Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2425 for Friday April 19th, 2024

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2425 with a release date of Friday
April 19th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. NASA confirms space station debris hit Florida
home. A simulated crisis in Oregon draws a robust response -- and a
musician who was a headliner at the Woodstock Music Festival becomes a
Silent Key. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number
2425 comes your way right now.

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BILLBOARD CART

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SIMULATED CRISIS DRAWS ROBUST RESPONSE IN OREGON

JIM/ANCHOR: We begin this week with a story of a disaster-preparation
drill in one part of Oregon where living on a floodplain means always
being vigilant. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB tells us how things played out.

RALPH: The disaster scenario was a simulated emergency test, or SET, in
Crook County, Oregon, but the response was very real on Saturday, April
13th, as radio amateurs and others responded from Crook County
Emergency Management, the sheriff's Search and Rescue team and the
county's auxiliary communication team. The amateur radio station at the
area hospital was activated and communications went out over the
Grizzly Mountain Repeater and on 2-metre simplex.

In this simulated scene across the region's floodplain, the reservoirs
had reached capacity after abundant winter snowfall. A nearby river
below a major dam threatened to rise and cause flooding. Residential
areas faced further dangers as a major creek began to swell.

The drill's organizer, Jim Burge, KB7SHT, told Newsline that 26 hams
were mobilized, and four others checked in from their home QTH. The
drill also became a training exercise for newcomers, who were paired
with more experienced hams and took an active part in learning how to
call the net.

Dave, W7KFO, said that simplex coverage was also provided at all
critical points, such as the hospital and the EOC.

He said that with most of Crook County's population in Prineville,
which is built on a flood plain, a high-water simulation such as this
carries special urgency. There have been real-life deployments too,
even when flooding is not the central worry.

Jim told Newsline that hams were involved in all 38 missions conducted
last year, using both simplex frequencies and area repeaters. No, these
instances were not simulated. Jim said: [quote] "Four of those missions
were truly life-saving missions and ham radio was our only means of
communication." [endquote]

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(JIM BURGE, KB7SHT)

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DXPEDITIONERS REASSESS BOUVET PLANNING FOR 2025

JIM/ANCHOR: As Newsline went to production, contributions to next
year's Bouvet Island DXpedition were put on hold - for now. Graham Kemp
VK4BB picks up the story for us.

GRAHAM: The 3Y0K Bouvet Island DXpedition set for January 2025 has
suspended its acceptance of donations temporarily while the team
reassesses its financial picture. The DXpedition made the announcement
on its website 3Y0K dot com (3y0k.com).

DX-World.net posted a statement made on social media by Ken, LA7GIA,
who explained: [quote] "Unfortunately, the financial risk for the small
team is too high and we will spend the next few weeks in April
assessing the situation and deciding what to do. We will explore all
possible options and will return with more information once we have
reached a conclusion." [endquote]

According to the DXpedition website, the team has secured 80 percent of
its $400,000 budget but was still needing $75,000. The 21-day
DXpedition is to have three operators and a four-person support team.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(DX-WORLD.NET, 3Y0K WEBSITE)

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SILENT KEY: ELPIDIO "PETE" COBIAN, N6VJD, FORMERLY OF THE BAND
SWEETWATER

JIM/ANCHOR: A musical talent whose group was a headliner at the
Woodstock Music Festival in the 1960s has become a Silent Key. We hear
about him from Paul Braun WD9GCO.

PAUL: On the opening day of the Woodstock Music Festival in upstate New
York in 1969, Elpidio Cobian, N6VJD, enlivened the music of the group
Sweetwater with his conga playing, as he always did. A gifted musician,
he later made a career change into the film industry, where he became a
part of different movie set crews. According to his longtime friend,
Leo, KJ6HI, one of the big joys in his life was amateur radio - and his
amateur radio friends. Known to almost everyone as Pete, he died of
natural causes on the 6th of April.

Leo remembered his friend of more than 40 years as someone who made
-and kept - lasting friendships on and off the air. He told Newsline:
[quote] "He was an unselfish operator and was always available to
assist other hams." [endquote] He said Pete was a fixture on 40
and 75 meters where he inspired everyone with his upbeat and endearing
personality.

Leo told Newsline: [quote] "We are going to miss him dearly."
[endquote]

Pete was 90 years old.

This is Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(LEO, KJ6HI, SWEETWATERBAND WEBSITE, FACEBOOK)

**
SILENT KEY: LARRY STAPLES, W0AIB, FOUNDER/EDITOR OF LARRY'S LIST

JIM/ANCHOR: A central figure among Kansas City area radio amateurs has
become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Randy Sly, WX4J.

RANDY: As an active and involved ham for six decades, Larry Staples,
W0AIB, was well-known among other amateurs in the Kansas City metro
area -- but he was perhaps best known as publisher of Larry's List. The
popular email message center dispatched ham radio-related emails
relevant to its nearly 2200 subscribers and was considered a mainstay
for radio amateurs in the region.

Larry, who had been a ham since 1960, died on the 17th of April.

In addition to his varied other activities, public service was close to
Larry's heart. He could be counted on to play Santa Claus for mentally
challenged youngsters or to coordinate radio assistance, as he did for
more than three decades, with what was then known as the March of Dimes
Walk-a-Thons.

73's my friend, you will be missed. This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

**
NASA CONFIRMS ISS DEBRIS HIT FLORIDA HOME

JIM/ANCHOR: NASA has confirmed the claims of a Florida homeowner who
said his house was struck by debris from the International Space
Station which had jettisoned old batteries. The space agency came to
that conclusion after examining it at Kennedy Space Center where it had
been taken after the damage was discovered on March 8th. According to
various news reports, the homeowner had been away at the time but
discovered that part of the ceiling and floor had been damaged.

No one was reported injured.

(SPACE.COM, NBC NEWS)

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AUTISM AWARENESS WEEK LOGS MORE THAN 17,000 QSOS WORLDWIDE

JIM/ANCHOR: If you were lucky enough to score a QSO with W2A here in
the United States or any other callsigns that were part of the recent
global Autism Awareness Week, join the crowd. Organizer James KB2FMH
reported that logs collected as of April 15th reflect a total of 17,129
QSOs. Contacts were made across 50 US states, 44 Canadian provinces,
146 countries and 6 continents. James said that this translates into
having radio signals travel nearly 83 million miles to carry the
message from 45 volunteer operators worldwide that "it's OK to be
different." Congratulations to the special event team!

(JAMES GALLO, KB2FMH)

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POTA EVENT SHOWCASES TOP OPERATORS IN PA REGION

JIM/ANCHOR: In what is being described as a first-of-its-kind event,
four top Parks on the Air activators from eastern Pennsylvania will be
setting up stations in a state park in suburban Philadelphia to
showcase one of the fastest-growing activities in amateur radio today
to other hams. Mark Abramowicz (pronouncer - Abram-o-vich), NT3V, has
more from Collegeville, PA.

MARK: Walt Skavinsky KB3SBC, a veteran POTA activator and hunter
himself, came up with the idea for the activation set for Sunday, April
28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Evansburg State Park, just outside
Philadelphia.

WALT: "They're the League of Extraordinary POTAMEN. And, they're going
to come share their superpowers with you because they're all unique and
you have an opportunity to learn from each one of them."

MARK: Skavinsky says the goal is to demonstrate to hams across the
region how to activate a POTA station, perhaps without much of an
investment in special gear.

WALT: "They can see what equipment that others have already tried and
worked. They might even see equipment they already own."

MARK: The four POTA veterans are Pete Kobak K0BAK, Greg Malone WA3GM,
Joel Rubincam NF3R, and Bill Hewitt W3FRB. Their goal is to showcase
the symbiotic relationship that makes POTA work.

WALT: "The activators can't do their jobs and have fun without the
hunters at home. And, you participate where you can. I tell you a lot
of hunters have become activators and a lot of activators have become
hunters because I want to support my fellow activators out there."

MARK: Skavinsky says whether you're new, experienced or just interested
in exploring it, POTA is one of the places where you can pretty much do
it your own way.

WALT: "Your skill is very important...You have to deal with the
elements. It encompasses everything I find challenging in amateur
radio."