[continued from previous message]   
      
   Im Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for WIA National News.   
   EDUCATION.   
      
   The ARRL Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology is growing next year, and   
   a number of social media stars are coming together to help it happen. On   
   Saturday, November 30, a live fundraiser telethon is set to take place on the   
   Ham Radio Crash Course YouTube channel. Host Josh Nass, KI6NAZ, will be   
   joined by several web-famous hams to talk radio and raise money. The proceeds   
   benefit the ARRL Education and Technology Fund, which is what pays for the   
   Teachers Institute (TI).   
      
      
   There is skin in the game. Several donors created a challenge with a $20,000   
   pledge. The Donor Challenge will be unlocked when others step up and give   
   during this years telethon, said ARRL Director of Development Kevin Beal,   
   K8EAL. It really shows the value hams place on inspiring and educating the   
   next generation of radio amateurs. Theyre going to be the engineers that lead   
   our world forward, and ham radio is a solid foundation for wireless   
   technology, said Beal.   
      
      
   (arrl)   
      
   AUSTRALIANA   
      
   Defence has confirmed that it will use the Optus-X satellite launched   
   by SpaceX last Monday morning Australian time.   
      
   The satellite is an important element of Defences assured access to   
   space-enabled communications, an Australian Defence spokesperson said   
   in a statement to iTnews.   
      
   An Optus spokesperson said it had "procured a spacecraft on behalf of   
   another organisation. We respect the privacy of our customers and do   
   not provide comment on these matters."   
      
   Defence has been using Optus satellite services since 2003 and elected   
   back in 2022 to extend its arrangement with the telco through to 2034.   
   As iTnews reported at the time, the Optus satellite that Defence has   
   been using - C1 - was set to reach its end-of-life in 2027.   
      
   Its understood that the Optus-X satellite launch relates to the 2022   
   agreement and will enable services to continue through to 2034.   
      
   (ITnews)   
      
   ------------------------------------------------------------*   
   INTERNATIONAL NEWS is with thanks to ARRL,IRTS, NEWSLINE, NZART and   
   the World Wide sources of the WIA.   
      
   NEW ZEALAND   
      
   As reported earlier, NZART had been contacted by a member of the   
   French Amateur Radio community about participating in an event   
   recognizing the end of WWII.   
      
   While NZART Council acknowledges public opinion about this event, they   
   wish to make it very clear that NZART, as an association and community,   
   does not support war in any form.   
      
   In their monthly news broadcast it was said NZART will not take part in   
   the organization of this event, however, Council acknowledges it   
   to be a way to recognize the end of the war and serve as a form of   
   remembrance. Therefore they have approved the issue of the special   
   event call sign ZL 8 0MAY for a three month period.   
      
   Their item concluded with " NZART remains neutral regarding   
   participation extending beyond nations part of the Allied forces."   
      
   JAPAN   
      
   Yaesu has added three new mobile VHF/UHF transceivers to its website.   
      
   yaesu.com/   
      
   All 3 focus on Yaesu's Super-DX feature which is designed to improve   
   weak signal reception. While that feature isn't new, Yaesu has added an   
   Audio Digital Signal Processing Unit (ADS) that also activates when   
   engaging Super-DX. ADS is designed to further improve weak signals.   
   All three models include ADS as part of the improved Super-DX feature.   
      
   Product highlights include:   
      
   FT-3185RASP 85W 144MHz FM Mobile Transceiver   
      
   FT-3165RASP 65W 144MHz FM Mobile Transceiver which includes a front   
   speaker   
      
   FTM-150RASP a 55/50W 144/430MHz FM Dual Band Mobile Transceiver with a   
   detachable front panel.   
   IRELAND   
      
   GROWTH in new membership.   
      
   IRTS membership is on the rise with the addition of 47 new members.   
      
   Of that number, seven are YLs and two are under the age of 18.   
      
   This brings the total new membership in the Irish National Society,   
   IRTS, this year to 115.   
      
   Plans are underway to foster the YL community with now over 27 licenced   
   throughout Ireland.   
      
   USA   
      
   Congratulations to Jim Dalke, W7PB.   
      
   This broadcast engineer has been honoured by the Society of Broadcast   
   Engineers (SBE) with its Engineer of the Year Award, named for   
   Robert W. Flanders.   
      
   W7PB ( does the PB stand for PERSONAL BEST? ) is the only person to   
   have received the society's recognition twice. He first received the   
   award in 2014. The honour is presented to an SBE member whose career   
   is marked by excellence and who advances the mission of the SBE.   
      
   Having spent a lifetime at various broadcast radio and TV stations,   
   Jim continues to be active in the radio industry at age 85.   
      
   His professional involvement includes assisting the operations of   
   three AM stations in the Seattle area and over the years his   
   contributions and innovations have included, creation of a digital   
   weather display that helps TV weathercasters better show the National   
   Weather Service radar on the air, a feature that was later purchased by   
   some major-market TV stations.   
      
   Jim remains a fervent believer in the value and future of AM broadcast   
   radio, particularly to deliver alerts in times of emergencies.   
   Emergency response is something he knows well: A ham since the age of   
   14, Jim is active in the Washington State Emergency Management   
   Division.   
   US congressional commission has proposed a Manhattan Project-style   
   initiative to fund the development of AI systems that will be as   
   smart or smarter than humans, amid intensifying competition with   
   China over advanced technologies.   
      
   The bipartisan US-China Economic and Security Review Commission   
   stressed that public-private partnerships are key in advancing   
   artificial general intelligence, but did not give any specific   
   investment strategies as it released its annual report.   
      
   The Manhattan Project was a large-scale collaboration between the   
   US government and the private sector during World War Two that produced   
   the first atomic bombs.   
      
   "We've seen throughout history that countries that are first to exploit   
   periods of rapid technological change can often cause shifts in the   
   global balance of power," Jacob Helberg, a USCC commissioner and   
   senior advisor to software company Palantir's CEO, told Reuters.   
      
   "China is racing towards AGI ... It's critical that we take them   
   extremely seriously," Helberg added.   
      
   -------------------------------------------------------------------   
      
   OPERATIONAL NEWS - A FELIX VK4FUQ PRESENTATION   
      
   --------------   
   --------------   
   NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2024   
   --------------   
   --------------   
   --------------   
      
   VHF UHF Field Day ON NOW   
      
   Spring 2024 - 0100 UTC Saturday 23 November through 0059 UTC Sunday   
   24 November (0400 / 0359 in VK6).   
      
   wia.org.au/members/contests/vhfuhf/   
      
   -------------------   
      
   CQ WW CW CONTEST ON NOW   
   November 23 - 24   
      
   Starts: Zero hundred hours UTC Saturday ending the Sunday at 2359hrs.   
      
   (cq)   
      
   ----------   
      
   Ham Spirit Contest   
      
   Inspired by the Amateur's Code written by Paul M. Segal (W9EEA) in   
   1928, the 2024 edition of the HAM Spirit Contest will be held in a   
   single round from 08:00 UTC on Saturday 30 November to 07:59 UTC on   
   Sunday 1 December.   
      
   Based out of Russia, the Ham Spirit Contest comes from a team at   
   The Spirit of Amateur Radio Without Borders and its objective is for   
   amateurs around the world to contact as many other amateurs in as many   
   Maidenhead Grid Fields and ITU Zones as possible using CW and SSB on   
   160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres.   
      
   hs.andys.ru/eng/ham-spirit-contest_rules/.   
      
   (sarl)   
      
   -------------------   
   ARRL 160 METER CW   
      
   December 6-8 is the date this year but it is ALWAYS the first full   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)