Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1994 with a release date of Friday, 
January 15, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. One city's parks in Oklahoma join the National 
Parks on the Air event. A Minnesota DXer makes big plans for the South 
Pacific. Puerto Rico preps for the biggest amateur radio event in the 
Caribbean. And two Space Station amateurs remember rock legend David 
Bowie. All this and more in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1994 coming 
your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)


**

PARKS ON THE AIR? OKLAHOMA IS OK!

JIM/ANCHOR: We open this week's newscast with a story of inspiration. 
The city of Lawton, Oklahoma is taking its cue from the year-long 
National Parks On the Air event that kicked off earlier this month, and 
getting its own city parks into the on-air act too. Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Mike Askins, KE5CXP, shares his recent talk with Ron 
Grossman, AF5Q of the Lawton Fort Sill Amateur Radio Club:


[MIKE'S REPORT]


**

LESSONS FROM HAM RADIO UNIVERSITY

The annual one-day event in suburban New York known as Ham Radio 
University hosted a visiting professor who is about to become a 
professor emeritus: ARRL's outgoing CEO, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, is stepping 
down this year. But the talk he delivered at the Long Island regional 
ham gathering on Sunday, Jan. 10, expressed confidence that even though 
he was about to retire, amateur radio itself is anything BUT retiring.

Sumner said QUOTE "amateur radio is not dying. It is on a growth track." 
ENDQUOTE He said there are more than 135,000 licensees as of December 
31, 2015 - and increase of 1.3 percent in one year, even as licensing 
figures in many other parts of the world have trended mostly downward. 
He also noted a steady stream of license upgrades.

As he prepared for the meeting of the ARRL board of directors on Jan. 15 
and 16, he said he had hopes the plans they implement after his tenure 
will continue to attract newcomers.

He said QUOTE "Let's face it. These days Geeks rule! It's not a bad 
thing to be a Geek these days." ENDQUOTE

Sumner will retire in May after working at ARRL's Connecticut 
headquarters in one form or another since 1968.

(HAM RADIO UNIVERSITY)

**

NEW SECTION MANAGER IN MISSOURI

A veteran ham has taken on the leadership of ARRL's Missouri Section as 
of Monday, January 11. He is Cecil Higgins, A-C-ZERO-H-A (AC0HA), who 
served previously as the section's assistant manager as well as an 
assistant section emergency coordinator and the district emergency 
coordinator for ARES District D in Missouri. The Pittsburg, Missouri 
amateur has had his license for more than 20 years. Higgins will 
complete the term of office for his predecessor as section manager, Dale 
Bagley, K-ZERO-K-Y (K0KY) who cited family commitments as his reason for 
stepping aside. Bagley had held the post since June 1999 and had 
recommended Higgins as his successor. The term of office ends December 
31 of this year.


**

CELEBRATING CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

There's cause for celebration among the hundreds of hams worldwide who 
are part of the Christian Amateur Radio Fellowship. The group is marking 
50 years of service, and has produced an anniversary T-shirt so members 
can wear and share their pride.

According to the group's website, the fellowship was created in 1966 at 
the North American Christian Convention around the central idea that 
amateur radio could provide communication for the church. Gerald 
Fargusson, W9JSQ, is considered the grandfather of CARF, and often 
encouraged Christian missionaries to become licensed amateurs.

CARF members often end their QSOs with both a 73 and a 75. 75 means "may 
God bless you and yours."

(CHRISTIAN AMATEUR RADIO FELLOWSHIP)

**

JIM/ANCHOR: Tom Callas, K-C-ZERO-W (KC0W) is one Minnesota amateur who 
can't wait until summer - and not just because the Midwest winters are 
so challenging. Callas, it seems, has a world of plans and it involves 
cows. Well, sort of. Amateur Radio Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, 
explains:

[KENT's REPORT]

Minnesota DXer, Tom Callas, K-C-ZERO-W (KC0W), wants to help put "COWS 
Over the World," but this effort has nothing to do with livestock.  
Callas has planned a series of DXpeditions for the year ahead - and 
during the summer months, that will land radio operators in the South 
Pacific: American Samoa, Samoa, Tokelau, Solomon Islands, Temoto 
Province and Bangaladesh - and perhaps other spots. Radio operators will 
be using CW exclusively and focusing on 160, 80 and 40 meters.

So where do the cows come in? The call sign suffixes from each site will 
incorporate part of his own callsign - the "C and Zero and W." That much 
of it is definitely planned out, he says.

Callas has said, however, that operating times are going to have to be 
flexible, and that when pileups stop happening, that will probably be 
the best indicator of the need for the team to move on. He also has 
plans, he says, for a similar operation in Africa at a later date.

Of course, until then, it will be time for the cows to come home.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, in Minneapolis, 
Minnesota.


(ARRL, THE DAILY DX)

**

BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the 
KB9WSL repeater in Rochester, Indiana, following Thursday's 7 pm weekly net.

**

JIM/ANCHOR: The holiday season is over - but reports from Sweden 
indicate that the annual special-event operation of its vintage 
transmitter on Christmas Eve drew its best response ever. Amateur Radio 
Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details.

JEREMY'S REPORT:

Almost everyone likes to have high expectations on Christmas Eve, and 
this past holiday, the operators of the Alexanderson alternator station 
at the World Heritage Grimeton site in Sweden had their hopes fulfilled. 
The transmitter's annual special-event operation appears to have just 
had its best year ever, according to Lars Kalland, SM6NM, who issued the 
report on behalf of organizers.

He said a preliminary accounting tallied more than 350 listener reports, 
most of them from radio amateurs. Listeners in Germany accounted for 
nearly 160 such reports, with listeners in the U.S. filing eight 
reports, with only five of them claiming to have heard the transmission. 
SAQ uses the VLF frequency of 17.2 kHz.

Said Lars, QUOTE "The transmission appears to be our best so far."ENDQUOTE

The transmitter, which is more than 90 years old, was developed by 
Swedish engineer and radio pioneer Ernst Alexanderson. The tradition of 
holiday transmissions began in 2006.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK.

**

SEEKING SOUTH AFRICAN NOMINEES

The South African Radio League is looking for nominees to serve on the 
league Council for a two-year term. Four councillors' terms are ending, 
and although they have said they are available for nomination to serve 
again, the league is also open to new nominees.

For details on the nomination process, and other relevant motions, visit 
the league website at www.sarl.org.za.

The submission deadline for motions and nomination forms is the 31st of 
January.

(SOUTH AFRICAN RADIO LEAGUE)

**

SCHOLARSHIPS A FOUNDATION OF KNOWLEDGE

Forty-six college scholarships will be available for the academic year, 
2016-2017, from the Foundation for Amateur Radio. The value of each 
scholarship ranges from $500 to $5,000, from a total pool of $71,000. 
Applicants must be a licensed radio amateur in either the U.S. or a 
foreign country, and be enrolled - or accepted for enrollment - into an 
accredited college, university or technical school. Application deadline 
is April 15. Because some colleges do not announce acceptances until May 
1, the foundation is permitting applicants to update their 
already-submitted applications until May 7. For more details, contact 
the foundation at farscholarships@gmail.com

(FOUNDATION FOR AMATEUR RADIO)

**

PUERTO RICO CONVENTION FOCUSES ON EMERGENCIES

It's being called the biggest amateur radio event in the Caribbean: It's 
the fourth ARRL Puerto Rico State Convention, and it will feature a 
variety of activities focusing on emergency communications - and will 
host the debut of the first Amateur Radio "Ironman Event" in Puerto 
Rico. The convention is scheduled for January 30 and 31st in the city of 
Hatillo (Hah-TEE-Ho).

The gathering will feature exhibits of emergency equipment and will also 
provide conferences that focus on effective communications methods 
during a hurricane, earthquake or other emergency. ARRL Volunteer 
Examiners will also be on hand to supervise license-testing.

In addition to launching Puerto Rico's first Ironman event for radio, 
the conference will also have a special event station, KP4AW, operating.

More than 1,200 hams are expected - and even those taking vacations in 
the Caribbean at the time are invited to stop by. Admission is free.


(ARRL PUERTO RICO SECTION)

**

WORLD OF DX

Jean-Paul, HB9ARY, will will be active from Mauritius as 3B8HC from 
January 23rd to February 8th. He will work holiday style on 80 to 6 
meters, but focus most heavily on 80 meters. His main mode will be SSB, 
but he will also work some slow CW. Send QSLs direct via NI5DX.

Members of the Radio Club D'Haïti are participating in a special event 
marking the 213th anniversary of the death of General Toussaint 
Louverture, the slave who defeated Napoleon. The club will be active as 
FOUR-V-ONE-T-L (4V1TL) from Port-au-Prince, Haiti until April 30th. Send 
QSL cards via W3HNK.

Bertrand, DF3FS, will be active as 5Z4/DF3FS from Diani Beach starting 
January 23rd, through February 7th. Bertrand will work the HF bands 
holiday style using CW and SSB. Send QSLs via DF3FS or by bureau.

Willy, KB8YRX, will be active as 8P9CA from Barbados starting January 
16th and until February 4th. He will work 20 meters through 10 meters 
using SSB. Send QSLs via KB8YRX and Logbook of the World.


(OHIO PENN DX BULLETIN)

**

KICKER: LOVE OF BOWIE NO SPACE ODDITY

When International Space Station astronaut Tim Peake, KG5BVI, delivered 
a poignant tribute to rock legend David Bowie on Twitter, his 
well-chosen words from high above the Earth were quickly followed by a 
similar tweet from retired ISS astronaut Chris Hadfield, VA3OOG/KC5RNJ.

Clearly, the regard these two astronauts had for the late rocker reaches 
beyond the bounds of Earth.

But the most stunning tribute may still be Hadfield's rendition of 
Bowie's classic hit, "Space Oddity," the story of stranded astronaut 
Major Tom, that became a hit in 1969. Hadfield recorded his 
interpretation in a 2013 video while aboard the space station, creating 
what became the first musical recording made in space. The popular video 
has been logging nonstop views on YouTube even more than ever since 
Bowie's death on Monday, January 10.

Bowie had reportedly seen and loved the Internet video. And he was not 
alone: By some press accounts, it has been viewed more than 29 million 
times.

There are fans, of course, and then there are brothers of Major Tom in 
spirit. That would be Canada's Commander Hadfield and Britain's Major 
Peake. To these two astronauts and radio amateurs, Major Tom rules the 
heavens, now more than ever.


(ARRL, THE BIRMINGHAM (UK) MAIL, QUARTZ.COM)

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE
With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur Radio Victoria; the ARRL; the 
Birmingham, UK, Mail newspaper; Christian Amateur Radio Fellowship; CQ 
Magazine; DX.NET; Hap Holly and the Rain Report; the Ohio-Penn DX 
Bulletin; QUARTZ.COM; the South African Radio League; Southgate Amateur 
Radio News; TWiT TV; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur 
Radio Newsline. Our email address is newsline@arnewsline.org. More 
information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official 
website located at www.arnewsline.org. You can also write to us or 
support us at Amateur Radio Newsline, 28197 Robin Avenue, Santa Clarita, 
CA 91350.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West 
Virginia. saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.


***

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