Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (A)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Thu Aug 20 2020 23:11:34

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2234, for Friday, August 21, 2020

Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2234, with a release date of 
Friday, August 21, 2020, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. Digital frequency allocations in the HF 
bands come under scrutiny. Youngsters in New Zealand prep for 
Field Day in February - and Canada prepares to honor the best 
of the best. All this, and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline 
Report Number 2234, comes your way right now.

**

BILLBOARD CART

**

IARU REGIONS COLLABORATE ON REVIEW OF DIGITAL BAND PLANS

PAUL/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with encouraging news for 
hams who prefer to use the digital modes. Band plan talks have begun 
on an international level - as Andy Morrison, K9AWM tells us, these 
are unprecedented discussions.

ANDY: Now that's teamwork! The three regions of the International 
Amateur Radio Union are collaborating on HF band plans that are 
designed to accommodate the exponential growth in hams' use of the 
digital modes, most especially FT8. This effort closely follows a 
recent move by the ARRL, which has asked the Federal Communications 
Commission to allocate a portion of the HF bands specifically for 
digital use. The three IARU regions have established a band-planning 
committee with representation from each region, which is working to 
establish allocations that are aligned with one another around the 
world. There will be a review of the different digital modes using HF, 
and members will study how these modes can share the limited space in 
the spectrum.

IARU secretary, Dave Sumner, K1ZZ, noted that the cooperation of the 
three regions, in a dedicated effort to coordinate band-planning, is 
unprecedented in the history of the organization.

Band plan revisions receive final approval at the regional conferences 
held every three years.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Andy Morrison, K9AWM.

(SOUTHGATE)

**

PUERTO RICO OBSERVATORY ASSESSES DAMAGED REFLECTOR DISH

PAUL/ANCHOR: The Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico is still trying to 
solve the mystery behind the accident that knocked its reflector dish 
off the air this month. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, has the details.

KEVIN: More than a week after a structural cable snapped, and damaged 
a reflector dish at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico, halting all 
observations, the mystery remains as to how it happened. The 
space-research facility's work concentrates most prominently on deep 
space, planetary exploration, asteroid characterization, and 
gravitational waves. It is also home to the Arecibo Observatory Radio 
Club, KP4AO.

According to several press accounts, the broken cable created a 
100-foot-long hole in the giant reflector dish, shutting the National 
Science Foundation facility, and halting all operations at the 
observatory, which is managed by the University of Central Florida.

Shortly after the cable broke on the 10th of August, the UCF said said 
that it would take about two weeks, before observation activity could 
return. A spokeswoman for Francisco Cordova, the observatory's director, 
told Newsline that the team assigned to asses the cause was still 
studying the damage.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE.

(ANDY MEYER N2FYE, UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, THE VERGE)

**

NEW ZEALAND YOUNGSTERS PREP FOR FIELD DAY

PAUL/ANCHOR: In New Zealand, summer Field Day is expected to be a big 
deal for young hams in February. Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF, shares that 
report with us.

JIM M: When is it actually considered fun to get on the air when band 
conditions aren't quite the best? When it's part of a Youngsters on 
the Air exercise. In New Zealand, YOTA Oceania is busy preparing for 
the Jock White Memorial Field Day event, to be held in Wellington, at 
the Kaitoke camping ground early next year. Organiser Benjamin Isaacs, 
ZL2BCI, said that the HF contest is named to honor the former NZART 
contest and awards manager, who is now a Silent Key. The challenge 
facing the young hams who'll be participating on the 27th and 28th 
of February, will be to work as many other ZL stations as possible, 
and to listen for any potential contacts into Australia, even if 
conditions are poor. The call sign details are still being finalised, 
but you can be sure you'll be listening for the last four letters 
which, of course, will be Y O T A.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Meachen, ZL2BHF.

(BENJAMIN ISAACS ZL2BCI)
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