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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2305 for Friday December 31st, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2305 with a release date of Friday December 31st, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams respond to a super typhoon in the
Philippines. A new award promotes the World Radiosport Team
Championship -- and hams in Kansas gain new digital connections. All
this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2305 comes your
way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**
HAMS MOBILIZE AS DEADLY TYPHOON HITS PHILIPPINES

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with scenes of devastation in the
Philippines: A super typhoon, locally known as Odette, made landfall on December 16th, taking an unusual path that led it to Siargo Island, a
major tourist destination. A wide swath of the archipelago fell victim
to heavy rain and gusts of more than 200 km per hour. According to a
draft report from the Philippine Amateur Radio Association, more than
300 lives were lost with [quote] "devastation beyond description."
[endquote] The report said that in the days before landfall, National
Traffic System Chairman Romy DU1SMQ ensured that daily roll calls were
taken of all amateur districts to measure stations' readiness. The
Office of Civil Defense Region 7 and other agencies monitored the HERO emergency network frequency on 40 metres as well. Members of PARA
affiliated clubs handled emergency traffic along with health and
welfare messages even as their own home QTHs were battered by the
typhoon.

Amateur Slow Scan TV was credited with sending invaluable imagery on
HF, relaying information that could not be verified via audio.
Meanwhile, PARA's director Thelma DU1IVT, said that even after members
of PARA's Ham Emergency Radio Operation stood down traffic on the HERO
network at 7.095 MHz was ongoing. Rebuilding is expected to take
months.

(CNN, BBC, GREG MOSSOP G0DUB, THELMA DU1IVT)

**
NASA LAUNCHES JAMES WEBB TELESCOPE

JIM/ANCHOR: While most people looked to the skies on Christmas Eve,
NASA had its sights looking upward on Christmas morning. Dave Parks
WB8ODF explains.

DAVE: The most powerful space telescope to dateâ-"the James Webb telescopeâ-"made its way into space on the morning of December 25th
with liftoff from French Guiana enroute to entering Earth's orbit. Its
mission is to study universe's earliest galaxies while exploring our
solar system. It was a project of the Canadian Space Agency and the
European Space Agency. The telescope was released at an altitude of
1,400 km, or 870 miles, by an Ariane 5 rocket. A solar array is
providing power. The telescope is expected to communicate with earth
using ground stations in Kenya and Baltimore, Maryland.

Its orbit destination is expected to be about 1 million miles from
Earth from where it will deliver its first images starting in about six
months. Gregory L. Robinson, Webb's program director, described the
anticipated delivery as [quote] "awe-inspiring images that will capture
our imagination." [endquote] According to a New York Times article, it
was expected to offer [quote] "a new keyhole into the earliest moments
of our universe." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(SPACE.COM, NASA, NY TIMES)

**
CHINA SENDS CAMSAT XW-3 INTO SPACE

JIM/ANCHOR: One day later, China celebrated its own high-profile
launch. Graham Kemp VK4BB brings us that story.

GRAHAM: China's latest satellite is on a mission to collect
high-resolution images of our planet's resources. Launched Sunday,
December 26th from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, it is designed
as a tool for land and disaster management and is equipped with two high-resolution cameras as payloads. Piggybacked on the satellite was
an amateur radio CubeSat, China's CAMSAT XW-3, with a UHF CW beacon and
GMSK telemetry data transmission. The CubeSat is also carrying an
experimental thermoelectric generator for use by high school students.
It has an uplink frequency of 145.870 MHz and a downlink frequency of
435.18 MHz. The CW beacon is on 435.575 MHz.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(NASA, AMSAT-UK)

**
AWARDS PROGRAM PROMOTES WRTC 2023

JIM/ANCHOR: For the next six months, a new awards program will promote
one of the world's most prominent radio events. Ed Durrant DD5LP
explains.

ED: Get ready for the World Radiosport Team Championship award. This is
a six-month-long activity launching on January 1st that's designed to
promote the WRTC Championship being held in Bologna, Italy in July
2023. The championship was rescheduled from 2022 as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic.

The awards scheme is unprecedented for a WRTC-related event. It centers
around making contacts between now and July 10th with 100 radio
operators in Italy using special WRTC callsigns. There will be one WRTC callsign for each of Italy's ten call areas, beginning with II1WRTC
(Eye Eye One WRTC). You may also listen for these callsigns during a
number of contests on the air during the next six months. The award
concludes during the IARU HF World Championship Contest on July 9th and
10th, 2022, exactly a year before the WRTC takes place in 2023.

For details, visit w r t c 2 0 2 2 dot i t stroke award
(wrtc2022.it/award).

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(WRTC, QRZ.NOW)

**
NEW LINKED SYSTEM MAKES CROSS-MODE DIGITAL CONNECTIONS

JIM/ANCHOR: If you're in Kansas and enjoy using digital modes, there's
a new way for you to connect. Here's Randy Sly W4XJ with that story.

RANDY: Hams in Kansas now have connections through the new Sunflower
Multi-Mode Linked System, meaning they can use whatever digital-capable
radio they already have. In addition to providing links to Allstar,
Echolink, DMR via TGIF, P25, D-STAR and Yaesu Fusion, the network also
supports access via Droidstar, Dudestar and personal hotspots. Lloyd
Colston, KC5FM, said that M-17-SUN Module A is also supported so
[quote] "tinkerers can set up an open source M17 and enjoy it." [close
quote] Lloyd said that, in other words, hams can now connect with one
another across all these modes using their personal favorite without
having to buy another radio.

For a list of the links, see the URL in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Randy Sly W4XJ.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: https://buff.ly/3qoXENn ]

(LLOYD COLSTON, KC5FM)

**
RSGB REVIVES 80M NET WHILE RADIO CENTRE IS SHUT

JIM/ANCHOR: The COVID-19 pandemic has shut a popular radio attraction
in the UK but in the meanwhile, a weekly on-air tradition has been
revived and everyone is welcome. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us more.

JEREMY: With the National Radio Centre at Bletchley Park shut once
again by the Radio Society of Great Britain due to COVID-19, the centre
has reactivated its weekday 80-metre net. Hams may check in at 1030 UTC
on weekdays on or around 3.727 MHz. The radio centre's shutdown, which
began Friday, December 17th, is temporary and is expected to last into
the New Year. Meanwhile coordinator Martyn, G0GMB, and various centre volunteers are expecting to hear check-ins from as many hams as
possible in the weeks to come.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(RSGB)

**
HAMS HELP REUNITE MISSING WOMAN WITH FAMILY IN INDIA

JIM/ANCHOR: Reuniting missing family members with loved ones back home
has become a specialty of one radio club in West Bengal, India. Their
latest accomplishment brought relatives together after an absence of 13
years. John Williams VK4JJW tells us that story.

JOHN: It was purely by accident that Anima Chakraborty discovered a
woman who'd gone missing from her home 13 years ago. Anima was visiting
a hospital in Uttar Pradesh in northern India and noticed that one of
the patients there was speaking Bengali. Hearing this, she realised
immediately that the patient could not be a local resident. She reached
out to her fellow amateur radio operators in West Bengal, asking that
they try to track down the woman's family. According to club secretary
Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA, the hams used a photograph of the woman
provided by the hospital to do some networking the other amateur radio operators, and found the woman's family in a village in East Midnapore,
in the south of West Bengal. He said the hams were told the patient was
a tribal woman who was mentally challenged and that she had spent
nearly 13 years hospitalised.

Ambarish Nag Biswas told the Can-India website [quote] "In most of the
cases the families refuse to take back these kind of patients and
finally they have to stay back in the mental asylum but in this case
the family was cooperative and they want to take her back as soon as
possible."

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(CAN-INDIA)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the CQ Serenade program, which marks its 100th episode this week. It is
heard on German shortwave AM broadcast station ShortWaveRadio.de on
3975 and 6160 kHz.

**
YOUTH ON THE AIR CAMP PREPS FOR JUNE

JIM/ANCHOR: What are young ham radio operators planning to do this
June? The start of the new year means it's time to start thinking about
that. Sel Embee KB3TZD presents one option.

SEL: The second Youth on the Air Camp for the Americas will be
accepting applications for the June 2022 session in just a few weeks.
The pilot camp program held in 2021, was such a success that it is
returning to the National Voice of America Museum of Broadcasting in
West Chester Township, Ohio on June 12th through 17th. Prospective
campers may start applying on February 11th. Applicants must reside in
Central, South or North America. Thirty campers will be accepted for
the session and spots will be reserved especially for those who are
from the Americas but do not live in the United States. Priority will
be given to first-time attendees.

Licensed amateurs between the ages of 15 and 25 are eligible to be
campers. If COVID-19 restrictions change between now and June,
organizers will alert everyone with as much notice as possible. For
details, visit YouthOnTheAir dot org

Then starting in 2023, applications to host the camp at various
locations throughout the Americas each year will be considered from
IARU region 2 member societies and clubs.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(YOUTH ON THE AIR)

**
SILENT KEY: ROBERT PRIEZ, WB5FBS, OF LOUISIANA ARES

JIM/ANCHOR: Radio operators in Louisiana are mourning the death of a
leader in regional emergency response. Here's Don Wilbanks AE5DW with
that story.

DON: The former district emergency coordinator for Louisiana Amateur
Radio Emergency Service's Region 9 has become a Silent Key. Robert
Priez, WB5FBS, died on Sunday, December 19th. According to a Facebook
post by the Ozone Amateur Radio Club, Bob reportedly died of
complications from COVID-19. With a lifetime of interest in amateur
radio, Bob also held life memberships in the ARRL and the Southeast
Louisiana Amateur Radio Club and was active in leadership roles for
many years with Louisiana ARES.

He was a professor emeritus of music at Southeastern Louisiana
University, where he later helped the school's department of speech and communications establish the campus radio station KSLU-FM, serving as
the station's technical director for its first 10 years in operation.

A former professional musician, Bob was 80.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW.

(OZONE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, LEGACY.COM)
**
SILENT KEY: KEITH MILLER SR., N9DGK, FORMER TENNESSEE ARRL SECTION
MANAGER

JIM/ANCHOR: Another regional leader in amateur radio has become a
Silent Key. Here's Skeeter Nash N5ASH with the details.

SKEETER: Keith Miller Sr., N9DGK, who was the ARRL's Tennessee Section
Manager for four terms, has become a Silent Key. He died on December
22nd from COVID-19. A ham since 1981, Keith was a member of the Stones
River Amateur Radio Club, which he had also served as an officer. His commitment to public service extended into his emergency response work
and he played an active role in the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. He
was an ARRL emergency coordinator from 2006 to 2013 and became a Life
Member of the ARRL in 2014.

Keith, who lived in of Rockvale, Tennessee, was 75.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Skeeter Nash N5ASH.

(ARRL)
**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Mike, 5H3EE, on the air from Dar
es Salaam in Tanzania. Operators have reported hearing him using FT8 on
12 meters. QSL using ClubLog.

In Kenya, Ferdy, HB9DSP, plans to be on the air for his first
DXpedition between January 12th and 27th as 5Z4/HB9DSP. Be listening on
20, 15 and 10 meters where he will be using SSB with some FT8. Send
QSLs to his home callsign, direct, by the Bureau or LoTW.

Jacques, F6HMJ, is in Senegal and on the air as 6W7/F6HMJ until
February 22nd. He will be using mostly CW with some SSB on 40-10
meters. Send QSLs to his home callsign.

Listen for David, F8AAN, operating as FS/F8AAN from St. Martin Island, Anguilla, from January 1st to the 20th. He is operating holiday style
on 40 through 10 meters using CW. Send QSLs to his home callsign or QSL
using LoTW, ClubLog or eQSL.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: SUMMING UP A LIFE OF PUBLIC SERVICE

JIM/ANCHOR: Most of us are ending 2021 by summing up the year. In
Longview, Washington however that formality also includes many friends
of one ham who are also summing up his life and what it meant to them.
Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB with our final story of this week's
newscast.

RALPH: Randy Greeley, NU7DX, became a Silent Key on December 7th at
the age of 68 but not before devoting two thirds of his life to the
spirit of volunteerism that is at the heart of much of amateur radio.

Emergency response officials in Cowlitz County considered him to be the
one to call when the county faced flooding or other extreme challenges.
In a recent article in the Longview Daily News, many of them detailed
the behind-the-scenes work he did as a person who was never too far
away to give a ready response. According to the newspaper article, he
jumped into the active life of a volunteer shortly after becoming
licensed in 1981. He and his wife became members of the Lower Columbia
Amateur Radio Association, W7DG.

Randy's widow, Connie, KB7AYY, summed up his involvement by telling the newspaper [quote] "It started small and the tree ended up with many
branches." [endquote] One of those branches led back to the Lower
Columbia amateurs. Ralph Roggenback, N2RJR, its president, told
Newsline in an email that Randy had been both his friend and mentor. He
said [quote] "This community has no idea what it has lost." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(THE LONGVIEW DAILY NEWS)

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to AMSAT-UK; the ARRL; the BBC; Can-India;
CQ Magazine; CNN; David Behar K7DB; Greg Mossop, G0DUB; Lloyd Colston
KC5FM; Longview Daily News; NASA; NY Times; Ohio Penn DX; QRZ.com; QSO
Today; Radio Society of Great Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; Thelma Pascua DU1IVT; World Radiosport
Team Championship; Youth on the Air; and you our listeners, that's all
from the Amateur Radio Newsline. You can write to us at newsline@arnewsline.org. 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 youall.

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. As always we thank you for listening.

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

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