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Results of the SARL YL QSO Party
Radio ZS coverZS5YH editor of yl.beam.
JA-WELL-NO-FINE (Editorial)
G6YL, Barbara Mary Dunn – 1st British YL
Pitcairn Island YL
Galápagos Islands
ALARA
Mendaly Ries, LX2VY Luxembourg
SYLRA Program Finland Meet
Condolences & Silent Keys
AA4YL Cheryl Denise King Whitlock – S/K
K5JGC Burnette Boyett – S/K
K1LIZ Elizabeth (Liz) Burns – S/K
Contacts & Calendar
The Results of the SARL YL QSO Party
24 logs were received for the first leg of the SARL YL Sprint held on Saturday 5 March to
celebrate International Women’s Day. 12 logs from the YLs.
1st Karin Andrew, ZS6MMA – 177 points
2nd Sonet de Wet, ZS3SW – 168 points
3rd Veronica Kotze, ZR6TVK – 165 points
4th Adele Tyler, ZS5APT – 129 points
5th Majoke Schuitemaker, ZS5V – 85 points
6th Maria Nel, ZS3MN – 81 points
7th Valerie Wagner, ZS5VAL – 75 points
8th Louise Larsen, ZS5BSR – 69 points
9th Heather Holland, ZS5YH – 63 points
12th Magda Swart, ZS6MMS – 42 points
18th Kiarra McLean, & ZS1ISS; Esmè Walsh, ZS3EW
Thanks to OMs: ZS6CPA, ZS4DZ, ZS3PN, ZS6MSQ, ZS6BOS, ZS5SID, ZS2EC, ZS6STE , ZS6GRT, ZS1CF, ZS6FWA, ZS3RW
On the Cover. Heather, ZS5YH operating in Class G during the SARL Field Day on 12 and 13 March 2022. Also editor of the YL.Beam. / Op die Voorblad. Heather, ZS5YH werk in Klas G tydens die SARL Velddag op 12 en 13 Maart 2022. Ook die redakteur van YL.Beam.
JA-WELL-NO-FINE (Editorial)
This month we travel across time and the world.
‘Maritime Radio Day’ remembers the professional wireless service for seafarers which operated from the beginning of radio, annually on April 14; the day the ocean liner Titanic sank in the North Atlantic Ocean, in 1912 – 110 years ago.
On the same date, 95 years ago. April 14, 1927, the 1st British YL was licensed – G6YL, Barbara Dunn.
Morse Code was the mode in use by the above operators and ‘Morse Code Day’ is celebrated every April.
We catch up with Pitcairn Island, on the other side of the world, where today’s radio technology “moves an island”. Enjoy. 88
Barbara is 32 years old in this photo
G6YL, Barbara Dunn, 1st British YL
G6YL, Barbara Mary Dunn, born February 25, 1896, became SK September 1979 in Carlisle, Cumbria, England.
In 1906 a talk and demonstration of wireless was given at Barbara’s school (she was age 10) and she eagerly volunteered to take part in the demonstration. She remembered sending SOS in Morse and said she was thrilled.
Barbara lived in the Essex village of Stock and in 1923 (age 27) her father purchased a wireless set to listen to the new British Broadcasting Company transmissions from 2LO in London on 350 metres (857 kHz). In early February 1923 while listening to 2LO she noticed a rasping kind of interference on the transmission. She was unable to tune the interference out so decided to try and find the cause.
In those days most of the smaller ships operating in the Thames still used spark transmissions which spread over a wide frequency range and it was these spark Morse signals on 600 metres (500 kHz) that Barbara had been picking up. Fascinated by the signals she decided to teach herself Morse code by copying down the dots and dashes as fast as she could. By March 1923 she was able to copy slow Morse and by May 1 she could copy at 10 words per minute. On July 10 she was thrilled to be able to copy messages at speeds of up to 20 WPM.
She used her own crystal set and “cat’s whisker” so that the main wireless set could continue being used for 2LO (BBC) reception. Her greatest thrill was when she picked up her first SOS and copied the Latitude and Longitude. Her father was a bit sceptical and took the trouble to visit Lloyds in London the next day to confirm her information. He came back satisfied and impressed.
Her next thrill was in picking up signals from Marconi’s yacht Elettra on about 90 metres. As he asked for reports she wrote to him but wisely, given the misogyny of the era, simply signed it B.Dunn so as to give no clue to her gender. To her surprise and great joy Marconi answered and asked her to continue listening and reporting.
Yacht ‘Elettra’ enters Mounts Bay from the harbour at Penzance.
Barbara breezed through the 12 WPM reception test and the examiner even sent her 25 WPM which she copied. She received her transmitting licence G6YL on April 14, 1927. She was the first British licensed transmitting YL but didn’t have her first contact until November 21, 1927 when she worked T.P. Allen GI6YW in Belfast. She initially transmitted on 49 metres but GI6YW told her and she retuned to 45 metres. Her first transatlantic contact with the USA took place on April 12, 1928 when she was running just 6 watts DC input on 45 metres.
Barbara Dunn, when first licensed, was living at Lilystone Hall, Stock, Essex where she operated on 45 meters & 23 meters. After the Washington Conference of 1927, amateur bands were changed to 160M, 80M, 40M, 20M etc. as per today, upon which Barbara operated. In 1928, she moved to a place called Acton House, Felton, in Northumberland.
In the 1930’s, ladies rarely attended P.D.M.’s. Provincial District Meetings were localized meetings of “The Society”, later to become RSGB. There were 2 important exceptions. Barbara Dunn, G6YL, was the 1st exception. Being of a quiet and retiring nature, few of the hundreds who contacted her efficient and intensely active low power station at Stock in Essex, knew the operator was a lady. Gerry Marcuse, G2NM, president of The Society 1929 – 1930, did know, however, and it was he who was probably responsible in persuading Miss Dunn to come to the 1930 convention.
A few weeks earlier, G6YL had been awarded the newly donated 1930 Committee Cup for outstanding work in the first series of 1.7 Mc/s tests. Her presence at the Convention Dinner caused quite a stir as did the fact that when G2NM made the presentation she became the first lady to become the holder of a Society trophy. Barbara Dunn, who was licensed in 1927, remained Britain’s only YL transmitting amateur until 1932 when Nell Corry (the second exception) of Tadworth, Surrey, doubled the number by becoming G2YL.
In August 1939 amateur stations closed down and their equipment confiscated for the duration of WWII. Amateurs volunteered for the Royal Naval Volunteer Wireless Reserve and the RAF Civilian Wireless Reserve.
John Witty G5WQ licensed in 1923 was Barbara’s brother. Both G5WQ and G6YL (along with around 1500 others) helped with the war effort in 1939-45. They were “VI’s”, Voluntary Interceptor’s in the “Radio Secret Service” listening for German transmissions. Large numbers of VIs sent their received traffic for onward transmission to Bletchley Park for decryption. Among the VIs were three ladies, Barbara Dunn G6YL, Nell Corry G2YL and Constance Hall G8LY.
The RSGB continued publishing their journal the “T&R Bulletin” during the war, T&R bulletins for 1939 and 1940 make reference to Barbara. There was no mention of her wartime work which was not made public until 1979 with a BBC broadcast by Rene Cutforth, called the Secret Listeners. Barbara was not mentioned by name in the programme. The “VI’s” were not paid so no record has been kept of who they were.
http://www.lothiansradiosociety.com/lrs-news/75-annual-general-meeting-2010
http://hamgallery.com
Pitcairn Island YL
Meralda Warren – VP6MW reports they had a visit to Pitcairn Island from the British Royal Navy. HMS Spey and her medical team came to the island to administer covid-19 vaccinations. Meralda says that Pitcairn has had no Covid cases during the pandemic.
She also reports that her FT891 will soon be back from repair in ZL and she’ll be running it on FT8 when she gets it back at her shack…Meanwhile, Meralda has been active with her new FT991 and the Hex Beam she installed last year.
Pitcairn-HMS-Spey
HMS Spey, is the first ship to visit since the start of the pandemic and the first Royal Navy vessel to call at the Pitcairn Islands since HMS Montrose on New Year’s Eve 2018.
HMS Spey conducted patrols in the waters around the islands to deter and defend against illegal fishing.
Although Spey is not a dedicated survey vessel, radar imagery gathered by Spey’s sensors and GPS positioning, overlaid on existing charts of the Pitcairn chain showed Henderson Island is one mile south of the position marked on charts used by mariners the world over since 1937.
(Chile lies 3,600 miles to the east and New Zealand 3,200 miles to the southwest of the remote Pitcairn chain of islands).
Galapagos Islands HD8MM HD8MD
Dr. Maria Del Carmen Dorsch, HC1MM and Rick, HC1MD will be active as HD8MM and HD8MD from Galapagos Islands, IOTA SA – 004, 7 – 14 April 2022.
They will operate on 40 – 6m, CW, SSB, FT8, FT4.
Allison Hollier KG5BHY gives a presentation at the 2022 Cowtown Hamfest on what the YL North Texas Net is about and how to gain and keep women involved with Amateur Radio.
YL from USA – KG5BHY Allison of YL NTX Weekly Net, has some good ideas, enjoy. 33 / 88
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVD97VO8xTs
ALARA – ABC Hobart Interviews ALARA President Linda VK7QP
The 936 ABC Hobart Drive program host Kylie Baxter interviewed Linda Luther VK7QP – President of the Australian Ladies Amateur Radio Association (ALARA) for International Women’s Day. This was a great promotion of ALARA highlighting a fantastic part of our hobby of amateur radio and some great local promotion of women’s involvement in amateur radio.
The full interview can be found on the REAST website at: https://www.reast.asn.au/…/03/ABCDriveVK7QP_20220308.mp3
“Radioamateurs du Luxembourg” (RL)
Vice President: Mendaly Ries, LX2VY part of New management committee elected for the period 2022 – 2024.
LX2VY 14/03/2022: Thank you, dear members of the RL, for the overwhelming show of confidence and trust during the general meeting and the subsequent committee election. I am honoured to be the Vice President of the RL and intend to carry out the office in such way that you can take pride in having supported me, and give us all a powerful voice in today’s society.
I wish to extend my deepest respect and appreciation to the leaders and members of the IARU member societies for their support to move amateur radio in the direction we have chosen among 50 countries by the #ShapingTheFuture Program.
I stand before you, with boundless gratitude, deeply touched and inspired. 73, Mendaly LX2VY More on rl.lu
SYLRA meeting in Turku, Finland Preliminary Program 18.-21.8.2022
Thursday the 18th of August Arrival to Turku, registration to SYLRA meeting
Friday the 19th of August
City tour including visit to Aboa Vetus, lunch
Official SYLRA meeting
Evening get-together, light dinner
Saturday the 20th of August
Cruise to Naantali, lunch
Afternoon at your own leisure
Gala dinner
Sunday the 21st of August Departure home or to optional tour
Optional YL pedition tour 21.-24.8.2022 To Katanpää fortress island in the Bothnian sea national park
Hotel reservation info is also coming soon to the SYLRA web page. The main hotel for the meeting will be the Radison Blu Marina Palace Hotel at the river bank.
Spread the news also to all your YL friends and acquaintances. It is high time to gather together after the two isolation years and enjoy each other’s company in ham spirit! Looking forward to meeting you in Turku in August!
Condolences
Sad to report that OK2APY Alena Malá’s husband radioamateur OK1APY, Petr Pick became Silent Key 13/03/2022. RIP
Cheryl Whitlock, AA4YL feb 2013
Silent Key AA4YL Cheryl Denise King Whitlock [December 23, 1954 – January 12, 2022]
Bob Schafer KA4PKB informed us that Cheryl passed away at her home in Opelika, Alabama, on January 12, 2022.
Cheryl’s passion in life was amateur radio. She became addicted when her father-in-law Paul Whitlock (K4ANU) showed her his radio setup using teletype machines in 1975. Paulbecame her elmer. He taught her about the hobby and operating.
QRZ.com: first licensed in 1984 as a Technician. My call was N4JFV. There wasn’t a No Code Tech and Tech Plus license then. The Tech license consisted of the Novice 5 WPM code test and the General written test. I upgraded to General later that year by taking the 13 WPM code test. I upgraded to Advanced the following year. It was 10 years before I bit the bullet and upgraded to Extra. I changed my call to AA4YL around 2002 . The “YL” is significant because unofficially it stands for Young Lady.
Cheryl was involved in several amateur radio organizations.She was a member of the Heart of Dixie ARS (W4HOD) and served as treasurer as well as meeting coordinator. She was also a certified Volunteer Examiner (VE) with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) for the administration of amateur radio FCC examinations. She was also Database Manager for YLRL
Cheryl was preceded in death by her husband, David Whitlock (K4ANU)
Cheryl loved the outdoors and animals and anything to do with Laura Ingalls Wilder. an American writer, mostly known for the Little House on the Prairie series of children’s books,
(Thanks to KA4PKB Bob for the above sad news)
Silent Key K5JGC Burnette Boyett of Houston, TX [November 15, 1924 – January 21, 2022]
passed from her earthly home on January 21, 2022. She received her amateur radio license in 1958 and joined the Young Ladies’ Radio League the same year. Our condolences to her family.
Silent Key Elizabeth (Liz) Burns, K1LIZ of Mt Carmel, TN (USA)
became a silent key 2/26/22, age 63 [1958 – 2022]
She was a former dispatcher for the Indiana State Police, where she met husband, Ronnie.
Ron NR3E became a licensed Ham operator in 1979 at age 23. Following his retirement in 2015 they moved back to the beautiful mountains in east Tennessee.
Ron has been Liz’s helpmate their entire marriage as Liz was rendered completely blind from an automobile accident 30 years ago. She did not consider that a handicap. Through the years she had hiked, explored caves, fished, made quilts and won many awards doing so, used a sewing machine, kept house, gardened, cooked and become a ham radio operator.
QRZ: I do public speaking, and enjoy piecing quilts with thousands of pieces. I received my Technician license in March 2017 and my General in May 2017. I passed my Extra class test with a score of 100% in January 2018. When not studying, my husband and I found the time to activate 62 SOTA summits in just eleven months. I enjoy hiking and camping. Ron (NR3E) and I are both involved in SOTA (Summits-on-the-Air) and love to activate and chase. I also like using our Icom IC-7300 with our G5RV antenna to search for special event stations.
K1LIZ Liz became a SOTA Mountain goat (100 summits) on 4/14/2018 and during 2020 was awarded
certificates as a Chaser (5000 points) plus ‘Gold’ for Summit to Summit activations. The W4 SOTA Community is heartbroken with the news,
Elizabeth is survived by her husband of 24 years, Ronnie Burns and extended family.
CONTACT US
‘HAM YL’ : https://web.facebook.com/ham.yls?_rdc=1&_rdr
yl.beam news: Editor Eda zs6ye.yl@gmail.com
newsletters can be found: https://jbcs.co.za/wp/
Italian Radio Amateurs Union: QTC U.R.I. https://www.unionradio.it/qtc-la-rivista-della-unione-radioamatori-italiani/
also https://www.darc.de/en/der-club/referate/yl/ (German ARC)
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April 2022
April 2 – Start of Ramadan,
April 2 RaDAR Challenge; Pretoria ARC Flea Market
April 2 YL Net 1st Saturday of month, 2000 (UK) on GB3DA Danbury 2m repeater.
April 3 – 10 Semana nos Parques na América / Parks in the Americas Week 2022
April 7 SARL 80 m QSO party
April 9 SARL Technology in Action Symposium;
April 9 Autumn QRP Contest; Regional FT4 DX Contest
April 9 – 10 CQWS 2022 World Scout Contest 2nd full weekend of April:
(09 April 18:00 (UTC) – (10 April 23:00 (UTC) Category (SOYL) YL Single Operator
https://www.radioescotismo.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/2022-CQWS-INGLES.pdf
April 10 Japan Ladies Radio Society (JLRS) “YL CQ Day” 2nd Sunday of every month!
9:00 AM UTC+09 – 4:00 PM UTC+09
April 14 – 15 Maritime Radio Day (MRD) 11th anniversary; 1200 UTC April 14 to 2200 UTC
April 15 – 18 Easter Weekend
April 16 – 25 TM97WARD – REF, French IARU Member Society special event station celebrates World Amateur Radio Day
April 17 ZS4 Sprint (RSA)
April 18 Passover
April 18 World Amateur Radio Day
April 21 Thursday, Kartini Day celebrates Indonesian Women
April 23 SARL – AGM National Convention Saturday 23
April 25 Marconi Day (1988) 00:00 UTC 23 Apr – 23:59 UTC 25 Apr (72 hours)
April 27 Morse Code Day celebrates Samuel Morse born on April 27, 1791. (*)
April 27 Sandton ARC Talking Tech Power Hour on 145.700/Echolink 19:00
April 28 International Girls in ICT Day last Thursday of April, Theme: Access and Safety.
April 30 SARL Saturday 40 m Club Contest
March 1 – April 30 DARC, the German IARU Member Society’s Team SES will activate special call sign DA22WARD in celebration of World Amateur Radio Day on 18 April. QSL via the bureau, or direct to DL2VFR.
April – , OE0MORSE will be on the air commemorating the 150th anniversary since the death of Samuel Morse on 2 April 1872, CW only,. (*)
May 2 The ZS-SOTA Activity Day & Autumn SOTA day,
May 5 Annual School Club EU – Day. : https://www.iaru-r1.org/…/the-annual-school-club-eu…/
Attachments area
Preview YouTube video How to get Women involved with Amateur Radio
How to get Women involved with Amateur Radio