Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (C) To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Thu Feb 04 2021 22:34:21 CLUB OFFERS MICROWAVE NETWORK TO BOOST BRITISH COLUMBIA EMCOMM JIM/ANCHOR: For one ham club in Canada, emergency response doesn't just consist of HTs, repeaters and HF radios. Radio operators there are hoping they can soon assist local responders by getting their microwave network in the game. Christian Cudnik, K0STH, has that story. CHRISTIAN: The Kamloops Amateur Radio Club, which already provides emergency support on the ground throughout its region in British Columbia, sees even more potential in their mountaintop-to-mountaintop broadband network. They're offering to open its use to the TNRD, the regional governing body, in the hopes that the microwave links' internet connectivity and large data bandwidth can provide an additional resource for local Emergency Operations Centres in the case of wildfires or other calamities. Club president Myles, VE7FSR, said the idea of providing the TNRD, or Thompson-Nicola Regional District, with a higher level of assistance was inspired by a 2017 wildfire in the region. He and some friends in the British Columbia Wireless Amateur Radio Network recalled how the blaze had hampered the Emergency Operations Centers' abilities to communicate vital information. Myles told Newsline that for the region's various municipalities to utilize the club's high speed microwave system, they'd need to first establish that they have line-of-sight with the mountaintops and then install dishes there to connect with the EOCs below. Myles said this sort of operation has come of age. EOCS, he said, are more dependent than ever on internet access because the data bandwidth is so much greater there than on VHF, UHF and especially HF. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Christian Cudnik, K0STH. (MYLES BRUNS VE7FSR) ** GEORGIA AMATEURS DEMONSTRATE RADIO SCIENCE ON FIELD DAY JIM/ANCHOR: Winter Field Day was a little bit different this year for some hams in Georgia. Kevin Trotman, N5PRE, tells us how they spent it. KEVIN: The Macon, Georgia shopping mall known as the Shoppes at River Crossing became part of a Winter Field Day activity — and even the mall's security department got in on the action. Hams were using the occasion to demonstrate analog and digital HF operations as well as UHF/VHF and D- STAR. According to David Johnson, KF4ALH, emergency coordinator for Macon- Bibb ARES, this field day activity was more about scoring big points on education and public relations instead of points in a contest. Hams from Macon-Bibb County ARES were joined by the Macon-Bibb County EMA Volunteer Group, Macon Amateur Radio Club, the Monroe County ARES Group and the Monroe County Amateur Radio Society. The hams gave science lessons and history lessons, along with a basic look at how amateur radio works and the role it plays when hurricanes sweep through. David said a few visitors seemed interested in learning more and doing more. He added: "If even one new person gets the Amateur Radio bug from our event, I consider that a bonus." For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Kevin Trotman, N5PRE. (DAVID JOHNSON KF4ALH) ** SPECIAL EVENT STATIONS MARK ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE CENTENARY JIM/ANCHOR: A special event is celebrating 100 years since the creation of the Royal Australian Air Force. Robert Broomhead has that story. ROBERT: A call has been put out for enthusiastic recruits to serve the Royal Australian Air Force -- no, not for military duty but to become airborne nonetheless via the radio as part of one of two special event stations marking the 100th anniversary of the RAAF. Hams will be using the call signs VI100AF and VK100AF from the 1st of March to the 29th of May, for 100 days. The Air Force's actual birthday is March 31st. On that date in 1921, the RAAF became an independent service from the Army. It is the world's second-oldest air force. Its roots are with the Australian Flying Corps, which sent troops during World War I to serve in the Middle East and European theatres. Activations can be done at the home QTH, at a club or even a park or SOTA location. There are plans to operate from four Air Force Bases as well. Time for Aussie hams to register is short. Organisers are hoping to release the roster for both call signs sometime around the 5th of February. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Robert Broomhead, VK3DN. (CENTRAL COAST AMATEUR RADIO CLUB, AIRFORCE.GOV.AU) ** OFCOM CLARIFIES LICENSE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR VP8 HAMS JIM/ANCHOR: Word from Ofcom in the UK has clarified some longstanding confusion over licensing responsibilities in the British Antarctic territory region. Hams seeking new VP8 licences to operate in the Antarctic and South Georgia have learned they will only be able to use those licences on the Falkland Islands. On the other hand, hams with existing VP8 calls may use them temporarily in the British Atlantic Territories, South Sandwich and South Georgia as well as in the Falklands until the licensing responsibilities are better defined. Ofcom noted that the British Atlantic Territories, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands cannot lissue their own licences or assign call signs. Ofcom left the option open for those locales to ask the Falkland Islands to administer licensing and call signs on their behalf as had been the case up until early 2020. (OPENFALKLANDS.COM) --- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (618:250/33) .