Amateur / Ham Radio Field Day Demonstrates Science, Skill and Service

Cedar Valley Amateur Club, Eastern Iowa DX Association and Rockwell Collins Amateur Radio Club will be joining together to run an amateur radio field day taking place 27/28 June 2015 at Faye Clark Park in Hiawatha.

Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary amateur radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of Amateur Radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

“Hams can literally throw a wire in a tree for an antenna, connect it to a battery-powered transmitter and communicate halfway around the world. Hams do this by using a layer of Earth’s atmosphere as a sort of mirror for radio waves. In today’s electronic do-it-yourself (DIY) environment, ham radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and numerous other scientific disciplines, and is a huge asset to any community during disasters if the standard communication infrastructure goes down.”

— Sean Kutzko KX9X of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)

Local Media Report - http://www.vintoniowa.org/articles/Events+and+Activities/article1014901.html

Passing (SK) of Bill Pasternak WA6ITF

The ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast has learnt of the passing of Bill Pasternak WA6ITF following a period of ill health, Bill was 73.

Bill was co-founder with Jim Hendershot, WA6VQP of Amateur RadioNewsline formerly the Westlink Report, relayed on repeated across the United States.

Passing of Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF

A Brooklyn, New York, native, Pasternak became a radio amateur in 1959 as WA2HVK.
“An incredible man, ham, and one of Amateur Radio’s too-few giants, who woke up every day to make the hobby better for everyone, especially its legacy — youth,” Mileshosky said. “I’ve enjoyed the energy he put into keeping hams informed via Newsline, and have been honored to give back to his NewslineYoung Ham of the Year Award program, since being asked by him to sit on its judging panel well over a decade ago.”
In addition to the ARRL, Pasternak belonged to the Radio Club of America and the Quarter Century Wireless Association. He also enjoyed flying, including stints getting on the air from thousands of feet up.

Bill was the only person ever chosen to receive the Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award (1981) and Radio Amateur of the Year Award (1989). In 1995, the League presented him with an ARRL National Certificate of Merit in recognition of his contributions to the “furtherance of the goals of the Amateur Radio Service.”

The ICQ Amateur / Ham Radio Podcast Team wishes to pass on their condolences to all friend and family, and especially to Bill’s wife of 43 years, Sharon, KD6EPW

New VK balloon Circumnavigates the Earth

The party-type foil balloon PS-46 from Australia has shown that going around the southern hemisphere is no fluke - although it does need some perseverance.

A very excited but humble Andy Nguyen VK3YT, who launched the balloon carrying an Amateur Radio payload said: “I express a big thank you to everyone assisting with its tracking across the continents.”

The solar power helium balloons in his series use a 25mW transmitter with WSPR, JT9 and sometimes Olivia signals on the 30m and 20m bands. That enables tracking through stations who report on its altitude, speed, direction and battery condition.

He explained that PS-46 flight left Australia at 0700 (AEST) on 25 May 2015, making its epic flight in just over 12 days. 

“This time it was in the right position (before arriving in Western Australia) for the jet stream to push it over land.”

— Andy VK3YT

The balloon did an s-shape over the Pacific to South America, traversed the South Atlantic to Namibia, tracked above South Africa, crossed the Indian Ocean to Cape Le Grand near Esperance West Australia, and completed the world trip on Thursday, 4 June 2015.

After reaching Australia the balloon tracked inland from South Australia (VK5), just touched New South Wales at Cameron’s Corner (three state border point) and then to Queensland making the circulation complete.

Earlier balloon PS-41 launched by Andy VK3YT was the first to circle the earth. On its second time around it visited the Antarctic region, but disappeared in the Southern Ocean around 21 April 2015.