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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2267 for Friday April 9 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2267 with a release date of Friday
April 9 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Get ready to work Bouvet Island later this
year. Antarctica gets an unexpected activation -- and a renowned
hexbeam creator becomes a Silent Key. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2267 comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**
PAIR OF DX GROUPS SET EYES ON BOUVET ISLAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a big DXpedition update â-" and
you know that has to mean Bouvet Island. But - TWO DXpeditions? John
Williams VK4JJW brings us the details.

JOHN: The date is set - December 15th of this year - for the Rebel DX
Group to depart Cape Town, South Africa for Bouvet Island and the Three
Y Zero Eye (3Y0I) activation. The team said it is as ready as ever,
following the cancellation of their 2019 DXpedition when they were
within sight of the remote island and turned back during a cyclone for
safety reasons. The team of eight, led by Polish DXpeditioner Dom
3Z9DX, expects to be on Bouvet for as many as 30 days and will operate
eight stations on 160 through 6 metres, using CW, SSB, FT4/FT8, RTTY
and operations through the Qatar-Oscar 100 satellite. The team has
continued to appeal for donations to meet its remaining need for
$32,000.

Meanwhile, the Intrepid-DX Group has announced that they will be
activating the island as well using the call sign Three Y Zero Jay
(3Y0J). Their 20-day stay on the island is set for January 2023. The
team's immediate goal is to continue fundraising to meet their budget
of $764,000 before their planned trip aboard the MV Braveheart.

The Rebel DX Group, in response to the other team's announcement, said
in a press release: [quote] "We would like to wish the recently
announced 3Y0J Bouvet DXpedition all the best for a successful activity
in 2023. There is enough space for even 3 more activities from Three Y
Zero land. We know how much detailed planning goes into a project like
this and cross fingers for them." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(INTREPID DX WEBSITE)

**
ANTARCTIC ASSIGNMENT EVOLVES INTO DXPEDITION

PAUL/ANCHOR: Occasionally there's a DXpedition that didn't start out
quite so ambitiously. Graham Kemp VK4BB has this story about one ham
whose activation of Antarctica just grew from its humble beginnings.

GRAHAM: For Paul Daniels VK2PAD, this was the Antarctic DXpedition
that, well ... just sort of happened. An instrument electrician and
trades supervisor, Paul was assigned to work at Casey Station in
Antarctica where he expects to be for the next nine months or so. Of
course he brought his radios and lots of wire for some antennas.
Initially, he just wanted to chat with people on the air: that's what
he told Newsline. A conversation with the Australian World Wide Flora &
Fauna manager changed all that. Being a SOTA activator, he was game for adventure, and he was convinced to activate the WWFF park he was in, as
well as the continent.

He's using the callsign VK0PD and trying his best on HF, including two
bands new to him: 17 and 24 metres.

Paul told Newsline: [quote] "Somehow this quickly morphed into what
feels like being a rare contest station. My usual style is halfway
between a quick QSO and a ragchew. I like to get to know people and
make friends, so this fast-paced action is not a familiar thing for
me." [endquote] The activation has shown Paul that the peaks of SOTA
summits have got nothing on the peaks of massive pileups for a coveted
DX location. Email him if you want to learn more about his
availability. His email address is in the printed version of this
week's Newsline script.

VK0PD only operates on the weekends but is eager to â-" what else? â-"
break the ice.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

FOR PRINT ONLY: Paul's email is exile06_1980@hotmail.com

**
ANOTHER 'FIRST' FOR HAMS ON THE ISS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Commercial spaceflight logged another first on Monday,
April 5th, as the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft undocked from the
forward port and moved to the zenith port of the ISS with the crew of
four amateur radio operators aboard. The complex maneuver was the first
of its kind undertaken by a commercial crew and it makes way for the
next Crew Dragon spacecraft's docking at the ISS later this month. On
board Crew Dragon "Resilience" during the undocking were NASA's Mike
Hopkins, KF5LJG, Victor Glover, KI5BKC, Shannon Walker, KD5DXB and
JAXA's Soichi Noguchi KD5TVP. The relocation was carried live on
NASATV.

The new four-member crew will consist of NASA's Shane Kimbrough, KE5HOD
and Megan McArthur, JAXA astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, KE5DNI, and Thomas
Pesquet, KG5FYG, from the European Space Agency.

(SPACENEWS.COM, NASA, AMSAT)

**
SILENT KEY: HEXBEAM INNOVATOR WALDI SP7IDX

PAUL/ANCHOR: Hexbeam users and DXers alike are marking the loss of a
popular and prominent figure. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about Waldi
SP7IDX.

JEREMY: An amateur radio operator considered one of the world's
foremost makers of hexbeam antennas has become a Silent Key.

The death of Waldi was reported on the DX-World.Net website. Reportedly recovering from COVID-19, he suffered a fatal heart attack on 4thApril.

His QTH in southeast Poland was also the company headquarters for his successful hexbeam antenna, used widely by Dx-peditioners around the
world. He was a well-known Dxpeditioner, most particularly in the
Islands on the Air awards scheme.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(DX-WORLD.NET)

**
JS8CALL DEVELOPER WINS SPECIAL RECOGNITION

PAUL/ANCHOR: The developer of a popular new software that enhances
weak-signal communication has received special recognition. Sel Embee
KB3TZD tells us about him.

SEL: The creator of the weak-signal digital communication
conversational application known as JS8Call is this year's recipient of
the Amateur Radio Software Award. The award, founded by Claus AE0S, is
an international honor recognizing the spirit of innovation given
freely to the amateur radio community. Congratulations to Jordan
Sherer, KN4CRD, of Atlanta, Georgia, who created the application as an extension of the FT8 protocol. According to the awards website, the
application was five years in the works and has added new vitality to
digital communications, most particularly among members of ARES. It is available to users as a free download. On his QRZ.com page, Jordan describes the application as "a derivative of QSJT-X that focuses on
long-form keyboard-to-keyboard style communication similar to what
you'd see in Fldigi or FSQ."

Jordan will receive his award certificate and a grant of $300.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(RICH GORDON K0EB)

**
RSGB ANNOUNCES 'FRIENDSHIP ON THE AIR' AWARD

PAUL/ANCHOR: Most of us know that for a good ham radio experience you
need good components. One of the most important components, however, is
an intangible one: friendship. The Radio Society of Great Britain hopes
to change that by making that friendship tangible and rewarding it.
Here's Jeremy Boot G4NJH to explain.

JEREMY: Making contact is at the heart of the latest award being
offered by the Radio Society of Great Britain. The Friendship on the
Air award has been launched to celebrate contacts that turn into
friendships amongst hams. It's a noncompetitive award that encourages
amateurs to dispense with the quick QSO and really connect with other
radio operators. It's an outgrowth of the "Get on the Air to Care"
campaign launched last year by the RSGB and the National Health Service
to reduce social isolation during the global pandemic. The RSGB said
that the award ties in with the theme of World Amateur Radio Day on
Sunday the 18th of April: "Home but Never Alone."

For details on how to qualify for the award, visit the link provided in
this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

[FOR PRINT ONLY: www.rsgb.org/friendship-award]

(RSGB)

**
NOMINATE A YOUNG HAM FOR NEWSLINE'S AWARD

PAUL/ANCHOR: There's one more award worth mentioning here: The Bill
Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year
award. Just a reminder that the nomination period is open. 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

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
D-STAR Reflector 91 C in Melbourne, Australia on Wednesdays at 7:30
p.m. Australian Eastern Time.

**
CONTEST FOR YOUNG HAMS MAKES DEBUT IN REGION 1

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Youth Working Group of the IARU Region 1 has announced
a new contest as we hear from Ed Durrant DD5LP.

ED: Â Young amateurs in IARU Region 1 are hoping for a big turnout in
May for the debut of the YOTA contest, an initiative designed to get
more young amateurs on the air around the world. The 12-hour
competition will be held three times a year, with the first one
happening on the 22nd of May. There are eight categories, including
ones for hams 25 and younger and the contest exchange will be the
operators' ages. Activity will be on 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10-metre
bands in CW and SSB modes. The later contests will be in July and
December. The Youth Working Group has arranged the event with the
cooperation of the Hungarian Amateur Radio Society. Details are
available on the website shown in this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

PRINT ONLY: https://ham-yota.com/contest (YOUTH WORKING GROUP IARU
REGION 1)

**
ECHOLINK NET TO MARK WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Speaking of the IARU, it's almost time to mark its 96th anniversary. The worldwide celebration includes this one happening on
Echolink. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us about it.

KEVIN: Like the International Amateur Radio Union itself, one net
celebrating the IARU's founding has undergone plenty of changes since
its inception. The net began modestly on Echolink in 2015 when John
DeRycke (Duh Rikey) W2JLD said he noticed there were no celebrations
being held in that mode to mark the IARU's founding in Paris in 1925.
It has grown in subsequent years to include other modes and extended
hours of operation. This year's net will span 16 hours with 10 to 12
net controllers from around the world and the special event call sign
W7W. Hams will be checking in on the ROC-HAM Echolink conference node
531091 and on Allstar 2585. Other conferences will be linked in
including the *DODROPIN* NODE 355800, WALES NODE 485040 and the South
Wales Digital Group node 676659. Users of DMR and the Hamshack Hotline
will also be able to check in.

For full details of the celebration visit the QRZ page for W7W and to
view the QSL card marking the event.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

**
TWO-WAY RADIOS HELP NEW ZEALAND SEARCH AND RESCUE

PAUL/ANCHOR: In New Zealand, there's promise for extra
search-and-rescue success using drones outfitted with two-way radio.
Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us more.

JIM: Take a highly directional microphone array and processor, a team
of drones and a wild landscape with the potential for the danger of
getting lost and you have a promising search-and-rescue
communicationstool.

At least that's what executives at Dotterel, a company in Auckland, New
Zealand are hoping. Outfitting drones with this kind of audio payload
is providing two-way radio capability that can conduct
search-and-rescue over large areas by hearing people's cries for help.
This adds one more tool to the versatile toolbox of public safety
operations which already contains the ability to use thermal imaging,
cellphone signals and visual imagery. According to an article in
DroneLife, this radio installation will permit two-way communications
with people on the ground calling for aid and who can provide details
of their injuries..

Shawn Edlin, the company's CEO, said in a press release that the
microphones are able to receive highly directional audio on the ground
as the signal remains uncompromised by drone propeller noise and other
sounds. Brandon McCarthy, Auckland search and rescue leader, said audio
will provide an extra capability for the team's operations going
forward.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(DRONELIFE)

**
CONTEST UNIVERSITY TO BE HELD VIRTUALLY AGAIN

PAUL/ANCHOR: With Hamvention being held virtually again this year,
there are two programs figuring prominently on the calendar. We hear
about them from Stephen Kinford N8WB.

STEPHEN: Hamvention's Contest University will be held virtually again
this year, just like Hamvention itself. Classes get under way at 9 a.m.
Eastern Time, or 1300 UTC, Thursday May 20th on Zoom. Registration is
free and you can start signing up from the 20th of April.

Please check contestuniversity.com for updates and a course outline.

Lessons of a different sort continue the next day as Hamvention's 2021
Award winners make 45-minute presentations followed by a Q&A - again,
all conducted virtually on Zoom. Presenters are Newsline's science
editor Tamitha Mulligan Skov (SKOVE) WX6SWW, winner of the Technical Achievement Award; Wesley Lamboley W3WL, winner of the Special
Achievement Award; Angel Vazquez WP3R, Amateur of the Year; and the
Vienna Wireless Society K4HTA Club of the Year.

Don't forget the Hamvention QSO Party on Saturday, May 22nd from 8 a.m.
to 8 p.m. Eastern Time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Stephen Kinford K8WB. (HAMVENTION)

**

WORLD OF DX

Bodo, HB9EWU, is on the air in Zambia where he is on a humanitarian
mission. He is using the call sign 9J2BG and is active on 20 meters.
Send QSLs to HB9EWU, direct or by the Bureau. He is unsure of the
length of his activation but will send QSL cards in 2022 when he
returns to Switzerland.

Be listening for Alex PA1AW who will be using the special event call
sign PA96WARD celebrating 'World Amateur Radio Day 2021 on the 18th of
April. That date is the anniversary of the creation of the
International amateur Radio Union in 1925 in Paris. Send QSLs to PA1AW.

**
KICKER: THE VAGABOND HAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's news report with an invitation: On the
occasion of World Amateur Radio Day on Sunday April 18th, we ask you to
sit back, relax and think of what it means to be a ham radio operator.
To help your thoughts along, we offer this poem by Ken Johnson
W6NKE/SK, first published in 73 magazine in 1960. Sunil VU3ZAN brought
it to the attention of Onno VK6FLAB. We thank Onno, who reads it here
in this except from his weekly podcast "Foundations of Amateur Radio."
The Vagabond Ham, by Ken Johnson W6NKE (SK)

A vagabond's life is the life I live Along with others, ready to give A friendly laugh and a word of cheer To each vagabond friend, both far
and near. I travel the air waves, day or night To visit places I'll
never sight From the rail of a ship, or from a plane Yet I'll visit
them all again and again. I never hear from a far off land That my
pulse doesn't quicken. With careful hand I tune my receiver and VFO
dial To make a new friend and chat for awhile. Africa, Asia, they're
all quite near In as easy reach as my radio gear With the flip of a
switch, the turn of a knob I can work a ZL, a friend named Bob. There's
an LU4, a fellow that's grand Who's described to me his native land
'Till I can hear the birds, and feel the breeze As it blows from the
slopes of the mighty Andes. I learned of the surf, and a coral strand
The smell of hybiscus where palm trees stand Neath a tropical moon,
silver and bright From an FO8 that I worked one night. I've thrilled to
the tales of night birds' screams In the depths of the jungle where
death-laden streams Flow'neath verdant growth of browns and greens From
a DU6 in the Philippines. The moors of Scotland, a little French
Shrine, German castles on the River Rhine Of these things I've learned,
over the air Without ever leaving my ham shack chair. There's a KL7 on
top of the world To whom the Northern Lights are a banner unfurled That
sweeps across the Arctic night Makes the frozen sky a thing of delight.
Tales of silver and gold and precious stones Ancient temples and
molding bones Where the natives, I'm told, are tall and tan By an XE3
down in Yucatan. My vagabond trips over the air Will take me, well,
just anywhere Where other vagabonds and I will meet From a tropical
isle, to a city street My vagabond's life will continue, I know Through
the fabulous hobby of ham radio And one day from out at the world's end
We'll meet on the air, my Vagabond friend.

I'm Onno VK6FLAB

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the ACMA; Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT;
the ARRL; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; Dronelife; DX-World.net;
Hamvention; IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group; Intrepid DX Group; NASA
Ohio Penn DX newsletter; Onno Benschop VK6FLAB; QRZed.com; Radio World;
Radio Society of Great Britain; Rebel DX Group; Rich Gordon K0EB;
Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Spacenews; Ted
Randall's QSO Radio Show; the 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 newsline@arnewsline.org.
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 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.

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