Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Feb 09 2018 03:34 pm
GROUNDHOG DAY SPECIAL EVENT CASTS SHADOWS
JIM/ANCHOR: In Pennsylvania, Groundhog Day awakens a special
weather-forecasting rodent, and also inspires local hams. Here's more
from Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.
KEVIN'S REPORT: It's a proud tradition on Groundhog Day for the
Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club, K3HWJ, to run its special event
station around the same time that Punxsutawney Phil, America's
celebrity groundhog, wakes up, and goes in search of his shadow, to
find out how many more weeks of winter we should expect. Phil, of
course, always gets the limelight at Gobbler's Knob, while the hams
call QRZ on the Saturday closest to the holiday, using their shack at
the Puxsutawney Airport. According to Steve Waltman, KB3FPN, it's a
longstanding tradition, and it's as seasonal as the arrival of spring
or - in the case of this year's prediction - as seasonal as the wintry
weeks some of us still have left. Steve said conditions on 40 and 20
meters were a little more challenging for this year's event, on Saturday,
the 3rd of February, but the handful of contacts, kept the proud
tradition going for another year. Next year, should bring especially
good timing, since Groundhog Day falls on a Saturday. Maybe next year,
Phil will even find a little spring in his step.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.
**
AFTERLIFE FOR STATIONS AFTER WRTC
JIM/ANCHOR: After this summer's World RadioSport Team Championship ends,
the equipment isn't likely to gather dust. Here's Ed Durrant, DD5LP,
with the details.
ED's REPORT: What happens to equipment after the World RadioSport Team
Championship is finished?
As of February 1st, radio clubs and groups around Germany have been
allowed to request purchase of a "Station Packet" for a discounted
price of �2000. These are the actual equipment packs, that will be used
in the WRTC, and to be collected by their new owners, after the event
is finished.
The packs consists of a Spiderbeam 40 through 10 meter antenna, an 80
meter dipole antenna, three 50 meter lengths of low loss coax, a Yaesu
G1000DXC rotator, cable, and controller, a Spiderbeam 14.5 meter
aluminium mast, a Honda EU20i generator, a 50m reel of power cable,
with a 6-outlet board, a "High Peak Benito" tent, 3 tables, and 3 chairs,
and various small items such as fan, table lamp, etc.
It is expected that all packs will be sold, by the time this report
goes to air.
For details of WRTC 2018, please go to WRTC2018 (dot) DE on the web.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.
**
AUSTRALIAN AMATEUR TV REPEATER'S ON THE MOVE
JIM/ANCHOR: In Victoria, Australia, an amateur TV repeater is looking
for a new home, as we hear from John Williams, VK4JJW.
JOHN: The Amateur Television repeater, VK3RTV, which has been the
mainstay for greater Melbourne and Geelong, is enroute to a new home -
somewhere. Its operations at Olina have been shut down, and the site
was decommissioned, after the repeater's tower was taken down. Surrey
Hills is being eyed as a possible new site, and test transmissions are
being sent, to determine its suitability. VK3RTV's transmissions will
be moved from an output of 446.5 MHz to 445.6 MHz so that a guard band
can be created to reduce transmissions out of band.
Although operators will miss the good coverage from Mount Dandenong,
the Surrey Hills site, and one other possible site -- Mount View in
Mount Waverly -- show promise.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.
(AMATEUR RADIO VICTORIA)
**
FCC SEEKS INPUT ON WEATHER RESPONSE
JIM/ANCHOR: The FCC wants to hear from you about emergency response,
to this past Atlantic hurricane season. Here's Heather Embee, KB3TZD.
HEATHER'S REPORT: In the U.S., the Atlantic hurricane season is over -
but in a way, it's not really finished. The Federal Communications
Commission has been trying to assess emergency response to the deadly
2017 season, which included the four major hurricanes Maria, Nate,
Harvey, and Irma, in the U.S. and its territories.
The agency's Public Safety, and Homeland Security Bureau, was receiving
public comments until the 22nd of January, and is now awaiting reply
comments, which are due no later than the 21st of February. The notice,
which is on the FCC website, is PS Docket Number 17-344.
Comments are being sought on broadcasters' response, government agency
response, and, of course, amateur radio response. The FCC is looking
for answers in particular as to whether ham radio services should be
increased to assist in the planning, testing, and delivery, of emergency
response, and recovery communications.
For assistance in filing your comments online, call the FCC's Electronic
Comment Filing System at 202-418-0193. You can also file directly from
the website at fcc dot gov forward slash ecfs (fcc.gov/ecfs)
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Heather Embee, KB3TZD.
