When an Earth-based navigation system successfully tracked a lander on the surface of the moon on March 3rd, the interaction was hailed as a triumph. It was a "first" for the Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment, known as LuGRE, a joint project of NASA and the Italian Space Agency. This unprecedented ability to have Earth-based navigation track movements on the moon bodes well for high-altitude explorations such as NASA's planned Artemis missions. Observers view it as a gateway to even more advanced navigation systems which could be applicable to missions headed for Mars.
The contacts between LuGRE and the two navigation systems - GPS and Galileo - achieved success some 225,000 miles from Earth, determining position, velocity, and time autonomously.
This is a first for the Italian Space Agency and a nod to the work of Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, who was a consultant on the LuGRE moon lander package. Frank, the executive director of ARISS, had experimented more than 20 years ago with using the satellite AO-40 to measure the signal strength of the GPS satellite constellation at high altitudes. That experiment was credited with helping improve GPS and its applications -- and experts note that it ultimately led to the ability for such navigation at even higher-earth orbits.
FCC RULE OPENS UP 6 GHz BAND TO MORE UNLICENSED VLP DEVICES
In the US, the entire 6 GHz band will be opened up to a greater operation of unlicensed VLP, or very low power, devices under an FCC final rule that takes effect on May 5th.The band, which comprises frequencies between 5.925.7 and 7.125 GHz, is used by mobile service, fixed service and fixed satellite service across four sub-bands. VLPs, which include wearable devices, augmented-reality devices and health-care monitors, typically have an integrated antenna and cover short distances.
This latest action by the commission, published in the Federal Register on March 6th, provides greater spectrum for various portable devices operating with the same power levels and operational requirements of other VLP devices.
STATION IN AUSTRIA ADDS RADIO DARC PROGRAM
If you've been listening to Radio D A R C’s shortwave programmes broadcast on the 31-metre band from Woofferton, England or from Ingolstadt, Germany on Radio Channel 292 – a ham-owned AM broadcast station - you now have another option. The programme produced by Germany's national amateur radio society is now being carried on a test basis by the "Museums Radio Plattenkiste" transmitter in Bad Ischl, Austria run by OE5TPM. During the month of March you can listen from 1900 to 2000 CET on Saturdays on 1476 kHz. The D A R C welcomes reception reports for the 1 kW station, and these should be emailed directly to radio at D A R C dot de.
NEWSLINE'S NEIL RAPP, WB9VPG, AND 3 OTHERS ARE HAMVENTION HONOREES
In bringing you this next story, Newsline indulges in a bit of personal pride. The Hamvention Awards committee has chosen our own Neil Rapp WB9VPG, as Amateur of the Year. You may know him as a Newsline anchor and correspondent -- and as creator and host of the former HamTalk Live! webcast - but the ham world first heard from Neil at the age of 5 when he became one of the youngest licensed hams ever in 1976.
A visiting professor of chemistry at Xavier University and a former high school chemistry teacher, Neil has a long commitment of bringing ham radio to kids - first as a school ham club sponsor and as cofounder and camp director of Youth On The Air Americas. Neil is a contributing editor at the National Contest Journal and a member of the ARISS USA Education Committee
We are so proud of you, Neil!
Neil will share the stage in May during the Hamvention Awards in Xenia, Ohio, with three other recipients: One of them, Dr. Kristina Collins, KD8OXT, is chief operations scientist for the HamSCI Personal Space Weather Station Network. She is being given the Technical Achievement Award. Julio Ripoll, WD4R, is being given the Special Achievement Award. Julio is co-founder of amateur radio operations at the National Hurricane Center and is assistant coordinator. He has managed emergency communications during Caribbean hurricanes and the Haiti earthquake of 2010. The Club of the Year award recipient is the RV Radio Network, which has more than 450 members who combine amateur radio with the joy of travel in recreational vehicles, hosting educational forums, rallies and seminars along their journeys.
HAM RADIO BECOMES TOOL FOR FARMERS, FISHERMEN IN INDIA
In West Bengal, India, hams responding to natural disasters in the coastal region of that state have long witnessed the struggle of farmers and fishermen in the aftermath of each of these cyclones and other disturbances. While the radio operators’ response has traditionally been to initially step in and assist with emergency communications, the West Bengal Radio Club knew its members had to do something more - and could.
At a one-day seminar this month at Neotia University in cooperation with agriculture and communications department officials, three speakers from the club gave insights and instruction to those who work the land and the sea. They learned how they might use radio to better prepare in protecting their livelihoods in this difficult climate.
Club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA told Newsline that after conducting the awareness program and instruction, the hams will assist with the installation of community radios, with the support of government officials. More than 350 students from eight states and 17 districts attended the one-day seminar and workshop.
RADIO EYED AS ESSENTIAL COMMUNICATION AGAINST WILDLIFE RAMPAGE
A handful of villages on the edge of the Buxa Tiger Reserve now have additional assurance that they will be better informed about dangers posed by wildlife on the move. The North Bengal Amateur Radio Society has assisted a group of youths from five villages near the tiger reserve so, as licensed hams, they can watch out for potential deadly encounters between humans and animals.
The young amateurs began this effort after the last monsoon in which two young villagers were attacked and killed by elephants in a remote village of Chepani, according to a report on the website of the Indian publication, the Telegram. The young team received guidance from Swarup Saha, VU3KOX, secretary of the North Bengal ham society. Mobile connectivity is unreliable in remote areas of the region and villagers were often unable to warn one another about dangers to their homes, their crops and their lives.
Three months after the small team of hams was formed, radios have been set up in each small village near the tiger reserve. Villagers told the Telegram they were much more confident now that they will be better able to protect themselves and their homes.
QUESTIONS LOOM AFTER CUTS AT US WEATHER AGENCY
Published reports about the downsizing of a number of US federal agencies indicate that NOAA, the government's climate and weather agency, is bracing for another 1,000 job cuts on top of its recent loss of an estimated 1,300 staffers. The National Weather Service, which is part of NOAA, announced earlier this month that it was temporarily halting launches of some of its weather balloons because of staffing shortages. Data gathered by the weather balloons have been, among other things, an important source of data used by hams and others who regularly track the solar cycle.
Sources told the Washington Post that the government may not renew the leases for NOAA's weather and climate center in Maryland and for its radar operations center in Oklahoma.
According to a report in the New York Times, additional cuts will mean a reduction in NOAA's staffing by 20 percent. The Washington Post said that the National Weather Service now has fewer than 4,000 on staff, the smallest roster in recent history.
A number of amateur radio nets, including the Hurricane Watch Net and the Maritime Mobile Service Net, interact with the National Weather Service during storms and other emergencies, passing traffic and transmitting critical bulletins. It was unclear what impact these staffing cuts will ultimately have on amateur radio's role in safety communications during times of crisis.
ECHOES OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO LEARN CW
If you've ever wondered whether Echolink is a viable mode for teaching or learning CW, just ask Ted ZL1BQA, who is proud to have logged a respectable number of CW contacts during the recent Jock White Memorial Field Day in New Zealand. Studying CW for almost a year with the Franklin Amateur Radio Club, Ted was able to restart his long-ago code skills in sessions led by the club president Peter Henderson ZL1PX. It was done over Echolink.
Ted had enrolled last May along with three younger members who were first-time learners - Francois, ZL4FJ, Steve, ZL1TZP and Steve ZL1SPR. With only Ted able to copy Peter's signal over HF, the club followed a suggestion made by Gary ZL1GAC: try Echolink, a computer-based ham radio mode that incorporates VoIP technology. Loading CW software onto his computer, Peter was able to send the code intended for each session, confident that everyone had an equal chance of copying clearly.
Weekly sessions soon expanded to twice a week as the students concentrated on letters, then numbers - and eventually basic punctuation.
After a break in the action, the club is back on Echolink with CW sessions three nights a week. As for Ted, he's on a roll. Peter told Newsline in an email that he has resumed making CW contacts on a daily basis on HF using the Vibroplex that once collected dust instead of QSOs.
SILENT KEY: GERRY MURPHY, K8YUW, FOUNDER OF THE HURRICANE WATCH NET
It can be said that the seeds of the Hurricane Watch Net were planted in 1965 as Hurricane Betsy raged its way through the Bahamas, making landfall in the US that September. Gerald Murphy, K8YUW, who was stationed by the US Navy in Rhode Island at the time, was also handling messages and phone patches for the Intercontinental Amateur Radio Net. When hurricane-specific traffic started to overwhelm the regular net’s messages on their 20m frequency, Gerry suggested that those messages be handled 5 kHz higher. Marcy Rice, KZ5MM, who was in the Panama Canal Zone QSY’d with him up to 14.325 MHz and that was the genesis of the Hurricane Watch Net.
The net has become the backbone of a robust communications system during storm season. Trained hams share advisories, data and post-storm damage information in affected areas with national hurricane centers in the US and, when needed, Canada.
Gerry, who became a Silent Key on the 25th of February at the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, leaves behind this vibrant legacy. He served as net manager from September of 1965 until February of 1988, staying on afterward as assistant net manager. Health issues compelled him to retire from the net in March 1991.
The Hurricane Watch Net has been planning an on-air special event in September to mark its 60th anniversary. Net manager Bobby Graves,KB5HAV, told Newsline [quote] "I was hoping and praying Jerry would make it to see his creation's 60th Anniversary this coming Labor Day....We will endeavor to make it even more special." [endquote]
Gerry was 88.
HUNTSVILLE’S ‘SIGNALS’ MUSEUM OPENS IN ALABAMA
On March 1st, the SIGNALS Museum of Information Explosion opened its doors to what founders hope will be an immersive and hands-on environment for visitors. The museum, housed a short drive from where the Huntsville Hamfest is held each year, has an array of exhibits devoted to communications technology in all its forms throughout history. Amateur radio operators who are visiting will be particularly interested in the ham shack, a welcoming space for regional radio clubs and other radio operators to meet or work on building equipment. The museum also has an on-site radio tower.
Whether you live in the area or plan to visit Huntsville this year, the museum will welcome you. Visit their website at signals hyphen museum dot org. (signals-museum.org)
DX INDIA FOUNDATION PREPARES FOR DXPEDITION
It’s still early in the game for the newly organized not-for-profit DX India Foundation but the team has already announced ambitious plans to increase India’s presence on the DX map. As part of its mission to activate rare IOTA islands, conduct DXpeditions and provide DX and POTA chasers with a chance to work different entities in India, the team has its sights set on Arnala Island, IOTA number AS-169, which is near Mumbai. According to an announcement from the team, the island has had no amateur radio activity since 2006. Hams from the DX India Foundation have applied to use the callsign AU2M and hope to be on the air from the 29th of May through to the 1st of June. Later plans include a 10-day adventure to the Lakshadweep archipelago off the coast of Kerala [CARE-ruh-luh] in southern India.
The DX India Foundation has also established an online forum in groups.io to encourage a sense of international community for chasers and activators. In between trips, the foundation’s activity will be focused on training and mentoring other radio operators.
BROADCAST TRADE SHOW DROPS RECEPTION FOR HAMS
The annual trade show of the National Association of Broadcasters is welcoming industry professionals once again this year to Las Vegas in April. One traditional event will be missing from this year's show, however: There will be no separate reception for amateur radio operators.
Hams, of course, are still welcome. Indeed, many broadcast professionals - especially those on the engineering side - enjoy an active and robust time on the air on the amateur bands. A posting on the Radio World website said that this year's ham reception was not on the schedule. The reception had been hosted for a long time by Bob Heil K9EID, who became a Silent Key last year.
The article said that organizers are hoping to [quote] "reinvent the event for next year by exploring fresh partnerships and innovative ideas." [endquote]
In the meantime, licensed hams who work in the industry can still look forward to the usual opportunities for networking and learning about new technology. The NAB Show takes place between April 5th and 9th at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
UNIVERSITY IS W. BENGAL'S 1ST TO HAVE HAM CLUB STATION
Aliah University, a state university that created for the education of many of India’s minority populations, is about to become the first university in West Bengal with its own state-of-the-art ham radio club station.
The announcement was made in late February in connection with a seminar held on the Kolkata campus introducing students and faculty to various aspects of amateur radio. The one-day session, held on the 24th of February, covered emergency communications and radio technology and included hands-on experience for the estimated 250 attendees. It was led by members of the West Bengal Radio Club, the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management and organized by the school’s Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. A number of other schools have hosted similar amateur radio workshops throughout the region, which is a coastal area subject to violent storms and other natural disasters that rely on alternate forms of communication.
3 IRISH "KILMOLIN CLUSTER" BEACONS GO QRT TO RELOCATE
In Ireland, three beacons that have been operating from a site south of Dublin have gone QRT to allow for their relocation. The EI4RF, EI1KNH and EIØSIX beacons have been part of what is known as the Kilmolin cluster. They had been hosted by Paddy Geoghegan, EI5HS, who became a Silent Key last year.
The beacons, which have a new owner, went off the air in mid-February and are expected to slowly come back. According to reports on groups.io and the SWLing Post blog, the EI4RF 4-metre beacon is expected to be the first to return, perhaps by May just as sporadic-E season begins. The EIØSIX beacon is expected to follow sometime afterward on 6-metres. It was unclear how and when service will be restored on the EI1KHN beacon, which operated on 40 and 60 MHz. It is also unclear whether this beacon will need to be assigned a new callsign.
BRANDMEISTER DMR PHASING OUT SOME RADIO IDS
The Brandmeister DMR network has announced that it is phasing out its support of certain Radio IDs that do not comply with the Mobile Country Code, or MCC, numbering system. This means that by June, radio operators with certain DMR IDs will need to request new numbers to be assigned to their radios. The first phase of these changes will begin on the 1st of June, when Brandmeister will stop supporting five-digit CAP+ IDs. Starting on the 1st of January, 2026, radios with seven-digit personal radio IDs that begin with the numeral 1 will also stop working on the network. In making this announcement, Brandmeister assured repeater operators that it will continue indefinite support of repeaters that have six-digit radio IDs.
Brandmeister said in its announcement in late February that this an effort to address improperly numbered Radio IDs – something Brandmeister has been trying to contain for seven years. It said on its website: [quote] The Brandmeister DMR platform is a constantly evolving system, requiring regular optimizations and maintenance to ensure its efficiency, reliability, and alignment with global open standards.” [Endquote]
New IDs can be obtained through Radio ID (Radio Eye Dee) dot net (Radioid.net).
For further instructions visit the Brandmeister link news.brandmeister.network
SURVEY GIVES DETAILED SNAPSHOT OF HAM RADIO IN BRAZIL
An important snapshot of the state of amateur radio in Brazil has provided the national ham radio society and the telecommunications regulator with insights into relevant trends. The sampling of 940 hams in 27 states and 350 cities was conducted in May of 2024 by Guillermo Crimerius, PY2BIL, a member of the board of the Sao Paulo chapter of LABRE, the Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão. Guillermo told Newsline that the findings are also being shared with the regulator ANATEL.
He said that the findings held no surprises but many details were nonetheless significant. Brazil's ham radio community remains predominantly male, with women comprising only 2 percent of the hobby. Survey results also showed that hams are an aging population in Brazil: 72% are between 40 and 70 years old, with most of them between 40 and 60. While new licensees continue to join Brazil's ham community every year, there is low membership in clubs and associations, giving little opportunity for the networking and skills training usually provided by them. Guillermo writes: [quote] "This scenario has had an impact on new generations of hams, who face difficulties in learning the essential technical matters and especially the operational and cultural activities." [endquote]
For a full copy of the report, which is downloadable, visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org
