Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Oct 26 2018 09:06 am
Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2139 for Friday, October 26 2018
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2139, with a release date of
Friday, October 26, 2018 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. A noted DXer is detained in the Republic
of Chad. Hams help Florida rebound from Hurricane Michael -- and
Halloween QSOs are yours for the taking, in Transylvania, Louisiana.
All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2139, comes
your way right now.
**
BILLBOARD CART
**
TOP STORY: DXPEDITIONER DETAINED IN REPUBLIC OF CHAD
DON: This is Don Wilbanks, AE5DW, with breaking news. Our top story
this week takes us to the Republic of Chad, where Ken Opskar, LA7GIA,
has been released following his detention while on DXpedition there.
He received word from authorities as Newsline went to production this
week. His DXpedition is over, but he is heading home to Norway.
Correspondent Ed Durrant, DD5LP, tells what happened:
ED: Ken was barely one day into his operation as a single operator,
TT8KO, from the 31st most wanted DX entity, when local police ordered
him to cease operations on October 10th, pending an equipment inspection
by the head of police himself. His detention in Chad went well past his
scheduled end of operations on October 21st. He told Amateur Radio
Newsline in an email on Oct. 23 that the Norwegian embassy had stepped
in to talk to local officials. Meanwhile, he was safe and comfortable
in his hotel, posting updates on the DX-World website to reassure the
amateur community that their emailed wishes were bringing him good
cheer. By his earlier accounts, police had found all of his documents
to be in order, but his detention continued. Ken's earlier post on the
website said he believed that Chad's telecommunications regulator,
ARCEP, had failed to inform local police of his plan to operate a
DXpedition. As such, his gear had been disconnected, and he had no
further access to his radios or antennas.
According to his online log, Ken had made 2135 QSOs in CW during his
one day on the air.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(DX-WORLD.NET, KENNETH OPSKAR LA7GIA)
**
MORE HAMS RESPOND IN HURRICANE-HIT FLORIDA
STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the U.S., as the Florida Panhandle continues to
piece lives and communications back together after Hurricane Michael
slammed into the northern part of the state, hams assisting the
Northern Florida Section of ARES have returned home after two weeks
in the field, working five-day rotations. Section Emergency Coordinator
Karl Martin, KG4HBN, told Amateur Radio Newsline that the Florida
Department of Emergency Management covered communications from shelters
to county and state Emergency Operations Centers. The hams relied
mostly on HF - using 80 meters and 40 meters -- relying on SARNet, the
statewide amateur radio network of UHF linked voice repeaters, as
backup for handling traffic and other communications. Karl said that
for two weeks, there were more than 50 operators either deployed or
handling traffic, and serving as net control at stations outside the
affected areas. Efforts focused on the counties of Bay, Gulf, Calhoun,
Jackson, Library and Gadsden, all of which were heavily hit. He told
Newsline [quote] "Times like this make me proud to be an amateur radio
operator, when people from all over come to lend their skills, equipment
and lives to help others in need."
As restoration continues in this devastated part of the American south,
Newsline will provide updates. In the meantime, Mississippi Senator
Roger Wicker went on social media to formally recognize all hams'
contributions in the disaster response effort.
(KARL MARTIN KG4HBN)
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