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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2361 for Friday January 27th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2361 with a release date of Friday
January 27th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Innovative antenna technology makes its debut
on a student CubeSat. A well-loved radio museum reopens in Ireland -and
a radio telescope receives a signal from a record-breaking distance.
All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2361 comes
your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
TELESCOPE LOGS A RECORD-BREAKING RADIO TRANSMISSION

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with a report of a
record-breaking signal from a galaxy far, far away. Here's Graham
KempVK4BB.

GRAHAM: Scientists have captured a faint radio signal from the most
distant galaxy yet - a signal they believe created a chance to look
back 8.8 billion years in time when the universe was 4.9 billion
yearsold.

Arnab Chakraborty, a post-doctoral researcher at McGill University,
said the signal was received at a "record-breaking distance."

A news release from McGill university said the signal, which was
received by the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope in India, had a
wavelength called the 21 cm line.

The researchers credit a naturally occurring phenomenon known as
gravitational lensing. When that happens, another galaxy that exists
between the radio signal and the telescope bends the signal which
magnifies it, enabling the telescope to detect it. Scientist Nirupam
Roy at the Indian Institute of Science said this process shows great
potential for further study of distant galaxies.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(CBS NEWS, MC GILL UNIVERSITY)

**
SILENT KEY: ARRL WESTERN PENNA SECTION TRAFFIC MGR, BOB KETZELL, KB3IN

NEIL/ANCHOR: Amateurs in Western Pennsylvania are grieving the loss of
a valued friend, mentor and top traffic handler. For that story, we
turn to Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

KEVIN: There was to be a final call and moment of silence for Bob
Ketzell, KB3IN, on Friday evening, January 27th, at the start of the
Western Pennsylvania Phone Traffic Net on 80 meters. Bob became a
Silent Key on Tuesday, January 24th following a long illness.

According to his close friend, Eddie Misiewicz KB3YRU, Bob took great
joy handling the daily Radiogram traffic on the National Traffic System
in western Pennsylvania and serving as net control for the Western
Pennsylvania Phone Traffic Net.

First licensed in 1961 as a junior in high school, Bob most recently
had been Western Pennsylvania section traffic manager for the ARRL and
the Western Pennsylvania representative for the 3rd Region Net Cycle 2
Traffic Net. A member of the Washington County Amateur Communications
Club, he was a former ARES emergency coordinator for Washington County.

According to Eddie, Bob was well-known for his generosity as a mentor,
having taught traffic-handling and Radiogram classes to fellow
amateurs. He was a retired dispatch supervisor for the Washington
County Department of Public Safety in Pennsylvania.

Eddie said of him: "Our next section traffic manager is going to have
big shoes to fill. There will never be another Bob."

Bob was 76.

(EDDIE MISIEWICZ, K B 3 Y R U)

**
HAMS JOIN CELEBRATION OF WORLD RADIO DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: A group of hams in Europe will be joining the on-air
festivities in February recognizing the role radio can play as a tool
of peace among nations. Andy Morrison K9AWM brings us that report.

ANDY: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, known as UNESCO, declared World Radio Day to be a
celebration of the contributions this communications medium can make
towards peace. This year marks the 12th such World Radio Day on the
13th of February. Although there is a separate day set aside to mark
World Amateur Radio Day later this spring, hams with the EA Digital
Federation are celebrating the medium with several special event
stations.

Operators plan to be on the air this year with special callsigns
between Friday, the 10th and Monday the 13th of the month. The
callsigns are AO (A OH) one through nine W-R-D. QSL cards will be
available for any single contact and qualify the operator for the Radio
Clubs of the World Award, EANET.

Meanwhile, on the commercial side of the spectrum in the US, KDKA News
Radio in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is receiving the 2023 World Radio Day
Award for US stations, as the country's oldest licensed broadcast
station. Previous winners include 1010 WINS (TEN-TEN Wins) in New York
City, college radio station WRHU at Hofstra University on Long Island,
New York and the first winner, WTOP in Washington, DC.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(UNESCO, EA DIGITAL FEDERATION, WIA)

**
CUBESAT WILL USE INFLATABLE ANTENNA SYSTEM

NEIL/ANCHOR: Innovative antenna technology is being featured as part of
a CubeSat project under way in Arizona. Jack Parker W8ISH gives us
those details.

JACK: Students at the University of Arizona have finished their work on
a CubeSat project that will be launched into low Earth orbit later this
year. One of the innovations the CubeSat will use is inflatable antenna technology developed by one of the school's astronomy professors.

By striving to stay in a sun synchronous orbit around Earth, the small satellite, known as CatSat, will remain in daylight through most of the
length of its mission. Its inflatable antenna system was developed by
professor Christopher Walker, who serves as the team's science
principal investigator. The inflatable antenna will be used for high
bandwidth transmission. According to the website of Freefall Aerospace,
where Walker developed the antenna, the system makes use of an ultra-lightweight inflatable structure that provides a large aperture
high-gain antenna that can be deployed in orbit.

The CatSat's mission will also include detection of HF signals from
amateur radio operators around the world through its use of a WSPR
antenna. Those transmissions will be downlinked to a receiver at the
school's Biosphere 2 facility on the Arizona campus. CatSat will also
be collecting high-resolution images of Earth and providing data on the ionosphere.

The project is part of NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(ARIZONA PUBLIC MEDIA, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA)

**
SWISS STUDENTS' SATELLITE PREPARES FOR LAUNCH

NEIL/ANCHOR: An educational satellite built by Swiss students is being
prepared for an important launch in February, as we learn from Jeremy
Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: With the help of a ham radio antenna donated by the Vaudois
Amateur Radio Club, HB9MM, high school students in Switzerland will be
learning how to download telemetry data and photos from a satellite
they have helped build in a laboratory at Orbital Solutions in Monaco.

The RoseyCubesat-1 is the first educational satellite of its kind to be
created through the company's STEMSAT programme. Le Rosey is the name
of the Swiss learning institute that the students attend. They will be
able to send commands to the CubeSat to select telemetry and picture
download or to switch it into its VU transponder mode so that amateurs
around the world will be able to communicate over the small satellite.
The downlink using BPSK and AX25 is on 436.825 MHz and when the
transponder is enabled, its uplink will be on 145.850 MHz. The launch
is expected to take place on the 14th February at the Vandenberg Space
Force Base in California.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ORBITAL SOLUTIONS MONACO, AMSAT, IARU)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the WB5ITT repeater of the Triangle Repeater Association in Houston,
Texas on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.

**

AMSAT NEEDS NEW MANAGER FOR GRIDMASTER HEAT MAP

NEIL/ANCHOR: Are you a satellite enthusiast hoping to go for the big
prize with your contacts? There's an opening at AMSAT for a capable
volunteer who can help with an important tool for chasers. Sel Embee
KB3TZD tells us what's involved.

SEL: AMSAT's Gridmaster Heat Map has served as an invaluable guide to grid-chasers using satellites, for those activating hams who need to be
aware of which grids are in greatest need. AMSAT says in a recent
weekly service bulletin that the map may be going away unless a
replacement manager can be found.

Paul Overn, KE0PBR, will be stepping down after three years at the helm
of the project in which he tracked grid rarity based on crowdsourced
data from hams who updated him. Paul's Twitter feed, atgridmasterheat (@GridMasterHeat) displays a color-coded map of grid rarities ranging
from green - the most common - to red, for rare.

The map plays an especially important role in the pursuit of AMSAT's prestigious GridMaster Award. This honor is conferred on any amateur
around the world who works all 488 Maidenhead grid squares in the 48
contiguous United States via satellite and has those contacts confirmed
in writing.

AMSAT is looking for a volunteer to assume Paul's post. The candidate
should be capable of collecting crowdsourced data and transferring it
to a spreadsheet or some other format and providing updates every week
to satellite users.

For details visit www.amsat.org

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(SEAN KUTZKO, KX9X)

**
VINTAGE RADIO MUSEUM REOPENING IN IRELAND

NEIL/ANCHOR: A beloved museum for fans of antique radio and gear is
finally reopening its doors in Dublin. We have more details from Jeremy
Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: The doors are reopening at Ye Olde Hurdy Gurdy Museum, a
vintage collection of radios and radio-related items housed in a
Martello Tower near Dublin, Ireland. On the weekend of January 14th,
the first visitors were able to step inside after the museum had been
closed for two months for renovation work. Though the initial opening
provided some limited access while the remainder of the work was
completed, full access was expected to be available after January 21st.

The well-loved museum was opened by Pat Herbert in 2003 and the radio aficionado brought much of his collection to its displays. The museum
continues to have the support of his family and friends following Pat's
death in 2020 at the age of 83

The museum is the home of amateur radio station EI0MAR, which is
operated by the Howth Martello Radio Group. There is more history to
this museum than just the collection it holds: In the mid-19th century,
the tower itself housed the first telegraphy station connecting Great
Britain and Ireland. Lee de Forest, the pioneering radio scientist from
the US, visited the tower in 1903 to conduct experiments in wireless telegraphy.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(WIA, FACEBOOK, QRZ)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, there's good news for Bouvet Island Dxpedition 3Y0J
(Three Why Zero Jay) watchers: Despite earlier reports to the contrary,
team members are operating /mm from the ship as they make their way to
the island. Be listening for them using their home calls plus /mm using
CW and SSB. Team co-leader Ken LA7GIA said the group has a dipole with capability of 17m and 20m.

Juan, LU8DBS, is on the air in his spare time as LU1ZV at Esperanza
Base, Antarctica, IOTA number AN-016. Listen for him on 40, 20 and 10
metres where he is using SSB through to the end of January. In
February, he will be adding CW and digital modes. Send QSLs direct to
LU4DXU.

Be listening for Robson, PY6TV, who will be using CW and SSB with the
callsign PT6D from Ilha da Mare, IOTA Number SA-023 from the 2nd to the
5th of February. QSL direct to his home call and see his QRZ.com page
for PayPal details. Robson will upload his log to Club Log.

Adam, VK2YK, Chris, VK5FR, Ivan, VK5HS and a team of other VK hams will
be using the callsign VK5TIL from Troubridge Island, IOTA number
OC-139, on the 7th, 8th and 9th of February. They will operate CW, SSB
and digital modes on various bands. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS, LoTW andeQSL.

Be listening for John, W5JON, who will be on the air as V47JA from St.
Kitts, IOTA number NA-104, from the 31st of January to the 15th of
February. He will be using SSB and FT8 on the HF bands and 6 metres.
QSL via LoTW, or direct to W5JON.

(425 DX Bulletin)

**
STILL TIME TO PLAN FOR DXPEDITION BOOTCAMP

NEIL/ANCHOR: Speaking of chasing DX and DXpeditions, a group of
amateurs is hosting a DXpedition bootcamp in the South Pacific offering
the expertise of experienced ops to help those who hope to do it for
real sometime. The station on Norfolk Island offers CW and SSB from
160m through 10m with dedicated stations for FT8 and 6m along with a
variety of dipole and vertical antennas. A short drive from the
DXpedition station is Mount Bates where interested operators can try
their hand at a SOTA activation. Norfolk Island National Park is also
adjacent to the DXpedition station. The camp will take place from March
17th to the 31st. For information about costs or other details, visit
the website dxpeditionbootcamp - that's one word - dot net. Yes, meals
are included.

(WIA, DXPEDITION BOOTCAMP)

**
KICKER: WHEN 'THANK YOU' IS A SPECIAL EVENT

ANCHOR: Finally, we end with a story about gratitude. There are lots of
ways to say thank you of course but in amateur radio some gestures go
beyond mere words or even certificates. Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB
to tell us about a group of hams here in the US who turned a "thank
you" into a special event.

RALPH: How exactly do you say thank you to your mentor, the ham who
patiently answered your questions - all of them - helped with your
studies, guided you with your shack, handled questions about on-air
protocol and.....well, you name it. The simple answer is: you get on
the air. For a group of radio operators in New England that translated
into creating a special event thank you to their Elmers late last year.
Using the callsign W1E/ELMER, six of them got on the air for a few days
late last year, telling stories - and hearing stories - about those all-important hams who made a difference in their lives. In all, there
were a little more than 300 QSOs, each one an audio thank-you card
offered as a tribute.

However, the Elmer event doesn't end there. Two of the organizers, Bill
W1FMX and Rich KB1FGC, know there are more stories out there and lots
of thank yous to share. This year it will be happening again, starting
on September 29th, and Rich hopes that hams everywhere - not just in
New England - will join them on the air. So if you've been thinking
about "why" and "how" of where you are now in amateur radio, now is the
time for Rich to hear from you. His email address is in the text
version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY; DO NOT READ: marzo7088@yahoo.com

Rich's first special event was a few years ago in honor of his father
who had owned a trucking business and was on the board of the
Department of Transportation in Connecticut -- but at the time Rich had
never heard of a special event that let hams honor other hams. He
believed that an on-the-air event honoring radio mentors would provide
an appropriate means for celebrating those who made it possible for
many of us to get on the air in the first place.

As the participants' certificate states clearly, Elmers help to keep
ham radio strong.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(RICH GUERRERA KB1FGC)

**
NEWCAST CLOSE - DO YOU HAVE NEWS?

NEIL/ANCHOR: Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think
Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising
your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something
that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the
contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to
cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Weekly; AMSAT News
Service; the ARRL; CBS News; CQ magazine; David Behar K7DB; DXPedition Bootcamp; Eddie Misiewicz, KB3YRU; 425 DX News; EA Digital Federation;
Jenny Tupper; Mc Gill University; Rich Guerrera, KB1FGC; Sean Kutzko,
KX9X; shortwaveradio.de; UNESCO; 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
Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Union Kentucky saying 73. As always we thank you
for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

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