Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Mar 05 2021 09:18:47 THOUSANDS OF QSOS MADE TO HONOR DISCOVERY OF PLUTO DON/ANCHOR: Imagine getting a QSL card from Pluto. Thousands did. Well, OK, it was really the next best thing: a special event station celebrating Pluto. Here's Randy Sly, W4XJ, with the details. RANDY: Amateur radio operators from around this world recently celebrated the discovery of another world: Pluto, which was first seen in 1930 by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. Special event station W7P - with "P" for Pluto - was activated last month by the Northern Arizona DX Association for the Pluto Anniversary Countdown Special Event. There will be an event counting down each of the next 10 years, ending with the centennial year 2030. This was a particularly special event for Doug Tombaugh, N3PDT, nephew of the astronomer who made the discovery. Doug marked the occasion by operating along with three other amateurs as W7P/0, logging 1,191 contacts. He said he especially enjoyed talking with other amateurs who knew his uncle or were involved in other activities related to Pluto. Countdown coordinator Bob Wertz, NF7E, said in all 15 amateurs logged more than 7,000 contacts from their home QTHs as well as from a communications trailer on the grounds of Lowell Observatory, where Clyde first made his discovery. The countdown begins again next year on February 12th – the last Saturday before the February 18th anniversary itself. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Randy Sly, W4XJ. ** SOLAR PANEL PROMISES MORE STREAMED ENERGY TO EARTH DON/ANCHOR: Now here's a story that should energize you: A ham radio operator has helped develop a way to bring more of the sun's power home to Earth. Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, sheds light on this. KENT: Amateur radio ingenuity has helped lead to the development of a prototype solar panel designed to transmit electricity to Earth from outer space. Launched in May of 2020 aboard a Pentagon drone, the device is known as the Photovoltaic Direct Current to Radio Frequency Antenna Module, or PRAM for short. Project co-developer Paul Jaffee, KJ4IKI, said in a recent CNN report that the PRAM underwent a successful test recently by the United States Department of Defense at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory. He said the PRAM produces about 10 watts of energy for transmission but could be scaled up, bringing the promise of transmitting energy to the power grids back on Earth. The panel uses the blue waves of light in space which become diffused when entering the Earth's atmosphere. It captures these waves, which are more powerful than sunlight on Earth, and retains that energy. No, the PRAM hasn't yet sent any of that power back home, but scientists say the tests have shown it works. The concept is to beam microwaves to Earth for conversion into electricity wherever it is needed. Paul told CNN that the next move would be to expand its ability to collect even more sunlight to prepare it for that microwave transportation back to Earth. Team co-leader Chris DePuma told CNN the technology would be especially useful in regions where natural disasters have taken down the power grid. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY. (CNN) ** AMATEUR MAKES PLANS FOR 'FLYING HAMS' PODCAST DON/ANCHOR: If you're one of those amateur radio operators who likes to get on air FROM the air, as a pilot, this next story from Andy Morrison, K9AWM, might have you in mind. ANDY: Dan Hileman, WO5WO, is a ham with a high-flying idea. A former airline pilot-turned-middle school teacher has another project on the runway. He's planning to start a podcast this summer devoted to hams who enjoying being IN the air....as much as they like to be ON the air. He'd like to bring hams on board for ragchews about fly-ins, DX-peditions, FAA flight safety tips, and projects that combine being a pilot and an amateur radio operator. He's especially interested in stories of famous – and not-so-famous – hams in the sky. He told Newsline in an email that the podcast is [quote] "just a fun way to connect already connected hobbies" [endquote] and he can't guarantee there won't be more than a few corny jokes along the way. He said he hopes the half-hour, bi-weekly podcast will inspire youngsters to think about flying and radio as two related hobbies. He's working with a ham radio friend who's a former Air Force pilot and together they're hoping to, well, get things off the ground. Dan welcomes any and all ideas. You can reach him via email at flyinghams78@gmail.com Who knows what ideas might just take wing? For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM. ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WA2EHL repeater in Burlington, New Jersey, on Fridays at 7 p.m. local time. --- SBBSecho 3.13-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (454:1/33) .