Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jan 08 2021 00:44:49

LAWMAKERS SEEK PROBE INTO ARECIBO COLLAPSE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In the US, Congress is taking a second look at the 
collapse of the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Paul Braun, WD9GCO, 
tells us more.

PAUL: Lawmakers in Washington, D.C., plan an investigation into the 
December collapse at the Arecibo Observatory, just weeks after Puerto 
Rico's outgoing governor committed $8 million in resources to rebuild 
its historic radiotelescope.

In the December 1st collapse, the dish was gashed beyond repair 
following the crash of a 900-ton instrument platform. The telescope, a 
valued cornerstone in modern astronomy, was being decommissioned by the 
US National Science Foundation following other damage that occurred 
weeks earlier. At the time of the final collapse, it had been earmarked 
for dismantling.

Congress has requested a report by the end of February.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO

(SPACE.COM)

**

IOWA STUDENTS' BALLOON CIRCLES EARTH A THIRD TIME

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The world has kept turning into the new year and so too 
has one Iowa amateur radio club's balloon project. Jack Parker, W8ISH,
has that story.

JACK: Three circumnavigations after its launch, the Pella Amateur Radio 
Club's APRS balloon was still the pride of the Jefferson Intermediate 
School fifth graders who'd helped launch it back in November. It ended 
the year 2020 as a success in the sky. Transmitting on 144.39 MHz with 
the callsign WB0URW-8, the helium-filled balloon had completed three 
trips around the world since its November 5th launch and seemed 
unstoppable. It was still making its rounds as 2021 dawned, according to 
radio club member Jim Emmert, WB0URW. Jim told KNIA-KRLS radio that in 
its third trip around Planet Earth, the balloon passed over Canada, 
Greenland, Portugal, Spain, Albania and North Macedonia - among many 
other places. Powered by solar panels, the balloon can be tracked by 
following the link that appears in this week's script on our website at 
arnewsline.org.

[for print only, do not read: https://aprs.fi/#!call=a%2FWB0URW-
8&timerange=604800&tail=604800]

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jack Parker, W8ISH.

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: According to a January 6th report by the radio station, 
the balloon has since completed its fourth trip - a journey that takes 
about two weeks. The students have reason to be proud.

**

PROJECT EYES DIRECT WAY TO GATHER SOLAR POWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Imagine collecting the solar power you need from a spot 
much, much closer to the sun. Jim Damron, N8TMW, tells us about a 
project that's doing more than just imagining.

JIM: The US Air Force Research Laboratory is hanging its hopes on 
something called Helios. It's a key component named after the Greek sun 
god and is part of an experiment known as Arachne (Uh-RACK-Knee) 
expected to be launched into space in 2024. The formal name of the 
project is the Space Solar Power Incremental Demonstrations and Research 
solar beaming project.

What's that? The Air Force lab describes it as a project that will 
explore a way to harvest solar energy directly from space, where 
sunlight is more potent outside the Earth's atmosphere and where solar 
panels have more hours of exposure. Through use of something called 
"sandwich tiles" and other systems, the experiment will convert the 
collected energy to radio waves for beaming back to Earth as usable 
power.

Helios, which is being supplied by Northrup Grumman, will house the 
platform on which these solar beaming experiments occur. Northrup 
Grumman's role has left the Air Force lab free to concentrate on 
acquiring a spacecraft where it might all begin to happen.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jim Damron, N8TMW.

(CLEAN TECHNICA, POPULAR MECHANICS, US AIR FORCE)

**

BREAK HERE: 

Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio 
Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the WB 
ZERO YLE (WB0YLE) repeater on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., through Allstar, in 
Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and Fall River, Massachusetts.
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (618:250/33)

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