Subj : Newsline Part 1 To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Jan 13 2017 06:42 pm Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2046, January 13, 2017 Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2046, with a release date of Friday, January 13, 2017, to follow in 5-4-3-2-1. The following is a QST. The Radio Club of America has embraced the role of YLs in wireless. A special event station marks the presidential inauguration. Scouts are already preparing for Jamboree On The Air -- and our top story, a vital repeater in suburban New York faces eviction. All this and more, as Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2046, comes your way right now. ** BILLBOARD CART ** LONG ISLAND, NEW YORK REPEATER IMPERILED DON/ANCHOR: We begin this week's report with breaking news: a critical repeater site that's served its suburban New York community for three decades, and put to use in a number of disasters, is now being asked to leave its location. Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO, has our top story: PAUL: A 30-year-old repeater site that is key to public safety in Long Island, New York is facing possible eviction from new building owners. I spoke with club president Pres Waterman, W2PW, about their plight: WATERMAN: Basically, the repeater's been on top of a 10-story building for almost 30 years. The arrangements under which it was up there have been sort of lost to history - I mean, there have been so many management changes and regime changes and what not, that it kind of slipped into an undocumented status, but it's been there for a heck of a long time. It covers really, really well in central Long Island. I've got IRLP and D-STAR happening at the site and it's been used for a number of public-service situations such as TWA 800 going down in the Nineties, September 11th, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy -- in fact, I wasn't even home during Hurricane Sandy, because I was at the Red Cross shelter doing communications duty, and then I found out I came back to find my house had been wrecked in Sandy, so it's a real thing that affects us here in Long Island, New York. Basically, several months ago, an entity from out of town, named Delaware North, acquired the building with the intentions of opening up a casino, and those plans are taking shape. I was told about a month-and-a-half ago that the equipment had to go -- they didn't even know about it, which is not surprising -- but had to go because the state gaming board would not allow it unless it was used for the "building operations or the government." So, I went directly to the gaming board and they said, "We don't have a problem with that." So, then I went back, and I was still told no, even so they still want it off the building, so it just seems like a whack-a-mole game of reasons and excuses and what-not. But, I did some research on the company, and they do have a global footprint of their operations, and they do talk about stewardship, and giving back to the community, and I'm reasoning that this is an excellent way for the management to give back to the community by allowing the repeater site to simply stay at no investment to them whatsoever! PAUL: They are running short on time to get the corporation to reverse their decision, and let the repeaters stay right where they are. Waterman said he'll be contacting as many in the corporate headquarters as he can, as well as enlisting the help of area first-responders and emergency organizations to help drive home the importance of the repeaters. Waterman stated that there is no equivalent site for relocation. If you'd like to sign the petition, please go to www.change.org and search for "Keep the Amateur Radio Repeaters Operational." For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO. ** MEMORIAL PLAQUE NAMED FOR POPULAR UK CONTESTER DON/ANCHOR: A ham who won many contesting honors during his lifetime is now being paid a special tribute by organizers of one of his favorite contests -- as a Silent Key. We learn more from Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. JEREMY: By the time Steve Cole, GW4BLE, became a Silent Key on Dec. 2, 2016, the Welsh amateur had a lifetime of achievements in contesting. He ranked high on the ARRL's DXCC Honor Roll, and had high standings in different events run by the Radio Society of Great Britain. His favorite contest of all, however, was the CQ World Wide SSB contest, where he scored many wins over the course of 40 years. CQWW has now added a plaque in his memory, to be given to the highest-scoring European amateur station each year in the EU SSB Classic section. It will be managed by the World Wide Radio Operators Foundation, and will be available starting this year. Dave, G8FXM, told Ohio Penn DX that only one other amateur in the UK has ever had an award named in his memory: Al Slater, G3FXB. In this way, by honoring Steve, the noted achievements of "Bravo Lima Echo" continue on, in the very spirit he brought to the competition. For Amateur Radio Newsline I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH. (OHIO PENN DX, RADIO SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN) Posted by VPost v1.7.081019 .