Welcome to the Monday edition of “Big Island ARRL News”. In this post, I’ll feature the latest Amateur/Ham Radio news from the UK-based Southgate Amateur Radio Club and some interesting events being planned for Hawaii Island radio amateurs. Views expressed in this Amateur/Ham Radio news summary are those of the reporters and correspondents.
First, we turn to some of the trending events happening in the world of Amateur/Ham Radio. This post covers the period of 25 January 2019 to 28 January 2019.
Please click link or scroll down to read your selections.
News for Monday 28 January
Bouvet Island DXpedition – Fake news reports OPDX report that on January 23rd, the Rebel DX Group posted strong messages (on their FaceBook & Web pages) as well as a video about bogus news being reported on their planned operation to Bouvet Island. Here are their following posts/press releases which have been edited (due to language)
PocketRxTx v3 from Dan Toma YO3GGX released
For all those who would like to try remote control of their rig from their Android smart phone or Tablet or possibly would like to have a WebSDR in their pocket, PocketRxTx version 3.0 has been released today to Google Play
Repeater Timeout kit launched Essex-based online store HAMtronics UK launched their new Repeater Timeout kit at the recent Langdon Hills Progression Night
Ham radio vital during disasters
Ham radio enthusiasts are training volunteers on how to operate the radios to help out in emergency situations
Why ham radio still has an enduring appeal
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation CBC reports amateur radio is not just a hobby. In a crisis, amateur radio operators provide a lifeline
Ground Hog Day special event
Look for the annual ‘Ground Hog Day Special Event Station‘, K3HWJ, to be active on Saturday, February 2nd, around 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (EST) or possibly later, depending upon band conditions at that time
DXCC Country/Entity Report
According to the Amateur Radio Cluster Network for the week of Sunday, 20th January, through Sunday, 27th January there were 218 countries active
IOTA news from OPDX Weekly IOTA News – compiled by Tedd Mirgliotta, KB8NW, editor of the Ohio/Penn DX Bulletin
News for Sunday 27 January
QSO Today – Fred Lloyd AA7BQ Fred Lloyd, AA7BQ, is the creator of perhaps the Internet’s oldest ham radio resource, QRZ.com
With over 700 thousand subscribers, QRZ.com is the goto place for hams wanting to look up other hams in its callsign database
Radio amateurs are always ready
No matter what crisis situation, in the event of a failure of electricity and telecommunications networks, radio amateurs are the first to re-establish contact with the outside world
Only four days for your award nominations and motions
The closing date for nominations for SARL Awards and trophies, motions for discussion at the AGM and nominations to serve on Council is midnight on Thursday 31 January 2019
Beaches on the Air (BOTA) Sidney Friedman, ZS5SID has compiled a list of Blue Flag beaches in South Africa and submitted the list to Beaches on the Air
AO-85 operations re-started – telemetry requested
As of 1324Z on January 26, control operator N8MH reported via Twitter that AO-85 has been returned to transponder mode, but will likely be switching in and out of safe mode. The satellite is open for use as power permits
Four-man team bound for Saba Island
Operators Bob K4UEE, Tim K5AC, Jeff NM1Y and Ned WC4X will be active as PJ6A from Jolieville, Saba Island (NA-145), during the ARRL CW DX Contest (February 16-17th) as a Multi-Single/Low-Power entry
News for Saturday 26 January
Foundations of Amateur Radio #190 Brand New Callsign – Today I have a new callsign, it’s exciting, special, kind of strange, to be known as something other than VK6FLAB
Australian AX calls
Under a permanent agreement with the Australian Communications and Media Authority, all Australian radio amateurs may use the alternative AX callsign prefix instead of VK on Australia Day, Saturday January 26.
John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, is new ARRL West Gulf Division Director John Robert Stratton, N5AUS, of Austin, Texas, is the new ARRL West Gulf Division Director. Stratton, the incumbent Vice Director, moved up to the Director’s chair after Director Dr. David Woolweaver, K5RAV, announced his immediate retirement during the ARRL Board of Directors meeting January 18-19
VK6WIA NewsWest
This week’s theme is contesting and we have ideas on setting up a portable station, details on contesting champions and segments to get you thinking about taking part in the John Moyle field day, a world wide rtty contest, the commonwealth contest for cw or the arrl dx ssb competition
WIA Board Comment
The WIA this month met with the Department of Communications and the Arts (DOCA) to discuss radio amateur representation at the forthcoming World Radio Conference 2019 (WRC-19)
Propagation de K7RA
Sunspot group 2733 appeared on Tuesday with a sunspot number of 18, and on Wednesday it increased in size with a sunspot number of 19, which was also the sunspot number on Thursday, January 24
ARRL statement on Amateur Radio Parity Act
At its annual meeting January 18-19, the ARRL Board of Directors decided that the organization needs to “review, re-examine, and reappraise ARRL’s regulatory and legislative policy with regard to private land use restrictions
ISWL callsigns for February
The following ISWL club callsigns will be used throughout the month of February 2019
Break your scope’s bandwidth barrier
Oscilloscope bandwidth is a tricky thing. A 100 MHz scope will have a defined attenuation (70%) of a 100 MHz sine wave. That’s not really the whole picture, though, because we aren’t always measuring sine waves. A 100 MHz square wave, for example, will have sine wave components at 100 MHz, 300 MHz, and the other odd harmonics
DX News from the ARRL
The American Radio Relay League’s round-up of the forthcoming week’s DX activity on the amateur radio bands
Hawaii Island Amateur/Ham Radio notes:
The Original Big Island of Hawaii International Swap Meet/Ham Fest is set for Saturday, 02 January 2019 at the Waimea Community Center, next to the ball field off the Mamalahoa Highway in Waimea (Kamuela). The event is sponsored by the Kohala Hamakua Radio Club and will include a swap meet, vendor sales, an EMCOMM Forum, and VE testing for new and upgraded amateur radio license. For details, contact Steve Milner (WH6N) at this email address: wh6n@arrl.net
Doug Wilson (KH6DQ) has announced this year’s free amateur radio Technician License courses. Here are the starting dates: 6:30 p,m,, 08 February 2019, at the Aupuni Center in Hilo; 14 March 2019 at the West Hawaii Civic Center in Kona; 23 May 2019 in Waimea (place to be announced later); 17 October 2019 at the Keaau Community Center; 19-26 April 2019 and 03 May-10 May-17 May-24 May 2019 at the Discovery Harbor in Ka’u. For more information, please contact Doug at this email address: douscelle@aol.com
The Puna Emergency Radio Club (PERC) needs Hawaii Island radio amateurs to help support communications for the Sunday 17 March 2019 Big Island International Marathon in Hilo, Hawaii. If you’d like to help, please contact comms coordinator Sean Fendt (KH6SF) at 430-1884 or via email at: sean@sfendt.net
Alan Maenchen (AD6E/KH6TU) is now taking registrations for his April 2019 online CW class. According to Alan, the class “is an on-line video chat meeting twice a week for eight weeks for an hour each. Since this is an internet based virtual classroom, no commute is needed. You can do this from home. Technician class hams can participate and practice their skills on their 80,40, 15, and 10M CW allocations.” For more information, please visit this site:
For the latest Amateur/Ham Radio news and information, please check the blog sidebars and links. These news feeds are updated daily and weekly. Thanks for joining us today.
Retired News director of Pacific Radio Group Radio Stations on Hawaii-the Big Island. I have more than 40 years of broadcast experience, including positons at KTUH-FM (UH-Manoa), KPOI-FM (Honolulu). KHLO-AM (Hilo), KKBG-FM (KBIG-FM)(Hilo/Kona), KAPA-FM (Hilo-Kona). Native-FM (Hilo-Kona), and ESPN Hawaii (Hilo-Kona). Former University of Hawaii-Hilo librarian. Retired Air Force Officer. Amateur (Ham) Radio operator since 1977 (currently holds the Amateur Extra Class License from the FCC-KH6JRM).... Can read, write, and speak Russian. Retired on 30 September 2011, but still maintains a Hawaii Island News Blog.
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