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

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2064 for Friday, May 19, 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2064 with a release date of Friday, 
May 19, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Germany gets a new band on a trial basis. A 
former amateur with a long combative history becomes a Silent Key -- and 
we meet two hams honored at Hamvention. All this and more as Amateur 
Radio Newsline Report 2064 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
AT HAMVENTION, HAMS WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE

DON/ANCHOR: We begin with - what else? - Hamvention which gets underway 
as this report goes to production. One of the highlights of this annual 
event is the recognition of amateurs who've made a difference for others 
in our hobby. The honorees this year have done just that. Let's hear 
more about them from Amateur Radio Newsline's Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

NEIL: The celebration of ham radio that is the Dayton Hamvention is 
underway as we go to broadcast. And part of the celebration is 
recognizing the Hamvention award winners. Two of the winners accepted 
the invitation to be featured on a recent episode of Ham Talk Live! This 
year’s Amateur of the Year is Frank Bauer, KA3HDO. Frank is the 
international chairman of the Amateur Radio on the International Space 
Station project. He worked for NASA and other space related companies 
for 4 decades. Frank has worked on several projects tying ham radio with 
space. And, his current one involves maintaining a ham radio presence on 
the ISS.

FRANK: It is hard to believe that two weeks after the first crew came on 
board, we inaugurated the amateur radio station. And, we have been 
operational ever since. And so, that was back in November of 2000. Since 
then, we've done over a thousand contacts. We’re almost up to 1100 
contacts at this point. And what the team has accomplished has been 
phenomenal… being able to allow hams around the world to talk to the 
astronauts on orbit. When we get a crew member that [is] interested in 
talking to hams on the ground, and all of the students… and getting 
students excited about amateur radio. That's a very important thing… not 
only excited, but actually getting licensed.

NEIL: Bauer also reflected on the connection between space and ham radio.

FRANK: This is that melding of amateur radio into other activities, 
scientific activities and engineering activities, where this hobby is 
just phenomenal. And, I’ll say I’m forever grateful for the fact that I 
got involved in amateur radio because it has helped my career, and it 
has helped everyone on earth from that perspective.

NEIL: Ram Mohan, VU2MYH is this year’s Special Achievement Award winner. 
Ram is the Executive Vice Chairman & Director of the National Institute 
of Amateur Radio in Hyderabad, India. Ram’s efforts to bring youth into 
amateur radio in India has been exemplary.

RAM: Evidence of this activity in India is still on the lower side, I 
would say. We are just trying to introduce and create awareness on the 
activities for the youth to get involved, and join, have fun, and 
interacting with people all over the world… get to learn things about 
wireless communications, as they practice the art of amateur radio. And 
interestingly, this grown into leaps and bounds. A lot of young people 
getting involved into the activity. They're all excited to get into the 
world of amateur radio. Do-it-yourself concept helps in building a skill 
for them. And a lot of technical institutes are coming forward and 
encourage the students to get involved in amateur radio. And it is our 
effort to get the message across to all the young people who want to get 
involved in the amateur radio activity.

NEIL: Ram has also been involved in communications efforts for several 
natural disasters, such as the recent Nepal earthquake.

RAM: In India, we have several kinds of natural calamities hitting the 
region… really pretty bad ones. The ones that happened Gujaratin 2001. 
The earthquake took a toll on a lot of people, and there was a major 
disaster and hams could provide instant communications at that point in 
time. The super cyclone of 1999 was a major disaster here in India, and 
the tsunami of 2004.

NEIL: Ram is grateful for the recognition from the Dayton Amateur Radio 
Association.

RAM: We are very fortunate that the award comes back to our organization 
again after so many years.

NEIL: Another winner of the prestigious awards is Rob Brownstein, K6RB, 
who won the technical achievement award for his work with CW Ops. And 
the Clark County Amateur Radio Club W7AIA, which serves Southwest 
Washington and Northwest Oregon, received the Club of the Year award for 
their efforts with youth, licensing, and visual situation reporting. For 
more information about this year’s award winners, go check out the 
official Hamvention program at Hamvention.org, or tune into the entire 
broadcast on hamtalklive.com.

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I’m Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

**

SILENT KEY HAD LONG COMBATIVE HISTORY WITH FCC

DON/ANCHOR: For most hams, the call sign K1MAN was once synonymous with 
the name Glenn Baxter, an amateur with a long combative history with 
regulators. Earlier this month, three years after losing his license, he 
became a Silent Key. We hear the details from Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Mike Askins KE5CXP.

MIKE'S REPORT: A former radio amateur long known for his disputes with 
the FCC over malicious interference and other illegal transmissions has 
become a Silent Key. Glenn Baxter of Belgrade, Maine died May 5. He 
first became a licensed amateur in 1956 but at the time of his death, 
Baxter had long since lost his Amateur Extra call sign, K1MAN, which is 
now held by another radio operator.

Baxter was well-known for his enforcement battles with the FCC and his 
disputes with the ARRL, with whom he had also locked horns. He lost his 
license in 2014 when the FCC denied his renewal application based on his 
failure to pay a $10,000 fine from previous violations. The Wireless 
Telecommunications Bureau dismissed Baxter’s long-pending renewal 
application from 2005 “without prejudice,” indicating that if he wanted 
to become licensed again, he would have to file a new application.

An obituary on the Maine Today website said Baxter was a registered 
professional engineer.

Glenn Baxter was 75.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP

**
BELIZE CLUB ADMITTED INTO IARU

DON/ANCHOR: It took some time, but Belize radio amateurs are back in the 
IARU. That's good news for everyone who worked hard to be included, as 
we learn from Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Less than a week ago, the top news story among the headlines on 
the Belize Amateur Radio Club website was about....the Belize Amateur 
Radio Club! After much waiting, the ham radio group received its 
hard-won admission into the International Amateur Radio Union in an 
overwhelmingly positive vote - 77 member societies voting yes to 
membership status, where only 55 votes were needed.

Although IARU membership is new to this club, the group adopted the same 
name of an organization that previously belonged to the IARU but no 
longer exists. Now the right to membership in IARU Region 2 rests 
exclusively with this Belize club, after IARU officials determined the 
group met requirements established by the IARU constitution and its bylaws.

The club's website, barc-dot-bz (barc.bz) proudly displays the IARU 
press release, issued the 11th of May, announcing the club's new 
official status. According to its website, the club was established in 
2015 to promote technical education, encourage wireless experimentation 
and advance international partnerships. Speaking of partnerships, the 
Belize club's admission into the IARU makes it one of 167 member 
societies involved in this ever-widening global community.

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


(BELIZE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, SOUTHGATE)

**

LAST DAYS TO NOMINATE YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR

DON/ANCHOR: If you haven't already thought of a young amateur to 
nominate for Amateur Radio Newsline's Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham 
of the Year Award, you don't have too much more time to come up with a 
candidate. Time is running out! This award is our commitment to honoring 
young talent. Is there a young radio operator who particularly impresses 
you? Nominations are still open -- but not for much longer - for 
amateurs 18 years of age 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. Nominations close May 31. Look at your 
calendar - that's not too many days from now!

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur 
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including 
the K2SPD repeater of the Suffolk Police Amateur Radio Club in 
Farmingville, New York, during its Monday Night Net at 8 p.m. The net 
can also be heard on the AB2M conference server on EchoLink.

**
GERMANY GETS NEW 4 METER BAND

DON/ANCHOR: Things are about to get very busy on 70 MHz in Germany. From 
now until late summer, hams will be enjoying a test period on the band. 
That includes Amateur Radio Newsline's Ed Durrant DD5LP, who has that 
story.

ED'S REPORT: The German regulator "BNetza" in its announcement 384/2017 
released on the 16th. May, a day earlier than originally expected, 
reports that German Amateurs may use a section of the 70MHz band from 
70.150 to 70.180MHz for a test period starting from immediate effect 
until August 31st this year. The same conditions apply as were in place 
for the previous test in 2015.

These conditions are - the amateur is a secondary user on a 
non-Interference basis (the primary users are the national Railway and 
the Military), no portable or mobile operation, 25 watts ERP maximum on 
any mode up to 12KHz bandwidth and horizontal polarisation only. All 
transmissions, including equipment tests must be entered in a station 
log book.

Four meters is a little-used section of the amateur spectrum and not 
available in many countries. The lack of suitable commercially made 
amateur radio equipment has been a problem until more recent Software 
Defined Radios have been able to provide 70MHz access.

The 70 MHz band performs especially well during times of Sporadic E 
propagation - typically occurring during the summer months which permits 
radio communications throughout Europe.

Additional details are available at 70MHz.de website, which is in German 
but has translations into various other languages available.

Already having sent a CQ on 4 meters with no replies as yet, for Amateur 
Radio Newsline this is Ed Durrant DD5LP in Bavaria, Germany.

(SOUTHGATE)


**

SCOUT CAMPS GET ON THE AIR

DON/ANCHOR: The young radio scouts of K2BSA are busy again on the air, 
activating the call sign at a variety of locations - and showing up in 
Ohio for Hamvention! Here are the details from Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Bill Stearns NE4RD.

BILL: This week in Radio Scouting we have 3 activations from Scout Camps 
on the Air and we'll be seeing you in Ohio.

Douglas Sharafanowich, WA1SFH, will be activating WA1BSA at Camp Sherman 
Hoyt in West Redding, CT on Saturday May 20th.  This activation is for 
the Radio Merit Badge Requirement 9(a)(6) and will have 20 scouts. Part 
of a STEM Merit Badge weekend.

Larrie Deardurff, AF7NU, will be activating his callsign at the Benton 
District Camporee in Alsea, OR on Saturday May 20th. Larrie will demo 
radio to Scouts at the Camporee with an Icom-7100 and a Butternut HF9V 
HF Vertical.

BSA Troop 20 ARC, WS5BSA, will be activating Black Mesa  in Kenton, OK 
on Sunday May 28th.  This active group will set up Yaesu FT-817 from top 
of Black Mesa and operate SSB on 17m & 20m. They will use either Gipsy 
Dipole or MFJ-1899T Vertical antenna. They will also carry portable 2m 
Yagi and attempt to hit multiple repeaters in OK, TX, KS, CO, and NM 
using FT-817.

Hamvention is this weekend May 19th through the 21st.  K2BSA will be 
present and will be answering your questions on how you can get involved 
in radio scouting.  We look forward to seeing as many of you there as we 
can.  We'll be in booth 2205.

For more information on K2BSA and radio scouting, please visit 
http://www.k2bsa.net/.


For Amateur Radio Newsline and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association, this 
is Bill Stearns NE4RD.


**
ONE CLUB'S HOMEBREW SOLUTION

DON/ANCHOR: When it comes to ham radio, there's homebrew.....and then 
there's homebrew. When one New Jersey ham club realized it was facing a 
major overhaul of its repeater system, they knew they couldn't just pass 
the hat to raise money. So they came up with a solution that was 
strictly homebrew....and it involved a project that was also strictly 
homebrew. We hear more in this report from Amateur Radio Newsline's 
Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT.

CARYN: How can a portable HF magloop antenna help an aging system of UHF 
and VHF repeaters? Actually, it can save the day when it becomes a 
homebrew fundraising project for a ham club. Rob Fissell K2RWF, 
president of the Tri County Radio Association in Union, New Jersey, said 
this magloop was the right choice at the right time.

ROB: W2LI has been in existence now for over 80 years at this point and 
one of the big things we provide is a very wide area coverage repeater 
sytem, both VHF and UHF. That equipment is starting to show its age. We 
wanted to be proactive about coming up with replacements for it and 
ensuring that whatever we bought would last us for a decade or two to 
come and with that comes with the expense of it. Rather than kind of 
wait for something bad to happen and all of a sudden we need to 
scramble, we thought we'd take the proactive approach of fundraising 
through a number of different avenues or at least explore a number of 
different avenues and work to get the money ourselves.

CARYN; Work is just what they did! Gathering on weekends with antenna 
components and an order of Chinese food or donuts, they held "antenna 
building parties." Working assembly-line style, they have already 
shipped 40 mag loops and the club continues to receive pre-orders for 
the next batch. Rob says the little antennas are downright popular!

ROB: It's a club-raising effort and people like the concept that not 
only are they getting a quality product but they are also supporting a 
cause at the same time.

CARYN: The antennas cost $165 and every sale helps the bottom line, says 
Rob. Best of all, this venture is all about hams building something for 
other hams - and in turn, it's about hams buying something that will 
benefit fellow hams. Like a mag loop antenna itself, the effort all 
comes full circle.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT

DON/ANCHOR: If you'd like to order a magloop antenna, visit the club 
website at w2li.org/magloop - all sales include shipping and are used to 
fund the repeater system.


**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, John, KK7L, is using the call sign T2R from Funafuti 
Atoll between May 23rd and 29th.  He will be operating on various HF 
bands and may also take part in the CQWW WPX CW contest. Send QSL cards 
via N7SMI, LoTW or ClubLog.

Listen for Ken, LA7GIA, active as TN5E from Brazzaville between May 25th 
and June 4th. Find him on 80-10
meters -- and possibly even 6 meters -- operating CW and SSB. Send QSL 
cards via M0OXO, LoTW or ClubLog's OQRS.

Janusz SP9FIH will be on the air as E44WE from Bethlehem in Palestine 
until May 30th. He is operating with 100 watts and focusing on 17 
meters. Be listening as well on 10 meters and 6 meters. Send QSLs via 
Club Log OQRS.

Finally, we have an update on the latest Summit-to-Summit event. In the 
Europe to North America Summit-to-Summit event last Saturday the 13th. 
of May, a total of 36 European summits and 18 North American summits 
were activated. Despite abysmal radio conditions with deep QSB and high 
QRN levels several trans-Atlantic QSOs were made, including some summit 
to summit contacts. Overall everyone enjoyed the event and many are 
already looking forward to the next event on the 18th of November when 
it is hoped that conditions will be significantly improved.


(IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTERS SOCIETY, OHIO PENN DX BULLETIN)

**

KICKER: SPECIAL DELIVERY

DON/ANCHOR: Our last story, which comes from Australia, isn't exactly 
about amateur radio but it IS about changing times and changing 
communication. It's the story of John Riddett, a longtime postal service 
employee who obviously knows all too well that a message delivered 
effectively is always a welcome message. John isn't a ham, sorry to say, 
but his telegraphy skills are something many CW operators would envy. He 
trained in Morse Code as a teenager in 1953 at the Postmaster General's 
office and he used his talents afterward to help send telegrams. That's 
a practice now out of use for about 50 years. Now John gets the message 
across by demonstrating his skills to children visiting the Telstra 
Museum in Hawthorne, Melbourne. This spring, however, he took a trip to 
Alice Springs for a ten-day gathering of former postal workers who, like 
him, were once fluent in the poetry of dots and dashes. It was his 24th 
such gathering but this year only John and two other former telegraphers 
showed up. He told ABC Australia that judging from the size of the 
turnout, the get-together was probably going to be one of the last. With 
that kind of turnout, he said, he got the message - unfortunately 
well-delivered.


(ABCNET.AU)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to ABCNET.au; Alan Labs; Amateur News 
Weekly; the ARRL; Belize Amateur Radio Club; Chelmsford Weekly News; CQ 
Magazine; the FCC; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; the IARU; Irish Radio 
Transmitters Society; K2BSA; the Lambton (Ontario) Shield newspaper; 
Ohio Penn DX Bulletin; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO 
Radio Show; WTWW Shortwave; 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 www.arnewsline.org.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Don Wilbanks AE5DW in Picayune, 
Mississippi saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

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


***

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