Subj : Newsline Part 1
To : ALL USERS
From : DARYL STOUT
Date : Fri Feb 12 2016 10:16 am
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1998, February 12, 2016
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1998, with a release date of Friday,
February 12, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. Tragedy strikes Taiwan - and hams are ready! The
ARRL renews its long relationship with the American Red Cross. A hospital
in Brazil, Indiana, prepares to go on the air. And World Radio Day is
coming: what are YOUR plans?
All this, and more, in Amateur Radio Newsline Report 1998, coming your way
right now.
(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)
**
AMATEUR RADIO RESPONDS TO TAIWAN EARTHQUAKE
SKEETER: This week's newscast opens with yet another reminder of the
life-saving work that radio amateurs can do by stepping in to assist in
natural disasters. We hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, on
the latest following the deadly earthquake in Taiwan.
GRAHAM: Sitting on what is known as the "Pacific Rim of Fire," another
earthquake - this one, with a magnitude of 6.4 - has rocked the island of
Taiwan on Saturday, Feb. 6. It set off the collapse of several buildings,
a signal went out from the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League, asking
that several voice frequencies be kept clear.
The Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society reported that they heard
it - as a weak transmission - but it was nonetheless heard. Locally, hams
were responding to the arduous rescue that would follow, amid the rubble,
in the southwest coastal city of Tainan. Frequencies in Taiwan were to be
kept clear on 7.060 MHz with backup 7.050 MHz and 3.560 MHz. Short range
frequencies were being used as well on VHF and UHF.
And then came the aftershocks, and tremors were felt even in the capital
city of Taipei, on the other side of the island from the stricken city.
Ultimately more than 350 people were rescued in the aftermath, but more
than 500 were reported injured, according to the state-owned Central News
Agency in Taiwan. Numerous individuals remained trapped inside buildings
and rescuers searched for them in the ruins, often by hand. The death
toll, by midweek, had risen to nearly 20, and the developers of one
residential building in the city, were facing charges of professional
negligence, for alleged shoddy construction.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp. VK4BB, on the East Coast of
Australia, part of the Pacific Rim of Fire.
(CNN, SOUTHGATE, BBC)
**
ARRL RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH RED CROSS
SKEETER: Because emergency preparedness is vital every place disaster
strikes, the ARRL and the American Red Cross have a working relationship
here in the U.S. It's a relationship they recently reaffirmed, as Amateur
Radio Newsline's Jim Damron, N8TMW, reports:
JIM: The ARRL and the American Red Cross have signed a new memorandum of
understanding that spells out their relationship when disaster strikes,
and when radio operators are called up for emergency response. The
document succeeds the agreement the two organizations signed in 2010,
and renews their cooperative relationship.
According to the memorandum, ARES personnal are to be deployed in keeping
with a pre-arranged plan in order to keep communications open during
emergencies. The document also encourages both organizations to communicate
with state and local agencies, and to share information regarding disasters
and disaster operations.
The ARRL commits to a role encouraging ARES units to work with Red Cross
chapters to create plans for disaster relief and emergency response. And,
likewise, the Red Cross field units are being encouraged to communicate
in planning with ARRL's field units.
The new document also makes it clear that for ARES volunteers to assist
the Red Cross, they do not need to undergo a prior background check, even
if they are not registered Red Cross volunteers. However, hams who are
registered Red Cross volunteers must abide by the background check.
The document was signed on Jan. 22 and is place for another five years.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West
Virginia.
(ARRL)
**
A MONUMENTAL ACTIVATION IN A PARK
Washington State amateur Clark Johnson, K7LRK, plans to be at the Casa
Grande Ruins National Monument on Wednesday, Feb. 17. In fact, you will
find him in the parkland's picnic area. But you will also find him on the
amateur bands, running 10 watts out of an 18-ounce portable rig. Because
Johnson isn't there for a picnic. He's there to activate the site as part
of the ARRL's year-long National Parks on the Air event.
There's one other way to communicate with Johnson, however: Non-hams and
hopeful hams can observe him, and learn more about amateur radio. He will
be there with the Center for Amateur Radio Learning, and the Arizona
Science Center, and they'll be doing public education and outreach during
the event, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time.
Come to think of it, that might just make for a nice picnic, after all.
(NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE)
**
A RUNNING NEED FOR HAMS
It's not too early to think "marathon." OK, so the Boston Marathon is
still several months away, but marathon preparation is going on now - and
hams in the Boston area are needed to help with communication for a
runners' event, a 13.1-mile race called the Marathon Park Prep. It will
be held on Saturday, March 19, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The race follows a
Figure 8 course through the Town of Ashland, Massachusetts, about 25 miles
west of Boston. Runners consider it good training for the big event in the
fall.
For more information, email David Wolfe, KG1H, at
[email protected]
(DAVID WOLFE, KG1H)
**
CAROLINA ON THEIR MINDS
The weekend of Feb. 27 and Feb. 28 has been renamed The Carolina Weekend,
with the north and the south getting into the act. The South Carolina QSO
Party kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 27, followed by the North Carolina QSO
Party the next day. The North Carolina Party will feature a new bonus
station, W1VOA, The Voice of America, as well as two new bonus counties,
Swain and Warren.
There's a free barbecue dinner riding on it, as well, with log entries to
be put in a random drawing for a dinner featuring the famous flavors of
both states. Let's get this party started. In fact, let's get them both
started.
(ARRL, RALEIGH AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)
--- BgNet 1.0a12 - The Thunderbolt BBS wx1der.dyndns.org Little Rock, AR
