PARKS MARATHON

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Imagine going on the air from one of our nation's
national parks during this year's centennial celebration. Now, imagine
going on the air from a whole collection of national parks - one right
after the other - in 24 hours! Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun
WD9GCO spoke with one ham who's doing just that.

PAUL'S REPORT: The A-Double-R-L's National Parks on the Air program has
certainly raised a lot of interest and excitement this year. There have
been many interesting activations, unique operations- but probably few
as ambitous as the one that Vance Martin, N3VEM has His goal? VANCE:
About a month to two and a half months ago, I found out I had to make a
work trip to Lexington for a training thing I am going to be involved
in and they allotted us a whole day to travel so I said, well, instead
of flying there, I'll drive and see how many parks I can hit in between
so that's kind of where it all started.

PAUL: Martin, who lives in Pennsylvania, loves these sort of events.
Especially this one:

VANCE: At the end of 2015, when they made the announcement about
National Parks on the Air I was actually pretty excited about it
because I kind of like that type of thing. So when they made the
announcement I said "well that's awesome, I travel all around all the
time for work anyway so as I travel for work I'll see how many of these
parks I can hit." My primary goal is to hit all 12 within that 24-hour
period. So that's kind of what I wanted to do, get 12 in a single day.
You know, as I'm at each park, I kind of blocked out a chunk of time so
I'll stay there as long as I need to, to get the minimum number of
contacts. But I plan to stay at each for 30 to 40 minutes. Based on
past experience in other parks I have activated, I can usually rack up
30 to 60 contacts in about 30 or 40 minutes.

PAUL: He said operating portable is no big deal for him:

VANCE: Most of my operations have always been portable because my house
has been under construction for a year and a half. So I don't have a
proper shack in the house. So everything I have been doing has been
portable.

PAUL: Martin is optimistic about his chances:

VANCE: I don't know if I'll actually get to all twelve but I presume if
my plan goes as planned and propagation cooperates I should be able to
do it based on past activations....My plan is to get through as many as
I possibly can.

PAUL: If you want to follow him, go to his blog at triple-w dot n3vem
dot com. This is one man who is truly excited by the phrase,
"RoadTrip!"

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

SKEETER/ANCHOR: The big day for Vance's NPOTA marathon is Monday,
August 1. So if you want to go along for the ride via radio, be
listening starting at 0922 UTC.

**

SNOWBOUND AND BOUND FOR CONTACTS

ANCHOR: Not all the excitment these days revolves around summertime
activations. In southeastern Australia, where it's winter, a small
group of amateurs has an equally abitious agenda for the snowy, hilly
landscape there. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

GRAHAM: If you're an amateur planning to operate from a remote
snowbound location in Victoria in southeastern Australia, what could be
more important than having a good dipole?

Try a good ski pole!

A group of adventurous amateur radio outdoorsmen, led by Gerard VK3GT
and Stephen VK3SN, has been ready this kind of winter action for some
time. For four days, beginning Friday the 29th of July, the team is
embarking on a cross-country ski trip that will cover the remote Bogong
High Plains but also cover the bands -- 160m all the way to 70cm.
They'll be operating QRP using lightweight solar-powered rigs and
homebrew antennas.

In some spots, the trip promises to be a slippery slope indeed.
Actually, it is expected to be several slippery slopes: team members
will ascend at some points to more than 1800 meters above sea level.

If you're hoping to contact them, be listening on 40m in the
afternoons, and on 80m in the evenings -- that's VK time! -- and even
on your local repeaters. The team is hoping to break the ice, so to
speak, with other radio operators while calling CQ.

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

(WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA)

**

HAMFESTERS RADIO CLUB HOSTS 82nd ANNUAL HAMFEST

SKEETER/ANCHOR: What are you doing on Sunday, August 7th? Well if
you're in the Chicago area, you might just want to head down to the
Will County Fairgrounds. Amateur Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp, WB9VPG,
tells us why.

NEIL: When the hosting club is named the Hamfesters, how can anyone
resist attending - what else but - the club's annual hamfest? The
all-day gathering hosted by the appropriately named Hamfesters Radio
Club, W9AA, takes place at the Will County Fairgrounds in Peotone,
Illinois, on Sunday, August 7th. The gates open at 6 a.m. and the main
hall, home to 14,200 square feet of exhibitors, opens at 8 a.m.

This is the 82nd year for this Chicago-area hamfest. The club, founded
in 1933, has enjoyed a history as interesting as its parade of
hamfests, club visitors and members, including radio pioneers Lee De
Forest and Wes Schum W9DYV.

Advance tickets are $8; or $10 at the door. Kids younger than 12 are
admitted free.

Please note that license testing by VEs will take place at the hamfest,
starting at 8 a.m. and running through 10:30 a.m. -- for those folks
who'd like to take home a shiny new license along with all that nice
radio and computer equipment from the massive flea market.

For more information, visit their website, hamfesters dot org.

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

(HAMFESTERS RADIO CLUB)

**

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, Indiana, Mondays at
8:30 p.m.

**

CALIFORNIA AMATEUR SANCTIONED BY FCC SKEETER/ANCHOR: The FCC has
charged California amateur Philip Beaudet, N6PJB, with malicious
interference, transmitting music and failure to identify, following
complaints of interference on 80 meters filed last year. A Notice of
Violation was sent to him after agents, using direction-finding,
tracked the signal to his Burney, California home. The FCC reports that
its agents confirmed the violations in August and October of 2015.

The agency has asked him to respond in writing within 20 days of the
notice, which was issued on July 13. The FCC is asking him to explain
each violation and its circumstances and offer what remedial actions
were taken. The Enforcement Bureau indicated that a Notice of Violation
could lead to stronger action, such as a Notice of Apparent Liability
for Forfeiture, if warranted.

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IARU QUESTIONS BAHRAIN HAM GROUPS

SKEETER/ANCHOR: Who represents amateur radio operators in Bahrain?
That's a good question. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jason Daniels, VK2LAW,
reports on the confusion there.

JASON: The website of the International Amateur Radio Union listed the
Amateur Radio Association of Bahrain (A.R.A.B) among its member
societies earlier this week although the Bahrain organization has now
been suspended. According to minutes of the IARU Region 1 Executive
Committee meeting held in early May, upon inquiry the Bahrain
authorities told the IARU that the radio society was not authorized as
an international representative of Bahrain amateurs.

In the meeting's minutes, committee chairman Don Beattie, G3BJ,
indicated that the Bahrain amateurs' group would first need to make a
formal application for membership to the IARU and, until such time, its
activity with the Union would be suspended.

The minutes, published on the IARU website, explained that the Bahrain
group's initial inclusion in IARU member listings was based on the
Bahrain authorities' previous confirmation that the group was indeed
authorized as an international representative. As of now however the
IARU will await further word from Bahrain on its status and wait for a
formal nomination and application for the amateur radio society. The
Bahrain group, A92C, posted a notice on its website saying that
"meetings are currently suspended until further notice."

The IARU executive committee secretary, Dennis Green, ZS4BS, also
indicated he would be asking another group, the Bahrain Amateur Radio
Group, A92AA, (B.A.R.G) to remove the IARU's logo and as well as an
on-line statement that this group is a member society.

The minutes state that until an appropriate amateur radio entity
submits a valid application, there will be no member society
representing Bahrain.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA)

**

ADVANCING THE LICENSE IN THAILAND

SKEETER/ANCHOR: In Thailand, there are a number of proud new Advanced
Class licensees. They're the country's first since the King himself
became licensed. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's John Williams, VK4JJW.

JOHN'S REPORT: Looks like the King of Thailand, whose Advanced license
call sign is HS1A, has finally got plenty of company: This summer, 171
hopeful Intermediate licenced hams attended and 155 passed Thailand's
first ever Advanced Class amateur exam, which was given on June 18th.
They will be upgrading their licenses, as well as their power on HF
--all the way to 1 kilowatt.

These applicants were not all OMs either - some of the YLs taking the
exam, were the Thai 100 Watts Magazine Editor Thida, HS1ASC, RAST
Treasurer Nong Ee, HS0VDX and RAST Registrar J.C. Goi, E20NKB.

Advanced Class is nothing new to Thailand radio, of course - not if the
King himself is the holder of such a license. It has been in the
nation's radio regulations since 1987, but the two-hour exam was never
made widely available until now.

Thailand has about 108,000 amateur radio licensees, down significantly
from its peak years when licensed hams totaled about 248,000.

Advanced Class wasn't the only category to ever be challenged by a
longtime lack of examinations. Amateurs weren't able to take their
Intermediate exam in Thailand for eight years until that exam became
available again in May 2012.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.

(SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS)


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THE WORLD OF DX

Laigu, F5IRO, will be on a DXpedition from Sao Miguel Island in the
Azores, working as CT8/F5IRO between August 5th and August 19th. Be
listening on the HF bands for CW and some SSB. Find QSL info on F5IRO's
QRZ page.

Take (TAH-KAY), JG8NQJ, is active for the next few months as JG8NQJ/JD1
from Marcus Island in the Minami Torishima. He will be on the air in
his spare time, mainly on 17 meters but you may also find him on
20/15/12/10/6 meters working CW. Send QSLs to JA8CJY or via the Bureau
to JG8NQJ.

Members of the Japan Amateur Radio Development Association will be
using the call sign JD1YBV while on the air from Chichi Jima Island
next month. The hams are celebrating the Silver Jubilee of the radio
association. Be listening between August 23th and August 28th on 40
through 6 meters for operators using CW, SSB and RTTY.

(OHIO PENN DX, IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTERS SOCIETY)

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KICKER: BUMPY, BUT NOT GRUMPY

SKEETER/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with the story of a pair of
radio operators in the UK whose outdoor expedition hit a bump. Well,
they were SUPPOSED to hit the bump. Their plan was to treat that bump
as if it were a miniature - a very miniature - Summit on the Air - and
activate it. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

JEREMY: Take THAT, Summits On the Air! On Tuesday the 19 of July, Jim
Bacon G3YLA and Steve Nichols G0KYA ascended to a new accomplishment in
amateur radio by climbing a modest incline and activating a clump of
land in North Norfolk. They were barely 63 meters, or 207 feet, above
sea level.

The duo named their slightly elevated spot the Beeston Bump, after its
location at the Beeston Hill "Y station," once a World War II listening
post that would intercept code and relay it to Bletchley Park to be
decoded. For this operation, the hams' low elevation was matched by
even lower power: The pair worked the HF bands using Morse Code and at
QRP power levels.

In keeping with the theme of being low profile, the amateurs also
issued no special QSL cards, no certificates, no awards and used no
special call sign. They took particular pride in calling themselves
BOTA - for "Bumps On the Air."

Sure, they could have opted for a higher spot nearby - Beacon Hill,
after all, is 103 meters, or 338 feet. But as Steve wrote in his blog:

QUOTE "I don't want to overstretch myself! Anyway, the view is better
at Beeston and there are more ice cream shops nearby." ENDQUOTE

He concluded his blog entry by acknowledging the good work of Summits
on the Air amateurs, and extended an apology to that group for his
variation on their lofty theme. It was obvious however that, even at
barely 200 feet up, the amateurs were still paying them a high
compliment.

To avoid confusion this new BOTA is not that other fun award scheme
-Beaches on the Air.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH

(BUMPS ON THE AIR)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; Bumps on the Air;
CQ Magazine; Dayton Demolition Hockey; the FCC; Hap Holly and the Rain
Report; Hamfesters Radio Club; Irish Radio Transmitter Society;
Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's
QSO Radio Show; Wireless Institute of Australia; WDTN-TV; WTWW
Shortwave; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio
Newsline. Please send emails to our address at .
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.