Subj : Newsline Part 1
To : ALL USERS
From : DARYL STOUT
Date : Fri Nov 20 2015 12:42 pm
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) Report 1986 November 20 2015
Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1986, with a release date of Friday,
November 20, 2015 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.
The following is a QST. The FCC suffers another temporary outage of its
Universal Licensing System. The amateur community gets ready to recognize
hard-working SKYWARN volunteers. And, a special station operating in the
Antarctic refuses to let blizzards get in the way of QSOs.
All this and more, in Amateur Radio Newsline report 1986, coming your way
right now.
(Billboard Cart Here and Intro)
**
BAD LUCK (AGAIN) AT THE FCC
We begin with news of yet another obstacle for the FCC's beleaguered
Universal Licensing System, which suffered a second, and then third
shutdown of its Electronic Batch Filing system. One stoppage occurred,
appropriately perhaps, on Friday the 13th, and shortly after the system
was restored on Wednesday, Nov. 18, it once again stopped working.
And just as bad propagation can pretty much close the bands, the FCC
outages have brought processing of VEC license and examination files to
a screeching halt.
The ARRL's VEC Manager, Maria Somma, AB1FM, said she hoped volunteer
examiners and applicants would try to be patient, especially since the
FCC has indicated there is not yet a long-term fix for the problem. The
agency did acknowledge, however, that the on-again, off-again ability to
process files stems from the same issue each time.
According to Somma, the ARRL VEC had an estimated 400 applications and
nearly 150 exam sessions awaiting FCC processing. A few files did manage
to make their way through the system on Wednesday, however, before the
system went off line again.
The scenario is reminiscent of the shutdown that occurred in early
September, frustrating license applicants and examiners, while the FCC
website underwent maintenance and a system upgrade.
At the time of this newscast's production, however, it seemed that the
amateur radio community was once again in for a bit of a waiting game.
(ARRL)
**
BOBBY BEST SKYWARN STORY
[ANCHOR/DON:] There's no question about the forecast for Dec. 5, 2015 --
the bands will be partly crowded, with 100 percent chance of participation.
That's the date the National Weather Service and the ARRL have set for the
17th annual SKYWARN Recognition Day, a 24-hour opportunity for hams to
acknowledge colleagues who serve as trained volunteers assisting the
weather service. Amateur Radio Newsline's Bobby Best, WX4ALA, has the
details:
[BOBBY:]
Ham radio operators aren't just fair-weather friends to local offices of
the National Weather Service. They're integral parts of the wireless
communication channel that passes along critical information, often during
the most severe weather. That's why, on SKYWARN Recognition Day, when those
hams set up operation at NWS offices around the country, they'll look
forward to making contact with other hams nationwide on the HF bands, in
various modes, and also on 2 meter and 440 repeaters. The stations will
exchange call signs, signal reports, location and, of course indicate it's
rainy, cloudy, snowing, hailing, or perhaps even sunny.
The National Weather Service and ARRL created SKYWARN Recognition Day in
1999. It's going to be a big day for amateurs everywhere who reach out,
make contact, and yes, even say thank-you. And it'll be an even bigger day
for the nearly 300,000 trained severe weather spotters on the receiving
end.
After all, Dec. 5 will be their day to shine, like the sun itself.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bobby Best, WX4ALA in Jasper, Alabama.
**
100 YEARS AND GOING STRONG
[ANCHOR/DON:] A lot has happened in history and ham radio since the South
Jersey Radio Association, K2AA, incorporated in June of 1916. And since a
centennial event only comes along once every 100 years, the club is
marking the milestone of its continuous operation with hats, T-shirts,
coffee mugs, certificates, and something even more special - a Centennial
Membership, open to any radio amateur who'd like to be part of the
celebration. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz, NT3V, has more:
[MARK'S REPORT]
[ANCHOR/DON:] While you do need a valid amateur radio license to join the
South Jersey celebration, you don't need to have a New Jersey home
address. And perhaps best of all, you don't need to be 100 years old.
**
NO SECRECY OVER NATIONAL PARKS EVENT
During World War II, the kind of activations that took place inside
government facilities in Hanford, Washington; Los Alamos, New Mexico and
Oak Ridge, Tennessee were of the scientific sort, top secret components
of the Manhattan Project, which developed America's first atomic weapon.
Those sites are about to be activated again - this time for amateur radio.
The U.S. Departments of Energy and the Interior have declared the
locations National Historic Sites, making them eligible for next year's
National Parks on the Air event, marking the National Park Service's
100th anniversary.
But the agencies caution, these sites are not just another place to set
up your rig and entenna; they are considered sensitive locations, and are
being treated as such.
So when the event kicks off next year, it's likely the kind of radio
activity this time around won't have the same mission as that during the
second World War. But it's bound to create a powerful reaction,
nonetheless - this time, on the HF bands.
**
NO CONTEST, N1MM'S A WINNER
Like so many of the ham radio contesters who rely on it, the popular
logging software, N1MM, has scored an award-winning contact.
The Yasme Foundation's board of directors has announced that the
development team behind the logging program, N1MM, has been given the
Yasme Excellence Award. The team includes Tom Wagner, N1MM; Rick Ellison,
N2AMG; Steve London, N2IC; and a number of others. The classic version
of the program is a free offering used by contesters worldwide. N1MM Plus
was then developed as a rewritten, revised version of the original
software.
The California-based nonprofit foundation gives its Excellence Award - a
plaque and monetary gift - recognizing those who make significant
contributions to ham radio from an operational, organizational or
technical standpoint. And they found N1MM deserving - no contest.
(YASME FOUNDATION)
**
BREAK HERE:
Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline,
heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the SPARC club
repeater for the Sportsman's Paradise Amateur Radio Club, K4WAK, in
Wakulla County, Florida in time for the Friday afternoon commute.
--- BgNet 1.0a12 - The Thunderbolt BBS wx1der.dyndns.org Little Rock, AR
