SATELLITE QSOS TO FLY HIGH FOR FIELD DAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the US and Canada, almost everyone is getting ready for
Field Day - and that includes satellite enthusiasts. We hear about their
plans from Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

SEL: In case you've been wondering, Field Day is for the birds! Once
again, just as the ARRL sponsors the 23-hour exercise known as Field Day
for hams throughout the US and Canada, AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, takes this test of emergency communications to the skies.
For satellite users, this will be a 27-hour period between 1800 UTC on Saturday the 24th of June through to 2100 UTC on Sunday the 25th.

Satellite users are advised to check the AMSAT status page for what will
be available. AMSAT has said there will be more than 10 transponders and repeaters available during that weekend. FM voice satellites will include SO-50, AO-91, PO-101, the International Space Station and possibly
LilacSat for those in search of bonus points. Ops are advised to be aware
of congestion on FM low earth orbit satellites. The rules set a limit of
one QSO per FM satellite, including the ISS.

The exchange is the traditional ARRL Field Day Exchange.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**

NEWSLINE'S NEIL RAPP WB9VPG RECEIVES YASME EXCELLENCE AWARD

PAUL/ANCHOR: Newsline is always pleased to share news of radio amateurs
who have received recognition for their contributions to the community.
But we are never more proud than when one of those being honored is a
member of our own team. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, an anchor and correspondent
for Newsline, has received the Yasme Excellence Award from the Yasme Foundation for his years of work with the next generation of ham radio operators. Neil provided the initial radio club sponsorship for the
Region 2 YOTA camps, which he now serves as manager, providing
administrative assistance for the camps as a nonprofit. He has also
served as manager of Hamvention's Ham Radio 2.0 showcase. The foundation
board of directors issued a statement saying that "recruiting young
operators is key to the survival of amateur radio and his tireless
efforts are appreciated." [endquote] The award consists of an engraved
crystal globe and a cash grant of $500. Neil, we here at Newsline can
only add our own congratulations and sincere appreciation for all that
you do.

(YASME FOUNDATION)

**

HAM RADIO HELPS IN DRAMATIC RESCUE IN IDAHO

PAUL/ANCHOR: In Idaho, amateur radio played a role in the dramatic rescue
of an 80-year-old man in a rocky wilderness region. Dave Parks, WB8ODF,
has the details.

DAVE: Members of Scout Troop 77 from Eagle, Idaho were well-prepared for
their canoeing trip into Hells Canyon just a few weeks ago and took along
a few hand-held radios, a satellite communications device and a ham
radio. They were soon to encounter another adventurer, an 80-year-old
retired judge who had at one time been a Scoutmaster in his home state of Oregon, which borders the canyon. This man was not so prepared: He had
lost his balance while taking photographs in the region and fell 60 feet
down a rocky riverbank on the Snake River, sustaining serious injuries to
his neck, back, ankle and lower leg.

The Scouts were canoeing when they were flagged down by a woman who heard
the calls for help from the man, Eric Valentine, who was in serious pain. Henry Cavanagh, KJ7QJU, used his radio to contact the adults who were
with the other Scouts. Henry's father, Brian, KJ7QJT, an assistant
Scoutmaster and a wilderness first-responder, was among those arriving to
tend to the man. Others arrived and stabilized him while the assistant Scoutmaster reached out to emergency dispatch services from his satellite communicator. Members of the area utility, Idaho Power, were able to help
move the injured man by jet boat to a campground where a helicopter could safely land to transport him to a local hospital.

Returning home to Oregon late last month, Eric was recovering and already planning his next hike. He told the Baker City Herald website, however,
that he will no longer hike alone in Hells Canyon.

This is Dave Parks, WB8ODF.

(SCOUTING MAGAZINE, THE SEATTLE TIMES)

**

TRY NEWSLINE'S HAIKU CHALLENGE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Here's a homebrew challenge for you: Write your own ham
radio haiku! We're inviting listeners to channel their most creative
selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our
website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your
most poetic offering. Be sure you follow the traditional form to qualify:
The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and
the finishing third line has another five syllables. Be sure to follow
that form.

Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5
syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? Fame
and glory, of course -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. Visit our website at arnewsline.org to see this
week's winning haiku.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

13 COLONIES OPERATING EVENT MARKS 15th YEAR

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: It's a historic milestone for an on-air event that
celebrates America’s revolutionary past. Amateur Radio Newsline's Mark Abramowicz (Abram-o-vich) NT3V, has the story.

MARK: It's back and marking its 15th year on the ham bands.

It's the annual 13 Colonies Special Event, running this year from July 1
to July 7.

Bob Josuweit, WA3PZO, is coordinator for WM3PEN, a special call sign
activated from the "Cradle of Liberty" in Philadelphia.

"It's a relatively easy event for many people to operate," Josuweit
explains. "It's making contact with one or more of the 13 special event stations in each of the 13 colonies."

"Plus, we've added over the years three bonus stations – WM3PEN in Philadelphia, GB13COL in England, and recently, TM13COL in France."

Josuweit says activity during the 13 Colonies Special Event has been
climbing rapidly in recent years, and there are some occasional pile-ups,
so you may need a little patience and persistence to get through.

"Last year we were well over a quarter million contacts for all the
stations combined," he recalls. "And, for WM3PEN, back in 2013 I believe,
it was we were just around 3,000 contacts. Last year, we were closer to 13,000."

There's a special certificate offered to operators working the event.
And each of the groups running stations in the original 13 colonies has special QSL cards tied to this year's theme surrounding the signers of
the Declaration of Independence.

"We'll be on all modes at different times, using HF and satellites. There
will even be some SSTV," Josuweit advises. "The best thing to do is watch
the various spotting networks such as DX Summit. There's a 13 Colonies Facebook page which people can monitor as well."

Josuweit says you don't have to be a contester to work the stations. He
says the operators at each station realize how much interest there is.
Many, Josuweit says, will be operating long hours, even on the Fourth of
July holiday, to make sure every station they can work gets into the log.

For a link to the group's website, go to the text version of this story, published on our website, arnewsline.org.

<PRINT ONLY: DO NOT READ: http://www.13colonies.us/>

I’m Mark Abramowicz, NT3V.

**

SATELLITE ENTHUSIASTS ENCOURAGED TO TAKE THE 'LEDSAT' CHALLENGE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The challenge is on - are you up to it? The European
Space Agency and S5Lab (pronounced: Ess Five Lab) are inviting hams
around the world to get involved in making a special contact through the digipeater of an educational CubeSat known as LEDSAT. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG,
tells us how to get involved.

NEIL: LEDSAT, an LED CubeSat developed by university students in Rome
with assistance from AMSAT Italia, was created primarily to demonstrate
an LED-based payload to be used with ground-based optical tracking.
Starting on June 26th and through to July 30th, it takes on a secondary purpose: It is part of a challenge to hams that will win them the prize
of a personalized QSL card designed just for this competition. Hams are
being asked to send a digital message via satellite to PI9ESA, the ground station of the ESA's Education Office. The CubeSat follows a sun-
synchronous orbit and its digipeater will be activated at certain times.
It has two communication windows, one around midday and one at midnight. Operators will be based at the ESA ground station to copy the messages.
Hams are encouraged to use their preferred pass-prediction software to
assist in the contact.

LEDSAT's digipeater has the ability to store and forward digital messages
with a delay of up to two days.

For details about frequencies being used and other procedures of the operation, visit the ESA website at esa dot int (esa.int) and search for LEDSAT.

The challenge was organized to celebrate the launch of LEDSAT in August
of 2021.

(EUROPEAN SPACE AGENY, S5LAB, AMSAT NEWS)

**

BUSINESSMAN AND ALMA MATER'S HAM CLUB SHARE A MILESTONE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The chief executive officer of iFixit, a business that provides toolkits and repair guides for do-it-yourselfers, distinguished himself on the California campus of his alma mater recently. Kyle Wiens [WEENS], who graduated from California Polytechnic State University, took
his ham radio license exam under the watchful eye of volunteer examiners
from the Cal Poly Amateur Radio Club, W6BHZ. He passed, becoming the
newest licensee - number 2,000, It was a different kind of graduation for Kyle, who founded his company with a friend in a campus dorm room in 2003 while he was still a student at Cal Poly.

Six years later - in 2009, the on-campus amateur radio club began
offering license exams for students and the public.

According to an article on the club's website, Kyle wasn't the only one
from iFixit to claim newfound status as a licensee. Several members of
the iFixit team were also there and passed - right along with the boss.

(W6BHZ.ORG, iFIXIT WEBSITE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

HUNT A WRTC COMPETITOR AND COMPETE FOR AN AWARD

NEIL/ANCHOR: So you want to be part of the World Radiosport Team
Championship but you didn't qualify and you're not in Italy right
now? That's a small point, really, if you want to get in on the
action. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, explains.

GRAHAM: While amateur radio teams from all over the world compete
in the WRTC on July 8th and July 9th, hams from all over the world
can now compete right along with the competitors: Organisers have
announced the WRTC 2022 Competition Award - yes, it's still known
as WRTC 2022 because of the one-year COVID delay. Hams who have
had QSOs with competing stations in the championship can work
toward this award by getting on the air during the contest and
listening for the action. Organisers recommend that those seeking
the award submit their complete logs within six hours after the
contest ends, which will be at 1800 UTC on Sunday the 9th of July.

The WRTC 2022 Competition Award is the latest event created in
support of the championship. THE WRTC 2023 Award, offered earlier,
challenged radio operators to make contacts with special event
stations in 12 regions throughout Italy, all ending with the
suffix WRTC. There were also special event stations around the
world - most of them also ending with the suffix.

For more details about the Competition Award, visit wrtc2022 dot
it (wrtc2022.it) and look under the "NEWS" tab.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(WRTC)

**

FCC SETS APPLICATION WINDOW FOR LOW-POWER FM STATIONS

NEIL/ANCHOR: The FCC is getting ready to accept applications for
new low-power FM stations. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, brings us up to
date.

KENT: As Newsline reported in February, the FCC has made room on
the spectrum for the operation of new, low-power FM broadcast
stations in the US. The agency has now announced that a filing
window for permit applications will be open between November 1st
and November 8th of this year.

The commission will accept proposals for frequencies anywhere in
the FM band, from Channel 201 to Channel 300. The last time the
FCC opened a filing window for low-power FM broadcast operation
was in 2013.

FCC data lists a little fewer than 2,000 such stations operating
in the US since the year 2000, when the FCC created the service
for 100-watt stations engaged in noncommercial educational
broadcasts. Commercial operations and individuals are ineligible
for operation of these stations.

When competing applications are filed, an auction may need to
occur before the allotments are decided.

The FCC will release filing procedures and other relevant details
later. Meanwhile, prospective applicants are encouraged to monitor
the Audio Division Web Page on the agency website.

This is Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(FCC, RADIOWORLD)

**

SATELLITE ENTHUSIASTS REGISTER FOR CONVENTION IN INDIA

NEIL/ANCHOR: Satellite fans, get ready for a big weekend in India
devoted to your favorite subject. Registration has opened, as we
hear from Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

JIM: Registration has opened for satellite enthusiasts and other
amateurs planning to attend the OSCAR Convention in West Bengal,
India on September 23rd and 24th. The website is also accepting
registration for the radiosport portion of the weekend: a CW
contest and some fox-hunting activity.

The weekend theme is simple: "Get on the Air." OSCAR is an acronym
that stands for Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio.

While the full schedule is not yet posted, the organiser, OSCAR
India, has said the event planners are making special efforts to
support and encourage youth to get more involved in amateur radio.
Various licence exams will be offered at the venue. The programme
of presenters is expected to showcase the latest technologies and
assist attendees in broadening their knowledge of operating
techniques, antenna design, digital modes and signal propagation.

There will also be plenty of opportunity to socialize.

The OSCAR Convention is supported by Parks on the Air India and
Beaches on the Air India.

For details or to submit your registration, visit the website
address that appears in the text version of this week's newscast
at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: oc.beaham.in ]

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(OSCAR INDIA, ARUNAVA DEY VU3XRY)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

CLIPPERTON ISLAND DXPEDITION TO INCLUDE SATELLITE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In case you've marked your calendar for January of next
year, hoping to make contact with the Clipperton Island DXpedition,
there's extra good news if you are a satellite enthusiast. Neil Rapp,
WB9VPG, explains.

NEIL: When members of the Perseverance DX Group call QRZ in January of
2024 from Clipperton Island, they'll have an extra way to make contact.
The team just announced that the TX5S DXpedition will include satellite operations. The team's satellite station manager, Andreas N6NU, reported
in a recent press release that the team hopes to use the IO-117 GreenCube satellite, which not only has a generous footprint over the island but
has passes that last more than an hour.

The uninhabited atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean will be home for the
team for 16 days as they use SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. This is the 38th most wanted DX according to Clublog - and it is IOTA number NA-011.

This is Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

(AMSAT, CLIPPERTON ISLAND WEBSITE)

**

HONORS FOR FILM ABOUT HAM CLUB IN SCOTLAND

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: There's nothing like a good contest to bring out the
thrill of competition in some hams. In Scotland, however, one amateur
radio group is enjoying the status of being one of the top winners at -
of all things - a film festival. Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, explains what
happened.

JEREMY: Hams in the Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society had the kind of
performance you might not see in a DX contest, a sprint or even in a QSO party. They were among the top winners at this year's Doric Film
Festival, an event that shines a light on filmmakers who celebrate Doric culture and language in their work. The five-minute production is
colorful, lively and entirely in the Doric language. Interestingly
enough, this is not the radio society's first appearance in a film. A 12 -minute film, "Hams," was released in 1961 and is available for viewing
online in the Moving Image Archives of the National Library of Scotland.
That film, however, is in black and white - and in English.

Doric, once the official language of Scotland, is still widely spoken in
the country's Northeast. The festival's winning films were screened last
month at the awards ceremony on the campus of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

The stars of the radio society's film are, of course, the many operators
in the club and they are seen sending Morse Code and talking to the International Space Station. There is even a cameo appearance by a pig.
Of course, you'll have to watch the film on YouTube to understand why.
See the link to the society's film in the text version of this week's
Newsline script at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN5v8xkHIXo ]

This is Jeremy Boot, G4NJH.

(DORIC FILM FESTIVAL, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND, ABERDEEN AMATEUR
RADIO SOCIETY)

**

RADIO AMATEUR CHOSEN AMONG ENGINEERING'S "WOMEN OF INFLUENCE"

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A prominent West Coast business journal has named an
active California YL among those who have left an impact on modern-day engineering. We get those details from Jack Parker, W8ISH.

JACK: A third generation amateur radio operator, inspired by her father
and her grandfather, has been selected for inclusion in the San Diego, California, Business Journal's list of Women of Influence in Engineering.

Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, a licensed ham for 25 years, belongs to the
FCC's Technical Advisory Council and works on amateur satellite service regulatory reform. A Life Member of the ARRL, she is technical
specialist for the ARRL Field Organization's Southwestern Division.

She writes on her page on QRZ.com: [quote] "Amateur radio is why I
became an engineer and is the motivation for a large amount of the
volunteer work I do. I give back to ARRL, IEEE, DEFCON, and many other organizations." [endquote] In 2018 she and two cofounders created the nonprofit Open Research Institute. ORI conducts open source research and development for amateur radio and other areas and provides its findings
free.

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(WIA, QRZ)

**

SILENT KEY: ASOKA DA SILVA, 4S5BAK, VHF NET'S 'WEATHERMAN'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A well-respected amateur in Sri Lanka, and a familiar
voice on a popular evening net, has become a Silent Key. We hear about
him from Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

JASON: The Radio Society of Sri Lanka held a special tribute VHF Tribute
Net to honor Asoka da Silva, 4S5BAK, who became a Silent Key on the 26th
of June, two months after his 75th birthday. The retired banker, who rose
to prominence in the financial sector, was remembered by many who checked
in on VHF or via Echolink during the one-hour net. The net was recorded
by the society to present to Asoka's family as a gift.

A mainstay of the daily 9 p.m. net for the past three years, Asoka was a familiar voice who would share with his fellow hams a thorough, well- researched weather report that many looked forward to hearing. His last check-in on the net took place on the 9th of April. According to the
radio society, even in the difficult final months of his life, Asoka was determined to upgrade the amateur radio licence he had first acquired following his retirement. Despite frequent hospitalizations, he
successfully sat the General and Advanced exams and qualified for that sought-after upgrade.

The VHF tribute net allowed hams from elsewhere, including the United
States, Canada and India, to check in with Victor Goonetilleke (goo-nuh- till-ecke) 4S7VK as net control. They shared memories of Asoka,
remembering him fondly as the net's "weatherman," and expressed their condolences to his family.

The radio society's own tribute online said [quote] "We have lost a dear friend, and his untimely departure leaves an immense void that will be difficult to fill." [endquote]

This is Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(RSSL, YOUTUBE)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

SCOUTING'S GIRLS, BOYS ON AIR FOR NATIONAL JAMBOREE

PAUL/ANCHOR: July is Scouting Jamboree month, and this year, it's for
girls as well as boys in the American section of the worldwide scouting organization, Bill Stearns, NE4RD, has that story for us.

BILL: National Jamboree is the largest outdoor educational event
organized by the Boy Scouts of America. Held every four years, the
Jamboree offers a program of educational and training events; high
adventure activities; tests of strength and endurance; entertainment,
and camaraderie with fellow Scouts from around the nation. The year 2023
will be the first National Jamboree to include ScoutsBSA female
participants. The Boy Scout program was renamed ScoutsBSA when female participants were welcomed in 2019.

The K2BSA Amateur Radio Association will be active from the National
Jamboree July 19th through the 28th. They will have a demonstration
station where Scouts can get on the air and radio merit badge classes throughout the event. The operation was funded by a grant from the ARDC
and powered by Icom America transceivers.

You can participate in this event by being the amateur on the other end
of the call. Help Scouts earn their contact cards and complete a
requirement for their merit badge. K2BSA will be active minimally from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time on 40m through 10m as conditions permit, on
D-STAR REF033A, and on Echolink on *JOTA-365*.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association,
this is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.

**

COAST-TO-COAST EVENT CELEBRATES RETIRED AIRCRAFT

PAUL/ANCHOR: From British Columbia in the west to Prince Edward Island
in the east, this could well be the biggest retirement party ever thanks
to a dedicated group of amateur radio and aviation enthusiasts. Sel
Embee, KB3TZD, tells us how to join the festivities.

SEL: It's likely that not many people know and love the RCAF CC115
Buffalo aircraft as much as Phill Tanner, VA7XOZ. An Air Force aircraft technician familiar with the inner workings of the Search and Rescue
planes, Phill has joined with a handful of other amateurs to prepare a
weekend of special QSOs, based in four different provinces, to mark the planes' retirement. The event is being called Buffalos on the Air. On
July 22nd, you can find Phill calling QRZ on the amateur bands as
VC7BUFF457 at Comox Heritage Park in British Columbia. Like the other
three operators, Phill will be inside one of the planes, using its
antenna and an amateur radio transceiver. Calvin Winter, VE4AJ, will
operate as VC4BUFF462 from the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
in Manitoba; Dave Ackerman, VE3UGT/VE3OX will sign as VC3BUFF456 at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Ontario; and Doug Silliker,
VY2DS, will use the callsign VY2BUFF451 from Summerside Air Force
Heritage Park on Prince Edward Island. The hams will be operating CW,
SSB and FT8, most likely between 10m and 40m.

The hams will also try for a coast-to-coast 2-metre net between the four aircraft on July 22nd. Buffalos on the Air is also welcoming spectators
who live locally to attend the events at each of the activation sites.
The rest of the world is invited to make contact with the stations, and
those who have a QSO with more than one of the operators can request a certificate from Doug.

You can find additional details on the Facebook page for Buffalos on the
Air.

This is Sel Embee, KB3TZD.

(PHILLIP TANNER, VA7XOZ)

**

ROCKALL EXPEDITIONER RESCUED SAFELY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Scottish adventurer Cam Cameron is home safe. You may
recall that he was joined initially - and briefly - by two amateur radio operators on Rockall in the North Atlantic during his attempt to break
the 45-day record for a stay there, set in 2014. His other goal was to
raise money for charity. Cam's challenge came to an end in late June
after 32 days, after he was successfully rescued by coast guard and search-and-rescue personnel. He wrote on the expedition website that he
was [quote] "in pain, exhausted and hypothermic." However, he did meet
his other goal, and was grateful to have helped a number of charitable
causes.

(BBC.COM, ROCKALLEXPED.COM)

**

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 in Australia's Northern Territory, on Sundays at 7 p.m.
local time.
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

INDIA'S MOON LANDER MAKES SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH

JIM/ANCHOR: India is hoping to become the fourth nation to achieve a controlled moon landing and, at last reports, its spacecraft was well on
its way. John Williams, VK4JJW, has that report.

JOHN: The launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission was a historic one for India, which is aiming to achieve a soft lunar landing after the previous mission
in 2019 failed. The Indian Space Research Organization declared its
trajectory a "precise orbit" shortly after its launch on Friday, the 14th
of July. The name of the spacecraft is Sanskrit for "moon craft." It is expected to live up to that name when it makes its intended arrival on the south pole of the lunar surface in late August.

This is John Williams, VK4JJW.

(CNN, ISRO)

**

ELECTRONICS SELLER, A FAVORITE OF HAMS, CLOSING DOORS

JIM/ANCHOR: Another much-loved source of electronics supplies for radio amateurs is about to join the growing list of companies shutting down. It's scheduled to happen next month. We have those details from Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

RALPH: All Electronics in Van Nuys California, has provided at least two generations of hobbyists, radio amateurs and tinkerers with a variety of surplus electronics parts and manufacturers' overruns for their projects.
The legendary seller will be closing its doors in the next few weeks -
likely by the end of August. When All Electronics announced earlier this
year that it was calling it quits, the business had already scaled back its previous seven-day-a-week operation for walk-in customers, keeping its
doors open on weekdays only. The company notes on its website that its mail-order business has been brisk lately as the 56-year-old enterprise attempts to close out its warehouse in time for final shutdown.

This is Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.

(QRZ.COM, ALL ELECTRONICS)

**

HAMS TO PLAY ROLE IN WW2 DRILL RE-ENACTMENT

JIM/ANCHOR: To ensure they are prepared for emergencies and extreme
weather, many hams are accustomed to sharpening their responses through regularly scheduled drills. But the drill that's taking place next month in Mobile, Alabama is for a major event that actually happened more than 70
years ago: It was World War II. Jack Parker, W8ISH, fills in the details.

JACK: There will be a "Call to Battle Stations" sounded on Saturday, August 12th, and those aboard the battleship USS Alabama and submarine USS Drum
will be ready for what is to follow in Battleship Memorial Park. Vintage
enemy aircraft will do a flyover in a mock attack. The crew on board the
ships will fire the vessels' 20mm guns. Meanwhile, radio communications
will go forward with members of the Deep South Amateur Radio Club, also on board, calling QRZ on 20m and 40m. They will be using the club callsign
K4DSR, and the callsign K5LDA.

Unlike the radio amateurs, the crewmen are all re-enactors. Dressed in WWII-era Navy uniforms, they will conduct weapons briefings and
demonstrations while reliving some of the stories of that time. This is a Living History Crew Drill designed to show the public just how things were
in the heat of war so many years ago.

What the members of the Living History Crew share with the hams is that
they are all volunteers. They show that they appreciate the spirit of volunteerism and education by conducting these drills, to bring history to life again, a few times each year.

This is Jack Parker, W8ISH.

(WPMI, FACEBOOK, QRZ)

**

GRANT WILL UPGRADE AMATEUR STATION AT RADIO MUSEUM

JIM/ANCHOR: An infusion of money is helping an all-volunteer museum in New England upgrade its on-site ham radio station. Andy Morrison, K9AWM, tells
us what changes are in store.

ANDY: The Amateur Radio Club of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum
of Connecticut is about to expand its reach with the help of a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The on-site club, which has the callsign, W1VCM, intends to add new antennas as well as earth-space
capability to its operations. The club plans to have a high-gain antenna system, a satellite transceiver and computer-controlled tracking giving
better access to QSOs through the International Space Station and several low-earth orbit amateur satellites.

Bob Allison, WB1GCM, president of the amateur radio club, said in a press release that the club's demonstrations of amateur radio have provided encouragement to visitors, some of whom decide they want to become hams
too.

This all adds up to a big plus for the museum as well, according to its director John Ellsworth. He said that the availability of a working radio station complements the museum's role in telling the story of
communication. The museum, which has showcased communications history for
33 years, is run entirely by volunteers, providing opportunities for
children to build crystal radio sets and attend other hands-on classes that bring history - as well as more modern-day technology - into their lives.

Bob told Newsline in an email: [quote] "The spirit of amateur radio is live and well at the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut."

This is Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(BOB ALLISON, WB1GCM)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

RADIO OPERATOR NEEDED FOR INDIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: India's government is looking for a radio operator to join
the team at the country's research station in the Antarctic. If you like
cold weather, Graham Kemp, VK4BB, tells us what's involved.

GRAHAM: A qualified radio operator is among the many posts being advertised for the next Indian Antarctic Expedition with preference being given to Ham
or maritime radio operators. The National Centre for Polar and Ocean
Research has been interviewing candidates for a variety of contract
positions to work at its Antarctic research base beginning in November or December of this year. The research season ends sometime in 2025. Radio communication is considered an essential component of this 43rd expedition, which hopes to look at the ecosystem as well as satellite communication, ionospheric studies, stellar observations and climate change. The
government has been seeking a candidate proficient in English.

This is Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(NCPOR)

**

SUCCESSFUL ORBIT FOR CUBESATS BUILT IN PHILIPPINES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Students in the Philippines are feeling proud that their
two ham radio cubesats have entered orbit. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, tells us about their mission.

JASON: Two amateur radio cubesats from the Philippines are now in orbit. Maya-5 and Maya-6 were built by university students with the goal of
helping the nation keep its momentum going on satellite development while using locally sourced materials.The primary mission of the cubesat pair is
to give the amateur radio community a digital message relay service through the Automatic Packet Reporting System, or APRS. The onboard APRS
digipeaters use the frequency of 145.825 MHz for transmitting as well as receiving. The cubesats are also demonstrating a data/message store-and- forward system compatible with Universal Amateur Radio Text and E-mail messaging.

The International Space Station released the cubesats on the 19th of July.

This is Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(AMSAT NEWS, STAMINA4SPACE)

**

CHURCHES AND CHAPELS ON THE AIR GETS FOOTHOLD IN US

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular ham radio activity that activates churches and chapels, mainly in the UK, is getting a foothold in the US. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us more about it.

KEVIN: The amateur radio community and the church community in the UK have enjoyed a one-day convergence each September since 2006. That was the year
in which John G3XYF, suggested that CHOTA - Churches and Chapels on the Air
- could be as viable and important an activity as Lighthouses, Mills,
Islands, Summits, Railways and other "on the air" entities. The activity
began simply with his own church in East Yorkshire, where John operated
with the special callsign GB0LOW. CHOTA, which is organized by the World Association of Christian Radio Amateurs and Listeners, has since grown to include between 20 and 30 churches in the UK and, in some instances, a few churches in the Czech Republic and Germany.

This year's event is taking place on Saturday the 9th of September - and
just as CHOTA grew in the years following 2006, it leaps across the ocean
now to the Highlands Presbyterian Church in Mississippi where Frank Howell will be calling QRZ under his own callsign K4FMH. Other hams, using their
own calls as well, are expected to join him on the 16-acre church campus. Frank expects the event to feature stations for SSB, CW and FT8. There will also be VHF/UHF and satellite operations. Frank told Newsline in an email [quote] "This is a great fit for our church of about 1,100 members because
we seek to reach out to the community to bring them to our campus."
[endquote]

He said that a number of area clubs are involved as are some hams in the congregation. The church is so ham-friendly, in fact, that the
administrator and an administrative assistant are planning to take their technician license exam soon.

Frank has already received emails from other US churches inquiring about joining September's activation. Interested churches should email John and
let him know the name and location of the church and the callsign being
used. John's email appears in the text version of this week's newscast.

CHOTA is not a contest, but there are certificates for contacting the
stations - and there are rewards for just being part of this goodwill event that's now gone intercontinental.

This is Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

[DO NOT READ: John G3XYF email address: jhwresdell@gmail.com )

(JOHN WRESDELL G3XYF; FRANK HOWELL, K4FMH, WACRAL)
--- SBBSecho 3.20-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)