Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2417 for Friday February 23rd, 2024

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2417 with a release date of Friday
February 23rd, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Alabama police remain baffled over broadcast
tower's disappearance. Hams in the UK and Australia adjust to new
amateur regulations -- and meet one net where members are trafficking
in puns. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2417 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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QUESTIONS LINGER OVER MISSING RADIO TOWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: For our top story this week, we return to Jasper,
Alabama, where a broadcast tower mysteriously disappeared in early
February. For now, that mystery remains. Kent Peterson KC0DGY gives us
a closer look.

KENT: As police in Jasper, Alabama, continue to puzzle over the
apparent overnight disappearance of a 200-foot radio tower, listeners
bemoan the loss of the AM station that has been a mainstay in the
metropolitan Birmingham area since it first went on the air in 1957. A
recent report in the New York Times quoted longtime listeners as
praising station WJLX - "The Sound of Walker County" - as being a
trusted voice carrying information, storm warnings, traffic reports and
sports scores.

The voice went mysteriously silent from AM as the theft of its tower
was reported in a case that has baffled local authorities and cast
doubts for many - including the police - as to what really happened.
The absence of an AM station also prevented the broadcaster from
keeping its FM counterpart on the air, in compliance with FCC
regulations. The station's programming was carried only online until
iHeart Media provided one of its HD3 channel on the broadcaster's WDXB
station in Birmingham. According to a report in RadioWorld, iHeart
received the FCC's approval and the broadcaster is now providing a
signal to the WJLX FM translator on 101.5 MHz.

Meanwhile, concern remains over the fate of its AM outlet. The station
has begun raising funds by establishing a GoFundMe page. The station
manager, Brett Elmore, is quoted in the New York Times as asking: "Who
in the world steals a radio tower?"

Jasper police and listeners are asking the same question.

For now, not quite a month later, there are unproven theories - but as
Newsline went to production, there were still no answers.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(RADIO WORLD, NEW YORK TIMES)

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SCOUTS ACHIEVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH ISS ASTRONAUT

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In California, Girl Scouts who were involved in the
planning and design of an amateur radio station finally got to use it
on Thursday, February 22nd, in a 10-minute contact with the
International Space Station. Unlike many of the typical ARISS contacts
that have been made using a Telebridge station, this was a direct
contact from the station created at Girl Scouts Headquarters in
California. The girls were involved in its creation from the start with
help from the River City Amateur Radio Communications Society and Girl
Scout Heart of Central California coordinated by Jen Garland, KI1TTY
[KAY EYE ONE TTY]. The girls' instruction provided a look at hams'
emergency response roles -- and of course a possible career as an
astronaut.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4qI2mNreOY ARISS Contact

(JEN GARLAND, KI1TTY, ARISS)

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DIGIPEATER IS BACK IN ACTION ON THE ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In other news about the ISS, the onboard packet radio
digipeater resumed activity on 145.825 MHz as of the 15th of February.
Additional digipeater access is expected to become available starting
on March 1st, with the launch of two new ham radio satellites:
Germany's SONATE-2 and CROCUBE from Croatia. Both satellites are on
educational missions. SONATE-2, from the University of Wuerzburg (PRON:
Vertz Berg), has a CW beacon and a SSTV transmitter in addition to the
digipeater. CROCUBE has a similar configuration, however it will use an
experimental SSDV downlink and have the capacity to send anniversary
and special occasion messages via AX.25 and CW.

(ARISS, AMATEUR RADIO DAILY, AMSAT)

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NEW RULES IN EFFECT FOR UK AMATEURS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in the UK have begun experiencing the first of
many sweeping changes Ofcom has made to licences and the licensing
process. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us more.

JEREMY: With the first rule changes from Ofcom having come into effect
on the 21st, the regulator will send out a new licence document to all
UK operators no later than autumn of this year. As reported earlier,
Ofcom's new rules not only simplify the licence process but permit ham
radio equipment to be operated under the supervision of a licensee.
Regional secondary locators have also become optional. Ofcom has also
raised the maximum power hams can use on most of the bands. The
regulator has promoted the changes for giving amateurs what it calls
[quote] "freedom to innovate."

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(OFCOM)

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AMATEUR LICENSE CHANGES BEGIN IN AUSTRALIA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Likewise, Australian hams are settling in to some new
license changes too. John Williams VK4JJW brings us up to date.

JOHN: Changes have taken effect in Australia on the assignment of
amateur radio licences. On the 19th of February, the change was made to
a class-licence system, meaning that the Australian Communications and
Media Authority is no longer renewing non-assigned amateur licences.
Although assigned apparatus licences are still required to operate a
repeater or a beacon, all other amateur operations are now covered by
the new system.

Hams surrendering their non-assigned amateur licences renewed in the
last few months may be eligible for a refund from the ACMA. Most hams
in Australia needed to take no action to complete their transition to
the new class licence, which is issued for free.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(ACMA)

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INDIAN DXPEDITION TESTS DX ABILITIES OF VHF REPEATER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An island DXpedition by Indian amateurs successfully
tested the DX capabilities of an important VHF repeater on the
mainland. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has those details.

JIM: A strategically located VHF repeater in India was put to the test
over the weekend of February 18th during a Beaches on the Air
DXpedition that reached 27 countries on SSB from Henry's Island. The
island location is significant because it is located in the Sunderbans
Reserve Forest, an area in Bengal that is prone to violent cyclones and
from time to time in need of emergency radio support.

A six-member team of hams from the West Bengal Radio Club made the QSOs
while studying the changes in propagation that occur during the
seasonal change from winter to summer. Although the hams are proud of
the DX contacts they made during the weekend, they are prouder still of
the successful connection they can rely on from the island to the VHF
repeater located atop the highest building in Kolkata. It fulfilled a
very practical, lifesaving objective: maintaining contact from a region
that is imperiled when disaster strikes.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF

(THE STATESMAN)

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SILENT KEY, BILL HUDZIK, W2UDT, OF ARRL HUDSON DIVISION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A prominent radio amateur in the New York area of the
ARRL has become a Silent Key. The death of Bill Hudzik, W2UDT, past
vice director for the ARRL's Hudson Division, was reported on Facebook
and in an ARRL newsletter by Nomar, NP4H, the division director. Bill
had stepped down as vice director of the ARRL Hudson Division on
February 1st, 2022. He had told fellow amateurs at the Division awards
luncheon that his decision was based on having been diagnosed with
Parkinson's disease. Bill was originally appointed to the post of vice
director in 2011 following the retirement of Frank Fallon, N2FF.

Bill had a reputation for representing ham interests in legislative
matters in New Jersey, including advocacy for amateurs in gaining an
exemption from a state law that banned cell phone use by motorists.
Bill had previously served as ARRL's Northern New Jersey section
manager. He had been a ham since 1961.

No other details were immediately available.

(ARRL)

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LUNAR LANDER DELAYS LAUNCH OF CREW-8 ASTRONAUTS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: NASA's Crew-8 astronauts have had to wait a little
longer for their launch but the space agency gave them a good reason.
Andy Morrison K9AWM explains.

ANDY: The launch of a robotic lunar lander has delayed the departure of
SpaceX's eighth crewed operational mission to the ISS. NASA's Crew-8
astronauts include Matthew Dominick, KC0TOR, the commander; Michael
Barratt, KD5MIJ, the pilot; and Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, the mission
specialist. They are to be accompanied by mission specialist and
Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin.

Their date with the launch pad was moved from the 22nd of February to
no earlier than the 28th when they will be aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon
as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

Meanwhile, the robotic lander known as Odysseus - nicknamed Odie
-lifted off on February 15th and is expected to become the first
private spacecraft to land on the moon. It was built by Intuitive
Machines, a company based in Houston. The US has not touched the
surface of the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.