Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2402 for Friday November 10th, 2023

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2402 with a release date of Friday
November 10th, 2023 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Fire destroys an important part of a worldwide
beacon network. There's an easier method to report RFI in Germany --and
a dying Dutch satellite is looking for its final contacts. All
this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2402 comes your
way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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FIRE DESTROYS KEY BEACON ON MADEIRA ISLAND

DON/ANCHOR: An important guide to ionospheric conditions for hams and
non-hams alike has been damaged beyond repair. It was the newest beacon
in the network of the International Beacon Project of the Northern
California DX Foundation and the IARU. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB has
thatstory.

RALPH: A wildfire destroyed one of the newest installations to the
Northern California DX Foundation's International Beacon Project. A
blaze in October destroyed radio beacon CS3B on the Portuguese island
of Madeira off Africa's northwest coast. The CW beacon had been in
operation barely a month when fire swept through, destroying the
building, the radio inside and the antenna. Replacement is expected to
take some time.

The HF beacon was one of several operating on 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m and
10m and was viewed as an important resource for testing HF propagation
between North America and Europe. The various beacons operate by
transmitting once on each of these bands every three minutes, around
the clock.

No timetable was disclosed for the beacon's return to service.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(IARU, WIA)

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IN GERMANY, AN EASIER WAY TO REPORT RFI

DON/ANCHOR: Amateurs in Germany now have a direct means of
communication with the federal regulator BNetZa (Pron: B-NETS-EH) when
they want to report electronic devices that have caused radio
interference or are inaccurately labeled as being safe. An online form
allows a report to be made with relevant details so that the agency can
more easily take action and determine if these devices are
non-compliant, dangerous - or both. Customs agents and postal
authorities will also be notified of imported devices that are found to
be faulty so those items can be placed on the list of banned products.

The form is designed to help expedite an official response, especially
with regard to interference - be it on the amateur radio frequencies or
on mobile phones or broadcast radio and TV. BNetZa (Pron: B-NETS-EH)
has provided a link to the form, which is in German. That link appears
in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY:
verwaltung.bund.de/leistungsbeantragung/de/leistung/99118055261000/hera
usgeber/LeiKa-103356009/region/00 ]

(RADIO DARC)

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INDIA CONTINUES WORK TOWARD CREWED SPACEFLIGHT

DON/ANCHOR: India's recent test flight of its spacecraft is providing
vital data to help the space agency prepare to put a crew on board
within two years. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has the details.

JIM: Following the successful completion of a test flight in space, the
Indian Space Research Organisation has begun analysing data and imagery
from the spacecraft's crew escape system, with an eye toward having
astronauts on board space flights by 2025. That would make India the
fourth country to put humans in space.

The Gaganyaan project's test flight on October 21st was known as the
Flight Test Vehicle Abort Mission, designed to ensure that people in
the capsule could be assured of a safe return in the event of an
emergency. The test demonstrated that an on-board crew could be safely
moved at least 1.2 miles, or 2 km, away from the rocket in an
emergency.

The Indian space organisation hopes to send a human-like robot into
space next year. To prepare for a flight with a live crew of three, the
agency meanwhile has been evaluating the fitness and health of a number
of Indian air force pilots who are likely candidates. India also hopes
to establish an orbiting space station in 2035.

The country last made news in space in August of this year by
successfully putting a lander near the south pole of the Moon.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(MINT, AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

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'ADVENT CALENDAR' EVENT ACTIVATES UK BUNKERS

DON/ANCHOR: With Christmas on the horizon, the UK Bunkers-on-the-Air
awards scheme has introduced a special set of awards in the format of
an Advent Calendar. Here is Ed Durrant DD5LP with more information:

ED: Bunker activators will be on the air from bunkers in the official
ROC reference list from December 1st through the 24th, and chasers can
symbolically "open" a new bunker door each day by working that station
- right up through Christmas.

The Bunkers on the Air Advent Calendar Award has two parts: one for
hunters or shortwave listeners and one for activators. The programme
runs in parallel with the Bunkers on the Air 2023 annual award meaning
that those taking part in both events must use two separate online
trackers.

To keep the season bright and even a little amusing, the multi-tiered
point system for the Advent Calendar Award has such names as "Santa's
Little Helper" all the way to the top-scoring "Super Santa." Spotting,
alerting and all information about the scheme is available on the
website at bunkersontheair.org"

Bunkers on the Air is a rapidly growing amateur radio activity that
centres around Royal Observer Corps monitoring posts created during the
Cold War Era.

I am Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(BUNKERS ON THE AIR)

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'ADVENT CALENDAR' EVENT ACTIVATES UK BUNKERS

DON/ANCHOR: If you're looking for an old-fashioned QSO, get your hands
on an old-fashioned radio and listen to this next report from Jack
Parker W8ISH.

JACK: If you've built yourself a vintage-style transmitter - or are
lucky enough to have acquired one - you're just in time for the Bruce
Kelley 1929 QSO Party this month. It's taking place on the 11th and
12th of November and again on the 18th through the 20th. It bears the
name of Bruce, W8ACY/W2ICE, who was part of the group of amateur radio
operators who founded the Antique Wireless Association, in 1952. He
became a Silent Key in 1997, six years after the first QSO Party
tookplace.

The association is sponsoring this year's event to celebrate the glory
of tubes and techniques that date back to 1929 or even earlier. The QSO
Party is open to anyone with an appropriate oldtime-style radio,
whether they are an association member or not. It is, however, a
CW-only event and in addition to hearing dits and dahs sent at a wide
variety of speeds, operators can expect to hear the buzzing, chirping
and drifting associated with the ham radio experience of a century or
so ago.

So now that you've likely turned back your clocks, get ready to turn
back your calendar. Additional details - and a video about vintage
transmitters - can be seen at the website antiquewireless dot org
(antiquewireless.org)

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(ANTIQUE WIRELESS ASSOCIATION, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY)

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HAMS ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT DE-ORBITING DUTCH CUBESAT

DON/ANCHOR: An amateur radio CubeSat that was the pride of the students
who built it at the Delft University of Technology is about to de-orbit
and its team wants radio operators to get involved. Ed Durrant DD5LP
has the details.

ED: In 2008, the Delfi-C3 amateur radio satellite became the first
Dutch university satellite to go into space. Now its journey is nearing
the end and it is expected to de-orbit, with re-entry to take place
sometime around the 16th of November. The CubeSat team would like to
present an award certificate to the ham or shortwave listener who makes
the last contact with Delfi-C3 and provides its last telemetry frame.
The telemetry downlink is on 145.867 MHz, 1200 baud AX.25 BPSK. Radio
operators may use the RASCAL software, the SATNOGS network or simply
send decoded telemetry frames with reception time and location. Those
may be emailed to the email address in the text version of this week's
newscast at arnewsline.org.

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

[DO NOT READ: delfi@tudelft.nl ]

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

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UK FOUNDATION TO SUBSIDIZE ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE EXAMS

DON/ANCHOR: Some of the youngest candidates for amateur radio just got
a little boost from the Radio Communications Foundation, a small
independent charity that was established by the Radio Society of Great
Britain. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us how they're helping.

JEREMY: Prospective candidates for the Foundation licence who are
fulltime students and younger than 21 may be eligible for assistance
from the Radio Communications Foundation which is offering to subsidise
a number of the examinations. Foundation exams in the UK cost £32.50.
According to the Radio Society of Great Britain, some teachers last
year identified this fee as an obstacle for students. The foundation
told the RSGB that to help those with the greatest financial concerns,
the first group of 15 exams will be funded for qualifying applicants.
Every three months thereafter, the foundation will fund another group
of 15 exams in much the same way. Any funds not used will simply roll
into the next quarter.