Subj : Newsline Part 2 To : ALL From : Daryl Stout Date : Thu Jun 02 2016 10:15 pm YASME FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES GRANTS, EXCELLENCE AWARDS STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Other gifts to amateur radio - these ones benefiting young amateurs - have been announced by the not-for-profit Yasme Foundation. Three supporting grants are being given out. The Foundation for Amateur Radio is receiving support for its 2017-2018 scholarship program; the ARRL Foundation will be helped with funds for its Yasme Foundation scholarship. A third grant will assist two young hams in Ethiopia who will participate in the Youth Contesting Program in Estonia. The Yasme Foundation is organized to support scientific and educational projects related to Amateur Radio, including DXing, and the introduction and promotion of Amateur Radio in developing countries. Supporting grants were also given to other recipients to specifically support global HF operations. The foundation also announced three recipients of its Excellence Award, which recognizes achievement in technical, organizational or operational areas: They are longtime educator Carole Perry, WB2MGP; Tim Duffy, the ARRL's Western Pennsvylania section manager; and longtime amateur radio mentor and trainer, Tom Rauch, W8JI. (YASME FOUNDATION) ** BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world, including the Lakes Area Amateur Radio Club's W5JAS repeater in Jasper, Texas, on Monday nights. *** NORFOLK ISLAND REPORT STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Norfolk Island, off the east coast of Australia, normally doesn't have a lot of amateur radio activity. That changed during the last weekend in May. We hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's John Williams, VK4JJW. JOHN WILLIAMS' REPORT: You've probably heard of "The Thornbirds", a world best seller novel, and then, TV series, written by long time resident of Norfolk Island, Australian Colleen McCulloch, who passed away last year, and now rests on this verdant rock in the middle of the South Pacific. Now, the Wireless Institute of Australia has put Colleen's home on the map again by holding its Annual General Meeting over the last weekend of May in the 35-square-kilometer -- or 14-square-mile island paradise with almost 100 hams and their partners, making the bit-over-2-hour-flight from the mainland, and staying there for at least the three-day occasion. Some hams have made it a real break, and stayed for a week! Flying is the easiest way to get there, because ships sometimes have to anchor offshore for weeks, waiting for calm seas to transfer goods and people. In recent years, the WIA AGM has been held in different places all around Australia, and so it was fitting that we journey to a soon-to-be-made official part of the country. Norfolk Island is an Australian External Territory just 1300 Km or 900 miles off the east coast. With a resident population of around 1500, it has very few hams, and with the passing several years ago of avid Norfolk Island resident Dxer, "Island Chaser" Jim Smith VK9NS, there have been very few opportunities since to work this rare location. Some of the latest visitors even went to the trouble and expense of arranging their very own VK9 call, expressly to activate the island again, if only for a short time. But then, that makes it even more desirable for the DX hound, doesn't it! When the formalities and socializing of the AGM weekend didn't get in the way, there was a fair amount of "CQ DX" happening from the land of Norfolk Pine trees - I was there too! For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm John Williams, VK4JJW ** O CANADA! 150 YEARS OF CANADA! Hams participating in the events marking Canada's sesquicentennial in 2017, have been given permission to use special call sign prefixes to mark the occasion. For those Canadian amateurs wishing to change their prefix, VA becomes CF; VE becomes CG; VO becomes CH; and VY, CI. The announcement was made by Radio Amateurs of Canada during the recent Dayton Hamvention. Radio Amateurs of Canada notes that use of the prefixes is optional -- but a nice way to mark 150 years, nonetheless. (RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA) ** PROGRESS ON PARITY STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Trying to hammer out acceptable language for the Amateur Radio Parity Act hasn't been easy. But the ARRL, and the organization representing homeowners associations, have helped fashion an amended bill with input from congressional staffers that would permit outdoor antennas to be installed in communities with deed-restricted residential properties. The homeowners group, called the Community Associations Institute, issued a statement expressing support for the amended language in the legislation, also known as HR 1301. And Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, the ARRL Hudson Division Director, and Legislative Affairs Committee Chairman, also noted he was pleased with the agreement - but stressed that some matters still need to be worked on. Congress is expected to act on the bill sometime this year. (ARRL) --- þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, AR - wx1der.dyndns.org .