A club membership roll was posted in the April newsletter, but the following updates and corrections are made since "Hamster" No. 4a of April 2020:

==> FCC Providing Flexibility to Volunteer Examiners in Developing Remote Testing Methods
In response to questions from the amateur radio community, the FCC has clarified that nothing in its rules prohibits remote amateur radio testing, and no prior approval is needed to conduct remote exam sessions.
"The Commission provides flexibility to volunteer examiners and coordinators who wish to develop remote testing methods or to increase remote testing programs already in place," the FCC said in an April 30 news release. "We recognize that some volunteer examiner coordinators may not have the immediate capacity for widespread remote testing. We expect those volunteer examiner coordinators with limited remote testing capacity to work closely with those requesting such testing to prioritize any available remote testing slots." ...

==> NASA CubeSat Array to Study Causes of Giant Solar Particle Storms
A new NASA mission making use of a half-dozen CubeSats will study how the sun generates and releases giant space weather storms -- known as solar particle storms -- into planetary space. ...

==> Russian DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) Amateur Radio Satellite Transponder Now Active
The amateur radio linear transponder (SSB/CW) on the Russian DOSAAF-85 (RS-44) has been activated. Dmitry Pashkov, R4UAB, explains that RS-85 is a small scientific satellite built by specialists at Information Satellite Systems and students at Siberian State Aerospace University (SibSAU). The satellite's name commemorates the 85th anniversary of the Voluntary Society for the Assistance to the Army, Aviation, and Navy (DOSAAF), the organization responsible for the military training of Soviet youth.
This is the third satellite created by the specialists of ISS-Reshetnev and is based on the Yubileyniy platform, which features a hexagonal prism structure with body-mounted solar cells. It was launched into orbit last December 26 from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome ...

==> Socially Distanced In-Person Exam Sessions Held in US and Norway
With some states starting to relax restrictions on events and activities, the Grant County, Oregon, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) held an in-person exam session on April 26 in the town of John Day that adhered to social distancing recommendations.
Exam organizers held the gathering to within Oregon's 10-person limit for gatherings, keeping everyone 6 feet apart and requiring all participants to wear face masks. The exam session was held outdoors under a car port. ...

==> Emergency Ventilator Designed and Constructed by Hams Going to FDA
Radio amateurs have succeeded in providing a complete, working ventilator system to University of Florida researchers who are in the process of applying to the Food and Drug Administration for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). A successful submission would blaze the way for volunteers and manufacturers around the world to create low-cost, highly functional Intensive Care Unit (ICU) or anesthesia-care ventilators that offer many of the features of modern ventilators at a fraction of the typical cost. Dr. Gordon Gibby, KX4Z, who is associated with the project, said efforts to further improve the device are ongoing...

==> ARISS Experiments with School Contacts Using "Multipoint Telebridge" Approach
Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) is hoping to adopt a concept it's calling the "multipoint telebridge contact via amateur radio" that will allow stay-at-home students to take part in amateur radio contacts with members of the space station crew. Its initial success on an April 30 contact with youngsters in Northern Virginia should provide some impetus for the initiative.
ARISS has used telebridge stations in the past to enable contacts at times when the ISS orbit does not pass overhead to permit a direct radio contact with the school or other location. In a conventional ARISS telebridge contact, an amateur station ground station in a favorable location for an ISS pass on the scheduled day makes the contact and handles two-way audio between the station and the contact site. ARISS said its new multipoint telebridge approach permits simultaneous reception by families, school faculty, and the public. ...

==> Radio Amateur Finds Another "Zombie Satellite"
British Columbia radio amateur Scott Tilley, VE7TIL, has found another "zombie satellite," as he calls them. This time, he tracked and identified radio signals from the experimental UHF military communication satellite LES-5. Tilley says he found the satellite in what he called a geostationary "graveyard" orbit after noting a modulated carrier on 236.7487 MHz
"Most zombie satellites are satellites that are no longer under human control, or have failed to some degree," Tilley told National Public Radio (NPR) earlier this month. It's not clear whether LES-5 is still capable of receiving commands. ...

==> Hams in India Provide Communication Assistance during COVID-19 Pandemic
According to a report in The New Indian Express, amateur radio operators in Kerala have joined the fight against COVID-19. The newspaper said the district administration has enlisted radio amateurs to improve important communication between departments and offices. Over 20 hams, organized into teams, are involved. Radio Amateur Society of Ananthapuri President Dr. Zakheer Hussain, VU3OOH, said using ham radio during the time of crisis would help coordinate crucial communication. ...

==> Garmin Seeks FCC Ruling or Waiver to Obtain Certification for Part 95/Part 25 Device
The FCC is seeking public comment on an April 24 request by Garmin International for a declaratory ruling or a rules waiver to obtain equipment certification for a handheld unit that combines a low-power, terrestrial Part 95 Multi-Use Radio Service (MURS) transmitter and a Part 25 emergency satellite communication module in the same device. Section 95.2761(c) precludes combining MURS transmitting capabilities in equipment that is also capable of transmitting in another service, with the exception of Part 15 unlicensed services.
Garmin's proposed product is a handheld unit that will include two transmitters: a low-power MURS transmitter for short-range terrestrial communication, and a previously certified Part 25 module that will allow emergency communication via the Iridium satellite system under a blanket license held by Iridium. End users would have to subscribe to the Iridium service.
Garmin argues that the purpose of the original equipment authorization restriction was "to prevent consumer confusion with other terrestrial services that either had different licensing regimes or were for different types of communications" and that it is inappropriate in this case....

==> RSGB Aims to Promote Health and Well-Being within the Amateur Radio Community
The Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB) has launched a major campaign -- "Get on the air to care" (GOTA2C) -- in association with the UK National Health Service (NHS) to help promote health and well-being within the amateur radio community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Now, more than ever, we need to optimize all modes of communication to help reduce loneliness and isolation within communities," said Paul Devlin, of the NHS England Emergency Care Improvement Support Team. "Amateur radio provides a wonderful, unprecedented opportunity to help make this a reality." The RSGB is urging radio amateurs in the UK and around the globe to get on the air to chat and "support each other across the airwaves." ...

==> ARRL Suggests Taking a Creative Approach to Field Day 2020
This year, ARRL Field Day promises to be a unique iteration of this annual event, with many individuals and groups coming up with new and interesting ways to adjust their approach. As an event, Field Day is structured to be versatile and can be adapted for any situation.
Many groups have asked how they can adjust their Field Day planning to address social-distancing guidelines that may be in effect in many areas of the country, as gathering at their traditional Field Day site may not be feasible or safe. Instead of participating in a group event this year, consider operating as a Class B, C, D, or E station, utilizing your own call sign. ...

==> In Brief... Contest University (CTU) 2020 will be online and free.
Contest University (CTU) 2020 will be online and free. Tim Duffy, K3LR, has announced that CTU USA 2020 will be held online via Zoom on Thursday, May 14, starting at 1245 UTC. CTU 2020 is free. The CTU course outline has been posted online. Connection details to the CTU Zoom bridge will be posted on the Contest University site 1 week prior to CTU. Sessions will be recorded for viewing any time after May 14. Slide decks will be posted on the CTU website as well. At the end of CTU 2020, Dave Siddall, K3ZJ, will present the 2020 CQ Contest Hall of Fame awards.

==> ARRL, AMSAT Seek "Relatively Minor Changes" In FCC Orbital Debris Mitigation Proposals
On April 8, ARRL Washington Counsel Dave Siddall, K3ZJ, and AMSAT-NA Executive Vice President Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, discussed with senior FCC International Bureau staff by telephone the FCC's draft Report & Order (R&O) on mitigation of orbital debris (IB Docket No. 18-313). The amateur representatives told the FCC staff that "two aspects of the draft regulations are of particular concern... and would seriously hinder amateur radio's future operations in space, if adopted as proposed ...

==> Japan's Radio Amateurs Gain Expanded Access to 160 and 80 Meters
Effective on April 21, Japanese radio amateurs have new privileges on 160 and 80 meters. The new allocations are 1800 - 1810, 1825 - 1875, 3575 - 3580, and 3662 - 3680 kHz.
ARRL Life Member Kenji Rikitake, JJ1BDX/N6BDX, said the new regime allows Japanese radio amateurs to operate FT8 on 80 meters (3574 ~ 3577 kHz), and on 160 meters (1840 ~ 1843 kHz) as well as WSPR (1836.6 kHz) ...

==> Hamvention QSO Party Set for Saturday, May 16
The Hamvention QSO Party, a sort of virtual Dayton Hamvention®, will take place on the HF bands on May 16, which would be the Saturday of the now-canceled event. ...

==> New Volunteer Monitor Program is Up and Running
After kicking off on January 1, the new Volunteer Monitor Program has ramped up to operational status. A "soft rollout" of the program began on February 1, designed to familiarize Volunteer Monitors (VMs) with issues on the bands and to put into practice what to report -- and what to ignore, based on their training. The VMs will not only be looking for operating discrepancies, but for examples of good operating. The VM program has, at least for the moment, put Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, back in the center of amateur radio enforcement as the Volunteer Monitor Coordinator (VMC). He was brought aboard to get the program up and running, and ARRL will eventually take over the VMC function.
Hollingsworth is using a system called VMTRAC -- developed by a VM -- to measure the work of VMs and determine instances that qualify for good operator or discrepancy notices, referral to the FCC, or follow-up with FCC requests to the VM program. Hollingsworth reported that during March, the 165 active VMs logged upward of 2,300 hours of monitoring on HF, and nearly 2,000 hours on VHF-UHF and other frequencies. ...

==> Remotely Administered Amateur Exam Systems Showing Promise
Facing a growing demand for amateur radio exam sessions in a time of social distancing and stay-at-home orders, sponsors of some Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams have risen to the challenge and are developing systems to remotely proctor test sessions.

--The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League