[continued from previous message]   
      
   aren't able to reach your family living in these remote areas in times of   
   crisis like natural disasters?   
      
   That's when ham radio stations installed at the Government Residential   
   Schools and Colleges in Karnataka can come to your rescue.   
      
   As a part of this initiative, Dr S Satyapal, Director of the Indian   
   Institute of Hams, along with his team of ham operators, travelled across   
   the state to install Digital Mobile Radio stations at residential schools.   
      
   Dr Satypal says, "We have covered approximately 5,500 kilometres by   
   installing these DMR base stations at schools. The idea behind installing   
   these was to help children communicate with institutions, researchers and   
   scientists across the globe via ham. Most institutions and organisations   
   can be connected through ham radio."   
      
   IIH, the Indian Institute of Hams has promised free training to these   
   school students interested in writing the Ham exam, he added. The   
   institute also conducted exams for these teachers and students. Those who   
   were able to qualify for the exam were provided with an Amateur License   
   by the Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing of the Ministry of   
   Communications and Information Technology.   
      
   A ham radio operator in Idaho USA must pay a record 34,000 US dollar   
   penalty for causing interference with communications during a fire   
   suppression effort.   
      
   That's the ruling from the Federal Communications Commission when they   
   issued its notice of liability 2-1/2 years ago.   
      
   Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel wrote: "You can't interfere with public   
   safety communications. Full stop. So today we propose the largest fine of   
   its type for this interference ( on fire frequencies ed )that put fire   
   suppression and public safety itself at risk." The defendant acknowledged   
   that he operated on a frequency without authorization but argued that he   
   did not interfere with government communications and was trying to help.   
      
   He had asked for a cancellation or reduction but the commission has   
   rejected his appeal.   
      
   Hundreds of FM transmitters have been shut down by Switzerland's public   
   broadcaster, as radio programming there continues to move to different   
   modes of distribution.   
      
   FM radio broadcasting continued its vanishing act when in Switzerland   
   the 31st of December, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation shut off an   
   estimated 850 analogue FM transmitters, leaving listeners the options of   
   either Internet radio or DAB+ for stations SRF1, SRF2 Kultur and SRF3.   
      
   The changeover by the nation's public broadcaster does leave about 24   
   private stations still transmitting their programmes over broadcast FM   
   however, they are expected to follow the SBC's move, completing the   
   transition no later than the end of 2026.   
      
   The Swiss Federal Office of Communications reports that the popularity of   
   DAB+ and Internet radio has been growing consistently since 2015 while   
   only 10 percent of the nation's radio listeners still tune in to broadcast   
   FM - most whilst driving in their vehicles.   
      
   The German regulatory office for telecommunications has granted temporary   
   access for 6 metres for Class E licence holders at 100 watts between   
   50 and 50.4 MHz and using reduced power of 25 watts between 50.4 and   
   52 MHz on a non-interference basis.   
      
   The trial period lasts until December of 2025 for Class E amateurs.   
      
   According to the regulator's announcement, full licence holders are   
   receiving extended access to 6 metres at the same power levels and   
   70.150-70.210 MHz in the 4-Metre band at 25 watts of power on a trial   
   basis until December 2026.   
      
   Modern remote control radios are capable of incredible range, but theyre   
   still only made for line-of-sight use. What if you want to control a vehicle   
   thats 100s of kilometres away, or even on the other side of the planet?   
   Mobile phone  is an option, but is obviously limited by available   
   infrastructure	good luck getting a signal in the middle of the ocean.   
      
      
   But what if you could beam your commands down from space?   
      
   Thats what Aussie YouTuber "Thingify" was looking to test when he put   
   together an experimental RC boat using a Starlink Mini for communications.   
   Physically, there was no question it would work on the boat. After all, it   
   was small, light, and power-efficient enough. But would the network   
   connection be up to the task of controlling the vehicle in real-time?   
      
      
   During early ground testing, the Mini version of the Starlink receiver worked   
   very well. Minis power consumption peaked at around 33 watts, compared to the   
   monstrous 180 W for the larger receiver.   
      
      
   On the water, there was even more good news. The bandwidth was more than   
   enough to run a high-resolution video feedback to the command centre. At the   
   same time, the boat moved autonomously between waypoints, and when "Thingify"   
   switched over to manual control, the latency was low enough not to be a   
   problem. We wouldnt recommend manually piloting a high-speed aircraft over   
   Starlink, but for a boat thats cruising along at 4 km/h, the lag didnt even   
   come into play.   
      
      
   youtube.com/watch?v=Fjy1hcLf2_M   
   twiar.net/?p=27218   
   -------------------------------------------------------------------   
      
   OPERATIONAL NEWS - A FELIX VK4FUQ PRESENTATION   
      
   --------------   
   --------------   
   NOW CONTEST WISE:- 2025   
   --------------   
   --------------   
      
   VHF UHF Field Day ON NOW   
      
   Upcoming Contest Date & Time   
      
   Summer 2025 - 0100 UTC Saturday 18 January through 0059 UTC Sunday 19   
   January (0400 / 0359 in VK6).   
      
   wia.org.au/members/contests/vhfuhf/   
   -----------   
      
   CQ 160 METER CONTEST   
      
   CW  January 24 - 2200Z January 26.   
      
   SSB February 21 - 2200Z February 23.   
      
   (cq)   
   ---------------------   
      
   AUSTRALIA DAY CONTEST JANUARY 26.   
   The Australia Day contest is on again in a couple of weeks.   
      
   Start time is 22 hundred UTC 25th January to 10 hundred UTC 26th January.   
      
   Amateurs here in VK will endeavour to contact other amateurs around the   
   world and some VK operators will be using the AX prefix to celebrate   
   Australia day, as AX is wanted by many amateurs around the world.   
      
   Scoring is distance based and calculated using 4-character grid squares.   
      
   Bands to be used are 160, 80, 40, 20, 15, and 10 meter bands only.   
      
   Please note VKCL is not suitable for logging this contest, N1MM is able to   
   be used with the files & instructions on VK4SN.com   
      
   Single & Multi Op stations are allowed   
      
   Modes are SSB, CW FT8 & FT4   
      
   The Complete Rules are on the WIA.org.au website   
      
   wia.org.au/members/contests/australiaday/   
      
   Completed logs can be uploaded to the VKLogchecker.com website or you can   
   email the adi file to axlogs@wia.org.au   
      
   (Diane Main VK4DI Australia Day Contest Manager 2025)   
      
   -----------   
      
   CQ 160 METER CONTEST   
      
   SSB February 21 - 2200Z February 23.   
      
   (cq)   
   ---------------------   
      
   The IARU CQP will be held for nine days, beginning Saturday 12 April and   
   ending Sunday 20 April. This event will celebrate 100 years of the IARU   
      
   (sarl)   
      
   ------------------------   
      
   HARRY ANGEL MEMORIAL 80 Meter Sprint, Saturday May 3.     (vk4uh)   
      
   wia.org.au/members/contests/harryangel/   
   -------------------------   
      
   VK Shires Contest  7th - 8th June 2025   
      
   wia.org.au/members/contests/wavks/   
      
   -----------------------   
      
   NZ Straight Key Night   
      
   Next New Zealand Straight Key Night will be held Sunday 8 June   
   from 9pm to 10pm NZDT (0800 to 0900 UTC) on 80 metres.   
      
   (Neil ZL1NZ, SKN Manager)   
   -----------------   
   -----------------------------------------------------------------   
   DX WINDOW TO THE WORLD.-------------------   
      
   Thierry, TK1CX is active in Cameroon until February.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-DOS v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)