Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2272 for Friday May 14, 2021 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2272 with a release date of Friday May 14, 2021 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. Hams bring compassion and critical supplies to COVID-ravaged India. A solar probe unlocks mysteries of a planet's ionosphere -- and a shipboard amateur delivers some very rare grid squares. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2272 comes your way right now. *** BILLBOARD CART ** INDIAN HAMS ASSIST WITH SUPPLIES TO COVID PATIENTS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is a tale of compassion and community service arising out of a landscape in India ravaged by the deadly pandemic. John Williams VK4JJW brings us those details. JOHN: As COVID-19 continues to devastate India, amateur radio operators in West Bengal are helping health care workers and patients by providing a network of support. Club secretary Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA told Newsline that the West Bengal Radio Club and the students of the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management are providing access to food as well as to lifesaving medicines, plasma and oxygen, assisting the neediest with admission into health care facilities. The academy is an amateur radio training institute headed by Rinku Nag Biswas VU2JFB. He said other hams in these two groups are also arranging for mental health support to be provided online for those who need it. Meanwhile, club members Arnab Roy Chowdhury VU3JWN, Arub Bhattacharya (Botta-Charr-Ya) VU3ZIB, Debdutta (deb-DUTTA) Mukherjee (Mook-Er-Gee) VU3JXA and Jayanta (Jiy-YONTA) Baidya (BYE-DEE-YA) VU3YJB have been working around the clock, even as two other members of the club became stricken with COVID and are now receiving treatment. Ambarish Nag Biswas told Newsline: "We are happy to help people in this crisis period. We believe 'ham' stands for Help Always Mankind.' " For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm John Williams VK4JJW. (AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA) ** BRAZILIAN AMATEURS SEEK EQUIPMENT TAX EXEMPTION STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Brazil, hams are renewing their efforts to have taxes eliminated on amateur radio equipment, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH. JEREMY: Brazil's national amateur radio society has intensified its ongoing efforts to have ham radio equipment declared exempt from import tax and the tax on industrialized products. The exemption being sought by the Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão would be granted to any qualified amateur radio operator and participant in Rener, the National Amateur Radio Emergency Network or member of Sindec, the National Civil Defense System. The bill was introduced in 2009 but there has been no action on it since 2018 when it was given to lawmakers in the Finance and Taxation Committee. LABRE is asking hams in Brazil to push for a renewal of the effort to get parliamentarians to vote on the measure. LABRE is collecting signatures on a petition on its website to send to the National Congress. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (SOUTHGATE, LABRE) ** DEBRIS FROM CHINESE ROCKET SCATTERS IN INDIAN OCEAN STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Although China successfully launched the first module for that nation's space station, the mission launcher re-entered Earth's atmosphere along an uncontrolled path. We hear more about its fate from Jason Daniels VK2LAW. JASON: The uncontrolled low orbit of a Chinese Long March rocket ended in a flare of light over the Arabian Peninsula before the rocket plunged into the Indian Ocean near the Maldives. The dramatic re-entry into Earth's atmosphere came late on Saturday May 8th, quieting nervous speculation that the space debris from the empty core of the Long March 5B would land in a populated region. The Chinese space agency said much of the rocket was consumed during re-entry. At 22 tons, it was considered one of the largest objects to re-enter the atmosphere with an uncontrolled trajectory. Its path had been followed by the US Space Command's Space-Track Project and European Space Surveillance and Tracking. There had been concern that the rocket's fate might have been similar to that of the first Long March 5B. During a similar uncontrolled re-entry in May of last year, debris from that rocket fell in an area of Ivory Coast in Africa where it damaged several buildings. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jason Daniels VK2LAW. (WASHINGTON POST, CNN, REUTERS) ** PARKER PROBE EXPLORES SUN'S IMPACT ON VENUS' IONOSPHERE STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Much farther out in space, a probe has unlocked some mysteries that will surely pique the interests of watchers of solar weather. Paul Braun WD9GCO gives us the details. PAUL: As it moves through its solar cycle, the activity of the sun causes changes in the ionosphere of the planet–but the planet we're talking about here is Venus. The Parker Solar Probe, in a flyby of the planet last summer, picked up a naturally occurring low-power radio signal and determined that the Venusian ionosphere is thinner during solar minimum than during solar maximum. Last summer's flyby happened six months after solar minimum. The probe found changes that had occurred in Venus' upper atmosphere since data collection nearly three decades ago by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter in 1992 during a high activity period. Although the Parker probe's primary mission is to study the sun, it does interact with Venus because it uses gravity assist from the planet to bend th orbit of the probe and bring it closer to the sun. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO. (CNN) ** NEW ZEALAND AMATEURS APPROVED FOR 60M OPERATION STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There's good news in New Zealand for hams who have been hoping to make contacts on the 5 MHz band. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has that report. JIM: Amateurs in New Zealand have won the right to use 60 meters on a secondary basis operating as sub-licencees of the New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters. NZART's president Mark Gooding ZL2UFI announced the decision, which followed successful talks with the regulator, RSM. This approval is being treated as the precusor to adding the 5 MHz band to the General User Radio Licence at the end of 12 months. This would eliminate the need for any further sub-licences for use of the band. In the interim, RSM will assess interference issues before moving forward. Hams who hold the old sub-licence are being advised that it will not be grandfathered in under the new agreement and they must complete the new application and send it to NZART headquarters. All hams are being asked to review a list of frequently asked questions which can be found on the NZART website, nzart dot org dot nz (nzart.org.nz) For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jim Meachen ZL2BHF. (NZART) ** RSGB ADDS RESOURCES FOR RADIATION MEASUREMENTS, OPERATOR EXAMS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The website of the Radio Society of Great Britain has added new material to guide hams in two areas of their biggest concerns: safety and licensing. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has been following that development. JEREMY: New resources are available on the website of the Radio Society of Great Britain to help amateurs with upcoming examinations and to assist as well with the new requirement to measure their stations' electromagnetic radiation. Two new videos assist with measuring a station's electromagnetic radiation as is now required by Ofcom for public safety and which explain the reasons behind the new rules. Stations with power of more than 10 watts must perform these measurements and calculations as part of their licence requirement. Both videos feature EMC Chairman John Rogers, M0JAV, who explains the procedure in one video – and in the other, demonstrates how to use the downloadable calculator. Meanwhile, the Society's Examinations and Syllabus Review Group has updated its collection to include two new mock exams for the Full licence, adding PDFs that show the questions' answers and explanations for each. The Society notes that these are not the same questions that would appear in a Full licence exam and are provided merely as a study aid. Mock exams for Foundation and Intermediate level licences will be added later. Links to both videos as well as the mock exams can be found in the print version of this script on our website arnewsline.org For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH. PRINT ONLY: To see both videos go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lL_gdUU3Wo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9NYlQwbCZQ PRINT ONLY: For exams, www.rsgb.org/mock-exams (RSGB) ** 100 WATTS AND A WIRE MARKING EPISODE 300 STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We here at Newsline want to take time out to congratulate our colleague Christian Cudnik K0STH at 100 Watts and a Wire. The show, which began in 2015 as an audio podcast, is marking Episode Number 300 on Saturday, May 15th. The show can be seen on YouTube or heard on the 100wattsandawire.com website. ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the KD2SL repeater in Syracuse, New York at 8 p.m., following the Monday Night Hobby and Information Net. ** OHIO CLUB HONORED AS ARRL 'SPECIAL SERVICE CLUB' STEPHEN/ANCHOR: When the Highland Amateur Radio Association got together recently for brunch in a local park in southern Ohio, they were marking two occasions: it was the first time members were able to be together in a long time for a "meet and greet"—and they were receiving special recognition from the ARRL as a Special Service Club. ARRL officials attended the event too and presented the honor formally. Special Service Clubs are defined as groups leading the way in training, publicity and community support to improve the interests of amateur radio. The club in southern Ohio is one of only a dozen in the state to be given this designation. (HIGHLAND COUNTY PRESS) ** HISTORY LESSON HIGHLIGHTS ONE OF AMERICA'S MOST NOTABLE HAMS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Arizona Historical Society has an online history lesson scheduled. Its topic is a lawmaker who was also one of the most high-profile American hams. Kevin Trotman N5PRE explains. KEVIN: The late United States Senator Barry Goldwater was also known by his callsign K7UGA. History has recorded his many contributions as a lawmaker to the evolution of amateur radio in the US. The Arizona Historical Society is presenting a virtual event on Wednesday, May 19th that explores the life of the state's most notable amateur radio operator who, during the war in Vietnam, was instrumental in organizing volunteers to connect families via ham radio with their relatives serving overseas during the conflict. The Society, based in Tucson, houses much of the senator's longtime shack in its collection. The presentation by Arizona State University history professor Eric Nystrom will be held from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pacific Time – or 0100 UTC. A donation to the museum is requested for anyone attending the discussion, which will be held on Zoom. A link to register for the event can be found in the script of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kevin Trotman N5PRE. [FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://bit.ly/3mRPwTz] (ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY) ** DEADLINE APPROACHES FOR YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Just a reminder that we are fast approaching the May 31st deadline to nominate the next Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year. If you know a dedicated radio operator 18 or younger who embodies the spirit of experimentation, community service and communication, they are eligible. Think of nominating them for this honor. The award will be presented in August at the Huntsville Hamfest. Candidates should be living in the United States, its possessions or any Canadian province. Downloadable forms are available on our website arnewsline.org ** WORLD OF DX In the World of DX, members of the Korean Amateur Radio League are using the special callsign HL41GDM to mark the 41st anniversary of the Democratic Uprising in South Korea, which occurred between May 18th and 27th in 1980. Operators will be calling on all bands and modes through May 31st. QSL via HL4CCM, direct, by the Bureau, ClubLog, or eQSL. In Germany, operators are marking the 25th anniversary of the German DX Foundation using the special event callsign DL25GDXF. The station will be on the air until the 31st of July. Send QSLs to DL6DH. A contact with this station or DF0GDX and club members are needed to be eligible for the GDXF 25 years certificate. Operators Ennio, IW1RBI, Alessandro, IZ1AZA, Gianluca, IU1KBL and Andrea, IU1JXW will be on the air with the callsign 3A/IW1RBI from Monaco and will identify a weekend between the end of May and mid-June that works with the current COVID-19 restrictions. Be listening for them on 80-6 meters using CW, SSB and FT8 in fox-hound mode. QSL via the address on QRZ.com or LoTW. ** KICKER: RARE GRID HUNTERS FIND THAT THEIR SHIP HAS COME IN STEPHEN/ANCHOR: OK grid hunters: Our final story of this week is for you. If you are a ham on the prowl for the rarest grids, your ship came in–literally–earlier this month. Neil Rapp WB9VPG explains. NEIL: It's a long journey by ship between Florida and Saipan and merchant mariners like Jim Clary who make the trip often face a seven-day work week. On the trip he made this month, however, Jim, whose call sign is ND9M, also faced a unique opportunity: Using the passes of about a dozen satellites and two Yaesu rigs for full duplex operation, he activated some of the rarest grid squares on Earth. Jim, who is his ship's communications officer, told Newsline that operating maritime mobile in his spare time helps him keep his wits together on long runs like this one. The real gift, however, is the one he's been giving hams around the world — an opportunity to work so-called "wet grids," many of which he said are rarely, if ever, activated. He told Newsline in an email: "Since these grid squares that I'm sailing through are so rare, it would be a shame not to make them available to VUCC chasers." VUCC is the VHF-UHF Century Club of the ARRL, which issues awards for confirmed contacts with 100 or more grid squares on UHF, VHF or via satellite. Grid squares themselves measure a modest 1 degree latitude by 2 degrees longitude, so on this big planet of ours there are plenty out there. There's an abundance of satellites too: from the oldest one, AO-7, to the RS-44 with its huge footprint. For Jim, this may have been just one more supply cruise, but for the hams who intercepted his rare cargo on this trip, he surely delivered. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Neil Rapp WB9VPG. (JIM CLARY ND9M) ** NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur News Weekly; the ARRL; Arizona Historical Society; CQ Magazine; CNN; David Behar K7DB; Highland County Press; New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters; Ohio Penn DX newsletter; QRZ.com; Radio Society of Great Britain; Reuters; Southgate Amateur Radio News; shortwaveradio.de; Ted Randall's QSO Radio Show; Washington Post; WTWW Shortwave; Wireless Institute of Australia; YouTube; 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. Be sure to follow some of these stories as they get a more indepth look on the YouTube Channel of 100 Watts and a Wire. Search for the video segment with the title "Two Stories." 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. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2021. All rights reserved.