No subject

almost every weekend, this is Joe Moell, Kay-zero-Oscar-Victor, for 
Amateur Radio Newsline.

--

Again Joe's website is www.homingin.com.  And homingin is one word.  
(ARN ewsline, K0OV)

**

HAMS HELPING HAMS:  DISTANCE LEARNING - AMATEUR RADIO STYLE

The Nacogdoches Amateur Radio Club, in Nacogdoches Texas recently solved 
a big problem using what it calls typical ham radio  ingenuity.  This, 
when John Fullingim, the person who was supposed to talk at their 
meeting could not get a ride out from Dallas about 180 miles away

Fullingim1s program was a Power Point Presentation consisting of a 
series of slides accompanied by live commentary.   Rather than cancel 
the April 2nd meeting, Fullingham e-mailed the Power Point  to Army 
Curtis, AE5P, in Nacogdoches.  Curtis loaded it onto his laptop computer 
for showing at the meeting.  

Next, a communications link was then established between Nacogdoches and 
Dallas using both the Internet and Amateur Radio courtesy of Jeff Clark, 
K5NAC and Kevin Anderson, KD5CCH.  And on the meeting night Curtis ran 
the slide show in Nacogdoches as Fullingim in Dallas provided commentary 
using the specially installed system. 

The two way link also allowed questions to be asked from the live 
audience.  This remote program lasted almost 90 minutes, and was very 
well received by everyone present at the meeting.  (KD5ING)

**

NEW HAM TECHNOLOGY:  RIMIGATE VER 0.2 NOW AVAILABLE

Sean Jewett, KG4NRC, of Antioch, Tennessee has announced the 
availability of version 0.2 of his RIMiGate application program.  This 
is a freely available Linux based APRS I Gate server.

Version 0.2 is quite a bit different from the earlier release.  Users no 
longer need to have a Linux system to build RIMiGate.  RIMiGate is now 
distributed as a disk image that can be written to disk using freely 
available tools for Linux, Windows, and Macintosh.  In addition, the 
configuration files now reside on an M-S DOS based file system so users 
can easily edit configuration files. 

The minimum requirements for RIMiGate is a 486 system with a minimum of 
12 megs of ram. You can download the program from the 
http://www.rimboy.com/rimdistro/rimigate/   (KG4NRC)

**

HAM RADIO IN SPACE:  AN AO-40 UPDATE

The AMSAT Oscar 40 satellite is continuing to drift downward as was 
predicted by its controllers.  Unfortunately, this makes for bad 
satellite conditions that are less than favorable for passband use.  

Also, the solar angle is worsening and will soon exceed 45 degrees.  
This will limit satellites available power while warming the spacecraft 
considerably as the sun swings across it.  

Because of these factors, AO-40's passband transmitters were be turned 
off on Saturday, April 19th. They will remain off for about 4 weeks or 
until conditions improve.  (ANS)

**

INTERNATIONAL -GERMANY:  DEUTSCHE WELLE GOES DIGITAL

Germany's international broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, has announced that 
as of June it will transmit digitally on shortwave to Europe and the 
Middle East using the Radio Mondiale broadcast system.  This makes 
Deutsche Welle the first international broadcaster to commit to a start 
date for regular D-R-M transmissions on the shortwave bands.  (ASWLC)

**

OUR HERITAGE:  INTERNATIONAL MARCONI DAY

Saturday, the 26th of April, was 'International Marconi Day'.  
International Marconi Day is a 24-hour on-the-air event held annually to 
celebrate the birth of Guglielmo Marconi in 1874.  Its also an  
opportunity for amateurs around the world to make contacts with historic 
Marconi sites to gain an award for working a specific number of 
participating stations. 

At least 35 special event stations were to be on the air for 
International Marcoini Day 2003.  This included the famed W1AA slash MSC 
Marconi Radio Club representing the Marconi 1901 Siasconset Station on 
Nantucket Island in the USA.  There were also around 15 United Kingdom 
sites slated to be on such as  Poldhu in Cornwall and  Alum Bay on the 
Isle of Wight and Chelmsford in Essex.  Other historic stations include 
VO1IMD from Signal Hill, Newfoundland, and IY4FGM from Marconi's 
birthplace near Bologna Italy.  (MSC ARC, GB2RS)

**

DX

In DX, the RSGB reports that the International Short Wave League's VHF 
club callsign, MX1SWL, is being used by Tom Read, M1EYP, through the end 
of April.  Tom will be activating several hilltops, particularly in the 
Pennines, for the Summits On The Air awards program.  (GB2RS)

And F0 slash F8CFU planned to be on from the Tuamotu Archipelago in 
French  Polynesia and Tubuai Island in the Austral Islands through the 
16th of May.  QSL as directed on the air.  (GB2RS)

Also, the former 7Q7DC, has now moved to Nairobi and has been given the 
call 5Z4DE.  Don is the first United States citizen in 12 years to 
obtain a Kenyan license and will be active as soon as he puts his 
antennas up.  (OPDX)

Lastly, word that 4Z4DX, will be active on 160 to 6 meters CW and 
digital modes as 9N7DX from Nepal through the 12th of May.  Again, Q-S-L 
as directed by the operator.  (OPDX)

**

THAT FINAL ITEM:  HAM RADIO ADVENTURE TO THE SOUTH PACIFIC

And finally this week, how about a ham who has decided not to let age 
stand in the way of her passion to sail and to operate from rare places.  
Amateur Radio Newsline's Bruce Tennant, K6PZW,  reports on a truly 
amazing lady:

--

Susan Meckeley, W7KFI, is 69, loves ham radio and loves to sail.  And 
she recently told the Ohio-Penn DX Newsletter that she is headed to the 
South Pacific on as three-year DX'pedition odyssey.

Meckeley left Oakland, California, in January and has been slowly 
working her way south. At that time she spore with OPDX Meckeley was in 
Mexico and soon to sign W7KFI slash maritime mobile.  She has already 
been to Ensenada, Mexico, for a month, but set sail on April 16th, for 
San Jose, Punta Cabras.  

Heading south, Meckeley told OPDX that she would be operating from the 
Isle San Martin.  She was heard April 17th at 24:41 UTC as XE2/W7KFI on 
14.249 MHz from the island. The length of her stay is not known. 

Her next stop will be at Bahia de Torguga and from there to Magdelina 
Bay, Cabo San Lucas, and finally La Paz.  Then it is off to the islands 
in the Sea of Cortez for operating and into Guymas for the hurricane 
season.  Come fall she will go down the mainland coast ending in Costa 
Rica.  In April 2004, Meckeley is off to Galapagos Islands and into the 
South Pacific.  

When she's on the air its with a Yaesu FT-847 and a pair of pop-up 
masts.  She runs all modes except ATV from her 1932 Challanger called 
the S/V Dharma. She tells OPDX that -- and we quote -- "this size boat I 
can handle all by myself."  And it sounds as if Susan Meckeley, W7KFI, 
is making her dream come true.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, in Los 
Angeles.

--

One last note.   Meckeley told OPDX that she has room on board for a 
crew-member if anyone wants to go.  If interested, let OPDX know and the 
newsletter will forward the message.  The e-Mail address is 
kb8nw at arrl.net  (OPDX)


**

NEWSCAST CLOSE

With thanks to Alan Labs, Amateur News Weekly, AMSAT, the ARRL, the CGC 
Communicator, CQ Magazine, the FCC, the Ohio Penn DX Bulletin, Radio 
Netherlands, Rain, the RSGB and Australia's Q-News, that's all from the 
Amateur Radio Newsline(tm).  Our e-mail address is newsline 
@arnewsline.org.  More information is available at Amateur Radio 
Newsline's(tm) only official website located at www.arnewsline.org.  You 
can also write to us or support us at Amateur Radio Newsline(tm), P.O. 
Box 660937, Arcadia, California 91066. 

Before we go, a reminder that the nominating period for the 2003 amateur 
Radio Newsline Young Ham of the Year is now open.  No significant 
changes from last year.  Nominees must be 18 or younger.  Full rules and 
an application is on our new special website at www.yhoty.org.

For now, with Bill Pasternak, WA6ITF, at the editors desk, I'm Jim 
Meachen, ZL2BHF, in Auckland,  New Zealand saying 73 and we thank you 
for listening."  Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2003.  All 
rights reserved.