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JULY 23 2017 - VK NATIONAL NEWS BROADCAST ON VK1WIA
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THE BEST NEWS YOU'LL GET ALL WEEK
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NATIONAL NEWS FOR WEEK COMMENCING JULY 23 2017.
IN OUR 22nd YEAR OF NON STOP NEWS
WIA VICE PRESIDENT David Ford, VK4MZ and the WIA's 4 steps to success.
THIS STORY AND MORE IN THIS EDITION OF NEWS FROM THE WIRELESS INSTITUTE
OF AUSTRALIA 2017 AND FOR WEEK OF JULY 23
Not JUST the WIA news but THE WIA news, presented BY Aussies FOR Aussie Ham
Radio operators.
Sad news in from Sue Graham via vk4zz that Ron Graham VK4BRG - one of the
forefathers of ARDF, Satellite DX and APRS in Australia, has gone Silent Key.
We'll look at Ron's contribution to VKHam and Rescue Radio shortly.
On the Social Scene this weekend has seen, the 22nd Great Gippsland Gate
Radio & Electronics Club HamFest and also the Caboolture HamFest and THE ONE
for your future diary, check the corrected date, Feb 25, Wyong Field Day.
In our text 'only' edition a fascinating in depth Rescue Radio section where
radio hams help the abandoned elderly, AND abandoned BIKES !
Along with spectrum pollution and intruders putting urban radio in doubt
by IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie G3BJ speaking at the Ham Radio 2017
Friedrichshafen conference.
and of course our text edition can be obtained early when you register for
the wia rss podcast feed
http://www.wia-files.com/podcast/wianews.xml
Around the world flight strikes more problems
WIA Rebroadcaster Mike VK8MA alerted us to new problems with the Project Amelia
Earhart flight.
A troublesome fuel pump caused its return to Hamilton New Zealand.
Brian Lloyd WB6RQN had spent a week in New Zealand to rest and have the
aircraft's HF ham radio and a magneto fixed. On July 15 Brian WB6RQN took off
from Hamilton in what he described as good weather and a tail wind gaining an
altitude of 21,000 feet headed to Pago Pago in American Samoa.
Then the well let Amateur Newsline's Kent Peterson KC0DGY pick up the story
in this QSO with our intrepid aviator..
BRIAN Greetings from Hamilton NZ where its 10 degrees Celsius that is and
it looks like another beautiful day. I wish I were flying.
KENT That's right, Brian can explain why he's on the ground
BRIAN A couple days ago I departed from new Zealand heading to Pago Pago
and got 50 miles north and my engine began to have had problems. I got
the airplane turned around but the engine quit several times and it
wasn't clear I was going to make it back and I stood a chance that I was
going to go swimming.
KENT By adjusting the throttle the mixture control and the electric fuel pump
Brian was able to make it back to New Zealand.
BRIAN There were some moments there where I was a little concerned but it all
turned out OK..
BRIAN It has been an amazing experience. I've gone through some 20 countries
now. Everyone everywhere has been supportive and helpful . Everywhere
I've gone either a ham or an aviation person has put me up in their home,
it's just been great.
KENT Using his on board HF rig, Brian was able to make ham contacts during the
first part of his flight.
BRIAN I just plug along taking each call as it comes until I have to do
something else like fly the airplane or talk to air traffic control.
KENT But he had some problems with his HF radio and ended up getting the radio
replaced so he's once again on the air and hopes to make ham contacts on
his Pacific leg of the trip.
BRIAN If I can get the fuel pump fixed in the next three days there is a good
chance I can make it to Oshkosh. Not on the first day but chances are
good I can make it. the bottom line is safety security and schedule.
I do care if I'm able to safely and security complete this trip
BRIAN It's all about completing Amelia Earhart flight and it would be nice
icing on the cake if I can make it to Oshkosh but just completing it all
is a significant achievement from my point of view. I've had a few road
blocks thrown up but all i can do is put one foot in front of the other
and eventually I'll get to my destination and that's my goal.
Reporting for Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson KC0DGY.
Brian WB6RQN, a 62-year old Texan, will drop a floral wreath in respect on
Howland Island where the Earhart flight disappeared in 1937.
(Kent Peterson KC0DGY / Jim Linton VK3PC / VK8MA / WB6RQN FBook /
And keep an eye and ear on www.arnewsline.org )
Greetings from WIA VICE PRESIDENT David Ford, VK4MZ
As we near the end of the first 60 days since the Annual General Meeting,
and our first 60 days as a new board, we've experienced a lot.
Today I would like to make a few announcements, and talk about what I call,
the WIA's 4 steps to success.
Those steps are:
Step 1 Understand & Maintain
Step 2 Build capability and get ready for change
Step 3 Build a roadmap for success
Step 4 Achieve
Let's talk about those steps in more detail
Step 1 - Understand & maintain:
In the 60 days since the AGM, I've by far spent more time with clubs where
I am not a member than with my home club in Redcliffe in QLD. Over that time,
I've had the absolute fortune of being able to present awards to Amateurs
with decades of experience supporting the hobby (much more than I), I've heard
and discussed challenges, I've spent many hours and days hearing about the
strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for individuals, clubs and the industry.
I've spoken to commercial entities that support hamfests and the hobby, I've
heard concerns, I've heard opportunities for improvement and I've heard what
the WIA should keep on doing.
Within those 60 days the board has been holding its responsibility to ensure
that the business as usual activities of the WIA do not falter, and that the
wheels of the WIA keep on turning.
Yes, there are opportunities for improvement and opportunities to take the
organisation to the next level. We're getting ready to address them.
So the wheels are still turning, but what's next? Business journals talk of
the critical nature of organisational transition in the first 90 days. While
the board has been listening, and guiding the WIA's wheels to still turn,
we've been setting up the building blocks for our next steps.
Onto Step 2 - Build Capability and get ready for change:
The idea of doing something for free and volunteering to many might sound
strange. We orient ourselves on success and profit, people possessing honed
professional skills, and being able to "sell" these skills. However, the value
of volunteering strongly depends on how you look at it. For instance,
volunteering is one of the greatest examples of how a job can pay off not
with just money.
If you can work with a team of volunteers and help them discover a love for
what they do, without money, you know you're doing well.
I've been lucky enough to coach a few people through their careers and
volunteering is the advice that I give to many. Volunteering is how my career
started, and it has been a catalyst in driving my career shifts.
Although it may sound paradoxical, volunteering is one of the easiest ways
to build a career. After graduating, many get stuck trying to find work but
needing work experience. Statistics show 73% of employers would prefer to hire
a person with volunteering experience in their chosen field. 94% of employers
share the belief that volunteering helps potential employees obtain new skills
and diversifies their abilities. In addition, 94% of people who were hired
after a volunteering experience say volunteering aided them in getting their
job, or benefited them in other ways, such as a quicker promotion, salary
increases, or obtaining new skills. Having relevant work experience obtained
during volunteering and specifying it in your C.V. can be a kick-starter for
your career, because nowadays more and more employers tend to count
volunteering almost as valuable as actual work experience.
So, if you still think you do not have time to volunteer because you need to
look for a job, or because volunteering could be a nuisance to your ability
to grow your career. You might want to reconsider.
If you want to demonstrate responsibility, compassion, and how one person can
make a difference by personally participating or working as a team and solving
problems, you should volunteer. Of course, through volunteering, you can find
a lot of useful contacts, resources, and activities for your whole family.
Interestingly volunteering is good for you, a recent study of more than 600
volunteers found that in most age groups 63% of people said that volunteering
reduced their stress levels. And, about 48% of those who volunteered during the
last two years felt relief in terms of finding a purpose and that volunteering
assisted their overall mental health.
Volunteering is also a great opportunity to accelerate your career, or become
recognised for your achievements and knowledge. It is an opportunity to give
back and see the good that you can do for the community. It is an opportunity
for many to leave a legacy.
The WIA is mostly a volunteer organisation.
Many of the activities and services we want to provide rely on committee's
and volunteers. The capability of the WIA to move forward rests in its ability
to attract, reward and recognise volunteers. Without volunteers, we can't move
forward.
The WIA needs you!
Today, it is my profound pleasure to announce that in partnership with
volunteer.com.au we launch an open, inclusive and transparent volunteer
recruitment process. By the time you hear or read this news, five new positions
for the Strategic Advisory committee have been advertised publicly. The
advertisements will be in place until the Strategic Advisory committee has a
full complement of seven members. And that is five new positions joining
Brian Clark and myself on the committee.
In future, should there be vacancies for the strategic advisory committee
then positions will be readvertised in an open, inviting and inclusive manner.
But that's not all, in addition to the strategic advisory committee a
Privacy & Complaints officer position is also available. If you would like
to build your experience, or you have significant experience in leading
compliance agendas and would like to be recognised for your excellence,
then register your interest today.
You will be able to find WIA volunteering opportunities via:
- The WIA's website
- The WIA's BRAND NEW Facebook page - I "like it" and you should too
- and both the WIA website and the Facebook page will direct you to the
WIA's new presence on volunteer.com.au where you can register your
interest in a volunteer position.
Keep an eye on the WIA website, its Facebook page and volunteer.com.au as
more opportunities will be advertised in the coming weeks.
So, as we build the capability of the organisation and, in turn have teams of
specialised volunteers standing by, then what?
Well, that takes us onto Step 3 of transition - building a Roadmap for success
and it's happening soon. Next week the board will begin internally trialling
a survey which will help guide the WIA's product mix. This is the mix of
products and services that the WIA will offer going into the future.
On the 6th of August, the survey will be made available publicly.
With the formation of the strategic advisory committee, the capability build up
from Step 2 and the results of the product mix survey along with other ongoing
consultation work, we build our roadmap and form our strategic direction.
And In step 4, Achieve, we bring it all together
With our new-found capability, our strategic direction, our opportunities in
front of us, our threats mitigated and a strong and capable organisation at
the ready. We achieve.
So that's a transition process summarised in four steps.
What comes next is up to you to shape.
Enjoy the journey and register your interest in volunteering whenever you can.
This has been David Ford, VK4MZ, the institutes Vice President.
( To register your interest in assisting the WIA as its Privacy
(& Complaints) Officer please visit
https://www.volunteer.com.au/opportunity/details/104239 )
To register your interest in joining the WIA Strategy Committee
please visit
https://www.volunteer.com.au/volunteering/opportunity/104280/
SILENT KEY VK4BRG
Ron Graham came from Sarina and had been an RI in Central Queensland
He manufactured EPIRB detectors that worked, were simple and easy to operate. He couldn't find anybody in search and rescue circles that would take him seriously.
He made many units including 243mhz versions (military distress freq) that
were also used on standard 121.5 MHz epirbs. He also made units that worked
on "practice freqs" close to the distress freqs for use as training units.
One 'local' used one of his smaller 243 MHz models to find 2 guys in the water
at night out of the Capricorn coast in October 1997 after all other daylight
attempts had failed. They'd lost all hope of rescue when darkness fell.
Saved their lives thanks to Ron Graham's unit.
His units were also tested as working satisfactorily out of high winged
aircraft in South Australia when the floppy antenna extensions were
strengthened. Aim the antenna out of the open door from inside the a/craft
and fly in a circle. Simples.
VK4BRG made antennas that were used as standard issue portable locators for
ACA and NSW water police teams in Sydney at the Olympic Games in 2000 where
they proved their value.
Once proved, Ron's locators became standard issue in SAR operations Aus wide.
Even the Vic police eventually "discovered" them after 8 years of denial.
He spent time on communications work in S/W Pacific communities where he became
interested in other practical useful applications of his hobby.
Ron worked in technical design, install and maintenance in the South West
Pacific, New Guinea and Northern Australia for many firms before
'settling down' bit south of Sarina Central Queensland in the mid-1980s.
It was here that Ron got serious with his love for long distance radio and set a
long path distance record with a confirmed contact with station 5H1HK in
Zanzibar on the 50 to 54 megahertz band of 28264km - a contact made in April
1989 that still stands today unbeaten as a Queensland State Record.
Ron also ran a Packet Radio Bulletin Board system and was one of the first
System Operators to adopt the QNEWS TT-System, an information page system a
bit like Teletext but much more flexible.
One of life's good guys .
Vale Ron Graham VK4BRG
INTERNATIONAL NEWS With thanks to IARU, RSGB, SARL, Southgate AR Club, ARRL,
Amateur Radio Newsline, NZART, WIA Local News Service VK7, VK3PC and the WW
sources of the WIA.
Spectrum pollution and intruders put urban radio in doubt
The International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 told the Ham Radio 2017
Friedrichshafen conference opening ceremony of the need to be more vigilant
to pollution and intrusions on our bands.
IARU Region 1 President Don Beattie G3BJ, said the pressures are so intense
from other radio services that Amateur Radio needs to work very hard to ensure
that we continue to enjoy privileged access to parts of the spectrum.
The IARU is the only organisation representing us at the Regional
Telecommunications Organisations meetings, and the ITU World Radiocommunications
Conference in 2019.
A second part to the IARU core work is spectrum protection. Don G3BJ said he is
"deeply concerned about our ability to maintain a usable radio spectrum in some
parts of suburban Europe."
Amateur Radio spectrum allocations are of little value if they are "made
unusable by the presence of multiple sources of interference - be it electrical
interference or intruders".
Don G3BJ said the IARU is deeply involved in the work of the international
standards organisations, arguing for common sense in the setting of emission
standards for electrical and electronic devices.
He highlighted major concerns facing the IARU being solar photovoltaic arrays,
wind generators, digital devices, VDSL+ and wireless power transfer technology.
"Some would say that even with the work we are involved in on standards, much
of the radio spectrum is becoming unusable in the suburban environment," adding
he personally has sympathy with this view.
He also praised the work of the IARU Monitoring System but more intruder watch
observers were desperately needed.
The URL of the full speech is:-
http://iaru-r1.org/images/PR_Communications/FHN-opening-address---G3BJ.pdf
GB5RC - Live from the Ross Revenge, home of Radio Caroline
On Thursday 3rd August 2017, the Martello Tower Group will again be operating
as GB 5 RC, where the RC stands for Radio Caroline, from the MV Ross Revenge,
moored in the Blackwater Estuary, near Bradwell-on-Sea, Essex.
This Special Event is to celebrate fifty years of offshore broadcasting and
what better place to operate from than the home of the world famous Radio
Caroline.
Activity will be centred around 80m, 40m and 20m which were the busiest bands
by far in 2016 with the option to retune verticals for 17m, 15m, 12m and 10m
if required.
( QSL via G 6 NHU )
Battery-free Mobile Phone
University of Washington engineers have presented the first battery-free
design that consumes only a few micro-watts of power.
The new design can sense speech, actuate the earphones, and switch between
uplink and downlink communications, all in real time.
The system developed by researchers from the Allen School of Computer Science
& Engineering and the UW Department of Electrical Engineering optimizes
transmission and reception of speech while simultaneously harvesting power
which enables the battery-free cellphone to operate continuously.
WWV Changes
The resurrected 25MHz signal of time and frequency standard station WWV is
now radiating a 2kW signal from a circularly polarised turnstile antenna.
It's hoped that the change to circular polarisation might be helpful to
anyone studying propagation during next month's total solar eclipse, which
will be visible across the US.
WWV has invited listeners' comments and reports on its 25MHz signal by
email to wwv@nist.gov
We hear that our Australian Govt. are about to look at implementing location
finding facilities on 000 calls.
Well lives have already been saved by a new system for emergency mobile phone
calls in New Zealand.
The system provides emergency services with the probable location of the caller
when they make contact via a mobile phone.
Since the system was introduced, more than 145,000 genuine emergency calls
have been made, around 20% of these calls involved operators using the system
to help them get more accurate information about a caller's location.
Ofcom published 5.7GHz Wi-Fi spec
Ofcom have issued a statement confirming the technical parameters for the
extension of Wi-Fi in the 5.7GHz amateur band.
Following extensive inputs, the RSGB welcomes the conservative approach
that Ofcom are taking and look forward to this being properly enforced.
The new regulations are effective from 7th August.
Full details can be read at https://tinyurl.com/y98356n9 .
The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2017 was introduced in the US Senate on
July 12, marking another step forward for this landmark legislation.
The measure will, for the first time, guarantee all radio amateurs living in
deed-restricted communities governed by a homeowner's association or subject
to any private land use regulations, the right to erect and maintain effective
outdoor antennas at their homes.
In a statement, ARRL said it looks forward to working with the bipartisan
leadership of the Senate and the Commerce Committee to help move the
legislation through the Senate and to President Trump's desk.
STEPTOE and SON, MOVE OVER
Scrap dealer finds Apollo-era NASA computers in dead engineer's basement
plus hundreds of mystery tapes from Pioneer and Helios probe missions.
Most of the tapes are unmarked, but the majority of the rest appear to be
instrumentation reels for Pioneer 10 and Pioneer 11, NASA's fly-by missions
to Jupiter and Saturn.
The two computers are so heavy that a crane was used to move the machines,
At some point in the early 1970s, an IBM engineer working for NASA at the
height of the Space Race took home the computersand the mysterious tape reels.
A scrap dealer, invited to clean out the deceased's electronics-filled basement,
discovered the computers. The devices were clearly labelled "NASA PROPERTY,"
so the dealer called NASA to report the find.
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
HAM RADIO OPERATIONAL NEWS - IT'S A CONTACT SPORT
All major Australian contests, rules and results, are on the
Contest Section of the WIA website.
wia.org.au/members/contests/about
2017
Jan 1 - Dec 31 The Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
10-10 INTERNATIONAL SUMMER CONTEST Aug 5 - 6
VK1 Winter SOTA QSO Party takes place August 6th 2017 9:00 am till 11:30 am.
WIA's Flagship contest the Remembrance Day Contest 12th & 13th August
Aug 19-20 ILLW the 3rd full weekend in August since 1998
Aug 26 ALARA Contest Start Time 1600 this is a 24 hour Contest for YL's
The 37th ALARA contest will be held on August 26th and 27th. The rules
are unchanged from last year and are available on the ALARA website.
This is a relaxed contest, the aim of which is to encourage more YL's
to get on air. If you haven't ever contested, this is an easy one to get
involved in. Don't be afraid to ask a more experienced operator to mentor you.
The Special event station VI4ALARA will be on for the contest to encourage
contacts, but will not be eligible for any prizes.
The contacts from the contest can also be used to claim the ALARA AWARD
Mike VK3AVV updated his popular VK Contest Log to accommodate the rules
last year. Please make sure you have the most up to date version just prior
to the contest.
IARU High Speed Telegraphy world championships are 8th to 12th September.
October CQ WW DX / SSB CONTEST (always Octobers Last full weekend)
Running ALL year 'til Dec 31 Victorian Local Government Award 2017 Challenge
2018
John Moyle Memorial Field Day will be held over the weekend of the 17th-18th
March 2018 and will run from UTC 0100 on the Saturday until 0059 on the Sunday.
IARU HF Championship event on 15 and 16 July 2018.
We are not part of Russia!
In an OPDX report via Southgate Radio News we learn from Mamuka Kordzakhia,
4L2M, President of the National Association Radio Amateurs of Georgia:
"Abkhazia is a Georgian territory occupied by Russia.
From this territory Russian radio amateurs are using Russian prefixes.
By Georgian rules all these stations are without permits and they are
pirate stations.
Russian callsigns MUST STOP from the Georgia territory!!!"
We are very opposed to the uses of Russian callsigns from Georgian territory
He said and went on to explain " The Georgian Republic prefix of 4L has been
in effect since August 1, 1994. Abkhazia is NOT part of Russia, and therefore
cannot count as Russia for DXCC."
As always, because you never know - "Work First Worry Later" (WFWL).
DXCC Country/Entity Report
According to the Amateur Radio Cluster Network, for the week of Sunday July 9,
through Sunday, 16th July there were 210 countries active.
They ranged from 3A to ZS8 calls. Monaco (Monte Carlo) to Marion & Prince Edward
Island.
Until the end of September, VK4's Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club is
operating Special Event Call sign, VI 4 SC 50 to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of the official naming of the Sunshine Coast on 1st August 1967,
and is proudly supported by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council with a grant
of $1250 to go towards expenses such as QSL's and certificates etc.
More info is available on QRZ.com
(VK4KX Bernard SCARC President)
MEDIA WATCH
Who and Where are our broadcast stations?
http://www.wia.org.au/members/broadcast/where/
A note about callbacks:-
Some of our automated rebroadcast stations also automate the callback session.
After the news when callbacks are taken a 'tape' runs for a short time and
collects your call, then forwards them to nationalnews@wia.org.au
A clever way of showing us just who is listening and designed by Mike VK8MA !!
Amateur Radio magazine for August
On its cover is being portable and inside Liz VK2XSE reports being at a
nature reserve.
They're still talking about the WIA annual general meeting at Hahndorf
and there are two more reports from it. These are the WIA Merit Awards
and the Wireless Men and Women at War book launch.
In other articles, Mick VK2BZE discusses aircraft reflection and there's a
simple 40 metre CW rig by Peter VK3YE.
An essay from Steve VK3VM is on the 'Behaviours in Amateur Radio'.
There are numerous special interest and regional columns too.
The Contester of the Month is Doug VK4ADC who has been on air for 50 years.
Amateur Radio magazine is the journal of the Wireless Institute of Australia
and a membership service.
I'm Barry Robinson VK3PV and you are listening to VK1WIA.
In this week's QNEWS, the club service news for VK4 we check out more of our
27 VK4 Clubs and 7 Special Interest groups with John VK4JJW.
We'll look in today on
CENTRAL HIGHLANDS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/CentralHighlandsAmateurRadioClub/
DARLING DOWNS RADIO CLUB
http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/DarlingDownsRadioClub/
BORDER RANGERS AMATEUR RADIO CLUB
http://www.wia.org.au/clubs/vk4/BorderRangesAmateurRadioClub/
QNEWS audio is ready to listen to right now
http://www.wiaq.org.au/ftp/vk4_qnews_64.mp3
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- FEMALES IN RADIO
ALARA - AUSTRALIAN LADIES AR ASSOCIATION
http://alara.org.au
Net is held each Mondays on 3.570 MHz, commencing at 1030 UTC.
(1000utc during daylight saving)
STATION FIT FOR A QUEEN (MARY)
A group of YLs in California known as "Ladies of the Net - KM 6 CIR"
are celebrating their recent success aboard the Queen Mary W 6 RO,
operating from the vessel's radio room. They didn't just make contacts
there early this month but these out-of-towners who had come to operate
were able to stay for two days in the on-board hotel.
Tina, KK 6 KSY told our Sister News Service, Amateur Radio Newsline
the experience was a challenge managing the pileups, especially since a
large foghorn nearby went off regularly four times a day - at 3 hour intervals.
ALARA News Editor, Kaye Wright VK3FKDW, writing in that groups latest newsletter
points out an easy way to work the ALARA CONFERENCE STATION.
It is on IRLP node is 9509 YL IRLP net - 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month
at 2100 UTC and net control is Ann ZL3TNT (so it is early Sunday morning for
we here in Australia.)
In other ALARA news, our editor of this news, VK4BB Graham, has been in contact
with Lyn Battle VK4SWE to organise another ALARA group presentation of the
WIA National News to help celebrate ALARA's Birthday and the ALARA contest.
It's been awhile since we heard from all the ladies so this should be a good
one !
WW SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS --- RESCUE RADIO
IARU REGION 3
Emergency Centre of Activity (CoA) frequencies
3.600, 7.110, 14.300, 18.160 and 21.360 MHz
Radio hams help the abandoned elderly, AND abandoned BIKES !
The abandonment of the elderly is reportedly on the rise, particularly in VU
where Indian radio amateurs have been assisting in several cases
India is home to nearly 90 million elderly individuals and in the last few years
such cases of abandoning have been on the rise.
Taking note of the issue, the West Bengal Amateur Radio Club has come up with a
unique idea to reunite the abandoned elderly with their family members. The
club is using a Biometric system in assistance with Aadhaar card agencies
certified by the government to track down the families.
"We along with Aaadhar card agencies are going through fingerprint tests of the
elderly in order to get their residential address. This particular method gets
a positive result only in case of those who have registered themselves under
the Aadhaar scheme. But for those who have not, we take the help of the police
to locate their houses," said Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA.
Talking about one case, he said, "We have managed to locate her address to
Kestopur. Her son runs a chicken shop. We are taking the help of local police
to reunite her with her family members. We are also counselling family members
not to abandon the elderly."
"The alarming fact is that in some cases, we have found people from other states
abandoning their elderly in Kolkata. Recently, we reunited two women from
Chennai and Bihar, abandoned by their family two years ago," he added.
Read the full News 18 story at
http://www.news18.com/news/india/how-aadhaar-is-coming-to-the-aid-of-abandoned-elderly-1462351.html
BIKES ARE VEHICLES FOR KANSAS RESCUE DRILL
Now we look at a rescue drill in which the victims weren't local residents
simulating serious injuries.
Let's hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Mike Askins KE5CXP how the hams
handled THIS challenge.
It was a search-and-rescue mission unlike the kind most hams get
involved in but the Manhattan Area Amateur Radio Club was prepared.
Coordinating their efforts with the local Community Emergency Response
Team, radio operators like Jim Foster KDNQQX, the club's secretary,
served as emergency-response workers, keeping their eyes on the ground
to discover where help was needed in the city's downtown.
It was July 8 in Manhattan, Kansas, and there was no time to waste:
There were bicycles - yes bicycles, dozens of bicycles - damaged and in
distress all around, some in advanced stages of disrepair.
Of course, this was a drill, a simulated disaster. The bicycles,
however, were real and so was the need for some of them to be fixed so
they could be returned to service with the city's free bicycle-sharing
service, Green Apple Bikes.
This so-called Green Apple Bikes Rescue Operation was a way for Riley
County Emergency Management to test emergency response in the city and,
at the same time, get much-needed repairs for the well-used two-wheelers.
Just like human disaster victims would be transported for medical care,
the bicycles were taken to repair facilities for their own version of
triage after the hams spotted them and radioed for help. In this case,
however, there was no need for any get-well cards or, for that matter,
QSL cards.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins KE5CXP.
SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS - VHF AND ABOVE (The Plumbers Delight)
In a draft Report and Order 26, the FCC is proposing to lift a nearly
2-decade-old suspension of Amateur Radio access to 76-77 GHz, giving the
Amateur and Amateur-Satellite services access to the full 76-81 GHz band
on a secondary basis.
The FCC also reduced Amateur Radio's status from primary to secondary in
the 77-77.5 GHz segment, to match the rest of the 76-81 GHz band, and it
imposed a uniform power-level limit for users of the band.
The draft Report and Order concludes that Amateur Radio and vehicular radars
will be able to successfully share the millimetre-wave band with minor
adjustments in the Amateur Service rules.
(amsat na)
Today's microwaves may be tomorrow's umbrella
For a long time it has been known that at certain microwave frequencies
rain or cloud droplets will absorb radiation or attenuate the radio path.
Jim Linton VK3PC says this absorption may have a new application in reporting
rainfall.
The thinking is that with the 5G or 5th generation mobile smartphones,
absorption could be used to measure the variance in signals from phones
to the base or cell towers.
With the right data analysis, it may be possible to measure this signal
strength variation to know when it is raining, and even how heavily. This
could lead to micro-weather or rain reports street-by-street, and automatically
telling mobile phone users.
The 5G will also be much faster and see an explosion in Internet based
appliances. It will be trialled in South Korea this year, and by 2020
is expected to be a globally standardised, commercially usable network.
SOCIAL SCENE 2017
July 22 VK3 Great Gippsland Gate Radio & Electronics Club HamFest. July 22
Cranbourne Community Hall Clarendon & High St, Cranbourne.
July 22 VK4 Caboolture HamFest
Aug 27 VK2 SACRCfest SHOW, TELL & SELL day. (vk2zdr)
Sep 9 VK4 SunFest held at the Woombye School of Arts building 09:00.(vk4vp)
Sep 9-10 VK4 ALARAMEET Cairns. Listen for VI4ALARA from July (vk4swe vk3pc)
Sep 10 VK3 Shepparton HamFest St Augustine's Hall, Orr St. (vk3fnqs)
Sep29-Oct2 VK4 Cardwell Gathering (tarc)
Oct 29 VK3 Yarra Valley Amateur Radio Group HAMFEST 10:00am at the
Gary Cooper Pavilion, Yarra Glen.
Nov 5 VK3 BARG Hamvention greyhound racing track, Ballarat. (wia events)
Nov 12 VK5 Adelaide Hills Amateur Radio Society HamFest 8am (vk5kc)
Nov 12 VK3 Rosebud's annual celebration of all things Amateur Radio (wia)
2018
Feb 25 VK2 Wyong Field Day (VK2AOR)
March 25 VK3 EMDRC HamFest - Great Ryrie Primary School, Heathmont. (VK3BQ)
May 4 -7 VK4 Clairview Gathering ( between Rockhampton and Mackay ) (TARC)
Submitting news items
A reminder when supplying HamFest info we obviously can't plug commercial
traders "on air", but we at the WIA will put your supporters in this text
edition "no worries."
If you would like to submit news items for inclusion in the
VK1WIA broadcasts, please email your item in text to nationalnews@wia.org.au
and don't JUST send url's links but take the time to pen YOUR contribution.
To submit audio read "how to submit items" in the weekly news page on
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We would appreciate items no longer than 2 minutes in length as we only have
a half hour time slot window.
Remember the sooner you submit material the more the likelihood of it being
broadcast in the very next edition of WIA National News. Each item will only
be broadcast once, if you want a couple of mentions, please submit different
slants to keep your event 'fresh 'and always if the news room is to read your
item write in the 3rd person.
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National News compiled by VK4BB on behalf of the National WIA.
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