Subj : Newsline Part 1
To : ALL USERS
From : DARYL STOUT
Date : Thu Dec 10 2015 08:34 pm
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1989, December 11, 2015
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1989, with a release date of Friday,
December 11, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Hams in India struggle to help the nation's
flooded south. The founder of Ham Radio Outlet becomes a Silent Key.
Boston area amateurs are already planning for the city's big marathon.
And, get ready to do some real DXing with Pluto, the so-called "dwarf
planet."
All this and more, in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1989, coming your way
right now.
(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)
**
HAMS CHALLENGED BY INDIA'S FLOODS
We open this week's newscast with a developing story, as flood-soaked
Chennai, the fourth largest city in India, struggles in the aftermath of
devastating floods -- and the hams who've been looking to give assistance
are struggling too. Even radio amateurs who have been able to travel to
the area to provide emergency communications are being challenged by a
scarcity of available power, as many of the batteries in their portable
gear have long since discharged. The International Amateur Radio Union in
India told the ARRL that an emergency net was established on 7.070 MHz,
and amateurs who are able to have also been making use of some local
repeaters. Some news reports indicate that the band at 14.160 MHz has also
been put into use for contact with the National Institute of Amateur Radio,
with the special call sign AU2MTT.
The president of the Amateur Radio Society of India, Gopal Madhavan,
VU2GMN, reported, however, that with so many areas surrounding the city
being underwater and cut off, ground transportation has been impossible,
and even hams who want to travel to give assistance, have been unable to
get out. Madhavan told the ARRL that QUOTE "efforts are being made to
garner more hams into relief activity as soon as they are able to move
out of their locales," ENDQUOTE, adding, QUOTE "the situation is grim."
ENDQUOTE.
He was optimistic at midweek that, with the floodwaters receding, the hams
will soon be able to do more.
(SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO NEWS, ARRL, HINDUSTAN TIMES)
**
SILENT KEY: HAM RADIO OUTLET FOUNDER ROBERT FERRERO, W6RJ
[JIM/ANCHOR:]
The amateur radio community has lost a businessman, a friend, and a
devoted advocate and DXpeditioner: Robert Ferrero, W6RJ, the founder of
the national Ham Radio Outlet chain, became a Silent Key on Dec. 4.
Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, talked to Ferrero's
longtime friend and associate, Chip Margelli, K7JA.
[DON'S REPORT]
**
MAKING A MARATHON EFFORT
Even with the Boston Marathon still months away, local hams have already
gone into training to build up some endurance of their own. The April 18,
2016 event will rely on the efforts of an estimated 300 Amateur Radio
volunteers who will cover the 26-mile course with the assurance of
reliable emergency communications.
The Boston Athletic Association's Communications Committee is already
warming up, and this year they'll be flexing some high-tech and digital
muscle. Committee member Matthew Forman, K6MCF, told Amateur Radio
Newsline in an email: "A major initiative of the Committee this year is
to bolster the technology we use on Marathon Monday. To do so, we're
forming a Technical Infrastructure Subcommittee and seeking Amateurs who
can offer current skills in Analog and/or Digital modes (UHF/VHF),
repeaters, and infrastructure. We'd like to have the TIS consist of one
technically-seasoned member from Amateur Radio clubs in Massachusetts,
Southern New Hampshire, and the northern parts of Connecticut and Rhode
Island." ENDQUOTE
Committee member, Mark Richards, K1MGY, will work to get word out about
the subcommittee among clubs and other special interest groups.
By April, everyone should be in the running - especially the hams.
**
[JIM/ANCHOR:] A new club for hams is starting up in the Ozarks of
Missouri and it promises to be a much-needed resource for local
amateurs. Matthew Chambers, N-R-ZERO-Q, has the details:
[MATTHEW CHAMBERS REPORT]: Radio amateurs in the Missouri Ozarks are in
the process of organizing a new amateur radio club. The Wright County
Outlaws Amateur Radio Club members met in November, and elected a board
of directors and officers. They will meet again in January to vote on a
constitution and by-laws. Primary mission for the club will be SKYWARN
and Amateur Radio Emergency Services communications in Wright County,
Missouri. They will meet at the Wright County Emergency Management Agency
in Hartville, Missouri.
Reporting for the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Matthew Chambers NR0Q, in
Mountain Grove, Missouri.
**
FIRST OFCOM LICENSES REVOKED
The UK has 530 fewer licensed radio amateurs as of this month. Following
notice it gave to hams earlier this year, Ofcom has made good on its
warning and revoked the first batch of licenses that went without the
required validation process. The Ofcom website has a list of the call
signs affected, and a copy of those notices of revocation. The office
said there are at least 15,000 such licenses that still remain
unvalidated and will, over the course of time, also be revoked.
Ofcom requires radio amateurs to revalidate their license at least once
every five years. So if you want to stay on the air, be sure to check
that your license is current. And contact Ofcom for further details.
(SOUTHGATE)
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W-ZERO-E-F, the
Twin City FM Club repeater in Plymouth, Minnesota, Saturday mornings at
9:30.
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