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WEEKEND EDITION: Sunny and windy good day for getting outside...away from the radio

Why Does the FCC Care About Computers?

Unless you are over a certain age, you probably take it for granted that electronic gadgets you buy have some FCC marking on them. But it wasn’t always true. [Ernie] submits that the FCC’s regulation of the computer industry was indirectly the result of the success of CB radio in that same time period.

Today, there is a high chance you don’t watch TV directly over the airwaves or even consume audio from a traditional radio station. Even if you do, the signal is increasingly likely to be digital. But only analog radio and TV were highly susceptible to interference. When a professional radio station or the power company interfered with you watching I Love Lucy, you could count on them to resolve it. Even ham radio operators, a small segment of the population, would, in general, graciously help you if their transmissions interfered with your equipment.

Never mind that, in many cases, it was the cheap TV or some other problem on the receiving end. Then there was another source of potential interference: CB radio. At first, you were about as likely to encounter a CB operator as a ham radio operator. But then in the 1970s, CB exploded, becoming a cultural phenomenon, and you can hear what a state it was in by watching the contemporary TV report in the video below.

This explosion of operators who did nothing more than apply for a license (if they even bothered to do so) and bought their equipment at a local store had no idea how to help curb interference, even if they wanted to. In 1977, the AP reported that 83% of the FCC’s TV interference complaints involved CB radio.

Early computers were also very noisy on the radio bands. So much so that early attempts at computer audio output were simply modulating the radio frequency interference. Again, at first, this wasn’t a huge problem. But as computers became more common, so did computer-related interference, and the FCC didn’t want to deal with another CB radio-style explosion.

The rest is, as they say, history, and [Ernie] covers it all in the post. Getting a product approved by the FCC isn’t trivial, but if you have to do it, we have some advice.

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FRIDAY EDITION: I went from no leaves to being knee deep in leaves in just one night! The winds howled last night on the island and now I have some work to do! Another week and I will have a beautiful ocean view for the winter....I hate to bring up 7200 but who is the asshole who broadcasts all day with the foul mouth? Is the FCC deaf?

Local Ham Radio Operators Help Keep Thruway Safe During Halloween

It’s almost Halloween — and that means it’s time for the Pumpkin Patrol!

Amateur radio operators — or “Hams,” as they like to be called — from the Drumlins Amateur Radio Club in Wayne County and the Skenoh Island Club in Ontario County are teaming up once again with State Police Troop T for the 49th year of this Halloween tradition. These volunteers will be stationed on bridges over the Thruway tonight and Friday night, keeping an eye out for any tricks that could turn dangerous — like vandalism or debris being thrown onto cars. They stay in touch with a central coordinator, who can alert 911 in seconds if anything suspicious pops up.

Drumlins Club President Dave Taylor says Hams all across New York will be out there helping to keep drivers safe — and it’s worked: there hasn’t been a single serious vandalism incident on the Thruway since the Pumpkin Patrol began nearly five decades ago.

Ham radio offers St. Joseph School students lessons in science, math and communication

“CQ, CQ, CQ, school roundup. This is kilo charlie zero lima kilo victor.”

A St. Joseph School student released the button on the side of the ham radio’s microphone. Within seconds came a response through the radio’s crackle.

“This is kilo foxtrot three delta juliet,” the man on the other end of the receiver called out.

Andrea Nunziante took over the microphone, introducing his new contact — Ronald Reiff (KF3DJ), a retired radio announcer from Columbus, Pennsylvania — to students at St. Joseph in Cottleville, who eagerly watched the amateur radio demonstration.

On an October afternoon, students took turns contacting other ham radio operators across the country as part of the American Radio Relay League’s School Club Roundup, a twice-yearly event for ham radio clubs at elementary, junior high, high schools and colleges that gives them experience exchanging information with other amateur radio stations.

Nunziante, St. Joseph’s technology director and an amateur radio operator (KCØLKV) for more than 25 years, introduced students to ham radio this school year to show how the technology can connect people in new ways. Lessons in math, science and language arts have also emerged from their discussions.

“It is cross-discipline because you can use it for geography, you can use it for language, you can use it for science,” he said. “So there are several ways that the teacher can integrate that into the curriculum. The overall goal is to get them interested in a way of communication that it’s different than cellphone and computer.”

Students have learned basic radio concepts, including frequencies and propagation (the way some radio signals travel from one amateur radio station to another), and operating etiquette when contacting other hams.

Connecting with other amateur radio operators depends largely on solar and weather conditions, Nunziante explained to about two dozen students who stayed after school to participate in the roundup event. The occurrence of a solar flare — a burst of radiation from the sun’s surface caused by the release of built-up magnetic energy — can interfere with high-frequency signals, causing a sudden loss in communication.

“When there is a big magnetic flare and you turn on the radio, it’s just quiet — really quiet,” he said.

Seventh grader Joey Risley made contact with a radio operator at Red River Gorge, Kentucky, who was participating in Parks on the Air, a program that promotes communications from national and state parks.

“It’s really cool that you can talk to people, it’s just really fun,” said Joey, who plans on exploring more with ham radio as part of a Scouting merit badge on radio. “It’s a new perspective, just like talking on the phone. We do that every day. But this is a bit more like, you don’t know who you’re going to talk to next or where they’re from. So I just find it really exciting.”

Throughout the afternoon, students made contact with ham radio stations in other states, including Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas, as well as one in Canada. Nunziante explained that proper etiquette involves listening before transmitting, avoiding monopolizing a frequency and being respectful of other operators. CQ (pronounced “seek you”), for example, is a general call used by an operator to invite other stations to make contact.

“Is the frequency open?” Nunziante called into the microphone. Turning to students, he said, “Let me ask you a question: Do you know why I did that? I’ll show you,” as he walked over and wedged himself in between two students sitting on a bench. “Was that good? No. But if I come over and say, ‘May I come over and join you in this seat?’ That’s polite, right?”

Students made contact with Andrew Piper (KI5AIE), an 80-year-old operator from Calera, Oklahoma. Fourth grader Marianna Dwyer asked him what he likes most about ham radio. Piper told her that he enjoys taking apart radios and putting them back together and has been a ham radio enthusiast since he was 10 years old.

Nunziante hopes the school eventually will form a ham radio club and apply for a club station license. But for now, he hopes that students will grow in their enthusiasm for ham radio.

People have told Nunziante that ham radio generally attracts older enthusiasts, but he said it’s really a hobby for any age and is easy to learn. “This is something that the kids can actually do,” he said. “You start with the tech class (entry-level license), and then you can go out from there.”

What is Amateur Radio?

It is a form of communication, a hobby, a community service and a vital service in the event of an emergency.

It could be a teacher in Nova Scotia making friends over the radio with another Radio Amateur in New Zealand; an Alberta teenager using her computer to upload a chess move through her radio which is retrieved by a fellow chess fan in Florida via an Amateur Radio space satellite; or a truck driver in Manitoba contacting Radio Amateurs in a hundred countries during a single weekend contest.

The appeal of Amateur Radio is the ability to communicate across the country, around the globe, and even with astronauts on space missions. Many Radio Amateurs build and experiment with radio.

Do you?

• enjoy the thought of communicating with people around the world without the use of phones or the Internet?
• like experimenting with electronics?
• like interfacing radio transmitters with your computer?
• want to serve your community at social events or during serious emergency situations?
•  
• want to talk to astronauts in the International Space Station?
• look forward to developing new relationships and learning what is going on around the world through the airwaves?

If you answered maybe or yes to any one or a few of these questions, then Amateur Radio may be for you!

New Book Release: Small Antennas for Small Spaces 3rd Edition

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

• Improved RMDR and Phase Noise Characteristics

• Lower Heat Generation and Lower Power Consumption

• HDMI™ Port for an External Display

• Built-in CW Decoder

• Simplified RS-BA1 Remote Control with Ethernet connector

• USB Type-C™ with Dual COM + Audio

• RX Antenna IN/OUT Connectors

Hurricane Melissa Update

Operation HELO, Triad HAM radio operator step up to help Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa tears through island

 

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 crucial

TAIPEI, 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 Island

Few 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.

Video link: https://marketscale.com/industries/3y0k-bouvet-island/icom-powers-3y0k-ham-radios-most-ambitious-dxpedition-to-remote-bouvet-island-part-2-2

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

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.

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Important Notice: Keep Clear of Emergency Frequencies During the Contest Weekend

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

HAMTV MAKES 1ST ARISS CONTACT IN 7 YEARS

NEIL/ANCHOR: The Amateur Radio on the International Space Station program has reason to celebrate. With the help and hard work of technicians, engineers and other team members, ARISS marked the first contact in seven years that made use of HamTV - a QSO between the 1st Radford Semele Scout Group in the UK and NASA astronaut Jonny Kim KJ5HKP on the 18th of October. The digital amateur TV transmitter based in the Columbus module permits the audience to view live video downlinks during their contacts with the astronauts.

As he called up to the space station to say the team and the European HamTV ground stations were ready, Ciaran Morgan, MØXTD, ARISS operations lead for the UK, dedicated the call to Gaston Bertels, ON4WF. Gaston was at the helm of the HamTV technical team until he became a Silent Key in December 2024. He had been a key player in getting the L/S band antennas installed on the Columbus module. HamTV operated until 2018, when its failure brought it back to earth so repairs could be made. The unit was returned to the ISS in 2024. This past July, it resumed its transmissions and members of the British Amateur TV Club, who were standing by for those first signals, happily reported good copy.ing information he was requested to pass along by the UN and the US State Department.

The world heard more from Charlie in December 2004. He had been filming and providing support to the VU4 DXpedition on Andaman Island when the tsunami disaster swept over South Asia. As DXpeditioners switched to handling health, welfare and emergency communications messages, Charlie returned to Thailand, where he and his wife were living, to provide radio support for recovery efforts after the loss of conventional communication. He also provided realtime information to many of the world's media organisations, including MSNBC and CNN.

Charlie was 80.

**
SILENT KEY: AMATEUR RADIO HISTORIAN JOHN DILKS III, K2TQN

NEIL/ANCHOR: A ham who devoted his life to the celebration of amateur radio's history and evolution has become a Silent Key. We hear more about him from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: John Dilks III K2TQN so loved the old rigs, the crystal sets, the spark transmitters and the keys that he assembled a collection of them -- ham radio artifacts from amateur radio's earliest days -- and called it the John Dilks Old Radio Museum. History was so much his passion and expertise that at one point he was asked to consult and provide radios for the 2013 film, "Paranoia," featuring Harrison Ford, when it was shooting outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

John, who was first licensed in 1956 as KN2TQN, became a Silent Key on the 12th of October.

Readers of QST magazine remember his monthly column, "Old Radio," which ran in the ARRL publication from 2000 to 2014. Members of the Antique Wireless Association recall him too as a respected member. According to his online obituary, his love of history extended beyond the evolution of amateur radio. He often gave presentations that touched on great moments in history, including radio's role in the 1923 expedition to the North Pole -- and its role as well aboard the ill-fated Titanic luxury liner. In his volunteer work with the World Peace Camp in 1989, he devoted time to helping children earn their amateur radio licenses.

John was 84.

**
CANADA ELIMINATES EXPIRATION DATES FOR BROADCAST RADIO LICENSES

NEIL/ANCHOR: Broadcast radio station licenses in Canada will no longer have an expiration date, as we hear from John Williams VK4JJW.

JOHN: The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission will no longer require broadcast radio stations to renew their licences, as part of a rule it said it has adopted to help stations save money and shrink administrative burdens. The commission said it was hoping the action would amount to a boost for terrestrial broadcasting which, while facing challenges recently, nonetheless remains a vital source of news, information and culture.

A report on the RadioWorld website said that the open-ended licences will replace those that presently have a maximum term of 7 years. The commission will phase in the new licensing framework as the stations apply for their renewals.

In a statement, the CRTC assured broadcasters that station monitoring would still be vigilant despite the switch to the open-ended licences. Compliance reviews, which traditionally have occurred at the time of licence renewal, will instead be conducted as needed.

**
'PUMPKIN PATROL' IN ITS 4TH DECADE TO ENSURE DRIVER SAFETY

NEIL/ANCHOR: The Halloween tradition known as the Pumpkin Patrol may not be as much fun as trick-or-treating, but in a number of northern New York State counties it has become a lifesaver. Travis Lisk N3ILS tells us why.

TRAVIS: Halloween can be a time for mischief and that mischief can turn deadly, as it almost did in 1976 when an object thrown from a bridge over the New York State Thruway smashed the windshield of a truck below. The shattered glass injured the driver, who was talking on his citizens band radio at the time. The other CB radio operator heard that the trucker was in distress and decided immediately that she and two friends would bring their radios to that overpass and two others in their county and stand watch the next evening.

New York State police now conduct the Pumpkin Patrol in various counties traversed by the Thruway and for more than four decades, ham radio operators have been there too. This year the teams of volunteer radio operators will be out on the nights of October 30th and 31st, keeping in constant touch with a net control station that can call for emergency response if necessary.

They are, of course, hoping it will not be necessary.

**
ARDC PREPARES FOR NEW ROUND OF GRANT APPLICANTS

NEIL/ANCHOR: Amateur Radio Digital Communications has a mission to support the tinkerers, the dreamers and the builders who keep ham radio strong. They recently issued a reminder that they are actively looking for applicants. Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us how your own workbench might be of interest to them.

KEVIN: Grants are available from Amateur Radio Digital Communications, which is giving top priority to projects in one of several areas: supporting satellite technology for ham analogue and digital communications; developing hands-on, open-source and educational materials and projects for learners in schools and clubs; and delving into open-source hardware and software systems that include SDRs, new modulation techniques and CODEC technologies.

ARDC said that projects outside these areas would also be welcome to apply but that these areas are closest to the core of the organization's goal of [quote] "promoting the freedom to tinker, build, communicate, and openly share information." [endquote]

YOUNG AMATEURS LEARN NEW MODES FOR EMCOMM

NEIL/ANCHOR: In various parts of the world, emergency communicators continue to promote the use of the amateur service as well as other modes and methods to the next generation. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF tells us how hams in India are continuing to make that transition.

JIM: In India, ham radio operators are focusing more on DMR - Digital Mobile Radio - as an alternative to analogue VHF, UHF and HF. Fifty young hams were recently given training in DMR programming and operating by the Indian Academy of Communication and Disaster Management and the West Bengal Radio Club, led by Jayanta VU2TFR and Soumya VU3FWK.

According to the club secretary, Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA, this was the first hands-on training in DMR for radio operators who will be using DMR in the vast remote delta region known as the Sunderbans. Dipak Chakraborty, VU2TLW, the academy's vice principal, told the group afterward that DMR's potential in such remote areas has prompted the academy to plan yet another workshop focusing specifically on those challenged regions.

Meanwhile, in the Philippines, members of the Ham Radio Emergency Communications Group Inc., DX1HAM, devoted part of the 68th annual Jamboree on the Air scouting activities on October 18th to teach Boy Scouts of the Philippines the basics of operating two-way radios. The hams were preparing the next generation to be familiar with the kind of radios used by licensed emergency communicators when severe storms imperil public safety in their western Pacific island archipelago.

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

(AMBARISH NAG BISWAS, VU2JFA, THE PHILIPPINE STAR)

**
SCOTTISH MICROWAVE ENTHUSIASTS PREPARE FOR ROUNDTABLE

NEIL/ANCHOR: In Scotland, hams who operate on the microwave frequencies are registering now for a day-long program in November where they can share ideas. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us what's happening.

JEREMY: Microwave fans, whether they're newcomers or longtime enthusiasts, are preparing to attend the 13th Scottish Microwave Round Table on the 1st of November at the Museum of Communication in Burntisland, Fife.

The roundtable will have available microwave test facilities available and attendees will be able to purchase components and other items. The GM4LBV Trophy will be presented as part of an annual construction competition held in memory of Scottish microwave enthusiast John Eaton. It bears the callsign of John, who became a Silent Key in 2012.

For details about the event or registration information, see the link in the text version of this week's newscast at arnewsline.org

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for the callsign Z66IPA which is on the air through to the 3rd of November from Kosovo. It is being activated by S58MU and S5ØX on 160-10 metres. The pair will participate in the CQWW SSB contest on the 25th and 26th of October as Z68MU and Z68WW. QSL to all calls via S58MU.

Listen for operators from Argentina's Yaguarete DX Group using the callsign CP7DX from Bolivia from the 31st of October to the 10th of November. They will operate SSB and FT8 on 160-6 metres, as well as via EME.

Kazu, MØCFW will be on the air as 3B9/MØCFW from Rodrigues Island, IOTA number AF-017, from the 21st through to the 29th of October. He will participate in the CQ WW DX SSB Contest using the callsign 3B9KW.

Gil, FM5FJ, will be using the callsign J79FJ from Dominica, IOTA Number NA-101, from the 20th through to the 29th of October, using CW, SSB and perhaps some FT8. He will also participate in the CQ WW DX SSB Contest with the J75A team.

Listen for members of the Tango Alfa Ham Radio Club, YM1KE, using the callsign TC29TC through to the 29th of October. They are celebrating Republic Day in Turkey, which is on the 29th. QSL via eQSL.

For QSL details of all stations please refer to qrz.com.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: ON DXPEDITION, A PILEUP OF THINGS GOING WRONG

NEIL/ANCHOR: Our last story this week is for all the dreamers and the do-ers whose plans don't always work out. Ralph Squillace KK6ITB takes us to the South Pacific for that story.

RALPH: Operating from the Manihiki Atoll in the North Cook Islands had been the shared dream of five hams from the Western Washington DX Club. They weren't just activating the 68th most wanted DXCC entity; they were dreaming of pileups.

The pileups they got were the unwanted pileups of malfunctions which began not long after they put the callsign E51MWA on the air on the 9th of October. Twelve hours in, their solar plant experienced a voltage loss and they were unable to start their backup generator. The team went QRT for several hours. Back on the air during the next few days, they suffered the failure of a power strip, they lost the use of one radio and then the high-power bandpass filters for 17 and 12 metres failed to work.

The final blow to their dream came on the 14th of October with a local power outage. The team got their backup generator started but then the generator and the power station's building both caught fire and were destroyed.

It was time to go home to Washington state for Rob N7QT, Brian N9ADG, James KC7EFP, Robin WA7CPA and Jack N7JP. The sixth operator, Violetta KN2P, a 21-year-old contester, was also scheduled to move on. She was headed to the PJ2T youth-led operation in Curacao for the CQWW SSB contest.

The team's plan had been to be on the air at Manihiki until October 20th. Instead they posted a message on their website on the 14th. [quote] "Without power options the team has no choice but to go QRT." [endquote] Six days ahead of schedule, it was over. As they packed, they added one more thing to their cargo: big plans that they alluded to in a message on their website. They wrote [quote] "As the team packs equipment for return shipment to the US, we are already thinking of the next DXpedition." [endquote]

FRIDAY EDITION: Not much news to post except ten meters has been very hot....

What Americans fear most in 2025

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:

1. Corrupt government officials (with 69.1 percent of participants saying they’re afraid or very afraid of this)
2. People I love becoming seriously ill (reporting at 58.9 percent)
3. Economic or financial collapse (58.2 percent)
4. Cyberterrorism (55.9 percent)
5. People I love dying & U.S. becoming involved in another world war (both tied at 55.3 percent)
6. Pollution of drinking water (54.5 percent)
7. Russia using nuclear weapons (53.7 percent)
8. Pollution of oceans, rivers, and lakes (53.5 percent)
9. Government tracking of personal data (52.7 percent)

 

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.

Amateur Radio Daily Adds Live Solar and HF Band Conditions Powered by DXLook

For 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.

DXLook is a community project built to share live propagation data freely with all amateurs. Partnering with Amateur Radio Daily brings that information to an even wider audience of active operators. —Rodrigo Vazquez (AK6FP)

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

A hurricane watch is in effect for the southwestern peninsula of Haiti, from the border with the Dom…

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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....

Give Your Twist Connections Some Strength

We’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.