Subj : Amateur Radio Newsline (B)
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Thu Feb 11 2021 21:26:20

YOUNG CALIFORNIA AMATEUR WINS CONGRESSIONAL RECOGNITION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Congratulations to the California ninth grader and
amateur radio operator who is among those students to win the prestigious
Congressional App Challenge. Neil Rapp, WB9VPG, has the details.

NEIL: Sean Donelan, KM6NGN, is the author of an amateur radio app for 
mobile devices that simplifies coordination tasks for net controllers 
overseeing hams in the field at public service events. The app, NetHam,  
was the top winner in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge in his home 
state's 11th congressional district. The United States House of 
Representatives established the nationwide award eight years ago to 
inspire students in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and 
Math. The award is being given out this year in 308 of 435 congressional 
districts.

The app makes use of a Raspberry Pi4B, an Arduino, and a Nextion HMI
Touch Display. To see it in action, watch Sean's demonstration video
at the web address you'll find in this week's newscast script at
arnewsline.org. Well done, Sean!

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Neil Rapp, WB9VPG.

[FOR PRINT ONLY, DO NOT READ: vimeo.com/454747550]

(PATCH, SOUTHGATE)

**

QSO PARTY BRINGS ADDITIONAL CHALLENGES IN MINNESOTA

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The biggest challenge of a QSO Party isn't necessarily
the propagation. Here's Kent Peterson, KC0DGY, with the story of one
group of hams who found that out.

KENT: Members of the Mississippi Valley Amateur Radio Association were up 
for the challenge of the Minnesota QSO Party and hoped their brand-new 
Mobile Communications Bus was too. The hams crossed the state border from 
their Wisconsin home into a Minnesota county that is considered rare in 
these operating events. Using CW and phone, they joined the action from a 
parking lot at a high point in Houston County for the February 6th 
contest. They used the call sign Whiskey Zero Minnesota (W0M). Vice 
president Bill Kleinschmidt, N9FDE, told Newsline that 11 hams 
participated, two serving as the main ops while others filled in and 
provided support.

Bill said Mother Nature was ready for the QSO Party too - in a different 
way. He told Newsline: [quote] "She dumped six inches of snow on us just 
before the contest, then to add insult, she dropped the temperature ten to 
twenty below zero for setup and takedown operations." [endquote] The bus 
passed the test and kept everyone warm for the full 10 hours. The club did 
well too with a total score of 203,392, combining the 1,816 QSO points to 
the state, province, country and DX scores. 

Bill told Newsline the real challenge of the day came later, when the bus 
brakes failed just as the hams prepared to drive down from the hill. The 
brakes had begun to leak. 

The hams made one final call of the day: to Craig, N9ETD, who runs a 
towing business. Bill told Newsline that repairs were under way, and the 
club should be back on the road soon for new adventures. Next up: their 
home state Wisconsin QSO Party on March 14th and 15th.

For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Kent Peterson, KC0DGY.

(BILL KLEINSCHMIDT N9FDE)

**

MARS MEMBERS AND HAMS PREP FOR INTEROPERABILITY EXERCISES

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Members of the Military Auxiliary Radio System will have 
their first interoperability exercise with the amateur radio community on 
February 23rd through the 27th. Exercises will begin on Channel 1, the 
initial calling channel on 60 meters, but may not necessarily be limited 
to that channel.

US Army MARS Chief Paul English, WD8DBY, issued a statement saying that 
ICS 213 messages will be passed in both voice and digital modes. Radio 
operations will also take place in the usual voice modes.

Following this month's exercise, the next one will be held from March 1st 
to March 7th.

(MARS)

**

U.S.-BUILT RF JAMMERS TO ASSIST AUSTRALIA'S MILITARY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: An American-built RF-jamming system is about to begin 
production to help the military in Australia. Jason Daniels, VK2LAW, 
explains what it will do.

JASON: Australia's military is expected to benefit from the protective 
power of RF jammers under a system being developed by Northrop Grumman 
Corporation in the United States. The system of open-architecture RF 
jammers will be built by electronic warfare experts to provide protection 
from radio-controlled improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. The system
is designed to minimise disruption to communications systems while 
establishing a protective barrier for the warfighters and their equipment.

The $329.9 million order for the system, which is designed to protect foot 
soldiers, vehicles and permanent structures, according to officials of the 
United States Naval Sea Systems Command, which announced the order. Work 
will be done in San Diego, California and is expected to be ready for 
delivery to Australia by December of 2022.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jason Daniels, VK2LAW.

(MILITARY AEROSPACE.COM)
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