BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur
Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including
WFBT, Wilmington's Big Talker in Wilmington, N.C. on Saturday and Sundays,
starting at 8:30 a.m.
**
ADVENTURE CONTINUES FOR AMELIA EARHART TRIBUTE PILOT
DON/ANCHOR: The world has been watching as a ham from the U.S. navigates
a flight in tribute to Amelia Earhart's final trip 80 years ago. At
Newsline's production time, he was getting ready to depart Australia,
where we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
GRAHAM's REPORT: Texas radio amateur Brian Lloyd, WB6RQN, continues his
flight along Amelia Earhart's path, and as Amateur Radio Newsline went
to production, he was preparing to leave us here in Australia for the
next leg of his journey. His arrival there on July 1, however, brought
some welcome refueling for both Brian and his plane - and an eyeball
QSO with Stuie, VK8NSB. The Australian amateur had contacted the pilot
on 20 meters and via satellite while he was still enroute from Indonesia,
and met him on arrival. Stuie didn't just greet him and provide overnight
hospitality; but, at departure time from Darwin, he was there to help
refuel and see the aircraft off, adding a sticker of the Australian flag
to the plane's wing.
Other amateur radio contacts followed, as Brian took to the air, enroute
to Ayers Rock, Uluru.
Brian's final stop in Australia was to be in Sydney, and then he was off
to Auckland, New Zealand, followed by a flyover of Howland Island. His
plan was to drop a memorial wreath into the water there near the spot
where Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared in 1937.
As he continues, his journey to Hawaii and beyond, be listening on SSB
on 14.210, 14.346, 18.117 or 7.130 MHz.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Graham Kemp, VK4BB.
(JIM LINTON VK3PC)
**
WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP PASSES TEST
DON/ANCHOR: For volunteers who were testing equipment in Germany recently
for next year's World Radiosport championship event, it was a dry run -
well, not really quite so dry thanks to the weather. We hear more from
Amateur Radio Newsline's Ed Durrant, DD5LP.
ED'S REPORT: The WRTC test and training days 2017 between the 23rd and
25th of June, brought together more than 100 volunteers from all over
Germany to the Jessen / Wittenberg region, to set up portable stations
exactly as will be used next year.
The Thursday before the tests brought devastating rain storms to the area,
but this did not stop the training of the antenna teams at the main
campsite in Prettin on Friday. There were many new enthusiastic contesters
between the ages of 20 and 80, who took part in the weekend, alongside
some well-known faces from the test day in 2016.
Saturday was the main construction day, where the wind made the antenna erection
somewhat more difficult, but apart from that, the weather was
sunny and dry. Concentrated work was called for to ensure that all parts
were correctly installed; and after many hours of construction work,
radio operation and exchange of experiences followed. Lessons learned
were noted, and changes included in planning for next year. The Ham
Spirit shone through, with the enthusiasm ensuring new friendships
emerged, and many new ideas were born.
On Sunday morning, the stations were all dismantled, and by 3pm,
everything was packed up, and sent to the main storage warehouse. Thanks
to excellent preparation, and the spirit of all participants, the test
and training days were a total success. The WRTC team is ready to welcome
63 teams to Germany in 2018.
Before that, however, there is still work to be done, more finances are
required, and next weekend at HAM RADIO Friedrichshafen, the WRTC 2018
team will have both a stand inside the halls, and an example portable
station setup outside, to illustrate what the competitors should expect.
The team will be looking for additional volunteers for next year's event
as well as donations from supporters.
An additional highlight announced just after the test day, is that Honda
Power Equipment have come on-board as a platinum sponsor of WRTC 2018,
and will be supplying EU20i petrol generators for each team in next
year's event.
For Amateur Radio Newsline, this is Ed Durrant, DD5LP.
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* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org (57:57/10)
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