Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Aug 13 2021 02:21:52 SPACEX ACQUIRES FIRM COFOUNDED BY RADIO AMATEUR JIM/ANCHOR: A firm cofounded by a radio amateur has just merged with the SpaceX technology giant. Sel Embee, KB3TZD, has more on that. SEL: SpaceX, Elon Musk's giant California-based space technology company, has acquired a satellite communications company cofounded by an amateur radio operator. The merger makes Swarm Technologies a wholly owned subsidiary of SpaceX. Swarm, which specializes in Internet-of- Things technology and low-cost satellite connectivity, has asked the Federal Communications Commission to transfer control of its earth and space station licenses. Swarm was founded in 2016 by Ben Longmier, K- F-5-K-M-P and Sara Spangelo. In 2020, the company launched its first dozen commercial satellites, established ground stations in Alaska, New Jersey, Washington State, Guam, the Azores and elsewhere and began expanding market access. Swarm is licensed in non-voice, non- geostationary mobile satellite service, operating in the bands between 137-to-138 MHz and 148-to-149-decimal-95 MHz. In 2020, Swarm Technologies placed second in the most Innovative Space Companies list created by Fast Company. The top spot went to SpaceX. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Sel Embee, K-B-3-T-Zed-D. (SPACE EXPLORED.COM, FASTCOMPANY.COM) ** HOMEBREWERS IN HYDERABAD HELP QO-100 SATELLITE USERS JIM/ANCHOR: Two inventive amateurs in India have come up with a clever way to communicate with the QO-100 satellite. Robert Broomhead, VK3DN, tells us about their accomplishment. ROBERT: Hams in Hyderabad have found a homebrew solution to make communication via the QO-100 satellite easier for other amateurs. They have designed prototype converters that will enable the hams to use the transponders on board the geosynchronous satellite. The prototypes include both up converters and down converters. Homebrewers Sasi Bhushan, VU2XZ, and A. Amarendra, VU2AAP, told the Telangana Today newspaper that the converters eliminate the need for such expensive equipment as software-defined radios. They said the system works in a way similar to a TV set-top box that receives programmes beamed from satellites, converting radio waves into signals for the TV. The circuit boards within the converter are designed to communicate via the 10 GHz frequency for downlink and the 2.4 GHz frequency for uplink. Sasi said the first hams to be given the opportunity to use the converters are members of the Lamakan Amateur Radio Club in Hyderabad. A transverter is also in the works, combining uplink and downlink capability. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN. (TELANGANA TODAY) ** RULE CHANGES PERMIT SCOUT, GUIDE GROUPS IN YL CONTEST JIM/ANCHOR: The youngest of the YLs will be getting in on the action this year as women in Australia get ready for a big annual contest. We hear more from Jason Daniels, VK2LAW. JASON: A change in rules this year is permitting some new first-timers to get on the air for the 41st annual contest of the Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association this month. The newest entrants are YLs who are in Scout and Guide groups and they'll be using their club's equipment and callsign. Lynda, VK7QP, writes in the ALARA newsletter, "The YL Beam," that the event on August 28th and 29th is [quote] "a friendly contest and a chance to start learning how to operate a contest." [endquote] YLs of all ages will clearly have the run of the field here. YLs get to work everyone; OMs are only eligible to work YLs. The 24-hour event will offer a combination of SSB and CW contacts. Contacts over Echolink will be accepted and all other operations will be on the HF bnds except for 160 metres and the WARC bands. All licensed operators around the world may enter. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW. (YL BEAM) ** UK BROADBAND SERVICES PLAN NEW CONNECTIONS VIA WATER PIPES JIM/ANCHOR: A change is afoot in how companies in the UK deliver broadband services and it might just make ham radio operators happy too. Here's more from Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. JEREMY: There's encouraging news for broadband subscribers in rural areas of the UK: communications companies have been given the official go-ahead to use water pipes instead of having to dig new trenches to connect homes and businesses to the internet using fibre optic cable services. According to the government website, gov.uk, the rollout is expected to take place throughout the UK, ending in March 2024, with an emphasis on rural areas. Stephen Unger, commissioner at the Geospatial Commission, issued a statement saying: [quote] "Our ambition must be for reliable broadband to become as easy to access tomorrow as drinking water is today." [endquote] The announcement is good news to those concerned about the traditional installation where roads and land are dug up. It is also good news for amateur radio operators who may have reported RFI from broadband's copper wires carrying VDSL Broadband services. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. (GOV.UK) --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (954:895/7) .