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EHAM QTH QRZ ARRL HRO ICOM KENWOOD YAESU ELBO ROOM COMMENTS THURSDAY EDITION: Good morning...Rumor has it the new 7300 receiver is what you find in the current 7610, not bad! Today we received exciting information from Icom regarding the price of the new Icom IC-7300MK2! We expect this radio to launch at $1,499.95 USD.FCC certification is still pending and we do not have a firm date on when to expect IC-7300 Mark II to arrive at our warehouse currently. From what we understand, there may be limited units available by the holiday season 2025, but readily available stock may not arrive until after the new year. Key New Features of the Icom IC-7300MKII
Hurricane Melissa UpdateHurricane Melissa, now a Category 1 storm, is expected to approach the island of Bermuda late Thursday afternoon. The Hurricane Watch Net ended operations Wednesday night and are now at an Alert Level 3 standby mode. They will continue to closely monitor Melissa’s track, forward speed, and intensity. Should conditions warrant, they will resume operations for a potential threat to Bermuda on Friday. The VoIP net is also in standby mode. Amateur radio operators were busy on Wednesday monitoring the hurricane nets and relaying messages throughout the day. The National Weather Service is expected to issue a new forecast at 8:00 AM Thursday. Updated Wednesday, October 29, 2025 @ 5 AM EDT Hurricane Melissa is moving over Eastern Cuba after making landfall late last night. Now a Category 2 Hurricane, it’s bringing damaging winds, flooding rains, and dangerous storm surge. At 5:00 AM EDT, Melissa is expected to move across the southeastern or central Bahamas later today, and pass near or to the west of Bermuda late Thursday and Thursday night with winds now at 115 miles per hour. WX4NHC, amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center, remains active and will be on-the-air on the Hurricane Watch Net frequency 14.325 MHz most of the time and 7.268 MHz depending on propagation. The VoIP Hurricane Net was activated on Monday and is expected to remain active until late Wednesday evening. The National Emergency Network of the Cuban Radio Amateur Federation (REN-FRC in Spanish) is also active through station CO9DCN, from the National Civil Defense Staff. Cuba. Amateur radio operators are continuing to monitor the weather nets and are relaying information, as necessary. ARRL will have updates as the situation develops and Hurricane Melissa continues its path northwestward Operation HELO, Triad HAM radio operator step up to help Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa tears through islandSTOKESDALE, N.C. — As Hurricane Melissa pounds Jamaica with dangerous winds and torrential rain, some in the Piedmont Triad are already stepping up to help from hundreds of miles away. While most people steer clear of disasters, groups like Operation HELO move toward them. The rapid-response relief organization was created in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and its leaders say Melissa is bringing back familiar concerns. “Unfortunately, there are some similarities with Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Melissa,” Eric Robinson, executive director of Operation HELO, told WFMY News 2. Melissa is expected to bring not only damaging winds, but extreme rainfall to the island nation. “I think they're calling from anywhere from 30 to 40 inches, and that's what the mountains of North Carolina saw,” Robinson said. Robinson said Jamaica’s mountainous terrain could create similar hazards to what western North Carolina experienced during Helene. “They're gonna see a lot of flooding, a lot of flash flooding, a lot of landslides like we saw during Helene,” he said. During Helene, Operation HELO used helicopters to reach stranded communities in the mountains. But this time, Robinson said getting a helicopter into Jamaica is too risky. Instead, the organization will help coordinate aid from the U.S. once airports reopen, sending supplies by ship or plane. “Obviously, during Hurricane Helene, they were our neighbors, but when we start looking at it from a global aspect, these are also our neighbors as well,” Robinson said. Others in the Triad are also helping from afar. Mark Nadel of Stokesdale operates a ham radio from his home, allowing him to connect with people in Jamaica as other methods of communication fail across the island. “I have my own generators, I have my own antennas, I have my own equipment. In the event power goes out, I don't need anybody else to be able to communicate,” Nadel said. “So, and that's the same thing that's going on down in Jamaica right now, most of the power is out but stations that we're talking to have their own generating systems and it doesn't take a whole lot to run it.” On Wednesday, he spoke with the National Weather Service at a Jamaican military substation — helping assess damage and connect people with shelters and hospitals. “People always want to do something but you can't get there and do it and this gives me the ability to really participate and kind of give back,” Nadel said. As conditions slowly improve, both men say their work is just beginning. Robinson’s team is preparing to move supplies in as soon as it’s safe, and Nadel hopes to help reconnect families on the island. Both say that in the worst storms, connection and compassion can make all the difference.
WEDNESDAY EDITION: The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time—and hated it, this is an interesting read....I listened to the hurricane net on 20 meters yesterday, not much info of any interest while I was listening.... If China declares war, these ham radio enthusiasts could be crucialTAIPEI, Taiwan — On Tuesday nights, BX2AN sits near the Xindian River, motionless but for his thumb and middle finger, rhythmically tapping against two small metal paddles. They emit a sound each time his hand makes contact — from the right, a dit, or dot; from the left, a dah, or dash, the building blocks of the Morse code alphabet. “Is anyone there?” he taps.
The replies come back in fits and starts: from Japan, then Greece, then Bulgaria. Each time, BX2AN, as he is known on the radio waves, jots down a series of numbers and letters: call signs, names, dates, locations. Then he adjusts a black round knob on his transceiver box, its screens glowing yellow in the dark. There can be no doubt that this is his setup. That unique call sign is stamped across the front of his black radio set, scrawled in faded Sharpie on his travel mug and engraved in a plaque on his car dashboard. On the edge of his notepad, he’s absent-mindedly doodled it again, BX2AN. In the corporeal world he is Lee Jiann-shing, a 71-year-old retired bakery owner, husband, father of five, grandfather of eight and a ham radio enthusiast for 30 years. Every week, he is the first to arrive at this regular meeting for Taipei’s amateur radio hobbyists. They gather on a small, grassy campground on the city’s southern border, where Lee hunches over his radio from the back of his van, listening to the airwaves as the sun goes down. He doesn’t talk much; he prefers the dits and dahs to communicate. By 8:30 p.m. he has corresponded with six other operators in various countries. U-R-N-A-M-E, Lee asks a contact in Bulgaria. G-E-K, the operator replies, adding a location, S-O-F-I-A. Lee taps out L-E-E, and his city in response. As more members of the Chinese Taipei Amateur Radio League, or CTARL, trickle in, two other operators are setting up stations several yards away. One of them, like Lee, starts tapping. The other prefers a handheld voice transmitter, tuning into some indistinct chatter across the Taiwan Strait. In the age of smartphones and DMs, amateur radio has become a niche hobby in Taiwan. Participants like Lee, many of whom are older than 50, tinker with electronics, exchange postcards with new contacts and compete to see who connects with the most far-flung places. But ham radio might turn out to be more than just a pleasant pastime. The self-governing island, about 100 miles east of China, is weighing wartime scenarios in the face of growing military aggression from its vastly more powerful neighbor. If cell towers are down and internet cables have been cut, the ability of shortwave radio frequencies to transmit long-distance messages could become crucial for civilians and officials alike. The recreational use of wireless radios, which transmit and receive messages via electromagnetic signals, became popular in the early 20th century, starting in the U.S. Since the federal government began issuing licenses in 1912, the number of noncommercial radio operators in the country has surpassed 846,000, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Amateur radio operators (also known as “hams”) tend to use the high radio frequencies, a measure of the oscillation rate of electromagnetic waves. Such shortwave radio signals are able to traverse great distances by bouncing off particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. (Never heard of it? Ham radio still occasionally pops up in movies and TV — “A Quiet Place,” “The Walking Dead” — as a communication channel of last resort.) The technology proved useful during World Wars I and II, when countries such as the U.S. and Britain limited civilian airwave activity but enlisted skilled hobbyists to help send and intercept covert messages. More recently, during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the BBC used shortwave radio to broadcast its news service after communication towers were attacked. Ham radio operators were also able to listen in and interrupt communications among Russian soldiers. FULL STORY
TUESDAY EDITION: Cloudy, windy, and 45 degrees...not a great day to work on the leaves...I don't think ham radio is going to save the day in Jamaica, pray for them. Montego Bay is going to be a memory....Some inept hikers got humg up on Mt. Washington and had to be rescued and taken down the mountain on the Cog Railway. Word has it they are being charged for the rescue..... Ham Radio’s Most Ambitious DXpedition to Remote Bouvet IslandFew places on Earth are as inaccessible—and as coveted by amateur radio operators—as Bouvet Island. Located in the South Atlantic, this uninhabitable rock has long been regarded as the “Mount Everest of DXpeditions.” According to the DXCC Most Wanted List, Bouvet ranks near the very top of sought-after contacts, making every attempt to activate it a historic event. With renewed momentum after a 2023 attempt, the 3Y0K team is back, bringing with it high stakes, innovative planning, and rigorous safety protocols. What does it take to run one of the most ambitious ham radio DXpeditions in history—on one of the harshest and most dangerous islands on the planet? In the second installment of this special coverage from Radios in Action by Icom, host Ray Novak, N9JA, Senior Manager at Icom America, speaks with Cezar Trifu, VE3LYC, Co-Leader of the DXpedition. Together, they dive into the complex logistics, safety planning, and behind-the-scenes infrastructure that make the 3Y0K activation of Bouvet possible. W0W amateur radio station marks "Mars Invasion" at Grovers Mill
Invaders from Mars land at Grovers Mill! To commemorate the anniversary of Orson Welles’ infamous 1938 War of the Worlds Halloween broadcast, members of the Delaware Valley Radio Association will gather at Grovers Mill, site of the fictional Martian landing, to set up a temporary radio station and communicate with other ham radio operators around the world. Sunday, October 26, noon to 5 p.m. Van Nest Park picnic pavilion 218 Cranbury Rd., West Windsor Township, NJ 08550 Pictured, an unidentified Martian (most likely Glen Johnstone NK1N) and Tobi Massano AD2CD, working the radios at a prior year's event. Visit www.w2zq.com to learn more. MONDAY EDITION: Another great weekend of good weather, the DX contest, the Patriots winning and BC getting its big mouth kicked on the field......My friend Jim- K1TT worked 100 countries in the contest over the weekend, how do you beat that? Tropical Storm Melissa Update
Updated Monday,
October 27, 2025
@ 9 AM EDT (1300
UTC)
WEEKEND EDITION: Nice day on the island, lots of tourists in the shops. A DX contest on the airwaves if you are looking for a few countries.... Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the Manhattan Project (But Were Afraid to Ask)There have been plenty of books and movies about how the Manhattan Project brought together scientists and engineers to create the nuclear bomb. Most of them don’t have a lot of technical substance, though. You know — military finds genius, genius recruits other geniuses, bomb! But if you want to hear the story of the engineering, [Brian Potter] tells it all. We mean, like, all of it. If you’re looking for a quick three-minute read, you’ll want to give this a pass. Save it for a rainy afternoon when you can settle in. Even then, he skips past a lot of what is well known. Instead, he spends quite a bit of time discussing how the project addressed the technical challenges, like separating out U235. Four methods were considered for that task. Creating sufficient amounts of plutonium was also a problem. Producing a pound of plutonium took 4,000 pounds of uranium. When you had enough material, there was the added problem of getting it together fast enough to explode instead of just having a radioactive fizzle. There are some fascinating tidbits in the write-up. For example, building what would become the Oak Ridge facility required conductors for electromagnets. Copper, however, was in short supply. It was wartime, after all. So the program borrowed another good conductor, silver, from the Treasury Department. Presumably, they eventually returned it, but [Brian] doesn’t say. There’s the old story that they weren’t entirely sure they wouldn’t ignite the entire atmosphere but, of course, they didn’t. Not that the nuclear program didn’t have its share of bad luck. Blog – Hackaday Read More Important Notice: Keep Clear of Emergency Frequencies During the Contest WeekendTropical Storm Melissa is nearly stationary in Caribbean on Friday, October, 24, 2025. Forecasters warn it could quickly intensify, impacting Jamaica as a hurricane and causing catastrophic flooding and landslides Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) a group of licensed Amateur Radio Operators trained and organized to provide essential communications support to the National Hurricane Center during times of hurricane emergencies, is carefully monitoring the storm’s development. Important Notice: Emergency Frequencies — Keep Clear During Contest Weekend As the Caribbean faces potential hurricane impacts, IARU (International Amateur Radio Union) Region 2 has activated emergency nets on the following frequencies:
If the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activates, they will be operating on:
The amateur radio station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, will also be monitoring the HWN frequencies for real-time weather and situation reports. This weekend coincides with the CQ World Wide SSB Contest, one of the busiest times on the ham radio bands. All operators are urged to exercise extra vigilance and avoid transmitting on or near these emergency and hurricane watch frequencies. These nets are providing critical communication links supporting the Caribbean Islands and affected regions. Please ensure they have clear and reliable access to designated frequencies. In summary:
Amateur
Radio Newsline
Report FRIDAY EDITION: Not much news to post except ten meters has been very hot.... What Americans fear most in 2025
For over a
decade,
Americans’ top
fear has
remained the
same: corrupt
government
officials.
eam Fear is at it again. For the past 11 years, this dedicated group of researchers with a very cool nickname has conducted the annual Chapman University Survey of American Fears. This year, they surveyed 1,015 adult Americans on what they fear most, from sharks to heights to identity theft. Wondering which fear took the first slot? For the 10th consecutive year, corrupt government officials topped the list. Fears of a loved one becoming seriously ill, economic or financial collapse, and cyber-terrorism followed. Here’s the full list of what Americans fear most in 2025:
Michigan terminates controversial EV battery plant and seeks to claw back millions in incentives...another failure...LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan is demanding millions of dollars in incentives back from a Chinese company after plans to build an electric vehicle battery plant collapsed following years of pushback against the project from neighbors and members of Congress. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer supported the $2.36 billion factory in 2022, and state lawmakers approved nearly $175 million in incentives for the project. The state is now holding Gotion Inc. in default of $23.6 million, accusing the company of abandoning the project.
“While this is not
the outcome we hoped
for, we recognize
the tremendous
responsibility we
have to the people
we serve to make
sure their
hard-earned tax
dollars are spent
wisely and
appropriately,”
Danielle Emerson, a
spokesperson with
the Michigan
Economic Development
Corporation, said in
a statement. Representatives for Gotion, which is headquartered in California, did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment. In a letter dated Sept. 17, Michigan informed Gotion that it was in default of economic development grant obligations because no “eligible activities” had occurred on the site's property in over 120 days. ![]()
THURSDAY
EDITION:
I learned
more about
the
Cog Railway
in NH
this morning
than I
thought was
posible
sandbagging
on 3941.
Mike-XW was
a wealth of
knowledge,
the only
scary part
was the
price- $100
a head- I
hope it
comes with a
happy
ending!
Amateur Radio Daily Adds Live Solar and HF Band Conditions Powered by DXLookFor readers of Amateur Radio Daily that regularly visit through a web browser, you'll notice an improved version of the solar conditions displayed in the header. In addition, readers will see a new section in the sidebar that communicates current HF band conditions. These improvements are made possible thanks to a collaboration with DXLook, the live propagation platform created by Rodrigo Vazquez (AK6FP). The new data feed displays continuously updated Solar Flux Index (SFI), Sunspot Number, and A- and K-indices, along with current band-by-band propagation assessments. Together, these indicators give operators an at-a-glance view of the day’s radio conditions before they get on the air.
The update reflects the collaborative spirit of amateur radio—combining independent efforts to make space-weather awareness and HF propagation insights more accessible to everyone in the hobby. Tropical Storm Melissa Update
All eyes and ears
are on Tropical
Storm Melissa, now
in the Caribbean
Sea. As of 11:00 AM
EDT on Wednesday
October 22, 2025,
Melissa was drifting
west-northwestward
in the central
Caribbean. Heavy
rain and flooding
are expected over
portions of
Hispaniola and
Jamaica for the
reminder of the
week.
A hurricane watch is in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, from the border with the Dom… Read more American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources– Read More WEDNESDAY EDITION: Rain today, much needed....Trying to get up the steam to change the oil in the truck this week, I have the oil and filter, I just need a kick in the ass....
Atomic
Leisure
— Las Vegas,
Nevada, 1955
On July 17,
1955, at
precisely
5:30 a.m.,
swimmers at
the Desert
Inn pool in
Las
Vegas paused
mid-dive. A
mushroom
cloud rose
in the
distance—65
miles away
at the
Nevada Test
Site. The
atomic
blast, part
of Operation
Teapot, was
visible from
the Strip,
and locals
had gathered
with lawn
chairs and
sunglasses
to witness
the
spectacle.
Children
floated on
inflatable
rings,
couples
sipped
coffee, and
lifeguards
pointed
skyward. The
juxtaposition
was surreal:
leisure and
annihilation
sharing the
same
horizon.
For many, it was a symbol of American optimism, blind to the dangers of radiation. For others, it was a haunting reminder of the Cold War’s reach. That morning, Las Vegas became the only city in the world where you could sunbathe beneath a nuclear sunrise. Give Your Twist Connections Some StrengthWe’ve all done it at some time — made an electrical connection by twisting together the bare ends of some wires. It’s quick, and easy, but because of how little force required to part it, not terribly reliable. This is why electrical connectors from terminal blocks to crimp connectors and everything else in between exist, to make a more robust join.
But what if there was a way to make your twist connections stronger? [Ibanis Sorenzo] may have the answer, in the form of an ingenious 3D printed clamp system to hold everything in place. It’s claimed to result in a join stronger than the wire itself. The operation is simple enough, a spring clamp encloses the join, and a threaded outer piece screws over it to clamp it all together. There’s a pair of 3D printable tools to aid assembly, and a range of different sizes to fit different wires. It looks well-thought-out and practical, so perhaps it could be a useful tool in your armoury. We can see in particular that for those moments when you don’t have the right connectors to hand, a quick 3D print could save the say. A few years ago we evaluated a set of different ways to make crimp connections. It would be interesting to subject this connection to a similar test. Meanwhile you can see a comprehensive description in the video below the break. HAMS YOU MIGHT KNOW- ALIVE AND SK K1TP-
Jon....Editor of As The World
Turns....
SILENT KEYS Silet Key
KA1BXB-Don...Regular
on 3900 mornings....just
don't
mention
politics
to
him,
please!
wednesday
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