Subj : Newsline Part 1
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jan 13 2017 06:42 pm
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2046, January 13, 2017
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2046, with a release date of Friday,
January 13, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The Radio Club of America has embraced the role
of YLs in wireless. A special event station marks the presidential
inauguration. Scouts are already preparing for Jamboree On The Air --
and our top story, a vital repeater in suburban New York faces eviction.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2046, comes your way
right now.
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BILLBOARD CART
**
LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK REPEATER IMPERILED
DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with breaking news: a critical
repeater site that's served its suburban New York community for three
decades, and put to use in a number of disasters, is now being asked to
leave its location. Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, has our
top story:
PAUL: A 30-year-old repeater site that is key to public safety in Long
Island, New York is facing possible eviction from new building owners.
I spoke with club president Pres Waterman, W2PW, about their plight:
WATERMAN: Basically, the repeater's been on top of a 10-story building
for almost 30 years. The arrangements under which it was up there have
been sort of lost to history - I mean, there have been so many management
changes and regime changes and what not, that it kind of slipped into an
undocumented status, but it's been there for a heck of a long time. It
covers really, really well in central Long Island.
I've got IRLP and D-STAR happening at the site and it's been used for a
number of public-service situations such as TWA 800 going down in the
Nineties, September 11th, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy -- in fact, I
wasn't even home during Hurricane Sandy, because I was at the Red Cross
shelter doing communications duty, and then I found out I came back to
find my house had been wrecked in Sandy, so it's a real thing that affects
us here in Long Island, New York.
Basically, several months ago, an entity from out of town, named Delaware
North, acquired the building with the intentions of opening up a casino,
and those plans are taking shape. I was told about a month-and-a-half ago
that the equipment had to go -- they didn't even know about it, which is
not surprising -- but had to go because the state gaming board would not
allow it unless it was used for the "building operations or the
government." So, I went directly to the gaming board and they said, "We
don't have a problem with that."
So, then I went back, and I was still told no, even so they still want it
off the building, so it just seems like a whack-a-mole game of reasons and
excuses and what-not.
But, I did some research on the company, and they do have a global
footprint of their operations, and they do talk about stewardship, and
giving back to the community, and I'm reasoning that this is an excellent
way for the management to give back to the community by allowing the
repeater site to simply stay at no investment to them whatsoever!
PAUL: They are running short on time to get the corporation to reverse
their decision, and let the repeaters stay right where they are. Waterman
said he'll be contacting as many in the corporate headquarters as he can,
as well as enlisting the help of area first-responders and emergency
organizations to help drive home the importance of the repeaters.
Waterman stated that there is no equivalent site for relocation.
If you'd like to sign the petition, please go to www.change.org and search
for "Keep the Amateur Radio Repeaters Operational."
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
**
MEMORIAL PLAQUE NAMED FOR POPULAR UK CONTESTER
DON/ANCHOR: A ham who won many contesting honors during his lifetime is
now being paid a special tribute by organizers of one of his favorite
contests -- as a Silent Key. We learn more from Amateur Radio Newsline's
Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
JEREMY: By the time Steve Cole, GW4BLE, became a Silent Key on Dec. 2,
2016, the Welsh amateur had a lifetime of achievements in contesting. He
ranked high on the ARRL's DXCC Honor Roll, and had high standings in
different events run by the Radio Society of Great Britain. His favorite
contest of all, however, was the CQ World Wide SSB contest, where he
scored many wins over the course of 40 years.
CQWW has now added a plaque in his memory, to be given to the
highest-scoring European amateur station each year in the EU SSB Classic
section. It will be managed by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation,
and will be available starting this year. Dave, G8FXM, told Ohio Penn DX
that only one other amateur in the UK has ever had an award named in his
memory: Al Slater, G3FXB.
In this way, by honoring Steve, the noted achievements of "Bravo Lima
Echo" continue on, in the very spirit he brought to the competition.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
