Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Aug 06 2021 07:41:56

QSO TODAY VIRTUAL EXPO RETURNS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Get ready for the QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo. It's back 
after retooling its platform and as Stephen Kinford, N8WB, tells us, 
organizers are optimistic.

STEPHEN: The QSO Today Virtual Ham Expo is returning on the 14th and 
15th of August, and will be based on the original platform used for the 
successful expo held in August of 2020. Organizer Eric Guth 4Z1UG, host 
of the QSO Today podcast, said the move back to a single-platform 
experience will avoid the widespread problems reported previously when 
the conference attempted to integrate two virtual convention platforms 
provided by different vendors.

Eric said the platform, known as vFairs, has implemented such upgrades 
as a video meeting lounge, and said he anticipates what he is calling a 
"flawless user experience." He said he hopes to exceed the expectations 
of the more than 14,000 attendees at the live online event. He said a 
preview of the platform will be made available from 8 a.m. Pacific Time 
on August 1st through 5 p.m. Pacific Time on August 3rd so that 
prospective attendees can experience the environment without cost. The 
URL for the preview is in the printed script of this week's Newsline 
report at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://qsotest.vfairs.com ]

Eric said the platform will have a lobby, auditorium, exhibit hall, and 
lounges, as well as a variety of speaker presentations.

For ticket information or to register, visit qsotodayhamexpo.com

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

**

BREAK HERE: 

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the 
K7MMA repeater, in Spokane, Washington, on Fridays at 5 p.m. Pacific 
Time.

**

VP4 PREFIX REPORTEDLY CONSIDERED FOR FORMER FALKLANDS DEPENDENCIES

NEIL/ANCHOR: The dilemma over assigning prefixes to amateurs operating 
from certain locations near the Falklands Islands continues. We have an 
update from Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

ED: The Falklands government, which no longer issue new VP8 licences for 
amateur operation from the former Falkland Islands Dependencies, 
including South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, is reportedly 
favouring the assignment there of the VP4 prefix formerly used in 
Trinidad and Tobago. According to various reports, the prefix would be 
used in the remote regions by subdividing the suffix with VP4 Axx for 
South Georgia and South Sandwich and VP4 Bxx for British Antarctic 
Territories. The VP8 prefix ceased to be used in those regions recently 
as a result of new communications legislation in the Falklands.

VP8 licences were formerly used by DXpeditioners wishing to activate 
South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands as well as the Antarctic 
peninsula, South Orkneys and South Shetlands. There has been no public 
consultation sought by the Falkland Islands Communications Regulator on 
this issue. The British Antarctic Territories, South Georgia and South 
Sandwich Islands cannot issue their own licences or assign call signs. 
Ofcom in the UK has left the option open for those locales to ask the 
Falkland Islands to administer licensing and call signs on their behalf 
as had been the case up until early 2020.

The report, which appeared on several news websites, is credited to 
DXpeditioner Alan Cheshire, VK6CQ/VP8PJ.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ed Durrant, DD5LP.

(SOUTHGATE, OHIO PENN DX) 

**

NAVAJO CODE TALKER EVENT MOVES TO OPERATORS' QTHS 

NEIL/ANCHOR: The annual Navajo Code Talker special event is going 
forward in spite of a COVID-19 closure of their usual site, the Navajo 
Nation itself. Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB, has those details.

RALPH: Although the Navajo Nation in Arizona remains closed as a result 
of COVID-19 precautions, the annual special event station honoring the 
Navajo Code Talkers of World War II will be on the air as scheduled 
between the 10th and 14th of August. This is the 17th annual celebration 
of the Native American members of the military who thwarted Japanese 
interception of their messages by using their language in their coded 
transmissions in the South Pacific.

THe special event station N7C will operate instead from the home QTHs of 
Ray, W7USA, Bob, K7BHM, John, W5PDW, and Herb, N7HG. Herb's father. John 
Goodluck, was among the original 29 Code Talkers in the United States 
Marine Corps who developed the code. John Goodluck died in 2000 at the 
age of 76.

Be listening for N7C on 40, 20 and 17 metres. For additional details and 
QSL information, visit the station's page on QRZ.COM.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Ralph Squillace, KK6ITB.
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7)

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