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

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2086 for Friday, October 20 2017

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2086 with a release date of Friday, 
October 20 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams step up and give support during 
California's wildfires. Amateur donations help rebuild Caribbean 
communications after Maria. It's Jamboree on the Air time - and it's 
almost Halloween! All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 
2086 comes your way right now.

(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)

**
CALIFORNIA AMATEURS ASSIST WILDFIRE VICTIMS

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week focuses on the California 
wildfires. Paul Braun WD9GCO spoke to some hams who found themselves in 
key roles helping the affected communities.

PAUL: The wildfires in California have burned over 220,000 acres, 
destroyed close to 6,000 structures and have killed over 40 people so far.

Once again, amateur radio operators have been called in to help with 
communications support. In the Sonoma area, the Sonoma Auxiliary 
Communications Service, or ACS, was pressed into duty supporting 
shelters in the Petaluma area. I spoke with Steve Fischer, K6ETA, about 
their role.

FISCHER: We've coordinated the delivery of over 500 cots, breakfasts 
from the Redwood Empire Food Bank and many donations and volunteer 
offers that the public has been generously bringing forward. Those sorts 
of efforts actually can cause as much confusion as they can help, so we 
helped do the triage and get the logistics folks just what they needed.

PAUL: The head of the main local food bank is also a ham, and he's been 
working with ACS:

FISCHER: David, W9FOG, has been working with us over the local repeaters 
to coordinate very large food deliveries. Actually the very first 
morning they had their act together and were ready to serve breakfast to 
all the new evacuees, so we had to coordinate with him and find out what 
facilities they had at each of the shelters and line it all up.

PAUL: Part of ACS's function is to coordinate with community support:

FISCHER: The community at large was very helpful. We were the link 
between the Salvation Army and the Petaluma logistics team. The Marin 
RACES folks, our colleagues to the South, offered mutual aid and helped 
us track down information about overflow when our evacuation shelters 
reached max. Our logistics team needed information about the Marin 
shelters and didn't have access to it. We used our contacts at Marin 
RACES to answer those questions.

PAUL: According to Fischer, even when primary communications are still 
online, there is a place for amateur radio:

FISCHER: The ACS is usually a secondary or tertiary communications 
channel and usually we're called in when all else fails. So, we're sort 
of the effort of last resort. But in this case, we had all of our 
Internet and cell phones working. However, we were still needed to fill 
in any gaps that existed due to the situational awareness challenges of 
having multiple fires.

PAUL: The weather forecasts show possible rain moving into the Napa 
valley, so hopefully the fires will finally be extinquished. But the 
cleanup and recovery efforts will be ongoing and, as always, amateur 
radio operators will be there. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul 
Braun, WD9GCO.


**
REBUILDING COMMUNICATIONS IN DOMINICA

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: The ham radio community is known for its generosity 
and right now no one knows that better than residents of storm-hit 
Dominica as we hear from Bobby Best WX4ALA.

BOBBY: The damage done by Hurricane Maria's powerful punch continues to 
ripple through the Caribbean where the long process of repair and 
restoration enters its second month. Amateur radio organizations, 
manufacturers and donors are rallying around Dominica, where the ham 
radio capability was virtually wiped out by the storm. The effort is 
being led by the Yasme Foundation, the Foundation for Amateur 
International Radio Service, Yaesu USA's Amateur Division, and a group 
of private pilots who are also hams, including Brian Machesney K1LI, 
Dave Bridgham N1AHF and Brian Lloyd WB6RQN.

More than $30,000 worth of ham radio equipment has been deployed to 
Dominica, where hams are now working with the Dominica Amateur Radio 
Club and the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission in 
Dominica to set up the stations and train new operators so Dominica is 
better prepared in future emergencies.

Meanwhile, in another part of the Caribbean, post-Maria conditions have 
prompted the cancellation of the 2018 ARRL Puerto Rico State Convention, 
which was to be held on January 26th through 28th in Hatillo. Organizers 
said the coliseum that was to be the convention's venue was too badly 
damaged to be ready in time.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Bobby Best WX4ALA


(ARRL)


**
TWO MORE UK LICENSE EXAMS GO ONLINE

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: If you're in the UK, you can soon look forward to a 
new option for taking your license exams, as Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us.

JEREMY: Get ready for more online licensing tests in the UK. The Radio 
Society of Great Britain has given the OK for Foundation and 
Intermediate licensing exams to be administered online. The action comes 
on the heels of positive feedback from exam centers, clubs and license 
candidates following the online launch of Full examinations this past 
March. Now, starting November 1st, applications will be accepted by the 
society's exams department for intermediate exam-taking online. The 
application process will begin on January 2nd of next year for online 
exams for Foundation licenses.

Of course, this doesn't mean you can take your test in the comfort of 
your own home. Like paper exams, these online counterparts must still be 
overseen at designated exam centers with the same level of supervision.

The Radio Society calls the decision a win-win in that it reduces 
paperwork on their end and gives more immediate results to test-takers 
waiting to hear their fate.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH

(WIA)

**

SIRENS GO OFF BUT IT'S ONLY A TEST

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: Planning and drilling for emergencies is one of the 
things amateurs do best. A group in Arizona is getting ready for their 
turn as we hear from Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

CARYN: Imagine a meltdown at a U.S. nuclear power plant. Hopefully 
that's all you may ever need to do - imagine it - but a group of hams in 
Arizona are taking it one step further next month by simulating a 
meltdown or other accident by testing the warning sirens that alert the 
public near the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station. On November 8th, 
a team from the West Valley Amateur Radio Club, the Tri-City Amateur 
Radio Club, Arizona ARES and other hams will be stationed at 58 sirens 
going off during the test. David N7TWT, who has been at the helm of this 
mandatory exercise since 2007, says he is counting on some dedicated 
volunteers - husbands, wives, retirees and others - to show up as usual 
with their 2 meter radios at the starting point, Buckeye Municipal Airport.

DAVID: We start going out at 10 in the morning to get to the sirens and 
it takes til almost noon to get everyone on the sirens covered. We will 
do a countdown "10.....9...." and we wll count down and then they turn 
the sirens on. Within a few minutes you hear all the sirens going off. 
They go for about three minutes and then they stop. If a person calls 
into me and says "my siren did not go off," we do some troubleshooting 
and do some checking and then we set it off again at 12:30 and if it 
goes off at that time, we can diagnose what's going on.

CARYN: The public is notified well in advance that it's only a test. As 
for the hams, they start their day early coordinating with the Maricopa 
County Department of Emergency Management and other offices. They get 
water and earplugs during the exercise -- and afterward they get a real 
nice thank you.

DAVID: Oh yeah, a nice meal from Dillon's! It's catering - they come 
out. APS always comes out with nice thank you gifts every year for the 
people who come out and do it. They don't restrict me as to how many 
people come out. If I have 10 or 15 extra people they don't care, they 
understand because it's difficult. Some people may just go out together 
because they know I have extra people. Most people say we can still do 
everything we need to do and and enjoy the day.

CARYN: Another group of hams doing good public service work. Sirens 
aside, everyone seems to have a real blast. For Amateur Radio Newsline, 
I'm Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: The test is one of many around the U.S. relying on 
amateur radio participation near nuclear power plants. Another one is 
scheduled for the Limerick Power Plant in Pennsylvania which will take 
place on Nov. 14, coordinated by the Reading (REDDING) Radio Club.

**

FCC TO FINE NY MAN $400,000 FOR INTERFERENCE

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: The FCC has announced that it will be assessing a 
$400,000 fine against a New York City man who they said has failed to 
respond to an April Notice of Apparent Liability from the agency. The 
FCC action against Jay Peralta of Queens, New York, was prompted by 
malicious interference on police radio frequencies, including false 
distress calls and false bomb threats. The agency said the 20-year-old 
admitted to the interference, which the FCC said occurred between April 
and August of 2016. Peralta is presently in custody on related charges 
and is awaiting trial. He and two other men were arrested in the fall of 
2016. The FCC said that the Justice Department will begin collection 
proceedings if no payment is received within 30 days.

(ARRL)

**

BREAK HERE

Time to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard 
on bulletin stations around the world including The W8GK repeater in 
Charleston, West Virginia on Sundays at 8:30 p.m. after the ARES Net, 
during the KARC Club Net, following check-ins.

**

UK REPEATER GROUP SHUTTING DOWN NETWORK

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: In the UK, one repeater group is calling it quits and 
Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us why.

JEREMY: The decision to close down a repeater is never taken lightly so 
when the South Yorkshire Repeater Group elected recently to close the 
seven repeaters in its network, the move was unprecedented. The group's 
announcement, which was also made on its Facebook page, said that it was 
simply unable to continue service at the level it has maintained for a 
number of years. The seven stations to cease operations include four 
D-Star repeaters, one Fusion repeater and two analog voice repeaters. In 
making its decision, the group said it hoped that interested parties 
might have the time or funding to take over operation of one or more of 
the repeaters and encouraged them to write them at comms at 
southyyorkshirerepeatergroup dot co dot uk 
(comms@southyorkshirerepeatergroup.co.uk

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH

(SOUTH YORKSHIRE REPEATER GROUP)

**
AT LAST, JAMBOREE ON THE AIR

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: The worldwide event Scouts have been waiting for just 
lit up the calendar between Friday October 20th and Sunday October 22nd. 
Here's Bill Stearns NE4RD.

BILL'S REPORT: This week in radio scouting is all about this weekend on 
the air and on the internet.  Jamboree on the Air starts Friday October 
20th and goes through Sunday October 22nd. Over 3,300 stations from all 
over the world will be getting scouts on the air. This event will go 
throughout the weekend so expect a lot of young voices making their way 
to your station while tuning around the scouting frequencies.  In 
addition to voice traffic, expect a lot of these scouts to experience 
the various digital modes that amateur radio provides.

Since we're mentioning digital modes, we did have one concern reported 
about the new FT8 frequency on 17 meters overlapping the existing PSK31 
frequency on that band. Remember that these are suggested frequencies, 
so feel free to tune the dial a little bit to give yourself some 
separation on that band.

In addition to K2BSA being on the air in all the call districts, we're 
hearing from our neighbors overseas about their operations. VK3CUB from 
Australia will be on the air with the Bendigo District Scouts in 
Longlea, Victoria. SC�UT and SC�JAM from Sweden will be on the air with 
the RadioScouts of Stockholm. ST60JOTA will be on the air from Sudan 
with the Sudan Technological Scouts. What a great opportunity to connect 
with youth all over the world using Amateur Radio.

The internet will also be busy with scouts on October 21st for Jamboree 
on the Internet.  Scouts will be busy chatting with other scouts through 
IRC, Skype, Teamspeak, and other modes of internet-based communications.

If you haven't registered your station yet, head over to our website and 
follow the instructions for station registration like the other 437 
stations in the U.S. have done.

For more information on JOTA and Radio Scouting visit our website at 
www.k2bsa.net.

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

**
VIRGINIA AMATEUR CONFIRMED FOR DEFENSE POST

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: David Trachtenberg, N4WWL, an active member of the 
Pentagon Amateur Radio Club, has been confirmed by the Senate for a 
position in the Department of Defense. The 60-year-old radio amateur has 
served in other posts within the department and in his new post will be 
principal deputy undersecretary of Defense for Policy. David lives in 
Burke Virginia and is president and CEO of the national security 
consulting company based there, Shortwaver Consulting LLC. He is also 
Northeast Division Director and national planning coordinator for the 
U.S. Air Force Military Auxiliary Radio System.

(ARRL)

**
CHINESE SPACE LAB ON CRASH COURSE WITH EARTH

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: Look out below! Well, maybe. China's space laboratory 
is headed toward Earth, as we hear from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM: The Chinese space laboratory Tiangong 1, launched in 2011, is on a 
crash course with Earth, according to a Harvard astrophysicist, Jonathan 
McDowell. He said he expects that the decay in the space station's orbit 
to bring it back to earth later this year or perhaps in early 2018.

Communications was lost with the spacecraft last year and by all 
accounts, there is apparently no way to halt the crash landing.

At the time of its launch, the Chinese had hopes that Tiangong 1 would 
serve as a symbol of that nation's abilities in space and solidify its 
status there as a superpower. The Chinese space agency used the 
spacecraft for a variety of missions, some of them manned, and had 
referred to space lab as the "Heavenly Palace." One of the scientists to 
work aboard the space lab was, Liu Yang, China's first female astronaut. 
She was on board in 2012.

The spacecraft is expected to break up upon entering the atmosphere, 
with some of the resulting debris weighing as much as 100 kilograms or 
220 pounds. The Chinese have assured the United Nations that there is 
only a remote chance that anyone will be harmed by the debris.

For Amateur Radio Newslie, I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.


(THE INDEPENDENT)

**
THE WORLD OF DX

Be listening as the Liberia Radio Amateur Association hosts three IOTA 
enthusiasts between the 30th of October and the 3rd of November for the 
first activation of Baiyah Island, a new IOTA designation, AF-111. Col 
McGowan MM0NDX will operate as EL2EL; David Deane EI9FBB will operate as 
EL2BB and Jeremy Sheehan EJ5GM will operate as EL2GM. This is described 
as the first Islands on the Air operation from the island. The 
DXpedition call sign will be 5L3BI.

A special event station is operating from October 20th through November 
20th, marking the 79th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal 
Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Listen for operators on 
all the HF bands using CW, SSB and the digital modes. A bronze, silver 
and gold diploma will be available. The 10 call signs will include 
TC10A, TC10F, TC10T, along with numberous others.

On Mauritius, Jean-Paul HB9ARY will be active as 3B8HC between the 4th 
and 18th of November, working holiday style. Find him on 80 through 6 
meters, though he will concentrate on 80, using mainly SSB. He will also 
work some slow CW. QSL via NI5DX direct.

If you want to work Kuwait, be listening for Abdallah, 9K2GS who will be 
operating from there in the CQ WW DX SSB Contest on the 28th and 29th of 
October. He'll be using the call sign 9K2K. QSL via Logbook of the World 
only.


(OHIO PENN DX)

**

KICKER: ON THE WATCH FOR SASQUATCH

CHRISTIAN/ANCHOR: Our final story was just made for Halloween. It 
involves amateur radio operators deep in the woods - and a monster known 
as Bigfoot. Here's Mike Askins KE5CXP.

MIKE: Now here's a Halloween question for hams: When you're operating 
out in the wild, sitting around a campfire and telling ghost stories 
while pursuing good signal reports, what do you need more than favorable 
band conditions? How about.....bravery?

It's the 50th anniversary of a documentary film that is said to have 
captured footage of the Bigfoot monster at Bluff Creek, Oregon. The 
controversial 1967 account by Bob Gimlin and Roger Patterson is the 
inspiration behind the Bigfoot Radio Net Expeditionary Team's sojourn 
this month into the woods of southeastern Oklahoma. The hams will be 
calling QRZ on the HF bands, wondering about the likelihood of good copy 
by Sasquatch himself.

Maybe the melting Smores will draw him out into the open? Or maybe the 
smell of good campfire coffee? Look for details about the team's 
adventures and keep current on their operating frequency on their 
Facebook Page. Then listen for them on the air. The Bigfoot Radio Net's 
field operation begins October 23rd. It runs through the 28th....at 
least unless Bigfoot has other plans for them. It is, after all, almost 
Halloween.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP in Shawnee, Oklahoma

**
NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; 
the Associated Press; CQ Magazine; The FCC; Hap Holly and the Rain 
Report; the Independent; K2BSA; the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin; South 
Yorkshire Repeater Group; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's 
QSO Radio Show; Wireless Institute of Australia; 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.

We also close this report by also offering congratulations from all of 
us at Amateur Radio Newsline to our colleagues at the ICQ Podcast, which 
just completed its 250th edition, and the SolderSmoke podcast which just 
marked its 200th. Well done, and we wish you many more 5 and 9 reports 
on your shows.

For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, 
and our news team worldwide, I'm Christian Cudnik K0STH saying 73 and as 
always we thank you for listening.

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


-- 



73
James-KB7TBT
www.arnewsline.org
www.ylsystem.org





<*>Attachment(s) from James KB7TBT:


<*> 1 of 1 File(s)
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<*> news.mp3

------------------------------------
Posted by: James KB7TBT <kb7tbt@gmail.com>
------------------------------------


***

As a Service to the HAM Radio Community and HAM Operators all over the world,
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Please address all comments and questions to the ARNewsletter editor as
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-73- ARNTE-0.1.0-OS2 build 42
(text/plain utf-8 quoted-printable)


 * Origin: (1:3634/12)