Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Thu Jan 20 2022 21:45:08

AUSTRALIAN CLUB BEGINS DISASTER COMMUNICATION SESSIONS

PAUL/ANCHOR: It's only a beginning, but one amateur radio club in 
Australia has taken the important first steps in helping residents 
in local districts, or shires, to communicate better during 
disasters. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, brings us that story.

GRAHAM: Radio's resiliency during trying times has become the focus 
of a new Special Interest Group convened by the Bendigo Amateur 
Radio and Electronics Club. The group held its first meeting on 
Saturday, January 15th, focusing on needs in the Shire of Mt. 
Alexander. Using the Zoom platform, the meeting drew 
representatives from a disaster-preparedness group, other amateur 
radio clubs in Victoria and a number of candidates studying for 
their amateur radio licence.

Coordinator Tony Falla, VK3KKP, told Newsline that there were even 
some attendees who are not intending to become hams but nonetheless 
want to be able to listen to the amateur frequencies and pass along 
messages, sometimes by citizens band radio, when disaster strikes. 
Tony is calling the special interest group the Mt. Alexander Radio 
Watch and said its purpose is to create a network of listeners, not 
to launch a rescue group. He said the Bendigo club is also working 
with the Greater Bendigo Council to create a mechanism to link area 
residents with the local council if they experience difficulties 
during disasters.

Tony said the process will be ongoing in Mt. Alexander and that 
other special interest groups are being organised shire by shire. 
Meanwhile he said he hopes other shires will set up similar groups 
of their own and perhaps send a representative to the next Mt. 
Alexander meeting.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.

(TONY FALLA, VK3KKP)

**

SVALBARD ACTIVATION TO INCLUDE SATELLITE CONTACTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Braving the cold, a group of DXpeditioners is heading 
to the Arctic Ocean for an island activation that includes some 
hoped-for satellite contacts. John Williams, VK4JJW, brings us that 
report.

JOHN: Svalbard, which is considered the world's northernmost 
habitable place, is home to about 2,000 residents and - for better 
or worse - more than 3,000 polar bears. In April it will also 
become home to a team of amateur radio operators who are launching 
the first DXpedition from that location to make use of the QO-100 
satellite. According to the team's website, although it will prove 
daunting enough to operate CW, SSB, RTTY, FT4 and FT8 following a 
snowmobile trip to their location in temperatures as cold as minus 
25 degrees Celsius, the team will face the bigger challenge of 
completing QSOs via satellite. The team's website states that this 
region is on the very edge of the satellite's footprint and permits 
a view of QO-100 at only 3 degrees above the horizon. Erik de Mey, 
ON4ANN, and Max van Rymenant, ON5UR, considered such a challenge 
early last year with Svalbard in mind. The team will be using the 
callsign JW100Q0 for its satellite contacts between April 22nd and 
24th. HF contacts will be made with the callsign JW0X between April 
19th and 26th. Mark your calendar.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW.

(AMSAT, DX ADVENTURE WEBSITE))
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