Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (D)
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Nov 23 2018 11:24 am
'STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT' MOVES TO DECEMBER
JIM/ANCHOR: If you're in New Zealand, you might want to think about
spending an hour sending Code via straight key one December evening.
Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, tells us why.
JIM MEACHEN: A New Zealand amateur tradition has changed just for this
year: "Straight Key Night", which honours amateur radio's roots through
Morse Code sent simply via straight key - is happening on Sunday,
December 2nd, instead of its usual time in November. Don't worry about
speed or expertise in Code; the event welcomes all skill levels.
Certificates will be issued for three stations with the most QSOs, and
everyone who takes part in Straight Key Night gets to nominate one
operator for the coveted award of Best Fist.
For this one-hour activity, the exchange is simple: RST, type of key,
type of transmitter and power output. For stations contacting anyone
outside New Zealand, the exchange will be RST, location and name.
The event begins at 9 p.m. New Zealand Daylight Time or 0800 UTC, and
will be on 80 meters. All stations will compete in a single division,
and have a maximum 100 watts transmitter output.
Straight Key Night is organized by maritimeradio.org to celebrating New
Zealand's radio communications history. It begins when you start calling
"CQ SKN."
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.
(NZART)
**
KICKER: GIVING THANKS FOR A LIFE-SAVING ARIZONA NET
JIM/ANCHOR: Here in the U.S., where Newsline originates, this has been
the season for Thanksgiving. One young ham in Arizona, however, gives
thanks every day for amateur radio. He shares his story now with us, and
with Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
PAUL: We've all heard stories about ham radio playing a part in saving
lives. However, for Travis Gardner, KE7EUL, it was much more than just
a story.
Gardner's interest in radio started, when his family would use FRS radios
while hunting. After discovering re-runs of "The Dukes of Hazzard" on TV,
he developed an interest in CB radio. An invitation to visit a local
science center introduced him to amateur radio, and he was hooked. Good
thing it all worked out, because according to Gardner, things went very,
very wrong one evening:
GARDNER: I have a seizure disorder. For those who have seizures, ham radio
is a very, very good tool to have. So, I was sitting at the computer desk
one night, on the 2100 Net, and I don't remember what happened, but I went
down on the carpet, grabbed a mic after the seizure, and said, "I need
help."
The way that Arizona is laid out, I'm in Peoria, and a radio operator
picked that up 150 miles North. There's a linked system, W7ARA - Arizona
Repeater Association. Where I'm sitting right now, there's a firehouse
down the street. The firehouse in Flagstaff relayed down here, and I got
out of here. Thanks to the 2100 Net, I'm still alive today.
PAUL: The 2100 Net is an Arizona-based net that runs on a combination of
2 meter, 70 centimeter, and 900 Megahertz repeaters throughout the state.
You can find out more at the URL in the online text version of this
newscast (www.2100net.org).
The seizure that triggered the emergency SOS call was brought on by an
undiagnosed case of meningitis, according to Gardner. To make matters
worse, the disease also affected his optic nerves, rendering him totally
blind. So, he's also had to work out how to use his radios without sight.
But if it hadn't been for the fact that his radio was on, and he had been
checked into the net, the outcome could have been much, much worse.
Gardner said that he's thankful that he's still alive, and he now tries
to do what he can to help others in similar situations, and to bring a
smile to someone's face. And he owes that chance to ham radio, and the
quick-thinking of members of the 2100 Net.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.
**
NEWSCAST CLOSE:
With thanks to Alan Labs; Amateur News Weekly; AMSAT-UK; the ARRL; the
Bath & District Amateur Radio Club; CQ Magazine; Hap Holly and the Rain
Report; New Zealand Amateur Radio Transmitters; Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin;
the Philippine Amateur Radio Association; the Radio Society of Great
Britain; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show;
Variety; Wireless Institute of Australia; WTWW Shortwave; and you, our
listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send
emails to our address at
[email protected]. More information is
available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website at
www.arnewsline.org.
For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,
and our news team worldwide, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston,
West Virginia, saying 73, and as always, we thank you for listening.
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2018. All rights reserved.
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