Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Dec 16 2022 11:03:16

BREAK HERE: 

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the 
ZS0MOT (Zed Ess Zero Em Oh Tee) repeater in Middelburg, South Africa 
on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. local time.

**

NEW QUESTIONS ON GENERAL TEST EXAM

PAUL/ANCHOR: In the US, the General Class operators' license test is 
getting a new question pool. Stephen Kinford, N8WB, tells us what's 
changing.

STEPHEN: If you are a ham in the United States looking to upgrade to 
General next year, you can expect some changes in the new pool of 
questions that take effect on July 1st of 2023. The 432 questions 
were just released and the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner 
Coordinators' Question Pool Committee says they reflect significant 
changes: There are 51 new questions being introduced; 73 were 
removed. The committee believes the questions' level of difficulty 
is more balanced. These questions will be in use through June 30th of
2027.

Examiners can expect to see the new General exam booklets by mid-
June of 2023. The ARRL advises hams who are using the 9th edition of 
the General Class License Manual or the 6th edition of the league's 
General Class Q&A to take their exam no later than June 30th before 
the changed questions come in.

This is Stephen Kinford, N8WB.

(ARRL)

**

LONGTIME SPECTRUM GUARDIANS RETIRE IN NEW ZEALAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: Two veteran staffers at New Zealand's telecommunications
agency are leaving at the end of this year. Here's Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF,
with more about them.

JIM: Radio Spectrum Management in New Zealand is preparing to say 
goodbye to two members of its radio investigations team who are among
those with the longest tenure. RSM has announced the retirement of
Mike Baird and Grant Wheaton who have both been part of the team since
the early 1970s. RSM said that the pair's efforts have played a big
role over the years in strengthening processes and technical abilities
of the investigations group.

In addition to following up on reports of radio frequency interference,
RSM manages the radio spectrum in New Zealand, handles licensing rules
and oversees compliance and enforcement of the Radiocommunications Act
of 1989. It is part of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment.

This is Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(WIA, RSM)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, be listening for Earl, WA3DX operating from 
Senegal between December 22nd and January 20th, mainly using FT8. He 
will use his home call with a prefix. In Dakar, he will use the 
prefix 6W1; in Mbao, he will use 6W7 and on Kaolack and Saloum 
Islands (IOTA number AF-045), his prefix will be 6W6. Send QSL 
direct to WA3DX or via LoTW.

A team consisting of S51V, S52OT, S54W, S57DX and others will be on 
the air from Lampedusa Island, IOTA number AF-019 as IG9/S59A from 
January 23rd to the 31st. The operation will focus on the CQWW 160 
metre CW contest during the last full weekend of January. Outside of 
the contest, be listening on all bands and all modes for the prefix 
IG9 (Eye G Nine) before their homecalls.

Andre, ON7YK is in The Gamba operating as C5YK until February 24th, 
2023. Listen on 20, 17, 15, 12 and 10m, mostly using the digital 
modes. QSL via LoTW and eQSL, or to his home call direct or via the 
bureau.

Listen for the callsign TN8K from the Republic of Congo, activated 
by the CDXP Group. The team from the Czech Republic expects to 
operate between January 7th and the 19th. The operators will be on 
the HF bands from 160m to 6m using CW, SSB, RTTY , FT8, FT4 and PSK. 
They will also make use of the QO-100 satellite. QSL via OK6DJ, OQRS 
or LOTW.

(EINDHOVEN.SPACE BLOG, DX-WORLD.NET)
--- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (618:250/33)

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