Facebook

The Wirral & District Amateur Radio Club

Twice Winner of the RSGB Region 3

'Club of the Year' Trophy for 2013 & 2014

UK & World News Page

With all the latest Amateur Radio and Technical News
from Wirral, UK and around the World !

Click for the RSGB NEWS for Radio Amateurs & SWL's

Looking for an archived News Item from last 12 months to read again ? click ARCHIVED NEWS

The RSGB is holding two special live Tonight @ 8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation, and it encourages all radio amateurs to take part.

Send questions, by 12 noon on the Friday before the event, to comms@rsgb.org.uk and find out more about the events and the consultation on the RSGB website at rsgb.org/licence-review

GB2RS newsreader Graham, G4JBD, has developed an online tool which plays Morse code based on the current GB2RS News script at a variety of different speeds.

The RSGB are pleased to announce that new editions of RadCom Plus and RadCom Basics were released today

RadCom Plus is the RSGB’s digital technical supplement and RSGB members can read it in HTML5 flipbook, PDF and EPUB formats.

RadCom Basics is a bi-monthly digital publication that explores key aspects of amateur radio in a straightforward and accessible way, and is targeted at anyone new to amateur radio or just wanting to refresh their knowledge of the basics.

The RSGB Islands On The Air (IOTA) Contest runs from 1200UTC on Sat 29th to 1200UTC on Sun 30th July.

Using CW and SSB on the 80 to 10m bands, where contests are permitted, the exchange is signal report, serial number and IOTA reference.

Friday 28th July 2023

The following is a QST. Hams call QRZ to help a flood-damaged region of Italy. Dangerous conditions cancel a second activation on Rockall -- and a successful orbit for CubeSATS from the Philippines. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2387 comes your way right now.

Italy's flood-devastated region of Emilia-Romagna faces a long period of reconstruction and hams are involved in providing their own kind of support. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us the details.

Although some hams may be more familiar with the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy as the host of the recent World Radiosport Team Championship, it is actually now in the amateur radio spotlight for another reason. Remember the callsign 1AØC (One Ay Zero C). Hams will be calling QRZ until the 2nd of August to focus attention on the charitable work being done there by the Italian Relief Corps of the Order of Malta, focusing on the badly damaged Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. The historic deadly floods in May displaced thousands of families, destroyed communities and threatened to wreck many local industries. A multinational team of amateurs will be on the air from the radio station at the Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill. The Order of Malta's humanitarian projects are known throughout the world, assisting 120 nations with medical, social and humanitarian needs. The operators include Fernando EA5C, Simone IK5RUN, Jun JH4RHF, Dmitry RA9USU and others.

At the time Newsline was being produced, the team's website was under construction. Visit the QRZ.com page of 1AØC for updates.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(425 DX BULLETIN, QRZ, ORDER OF MALTA)

SOTA activators are planning an international tribute to recall the treasured friendship of a ham who became a Silent Key last year. Ed Durrant DD5LP gives us the details.

From his shack in Poland, Jarek SP9MA, is leading the way among his fellow SOTA supporters. He has issued a call to all friends of the beloved ham known as Guru who became a Silent Key in March of 2022. Jarek wrote on the SOTA reflector that he will begin using the callsign SP59GURU on January 11th of next year, which would have been Guru's 59th birthday. The callsign will remain active through to March 11th, the anniversary of his death. The loss of Jose-Antonio Gurutzarri Jauregi EA2IF to cancer rocked the SOTA community last year, most especially in Europe, where his commitment to radio on the summits began in his native Spain in 2013.

Jarek has put out a call to SOTA activators worldwide to join him in this special event activation and to start making plans now, well in advance of January.

Though there will be no diplomas or awards for QSOs, Jarek believes the contact itself will provide a memorable moment. In that way, Guru, who left his mark also as a top contester and CW operator, will get another moment with his SOTA brothers and sisters.

Or, as Jarek wrote on the SOTA reflector: [quote] "I just think that as many hearts as possible would connect with the Guru at that time." [endquote]

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

(SOTA REFLECTOR)

Radios and other equipment remain on Rockall Island, where a second attempted activation has failed. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us up to date.

A second - and very brief - activation of the remote granite islet known as Rockall was called off after hazardous conditions in the North Atlantic had forced the team to return to the mainland.

Cam Cameron, Emil Bergmann DL8JJ and Nobby GØVJG set sail on the 16th of July only to turn back three days later after making several passes at Rockall. The hams were hoping to have a second activation - three hours of CW and SSB - during their return trip.

The trio was travelling to recover radio equipment left there during the June activation of MMØUKI. Emil and Nobby had called QRZ for several days before their departure, leaving Cam on Rockall. In a challenge to benefit charity, Cam was hoping to break the previous 45-day stay record set in 2014. He had called for rescue in late June after 32 days of exhaustion and hypothermia.

Describing the team's failed attempt to return, Emil wrote on the Rockall DXpedition's Facebook page: [quote] "Nature has said NO. We reached the Rockall without difficulty, but the waves [were] extremely high. That's the way of life." [endquote]

Don't be discouraged: The team plans another recovery attempt.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(FACEBOOK, DX-WORLD.NET)

India's government is looking for a radio operator to join the team at the country's research station in the Antarctic. If you like cold weather, Graham Kemp VK4BB tells us what's involved.

A qualified radio operator is among the many posts being advertised for the next Indian Antarctic Expedition with preference being given to Ham or maritime radio operators. The National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research has been interviewing candidates for a variety of contract positions to work at its Antarctic research base beginning in November or December of this year. The research season ends sometime in 2025. Radio communication is considered an essential component of this 43rd expedition, which hopes to look at the ecosystem as well as satellite communication, ionospheric studies, stellar observations and climate change. The government has been seeking a candidate proficient in English.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(NCPOR)

Students in the Philippines are feeling proud that their two ham radio cubesats have entered orbit. Jason Daniels VK2LAW tells us about their mission.

Two amateur radio cubesats from the Philippines are now in orbit. Maya-5 and Maya-6 were built by university students with the goal of helping the nation keep its momentum going on satellite development while using locally sourced materials.The primary mission of the cubesat pair is to give the amateur radio community a digital message relay service through the Automatic Packet Reporting System, or APRS. The onboard APRS digipeaters use the frequency of 145.825 MHz for transmitting as well as receiving. The cubesats are also demonstrating a data/message store-and-forward system compatible with Universal Amateur Radio Text and E-mail messaging.

The International Space Station released the cubesats on the 19th of July.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(AMSAT NEWS, STAMINA4SPACE)

A popular ham radio activity that activates churches and chapels, mainly in the UK, is getting a foothold in the US. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us more about it.

The amateur radio community and the church community in the UK have enjoyed a one-day convergence each September since 2006. That was the year in which John G3XYF, suggested that CHOTA - Churches and Chapels on the Air - could be as viable and important an activity as Lighthouses, Mills, Islands, Summits, Railways and other "on the air" entities. The activity began simply with his own church in East Yorkshire, where John operated with the special callsign GB0LOW. CHOTA, which is organized by the World Association of Christian Radio Amateurs and Listeners, has since grown to include between 20 and 30 churches in the UK and, in some instances, a few churches in the Czech Republic and Germany.

This year's event is taking place on Saturday the 9th of September - and just as CHOTA grew in the years following 2006, it leaps across the ocean now to the Highlands Presbyterian Church in Mississippi where Frank Howell will be calling QRZ under his own callsign K4FMH. Other hams, using their own calls as well, are expected to join him on the 16-acre church campus. Frank expects the event to feature stations for SSB, CW and FT8. There will also be VHF/UHF and satellite operations. Frank told Newsline in an email [quote] "This is a great fit for our church of about 1,100 members because we seek to reach out to the community to bring them to our campus." [endquote]

He said that a number of area clubs are involved as are some hams in the congregation. The church is so ham-friendly, in fact, that the administrator and an administrative assistant are planning to take their technician license exam soon.

Frank has already received emails from other US churches inquiring about joining September's activation. Interested churches should email John and let him know the name and location of the church and the callsign being used. John's email appears in the text version of this week's newscast.

CHOTA is not a contest but there are certificates for contacting the stations - and there are rewards for just being part of this goodwill event that's now gone intercontinental.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(JOHN WRESDELL G3XYF; FRANK HOWELL, K4FMH, WACRAL)

What's the one ham radio competition you can enter without turning your rig on? The Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We've been inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form. Follow traditional haiku form and send in your entry: The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. We cannot accept any other formats.

We will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5 syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? For now, bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning ham radio haiku.

Although the event at the Frontiers of Flight Museum was called "Moon Day," amateur radio shared the spotlight with the help of AMSAT and two area ham clubs. Moon Day was held at the Dallas, Texas museum at Love Field on July 22nd - the anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in 1969. The educational event celebrated ham radio communications through satellites while acknowledging the great strides that have been made since that historic lunar landing. AMSAT ambassador Tom Schuessler, N5HYP, told Newsline in an email that AMSAT's presentations focused on amateur radio in space and with the help of AMSAT's Virginia Smith, NV5F, Calvin Gluck, W7KYG and Tony Medina, NT5TM, guests learned about the technology behind these communications. The keynote speaker was retired NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough KE5HOD.

Working alongside AMSAT, the Dallas Amateur Radio Club, W5FC, demonstrated the use of repeaters, Morse Code and the HF bands. A number of young Scouts were able to work toward their radio and exploration merit badges. This was the 15th annual Moon Day held at the museum and Tom told Newsline it will be back again next year.

(TOM SCHUESSLER, N5HYP)

Sunday, July 30th, has been set aside for bumblebees. Those the the radio operators who'll be operating QRP as they call CQ. Randy Sly W4XJ tells us how to "BEE" ready for them.

The Adventure Radio Society is hoping for a swarm of bumblebees on Sunday, July 30th -- or at least, that's the buzz. For the four-hour period between 1700 and 2100 UTC, the organizers of a casual CW contest called The Flight of the Bumblebees are encouraging portable operators to walk, bicycle, row - using any means of engine-free travel - and set up at a field site. There, they will call CQ with their callsign and a unique identifying Bumblebee Number assigned to them. For bumblebees, being in the field is important. The society, which was created in 1996, tries to foster the practice of radio operations in an ecologically responsible manner.

Now remember: bumblebees are small, so this is going to be a QRP event and no one will be transmitting more than 5 watts. Typically, these radio bumblebees can be found on 40, 20, 15 and 10 meters, around standard QRP frequencies. Who'll be looking for them? Other bumblebees, of course, but home-based stations who are also operating QRP can chase the bees or one another.

For details, rules and other information, visit arsqrp dot blogspot dot com (arsqrp.blogspot.com). Bumblebees and home-based stations will be eligible for commendations based on points but additional recognition will be given to those busy bees who operate from attractive sites, have an unusual adventure or perhaps operate with some notable equipment.

As with previous such contests, this one is sure to create a hive of activity.

This is Randy Sly W4XJ.

(ADVENTURE RADIO SOCIETY, MONITORING TIMES 1999)

In the World of DX, be listening for Francesco, IK6QON operating as IA5/IK6QON from Isola del Giglio, IOTA Number EU-028, until the 31st of July. He is on HF using CW and SSB. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Listen for JA1QQU/6 operating from Yoron Island, IOTA Number AS-023 from the 27th through to the 30th of July. He will be on 10 and 6 metres using FT8 between 2300 and 0200 UTC and again from 1000 through to 1400 UTC. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Lance, W7GJ, will be conducting a 6-metre DXpedition as 3B9GJ from Rodrigues Island, IOTA Number AF-017, from the 27th of August to the 7th of September. He will be operating on the HF bands as well as doing EME. See QRZ.com under Lance's home call for additional details and QSL information.

Frans, DJ0TP, will be operating as TK/DJ0TP from Corsica's main island, IOTA number EU-014 from the 27th of July to the 3rd of September. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

Our final story takes us to a park in Florida where a group of POTA activators gathered to share stories and remember the friend who no longer joins them. Dave Parks WB8ODF brings us that story.

Amateur radio was there for Jack Hales W1BBU following the loss of his wife six years ago after a lifetime of nearly 50 years together. Returning to radio restored the grieving widower into a vibrant circle of life.

On Sunday, July 23rd, amateur radio was there for Jack again. This time the hams were offering a memorial activation at Sawgrass Lake Park in Florida. It was a familiar and frequent operating spot for Jack and his friends doing Parks on the Air until Jack's unexpected death on June 13th at the age of 80.

One of the four radio operators during those three hours was Lisa Neuscheler, KC1YL. She said the days' tally of 108 SSB contacts were rich with memories from many POTA enthusiasts who had written Jack's callsign several times in their logs. They traded stories along with signal reports. All contacts from the Sunday activation will receive certificates. The four operators' names and callsigns appear on them as well as a photo of Jack, the man whose travels in the military left his mark around the world, including Indonesia where he'd helped establish a fledgling amateur radio society.

Even as a Silent Key, Jack is also launching another prospective ham career: His granddaughter Haley, who had accompanied him and his St. Petersburg Amateur Radio Club friends, is studying for her license. She will likely use her grandfather's shack equipment and - she is hoping - his callsign, the same call that belonged to Jack's father.

No doubt, like her grandfather, you will soon find her among the tall antennas under the sun at Sawgrass Lake Park.

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

(QRZ.COM, LISA NEUSCHELER, KC1YL)

Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to the Adventure Radio Society; Amateur Radio Daily; AMSAT News Service; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; 425DXNews; Lisa Neuscheler KC1YL; the Monitoring Times; National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research; QRZ.com; RockallExped.com; shortwaveradio.de; SOTA Reflector; Tom Schuessler, N5HYP; URESAT-SAT1 website; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Keplerian Bulletin 55 ARLK055
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT July 25, 2023
To all radio amateurs

Special thanks to Space-Track.org for the following Keplerian data.

Decode 2-line elsets with the following key:
1 AAAAAU 00 0 0 BBBBB.BBBBBBBB .CCCCCCCC 00000-0 00000-0 0 DDDZ
2 AAAAA EEE.EEEE FFF.FFFF GGGGGGG HHH.HHHH III.IIII JJ.JJJJJJJJKKKKKZ
KEY: A-CATALOGNUM B-EPOCHTIME C-DECAY D-ELSETNUM E-INCLINATION F-RAAN
G-ECCENTRICITY H-ARGPERIGEE I-MNANOM J-MNMOTION K-ORBITNUM Z-CHECKSUM

AO-07
1 07530U 74089B   23206.50369537 -.00000030 00000-0 10044-3 0 9990
2 07530 101.9488 193.4413 0012240 352.5168 127.3463 12.53665556227979
ISS
1 25544U 98067A   23206.28493277 .00013139 00000-0 23767-3 0 9990
2 25544 51.6396 139.7648 0000243 55.6182 304.4830 15.50013867407690
SO-50
1 27607U 02058C   23206.34326886 .00001264 00000-0 19097-3 0 9992
2 27607 64.5542 147.9411 0065365 216.8335 142.8269 14.77423598107864
AO-73
1 39444U 13066AE 23206.41981831 .00003762 00000-0 41508-3 0 9997
2 39444 97.6733 169.3376 0053847 145.1235 215.3529 14.86996295521323
XW-2A
1 40903U 15049E   23112.43632650 .18814400 25108-5 15498-3 0 9990
2 40903 97.0819 181.5568 0011783 175.5276 309.8044 16.51931608427640
IO-86
1 40931U 15052B   23206.30361121 .00001305 00000-0 91004-4 0 9997
2 40931   5.9984 174.4123 0012524 116.3179 243.8235 14.77287127422885
CAS-4B
1 42759U 17034B   23206.55629605 .00008142 00000-0 40279-3 0 9993
2 42759 43.0148 262.2870 0011296 343.4224 16.6253 15.18071570337468
CAS-4A
1 42761U 17034D   23206.57236113 .00007447 00000-0 36941-3 0 9994
2 42761 43.0143 260.7246 0012033 344.5828 15.4652 15.18068825337467
AO-91
1 43017U 17073E   23206.15245526 .00006665 00000-0 46531-3 0 9991
2 43017 97.6249 88.9961 0229864 304.1075 53.8520 14.86723271306829
PO-101
1 43678U 18084H   23206.51170643 .00001434 00000-0 14168-3 0 9994
2 43678 98.0279 351.2660 0010369 41.4183 318.7820 14.93559675257982
QO-100
1 43700U 18090A   23206.56912972 .00000159 00000-0 00000-0 0 9991
2 43700   0.0350 248.0862 0002178 267.4153 18.2044 1.00272154 17076
JO-97
1 43803U 18099AX 23205.97844720 .00005801 00000-0 45439-3 0 9990
2 43803 97.5727 267.5953 0014034 338.1034 21.9589 15.01304220253369
CAS-6
1 44881U 19093C   23206.56416400 .00001016 00000-0 13258-3 0 9996
2 44881 97.8607 284.3629 0013648 317.1073 42.9075 14.82623353194482
RS-44
1 44909U 19096E   23206.45399916 .00000022 00000-0 37020-4 0 9990
2 44909 82.5242 322.5186 0218543 97.5199 265.0786 12.79722153167053
XW-3
1 50466U 21131B   23206.55318920 .00000582 00000-0 20295-3 0 9991
2 50466 98.5515 287.9797 0004792 40.1244 320.0296 14.38974610 82872
IO-117
1 53106U 22080B   23206.34031428 -.00000003 00000-0 00000-0 0 9999
2 53106 70.1615 306.4627 0008579 178.9907 181.0771 6.42556808 24202
FO-118
1 54684U 22167C   23206.59681804 .00012471 00000-0 67185-3 0 9994
2 54684 97.5669 343.9423 0013232 198.0808 161.9955 15.14874853 34496

Keplerian bulletins are transmitted twice weekly from W1AW.

The next scheduled transmission of these data will be Friday, July 28, 2023, at 2330z on Baudot and BPSK31.

DX Bulletin 30 ARLD030
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT July 27, 2023
To all radio amateurs

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by IK1QBT, M0GWD, The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

SOVEREIGN MILITARY ORDER OF MALTA, 1A. A large group of operators are QRV as 1A0C from the Magistral Villa on the Aventine Hill until August 2. Activity is with five stations on 80 to 6 meters, including 60 meters, using CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8. They also plan to be active on the LEO and QO-100 Satellites.
QSL via EA5RM.

CHINA, BY. A group of operators will be QRV as B2/BY1AA from Xiaochangshan Island, IOTA AS-158, as a Multi/Single, High Power entry in the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via BA4EG.

MOROCCO, CN. Special event station CN24M is QRV until August 6 while taking part in the annual Throne Day's celebrations that commemorate the enthronement of the incumbent monarch. QSL via CN8WW.

URUGUAY, CX. Special event station CX90RCU will be QRV from August 1 to 31 to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Radio Club Uruguayo. QSL via bureau.

REUNION ISLAND, FR. Philippe, FR8UA and Anne, FR8TZ will be QRV as TO0GL on July 29 and 30 during the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via LoTW.

ENGLAND, G. Members of the Fort Purbrook ARC will be QRV with special event station GB1PF on July 29 and 30 from the historic Palmerston Forts. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW and SSB, and PSK on 20 meters. QSL via operators' instructions.

ISLE OF MAN, GD. Operators G2NV and G6AD are QRV as GD6AD until July 31. This includes being an entry in the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via LoTW.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HL. Members of the Gwangju DX Club are QRV as D73G from Paegya Island, IOTA AS-060, until July 30. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4. QSL via HL4CCM.

ITALY, I. A group of operators will be QRV as IP1X from Gallinara Island, IOTA EU-083, during the RSGB IOTA contest as a Multi Op/Low Power entry. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via IU1JCZ.

FAROE ISLANDS, OY. Carsten, OY1CT will be a Single Op/All Band entry from Streymoy Island, IOTA EU-018, in the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL to home call.

DENMARK, OZ. Frank, DL2SWW and Gaby, DF9TM are QRV as 5Q5W and OV9M, respectively, from Vendsyssel-Thy, IOTA EU-171, until July 31.
QSL to home calls.

BRAZIL, PY. Operators PY6HD and PY6TV are QRV as PR6T from Tinhare Island, IOTA SA-080, until July 30. Activity is on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8. This includes being an entry in the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via LoTW.

GREECE, SV. Kostas, SV8GGI is QRV as SV8GGI/p from Salamina Island, IOTA EU-075, in the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via bureau.

ASIATIC RUSSIA, UA0. Station RG0C/p is QRV from the Shantar Islands group, IOTA AS-044, until August 10. Activity is on 20 meters CW using low power, and between 1000 to 2200z, daily. QSL via RG0C.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, VP5. Josiah, KI5UBT and John, N5VOF will be QRV as VP5/KI5UBT and VP5/N5VOF, respectively, from Providenciales, IOTA NA-002, from July 31 to August 14. Activity will be on 40 to 2 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL direct to home calls.

INDIA, VU. Special event station AT3MOON is QRV to highlight the launch of Chandrayaan-3, the Indian moon mission. Activity is on various bands using some SSB and FT8 at various times. QSL via VU2UUU.

LAOS, XW. Simon, HS0ZIB is QRV as XW0LP from Luang Prabang. Activity is currently on 20 meters using FT8, but plans to be active soon on other bands.
QSL via EA5GL.

MYANMAR, XZ. Akio, JE2QIZ is QRV as XZ2B from Yangon until the end of September. Activity is on 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters using CW. QSL via JH3SIF.

INDONESIA, YB. Operators YB3EDD/p, YC3GZY/p, Ali YC3RNW/p and YF3BVD/p will be QRV from Gili Ketapang, IOTA OC-037, during the RSGB IOTA contest. QSL via operators' instructions.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The RSGB IOTA Contest, QRP 20-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC FT4 Sprint, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, MARAC US Counties QSO Party, Feld Hell Sprint, WAB 144 MHz Low Power Phone and the ARS Flight of the Bumblebees are scheduled for this upcoming weekend.

The K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, QCX CW Challenge, ICWC Medium Speed Test, OK1WC Memorial, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, ZL 80-Meter Sprint, Phone Weekly Test, A1Club AWT, CWops Test, VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest, Mini-Test 40 and Mini-Test 80 are on tap from July 31 to August 2.

Please see July QST, page 78, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest web sites for details.

The RSGB is holding two special Tonight @ 8 events focused on the Ofcom amateur radio consultation.

The RSGB are delighted to announce that they will be holding their annual RSGB Convention from 13 to 15 October 2023 at Kents Hill Park hotel and conference centre in Milton Keynes.

]You’ll find the booking link and more information on our website at rsgb.org/convention.

If you’d like to make a difference to other radio amateurs in this area, provide advice and support, represent the RSGB and its Members, and also attend local rallies, please email Region 3 Regional Representative, Martyn Bell, M0TEB at rr3@rsgb.org.uk.

The RSGB Examinations and Syllabus Review Group (ESRG) has provided an additional set of four mock exam papers.

Part 1 of the British Amateur Television Club's Convention TV 2023, or CAT23 will take place on Sunday 6th August (10.30 - 4pm)

There will be full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100, 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown MiniTiouner, Ryde,

Kevin Thomas (W1DED) conducted a lengthy interview with ARRL CEO David Minster (NA2AA). Topics included the culture at ARRL, creating a positive environment, as well as the recent member survey.

The following is a QST. Changes in band access await hams in Australia. A much-loved electronics supplier is closing after 50 years -- and a ham marks a DXCC achievement of two lifetimes. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2386 comes your way right now.

There are gains and losses for amateurs in Australia as the nation's regulator moves ahead with proposed changes to spectrum access. Graham Kemp VK4BB has that story.

Advanced amateurs in Australia and overseas equivalents will be losing their access to frequencies between 3.4 and 3.6 GHz, which have been identified for reallocation to commercial interests and for use by earth station protection zones. While proposing those changes, the Australian Communications and Media Authority is expanding standard amateurs and overseas equivalents access to frequencies between 50 and 52 MHz, in addition to the current 52 to 54 MHz. These modifications are contained in the Radiocommunications Licence Conditions Omnibus Amendment Instrument 2023, Number 1.

The ACMA took its action following the submission of public comments to the consultation. The regulator said it received only six such comments, with the majority supporting the changes.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(ACMA)

Meanwhile in the UK, hams are getting some help in understanding the changes that Ofcom has in the works. We have those details from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

As Ofcom undertakes the first sweeping changes in ham radio licensing and call sign policy in 25 years, the Radio Society of Great Britain has been hoping to make things simpler. The society is offering guidance on this consultation through a variety of materials that include a newly released video by Murray Niman, G6JYB, the society's spectrum and licensing expert.

The RSGB is hoping that clubs will share the video at their meetings and assist hams in understanding the work underway. The video can be found on the RSGB's YouTube channel or on the consultation web page of the society at the link found in the text version of this week's newscast.

The regulator is seeking feedback and has set a deadline of the 4th September for comment.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

A computer hacker who was once on the FBI's "most-wanted" list - and who described himself as possessing the world's most expensive amateur radio license, has become a Silent Key. Here's Sel Embee KB3TZD to tell us about him.

Kevin Mitnick, N6NHG, whose computer-hacking skills landed him a federal prison term with hundreds of supporters pressing for his freedom, has become a Silent Key. Kevin died on Sunday, July 16th, of pancreatic cancer.

According to several online obituaries, by the time he was 16 years old, Kevin had already sharpened his software skills, gaining unauthorized access to computer systems. Ultimately, it was his illegal download of software from Digital Equipment Corporation in the 1980s that led to a massive manhunt, his conviction and five-year prison term.

Having become a ham radio operator at the age of 13, he wished to return to the air once he was released from prison and spent more than $16,000 in legal fees to petition the FCC for a license renewal. He succeeded, saying afterward that, as a result, he possessed the most expensive amateur radio license in the world.

Kevin was 59.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

India is hoping to become the fourth nation to achieve a controlled moon landing and, at last reports, its spacecraft was well on its way. John Williams VK4JJW has that report.

The launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission was a historic one for India, which is aiming to achieve a soft lunar landing after the previous mission in 2019 failed. The Indian Space Research Organization declared its trajectory a "precise orbit" shortly after its launch on Friday, the 14th of July. The name of the spacecraft is Sanskrit for "moon craft." It is expected to live up to that name when it makes its intended arrival on the south pole of the lunar surface in late August.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(CNN, ISRO)

Another much-loved source of electronics supplies for radio amateurs is about to join the growing list of companies shutting down. It's scheduled to happen next month. We have those details from Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

All Electronics in Van Nuys California, has provided at least two generations of hobbyists, radio amateurs and tinkerers with a variety of surplus electronics parts and manufacturers' overruns for their projects. The legendary seller will be closing its doors in the next few weeks - likely by the end of August. When All Electronics announced earlier this year that it was calling it quits, the business had already scaled back its previous seven-day-a-week operation for walk-in customers, keeping its doors open on weekdays only. The company notes on its website that its mail-order business has been brisk lately as the 56-year-old enterprise attempts to close out its warehouse in time for final shutdown.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(QRZ.COM, ALL ELECTRONICS)

To ensure they are prepared for emergencies and extreme weather, many hams are accustomed to sharpening their responses through regularly scheduled drills. But the drill that's taking place next month in Mobile, Alabama is for a major event that actually happened more than 70 years ago: It was World War II. Jack Parker W8ISH fills in the details.

There will be a "Call to Battle Stations" sounded on Saturday, August 12th, and those aboard the battleship USS Alabama and submarine USS Drum will be ready for what is to follow in Battleship Memorial Park. Vintage enemy aircraft will do a flyover in a mock attack. The crew on board the ships will fire the vessels' 20mm guns. Meanwhile, radio communications will go forward with members of the Deep South Amateur Radio Club, also on board, calling QRZ on 20m and 40m. They will be using the club callsign K4DSR and the callsign K5LDA.

Unlike the radio amateurs, the crewmen are all re-enactors. Dressed in WWII-era Navy uniforms, they will conduct weapons briefings and demonstrations while reliving some of the stories of that time. This is a Living History Crew Drill designed to show the public just how things were in the heat of war so many years ago.

What the members of the Living History Crew share with the hams is that they are all volunteers. They show that they appreciate the spirit of volunteerism and education by conducting these drills, to bring history to life again, a few times each year.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(WPMI, FACEBOOK, QRZ)

An infusion of money is helping an all-volunteer museum in New England upgrade its on-site ham radio station. Andy Morrison K9AWM tells us what changes are in store.

The Amateur Radio Club of the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut is about to expand its reach with the help of a grant from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The on-site club, which has the callsign, W1VCM, intends to add new antennas as well as earth-space capability to its operations. The club plans to have a high-gain antenna system, a satellite transceiver and computer-controlled tracking giving better access to QSOs through the International Space Station and several low-earth orbit amateur satellites.

Bob Allison, WB1GCM, president of the amateur radio club, said in a press release that the club's demonstrations of amateur radio have provided encouragement to visitors, some of whom decide they want to become hams too.

This all adds up to a big plus for the museum as well, according to its director John Ellsworth. He said that the availability of a working radio station complements the museum's role in telling the story of communication. The museum, which has showcased communications history for 33 years, is run entirely by volunteers, providing opportunities for children to build crystal radio sets and attend other hands-on classes that bring history - as well as more modern-day technology - into their lives.

Bob told Newsline in an email: [quote] "The spirit of amateur radio is live and well at the Vintage Radio and Communications Museum of Connecticut."

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(BOB ALLISON, WB1GCM)

If you have a UK amateur license, you may want to weigh in on this issue affecting the 6 GHz band. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains the proposed changes.

Ofcom is exploring a system of what it calls "hybrid sharing" of the upper portion of the 6 GHz band to accommodate both licenced mobile use and low-power licence-exempt Wi-Fi in the UK. The regulator wants to find an appropriate system that would increase capacity successfully because of industry interest in supporting an ongoing growth in traffic.

Ofcom believes that because Wi-Fi routers are based indoors and mobile transmitters are mostly outdoors, hybrid-sharing mechanisms can and should be developed that allow the users to coexist. The regulator also believes there is also potential for what it calls international harmonisation of hybrid sharing on the band.

Industry members or others with a stake in the use of this band can submit comments to Ofcom no later than the 15th of September.

See a link to the full article in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

[DO NOT READ: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/news-centre/2023/sharing-6-ghz-spectrum-for-wi-fi-and-mobile ]

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(OFCOM)

In the US, the Federal Communications Commission is getting ready to consider a request from broadcasters to permit the highest allowable power for digital FM stations. Kent Peterson KCØDGY has that story.

The FCC is preparing to vote early next month on permitting some digital FM stations to broadcast using the highest allowable power levels by adopting a change in the way such levels are determined on the upper and lower digital sidebands.

The request for change is being made by the National Association of Broadcasters, a trade group representing radio and TV entities and Xperi, the company that developed and licenses HD Radio technology. Xperi estimates that there are 2,600 stations in the US that use HD Radio technology.

Both the NAB and Xperi say their goal is to improve the digital signals' quality and coverage. They are petitioning for the acceptance of a new formula that would permit an increase over the present level, currently authorized at a digital ERP of -14 dBc, or decibels relative to carrier. The approved increase would not require prior FCC authorization.

Although a number of major media groups support the petition, saying it is good for businesses as well as listeners, Press Communications LLC in New Jersey has told the FCC that a power increase could pose difficulties for smaller FM stations and LPFM, low-power FM service.

The vote is expected to take place on August 3rd.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(RADIOWORLD)

In the World of DX, Giuseppe, IK5WWA, is on the air as IMØC [pronounce: EYE EMM ZERO SEA] from San Pietro Island, IOTA number EU-165, until the 30th of July. Listen for him on 40-2 metres and perhaps on 80m. QSL via his home call.

Jarno, OH6NJ, will be active as OH6NJ/8 from Hailuoto Island, IOTA number EU-184 between the 24th and 31st of July. He will be using CW, SSB and FT8 mainly on the higher bands. QSL via his home call.

In Guatemala, Dennis, KT8X, will be active holiday style as TG4/KT8X from the 23rd of July to the 4th of August. He will be using CW, FT8 and possibly some SSB on 40-6 metres. QSL via LoTW only.

Listen for Ron, DL1RNW, operating as OZ/DL1RNW from Sandkas, Maidenhead Square JO75jg on Bornholm Island, IOTA number EU-030. He will be on the air from the 23rd of July to the 5th of August on 6 metres and the HF bands. QSL via eQSL.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

Our final story isn't just about the DX achievement of a lifetime; it's about a personal tribute. Patrick Clark K8TAC brings us that story now.

For some, a contact with Bouvet Island - considered the most remote island on earth - is like winning the lottery but for Bob Wertz, NF7E, it means so much more in the amateur radio lexicon. The QSO he logged earlier this year with the 3YØJ DXpedition ended his 47-year journey to log all 340 independent DXCC entities. The ARRL requires contact with only 331 such entities for any ham to be included on its DXCC honor roll. Clearly, Bob had his sights set on a higher mountain - his personal challenge begun nearly a half-century ago.

Speaking of mountains, the impressive log he amassed toward that end includes another remote contact - Mount Athos in Greece - where the operator was Monk Apollo. Their QSO, using CW, took place in 2016. Monk Apollo, who is now a Silent Key, was viewed by DXers as one of the most sought-after contacts. Bob at one point thought it might end up being the most difficult contact since he became a ham in 1976.

Bouvet, however, filled that role nicely. It also allowed him to fulfill a very personal - and perhaps most meaningful - goal. In an interview with Flagstaff Business News, he said he considers his completion of the challenge to be a tribute to his father, who held the callsign KA9ACS, and is now a Silent Key.

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(FLAGSTAFF BUSINESS NEWS, QRZ.COM)

We hope our listeners have been enjoying the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We certainly have! In the spirit of fun and perhaps a little bit of literary adventure, we've been inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your most poetic offering. To qualify, you need to follow traditional haiku form: The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. We cannot accept any other formats.

Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5 syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? For now, bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning ham radio haiku.

Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; the Australian Communications and Media Authority; Bob Allison WB1GCM; CNN; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; Facebook; Flagstaff Business News; FCC; 425DXNews; Indian Space Research Organization; Ofcom; QRZ.COM; Radio World; shortwaveradio.de; Wireless Institute of Australia; WPMI; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Jim Damron N8TMW in Charleston West Virginia saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Keplerian Bulletin 54 ARLK054
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT July 21, 2023
To all radio amateurs

Special thanks to AMSAT-NA (AMSAT.ORG) for the following Keplerian data.

Decode 2-line elsets with the following key:
1 AAAAAU 00 0 0 BBBBB.BBBBBBBB .CCCCCCCC 00000-0 00000-0 0 DDDZ
2 AAAAA EEE.EEEE FFF.FFFF GGGGGGG HHH.HHHH III.IIII JJ.JJJJJJJJKKKKKZ
KEY: A-CATALOGNUM B-EPOCHTIME C-DECAY D-ELSETNUM E-INCLINATION F-RAAN
G-ECCENTRICITY H-ARGPERIGEE I-MNANOM J-MNMOTION K-ORBITNUM Z-CHECKSUM

0 AO-07
1 7530U 74089B   23201.87412108 -.00000044 00000-0 13058-4 0 9992
2 7530 101.9483 188.7799 0012315   1.3111 113.2285 12.53665472227634
0 ISS
1 25544U 98067A   23202.68445815 .00012306 00000-0 22389-3 0 9999
2 25544 51.6412 157.5948 0000492 73.2535 343.3763 15.49918476407149
0 SO-50
1 27607U 02058C   23202.34960239 .00001303 00000-0 19623-3 0 9993
2 27607 64.5536 160.1861 0065764 217.6968 141.9519 14.77412341107487
0 AO-73
1 39444U 13066AE 23201.44017690 .00004321 00000-0 47653-3 0 9997
2 39444 97.6733 164.5253 0053391 161.2689 199.0509 14.86954163521177
0 XW-2A
1 40903U 15049E   23112.43632650 .18814400 25108-5 15498-3 0 9990
2 40903 97.0819 181.5568 0011783 175.5276 309.8044 16.51931608427640
0 IO-86
1 40931U 15052B   23202.05034306 .00001347 00000-0 96768-4 0 9995
2 40931   5.9984 204.7855 0012605 53.4887 306.6401 14.77281689422364
0 CAS-4B
1 42759U 17034B   23202.41101257 .00008368 00000-0 41441-3 0 9994
2 42759 43.0151 285.3537 0011828 318.4237 41.5711 15.18001865336831
0 CAS-4A
1 42761U 17034D   23202.42707214 .00008904 00000-0 44015-3 0 9999
2 42761 43.0145 283.7907 0012500 319.8803 40.1121 15.17998388336847
0 AO-91
1 43017U 17073E   23201.57580000 .00006767 00000-0 47189-3 0 9994
2 43017 97.6258 84.5986 0230484 319.3496 39.0709 14.86660887306146
0 PO-101
1 43678U 18084H   23202.42498145 .00001969 00000-0 19238-3 0 9996
2 43678 98.0275 347.0940 0010574 53.8674 306.3522 14.93545698257377
0 QO-100
1 43700U 18090A   23201.76338817 .00000148 00000-0 00000+0 0 9995
2 43700   0.0165 62.7431 0001978 100.3844 75.7468 1.00273140 17267
0 JO-97
1 43803U 18099AX 23202.11266614 .00006759 00000-0 52919-3 0 9997
2 43803 97.5726 263.8250 0014467 350.3337   9.7607 15.01258917252780
0 CAS-6
1 44881U 19093C   23202.44731292 .00001115 00000-0 14483-3 0 9999
2 44881 97.8611 280.3163 0013936 331.3886 28.6561 14.82614341193876
0 RS-44
1 44909U 19096E   23200.43398082 .00000012 00000-0 -34569-5 0 9991
2 44909 82.5240 326.5175 0218508 111.5270 250.9277 12.79722032166335
0 XW-3
1 50466U 21131B   23202.45067794 .00000672 00000-0 23238-3 0 9996
2 50466 98.5518 283.8900 0004997 50.4501 309.7127 14.38969134 82280
0 IO-117
1 53106U 22080B   23200.27024149 -.00000003 00000-0 00000+0 0 9996
2 53106 70.1621 308.5714 0008596 179.9245 180.1417 6.42556851 23815
0 FO-118
1 54684U 22167C   23202.43527207 .00012428 00000-0 67158-3 0 9991
2 54684 97.5672 339.8021 0012911 211.9643 148.0807 15.14770186 33869

Keplerian bulletins are transmitted twice weekly from W1AW.

The next scheduled transmission of these data will be Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 2330z on Baudot and BPSK31.

DX Bulletin 29 ARLD029
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT July 20, 2023
To all radio amateurs

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by HK3EA, The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA, 3C. Ersoy, TA2OM is QRV as 3C3CA from Bioko Island, IOTA AF-010, until July 31. QSL via LoTW.

CROATIA, 9A. Stations 9A7YY, 9A/S53Z, 9A/S54W, 9A/S58MU, 9A/S50O and 9A/S50X will be QRV from Vis Island, IOTA EU-016, from July 24 to August 1. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. This includes being active in the upcoming RSGB IOTA contest. QSL direct to home calls.

BAHAMAS, C6. Station C6ARS will be QRV from Great Bahama Bank, IOTA NA-001, on July 22 to mark the 50th anniversary of the independence of the Bahamas.
QSL via operators' instructions.

AZORES, CU. Chris, DL2MDU and Heike, DL3HD are QRV as CT8/home calls from Sao Miguel Island, IOTA EU-003, until July 26. QSL to home calls.

ISLE OF MAN, GD. Keith, G3TTC plans to be QRV as GD3TTC near Onchan from July 26 to 29. Activity will be holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using SSB. This includes being an entry in the upcoming RSGB IOTA contest. QSL to home call.

COLOMBIA, HK. A number of special event call signs with prefixes 5K0 to 5K9, as well as 5K200 and 5K90, will be QRV from July 22 to 24 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Maracaibo, and the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Colombian Radio Amateurs League. QSL via operators' instructions.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HL. Wouter, PB1WL is QRV as HL4/PB1WL until August 16. QSL to home call.

ITALY, I. Station II3GR is active until July 23 from the annual Youth On The Air camp on Volpera Island. This includes being active in the YOTA contest. QSL via IV3CTT.

SARDINIA, IS0. Giuseppe, IK5WWA is QRV as IM0C from San Pietro Island, IOTA EU-165, until July 30. Activity is on 40 to 2 meters, and possibly
80 meters QSL to home call.

MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Take, JG8NQJ is QRV as JG8NQJ/JD1 until October 19. Activity is in his spare time on 17, 15, 12, and 10 meters. When active using FT8, send his signal strength report, not the grid square. QSL via JA8CJY.

CZECH REPUBLIC, OK. Special event station OL300SANTINI is QRV until December 31 to commemorate Czech architect Jan Blazej Santini-Aichel who was famous for what came to be known as the Czech Baroque Gothic architectural style. QSL via operators' instructions.

FAROE ISLANDS, OY. Przemek, SP7VC and Katarzyna, SQ7OYL will be QRV as OY/home calls from July 23 to 27. Activity will be on 20, 6, and 4 meters.
QSL via SP7VC.

BONAIRE, PJ4. Robert, PD2V is QRV as PJ4/PD2V from Kralendijk until August 11. Activity is on 40, 30, and 20 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via LoTW.

GREECE, SV. Kim, ON4BCV is QRV as SV8/ON4BCV/p from Samos Island, IOTA EU-049, until July 24. Activity is holiday style. QSL to home call.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. Bob, W0RGC is QRV as V7/W0RGC from Kwajalein Island for about two weeks. Activity is in his spare time on 20, 15, and 10 meters using SSB. QSL to home call.

NORFOLK ISLAND, VK9N. David, VK5DG is QRV as VK5DG/9 until July 27. Activity is holiday style on Satellites IO-117, AO-91, PO-101, RS-44,
and AO-7 QSL via LoTW.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, VP5. Shawn, KI5PXG is QRV as VP5/KI5PXG from Turks, IOTA NA-003, until July 24. Activity is holiday style primarily on 20 and 10 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via LoTW.

MYANMAR, XZ. Akio, JE2QIZ is QRV as XZ2B from Yangon until the end of September. Activity is on 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters using CW. QSL via JH3SIF.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. QRP 20-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC FT4 Sprint, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, Maidenhead Mayhem Contest, YOTA Contest and the ARAM 50 MHz Contest are all scheduled for this upcoming weekend.

The K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, ICWC Medium Speed CW Test, OK1WC CW Memorial, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, SKCC CW Sprint, A1Club AWT, CWops Test, Mini-Test 40 CW and Mini-Test 80 CW are on tap for July 24 to 26.

Please see July QST, page 78, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest web sites for details.

The RSGB has just released a video in which RSGB Spectrum and licensing expert Murray Niman, G6JYB, explains more about Ofcom’s consultation Updating the Amateur Radio Licensing Framework.

The Society encourages clubs to use this video to start a discussion about the consultation at their club meetings.

The UK has been awarded the hosting rights for the 10th World Radiosport Team Championships (WRTC), which will take place in July 2026.

To find out more about this radio contest event, which will take place in East Anglia, visit wrtc2026.org.

As well as meeting staff and volunteers, HRH saw Bletchley Park’s new Learning Centre and several recently opened exhibitions.

As part of the RSGB’s commitment to encourage youngsters into amateur radio and to support lifelong learning, the Society is providing resources and creating coding activities for people to get involved in throughout the month of September.

If you would like to get involved, contact ESRG member John Hislop, G7OHO via g7oho@rsgb.org.uk

Tickets are now available for CAT23 in the BATC shop.
These are exceptional value for BATC members as there is no charge for the ticket and they give free admission to the museum - normally £8.95!
You will need to download the ticket and either print it off or show it on your mobile at the door - if you don't, you will be charged £8.95!

Non-members are welcome to attend, but you will be charged the Museum Entrance Fee on the day. You can save 95p and get BATC membership for the whole year by joining beforehand!

Full ATV and Microwave test facilities available for QO-100 5.6GHz FM, Portsdown, MimiTiouner, Ryde, and power amplifiers and preamp

The following is a QST. The World Radiosport Team Championship heads to the UK. Campers prepare for Youth on the Air camp in Canada -- and calling QRZ among a universe of UFOs. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2385 comes your way right now.

Our top story takes us to the World Radiosport Team Championship. The prestigious international competition wrapped up in Italy on July 9th and the winners were announced -- including the venue selected to host the competition in 2026. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us that report.

The World Radiosport Team Championship - a high profile competition often viewed as the Olympics of amateur radio - has declared the United Kingdom the winner in the selection process to be host site for the next international contest. The English counties of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk - all in East Anglia - were selected by the Sanctioning Committee to serve as home to the 50 operating locations for the competing two-person teams.

In an interview with ICQ Podcast presenter/technical editor Martin Butler, M1MRB, WRTC 2026 President Mark Haynes MØDXR said organisers are going to rely heavily on amateur volunteers throughout the UK to provide technical help and support during setup and operation.

Meanwhile, as WRTC 2022 concluded, the top three winning pairs - among the other victorious operators - were identified as UW7LL and VE3DZ for first place; DJ5MW and DL1IAO, second place; and 9A7DX along with 9A3LG, third. For a full list of winners and their scores, visit the WRTC 2022 website at wrtc2022 dot it (wrtc2022.it).

Newsline would also like to congratulate our colleagues at the ICQ Podcast, which has been chosen as a media partner, providing updates as the organising progress goes forward. The announcement was made on the podcast's website on 10th July by its founding editor, Colin Butler, M6BOY.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(ICQ PODCAST, WRTC 2022, WRTC 2026)

According to a new study, those tiny low-earth orbit satellites may be delivering something unwanted and much less attractive than broadband internet access. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has the details.

Large satellite constellations that provide detailed Earth imagery as well as broadband internet access to some regions have been shown to emit unintended electromagnetic radiation that may prove a challenge to radioastronomers' research. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Germany report that interfering signals appear to come from the electronics on board a number of SpaceX satellites. Writing in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the researchers said they made the discovery using the facility's Low Frequency Array telescope. They drew their conclusions after observing 68 of the satellites in low earth orbit.

The report's lead author, Federico Di Vruno, said [quote] "This study represents the latest effort to better understand satellite constellations' impact on radio astronomy." [endquote] The scientist said that the most recent observations confirm there is a measurable existence of the radiation.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(PHYS.ORG)

The DX community is grieving the loss of an influential amateur who helped organize and promote DXpeditions in the polar regions. We hear more about him from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

George Giorgiy Chliyants, UY5XE, was a friend and an advocate to many. A number of reports say that George recently became a Silent Key. He has clearly left his mark: In 1993, while attending the IOTA convention in Spain, George encouraged the creation of what became the Russian Robinson Club, a group of adventurous amateurs who would come to operate out of particularly challenging locales in the polar regions.
He later became QSL manager for many of the Russian expeditions in both the Antarctic and the Arctic. He had also served as the president of the UDXC and vice president of the Robinson club. One of his DXpeditions was EM2ØYU, in which he activated the Chernobyl exclusion zone in 2006 with Boris UT7UT.

Licenced in 1966, he was an active ham whose contesting activity had won him many awards and plaques. He was also a published author and had been a correspondent for a number of amateur radio magazines, including Radio and RadioMir, both in Moscow and RadioHobby, in Kyiv.

George was 75.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(WORLDWIDE ANTARCTIC PROGRAM, UT7UT.COM, UY5XE HOMEPAGE)

July is Scouting Jamboree month and this year it's for girls as well as boys in the American section of the worldwide scouting organization, Bill Stearns, NE4RD has that story for us.

National Jamboree is the largest outdoor educational event organized by the Boy Scouts of America. Held every four years, the Jamboree offers a program of educational and training events; high adventure activities; tests of strength and endurance; entertainment, and camaraderie with fellow Scouts from around the nation. The year 2023 will be the first National Jamboree to include ScoutsBSA female participants. The Boy Scout program was renamed ScoutsBSA when female participants were welcomed in 2019.

The K2BSA Amateur Radio Association will be active from the National Jamboree July 19th through the 28th. They will have a demonstration station where Scouts can get on the air and radio merit badge classes throughout the event. The operation was funded by a grant from the ARDC and powered by Icom America transceivers.

You can participate in this event by being the amateur on the other end of the call. Help Scouts earn their contact cards and complete a requirement for their merit badge. K2BSA will be active minimally from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time on 40m through 10m as conditions permit, on D-STAR REF033A, and on Echolink on *JOTA-365*.

For Amateur Radio Newsline and the K2BSA Amateur Radio Association, this is Bill Stearns, NE4RD.

From British Columbia in the west to Prince Edward Island in the east, this could well be the biggest retirement party ever thanks to a dedicated group of amateur radio and aviation enthusiasts. Sel Embee KB3TZD tells us how to join the festivities.

It's likely that not many people know and love the RCAF CC115 Buffalo aircraft as much as Phill Tanner, VA7XOZ. An Air Force aircraft technician familiar with the inner workings of the Search and Rescue planes, Phill has joined with a handful of other amateurs to prepare a weekend of special QSOs, based in four different provinces, to mark the planes' retirement. The event is being called Buffalos on the Air. On July 22nd, you can find Phill calling QRZ on the amateur bands as VC7BUFF457 at Comox Heritage Park in British Columbia. Like the other three operators, Phill will be inside one of the planes, using its antenna and an amateur radio transceiver. Calvin Winter, VE4AJ, will operate as VC4BUFF462 from the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Manitoba; Dave Ackerman, VE3UGT/VE3OX will sign as VC3BUFF456 at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Ontario; and Doug Silliker, VY2DS, will use the callsign VY2BUFF451 from Summerside Air Force Heritage Park on Prince Edward Island. The hams will be operating CW, SSB and FT8, most likely between 10m and 40m.

The hams will also try for a coast-to-coast 2-metre net between the four aircraft on July 22nd. Buffalos on the Air is also welcoming spectators who live locally to attend the events at each of the activation sites. The rest of the world is invited to make contact with the stations, and those who have a QSO with more than one of the operators can request a certificate from Doug.

You can find additional details on the Facebook page for Buffalos on the Air.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(PHILLIP TANNER, VA7XOZ)

Scottish adventurer Cam Cameron is home safe. You may recall that he was joined initially - and briefly - by two amateur radio operators on Rockall in the North Atlantic during his attempt to break the 45-day record for a stay there, set in 2014. His other goal was to raise money for charity. Cam's challenge came to an end in late June after 32 days, after he was successfully rescued by coast guard and search-and-rescue personnel. He wrote on the expedition website that he was [quote] "in pain, exhausted and hypothermic." However, he did meet his other goal and was grateful to have helped a number of charitable causes.

(BBC.COM, ROCKALLEXPED.COM)

In the Czech Republic, some of the youngest of the young are getting a chance to be involved in an amateur radio camp later this year. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us that report.

The campers may be as young as 10 and no older than 15 but they will benefit from a lifetime of radio experience from those who guide them in learning radio operating skills and getting on the air. This is the KOTA Subregional Camp at Castle Trhanov, outside Prague and it will take place from the 15th to the 17th of September. KOTA stands for "Kids on the Air" and the goal is to serve this very young age group as part of a pilot project.

The weekend is being organised by the Czech Radio Club with assistance from the IARU Region 1 Youth Working Group. The future of such a programme is on the agenda for discussion at the IARU Region 1 General Conference taking place in November in Serbia.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(YOTA, IARU REGION1, WIA)

Meanwhile, camp is getting under way in Canada for youngsters who are from North, Central and South America. They have a full agenda, as we hear from Patrick Clark K8TAC.

Young amateurs in the Americas are getting ready for an out-of-this-world experience at the Youth on the Air camp in Ontario, Canada between July 16th and the 21st: The campers have a scheduled contact with the International Space Station on Tuesday, July 18. Meanwhile, they'll also get to experience the thrill of being chased by callsign hunters by activating VE3YOTA. They go on the air starting Sunday July 16th and don't go QRT until Friday July 21st. There's also a satellite station for them to operate and they'll be on the air to experience contact with the birds on Wednesday July 19th.

Parks on the Air activity is expected to play a big role for the kids too: Fifteen QRP stations will be on the air on Tuesday, July 18th from 1900 UTC to 2100 UTC and Thursday July 20th from 1300 UTC to 1600 UTC. They will activate a two-for-one POTA location, the Central Experimental Farm National Historic Site, VE-5095, and the Rideau Canal National Historic Site, VE-4882.

Don't forget to catch the opening day ceremonies via their webstream on Sunday July 16th at 2100 UTC, featuring keynote speaker Phil McBride, VA3QR, president of the Radio Amateurs of Canada.

Further details about these activities can be found at Youthontheair dot org. That's Youthontheair - one word - dot org.

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(YOUTH ON THE AIR)

In the World of DX, listen for Mauro, IW2KVT, operating holiday style as IH9/IW2KVT from Pantelleria Island, IOTA number AF-018, until the 14th of July. He is using SSB on the HF bands and 6 metres.

A team of hams will be operating as IP1X from Gallinara Island, IOTA number EU-083, on the 29th and 30th of July. Listen for them using CW and SSB on 80-10 metres. They will also participate in the IOTA Contest. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Special event station CR6J is on the air from the 17th to the 23rd of July for the 41st International Motorcycle Rally in Faro, Portugal. Listen on 80-6 metres for operators using CW, SSB and digital modes. QSL via CT1EHX.

Listen for Dirk, DL1KVN, operating holiday style as F/DL1KVN/p from Noirmoutier Island, IOTA number EU-064, from the 15th to the 28th of July. Dirk will be using CW and SSB on 40-10 metres. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

Do you believe in Unidentified Flying Objects? Well whether you do or you don't, as long as you believe in amateur radio, you'll be interested in our final story this week, which comes to us from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

It's no secret that Pete Guldan KDØSQJ and his fellow club members in the Midwest have been seeing flying saucers for quite some time. The flying discs hover with great tenacity on the landing page of the website for NØFOO, which identifies the Minnesota group by its formal club name: Hams of Insignificant Value.

Ah, but the amateurs' true worth is actually as great as the universe itself - and thanks to these hams, visitors in a nearby Wisconsin village are about to have a close encounter of the radio kind.

The village of Elmwood considers itself the UFO capital of the state, based on residents' claims of having had so many sightings over the years. It is therefore not insignificant that for the first time in the festival's 44-year history, there will be sightings of amateur radio operators calling QRZ on the HF bands. They bring a message of peace: "Take me to your feedline." The club will have operators on the air with the club callsign NØFOO from July 28th to the 30th.

Let's face it: Having radio amateurs at a UFO festival is proof that there is indeed intelligent life on this planet.

Be listening, from anywhere on earth - or even beyond.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(PETE GULDAN, KDØSQJ)

What's the one ham radio competition you can enter without turning your rig on? The Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. In the spirit of fun and perhaps a little bit of literary adventure, we've been inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form. Use it to send your most poetic offering. To qualify, you need to follow traditional haiku form: The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. We cannot accept any other formats.

Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5 syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? For now, bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning ham radio haiku.

Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; BBC, CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; 425DXNews; IARU Region 1; ICQ Podcast; Pete Guldan, KDØSQJ; Phillip Tanner, VA7XOZ; Phys.org; QRZ.COM; RockallExped.com; shortwaveradio.de; UY5XE Homepage; Wireless Institute of Australia; Worldwide Antarctic Program; Youth on the Air; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO in Valparaiso Indiana saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Keplerian Bulletin 51 ARLK051
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT July 11, 2023
To all radio amateurs

Special thanks to AMSAT-NA (AMSAT.ORG) for the following Keplerian data.

Decode 2-line elsets with the following key:
1 AAAAAU 00 0 0 BBBBB.BBBBBBBB .CCCCCCCC 00000-0 00000-0 0 DDDZ
2 AAAAA EEE.EEEE FFF.FFFF GGGGGGG HHH.HHHH III.IIII JJ.JJJJJJJJKKKKKZ
KEY: A-CATALOGNUM B-EPOCHTIME C-DECAY D-ELSETNUM E-INCLINATION F-RAAN
G-ECCENTRICITY H-ARGPERIGEE I-MNANOM J-MNMOTION K-ORBITNUM Z-CHECKSUM

0 AO-07
1 7530U 74089B   23191.42945885 -.00000029 00000-0 10888-3 0 9994
2 7530 101.9475 178.2638 0012448 21.0649 134.6428 12.53665246226323
0 ISS
1 25544U 98067A   23192.77465975 .00009236 00000-0 17152-3 0 9996
2 25544 51.6418 206.6747 0000226 93.0746 77.7732 15.49674362405603
0 SO-50
1 27607U 02058C   23192.39914773 .00000813 00000-0 12995-3 0 9998
2 27607 64.5527 190.6960 0066716 219.8257 139.7940 14.77384206106017
0 AO-73
1 39444U 13066AE 23191.48047324 .00002527 00000-0 28215-3 0 9995
2 39444 97.6724 154.9012 0052392 194.0690 165.9070 14.86876870519696
0 IO-86
1 40931U 15052B   23192.26096342 .00001125 00000-0 66119-4 0 9995
2 40931   5.9995 274.6703 0013605 275.7948 84.0628 14.77267889420915
0 AO-91
1 43017U 17073E   23191.95073038 .00006725 00000-0 46830-3 0 9998
2 43017 97.6279 75.3505 0231841 351.2558   8.4649 14.86504581304718
0 PO-101
1 43678U 18084H   23192.44246443 .00001070 00000-0 10729-3 0 9997
2 43678 98.0260 336.9049 0010877 82.9310 277.3145 14.93509671255887
0 QO-100
1 43700U 18090A   23192.07167363 .00000142 00000-0 00000+0 0 9998
2 43700   0.0133 313.2562 0001904 199.5986 187.4587 1.00271853 17179
0 JO-97
1 43803U 18099AX 23191.44780659 .00004745 00000-0 37412-3 0 9994
2 43803 97.5723 253.4254 0015345 23.1574 337.0338 15.01127564251184
0 RS-44
1 44909U 19096E   23190.50479398 .00000028 00000-0 59101-4 0 9991
2 44909 82.5231 333.1140 0218309 134.6268 227.2870 12.79722075165065
0 XW-3
1 50466U 21131B   23192.43769743 .00000481 00000-0 17026-3 0 9991
2 50466 98.5520 273.9079 0005381 74.6768 285.5014 14.38954897 80847
0 IO-117
1 53106U 22080B   23192.33245448 -.00000003 00000-0 00000+0 0 9990
2 53106 70.1633 311.3291 0008591 181.2568 178.8071 6.42556799 23304
0 FO-118
1 54684U 22167C   23192.45962191 .00009718 00000-0 52980-3 0 9991
2 54684 97.5649 329.8824 0012472 248.3390 111.6514 15.14527465 32352

Keplerian bulletins are transmitted twice weekly from W1AW.

The next scheduled transmission of these data will be Friday, July 14, 2023, at 2330z on Baudot and BPSK31.

DX Bulletin 28 ARLD028
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT July 13, 2023
To all radio amateurs

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

TIMOR-LESTE, 4W. Vasily, R7AL, Mike, RU3UR and Anastasya R6DTO are QRV as 4W6RU from Lusaka until July 20. Activity is on 30 to 10 meters using CW and FT8. QSL via R7AL.

MALAWI, 7Q. Don, K6ZO is QRV as 7Q6M from the Embangweni Mission Hospital in northern Malawi until possibly the end of July. Activity is in his spare time with a special emphasis on 6 meters. QSL direct to W0MAN.

MALDIVES, 8Q. Bert, CX3AN is QRV as 8Q7HU until July 18. Activity is holiday style on 40 to 6 meters. QSL to home call.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, 9Q. A large group of operators are QRV as 9Q1AA, and 9Q1ZZ using FT8, until July 18. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8 with four stations. QSL direct to I2YSB.

TAIWAN, BV. Kenicho, JP1RIW is QRV as BM0QSO from New Taipei City until the end of 2023. Activity is on the HF bands using mostly FT8. QSL via bureau.

PORTUGAL, CT. Special event station CR6J will be QRV on July 17 to 23 for the 41st International Motorcycle Rally in Faro. Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and various digital modes. QSL via CT1EHX.

PHILIPPINES, DU. Rag, LB3RE is QRV as DU1/LB3RE from Luzon Island, IOTA OC-042, until July 18. Activity is on 40 to 6 meters. QSL to home call.

REPUBLIC OF KOREA, HL. Wouter, PB1WL plans to be QRV as HL4/PB1WL from July 17 to August 16. QSL to home call.

AMERICAN SAMOA, KH8. Operators N3QQ, KB2FMH and W8HC are QRV as KH8RRC from Tutuila Island, IOTA OC-045, WWFF KFF-0054, and POTA K-0053 until July 18 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Russian Robinson Club. They are also active as W1AW/KH8 until July 18 as part of the 2023 VOTA operating event. QSL KH8RRC direct to KB2FMH, and W1AW/KH8 via LoTW only.

AUSTRIA, OE. Special event stations OE2XXM and OE5XXM are QRV during July, and September around the international Autumn field day in Gosau.
QSL via operators' instructions.

FAROE ISLANDS, OY. Nobu, JA0JHQ is QRV as OY/M0JHQ until July 15. Activity is on the HF bands. QSL direct to home call.

SABA, ST. EUSTATIUS, PJ5. Operators PE6Q and PA4O are QRV as PJ5/home calls until July 18. Activity is on 80 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4.
QSL via ClubLog.

MARSHALL ISLANDS, V7. Bob, W0RGC is QRV as V7/W0RGC from Kwajalein Island for about two to three weeks. Activity is in his spare time on 20, 15, and 10 meters using SSB. QSL to home call.

MYANMAR, XZ. Akio, JE2QIZ is QRV as XZ2B from Yangon until the end of September. Activity is on 15, 12, 10, and 6 meters using CW. QSL via JH3SIF.

ZIMBABWE, Z2. Eddy, OE3SEU is QRV as Z21MV through August. He is active on Satellite QO-100 using SSB. QSL via LoTW.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The North American RTTY QSO Party, CQ Worldwide VHF Contest, QRP 20-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC FT4 Sprint, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, Russian Radio Team Championship, Trans-Tasman Low-Bands Challenge, Feld Hell Sprint, IARU Region 1 70 MHz Contest, RSGB International Low Power CW Contest and the Run for the Bacon QRP CW Contest are all on tap for this upcoming weekend.

The ICWC Medium Speed CW Test, OK1WC CW Memorial, RSGB FT4 Contest, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, Phone Weekly Test, A1Club AWT, CWops Test, VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest, Mini-Test CW 40 and the Mini-Test CW 80 are scheduled for July 17 to 19.

Please see July QST, page 78, and the ARRL and WA7BNM Contest web sites for details.

Congratulations to the world champions of radio sports in the WRTC 2022 Competition - the team of Ukraine!

We’re beaming (almost) live across the airwaves with microwatts of broadband energy to bring you the long-awaited show 29 of TX Factor. In this programme we increase the power to a few tens of Watts when Bob, Dave and Noel head to the Wiltshire hills with a pair of Icom IC-905 all-mode transceivers to see what can be achieved.

The latest Russian owned Meteor M satellite recently launched via a Soyuz-2 rocket and is now in orbit transmitting weather imagery.

ICQPodcast's Martin Butler M1MRB/W9ICQ is joined by the RSGB President John McCullagh GI4BWM, Chairman Stewart Bryant G3YSX and General Manager M1ACB to discuss Ofcom's proposed changed to the UK Amateur Radio Licence.

A short film produced by members of Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society has won a top award at the 2023 Doric Film Festival.

You can find the film by searching for ‘Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society Groups DFF Entry’ on YouTube.

A reminder now that International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend is coming up soon.

The event is usually held on the third weekend of August which this year is the 19^th and 20^th.

For more information please email NRC Coordinator Martyn Baker, G0GMB via nrc.support@rsgb.org.uk

A new amateur TV display has just been installed at the RSGB National Radio Centre (NRC), with signals received via the wide-band segment of the geostationary satellite QO-100.

The following is a QST. Gains in attendance at Europe's largest hamfest. Sri Lanka loses a respected member of the amateur community -- and there are big plans ahead for radio at Scout camps. All this and more as Amateur Radio Newsline Report Number 2384 comes your way right now.

Our top story this week takes us to Germany. With Ham Radio Friedrichshafen (Pron: Freed Ricks Harfen) completing two weeks ago, the attendance figures have been announced and there's some good news. Over to our European Correspondent Ed Durrant DD5LP who attended.

This year's attendance at Ham Radio, Europe's largest Hamfest, was up by 10% to 11,100 and the number of traders by 15% compared to last year, despite predictions that Hamfests may suffer due to the increase in online sales during and following the pandemic.

It was clear there was an increase in the number of people both at the indoor flea market halls and in the main trader and exhibitor hall. While there were no new major radio announcements -- other than we already know of from Hamvention -- it was good to see Kenwood back with a stall but a shame that only Yaesu's agents represented them. ICOM was there with their usual impressive large display area and competing in size was a new company to the amateur radio market - Aaronia a manufacturer of high quality test equipment.

All in all, it was a very uplifting event.

Just as important was the announcement that the required legislative document had just been signed to implement the new German entry level "N class" amateur radio licence. The regulations will come into force on the 21st of June 2024, the week before next years "Ham Radio" event between the 28th and 30th and indeed the very first examinations for this new class of licence will take place at "HAM RADIO 2024." The new licence will allow access to 70cm, 2m and 10m running a maximum of 10 watts and will conform to CEPT specifications for an entry level licence.

This is Ed Durrant DD5LP.

Following years of experimental use of the frequencies between 2 and 25 MHz - a range the FCC considers underutilized - members of the Shortwave Modernization Coalition have asked the agency for rule changes that would permit fixed, long-distance, time-sensitive transmission of data by commercial entities. The FCC is requesting public comment on the proposed rule change, which the Commission said would not have an impact on that part of the spectrum used exclusively by amateur radio, maritime or aeronautical services.

A rule change would make the frequencies available to regular commercial operations. At present only 61 of the 21,507 active licenses for frequencies between 2 and 25 MHz are for industrial and business use, according to the FCC.

The businesses seeking access have relied until now on satellite, fiber, microwave and millimeter wave wireless transmissions.

Shortwave Management Coalition members, who include such entities as companies in the financial markets, believe a rule change could widen access to other industries such as mining, petroleum and manufacturing.

Comments are due to the FCC within the month.

(FCC, SWLING POST)

In other action in Washington, it is shaping up to be a busy month for the Federal Communications Commission, which is considering whether low power analog TV stations that have a Channel 6 allocation can continue to broadcast analog FM radio. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us what's behind the issue.

In a small number of US markets, FM broadcast audio has long been available from TV stations making use of a subcarrier 250 kHz from the top of the Channel 6 frequencies. At the FCC's open meeting on July 20th, the FCC will look at an option it favors: permitting these low-power TV stations to continue this practice as a supplementary service even after the TV stations' conversion to digital.

The FCC believes that preserving the operations for those 13 low-power stations would benefit the public interest, noting as well that there is no record of TV interference with the adjacent FM channels, known as FM6 stations. The FCC wrote in a fact sheet on its website that it has not received complaints with credible evidence showing anything to the contrary.

FM6 radio is permitted to operate only on 87.75 MHz and the service may only be offered within the low-power TV station's coverage area and on a non-interference basis.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(FCC)

In case you've marked your calendar for January of next year, hoping to make contact with the Clipperton Island DXpedition, there's extra good news if you are a satellite enthusiast. Neil Rapp WB9VPG explains.

When members of the Perseverance DX Group call QRZ in January of 2024 from Clipperton Island, they'll have an extra way to make contact. The team just announced that the TX5S DXpedition will include satellite operations. The team's satellite station manager, Andreas N6NU, reported in a recent press release that the team hopes to use the IO-117 GreenCube satellite, which not only has a generous footprint over the island but has passes that last more than an hour.

The uninhabited atoll in the eastern Pacific Ocean will be home for the team for 16 days as they use SSB, CW, RTTY and FT8. This is the 38th most wanted DX according to Clublog - and it is IOTA number NA-011.

This is Neil Rapp WB9VPG.

(AMSAT, CLIPPERTON ISLAND WEBSITE)

There's nothing like a good contest to bring out the thrill of competition in some hams. In Scotland, however, one amateur radio group is enjoying the status of being one of the top winners at - of all things - a film festival. Jeremy Boot G4NJH explains what happened.

Hams in the Aberdeen Amateur Radio Society had the kind of performance you might not see in a DX contest, a sprint or even in a QSO party. They were among the top winners at this year's Doric Film Festival, an event that shines a light on filmmakers who celebrate Doric culture and language in their work. The five-minute production is colorful, lively and entirely in the Doric language. Interestingly enough, this is not the radio society's first appearance in a film. A 12-minute film, "Hams," was released in 1961 and is available for viewing online in the Moving Image Archives of the National Library of Scotland. That film, however, is in black and white - and in English.

Doric, once the official language of Scotland, is still widely spoken in the country's Northeast. The festival's winning films were screened last month at the awards ceremony on the campus of Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

The stars of the radio society's film are, of course, the many operators in the club and they are seen sending Morse Code and talking to the International Space Station. There is even a cameo appearance by a pig. Of course, you'll have to watch the film on YouTube to understand why. See the link to the society's film in the text version of this week's Newsline script at arnewsline.org

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(DORIC FILM FESTIVAL, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND, ABERDEEN AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)

A prominent West Coast business journal has named an active California YL among those who have left an impact on modern-day engineering. We get those details from Jack Parker W8ISH.

A third generation amateur radio operator, inspired by her father and her grandfather, has been selected for inclusion in the San Diego, California, Business Journal's list of Women of Influence in Engineering.

Michelle Thompson, W5NYV, a licensed ham for 25 years, belongs to the FCC's Technical Advisory Council and works on amateur satellite service regulatory reform. A Life Member of the ARRL, she is technical specialist for the ARRL Field Organization's Southwestern Division.

She writes on her page on QRZ.com: [quote] "Amateur radio is why I became an engineer and is the motivation for a large amount of the volunteer work I do. I give back to ARRL, IEEE, DEFCON, and many other organizations." [endquote] In 2018 she and two cofounders created the nonprofit Open Research Institute. ORI conducts open source research and development for amateur radio and other areas and provides its findings free.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(WIA, QRZ)

A well-respected amateur in Sri Lanka, and a familiar voice on a popular evening net, has become a Silent Key. We hear about him from Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

The Radio Society of Sri Lanka held a special tribute VHF Tribute Net to honor Asoka da Silva, 4S5BAK, who became a Silent Key on the 26th of June, two months after his 75th birthday. The retired banker, who rose to prominence in the financial sector, was remembered by many who checked in on VHF or via Echolink during the one-hour net. The net was recorded by the society to present to Asoka's family as a gift.

A mainstay of the daily 9 p.m. net for the past three years, Asoka was a familiar voice who would share with his fellow hams a thorough, well-researched weather report that many looked forward to hearing. His last check-in on the net took place on the 9th of April. According to the radio society, even in the difficult final months of his life, Asoka was determined to upgrade the amateur radio licence he had first acquired following his retirement. Despite frequent hospitalizations, he successfully sat the General and Advanced exams and qualified for that sought-after upgrade.

The VHF tribute net allowed hams from elsewhere, including the United States, Canada and India, to check in with Victor Goonetilleke (goo-nuh-till-ecke) 4S7VK as net control. They shared memories of Asoka, remembering him fondly as the net's "weatherman," and expressed their condolences to his family.

The radio society's own tribute online said [quote] "We have lost a dear friend, and his untimely departure leaves an immense void that will be difficult to fill." [endquote]

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(RSSL, YOUTUBE)

A sweeping new program is in the works to encourage hams everywhere to make contacts with young hams involved in Scouting. Think of it as a push for hams to do a bit of scouting for Scouts.

It's called Scout Camps on the Air and it started as the dream of Matt KR8E. He saw it as a way for the ham population to have QSOs with Scout stations - stations based on camps that are owned or leased by the Scouting organization or those not at any camps but still known as Scout Stations on the Air.

Though the program is still a work in progress, the committee has added three active scouts who are deeply involved in amateur radio, hoping to add to the momentum. The committee has been asking Scout councils to provide input. Organizers are meanwhile developing an multi-level awards program to recognize licensed hams worldwide everywhere who have successful radio contacts with the Scouts.

You can follow the progress of Scout Camps on the Air, or get involved, by following the program on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. See the text version of this week's newscast script at arnewsline.org for the Twitter and Instagram handles of Scout Camps on the Air.

[DO NOT READ: Twitter handle is @SCOTA_k2bsa
Instagram handle is scota_k2bsa ]

(SCOUT CAMPS ON THE AIR)

Amateur radio operators in India have once again used their extensive network of contacts to bring about a family reunion. Graham Kemp VK4BB gives us their story.

A mother in India who went missing at a fair 17 years ago while her three children were on an amusement ride is heading back home to Bihar thanks to local radio amateurs. Following the separation, the children had come to believe their mother had long since died. Their fears were proven wrong, however, after police enforcing the recent COVID-19 lockdown saw her wandering the streets outside her home village, unable to speak. They took her for hospital evaluation. From there she was transferred to the Missionaries of Charity Home where she remained until the home asked the West Bengal Radio Club for assistance. Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, the club's secretary, told the website etvbharat.com (E TEE VEE BARRAT DOT COM) that the radio club sent pictures to amateur radio operators they know throughout India. A reply ultimately came from the woman's daughter in Bihar, though the hams there. The daughter told the West Bengal hams she had been seeking her mother for years and that she was feared dead. At the time the family's story appeared in the local media, a reunion was being planned.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(ETVBHARAT.COM)

In the World of DX, be listening for Rag, LB3RE, operating on 40-6 metres as DU1/LB3RE from Luzon Island, IOTA number OC-042, until the 18th of July. See QRZ.com for QSL details.

Be listening for a six-member team of activators using the callsign RI1OR (R Eye One Oh R) from Bolshoy Solovetsky Island, IOTA number EU-066, from the 25th to the 29th of July. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on 160-10 metres. Send QSLs via RZ3EC.

Chasers of World Wide Flora & Fauna activations may want to listen for Bruno, F4JIK. He is touring Finland in his camper van and is on the air as OH/F4JIK/p until the 13th of July. Listen for him on SSB on 40, 20 and 15 metres from several Finnish Flora &
Fauna locations.

Listen for Ben, PE5B, who will be active as PJ7/PE5B from Sint Maarten, IOTA number NA-105, from the 7th to the 14th of July. He will be operating SSB and RTTY while doing training and demonstrations of ham radio and HF EmComm to local groups. QSL via LoTW.

(DX WORLD.NET, 425 DX BULLETIN)

Imagine AI - artificial intelligence - behind the radio mic? Well.....it has already arrived in broadcasting and that's giving us here at Newsline something to think about too. Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB to explain.

In Portland, Oregon, the radio DJ known as Ashley Z Elzinga has some company in the studio: herself. The station, "Live 95.5" KBFF has begun using an artificial version of her voice to produce segments, using Futuri Media's RadioGPT during midday programming. Ashley Z is a syndicated talent heard on a number of other stations, including ones in Michigan and Seattle. The Oregon station is calling her "AI Ashley" and it even quotes her in the station's press release expressing her commitment to being the world's first AI DJ.

Meanwhile, students at the University of Florida have used RadioGPT to create an AI personality they have named "Q." Q is featured on the College of Journalism and Communications audio research and development platform, GHQ. According to a report in RadioWorld, RadioGPT generates scripts about relevant topics by scanning online content and social media and then voices the script using AI.

It does leave us wondering, however: How long before something called HamGPT is developed and learns to scan the solar reports, the propagation maps, the DX clusters and even our personal details on QRZ.com, handing out "5 9" and "7 3?"

Perhaps for that answer - for now - we'll have to Google it.

This is Ralph Squillace KK6ITB.

(RADIOWORLD, RADIOINSIGHT.COM)

We hope our listeners have been enjoying the Amateur Radio Newsline haiku challenge. We certainly have! In the spirit of fun and perhaps a little bit of literary adventure, we've been inviting listeners to channel their most creative selves and share the joy of ham radio in the form of a haiku. On our website, arnewsline.org, you will find a submission form for sending your most poetic offering. To qualify, you need to follow traditional haiku form: The first line is five syllables, the second line is seven syllables and the finishing third line has another five syllables. We cannot accept any other formats.

Our team will pick from the best submissions that follow the 5/7/5 syllable rule and represent the love of amateur radio. Your prize? For now, bragging rights -- and a featured spot for your haiku on the Amateur Radio Newsline website. We may have a surprise for you at the end of the year, however. So visit our website at arnewsline.org and take a look at this week's winning ham radio haiku.

Do you have a piece of Amateur Radio News that you think Newsline would be interested in? We are not talking about advertising your club's upcoming hamfest or field day participation, but something that is out of the ordinary. If so, send us a brief overview via the contact page at arnewsline.org. If it's newsworthy and we would like to cover it, we'll get back to you for more details.

NEWSCAST CLOSE: With thanks to Amateur Radio Daily; AMSAT News Service; ARRL; CQ Magazine; David Behar K7DB; DX-World.net; FCC; 425DXNews; ETVBHARAT.com QRZ.COM; RadioInsight.com; Shortwave Listening Post; shortwaveradio.de; Wireless Institute of Australia; and you our listeners, that's all from the Amateur Radio Newsline. We remind our listeners that Amateur Radio Newsline is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that incurs expenses for its continued operation. If you wish to support us, please visit our website at arnewsline.org and know that we appreciate you all. We also remind our listeners that if you like our newscast, please leave us a 5-star rating wherever you subscribe to us. For now, with Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT at the news desk in New York, and our news team worldwide, I'm Stephen Kinford N8WB in Wadsworth Ohio saying 73. As always we thank you for listening. Amateur Radio Newsline(tm) is Copyright 2023. All rights reserved.

Keplerian Bulletin 50 ARLK050
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington, CT July 7, 2023
To all radio amateurs

Special thanks to AMSAT-NA (AMSAT.ORG) for the following Keplerian data.

Decode 2-line elsets with the following key:
1 AAAAAU 00 0 0 BBBBB.BBBBBBBB .CCCCCCCC 00000-0 00000-0 0 DDDZ
2 AAAAA EEE.EEEE FFF.FFFF GGGGGGG HHH.HHHH III.IIII JJ.JJJJJJJJKKKKKZ
KEY: A-CATALOGNUM B-EPOCHTIME C-DECAY D-ELSETNUM E-INCLINATION F-RAAN
G-ECCENTRICITY H-ARGPERIGEE I-MNANOM J-MNMOTION K-ORBITNUM Z-CHECKSUM

0 AO-07
1 7530U 74089B   23187.76257434 -.00000048 00000-0 -10329-4 0 9995
2 7530 101.9473 174.5719 0012489 27.9604 145.3951 12.53665165225869
0 ISS
1 25544U 98067A   23188.51662157 .00010281 00000-0 19057-3 0 9992
2 25544 51.6406 227.7630 0000247 61.6810 99.2425 15.49589703404949
0 SO-50
1 27607U 02058C   23187.66077709 .00000832 00000-0 13254-3 0 9991
2 27607 64.5527 205.2245 0067204 220.8027 138.8034 14.77375052105311
0 AO-73
1 39444U 13066AE 23188.18290312 .00003718 00000-0 41249-3 0 9990
2 39444 97.6727 151.7152 0052080 205.1129 154.7554 14.86857833519202
0 XW-2A
1 40903U 15049E   23112.43632650 .18814400 25108-5 15498-3 0 9990
2 40903 97.0819 181.5568 0011783 175.5276 309.8044 16.51931608427640
0 IO-86
1 40931U 15052B   23187.80511626 .00001179 00000-0 73612-4 0 9991
2 40931   6.0004 306.4804 0013363 214.9892 144.9357 14.77263664420257
0 CAS-4B
1 42759U 17034B   23188.39459065 .00007773 00000-0 38839-3 0 9993
2 42759 43.0163   3.3237 0011919 237.0808 122.8894 15.17765517334709
0 CAS-4A
1 42761U 17034D   23188.41064064 .00008586 00000-0 42765-3 0 9996
2 42761 43.0154   1.7619 0012644 237.9054 122.0567 15.17766338334718
0 AO-91
1 43017U 17073E   23187.44075633 .00006997 00000-0 48643-3 0 9995
2 43017 97.6278 71.0177 0232549   6.1723 354.2271 14.86437717304046
0 PO-101
1 43678U 18084H   23188.55659734 .00001795 00000-0 17606-3 0 9990
2 43678 98.0256 332.9393 0010917 94.2727 265.9739 14.93500067255302
0 QO-100
1 43700U 18090A   23188.29263503 .00000139 00000-0 00000+0 0 9996
2 43700   0.0157 54.2757 0001976 86.2907 275.5648 1.00271370 17134
0 JO-97
1 43803U 18099AX 23187.44826132 .00005107 00000-0 40269-3 0 9993
2 43803 97.5718 249.5261 0015518 35.1389 325.0855 15.01086311250589
0 CAS-6
1 44881U 19093C   23188.47682731 .00001004 00000-0 13115-3 0 9996
2 44881 97.8616 266.5831 0015016 17.5739 342.5991 14.82584929191804
0 RS-44
1 44909U 19096E   23188.39385516 .00000036 00000-0 94438-4 0 9994
2 44909 82.5228 334.5166 0218238 139.5422 222.2139 12.79722067164794
0 XW-3
1 50466U 21131B   23188.47420057 .00000564 00000-0 19715-3 0 9991
2 50466 98.5521 269.9565 0005460 84.0364 276.1446 14.38951143 80271
0 IO-117
1 53106U 22080B   23184.70595441 -.00000003 00000-0 00000+0 0 9993
2 53106 70.1641 313.9781 0008494 182.0884 177.9741 6.42556846 22819
0 FO-118
1 54684U 22167C   23188.42930661 .00009981 00000-0 54523-3 0 9997
2 54684 97.5655 325.8756 0012230 263.2722 96.7117 15.14449901 31748

Keplerian bulletins are transmitted twice weekly from W1AW.

The next scheduled transmission of these data will be Tuesday, July 11, 2023, at 2330z on Baudot and BPSK31.

DX Bulletin 27 ARLD027
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT July 6, 2023
To all radio amateurs

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

SEYCHELLES, S7. Members of the Seychelles Amateur Radio Association (SARA) plan to operate as S77HQ in the IARU HF World Championship Contest. They will be mostly active on 20, 15 and 10 meters. Manning the stations will be S79VU, S79KW, S79RP and S79JN.

TIMOR LESTE, 4W. Vasily, R7AL, Mike, RU3UR and Anastasya, R6DTO are QRV as 4W6RU from near Dili until July 20. QSL via R7AL, Club Log's OQRS, LoTW.

SOUTH KOREA, HL. Wouter, PB1WL is planning to be active as HL4/PB1WL from July 17 to August 16. QSL to home call.

CURACAO, PJ2. The Curacao headquarters call PJ2HQ will be QRV in the IARU HF World Championship contest from the PJ2T station. They will be handing out the VERONA multiplier.

TAIWAN, BV. BW2/JP1RIW is active as BM0QSO until December 31, using mostly digital modes. QSL via BM2JCC.

PORTUGAL, CT. Special event station CR6J will be QRV in observance of the 41st International Faro Moto (motorcycle) Gathering in Faro from July 17 to 23. Activity will be on 80 through 6 meters on SSB, CW and Digital. QSL via CT1EHX.

SPAIN, EA. Look for EF4HQ as the URE HQ station during the IARU HF World Championship.

PALAU, T8. Japanese operators JO3LVG and JM1LIG plan to activate T88MK and T88FM, respectively, from the VIP Guest Hotel's Palau Radio Club from September 12 to 19. JR3QFB plans to be there from September 12 to 17 and QRV as T88JH.

HAWAII, KH6. PVRC members W3LPL, KE3Q, W3AMY and WR3R will be teaming up with KH7U, K8VG, KH6HT and possibly KH6U and KH6ML as W1AW/KH6 in the IARU HF World Championship. SSB operations will be from the KH6YY station on Oahu. CW activity will take place from the Big Island (Hawaii) at the KH6LC station. PVRC member WH7W will be one of the ops at KH6LC along with NH6V, AH6KO, KH6KB and KH6LC.

PHILIPPINES, DU. Ops DU9XL, DU9XM, DU9HRG, DU9CA, DV9DDX, DV9ARA and DV9BPI will be on the air as DX9EVM from Mindanao Island (OC-130) for the 2023 RSGB IOTA Contest, July 29 and 30. QSL via the bureau or direct.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA, P2. Lowell, DU3LZ has been QRV for the past two weeks as P29LZ. Listen for him on 40, 20 and 15 meters using SSB and in the future on FT8.

SABA, ST EUSTATIUS, PJ5. Operators PA4O and PE6Q will be QRV until July 18 including activity in the IARU HF Championship. During the Contest they will be operating as PJ5C. Outside the contest they will use the calls PJ5/PA4O and PJ5/PE6Q, and be on 80 to 6 meters using CW, SSB and FT8. QSOs will be uploaded to Club Log OQRS.

UNITED STATES, W. During the RSGB IOTA Contest, Jeff, W7BRS plans to operate from the NN7SS station located on Vashon Island (NA-065). This will be a single op, hi-power effort. QSL via K6UFO.

ITALY, I. IU1JCZ, I1NVU, IK1CJO, IK1NEG and IK1QBT will be manning the IP1X multi-op effort in the RSGB IOTA Contest, from Gallinara Island (EU-083). Activity will be on 80 through 10 meters using CW and SSB during the full 24 hours of the contest. The multi-op effort will be low power. QSL direct or via bureau to IU1JCZ and
OQRS on Club Log. Also, IZ7AUH, IZ7LDC, IK7WDS, IW7DOL, IW7DMH, IU7EHF and IZ8EGM are heading to San Pietre Island (EU-073) and will activate IJ7DX and IJ7SAT from June 28 to 30. Activity will include QO-100, LEO and MEO satellites. QSL via IZ7AUH.

NETHERLANDS, PA. Dutch ops PA2LO, PA3EYC, PA3GRM, PC3M, PE1KWH and PH3T plan to activate PI4AMF/P from Schouwen-Duiveland (EU-146) in the RSGB IOTA Contest. This will be a multi-two effort. QSL via PA3EYC.

ZAMBIA, 9J. Eddy, OE3SEU is mostly active on the QO-100 satellite, using the call sign 9J2SEU/p, from grids KH55, KH56, KH43 and KH45. When there are many callers he goes split and by call sign number, starting with zero. QSL via LoTW.

NIUE, E6. Stan, LZ1GC and Dimo, LZ1ON will be signing E6AM from October 10 to 23. They will operate CW, SSB, FT8 and maybe some RTTY on 160 to 6 meters. QSL via Club Log's OQRS (preferred), LoTW, or via LZ1GC, direct or bureau.

JAPAN, JA. Ichy, JH7IPR will be active from Okushiri Island (AS- 147) from July 7 to 10. He will be signing JH7IPR/8 on CW, RTTY, SSB and AM, and JH7IPR/p on FT4, FT8, MSK144 and Q65. QSL via Club Log and LoTW.

SINT MAARTEN, PJ7. Ben, PE5B will be QRV as PJ7/PE5B until July 14. QSL via LoTW.

GREECE, SV. John, N4TOL will be active as SV8/N4TOL/p from Paros Island until July 8, and from Samothraki Island (EU-174) from July 10 to 13. He will be QRV mostly on 20 meter CW and possibly SSB.

EUROPEAN RUSSIA, UA. Dmitry, R3GM and Igor, UA3EDQ will be QRV as RI1ZZ from Kildin Island (EU-082) and a couple of islands (RR-02-100 and RR-02-101) in the Kandalaksha Gulf until July 8. QSL via RZ3EC. Also, the team of R3XDA, RA1QY, RU3EG, RU5D, RZ3EC and UA3EDQ will be active as RI1OR from Bolshoy Solovetsky Island (EU-066) from July 25 to 29. They will operate CW, SSB and digital modes on 160 to 10 meters. A brief activity as R3RRC/1 from nearby Bolshaya Muksalma is also being planned. QSL via RZ3EC.

CANADA, VE. Pierre, VE3KTB will be active as VY0ERC from the Eureka Amateur Radio Club station on Ellesmere Island (NA-008) until July 12.
QSL via M0OXO's OQRS.

ST KITTS, V4. John, W5JON will be operating as V47JA from August 28 to September 12, on 160 to 6 meters using FT8 and SSB. QSL direct or LoTW.

HUNGARY, HA. Sanyi, HA7VK will be operating as HG23TISZA, SO/AB/HP only CW, in IARU HF World Championship.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The IARU HF World Championship, SKCC Weekend Sprintathon, PODXS 070 Club 40m Firecracker Sprint and the QRP ARCI Summer Homebrew Sprint are all on tap for this weekend. The 4 States QRP Group 2nd Sunday Sprint in on July 10 and the VHF-UHF FT8 Activity Contest and RSGB 80m Club Championship are on July 12. Please see July QST, page 78 and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM Contest web sites for details.

Terrifying double solar storm to strike the Earth today, says NASA; Know the danger

NASA has predicted that a double solar storm attack will strike the Earth around 5.30PM today, July 7th.. Know just how intense it can be and what to expect.

The Sun's volume would need 1.3 million Earths to fill it. It's gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything from the biggest planets to the smallest bits of debris in orbit around it. The hottest part of the sun is it's core, where temperatures top 27 million degrees Fahrenheit (15 million degrees Celsius). The Sun's activity, from it's powerful eruptions to the steady stream of charged particles it sends out, influences the nature of space throughout the solar system (NASA).

This page will be regularly updated to reflect Club News and Activities and both UK and World News Items deemed to be of interest to members. If you have an announcement which you think would interest Club members and would like it mentioned here, please send details to:- webmaster@wadarc.com