XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.policy, rec.radio.info

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2348 for Friday October 28th, 2022

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2348 with a release date of Friday
October 28th, 2022 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams respond as a cyclone ravages parts of
Bangladesh. An Australian club revives a flood aid program -- and
Silent Keys get a tribute event courtesy of amateurs in Poland. All
this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2348 comes your
way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
DEADLY CYCLONE SLAMS BANGLADESH

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a developing story. As Newsline
went to production, a deadly cyclone had enveloped parts of Bangladesh
where the death toll continued to rise, according to reports from
Reuters and other news sources. Mass evacuations preceded the arrival
of Cyclone Sitrang and while there are not yet any published reports
offering details of amateur radio assistance, Newsline learned
informally that some stations in the country were attempting to help
via VHF radio, as power was lost. At production time, Newsline was
still awaiting details from the IARU and other organizations. We hope
to have more details in our next newscast about the cyclone response.

(REUTERS, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA)

**
AUSTRALIAN HAM CLUB REVIVES AID FUND

PAUL/ANCHOR: As devastating flood conditions persist in parts of
Australia, particularly Victoria and much of New South Wales, one
amateur radio club is reviving an outreach initiative begun during
floods that hit at the start of this year. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us
about the effort.

GRAHAM: The North East Victoria Amateur Radio Club, which responded
with financial support when historic floods ravaged so many towns
earlier this year, has revived its funding initiative as parts of
Victoria and New South Wales battle new flood conditions. Begun in
early 2022 as the brainchild of committee members Gary Reeve VK2XF and
Matt Bilston VK3VS, this emergency-response effort shows that not all
amateur assistance is necessarily accomplished with radios alone.

Club secretary Frank Scott VK2BFC told Newsline that the earlier
initiative began with $2,000 from the club and quickly grew to more
than $3,000 with donations from inidividual amateurs and other clubs.
As before, the club is asking members of the community who have had
losses in the current flooding to apply to the club for an e-gift card
that can be taken to supermarkets or other retail outlets to replace
some of what was lost. Community members are being encouraged to apply
for the cards, which are valued at an average of $100.

He said that the club is also prepared to work directly with hams who
lost equipment or towers in the flood to help them replace what is
needed and re-establish their stations. Because many hams also belong
to the local emergency services, the club saw this as an extension of
its public service mission.

Frank said that after seeing the destruction from the latest wave of
flood water, club members decided that the most appropriate response
was to conduct the assistance programme once again. He told Newsline,
"As we say 'When floods happen, we rise above them as a ham
community.' "

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WIA, FRANK SCOTT VK2BFC)

**
LATEST HAARP EXPERIMENT TO INCORPORATE HAMS' INPUT

PAUL/ANCHOR: Researchers in Alaska will soon be sifting through the
results of some major atmospheric experiments - ones that included
input from hams around the world. Sel Embee KB3TZD brings us those
details.

SEL: Following an intense 10-day period of experiments that were to be concluded by Friday, October 28th, scientists at the High-frequency
Active Auroral Research Program plan to be studying their results along
with observations from participating amateur radio operators.

Hams had been invited to monitor daily transmissions that included HF
ocean scatter, interactions between satellites and the ionosphere, moon
bounce and an unprecedented attempt to bounce a signal off of Jupiter.
The scientists were also exploring possible reasons behind the airglow phenomenon known as Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, or by
the acronym STEVE, and testing whether radio transmissions could be
used to measure the interiors of near-Earth asteroids.

The program manager, Jessica Matthews, called the research the most
diverse to ever take place at the Alaska facility and contained the
highest number of experiments to date. She said researchers were
relying on citizen scientists around the world. The research was funded
by a $9.3-million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Participating hams were able to file their reports electronically to
the lab, making them eligible for QSL cards.

This is Sel Embee, K-B-3-T-Zed-D.

(ALASKA NATIVE NEWS, HF UNDERGROUND)

**
SILENT KEY: MINNESOTA'S MIKE SIGELMAN, K0BUD

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Minnesota ham radio community is grieving the loss of
an active longtime radio operator who was formally recognized for his
generous spirit and decades of involvement. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells
us about him.

KENT: On his page on QRZ.com, Mike Sigelman, K0BUD, described himself
as "one enthusiastic amateur radio operator!" He wrote: [quote] "I have
been licensed since 1955 and keep heavily involved both on the air as
well as in the local amateur community." [endquote]

Mike became a Silent Key on Thursday the 20th of October, but not
before the former broadcast professional also left a deep imprint in
amateur radio. The ARRL honored him in 2013 with the President's Award
in recognition of his years of commitment and service to various league programs. Earlier this year, he was given the Public Service Award from
the Maple Grove Radio Club, K0LTC.

An enthusiastic participant in local nets, contesting and DXing, he had
also served as president of the Twin City FM Club and the public
relations officer for the ARRL's Minnesota section manager.

His survivors include his wife Judy, N0OEL.

Michael was 83.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(QTZ.COM, STAR-TRIBUNE)

**

SILENT KEY: INFLUENTIAL FINNISH AMATEUR PETER TIGERSTEDT, OH5NQ/OH2BM

PAUL/ANCHOR: A ham respected in Finland for his wide-ranging work as a
mentor, a pioneer and - separately - a renowned botanist - has become a
Silent Key. Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us about him.

ED: Peter Tigerstedt, OH5NQ/OH2BM, was considered one of the most
prominent figures in amateur radio in Finland. A news report from the
Wireless Institute of Australia quotes Martii Laine, OH2BH, as calling
Peter a pioneer on both the high and low ends of the HF spectrum. A
professor by vocation, his other love was to mentor young radio
contesters in Finland and welcome them to his contest station OH5Z.
Born in 1936, he was remembered by Al, 4L5A, writing in a forum on
DxNews.com: [quote] "Now the OH5Z group has lost their 'father figure'
and are looking longingly towards the horizon." [endquote]

Beyond radio, the Helsinki University professor emeritus achieved fame
as an expert in plant-breeding, most especially the rhododendron. He
developed a variety that bears his name.

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(WIA,DXNEWS.COM)

**
SILENT KEY: SOUTHGATE AMATEUR NEWS' RICHARD BRUNTON G4TUT

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you follow amateur radio current events you are
probably aware of the Southgate Amateur Radio News website. We here at
Newsline are sad to report that the colleague of ours in England, who
ran that important website, has become a Silent Key. Jeremy Boot G4NJH
has that report.

JEREMY: We are sad to announce the passing of Richard Brunton, G4TUT.
Richard died at age 77 as the result of a fall on the 21st of October.
The callsign may not seem familiar to you, but for decades Richard was
editor of the Southgate Amateur Radio News website which has a
significant international following. Each and every day, Richard would
search the world's ham radio and technology resources seeking out
stories of interest and publishing them. Beyond the straight news items
and specialist sections of his site, Richard encouraged non-commercial
podcasts and blogs to promote ham radio opinion and stimulate debate on
the essential subjects of the day. He also compiled the â-˜CQ Serenade'
weekly programme which was broadcast throughout Europe on
Shortwaveradio.de and other public-facing media. Richard himself was an intensely private man who had no close family, but he reached thousands
of friends daily through his website. Amateur radio has lost a
statesman and a stalwart whose dedication to amateur radio was valued
and enjoyed by so many.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(STEVE RICHARDS G4HPE)

**
POLISH AMATEURS HOSTING ON-AIR MEMORIAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: With every new Silent Key in our amateur radio community,
the bands grow a little more empty. In Poland, however, amateurs are
planning an activation to share and honor those who have meant so much.
Ed Durrant DD5LP brings us the details.

ED: The Polish Amateur Radio Union, PZK, is conducting a memorial
activation from the 1st to the 6th of November, asking amateurs to make
contact with the station SP0SKM and provide the name and callsign of
the Silent Key they wish to commemorate. Hams will be able to do this
on 80, 40 and 20 metres using CW and SSB and on 2 metres FM. The PZK's editorial office is promoting this event which is being called, in
translation, "remembrance of those who passed away." The special-event
station operators will create an SK remembrance List based on SK
stations noted in the log.

Each radio contact is eligible for a certificate which will be able to
be downloaded later, commemorating the event and the Silent Key
submitted. If a ham wishes to honour more than one Silent Key, it must
be done on another day in a different QSO.

The Polish organisation's website says, in translation, [quote] "In
this way, we will honour the memory of those we no longer hear on the
amateur wave." [endquote]

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(PZK,IRTS)

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the
N8VAA repeater, serving parts of West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania and the Potomac Highlands Amateur Radio club from
Moorefield, West Virginia on Monday nights at 8.

**

HAMS WORLDWIDE PREP FOR CQWW COMPETITIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, hams were gearing up for
the first part of the two-part CQ WW amateur radio competition
-considered the largest of its kind in the world. The first of the
48-hour marathons begins on SSB at 0000 UTC on Saturday, October 29th
and ends at 2399 UTC on Sunday October 30th. More than 35,000 hams are
expected to be on the air for the first of the two weekend contests.
After that, you have time to prepare for the CW challenge, which will
be held on the weekend of November 26th and 27th. Details, rules and
the results of previous competitions are available at cqww dot com
(cqww.com).

**
CALIFORNIA AMATEURS EXPAND TRAINING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

PAUL/ANCHOR: A newly formed nonprofit group in California is filling a
need to support ongoing disaster-response efforts. Ralph Squillace
KK6ITB tells us what's been happening.

RALPH: Few people understand the value of the El Dorado County
Neighborhood Radio Watch in California better than the members who have
joined the group since it began in 2019. The radio watch's life-saving communication efforts using General Mobile Radio Service equipment,
combines with those of the El Dorado County Amateur Radio Club to save
lives - some even of their own members. This has been especially
critical during wildfires and in other disasters. The two organizations
are now working together even more closely - and more formally
-following the creation of a nonprofit corporation known as the
Community Emergency Radio Association, or CERA. As a fundraising arm
for the two radio groups, CERA is there to receive donations and apply
for community safety grants, magnifying the lifesaving potential of
these local radio sentinels. Alan Thompson W6WN, told Newsline that the teamwork goes beyond even that ambitious agenda. CERA is also a
mentoring group, assisting in emergency preparedness, public safety
exercises and instruction to prepare for the amateur radio licensing
exams. Alan, who is the public information officer for the groups, said
that the El Dorado hams' membership roll has grown and the Neighborhood
Radio Watch now has 500 members throughout the county. Alan said the
groups are also consulting with several other ham radio clubs both in
and outside of California. Alan gave a presentation recently to the
Cool-Pilot Hill Advisory Committee at the Pilot Hill Grange on Monday,
October 24th.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(ALAN THOMPSON, W6WN)

**
YOUNG HAM FROM INDIA SET FOR ANTARCTIC TRIP

PAUL/ANCHOR: Imagine being a young amateur radio operator chosen for a first-time trip outside your home country - to Antarctica. Well for one
young ham in India, that just became a reality. John Williams VK4JJW
tells us about him.

JOHN: Congratulations to Sarabjeet Singh Chhabra, VU2CUW, who at age 27
becomes part of a team going to Antarctica in December as part of the
42nd Indian Scientific Expedition there. Sarabjeet has been a ham since
2015 and according to a news report in Telengana Today, this will be
his first international journey. He was chosen to join the logistics
team by a panel of 11 at the Ministry of Earth Sciences in Delhi. His
work will involve providing support to the primary research team. Each
team has two radio operators who will be using handheld VHF radios or
larger HF rigs to cover greater distances, depending on what type of communication the team needs. This is an annual expedition to India's Antarctica Base Station conducted by the National Centre for Polar and
Ocean Research.

This is John Williams VK2JJW.

(TELENGANA TODAY, ITSHAMRADIO.COM)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for John, W5JON, on the air from St
Eustatius as PJ5/W5JON from Oct. 25th through to the 4th of November.
He will be on 6-60m, using SSB and FT8. QSL direct or via LoTW to his
home call.

Dan K6ZO is active from Malawi using the call sign 7Q6M through to the
end of November. Listen on 160-6m. Dan will participate in both the
CQWW SSB and CW contests. QSL to his home call.

Four hams in Aruba will form a team using the call sign P40L and
participate in the CQWW SSB contest. QSL via WA3FRP.

A group of radio operators from Belgium and Luxembourg will be using
the call sign LX8M from Merscheid, Luxembourg, during the CQWW DX SSB
Contest. QSL via LoTW.

Mark your calendars for a DXpedition by Marcelo, ZL1MTO, who will be
active from Norfolk Island as VK9MTO from December 29th through to
January 5th, 2023. Marcelo will be operating on 20 and 10 metres using
SSB and FT8/FT4. QSL to his home call.

(OHIO PENN DX, DX-WORLD. NET)

**
NEW POSTAL SERVICE MESSAGE NEEDS NO DECODING

PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast by remembering some
code-breaking women of wartime, and celebrating a tribute to them from
the United States Postal Service. Here's Dave Parks WB8ODF to explain.

DAVE: Sending messages the old fashioned way - by postal service - just
got even more traditional for letter-writers and bill-payers in the
United States. A new postage stamp has been issued honoring women of
the US military who handled messages in a much-less straightforward
way: They were the cryptologists of World War II, the backbone of an
operation that contributed in a big way to the Allied victory.

The stamp was formally released on Tuesday, October 18th at a ceremony
in Maryland. The stamp is a tribute to the more than 11,000 women who
worked tirelessly with the traffic of intercepted enemy message that
were sent encoded. Like so many others in the military at that time,
they were sworn to secrecy about their roles. The stamp's design
features a recruitment poster seeking the participation of these women,
who were known as WAVES, an acronym for Women Accepted for Volunteer
Emergency Service. In announcing the new stamps, the US Postal Service
called the women "STEM pioneers" adding that they [quote] "opened the
door for women in the military and have helped shape information
security efforts for future generations." [endquote]

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(US POSTAL SERVICE)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alaska Native News; Ambarish Nag Biswas,
VU2JFA; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net;
HFUnderground; Facebook; Frank Scott, VK2BFC; itshamradio.com;
Minneapolis Star-Tribune; Ohio Penn DX; Polish Amateur Radio Union;
QRZ.com; Reuters; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de;
Steve Richards, G4HPE; Telengana Today; the US Postal Service; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from the
Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio
Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs
expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please
visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you
all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please
leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. 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 2022. All rights reserved.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)