Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2262 for Friday March 5 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2262 with a release date of Friday
March 5 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Wyoming students finally get their space QSOs.
A solar panel promises more energy for Earth -- and a new video tells
the story of a classic broadcast transmitter's rescue. All this and
more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2262 comes your way
rightnow.


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BILLBOARD CART

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WYOMING STUDENTS GET QSO WITH ISS AT LAST

DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week with the story of a promise fulfilled:
In the language of space, Perseverence isn't just the name of a rover
on Mars. It's a quality that paid off among students in Wyoming who â-"
after a failed attempt in January â-" finally got their QSO with the
International Space Station. Here's Mike Askins KE5CXP with the
details.

MIKE: Students at Wyoming's Newcastle High School were flying high, at
least in spirit, on Monday, March 1st. Their amateur radio contact with
ISS Commander Mike Hopkins KF5LJG was a success at last, after their
first try failed as a result of technical troubles with the U.S.
astronauts' radio. With that radio down for repairs, the QSO took place
via the Russians' 2-meter rig instead and the students' questions
rolled in fast, making the most of their precious 10-minute window for
contact. After hearing how bok choy and mustard is grown in space, how
astronauts gently toss a football around for amusement and how a
microgravity environment can cause fluid in the ears, the students
wrapped things up by saying 73.

The contact, accomplished with the help of a multi-point telebridge
network, was a triumph for the high school as much as the ARISS
program: It marked the first time in the ARISS program's 20-year
history, that it has organized a QSO with students in Wyoming.

To hear the QSO, visit the YouTube site that appears in the printed
version of this week's script.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2EYvX27Ujo]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.


DON/ANCHOR: In the meantime, ARISS chair Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, announced
that efforts were under way to identify the issue that caused the radio
to fail in January and a team is working with NASA and the European
Space Agency on a solution.


(ARISS, YOUTUBE)

**
SPACEWALKING AMATEURS PREP FOR POWER UPGRADE

DON/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, big things have been happening OUTSIDE the ISS,
too. Paul Braun WD9GCO picks up the story from here.

PAUL: For two amateur radio operators aboard the International Space
Station, it was their moment in the sun. Literally. NASA flight
engineers Kate Rubins KG5FYJ and Victor Glover KI5BKC took the first
moves toward a power upgrade for the space station, during a seven-hour
and four-minute spacewalk to outfit the new solar arrays with
modification kits.

If the view for observers was a little more spectacular than usual,
consider that Rubins' helmet held a high definition video camera for
the first time and was streaming the action live. Videos had been taken
previously using a helmet cam, of course, but only with standard
definition.

NASA was quick to point out that the present solar arrays on the ISS
are working fine but they're degrading and are approaching the end of
their useful life. The spacewalk was designed to prepare for the
installation of new solar arrays which are expected to be sent to the
ISS aboard a SpaceX vehicle starting in June.

Meanwhile, there is still work to be done. NASA officials said that the
upgrade is to be completed by Friday March 5th, with Rubins returning
accompanied by another amateur radio operator: Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency astronaut Soichi Noguchi KD5TVP.

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

(CNN, SPACE.COM)

**
RF INTERFERENCE REPORTS DRAW RAPID RESPONSE FROM OFCOM

DON/ANCHOR: In the UK, the telecommunications regulator recently
delivered a rapid response to a report of radio interference - but this
wasn't exactly an amateur radio crisis. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains.

JEREMY: It took barely a half-hour as Ofcom, the telecommunications
regulator in the UK, responded swiftly to an urgent report of
widespread RF interference, calling it a high priority case. Even the
local police got involved and awaited the arrival of a spectrum
engineer dispatched from Ofcom's Spectrum Management Centre, which
operates around the clock.

The crisis at hand wasn't jammed signals reported by radio operators
but the failure of shoppers at a Hertfordshire superstore to use their
key fobs to unlock their vehicles in the car park. Because the key fobs
use radio spectrum at very low power they are subject to interference
issues the same as other radio equipment.

Using his spectrum analyser, the engineer was unable to pinpoint the
source of the interference, which could have been simply lightbulbs or
a malfunctioning doorbell. The situation had already resolved itself by
the time he arrived.

Hams in the UK should report any and all interference to Ofcom, via the
web address given in the text version of this report at
arnewsline.org.... even if their vehicle's key fob is working fine.

[PRINT ONLY: Don't read out:
https://ofcomforms.secure.force.com/formentry/ ]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE, OFCOM)

**
THOUSANDS OF QSOS MADE TO HONOR DISCOVERY OF PLUTO

DON/ANCHOR: Imagine getting a QSL card from Pluto. Thousands did. Well,
OK, it was really the next best thing: a special event station
celebrating Pluto. Here's Randy Sly W4XJ with the details.

RANDY: Amateur radio operators from around this world recently
celebrated the discovery of another world: Pluto, which was first seen
in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. Special event station W7P -with
"P" for Pluto - was activated last month by the Northern Arizona DX
Association for the Pluto Anniversary Countdown Special Event. There
will be an event counting down each of the next 10 years, ending with
the centennial year 2030.

This was a particularly special event for Doug Tombaugh N3PDT, nephew
of the astronomer who made the discovery. Doug marked the occasion by
operating along with three other amateurs as W7P/0, logging 1,191
contacts. He said he especially enjoyed talking with other amateurs who
knew his uncle or were involved in other activities related to Pluto.

Countdown coordinator Bob Wertz NF7E said in all 15 amateurs logged
more than 7,000 contacts from their home QTHs as well as from a
communications trailer on the grounds of Lowell Observatory, where
Clyde first made his discovery.

The countdown begins again next year on February 12th - the last
Saturday before the February 18th anniversary itself.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ.

**
SOLAR PANEL PROMISES MORE STREAMED ENERGY TO EARTH

DON/ANCHOR: Now here's a story that should energize you: A ham radio
operator has helped develop a way to bring more of the sun's power home
to Earth. Kent Peterson KC0DGY sheds light on this.

KENT: Amateur radio ingenuity has helped lead to the development of a
prototype solar panel designed to transmit electricity to Earth from
outer space.

Launched in May of 2020 aboard a Pentagon drone, the device is known as
the Photovoltaic Direct Current to Radio Frequency Antenna Module, or
PRAM for short. Project co-developer Paul Jaffee KJ4IKI said in a
recent CNN report that the PRAM underwent a successful test recently by
the United States Department of Defense at the U.S. Naval Research
Laboratory.

He said the PRAM produces about 10 watts of energy for transmission but
could be scaled up, bringing the promise of transmitting energy to the
power grids back on Earth. The panel uses the blue waves of light in
space which become diffused when entering the Earth's atmosphere. It
captures these waves, which are more powerful than sunlight on Earth,
and retains that energy.

No, the PRAM hasn't yet sent any of that power back home but scientists
say the tests have shown it works. The concept is to beam microwaves to
Earth for conversion into electricity wherever it is needed. Paul told
CNN that the next move would be to expand its ability to collect even
more sunlight to prepare it for that microwave transportation back
toEarth.

Team co-leader Chris DePuma told CNN the technology would be especially
useful in regions where natural disasters have taken down the
powergrid.

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

(CNN)

**
AMATEUR MAKES PLANS FOR 'FLYING HAMS' PODCAST

DON/ANCHOR: If you're one of those amateur radio operators who likes to
get on air FROM the air, as a pilot, this next story from Andy Morrison
K9AWM might have you in mind.

ANDY: Dan Hileman WO5WO is a ham with a high-flying idea. A former
airline pilot-turned-middle school teacher has another project on the
runway. He's planning to start a podcast this summer devoted to hams
who enjoying being IN the air....as much as they like to be ON the air.
He'd like to bring hams on board for ragchews about fly-ins,
DX-peditions, FAA flight safety tips, and projects that combine being a
pilot and an amateur radio operator. He's especially interested in
stories of famous - and not-so-famous - hams in the sky. He told
Newsline in an email that the podcast is [quote] "just a fun way to
connect already connected hobbies" [endquote] and he can't guarantee
there won't be more than a few corny jokes along the way. He said he
hopes the half-hour, bi-weekly podcast will inspire youngsters to think
about flying and radio as two related hobbies.

He's working with a ham radio friend who's a former Air Force pilot and
together they're hoping to, well, get things off the ground. Dan
welcomes any and all ideas. You can reach him via email at
Who knows what ideas might just take wing?

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM.

**
BREAK HE Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the WA2EHL repeater in Burlington New Jersey on Fridays at 7 p.m.
localtime.



**
SARL PARTNERSHIP TO ASSIST KENYA'S NEWEST HAMS

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in South Africa are partnering with hams in Kenya to
help that nation's newest amateurs. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings us
thatstory.

JIM: The Communication Authority of Kenya has approved a memorandum of
understanding that will allow the South African Radio League to assist
the Radio Society of Kenya by administering the technical parts of the
amateur licence exam. Regulator approval of the agreement was announced
in late February. The memorandum outlines how the Kenyan radio society
will continue to administer the regulations and operating procedure
portions but states that the South African group will conduct online
courses for training of the Kenyan amateurs and provide the training
manuals and presentation material as well. The arrangement, which had
been worked out during the past six months, can now go forward. SARL
has similar agreements in place with Namibia and Botswana.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(SARL NEWS BULLETIN)

**
AMSAT-DL TRACKS MARS SPACE PROBE

DON/ANCHOR: When it copied signals recently from two space probes near
Mars, AMSAT Germany was listening for a special reason. Ed Durrant
DD5LP explains.

ED: AMSAT-DL, which has a long-term goal to launch a space probe to
Mars, has been listening meanwhile to probes from China and the
Emirates that are in orbit around the planet. Using the Bochum
Observatory dish at the Sternwarte Bochum Institute, the German AMSAT
organisation has copied signals from Tianwen-1 and EMM/Hope, both of
which are transmitting on 8.4 GHz. AMSAT-DL makes use of the dish on a
regular basis to receive transmission from the NASA/NOAA weather
satellites.

Built in 1965 to provide ground support for the Apollo missions, the
dish was renovated in 2003 with the help of amateur radio operators who
added phase-locked receivers in the 2.3 GHz, 5.8 GHz and 10.4 GHz
amateur bands, along with the 8.4 GHz receiver. The dish also has an
S-band, 2.4 GHz amateur transmitter with 250 watts PEP output. The
dish, which is 20-metres, or 65.6 feet, in diameter, copied signals
from Voyager 1 in 2006.

AMSAT Germany's plan for a probe of its own dates to 2002, when
preparations began for a way to circle Mars, conduct experiments and
leave a payload on the planet's surface. Scientists hope the German
P5-A probe will be capable of transmitting on amateur radio frequencies
receivable on Earth using a 2- to 3-metre parabolic antenna.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP. (AMSAT-DL)

**
HAMS IN BRAZIL CHALLENGE REGULATOR'S LACK OF RESPONSE

DON/ANCHOR: Hams in Brazil have challenged the nation's regulator,
saying its lack of response is keeping hams off the air. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH has that story.

JEREMY: Brazil's amateur radio society LABRE has told the nation's
communications regulator ANATEL that problems communicating with them
and their website have been standing in the way of many who wish to
operate legally on the ham bands.

In a letter dated the 23rd February, the radio organisation LABRE
acknowledged that the recent introduction of online licence testing had
eased some of the difficulties in getting on the air but hams are now
thwarted by the bureaucracy they face in order to complete the process.
The letter cited excessive days waiting and a lack of communication
from ANATEL. LABRE said that these difficulties have been reported by
newly licensed amateurs as well as those qualifying for upgrades.

In a report of the letter, which appeared on Southgate Amateur Radio
News, there had been no immediate response from the Brazilian
regulator.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

OPEN REGISTRATION BEGINS FOR YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP

DON/ANCHOR: It's time to think about amateur radio camp - and the
application period is now open for young hams throughout North,
Central, and South America. The Youth on the Air camp will take place
from July 11th through July 16th at the National Voice of America
Museum in West Chester, Ohio and will welcome as many as 30 campers
ages 15 through 25. Scholarships are available for those who cannot
afford the $100 camp fee. The window to apply closes on March 21st at
2359 UTC. For details or to download a brochure visit YouthOnTheAir.org

Organizers will announce in April whether camp needs to be rescheduled
in response to COVID-19 restrictions but for now the plans are going
forward.

**
NOMINATE A YOUNG HAM FOR NEWSLINE'S AWARD

DON/ANCHOR: Speaking of young hams, we have opened the nomination
period for our annual Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham of the Year award. Think of a young amateur whose
commitment to community and whose enthusiasm for radio has inspired you
and others and submit their name. Nominees must 18 or younger living in
the United States, its possessions or any Canadian province.
Downloadable nomination forms can be found on our website
arnewsline.org

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, be listening for special event station GB2CR in
Scotland until the 18th of March. The special callsign's suffix "CR"
stands for "Collins Radio," and the operators will be using vintage
valve/tube radio equipment manufactured in the U.S. by Collins. Be
listening on 80-10 meters; mostly SSB with some CW. All QSOs will be
uploaded to ClubLog.

Be listening for Bill, K9HZ; Kyle, WA4PGM and Dan, W0CN active as J68HZ
from a villa in St. Lucia until March 11th. Their activity is usually
on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB, FT8 and EME. QSL J68HZ via LoTW, eQSL or
direct to K9HZ

Stian LB5SH will be active as JW/LB5SH from the JW5E club station on
Spitsbergen Island in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard. He is
expected to be on the air between March 25th and March 28th on various
HF bands using SSB and FT8. He will also be in the CQWW WPX SSB Contest
on March 27 and 28th using the callsign JW2T. Send QSLs to JW/LB5SH and
possibly JW2T via LoTW or ClubLog.

Be listening for Ian, ZS6JSI, who began operating from Benin as
ZS6JSI/TY in January and expects to be there for six months. Be
listening mostly on 20 meters where he is using FT8. He also operates
mobile and can be heard at times on 80/40/20 meters using SSB and FT8.
For details visit his page on QRZ.com.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: DOCUMENTING AN OLD BOAT ANCHOR'S SAIL

DON/ANCHOR: If you've ever refurbished an old boat anchor, you know the
challenges of adding a piece of history to your shack. No doubt you can
relate to this next story about a powerful old Collins boat anchor.
Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells about a new video that chronicles its
rescue and its cross-country journey several years ago.

RALPH: The control room and the Collins 250,000-watt transmitters once
used by Voice of America at its Delano Relay Station in California is
transmitting history now instead of U.S. government broadcasts that
began during World War II into the Pacific Rim and Central and South
America. The transmitter, once part of Delano (duh-LAY-no) Relay DL-8,
is now part of the permanent exhibit at the Antique Wireless
Association Museum in Bloomfield, New York, where its cross-country
journey ended almost six years ago with the help of the museum, the
Collins Collectors Association and the VOA.

A video moderated by Dennis Kidder W6DQ and recently uploaded by the
museum shows the painstaking effort of the team to save the 821A-1
transmitter from the bulldozer headed its way after Voice of America
halted its operations there in 2007. The team, working to do
disassembly and transport on a tight deadline, consisted of Jim
Stitzinger WA3CEX, Bill Cairns N7OTQ, Rod Blocksome N0DAS, CCA
president Scott Kerr KE1RR and Vince Baker from the VOA, among others.

This was not just Collins' most powerful transmitter for a shortwave
broadcaster; it could also autotune within 20 seconds, helping it
successful avoid jammers seeking to silence the U.S. government's
messages. Its story, however, remains unsilenced: Visitors have shared
its message and its history at the Antique Wireless Museum and now in
this 40-minute video uploaded to YouTube in February.

A link to the video appears in the script of this week's newscast on
our website, arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

[FOR PRINT: do not read https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrSrdArng10 ]

(YOUTUBE, CCA, AWA)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the ACMA; Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT-DL;
the Antique Wireless Association; the ARRL; Collins Collectors
Association; CQ Magazine; CNN; David Behar; EOS; Ofcom; Ohio Penn DX
newsletter; QRZ.com; South African Radio League; Southgate Amateur
Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; SPACE.com; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show;
the Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW Shortwave; YouTube; YOTA
Americas Camp; 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 arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and
our news team worldwide, I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW in Picayune Mississippi
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.