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EHAM QTH QRZ ARRL HRO ICOM KENWOOD YAESU ELBO ROOM TUESDAY EDITION: The sun is finally out and a 36 degree windfree day has arrived.. A Simple Antenna that is Omnidirectional, Directional and NVIS?Our winter weather may have a few weeks to run yet, but a relatively warm spell gave me the opportunity to get out into the Big Blue Sky Shack to try out another antenna idea. Destination: MacGregor Point Provincial Park on the Ontario shore of mighty Lake Huron. The shore ice still stretched quite a long way out onto the lake in the direction of Michigan, about 100 miles away and a cold wind was blowing in off the lake. Not perfect weather for outdoor operations – but good enough. Purpose: to find out whether a simple idea could turn a humble vertical whip antenna into something more versatile. Could this be used as a directional antenna to focus a signal into a desired target area? Could it even be used as a cloud burner to shoot a Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) signal straight up to the F2 layer for strong local coverage? I decided to find out. The antenna was actually not quite a simple vertical, but close. It was the Ham Radio Outside the Box Coil-Loaded End-Fed Half-Wave (CLEFHW). Its advantage over a quarter-wave vertical is that no separate counterpoise wire is required – just a short length (about 18 inches) of coax terminated in a 1:1 unun. This was also the first outing for a new ham-made radio backpack. The radio is a QRP Labs QMX (low band), built into a steel 30cal ammo box along with a Talentcell 3000mAh Li-Ion battery, Drox buck converter (to keep the voltage down to 12 volts – the QMX gets unhappy with excessive supply voltage). The Putikeeg paddle key has strong magnets on its base that lock it into place on the steel ammo box which keeps my keying from getting too erratic! A second identical ammo box sits below the first one and contains all the spare parts that might be needed during an outdoor ops session (standby battery, spare cables, connectors etc). Both boxes sit on a custom aluminum frame, secured by 1-inch webbing straps. The whole pack is carried by means of a set of 2-inch webbing shoulder and waist straps. In use the radio and key sit at just the right height when the operator is perched on a camping stool so no table is needed. Why the military look? Well, a couple of reasons there. First, I actually like the appearance of military style radio gear. Probably nostalgia because I was first introduced to ham radio in the 1960s and the first “amateur” radio I saw was a converted WW2 surplus No.19 Wireless Set. But second, and more importantly, the military and I have similar objectives – we both need rugged gear that can withstand the rigors of rough handling out in the field. Snow, mud, wind and rain all be damned – comms must continue regardless <smile>. The canvas parachute bag at the front contains a selection of coax cables, as well as other wire antenna options. The radio box at the top can be sealed by replacing the detachable lid. It has a rubber gasket to keep out the elements when the radio is not in use. The radio box can be removed from the pack frame quickly and easily. I keep a wire bail for picnic table operation, although that luxury is a rare occurrence for me. Orienting the antenna The whip and loading coil are attached to the pack frame by means of an aluminum bracket with a 3/8×24 to SO-239 adapter. I wish they made a 3/8×24 to BNC adapter; instead I made up a short cable with a PL-259 on one end and a BNC on the other. The bracket is the secret to the antenna’s versatility. As you can see in the picture, the pack frame has curved shoulders. By mounting the bracket on the straight portion of the pack frame, the whip remains vertical and vertical whip antennas have an omnidirectional radiation pattern. Now, if the bracket is mounted on the curved shoulder of the pack frame the whip becomes oriented at an angle. As we shall explore in a moment, this creates a major lobe in the radiation pattern in a direction away from where the whip is pointing. But doesn’t the weight of a leaning 18.5ft whip cause the whole pack to topple? Actually no. It was discovered that the weight of the two steel ammo boxes and contents are sufficient to counteract any potential gravitational instability. In fact during the field trial on the shore of Lake Huron the whole pack remained entirely stable, which is vital for this operator who cannot operate a set of paddles properly unless they are very securely mounted. It is not necessary to set the antenna bracket too high on the curve of the pack frame because the whip itself is quite flexible which enhances the lean angle. To operate in NVIS mode all we have to do is raise the bracket a little higher on the curve of the pack frame so that the top section of the whip lays almost horizontal a few feet above the ground. This method has been used on vehicles by the military so I have to credit them as the originator of the idea. It probably won’t perform as well as a low dipole, but it benefits from being self-supporting and quick to deploy. How did the directional antenna perform? The Huron shore trial tested the directional properties of the antenna. The wind coming off the lake was a little too cold for a long operating session and besides I had to find a small corner of the operating area that was sheltered and clear of snow and the vast expanse of thick mud created by the early spring thaw. So, the test was focused on checking the performance of the whip oriented as a sloper. A sloper is a simple, well-established way of getting directionality out of an antenna, but is usually achieved with a wire antenna. This unique version of that method gets the same effect with an entirely self-contained whip antenna in a rapid deployment portable radio pack. A simple antenna such as this could not be expected to rival a Yagi-Uda beam but it does exhibit a very pronounced directional radiation pattern as EZNEC reveals in detail.
The elevation pattern shows a strong low angle lobe in the direction opposite to the lean of the whip. This should produce good DX results when the propagation conditions are favorable. If we look at the azimuth propagation we can see that it is almost omnidirectional at low angles. The front/back is only about 2dB which is less than half an S-unit. The real power of this antenna orientation can be seen when we examine the azimuth propagation at higher angles. In the third image we can see the radiation pattern at 60 degrees elevation. The front/back is now at around 13dB which is approximately 2 S-units. 60 degrees elevation is almost in NVIS territory and should provide excellent propagation over quite a wide area. NB: For simplicity, these results were modeled using a full-length EFHW on 20m. If anybody wishes to model the exact configuration please note that the base loading coil is 6.6 microhenries and the whip is 18.5ft long. I chose not to go this route because the curve of a sloping telescopic whip is unpredictable (especially in the wind). Could a puny 3.5 watt signal into a compromised whip antenna cut the mustard? On the principle that you can work DX with a wet noodle on the right day, then yes. Propagation conditions were moderate with a K-index of 3 on the day of the trial, but among my other contacts I did work a station in North Dakota (from my QTH is southern Ontario). That’s a distance of a little less than 2000km; not outstanding but encouraging. Have Li-ion Batteries Gone Too Far?he proliferation of affordable lithium batteries has made modern life convenient in a way we could only imagine in the 80s when everything was powered by squadrons of AAs, or has it? [Ian Bogost] ponders whether sticking a lithium in every new device is really the best idea. There’s no doubt, that for some applications, lithium-based chemistries are a critically-enabling technology. NiMH-based EVs of the 1990s suffered short range and slow recharge times which made them only useful as commuter cars, but is a flashlight really better with lithium than with a replaceable cell? When household electronics are treated as disposable, and Right to Repair is only a glimmer in the eye of some legislators, a worn-out cell in a rarely-used device might destine it to the trash bin, especially for the less technically inclined. [Bogost] decries “the misconception that rechargeables are always better,” although we wonder why his article completely fails to mention the existence of rechargeable NiMH AAs and AAAs which are loads better than their forebears in the 90s. Perhaps even more relevantly, standardized pouch and cylindrical lithium cells are available like the venerable 18650 which we know many makers prefer due to their easy-to-obtain nature. Regardless, we can certainly agree with the author that easy to source and replace batteries are few and far between in many consumer electronics these days. Perhaps new EU regulations will help? Once you’ve selected a battery for your project, don’t forget to manage it if it’s a Li-ion cell. With great power density, comes great responsibility. Meshtastic Adds Wireless Connectivity to Possum TrapPerhaps every gardener to attempt to grow a tomato, lettuce, or bean has had to contend with animals trying to enjoy the food before the gardener themselves can, whether it’s a groundhog, rabbit, mouse, crow, or even iguana. There are numerous ways to discourage these mischievous animals from foraging the garden beds including traps, but these devices have their downsides as well. False alarms can be a problem as well as trapping animals that will be overly aggravated to be inside the trap (like skunks) and while the latter problem can’t easily be solved by technology, the former can with the help of Meshtastic. [Norman Jester]’s problem was an errant possum, but these nocturnal animals generally come out while humans are asleep, and other nighttime animals like rats can activate the trap and then escape. To help with this, a Meshtastic node was added to the San Diego mesh using a 3.5mm audio jack as a detector. When the trap is activated, the closing door yanks a plug out of the jack, alerting the node that the trap has been closed. If it’s a false alarm the trap can be easily and quickly reset, and if a possum has found its way in then it can be transported to a more suitable home the next day. It’s worth noting that American possums (distinct from the Australian animals of the same name) are an often-misunderstood animal that generally do more good than harm. They help to control Lyme disease, eat a lot of waste that other animals won’t, don’t spread rabies, and don’t cause nearly as much disruption to human life as other animals like feral cats or raccoons. But if one is upsetting a garden or another type of animal is causing a disturbance, this Meshtastic solution does help solve some of the problems with live traps. For smaller animals, though, take a look at this Arudino-powered trap instead.
MONDAY EDITION: Elementary School Makes Radio Contact Astronaut Aboard the International Space Station (Florida)On December 17, 2024, at 1:49 p.m. EST, students at Sally Ride Elementary School in Orlando, Florida, made live radio contact with NASA astronaut Commander Sunita Williams aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS is an orbiting science laboratory about 250 miles above Earth. It travels at 17,500 miles per hour which is about five miles per second. The ISS is about the size of a six-bedroom house. It has sleeping rooms, science labs, bathrooms, and places to exercise. Astronauts from different space agencies conduct research and experiments on the station. Using amateur radio technology, students at Sally Ride Elementary took turns asking Commander Williams questions. “When Sunita Williams started talking, my brain was like, ‘Oh my God, I’m talking to an astronaut!'” said Darian Rodriguez, 10, a fourth-grade student at Sally Ride Elementary. “It was amazing. Everyone at the event was really friendly, especially Sunita Williams. It was really fun to hear her talk and learn about life in space.” Read more – Scholastic Kids Press: https://bit.ly/4bOdh8v Skywarn Youth Special Event is on the AirSkywarn Youth Net is operating a special event under callsign N0A. The event aims to educate hams about severe weather awareness. N0A will be active on HF across 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m and will utilize both SSB and FT8 modes. The event runs March 17-31, 2025.
Source: Skywarn Youth Net HOW RARE IS YOUR PREFIX?Get Ready for CQ WPX Contest March 29th and 30th DP Dunn, AB2NM Contests are an excellent way to boost your skills, test your station’s capability and add to your totals if you’re working towards DXCC or WAS, or their five-band equivalents. The CQ WPX contest is a few weeks away. Like most contests, the objective is to maximize your score, but the WPX has a twist: each new prefix is a score-multiplier. To maximize your score, collect as many new prefixes as possible. Here are a few quick definitions and highlights from an old (2016) set of WPX rules: PREFIX: The letter/numeral combination which forms the first part of the amateur call. Examples: N8, W8, WD8, HG1, HG19, KC2, OE2, OE25, LY1000, etc. Any difference in the numbering, lettering, or order of same shall count as a separate prefix. PREFIX MULTIPLIERS: The prefix multiplier is the number of valid prefixes worked. Each PREFIX is counted only once regardless of the band or number of times the same prefix is worked. SCORING: The final score is the result of the total QSO points multiplied by the number of different prefixes worked. If your call sign has a rare prefix, this may result in you being a highly sought-after station in the WPX contest. A unique prefix has the potential to add significantly to your score. Now how rare is your prefix? Let's look at the FCC's site: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp The search form is easy. Starting from the top:
(4) Click the SEARCH button, located at the top or bottom of the screen. (NOTE: don’t use the geosearch button.) Results will show how many active (currently licensed) US amateur radio operators hold that prefix. That's it; your tax dollars at work. For fun, let’s look up the US license prefix NX9. The FCC site shows only 27 active US amateur radio operators with that prefix. Remember, a unique prefix is a score-multiplier; NX9 will be popular in this contest! WEEKEND EDITION: RIP George Foreman, one of the heavyweight greats.... Ham Radio, Students and Scientists at the 2025 HamSCI WorkshopBy: Rich Moseson, W2VU Some 175 scientists, students, professors, and amateur radio operators from around the world gathered in person and virtually on March 14 and 15 to share research, educate each other, and network at the annual HamSCI Workshop. HamSCI, the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation program, aims to promote collaboration between science, amateur radio, and education. The 2025 workshop was hosted this year by the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark. The program featured 30 talks and two dozen poster presentations, many focused on the HamSCI community’s research activities during the 2023 annular and 2024 total solar eclipses and its ongoing programs to involve amateur radio operators in collecting data for research on space weather and its impact on the ionosphere. See a short video of the workshop’s poster session on ARRL’s YouTube channel. “I believe the workshop went very well,” said HamSCI Lead Dr. Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, a professor at the University of Scranton. “There were many stimulating presentations and discussions, and the workshop did an excellent job bringing together amateurs, students, and scientists from near and far.” Among the presenters was Space Science Institute researcher Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, the 2025 recipient of the Dayton Hamvention® Technical Achievement Award. Collins demonstrated how interactive data visualization software can be used as a platform for HamSCI work, including visualization of data amassed from the Personal Space Weather Station (PSWS) project. Owen Ruzanski, KD3ALD, an undergraduate at The University of Scranton, co-authored, “Development of a Contesting and DXing Dashboard for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station.” Citizen scientist Mindy Hull, MD, KM1NDY, researched the “Effect of near total solar eclipse on radio propagation of HF, Weak-Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) transmissions.” ARRL was well-represented at the conference, with a team led by Director of Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R — who was also the keynote speaker at the Friday night banquet — and Hudson Division Director Ed Wilson, N2XDD. Inderbitzen focused his remarks on amateur radio’s unique status as a technological “sandbox” for exploring and developing new communication technologies. He also highlighted ARRL’s commitment to growing the Amateur Radio Service through programs like the ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology which prepares schoolteachers and college professors to develop student interest and skills in radio communications and technology. “Last year, the ARRL Board of Directors established a road map for a bold, new strategic direction,” said Inderbitzen in his address. “For 110 years, you might sum up the organization’s purpose as promoting and protecting amateur radio. But last year, ARRL’s mission was expanded … to develop the next generation of radio amateurs. And to be even more deliberate, a new advocacy was established: to inspire youth.” Inderbitzen also led a meeting of the ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Program at the end of the workshop. Bonaire for BreakfastWhile eating breakfast last Saturday morning at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, ARRL staff member Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R, was also on the air from Bonaire, remotely working a pileup from a station he visits often on the island. Physically in Newark, New Jersey, for the annual HamSCI Workshop, Bob had his Wi-Fi-connected laptop on the table in front of him, controlling the station in Bonaire as PJ4/NQ1R, and responding to FT8 calls in between bites of breakfast! Increasingly popular remote operating will be the focus of an upcoming special edition of the National Contest Journal. Ham radio operators honor World War II veterans (Florida)Before smartphones and instant messaging, radio waves carried the voices of those fighting for our country. At Buckingham Army Airfield, once the largest in Florida, thousands of airmen trained during World War II. On Tuesday, a group of ham radio operators brought that legacy back to life, using the same airwaves that once carried history. Ham radio operators are people who are licensed to operate radio equipment for personal communication and other activities on radio frequencies. Nearly 50,000 aerial gunners were trained at Buckingham Army Air Field during World War II. Now, almost 80 years later, voices filled the air once again. Read more – WINK: https://bit.ly/4iLgbgr ORI Aims for Earth-Venus-Earth CommunicationsOpen Research Institute (ORI) has begun an ambitious effort to bounce radio signals off Venus and back to Earth. A project plan is in place that outlines feasibility, requirements, and timing.
Hams are encouraged to participate in the project. Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia Active for the First Time via QO-100
Amateur Radio
Newsline Report
FRIDAY EDITION: Welcome to spring on Cape Ann, cold, bone chilling damp, and throw a little wind in from the ocean...great start to the day...If you think you're smarter than your previous generation 50 years ago, remember when the car manual taught you how to change your fluids in the car. Now it tells you not to drink the battery fluids. FCC Initiates Broad Inquiry on Rules to Delete or AmendIn a Public Notice titled “In Re: Delete, Delete, Delete,” issued on March 12, 2025, the FCC is soliciting public input on any FCC rules in any service that members of the public believe should be deleted or modified “for the purpose of alleviating unnecessary regulatory burdens.” This is the latest in a series of similar proceedings going back to 1996, when the Communications Act was amended to require the FCC to periodically review its rules. ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®, through its Executive Committee and FCC Counsel, is conducting a review of the provisions in Part 97 and other related rules that apply to radio amateurs. ARRL is also soliciting feedback from its members. Rules identified as outmoded, obsolete, or that for other reasons should be repealed or modified, will be included in ARRL’s filing to be submitted no later than the FCC deadline of April 11, 2025. The deadline for filing reply comments is April 28, 2025. It is expected that the Commission will incorporate suggestions that it decides worthy of its consideration in a future Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that could be issued later this year. There will then be an opportunity for public comment on the specific rules that the Commission proposes for deletion or modification. A PDF of the FCC Public Notice is available here: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-25-219A1.pdf. Blue Ghost Watches Lunar Eclipse from the Lunar Surface
After recently landing at the Moon’s Mare Crisium, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander craft was treated to a spectacle that’s rarely observed: a total solar eclipse as seen from the surface of the Moon. This entire experience was detailed on the Blue Ghost Mission 1 live blog. As the company notes, this is the first time that a commercial entity has been able to observe this phenomenon. During this event, the Earth gradually moved in front of the Sun, as observed from the lunar surface. During this time, the Blue Ghost lander had to rely on its batteries as it was capturing the solar eclipse with a wide-angle camera on its top deck. Unlike the Blood Moon seen from the Earth, there was no such cool effect observed from the Lunar surface. The Sun simply vanished, leaving a narrow ring of light around the Earth. The reason for the Blood Moon becomes obvious, however, as the refracting of the sunlight through Earth’s atmosphere changes the normal white-ish light to shift to an ominous red. The entire sequence of images captured can be observed in the video embedded on the live blog and below, giving a truly unique view of something that few humans (and robots) have so far been able to observe. You can make your own lunar eclipse. Or, make your own solar eclipse, at least once a day. Blog – Hackaday Read More Nothing amateur about radioGood afternoon. Welcome to the AA0RC Repeater. The time is 3:33 p.m. The automated greeting crackles through the radio on Dan “WZ9W” Schnaare’s desk in response to a call sent by Rick “KF0JCP” Smith from a handheld radio just outside of Schnaare’s Ham Shack in Centralia. The signal traveled about 20 miles to the Radio Repeater in Mexico, before being sent back. “KF0JCP, WZ9W,” Schnaare confirms. Schnaare and Smith are members of Audrain Emergency Communications Inc. serving as vice president and treasurer, respectively. AECI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization consisting of 30 amateur radio operators who meet monthly at the Help Center in Mexico. They are dedicated to their craft, teaching and practicing nearly every day. The goal of AECI is to keep the industry alive as much as it is to be prepared for an emergency situation. The early beginnings of ham radio Ameteur radio communication began in December 1901 when Italian engineer Guglielmo Marconi first transmitted wireless signals across the Atlantic with a radio device. He successfully sent wireless waves 2,100 miles between Poldhu, Cornwall and St. John’s, Newfoundland, in order to prove that the waves were not affected by the curvature of the earth. Marconi patented his “magnetic detector” that would become the standard wireless receiver in 1902. In December 1902, Marconi was able to transmit the first complete message to Poldhu from Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, and later from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Since then, the radio communications industry has exploded. With applications beyond military and commercial use, its popularity spread before regulations could be put in place. The growing number of radio operators causing interference on radio systems followed by the sinking of the Titanic prompted an investigation which led to the establishment of the Radio Act of 1912. The Radio Act of 1912 was the first federal regulation for radio. It required all broadcasters be licensed and limited radio operations to specific wavelengths. Marconi, aptly named “the father of radio,” received several honorary doctorates from multiple universities and a number of other awards and honors, including the Nobel Prize for Physics, which he shared with Professor Karl Braun, in 1909. Amateur radio is often called ham radio. They mean the same thing regarding the noncommercial or personal use of specific radio frequencies. The word “ham” has numerous debatable origins. Some believe the word was professional telegraphers’ nickname for the clumsy, “ham-fisted” radio operators who were inexperienced in Morse Code. Others believe the term was simply used as a shorthand to distinguish amateur and professional radio operators. Amateur radio in Audrain County The AECI leaned on the memories of its most senior members and records kept by fellow ham radio operators to nail down the most complete history of their club. Dick “K2HT” Thompson is 82-years-old. From a young age, Thompson had an interest in radio operation so strong, it led him to seek out radio operators in Centralia and Mexico. World War II veteran Jim “K0EZB” Curtis had been a CW radio operator during his time in the military. He and aircraft operator Charles “K0HNE” Anderson were regarded as “great CW operators” who liked to teach and encourage young radio enthusiasts such as Thompson. Thompson, Curtis and Anderson met regularly with another zealous operator, Marty “N5MCA” Admire, in an old school building near the Mexico Memorial Airport. Their club, dubbed the Audrain Amateur Radio Club, grew to include a great deal of local business owners and public figures including former Postmaster Charles “W0MRQ” Ayers, Chief Radio Officer for the Panhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. Monroe “W9KF” Penick, metallurgist Howard “K0ACK” Gibbins, former Best Western – Mexico owner Bob “WZ0EST” Stephenson and former Circulation Manager of The Mexico Ledger Vernon “K0ELB” Duffy. The AARC continued to push the boundaries of radio and in 1977 the idea of installing a two-meter repeater came about. Despite pushback from members who were unsure about this relatively new technology that used line-of-sight transmission as opposed to the high frequency waves they were used to, the first radio repeater was built, tested and fixed to a Cable TV system donated by former Mexico Ledger owner Bob White later that year. The success of the repeater that once divided the club eventually brought them back together. Now, the AECI has five radio repeaters and with an antenna at 900 feet, they cover approximately an 80-mile radius. The newest repeater made by the AECI uses a Motorola commercial repeater. “It was probably made for the police department, fire department or something like that and this radio was retuned to the amateur radio band,” said Schnaare. “We put all the pieces together and got it working.” The Wizard of Ham Radio Schnaare is from Campbell Hill, Illinois. His introduction to ham radio was completely by chance, when his wife’s uncle invited him to a ham radio class happening about 40 minutes away in Carbondale when he was 23. “When I tested as a novice, my only form of communication was with Morse code or CW,” Schnaare remembers. “It’s not like that anymore because they’ve done away with the requirement.” Schnaare gave up his license and put his ham radio hobby on hold when his career at Spartan, which is what brought him to Mexico, took off. He started at the company sweeping floors in the early 80s. “I took some classes in industrial electricity, industrial electronics and machinist, so I knew just enough to be dangerous,” said Schnaare. He may not have had a degree, but he did have a notebook and a knack for figuring things out. Soon, Schnaare’s unique ability to understand and fix the machinery and his immaculate note-taking allowed him to rise through the ranks, eventually being transferred to Mexico to start up the new facility. “I’ll dig into anything and figure it out,” said Schnaare. “If I want to learn something, I sit down for days until I figure it out.” Schnaare has been a member of AECI since getting back into the hobby four years ago “The first year, I stayed pretty quiet to get to know who the people were and then the second year I became more active and vocal and provided my ideas and thoughts,” said Schnaare, who quickly became vice president and a board member. Schnaare is working with four radios that operate from 440 mhz down to 1.8 mhz. Even to experienced ham radio operators, Schnaare’s set-up is quite advanced and very high tech. “You can be as simple as you want in this stuff, or you can nerd this thing out to the hilltop,” Smith jokes. “This is a nerd example,” Schnaare said, beaming. That combined with his wealth of knowledge and affinity for problem-solving has earned him the nickname “the wizard” in the world of ham radio. The scope of AECI today AECI has been registered since 2008 and has been awarded grants through the AP Green Foundation and has been supported through sponsorships from local businesses such as the KWWR Radio Station. KWWR has donated a spot on their tower at 900 feet for an AECI antenna. Radio tower real estate is worth thousands of dollars a year for companies who lease the space, but with its 501(c)(3) designation, the AECI uses it for free. “If it wasn’t for the businesses in Mexico that helped us out in the early days, we wouldn’t be where we are today,” said Schnaare. The AECI continues to hone their craft, sharpening their skills for more than just pleasure. In emergency situations and natural disasters such as tornadoes, it is possible that radio will be the only available form of communication. Schnaare experienced this first hand in the 80s when a tornado devastated Marion. “At that time, the amateur radio group went over to help the Red Cross, not in any of the rescue, but trying to find family members,” said Schnaare. “I was the guy who manned the radio station at the church.” Many AECI members are also trained weather spotters working closely with the National Weather Service in St. Louis. In 2017, the AECI used some of their grant money to purchase the Emergency Communications Trailer which has a fully functional 65’ pneumatic mast to raise their antenna. Even in the event that all communications, including local radio towers, are wiped out, that trailer is equipped with a radio repeater, which can have the AECI on the air immediately. “We hope the area will never have a need for us; however, we are constantly building out infrastructure should it be needed,” said Schnaare. THURSDAY EDITION: Our balloon man, Jim-K1TT, is building a new balloon a we speak and looking for a wind free day to attempt the second launch. It really shouldbe fun traking the balloon....Here is your federal tax dollar at work: The research, published March 19 in the journal Nature, suggests parrots (and specifically parakeets) could be a model for studying human speech, helping scientists to better understand and treat speech disorders. It also adds to the growing stack of scientific findings that demonstrate “bird-brained” isn’t much of an insult after all. Many of our feathered friends show impressive memory, learning, counting, and reasoning abilities. This newest study underscores that–when it comes to talking–humans are all somewhat bird- (or at least budgie-) brained, and we should be proud. Repairing a 1955 Classic RadioWe used to say that fixing something was easier than bringing up a design for the first time. After all, the thing you are fixing, presumably, worked at one time or another. These days, that’s not always true as fixing modern gear can be quite a challenge. Watching [Ken’s] repair of an old 1955 Silvertone radio reminded us of a simpler time. You can watch the action on the video below.
If you’ve never had the pleasure of working on an AM radio, you should definitely try it. Some people would use an amplifier to find where the signal dies out. Others will inject a signal into the radio to find where it stops. A good strategy is to start at the volume control and decide if it is before or after that. Then split the apparently bad section roughly in half and test that portion—sort of a hardware binary search. Of course, your first step should probably be to verify power, but after that, the hunt is on. There’s something very satisfying about taking a dead radio and then hearing it come to life on your bench. In this case, some of the problems were from a previous repair. Troubleshooting is an art all by itself. Restoring old radios is also great fun.
1 The WSPR transmitter and solar array, the bottles are just holding the thin wire antenna that is spread out at launch. WEDNESDAY EDITION: The launch was fun but not successful, another launch to follow in a few days....thanks Jim-K1TT for all the work
The launch, one holding the half inflated helium balloon and the others stretching out the antenna wire....
The balloon launched but the solar panel hit the rocks before ascending because of the strong winds
Gaining altitude but with no solar panel to power the TX, a failed launch but a good learning experience.. TUESDAY EDITION: Raw, cold, and windy....nice start to the day....A little FYI about car names below.. How do cars get their names? Art, science, and a legal process.Some people stress about naming a pet, vacillating between Steve and Spot and Bark Twain. Naming a child is even more fraught because parents generally don’t want their offspring to carry a burdensome name, one that lends itself to taunt-prone nicknames, or initials that spell something heinous (use your imagination on that one). Naming a car isn’t always a cakewalk, either. Case in point: The poor Chevrolet Nova has been mocked for decades as the urban legend spread that the name resulted in low sales in Spanish-speaking countries. The name “Nova” was said to translate to no va, or “doesn’t go.” However, as linguistics experts point out, that doesn’t jive with Spanish language rules anyway. The myth has persisted, but it’s not true.
The Lamborghini Temerario got its name from a fighting bull, true to the brand’s Raging Bull theme. Unless it’s a car made by Christian von Koenigsegg or Mate Rimac, the vast majority of vehicles on the market are named by committee, so there is more research and less pressure on one person to bear the blame. Some automakers take the easy way and give their cars alphanumeric soup monikers. For instance, Mercedes-Benz names its cars by class from A to S. The brand’s S-class stands for the German word “sonderklasse,” meaning “special class.” In between, there are three-letter names like the GLA, GLB, and so on. Here’s a name that seems like it’s as long as the number Pi: 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4Matic. The car is so fun to drive and it gets such excellent fuel efficiency, though, you can forget about the name and just focus on the ride. Naming a car usually requires a processJessica Fini, the assistant vice president of Communications for American Honda, says the company holds brainstorming meetings with key product planning members and other marketing, communications, and sales executives a few years out from the launch of a new vehicle. In that set of meetings, team members share the overall concept of the vehicle and describe its overarching traits. Once the list of brainstormed names are compiled, they take a vote and poll again with the top name choices. Then the top three names are handed over to the legal department for background checks, meaning they are tasked with making sure other brands don’t already use them or have them on reserve, and they check to ensure the word doesn’t mean something negative in another language. “Usually when we submit three names, there are a couple we cannot use so one comes out the winner,” Fini explains. “If all three are rejected, we go back to the longer list and re-submit.” Fini says Honda’s words generally tie to a meaning. The Prologue, for example, is the automaker’s first mass-market EV (a prologue, or introduction, to a bigger selection). The Passport SUV is an adventure car, and passports are tied to adventures. Honda does have a few acronyms, like the CR-V: Comfortable Runabout Vehicle. Toyota also uses the acronym naming convention. RAV4 stands for Recreational Active Vehicle with four-wheel-drive. Lexus’ RX stands for “Radiant Crossover (X).” Personally, I prefer the Crown, named for the Japanese word kanmuri (also kamuri), meaning crown. The etymology of car namesHyundai’s performance-focused names like N Line and N models pay homage to Hyundai’s Namyang research and development center and the Nürburgring racetrack, emphasizing precision engineering. Meanwhile, models like the Elantra (from “elan,” meaning energy) and Sonata (inspired by musical harmony) convey their unique personalities through language, says Elijah Kim, Hyundai senior group manager for market sensing and research. “Hyundai’s vehicle naming strategy is a carefully crafted blend of geography, symbolism, and innovation, designed to evoke an emotional connection with drivers,” Kim explains. “Many models draw inspiration from real-world locations, such as Santa Fe, Tucson, and Kona, each reflecting a sense of adventure and lifestyle.” The Palisade, symbolizing strength and protection, reinforces its role as a spacious and family-friendly SUV. Merriam-Webster defines the word palisade as “a fence of stakes especially for defense, further elevating the sense of safety.” Kim says as Hyundai embraces electrification, the IONIQ series merges “ion” and “unique” to signify a forward-thinking approach to mobility. “With each name, Hyundai isn’t just branding a car—it’s telling a story, shaping how drivers perceive and connect with their vehicles,” Kim says. “As the industry moves toward intelligent, electrified transportation, Hyundai’s naming strategy will continue evolving, blending science, technology, and imagination.” No one knows that better than Lamborghini, which has created an entire product line named for bulls that fought for their lives in the arena. The Miura is a breed of Spanish fighting bulls, Murciélago was a bull that reportedly fought off 28 sword strokes. The newest model named for a fighting bull, the Temerario, means fierce and courageous, according to Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann. Polio On The Air 2025 - CQ SALKWhat PermalinkIn celebration of the 70th anniversary of the April 12, 1955 US approval of the Salk polio vaccine, NARS is delighted to be running the Polio On The Air event from April 5 - 19, 2025 (UTC)! (To avoid confusion with our friends at Parks on the Air, we will be calling CQ SALK on all fashionable protocols, rather than CQ POTA.) WhyPermalinkPolio was bad and vaccines are good. While thankfully, unlike 70 years ago, there is no opposition to vaccines anymore (because vaccines made it so nobody has to die of smallpox, measles, mumps, and all the other diseases we have safe and effective vaccines for), we think this incredible achievement needs periodic celebration to ensure it is never forgotten. Hence, we’re re-spreading the good news, in keeping with our charter: “…to foster joy, goodwill, understanding, and experiential enlightenment of all people….” Also, QSL cards are great! Participate PermalinkCheck out our Polio on the Air Operator’s Guide! How to Contact Us PermalinkWe will be operating the Special Event Stations W7P, W7O, W7L, W7I, and W0O throughout the period. Make contact with one, get a QSL card. Make contact with all five, get five QSL cards—and something really neat happens if you collect all five! In order to ensure that our friends with no HF station, location, time, or privileges can participate, we are going to be operating on many different modes. You can get all the contacts on one mode/band or many! HF Digital Permalink
HF Voice Permalink
VHF/UHF Voice Permalink
QSL Policy PermalinkWe will send you a QSL card to your address as listed in HamQTH! (We don’t use QRZ; if you still think it’s cool to be “Master of Africa” in 2025, Cecil Rhodes would love to meet you. When we tried to point this issue–and the issue of paid QRZ members sending right-wing screeds—out to the QRZ membership, they banned our membership from their site and took our club call with them. We prefer to let the sort of people who think endorsing racism is A-OK hang out together, enjoying a refreshing swim, far from the rest of us. MONDAY EDITION: Happy St. Pat's Day, I know my mothers side of the family, right off the boat from Ireland, are shit faced in South Boston for most likely a week or so....My Scottish and English father said he slit my wrist when I was born and let the Irish curse out of me.....didn't work for many years but I finally saw the light.... Special Event Stations to Celebrate 200 Years of British Train TravelMultiple stations will celebrate 200 years of train travel across Great Britain through out 2025. Organized by the British Railways Amateur Radio Society, look for GB2TT, GB0LMR, GX4LMR, GB1FRT, and GB2SDR to be active during the year. Award certificates are available for working all special event stations. QLS cards for individual stations are also available. Amateur Radio Daily – Read More It’s SSB, But Maybe Not Quite As You Know ItSingle Sideband, or SSB, has been the predominant amateur radio voice mode for many decades now. It has bee traditionally generated by analogue means, generating a double sideband and filtering away the unwanted side, or generating 90 degree phase shifted quadrature signals and mixing them. More recent software-defined radios have taken this into the CPU, but here’s [Georg DG6RS] with another method. It uses SDR techniques and a combination of AM and FM to achieve polar modulation and generate SSB. He’s provided a fascinating in-depth technical explanation to help understand how it works. The hardware is relatively straightforward; an SI5351 clock generator provides the reference for an ADF4351 PLL and VCO, which in turn feeds a PE4302 digital attenuator. It’s all driven from an STM32F103 microcontroller which handles the signal processing. Internally this means conventionally creating I and Q streams from the incoming audio, then an algorithm to generate the phase and amplitude for polar modulation. These are fed to the PLL and attenuator in turn for FM and AM modulation, and the result is SSB. It’s only suitable for narrow bandwidths, but it’s a novel and surprisingly simple deign. We like being presented with new (to us at least) techniques, as it never pays to stand still. Meanwhile for more conventional designs, we’ve got you covered. I KNEW ITNo, it's not just you — people really are less smart than they used to be. As the Financial Times reports, assessments show that people across age groups are having trouble concentrating and losing reasoning, problem-solving, and information-processing skills — all facets of the hard-to-measure metric that "intelligence" is supposed to measure. These results, the FT reports, are gleaned from benchmarking tests that track cognitive skills in teens and young adults. From the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future study documenting concentration difficulties of 18-year-old Americans to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) that measures the learning skills of 15-year-olds around the world, years of research suggest that young people are struggling with reduced attention spans and weakening critical thinking skills. Though there has been a demonstrably steep decline in cognitive skills since the COVID-19 pandemic due to the educational disruption it presented, these trends have been in evidence since at least the mid-2010s, suggesting that whatever is going on runs much deeper and has lasted far longer than the pandemic. Obviously, there's no single answer as to why people seem to be struggling with cognitive skills, but one key indicator is the sharp decline in reading and the world's changing relationship to the way we consume information and media. In 2022, for example, the National Endowment for the Arts found that just 37.6 percent of Americans said they'd read a novel or short story in the year prior — a share down from 41.5 percent in 2017 and 45.2 percent in 2012. It would be easy enough to blame this decline on people reading less (and, presumably, scrolling online brainrot more). But according to 2023 results from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the same international consortium that puts out the PISA survey, 34 percent of adults in the United States scored at the lowest levels of numeracy, which essentially means that they lack the ability to work with numbers. A year prior, that share was just 29 percent. Beyond changes in media consumption and the mediums in which we take it, it appears, as the FT notes, our relationship to information generally is shifting too. While there certainly are ways to use tech that don't cause harm to cognition, studies show that "screen time" as we know it today hurts verbal functioning in children and makes it harder for college-age adults to concentrate and retain information. There isn't any reason to suggest that human intellect has been harmed, the publication counters — but in "both potential and execution," our intelligence is definitely on the downturn. NEW PRODUCT: OM Power OM6BPF Automatic Bandpass Filters are extremely useful and attractive multiband inline desktop units, which contain six individual high-Q hand-tuned internal band pass filter boards that cover all six Amateur Radio contesting bands: 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters. The OM Power OM6BPF effectively removes unwanted and interfering noise and signals from all but the single band selected for operation. Enjoy ultra-quiet reception and eliminate out-of-band emissions from the transmitted signal. The OM6BPF features low insertion loss, excellent out-of-band rejection, and handles 200 watts key-down RF. The filter design is 50 ohm, and this unit has SO-239 connectors for installation between the transceiver and the input of an amplifier or a tuner. Adding the OM Power OM6BPF will prove its worth everywhere – especially where multiple stations are present on multiple bands from a specific location like DX expeditions, MS/MM contest stations and SO2R stations. The OM6BPF protects the front end of the receiver and also eliminates or reduces interference coming from every other band, for quieter reception at any station. Join the "Contesting Class" of operators who use individual band pass filters, with the convenience of an attractive, self-contained and functional multi-band filter unit. Choose OM Power OM6BPF Automatic Bandpass Filters for your station.
The OM6BPF single front panel push-button allows quick manual selection of any one of the six bands: a long press toggles between automatic mode or bypass. Automatic band selections may be input via the rear panel ‘Control’ connector from an OM Power Amplifier, or with an Icom HF transceiver ACC band voltage, or with a Yaesu or Elecraft transceiver Band Data, or from a user supplied band decoder or station controller. DX Engineering carries a variety of products that support automation. Internal band-switching relays and band-selection LEDs draw about 300mA at 12 VDC, powered by the rear panel 2.1 mm power connector just below a power on-off rocker switch. A mating power connector cable or power supply are sold separately, such as the convenient DXE-PSW12D1A 120 VAC to 12 VDC 1A linear wall transformer power supply. WEEKEND EDITION: Easy day on the island... Radio Connects is 2025 ARRL Field Day ThemeARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has released the logo and theme for this year’s ARRL Field Day, June 28 – 29, 2025. The theme for 2025 Field Day is “Radio Connects” — highlighting the many ways that wireless technology connects people across distances near and far. The event is part picnic, campout, practice for emergencies, informal contest, and most of all, fun! ARRL Field Day is the most popular ham radio activity held annually in the US and Canada. On the fourth weekend in June each year, more than 31,000 hams get together with their radio clubs, schools, or friends to operate from remote locations. Ham radio provides a connection — both for practical communications and to form relationships with fellow radio amateurs. No matter who you are, or what your background or interests are, if you have an interest in radio and wireless technology, radio connects you with others. The theme is universal, says ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX. “Local amateur radio clubs bridge generations. Contacts made across town or around the world allow cultural exchange, right over the air. In times of crisis, radio connects those in need with information. The whole point of amateur radio is the connect, both literally and figuratively,” she said. Amateur radio also inspires the next generation of technical leaders by providing a hands-on sandbox where students can gain experience in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Make your plans to connect with radio for ARRL Field Day. Use the Field Day site locator to find a site near you. Clubs planning to host a site may list their event information there, as well. Don’t Forget the Swag! 2025 ARRL Field Day Radio Connects merchandise is available for preorder from the ARRL Store. All the fan-favorite gear is back: tee-shirts (complete with ARRL Sections checklist on the back!), mugs, and pins are available for shipping in late April 2025. Please note: any orders from the ARRL Store that contain 2025 ARRL Field Day merchandise will be held for shipping until the Field Day items are available in late April. For more information about 2025 ARRL Field Day and the “Radio Connects” theme — or to start planning your activation — visit www.arrl.org/field-day. Clubs are Gearing Up for ARRL Ham Radio Open House — Yours Can, Too!Momentum is building for ARRL’s Ham Radio Open House — an amateur radio event for clubs to put their most technological foot forward and show the public the true modern state of amateur radio. The events are to be held in April across the United States, on or close to World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) on April 18. This year’s WARD commemorates 100 years of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). The goal for participation is 50 clubs in 50 states – but the more the merrier. ARRL is working with Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI and SciStarter to promote the event as part of April being Citizen Science Month. “We’ve had a lot of clubs express interest and commitment to be a part of Ham Radio Open House,” said ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX. “Thanks to some great volunteer outreach efforts, clubs are seeing the value of showing off the true current state of amateur radio,” she said. Many other clubs in overlapping hobbies are being engaged. Several astronomy clubs have agreed to partner with local ham clubs to co-host the event. American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources – Read More FCC allows a power boost for SpaceX’s direct-to-smartphone serviceSpaceX secured permission March 7 to provide direct-to-smartphone satellite services at higher power levels to improve connectivity beyond the reach of cell towers across the United States. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said it is allowing SpaceX to emit more power into spectrum bands adjacent to its partner T-Mobile’s frequencies, provided it does not interfere with other networks following concerns from rival telcos. This conditional approval follows the FCC’s November decision allowing SpaceX to use T-Mobile’s cellular frequencies on up to 7,500 Gen2 Starlink satellites for Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS). At the time, the FCC postponed a decision on whether to let these satellites operate at higher power levels — an upgrade paving the way for services to expand beyond SOS and texting to support real-time voice and video calls. Companies such as Verizon and AT&T, which have partnered with direct-to-smartphone startup AST SpaceMobile, warned that increased emissions could degrade the performance of terrestrial mobile networks in the United States and create interference risks. Read more – SpaceNews: https://bit.ly/4bQvVfM Perfect Storm Exercise in California Gets Results
03/14/2025
The ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section (SJV) conducted “Perfect Storm,” an amateur radio emergency exercise, on March 5 - 7. Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Dan Sohn, WL7COO, asked that a section-wide exercise be created that would engage both amateur radio operators and non-amateurs to become more active in their community's emergency preparedness and response capabilities. There were 120 participants from 9 counties within the SJV Section, including Calaveras, Fresno, Kern, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus, Tulare, Tuolumne, and two counties outside the section, Los Angeles and San Diego. Both amateurs and participants equipped with General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios gathered local situational awareness data. The exercise culminated with a two-hour period during which local groups forwarded their data to a mock Incident Command Post. At the same time, leaders of the groups were asked to participate in a live "hot wash" on Zoom, where the results were reviewed, and errors could be corrected in real time. SJV Section Manager Steven Hendricks, KK6JTB, said the Perfect Storm exceeded expectations and SEC Sohn reported the exercise was a resounding success. “We wanted to engage many different organizations and especially young hams,” said Hendricks. “It’s important to tap into their excitement and engage them so when a disaster does strike, they can become a vital part of team.” The SVJ Section is now planning to have two exercises every year. For more information about the ARRL San Joaquin Valley Section, visit their Facebook page San Joaquin Valley Section - ARRL | Facebook.
Amateur Radio
Newsline FRIDAY EDITION; Thoughts on the radio below. it's made in China and no repair shops in the USA, Icom design influence display, only 15 watt QRP rig....why not buy a Yaesu FT891 and have a fixable and better quality radio?
KN-990 Features: $549.00 Chinese manufacture 3.5 inch LCD, without touch fuction Frequency range: Reception: 0.1~30MHz transmitting : Amateur shortwave band Working mode: SSB/CW/AM/FM/DIGITAL Receiving sensitivity: 0.2uV Minimum frequency step: 10Hz Working voltage: 12~15V DC Current parameter: RX 0.4A TX 4A @Max Whole machine size: 160X80X220 (mm) [excluding protrusion] Transmitting power: rated 15 watts Modulation mode: all mode digital modulation and demodulation. Stray suppression system: more than 45dBc Carrier suppression: greater than or equal to 45dBc Selectivity: all mode bandwidth is continuously adjustable (minimum bandwidth adjustment step 10Hz). KEEP YOU EARS OPEN
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Document(s): Hurricane Watch Net Founder Gerald Murphy, K8YUW, a Silent KeyGerald E. “Gerry” Murphy, K8YUW, passed away on February 25, 2025. He was 88 years old, and the founder of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). According to a statement released by current HWN manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Murphy, then 28 years old, was stationed at the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island, in 1965. During his time off, he handled countless phon… Read more American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources – Read More THURSDAY EDITION: A question to ponder, do you think the restructuring of the FCC might lead to the end of ham radio? Perhaps they will take frequencies and sell them, perhaps they will turn ham radio into cb with no call signs and totally forget about us. Never say never! Convert a Cheap Tube Preamp Into A Headphone Amp With Jenny
Big-name tube amplifiers often don’t come cheap. Being the preserve of dedicated audiophiles, those delicate hi-fis put their glass components on show to tell you just how pricy they really ought to be. If you just want to dip your toe in the tube world, though, there’s a cheaper and more accessible way to get started. [Jenny List] shows us the way with her neat headphone amp build. The build starts with an off-the-shelf preamp kit based around two common 6J1 tubes. These Chinese pentode valves come cheap and you can usually get yours hands on this kit for $10 or so. You can use the kit as-is if you just want a pre-amp, but it’s not suitable for headphone use out of the box due to its high-impedance output. That’s where [Jenny] steps in. You can turn these kits into a pleasing headphone amp with the addition of a few choice components. As per the schematic on Github, a cheap transformer and a handful of passives will get it in the “good enough” range to work. The transformer isn’t perfect, and bass response is a compromise, but it’s a place to start your tinkering journey. Future work from [Jenny] will demonstrate using a MOSFET follower to achieve much the same result. We’ve seen a great number of headphone amplifiers over the years, including one particularly attractive resin-encased example. Video after the break. Blog – Hackaday Read More Dayton Hamvention 2025 Award Winners AnnouncedThe recipients of the 2025 Dayton Hamvention® Awards were announced on March 11, 2025. “The selection process was highly competitive, given the outstanding quality of nominations submitted this year. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the winners for 2025,” said Dayton Hamvention Awards Chair Michael Kalter, W8CI. Technical Achievement Award: Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, serves as the Chief Operations Scientist for the Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI) Personal Space Weather Station Network. In this role, she collaborates with citizen scientists to pinpoint significant events, organize campaigns, and ensure PSWS data is validated and curated for scientific purposes. Listeners can hear her voice on WWV at 8 minutes past the hour and WWVH at 48 minutes past the hour, where she introduces the test signal for the WWV/H Scientific Modulation Working Group. Dr. Collins has been instrumental in organizing numerous workshops through HamSCI and has guided many undergraduate and graduate students in radio science projects, including instrument deployments, eclipse campaigns, and data analysis. She is a dedicated member of the Case Amateur Radio Club, W8EDU, working alongside her colleagues to integrate amateur radio into university teaching and research. At the Space Science Institute, Dr. Collins employs virtual reality and sonification in her research to explore geospace and other interdisciplinary scientific questions. Her primary research interests lie in using open-source hardware and software to enhance participation and accelerate progress in science and engineering. Special Achievement: Julio Ripoll, WD4R Julio Ripoll, WD4R, received his first amateur radio license in 1977. His fascination with hurricanes began in childhood, sparked when Hurricane Betsy in 1965 damaged his family's home in Miami, Florida, causing water to pour into his bedroom. In 1980, Dr. Neal Frank, then director of the National Hurricane Center (NHC), requested an amateur radio station within the NHC to facilitate communication with the Caribbean during hurricanes. Julio was chosen for this important task. W4EHW (now WX4NHC) handled its first hurricane that year, and Julio's initial two-year assignment with the NHC has since extended to 45 years, covering over 100 hurricanes. In 2010, shortly after the Haiti earthquake, Ripoll was tasked with setting up and managing operations between the University of Miami (UM) Hospital in Florida and the UM field hospital in Haiti. He swiftly coordinated with US and Haitian officials, organizing a team of amateur radio operators from across the US to run HH2/WX4NHC in Haiti. Beyond the field hospital, the team provided vital communication links to the US Navy hospital ship Comfort, facilitating helicopter and speed-boat patient transfers that saved many lives. Julio and his team's use of amateur radio in public service demonstrated significant merit, earning high regard for amateur radio capabilities. Club of the Year: RV Radio Network (RVRN) The RVRN’s roots date back over 40 years to a chapter of the Texas Good Sam Club, which included a few ham radio operators. These hams started a net that drew in other Good Sam RVers from neighboring states, leading to gatherings at campgrounds where their fellow net members lived. The net quickly outgrew the Texas chapter, gaining members nationwide, and thus, the RV Radio Network (RVRN) was born. Today, RVRN boasts over 450 members. From the beginning, the club organized activities that not only expanded knowledge of ham radio and related technology, but also allowed for the enjoyment of recreational vehicle (RV) travel and meeting fellow hams and RVers across the country. They stay connected through various ham radio nets and meet in person whenever possible. They have 10 different HF nets each week, along with a weekly international EchoLink multi-mode net and a video net over the internet. There are two major rallies a year featuring educational forums and seminars, tours of RV radio equipment, and antenna configurations. If there's an interesting industry nearby, they might invite a guest speaker to share insights about their operations. And, of course, they enjoy the social events and entertainment common to typical RV rallies. Amateur of the Year: Neil Rapp, WB9VPG Neil
Rapp, WB9VPG,
from Union,
Kentucky, earned
his Novice
ticket in 1976
at the
remarkable age
of 5, making him
one of the
youngest
licensed amateur
radio operators
ever.
WEDNESDAY EDITION: Taxes filed this morning, got a little money coming back for a change. The last walkie I bought was a Yaesu FT2DR and it still works great but maybe it's time to look at the FT5 with color display...
Nice talk about what is necessary to launch a tracked balloon at the Saturday meeting. We will be launching several balloons in the very near future. Hurricane Watch Net Founder Gerald Murphy, K8YUW, a Silent KeyGerald E. “Gerry” Murphy, K8YUW, passed away on February 25, 2025. He was 88 years old, and the founder of the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). According to a statement released by current HWN manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Murphy, then 28 years old, was stationed at the U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Center in Davisville, Rhode Island, in 1965. During his time off, he handled countless phone patches and messages to and from military-deployed personnel as a member of the Intercontinental Amateur Radio Net (IARN) on 14.320 MHz. On Labor Day Weekend that year, Hurricane Betsy was moving through the Bahamas, and many people were asking about this storm. Back then, hurricane forecasting was still in its infancy and the public didn’t have access to 24-hour news and weather. “There was so much interest in what the storm was doing that it created a major disruption in IARN activities,” said Graves. “Murphy suggested to the Net Manager to move those interested in the storm up 5 kHz to get them off the net, and the Net Manager agreed. Marcy Rice, KZ5MM, located in the Canal Zone (Panama), followed Murphy, and together they established the first Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz.” Graves issued a personal message on Murphy’s passing: “Gerry, thank you for creating this great organization. Your vision, care, and compassion, without a doubt, have helped many before, during, and after these dangerous tropical cyclone events. I am thrilled your legacy of the HWN lives on! Rest in peace, my friend.” ARRL Great Lakes Division Director Scott Yonally, N8SY, has known Murphy for decades. “Murphy was a long-time resident of Lakewood, Ohio, and I’ve known him for almost as long as I’ve been a ham. He was always a talented guy with a strong military background that made you feel just like you had enlisted into the Marines,” said Yonally. “But, in most cases he was just looking out for you and amateur radio. The Northeast Ohio SKYWARN® program was born directly to the work that he did, and as a testament to the devotion that he gave to it, still shows strongly in that the Northeastern Ohio SKYWARN program is still going on today.” Murphy managed the Hurricane Watch Net until February 1988, and continued to serve as Assistant Net Manager until he retired in March 1991. You can read his full obituary at www.tributearchive.com/obituaries/37994045/gerald-e.-"gerry"-murphy. Clubs are Gearing Up for ARRL Ham Radio Open House — Yours Can, Too!Momentum is building for ARRL’s Ham Radio Open House — an amateur radio event for clubs to put their most technological foot forward and show the public the true modern state of amateur radio. The events are to be held in April across the United States, on or close to World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) on April 18. This year’s WARD commemorates 100 years of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU). The goal for participation is 50 clubs in 50 states – but the more the merrier. ARRL is working with Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation (HamSCI and SciStarter to promote the event as part of April being Citizen Science Month. “We’ve had a lot of clubs express interest and commitment to be a part of Ham Radio Open House,” said ARRL Public Relations and Outreach Manager Sierra Harrop, W5DX. “Thanks to some great volunteer outreach efforts, clubs are seeing the value of showing off the true current state of amateur radio,” she said. Many other clubs in overlapping hobbies are being engaged. Several astronomy clubs have agreed to partner with local ham clubs to co-host the event. A public information training workshop will be held for ARRL Public Information Coordinators, Public Information Officers, Section Managers, club leaders, and others with an interest in hosting and promoting an ARRL Ham Radio Open House. The live, interactive, webinar is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, at 8:30 PM Eastern / 5:30 PM Pacific. Look for a registration link next week. Plan your Ham Radio Open House in April using the resources and tips at www.arrl.org/world-amateur-radio-day. TUESDAY EDITION: Another beutiful day on the rock, time to start raking out the garden and get it ready to bloom... How Rutherford Proved That Atoms Are Mostly Empty SpaceBy the beginning of the 20th century scientists were only just beginning to probe the mysteries of the atomic world, with the exact nature of these atoms subject to a lot of speculation and theory. Recently [The Action Lab] on YouTube replicated one of the most famous experiments performed at the time, commonly known as Rutherford’s gold-foil experiment. A part of Rutherford’s scattering experiments, this particular experiment involved shooting alpha particles at a piece of gold foil with the source, foil, and detector placed in a vacuum vessel. Rutherford’s theoretical model of the atom that he developed over the course of these experiments differed from the contemporary Thomson model in that Rutherford’s model postulated that atoms consisted of a single large charged nucleus at the core of the atom, with the electrons spread around it. As can be seen in the video, the relatively large alpha particles from the Americium-241 source, available from many smoke detectors, will most of the time zip right through the foil, while suffering a pretty major deflection in other times when a nucleus is hit. This is consistent with Rutherford’s model of a small nucleus surrounded by what is effectively mostly just empty space. While Rutherford used a screen that would light up when hit with alpha particles, this experiment with a Geiger counter is an easy way to replicate the experiment, assuming that you have access to a large enough vacuum chamber. Blog – Hackaday Read More Hotel Room HF Adventures
MONDAY EDITION: Good morning hamsters, its a beautiful day on the island....Why won't Martin JU sell Ameritron and the other companys piece meal? I am sure there are a lot of hams willing and able to purchase them... ISS FM Repeater, APRS Digipeater Could be Sunset in Two YearsThe International Space Station (ISS) is currently scheduled for retirement in 2030, but Elon Musk has called for an earlier retirement, as soon as 2027. Musk has described the space station as having served its purpose. With the ISS potentially being deorbited in as few as two years, that leaves hams with only 24 months to continue taking advantage of the FM repeater and APRS digipeater onboard the space station. Astronauts onboard the ISS have suggested honoring agreements to keep the ISS in orbit until 2030.
Source: spacenews.com National Pi Day Special Event NetThe following message is from the Roc-Ham Radio Network: READY FOR SOME PI….!!!!!! Join us on the ROC-HAM RADIO NETWORK for a pop up net celebrating NATIONAL PI DAY. March 14, 2025 at 4:00 PM EDT / 20:00 UTC where we will have 31 fascinating Pi facts and how they effect us today. On the ROC-HAM Echolink conference and on AllStar nodes 2585, 47620, 47918, 531310. The ARRL special event committee has approved the special event callsign N1P for NATIONAL PI DAY. HF Bands-20m, 40m, check back on day of event. 10m/28.405 We will commemorate this event by a special event QSL card upon request. OPTION 1: Send a self addressed envelope to W2JLD (address is good on QRZ.com) OPTION 2: Send 5.00$ USD to my PayPal account DMOTORSPORTS@GMAIL.COM and not worry about a S.A.S.E. For more info go to the website www.roc-ham.net. DX Data: A New DX ClusterMarch 9, 2025 - If you’re into chasing DX, contesting, or just casually tuning the bands, you might be interested in checking out DX Data (https://dxdata.io), a new web-based DX cluster. DX Data is designed to make finding the DX you’re interested in a little easier, with a clean interface, instant updates, and plenty of filtering options. What’s Different About DX Data? DX Data pulls in DX spots from both DXSpider and Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), giving users the most comprehensive view possible of what’s happening on the bands. It also provides streaming real-time updates using WebSockets, so you never have to refresh the page. Key features include:
Why Another DX Cluster? Let’s face it—some DX clusters feel a bit outdated, and not all of them make it easy to find the spots you’re really interested in. DX Data was built to be fast, reliable, comprehensive, and easy to use, with the goal of making DXing a little more enjoyable. Give It a Try DX Data is live now and available for all amateur radio operators. Visit DXData.io to get started! WEEKEND EDITION: Its been blowing 50-60 mph winds since Friday, its a wonder any of my or the club antennas are still in place....
So I am
bound up
like a bull
from the
taser
experiment
and decide
to take
action. What
happens when
you drink 10
oz of
Magnesium
Citrate? I'm
glad you
asked...
12:06 pm:
You eat a
handful of
chips, It's
going to
turn to
liquid form
before it
even clears
your throat
but you
don't care.
All is right
in the world
at this
moment. Hold
on to that.
You're about
to enter a
very dark
period in
your life.
12:37 pm:
First sign
of life. The
pressure is
growing. You
already have
5 lbs of
impacted
crap in your
colon and
you
basically
just drank
the "safe
for humans"
version of
Drano. You
feel a poop
coming on
finally. You
think it's
time. You're
wrong. You
get a little
snake turd
as a teaser.
Take
note...this
is the last
semi-solid
thing you
will see
leaving your
body for the
next 24
hours.
12:57 pm:
That little
science
experiment
you got
cooking is
about to
reach it's
boiling
point. Your
stomach is
angry now.
It hates
you...you
can feel it.
You have
exactly .3
seconds to
make it to
the nearest
toilet but
you can't
run... NEVER
run! You
pray to god
there is
enough
elasticity
in your
butthole to
keep the
gates closed
5 more steps
as you start
to
preemptively
undo your
pants to
save
valuable
time. Almost
there.
3...2...1...
12:58 pm:
Sweet Mary,
mother of
God...is
this real
life? Your
cheeks
barely hit
the seat and
all hell
breaks
loose. The
crap/ water
mixture
you've just
created
comes out
with such
force that
it actually
sprays the
back of the
toilet bowl
at a 45
degree angle
thus
deflecting
it in every
direction
but down.
Is that
blood?
False alarm.
That's just
the remnants
of a cherry
pie you ate
at
Thanksgiving...when
you were 5.
The smell is
horrid...the
sound is
frightening.
You try to
clench whats
left of your
butthole to
soften the
blow but
it's not
working. The
whole house
just heard
your liquid
fart as it
gurgled out
of your
butt.
1:06 pm-
8:30 pm:
Everything's
a blur. You
have crapped
out
everything
you have
ever eaten
since the
day you were
born,
everything
your
ancestors
have ever
eaten since
the early
1800's, and
your butt
now feels
like you
have a
flaming hot
Cheeto and
the tears of
a thousand
Jalapeno
seeds stuck
in it.
You're now
curled up in
the bathtub
crying
because you
have to
remain
within arm's
reach of the
toilet at
all times.
You have the
poop sweats.
You meet
Jesus.
8:37 pm:
You're
broken.
Your
butthole is
broken.
Your
spirit's
broken.
Life as you
know it will
never be the
same.
But...tomorrow's
a new day.
You're going
to wake up,
throw on the
only
remaining
pair of
underwear
you have and
you're going
to run up to
Walmart with
the last
shred of
dignity you
have
left...and
buy yourself
a new toilet
brush.
You've
earned it.
The Long Goodbye: More Instruments Shut Down on the Voyagers as End NearsSaying farewell is hard, and in the case of the Voyager 1 & 2 spacecraft doubly so, seeing as how they have been with us for more than 47 years. From the highs of the 1970s and 1980s during their primary mission in our Solar System, to their journey into the unknown of Deep Space, every bit of information which their instruments record and send back is something unique that we could not obtain any other way. Yet with the shutting down of two more instruments, both spacecraft are now getting awfully close to the end of their extended missions. Last February 25 the cosmic ray system (CRS) on Voyager 1 was disabled, with the Low Energy Charged Particle Instrument (LECP) on Voyager 2 to follow on March 24. With each spacecraft losing about 4 watts of available power per year from their RTGs, the next few instruments to be turned off are already known. Voyager 1’s LECP will be turned off next year, with that same year Voyager 2’s CRS also getting disabled. This would leave both spacecraft with only their magnetometer (MAG) and plasma wave subsystem (PWS). These provide data on the local magnetic field and electron density, respectively, with at least one of these instruments on each spacecraft likely to remain active until the end of this decade, possibly into the next. With some luck both spacecraft will see their 50th birthday before humanity’s only presence in Deep Space falls silent. Thanks to [Mark Stevens] for the tip. Blog – Hackaday Read More Amateur Radio Newsline SURVEY GIVES DETAILED SNAPSHOT OF HAM RADIO IN BRAZIL PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Brazil where a recent survey is providing a detailed look at trends among hams in South America's largest nation. Jeremy Boot G4NJH shares some of its findings. JEREMY: An important snapshot of the state of amateur radio in Brazil has provided the national ham radio society and the telecommunications regulator with insights into relevant trends. The sampling of 940 hams in 27 states and 350 cities was conducted in May of 2024 by Guillermo Crimerius, PY2BIL, a member of the board of the Sao Paulo chapter of LABRE, the Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão. Guillermo told Newsline that the findings are also being shared with the regulator ANATEL. He said that the findings held no surprises but many details were nonetheless significant. Brazil's ham radio community remains predominantly male, with women comprising only 2 percent of the hobby. Survey results also showed that hams are an aging population in Brazil: 72% are between 40 and 70 years old, with most of them between 40 and 60. While new licensees continue to join Brazil's ham community every year, there is low membership in clubs and associations, giving little opportunity for the networking and skills training usually provided by them. Guillermo writes: [quote] "This scenario has had an impact on new generations of hams, who face difficulties in learning the essential technical matters and especially the operational and cultural activities." [endquote] For a full copy of the report, which is downloadable, visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (GUILLERMO CRIMERIUS, PY2BIL) ** NOMINATE THE NEXT "YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR" PAUL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open. We are accepting nominations through May 31st. ** BRANDMEISTER DMR PHASING OUT SOME RADIO IDS PAUL/ANCHOR: Certain Radio IDs that have been in use on the Brandmeister DMR network are going away later this year. Sel Embee KB3TZD explains. SEL: The Brandmeister DMR network has announced that it is phasing out its support of certain Radio IDs that do not comply with the Mobile Country Code, or MCC, numbering system. This means that by June, radio operators with certain DMR IDs will need to request new numbers to be assigned to their radios. The first phase of these changes will begin on the 1st of June, when Brandmeister will stop supporting five-digit CAP+ IDs. Starting on the 1st of January, 2026, radios with seven-digit personal radio IDs that begin with the numeral 1 will also stop working on the network. In making this announcement, Brandmeister assured repeater operators that it will continue indefinite support of repeaters that have six-digit radio IDs. Brandmeister said in its announcement in late February that this an effort to address improperly numbered Radio IDs – something Brandmeister has been trying to contain for seven years. It said on its website: [quote] The Brandmeister DMR platform is a constantly evolving system, requiring regular optimizations and maintenance to ensure its efficiency, reliability, and alignment with global open standards.” [Endquote] New IDs can be obtained through Radio ID (Radio Eye Dee) dot net (Radioid.net). For further instructions visit the Brandmeister link that appears in the text version of this week’s newscast at arnewsline.org This is Sel Embee KB3TZD. ** 3 IRISH "KILMOLIN CLUSTER" BEACONS GO QRT TO RELOCATE PAUL/ANCHOR: A trio of beacons in Ireland have been taken out of service in preparation for being moved, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH. JEREMY: In Ireland, three beacons that have been operating from a site south of Dublin have gone QRT to allow for their relocation. The EI4RF, EI1KNH and EIØSIX beacons have been part of what is known as the Kilmolin cluster. They had been hosted by Paddy Geoghegan, EI5HS, who became a Silent Key last year. The beacons, which have a new owner, went off the air in mid-February and are expected to slowly come back. According to reports on groups.io and the SWLing Post blog, the EI4RF 4-metre beacon is expected to be the first to return, perhaps by May just as sporadic-E season begins. The EIØSIX beacon is expected to follow sometime afterward on 6-metres. It was unclear how and when service will be restored on the EI1KHN beacon, which operated on 40 and 60 MHz. It is also unclear whether this beacon will need to be assigned a new callsign. This is Jeremy Boot GF4NJH. (EI7GI BLOG, QRZ.COM, SWLING POST) ** UNIVERSITY IS W. BENGAL'S 1ST TO HAVE HAM CLUB STATION PAUL/ANCHOR: Students and faculty in India are celebrating the establishment of the first state-of-the-art shack on a West Bengal state university campus. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us more. GRAHAM: Aliah University, a state university that created for the education of many of India’s minority populations, is about to become the first university in West Bengal with its own state-of-the-art ham radio club station. The announcement was made in late February in connection with a seminar held on the Kolkata campus introducing students and faculty to various aspects of amateur radio. The one-day session, held on the 24th of February, covered emergency communications and radio technology and included hands-on experience for the estimated 250 attendees. It was led by members of the West Bengal Radio Club, the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management and organized by the school’s Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. A number of other schools have hosted similar amateur radio workshops throughout the region, which is a coastal area subject to violent storms and other natural disasters that rely on alternate forms of communication. This is Graham Kemp VK4BB. (MILLENNIUM POST) ** BROADCAST TRADE SHOW DROPS RECEPTION FOR HAMS PAUL/ANCHOR: Hams will no doubt be among those visiting the National Association of Broadcasters annual trade show again this year but something will be missing, as we learn from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB. RALPH: The annual trade show of the National Association of Broadcasters is welcoming industry professionals once again this year to Las Vegas in April. One traditional event will be missing from this year's show, however: There will be no separate reception for amateur radio operators. Hams, of course, are still welcome. Indeed, many broadcast professionals - especially those on the engineering side - enjoy an active and robust time on the air on the amateur bands. A posting on the Radio World website said that this year's ham reception was not on the schedule. The reception had been hosted for a long time by Bob Heil K9EID, who became a Silent Key last year. The article said that organizers are hoping to [quote] "reinvent the event for next year by exploring fresh partnerships and innovative ideas." [endquote] In the meantime, licensed hams who work in the industry can still look forward to the usual opportunities for networking and learning about new technology. The NAB Show takes place between April 5th and 9th at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB. ** DX INDIA FOUNDATION PREPARES FOR DXPEDITION NEIL/ANCHOR: In India, there's a new DX foundation that has lots of energy and ambition - and plans for a rarely activated island. We learn more from Jason Daniels VK2LAW. JASON: It’s still early in the game for the newly organized not-for-profit DX India Foundation but the team has already announced ambitious plans to increase India’s presence on the DX map. As part of its mission to activate rare IOTA islands, conduct DXpeditions and provide DX and POTA chasers with a chance to work different entities in India, the team has its sights set on Arnala Island, IOTA number AS-169, which is near Mumbai. According to an announcement from the team, the island has had no amateur radio activity since 2006. Hams from the DX India Foundation have applied to use the callsign AU2M and hope to be on the air from the 29th of May through to the 1st of June. Later plans include a 10-day adventure to the Lakshadweep archipelago off the coast of Kerala [CARE-ruh-luh] in southern India. The DX India Foundation has also established an online forum in groups.io to encourage a sense of international community for chasers and activators. In between trips, the foundation’s activity will be focused on training and mentoring other radio operators. This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW. (DX INDIA FOUNDATION) ** HUNTSVILLE’S ‘SIGNALS’ MUSEUM OPENS IN ALABAMA PAUL/ANCHOR: Huntsville, Alabama, home of the Huntsville Hamfest, has a new way to celebrate technology and, of course, amateur radio. To welcome the museum and honor the spirit and advancements made in technology, Newsline is departing from the norm this week. This report is being read via artificial intelligence and a correspondent known as AI-Drew. AI-DREW: On March 1st, the SIGNALS Museum of Information Explosion opened its doors to what founders hope will be an immersive and hands-on environment for visitors. The museum, housed a short drive from where the Huntsville Hamfest is held each year, has an array of exhibits devoted to communications technology in all its forms throughout history. Amateur radio operators who are visiting will be particularly interested in the ham shack, a welcoming space for regional radio clubs and other radio operators to meet or work on building equipment. The museum also has an on-site radio tower. Whether you live in the area or plan to visit Huntsville this year, the museum will welcome you. Visit their website at signals hyphen museum dot org. (signals-museum.org) This is AI-Drew. (SIGNALS MUSEUM) ** SILENT KEY: GERRY MURPHY, K8YUW, FOUNDER OF THE HURRICANE WATCH NET PAUL/ANCHOR: Atlantic hurricane season is still a few months away but hams and forecasters will be going forward into this year's season without the man who created the Hurricane Watch Net 60 years ago. He has become a Silent Key, as we hear from Randy Sly W4XJ. RANDY: It can be said that the seeds of the Hurricane Watch Net were planted in 1965 as Hurricane Betsy raged its way through the Bahamas, making landfall in the US that September. Gerald Murphy, K8YUW, who was stationed by the US Navy in Rhode Island at the time, was also handling messages and phone patches for the Intercontinental Amateur Radio Net. When hurricane-specific traffic started to overwhelm the regular net’s messages on their 20m frequency, Gerry suggested that those messages be handled 5 kHz higher. Marcy Rice, KZ5MM, who was in the Panama Canal Zone QSY’d with him up to 14.325 MHz and that was the genesis of the Hurricane Watch Net. The net has become the backbone of a robust communications system during storm season. Trained hams share advisories, data and post-storm damage information in affected areas with national hurricane centers in the US and, when needed, Canada. Gerry, who became a Silent Key on the 25th of February at the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, leaves behind this vibrant legacy. He served as net manager from September of 1965 until February of 1988, staying on afterward as assistant net manager. Health issues compelled him to retire from the net in March 1991. The Hurricane Watch Net has been planning an on-air special event in September to mark its 60th anniversary. Net manager Bobby Graves,KB5HAV, told Newsline [quote] "I was hoping and praying Jerry would make it to see his creation's 60th Anniversary this coming Labor Day....We will endeavor to make it even more special." [endquote] Gerry was 88. This is Randy Sly W4XJ. (BOBBY GRAVES, KB5HAV; EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU) ** WORLD OF DX In the World of DX, Chris, WA7RAR, is on the air until the 16th of March from Barbados, IOTA Number NA-ØØ21. He is using the callsign 8P9CB, operating SSB and CW on 20-10 metres. Some of his locations are POTA sites. See QRZ.com for QSL details. Rockwell, WW1X, is using the callsign VP5/WW1X from Providenciales, IOTA Number NA-ØØ2 in the Turks and Caicos Islands from the 8th through to the 15th of March. This is a QRP operation using only SSB, although Rockwell has not ruled out occasional use of FT8. QSL via LoTW. Listen for Aldir, PY1SAD, who is using the callsign 8R1TM from Georgetown, Guyana, between the 11th of March and the 26th of April. Aldir is using CW, SSB and the digital modes on the HF bands. He is also operating via satellite. See QRZ.com for QSL details. Members of the Korean Amateur Radio League are on the air in March and April to celebrate the centenary of the International Amateur Radio Union. They are using the callsign HL1ØØIARU. See QRZ.com for QSL details. (425 DX BULLETIN) ** KICKER: ECHOES OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO LEARN CW PAUL/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with an alternate way in which some hams in New Zealand got to learn and practice CW while having real QSOs. We'll let Jim Meachen ZL2BHF explain how it happened. JIM: If you've ever wondered whether Echolink is a viable mode for teaching or learning CW, just ask Ted ZL1BQA, who is proud to have logged a respectable number of CW contacts during the recent Jock White Memorial Field Day in New Zealand. Studying CW for almost a year with the Franklin Amateur Radio Club, Ted was able to restart his long-ago code skills in sessions led by the club president Peter Henderson ZL1PX. It was done over Echolink. Ted had enrolled last May along with three younger members who were first-time learners - Francois, ZL4FJ, Steve, ZL1TZP and Steve ZL1SPR. With only Ted able to copy Peter's signal over HF, the club followed a suggestion made by Gary ZL1GAC: try Echolink, a computer-based ham radio mode that incorporates VoIP technology. Loading CW software onto his computer, Peter was able to send the code intended for each session, confident that everyone had an equal chance of copying clearly. Weekly sessions soon expanded to twice a week as the students concentrated on letters, then numbers - and eventually basic punctuation. After a break in the action, the club is back on Echolink with CW sessions three nights a week. As for Ted, he's on a roll. Peter told Newsline in an email that he has resumed making CW contacts on a daily basis on HF using the Vibroplex that once collected dust instead of QSOs. HAMS YOU MIGHT KNOW- ALIVE AND SK K1TP-
Jon....Editor of As The World
Turns....
SILENT KEYS Silet Key
KA1BXB-Don...Regular
on 3900 mornings....just
don't
mention
politics
to
him,
please! |
