Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2043, December 23 2016

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2043 with a release date of
Friday, December 23, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams regroup to revive Missouri's Amateur Radio
Parity Act. A British rocker upgrades his license-- and Norway's going
digital. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2043 comes
your way right now.
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BILLBOARD CART

**

MISSOURI AMATEURS RENEW PARITY ACT PUSH

JIM/ANCHOR: We lead this week's newscast with a story of perseverence:
Hams in Missouri say they're anything but discouraged about the failure
to pass the state's Amateur Radio Parity Act. We hear why from Amateur
Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: We have covered the progress of two different Amateur Radio
Parity Acts - the national version and the more localized version in
Missouri. Both followed similar trajectories, both suffered the same
fate. Both efforts were passed by the House of Representatives, both
were summarily dismissed by a single Senator before they could be added
to the calendar.

I spoke with Larry Scantlan, K-E-zero-K-Zed, the man spearheading the
Missouri effort, about his strategy for regrouping and starting the
process all over again.

LARRY: We're very active in that process right now. Our original
sponsor of the bill who authored it with me, State Representative Bryan
Spencer has pre-filed our second attempt and it is on the record of the
House of Representatives of the State of Missouri, and it's named the
House Bill 136.

The text of that bill is identical to the previous bill because, well,
it had gone through the discussion hearing committee the first time and
was amended and had actually passed through the House of
Representatives without issue so we felt that there was no need to
change or make issue with the content of the text of the bill and after
the first of the year when the session begins they will be putting it
on the calendar and it will be assigned to a committee for its first
initial hearing.

PAUL: Scantlan went on to explain the change in strategy for working
with the Senate this second time around:

LARRY: The first issue right up front is to find a Senator that will
sponsor a companion bill that will be working through their side
simultaneously rather than waiting until the House bill gets all the
way through all of its parts and then try to get it into the Senate -we
just ran out of time. I've already been calling on Senator Bob Onder
here in the St. Louis region who was a proponent of the bill the first
time, try to sit down with him to get him to sponsor a Senate version
so that will be moving through the Senate at the same time that the
House bill will be moving through the House.

We're hopeful then that we won't run out of time and the thing will be
sitting in the Senate at the last minute.

PAUL: Other new strategies include dividing the state up into regions
with section leaders to help with the workload and to facilitate better
communications. Scantlan has created a Facebook page called "Missouri
Amateur Radio Parity Act," as well as a website at triple-w dot
M-A-R-P-A dot U-S. The key, he said, is to convince all Missouri hams,
of which there are fifteen thousand, to get involved and contact their
congress member, whether the bill affects them today or not because, as
Scantlan said, you never know when life changes will land you under a
restrictive H-O-A.

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

**

AUTHOR DECIPHERS SDR -- AGAIN

JIM/ANCHOR: Interested in SDR? One New Zealand ham wrote the book and
he spoke with Amateur Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

NEIL: There's a new book written by a New Zealander about Software
Defined Radios available. Andrew Barron, ZL3DW, has just released his
second book that explains Software Defined Radios that is intended for
Amateur Radio Operators, Short Wave Listeners, and anyone interested in
radio as a hobby. Andrew explains some of the things included in this
308 page book. ANDREW: It tells you why you would want to buy a
software defined radio, why they are in some ways better than a
conventional radio, what makes them different, what makes them better,
(and) how you test them because some of testing is different. NEIL: So
if you're interested in how software defined radios work, or maybe
you're considering purchasing one, this book could have just the
information you need. ANDREW: It's rounded out with a big section on
just the basics. We explore about 65 radios that I found online, most
of them receivers of course, but some transceivers, because it's a big
baffling as to which generations these radios are; what the
capabilities are, what sort of frequencies they can cover, whether
they're a transceiver or not, so just the basics specs on a whole pile
of radios. NEIL: Andrew notes another reason why he decided to write
the book. ANDREW: SDR is changing all the time. It's quite dynamic,
and it's coming a long way. And we see the big three manufacturers
starting to get on board. And, I think that it will be the way of the
future for these big three radio producers because it's cheaper. NEIL:
The book is available on Amazon and is both in print or in Kindle form
for most e-Readers. You can find the link to it on Amazon in the text
version of this newscast.

https://www.amazon.com/Software-Defi...isteners/dp/15
34992421/ For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

**

DRUMMING UP A LICENSE UPGRADE

JIM/ANCHOR: What's more exciting to a musician than landing a hit on
the charts? Amateur Radio Newsline's Ed Durrant DD5LP, tells us.

ED's REPORT: Never mind the name of the latest hit or album from the
Britpop group Blur. The bigger news, at least to radio amateurs, is
just as chart-busting an event: The group's drummer, amateur radio's
Dave Rowntree 2E0DVR, has upgraded his license to Advanced. Dave first
became a ham with his Foundation license in 2012. Working first as
M6DRQ, he passed his Intermediate exam and more recently completed this
latest test successfully to rock the bands as an Advanced licensee.

That's as big a deal - or maybe bigger? - than having another album on
the charts. Just like the band has undergone some reinvention since its
creation in 1988, so too has Dave become an amateur who is always
evolving.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

CELEBRATING RADIO HISTORY AND A LITTLE OF HIS OWN TOO

JIM/ANCHOR: Earlier this month, when radio operators assembled in
Greenwich Connecticut and Ardrossan Scotland, they re-sent the original
message that became the first confirmed amateur radio transmission
across the Atlantic 95 years ago. While other radio operators have also
re-enacted this transmission, for one amateur, who grew up in Greenwich
not far from the monument marking 1BCG's historic transmission,
participating this year as N1BCG -- his 3-year-old callsign reflecting
the Connecticut operators' callsign -- was especially fulfilling.

CLARK: After after having a couple of sequentially assigned call signs
for ham radio I thought wouldn't it be nice to get something that is
more a tribute to the history of international communications which
occurred right here in Greenwich? What are the chances since I happen
to live here too? It was such a significant event from a historical
standpoint. N1BCG was available.

JIM: That is the voice of Clark Burgard N1BCG of Greenwich Connecticut.
Clark worked single sideband earlier this month in the latest
re-staging of the contact with Scotland. The event was a partnership of
the Radio Society of Great Britain, the ARRL and the Radio Club of
America -- but the location from which he transmitted turned out to be
his grade school alma mater, where he operated his first childhood
radio station.

CLARK: It goes back to about 40 years ago and that is actually one of
the reasons the Greenwich Country Day School was selected for this
year's 1BCG anniversary because the school to me is rich in radio
history -- whether they intended it or not. They were very helpful in
getting us a location for this past December 11's anniversary event.

JIM: As Clark notes, it was the same school where he'd played with
radio as a child, and where something else caught his eye.

CLARK: We were in the boys gym because there is a flagpole - I'd had my
eye on that flagpole for 40 years. I thought that would be great to
hang an antenna off that. I would be in a world of trouble if I
actually did that as a student. I had to let some time go by. I think
I've been pretty patient."

JIM: That was Clark Burgard N1BCG of Greenwich Connecticut, who finally
got to hang three dipoles on that childhood flagpole and helped radio
relive a milestone in shortwave history while celebrating some of his
own radio history too. He spoke with Amateur Radio Newsline's Caryn Eve
Murray KD2GUT.

**

BREAK HE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including W5AW,
the Big Springs Amateur Radio Club Repeater in Big Springs, Texas, on
Thursdays at 8 p.m.

**

NORWAY'S RADIO GOES DIGITAL

JIM/ANCHOR: In Norway, it's goodbye analogue, hello digital. That could
apply to a lot of things but in Norway, it will soon apply to radio, as
we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

JASON'S REPORT: Beginning in January, it's the end of radio as most
listeners know it in Norway. Region by region, the nation's FM networks
will gradually be switched off, starting in Nordland on the 11th of
January.

With this action, Norway becomes the first nation to adopt full digital
radio. The expected result of this switch to the Digital Audio
Broadcasting, or DAB standard is a greater variety in listening content
and the availability of more major channels.

This comes as no surprise to Norwegian listeners, who learned in 2015
that the The Ministry of Culture was planning the national shutdown of
analogue. At the time of the minister's announcement, officials were
pleased to report that instead of having five channels transmitting on
FM nationwide, DAB would create new options including up to 22 station
channels. Norway already has some DAB networks, and according to a
survey two years ago by the TNS Gallup group, more than half of
Norwegian households already owned one digital radio at that time.

The counties of Troms and Finnmark will be the last regions to switch
over, and that change will come in December 2017.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Jason Daniels VK2LAW

(RADIOINFO.COM.AU, RADIO.NO, IEEE SPECTRUM)

**

UK TESTS GO ONLINE, THEN ON THE AIR

JIM/ANCHOR: Applicants for amateur licenses in the UK now have another
option for taking that all-important test. We learn more from Amateur
Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Think of it as a radio check for a new licensing exam system in
the UK: Beginning in February, the Radio Society of Great Britain will
launch a pilot program to offer Advanced license examinations online at
some testing locales. This phase of the program will continue through
the middle of March.

A statement on the radio society's website said that the decision was
made to go forward with the online pilot after a successful "proof of
concept" exercise took place over a period of weeks earlier this year.
That exercise had the participation of a number of clubs and individual
amateurs.

The radio society said the online exam will offer the same kind of
feedback now available to those taking exams at the Foundation and
Intermediate levels.

A paper version of the exam will continue to be made available at those
testing locales that lack Internet access. The Examinations Department
will confirm the scores about 10 days after the exams are given, as has
been the practice at all levels.

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

(RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN)

**

HAMS KEEP PACE IN PARADISE

JIM/ANCHOR: The 44th running of the Honolulu Marathon this month had
the power of radio to keep them on the move. The Honolulu Marathon on
December 11th wasn't just a feat of endurance for the more than 30,000
runners. The hams who provided communications and safety for the race's
44th running also went the distance in their own way. According to the
ARRL Pacific Section, radio operators went on the air as early as 4
a.m. and some stayed on the air for as many as 18 hours for this, the
fourth largest marathon in the U.S.

With Net Control operated by Ralph Toyama NH6PY, 35 hams operated on
both 2 meters and 70 centimeters. Some were also on the air using 800
MHz digital radios - nonamateur radios but nonetheless crucial in
providing those links to aid stations, medical teams, transportation
vehicles and police.

Hams were also at the finish line, feeling just as victorious as if
they'd run the race themselves which, in a way, they did.

(ARRL PACIFIC SECTION)

**

UK STUDENT-BUILT BALLOON REACHES ALASKA JIM/ANCHOR: The travels of
Santa Claus have got nothing on one balloon that was built by students
in Bristol in the UK and launched on December 11th carrying a 434 MHz
beacon and APRS. A report came seven days later that it had crossed
the Pacific Ocean and made it to Canada; shortly thereafter, it was
over Alaska.

Built from 50-micron thick film and about 1.9 meters in diameter, the
UBSEDS21 balloon is carrying a payload with a weight of 34.2 grams.
Following its launch, it reached a stable altitude of 15.2 kilometers
and was heading east.

The balloon may not have had a change of course but it did have a
change of plans. The students' original goal was to use it to contact
the International Space Station on 145.825 MHz via APRS. The space
station's VHF radio is not functioning, however, so the balloon will
instead test its amplifier and communicate with any satellites that
have APRS.

The students involved attend the University of Bristol and are part of
UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space Society.

(AMSAT-UK)

**

WORLD OF DX

Sila AK0SK will be on SSB from Kenya until January 6th, working as
5Z4/AK0SK. Listen on 80m through 10m. QSL to the home call.

Listen for Jeff K5WE from the Cayman Islands through December 30th. He
is using the call sign ZF2WE and working CW and some RTTY on all the HF
bands. He will upload his logs to Logbook of The World. Send QSLs via
the home call.

Harry JG7PSJ returns to the Ogasawara Islands where you can hear him
through January 1st. Listen for the call sign JD1BMH. Please note that
Ogasawara counts as a separate entity for DXCC. Its reference number is
AS-031 for the Islands on the Air Award.

And there's some encouraging news for DXers: The German communications
authority issued a notice on their website on December 19th giving
German class A Amateur radio enthusiasts access to the 5.3MHz (60
metre) band as per the WRC15 (15KHz wide) frequency range and (15w
EIRP) power limitations on a non-interference Enjoy adding some new
contacts there to your log!

**

KICKER: 'TWAS THE END OF THIS WEEK'S NEWSCAST

JIM/ANCHOR: It's now time for Amateur Radio Newsline to celebrate the
holiday with a little gift to our listeners, and we preface this gift
with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore. The author of the classic
"Night Before Christmas" wasn't a ham - and the author of the poem
you're about to hear probably is - or was at one time. Either way, we
hope you enjoy it and give it a good signal report.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the shack The rig was
turned off and the mic cord lay slack

The antenna rotor had made its last turn, the tubes in the linear had
long ceased to burn.

I sat there relaxing and took off my specs, preparing to daydream of
Armchair DX When suddenly outside I heard such a sound, I dashed out
the door to see what was around.

The moon shone down brightly and lighted the night. For sure
propagation for the low bands was right.

I peered toward the roof where I heard all the racket and there was
some guy in a red, fur-trimmed jacket!

I stood there perplexed in a manner quite giddy: Just who WAS this
stranger? di di dah dah di dit?

He looked very much like an FCC guy who'd come to check up on some
badTVI.

I shouted to him: "OM! QRZ?" "Hey you by the chimney all dressed up
inred!"

I suddenly knew when I heard sleigh bells jingle The guy on the
rooftop was Jolly Kris Kringle

He had a big sack full of amateur gear which was a big load for his
prancing reindeer. Transmitters, receivers, for cabinets and racks Some
meters and scopes and a lot of co-ax.

He said not a word 'cause he'd finished his work. He picked up his sack
and he turned with a jerk. As he leaped to his sleigh, he shouted with
glee And I knew in a moment he'd be QRT.

I heard him transmit as he flew o'er the trees "Merry Christmas to all,
and to all seven-three."

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to ABC News; Alan Labs; AMSAT-UK; the ARRL
and ARRL Pacific Section; CQ Magazine; Hap Holly and the Rain Report;
IEEE Spectrum; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; RadioInfo.com.au; Radio Society
of Great Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio
Show; Wireless Institute of Australia; 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 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.