From the WIA, original post here.

Date : 25 / 01 / 2016 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The well-equipped station of Tony Hutchison VK5ZAI enabled students in Nepal to chat with Astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI from England on board the International Space Station.  During the earthquake in that country last year, a Brihaspati VidyaSadan High School building was used by HAM radio operators from Nepal and India to provide emergency communications.

In the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) event the VK5ZAI ground station had a session 17 questions and answers with the school in Kathmandu, in the nine minute pass.  Tony VK5ZAI said the ARISS program that brings together orbiting astronauts and students, happened around the world.  He explained that in the link-up on January 21, students asked questions about life in space, the developments and tools used by the astronauts, and of course bodily functions like sneezing and exercising.

Astronaut Tim Peake, in answer to questions about how to become an astronaut, referred to his own experience of learning to fly aircraft, then with that skill moved into training for space.  Astronauts come for many different professions, with his advice being: “You need to find out what you are passionate about and what you are enjoying.”  In what was the first ARISS contact for Nepal, he told the students to do what they loved, follow their dreams, get skilled, then maybe space travel is an option.

The school had run a week-long program and exhibition on space travel, and technology that included Amateur Radio.  Pravin Joshi 9N1KK was among those who helped prepared the students who had a large audience of about 300.  This included the British Ambassador to Nepal, the Cultural Affairs Officer from the US Embassy, ten youngsters other schools, and had considerable media coverage.

Via ACMA, original post here.

A Sydney man has been fined $3,000 and ordered to forfeit valuable radio equipment that he had been using to make overpowered transmissions.  The defendant pleaded guilty to two charges of unlawful possession of a radiocommunications device under the Radiocommunications Act 1992.  He appeared at the Downing Centre Local Court, Sydney, on Tuesday, 27 January 2015.

From the WIA, original post here (minor corrections made by Paul VK2ICQ).

Date : 20 / 01 / 2016 
Author : Jim Linton – VK3PC

The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has elected Rick Roderick K5UR as its new President, succeeding Kay Craigie N3KN who has completed her third term.  The ARRL Board of Directors met on January 15-16 to choose Rick K5UR as its leader, who was the First Vice President, and to make other appointments.

Kay N3KN was the first woman in that top role that guides the ARRL as it seeks to protect and further Amateur Radio activities, and as the representative voice in regulatory matters including spectrum use through to antenna installation rights.  She readily acknowledges that it had been a privilege to serve during the ARRL Centennial in 2014 and to help usher in Amateur Radio’s second century.  “As President I represented the ARRL at the Radio Society of Great Britain’s 100th anniversary observance, led the ARRL delegation at two International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 2 conferences, and was part of ARRL teams at Friedrichshafen and Tokyo,” she said.  Coming up through the ranks she was first elected as a volunteer ARRL official in 1986, and later the ARRL Board of Directors chose her as the League’s 15th President in January 2010.

Among her early duties as ARRL President was a radio contact with the WIA President Michael Owen VK3KI (sk) as part of the centenary celebration in 2010 for the WIA being the first IARU member society to reach 100 years.

The new President, Rick Roderick K5UR, 63, is an avid DXer both on HF and VHF/UHF bands, has been a ham for over 48 years and a Life Member of the ARRL.  He had held volunteer ARRL positions for over 40 years, sitting on the DX Advisory Committee and helped create a number of important projects including the Logbook of the World.  Rick graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.S degree in Mathematics, an M.S. degree in Operations Management, and a J.D. in law degree.  After working 20 years in business, he entered private practice with an emphasis in labour and employment law, and is Managing Partner of a law firm with three locations in Arkansas.

From ARVic, original post here.

The 24th Australian Scout Jamboree at Cataract Scout Park south of Sydney on January 3-14, saw the Amateur Radio base VI 2 AJ 2016 expose our diverse hobby to many young people.

The Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club manages the facility. David Uzzell VK2HDM says Amateur Radio is as relevant as it has always been, yet most people don’t realise it. Innovation and advancement have come from experimenters for more than 100 years.

He says the Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club showed satellite advanced communication, propagation experiments, voice codec advancements, and Internet based VoIP technologies.  Scouts from around Australia and overseas had the hands-on fun regularly enjoyed by radio amateurs, with some new and revolutionary technologies.

FUNcube receivers heard FUNcube satellites that are not much bigger than your average school lunch box floating in orbit.  The radio amateurs demonstrated how to communicate through satellites like AO-85.

The Scouts could also see a picture sent around the world by SSTV (Slow Scan TV) using only the Amateur Radio transceiver.  The Internet Repeater Linking Project was also in action. Foxhunting proved very popular.

Congratulations to the Fishers Ghost Amateur Radio Club over the two-week Jamboree – well done.

From ARVic, original post here.

A team of five will activate Norfolk Island as VK9NT in May, to coincide with the Wireless Institute of Australia’s Annual General Meeting and invites others on the Island to join them.

The DXers Chris VK3QB, Brenton VK3YB, Luke VK3HJ, Lee VK3GK and Allan VK2CA, will operate May 20 to 31.  VK9NT is to be on 160m to 10m using CW and SSB, with three transceivers available.

These will feed dipoles strung up about 25-30 metres high between majestic Norfolk Island Pines, and a Sloper antenna for 160m.  To liaise locally 2m will be used.

Those attending the WIA AGM are invited to visit VK9NT at Pacific Palms, either to enjoy the hospitality or operate, and a shuttle bus is being provided.  The team also operates clifftop QRP at the edge of the property.  Visitors are welcome to that site also, but please bring your own QRP radios and attach the antenna, to chase DX.