Subj : Newsline Part 2 To : ALL USERS From : DARYL STOUT Date : Thu Dec 24 2015 07:39 pm A SURPRISE FROM NORTH KOREA [ANCHOR/DON]: Fighting some of the worst HF conditions in recent days, a Polish DXer has put North Korea back on the air. Amateur Radio Newsline's Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, has the details: [JEREMY:] It was a triumph of history, meteorology, international politics and most especially radio when DXer, Dom Gryzb, 3Z9DX, fired up his rig and began making the first of what was to become a few hundred QSOs from North Korea, beginning the 20th of December at 0000 UTC. Working both 20 meters and 15 meters SSB as P5/3Z9DX, his transmissions put that nation back on the amateur airwaves for the first time since 2002. It was, by most accounts, a surprise. the Polish radio amateur had been meeting with North Korea officials working out the details for next year's planned operation from what is the world's most-wanted DXCC entity. Pileups of anxious amateurs rallied around his call, and a few hundred stations eagerly jumped in and made contact. North Korea had been off the bands since the conclusion of the 2001-2002 operation by 4L4FN. While it all caught the rest of the world quite unexpectedly, North Korean officials were, of course, privy to what was going on: Gryzb took to the bands to demonstrate for them what it would be like in February 2016, during his longer, hoped-for operation there. The sun, it turns out, proved to be the biggest obstacle in play, as a huge coronal mass ejection raised the A index to 66 and the K index to 6, producing some of the worst HF conditions recently. By the dawn of Monday, the 21 of December, conditions had grown less favorable. Gryzb is now working out the remaining logistics in preparation for February when, hopefully, the sun will cooperate too. In the meantime, stations were being advised to keep contacts short out of courtesy to other operators. For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Jeremy Boot, G4NJH, in Nottingham, the UK. [DON/ANCHOR]: In the latest news reports, Gryzb was heading back to Poland for Christmas, and to make preparations to return to Korea for his 2016 DX adventure. (ARRL, DX.NET) ** IRELAND'S COMPETITIVE COUNTIES Friday, Jan. 1, doesn't just mark New Year's Day: In Ireland, it is also "80 Meters Counties Contest Day" for radio amateurs. The wide-ranging contest has both fixed stations and portable sections, with SSB only or mixed modes. The competition runs from 1400 to 1700 UTC, using 32 EI and GI counties as multipliers. Good news for operators who enjoy CW: to encourage more CW in the mixed mode sections, organizers are giving a bonus of 1,000 points to any entry that includes at least 10 valid QSOs done in CW with an EI or GI station. The contest has also set 3522 kHz as its suggested "center of activity" for CW. May the best contesters win. (IRISH RADIO TRANSMITTERS SOCIETY) ** NEW TOOL FOR DISASTER COMMUNICATIONS It's still more than a year away, but researchers at the Hume Center for National Security and Technology are very excited about the 2017 launch of an amateur radio transponder with a special disaster mission. The geosynchronous satellite amateur radio payload is being dispatched to assist in emergency communications, according to the center's Director of Research, Bob McGwier, N4HY. McGwier described the ambitious goals for the payload by saying QUOTE "It will allow rapid deployment to disaster areas and support long-haul communications for first responders," ENDQUOTE It would become the first amateur payload in a geosynchronous orbit. The Hume Center has been working with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on the project. We expect to hear more over the next year as efforts go forward. (SOUTHGATE ARC) ** PEOPLE IN THE NEWS The ARRL's Alaska Section welcomes its new manager, Ray Hollenbeck, K-L-ONE-I-L (KL1IL), of Wasilla, Alaska, who has been appointed to succeed Jim Larsen, AL7FS. Hollenbeck, who begins his term on Jan. 1, has been an ARRL Emergency Coordinator for almost 7 years. Larsen, who is from Anchorage, has served as section manager for the past eight years, and decided not to seek another term. Hollenbeck was appointed by ARRL Manager of Field Services and Radiosport Dave Patton, NN1N, in consultation with Northwestern Division Director Jim Pace, K7CEX, and Larsen. Larsen, who will complete his fourth term as Alaska SM at year's end, decided not to run for another term after serving for the past 8 years. (ARRL) ** LESSONS IN ALASKA TAUGHT BY RADIO In one school in a remote Alaskan Eskimo village, ham radio has graduated with honors. With support from the local district, the Pilot Station School recently made amateur radio an integral part of its curriculum. The Pilot Station School Radio Club, WL7CXM, is now moving from simply being an after-school program to a serious during-school offering. The club was created by fifth grade teacher, Donn Gallon, KL7DG, with a variety of goals: to teach geography, to help students' command of the standard English language, to give them confidence by expressing themselves on a microphone, and also to help them read and be more social. Gallon said QUOTE "Many of the kids have trouble imagining the world beyond our region, or Alaska as a whole. They are excited to pull down the globe off the shelf and find the places we are talking or listening to. This has helped them in social studies, as they are getting their world view expanded by radio." ENDQUOTE The club, which began as an informal, after-school activity, now is a district-sanctioned educational program. The club has already participated in the School Club Roundup, where it achieved its Worked All States award by landing its 50th contact - an amateur in Oklahoma. Gallon said his next goal is to set up a team to work with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service. That would put Alaska's youngest amateurs, not just in the classroom itself, but unquestionably at the head of the class. (ARRL) ** THE WORLD OF DX Henrik, OZ6TL, is active as E51TLA from Raratonga Island (OC-013) through January 9th. He is working holiday style on the HF bands, usually mainly CW and RTTY on 30 and 20 meters. QSL via his home callsign or LoTW. Hardy, DL7LL, is also active on Raratonga Island. He is working as E51LLA through December 28. He did not indicate what bands or modes, however, but be listening. QSL via DL7LL. Jean-Pierre, F6ITD, will be active as FG/F6ITD from Guadeloupe and two of its islands between January 20th and March 28th. These islands include Basse Terre Deshaies (main island, between January 20th and February 2nd) and La Desirade Island (between March 3-8th). He will work all HF bands, both on SSB and in digital modes. Listen for the callsign TO6D. QSL via his home callsign, direct or LoTW. Bill, K9HZ, is working as J68HZ from his villa at Labrelotte Bay, Castries, St. Lucia through January 3rd, with activity mostly on 160-2 meters using CW, SSB and RTTY. He will emphasize 160 and 80 meters on all modes. QSL via his home callsign, although he will also use LoTW, ClubLog and eQSL. (OHIO PENN DX NEWSLETTER) --- BgNet 1.0a12 - The Thunderbolt BBS wx1der.dyndns.org Little Rock, AR .