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Subject: Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2477 for Friday, April 18th, 2025
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Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2477 for Friday, April 18th, 2025 Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2477 with a release date of Friday, April
18th, 2025 to follow in 5-4-3-2-1

The following is a QST. Hams gain an exemption from Iowa's
distracted-driving law. A popular digital amateur radio newsletter
prepares to hold its first big conference; and a dramatic rescue of a
SOTA operator on a California mountain. All this and more as Amateur
Radio Newsline Report Number 2477 comes your way right now.

** 
BILLBOARD CART

**
HAMS GAIN EXEMPTION IN IOWA'S DISTRACTED-DRiVING LAW

JIM/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is about the distracted-driving law
in states around the US that prohibits drivers from sending text
messages or performing other functions with a  handheld device. Iowa
has just become the 31st state to add language to their law exempting
licensed hams from those restrictions. Dave Parks WB8ODF tells us what
that means.

DAVE: Amateur radio operators in Iowa have won an exemption to the
state's new distracted-driving law that takes effect on the 1st of
July. The governor signed the bill into law on the 2nd of April after
both the state House and Senate passed it overwhelmingly. It bans
drivers from using mobile phones or any wireless device while behind
the wheel unless it is in hands-free or voice-activated mode. The bill,
which was five years in the making, exempts licensed hams who are using
two-way radios. Iowa joins 30 other states, including New York, Arizona
and Minnesota, in granting hams permission to operate their radios
while driving.

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(DES MOINES REGISTER; KCCI DES MOINES; ARRL)

**
REGULATOR SEEKS COMMENT ON AUSTRALIA'S CLASS-LICENSE CONDITIONS

JIM/ANCHOR: In Australia, the communications regulator is looking for
input on some minor changes in language affecting the nation's new
amateur Class License, as we hear from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM:  The Radiocommunications Licence Conditions Determination 2015,
which provides conditions on the use of amateur radio assigned and
non-assigned licences, is being reviewed by The Australian
Communications and Media Authority before it expires on 1 October 2025.
While many amateurs now operate under the Radiocommunications Class
Licence 2023, existing non-assigned amateur licences will continue to
exist and operate under the conditions of the 2015 Amateur LCD until
they expire. The authority's goal is to fine-tune the language of the
LCD so it aligns with the new amateur Class Licence. Although the ACMA
is seeking comments from the public, the authority stresses that this
review is not considering major changes, such as amateur access to
bands, but a list of simple recommendations that are now available for
viewing in draft form.

Comments are due no later than Monday the 26th of May at 5 p.m. AEST.

To see the draft document, follow the link in the text version of this
week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://tinyurl.com/494x4ssz  ]

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(ACMA)



**
SILENT KEY: BOB FAY, WB0NPN, EMERGENCY RESPONDER AND MENTOR

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Ohio are mourning the loss of a friend, a mentor
and a familiar face to visitors at the Voice of America Museum. We
learn about him from Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

NEIL: If you've ever been to the Voice of America Museum in West
Chester, Ohio, it's possible you met Bob Fay, WB0NPN. He was an active
member and past officer of the West Chester Amateur Radio Association
which has its shack inside the museum.

Bob became a Silent Key on the 5th of April. 

First licensed in 1973, Bob was especially devoted to public service
and emergency communications in different states through the years. He
had been active in Hamilton County Ohio ARES as well as Lake County
Illinois RACES and was a special deputy sheriff for the Hennepin
County, Minnesota Mobile Amateur Radio Corps. He had also been deeply
involved in emergency communications in Riverside and Los Angeles
counties in California.

His long tenure as a ham deepened his appreciation for radio and he
especially loved sharing his enthusiasm and expertise with the next
generation. A proud moment for him was his receipt of an Elmer Award in
2016 from Christopher Brault, KD8YVJ - now KK8C -- after Chris became
the 2015 recipient of the Hiram Percy Maxim Award from the ARRL.

Bob was 89.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(JOCELYN BRAULT, KD8VRX, QRZ.COM)

**
SILENT KEY: SHIRLEY HARDSTAFF, VK7HSC, INNOVATOR AND ADVOCATE

JIM/ANCHOR: Hams in Australia - especially the close-knit community of
YLs in Tasmania - are grieving after one of their own has become a
Silent Key. They describe as a leader, an innovator and inspiring
force, as we hear from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: Remembered for her leadership and her personal touch as president
of the North West Tasmania Amateur Radio Club, Shirley Hardstaff
VK7HSC, had been immersed in amateur radio since the first day she got
her licence.

A familiar face to many in the Australian Ladies Amateur Radio
Association, or ALARA, and at many gatherings in Tasmania, Shirley
became a Silent Key on the 5th of April.

Her friends recalled her as someone with a leadership style that
brought a personal touch to YL meet-ups, placing less of an emphasis on
business and committee formalities and more focus on social
interaction. In 2019, she organised and funded the Bi-Monthly Chat and
Show which was held at the Penguin Rec Centre and later the Ulverstone
Rec Centre, until 2021.

Her on-air presence embraced traditional HF as well as other modes,
including Echolink, DMR, IRLP and SSTV. She often served as stand-in
net control for the Mount Duncan Net and a big supporter of the
Scouting event Jamboree on the Air.

Shirley, who was the VK7 representative to ALARA from 2010 to 2014, was
elected president of the North West Tasmania Amateur Radio Club in
2010. She stepped down in 2023. She and her late husband, Max, VK7KY,
were widely known for their travels and were familiar faces at ham
radio events around Tasmania.

Shirley was 83.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(NORMA O'HARE, VK2YL,  ANNE LANDERS, VK7BYL)

**
ZERO RETRIES NEWSLETTER HOSTING INAUGURAL CONFERENCE

JIM/ANCHOR: The Zero Retries newsletter, which offers readers articles
on technology and innovation in ham radio, is branching out to host its
first digital conference later this year. It will be held in Washington
State. We have details from George Zafiropoulos KJ6VU.

GEORGE: September will be a big month for technology and innovation in
amateur radio - and at the inaugural Zero Retries Digital Conference,
many of the articles readers have enjoyed in the newsletter will come
to life: Those attending can expect to hear about the IP400 Networking
Project, and see demonstrations of the M17 Digital Voice/Data system
and the MMDVM-TNC data system. Conference manager Tina Stroh KD7WSF
expects to put out requests for presenters very soon and will make a
sign-up sheet available online.

The conference will be held on the 13th of September at the Edward D.
Hansen Conference Center in Everett, Washington.

The Hansen conference center will be transformed into a kind of
epicenter of digital innovation at that time. The Zero Retries
conference is taking place just as GRCon 2025 wraps up. GRCon is the
annual conference for the GNU Radio project and community, That
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