[continued from previous message]   
      
   In addition, we have an article looking at dish antennas from a new angle.   
   You may recall that Issue 1 last year featured an article titled Of Lobes and   
   Dishes, by George Galanis VK3EIP. This new article from George takes a step   
   to the side and includes info about a cool online application you can play   
   with.   
      
      
   As always, there is much, much, much more in Amateur Radio magazine, Issue 1   
   for 2025.   
      
   More guts. Less gab.   
      
   Serving Australian amateurs since 1933. Proudly produced and printed in   
   Australia.   
      
      
   Also available online.   
      
   Im Roger Harrison VK2ZRH for WIA NATIONAL NEWS.   
   AUSTRALIANA   
      
   Sometimes we "Old Timers" forget that not every ham is abreast of what we   
   can and can't do, particularly if your area does NOIT have an active   
   amateur radio club or they are not a member of the WIA.   
      
   So a Reminder:   
      
   Under a permanent agreement with the Australian Communications and   
   Media Authority (ACMA), all Australian radio amateurs may use the   
   alternative AX callsign prefix instead of VK on:- ready?   
      
   Australia Day 26 January, ANZAC Day 25 April and   
   World Telecommunication and Information Society Day 17 May.   
      
   Just another achievement of our WIA.   
   ------------------------------------------------------------*   
   INTERNATIONAL NEWS is with thanks to ARRL, DX-WORLD, eHam, Hackaday,   
   IARU, ICQPodcast, IRTS, NEWSLINE, NZART, RAC, Radioworld.com, RSGB,   
   SARL and the World Wide sources of the WIA.   
      
   USA   
      
   AVALANCHE TRANSCEIVER PINPOINTS BODY OF SKIER   
      
   A wearable wireless safety device known as an avalanche transceiver helped   
   a woman find the body of her husband, a veteran downhill skier who died   
   after being buried in a Colorado mountain avalanche.   
      
   Fifty-seven-year-old Donald Moden Jr., who had once been a member of the   
   local mountain rescue team, was likely buried in the avalanche for more   
   than four hours before his body was located via transmissions from his   
   tracking device.   
      
   News reports said the skier's wife became concerned when he failed to   
   check in as agreed . Standing at the trailhead with her own avalanche   
   transceiver, she received transmissions being sent from her husband's   
   device and was able to locate where he was buried.   
      
   The transceiver, transmits on 457 kHz. According to several backcountry   
   ski websites, the most modern devices have a transmitting range of   
   50 metres or more.   
      
   A search team was called in to assist with recovering the skier's body.   
      
   Sony Ends Blu-Ray, MD and MiniDV Media Production   
      
   With the slow demise of physical media the past years, companies are   
   gradually closing shop on producing everything from the physical media   
   itself to their players and recorders. For Sony this seems to have now   
   escalated to where itll be shuttering its optical media storage   
   operations completely, after more than 18 years of producing Blu-ray   
   discs. This also includes minidisc media and MiniDV cassettes.   
   This also raises the likelihood that Sonys next game console (likely   
   PlayStation 6) will not feature any optical drive at all. While MiniDV   
   likely was only interesting to those of us still lugging one of those   
   MiniDV camcorders around, the loss of MD production may be felt quite   
   strongly in the indie music scene, where MD is experiencing somewhat of   
   a revival alongside cassette tapes and vinyl records.   
   To help promote amateur radio science and technology, and to honour the   
   100th anniversary of the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU), ARRL   
   is inviting radio clubs and schools to organize a Ham Radio Open House   
   in April, built around World Amateur Radio Day (WARD) on April 18.   
      
   The event is intended to highlight the Amateur Radio Service for its   
   development and practice of the latest radio communications and   
   technology, and as a hands-on pathway into science, technology,   
   engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields for the next generation.   
      
   In April, amateur radio clubs, school stations, and other groups will have   
   the opportunity to advance public knowledge about ham radio by welcoming   
   their communities into their stations for the Ham Radio Open House, as   
   part of World Amateur Radio Day. The focus will be on scientific   
   advancement and demonstrating cutting-edge technology. This is a chance to   
   not only shape the conversation about modern ham radio but also to show   
   how it serves as a steppingstone and testbed for many young people pursing   
   STEM education and future high-tech careers.   
   Britain has launched an investigation into Apple and Google's smartphone   
   operating systems, app stores and browsers, its second use of recently   
   bulked-up regulatory powers to scrutinise big tech companies.   
      
   The Competition and Markets Authority said it would assess whether Apple and   
   Google had "strategic market status" in smartphone ecosystems, and the impact   
   they had on users and on businesses developing content and services such as   
   apps.   
      
      
   Specifically, the issues the CMA will investigate include; how competition is   
   working across Apples and Googles mobile ecosystems; possible leveraging of   
   Apples and Googles market power into other activities, and whether the two   
   require app developers to sign up to unfair terms and conditions as a   
   condition of using their stores.   
      
      
   CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said more competitive mobile ecosystems   
   could foster new innovations and new opportunities across a range of services   
   that millions of people use, be they app stores, browsers or operating   
   systems.   
      
      
   "Better competition could also boost growth here in the UK, with businesses   
   able to offer new and innovative types of products and services on Apple's   
   and Google's platforms," she said.   
      
      
   An investigation decision is expected by October 2025.   
      
   Ham Radio Demonstration Helps Survivors of Violence at Camp   
      
   Camp Family Justice serves paediatric survivors of violence in   
   California, providing them with an opportunity to enjoy the   
   outdoors in a safe environment surrounded by support services,   
   including a medical clinic.   
      
   Children who applied this year, and attended last year, are now reporting   
   that they worked diligently in school to earn the privilege of attending   
   Camp Family Justice for a second year.   
      
   Also contributing to Camp Family Justice is Spencer Holmes, KM6SJ, a   
   popular science teacher at Heritage High School and adviser for the   
   schools amateur radio club, W6HHS.   
      
   A few weeks ago, Mr. Holmes brought a box full of radios to the camp.   
   The kids were excited, said KM6SJ. They had a lot of questions and two   
   campers took two GMRS radios and talked to each other for hours. Holmes   
   also set up a mini HF station. He was able to make contact with several   
   stations and allowed the youth to talk, on a first-name basis, with other   
   amateur radio operators.   
      
   Clearly, it was chaotic fun, he added. But it allowed them to enjoy a   
   safe environment and a sense of community. Mr. Holmes is one of the only   
   teachers in the state to receive a national supporting grant from ARRL to   
   facilitate radio communication education.   
   -------------------------------------------------------------------   
      
   OPERATIONAL NEWS - A FELIX VK4FUQ PRESENTATION   
      
   --------------   
   --------------   
   NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2025   
   --------------   
   --------------   
   Well, well. The 2025 Summer Field Day was two weekends ago, which means that   
   the time for submitting logs is upon us  tomorrow, Monday, 3rd February,   
   midnight Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time.   
      
      
   This is Roger Harrison VK2ZRH, manager of the VHF-UHF Field Days. Youve   
   had your fun in the Sun, or wind and rain, as the case may be, send usyour   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)