Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2411 for Friday January 12th, 2024

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2411 with a release date of Friday
January 12th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Students build their way to a direct contact
with space. A six-month extension for hams on some bands in Germany
--and a moment of honor for SOTA on the islands of Scotland. All this
and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2411 comes your way
rightnow.

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BILLBOARD CART

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TECH-SAVVY TEENS SCORE A DIRECT CONTACT WITH ISS

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a story that captivated the
national media here in the United States and social media everywhere:
It was a contact made barely a month ago between Pennsylvania high
school students and astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
This was a contact, however, with something that set it apart from
many. Kent Peterson KC0DGY tells us how it happened.

KENT: Like so many other of the hundreds of contacts that have been
made over the years between students and ISS astronauts, the
well-publicized QSO with Harbor Creek High School near Erie,
Pennsylvania relied on the support of the volunteers and staff who are
part of Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. They assisted
with scheduling and helped coordinate the contact with NASA mission
control in Houston. This was a very different QSO, however: About
three-quarters of the participating high school students were licensed
amateur radio operators - young hams who developed, built, installed
and operated the radio systems in preparation for this high-profile
contact. They even assembled the antennas that were installed on the
school building's roof.

In other words, this was a direct contact between the school and the
ISS, with no telebridge or phone patch to serve as the customary
go-between.

This kind of hands-on student involvement is uncommon in the long
history of ARISS and its 1600 or so educational contacts, according to
Frank Bauer, KA3HDO, executive director of ARISS-USA. He told Newsline
in an email that ARISS strongly encourages this kind of hands-on
student involvement but doesn't see it often. He told Newsline: [quote]
"It is a rarity to be celebrated." [endquote]

Frank said that, working with education lead and assistant principal
Drew Mortensen AC3DS, the teens in the Harbor Creek Advanced
Technologies Group handled the ISS satellite operations on their own.
Watching the contact happen, ARISS technical mentor Gordon Scannell,
KD8COJ, told the local newspaper: [quote] "They've done this, they know
how to do this." [endquote]

The result was a QSO with Commander Andreas Mogensen, KG5GCZ. It was
arranged by ARISS and NASA, but made by students -- and this was a
contact the nation, if not the world, got to watch.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(FRANK BAUER, KA3HDO, THE TODAY SHOW)

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PRESENTATIONS NEEDED FOR EARTH-MOON-EARTH CONFERENCE

JIM/ANCHOR: If you regularly promise yourself the moon for many of your
radio contacts, you may have something to offer to fellow hams
attending the next Earth-Moon-Earth communications conference later
this year. Sel Embee KB3TZD has those details.

SEL: Organizers of the 20th International Earth-Moon-Earth
Communications Conference have chosen the campus of the College of New
Jersey as the host site on August 9th through 11th but they still need
presenters to discuss advancements in the mode. Although the conference
focuses on operations at 432 MHz and above, amateurs with experience
and expertise on 50 MHz, 144 MHz and 222 MHz are also welcome.
Presentations can range from 25 minutes to 50 minutes long and can
cover such topics as issues and procedures for EME options, unusual
equipment, software and, of course EME operating experiences.

The New Jersey campus, just outside of Trenton, is central to
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City. A new feature this
year will be a live course called EME 101 for operators who are looking
to get started in EME or want additional tips on gear or techniques for
the different bands. This one-day class is separate from the EME
conference and takes place on Friday, August 9th. Registration fee is
$50 but attendees at the three-day conference will be able to attend
EME 101 class at no extra charge.

See the website in the text version of this week's newscast at
arnewsline.org for additional details. If you wish to be a presenter at
the conference, you will find more information about what the
organizers need in advance.

[DO NOT READ: https://eme2024trenton.org/ ]

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(EME CONFERENCE)

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GERMAN AMATEURS GET 6-MONTH EXTENSION ON 160, 6 AND 4M

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Germany who have been enjoying temporary privileges
on some bands will be able to use them for six more months, as Jeremy
Boot G4NJH tells us.

JEREMY: Amateurs in Germany who are using temporarily allocated
frequencies on 160 metres, 6 metres and 4 metres - as well as Class E
licence holders being allowed to use the 13cm and 5 cm bands - have
been given a six-month extension from the telecommunications regulator
BNetzA.

The announcement was made in late December in the regulator's
newsletter which noted that the extension expires on the 30th of June.
Until then, all licence, class, polarisation and power restrictions
remain in place and use continues to be on a non-interference basis.

The extension permits the use of 1.8 and 2.0 MHz on weekends for
contests. It also grants continued use of 50 to 52 MHz and 70.150 to
70.210 MHz.

In the meantime, German amateurs who want to test for the new
entry-level Class N licence later this year are advised to monitor the
D A R C website at Five Zero Oh H M dot de (50ohm.de) for updates on
the exam syllabus, which is considered compatible with the requirements
for the CEPT entry-level licence.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(BNETZA)

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SILENT KEY: MARTIN ENGSTROM, N1ARY, MAINE'S "MARTY ON THE MOUNTAIN"

JIM/ANCHOR: A ham radio operator who was best known as a beloved TV
weatherman -- even after his retirement 22 years ago -- has become a
Silent Key. We hear about him from Andy Morrison K9AWM.

ANDY: Marty Engstrom, N1ARY, was forever known as "Marty on the
Mountain" among viewers of Maine's TV station WMTW, Channel 8. His real
job from atop Mount Washington -- New England's highest peak -- was to
keep the station's transmitter on the air from there. Marty reluctantly
agreed to read the regional weather report on camera as well, despite
having no background in meteorology -- and until his retirement in
2002, his folksy delivery, awkward smile and his clip-on tie became his
trademark. In 2019, he was inducted into the Maine Association of
Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Marty died on January 4th at his home in Maine after a brief illness,
according to local news reports. He was 86.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(WMTW, WJBQ)

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SILENT KEY: EAST COAST REFLECTOR'S TOM MOLYNEAUX JR., KE3GK

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams on the Late Night and East Coast Reflectors are
missing a good-natured, good-humored member of their community. We hear
about him from Dave Parks WB8ODF.

DAVE: Tom Molyneaux Jr., KE3GK, was an avid contester on both SSB and
CW and had the awards hanging all over his shack walls to prove it. He
was a member of the North East Maryland Amateur Radio Club. Licensed
since 1991, Tom served as an influence and example for hams and
non-hams alike - but was perhaps proudest of the ham radio interest he
sparked in one of his five grandchildren, his grandson, Grayson.

Tom became a Silent Key on the 9th of January. Recalled by his radio
friends as friendly, funny and always willing to help newcomers, he was
also an eager volunteer, brainstorming ideas to keep his fellow
amateurs engaged. His more popular ideas included a Saturday 9 a.m. net
on 40 meters and East Coast Reflector Net also at 9 a.m., Monday
through Friday, known as The Second Cup.

A veteran of the US Navy, he leaves behind his family, including his
wife Phyllis, who he had known since he was 7 years old.

Tom was a friend of mine.

He was 66.

I'm Dave Parks WB8ODF

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GRANT TO FUND AMATEUR TRAINING IN TECH SECTORS

JIM/ANCHOR: It's going to be a busy year for the Ham Radio Village,
K0HRV, helping nurture and create new licensed hams. George
Zafiropoulos KJ6VU has the details.

GEORGE: Members of the Maker communities as well as people involved in
STEM and STEAM activities will be getting enhanced access to the path
to prepare for an amateur license with the help of an $18,000 grant
from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The funds are being given to
the Ham Radio Village K0HRV, a Colorado-based nonprofit that has been
advocating for more individuals in various technical fields to get
their amateur radio licenses. As always Ham Radio Village intends to
provide these communities with hands-on experience, expertise on
amateur-radio issues and to lead license-testing both online and in
person.

Ham Radio Village is known for its presence at DEFCON, a hacker
convention held every year in Las Vegas, and hopes that this grant
money will take its efforts beyond there. The outreach will include
such other conferences as GRCon, Maker Faires and the IEEE
Communications Conference.