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From: newsline@arnewsline.org (Amateur Radio Newsline)
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Subject: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2459 for Friday December 13th, 2024
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Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2024 08:00:11 EST
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2459 for Friday December 13th, 2024
Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2459 with a release date of
Friday, December 13th, 2024 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1.

The following is a QST. The ISS deploys a ham radio satellite made of
wood. The Geminids are here so prepare to work some meteor scatter
--and there are dozens of new hams in town at an ARRL model school in
NYC.  All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2459
comes your way right now.

** 
BILLBOARD CART

**
ISS LAUNCHES JAPAN'S WOODEN HAM RADIO SATELLITE

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our top story takes us to Japan, where officials at JAXA,
the Japanese space agency, cheered on December 9th as they watched the
International Space Station's deployment of LignoSat, an amateur radio
CubeSat made largely of wood. The satellite, which arrived at the ISS a
month ago, has been a high-profile experiment in avoiding space junk by
using biodegradable components -- in this case, magnolia wood. The
long-awaited joint launch by NASA and JAXA makes yet another satellite
available for amateur radio. The satellite has a CW beacon on 435.82
MHz, plus or minus Doppler.

To view the launch, visit the YouTube link for the JAXA channel in the
text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org [DO NOT READ:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvUthxds36A&t=2326s] 

**
GEMINIDS SHOWER: METEORS' FINAL HURRAH OF 2024

NEIL/ANCHOR: The meteors are putting on a show at the moment - and
maybe even giving a little boost to your last chances of DX via meteor
scatter for this year. Here's the update from Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

KENT: The final major meteor shower of the year - the Geminids - hits
its peak on the 14th and 15th of December but will remain active until
Dec. 24th, Christmas Eve. It's a prolific shower that could be obscured
by the full moon in some regions during those key peak moments -- but
radio offers some solace.

If you can't see the showers, you can tune into them on FM radio,
according to FM DXer Nick Langan, writing on the RadioWorld.com
website. Nick writes that a sensitive FM radio tuned to an open
frequency might be able to receive a somewhat rewarding message from
high above, as a series of audible bursts known as "pings." He also
recommends a directional Yagi FM band antenna, if you have one. 

Of course, those hams among us who enjoy meteor scatter will likely be
turning to radio too -- namely, 2 metres and 6 metres. They'll no doubt
be chasing those ionized trails left behind in search of some
memorableDX.

This is Kent Peterson KC0DGY.

(RADIOWORLD.COM, SPACE.COM)

**
GET READY FOR THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EVENT

NEIL/ANCHOR: Pipers will be piping, drummers will be drumming, ladies
will be dancing, lords will be leaping and hams around the United
States will be calling QRZ starting at 0000 UTC on December 14th and
ending Christmas Day. The sixth year of operation for the popular 12
Days of Christmas special event is getting under way on the HF bands.
In addition to all those ladies, lords and drummers - and a whole bunch
of French hens, geese, swans and turtle doves - you will also find two
bonus stations, VC9XMAS1 and VC9XMAS2, joining the action this year
from Canada.

Everyone will be using either CW or SSB. There will be no QSL cards.

Work all 12 stations and Santa will let you download a certificate
saying CLEAN SWEEP after January 31st. If you also work either - or
both - of the bonus stations, your certificate will say CLEAN SWEEP
PLUS. Best of all, even if you work only a handful of stations, or just
one, you can still download a certificate confirming your contact.

Visit the QRZ.com page for K2RYD for more details -- and put this
special event on your holiday wish list.

**
CINCINNATI EVENT CELEBRATES THE WARMTH OF AM MODE

NEIL/ANCHOR: In the midst of a cold winter here in the United States,
what audio could impart more warmth than the sound of AM? Here's
Stephen Kinford N8WB with a suggestion on how to stay warm on the day
after Christmas here in the US.

STEPHEN: You'll receive a warm welcome when you check into the annual
AM Night of the Greater Cincinnati Amateur Radio Association on
December 26th Pre-net check-ins begin at 6 p.m. Eastern Time and the
net continues well into the night. Set your rig to AM mode and tune  to
1.936 MHz. A number of the check-ins are expected to be from ops who
have converted some broadcast rigs but you can also expect to hear
military radios and some from the golden age of AM broadcast radio. Of
course if you have a contemporary rig and it offers you AM mode, join
in! AM Night will also apear on NetLogger to help keep track of
check-ins.

This is Stephen Kinford N8WB.

(QRZ.COM)


**
BBC RADIO DOCUMENTARY HIGHLIGHTS POWER OF CW

NEIL/ANCHOR: As we reported back in October, a Romanian teenager won a
starring role at an International High Speed Telegraphy World
Championship in Tunisia after setting a new world record for receiving
callsigns sent using Morse Code. Now Ianis [YONNIS] Scutaru, YO8YNS, is
one of the many stars in a new BBC Radio documentary about the power
Morse Code has as a communications protocol.

The documentary, "Ready to Transmit," is hosted by Stephen Coates and
was released on the 8th of December. In addition to visiting the recent
championship, the 28-minute program highlights the role Morse plays in
helping a disabled woman communicate with her family and talks to a war
veteran who still remembers her code skills after more than 80 years.

Code is also seen as a source of joy as the documentary quotes Ianis as
saying it brought him "unbelievable happiness" upon receiving his
hard-earned award.

To hear the documentary, visit the link in the text version of this
week's script at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct7hsy   ]

(BBC)

**
SILENT KEY: GASTON BERTELS, ON4WF, "ELDER STATESMAN" OF ARISS

NEIL/ANCHOR: A leader, an advocate and a creative influence on the team
behind Amateur Radio on the International Space Station has become a
Silent Key. We hear about him and his work from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: It was not so long ago that Gaston Bertels, ON4WF, received the
title of "Elder Statesman" from the ARISS International Team. The
honour was bestowed as a tribute to his ideas, contributions and
efforts that led to the creation of an effective team behind the
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station programme. Sharing his
expertise in licensing and third-party traffic, Gaston became a
respected and well-recognised figure in Europe and elsewhere.  He died
from cancer on the 3rd of December.

His long association with the pairing of human spaceflight and amateur
radio had its roots in a Space Shuttle mission of 1992 that resulted in
a student radio contact with Belgium's first astronaut, Dirk Frimout,
ON1AFD. Many other developments and innovations ensued in his work over
the years which established his influence with the European Space
Agency.

Announcing his	death, ARISS acknowledged the affable manner and
enthusiasm he brought to his work: [quote] "His personality radiated an
inviting aura to all. He has been a friend, a leader, and an
inspiration to all of us." [endquote]

Gaston Bertels was 97.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(AMSAT NEWS SERVICE)

**
SILENT KEY: NZ NET's GERARD VAN ANTWERPEN, ZL2GVA, CW AWARD-WINNER
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