Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Aug 28 2020 16:45:15

WEST BENGAL HAM'S DX: FROM INDIA TO ANTARCTICA

NEIL/ANCHOR: Sometimes you wait a lifetime for that big DX -- and for 
one ham in India, it finally happened just a few weeks ago. John 
Williams, VK4JJW, picks up the story from here.

JOHN: Babul Gupta, VU3ZBG, has been DXing since childhood, listening 
to the radio for those far-away signals. A radio enthusiast for more 
than five decades, he received the signals of a lifetime this month, 
when he picked up a transmission from the Antarctic, while he was near 
the shore in West Bengal, India.

He told the Times of India, and New Delhi Television, that the signals 
were sent on 15476 kHz from an Argentinian scientists' base camp at 
Esperanza, Antarctica. He verified the contact by emailing the 
scientists a recording of the audio, and the scientists replied with 
an acknowledgment.

According to Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal 
Radio Club, this is the first time in recent years, that anyone from 
that Indian state has been able to copy a radio signal from the 
Antarctic.

As for Babul Gupta, he told local media it was nothing short of a 
defining moment in his life -- one he has no doubt awaited for 50 
or so years.

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

(SOUTHGATE, NDTV)

**

HAMS HELP IN COVID CONTRACT-TRACING

NEIL/ANCHOR: A successful contact is something to be celebrated, but 
in the age of COVID-19 contacts have come to mean something else. In 
India, amateur radio operators are doing their part to trace those 
kinds of contacts. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, has those details.

JASON: Ham radio has become a powerful tool to help authorities in 
Bengaluru, India, with contact tracing, and other tasks related to 
keeping track of the COVID-19 spread. Working mainly from their home 
QTH, 80 to 100 radio operators are assisting as volunteers and conduct 
surveys and assist patients, relaying information for government use.

According to a report in The Times of India, the hams previously were 
involved in monitoring individuals who were required to be on home
quarantine and in assisting with reports of violations.

The director of the Indian Institute of Hams, Shankar Satyapal VU2FI, 
told the newspaper that he hoped the realtime communications made 
possible by ham radio would keep authorities provided with as much 
up-to-date information as possible.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.
          
(SOUTHGATE, TIMES OF INDIA)

**

FOUNDATION ADDS YOUNG CONTESTER TO ITS BOARD

NEIL/ANCHOR: The World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, has added a 
prominent young amateur from Germany to its board of directors. 
Twenty-two-year-old Philipp Springer, DK6SP, is a member of the Youth
Working Group of IARU Region 1, and a lead planner for the Youngsters 
on the Air - Team Germany program. Philipp was among the well-ranked 
contesters at the WRTC 2018 in Germany, as part of Team Y82D. The 
foundation's chairman Tim Duffy, K3LR, praised the selection of Philipp 
for the board, and said he was encouraged by the youthful enthusiasm he 
brings to the hobby. Congratulations Philipp!

(QRZ.COM)

**

AUSTRALIAN YL CONTEST BREAKS THE QUARANTINE ICE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Sometimes a contest is more than just a contest - especially 
during quarantine. In Australia, a group of YLs has set out to show how 
it's done. Graham Kemp, VK4BB, has those details.

GRAHAM: This year, the 40th contest of the Australian Ladies Amateur Radio 
Association, or ALARA, doesn't just provide an opportunity to do your best 
on the air - it's being seen as a way to chip away at the social isolation 
that has become so entrenched during this global pandemic.

The contest begins on Saturday, August 29th, at 0600 UTC, and finishes on 
Sunday the 30th, at 0559 UTC.

As Sue, VK5AYL, contest manager for ALARA said: "We are really looking 
forward to hearing some young and new YLs in the contest this year, and 
catching up with many amateurs along the way."

An Alara Contest page has been established on Facebook, and its use is 
optional: It's available for hams to spot any contacts they have made with 
other YLs - but self-spotting is not permitted in this event.

As organisers state on their Facebook page [quote] "We hope to meet you on 
air." [endquote]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB. 73 and 88!!

(WIA, ALARA)
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 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (618:250/33)

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