THURSDAY
EDITION:
New England: We are
running the 6 meter
Fish Net tonight at
730pm on 50.2 MHz on
usb, listen in and
give us a
call.....Having
solved all the
problems of the
world, all radios
working and the
antenna farm under
control I find
myself with idle
time. The Maytag
Neptune dryer
started squeaking
and screeching when
first turned on and
then smooth's out, I
go to YouTube for
the fix. It most
likely is the belt
but while it is
apart, why not
replace the bearings
and idler pulley. I
ordered the kit from
Amazon and it will
be here on Friday. I
see two possible
scenarios; one, I
fix the damn dryer
or two, call the
repairman to bail me
out. The smartest
scenario is to call
the appliance repair
guy and have him do
the job, estimated
at $250, I just
can't seem to do it!
LOBSTER
FAMILY FUN
FACTS
Did you know
Lobsters are
either
right-handed
or
left-handed.
A lobster’s
claws are
called the
PINCER (or
“cutter”)
CLAW and the
CRUSHER
CLAW.
The
Crusher claw
is the
dominant
claw which
it uses for
crushing,
fighting,
and opening
shells. It
can be on
either side
of the
lobster
making it
right-handed
or
left-handed.
Next time
you order a
lobster,
tell them
your
preference,
that will
screw the
server up.
Route 66 Goes On
the Air (Arizona)
There will be
a major pileup
in the Flagstaff
area in
September.
Fortunately, it
won’t be on the
highways, but
rather on the
airwaves.
A unique
international
amateur radio
event, “Route 66
On The Air,”
sponsored by the
local Northern
Arizona DX
Association
(NADXA), will be
coming to town
Sept. 6-14, and
will welcome
more than 10,000
amateur radio
operators to
connect across
continents to
celebrate Route
66.
Marking its
26th
anniversary,
this special
event began in
Flagstaff and
has since grown
into a
much-anticipated,
worldwide
tradition. Much
of the global
interest stems
from Northern
Arizona’s
historic
connection to
the iconic
Mother Road.
Longtime
Flagstaff
resident Bob
Wertz, who was
born in
Illinois, said
he has been
interested in
amateur radio
most of his
life, with many
of his extended
family members
involved in the
hobby as well.
Wertz, whose
call number is
NF7E, is very
involved in
publicizing and
coordinating the
Route 66 On the
Air event. “It
seems the entire
world knows
about the Mother
Road. We have
had calls from
Europe, Asia,
Russia,
Australia, New
Zealand and have
talked to more
than 100
countries about
it.”
Even remote
locations like
the Canary
Islands and
far-away places
like South
Africa are
calling, he
says.
Don’t Turn
That Old System
On, First Take
it Apart
When you
first get your
hands on an old
piece of
equipment,
regardless of
whether it’s an
old PC or some
ham radio
equipment, there
is often the
temptation to
stick a power
lead into it and
see what the
happy electrons
make it do.
Although often
this will work
out fine, there
are many reasons
why this is a
terrible idea.
As many people
have found out
by now, you can
be met by the
wonderful smell
of a Rifa
capacitor
blowing smoke in
the power
supply, or by
fascinatingly
dangly damaged
power wires, as
the [Retro Hack
Shack] on
YouTubefound
recently in an
old Gateway PC.
Fortunately,
this video is a
public service
announcement and
a demonstration
of why you
should always
follow the sage
advice of “Don’t
turn it on, take
it apart”.
Inside this
Gateway 2000 PC
from 1999 lurked
a cut audio
cable, which
wasn’t terribly
concerning. The
problem was also
a Molex
connector that
had at some
point been
violently ripped
off, leaving
exposed wiring
inside the case.
The connector
and the rest of
the wiring were
still found in
the HDD.
Other wires
were also
damaged, making
it clear that
the previous
owner had tried
and failed to
remove some
connectors,
including the
front panel I/O
wiring.
Thankfully, this
PC was first
torn apart so
that the damage
could be
repaired, but it
shows just how
easily a ‘quick
power-on check’
can turn into
something very
unpleasant and
smelly.
WEDNESDAY
MORNING:
Wi-Fi being
allowed near Green
Bank Observatory for
first time ever
GREEN BANK,
W.Va. (WBOY) —
For the first
time ever,
residents are
allowed to use
certain wireless
internet in the
highly
restrictive West
Virginia Radio
Quiet Zone near
the Green Bank
Observatory.
Since it was
built in 1956,
the observatory,
which houses the
largest fully
steerable radio
telescope in the
world, has been
located in both
the National
Radio Quiet
Zone, which
spans several
counties in West
Virginia and
Virginia, and
the West
Virginia Radio
Quiet Zone,
which includes a
10-mile radius
around the Green
Bank
Observatory.
According to
a press
release,
Wi-Fi radio
frequencies can
disrupt the
frequencies that
the telescope
reads. Although
the use of Wi-Fi
routers can
disrupt the
telescope, the
observatory said
the quiet zones
have not stopped
people from
installing
routers.
“Many people
who were doing
the right thing
by not using
Wi-Fi were left
without access,
while others who
were illegally
using routers
did whatever
they wanted,”
Anthony Remijan,
director of the
NSF GBO,
explained in the
release.
Now, instead
of limiting the
use of all Wi-Fi
routers, the
Green Bank
Observatory is
encouraging
everyone in the
WVRQZ to operate
at the same
frequency—2.4GHz.
This will allow
residents,
businesses and
schools in the
quiet zone to
have Wi-Fi while
also preventing
multiple radio
frequencies from
being interfered
with.
A ham radio
license makes me
feel safer as
someone with
hemophilia
Having
reliable
communication
and connection
puts my mind at
ease
“Whiskey-Bravo-six-Zulu-Yankee-Yankee
looking for a
radio check,” my
dad called out
into his
faithful Kenwood
handheld 2-meter
radio.
“W-B-6-Zed-Y-Y,
I hear you loud
and clear,” came
an answer from
radio land.
This was my
dad’s call sign
— the constant
background noise
of my youth. Ask
any childhood
friend who spent
extended time at
my home; Dad’s
call sign is
ingrained in
their memories,
too. It was a
comfort to hear
it.
My father
didn’t go
anywhere without
his amateur
(ham) radio. As
a person with
severehemophilia,
he felt safer
knowing he had a
way to
communicate in
an emergency.
That was long
before
cellphones
existed.
I have
multiple
memories of our
vehicle breaking
down on the
highway. While
other stranded
motorists would
have to hike to
the nearest call
box to reach out
for help, my
father would
call out on his
radio and a
listener would
hear. Then, they
called for a tow
truck using
their landline.
Sometimes they’d
even hop in
their car to
come rescue our
family and take
us home.
The radio
proved useful,
allowing Dad to
communicate with
others, even
when he was away
from his
landline, and
keep our family
safe.
Ham radio as
connection
My dad didn’t
start using ham
radio as a
safety measure,
but as a means
of connection.
As a teenager
growing up on
the Hawaiian
island of Oahu,
he was lonely
and struggled at
times to make
friends.
Additionally,bleedscould
cause him to
miss school for
extended periods
of time.
(Thankfully,hemophilia
treatmentsare
much better
today!) Sports
were definitely
not an option
for him.
In high
school, he
became
interested in
radio and was
soon licensed
and talking to
people all over
the world. This
afforded him
much-needed
connection while
living with such
an isolating
condition.
Ham radio was
a hobby he would
carry throughout
his life. When I
was in high
school, my dad
encouraged me to
get licensed,
too. He argued
that a license
would allow me
to carry a radio
with me when I
drove, affording
me similar
safety in an
emergency.
At 15, I
studied and
passed the test
for thefirst
level of licenseat
the time
(Novice). I had
to learn Morse
code!
Unfortunately, I
didn’t pass the
licensing exam
for the next
level,
Technician,
which would’ve
allowed me to
talk on certain
radio bands. I
failed by only
one or two
questions, but
embarrassed and
frustrated, I
walked away. My
dad and I didn’t
talk much about
ham radio after
that.
Dad died in
September 2010.
His radios were
with him until
the end.
Obtaining my
license
In December
2021, I saw
someone
advertising a
ham radio
licensing class
online. It made
me curious about
amateur radio,
so I read about
it — for hours.
I learned I
could apply to
obtain my
father’s call
sign as my own
if I were to
study and pass
the Technician
test I’d failed
33 years
earlier. This
was on a Friday.
By Saturday
night, I’d found
an online
program I could
use to cram the
information
necessary to
pass thelicensing
exam.
I locked
myself in a room
for two days
straight. On
Tuesday, I took
theTechniciantest
online. I
redeemed my
15-year-old self
with a score of
100% and applied
for my dad’s old
call sign
immediately. He
would be proud.
But I didn’t
stop there. The
following
weekend I
crammed again,
and I passed theGenerallicensing
test the next
Tuesday. One
year later, a
friend sent me
study guides for
theAmateur
Extralicense
test. With that
pressure, I
crammed over
another weekend
and passed the
highest
licensing exam.
I wish my dad
could have seen
me achieve this.
Today I feel
safer knowing I
have a ham radio
license. I live
in California,
where there are
earthquakes,
floods, and
fires. During
natural
disasters,
communication is
challenging, as
cellphone towers
can go down or
get overloaded.
Ham radio towers
enable me to
keep an open
line of
communication.
Today I serve on
the radio team
for theCommunity
Emergency
Response Team,
a program that
educates,
trains, and
certifies
volunteers to
serve the
community during
disasters.
When I first
spoke on the
radio, I fought
back tears; it
was hard to
speak my dad’s
call sign as my
own. I missed
him. Three and a
half years
later, his call
sign now feels
like mine. I use
it with pride,
threading
together two
generations of
hemophiliacs
with stable
communication
and connection.
TUESDAY
EDITION: Anothr hot
day on tap, enjoy
it....fall is on the
way..
Why Apple Dumped
2,700 Computers In A
Landfill in 1989
In 1983, the Lisa
was supposed to be a
barnburner. Apple’s
brand-new computer
had a cutting edge
GUI, a mouse, and
power far beyond the
8-bit machines that
came before. It
looked like nothing
else on the market,
and had a price tag
to match—retailing
at $9,995, or the
equivalent of over
$30,000 today.
It held so much
promise. And yet,
come 1989, Apple was
burying almost 3,000
examples in a
landfill. What went
wrong?
Promise
The Lisa computer,
released in 1983,
was Apple’s first
attempt at bringing
a graphical user
interface to the
masses. The name was
officially an
acronym for “Local
Integrated Software
Architecture,”
though many believed
it was actually
named after Steve
Jobs’ daughter. In
any case, the Lisa
was groundbreaking
in ways that
wouldn’t be fully
appreciated until
years later.
The Lisa stepped
away from the
long-lived 6502 CPU
that had powered the
Apple II line.
Instead, it relied
upon the exciting
new Motorola 68000,
with its hybrid
16-bit/32-bit
architecture and
fast 5 MHz clock
speed. The extra
power came in handy,
as the Lisa was to
be one of the first
retail computers to
be sold with a
graphical user
interface—imaginatively
titled Lisa OS.
Forget command lines
and character
displays—the Lisa
had icons and a
mouse, all rendered
on a glorious 720 x
364 monochrome
monitor with
rectangular pixels.
Adopters of Apple’s
new rectangular
machine also got
twin 5.25-inch
double-sided floppy
drives, and the Lisa
included three
expansion slots and
a parallel port for
adding additional
peripherals.
The Lisa seemed to
offer a great leap
forward in
capability, but the
same could be said
of its price. At
launch in 1983, it
retailed at $9,995,
equivalent to over
$30,000 in 2025
dollars. The price
was many multiples
beyond what you
might pay for an IBM
PC, making it a
tough pill to
swallow even given
what the Lisa had to
offer. The GUI
might have been
cutting-edge, too,
but the
implementation
wasn’t perfect. The
Lisa had a tendency
to chug.
There was also a
further problem.
Apple’s very own
Steve Jobs may have
worked on the Lisa,
but he was kicked
off the project in
1981, prior to
launch. Jobs then
jumped ship to the
nascent Macintosh
development effort,
which was initially
intended to be a
low-cost text-based
computer retailing
for under $1,000.
Jobs swiftly
redirected the
Macintosh project to
make it a GUI-based
machine, while
retaining the
intention to come in
at a far more
affordable
price-point than the
exorbitantly-priced
Lisa.
The result was
damaging. Just as
the Lisa was
launching, rumors
were already
swirling about
Apple’s upcoming
budget machine. When
the Macintosh hit
the market in 1984,
it immediately
blitzed the Lisa in
sales. Both machines
had a mouse and a
GUI, and the
Macintosh even had a
more forward-looking
3.25-inch floppy
drive. True, the Mac
wasn’t anywhere near
as beefy as the
Lisa; most notably,
it had just 128K of
RAM to the 1MB in
Apple’s flagship
machine. Ultimately,
though, the market
voted Mac—perhaps
unsurprising given
it retailed at
$2,495—a quarter of
the Lisa’s debut
price. Come May,
Apple had sold
70,000 units, thanks
in part do a
legendary commercial
directed by the Ridley
Scott. Meanwhile,
it took the Lisa a
full two years to
sell just 50,000.
Apple tried to make
the best of things.
The Lisa was
followed by the Lisa
2, and it was then
rebadged as the
Macintosh XL.
Ultimately, though,
it would never find
real purchase in the
marketplace, even
after severe price
cuts down to $3,995
in 1985. By 1986, it
was all over—Apple
discontinued the
Lisa line.
The following years
weren’t kind. A
bunch of 5000 Lisas
ended up being
bought by
third-party company
Sun Remarketing,
which upgraded them
and sold them on as
“Lisa Professionals”
and “Macintosh
Professionals.”
However, cut to
1989, and Apple had
a better idea. The
Lisas were going to
a dump in Logan,
Utah.
The story would end
up making the news,
with The
Herald Journal reporting
on what was then an
astounding story.
2,700 brand new
computers were being
sent to straight to
landfill. This was
particularly
shocking in the era,
given that computers
were then still
relatively novel in
the marketplace and
sold for an
incredibly high
price.
The reason behind it
was pure business.
“Right now, our
fiscal year end is
fast approaching and
rather than carrying
that product on the
books, this is a
better business
decision,” Apple
spokesperson Carleen
Lavasseur told the
press. Apple was
able to gain a tax
write off the
computers, and it
was estimated it
could reclaim up to
$34 for every $100
of depreciated value
in the machines
which were now
considered obsolete.
Apple paid $1.95 a
yard for over 880
cubic yards of space
at the landfill to
dump the machines. Other
reports on the event noted
that guards
apparently stood on
site to ensure the
machines were
destroyed and could
not be recovered.
It’s a story that
might recall you of
Atari’s ET, another
grand embarrassment
covered up under a
pile of trash.
Sometimes, products
fail, and there’s
little more to do
than call the trucks
and all them away.
The Apple Lisa is
perhaps one of the
nicer machines
that’s ever happened
to.
Hamshack Hotline
Users Invited to
Apply for Services
at Hams Over IP
In response to
recent service
changes and
anticipated outages
affecting Hamshack
Hotline (HH) users,
Hams Over IP Inc. is
extending a warm
invitation to all
amateur radio
operators affected
by the transition to
apply for service on
theHams
Over IP(HoIP)
network.
As a
volunteer-driven
nonprofit platform,
Hams Over IP was
founded by hams for
hams, with a mission
to offer a reliable,
secure, and modern
VoIP network
exclusively for
licensed amateur
radio operators
worldwide. With
robust
infrastructure,
active development,
and a welcoming
community, HoIP is
proud to support the
continued growth of
digital amateur
communications.
As Hamshack
Hotline service
winds down for many,
Hams Over IP stands
ready to welcome
operators who want
to continue enjoying
seamless
radio-over-IP
connections.
Why Choose Hams
Over IP?
Reliable
service and
infrastructure
Active peer
and extension
network
Secure
registration
with callsign
verification
Wide device
compatibility
(Cisco,
Grandstream,
softphones, and
more)
The application
process is simple
and designed to
verify callsign
validity while
providing setup
guidance for a
smooth onboarding
experience.
About Hams Over
IP
Hams Over IP Inc.
is a nonprofit
organization
committed to
supporting and
expanding amateur
radio VoIP
technologies. Built
by licensed amateur
operators, HoIP
maintains a secure
and dynamic network
that connects hams
through modern
IP-based voice
services with
servers powered by
VULTR located in
multiple countries
that are designed to
provide low-latency
and optimized
performance for
users worldwide.
Media Contact:
Gescio O Alpuro
(WH6AV)
Hams Over IP Inc.
wh6av@hamsoverip.com
MONDAY
EDITION:
What a stretch of
great weather, nows
the time to get that
antenna up!...The 6
meter Fish Net will
be on Wednesday
night on 50.200USB
at 730pm out of
Gloucester, MA, give
it a try. We had 12
check-ins last
week....
High Altitude
Camp Needs Amateur
Radio Tracking
Operators
On Wednesday,
August 13, 2025, the
Kopernik Observatory
in Vestal, New York,
will be running a
High Altitude
Balloon Camp for
local high school
students.
The payload of
the balloon will
contain an Automatic
Packet Reporting
System (APRS)
transmitter, call
sign K2ZRO-9, for
tracking, plus a
slow-scan television
(SSTV) transmitter
on 145.600
throughout the
flight. The launch
is planned between…
Read more
American Radio
Relay League | Ham
Radio Association
and Resources –Read
Candidate for US
Congress Focuses on
Issues Related to
Amateur Radio
Austin Ayers
(WX3SVR) isrunning
for US Congresswith
a campaign focusing
on the rights of the
amateur radio
community. In an
email sent toAmateur
Radio Daily, WX3SVR
described three
bills he’d plan to
introduce if he’s
elected:
1. Amateur
Radio
Accessibility
and Antenna
Rights Act
If elected, I
would introduce
legislation to
prevent HOA’s,
condominium
boards, and
other private
entities from
enforcing any
such rules that
could ban
antennas from
being installed.
I would also
prevent such
boards and
agencies from
throwing
requests for
antennas into a
bottomless pit,
and guideline
the maximum of
30 days to issue
approval.
2. Amateur
Radio Spectrum
Protection and
Expansion Act
If elected, I
would introduce
and sponsor a
bill that would
protect and
expand the
amateur radio
spectrum. This
would prevent
our spectrum
from being
re-allocated to
commercial
users, and allow
for bandwidth
expansion to
accommodate
larger limits
for modern
digital modes.
3. Amateur
Radio Emergency
Communications
Enhancement Act
If elected, the
Amateur Radio
Emergency
Communications
Enhancement Act
would authorize
registered
non-profit clubs
that provide
emergency
communications
to get access to
apply for grants
through FEMA and
DHS, while
requiring FEMA
and state EMA’s
to include
trained and
licensed amateur
radio operators
in their
disaster
response plans.
I would also
introduce a tax
credit for
licensed
operators who
purchase
equipment that
will be used for
emergency
communications.
After seeing how
vital amateur
radio was during
the response to
Hurricane
Helene, I do not
know how WNC
would be able to
recover from a
disaster like
that. Ham radio
saved lives!
This nation
is facing a
major crisis in
the political
field, and that
is the divide
between the left
and the right.
At the end of
the day, we need
to love our
neighbors and
put this major
fight to the
side to get
things done! I
want to protect
the rights of my
constituents and
every amateur
radio operator
in this great
nation! One
major key point
I want to bring
up is that I am
running for a
federal office,
meaning I have
direct input on
the laws the FCC
must follow. Not
just a state
representative
or senator, but
federal which
will benefit
every ham radio
operator!
99-year-old ham
WWII vet is the
oldest UWF Argo
(Florida)
[QRZlists
a Charles Pritchett
in Pensacola FL as
K4CMP – GW]
Charley Pritchett has
always been one of
my favorite folks
I’ve met through my
years at the
Pensacola News
Journal, but I
hadn’t talked to him
in a spell..
The guy is a World
War II veteran,
a former disc
jockey, worked near
the Aleutian Islands
before Alaska was
even a state, had
jobs as a civilian
air traffic
controller, a radio
disc jockey, a
manager for TV
Guide, a publisher
and selling real
estate and
advertising. He’s
taught at
universities, is a
Morse code
interceptor (just
like me in the
Army!), a ham radio
operator, a trumpet
player and, I just
found out, a
longtime palm
reader.
USB-C has enabled
a lot of great
things, most notably
removing the no less
than three attempts
to plug in the cable
correctly, but gone
are the days of just
5V over those lines.
[Meticulous
Technologies] sent
in their project to
help easily identify
what voltage your
USB-C line is
running at, theUSB
VSense.
The USB VSense is
an inline board that
has USB-C connectors
on either end, and
supporting up to
240W you don’t have
to worry about it
throttling your
device. One of the
coolest design
aspects of this
board is that it
uses stacked PCB
construction as the
enclosure, the
display, and the PCB
doing all the
sensing and
displaying. And for
sensing this small
device has a good
number of cool
tricks, it will
sense all the eight
common USB-C
voltages, but it
will also measure
and alert you to
variations of the
voltage outside the
normal range by
blinking the various
colored LEDs in
specific patterns.
For instance should
you have it plugged
into a line that’s
sitting over 48V the
VSense white 48V LED
will be rapidly
blinking, warning
you that something
in your setup has
gone horribly wrong.
Having dedicated
uniquely colored
LEDs for each common
level allows you to
at a glance know
what the voltage is
at without the need
to read anything.
With a max current
draw of less than
6mA you won’t feel
bad about using it
on a USB battery
pack for many
applications.
The USB VSense
has completed a
small production run
and has stated their
intention to open
source their design
as soon as possible
after their Crowd
Supply campaign.
We’ve featured otherUSB-C
PD projectsand
no doubt we’ll be
seeing more as this
standard continues
to gain traction
with more and more
devices relying on
it for their DC
power.
Solar
activity was at
low levels on 28
July to 02
August and
moderate levels
on 03
August. The
largest flare of
the period was
an M2.9/2b event
observed from
Region 4168 on
03 August. The
region also
produced
numerous C-class
events. Numerous
C-class activity
was observed
from Regions
4153, 4155, and
4167. No
Earth-directed
CME activity was
observed.
No
proton events
were observed at
geosynchronous
orbit.
Geomagnetic
field activity
was at quiet to
unsettled levels
the entire
highlight
period. A
single active
period was
observed late on
03 August. A
majority of the
unsettled
periods was due
to weak negative
polarity CH HSS
influence. Solar
wind speeds were
at mostly 400
km/s from 28
July through
midday on 30
July and 475-500
km/s from midday
30 July through
03 August with a
peak velocity
observed at 600
km/s late on 03
August.
Solar
activity is
expected to be
at mostly low
levels with a
chance for
M-class flares
for the outlook
period.
Geomagnetic
field activity
is expected to
be at active to
G1 storm levels
on 11 to 15
August, 18 to 22
August and 25 to
30 August due to
recurrent CH HSS
effects. Quiet
to unsettled
levels are
expected on the
remaining days
of the outlook
period.
Weekly
Commentary on
the Sun, the
Magnetosphere,
and the Earth's
Ionosphere for
August 7, 2025
by F. K. Janda:
Overall
solar activity
has not changed
much in recent
days, but it has
been higher than
on the same days
of the previous
solar cycle.
However,
eruption
activity
increased in the
northwestern
part of the
solar disk. The
M4.4 eruption on
May 5, with a
maximum at 1553
UTC, was of
greatest
significance for
further
development, as
it was
accompanied by a
CME, part of
which is heading
toward
Earth. It is
expected to
arrive on August
8, at the same
time as a
co-rotating
interactive
region (CIR),
should cause an
intensification
of the solar
wind blowing
from a large
coronal hole in
the southern
hemisphere of
the Sun.
The
combination of
these two
phenomena will
cause an
increase in
geomagnetic
activity on
August
8. Thanks to
the intensified
solar wind, the
geomagnetic
field will
remain active on
May 9. On the
first day, there
will likely be a
positive phase
of development,
accompanied by
an increase in
the highest
usable
frequencies of
the F2
ionospheric
region, while on
the second day,
the development
will transition
to a negative
phase, with a
decrease in
usable
frequencies and
an overall
deterioration in
shortwave
propagation
conditions due
to increased
attenuation.
After
that, rather
turbulent
developments can
be expected
until
approximately
August 12,
followed by a
calming down
from August 13.
Overall solar
activity should
remain only
slightly
elevated.
JOINT INDIA-US
SATELLITE FOCUSES ON
NATURAL DISASTERS
PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top
story takes us to
space where a
satellite created
through the
partnership of two
nations will provide
a window into some
of the natural
disasters plaguing
us here on Earth.
Jim Meachen ZL2BHF
has the details.
JIM: An
unprecedented joint
satellite project
between the Indian
Space Research
Organization and
NASA is giving
researchers the hope
of better studying
the Earth's climate
and helping improve
responses to natural
disasters by
monitoring the most
subtle changes on
Earth, including in
its glaciers and
wetlands.
The satellite is
known as NISAR, the
NASA-ISRO Synthetic
Aperture Radar
mission. Its launch
aboard an ISRO
spacecraft on the
30th of July from
the Satish Dhawan
Space Centre, sent
it on its mission to
send microwaves to
collect data from
different surfaces
on the planet. When
processed, the data
will be visible in
an exceptionally
high resolution. An
estimated 80
terabytes of data
will be collected
daily. Scientists
have said that the
method has [quote]
"unprecedented
accuracy."
[endquote]
Researchers and
governments around
the world will be
able to view the
data via a cloud
platform where they
will have open
access.
The project is being
praised as the first
collaborative
satellite mission of
its kind between the
Indian and US space
agencies.
This is Jim Meachen
ZL2BHF.
(CNN, AMSAT NEWS
SERVICE)
**
AST SPACEMOBILE
DEFENDS PROPOSED
AMATEUR-SPECTRUM USE
PAUL/ANCHOR: A Texas
telecommunications
company asking for
FCC permission to
use amateur radio
frequencies between
430 and 440 MHz has
submitted a response
to the US regulator,
defending itself
against concerns
from ham radio
operators over
interference. The
letter, written by
AST SpaceMobile
assures the agency
that its satellites
are designed to
[quote] "mitigate
interference."
[endquote] The
company also said it
would shut down its
use of the band if
interference was
found. The company's
filing, reported on
the PC Magazine
website, reads in
part that the FCC
has found that AST
SpaceMobile’s prior
demonstrations of no
interference conform
to ITU regulations
and are [quote]
"sufficient to
authorize a limited,
nonconforming use.”
[endquote]
The PC Magazine
website noted that
the FCC has received
more than 2,500
comments in protest
of the company's
proposed use of the
band.
(PCMAG)
**
CREW-11 ARRIVES,
BEGINS WORK ABOARD
ISS
PAUL/ANCHOR:
Elsewhere in space
two more hams have
arrived aboard the
ISS after a brief
delay of their
launch, as we hear
from Travis Lisk
N3ILS.
TRAVIS: NASA's
SpaceX Crew-11
arrived at the
International Space
Station in the early
hours of Saturday,
the 2nd of August
after a launch that
suffered a one-day
weather delay due to
poor weather
Commander Zena
Cardman, KJ5CMN and
pilot Mike Fincke,
KE5AIT were
accompanied by two
mission specialists,
JAXA astronaut
Kimiya Yui and
Roscosmos cosmonaut
Oleg Platonov.
During their
seven-month tenure
aboard the orbiting
laboratory, the team
will conduct
experiments on the
impact of
microgravity on
bacteria-killing
viruses. They will
also study
plant-cell division
and human stem
cells.
The ISS assignment
marks the first time
in space for both
Zena Cardman and
Oleg Platonov.
This is Travis Lisk
N3ILS.
(NASA, CBS)
**
SPECIAL EVENT HONORS
NAVAJO CODE TALKERS
OF WW2
PAUL/ANCHOR:
Although the 14th of
August has been
designated as Navajo
Code Talkers Day, a
group of proud
amateur radio
operators are taking
several days to
honor this special
unit of brave
Marines who served
in the US military
during the second
World War.
Few of these hams
could be prouder
than Herb Goodluck
N7HG, whose late
father, John V.
Goodluck, had been
one of the Marines
who used their own
Navajo language to
craft a wartime code
that could not be
broken.
Herb will be among
those calling QRZ
from the 10th to the
15th, using the
callsign N7C.
Operators will be
using CW, phone and
FT-8. Additional
details, including
operating
frequencies, can be
found on QRZ.com
The hams will be
operating from
Window Rock, Arizona
at the Navajo Tribal
Park and Veterans
Memorial.
(QRZ,COM)
**
PROJECT BY INDIAN
STUDENTS, HAMS SEEKS
PATENT
PAUL/ANCHOR: In
rural India,
students at a school
for boys are being
rewarded for their
faith in the
technical expertise
of amateur radio
operators. The
lightning-arrester
project they have
been collaborating
on for several years
with the hams is
ready to be
considered for a
patent. GrahamKemp
VK4BB tells us what
comes next.
GRAHAM: Leave it to
ham radio operators
to know how
destructive, and
even fatal, a
lightning strike can
be. That's why a
number of years ago
educators at a
school in rural West
Bengal, India,
sought input from
local hams for a
project by physics
students to help
protect farmers when
they are caught in
the fields during
storms and lightning
strikes. According
to reports in the
Indian media, the
homebrew, affordably
built device, which
resembles a
bicycle’s wheel, has
been evaluated by
the Central Power
Research Institute.
It also received
recognition in 2020
at the National
Children's Science
Congress, a national
showcase for
innovative
technology devised
by youngsters
between the ages of
10 and 17. Newsline
described the simple
device in its first
report on the
project in November
of 2019, noting that
it affixes a
wheel-like component
to the top of a high
bamboo pole. An
electrical wire
connects it to metal
in the earth to
ground it.
The secretary of the
West Bengal Radio
Club said in media
reports that 40 such
devices have already
been put in place at
40 locations
throughout northern
Bengal where the
fields for the
farmers and their
animals are moist
and marshy.
Now the waiting
begins: The Times of
India reported that
the patent
application for the
project was filed on
the 27th of July.
This is Graham Kemp
VK4BB.
(TIMES OF INDIA,
ANALYST IP)
**
SILENT KEY: FORMER
ARRL SE DIVISION
DIRECTOR FRANK
BUTLER, W4RH
PAUL/ANCHOR: A
longstanding and
well-respected
member of the
amateur radio
community has become
a Silent Key. Frank
Butler, W4RH, had
been active in ham
radio since the
1940s, when he
received his
commercial and his
amateur licenses. He
spent part of his
professional career
as a broadcast
engineer at several
radio stations. By
many accounts, he
gave back generously
to amateur radio
over many decades.
He served for nearly
30 years as the
Southeastern
Division director of
the ARRL until he
stepped down in
2007. He had begun
his service with the
league in 1957 as
communications
manager for the
Western Florida
Section.
According to a
posting on the
Facebook page of the
Alabama section of
the ARRL, Frank
became a Silent Key
on Tuesday the 5th
of August. He was
100 years old.
On March 6th of this
year, on the
occasion of his
becoming a
centenarian, the
Okaloosa County
Board in Florida
proclaimed the date
"Frank M. Butler Jr.
Day."
Hams throughout the
division and beyond
posted on social
media, recalling him
as a gentleman and a
frequent and
prominent guest at
Huntsville and other
hamfests. His
generous spirit was
also widely known:
He was a member of
the ARRL Maxim
Society, which
recognizes donors
for their
extraordinary
monetary gifts to
the league.
(FACEBOOK, OKALOOSA
COUNTY BOARD)
**
ARRL'S RADIO ALPHA
MUSEUM TRACKS HAM
RADIO'S EVOLUTION
PAUL/ANCHOR: A
museum project being
hosted online by the
ARRL is tracking
amateur radio's life
story and its impact
on society. We have
more details from
George Zafiropoulos
KJ6VU.
GEORGE: What began
as the project of
Chuck Penson,
WA7ZZE, is slowly
growing into Radio
Alpha, a ham radio
museum and research
resource hosted by
the ARRL. The
historian's vision
is to build a tool
where documents
detailing amateur
radio equipment and
technology - and its
evolution - can be
accessible to
everyone in a
central location.
Announcing the
project on the ARRL
website, Chuck
wrote: [quote] "This
database will be a
living resource,
regularly updated
and expanded through
ongoing research and
community
contributions,
fostering a deeper
appreciation and
understanding of
amateur radio's
profound impact on
communication,
technology, and
society,” [endquote]
Chuck is looking for
volunteers to assist
him in building and
collecting the
content, especially
hams with deep
knowledge of
particular product
brands or operating
modes.The project is
being supported by
the ARRL's
Historical
Preservation Fund
If you are
interested in
assisting him, he
can be emailed at
radioalpha at arrl
dot org
[radioalpha@arrl.org]
That's radioalpha -
one word - at arrl
dot org
To see how the
collection has
already grown, visit
the link in the text
version of this
week's newsline
script at
arnewsline.org
**
KATIE CAMPBELL,
KE8LQR, PRESENTED
WITH NEWSLINE'S
YHOTY AWARD
PAUL/ANCHOR: Viewers
of the Ham Nation
podcast shared a
proud moment with
Newsline's Young Ham
of the Year, and Don
Wilbanks AE5DW is
here to tell us
about it.
DON: On Wednesday,
July 30th it was my
honor to present the
2025 Bill Pasternak
WA6ITF Amateur Radio
Newsline Young Ham
of the Year award to
Katie Campbell,
KE8LQR. As Katie
will be in Germany
as a foreign
exchange student for
her senior year in
high school on the
weekend of the
Huntsville Hamfest,
we presented the
award live on Ham
Nation, a first for
us. Our corporate
partners Yaesu USA,
Heil Ham Radio and
RadioWavz Antennas
will have some gifts
to show their
appreciation.
Appearing with
Katie, along with
our Ham Nation
regulars Josh Nass
KI6NAZ, Amanda Alden
K1DDN and Gordon
West WB6NOA, were
Young Ham of the
Year committee
chairman Mark
Abramowics NT3V,
judge Rich Moseson
W2VU, Newsline
editor Caryn Eve
Murray KD2GUT,
Newsline's Neil Rapp
WB9VPG, DX
Engineering's Tim
Duffy K3LR and
Huntsville Hamfest
chairman Mark Brown
N4BCD.
If you missed it
live, you can watch
the replay on
YouTube on the Ham
Radio Crash Course
channel, or just
type Ham Nation in
the YouTube search
bar. Our sincere
congratulations go
out to Katie for her
amazing
contributions to the
amateur radio hobby
and service. We're
looking forward to
next March when we
again open
nominations for the
2026 Young Ham of
the Year award.
Again, many thanks
to our corporate
partners Yaesu USA,
Heil Ham Radio and
RadioWavz, as well
as you, our
listeners and the
folks who continue
to nominate the best
of the best young
radio amateurs.
PAUL/ANCHOR: This
next story is
straightforward and,
we hope, easy to
understand but it's
about a
radio-transmitted
message that is
deliberately -- very
deliberately --
cryptic. Ralph
Squillace KK6ITB
tells us why.
RALPH: The Enigma
machine that the
Germans used during
World War II to
create encoded
secret messages is
about to be put back
into action. KPH,
the maritime radio
station in
California, will be
transmitting
messages using
Enigma encryption
for broadcast via
both CW and RTTY.
Listeners copy the
message and then,
using an actual
Enigma machine they
may have in their
shack or a simulated
one available
online, work to
decrypt the message
which will be sent
in groups of five
letters each.
This annual
tradition recalls
the hard work of
World War II era
cryptographers who
ultimately cracked
the code.
Certificates are
awarded for proof of
successful decode,
first to decode and
for use of original
or replica hardware.
The broadcast begins
at 2000 UTC on the
30th of August on
all KPH CW and RTTY
frequencies.
For more details,
visit the link in
the text version of
this weeks newscast
at arnewsline.org
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX,
two Scout stations
are finishing up
their activations.
Scout station
CR5OCEAN is on the
air until the 9th of
August, operating
from the National
Maritime Scout Camp
"Oceanos" at the
Alqueva Dam in
southern Portugal.
Be listening on 40
and 20 metres. QSL
via CR6CNE. In
Slovenia, another
Scout station,
S5ØZLET, is being
operated by members
of Radioclub Sezana,
S59ABL, and
Radioclub Koper,
S59CST, until the
8th of August for
the Slovenian
National Jamboree.
See QRZ.com for
details.
Operators with the
Sommers Island
Expedition, IOTA
Number EU-133, are
on the air until the
14th of August. They
are using the
callsign RI1E [R EYE
ONE EE]. Listen for
Vasily, R7AA and
Mikhail, RA1ALA
operating CW, SSB
and the digital
modes on 40-10
metres. See QRZ.com
for QSL details.
The special event
callsign 9A169TESLA
is on the air until
the 31st of December
marking the 169th
anniversary of the
birth of Nikola
Tesla. See QRZ.com
for QSL details.
In Canada, members
of the Atlantic
Coast DX & Contest
Group are
celebrating the
100th anniversary of
the International
Amateur Radio Union
by going on the air
throughout August as
CG9IARU. They will
activate POTA ,
World Wide Flora &
Fauna and Canadian
Historical Sites On
the Air locations.
See QRZ.com for QSL
and other details.
(425 DX BULLETIN)
**
KICKER: STALKING
SOME QSOS IN HIS
FIELD OF DREAMS
PAUL/ANCHOR: You
don't need to be a
farmer to celebrate
corn season this
time of year, Neil
Rapp WB9VPG,
introduces us to one
home brewer in Iowa
who says it's not
just corn season --
but antenna season!
NEIL: The smiling
radio operator
greeting viewers of
his YouTube videos
calls himself
"Cornfield Kevin,"
and yes, Kevin KØKLB
is outstanding in
his field -- which
happens to be an
Iowa cornfield.
There, in August of
2022, Kevin
harvested two SSB
contacts between
Iowa and Texas while
operating on 5 watts
using a 20m vertical
antenna fashioned
... from cornstalks.
He called his
creation "The
CornTenna."
This year, Kevin is
making the QSOs --
and the corn -- pop
all over again. In
his latest video, he
shows how he put
cornstalks back to
work recently, this
time using stalks
from a fresh harvest
to build a
horizontal 20 metre
dipole. He tested
the corn-tenna over
a two-day period
and, sadly, made no
contacts on the
first day. The next
day, after cutting
fresh new stalks, he
worked his brother
Bruce, KEØQQE, on 10
metres. Bruce, who
was nearby, gave him
a 5 5. Then a POTA
activator in Ohio
copied him and gave
him a 4 4, telling
him he was [quote]
"down in the weeds."
[endquote]
Well those weren't
exactly weeds Kevin
was standing in but
the POTA op was
correct about the
challenging RST.
Nonetheless,
satisfied with his
project, Kevin is
sharing the build on
his YouTube channel,
"Ham Radio QRP -
KØKLB." While you're
there, check out
Kevin's earlier
project for the
original vertical
corn-tenna. After
all, when you're a
ham on a farm in
Iowa, every day can
be field day.
FRIDAY
EDITION:
The left gets more
absurd by the day.
Last week, PETA –
People for the
Ethical Treatment of
Animals – sued the
Maine Lobster
Festival for cruelty
to lobsters.
Laughable, the idea
is taken seriously
by PETA, who say
lobsters are people
too. Not so? No, in
an incredible
finding, based on
deep research into
crustaceans,
neurology, ganglia,
and brains,
cold-bloodedness,
crusher claws, hard
and soft shells, and
lobster psychology
has recently
concluded that
lobsters
are not people. “Now
wait!” say the PETA
folks. They allege
this is not fair,
since some lobsters
identify as people
and even for those
who identify as
lobsters have a
right to be free of
the “egregiously
cruel method of
steaming … lobsters
alive,” since this
is “a violation of
Maine law
prohibiting the
torture and torment
of animals.” more,
>>CLICK TO READ<
What's the
most cutting
edge
technology
in Amateur
Radio today?
In
your
opinion,
what's
the most
cutting
edge
technology
in
Amateur
Radio
today
which
has the
most
potential
to
transform
how we
operate,
and why?
No, you don’t
need 10,000 steps a
day
The 10,000 steps
goal originated
as a 1960s
marketing
strategy.
In 1965, Yamasa
Tokei Keiki, a
Japanese clock and
instrument company,
released the first
consumer pedometer
and fitness
wearable. The launch
came in the
aftermath of the
1964 Tokyo Olympics
and amid concerns
that–contrasted with
the professional
athletes–the rest of
the nation wasn’t
moving enough. The
device was dubbed
the Manpo-kei, which
translates to the
“ten-thousand
step-meter.” And
here,a
persistent wellness
trope was born.
In the era of
Fitbits, Apple
Watches, Oura rings,
and smartphones that
can track our every
move, you’ve almost
certainly heard that
10,000 steps a day
is the target. But
why? How did that
come to be the
case?
“There were no
actual studies that
had looked at
‘10,000 steps,’” at
the time the Yamasa
pedometer was
developed,I-Min
Lee, an
epidemiologist at
Harvard Medical
School, tellsPopular
Science.“It
was a made-up number
in the sense that
10,000 sounds good,
it’s easy to
remember.”
Plus, the
character denoting
10,000looks
a little like a
person walking,
she notes, adding
“pizazz.” In other
words, the fitness
objective started
out as little more
than a marketing
strategy.
It’s only been in
the last decade or
so that scientists
like Lee have really
started to
investigate the
idea. In 2019, she
and co-authors
publisheda
study of step volumeand
all-cause mortality
among older women.
They found that far
less than 10,000
steps could make a
big difference for
longevity. Women who
averaged around
4,400 steps had
significantly lower
mortality rates over
four years of
follow-up than those
who averaged about
2,700 steps. At
higher activity
levels, mortality
rates decreased
further. However,
the apparent benefit
petered out at about
7,500 steps. “This
is the sweet spot,”
she says.
Anew
study published last
monthinThe
Lancetsuggests
that trend holds
true, not just for
older women, but
across age and
gender divides. In a
major review and
meta-analysis of
previously published
work, researchers
pooled and assessed
data from hundreds
of thousands of
people across dozens
of studies of
mortality, disease
risk, and even falls
with fresh eyes.
They found that “you
start to see pretty
profound benefits
much sooner than
10,000 steps,” saysPhilip
Clare, co-senior
study author and a
biostatistician at
the University of
Sydney in
Australia.
Perhaps
unsurprisingly,
rates of dementia,
cancer mortality,
heart disease,
falls, and all-cause
mortality (i.e.
cause of death for
any reason) are all
significantly lower
for people who take
more daily steps
compared with their
less active peers.
But for all of these
outcomes, the plots
relating steps to
risk are curves, not
straight lines.
Initially, the
gained benefits per
added stride are
steep. Going from
2,000 steps a day to
just 4,000 or so is
associated with
about a 30 percent
decrease in
all-cause mortality,
Clare says. If you
get up to about
7,000 steps, the
benefit falls to
nearly a 50 percent
risk reduction, per
the analysis. And
then, things start
to level out. At
higher activity
levels,”you get kind
of an incremental
return,” he notes.
Some of the
factors they
explored, like
depressive symptoms,
type 2 diabetes
risk, and cancer
incidence did follow
a more linear trend,
dropping continually
with increased
steps. But the
caveat is that
relatively few
studies examined
these associations,
so there was less
data to go off of.
It’s quite possible
that every
additional amount of
walkingdoesimprove
mental health (at
least up to the
12,000-step cut-off
examined by the new
research), but it’s
simply not feasible
to always be on the
move. For those with
desk jobs or
generally sedentary
lifestyles, trying
to ever-maximizing
steps to minimize
health risk, or
fixating on a single
magic number might
very well lead to
more anxiety than
it’s worth.
Public health
messaging is
important, say both
Lee and Clare. If
you offer people a
target that seems
out of reach from
their starting
point, they won’t
try to reach it. It
might be more
discouraging than
helpful, Lee
explains. However,
if you tell people
evidence-based
truth: that even
modest increases in
daily activity can
lead to major health
boosts, they might
be less discouraged
and more motivated
to introduce new
habits.
“My
recommendation with
steps is just as
much as you can, try
and make it
routine,” Clare
says. Don’t think of
movement as separate
from your day-to-day
activities, but
incorporate it in,
he adds. Walk as
part of your
errands, park just a
little farther away,
take the stairs
where available and
slowly the pedometer
will tick up.
“Even if all you
can do is 1,000
steps more than what
you’re already
doing– just a little
bit more–you’ll
still see
benefits.”
THURSDAY
EDITION:
Still smoked in
here, I would love
to see the sun
before the summer
ends..
No
Interference?
AST
SpaceMobile
Defends
Use of
Ham
Radio
Spectrum
AST
SpaceMobile
plans to
use the
spectrum
in a
limited
capacity.
Still,
it faces
fierce
pushback
from
amateur
radio
groups,
some of
which
claim
interference
is
already
happening.
Facing
thousands
of
complaints,AST
SpaceMobileis
pushing
back
against
concerns
that
the
company’s
giant
satellites
risk
interfering
with
amateur
“ham”
radio
operations
across
the
globe.
On
Tuesday,
the
company
sent
aletterto
the
US
Federal
Communications
Commission,
defending
its
plan
to
use
the
430
to
440MHz
radio
bands
outside
the
US
to
track
and
control
its
proposed
fleet
of
248
satellites.
Those
bands
have
long
been
allocated
to
amateur
radio
operations,
including
for
emergency
communications,
so
the
community
has
beencampaigningto
stop
AST
from
gaining
access.
It
flooded
the
FCC's
online
system
with
over2,500
comments,
many
of
them
protesting
AST’s
plan
to
use
the
spectrum.
The American
Radio Relay
League (ARRL) is
seeking a
dynamic and
experiencedMembership
Managerto
lead strategies
focused on
membership
growth,
engagement, and
retention. This
full-time
position is
based at ARRL
Headquarters in
Newington, CT,
and requires a
strong
background in
marketing and
management,
along with a
solid
understanding of
membership
operations and
database
systems. The
ideal candidate
will hold a
validAmateur
Radio Licenseand
have a proven
track record in
developing
multi-channel
campaigns,
analyzing member
trends, and
cultivating
stakeholder
relationships.
W1AW
Operator –
Amateur Radio
On-Air
Opportunity
The American
Radio Relay
League (ARRL) is
seeking a
licensed amateur
radio operator
with on-air
experience to
join our team as
a W1AW Operator
in Newington,
CT. This onsite
role involves
operating our
W1AW flagship
station in
accordance with
FCC regulations,
preparing
bulletins,
supporting
visiting
operators, and
conducting
public tours.
Candidates must
hold at least an
Advanced Class
Amateur Radio
License and have
a minimum of
three years
on-air
experience.
Strong technical
knowledge,
professionalism,
and the ability
to work
independently
during
second-shift
hours (4:00
PM–12:00 AM) are
essential.
Technical Editor
ARRL is also
seeking a
skilled and
detail-orientedTechnical
Editorto
contribute to
the quality and
accuracy of
technical
content across
its flagship
publication,QST,
and other ARRL
materials. This
full-time
position, also
based in
Newington, CT,
requires anAmateur
Radio Extra
Class License.
Responsibilities
include
reviewing and
editing
articles,
writing
technical
features,
managing
editorial
timelines, and
collaborating
with
contributors
within the
amateur radio
community. A
background in
technical
writing or
engineering and
strong
copyediting
skills are
essential.
These
positions are
100% on-site,
and there are no
remote options.
To view the full
job descriptions
and apply,
please visit:www.arrl.org/careers.
ARRL is an equal
opportunity
employer.
What Happens
When Lightning
Strikes A Plane?
Lightning is a
powerful force, one
seemingly capable of
great destruction in
the right
circumstances. It
announces itself
with a searing
flash, followed by a
deep rumble heard
for miles around.
Intuitively, it
might seem like a
lightning strike
would be disastrous
for something like a
plane flying at
altitude. And yet,
while damage is
possible, more often
than not—a plane
will get through a
lightning storm
unscathed. Let’s
explore the physics
at play.
Flying High
An electrical
storm captured
off the port
side of a Thai
Airways flight
in June 2025.
Pilots typically
aim to avoid
flying through
electrical
storms where
possible out of
an abundance of
caution. Credit:
author
According to
organizations in the
know, like theNational
Weather ServiceandAirbus,
in-service
commercial passenger
planes get hit by
lightning one to two
times a year on
average. Despite
this, crashes due to
lightning strikes
are extremely rare
in these aircraft.
One might imagine
that a modern
airliner, full of
complex electrical
systems and fuel,
would be highly
sensitive to a large
release of
electrical energy.
However, thanks to
basic physics and
smart design, modern
commercial planes
are actually able to
weather a lightning
strike quite well.
Much this comes
down to the way
electrical current
flows through a
conductor. In a
traditional airliner
with an aluminium
fuselage and wings,
the outer body of
the aircraft acts as
a Faraday cage. This
sees the current
from a lightning
strike flow
primarily through
the exterior of the
aircraft, without
harming anything
inside. The
lightning strike
typically contacts
the outside of the
aircraft at one
point, and leaves
the aircraft at
another, while the
electronic systems
inside are largely
undisturbed. This
effect also works in
composite-bodied
aircraft, thanks to
aircraft
manufacturers
including conductive
foils or strips in
the fuselage to
ensure this effect
is preserved. “All
components of the
aircraft structure
(metallic or
composite) must be
bonded together with
bonding leads or
with fasteners to
ensure electrical
continuity,” notes
Airbusin
a discussion on the
topic. “This
will enable the
lightning current to
travel through the
aircraft structure
without creating
significant damage.”
Those onboard the
plane might here a
loud noise and see a
giant flash, but
actual impact to the
aircraft’s structure
and electronic
hardware is usually
very limited.
Aircraft tend to
attract
lightning when
flying through
areas of high
electric field
in the
atmosphere.
Credit:Airbus
It’s worth noting
that this protective
effect is quite
important, because
aircraft themselves
have a tendency to
attract lightning
when flying through
an area of strong
electrical field. As
explained by Airbus,
lightning leaders
projecting from a
storm can readily
meet up with
lightning leaders
emanating from a
plane’s wings,
nosecone, tailplane,
or other
extremities. When
this happens, the
plane, effectively a
large conductor,
becomes part of the
lightning channel
when the discharge
happens, carrying
current as part of
the lightning’s
path. A lightning
strike may enter the
plane at the nose,
with discharge
passing from the
tail, wingtips, or
other pointed
protrusion. Static
discharge wicks can
help in this regard.
These are small
pointed metal
protrusions fitted
across an airliner’s
body, which are
intended to release
static electricity
built up from
friction with the
air, dust, or
precipitation during
flight. They can act
as discharge points
for a lightning
strike, too.
As a corona
discharge,
lightning will
tend to leave
the aircraft
from a sharp
point like a
wingtip, the
tail, or static
wicks mounted on
the trailing
edges of
aerodynamic
surfaces.
Credit: Adrian
Pingstone,
public domain
While modern
aircraft are
designed to survive
lightning strikes,
it’s still better to
not get hit in the
first place. Often,
damage is minor or
inconsequential, but
planes still need to
be checked over
after a strike event
regardless. For that
reason, pilots rely
on weather forecasts
and guidance from
air traffic control
to fly around or
over danger areas
wherever possible.
In the event a
modern airliner is
struck, damage
usually fits the
description you’d
expect from a large
arcing event. Metal
components may show
burn marks, holes,
or pitting, along
with deformation
from excess heat.
Composite parts may
also show fiber
damage,
delamination, or
damage to conductive
elements impacted by
the strike.
Post-strike
inspections are thus
performed to find
and repair this
damage before a
plane flies again.
Unfortunately,
while damage or
crashes due to
lightning strikes
are rare, they do
still occasionally
happen. Flightline
Flight 101 crashed
in 2001, with the
small turboprop
plane suspected to
have gone down due
to electrical
failure after a
lightning strike.
Investigators noted
that the Swearingen
SA226-AT aircraft
had been known to
suffer electrical
failure in other
lightning strike
incidents. Another
tragic example was
LANSA Flight 508,
which crashed in
1971 after the
Lockheed L-188
Electra suffered
wing failure after a
lightning strike.
Certain areas of
the plane are
more likely to
suffer damage
from a lightning
strike—most
damage occurs
where the
lightning strike
enters or leaves
the aircraft
body. Credit:Airbus
However, more
modern passenger
airliners from
manufacturers like
Boeing and Airbus
have proven a much
more solid safety
record when it comes
to lightning
strikes. This has
come as a part of
modern regulations,
which demand
electrical bonding
of components to
reduce the chance
that a lightning
strike could ignite
fuel vapors or fuel
tanks, and panel
thickness
requirements to make
sure lightning
strikes can’t easily
melt through an
entire panel to
damage parts inside.
Many of these rules
were instituted
after the loss of
Pan Am Flight 214 in
1963, when
investigators
concluded that a
lightning strike had
ignited fuel vapor
leading to the total
loss of the
aircraft.
It’s also worth
noting that
lightning can
actually be a large
danger to planes
when on the ground.
Airports are often
large, open areas
with few tall
structures around,
meaning that
aircraft can be a
more likely target
for lightning
strikes in the area.
In the event a plane
is struck on the
tarmac, crew nearby
can be in severe
danger if the strike
jumps to them on its
way to the ground.
Aircraft are often
grounded with
conductive straps
when on the tarmac
with straps to help
reduce the chance of
this happening, and
work on the ground
is often postponed
if there is a high
risk of lightning in
the area.
WEDNESDAY
EDITION: We
are still smoked in
on Cape Ann, it must
be sunny
somewhere...
Ham radio a path to
public service in
Maine
A percentage
of people seem to be
hard-wired for or
drawn to community
service, leadership
roles and events in
which they can serve
their neighbors and
fellow citizens. The
amateur ham radio
service offers a
path to many
rewarding public
service
opportunities.
Ham radio
operators volunteer
with county or local
programs like the
Amateur Radio
Emergency Service,
an American Radio
Relay League
program. These teams
often serve the
county emergency
management agencies
in Maine, according
to Derrick
Ouellette, deputy
director of the
Aroostook County
Emergency Management
Agency.
Members of the
Aroostook ARES team
recently
participated in the
annual field day
exercise, held every
year in June when
ham operators all
over the U.S. and
Canada join for
excercises
simulating disaster
conditions.
They practice
emergency
communications with
portable radios and
antennas and make as
many contacts as
possible in a fun
“contest-style,”
off-grid event.
In times of
disaster or other
emergencies, radio
service members
provide backup
communications when
existing public
safety systems get
overloaded or fail.
In non-emergency
times, these teams
practice and hone
their skills by
providing
communications at
public events such
as the Can-Am Crown
International Sled
Dog Races, the
Northwoods Gravel
Grind and much
more.
Amateur radio is
regulated by the
Federal
Communications
Commission, and one
of its primary
purposes is
recognition and
enhancement of the
value of the amateur
service to the
public as a
voluntary
noncommercial
communication
service,
particularly with
respect to providing
emergency
communications.
TUESDAY
EDITION:
Hazed in here on the
island from the
Canadian wild fires,
what a weird summer
of weather....
When the UK’s
Telephone Network
Went Digital With
System X
The switch
from analog
telephone
exchanges to a
purely digital
network meant a
revolution in
just about any
way imaginable.
Gone were the
bulky physical
switches and
associated
system
limitations. In
the UK this
change happened
in the early
1980s, with what
the Post Office
Telecommunications
(later British
Telecom) and
associated
companies
called System X.
Along with the
system’s
rollout,promotional
videos like this
1983 one were
meant to educate
the public and
likely any
investors on
what a smashing
idea the whole
system was.
Although for
the average
person in the UK
the introduction
of the new
digital
telephone
network probably
didn’t mean a
major change
beyond a few new
features like
group calls, the
same wasn’t true
for the network
operator whose
exchanges and
networks got
much smaller and
more efficient,
as explained in
the video. To
this daySystem
Xremains
the backbone of
the telephone
network in the
UK.
To get an
idea of the
immense scale of
the old analog
system,this
1982 video(also
embedded below)
shows the system
as it existed
before System X
began to replace
it. The latter
part of the
video provides
significant
detail of System
X and its
implementation
at the time,
although when
this video was
produced much of
the system was
still being
developed.
IARU
Position on the
Utilization of
the 430–440 MHz
Amateur Band by
AST SpaceMobile
Satellite
Constellation
AST &
Science LLC
(operating
as AST
SpaceMobile)
currently
deploys
commercial
satellites
in Low Earth
Orbit that
utilize
spectrum
allocations
within the
430–440 MHz
amateur and
amateur
satellite
bands for
Telemetry,
Tracking,
and Command
(TT&C)
operations.
The
satellites,
designated
Bluebird
1–5, were
launched on
September
12, 2024,
and function
under an FCC
Space Bureau
authorization
pursuant to
Article 4.4
of the ITU
Radio
Regulations.
This
provision
permits
administrations
to authorize
stations
using
frequencies
that are not
in
accordance
with the
ITU‑R Table
of Frequency
Allocations
or other
relevant
regulations,
provided
such use
does not
cause
harmful
interference
to other
administrations
authorising
services
that are in
accordance
with the
Table of
Frequency
Allocations.
Bluebird
satellites
employ the
following
frequencies
for TT&C
operations
with 50 kHz
bandwidth
utilizing
Gaussian
Frequency
Shift Keying
(GFSK 2400):
430.500 MHz,
432.300 MHz,
434.100 MHz,
435.900 MHz,
and 439.500
MHz.
Additionally,
AST’s
prototype
satellite
Bluewalker‑3
transmits
telemetry on
437.500 MHz.
These
frequencies
are not
intended to
carry the
service user
traffic, and
the use of
these UHF
frequencies
is proposed
for
exceptional
circumstances
when the
normal Q and
V Band TT&C
channels are
not useable
(40 and 60
GHz bands).
In June
2025, the
FCC Space
Bureau
accepted a
further
application
from AST &
Science LLC
for the
deployment
of 243
additional
satellites
intended to
use the
430–440 MHz
spectrum for
telemetry
purposes.
Supporting
material for
the new
application
also
suggests
that use of
the 430 –
440 MHz
range by the
new
additional
satellites
may be
limited as
these are
expected to
use the
S‑band
(around 2
GHz)
exclusively
for TT&C
when needed.
The
430–440 MHz
band
supports a
range of
amateur and
amateur
satellite
applications,
including
weak-signal
communications,
space
communications,
digital
television,
data
transmission,
repeaters,
and other
uses. There
is no
specific
sharing
study
considering
the impact
of the TT&C
transmissions
in the
430–440 MHz
band on
these
amateur
applications
despite the
Primary
status of
the amateur
service
allocation
in Region 1
and 11
countries in
Region 2.
The
International
Amateur
Radio Union
(IARU) and
its member
societies
have
expressed
concerns
regarding
the lack of
any
technical
assessment
on the
potential
interference
arising from
AST
satellite
TT&C
transmissions
affecting
the
aforementioned
applications.
The IARU
maintains
that
invoking
Article 4.4
of the Radio
Regulations
is
inappropriate
in this
context,
given the
considerable
risk of
interference
associated
with AST’s
use of the
amateur
allocation.
To
address
these
issues, the
IARU has
communicated
its position
in
correspondence
to the
Director of
the ITU
Radiocommunications
Bureau. IARU
member
societies
are
encouraged
to engage
their
respective
regulatory
authorities
about the
implications
of AST
satellite
TT&C
transmissions
within the
430–440 MHz
band and to
inform their
members
accordingly.
MONDAY
EDITION: To
bad this guy didn't
have a ham license,
he is using his
iPhone for
navigation and a VHF
walkie for marine
communications
Introducing
Radio Alpha, the
ARRL Museum and
Research Library
There’s a new
resource from ARRL
documenting the
history of ham
radio. Radio Alpha
is the ARRL® Museum
and Research
Library. It is
available for
viewing at
www.arrl.org/museum.
Radio Alpha is
envisioned as a
Wikipedia-like
project,
administered by a
trusted group of
volunteers.
It aims to serve
as a definitive
repository of
information,
offering detailed
descriptions and
contextual data on
pivo…
Read more
American Radio
Relay League | Ham
Radio Association
and Resources –Read
More
7 Surprising
Facts You Might Not
Know About Antennas
More than just
metal rods, antennas
are essential
components in
various
technologies,
including radio,
television, cell
phones, Wi-Fi,
radar, and satellite
communication. There
are dipole antennas,
parabolic antennas,
Yagi-Uda antennas,
helical antennas,
microstrip antennas,
and omnidirectional
antennas, to name
but a few.
One type of
antenna – the loop
antenna – has been
used by thieves to
extend the radio
connection between
key fobs and a car
over several hundred
feet, allowing them
to start the car and
drive it as far away
as a tank of gas
will take them,according
to GPS Leaders.
Another novel use
of antennas,according
to Barron’s, is
to pilot unmanned,
Starlink-equipped
narco-submarines
from Colombia across
the Caribbean Sea to
Central America and
Mexico. These
cocaine-smuggling
subs aren’t the
first instance of a
cartel using
Starlink to its
advantage. According
to Barron’s, “A
whopping $4.25
billion in meth was
seized on a ship
near India (in
2024), and the boat
was being operated
remotely using a
Starlink connection”
as well.
But not all of
the unusual uses of
antennas are
nefarious – some are
downright
inspirational. Here,
we take a look at
seven unusual uses
of them, and we even
throw in a bonus fun
fact just for kicks.
Antennas Aiding
Disaster Relief
Researchers fromStanford
Universityand
theAmerican
University of Beiruthave
developed an
innovative,
lightweight,
portable antenna
that can reliably
connect to both
satellites and
terrestrial devices,
offering a vital
tool for disaster
response teams and
humanitarian
organizations.
In the immediate
aftermath of
disasters like
earthquakes or
floods, the failure
of traditional
communication
infrastructure, such
as damaged cell
towers or downed
radio masts,
critically impedes
rescue efforts. This
new antenna directly
addresses those
failures, enabling
rapid deployment of
impromptu
communications to
coordinate emergency
response and connect
with isolated
survivors.
Unlike
conventional
metallic satellite
dishes, which are
heavy and demand
considerable power,
the newly developed
antenna is small,
light (about 39g),
and requires no
extra energy to
switch between two
stable
configurations: one
optimized for
targeted satellite
communications and
the other for
omnidirectional
ground connectivity.
According to
Stanford, it
achieves this
flexibility by
employing a unique
design based on
counter-rotating
helical strips made
from
fiber-reinforced
composites, allowing
easy transformation
between operational
modes merely by
pulling or
compressing its
structure.
Publication of
the design in Nature
Communications
demonstrates its
validity as a
suitable solution
for post-disaster
scenarios,
especially in
regions where
resources and
infrastructure are
limited or
compromised. Field
tests showed
successful
performance for both
point-to-point
terrestrial
connectivity and
satellite
localization within
the crucial L-band
frequency range
frequently utilized
in emergency
communications.
Importantly, such
passive,
reconfigurable
antennas lower the
technological entry
barrier for
responders and
reduce logistical
burdens during
high-stress rescue
operations,
underscoring their
potential to
transform
humanitarian aid and
resilience
strategies in the
face of increasingly
frequent natural
disasters.
Beverage
Antennas In Vietnam
During the
Vietnam War, the
U.S. Marines made
strategic use of
“commo wire” to
create Beverage
antennas—very long,
low-to-the-ground
wire
antennas—enabling
reliable and secure
communication
between forward
bases and command
centers. Typically,
these antennas
extended for several
wavelengths and were
positioned only a
few feet above the
ground.
According to Ham
Radio Outside the
Box, the Marines
deliberately
engineered these
Beverage antennas to
be inefficient: by
terminating the wire
with resistors
(around 600 ohms),
they further
increased lossiness,
which limited the
effective
communication range.
This intentional
inefficiency was a
tactical advantage.
By severely
restricting the
range, transmissions
became much harder
for North Vietnamese
intercept units to
detect or exploit,
thus maintaining
operational security
for nearby command
communications.
Beverage
antennas, though not
optimal for powerful
long-range signals,
provided a
low-profile, easily
concealed antenna
that could be
deployed while
crawling, reducing
exposure to enemy
observation or
attack. Their
construction using
readily available
wire also made them
both practical and
low-cost for field
operations.
Military
documentation and
antenna engineering
studies confirm
that, although
Beverage antennas
generally have a
mere 1.5% efficiency
as transmit
antennas, their
highly directional
and easily adaptable
design provides key
security and stealth
benefits in a
contested,
electronics-rich
environment such as
Vietnam. Modern
analyses emphasize
that radio
communication during
the Vietnam War
depended on a mix of
technological
improvisation and
strategic awareness
of signal
vulnerabilities,
with the Vietnam War
depended on a mix of
technological
improvisation and
strategic awareness
of signal
vulnerabilities,
with the Marines’
use of inefficient
Beverage antennas
exemplifying this
balancing act.
Antenna As A
Metamaterial Design
Metamaterials,
artificially
engineered materials
with extraordinary
electromagnetic
properties, are
transforming the
landscape of antenna
design.A
recent breakthrough
by Lockheed Martin
and Penn Statehighlights
this trend: the
creation of a
compact antenna
using metamaterial
concepts to overcome
the long-standing
limitations of
conventional
antennas for
satellite and GPS
applications. This
antenna features a
hexagonal shape and
is specifically
optimized for use in
arrays, enabling
higher gain and more
efficient
performance when
multiple antennas
are deployed
together. Compared
to traditional
circular designs,
the hexagonal
configuration
results in better
array packing and an
additional increase
in gain.
The integration
of metamaterials
into the antenna
structure results in
significant
improvements in both
gain (up to 25%) and
aperture efficiency,
with added
robustness and
reduced weight,
critical for
aerospace and
satellite
environments. Furthermore,according
to the National
Center for
Biotechnology
Information,
this new antenna
offers dual-band
capability, enabling
efficient operation
at two key
frequencies needed
for GPS systems.
The use of
carefully designed
metamaterial
elements empowers
engineers to
precisely manipulate
electromagnetic wave
propagation,
yielding antennas
that are not only
more compact and
lightweight but also
capable of enhanced
multi-band
functionality and
improved resistance
to interference.
Research at Penn
State’s
Computational
Electromagnetics and
Antennas Research
Lab(CEARL)
has played a pivotal
role in these
advancements,
leveraging advanced
optimization and
simulation to refine
these
metamaterial-enabled
designs. The
resulting antennas
are poised to
provide substantial
benefits for
next-generation GPS
and communication
satellites,
promising enhanced
reliability,
efficiency, and
reduced payload mass
– all critical
factors for modern
aerospace and
defense systems.
DIY Antennas
From Everyday Items
The creative
construction of DIY
antennas using
commonplace items
such as aluminum
foil and wire glue
exemplifies the
ingenuity found
among amateur radio
and television
enthusiasts. Recent
practical guides and
engineering
experiments have
confirmed the
effectiveness of
such homemade
designs.
For example, one
project detailed the
process of building
a deep-fringe TV
antenna out of
plywood, corrugated
cardboard,
heavy-duty aluminum
foil, and 12-gauge
copper wire, with
wire glue providing
the critical
electrical
connection between
foil and wiring,Wire
Glue Projects writes. The
antenna's structure
deliberately
connects the
“director” and
“reflector”
elements, both to
boost reception gain
and to shield
against noisy
interference from
nearby electronics –
a testament to the
nuanced
understanding many
amateurs bring to
their builds.
Academic and
research communities
echo this spirit of
innovation,
experimenting with
flexible and
scalable techniques
for antenna
fabrication.Researchers
at Columbia
Universityhave
advanced the field
by developing
“knitted” RF
metasurface antennas
from off-the-shelf
yarn, integrating
electromagnetic
functionality into
ultra-lightweight
and foldable
textiles. These
antennas represent a
significant
evolution of the
core DIY philosophy
by leveraging
everyday materials
yet advancing
performance and
flexibility.
Parallel antenna
configurations,
inspired by the
pioneering work ofJohn
Winegard,
credited as the
“father of the
modern TV antenna,”
remain a recurring
theme in both
hobbyist and
academic
contexts. Leveraging
multiple antennas
improves signal
quality and
reception diversity,
as demonstrated in
both engineering
theory and practical
radio setups,according
to Princeton
University.
The continued
development of both
simple homemade and
sophisticated
research antennas
underscores the
accessibility and
adaptability of
antenna technology
for personal and
experimental use,
blurring the
boundary between
amateur ingenuity
and academic
advancement.
Antenna Man
DXing – receiving
distant radio or
television signals –
remains a vibrant
hobby within the
amateur radio
community, inspiring
enthusiasts like
“Antenna Man” to
experiment with
various equipment
and antenna designs.
Many amateur radio
operators, or
“hams,” trace their
passion for DXing
back to early
experiences with
makeshift antennas,
such as using a coat
hanger to pull in
faraway stations,according
to SWLing.
This creative
approach exemplifies
the spirit of
experimentation that
underpins amateur
radio and has led
hobbyists to
increasingly
sophisticated
setups, like
high-gain antennas
mounted on towers,
for greater signal
reach and clarity.
DXing is more
than just a pastime;
it is a means of
expanding knowledge
about radio wave
propagation and
improving technical
skills,adds
The National
Association for
Amateur Radio. Organizations
such as the American
Radio Relay League
(ARRL) host annual
contests that
encourage
participants to
contact distant
stations, deepening
their understanding
of atmospheric
conditions and
antenna
performance. The
integration of
digital technology
and the rise of
software-defined
radios have further
broadened the
horizons for DXers,
making it easier for
individuals to
monitor, analyze,
and log distant
signals.
Academic
collaborations, like
those promoted by
theHamSCI
initiative,
bring together
scientists,
students, and radio
enthusiasts to study
ionospheric
phenomena using
DXing
techniques. These
partnerships
exemplify the
growing recognition
of amateur radio’s
value for both
personal achievement
and scientific
advancement. Current
research also
highlights how DXing
fosters innovation
and learning within
the amateur radio
community, bridging
the gap between
casual listening and
advanced signal
experimentation.
The Human Body
As An Antenna
Recent studies
confirm that the
human body can
function as an
antenna when exposed
to high-frequency
electromagnetic
fields, absorbing,
scattering, and even
radiating
electromagnetic
energy. Researchers
have numerically
modeled scenarios
where the body is
near a
high-frequency (HF)
vehicular antenna
and have shown that
a portion of the
incident energy is
indeed radiated away
by the human body,
while the rest is
absorbed and
dissipated as heat
through biological
tissues,according
to Frontiers.
Specific
absorption rate
(SAR) values are
used to assess how
much electromagnetic
energy is converted
into heat within the
body, and these
remain essential
metrics for
understanding
exposure and
safety. The
electrical
properties
(permittivity and
conductivity) of
skin, fat, and
muscle influence how
the body interacts
with electromagnetic
fields, and the
overall absorption
and radiation
characteristics vary
with frequency,
tissue composition,
and proximity to the
EM source.
Apart from
absorption (which
results in heat
dissipation), the
human body can
facilitate energy
transfer in
near-field
communication
scenarios. For
example, recent
research in wearable
technology
demonstrates how
placing antennas in
contact with the
skin improves
performance, as the
human body modifies
the antenna’s load
and can enhance the
radiation efficiency
and pattern,writes
Nature.
Additionally,writes
MDPI,
experiments show
that ambient
electromagnetic wave
energy can sometimes
be harvested using
the human body as a
passive conductor or
antenna to power
ultra-low energy
wearable
electronics. These
findings underscore
the complexity of
the body's
interaction with
electromagnetic
fields and emphasize
the need for ongoing
safety monitoring,
particularly as more
devices operate
nearby at higher
frequencies.
Stealth Antenna
Some ham radio
operators creatively
integrate stealth
antennas into
residential
environments by
disguising them as
common architectural
elements such as
gutters or
downspouts. This
approach allows
operators to comply
with restrictive
homeowner
association (HOA)
rules that often
prohibit visible
antennas and avoid
attracting unwanted
attention from
neighbors or local
authorities.
According to Scribd,
stealth antennas are
intentionally
designed to be
inconspicuous, using
thin wires or
disguising the
antenna as everyday
objects like
flagpoles, roof
vents, or weather
vanes, or even
installing them
indoors (e.g., in
attics) to maintain
a low profile while
still achieving
effective radio
communication.
The need for
stealth antennas
arises not only from
HOA restrictions but
also from other
social
considerations, such
as maintaining good
neighborly relations
or dealing with
space constraints in
urban and suburban
settings. Given that
traditional antennas
can be large and
visually prominent,
disguising antennas
as part of the
household
infrastructure
enables ham radio
operators to
continue their hobby
within regulated
environments without
compromising
performance.
Magnetic loops and
small transmitting
loops are popular
indoor or
semi-hidden antenna
types for such
applications.
Recent advances
have produced
specialized stealth
antenna kits and
designs that retain
high performance
while remaining
covert, such as
broadband VHF/UHF
antennas that avoid
the bulky radials
typically associated
with antenna setups,
enhancing both
stealth and
functionality,Heathkit
writes. The
trend toward stealth
antennas reflects a
broader adaptive
strategy among
amateur radio
enthusiasts to
balance technical
needs with
regulatory and
community
constraints,
demonstrating
innovation in
antenna technology
integration within
residential areas.
Bonus Fun Fact:
The Origin Of The
Word Antenna
The word antenna
in wireless
communication is
attributed to the
Italian inventor
Guglielmo Marconi,
who conducted
wireless experiments
in 1895 using a long
wire “aerial”
suspended from a
pole. Marconi's use
of this apparatus
led to the term
“antenna” being
associated with the
Italian word for a
tent pole, l'antenna
centrale.
This was a shift
from earlier
terminology, where
such devices were
referred to simply
as “terminals” in
wireless telegraphy.
Marconi’s prominence
and successful
wireless
demonstrations
helped popularize
the term, which then
spread among
wireless researchers
and the public
alike.
The Latin origin
of the word
“antenna” means
“sail yard” (the
horizontal spar used
in sailing to hold a
sail), which
influenced its
Italian usage to
mean a pole or rod.
Marconi’s choice of
the word might have
reflected the
physical resemblance
of his wireless
aerial to a sailing
yard or the tent
poles from which the
wire was suspended.
This terminology
then evolved and
solidified in the
context of radio and
wireless
technologies.
Before Marconi,
the earliest radio
antennas were
conceived by
Heinrich Hertz in
the late 19th
century for
demonstrating
electromagnetic
waves, but these
were not termed
antennas at the
time. Marconi’s
experiments and
commercial
developments,
particularly his
1895 transmission
work near Bologna,
brought the concept
and the term
“antenna” firmly
into usage for the
radiating and
receiving elements
in wireless
communication
devices.
Thus, the word
antenna in the
wireless context is
a result of
Marconi’s practical
innovations and
linguistic
adaptation from
Italian and Latin
maritime terminology
to modern radio
technology.
WEEKEND
EDITION:
The Maine Hamvention
is today from 8-2, a
quick hamfest to say
the least....
Time, Stars, and
Tides, All On Your
Wrist
When asked ‘what
makes you tick?’ the
engineers at
Vacheron Constantinsure
know what to answer–
and fast, too. Less
than a year after
last year’s
horological
kettlebell, the 960g
Berkley Grand
Complication, a new
invention had to be
worked out. And so,
they delivered.Vacheron
Constantin’s Solaria
Ultra Grand
Complicationis
more than just the
world’s most
complicated
wristwatch. It’s a
fine bit of
precision
engineering, packed
with 41
complications, 13
pending patents, and
a real-time star
tracker the size of
a 2-Euro coin.
Yes, there’s a
Westminster chime
and a tourbillon,
but the real novelty
is a dual-sapphire
sky chart that lets
you track
constellations using
a split-second
chronograph. Start
the chrono at dusk,
aim your arrow at
the stars, and it’ll
tell you when a
chosen star will
appear overhead that
night.
Built by a single
watchmaker over
eight years, the
36mm-wide movement
houses 1,521 parts
and 204 jewels.
Despite the mad
complexity, the
watch stays wearable
at just 45mm wide
and 15mm thick,
smaller than your
average Seamaster.
This is a wonder of
analog computational
mechanics. Just
before you think of
getting it gifted
for Christmas, think
twice – rumors are
it’ll be quite
pricey.
HamSCI Meteor
Scatter QSO Party
HamSCIwill
host ameteor
scatter QSO partyin
August and again in
December. In just a
few weeks, the
August event will
take advantage of
thePerseid
meteor showerand
allow amateur radio
operators to conduct
QSOs via MSK144
mode. HamSCI expects
hundreds of
participants on the
6 meter band August
11-12.
In addition to
QSOs, HamSCI is
requesting audio
recordings of
decoded pings. This
is possible through
theWSJT-Xsoftware
suite.
INT'L RESPONSE TO
FCC FILING FOR HAM
RADIO FREQUENCIES
JIM/ANCHOR: Our top
story takes us to
Washington, D.C.,
where the FCC has
been receiving
filings from
individuals and
groups speaking out
in response to the
proposed use of
amateur frequencies
by a broadband
communications
business. The
response has
gathered
international
momentum, as we hear
from Jeremy Boot
G4NJH.
JEREMY: Several
International
Amateur Radio Union
societies and more
than 2,000
individuals have
filed their concerns
with the US Federal
Communications
Commission over a
request by a US
broadband
communications
company' to use
frequencies between
430 and 440 MHz for
a planned
constellation of 240
commercial
satellites.
AST SpaceMobile was
recently approved
for the use of the
amateur radio band
on an experimental
basis for a
low-earth orbit
satellite known as
FM1, which is the
prototype for the
company's planned
mobile phone
connectivity from
space. The FCC has
assigned the
callsign WP2XRX,
which expires on 1st
July, 2027.
The Texas-based
company, a rival of
SpaceX, is
developing its
network in
association with
AT&T and Verizon.
SpaceX is partnering
with T-Mobile.
The Radio Society of
Great Britain,
referring on its
website to its own
filing to the FCC,
said that the
company's proposal
for its
constellation has
stirred [quote] "an
unprecedented
response from the
amateur radio
community."
[endquote]
This is Jeremy Boot
G4NJH.
(RSGB, FCC)
**
MEXICAN STATION
HONORS HAM RADIO'S
PATRON SAINT
JIM/ANCHOR: Hams
embrace the story of
one Catholic friar's
ultimate sacrifice
in a World War II
concentration camp.
This martyr, who
became the patron
saint of amateur
radio, is being
honored throughout
August, as we hear
from Jim Davis,
W2JKD.
JIM: In 1938, a
Franciscan friar
named Maximillian
Kolbe began
shortwave radio
broadcasts from his
homebuilt station in
a monastery to share
his words of faith
during a troubled
time in the world
Three years later,
he was a prisoner of
the Nazis in
Auschwitz. On the
14th of August,
1941, he traded his
own life to save
that of a doomed
Polish army
sergeant. Maximilian
Kolbe, SP3RN, was
declared a saint by
the Roman Catholic
Church in 1982 - and
is considered the
patron saint of
amateur radio.
The days surrounding
August 14th have
grown to be
important ones for
more than a decade
at the San Max
Church in Mexico
where, with the help
of a homebrew
rotating dipole
installed at the
church, hams from
around the country
team up to call CQ
using the special
callsign 4A2MAX. The
presence of the
saint is prominent
at the church in
more than just its
given name and
callsign. Some
relics that once
belonged to him are
housed in a small
museum inside the
church building. The
museum also displays
some of the awards
the amateurs have
won while operating
in contests with
this callsign as a
way to pay tribute
to St. Maximillian.
The operators are on
the air this month
from the 1st through
to the 31st using
all modes on all HF
bands through to the
end of the month.
The station's
operations manager,
Chuy, XE2N/N5MEX,
told Newsline
[quote]: "We want to
celebrate what we
love on the radio."
[endquote]
**
HAMTV BACK ON THE
AIR FROM THE ISS
JIM/ANCHOR: The most
popular digital
amateur TV show in
space is back and
better than ever.
With its
installation
completed recently
by ISS astronauts,
HamTV resumed its
transmissions on
Tuesday, the 29th of
July. In Salisbury,
Southern England,
Dave G8GKQ was among
the happy radio
operators to report
to the British
Amateur TV Club that
he had good copy
during the first
pass of the ISS with
HamTV turned on
again. HamTV had
been out of service
since 2019, so its
welcome-back from
Dave and other fans
was clearly a warm
one.
To see a live stream
of HamTV when it is
near the receiver
stations, follow the
link in the text
version of this
week's newscast at
arnewsline.org
(BRITISH AMATEUR TV
CLUB, AMATEUR RADIO
DAILY)
**
FIELD DAY WAS 'MERIT
BADGE DAY' FOR THEM
JIM/ANCHOR: Most of
us remember the big
weekend in June
known as Field Day.
For 14 Scouts who
attended the
activation with one
ham club in Southern
California, it will
always be remembered
as Merit Badge Day.
Ralph Squillace
KK6ITB explains.
RALPH: Operators
with the San
Fernando Valley
Amateur Radio Club
W6SD do a lot of
planning each year
for Field Day but
this year their
plans included
something else for
the first time - the
inclusion of Scouts
from Troop 415 who
were there to
observe, learn about
amateur radio and
perhaps qualify for
scouting's Radio
Merit Badge.
Fourteen of them did
just that - in a
single day - as they
learned about radio
communication and
watched the hams
make QSOs at the
activation site at
the First
Presbyterian Church
of Granada Hills.
Some of the Scouts
even experienced the
thrill of HF by
getting on the GOTA
station - the
so-called "Get On
The Air" station
provided at many
Field Day sites to
allow them to have a
QSO or two under
supervision of a
licensed ham.
The Scouts had other
inspiration to draw
on too. Club
secretary Bernard
KG6FBM told Newsline
that one of the
Scout's fathers,
Eric Arevalo,
KO6KFL, had just
received his Tech
license after taking
a class with Roozy,
W1EH.
Bernard said the
club is very proud
of the Scouts, whose
ages range from 11
to 17. As to whether
a merit badge
eventually leads to
a license, Bernard
said: "Some scouts
did show interest.
Maybe someday
they'll follow up."
(BERNARD FALKIN
KG6FBM)
**
WORLD OF DX
In the World of DX,
the Radio Amateur
Association of
Western Greece,
SZ1A, is on the air
as special event
station SX17ASTRO
until the 8th of
August for the 17th
Panhellenic
Expedition of
Amateur Astronomers.
Be listening on the
HF bands.
Certificates are
available. See
QRZ.com for QSL
details.
Antonio, IK7WUL,
will be on the air
from different
locations in Africa
during a mission
trip in his spare
time. Mainly
operating on 10
metres SSB as 9UØDX
from Burundi until
the 10th of August,
Rwanda as 9XØDX
through to the 18th
and between the 18th
of August and the
7th of September as
TY2AA from Benin.
See QRZ.com for QSL
details.
Steve, ZL2KE is
using the callsign
E51KEE from
Rarotonga, IOTA
Number OC-013, in
the South Cook
Islands between the
3rd and 18th of
August. He is using
CW and some SSB on
40, 30, 20, 17, 15,
12 and 10 metres.
QSL direct to
IK2DUW.
To highlight the
plight of mistreated
dogs and cats and
the work of their
rescuers a group of
amateur radio
special event
stations will be
on-air with an award
scheme during
August. For
International Cat
day on August 8th,
DA0CAT, DL0CAT will
be on-air during the
whole month while
GB4CAT,
GB9CAT,YL1CAT and
W1C will be on for
shorter periods. See
catdayradio.org and
qrz.com for details.
For International
Dog day on August
26th, DA0DOG, DL0DOG
will be on-air
during the whole
month while GB4DOG,
YL1DOG and K2D will
be on for shorter
periods. See
dogdayradio.org and
qrz.com for details.
RADIO ACTIVE
CAPE ANN
PRESENTS :
The
Six Meter Fish
Net!
WHEN:
Thursdays
starting
August 7th
at 7:30 PM
WHERE:
50.200 USB
Simplex
HOW:
K1TT will be
initial net
control but
this will be
almost but
not quite
entirely
unlike any
other local
net. Net
control may
pass hands
during the
net and
relays will
be allowed.
WHY:
This net is
more of a
challenge
than most
local nets.
There is no
repeater, no
digital
access, no
NetLogger
and no
EchoLink to
get in.
Participants
must figure
out what
antenna to
run, how to
deploy it,
and make
changes on
the fly.
This net
more
accurately
mimics
emergency
communication
conditions
where
internet and
repeaters
may be down.
Hopefully,
this net
will inspire
folks to use
this band
they have
not
experienced
much and
build /
deploy
antennas to
get on.
Don’t
Panic
If you
tune into
50.200 USB
at the
correct time
and hear
nothing,
just stand
by. You will
not be able
to hear
everyone on
the net nor
will
everyone
hear you.
Hang in
there. Do
not start
calling CQ.
We will work
from
Gloucester
and
Rockport,
then call
for folks
south of
Gloucester
and Rockport
and later
for folks to
the west and
north. As we
move from
area to
area, a
strong
station may
take on the
role of net
control and
relay back
to the
others.
This
ability to
hear and be
heard will
fluctuate
somewhat
week to week
and will be
strongly
influenced
by the
polarity of
the antennas
involved.
This is all
part of the
experimentation.
73 til
then,
K1TT
ARRL
Field Day
2025 Saw
Growth in
Participants
and Entries
The numbers
are in and
showing
growth. 2025
ARRL Field
Day showed
an increase
in both
participants
and entries,
compared to
2024.
According to
ARRL Contest
Program
Manager Paul
Bourque,
N1SFE, 4,369
entries
detailed
31,785
people
taking part
in in the
event.
That’s up
from last
year.
“There’s a
growing
interest in
ham radio,
especially
after last
year’s
hurricane
season and
other
high-profile
situations
in which
radio
has been
essential,”
noted
Bourque.
“ARRL Field
Day serves
as a great
chance to
get engaged
with your
local
amateur
radio
community.”
The uptick
in numbers
may not be
complete, as
there’s
still an
opportunity
for a few
more entries
to be added.
“Occasionally,
a club will
need to
update their
entry. We
work with
them to make
sure it is
correct,”
said
Bourque.
Field Day
participants
should check
that all the
required
supporting
documentation
related to
their
entries has
been
received by
checking the
Entries
Received web
page at
field-day.arrl.org/fdentriesrcvd.php.
If the
status of
your entry
is listed as
Pending
Documents,
one or more
of the
required
documents
still needs
to be
submitted to
complete
your entry.
Entrants may
use the link
provided in
the
confirmation
email they
received to
upload
additional
documents or
to modify
their
entries.
Currently,
223 entries
are listed
as being
incomplete.
Updates to
existing
entries will
be accepted
until August
29, 2025. If
you’re
having
difficulty
completing
your Field
Day entry or
have any
questions,
contact
fieldday@arrl.org.
On the
public
outreach
front, final
measurement
numbers of
the media
coverage
earned by
amateur
radio public
information
volunteers
have been
tallied.
ARRL Public
Relations
and Outreach
Manager
Sierra
Harrop,
W5DX,
reports that
the total ad
value
equivalence
(AVE) of
2025 ARRL
Field Day is
$37.9
million. “We
had a
tremendous
response
from clubs
and ARRL
public
information
volunteers
this year on
the heels of
Ham Radio
Open House
into ARRL
Field Day,”
she said.
“The ARRL
Public
Relations
Committee
prepared
resources to
help the
volunteers
succeed, but
they really
took it to
the next
level in
communities
across the
country.”
AVE measures
the amount
of money
that would
have to be
spent to buy
ads in media
and social
media to
replace the
news
coverage
volunteers
secured with
press
outreach.
The $37.9M
figure
measures
only
mentions of
ARRL Field
Day from
January 1 –
July 31 of
each year.
In 2024, the
figure was
$20M, and
$18M in
2023. Harrop
hopes to see
further
strengthening
of public
information
volunteers
leading into
2026, which
ARRL has
designated
as the Year
of the Club.
Hams seeking
to serve as
an ARRL
public
information
volunteer
may express
interest to
their ARRL
Section
Manager.
The overall
growth is
encouraging
to ARRL.
“I’m very
pleased with
the amount
of active
ARRL Field
Day
participants
this year.
It’s nice to
see more and
more people
participating!”
said
Bourque.
HamSCI
Meteor Scatter QSO
Party
HamSCIwill
host ameteor
scatter QSO partyin
August and again in
December. In just a
few weeks, the
August event will
take advantage of
thePerseid
meteor showerand
allow amateur radio
operators to conduct
QSOs via MSK144
mode. HamSCI expects
hundreds of
participants on the
6 meter band August
11-12.
In addition to
QSOs, HamSCI is
requesting audio
recordings of
decoded pings. This
is possible through
theWSJT-Xsoftware
suite.
HamTV is Active
on the International
Space Station
The installation
of new equipment
aboard the
International Space
Station (ISS) to
reenable HamTV
appears to be
successful.ARISSreports
on Mastodonthat
ground stations over
Europe had
successfully
received the HamTV
carrier signal on
July 29th. Carrier
transmissions are
expected to continue
over the next few
days. Additional
reports are expected
from North American
hams.
Ham Radio in
Popular Culture:
TV Shows,
Movies, and
Books
Ham radio has
made its
appearances in
various forms of
popular culture
over the years.
Here are a few
examples:
TV Shows:
“Emergency!”:The
popular
1970s show
often
depicted the
use of ham
radio
communication
in emergency
situations.
“Fargo”:In
the show,
the
character
Hanzee Dent
uses ham
radio to
communicate
with a local
ham operator
in order to
track a
suspect.
“Jericho”:The
post-apocalyptic
show
features ham
radio
communication
as a means
of
communication
in the
aftermath of
a disaster.
“MacGyver”:The
TV show
features the
character
MacGyver as
an amateur
radio
operator who
often uses
his handheld
ham radio to
communicate
with others
in different
parts of the
world.
“The
Walking
Dead”:Ham
radio is
used by
various
characters
throughout
the show to
try and make
contact with
other
survivors or
communities
outside
their own.
“The
X-Files”:In
the episode
“Max”,
Mulder and
Scully use
ham radio to
communicate
with a group
of UFO
enthusiasts
who believe
they have
captured a
signal from
an alien
spacecraft.
“Breaking
Bad”:In
one episode,
Walter White
uses a ham
radio to
listen in on
police
frequencies
and avoid
being
caught.
“Stranger
Things”:The
characters
often use
portable
radios to
communicate
locally, and
in a few
episodes
they use
them to
communicate
longer
distances
across the
nation.
Movies:
“Frequency”:The
movie tells
the story of
a man who is
able to
communicate
with his
deceased
father
through a
ham radio
that somehow
allows
communication
across time.
“Apollo
13”:Ham
radio
communication
is used to
establish
contact with
the crew
during their
space
mission.
“Jurassic
Park III”:Ham
radio is
used by the
characters
in the movie
to try and
make contact
with a
rescue team
after their
plane
crashes on
an island
filled with
dangerous
dinosaurs.
“The
Peacemaker”:George
Clooney’s
character
uses a ham
radio to
communicate
with the
U.S.
government
during a
crisis
involving
stolen
nuclear
weapons in
Eastern
Europe.
“The
Andromeda
Strain”:Ham
radio is
used by a
group of
scientists
to
communicate
with a
satellite
and track
down the
source of a
deadly
virus.
Books:
“The Art
of
Possibility”:In
the book by
Rosamund
Stone Zander
and Benjamin
Zander, a
group of
hams use
their radio
equipment to
create a
world-wide
network that
facilitates
communication
during
natural
disasters
and other
emergencies.
“Alas,
Babylon”:In
the novel by
Pat Frank,
ham radio is
the only
means of
long-distance
communication
in a
post-apocalyptic
world.
“The
Girl with
the Dragon
Tattoo”:In
the novel,
Lisbeth
Salander
uses her ham
radio to
communicate
with a
hacker
friend and
obtain
important
information.
“Peak”:In
the book by
Roland
Smith, a
teenage boy
uses his ham
radio to
communicate
with his
father
during a
climbing
competition.
“The Boy
Who
Harnessed
the Wind”:In
this memoir
by William
Kamkwamba
and Bryan
Mealer, the
author
describes
how he used
ham radio to
communicate
with people
outside of
his village
in Malawi
and gain
access to
educational
resources.
“The
Road”:Ham
radio is
mentioned
briefly in
Cormac
McCarthy’s
post-apocalyptic
novel as a
means of
communication,
although its
actual use
is not
described in
detail.
HAMS YOU MIGHT KNOW- ALIVE
AND SK
K1TP-
Jon....Editor of As The World
Turns....
WB1ABC-
Ari..Bought an amp and now we
can here him on 75 meters,
worships his wife, obsessed with
Id'ing N1BOW-Phil...Retired
broadcast engineer, confused and
gullible, cheap, only uses
singl ply toilet paper KB1OWO-
Larry...Handsome Fellow
,only cuts lawn in August, plows
snow the rest in Jackman, Maine W1GEK-
Big Mike....Nearfest Cook, big
motor home, electronics software
engineer ... AA1SB-
Neil...Living large traveling
the country with his
girlfriend...loves CW N1YX-
Igor....peddles quality Russian
keys, software engineer K1BGH...Art.....Restores
cars and radio gear, nice fella... N1XW.....Mike-easy
going, Harley riding kind of
guy! K1JEK-Joe...Easy going, can
be found at most ham flea market
...Cobra Antenna builder.. KA1GJU-
Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who
cooks on the side at
Hosstrader's... W1GWU-Bob....one
of the Hosstrader's original
organizers, 75 meter regular,
Tech Wizard!!! K1PV-
Roger....75 meter regular, easy
going guy... W1XER...Scott....easy
going guy, loves to split
cordwood and hunt... KB1VX-
Barry- the picture says it all,
he loves food! KC1BBU-
Bob....the Mud Duck from the
Cape Cod Canal, making a lot of
noise. W1STS- Scott...philosopher,
hat connoisseur,
KB1JXU-
Matthew...75 meter regular...our
token liberal Democrat out of
Florida K1PEK-Steve..Founder
of Davis-RF....my best friend
from high school K9AEN-John...Easy
going ham found at all the ham
fests K1BQT.....Rick....very
talented ham, loves his
politics, has designed gear for
MFJ... W1KQ- Jim- Retired
Air Force
Controller...told quite a few
pilots where to go! N1OOL-Jeff-
The 3936 master plumber and
ragchewer... K1BRS-Bruce-
Computer Tech of 3936...multi
talented kidney stone passing
ham... K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod,
construction company/ice cream
shop, hard working man.... W1VAK-
Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience
in all areas, once was a Jacques
Cousteus body guard.... K1BNH-
Bill- Used to work for a bottled
gas company-we think he has been
around nitrous oxide to long W1HHO- Cal...3941
group K1MPM-
Pete...3941
group WA1JFX-
Russell...3941
SILENT KEYS
Silet Key
KA1BXB-Don...Regular
on 3900 mornings....just
don't
mention
politics
to
him,
please! Silent Key
N1IOM- 3910 colorful
regular Silent Key
WS1D-
Warren- "Windy" - Bullnet Silent Key
KMIG-Rick....75
Meter Regular....teaches the
future of mankind, it's scary! Silent
Key
Neil
-K1YPM
.....a
true
gentleman Silent Key
K1BXI- John.........Dr.
Linux....fine amateur radio op
....wealth of experience... Silent KeyVA2GJB-
Graham...one of the good 14313
guys back in the day. Silent Key
K1BHV-
David...PITA Silent Key
W1JSH-
Mort...Air Force man Silent Key
K1MAN--Glen....PITA
Silent KeyKB1CJG-"Cobby"-
Low key gent can be found on
many of the 75 meter
nets......... Silent KeyWB1AAZ-
Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts
truck driver-retired Silent KeyWB1DVD-
Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy
going, computer parts selling,
New England Ham.. Silent Key
W1OKQ-
Jack....3936 Wheeling and
Dealing......keeping the boys on
there toes.... Silent Key
W1TCS-
Terry....75 meter
regular, wealth of electronic
knowledge... Silent Key
WIPNR-
Mack....DXCC Master, worked them
all!.. 3864 regular for many
years... Silent Key
WILIM- Hu....SK at 92... 3864
regular for many years... Silent Key
N1SIE-
Dave....Loves to fly Silent Key:N1WBD-
Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10",
of the 3864 group Silent Key:
W1FSK-Steve....Navy
Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned
every radio ever built! Silent Key:
W4NTI-Vietnam
Dan....far from easy going cw
and ssb op on 14275/313 Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill-
Loved ham radio....
