Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2275 for Friday June 4, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2275 with a release date of Friday
June 4, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A YL from Italy will become the first European
woman to command the ISS. Hams in India take on a somber task amid
COVID â-" and Istanbul inaugurates Europe's tallest communications
tower. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2275
comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**
ISS GETTING FIRST EUROPEAN WOMAN COMMANDER

PAUL/ANCHOR: Italy's first female astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti
IZ0UDF, has also become the first European woman chosen to command the
International Space Station. The European Space Agency announced the
former fighter pilot's selection on Friday, May 28th. She is to launch
in 2022 with NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren KO5MOS [Kay Oh 5 EM Oh Ess]
and Bob Hines aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. This will be her
second stay on board the ISS where she will become the fifth ESA
astronaut to serve as its commander.

(BRUSSELS TIMES, EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY)

**'
â-¨AMATEURS IN INDIA HELP COORDINATE CREMATORY LOGISTICS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams in India have taken up a grim but important
responsibility as people throughout that nation continue to count the
deaths from COVID-19. Jason Daniels VK2LAW has that report.

JASON: In India, where crematoriums and graveyards are pushed beyond
capacity to keep pace with the surges in death from COVID-19, amateur
radio operators have stepped up to help provide some coordination
amidst the chaos.â-¨ The Indian Institute of Hams has created a
communications network connecting 16 crematoriums, according to a news
report in the Bangalore Mirror. More than 30 hams have been working
around the clock to ensure proper and dignified handling of cremations
as a reassurance to families, the report said. The institute's
director, S. Sathyapal VU2FI said, hams who are particularly
experienced in crisis management have been visiting crematoriums at
random, gathering details about any problems that have arisen.

S. Sathyapal told the Banglore Mirror: [quote] "Any disturbances
reported at the crematoriums will be brought to the notice of officials
and we will alert the task force to inspect them immediately. Our aim
is to see that a dignified farewell is given to the deceased without
any hassles." [endquote]

The hams' efforts are part of a greater nationwide network of volunteer
response from individuals and nongovernmental organisations attempting
to help funeral professionals at crematoriums and burial grounds.

A report in the New York Times said that an average of 217,638 COVID-19
cases per day were reported in India in the last week, although some
reports indicate the numbers of cases and deaths has begun to decline
in recent days.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(BANGALORE MIRROR, NYTIMES)

**

FCC MAY CONSIDER NEW LOW-POWER FM LICENSES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Make room on the bands - maybe - for some new low-power FM
stations. The US Federal Communications Commission is considering rule
changes that would pave the way for approval of new low-power FM
licenses. Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said the matter is on
the agenda at the commission's June 17th meeting. The move follows
actions the commission took last year to modify engineering rules for
low-power FM stations.

(FCC, RADIOWORLD)

**

SILENT KEY: AMSAT's ANDY MAC ALLISTER, W5ACM

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime friend of AMSAT and a noted satellite
enthusiast has become a Silent Key. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us
abouthim.

KEVIN: The ham described by some as the Voice of the Houston AMSAT Net
and the King of the South Texas Balloon Launch Team has become a Silent
Key. Andy MacAllister W5ACM died on Wednesday, May 19th at his home in
Texas. Andy, who became a licensed amateur radio operator in high
school, was a former member of the AMSAT Board of Directors and had
been a liaison for SAREX, that allowed students to speak to astronauts
onboard the Shuttle spacecraft.

Andy's many jobs included working as a chief operator and technician at
KTRU, the student-run radio station at Rice University in Houston.
According to his online obituary he also worked for two years for
Lockheed at NASA, designing space shuttle simulators and was in charge
of technical manuals and certifications for more than 20 years at
Daniel Measurement and Control. Andy was also known as one of the
columnists at 73 magazine, where he wrote about amateur radio
satellites.

Andy was 68.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(AMSAT, BERESFORD FUNERAL SERVICE)

**
ACTIVATION TO BENEFIT NY STATE'S BANNERMAN ISLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: Now here's an island activation with a dual purpose:
Successful radio contacts get a certificateâ-"and the island itself
gets hoped-for funding to help restore its use as a park. As Dave Parks
WB8ODF tells us, it's going on in New York State's Hudson Valley
region.

DAVE: The chance to activate a castle or an island has always ignited
the imaginations of many hamsâ-"but the activations taking place near
Bannerman Castle on New York's Bannerman Island on Saturday, June 12th
have less to do with imagination and more to do with a real-life goal.
Radio operators who are part of the Hudson Valley Digital Network are
hoping to make contact worldwide from locations along the Hudson River
to bring attention to the need to restore Bannerman Island and its
buildings for visitors' safe use as a public park. Bannerman Island is
not part of the Islands on Air awards program: It belongs to the New
York State Park system and is one of six islands in the Hudson River.
Eight amateur radio stations will be on the air between 1 p.m. and 5
p.m. Eastern Timeâ-"one of them from the island itself, using the
callsign N2B. The stations are activating under the sponsorship of the
Hudson Valley Radio Relay. Operators logging these stations will
receive a commemorative certificate and information on how to
contribute to the fundraising campaign to help the nonprofit Bannerman
Castle Trust restore the historic island. So be listening for N2B along
with stations operating nearby: N2H, N2U, N2D, N2S, N2O, N2N and N2V.
They will be using various modes, including CW, SSB and the
digitalmodes.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(EAST GREENBUSH AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION, HUDSON VALLEY DIGITAL
NETWORK BLOG)

**
GERMAN AUTHORITIES CLAMP DOWN ON SOLAR PANEL COMPANY

PAUL/ANCHOR: We all struggle with RF interference and so much of it is
preventable. In Germany, authorities are taking steps to ensure some of
that RFI doesn't come from certain solar panels. Ed Durrant DD5LP gives
us those details.

ED: The manufacturer of a solar panel optimiser has been restricted
from doing business in the German market because of concerns over RF
interference. The German regulator, BNetzA, has said that it has taken
the action against SolarEdge because some of its optimisers cause
levels of RF pollution that do not comply with directives set by the
EU. The company, which has offices around the world, describes itself
as a leading manufacturer of photovoltaic inverters for solar power
systems.

According to a translation from VERON, the largest amateur radio
association in The Netherlands, SolarEdge's representative in Germany
has four weeks to correct the problem before the regulator prohibits
the products' national sale altogether. According to reports, the
restriction applies only to Germany, despite the RF-pollution directive
setting an EU-wide standard. The company's website did not contain a
statement responding to the German regulator's actions.

SolarEdge's optimiser is not the only product by any manufacturer that
the German regulator has noted as being out of compliance. Recent study
results published by BNetZa have shown that 75 percent of solar panel
installations and 25 percent of LED lights studied failed to meet EU
standards.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP

(SOUTHGATE, VERON)

**
HAMSCI SEEKING AMATEUR INPUT DURING 'ECLIPSE FESTIVAL'

PAUL/ANCHOR: The citizen scientist organization HamSCI is looking for
amateur input worldwide during its "eclipse festival" this month. Jack
Parker W8ISH tells us how to get involved.

JACK: Hams and shortwave listeners around the world have been invited
to the latest solar eclipse festival being held by HamSCI to gather
data using their HF radios and a computer running open-source software.
Radio operators are being being asked to record time-standard stations
during the annular solar eclipse across the Arctic Circle, in an
experiment that runs from the 7th to the 12th of June. The annular
phase of the eclipse will be visible from parts of northern Canada,
Russia and Greenland; a partial eclipse is likely to be visible,
weather permitting, in Europe, northern Asia and the United States. The
crowd-sourced data from citizen scientists will help researchers study
the superimposed effects of auroral particle precipitation and the
eclipse on HF Doppler shift. Radio operators around the world are
invited to sign up and take part. All participants will receive QSL
certificates as well as the findings of the data's analysis. The
primary beacon for the experiment will be the Russian time standard
station RWM on 9.996 MHz. If your radio cannot receive this frequency,
try 10 MHz WWV or another station listed on the HamSCI website.

Instructions on how to participate in this festival of frequency
measurement can be found at hamsci dot org. (hamsci.org)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jack Parker W8ISH.

(HAMSCI)

**
BREAK HE Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the NM5EM repeater in Grants, New Mexico, on Thursdays at 8 p.m.
localtime.

**
TURKEY'S NEW COMMUNICATIONS TOWER CALLED EUROPE'S TALLEST

PAUL/ANCHOR: As so many hams know, a soaring new tower isn't always the
most welcome sight in some neighborhoods. Of course, if the
neighborhood happens to be the largest city in Turkey, that's a
different story. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us why.

JIM: The Çamlıca [pronounced: CHAM-LEE-CHA] TV-Radio Tower in
Istanbul stands 369 meters tall, or 1,210 feet tall, a futuristic,
state-of-the-art structure being heralded as the tallest
telecommunications tower in Europe. At its inauguration in late May,
Turkish President ErdoÄŸan [pronounced: AIR-DOO-WAN], praised the
high-tech structure for its ability to carry 100 FM broadcasts
simultaneously, noting that it replaces numerous outdated facilities
that had previously stood on the same hill. The mass of older towers
had long been criticized as marring the city's skyline and posing
health risks for city residents. Construction began on the new tower in
2016 in the hopes it would also be a magnet for tourism in the city.
The tower is located on the Asian side of the city and its highest
point is more than 580 meters, or 1,900 feet, above sea level.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(HURRIYET DAILY NEWS, DAILY SABAH)

**
IRISH AMATEURS ASKED TO CHECK IN AT WISCONSIN FESTIVAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: An invitation has been extended to hams in Ireland to
attend an Irish festival in Wisconsinâ-"via radioâ-"and the guests'
replies are starting to come in. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us up todate.

JEREMY: The popular Irishfest in La Crosse, Wisconsin is making a
comeback this August and this year the festival will be bringing
Ireland to Wisconsin in a new way: The Riverland Amateur Radio Club
W9UP has invited a number of Irish amateur radio clubs to join in the
activity on the Mississippi Riverfront. Irishfest trustee Shawn Hicks
KD9KGQ, a board member of the Riverland club, told Newsline he has
already gotten a positive response from the Shannon Basin Radio Club
and the East Leinster Amateur Radio Club. He said while Irish music,
games and storytelling will be part of the usual attractions, festival
attendees will also get an opportunity to hear from hams in Ireland and
experience amateur radio.

In his invitation sent to various ham clubs based in Ireland, Shawn
wrote: [quote] "Our radio club members will be more than eager to make
DX contacts in Ireland but we would like for our hams to partner with a
fest attendee and give them an opportunity to chat with you. This would
give them a chance to learn a little bit about the region in Ireland
you live in and a chance for you to learn about us as well." [endquote]
The club will be on the air at the festival on August 14th from 1600 to
2200 UTC on 14.260 MHz and will also conduct QSOs with the hams in
Ireland via Yaesu Fusion Wires X Room 63956. Shawn said if clubs want
to meet in a different Wires X room that will be possible too.

Hams in Ireland may contact Shawn at e i s t i m 6 8 at gmail dot com
)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(SHAWN HICKS KD9KGQ)

**

HAWAIIAN AMATEURS CELEBRATE ISLANDS' 19th CENTURY KING

ANCHOR: A special event station is about to get under way in Hawaii,
marking the legacy of a beloved monarch. John Williams VK4JJW explains.

JOHN: The 19th century Hawaiian king, Kamehameha, who is celebrated for
having united the islands of Hawaii in 1810, would no doubt appreciate
the spirit of the day on Friday June 11th. On that day, amateur radio
operators will be working in unison as special event station K6K,
honoring the leader, warrior, businessman and diplomat whose vision for
the islands kept Western explorers from encroaching on their
territories.

As envisioned by Michael Miller KH6ML, the special event station will
carry the king's story around the world as operators on the various
islands make as many contacts as possible. This is not a contest and
there are no paper QSL cards. However, downloadable certificates will
be available. For more details visit the QRZ page of K6K.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

**

RSGB TO EXPAND NEWS-READER TEAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Radio Society of Great Britain wants new team members
on its news service to read reports from around the UK and the world
for local hams. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us how to get involved.

JEREMY: One of the latest news items from the Radio Society of Great
Britain is about ham radio news itself: The Society is looking for
amateurs who would like to join their team of news readers, sharing
updates on events, solar forecasts and issues of concern to hams
throughout the UK and around the world. A new video on the Society's
website and on their YouTube channel explains the news readers' roles
with the GB2RS news service. The Society currently has more than 100
news readers delivering transmissions every week on Sundayâ-"a
tradition that began in September of 1955.

The news reports are heard on HF, analogue and digital VHF AND UHF
repeaters as well as through amateur TV transmissions. Reports are also
transmitted via the QO-100 satellite. Hams with online access can hear
the reports via podcasts and video presentations.

For more details, or to watch the video, follow the link in this week's
printed script of this newscast at arnewsline.org.

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

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: rsgb.org/gb2rs-manager]

(RSGB)

**
FOX MIKE HOTEL CHALLENGE

Wherever you are in the world, get ready for the return of the Fox Mike
Hotel Portable Ops Challenge coming September4th and 5th. The contest
is designed to create equal operating conditions between portable and
fixed stations. For details visit foxmikehotel dot com.


(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: RADIO'S BLASTS, NOT NECESSARILY FROM THE PAST

PAUL/ANCHOR: Finally, we ask: Do you love solving a good mystery?
Scientists think they may be getting ready to do just that. They're hot
on the trail of some mysteriousâ-"and intensely fastâ-"radio signals.
Here's Neil Rapp WB9VPG with the details.

NEIL: Fast radio bursts: No, that's not the enviable signal report you
dream of getting from that rare DX somewhere in the Antarctic. These
are the formerly mysterious deep space signals astronomers have been
tracking using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. Notice we said "formerly"
mysterious. For years scientists have scratched their heads over the
source of these 1,000 or so powerful blasts, which began showing up in
2001. They are, however, so fast that they're here and then....they're
not. According to a report in CBS News, scientists have traced only 15
of them and they apparently came from distant galaxies. New findings
about to be published in The Astrophysical Journal, track five of the
most recent radio blasts to the so-called "spiral arms" of the
galaxies, the places where stars form - but not from ' young stars
exploding and dying. Rather, the blasts' origins appear to be from
neutron stars, young magnetars that have powerful magnetic fields.
While this doesn't completely solve the mystery, it does narrow things
down quite a bit and that's no small task. This is the kind of power we
hams can only envy: in the one-thousandth of a second it takes these
flares to erupt, they create as much energy as the sun does in a year.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(CBS)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT; the ARRL;
Bangalore Mirror; Brussels Times; CBS; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB;
East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association; the European Space Agency;
FCC; HAMSci; Hudson Valley Digital Network; Massachusetts Institute of
Technology; MSN.COM; New York Times; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; QRZ.com;
Radio Society of Great Britain; RadioWorld; Ron Panetta WB2WGH;
Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Ted Randall's QSO
Radio Show; SpaceNews; VERON; WTWW Shortwave; and you our listeners,
that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at
. For more information or to support us visit
our official website at arnewsline.org. Be sure to follow some of
these stories as they get a more indepth look on the YouTube Channel of
100 Watts and a Wire. Search for the video segment with the title "Two
Stories."

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and
our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening.

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