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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2273 for Friday May 21, 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2273 with a release date of Friday
May 21, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. China lands a rover on Mars. An amateur radio foundation helps a prominent academic resourceâ-"and battery technology
takes a big leap forward in Australia. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2273 comes your way right now.

***

BILLBOARD CART

**
CHINA'S ZHURONG ROVER EXPLORES MARS

DON/ANCHOR: For our top story this week, we look skyward: Hams and
others with an amateur interest in astronomy have been tracking the
journey of the rover that China sent to Mars. It landed there recently
â-" and Paul Braun WD9GCO picks up the story with this update.

PAUL: Although the China National Space Administration remained
tight-lipped about its Tianwen-1 mission which landed that nation's
first rover on Mars, amateur astronomers had been monitoring the
spacecraft's signals intensely. They were listening for encouraging
signs regarding the deployed capsule that was carrying the rover
Zhurong to the planet's surface. The Chinese rover's arrival on May
15th â-" which was Friday, May 14th in the US â-" follows the arrival
of the Americans' Perseverance rover in February. While Zhurong goes
about its business on the surface of Mars, the Chinese orbiter will be
relaying signals between ground controllers in China and the rover.
Zhurong is equipped with cameras, a magnetic field detector,
ground-penetrating radar and a weather station.

Having landed on Mars, China's next venture into space will be sending
three astronauts to the nation's new space station.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(CNET, SPACE FLIGHT NOW, TECH TIMES)

**
ARDC GRANT HELPS PRESERVE USE OF MIT'S 'RADOME' ON CAMPUS

DON/ANCHOR: In the US, an unprecedented grant from a major foundation
that supports experimentation in amateur radio has helped save an
important tool on one prominent college campus. Sel Embee KB3TZD has
that report.

SEL: Amateur radio generosity has played a major role in saving an
important part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A beloved
part of the campus skyline-the radar dome, or "radome," as it is
known-has been spared, thanks to a student-led fundraising campaign and
an unprecedented grant from the nonprofit foundation Amateur Radio
Digital Communications. ARDC has provided $1.6-millionâ-"the largest
gift in its historyâ-"to replace the aging fiberglass radome and
renovate the 18-foot-wide, steerable parabolic dish it houses. The
radome and dish were to be removed permanently to enable new roofing to
be installed on the campus' tallest building, which has been its home
since 1966.

The fiberglass radome and its dish, which were once used for weather
research, have been used most recently by the MIT Radio Society W1MX
for microwave experiments, moonbounce communication and other
radio-related activities. According to the MIT website, it most
recently took on a new role beyond contacts with deep space lunar
CubeSats and low-earth orbit satellites. During the pandemic, it also
allowed students to conduct radio astronomy experiments remotely. ARDC
director Bob McGwier (pron: Mugwire), N4HY, issued a statement saying:
[quote] "We also hope this contribution helps get the message out that
ARDC is excited to support amateur radio and digital communications
projects of all sizes - including big ones, especially when the results
will be so long-lasting." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(MIT, ARDC)

**
SILENT KEY: MILE SEKULOVSKI Z31JY, MACEDONIA'S OLDEST HAM

DON/ANCHOR: A noted radio amateur known throughout Macedonia for his
longevity on the air has become a Silent Key. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells
us about him.

JEREMY: The amateur radio community in Macedonia has lost its most
senior member: Mile Sekulovski, Z31JY, who became a Silent Key recently
at the age of 95. Mile was widely admired and respected for his
proficiency in CW, which he sharpened up during a World War II military telegraphy course.

According to his biography on the web page of the Radio Amateur Society
of Macedonia, he worked for the post office as a telegraph operator
after the war and later became employed as a telegrapher in civil
aviation. He was also a dedicated homebrewer of electronic keys,
transmitters, receivers, antennas and linear amplifiers.

According to his QRZ page, Mileâ-"who was active on the air even into
his later yearsâ-"was the first ham in the former Yugoslavia to receive
the individual call sign YU5JY in 1950.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(QRZ, RADIO AMATEUR SOCIETY OF MACEDONIA)

**
BATTERY DEVELOPED IN AUSTRALIA PROMISES IMPROVED ENERGY

DON/ANCHOR: If you're a portable operator always on the lookout for
changing battery technology, this new development from Australia might
make you stop and think. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us about it.

GRAHAM: A manufacturer in Brisbane, Australia is claiming to have
created an aluminum-ion battery with a charging speed as much as 60
times faster than that of top-quality lithium-ion cells. The company,
Graphene Manufacturing Group, also says the newly developed
aluminum-ion coin cell is capable of holding three times the energy of
other aluminum-based cells. The batteries are said to last three times
longer than the lithium-ion variety.

This development relies on nanotechnology developed at the University
of Queensland, according to a recent article in Forbes magazine. The
battery was created by inserting aluminum atoms into perforations made
in graphene planes.

The company claims that because the batteries lack an upper Ampere
limit that would otherwise cause spontaneous overheating, the batteries
are also safer. The stable base materials also facilitate their
recycling later.

The company hopes to bring these cells to market by the end of 2021 or
early 2022.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(FORBES)

**
BRIDGING THE GAP: HAM CAM INTERNATIONAL

DON/ANCHOR: With eyeball QSOs becoming less likely during the past
pandemic year, hams have relied on different ways to get together when
they're not on the air. Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us about an
international group that employs a unique hybrid of voice and video
that taps into the internet.

DAVE: The friendships that amateur radio operators form over the air
have taken on a new dimension for the 240 or so hams in 45 nations who
belong to Ham Cam International. These licensed amateurs contact each
other using streaming video over internet protocol, or SVOIP, using a
streaming video system known as Jitsi.

Murray Green K3BEQ, one of the core members, told Newsline: [quote]
"These dedicated amateurs have the best of two worlds. They not only communicate with each other by voice but have the added benefit of
video and that makes a big difference in bonding with each other."
[endquote] By adding video, the hams can visit one another's shacks,
tour parts of one another's countries and have more personalized
discussions about their other ham activities such as DXing, contesting,
digital communications and satellites.

He said that this has given an especially big advantage to hams who
live in neighborhoods with antenna restrictions or have financial
issues that preclude them from setting up a home station capable of DX.
It's a cultural exchange featuring amateurs from the US, Africa, Isle
of Man, Kuwait, Australia, Europe, Israel, and elsewhere having round
table discussions on a daily basis. Membership is free to licensed
amateurs. Additional details can be found at hamcaminternational dot
com (hamcaminternational.com)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF.

**
ARISS SELECTS 9 US GROUPS FOR 2022 CONTACTS

DON/ANCHOR: A Michigan library; a Long Island, New York Boy Scout
district; and an Ohio high school are among the nine organizations
chosen by Amateur Radio on the International Space Station to begin the planning process for students to make contacts with crew members on the
ISS between January and June of next year. The successful applicants
are: Bellefontaine High School in Bellefontaine, Ohio; Carter G.
Woodson Middle School in Hopewell, Virginia; Lewis Center for
Educational Research in Apple Valley, California; Matinecock
(Muh-TINNA-COCK) District of the Suffolk County New York Boy Scouts in
Medford, New York; McBride High School in Long Beach, California; Old
St. Mary's School in Chicago; Salem-South Lyon District Library in
South Lyon, Michigan; Sussex County Charter School for Technology in
Sparta, New Jersey and the Space Hardware Club in Huntsville, Alabama.

Their selection means each group must now present an equipment plan to
ARISS' technical team describing how they will successfully host the
contact. ARISS will then select the final organizations for the
contacts and place them on the schedule.

(ARISS)

**
ISS RADIO OPERATING IN CROSS-BAND REPEATER MODE

DON/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, the Interoperable Radio System aboard the
International Space Station is active in cross-band repeater mode
through mid-June, according to the ARISS website. The radio will be
turned off on the 2nd of June during the Russians' EVA. The cross-band
repeater operates on an uplink of 145.990, with a 67 Hz tone, and a
downlink of 437.800 Mhz. In mid-June, the radio will change to the
Automatic Packet Reporting System mode. ARISS spokesman Dave Jordan
AA4KN told Newsline that since the interoperable radio system is
considered an experiment, modes in use are subject to change.

(ARISS)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the KD5DMT Benton County Radio Operators' Repeater System in Arkansas
on Saturdays at 1900 Central Time during the Info Net.

**
VIRGINIA EMCOMM STARTUP TO COVER 4-COUNTY REGION

DON/ANCHOR: Disasters canâ-"and doâ-"strike at all times of the year.
In one rural region of Virginia, radio operators have developed a plan
that musters enough communications strength to cover the emergency
needs of four rural counties. For that report we turn to Christian
Cudnik K0STH.

CHRISTIAN: The group of hams is small but their agenda is ambitious:
They are organizing so they can assist with hazard mitigation in four
small counties located less than 75 miles southeast of Washington, DC.
In this mostly rural area, hurricanes, ice storms and flooding are all realitiesâ-"as is the Lake Anna Nuclear Power Plant. R3EMCOMM, as this
startup group is known, has a core group of about a dozen volunteers
working closely together. Many are also members of the Culpeper Amateur
Radio Association. Their goal is to keep an eye on Culpeper, Orange,
Madison and Rappahannock (Rap-a-HANNOCK) counties.

Program director for administration Mike Murphy KD7PUF told Newsline
that members are asked to use the ARES Task Book as a guide in their
planning but adapt it to the special needs of their communities. Mike
said [quote] "We want to reinvent what we do - providing service,
education, and training to a larger community than just those who want
to be hams." [endquote] Toward this end, the group has also begun
working with Culpeper County Civil Defense. With the help of Al Swann
KN4AAA in that office, the hams hope to coordinate with radio operators
using FRS, MURS, and GMRS systems. The group also has the support of Ed
Gibbs KW4GF, assistant section manager for the ARRL in Virginia, who
has been with them since the earliest planning began two years ago.

Mike said: [quote] "We are learning, one day at a time, and hoping to
grow." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Christian Cudnik K0STH.

(R3EMCOMM)

**
ICELAND OFFERING NEXT LICENSE TEST ON JUNE 5

DON/ANCHOR: The Post and Telecom Administration in Iceland has set
Saturday, June 5th as the date for the next amateur radio licensing
exam. The agency put it on the schedule at the request of Iceland's
national amateur radio society, which had to delay its teaching
sessions this past spring as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Test preparation was able to resume earlier this month to get candidates
ready for the exams which most likely will be held at Reykjavik
University.

(SOUTHGATE)

**
AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS SUPPORT INDIANAPOLIS 500 RACE

DON/ANCHOR: Hams, start your engines....or at least your rigs. There's
a special event getting under way for the big car races in
Indianapolis. Jack Parker W8ISH has those details.

JACK: When it comes to special events the W9IMS special event station
for the Indianapolis 500 mile race is second to none. For the 18th
year in a row the W9IMS team is tuning up and listening for contacts
for the three Indianapolis races. The Amateur Radio race team will be
active on 20 and 40 meters for the 105th running of the Indianapolis
500 mile race May 30th. They will be on the air beginning May 23rd
through Race Day. The eager guys and gals just finished a week logging contacts for the Indy Car Grand Prix. In August they will fire up the
radios for another week of sideband contacts leading up to the
Brickyard 400. Making contact with the W9IMS special event
station will get you an original designed QSL card. If you make
contact for each race you are also eligible for a special race
certificate. For more details check out W9IMS on qrz.com

Reporting from Indianapolis, home of the famed two and one half mile
oval, this is Jack Parker W8ISH

**
QSO TODAY VIRTUAL EXPO NEEDS PRESENTERS

DON/ANCHOR: The organizers of the next QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo are
looking for radio operators with tips to share to help beginners
sharpen their operating skills or to learn the basics of building. The
online expo will take place on August 14th and 15th and presenters are
needed. Each presenter will be able to create a pre-recorded lecture
which will be added to the virtual platform for playback during the
event. Speakers will then be available in a moderated Zoom room
afterward for a Question and Answer period. To submit an application
visit qsotodayhamexpo.com.

Application deadline is June 15th.

(QSO TODAY)

**
TRANS-ATLANTIC BEACON ON THE AIR IN IRELAND

DON/ANCHOR: A transAtlantic beacon has gone on the air in Ireland.
Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us more about it.

JEREMY: A 2-metre, two-way transAtlantic beacon has completed its
on-air trial period and is now on the air with the call sign EI2DKH.
The beacon is operated by Tony Baldwin EI8JK in County Cork, Ireland.
With antennas beaming due west, the 50-watt beacon transmits on 144.488
MHz every even minute and listens for replies on 144.120 MHz every odd
minute. At least one other beacon on the other side of the Atlantic is
set up to be in listening mode for Tony's beacon. It's in St. John's, Newfoundland and has the call sign VO1FN.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IRTS)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Ken LA7GIA, the co-leader of the 3Y0J Bouvet Island DXpedition, reports on the group's Facebook page that the DXpedition
has received a record $10,000 equivalent in US currency from the German
DX Foundation. The group is planning its activation of the coveted DX
entity in 2023.

Elsewhere, be listening for Marius ON4RU/OQ3R, who will be in
Martinique using the call sign FM/OQ3R between the 23rd of May and the
5th of June. Be listening on 160-10 meters where he will be using CW
only. You can also listen for him as Tee-Oh-Three-F (TO3F) during the
CQWW WPX CW Contest on the 29th and 30th of May. QSL both callsigns via
ON4RU direct.

Phil, KC3CIB expects to activate Shelter Island in Juneau, Alaska, for
a fishing trip between the 29th and 31st of May. Be listening on the HF
bands where he will be operating mainly using the digital modes. QSL
via eQSL or Direct.

(DX-WORLD)

**
KICKER: MINNESOTA BIRTHDAY PARTY, HAM RADIO STYLE

DON/ANCHOR: Finallyâ-"do hams know how to party, or what? Well if
you're turning 163 years of age, as the state of Minnesota just did
here in the US, you definitely want amateur radio to be part of the festivities. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us how it happened.

KENT: What if you could have a birthday party with an unlimited guest
list? Well, if you're the state of Minnesota and the party hosts are
the members of the South East Metro Amateur Radio Club in Cottage
Grove, it's easy. The hams got on the air from a public park in
Stillwater on Tuesday, May 11 to mark Minnesota's 163rd birthday and
they partied like it was 1858â-"the year Congress gave the territory
its statehood. Stillwater is considered the birthplace of Minnesota,
the nation's 32nd state.

Special event station W-Zero-M received birthday greetings on behalf of Minnesota from hams around the US and Canada. No one sang "Happy Birthday"â-"you can't have music on amateur radio, after allâ-"but 20
and 40 meters were lighting up with well-wishers while the operators
enjoyed a view of the scenic St. Croix River from the park.

Ordinarily a birthday party calls for cutting the cake but someoneâ-"a
local resident, according to a newspaper reportâ-"accidentally cut down
the antenna instead. The news report said that the person mistakenly
believed the thin wire had become caught in the park's fencing. A quick
fix, with the help of a slingshot, put the party back in action until
2100 UTC.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(THE GAZETTE NEWSPAPER, SEMARC WEBSITE)

**
DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

DON/ANCHOR: This is an important reminder that we are fast approaching
the May 31st deadline to nominate the next Bill Pasternak WA6ITF
Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year. Time is running
out: If you know a dedicated radio operator 18 or younger who embodies
the spirit of experimentation, community service and communication,
they are eligible. Think of nominating them for this honor. The award
will be presented in August at the Huntsville Hamfest. Candidates
should be living in the United States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable forms are available on our website
arnewsline.org

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; ARDC; ARISS; the
ARRL; Amateur Radio Digital Communications; CNET; CQ Magazine; David
Behar K7DB; DX World; Forbes; Gazette Newspaper; Ohio Penn DX
newsletter; QSO Today; QRZ.com; Radio Amateur Society of Macedonia;
Radio Society of Great Britain; R3EmComm; South East Metro Amateur
Radio Club; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Space
Flight Now; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; WTWW Shortwave; Wireless
Institute of Australia; YouTube; 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. 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 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.

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