Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jun 30 2017 05:08 am
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2070, for Friday, June 30, 2017
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2070, with a release date of
Friday, June 30, 2017 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. New Zealand prepares for the nation's first
satellite. Kids in Tennessee find that amateur radio is more than
just a museum piece. A special government assignment has hams in
India listening carefully on the bands -- and in South Carolina,
one ham club was offering a wearable keepsake of this year's Field
Day. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2070, comes
your way right now.
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BILLBOARD CART
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SETTING THE STAGE FOR NEW ZEALAND SATELLITE
NEIL/ANCHOR: New Zealand has more than just the America's Cup to be
proud of: the nation has its own first satellite, KiwiSAT, and it's
just about ready for prime time. Well, it does need a few more team
members to see the project through. If you're in New Zealand and can
help, listen to this report from Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Meachen,
ZL2BHF.
JIM's REPORT: Awaiting its launch after a series of setbacks, the
satellite known as KiwiSAT has delivered a message to the New Zealand
amateur community: Take me to your leader. The amateur radio satellite
is at its staging point, ready to transport a payload of big hopes and
dreams for New Zealand's ham community as the nation's first satellite.
The on-again, off-again project has suffered from a variety of obstacles
over the years, but AMSAT-ZL is hoping to get it into orbit at last.
Organizers have been collecting names of KiwiSAT members and other
amateurs who have stepped forward to serve as launch coordinator, or
part of the support team working with the coordinator. There is already
an engineering team prepared to move forward, so the priority for now
has been to conduct environmental testing of KiwiSAT, and then tend to
the details of launch timing, coordination, and funding. The project
has also been in search of a new leader of the engineering team, who
can take up the reins from Fred Kennedy, ZL1BYP, who has stepped down,
due to medical issues.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
(NEW ZEALAND ASSOCIATION OF RADIO TRANSMITTERS)
**
SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT FOR HAMS IN WEST BENGAL
NEIL/ANCHOR: In India, the government of West Bengal has reached out
to a local amateur radio club for a different kind of listening
assignment on the bands. This is DXing with a rather different
purpose. We hear the details from Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy
Boot, G4NJH.
JEREMY's REPORT: Hams in West Bengal have been asked to listen for
radio communications between leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha,
a separatist movement trying to create a new state in that region
of India. Media reports said the government believes that the GJM
has established small radio stations in the plains and hills of the
region, and continues to be able to communicate despite government
shutdown of cable and internet services as of the 18th of June.
Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal Amateur
Radio Club, told the local media that long conversations have been
detected in Nepali and Tibetan, but the content was classified, and
he would not speak further about the club's involvement.
Police raided the separatists' office on June 15, and confiscated two
radios. Authorities quoted in local Indian media said that there have
been suspicious signals in code sent between the activists and other
regions. Police said they decided to call the ham radio operators in
after they discovered the radios, hoping the hams could help track the
activities. GJM leaders are believed to be in hiding following a period
of violence and agitation, as supporters of the movement have gone on
an indefinite strike.
In various media reports, Roshan Giri, the general secretary of the
GJM, has denied existence of the radios, saying the government has
sought to defame the movement.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.
(THE INDIAN EXPRESS)
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