XPost: rec.radio.amateur.moderated, rec.radio.amateur.policy, rec.radio.info

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2466 for Friday, January 31st 2025
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2466 with a release date of
Friday, January 31st, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Trouble for the Mt. Athos DXpedition. A Bouvet
Island team hires its transportation -- and an old NASA antenna gets a
new job. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2466
comes your way right now.

**
BILLBOARD CART

**
MT. ATHOS DXPEDITION HALTS AMID CONTROVERSY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story this week takes us to Greece, where the Mt.
Athos SV1GA/A DXpedition team halted their activation shortly after it
got under way, amid challenges over whether they had permission to be
there. The coveted DX entity has been a World Heritage Site since 1988
and is listed as 28th on the ClubLog DXCC List.

The team went on the air for their planned 10-day operation in late
January to mark the 50th anniversary of the first amateur radio
activation there. The five-member team was led by two of the operators
from the original Mt. Athos activation: Martii OH2BH and Aris, SV1GA.
The other team members were Adrian, KO8SCA, Gabi, YO8WW and Niko,
OH2GEK.

Their signal went silent within a day, however, after they said they
received a letter from the Mt. Athos Holy Community regarding the
DXpedition's right to operate at the site, which is home to about 2,000
monks in 20 monasteries. On Wednesday, the 29th of January, the team
issued a public statement through Bernie McClenny, W3UR, saying that
they planned to provide authorities with whatever information is needed
for the issue to be clarified, saying that they would [quote] "wait for
the relevant authorities to meet and review our case." [endquote]

On Thursday, January 30th, Martii released a public statement
announcing that the team was leaving the island while awaiting a
decision by the local authorities who had issued the hams their permit.

An earlier statement from the team, prior to their activation, had been
one of hope. The team wrote: [quote] "We would like to think that this
Mt. Athos activation is just a first step in opening the doors to other
teams to activate this desired amateur radio entity. Our goal is to
show that amateur radio DXpeditions have no impact on the monastic life
of the Holy Mountain. On the contrary, it creates goodwill and allows
the 3 million amateurs around the world to see this beautiful and
serene place with different eyes." [endquote]

(DX WORLD, DX NEWS, BERNIE, W3UR, QRZ.COM)

**
BOUVET 3Y0K TEAM SIGNS TRANSPORTATION CONTRACTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, get ready for Bouvet 2026. The 3Y0K team has
announced that it has signed some contracts for transportation
--another step toward going to this coveted DX. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has
those details.

JIM: The DXpedition to Bouvet Island next year is ready to go forward.
Team 3Y0K plans to leave Cape Town, South Africa on the 1st of February
2026 for 36 days on the remote subantarctic island, the tenth most
wanted DXCC entity on the ClubLog list. The team announced that it has
signed a contract with Icetugs, an Iceland-based company that will
transport them to the island by boat. Contracts have also been signed
with Ultimate Aviation of Cape Town to provide the team with a
helicopter, two pilots and a mechanic.

Costing an estimated $1.6-million in US currency, the DXpedition will
have a team of between 18 and 24 operators. Its financial support
includes donations as well as grants from the Northern California DX Foundation.

The team said on its website that it considered the signing of the
contracts with both companies to be "a major milestone."

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(WIA, SARL, 3Y0K.COM)

**
AMSAT-SWITZERLAND HONORS HISTORIC HAM SATELLITE QSO

PAUL/ANCHOR: Satellite enthusiasts in Switzerland are inviting everyone
to help pay tribute to a radio operator who was in the vanguard of
making QSOs via those birds in the sky. We have that story from Jeremy
Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: AMSAT-Switzerland proudly uses the callsign HB9RG as a way to
honour Hans-Rudolf Lauber. Hans became a Silent Key in 2017 at the age
of 92 but until then, the callsign belonged to this innovative Swiss
amateur who completed the first amateur radio satellite QSO in March of
1965. The contact with Alfons Häring DL6EZA was completed via the
OSCAR-Eleven satellite.

Hans-Rudolf will be honoured again by satellite enthusiasts in March,
when AMSAT-HB hosts the Hans-Rudolf Lauber, HB9RG Memorial Trophyevent.

In the spirit of this avid DXer, the trophy will recognise contacts
made over significant distances during the two weeks between the 3rd
and 16th March. Contacts must be made using only low-earth orbit,
medium-earth orbit and high-earth orbit satellites. For more details
and full explanation of the rules, follow the link in the text version
of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: amsat-hb.org ]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(AMSAT-HB, AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY)

**
CORONAL LOOP 'FLICKERING' SEEN AS CLUE TO SOLAR FLARES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Scientists believe that one key to predicting dangerous
solar flares may rest in a clue they have found in the sun's coronal
loops. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us about that clue.

KENT: Analyzing images captured at NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, researchers say they have identified a tell-tale flickering that seems
to be a tipoff that dangerous solar flares are soon to follow.

The scientists detected the flickering in coronal loops of shining
plasma. This was actually ultraviolet light at specific wavelengths and
it occurred before the sun shot massive busts of electromagnetic
radiation, which we know as solar flares. The researchers viewed the
phenomenon just before 50 such solar flares.

Their findings were presented to the American Astronomical Society in
Maryland on January 15th. The scientists believe that what they have
observed may provide a way to develop more dependable forecasts of
space weather. They believe that predictions based on this observation
can offer an accuracy of 60 to 80 percent for flares that occur within
two to six hours. The biggest of these geomagnetic disturbances can
disrupt power grids, satellite orbits, rail lines and GPS systems.

More accurate forecasts of space weather would also be welcomed by
amateur radio operators and people chasing the northern lights.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(SPACE.COM)

**
PRESENTERS NEEDED FOR SOUTHEASTERN VHF CONFERENCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Two days in April will be devoted to getting the best out
of using VHF, UHF and weak-signal microwaves to operate at the
Southeastern VHF Conference in Clarksville, Tennessee. We have more
details from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Organizers are looking for papers and presentations that cover
equipment, construction projects, station accessories, roving, DXing
and the digital modes - anything relevant to weak-signal operating on
either an operational or technical level. In general, the conference is
not accepting topics on FM or packet repeaters or packet unless the
subject relates directly to weak-signal operations.

The deadline for submissions is the 15th of February and should be
emailed to Mike Stipick, KC4RI, at KC4RI@att.net

The conference will be held on April 4th and 5th. For details on
acceptable formats for submissions, follow the link that appears in the
text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

[DO NOT READ: https://svhfs.org/wp/ ]

(AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY, SOUTHEASTERN VHF SOCIETY)

**
NASA ANTENNA BEING REPURPOSED FOR SATELLITE TRACKING SYSTEM

PAUL/ANCHOR: Retirement isn't for everyone and that includes antennas - especially ones used by NASA for many of its historic space missions
over the years. Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us about one historic antenna
that's gone back into service in Australia.

GRAHAM: Decommissioned almost 40 years ago, the 29.8 meter parabolic
antenna at the site of Australia's Overseas Telecommunications
Commission in Carnarvon, Western Australia, will be reporting for duty
again as part of a satellite-tracking system said to be of interest to
the military.

Its return will follow a period of thorough refurbishing that includes
some new paint, some new equipment to be installed - and the removal of
some serious accumulations of pigeon droppings over the years.
According to ABC News Australia, the refurbishment began last year.

The dish is the property of ThothX Australia, part of the private
Canadian aerospace company ThothX, which bought it in 2022 in the hopes
of offering it for use by military clients interested in having satellite-tracking capabilities.

This antenna is a veteran of many notable NASA missions, including the
Apollo 11 moon landing. Although it is not yet ready for prime time
again, ABC News Australia reported in December 2024 that the dish had
received its first signal in 40 years, sent as a test from a
geostationary object.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WIRELESS INSTITUTE OF AUSTRALIA, HACKADAY, ABC AUSTRALIA)

**
BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
the Utah Amateur Radio Club's W7SP repeater on Sundays as part of the
club's 9 p.m. net.

**
MESH NETWORK FOR 70CM A PROJECT IN CANADA

PAUL/ANCHOR: An ambitious project in Canada hopes to develop a mesh
network to link repeaters and accommodate several digital modes. Hoping
to combine the best features of such digital networks as HamWAN, AREDN
and New Packet Radio, developers in Canada are starting development of
a mesh network that will operate on the 70cm band.

Writing in the newsletter, Zero Retries, Martin Alcock, VE6VH, said the
project is being designed to link repeaters using RF and will include
digital voice modes, data transfers, messaging and a data networking
layer. The project is called IP400, short for Intelligent Protocol 400.
It has the support of the Alberta Digital Radio Communications Society
and is looking for contributors familiar with the C and C++ languages.
Free open source code is being used for the development. IP400 is
intended to operate on amateur frequencies between 420 and 450 MHz.
Martin said that unlike conventional analogue links, a digital mesh
platform will be capable of carrying compressed digital video as well
as compressed audio and telemetry.

He writes: [quote] "The first step is to get a simple chat and
beaconing application running to experiment with the technology. From
there we can layer on other features and frame types, and then consider
moving into the repeater world." [endquote]

A link to his contact page can be found in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://ve6vh.mapledsp.com/home-page/contact/ ]

(ZERO RETRIES, AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY)

**
EASTERN COLORADO HAMS' REPEATER GROUP TO ENHANCE SAFETY

PAUL/ANCHOR: Although repeater systems are often viewed as safety nets
by travelers as well as emergency responders, these wireless layers of protection are not everywhere. One group in Eastern Colorado has been
working to change that. Here's Andy Morrison K9AWM with the details.

ANDY: The Eastern Colorado Repeater Association is a small and very new
group that has taken on a big job: to close what one organizer calls
"the repeater communication gap across Eastern Colorado." The
organizer, Bryan Wheeler, KB9UZO, is a retired firefighter and aircraft mechanic who has assembled a group of radio operators specifically to
fill what he considers a "dead zone" in that part of the state.

Bryan writes on the group's GOFUNDME page that with no reliable radio
coverage in the state's Eastern plains region, the effort's first
priority is to expand coverage via VHF/UHF, DMR and APRS through a
linked repeater system. He said that testing had already begun with a
repeater in Eastern El Paso County on 147.030 MHz, but progress is slow
because of limited resources.

At the same time, Bryan said he hopes he can create a network of
something just as reliable and important: a welcoming community of hams
like him who are involved in experimenting with technology and in
growing a cohesive community of radio amateurs. He writes: [quote] "We
want every member to feel included, heard and appreciated as we work
together to strengthen communication networks and enrich the amateur
radio experience throughout the region." [Endquote]

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(QRZ.COM, GOFUNDME)

**
SILENT KEY: NOTED CW CONTESTER ROSEL ZENKER, DL3KWR

PAUL/ANCHOR: A noted CW contester and prominent YL in the international community has become a Silent Key. We hear more about her from Jeremy
Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: A ham since 1975, Rosel Zenker DL3KWR died on the 15th of
January, according to an announcement by Scandinavian Young Ladies
Radio Amateurs, one of six YL groups she belonged to.

Rosel was an amateur who loved to combine travel with being on the air
and had made use of 70 different callsigns in 22 countries that she had visited, often with her husband Hardy DL3KWF. She had also travelled
for about 20 years to participate in international YL meetings of clubs
in New Zealand, Australia, the US, Japan and Scandinavia. She was a
member of the Russian CW Club, the Professional Radio Operators CW Club
and the Croatian Telegraphy Club.

Rosel was primarily a CW operator but tried to bring a personal touch
to many of her QSOs. Writing on her personal web page, dl3kwr.de, she
said that CW is not as impersonal as it may seem to some. She quoted
the small messages that she would send to others within the CW contest community that would offer the simple, heartfelt greeting: "nice to
meet you again."

Rosel was in her 80s.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(QRZ.COM, SCANDINAVIAN YOUNG LADIES RADIO AMATEURS, DL3KWR PERSONAL
WEBPAGE)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Willy, ON4AVT, operating as
6W7/ON4AVT from Senegal. He'll be on the air from the 2nd of February
through to the 10th of April. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

The Bahrain Amateur Radio Society is marking the 100th anniversary of
the International Amateur Radio Union and will be on the air for five
days of each month this year. The special callsign is A9100IARU. QSL
via EC6DX.

Harald, DF2WO, is using the callsign 9X2AW from Rwanda through to the
15th of February, operating CW, SSB and FT8/FT4 on 160-6 metres. He is
also operating via the QO-100 satellite. QSL via M0OXO's OQRS.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: WHEN "KILLER ELECTRONS" JOIN THE CHORUS

PAUL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we turn to deep space -- and some new insights into an old discovery that could pose serious dangers for
space travel. John Williams VK4JJW shares those insights.

JOHN: They're called chorus waves but these disturbances, first
discovered in the earth's magnetic field decades ago, are apparently
nothing to sing about.

For one thing, scientists realise these bursts of energy are not
necessarily limited to the earth and nearby planets; their presence may
pose dangers to deep space travel.

When the waves are converted to audio, the signals are said to chirp,
mimicking birdsong. The dark side to this sweet song is the discovery
that the waves are capable of accelerating particles to almost the
speed of light - a rate that would endanger astronauts and spacecraft
passing through them. Scientists have dubbed these particles "killer electrons."

The finding was made recently by researchers at Beihang University in
China and published in the journal Nature. The researchers detected the
chorus waves through use of NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, a
study of the earth's magnetic field that utilises four satellites
flying in formation. Earth isn't the only planet experiencing this
phenomenon. Scientists now know that the waves can occur near any
planet in our solar system with a magnetic field. In fact, a magnetic
field is no longer a prerequisite: The waves have been found on Venus
too, which has no magnetic field. They are created instead when solar
wind enters the atmosphere from transient fields. All of which leads
scientists to a chorus of questions.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(NPR, PEG HART WA2YBZ, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, LIVE SCIENCE)

**

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 ABC News Australia; Amateur Radio
Daily; AMSAT-HB; Bernie McClenny, W3UR; David Behar K7DB; DX News;
Facebook; 425DXNews; GoFundMe; Hackaday; Live Science; National Public
Radio; Peg Hart, WA2YBZ; Scandinavian Young Ladies Radio Amateurs;
Scientific American; shortwaveradio.de; Space.com; Wireless Institute
of Australia; YouTube; Zero Retries Newsletter; 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 Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso, Indiana
saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio
Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)