<*>[Attachment(s) from James-KB7TBT included below]   
      
      
      
   	   
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2005, April 1, 2016   
      
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline report number 2005 with a release date of Friday,    
   April 1, 2016 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.   
      
      
      
   The following is a QST. Radio amateurs reach out in supportfriendship to    
   terrorist-hit Brussels. Hams share their memories of a childhood radio    
   colleague, the late comic actor Garry Shandling. Georgia prepares for    
   its 55th annual QSO Party. And oh yes, it's April 1, and that means our    
   special correspondent, Pierre Pullinmyleg, is back with some big news.    
   That is, if you can believe it. All this and more in Amateur Radio    
   Newsline Report 2006 coming your way right now.   
      
      
      
   (Billboard Cart Here and Intro)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   BRUSSELS BOMBING   
      
      
      
   JIM: We open this week's newscast with two stories in the aftermath of    
   the deadly blasts in Brussels on March 22. In the first report, from    
   Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, we hear how one radio    
   amateur's life was touched - almost too closely - by the tragic events.   
      
      
      
   JEREMY: Longtime contester and DXpeditioner Olivier, ON4EI, has faced a    
   number of challenges during his more than 20 years on the air, but    
   perhaps the greatest challenge in the Belgian ham's life came during his    
   moments off the air in Ireland on Tuesday, the 22nd of March. That day,    
   his wife phoned him in Ireland from the family's home city of Brussels    
   to say she and the couple's 8-year-old twins had been just a short    
   distance away from the deadly bombs detonated a short time earlier at    
   the Brussels Airport. The family ran to safety just in time as the    
   second blast went off.   
      
      
      
   Olivier's wife and daughters were not injured but he left Ireland for    
   Brussels the next day to bring his family back to Ireland with him on    
   Friday, the 25 of March, for the Easter holiday.   
      
      
      
   Olivier then announced on his QRZ page that he would still proceed with    
   his plans to operate as EI1A during the WPX contest that weekend - the    
   26 and 27 of March - writing that his decision [QUOTE] "represents the    
   resistance and a beacon signal of liberty in memory of Brussels bombings    
   victims on 22 March 2016." [ENDQUOTE]   
      
      
      
   For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK.   
      
      
      
   JIM: The Brussels bombings also spurred a heartfelt note of sympathy,    
   from one longtime ally to another: Belgium and Australia have been    
   closes since their soldiers fought together during World War I. Amateur    
   Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us more.   
      
      
      
   GRAHAM: A message from Fred Swainston, vice president of the Wireless    
   Institute of Australia, has assured colleagues in Belgium that the WIA    
   stands in sympathy with the nation, a longtime ally, and most especially    
   with the Royal Belgian Amateur Radio Union.   
      
      
      
   The letter says, in part [QUOTE] "We are saddened to hear the news of    
   the terrorist attacks in your country. This short note is to say that    
   our thoughts and prayers are with you, the Belgian people and those who    
   have been lost or injured by these despicable acts." [ENDQUOTE]   
      
      
      
   The Belgian radio union was an active participant in the WIA's recent    
   ANZAC 100 program marking the centenary of the Australian and New    
   Zealand Army Corps. The two nations' enduring, close relationship will    
   again be marked on ANZAC Day, Monday the 25 of April, in Belgium at the    
   Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood, just south of Zonnebeke.    
   Cemetery markers represent some 2,108 Commonwealth servicemen, who are    
   either buried or commemorated there, from the first World War.   
      
      
      
   For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.   
      
      
      
   (SOUTHGATE, BELGIUM EMBASSY IN AUSTRALIA)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   A TRIBUTE TO GARRY SHANDLING, WA7BKG/KQ6KA   
      
      
      
   JIM: Late last month, the entertainment world lost a major talent with    
   the death of Garry Shandling. But the news also hit hard for many in the    
   amateur world, especially those who knew Shandling as a young ham. We    
   hear from two of them: First from a New Yorker with whom he developed a    
   long-lasting, long-distance friendship. He spoke with Amateur Radio    
   Newsline's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.   
      
      
      
   KENT:The news of the sudden passing of actor and comedian Garry    
   Shandling, had a very special significance to one person in the ham    
   community, Alan Davis K2WS   
      
      
      
   ALAN: It started in the fall of 1965, I was a fairly active ham radio    
   operator. it was just serendipity. We got to be friends.  I have my old    
   log books in front of me, we'd talk weekly.   
      
      
      
   KENT: Shandling's call back then?   
      
      
      
   ALAN: WA7BKG   
      
      
      
   KENT: That's right, Gary Shandling was a ham radio operator who had    
   regular QSOs with Davis over 40 years ago. They developed a long    
   distance ham radio friendship   
      
      
      
   ALAN: At one point Garry said why don't you come out to the house? And I    
   told him that I have a disability and he said, "no problem, we'll take    
   care of you."   
      
      
      
   KENT: Davis said Shandling was a jokester right from the start.   
      
      
      
   ALAN: I know he had a sense of humor, Garry had his dad print up this    
   award, the Dipple Award, dated February 1966, "for his oustanding    
   display of ignorance beyond the capability of any other radio amateur    
   for causing undue interference on the amateur radio spectrum. Keep up    
   the bad work." And on the lower left hand side was Garry Shandling's    
   signature, "Chief of Dipple Registration." He wouldn't send these things    
   out. It was just a joke. We all knew that. But it was hilarious.   
      
      
      
   KENT: Four years later Davis once again paid Shandling a visit.   
      
      
      
   ALAN: And at that time he told me he was doing gigs in Las Vegas .. I    
   didn't get it.   
      
      
      
   KENT: But Shandling did go on to a successful career as a comedian,    
   actor and   
   writer, winning five Emmy awards.   
      
      
      
   ALAN: He could joke around, but on the inside he as a great guy. I'm    
   getting a little emotional.   
      
      
      
   That's Alan Davis K2WS recalling his old ham radio friend Garry    
   Shandling WA7BKG and later KQ6KA who passed away after suffering an    
   apparent heart attack on March 24th.  Shandling was 66.   
      
      
      
   For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.   
      
      
      
   JIM DAMRON: Amateur Radio Newsline's Jim Massara, N2EST, spoke with one    
   longtime friend of the Shandling family in his Arizona hometown where    
   his young friends knew him as a good pal and a jokester.   
      
      
      
   JIM MASSARA'S REPORT:   
      
      
      
   Garry Shandling grew up in Tucson, Arizona. As a teenager, that's where    
   he earned his first ham-radio license in 1964 -- first as a Novice,    
   WN7BKG, and later as WA7BKG when he upgraded to General.   
      
      
      
   An old family friend who asked not to be identified tells Newsline that    
   Shandling was part of a group of teens who all got their tickets at the    
   same time. Once licensed, they would hang out together, sometimes at    
   Garry's shack, which his parents had built for him in the family    
   carport. There, they'd get on the air and make contacts, mostly on 40    
   and 20 meters.   
      
      
      
   Shandling and the other teenagers also hung out at a local ham-radio    
   club, where they were most definitely noticed. "We would go to the local    
   club in Tucson, sit in the back, and make fun of the old hams,"    
   according to the family friend. It got them kicked out of meetings more    
   than once. Shandling, no doubt, was practicing for a future career.   
      
      
      
   A few years later, Shandling enrolled at the University of Arizona,    
   where he first majored in electrical engineering but later completed his    
   degree in marketing. That led to post-grad studies in creative writing    
   and later a move to Los Angeles, where the rest, as they say, is history.   
      
      
      
   Although many of those teenaged hams are still hams and still friends,    
   over the years Shandling fell out of touch with most of them, and    
   eventually he let his license lapse. But Shandling's old family friend    
   says a mutual acquaintance was very close to getting Garry to take the    
   Tech test and get back on the air. The only problem?  As a celebrity,    
   Shandling was a very private person, and he was always concerned that    
   his distinctive nasal voice would be immediately recognized on the air.   
      
      
      
   Reporting from Atlanta for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Massara, N2EST.   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   BREAK HERE:   
      
      
      
   Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio    
   Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including W9EAR,    
   the EARS Wide Area Repeater Network, in Vincennes (Vinn SENNS) Indiana,    
   on Mondays at 8:30 p.m.   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
   ONE HAM'S DESIGNS ON NATIONAL PARKS   
      
      
      
   National Parks on the Air is a big deal event for the Department of the    
   Interior, but also for Quentin Gardner, WQ7G, of River Heights, Utah.    
   He's been busy designing special QSL cards for each activation in his    
   plans, beginning with the Pony Express Trail, TR15, southwest of Salt    
   Lake City. Listen for him on the air on Tuesday, April 5 at 2000 UTC    
   until Wednesday, April 6, 0200 UTC. He also plans to activate the Golden    
   Spike National Historic Site, NS31, in May, marking the 147th    
   anniversary of the completion of the first Transcontinental    
   Railroad.Yes, there's a custom-designed card for that too - so listen    
   for him from 2000 UTC on Tuesday, May 10 through 0200 UTC on Wednesday,    
   May 11.   
      
      
      
   His other intended sites include Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail,    
   the Fossil Butte National Monument, the California National Historic    
   Trail and the Craters of the Moon National Monument. You might say these    
   national parks aren't just in his plans - they're in the cards.   
      
      
      
   (QRZ.COM)   
      
      
      
      
      
   FOOLS RUSH IN - OR MAYBE NOT - IN PECULIAR, MISSOURI   
      
      
      
   JIM: In Missouri, the Southside Amateur Radio Club has been making it    
   clear that their special event station on April 1 is anything but a    
   prank. Amateur Radio Newsline's Skeeter Nash, N5ASH, explains.   
      
      
      
   SKEETER: It's Peculiar.....And that's exactly what it's supposed to be.    
   The QTH, in fact, is Peculiar, Missouri and the operators are hams from    
   the Southside Amateur Radio Club. Now, these amateurs are no fools;    
   they're marking April 1 by going on the air from Peculiar's Fire    
   Protection District Station on South Main Street, starting Friday, April    
   1 at 1900 CDT right through 1700 CDT on Saturday April 2.   
      
      
      
   Work one of them successfully and you'll get a custom QSL card    
   celebrating yet another April Fool's ham radio event.   
      
      
      
   To hear them, start listening on 80 meters, around 3920 kHz, on 40    
   meters, around 7220 kHz, on 20 meters around 14220 kHz and on 17 meters    
   around 18120 kHz. They'll also be on 15 meters around 21320 and 10    
   meters around 28420 kHz - all plus  or minus 20 kHz.   
      
      
      
   Listen carefully - or your attempt at an April 1 QSO might just end up    
   being a fool's errand. And that's no joke.   
      
      
      
   For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Skeeter Nash, N5ASH in Topeka, Kansas.   
      
      
      
      
      
   (SOUTHSIDE AMATEUR RADIO CLUB   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   RADIO'S OLD TIMERS: LIVE LONG AND PROPAGATE   
      
      
      
   Ham radio helps you live longer, right? Well, Laurie, G2BUP and Fred,    
   G6YUY are two amateurs in the UK who won't dispute that notion. They're    
   the very newest among the newscomers to join the Radio Amateur Old    
   Timers Association's 40 meter net, and their appearances on the band on    
   Thursday, March 24 marked a special occasion: Both had turned 100 years    
   old in recent weeks.   
      
      
      
   The RAOTA, of course, is not taking any chances on missing this    
   opportunity talk up the participation of these most senior junior members.   
      
      
      
   The association wrote on its website, "although there is no direct    
   evidence of casuality, perhaps being part of RAOTA increases your life    
   expectancy. Why risk it? Join now!"The club is open to anyone who has    
   been actively involved in Amateur Radio for more than 25 years, whether    
   licensed or not.   
      
      
      
   (WWW.RAOTA.ORG)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   SK: ELMER "BUD" FROHARDT JR., AN ELMER'S ELMER   
      
      
      
   Bud Frohardt Jr., W9DY, wasn't just called an inspiration - he was    
   called an Elmer. In fact, his name was Elmer, and the Madison, Wisconsin    
   ham is widely believed to have been the very Elmer people had in mind    
   when they affectionately referred to the beloved mentors who are the    
   guiding spirits for new licensees.   
      
      
      
   Frohardt, who was a veteran DXer as well as a champion of young    
   licensees, became a Silent Key on March 22.   
      
      
      
   His renown as the ultimate Elmer Among Elmers has its origins in 1971    
   when the late Rod Newkirk, W9BRD, invoked his name in a column in QST    
   Magazine about such mentors. It seemed fitting.   
      
      
      
   A life member of the ARRL, Elmer "Bud" Frohardt Jr. was 93.   
      
      
      
   (ARRL)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
   GEORGIA QSO PARTY PLANNING   
      
      
      
   Fifty-five years after their first Georgia QSO Party, the Southeastern    
   DX Club and the South East Contest Club, are prepping for another which,    
   this year, will happen on Saturday, April 9 through Sunday, April 10.    
   Organizers are expecting all or nearly all of the state's 159 counties    
   to be on the air and ready for contacts. As before, individual awards    
   and certificates will be awarded, along with two club awards: engraved    
   gavels.   
      
      
      
   Computer logging is required and logs should be submitted in Cabrillo    
   format.   
      
      
      
   For more details, visit the website, georgiaqsoparty.org   
      
      
      
      
      
   (Chaz Cone, W4GKF)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   WORLD OF DX   
      
      
      
   These are the last days for DXers to catch Makoto, JA7FGI, who is active    
   until April 4 as XW7FG from Vientiane in Laos. Makoto is working on 80-6    
   meters using SSB, RTTY and PSK31, with a focus on the higher bands. QSL    
   via JA7FGI, by the Bureau or eQSL.   
      
      
      
   Mike, VO1OK, will be active as V31OK from Belize City between April 24    
   and 27 and from Ambergris Caye Island between April 28 and May 3. Mike    
   will be on 40/20/10 meters using SSB. QSL via his home callsign using    
   LoTW or eQSL.   
      
      
      
   Led by Yuris, YL2GM, their team leader, operators will be working as    
   EP2A from the Gilan Province in Iran between April 16 and April 25. They    
   can be heard on 160-6 meters -- but not 60 meters -- and will be using    
   CW, SSB and RTTY. They will have four stations on the air. QSL via YL2GM    
   or by ClubLog's OQRS, either direct or Bureau.   
      
      
      
   (OHIO PENN DX BULLETIN)   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   KICKER: PIERRE PULLINMYLEG'S SPECIAL APRIL 1 REPORT   
      
      
      
      
      
   [ANCHOR/JIM]: The centennial of the nation's parks has opened up new    
   operating challenges to amateurs from coast to coast - and beyond.    
   Honoring the annual tradition of providing an April 1 report each year    
   for Amateur Radio Newsline, our roving correspondent Pierre Pullinmyleg,    
   returns to share this account on his very unpredecented way of working    
   in one of the nation's foremost national parks - Wyoming's Yellowstone.   
      
      
      
      
      
   [PIERRE] Zere is nothing like making ham radio history when you are    
   marking 100 years of America's national parks. And never has zere been a    
   ham radio mode such as what I am working now. I, Pierre Pullinmyleg, am    
   the creator of such a special event mode. It is not PSK or JT-65. Ziss    
   is Geyser Mode. My antenna izz actually zee historic geyser herself, Old    
   Faithful. Zee spouting water, oh she has become my vertical antenna. And    
   that is, shall we say, so very magnifique. [Mmmmmmwwwwwwwah!] Because of    
   zee minerals in ziss water, she transmits my 100-watt signal and zere is    
   very little loss. Well no - zere is actually water loss - lots of    
   splishy splashy so I must wear zee protective plastic trenchcoat during    
   QSOs. And zee park rangers, they think I am maybe Inspector Jacques    
   Clousseau. Ridiculous! Now I have been able to tune ziss geyser to 15,    
   20 and 40 meters but I am having no luck with contacts. I suspect    
   malicious interference. In fact, reports from zee tourists here say zere    
   is another ham's National Parks station and he is operating above    
   something called a supervolcano here in Yellowstone. Mon Dieu! He is    
   using ziss volcanic hotspot to power his linear amplifier. Sacre bleu!    
   Ziss lid, he is jamming my signal! I wanted to make history and now    
   instead I must make zee complaint. I must call zee FCC. Mais, non, I    
   must call zee park rangers!!!! Zut alors!   
      
      
      
   I am Pierre Pullinmyleg at the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone, for    
   Amateur Radio Newsline. 73 and a bientot.   
      
      
      
   **   
      
      
      
   NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to ABC.NET Australia; Alan Labs; the ARRL;    
   the Belgian Embassy in Australia; Chaz Cone, W4GKF; CQ Magazine; DX.NET;    
   Hap Holly and the Rain Report; Irish Radio Transmitter Society; the    
   Ohio-Penn DX Bulletin; QSL.NET; QRZ.COM., Radio Amateur Old Timers    
   Association; Southgate Amateur Radio News; Southside Amateur Radio Club;    
   TWiT TV; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's    
   all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. Our email address is    
   newsline@arnewsline.org. More information is available at Amateur Radio    
   Newsline's only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.   
      
      
      
   For now, with Caryn Eve Murray, KD2GUT, at the news desk in New York,    
   and our news team worldwide, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW, in Charleston, West    
   Virginia, saying 73 and as always we thank you for listening.   
      
      
      
   Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.   
      
   ***   
      
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   Thank you and good day!   
      
   -73- ARNTE-0.1.0-OS2 build 42   
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