HAMS PREP FOR PERSEIDS METEOR SCATTER EXPERIMENTS

Hams who played a part in the meteor scatter experiments conducted by HamSCI, Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, during the Perseids show this past August get another chance at action in the sky next month.

The Geminids are coming! HamSCI's experiments for these meteor showers will take place on the 12th and 13th of December, from 0000 to 2400 UTC. Operators are being asked to use MSK144 on 50.260 MHz and 28.145 MHz.

HamSCI reports that the Perseids show produced more than 70 logs and files for study and the research group is hoping for similar results this time around. Hams are being invited to participate in the QSO Party in what is once again described as a combination of a contest and a special event. Rules for the activity can be found on the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

As the HamSCI website says: "Work the rocks! Decode the pings."

2 NEW REPEATERS CREATE CRUCIAL NETWORK IN KANSAS

A network of repeaters is being created to expand digital amateur radio services in the state of Kansas with the help of a $13,950 grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications.

The network will be accessible to hams in nine counties. The repeaters will operate on VHF and UHF and provide linkage over the Internet through Yaesu Wires-X, a system that provides even wider coverage. The network callsign will be KØHYS.

Two new repeaters will be established to connect with a repeater that is already in operation in Ellis County. The grant has been given to the Ellis County Amateur Radio Emergency Service Group and STEM Harvest Inc., an educational resource that focuses on helping people develop skills in technology.

FOR GOOGLE, A RAY OF AI HOPE FROM THE SUN

Picture groups of satellites in a low-Earth orbit that is synchronized with the sun, the very source of the energy that powers them. Then imagine each satellite outfitted with AI chips doing the business of machine-learning high above our planet. The satellites are between 100 and 200 metres apart within a cluster that is no more than 1 kilometer wide but they have optical connections that enable them to serve as a single data center.

This is Project Suncatcher, a vision announced by Google earlier this month. It exists only in theory - at least for now. Google has teamed up with Planet, an Earth-imaging company, in the hopes that the partnership can launch a so-called "learning mission" into space in 2027 using two prototype satellites to test the technology and the hardware.

Meanwhile, Google is working out the costs of Project Suncatcher when it ultimately deploys: The launch alone is considered to have a prohibitive price tag. There are also issues of aerospace engineering that need to be resolved to keep the satellite cluster in good repair.

With AI's established reputation as a voracious consumer of energy, the company says it was only logical to look beyond the horizon - way beyond the horizon - to get closer to a source of power. Just what is the prospect for the success of Project Suncatcher? Right now, you won't find that answer, even if you google it.

ROYAL TREATMENT FOR YL WHO'S A TOP SOTA OP

The event known as Queens of the Mountains ascended to the summits again this past June for its second year -- and YL SOTA activators around the world did their best during two days of activating. The highest achievement this year belongs to Adele Tyler, ZS5APT, who has been chosen to receive the K1LIZ Memorial Achievement Award for having achieved most of the goals set.

Announcing Adele's achievement on the SOTA Reflector, Paula K9IR and Amy AG7GP, said that she activated two summits jointly with other YLs, logged a minimum of two QSOs with YL stations and completed at least five QSOs with YL chasers. They said, however, her most prominent accomplishment was her recruitment of six YL operators from South Africa as well as 22 YL and OM chasers from South Africa and Namibia to participate.

The K1LIZ award carries the callsign, the name and the memory of Liz Burns, a top-achieving SOTA activator who became a Silent Key in February of 2022. Liz became a symbol of determination and devotion to SOTA because she did not let her blindness deter her from tackling the challenge of activating.

STUDENTS' SATELLITE HAS NEWEST MICROWAVE LINEAR TRANSPONDER

A student-built CubeSat from the University of Arizona is providing the latest microwave-band linear transponder for use by amateur radio operators.

After entering orbit more than a year ago, the spacecraft known as CatSat began the earliest parts of its mission: taking images of the Earth, monitoring the ionosphere via HF radio measurements and demonstrating inflatable-antenna technology. CatSat completes a full circle of the earth every 90 minutes in a polar orbit that is nearly sun-synchronous.

The linear transponder was commissioned successfully during the past few weeks. It listens on an uplink of 5.663 GHz and transmits on a downlink of 10.47 GHz, with an estimated bandwidth of 200 kHz. For more details or to follow its operation, visit the CatSat mission website at catsat - that's C-A-T-S-A-T - dot arizona dot edu (catsat.arizona.edu)

INSIGHTS INTO LOSS OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY

It's uncommon but when it happens, as it does in the quantum realm, scientists have previously been left shrugging their shoulders. Now when material that had been capable of conducting electricity loses that property, becoming an insulator, they're nodding their heads in recognition instead.

As explained in a recent paper published in Physical Review Letters, an international team of researchers working at the DESY Institute in Germany made their discovery while working with a compound of the rare earth metals: tellurium, selenium and thulium. They found that the compound lost its inherent conductivity because of what researchers described as a "particle dance" involving a group of particles called polarons (POLE A RONS) -- quasiparticles which can combine and behave as one particle instead of several. The polarons can spur activity between electrons and the nearby atoms, impeding the flow of electricity by slowing it down and eventually halting it altogether.

The researchers wrote that their findings show "that the properties of a material cannot be explained by its chemical composition alone."

The scientists concluded that their findings about polarons may ultimately lead to development of new types of matter or the ability to alter some materials' optical, magnetic or electrical properties.

COLLEGE DONATES LAPTOPS WISCONSIN HAM CLUB

Hams are accustomed to being the ones providing community service -- and so it was a special privilege for the Fond du Lac Amateur Radio Club in Wisconsin to be on the receiving end recently. The Moraine Park Technical College donated five laptops to assist the club with its work in amateur radio education, license testing and emergency communications, including its Field Day operations.

The donations kept club member Lloyd Vandervort N9RPU hard at work setting up the club logging programs,

Dave McCumber, N9WQ, club president, issued a statement saying that the additional computing power will [quote] "strengthen our ability to teach, train and support both new and experienced radio operators throughout the region." [endquote]

BRISBANE HAMS HOST INAUGURAL QTECH CONFERENCE

Known as QTech2025, the conference in Brisbane suburb of Chermside it focused on the next generation of radio operators who will become stewards of the airwaves. Their varied voices were heard throughout the two-day programme, both as presenters and guests.

Two university students, Otto VK4OTZ and Finn VK4II sparked dialogue with a talk on their theme, "Young Hams: YES We Do Exist." Young amateurs' voices were also well-heard during a town hall style meeting to discuss ways to attract new hams and ensure amateur radio's future.

According to a report by Kevin VK4UH, the Brisbane VHF Group's president, more than 70 registered delegates attended and although a handful did participate remotely, most of them were present in person.

Kevin's report, which appeared first in a Wireless Institute of Australia newscast, said one of the high points of the conference was perhaps one of its briefest: an 11-minute contact between 15 students and astronaut Jonny Kim KJ5HFP at the moment the ISS orbit passed over Queensland.

Like amateur radio itself, the conference is expected to have a bright future: Kevin said organisers are already working on QTech2027.

ARDC GRANTS SUPPORT STUDENTS' SATELLITE COURSES

In 2022, AMSAT rolled out its community-based Youth Initiative Program which provides age-appropriate lessons about satellites for youngsters in two age groups, grades 5-7 and grades 8-12. In that first year, a grant from the Quarter Century Wireless Association helped get things going.

Three years later, as the initiative gathers even more momentum, Amateur Radio Digital Communication has announced that it is providing the initiative with two grants designed to enhance both of the student groups' learning experiences. One grant will allow production of a coloring book for the younger students, who are of elementary school age. The pages will depict satellites being used to aid in pollution control, wildfire fighting, broadcasting and navigation.

The other grant will help secure more software licenses for online courses for the older students, who are of high school age. The first course is called "Introduction to Satellite Meteorology," and visitors to Hamvention this past spring got a preview of its contents.

Central to the initiative are its two websites, KidzSat and BuzzSat, which contain age-appropriate activities for the younger and older students, respectively. The students also have access to a network of online software-defined radios they can use as ground stations for receiving images and telemetry from satellites making passes overhead.

INTREPID-DX LAUNCHES 'AMATEUR RADIO FOR THE GREATER GOOD'

For the past five years, licensed hams 25 and younger were challenged to write an essay on a topic relevant to ham radio's place in the world. It's part of the Intrepid-DX Group's mission to encourage the growth of amateur radio in all nations around the world, especially in areas that are still developing.

This year's challenge focuses not just on words but action - the contest is being called "Amateur Radio for the Greater Good." In a departure from previous contests, this one asks the young hams to submit proposals to establish a public-access radio station somewhere in the US. The station can be intended for any public building - a school, a house of worship, a fire station, a hospital or a community center.

The winner will receive a complete HF, VHF/UHF station, including coax and antennas, to make their proposal a reality where it can be used for club use, mentoring, training and emergency communication. The winner will also receive an own HF radio for personal use.

The deadline for submission of proposals is the 10th of December, with the awardee's name announced on the 15th. They will be required to provide written permission from the facility that they have chosen, authorizing the installation of the station and antenna. The awardee may become the station's trustee.

See the text version of this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org for the email or US mail address where inquiries or submissions may be sent.

SILENT KEY: POPULAR BANGALORE NET CONTROl OP SUBBU, VU2ZUB

He was known on the air as Subbu and his callsign, VU2ZUB, could be heard on any number of nets - especially when serving as the net control operator. A member of the Bangalore Amateur Radio Club, he was active on HF, VHF, UHF, Echolink and satellite.

Subbu was reported as having become a Silent Key on the 10th of November. There were no other details.

His commitment to public service through radio extended into his off-the-air activities: A longtime member of Rotary Bangalore East, he was recognised by Rotary International as a Paul Harris Fellow for his long record of work benefitting the community. Subbu had also belonged to Rotarians on Amateur Radio, or R O A R.

A post by the Institute of Amateur Radio in Kerala recalled him as [quote]: "a dedicated radio amateur, ever helpful and kind-hearted, he will be remembered for his passion for communication and his warm camaraderie on and off the air." [endquote]

SIMULATED TSUNAMI TESTS READINESS OF HAMS IN SRI LANKA

It was a magnitude 9.2 undersea earthquake happening off Northern Sumatra on the 5th of November - but fortunately, it was simulated. The Disaster Management Centre and the Radio Society of Sri Lanka responded as if it were happening for real, sending traffic designed to coordinate evacuations and respond to health emergencies and other critical situations.

A statement from the radio society's management council, posted on their Facebook page, said that the hams' field operations on VHF from Colombo, Galle and Kalutara provided uninterrupted data relay across the island. The scenario called for disaster response from a variety of agencies where such coordination was crucial. The field operators had strong support from home-based listening stations.

Frequencies were also monitored by the Amateur Radio Society of India and member societies of IARU Region 3.

The council statement said: [quote] "This exercise not only demonstrated the vital role and effectiveness of Amateur Radio in emergency response, but also reaffirmed the importance of strong collaboration between the RSSL and the Disaster Management Centre in building national communication resilience and public awareness." [endquote]

Sri Lanka was among the many nations struck by the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami in late 2004 that killed tens of thousands.

HAMS ASSIST GOVT. RESPONDERS DURING PHILIPPINE SUPER TYPHOON

We begin this week with a report of disaster preparedness that rallied quickly as a super typhoon in the South China Sea was bearing down on the Philippines on the 8th of November. Emergency amateur frequencies in the region were cleared for the Philippine Amateur Radio Association and others to use for traffic. The association's operators were among those engaged by the Philippine National Telecommunications Commission to help government responders, especially in those regions where communication connections had been destroyed by the powerful storm, known internationally as Fung-wong.

The death toll kept rising and more than a million people were displaced in the archipelago nation as floods and landslides took over much of the landscape in the northern provinces. Sustained winds were reported at up to 185 km/h, or 115 mph, with gusts of as much as 230 km/h or 143 mph.

Amateur radio has traditionally been a part of disaster response and the recovery process.

PRIEST'S OTHER FAITH WAS IN RADIO WAVES

Father Jozef Murgas, the scientist, painter and priest born in what is now known as Slovakia, was a man of enduring curiosity and deep faith. Ordained in 1888, he served the church in what was then the Kingdom of Hungary until he answered a call to service in the United States. In 1896, he arrived in the mining community of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, which has a strong Slovak population.

The priest, whose many studies included astronomy, botany and electrotechnology, held another cherished faith -- a strong belief in his experiments in radiotelegraphy. Some historians say that his development of a wireless transmission method known as "The Tone Method," which he patented, paved the way for the development of Morse Code. In 1905 he publicly tested it, successfully sending signals between towers in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton, about 20 miles, or 32 kilometers, away.

That historic transmission will be recreated on the 15th of November by the Murgas Amateur Radio Club K3YTL at King's College and amateur radio station W3USR at the University of Scranton. The event, organized in partnership with the Slovak Heritage Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania, will be live streamed on YouTube and Facebook and will be available for viewing later on the club's YouTube Page.

The day will also mark the 50th anniversary of the club that honored the pioneering priest by adopting his name as their own.

SILENT KEY'S GIFT ENDOWS LIBRARY DEAN CHAIR AT ALMA MATER

A native of Iowa, Gary Swenson, KA2HAN, served in the US Army for 30 years before retiring as a colonel in 2005. Before entering the military, he had earned his master's and doctoral degrees in economics from Iowa State University.

His lifelong love of learning and reading carried through into his amateur radio career -- and now prominently into his legacy. Gary became a Silent Key this past June unexpectedly when he had a heart attack at the age of 75. His estate is funding the establishment of a Dean of Library Services on the university campus. The library is a cornerstone of the university, with more than 2.3 million physical items in its collections and another 2 million e-books as well as access to online publications in various disciplines. According to the university website, more than 1.5 million downloads of the campus' scholarship and research projects are completed each year from its digital repository

The library services' inaugural dean, Hilary Seo, said the gift would [quote] "benefit future generations of students well into our next century of service." [endquote] That educational mission is consistent with much of what Gary did after retiring from the military: he tutored at a community action center near his home in the state of Virginia and was active with the Mount Vernon Amateur Radio Club.

MOUNTAIN RADIO CHALLENGE TESTS SKILLS, PROPAGATION

What started as an experiment between two teenagers in Australia testing the range of their walkie-talkies later grew into a test of CB radios' range in young drivers' cars. The activity, which began formally in 1987, is known as the Mountain Radio Challenge and it is a test of what a radio operator can accomplish using only line-of-sight communications.

This year's challenge is taking place on Saturday the 29th of November. Instead of school kids on beaches, this growing challenge attracts CB radio operators on 27 MHz and amateur radio operators on the ham frequencies, many of whom are also activating SOTA summits.

Tony Lock, the founder and event director, told Newsline in an email that the very challenge that began long ago between him and a schoolmate has since expanded to several groups on hills within his home state of Victoria and has expanded to Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales.

The objective is to transmit a predetermined relay message in one direction, from one operator to the next, and a responding message back in the reverse direction.

According to the event website, although ham radio operators will not be participating in the message relay itself, their presence on the mountains is still useful because the hams can help with operator coordination and, of course, if there is a need for emergency communications.

For details about participating, see the link the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

ISS MARKS 25 YEARS with SSTV TRANSMISSIONS

Get ready for a celebration in the sky: Amateur Radio on the International Space Station is marking its 25th year by transmitting 12 different images on SSTV from November 12th through to the 20th. The images, which will honor Scouting, are to be sent on 145.800 MHz every two minutes. There will be a scheduled interruption on the 16th of November for an educational contact with Azerbaijan.

2 RECEIVE YASME EXCELLENCE AWARD FOR WORK WITH YOUNG HAMS

Two US amateurs have been recognized by the Yasme Foundation for their ongoing contributions to young amateur radio operators in helping them develop technical and operating skills.

Ed Engleman, KG8CX, is being honored for his work with the YACHT program, which serves young amateurs. YACHT is an acronym for the Young Amateurs Communications Ham Team, which connects young radio operators around the world to form friendships and share their experiences.

Don Jones, K6ZO has been recognized for his ongoing work training and supporting young operators in rural Malawi. One of the teenage operators from Don’s training sessions was recently added to the team of DXpeditioners who are going to Andaman and Nicobar islands in the Bay of Bengal next year.

Both hams will receive the Yasme Excellence Award, which was established in 2008 by the foundation. The announcement was made on the 30th of October.

In the same announcement, the foundation’s board of directors said that Yasme has also made a grant to support the RM Noise project, which employs artificial intelligence to remove noise from SSB and CW reception.

SILENT KEY: QUICKSILVER RADIO PRODUCTS' JOHN BARTSCHERER, N1GNV

Many customers in the amateur radio community knew him simply as “John Bee,” but John Bartscherer (Bart Shearer), N1GNV, was also known for his Connecticut-based business, Quicksilver Radio Products, and his personable demeanor. He was a visible presence at hamfests and activities with the Meriden Amateur Radio Club. Before starting Quicksilver more than 20 years ago, John had been the advertising manager for the ARRL’s publication, QST. Licensed in 1989, John and his club also ran the Nutmeg Ham Fest, the New England ARRL State Convention in Hartford.

John became a Silent Key on Saturday the 25th of October while hospitalized.

His longtime friend and part-time employee, Peter Freiler (Fry-Lurr), W1AIR, told Newsline that the business remains open while the family copes with its grief. He said that Quicksilver’s longterm plans were unclear.

Peter said that John found great joy in meeting with fellow amateurs at Dayton and at New England’s regional NEAR-Fest, which he particularly loved attending. He said that he often spent more time just chatting with visitors than trying to sell them anything -- which, given his friendly nature, was not surprising.

SILENT KEY: ORIGINAL SOTA ENTHUSIAST, ROBERT JOHN HANNAN, G4RQJ

Robert John Hannan, G4RQJ, was not just one of the best-known and longest-serving members of the SOTA community but perhaps one of its best loved. He was there in 2002 when SOTA was a dream realised by so many outdoor enthusiasts who believed that combining radio with a bit of adventure would be a peak experience in every sense of the word.

Rob became a Silent Key on the 25th of September in the Risedale St Cuthberts Nursing Home. His death was reported recently on the SOTA Reflector.

Even as poor health began to hamper his activities, Rob's enthusiasm remained strong. His final activation, made in 2018, was number 916. Even away from the summits, his was a particularly familiar face at the annual Norbreck Rally in Blackpool, where accompanied by his wife Audrey, he staffed the SOTA stand and greeted visitors warmly.

The SOTA Reflector post noted that his cheerful and caring demeanor was as present on the air as off the air. The post said: [quote] "Whether answering your call as a chaser or in summit-to-summit QSO, he always sounded as though he was having the time of his life and was absolutely delighted to hear from you." [endquote]

Rob was 84.