Also in GB2RS this week…
Amateur radio relief activity in Nepal had begun to wind down before a magnitude 7.3 earthquake again shook parts of the Himalayan nation on 12 May, collapsing buildings and killing dozens in a region that’s still trying to recover from the much stronger earthquake on 25 April. The latest quake revived the ham radio effort. Although there is no apparent need for amateur radio emergency communications at this time, everyone is reminded that IARU Emergency Centres of Activity along with 14.210MHz may be in use, so please listen carefully before transmitting. There is however no need to call and ‘keep a frequency clear’ as this may affect communications that are happening local to the disaster area, e.g. in Afghanistan and India.
Kenwood UK has launched new Facebook and Twitter accounts to stay in touch with those interested in the their product range, including information on new products and firmware released when available. They will also include general amateur radio news. For Twitter the details are kenwoodhamradio, all one word, and for Facebook its Kenwood Ham Radio, three words.
The Bath-based radio training team have been running classroom courses for over 15 years but in 2011 they started running distance learning courses for the Advanced exam. The courses have since proved to be far more popular than the Team ever envisaged, with hundreds signing up to join. Not all of those who start complete the course but, so far, the average pass rate is over 85 percent. The June exam should see the number of successful candidates pass the 300 mark. The team are now enrolling students for their next course that will run from July to the December exam. A £30 deposit is taken to secure a place on the course, and the deposit is refunded to those sit the exam. Those that do not finish the course agree to donate their deposit to charity. In reality, many of the successful students also donate their deposits and the team has so far raised over £4,000 for radio-related good causes. Recent donations include the Radio Communications Foundation, RAIBC and the British Wireless for the Blind Fund. Further details can be obtained from Steve Hartley, G0FUW, by e-mailing G0FUW@tiscali.co.uk
Kandersteg International Scout Centre is a not-for-profit campsite situated in a small Swiss Alpine village. It gives Scouts and Guides from around the world the chance to experience international friendship. They are looking for any robust PMR-type hand portable radios that can be used on a daily basis. If you can help, please contact programme@kisc.ch.
Last week Sarah Brightman announced that she is postponing her trip to the International Space Station. However, planning for Major Tim Peake’s forthcoming mission is progressing well. He is planning to contact selected schools via amateur radio during his stay on the ISS. The first stage of the selection process ended recently and an announcement is expected soon of the shortlist from which the final choice will be made.
Category: GB2RS Headlines
