Subj : Newsline Part 2
To : ALL USERS
From : DARYL STOUT
Date : Fri Feb 05 2016 10:46 am
RADIO? WHO NEEDS A RADIO ANYWAY?
[DON/ANCHOR:] Flint, Michigan, isn't the only community struggling
lately with the crisis of lead-contaminated water. In one Ohio community,
radio amateurs stepped up to assist in a similar situation in a very
effective manner. All without even getting on the air. We hear the
details from Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GC0:
[PAUL'S REPORT]:
A group of amateur radio volunteers responded recently to a water
emergency in one Ohio community by showing up without their radios. But
that's exactly what they were supposed to do: They needed their hands
free instead to help distribute bottled water - safe, drinkable water
for more than 8,000 residents of Sebring, Ohio, who'd learned on Jan.
18 that their drinking water had become tainted with a high lead content.
By Jan. 22, Mahoning County ARES Emergency Coordinator Wes Boyd, W8IZC,
had activated ARES to assist the Ohio and Mahoning County emergency
management agencies in distributing the water in Sebring. The timing,
however, made it a bit of challenge initially.
Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL, told the ARRL,
QUOTE "Response on the workday was low, but a handful of ARES volunteers
were able to respond." ENDQUOTE The radio-less radio operators were
welcomed by the Red Cross and the Emergency Management Agency personnel,
who put them to work immediately, distributing pallets of the bottled
water.
When the weekend came, another call went out for help, and this time,
even more ARES volunteers showed up from neighoring counties. Officials
report that the volunteers were able to move more than 166 pallets of
water over a six-day period.
Sometimes, that's the best kind of signal report a ham can hope to hear.
Especially without even having a radio.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO, in Valparaiso,
Indiana.
(ARRL)
**
KEYING IN ON HISTORIC PLANE'S RESTORATION
DON: When it comes to giving to their communities, radio amateurs are
no strangers to such gestures. But in Arkansas, some hams are making a
very special gesture for an even more special recipient. We hear more
from Amateur Radio Newsline's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH.
[SKEETER's REPORT]
What better way to celebrate your 100th birthday than to give a gift to
someone else - perhaps a somewhat younger but distinguished military
veteran? In this case, the centenarian is the Amateur Radio Club of the
University of Arkansas, W5YM. And the gift recipient is "Fifi," the
noted B-29 Flying Fortress that served the nation honorably during World
War II. The historic aircraft is in the process of being restored, and
members of the Rockwell-Collins Amateur Radio Club are setting up a
radio operator's position on board.
The gift from the hams at the University of Arkansas should fit right
in: They're presenting Fifi with a J-37 telegraph key, also known as the
"Mae West" key - named in tribute to the shapely entertainer so popular
during the war years. The key itself was notable in its own right for the
remarkably curvy indentations on its base.
Fifi, by the way, is still flightworthy. And now, with the Smith-Erwin
Memorial Radio Operator position nicely equipped with the J-37 telegraph
key, the aircraft will be taking to the skies carrying just a little more
history on board.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, in Topeka, Kansas.
(ARRL)
**
LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF MORSE
The tie between the Navy and Morse Code also remains strong these days.
At the Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station in Florida, Morse Code
training has been a continuous effort since 2005, when the coursework
was moved to the learning center there for easy delivery with training
in cryptology, intelligence and other disciplines. Corry Station is where
students train as CTRs - cryptologic technicians. The last class of CTRs
has just finished their program as of late January, and these students
were the first to make use of a new revised Basic Manual Morse Trainer
and updated software used by the Department of Defense.
Military trainers say Morse is one of many tools to stand the test of
time, which is why the Department of Defense has once again renewed its
commitment to Morse training, investing in it now, more than ever.
That, of course, is no secret to hams. But it's no military secret
either.
The course supervisor, Gabriel Albarran, a Cryptologic Technician
(Collection) First Class, said, QUOTE "Morse code is not only used in
military operations, but also in commercial navigation. Search and
rescue, science navigations and weather status are frequently passed in
automated Morse code." ENDQUOTE
Cryptologic Technician Mary Kaitlin McKeeby adds: QUOTE "It's a language.
If you have a knack for languages, Morse Code is going to be easier to
pick up." ENDQUOTE She should know about that: She beat the course record
during the pilot program by two days, completing the self-paced
instruction in 39 days.
(U.S. NAVY, DEFENSE VIDEO AND IMAGERY)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W8VPV in Cuyahoga
Falls, Ohio, Monday nights at 8.
**
SOUTH AFRICA'S NEXT GENERATION OF 'HAMMIES'
DON: Is it ever too early to start cultivating the love of radio in kids?
The South African Radio League doesn't think so, and so its popular Hammie
Program, which kicked off in May of 2015, is back. We hear more from
Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
GRAHAM: Now here's a concept that would make almost any OM wish to be
young again: The Hammies Amateur Radio Club has begun another season of
teaching young children radio science, helping them get licensed and on
the air. Working with the South African Radio League, they've opened the
classroom doors again to youngsters aged 10 to 15.
Classes began on the 30th of January with an eye toward getting the young
hopefuls prepped for their Amateur Radio B-class exam at the conclusion of
the 10-week program. But first things first, there's a bit of ground to
cover here:
Classes meet Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon, combining a lecture, some practical
experience, and then getting on the air. The youngsters learn basic
electronics, how to troubleshoot and fix things and then, of course, how to
do those all-important QSOs.
Created by Graham Busse, ZS6GL, and Noel Hammond, ZR6DX, the Hammies
instruction was designed to accommodate the schedules and priorities of
young children. And if those priorities include going one day from being a
Hammie to a Ham, they too can aspire to eventually become an OM. Yes, even
the girls.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
--- BgNet 1.0a12 - The Thunderbolt BBS wx1der.dyndns.org Little Rock, AR
