Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Apr 06 2018 01:50 pm
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2110, for Friday, April 6, 2018
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2110, with a release date of
Friday, April 6, 2018, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The FCC issues more than 30 thousand new
licenses. An autonomous digital ham radio station rides the waves --
and a new look at comedian Garry Shandling, former ham. All this,
and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2110 comes your way
right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART HERE
**
U.S. AMATEUR RADIO GAINS MORE THAN 30,000 NEW LICENSEES
JIM/ANCHOR: We open this week's report with encouraging news from
the ARRL: Hams, we're in good company! There are now more than 30,000
new licensees among us, as reported by the ARRL's Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator's office. More than 35,350 candidates sat for exams for
new licenses or upgrades, and by the end of last December, the amateur
radio community was 748,136 strong. Not surprisingly, the largest
segment consisted of technicians, with nearly 378,000 ticket holders.
According to the ARRL, there were 174,206 general class tickets issued,
closely followed by 145,034 in the Amateur Extra Class. Only Advanced
Class and Novice - which are no longer being issued by the FCC - showed
a drop in numbers.
Expect the bands to be busier than ever.
**
RECORD NUMBER OF NEW HAMS IN INDIA
JIM/ANCHOR: There's also greater chances now of a contact in India, as
we learn from Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.
ROBERT'S REPORT: Amateur radio is alive and well in India too, where the
Department of elecommunications reports that of the 2,594 candidates
who sat for their exams between April and December of 2017, a record
number of new licenses were issued - a total of 628. There were also 188
licenses renewed.
India issues two classes of amateur radio license: the General class,
which permits a maximum 400w on HF and 25w on VHF/UHF and a Restricted
class, which permits a 50w maximum on HF and 10w on VHF/UHF. Licenses in
India cost the equivalent of $15 in U.S. currency for 20 years, or $30
for a lifetime license.
The statistics reflect the intensely bureaucratic nature of applying for
a radio license, which includes fulfilling requests for family information,
as well as police checks on the applicant. This can result in delays of a
year or more until a license is issued.
For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN.
(SOUTHGATE AMATEUR RADIO)
**
IN THE PACIFIC, AUTONOMOUS RADIO RIDES THE WAVES
JIM/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, as we know sometimes there isn't a real live ham
doing the operating. An entirely autonomous digital ham radio station is
operating on a piloted drone on the Pacific Ocean. Newsline's Kent
Peterson, KC0DGY, has the details.
KURT: We invented a technology called the wave glider, which is an
autonomous maritime vehicle, that harvests wave energy for propulsion.
KENT: That's Kurt Kiesow (KEE-SO) N6FW from Jupiter Research Foundation.
Their glider, made by the Liquid Robotics company, is designed principally
for oceanic research. Kurt says depending on wave action and ocean
currents, their drone can travel about 25 to 40 miles per day. A number
of the foundation employees are hams, so they made room on board for ham
radio. At first, they thought of hosting a CW beacon -- but soon wanted
more.
KURT: FT8 came to light, we decided that was a more efficient, and more
enjoyable way to interact with this maritime mobile station. We wrote
some custom software to call CQ, and respond to calls, and it operates on
20 meters. You can call KH6JF/MM, or listen for our CQ, and have a QSO
with us using FT8 on 20 meters right above 14.070.
KENT: Kurt says the system usually operates 24 hours per day, but in
cloudy weather, the solar charging system capacity drops, and they
sometimes need to take the station down until the batteries are
recharged. They control the radio using the Iridium satellite data
channel, and have a full time control operator to keep their station
legal. They have an Elecraft KX3, and a raspberry Pi on board, as well
as a hustler with a top hat hardened for marine use.
KURT: When we call CQ, we wrote some algorithms which looks at the
waterfall to find an opening, so we don't step on other stations. It's
such an intriguing project, because it touches so many things, amateur
radio, ocean science, a very unique invention, and the physics behind
that invention.
KENT: It's easy to find - at least if you're on land.
KURT: If you simply search for HF Voyager on Google, it will take you
right to our page. It shows a world map, and where the latest contacts
were made. That all happens in near real time.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.
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