Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Apr 17 2020 08:24 am
ARMED FORCES DAY CROSSBAND TEST CANCELLED
PAUL/ANCHOR: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed plans for a drill that
was to be held next month by the Military Auxiliary Radio System. Jack
Parker, W8ISH, has that report.
JACK: Ordinarily, hams, and members of the military, would be getting
ready just about now, for the Armed Forces Day Crossband Test, which
was scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 9. Like so many other
radio events around the world, however, this exercise conducted by
the Military Auxiliary Radio System, or MARS, has been postponed as
a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The MARS interoperability test
involves military stations using selected military frequencies to
announce what amateur radio frequencies they are monitoring to enable
cross-band contacts to be made.
Armed Forces Day test planners said that government stations involved
in the event may not necessarily be available, because of the worldwide
crisis. Planners are instead looking at scheduling a similar event in
November in conjunction with Veterans Day.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.
(MARS)
**
YOTA REGION 2 SUMMER CAMP CANCELLED
PAUL/ANCHOR: The much-anticipated inaugural Youth on the Air Summer
Camp in IARU Region 2 has also been cancelled. The camp was to have
been held in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area on June 21st to 26th.
Organizers are trying to plan for an online event as an alternative
in June, if possible. The camp itself will be postponed until June,
2021.
**
FCC TO ACT ON FUTURE OF 6 GHz BAND
PAUL/ANCHOR: The FCC is about to meet in Washington, D.C., and the
6 GHz band is on the agenda, as we hear from Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
ANDY: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission is expected to act
this month on changes that would open new frequencies on the 6 GHz
band for use by Wi-Fi devices. Companies such as Apple, Facebook,
and Google have eyed the opportunities on this part of the spectrum
as a way to ensure faster internet connections.
The commissioners are scheduled to meet next on April 23, and a
recent report in Bloomberg News, said the 6GHz vote is on the
agency's agenda.
One of the major opponents of opening up the band is the utility
sector. Utilities have said network reliability could suffer if
Wi-Fi networks are given access to 6GHZ, because they will cause
interference.
FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai proposed the change last year, saying that
increased access to the radio spectrum would be an asset for future
5G development.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.
(BLOOMBERG NEWS)
**
TOWERS DESTROYED BY FIRE IN NETHERLANDS
PAUL/ANCHOR: Arson and sabotage are believed to be behind the
destruction of some cellular broadcast towers in the Netherlands.
Ed Durrant, DD5LP, shares the details.
ED: Hams are not the only users of the radio spectrum, who often
find themselves defending their towers. In the Netherlands, new
protests have erupted, with the launch of a 5G data network - and
this time, the angry opponents vandlised, and set the towers alight,
according to news reports.
A report in the Dutch newspaper, De Telegraaf, said that fire
consumed much of the structure of the cellular broadcast towers
in Beesd, Nuenen, Liessel, and Rotterdam. Obscenities were reportedly
scrawled on the transmission box at one site.
The Dutch government's NCTV, which is a security and counterterrorism
body, said it believed that opposition to the 5G plan was behind the
arson and sabotage. The NCTV said it was aware of similar attacks
recently in the UK.
The fight against the towers is nothing new in the Netherlands.
Opponents have been claiming that, among other things, the radio
waves imperil public health, and could potentially violate people's
privacy.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.
(DW AKADEMIE)
**
IN SEARCH OF NEWSLINE'S YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR
PAUL/ANCHOR: Please don't forget that Newsline is in search of a
talented young amateur radio operator to honor in the spirit of
our late cofounder, Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF. Bill established the
Young Ham of the Year Award in 1986. Nominations are being accepted
for talented, community-conscious amateurs, 18 or younger, living
in the US, or Canada. Submission deadline is May 31. For details,
and this year's nomination form, visit our website arnewsline.org
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