Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2104 for Friday, February 23, 2018

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2104 with a release date of Friday, 
February 23, 2018 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. A planned DXPedition will honor Amelia Earhart. 
CQ Magazine is looking for some Hall of Famers -- and we revisit the 
distracted-driving controversy. All this and more as Amateur Radio 
Newsline Report 2104 comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
HAMS AND DISTRACTED DRIVING, REVISITED

NEIL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's newscast by revisiting the 
controversial issue of distracted driving laws and ham radio - a 
particularly murky area, at times, when it comes to hams traveling 
outside their home territories. Kent Peterson KC0DGY updates us on the 
issue as it relates to the U.S. and Canada.

KENT: An Amateur Radio Newsline Report several weeks ago noted that U.S. 
hams wishing to operate mobile while behind the wheel in New Brunswick, 
Canada, would be breaking the law. We heard from Dave Goodwin VE9CB, 
Atlantic Director of Radio Amateurs of Canada, who contends this is not 
correct. Additional reporting by us has found that while a reciprocal 
treaty for radio operators does indeed exist between the U.S. and 
Canada, a tangle of local regulations has caused much confusion and 
appears to supersede this treaty.

Distracted driving regulations have been imposed by State and Provincial 
governments in both the US and Canada. Individual amateurs and groups 
have lobbied their own localities for exemptions for Amateur Radio 
operation.  Where such exemptions for radio exist, language in many of 
these regulations only allow for mobile operation by amateur radio 
operators provided they are licensed residents of that country.

Treaty Series 1952 Number 7, which governs amateur radio by Canadians 
operating in the US and US amateurs operating in Canada, allows for 
reciprocal operation across borders. But the various states and 
provinces have distracted-driving regulations that fail to take this 
treaty into account.

Newsline obtained an email from Alan Killam, licensing officer in New 
Brunswick, who points out their provincial regulation only covers 
amateur radio operators licensed in Canada. It is important to clarify 
that Newsline has not been able to find any instances of an American 
Amateur being cited in the provincial distracted driving regulations.

Newsline did make repeated requests to the New Brunswick Attorney 
General's office for clarification on their regulation, but our requests 
went unanswered.

Conversely, distracted-driving regulations in Connecticut, Delaware, 
Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Washington and West Virginia 
state require an FCC license for legal mobile amateur radio operation. 
Only the state of New Jersey generically specifies licensed amateur 
radio operators may operate mobile. Thus, for Canadian amateur radio 
licensees to operate mobile in the U.S. would require that that those 
operators also hold a valid FCC license.

Amateurs in either country need to research the distracted driving 
regulations in the state/province they plan to operate in and be 
prepared to defend a moving citation.

Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY

**

SWEDISH AMATEURS TAKE NEW LOOK AT HAND-HELD MICROPHONE BAN

NEIL/ANCHOR: With distracted-driving regulations becoming more and more 
commonplace, concerns about mobile operation of amateur radios have 
become increasingly global. Add one more country to that list, as we 
hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: In Sweden, the SSA, the country's national amateur radio 
organization, recently asked the government to revisit legislation that 
bans the use of mobile phones while driving. The radio group is hoping 
to clarify the wording which it fears may impact on hams operating 
mobile in their vehicles as well as on those in the transport industry. 
The group is asking, in its letter to the Ministry of Food and 
Transport, that the wording make it clear that the ban is not applicable 
to hand-held microphones attached to radios mounted inside the vehicles.

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

(SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO)

**

BAKER ISLAND DXPEDITION TO HONOR EARHART

NEIL/ANCHOR: American aviatrix Amelia Earhart still captures the 
imagination of the world and certainly the world of amateur radio. This 
year, the pilot is being remembered as part of a larger commemoration on 
a major DXpedition, as we hear from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM M: Most of us remember the American amateur Brian Lloyd WB6RQN who 
last year commemorated Amelia Earhart's final flight by piloting his 
single-engine plane around the globe along what was Earhart's final 
route. This year the Baker Island DXpedition KH1/KH7Z is staging its own 
tribute, marking the 81st anniversary of Earhart's disappearance on that 
flight. At the same time, the DXpedition is also honoring the colony of 
students who were living on those islands at the time of her flight and 
who had helped prepare for her arrival.

Earhart went missing on July 2, 1937 near Baker and Howland islands. An 
airstrip had been built for her much-anticipated landing by Hui 
Panala'au students from Hawaii who were living on the islands at the 
time. The students were living there as part of a colonization project 
designed to help legitimize the islands as U.S. territories. They 
awaited the pilot's landing, which  never came.

The location is the fourth most-wanted DX entity.

The DXpedition is expected to cost an estimated $400,000 in U.S. 
currency with the operator team contributing about half.

For more details, visit baker2018.net

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF

**
CQ MAGAZINE SEEKS HALL OF FAME NOMINEES

NEIL/ANCHOR: It's not enough to make a good contact on the air - it's 
often the connections made with other hams in person that count more. CQ 
Magazine has plans to recognize these amateurs and Stephen Kinford N8WB 
tells us to get involved.

STEPHEN's REPORT: If there is a ham whose contributions make you proud 
to be part of this hobby, you have until March 1st to show your 
admiration with a nomination for membership in one of three halls of 
fame: the CQ Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, the DX Hall of Fame and the 
Contesting Hall of Fame.

In making the announcement CQ Magazine noted that induction into one of 
these three groups is based on [quote] "considerable personal sacrifice" 
[endquote] -- in other words, an amateur who has gone above and beyond 
with tremendous personal effort.

Clubs or individuals or even national organizations can make nominations 
and should do so before the March 1st deadline. Email submissions are 
preferred and can be sent to w 2 v u at cq hyphen amateur hyphen radio 
dot com (w2vu@cq-amateur-radio.com). Conventional mail should be 
postmarked by March 1 and sent to CQ Magazine, 17 West John Street, 
Hicksville New York 11801 USA. Please indicate which hall of fame your 
nomination applies to.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB.

(CQ MAGAZINE)

**

SILENT KEY: WIA'S JIM LINTON VK3PC

NEIL/ANCHOR: The amateur radio community has suffered yet another major 
loss, a ham with a prominent role among Australian operators. We hear 
more from Robert Broomhead VK3DN.

ROBERT'S REPORT: Jim Linton VK3PC, a mainstay of the Wireless Institute 
of Australia which he served as executive secretary, has become a Silent 
Key. He died on Thursday, the 22nd of February following a short battle 
with thyroid cancer.

Jim, who was one of the WIA's longest-serving office holders, joined the 
organization as a teenager and an enthusiastic shortwave listener. A 
career journalist with 3UZ Nilsen's Broadcasting Service and later AAP 
news agency and various trade magazines, he became a senior newsman 
covering the major stories of the day. His active life in amateur radio 
included the presidency of WIA Victoria, WIA Federal Councillor, news 
editor of Amateur Radio magazine and guest editor. Known as a ham with a 
strong volunteer spirit, he was the WIA Exam Service inaugural assessor 
for VK3 and a WIA team member for a number of IARU Region 3 triennial 
conferences, IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee Chairman 
and the WIA IARU Liaison. He was also an honorary life member of the WIA 
which awarded him its highest honor in 2011: the GA Taylor Medal. He 
also received the Chris Jones Award for his exceptional contributions to 
the WIA and amateur radio.

Jim Linton was age 71. Vale Jim Linton VK3PC.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Robert Broomhead VK3DN.

**

BREAK HERE:

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline 
heard on bulletin stations around the world including the KE0MQF-R 
repeater in Sikeston, Missouri on Mondays at 7 p.m.

**
JAPANESE YLs GEAR UP FOR FESTIVAL

NEIL/ANCHOR: The month of March brings a special festival for YLs in 
Japan and they're going - where else? - on the air to celebrate. Jeremy 
Boot G4NJH has those details.

JEREMY: If YLs in Japan are a little busier than usual right now, it's 
because they're preparing to take part in a celebration that's believed 
to be at least 900 years old. It's called the Doll Festival, also known 
as Hina-matsuri, and it celebrates the birth of a baby girl while 
offering hope and prayers for her future happiness. Japanese families do 
that with an elaborate display of dolls at home, figurines dressed in 
ancient costumes.

The day of the festival is March 3 - or on the calendar, three-three, 
the same numbers that YLs use to say goodbye to one another in ham 
radio. So on that day, the Japan Ladies Radio Society is operating the 
"3.3 Hina Contest" as a way of encouraging YLs to use three-three to say 
hello instead.

Yukiko Maki 7K4TKB told Newsline that the event grew into a national 
contest from its humble beginnings 14 years ago. She said it's a way for 
YLs to meet other YLs on the air. By the way, it's not just for YLs - 
although a contact with a YL counts as 10 points while non-YL counts as 
only 1 point. The contest begins on the 2nd of March at 1500 UTC and 
continues until 1500 UTC on March 3. All modes and all bands, except for 
the WARC bands, may be used.

For more details, visit the JLRS website at triple w dot jarl dot com 
forward slash jlrs forward slash and click on "Hina Contest" for contest 
rules in English. (www.jarl.dot.com/jlrs)

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

**
NORWAY CONTESTERS GET A CALL SIGN BOOST

NEIL/ANCHOR: Avid contesters in Norway just got encouraging news about 
the call signs they will be able to use, as we hear from Ed Durrant DD5LP.

ED'S REPORT: Hams in Norway with big plans for radio contesting just got 
a boost from Norwegian authorities: amateurs can now apply for 2x1 
contest call signs that have the prefix LC. According to the NRRL - the 
Norwegian radio relay league - the call signs can only be used in 
national and international contests and are valid for five years after 
being assigned. The call signs cannot be used during Lighthouse Weekend, 
Field Day or Jamboree on the Air. In Norway, there is only one class of 
Amateur Radio license and it permits an operating output of up to 1,000 
watts. While the 2x1 call signs should give the hams something of a 
competitive edge, they're still going to have to win those contests on 
their own.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(SOUTHGATE, NRRL)

**

IN SEARCH OF AN AUSTRALIA-SOUTH AFRICA CONNECTION

NEIL/ANCHOR: It's a long way between Australia and South Africa but one 
ham is looking to bridge that distance on 6 meters, as we hear from 
Robert Broomhead VK3DN.

ROBERT: An amateur in western Australia is trying to stir up interest 
among hams to explore a VHF path between Australia and South Africa. 
Andy Hemus VK6OX, who lives in a suburb of Perth, believes that if there 
is a VHF path from Eastern Australia to Argentina, Chile and the South 
Shetland and nearby islands, then surely there must be one between South 
Africa's east coast and Australia's western coast. He's looking for a 
ham to try 6 meters with him using SSB, CW, JT65A or FT8.

Noting that the season for Es propagation is pretty much done in the 
Southern Hemisphere, he'd still like to be able to plan for later in the 
year.

This sort of challenge is nothing new. The South African Radio League, 
acknowledging the great and longstanding challenge of Indian Ocean 
contacts, notes that there have been attempts before - without success. 
A more recent campaign to stir up interest came from Ken Bainbridge 
VK6RH of the West Australian Radio Group. Ken had hoped at the time 
South African VHF operators would participate in chirp modulation tests 
but support for that experiment waned.

Andy, meanwhile, remains hopeful someone will answer his call. Andy said 
he is reachable via email at vk6ox at wia dot org dot au 
(vk6ox@wia.org.au) or through ON4KST chat. As he told Newsline in an 
email [quote] "the six meter band has not been labeled 'the Magic Band' 
for no good reason, so anything\92s possible for those of us dedicated 
enough and around at the time of some weird and wonderful opening!" 
[endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead VK3DN.

(SARL, ANDY HEMUS VK6OX)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, Arnaud, JG1XMV, is active through the third of March 
as FK/JG1XMV from Grande Terre in New Caledonia. He is operating with 
Yves FK4RD. The duo will also activate two other islands - Lifou and 
Mare as FK/JG1XMV. Arnaud may also try to activate a few SOTAs. Send 
QSLs direct via JG1XMV, by the Bureau or by FK/JG1XMV via LoTW or eQSL.

John, KB7LBY, is in Tanzania operating as 5H2LBY while ascending Mt.
Kilimanjaro through March 2nd. His operating hours will be limited 
during his climb. He will be running QRP on 40/20 meters into a 
magnetic-loop antenna. QSL via LoTW.

In Honduras, Clay, WC6YJ, will be active as HR8/WC6YJ from Rus Rus 
Hospital until the 28th of February. He is operating holiday style on 80 
through 17 meters. Clay is using 10 to 15 watts into an end-fed wire 
antenna. QSL via LoTW or ClubLog.

(OHIO PENN DX)

**
KICKER: THREADS OF FRIENDSHIP AMONG YLS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Finally, we consider friendship, a common thread among 
radio amateurs. We close with this story about certain threads that have 
made their way into cross-stitch creations of a talented YL in the 
Philippines. Here's Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT.

CARYN: Theresa Aniceto DW3TRZ knows her way around the dots and dashes 
of CW. Lately, though, when she has wanted to say thank you to other YLs 
for their help and friendship she's been using Xs instead. These are 
tiny, carefully crafted Xs that make up the cross-stitch needlework 
pieces she has been sending her far-away friends incorporating their 
call signs and the word "Mabuhay" (ma-BOO-hay) which, in the 
Philippines, is a welcoming wish for a good life.

Unfortunately, Theresa has been off the air lately so her connections 
have been limited to email and social media.

THERESA: My last transmission was first week of December last year. I 
think I pushed my rig too much on the CQWWCW contest and after that 
something went wrong.

CARYN: While her rig awaits repairs, her friendships in the Young Ladies 
Radio League remain intact. The cross-stitching serves as a variation on 
the QSL card.

THERESA: The Young Ladies, they are really helpful in their support, 
especially on Facebook. So they have been very supportive and encouraging.

CARYN: Hams are no stranger to homebrew of course but this kind of 
homebrew is created with a needle and thread -- and that's something 
special in this worldwide community of YLs.

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

**

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Alan Labs; the ARRL; CQ Magazine; Hap 
Holly and the Rain Report; the Irish Radio Transmitters Society; the 
Norwegian Radio Relay League; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; South African Radio 
League; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; 
Waverley Amateur Radio Society; 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 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 Neil Rapp WB9VPG in Bloomington Indiana 
saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.


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