Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2254 for Friday January 8th 2021

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2254 with a release date of Friday January 8th 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The FCC looks to add coordinators for increased license-testing. Japan studies satellites made of wood - and a probe into the collapse of the Arecibo radiotelescope. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2254 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FCC EYES ADDING VOLUNTEER EXAMINER COORDINATORS

STEPHEN: Our top story this week finds the Federal Communications Commission asking: Is 14 enough? That's the current number of Volunteer Examiner Coordinator organizations who oversee VEs, or volunteer examiners, hams who administer the US license exams. In a notice posted on January 5th on the FCC website, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau announced it would like public input on whether it should authorize additional coordinators - as many as five - to support the volunteer examiners' ongoing work. Since 1983, VE coordinators have overseen the accreditation of the volunteer examiners, managing administrative tasks connected to the exams they give, and coordinating when the tests are given.

The scene changed last year when new rules took effect in July permitting VE Coordinators to conduct remote exam sessions. They did so most recently this past December in Antarctica. 

The FCC notice said: [quote]: "The Commission has long maintained 14 VECs and now seeks to consider whether they continue to serve the evolving needs of the amateur community or whether there are unmet needs that warrant considering expanding the number of VECs." [endquote]

Comments are due by the 4th of February. Details about filing electronically or on paper are available on the FCC website.

(FCC.GOV)

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BREXIT DOESN'T CUT ALL UK TIES TO EU SATELLITES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A late-December agreement has preserved the UK's involvement in some European satellite programs, post-Brexit. Jeremy Boot G4NJH picks up the story from here.

JEREMY: An agreement between the UK and the EU has clarified the post-Brexit relationship between the two with regard to scientific research, permitting the UK's continued participation in Copernicus, the EU's Earth monitoring programme. The deal also ensures that the UK and a number of private satellite operators based there will also retain access to the Space Surveillance and Tracking Programme established by the EU for space situational awareness. 

The deal, however, does not provide the UK with access to encrypted or secure services on Galileo, Europe's Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Galileo was established to assist emergency response-services on Europe's roads making railways and roads safer. Although smartphone users may not notice any difference, the UK itself will no longer have access to the satellite services for defence or national infrastructure.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(GOV.UK, AMSAT, SCIENCEBUSINESS.NET)

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WOODEN SATELLITES SEEN AS FIX TO 'SPACE JUNK'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: How do you build a satellite that is kinder to the environment? A partnership in Japan is exploring the answer - and Graham Kemp VK4BB has those details.

GRAHAM: Solutions to the growing problem of "space junk" don't grow on trees - or do they? Perhaps yes: In Japan, a forestry company has partnered with Kyoto University to work on building a robust and resilient satellite out of wood - something that would be Earth-friendly as well as space-friendly. Their goal is to have one such satellite ready for launch by 2023. The experimental work includes exposing different varieties of wood to extreme temperature changes and sunlight, to see how a wooden satellite might behave in space. An added plus: Upon re-entry, wooden satellites could return to Earth without releasing harmful substances or debris on the way down.

Kyoto University professor Takao Doi, a Japanese astronaut, told the BBC: [quote] "We are very concerned with the fact that all the satellites which re-enter the Earth's atmosphere burn and create tiny alumina particles which will float in the upper atmosphere for many years." [endquote]

He said the next step is to develop the engineering model of the satellite and after that, a flight model.

The BBC reports that nearly 6,000 satellites are now orbiting the Earth, according to figures from the World Economic Forum. Some 60 percent of them are considered "space junk," meaning they are no longer in use.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(BBC)

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SEA-PAC ANNUAL CONVENTION CANCELLED

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: COVID-19 precautions have led to the cancellation of yet another major amateur radio gathering. SEA-PAC, the 2021 ARRL Northwestern Division Convention, has been called off as an in-person event in Oregon where it was scheduled to be held in June. Chairman John Bucsek KE7WNB said alternative activities online and on the air were being explored.

(SEA-PAC)

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LAWMAKERS SEEK PROBE INTO ARECIBO COLLAPSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, Congress is taking a second look at the collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Paul Braun WD9GCO tells us more.

PAUL: Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., plan an investigation into the December collapse at the Arecibo Observatory, just weeks after Puerto Rico's outgoing governor committed $8 million in resources to rebuild its historic radiotelescope.

In the December 1st collapse, the dish was gashed beyond repair following the crash of a 900-ton instrument platform. The telescope, a valued cornerstone in modern astronomy, was being decommissioned by the US National Science Foundation following other damage that occurred weeks earlier. At the time of the final collapse, it had been earmarked for dismantling.

Congress has requested a report by the end of February.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO

(SPACE.COM)

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IOWA STUDENTS' BALLOON CIRCLES EARTH A THIRD TIME

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The world has kept turning into the new year and so too has one Iowa amateur radio club's balloon project. Jack Parker W8ISH has that story.

JACK: Three circumnavigations after its launch, the Pella Amateur Radio Club's APRS balloon was still the pride of the Jefferson Intermediate School fifth graders who'd helped launch it back in November. It ended the year 2020 as a success in the sky. Transmitting on 144.39 MHz with the callsign WB0URW-8, the helium-filled balloon had completed three trips around the world since its November 5th launch and seemed unstoppable. It was still making its rounds as 2021 dawned, according to radio club member Jim Emmert WB0URW. Jim told KNIA-KRLS radio that in its third trip around Planet Earth, the balloon passed over Canada, Greenland, Portugal, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia - among many other places. Powered by solar panels, the balloon can be tracked by following the link that appears in this week's script on our website at arnewsline.org.

[for print only, do not read: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FWB0URW-8&timerange=604800&tail=604800]

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jack Parker W8ISH.

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: According to a January 6th report by the radio station, the balloon has since completed its fourth trip - a journey that takes about two weeks. The students have reason to be proud.

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PROJECT EYES DIRECT WAY TO GATHER SOLAR POWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine collecting the solar power you need from a spot much, much closer to the sun. Jim Damron N8TMW tells us about a project that's doing more than just imagining.

JIM: The US Air Force Research Laboratory is hanging its hopes on something called Helios. It's a key component named after the Greek sun god and is part of an experiment known as Arachne (Uh-RACK-Knee) expected to be launched into space in 2024. The formal name of the project is the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research solar beaming project.

What's that? The Air Force lab describes it as a project that will explore a way to harvest solar energy directly from space, where sunlight is more potent outside the Earth's atmosphere and where solar panels have more hours of exposure. Through use of something called "sandwich tiles" and other systems, the experiment will convert the collected energy to radio waves for beaming back to Earth as usable power.

Helios, which is being supplied by Northrup Grumman, will house the platform on which these solar beaming experiments occur. Northrup Grumman's role has left the Air Force lab free to concentrate on acquiring a spacecraft where it might all begin to happen.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Damron N8TMW.

(CLEAN TECHNICA, POPULAR MECHANICS, US AIR FORCE)

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BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WB ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through Allstar, in Morrisville Pennsylvania and Fall River Massachusetts.

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SILENT KEY: JAMES GOLDEN KD0AES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular net control operator with the Handiham Program for disabled amateurs has become a Silent Key. Christian Cudnik K0STH tells us about him.

CHRISTIAN: James Golden, KD0AES, a Life Member of the Handiham Program, was perhaps best known as net control for the Tuesday Handiham Radio Club net, a busy gathering place for disabled amateurs like him. According to his obituary in the Nevada Daily Mail, the Nevada, Missouri radio operator, who had cerebral palsy, brought such enthusiasm to his on-air responsibilities that at one point he served as net control for three nets a week. Grateful for his skill in handling busy traffic in an always-polite manner, a number of amateurs pooled their money to purchase a Handiham Life Membership for him.

James continued with his activity until two weeks before his death on December 9th. James Golden, who was 46, died of COVID-19.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik K0STH.

(HANDIHAM, NEVADA DAILY MAIL)

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SILENT KEY: LOGGING SOFTWARE DEVELOPER DAVE PRUETT K8CC

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We also report the death of NA Contest Logging Software Developer Dave Pruett, K8CC. Dave became a Silent Key on the 29th of December. A chairman of the Michigan QSO Party and a log-checker for the ARRL's 10-meter and 160-meter contests, Dave's most widely known contributions were perhaps in the area of contest log development. Early on, he was the developer of a program for RadioShack computers that checked logs for duplicate contacts. He also created the NA contest logging software which is capable of handling a number of contests. He was also a former editor of the National Contest Journal.

Dave was 66.

(ARRL)

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SILENT KEY: FORMER RAC PRESIDENT FARRELL (HOPPY) HOPWOOD VE7RD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An influential member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Community has become a Silent Key. John Williams VK4JJW tells us about his long career.

JOHN: Farrell Hopwood VE7RD, who had been president of RAC and a member of the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame, has become a Silent Key. Known as Hoppy, he died on December 8th. The son of a telegrapher father and a Teletype-operator mother, Hoppy began his long career in telecommunications in his native British Columbia in 1948. In 1955, Hoppy became an amateur radio operator with the call sign VE7AHB. Those who attended Expo 86 in Vancouver saw the amateur radio station and exhibit there that was created by Hoppy and his team. An avid DXer, he was also involved in VHF/UHF linking and packet.

Hoppy became an early member of the Canadian Radio Relay League and the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation, rising through its ranks into leadership. He also became involved in key discussions to merge the two organisations into the RAC. Hoppy later became president of the RAC, retiring from the post in 1998 after serving three terms.

He was inducted into the Canadian Amateur Radio Hall of Fame in 2015.

Hoppy was 91.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW.

(RAC)

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NOVA SCOTIA CONTEST WEATHERS THE STORM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A recent winter contest hosted by one Canadian amateur radio club turned out to be a disaster -- and the members couldn't have been happier. Kevin Trotman N5PRE has those details.

KEVIN: The Halifax Amateur Radio Club called their contest the "2-Meter Get on the Air Winter Event," and it was designed to challenge the hams' ability to stay connected in the face of an emergency. For four hours on January 2nd, it was a dry run for disaster for John Bignell VE1JMB, the club's director-at-large, and 50 or so other club members. It also turned out to be a frozen run: the contest went forward despite a heavy snowfall that covered much of Nova Scotia. John, who is also an EHS Advance Care Paramedic, said the contest underscored the need for hams to have a reliable communications network when disaster strikes, as it did in 2017 when Bell Aliant suffered a connection outage of landlines and cellphones in Eastern Canada.

John told the Saltwire Network website that the contest was also about having fun but it's important to remember too that when the Red Cross, rescue teams or ground-search personnel need communications backup, hams should be there and ready. That makes everyone a winner in every contest.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(JOHN BIGNELL VE1JMB)

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WHEN THE DX FINDS THE DXer IN FINLAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There are many of us who like to go off in search of some good DX - but what happens when the DX unexpectedly finds YOU? Ed Durrant DD5LP tells us.

ED: As she gave her "good morning" greetings to local listeners from her radio studio in Canada's Yukon territory, CBC program host Elyn (ELLEN) Jones recently gained a new fan. It was Jorma (YORMA) Mäntylä (MON-too-lah), who was listening on 560 kHz, the station's AM frequency, from his home 7,000 km away in Finland. He was somewhat surprised to hear the programme, "Yukon Morning," as it arrived last fall via the long wire antenna he'd directed toward North America. Jorma is no stranger to DX though. He's been at it since getting his amateur radio licence in 1967, with some of his proudest DX contacts being New Zealand, Israel and Japan.

Still, he believed some kind of special QSL card was in order so he emailed the CBC and attached an mp3 file of what he'd heard. It was a multimedia e-qsl card of sorts. The file revealed a signal of varying quality but it was still a valid contact. "Yukon Morning" is one of many CBC radio shows that are available via streaming and on demand but I'm sure Jorma would tell you RF is best!

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Ed Durrant DD5LP.
(SOUTHGATE, CBC)

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WORLD OF DX

In the world of DX, Hams are honoring the work of Lions Clubs International with special event tation GB4BLC in England. Members of the Bedworth Lions Club and operators from the Coventry Amateur Radio Society will be operating through January 28th on most of the HF bands. The operation will include the digital modes. There will be no QSL cards.

Another special event station is operating from Poland. Members of the SEDINA Contest Club will
activate the special event station SQ0MORSE through April 30th, marking the 230th anniversary of
the birth of Samuel F.B. Morse. Operations will be on various HF bands. Send QSLs to SP1EG, direct or by the Bureau.

(OHIO PENN DX, QRZ)

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KICKER: FOR HUNTING DECOY MARKETER, THE COST OF RFI IS DEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our final story is about an FCC action against a company it has charged with radio interference. The government agency, it seems, is making some noises involving - of all things - animal noises. Kent Peterson KC0DGY has more.

KENT: Can the grunt or snort or a bleat of a deer be considered QRM? Probably not, but instructions being transmitted wirelessly, directing a hunting decoy to utter those noises is quite another matter. The FCC and a US company called Primos have entered into a consent decree over its product, the Waggin' Whitetail Electronic Deer Tail Decoy, for what the FCC has called noncompliance with Part 15 of its rules. The FCC believes the decoy's remote, which users report has a transmission range of between 40 and 60 yards, exceeds authorized field strength emissions limits and could interfere with nearby electronics. According to the FCC, the company acknowledged that it had marketed six such models that exceed those limits.

Primos has agreed to embark on a plan for compliance and has begun a voluntary recall. 

The company will also pay a civil penalty that could be considered somewhat.....dear: $55,000.

Primos noted that it had received no complaints of interference occurring with any other devices. As for interference complaints from any of the local wildlife -- no bucks or does were available to grunt, snort, bleat or otherwise comment for this report.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FCC, PRIMOS)

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Newsline closes this week by congratulating Richard G4TUT on the 50th edition of the CQ Serenade program which carries Amateur Radio Newsline weekly on the shortwave dot de transmitters in northern Europe.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; Andy Meyer N2FYE; ARRL; the BBC; the CBC; Clean Technica; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; Facebook; the FCC; John Bignell VE1JMB; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; Popular Mechanics; Primos; Radio Amateurs of Canada; the Radio Society of Great Britain; Southgate; Space.com; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; the US Air Force; 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 happy New Year to you all. As always we thank you for listening.

Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.