The daily front page of amateur radio.

Travelogue: Walking the England-Scotland Border for a QRP POTA Activation

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Saturday, June 27, 2026, I woke up knowing we had a full day planned. My family wanted to go into Berwick-upon-Tweed to check out some activities happening in town. Afterwards, we were thinking…

A swimming pool, RFI and a lightning strike: My SWLing Story

by Troy Riedel New readers will not recognize my name. Longtime readers may not recognize my name, but chances are you may remember my story. I once contributed posts to this Blog … until … ‘the swimming pool’. During…

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of ZP-30 & NHK (August 3, 2026)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report. Carlos notes: Earthquake/dangerous hot weather in Japan, heavy rain in…

Graham Furlonger, M0KTY – 29 July 2026

It is with a very heavy heart, that I break the sad news of the passing of my great friend and radio mentor, Graham Furlonger, M0KTY on 29 July 2026. He was a member of RSGB and local clubs near his home address, with…

One lump or two (or three)?

If there’s anything that radio amateurs like to kvetch about it’s licensing. How many license classes should there be? How difficult should the tests be? What kind of privileges should each class get? Back in the 1950s…

CHOTA 2026

Go to Church on September 12, 2026…and Bring a Radio! 20M US-UK calling frequency at top of each hour: 14.247MHz It’s nearing the time of Churches and Chapels on the Air again! Here in the U.S., Churches and Chapels on…

Ham Radio Youth Insights—How to Enjoy Amateur Radio While Traveling

After countless run-ins with security because I decided to travel with a CW key (or any other piece of equipment that looks “sketchy” on the TSA’s X-ray machines), it’s safe […] The post Ham Radio Youth Insights—How to…

More QSLs: N7FAN, AD7HI

These QSLs are a bit different than the other QSLs I post here. Not because they don’t spell words, but because they are from stations west of the Mississippi. Because of the way I have to mount my HF antenna, I don’t…

YOTA Austria 2026 – Day 6

Time really does fly by! Today marked our last full day of the YOTA Summer Camp in Austria. The excitement continued right until the end with a wide variety of activities taking us around Wagrain, into space, and even…

KBS World Radio Invites Listeners to Take Its 2026 Survey

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet, who notes that KBS World Radio is inviting listeners to participate in its 2026 listener survey. The survey asks about your listening habits, interests, and experiences…

CE7ET: Mini POTA DXpedition to Rapa Nui (Easter Island) CL-0105 / 3G0YT

by César (CE7ET) July 7–11, 2026 I arrived at Mataveri Airport around 1:00 PM after a five-hour flight from Santiago. From there I walked to my hotel, located right next to the airport and only a few blocks away…

Ham College 142

Ham College episode 142 is now available for download. General Exam Questions Part 3. G1C – Transmitter power regulations; data emission standards; 60-meter operation requirements. Demonstration of PEP vs Average Power…

ANS-214 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-214August 2, 2026 In this edition: Expedition 74 Crew Returns to Earth After 241 Days in Space Voting Continues in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election MARMOTSat Designated Canada-OSCAR 128…

The ARRL Solar Update

Solar activity has remained at low levels. Region 4494 exhibited decay in its trailing spots as its flare activity subsided. Region 4498 rotated into better viewing positioning, revealing mixed polarity just behind its…

Radio Prague: “Microphones against tanks”

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia for sharing the latest installment in Radio Prague International’s fascinating series on the history of Czechoslovak broadcasting. This continuation of the series…

BBC Radio 5 Live Closing More AM Transmitters

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Majid Hussain, who points us to this RadioToday report on the BBC’s continuing reduction of its mediumwave footprint. The BBC has begun the phased closure of some BBC Radio 5 Live…

RTI’s August Direct Transmissions: New Frequency and Special QSL

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Paul Jamet for noting that Radio Taiwan International (RTI) is changing one of its frequencies for its French-language broadcasts to Europe and North Africa during August 2026. RTI…

Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 432

Family of KY student says deputy seized child’s radios without warrant. They’re suing A Somerset family has filed a lawsuit against the county’s school board and local law enforcement, alleging a deputy wrongly seized…

DF7CW: Field Testing the IC-705 and SOTAmāt in Märkische Schweiz (DE-0083) Before a Swedish Trail Adventure

by Nils (DF7CW) Hi, Thomas and the QRPer community! Nils (DF7CW) here from Berlin, Germany. I’ve been a licensed ham since February 2026, and frankly, watching the YouTube videos of DR OM K4SWL was the reason I…

Exciting Regional Team opportunities

An exciting volunteer opportunity has arisen to lead the RSGB Regional Team following the decision by George Crawford, GM1DSV to stand down as Regional Forum Chair once the right candidate is appointed. The RSGB would…

Examinations Standards Committee annual report

The RSGB Examinations Standards Committee (ESC) has published its annual report, relating to activities in 2025. The report shows that, although overall candidate numbers in 2025 decreased a little compared with 2024…

Changes to RSGB Youth Committee

RSGB Board Director and Board liaison for the Youth Committee Nathan Nuttall, MM9OCC has announced that the RSGB Youth Chair Chris Aitken, MM0WIC has stepped down from his role as Chair. Chris, who is a teacher at Wick…

Ham Radio Contesting 101: Basic Propagation for Contesting

Editor’s Note: OnAllBands is pleased to post a series of articles written by accomplished amateur radio contester and DX Engineering customer/technical support specialist Kirk Pickering, K4RO. The articles, originally…

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of BBC and CRI (July 29, 2026)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report. Carlos notes: Wildfires, via Radio Nacional Argentina, BBC and China…

Roman History, a Family Day Out, and a CW ATNO: A Travelogue & POTA Activation in Melrose, Scotland

by Thomas (K4SWL) One of the greatest joys of spending an extended period of time in southeastern Scotland this summer has been the opportunity to explore places we might have otherwise overlooked. Better yet, many of…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2544 for Friday, July 31st, 2026

- COMMITTEE RE-EVALUATING RESULTS OF WRTC 2026 COMPETITION - SILENT KEY: NOTED DXER, KIYOSHI "KAN" MIZOGUCHI, JA1BK/VP6BK - FATHER-AND-SON DXPEDITION TEAM ADDS AN APRS MISSION - UK'S LEADING OBSERVATORY EARMARKED FOR…

More POTA notes, 7/30/26

Here are a couple more POTA notes: I’ve discovered the limits of my 9 Ahr BioEnno battery. I used it for the following activations: July 22, 1 hour, 15 contacts July 24, 1.5 hours, 31 contacts July 25, 1.5 hours, 60…

From the Customer Service Rep Perspective: Questions to Ask When Choosing a Transceiver

It doesn’t matter if you are just starting your journey in ham radio or got your license alongside Guglielmo Marconi himself. When it comes to equipping your hobby, the choices […] The post From the Customer Service Rep…

The best-laid plans *do* work out, after you pivot a few times

As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! by Vince (VE6LK) [Grab a cuppa as this one’s longer than my normal reports] I had a bit of a shock lately, I’ll…

RTI French Service Announces August 2026 Shortwave Broadcasts to Europe and North Africa

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia, who shares the following announcement noting that Radio Taiwan International’s French Service will once again broadcast directly from the Tamsui transmission site…

How It Feels to Be a Young Ham in a Roomful of Experts

I spent a week this July at the World Radiosport Team Championship (WRTC), one of the biggest gatherings of the world’s absolute best contesters. Everyone there had put in an […] The post How It Feels to Be a Young Ham…

DB4REB: I Almost Stayed Home… Then I Worked West Malaysia with 8 Watts

by Ralf (DB4REB) There are days when getting on the air feels effortless. And then there are days like this one. The forecast promised 30°C (86°F), a steady 20 km/h breeze, and gusts approaching 40 km/h. I couldn’t…

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of Multiple Stations (July 21-28, 2026)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report. Carlos notes: There’s no better place than AM and FM stations to get…

Japan Times: The Uncertain Future of Shiokaze’s Shortwave Broadcasts

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor Tracy Wood, who shares the following post from The Japan Times. The article highlights growing concerns over the future of Shiokaze (“Sea Breeze”), the shortwave radio service that…

Sunshine and Soul

Hi to all SWLing Post community. Here’s the Imaginary Stations schedule for this week’s listening pleasure. On Wednesday 29th July 2026, at 0200 hrs UTC on 9395 kHz on WRMI we have the return of Radio Ace. If you love…

Catching Up with Chelegance at Dayton Hamvention® 2026

We hope you had an opportunity to stop by the Chelegance booth (they were set up in the DX Engineering portable ops area) at Dayton Hamvention® 2026. The company specializes […] The post Catching Up with Chelegance at…

KV4AN: Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge Activation

By Steven Krumm (KV4AN) Lake Guntersville State Park (US-1044) is an Alabama State Park located in Marshall County in Northeast Alabama. It is situated on the largest lake (Lake Guntersville) in Alabama along the…

Radio Prague International: How Radio Became a Cold War Weapon

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor David Iurescia for sharing this article from Radio Prague International, which explores how radio quickly became one of the most powerful tools of influence in the years following…

Carlos’ Illustrated Radio Listening Report and Recording of RFI & RNE (July 26, 2026)

Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor and noted political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, who shares the following illustrated radio listening report. Carlos notes: (Translated from the French) “In France, as of 7 a.m…

POTA notes, 7/27/26

Since the POTA gods (or in this case, a goddess) designated the Iron Belle State Trail (US-13184) a. POTA entity, this spring, I’ve been working a lot of POTA. The park is less than a mile from my house, and I can be on…

Hackaday Europe 2026: High Performance SDR On The Cheap

Radios were once big complicated appliances, full of warm valves and paper-wrapped capacitors, all humming and glowing to capture signals from the aether and spit them out of a speaker. …read more

It’s All in the Cards! QSL Cards from Trinidad & Tobago and Tuvalu

Today, OnAllBands is looking at two archipelagic DXCC entities roughly 8,400 miles apart: The Republic of Trinidad & Tobago is a country in the southern Caribbean made up of the […] The post It’s All in the Cards! QSL…

ICQPodcast Episode 489 – STEM and Radio for a Brighter Future

In this episode, we join Martin Butler M1MRB, Chris Howard (M0TCH), Martin Rothwell (M0SGL), Frank Howell (K4FMH), Bill Barnes (WC3B) and Leslie Butterfields (G0CIB) to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Colin…

Along the East Lothian Coast: A Barns Ness POTA Adventure & Travelogue

by Thomas (K4SWL) On Wednesday, June 24, 2026, after completing an activation at Berwick Castle and Castle Vale Historic Site (GB-6732), I returned to our cottage to find my wife and daughters ready for another…

Boundary Bay POTA: A CW Friendship, the PERformer Antenna, and a Custom Paddle

by Scott (VA3EKR) One of my very favorite things about the hobby is when you get to finally meet a fellow operator that you know via a QSO, but have not met in real life. I have had many hours of shared CW practice with…

Bob’s Radio Corner: Which Antenna Input is Better? – A Case Study

By Bob Colegrove A DXer recently posted the following question on the Internet: “Why do I get a much stronger signal if I clip a long wire to the telescoping antenna than if I connect it to the external jack”? He then…

ANS-207 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-207 July 26, 2026 In this edition: * HamGPT Launches Personal AI Copilot for Amateur Radio * Young Ham of the Year Recognition for Satellite Operator * FireSat Constellation Launches First…

QSLs: WA2PAY, W3SKY

Here are two new QSL cards for my collection of QSLs whose calls spell words. Both are from Florida, and both are very colorful.

Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 431

APRS On the Air Let’s create a new Amateur Radio activity and supporting software that brings the activator-and-chaser game of Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air to APRS. K0TFU China is using Ham Radio in its…

News: Olivia Digital Modes on HF

Greetings Olivia and digital mode operators, GREAT NEWS! WEBSITE UPDATE! Here are the big three new features: Live Olivia spotting. Just like on POTA and other sites, this is a live show and tell of your activity either…

A Look at DXpedition Funding

As you work DX, you will eventually find yourself needing DXCC entities where there are either no ham radio operators or no permanent population of people—period. This gap is what […] The post A Look at DXpedition…

The best laid plans don’t always work out

As always, there are lots of links within the article. Click one! Click them all! Learn all the things! by Vince (VE6LK) [Masthead image is Mount Rundle, my backdrop during the story. Also this story happened a couple…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2543 for Friday, July 24th, 2026

- YOUNG OPERATORS TO LEAD 'MILESTONE' DXPEDITION TO CHRISTMAS ISLAND - 'BROADCAST DATACASTING' EYED FOR DELIVERY OF US WEATHER ALERTS - SILENT KEY: JERRY LEBOW, K2SMC, BROADCAST OWNER, EMERGENCY-ALERT ADVOCATE - HAMSCI…

Guide to Amateur Radio Amplifiers 2026: Part 4, 4O3A Power Genius XL Amplifiers

4O3A produces amateur radio equipment that’s built to perform, built to last, and built for hams looking to seriously upgrade their capabilities. Case in point—the company’s solid-state Power Genius Amplifiers. […] The…

DXer and DXpeditioner Kan Mizoguchi, JA1BK, Silent Key

Kiyoshi “Kan” Mizoguchi, JA1BK, a well-known DXer, DXpeditioner, CQ DX Hall of Fame member, and former Director of International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region 3 passed away in May 2026 at the age of 93. He was a…

Part 2 of….. Antenna solve one problem to only create another.

If you have not read Part 1 of this post, go HERE and then make your way back.To recap, I was having an issue with my Hustler 4BTV vertical antenna, and I discovered that water was making its way into the 15m trap. Once…

Making Time for Ham Radio as a Busy Teen

Teenagers’ schedules are entirely exhausting just to look at. Managing a healthy balance between school assignments and projects, family responsibilities, sports practices, and first-time jobs can be quite challenging…

VHF for Parks On The Air?

Parks On The Air (POTA) has exploded in popularity, with most of the activity on the HF bands. That makes sense — HF gives you the long-distance contacts and the big pileups. But don’t overlook the VHF bands, especially…

Could Reticulum Power a Post-Internet Network?

These days, it is easy to think you always have access to the Internet. But some wonder if — in spite of its ARPANET, nuclear-war-planning heritage — you can actually …read more

Move Meshtastic Up On Your List.

The worst kept secret in communications. Radio amateurs focused on emergency and survival communications depend heavily on traditional ham radio modes. There’s a good reason for that…they work! But every mode has…

Antenna…solve one problem only to create another.

The antenna I have is the Hustler 4BTV, and I have owned it for about four years. I had been noticing that after a couple of days of rain, the SWR on 15 meters would increase.As the weather warmed up, the problem…

ANS-200 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-200 July 19, 2026 In this edition: * Voting Now Underway in 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election * U.S. Space Force Satellite Catalog Reaches Six-Digit Numbers * NASA’s New Horizons Spacecraft…

AmateurLogic 219: Field Day 2026

AmateurLogic.TV Episode 219 is now available for download. Field Day 2026 at Pearl River County Amateur Radio Club and W5AXC. Antennas, radios, and hams make for a fun weekend. Mike’s SenseCAP K1100 and the Helium…

Your AI Ham Radio Buddy

AI chatbots are everywhere these days, and they seem to “know” about everything. But while that is a strength, it can sometimes be a weakness because it isn’t laser-focused on …read more

Amateur Radio Weekly – Issue 430

HAMgpt New platform combines an operator’s license, station, location and live band conditions to answer a practical question: “What can I do with my radio today?” HAMgpt In-depth series: Ham Radio A podcast series on a…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2542 for Friday, July 17th, 2026

- FCC OKS LAUNCH OF "MIRROR" SATELLITE TO REFLECT SUN - GMRS REPEATER PROVIDES SAFETY NET IN UTAH - SILENT KEY: ATLANTA RADIO CLUB'S JOHN TALIPSKI, N3ACK - AMSAT SOUTH AFRICA FOCUSES ON FUTURE SATELLITE TECH…

New ARRL Santa Clara Valley Section Manager

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® announced the appointment of Tony Dowler, K6BV, of Pacifica, California, as the ARRL Santa Clara Valley (SCV) Section Manager as of July 1, 2026. Dowler succeeds James…

Transponder Mania

In order to not hit something, you generally need to know where that thing is. On land, the meager human eyesight tends to be sufficient. On the water, however, the …read more

ICQPodcast Episode 488 – World RadioSport Team Championship (WRTC) 2026

In this special episode, Martin Butler (M1MRB), Chris Howard (M0TCH) and Colin Butler (M6BOY) attended and bring you a flavour of the World Radiosport Team Championship 2026 taking place in the UK. We would like to…

LHS Episode #623: Dipole Tuning Listener Feedback

Hello and welcome back everyone! You're joining us for episode 623 of Linux in the Ham Shack, the most terrific amateur radio podcast on the internet! This week we're sharing news about what has been going on in our…

ICQPodcast Episode 487 – A Taste of Ham Radio Friedrichshafen

In this episode, I joined Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss: Germany Likely to Get Full 4 Metres Band Back. The Brits on the podcast seem to love the 4-meter band…

ANS-193 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-193July 12, 2026 In this edition: May/June 2026 issue of The AMSAT Journal is now available AMSAT-UK ahowcase at EMF2026 – July 16th to July 17th Space X launches Transporter-17 among concerns…

Today’s POTA activation: A nice change of pace

This summer, I have been activating the Iron Belle Trail, US-13184, a lot. This is a newly-added POTA entity and it runs through Bandemer Park, which is less than a mile from my house as the crow flies, and less than a…

16-Year-Old ARRL Member Wins 2026 Student Coding Competition

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio ® is pleased to announce that member Ben Leovy, KC3ZPQ, of Ellicott City, Maryland, has been named the winner of the 2026 ARRL Student Coding Competition. Leovy, 16…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2541 for Friday, July 10th, 2026

- CAMPAIGN HEATS UP FOR MANDATORY AM RADIO IN VEHICLES - UK WELCOMES WORLD RADIOSPORT TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - MARITIME CW EVENT REMEMBERS STATION'S 1ST WOMAN TELEGRAPHER - TRIO RECOGNIZED FOR CONTRIBUTIONS TO CW - INDIAN…

Navigating an HOA and Returning to Amateur Radio and Field Day!

Fred Johnson, K6FRD, is an amateur radio operator in Riverside, California. Like many hams, he lives in an HOA-controlled neighborhood. For Johnson, finding practical, low-visibility, antenna solutions has become part…

New ARRL Atlantic Division Vice Director

ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio® has announced the appointment of Ray Sokola, K9RS, of Wilmington, Delaware, as Vice Director for the ARRL Atlantic Division. The appointment, made by ARRL President Rick…

ANS-186 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-186July 5, 2026 In this edition: AMSAT President Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, Featured on Ham Radio Workbench Podcast MarmotSat: Student-Built Canadian CubeSat Brings Open-Source Amateur Experiments…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2540 for Friday, July 3rd, 2026

- CANADA REVIEWING POLICY ON ANTENNAS, TOWERS - RESEARCHERS CREATE SPACE 'WALL' TO WEAKEN SOLAR STORMS - HOMECOMING FOR COLLECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP - GLOBAL REGISTRY BEGINS VERIFICATION OF DMR IDS - FCC'S $3.5…

DIY SI5351 Radio Tunes In SW, MW, And More

There are plenty of radios you can buy that pick up MW and SW bands if that’s what you’re into. Or, you can follow [mircemk]’s example, and whip one up …read more

Positioning Without Satellites Or Base Stations

We’re all used to satellite navigation systems such as GPS or GLONASS, sheer magic in which the combination of a set of reference transmitters and super-accurate timing information can be …read more

Call for Nominations for ARRL Director and Vice Director

Attention: Full ARRL members in the ATLANTIC, DAKOTA, DELTA, GREAT LAKES, and MIDWEST Divisions. You have the opportunity to choose a Director and Vice Director to represent you for 3-year terms beginning January 1…

RF Hacking A Ceiling Fan Via The Remote

[Sam Wilkinson] recently installed a Dreo CLF513S ceiling fan in his place — it’s cheap, well-sized, and blows air around as you’d expect it to. The only problem is that …read more

Start Planning for ARRL Field Day 2026

ANS-179 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-179 June 28, 2026 In this edition: * Classic OSCARLOCATOR Returns as Browser-Based Tracking Simulator * Katalyst Launches Spacecraft to Rescue NASA’s Swift Observatory * Rocket Lab Launches…

Following Earthquake in Venezuela, Radio Amateurs Asked to Keep Frequencies Clear

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2539 for Friday, June 26th, 2026

- BREAKING NEWS: HAMS ON ALERT AFTER EARTHQUAKE IN VENEZUELA - COSTLY ANTENNA REPAIRS FOR NASA'S DEEP SPACE STATION - A WEEKEND OF FIELD DAY AND FRIEDRICHSHAFEN - THREE SATELLITES TO BE 'FIRE TOWERS IN THE SKY" - GRANT…

When Off Grid Goes Off Line

We’re all in the same sea, but not the same boat. I think it’s safe to assume everyone who reads this blog has some sort of off grid power capability. It might be an elaborate photovoltaic system, wind installation, a…

ANS-172 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-172 June 21, 2026 In this edition: * 2026 AMSAT Field Day Next Weekend! * 2026 AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting * Satellites Are The New Fire Towers * Announcing OrbitDeck * Changes…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2538 for Friday, June 19th, 2026

- MILESTONE MOMENT FOR PROTOTYPE RADIO TELESCOPE - ANTENNA INSTALLATION ADDS TO TEXAS GROUP'S REACH - TOUR DE FRANCE IS A TOUR DE CALLSIGNS - NASA DECLARES MARS 'MAVEN' MISSION OVER - INDIAN HAMS HELP FAMILY FIND…

Guest Post: ARRL needs new blood

This is a guest post from Fred Hopengarten, K1VR Past Director, New England Division. The ARRL does a lot of good work. It fights for spectrum. It helps organize public service. It supports education and licensing. You…

ICQPodcast Episode 485 – World Cup Special Event Station

In this episode, I join Martin Butler M1MRB, Caryn Eve Murray KD2GUT, Edmund Spicer M0MNG and Ed Durrant DD5LP to discuss the latest Amateur / Ham Radio news. Here are this episode’s topics: Number of Amateur Radio…

ANS-165 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

June 14, 2026 In this edition: The AMSAT(R) News Service bulletins are a free, weekly news and information service of AMSAT, the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation. ANS publishes news related to Amateur Radio in Space…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2537 for Friday, June 12th, 2026

- AMERITRON, MIRAGE BRANDS SOLD TO ITU CORP. - ARREST IN COPPER THEFT AT US RADIO STATION - HAM'S EXPERIMENT WOULD ADAPT TELETEXT FOR AMATEUR RADIO - SILENT KEY: PROMINENT QATARI HAM ABDULLAH BIN HAMAD AL ATTIYAH, A71AU…

Button, button. Who’s got the button?

If you’ve read my blog at all in the past, you know I’m not a fan of David Minster, NA2AA, ARRL’s current CEO. He’s driving down membership, which is now well under 20% of licensed radio amateurs. He’s driving away…

ANS-158 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-158June 7, 2026 In this edition: Deadline for Candidate Nominations for 2026 AMSAT Board of Directors Election is June 15 HADES-SA / SpinnyOne Designated Spain-OSCAR 127 (SO-127) AMSAT Submits…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2536 for Friday, June 5th, 2026

- HAMSCI ASKS CANADA TO RECONSIDER SHORTWAVE SHUTDOWN - NEW CREW BOARDS CHINA'S SPACE STATION - UNLICENSED RADIO OPERATOR GETS NEWEST WARNING FROM FCC - NEW QUESTION POOL FOR TECHNICIAN CLASS EXAM - DOUBLE CENTENNIAL…

ANS-151 AMSAT News Service Weekly Bulletins

AMSAT News Service ANS-151 May 31, 2026 In this edition: * AMSAT Opens Candidate Nominations for 2026 Board of Directors Election * 2026 AMSAT Space Symposium & Annual General Meeting * AMSAT Field Day 2026 * RADIANT…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2535 for Friday, May 29th, 2026

- CANADA TAKES TIME-KEEPING SHORTWAVE STATION OFF THE AIR - BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR SABLE ISLAND QSL CARDS - DOUBLE THE CELEBRATION FOR AMATEURS IN GIBRALTAR - 13 COLONIES EVENT RETURNS WITH CHANGES - HALL OF FAME INDUCTS…

Connecting at Hamvention 2026

We had a great time at Hamvention 2026, catching up with folks from the community and meeting many new faces along the way. Throughout the weekend, we welcomed a steady stream of visitors to the ARDC booth to learn more…

The End of POTS is Nigh. An Amateur’s Professional Perspective: COMMENTARY.

A generational split. There’s good chance those under the age of 50 live in a home without a traditional, hard-wired dial up phone. If you’re under the age of 40 you probably never, not once in your life, called through…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2534 for Friday, May 22nd, 2026

- ARISS ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR MOON-BASED HAM RADIO - AMSAT-DL SEEKS INPUT FROM SATELLITE ENTHUSIASTS - SILENT KEY: MARATHON VOLUNTEER, LIMARC OFFICER, JERRY ABRAMS, WB2ZEX - INNOVATIVE TRAILER MAKES DEBUT AT HAMVENTION…

Findings from the 2026 Grants Evaluation Team (GET)

As ARDC’s grants program continues to evolve, understanding the outcomes of funded projects remains an important part of our work. The Grants Evaluation Team (GET), now in its third year, helps support this effort by…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2533 for Friday, May 15th, 2026

- PROJECT PURSUES MYSTERIES OF SPORADIC E-SKIP - UK HAMS PLAN TRIBUTE TO BBC TRANSMITTERS MARKED FOR SHUTDOWN - AUSTRALIAN RADIOCOMMUNICATION LICENSES GET NEW WEBSITE - NEW ZEALAND CYCLONE REVS UP RECRUITMENT DRIVE…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2532 for Friday, May 8th, 2026

- HAMVENTION PROMISES "RADIO ADVENTURE" - MORE HAMVENTION: YOTA PLANS TO BE YOUNG HAMS' GATHERING SPOT - SAUDI AMATEUR SOCIETY HOSTING 2ND SATELLITE COMPETITION - CW OPS NEEDED TO COPY DATA FROM TOKYO-BUILT CUBESAT…

Amateur Radio Newsline Report 2531 for Friday, May 1st, 2026

- HONORS FOR DXPEDITIONS FEATURING REMOTE ACTIVATIONS - HAM RADIO LESSONS PREPARE STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN FOR ADVENTURE - SILENT KEY: ENNIO TONON, IØFHZ, LEADER, MENTOR FOR ARI - AMSAT'S CUBESAT UPDATES AVAILABLE ON…

ARDC at Hamvention 2026

We’re excited to be heading back to Hamvention this year! You’ll find us at Booth #1302 / #1402 in Building 1 (Maxim), where you can learn more about our grants program and priority areas for funding, as well as explore…

NVIS is an Overlooked Jewel.

Yes, it’s cool. But then what? Chasing DX is exciting! Who can’t relate to the thrill of the hunt; the sense of accomplishment when you crack a pile up and add that exotic land to your trophy case? And of course, the…

EssexHam Meshcore Channel

If you’ve joined the MeshCore network, we now have an #essexham hashtag channel. If you’re able to hop to Essex, send us a message in the #essexham channel. What’s Meshcore? Meshtastic was the first attempt at a free…

Building a Carrier‑Grade Yaesu IMRS Backbone on 44Net: A Replicable Playbook from VK

Below is a guest contribution from Phil Kern VK5PK, a 44Net user. If you’re a 44Net user and are interested in submitting a guest contribution, please reach out to comms@ardc.net. Summary Australian clubs and KernWi‑Fi…

ARDC Welcomes New Committee Members for 2026

We’re pleased to welcome a new group of volunteers to ARDC. These volunteers bring a wide range of experience and perspectives, and their contributions are essential to supporting ARDC’s mission. Our volunteer groups…

Handheld Transceivers: A Generational Curse.

As common as air. Handheld transceivers, or HT, is ubiquitous in amateur radio. For many hams, it’s their first radio. For others, they may operate only one “main” base or mobile radio but have several handhelds. And…

ARDC is Hiring: Software Developer (PT Contract)

ARDC is no longer accepting applications for this position, as this role has been filled. Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) – https://www.ardc.net – is a California-based private foundation with roots in…

ARDC is Hiring: Technical Writer (PT Contract)

ARDC is no longer accepting applications for this position. Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) – https://www.ardc.net – is a California-based private foundation with roots in amateur radio and internet…

ARDC Community Meeting Recap: March 7, 2026

On Saturday, March 7, we hosted our 2026 Community Meeting. Participants joined us to hear updates on our work from 2025 and what lies ahead for the foundation in the coming year. These meetings provide an opportunity…

A Look Back at 2025: ARDC’s Annual Report is Now Available

Our 2025 Annual Report is now available, highlighting a year of progress as we rolled out new initiatives, shared a clearer strategic direction, and continued supporting innovation across our community. Highlights…

Knowing Your Radio Neighborhood.

Expand your band. One of the habits many off grid hams fall into is they operate in a silo, meaning, they hang out only on the ham bands, often the same one or two bands, and barely know what’s going on beyond that…

Buying A Used Radio: How To Avoid Getting Stuck With A Dud.

Removing a barrier to entry. As it has been for, well, forever, used ham radio equipment is still a major gateway into the hobby. Many beginners, and even some old hands, have limited budgets. Or maybe an operator wants…

Exploring the AMNVOLT Mini SI4732 Receiver

I’m always keen to pay with new, cheap, portable tech from China, and following some very positive reviews online, I picked up a AMNVOLT Mini SI4732 DSP Radio Receiver from AliExpress for just over £26 (shop link) This…

The Secret Life of Multimeters.

Special note: I’m taking time off to spend Christmas with friends and family. Please enjoy this personal favorite Off Grid Ham article from November 15, 2020. May God richly bless you in the new year! As basic as it…

Introducing 44Net Connect: A Simpler Way to Access 44Net

Are you a ham that wants to experiment with 44Net but found the setup process to be intimidating? Say no more, because we’ve got great news for you! We’re excited to introduce 44Net Connect, a service that makes it easy…

If You’ve Never Done This Before, Click Here.

A buffet of options. Amateur radio has a low barrier to entry, but once in the door the learning curve is fairly steep. This may originate from the wide breadth and depth of the hobby. There are so many subspecialties…

Monday Night Net – AI Summary 17 Nov 2025

An AI summary of tonight’s net, plus the following image: This week’s Essex Ham Monday Night Net on GB3DA was hosted by Dorothy, M0LMR, with a warm, chatty evening that wandered happily between Christmas prep, radio…

Monday Night Net – AI Summary 10 Nov 2025

The Monday Night Net ran on the 2m repeater GB3DA (Danbury, Essex) on FM, using the standard output 145.725 MHz / input 145.125 MHz with 110.9 Hz CTCSS. The net was chaired by Aubrey M7SDA and was joined by Dorothy…

Monday Night Net – AI Summary 03 Nov 2025

Here’s what AI makes of this week’s net… Monday Night Net on GB3DA – hosted by M0PSX Pete M0PSX was in the chair for this week’s Monday Night Net via GB3DA. Stations taking part during the evening included G7HCD/M…

Why Hams Should Care About The Decline of Broadcast Radio.

It’s not all about us. As an avocation that is all about communication, amateur radio cannot be effective if it exists in a vacuum. We chatter and exchange information amongst ourselves quite effectively. But what about…

Monday Night Net – AI Summary 27 Oct 2025

Summary of tonight’s net, courtesy of AI: Summary: We had a healthy turn-out: 2E0KDG (Chris), M7SDA (Aubrey), M0LMR (Dorothy) with G7OED (Richard), G1KOT (Mike), M7SJN (Sam), later joined by G6EFI (Rob, ex-M0KCP), M7KTT…

Baofeng UV-5R Mini Explored

On this page, we take a look at a new Baofeng that’s getting everyone talking, the Baofeng UV-5R Mini. The UV-5R has been around for a few years now, and is probably the most well-known radio out there – it’s a safe bet…

Monday Night Net 20 October 2025 Report

We fed tonight’s net into an AI engine and asked for a friendly report. Here’s what AI thought of our outing: Who was about: Pete M0PSX (herding the cats), Aubrey M7SDA, Dorothy M0LMR, Bob G4MDB, and a late fly-by from…

Intermediate M8 and M9 Callsigns Now Available

As of October 2025, Ofcom’s updated its licence platform to release M8 and M9 callsigns. Here’s a summary: Existing Intermediates You can now apply for an M8 or M9 callsign, to replace your existing 2×0 or 2×1 callsign…

Monday Night Net — Summary (Mon 13 Oct 2025)

Here’s an AI report of the net held at 8pm on Monday 13 Oct 2025: This week’s Monday Night Net on GB3DA (Danbury) was hosted by Dorothy (M0LMR), who did her usual great job of keeping things running smoothly. It was one…

Your Off Grid Backup Radio Might Already Be In Your Basement.

Two benefits for the price of one. Radio amateurs who operate off grid already know that their pastime has a secondary benefit of being very valuable in times of disaster. In some cases it’s the other way around. Many…

Communications Security: It’s Not Just For Spies.

We live in an open book world. Anyone with even a small shred of awareness knows that there is no true privacy in our modern world. Everything about you, even things you don’t know about yourself, are archived somewhere…

Radiosport 2.0 is not taking your baby (but it is giving it a new lease on contesting life)

context: Kyle AA0Z invited me to a roundtable discussion on his youtube channel] this evening, and it stirred up some discord and stoked the ongoing controversy grinding old-school contesters’ gears since his W1DED…

Voices from Thierry, FT8WW, from Crozet Islands by OH2BH, Martti Laine

Is it wonderful to hear the voices from Crozet Islands on SSB? While waiting Thierry for his HF operating extension, it was another project to learn about OQ-100 satellite, get operational and hear the friendly voices…

Amateur Radio Brotherhood Is Helping Fellow Hams In Ukraine

Bringing the family of Alex, UT5UY, out of a war torn Ukraine was done under the auspices of Amateur Radio, a brotherhood of 3 million people that want to do their utmost in the spirit Read More ... The post Amateur…

JH1AJT – Yasuo Zorro Miyazawa

Early this morning we learned of the passing of JH1AJT, Yasuo Zorro Miyazawa. For some time now he had cancer. Zorro was first licensed when he was 15 years old, back in 1964, the year Read More ... The post JH1AJT –…

Small receiver and its great story

Last night UT5UY, Alex, was very restless from the constant bombardment by Russian bombs and missiles. As the fighting was underway in the outskirts of Kyiv Alex was unable to sleep and wrote this short Read More…

The Future of Amateur Radio IS with our youth!!!

The Future of Amateur Radio IS with our youth! But lets think about what youth is for a second, and give done credit for those who are not so youthful…

Thoughts on the Saturation of Ham Radio YouTube

Author's note: I use - and this is a real quote from an angry reader - the language of the devil that I should be ashamed of using - in this post. Steer clear if you're offended by profanity. If you don't, and you…

First Annual “Dream Rig” Youth Essay Contest (Press Release from Intrepid-DX Group)

Press Release by the Intrepid-DX GroupWednesday, July 1, 2020 First Annual “Dream Rig” Youth Essay Contest. The Intrepid-DX Group is a US based 501 C(3) nonprofit organization that promotes Amateur Radio activities in…

Did you miss Field Day? Or want to see others’ operation? Check out my Playlist!

I curated a YouTube playlist that contains over 130 videos of ARRL Field Day action. Check it out here, or in the convenient embedded player below. It’s surprising how many videos have popped up already; just a little…

Introducing the YouTuber’s HamFest LIVE – This Weekend (May 23-24)!

Here’s something to help alleviate your post-partum ham radio convention funk. The YouTuber’s Hamfest features a whole bunch of the biggest YouTubers in Ham Radio with some of your favorite names in amateur radio, LIVE…

N0SSC.com, now in Dark Mode

I love dark mode. It’s easier on the eyes, especially when you’re up at 2am for no good reason but to change your website’s colors. If you don’t like this, if anything looks broken or amiss, or you just want to chat…

The Modern Morse Code Renaissance (and my Learning Progress)

The pastime of Learning Morse code has been on a huge upswing these last few months. Reddit posts have increased, LCWO usage is at an all-time high, and Google trends are showing an obvious bump in interest in “morse…

A New Discord Server for Young Radio Amateurs

Join the YARC Discord here: https://discord.gg/MpQJadu Suffice it to say, the Young Amateurs Radio Club experienced a split. From my experience, every ham radio club will experience a split in it’s lifetime. It seems to…

Anchorage VEC Remote Testing results in a new Extra; Remote Testing Working Group Underway

Good news! Remote VE Testing is happening and people are getting licensed and upgraded! Woohoo! I spoke with Brandin Hess, AL6I, Anchorage ARC VEC chairman on the phone shortly after this test session was complete. He…

4U1UN soon to be QRV

August 17 Later today KO8SCA, Adrian, plans to be back at the United Nations to lay the radials and install the coax for the new BigIR vertical. There is a chance he could make a Read More ... The post 4U1UN soon to be…

Breaking News – 3Y0Z

2000 UTC 3 February 2018 During the last 72 hours we continued to experience the high winds, low clouds, fog, and rough seas that have prevented helicopter operations since our arrival at Bouvet. No improvement Read…

Kosovo Release – February 2, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LATEST ON REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO Currently three (3) stations are up and running with DL3DXX, DL5CW, DJ5IW, IK0FVC and VE7NY at the helm. The activation is now up to 50.000 QSOs logged; Read More…

Z60A – Kosovo – Update January 25, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEKosovo January 25, 2018LATEST FROM THE GROUP IN KOSOVO AT Z60AIt is surprisingly cold in Kosovo as temperatures are running record low for this week – today it was minus 13 C (8F). Read More ... The…

New DXCC Entity – Z6 Kosovo

REPUBLIC OF KOSOVO ACTIVE TODAY — Z60A TEAM ALREADY ON THE GROUND Kosovo’s IARU Society SHARK, and its president Vjollca Caka, Z61VB are hosting a tenth anniversary activation celebrating Kosovo’s independence…

Baker Island 2018 Press Release nr. 4

Dated January 16, 2018 For Immediate Release: The Dateline DX Association is pleased to announce major equipment support from Elecraft, DX Engineering, and SteppIR Communications Systems for its KH1/KH7Z Baker Island…

Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2610

World Amateur Radio Day 2026: One Hundred and One Years On the Air

Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2609

Top Amateur Radio Websites - Issue 2608

WSJT-X 3.0 Stable Released: What's New

Amateur Radio Clubs

PoPT AX.25 Terminal Program

Antennas in an Antenna Restricted Community

Guglielmo Marconi: Early Wireless Telegraphy and Shortwave Development

Fessenden and Marconi: Early Radio Technologies and Transatlantic Experiments

The Ham Shop

R&L Electronics: Amateur Radio Store for Equipment and Accessories

80 40 30 Trapped Delta Loop Antenna Project

40 Meter Horizontal Loop Antenna Construction and Portable Deployment