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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2454 for Friday November 8th, 2024
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2454 with a release date of
Friday, November 8th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Radio amateurs respond to deadly floods in
Spain. Another major tower collapses in the US -- and a once-sleepy
satellite marks 50 years in space. All this and more as Amateur Radio
Newsline Report Number 2454 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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RADIO AMATEURS RESPOND TO DEADLY FLOODS IN SPAIN

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Spain, where hams are among
the many volunteers helping vital messages get through in a region
where people's lives have been swept away by floodwaters. Jeremy Boot
G4NJH has those details.

JEREMY: As parts of Spain were overtaken by historic flooding, two
groups provided emergency radio communications through VHF/UHF
repeaters in the hard-hit region. Greg Mossop, G0DUB, the IARU Region 1 emergency communications coordinator, told Newsline that much of the
response came from R.E.M.E.R., the government's Civil Protection Radio
Network, which draws membership from the amateur community. Other hams
were deployed from Emcom-Espana, the emergency communications group of
the URE, the Spanish national amateur radio society, whose messages
proved vital as flash floods pounded eastern Spain, trapping and
killing people in the unrelenting weather conditions.

Greg told Newsline that the regions most affected included the
communities near Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia. The IARU received its
reports from Jose Antonio Mendez Rios, EA9E, the emergency spokesman
for URE and the national coordinator of Emcom Espana.

Meanwhile, as officials assessed the flood damage, search parties were dispatched to seek out those reported missing.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(GREG MOSSOP, G0DUB, IARU REGION 1)

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AWARD FOR USE OF WIRELESS IN WEATHER PREDICTION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A prominent educator in Israel has achieved
international recognition for her work in using wireless signals to aid
in prediction of extreme weather, such as flash floods. We hear about
her from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: Hagit Messer-Yaron has been honoured by the IEEE for her work
in harnessing wireless signals to collect weather data -- to serve as a reliable predictor of floods. She was inspired to assist meteorologists
who had told her, years ago, that predictions are not always possible
or consistent when using radar, satellites and other tools. Working
with a research team, she found a more reliable method using wireless communication. The process involves use of algorithms developed by her
and her team and applied to data collected from communication networks.
This technique, which was tested first in Israel, can predict flash
floods by extracting the data from measurements in the difference
between the amplitude of the signals transmitted and those received.
She is hoping to apply it to communication networks globally. Her hope
is that people would be alerted well in advance of the storm and could
be evacuated from affected areas sooner.

For her work, she has received the Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies from the IEEE, where she is also a Life Fellow.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(IEEE SPECTRUM)

**
THIRD BROADCAST TOWER COLLAPSES IN US

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, another broadcast tower has collapsed - this
one in the state of Missouri -- marking the third such incident in
October. Randy Sly W4XJ has that story.

RANDY: The tower of Missouri AM radio station KRMO, 990 kHz, collapsed
on the 24th of October after one of its guy wires snapped, according to industry media reports. The incident marked the third destruction of a
US broadcast tower in October. Local media reports said that one of the co-owners, Dewayne Gandy of Eagle Broadcasting, witnessed the collapse
as he was mowing nearby. The tower was 75 years old and maintenance
work had recently been performed. While the owners make plans to
restore a tower to the site, the station is transmitting via sharing
access on the KSWM-AM 940 kHz tower in Aurora, Missouri. Earlier in
October, a broadcast tower collapsed in Houston, Texas, after a
helicopter crashed into it, leaving four dead. In Albuquerque, New
Mexico, station KKOB-AM was knocked off the air after its tower was
destroyed by the impact of a hot-air balloon. The three passengers were reported safe after that incident.

This Randy Sly W4XJ.

(WIA, RADIO & TELEVISION BUSINESS REPORT; RADIOINK.COM)

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DELAYED OPENING AT ARECIBO SCIENCE EDUCATION CENTER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A science education center at the site of the former
Arecibo radio telescope is delaying its much-awaited opening to the
public, as we hear from Travis Lisk N3ILS.

TRAVIS: Following a pilot program held this summer that opened its
doors to students and educators by invitation only, the scientific
education and research center at the site of the former Arecibo
Observatory has had its opening delayed until the new year. The
National Science Foundation facility in Puerto Rico is known as the
Arecibo Center for Culturally Relevant and Inclusive Science Education, Computational Skills and Community Engagement, or NCF Arecibo C3. It
was originally scheduled to open in November.

Center administrators said the delay would provide more time for the
transport of essential equipment and preparation to make the facility
more accessible. One of C3's orginal collaborators, Universidad del
Sagrado Corazon, recently ended its involvement with the center,
expressing pride in its first year of work with others on the team. The university's provost and VP for academic affairs said in a statement:
[quote] "These partnerships and structures have now been successfully initiated, and the remaining institutions involved in the project will
continue this important work." [endquote]

The National Science Foundation announcement said the delayed opening
to the public will also allow adjustments in C3's organizational
structure. Opening day is expected to coincide with the National
Science Foundation's 75th anniversary. The goal of the center is to
provide a place for STEM education and research that honors the
historic Arecibo Observatory, which was dismantled after its collapse
in 2020.

This is Travis Lisk N3ILS.

(NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, C3 WEBSITE)

**
INVESTIGATORS PINPOINT POSSIBLE ROOT OF ARECIBO COLLAPSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Meanwhile, a draft report about the 2020 collapse that
led to the dismantling of the Arecibo Observatory's 305-metre telescope
has pinpointed what is believed to be the root cause. A pre-publication document from the National Academies, made available to the public
online, said that investigators found [quote] "unprecedented and
accelerated long-term zinc creep induced failure." [endquote] In other
words, the failure occurred in the radio telescope's cable sockets,
vital components that were designed to support the 900-ton platform
that was above the dish. The data analysis was conducted by the
University of Central Florida and the National Science Foundation.

The telescope's construction occurred between 1960 and 1963.
Investigators believe that the sequence of events leading to the
collapse may have begun with Hurricane Maria, which hit the telescope
as a Category 4 in 2017. The report noted that inspections before the
storm found the zinc leading edge to be intact - but in late 2018 and
early 2019 cable slippage was detected.

(ENGINEERING NEWS RECORD, GIZMODO, NATIONAL ACADEMIES)

**
OLDER S-BAND TECHNOLOGY KEEPS VOYAGER 1 TRANSMITTING

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Another crisis was resolved aboard the Voyager 1 deep
space probe by turning back the clock on technology. Kent Peterson
KC0DGY tells us what happened.

KENT: For Voyager 1, there was another disturbing incidence of radio
silence all over again. A shutdown in October of the X-band radio
transmitter left the space probe unable to communicate with the Deep
Space Network. The mission team linked the problem to a command that
had been sent to turn on one of Voyager's heaters. The team believes
the command somehow activated the spacecraft's fault-protection system
which conserves its power That lowered the rate of data transmission
and shut off the X-band transmitter, instead engaging the S-band
transmitter.

Recounting the sequence of events in the Voyager Blog, NASA's Tony
Greicius wrote that S-band transmission, which has a fainter signal
than X-band and consumes less power, had not been used by the space
team since 1981. S-band operates on frequencies between 2 and 4 GHz
whereas X-band uses frequencies in the range between 8 and 12 GHz. The
NASA blogger wrote: [quote] "The flight team was not certain the S-band
could be detected at Earth due to the spacecraft's distance, but
engineers with the Deep Space Network were able to find it." [endquote]
The old S-band transmitter has turned in a reliable performance since
October 24th, even from the distance of more than 15 billion miles, or
24 billion kilometres, from Earth, and will remain in use while the
team continues its troubleshooting.

According to the blog, [quote] "it may take days to weeks before the
team can identify the underlying issue that triggered the fault
protection system." [endquote]

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(GIZMODO, NASA)

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including
the WD8IIJ repeater of the Steubenville-Weirton Amateur Radio Club on
Fridays at 8 p.m. local time in Steubenville, Ohio.

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JAPAN LAUNCHES SPACE SATELLITE MADE OF WOOD

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: NASA has launched LignoSat, a wooden satellite built by Japanese researchers. It was successfully sent to the International
Space Station on Tuesday, November 5th, headed to the International
Space Station. Newsline first reported on its development in 2021 as a partnership between Kyoto University and a Japanese home-building
company, Sumitomo Forestry. It is expected to be released into orbit
about 250 miles, or 400 km, above the Earth. LignoSat is an experiment
using space-grade wood to build environmentally friendly satellites.
Meanwhile, New Zealand has been busy with its WISA Woodsat, a
1-kilogram amateur radio satellite built in Finland. When launched by a
rocket, it is expected to reach an orbit about 310 to 340 miles - or
between 500 and 550 km above Earth. The microsatellite has already
completed a test flight in the stratosphere, 30 km above Earth, aboard
a weather balloon.

(REUTERS, NASA)

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HAMSCI RECEIVES $1.8M GRANT FOR IONOSPHERIC STUDIES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A $1.8 million grant has been given to HamSCI for it
continued work studying the ionosphere. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us
what's planned next.

ANDY: The citizen science investigators of HamSCI have received $1.8
million in additional support from the National Science Foundation to
support their ongoing studies of the ionosphere. The announcement was
made by HamSCI founder Nathaniel Frissell, W2NAF, who said the funding
would be used for various kinds of equipment to measure different
aspects of the ionosphere's behavior. They include 10 WSPRSonde
transmitters to be a source of GPS-stabilized HF beacon signals. The
funding will also support a network - now in development - comprising
30 standardized receive stations that can observe HF Doppler shifts,
WSPR transmissions, VLF transmissions, the geomagnetic field and
natural radio emissions. Nathaniel said the network being established
will be [quote] "the only wide-spread, coordinated high frequency, very
low frequency and ground magnetometer measurement network that is
distributed primarily across the midlatitude region." [endquote]

According to an announcement by the University of Scranton, where
Nathaniel is an associate professor in physics and engineering, he will
be the lead principal investigator of the collaborative work done under
the grant with researchers at Case Western Reserve University, the
University of Alabama and the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

These projects are a continuation of the ongoing work by HamSCI which
involved amateur radio participation in Solar Eclipse QSO Parties this
year and last year. Hams were able to contribute data that helped
researchers better understand the impact the annular solar eclipse and
the total eclipse had on the ionosphere.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(HAM RADIO DAILY, UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON)

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HAM RADIO TO GIVE ALASKAN ISLAND GREATER CONNECTION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Alaska, an island community off the coast of the
mainland has become a little bit less of an island now because of
amateur radio. George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU has that story.

GEORGE: Members of the Petersburg Volunteer Fire Department have always
been ready to respond from their fire hall if an emergency strikes
their island overlooking Frederick Sound. The hard work and generosity
of one local ham has just made the fire hall a whole lot more ready.
Gary Treffry WL7LV, has donated two transceivers, tuners and antennas,
along with wires, power supplies and an amplifier and established an
amateur radio station there. The goal isn't just enhanced emergency
response but the creation of a new local ham radio club based at the
fire hall.

Communication is key in this part of the northernmost state of the US. Emergency Services Director Aaron Hankins told the local paper, The
Pilot: [quote] "We are islands ... there's no one we can just drive
down the road and get communications from but we hope to have that
added capability." [endquote]

There are already some resources locally. Alaskan hams are part of the
Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES. More than 100 hams also
participate in the Alaska-Pacific emergency preparedness net, or A-P
Net, where Gary is a member. Aaron Hankins said he is hoping to see
more hams get involved at the fire hall after the project is completed.
He added: [quote] "I hope that we never have to use his contribution in
an emergency fashion, but we'll definitely be very glad to have this
capability if the need arises." [endquote]

This is George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU.

(THE PETERSBURG PILOT)

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HAMVENTION ANNOUNCES THEME: "RADIO INDEPENDENCE"

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: With Hamvention 2025 set for the weekend of May 16th,
the organizers are asking prospective attendees to ponder the question
of what "radio independence" means to them. That is, in fact, the theme
for the convention in Xenia, Ohio. In announcing the theme, the
Hamvention team says [quote] "In the course of history radio has been
heavily regulated and, in some instances, banned altogether. We are
fortunate to enjoy these freedoms, and for us at Hamvention we are
proud of our Radio Independence. What does Radio Independence mean to
you?" [endquote]

Hopefully there will be many answers found in the workshops, seminars
and eyeball QSOs at the Greene County Fairgrounds.

(HAMVENTION)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for Theo, PA3CBH, on the air as 3D2TP from
Viti Levu, IOTA Number OC-016, in Fiji, from the 8th of November to the
12th of December. He is operating QRP on SSB and QRS CW. QSL via his
home call.

Andriy, W9KM, is active holiday style as ZF2KM from Grand Cayman
Island, IOTA Number NA-016, until the 12th of November. He is operating
CW and the digital modes with a focus on 30, 17 and 12 metres. See
QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

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KICKER: A ONCE-SLEEPY SATELLITE MARKS 50 YEARS IN SPACE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We end this week's report with a story, one that could
be called Sleeping Beauty - or perhaps more correctly, Rip Van Winkle.
Either way, this story really is a sleeper - as you'll hear from Neil
Rapp WB9VPG.

NEIL: This is no fairy tale. It's a story that begins on November 15th
of 1974 with the launch of a little satellite, a SmallSat called AO-7.
For six and a half years it delighted amateur radio operators who made
use of it worldwide. As time went on, however, AMSAT knew that it would
soon be time to say good-bye: By 1980, the cells in the satellite's
NiCad battery began to fail over a period of weeks into 1981. Thus
began the Big Sleep of SmallSat AO-7. That is, until its sudden
awakening, which AMSAT said could only have been possible if the
battery developed an open circuit.

Still, there was no mistaking this wakeful voyager. In 2002, Perry
Klein, W3PK, AMSAT's first president, received a phone call from
satellite enthusiast Pat Gowain, G3IOR [G Three EYE OH Arr], alerting
him to the fact that he'd just picked up Morse Code telemetry on AO-7's
former beacon frequency. It was confirmed. Soon other hams heard it
too. Like Rip Van Winkle - in the classic short story by Washington
Irving - satellite AO-7 had officially ended a slumber that was two
decades long.

Throughout November, AMSAT News Service will be honoring this oldest
active amateur radio satellite with articles retelling its exciting
story. Visit the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org. We promise - you'll have no trouble staying awake.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

[DO NOT READ:
https://www.amsat.org/amsat-ao-7-a-fifty-year-anniversary/ ]

[AMSAT NEWS SERVICE]

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JUST SAY 'HI' TO HAIKU

If a good day of radio is like poetry to you, pick up a pencil and join
the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. Share your experience by
sending an original haiku to us here at Newsline. Use the entry form on
our website, arnewsline.org and please follow the rules for writing
your three-line haiku -- sorry but we cannot accept any entries that
aren't written in traditional haiku form. Share with fellow listeners
the poetry that is inspired by your ham radio experience!

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; AMSAT News Service;
C3 Website; David Behar K7DB; Engineering News Record; 425DXNews; Greg
Mossop, G0DUB; Gizmodo; Hamvention; IARU Region 1; IEEE Spectrum;
National Academies; National Science Foundation; Petersburg Pilot;
QRZ.com; Radio & TV Business Report; Radioink; Reuters;
shortwaveradio.de; University of Scranton; Wireless Institute of
Australia; 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 Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As
always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is
Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.

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