Categories
Contents
Ja-Well-No-Fine
SARL YL Sprint – 9 August 2021
41ST ALARA CONTEST 2021
Austrian Yls
Dr. Tamitha Mulligan Skov WX6SWW -Space Women
Poppy Bradshaw VK6YF
Silent keys
Contact & Calendar
Ja-Well-No-Fine (Editorial)
August is a busy month for YL’s. The South African YL Sprint begins the month and the Australian ladies (ALARA) finish the month. Contesting is an excellent way for new amateur radio operators, or those returning to the hobby, to gain some operating experience. In a contest, contacts between stations are very structured with an exchange of call-sign, signal report and usually a number (serial, zone, state etc.). Give away contest-points to those calling CQ by responding to them. Make new friends.
August is also ILLW (International Lighthouse Weekend) and we hope to hear from those of you who activate them (probably none of us down south Brrr.)
RC5A Elena Boychenko flew across Russia to Vladivostok, 24 July 2021 as part of the R0LS team who were active from Reineke Isl. AS-066 in IOTA (Islands On The Air) contest. Anyone ‘work’ her, or any other interesting islands? Do share with us.
Sometimes it seems as if the news is all about Silent Keys – it just happens that way – and although we regret their departure, it’s important to acknowledge and remember their contribution to our community.
88 see you down the log. Editor Eda ZS5YH
ECUADOR . YL Fer, HC1TFB, who lives in Quito, Ecuador, has been active on FT8 recently on 40/20/15/10 meters between 1830-0015z. She works for an airline company in Ecuador and is expected to be active occasionally from Galapagos Islands as HC1TFB/HC8.
forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/ohio-penn-dx-bulletin-1523.772692/
SARL YL Sprint – 9 August 2021
Monday 9 August 2021 from 12:00 to 13:00 UTC (14:00 to 15:00 CAT)
This is a fun activity to celebrate National Women’s Day and to encourage YL’s to meet and greet ‘on-air’. All contacts are valuable – please join us. Call: “YL Sprint!”
Mode/Band: phone sprint on the 40-metre band (7 063-7 100; 7 130 – 7 200 kHz).
The exchange is a RS report and YL or OM.
Scoring – Contacts between YL stations are worth 6 points; contacts between YL and OM stations are worth 3 points, and contacts between OM stations are worth 1 point.
Submit Logs, labelled “call sign YL Sprint,” with a summary sheet by
23:59 CAT on Saturday 14 August 2021 by e-mail to zs3vdk@webmail.co.za
ref: 2021 SARL Diary of Events and Contest Manual, V1.4 12 February 2021 Page 70
ALARA contest coming up at the end of August. The rules for the contest are in the ALARA
newsletter. It is a good opportunity to get on the air and make some contacts. It is a friendly contest and a chance to start learning how to operate a contest. This year we have extended the rules to enable scout and guide groups to participate. I encourage you all to get on the air and give it a go.
33 Linda VK7QP
41ST ALARA CONTEST 2021
Saturday AUGUST 28th 2021 0600 UTC to Sunday AUGUST 29th 2021 0559 UTC
CLOSES SEPTEMBER 30th 2021
ELIGIBILITY: All licensed operators throughout the world are invited to participate.
Scout and Girl Guide groups are encouraged to participate using their Club’s equipment and callsign.
OBJECT: Participation: YLs work everyone, OMs work YLs only.
CONTEST: Combined phone and CW runs over 24 hours:
All HF Bands except 160 m & WARC Bands; Contacts made on Echolink will also be accepted.
CONTEST MANAGER: Mrs Sue Southcott VK5AYL alaracontest@wia.org.au
ALARA Newsletter Issue 178 July 2021
Austrian Yls
The YL Team of OE0HQ – Marion Stouy 11/07/2021
We, Michaela OE8YXK with son Domenik and Marion OE3YSC were loaded at the station at Laila OE3LZA in the beautiful Weinviertel,
The 24 hour contest was a great experience for me and we girls had a lot of fun.
We were well taken care of by the organizational team Also Domenik, only 13 years old, was a huge support for us. At the end of the contest we had to toast to our joint YL activity with a bottle of ‘EROTICA’ wine.
A big thank you to Laila, it was a great honor to be her guest. We had a wonderful weekend.
We are looking forward to seeing you soon and a joint YL activity.
OE0HQ is the special call of the Headquarters-Station of the Austrian Amateur Radio Society.
OE0HQ will be active in the IARU HF-Championship Contest
(The Weinviertel (“wine quarter”) is located in the northeast of Lower Austria.)
Dr. Tamitha Mulligan Skov WX6SWW – HAMVENTION Technical Achievement Award
Tamitha Skov is a credentialed Space Weather forecaster. Her forecasting work as the “Space Weather Woman” is widely known on social media such as You Tube, Twitter, and Facebook. She has been featured in Popular Science Magazine, MIT Technology Review, and on television shows for The Weather Channel and The History Channel. Her weekly space weather video podcast episodes are frequently featured on QRZ.com and she makes regular appearances on other amateur radio-related shows such as Ham Nation on Ham Radio Crash Course (formerly on TWiT.TV) and Space News on TMRO.TV.
She has held a technician’s class license since 2018, call sign WX6SWW, and she specifically became an amateur radio operator to better understand the needs and serve the amateur radio community. Tamitha has taught at Contest University multiple times and has given invited talks for the ARRL, Hamvention, and for many amateur radio clubs across the world.
Outside of her professional position as a research scientist for The Aerospace Corporation, she is currently teaching the art of Space Weather forecasting to meteorologists at Millersville University, and working with the ARRL and HamSCI.org to help create new official education materials for new hams and the ARRL community. She is always seeking new ways to bring an awareness of Space Weather and its effects into the mainstream and hopes to herald in a new era of TV weather broadcasting before the end of Solar Cycle 25.
https://hamvention.org/2021-hamvention-award-winners/
(Hamvention May 21 – 23, 2021 in Xenia, Ohio (USA) cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic, became a virtual event.
Editor: Although we reported that VK6YF Poppy Bradshaw became a silent key in yl.beam #96 July 2021 we had no other information at that time. Since then we have received the article below about this YL who was first licensed 1978 and was radio active for more than 40 years.
Poppy Bradshaw VK6YF ( VK6ZEB / VK6NEB) S.K. (24 October 1926 – 4 June 2021)
We were greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Poppy VK6YF. Aa much loved and active member of ALARA and after obtaining her licence was frequently heard on the airwaves, particularly on H.F.
Poppy Ellen Petersen was born in South Perth (Australia) on 24th October 1926. During the war Poppy joined the Women’s Air Training Corps and on turning 18 in 1944, joined the Women’s Auxiliary Australian Air Force where, amongst other things, Poppy learnt Morse code. After a months training in Karrinyup, Poppy traveled by troop train to Melbourne and was stationed at Ascot Vale. After three months she qualified as a Flight Mechanic. She was then posted to Port Pirie where she worked on the planes and spent 6 months in the Technical Library drawing up plans. From there she went to Pearce Air Base and was discharged in 1946.
Her introduction to amateur radio was through her husband Les VK6EB (SK) who was licensed before they were married in 1950 but not active for some years. After they built their home and had 2 daughters, Les reassembled his station and renewed his interest in amateur radio. Poppy became involved with the social side of amateur radio, Hamfests, picnics etc. and after their daughters married, Les suggested that Poppy try for her licence “so that she could talk and not just listen!”
In 1978 Poppy passed the Novice Licence exam and became VK6NEB, at the same time becoming a member of the WIA and ALARA (her ALARA joining date was 3 July 1978) and so she was able to check into the ALARA net when conditions permitted. Poppy then passed the Full Call theory and became VK6ZEB, before passing the CW in 1979 and becoming VK6YF.
This opened up a new world to Poppy, as she was able to join nets, have QSO’s, and make skeds. Many of the friends she made kept in touch for many years. Poppy and Les traveled a lot and made many mobile contacts. They attended a number of ALARA-meets and visited, and have been visited by many YLs whom she had met through amateur radio. Poppy held the ALARA positions of VK6 Representative from 1991 to 1994 and from 1999 to 2004, ten years in total, and was Sponsorship Secretary from 1992 to 1994.
Although not active in her later years, Poppy enjoyed keeping in touch by reading the newsletters of various
YL associations, the Wireless Institute of Australia’s Amateur Radio magazine and the OTN magazine of the Radio Amateurs’ Old Timers’ Club, of which she was also a member.
Poppy is survived by her two daughters Lynda and Judith, son-in-law Glen, four grandchildren and five
great-grandchildren.
Our thanks to Lynda, who not only frequently took Poppy to ALARA lunches etc. in her later years, but also for providing much of the information in this Obituary.
Vale dear friend, Poppy VK6YF. ▪ ALARA Newsletter Issue 178 July 2021 page 6
Silent keys.
KC5WRA Donna Lee Pecastaing, age 77, of Missoula, Montana, died on July 4th, 2021.
Donna was born on October 21, 1944, in Cheyenne, Wyoming and moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1953. She graduated from Sandia High School and went on to get her teaching degree in music from the University of New Mexico.
She found great joy in teaching, playing, and singing. At the beginning of her career, she taught chorus, music, guitar and drama in Cuba and New Mexico.
In addition to music, Donna had a huge interest in Ham Radio. She belonged to the Hellgate Amateur Ham Radio club in Missoula. She held the position of secretary for many years. Donna was very service oriented. The club provided public service communication through amateur radio for public events.
Helene VK7HD “Captains” the “MV Loyalty” at the Mildura Get-together 1984
VK7HD Helene Dowd became a silent key on 26th April 2021
Helene obtained her Novice licence as VK7NHD in 1977 and joined ALARA late in the same year. She obtained her Full (Advanced) licence, VK7HD, in 1978
She was the State Representative for Tasmania from Nov 1978 – 1985 and May 1989 – 2001 and she was President of ALARA from 9 August 1983 to 1986
In August ’82 the Townsville Amateur Radio Club suggested offering a trophy to commemorate the work of Mrs. Florence McKenzie, VK2FV, and the first licensed Australian YL amateur operator, whose wartime Morse code coaching for servicemen had won wide acclaim. The ALARA Committee thanked the Townsville A.R.C. and indicated that the Award could be incorporated in our Contest.
On a trip to Queensland in June 1984, Helene, as ALARA President, along with OM Peter VK7PR, was invited to the Townsville ARC and the Mrs. McKenzie Trophy was officially handed over. September 1984 of the same year saw the first ALARA National Get-Together at Mildura, organised by Marilyn VK3DMS, and it was at this gathering that the trophy was officially displayed.
In February 1986, listeners to ABC Broadcast stations heard a segment of the program “Airwaves” present three ALARA members actually recorded off the air as they spoke on 40 metres. This particular segment was entitled “Radio for Fun”.
The program began with an interview, and then, included Helene in a “QSO” with Austine VK3YL, and Marilyn VK3DMS. Austine, the senior partner, having held a license for over 20 years, spoke with considerable emphasis on the early days of home-constructed CW-only equipment, while Helene and Marilyn revealed the later developments in world-wide communication. All three combined to present a clear picture of amateur radio procedure and the varied activities within the hobby to the ABC audience.
In 1986 Helene received a plaque for outstanding service to ALARA.
She was also a member of ALARA until 2017, and was sponsored into BYLARA (British Young Ladies Amateur Radio Association) by Angelika (Angie) Voss G0CCI.
Our sympathies go to husband Peter VK7PR, her brother Brian VK7RR and other members of Helene’s family.
VK5BMT Maria McLeod S/K (20 May 1944 – 21 April 2021)
“Maria VK5BMT whose efficient and careful organisational skills ensured that everything
went without a hitch.” This was said of Maria when she organised most of the Dubbo ALARA-meet from Adelaide in 1990.
Before that, in September 1987, a second national ALARA gathering, the first to be called
“ALARAMEET” was organised by Meg VK5AOV (now VK5YG) with Maria VK5BMT and was
held in Adelaide. Maria was the VK5 State Rep. from 1987 to 1991; Vice President from 1988 to 1991; President from May 1991 to 1994 and Sponsorship Secretary from 2001 to 2014.
In August 1986 she was one of a group who ran a portable station at the Marion Civic Library, in Adelaide, as part of their Centenary celebrations; and in October she helped operate a station at the Grand Prix when it was still in Adelaide. Both stations used the Jubilee 150 callsign VI5JSA.
During the Australia Bicentennial year 1988, many ALARA members held special callsigns and ALARA can also be proud of the work done by Maria in acting as QSL manager for the VI88WIA stations throughout Australia. Altogether 3230 contacts were made and Maria eventually sent out almost 1000 QSL cards all over the World.
Maria also attended the International YL 2000 Meet in Hamilton New Zealand; and the Seoul YL International Meet in 2004.
Her husband, Keith VK5MT, passed away several years ago, and they are survived by two daughters, Wendy and Mary and Grandchildren Dale and Juliette, to whom we pass on our sympathies.
Vale Helene and Maria. ALARA Newsletter Issue 178 July 2021 page 8
CONTACT US:https://web.facebook.com/ham.yls?_rdc=1&_rdr ‘HAM YL’
yl.beam news: Editor Eda zs6ye.yl@gmail.com
Earlier newsletters can be found on the website of WEST RAND ARC
wrarc-anode.blogspot.com & https://wrarc-anode.blogspot.co.za/
and: Italian Radio Amateurs Union: QTC U.R.I.
also @ https://www.darc.de/en/der-club/referate/yl/ (German ARC)
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Calendar August 2021
Every Tuesday, YLs from DL, OE or HB9 meet at QRG 3,688 MHz +/- 5-10 kHz
YL round (net) at 80 m at 18:00 UTC or 20:00 CEST
earn important points for the different DL-YL diplomas
Aug 7 YL Net 1st Saturday of month, 2000 (UK) on GB3DA Danbury 2m repeater.
Aug 7 European HF Championship HF-SSB, HF-CW, HF-MIX Slovenia
Aug 8 JLRS YL CQ Day SUN, 9:00 AM UTC+09 – 4:00 PM UTC+09 (2nd Sunday)
Aug 9 SA National Women’s Day; SARL YL Sprint; 1st YL Sprint 9 August, 2009
Aug 15 SYLRA celebrates 18 years Sunday (founded 15th August 2003)
Aug 21-22 24th International Lighthouse Week-end (0001 UTC 21 – 2400 UTC 22 AUG)
Aug 22-27 ARDF World Cup Serbia
Aug 24-27 Euro CUP 2021, Bansko (Bulgaria)
Aug 28- 29 41st A.L.A.R.A. CONTEST Sat. 0600 hours UTC – Sun. 0559 hours UTC