Taking Amateur Radio to near the world's roof top

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A devotee of the Summits On The Air (SOTA) program in set to use portable Amateur Radio as he joins others on one of the most popular trekking routes in the Himalayas.

Allen Harvie VK3HRA, will walk from Nepal to the Southern Everest Base Camp, travelling through the Sagarmatha National Park (9NFF-007), which is on the World Wide Flora and Fauna list.

Allen has gained a permit to take and operate a QRP radio. Due to weight and size needs, only 20-metres CW will be possible from 6 -9 May 2014, during local sunset to sunrise.

Sherpas are elite mountaineers serving as guides at the extreme altitudes in the region. Supplies are carried by them on animals, usually yaks, to replenish the Everest Base Camp that attracts thousands of trekkers each year.

The base camp becomes the end of a journey for most, and those going higher in altitude take two days of rest by for acclimatization before climbing Mt Everest.

Eire's youngest radio ham receives award

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On Sunday 23 March 2014, Jordan Cummins EI4HLB was awarded the Arup Cup at the AGM of the Eire / Irish national amateur radio society the IRTS

Unlike other countries, Eire doesn't have an entry level licence, to get an amateur radio licence you need to pass the equivalent of the UK Advanced exam (USA Extra).

Jordan received his award at the IRTS rally and AGM hosted by the Galway VHF Group at the Galway Bay Hotel.

In 2013 as a 14 year old SWL he attended the Youngsters On The Air (YOTA) event in Estonia and wrote about his experiences in the October 2013 edition of the IRTS

Journal which can be read - http://irts.ie/downloads/IRTS_Sample_Newsletter.pdf

Jordan reports that in a first for the IRTS, his mother, Lisa Cummins EI9GSB, was elected as a committee member for the coming year and is the first ever female to sit on the committee since its formation, 82 years ago!!

The Arup Cup was donated to the IRTS by the Arup family in memory of their son EI3M who died at an early age. The cup is beautifully crafted in Danish silver and is awarded for exceptional service to the Society or to Amateur Radio by an amateur licensed for a period of five years or less. It was first awarded in 1948.

Read Jordan's report - http://ei4hlb.blogspot.ie/2014/03/irts-agm.html

Youth Spark! The ham radio world through the eyes of EI's youngest radio amateur - http://ei4hlb.blogspot.ie/

EI4HLB on Twitter - https://twitter.com/EI4HLB

K9LA to receive the 2013 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award

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Carl Luetzelschwab, K9LA, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, has been named the winner of The Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award for the 2013.

The ARRL Foundation selected Luetzelschwab at its 21 January 2014 meeting for his article “The Sun and the Ionosphere,” which appeared in the March 2013 issue of QST. Luetzelschwab won the March QST Cover Plaque Award last year for the same article. Luetzelschwab, who frequently writes on solar and propagation phenomena and trends, is the “Propagation” columnist for NCJ — National Contest Journal.

“I am honored to receive the William Orr Award from the ARRL,” Luetzelschwab said. “Orr’s Radio Handbook (23rd ed) is one of my favorite references in my library because of its practical information.”
— Carl Luetzelschwab winner of the 2013 Bill Orr, W6SAI, Technical Writing Award