Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2465 for Friday, January 24th 2025

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2465 for Friday, January 24th 2025
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2465 with a release date of
Friday, January 24th, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. An alert amateur helps locate two missing
children in India. A wireless device helps track down the body of a
Colorado skier.  And in the UK Ofcom revisits operating privileges for
visiting amateurs. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report
Number 2465 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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HAM HELPS MOTHER WHOSE CHILDREN LEAVE PILGRIMAGE WITHOUT HER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Situational awareness is always key for hams doing
emergency communications - and it was never more important than at a
recent religious pilgrimage in India, where one observant radio amateur
intervened to help find two missing children. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF brings
us that story.

JIM:  Hams around the world who were making DX contacts with AU2WBRC,
the West Bengal Radio Club, were no doubt happy to log a QSO from the
second largest religious gathering of Hindus in India, the Gangasagar
Mela in West Bengal. They may not have realised that one member of the
team made another important contact - off the air - with the
cooperation of a drone operator in the area. A 9-year-old girl and her
3-year-old sister had boarded a departing bus, expecting their mother
and grandmother to follow, but the adults failed to join them because
the massive crowd at the bus stand had got in their way. The bus pulled
away with the unaccompanied children.

Saborni Nag Biswas, VU2JFC, was at the festival to assist with the
radio club's DXpedition and public safety work. She told Newsline she
was near the bus stand, assisting others who had lost their way in the
crowd, when the frantic mother approached her after the bus pulled
away. The mother could not recall the bus' identifying number. Knowing
that there were drones flying over the island for security  purposes,
Saborni telephoned the drone operators to see if any footage captured
from the air could identify the departed vehicle. After the bus was
identified, located and stopped, she accompanied Kolkata police to the
bus and the girls were returned to their mother and grandmother.

A local newspaper credited Saborni's actions calling them [quote] "key
in completing the search operation in such a short time." [endquote]

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(SABORNI NAG BISWAS, VU2JFC; MILLENNIUM POST)

**
AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVER PINPOINTS BODY OF SKIER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The body of an accomplished skier in Colorado was found
with the help of a personal device known as an avalanche transceiver
-four hours after he became buried in the snow. We have that story from
Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: A wearable wireless safety device known as an avalanche
transceiver helped a woman find the body of her husband, a veteran
downhill skier who died after being buried in a Colorado mountain
avalanche.

Fifty-seven-year-old Donald Moden Jr., who had once been a member of
the local mountain rescue team, was likely buried in the avalanche for
more than four hours before his body was located via transmissions from
his tracking device, according to news reports. The avalanche occurred
on January 7th on Red Mountain Pass, where he had skied for many years.
News reports said the skier's wife became concerned when he failed to
check in as agreed . Standing at the trailhead with her own avalanche
transceiver, she received transmissions being sent from her husband's
device and was able to locate where he was buried. The transceiver,
sometimes known as an avalanche beacon, transmits on 457 kHz. Newer
ones have a three-antenna design for greater accuracy. According to
several backcountry ski websites, the most modern devices have a
transmitting range of 50 metres or more.

A search team was called in to assist with recovering the skier's body.
News reports said that Donald Moden was the state's first reported
fatality from an avalanche this ski season.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(COLORADO SUN, REI.COM)

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HAM RADIO IRELAND BEING PUBLISHED ONLINE AGAIN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A popular online ham radio magazine is returning for
readers in Ireland - and around the world, as we learn from Jeremy
BootG4NJH.

JEREMY: Ham Radio Ireland is back. After a period of inactivity late
last year, the free independent downloadable newsletter resumed online
publication in late January.

Shortly after its creators launched its predecessor, the Connacht
Regional Newsletter, in 2022, they realised it held appeal beyond its
initial readership in western Ireland and it was renamed Ham Radio
Ireland. Authors volunteered sharing their expertise on QRP, satellite
operation, VHF/UHF, home construction, keyboard modes and other topics.
According to Steve Wright, EI5DD, editorial contributions eventually
slowed to a trickle, making continued publication a challenge. By last
September, production had stopped.

John Tubritt, EI3HQB, from Collective Communications, and Steve Wright,
EI5DD are on the editorial team to revive the magazine in a new format.
Initially the best site for downloads will be via the Facebook page of
Ham Radio Ireland. Links will soon be available on other social media
platforms.

Authors anywhere in the world are welcome to send stories and pictures
relevant to ham radio and their experiences. They can be sent directly
to Steve at wright14@gmail.com - that's spelled w r i g h t at gmail
dot com.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(STEVE WRIGHT, EI5DD; JOHN TUBRITT, EI3HQB)

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AMATEUR RADIO'S GIFT TO LAKE PLACID OLYMPIC MUSEUM

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The Lake Placid Olympic Museum in northern New York
State is receiving a donation that is more than just images and
memories. This gift contains history, as we hear from Kevin
Trotman,N5PRE.

KEVIN: It has been 45 years since the Winter Olympics were held in New
York State's Adirondack (Ad-DEER-on-DACK) Mountains. That year, the
athletes weren't the only ones making an Olympian effort. Twenty-one
amateur radio operators followed the 1,000-mile route of the
traditional Olympic Flame as it was carried north along the East Coast
of the US, starting on the 31st of January 1980. Along the way, hams in
each local community helped with safety and logistics as the Torch
Relay Team passed through.

To mark the Olympics' anniversary, one member of that team, Bob
Josuweit, WA3PZO, has donated some 100 magazine and newspaper articles
documenting the 10-day run itself and amateur radio's involvement.
There are also 350 35mm slides that are being digitized so the museum
can add these images to their collection too.

The hams themselves have more than those long-ago memories. Their
volunteer work earned each a medal that keeps the memory burning as
bright as that Olympic flame.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(BOB JOSUWEIT, WA3PZO)

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SILENT  KEY: YUKON'S "RADIO RAY," RAYMOND FRED FUGARD, VY1RF

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in the Yukon knew him as "Radio Ray." They said
goodbye to him recently when he became a Silent Key. Neil Rapp WB9VPG
tells us more about him.

NEIL: Raymond Fred Fugard, VY1RF, kept his radios on in his house
around the clock. Ask and he would identify the frequencies and
coverage areas of every repeater in the vicinity of his home in the
Yukon territory. Ray had been a ham since December of 2006 -- and by
the time he got his license, his ever-diminishing eyesight had left him
legally blind.

Ray became a Silent Key on January 6th.

Ray moved to the Yukon more than 40 years ago from Ontario and became
an integral part of community life through his amateur radio activities
with the Yukon Amateur Radio Association. He was considered the club's
"network monitor,"  keeping track of the wide area network of repeaters
across the Yukon Territory, where many US travelers from the lower 48
states would make the trip north along the Alaska Highway. Club
president Ian MacDonald, VY1IRM, told Newsline: [quote] "If anyone made
a call out on the network, Ray would respond with a hello and any
information that they may need." [endquote]

Ray also assisted in communications during emergency-preparedness
exercises and at such public service events as the Klondike Road Relay,
the Kluane Chilkat International Bike Race and the benefit walks for
MS. He was known for carrying an HT with him wherever he went. After
the club changed its bylaws, Ray also became the RACES Comms
Controller.

Club vice president Michael Settle, VY1MGS, told Newsline that he was
inspired to become a ham by Ray's own activities in amateur radio.

Ray was also active in broadcasting - and Michael said he received the
nickname, "Radio Ray," because of his association with the community
radio station in Dawson City. A music lover, he helped start the
station, where he was both a DJ and station manager.

According to his online obituary, he was in declining health and was
dealing with respiratory difficulties at the time of his death. Ray
was70.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(HERITAGE NORTH FUNERAL HOME, YUKON AMATEUR RADIO ASSOCIATION)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the North Coast Amateur Radio Club's N8NC repeater in northeast Ohio on
Sundays at 8 p.m. local time during the Weekly Information Net.
**
OFCOM EYES PRIVILEGES FOR MORE VISITING HAMS IN UK

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The UK regulator has proposed extending its license
exemption to give operating privileges to even more foreign hams during
their short-term visits. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains this latest
development.

JEREMY: Ofcom has issued a consultation proposing to implement
application-free short-term reciprocal licensing for amateurs visiting
from non-CEPT countries and with whom the UK has a bilateral agreement.

The regulator said on the 17th of January that this would expand a
privilege that is already afforded to hams with a full licence from
CEPT-signatory countries. It would apply to foreign hams whose stays do
not exceed three months. The privilege is currently available only to
hams who hold a full licence from non-CEPT signatory countries,
including Thailand, Brazil, Sri Lanka and Qatar, among others.

After the three-month limit has been reached, foreign amateurs may
apply for an additional six months under the existing reciprocal full
temporary licence process or apply for a full UK licence from Ofcom.
The regulator said that this change would reduce its administrative
burdens and costs.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(OFCOM)

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HAMCATION ORGANIZERS NAME AWARD RECIPIENTS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Three amateurs will be honored in Florida at HamCation
this year, as we hear from Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: HamCation organizers have named three award recipients whose
accomplishments will be recognized and celebrated in Orlando, Florida
next month. David Jordan AA4KN has been selected to receive the Carole
Perry Educator of the Year Award. Heather Anderson W8GEM and David
Anderson K1AN will share the Gordon West Ambassador of the Year Award.

In his various responsibilities with ARISS, Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station, David has been responsible for
coordinating QSOs with ISS astronauts for students around the world.
His is a function that includes helping select and schedule the schools
as well as helping train and assist with technical operations. He is an
AMSAT member who mentors students, giving them an opportunity to learn
more about radio contacts via satellite through so-called "Teach-Ins" a
the elementary and middle-school level.

Heather and David are members of the Yavapai (Yah Vuh Pie) Amateur
Radio Club W7YRC in Arizona, where youngsters in the Youth Radio Club
know them for their leadership in training and projects. The two
maintain a strong presence at library summer programs, Youth Field Days
and have an involvement in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and
Mathematics, also known as STEAM.

The awards will be presented during HamCation, which takes place from
the 7th to the 9th of February.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(HAMCATION, AMATEUR NEWS DAILY)

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HAMSCI HOSTING ZOOM SESSIONS FOR PERSONAL WEATHER STATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With terrestrial and solar weather on almost everyone's
mind these days, HamSCI, the citizen science research group in the US,
has announced it is hosting Zoom sessions to assist with its Personal
Space Weather Station network. HamSCI hosts the sessions at 10 a.m.
Eastern Time every Thursday on Zoom. The group is hoping to expand its
network and improve data collection for additional studies. Visit
hamsci dot org or more details. (hamsci.org)

(HAMSCI)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Ilian, LZ5KW is using the callsign 8Q7KW until
sometime in early February from the Maldives, IOTA number AS-013. He is
using mainly CW but is including some SSB and FT8. Find him on 80-10
metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Tom, 9A2AA, is marking 68 years as an active radio amateurs by using
the callsign 9A68AA. QSL via his home call.

Listen for Przemo, SP3PS, calling CQ as C5SP from the Gambia until the
middle of March. He will be using SSB and FT8 on the HF bands. QSL via
his home call.

Claudio, HB9OAU, will be active holiday style as D44OA from Sal Island,
AF-086, Cape Verde from the 5th through to the 18th of February. He
will operate CW, SSB on 40 through 6 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL
details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

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KICKER: INSPIRING SWEET DREAMS OF MOONBOUNCE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Guest speakers at ham radio club meetings are supposed
to inspire - and indeed many of them do. Earlier this month, the guest
speaker at one club in California actually inspired...a lullaby. Stay
awake please as Ralph Squillace KK6ITB explains what happened.

RALPH; Helen Mahoney, KI6LQV, loves amateur radio to the moon and back.
REALLY to the surface of the moon and back. She and her husband, Doug,
K6JEY, enjoy making contacts via moonbounce, also known as
Earth-Moon-Earth contacts, or EME. Hearing Helen's recent guest
presentation at the W6TRW Amateur Radio Club meeting in Redondo Beach,
California, Becky, KN6WDQ, was left with a song in her heart.

So she wrote it, sang it, recorded it - and put it all on YouTube with
Devin, KN6PHZ and Mark, KD7DTS singing backup vocals. This ham radio
lullaby is called "I Ping the Moon" and it is set to the music of
another, more familiar lullaby, "I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me."
It also turns out to be a love song of sorts to a mode that can
surprise any ham with a world of contacts if they use the right
equipment.

For this musical performance, Becky's instruments are her piano and, of
course, her HT. It's a parody, of course, but that doesn't mean this
EME fan doesn't take her on-air efforts seriously. No doubt she's
dreaming already of her next QSOs - and now she has the right lullaby
to sing herself to sleep.

To hear the song, see the link in the text version of this week's
newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6NB6L9DUak  ]

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(YOUTUBE)

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Have you sent in your amateur radio haiku to Newsline's haiku challenge
yet? It's as easy as writing a QSL card. Set your thoughts down using
traditional haiku format - a three-line verse with five syllables in
the first line, seven in the second and five in the third. Submit your
work on our website at arnewsline.org - each week's winner gets a
shout-out on our website, where everyone can find the winning haiku.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the Amateur Radio Daily; Bob Josuweit,
WA3PZO; Colorado Sun; David Behar K7DB; Facebook; 425DXNews; GoFundMe;
Heritage North Funeral Home; John Tubritt, EI3HQB; Millennium Post;
Ofcom; QRZ.com; Saborni Nag Biswas, VU2JFC; shortwaveradio.de; Steve
Wright, EI5DD; Wireless Institute of Australia; YouTube; Yukon Amateur
Radio Association; 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
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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
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