XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.misc, rec.radio.info

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2441 for Friday August 9th, 2024 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2441 with a release date of Friday, August
9th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Hams play key roles during a landslide in
southern India. The threat of severe weather cancels a DXpedition off
the coast of Scotland - and a centenarian receives a once-in-100-years
honor. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2441
comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**
HAMS ASSIST RESCUE EFFORTS DURING SOUTHERN INDIA LANDSLIDE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to southern India,
where teams of ham radio operators are being credited with providing
lifesaving communication that helped save lives amid the deadly
landslides there. Graham Kemp VK4BB brings us that report.

GRAHAM: With the help of vital information provided by an amateur radio operator, rescue teams rushed to evacuate people from a region
devastated by landslides that began in late July in the Wayanad
district of the Indian state of Kerala.

A VHF repeater set up on the 3rd of August by the Sultan Bathery DX
Association carried location, condition and other details to district
officials as rescue efforts intensified using drones and radar. Hams
relayed information to district authorities from ravaged communities
after being asked by the district collector to step in and be a part of
the relief operations. Led by Sabu Mathew, VU2ELJ, the association's
chairman, the hams set up an amateur radio station inside the district collector's office in Kalpetta.

With some cellphone towers washed away by the landslides, mobile phone
service was available only in a limited capacity, according to
published reports.

A press release from the district collector's office said that many
lives were saved because of the emergency network: Officials said
[quote] Ham radio messages came to their aid and the rescue team
members were able to facilitate their evacuation." [endquote]

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.


(THE ECONOMIC TIMES)

**
FCC SEEKS $2.3 MILLION FINE IN UNLICENSED-BROADCAST CASE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, the FCC is seeking a fine of $2.3 million
from a New York City radio station that the agency said is operating
without a license. We have those details from Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: Charging that he ignored an FCC enforcement action late last
year, the FCC has amplified its sanctions against a Bronx broadcaster,
imposing a penalty of $2.3 million.

The commission says that Johnny Peralta has been operating an
unauthorized FM radio station in the Bronx for six or more years.
According to the Radio World website and local media, his broadcasts as
La Mia Radio on 105.7 FM are designed to serve New York City's
Dominican audience. Having received no response from its previous
enforcement action against him, the FCC has issued a forfeiture order, confirming the $2.3 million fine it is seeking. That fine was proposed
last November in a notice of apparent liability by the commission. The
notice followed the FCC's documentation of antenna installations
through photographs and numerous field-strength measurements taken by
field agents. The commission says the broadcaster did not respond to
that earlier notice.

Enactment of the PIRATE Act four years ago gave the FCC greater powers
of enforcement against unlicensed broadcast radio - and the ability to
impose a higher fine. The commission does not collect these fines,
however. That is the responsibility of the US Department of Justice,
which it intends to contact within 30 days if Peralta does not respond
to this latest action. According to the Radio World story, the FCC is
confident that this is one case that might draw more immediate
attention from justice officials because of the amount of the fine. It
is the highest allowable amount under the four-year-old federal law.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FCC, RADIOWORLD)

**
SILENT KEY: BARRY KIRKWOOD, ZL1DD, ZL "STRAIGHT KEY NIGHT" FOUNDER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A well-respected and seasoned CW operator in New
Zealand has become a Silent Key. We hear about his life and
contributions from Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

JIM: The love of CW was very obvious to any ham who got to know Barry
Kirkwood, ZL1DD. On the air from his dream shack, Baz - as he was known
- was a sought-after contact among ops on CW, especially for DX
stations.

Baz became a Silent Key on the 30th of June in Chiang Mai, Thailand
after a brief illness. Although he had lived in Thailand in 2006, he
did not get a Thai callsign, operating first from the RAST club station
in Bangkok, which had the callsign HS0AC. When flooding destroyed the
station, Barry played a key role in getting super station HS0ZIA on the
air near Chiang Mai and often participated in contesting from
therethere.

He collected boat anchors but, as a CW op, he also loved his collection
of Morse Keys. He distinguished himself as an award-winner many times
in the NZART Sangster Shield QRP CW contest. After learning that the
original Shield had been lost in the 1990s, he commissioned one to
replace it in 2017. Baz was a longtime member of NZART, a member of the
FISTS CW Club and founder of the popular New Zealand Straight Key
Night, which is held in summer and winter.

He also held the Cambodian ham radio license XU7AEL. The New Zealand
callsign known so well among Barry's contacts was not his first. He had
been assigned ZL1DR in 1953 and later was ZL1BN. After the death of a
friend, Bert, who was the original holder of the call, ZL1DD, Bert's
family had asked Baz to take his friend's callsign as his own.

Baz was 88.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(NZ NET NEWS, QRZ.COM)

**
SILENT KEY: CARTER CRAIGIE, N3AO, LEADER IN PENNSYLVANIA ENCOMM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An influential figure in encomm operations in Eastern Pennsylvania has become a Silent Key. We learn about him from Travis
Lisk N3ILS.

TRAVIS: Carter Craigie, N3AO, was all about service to amateur radio.
He became a well-known figure in the Eastern Pennsylvania section of
the ARRL where he played a major role in shaping the emergency
communications unit for Chester County ARES, where he was its emergency coordinator from 2005 to 2007.

According to Bob Wilson, W3BIG, the Eastern Pennsylvania section
manager, Carter's design served as a blueprint for many other ARES
units throughout the section. On the air, he was most enthusiastic
about making CW contacts and operating QRP. According to his page on
QRZ.com, he also volunteered at the SKYWARN Desk at the National
Weather Service Forecast Office in Blacksburg, Virginia, where he lived
most recently

Carter became a Silent Key on August 1st.

Carter was married to Kay Craigie, N3KN, who was Eastern Pennsylvania
section manager in 1986 before she became the ARRL's 15th president
in2010.

Bob posted on the section website [quote]: "Carter was a man of many
talents and was always a gentleman and friend to so many in the amateur
radio community."

Carter was 86.

(ARRL EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA SECTION)

**
YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR TO BE HONORED IN HUNTSVILLE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's time for Amateur Radio Newsline to shine the
spotlight on a very special YL this month at the Huntsville Hamfest in
Alabama. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz (pronouncer:
Abram-o-vich) NT3V has the story.

MARK: The big day is almost here for Grace Papay K8LG, our 2024 winner
of the Bill Pasternak WA6ITF Memorial Amateur Radio Newsline Young Ham
of the Year award. Grace, who's 18 and from Holland, Michigan, will be
publicly recognized at the Huntsville Hamfest on Saturday afternoon,
August 17th.

Grace is the daughter of Doug Papay K8DP and Carrie Papay K8CLP. She's
the granddaughter of John Papay K8YSE - a veteran operator in the ham
satellite community. Grace holds an Extra Class license, earned a year
after she passed her Tech test.

Amateur Radio Newsline's Don Wilbanks AE5DW will lead the Huntsville presentation team. A commemorative plaque and gifts from award sponsors
Yaesu USA, Heil Sound Ltd. and Radiowavz Antenna Company will be given
to Grace at that time. It's going to be a busy week for Grace as she'll
be traveling to Huntsville from Cedarville University in Cedarville,
Ohio where she will be attending a freshman orientation program. Grace
begins studies in electrical engineering there this fall.
Congratulations and good luck Grace from all of us. You will become a
"leading light" as you receive your award on International Lighthouse
and Lightship Weekend.

I'm Mark Abramowicz NT3V.

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the VK8MA repeater on Sundays at 7 p.m. in the Northern Territory of
Australia.

**
FCC APPROVES SATELLITES FOR CELLULAR BROADBAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The FCC has approved the launch of a low-earth orbit communications array of five satellites on V-band that is expected to
open the door for US smartphones to make use of space-based cellular
broadband services across the nation. The satellites have been given
the OK to operate in the 37.5 to 42 GHz range for space-to-Earth communications; and the ranges of 47.2 to 50.2 GHz and 50.4 to 51.4 GHz
for Earth to space communications.

Approval was also given for the use of 430-440 MHz for space-to-Earth
and Earth-to-space transmissions, 2025-2110 MHz for Earth-to-space transmissions and 2200-2290 MHz for space-to-Earth transmissions.

The approvals are granted to Texas-based AST Space Mobile for what the
company is characterizing as the largest communications array in
history in low-earth orbit.

(FCC, YAHOO/FINANCE)

**
WEATHER HAZARDS CANCEL FLANNAN ISLANDS DXPEDITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A DXpedition to Scotland's Flannan islands has been
called off because of threatening weather. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us
about the activation the team had planned.

JEREMY: Despite their best hopes and plans, a team of seasoned radio
operators from the UK had to call off their attempt to activate the
sixth most wanted Island on the Air in Europe, Scotland's Flannan
islands group. The team said bad weather posed safety hazards.

The uninhabited islands carry the IOTA number EU-118 and are in the
Outer Hebrides. The group is the second most wanted IOTA in the UK
after Rockall, where one of the five Flannan team members, Nobby G0VJG,
spent several days in 2023.

The Flannan DXpedition had been assigned the same callsign that
activators used for Rockall: MM0UKI.

The team announced that the weather forecast compelled them to abandon
the hoped-for activation, which was to have been calling QRZ from the
1st of August.

The team had already faced an earlier challenge - they had to replace
their original vessel which had developed an engine fault. The boat's
skipper later told them that the window for favourable weather was
insufficient for him to retrieve them safely and they would therefore
have to return home. They had planned to be on the air for 48 to
72hours.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH. (DXWORLD)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Gregor, S53RA is active from the Maldives as 8Q7GG
until the 13th of August. He is operating QRP, holiday style, mainly in
the evenings local time. He is using CW, SSB and FT8. See QRZ.com for
QSL details.

Philipp, OE6MCX, is on the air until the 12th of August as 8P9MC from
Barbados, IOTA Number NA-021. He is operating holiday style, using CW,
SSB, FT8 and FT4 on 40-6 metres. QSL direct to home call.

Listen throughout August for stations with the suffix D-O-G as they
publicize the poor state of stray animal care across many countries.
For the International Dog Day, which will be marked on 26th of August,
listen for K2D operating from various US states. See dogdayradio (dot)
ORG for full details.

Listen for Seth, N4XTT, operating holiday style as J6/N4XTT from St.
Lucia, IOTA Number NA-108, from the 10th through to the 17th of August.
He will be using CW, SSB, FT8 and FT4 on 40-10 metres. See QRZ.com for
QSL details.

Luca, IU3MDI is active as ZA/IU3MDI [ZED AY STROKE EYE YOU 3 EMM DEE
EYE] from Shkoder, Albania until the 17th of August. He is using CW,
SSB and FT8 on 40-10 meters. See QSL details on QRZ.com

(425 DXBULLETIN, DXWORLD)

**

KICKER: FOR THIS HAM, IT HAS BEEN THE SWEETEST CENTURY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our final story for this week is about the enduring
power of amateur radio and the enduring love of those who have a
license for it. Meet a YL who has achieved recognition, just as she
turns 100 years old. Jim Damron N8TMW introduces her to us.

JIM: If you tried to add up the number of ham radio operators in North
Carolina who either got or upgraded their license after an exam
supervised by volunteer examiner Dorothy McCracken, you might find the mathematics a bit challenging. You might also find it difficult to
total how many hopeful radio operators received her guidance as a
volunteer instructor.

Along with her husband, Lewis WA4MTY, who is now a Silent Key, Dot
spent many years assisting those in the western Piedmont region who
were ready to take their FCC tests and hopefully get on the air.
According to her daughter, Janet, she also traveled all over the
country with Lewis, giving license exams where their presence was
needed. Dot, who now has the callsign AD4D, knows well how amateur
radio can make a good life even better -- at the age of 100.

Just days after reaching that one-century milestone in July, Dot
received one more: she was presented with a plaque from the ARRL's
North Carolina section manager, Marv Hoffman, WA4NC. The plaque was
inscribed with the section's SUGAR award - an acronym for "Supporting, Upgrading, Growing Amateur Radio."

First licensed in 1985 as Extra Class operator KI4JM, she passed the 20
wpm code part of the test at a time when women were not always viewed
as proficient CW ops. She not only mastered CW but went on to embrace
portable operating, going camping with her husband and getting on
theair.

Now, after all those decades, Dot has received the equivalent of a very
large QSL card from amateur radio itself: The plaque that hangs on the
wall of her room in a North Carolina rehabilitation facility: It's the
SUGAR Award -- and how sweet it is.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW

(THE MOUNTAINEER, MARV HOFFMAN, WA4NC)

**
JUST SAY 'HI' TO HAIKU

If a good day of radio is like poetry to you, pick up a pencil and join
the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. Share your experience by
sending an original haiku to us here at Newsline. Use the entry form on
our website, arnewsline.org and please follow the rules for writing
your three-line haiku -- sorry but we cannot accept any entries that
aren't written in traditional haiku form. Share with fellow listeners
the poetry that is inspired by your ham radio experience!

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to AMSAT News Service; ARRL Eastern
Pennsylvania Section; Amateur Radio Daily; CQ Magazine; David Behar
K7DB; Economic Times; 425DXNews; FCC; NASA; the Mountaineer; Marv
Hoffman, WA4NC; NZNet News; QRZ.com; Radio World; shortwaveradio.de;
the WRTC; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio
Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its
continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our
website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also
remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a
5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. 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 2024. All rights reserved.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)