home bbs files messages ]

Just a sample of the Echomail archive

Cooperative anarchy at its finest, still active today. Darkrealms is the Zone 1 Hub.

   HAM      Amateur Radio Interest      13,334 messages   

[   << oldest   |   < older   |   list   |   newer >   |   newest >>   ]

   Message 13,324 of 13,334   
   Rug Rat to All   
   ARNewsline Report 2519 06FEB2026   
   07 Feb 26 09:40:46   
   
   MSGID: 1:135/250@fidonet 69875d03   
   PID: C-NET AMIGA BBS 5.36b   
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2519 for Friday, February 6th, 2026   
        
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2519 with a release date of Friday,   
   February 6th, 2026 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
   The following is a QST.  The Bouvet Island DXpedition team announces a delay.   
   Four hams are among those who will track the flight of Artemis 2 -- and a   
   Groundhog Day special event station covers some ground. All this and more as   
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2519 comes your way right now.   
      
   **   
      
   BILLBOARD CART   
      
   **   
   DELAY FOR BOUVET ISLAND 3YØK DXPEDITION   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Our top story is the Bouvet Island. The DXpedition to the most   
   remote uninhabited island on our planet is facing a delay. Graham Kemp VK4BB   
   picks up the story from here.   
      
   GRAHAM: If youre keeping your ears tuned for the start of the 3YØK DXpedition   
   to Bouvet Island, the thing youre going to need more than good propagation,   
   sufficient power, a good antenna and, of course, good timing ispatience. The   
   teams plans have been delayed by about two weeks, according to their website.   
   Their sailing vessel is undergoing additional maintenance to secure it for the   
   journey to the remote island. The team writes: [quote] While this delay is   
   disappointing, the safety of our team remains our highest priority. [Endquote]   
      
   According to the team, nothing else about the teams game plan has changed and   
   after three years of planning, they are looking forward to being QRV before   
   too long.   
      
   This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.   
      
   (3YØK WEBSITE)   
      
   **   
   4 HAMS AMONG THOSE CHOSEN TO TRACK ARTEMIS 2 FLIGHT   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: The Artemis 2 crewed test flight, which was to have lifted off   
   sometime early this month, has been delayed by NASA after the discovery of   
   several issues, including hydrogen leaks in the space-launch system tanks.   
   Meanwhile, as the agency conducts a review and reschedules a launch for March,   
   the space agency has announced that its newly chosen group of volunteers to   
   track the Artemis 2 includes four amateur radio operators. Don Wilbanks AE5DW   
   tells us who they are.   
      
   DON: Thirty-four volunteers from around the world have been chosen by the US   
   Space Agency to track the Orion spacecraft and its crew of four astronauts   
   during the scheduled Artemis 2 test flight. NASA has said that this mission,   
   which includes a trip around the moon, plays a vital role in setting the stage   
   for a return to exploration of the lunar surface. The mission is also viewed   
   as paving the way for the first crewed Mars mission.    
      
   Four amateur radio operators are among the 34 observers chosen by NASA in a   
   group that also includes universities, government agencies and private   
   companies. The Canadian Space Agency and the German Aerospace Center are among   
   those chosen. Von Storch Engineering in the Netherlands and Intuitive Machines   
   in Houston, Texas are among the commercial entities selected. Academic   
   institutions include the University of Zurich's Physics Department in   
   Switzerland and the University of New Brunswick in Canada.   
      
   The four hams are  Chris Swier [pron: SWEER], K1FSD of South Dakota; Dan   
   Slater, AG6HF, and Loretta Smalls, AJ6HO, both of California; and Scott   
   Tilley, VE7TIL of British Columbia, Canada. The hams will be using their radio   
   equipment to track transmissions from the Orion over the course of its 10 days   
   in space.   
      
   This is Don Wilbanks AE5DW.   
      
   (NASA)   
      
   **   
      
   AN OPEN-SOURCE EFFORT TO SALVAGE HAMCLOCK   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Fans of the HamClock shack accessory are still shaken by the   
   death of its developer - and now they are working hard to preserve his legacy,   
   as we hear from Kevin Trotman N5PRE.   
      
   KEVIN: With last month's tragic death of HamClock developer, Elwood Downey,   
   WBØOEW, the clock is ticking - quite literally - on a way to salvage this   
   popular shack accessory so it remains useful beyond its scheduled sunset in   
   June.   
      
   Brian Wilkins, KO4AQF, the developer of an open-source alternative, has posted   
   his work-in-progress on the GitHub website in the hopes of providing realtime   
   HamClock data feeds from publicly available locations, such as PSK reporter,   
   and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.   
      
   The final iteration of HamClock is version 4.22. With no further maintenance   
   possible on its Internet backend, news, propagation updates, DX and other data   
   will no longer be delivered to the device after it sunsets.   
      
   Brian was not involved in the creation of the original HamClock but said that   
   this replacement project, a free, open-source, Linux-based system, is an   
   outgrowth of [quote] "my own motivation and passion." [endquote]   
      
   He told Newsline in an email that [quote] "the goal is preservation, not   
   reinvention - keeping HamClock working exactly as intended for years to come."   
   [endquote]   
      
   To see the work that is under way, follow the link in the text version of this   
   week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org   
      
   [DO NOT READ:  https://github.com/BrianWilkinsFL/open-hamclock-backend   ]   
      
   This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.   
      
   (STEVE STROH N8GNJ, BRIAN WILKINS, KO4AQF)   
      
   **   
   BRAZIL'S HAMS MARK ANNIVERSARY WITH SSTV, SPECIAL EVENT STATION   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Hams in Brazil are marking the anniversary of the national   
   organization that represents them with a slow-scan TV event and a separate   
   monthlong activation of special anniversary callsigns. We have those details   
   from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   JEREMY: When the Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão, or LABRE, the   
   league of Brazilian Amateur Radio Transmitters, was created in 1934 to   
   represent its national radio amateurs, it would be almost three decades before   
   anyone would have the use of amateur radio satellites. Now, however, hams in   
   Brazil have a choice of many such satellites - and to celebrate the 92nd   
   anniversary of the league's founding, they have chosen the Russian CubeSat   
   UmKA-1, or RS40S, to transmit SSTV imagery between the 6th and 9th of February.   
      
   The transmissions are on 437.625 MHz and the SSTV mode is Robot36 sent every   
   three minutes. Any operator who receives the imagery will be eligible for a   
   special certificate.   
      
   Hams with a more terrestrial interest are being invited to chase 28 special   
   anniversary callsigns that are on the air from the 1st of February through to   
   the 1st of March. The callsigns represent each region of Brazil and, according   
   to a Facebook post, present [quote] " a unique opportunity for fellowship,   
   cultural and technical exchange, and friendshipvalues that have always been at   
   the heart of LABRE." [endquote]   
      
   This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.   
      
   (LABRE, AMATEUR NEWS DAILY, FACEBOOK)   
      
   **   
   TROPHY EVENT CELEBRATES HISTORIC SATELLITE QSO   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: With the QSO they made via the OSCAR III satellite in March of   
   1965, a ham in Switzerland and a ham in Germany changed the shape of satellite   
   QSOs to come: It was a first for amateur radio - and one that AMSAT-HB in   
   Switzerland is again honoring with the HB9RG Trophy. John Williams VK4BB has   
   those details.   
      
   JOHN: There was not yet a global satellite community when Hans Rudolf Lauber,   
   HB9RG, and Alfons Haring, DL6EZA, made their pioneering satellite QSO in 1965.   
   That moment gave rise to a new era for ham radio and in the years that   
   followed, as more satellites populated the skies, the international community   
   developed a zest for working "the birds."   
      
   AMSAT-HB's trophy, which bears Hans Rudolf Lauber's callsign, is an honour   
   conferred for achieving DX via ham radio satellite between the 2nd and the   
   15th of March. The competition is timed to coincide with the original two-day   
   contact made on March 10th, 1965. Only QSOs via    
   low- medium- and highly elliptical earth orbit satellites will be permitted.   
   On the final day, hams will be permitted to use a geostationary satellite for   
   a single contact with HB9RG, the bonus station.   
      
   For details and rules, follow the link in the text version of this week's   
   Newsline script at arnewsline.org.   
      
   This is John Williams VK4JJW.   
      
   [DO NOT READ: https://www.amsat-hb.org/hb9rg_trophy/hb9rg_trophy_2026   ]   
      
   (AMSAT NEWS)   
      
   **   
   WINTER FIELD DAY: FROM SIMULATION TO ACTIVATION   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Like the ARRL's annual Field Day, Winter Field Day provides an   
   opportunity for portable operation only in winter environments during the last   
   weekend of January. For Amateur Radio operators in the Pittsburgh,   
   Pennsylvania area, however, simulation changed to activation while   
   participating in this years event. Randy Sly W4XJ tells us more.   
      
   RANDY: Eddie Misiewicz, KB3YRU, was with a group of fellow hams for Winter   
   Field Day on Sunday, January 25th, when he was notified by the Warning   
   Coordination Meteorologist for the Pittsburgh Weather Forecast Office to   
   activate SKYWARN for Winter Storm reports.    
      
   Eddie, who is a SKYWARN coordinator and volunteer, told Newsline that stations   
   from 35 counties across the region got on the air, averaging 150 snowfall and   
   condition reports from each of the counties. Amateur participation came from   
   Central Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, as well as the Northern and Northern   
   Panhandle of West Virginia.   
      
   Of course, this is why drills like Winter Field Day exist. The activation went   
   QRT on Monday evening, January 26th, after 15 continuous hours of being on the   
   air.   
      
   This is Randy Sly, W4XJ   
      
   (EDDIE MISIEWICZ, KB3YRU)   
      
   **   
   BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio   
   Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Caribbean   
   Amateur Radio News Network on 7.139 MHz at 1000 UTC Monday through Saturday   
   and on Sunday at 1600 UTC.   
      
   **   
   REGISTRATION OPENS FOR HAMSCI'S MARCH WORKSHOP   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Registration has opened for the annual HamSCI workshop which   
   this year will be held in Connecticut and hosted by the ARRL on the campus of   
   Central Connecticut State University. The dates are March 14th and 15th.   
      
   The workshop theme is "Discovering Science through Ham Radio," and will   
   showcase how HamSCI's cooperative relationships between researchers, ham radio   
   operators, citizen scientists and students have brought about notable advances   
   in weather studies, propagation sensing and ionospheric research.   
      
   Visitors will have an opportunity to visit the Newington, Connecticut   
   headquarters of the ARRL , where licensed hams will be able to get on the air   
   from the Hiram P. Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW   
      
   Although the two-day event is designed for in-person attendance at the New   
   Britain, Connecticut university campus, plans are in the works to provide   
   opportunities for virtual attendance. Details will be announced close to the   
   date of the workshop. Find registration information at the link in the text   
   version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org   
      
   [DO NOT READ: hamsci.org/hamsci2026.  ]   
      
   (HAMSCI)   
      
   **   
   YLS MARK INT'L WOMEN'S DAY WITH POTA PARTY   
      
   ANCHOR: One of the many amateur radio events happening around the time of   
   International Womens Day in March will be near New York States scenic Erie   
   Canal. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us what's being planned.   
      
   ANDY: Its a YL POTA Party - and this one on Saturday, March 7th isnt just for   
   licensed amateurs but those who are interested in experiencing the beauty of   
   Pineway Ponds Park in Spencerport, New York. The site along the Erie Canal is   
   designated US-6532 within the POTA system. YLs will be spending the day at the   
   cabin known as Owens Lodge within the park.   
      
   The organizers, Angela N3ARB and Matt K2EAG, have invited YLs of all ages to   
   participate and either bring their own radios or share others rigs. The   
   starting time is 9 a.m. and everyone will be permitted to stay until the parks   
   9 p.m. closing time. This is an independent event and is not sponsored by the   
   Parks on the Air organization. International Womens Day is observed this year   
   on Sunday, March 8th.   
      
   The YL POTA Party is timed to coincide with International Womens Day, which   
   provides an opportunity for YLs to celebrate women in amateur radio.   
      
   If you are interested, send an email to Angela N3ARB and Matt K2EAG at Brown   
   at brownbuffalo dot com. (brown@brownbuffalo.com)   
      
   This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.   
      
   (ANGELA, N3ARB, AND MATT, K2EAG)   
      
   **   
   YLRL MAKES HIGHER-ED SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: The Young Ladies' Radio League is looking to award   
   scholarships to promising YLs who want to advance their education. Jack Parker   
   W8ISH has the details.   
      
   JACK: For the next two months, the Young Ladies Radio League will be reviewing   
   scholarship applications from qualified YLs who are pursuing advanced degrees,   
   preferably in subjects relevant to communication or radio. The application   
   period opened on the 1st of February and closes on the 1st of April. YLs   
   holding valid amateur radio licenses anywhere in the world are eligible for   
   any of three scholarships. Preference is being given to YLs who are members of   
   the YLRL.   
      
   The Ethel Smith, K4LMB, Memorial Scholarship and the Mary Lou Brown, NM7N   
   Memorial Scholarship both provide $2,500 each toward a students full-time   
   pursuit of a bachelors or graduate degree at any accredited university.    
      
   Students who are enrolled in part-time studies can apply for the Martha   
   Wessel, KØEPE, Memorial Scholarship. Those students must be involved in   
   full-time work or have roles as family caregivers or stay-at-home parents.   
      
   For details or an application form, visit the YLRL website at ylrl.net and   
   search for scholarships.   
      
   This is Jack Parker W8ISH.   
      
   (YOUNG LADIES RADIO LEAGUE)   
      
   **   
   WORLD OF DX   
      
   In the World of DX, Heli, DDØVR is on the air as D4VR from Cape Verde   
   throughout February.  He will operate QRP with "high efficient antennas" from   
   Boa Vista, IOTA Number AF-086, on the 6th through to the 11th of February and    
   again on the 19th through to the 21st. Listen for him operating from  Sao   
   Tiago, IOTA Number AF-005, on the 11th through to the 18th of February.   
      
   Michael, OE6MBG, is using the callsign 3B8/OE6MBG from Mauritius, IOTA Number   
   AF-049, until the 23rd of February. Listen for him on 80 and 40 metres, where   
   is he using CW, SSB and some FT8/FT4.   
      
   A team of operators using the callsign 8R1WA  will be active from Guyana from   
   the 19th through to the 27th of February. The team includes Alex IZØEGA, Paolo   
   IZØEVI, Diego IZØEWJ and Luca IZ6DSQ. They will operate SSB and  FT8 on 160-6   
   metres.   
      
   Phill, FK1TS  is on the air as C21TS from Nauru, IOTA Number OC-031,  until   
   sometime in July. He is operating mainly FT8 but may try some SSB.   
      
   See the stations' pages on QRZ.com for QSL information and other operating   
   details.   
      
   (425 DX BULLETIN)   
      
   **   
   KICKER: A STATION WELL-GROUNDED BY A GROUNDHOG   
      
   SKEETER/ANCHOR: Just like amateur radio operators, Punxsutawney Phil, the   
   famous American weather-predicting groundhog, needs the sun's cooperation to   
   do his job every February. This year, as every year since the 1960s, hams in   
   Pennsylvania were with him every step of the way. Jim Davis, W2JKD, ends our   
   newscast with with this tribute to the weathercasting rodent.   
      
   JIM: A shadow was cast over the scene on February 2nd as Punxsutawney Phil,   
   newly emerged from his burrow, looked down with sleepy eyes and saw the dark   
   outline of his likeness. By tradition, that signals six more weeks of winter   
   here in the Northern Hemisphere.   
      
   The Punxsutawney Area Amateur Radio Club, K3HWJ, who get on the air each year   
   for a special event to mark this winter ritual, did what Phil could not: they   
   were able to stay warm and comfy in their burrows. Judy Smith, KC3JAS, who   
   operated from home on Monday - Groundhog Day - told Newsline that her husband   
   reported temperatures, including wind chill, of minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit -   
   that's minus 23 Centigrade - on the final day of the three-day activation. He   
   told the seasoned POTA operator that she needed to stay indoors. She told   
   Newsline [quote] "I was disappointed, to say the least." [endquote]   
      
   Phil's wintry prediction also disappointed many observers, including hams who   
   were either snowbound or tired of the freezing cold, Phil was not winning a   
   popularity contest anywhere.   
      
   The event itself did not disappoint anyone, however. Judy said that she and   
   the other three operators, Bill Latta, KA3MKY, Dale Wood, KC3NFD and Mike   
   Brennan KC2EGI, found the bands "amazing" for some of the time. The club   
   logged a total of 556 contacts, most of them on SSB.   
      
   For the groundhog, this was nothing to lose sleep over: With the event over,   
   Phil reportedly went right back into hibernation.   
      
   This is Jim Davis, W2JKD.   
      
   (JUDY SMITH, KC3JAS)   
      
   **   
   Is 2026 the year YOUR ham radio haiku will be chosen to appear on the Newsline   
   website? It can't happen unless you write one and send it in to us. Visit our   
   website at arnewsline.org and as you compose your ode to your favorite   
   on-the-air activity, we will help you use the correct number of syllables to   
   make an authentic haiku. Submit your work and then sit back and wait to hear   
   whether your inspired haiku will be highlighted on our website, where everyone   
   can read it.   
      
   NEWSCAST CLOSE   
      
   With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily, Angela N3ARB; David Behar, K7DB;  425DX   
   Bulletin; HamSCI; Judy Smith, KC3JAS; Matt, K2EAG; NASA; Northern Arizona DX   
   Association; QRZ.com Forums; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; 3YØK Website;   
   Wireless Institute of Australia; Young Ladies Radio League; 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 Skeeter Nash N5ASH in Jonesboro Arkansas saying 73.   
   As always we thank you for listening. We wish all our listeners the very best   
   for the year ahead in 2026. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2026.   
   Amateur Radio Newsline retains ownership of its material even when   
   retransmitted elsewhere. All rights are reserved.   
      
   ** Support BBSs.  This ARNewsline report is available in for download on The   
   Rat's Den Amiga!   
      
   Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)   
   Blog and Forums  - www.catracing.org   
   IMAGE BBS! 3.0   - bbs.catracing.org 6400   
   C-Net Amiga BBS  - bbs.catracing.org 6840   
   --- CNet/5   
    * Origin: The Rat's Den BBS (1:135/250)   
   SEEN-BY: 1/120 4/0 18/0 200 19/10 90/0 93/1 104/119 105/81 106/201   
   SEEN-BY: 114/10 116/116 120/616 123/0 25 126 180 525 755 3001 3002   
   SEEN-BY: 128/187 129/14 305 135/0 115 205 220 240 250 260 363 384   
   SEEN-BY: 135/385 390 391 153/757 7715 154/10 30 50 110 700 218/700   
   SEEN-BY: 218/840 220/20 90 221/1 6 360 222/2 226/18 20 30 44 50 227/114   
   SEEN-BY: 229/110 112 134 200 206 300 307 310 312 317 400 426 428 470   
   SEEN-BY: 229/664 700 705 250/1 266/512 275/1000 291/111 292/854 301/1   
   SEEN-BY: 320/219 322/757 335/364 341/66 200 203 207 234 342/200 343/107   
   SEEN-BY: 396/45 460/58 633/280 712/848 1321 900/0 106 902/0 6 19 26   
   SEEN-BY: 904/0 13 905/0 2320/105 3634/0 12 27 56 57 58 60 61 119 5020/400   
   SEEN-BY: 5075/35   
   PATH: 135/250 115 3634/12 154/10 221/6 341/66 902/26 229/426   
      

[   << oldest   |   < older   |   list   |   newer >   |   newest >>   ]


(c) 1994,  bbs@darkrealms.ca