<*>[Attachment(s) from James KB7TBT included below]

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2058 for Friday, April 7, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2058 with a release date of Friday, 
April 7, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams respond to natural disasters in Australia 
and Colombia. The Radio Communication Museum opens in the UK -- and 
you're all invited to activate a lighthouse in Atlantic Canada! All this 
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2058 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
AUSTRALIA'S TROPICAL CYCLONE DRAWS AMATEUR RESPONSE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story is a special report from Australia, where 
Queensland is still repairing massive damage and counting losses from 
Tropical Cyclone Debbie, which hammered North and Central Queensland on 
Tuesday, March 28th. Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp VK4BB gives us 
the details, which have been provided to us by Gavin VK4ZZ in 
Townsville, one of the affected areas.

GRAHAM: Amateur radio responded, despite challenges of its own, as 
Tropical Cyclone Debbie battered the tourist and agricultural centers in 
North and Central Queensland. The storm knocked out the power 
infrastructure, halting mining operations, destroying buildings, 
bridges, roadways and crops and wiping out essential amenities in the 
resort regions.

Hams along the cyclone track, experienced in storm response, made 
preparations -- most especially in the regions of Bowen, Mackay, Central 
Highlands and Townsville, according to Gavin VK4ZZ, who lives in 
Townsville. They checked radio gear, dismantled fragile antenna systems 
and ensured they had enough fuel to run emergency power generators. 
Gavin told Newsline that by Sunday the 26th of March, hams with HF 
antennas still aloft boosted call-in numbers on the local nets. He said 
members of the Townsville Amateur Radio Club who were out providing 
communications support for an autosports Hillclimb during the day still 
kept an eye out on the predicted storm track updates.

On Monday the 27th of March counter-disaster authorities, which included 
some embedded hams, tweaked their pre-deployment plans according to 
Gavin. Bowen, one of the affected towns, was able to provide VHF 
repeater coverage throughout the Cyclone -- and indeed was on the air 
despite lack of power in the town -- thanks to the Bowen Radio Amateur 
Group and in particular Geoff/VK4JDW who was powering the repeater off 
the emergency generator at his house, where the repeater is situated. 
The antenna system survived winds of as much as 125 miles per hour. 
Further inland the Central Highlands Linked Repeater System remained 
functional but its northern coastal node, the Midge Point Repeater, was 
disabled by structural and power system damage.

Gavin said many hams became part of the recovery efforts, embedded with 
the Queensland State Emergency Service and other responders. As the 
cyclone swept out, hams put their HF antennas back up and have joined 
the nets with stories of either dodging the bullet or being on the 
recovery trail. He said all eyes are now on the city of Rockhampton, 
where there were some evacuations as the city deals with post-cyclone 
flooding from the Fitzroy River.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(GAVIN CHARLES REIBELT VK4ZZ)

**

COLOMBIAN HAMS AFTER FLOODS, LANDSLIDE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Hams were also on the scene in a Colombian mountain town 
threatened by flooding and subsequent landslides. We hear more from 
Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM MEACHEN: An amateur radio emergency response network was activated 
on 40 meters in Colombia to assist with recovery efforts there following 
flooding and a massive landslide outside the mountain town of Mocoa 
(Muck-KO-a), near the border with Ecuador. With more than 200 dead and 
many others missing or injured - and all electricity cut off - the 
amateurs have been deployed to assist local fire departments and other 
emergency responders, according to Roberto Rey HK3CW.

A state of emergency was declared after the Mocoa River and two 
tributaries overflowed their banks into the town, where it devastated 
residents' homes. The flood is considered one of the worst natural 
disasters in Colombia in the last two decades.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF

(IARU REGION 2, ASSOCIATED PRESS, ARRL, NPR)

**

RESTORING RADIO AUSTRALIA'S SHORTWAVE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Radio Australia's shortwave service went off the air in 
January but shortwave radio proponents say it's not dead yet. Here's 
Amateur Radio Newsline's John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: The Australian Parliament is considering a proposal that would 
restore Radio Australia's shortwave transmission services to the 
Northern Territory as well as international audiences in the Pacific. 
The controversial January shutdown sparked a public outcry and an 
immediate call for reversal of the decision. In the meantime, Sen. Nick 
Xenophon of South Australia has proposed an amendment to the Australian 
Broadcasting Corporation Act of 1983 that would require the shortwave 
station's return to the air, including its services to areas such as New 
Guinea and Vanuatu. The senator has declared the shortwave service vital 
to thousands of Australians living in rural areas, most especially in 
the bush.

The broadcaster had cut the service, claiming it wanted to focus on its 
digital offerings instead and noted that the move would save 
$1.9-million annually.

Public comment is being accepted by the Senate Environment and 
Communications Legislation Committee which is due to make its report on 
the bill on the 10th of May.

One supporter of the senator's measure is former shortwave radio 
engineer, Gary Baker, who told the Shepparton News recently that even if 
the measure succeeds, it would take time to get back on the air again. 
He said shortwave broadcast is a highly specialized field and staffing 
is likely to be the biggest challenge if service is restored.

He told the newspaper [QUOTE] "You can’t just grab someone off the 
street and get them to run Radio Australia." ENDQUOTE

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENT WEBSITE, ABC.NET.AU, SHEPPARTON NEWS)


**

UPDATE: IN THE UK, RADIO MUSEUM DOORS OPEN

NEIL/ANCHOR: The waiting is over. The newest radio communication museum 
in Great Britain has begun receiving visitors, as we hear from Amateur 
Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: In the central England city of Derby, the new Radio 
Communication Museum of Great Britain has been in the midst of two 
construction projects. The first is the museum building itself, housing 
exhibits that comprise all manner of wireless communication. The other 
construction project has been the website, which is growing as its 
brick-and-mortar counterpart does too.

The building now contains an operations room with transmitters 
connnected to antennas; a mechanical workshop; an ESD electronics 
laboratory and a variety of galleries. The museum has at long last been 
open to groups by arrangement -- but formal school programs are expected 
to get under way very shortly this spring.

The museum exists thanks to longtime radio amateur Steve Haseldine 
G8EBM, whose profession is also in radio. In addition to conceiving of 
the museum, he donated items from his personal collection to create the 
first displays.

Hams like Steve are expected to be especially drawn to the operations 
room with its selection of radios dating from the 1930s to the present 
day - from Collins and Drake and Eddystone to Hallicrafters and 
Flexradio. There are even former military and commercial AM radios from 
Labgear and Geloso. The museum, it seems, is now QRV.

For more information visit radiocommunicationmuseum.org

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

**
DON'T FORGET OUR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

NEIL/ANCHOR: We remind you once again of Amateur Radio Newsline's 
commitment to honoring young talent. Is there a young radio operator who 
particularly impresses you? Nominations have opened for the Bill 
Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award for amateurs 18 or 
younger who reside in the United States, its possessions or any Canadian 
province. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the 
"YHOTY" tab. The award will be presented on August 19th at the 
Huntsville Hamfest in Alabama.

Visit our website for details at arnewsline.org. Nominations close May 
31, and that's just a few weeks away.

**

**

BREAK HERE

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the EARS 
Wide Area Repeater Network W9EAR in Vincennes, Indiana on Mondays at 
8:30 p.m.

**

**
LIGHTHOUSE SHINES ITS WAY TO A QSO

NEIL/ANCHOR: Imagine what it would be like if your ham shack were a 
lighthouse on Canada's Prince Edward Island. This report from Amateur 
Radio Newsline's Paul Braun WD9GCO may help.

PAUL: For hundreds of years mariners relied on lighthouses to navigate 
and avoid hazards in the dark and in foggy conditions. Today, sonar and 
GPS has mostly rendered lighthouses obsolete. But many still exist, and 
one ham, George Dewar, VY2GF, has great plans for some of them on Prince 
Edward Island. He explains:

GEORGE: They have been taken over by community groups and turned into 
tourist attractions. A lot of them have gift shops and museums 
associated with them. Even though they're not used for marine navigation 
much now they are an integral part of the community here on Prince 
Edward Island because tourism here in Prince Edward Island is our 
third-biggest industry after farming and fishing.

So, my friend Bernie from Monkton is a bit of an antenna expert so he 
brings some verticals over and we set up and have fun for the weekend.

This year is Canada's one hundred and fiftieth birthday, and the idea of 
Canada started here in Prince Edward Island in 1864. So they've 
designated the lighthouse at East Point as the Confederation Lighthouse 
because it's the only lighthouse still standing that was built in 1867.

So basically what I'm doing is extending an invitation to anybody and 
everybody to come to Prince Edward Island for activating a lighthouse 
for a particular weekend. We'd sure like people to sit in with us and 
operate, and there are a lot of lighthouses around so if somebody wanted 
to do an individual activation it'd be quite easy to do. As a matter of 
fact a gentleman called Bob from Ohio, November 8 Golf Uniform, he's 
going to activate a lighthouse at Cape Bear which has the distinction of 
being the only radio station in Canada that made a contact with the 
Titanic in 1912 while she was sinking.

PAUL: I asked George where people could go to get more information on 
the lighthouses and activations:

GEORGE: If you go onto my QRZ page with this callsign, VY2PLH, I've got 
our past activations listed there, I've got the upcoming ones, and 
there's also a link to a website there for the PEI Lighthouse Society. 
On my page there I've got my email address and I would welcome people if 
they were to send me an email and I'll help them out all I can.

PAUL: So if you enjoy collecting special activations, or even if you’re 
interested in activating a lighthouse yourself (according to the society 
website, there are 63 of them), look George up and send him an email. 
He’ll be happy to have you come visit.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Paul Braun, WD9GCO

**

FIRSTNET FOR THOSE FIRST ON THE SCENE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross has announced a deal for a 
nationwide wireless network for first responders. It's called FirstNet, 
as we hear from Phil Thomas W8RMJ in this report courtesy of Amateur 
News Weekly.

PHIL: The U.S. government has awarded AT&T the FirstNet Project. It is a 
$6.5-billion deal with AT&T to build a nationwide wireless network for 
first responders, a project that was first proposed after the 911 
terrorist attacks. This decision is a major step forward for FirstNet. 
This will be a nationwide wireless broadband network that police, fire 
and other police responders will use exclusively during a major 
emergency. This is one of a dozen of recommendations made by the 911 
Commission in 2004. Currently, the first responders share wireless 
networks with regular customers, meaning communications get clogged due 
to network congestion during a major emergency. Commerce Department 
Secretary Wilbur Ross announced a 25-year contract with AT&T and its 
partners which include Motorola Solutions. Working with FirstNet, AT&T 
will build and manage a network that will strengthen and modernize 
public safety communications capabilities enabling them to operate 
faster, safer and effectively when lives are on the line. AT&T will work 
with FirstNet to deliver a system that will cover all 50 states, five 
U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Work on FirstNet is 
expected to generate 10,000 jobs across the company as well as its 
contractors over the next two years. The network buildout is scheduled 
to begin later this year.

NEIL: That report was from Phil Thomas W8RMJ of Amateur News Weekly. For 
more of Amateur News Weekly, visit their website at amateurnewsweekly.com

**

THE WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, Jean-Marc, F5SGI, is active as EA6/F5SGI between 
April 9th and 15th from Minorque Island. He will be on the HF bands 
using CW only. Send QSL cards to his home callsign, direct or via the 
Bureau.

Listen for Jean, 5T0JL, who will operate from Mauritania using the 
special callsign 5T3MM
between April 12th and April 18th. Jean will participate in the CQ 
Manchester Mineira DX Contest, which is taking place April 15th and 
16th. Send QSL cards via PY4KL.

Helmut, DJ7CF, is active from Jamaica until April 28th as 6Y5/DJ7CF. 
Although his preference is to operate on 20 meters and 17 meters, listen 
for him on various HF bands operating in CW, SSB and the Digital modes. 
Send QSL cards to his home callsign via the Bureau.

**

KICKER: A NET IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP

NEIL/ANCHOR: Finally, we've already told you about World Amateur Radio 
Day on Tuesday, April 18. It's an on-air celebration of the day the 
International Amateur Radio Union was created in Paris. But even if you 
can't join everyone on the HF bands, you don't have to feel left out. 
Amateur Radio Newsline's Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT explains.

CARYN'S REPORT: Hams won't necessarily have to find themselves somewhere 
between 160 and 10 meters to mark World Amateur Radio Day. Find them 
instead on the World Friendship Net, which operates on VOIP/EchoLink on 
the Western Reflector using IRLP node 9251 of the Nevada Amateur Radio 
Repeaters group. Organizer John DeRycke W2JLD of Rochester, New York 
says he expects things to get busy.

JOHN: We first started this net three years ago. I was the only person 
doing it and we were doing it on the World Conference Server. The 
following year I got a hold of the conference server owners and system 
administrators and told them what I wanted to do and they were all on 
board. Now, in the third year, we have eight conference servers that are 
going to be hooked up. There will be multiple repeaters and links. I 
have contaced several ham radio media outlets to promote World Amateur 
Radio Day. So this event is our flagship event over on the World 
Conference Server.

CARYN: John believes ham radio's spirit of friendship translates into 
giving access to amateurs who ordinarily might be left out. This effort 
is inclusive: Hams who aren't on HF - or can't be on HF - can still get 
in on the action.

JOHN: We get a wide variety of connections but EchoLink certainly 
provides a platform as an introductory platform, especially for those 
who can't afford an HF rig or dont have the money to have an antenna. We 
have had people that checked in that are in health care facilities that 
can't bring in an HF rig or an HT, so for them to use EchoLink, it 
really provides an ability for them to get out there and hit that Push 
to Talk Key.

CARYN: He said last year there were more than 300 check-ins from 33 
international stations during its 10 hours on the air for World Amateur 
Radio Day.

JOHN: It's just been so successful, I don't know what I'm going to do 
next year.

CARYN: The spirit of global friendship is alive and well, especially on 
April 18 -- and especially on Echolink World Conference Server 479886 or 
IRLP Node 9251. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; 
CQ Magazine; Gavin Reibelt VK4ZZ; Hap Holly and the RAIN Report; Irish 
Radio Transmitters Society; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QRZ.COM; Radio 
Communication Museum of Great Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted 
Randall's QSO Radio Show; the Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW 
Shortwave; the YL Beam Newsletter; and you our listeners, that's all 
from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our address at 
newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio 
Newsline's only official website located at arnewsline.org.

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 Bloomington, 
Indiana saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.


***

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