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From the ARRL Letter dated 25th June 2020....... When Richard Tashner, N2EO, of Massapequa, New York, suffered a medical emergency on May 18, his DMR portable was closer than his phone. His call for help was answered by Maxis Johnston, GM0MRJ, who put out a call for "anyone in the States." Kent County Amateur Radio Club member Ken Dix, KB2KBD, in Delaware heard the call on the local 146.91 MHz repeater, which was linked to the North American talk group. Dix called authorities in Tashner's vicinity, and help was dispatched. Dix said the dispatcher in New York was able to hear part of the call and was amazed at how an amateur radio communication had gone from New York to Scotland to Delaware and then back to New York. The dispatcher expressed surprise at how quickly the information had been relayed across the Atlantic. -- Thanks to the ARES E-Letter via Jerry Palmer, N3KRX 
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From the ARRL Letter dated 25th June 2020...... Veteran Amateur Radio on the International Radio Station (ARISS) volunteer Tony Hutchison, VK5ZAI, has been honored as a Member of the Order of Australia in Queen Elizabeth's Birthday Honours List. Hutchison was recognized "For significant service to amateur radio, particularly to satellite and space communication." The Australian Government's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet noted that Hutchison is one of 10 official ARISS telebridge stations to the International Space Station, as well as a HamTV ground station. Hutchison's station has served as the ham radio contact point for ISS crew members to speak with schools and groups on Earth via ham radio, when a contact location is not within the footprint of an ISS pass. The students connect via a teleconference line from their school to the telebridge station, and then with the astronaut through ham radio. Hutchison provided communication support for contacts with Australian astronaut Andy Thomas, VK5JAT/VK5MIR, during Thomas's tour on the Russian Mir space station, and he enabled the first school contact with Mir in 1993. As part of ARISS, he helped 65 schools prepare for ARISS contacts and used his telebridge station for 58 ARISS contacts throughout the world. He is a member of AMSAT-VK. "Tony's been an ARISS mentor for years, and was lead of Australia's mentors," ARISS-International Secretary Rosalie White, K1STO, said. "He enjoyed talking to the Mir crews long before." White said that Hutchison, who is in his early 80s, remains involved in the ARISS program. "Although I received the honour, I would like to share it with all team members I work with," Hutchison said. "If it weren't for the work that all the ARISS-International volunteers do, this award would never have been given."  From the ARRL Letter, 25 June 2020......... Alden Sumner Jones IV, KC1JWR, of Bennington, Vermont, is thankful for amateur radio, after he suffered a medical incident and lost consciousness on June 15 while hiking with others along a remote section of the Long Trail, not far from his home. An EMT from Appalachian Mountain Rescue (AMR), who was hiking nearby, saw Jones pass out, but was unable to connect with 911 via his cell phone. Jones, 41, regained consciousness and was successful in contacting Ron Wonderlick, AG1W, via the Northern Berkshire Amateur Radio Club's K1FFK repeater on Mount Greylock. Wonderlick initiated what turned into an 8-hour effort to get Jones off the trail and to a medical facility, acting as a relay among Jones, emergency crews, and other agencies involved. As the Bennington Post reported, "The Vermont State Police also received assistance from several licensed amateur radio operators who helped facilitate communications, greatly assisting in the rescue." Matthew Sacco, KC1JPU, headed to a staging area where rescue crews were gathering. When he could not make it into the repeater, he employed some ham radio ingenuity to fashion a J-pole antenna from some window line he had on hand, casting it into a tree using a fishing pole. That did the trick. An individual on site was able to obtain an accurate location for Jones using the GPS on his cell phone. After it was determined that rescuers could not reach Jones using an all-terrain vehicle, arrangements were made to have a search-and-rescue crew from New York retrieve Jones by helicopter. Amateur radio participants were able to relay critical information, including an accurate location, as preparations continued. Jones, meanwhile, took advantage of his time with the EMT and other rescuers to talk up amateur radio and explain how to get licensed. According to one account, rescuers were having trouble making contact with the helicopter, so Jones loaned them a better antenna he happened to have. Jones was eventually flown to a hospital in Albany, New York, again taking advantage of the occasion to promote amateur radio to the helicopter pilot and crew. Jones is said to be recovering. "Ham radio saved my life last night, and I am very thankful for how everyone helped me," Jones said afterward.   Info from WIA..........
In the national news today, the following item was to be published in full. However, a cut down version has only made it to air. I apologise to members for this. Members will recall that last year the WIA Editor in Chief Harry VK6YBZ resigned due to ill health. Harry did a fantastic job at revitalising the AR publication with more technical articles for members to read. Harry is still in recovery but is gradually improving. Our good wishes go out to Harry, we wish him well. We hope he will come back and assist with AR Magazine at some time in the future. At that time Harry when retired the WIA advertised in AR and on the national news service for three editors to replace him, but there were no resulting volunteers coming forward or putting there hand up to assist. President Greg VK2GPK took over the reins of the AR Publications Group and did an excellent job in production of a number of subsequent editions of AR Magazine including the January / February edition 2020. Unfortunately, there has been no editions of AR magazine since that time. This is despite Greg's assurances that articles were being compiled and promises to have the material to the publishing house by a specific date. WIA Board comments issued by Vice President Aidan on our National News Service have provided excuses such as Covid-19 but these excuses are without any real substance and the Board of the Wireless Institute of Australia apologises to the members for this. There have been 2 very constructive WIA Board meetings held this week which dealt specifically with the lack of an AR Magazine being published. President Greg has indicated he is burnt out and in his own words has “fallen on his sword” on this matter. He has indicated that he is now not capable of delivering the AR publications by himself. Accordingly, the responsibility for producing edition 2 of Amateur Radio Magazine has now been taken over by the rest if the WIA Board and the Publications Group and they and Greg are working feverishly to get this edition out. The board are very keen to hear from members that can provide editorial or proof reading assistance in this regard. The Board of the WIA hereby undertakes to provide members with a weekly progress report through the national news broadcast service until editions 2 and 3 of AR Magazine are in the hands of our members. Moving forward the WIA have now appointed a new AR Publications Group secretary. The board are still seeking three editors to work on the AR magazine. We pleased to advise we have had some recent enquiries. But please forward your expressions of interest to the secretary@wia.org.au Stay safe in this time of CoVID-19 and remember #2MetresMatters 73 de VK8ZZ Peter Clee WIA Director and Secretary #VI110WIA The National Association for Amateur Radio in Australia - 110 years old this year, and still going strong  Don't forget that AHARS has a Facebook page.
The page is quite active and has a total of 116 members. It can be located at......... https://www.facebook.com/groups/1004909086240160/  AHARS is still seeking a Secretary.
please drop an email to VK5SRP........ vk5srp@wia.org.au or a text message to......... 0428 835 621  The AHARS Committee had hoped for return to the shack this month, however the CEO of the Girl Guides Association has put an end to that, until at least to the end of June.
Nobody is allowed to enter Girl Guide facilities until further notice. AHARS has received information from the Mitcham Council re access to the hall. But as AHARS has between 40-70 people attending meetings on Thursday night general meetings, AHARS will not be able to go back to the hall until Level 3 restrictions come into force.  Subscribe for amateur radio updates.
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