Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2223 for Friday June 5 2020 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2223 with a release date of Friday June 5 2020 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. A historic space launch includes a radio amateur. New York hams give more than 24 thousand thank-yous -- and Irish amateurs issue a worldwide challenge. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2223 comes your way right now. ** BILLBOARD CART ** BREAKING NEWS: HUNTSVILLE HAMFEST CANCELLED STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We begin this week with breaking news. The Huntsville Hamfest, originally scheduled for August 22nd and 23rd in Alabama, has been cancelled, with organizers citing concerns over large public gatherings during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chairman Mark Brown N4BCD issued a statement on Thursday, June 4th, saying: "With deep sadness the Board has voted to cancel Huntsville Hamfest 2020. We make this decision for the safety of our visitors, vendors, and volunteers. We will be back and hope to see you back at “The World’s Friendliest Hamfest”™ on August 21 and 22, 2021." Details about refunds are posted on the hamfest's Facebook page. ** HISTORIC SPACE LAUNCH FROM U.S. SOIL STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our next story takes us to Florida's Kennedy Space Center, as U.S. astronauts lifted off for the first time from the launchpad there in nearly a decade. One of them is a ham. Andy Morrison K9AWM has that report. ANDY: A new chapter in history turned for the world on Saturday, May 30th, when two NASA astronauts returned to space from American soil. For the ham radio community it was a particular point of pride that one of the astronauts was Bob Behnken KE5GGX who joined fellow crew member Doug Hurley in the launch toward low-Earth orbit in what was the first commercially built and operated spacecraft. The Dragon crew capsule produced by Elon Musk's SpaceX company is designed to deliver people instead of just cargo to the International Space Station. The two astronauts are now part of the Expedition 63 crew aboard the ISS, which has as its commander another ham radio operator: NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy KF5KDR. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison K9AWM. (NASA, TWITTER) STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With the extra two crew members on-board for the next few weeks, perhaps Chris and Bob will get more time to get on 2 metres and work some hams on Earth. Or perhaps they can convince Doug to sit his ham exam? That would surely be taking remote-testing capabilities to a new height. Doug, are you listening? ** STUDENTS COMPETE IN CROSS-CONTINENT SPACE RACE STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, there's been another race into space -- and this one involves students with some balloons outfitted with transmitters. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB picks up the story from here. RALPH: There are four new transmitters sending signals to chase and they might just be in the sky over your QTH right now if you live in the United States. Students in the Space Station Explorer program of ARISS launched mid-altitude ham radio balloons on Monday morning, June 1st simultaneously. This is a cross-continent race - west to east - involving students of two California educators: Ted Tagami KK6UUQ and Joanne Michaelis KM6BWB. A third balloon was launched by Liam Kennedy KN6EQU of the ISS Above program. A fourth balloon was launched from Pasco, Washington by the Rivers Edge High School and Yakima Valley Technical Skills Center. The winning balloon will be the one to cross into the Eastern Time zone first. In the meantime, the students and anyone else can track the balloons' altitude, temperature and of course location via Automatic Packet Reporting System, which is being fed to the aprs dot fi (aprs.fi) website. You can join them in tracking the balloons by following the call signs KK6UUQ-8, KM6BWB-9, KN6EQU-2 and K7HAK-11 on the map. Newsline has included the link to the launch and balloon tracking details in the printed version of this week's script. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB. [FOR PRINT ONLY: ariss.org/mid-altitude-balloon-race.html] ** HAM IN UTAH SUMMONS RESCUERS TO MINIVAN IN RIVER STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Sometimes ham radio is all about rescue and that pretty much sums up the actions of one anonymous radio operator in Utah. Dave Parks WB8ODF has the details. DAVE: Thanks to a sharp-eyed amateur radio operator, a mother and four children were rescued from a minivan that had driven off the road near Logan, Utah and into a river where it ended up lodged against some rocks. Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Cade Brenchley told the local newspaper that a radio operator spotted the van shortly after the vehicle came to rest against the rocks and he contacted city dispatchers. According to the newspaper story, state troopers, firefighters and the county search team responded and closed off the Logan Canyon area for five hours so the rescue could proceed. All five were safely removed and were reported to be uninjured. Brenchley said the vehicle had only 4 to 5 inches of water inside and the windshield was intact. He said [quote] "We were extremely lucky there." [endquote] The five were treated at the scene by paramedics and taken for further examination to the regional hospital. Authorities did not identify the amateur radio operator. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF. (CACHE VALLEY DAILY) ** NEW YORK AMATEURS GIVE 24,447 ON-AIR 'THANK YOUS' STEPHEN/ANCHOR: K2H, a special event station in New York State that was on the air throughout May, has just said "thank you" thousands of times to the front-line workers of the COVID-19 pandemic. We hear more from Jim Damron N8TMW. JIM: Special Event Station K2H went on the air throughout New York State on May 1st as a marathon of gratitude, a symbol of hope and an instrument of interconnectedness for the ham radio community and the men and women on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. By the time its 113 operators in 50 counties went off the air on the 31st of May, K2H had logged 24,447 QSOs, making contacts with 135 countries around the world. New York had been declared the hardest-hit state in the U.S. and Lou Maggio NO2C of the Great South Bay Amateur Radio Club said he knew that by getting hams on the air they could return the favor to all the medical professionals, food service workers, police and firefighters and mortuary workers. Every contact served as a "thank you." He organized a small committee that included Salli K2RYD and Mike KC2SYF. Hams worked 1,682 counties - more than half of the counties in the nation - using EME, SSTV, meteor scatter, EchoLink and of course UHF/VHF and HF on SSB and CW. Lou told a gathering of some of the operators on Zoom on Tuesday June 2nd: "Much to my surprise, it really took off." For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron N8TMW. (LOU MAGGIO NO2C) ** RECORD-SETTING CONTACT ON UHF FOR POLAND, CAPE VERDE ISLANDS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Here's another one for the record books: A contact was made between Poland and the Cape Verde Islands off Africa's coast on 2 metres. The QSO occurred on Friday, May 29th thanks to a huge Sporadic-E opening across Europe that enabled other long-distance contacts on the band. These FT8 signals were logged by the Monteverde Contest Team D4VHF and SP5XMU in Warsaw - more than 5,600 kms or nearly 3,500 miles apart. John EI7GL writes in his blog that new digital modes such as FT8 are permitting hams to find paths on VHF that were previously unknown. (EI7GL BLOG) ** IRISH HAM GROUP ISSUES WORLDWIDE CHALLENGE STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A group of DX enthusiasts in Ireland has invited the world to take on a special monthlong challenge. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us more. JEREMY: For amateur radio operators, one of the biggest challenges of the summer is here and it is not having to cope with lockdown or for once having activities restricted by the pandemic. The EI DX Group in Ireland is running a summer worldwide challenge that began June 1st and will continue through August 30th. Radio operators are encouraged to work as many participating EIDXG members and as many of the 32 Irish counties, DXCC entities and CQ Magazine Zones as they can. Contacts can be on HF or VHF. Logs are due by September 6th and the winner - the person who accumulates the most points - will be announced in October. Details are on the group's Facebook page. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (EI DX GROUP) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the N8NC repeater of the North Coast Amateur Radio Club in Brunswick, Ohio at 8 p.m. local time on Sundays. ** NETS OF NOTE: INFORMATION AS AN AGENT OF HEALING STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In our occasional series, "Nets of Note," Newsline looks at where hams are checking in - and why. This week's Net of Note is actually two nets - and both are especially timely for a world suffering a health crisis. Here's Paul Braun WD9GCO. PAUL: Since its creation in New York City in 1966, the Medical Amateur Radio Council, or MARCO, has served as a global gathering place for health care professionals and scientists. MARCO is perhaps best-known for its weekly Sunday "Grand Rounds" Net on 14.342 MHz at 1530 UTC. The informational net is run by Dr. Warren Brown KD4GUA, a retired NASA flight surgeon, and it shares updates on a variety of current topics in medicine and health. More recently, MARCO members launched the Emergency Medical Net on COVID-19. It is run by biomedical physicist and infectious disease specialist Harry Przekop WB9EDP with help from Dr. Jerry Ziperstein N4TSC and check-ins begin at 0130 UTC on Wednesdays on 7.222 MHz. Listeners don't have to be medical professionals to hear either of these worldwide nets; in fact, listeners don't even have to be hams. Both nets are live-streamed on the internet at www.marcoaudio.net, where past nets are also archived. MARCO, of course, is always looking for new members and anyone directly involved in medicine can become a full member while others who have an interest in medical issues can become an associate member. For more details visit the website at marco hyphen ltd dot org (marco-ltd.org). For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO. (MICHALINE PRZEKOP KC9ARP) ** SILENT KEY: CALIFORNIA'S WILLIAM MAHNCKE KB6QEX STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A beloved member of the California amateur radio community, known for his generous nature, has become a Silent Key. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us about him. RALPH: Hams in California's Bay Area are grieving the loss of a longtime friend and Elmer: William Mahncke (MAN-KEY) KB6QEX became a Silent Key on Saturday May 30th. He was a longtime member and vice-president of the Mad Scientists Amateur Radio Club in San Mateo where he had a reputation as a home-brewer. According to one club member, Donn Lovell K8DLL, Bill was always up to the challenge of fixing things. He enjoyed operating on 20 meters and would often share images on SSTV. Donn told Newsline that Bill was [quote] "an Elmer to anyone interested in radio and always willing to share a good story." [endquote] The Michigan native was a veteran of the U.S. Navy and had retired from a long career as a tool and die maker for Best Foods. At the time of his death at home, Bill was 98 years old and still held a valid drivers license. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ralph Squillace KK6ITB. ** TEMPORARY WAIVERS GRANTED FOR FIELD DAY HOME STATIONS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Temporary rule waivers adopted in late May have kept ARRL Field Day on the amateur radio calendar this year despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The need for quarantine and social distancing forced many clubs to drop their plans to participate in one of the year's biggest and most anticipated events on June 27th and 28th. The two waivers being put in place will allow Class D stations - known as "home stations" - to receive credit for contact with other Class D stations, something previously not allowed. Under the second waiver, hams operating in any class have the option to include their club or group's name when they submit their results. Without such a waiver, Field Day rules would only permit club names to be included in results for Class A and Class F stations. (ARRL) ** WORLD OF DX In the World of DX, 12 operators in the United Arab Emirates are using the call sign A60NMT with a serial number at the end for a special event recognizing health workers facing the challenges of caring for COVID-19 patients. The special event is being run by the Emirates Amateur Radio Society and the call signs begin with A60NMT/1 and end with A60NMT/12. Visit the station's Q R Zed page for more details. In England, special event station GB2CDK is on the air through the 12th of June to mark the 150th anniversary of the death of author Charles Dickens. The Victorian author died on June 9, 1870. For details visit the station's Q R Zed page. In the Philippines, be listening for Tim M0FGC operating as DU3TW. You will find him on 80, 40, 20, 17 and 15 meters using mostly CW and some SSB, FT8 and WSPR. QSL via LoTW. Be listening for Oleh, KD7WPJ who will be operating on the HF bands from Santa Rosa Island (NA-144) off the coast of California on June 12, 13 and 14th on the HF bands. Send QSLs to his home call with sufficient US funds for return postage. (OHIO PENN DX, DX-WORLD) ** KICKER: BOUNCING BACKWARDS ON KANGAROO ISLAND STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's newscast on Kangaroo Island off the Australian Coast where one ham's response to the worldwide pandemic wasn't a change of heart: It was a change of plans! Here's Graham Kemp VK4BB. GRAHAM: In a world of cancelled ham radio events and DXpeditions, the planned Kangaroo Island IOTA Expedition has - somewhat appropriately - bounced backwards from its original plans to participate in this year's IOTA contest. The activation will take place instead between July 13th and the 18th, coinciding with the South Australian, that's the VK5, school holidays. Grant VK5GR reported that he and his family, along with Andrew VK5AKH will be on an isolated part of the island where the hams will operate holiday style. He reported that with no active COVID-19 cases in South Australia intra-state travel has reopened, making the ferry trip possible to the island. The expedition will use the call sign VK5KI and operations are expected to be on the bands between 80 metres and 10 metres. Kangaroo Island carries the designation of IOTA OC-139. In a public posting, Grant writes: [quote] "It should be a great week with some family time, amateur radio and a chance to unwind." [endquote] There, with the native bush, the wildlife and the scenic coastline to keep them company, they also are "hopping" to log more than just a few contacts from Kangaroo Island. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB. (OHIO PENN DX) ** * NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to AMSAT; Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; the Associated Press; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; the Cache Valley Daily; DX-World; the EI DX Group; Lou Maggio NO2C (ENN OH 2 SEE); Michaline Przekop KC9ARP; NASA; Ohio Penn DX; QRZ.COM; Radio Society of Great Britain; shortwaveradio.de; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Twitter; WTWW Shortwave; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Please send emails to our address at newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio Newsline's only official website at arnewsline.org. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2020. All rights reserved.